Media is serving 'mirch-masala' on Vice President's resignation: Katju
- TRP-baiting journalism is far from the real issues of 143 crore people
- Speculation has become more important than hunger, unemployment and education
- Indian media has become "shameful and business-oriented": Justice Katju
Will public interest issues in democracy now be decided by TRP?
Justice Markandey Katju has strongly criticised the Indian media's speculation and 'mirch-masala' journalism on Vice President Dhankhar's resignation. He questioned why the real issues - hunger, unemployment and health - are not the media's priority. Read his sharp analysis.
Mirch Masaala dished out by the worthless Indian media to the gullible Indian people
By Justice Markandey Katju
These days the Indian media is full of conjectures and accounts about the real reason of the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankar, Vice President of India, whether it was of his own accord for medical reasons ( as he stated ), or he was ordered by someone or some organisation which had been displeased by his performance to do so.
No doubt this is 'mirch masaala' for our third-rate media as it helps to increase their circulation/TRP rating, and helps our mostly shameless journalists and YouTubers make money by highlighting such news, and creating sensations
But how is it relevant to the 143 crore Indian people, most of whom will continue living in abject poverty, with massive unemployment, appalling level of child malnutrition ( every second child in India is malnourished, according to Global Hunger Index ), skyrocketing prices of food and other essential commodities, almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses, etc.
Evidently, these are irrelevant issues for our media as they do not increase circulation/TRP, and do not help journalists and YouTubers make money ( as there is no 'mirch masaala' in them ).
What is relevant is Jagdeep Dhankar and the reason for his resignation.
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of the Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
