Media reported 14th April events thus:

Media reaction to Dr Ambedkar's birth Anniversary in 2000 did not bring out anything new. Both govt and private media downplayed the events of the Day.

Doordarshan, did not broadcast any special programme about the leader of a fourth of our people.

DOORDARSHAN:

Only the following "official functions/events" were reported:
1. President, Prime Minister, VP, Speaker etc giving floral tributes inside Central Hall of Parliament.
2. Mrs Sonia Gandhi's Rally.
3. Mr VP Singh's Rally in Sansad Marg between AIR and Reserve Bank under Ramraj Singh's All India SC ST Assn.
4. Khushau Thakre, President BJP, flagging of a Two Day Ambedkar Rath Yatra around Delhi.
5. Speaker Lok Sabha Mr Balayogi inaugurating Ambedkar Complex in Bangalore.

THE PIONEER:

A third of the front page was taken up by S Rusdie. The other headlines were About Cricket 'fixers' and Rajasthan's severest drought in a century. …..how come they left out Ritu Beri ?

Ambedkar's Birthday got a 5th page treatment. With two 3 Inch Column items and a 5.5" x 3.5" photo of KRNarayanan's floral tribute to Dr Ambedkar's Photo kept on the pedestal of his statue in Parliament House compound.

INDIAN EXPRESS:

A 5th page photo titles 'sacked state govt employees protest by climbing atop the stutue of Dr Ambedkar on his birth anniversary in Bhopal on Friday'. They are seenclambering up a ladder leaning on the torso of his statue in Bhopal in a 'kachha-banyan protest'. The gesture is to show respect or disrespect to Baba Saheb is for all to see. Next to it is a 3 x 5.5 inch column reoport ..'On Ambedkar Jayanti, couple donate Rs 25 lakh property', about a certain KG Patil and Mrs Meeratai Patil donating their 3000sqft plot in Nagpur to the Nagpur University. Page 3 gives a 5 x 5inch columns to Sonia Gandhi led Dalit Rally in Delhi with her inset photo wearing a tribal head dress with bull horns normally worn by men of MP tribals.

STAR NEWS:

'Good Morning India' of 15th April is a case point.
The news reports / headlines consisted of:

1. Salman Rusdie In India.
2. Roop Lal back from Pak Prison
3. Samjhouta Express
4. NASDAQ fall
5. Children's Film Festival
6. Russia Accepts START-II disarmament treaty.

Interview of A young Muslim BSP leader of Delhi and Prakash Ambedkar (uplinked from Bombay) ended up in a brawl about who the real upholder of Dr Ambedkar's heritage is. The progeny of Ambedkar or? was instigated by the two stony faced comperes ( these two always have a smile on their face when interviewing Charles Shobhraj or some such despicable criminals, but turn stony when facing Mayavati or Kanshi Ram. The upper castes readily recognise the source of threat to their supremacy)

Afterthought:.Where were RV Paswan, Sharad Yadav, Shanmugham (PMK) and others of our ilk? Shame on them.

By Dr. Opeh.(New Delhi)
for www.ambedkar.org

PS.
A leaf from the past:
Many a Dalit leader from other parts of the country who went to meet Baba Saheb were turned away by his 'efficient' PA. How far the attitude of these lesser minions prevented the Dalit movement/Parties from getting an All India character at the time of independence is debatable. Many of you who have gone to meet Mr Sharad Yadav, Mr RV Paswan etc. when they are ministers would have similar experiences to relate.