Investigative Journalism Indian Style

Posted on August 31, 2007
Filed Under Culture

Today’s major newspapers headlines almost in unison covering in a big way the question-for-cash scandal done by few Indian MPs (member of parliaments)or DPRs in Indonesia. The thing that needs to be highlighted here is the swift measures and action taken by the committee formed by the parliament minister.

To give you a bit clue over the course of events here’s the chronology:

(1) A few days back, some reporters from a Indian tv channel met the MPs pretended to be a rich citizen and asked them to raise questions in which every question raised in parliament would be paid some amount of cash.

(2) The MPs got no clue whatsoever that before the “deal”, hidden camere has been installed.

(3) The deal done. the cash paid. That’s the start of the drama and the end of the poor MPs career.

(4) The footage of the pseudo-deal broadcast the following day which bring hype and furore on national level.

(5) This is the important thing: the committee set up by parliament in this regard decides that (a) all the 11 MPs caught red-handed accepting money will be expelled from the parliament membership. The decision is final. No more judiciary ruling wanted and, hence, the MPs cannot further this matter to the court; (b) No action taken for the journalists who trapped the MPs. The journalists action considered as legal. For the record, never in democratic history MPs being expelled for such actions.

Well, what do you think if the same thing happen to our DPRs or Ministers? Who’ll be going to prison? the DPRs/Ministers or the journalists? Does our journalists have the same gut as their Indian counterparts?

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