SP MP Naresh Agrawal made hurtful comments, media just did its job

Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agrawal, who recently made some seriously derogatory remarks about Hindu gods in Parliament, on the floor of the same chamber on Friday questioned how and why the media reported his remarks even though they had been expunged from the proceedings. A curious case of pot calling the kettle black, is it not?

Firstly, the unthinking MP goes ahead and spews his derogation - not caring for once the impact it would have on millions of Hindus across the world. Then, after receiving a collective tongue-lashing from the nation, he tries to turn the table and blame it on the media - why did TV channels and newspapers report these at all?

It is true that the remarks were expunged, but the parliamentary mechanism of ‘expunging’ foul utterances made on the floor of the House should not become a shield or a protection against consequences. Simply put, one cannot, in any sphere of life, say something derogatory and then blame the loudspeaker for it.

The Rajya Sabha Chairman, post an uproar in the House against the media going ahead and reporting expunged remarks, promised to send showcause notices to certain channels and publications for the same. 

While the sovereignty and supremacy of the House is paramount (DNA deeply respects and reveres the seat of Indian democracy), there is a window for a debate here: Where lies the crux of the issue? Does it lie in the fact that an honourable member made remarks that hurt sentiments of millions, or does it lie in the media doing its job? One cannot punish the messenger for the toxicity of the message.
 
Also, attempting to restrict the media makes absolutely no sense in the age of social media and YouTube. Notice after notice may be issued, but what once comes out in the public domain, stays there. A video of Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy’s attack on senior Congress leaders and his reference to the judiciary of another country is still doing the rounds on various social platforms -- even after these were expunged from the House proceedings. So is the clipping of Union minister Smriti Irani’s reference to goddess Durga and Mahishasur, which were expunged from Rajya Sabha records too.
The honourable MP in question should introspect rather than blame the media for the soup he is in. If he hadn’t said what he had said, media wouldn’t have reported what it has reported.