4. From Regional to National: The Making of Uttar Pradesh as the Heartland of Indian Politics in Media

For the word “mediated,” refer to the discussion in the preceding chapters. The word cartography is about making maps. Noted cartography historian Harley is known for his paper on deconstructing the map. He draws inspiration from the work of Derrida and Foucault to situate maps as players in a system of power/knowledge, that were not autonomous from society but rather believed that maps can never be “above the politics of knowledge” (quote in Crampton, 2010: 85). Here, the meaning of cartography is quite political where media is supposed to draw a contour of politics and shaping and reshaping the space accordingly.

See for details in news under headline “सात चरणों में चुनाव के एलान का स्वागत” on December 25, 2011 on Aaj Tak.

Tiwari and Pandey (2013, pp. 15–6).

Read in context to, Habermas (1989). The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere, (translated by Burger T.). Cambridge: Polity Press: 31–8, 41–3. As Habermas points out, the early public, then, comprised both court and “town.” The shape of the court and town were further restructured and by the seventeenth century coffee houses, salon become the space where intellectuals met and discussed to legitimate itself in these coffee houses (Habermas “Institutions of Public Sphere” in Oliver Boyd-Barret and Chris Newbold (2012), (eds.). Approaches to Media: A Reader. Jaipur: Rawat Publications: 235–44).

See in detail in news under headline “Candidates hire bar girls to lure voters in Uttar Pradesh” on January 18, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​kanpur/​candidates-hire-bar-girls-to-lure-voters-in-up/​articleshow/​11533058.​cms, accessed January 18, 2012.

See in detail in news under headline “Candidates hire bar girls to lure voters in Uttar Pradesh” on January 18, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​kanpur/​candidates-hire-bar-girls-to-lure-voters-in-up/​articleshow/​11533058.​cms, accessed January 18, 2012.

See details in news, under the headline “यूपी के लिए कांग्रेस का थीम सॉन्‍ग लॉन्‍च” on January 5, 2012 on Aaj Tak. The theme song was “Utho, Jago, Badlo, Uttar Pradesh” (Get Up, Wake Up, Change Uttar Pradesh). However, some controversy lures the theme songs and quite similar to that of A.R. Rahman’s “Jai Ho,” but the Congress Party declined any charge of copyrights over the songs. The full lyrics was as;

(The youth will not succumb to fear under our leadership; they will attain employment in their own state, U.P.) http://​blogs.​wsj.​com/​indiarealtime/​2012/​02/​09/​congress-remakes-jai-ho-into-party-anthem/​, accessed February 9, 2012.

The cities were Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Agra, Meerut, Shahjahanpur and Moradabad where Congress party’s “Vision Document 2020” launched, http://​webcache.​googleuserconten​t.​com/​search?​q=​cache:http://​indiatoday.​intoday.​in/​story/​congress-releases-vision-document-for-uttar-pradesh/​1/​170813.​html, accessed February 9, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Uttar Pradesh Polls: Cong vision document up ahead” on January 10, 2012 on CNN IBN, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​up-polls-congress-vision-document-up-ahead/​219661-37-64.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article219661-37-64.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed January 10, 2012.

See for details in news under the headline “सपा देगी छात्रों को मुफ्त में लैपटॉप” on 21.1.2012 on Zee News.

Prahladan (2012). “Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections: Politics of ‘Belonging’ or ‘Belongings’?”. EPW. Vol. XLVII No 6. February 11, Mumbai. pp. 10–11.

See for details in news under the headline “बीजेपी का घोषणापत्र: लैपटॉप, टैबलेट का वादा” on January 27, 2012 on Zee News.

See for details in news under the headline “बीजेपी का घोषणापत्र: लैपटॉप, टैबलेट का वादा” on January 27, 2012 on Zee News.

Interview with Anupam Shukla. He is a college student and living in Delhi for the past one year.

Six (2010).

See in detail in news under the headline, “Congress digs into past to woo Brahmins ahead of U.P. elections” on November 14, 2011 on The Hindu, http://​www.​thehindu.​com/​news/​national/​congress-digs-into-past-to-woo-brahmins-ahead-of-up-elections/​article2627756.​ece, accessed November 14, 2011.

See in detail in news under the headline, “BJP banks on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’ power for Uttar Pradesh polls” on November 6, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​BJP-banks-on-Atal-power-for-UP-polls/​articleshow/​10625905.​cms?​ accessed November 6, 2011.

See in detail in news under the headline “BJP to bait Brahmins with Vajpayee” on December 21, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​UP-polls-BJP-to-bait-Brahmins-with-Vajpayee/​articleshow/​11187395.​cms?​ accessed December 12, 2011.

See for detail in news under the headline “ऊंची जाति के गरीबों को मिले आरक्षण” on November 13, 2011 on Zee News.

See in detail in news under the headline ‘Mayawati describes Brahmins as “exploited lot” on November 14, 2011 on The Hindu, http://​www.​thehindu.​com/​news/​national/​mayawati-describes-brahmins-as-exploited-lot/​article2624905.​ece, accessed November 14, 2011.

See in detail in news under headline ‘Mayawati describes Brahmins as “exploited lot” on November 14, 2011 on The Hindu, http://​www.​thehindu.​com/​news/​national/​mayawati-describes-brahmins-as-exploited-lot/​article2624905.​ece, accessed November 14, 2011.

See in detail in news under headline “Cong not serious about Muslim quota” on November 2, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Cong-not-serious-about-Muslim-quota-Mulayam/​articleshow/​10574946.​cms?​, accessed November 2, 2011.

See in detail in news under headline “Cong not serious about Muslim quota” on November 2, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Cong-not-serious-about-Muslim-quota-Mulayam/​articleshow/​10574946.​cms?​, accessed November 2, 2011.

Batla House encounter held on September 19, 2008 and officially known as operation Batla House took place in Batla House nearby the locality in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, in which two suspected terrorists of Indian Mujaheeden (IM) Atif Amin and Mohamed Sajid were killed while two other suspects Mohd Saif and Zeeshan were arrested, while one accused Ariz Khan managed to escape. Delhi Police encounter specialist Mohan Chand Sharma, who led the police action was also killed during the incident http://​en.​wikipedia.​org/​wiki/​Batla_​House_​encounter_​case, accessed November 12, 2011. However, the encounter was discussed in contentious ways and the encounter divided the politics in the country, although the issue made some impacts in the Uttar Pradesh as well. During Assembly election 2012, the incident once again raised in order to address politics and politicians was quite successful so far.

See for details in news under the headline “मायावती के पास काम कम, बहानेबाजी ज्‍यादा” on October 29, 2011 on Aaj Tak.

See for details in news under the headline “केंद्र ने किया उत्तर प्रदेश के साथ सौतेला व्यवहार” on February 13, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

See in detail in news under the headline “Maya plays foreign card to target Rahul & retail” on November 27, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Maya-plays-foreign-card-to-target-Rahul-retail/​articleshow/​10887013.​cms?​, accessed November 27, 2011.

See in detail in news under the headline “Maya plays foreign card to target Rahul & retail” on November 27, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Maya-plays-foreign-card-to-target-Rahul-retail/​articleshow/​10887013.​cms?​, accessed November 27, 2011.

See in detail in news under the headline “Maya plays foreign card to target Rahul & retail” on November 27, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Maya-plays-foreign-card-to-target-Rahul-retail/​articleshow/​10887013.​cms?​, accessed November 27, 2011.

See in detail in news under the headline “Rahul indulging in ‘theatrics’ during Uttar Pradesh campaign” on November 27, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​Rahul-indulging-in-theatrics-during-UP-campaign-says-Mayawati/​articleshow/​10891698.​cms?​, accessed November 27, 2011.

See in details in news under the headline “विकास पर कांग्रेस न बोले” on February 11, 2012 on Rashtriya Sahara.

See for details in news under headline “रायबरेली के पिछड़ेपन को गांधी परिवार जिम्मेदार” on February 13, 2012 on Rashtriya Sahara.

See in details in news under the headline “Centre creating barriers in Uttar Pradesh’s development: Mayawati” on February 15, 2012 on CNN IBN, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​centre-creating-barriers-in-ups-development-mayawati/​230570-37-73.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed February 15, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Centre creating barriers in Uttar Pradesh’s development: Mayawati” on February 15, 2012 on CNN IBN, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​centre-creating-barriers-in-ups-development-mayawati/​230570-37-73.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed February 15, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Rahul selling big dreams to peoples in Uttar Pradesh” on November 15, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​Rahul-Gandhi-selling-big-dreams-to-people-of-UP-BJP/​articleshow/​10733258.​cms?​, accessed November 15, 2011.

See in details in news under headline “Jail for Maya, MSY if BJP comes to power: Rajnath” on February 4, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​allahabad/​jail-for-maya-msy-if-bjp-comes-to-power-rajnath/​articleshow/​11749466.​cms, accessed February 4, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Jail for Maya, MSY if BJP comes to power: Rajnath” on February 4, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​allahabad/​jail-for-maya-msy-if-bjp-comes-to-power-rajnath/​articleshow/​11749466.​cms, accessed February. 4, 2012.

See in detail in news under the headline “BJP promises graft free govt.” on February 13, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​BJP-promises-graft-free-govt/​articleshow/​11867336.​cms?​, accessed February 13, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Loans to farmers will be waived” on January 17, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Loans-to-farmers-will-be-waived-MSY/​articleshow/​11519363.​cms?​, accessed January 17, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Loans to farmers will be waived” on January 17, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Loans-to-farmers-will-be-waived-MSY/​articleshow/​11519363.​cms?​, accessed January 17, 2012.

See for detail in news under the headline “Uttar Pradesh में मजबूत नहीं है कांग्रेस की स्थिति” on March 4, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

See for detail in news under the headline “यूपी में बन सकती है सपा की सरकार” on March 3, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

See in details in news under the headline “SP rides high in rural, urban seats” on March 7, 2012 in TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​sp-rides-high-in-rural-urban-seats/​articleshow/​12170478.​cms, accessed March 7, 2012.

See in details under the headline “Youth brigade wants Akhilesh Yadav as CM” on March 7, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Youth-brigade-wants-Akhilesh-Yadav-as-CM/​articleshow/​12169590.​cms?​, accessed March 7, 2012.

See in detail under the headline “Youth brigade wants Akhilesh Yadav as CM” on March 7, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Youth-brigade-wants-Akhilesh-Yadav-as-CM/​articleshow/​12169590.​cms?​, accessed March 7, 2012.

See in details under the headline “Youth brigade wants Akhilesh Yadav as CM” on March 7, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Youth-brigade-wants-Akhilesh-Yadav-as-CM/​articleshow/​12169590.​cms?​, accessed March 7, 2012.

See in details under the headline “Youth brigade wants Akhilesh Yadav as CM” on March 7, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Youth-brigade-wants-Akhilesh-Yadav-as-CM/​articleshow/​12169590.​cms?​

Kumar et al. (2012).

See in details in news under headline “Akhilesh Yadav thanks Uttar Pradesh voters” on March 7, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Akhilesh-Yadav-thanks-UP-voters/​articleshow/​12169282.​cms?​, accessed March 7, 2012.

See in details in news under the headline “Akhilesh Yadav thanks Uttar Pradesh voters” on March 7, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Akhilesh-Yadav-thanks-UP-voters/​articleshow/​12169282.​cms?​, accessed March 7, 2012.

See for detail in news under the headline “यूपी से टूटकर बनेंगे 4 अलग राज्‍य” on November 15, 2011 on Aaj Tak.

See for details in news under the headline “राज्य को विभाजित करने का प्रस्ताव मायावती की राजनीतिक साजिश” on November 15, 2011 on Aaj Tak.

See for details in news under the headline “हम यूपी का विभाजन नहीं होने देंगे” on November 16, 2011 on Aaj Tak.

See for details in news under the headline “‘यूपी का विभाजन चुनावी स्‍टंट नहीं” on November 21, 2011 on Aaj Tak.

See in details in news under the headline “Opposition questions timing of move to divide Uttar Pradesh” on TOI on November 10, 2011, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Opposition-questions-timing-of-move-to-divide-UP/​articleshow/​10674830.​cms?​, accessed November 10, 2011.

See in details in news under the headline “Opposition questions timing of move to divide Uttar Pradesh” on TOI on November 10, 2011, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Opposition-questions-timing-of-move-to-divide-UP/​articleshow/​10674830.​cms?​, accessed November 10, 2011.

See in details in news under the headline “Opposition questions timing of move to divide Uttar Pradesh” on TOI on November 10, 2011, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Opposition-questions-timing-of-move-to-divide-UP/​articleshow/​10674830.​cms?​, accessed November 10, 2011.

See in details in news under the headline “Opposition questions timing of move to divide Uttar Pradesh” on TOI on November 10, 2011, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​city/​lucknow/​Opposition-questions-timing-of-move-to-divide-UP/​articleshow/​10674830.​cms?​, accessed November 10, 2011.

See in details in news under headline “SP, BJP, Cong slam Maya’s ‘split Uttar Pradesh’ call” on CNN IBN on November 15, 2011 at 01:43 PM IST, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​sp-bjp-cong-slam-mayas-split-up-call/​202547-37-66.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed November 15, 2011.

However, such demand of divide Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states was already made in the past when “Kokab Hamid from the platform of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) introduced a resolution on the floor of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly for the division of the Uttar Pradesh into four states including the Harit Pradesh”. Jagpal Singh “Politics of Harit Pradesh: The Case of Western Uttar Pradesh as a Separate State” EPW, August 4, 2001: 2961–67.

“Over the years different names have been given to the proposed state, e.g. Doab Pradesh, Ganna Pradesh, Kisan Pradesh, Jatistan Pradesh, Brij Pradesh, Pashchimanchal Pradesh and Harit Pradesh. Harit Pradesh, literally meaning Green province and signifying the agricultural prosperity of the region, is the latest nomenclature given to it in June 2000”. See For detail. Jagpal Singh “Politics of Harit Pradesh: The Case of Western Uttar Pradesh as a Separate State” EPW, August 4, 2001: 2961–67.

Ibid.: 2965.

See in detail in news under the headline “SP, BJP, Cong slam Maya’s split Uttar Pradesh’ call” on CNN IBN on November 15, 2011 at 01:43 PM IST, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​sp-bjp-cong-slam-mayas-split-up-call/​202547-37-66.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed November 15, 2011.

See in detail in news under the headline “Uttar Pradesh Assembly passes resolution to divide state into 4 parts” on November 21, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​Uttar-Pradesh-Assembly-passes-resolution-to-divide-state-into-4-parts/​articleshow/​10814650.​cms?​, accessed November 21, 2011.

See in details in news under the headline “Uttar Pradesh Assembly passes resolution to divide state into 4 parts” on November 21, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​Uttar-Pradesh-Assembly-passes-resolution-to-divide-state-into-4-parts/​articleshow/​10814650.​cms?​, accessed November 21, 2011.

See in details in news under headline ‘Uttar Pradesh Assembly passes resolution to divide state into 4 parts’ on November 21, 2011 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​Uttar-Pradesh-Assembly-passes-resolution-to-divide-state-into-4-parts/​articleshow/​10814650.​cms?​, accessed November 21, 2011.

Kumar et al. (2012).

Interview with Anupam Shukla. Anupam Shukla pursuing his study from Delhi University and living since 10 years in Delhi while he belongs from Faizabad. He is a political activist.

For detail see news under headline “71/80: BJP posts its best-ever show in Uttar Pradesh” on May 17, 2014, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​home/​lok-sabha-elections-2014/​news/​71/​80-BJP-posts-its-best-ever-show-in-UP/​articleshow/​35229428.​cms, accessed May 17, 2014.

See in detail in news under the headline “Mayawati inaugurates Rs. 650 crore park in Noida” on October 14, 2011 at 05:45 pm, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​mayawati-inaugurates-rs-650-crore-park-in-noida/​193078-37-64.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed October 14, 2011.

See in details in news under the headline “‘Mayawati inaugurates Rs. 650 crore park in Noida” on October 14, 2011 at 05:45 pm, http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​mayawati-inaugurates-rs-650-crore-park-in-noida/​193078-37-64.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed October 14, 2011.

See for details in news under the headline ‘‘दलित प्रेरणा स्थल पार्क हुआ उद्घाटन” on November 15, 2011 on Zee News.

For details see Lefebvre (1991). The Production of Space (Donald Nicholson-Smith Trans.). Oxford: Blackwell. Lefebvre argues that “Like any reality, social space is related methodologically and theoretically to three general concepts: form, structure, function. The form of social space—i.e. the centre-periphery relationship-has recently come to occupy a place in our thinking about forms. As for the urban form—i.e. Assembly, encounter and simultaneity—it has been shown to belong among the classic forms, in company with centrality, difference, recurrence, reciprocity, and so on” (ibid.: 147). “Social space implies a great diversity of knowledge. What then is its real status? And what is the nature of its relationship to production?” (ibid.: 73). “The form of social space is encounter, Assembly, simultaneity. But what assembles, or what is assembled? The answer is: everything that there is in space, everything that is produced either by nature or by society, either through their cooperation or through their conflicts. Everything: living beings, things, objects, works, signs and symbols. Natural space juxtaposes and thus disperses: It particularizes. By contrast, social space implies actual or potential Assembly at a single point, or around that point…… Social space per se is at once work and product-a materialization of “social being.” In specific sets of circumstances, however, it may take on fetishized and autonomous characteristics of things” (ibid.: 101–102).

See for details in news under the headline “यूपी में हटाई जाएं हाथी की मूर्तियां” on January 1, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

See for details in news under the headline “यूपी में ढंकी जाएंगी मायावती, हाथियों की मूर्तियां” on January 1, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

See for details in news under the headline “चुनाव तक परदे में रहेंगी माया व हाथी की मूर्तियां” on January 8, 2012 on Rashtriya Sahara.

See in detail in news under headline ‘EC order one-sided: Mayawati’ on 15.1.2012 on The Hindu, http://​www.​thehindu.​com/​news/​national/​ec-order-onesided-says-mayawati/​article2803608.​ece, accessed January 15, 2012.

See in detail in news under the headline “Why should Mayawati object, when BJP, Congress accepted our earlier decisions?” on January 18, 2012 on The Hindu, http://​www.​thehindu.​com/​ news/national/why-should-mayawati-object-when-bjp-congress-accepted-our-earlier-decisions/ article2806282.ece, accessed January 18, 2012.

See in detail in news under the headline “EC order one-sided: Mayawati” on January 15, 2012 on The Hindu, http://​www.​thehindu.​com/​news/​national/​ec-order-onesided-says-mayawati/​article2803608.​ece, accessed January 15, 2012.

See in detail in news under the headline “Pink cover for Mayawati, elephant statues to cost Rs. 1 crore” on CNN IBN, January 10, 2012 at 04:58 PM IST, Read more at: http://​ibnlive.​in.​com/​news/​up-pink-cover-for-mayawati-elephant-statues-to-cost-rs-1-crore/​219538-37-64.​html?​utm_​source=​ref_​article, accessed January 10, 2012.

See for detail in news under the headline “मूर्तियां ढंकने से बीएसपी को ही फायदा” on January 15, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

See in detail in news under the headline “Statue cover up gives Mayawati a poll issue” on January 13, 2012 on TOI, http://​timesofindia.​indiatimes.​com/​india/​statue-cover-up-gives-mayawati-a-poll-issue/​articleshow/​11470411.​cms, accessed January 13, 2012.

See in detail in news under the headline “नही हटाएंगे मायावती की मूर्तियां” on February 5, 2012 on Aaj Tak.

Tiwar and Pandey (2013), Tranquebar Press. pp. 144–45.

Kumar et al. (2012).

Interview with Adarsh Tiwari. He is lawyer by profession and political activist since college days and belongs from Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) and living in Delhi last 5 years. He closely watched the Uttar Pradesh election and agreed over the role of media during the Uttar Pradesh election.

Stahlberg (2013, p. 63).