The hypocrisy of Indian Middle Class

Login into your twitter or facebook account, and you may find scores of messages
berating Facebooks Free Basics. The argument forwarded is that it violates the
cardinal principle of net neutrality. Mind you, the same argument was forwarded
when the government decided to ban pornography in India, but then that will
require another dedicated article, so I better skip that. The hypocrisy of the great
Indian Middle Class has come out in open yet again.
What is net neutrality? It is the principle that all data packets, whether it be
generated by any website, or any application, must be treated equally by the ISP.
The ISP cannot be allowed to be a gatekeeper and decide on behalf of users what
they should or should not see. They can merely be a facilitator to the unbridled and
unfettered internet.
What is Free Basics?
Well this is the improved version of Facebooks previous initiative internet.org. It
intends to provide access to bouquet of websites to the people absolutely free of
cost. Yes, it contains facebook for sure, but it also contains WIKIPEDIA, job portals,
mobile based health consulting services etc. Most importantly, Free Basics is
providing an open platform, where any any developer can create services that
integrate with Free Basics and is available to the people free of cost.
Why people oppose it?
Two words NET NEUTRALITY. People are enraged, in fact seething with
unprecedented anger, over its perceived violation. Their argument, though not
without its merit, is that FREE B ASICS is providing access to only a few websites
and that it violates peoples right to choice. They also argue that there exist other
alternatives which can provide completely free internet.
Why arguments are flawed?
1. First of all, FREE BASICS, unlike internet.org provides an open platform and
hence encourages any developer to develop services for the people. So
though it is not providing access to complete internet, but it sure is not
restricting access to only few selected websites.
2. Facebook does not charge any application to be on Free Basics, nor does it
pay the service provider for carrying the free service. Also, it does not have
an exclusive arrangement with Reliance. Unless a theologically rigid definition
is applied, Free Basics is not in violation of net-neutrality.
3. Arguments of it opening a Pandoras Box where every ISP would get to control
access are flawed. But it is not something which cannot be solved. TRAI is
circulating a draft paper on Net-Neutrality and exceptions can be carved
without damaging the overall architecture.

Why the protests smack of overt hypocrisy?

Lets dwell into some facts.
1. First over 900 million Indians have no access to Internet whatever. No prizes
on guessing the economic class to which these 900 million belong.
2. Indias middle class, though often brand themselves as common men and
have similarly have hijacked the mainstream discourse on account of their
being most vocal, constitutes only 5% of the Indian society, according to a
survey of Pew Research Centre. So by all stretches of imagination, the so
called Indian middle class is neither common nor middle.
3. Internet can be a great leveler. It bridges the information divide. However it is
not clichd to say that some access is any-day better than no access at all. If
nothing, access to WIKIPEDIA alone is a sufficient reason to support it.
Why do I call protests hypocrisy?
Not merely hypocrisy, I call it height of hypocrisy. Those protesting against it are
doing it on behalf of the underprivileged section of society arguing that their right to
complete internet cannot be short-changed on account of their poverty. But the
truth is that if FREE BASICS gets scrapped, it is precisely this section that is going to
miss out on an exciting opportunity. It is important to understand that those
protesting would never have to use the FREE BASICS because they have resources
at their disposal. So they are trying to lead a class whose compulsions they do not
share and for whom they would not do anything themselves. All on the name of a
principle which itself would be hollow if 85% of the people remain outside of it.
But then it was never a question of principle for the Indian Middle Class. It
took rape and murder of one among them, (Nirbhaya-a middle class girl), to bring
them to roads. Its not like rapes didnt happen earlier. Nobody gives a damn about
the child rights of ubiquitous Chhotu at tea-shops, or the labour rights of the maids
and domestic helps they hire.
Conclusion:
No one is arguing that there should not be NN. But the scale of digital illiteracy is
humongous in India. Resources required for providing completely unfettered access
freely are just too large. Like everything else in the world, there can be free and
premium services in internet as well. The entire logic is that as people gets
economically better off, they would switch to full services. Isnt it how, everything
else in the world operates. Nobody questions when the cereals distributed by govt.
through Fair Price Shops are not of the quality Indian urban (so called) middle class
consumes at a premium price. Nobody questions why the free water rural people
receive from state are of such terrible quality while we in urban areas drink mineral
water. Nobody questions when Doordarshan DTH doesnt show as many channels as
TATA Sky or Dish TV. It can be no ones case that internet is more important than

food and water. Instead of lobbying and pressuring more and more useful websites
to be included in the bouquet of FREE BASICS, we have done everything in our
power to force websites like NDTV and CLEARTRIP from withdrawing. And last but
not the least, please shed the cloak of condescension for acting on behalf of poor.
We all know that we dont give a damn. But at least, do not obstruct in their
empowerment, however little you find it to be.