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Mr.Cool · 07-14-2009, 09:46 AM

I Have been on the web since the mid-1990s as I find email an indispensable means of communication. It is much less intrusive than the phone and you have a record of what has been discussed.

As for the social networking site I frequent, it is a good way of engaging with a wide variety of people, sharing thoughts and receiving feedback. It takes me only 15-25 minutes a day (on average — some days I don’t find even that much time) to post my updates, but it helps me stay connected to a broad public. Currently, I am told there almost 14,000 people following my posts on this site.

Most of the people responding to me seem to be young people. Sixty five per cent of our population is under 35, so it makes sense to want to connect with them through media they can relate to. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — perhaps 99 per cent of the respondents say they are delighted they have this access to me and are urging me to ask other politicians, especially ministers, to follow my example! The nature of the medium requires informal communication, on everything from professional preoccupations to personal peccadilloes (in my case, cricket and mangoes)! It enables me to give people a sense of access to the daily life of a political figure, which helps in the demystification of government, that is so necessary in a 21st century democracy. Obviously, I can only say what I would feel free to say on TV or in any public forum. Suggestions that being on a social networking site is not compatible with the discretion required of a government minister are silly — discretion is revealed in what you choose to say, not where you say it. I have some experience in choosing my words wisely!
I post my thoughts on the site quite regularly. And though I am flattered by the sheer volume of questions from those following my posts, most often it leaves me with just about enough time to answer queries. A friend even jokingly nicknamed me Minister Twitter because of my regularity on the site. It doesn’t bother me.

From today's TOI

07-14-2009, 09:46 AM	#50 (permalink)
Mr.Cool Active User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 802 Rep Power: 236	I Have been on the web since the mid-1990s as I find email an indispensable means of communication. It is much less intrusive than the phone and you have a record of what has been discussed. As for the social networking site I frequent, it is a good way of engaging with a wide variety of people, sharing thoughts and receiving feedback. It takes me only 15-25 minutes a day (on average — some days I don’t find even that much time) to post my updates, but it helps me stay connected to a broad public. Currently, I am told there almost 14,000 people following my posts on this site. Most of the people responding to me seem to be young people. Sixty five per cent of our population is under 35, so it makes sense to want to connect with them through media they can relate to. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — perhaps 99 per cent of the respondents say they are delighted they have this access to me and are urging me to ask other politicians, especially ministers, to follow my example! The nature of the medium requires informal communication, on everything from professional preoccupations to personal peccadilloes (in my case, cricket and mangoes)! It enables me to give people a sense of access to the daily life of a political figure, which helps in the demystification of government, that is so necessary in a 21st century democracy. Obviously, I can only say what I would feel free to say on TV or in any public forum. Suggestions that being on a social networking site is not compatible with the discretion required of a government minister are silly — discretion is revealed in what you choose to say, not where you say it. I have some experience in choosing my words wisely! I post my thoughts on the site quite regularly. And though I am flattered by the sheer volume of questions from those following my posts, most often it leaves me with just about enough time to answer queries. A friend even jokingly nicknamed me Minister Twitter because of my regularity on the site. It doesn’t bother me. From today's TOI