Page 39 - Tehelka Issue 15 August 2018

TV debaTes

community when the com-
munity has not nominated
him to represent it.
Television debates have
for the past few years become
the main source of what they
term as ‘trending’ in the social
media. Television hosts like
Arnab Goswami and Republic
TV have proved that loud and
often insulting remarks can
get high TRPs and big political
gains.
“Anyone with a beard and
a cap is not a maulana or
Hate and violence • abusing on air Few media savvy Islamic scholar, it is time the
TV channels stop imposing
panelists show highest disrespect to
remain interlinked women on live TV programmes their own ‘ulemas’ on the
masses,” said Prof Hilal Naqvi,
was an unthinkable situation
Godmen and clerics are showing the ugly face and the Channel reacted by Godman Omji
of religion on national TV channels, lodging an FIR. The maulana and Maulana
was arrested.
writes Kulsum mustafa It is alleged that Farah, Ejaz Arshad
who runs an NGO in Uttar
e it the self-pro- nel’s newsroom on controver- Pradesh and is honorary na- Qasmi belong to
claimed God- sial Godwoman Radhe Maa, a tional president of RSS-linked a clan which is
man Omji or the panelist Deepa Sharama had Muslim Mahila Sangh. It is
self-appointed slapped the self-style Godman being said that she has been depicting a very
B spokesperson for Omji. No doubt it was a brazen planted by the RSS to malign negative image
the minority community, act but worst was the way the the image of the Muslim com-
Maulana Ejaz Arshad Qasmi way Omji reacted. He slapped munity. Her fight for Muslim of religion for
— they both belong to a clan Deepa, started beating her up women and their right to
which is depicting a very all the while verbally abusing proper divorce, maintenance personal gain
negative image of religion for her too. It was a disgusting for women dignity is viewed
just personal gain and fame. sight to watch. by her opponents as a garb
By their verbal and physi- Comparisons they say can to present a distorted picture Congress spokesperson. He
cal abuse of women partici- be odious. Most certainly so of the minority community’s expressed regret that TV
pants, who dare to disagree when you compare what hap- females and is not seen as channels are ‘cultivating”
with them, these media savvy pened on live TV show on a a way of showing gender ulemas on their own and be-
panelists have shown the prominent channel recently. discrimination. cause their views suite them.
highest disrespect that they The viewers across the world Shaista Amber, social activ- Such persons cannot be said
could to women. Even if one witnessed a fist fight and as- ist and vociferous supporter to be representing the com-
accepts the fact that they sault between a Maulana Ejaz of fight against Triple Talaq, munity and with their ‘half
were being instigated but Arshad Qasmi and Farah Faiz, termed the entire incident as baked’ knowledge they cause
even then it does not befit any a lady lawyer and activist. “Sharamnaak’ (Shameful) and great harm to the community,
man, more so ever a man who The issue was triple talaq and against insaniyat aur ikhlaaq”’. he said
claims to represent a religious after heated arguments for a (against humanity and eti- Many label these as stunts
community to behave in this few minutes Farah just got up, quette). She said that nobody to raise TRPs or to gain popu-
manner. Their behaviour detangled her mike, walked has a right to insult either a larity. But at what cost? Many
made the world sit up and up to the maulana and raised man or a woman for the belief feel that Clerics or religious
watch them in shock and her hand. that the person holds. leaders must not be part of
horror. This got him so agitated Amber also questioned such debates on TV.
Some three years back in that he raised his hand and how Qasmi has become the
a live TV debate of a TV chan- started manhandling her. It spokesman of the minority letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 august 2018 39 www.Tehelka.com