Tale of a suicide…

Recently the media (mostly the Anglo ones) have gone on a crusade. That of fighting for the case of a suicide victim. Running detailed programs on what drove the person to suicide, how society is cruel, friends family failed the victim and of course asking for prompt action from the government as well. Finally, chastened by media hue and cry the police have launched a detailed investigation.

Meanwhile, page3 personalities are all over the media, asking for the government to look into how cruel the profession of the victim is, how seasonal their income is and how it can’t sustain the lifestyle of the victim though the person is single. Hmm… If you are like me and thought finally the plight of farmers in India is getting deserved attention from the media and you would be naïve as well.

Yes, the case in question is that of Viveka Babji, the erstwhile super model who earned millions as a model for various products during hey days including the Kamasutra condom !!! Sociologists are waxing eloquent as to how cruel their profession is - how they are subject to the vagaries of the market. How their lifestyle and luxurious clothes, drinks and parties are no longer affordable and finally out of sheer desperation they commit suicide!!

Is it just me, of does anyone else think that the media houses got their priorities so wrong and so completely. They also doled out statistics on how a model commits suicide every two years etc. and asked for understanding from the family and society and of course welfare from the government.

Now, ever since the UPA came to power there have been roughly 16000 suicides of farmers every year on average. Yes, this is the harsh reality of Indian agriculture today. With farmers committing suicide, as their responsibilities to their families in terms of Children’s education, marriage and basic necessities in terms of even food, can’t be met. They are usually reeling under debt to money lenders charging 20 percent interest every month !

No large scale reporting from the media on all this, but the bitch who couldn’t sustain her luxury habits of drinking, socializing and partying (== super model’s lifestyle) and commits suicide gets all the attention from the media.

Socially responsible reporting in the NDTV brigade, I am not holding my breath for it…. You don’t either.