Islamophobia- The Problem of Persistence

Islam is said to be the world's fastest growing religion by number of conversions according to the Guinness book of world records. Although the religion began in Saudi Arabia, 80% of all believers in Islam apparently live outside the Arab world. Despite it's odds of gaining support, there is still a majority of the populace across the world living with a stereotypical belief about Islam. 

Post 9/11 attacks, the western press and media took a hostile stance towards Islam and it's followers. Instances of this can be seen in several movies like My Name is Khan to cite an example. The common theme underlying this is "Islamophobia", a term meant to imply the criticism and hatred against Islamic religion. The media has been criticised for perpetrating Islamophobia, this hostility towards Islam and Muslims is closely linked to media portrayals of Islam as barbaric, irrational, primitive and sexist.

The Indian media is no less in taking the same hostile stance more prominent in the west. While the Hindu-Muslim riots have been going on for almost a century, the media is failing to make any difference while it could. When a Dalit family from Bandra ( a western suburb in Mumbai), chose to convert to Islam. They were brutally injured and beaten up by the fellow Dalits of their community. The media covered the incident as a communal clash relying wholly on the police version of the story. None bothered to reach the family. Covering the incident, the media forgot the basics of journalism- to take the views of all parties. They relied on the police version and published their stories. Here are a few:

Times of India screamed, " Affair sparks clash, 5 cops among 14 hurt".

Indian Express reported, " the clashes occurred when members of one community objected to a girl's alleged relationship with a boy of the other community".

Many such incidents are happening everyday and this has laid a huge responsibility on the media to stop Islamophobizing the audience. Moreover, this is a violation of journalistic ethics.

Ask yourself- Is media to blame for the rising hatred
towards muslims in the world?