Kudos to Vinod Mehta for daring to put this in the public domain ‘as-is’ (All Lines are Busy, Nov 29). It was really shattering to see the names of the likes of Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi appearing in the published transcripts. I am all the more amazed at their ludicrous rejoinders and responses—they are clearly deluding themselves if they think this is a ‘passing’ phase and the public will forget (as it usually does). Whether their motivation to become ‘high-stake players’ was a simple case of ‘feeding the ego’ or based on ‘material’ expectations is beside the point. If they had any self-respect (forget journalistic ethics), they would resign from their positions till they clear their names.
Saleembhai, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
I always thought you were pro-Congress and am happy to have been proved wrong. It’s surprising that all the pseudo-secularists are keeping a deathly silence. I always knew it; given a chance they will sell the country to the devil. The sad part is we will not be seeing Mr Mehta on some of the news channels anymore.
G. Vishwanathan, Chennai
These half-baked, small-minded wheeler-dealers run our government and our lives.
Sudha, Coimbatore
Bhai, is hamaam mein sab nange hain. Darwaza khologe to sab ka nangapan duniya ko nazar aa jayega (Everyone is naked in the bathtub. Open the door and the world will see their stark, naked reality).
Abbas Rumani, Kuwait
These tapes have been released only after the Congress head honchos weighed the benefits. We know nothing moves in Outlook without the Congress high command’s approval. They have thrown their loyal journos under the bus in order to ease media pressure on the 2G and other scams. Still, the people ought to be thankful. We now have confirmation of everything that we suspected. Next time we read Counterpoint, I hope Vir Sanghvi declares which party or corporate house has sponsored it!
Ankan Kumar, Columbus, US
At least the politicians are brazen about their actions. These reporters hide behind columns, editorials and a permanent smile on TV #to fool the common man.
Nicky Kumar, Aurora, US
So, the cat is finally out of the bag. But very few believe it would lead to even an attempt to cleanse the system. If indications so far are anything to go by, the Congress-led government seems determined to do everything possible to prevent a full disclosure of what went on behind the scenes. And if everything does ultimately come out in the open, brazen it out just as it did with Bofors.
Sandeep Sahu, Bhubaneswar
As a trenchant critic of Vinod Mehta and his sycophantic propaganda pamphlet, I was expecting a cover story defending the Congress and singing paeans to the 2G (Sonia G and Rahul G). But I must confess that this has caught me totally unawares. Though Outlook may not have been the first off the block, it still happens to be the only mainstream media outlet to have highlighted the nexus between media, lobbyists, politicians and corporate honchos. For that, I cannot believe I’m saying these words, kudos to Outlook and VM.
Srinivas, Lucknow
Outlook has proved that at least some parts of the media still have a clear conscience and are not party to a corrupt coterie.
Amitabh Pandey, London
Their heads firmly buried in the sands of arrogance, the Indian media continues to maintain a deafening silence on the issue. Oh, sorry, the Times of India has broken its silence, but only to sneer at us, dismissing this outpouring of public anger as a 2G scam sideshow.
Madhav Ajgaonkar, New Delhi
Notice the conspicuous silence of the leading news channels, the same ones who huff and puff, scream and shout and take credit for everything, from medals in the Commonwealth Games to the timely arrival of the monsoon.
Sudharshan, Chennai
With the kind of names involved, it’s not surprising that yours is the only major media outlet covering the story. The others have obviously been gagged by their sources of advertising revenue.
Tom Bombadil, Mumbai
All the media is in the hands of the upper castes and they are trying to tarnish the image of the Congress and its alliance partner, the dmk in Tamil Nadu. The cag report itself shows only a presumptive loss to the exchequer. There is no concrete evidence to show that the stakeholders involved in the transactions derived pecuniary benefits out of the distribution of 2G spectrum. The media is interested only in the Karunanidhi family and the rifts between the siblings, not in the work done by the Tamil Nadu government which other states would do well to emulate, be it the Re 1 per kilo of rice, free colour TVs and gas stoves or the slew of welfare schemes benefiting womenfolk. India Today placed Tamil Nadu third among all states for performance. The media war against them should not turn into a war on civilisation.
V.S. Sankaran, Madurai
Bravo Outlook and VM! Like many others, I have been a sceptic and disturbed with your magazine’s openly pro-Congress content. But today I have transformed my ‘outlook’ towards Outlook!
Karthik, Chicago
Our journalists are finally in line to qualify for the much-sought-after Indian Corrupt Champions League (akin to the uefa Champions League in soccer). In essence, we have adopted the materialist philosophy of Carvaka—money is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Paisa phenk, tamasha dekh!
Siddharth Rajkonwar, Delhi
You have shown the entire political, journalistic, industrial class in a new light. This edition has given me a little (just a minuscule) hope. I will be watching you, Outlook.
Pramod, Phoenix, US
An expose of this kind where the basic foundation of a democratic government is put to question should have had the whole of the media world and Opposition parties going hammer and tongs. Unfortunately, they are mum. What worries me is that nothing will change. A couple of weeks from now or maybe a month later, when our impotent rage has died down, things will be as usual.
A.K. Sharma, Allahabad
Having given us this exhaustive cover story, please tell us who young India should believe in?
Padma Balasubramani, Chennai
I have been subscribing to Outlook almost since its inception but never have I read something like this. Listening to these tapes leaves every honest Indian depressed.
Raji Bhakta, Chennai
You may not realise this but what you have done today could have a significant impact on our country’s future (hopefully a positive one).
Rove Kasparov, Boston, US
There is nothing in these tapes, except a little bit of education for people not having direct experience of governance in the states or the Centre. Why has Outlook suddenly decided to publish these tapes? Radia is neither a bureaucrat, nor a politician; she is in the business of public relations. Ever since the Raja scam became public, the ruling clan has been trying to cover its tracks. This is one such attempt—defocus on the Raja scam, enlarge the frame, divert the people’s attention, discredit the media and establish the superior morality of Sonia Gandhi by citing these illustrations as proof of a “shrunken moral universe”, of a “greedy and corrupt India”.
M.L. Gupta, Delhi
Finally, great journalism of the kind Indian Express displayed in 1975 when it wanted Indira Gandhi to step down following her manipulative election malpractices. The very same cabal is still with us—industrial groups, family conglomerates (Reliance, Tata, Birla, Mittal, Sterlite, Jindal, Nanda etc), political parties (SP, Congress, dmk and tdp in full, bjp in part), bureaucrats and now the very markets themselves (stock, telecom, bond, gold, land, building, farmland etc). Was Winston Churchill right then? “Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters. All Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles.”
Calahas, on e-mail
All we are going to be is the superpower of corruption.
I’d recommend that these tapes be made ‘required hearing’.
RSM, Delhi
Is our electoral democracy in reality a sort of dictatorship of the corporates?
Kasim Sait, Chennai
With so many shining stars on the cover, the Nov 29 issue was so bedazzling it almost blinded this reader.
Rupesh Bhandari, Amritsar
Bravo, Outlook! You have challenged the entire political establishment, the government and the Opposition.
Popat, Mumbai
At this rate, I wonder if corruption will be the new graduation degree required to get into Parliament.
Jayanthy Subramaniam, Mumbai
This is a lesson in how ‘cunning women’ use willing males to do their dirty work.
Parthasarathy, Chennai
India’s actually a wwe game, and only the naive believe that every single aspect is not fixed already.
Varun Garde, Bangalore
Vinod Mehta’s ‘Editor’ may yet be the best suited for senior positions in the media. He is loyal, has a bark and bite, stands no nonsense and is totally trustworthy.
V. Krishnan, Pune
Radia is exactly the kind of lobbyist any sensible businessman would love to hire for doing business in India. One needs to look at the root cause that gives birth to such “fixers”—the corrupt babus and politicians in India. Can anyone get anything done in government circles without paying obeisance to their lust and greed? Besides, the media has become like the mafia. You can’t point a finger at them (they’ll discredit not just you but your entire organisation). However, when it comes to protecting one of their own, all the media rallies together. I don’t have great respect for the Outlook editor but he’s done something really good this time.
S.K.D., Bangalore
Outstanding. I’d have paid Rs 10,000 for this issue.
Hemanth Raj, Gloucester
India, the republic, is now on sale. We truly live in a 100% corrupt society.
Berlin Wilson, Sheffield, UK
Give them hell, Mr Mehta.
Narendra, Hyderabad
I am not surprised that the leading newspapers have ignored these explosive tapes.
Bharat, Pune
Outlook deserves kudos for exposing the true colours of so-called apolitical independent journalists like Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi. By tearing off their mask of neutrality and revealing their abject promotion of Raja’s cause with their sources at the higher echelons of the Congress party, Outlook has rendered their frequent pontifications on current affairs devoid of any merit or credibility. In this context, one appreciates Vinod Mehta for his transparent admiration for Sonia Gandhi and his preference for the Congress ideology. He is not a hypocrite like several other journalists.
P.N. Radhakrishnan, on e-mail
So now Vinod Mehta doesn’t get called to sit on the panel of We the People! As a small gesture for your bold exposure, I have just taken a one-year subscription of your magazine!
B. Anupkumar, Kalpakkam, TN
Just listened to a few recordings involving Raja, Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi and Ratan Tata. Prima facie, there seems to be a serious issue. Why should journalists and corporates try to facilitate ministry formation, or facilitate communication between parties etc? How does it matter to them if the Congress is talking to Kani or Dayanidhi or Karunanidhi or whoever? Why can’t they just let the Congress and dmk talk in whatever way they want and decide on who gets what? Somewhere down the line, there is not just facilitating, but steering/influencing the direction in which things/ ministries will take shape. There seems to be an attempt to keep Dayanidhi out, and unfortunately Barkha and Vir (who are among the people I admire the most) seem to be cooperating or playing along—if not actively pushing for it.
Kumar, Bangalore
Barkha Dutt’s professional integrity was always suspect as her partisan attitude was evident in her TV shows. However, I never suspected Vir Sanghvi to be a power-broker. His impish sobriety has turned out to be a pimpish one.
R.K. Sudan, Jammu
It seems a section of the media is worse than the oldest profession in the world. Listening to the conversations between politicians, corporates, fixers and journalists, I could not judge who was pimp and who the commodity. BD and VS come out as petty dalals (with due apologies to dalals; I cannot think of anything else to describe these two).
Samir Rai, London
With this one act, VM’s shown that he might be opinionated, but he is not partisan. As for the self-righteous Barkha and Vir, they might survive in journalism but their political career’s ended. Of what use will they be to a party if they can’t parrot the party line as the people’s?
Srinivas, Bangalore
It’s comeuppance of a sort. The haste with which Barkha used to demean others, like her interview with Kapil Dev, putting words in his mouth and humiliating him, something like this was waiting to happen. And though Vinod Mehta admits he is a Congress stooge, with this story he has shot them in the foot.
Venkat Mahalingam, Secunderabad
What is surprising is Barkha Dutt still defends her actions on Twitter. It not only confirms her Congress bias, but also her bright future in that party. Don’t be stunned if she gets a ticket in the coming elections or even a nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat.
Muthur Radha, Melbourne
The nation’s conscience-keeper has unfortunately prostituted itself to the highest bidder. At a time like this, it’s sad that there is no opposition party which is clean and in a position to challenge a totally discredited upa.
Dilip Mahanty, Sydney
Barkha Dutt once accused Arundhati of romanticising the Naxal movement. Now she says she was collecting information from Niira Radia, and not lobbying! What a romantic notion of journalism!
Salim, Kannur
Is Vinod playing Dr Jekyll?
K. Suresh, Bangalore
Padmasri Barkha Dutt, we are happy you are exposed. It was long overdue.
Raja, Chandigarh
Dear Barkha, I fail to understand how a journalist of your stature could even be involved as a messenger in the formation of a coalition government. I still remember you covering the war from Kargil. From that to this. You have let us down.
Kaustav, Utica, US
Pathetic. However hard they might try to defend themselves now, Barkha and Vir will not be able to restore the people’s trust in them. This is worse than paid news.
Arijit Choudhury, Delhi
I used to read Vir Sanghvi’s column like the Bible. Now I am going to read it more like satire.
S. Raghunatha Prabhu, Alappuzha
Day in and day out Barkha and Vir preach about anything and everything under the sun. If they had 0.001% self-respect, they would not show their faces in public ever again.
Prakash Adhyapak, Belgaum
And so the noble profession of journalism gets reduced to a bare PR act!
K.V. Raghuram, Wayanad
“Our wills and fates do so contrary run/That our devices still are overthrown.” Sad indeed the colour of corruption, and the inclusion of Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi in the tangle. They have proved they are mere pawns on the chessboard of men who lust for power. Hamlet’s time to say: Let the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung...
Uma Nair, New Delhi
Time Ranjan Bhattacharya stopped calling himself Vajpayee’s foster son-in-law.
Santosh Gairola, Taiwan
Thanks for this forum.
Do not understand people's outrage at Barkha - she always come across someone who uses english vocabulary to impress and believes in self promotion. This does not even come near what she did during Kargil war coverage - that was self promotion at the cost of risking soldiers' lives. There are ethics in journalism and she has been guilty of violating them because of self air she has been breathing. A humble pie and apologies is what she really needed but her behavior at ndtv defence program did not do any good to her drowning. Manu Joseph took personal blows fron her and in process she portrayed herself petty and vindictive. Can only thank Open and Outlook for publishing these tapes.
I was surprised by Vir Sanghvi tapes, even if one wants to give him benefit of doubt it is difficult for him to defend tapes. Good for him that he said sorry to his readers/viewers on Centre Stage.
Thanks again!
BARKHA DUTT was caught out peddling her closeness to sonia gandhi and pm mmsingh. All barkha protestations are appalling disgrace- BARKHA was exposed by SONIA SERVANTS- NOT BY OUTLOOK.
SO BARKHA PLEASE STOP YOUR BAKWAAS- and stay cool- and stay away from soniacongress servvants.
I had doubt about integrity of Barkha Dutt. But it is proved. She is just one pimp in the media. I cant believe Vir to be among them. What a mess? God save India.
Finally great journalism of the kind shown by Indian Express that wanted Indira Gandhi to resign in 1975 following her manipulative election malpractices for which she never was indicted but only arrested. That she paid with her life for another misdeed is most regrettable. She had to be alive to prove she was corrupt. The same sycophantic setup now exists. The cabals remain the same - industry groups, family conglomerates (Reliance, Tata, Birla, Mittal, Sterlite, Jindal, Nanda etc), political parties (SP, fully Congress-I, partly BJP, fully DMK, fully TDP etc), bureacrats (IAS, IPS, IRS officers etc) and now the markets themselves (stock, telecom, bond, gold, land, building, farm-land etc).
India did not achieve an economic growth rate of 9% from 2000 till 2010. What it did achieve was a RAPE-rate of 9% from 2000 till 2010. Shame on you, Indian government! Shame on you, family conglomerates! Shame on bureacrats and middle men like Niira! Shame on you markets and companies with Board of Directors who do not teach FINANCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL and SOCIAL ETHICS.
What India needs is this - an Indian Revolution akin to the French Revolution that will guillotine the heads of the Reliance, Tata, Birla, Congress-I, BJP, SP, TDP, DMK etc leader and the middle men.
Where is the GUILLOTINE when it is needed to roll down the heads starting with the people at the top?
I am outraged that all my private predictions have come true. And I quote Winston Churchill from 1947 here again: "Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters. All Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles."
Barkha Dutt’s professional integrity were always suspect as her partisan attitude could be implicitly seen in her TV shows. However, I never suspected Vir Sanghvi to be a power broker. His impish sobriety has turned out to be a pimpish one.
Just listened to a few recordings involving Raja, Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi, Ratan Tata. Prima facie, there seems to be a serious issue. Why should the journalists, corporates etc try to facilitate the ministry formation, facilitate communication between parties etc? How does it matter to them if congress is talking to Kani or Dayanidhi or Karunanidhi or whoever? Why cant they just let congress and dmk to talk in whichever way they want and decide on who gets what? Somewhere down the line, there is not just facilitating, but steering/influencing the direction in which things/ministries will take shape. There seems to be an attempt to keep out Dayanidhi Maran, and to get congress to speak to Kani and through her, ensure that Dayanidhi Maran is out. Surely, someone is trying to keep Dayanidhi Maran out and unfortunately Burkha Dutt/Vir Sanghvi (who are among the people I admire the most) seem to be cooperating or playing along - if not actively pushing for it themselves.
Where does the buck stop now? My article published on merinews.com on 'Barkhagate' http://www.merinews.com/article/where-does-the-buck-stop-now/15836158.shtml
#106
SHREELEE,
Are you on the payrolls of NDTV or lobbying for Barkha Dutt.
Another view…. Everybody is talking of line from the tape "“Oh God. So now what? What should I tell them? Tell me what should I tell them?” —BARKHA DUTT". Other few instances from tapes might say different story than the famous line most bloggers and media keep repeating. 1. Most of the taped conversation do not show the language used are of go between or lobbyists. 2. Four sets of conversations have words like….”Congress claims”, “Correct, haan” “Raja. Nahin hoga?” , “Haan, well must be Maran”… “Oh I see!”… “Okay.”, BARKHA: (laughs) So now?, “BARKHA: Oh, he wasn’t?”, BARKHA: That’s right. But will Karuna drop Baalu?, “BARKHA: I think they have told Maran.” 2. In most conversation Barkha is not at all aware or having journalistic doubts(chk above words used) of what congress is and DMK is upto. 3. Open Magazine should come out with compromises in editorial/reporting of the Journalists.(Much easier to prove the point) 4. Sure these conversation are common among many specialist Journalists be it crime reporting/Political/Corporate. Is that wrong, may be No!, until the journalist distort/disinform/discredit/falsify the information for gain. 5. Of course Journalist keeps the point of view across be it print or TV or Internet….puts across messages, as you see it many conflict zones be it political or anything. 6. Also sources are sources, many times Journalists might have to burn fingers. (May be you can check out with crime or political reporters) 7. All stakeholders in these conversation (Barkha-Radia)…..are legitimate, Politicians who are named have got legitimate mandate, Political parties involved are from democratically elect, PR consultants are legitimate company. Also Taped Conversation are vague, directionless and inconclusive. So speculations, equivocal sans affirmation is not good journalism. 8. About Ethics….just mere passing message, getting tapes public cant make a person unethical…nor Impartial, that’s why check for any compromise…make it public…rather than overdoing article on article on four set of conversations. It(articles) becomes more Fiction than News.
curiously waiting to see now what is going to tumble out next. khul jaa sim sim.
You know what worries me more than this state of affairs, it is the fact that nothing will change.
This CORRUPTION is not a cause, it's the symptom; the real cause is unwillingness of good people to enter politics.
After couple of weeks or a month when OUR impotent rage has died down, thing will be as usual; in fact for a lot of us this is just another story.
This episode is a lesson in how 'cunning women' use willing males to do the Dirty Work for them.
It may be impossible to deny that during the UPA regime corruption has sky rocketed in every sphere of life. The day is coming soon when it would be easier to count on one's fingers, the number of persons who are NOT corrupt.
Despite the loud affirmation of loyalty and integrity of our PM by the lady overseeing a dynastic rule, I for one can not buy the story. Yes, our PM is loyal to his party and to the lady.
But when he consciously or under compulsions allows the nation to be swindled by men from the organisation led by a person who is used to see the world through his dark glasses, HOW CAN ONE NOT DOUBT HIS LOYALTY AND INTEGRITY TO THE NATION ?
Barkha and Vir are not alone in fixinng....they get support from their fraternity ( Bhanu Mehta, Kulkarni etc), nobody in print or electronic media is highlighting their deeds.
Vinod Mehta and Team Outlook needs not only to be congratulated, but actively supported in your endeavor to expose the sleaze and money power in everything about politics, media and business in India.
The nexus between corporate communication professionals (providers?) and PR agencies and lobbyists (neo providers and receivers?) is well known. This insidious relationship ironically strengthened in the post liberalsation era. Prior to that, PR persons used to be scared to enter the hallowed chambers of editors and Chief reporters were domain emperors. Today every PR person is a Vice President or above and almost evry jpournalist is a Consulting/Associate/ Chief/Managing?political/Business Editor. And many of them engaged in fixing and dishing out favours for money. The combination of alcohol, gossip and sense of power gives a dangerous kick. I write wih some experience of demands from this lot.
Little surprise then that the media which claims to be the sole custodian of moral uprightness and probity has written or aired little about their own and corporate misdoings. The money will stop na! Is hamaam me sab nage hain.
Vinod Mehta's "Editor" may yet be the best suited for senior positions in the media. He is loyal, barks and bites, stands no nonsense and is totally trusworthy.
An insight into the kind of person Niira Radia is... a freelance journalist, Anjum Zaidi was doing a series of stories on Radia --- nothing radically new... the ED wanting to question her, the tapes obtained by the IT Department, etc. In response, he received death threats against his family and himself from a mobile number that the police (the Noida Police) later traced to Vashnavi Communications.
Even on the tapes, Radia gloats over how she fixed some journalists for writing against her or her clients. Simple funda, huh? "You better be like a Barkha or a Vir, or else... bang bang!"
Their heads buried firmly in the sands of arrogance... the Indian Media continues to maintain a deafening silence on the issue... Oh! Sorry... the Times of India has broken it's silence --- but only to sneer at us, dismissing this outpouring of public anger as a "2G Scam Sideshow".
In a lighter vein, Radia is exactly the kind of Lobbyist any sensible businessman would love to hire for doing business in India. On a serious note, however, look at the root cause that gives birth to such "fixers" - the corrupt babus and politicians in India. Can anyone get anything done in government circles without offering money and sex to these greedy netas and babus? Also, media has become like mafia. You can't point a finger at them (they will not just discredit the finger but the entire person or organization). When it comes to protecting one of their own, all the media rallies together. I don't have great respect for Editor of Outlook but I feel this time you guys have done something really good. Though we have to see if Mr. Vinod Mehta gets another chance to appear as NDTV panelist (after this expose).
Incredible India! India Shining... shining so brightly, in fact, that the glare blinds us to the rot that has been eating into the country like a deadly cancer. Thank you, Outlook... for doing the proper thing when the rest of the media world is closing ranks to protect its own. The deafening silence across newspapers and television channels rings out like a clarion call, damning the media. In fact, the much talked about write up in Indian Express by Pratap Bhanu Mehta sounds like a brazen justification for covering up corruption and criminal collusion in the name of "privacy". But now we know, don't we? He's "one of them".
MIGHTY INDIA CRUMBLING UNDER CORRUPTION, POVERTY & LACK OF INDIAN IDENTITY
The corrupt journalist & media moghuls are a drop in the ocean of corruption institutionalized by Sonia Gandhi-PVR-Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister since 1991. From 1991-96 Corruption in all public-private partnership deals became the order of the day and the biggest Indian Securities Scam involving Harshad Mehta who alleges to have paid Rs. 10 crore to Prime Minister PVR and Telecom Scam by Telecom Minister Sukh Ram when Rs. 3.62 crores were found stuffed in his pillows and mattresses; all of it unfolded under Sonia-PVR-Manmohan. In 1996 the Congress lost the general elections mainly on the plank of corruption, though majority of the Indian voters couldn't really understand the meaning of “securities scam and Telecom Scam”.
Even after loosing elections in 1996 Sonia made sure the largest party BJP could not make a government and the left parties remain at her mercy; she remains the Uncrowned Queen of India even when finally BJP came to power in 1998 till 2004 she was accorded the unofficial title of Queen of India.
It was BJP’s Yashwant Sinha as finance minister who gave 35% increase in the budgetary allocations for infrastructure, lowered the real interest rates, introduced tax deduction for mortgage interest, freed up the telecom sector, helped fund the National Highways Authority, deregulated petroleum industry and in 2001 despite the second year of deficient rainfall in 30 out of 35 meteorological sub-divisions could manage overflowing grain in government warehouses.
It is very unfortunate RSS, some BJP Leaders and domestic robber barons posing as industrialists supported by corrupt bureaucracy and Media, irked by reforms, forced Vajpayee to move Yashwant Sinha to the External Affairs Ministry. He was replaced by Jaswant Singh an economy idiot who gave a slogan not from any text book of economics but purely from a political book "reforms with a human face". Again corruption in all public-private partnership deals in India became the order of the day and BJP lost power in 2004 to Sonia-Manhohan that also adopted the slogan “reforms with human face”. This human face reform is very visible now that 667 million Indians defecate every day openly on the faces of those who says India is Shining especially on the face of Mukesh Ambani who has a better view of people defecating in the open from his $2 billion home in Mumbai. The Sonia-Manmohan team since 2004 has also successfully managed to corrupt the Indian Defense forces what was started in 1991 with the entry of Zionist/Israel on the invitation of Madam Sonia Gandhi and supported by all Hindu Parties; BJP, RSS, VHP & Shiv Sena etc.. The corruption, criminalization, politicization, indiscipline and abuse of authority has reached such an abysmal state in Indian Armed Forces that the proponents of “India Shining or Mighty India” are seeing their dreams of becoming a Major World Power shattered by the very custodians of their power “Army” because of its greed, voracious appetite for moral and ethical depravation. This itself raises doubts about the very existence of India as one nation for its 1.2 bil residents that also comprises world’s largest population of 830 mil poor.
Country is unmoved with current Court Martial proceedings going on for serving Generals Avadesh Prakash & R K Rath and disciplinary actions against Generals P C Sen and Ramesh Halgali for their alleged involvement in financial irregularities and land scams. A tainted General Deepak Kapoor can be made Chief of the Army who can try to put a lid on scams by tainted Generals under him, can get a Flat meant for Kargil war veterans along with Navy Chief Admiral; Madhavendra Singh & Gen. N C Vij and above all 3-4 months before his retirement can sign a $2.3 billion deal for tainted Barack missiles in Nov. 2009 for delivery in 2017; one can imagine the level of corruption in non defense departments under Central, State & Local government control in India.
When Political, Religious, Business & Media leaders of India under Queen Sonia have corrupted, criminalized and politicized it’s 1.13-million strong Defense forces to the core of its heart with scandals of indiscipline, corruption, financial frauds and land scams; what can be said of other departments of Government at all levels?
To make matters worse there is wide spread lack of Indian Identity that supersedes caste, ethnicity, religion and region, which can unify all its citizens as equal members of a shared Nation with a shared destiny reached through common goals. The multi-fractured nature of Indian society goes beyond the healthy human disagreement and debate inherent to a healthy democracy, instead prompting the question whether India’s 1.2 billion citizens; Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Christian further sub-divided into more factions are actually want to be “Indians’. India is in the top ten nations with the widest socio-economic gap and corruption at all levels of governance including Armed forces. It is an economically, socially, morally and politically failed state for majority of its 1.2 billion citizens; who can not solve its socio-economic, religious and political problems including its Land dispute with Pakistan since 1948 over Kashmir. Lack of Indian identity, acute poverty among over 80% of its citizens, rampant corruption at every level of governance including Armed Forces, regionalism and religious fanaticism is tearing the country apart and it is a matter of time only that it will break into tiny countries like Soviet Union.
>Who will save this country?
Try Niira Radia.
from the day one , whem Dr Manmohan take oath i was convince that nothing is going to happen in working of BABUs of Govt of india .... becoz manmohan ji has spent his life inthe same sysytem...there is no hope ... even he would not reasign on their own we have to force him.... to quit....Soniya has seen all this corruption since the period of indira ji... Rajive ji... now she is chikna GHADA.....
Please conduct a survey and you will find that most of the Indians would want
a) Cancellation of the licenses from un-eligible companies
b) Payment in full on market valuation (short-fall) by the eligible companies
c) Re-allotment in a transparent way of the surrendered spectrum
d) Where there was a wind-fall (resale of allotted spectrum) payment of tax from the benefitors..
SHAME ON ALL OF US..I have been subscribing to Outlook, almost since its inception... Never have I read a story like this.. Listening to all the taped conversations leaves every true Indian Depressed...
Who will save this country?
I have a question for all of you:
What are you going to do about this?
Understand this, just writing comments showing your frustration with everything that is wrong with India won't change a thing. What ails India is like a cancerous tumour, the kind that has been exposed by this article. Our comments are just like Band-aid plasters over this cancerous tumour.
I hope every one supports following
1. Taxation on Mauritius route. This route is kept open so that politician can move money. The transfers are 10 times bigger than mauritius GDP. This tax avoidance treaty is pure fraud.
2. To remove single presidential directive to seek permission before prosecution. Why no journalist, opposition or bureaucrat demands this. Why supreme court doesnt remove this directive.
3. The Airtel uses software where the meter jumps on the basis of random number. Same software is now used by BSNL. There should be investigation by CVC and people from TRAI should be charge sheeted in criminal case for allowing this.
“The ‘Talk Plan Tariff’ of the conversations held between Niira and her ‘Contacts’ probably is the highest ever in the History of Telecom which has been billed to the Government and the Citizens of a country.”
Pratap Bhanu Mehta in Indian Express:
" There now seems to be virtually no check on the state in terms of what private conversations it can record, under what pretext. The state becomes even more deeply corrupt when it gives up the principles that should regulate its conduct; when in the name of pursuing investigations it gives itself carte blanche to do virtually anything. The fact that this “evidence” collected by the state is leaked, ostensibly for some instrumental purpose should worry us. The fact that all this purported evidence is published in the name of transparency, without context, without any institutional mediation at all, should worry us. We should worry that under the guise of promoting transparency we now promote a prurient interest in private conversations of people, irrespective of whether or not they are relevant to establishing guilt or innocence. Whether particular individuals are guilty or not should be investigated by proper means. But society exhibits a deeper form of corruption and corrosion of principles when all procedures and values are made instrumental to some external mission. What is now being revealed in the name of “anti-corruption” has echoes of totalitarian surveillance: the erasure of privacy, everyone is a snitch on everyone else, and every act other than it seems. The quest for justice becomes a rhetorical cloak for other vices: prurience, settling of private scores, or merely promotion of one’s own virtue."
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/beware-the-single-brush/714698/0
# 82 mithbarthy Indore, India Under recent changes to Indian criminal laws, women cannot be held responsible for any criminal activity. Besides, with powerful anti-males like Burkha Dutt, Kanimozhi and the Italian Gandhi as her 'friends', she does not have to worry about blinkered Indian judiciary. While these tracherous people are on the way to reserving 33% of the 'democratic' body! Thirdly, for the biased Indian media, any male is guilty of crimes unless proven otherwise. But females, even if they are guilty, are never convicted or sent to jail by the brainwashed judiciary. The Indian women are too clever, since they use willing males to put their neck on the block, while they are themselves not even in the picture!
Even GOD cannot save the Indian male! SeX is the new ReligioN; GendeR is the new CastE!
What is surprising me is that Barkha still defends her lobbying actions in her twitter page. It is not only confirming her Congress favour but also her bright future in Congress party. Friends, dont be stunned if she gets a ticket in coming elections or even gets a nomination for Rajyasabha seat for her loyalty to the Congress.
Kishoredasmunshi is so happy to blame it conveniently on to Fuehrer Modi but doesn't explain why Manmohan and Sonia sat on these tapes for so long and decided to release them now when they were in the line of fire. And just branding everyone who questions the Congress as a Sanghi is not really an answer or a useful tactics, particularly when you are a Maoist yourself.
"India, the republic, is now on sale. Participating in the auction is a group of powerful individuals, corporate houses, lobbyists, bureaucrats and journalists" -- What a Shame!!!
I really appreciate and respect your views Siddharth Rajkonwar. Now we can conclude from the recent allegations and scams that INDIA is fully corrupted. We can proudly say that "I live in a 100% corrupt society".
We've seen it everywhere from Fertilizers to Cricket Field, From Stamp Paper to 2G Spectrum. To see the money involved in the scams are unimaginable. The recent 2G spectrum according to CAG report has brought nearly $39 billion loss to the indian union government, an amount which is beyond imagination for a normal citizen like me.
Who is going to take action against these people?
What punishment will they get?
Is anyone punished for corruption in INDIA?
I feel ashamed to read that "India is for Sale". Someone should act and save our country. As citizens we have nothing in our hands. we can only pour our views on these websites. At the end of the day its the rulers who should act and save our people. If there is any documented eligibility criteria for entering politics, most IIM and IIT toppers will enter politics. Unfortunately, we dont have such thing. We have to pay the price.
However, I would like to apprecite outlookindia.com for their courage.Keep Rocking
Jai Hind
Hmm..not surprising, whatever has been exposed till now is only the tip of the iceberg and the timing of this expose couldn't have been better. So now it's public that our well known and respected till-yesterday journalists join the sought after Indian Corruption Champions League (like the UEFA Champions League in soccer) which have top, elite and powerful members from politics, judiciary, administration,industrialists and armed forces.
Let's be honest that Indian society has become totally corrupt and it would be farcical to give a moral lecture. If we were in such powerful positions we would have also resorted to corruption with the exception of a very very small number of conscientious people. In this age of consumerism we want money and more money. There is so much competition for everything, from finding a seat in a bus/metro/school/college to parking space that it leaves a person completely stressed out. If you have money then you can just throw it and show it and enjoy the game of life,Paisa phek.. tamasha dekh! So it should be no surprise on reports of corruption/lobbying by the fourth estate. Did we just forget the paid news malice? Short term memory..Oh yeah a quintessential attribute of the aam aadmi.
Corruption is inevitable. We cannot and we will not eradicate it. Because for this we must be the change we wish to see, and nobody wants to refuse free big bucks without having to earn it honestly. But yes there could be a possible way to check and limit corruption in governance and administration by way of reforms and plugging the loopholes in the system which have been knowingly crafted so that the rich and the powerful can twist and turn and get away scot free. But then this is like being an idealist because for this we need political will to implement reforms and not just form recommendation committees which stretch for years wasting tax payers money and which are headed by sycophant bureaucrats for whom this job it is like a post-retirement gift for their unquestionable loyalty to their political bosses.
In essence we have adopted the Carvaka philosophy. So money is omnipotent, omniscient but omnipresent only with the big,powerful and well connected persons.
But there could be a twist to the story if the aam aadmi recapitulates the historic French Revolution and takes things into their own hands.(Remember the guillotine? But that contradicts the ethos of the Indian society as it is evolutionary and not revolutionary. Or will Mahatma's principle work in this age of socio-political and economic affairs?
All the ppl involved in this fiasco should be punished severely. Only firing would not do. There are some curious fact though, I have read all the postings related to this issue, I found out:
1. Most of the senior venom spitting brigade is lying low.
2. Only low level members are participating and they all are calling for the blood of Vir Sanfhvi and Burkha Dutt and ofcourse their bugbear Congress(I).
3. No one is talking about Niira Radia who could be the lynchpin of this whole scam. Maybe it is the blanket amnesty provided by HHS Modi whose right hand she is.
4. Here is an article from TOI that explains how she got Ratan Tata to attend Vibrant Gujrat seminar and later move Nano to Gujarat.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/masala-noodles/entry/an-encounter-with-niira-radia
So it was a surprise of surprises when Mr Tata came to the Vibrant Gujarat show, escorted by Niira Radia. My sources told me that Mr Tata was most uncomfortable and wondered what was he doing there.
Niira, being an adviser to Ratan Tata, had a clear idea about the specifications of the land that Tata Motors wanted. She also knew the kind of incentives that would make Ratan Tata plump for Gujarat for his Nano factory. All these details she possibly passed on to Narendra Modi, who was well prepared with land and incentives the moment Tata Motors pulled out of Singur.
Why the media is NOT talking / raising about the consipiracy against AI by Jet, king Fisher and their henchmen?
Release of these tapes by Outlook is unbelievable. Keep up the great work!
You may not realize this but what you have done today could have a SIGNIFICANT impact on our country's future and I think and hope it will be positive. Hopefully, the other media outlets will be forced to do things right as well.
It is sickening to see all these people looting India when more than 65% of the population is living under poverty! No wonder Swiss Bank has the highest deposits from Indians (Rs. 80 Lakh Crores or something).
If there is such thing as Karma, all these thieves will pay very badly very soon.
# 46,
There are some more observations about who USED who in the corruption scams recently.
The ones on the Left Hand side are all women. Women like Burkha are close to Radia who is close to Kanimozhi who is close to the Italian 'Gandhi' who is close to... Most of the ones on the LHS have No political mass base, and have risen to their positions due to gender-casteism. Most of the women and men have a Personality Disorder - some ASPD and some HPD/BPD. Most women have no family of their own ( unlike 99% of real Indian women ) Most are anti-males and support 33% of seats to be reserved, thus murdering true democracy to appease non-working women - the media-supported Ideological corruption. God Bless Indian males!
Hi,
We need to post messages on twitter and the media websites questioning their silence on this whole issue?
They are counting on our 'chalta hein' attitude - that we will forget all this and get busy with our work/life...its been decades since we citizens have done anything which would make our freedom fighters proud.
Barkha your burqa is now wide open.you and vir can start a new tv channel gadhe tv.
Excellent job Outlook!
An expose of this kind where the basic foundations of a democratic government is put to question should have the whole of media world and opposition parties going hammer and tongs about it. But what a deadly silence from all these quarters.
This silence of rest of the media and opposition party speaks a lot about their complicity.
At this time, being a citizen of India I can only hang my head in shame. But I would like to prod you all who have commented here that do something about this. Only posting comments won't do. Interested? Check out: freedomteam.in
A certain section of the media seem to be sold out. Hats off to Outlook and VM for exposing the double standards of VS and BD.
Some leading names in Indian media seem to have joined hands with politicos, babus and business in fleecing the country to serve their selfish interest.
Oh please, leave Indian Express out of this. For those who do not know, it is owned by Mukesh Ambani group.
Less mud, please
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/less-mud-please/714342/
>>Except in the internet, the tapes have hardly caused a ripple, probably because there is not much that is incriminating in them.
Probably because the general media is busy supressing them. But I would recommend everyone hear those tapes, its really shocking and depressing. We are a banana republic!
>>He was a regular Indian Express columnist.
So?
RSM,
>> They (Vir Sanghvi and Burkha Dutt) are not being used; they have made themselves available to be used.
A bit of both. We do not know whether they wield real power or strut about self-importantly. It is true however that a truly professional journalist would avoid paticipation in such power brokering.
>> Sudheendra Kulkarni was not an independent journalist but a part of the BJP.
He was a regular Indian Express columnist.
Except in the internet, the tapes have hardly caused a ripple, probably because there is not much that is incriminating in them. They are not even a fraction as titillating as Nixon's White House tapes.
Could the citizens of India, please:
1. Boycott all TV, newspapers, magazines that worms like Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi work for?
2. Vir Sanghvi is on record on the tapes openly siding with Mukesh Ambani and his lobbyist in order to fix Anil Ambani. He even suggests a mock TV interview so that Mukesh does not fumble for words in the real TV interview (both to be conducted by V Sanghvi!!!). Should the Channel that employ him not take it up with him. Isnt there a body that oversees the journalism. Should they not ban these folks?
>>The fact that Vir Sanghvi or Burkha Dutt are being so used may come as a surprise to us, but both of them are assisting political groups for which they have known sympathies.
They are not being used; they have made themselves available to be used. They are journalists who regularly pride on so called objectivity independence! Independent journalists do not deal on behalf of political parties! In recent times our sense of morality has got so twisted that we justify the above acts. No wonder we still call MMS ‘Mr. Clean’.
>>Remember Sudheendra Kulkarni's work for the BJP in the entrapment effort during the nuclear treaty debate?
Balance through lies again. First, it was not entrapment, second it was totally partisan behaviour of another ‘independent’ journalist who was assisting the same political group and third, Sudheendra Kulkarni was not an independent journalist but a part of the BJP!
I've never been too fond of outlook for its baraindead stand on many issues.
But it's the only one willing to take a tough stand on corruption.
Give them hell, Mr Mehta, but could you also take a similiar stand on poor governance as well as corruption.
Will NDTV now come clean on how many children of present and past IAS &IPS and other Govt.officers, children are employed by them. It may be worthwhile for other channels to probe this area.
Vir Sanghvi and Barkha Dutt stand out as inferior to the ladies and gentlemen who inhabit the area reportedly named Guston Buston road in delhi(i have never been there) after sunset.Atleast the latter are honest about what the do
I am sure by this time Barkha would have learnt how powerful the media is. Indian media have never had a constructive criticism. Above all you cant expect that from a biased and one sided media. People who watched NDTV during Gujrat assembly polls would not be surprised by this tapes. Good luck Burkha. You need a lot of time. Take a break and Congress would not mind you sponsoring for a vacation.
Good job, Outlook! Congrats! When rest of the media is maintaining an united silence on this issue, you had the courage to publicise it nationally! How deep the country is mired in corruption is now obvious!The media, which if it had any morals, should have been the keeper of the nation's conscience! But unfortunately it has prostituted itself to the highest bidder!
Keep up the pressure and don't succumb to threats! It is so sad that there is no opposition party which is clean and in a position to challenge a totally discredited UPA! BJP has failed India at a time when it could have been very effective! Hope out of all these exposes' some good may come out!
There is nothing in these tapes, excepting a little bit of education to the people not having direct experience of governance in the states or the center.Yes, the youth will certainly get a reality check and might escape getting trapped in poltical ideologies. But the worst thing is corruption being marketed again. See, we have spent more than 60 years in only hearing politicians and journalists condemning corruption, but themselves practicing it in private.In the past 60 years the status acquired by corruption in the country has compelled us to give it another name. I would not be able to think of anything other than "dushta". A dushta is a person who robs the aam aadmi of his/her happiness without any fear. Whether it is a SPS Rathore molesting a minor girl Ruchika or A Raja molesting democracy, corruption carries on non- chalantly. Nobody can stop it: no chief minister or prime minister.. The media also takes up corruption for increasing its sales, both products and services. Why has Outlook suddenly decided to publish these tapes? Radia is neither a bureaucrat, nor a politician, she is in the business of public relations . It is all encompassing and can take to any offensive including charm offensive. But ever since the Raja scam became public, shrewd attempt have been started by the ruling clan to cover up the tracks, because it is not Raja alone but many more from outside the DMK family.This is one such attempt. Defocus Raja scam, enlarge the frame, divert people's attention, discredit the media and establish the superior morality of Sonia Gandhi by citing these illustrations as proof of the "shrunken moral universe" of "greedy & Corrupt India". Wonderful. You could have exposed several other scams of the media, such as millions of dollars misappropriation by media channels that should be in the know of a magazine like the Outlook. Please save the country by concentrating on the Raja scam for the time being so that 176000 crores of public money is confiscated, properties of all guilty in the scam forfeited and each one of them jailed for at least 176 years. Take it from me: you get me just 5 honest journalists and you can have the most transparent government next, which will reduce tax by 50% in the very first year. It is no exaggeration--it is public service experience.
goto twitter and search for #barkhagate Having no other recourse to vent their anger people have turned to social networking sites. As a result of this #barkhagate has hit No.1 in the list of trends in India on twitter closely followed by "barkha" and "dutt" in the 2nd and 3rd places.
The journalist has become the public face of the scam and its denting her online repuatation immensely as she has chosen to retaliate through her own twitter account.
Why no TV news channel or print media done the trial and hanged the culprits as they do in other cases? The Fourth Estate as failed.
I used to wonder why our old All India Radio news readers were not worthy of Nation's civilian awards. It pays to be connected.
>Four Pillars of Democracy are Judiciary, Legislature, Executive and Press.
This democracy has put on lot of weight . The four pillars mentioned above has gotten old , little worse for wear & therefore creaking; are not strong enough to hold up heavy-weight cronies. So the emperor who has lost his clothes had co-opted a few pimps to lend a few shoulders.
What then all these kerfuffle all about? True there is a bit more than usual moralistic breast-beating match is going on inside the first,second & fourth pillar as above . But who does not know time is the best healer? I&B has also done it's bit to oversell Pams & that other creature. A Hoares & the People show is also being staged on the subject. One hopes that will topsell Pams & the other creature tonight & a rejuvanated nation will get on with democratic practices in it's true cronyist spirit.
PS. Outlook's goose will be cooked in leisure;just let the noise die a natural death.
What a media farce? I did not see this news in any paper or TV. I by chance bought the mag as the cover was very shocking. Outlook and Open magazine has my highest appreciation of bringing this out in the open.
Going by the appreciation that most middle class have for Outlook.
!!! TIME TO START OUTLOOK TV SO THAT ALL NEWS REACHES PEOPLE, I FOR SURE WILL WATCH IT !!!
Most of the Electronic media and print media had been claiming that it was Karunanidhi and DMK who were arm-twisting Manmohan Singh and Congress for bringing back Raja. Now your expose has brought out the fact that, on the contrary, it was the Congress leaders themselves (at the behest of some corporates, lobbyists and even journalists) who were pressurising Karunanidhi for recommending Raja.
Thank you very much for being bold enough for exposing these group of people who were looting all of us these past few years. It is a real pity that most of the major magazines / newspapers / channels decided to cover this up.
Keep it up...We the people of India are with you all the way.
Thanks to OUTLOOKINDIA and OPENTHE Magazine for exposing such traitors of India. These people are shame on the face of journalism.
More people will watch outlook for better news now.
It is no secret that there is a nexus between politicians, burocrates, industrialist, journalist (yes I mean it! I have not seen more self obsessed people and self promoting people in any other profession other than journalism & Bollywood celebratory), and others (you name any position of influence) whose goal is to just mint money. These people even take intellectual or ideological position based on calculation not conviction. I have love & hate relation with outlook magazine. It’s unfortunate that it is evolving to become another Hindu or Frontline (make your prediction on me, but I AM NOT AN RSS guy) but at the same time it gives….. The entire political, journalistic (YES, I MEAN IT), autocratic, and industrial system is rotten to the core in India. This edition of Outlook has given me a little (just a minuscule) hope. I will be watching you outlook!!!
will this story be there in Electronic media? I don't think so. neither any political party will take up this issue. Bhai is hamam mai sub naag gai hai. Darwaza khologai tu sab ka naaggapan dunia ko nazer aayaga
We all know that nothing moves in outlook without the congress highcommand approval. These tapes have therefore been released only after CONG head honchos have made a calculation. They have thrown their loyal journos under the bus in order to ease media pressure. Notwithstanding that, the people ought to be thankful. We now have a confirmation of everything that we suspected. Next time we read counterpoint, I hope Vir Sanghvi declares which political party or corporate house sponsored the article!
These people should be banned from apperaing on media and giving their so-called ' honest opinion' on issues. Shame on people like Suheil Seth(who is supposed to be involved in a conversation on Avaition), who talks as if he is incarnate of truth. shoot him and then people like Tarun Das, who was given charge of Satyam after ramalinga raju debacle..what does he want 5 acres for?
Makes me wonder why we even bother to pay taxes...a best way to get back to the governemtn is for all of us to not pay any taxes....no TDS should be deducted.
Four Pillars of Democracy are Judiciary, Legislature, Executive and Press.
Fourth Pillar stand exposed.. not for wrongdoing.. but for becoming handinglove for all the murky deals.. atleast politicians.. shows how they act.. others hide behind columns, editorials and a permanent smile on the TV.. to fool the common man.
Let us see who uses who :
The Italian 'Gandhi' uses MMS to make money and anti-male laws Kanimozhi uses Raja to make money Sunanda uses Shashi Tharoor to make money Jayalalitha uses different males for money Vasundare Scindia uses Lalit Modi to control Indian cricket and money Radia Nira uses Rahul to get her ministerial berths Chavans M-in-law uses Chavan to get herself a flat
Note that the people on the left hand side, do not show up themselves and personally sully their image. Note also that the ones on the LHS are women. The ones on the RHS are the MALES ( would nt you LOVE to be one among them too ). While the country is being Sucked dry through monetary and ideological scams, is this not a scam in its OWN right?
Importantly, could this pattern suggest a gender trait?
Dear Outlook,
I always thought you were a pro Congress magazine & a big fan of people of ilk like Barkha & Vir. I have been proved wrong & happy to have been proved wrong. It takes courage to do what you did. Surprising that all Pseudo Secularists are keeping quite & no noise from them. Given a chance they will sell the Country. Already, half of it has been looted. The sad part if that we will not see Mr. Mehta in any news channels as no one will call him.
The smirk on Barkha's face has been wiped off.Vir and Barkha should be treated with contempt they deserve.Prannoy should now openly admit that NDTV is the official mouthpiece of the so called gandhi family.The haste in which Barkha interviewed Kapil and putting words in his mouth and demeaning others exposes her thoroughly.Why are other channels mum on this issue.Arnab,Rajdeep where art thou!!!!!Of course they have also have a lot to hide.Slogan of indian polity LOOT MARO BATTKE KHAO.
In regard to my post 17, I will like to thank moderator and outlook for clarification, some how I missed the link. Congratulations for the detailed revelations. Thanks again. Keep up the job.
What have we learned from all these tapes that we could not have guessed ouselves? Is the fact that lobbyists are aggressive hard driving folks a surprise? They would use any politician or media person for their purposes. The fact that Vir Sanghvi or Burkha Dutt are being so used may come as a surprise to us, but both of them are assisting political groups for which they have known sympathies. Remember Sudheendra Kulkarni's work for the BJP in the entrapment effort during the nuclear treaty debate? Nobody on the tapes seems to demand or offer any bribes as far as I could judge. After a general election, so many days pass before all the cabinet berths are assigned. What happens in all those days? Nira Radia's phone conversations have provided us with a rare look.
Mr Mehta
Congratulations.
I had a different opinioin about outlook until today but that is not changed. I may disagree with your opinions and analysis but today I have a full faith on your integrity and credibility. you have proved that you as a media have a clear conscience and are not a party to this corrupt coterie.
While most media chose to blackout this story I wonder how deep the rot is? Most might be worried about their own exposures and hence had no guts.
Hi Im really worried and raises a lot of doubt. The entire family of Karuna is in politics and I didnt know until now there is so much politics within their family. "Kani: My mother took butter milk to my dad and had to listed to my dad's conversation.." ultimate family. Ugly politics under lime light. If these ugly ppl (kani, maran, A.RAJA, Ballu etc..etc..) can corrupt and manipulate so much in Delhi, wat they (karuna, stalin, Alagiri etc..etc..) could have done in chennai, Tamil Nadu.Everything for sale. I didnt know that NDTV is a BIG time bullshit. Dono wat to believe and wat not to. Have respect for Mr.Prime Minister, hope atleast he dosent disappoint the younger generation. Really frustrated, I pay my taxes promptly and feel so upset to see that all tat money goes into the pockets of those unethical already rich people.. Adios to Rahul and Priyanka for kindling this matter (If they have really done). Waiting to see how it all ends. Wish this matter and the ppl involed dosen't get away easily.
--Prompt Tax payer
The hoi polloi of Corruption in India - Politicians, Journalists & Corporates caught on tape. Everything up for sale.
Sanjay Uvach
http://www.nobribe.org
The way Niira, the bane and curse of our nation treats Barkha Dutt and Vir is like we treat our dogs. Now both sit and moan on their blogs that there was a smear campaign launched against them and the planning was done sometime ago. I thank Outlook for publishing the tape recordings in audio form as it reveals a chilling reality on how wheelers dealers like Niira have slaves like Barkha Dutt and Vir under her thumb. Will she next time convey the messages of the ilk of Nanda and Co. on which arms the Army should buy to the Congress.
How can Rahul and Sonia even meet this trash journalist. I am sure they know they were working for Niira? Lastly Barkha, Vir and Co.
WHY HAVE U NOT EXPOSED NIIRA TILL NOW ?
The audio tapes were more chilling than the 170 crores we may have lost.
Regards
BARKHA AND VIR are the prime enemies of the nation.They have sold the country to all and sundry.Me thinks they should be mounted on donkeys and paraded through newdelhi,with garlands of chappals and dung.
Great writing Rajesh SS. Prannoy, barkha must be saying congress to apni dukan hai or sorry may be it is congress saying NDTV to apni dukan hai. NO JPC probe will be allowed because it will lead to the prince for sure. the young politician is the source of all this corruption after all he is under training with ex CM who ran most corrupt government without being incharge of single department.
I dont know if people have noticed but few discussions, for example with prabhu were recorded from prabhus phone means phones are being tapped, not only nira but other journos too. their voice stands loud as we hear on phone. Vinod is no exception.
What an eventful month ! We have shameless corrupt politicians ( congress in center and BJP in Karanatak) exposed and now we have these tapes that exposes high profile media personnel. Sad state of affair.
vir s, barkha d, tarun d et al deserve the pink chaddi treatment. a money order of inr 1 should be sent to these pimps for their disservice to public interest.
Kudos to Vinod to dare to put this on the public domain AS-IS. It was really shattering to see the names of the likes of Barkha and Vir Singvi and see their transcripts and i am all the more amazed at their ludicrous rejoinders and responses - they are either deluding themselves that this is another 'passing' phase and the public will forget (as they usually do).
By any stretch of imagination, it is plain to even a high school kid that their (Barkha's and Vir's) conversations indeed show a clear 'drive' to 'move' things on behalf of the congress.
Their motivation to become such 'high stakes players' surely cannot be simple 'ego feeding' based on 'I know people in high places and can boast of such connections in my next kitty party !!" - It is very obviously based on 'material' expectations from such persons in high places - I will not be surprised to see more skeletons from their cupboards - a flat , an europe vacation perhaps, an admission to an engineering college.....
If they had any self respect (leave alone any journalistic ethic), they will resign from their positions and clear their names.
These 'Elite' journos were considered 'above it all' - Alas - there is indeed truth in the old adage - "Every human has a price !!"
Comment number 23 is interesting too.
It is our fervent wish that the government get to the bottom of this in all earnest... As Vinod mentions, the name of our PM is indeed besmirched (and i like him).
Outlook has rendered yeoman service by putting this on the public domain.
Outlook. Outstanding. (May be that's a little cliched but I can't thinking of a better expression.)
We all know how Barkha Dutt has been a gramophone from the outset but this one goes beyond that...Fuck Indian Broadcast 'journalism.'!
Outstanding
I would have paid Rs 10,000 for this issue
I can imagine the amount pressure on Outlook after this; you will have nobody on your side now - not politicians, not industrialists and most of all not even your fellow journalists
But people of this country are indebted to you
Long live Outlook
Barkha fixes all anti congress people and orchestrates frenzy for the congress party unashamedly.NDTV should be boycotted as people's enemy.Prannoy,Barkha and the NDTV team are DESHDROHIS.We the people is sycophancy at its worst.
Really bold essay.Though you admit that you are a congress stooge, at last you have shot them in the foot.Please let us know once you have the information how the LOOT has been shared by all the elected and nominated representatives.People of india are naive to say the least.Media is having a ball with the ratings up and up.Pranabda will announce the sharing formula by sunday and then the circus will restart on monday.Sorry the parliament.
Burkha accused Arundhati of romanticising Naxal movement. Now she says she was collecting information from Niira Radia and not lobbying! What a romantic notion of Journalism!!
VINOD,Are you calling this coup?There is nothing new in it.Why Mulri Devara is petroleum minister ?Who appointed him?Who are not payroll of Ambani?Who first showing budget before placing in parliament to Dhirubhai Ambani?Mr. Vinod you are selling old wine in new bottle.How can Ambani, Birla Tata and many others became trillions trillions and trillions rich within few years?Those who know Indian politics and bastard politicans for them your story is banal.I think if you have daring please write a new story of criminal businessmen, media person, and scoundrel politicans
These half baked, small minded wheelers and dealers run our govt and our lives!!! Where do they have time for governance, when they are busy plotting everyday and planning on how to loot the treasury?
HI
Just now you have posted my comment
Can you have my mobile # removed (last in the mail)
Hi
Time for people like us, who watch these channels to get answer. Probably journalist also need to declare their assets in their website every quarter. Just how media today is biased & influenced can be seen from the reaction of two division of Indian express group The North group (Indian Express) headed by Shekar Gupta (Walk the Talk, NDTV) has no coverage on the tapes, while its southern counterpart (the NewIndian Express) has more than 2 page coverage I am pasting the email which I have sent to Barkha & NDTV (After NDTV like now, published a clarfication on the comment of the Naval Chief about Barkha) This was never published nor replied
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: GMail - Rajish <> Date: Sat, Dec 6, 2008 at 9:51 AM Subject: Fw: On the record: Mumbai and media coverage To: barkha@ndtv.com
Dear Barkha I sent this mail yesterday to your team, as my comments about the media coverage. Your moderator may have felt it is too offensive or not worth posting. I thought, at least let me share with you, if you haven't got a chance to go through. I am an ordinary Indian citizen working in an IT firm, without any Political link or Journalism. As an avid reader, I thought, media can't take a Moral high ground when there are lot of questions being raised in their response to the crisis. I miss reading the blog "War of Words" which covered behind the scene actions in various news channels. Hope my comments are not offensive and personal. Thanks & Regards Rajesh SS
From: GMail - Rajish Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 10:35 AM To: feedback@ndtv.com Subject: On the record: Mumbai and media coverage
Hi Could not post this comments. Some error coming in your website. Can you have it sent across to Barkha and post the same in your website! ==================== Barkha, it pinches when fingers are pointed. Did you people, (electronic media) feel, what it would have been to Rajesh Talwar when he was subjected to media prosecutiion without any evidence to support & cooked up stories. Time has come for you people in electronic media to pull your socks. When question was put by you to Mr.Saikia, husband of slain TOI editor, he became speechless. Did you think once before asking such a question and making victim's family feel more pain?. Surprisingly even Prannoy Roy did not intervene when you asked such a question. Same with the case of Rajdeep Sardesai, who asked questions to a person who was reunited with his family after the ordeal. The whole electronic media fared very badly in this time of crisis. All of you talk about the response of USA after 9/11. Did anyone of the electronic media followed the standards set by the US media during that coverage? They all covered without any Commercial advertisement. Even during the present crisis, CNN & BBC coverage was objective and crisp. No channel rebutted or allowed commentators from Pakistan to put their point across. Arnab Goswani instead of rebutting the charges, made by Hamid Mir, of Geo TV, that Karkare killing could have been done by Purohit, just tried to deflect from that. In India, when every one is accountable to someone, like politicians to the Voters, it is only the Media & Judiciary which is not accountable to anyone. How can a Chief Justice spend 75Lacs of the tax payer money on foreign travel without any question raised? Same CJ will pass strictures against common man & politicians. How can media allow handful of people with placards, with powder & lipsticks (thanks Naqvi), to get so much attention repeatedly. This is not the first time, media has failed in recent times. Even during the coverage on the ATS probe into Malegaon, none of you covered about the gaping holes in the prosecution. But the same media jumped to various conclusions & conducted trial after the Batla house encounter. None of the channel also apologised to individuals after CBI/ATS clarifications that they are not investigating any political leader. I read an article about BBC Radio apologising to Kanchi Shankaracharya and paid compensation for the legal expenses thanks to the comments made by "renowned" editor of Outlook Vinod Mehta in one of their talkshow. http://www.kanchi-sathya.org/media20032006_nip.htm Will anyone of the Media in India will do the same to him? Whole amount of Slander was done during his arrest by SUN Tv, Jaya Tv etc., based on "Police Sources". If NDTV was so embarassed by the Navy Chief's accusation, rather than filing defamation case, NDTV should have asked for impartial enquiry to have their name cleared. Barkha should desist from covering any event till acquitted. When Media expects the same from politicians, why cant they practice the same, when they are accussed. How can a channel like NDTV allow Simi Grewal to make such a comment? There is no internal censorship? How can Rajdeep Sardesai create a panic about firing in CST station when it was a rumour? How can IndiaTV repeatedly telecast the interview with the terrorist? How can channel like CNN-IBN not taken to task for the Fake Sting Operation on a Doctor accusing him for cutting healthy people limbs for money to make them beggars? Coverage on the failure to act on Intelligence inputs & continued coverage on differences between various Security agencies is making our Country a laughing stock. Read some of the Pakistan newspapers about the same and our somersault on Samjutha express tragedy. As a channel NDTV coverage on few issues are totally partisan. When you pointed out that Manmohan & Advani could not go to Mumbai together, why cant you find out what made Manmohan to go with Sonia than Advani? As Breaking News, you flashed Karkare Wife refusing to accept Modi's gift, but conveniently forgot that she was not even offered that. (Indian Express interview with her on the same). When the country was under high alert with 9/11 type attack warning, two of the India's top ministers, AK Antony of Defence & Pranab Mukherrji instead of overseeing the Country's Security was attending Congress meet to elect Deskmukh's successor. This was not pointed out by your channel, but flashed that Advani prefer to Campaign than attend All party meet. Modi has showed to the country how election can be won with hostile media or the BJP boycott of CNN IBN post the "Vote for Money" scam. He had the audacity to ask Karan Thapar to get out. We are in dire need of journalist like Pritish Nandy, MJ Akbar etc., rather than sensational journalism. No journalist without minumum of around 10 years experience in journalism should be allowed to talk Live or cover any event without internal censorship. Coverage need to be Objective, Secular and Country's interest should be protected. Emotions should not be allowed to overcome objectivity. Time for NDTV, in this 20th anniversay, to have a Ombudsman to audit your overall coverage. Time for senior people like you to interospect and make changes. I am sure that after the election results, Mumbai attack will take the backseat. People will also forget and life will go on. I hope atleast NDTV will use this opportunity to stand tall from this crowd of news channels. Regards Rajesh SS
Vir Sanghvi and Barkha Dutt come out?....where are you all hiding now?....atleast show us ur shameful faces....now a show should be hosted by public asking questions to them....
Shame on these media persons. And i am not surprized that most of leading newspapers have ignored these explosive tapes. Real shame!!!
Dear Sir,
Day in and day out Barkha Dutt and Vir Singhvi preach about anything and everything under sun. Now, if they have .001% self respect, they should not show their face in public. But well, they will go on giving advice/opinions/surmons to one and all like fixer Ajay Jadeja gives to cricketers.
Outlook team - What you have done takes tons of courage. Way to go! I am skeptical of the JPC probe on this. A court case is preferable - though it may take years, people will be reminded of this scam for years as the case drags on - hopefully voters do not soon forget this mother-of-all scams.
Powerful lobbyists are eroding the democratic fabric in Washington DC. When such lobbying is practiced in the corrupt ethos of New Delhi, we can wave goodbye to democracy.
Main credit goes to the following web site. You can hear the conversations. It seems there is a lot of rush on this site to hear these conversations.
http://www.openthemagazine.com
Moderator's note: outlookindia.com put up all the hundred odd audio tapes that were submitted to the Supreme Court and not just those available on the site mentioned by you. All these tapes are linked in the story above or can be found here
Notice the conspicious silence of all the leading news channels on this story. They huff and puff, scream and shout and take credit for everything from medals in commonwealth games to timely arrival of the monsoon. These tapes clearly show that they are as corrupt as our politicains.
Suddenly, the former editor of Deboniar seems like mother Teresa. Card carrying psuedo secularists are much better than thr leading lights of the TV media who agree to plant stories in their newspapers and magaznes.
Some further reading on the same subject... http://indiasreport.com/magazine/data/the-radia-papers-raja-tata-ambani-connection/
How interesting.
The champions of the secular 'free' press Vir Sanghvi and Barkha Dutt stand totally exposed. The are not just 'journalists', they are also congressi dalals. Most of us had suspected that for a long time anyway.
You are pretty brave to put up this story. With the kind of names involved its not surprising that yours is the only major media outlet covering the story. The others are obviously being gagged by their sources of advertising revenue.
Please make sure this news gathers enough momentum to reach out to a larger section of the population. I would suggest putting up an official Outlook page on facebook and displaying your stories there.
And talking about Ratan Tata, it is high time he stops paying the media to give him 'good' publicity. He is about AS BAD AS any other corrupt rich fat businessman.
A few points
1. More and more women like Radia and Kani, have become powerful because of their gender, ( like Arundhati and Suu ) thanks to gender-casteism becoming acceptable.
2. While MMS and the Italian Gandhi are not monetarily corrupt, they want others to be monetarily corrupt - so that they can carry on their ideological corruption unnoticed. Eg., MMS has a 'mega secret nuclear deal' and the Italian Gandhi for her murder of democracy through 'gender reservations'.
3. The whole country knew about corruption but even those close to the corrupt were helpless. The media ( like Outlook ), makes all the difference in 2010 and we wish they stick to their moral grounds and throw out the corrupt journos amongst them.
4. The country is helpless because the opposition will perpetually only be even MORE corrupt than the present. The government must bring back HANGING - like the Chinese to check the corrupt and anti-male - in politics and the judiciary. Unless this happens, the corrupt and anti-male politicians will LOOT this poor country and store its riches in foreign lands.
Wow! Hats off Outlook. You have challenged the ENTIRE political establishment. This includes the govt and the opposition. BRAVO!
India is actually a WWE game, and only the naive believe that every single aspect is not fixed already.
I want to thank you for a detailed report on the corruption relating to 2G Spectrum. All of India's elite--politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, lawyers, and journalists--seem to be involved in this latest scam.
While it is easy to blame politicians and bureaucrats, what is clear to me is that India has become a very corrupt society. It is not just politicians and bureaucrats who are to be blamed. We (the urban middle class) have to accept a large part of the blame as well. We have become extremely greedy for money and possessions, totally indifferent to the plight of our poor and needy, and eager to pass the blame for bad governance on to others.
We should first clean our own house before we ask the government to clean up its acts.
Great work outlook. Whole government is exposed. hamam me sabhi nange
The tapes also paint a dismal picture of how everything—from cabinet berths to natural resources—is now available for the right price. The now controversial 2G allocation was just one of the many manipulations orchestrated by players in high places. There are conversations on civil aviation with 1980-batch IAS officer Sunil Arora, publicist Suhel Seth and many others which have not been included here. The worst fallout, however, is that it has besmirched the hitherto ‘fair’ name of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who agreed to take Raja back in the same ministry that now stands exposed in the biggest scam in independent India, despite knowledge of the tapes."
Allotment of Ministeries are controlled by the Business Houses for what in return ? I thought this is the progative of the Prime Minster
"he reaction of the Congress leadership is surprising since all these tapes were available to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as Pranab Mukherjee and P. Chidambaram "
Surprising only to those who believe in the so called integrity and honesty of Singh. The simple fact is Singh would do anything to stay in power. His true colors were exposed way back in 2005 when he dismissed the Jharkhand govt and allowed Q to escape. The media and the public at large simply refused to see the man for who he really is and continued to delude themselves.
Now they act surprised. Had they kept their eyes open, the country would have been much better.
So that's the woman. Looks like a night-club bouncer. Good company these people keep !
Ditto SS, Delhi India. I am one of the so called sanghi right-winger, and I salute Outlook. A small flash-back though:
The 'pseudo-secularists' have won. And won stunningly. The small print in the triumph ("victory" is too soft a description) is breathtaking. Savour.
Wrote Mehta ji, on May 25, 2009. I am not sure if he is still celebrating. I very much doubt though.
I would like to congratulate outlook for standing up for the truth and publish this story.
Indian media like people like Mr. Vinod Mehta who has the conviction to show the nexus between the reknown Media houses and Politician.
General people like me can say one thing My respect towards the Outlook has increased multiple folds for the courage and conviction shown by outlook to speak out the truth.
We all thought that we know this & were very blase about it, but hearing first hand really shakes one up. Nothing will happen, no other media cover it, They will smother it to death by ignoring it & later on Outlook will face the fate of Tehelka.
I have never had much love for Outlook for its extreme position to the left;but HATS OFF for daring to go into fratricidal warfare with fellow media people.