Media circuses and India

The Lead India campaign is becoming more of a "show" and less a serious effort to create leaders ground up. The frivolity of the first episode aired on national television was astounding.

Subsequent efforts have been more substantial. However, a certain something-- je ne sais quoi-- is still missing. That critical piece which will take this out of the realm of a media circus and into that of an initiative to groom the future leaders of India.

It must be said, definitely, in its favor, this is a step in the right direction. But at this stage, what we as a country need are multiple such (baby) feet marching in tandem to propel us into the future ahead of the pack, as it were.

The utterly incredible spectacle of Shah Rukh Khan sharing centrestage with Dr. Manmohan Singh as he was feted as the "Leader of the year" with a multitude of celebrities including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Rajnikant, Barkha dutt et al looking on... the nature of the questions addressed to the "Leader of the year"-- are a significant indicator of the malaise that seems poised to hit India mid stride, as she prepares to take on the world.

Yes- we need champions who can take the lead in saying no to the very many things that have been holding India back through the past few decades since our freedom from colonial rule. But we need some inspired people who can share the stage unobtrusively with the real leaders-- those that must make the change to make this difference.

While a Karan Thapar with his hard talking can serve to expose corruption or other ills in our society; while the media can aid the soldiers in a vigilant fight for justice as in the Jessica Lal case; there must be some checks and balances that allow for the wielding of the power without this in itself becoming an end. We are today at a frightening stage in our societal development where the media seems all set to don wig and robes and become both judge and jury. We seem to be wowing the setting up of a parallel judicial system.

While the media must indeed be watchful and flag discrepancies in the system and workings of the legislative and judicial arms of the state machinery, it is rather limiting to try and recognize the Indian media itself as a system that effectively replaces the parliament, judiciary and legislature in India.

The inefficiencies in the existing system are more about the people and less about the system. What we need is a watchful media that flags every instance of corruption (and misuse of power, of course) and decay while standing by and letting justice take its course. Of course, as responsible citizens we must all do our bit to help justice hurry along this course. But along the way, we must also recognize that the setting up of a parallel judicial system will be counterproductive (in the long run) as power does indeed corrupt— and that it would be a disservice to democracy at large and the Indian democracy in particular if we subvert justice to serve an end today—however noble the intent and however blameless the deed itself— because it will (of necessity) set a bad precedent.

This is not to doubt the earnestness of those that have jumped in and joined the fray in their eager quest to lead India into the next decade... But the hype and the hoopla from the media have served only to craete a gaudy halo around the entire exercise.