119. Internet freedom and intellectual freedom face challenges in India. P S Remesh Chandran

119

Internet freedom and intellectual freedom face challenges in India

P S Remesh Chandran

Editor, Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum
 Article Title Image By Liggraphy. Graphics: Adobe SP.

Bill Gates and Microsoft opened the gates of internet freedom and intellectual freedom to the world’s poor people. Mentioning him and his contributions in the inaugural lecture was only appropriate. What we have to know is whether these ‘political scientists, academicians, scholars and students who are post-graduates in political science, public administration, international relations and area studies’ have responded properly to the new challenges this internet freedom and intellectual freedom now face in India. The Union Government of India is getting ready to impose more rigid control over all Social Media Networks. It is not because any of those activities, comments, observations or articles in them pollutes the pure, nature fresh minds in India or because they pose any serious or actual threat to the nation’s security and reputability. The politicians in India now no more care about anything the like. What they fear is the speed with which the news of their abominable corruption, bribery and favouritism reaches the world people. That is their only concern as they, since born with corrupted minds unlike the ordinary educated inter-netting public, can never withdraw themselves from committing these crimes again. They also know that the world people are actually inner-netting through inter-netting in social media. What the corrupted leaders feared is actually happening. It is now Inter-netting Public versus Corrupted National Leaders. If they are corruption-free, why should they be aggressive and fear high-speed transmission of information through broad band? Why can’t they simply remain pure, like their people? Everyone wants a share of the immense profits and side kicks from broad band licensing, but at the same time wants to put more rigid control over its possible use against them. Everyone in this world knows that. At the present rate and speed of revelation, when we look back after ten years, not one political leader presently on the national scene of India would not still be there as a leader, politician, administrator or a minister. The world has not forgotten the folding and subsequent shameful retreat of Yahoo from China after it’s revealing the identity of a Chinese dissident, yielding to Chinese government’s compulsive persuasion. Because we are not standing on the moon and observing things from the next century, we are not having a bird’s eye view of what is happening in the world presently, and what drastic and irreversible changes are being brought by world people. Kerala has always been a state where people are very bold in their opinions. But nothing was heard from the political scientists and academicians of the state when the freedom of speech and social communication of the people of India face dire threats from a few wicked authorities, especially from the communication ministry. If they truly represent the past, present or future generations of India, it is time they respond convincingly.

Article Title Image By Shahadat Shemul. Graphics: Adobe SP.

[In response to news article ‘Internet freedom in India’ on 25 March 2012]