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| Poor, persecuted, forced to flee, seen as INFILTRATORS |
In a recent report about Rohingyas, the newspaper termed their arrival as 'infiltration'. The tone is always different when it comes to similar group of persecuted people coming to India from other countries.
Either its Pakistan or Afghanistan, there is suddenly a humanitarian angle visible in the newspaper reports.
There is focus on their plight, need for support and how to help rehabilitate them. But when the most persecuted minority in the world, Rohingays, who were forced to flee from Myanmar, arrived here, they aren't seen as 'humans' or even 'asylum-seekers'.
They are straight termed as 'infiltrators' who can pose 'security risk'. Indian Express journalist Vijaita Singh in her report titled 'Rohingya Muslims infiltration on agenda' mentioned how the Rohingyas have been caught and are now put in jail in India.
Surely, we can expect our journalists to be similar in their approach towards all human beings, who have suffered persecution--rape, killings and genocide. Nepal remained a different kingdom for ages but its citizens are allowed a free entry.
Even persecuted citizens from Pakistan can come, but standards are different for Burma i.e. Myanmar, which was once part of India. Isn't this a totally biased approach? Persecuted people should be considered as human beings, not as 'infiltrators'.
From the headline to the report, lot of things are not one expects from a national daily. If mainstream English newspapers like Indian Express do it, then it is surely a cause of concern.
There is focus on their plight, need for support and how to help rehabilitate them. But when the most persecuted minority in the world, Rohingays, who were forced to flee from Myanmar, arrived here, they aren't seen as 'humans' or even 'asylum-seekers'.
They are straight termed as 'infiltrators' who can pose 'security risk'. Indian Express journalist Vijaita Singh in her report titled 'Rohingya Muslims infiltration on agenda' mentioned how the Rohingyas have been caught and are now put in jail in India.
Surely, we can expect our journalists to be similar in their approach towards all human beings, who have suffered persecution--rape, killings and genocide. Nepal remained a different kingdom for ages but its citizens are allowed a free entry.
Even persecuted citizens from Pakistan can come, but standards are different for Burma i.e. Myanmar, which was once part of India. Isn't this a totally biased approach? Persecuted people should be considered as human beings, not as 'infiltrators'.
From the headline to the report, lot of things are not one expects from a national daily. If mainstream English newspapers like Indian Express do it, then it is surely a cause of concern.
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