3G auction the biggest boom or the biggest scam of our times?? It is no secret that files from government offices find their contents lost on soft copies to the hard drives of various corporate houses in our country. It is not something characteristic with our country only, but a condition which most government across the globe are afflicted with. For once we have not acted as generic hypocrites but accept it as an understandable flaw in human nature and the administrative system.
Information is money; the medium which helps flow of information is more money. It may have been the Koda scam or the shady deals behind the permission granted by a Minister of Telecom for the launch of a major telecom services which revolutionized calling rates in India. 3G is just another step for policy makers to ensure collection of wealth for their future elections and for the elections theirs sons, daughters, nieces, nephews. India is expected to upgrade its telecom services to 4G in 2015, the black suits in the power corridors are already gearing up for the battle which would ensure a niche market and broader service scope and would ensure bigger cuts/commissions.
From Saif Ali Khan winning the national award, to the sale of 3G and recent permissions to SAIL for disinvestment of 17K crs. The lobbying activities in India are breaking out of its shell to crawl out into the sun. Some may perish even before they take their first breath, others who adapt to the environment might survive. India’s history has witnessed rulers from different regions, religions, castes…the subjects were tortured, ill-treated, impoverished and at times even elated to the highest honours…the then Indians always served their masters. By serving their rulers they had ways to get the best of them and their administrative policies. Indians always had a knack for lobbying…it’s about time we make it a profession.
The lobbyists that would survive the first wave of environmental onslaught would then have to fight each other for survival. The biggies in this business would act like brute tyrannosaurus and will show no mercy.
We shall soon see the darkness turn paler and the suits coming out of their shadows. What once remained as a faceless voice over a mobile phone might soon have a degree hanging behind their office chairs mentioning their expertise in Government Relations and Lobbying.
