Google has been engaging in censorship
and filtering of results in India for long. This includes
censorship and filtering of blog posts, news,
robots
restrictions, etc. The latest to add to this list is the
news article titled “Radia
Tapes, Ratan Tata’s Privacy, Fundamental Rights and Public
Interest” that has been censored on 05-09-2012.
The news article in question has nothing
controversial but it is discussing about some of the most corruption
related aspects of India. Perhaps, the article has brought out in
public the dirty linen of Indian government but the censorship act of
Google has also brought Google’s dirty linen in public as well.
It seems Indian government is not interested in
putting the truth before the public at large. First it claimed that
it has destroyed the Radia tapes and then it claimed that the
investigation is still going on so the tapes are required to be kept
in safe custody.
However, the Indian government has still not told
the Supreme Court of India who leaked the tapes. It seems public
interest is not important and all the Indian government is doing is
hiding of the dirty facts and truths of Radia tapes controversy.
As opined by Praveen Dalal, managing partner of ICT
law firm Perry4Law,
“The Indian Constitutional Scheme is based upon “Balance of
Rights” and no right is absolute in nature. In case of conflict
between two Fundamental Rights, the Fundamental Right that
strengthens and substantiate the Public Interest should prevail”.
Hence if there is a conflict between Right to Privacy and Right to
Information/know, information can be disclosed in certain
circumstances to substantiate and strengthen Public Interest, opines
Dalal.
It is high time for Indian government to disclose
who leaked the Radia tapes. Similarly, the Supreme Court of India
must also keep in mind the balance of fundamental rights as citizens
of India have a right to know about the corrupt practices happening
within the governmental functioning.
