Earlier this week, Telecom Minister A Raja of the DMK was forced to resign after pressure mounted on the government over irregularities in the allotment of the 2G spectrum. But this decision to sacrifice an individual in no way changes the system that Raja embodies. Evidence filed on the 15th of November in the Supreme Court seems to shed some light on the networks of lobbyists and power brokers that actually dictate how this country is run.
While Raja is gone, these networks survive, shaping and influencing our lives in ways we cannot imagine. Thanks to a fortuitous set of circumstances, the transcripts that follow shed some light on one such network of power.
The phone lines of the head of Vaishnavi Communication, Niira Radia, were twice placed under surveillance by the Income Tax Department (based on a tip-off by the Central Board of Direct Taxes) for a few months in 2008 and 2009. Niira Radia is a woman of formidable networking and PR skills, so much so that she represents both the Tata and the Mukesh Ambani group. Some of these recorded phone conversations are now available with Open; they were placed before the Supreme Court this week by petitioners Centre for Public Interest Litigation, represented by senior counsel Prashant Bhushan. He had moved the Supreme Court with a plea that the 2G spectrum investigation that involves Raja should be monitored by the Court in view of the mounting evidence.
In a rejoinder in the case, the petitioners submitted, “These conversations were given by the Directorate of Income Tax (Investigations) to the CBI more than a year back. A copy of the taped conversations of Ms Radia with Respondent No. 5 (A. Raja), other politicians, Ratan Tata, other corporates, senior journalists and certain middlemen in a CD are annexed as Annexure P35… Some of the transcripts of the conversations which relate to the lobbying for making Respondent No. 5 as Telecom Minister are annexed as Annexure P36.’’
These recordings, which appear to be only a small part of the recordings made available by the IT department to the CBI, were made in the period of surveillance from 11 May 2009 to 11 July 2009. We are in no position to endorse the contents of the recordings, but as the material is now in the public domain, we can now place them on record. What follows is just a small part of the information contained in the recordings submitted to the court.
The conversations presented below focus on two important events: 1) the aftermath of the Bombay High Court judgment of 15 June 2009 on the dispute between brothers Anil Ambani and Mukesh Ambani over the allotment of gas; 2) efforts by Niira Radia to mediate an understanding between the DMK and the Congress between 20 May 2009 and 24 May 2009 at the time of the Cabinet formation of UPA-II. For a period of time, with direct communication breaking down between the DMK and the Congress, a section of the DMK (Raja and DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s daughter, Kanimozhi) was in constant touch with Radia on what was going on and how the Congress needed to react. In turn, Radia relied on a number of people to pass information on to the Congress and back to the DMK. In a way, these were the people who eventually ensured Raja was given the telecom portfolio.
The transcripts that follow are from Niira Radia’s conversations with highly influential people. Going by the evidence of the phone taps, these include journalists Vir Sanghvi and Barkha Dutt, and Ranjan Bhattacharya (foster son-in-law of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee), who seem to have played out the roles of mediators between the Congress and Radia, who was in turn speaking to Raja and Kanimozhi. According to these tapes, Vir Sanghvi seems to have relied heavily on his discussions with Radia to write his column on the gas judgment. The transcripts that appear here do not suggest any direct role for the person Radia is in conversation with, rather they reflect the power and the ability she commands to influence events.
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VIR SANGHVI in conversation with NIIRA RADIA
BARKHA DUTT in conversation with NIIRA RADIA
“Oh God. So now what? What should I tell them? Tell me what should I tell them?”
NIIRA RADIA works the phones
A RAJA in conversation with NIIRA RADIA
“Hmm …tell Sunil Mittal, you have to work along with Raja for another five years”
KANIMOZHI in conversation with NIIRA RADIA
SUHEL SETH in conversation with NIIRA RADIA
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THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT
»Ahmed Patel: Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary
»M Karunanidhi: Tamil Nadu chief minister, often referred to as “the Leader” or “Leader” in the recorded conversations
»Ghulam Nabi Azad: former J&K chief minister and currently the Union Health minister. Azad is the Congress party’s general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu affairs
»M K Azhagiri: (pronounced Aragiri): Karunanidhi’s elder son and since last year, the union minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers
»M K Stalin: Karunanidhi’s younger son and deputy in the Tamil Nadu government
»Dayanidhi Maran: The former Union Communications and IT minister. He is also Karunanidhi’s grandnephew and was removed as minister in UPA-I after Dinakaran, the Tamil paper his brother Kalanithi owns, published a survey saying people in the state would prefer Stalin rather than Azhagiri to succeed Karunanidhi. Violence followed
»T R Baalu: Union minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways during the UPA’s first term
»Dayalu Ammal: Karunanidhi’s second wife and Azhagiri and Stalin’s mother
»Rajathi Ammal: Karunanidhi’s third wife and Kanimozhi’s mother
»Amar Singh: Former Samajwadi Party General Secretary and a crony of Anil Ambani
OLDER COMMENTS FIRST
44 COMMENTS
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Dear Sir:
Thank you for unearthing the facts in this case. Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi have thrived on such investigative journalism and now they have a taste of their own medicine. Cannot blame Nira because this is how she makes a living. One should expect this and more from Raja who should not have been accepted by Congress in the first place.
Excellent work! Keep it up.
Reji, Riyadh.
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I have been searching for a media report of these tapes ever since I read about its existence in a blog. The total media blackout was a shock to me despite my general cynicism. I can not thank you enough for doing what journalists are supposed to do!
In a corporate set up there are always limits to what can be done but I hope you will keep pushing those limits
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I have been searching for a media report of these tapes ever since I read about its existence in a blog. The total media blackout was a shock to me despite my general cynicism. I can not thank you enough for doing what journalists are supposed to do!
In a corporate set up there are always limits what can be done but I hope you will keep pushing those limits
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How come no one is commenting on these? These are WILD. No wonder our country is going to the dogs!
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People might not be commenting here but these tapes are being shared across social networks like facebook. Over the last couple few years I have observed a strong pro Congress tilt in NDTV's reporting. I am now convinced of the reason. These guys are more or less congress agents. Barkha Dutt has ceased to be a journalist ever since she became Group editor. I now understand what editor means for these channels. It means set the tone of the reporting to not show your political masters in a bad light.
I commented on NDTV's response to your revelations and not surprisingly they haven't published it. Below is what I had commented on this (http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/ndtv-on-defamatory-remarks-against-bar... ) piece of theirs.
"So you've mounted a cover up now? What's defamatory here? It's for anyone to hear. Ms Dutt is clearly playing a go between and what she's doing falls nowhere near what her responsibilities as a journalist are (btw, is she a journalist any longer?). I was a regular viewer of NDTV since 2000 and have seen a pronounced shift in your reporting over the last couple of years. You now are more or less a congress mouthpiece. Why are you not asking questions about Sonia Gandhi's involvement in this whole Raja issue. I am sure she prevailed upon the PM to not fire him. I don't think you'll publish this. Doesn't matter, I'll get this across to others I know through my online networks."
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First of I express my thankfulness to the OPEN. You have shown the courage to write all these. Still we have some to bring the truth. Barkha was acting like a value based/secular/deshpremi journalist. So think we shall consider NDTV and TOI as an anti-social organizations. Today they have not even mentioned anything about 2G. What a funny thing? Indian politicians to change their style, if you cannot work for the country, you shall die or give-up politics. We Indians requesting OPEN to continue your effort in fighting corruption. May God bless you and your family.
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Its is strange to see ; now no one is talking about any scam in TV channels. This is country will go to hell, thanks to our nethas.
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The biggest news in the history of independent india... and its going unnoticed.. its nauseating... to see the filth accumulated on the higher ups of the media and corporate world. And they are shamelessly calling the politicians and bureaucrats - corrupt... and we the common men are so numb to react.. Can't digest the deafening silence of the "peddlers of tehelka sting tapes"...
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It was always prevalent notion in our country that media,politicians and industrialists have power nexus.Definitely this nexus is for the benefit of those people who want making money even after selling their country.So I thank people of open magazine to bring these potentially super sensational material to the public eye.Keep it up!
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Hi
What a shocking bunch of tapes!!!. Now we know how the ministry portfolios are decided what a role media guys and lobbyists play.I hope Supreme court gets to the bottom of the spectrum issue , if it does it would be truly a inflection point in indian politics.
Thanks a lot for exposing these tapes .
regds\
Ravi
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Burkha's role in fixing DMK minister and their portfolios has been exposed. A case must registered and enquires should be conducted whether big monies were involved . A big shame for the fourth estae's icons. I think her high moral ground to grill the politicians in talk shows has come to " GROUND ZERO " .
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I am saddened to note the moral degradation that our Nation is facing. Greed has become the creed for almost every segment of the Indian society. My compliments to Open for this extraordinary piece. Many masks have fallen. JAI HIND.
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Thanks for publishing this on the Mediasters (I just made this word by combining "media" and "gangsters", BTW it also sounds like "disasters")
I am doing the following that I think a lot of concerned Indians like me are doing:
- Spread the message on social networks since there is a total media blackout.
- Do not watch NDTV, period. Avoid the channels like Timesnow and CNN-IBN that have not covered the story.
- Sell NDTV stock, I have sold mine already.
- Send emails/SMS to advertisers on NDTV that you will not buy their product since they support corruption by advertising on NDTV. This can be done easily by organizing an email campaign
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A Big Thank You first up for the expose. It is such journalism that we need in current times to ensure our country's corrupt are caught and more importantly all the right people are prosecuted.
You are truly on your way to become India's Wikileaks with each issue of yours throwing up new interesting dimensions to issues in the country. Please continue with the same vigour and don't fall prey to influential powerhouses yourselves.
This particular piece has even more importance thanks to the uproar it created amongst the online population of the country. This will well go down as the first incident where an expose backed by strong social media support made its way to all media houses since they simply had no other way.
2010 has truly been the emergence of India 2.0 and with more such stories expected out of you and others, we are sure going to go a long way. http://socialmediarelations.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/2010-emergence-of-i...
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A Big Thank You first up for the expose. It is such journalism that we need in current times to ensure our country's corrupt are caught and more importantly all the right people are prosecuted.
You are truly on your way to become India's Wikileaks with each issue of yours throwing up new interesting dimensions to issues in the country. Please continue with the same vigour and don't fall prey to influential powerhouses yourselves.
This particular piece has even more importance thanks to the uproar it created amongst the online population of the country. This will well go down as the first incident where an expose backed by strong social media support made its way to all media houses since they simply had no other way.
2010 has truly been the emergence of India 2.0 and with more such stories expected out of you and others, we are sure going to go a long way. http://socialmediarelations.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/2010-emergence-of-i...
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A Big Thank You first up for the expose. It is such journalism that we need in current times to ensure our country's corrupt are caught and more importantly all the right people are prosecuted.
You are truly on your way to become India's Wikileaks with each issue of yours throwing up new interesting dimensions to issues in the country. Please continue with the same vigour and don't fall prey to influential powerhouses yourselves.
This particular piece has even more importance thanks to the uproar it created amongst the online population of the country. This will well go down as the first incident where an expose backed by strong social media support made its way to all media houses since they simply had no other way.
2010 has truly been the emergence of India 2.0 and with more such stories expected out of you and others, we are sure going to go a long way. http://socialmediarelations.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/2010-emergence-of-i...
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Guys,
This is really cool. At NDTV, we're planning a comeback strategy to weed out Open. We have dirt on sandeepan, and Saurav. Just which how we leverage it now!
Cheers
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Bravo Sir for showing guts to expose the Psudosecular dalaals of this country...Bravo.We all know abt the stand of NDTV and people like Barkha Dutt which was always been strong Congrass and Minority appeasing.I know many people who till recently were believing whatever NDTV was telecasting as the ultimate truth and i have blasted them for that before for that but they never used to believe me but now thanks to your expose now when i approach them they have no explanation other than a wry smile.Please continue your exposes sir expecting more exposes from you sir if possible on all the Psudosecular merchants of this country.
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It's shocking!!! .. Thanks to Open Magazine to show this to public. < And thanks for publishing this with out consulting with Barkha/NDTV ; as those are clearly involved in this. >
Most shocking -- I believed Barkha as an idealistic journalist -- but this shows how cheap she is ... Seems ALL are GREEDY about money .. It feels bad to see Ratan also in this controversy after HIS remarks on bribe of 15 crores for establishing an airplane comp. .
Big people are eating up ALL the money ; and just small part is genuinely used for the welfare of the common man. PM also should feel guilty , though he's CLEAN and HONEST ; but still does not have guts/moral responsibilty to take action on all these culprit people .
Even the whole MEDIA is silent and it's understood why .. < ALL BIG people are involved and they make profits because of them > ... Most of the journalists should be ashamed for ignoring this important news ..
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Kudos to OPEN for bringing to light the Nexus between the Politicians & the so called " PEOPLES VOICE" of our country. I always believed that media houses are the pets of the Powerful. They have for a good time fooled their audience in to beieving that they are the undomesticated kind willing to pounce on any trespassers, however the once KARGIL savvy Burkha dutt whom every aspiring lady journo used to idolise has become the tame pet of these powerful masters. SHAME...
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It is indeed good to see the magazine be brave enough to put up these sound bytes and transcripts and I laud you for that however all of us Indians need to remember that this was an anomaly and not a normal occurrence in our country. One cant help but wonder how much more is happening which has not come out in the open. I wonder if this magazine can bring about a coming together of people with the common agenda of taking India forward. I am sure it is time for us Indians to move away from the traditional parties and support people and institutions that are working towards a prosperous India in which everyone moves forward. India as a collective whole needs to move forward and that can come about only when the great minds amongst our midst step forward and stake a claim to leading India forward. It is only logical to assume that there are a lot of people who have a stake in letting India remain backward. At the moment India matters to the world economy because of the size of our population and that is what dictates the policy of these so called MNC's. We need to remember that our population is also a double edged sword that is hanging right over our head like the sword of damocles. The rising prices of food grains and other commodities is just a start of greater dangers to come. It is fast reaching a proportion where we wont be able to feed ourselves and none of these debates about 'India has arisen' is going to solve those issues. India has a problem internally and we need to understand our politicians are festering these problems instead of finding solutions to it. One of the major problem has been the issues within states, the politicians of each state portray themselves as the one's fighting with the neighboring state to develop their own state and people get swept into this mass hysteria and forget to think that each state is just part of a country called India. It is not about development of the state but rather an attempt to develop their own pockets by showing the support they enjoy in the mass voter mentality. India will arise only when every Indian can start thinking for themselves and not be swayed by the media or politicians. At the moment politicians are not the solution, they are the problem and they have tools like the media that they are able to control and deliver news that can be spun in any which way that suits them. Journalists like Barkha Dutta and Vir Sanghvi have lessened the image of the journalist and no matter what their explanation that they were just playing along, it is highly unlikely at a person like Nira Radia would be unable to see through their playing along. We have to remember that these journalists playing along to get this story will have to deal with Nira Radia even after this story and the tremendous clout that she enjoys will ensure that they are left in the dark after their so called 'playing along'. Vir Sanghvi has no defense when he clearly tells Radia that he will have to rehearse the whole script with Mukesh before the camera's come along. Is that what is called 'Playing Along'.
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i never liked barkha much as a journalist coz she sort of shouted her point but i did use to respect vir sanghvi and NDTV but it seems most media is controlled in some way ...I really appreciate your guts and efforts to publish the story...best of luck
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Brilliant, the biggest expose ever!! The editors of this magazine showed what real journalism is, and how powerful it can be.
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Corruption is like disease. 99.99% of Indians are suffering from this disease. This can only eradicated by educating the people and providing the atmosphere.
Thumps UP to Open and all those who are working to get this corruption exposed.
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thank you so much for your bravery and brining the nexus between media, corporations, and politics. Really saddened by it, but have to face the facts... Really ashamed at NDTV's ethics !!
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I'm glad Open came out with this story. It's not surprising that the media keep mum when one of their own was in danger. Without Open and Tehelka, this country would've been in the dumps! Kudos to Manu Joseph and team!
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Open Has done an excellent job in exposing the current state of Indian journalism and where this country is heading towards.
Congratulations keep it up.
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Thanks for showing real face of these so called clean media.
Keep it up. One thing for sure, I am not going to watch NDTV any more sireously. It will be another entertainment channel for me.
One request to your editor that find some way so that common indian people get to know about these tapes. I think only few people know about these tapes.
Thanks
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It takes courage to be right.It takes character and conviction to stay that way.Please don't lose your way.Following for honest and upright journalism will come.Have faith and patience.
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Now I have permanently lost my faith in Indian democracy. This is just an oligarchy for the sake of politicians, babus and businessmen with the facade of a democracy. We need a second independent struggle to save our nation from these thieves. Congratulations for opening the eyes of the nation to this.
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i want to congratulate both open and outlook magzine.they has shown the true face of some media channels.last few years i am obseyving that both ndtv and cnnibn are giving awards to indian of year at end of years.they always gave either to manmohan and sonia gandhi.it is not job of media to flattery the poltician.but two big channels are doing it.this story of tape is black out by all the electronic media and most of print journalist.I salute both open and outlook magzine for their journalistic priciples.media specially elctrinic is corroupt they donot want to report their dirty work and claim they are doing for welfare of society.most of electronic news channels are corrupt and they are in nexus with poltician and help them in thier game of power.i look forwars to open magzine to not get fear from this nexus of polticians and big news channels and shuld continue to show the face of corrupt media .
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I have always thought this Suhel is a legitimate and honest indian who fights against corruption. Now only I realized that he is a beast and worse than the politicians and bureaucrats whom he always used to curse. His true face has come out. He is more dangerous to this country than even the terrorists from pakistan. He barsk on the tv like a dog and he is one, I am sure now.
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My heartiest congratulations to your editor Manu Joseph for not letting the people down on the debate on NDTV.Barkha did not answer his question and that was for all of us to see.I think you have done a great service to this nation by publishing these tapes.
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Finally NEWS watchers can get to see some unbiased NEWS with Burkha demeaning herself. Its a maze of opinions that we run through these days in our dire quest to know. At the end of the day, genuiness is always an add on with innocence and it is just evident from the opinion polls on this particular NEWS anchor that INDIA HATES HER!
Ajith
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Radia got Manmohan Singh a lucrative job with the government of India so she had a say in what relationships he should have with DMK and Bharka was the mole
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Radia got Manmohan Singh a lucrative job with the government of India so she had a say in what relationships he should have with DMK and Bharka was the mole
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Gr8 work Manu, Kudos to U for having Put the Transcripts of the conv between Barkha Dutt n PR gal Neera Radia.... in the Public Domain. And more so for your Principled stand, against a fellow (lil larger than life) colleague. I could Watch only a bit of the Telecast of that Debate with Editors on NDTV (as I tuned in only during the last 10 odd minutes of it.. :-( Barkha was clearly on the Backfoot... clearly fumbling to justify... her omissions ( n Commissions ?)...
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I have lost all respect for Barkha Dutt & Vir Sanghvi. I'll never watch NDTV again unless they sack Barkha Dutt. She is a fixer & a dalal, no different from a cricket match fixer.
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Congratulations to editor. Bravo for open magazine. This is the best you can provide to the Indian People. Expose the worst in Politics, Industrialists & Journalists, wow it does take balls to expose them. There is no doubt this exposure will cause lot of pressure on your side, as you are dealing with mighty forces, but as they say time will steer away those evil forces and the truth will prevail. Please publish those tapes to internet and let the people be aware of the same. Keep more information published and keep the society well informed, that is real journalism and only a handful media does that today in the world.
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I really commend the superb work by Manu Joseph. Transparency is key in this day and age. Information is a key thing in Democracy, infact a popular quote is "INFORMATION IS A WEAPON, ARM THE POOR" . People in Public life need to under public scrutiny. Keep it going!!
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Would like to compliment Open for publishing the conversation between Nira Radi and some journalists. I have always felt that these journalists think that they are answerable to none and at the same time, everyone is answerable to them... Barkha did not have any answer in the NDTV show for her act excepting to say 'error of judgement" in having conversation with Nira Radia.. It is difficult to bite her arguement that she was only stinging, like any journalist would do... If she was really stinging, what did she air in NDTV out of these conversations? As rightly pointed out by Manu Joseph, there could be no "scoop" in the decade than to air that "corporate lobbyists" are powerful in fixing Union portfolios !!
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Now there is proof for the widely beleived fact that Barkha Dutt is a staunch Congress sympathiser and her views and postures in her shows shows clearly. Pity - India's top journalists working for Government so openly and brazenly. God save our democracy !
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PLEASE START A DISCUSSION ON " ARE WE REALLY A DEMOCRACY ? IF THE GOVT IS NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITIZENS BUT TO CORPORATES , THEN HOW DO WE CALL OURSELVES A DEMOCRACY ?
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barkha duut is congress ki dalal
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