Greater
Kashmir: Srinagar: Thursday, 31 December 2015.
Everyday
dozens of delegations arrive at the office of Greater Kashmir, where reporters
attend to their grievances. Mudasir Yaqoob narrates his interesting experience
in manning the desk, trying to cope up with the expectations of people.
Every day, I
attend to scores of delegations arriving from different corners of the valley
and sometimes from Jammu and Ladakh too.
Narrating their tales of suffering, official apathy, domestic feuds or
appeals to government, I listen to them patiently. They come with a hope that
everything they say will be published in the newspaper.
During the
early days of my internship, I used to report every grievance; even personal
disputes related to matrimonial, inheritance etc. It took me sometime to
understand what to report and what not. With guidance from editors and
experience gained over time, I understood to make a fine balance. But the only
hard thing in my job is to make people understand that certain matters cannot
be published due to varied reasons. For example problems, that are sub-judice
cannot be reported due to legality, personal matters cannot be published due to
fear of manipulation, scandals cannot be reported due to lack of proof and so
on. “If your case fits into category other than these, then why not,” I would
assure them on publication. In some cases the problem raised by the delegation
pertains to a single person and it becomes difficult to make him understand
that it is not worth publishing as it doesn’t concern majority of people.
For the
people, Greater Kashmir is some sort of last line of defence. Once a person
came to me narrating his story that how he was victimised by his own department
after he had filed an RTI. He was transferred from Srinagar to some far-flung
area, just to pressurize him to withdraw the RTI application, which he claims
would have exposed corruption in the department. A good story indeed, but he
had no proof against his claims, so his story got what we call in journalist
lingo ‘killed.’
At another
time an elderly lady asked me to make a story on his indifferent sons. Her
three sons had left her after getting married. She said that all the ancestral
property was distributed among his sons and nothing was left for her despite
she having every right to own the part of the property from her deceased
husband under Shariah. It was a hard task to convince her that such matter
cannot be reported in GK. I felt sorry as she wept, but I couldn’t publish her
‘personal family matter’ in GK. Personal matters are tricky as on the second
day the opposite party comes with altogether different story, and newspaper
gets dragged into an unnecessary issue. We have to remain unbiased and cannot
take any decision by listening to only one side.
Another
interesting factor in attending to delegations is that they want everything to
be published on the front page. “See, it must be on front page,” almost
everybody would demand. One of the delegations from Srinagar locality once came
and wanted me to publish an appeal to authorities to repair the dilapidated
road in their area. According to them, the local population had been running
from pillar to post from past eleven years to get their grievance redressed. It
was apparent on their face and visible from their body language that they were
very angry with authorities. When I agreed, here came the second condition.
“Publish it on front page in bold letters. Major headline would be good,” they
said.
At times I
used to tell them how newspaper decides which news will go on which page, but
after a while I stopped as nobody bothered to know the nitty gritty of media.
Be it shortage of rice, faulty drainage, or dysfunctional transformer,
everything should be on front page.
If I tell
them that it is the higher authorities in the newspaper who decide which news
story will be published on which page based on its importance, they begin to
ask, who these higher authorities are, and where they could be contacted. Some
hot-headed people even demand the assurance in a rude manner that the story
will be published. Others demand explanation after explanation.
Once a group
of unemployed youth visited me with a grievance that Service Selection Board
has failed to conduct their interviews for the junior assistant posts. After,
sharing all the necessary details, they asked me to promise its publication on
the front page. Not convinced with my assurance, they offered me money for
ensuring its publication. I replied them that the newspaper does not publish
‘paid items’ and it is solely on the basis of some professional parameters that
the fate of any news story is decided. The aggrieved candidates tried to put
some notes in my pocket. They just crossed the line and I had to act fast. I
trashed their money and told them that if they were enough rich then why do
they need government job. They felt ashamed and pleaded for forgiveness.
It was not
the first time that the delegations offered me money but over the past few
years it has become a routine. Now I don’t even get angry as I politely turn it
down. These people come from various offices where bribing has become an
accepted norm and without spending extra bucks there is no concept of getting
any work done in Kashmir. Perhaps they feel our office is also like a
government office. They are delighted to know that their genuine news item will
be published free of cost.
At the end of
the day the only satisfaction I get from the job is when somebody’s problem is
solved. After their stories were published on page 10 or 11, some people
re-visit our office to thank us. “We are extremely thankful that our grievance
has been addressed after this news paper highlighted the issue,” they would
say.
As I reminded
them that their grievance was not published on the front page but on inner
pages, they give nod in agreement. “Sorry, we doubt you. Journalists and
editors are well versed in their profession and they know which issue should be
highlighted on which page. Every page of Greater Kashmir has an impact,” they
would add.
People are
always welcome at the Greater Kashmir office, but remember when you visit us
with any sort of grievance or complaint, just don’t insist on front page
publications. If all parameters are met, we promise to publish it in a manner
where you will be benefited the most.
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