Final views on news 22 february 2015 by viewsonnews

Introducing new section on Governance

HOW A TOUGH MODI BUREAUCRAT WAS COLD- SHOULDERED 32

SHOULD GOVT CONTROL TERROR REPORTING? 44

CENSOR BOARD CHIEF PAHLAJ NIHALANI ON HIS ‘ACTION HERO’ MODI 38

VIEWS ON NEWS THE CRITICAL EYE

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Why DIDI and DADA fell apart Media tycoon Aveek Sarkar’s warm ties with Mamata Banerjee turn into a cold war

WHAT AN IDEA, SIR JI!

Gopinath Menon writes on the trend of clubbing ads with social messages 24

JE SUIS LAXMAN

The uncommon life of RK Laxman 21

EDITOR’S NOTE

THE GOVERNANCE IMPERATIVE WE MAKE IT our dharma never to be satisfied by resting

pourri a dash of insightful reportage on governance and

on our laurels. In fact, the staff motto is that Views On

the bureaucracy, and voila! I think we can hope for

News (VON) is only as good as its last story – or its most

another winning combination from the ENC Group, which

recent idea, if you will. We thrive on innovation. Our staff

already produces the fast-growing and racy India Legal

is always on the lookout for new things to do, not only

fortnightly and the adventurous 24X7 TV channel with a

new stories but also new approaches and novel art and

difference—APN-TV.

production techniques. A bored staff produces a boring

There’s a smorgasbord of stories on governance in

product, and bored readers are the biggest threat to the

this issue. Pick any dish. You’ll enjoy it. Let’s start with

health of any magazine or newspaper.

the exclusive interview with Prime Minister Modi’s main

The way out, of course, is not sensationalism or over-

man on the Censor Board following the recent un-

doses of infotainment or unsubstantiated spicy gossip.

pheavals. Pahlaj Nihalani, writer Somi Das says, “has no

The answer is innovation. In the pursuit of this goal, we

qualms about admitting his love for Modi.” Veteran Vivian

are starting, with this issue, a new section on governance.

Fernandes, whose columns for this magazine are gaining

Good governance has today been transformed from a

in popularity, tackles the subject of government servants

cliché into a political imperative. No party can afford to

who speak out or blow the whistle. He cites the example

omit mentioning this in its manifesto, because the demon-

of bureaucrat Alexander Luke, once a Modi favorite who

stration of this by its practitioners have earned them rich political dividends.

fell out. Find out why. And in the spotlight in our new Governance section is

For VON, covering various aspects of gov-

a thoughtful analysis about whether there is a need to

ernance through exposes of corruption, inter-

bring in official guidelines for the media when reporting

views with top bureaucrats, tackling subjects

on terrorism. Minister Arun Jaitley is seriously toying with

of administrative importance, raising issues

the idea of bringing in a law to regulate coverage of

pertaining to ministerial responsibilities, civic

such violence.

administration, and tracking careers of indi-

And for those who have taken a fancy to the short and

vidual bureaucrats, fills an important gap in

spicy insider accounts of who’s doing what to whom

our overall editorial scheme.

within the closed confines of the bureaucracy, ministerial

While VON is unique in that it is India’s only fortnightly covering and following developments and events in the media, the small

circles, and political backrooms, we’re featuring our writer Roshni under a new sub-head entitled: “Grapevine.” Enjoy the pickings.

and big screens, social media, it is not purely a “media review” magazine. Its very title, “Views On News”, is designed to suggest that our fortnightly concentrates equally on expressing views and commentary on the major news developments as well. Add to this pot-

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 3

VOLUME. VIII

ISSUE. 10

Editor-in-Chief Rajshri Rai Managing Editor Ramesh Menon Deputy Managing Editor Shobha John Senior Editor Vishwas Kumar Associate Editor Meha Mathur Deputy Editors Prabir Biswas Niti Singh Assistant Editor Somi Das Art Director Anthony Lawrence Senior Visualizer Amitava Sen Graphic Designer Lalit Khitoliya Photographer Anil Shakya News Coordinator/Photo Researcher Kh Manglembi Devi Production Pawan Kumar

C O N

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4 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

LEDE

Why Dada and Didi went to war The relations between media baron Aveek Sarkar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata have hit a low, writes SUJIT BHAR

BOOK REVIEW

Endangered world RAMESH MENON reviews journalist and environmentalist Bahar Duttâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, Green Wars, which gives an insight into the reasons behind man-nature conflict

T E N T S Behind the leak

MR DUA reviews Charlie Beckett and James Ball’s revelatory book, WikiLeaks. The daring disclosures in 2010 got world leaders nervous

ADVERTISING

Brand building

Advertising is all about ideas—and some ideas stand out because of their engagement with society, writes GOPINATH MENON Governance

CASE STUDY

Tough men don’t last

Like many before him, bureaucrat Alexander Luke learnt that being morally upright in a world of business and political machinations is not for the faint-hearted, writes VIVIAN FERNANDES

SPOTLIGHT

Controlling terror reportage

Even as Jaitley talks about bringing in a law to control coverage of terror attacks, six years after 26/11, no guidelines exist for the media to follow, writes AKASH BANERJEE

R E G U L A R S

INTERVIEW OBITUARY

The Common Man lives on

ASHIM CHOUDHURY on the country’s best-known cartoonist, RK Laxman

Modi’s man in the Censor Board

The new Censor Board chief, Pahlaj Nihalani, has no qualms about admitting his love for Modi. He talks about his plans in a tete-a-tete with SOMI DAS

Edit................................................03 Media-go-round............................06 As the world turns.........................07 Vox populi.....................................08 Expertspeak..................................09 Quotes..........................................10 Breaking news..............................28 Grapevine.....................................50 Cover design: Anthony Lawrence

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 5

EDIA-GO-ROUND

NamObama tango on Mann Ki Baat PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama bonded over their humble beginnings on the radio show, Mann ki Baat, which is Modi's monthly address to the nation. In their 30-minute talk that was replete with rich personal anecdotes, the two leaders said they never imagined reaching high positions. “I think both of us have been blessed with extraordinary opportunity, coming from relatively humble beginnings,” Obama said in

Jayanthi Natarjan

Sujatha Singh

drops letter bomb

resigns, slams govt

FORMER UNION environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan resigned from the Congress after writing a searing letter to party president Sonia Gandhi. In the tell-all letter, Natarajan took potshots at party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, blaming him for her removal as environment minister in 2013 to push for big ticket projects, which she rejected as they were against the norms. The Nehru-Gandhi loyalist also wrote that her sources in Rahul Gandhi's office told her that his supporters planted negative stories about her in the media while Sonia Gandhi refrained her from speaking to the press.

Imam loses job for Haider role AN IMAM in Kashmir has claimed he lost his job after featuring in the movie, Haider. He has sent a legal notice to director Vishal Bhardwaj to pay the damages, The Times of India reported. Imam Ghulam Hassan Shah, a resident of South Kashmir’s Qazigund area, alleged he “read the nikah and participated in a video shoot with the promise of the video ‘being utilized for some educative purpose”. It was later used in the film, costing him his job, said Shah’s lawyer, Firdous Ahmad Bhat, in a legal notice sent to the director. 6 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

answer to a question. “When I think about what's best in America and what's best in India, the notion that a tea-seller or somebody who is born to a single mother, like me, could end up leading our countries is an extraordinary example of the opportunities that exist within our countries.”As the son of a tea vendor, Modi's personal story is often compared to Obama's inspirational rise to become America's first black president.

FORMER FOREIGN Secretary Sujatha Singh, who was sacked on January 28, hit out at the government in an exclusive interview to NDTV, saying: “My reputation is being maligned, my record being trashed. Why was this necessary?” Singh was removed by the government with just seven months to go before retirement, and replaced by S Jaishankar, former envoy to the US, after a successful visit by President Barack Obama. “It was a decision that had already been taken and nothing I could have done would have made a difference,” she said.

Plan to sue I&B ministry CONTROVERSIAL FILM Kissa Kursi Ka, depicting the excesses of the Emergency, made by one-time Congress MP-turned detractor, Amrit Nahata, is in the limelight again.The film, made in 1975, was banned and its negatives reportedly burnt by Congress’ Sanjay Gandhi and then I&B Minister, VC Shukla, in violation of a Supreme Court order. Forty years later, the filmmaker’s son, Raakesh Nahata, is threatening to sue the I&B ministry, The Times of India reported.

S THE WORLD TURNS

Keira Knightley is most stylish mom-to-be KEIRA KNIGHTLEY fought tough competition from the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, to be named most stylish celebrity mom-to-be. The actress, who announced that she was pregnant last month, took more than a

quarter, 26 percent, of votes in a poll by baby brand My1stYears.com, Hello! magazine reported. The 29-year-old Atonement actor is expecting her first child with her husband, James Righton.

Designer thrilled by Michelle dress INDIAN-AMERICAN fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra was in for a surprise when one of his friends sent him a picture of a TV grab that showed US First Lady Michelle Obama wearing a silk dress from his Spring collection as she landed in New Delhi, The Economic Times reported. “It is like a full circle. The first lady in my homeland, wearing one of my clothes,” the 42year-old Rourkela-born designer said from

The Sun confounds media BRITISH TABLOID The Sun created ripples by announcing it will no longer feature topless women on its Page 3, ending a controversial tradition that has lasted decades. The Guardian reported that Page 3 had gone for good. “The Sun has scrapped Page 3’s topless women after 44 years, delighting the legion of critics who have branded the photos of bare-breasted models sexist, offensive and anachronistic,” The Guardian said. However, two days later, The Sun went ahead with its Page 3 with a picture of Nicole, 22, from Bournemouth. “We would like to apologize on behalf of print and broadcast journalists who have spent the last two days talking and writing about us,” the paper stated. Its front page carried the headline: “We've had a mammary lapse.”

New York.The first lady descended from Air Force One wearing a knee-length floral dress paired with a matching coat and black pumps designed by Mohapatra. The award winning designer said he hoped to soon get the opportunity to design for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. He said that he was proud to have connected India and US in a small way through his work.

Blackout or bias?

BOTH THE Wall Street Journal blog India Real Time and The Washington Post website, have uploaded what they call the Indian government's air-brushed video of the just-concluded visit of the US President, Barack Obama. They point out how the Ministry of Exter-

nal Affairs' eight-minute video carefully omits Obama’s comments on religious freedom made at Siri Fort. Both media, of course, think this was one of the most significant moments of the Obama visit,www.thehoot.org has reported.

Pak bans Baby AKSHAY KUMAR'S spy thriller, Baby, has been banned by the Pakistan Censor Board, for allegedly portraying Muslims in a negative light. "The Censor Boards in Islamabad and Karachi have decided to ban the film because it portrays a negative image of Muslims and the negative characters in the film have Muslim names,” indiatoday.in reported, quoting Dawn.

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 7

OX POPULI WHAT PEOPLE WANT

All that

GLITTERS I browse fashion and beauty magazines to keep up with the latest trends. The buzz in fashion, in terms of colors and hues, keeps changing so fast that one needs to look at such news to keep oneself updated. I usually read Cosmopolitan and Elle for this. I also love travel and like to read about exotic destinations and places to visit. I really enjoy the lifestyle programs on TLC.

VON talks to readers to find out what they are looking for when they read lifestyle content

I look out for highend products, with elements of fun. I love Vogue and Conde Nast Traveler. Keeping Up With Kardarshians is my favorite TV show.

— Reeta Agarwal, director, Packwell Packaging

— Ranjunee Chakma, fashion stylist and media consultant

Fashion, beauty, hair, makeup, accessories and jewelery are some of the things that hold my interest. I have two daughters and want them to be well turned-out, so I look out for these sections in Femina, Elle and Vogue. NDTV’s Band Baaja Bride is also among my favorite programs. — Dolly Agnihotri, jewelery designer

I usually browse the net for lifestyle news. I follow GQ and Menxp for news on the latest gadgets. I like reading Men’s Health. I also look out for haute resto-pubs, fashion trends, sale strategies and international celebrity gossip. — Kabir Bhatnagar, media professional 8 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

The expectation out of a lifestyle section of any magazine is to be able to catch the latest trends. The content that holds my interest is travel, fitness and food. Flipping through pictures of the latest trends in clothes or make-up is the main reason for choosing a particular lifestyle magazine. Vogue, Elle, Prevention, Cosmopolitan are some of my picks. MSN India, being the default web page at work, became a preferential browsing page for me. These days, I am exploring Pininterest and find it interesting in terms of content and presentation. — Manisha Dubey, head, communications, Pine Labs

I generally look out for interiors, artefacts and recipes so that I can cook differently for my kids. This takes care of my twin interests of home and children. I also like to read gossip columns, relating to films, politics and the fashion world. Cosmopolitan, Femina, Delhi Times and the Google app on my phone are my favorites. I enjoy Pininterest as well. — Rachana Mahajan Sharma, home-maker

Expertspeak Anshu Khanna

When did lifestyle and fashion journalism become big? Asian Age’s MJ Akbar was the first editor to look at lifestyle and fashion in a newspaper seriously in the 1990s. Lots of things happened simultaneously. The two beauty queens, Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai, won the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants respectively in 1994. The beauty industry started growing around the same time. There was greater acceptance for such news in the media. People wanted to read more and more feel-good stories.

“READERS can sift the news from HYPE”

signers or the script of their interview with journalists is part of the regular scene for PR professionals. People are used to sifting news from hype. What helps to create hype for the brands you promote? It’s all about cross-promotions. Essentially, it is working out a matrix that benefits all clients. So, a global luxury brand hosts an event with a fashion magazine; an art gallery owner with a fashion designer; a restaurat owner with a painter. Foood and venue are sponsored as the sponsor also gets “coverage”. Everyone goes back pleased and the media returns with a “story”.

How old is Page 3 in India? Strictly speaking, posing for pictures at a party and then getting it covered was first started by Delhi Times in the 1990s. How easy is it to promote clients in the lifestyle segment? It is getting tougher. Space is getting sold. Advertorials have replaced editorials. If it’s a new product that you want written about, it is easier to promote it, but to build a brand is becoming difficult because you need space for that in newspapers and magazines, which is becoming scarce. How do readers decipher a promotional plug from genuine content? Everything is doctored now, presented to make a certain impression. Readers are used to that now, of living in a make-believe world. A majority of them make their own judgments based on their interest levels. Readers pick up the news they want to. Fixing reviews, writing columns for de-

ANSHU KHANNA, founder of Goodword Communications that has been promoting fashion and lifestyle brands for over two decades, tells NITI SINGH that readers pick the news they want to and can see through the hype as well

Where is Indian lifestyle PR moving? It is moving in two directions. At one level, a very creative thought process is required. At another level, it’s all about making strategies. You need to understand the pulse of the reader, the media canvas and then promote it. These days, there are a lot of two-brand promoters who can only offer a confused perspective. We have now started offering a 360-degree approach, with a gamut of lifestyle media services in one basket, which includes advertisements, events, exhibitions, designer cards, and even mall décor. We look at everything that creates a “wow” factor. And that’s what one needs to do to remain on the scene. VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 9

U O

T E S

My favorite theory about why the US president was propelled in India’s direction is because the NRIs (who also run the numerous NaMo fan clubs) have now infiltrated the White House with dhoklas and khakras. — Saba Naqvi in Outlook

Taslima Nasreen, Bangladeshi author India is becoming Saudi Arabia. Mumbai newspaper editor is arrested for reprinting Charlie Hebdo cartoons.

Harsha Bhogle, Cricket Commentator It is a bit scary when people start archiving, and distributing, what you say in commentary!!

Vir Sanghvi, Journalist, TV anchor

Bedi…has succumbed to the temptation of seeking instant gratification, her move to join the BJP just ahead of the elections is an example of well-crafted opportunism. — Rajdeep Sardesai, columnist and TV anchor, in Hindustan Times.

News channels can make anyone famous for 15 minutes. Anna now seems so foolish and irrelevant when he attacks Modi and Kejriwal. Times change.

Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder of CVoter

It's utterly disgraceful of #JayanthiNatarajan for what she is trying to do now. And God help BJP if she is joining them to become kosher. (On Natarajan’s letter to Sonia Gandhi accusing the party of treating her unfairly)

Nikhil Wagle, Journalist

They (the TV channels) danced about the first couple (!) of India and the US rather like the joyous cartoons of Modi and his cabinet on Aaj Tak’s So Sorry. But this was serious business: each channel was there to outshoot the others. — Shailaja Bajpai, in The Indian Express

10 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

Today is one of the darkest days of history when a pervert killed Mahatma.Let us stand against all the efforts to glorify this pervert murderer. (On Martyr’s Day)

Amitabh Bachchan, Actor Mamata di .. I am not deserving of such recognition .. most humbled and honoured by what the Nation has given me ..!!? (on Mamata Banerjee‘s suggestion that he should be given Bharat Ratna)

JRD Tata first came away quite excited but he said we have been out of the airline industry for many years and the industry has changed. ..so let’s go and get the best partner we can…and give the country a world-class airline. That never happened. The same government that asked us to start the airline, made sure that the airline would never happen. — Industrialist Ratan Tata, at a gathering to celebrate the launch of Vistara

The new government has time and again promised the people of the country to bring ache din. However, barring a few capitalists, no one else has experienced it. — Anti-graft activist Anna Hazare in his blog

I want to thank the BJP because it is campaigning for us. By constantly fighting among each other, the BJP leaders are helping us. — Arvind Kejriwal, AAP, in The Indian Express

Ralph Waldo Emerson was gay, but he influenced Henry David Thoreau, who in turn influenced Mahatma Gandhi. This intellectual trail brought “civil disobedience” and independence to India. Does that still make Emerson a pervert and a criminal? — Dipankar Gupta on how ambiguity in BJP’s official position gives hope to India’s homosexual community, in The Times of India

No one will stop us from opening a library, where books highlighting the life of Godse, will be kept so that people may know him as a person. — Munna Kumar Sharma, Hindu Mahasabha General Secretary, in The Indian Express on opening a Godse library after a failed bid to install his bust in Meerut

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 11

EVERY FORTNIGHT VIEWS ON NEWS WILL BRING YOU TELL-ALL NEWS, ANALYSES AND OPINION FROM THE SHARPEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS AND MOST INCISIVE MINDS IN THE NATION Views On News (VON) is India’s premier fortnightly magazine that covers the wide spectrum of modern communication loosely known as “the media”. Its racy, news and analysis oriented story-telling encompasses current global and Indian developments, trends, future projections encompassing policy and business drifts, the latest from inside the print and electronic newsrooms, the exciting developments in ever-expanding digital space, trending matters in the social media, advertising, entertainment and books. HUL PANDEITA IONAL’ ‘ASPIRAT RUM RATH OF TH ON CONUND AU OR TTER 36 CONVERSIDIA TION LE UP THE RESIGNA ‘SEXING’

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Lede Aveek Sarkar

T IN GOOD TIMES ABP group chief Aveek Sarkar with Mamata Banerjee

HE Trinamool Congress in West Bengal is in a state of rapid decay, and the media is lapping it up. One media house in particular, the Anandabazar Patrika (ABP) group, has been trumpeting its fall for quite some time now. This stand is far removed from what it was when Mamata Banerjee and her ragtag men were giving the red brigade of the CPI (M) a hammering. Those were the days when 34 years of staggering misrule of the CPI (M) crumbled at the glasnost call of Mamata’s “paribartan” (change). Holding Didi’s hand all the way was the ABP group. Everything she did was right, every word that she said was for a new future and every mistake made would be redressed with corrective measures.

AUTOCRATIC REGIME Then, the new roots started to show signs of rot— the sheer autocratic nature of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allowed no dissent—and rampant corruption sprouted under the shade of the great banyan. That there was no ideologue within the party—Mamata’s word was law—meant there was bound to be administrative disorientation once the initial euphoria died down. And that is what happened. Suddenly, in the midst of Didi’s term, ABP group’s supremo Aveek Sarkar realized how hollow was the drum he helped beat. Signals of a misguided doctrine (if any) were there even as the Singur land agitation threw the Tatas and their proposed Nano plant out of the state. Things came to a head when a rape on Park Street was trivialized by Mamata, who even cast aspersions on the character of the victim.

LOVE AFFAIR

TURNED SOUR

As editor and businessman, Aveek was hugely respected. Few understood his closeness to Mamata Banerjee. In a matter of time, they fell apart BY SUJIT BHAR VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 13

Lede Aveek Sarkar

Sarkar is as astute an editor as he is a businessman. He has guided the ABP group to the top of the heap of publications in the state and its revenues are next to none in the region.

IN THE DOCK The arrested Saradha Group chairman Sudipta Sen (second from left)

Those were the early turning points of ABP’s own “paribartan”. If Mamata’s party has reached a nadir in public perception today, especially due to the dramatic revelations of the huge Saradha chit fund scam—in which the CBI has already arrested four party head honchos, including minister Madan Mitra—it is the ABP group that is now hunting with the hounds, so to speak.

TROUBLED TIMES Meanwhile, the law and order situation has worsened. The Bardhaman blast established that the state has become a safe haven for Bangladeshi terrorist outfits. In keeping with her habit of shooting her mouth, Mamata even said that the blasts could have been stage-managed by the RAW. This further added to her inability to handle national-level politics, even as the stock of her party was spiralling down. The ABP group was the forerunner in pin-pointing the many flaws within the TMC and how the party was on the verge of a breakdown. One cannot blame the media for using ammunition that the chief minister herself has handed over to them. The police, which has been acting the stooge perfectly—as it did during the CPI (M) rule– went ahead and blew up the improvised explosive devices found in Bardhaman, robbing National Investigating Agency experts of an opportunity to study the bombs and detonators. While one really cannot understand the rationale behind Mamata and her men protesting the NIA’s involvement in a blast case which is really much more than arson, it is evident why they were against the involvement of the CBI in the Saradha scam case —their own MPs and senior functionaries were involved in it. Amidst this chaos came the news that Aveek Sarkar had been provided “Y” category security by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). More than signifying the evident closeness that the media house has developed with the ruling BJP dispensation at the center, it has also created a public percept that nobody is safe in West Bengal today. CLASSY MAN Sarkar has always been in a class of his own. There was a time when he assiduously avoided personal publicity. His dailies, the Bengali Anandabazar Patrika and The Telegraph in English, were instructed not to publish any picture of his. He rarely gave

14 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

speeches. The situation has changed today, especially with the group’s foray into the electronic space through ABP News and ABP Ananda. The security, as sources point out, is apparently to guard him against extremist outfits, including fringe religious groups. But till the time of sanctioning the security detail, the CRPF, which is the local agency handling it, had no idea about what the threat perception was. According to Vivek Sahay, IG, CRPF: “It is up to the MHA to assess the threat perception of an individual and then decide on which agency—the NSG, CRPF, etc—is to handle this. When we get our orders, we will start collecting information.” So even while there has been talk that the media tycoon has had apprehensions about his safety in a volatile political situation, it is not clear how his “Y” category detail (with 11 security personnel) is related to the TMC and its supremo, Mamata Banerjee, if at all. Compare this to the “Y” security cover given to New Delhi-based journalist Aniruddha Bahal. Bahal has always courted controversy with various stings, be it on cricket betting, defence scam or bank scam. His Cobrapost website is full of controversies; that is what Bahal revels in. Sarkar, on the other hand, is as astute an editor as he is businessman. He has guided the ABP group to the top of the heap of publications in the state and neighboring states and its revenues are next to none in the region. One may point out that Aveek Sarkar’s sense of propriety in public life is impeccable. He has never really had to depend on any political party for his success. And he guards his personal space strongly. Sometime after former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya allotted a Kolkata police security detail for Sarkar, the editor-in-chief had it removed because he believed that the police had planted a mole within the detail to report his whereabouts. Hence, the group’s acrimonious relationship with the TMC has come to a head. One can recall the time when Mamata had been at the side of the

Sarkars—even if it was The Telegraph that exposed her spurious doctorate degree availed through a degree mill. One can recall the hours Mamata stood on the street watching with consternation as a devastating fire engulfed the ABP group’s main building in central Kolkata. People who have been close to the enigmatic Mamata say she has her heart in the right place. She knew the power of the media in building a political career and the Sarkars did not disappoint her. Then, at the pinnacle of her career, she suddenly forgot the many rungs she used to climb this far. Is this loan foreclosure time for the media?

TOP LEAGUE Aveek Sarkar with Barack and Michelle Obama on their recent visit to New Delhi

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 15

Book Review

Green Wars: Dispatches from a Vanishing World/Bahar Dutt

ENDANGERED

WORLD J Bahar Dutt would rather be known as a conservationist than a journalist, as she has contributed a lot to increasing awareness about the environment. Her fast-paced book is a good read. You are wiser at the end of it BY RAMESH MENON

ournalists are generalists and are expected to know something of everything. But where we lack in Indian journalism is the urge to specialize in a field and become true experts. Most journalists just float through their careers doing anything and everything as their organizations also do not encourage them to invest time and effort to master one area and research and analyze. After all, they are just interested in getting the news and moving on. Reporting on the environment has been one weak area in India despite the fact that it is one of the most crucial. Most magazines and newspapers do not even have a specialized reporter on this beat. If there is something to be written or covered in this field, any reporter is assigned to do it. That is why when Bahar Dutt was drafted in to exclusively cover the environment by CNN-IBN, there was a fresh, in-depth style

to the pioneering environment coverage that the channel did. That is, of course, only till they got rid of her as commercial interests took over and environment was one of the areas then went out of the window. But for young journalists like Bahar, there should be one reason for cheer. Many commoners are today realizing the need for conservation and are ready to learn, agitate and fight to save it. VANISHING TRIBE I have watched Bahar’s video stories with great interest, as what makes them stand out is the detail she weaves in with the perspective. No wonder it was a pleasure to read her book, Green Wars: Dispatches from a Vanishing World that chronicles the tragedy of India’s vanishing natural wealth and wildlife. Though the tribe of environment journalists is a vanishing one, it feels good to see someone like Bahar take up cudgels to fight the powersthat-be who are destroying the environment to further their business interests. It also reminds you that the media can be a catalyst in changing attitudes towards nature. After all, we are only destroying our future. Bahar is a conservation biologist who strayed into journalism. In the process, she showed us what it really takes to be one. She did path-breaking stories, travelled to difficult places, fought for conservation like a committed activist and followed her stories to a logical end as she really cared. In a fast-paced world where news dies after

“Conservationists have propagated a ban on the hunting of wild animals but when animals like the wild boar, elephant and sloth bear destroy poor people’s crops, they offer no solutions. That’s why wildlife conservation is often seen as anti-people.” —Bahar Dutt, conservationist-cum-journalist it is aired, her follow-ups showed that news needs to be chased till the very end. Her pioneering work won her the Wildscreen - Green Oscar award among numerous national and international awards. Wildlife was her first love and not journalism. She ran an animal ambulance for injured primates, helped build rope bridges for the colobus monkey in Africa, studied Amazonian monkeys at the world famous Jersey Zoo in the United Kingdom and worked for a decade with a traditional community of snake charmers in India, helping them find livelihood options in tune with wildlife laws. As she did all this, she pushed the boundaries of environment journalism. That journey itself VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 17

Book Review

Green Wars: Dispatches from a Vanishing World/Bahar Dutt

taught her how to be open and sensitive to issues and not just skip it as most of us journalists do. Bahar raises vital questions of how a modernizing economy brings in ecological destruction and misplaced priorities and whether development must always be in conflict with the environment. SOLID RESEARCHER Green Wars makes us think deeply of vexed issues that are today disturbing question marks as far as our ecology and environment go. Bahar writes with passion that comes straight from the heart. It is like a personal story. And the research shows. She is a hard-boiled researcher and that is what makes her stories so powerful. Little-known facts blossomed in her TV stories at CNN-IBN along with a perspective that television hardly offered. Her stories made you understand the landscape in which wildlife conservation operated in India. Preservation of 18 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

species was daunting as it involved complicated caste dynamics of the people around, if they were rich or poor and how regional biases and political interests called the shots. Bahar showed how environment stories are not soft features as most editors in India imagine, but hard news. One example is her investigation on how sarus cranes were being chased away by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s supporters to convince a central government committee that there were no birds there and so they could okay an airport there. What is fascinating about Green Wars are Bahar’s numerous anecdotes, each of which is a lesson for all of us. Bahar says that if we want wild animals around, we have to learn how to manage the associated conflict that comes with it. She says: “Especially around forest areas, conservationists have propagated a complete ban on the hunting of wild animals but when animals like the wild boar, spotted deer, elephant and sloth bear destroy poor people’s crops, they offer no solutions and expect that

people should just ‘live with the problem’. And that is partly why wildlife conservation is often seen as being anti-people.” THE FINE LINE However, there is also the development debate that is valid and the country cannot say no to every project as there are environmental concerns. What journalists need to do is to finely tread the balancing line, keeping the interests of change and development along with environmental protection that is equally crucial. Mining may be important, but so are forests. Numerous instances in Bahar’s book tell us precisely this. It is for us to see the danger signals. Time and again, she points out that there are solid economic and social considerations that actually call for saying no to big projects which, most of the time, ignore the needs of the disadvantaged.

Green Wars- Dispatches from a Vanishing World By Bahar Dutt HarperCollins India Rs 299, 163 pages

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 19

Book Review WikiLeaks

Taking theworld by storm SENSATIONAL LEAKS Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks

Naturally, top leadership in these countries was taken aback.

What went behind the world’s greatest leak? How did it manage to get global leaders nervous? BY MR DUA

Book: Wikileaks: News In The Networked Era By: Charlie Beckett and James Ball Publisher: Polity Press Price: $54.99 Pages: 198

HEN WikiLeaks, abruptly made daring disclosures in 2010, in global media outlets, of some top-most confidential cables and over a million government documents, many political leaders of the world slipped into stupefied, breathless predicament. Knowing the global interest this issue would garner, authors Charlie Beckett and James Ball, both from the media think-tank of the London School of Economics, ingeniously put together a book on it, WikiLeaks: News in the Networked Era. It deals with how the WikiLeaks style of journalism would impact future global media scenario and unauthorized disclosure of protected governmental information. The book provides details of some benchmark events in the last few years and how these papers leaked government secrets of the US, the UK, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, France and many other countries. These were stealthily collected, stolen or divulged for monetary considerations and disseminated globally by WikiLeaks.

20 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

GLOBAL MEDIA The publication of these papers was contracted by WikiLeaks with leading dailies worldwide such as The New York Times (the US), The Guardian (the UK), Le Monde (France), The Hindu (India), Der Spiegel (Germany), The Dawn (Pakistan) and El Pais (Spain). As the documents hit global media, political leaders looked for answers from their secret services and intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, as bit and pieces of information surfaced, it came to be known that WikiLeaks called itself a digital media organization, a “most challenging journalism phenomenon” in the digital era. But it was of stateless origin, its credentials suspect, and its unknown owner-editor-in-chief, Julian Assange, held a treasure trove of top secrets on war, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan. It broke landmark stories comparable to the famous Pentagon Papers and its dispatches led to the creation of a “radical development in journalism story-telling”, also called “WikiLeaks Journalism”. Highly readable and well-researched, the book’s four chapters discuss enormously complex media-centered issues that WikiLeaks had given birth to, including journalists’ rights, responsibilities, ethics, truth and transparency. The authors see a bright future for WikiLeaks type of journalism, though Julian Assange, its father, has himself been evading the long rope of law as several criminal charges are there against him. Though expensive, the book is, undoubtedly compelling reading.

Obituary RK Laxman

LONG LIVE THE

COMMON MAN!

He was India’s best-known cartoonist, though his creation was more popular than he was. With his deft lines and witty humor, this prolific genius touched many lives day after day, year after year BY ASHIM CHOUDHURY

or, more often, his wife to answer my questions. “City Life” was a roaring success as his sketches had transformed Calcutta’s garbage dumps, potholes, and traffic jams – all those mundane, frustrating aspects – into hilarious images. Since he did not live in the city, I was prompted to ask how he managed to draw those vivid sketches. “He has a photographic mind,” Kamala, his wife offered. “He has a remarkable ability to remember places pictorially.” The sketches were products of an earlier visit to the city as he remembered it. It was this pictorial aspect of his cartoons that made them so appealing. Very often, they did not say a word, and yet the reader got the message with a gentle nudge on his

T was July 1990. Calcutta was agog. RK Laxman was coming to town for his exhibition, “City Life”, chronicling the life and times of the city through his sketches. I was with the air force then, but nurturing dreams of making it as a writer and a cartoonist. And before me, at the exhibition, mobbed by admiring fans was the legend himself. I instantly made up my mind to interview him. He wasn’t very obliging, as I neither had a prior appointment nor was I on the staff of The Statesman or even the fledgling Telegraph. But, not one to be put off by insolence, I pursued him doggedly, forcing him

Illustrations: Ashim

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 21

Obituary RK Laxman

Laxman loved doing the odd job at home, repairing a leaking tap, replacing a broken windowpane. When he was around at home, the plumber or the mechanic had no business there. funny bone. Laxman’s humor was rarely acerbic, tickling rather than poking the ribs. Between the common man and the establishment, he clearly sided with the underdog. “Is the cartoonist a natural enemy of the establishment?” I had asked. He fumbled for words finally saying: “Not exactly… but a cartoonist naturally goes against the grain.” FAMILY MAN Laxman’s cockiness, which came from knowing that he was the best, was mistaken by many for IMMORTAL CREATION An 8-feet bronze statue of the “commom man” was erected at the Symbiosis Institute, Pune in 2001

22 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

vanity and arrogance. It wasn’t so. The man who many thought was aloof (he had a soundproof room to himself at The Times of India office in Mumbai) was actually the family’s “handy man” as his wife put it. He loved unwinding, doing the odd job at home, repairing a leaking tap, replacing a broken windowpane or adjusting the TV antennae. When he was around at home, the plumber or the mechanic had no business there. At home he did no cartooning, except the odd freelance work. Remember Gattu, the Asian Paint boy? His daily cartoons were the result of a strict regime from 9 am to 5 pm in the office, where the first half of the day went in reading various newspaper stories and headlines. In the second half, he crystallized his thoughts and put them to paper with the deft strokes of his brush. Even editors did not always have the temerity to knock or enter his room when he was working. Though in the nineties cartoons had still not been banished from the front pages, I had asked him what he thought of “cartooning as a dying art”. His face betrayed anger at the impertinence of the question. Put to the doyen of Indian cartooning, it did sound irreverent. But soon the livid expression melted into a smile that revealed his buckteeth. And he guffawed: “…not as long as I’m alive”. But to young people, like me, he did not recommend cartooning as a profession. “Don’t!” he had said. It was Kamala who explained: “He thinks it’s a thankless job.” Raising a laugh was no laughing matter; I had tried it briefly too. How Laxman managed to regale people with his deft lines and witty humor day after day, year after year, will remain an enigma. True, towards the end of his career he had begun to lose that punch. But then, the sheer volume of his work was monumental. There are no parallels to his prolific genius. Rarely has a man’s creation been more popular than the man himself, in this case, the Common Man – the ageing bespectacled man in his checked jacket. “Why does he look so helpless…Why doesn’t your Common Man get angry?” I had asked.

“He has a photographic mind. He has a remarkable ability to remember places pictorially.” —RK Laxman’s wife Kamala explaining how her husband managed to draw vivid sketches

For a moment, the master of punning looked helpless searching for a retort, then his expression turned angry and he blurted: “…With the Chautalas and Devi Lals around, what can he do?” (Those days, the National Front government was gripped by a crisis when Chautala was re-elected the chief minister of Haryana). He was clear; he blamed politicians for the sad plight of the common man. Then, calling back through the throng of autograph seekers he said: “You can quote me on that.” There was something impish and childlike about Laxman. Deep down, he strongly empathized with the common man. It was this empathy that had millions of readers looking at his cartoons the first thing before moving on to the day’s headlines. A COMMON LIFE Laxman’s inspiration was David Low, the famous British cartoonist. “He was the only cartoonist I was exposed to in my early childhood,” Laxman admitted. Low later visited him in Bombay. There were many, kings, queens and heads of states who sought him out. But this nation’s conscience-keeper once learnt the hard way the perils of being a common man. His car had broken down on Marine Drive in Mumbai on his way back from office. For over an hour, he stood on the road with his thumbs up, pleading for a ride. Not a single car stopped. It was little consolation that the next day, all the newspapers in the city carried this story on their front pages. It is ironical that this celebrated cartoonist was

at one time denied entry into the JJ School of Art for not having the “right” talent. That denial hurt him deeply. To young aspiring artists his advice was: “Don’t go to any art school; it kills your creativity.” He also encouraged them not to copy but develop their own style. With his passing away an epoch has ended. The man who worked with The Times of India since 1948 for over five decades, leaves behind a humungous body of work that should be treated as a national heritage. The best tribute to this genius would be to bring back cartoons to our front pages. Rasipuram Krishnaswami Laxman is dead, long live the Common Man! Ashim Choudhury is the author of “The Sergeant’s Son” VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 23

Advertising Brand building

growing economy affects the advertising world too. While the growth rate in India is at a steady five percent, overall investments in advertising and promotions have averaged around half a percent of the total GDP. The staggering number has resulted in countless commercial spots on television and radio and ads in newspapers. The Times of India alone brings, on an average, more than Rs 12 crore of daily revenue. But most readers spend less than 15 minutes on their morning paper even as countless advertisers try to catch their attention. Apart from this, more than six million spots are delivered to TV audiences. These, coupled with 100 mainline newspapers, 200 radio stations and countless

Advertising is all about ideasâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; brilliant, eye-catching, heart-tugging. And yet, some stand apart from the rest of the motley crowd for their engagement with society BY GOPINATH MENON

WHAT AN

24 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

MAKING A ROAR Aircel saw an opportunity and picked up the issue of tiger extinction to jazz up its brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fortunes

IDEA,SIRJI!

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 25

Advertising Brand building

PLEASURES OF A HAPPY HOME Adoption of the girl child is skillfully woven into the Nestle campaign that conveys the message of happiness through the language of food

billboards lead to “fatigue” among consumers. This is dangerous as the brands depend on the consumer’s attention for growth. No wonder they are looking at innovative ways to keep people engaged. Brands have now started to talk to consumers instead of talking down at them. The exclusivity of the past has given way to inclusiveness. Advertisers now focus on issues that concern society and everyday lives. Here are some ads that stood out for their engagement with society: AIRCEL: SAVE THE TIGER This was started some years ago when cellular service players were serious and aggressive about

Brands have started talking to consumers. The exclusivity of the past has now given way to inclusiveness. Advertisers now focus on issues that concern society and everyday lives.

26 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

“share of voice”. The belief was that anyone who shouts the loudest was the best. Aircel saw an opportunity and picked up the issue of tiger extinction to jack up its brand. Its initiative was shown on news channels and the implications to humans without tigers was stressed. It rubbed off positively on Aircel, which otherwise had no novelty. THE TIMES OF INDIA: LEAD INDIA AND TEACH INDIA In sync with the mind space it occupies, BCCL Group started a Leadership series involving leaders narrating their stories. This was followed by the popular “Teach India” campaign. It aimed at including youngsters who refrained from reading papers and instead, got news on mobiles. This TOI initiative appealed to educated readers and urged them to take up teaching the underprivileged with BCCL’s infrastructure and help. The campaign built social equity for The Times of India brand, which, otherwise was seen as a ship without a visible captain. The initiative was a

SOCIAL STRATEGY Tata Tea’s ‘Jago Re’ campaign was pegged along with the nation going to vote

Tea is supposed to kick-start your mind in the morning and the ‘Jago Re’ campaign was portrayed as kick-starting your future. This movement catalyzed the youth and the elderly.

marketing miracle. TATA TEA: ‘JAGO RE’ This was a scintillating case study of building social capital using a national concern. The “Need to Vote” in a striving democracy was the highlight of this campaign. The increase in voting over the last 6-7 years in Lok Sabha, assembly and university elections could perhaps be attributed to this strategic effort by Tata Tea. Most importantly, it was in sync with the product values of tea “waking” you up. Tea is supposed to kick-start your mind in the morning and the “Jago Re” campaign was portrayed as kick-starting your future. This was a movement that catalyzed the youth and elderly. It was shown in a commonsensical, humorous way. NESTLE: ADOPTION OF THE GIRL CHILD FMCG companies are often seen as chasing green bucks. They try to sell things to people that they don’t need, be it noodles, coffee, milk powder, snacks, soups, baby foods, ketchup, etc. And yet,

they are billion dollar companies which have looked after their stakeholders and customers. The answer lies in quality products that build happy homes through the homemaker. Hence, this corporate initiative by Nestle is rare and commendable. It emphasizes two things: One, the pain and pleasure of adopting a child, and second, the adopted girl child is from the North-east. It also conveys happiness through the language of food. Most homemakers, after seeing this commercial, would be tempted to buy a Nestle product to demonstrate affinity for this cause. All these ads show that it is not enough to have an idea. One has to be creative and sensitive about delivering the idea to your advantage. So while brands such as Airtel, Toyota and Seagram have attempted to build social capital, they need to learn sensitivity and relevance from the ones listed above. Otherwise, they will be one among the six million spots one sees every month and end up being blind spots in the consumers’ psyche, leaving one irritated. VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 27

DATE 17/1/15

17/1/15

NEWS Nine Censor Board members send their resignation letters to I&B Ministry in support of Leela Samson

NEWS

CHANNEL TIME

9:47 AM

18/1/15

19/1/15

9:58 AM

10:42AM

Shiv Sena considering contesting Delhi polls: Uddhav Thackeray 10:32 AM

17/1/15

9:50 AM

10:35 AM

2:00 PM

BJP is importing leaders, Kiran Bedi and Kejriwal are opportunists. Bedi always said she won’t enter politics: Ajay Maken

4:12PM

Camera has changed the definition of news, more focus on news on corruption and crime; social media breaks news faster than TV: Arun Jaitley

12:06PM

12:07PM

12:10PM

12:13PM

1:17PM

4:15PM

4:18PM

BJP has parachuted Kiran Bedi, she is being made a scapegoat for BJP’s defeat in Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal

Former AAP leader Vinod Kumar Binny joins BJP, could fight against Manish Sisodia High alert issued before Obama’s visit, threat of terror attack by LeT; security strengthened in India-Pak border, additional BSF unit sent to the borders

10:35AM

Congress lodges complaint with EC against Kejriwal for saying that the party indulges in distributing money

11:35 AM

28 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

10:38 AM

11:55 AM

1:19PM

4:18PM

10:46 AM

12:19 PM

11:26AM

Here are some of the major news items aired on television channels, recorded by our unique 24x7 dedicated media monitoring unit that scrutinizes more than 130 TV channels in different Indian languages and looks at who breaks the news first.

DATE 20/1/15

21/1/15

22/1/15

23/1/15

24/1/15

NEWS

CHANNEL TIME

Kiran Bedi declared CM candidate for BJP; Kejriwal congratulates Bedi, invites her for a public debate

9:05AM

9:07AM

Top Delhi state leaders Mahesh Giri, Vijay Goel, Harshvardhan present in Kiran Bedi’s road show before nomination; Bedi will keep the education and home department

10:30 AM

10:31 AM

9:07AM

10:42AM

10:33AM

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari’s challenge to Kejriwal to fight against Bedi

Modi and Obama to address a joint Mann ki baat on January 27, Michelle Obama to accompany

11:37 AM

11:47 AM

11:48AM

9:08AM

9:35AM

11:08AM

11:48AM

11:32AM

Kiran Bedi is BJP’s masterstroke, will prove to be a good CM: Shanti Bhushan

Obama to India Today: Modi’s becoming PM is beneficial for USA, Modi has a clear vision and Modi’s policies will improve Indo-US relations

10:04 AM

10:05AM

1:58PM

1:59PM

10:05AM

Modi to address 3-4 election rallies in Delhi, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhay says he will be addressing the rallies from January 29 to February 4

2:13PM

2:15PM

Barack Obama’s Agra tour cancelled for security reasons; was scheduled to visit Agra with Michelle on January 27

1:12PM

1:13PM

10:10AM

1:15PM

1:20PM

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 29

DATE 25/1/15

25/1/15

27/1/15

28/1/15

NEWS Barack Obama and Michelle Obama reach India; Modi receives Obama with a warm handshake and a hug; Obama to stay in ITC Maurya, security strengthened

NEWS

CHANNEL TIME

10:23AM

11:31AM

11:33AM

10:23AM

White House tweets Jai Hind after Obama lands in India

Barack Obama pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi; plants tree 12:55PM

12:55PM

2:00PM

12:45PM

12:46PM

1:15PM

1:25PM

1:27PM

Obama reaches Hyderabad House, Modi also present, bilateral talks begin

Kiran Bedi sends legal notice to Arvind Kejriwal for using her picture on AAP campaign posters, on auto-rickshwas

Obama to leave for Saudi Arabia after delivering his speech at Siri Fort, broadcast of Modi-Obama joint Mann-ki-baat on AIR at 8pm Obama begins his speech at Siri Fort with a Namaste in Hindi; says he loved the bike stunts at R-Day parade, Obama also says the famous Sinorita dialogue from DDLJ

9:31AM

9:32AM

12:43PM

Mary Kom meets PM Modi, invites him for Academy's inauguration 12:29PM

30 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

12:38 PM

9:40AM

12:43PM

10:17AM

12:43PM

12:44PM

DATE 28/1/15

29/1/15

30/1/15

31/1/15

NEWS Opposition parties might release a fake sting operation against AAP like last time, no one will believe is it: Arvind Kejriwal

NEWS

CHANNEL TIME

1:17PM

1:18PM

1:31PM

12:12PM

12:29PM

12:30PM

12:34PM

12:37PM

12:41PM

12:42PM

12:44PM

1:13PM

1:14PM

1:17PM

Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 67th death anniversary; Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi also reach Rajghat to pay homage

10:01AM

Arun Jaitley on Jayanthi Natarajan: Green clearances given arbitrarily during UPA, will review all clearances, will supervise the review myself

10:40AM

10:41AM

10:42AM

9:21AM

1:10PM

1:22PM

Delhi election: EC gives clean chit to Kiran Bedi in double voter ID cards issue

Sports ministry increases award money; Olympic champions will now get `75 lakh, silver medalists `50 lakh and bronze medal winners `30 lakh

Delhi Police Commissioner Bassi: Sunanda Pushkar's Son Called for Questioning

10:10AM

10:50AM

Agni 5, India's Longest Range Ballistic Missile, successfully test-fired

Complaint lodged against Kumar Viswas for making indecent remarks against Kiran Bedi, BJP will also lodge a complaint with the EC

1:07PM

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 31

Governance Case Study

Ethical management

PLAYING IT STRAIGHT Business Standard descibed Alexander K Luke as a “turnaround man”

HEN Narendra Modi became the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001, numerous delegations met him. Employees of Baroda’s Gujarat State Fertiliser Corporation (GSFC) was one of them. The company was making losses, the workers feared for their jobs and they beseeched Modi for the sake of their families. Modi sought some time as he was new to

32 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

administrative matters. His officials said the choice was binary: loss-making state enterprises were closed down or sold off. Modi decided on a third alternative—that of reviving them. GUTSY BUREAUCRAT Alexander K Luke, a bureaucrat, was the official chosen. He lived up to the trust. When he took over in May 2003, GSFC was bleeding. Losses for the pre-

WHEN TOUGH MEN DON’T LAST

Being morally upright in a world of business and political machinations is not for the faint-hearted. Bureaucrat Alexander Luke, like many before him, learnt it the hard way BY VIVIAN FERNANDES

vious financial year had piled up to `383 crore. The stock price in the Bombay Stock Exchange was `17. The company had sought legal protection from creditors. The Reserve Bank had agreed to its bank debt being restructured. By the time Luke quit in November 2006, GSFC’s stock price was `185. In between, it had closed at a high of `243. It had not taken any money from the government and had prematurely repaid

a 10-year loan. No worker was sacked. Luke ascribes the turnaround to “ethical management” by which he means doing whatever is good for an organization, regardless of personal consequences. At GSFC, he claims, he braved the displeasure of Chief Minister Modi by not agreeing to contribute `10 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, as it was beyond the company’s capacity (he was vetoed by the other directors). While holding additional charge of Gujarat Narmada Fertilisers, he refused to implement a government order transferring the managing director of a subsidiary because (a) transfers were his prerogative and (b) he felt the executive deserved to be rewarded, not punished. Upon assuming charge at GSFC, he renegotiated a supply contract and got a giant petrochemicals company (no prizes for guessing) to pay the market price (almost double) and also cancelled a dealership that sat in between because it was not adding VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 33

Governance Case Study

Ethical management

“Public interest was the oracle I would turn for seeking answers. There must be an objective good. Search for it continuously and you would know what to do.” —Alexander Luke on what goads him to be ethical

AN ICON FOR INDIANS "Metro Man" E Sreedharan is known for instilling ethical work philosophy amongst Delhi Metro staff

value to the `50 lakh it was getting in commissions annually. Cheekily, Luke says, the dealership belonged to a person whose name was similar to that of a Gujarat minister who is related to the family that owns the petrochemicals complex! Luke has written a 1,70,000-word book on ethical management called, Passport of Gujarat: Hazardous Journey. It is a 30-year personal excursion through the innards of the government. The book published by Delhi-based Manas Publications is due for release in January. It can be more aptly titled, “Why Government Sucks”. As labour commissioner in 1990-91, Luke carried on a rigorous drive to enforce the Minimum Wages Act. This offended a well-known garment exporter with multiple factories in India and also in Sri Lanka and Egypt. For his pains, Luke was transferred to the cottage industries department, despite withering comment in the media. Harish Khare (who later became Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s media adviser) named the industrialist in his Times of India report, says Luke. Ela Bhatt, the founder of Self-Employed Women’s Association, popularly known as

34 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

SEWA, interceded on his behalf with the chief minister, to little avail. SHAMELESS EMBEZZLEMENT As cottage industries commissioner, Luke found his officers indulging in brazen embezzlement. In Saurashtra, they held a public event attended by three ministers to celebrate the installation of 1,800 handlooms in the district— the year’s target for the entire state. But an investigation revealed that all but 56 were fictitious. Of the 1,050 registered cooperative societies which got grants and subsidies, 955 were found to be non-existent. That was in 1992. When MLAs and other political heavyweights complained that the investigation went against Dalit welfare, the chief minister arranged a meeting. Luke countered the charges with facts and figures. After the meeting, the chief minister complimented Luke. A week later, he was ordered out of the department. “I was a person of average intrinsic ability,” says Luke on his website, www.ethicalmanagementluke.com. “Ethically armed, I won luminous victories.” Luke is being modest. He studied in IIT Mumbai and was awarded the distinguished alumnus award in 2001 along with Congress leader and minister, Jairam Ramesh. For Luke, ethical management is not a call to piety. He has no use for the honest leader who plays safe. “Mine was not a moral crusade but a managerial strategy,” he says about his stint in the labour department. It could not function effectively if officers were venal. After regular field visits and relentless exhortation, he saw a change of heart. The head of the officers association even confessed to him that many officers had decided to desist from corruption till he was in charge. Perhaps, Luke was being flattered. Perhaps, they had decided not to be brazen in their self-aggrandizement. An ethical manager is not a lone ranger. Luke does not suffer the delusion that he is the solution. There can be no success without everyone pitching in. He recognizes competence in others, empowers them to take decisions and assures them of his back-

ing. There could be no dithering; every meeting had to yield a decision. At all the struggling companies he headed, emphasis was placed on sound management information. Daily production, the total cost and item-wise break-up, the sales inventory, the stock of raw material, prices, sales realization, the maintenance cost and such other details were displayed for everyone to see. Workers found this empowering. They saw a causal link between their efforts and the company’s performance. Even loaders gave preference to trucks serving markets that yielded higher profits. HUMANE APPROACH Empowerment does not mean being ingratiating. At the height of labour unrest at one of the plants, Luke suspended a worker for destroying the glass door of his office with a steel pipe. Indiscipline is not tolerated. But the suspension was revoked after an apology. When workers demand Diwali bonus which is beyond the company’s capacity to pay, he takes the union leader into confidence and wins him over with his transparent honesty. They settle for a much smaller amount. Luke believes that the major problems of modern society are ethical, though they may appear in other guises. Their solutions lie in ethics. India’s fiscal deficit can be plugged if money is spent on welfare as intended; if project costs are not inflated and money siphoned off; if taxes are paid honestly.... A few score “ethicals” can change India. Luke believes national resurgence is impossible without a critical mass of ethical elite being on the vanguard. These are pathfinders who are willing to fight for public interest. They will be a fraction of the power elite. A country’s greatness is determined by the numbers willing to cross over. The ethical elite must act as fifth columnists or Trojans for the sake of the many who are not as fortunate, and become traitors to their privileged class. This is not an act of hero-

ism. It is selfishness of a noble, creative kind. Luke believes that altruism, like material possessions, satisfies a psychic need. Honest achievement raises self-worth just as worldly goods increase one’s net worth. This is not a novel idea. In his December 1922 speech to the members of Poona (as it was then called) District Law Library, BR Ambedkar mentioned “public conscience” as one of the “conditions precedent to the successful working of a democracy”. By this he meant the “conscience that becomes agitated at every wrong, no matter who is the sufferer, and it means that everybody, whether he suffers that particular wrong or not, is prepared to join in order to get him relieved”. Early in his career, Luke saw how the Mumbai plant of the Gujarat’s fisheries department was made to bleed and its 3,500 square yard plot sold in 1983 through a rigged auction for `9.5 lakh—about the same price at which it was bought two decades earlier. There are quite a few such instances. Most of Luke’s postings ended in unpleasantness for him. To not lose heart, Luke decided to work for the “mythical citizen” who does not have any vested interest and measures the success of officials by

UP AGAINST THE POWERFUL Alexander Luke never flinched to stand up to his political bosses, including the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 35

Governance Case Study

Ethical management

the extent to which they uphold public interest. “This was the oracle I would turn to when I sought answers. There must be an objective good. Search for it continuously and you would know what to do,” Luke tells himself.

ALWAYS IN LIMELIGHT Luke was awarded the IIT alumnus award in 2001, along with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

COMPROMISED SYSTEM In the end, Luke’s inability to kow-tow to the powers-that-be leads to his premature retirement. The denouement happens at a review meeting of the drip irrigation programme, entrusted to him by Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Luke sets up the Gujarat Green Revolution Company to persuade farmers to do drip and sprinkler irrigation through novel management practices. They pay half the amount, while the rest is paid by the government. But no cash changes hands. All payments are made electronically so there is a paper trail. Suppliers cannot scoot after selling equipment; they have to market the concept and appoint agronomists to hand-hold the farmers. A year later, Luke expects praise from Chief Minister Modi; he is criticized instead. “I told him his assessment was wrong and the scheme’s implementation was exemplary and was being welcomed in the field. My daring to do so resulted in a stunned reaction in the room after which he (Modi) remained ominously calm.” Luke asserts that the players,bankers,drip equipment suppliers and most important, farmers, were

36 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

happy with it. The mention of farmers infuriates the ministers even more. “How could a civil servant, and one who was not too civil, talk about the farmers and what they felt? That only a politician could do,” said Luke. This is the nub of the problem. Luke believes that a civil servant works for the interests of the people or rather public interest, and he should directly interact with the beneficiaries during the implementation of any scheme. But politicians consider themselves to be the intermediaries. They tell the civil servant what the people want and it is the politician’s instructions that the civil servant should follow. They want the civil servant to be not a servant of the people but an instrument in the hands of the politician. “I rejected this assertion, particularly looking at the calibre of our politicians. But it is a fiction many civil servants maintain for their own convenience. This is the conflict that is now raging all over the country,” Luke says. No one takes on the chief minister and survives. Luke ascribes Modi’s spleen to the reasons mentioned at the beginning of the article. There is professional jealousy as well; the chief secretary and Luke did not get along. Luke is transferred as principal secretary, posts and telegraphs. It is a promotion but no sooner than he receives the order by fax, Luke puts in his papers. The chief minister summons him later and persuades him to withdraw his resignation. Luke insists that his transfer be rescinded. In the clash of two headstrong persons, one had to give in. Luke buys a one-way ticket to Kerala and flies out in the second week of November 2006, two years before his retirement. He now lives as a gentleman-farmer. When Luke resigned, Business Standard described him as a turnaround man. His ethical success, Luke says, is a reproach to the many professionals who have achieved it conventionally. This is a book that some of the better-known publishers should have accepted. Luke sent them the manuscript, but they sat on it or turned it down. Perhaps the title put them off. He should have disguised it as a book on wellness.

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Governance Interview Pahlaj Nihalani

“EVERYONE IS PRO-MODI, PRO-BJP TODAY” Controversial as this statement is, coming from the new Censor Board chairman, PAHLAJ NIHALANI, it has dangerous portents. He says in a few years, everybody will merge with the BJP

38 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

PAHLAJ NIHALANI always knew that he wanted to be in the film business. He wanted to buy the runaway hit of 1966, “Phool Aur Patthar”, at the age of 14. He couldn’t buy it due to family pressure, but the success of the film at the box office gave him confidence in his judgment. Soon, he got into film production. However, it was in 2014 that he made news with his pre-election video,“Har Ghar Modi”, an ode to BJP’s PM candidate, Narendra Modi. He’s back in the news as the new chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification in the wake of the controversial exit of his predecessor, Leela Samson. SOMI DAS talks to him about his love for Modi, dealing with right-wing protests, nudity and tackling the issue of religion in films.

Did you know you would be chosen for this post? It was a surprise for me. I came to know of it through the media. Later, the board officially called me and confirmed the news. The decision must have been made quickly as the entire Censor Board had resigned? No, its term had expired and they were on extension. Tell us about your work before you became Censor chief? By the age of 25, I was already in the business of film buying. I came into film production at the age of 29. But I have always been involved in social work and worked for the government whenever needed. I have raised funds for it during calamities. I have done charity work for former Gujarat chief minister, Chimanbhai Patel, and did a charity show, “Star Nights”, in Gujarat. I also did fund-raising during the Bhuj earthquake. I contributed ` 4.5 crore to Vilasrao Deshmukh’s CM’s Relief Fund for the quake. I have worked for the Jyoti Basu government. I do not have any political biases. I am a man for the people. I gave `1 crore to Atal Bihari Vajpayee for Odisha. I have done charity shows in Delhi during Indira Gandhi’s tenure also.

office was that you were proud to be a BJP man. If I like something, why should I hide it? Do you believe your strong political leanings could affect the fair discharge of your duties? Everybody knows I am impartial. I am sincere in my work. I believe in transparency. I don’t care what other people think about me. However, a majority of the nine-member Censor Board appointed recently seem to be BJP sympathizers. Vani Tripathi is a member of the BJP. Don’t you see any-

CHANTING MODI’S NAME Nihalani’s pre-election music video, Har ghar Modi was an ode to the BJP PM candidate

You say you have no political biases, but your first statement on assuming this VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 39

Governance Interview Pahlaj Nihalani

CLEAN ENTERTAINMNET Nihalani says his flilms like Aankhen and Shola aur Shabnam not only provided healthy entertainment but also set a trend in the comedy-action genre

thing wrong in this? Has the UPA government ever appointed any BJP member on the board? And everyone is pro-Modi and pro-BJP today. Even members of the Congress are merging into the BJP. In a few years, with Modi’s work, everybody will merge with the BJP. Every regional party is merging with the BJP. Everybody believes in the vision of Modi. Would you pass a film that is critical of the government or the PM? I will never allow any film that will damage harmony in the country. I am not concerned about whether a film is critical of the government or not. If the content is good and clean, there is nothing that can stop its release. But I will not allow anyone to cross the barrier.

Even if you cut out nudity from films, everything is available on television and most importantly, on the net….It is a money-minting machine. It’s affecting our people. Laws are required to keep a check. 40 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

Shouldn’t the film fraternity have some protection from right-wing threats due to the huge investment involved? It is not in my jurisdiction to protect someone’s investment. Everyone should be responsible for themselves. Filmmakers must know what they are giving to the people. One should not show vulgarity to the younger generation. One should follow the guidelines of the Censor Board and there will be no problem in releasing a film at all. There is no question of bias. Religion is a touchy issue in India. How do you plan to deal with it in films? We have to make sure that the sentiments of no community are hurt. There should be members from different sections of society on the jury which judges the content in films. I am the chairperson. I am not going to watch each and every film. So it is very necessary to have the right people on the panel. You have been emphasizing the importance of “clean and healthy entertainment”. What is your definition of that? There are many examples of clean and healthy entertainment. Basu Chatterjee and Rishi da (Hrishikesh Mukherjee) have always given clean movies. Even masala films like Krishh and Koi Mil Gaya qualify as clean movies. Even your films like Aankhen and Shola aur Shabnam?

Yes. They were clean and entertaining. Aankhen and Shola aur Shabnam worked as comedy and action films and set a trend. Even a film like Padosan didn’t work that time. But today, it is being copied. How you present a movie matters the most. By that standard, a film like Gangs of Wasseypur would be rather violent. Would its fate be any different if you were at the helm of affairs then? I can’t talk about a particular film that was cleared by the previous board. I have also not seen the movie. But I must say that media makes heroes out of some people. Media thinks these people are making real cinema. All people in UP and MP are not like what the film has portrayed them to be. The film medium is a very strong one. We have to see what message it conveys. What are you saying through the film? That our Indian culture is like that? That people of Bihar and UP are rough? We send our movies for the international audience also. If we are showing our people in a bad light, what is the message we are sending to them? Then why did Indian producers criticize Slumdog Millionaire for projecting India as a poor country? When we are criticizing foreign filmmakers for projecting India in bad light, what right do we have to show our country in a bad light? The guidelines for making cuts in films are there for you to see.

The government has to do something about it. Even if you cut out nudity from films, everything is available on television and most importantly, on the net. If you have a phone, you will have access to such material easily. People are watching it openly. Children are watching such videos on YouTube. An actress from the porn industry has become a part of the film industry. She is popular because her site is popular. Then how do you control nudity? It is a money-minting machine. It’s affecting our people. Laws are required to keep a check on access to these sites. Let’s talk about political pressure on the Censor Board to release the film, MSG. Was Leela Samson wrong when she spoke about political pressure? I think, jate jate kuch kar jana tha, woh karke gayi (She had to do something before leaving, so she created a controversy). Why talk about it?

COMRADES-IN-ARMS

Should MSG have been released given there were criminal cases against Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who plays a

Nihalani with expelled BJP leader Ram Jethmalani(Right) and actor and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha

So, are films not being cleared according to Censor Board guidelines? No, the guidelines were not being followed. Are we going to see some drastic changes in the way films are certified? No, there will be nothing drastic. I will follow the guidelines. Nothing else. Neither am I going to harm nor give relief to anyone. You have also spoken about censoring nudity in cinema and on television also. How will you do that? VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 41

Governance Interview Pahlaj Nihalani

What is the message of Gangs of Wasseypur? That people in Bihar and MP are rough? We send our movies for the international audience also. Is this Indian culture? messenger of God in this film? That’s not the point. That is not under my jurisdiction. The picture was cleared by the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal. And the Censor Board can’t go against the Tribunal. But isn’t it very unusual for the Tribunal to clear a film rejected by the Censor Board? Is there any precedence to this? I don’t know. But there are many options open to a filmmaker. The first stage in getting a film cleared is the Censor Board. After that, the film goes for revision and re-revision. If not cleared, the film is referred to the tribunal. If the tribunal also doesn’t okay the film, he can go to the courts. Many a time, a film has been cleared after court orders. Have you watched PK and Haider? No, I have not seen these as yet. You seem to have missed seeing these

controversial films. What do you think about controversies surrounding them? As a filmmaker, I believe that viewers are the best judge. If a film does well at the box office, that shows viewers have liked the film. If people are the best judge, why have a Censor Board? People can see a film only after the Censor Board sees that it is clean and clears it. Which is the first film you have cleared? Shamitabh. Did you like the film? I can’t say anything about the film. There was nothing wrong with it. Are you producing any film? Yes, Bol India Bol. It’s on today’s students and how they become victims of the drug mafia. The film will star Govinda, Sunny Deol and Shatrughan Sinha. Let’s talk about your love for Modi. How did you conceive the video, “Har ghar Modi”? Modi had already proved his strength and leadership in Gujarat. After Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, we have got another strong leader in Modi. I believed in Modi’s leadership and I wanted others to see it. It was a personal initiative. There was no contribution from anyone. A Delhi girl, Heena Khan, wrote the song for the video following my vision. The catch line, Har Ghar Modi, was given by me. Why do you call him an action hero? Because he is a man of action. He is delivering what he is promising. One last question. Are you Govind Nihalani’s brother? (laughs) No. We are good friends.

42 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

Governance Spotlight

Coverage of Terror Attacks

SHOULD GOVERNMENT CONTROL

REPORTING?

t has been said that journalists are terrorists’ best friends, because they are willing to give terrorist operations maximum exposure. This is not to say that journalists as a group are sympathetic to terrorists, although it may appear so. It simply means that violence is news, whereas peace and harmony are not. The terrorists need the media, and the media find in terrorism all the ingredients of an exciting story.”—Terrorism expert Walter Laqueur in his book, The New Terrorism (1999). Laqueur first suggested the symbiotic relationship shared between journalists and terrorists in the 1970s while studying how the American media covered hostage and terror situations. Today, his observations ring true as terrorist groups become adept at using various forms of media to gain maximum traction during an attack. There is, however, one vital change. Though journalists and news organizations have been willing or unwilling conduits of terror news all these years, that system is crumbling now. With terrifying speed, the

44 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

Even six years later, there are no guidelines for journalists to observe during a terror strike BY AKASH BANERJEE

Smoke and fire billow out of Taj Hotel in Mumbai as elite commandos fought room to room battles with militants to save people trapped there during the 26/11 terror attack VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 45

Governance Spotlight

Coverage of Terror Attacks

IN THE HOT SEAT Media reporting during the 26/11 attack

merchants of death are discovering they can connect directly to millions of people and spread their message of panic and hate though social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. The Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi demonstrated this with chilling accuracy. Even though the media was restrained from beaming live images, the theater quickly shifted online with the Al-Shabab terror group launching its own (mis)information campaign through social media sites. The terrorist of tomorrow will be as adept at Twitter as with AK-47s. This is a worrying scenario for India where after six years and a change of government, we are still trying to figure out how to handle news media during a 26/11 like situation—an online counter-offensive by the authorities is a pipe dream at best. While speaking at the Justice JS Verma Memorial

46 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

Lecture recently, I&B Minister Arun Jaitley indicated that “strict” norms would be put in place soon to regulate broadcast during a terror attack and to prevent a Mumbai-like situation where terrorists gained vantage from information provided on news channels. “Our security agencies and the ministry of defense are of the view that this cannot be allowed. And, therefore, during the limited duration when the security operation is on, a very strict discipline on the kind of reporting which is to take place from the place of the incident will have to be maintained,” Jaitley said. Jaitley’s comment is of particular interest in the light of the badgering that the media received for its coverage of 26/11. The minister admits that even six years later, there are no guidelines for the media to observe during a terror attack. During the Mumbai siege, while the record of

the media was far from exemplary, the government’s actions (or the lack of it) seem to have been glossed over. What’s widely reported is the story of how the government ignored intelligence reports about an impending attack; the infighting within the Mumbai police and lack of coordination and planning that resulted in four young fidayeen holding out against our best and brightest for days on end. What isn’t talked about is how the government’s handling of media and information was even more disastrous. Let’s take a look: Within hours of the attack, it was clear to the intelligence agencies that terrorists were being guided by their handlers via sat phones that included a running commentary on what was happening outside via news channels. What prevented the authorities from ordering a full evacuation of media persons from the

precincts of the Taj hotel? Media teams are denied access to even a basic scene of crime. What prevented a commonsensical step from being taken? The I&B ministry could have imposed a news blackout. Why didn’t it do so? Instead of presenting a single stream of information, various branches of the government spoke in different voices. The security forces too jumped into the melee.Through the entire incident, the media worked with meager resources and information and never broke any government directive. Expecting a hundred journalists during the biggest terror attack of our times to “restrain themselves” was impractical. Calls were being made by the minute and yet no one had a clue about the overall picture. “The (media) beast has to be constantly fed. The information flow from government sources was terrible,” said Rajdeep Sardesai, (then edi-

The media worked with meager resources. Expecting the 100 or so journalists to restrain themselves was really not practical.

VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 47

Governance Spotlight

Coverage of Terror Attacks

tor-in-chief of CNN-IBN) to the Christian Science Monitor later. What Sardesai didn’t mention was that there was unprecedented viewer interest in what was going on, people clung to their TV sets for days to see the events unfold. The Supreme Court didn’t see it that way; it held back no punches when it observed, that channels “have served no national interest or any social cause. Reckless coverage gave rise to a situation where...the terrorists were completely hidden from the security forces. All operational movements were being watched by the collabo-

“During the limited duration when the security operation is on, a very strict discipline on the kind of reporting which is to take place from the site will have to be maintained.” — I&B Minister Arun Jaitley 48 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

rators across the border on TV screens and being communicated to the terrorists. The goriest details were shown live on Indian TV from beginning to end, almost non-stop.” Ironically, the court didn’t question why the government allowed media so close to the action scene. Perhaps another inquiry needs to be done to understand the pressing need to allow thousands of Mumbaikars to mill around the Taj even as the encounter was on. The media was reporting from behind a cordon drawn by the police—an area that was accessible to the general public as much as the media. The media never had any special access. What if one of the terrorists decided to spray the promenade outside the Taj with an AK or lob a grenade? While it’s no secret that the government failed before and during 26/11, it’s worrying that tomorrow when terrorists mount an offensive with bullets —we will fail even more spectacularly. Terrorists think and plan way ahead. The AlShabaab terrorist group went online during their attack at Nairobi’s Westgate Mall. While the television media was kept out of direct visual contact of

WHAT GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO IN A TERROR ATTACK Set up a security ring around the area, and give directions to the media. There is no reason why the media will not hold back. (This protocol is still not followed as the recent live broadcast of a counter-insurgency operation in J&K’s Uri sector demonstrated). Regular, authentic, verified, non-compromising media updates, on an hourly basis. (The government tends to go into a shell during a crisis. In the information age, this is counterproductive). Social media cells to monitor traffic and information being posted online by media houses and terror groups to prevent any misinformation campaign. Clear and direct lines of communication with prominent media houses to ensure that strategic information is put out in a synergized manner. Hold periodic seminars with editors, journalists and police officers on how the media plays out coverage of a terrorist attack and where the intervention points could be.

the mall – the government failed to provide critical updates to the media on the operations to end the crisis. This gap was exploited by the terror group to float its own version of the attack. Morphed photos posted by the group were picked up by mainstream publications, creating panic. Clearly, the terrorists outfoxed the government in the information game and prolonged the crisis by a huge margin. We shouldn’t be surprised if the next wave of terror attacks has live tweets coming from inside to amplify the shock effect of the act. Is the Indian government equipped to handle such a situation, technically or strategically? While we grapple with TV broadcast, the speed at which social media works, the difficulty in blocking it and its global consumption pattern present a unique challenge for security forces during future terror attacks. How will the government machinery put out faster, more credible information, than terror groups? How will the authorities beat the opponents in the information game? To begin with, the government needs to understand the media in a new light; for now, it’s an irritant, that needs to be tolerated in

With terrifying speed, the merchants of death are discovering they can connect directly with millions of people and spread their message of hate though social media tools like Facebook and Twitter.

the name of freedom of press and democracy. During a terror attack the media will have to be an ally of the government, helping it to disseminate information on a minute-to-minute basis. Terrorists have to be denied success. The way to do that would be to steal the terrorists’ best friend – the media. The 26/11 attack was the first of its kind for the government and the media. Mistakes were made on both sides and terrorists took advantage of that, but to defeat them in future, the government will have to act WITH the media, not against it.

SIEGE OF TERROR (Above) A woman climbs down to safety (Facing page) Terrorists look out for their target during the 26/11 attack

— Akash Banerjee is a broadcast professional and author of ‘“Tales from Shining and Sinking India” VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015 49

Governance

All That Matters Grapevine

Beautiful Ilmi fter tweeting that Katrina Kaif be considered for the post of president of the country (he later tweeted that he was joking), Justice Markandey Katju was at it again. He tweeted that if Shazia Ilmi was made chief ministerial candidate, the BJP would definitely win the Delhi poll battle, as people vote for beautiful faces. “I regard Shazia Ilmi much more beautiful than Kiran Bedi. If Shazia had been made their CM candidate BJP wud have definitely won DelhI,” he tweeted. Does this come under freedom of expression?

Management nion minister for health and family welfare, JP Nadda, has not been able to find much time for his ministry. First, he was made in-charge of the party’s campaign in J&K elections, then, he got busy with the elections in Delhi. Juggling so many responsibilities has become a big problem for Nadda. Even serious concerns like the H1N1 scare have been put under the care of the ministry’s bureaucrats.

Lunch

Diplomacy espite bad weather and cold winds, lunch bashes by ministers are going on as usual for journos in Delhi. One such bash was hosted by HRD Minister Smriti Irani at her new Tughlak Crescent bungalow. Amidst good food, a classy ambience, laughter, bonhomie and selfies, the happy Irani family was introduced to all the bureaucrats and media personnel present. Many wondered if all this would help the party for the coming Delhi elections.

Illustrations: UdayShankar

50 VIEWS ON NEWS February 22, 2015

Break

n a cold, rainy day, during the grueling campaign for the elections in Delhi, the minister of science and technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan, offered tea to his party workers along with Marie biscuits, saying they were healthy and low in calories; excess calories would hamper their energy levels, he said. In stark contrast, journalists on the beat were offered gulab jamuns and samosas, prompting many hacks to wonder why the minister would want sluggish journos on the trail.

Time

—Compiled by Roshni

Refreshment

Retirement woes fter the Haryana government’s decision to bring down the retirement age of its officers to 58, babus of the central government are panicstricken. The word going around in the bhavans of the capital is that the central government too migh follow Haryana’s example after the elections in Delhi are over. Toprung bureaucrats are a worried lot these days!

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