When democratic governments shroud themselves in secrecy, the implications can often be profound. And the latest plan hatched by the department of telecommunications to set up a ring-fenced network for government communication is one such questionable strategy. True, the country?s telecom network, in tune with changing times, has passed into assorted hands, both private and foreign. But if one remembers, the propriety of handing over 74% of the equity in telecom companies to foreign investment was debated extensively by the government?s own security agencies at the time the proposal came up for discussion in Cabinet. One presumes that the eventual decision was unpalatable to some of the mandarins who have, therefore, floated this hare-brained blueprint. In a nuclear weapons state, there could be some merit in keeping communication between, say, the Prime Minister, the external affairs and defence ministers out of the public domain at times. But that is already served by a RAX network that MTNL runs as a dedicated telephone link between top government officials. Wherever the Prime Minister goes, a dedicated telecom link follows, serviced by MTNL and BSNL, both government entities.
But there is very little justification for information sent in by district collectors and assorted others to the Centre to be kept confidential. The details of monies spent on development programmes or those on local riots actually need to be publicised instead of being kept a closely guarded secret. Indeed, in the garb of secrecy, the incompetence of the district machinery is often covered up. Surely, it is difficult to believe that such information is being tapped into. Instead, the presence of such paraphernalia would only serve to heighten the perceived sense of authority at various government offices. The logic that such a network would also act as an alternate communication network in case of a disruption of the public network is rather na?ve. In all circles, state-owned and private sector companies compete. Imagining that all of them would crash at a point of time in any disaster while the DoT?s secure line would emerge unscathed is rather fanciful. In short, there are plenty of available opportunities. A whole new apparatus that is sure to expand its budget to gargantuan proportions, with its own ministry and minister, is just one tiptoe away.
