This Dussehra, kill evil of selective outrage

Dussehra is a festival that marks the victory of good over evil. Maryada Purshottam Ram vanquished King Ravan, but that battle between good and evil continues till date. In our own ways, we must all continue to fight the evil.

Selective outrage or pseudo secularism is one such evil we must all battle together for a strong India. Whether it is Dadri or Moodbidri, Akhlaq or Prashant Poojary, it is India that loses.

Some have played divisive games in the past and continue to do so; like 1984 versus 2002 and selectively outraging over some riots over others. Why not go after all rioters with equal zeal - not trying to find reasons to justify some over others. No riots violence against the common people of this country can be acceptable. That should be the norm. We cannot afford to say because a certain structure was demolished so the terror attack that followed can be seen in a certain light.

We cannot ignore comments like when a giant tree falls the earth shakes and focus only on a certain riot because television covered it for the first time. We have a responsibility to expose all rioters with equal courage and conviction. Our aim should be to ensure a riot-free India.

Similarly, we need to look within. Do we stand guilty of Dadri versus Moodbidri and giving more coverage to the former? While we do our job it is for our viewers to judge how impartial are we in our coverage. However, every murder of an innocent Indian should be as condemnable.

We cannot see Dadri and Moodbidri in different light and apply different yardsticks. Dadri was wrong so was Moodbidri. We should want culprits both in Dadri and Moodbidri to be punished and our campaign for justice should be relentless to ensure that neither feels we are partial towards one or ignoring the other.

Akhlaq was innocent, and lynched because of the mere rumour of storing beef. His killers deserve the harshest punishment. However, just because Prashant Poojary was an activist who participated in raids on illegal slaughter houses for cow protection, is his murder justified? Does he not deserve equal anguish? We must, therefore, guard against selective outrage.

He was hacked to death allegedly by four to six men who had earlier publically threatened to kill him. Law of the land must apply to all, equally. Without fear or favour. We, in the media, would be doing a great disservice if we tried and made a distinction between the "good" mob and the "bad" mob. We need to cover all news with equal courage of conviction.

Let's strive for Ram Rajya. The father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, said so too.