News Prostitutes

Vir Singhvi, Rajdeep Sardesai, Bharka Dutt all big names in the world of indian journalism. In fact they have been decorated with Padhma Shri by the Manmohan Singh Government for their valuable contributions in this field! Outlook has recently exposed the leaked tapes of conversation between a professional corporate lobbyist (professional criminal) and these unworthy media-personnel showing their involvement in many lobbying that includes ministerial berths and influencing public policies on important national resources to benefit bigwigs like some political parties, Ambanis and Tatas.

They are trying to defend themselves by saying that they have merely used their contacts in the higher echelons as a part of their professional duty. It is sure that we will not find any 24X7 news sellers will make a cover story on this issue though they make one even for a petty issue involving politicians and bureaucrats. It is of a brave effort on the part of Outlook to bring out this corruption in indian journalism to the limelight which may face professional boycott from these 24X7 news channels.

We all have been told that definition of corruption includes only public servants when they misuse their public office for their private interests. But it is largely missed that in today's world the public life is operated not only by the public servants but by the media and big corporates. Whoever delivers goods and services to public consumption operates public life. So if he misuses his position it is an act of corruption as it fits for a public servant. In fact these recent findings are as important as was the case with aadharsh scam, 2G scam and famous political scams of 1990s. These criminal journalists should be discredited in public life and their decorations should be revoked.

In the public interest jounalism and media business should be tightly regulated by law especially by putting ceilings on their financial clout and seeing that no business and political vested interests be given opportunity to own and operate the media.

It is also to the credit of UPA II under Manmohan Singh which has given enough autonomy to many central agencies like CBI, ED and Income Tax especially under an efficient Home Minister which has enabled these agencies to unearth and expose many of the recent scams. Let us hope that this leads to strengthening the moral fiber of the country.

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?268071

The Schindler’s List (Review)

This is a commentary on the film of Schindler’s List directed by Steven Spielberg on the theme of a German businessman with Nazi links helping a group of Jews during holocaust by bribing the Nazi establishment with the objective of improving the profitability of his business and in course of time moved by the qualities that define the human beings.

In these trying situations we find the line of right and wrong being crossed often and immoral qualities like bribing and extreme profiteering turns out to be the best things to do.

The film shows how a bribe could be the most righteous thing to do in the circumstances prevailing during Nazi rule. Schindler was able to save 800 lives because he was able to bribe the Nazi Bureaucracy. At times bribe is good for the humanity.

It shows capitalism is better than a totalitarian regime of any sort. Liberty and Democracy should be the guiding star for the humanity rather than any ideology implemented through totalitarian regime be it socialism or a theocracy.

I will conclude Schindler as the Jesus Christ for the Jews he saved. Though initially his motive was to profit from the slave labor of Jews he slowly changes his mind and learns to pardon and learns to save lives. At the end of day he is running his business in loss. Yet he achieves his goal to be extraordinary and one who did that no one dared to do. Yes, what he has done is more worth than in case if he had steered his business into profit a two trunk ship full of money. Finally he feels if had not rode on car and wasted his money on party he would have saved more lives of the Jews.

Indian State and Maoist Challenge

If the Indian State seriously contemplates to take on the Maoist challenge, it has to be serious with implementing the worst delayed Police reforms with giving enough autonomy for Police in their functional sphere atleast in the Maoist active states. Take the case of Orissa. The situation here is so bad that active policemen taking up serious activities against Maoists are being transferred immediately. Many of the districts of Orissa are under virtual Maoist control with CPI-M running parallel Governments by collecting 25% tax on Government servants and businessmen and politicians. Even the local politicians are in secret understanding with the Maoist affecting policy decisions of the Government.

Given this situation, we cannot expect much from the Police with their moral completely down. The central police forces are not much different lacking a bigger strategy and operating with the objective of simply safeguarding their camps in the first place rather than taking offence on the Maoists. The Grey Hounds of Andhra Police are odd in the list equipped with enough resources to take on the Maoists.

The Government should atleast take care of the payments/compensation to be given to the Police personnel killed or injured during the battle with the extremists. There are many complaits arising very now and then on this issue as the Government takes lot of time for clearing such compensation.

In the recent case of martyrdom of 76 CRPF personnel also the Home Minister has announced that they will be given compensation within 30 days. But I don’t know why it should take a month even in this case of such a high profile attention. There should be single window clearance for such cases and made available at their doorsteps within a day. Mr. Chidambaram better knows about financial transactions. And to the attention of the mainstream Press, that they should monitor such disbursals on a daily basis and give red letter warning in their cover stories to make sure the compensation reach the affected.