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.
