Committed journalism: What for and for whom

Lalit Shastri

After four decades of relentless dedication to journalism, guided by a deep commitment to the larger cause of society, I have made the difficult decision to cease writing editorial pieces. The ideals of truth and justice I once upheld seem increasingly irrelevant in a society fractured along narrow caste and religious lines, where the masses are ever-willing to be swayed in any direction by those who exploit division for power. 

Politicians have perfected the art of drawing strength from vote bank politics and divisive agendas, leaving society fractured and vulnerable. Matters are further entrenched by a reservation and quota regime woven into our Constitution with no end in sight—a system that perpetuates division rather than unity. Corruption has metastasized like a cancer, with politicians presiding over a pyramid of pliable bureaucrats whose spines have turned to rubber, bending in any direction to serve their political masters. The entire government machinery and system is driven by the pursuit of money, perks, and comfortable sinecures as a large body of officers have long abandoned any sense of public duty or accountability.

It is with a heavy heart that I withdraw my voice from a discourse increasingly dominated by these corrosive forces. My conscience no longer allows me to engage in a conversation that has become a mere echo chamber of vested interests. The ideals that once inspired this journey have been drowned in the cacophony of short-sighted politics and societal decay. Ref