Someone
send across this picture the other day. He was very angry. The anger was on
expected jingoistic framework of ‘respect the martyr’s wife’ so on. I have
nothing against these, after all a nation state is duty bound to take care of its
martyr. Jingoism is part of democracy in primitive societies. In countries like
USA it’s on the sleeves, as the market dominated crude society just has veneer
of sophistication as most don’t put premium on knowledge but on acquisition while
sensibilities are outsourced to faith running rackets. It has an amazingly
horrendous variety of irresponsible middle class that increasingly belligerent,
uncouth and mediocre Indians have taken it as reference of everything modern.
It
is therefore quite appropriate that USA President is also in the framework of
this amazing travesty that one can observe in the picture. It is an occasion of
highest level of prestige for the nation but look how the Indians have
performed. I cannot blame the present government as they are only following the
‘tradition’. It goes back to India’s freedom fighters and the framework they
put across for the modern nation, well supported by tail wagging writers,
thinkers and dutifully reported by intellectually challenged journalists. It is
the squatter’s framework that strives to strike balance the heftiness of
modernity. Mukherjee (the temple hopper with inbuilt jee) is engrossed in his
duty to the nation, so are others. The umbrella bearers are seen giving the
masters respite from vicissitudes of nature so that they can concentrate on
bigger matters (does their job profile mentions about umbrella holding?). That
this doesn’t extend to the ‘martyr’s wife’ –a young woman arguably facing intense
personal turmoil. Normal people/system would have seen to ease her discomfort. Mukherjee, who all the while seeing rain
drizzle on her, could have taken the umbrella and given her some comfort or
atleast he could have asked someone, or even snapped his little finger. That he
couldn’t, that nobody could, is what defines Indians. The nonviolent barbarians.
It is a zombie moment at the highest level.
Now
let’s come to other detail which is part of hallowed tradition. Look at the
size of chair, apparently the host has bigger (ornated, oversized) chair compared
to ‘chief guest’. How wonderful!! Even the most impoverished families when entertaining
a guest would extend the best that is there to offer, sometimes at their own acute
discomfort. They may not know much about attithi
devo bhava but they understand propriety. Temple hopping Mukherjee will see
nothing amiss, he is in the world of blessedness, bigger chair is ordained by
higher forces which he has no control over. It's squatter’s framework modified,
to show thyself the center of the world, that our freedom fighting elitist
leaders and disgusting bureaucrats have put in place.
Last
month I was travelling in Delhi metro, and as it happens sometimes you have
some ‘nutcase’ talk loudly. This elderly man was talking to everyone who cares
to listen, one or two people responded. He raised some relevant questions and
one of them being; why is the President of India staying in ‘500acres house’ (I didn’t
cross check, I don’t want to) while most people don’t even have place to stay. Quite
relevant thought. Clearly the scoundrels who were the leaders (indeed masquerading
freedom fighters but aiming at lick from the transfer of power) wanted to replicate
British model, despite the apology of freedom. President was to be compared to
the monarch. The so called leaders from Nehrus to Patels to Radhakrishnans didn’t
see anything amiss. That the elected leader i.e. PM will be seen as subservient
to someone who stands for pomp and grandeur, essentially was to put the elected
leader in his/her ‘lowly’ place. I am underlining
it because this is what Indians are good at. The idea of President as an essential
continuity from electoral matters is understandable but as expected they messed
up on pomp. It is disgraceful that a disparity driven nation has ‘not much to do’ and ‘unelected’
head displaying the degrading pomp, a feudal reminisce. It’s amazing that they just
couldn’t hide their admiration for British monarchy, essentially a self-justification
for their entitled degrading squatter’s value system. This is replicated in every
state in the name of Governor, a wasteful specie, a regret hoisted on state government.
Rastrapathi
Bhavan should be a museum, displaying best of India, also a part can be
reserved to host foreign heads by the PM. President should be given a small two
room set where he/she can undertake constitutional function when called upon to without
much pomp. I know these are wishful thinking, nor have any President so far refused
to stay at Rashtrapathi Bhavan, referring to colossal waste hoisted on people.
Now
to the matter of displaying military might. These are done by insecure societies,
and have much pride of place in primitive societies, indeed their constant cultural references
hang around these. This blogger finds people who wear fancy dress (also referred
to as uniform) and trained to kill others, and in the process getting killed as
extremely saddening. There are many who are ready to fight and die for the geographical
region called nation, and it is duty of the nation to compensate and respect
these martyrs. Considering that mullah indoctrinated rabid dogs are on constant
itch across the border. But this blogger is against increased militarisation of
society, soldiers needn’t be celebrated (primitive market like USA are good at
these, they mainstream these through gun hugging movies). A soldier singing war
mongering song to young child is not poignant moment, I think it borders to
child abuse. Anachronism cannot be celebrated. A soldier is essentially someone
who has to follow orders and lay his life when asked to, it needs an exceptionally
low intellect human to be trained to do these. Amazingly in the construct of nation-state,
feudal egos, prestige and chauvinisms these are much easier than what is
assumed. There are millions who will queue up to give lives away. EU has done
away with borders, a remarkable achievement. But societies across the world haven’t
changed much in centuries despite modern gadgets. For instance, in India every
other movie is about some low brow fellow in uniform -mostly police, as savior. Art becomes degradation,
freedom an apology. But I really cannot blame since the surroundings are becoming
increasingly insecure, societies are not enlightening.
Coming
to the speech made by Obama at Sirifort, the market media had their pick,
indeed it all was frenzy. For people these overenthusiasm, that Indian media
are prone to, are an embarrassment. Pretentious one’s looking to embarrass the
government with its agenda, Obama gave the bytes that could be interpreted
anyway you could. Clever fellow. This blogger though expresses his protest in
his strongest terms on something market media missed. ‘Caste’ is not expression
of ‘diversity’. Mr Obama should be careful with the kind of bleeding hearts
from whom he gets his brief in India. These are disgraceful people. Caste/casteism is
racism. He better know it and should be careful with Indians, they know how to
camouflage their nastiness.
The
other day I was watching Shekhar Gupta, a senior journalist -in Indian it means
they may not have much insight into Indian society or any association to their
problem but would know how to associate with power structure and further their
career. Guptaji is battle hardened, meaning he understands the minds of devious
politicians and political parties. How much is that an achievement I wouldn’t
know but yes he has the power and clout. What else you need!! Now our man was
interviewing Bhagwati, the economist. I am quite convinced now that economists
are quite dumb people. They have not much understanding of social context, and
try their best to fit in their economics theories. There is nothing original
about these obnoxious people. Bhagwati seems to have issues with Sen, and does
crosses lines of decency. I am not a fan of pretentious names dropper like Sen
(though I like some of his writings) but Bhagwati was vicious. Never mind, why
get into fight of two economists, who seems like equally dumb (with Sen having found
greatness in Sanskrit. The necessary balance that he avoids makes him obnoxiously puerile. In the context of things this man should apologise). Bhagwati
exhibited his lack of intellect by claiming his casteist reference ‘I am a
bania, like Gandhi’. Guptaji too chucked in ‘I too am bania’. It's called
camaraderie, senior journalists worth his salt are known to play these. It's an
upward mobile password. It’s like referring Martin Luther King as ‘Negro’. Though
caste reference is worse than racism but the funny thing is King would be
appalled being referred to as Negro, while Gandhi wouldn’t have any problem being referred
to as Bania. It’s called tolerance, unity in diversity. Likes of Shekhar Gupta
should be in fringes of civilised society, the fact that he sashay as senior
journalist is what this society is all about.
