Freedom of Expression- New age journalism

“Freedom of Expression- New age journalism”

?Now a days freedom of expression has become a big issue. In this social media age everyone is a journalist. Today’s society is full of intellect and in the name of independence they are impatient to offer anything. Freedom of expression means offering research based acquired knowledge on any subject and not expressing any odd things. Now a days in the name of independence one wants freedom to do anything. This has become a fashion to shout we will “take freedom at all cost, snatch freedom at all cost”. No matter how badly the society suffers it does not affect those who take excuse of independence and ask for freedom to do anything and everything.

?Every day new demand for freedom crops up. Freedom to put on Hizab and Burqa, freedom to blare Aazan from Mosque through loudspeaker, freedom to recite Hanuman Chalisha in the streets on loudspeaker, freedom to block the roads, freedom to spit venom in the name of religion and demand for more and more types of freedom arise every day. Those demanding freedom may not have any solid logic in favour of their demand but they must get it. The trend of serving anything to the society without checking its truthfulness is increasing and the number of people who start believing every lie to be true is also increasing.

?In our childhood social media did not exist but still we used to get every news. There used to be people who spread lies even in those days but there were no people to listen to them or accept them. In those days also people used to tell different things like someone wrestles with ghost every morning, someone’s grandfather possessed mountain of gold, someone’s grandfather fought with Lion, someone’s guava tree bore mango fruit and so on and so forth. No one took such things seriously and did not believe these lies and only enjoyed it. Only the statements which had witness or proof were accepted.

?These days’ people accepting lies are increasing and lies are becoming bigger than truth.

?Few days back I had read a post on the social media. The writer is a young journalist and he writes well. I read his every post also. I would like to mention one of his posts which is also connected with freedom of expression.

Post-

?(Post continues

?Leaving aside the social media if you notice the ground reality you may find that Bakrid is the only festival which is being awaited by Hindus (a section of the society) more than the Muslims. Away from the hypocrisy of the rich and agenda of the politicians if you go to the village you will find one or two goats in every poor man’s house. If you talk of purchasing these goats four months before Bakrid they will not agree and reply that they would be selling during Bakrid only to get good price.

?After completion of one Bakrid they start waiting for next Bakrid. They start dreaming of selling goats to fulfil many of their needs. Purchase some jewellery for the girl so that they don’t have to buy it at the time of the marriage, repay certain big debt, get the son admitted and many such work which the poor think of doing from the sale of goats at the time of Bakrid.

?Honestly speaking Bakrid is the only festival when money flows down to poor from rich. Otherwise during all the festivals of the world, coffers of industrialists and capitalists get bigger.

?Post ends)

?I don’t deny everything in this post but I have a doubt that the statement given in last para be completely true. Bakrid may not be only such festival. If this truth is accepted as the only truth then thousands of years old traditions of festivals will become questionable.

?After reading this post I got the opportunity to know religion. The religion about which I have been studying since my childhood looked false. Live and let live, whole world is a family, humanity is the biggest religion, to serve human is to serve God and many such things have been stated in many religions.

?Every festival is eternal and is based on the principles of humanity and science. Whether it is Dipawali, Durga Puja, Dassehra, Holi, Baishakhi or any other festival of any religion, they are based on the principles of humanity leaving aside the rich and poor.

During Diwali a Deep (earthen lamp) made in the homes of poor spread light in the house of rich and used to bring prosperity in the house of those manufacturing them. During Durga Puja to make the idol of Ma clay is brought first from the house of those who carry very bad name in the society. Those who make the idol during Durga Puja are not capitalists or industrialists. Similarly those making effigies of Ravana, Meghnad, Kumbhakarn are perhaps not industrialists.

?I read Kabirdas, Surdas, Tulsidas, Sant Ravidas, Raskhan, Kalidas, Nanakdev and many other scholers since my childhood but did not get this knowledge anywhere.

?Goat eats leaves so her skin gets removed,

What will happen to those who eat Goat.?

Perhaps Baba Kabir while writing above couplet may not have studied the subject deeply or may not have paid attention to this. It may also so happen that during those days industrialist and capitalist reared goats.

?Time to time changes were made in the religion and wrong customs were removed to save the humanity. Dadhichi donated his body to save the humanity once. Without fearing for his life Jatayu fought with Ravan to protect Dharma. Similarly many human being, animals, birds, trees and plants, mountains, rivers and all components of nature have sacrificed themselves to protect humanity.

?For centuries human being and animals and birds have coexisted with love. Those living together are part of their family and humanity never teaches us to sacrifice other being living together for own happiness. It may have so happened that during a famine endangering humanity birds and animal may have sacrificed themselves to save the humanity. To link their sacrifice with tradition and religion and to continue with it is not justified. This is a matter of research and I am just guessing.

?Freedom of expression for religion has a limit and to cross this limit is not religion.

?“Every religion is superior is greatness of religion,

“Only one religion is super most is nonreligious”

?Freedom of expression has its limit and this limit is allowed only to the extent of not harming any one or the society. Every person should keep in mind before he speaks, show or writes that his freedom will not harm the society.

?In true sense freedom means to be a good citizen, keep humanity above everything and help in the all-round development of country and society.

?Best wishes for Amrit Mahotsav of Freedom.

My article has been published in hindi in “Gauravshali Bharat” magazine.

Link for the Magazine-

https://gauravshalibharat.com/freedom-of-expression-new-age-journalism/

The above thoughts are not written for the purpose of hurting any country, person and society. If someone is hurt, then I apologize.

Thank you

Ravi Shankar Rai

13 July 2022