Of Katju and his tales

According to an ancient tale, many centuries ago, there was a knight who would till the farms, count the cattle, predict the weather and would do all sorts of thing without doing what he was required to do; protect the damsel.  

Today , we are not sure about whether such Knight did exist or not. However, Markandey Katju is there.

Katju or Justice Katju as he is more commonly referred to, became the chairman of the Press Council of India in October 2011 and ever since his tales of valour have reached everyone. His benevolent deeds have affected all, except journalists.

His heroics are too big for someone like me to describe but I will give it a try. Katju declared that 90 per cent of India is fool. But, he left it to the enlightened mind of the rest 10 per cent to decide whether they are a part of the 90 per cent or not. He sought clemency for Sanjay Dutt as he could not get bank loan. He once famously announced that agitations like that of Anna Hazare lack ‘scientific Idea’. One of his less reported heroics can be read here.

Last but not the least he stated that a journalist should have a minimum qualification to become a journalist and as I write, there is a panel that is working to decide the contours of such qualification.

Journalism is good old days was driven by common sense which gave the ability to decide what is news, why it is news and how it is news. And however deep the regret, even now there is no degree that can evaluate common sense.

According to Katju , the level of excellence in journalism has fallen because of ‘bright’ people staying away from the profession leading to the  ‘ mediocre’ having a field day.

Katju however ignores the reasons behind why is journalism seen as the last abode of the fallen warriors? Why not the battle field of Athena and Hermes?

A popular adage say that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Now, I am told that even monkeys have graduated to bananas.   

Katju, if he was aware of the ground realities, would realize that the ‘bright’ people stay away from journalism because the salary in this profession is not at par with what they might receive in other profession. A law graduate who is interested in journalism won’t think twice while deciding whether he should join Amarchand Mangaldas where his initial salary would be close to Rs.90,000 per month or join any news agency or a newspaper where he will not even get Rs.20,000.

The answer to this paying of peanuts was Majithia wage board or at-least this was what many journalists hoped. 

The implementation of the recommendation of the  Majithia wage board for journalist is pending since ages. However, since the ‘Maaliks’ are not in favour of increasing the wages of the journalists, the recommendation have become a dead horse, which is not even being flogged now.

The government too has chosen its side by agreeing with the rich ‘Maaliks’ rather than the poor employee.

Has Katju ever spoken on this? What has stopped him from writing a letter, which is one of his many strong points, to one and sundry seeking the implementation of the Majithia wage board? Maybe the fact that it doesn't have the glamour quotient that would attract headlines discouraged him from meddling in this affair between the 'Maaliks', the government and the journalist.  

Someone should tell him that the panel that has been setup should also dwell on what ails journalism more? Lack of intellect or lack of enough money to attract and sustain an intellect mind.

Journalists in this country seldom forget and rarely forgive. ( Just saying)

Journalists occupy government bungalows,refuse to pay rent

Senior journalists, including editors ,representatives of several Delhi, Chennai and Chandigarh based newspapers, magazines and news agencies are among the  defaulter media persons who have not paid rent for the government accommodations given to them by Madhya Pradesh government in Bhopal. The 214 journalists, who have been staying in these bungalows for years and in some cases for over three decades, owe Rs 14 crores to the MP government.

In some cases multiple bungalows have been given to a media organization.

According to the list prepared by Ajay Sharma, Director of estates, the government had to evict  some journalists from their government quarters as they did not pay the outstanding rent despite repeated reminders. As per the list , many journalists who have left the profession or staying outside Madhya Pradesh,  are still staying in government quarters. These facts came to light after the the Jabalpur High Court accepted a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking action against the journalists for unauthorized possession of government bungalows.

The PIL was filed by SP Dikshit, who retired as joint director of  directorate of public relations and information department, Madhya pradesh. Dikshit, who accessed government documents relating to the allocation of the bungalows through RTI,  found that the journalists were given bungalows in the posh and VIP areas of Bhopal including Char Imli, Shivaji Nagar and 45 Bungalows.  The bungalows in these areas are generally given to ministers and senior bureaucrats.

Dikshit said that even the Comptroller and auditor general (CAG) had termed  these possession as illegal and had asked the state to recover the rent due. “The Supreme court in 2006 had asked the state governments including that of Madhya Pradesh to get the Bungalows evicted of these journalists. However the government is doing nothing as it does not want to antagonize the journalist fraternity. Many of the organizations like UNI,Dainik Bhaskar,Jagran,Times of India, Hindusan Times and PTI have more than three houses in their name”.

According to officials of directorate of estates, which is  the department  responsible for the allocation, it has managed to take back the possession of 23  houses. “As per the rules a house to a journalist can be allotted only for the period of three years. The government is taking the required action in cases where the time period for which the houses were allocated have expired. 176 bungalows are in illegal possession while 11 journalists moved to the high court and  took a stay”, an official stated.

Dikshit said the list of defaulters as submitted by the director of estates will expand further if the dues of 2010-11,2011-12 periods are also included.

He added that Shivraj Singh Chauhan government has given plots of land  to the journalists on concessional rates at Airport Road and on Hoshangabad Road but they still continue to occupy government houses .”The Previous governments too gave them land for construction of houses at Chunna Bhatti Road .The journalists have rented out their houses to commercial establishments and staying in government accommodation,” he claimed. 

A perusal of the list ( as on 30-11-2010) reveals that many of the journalists were given the bungalows as they were working for  national newspaper, but they are still living in these bungalows despite the fact that have now shifted to operating websites.

“Many of the journalists  are now staying in Delhi or other parts of the country but they are still occupying the bungalows in Bhopal. Some of them have left the profession and are working as public relation officers for companies yet they continue to occupy these bungalows. They have also farm houses in the capital which have been given to them at nominal rate by successive government. Many political workers have been allotted these bungalows under the journalist quota”, Dikshit said.

A pretension called journalism

We type in the facts. I speak to a party spokesperson and you take the byte from the opposition leader. And we file the story. The journalistic principle of getting the facts right and incorporating the views of all the parties concerned is duly followed- and the next day we share a by-line. This is what we do in the name of journalism.

We do human interest stories too. I take out a data of the number of atrocities committed on the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh-compare it with the crimes committed under the last government. I speak to the NHRC spokesperson, a couple of NGO and the state Home minister- and the next day I have a by-line. All in the name of journalism. One more achievement in hand.

Really? Is this what journalism is?

Why a Journalist? but then Why not one.

"Change of profession is on the cards. Honeymoon is over, marriage on the verge of collapsing". No, I am not typing a comment on the policy of the Left but now since i have brought them into the picture then i would like to say i wish they would have 'left' politics forever.

This post is about me and its about how genuinely i am working on building a new dream, a dream that talks about me earning big fat pay cheques and running ( just for the hack of writing) an MNC.

Three months ago i was 'Soulfully' into journalism. Even now i am a journalist, coz i haven't resigned from my organization and more importantly i do contribute when and where my service is solicited,though that happens rarely. But now the dream has broken and the reality has dawned. One of my dear friend AJ when confronted with this change of plans from a journalist to a manager was as bemused as Dubya is whenever he is publicly speaking.

"Manager! what about the Journo thing? How about a Lawyer? or how about being into a "Seasonal profession"; that way you can change jobs with the onset of every new season. I am sure 3 months from now you will say " AJ i am trying my hands in 'politics', the country needs me , for the Congress will find it difficult to counter the Leftist and the Rightist without me ".

When I,We were still protected by the non-existent boundaries and barb wires of NLIU at that time money was the last thing on mind. Call it the 'exuberance of a youth who has got a shot of 'Camu'ka'.

We were more leaning towards living a comfortable life, supported by the minimum of basic amenities . For us a 'secluded place to lie in Kerwa' was more valuable than a penthouse in a metro.

Now when i look back into those time spent , i think those were innocent thoughts, thought that were not yet touched by the materialism.

No, it was not too naive of us to think in this aesthetic way. In those days also we were aware of the hardships, the practical aspects of life, but we were not able to see the 'bigger picture'. Occasionally we did see the picture, but that was mostly under the influence of the Kingfishers and the Haywards, and as the 'high' decreased , practicality would also take a leave.

Life those days was 'predictably unpredictable' but now it has become more of 'predictable', devoid of any fun and adventure; philosophically and physically.

Coming back to the professional life , i would say that journalism has so many things lacking. Professionalism is one thing that matters in the long run in any profession..but sadly it has still not evolved in media. Perhaps the most important issue is financial security, and the less i dwell on this issue the better.

But then acting like a seasoned politician i can't switch off before praising an issue which i had just criticised (Hope Sonia Gandhi or Rajnath Singh is a regular reader of my blog!).

Overall it was been an enriching experience, both personally and professionally. Met many a people from the different spheres of life, went through many a dramas and enjoyed the power and prestige of a being a journalist which are second to none.

"Educationally a lawyer, professionally a Journalist..."hopefully an administrator one day". That sums the whole curve of the "materialistic life' i have lived and will live.

I have blogged after a long while (2 -1/2 months). I was pleasantly surprise to see that i too have a section of dedicated readers, who reminded me again and again that i have a blog to update...Thanx guys!..