Sunday, November 6, 2016

क्या एनडीटीवी को एकतरफा घेरा गया?

एनडीटीवी प्रकरण को लेकर यह बात कही जा रही है कि देश की सुरक्षा सर्वोपरि है। उस मामले में कोई समझौता नहीं किया जा सकता। केबल टीवी नेटवर्क्स रूल्स, 1994 में पिछले साल संशोधन करके आतंकी हमलों के समय की लाइव कवरेज को लेकर कड़ाई की व्यवस्था। इस संशोधन को लेकर भी आपत्तियाँ हैं। इसके अलावा एनडीटीवी के प्रसंग में कहा जा रहा है कि ऐसा कुछ नहीं हुआ जिसके आधार पर कहा जा सके कि देश की सुरक्षा संकट में पड़ गई। इस सिलसिले में वैबसाइट द वायर ने अपने सम्पादकीय में कहा है कि ऐसी पाबंदी, भले ही एक दिन के लिए लगाई जाए, खतरनाक है और इससे राजनेताओं और उनके चुनींदा नौकरशाहों के हाथ में एक हथियार आ जाएगा। द वायर का सम्पादकीय इस सिलसिले में एक दिशा को बताता है वहीं ब्लॉग Angry Lok में अमित सेन के नाम से प्रकाशित आलेख में घटनाक्रम का विस्तार से विवरण देते हुए बताया गया है कि एनडीटीवी को दूसरे चैनलों से अलग करते हुए खासतौर से निशाना बनाया गया है। पढ़ें द वायर का सम्पादकीय और ब्लॉग Angry Log का आलेख

Ever since the chaotic and unseemly media spectacle which unfolded in downtown Mumbai during the 26/11 attacks, government managers, the courts – and journalists – have been especially mindful of the need for restraint and sensitivity in news coverage of ongoing security operations against terrorists. After the Mumbai attack ended, it emerged that some of the terrorists had planned their next moves on the basis of instructions received by telephone from handlers in Pakistan who learned about impending commando deployments from the live coverage several Indian TV channels were providing. Last year, the Modi government amended the Cable TV Network Rules, 1994, to add a new clause, 6(1) p, prohibiting TV channels from carrying content  “which contains live coverage of any anti-terrorist operation by security forces, wherein media coverage shall be restricted to periodic briefing by an officer designated by the appropriate Government, till such operation concludes.”
...the power to ban a media organisation, even if for a day, is too dangerous a weapon to place in the hands of politicians and their hand-picked bureaucrats. Today, Pathankot has been made an issue, tomorrow the media could be targeted for, say, its coverage of the Bhopal prison escape and apparent custodial killing of eight alleged SIMI members. Media freedom stems from the public’s right to life, liberty, free speech and information. Restrictions on this freedom cannot be left to the executive. NDTV must fight this matter out in court and it is the sacred duty of the entire Indian media to support the channel in this. पूरा सम्पादकीय पढ़ें यहाँ 

यह हैं Angry Lok के आलेख के अंश

How NDTV India Was Singled Out

Amit Sen

On the 29th of January this year, NDTV India got a show cause notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which said

“while reporting on the operation relating to the Pathankot terrorist attack, (on the 4th of January) NDTV India TV channel has given away information on the ammunition stockpiled in the airbase, MIGs, fighter planes, rocket launchers, mortars, helicopters, fuel tanks which was likely to be used by the terrorists themselves or their handlers to cause massive harm not only to national security, international standing of the country but also life of civilians and defence personnel. The channel has also given details of school and residential areas located in the airbase, which could have been used by the terrorists or their handlers to cause violence to the innocent lives in the school and the residential area.”

To back their charge the government quoted portions of an OB interaction between the reporter and anchor:

संवाददाता: “दो आतंकी जिंदा है, और उसी जगह पर हथियारों का डिपो जाओ वहाँ बिलकुल उनके करीब है. और हो सेना के जवान, NSG के जवान आतंकिओं से लोहा ले रहे है, उनको डर इस बात का है, कहीं आतंकियों की पहुँच उस हथियार के डिपो तक हो जाती है, तो फी उन आतंकियों से निपटना आसान नहीं होगा, बहुत मुश्किल हो जायेगा. क्योंकि उस हथियार के डिपो में राकेट लांचर, मोर्टार जैसे कई हथियार कें, जो और ज्यादा तबाही मचा सकते हैं” (Reporter: Two terrorists are alive, and they are very close to an ammunition dump. Soldiers of the army and NSG who are fighting them are worried that if the terrorists reach this dump, then it will be difficult to deal with them, because the dump has weapons like rocket launchers, mortars, which could cause a lot of damage)

संवाददाता: “दो आतंकियों का ग्रुप आया था, जो कही इधर-उधर गए होंगे, हो सकता है ठीक उसके सामने वहां एअरपोर्ट भी है, दूसरा आर्मी का बेस भी है, तो कहीं भी जा सकते हैं. इस तरह पूरी पक्की सावधानी के साथ चप्पे-चप्पे में छान लेना चाहते हैं, उसके बाद ही ऑपरेशन को ख़त्म करने का ऐलान किया जायेगा.” (Reporter: The terrorists came in two groups and they might have run here and there. It is possible that they might go towards the airport. There is another army base close-by. They could go anywhere. That is why the area is being cleared bit-by-bit and only after that will the operation be declared to be over.)

एंकर: “साथ ही आखिरी सवाल राजीव, जैसे कि बड़े इलाके में एयरफोर्स बेस फैला हुआ है, जिसमें परिवार भी है, स्कूल भी है शायद, वहाँ हेलीकाप्टर भी है, मिग है तो इतने बड़े इलाके में जब छानबीन की जाती है, इतने बड़े इलाके में फिजीकली जाकर जब इंस्पेक्ट किया जाता है तो चुनौतियाँ क्या रहती हैं?” (Anchor: One last question, Rajeev, since this is a large area, where there are families, and perhaps even schools, there are helicopters and MiG here, what kind of challenges are there when each part is physically inspected?)

संवाददाता: “बिलकुल चुनौतियाँ बहुत ज्यादा और खासतौर से शुरू से ही जैसे कि पठानकोट एयरबेस पर आतंकियों ने हमला किया, तो वहाँ जो एयरफोर्स के जवान थे स्पेशल फ़ोर्स के जवान थे, उनको चिंता इस बात की थी, की वह टेक्नीकल एरिया में न जा पायें.. आपको यह बता दें क वहाँ टेक्नीकल एरिया में मिग-21, बीसों अटैक हेलीकाप्टर, MI-35, MI-25 है, और यहाँ फ्यूल टैंक वहाँ पर मौजूद था, यह बहुत बम की तरह होते हैं, अगर आतंकी वहां पहुँच जाते तो उस इलाके में बस तबाही का अंदाज़ा ही लगाया जा सकता है, चूंकि आज पठानकोट एयरबेस जो है वहाँ सिविलियन आबादी के बिलकुल करीब हां चूका है, तो तबाही बहुत भारी भरकम होती. उनकी कोह्सिः यह थी की आतंकियों को डोमेस्टिक एरिया में लिमिट किया जाए, एक छोटे से एरिया में लिमिट किया जाए ताकि अपने ऑपरेशन को बेहतर तरीके से चला सके और आतंकी ज्यादा डैमेज ना कर पाए” (Reporter: Yes, there many challenges here. Right from the time the terrorist attack began, the air force and special forces have been worried that they should not be able to enter the technical area, which houses MiG-21s, Bison, attack helicopter, MI-35, Mi-25 and there’s a fuel tank which could become like a bomb. One can only imagine what kind destruction could have taken place if the terrorists had managed to reach this place. Because civilians live close to the air base there could have been heavy damage. The attempt has been to contain the terrorists within the domestic area, within a small area, so that the operation could be more successful and the terrorists could not cause much damage”)

Just before this live report, three defence spokespersons held a press briefing, which was telecast live by all channels. Here are three extracts from that briefing:

Air Officer Commanding JS Dhooman: “ऑपरेशन अभी भी जारी है, और जैसा कि आपको बताया है, यह काफी बड़ा एयरबेस है, स्ट्रेटेजिक एसेट्स के अलावा यहाँ पर काफी फॅमिली रहती हैं, स्कूल है, यह एक मिनी-सिटी है” (The Operation is still on, and as I have told you, this is quite a big airbase and other than strategic assets, there are families here, there’s a school here. It is like a mini-city)

Brigadier Anupinder Singh: “These terrorists came well prepared, could it be aim of targeting strategic assets, which include aircraft and helicopters located in the vital Pathankot airbase.”

Brigadier Anupinder Singh: “The terrorists were holed up in a double storied building, which was the living accommodation of the air force personnel and currently the operations are in progress to clear this building from terrorists.”

In other words, the army itself had given details about the (a) location of the terrorists and (b) the fact that the airbase was like a ‘mini-city’ with families and a school. Remember, the government was charging NDTV India with giving out “details of school and residential areas located in the airbase, which could have been used by the terrorists or their handlers to cause violence to the innocent lives in the school and the residential area.” It is clear this information was given out by the army itself in an official briefing.

The other charge against NDTV India was that it had “given away information on the ammunition stockpiled in the airbase, MIGs, fighter planes, rocket launchers, mortars, helicopters, fuel tanks which was likely to be used by the terrorists themselves or their handlers to cause massive harm.”

The implication is that at 12:26 on the 4th of January, NDTV India’s reporter had given away strategically sensitive information, which was not available to the terrorists or their handlers till then.

But, on the 2nd of January, two days or 48 hours before NDTV India’s report India Today’s website reported:

“Terrorists were contained in the domestic area of the air-base and no damage was done to helicopters and MIG-29 fighter jets stationed at the base.”

The Hindu, too, reported on the 2nd of January:

“The MIG-21 BiS fighter jets and the Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters were in the technical area.”

On the 3rd of January, one day before NDTV India’s broadcast, the Indian Express reported:

“At the IAF base, MIG-21 Bison fighter jets, MI-35 attack helicopters, missiles and other critical assets were secure and the terrorists were prevented from getting near the technical area where the assets were stations, IAF sources said.”

...Now let us look at how other Hindi news channels reported the Pathankot attack. At 7 AM on the 2nd of January, Aaj Tak reported:

“यह Mig-21 का अहम् बेस है, जो लड़ाकू विमान है, चारों आतंकी 100 मीटर अन्दर दाखिल हो गए हैं. मेन गेट है, तकनीकी एरिया जहां फाइटर विमान खड़े होते हैं, वहाँ तक नहीं पहुँच पाए हैं. अन्दर कमांडो ने मोर्चा संभाला है” (This is the most crucial base for MiG-21s, which are fighter jets. All four terrorists have entered 100 metres inside. They have not been able to reach the technical area where the fighter jets are stationed. The commandos are protecting the area there.)

Later, on the same day (2nd of January), Aaj Tak used animated graphics to report:

“वायुसेना के लड़ाकू विमान मिग-21, Bison, MI-25, MI-35, अटैक हेलीकाप्टर, पठानकोट एयरफोर्स स्टेशन के अन्दर तकनीकी एरिया में यह तमाम लड़ाकू विमान खड़े थे, फ्यूल से भरे हुए” (The air force’s fighter jets MiG-21, Bison, MI-25, Mi-35, attack helicopters were all parked in the technical area of the Pathankot air-base full of fuel.)

Again:

“यहाँ पर भारतीय वायु सेना का 108वां स्क्वाड्रन तैनात है, भारत-पाक सीमा पर बने इस बेस पर सबसे ज्यादा मिग-21 हैं, इसके अलावा इस बेस पर वायुसेना के दुसरे लड़ाकू विमान BIson, Mi-25 और MI- 35 और अटैक हेलीकाप्टर भी मौजूद है” (The Indian Air Fource’s 108th Squadron is stationed here. This base, which is on the India-Pakistan border houses the largest number of MiG-21s. Other than that it also has other fighter jets of the Air Force, such as Bison, Mi-25 and Mi-35 and attack helicopters.)

On the same day, two days before NDTV India’s report, ABP News reporter Neeraj Rajput gave the following information in a phone report:
“चार में से दो आतंकी मारे जा चुके हैं. और दो आतंकी एयरबेस का जो डोमेस्टिक एरिया होता है, एडमिनिस्ट्रेटिव ब्लाक होते हैं, रिहाइशी इलाके होते हैं, वहाँ पर आतंकी छिपे हैं.. टेक्निकल एरिया जहां पर फाइटर होते हैं, हेलीकाप्टर होते हैं, रनवे होता है, हैंगर तक नहीं पहुँच पाए हैं. बिल्डिंग में रोक दिए गए हैं. दोनों आतंकी एक ही बिल्डिंग में छिपे हुए हैं. बिल्डिंग में जहां आतंकी छिपे हैं वहाँ पर सैन्य कर्मी को घायल किया है. कोशिश की जा रही है, वही पर घेर लिया जाए.” (Two out of the four terrorists have been killed and two terrorists are hiding in the domestic area, which houses the administrative block, residential area. They have not been able to reach the technical area which has fighter jets, helicopters, runway and hangar. They have been contained inside a building. They have injured army staff there. Attempts are being made to surround the terrorists.)

Again, on the 2nd of January, Similar information was given by Zee News reporter Raju Kerni and by India TV reporter Manish Prasad.

And, on the 4th of January – the day when NDTV India allegedly revealed strategic information – News 24 reported:

“मैं आपको दिखाना चाहूँगा एयरफोर्स स्टेशन से 200 मीटर की दूरी पर हूँ. रिहाइशी इलाका को खाली कराया जा चूका है, सेना के जवान पोजीशन लिए हुए हैं… अन्दर बताया जा रहा है की 22 फाइटर और हेलीकाप्टर हैं जिनकों नुक्सान पहुँचाने की आतंकी कोशिश कर सकते हैं. टेक्निकल एरिया है जहां पूरा एयरफोर्स स्टेशन का कण्ट्रोल रूम है, उसको बचाने की कोशिश की पूरी कोशिश की जा रही है, आतंकियों की पूरी कोशिश है वो टेक्निकल एरिया में घुसकर अंजाम दें…. अन्दर इसलिए भी परेशानी हो रही है की इसलिए की वहाँ बड़ी बड़ी घास है जो एयरफोर्स का 60 फ़ीसदी जंगली इलाका है, वहाँ आतंकियों को छुपने की जगह मिल रही है.. फिलहाल आतंकी के बारे में खबर मिल रही है, की वोह दो मंजिला इमारत में छिपे हुए हैं, जो कंक्रीट की बनी हुयी है, इसी वजह छिप कर बड़ी आसानी से फायर कर रहे हैं” (I want to show you, that I am about 200 metres away from the Air force station. The residential areas have been evacuated and soldiers have taken position here. We are told that there are 22 fighter jets and helicopters inside, which are likely to be targeted by the terrorists. The main attempt is to protect the technical area, which houses the station’s main control room. The terrorists are trying their best to enter this technical area. The problem is that there is thick grass here, 60% of the area is forested and its easy for the terrorists to hide here. Right now, we have heard that the terrorists are hiding inside a two-story building. Because it is made of concrete the terrorists are finding it easy to hide here and continue firing.)

It is clear from these extracts that, everything NDTV India reported on the 4th of January had ALREADY been reported by other channels, newspapers and websites, BEFORE NDTV India’s live broadcast. Nothing that NDTV India said could have given any EXTRA information to the terrorists or their handlers.

...There is little doubt that the government singled out NDTV India. The question is, was it because it had given out strategically sensitive information or is it because the government wants to use the ban to bring about a ‘chilling effect’ on the channel’s independence?

पूरा आलेख पढ़ें यहाँ

सोशल मीडिया पर उन लोगों की तादा भी काफी बड़ी है जो एनडीटीवी की बात से सहमत नहीं हैं। नरेन्द्र मोदी और भाजपा के पक्ष को सामने रखने वाली वैबसाइट NEWSBRED पर ज़ीन्यूज़ के रोहित सरदाना ने लिखा हैः-
In case you don’t know, NDTV is being investigated on its funding. Like the “black out,” if the investigations in financial irregularity do yield some incriminating evidence and any action follows, then again all hell would break loose on the central government’s perceived animosity against a media channel. Never mind, like any corporate entity, if irregularity happens and it falls beyond the scope of its Memorandum of Association (MOA) under the company act, a media channel too is liable for persecution.

पूरा आलेख पढ़ें यहाँ 

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