Below is an email from the Drishti Media Collective in Ahmedabad.

We founded DRISHTI as a trust in 1993, with a firm faith in the ability of video, theatre, radio, other media and the arts to contribute to struggles for a just, humane and peaceful society. Our work seeks to document alternative histories, give expression to voices on the margins, create public awareness and build public opinion, mobilize people to action, lobby with structures of authority.

Dear friends,

The current 'Community Radio Policy' of India is discriminatory towards communities as it bars community members, community based-organizations, non-government organizations and other civil society groups from applying for licenses to operate
low power community radio stations. The policy holds that only 'well established
educational institutions / organizations' can apply for a community radio license. So, what we have in the name of Community Radio is in reality Campus Radio.

Several organizations, academicians and individuals have been actively campaigning for communities' right to access the airwaves for the last seven years. They have made innumerable representations to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and to the Broadcast Regulator (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India - TRAI). They
have also written and submitted several drafts to reform the existing Community Radio Policy so as to include community rights in it. In spite of these efforts the government continues to be non-committal and discriminatory.

We urge you join hands with us to mount adequate pressure on the government to end this discrimination against the largely rural and poor communities. Please express your solidarity by signing the "Urging The Inclusion Of The Right Of The
Communities Within The Community Radio Policy" petition at
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/comradio/petition.html

Sincerely,

Stalin K.
DRISHTI MEDIA COLLECTIVE, Ahmedabad