II

Mr TV Rajeswar in the his article states that the Indian Army Chief and Air Force Chief in their statements claimed to have the capability of carrying out Abbottabad type raids against Pakistan. Whereas on being queried by the media, both Chiefs only alluded to the capability of their forces, without reference to Pakistan or any other country.

How could a former Intelligence Bureau chief make such an elementary error? Or is this by design! If the former I.B. Chief can be so casual about his facts, there need be no surprise at the inaccuracies in the list of wanted terrorists prepared by our intelligence agencies and sent to Pakistan.

Further, the Prime Minister held a meeting with the three Service Chiefs in the light of Chinese capability to deploy nearly half a million troops in Tibet and the implications of this for India. Mr Rajeswar links this meeting to the ISI chief’s statement regarding retaliation from Pakistan in the event of an Abbottabad-type raid by India.

HARWANT SINGH, Chandigarh

Live telecast

It was really astonishing to learn that the live telecast of the 26/11 Mumbai carnage actually helped the enemies of the nation more than it really helped the Indians watch the horrific scenes of terror (editorial, “Helping the enemy: TV channels have lessons to learn”, May 27).

As we all watched the live action of the commandos, we surely forgot that the same was being seen by terrorists across the border who kept on communicating with the terrorists inside the Taj Mahal Hotel and guiding them of the next moves to be made by them. It’s unfortunate that even our intelligence network did not pick up such a simple method of the terrorists’ activities. It definitely was an intelligence failure. Surely, it is a lesson that our TV channels need to learn. Also in future such incidents should be completely blacked out and not shown live by the television channels. The government should ensure that such a lapse does not occur in the future at any cost. If anything of such a magnitude resurfaces in future, it should not be telecast live. Only after the operation is successfully over, it should be shown by the government media. It certainly is a lesson for not only the media but the government and the intelligence network as well.

R K KAPOOR, Chandigarh

II

The Tribune deserves all the praise for highlighting an extremely sensitive issue of how some of our electronic channels more often than not have been trespassing the boundaries of freedom of press in our country, even at the cost of jeopardising critical issues of national security. 

Young reporters go overboard in transmitting a ball –by- ball account of  sensitive security operations. Isn’t it appalling that in the pursuit of pure commercial considerations and to push TRP ratings the electronic media crosses the limit? Just imagine, if the US electronic media had also chosen to telecast a ball- by- ball account of action at Abbottabad in Pakistan recently, how the world may have reacted to the entire effort?

There are definite lessons to be learnt from such lapses. The editors of the electronic channels have to act more responsibly. The government should work towards formulation of a panel of senior editors from print and media channels to suggest further regulatory measures. Institutions of mass communication and journalism across the country too need to educate and develop future journalists through serious lectures and mock exercises for a better and balanced reporting.

TEJINDER SINGH BEDI, Faridabad