It is sad that former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been assassinated; He was shot while addressing an election rally. Why was a friendly and spirited leader like Abe the target of such a vicious attack? The attacker, Tetsuya Yamagami, once served in the Navy. Why was there hatred, and where did it come from? Japan has abandoned the “gun culture”. The incident, which took place in such a nation, points to a deeper conspiracy and emphasizes the rise in hatred that has created a dangerous gulf between societies and governments around the world.
Let me start with an example how this kind of hatred is affecting our country too. The anchor of a famous news program was to be detained by the Chhattisgarh Police last week when they reached the location of a housing society in Ghaziabad. Before they can complete their work, police from a nearby station arrive and start an argument with the Chhattisgarh Police personnel. Meanwhile, the police of Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida) reached the spot in a dramatic manner. The langar was taken over by the Noida Police. It is unbelievable that the Noida Police had reached to arrest the journalist without registering an FIR.
After that, a “technical” discussion could be heard throughout the day at Noida’s Sector 20 police station. Policemen from Chhattisgarh had an arrest warrant, while policemen from Gautam Budh Nagar said they have a complaint with the “Zee News” management, so they are treating “Langar” as a suspect. The anchor was later detained and released on bail in the police station itself, but instead of being taken into custody by the Chhattisgarh Police, he fled. Later, Chhattisgarh Police officials argued in a Raipur court to issue an attachment warrant claiming the anchor was absconding. Additionally, he formally complained to the top police officials of Ghaziabad. The following three days were spent in the role of cat-mouse. The Supreme Court on Friday stayed his arrest and left the Chhattisgarh Police with no option but to return cursing the UP Police. The anchor is accused of presenting a statement in the wrong context by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Even when Chan Nel apologized after getting himself into trouble the next day, the issue was not resolved. This entire episode has given new life to the questions which were lingering in his mind for many years. Is the police also divided along the party line – your police, my police? Will the interests of the ruling party now decide whether the law is followed or not? I can cite many examples where police officers from one state clashed with men in uniform from another state or publicly disputed government institutions for political purposes.
Isn’t this a threat to the federal system of India?
When we see that the attacks on the judiciary and journalists increase, the situation becomes even more dangerous. Many things have caught fire on social media regarding the critical remarks made by a Supreme Court judge on former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The vigorous criticism and targeted “campaign” was unprecedented.
Not only India, but the whole world is bleeding with such hatred. It was predicted that the advent of social media, which includes large platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others, would bring people from all over the world closer together. Initially this happened, but later these platforms became unregulated. However, Meta refuted these objections, claiming that 17.5 million posts were removed in India alone last May, as they were deemed objectionable information.
Whatever one may think, social media has deviated from its intended path. It is the result of a deliberate and diabolical strategy to gain power because people everywhere in the world are divided instead of united.
By doing this governments and rulers successfully divert the attention of the people from important concerns. According to the latest estimates of the World Food Program, by the year 2019, 81.10 billion people worldwide have been forced to go to bed empty stomach. About 25,000 people die of starvation every day. Additionally, famine threatens more than 50 million people in 45 countries. The huge industry of hate is a factor in this situation. According to a report, in 2017, India’s economy suffered a huge loss. Kovid increased his death. Have you ever seen or heard an intense discussion on these topics on social media? The so-called “mainstream media” should also stop and consider this. The highest democratic values, which had gained traction after the Second World War, are beginning to emerge as a result. Apart from politicians, misogyny has also harmed journalists. and those related to the legal system. It is a noble idea that if someone slaps you, instead of getting angry, introspect and try to recognize your mistakes. Judiciary will take care of itself, are we journalists doing our job?
Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief of Hindustan. Thoughts are personal.