Presented By.

1. Presented By. GROUP MEMBERS SAYLEE SALVE MAYUR SAFARE MUKANE PRATIK PUBLIC OPINION

2. IS A STATE CAPABLE OF COMMITTING VIOLENCE?..... • In the previous century "more civilians were killed by their own government than in any other form of armed violence“(Hewitt 2007) • More Palestinians have been killed by the IDF than Israelis killed by Palestinian suicide bombers (Mazower 2002). • In Gujarat, the interrogation centres -- often torture chambers -- of the state police are functioning in full public view. The suspects are brought in, kept in illegal detention and tortured as part of questioning and later killed and declared as killed in encounter.

3. STATE VIOLENCE-Violence by state and its machineries against its own citizens and non citizens.Known around the world as state terrorism • Scholar Gus Martin describes "committed by governments and quasi-governmental agencies and personnel against perceived enemies", which can be directed against both domestic and external enemies. • Nations often resort to violence to influence segments of their population, or rely on coercive aspects of state institutions to elicit fear and terror and adherence to law by authorities normally considered "legitimate". • Backed by state-funded propaganda, ostensibly for "National Security" reasons; the state may argue that the measures are short-term, that the government is in state of war against guerrilla or terrorist groups , and that they are working to restore the "Constitution" and "democracy".

4. In common parlance and in the media, terrorism is as a rule assumed to be an activity of non-state agencies ,insurgent groups etc. But scholars encompass interpretation of terrorism to include state terrorism. • However, ‘State terrorism or violence’ is distinct from ‘state-sponsored terrorism’. • State violence -more systematic and well organized, largely as a result of the institutional structures available to them and hence more dangerous. • Ambigous-Suppression of a riot by law enforcement personnel may in fact expose some of the population (the rioters) to violence and fear, but with the intent to protect the larger civil order. On the other hand, abuse of the prerogative of legitimized violence by the authorities is a crime.

5. ANTI-STATE VOLENCE • The population of a nation rises against it’s own government. • Anti state violence can occur in the following cases- • Populations demanding separation from the state or federal states • Sections of populations feeling suppressed of basic liberty and freedom • Populations feel neglected in the overall progress of the nation or state • State infringement on rights, privileges, beliefs etc. of a population

6. STATE VIOLENCE- • -AGAINST INDIVIDUALS or • -DIRECTED AGAINST MASSES/POPULATIONS • STATE VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS- • Fake Encounters, Extra judicial killings,custodial torture, custodial killings are comman offences of state machineries against citizens • Rapes by police/bureaucratic authorities also are instances of offence against individuals • The 1997 Annual Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions said:”The special Rapporteur continued to receive numerous reports of violation of right to life”

7. Human rights violations in India have slowly been seeping into the mainstream media • When a certain news of human rights violation is in the limelight, several similar stories are reported as a part of the trend and fit the news cycle. • A flurry of media stories draws attention not only to particular extrajudicial killings, disappearances but also to the prospect that such incidents may be part of more systematic patterns of abuse • Clearly, the media today has an urban, middle class bias. • More coverage to crime and legal stories based in urban spaces than rural spaces • Even though Khairlanji is in Maharashtra, we know less about it than we know about theJessicaLal murder

8. Only one story in the Mumbai edition of The Times of India and The Indian Express carried the incident in its outline ' that too, more than a month after it took place. • The entire sequence of events ' the dispute over land, the attack on the Police Patiletc.came to light when the Inspector General's (IG's) investigation into the incident was reported. • Often media absent from the actual site of violence and the time • So accuracy of facts tough to ascertain. Have to rely on info by police. • Khairlanji that was front paged was a police hand out . • Even while the protests were on, there was no detailed interview with Dalit intellectuals, protestors or leaders, except to get their response to the allegations by policemen.No effort to get ‘their side of the story’.

9. Media reportage, campaigning on terrorism make middle class audiences believe that infact there is a “need for stricter policing norms” and vouch for the same. • Rape Stories-Potential for sensationalisation as the involve women. Ex. RuichikaGohitra • Media sensationalises one case, turning the victim into a poster girl with visuals everywhere. • Hindustan Timescolumnist, VirSanghvi, makes a similar argument:”The reason we are so angry about the Ruchika case is because we can see her father on TV and hear his story. But let's not forget that each year there are thousands of Ruchikas. India's policemen, officials and politician mistreat, torture, molest, rob and rape poor people all the time. Because the victims are not middle-class, we never get to hear of these cases.”

10. SOHRABUDDIN SHEIKH :FAKE ENCOUNTER • The Facts:- • The Gujarat state police staged the killing of SohrabuddinShaikh, a known criminal and alleged terrorist, on 26-11-2005 • He and his wife abducted by the police while travelling on a bus and killed on 26th • Thrown into a running motorcyle.Wife, kauser, burnt and cremated. • The incident came to light when the Police talked to PrashantDayal, from DainikBhaskar over casual drinks. • The In March 2007, the Supreme court ordered the state CID to conduct a time-bound investigation. Police officer GeetaJohri was charged with conducting the investigation, and was to report directly to the court. Names of suprintendents , DIG emerged along with hints of Ministers

11. Case revealed by accident. No access by the journalist to facts.Initially all papers call it only “allege encounter” • Incase of involvement of police , the media always tries to hint involvemet of prominent names-the ministers. The media hinted Amit Shah and NarendraModi,even when no direct evidence. • Tries to hint a bigger political nexus- ,” the Rajasthan government has lodged a strong protest with Gujarat over ''one of its best police officers'' being arrested on Tuesday for the alleged fake encounter “-TOI • Inordinate focus to dramatic events and individuals rather than to processes. And more of reactive spot-coverage. Context and analysis is rarely provided and follow-ups are lesser. In the coverage the follow-ups took place only when a new name or event was added to the list

12. In the initial months, coverage focused on the police officials directly involved in crime. • But political angle brought in from the month of December, the elections phase.Focus shifted to NarendraModi, Amit Shah. • “It seems, Modi has fallen back on the Hindutva card when he picked on the issue of fake encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh while speaking in a rally yesterday.” Indian Express . • Also, once investigation unearths more prominent names, coverage shifts to the reactions of the politicians. “Sohrabuddin case touches Gujarat govt, CBI calls in Minister Amit Shah”-IE • CBI closes in on Modi's closest aide-TOI

13. OPERATION BLUE STAR (1984) • The facts- • From the start of 1980’s, demand for separate identity by AkaliDal in Punjab due to political rivalry • The demand grew for a separate ‘Khalistan’.The situation grew tense by extremists leaders • One Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala made the holy shrine of golden temple as his refuge • On 6 June’84 Indira Gandhi launched a military operation with troops and tanks. The attack on the sikh holy shrine angered all the sikhs and created an uproar in Punjab • Operation Blue Star was included in the Top 10 Political Disgraces by ‘India Today’ magazine. • Official number of deaths of civilians-492; army deaths-83

14. Media Black out during the entire operation throughout Punjab • Media allowed back only after a week. Given details on a ‘guided tour’ by the government.Foreign journalists denied visas. • The government acted as obvious gate-keepers • Historical Sikh events have thus suffered from not only biased media coverage, but selective coverage which projects a one sided perspective • Associated Press reporter Brahma Chellaney, who managed to report on the operation, later faced police intimidation • His dispatches of the event by Telex are the only non-govt. sources of the event. His first dispatch, front-paged by the New York Times, The Times of London and The Guardian, reported a death toll about twice the official figures.

15. The Times aptly summarized the Sikh sentiment in a sentence: ‘they contribute more to India than they receive.' • Reports gave the gravity of the event in history. , “Mrs. Gandhi has sown the seeds for a bitter future by ordering the desecration"theDaily Express • “Future historians will almost certainly look back upon June 6, 1984 as a turning point in the long and turbulent political life of Mrs. IndiraGandhi”.-Times,London • The vernacular press in the Punjab was active from both sides in fomenting the religious divide between Hindus & Sikhs • Selective info-presented an ambiguous picture of the sikhs • The Sikhs’ portrayal by the media not only produced ambiguous stereotypes, but in turn it also sparked an emerging uniting religious movements from sikhs

16. KASHMIR CRISIS 2010 • The facts- • A Kashmiri youth-Tufail Ahmad Mattoo, 18 along with a group engage in anti-government protests in Srinagar • The CRPF fire at this ‘stone pelting’ mob, killing Tufail, on June 11 • Curfew installed. Protests erupt soon after the funeral. • Similar clashes emerge between the citizens and CRPF in other cities. Soon, the situation grips the state into a burning unrest for the next 3 months. • Strong protests by Kashmiri citizens, demanding a separate state

17. The entire media has treated the issue through an episodic frame. Putting it under a label-Kashmir crisis.Fails to put it in a lager context • ‘Kashmir burning’, ‘Valley on boil’..some comman words to describe the situation. • Almost all the media focus on the blame game by Omar Abdullah. Criticise him for the situation • With respect to Kashmir there are three actors in the media-The national media, the internatrional media and the local media • Local media- Coverage focus on the local issues and leaders. News has a local angle. Details of the funeral process of the youth-Taufil

18. Headline carries the name of the deceased “TEENAGER TUFAIL LAID TO REST”(kashmirlive.com).Connects with the local people. • Carry the story/facts by the police as “Police Version” • News contains more names and quotes of local leaders and their perspectives. Ex.News of the bandh. • National media- • Most times the details are given out by the police. • TOI found to present the police side of the story. Police said the 80-year-old separatist leader was detained as a "preventive measure" after Geelani addressed a religious gathering . • Others found to present both sides of the story.

19. The television media had more opportunity for visuals. Coverage of protests made sensational . • International media-The media from Pakistan covered with anti-India bias.” In occupied Kashmir, one boy was killed and dozens other persons were injured when Indian troops and police officers resorted to brute force to disperse demonstrators.” Protesteres branded as ‘anti India protesters’Kashmir referred as “India administered “ -Dawn • News in international media most objective treatment.Similar treatment to other conflicted lands. “clashes spread across the disputed region of Kashmir”-Washington post • Give historical background of the issue. Root of crisis –separation history of India and Pakistan-BBC • Some even focus on the local conditions-food shortage etc.

20. Godhra Train Burning Resulting Communal Riots

21. Godhra Train Burning On 27th of February 2002, Sabarmati Express train was attacked. 59 Hindu passengers were burned alive Attack prompted retaliatory massacres against Muslims Post Godhra violence affected 151 towns and 993 village

22. Godhra Train Burning “Poison in the milk”. 1044 People were killed in the violence Government set-up a commission Nanavati commission

23. Media coverage India, television news channels set a precedent by identifying the community of those involved in the violence. It helped to bring about the Indian government's (Center) intervention in controlling the violence. The Gujarat government banned television news channels critical of the government's response. The Editorial Guild of India rejected the charge that graphic news coverage aggravated the situation, saying that the coverage exposed the "horrors" of the riots.

24. Media coverage Received extensive news coverage until it was overtaken by the subsequent violence and the presentation of the Union budget. Columnist argue that news reports emphasized the provocative behaviour of the kar sevaks Some newspapers said the revelations simply reinforced what was common knowledge.

25. Media coverage The riots were also the subject of a 2004 documentary film. The film was denied entry to Mumbai International Film Festival Won two awards at the 54th Berlin International Film Festival

26. Naxal Movement

27. Naxal Movement Name comes from the village of Naxalbari The term Naxalism was first coined in 1967 Marx and Lenin were the sources for the ideological back up for the movement during the initial years.

28. Present Context of Naxal Movement Several areas are badly affected by the armed conflict. Number of violent attacks against state agencies has increased. widened their geographical areas of operation. “the gravest internal security threat that our country faces.” More than 6,000 people have been killed as a direct result of the conflict

29. Coverage of Naxal Activities Attracted much media attention. Has been given front-page coverage in the print media and broadcast on prime time Number of private media groups –Increase competition

30. Coverage of Naxal Activities Private/satellite television has politicised and sensitised the issue Growth in proportion of news. {In 2004 = 43} while in {2007=2287} and sensitised the issue News agencies devoted more space to Maoist events.

31. THE MEDIA TREATMENT OF GODHRA RIOTS

32. MEDIA TREATMENT -GODHRA RIOTS Nations image tarnished due to the biased coverage, the “anti-HINDU “ angle of the English media. Since the international community's medium of getting Indian information is English, they read only what the English media writes. In the June 16, issue of internationally known "The Economist" starts its write-up, which dealt with the Gujarat riots in Ayodhya background.

33. EMPLOYMENT OF DOUBLE STANDARDS BY THE MEDIA FOR HINDUS AND MUSLIMS. Targeting the traditional “scape-goats”. Religious discrimination: soft words used for Hindu victims and strong adjectives for Muslim killings. Overstatements and repetitions used by media for the Ahmadabad riots, intentionally against the Hindus. Damning set of parlance used for Hindu rioters.

34. Role of electronic media Selective use of visuals. Media failed to observe the unwritten code. Separate standards used to cover the Godhra carnage and thereafter. Repetition of promos of sting. AN UNBIASED APPROACH AND OBJECTIVITY FROM THE PART OF MEDIA HAS CERTAINLY GONE A FOR A TOSS!

35. NORTH-EASTERN STATES

36. POOR COVERAGE OF THE NORTH-EASTERN STATES North-eastern issues off the media map. It is often Manipur that has the killings, but it is Kashmir that gets the coverage. DNA in Mumbai found space for 25 stories from Kashmir, three from Assam, none from Manipur. All the rape and murders in Kashmir got more coverage and time compared to the violence in Manipur and its neighbouring states like Assam.

37. Kashmir is always under the spotlight and the violence in the north-eastern states often was under the shadow under the shadow of Kashmir Broadcast snubbing. North-eastern issues off the media map. It is often Manipur that has the killings, but it is Kashmir that gets the coverage. DNA in Mumbai found space for 25 stories from Kashmir, three from Assam, none from Manipur. All the rape and murders in Kashmir got more coverage and time compared to the violence in Manipur and its neighbouring states like Assam.

38. REASONS FOR LOW COVERAGE : Newspapers get little advertising due to the weak economies of the state. The distance and the taxes imposed by militant groups on trucks carrying newsprint, which increases the cost. Members of media caught between.

39. ANOTHER MAJOR FACTOR HAS BEEN THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON THE MEDIA AGGRRESIVE AND FEARLESS JOURNALISM IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR WITHOUT AN EYE FOR PROFIT!

40. THE MEDIA TREATEMENT OF ANTI-SIKH RIOTS (1984) “India is ablaze with hate and anger .In city after city , from one corner of the city to other enraged mobs have gone and going about systematically burning and looting Sikh properties and assaulting Sikh without discrimination” – T.O.I “Around 300 Sikh officers and men in uniform were done to death in the presence of non-Sikh soldiers, who stood as silent spectators.” - Economic and Political Weekly

41. THE MEDIA TREATEMENT OF ANTI-SIKH RIOTS (1984) In the Akal Takhat built by Guru Hargobind and the supreme seat of the Sikhs, the Stench of death still lingered. It seemed inconceivable that this was the holiest shrine of a major religion – the equivalent to the Sikhs of the Vatican and Canterbury Cathedral.” - The Telegraph “Eye-witness accounts to the Amritsar massacre talk of women and children being shot in cold blood, and the Sikh prisoners being tied with their own turbans and then shot in the head.” - The Guardian

42. THE MEDIA TREATEMENT OF ANTI-SIKH RIOTS (1984) Sympathy shown towards the Sikh by the majority of the newspapers. Police officers castigated for acting as “mere spectators”. Described the acts as barbaric and more coverage on its brutality. More focus on the consequence than on the cause.

43. THANK YOU PUBLIC OPINION