THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, June 18: A simple but impressive seminar was held today by the Palamu district public relation office on the issue of ‘countering hate speech’.
District public relation officer Asim Kumar and his team worked hard for it. A modest number of scribes drawn from the print and electronic media took part in it.
The seminar was graced by the DC Palamu Shashi Ranjan. He was very honest in his speech when he said “Hate speech is no longer an issue in some areas or localities. It’s global. There is global funding for it. A narrative is set for this. There is a design behind the hate speech.”
Shashi Ranjan further stated “It’s a misnomer to think that hate speech is done to achieve the pinnacle of politics or power. Indulgence in hate speech is an art now, more polished and sharpened by the people.”
“Hate speech is done with fondness. There are elements who do it for ‘shouque’, he reminded.
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The DC reiterated that this society is like a ‘sweater’. A sweater is knit with care and love. But when a sweater is burnt, it finishes all. Hate speech is like that. It finishes and never resuscitates.
The DC knew that he would be addressing a motley crowd of the journalists, so he too took recourse to reciting some couplets in Hindi.
He referred to a speaker’s statement ‘When a tree was burning a small sparrow did try to douse the fire with whatever little water its beak could afford to have’ by saying “There are more and more people out to burn the trees. Hence it’s time to save it.”
There was a consensus on stopping hate speech without forwarding it. Hate speech is not to be forwarded but crushed first.
Some asked for vigorous attachment to the constitution. One speaker took a dig at the social media brigade which hardly bothers to find out what is bad for society. One said hate speech breaks the relationship between husband and wife.
The Palamu PRD seminar was serious. There was no frivolity. It meant business. Vote of thanks was given by Ajit Tiwary.
