Can an Ex-officer talk about the secrets during his tenure? that too a RAW officer? These people want to earn money not educate people...and this is a publicity stunt.
RE:RE:Is it legal?
by Peaceful Ocean on Jul 26, 2007 01:52 PM Permalink
Yes, they can and they should, then only historical truths can be known. Official secrets act is not to keep secrets, its to keep the bureaucratic bunglings out of public eye. Have you ever heard about the BBC programme "YES MINISTER".
RE:Is it legal?
by Kabeer on Jul 26, 2007 02:02 PM Permalink
Take it easy! Sensible readers take the unverifyiable claims not with a pinch but with a handful of salt! It might as much be true as much it's not! These kinds of claims happen all over the world such as Gohar Ayub Khan claiming that Field Marshal Manekshaw sold military secrets to Pakistan in 1965 war!
As in the US and elsewhere, I think we too should have a policy that one can reveal the secrets and classified documents after a certain period of time, if we do not have one already! Such a measure would prevent sensation seeking writers from making these kinds of statements.
However, I agree with your concern! There should some restrictions be applied on bureaucrats and also on ministers and other legislators from ever talking on senstive issues that concern national safety! Else, gullible people may believe that it was true much like the canard that was propaged that Nehru was responsible for our losing a part of Kashmir, which is non-sense.
RE:Is it legal?
by Peaceful Ocean on Jul 26, 2007 03:37 PM Permalink
Yes, I agree sensationalisation will be there in these sort of exposures, some claims will be unverifiable, author will say he was always right ( with retrospective effect) but still general public at the end will become a bit more wiser. So there is and always will be need for these sort of "exposure" literature.
