Millions migrated, bed and oxygen unavailability, families were pushed below the poverty line and food and shelter compromised and NaMo is still worrying about the Global image of the country. Amidst the COVID crisis, the Prime Minister of India is busy focusing on Central Vista and hiding facts and the Indian Media has failed to show the mistakes committed by the government. Is media on for sale for the rich or is it a puppet of Modi who’s making it dance a gunpoint?

The rich have fled, the middle class is struggling between life and death and the poor has given up. The media has done nothing but create havoc and a sense of fear and panic in the state. The poor execution by the government and the ignorance by the media is a bigger crisis than the pandemic when seen in a bigger picture.

A year ago, with the start of the pandemic and lockdowns implemented the media should have educated the public and used it for a better cause like telling the truth and making sure that the government is prepared for boosting the economy along with the safety of people. But what did it do instead? Focused on TRPs and making a Bollywood celebrity’s death a show for 4 long months, putting the girl through media trial who is yet to be proven guilty, mocking the dead and the constitution. The media shook to a level so much so that getting back and gaining people’s trust is a big job, especially with the Gen Z generation. The world’s largest democracy has fallen to its knees with other countries looking down to it and it’s difficult to stand again especially with the way the government and the media are behaving. Media is said to be the fourth pillar of democracy. seeing how it’s weakening is as worrying as the state of India in a pandemic.

On the other hand, we have social media which has not only shown the true power of media but also the true power of democracy and has told its meaning loud and clear – FOR the people, OF the people, and BY the people. It’s amazing how the whole country united leaving all the differences aside held each other’s hands and are sailing through the stormy pandemic. Influencers were sharing deeds and information for availability of beds and oxygen, people who have or even don’t have great following numbers are arranging beds, medicines, and doses for strangers. The artists are helping the public by providing content on social media to maintain the balance so that people don’t get pushed to bad mental health. Celebrities are raising funds to beat the pandemic. Comic Vir Das had put out several virtual shows for the public during the pandemic whose money was a relief fund for the medical supplies in the earlier half and the latter part was for the orphaned children and pets.

Celebrities like Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma, etc. have opened donations which are astonishing as many celebrities have millions of rupees given to them by the public and when the tables turned instead of donating in large sums or using their own money they are again seeking the public, who I repeat, has already gone through enough to provide relief to the country. The IPL should have been loved and the cricketers should have emerged out as country heroes if they had committed to giving all or at least half the pay they get for the covid relief. It’s a shame that cricketers who do not even belong to India have donated for the relief of the country. The celebrities who have emerged as role models in the past few years have failed the kids and the people looking up to them. Other actors like Jahnavi Kapoor, Disha Patani, etc. had flown out of the country for their safety leaving the fellow countrymen behind to face their problems adding that they had shown a great deal of insensitivity by sharing pictures of their vacation or vacay as they say it.

On the other hand, the celebrities who had just started their career or do not belong to well-established rich Bollywood families have emerged out as heroes of the countrymen. Sonu Sood or the saviour of the countrymen has helped out selflessly by first helping in the labour migration crisis, providing funds for the less fortunate etc. Other actors like Tappsee Pannu, Swara Bhaskar, Bhumi Padnekar had done their bit by stepping out of the line to help the fellow regardless of threats and bullying they received.

Wrapping up, I feel that the media has lost the sense of its power and how they may have helped the public to feel safe by just being puppets of the central government and the country leaders have lost the sense of responsibility they have towards the public. The media should have questioned the government time and again for the measures they’re taking and pressurised them to come out tell plans for the same or moreover helped them prepare a model for the same. Turns out Modi’s “taali bajaao-thaali bajaao” and ” Mann ki Baat” is just a hoax to divert the public from the underlying truth that the Indian Media and the Indian Government has FAILED the nations and its citizens.

A 21 year old who’s trying her best to make the most of every moment to minimize any future regrets!

Email: vasudha.dhanda49@gmail.com

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