The politicians are doing it again! The Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Govt. of India has 'urged' Indian TV news channels not to telecast the 'gory' pictures of Mumbai carnage which rocked the entire nation a week up. Urge : “Gory scenes should not be shown, tragedy should not be replayed”; Reason : "News coverage pertaining to the event should project that India is not demoralised and has risen despite all terrorist attacks as normalcy has been restored"; Balm : “Media has a great role to play to ensure return of normalcy.”

Personally, I started laughing when I read this. I mean, who these politicians think us to be? Damn fools? They urge not to 'replay' the tragedy, how about the horrific and repetitive 'display' of it by those handful terrorists? How many orders have they come up with to stop the mess, except sacking few impotent ministers, who ideally should've been jailed!

This decision by the Govt. actually goes ahead and exhibits the kind of insecurity that our politicians are going through. They know it really well that media has done an exceptional job in reuniting India for the national cause (which our politicians have failed to do over last 6 decades). They know it for sure that media has purposefully boycotted the political gimmicks which are played by our shameless politicians. After 26/11, media has not let the politicians take any undue advantage of the situation (through crocodile's tears), on the contrary, has gone ahead and literally ripped apart politicians like Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Gujarat Chief Minister Naredra Modi, State Home Minister R R Patil, State Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and few more.

Sensing the condition to out of their hands, and understanding quite well that if media is not tamed down, they'll lose it all, our polity has decided to put bar on one of our most important fundamental rights – 'freedom of speech'! Now they want the media to dance in their tune.

I personally pray that media shouldn't stop the great work it is doing now. We cannot give up like this. This Mumbai incident has created a great uproar in the country and we shall continue this till we win both against 'those who came with boats' and against 'those who came with votes'. Yes, there're few wrong signals coming out it, so be it! It's the fundamental feature of a vibrant democracy – where we come up with different opinions, talk, debate and unite for the universal cause.

If you've seen the huge public gathering at the Gateway of India on Wednesday, December 3, you must've notice that placard - "India is a lions led by few donkeys". Now that's where it pinches them, because they've understood that if this huge public outrage continues, they will have to sack almost all the Union and State cabinet members!

Media, keep doing the great job that you're doing this time (for a change), let those impotent politicians know that India is a true democracy where accountability counts and 'those who came with votes' cannot avoid it. Their version of 'normalcy' is cowardice and India is not on for it, not this time!!! That's why Prasoon Joshi wrote 'Is baar nehin' (Not This Time)!