Status of citizens and public in the Economy and Polity of India

Radia tapes controversy brings forward the issue that in present situation it is not just 2G
Spectrum that is up for sale but the entire Republic of India. All of the so-called nation’s
whistleblowers and people appointed for the of the nation were found involved in the scam.
Everything right from cabinet berths to natural resources is up for sale and their allocation is
being manipulated. Hence it proves that citizens do not have any role in the present
democracy. Even if they are selecting the candidates to represent them, the ultimate aim of
democracy is not being satisfied. It is just that some things were exposed in front of people
because of the efforts of a few very strong people.

Government decisions, policies, discussions and law making in Parliament, Cabinet

formation is being achieved by vested interests of few. Citizens do not have any role in any of
the decision making. The left people have tried to dilute the gravity of the scam by saying
that what lobbyists are doing is their job, but the way manipulations are being done is not at
all acceptable or justified from the perspective of citizens of India.

Radia is having a share of pie, everywhere be it media,corporate or government. Her

conversations with different people depict that she was aware of the entire propoganda going
on. When we listen to the tapes,we can conclude that radia is knows exactly that who is going
to get what portfolio. Here an important issue is that why is it that the lobbyist seems to know
everything about the allocation of portfolios, and that too long before the information is made
public?

People do not have any source of information other than the electronic media but the media
persons themselves are being used by these people to influence the decisions ultimately
leading to a misrepresentation of information in front of public. Journalists who were
supposed to be the whistleblowers, source of information for the common people; were
themselves involved in inappropriate conversations with a corporate lobbyist. They were
involved in these activities and when questioned they are deluding media and themselves.
Ministers are selected by the people to represent them, strive for the betterment of people, but
they are themselves involved in conspiracy. No where the citizens’ welfare is considered at
all. The most astonishing fact is that all these tapes were available to the so called “Protectors
of our Nation” yet the congress leadership agreed to reinduct Raja with the telecom portfolio
into the UPA-II cabinet.
India has one of the world’s fastest growing mobile phone market.It is a driver of the
country’s economic growth. A Raja who became the telecommunications minister was
accused of selling lucrative mobile telephone licenses at dirt-cheap prices, costing the Indian
treasury as much as $40 billion, according to a government investigative report.It in itself
proves that the ministers who are chosen to represent the Indian constituency themselves are
misusing the power that has been given to them.2G spectrum licenses were already issued in
2008.Its only public who were uninformed about the entire portfolio being designed.

As per the conversation between Vir Sanghvi,editorial director of Hindustan Times and Niira
Radia,Radia appears to be directing him on the content to be written in the article on Amil
Ambani and the gas controversy.

. It is all If money has changed hands,citizens have a right to know it .Citizens have a right to
be aware of the incidents going on around them in this world. But even the source of
information i.e. electronic is being misused by the particular set of people who are moulding
the information as per their own needs.
As we have observed that most of the conversation in niira radia tapes is about money
transactions,deal makings and influencing elected and appointed government officials.If
journalists are indulged in any practice which is going to influence the nation,people have a
right to know it. They cannot misuse the access that public has given them. The media is
expected to perform upto the same level as it expects the public to do. But they themselves
are involved in conspiracy and are least worried about the fact that ultimately it is Indian
citizens who are at loss.

Public interest should always prevail over the right to privacy.We are thankful to the leak by
various sources that we could see the real face of the various so highly sought after journalists
and business men.

Ratan Tata is all the time speaking about high moral and ethical standard but when it comes
about information he himself is denying the right of Indian public for transparency in Radia
matters.

Democracy demands transparency and accountability. As India is run by Politicians who

have a responsibility towards the citizens of India, who have selected them thinking that their
well-being is in their hands. But we observed that in reality,the entire manipulation of state
ministers ,central ministers,top bureaucrats and prominent journalists is being done by a few
set of very powerful people.They are all the time trying to influence political cohesive events.
Journalist’s job is to present an opinion in front of people the true one.But even that is not
being done effectively.
TTSL got spectrum license at throw away prices without reducing prices for the consumers ,
where all the profit has gone.If there is an excess profit for one firm another must be at loss
And in this case it is we”The Citizens of India” who are at loss; And why are we at loss- it is
just that we did a mistake in selecting our representatives.And since we made a mistake in
selecting our representatives,we are facing the problem.