NEWS ANALYSIS - Superstition and informed choice
By Kartik Lokhande At the start of the month of September -- ahead of Paryushan Parva of Jains, Ganeshotsav of Hindus, and Bakr-Id of Muslims -- there erupted a controvery over so-called meat ban in Maharashtra. Soon, the ‘impartial’ media went furious with the tales of states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and even the court in Jammu and Kashmir ‘dictating’ the eating habits of people. Sadly, the ‘secular’ media highlighted the issue placing religious identity politics at the core of the debate. This same media forgot what it championed at other times -- the cause of animal rights. Animal rights always takes a backseat in media debate whenever the media finds more attractive packaging opportunity in the form of attaching political and religious significance to any development in the country. Another element is making an informed choice about one’s food habits, instead of laying emphasis on superstitious beliefs...