The Accounted Life - 1. The first strike - (i)

2nd August 2016, Karur Bus Terminus, Karur, Tamizh Nadu.

Vaibhav was sitting on the seat, window side and slowly gazed the sorrounding. Being a local holiday the bus terminus was quite crowded amidst being a hot noon. The State Transport time keepers were standing in the bus way signalling the bus drivers to start appropriately. The bus conductors were yelling out the routes constantly, tempting the passengers to get in the bus even though the bus was already at twice of its capacity. Dogs and puppies were delighted as they had so much of delicacies awaiting to be discovered in the half eaten biscuit packets that were being thrown.

It was a busy day, but for Vaibhav it was peace. It was the most calm day according to him. It was the day when he decided to think about his life, still clueless of what to be done ahead.

Took out his headphones and played music. Ilayaraja's then classic "Ilayanila" was the first song.

He Smiled and history replayed in his mind.

The High School days, 10th Public results were out and a serious discussion including few arguments and some fights and then a decision was made.

Vaibhav managed to get 81% in his 10th. He faired poorly in Science. A biology lover, but was pathetic at Physics and Chemistry. He hated Physics, merely because he didn't find it interesting. He found 1PM afternoon shows in DD National more interesting than Physics, which were telecasted in Hindi, a language which he only knew the spelling of it, that too in English.

He wanted to do Chartered Accountancy. At that time it was what Engineering was to Science. Therefore enrolled himself for the Commerce group.

Indian Media - The undisciplined child

Even though Journalism in Print Media was a powerful tool during the independence movement in India, the current day journalism in modern day evolved Media practically appears like a bully who has been made the head of a classroom.

The Modern day media has lost its relevance among the countrymen as it is quite clear even to a layman that "It is all about Money."

The entire fourth pillar were offended when the fraternity of Indian Media were coined as Presstitutes by Shri.V.K.Singh. But have they proved him wrong?

The Indian Media has the attention of an entire country, that too a highly populous one. It is more of a responsibility rather than an advantage to the media houses to have an impact or influence.

Cauvery Tension was spurring a lot of hatred between the neighboring states Tamilnadu and Karnataka. It was at this time that the entire mainstream media went for the breaking news and Flash news of how a Kannadiga origin hotel Windows being damaged at Chennai and how private buses were burnt at Bangalore terminus.

A more logical response would have been displaying the content which would indirectly calm the minds of the people and portray peace.

At the end of the day, a politician and an actor does things merely for money. They don't really mean them.

Until the people realise that sanity is something than can be easily tampered with just by fueling some panic buttered with hatred, we all are mere guinea pigs who have no idea of why we do things.

We don't understand and respond. We are blindly chased in a maze for which we don't know the way to.

Gone were the days Indian media upheld the immense level of ethics in Journalism.  The errors followed by apologies in print and visual media have become a sight common than cows in streets

Being the fourth pillar requires a great sense of responsibility, a corrupt media is almost as equivalent as having a fourth leg that is infected. It may not kill us. But it opens us and makes us vulnerable to all forms of Danger.

Its high time that the people should decide what they should believe in. As the internet revolution has brought so much of accessibility to a simple common man in verifying his facts about a news before reacting to it.

The fall of media will be the first step in losing our hard fought independence again. It is our first but the greatest line of defence in protecting our democracy.

Let us not merely notice but also see clearly before believing.