Techgoss, a leading technology news blog, published by DJ Varma, a reputed journalist, has this punchy piece on the Roche intimidation episode that we highlighted earlier:
Indian blog threatened
By Bala Shah
First there was the world of mainstream media where a few business houses-owned newspapers told us what was happening in the world. Then PM Rao, Finance Minister Manmohan Singh started the liberation of our energies and economy. The BJP continued this push towards a market economy and handed the baton back to PM Singh. All this has resulted in more newspapers, magazines and TV stations which are good for a healthy democracy.
And then came the blogs in India which were a quantum leap towards a free flow of ideas as well. Some of the best analysis in our country is done by bloggers.
One of the best legal blogs in India is Spicy IP. So good that in May, 2008, Lexis Nexis listed it as a top IP blog. The US Library of Congress describes Spicy IP as a useful online IP resource. And there are many more experts in India and overseas for whom Spicy IP is mandatory reading.
Spicy IP says it aims to increase transparency in Indian intellectual property policy/institutions. They also stand for fair, objective and accurate reporting of intellectual property and innovation policy news from India.
As you can imagine such an honest voice has ruffled the egos of a few people. Spicy IP reports about some legal strategies and a few policies of drug giant Roche in India have resulted in the blog being threatened by someone claiming to be a Roche representative. The thug had the audacity to ring the aunt of the writer in Kerala and warned her that such “anti Roche’ articles would result in the blogger “paying for it dearly”.
Unfortunately for Roche, the blogger Shamnad Basheer happens to be a lawyer who has impeccable qualifications. After graduating from Bangalore, he did his post graduate studies from Oxford. Later, he taught at a number of respected institutions including the George Washington University Law School. Spicy IP has a many such eminent Indian bloggers. Coupled with such legal credentials, they have the moral courage to stand by what they feel is in the best interests of the Indian consumers.
Even a technology gossip website like techgoss recognizes that in this world of greys, there are some issues which are black and white. Contacting and threatening the aunt of a blogger is criminal and a new low in trying to intimidate bloggers.
Shame on you Roche India. You may not realize it but an attack on one Indian blogger is an attack on the entire Indian blogging community.
Roche India, the best medicine for you is an unqualified apology to the blog.
Indian blog threatened
By Bala Shah
First there was the world of mainstream media where a few business houses-owned newspapers told us what was happening in the world. Then PM Rao, Finance Minister Manmohan Singh started the liberation of our energies and economy. The BJP continued this push towards a market economy and handed the baton back to PM Singh. All this has resulted in more newspapers, magazines and TV stations which are good for a healthy democracy.
And then came the blogs in India which were a quantum leap towards a free flow of ideas as well. Some of the best analysis in our country is done by bloggers.
One of the best legal blogs in India is Spicy IP. So good that in May, 2008, Lexis Nexis listed it as a top IP blog. The US Library of Congress describes Spicy IP as a useful online IP resource. And there are many more experts in India and overseas for whom Spicy IP is mandatory reading.
Spicy IP says it aims to increase transparency in Indian intellectual property policy/institutions. They also stand for fair, objective and accurate reporting of intellectual property and innovation policy news from India.
As you can imagine such an honest voice has ruffled the egos of a few people. Spicy IP reports about some legal strategies and a few policies of drug giant Roche in India have resulted in the blog being threatened by someone claiming to be a Roche representative. The thug had the audacity to ring the aunt of the writer in Kerala and warned her that such “anti Roche’ articles would result in the blogger “paying for it dearly”.
Unfortunately for Roche, the blogger Shamnad Basheer happens to be a lawyer who has impeccable qualifications. After graduating from Bangalore, he did his post graduate studies from Oxford. Later, he taught at a number of respected institutions including the George Washington University Law School. Spicy IP has a many such eminent Indian bloggers. Coupled with such legal credentials, they have the moral courage to stand by what they feel is in the best interests of the Indian consumers.
Even a technology gossip website like techgoss recognizes that in this world of greys, there are some issues which are black and white. Contacting and threatening the aunt of a blogger is criminal and a new low in trying to intimidate bloggers.
Shame on you Roche India. You may not realize it but an attack on one Indian blogger is an attack on the entire Indian blogging community.
Roche India, the best medicine for you is an unqualified apology to the blog.
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