Sania Mirza As Telangana Brand Ambassador: Why Is Indian Media So Stupid?

When senior BJP legislator K Laxman said that renowned tennis player Sania Mirza must not be appointed Telangana brand ambassador by the TRS government, the statement became a matter of massive outrage.

While there is no denying that his objection that Mirza cannot be Telangana’s brand ambassador because she was now a “daughter-in-law of Pakistan” as she was married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, was indeed dumb.

But one must not forget the real issue behind it.

Indian media, as it has been proven again and again, becomes selective about the issues and stances they take over an issue. Just like they chose to sensationalise and give a communal colour to the already condemnable case of Shiv Sena MPs force-feeding a catering manager, they tried to do the same with Telangana’s case.

None of them is speaking about the divisive nature of the KCR politics and the merits and demerits of the case. But all want to relish any opportunity that comes as an embarrassment to the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. They do not spare any moment in exaggerating the facts and issues.

Thanks to the NewsMinute that it chose to see the matter in a completely different light.

KCR and his cabinet has been onto this divisive politics since the day Telangana movement started taking shape. Had it not been for the weak UPA government, so much violence in the Andhra Pradesh state could have been averted and Telangana may have seen the light of the day in a completely different manner.

Last week, KCR and his cabinet introduced a nativity clause, a new cut-off in the state. Only students whose families were natives of Telangana prior to 1956 will be eligible to avail fee reimbursement and scholarships for professional courses from this year.  This will directly impact thousands of poor students in the state.

Laxman’s objection to Mirza’s selection as brand ambassador of Telangana was based on the facts of this policy created by KCR. After all, when students whose grandparents and parents born before 1956 must be deprived of their fees and scholarships, then why this nativity clause must not be applied on Mirza, who was born in Maharshtra and brought up in Andhra Pradesh?

Now the Indian media will not show that the future of hundreds of possible Sania Mirza’s must be hanging as Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET) counseling for universities and colleges in the state has been postponed.

As NewsMinute ponders and we do too, what if KCR tries to extend the same nativity clause for employment, even domicile status after a few months? This is what other groups and political parties have been protesting about; this is what Laxman’s press meet was primarily about.

Saying that the Indian media is stupid may be an understatement and injustice to ones like NewsMinute, but the Indian Media for sure is TRP hungry which will choose a sensational case over real one any time.