‘In the Name of Honour:

Khap Panchayats & Honour Killings’

            The only ‘crime’ of Manoj and Babli, a cupid struck couple, was that they belonged to the same gotra. Their marital knot invited the wrath of Khap panchayats, the kangaroo courts of northwestern India. Preventing same gotra marriage has been the single most important agenda of this anachronistic but extremely powerful institution. Family members of Babli kidnapped the couple and brutally murdered them, as ordered by the Khap.

                                                  Iconic picture of Manoj and Babli

            Many cases can be cited where couples have been killed in cold blood. Many marriages have been dissolved and legally wedded wives forced to accept their husbands as brothers.  Family members of such couples have been ostracized or banished from their villages.

 Is choosing a life partner not a basic human right under the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights (1948)? Is it not a Fundamental Right under the ‘Right to Life’ of India’s Constitution (Article 21)? Does the Special Marriage Act, passed 6 decades ago, not confer the right of choosing a spouse irrespective of any identity?

Many political, economic and social factors have enabled shocking writs of Khaps to be the last word.  Such is their hold on social psyche that their diktats turn blood relatives into savage murderers while officials turn a blind eye.

Honour Rides on Women

            Human Rights Watch defines "honor killings" as acts of vengeance, usually death, committed by male family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonor upon the family. A woman can be targeted by  her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce—even from an abusive husband—or (allegedly) committing adultery.

             An Amnesty International statement adds that the regime of honour is unforgiving.  Women on whom suspicion has fallen are not given an opportunity to defend themselves, and family members have no socially acceptable alternative but to remove the stain on their honour by attacking the woman.

Although reported in all parts of the World, West and South Asia have been particularly notorious.  Women's groups in the Middle East and Southwest Asia suspect that more than 20,000 women are honor killed each year. Migrants from these regions have been found to indulge in it even in Western countries.

            In India, honour killings are practiced largely in the northwestern part in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, especially among upper castes, as a result of people marrying without their family's acceptance, and sometimes for marrying outside their caste or religion. Alarmed by the rise of honor killings, the Supreme Court of India issued notices to the Central Government and six states to take preventive measures against honor killings.

Khap Panchayats

            Khap panchayats are social organizations of clans and gotras dating back to 600 AD. Historically they played an important role in amicably settling disputes before the advent of judiciary. They comprise representatives of 12 villages each and are headed by a Sarva Khap comprising representatives of 300 khaps. These khaps are clustered in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

They are distinct from the panchayats under the constitution and do not have any legal standing. In fact, Supreme Court has heavily criticized them for promoting honour killing and highlighted the need to stamp out the feudal psyche they espouse.

            Today they strive to uphold the traditional values of their society. The most important among which is preventing intra-gotra marriage. The term ‘gotra’ refers to people belonging to the same clan. The origin of the word, according to historians, is in the Vedic period. ‘Gotra’ then meant a cowshed where cows of a single clan were tethered. In later times it became an important identity and sharing of ‘gotra’ now meant having the same lineage.

            The khap panchayats believe that members of the same khaps are siblings marital relations between whom is incest. Hence they have taken up the mission of preventing it. At times they have carried the agenda further by disallowing same and adjoining village marriages and marriages into one’s mother and even grandmother!

            Contrary to popular perception, the khap panchayats themselves don’t kill. Instead they build tremendous social pressure on the parents of ‘erring’ couples to kill them and wash the ‘stains on their honour.’ Ordering boycotts, stopping of business transactions, forcefully banishing etc are some of the social punishments inflicted on helpless parents.

            They often cite science saying inbreeding leads to genetic disorders to justify their diktats. But from the foregone analysis and from research of scholars  it is evident that the couples are hardly connected to each other for this to be true. Also cross cousin marriages and uncle- niece marriages in some Southern states have not showed any such problems.

Reasons for Regressive Outlook

            The area of Khap Panchayats overlaps with the area of skewed sex ratio in India. The states of Haryana and Punjab are particularly infamous with the least sex ratio in adults as well as 0-6 age group.

Because of the dwindling number of women polyandry has become prevalent in many parts and buying women from other states as wives too is being practiced. This has created grave security concerns for women and their rights at home.

In this scenario, women have emerged as an asset for a Khap. The more the number of women in a Khap, the higher is its prestige thus turning women into a commodity. An intra-gotra is not only a prestige loss but also the loss of an asset. Hence to curb such occurrences and create a lesson for others Khap panchayats come down heavily on those erring.

Economy too has played its part. Due to Green Revolution there has been prosperity in the agricultural class unlike in other parts of the country. In addition, the opening of the economy has hugely benefitted this region due to its proximity to the capital. Infrastructure, industries, employment and education are available. With this has come the process of urbanization of small towns and villages and coming of modern values. Media has connected the youth with the World and increased their awareness about their rights.

As a result the youth, especially women, aren’t willing to be subjected to the whims of an ancient institution and demand to be masters of their destiny. This has created an unprecedented challenge for the Khaps struggling to come to terms with the changing society. Naturally, they have reacted with all the ferocity at its disposal.

Also since the challenge is from the so called ‘weaker sex’, male chauvinistic and feudal characteristics of the society have been unleashed leading to atrocities against women. This feudal psyche thrives on suppressing of women and modern values.

Reasons for Impunity

            The khaps are of tremendous political utility for leaders cutting across political lines. They have gigantic money and muscle power and can decisively influence the electorate. Hence no political leader can risk his career by antagonizing them. It is no wonder then no political leader has spoken against them.

            With their political bosses mum how can officials be expected to take on the khaps? Government machinery is often found turning a blind eye to such cases. For instance the police assigned to protect Manoj and Babli deserted them before they were murdered.

            Also since khaps themselves don’t kill it is very difficult to make its members culpable for homicide in a court of law. Even establishing the social pressures they created on the families is an uphill task. As a result conviction rates are low.

            Flaws in our judicial system have also played a role in abetting such crimes. Huge pendency of cases, appeals, frequent stays, expensive legal aid, burden of proof on prosecution, low conviction rate etc result in miscarriage of justice. As a result the prestige of khaps as a parallel dispute settlement system has increased and has banished the fear of law from the minds of criminals. The absence of any specific law defining ‘honour killings’ and placing the culpability of murder on abettors too has emboldened khaps.

Judicial and Legislative Efforts

            In March 2010, a Karnal district court sentenced the five perpetrators in the iconic Manoj-Babli honour killing case to be executed, the first time an Indian court had done so in an honour killing case. The khap head who ordered but did not take part in the killings received a life sentence.

            Subsequently,  government’s announced its intention to introduce amendments in IPC making ‘honour killings’ a separate offence along with a separate bill in the Parliament to make the khaps members who participate in such decisions liable for capital punishment.

            The Law Commission earlier this year came up with a draft legislation which seeks to make such acts cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable  offences and floated a consultation paper on khap panchayats and honour killings seeking public opinion on it. The Prohibition of Unlawful Assembly (interference with the freedom of matrimonial alliances) Bill, 2011 bill proposes that offences under the Act will be tried by special courts.

Solutions

·        A strong law defining ‘honour killings’ and recognizing it as a separate crime, must be passed at the earliest.

·        Highest punishment must be awarded to members who participated in decisions leading to ‘honour killings’.

·        Any khap found guilty of abetting crimes must be banned.

·        The 30 days period under the Special Marriage Act must be abolished.

·        Amending the Evidence Act to shift the burden of proof on the accused in cases of ‘honour killings.’

·        Strict action against public officials for omission or commission of acts leading to or during investigation of ‘honour killings.’

·        Police reforms

·        Special fast track courts for deciding cases.

·        Judicial reforms

But all these measures, albeit important, will not completely eradicate the problem as they target only the symptoms and not the deep rooted disease of our patriarchal society. Thorough women’s emancipation is the only panacea.

           

Abolish Capital Punishment

            The recent Delhi Gang rape and murder has left the entire nation shocked and livid. The youth has come out on the streets on an unprecedented scale. The clamour for capital punishment to the perpetrators of the barbaric crime is rising by the day. Politicians, activists, women organizations, students etc are asking for amending rape laws to make rapists liable to Capital Punishment.

            Even in such a charged atmosphere I staunchly believe that not only must we refrain from such amendments but also must do away with Capital Punishment completely. Before you slap charges of being insensitive or male chauvinistic on me, read the arguments favouring the aforesaid stand.

1.     Why make punishment easy for the perpetrators?

Death at the gallows comes within minutes and is an easy end for the criminal. On the other hand the victim’s dear ones suffer a lifetime trauma. Will the family of the recent Delhi case victim ever come out of the shock? Can the void created by the loss of their daughter ever be filled? Will they ever forget the brutal end their darling princess met?

Capital punishment is simply not commensurate with the crime. Offenders must suffer for a lifetime.

2.     Capital Punishment lacks deterrence value.

One may argue that there is a need to set an example for future offender. But did Maria Susairaj’s boyfriend, a naval officer, not know the punishment for murder? The fact is that only a miniscule of crimes is properly planned. Most crimes happen in the heat of things or in an inebriated state where the offender is not in the state of mind of thinking about the consequences. Also a large number of criminals have an unbalanced psyche.

Also in India the capital punishment is an exception and not a norm as per the ‘rarest of rare case doctrine’. Hence the argument of deterrence doesn’t hold good. Global studies too have revealed that the countries practicing capital punishment have shown a constant rate of crime implying little deterrence value of the practice.

3.     Possibility of an innocent being hanged.

‘Let a thousand criminals go scot free but not an innocent hanged’. The age old legal adage highlights the importance of saving an innocent from the noose. According to research in USA, between 1973 and 2005, 123 persons were released from death row when evidence of their innocence emerged. Another interesting study found out that by using DNA and other latest technology it was proved that several death sentences of the past were wrong.

One just can’t imagine the pain of an innocent person sentenced to death. In a Third World nation like ours we have to be doubly cautious since there are many weak sections in our society. They can’t make both ends meet leave aside fighting a prolonged legal battle.

Supporters of capital punishment may argue that we have a gradation of courts and free legal aid for them. But it must be noted that it is completely the skill of the defending attorney to prove the innocence of accused and such masters of trade come for a cost.

4.     Capital Punishment is not retribution for terrorists

The argument of Retribution i.e. punishing proportionately to the crime is often cited in favour of capital punishments, especially for terrorists, lacks sound reasoning. Can the single death of the terrorist be equivalent to the deaths of several innocent citizens? Furthermore an execution is what he wants and it makes him a hero for his likes. Instead a lifelong punishment that will make him repent his misdeeds

5.     Current Global Trend

World over there is strong trend towards abolishing this anachronistic practice. Close to 100 nations, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have abolished capital punishment and many resort to it only occasionally. In USA many states, lead by Michigan, have abolished it. In fact abolishing it is a major condition for being a European Union member.

As India rises to the International Leadership status she can’t practice a punishment that is globally considered as against human rights.

6.     State must not have the right to take life of citizens

Life is the most precious gift of the Creator and the state must not be warranted to take it away, lest the power might be abused. Although we have been fortunate but the experience of other third World nations highlights the plausibility of such a fear.

7.     State and Society are responsible for birth of criminals to a certain extent

Often a person is transformed into a criminal because of his socio-economic predicament. There are glaring disparities in the society and denial of justice has bred criminal tendencies.

            The alternative then is to award rigorous imprisonment without parole to such criminals. Law must ensure that they spend their entire lifetime in jail. As regards the cost of maintaining them, they must be integrated in some business model to sustain their expenses.

            Rounding off, the abhorrent practice is an anachronism in the age of human rights. Rooted in revenge and hatred it is against the high civilizational values of our nation such as ‘hate the sin and not the sinner’. Hence it must be abolished completely.

An Epic Protest

                While in Washington DC, a visit to the Pennsylvania Avenue is a must on ever tourist’s itinerary.  Here one can click a photograph with the North Front of the majestic White House as the backdrop and seize one of those ‘I have been there moments’.

                As a delegate on the International Student Leaders Programme in 2007 I did the same. But as I posed, I saw a strange spectacle.

                Bang across the White House and within its proverbial stone’s throw distance was a small and ungainly tarpaulin makeshift structure. An elderly man with a pony tail and bushy beard sat there with placards, photographs, boxes, blankets etc cluttered around him.

                Bizarre that it was, I couldn’t resist the temptation of interacting with him. I walked across the street to know why and how this man was staying in such a high security zone.

 “Good morning”, I greeted him. “Good Morning Sir” he replied energetically. After exchanging some pleasantries and introducing myself I asked him the obvious question. William Thomas explained that he was an anti-nuclear activist protesting against the nuclear weapons since 1981 along with co-activist Concepcion Piccioto. Called the ‘White House Peace Vigil’, it is the longest uninterrupted war protest in US history.

I was amazed as to how the famed Secret Service that protects the President and Law Enforcement Authorities of DC allowed a round the clock protest so close to the White House. As per the laws, Thomas said, he could vigil in the Lafayatte Square but not camp i.e. he couldn’t sleep there and hence he wasn’t violating any law. Nonetheless he was arrested many times, had to face trials but was eventually let off.

By now I was in awe for the resolve of this man. He had endured extremes of weather, pollution, threats, abuses, arrests and court cases for 26 years to usher in a change he believed in. I asked him as to what kept him going for two and a half decades. He said the threat of a nuclear war and its fallouts for humanity motivated him to continue his mission. At this point he recollected his interactions with the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

As we chatted on varied topics such as the Start Treaty, the Indo-US Nuclear deal, Iraq war, nuclear arsenal with Israel, nuclear Iran etc.  I noticed the statue of Marquis de Lafayette behind Thomas. Mounted on a war horse with its forelegs in the air, he had his hat raised. For a moment I felt as if the gesture alluded respect from the fighter for liberty to the ‘iron willed’ Thomas.

                                            Statue of Marquis de Lafayette

Thomas passed away in 2009 but the vigil has been continued by fellow activist Concepcion Piccioto and others. Before leaving, I had jokingly asked Thomas if any of the Presidents had invited his ‘closest neighbor’ for dinner. He broke into guffaws and replied “None has and none will.”

As Barack Obama assumes office on 20^th January this year he will not be pressed with the agenda of a re-election. It would be interesting to see if the man who espouses ‘change’ takes note of this epic protest in his backyard and alters the nuclear policy of USA and nuclear states.

               

Hinoz Dehli Dur Ast

            We often hear and use idioms in our daily communication but rarely do we ponder over their origin. Many interesting legends lie behind them.

            One such idiom is ‘Hinoz Dehli Dur Ast’ (persian) or ‘Abhi Dilli dur hai’(hindi and urdu). It literally translates as ‘Delhi is still far away’ and its contextual meaning is ‘Your destiny is still miles away’. A cliché in political parlance, this idiom is often used as a rebuke to a rival, challenger or a foe’s ambitions or claims.

            Legend has it that this idiom was first uttered by Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. He is a famous sufi saint who lived in Delhi during second half of 13^th century and first quarter of the 14^th, a period of great political upheaval and significance in Medieval India.

He saw seven sultans ascend the throne of Delhi Sultanat but never visited even a single court in line with the Chishtiya philosophy of staying aloof from politics. Known for his magnanimity, he distributed whatever gifts he received from the rich among the needy.

When Giyasuddin Tughlaq ascended the throne (1320), he asked Hazrat Nizamuddin to return all the gifts given by the last ruler of the previous Khalji dynasty. Hazrat replied that those were given to their rightful owners i.e. the poor. Livid at this reply, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty said that he would teach the saint a lesson once he returned to Delhi from his Bengal campaign. When this news reached Hazrat he calmly said ‘Hinoz Dehli Dur Ast’ or ‘Delhi is still far away’.

On his way back, Giyasuddin halted outside a day’s outside Delhi to review a march of his army. While he was on the stage, the thumping of elephants’ feet caused the stage to crash down, crushing him to a brutal death. Thus the Sultan couldn’t even step inside Delhi. Since then the line ‘Abhi Dilli dur hai’ became immortal.

                                               Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin in Old Delhi

WAY TO THE WHITEHOUSE

            The election to the President’s office is a huge management exercise involving massive fund mobilization, campaigning, public relations and image building (and destroying to). The ground work by politicians begins as early as two years before the election.

How does a candidate get his party’s nomination?

            Politicians with ambitions to contest elections in USA have to win nomination of their respective party i.e. Republican or Democratic. For Presidential election this process, known as primaries, starts in January of the election year. Voters in each of the 50 states select party delegates, who in most cases have pledged to support a particular candidate. Some states use a caucus, a local meeting system, rather than primaries. Some states use secret ballot while in others voters raise hands.

These are intensely contested by candidates and their swinging fates are closely followed by the media. Such was the frenzy last time when Obama, with his politically incorrect identity, was challenging former first lady Hillary Clinton in primaries that many would have thought it was actual Presidential election

How is the Vice-President selected

The national party conventions of both parties, held a few months before the election, are where the candidates are formally nominated. The winning candidate then picks a running-mate of his choice for Vice-President, sometimes from among the defeated rivals. Both contest the election jointly. In 1980 Ronald Regan of the Republican Party had chosen George Bush Sr., whom he had defeated in the primaries as his running mate.

The last stage

 In this stage candidates of both the parties fully square up against each other. Corporate houses and major lobbies pitch in and astronomical sums are spent on reaching out to the electorate. In the final weeks, the contenders typically concentrate their attention on big "swing states", where the outcome is uncertain.

What are Presidential Debates?

            In the month of October three Presidential debates are held live on TV. Candidates put their wits, knowledge and debating skills to test before millions of voters. It allows the electorate to have a head to head comparison of not only their respective policies but also their confidence, temperament and intelligence.

            Performance at the debates affects a voter’s decision and hence many opinion polls are conducted and relative standing of the two candidates is judged by media houses.

How are the elections held?

 Polling takes place on the ‘first Tuesday after the first Monday in November’. Voters do not, directly vote for the president. They choose "electors", who are pledged to one or another candidate. These electors collectively form the ‘Electoral College’ of 538 members.

Every state is allotted a certain number of electors to the college, based on the size of its population. At the end of election the result declared is the number of votes polled by the electors of both parties.            

Therefore only majority vote doesn’t ensure victory, a candidate must also have majority of electors. Different systems of deciding majority in different states further complicate it. In some states, the winner of the popular vote gets all the electoral college’s votes in that state.

In the 2000 contest between George W Bush and Al Gore, the latter was ahead on actual vote count. But since all electoral college votes of Florida went in Bush’ favour under the aforesaid system, he emerged victorious.

            The electors then meet in respective state capitals and cast their votes as pledged. The President assumes the charge on 20^th January.

           

Haj Subsidy: Dispelling some misconceptions

                The Supreme Court has recently directed the Government to progressively reduce the Haj subsidy and completely eliminate it in the next ten years. Muslim clerics as well as MPs cutting across party lines have welcomed the apex court’s directive. In this context it is an opportune moment to objectively analyze the Haj subsidy issue, which has been an instrument of vote bank politics as well as Muslim bashing, and dispel certain misconceptions regarding the so called ‘Haj subsidy’.

Perspective of muslim scholars and leaders on the Haj Subsidy

                Haj is an annual pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims to the holy city of Makkah that is followed by ziyarat (visit) to the holy city of Madina. Islam mandates that Haj is obligatory on a Muslim only if he is physically and financially capable of performing the same.

As a corollary nobody, including the state, can fund or subsidize someone’s pilgrimage. Muslims had never asked for any such subsidy and time and again many Muslim leaders have asked for its roll back. In fact a working group of Muslim MPs headed by MP and former Dy. Chairman of Rajya Sabha K. Raham Khan has demanded the scrapping of the subsidy regime. Hence an overwhelming majority of Muslims today are in favour of doing away with it.

Eligibility for & Working of the Haj Subsidy

                India, which has the second highest Muslim population in the World, sends around 160000 Hajis to the annual pilgrimage. Out of these around 125000 Hajis i.e. 78 % travel on the Haj Committee of India’s quota while the rest i.e. 22% avail the services of private tour operators. It is only the former category of the Hajis that gets the benefit of the subsidy.

                Government of India subsidizes only the air fare of Hajis travelling on Haj Committee’s quota on Air India’s flights. All the remaining expenses are borne by the Haji himself. Thus it is not an all expenses paid trip for any interested Muslim as it is many times portrayed.

Constitutional Validity and Fiscal Burden

                The Supreme Court in a recent judgment while upholding the constitutional validity of the subsidy had observed that ‘many other purely religious events were financed by the state’.

Last year i.e. in 2011 the government spent around Rs 600 crore on Haj subsidy. There is no doubt that it is a big amount but won’t the total administrative expenditure spent on smooth functioning of various religious events & festivals held across the length and breadth of the country be much more than that? Many Muslim leaders have also argued that the Air India overcharges for the fare.  Rationalization in fares will reduce the amount considerably.

Subsidy for Hajis, or Air India?

                Furthermore since the contract for air travel is given to the financial crisis ridden Air India without any open tendering, the Haj Subsidy is in fact a subsidy to the ill Air India. All India Personal Law Board spokesperson Abdul Rahim Qureshi has opined that Air India charges exorbitant rates because of the monopoly it has been given. Hence subsidy acts like a discount on an over-priced ticket. Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi said that “…under the garb of subsidy the money is going to Air India which is in deep crisis.” In spite of the huge revenue generated by ferrying Hajis the customer service provided by Air India has come under heavy criticism many times.

                Thus on one end of the political spectrum the Haj subsidy has been used as an instrument of vote bank politics while for the other end it has been an instrument for muslim bashing. All this while Muslims neither demanded nor desired the continuance of this system which hardly helped them.

Alternative to Subsidy regime  

A fixed and huge number of Hajis travelling in a limited span of time every year is surely a gold mine for any private airlines.  Hence the best alternative in short term is to scrap the subsidy and invite international open tenders so that competition and economy of scale ensure reduced prices as well as better customer services for hajis. A corporation may also be set up for implementing the same.

In the medium term, the Government must by a law set up a non-banking financial institution on the lines of Malaysia’s ‘Tabung Haji’ which is not merely a travel and Haj service. Its internationally renowned business model revolves around saving services based on Islamic principles that mobilize financial resources of Muslims for economic activities in the country and in return enable them to perform Haj pilgrimage without falling in a debt trap. On one hand it will give fillip to financial inclusion to one of the most financially excluded section of our society & at the same time with its long lock in period this model would be ideal for financing infrastructure projects which have long gestation periods. Considering India’s huge capital requirement for infrastructure it would be a win-win scenario.

                                                            NEWS

             His heart pounding against his ribcage, he ran as if his life was on the line. Puffing, panting and sweating profusely he reached Athens and collapsed. But not before he had passed on the all important message of Persian defeat at Marathon and their subsequent mounting invasion on Athens. Phidiphides had delivered the biggest ‘breaking NEWS’ of Ancient Greece.

            Since time immemorial NEWS has been a very important aspect for human societies. In fact Kautilya ‘s Arthashastra, the wise treatise on administration from Ancient India, underscored the importance for NEWS and suggested development of a professional cadre called ‘Spas’ for delivering it. The great Emperor Ashok used his ingenuity and installed Edicts at prominent places to convey important information to people and Alauddin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi, instituted a vigorous information system to keep him abreast with his economic reforms.

What is NEWS?

            Basically NEWS is giving of information which is relevant to the receiver through various media such as print, radio, television, internet etc. It aims to inform, educate and entertain the audience. Interestingly the term News was coined by taking first alphabets from

North,

East,

West and

South

It implies the huge canvass for information that can be News worthy.

What makes information News worthy?

            In today’s age of Globalization, where the World is inextricably interlinked like never before, a plethora of information is available. From international relations to democratic elections, from financial frauds to natural disasters, from policy proclamations to corruption scandals and from celebrities to criminals our current happenings are replete with ‘stories’. A journalist is then confronted with the ‘problem of plenty’. ‘To cover or not to cover’ is the question before a Media House.

            Some time tested touchstones are then applied to measure the newsworthiness of a story. These are as follows.

Is it new or ‘taaza khabar’?

            If it is not new, it cannot be news. The announcement of India’s latest Foreign Trade Policy or unearthing of a corruption scandal are new items and hence are News. But after a few days these can’t be treated as News. The exception is development of an unreported dimension of the News.

Sometimes an event might not be reported for a long time then such item continues to benews. News of the death of Mao Tse-tung, for instance, was not released to the world by the Chinese government for several days; when they did release it, however, it was still very definitely news.

Does it involve a conflict?

Stories centered on conflict between countries, states, corporations, celebrities etc. resonate with the readers and are very important. Hence the corporate war between the two Ambani siblings, heirs to India’s biggest corporate empire, was so widely reported in media and closely followed by public.

Is it unusual?

Things are happening all the time, but not all of them are news, even when they are new. Ordinary and everyday things do not make news. The classic definition of news is: ‘Dog bites man’ is not news; ‘Man bites dog’ is news. A few years back hordes of devotees’ thronged temples as idols were reportedly sipping milk. Such an unusual happening was news and reams of newsprint was dedicated for it.

Is it interesting?

Events which are new and unusual may still not be of general interest. Scientists may report that an insect has just been found living on a plant which it did not previously inhabit. The discovery is new, and the event is unusual, but it is unlikely to interest anybody other than a specialist or enthusiast. In a specialist publication this could be big news, but in a general news broadcast or paper it would merit at most a few words.

Is it significant?

However, if that same insect was one which had a huge appetite, and which had previously lived on and eaten bush grass and if the new plant on which it had been found was rice, then the story becomes news, because it is significant. People may not be interested in bugs, but they are interested in food. If this insect is now threatening their crops, it becomes a matter of concern to them. It is news because it is significant.

Is it about people?

Man is a social animal and is interested in anything significant happening to fellow human beings. Hence a people-centric story is important news. Hence while reporting on a cyclone, a bush fire, a drought, a volcanic eruption or an earthquake. It is when reporting these stories that it is important to make sure that the story is centred on people.

The cyclone would not matter if it blew itself out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, away from any inhabited islands; the fire could burn for as long as it likes in bush where nobody lives; the Sahara Desert has a near-permanent drought, but in most of it nobody is there to rely on rains; a volcanic eruption or an earthquake which damages nobody's property and injures nobody is really not news. All these natural disasters only become news when they affect people's lives. Every story can be told in terms of people.

Does it have proximity to the reader?

The same event happening in two different places can have two quite different news values. A coup d’état in our own country or even a neighbouring one is a big a story. However, a coup in a small country in another continent is unlikely to merit more than a few paragraphs. The appeal of local news is that your readers or listeners might know the people or place involved.

 Will it have a personal impact?

An earthquake in Mauritania will not arouse the interest of a villager in Satara but the news of Sky Lab’s expected crashing in Maharashtra will surely do. People are more interested in news that has an impact on them. Also they can identify with stories about other people like themselves. So those stories with which many people can identify are stronger than those which only apply to a few.

Does it have negativity?

 Bad news is more newsworthy than good news as it has an impact. God forbid but if Tuvalu was to get submerged by rising sea level then it will be more important than a path breaking discovery in Agriculture Science.   

Does it refer to prominent and eminent persons?

Stories concerned with global powers, political leaders, sports stars receive more attention than those concerned with commoners. Hence the Watergate Scandal of President Carter or the Monica Lewinsky episode of President Clinton were such big stories.

Does it refer to important nations?

Stories concerned with the big and powerful countries such as USA, China, Russia etc. are hot cakes. No wonder human rights violation by USA gets the front page while the same happening in Myanmar is only briefly mentioned in some corner.