Separated in translation

Once the rushing about slowed down, the differences began to surface. The English news channels got into a huddle in the studios and nail-chewed: what would happen next, tomorrow, two days later? What would BJP do? To learn more about that, let8217;s go across to Rajnath Singh, L.K. Advani and an assortment of lesser leaders like Prakash Javedkar.

What followed on NDTV 24215;7 at 8.30 pm, 9.30 pm, on CNN-IBN at 9 pm, 10 pm. and Times Now, a little later, was an inconclusive debate on the impact of the terrorist attacks, UP politics, communal harmony, India, geopolitical relations8230; feel free to add to the list. For the record, at 10 pm, DD News was promoting the Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Appeasement politics, minority politics, soft politics, BJP accused; this is no time for party politics, scolded Samajwadi8217;s Siddiqui, let8217;s unite against the scourge of terrorism, advised Congressman Khurshid, but don8217;t forget it was BJP8217;s Jaswant Singh who escorted the hijackers at Kandahar 19998230; 8216;8216;Shanti,8217;8217; called out NDTV India8217;s Dibang. 8216;8216;You can see, India,8217;8217; added CNN-IBN8217;s Sardesai, 8216;8216;is far more resilient in facing up to terrorism.8217;8217; Quite.

Switched to Hindi news channels. Here, action spoke more than words. Here, they were living in the immediate there and then of Benares not the hereafter for India or the world. Hospitals, railway station, street corners, police jeeps, one little satchel, a pressure cooker 8212; Aaj Tak, Star News were there, giving you the very latest in blood stains.

They avoided studio post mortem8217;s as assiduously as the English channels courted them. They allowed Benares and its people to speak for themselves. So the did the English channels but they were more obsessed with the bigger picture that first evening and the next day, and the day after.

Everyone, English or Hindi-speaking, wants the poster-size and the passport pictures, the geopolitical implications and the impact on those praying at the ghats. A poignant irony: Tuesday night, National Geographic had a documentary on Benares: we saw lit funeral pyres as the voice-over said: 8216;8216;People come here to die. In the city of death, life goes on.8217;8217;

News is about events more than opinions, especially soon after a tragic incident. Also, too much talk leads to more trouble 8212; so by airing long discussions, the English channels were encouraging parties to play politics and thereby widening the political divisions anchors and reporters were trying so hard to bridge.

That was noticeable: channels had taken an editorial decision to promote unity. They made soothing noises, they lauded Benares8217; tradition of communal harmony, they sailed down the Ganga to show how peace reigned in its waters! India TV got Ramdevji to douse the fires: 8216;8216;don8217;t let them terrorists succeed.8217;8217; NDTV had Uma Bharati salve wounds: this is not a religious matter. And, by turns, everyone featured Veer Bhadra Misra, the Magsaysay Award winning priest.

Lastly, since we must have sting operations, can we have them like Star News8217; Women8217;s Day special on doctors/ hospitals foeticide raj in Patna? That was so in the public interest. So too NDTV8217;s on the easy invasion of citizen8217;s privacy in this case their very own Barkha Dutt8217;s. Wonder whether or not the choice of subjects suggests that Hindi and English news channels belong to different planets.