PLAGIARISM CLAIMS & MEDIA SENSATIONALISM

Entertainment and fashion industry has immense potential to catapult a person from obscurity to a celebrity overnight often with very huge commercial stakes. Unfortunately, the yearning for success is so great that it can subject some people to pursue ignominious paths to success. The ignominious paths to success can vary from plagiarism to twisting the media to their advantage to gain cheap publicity.

The fashion trends have changed so as music, literature and movie contents. No wonder the internet revolution, technological developments, unrestrained cross border movement and exposure to overseas entertainment avenues and fashion products, has relegated purely ethnic Indian arts and products to back seat and buoyed some fusion trends in every “artistic” field. Unfortunately, innovative ideas required for new music, literary writings, movies and products has been attenuating due to which artists, either consciously or unconsciously  are progressively influenced and inspired by each other’s works and are resorting to tweaking and mixing to generate new products. In fact, various new trends form International and domestic fashion shows and entertainment subjects from umpteen movie and music festivals across the world have become a source of inspiration for many artists in their new works, which is construed as plagiarism by a few genuine artistes. Incidentally, an indistinct line separates the zones of inspiration and plagiarism. Plagiarism in performing arts, literature and fashion industry, most times, is willful adaptation and at times be pure coincidence.

Based on numerous case studies by experts and historical legal battles, it is highly complex to impose Intellectual Property Protection to these businesses since the diverse technical perspectives involved with these products cannot be legally corroborated. Hence, for some original artists, writers, producers and designers, plagiarism is something they cannot fight, and consider it to be a tribute to their intellectual skills by their peers.

Despite of the fact that plagiarism battles are hard to be won, some of the artists or agencies seem to be raking up these issues to gain some cheap publicity, for which print and visual media is virtually aiding in their enthusiasm to create some sensationalism and increase their TRP ratings. Plagiarism allegations in India are getting weird as they come in just before a movie’s release or during the premier of a TV show. Such surreal allegations are becoming habitual and people are perplexed with the “free publicity beneficiary” (Is it the accused or accuse?) behind such media blitzkrieg. Here is a list of latest plagiarism allegations which either decayed naturally or were withdrawn later by the “Accusee”.

a.       Music plagiarism was alleged by reputed folk singer for a song in super hit Telugu film “Magadheera”. It is still a million dollar question as to how the media sensationalism died down instantly after the film became a super hit.

b.       Music plagiarism was alleged by a budding singer & composer against the music director of TV show “Satyameva Jayathe” just ahead of its premier show with regards to its title song.

c.       Iranian band Barobax sent a legal notice to "Agent Vinod" music composer Pritam, during the pre-release of the film alleging plagiarism. However, the film was a disaster at the box-office. Subequently, Iranian band Barobax apologized to Pritam.

d.       Mumbai based writer has filed a case of plagiarism against the filmmakers and writer of film 'Jannat 2' during the film’s release alleging that they stole his story in which characters, plot and the dialogues were very similar to his own script. It is yet to be seen who the beneficiary is!

The mute question in this era of “PAID NEWS” is: Is such a media Blitzkrieg necessary on such menial and legally fragile issues?

ANTI-INDUSTRY TIRADES IN INDIA

Indian growth story  of late is seriously faltered by unrestrained population explosion, lack of education and skill levels to majority of its citizens, limited natural resources and short sighted vote bank as well as highly divisive politics by the politicos. Unfortunately, genuine efforts have been far and few to rein in these impediments of Indian growth story both at the macro level as well as micro level.

Indian financial health could be maintained satisfactorily in the last decade due to the twin factors of growth of its GDP at the rate of 7 to 9% and high savings rate of its Citizens, despite constricted tax net and heavy non-revenue expenditure that includes heavy subsidies and fuel imports. Largely visible and populist Subsidy route was pursued by government, instead of more reliable techno-community farming, to prop up agricultural sector though it has been contributing a measly 1 to 2% of GDP growth.

Unfortunately, some of the ideologues and the citizens ridiculously failed to realize the importance of Industrial growth and the associated socio-economic benefits, both tangible and intangible, to be accrued to them in their regions. Despite being direct beneficiaries’ of governments subsidies as well as welfare schemes and the same time being tax-exclusives, some sleazy people and their leaders have been vehemently protesting against setting up of Major industries in their regions, for some irrational and self-centered reasons best known to them.

States like Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are highly debt ridden and Electrical power hungry states where growth is paramount for uplifting their poor. However, violent protests in Nandigram and Singur of West Bengal had resulted in shelving of Major investments in that region thus robbing themselves of some great long term opportunities like employment, infrastructure development, improvement in living standards apart from a host of indirect benefits. Similar protests are continuing in Kakrapalli and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu against Green field thermal and nuclear power projects. Similar protests have become the order of day in some regions of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh against Mining and setting up of new Industrial establishments.

Unjustifiable nature of the protests against power projects can be gauged by reviewing at the electric power demand for the year 2010-2011. According to the 17th electric power survey of India report, India's industrial demand accounted for 35% of electrical power requirement, domestic household use accounted for 28%, agriculture 21%, commercial 9%, public lighting and other miscellaneous applications accounted for the rest. Agricultural demand is a whopping 21%, and the electrical power is supplied free of cost to farmers in states like Andhra Pradesh, already grappling with crippling blackouts lasting several hours; where populist schemes are unabatedly and blatantly pampered by ruling class at the expense of the common man. The protestors and their instigators should realize that the electricity blackouts and power shedding is not only interrupting manufacturing sector but irrigation too across the country.
Indian citizen will be embarrassed to know that India imports marginal amounts of electricity from our smaller neighbors; Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh despite having the obligatory resources and skills.

It is the state and central government’s obligation to immediately resolve the land acquisition issues, accelerate the governments mandatory approvals and environmental clearances, speed up the infrastructure development and enable training of skilled manpower (to prevent talent shortages for operating latest technology plants and mitigate unemployment) to facilitate a reasonable business climate in the country. Since, land acquisition results in loss of useful agricultural lands and wetlands, governments shall endeavor to reclaim the lost agricultural lands by converting barren lands to new water bodies, leading to more green pastures and cultivable lands around them. It may be noted that governments schemes such as drought areas programme and Integrated Watershed Development Programme have resulted in barren lands converting to more green pastures and cultivable lands, in the past.

Most importantly, state and central government shall regulate and monitor the Environmental balance of the regions due to new industries to ensure that no resistance or opposition is likely to arise from any category of stake-holders including the local population.

TIME TO BE CAUTIOUS WITH PERSONAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS

The overseas investors turned bearish in April 2012 and pulled out Rs 777 crore, according to the data available with the market regulator SEBI, attributed to a host of factors, including the government's anti-tax avoidance rule (GAAR) proposal announced in the Union Budget and S&P lowering India's credit outlook to negative from stable.

The negative outlook is a consequence of India’s penchant for populism laced vote bank politics as well as extraneous factors which are out of its control. India’s government finances have failed to improve despite high economic growth in the past decade due to unrestrained non-revenue expenditures, small tax net, increased subsidies, unfavorable inflationary pressures due to supply side constraints, Credit & European economic crisis to name a few. These factors have led to deterioration of India’s macroeconomic factors viz., widening of fiscal deficit, moderation of economic growth, slackening in investments, dwindling foreign exchange reserves, and sustained devaluation of Indian currency. These coupled with the governments’ inaction or economic policy paralysis due to coalition politics, RBI’s fiscal policy of high interest rates to tame inflation, Infrastructure issues, persisting inflationary pressures due to supply side constraints and governments’ inability to tackle the commodities supply side constraints have been dampening investment climate and foreign fund inflows.

Undeniably, the Indian economic scenario does not give a feel good factor either for an investor or for an Indian citizen, unless, India returns to a robust growth, healthy government finances and low inflationary environment. It is imperative for Indian policy makers to persistently pursue policy efforts to shrink long term governments’ expenditure; reduce subsidies and expand the tax net to make it more inclusive; address the Infrastructure and commodity supply side issues; and give impetus to the GDP growth.

Deutsche Bank along other global business houses recommend getting more defensive on Indian stocks until investors see more certainty on economic indicators and policy, a more stable rupee and improvements in corporate confidence. Given the uncertain economic scenario ahead for the country as well as the other regions, pecuniary awareness and prudence are keys to personal financial investments.

HOW ARE RULERS IN A DEMOCRACY MORE THAN EQUALS? HERE IT IS!

According to a Home Ministry report, 16,788 VIPs and prominent people, mostly ministers, MPs, MLAs, judges and bureaucrats, were guarded by 50,059 policemen in 25 states and Union Territories in 2010 against sanctioned strength of 28,298 police personnel. Unfortunately, VIP security and not law and order seem to be the top-most priority for most governments. The overly understaffed and overworked police force, which is already grappling with public and media criticism, over deteriorating law and order, is further confronted with a hapless situation of having to divert its forces from highly pressing law and order requirements to VIP security and ever increasing VIP convoy movements. As a consequence of this political callousness, it is the common man who is bearing the brunt of deteriorating law and order as well as endless traffic restrictions and traffic jams during highly frequent VIP movements.

SOME FACTS ABOUT VISIT/ MOVEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF INDIA (Though a ceremonial head)
Convoy details	Warning car, pilot car, ECM Vehicle (jammer), VVIP 1 (bulletproof car), the President’s car, Escort 1, VVIP II (Presidential guests), Escort 3, VVIP spare followed by Presidential entourage that consists of car 1 (Ministers in waiting), car II, car III (military secretary to the President), van, car V, van II, Spare car/ utility vehicle, ambulance, tail car
Preparation time & Resources involved	15-30 days 22 Government departments are involved in planning the visit
Air cover & facilities provided	Involves construction of three-four temporary helipads Helicopter crew (approximately 20) stay in star hotels ahead of visit
Approximate expenditure	Rs 1.2 Crores

A quarter of the VIPs in the protected category hardly need policemen to guard them. Many of them are too unimportant to be of interest to potential killers; many are no more under threat and many are good enough to take care of their own security. Nevertheless, they seldom acknowledge the ground reality. Movement in public in convoys with red or blue beacons with the obvious security cover is highly considered as a STATUS symbol. Some of elected politicos are local strongmen with enough security around them provided by their own party’s goons and does not need the security cover. However, the central and state governments have been highly charitable in granting security cover, albeit arbitrarily depending on the political equations.

It is widely recognized as well as voiced by many eminent and learned citizens, level headed politicians and media that security cover could be limited only to a handful of people in constitutionally important positions to free up large police personnel for normal duty, which could be a tangible benefit to the citizenry of this country. At the same time, others could make their own arrangements for security personnel and the government could make provision for payment to private security persons employed by the leaders from a special fund based on an approved eligibility criteria, which could again be an intangible benefit to the common man

The Union home ministry has been pruning the list of VIPs under protection over the last three years but it is hardly impressive. Moreover, some states and Union Territories, which have their own arbitrary list of VIPs, have been reluctant to follow suit despite facing a staff crunch. Unfortunately, the “STATUS” part of this proposal is too important for many, to give up.

However, in a welcome development, Akhilesh Singh, the young chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, has cut down his security apparatus and size of the convoy to eight from forty vehicles employed by Mayawati, his predecessor. Manohar Parrikar, the chief minister of Goa, has refused a Z-plus security cover and scaled down the security cover of all other ministers as well. These are highly welcome developments by every Indian citizen and would expect their contemporaries in other states as well as the Federal ministers to follow suit.