Karnataka Election: Why the EC is not monitoring TV Channels, asks Ravish Kumar
In any election, TV coverage will be superficial in its character. It is it's nature is to run behind leaders. A Channel no longer investigates facts. Information will disappear for the sake of the balance . Neither does a channel check the facts given by Rahul Gandhi or his state government, nor does anyone examine the facts given by the prime minister or his party. The channels have just become a platform. Pay and use.
This format has been in it’s peak since many years. This is the reason why it is easy to manage the elections through TV. A reporter is only part of the statements. There are no reporters who run away. If anyone is tweeting the photo of laddoos, then some fish pickles. The Anchor's speeches resemble that of a cricket commentator, Modi has arrived and now they will give six.
At the time of the karnataka elections, there should be a review of what is the balance of the state's power and the power of the state in its channels and newspapers. In the kannada channels, which party has more ads, how wide is the disparity, it should be done with the election. Can anyone tell how many ads the BJP are running in kannada channels and how many the Congress?
How many times are the rallies being shown in the day? Is it Pm Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's rally, Siddaramaiah's rally, is there any balance in the coverage of Yeddyurappa's rally? Now this game has been played with much preparation. We don't know which leader's statement is being debated with, On which angle the debate is being carried out in the channels. Surprisingly, no one tries to keep these things in front of the public by studying these things during the election.
Election rallies are now for TV. There are various kinds of programmes that come on TV. This is how the entire channel has been done, or they put it on Youtube or channels that think everything is going live. To understand these programs, no one has a team or initiative to write on them.
In democracy and especially during the elections, if all the parties were to be equal, it is not good to have a side with the power of wealth. Very easily can the media miss someone's statements or highlight someone's statements.
Yeddyurappa ji has said that if someone doesn't vote, then tie his hand and vote for the BJP candidate. Our election commission has also become lazy. In the elections, after deputing the para-Paramilitary forces, the commission takes off on a Malaysian holiday. When will they learn that media coverage and such statements should be taken during election at the time, not three years after the election has passed.
(Translated from author's Facebook post in Hindi which is given below)
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Won't contest bypolls until EC prevents fake voting: Mayawati
Lucknow (PTI): BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday alleged irregularities in voting in the recent Uttar Pradesh bypolls and said her party will not contest by-elections in future, particularly in the state, "until Election Commission takes measures to prevent fake voting".
By-elections to nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh were held on November 20 and results of it were declared on Saturday. Bahujan Samaj Party contested all nine seats but failed to win any.
"In the bypolls held for nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, there is widespread discussion about the votes cast and the results announced yesterday. I am not saying this myself; it is a common perception among people that earlier, during elections conducted with ballot papers, fake votes were cast by misusing the system, often through fraud," Mayawati said in a press conference here.
"Now, similar practices are being carried out using EVMs, which is a matter of deep sorrow and concern for democracy," the former UP chief minister said.
Not only this, but these activities are now being executed more openly, especially during by-elections, as opposed to general elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, she claimed.
"We recently witnessed this in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls. Similar concerns have also been raised regarding the recent general elections in Maharashtra. This is a major warning bell for democracy in our country," she said.
"Given this situation, our party has decided that until the Election Commission of India takes strict measures to prevent fake voting, we will not participate in any by-elections across the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. I am specifically referring to by-elections here," Mayawati said.
As far as general elections are concerned, she continued, there is a somewhat better safeguard because the fear of power changing hands makes the ruling party more cautious.
"In general elections, it is not guaranteed that the party in power will return to power and another party may take over. This fear keeps the government machinery somewhat restrained," she added.
Considering all these factors, our party will contest general elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies with full preparation and strength, Mayawati stressed.
In the bypolls, the BJP and its ally RLD together won seven seats while Samajwadi Party candidates emerged victorious on two.
