India Bleeds

India bleeds, whether terrorists strike in Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bangalore, Delhi, Assam or Mumbai; when a soldier or policeman loses his life for the country; when a woman or child is raped and brutally killed, innocents lynched in the name of honour killings and revenge, and when natural calamities wipe out families.

The recent 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai is an eye opener to all the Indian citizens. Lessons in crisis management is the need of the hour. We seem to have a short term memory, just like the media. When an incident such as this occurs, the media covers it 24x7 and is thrilled with the TRP ratings, as fools like us keep watching it like a TAMASHA . And soon, it fizzles out and the issue is dead; out of sight, out of mind. The 26/11 terrorist attacks has generated momentum amongst us to do something about the situation, because the victims this time were foreigners and people from the upper strata of society, other than the AAM JUNTHA.

But, I want to be positive and give the devil its due. The media is a powerful tool and has done its bit by taking up few issues and facilitating justice to the victims by generating awareness and mobilizing public support . I expect the media to play a vital and responsible role in creating awareness and empower the citizens to manage crisis of any magnitude. We just can't let India bleed.

Blame Game

It has been a month since the media has been talking about the death of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling in Goa, India. She was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Anjuna beach, Goa on February 18, 2008. She is believed to have been drugged, raped and left to die in the shallow water on the beach by a bartender, Samson D' Souza and an alleged drug dealer, Placido Carvalho. Pictures of Scarlett's mother, Fiona MacKeown, driving to the police station, giving interviews and panel discussions on the subject are aired everyday on television and articles on the same are published everyday in the newspapers.

Ironically, the whole circus is leading nowhere to the actual situation on hands, but to mud slinging and blame game amongst the Goa police, Government of Goa and Fiona MacKeown; peppered with our hounding media and its reports. The issues raised are about Fiona MacKeown's personal background and her irresponsible parenting of nine offsprings , fathered by five different men in her life; the flourishing drug trade and drug mafia in the coastal state of Goa; the Goa police being charged with cover up and what not!

I wonder what torture, pain and helplessness, the young teenager, Scarlett must have undergone in the last tormenting moment in her life. Why are we not able to pin down and punish Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho who committed the heinous crime. I also wonder about the plight of the parents of these two irresponsible, wretched living beings and also about their parenting pattern. Every other day we hear about females being molested in India with age and nationality, no bar. As citizens of this country and living in this society, are we not responsible to counter the situation by voicing our concerns and force the authorities to take immediate action and be more sensitive and accountable to such issues. The media has the power to drive and derive justice to the victims, as it has done in some cases. It needs to take up this mission to create more awareness amongst the citizens about their rights and stimulate confidence to join hands and crusade against the evils of this society.