Round The World
New Delhi, 1 October 2021
Biden Lauds
Indian Press
A PYRRHIC
PLEASURE!
By Dr.
D.K. Giri
(Prof.
International Relations, JIMMC)
The United States
President Joe Biden in presence of Indian Prime Minister Modi praised the
Indian media, “Indian press is much better behaved than the American press.”
Expectedly, there have been various reactions from India as well as from the
US. The simple truth is that one should take Biden’s remark with a heavy pinch
of salt atleast for two reasons. Biden is proving to be more unpredictable and
mercurial than his predecessor Donald Trump. Secondly, the comment was perhaps
impromptu, not well thought out.
A comparison between
Indian and American press is, however, in order since the comment has come from
the President of United States which is considered ‘the greatest democracy’ in
the world and India, by dint of its size, is the biggest democracy. It is
another matter that after the political antics displayed by Donald Trump just
before he was demitting office American democracy began to be called a ‘frail
democracy’. At the same time, the international organisation called Reporters
Without Borders has rated Indian media 142nd in its rankings.
What did Biden say
actually and when? Biden was hosting Modi at the Oval office in the White House
for the first in-person bilateral meeting after he became the President in
January 2021, and significantly in the wake of the pandemic. Remember, Prime
Minister Modi was in United States to address the United Nations and
participated in the important meeting of Quad.
As soon as they
finished the pleasantries Biden alerted Modi, “I think what they are going to
do is bring the press. The Indian press is much better behaved than the
American press.... and I think, with your permission, we should not answer
questions because they would not ask any questions on point”.This would have
been almost music to Modi’s ears as he hardly holds any press conference in
India. That is why Modi instantly replied to Biden that, “Completely agreed”.
On the comparison, as
said, Prime Minister Modi has not held a single press conference except just
one in 2019 where he refused to field any questions. Much as it is
unprecedented in Indian democracy, Prime Minister Modi has a one way
communication with the Indian public. He has a radio programme called ‘Mann
Ki Baat’ (Speaking from the Mind); that too to the school children. Second,
another unique trait being seen is that, currently, under the present
dispensation, the Indian press largely interrogates the Opposition not the
government.
In any democracy, the
party-in-power, called government is accountable for omission and commission of
political acts – policies, ordinances, administration decisions, and so on. The
Indian press puts the blame entirely on the Opposition for what they have done
years ago when they were in power. To be fair, the Indian press has been very
vocal throughout since Independence except during 1975-77 when internal
emergency was imposed.
Recall the veteran
BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani had famously said, “When the press was asked to
bend during emergency, it began to crawl”. Now Advani’s party is in power. It
has a subtle way of twisting the arm of the press by selectively patronising
them through government advertisements. Those who do not toe the government
line, are deprived of the government largesse.
There is also cliques
around the management of the press. Only the select few, on the right side of
the government get published. Those who have contrarian view do not find any
space in the media, whether talk time or in print form. The print media is by
and large objective, but it can be perceived to be following an agenda.
On the other hand,
American press is highly critical of the government. President Donald Trump ran
his entire term by being antagonistic to the press. In 2019, in presence of
Modi, interestingly, Trump had similar remark on the Indian press. He had said
to Modi, “You have great reporters. I wish I had reporters like this”. He also
had said, “You have a friendly press”, during Prime Minister’s visit to the
White House. Little did people realise that press being friendly or better behaved
is not a compliment to the journalists. It could be snide.
Obviously, both
American Presidents in reference here have had lack of knowledge of the Indian
press environment as well as their poor ranking in terms of press freedom. And
Biden’s remark was out of context and not in line with his attitude towards
press. His Press Secretary, Ms. Psaki clarified that Biden has been taking
questions from the press all the time and will continue to do so. She asserted,
“I think that should speak of his commitment to freedom of press around the
world.”
In this visit of
Prime Minister Modi, he did not address the press in the United States as well.
Unusually, a bureaucrat, Foreign Secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla held two on
the record briefings. Whereas, following the Quad meeting on Friday, Australian
Prime Minister Scott Morrison held a press meet at the White House; so did the
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
It goes without
saying that the press is by far the most important pillar of democracy. It is
the press that takes and gives news to the people which help enhance democracy
through information sharing and sensitisation. If the press is either
manipulated or stifled, democracy suffers. The Indian press is falling short of
being impartial and critical.
We might pat our
backs on the remark made by Biden. But instead of chest thumping on this
superficial praise, it is high time for serious introspection. Indian press has
done spectacular and remarkable job in exposing corruption, misdeeds of the
governments of all hues, it should continue to do so. If India is being recognised
by the world, it is primarily for its diversity of culture and political
democracy. In both these national heritages, press has played a significant
role, certainly in upholding these.
Since Indian press
has been commented upon by two successive Presidents of the United States, the
press should sit back, ponder over these comments and make course correction
both to secure their credibility and in the interest of the nation. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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