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Journalism of Courage
The recent spate of killings by the ULFA of migrant labourers in Assam has been greeted with considerable horror in the Urdu dailies. Hyderabad-based daily Siasat writes on January 8, 8220;the organisation set up to ostensibly benefit the people is now baying for the blood of innocent and poor people from outside the state. Surely, they cannot be getting any popular support. Then why is it difficult for the government to control such an organisation? The right way is dialogue with the ULFA.8221;
Jamaat-e-Islami8217;s bi-weekly Daawat writes on January 10 that 8220;there is a wave of hatred in Assam.8221; The paper writes that 8220;the Asom Gana Parishad movement has taken different forms, sometimes it took the form of regionalism, communalism and then turned against illegal migrants. It certainly didn8217;t start like this, as the roots of the crisis here were backwardness 8212; development plans were made, but not implemented and locals here did not get any benefits. This led to frustration among the locals. Outside forces took full advantage of the situation and fanned the flames of hatred and revenge.8221; The paper advocates a 8220;cool headed approach.8221;
Speaking of Kashmir
On January 13, Rashtriya Sahara in an editorial writes, 8220;Aman ke amal ki jaanib 8212; ek aur qadam8217;, or another step towards peace. The paper writes that the PM8217;s proposal of breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Lahore and dinner in Kabul 8212; emphasising peace in the region should be welcomed. The paper says that for peace and stability in the South Asian region, it is necessary that these two neighbours 8212; who are the two big nuclear powers in Asia 8212; should not only have friendly relations, but also take a new direction, to take the entire region along with them.
National Herald8217;s Qaumi Awaaz in a Page One display on Sunday, January 14 says, 8220;the process of dialogue being speeded up has the consent of both India and Pakistan.8221; The paper quotes Pranab Mukherjee and Pervez Musharraf8217;s meeting at length, saying, 8220;all issues including Kashmir were discussed in detail and comprehensively.8221; Kolkata and Delhi daily Akhbar-e-Mashriq in its lead on January 14 says, that Pervez Musharraf 8220;says he sees light at the end of the tunnel.8221;
Mistrust in UP
Perhaps as the UP elections have yet to be notified, the unsigned political advertisements on UP continue in the Urdu papers. Qaumi Awaaz on January 8 says 8220;incidents at Nithari and Kavita Rani murder case and Mulayam8217;s close contacts with criminally inclined and resourceful political leaders have lowered the prestige of the UP government in the eyes of the people, who have lost confidence in it.8221; The paper has in fact made a case for 8220;dismissing the Mulayam government.8221;
Akhbar-e-Mashriq writes on January 14, that 8220;the UP governor by calling a session on January 18 and agreeing to address a joint session means a big victory for Mulayam, as now he would be able to put before the people his viewpoint through the governor8217;s address, where the governor would not be able to change even a word in the draft to be prepared by the UP government.8221;
Like a lion
Various aspects of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein8217;s hanging have given rise to a large number of reports and comments in the Urdu press. Special issues have been brought out by some tabloids 8212; like MP Shahid Siddiqui8217;s Nayi Duniya dated January 15 8212; which refers to Saddam as Sher-e-Arab 8212; complete with a large colour picture of Saddam juxtaposed next to a lion8217;s on the cover. The video shot at the time of his death and just after has also been elaborately described by broadsheets and tabloids alike.
Compiled by Seema Chishti
