In recent times, the ‘secular-liberal’ media has faced criticism for its alleged bias and tendency to sensationalize events to fit a particular narrative. One such incident unfolded during Dhanteras this Diwali. Media outlets like News 24 Hindi and Zee News Hindi were accused of manipulating information to cast Hindus in a negative light.
The Incident
On November 10, as Hindus worldwide celebrated Dhanteras, News 24 Hindi published a post about a husband allegedly mortgaging his wife in a gambling incident. The media house’s choice to omit the perpetrator’s name, Sohail Ahmed, suggested an attempt to associate the crime with a Hindu. Zee News Hindi went a step further, using a mocking headline that defamed the revered Mahabharata.
Several other vernacular media houses followed suit without verifying details, allowing Islamists and leftist liberals to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Hindus and their festivals.
The misleading headlines led to social media posts with hashtags like #Sanskriti, where Islamists mocked Hindus.
Muslim Harasser But Hindu Defamation?
The truth emerged when the Amroha police clarified on November 11. It was, in fact, a Muslim man, Sohail Ahmed. He had committed the alleged crime. His wife had filed a complaint accusing him and her in-laws of dowry harassment.
This incident reflects a concerning pattern where media outlets exploit festivals to create sensational narratives. The media’s purposeful association of the crime with the Hindu festival allowed the spread of misinformation.
Maligning Left Media
This is not an isolated case. Similar instances of festival vilification have been observed in the past. Media outlets like ‘The Quint’, ‘Scroll’ and ‘The Wire’ have faced criticism for distorting narratives around Hindu festivals.
Holi, for example, was portrayed as a festival used by kids to unleash terror. Deepavali was criticized for causing pollution and harm to animals.
Distorted narratives not only harm the image of a particular community but also contribute to the erosion of trust in media institutions. However, the Left Media house might find it difficult to align to these ethics!