The sacking and the subsequent arrest of Shankar Mishra for peeing on an elderly woman have ignited a debate over the role of the Indian media in promoting Islamophobia in India. Mishra was first sacked by the American bank, Wells Fargo, before the Delhi Police arrested him from Bengaluru on Friday night.
Given the established practice of the Indian media, particularly TV channels, in demonising the entire community after a person with a Muslim name is found to be violating the law, netizens have begun asking why a similar trend is not being followed by the same anchors in the wake of Mishra’s sacking and arrest.
User Sandeep Singh wrote on Twitter, “Shankar Mishra who urinated on woman in Air India flight why his picture is not being shown by news organisations. If he was a Muslim or Sikh, Hindu media would have launched a campaign to target entire community.”
User Drunk Journalist tweeted, “Shankar Mishra who peed on a elderly woman arrested. I dread to imagine if he had been a Muslim. The entire investigation, debates and attacks would’ve been on the religion. There are scums in every religion but only when the accused is a Muslim, the blame goes to religion.”
Indian Today anchor Rajdeep Sardesai too had posed a similar question when he wrote, “So drunk biz man found urinating on Co passenger in flight is one Shekhar Mishra: what if his name was a Khan? Guess who would be doing cartwheels of outrage on prime time and social media? A Mishra or a Khan, law must be same for all as should response. Agree?. #AirIndiaHorror.”
Shankar Mishra who peed on a elderly woman arrested.
I dread to imagine if he had been a Muslim. The entire investigation, debates and attacks would’ve been on the religion.
There are scums in every religion but only when the accused is a Muslim, the blame goes to religion. pic.twitter.com/JMhaOdyM9i
— Drunk Journalist (@drunkJournalist) January 7, 2023
Shankar Mishra who urinated on woman in Air India flight why his picture is not being shown by news organisations. If he was a Muslim or Sikh, Hindu media would have launched a campaign to target entire community. pic.twitter.com/0r5DnfxKCq
— Sandeep Singh (@PunYaab) January 7, 2023
Only way Shankar Mishra gets support of majority is to express his views on Muslims, Rahul Gandhi and Kashmiri Pandits. Baki sab set hai.
— Major Humor Detected (Retd) (@HumorDetected) January 7, 2023
So drunk biz man found urinating on Co passenger in flight is one Shekhar Mishra: what if his name was a Khan? Guess who would be doing cartwheels of outrage on prime time and social media? A Mishra or a Khan, law must be same for all as should response. Agree?. #AirIndiaHorror
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 5, 2023
Most Indian TV channels and their TV anchors have been notorious in promoting Islamophobia by demonising the entire Muslim community for an alleged criminal act of an individual bearing Muslim name.
