reservation debate and role of media

Since last few days, one topic is very hot, reservation. From chai ki dukan at the corner of your gali upto the parliament 'the great reservation debate' is going on. Everybody has something to say and they are saying it. Some people are in favour of it and some are against. Widespread agitations are going on, both in favour of as well against this decision of government. And as usual, electronic and print media has a lot to say on this issue. They play important role in the process of consensus building. But are they playing their role sincerely?? What i observed over last few days is that, media's role was biased over this issue.

Few days before, there was a rally organised by medical students at Azad maidan, Mumbai, in support of reservation. Since, medical students were agitating media has an impression that it must be an anti-reservation rally but to their disappointment, medical students there, were supporting the step taken by government. As soon it was clear that, its a rally supporting quota, all cameras were off. They were no more interested in covering it. They interviewed few students and none of those were aired. On other hand, all the rallys against quota were given exclusive coverage, live telecast of these protests were shown on television. Large number of students interviewed and their point of view was conveyed to entire nation. But then, what about the opinion of those who were supporting it?? Will it be possible for quota debate to reach to some conclusion if the debate is not inclusive?? Besides that, reporters on television were trying to instigate the public opinion against quota. Is this the role media needs to play??

We are very proud that, we have free and responsible media. But before any logical debate, if media assumes that one point of view is perfect and other is not worth listening to, then process of consensus building gets afftected. We all are determined to buid a society which is caste free and does not discriminate. Media has a crucial role to play. My personal view is that, media need to introspect the role they played after reservation-debate surfaced.