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INTERNET websites are replete with Indian newsgroups located in the US. They keep the members apprised of developments, triggering a torrent of blogs. But does their buzz make any real difference to India? Are they useful in addressing India's concerns and promoting its interests? Not much, since they do not take it upon themselves to be proactive, lest they alienate those amongst and with whom they (have to) live.

They, therefore, stop with instant messaging and chatting amongst themselves on news and events and passing on media articles and write-ups on India and India-US relations. They normally do not do anything more, and understandably, in view of their heavy and hectic schedules minding their jobs and families. On the other hand, if only they can set apart some time to selectively probe intriguing items, they can avert scams in the making and contribute a lot to public good.

For instance, the other day, I received from Mr Ram Narayanan, a passionate votary of friendly relations between India and the US, whose newsgroup comprising 15,000 or so is perhaps among the best-knit of the lot, a news item by Ela Dutt of the India Abroad News Service that Government of India had appointed a couple of months ago on a generous retainer of $600,000 per annum a firm called Akin Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld for lobbying decision-makers and lawmakers in Washington on behalf of India. The news item was silent about the previous experience of this firm in this line, its annual turnover, the number of clients it had in its portfolio and the number of personnel it had contracted to devote exclusively to lobbying for India. All it said was that the firm had two Texans on board who knew the President, Mr George W. Bush and his clan. Going a little more into the firm's background and credentials would have helped the members to know whether it was in India's interest to appoint the firm. In this particular case, I notice that it is mainly a law firm, and its Website gives no clue as to its capabilities to grasp and handle the complex political, social and economic issues pertaining to a country like India.

Likewise, the same newsgroup merely sent a story about Mr Robert J. Guida, a business magnate and majority leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives who recently visited the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and went back fulminating against India's atrocities in Kashmir. Apparently, he had requested for an Indian visa to visit Jammu & Kashmir as early as in January and the Indian Embassy had taken no action despite being reminded in February and March. Pakistan stole a march and got him on its side. A call to the Embassy to find out why, with hundreds of personnel on its payroll, it could not get advance information about his visit and failed to win him over would have kept the Embassy officials on their toes and deterred them from committing a similar blunder in future. Just two instances out of many.

B. S. Raghavan

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