by MUKUL DUBE
On 28 September 2012 I took photographs at a “public hearing on
fabricated cases” at the Constitution Club, New Delhi. Soon I
found that the Madhyamam newspaper of Kozhikode had used one of the photographs in its Malayalam web edition.
It turned out that a correspondent of the paper, Haris Abubacker,
had lifted the photograph from Facebook. He eventually sent me a
bogus “apology” in which he claimed not to have known that I was
the photographer. This was patently a lie, as my name appears
with the photograph wherever that appears. And, after all,
someone human must have taken the photograph that the man lifted.
The general manager of Madhyamam, M.A. Rahim, had said in his email message of 29 September, “I will rever (sic) to you shortly
on this”. He never did “rever”. What is worse, even two weeks
later I have not been credited for the photograph. Thievery.
On 10 October I took photographs at the Jamia Millia Islamia when
survivors of Naroda Patiya and the Gulberg Society spoke of their
experiences. That evening I was told that Mohammad Raza Faraz,
correspondent of Inquilab (Urdu), wanted the photographs; and
soon this man himself telephoned me. I sent him what he asked for
and one photograph was used the next day. The credit said “Photo: Inquilab”, with no mention being made of me.
When I questioned Faraz, he said that I had been named later on
the page. Soon I was informed that I had indeed been named: in
the text Faraz had written that I had said certain things at the
meeting. He put actual words into my mouth. The fact is that I
did not speak that day. A plain lie.
When I challenged Faraz, he said that Dr. Manisha Sethi of JTSA,
which had organised of the affair, had told him that I should be “promoted”. What she had in fact said was that I should be named
if any of my photographs was used. This business of promoting
people, through outright lies if needed, is one of the fouler
sides of journalism.
I have no idea if the thieves of Madhyamam will pay me. With
Inquilab too, I do not know if I shall be paid. I had
specifically spoken of the matter to Faraz, but the liar said
nothing about it.
Mukul Dube can be reached at uthappam@gmail.com