In the last two years, a new trend has been observed in the Indian Society. The advent of Private TV Channels has brought in a silent revolution and has made it possible to empower the common man to influence Government decisions and actions.The re opening of the murder cases relating to Jessica Lal and Priyadersini Matoo are all due to the role played by the private TV Channels and the media in building up of public opinion and forcing the Government to act. The ongoing media coverage on the Noida serial killing has already forced the State Government to agree for a CBI probe. These are only a few examples of the newly discovered power of public acting through the free media. Coupled with this development, we also see the increasing use of the newly enforced Right to Information Act, which has become a powerful weapon to seek information from the Government and other Public authorities.
These are very important milestone in perfecting the democratic institutions of the nation. The significance of these developments lies in the fact that the common man is now feeling that he has something through which he can have his voice heard by the authorities and in the process forcing it to perform its rightful duty. As a side effect of this development, we find that the electronic media is also increasingly resorting to investigative journalism to uncover various corrupt practices. It is only a matter of time before the Courts may allow the evidence gathered electronically to be admissible in the judicial process.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->increasing use of the newly enforced Right to Information Act,<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is most powerful tool available now; I hope it stays, as Govt. is trying to put this in cold storage. We should thank female IPS officer from Punjab/Harayana to influence NDA politicians to provide this tool to public.
In late 70s and early 80s, Arun Shourie exposed Antulay using Indian Express. It was one man crusade. Currently TV is used both ways, it had become propaganda tool for those with agenda and actually they are quiet good in brainwashing common people. Average Indian public is not mature enough to understand psy-ops and question media. Don't forget, just to make news sensational, some journalist helped one man to commit suicide. Or Rahul Gandhi stopped his car on road and Walla all of sudden girls climbing over him, what a cheap publicity stunt by Congress.
Mattoo and Jessica Lal cases are eye opening cases, how law enforcing agency favors politician and destroy evidence by every illegal means. I hope this may start honest approach towards crime, but frankly I donât have trust in Indian Government or Police or Judiciary. There are some honest people rests all are crook paid by Government to promote Congress/dynasty agenda. Recent multiple molesting and Noida case reflects Police is still sleeping and working for Politicians.
Earlier in India, Doordarshan was the only TV Channel and it was run by the Government.Now under the liberalised scheme, the private sector is allowed to run TV channels.
Yes Mudyji, there are still certain areas in the operation of free media which needs finetuning. As all coins have two sides, we also see the increasing mis use of the media to persue certain line of thinking.The Indian public is intelligent enough to understand what is good and what is bad for them, so the scope of influencing public opinion through the electronic media has its limitations. <this is exactly the reason why the voting figures of any political party cannot be neasured by the size of political rallies it held.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>How to leak Govt secrets and get away </b>
S Rajagopalan | Washington
Coming soon, WikiLeak to post sensitive documents
Leaking Government secrets will soon become an easy affair, courtesy a new service being launched by the popular online encyclopaedia site, Wikipedia.
Anyone with a Government secret to share with the world can simply post the sensitive or embarrassing official documents on the new site, to be called WikiLeaks, without fear of being found out. No more the grim prospect of a jail sentence or stiff fine.
Â
Like YouTube, the hugely popular video sharing website, Wikipedia has become the buzzword for netizens across the world in recent times, prompting the group to announce plans to launch www.wikileaks.org within the next two months.
"WikiLeaks is an uncensorable version of Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis," the group says, stressing that the new service will combine the "protection and anonymity of cutting-edge cryptographic technologies with the transparency and simplicity of a wiki interface".
The service assures full-scale safety for those willing to leak secrets. An e-mail or document posted on a website can be traced back to its source with the help of the IP address of the last server it passes through.
But WikiLeaks, it is said, will exploit "an anonymising protocol known as The Onion Router (Tor), which routes data through a network of servers that use cryptography to hide the path that the packets took".
Why the new venture? Pat comes the answer: "Principled leaking has changed the course of history for the better; it can alter the course of history in the present; it can lead us to a better future."
The group's primary interests are said to be "oppressive regimes in Asia (read China, North Korea etc.), the former Soviet bloc, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East". But then, WikiLeaks expects "to be of assistance to those in the West who wish to reveal unethical behaviour in their own Governments and corporations".
Even before the formal launch, Wikipedia says it has received as many as 1.2 million documents "from dissident communities and anonymous sources".
"What conscience cannot contain, and institutional secrecy unjustly conceals, WikiLeaks can broadcast to the world," it says, adding: "We believe that transparency in Government activities leads to reduced corruption, better government and stronger democracies. Many Governments would benefit from increased scrutiny by the world community, as well as their own people. We believe this scrutiny requires information."
<b>WikiLeaks is said to be founded by Chinese dissidents, mathematicians and start-up company technologists from the US, Taiwan, Europe, Australia and South Africa. Its advisory body, still in the process of being constituted, includes representatives from expatriate Russian and Tibetan refugee communities, reporters, a former US intelligence analyst and cryptographers</b>.
Governments apart, there are other critics of the new venture.<b> "The initiative could drown in fabricated documents, pornographic records or become hijacked to serve vendettas," warned Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists in comments to the "New Scientist". </b>
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Great tool to bring down any elected government. It will do wonders in far left liberals who can selectively target government.
Now question is who are behind other than Chinese dissidents. I hope you guessed Right. Great tool by the uncle, for uncle, all for uncle. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--emo&:ind--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' /><!--endemo--> If you have complaints against Govt. of India departments, you can now lodge complaint at the following site.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://darpg-grievance.nic.in<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They only acknowledge receiving letter, never seen any action taken against anybody. I have tried twice.
Now, I don't have any trust on them.
<!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> Keep trying Mudy(try try again; King Bruce and the spider).
Take the help of: http://www.jago.in/contacts.php
And even make it an election issue.
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->