9

Apr

How Media Failed Punjab In Its Hour Of Crisis

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Today’s Edition

New Delhi, 9 April 2024

Prabhjot Singh

A person wearing a red turban Description automatically generated

Talking about the media coverage during the turbulent times in the decades of 1970 and 80 in  Punjab, most of you would not know how reliable the media coverage was. There were allegations of distortions, misinterpretations and incorrect quotes.



Some of the stories written and interpreted in those days did not reflect reality. There were a lot of distortions, not only in reporting but also in describing the perspective of the movement.

 

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Article At A Glance

The article discusses the media coverage during the turbulent times in Punjab and the allegations of distortions, misinterpretations, and incorrect quotes.

The author, a former journalist, shares his experience and the inadvertent mistakes that crept into the work of journalists during those difficult times.

He mentions a conversation with journalist M.J. Akbar, who had incorrectly quoted a line from Gurbani in his book, "India: The Siege Within". The author pointed out the mistake to Akbar, who agreed to make changes.

However, the author is unsure if any changes were made in subsequent editions of the book. The author emphasizes the importance of accurate and objective reporting, especially during turbulent times.


I would like to say at the very outset that I am not going to pass any judgment because I respect all my colleagues - my seniors, my juniors and my contemporaries - because everybody was trying to do their professional job. At times, there were chances of some inadvertent mistakes or errors that crept into their work because those were difficult days in the turbulent Punjab.



Many people still do not know what happened in Punjab or whether what they read was the real account or a distorted or highly subjective account.



My boss at Tribune in those days was Mr VN Narayanan, who had written a book on the unrest in Punjab. At one point, he had also mentioned the credibility of the coverage. He believed that when the media is asked to bend, it starts crawling.



Much of what was said during those years was propaganda by either the government or extremist organisations and there were only a few periods of objective reporting in between.



I am not an expert on Sikh history or Gurbani.



There were a lot of things that needed clarification because we all felt they were not correct or were misinterpreted or misquoted.



I went to Udaipur for the Maharana Haldighati Award. This award was organized by the Maharana of Udaipur. One of the awardees that year was the well-known journalist Mr. M.J. Akbar. He had published his book “India: The Siege Within”. I became a little sad after reading the book.



When I met him in Udaipur, I told him about the unholy act he had committed. He was taken aback and said: "Why, what, what unholy act?" I said I don't know, whether you are quoting Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale or Gurbani, your quotation is wrong. In the opening paragraph of Chapter 11 of your book about Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, you said, "Raj karega Khalsa, baaki rahe na koye."



"It is not Baqi, it is Aaqi. Your entire chapter on Sant Bhindranwale is interpreted according to this distorted Gurbani quote. Aaqi is something different. I am very surprised that no Sikh scholar or historian has reacted to your book and this chapter."



He told me, "To be honest, no one ever pointed this out to me, but now that you've pointed it out to me, I'll go back and make whatever changes are necessary."



I don't know if he did that or not. I haven't seen any subsequent editions of the book.

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