Fairness in reporting in Indian media is the biggest casualty of Mumbai attacks

I quote the online edition of The Time of India; 'Azam Amir Kasab, the only Pakistani terrorist nabbed alive...'. This is not just The TOI headline but the story has been reported in almost all the Indian media -- in several different languages. The name didn't sound all that Pakistani in the first place. Having said that, the investigations into the attacks have just begun. The matter is a long way from being brought to the courts. Where is the respect for due process? Where are the ethics in reporting? Where is the responsiblity that goes with the territory for any responsible journalist or media? Yes, fairness in reporting became the first casualty of the attacks on Mumbai. Someone said it right, that in war (or war-like) situation, the truth is always the first casualty. What transpired in Mumbai was nothing short of a war since pitched battles raged on for more than two days.

Also, I see young individuals in T-shirt with AK-47 and one thing comes to my mind. Were they all that trained for the attacks or that Indian security forces were not upto the task. How many innocent people got killed by 'friendly fire'?. Someone must look into it. There maybe many stories within the story on Mumbai attacks. There were villians alright but there must be many unsung heroes too.

Yes, I am deeply concerned with the aftermath of the latest Mumbai attacks. When the last few times the two countries went to war, they weren't armed with nuclear weapons. Now they are -- to the teeth. Indian RAW and Pakistani ISI worked the media exactly same way then as it is doing now.

The real story maybe a mix of India's extremely powerful underworld taking the fight to the security forces with its very clever use of Indian religious fanatics. And, for an encore, they involved one or two Pakistanis so that the underworld doesn't face the full brunt of Indian retaliation. With up and coming elections, this seems to serve the purposes of many Indian Hindu religious parties...and weakens the Congress party at the same time. Congress cannot but play the Pakistan card and work up the rhetoric against Pakistan if it has to win the forthcoming elections.

As for Pakistan, it is reeling with a cancerous economy due to rampant corruption. It is fighting too many wars of its own. It makes no sense to start one more with a powerful neighbour. Having said that, it is fair to say that governments cannot be held responsible for an individual jobless person who is given three square meals and brainwashed to go and play Rambo somewhere. India has its fair share of such fanatics. Pakistan government can be anything but not that silly.

One last thing, for a lesson in reponsible journalism that leaves it for the courts to play judge and jury, I suggest the Indian media can learn from Singapore's Today. It is surely not The New York Times but it practices the most responsible journalism and fairness in its reporting that I didn't see anywhere in the Indian media on Mumbai attack.