Why Press and media freedom is misunderstood?
Many things on the loose when it comes to public awareness?
Why then the Supreme Court asks the government whether the Election Commission can deny tickets to criminals?
Parliament is doing its work?
SC in a dilemma? EC so weak? Press must report, explain and educate the public! The Indian media scene is neither optimistic nor confident! A great pity. It looks as if not many know that corruption and criminality in our politics and public life are the two great hindrances to an open society politics.
After four years of Modi regime there are many great issues that are defying solution. We haven’t been able to nominate a Lok Pal while everyone knows this was a promise made many years ago. Anna Hazare after his famous hunger strike, now seems to be tired of the demand and he had become quieter. Poor soul! What more an individual however much one is committed to ideals can do in the present political culture which is vitiated by such high hypocrisy and so much cynicism for values.
One wonders whether the public too inks reconciled to live with the a degenerated political culture and not enthused for an optimistic alternative clean politics. The government for all its great many strides in so many areas of public life, its energy and initiative to launch a range of new schemes seems to have lost the larger vision for a great democracy. India should be feeling pride in its democratic values, great Constitution that had withstood the many challenges, one should really speak much about how great men, great minds (Ernest Barker, the distinguished British political scientist) have spoken highly of India’s Constitution but we seem to be an unconcerned people. Or, the
ruling regime or regimes didn’t care for all the high optimism that must be informing the public.
Anyway, the latest debates in the Supreme Court about banning the criminals in the legislatures show that we are becoming more and more insensitive to these issues. Supreme Court has been told by the Government that not to make too many adverse observations of the government policies in the PILs. In fact, the issues are becoming too unbearable by more violence, series of communal clashes, pubic lynching’s etc.
Violence is bad. Who says so? None! What a shame! The high and mighty must be saying: adhere to law and order. The courts are also held to ransom, it seems. Why the large pendency of cases in all the courts?
Why doesn’t the PM and his colleagues, all well-merited no doubt can’t take speedy steps to fill up the large vacancies in the courts? There are very many other issues of high importance like the functioning of agencies like CHI,ED and others where a very distinct impression has gained ground they are used to take revenge upon Opposition leaders? There is widespread fear in the media and also in the judiciary itself.
So, press freedom, media freedom, independent function of the organs of public opinion all seem suppressed, there are various events that prove this impression. No one man can rule the country, even in the USA as the vast disappointment upon the US President Doland Trump. Mr.A.G.Sulzberger, the publisher of the New York Times met the President and after the President complained of the Fake News doing damage etc, the New York Times owner within two hours came out with his tweet: I told the President directly that I thought his language was not just divisive but increasingly dangerous”.
How many in India ,in the media, in the press and in the TV media can dare to say this to our Prime Minister? So, democracy just means something else. The Courts must be free to say that the criminals in the legislatures is a shame and they must be barred from entering the Houses. In fact, the issues are becoming much more grim.
Parliament must function with full force and must adhere to norms, the House Chairmen powers must be enhanced and also the conduct of our legislators must be monitored more seriously. The many scames, like the 2G,can be avoided only if we deliberate more serious on a range of reforms from the political parties, political funding and the quality of the peoples’ representatives!
For all this to be possible there must be unfettered press freedom and also other freedoms! Only great minds can contribute and for this you have to have a vast tolerance of dissent. Opposition also must conduct its jobs with great responsibility. Parties must desist from building family dynasties.
The meaning and significance of freedoms in a democracy must be debated widely in universities to public platforms. Fearless independent intellectuals must speak out. Civil Society, NGOs must be allowed, why encouraged and the PM and Opposition leaders must participate, must give more press interviews and a healthy and mature political environment must be created.