Big Fish Slipping Through Mathrubhumi’s Net

Kerala is a small state on the south-western coast of India which can boast of a social awareness incommensurate with its size. It always provided a fertile bed for foreign ideas to be tested. Socialist ideals arrived at the right time during the second quarter of the 20^th century, when Kerala was on the cusp of a great social reformation. Though no one realized it at the time, nor they do it now, socialism painted the collective mind a deep red hue and shifted public opinion to the left. All political parties in Kerala display leftist objectives and at least pay lip service to them. Political observers could laugh their hearts out when they see the captains of Kerala Congress, which is a communal party of rich landlords and industrialists, waxes eloquent on social control of industry through state-owned enterprises. Such a heightened awareness of socio-political issues has resulted in the state having the largest per-capita share of newspapers and other journals. Television was a new entrant with at least six full-time news channels in Malayalam catering to 32 million people. All of them are leftist in nature, and the irony that all of these privately owned channels came into being after the Indian government’s liberalization drive which began in 1991 is lost on society. Where else in the world can you see a private industrialist making a movie on a storyline extolling the virtues of communism and reaped a huge profit out of it? Anyone tending to dispute this may do better watching films like Ningalenne Communistakki, Lal Salaam, or numerous other films.

Unfortunate for the horde of news channels, Kerala is not a ‘happening’ place. Marginalized on the industrial front due to excessive politicization and militant trade unionism, its industrial landscape is stagnant. The media makes a feast out of an occasional political scoop, a gruesome traffic mishap or a sensational sexual escapade. The channels have teething troubles and need an incredible story to get itself established on the imagination of society. Mathrubhumi, a venerable news paper company with nearly a century of exemplary service behind it started a full-time news channel barely a month ago in a bid to ape its main competitor Malayala Manorama. Mathrubhumi’s television incarnation was scouting for something to turn viewers’ heads and make a mark for itself.

Their right moment came on March 5^th. Weaving out a sting operation on the model of Tehelka, they targeted and successfully trapped three middle-ranking officials of the Commercial Taxes department. Accepting the baits of Rs. 10,000 in cash and a liquor bottle, the officials walked into the net, boasting of their powers. All of them were immediately suspended pending enquiry.

So far, so good. There need to be no sympathy to the corrupt officials. But there appears to be a glaring omission in Mathrubhumi’s operation. The journalists were led to other officials based on hints from those already in the net. One such person is seen to comment that anything could be carried through the Finance minister’s office, if the minister’s son and M.P, Shri. Jose K Mani could be made to support their case. The official clearly indicated that corruption prevails at all offices, including the minister’s. We sit back and gaze with incredulity that Mathrubhumi didn’t follow through the lead. If they practiced what they professed, they would’ve carried the sting operation to Jose K Mani’s office too, who stoutly denied the allegations, and in fact praised the channel for exposing the unscrupulous elements in government.

Frankly, we don’t know whether Jose K Mani would or would not have fallen before the camera. If they had the willpower to carry the operation to its logical conclusion, the episode with the minister’s son would’ve created wonders for the channel and a glorious lesson on how a responsible media should respond to corruption.

But, expecting Mathrubhumi to stay the course would be pure naivete. The channel and newspaper is controlled by Shri. M P Veerendra Kumar, who is a prominent leader in the ruling coalition of which Jose K Mani is also a part. What more can we expect from a paper or channel controlled by a politician against another politician who is his own colleague? In the end, the three officials will be charged for corruption, but as it is sure that the channel won’t follow up the case, they’ll most probably be returned to office with full wages for the period under suspension.

When will this country open its eyes?