Our media and our heroes
This morning, I received this truly saddening email about a brave army officer who laid his life down in an encounter with Hizbul Mujahideen’s most wanted terrorist. Saddening….and a disgusting commentary on the media in general...
On Tuesday Nov 28th ‘06, a news swept across all the news channels 'Sanjay Datt relieved by the court', 'Sirf Munna Not a bhai', '13 saal ka vanvaas khatam', 'although found guilty for possession of armoury, Sanjay can breath a sigh of relief as all the TADA charges against him are withdrawn'.
And then many experts like Salman khan saying 'He is a good person. We knew he will come out clean' Mr. Big B 'Datt family and our family have relations for years. He's a good kid. He is like elder brother to Abhishek'. His sister Priya Datt 'we can sleep well tonight. It's a great relief'
In other news, Parliament was mad at Indian team for performing bad; Greg Chapel said something ...; Bomb scare in gorakhpoor express; and Shah Rukh Khan replaces Big B in KBC and Sonia asked PM to consider reducing petroleum prices. But most of the emphasis was given to Sanjay Datt's "phoenix like" comeback from the ashes of terrorist charges.
Surfing through the channels, one news on BBC startled me. It read: 'Hizbul Mujahidin's Most wanted terrorist 'Sohel Faisal' killed in anantnag, India. Indian Major leading the operation lost his life in the process. Four others are injured.'
It was past midnight, I started visiting the foolish Indian channels, the ones who are 'Sabse TEZ', but Sanjubaba was still ruling. They were telling how Sanjubaba pleaded with the court saying 'I am the sole bread earner for my family', 'I have a daughter who is studying in US and who will look after her'. And then they showed how sanjubaba was not wearing his lucky blue shirt while he was hearing the verdict. Also how he went to every temple and prayed for last some months. A suspect in Mumbai bomb blasts, convicted under armory act...was being made into a hero.
Sure Sanjubaba has a daughter; sure sanjubaba did not do any terrorist thing as in bombing some place or hijacking an airplane etc. Possessing an AK47 is considered too elementary in terrorist community and also one who possesses an AK47 has a right to possess a pistol so that again is not such a big crime; Sure sanjubaba went to all the temples; Sure he did a lot of gandhigiri but then... people, please read on...
Major Manish H Pitambare got the information from his sources about the terrorists' whereabouts. Wasting no time he attacked the camp killed the Hizbul mujahidin's supremo and in the process lost his life... To the bullets fired from an AK47..
He has a wife and a daughter (just like sanjubaba), age ...18 months.
Major Manish never said 'I have a daughter' before he took the decision to attack the terrorist hide out in the darkest of nights.
He never thought about having a family and he being the bread earner.
No news channel covered this since they were too busy hyping a former drug addict, an actor in real and reel life, a suspect who's linked to bomb blasts which killed hundreds. Their aim was to show how he defied the TADA charges and they were so successful that his conviction in possession of armory had no meaning. They also concluded that his parents in heaven must be happy and proud of him..
Parents of Major Pitambare are still on this earth and they have to live the rest of their lives without their beloved son. His daughter won't ever see her papa again.
Finally Sir Major Pitambare, to my generation there is no greater hero than the one who laid his life in the name of this great nation. Hence Sir, I salute you. We are really proud of you. We salute your braveness which will make us live in peace in the future.
You are the real Star, Vande mataram!
Also read:
munnabhai-vs-manish-pitambare
Rediff
and
what Archana says about our media.
