PR discussions: Re: [prpoint] Debate: Why blame only politicians? What about officials, corporates and lobbyists?

dear friends

Last evening, I wrote about Nira Radia and her association with reputed organisations like Tata Group and CII. I also questioned, as to why, they were continuing to engage scam tainted professional? I also mentioned that besides politicians, corporates, lobbyists and officials have also played a greater role in this mega scam.

To my surprise, today afternoon, the entire social media has been flooded with the audio tapes of Nira Radia with Burkha Dutt, Vir Singhvi, Rattan Tata, Minister Raja, released by 'Open Magazine'. Within few minutes, the site http://openthemagazine.com got crashed due to the heavy traffic.

Though I am not sure about the credibility of the audio tape released in the internet, till now, I have not found any denial from any of the persons mentioned above. A feeble denial from NDTV was seen. They have also not categorically denied the conversation. They have only said, "NDTV believes the magazine should first verify and corroborate facts before participating in a defamatory smear campaign". In response to NDTV, Open Magazine has confirmed the credibility of the audio in the facebook.

I am yet to see any quick denial from Vir Singvi, Ratan Tata and A Raja for this audio. I wish and pray that this audio should not be true. If it is true, it is most unfortunate in the history of India. Ratan Tata's image is also at stake. A common man can raise the doubt as to why Tata Group speaks more of moral values and ethics outside, but engages an unethical tainted professional. This applies to CII also. Was there any illegal benefit derived to their organisation, through her. More transparency is needed.

In chasing the money and power, we should not give up the values and ethics. When we compromise our values and ethics, definitely, one day, the concerned persons may have to answer to the society, at the cost of reputation.

I welcome the views of the members.

Srinivasan
Prime Point

On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 11:25 AM, Narendran A <naren_vna@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear Frineds

THis is pretty interesting topic. I heard the telephonic conversation between Nira and politicians in DMK. It doesnt seem to be a PR mans job. She is taking PR route to enter political circle. To me lobbying is a highly inttelectual job. Before taking up an assignment i will study the pros and con. If it adds value to the society, i will lobby or else, keep away from it.

Let PR people not go with the bad elements.

Best regards

Narren

From: Shivshankar Surkund <snsurkund@yahoo.com>
To: prpoint@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, November 19, 2010 9:07:33 AM

Subject: Re: [prpoint] Debate: Why blame only politicians? What about officials, corporates and lobbyists?

Hi there,

I fully endorse views of hriNarendra-ji. Is CBI not corrupt ? A very senior executive of a Public sector Bank, was victim of internal politics,who USED CBI and an enquiry was converted into court case. After 24 years, the court found him innocent. Now who will punish CBI ? The concerned official lost his chnce of becomming CMD. Now he has no platform to get justice.

Similarly, as right observed by shri Narendra-ji, what happened in the case of 'sukh-ram' or many other such corruption cases ?

Unless the judiciary is too accountable for delays, nothing will move or the culprits will go scot free. Politicians with murder cases against them in court, become CMs ? this is India - that is Bharat ?

s.n.surkund
--- On Thu, 11/18/10, S. Narendra <sunarendra@gmail.com> wrote:

From: S. Narendra <sunarendra@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [prpoint] Debate: Why blame only politicians? What about officials, corporates and lobbyists?
To: prpoint@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, November 18, 2010, 7:15 PM

Dear Friends: How do you rescue reputation of PR from the Telecom scandal? My second mail had brought out this aspect,in response to a mail asking seniors to use PR to fight corruption.
It is being used as a mask by corporates and PR firms are very willing to play that role.Yesterday Times News channel fielded Vinod Mehta and Suhel Seth.The latter wanted Lobbying to be made legal and said it is part of legitimate PR.where do you draw the line?
Also we need to debate the mask Public Affairs provides to Lobbying.
The media that is exposing corruption,PR profession,Bureaucracy,Chambers which criticism political corruption,along with various other institutions have got contaminated by greed.Thats becasue the price to be paid when discovered in corruption cases is very poor and slow and rehabilitation is easy.
S.narendra

On 18 November 2010 10:08, Prime Point Srinivasan <prpoint@gmail.com> wrote:

dear friends

When I started a debate two days back in prpoint group on the mega scam, we got more than 20 responses for that thread. All the responses were from senior members. I wish younger members also share their views, as they will be the future of our nation.

From the earlier debate, I could see the concern of all the members for the nation and for the professional integrity. Almost all our members were blaming only politicians. Today, Times of India and other channels have brought out the un-holy nexus between the politicians, officials and the corporates through lobbyists. Even some of the senior bureaucrats are also involved in this mega scam.

Media reports reveal the alleged role played by Nira Radia, a lobbyist and a PR professional in this mega scam. She seems to be under multi-agency investigation now. Times Now channel, tonight, was highly critical of PR profession itself. Few such professionals, have brought shame to the entire profession.

When I visited her company site, (http://www.noesis.in/nira.htm), i found various companies of Tata Group, Kotak Mahendra, Confederation of Indian Industry and many more as her clients. She has also claimed in the site, "Under her direction the company has striven to enhance the value add to its clients and pioneered new areas of development".

It is surprising that such reputed organisations like Tata Group, kotak and CII have continued to get her advices, even after her name was debated for her alleged involvement in the 2G scam in the Parliament, one year back. Their action may lead even the investigating agencies like CBI and ED to suspect those institutions also, whether they would have got any benefit through illegal ways through Nira Radia. Is it not the responsibilities of the corporates to engage consultants without blemish? It is ironical, that Mr Ratan Tata made a remark two days back, that somebody wanted 15 crores to give aviation license. On the other hand, Tata Group has engaged a person as a consultant, whose credentials are debated in Parliament.

Politicians are alone not the culprits here. We need to blame the nexus between the officials, greedy corporates and the unprofessional lobbyists turned fixers.

Probably, members may recall, that our October 2010 issue of ezine, PreSense, focussed on the 'Public Affairs' and we even went to the extent of suggesting formulation of code of ethics for such Public Affairs / Public Relations professionals, when they deal with the Government. Very sadly, when we sent mails to some CEOs who practise Public Affairs seeking their views, they did not even acknowledge our mails.

It is also unfortunate, industry bodies likes CII, FICCI and NASSCOM have not come out openly against the scam. They are supposed to be neutral bodies, to protect the interest of the nation and the corporates. I am unable to understand their prolonged silence.

When the PR profession itself is being debated in media in this scam, why none of the CEOs of the big PR / PA Agencies have come out openly condemning the unethical practises of the profession? Why none of them have appealed for ethical and value based profession? When they are doing image building for their clients, why they are not coming out openly, when the profession is suffering image crisis, due to a single individual?

Even if one drop of poison falls in a pot of good milk, the entire milk becomes bad. Same way, because of the few people indulging in unethical, illegal practises, the PR / PA industry is being mistaken.

Instead of curing the disease, we need to cure the symptoms. We need to identify such unethical professionals and isolate them. As I wrote in our earlier issue of ezine, we need to follow transparent, ethical and value based profession.

I request members to share their views.

Srinivasan

Prime Point

91766 50273

_