Controversial journalist Barkha Dutt had once introduced Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani as ‘son of a school headmaster’ – a qualifier that didn’t go down well with many people who thought it, deliberately or otherwise, downplayed the dreaded personality a man who believed in violence and killings in the name of religion.
But that doesn’t seem to have bothered news and current affairs website The Quint, which decided to take it to the next level today by observing the “death anniversary” of terrorist Osama Bin Laden and letting their readers know about ‘human aspects’ of Osama such as how good or bad a father and a husband he was.
The Quint it seems believes in the old school of journalism where public feedback is seen as noise. The journalists are supposed to know the best and decide the best for the masses, who are bewildered herd looking for benevolent shepherds.
The website had earlier betrayed this belief when they appeared unmoved by criticisms where their irresponsible reporting was deemed to have pushed an army jawan into committing suicide.
So refusing to learn anything from the outrage over Barkha Dutt’s tweet, the Quint went ahead and introduced Osama as a husband and father today.
Let it be clear that Quint was not reporting anything “exclusive” or hitherto unknown aspects of Osama’s life. His character and personality has been reported and psychoanalyzed many times since 9/11 and after his death. But a decision to highlight the ‘human aspects’ on the “death anniversary” of Osama was bizarre and what put people off.
They reacted with disgust and sarcasm for this brand of journalism:
?A Shraddhanjali to Shri Osama Bin Laden ji, from his fanclub at The Quint ? https://t.co/niCqdkZzs5
— Ripper (@Ace_Of_Pace) May 3, 2017
The Quint people called Osama a good father and husband ??…Well..this is more believable than when they call themselves journalists.
— Paresh Rawal fan (@Babu_Bhaiyaa) May 3, 2017
Woh to hai albela, hazaaron Mei akela
Sadaa tumne aeb dekha, hunar ko Na dekha pic.twitter.com/dukhPgH3Ug
— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) May 3, 2017
The office of @TheQuint will remain shut on the occasion of martyrdom of Shri Osama .Our team can be reached at Abbottabad today https://t.co/nVAlL2Yfnd
— Anoop Chathoth (@anoopc) May 3, 2017
Osama slit people’s throat only to teach kids what ‘cut-throat’ competition means. We take a look at Osama, proud father who lead by example pic.twitter.com/sRACl7fCGV
— The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) May 3, 2017
Pic 1: How rest of the world looks at OBL.
Pic 2: How The Quint looks at OBL pic.twitter.com/3RRIlrqOsY
— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) May 3, 2017
Next will be how Osama ji’s passion for flying planes inspired others to land plane on a building. pic.twitter.com/wCk9BXo8Qk
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) May 3, 2017
The style of remembering Osama also inspired Twitterati to trend a hashtag #QuintMemories where they imagined how the website will ‘pay tributes’ to other such ‘public figures’:
Hitler painted this beautiful picture. #QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/sgQ5Xv0qGk
— Rahul Roushan (@rahulroushan) May 3, 2017
Remembering Gaddafi who was an avid Anil Kapoor Fan, his fav dance no. being “One two ka Four”. #QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/Ayf0RFHsVR
— Chinmay (@Chinmay_KB) May 3, 2017
Hafiz Saeed riding Horse which shows his soft heart and eternal love for Animals. ?#QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/N9bib4pT3A
— LolmLol (@LOLiyapa) May 3, 2017
15 years since Saddam Husseins’s death, let’s take a look at his roles as a musician and a freedom fighter.#QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/dluF8U4Jjh
— Dead Mau5i (@AdvancedMaushi) May 3, 2017
World remembers him as mass murderer of 40 million, bt here v look at this ‘loveable father’ Stalin neck wringing his kid. #QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/YWS8adEIxF
— Rohan H Kawley (@rongame) May 3, 2017
Ghenghis Khan. The answer to half the world’s ‘who’s your daddy?’ Question. #QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/nEfqAxaQLZ
— Nirwa Mehta (@nirwamehta) May 3, 2017
Remembering Dawood as the gentleman who liked to dress like Bond.#QuintMemories pic.twitter.com/ETHjbJ5gL1
— TheFrustratedIndian (@FrustIndian) May 3, 2017
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