WION is a well-known brand among Indian news channels within as well as outside India. Apart from Asia, it is viewed in Africa, Europe, America, making it a big brand ambassador for Indian culture. However, recently it tried to appease the woke lobby at the cost of nationalistic voices in the country.
WION goes ‘left’
WION’s film editor Shomini Sen came up with the bizarre piece in which she attacked Indians for upholding their cultural values and traditions. Conflating human development issues with cultural ones, she seemed to suggest that Indians should not focus on Islamisation promoted by brands.
Commenting on the Fabindia controversy, she provided a loose translation of the Urdu term ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz’, as ‘celebrations of rituals/ festive celebrations’. The translation seems to be an attempt to oversimplify the issue, in turn hinting towards ignoring the bigger picture (Islamisation of Hindu festivals) behind the term.
BJP and Indians accused of divide-and-rule
Criticising BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s terming Fabindia ad as ‘Abrahamisation of Hindu festivals’, the writer went on to decode the outfits and accessories worn by models in the ad campaign. However, Shomini seemed to be oblivious of the fact that ‘Bindi’ is worn by the Hindu women of the country. Though Hindu women in urban areas may not wear it as frequently, it does not take away the fact that the tradition is very much Indian.
Shomini further accused Indians of dividing India on the basis of religion, and caste an erstwhile western policy.
An ignorant approach towards tolerance
Similarly, the article seemed to suggest that the Sanatanis should tolerate the Urduisation and Islamisation of their festivals because of the so-called secularism that unites all the Indians. Further, the article warned Indians that the culture of outrage does not bode well as the west is looking at every move that our country makes. However, the writer seemed ignorant of the fact that the whole of the west is hit by a mindless ‘cancel culture’, led by leftists who do not allow intellectuals to openly speak their minds.
Brands blame Hindus and do not acknowledge their faults
Additionally, an outrageous claim like ‘Urdu is Indian’ was made in the article. Further, the writer claims that ads are withdrawn because ‘Hindu sentiments’ are hurt. However, the article nowhere mentions that Hindus have provided counterarguments, quoting their historical shastras against everything wrong depicted in the ads.
It’s a huge concern that brands do not acknowledge their factual and historical ignorance and simply blame Hindus for forcing them to withdraw their campaigns.
Read more: The power of Hindu Money: Fabindia and Virat Kohli withdraw their anti-Hindu ads
WION’s popularity amongst viewers is a testament to its upholding the sovereign cultural values of India. However, the agency has faltered in its latest analysis of the Fabindia fiasco by not acknowledging the attempts of Islamisation of festivals. The channel is bound to lose its viewership if it decides to cater to left-liberals.
I have not heard of this article or the writer so I cannot comment on what she has said but I do know that the Essel group owner Mr Subash Chandra is a prime nationalist. Wion tends to be centric not overtly left or right wing. In my opinion they are a neutral channel which is providing a voice for everyone as long as it’s based on proper reportage judging from your article it suggests that Somini sen may have used the platform to write her liberal opinion piece. It’s not a position taken by the channel itself. WION even defended the gay superman so it’s just them being liberal but in matters of the nation they have stood by India always
Well. U ‘be’ liberal and lose us as viewers. For all practical purposes a liberal is a Hindu hater and an islamist supporter if not islamist him/herself.
WION does view India and the world the way it should be – they present clear pictures of world that all other channels refuse to show. So in that sense they are a true news channel. But they are cultural ambassadors? No. They interpret and have views on different cultural items just as they feel fit. For instance, WION criticized any traditional approaches to covid immunity boosters as quack medicine – forgetting the fact that many of indigenous immunity boosters did have papers presented in magazines like nature. Republic criticized the kanyadaan furore as regressive Hindu jingoism but supported fabindia outrage. So both these channels are independent and they air independent views – they are not Dawn or Al Jazeera that peddle only one ideology.