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Journalism of Courage
It may have escaped politicians damning phone tapping as well as those denying it, but the current controversy is an excellent opportunity to finally regulate a practice almost as old as the introduction of Graham Bell8217;s technology in this country. As the main signed commentary on this page catalogues, politicians of all generations and from many parties in India have sought illegally obtained insider information on their adversaries. This ubiquity has bred boredom, much like the response to graft in government offices. Now that enough political flak is being exchanged to keep the issue on newspaper front pages and TV headlines, and now that the Supreme Court has been asked for its direction, the political class must show the same kind of unanimity as it does when spending our tax rupees on 8216;social welfare8217;. That is, once the court, whose 1996 judgment should in fact have regulated phone tapping, pronounces on Amar Singh8217;s application, political gamesmanship shouldn8217;t delay implementation or dilute the rules.
Obviously, the government at the Centre will have to take the lead. This is not only because the Congress is the target of cross-party allegations but also because the Centre commands the most executive authority and has to set a powerful example to states. So, if Messrs Amar and Mulayam Singh claim 8216;victory8217; after the court ruling, the main response should not be via Ambika Soni8217;s and Anand Sharma8217;s soundbites, but through the government8217;s actions. It would be tempting but irresponsible of the Congress to then say that all parties in power have done it. The point 8212; after a judicial direction has been set 8212; will be to frame rules so that no party can do it in future.
