Objectionable SMS
I received an email from the Forum Against Oppression of Women yesterday. Apparently one of their fellow activists received an offensive SMS message from a Times of India reporter after the Twenty20 final on Monday. When they contacted the editor, he insisted that the matter did not concern the ToI. This reply is not acceptable to the forum; they point out that the journalist is known to them, and to the activist concerned, only in his professional capacity. The Forum has written a letter to the ToI (extract below). As Sonia Faleiro comments, it’s a pity that there’s always at least one person who can’t see it as a game.
It may have been meant as a joke, but it really isn’t funny at all.
Here is the Forum’s letter to the ToI:
“To,
The Editor,
Times of India,
Mumbai.September 25, 2007.
Madam/Sir,
Sub: Communal hatred spewed by TOI reporter
“Pak ko sharafat sikha denge, Hind ki taakat dikha denge… Ae Pak, humse punga no lena varna, JOHANNESBERG main kya, LAHORE main TIRANGA lehra denge, jai hind.”
This is the sms sent by Mr. Balkrishna, Reporter, Times of India, to one of our feminist friends from the Muslim community after the cricket match between India and Pakistan yesterday.
We are sure that you are as angry, anguished, and insulted as all of us undersigned.
Mr. Balkrishna is known to us, including the woman who received this sms, only in his capacity as a TOI reporter. So there can be no doubt that this sms has not been sent in the spirit of personal friendship but only in his capacity of a TOI reporter.
And hence it is important that you look at this issue seriously and ensure that your reporters do not spread such communal venom or war mongering in society.
We think, and you would agree, that as a newspaper you are accountable to your entire readership…”
Uma,
I find the SMS to be silly and jingoistic. The tone of the SMS is anti-Pakistan. But, how does it spew communal hatred?
Comment by iu — October 1, 2007 @ 12:35 am
iu, the sms was received by an indian muslim activist whom the reporter knew only in his professional capacity. Even at best, this would be thoughtless and unprofessional; at worst, it could be interpreted as communal. there’s admittedly a thin line in such cases, but sensitivity would suggest remaining clearly on one side of the line.
Comment by Uma — October 1, 2007 @ 4:05 am
Hi Uma,
I got this message too but I fail to see what the communal undertone in the message was. I read and re-read the SMS but it has jingoistic tones (silly nonetheless) against Pakistan. How was it interpreted to be against Muslims, unless all Muslims identify with Pakistan and vice versa?
As you say, it is a thin line alright, but the reaction in this case appears quite exaggerated!
Comment by Shreyas — October 1, 2007 @ 11:10 am
The SMS clearly is jingoistic and riles aginst Pakistan for no great resaon but is anyway stupid enough. But to interpret it as communal and against Muslims? Almost seems to suggest that Muslims represent Pakistan; that suggestion seems so much more communal to me.
Well, when Aaj Tak refers to Indo-Pak matches as “Jung” and “Sangram”, would it be interpreted as a war against all Muslims? Seems to be a case of reading just a bit too much between the lines..
Comment by E Pradeep — October 2, 2007 @ 8:12 am
*Secularism: needless to say every one has called it jingoist rather than communal
*Importance: Reading the title in my blog reader and then reading the post I think it is frivolous. Have we lost tolerance for mere follies? Is stupidity a crime? Are we into nitpicking?
Comment by thequark — December 10, 2007 @ 10:34 am
I’m quite late to join this debate, but I have to say that I don’t see anything communal about it either. It’s childish and jingoistic, no doubt, but to suggest that any Indian Muslim would get insulted by this (in a communal way) is to suggest that Indian Muslims have their loyalties in Pakistan, not India. Isn’t that communal?
Comment by Broom — April 23, 2008 @ 10:20 am