D-Sector for Development Community

   Friday, May 18, 2012
Agriculture - Duties and Rights - Education - Environment - Food - Global - Governance - Health - Indian Economy - Indian Society - Physical Development - Social Welfare - Water and Sanitation
 
Provocation
‘Provocation’ is spontaneous but crisp response to provocative & compelling news. Far from making a judgement, 'Provocation' aims to raise additional questions.
 
Bluff Times
By D-Sector Team | 10 May 2012

Caricature Gain
By D-Sector Team | 16 Apr 2012

Sickness in healthcare
By D-Sector Team | 21 Feb 2012

Recession-free industry!
By D-Sector Team | 20 Jan 2012

Stop banking the bankable!
By D-Sector Team | 11 Jan 2012

Dependent citizenry in making?
By D-Sector Team | 25 Dec 2011

First make Bharat a Ratna!
By D-Sector Team | 21 Dec 2011

Wafer Politics
By D-Sector Team | 19 Dec 2011

Isn't democracy deficit?
By D-Sector Team | 17 Dec 2011

Divide and misrule
By D-Sector Team | 15 Nov 2011

Elect through e-vote
By D-Sector Team | 01 Nov 2011

Not enough green
By D-Sector Team | 24 Oct 2011

Bare all, please!
By D-Sector Team | 15 Oct 2011

Watch your food, not ad!
By D-Sector Team | 10 Oct 2011

Stupid IDea
By D-Sector Team | 03 Oct 2011

Whose line is it, anyway?
By D-Sector Team | 27 Sep 2011

Forced to fast
By D-Sector Team | 19 Sep 2011

Blame the poor!
By D-Sector Team | 15 Sep 2011

The biggest hurdle
By D-Sector Team | 03 Sep 2011

Science turns slave
By D-Sector Team | 29 Aug 2011

No more no hope!
By D-Sector Team | 18 Aug 2011

The throne is shaking!
By D-Sector Team | 10 Aug 2011

World under watch
By D-Sector Team | 03 Aug 2011

Crazy to serve
By D-Sector Team | 28 Jul 2011

Impregnated by corruption
By D-Sector Team | 26 Jul 2011

Return of crusades
By D-Sector Team | 24 Jul 2011

Salesman Ratna
By D-Sector Team | 23 Jul 2011

Cheap idea
By D-Sector Team | 22 Jul 2011

Followers of Fai
By D-Sector Team | 20 Jul 2011

Musical chairs
By D-Sector Team | 14 Jul 2011

Development begins from home!
By D-Sector Team | 12 Jul 2011

 
Bluff Times

Like the 'cabaret dance' of yesteryear movies is now called 'item number', news stories that were once termed 'scoop' in mainstream media are now called 'breaking news'. Not only the terms but the 'intent' behind the terms has gone through dramatic transformation too. Given the fact that majority of important news is either 'planted' or 'paid', it is left to the discerning reader to separate 'breaking' from 'broken' news.

Recent revelation by The Hindu has taken the lid off from the business of news making. Not only was the success of BT cotton reported by The Times of India in 2008 indeed 'planted' by Mahyco-Monsanto, the company promoting the genetically-modified seeds, but the same news was republished verbatim in 2011 to create policy impact by misleading the readers. The transition from 'paid news' to 'bluff news' has been rapid!

Celebrity Overdose
It is tough to imagine which way democratic governance may be headed. Celebrities are being engaged by elected governments to not only promote social programs but are being cajoled to help transform communal habits too. While controversial Chief Minister Narendra Modi hired Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan to promote Gujarat as a tourist destination, media friendly Union Minister Jairam Ramesh has persuaded sultry siren Vidya Balan to help push toilets in rural areas. Taking cue, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has passed on the responsibility of checking female foeticide to none other than actor Aamir Khan.

On all accounts, the respective ministers reflect political desperation borne out of policy paralysis. While Modi and Gehlot need an image makeover, Ramesh needs Toilet to lift himself higher on the political pedestal. Knowing well that Indians love to dream, politicians are increasingly using celebrities to help them continue 'dreaming' even if none of the dreams could ever get fulfilled. Passing the baton to the 'celebrity', at a phenomenal cost to the exchequer, absolves the politician of any failure of the campaign thereof. Shockingly, more and more politicians are queuing up before celebrities to rid them of their electoral responsibilities.

Lead View
MoEF: For environment or economy?
By Sudhirendar Sharma
08 May 2012

Jairam Ramesh as environment minister constituted an expert panel to submit report on conservation of ecologically critical Western Ghats. But his successor Jayanthi Natarajan has decided against making the report public ..
Book Shelf

Water: Asia's New Battleground

Slow Violence and Environmentalism of the Poor

Growing stories from India

Big-box Swindle
Commentators
Devinder Sharma
Carmen Miranda
Pandurang Hegde
Sudhirendar Sharma
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