Bharath Ratna for Rajkumar

If anybody deserves the Bharath Ratna then it is none other than Late Rajkumar. Conceding that the politicians and Media do overemphasis the role of movie actors as it provides them with saleable faces and glossy bytes but Rajkumar was above all these. He avoided the media and carried no pretensions of grandeur. A man so humble and impeccable in his bearing that all sections of society in Karnataka admire him. The outsiders particularly the anglicized elites squatting in power centers may have a cynical view on this but the fact is common people in Karnataka consider him God. There is nothing wrong in that since he epitomized what they considered admirable (in reel and real life, as also a hugely successful actor) and he on his part never misused that trust. He did attempt to channelise these into positive action but never for personal gain, indications on how much he respected people. He was truly great. He was to Karnataka (and to many south Indians) what Dilip Kumar (taking another example from film industry and a great human) is to north India. The nation needs to recognize him with the highest award.

Post Script: It is bit late though and one wonders what he would have made out of this demand!!!. I guess some people are so great that it increases the worth of awards.

In recent times though these admirable symbols are being hijacked by parochial forces, this is very sad. It is also very unfortunate that Tamilians are targeted and many cinema halls don’t show Tamil movies. This blogger rarely goes for movies but Rajnikanth movies are something I don’t like to miss (I like his style. Njan oru thavana solutha pathu thavana solamadiri… jagarudhe. Beat that one!!!!. He is the most stylish actor i have come across). So one wonders what happens to his latest movie in Karnataka. If it is not released in Karnataka it will be nothing short of tragedy.

How I learn to stop worry and love the Gun

So we have another shooting in US of A. Kids killing each other and themselves is a pattern we have started to associate with this country. But still people can buy guns and ammunition at free will from the friendly corner shop. Most civilized society will cringe even at the thought of people owning guns, being sold like this is unimaginable. But then US of A is a different place here people are proud of their ‘fundamental right’. Right to carry gun it seems is most fundamental of all rights. It seems people have right to protect themselves….very true then what state machinery is for? If US of A cannot even provide protection to its own citizen then what kind of law and order machinery they have. And if they cannot even enforce order within their own country, that each citizen has to own a gun, then what gives them the authority to play policeman to the world?......just hold it there. There seems to one group who seems to be in win-win situation and that is the gun lobby.

Gun lobby in US of A is very strong and vocal, it has very influential people, politicians in the payroll. Before even full scale tragedy of VT massacre were out, politicians (even a Presidential candidate) were found allaying doubts from the minds of Gun lobby. This is the level of crassness they can go. Nexus of Gun Lobby, politicians and big business, and the fear psychosis nearing paranoia they create among hapless citizen fed on information overdrive, is well documented in Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine (the gun culture does have its history in slavery, the fear in whites....as shown in the Documentary, now they create imaginary enemy. Osama helped thier cause). This insightful documentary although searing tragic in its portrayal of how people can be herded into self destruction, for an outsiders like me I couldn’t help laughing at these stupid people and their predicament. That is what makes it such a tragic-comic. The killings of innocent and fundamental rights of maniac. The agony, pain of victims and righteous, pride of gun peddlers.

It is kind of surreal since in real world people would see reason, compassion. But US of A works on different game plan. It definitely brings in the question of how much ammunition lobby influences US policy making, particularly when it comes to military actions abroad (latest is they are trying to align with Al Quaeda to harm Iranians!!!). Isn’t the world being held by coterie who just wants to make profit at the expense of people’s life, democracy a compliable conduit in their macabre scheme? Maybe the reason they talk democracy at home and the need to spread it abroad, sometimes with such viciousness. Also if people can decide whether they can carry gun, countries can decide whether to keep nuclear bombs. “Gun doesn’t kill people, people kill people” argues Gun lobby. Well…“nuclear bombs doesn’t kill people, people kill people” ditto!!!. “Knife in the cockpit doesn’t kill people, people kill people” ditto!!. So are we talking about deterrence or threat?. If it is fundamental right of the people to own gun then it is also unalienable for countries to own nuclear bombs. US of A is not the only country that has to safe guard the rights and lives of its people, Iran has to, and yes even Cuba has to. What gives US of A moral authority on the world when its policies are dictated by vested interests??.

The latest in the media regarding VT massacre is to try understand the mind of the killer (a South Korean with some serious problems that he couldn’t handle and very unfortunately killed many innocent people including two Indians. Very upsetting indeed), they are trying to look at his brain, it is about frontal lobe I am told, a kind of instinctive fellow. So much for ideas on sense of humor!!. Well what about the minds behind ‘gun lobby’?? What about the brain which calculates to maximize without much empathy or even sympathy on thousands of lives lost and maimed??. The corporatisation of politicians doesn’t leave us with any distinctions. President Bush in his address at VT says the victims “were at wrong place at wrong time” and that is all about the tragedy. It should be that ‘they were in wrong place at wrong time but in front of the right gun we help him buy (thumbs up dude). This is about democracy and rights. We also have some very unfortunate people at very wrong place in front of very right smart guns in Iraq, earlier in Vietnam….”. Amen to that. Dude I love my Gun. The Korean kid had a problem, millions youngster around the world have problems. But millions of kids around the world don’t have gun lobby to help. Countries have their government influenced by vested interest, but most countries don’t have arm suppliers or are not nuclear power. This makes US of A very dangerous country.

The attempt now in US media seems to be to identify kids with problem, the potential killers. Meaning now the attempt will be on compliance. This suits the State and the Market. So anyone protesting or even taking a solitary position could be targeted. As for macabre writings …well in that case Raj Kamal Jha should be in high security prison, seriously!!. So should many other writers and so would many of the greatest thinkers, inventors (dude most were loners!!. They were not “normal” people who came in chat show!!). So are we talking about creative writing or mind mapping?. This blogger poohs poohs the attempt at classifying the kid on his writing, maybe he was poor writer with astounding imagination that may not fit with the conventional behavior, considering that he was into English major, wherein he was suppose to present creative paper unlike say a pre teenager who expresses anguish through pictures or scribbles. What is seen as macabre makes him extraordinary….not necessarily a killer, he was bit old to be studied through writing. It is quite a coincidence that he killed. What is not a coincidence is that he like many other killers in US of A could easily access the weapon that could cause maximum damage. How about spending some time to know the people behind Gun lobby?. This is were the focus should be: the cold blooded profit mongers who make money through blood and misery of people. In the meantime why not telecast Moore’s Bowling for Columbine, it will be more insightful than dissecting the unfortunate kid and creating imaginary monsters. The kid had some serious problem but what is the problem with people who support Gun Lobby??

No to Asian games in delhi

A big No to Asian Games in delhi in 2014. Why delhi why not any other city??. It seems they want all the development to happen in delhi only.
How about Pune, Chennai???

Very unfortunate: with deep regret i have to inform that i have misplaced the password of my other blog www.sdepalan.blogspot.com or maybe i forgot to close it and so...I feel very sad about it. I spend hours retrieving it, i seemed to have forgotten the email i gave. It really is very tragic.
From now on my other blog will be www.depalanhere.blogspot.com.

Bet on everything!

There was a funny incident of attempt to ban betting in Bangalore Turf, dare you!!. I guess first they should close down the stock exchange. More people have lost money speculating on Shares. Stock exchange somehow has gained the status of sacred institution, quite an achievement. You close turf betting, you close stock exchange. Ideally these discussions are time pass!!. This blogger would like to see cricket being open for betting. Government has absolutely no business to tell people where to put money. Further if over paid monkeys are adorned with Arjuna awards why are jockeys not considered, this is discrimination. This blogger would like to see outstanding jockeys like Narredu be awarded. Horse racing need to be given the respect which is due. Riding a horse (and winning the race) needs extreme skills. Picture this: would you like to see bunch of underperformers rubbing the ball on the crotch (god why???. I guess if pitch can behave, crotch can help!!) or would you go for incredible sight of amazing set of horses ridden by colorful jockeys, running together???

Recently it was reported that one of the ‘Indian cricketer’ had signed an endorsement with a condition that he would spend as much as time on the pitch intent to give exposure to the product. This is shocking. The media however refused to name the person as if it is some state secret. We would like to know who this player is. He has not only brought disrepute to the game but has hindered the chance of Indian team. He has fooled millions of followers of this game. He has indulged in unethical practice which is as grievous as match fixing. So hiding his name is equally criminal. The BCCI has to reveal the name…..or in case media is aware of it they should bring this scoundrel out. People would like to know, they are being fooled.

Please join in the appeal to release Alan Johnston the BBC reporter kidnapped more than a month back.
This blogger had always a very healthy view of BBC. I love watching BBC as much I listened the radio as a kid, the Hindi version too. They should be cautious when dealing with India (unavoidable because of population), since lots of pretentious people are stampeding for attention. Foreign channel if serious can know more about the nation and its issues by directly involving the common people and not elite (particularly those pretentious types who have positioned to save common people aka Crude Woman) British and American attention would make the day of any these scum, it is their reference point, pinnacle of achievement, origin of ‘making India proud’. Channels like BBC will only degrade itself associating with superficial people.

On exclusive interviews

This blogger questions the people holding government (public) positions giving interviews to private channels. A minister, a member of judiciary and bureaucrats are not paid to give exclusive interviews to private TV channels. This should be taken as a breach of conduct. Once a politician assumes office he has no business to associate with TV channel or Press, this is a form of corruption- media suaveness at the of expense competence in the job, it is dereliction of duty and misuse of position for personal gains. Press release and statements given at common platform- conferences, are the way to communicate to public. Any other involvement of members of Executive, Judiciary or Legislature is serious threat to democratic functioning. The official time and money shouldn’t be used to work on PR.

One had lots of expectation when a member of marginalized section of society took over as Chief Justice of India but unfortunately our man spent more time in giving interview to media. Where does he get the time to indulge in these?. This is also true of Cabinet ministers. The Finance Minister gave ‘exclusive interviews’ to many channels after the budget, one must admire his energy hopping from one TV studio to another, repeating the same thing.

Let us look what this exclusive involvement in TV studios mean: Out of one billion people let us negate the people who do not have access to TV- there are millions, lets say at an optimistic level around 80% people have access to TV. Of this how many have access to cable connection?. From the percentage of people who have access to cable how many watch English channel (which in a ridiculous dement have assumed themselves as ‘National’), a favorite channel for lickers since they exist because of PR in English as also their proximity to power center. Take the example of any politician (or minister) who rushes to TV studios and you will see a licker owe his (or her) existence to the sycophancy and positioning in TV studios. Coming back, so we do have very miniscule percentage of people who watch English Channels. Now those who do watch English TV channels there are lot many channels to choose from. So what is the chance that someone has switched on the particular channel at the specified time to watch that ‘exclusive interview’? How many watched the interview of let’s say Finance minister or the Chief Justice. Few thousands at the most and this from one billion!!!. This brings in the question: who the Minister is responsible to?. Obviously to the cabinet and the legislature…..meaning to the people. So what is he doing in the TV studio giving ‘exclusive interviews’ wherein he is representing more than a billion people???. Why is a Minister who is representing one billion people choosing medium to address few thousands? Why is he investing his precious public time on these platforms??

A politician can use media when he is not in the office, before elections and so on, like you see the actors coming out before release of movies. It is a win-win situation for both; it is about how well who uses whom. That’s ‘fourth estate’ for you!!. It is quite a sight to watch a slave interviewing a popular figure, particularly from the film industry. The intensity is as much as you see a dog in front of butcher shop (next time try observing and compare with media snooping on “Abhi-Aish” wedding!!). The salivating slave will try to extract whatever from the celebrity, it is a kind of tussle and the slave’s future is very much dependent on it (do we laws protecting the slaves??). Once you get the ‘bite’ it’s for the spin doctor’s to take over. So we have out of context quotes and if luck favors “Breaking News”. And then we have self appointed guardian- the newsreader, fresh from beauty parlor, you feel will almost break into ‘everything we do, we do it for you’. The reason why they don’t have this song running while they read the news is a mystery; probably they guessed it right that it’s beyond Homo sapiens to comprehend too many noises. Well we can blame god. Not very Market savvy I say.

One wonders whether we do have copyright laws??. Since the input is on TRP, the news is about entertainment. Thus we have more of movie and song sequences in TV channels. Infact they try to create news so as to include movie bites and songs (another favorite area is cricket). Nothing wrong it is ok to be desperate about profit- it is an internationally accepted understanding!!. The question is do they pay for it particularly to producers, script writers of the movie and songwriters, lyricist of the song, if not it is exploitation and cheap way to make money. Have they bought the rights of the movie or the scene which they are broadcasting?? (offcourse scenes from new movies are part of promotion and that is an important revenue source). Also many of the channels have song competitions; the creators of these songs should get the cut (recently songs are being used to peddle products. Easy job!!). Movies and songs are not public property nor are TV channels doing any public service. It is important that there is freedom of expression but it also very important that there should be protection of creativity. The unscrupulous shouldn’t be given free run to undermine everything to make profit. There is an immediate need to create laws to end this exploitation. Meaning less shubh laab …….rrrreppppeeeeattt (from Rajnikant movie song!!)

Forget Osama where is Anderson dude??. Shouldn’t we ‘shock and awe’ the US??

It was on a pleasant afternoon that I reached the sight where the Union Carbide Plant was located (I had been here more than a decade back). The Plant had large barren land surrounding, not cordon off, no guards, children played cricket and cattle grazed the field. This was shocking since hundreds of tons of toxic waste is still left untouched- an environmental disaster site. Studies indicate that tons of toxic material dumped at the old plant has now seeped into the groundwater. Well water and groundwater tests conducted in the surrounding areas in 1999 showed mercury levels to be at “20,000 and 6 million times” higher than expected levels; heavy metals and organochlorines were present in the soil. Environmental groups who had collected samples from the soil (groundwater, fruits, and vegetables) have found high levels of heavy metals such as nickel, chromium, mercury, and lead, along with other toxic materials in the area and surrounding. Shocking also because this is the sight, which caused the worst industrial tragedy in the world.
Opposing the Plant, across the road, was like any other poorer location of the city- densely populated, congested houses with narrow by lanes, most of them had one or more family member victim of this disaster. Dow chemicals (which now own Union Carbide) refuse to clean up the place and has put thousand of people’s lives in constant life threatening ailments for last 23 years. A Union Carbide spokesman says that the company and its sole shareholder, the Dow Chemical Company, cannot be held liable for any waste cleanup at the plant or any contamination of the ground water. "There is no legal foundation for application of liability". Comrades in Bengal have now opened the door for Dow Chemicals. Comrade scoundrels. People of Haldia should know what they are getting into. Dow Chemicals was also fined by US finance regulatory recently for unfair trade practices in India. They bribed Indian officials around 8.8 million Rs. Any cases in India???. Off course not, it’s about sacred Investment, rising GDP and off course Comrades Party Fund, after all they have to save the world!!. Experts warn that Indian regulations on industry remain lax, and that a future Bhopal-style tragedy referred to as ‘Hiroshima of the Chemical Industry’ is still very possible.

The worst commercial industrial disasters in history, mass murder is the word used (quite appropriately), occurred on the night of 3rd December 1984. I recall this clearly since I was awake as I had to finish school homework and the TV was on- not sure if it was the fateful night or the night after but the image of people running helter skelter is etched clearly. Another connection is that few years later we had a classmate in school who escaped the tragedy unscathed despite being in Bhopal (years later I came to know he got severely burned in an accident) he used to give vivid details of the event.

Of the 800,000 people living in Bhopal at the time, 3000 died immediately around 500,000 people were exposed to the leaking chemicals. Approximately 20,000, to this date, are believed to have died as a result; on average, roughly one person dies every day from the effects. Over 120,000 continue to suffer from the effects of the disaster, such as breathing difficulties, cancer, serious birth-defects, blindness, gynaecological complications and other related problems. According to a report it is believed that 50,000 people are unable to work because of their debilitating ailments. This chilling paragragh from a senior railway official who was witness to the tragedy when train arrived carrying victims from Bhopal to Itarsi:

The sight at Itarsi was something straight out of Dante’s ‘Inferno.’ Dozens of men, women and children were writhing in agony and we watched them in horrified helplessness. Death was a welcome relief to the victims, their eyeballs swollen red and bursting, every breath bringing agony to their burning lungs. The screams of the tortured bodies were in different languages

Beginning in 1991, the local authorities from Bhopal charged Warren Anderson (who headed Union Carbide and retired in 1986), with manslaughter, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Anderson has so far avoided an international arrest warrant and a US court summons. He was declared a fugitive from justice by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal on Feb 1 1992 for failing to appear at the court hearings in a culpable homicide case in which he was named the chief defendant. Orders were passed to the Government of India to press for an extradition from the United States, with whom India had an extradition treaty in place. He went missing for several years, until he was discovered by Greenpeace “living a life of luxury in the Hamptons”. The Bhopal Medical Appeal believe that “neither the American nor the Indian government seem interested in disturbing him with an extradition”. Some allege that the Indian government has hesitated to put forth a strong case of extradition to the United States, fearing backlash from foreign investors who have become more important players in the Indian economy following liberlisation. A plea by India's Central Bureau of Investigation to dilute the charges from culpable homicide to criminal negligence has since been dismissed by the Indian courts. (para copied from the Net). Around the wall the views (frustration is better word) of people could be read.

The contamination from grazing cattle stock getting into food chain and consequences on children playing in the field, facing constant exposure is anybody’s guess. In an investigation broadcast on BBC on Nov 14, 2004, it was reported that the site is still contaminated with 'thousands' of metric tons of toxic chemicals, including benzene hexachloride and mercury, held in open containers or loose on the ground. Some areas are reportedly so polluted that anyone entering the area for more than ten minutes is likely to lose consciousness. Rainfall causes run-off, polluting local wells and boreholes, and the results of tests undertaken on behalf of the BBC by accredited water analysis laboratories in the United Kingdom reveal pollution levels in borehole water 500 times the legal maximum in that country. This blogger didn’t risk venturing into the site. There was a small park adjoining the Union Carbide plant, where children were playing. The park had old rusted slide that seem to be centre of amusement for the kids. I had no intention to speak to people, 23 years is frustratingly long period, its important not to fleece their tragedy. I considered asking questions on tragedy an insult on people in here. But children’s experiences are different, so got into the mode of getting to know them, asking about the school they study and so on. Children were not too keen on interaction as they were too immersed in their game, only when I took out the camera they were interested and congregated around me shouting “photo lo hamari” in the mean time I asked them in passing whether they were aware what happened out there, pointing to the factory. For a moment there was a silence then the youngest of them got into the act, and screamed “‘gas nikili thee” and slid down as if exhilarated by the knowledge!!. The eldest of them who could be 7 or 8 mentioned his father has eye related ailments since the gas leak, meanwhile younger one pulled his hair and ran, and he chased him cursing. I left them in their own world, somewhat guilty of the intrusion.

Remembrance and tribute

Apparitions

Today, the noise of traffic
reminded a screech, a crash
a death.

A life so valued
gets a chance to be recalled
in the cacophony of mindless vehicles and abusive drivers.

I curse myself
for the precious lapse
and attempt to sacred the thought.


(remembering Dearest Dinesh, a relative, a close friend who “liked to bike around Cochin 12 o clock in the night” and I on the pillion!!)

Tribute to Lauri Baker
Lauri Baker came to India from England during the World War 2, and later moved to Kerala. He became immensely popular with low cost houses he designed. ‘Baker houses” were at one point quite popular among elite in kerala, many clones doing the round. I also knew few friends whose parent’s were senior bureaucrats’ preferred ‘Baker house’. It was a kind of a statement!!. I have seen Mr. Baker on many occasions’ decades back, quite a lively face.