In the second leg of this 2-part interview we asked for Bhai Jarnail Singh Journalist’s perspective on issues including Indian Media on 1984, his expulsion from Dainik Jaagran, loss of job and his ongoing projects (where you [the reader of this interview] can also help him out). Go on do read it!
Q1.) Has anything changed after 25 years in the Indian media’s perspective on 1984?
You can yourself see that after (the shoe hurling), a big wing of media has given due coverage to the horrific incident of 1984 and raised questions on the mass injustice.
In reality I have been associated with national media for past 15 years and I used all my experience after the incident so that all the attention is given to anti sikh riots. Be it Electronic or Print media then all had to cover it.
Q2.) Do you think that media gave 1984 anti sikh riots fair coverage after the incident?
Yes, after the incident took place there was a lot of excitement in reporters to interview me. Though I had broken the code of conduct of journalism, but I never wanted the focus to shift from 1984 riots, otherwise it would have diluted the whole issue.
Intentionally I did not apologize from anybody so that central focus must be on 1984 incidents. On being asked by a TV reporter that Congress Party has pardoned you, I said: I have not even apologized from them, then where the question of pardoning come from.
Q3.) Many people say that you broke the code of conduct of journalism, what do you have to say on this?
See being a journalist it is true that I broke the code. But can anyone tell me that is this right that in the past 25 years our judiciary and legal system have forgotten all codes and conducts by regularly denying justice to Sikhs?
Apart from that I feel that after the rise of visual media there is some positive change, although that too more after the shoe hurling incident and Waheguru gave me matt (right mind set) to focus only on 1984 anti-sikh riots.
Q4.) Do you think the current Indian media is trying to save the propagators of 1984 riots?
It would not be fair to say that Indian media of today is saving them, instead they themselves ahve not been fair in covering the mass genocide of 84 where thousands of innocent humans (sikhs in this case) were killed in a couple of days.
Also now a days the TRP is a big factor and we sikhs only contribute about 2% of the total Indian population. So you can understand why they are not much interested in raising our issues.
Q5.) Why did Dainik Jagran expel you?
My expulsion is more political then substantial. Legally they may not be correct but Dainik bent down to thepressure and expelled me. More my PIB card has also been taken away from me.
Q6.) So what are you doing theses days?
I’m writing a book on 1984 to bring out truth to the world. Unfortunately we Sikhs have not been documenting our history well so people always take us for granted. This book will focus on the humanistic angle on how riot affected sikhs have survived and lived by hard times after1984.
Name of the book in English is “I accuse anti sikh violence of 1984″ in Punjabi “1984 sikh qatleaam da sach” and in Hindi it is “kab kategi chaurasi’. For this project Im looking forward to sangat’s support worldwide in bringing out Punjabi Edition of this book in large numbers. I can be contacted by:
Phone :+91-9999220024
Email: jarnailsingh16@gmail.com
Web Page: http://www.jarnailsingh.in
[Interviewer's Notes: Thank you for your time Jarnail Singh Ji. Sikh Panth needs lions and heroes like you. SikhiWallpapers.com appeals all its reader and subscribers to contribute their dasvand towards this cause.]
