By: Shiva Neupane (Melbourne, Australia)
It is really horrifying to look at how Indian Television channels are ruthlessly worsening the historical relations and political ties between two nations Nepal and India.
The Indian media person Arnab Goswami a self-congratulatory person whose name itself is synonymous to a barking journalism in India, did not realize the price for his incendiary remarks when having to welcome the guest Minendra Rijal on his show.
Mr. Goswami did not show an iota of professional honesty for how interview needs to be conducted or how views can be exchanged in a respectful and orderly manner. He took an extremely insincere approach to deal with his guest in an intimidating manner on his show by not paying any attention to what it means to be a thoughtless jackass- journalist for sensationalising the show.
It seems that he is increasingly worried about his viewership across the Indian subcontinent. That is precisely the reason why he was acting like a media clown by being a journalistic- tsarist on his show. It is better for him to get out of this rat- race media’s viewership business if he doesn’t know how to respect the guests. It was quite laughable to witness him barking up the wrong tree when having to interview Mr. Rijal.
It is universally true that a journalist never starts interviewing guests by giving a warning message. But sadly Mr. Goswami did not learn on how to lay his claims properly and professionally. Indeed Mr. Rijal was right in saying that’s not how interviews are done in Nepal.
When you interview someone you need to talk in a more professional manner by trying to get as much information as you possibly could in a more prudent way. It doesn’t make any sense to talk disturbingly with a guest by making a toxic remark. There are countless decent Television journalists in the world see how they present themselves in front of the guests. You couldn’t make your way to the logical end and therefore you tailed away from that verbal- gladiatorial battlefield with Mr. Rijal on your show.
Mr. Goswami did not talk about the historical facts or evidences that Nepal has been presenting before re-publishing the map of Nepal. His way of talking was something of a red-herring for diverting the core sense of issue by saying china is using Nepal and hastily he threw down the gauntlet to Mr. Rijal by saying if you’re squaring up with India you are dreaming about it… what kind of journalism they are practicing in India.
I am not saying Indian views should be undermined. Their views are equally as important as ours to us. Therefore, there must be a mutual understanding between two countries. But the journalists make the case even catastrophic by not attaching the importance to a decent and respectful dialogue. Indian Media wore out their welcome by themselves in the global prospective because of their lack of good practice of journalism in India. They need to do more historical homework by studying. Journalism should not be used as a tool to bring a societal- itch or civilizational catastrophe in our human society just for the sake of viewership.
In a nutshell, the immensity of any media’s role is beyond our comprehension in this modern age which is why it has a pivotal role to play for the greater good of a human society. Therefore, it should not be used as a tool to humiliate or bullying a person, society, or a nation. The truth of the matter cannot be watered down by these kinds of unscrupulously sponsored Media houses in any part of the world. As long as there are historical documents and evidences that will adequately oxygenate the veracity of truth.
Mr. Shiva Neupane, is the author of In the Pursuit of Utopian Life in Australia and Falang English Dictionary. His articles have been appeared in the Australian Mainstream Newspaper The Age, The Himalayan Times and The Nepali Times Australia. He can be contacted at: falang_socialwelfare@yahoo.com