Political temperatures soared up in Jammu and Kashmir after a delegation of opposition leaders were returned to Delhi from Srinagar. While the opposition camp blamed the administration for curbing their ‘visit’ the administration indicated that this political visit might have disturbed peace in the region. Nonetheless while political leaders were sent back, the media team accompanying them was so super charged to get the most out of the visit that even security restrictions around the defence airport in Srinagar was sidelined in the name of reporting.
Aaj Tak and India Today journalist Mausami Singh has presented yet another example of poor journalism in the name of assessing the current situation in Kashmir. According to Aaj Tak, journalist Mausami Singh was going to take stock of the current situation in Kashmir in Srinagar where she was allegedly misbehaved by the security agencies, which was later shown to be something like this. –
श्रीनगर एयरपोर्ट पर सुरक्षाकर्मियों ने की मीडिया से बदसलूकी। देखिए @mausamii2u की रिपोर्ट #ATVideo
अन्य वीडियो: https://t.co/0lHmKyGH0i pic.twitter.com/PiFyrhPVFc— AajTak (@aajtak) August 24, 2019
However, when some social media conscious users investigated the issue turned out to be in total contradiction to the claims made by Aaj Tak. In fact, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, there are security restrictions in place in a bid to preserve lives and property against Pak sponsored radical groups. Nonetheless, unnecessary photography or videography is prohibited at Srinagar Airport due to security reasons as it is primarily a defence airport. In such a situation, how is forcing a microphone in the face of security personnel and disrupting the security protocols at a critical airport being equated to freedom of press?. In such a situation, many social media users not only got the #ShameonAajTak and #BoycottAajTak to trend, but also called out Mausami Singh and Aaj Tak for their poor journalism –
https://twitter.com/ippatel/status/1165268176352903169
Even she can't report the news without doing any drama.. 🤔pic.twitter.com/x9aehhh30J
— Param|PCS 🇮🇳 (@FunMauji) August 24, 2019
I am ashamed to see @IndiaToday hiring actors just for a few TRPs.
Shouldn’t Mr. Puri be held responsible for his reporters shooting at Srinagar airport where even photography isn’t allowed since decades for national security reasons.
This is not journalism. This is crime.
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) August 24, 2019
When she shoved her mike towards the police, he should have smacked her! That would have put her in her place….rude
— Ro1 (@r04han) August 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/RanjitSMand/status/1165195103385743362
However, this is not the first time that certain journalists have indulged in this kind of subversive tactics. Whether it is to orchestrate crowd support spectacles for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or to defend Mani Shankar Iyer, when some journalists had asked him tough questions, Mausami Singh has evidently done everything that not only raises questions on her view of ethical journalism but also raises sharp questions around media houses supporting such unruly conduct. In such a situation, it should not surprise anyone if they misbehave with security personnel in Srinagar only for TRPs, and later pretend to be victims to justify themselves.
Today Also she was doing found the Same thing. Before she started camera📷 was instigating the crowd with Anti Modiji & Anti govt Slogans. She is a Big threat to the Media & must immediately be sacked from her job @republic @ZeeNews @anjanaomkashyap @singhvarun @SwetaSinghAT pic.twitter.com/Hx3Hc3snJU
— Bharat Sanghvi Jain ( Modi Ka Parivar) (@rajamaka) August 24, 2019
This Congressi stooge was last seen heckling journalist when they were asking questions to Mani Shankar Aiyar.
Media ko apna kaam kyun nahi karne de rahi thi @mausamii2u? pic.twitter.com/SySuRpj7AP
— Ankur Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@iAnkurSingh) August 24, 2019
Even before this, there has been a lot of criticism recently for such poor journalism. During the encephalitis outbreak in Bihar, renowned journalist Anjana Om Kashyap, reached a hospital in Muzaffarpur for coverage and without a thought started interfering and heckling the medical staff in the garb of news reporting. She was also fiercely attacked on social media –
Shame On You #AnjanaOmKashyap
Ask Power Modi Ji Nitish Babu Health Minister after 100+ death u r run to cover after doin Hindu Muslim one month fuk off. If you have courage ask resignation from CM and pm.#Muzzafarpur #IMA@anjanaomkashyap @aajtak@SanjayTripathi_ @JitinPrasada pic.twitter.com/mTqF6revXk— Pawan Dixit 🇮🇳 (@IncDixit) June 19, 2019
Such uncooperative and disruptive conduct by journalists not only calls for condemnation but also raises questions on media houses which have turned a blind eye towards such unruly behavior. However it remains to be seen if media houses take disciplinary action against the journalists for hindering the security of the Srinagar airport or this issue will again be shoved under the rug citing freedom of press.
