TV news was unusually sympathetic to Noida protest until Monday. Then came ‘toolkit’ talk |
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TV news was unusually sympathetic to Noida protest until Monday. Then came ‘toolkit’ talk
Late Monday afternoon, the tide began to turn. On TV news channels, such as Republic and CNN News 18, a ‘riot toolkit’ appeared on screen, with fingers pointed at ‘foreign elements’.
There are several reasons why this week’s protests by workers in Noida are unusual.
In the last decade, it’s unusual for factory employees to stage widespread protests, especially violent ones, especially near the capital.
It’s also not every day that you see domestic employees working in ‘posh’ colonies (Times Now), hit the streets with complaints of low wages.
It’s unusual for news media to give extensive coverage to such demonstrations, be it television news or leading English newspapers.
It’s unusual to hear or read public anger openly expressed on these platforms.
It’s even more unusual for the coverage to be as sympathetic towards the workers as it was Monday morning, when protests—which had begun on 10 April (Friday)—led to arson and clashes with the police.
Late Monday afternoon, the tide began to turn. On TV news channels, such as Republic and CNN News 18, a ‘riot toolkit’ appeared on the screen, with fingers pointed at ‘foreign elements’ behind a ‘conspiracy’ to create unrest by instigating the protests. This possibility was put out by Noida and Uttar Pradesh authorities.
The ‘toolkit’ is an old friend of television news: It is fished out to describe Opposition parties, protesters, and other ‘anti-national’ elements.
And, suddenly, Pakistan was said to have been meddling in the Noida agitation, too (Republic).
By Wednesday morning, we were being shown alleged CCTV footage of the instigation on channels like ABP News. ‘Planned conspiracy’ (is there any other kind?) was making headlines on Times........