Introduction
Mobocracy literally means a rule by uncontrolled mob (Merriam Webester Dictionary). While, democracy is a rule of common people controlled by common people in the interest of common people. Latter is adopted by a well defined electoral and political process. In the given context, media mobocracy entailes the intervention of media, directly or indirectly, in the democratic framework of the country.
Meaning of Media and its significance
Media can be defined as any source of information and its propagation. More eloquently, it is like the holy Ganges which if flow optimally below the brims, brings prosperity and conduciveness. But if got inundated in a trice, it creates an abysmal scenario resulting in an egregious denouement. All the world and his wife usually support this notion.
What does Constitution say?
Freedom of media is not expressly mentioned in the Constitution of India. It emanates from article 19 (1) (a) of the glorious constitution. The article ardently expresses:
"(1) All citizens have the right to (a) freedom of speech and expression".
Article 19 further mentions in clause (2):
"Nothing in sub-clause (a) of clause (1) shall affect the operation of any existing law......the sovereignity and integrity of India, the security of the State (i.e. India), public order...."
Thus, we can see that under the auspices of Article-19, media is not immune from tampering the democratic knit of the country. Yet, empirically it has been found that media perform iniquitous jobs that make India a 'dog-tired' democracy. Democracy, inter alia, inheres in Gandhi's philosophy of 'Swaraj'-which strives for providing a glimpse of smile on the face of a poorest Indian.
Effects of media mobocracy
Effects of media mobocracy are multifaceted. Let us pay heed to some of them:
1-Social Insecurity
Firstly, according to Justice Markandey Katju, the media often portray non-issues as real issues while real issues are sidelined, such as that the wife of a film actor has got pregnant and whether child will be a girl or boy? (The Hindu, October 22, 2011). Generally, celebrity's personal matters are exaggerated while national issues like 'declining sex ratio' are being obscured by media. Media never bother about to expedite national awareness programmes unless they are paid to do so. In this way, media create social insecurity in a democracy.
2-Secular Instability
Secondly, media promote stereotyping and fact twisting. One of the basic task of the media is to provide truthful and objective information to the people that will enable them to form rational opinions, which is a sine qua none in a democracy. On the other hand, being the fact that an official investigation has not been started, media declares a particular group (especially minorities) responsible for a bomb blast. Such instances create secular insecurity.
3- Political Slowdown
Thirdly, bouts of paid news cases are the outcome of media mobocracy. For instance, sitting MLA of Bisauli, Uttar Pradesh was disqualified by Election Commission of India on her indulgence in paid news under the Section 10-A of The Representation of the People Act- 1951 (http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/recent/Disquqlification_case_Umkesh_Yadav.pdf ). This shows that paid news, inturn media, promotes vices in democracy advertantly.
4- Economic Fragility
Media is behaving like Queen Marie Antoinette, who said if the people had no bread, they should eat cake. In Lakme India Fashion Week- 2011, 512 accredited journalists covered the event highlighting cotton garments and lingerie. In contrast, not even 50 journalists made any excursion to nearby Vidarbha where cotton farmers were dying of indebtedness and penury. This ambiguous treatment by media further strengthens economic instability in a democracy.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, media mobocracy is certainly a threat to democracy. Moreover, it is potent enough to chop the country and serve the pieces to capitalistic, anti-social and corrupt vultures.
The essay was written at an event at Sir Shah Sulaiman Hall, Aligarh Muslim University, as a part of Republic Day celebration.
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