It was decided that what suits Kerala Kaumudi is non-partisan politics and this decision was not taken without foreseeing its outcome or without the proper understanding that it would be different from Malayalam media’s general policy.
The above decision was taken with the intention to show justice to revered readers of our paper who comes from different political backgrounds.
A media can express its non-partisan policy in two different ways. On way is to look at all political parties dispassionately. The next way is to watch all parties deeply and present them as they really are. As for the majority of Malayalis, politics is a part of their life, the first way is not practical. But, when the paper takes an impartial stand so as to expose political undercurrents, the challenge it has to face is something more than what is expected.
The Malayalam word Matham (religion) also means opinion. In effect, political belief is like religious belief.
Naturally, when belief or opinion exceeds certain limit, intolerance springs up. The ultimate effect will be, people will start looking at their political opponents with blind hatred. Even when they hear or come to know something good about their political rivals, they will have that grudge against them. The challenge faced by a politically non-partisan newspaper should be seen against this backdrop.
The main political development the other day was the Rs 1800 crore bribery allegation against former Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader B S Yedyurappa based on a report that appeared in a magazine. The BJP refuted the allegation pointing out that Yeddyurappa’s handwriting and signature on the documents presented as evidence were forged ones.
When the real fact behind this is not at all clear, an unbiased newspaper can only present Congress allegation and BJP’s rebuttal, giving them equal importance.
Will the Left Front or the Congress be happy with the paper for carrying the BJP’s rebuttal statement? On the other hand, will the BJP be happy with the paper for carrying the Congress allegation? The answer is No. This the challenge faced by the paper for its political neutrality.
A newspaper that shows its political leanings will not have to face this challenge. Most of its readers will be having the same political stand; they will not have any complaint. But there will also be others who don’t have belief in any political party. A thin veil of political impartiality is just enough to hoodwink them. People who are not familiar with such hypocrisy will not be able to understand this gullible mask.
Media world over are making use of this possibility while political leanings of prominent foreign newspapers is not at all a secret. The reflection of a political development will not have a definite shape as that of the answer of a Mathematical problem. This possibility is utilised by certain newspapers when they wear the veil of impartiality while expressing their political leanings.
Even word and lines bear the impression of political leanings. What those people who hope for this leanings get is bogus satisfaction. There won’t be much life for this satisfaction
This phenomenon was seen in the last Assembly election in Kerala. Many people were there who experienced bogus satisfaction going by the media hints that the UDF will again come to power in the assembly election. But the people’s mandate was totally contradictory to this.
When the newspaper stands unbiased, the readers may not be able to experience that bogus satisfaction. It will be impossible to give space for bogus satisfaction in the news when it is believed that truth is auspicious and beautiful in political news.
The country is again moving towards a general election. A religion cannot satisfy everybody. In the same way, a political ideology also will not be able to satisfy everyone.
Once this reality sinks in, intolerance will vanish, that is for sure. Our expectation is that Kerala Kaumudi’s well-informed readers will support its policy of expressing its opinion and views through its editorial while observing complete impartiality in the presentation of news.