Is police acting deliberately?

Investigating agencies in any serial blasts by terrorists usually have two big-time `friends' - the ubiquitous cell phones and emails. The perpetrators behind most attacks were traced by combing through a series of cell phone calls or by sifting through millions of emails, including some in coded language. In 13th July Blast Mumbai police suspect two residents of Juhu and Grant Road, Subhan alias Tauqir and Aslam. Police need their email ID; can any Indian hacker reach to them? Can any cyber security cell do the miracle? However, how are these mails going to help police? Nowadays, almost every kid knows the trick to use temporally email IDs and everyone know the funda to maintain anonymity on internet. Not only Abdul Subhan alias Tauqir is a computer engineer but also an expert in making bombs. And, this is known to the mastermind and chief of Indian Mujahideen also known as Bin Laden of India. Thus, it’s not easy to get the personal email ID of Tauqir.

Another thing is that when police is aware about whom they are where they stay and their other details then can’t they raid their place and nab them? Or it’s again a stunt to mislead media and common man? The men behind the attacks kept far way from cell phones and emails. The only time they used the cell phone was to trigger the bomb I guess. Moreover, the terrorists are well versed with the city; rains have helped them erasing many traces. Whoever is behind this attack, one thing can be said that they have used every resource accurately. They knew the exact time and places where there would be gullible crowds and used the rainy climate for two purposes. It was raining heavily and most people in the area were either using umbrellas or were in raincoats that masked their face. Hence, the series of snooping CCTV cameras could hardly `capture' the men who may have planted the explosive material. Fuel oil is an essential component and as it acts as a force to ammonium nitrate, it helps increasing strength of the explosion. This proves that whoever is behind the attack has to be local Mumbaikar. And if suppose this is done by some outsider then, to study that location and doing recce, he should have definitely visited the location in the past. Instead of looking at current CCTV footages police should look at previous footages and try to find out the new visitors. Moreover studying CCTV footages of airport or railways stations or bus stand is again a time waste, because there are many ways to escape from Mumbai.

One option is taking a ferry through see from Gateway to Panvel, and Panvel to highways towards Pune. Second option, there are several private bus services from one locations to another; third option, Mumbai is blessed with hideouts and shelters for criminals, may be someone sheltered them and helped to escape. Beating around the bush is not the solution at this moment. Investigators are now banking on huge amounts of forensic verification sifted from the area and the reams of CCTV images from the blast sites.

Look at the irony, our Central Government doesn't have any road-map or guideline to foil or prevent such attacks. It is certainly least concerned about well being of its citizens. This is the seriousness of the government that the most important portfolio RAILWAY which has largest employees, remains without union railway ministers for months only because coalition partner is indecisive to choose one. Keeping in mind the innocent lives at stake Indian government needs to act swiftly. We are not at all 'resilience' just the fact is that we have no choice. The people of India who are responsible for the safety and security of the country are thoroughly corrupt, in-efficient, inept and unbecoming of the high and administrative offices they are holding. Our border security is next to non-existent and our borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan are porous. Traffickers pay huge bribes to the officers and men of BSF and freely and fearlessly cross the borders from both the sides. The govt. of India is not blind to all these, but directly and indirectly encouraging such corrupt people to man the borders for their narrow political gains as the immigrant population, belonging to a particular community and religion always and invariably, votes for one particular political party. Our security and intelligence officers do not bother to do their duty for the nation but are involved in turf wars and ego clashes. India needs a revolution to throw out all the corrupt and criminal forces. Investigations in the blast case are on the line of as usual process, no extra efforts made for reaching criminals, helpless police and administrations just passing the bucks and moving with thick skin.

Look at Ajmal Aamir Kasab, he is eating nicely cooked biryani and enjoying his time after killing so many people, police any how managed to catch him and finish trials. But can anyone really damage or deter him? He has put on 11 KG weight since his arrest, looks cool and relaxed because he is aware of his good fate. Look at Abu Salem, he comes to court for trials like a Bollywood hero laughing at Law. Goes back to jail gracefully, doing gym, maintain his skin and watching TV, reading news. Moreover, he even contested elections from Ajamgad sitting in our own Indian Jail. If this is what terrorists are going to receive in our country, then they are not even bothered to be caught. They are running and still you reach them, once you nab them they will hit headlines, they will be talked and shown round the clock, they will discussed and finally land in jail to have their relaxing time. They will remain as under trials, government will take care of them spending crores of rupees and energy. Police personals will be busy narrating all glossy stories about terrorists, their defense lawyers will narrate every glossy story to make it more attentive and interesting. We the public will forget who he was and what they have done to us, because we have very short memory.

Pain, humiliation,grim silence and chaos- Plight Of Victims

Today I being a CEO of News Makers proud to announce that, in my capacity I have assured employment to a few family members of victims of terror attack, we are not announcing this for any publicity, if I being a beginner can do so, even you all can try this with me. Let’s support them.

Since morning several ministers like Lal Krishna Advani, Kripashankar Singh, Sachin Ahir and many others visited the blast spots and even hospitals. Why? What is their contribution? How is their visit going to help the victims? After the attack there was curfew like situation in Mumbai, roads were empty and no police were visible on roads. In suburban Mumbai, no traffic police was seen as they were busy providing security to these ministers for their visit. The most upsetting was the time when Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson & Congress President Sonia Gandhi arrived in the city. All the police personnel leaving everything including security checks were busy giving protection to the VIPs. Although, the intention of these VIPs visit to the city was to express their grief, unfortunately they landed the local citizens present at that location in more stress and inconvenience. The most affected were the vegetable vendors and local shopkeepers as they were forced to shut down their businesses. Moreover, there was a huge ruckus at the hospitals they visited. Looking at the geographical conditions of Mumbai we have less police force, the staff is inadequate. The visits of ministers, their flight expenses and total amount of expenditures can take care of minimum two victim’s family welfare. By visiting such places they are just politicising the issue than offering support.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased in Mumbai blasts. How cheap is the life of a person, just worth 2 lakhs. What if a person earning 4 lakhs a year died in this blast? Can this amount take care of his family for entire life? What about those people who have become physically disabled and won’t be able to work for rest of the life, who will support them? How long these 2 lakhs will help them? I know government cannot afford to provide employment to their family members. However at least social think tanks and so called political visitors, such as Kripashankar Singh should empower some of these people. Singh is having amassed property and real estate business, stake in news channel and hence he can easily help blast victims. Sachin Ahir, is a very big investor in real estate and owns construction and hotel business. These politicians have set up this business with common man’s money. This is the time they should to do something for the common man. There are thousands of business groups in Mumbai and if each one plans empowering one victim’s family member, then I think ninety percent worry will diminish.

With very little information to push the investigations ahead, anti-terrorism agencies are struggling to get a basic strong clue which could lead them to that major breakthrough. It’s been 24 hours and they are clueless about the attackers and their motto. Time and again several suggestions have been made to the Maharashtra government to bring about important changes in the existing state intelligence set-up. One of the key changes that were recommended to the state government is to set up a separate wing for intelligence on terrorism in the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad. Most of the officers who are posted with premium anti-terrorism agencies come on a time-bound posting and hence it becomes important to do a handover of the existing sources to the succeeding officer. Emphasis should be laid more on cultivating a source for the agency rather than the officer. However, little or no action has been taken on these recommendations.

In recent times the Indian Mujahideen has gone ahead and claimed responsibility by sending out mails to various media houses, but this time round that has not happened yet. There have been enough indications for the Indian intelligence agencies to take a cue from and join the dots. From Jama Masjid to Varanasi to Pune's German Bakery blast -- all resonated with the signature style of the Indian Mujahideen. All these incidents clearly indicate that terror was struggling to resurface. These were all dots waiting to be joined. There is a pattern. The trick is to analyse the pattern. And that happens best through people giving the ground level intelligence. This ability to analyse is something that blatantly missing.

Most of the times the intelligence officers are asked to gather inputs which are political in nature. This is really pathetic and they are left helpless because establishing political links is not always possible. Chidambaram is unfortunate that intelligence agencies had no prior inputs on the attacks. But reports hint at IM hand pointing to LeT outfit's tendency to strike on the 13th and 26th day of the month. At least five attacks, thought to be carried out by IM in the past three years, have happened either on 13th or 26^th, something in this, or mere coincidence? Investigating officials believe the modus operandi was similar to that of the Ahmedabad blasts in 2008.

So many blasts and same story repeated from government and intelligence. Each time we get same answers and monotones announcements but no concrete solutions. Some politicians arrive here to gain political mileage out of this issue and others are making this issue a publicity stunt for them.

Raj Thackeray, a so called well wisher of Mumbaikars and Marathi Manoos has always hidden his face whenever city witnesses any terror attacks. Whatever interviews Raj is giving at present is irrelevant, he had shamelessly said in one of his interview that he cannot do anything beyond paying homage to the dead and sympathy towards injured victims. It’s a shame on this so called messiah of Marathi manoos. He can’t do much more than giving false and pretentious interviews on news channels.

Between all the pain, relatives and friends of the dead and the injured gathered in grim silence at the hospital. The death toll could rise day by day considering the seriousness of the injuries. They have no other option than bidding final farewell to their loved ones and coping up with beloved’s injuries.

We, as a nation,only be recipients of abuse

Mumbai blasts: Once again slap on intelligence

Indian Mujahideen module was active in India from Varanasi to Pune, where did the intelligence went wrong? Number 13 and 26 has big significance in these blasts; the mystery is yet to be solved. When German Bakery case was under scanner, that time a group of hackers and researchers found out the details referring to the past incidences of the blast, when the pattern of the date and day was studied, they found some common significance numbers and those were 7, 9 11, 13 and 26 and the day were Friday or Tuesday. K P Raghuvanshi was then ATS in charge; he was keen in looking at this angle but some government authorities disagreed with the research by declining all investigation. Even though, this is just a theoretical expects of the incidences and it is hard to prove the link of terror attacks based on such research. Another reason for not believing in this study is the investigating agencies never work on theory but work on proofs and evidences. Whatever the agency may say but the significance of these dates and days cannot be neglected.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two suspected terrorists near Mankhurd Railway Station on July 6. The two are said to be part of Indian Mujahideen (IM), and were allegedly involved in the Ahmedabad serial blasts that killed 56 people on July 26, 2008. Mohammed Mobin Abdur Shakoor Khan alias Irfan, 32, and Ayub Raja Amin Shaikh, 28, were nabbed outside a municipal school near Mankhurd railway station. And the two were found in possession of a 7.65mm pistol and 32 bore revolver along with four bullets and have been booked under the Arms Act. But why police failed to gather further information from these terrorists? These two were also wanted in cases involving threat mails sent from Matunga, Navi Mumbai and Chembur. The duo stole four cars —three WagonR’s and one Maruti 800 — which were used in Ahmedabad and Surat by the IM. The cars were stolen at the instructions of IM operative Afzal Usmani Muthalik, who is currently lodged in Ahmedabad jail. They stole cars from New Panvel, Vashi and Nerul and delivered them to Surat and Ahmedabad and duo was on the run ever since the IM module was busted by the crime branch.

They lived in Indore, Bareilly, Rampur, Ghaziabad among other places and were involved in several car thefts. When all these details were indicating threat to country why intelligence failed to smell the probable threat and made the vigilance strict. Biggest problem in department is professional rivalry between the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the crime branch of the Mumbai Police came to a flashpoint during the hunt for the two Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives. However, good sense prevailed and a face-off was averted. Sources said that a special unit of the crime branch had been tipped off about the two terrorists by a trusted informant almost four months ago, and was on the verge of tracking the duo down. However, the murder of senior crime journalist J Dey around that time forced them to put the operation on hold to launch a manhunt for Dey’s killers. The ATS got wind of the crime branch’s unfinished operation and traced down the informant, who soon buckled and led the ATS to their prize catch. This was not the first time that the two agencies had come to a head over a common target. A few weeks ago, their tussle came to the fore over the arrest of some suspects who, the ATS claimed, were involved in a shootout at south Mumbai. Police department itself is in deep shitty politics and rivalry as the common man has to bear the brunt of such acts. Another dumb soul is our Home minister RR Patil. Ever since Patil has taken charge there is no control over crime, he shamelessly stuck to his chair and crimes keep shooting up in Maharashtra.

Yesterday all blasts took place in crowded places. Many persons were injured and some died in the blast. Police control room had received a call claiming that there were serial blasts in Mumbai, but clueless police was resting in peace till some people lost their lives. A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had rushed to Mumbai from Delhi to investigate and collect forensic evidence. The blasts, went off within minutes of each other.

Security alerts have been issued in Delhi post the blasts in Mumbai. Two IM members were arrested from their hideouts near Mumbai by Anti-Terrorism Squad. The official said the two were suspected to be involved in one of the blasts that had occurred in the country but did not specify which blast case it was. Blast took place at 7pm; 8.30 pm Chief Minister of Maharashtra took press conference, meanwhile PWD Minister Chaggan Bhujbal was dealing with media. However, our beloved dumb Home Minister R R Patil was fortunate that he managed to be out of scene and escape media’s countering as he was at Nagpur when the incident happened. He left the place after knowing that the situation would be under control. Now after blast so many investigation agencies are heading towards Mumbai to find out the forensics. But why all these agencies together failed to smell the threat to city? Or should we assume this as a Birthday gift to Ajmal Aamir Kasab?

Some where I read, Old saying – “Yatah raja tatha praja”

New saying, which India proves – “Yatah praja tatha raja”

We are crappy people who elect crappy leaders, and then expect them to perform. Accept the reality. We, as a nation, can only be net recipients of abuse, as history has borne out over centuries.

Cisco Sucks

While surfing I came across a news on ITpro website about Cisco, a worldwide leader in networking that it may eliminate as many as 10,000 jobs to maintain its competitiveness going forward. According to Bloomberg, Cisco is also providing early-retirement packages to about 3,000 workers who took buyouts.

However, the inside story is something different. As per news, India Country President Naresh Wadhva is said to be on leave from past three weeks which comes as a surprise as how can a country president be on leave at a crucial stage when the financial year of 2011 is ending on July 29. Isn’t it strange that at such crucial stage the country president of Cisco is enjoying holidays? By the way, the sources have informed that he has quit. Cisco has officially announced 17% lay off in India.
Including Anil Basin, Senior Vice President Sales and several other top and middle management level employees of Cisco are quitting due to sudden changes at ‘APAC” (Asia Pacific Countertrade Association). The changes have brought lots of insecurity and dissatisfaction amongst employees. On the other side, the arch rival of Cisco is taking advantage of this scenario and hiring best of the employees of Cisco team. To say, the over all scenario of Cisco in India is not so well. It seems that there is no security of job in Cisco India. Naresh Wadhwa worked for thirteen years in this company and he is the one who established entire India operations; but today he is been asked to quit just because he couldn’t manage to nod his head to managements unreasonable approach. Top management need shoe lickers in company and there are many who believe in their caliber refused to do so.

Newly appointed Edzard Overbeek, APCA head replaced Naresh Wadhva with his own source Janesh Murjani. Edzard had joined Cisco just two years back. Unfortunately, he and Naresh Wadhva had differences in opinion and hence couldn’t go well with each other. Obviously, Naresh is here from 13 years and he is well versed with market and business set up in India. Employees are waiting for Janesh to take charge, and there are probable chances that Anil Basin BSFI head, Jagdish Mahapatra- IT/ ITCS head and Shrikant Shintole – Real estate business head, Sandeep Raina- Government/ public sector head looking for their way out and may evict from Cisco. As part of its broader plan to cut costs and increase profits, the networking company may slash about 7,000 jobs by August this year. Earlier it was reported that Cisco might cut 5,000 jobs meaning a nearly 7 per cent work force reduction for Cisco, which has about 73,400 employees worldwide.

Cisco currently expects annual revenue to grow by 12 per cent to 17 per cent. Its share price fell by about 2 per cent at $15.43, in a market that was broadly lower due to concerns about the U.S. budget talks and the euro-zone debt crisis. With a view to meet its goal of slashing costs by $1 billion and lower its long-term revenue growth target to about 10 per cent from a forecast of 12 per cent to 17 per cent, Cisco may plan to trim its workforce. By laying of so much staff, cutting down other expenses and optimizing discount level may bring some financial stability to company, but if you look at the shares (IPO) flown in the market are just 10 % and 90 % shares are with are with Cisco CEO, John Chambers, if the revenue is not thrown in the market how one can expect the growth? If such International company terminates top old management level employees, what is the guarantee the new comers will pour in their heart towards growth in such critical situations? The elegant old staffs are panic; there are too many projects and not enough resources to execute. In order to be successful, management will need to take a serious look at the project load and make some tough decisions. However, it must be noted that Cisco's revenue has increased 11 per cent over the past five calendar years. While viewing this as a positive move, analysts believe the company needs to reset its long-term financial targets. Cisco had earlier shed some 8,000 jobs in 2001 followed by some major job cuts in 2002.

Cisco never hesitates about firing employees. Although labour in India is comparatively cheap than other nations, but the company’s strategy has been failing miserably. Even at this historic time for the company, almost no coherent message is being conveyed to the employees on how the company can recover from this downward twist. Cisco in definitely weak at management level and unsaid, unseen internal politics has always attacked the integrity of Company. Whenever this company came in crises the only solution they could come up with is lay off, may be this is the biggest reason that company is not growing the way it should be because it lacks job security. The state of upper-management at Cisco is absolutely appalling.

More over the CBI probe is another pain to Cisco. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has expanded its inquiry net to probe the role of original equipment manufacturers and network implementation partners involved in the Commonwealth Games communication deal, allegedly a highly inflated contract. CWG's communication, video and data transfer bribe/scam appears to be in range of Rs 350-400 crore. MTNL and Bharti Airtel were the only two bidders of this deal. CWG chief Suresh Kalmadi awarded the contract to MTNL, thinking no one would question him for giving work to a government body. MTNL manipulated the specifications and quoted a whopping sum of Rs 570.12 crore for it while Bharti Airtel wanted a nominal fee of Rs 10 crore but negotiated for branding advantage during the sporting event. Eventually, MTNL subcontracted the work to HCL Infosystems for Rs 380.04 crore. Later on HCL gave contract to Cisco for Rs. 180 crore. CBI’s question is that why and where Rs. 550 crore was invested for the job worth only Rs. 50 crore. Cisco’s top two legal department people are in New Delhi, dealing with this issue. The statestic over this issue are published in so many news papers, including Mint.

The unreasonable deals and mismanagement in admin may give big jolt to this biggest IT Company. At this moment Cisco is discussed on very appalling and sad notes amongst IT industry.

Larger the banner, greater the hypocrisy

Until today, the news headlines say Rupert Murdoch should fire Rebekah Brooks from News of the World for failing to respect the law formulated for reporters. True, very true! Even so, is it possible?
In India sting operation is in fashion, today Tehelka is popular just because of its sting operation. Tarun Tejpal is the owner and Editor in Chief of the publication that’s the reason no one could question him or blame him for anything. However, if he would have been an employee or paid as editor of the publication then he would be out of the market. Few years ago, some news channel did sting operation on Shakti kapoor and we as viewers enjoyed it rather objecting upon such trends.

Aaj Tak did sting operation on Pramod Muthalik and Aasaram Bapu and many such people, by violating all ethics and rules of journalism, but no one goes against them. News channel needs TRP and viewership, which is only possible through controversy and scandals. If the editor bans such practices, then he would be accused for his inefficiency. However, if he does the sting operation at all and someone takes objections on it then the banner and owner both put the blame on the editor and washes their hands off.

I understand the pain of Rebekah Brooks, actually it’s not her fault it’s the fault of her thankless job and position, she was holding in the newspaper. I am sure; every newspaper and news channel definitely possesses taped conversations of thousands of celebrities, politicians, sports stars and common people. For the simple reason, if the desk question reporter about the conversation proof then they have to produce the records by default. Moreover, many times a source denies his statements, so one need to keep the proof. Rebekah Brooks is not the acceptation. I can understand why she had to fall on her own sword which she has sharpened for the interest of newspaper and its readers.

There is one story to dictate here for you. My editorial team was irritated over discussions and was cracking their brains for a topic to make the lead story on. I too was in thoughts as what to pen down for the front page story. The deadline was coming to an end. Then, I remembered Kumar Ketkar's speech in a Rotary Club function at Dombivli where he had recalled a situation from the time when he was the Editor of Maharashtra Times. Kumar was revealing the other side of Journalism which said Bad news is a Good news; a compulsory virtue of journalism all over the world. And just then, Poonam Chambers collapsed. It was a huge sigh of relief as finally there was something worth a lead. War journalists, crime journalists and others; they all strive for off-routine pictures and reports. Every journo aims for a Watergate; a life-turning event/scam. The class of journalists is reflected in the investigative journalism in any bear. There is equal scope for an investigative talent in all the beats of journalism.
Press Freedom, liberty to write, investigative journalism, journalism of courage are terms that have been imposed upon us since ages.

The most Hippocratic profession is journalism. One may recall Arun Shourie's rise and fall in Indian Express group. A layman remembers Mr. Shourie as a courageous journalist who exposed the cement scam of then Maharashtra CM Barrister A.R. Antulay. He then had to quit 'Express' as a prize for his courage. The reality is entirely different. But this scam and consequences after that was the end of Shourie as an Editor. The policy of publishing is guided by the affiliations and interests of the managements. A journalist or an Editor is merely a salesman. He can shoot only at the sweet will of the paymaster. Media; news media is a business venture as clear as a profit-making organization which has to pay salaries in time. Mid-day publications, take, for example, in reputed for paying-fat salaries and that too in time. It does not cover news much. It is the still most prosperous newspaper. Jyotirmoy Dey went out of routine and paid for his bravery by getting shot by the hands of underworld goons.

Still it is journalism of courage, as professed by it. It is a harsh reality that journalism as a profession is a paid job. What so chaotic about paid-journalism is when journalists at any level are doing a paid job? I feel we must end the hypocrisy in the fourth-estate and come out with real ourselves telling the world that we are not Superman, but we are sales executives working on salaries and hidden perk.

The Times of India consistently maintains its reputation as a balanced newspaper and does not run after exposures and scams/scandals. Very rarely it does operate as an exposing medium against corruption, but then it never hits below the belt. The RK’s cartoons have placed Times group in an exclusive place in the world of print media. The Times editorial are a stuff for aspirants of competitive examinations as also for administrators, political executives and corporate. Girilal Jain occupied the office of the Times group as an Editor for a pretty long time and added academic depth to the editorial column. Kumar Ketkar, initially wrote for Economic Times before taking over the charge as an Editor of Maharashtra Times, the Marathi language edition of the Times group. Kumar happens to be the first journalist to have switched over from Economic news to political news coverage. Kumar

Ketkar's editorials left a mark on the readers' minds. Very unfortunately, he made an unsung exit immediately after winning Padma Shri in year 2000-01. Ritu Sarin, of Indian Express earned a place in the category of celebrated journalists when she exposed the Tata tapes involving Field Marshal Sam Manickshaw with Mr. Ratan Tata, a business-tycoon. Ms. Sarin's exposures have a class of her own and she too, like her counterparts in Times does not hit below the belt, nor does she profess scams-exposure as a career. Neither Mr. Girilal Jain nor Ms Sarin has won a Padma for their contribution to media.

Sucheta Dalal, a phenomenon that came to be from the Big Bull exposure of the Stock Market kite-flying scam, left the Times Group to join its arch-rival Indian Express. It was a very unprecedented move, and she continued there for long before launching her own publications. Ms. Dalal won Padma Shri quite late in life, almost a decade after the exposure. Friend or foe, it has to be a subject and not a person, is the way she professed journalism. Her article appealing mercy for Harshad Mehta, not from the criminal prosecution but from the hectic investigation and judicial journey was on humanitarian grounds. She had written that Harshad Mehta might die in prison if subjected to a suffocating system. And that is what happened years later as Mehta died of cardiac arrest in Thane jail.

A name that flew a lot like a stormy wave amidst the Bofors controversy was of Ms. Chitra Subramaniam of 'The Hindu' newspaper, a south-India based English daily. Ms. Subrmaniam with her editor Mr. N. Ram earned an international repute for cornering the then Congress government over the kick-back allegations in a purchase deal of Howitzer Long-range guns, known as Bofors.

The Swedish company had allegedly paid kick-backs to an official broker of Indian origin Mr. Win Chhada for executing the contract. Then Congress MP and matinee-idol Amitabh Bachchan made a history as he put his papers as an MP. It happened for the first time in the history of 'Independent India' that a Member of Parliament resigned over a controversy. The electronic media brought a type of journalism without much depth. The weight and depth of print-media journalism are totally absent in this form of news media.

In the times of “Sabse Tez” viewers are taken for granted. We see Arnab Goswami on TIMES NOW screaming “Enough is Enough". Who are you trying to fool?” Then we have a beard-sporting chap on a multi-national banner threatening us all the time like a gangster. His tone, ups and downs in his voice have no consonance at all with the topic or the incident he is narrating. What we hear all the time is “Better watch my programme or you had it”. The space titled Breaking News is compulsorily flashing round the clock. It is now understood by the viewers that like an ad or a banner occupying the cable movie channel all the time.

Editorial Ownership and foreign ownership are two concepts in media that make a lot of difference for such banners that are under such management. As for foreign ownership there was a hue and cry from the locals some years ago and government was forced slap some restrictions. I do not recollect the details or modalities of these norms, but then the class that foreign media possess and function with, we lack; especially in electronic media.

The application of mind and appetite for news and news and news; in-depth news, is tremendous in foreign journalists. I remember recently having read of a boy in a very poor African territory who produced electricity with windmill that he made of scrap items collected from his village. His village had never seen electricity before.

The CNN correspondent reached him, took him to international conference and exposed his talents to the world, I do not recollect any such news item in the related to Indian media for years together. There is no dearth of brave journalists, who if given an opportunity shall strive for excellence. Problem is that the managements in the age of competition cannot afford to concentrate on journalism as such. It is a harsh reality that journalism as a profession is a paid job.
The introduction of electronic channels has faded off the charm of breaking-news and scam-exposures.

There is compulsorily the tag of Breaking News 24/7 on every channel. What is flashed under that tag is a scrap by compulsion. I also remember a very leading channel breaking news when Amitabh Bachchan on his way from hospital to home; decided to take a left turn for his mother's house. The news channel reader was excited so much that his belly fell off breaking the news.

Less written, less agony, here I stop out of irritation….

Because it reminds me of my days at Afternoon Despatch and Courier and staffs’ dirty politics, this is probably the fate of every editor in our country…