'I'M NOT RUNNING A PROSTITUTION RACKET" : NEW FACE OF INDIAN JOURNALISM

Sunit Mukherjee

To hell with media ethics!! Sharing the sad,bad experience of actress Deepti Naval.
Deepti Naval
I've been pretty upset the last few days over something that the print media has been distorting hugely . . . each one of you on Facebook has been totally silent about it - no comment whatsoever - and I appreciate that - and since I know you people care, I'd like to, to explain what has really happened -

Just before the release of 'Listen Amaya' me and Farooque Shaikh were doing an interview for Rajiv Masand in my Versova terrace flat. I had been keeping unwell those days and had requested Rajiv's camera team to come over to my house instead of me having to go to his studio. Rajiv came over with his three camera setup and we were in the middle of this interview, when three members from the Society barged into the flat and demanded that we stop 'this activity' - they thought we were making a movie - I explained to them that they can sit here and watch - we are not making a movie, we are doing an interview - but they threatened to call the police on me. Rajiv, Farooq, my director Avinash Singh and his wife Geeta were all very embarrassed hearing this sort of conversation. We tried to wind up fast. Then one neighbor Mr Rajan Khurana was sent up to convey to me that the Society has threatened to call the police if we don't stop 'this activity' right away. I explained again, but to no avail. After that I got a call from the Secretary of the Society who was very irked and repeated that 'We'll have to call the police on you'. We cancelled all other interviews after that.
I was hugely embarrassed; I apologized to my colleagues and they quietly left.

I felt so humiliated and felt my rights as a resident were violated. I decided to pack my stuff from the Oceanic residence and come and stay at my Madh Island house.

I am an artist and have always given interviews in my own home - artists do that all the time - there is nothing illegal about it - it is their right.

Never mind, now this is what follows the incident.

A week / eight days ago a journalist friend asked me what I was doing sitting in Madh - and I gave vent to my frustration. I told him over the phone that -

'The Society treated me so badly and kept threatening me with "WE'LL CALL THE POLICE, WE'LL CALL THE POLICE", as if I'm running a RACKET here!'

Next day it was out in print - in Mumbai Mirror - the sensational headline -
'I'M NOT RUNNING A PROSTITUTION RACKET" - and the story about the society fiasco, stating how badly me and Farooq Shaikh were insulted by the members of my building.Except for the scandalous headline, nothing wrong with the contents of the article. It was in my favour - But this is what follows . . .

Other papers have picked up the SENSATIONAL HEADLINE and implied that the Society has ACCUSED me of running a prostitution racket. I've been appalled! I will post those articles so you all can see how the press distorts everything to make eye-catching news! One of the tabloids has said -

DEEPTI NAVAL OUSTED OUT OF HER 'PROSTITUTION DEN'

A dear friend, shell shocked at reading the contents in a Calcutta tabloid, called me frantically - 'What is all this? Who has been accusing you of running a racket?'
I explained to her that no one is ACCUSING me of running anything like that - it is the PRESS that is IMPLYING . . .

Of course I've been back at Oceanic in the last days and have conducted my meeting there as well - I'm a little confused - should I take action against the print media or should I let it go. If I let this go, then there are people who've said -
'KUCH TO HOGA NA . . . AISE HIS TO NAHIN SOCIETY ITNA OBJECT KAR RAHI' - Imagine?
Friends from the industry feel, 'Let the dogs bark . . . you move on!'

I was sitting there at my terrace flat yesterday evening - after Farooque and I had spent a whole day going to various radio stations giving fresh round of interviews before the re-release of the old Chashmebaddoore on April 5th - and I was looking around at my beautiful spacious home where I sit and dream, do all my writing work, invite friends, spend quality time with myself - and I was in tears . . . this sanctuary of mine to be called a 'PROSTITUTION DEN' -
In my heart, I apologized to my father who is no more in this world, and quietly prayed -
'I'm sorry, Piti, see what all this has catapulted into? Please help me learn to ignore it and move on - but I will not disappoint you - I will fight for my right!'

Thank you for bearing with me - I can't go around explaining to the whole world, but I can, to a few of you who I know, care . . .

Deepti

DALITS DEPRIVED OFF FROM MEDIA SCENE

Ratheesh Kaliyadan

Santosh Kumar Gautam hails from a poor family in Swaroop Bhanwan Dei and Mr.  (Late) Chandradas. All his family members are illiterate except Santosh. He got opportunity to complete matriculation in the Janatha Inter College, Alambag. He became a graduate in Zoology, Botany and Chemistry in 2002 second class from Lucknow University. During that period his father Chandradas who was an agriculture laborer passed away. Struggling with financial crisis, he postponed his dream to be a post graduate in mass communication and entered into the fields to earn money. He became an electric bill collector who visits houses which have electric connection, read the meter and collect the bill. The visits opened his eyes which provided firsthand experience to observe how people live around him.  He had seen the difference in life styles and big guys insulting mind set towards the downtrodden and the atrocities against the Dalits. The inquiring mind strived to become a journalist to fight against the social evils and the social apartheid.

The Dalit youth joined to his masters at Baba Saheb Ambedkar University, Lucknow. He became a post graduate in mass communication in 2011. He qualified National Eligibility Test, the test for Assistant Professorship conducted by University Grants Commission. The dream satisfied but he could not attain the goal. He began his career as a journalist as an intern of Nivik Kesari weekly newspaper. Then he joined in Speed News, a local cable television to be practiced the studies. During these periods he worked without payment. Then joined in Inqulabi-Nazar, vernacular newspaper and sister concern of Dainik Aag, the Urdu newspaper. He is a sub-editor in the Hindi newspaper from Lucknow since 2012. He earns 6000 RS per month. Every day he joins the desk by five o’ clock and returns to home by 1.30 AM. His work includes editing, layout and all other jobs to create a page. Also contribute reports and features. He had several byline stories.

To be an intern of a national daily, especially in English is a dream to him. He was trying for a more appreciating job. Then he is being realized that the intensity of media houses’ apartheid against the Dalits, especially in North India. Paradoxically the north Indian politics is an example for success in generating Dalit / caste politics. Let him reveal the stories. “I approached many news houses for a job. But all refused. I do not know why. I am well versed in my job. I do reporting, feature writing, editing and page designs. Also I’m a tech savvy. Still I’m out of the court of ‘good’ publishers. Only reason I can assume is I am a Dalit”.

 Well we have certain popular figures from Dalit community in Big media houses. The number will be counted in a hand. They are the icons. On the expense of these icons, media houses counter attack the Dalit arguments that they are deprived off from media scene. Mr. Santosh applied for a post in E-TV. He appeared written test. After that appeared for interview. At last hopefully he was selected for the job. The human Resource department informed to bring a government officer to introduce him. He sends all documents which they needed. But the HR department yet not sends the appointment letter. He contacted the channel several times. The reply was” our boss didn’t sign your appointment letter.” The question is if Santosh is not eligible for the job why the media manager did collected his documents after completing all other procedures? He believes only after examining the documents, they identified that he is a Dalit.

He reveals another story. One of his best friends, Mr. Shukla who is a copy editor invited him to join in their media organization. It is an English newspaper; One among the widely circulated newspapers in North India. There were vacancies.  Most probably such vacancies are filled with the experienced hands through their relationships as happened here. Shukla recommended Santosh for the post to the recruitment officer. Santosh went for an interview. After examining the resume and certificates, he replied: “Ok. I have filed your documents. At present there is no vacancy here. I will call you when vacancy opens.”  He met his friend Shukla and informed that the recruitment officer’s response was not positive. After two or three days the friend revealed the top secret to Santosh only because of the close relationship “if you suggested a Brahmin boy, I might be considered. I cannot bear a Dalit here.”

What we heard from Santosh is true, it is a pathetic condition. The fourth estate is not guarding the majority of the under privileged sections of life. They are with the minority. The minority have everything like money, education and power. The powerless common people who are always marked as the real essence of democracy away from democratic interventions.