Bullied by the media

Ragging is a crime. Whether one is in college or out of it, ragging deserves a stern punishment. Most of the Indian media, and in turn the social media, have acted as bullies over the #RaGa stumped campaign and definitely need to be taken to task. November 25 was chosen to be the date when Rahul Gandhi spoke to the students of Mount Carmel College about the current Government, mistakes that the Indian National Congress had made in the past, and the political progress of India in general. However, news agencies decided to report this differently. All that was circulated was a clip where there were mixed reactions from the audience when Gandhi asked them about the Make in India and Swachh Bharat campaigns. The objective was to make a spoof out of him in order to sell news. In other words, to initiate yellow journalism.

However, what was reported by the students later suggested otherwise. After a flood of jokes on social media on how Rahul Gandhi was stumped by the students there, some decided to set the record straight. Through a number of open letters, it has been discovered that the students were actually looking forward to the discussion at the auditorium on that particular day. Rahul Gandhi spoke about why he had chosen that particular college over others. He further spoke of the significance of the  important women in his life: his grandmother, mother, and sister. He also explained why he thought the matter of women’s rights are of topmost priority in today’s day and age. He also accepted the presence of corruption within the Indian National Congress and spoke of how he planned to eradicate the same. Students in their open letters added that Rahul Gandhi was a fantastic orator and that he was humorous; which helped him strike a chord with the audience as soon as he walked up to the stage. The students further added that Vice President of the Indian National Congress definitely managed to impress all with his idea of “starting a conversation”. He spoke about how the Central Government was absolutely against discussions and debates and informed the students about their misbehaviour during Assembly elections. The students were shocked to hear about the leading party’s behaviour as they apparently switch the microphones off when members of the Congress seek to address their problems and ideas.

Overall, the students defined the session as an extremely educative one, unlike the reports to the contrary. The biggest compliment to Rahul Gandhi would be the appreciation that the students had for the session when they accepted that the former managed to strike an intimate conversation with an audience of 2500 and counting. Sadly the media haven’t taken all these aspects into account during their attempt to make a spoof out of the political leader who is probably mending his ways improving what he had probably missed out during the 2014 elections. This misuse of the pen is a threat. It is the undue advantage of being an opinion leader and having a soft target bullied time and again.