Tehelka ‘sexual assault’

Nobody can be judge on these matters, it is for the court to decide having gone through the evidences. The wonders of technology are such that we common people do have ringside view on these happenings.  I was going through the letters the victim has written, if true then Mr. Tejpal is in serious trouble. Though there are people who are admirer of Tehelka kind of ‘investigative journalism’, that rely on sting operations, I have never been a supporter of these. Journalism needs more involvement, commitment and nuanced discussion, rather than fly by night blitzkrieg operations. I somehow believe that these are bordering unethical. A moment taken as a context to judge the event is not the whole truth though the video is seen as compelling truth, sometimes these are but not always. The recent sting on AAP party and malicious campaign proves the point. I personally knew the fellow who was involved in ‘defence scam’ sting conducted by Tehelka (that scalped the then BJP president), he used to work with me briefly. He was a terrible fellow whom I studiously avoided. I wasn’t surprised that he arranged ‘honey traps’. Where is the morality here? Nevertheless Tehelka did position itself as an answer to the cruder times we live.      

In the Tehelka sexual assault case, I believe the complete truth is somewhere out there and needs meticulous investigations. I was going through the pictures taken during the THINK festival, I must tell the pictures of the ‘victim’ doesn’t look like that of a person who has been recently “seriously assaulted”. She doesn’t show signs of recent trauma. I find that baffling. Also the ‘victims’ letter makes serious insinuation on character of the people concerned, that may not relate to the case, which needs further affirmation. Like about Mr. Tejpal’s daughter witnessing when she was 13, this needs to be further examined. Also an allegation that her Managing editor was ‘having an affair’ with Editor in chief, these are statements that seems to suggest there is more to it. I was reading some of the articles written by the ‘victim’ on teenage sex, as also death of an actor which is correctly argued as a murder –the evidences suggest so (another cop botch up). She is a good writer and has flair with words, taking extreme caution on the identity of the ‘victim’, I must add here Stephenians are born writers (you can either be a Stephenian or not a writer, so argued Kushwant Singh. No wonder Indian writing has suffered, and so has the country! There are about 20 odd Stephanians in Parliament, that is as big as state of Kerala!! So much so for feudalism. Mr Tharoor has a culinary explanation he calls it Thali effect!!). 

Sexual harassment at work place is a serious matter, long time back the place I was working there were serious allegation of rapes, not one victim but many (incidentally renowned Justice Iyer was our neighbor). I was privy to one, she talked about these in detail, those days I had my own serious problems, and was vacillating between life and death, literally!, extremely confused lad. So wasn’t terribly concerned about others, an extreme form of alienation that family-societal expectations can bring to an individual. Further in the same organization there was another man who hunted on young men, he did try some crap (the worse that I had experienced as a kid). These were sickening times for me, I left the place at the earliest possible opportunity. 

These are to be dealt seriously by the law, but I believe times are changing quite fast and we live in different worlds. What may look like an assault in small town may not be that in a big town. Like for instance, to take an example, people of different sex don’t hug each other in small towns but big cities they do, it is seen as normal. The context may be same but nuances are different and could be seen as an assault if one has the intention to see it that way. Though the articulate women in media (who incidentally have their own agenda) may try to make us believe that gender violence is same, the fact is they are not. Women face immense hardship in small towns and lower middle class homes which I don’t think they can relate to or empathize just because they are of same gender. The class-caste factors are acute, indeed higher strata women are in same league as men as arbitrators and perpetrators of caste/class violence into next generations, oppressive norms as identity. For instance, the matrimonial columns are not written by illiterates. The muck is beyond gender, the reason this blogger is stridently against women reservations in the parliament.  It is an elitist ploy to appropriate power.

In the power struggle sex is nothing but a weapon, and some men and women are quite adept in using these. At one extreme it is described as sensuality while on the other it is brutal power, nevertheless it exist all the while. The law is stringent but it should also be able to decipher and not brush everything under same context. If that is the case then it is being gender insensitive. As also the lynch mob like behavior of ‘righteous’ media must be curbed, it is high time we also have laws on these matters.

What about rights of pot bellied middle aged man?!!

People are getting quite patronizing these days trying to protect the ‘young girl’ from snooping. They are understandably agitated about bharath ki beti being snooped.  It is a common knowledge that girl becomes woman after marriage. So till then patriarchal media has every right to patronize and be protective.  Mr. Tendulkar has so graciously dedicated his Ratna to all mothers, which technically means one step ahead of being a woman. This is the most elevated position that an Indian woman can achieve that surely deserves a Bharat Ratna or atleast a dedication. It has terrific emotional returns. He surely is playing to the script. I am afraid too much on the script that he is becoming a mythical hero like zombie. Spreading happiness incidentally is also the mission of Coca cola. Touché. 

Meanwhile what about the rights of pot bellied hairy middle aged balding short darkish man at the bottom of the social pyramid? Doesn’t he have the right for privacy? Or is he a fair game for powerful people? Is snooping only concerns nubile damsels? Surely he is not a voyeuristic delight, one may faint (I don’t take responsibility of that!!), but he has his rights. Does anyone care? Here I am doing sheersaasn and trying to see whether the world is really upside down or am I imagining things.  Maybe I should morph into damsel in distress to arouse the patriarchal erotic urges of bharthiya sanskriti safeguarders. I am trying, to begin with pushing some fat into mammary gland region ...it’s working!! One of these days I will be perfectly be suited to fight for. 

Equity is not matter of perception.

There are no freaks…

Whatever happens in Delhi is mostly high profile therefore, in effect, people too consider themselves as thus. So in these worlds of high profiles murders happen and sometimes in the home itself. What was an open and shut case was made into intriguing spectacle by the incompetent police. The voyeuristic TV channels definitely owe it to the Police for the ratings.  Why Indian police is so incompetent that they don’t follow even basic procedures is not different from how they are misused, there is no incentive in competence when you can get ahead with sycophancy and providence. It is all part of compelling Indian traditional narration of serendipity and redemption. In the end cops will catch the thief and the family gather for happy photo op. The wise crack will relish his line and they all chuckle to be frozen for posterity. Facts are of not much use, what is more important is the story weaved. This is the beginning of myths.

One myth that is perpetuated with much celebration is that the Indian families are happiest god ordained units. The reality is they are sick minded people perpetuating sickness to next generation. These are now exaggerated as entertainment in TV serials, and are quite popular. Signs of deviant society are clearly present in every nook and corner. Indeed the way happiness is defined is in itself questioned. The pointer of Indian family happiness is rarely egalitarian but cesspool of deviant prides and egos. The idea of functional and dysfunctional itself is blur. It is a bunch designed to accrue and cosset in their shallow lives. The stakes of providence is multiplied with material amass and modern comfort. Any misdemeanor/transgression that threatens this applecart of family, and friends of equally provident being, is dealt severely. If nothing then abuse or kill or cannibal the weak, influence the powerful, subterfuge of emotions (that Indians have good stock of, meant to replace facts and make the narration compelling) and finally it’s time for get together. This time around the get together is in front of media. ‘They are such nice people’ … ‘how could this happen’… ‘We don’t believe it’… ‘We are happy family friends’…are common refrains to fill up these ethical gaps. There are no freaks. To call this as freak accidents is to perpetuate the myth.                

Enter the Carlsen era

Magnus Carlsen has the charming understated way of playing that builds up into crescendo as the game progresses. He moves from moment to moment with dexterity. People are writing that he has space to improve but the innocuous looking start and driveling his way through and coming out spectacularly is what is riveting. A pawn can surely make the difference. He means to play till the end, and that is how it need be. Its like watching Dynamo, the magician, who drops in nonchalantly and conjures something incredible and walks out before you realize what has just happened. Hail the new king!!

Ye snooping kya hotha hai?

Last few days people have been talking about snooping. Gujarat again (must be a coincidence) is in the news for wrong reason. Suddenly so many things are being revealed. Then I realize this is election season. We will have to endure these for six more months, I am sure after the elections these will be non issues. So issues are contextual and surfaces as and when it is appropriate. They mob from one issue to another. Last week was about Tendulkar, I was so sickened that I shifted to foreign news channels for respite. 

I am wondering what is snooping. I am quite certain people with power and money can easily snoop on common people, and they do it all the time. People who are taking high moral grounds are just a sham. Indeed our Foreign minister was extremely cozy about Americans snooping on Indians. The government was found to be lacking in moral certitude. Learn it from Brazil. Dilma Rousseff stood her ground; Obama had to call up Merkel. And here they have supplicated even before the whistle. These people have severely degraded India. 

In the meanwhile some have been quite successful in pushing my blog www.iseeebirds.blogspot.com   into porn profile. These are just few embellishments in series of nonsense in last many years (earlier this year someone hijacked and took away my Facebook account!!). Any other person would be psychologically traumatized and collapsed. I guess these scoundrels got a wrong person, probably they see some gain from the venture. Hopefully they don’t leave any footprints, because if they do and I am in any position to strike I will definitely get the details to the minutest level. I guess that may not happen as the odds against me are quite insurmountable and is stacking up all the while. Being in the oblivion can be draining but has its charm. Anyway it definitely gives an insight into how Indian elites work. For common people these kinds of awareness are rare, and I intend to document it. We come from very ordinary surrounding and suddenly pushed into this can be overwhelming. It is not difficult to make money but cunningness takes a while. Over the years I know how despite public differences, they are all ek hi thali ke choohe. They masquerade as saviors or defenders of common people but these are clever ploy. Digvijay Singh, the blabbermouth, has now got his son a ticket!! As ZK says, genes aage tho desh aage.  

Common people are essential props in the compelling narration of Indian democracy. They queue up for elections in hope and expectations, while people who accrue place themselves strategically for the spoils. Elections are essentially about corporate fights, in effect which ad/pr agency is able to manage. India is too large and diverse and not decided by manipulators but yes since they are very close to policy making it grievously undermines people’s aspirations. 

 

Harassment ki duniya aur papaji ke dost

Tehelka harassment case brings in very important question which the media mob will definitely not catch. How children of family friends easily get the job? How are senior editors like father? Don’t they demarcate professional relations from family relations? Aren’t these so called journalists trying to take undue advantage of family connection?  Or is it the great Indian family tradition? Is this how journalists are selected? While youngsters from humble background struggle to get a foothold and mostly settle for something much menial. A senior journalist even said that the alleged victim ‘played on his lap as a kid’, such gehra rishta. Not surprising our sprightly young thing ‘chose’ journalism as a career. Few years in the trade they learn the tricks and as average people they are now ready for bigger manipulations.  

Is it not surprising that Indian media is biased in dealing with issues, opinions are mostly gross generalizations. The most marginalized people, the dalits and tribes, find rare mention. While the temple squatter’s family and friends (that includes elite Muslims, Sikhs and what not) run the show. I am not talking about the case in question, it seems Mr. Tejpal has attempted gross despite protest, but these ‘young female (and male) journalists’ are not doodh ke dhule. I personally knew many who were ready to go to any extent and yes quite sexually active with senior colleagues for professional reasons. They were rarely keen on projects outside cities and considered it disgusting. Indeed many were plain snobs and looked for short cuts. I am sure now elevated as senior snobs who can talk about India and Indians for hours, some foreign media even refer to them as experts! It is not surprising that despite being an Indian they are not even able to converse in any language other than English. It shows how they have kept themselves isolated from common people. I find that astounding.

Post script: I recall meeting an Editor in a social gathering for a book launch (it is difficult otherwise, you will not get pass the reception!), this was almost 15 years back; I ventured into possibilities of working in his organization. I had thrown away my certificates and had no contacts, I told him I can travel to remote places for him and write about the issues. The guy sipped his wine and said very calmly “you are seriously crazy fellow”. Later as I evaluated my options I thought if I can work on fiction and create some standing then I get to travel places …well it didn’t work. I guess, with a punter’s insight: I put the money on the wrong horse!! I realize writing is quite a tough act.  Blogs are really such a break from shackles. I am so grateful. Without blogs and other technological innovations Indian society would have easily swallowed me. I am because of blog. These technologists have created something incredible.