Dear Editor,
It is quite natural that untimely death of such a versatile actor as Sridevi must cover a lot of media space and people’s attention. But what is going on now in some television channels and social media is, as it were, electronic kangaroo trials on Sridevi’s tragic death in a bathtub. We are witnessing that loud and aggressive gossip is vibrating all over the country to make our society more voyeuristic and less conscious of our democratic rights and duties.
Some television channels obsessive and voyeuristic coverage that triggers a mob hysteria on one point agenda is a deliberate cover – up of some burning issues. It is expected that at least the equal media space and follow up reporting must be in sync with the agonizing incident at Muzaffarpur in Bihar where at least seven girls and two boys who were aged between seven and eleven, had been crushed to death under the wheels of an SUV outside their school also causing six more children in a critical condition.
Media must not confine itself to glamourdom. It should take a constructive role like highlighting the danger of the antics of reel and real hit – and – run macho brigades. It will be highly unfortunate if Muzaffarpur massacre gets drown in Dubai bathtub and the driver of SUV gets a red herring in Sridevi’s tragedy.
Yours,
Sujit De,
Kolkata