All that we read or hear as news these days, 30 per cent of them has some truth and the rest is cooked up and hyped. Few of the news are of previous years but nonetheless, some are paid news withphotographs. Some players and their wife are always in the limelight, as if the newspaper sale would stop without their gossips and photographs.

Most of us are so habituated with reading and watching false newsthat it has become a part of our life. Some photographers arrange shots like four daughters carrying corpse of a father-in-law or an IAS or IPS officer giving a helping hand to a patient, or a traffic police helping a physically-handicapped person; the list goes on. The best part is this news never reaches the top boss, nor is any action taken because they are nonexistent and based on falsehood.

Unfortunately, most of us gossip on these fake news and spend our time and money. Common man is least bothered if water is there on moon or mars, but our scientists cry if water is not found in stars or moons? A billion-dollar adventure fails but the agency is encouraged for further misadventure in future as a political stunt! Some top scientists cry on the shoulder of the PM to save their job!

Friends, this is a fake world and we live like fake people day -in and day -out. Newspapers fill up their pages with only 5 percent substance but 95 percent trash. The best use of newspapers is probably done by packers and movers and those wrapping beer bottles. Really difficult to differentiate newspapers from gossip magazines!

(The writer is an ex-Joint Director, SAIL and a senior citizen)