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Making 'India's daughter' a mountain out of a mole

By Radheshyam Tewari | PUBLISHED: 05, Mar 2015, 15:26 pm IST | UPDATED: 05, Mar 2015, 16:46 pm IST

Making 'India's daughter' a mountain out of a mole The decision to telecast the documentary 'India’s Daughters' against Government of India’s opposition reminds me of the docu drama 'Death of  a Princess' based on a true story of princess Missha’al, a young South Arabian princess and her lover who had been publicly executed in 1980.

The documentary's depiction of the customs of Saudi Arabia led many governments to oppose its broadcast, under threat of damaging trade ramifications British ambassador to Riyadh was asked to leave the country, restrictions were placed on the issuing of visas  to British businessmen, and Saudi Arabia, along with Lebanon banned British Airways’ Concorde from its airspace, making its flights between London and Singapore unprofitable.

While the Saudi response had initially driven a UK press reaction against the attempted censorship, when export orders began to be cancelled, the press began to question whether it had been right to show the film.

British Foreign Secretary found the film "deeply offensive", he wished 'it had never been shown', but 'to ban a film because we do not like it or even because it hurts our friends' was not an option for the country's government.”

But in this case it is not known what inspired Indian Government to get the telecast banned instead of taking stern action against the persons involved in this case to allow BBC to interview the accused when his mercy petition was already forwarded to the Suprem Court for consideration? Why any government expert was not deputed while filming of such sensitive  program   based on national issues by a foreign agency?. Why was the director Leesle Udwin given free hand during recording the program on such vibrant theme?  Unlike Indian TV media which is run like grocery shops controlled by seth jis  for TRPs sake,  BBC has a glorious past of  telecasting the programs un biasedly and objectively.  

Similarly, the US government received enormous political pressure from Saudi Arabia to censor its broadcast. Arabia’s Mobil Oil placed an advertisement in all the important American newspapers condemning the film, and describing it as a new fairy tale. During Thatcherism culture which had a profound and lasting economic and social impact on Britain and a first woman PM to serve three consecutive terms and generally considered to be one of the best peace time prime ministers of the 20th Century was annoyed with BBC for objective and independent broadcast.

For the first time in the history of BBC the British police raided its offices during her tenure as the Prime Minister  for making a documentary  on a secret satellite put over the Russian sky for surveillance. It was a top secret mission of the British government which was aired by the BBC. But the content of “India’s Daughter” is not new and has been repeated hundred times by the defenders of the accused blaming girls solely for provoking the accused  for inhumane and cruelest episode which shook the country.

Now banning its telecast which is quite impossible is another ridiculous act of the Government. A rapist who is on the brink of losing his life cannot preach saintly or deliver a goody goody message to the world. The only objectionable aspect of the telecast is contempt of the court because of pending appeal against his conviction is under consideration of the court.  It clearly violates the rule that any matter which is under court  consideration should not be talked so clearly by the media or any other agency.
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