With reference to the editorial, "Time for Pak to give answers on Pathankot" (January 5), there is little doubt that "once the counter-terror operation at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot is well and truly over, questions will and must be asked and answered about how it was handled". The question is: Despite the fact that we had specific intelligence input, how did such a large group of terrorists sneak into the heavily-guarded Pathankot air base? More so, when the elite Special Protection Group, too, had been deployed by the government? This calls for taking a holistic view of our operational preparedness in such situations. Could the multiplicity of security agencies involved in countering the attack have delayed the taking of action against the terrorists?
However, the most important aspect of the Indian operation was the inept handling of news, both by the government and the news channels. Several TV channels made a mockery of themselves by flashing "breaking news" of the number of terrorists who had supposedly been killed in the operation, only to report a lower figure minutes later. Almost every channel was reporting a different information, according to their "different sources". Wasn't the over-enthusiasm of the electronic media without verification of the facts unwarranted?
After the November 26, 2008, terror attacks in Mumbai and the recent anti-terror military operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian news channels had been advised not to telecast such incidents live. But "on-field" reporters of several news channels indeed reported live the key positions of our security personnel during the Pathankot attack. When will the Indian media learn the ethics of journalism?
The National Investigation Agency must look into the matter of news channels violating the government's guidelines. Their motto seems to be: Sabse pehle hum (We are the first). Why do they forget that the country's security always comes first?
Now the lapse by the government: Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared that the operation was over on Saturday after all the terrorists had been killed. In reality, the operation continued till Monday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had to brief the nation even though this was an internal security matter. Was the home minister not available? Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi listening?
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However, the most important aspect of the Indian operation was the inept handling of news, both by the government and the news channels. Several TV channels made a mockery of themselves by flashing "breaking news" of the number of terrorists who had supposedly been killed in the operation, only to report a lower figure minutes later. Almost every channel was reporting a different information, according to their "different sources". Wasn't the over-enthusiasm of the electronic media without verification of the facts unwarranted?
After the November 26, 2008, terror attacks in Mumbai and the recent anti-terror military operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian news channels had been advised not to telecast such incidents live. But "on-field" reporters of several news channels indeed reported live the key positions of our security personnel during the Pathankot attack. When will the Indian media learn the ethics of journalism?
The National Investigation Agency must look into the matter of news channels violating the government's guidelines. Their motto seems to be: Sabse pehle hum (We are the first). Why do they forget that the country's security always comes first?
Now the lapse by the government: Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared that the operation was over on Saturday after all the terrorists had been killed. In reality, the operation continued till Monday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had to brief the nation even though this was an internal security matter. Was the home minister not available? Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi listening?
S Kumar New Delhi
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number