In the backdrop of an increasingly contested terror narrative played out our investigating agencies’ latest mea culpa. Muthi-ur-Rahman Siddiqui, a reporter with Deccan Herald in Bangalore, was arrested surreptitiously on August 29, 2012, with four of his roommates, on the belief that they were out to kill Karnataka’s Hindutva leaders. He was freed on February 25 after the police failed to find anything incriminating. His release comes days after another series of blasts in Hyderabad, a city where many innocent Muslims were picked up after the Mecca Masjid blasts and held for several months before being absolved. Siddiqui is the third journalist to be arrested in recent memory on suspicion of criminal involvement. The others, Syed Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi and Jigna Vora, are both out on bail. Debarshi Dasgupta spoke to Siddiqui, who was readying to leave for his home in Hubli a free man.
At your press conference after you were released, you used the phrase “fortunately or unfortunately, I was arrested”. What exactly has been fortunate about this whole episode?
I think it’s fortunate because the media has rectified its attitude and practice of describing me routinely as the mastermind of a terror plot. There are other Muslims, who were arrested on mere suspicion and continue to languish in jail today. They have not got justice. Fortunately, justice has been served in my case. I hope the others who were arrested along with me are also released without any charges and that the media will support them the way it has supported me after my release.
What has offended you the most about the media’s coverage of your arrest?
The baseless coverage that was simply attributed to anonymous police sources—in particular, one that claimed I was the mastermind. That it was me who was in the lead; who had identified the targets, brainwashed the other guys and ordered them into jehad. I am a media professional and can understand the compulsions of a newsroom, but in the pursuit of rating points we should not assassinate the character of a person and community.
What could have been done to make the reporting fairer?
The police had arrested some people. All the media had to do was to be objective. There were so many contradictions in the FIR, but nobody applied their brains to solve them. There was no attempt at being accurate. They presumed that all the given facts were correct and the story was entirely plausible. The police’s version isn’t the gospel truth.
Why do you think you were picked up?
Well, there certainly is an institutional bias against Muslims, Dalits and the poor. That was one of the factors. What exactly was the trigger? The police should explain.
You had suggested ‘Media coverage of terrorism suspects’ as a subject for your postgraduate diploma thesis—it’s something that was struck down by your professor as “risky”. Do you plan to revisit this?
Right now, I am not thinking about my career or future. I will get back to journalism for sure but I want to relax and spend some time with my family first. I want to enjoy my freedom.
