Lata Mangeshkar needs no introduction. People have known her as India’s greatest singer for ages. She was bestowed with Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for her accomplishments in the field of music.
Despite Lata Mangeshkar’s achievements, media agency PTI senselessly tweeted, “Lata Mangeshkar is dead, sister Usha Mangeshkar tells PTI,” netizens actually got enraged and it is no surprise that PTI is now facing a major backlash on social media.
Lata Mangeshkar is dead, sister Usha Mangeshkar tells PTI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 6, 2022
PTI trolled heavily by netizens
There are many ways of describing a legend’s demise, including ‘she passed away’ or ‘she is no more’. The choice of words didn’t really befit a legend like Mangeshkar.
Some options for you:
Lata Mangeshkar is not anymore – U Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is not among us now – U Mangeshkar
Our beloved Lata Tai has left for Heavenly Adobe – U Mangeshkar
We lost the Voice of India – Lata Mangeshkar, fondly called as Didi/ Tai today – U Mangeshkar
— Alive | ध्रियमाण (@Dhriyamana) February 6, 2022
And soon, netizens pointed out how PTI had reported AQ Khan’s death last year. It had tweeted, “AQ Khan, known as the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, passes away in a hospital in Islamabad after a brief illness. He was 85.”
Press Trust of India is DEAD !@PTI_News मैडम,मैं आपको लाहौर छोड़ आऊँ ?? pic.twitter.com/Ya4rkBTxA2
— Major Surendra Poonia ( Modi Ka Parivar ) (@MajorPoonia) February 6, 2022
Now, AQ Khan was no popular personality. He was a smuggler of nuclear secrets and also had a record of threatening to nuke India. In 2004, he was even was named in the global nuclear proliferation scandal that involved the sale of nuclear secrets to North Korea, Iran and Libya. AQ Khan even issued a recorded confession in which he took full responsibility for all nuclear proliferation.
Read more: India busts Pakistan-China nuclear nexus
Now, the point is if a smuggler like AQ Khan deserved courtesy and respect on his death, Lata Mangeshkar deserved a lot more respect and honour after she passed away.
I have reported this tweet as a disrespectful https://t.co/pOTY45GNbC
— Jatan Acharya (@jatanacharya) February 6, 2022
Wtf is this language.
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) February 6, 2022
बेशर्म संस्थान @PTI_News
— Prashant Umrao (Modi Ka Parivar) (@ippatel) February 6, 2022
Learn some sensibility on how to tweet for a national icon !
— Aniket Dandekar (@aniketad88) February 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/Kalburgism/status/1490191150438924292?s=20&t=62IkfVQoCFT1Hv9Lzyp9sA
Mainstream media failing at a simple job time and again
Mainstream media is repeatedly failing in describing such tragic events time and again. In the month of December, the entire nation was in shock after General Bipin Rawat, his wife Mrs Madhulika Rawat, Brigadier Lidder and 11 other Armed Forces personnel passed away following a VVIP chopper crash.
General Rawat was the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the country. But the very next day, The Hindu reported, “Rawat, 12 others killed in T.N. chopper crash”. Visibly the rank of General Rawat wasn’t mentioned even though the rank of a military officer stays with him forever, even after his death. Soon social media pointed out an earlier headline by the same newspaper stating, “Gen. Bajwa visits Riyadh after row over Kashmir.”
Read more: For The Hindu, India’s first CDS is just ‘Rawat’ but Pakistan’s Qamar Bajwa is ‘General Bajwa’
Left-liberals post hateful tweets against Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar was a true icon. In her career spanning well over six decades, she displayed simplicity in her life, loyalty towards her profession and a lot of respect for her nation. I mean there is no reason why anyone should berate her. But such is the nature of left-liberal trolls that they are spewing hate even against someone like Lata Mangeshkar.
You can find many tweets calling her a ‘Sanghi’, ‘RSS supporter’ and even fascist. Some are hounding her for her family ties with freedom fighter Veer Savarkar, while others are targeting her for recording a bhajan that became the ‘signature tune’ during LK Advani’s rath yatra.
Lata was a life long supporter of fascist RSS and had a close family tie with Savarkar .. just thought today would be a good day for this trivia!
— Abz🪻☪️✊🏽 (@AbzzLive) February 6, 2022
It was Lata Mangeshkar who sang the tune for L.K.Advani's ‘Rath Yatra’ for the demolition of Babri mosque in 1989 when more than 3400 Indians, mostly Muslims died. It brought BJP to the doorstep of power; from 2 seats in 1984 to 120 in 1991 and 161 in 1996.#RIPLataMangeshkar
— Fidato (@tequieremos) February 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/N0cheese/status/1490193904637034497?t=9wfVWNZieoOxtsdjq3qXhQ&s=19
You will find many social media trolls and extreme left-wing supporters who often berate those who spread hatred after their demise. However, with mainstream media, you would expect something much better than insensitive tweets and headlines on the demise of a national hero, but that is generally not the case. Media agencies like PTI need to retrospect and decide where their loyalties lie.
