Make IB, RAW more transparent: Experts

NEW DELHI - Indian intelligence agencies have to be more “transparent and accountable” for the media to give clearer picture of the security situation and inculcate in the public a sense of security, speakers at a panel discussion on the subject said Thursday.

Prominent security experts, politicians and mediapersons discussed the topic “Can Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing be accountable - a case for media scrutiny and legislative oversight” in the wake of the Saturday’s bomb blast in Pune that killed 11 people.

The speakers at the discussion - Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, All India Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin (MIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi, former IB chief Ajit Doval, former joint secretary in the RAW Maj. Gen. (retd) V.K. Singh, journalists Praveen Swami, Josy Joseph and Saikat Datta, seemed united in their idea that the agencies should be made “accountable and transparent”.

“Commoners trust the media and the news disseminated by the media has to be true, and for the media to give a true picture these agencies have to be credible,” Singh said.

Singh had published a book in 2007 in which he was highly critical of the RAWs functioning. The book blows whistle on several cases of corruption, indiscipline, lack of leadership and negligence, where the names of the persons involved have been mentioned.

Singh also had to face cases under the Official Secrets Act for writing the book.

The Pune blast was the focus of the discussion and the speakers generally highlighted how the media, quoting unnamed sources, was holding different outfits responsible for it.

“Nobody is clear. There is no transparent news. All these agencies should have been more forthright so that the media becomes clearer,” noted Owaisi.

The discussion was held at the Teen Murti Bhawan and was organised by the Foundation for Media Professionals.