PAID NEWS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY
This refers to the HT report ‘54 cases of paid news in state’ (May 19). Paid news, a rapidly emerging trend in India, is not only a serious threat to democracy but also a breach of model code of conduct. When it comes to the broadcast media, some news channels are often found promoting a particular political party. It is more shocking to know that Punjab tops the list. There is no denying that the media is the watchdog that exposes nexuses and shows a mirror to the society. But with the passage of time, the definition of press has completely changed. Due to a few media houses, the whole fraternity is tarnished. Hopefully, the Press Council of India will keep an eye on this and pull up the groups found using these unfair means.
Taranpreet Singh, Moga answer on election commissioner Ashok Lavasa’s demand that the minority decision should have a part of the CEC’S final order. Unfortunately, the CEC’S evasive reply implies that something fishy that is going on in the functioning of the poll watchdog. It is an established practice that proceedings of all important deliberations in constitutional institutions like ECI are drawn and are brought into the public domain. Why is the commission putting itself behind a smoke screen of doubt and suspicion? All eyes are now on the commission as all opposition parties are raising fingers at its actions.
RM Ramaul, on the independence and impartiality of the Election Commission (EC) are the electoral bonds and secondly, it being a tool of the ruling dispensation. Despite the Supreme Court’s intervention in the matter of electoral bond scheme of the Narendra Modi government, EC did not budge. The need was to clean up political funding, but it resulted in multiple legislative changes, which have ensured no disclosure in balance sheets of companies of such payments. The Centre’s argument that this brings in accountability and transparency in the election process is false. There is, in fact, no public scrutiny of the funding and no control of the EC. If continued, at a later date, this singular step will degrade our democratic system.
Rajiv Boolchand Jain,
Zirakpur world’s biggest democracy. Money and muscle power besides the star guest appearances have become synonymous with our elections. Roadshows, which have replaced soapboxes, have become bully pulpits of the rich and powerful. The unseemly sight of our would-be representatives piggybacking on film actors to garner votes only reflects their own glaring vacuousness. No wonder, the war of words between kettles and pots drown the vox populi during elections.
Tarsem Singh, Mahilpur