By Biswaraj Patnaik :

The contemporary media is blamed for being weak in learning and research. They have begun taking the easier path of collecting sensational information provided by ‘hearsay’ agencies. Lack of authentic and researched information makes bad news.

A simple example would explain : All media houses including the print and electronic keep crying hoarse that Titlagarh is afire at 46 degrees Celsius. Puri and Paradip are coolest at 37. People from Titlagath and such areas spend precious money time and energy to land in Puri to realise that they have only escaped the frying pan to fall into the fire.

What media people fail to explain is the fact that 46 at relative humidity of 50 is far more soothing than 35 degrees with 85 per cent humidity. It is not the heat but the abnormal humidity which can be fatal for the severe sweating prevents temperature-lowering evaporation which occurs in dry heat conditions only.

A bottle of water can protect a construction worker in 58 degree Celsius-hot Libya whereas 42 degrees with 85 per cent relative humidity in Bhubaneswar can kill by suffocating people in the open. In Libya, a mere dabbing by a wet cloth every half an hour can bring down body temperatures drastically – thereby producing an instant comfort zone. But in tropical and sub-tropical zones, people suffocate for the body-cooling evaporation does not happen at all.

Similarly, journalists do not take care to report a court ruling correctly only because they fail to differentiate between an observation and a ruling, thereby misleading the readers to construe as they like and take wrong decisions based on the news item published.

Lastly, cheap, socially irrelevant news is given important coverage only due to lack of journalistic skills, though it is true that once in a while some garbage and crap too has a positive effect by way of cheering people up with good ingredients of humour. Further, like the days of yore, journalists of today remain aligned with camps that support them, come snow or sunshine.

The ‘conflict of interest’ element is rendered nonexistent only for survival reasons, which should be treated as acceptable on the basis of the philosophy of existentialism simply meaning one has to survive in the first place to do great things.

All this having been said with a heavy heart, we turn to those anxiety-causing situations like the raging political row in Delhi. As per the Constitution, Delhi is not a Union Territory where the Lieutenant Governor is the head of state. In union territories, popular elections to choose law makers do not take place. Delhi has been recognised as a special state consisting the national capital territory with a legislative assembly to accommodate 70 full-fledged, fairly elected people’s representatives.

The special status of Delhi state is different from others on only one score: the administration of law and order lies with the Union government. So logically the Lieutenant Governor can have a big or all ‘say’ only on matters of law and order and may be extending to selecting the police personnel including the Director General. The critical post of home secretary has to remain under the CM after having been chosen jointly by him and the lieutenant Governor.

The Honourable High Court passed a fair order after making very logical observations. No wonder, in a democracy like India, the popularly elected law makers are to bw the bosses in running a state. But surprisingly, the Honourable Supreme Court deflected the ruling rather too angularly which may eventually influence the final High Court order in the Lieutenant Governor’s favour which, as of now, looks lopsided and contrary to the constitutional provisions.

The High Court has already declared the Lieutenant Governor the boss, which frustrates democratic attempts by a popularly elected government. In the Samaja, a leading Odia daily, a reader says in his letter to the editor that he has lost faith in the judiciary because the Karnataka High Court let off Jayalalitha as innocent after having been thoroughly tried and convicted with a hefty fine of 100 crores.

The people of India who had reposed faith in the judiciary because of that fantastic judgement, now have begun losing faith unless the Supreme Court upholds the order of the trial court. The media too keeps reporting blandly as the quarter-baked news comes pouring out. Media masters have to look up the Constitution and do some research before sharing bland news which changes every minute for being full of half truths and rumours.

Media people have to live up to the highest moral standards for that’s the only independent, unchained agency respectably placed in a thriving- nay vibrant democracy. Media in India is now seems to be the last resort of the proverbial Scoundrel for to be engaged in there one hardly requires any exulted educational background.

Before losing the story, one must be told the story that went on unfolding for more than 45 days: The Nabakalebara farce staged by the Deities’ cousins called the Daitapatis during the dream-driven identification and the subsequent transport of the Daru trunks to Puri.

Money-making having been highest on their agenda, the age-old confidential process was probably covered live by TRP-crazy tv channels the way India – Pakistan one day international matches are broadcast on real time.

From the night of 2 June, the mad rush will shift to a once nondescript small rural habitation called Brhmagiri where Lord Alarnath will be waiting to give ‘darshan’ to millions of Jagannath-loving devotees until the Rathyatra begins with the new Deities in divine sight.

Most newspapers and TV channels have put the count-down clock in sight already to ensure the heart of the gullible Hindu Devotee keep skipping a beat at least once every day until the biggest event commences after 43 days. The little town of Puri is the biggest victim along with its residents who will be herded from one end to the other without being recognised by thousands of alien police and security personnel trained to misbehave fantastically.