The first week of April witnessed a big news even on Marathi News channels. Initially, thinking it to be an April fool news, not much of attention was paid; but when it was alleged by Ayesha Siddique -an Indian from Hyderbad, having been married to Shoaib Malik, the Pakistani cricketer in 2002 and has not been divorced yet; the news of Sania – Shoaib marriage plans took a momentum even on Marathi channels.

While one channel tried to settle score with a Political party, blaming that party and their mouthpiece for flaring up the issue on the tennis star’s marriage to a Pakistani national. A debate was also carried over this issue calling for public opinion. Another channel went a step ahead to show the reactions coming from Pakistan and the viewers of their channel. This channel also showed the clipping of a post cricket match ceremony held in Hyderabad, where the Pakistani cricketer had openly admitted his marriage to Ayesha, the Hyderabadi girl. Arun Lal, the commentator had posed a question, in reply to which the former Pakistani captain had admitted to his marriage. This was a clean expose of the cricketer, who was now denying his previous marriage.

There were different opinions coming from different channels on this issue, so much so that Sania had not even had so much of coverage for her Tennis performance. But, one thing is sure that at this moment Sania has lost her fans, by opting for a man whose previous life seems to be controversial. She would have certainly found a better choice in her own community and also from the sports field; were the reactions coming from her fans telecast by one of the marathi channels.. But then, as someone has rightly put it, “Love has no bounds,” and Sania is no exception. She has every right to marry a person of her choice. That’s her personal issue.

Finally, she did what she wanted, after Shoaib gave official talaak to Ayesha and admitting to his phone marriage and documents thereof. Watching the curtain falling on this chapter, not much of attention was paid during the marriage ceremony of this couple which took place later, as there were other issues in Maharashtra, involving attention. The Municipal elections at places like Navi Mumbai and Aurangabad, which never invited much attention in the past, were discussed in detail; as it was the defeat of Congress party .

Another big news besides IPL-T20 match progress; that is being debated on Marathi TV channels is the controversy sparked between tow big names – Lalit Modi and Shashi Tharoor. It’s like washing the dirty linen in Public, as both the parties are exposing each other through their respective blogs on internet. As regards investigative journalism, One of the channels did a good job of exposing all the Ministers including over use of Electricity and spending lavishly the public funds. The news gave the proof made available to them by an RTI activist, which states that yearly electricity bills of their bungalows ranged between Rs. 10 lakhs to 19 lakhs per bungalow. It was also pointed out by this channel that our CM’s electricity bills were more than even Prime Minister’s electricity bill. Do these ministers have any right to make appeal to the people to conserve electricity? This question was posed by the news channel.

by Ulhas Shirke © MMW