Shocking is understatement

The way things are happening i don’t know whether words like ‘shocking’ have any meaning. The arbitrariness and desultory process adopted in removing books from reading list is amazing to say the least and that too a threat from a boy!!. Maharashtra government, in particular, the Chief Minister is a disgrace. And what is about the book that is deemed ‘offensive’ than activities of Shiv Sainiks over the last few decades?. It is incompetence of successive governments in the Centre (including the present one) that laws are not strict and these people blackmail society. Ideally Thackeray and gang should be languishing in jail. Lax, tardy and politicised investigative agencies have seen to that people who foment hatred and threaten common people are made powerful (it is a Bhindranwala syndrome), politicians take mileage from these subjectivities. I think it also helps some to play ‘secularism’- unless fundamentalist aren’t around secularist are jobless, so it makes lots of political sense to pander Thackeray &Co. This blogger also believe that ‘minority appeasements’ (particularly some medieval practices in the name of religion like say polygamy and so on...not many civilised countries allow these kind of nonsense) has led to lots of resentment which is capitalised by Hindu fundamentalists like Shiv Sena and has got some legitimacy among the middle class. Keeping alive fundamentalism helps lots of powerful people.
It’s about playing divisive and usurping benefits. People will be killed, maimed and looted but no one will be prosecuted and we will be asked to be ’secular’ and be against ‘communalist’ (and pray how do we know who is what, should media tell us or decide?). Successive Governments at the centre (for keeping the investigation under itself) and the Judiciary (for slow process and low conviction rate) are the biggest communalist. They have failed the people; they work for short term gains at the expense of society.

It is vulgar that much liked writers like Rohinton Mistry has become a pawn in this crude game, he is arguably one of the best writers around. This blogger takes pride in mentioning that i have read all the works of Mr. Mistry and eagerly waits for his next book. Such a Long Journey (though the movie was quite feeble) is one of the best books i have read, and i strongly recommend and everyone should read as much A Fine Balance.

A book if it is against what we believe or cherish should be encouraged as it adds to our understanding (not referring to writing as slander or personal diatribes-lets reserve that to crude woman and power hungry rodents!...it’s quite fun, giving some well directed punches sometimes to these pretentious people!!. I guess we now know what Vikram Akula is all about, play act saviours filling their coffers from poorest of people, some do it with slum children, some by kidnapping orphans in Leh) and gives us interesting perspectives. Denying these understandings is a loss, and i guess youngsters should be aware of these at the earliest the reason why anti-establishment material should be given space. I believe society should be matured to tolerate varied opinions. A society that puts any restrictions on ideas and thoughts is primitive.

Revisiting Gunnar Myrdal: I picked up Gunnar Myrdal’s The Challenge of World Poverty from College Street, Kolkata the other day, this a book i was keen on more than a decade back, i recall a boy in JNU talked quite passionately about it, I read few chapters in the library. I searched for it on the pavements of few cities couldn’t find and forgot about it, anyway i was too much into fiction those days (so not really a ‘revisit’). Quite lucky to get it for 50R after so many years!!.

Gunnar Myrdal’s analysis is quite potent and much relevant to this day (the book came out some 40 years back). I particularly liked the chapter on ‘Soft State’, these lines are so very striking “...the laxity and arbitrariness in a national community that can be characterised as a soft state can be, and are, exploited for personal gain by people who have economic, social, and political power”.

Read these insightful paragraphs that were written almost four decades back

“when policy measures have been instituted specifically aimed at ameliorating conditions of lower strata, they have either not been implemented and enforced or have been distorted so as to favour the not-so-poor and to discriminate against the masses. The foreseen difficulty or impossibility of enforcing a law aimed at aiding the poor rather than the better-offs may indeed make it easier to get such law passed in a legislature, as the representatives of those who should make a sacrifice can feel that nothing much will be changed. An Indian State assembly can thus show generosity to the landless and poorer peasants by passing laws on minimum agricultural wages or moneylenders interest charges without a risk that such laws will be enforced (this blogger would like to remind readers the Minimum wage controversy in NREGA as also the fact that they couldn’t anticipate exploitation of farmers by microcredit NGOs is rather shocking). In regard to its practical effects, the whole political, legal and administrative system is thus systematically and heavily weighed against the masses of poor people. This comes about through lack of enforcement of laws and the distortion of policy measures...

The laws and policy measures are motivated as measures to realise the egalitarian ideals and, more generally, the modernisation ideals which have commonly become accepted by the educated upper class whose intellectual and political elite had been harbinger of these ideals. When it comes to actually formulating the laws and the policy prescriptions and, still more, taking measures to implement them, however, they commonly follow narrow selfish interest.

When dealing with the lower strata, including the very poorest, the state also avoids laying down definite obligations, sanctioned by state power, and relies upon inducements and voluntary adjustments. This gives a sort of conscience-consolation for not giving effect to the laws and policies instituted in their interest. ...

Though for these and other reasons the matter is complicated, fundamentally the main explanation of the soft state is that all the power is in the hands of upper class who can afford egalitarian laws and policy measures but are in an unchallenged position to prevent their implementation”.

Baby elephants made to beg at Nandankanan National Park

Elephants have been declared as heritage animals, in recent times there has been severe pressure on wild elephant due to habitat loss and encroachment, there is also spate of deaths on railway crossings. Animals like elephants are made illegal in zoos and circuses (at one point they were popular attractions), thankfully so. Spaces are made in wildlife sanctuaries for elephants, some used for safaris and so on. But nothing prepared me for the way these animals were treated in Nandankanan National Park in Odisha (about an hour from Bhubaneshwar, quite a popular destination bustling with holiday crowd), baby elephants were being made to beg, they were coerced to ‘bless’ the visitors for money. Even the ‘official guides’ seems to be encouraging these. It is natural for people to be attracted to these adorable creatures, in the beginning i thought they were being taken to another destination or something of that sort as happens in other sanctuaries, soon i realised that the purpose was entirely different as the men were taking these baby elephants around unsuspecting tourists and encouraging them to touch, pet and so on. Then money was demanded, the baby elephants ears were twisted, pocked and hit with sticks in case of non compliance. It was a pitiable sight. Sometimes the tourists were also threatened. That this atrocity is happening within a National Park makes the offense much grave , it is clear that without knowledge of senior official this is unlikely to happen. I took it up with the guard (where i lodged an oral and later a written complaint), he said he is helpless since his jurisdiction is only limited to ‘guarding’, i found that excuse quite funny. But he was quite helpful in letting me write a complaint, even offering me his pen (thanks i carry my own!!). Hope somebody reads the complaint and this crime is stopped at the earliest and exemplary action taken against the perpetrators.

(more pictures in photo blog)

Now that we have done with it...

Now that we have done with humiliating a nation because of misdemeanour (moronic would be better) of an individual and got our pride back shouldn’t the Srilankan government summon the Indian envoy and express that country’s displeasure?. It’s like this: sometime back i was watching a Hindi channel, quite popular one need add, it is supposed to be about laughter. The joke of the day was on colour of the skin of legendary Srilankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya. The pun was on expected line... since he is dark skinned he couldn’t be seen by viewers and needs light. Some in India might think this is what fun is (like some in New Zealand). But their views are not shared by civilised people around the world, for them this is blatant racism. It is definitely no laughing matter. There is no humour here but obnoxious and regrettable understandings. Just because it is in Hindi doesn’t mean it is less grievous-the New Zealand fellow spoke in English therefore we understood. If Indians are quick to take offense on these matters then they should also be open to scrutiny. Does anyone around the world know how degrading people from this part of the world can be? Joke at the expense of religion, caste, colour, gender and so on should have zero tolerance. Those running ‘entertainment’ shows this blogger has this to say: You cannot have jokes at expense of others to cover your lack of innovation and talent. World outside India is not all Fair & Lovely. We are looking at can of worms, sofar hidden under the cloak of hypocrisies and great Indian tolerance. This blogger expects world to be severe on Indians too. Shouldn’t the Indians apologise to the Srilankans?.

Post script: now I hear that Australian envoy is being summoned because of some misdeed of dimwits in Australian police. Clearly such attitudes are not expected from Police force but then should these be given such importance that too in this country? Should the Government of India get involved? I also need to point out the tardy response of sports ministry with regard to injury of Ugandan players.

Talking about shit...i am right now in Odisha (Chilka to be precise), most people around here are terrifyingly poor, emaciated and malnourished. Concept of hygiene is generally non existent, it is so shocking you wonder how they survive. Then you realize most really don't, this place is low on human development indice, and could be worst in the world. Next to Chilka lake there is a shed-most likely for tourists to wait for boat-but i found it with people sleeping, annoyed i wondered whether these people have nothing else to do or some other place to lie down. Later i walked around the place, it is appallingly dirty and heavy rain has clogged. Mud houses were half submerged-children though were merry catching fish-women managing their household in dry patches, vicinity of the house was kept clean. Probably the shed was one of the very few places they could stretch themselves. Now the question is why are these people so very poor?
Most people make a subsistence from fish and subsidiaries. They are quite hardworking and industrious (some men do wile away their time playing cards), some are also very talented in converting bamboo into useful and intricate product, watching these itself is an experience.
Why is that they don't make money? Clearly these don't have market value, therefore despite being talented and hardworking they have tough time and “live in shit”. Now a very important question here is how is that New Zealand fellow able to make so much money and “not live not in shit”. You will notice our man may not have any specific talent or competence but the system has seen to that he makes as much money in a month that the people in chilka may not make in a decade. It is not really about uncouth fellow in NZ but also in this part of the world. Some people talk rubbish, do rubbish and make huge amount of money while people who matter-or on whom society is dependent, like say farmer, artisans, people having traditional understanding so on- ‘live in shit’. What kind of system is this?.

Picture is that of a boy who could be seven or eight controlling the steering of the boat in chilka lake, in hot midnoon in the deeper part of lake, another pic is that of boy who was found sculpting out this beautiful statue in another part of the state (more photo will be put in Photo Blog soon), who didn't even had the time to look up, so absorbed was he in his work. Girls going to school in cycles which seem to be some kind of trend here...

Rajnikant strikes again!!

One of the rare events that we mortals are fortunate to witness is ready to strike! I am bit apprehensive about Endiran since they are making hindi version and so on…that I believe might dilute the core that defines Rajnikant movies, hope there are no compromises and other unnecessary sophistication. Rajnikant don’t come to world, world enter Rajnikant. Jagrthe !!

These few quotes I got from the net...

You don’t Google search for Rajnikant, Rajnikant searches you.
His email: gmail@rajnikanth.com
If you want to know all the enemies of Rajnikant check the extinct species list.
Rajnikant can drown a fish
Rajnikant can strangle the villain with a cordless phone
Rajnikant made Mona Lisa smile.
Rajnkant house has no doors, only walls he walks through
Rajnikant doesn’t move at speed of light, light moves at the speed of Rajnikant.
Words like awesome, legend etc were added to dictionary when he was born


***

Watch Peepli (live): the other day I happen to see Peepli (live), what a wonderful movie. This is what we call a movie. Boosa na pani gand meh gayi kisani” sums it up!!. Somehow the impression given was that it is a satire but I thought it was thoughtful and hard hitting (I loved the take on dudes dealing with ‘sansani khulasa’ but I really thought a kick should also have been given on the ‘you are seeing this for the first time in our channel’ stampede when they unfold a tragedy, as an audience I really get horny ‘seeing it first time in your channel’ disgust). To know that it is made by a debutant director (Anusha Rizvi) is most pleasing. I came to know that it even got selected for Oscars, I sincerely hope it wins. It really is a good movie and a movie that should be seen, an Oscar would definitely help (but I really don’t know whether the American jury will get the incredibly done subtle social nuances that we Indians understand so well. Like for instance when the fellow reads the report on newspaper and says ‘sri natha…sri!!’ and the way the fellow giggles…there is so much to it). I think we do recognize these people in the media, the ‘wink n nudge go getters’ (dude that was about Stephenian camaraderie!. Talking about our-very-own-always-seen-on-TV-but-not–to-be-seen-now-after-resigning-stephenian this is what my favorite writer Basheer had to say- it is much biting in Malayalam- “somebody wrote that when you hear kerala your blood should boil with pride, I already have less blood in my body and don’t want to vapor it by boiling”. Basheer was a funny guy, I got this from the Malayalam book ‘basheer phalithingal’). Coming back to Peepli (live) not only was the Direction exceptional the performances of the actors too were brilliant. I particularly loved the screaming old woman (Farooq Zafar) on the bed, she got it absolutely right.

***
Sometime back I happen to pick up this book “Reluctant Fundamentalist” (Mohsin Hamid), shorlisted for booker prize 2007. What I really found interesting about the book was the way it was structured. I really don’t think I have read a book in recent times that is a monologue. Not monologue as musings or thoughts but a person just speaking for 184 pages (beat that one!!). In some critical times-deftly handled- he covers for the ‘interlocutor’ by speaking his thoughts. It is a compelling reading (the problem is when I take up something I don’t keep it down unless I finish it…I read through the night and got up late next day still craggy, and lost some money at turf club…I blame the book!. One recall many books wherein you forget the concept of time…like I was reading God of Small Things more than a decade back, on cold winter night of Karol Bagh…I started hearing caws, ‘so whats with the crows tonight’ I thought and realized it was actually morning!!). These few insightful lines from the book...

“We were taught to recognize another person’s style of thought, harness their agenda, and redirect it to achieve our desired outcome”

“…creativity, was not excised- it was still present and valued- but it ceded its primacy to efficiency. Maximum return was the maxim to which we returned, time and again. We learned to prioritize-to determine the axis on which advancement would be most beneficial-and then to apply ourselves single-mindedly to the achievement of that objective”

“Our creed was one which valued above all else maximum productivity, and such a creed was for doubly reassuring because it was quantifiable-hence knowable-in a period of great uncertainty, and because it remained utterly convinced of the possibility of progress while others longed for a sort of classical period that had come and gone, if it had ever existed at all”

It is interesting how market and organized religion (also referred to as ‘institutionalized religion’ includes ritualized Brahmanism) share the same emphasis on fundamentals!. Also the misplaced understanding of ‘valor’- violence and domination, massacre and imposition- as proud glories, the pride, ego, justifying wrong as god’s will. The edifice seems standing on wrong foundation. I guess desperation of some societies has to do with this fear of waning or regaining the past in crumbling self. Till a century or two back violence and barbarianism were celebrated in many part of the world, and they spread their primitive worldview. These seem to have ingrained collective psyche, and have found channel through market which is a sophisticated version- ‘mental judo’ is a mild word considering the misery they spreading. Also the traces could be found in the construct of patriotism, especially gets obnoxious during sporting events between countries.

The challenges of modern world are much subtle and needs introspection and a perspective that is inclusive as also greater existential realities. That I think religion (or market) lacks- they can only make deals or status quo, threat and blackmail. Religion, organized religion in particular, works in regressive applecart situation. We end up tolerating all kinds of nonsense and exploitative norms in the name of religion, especially ‘respecting’ other religion and putting our future in serious peril.

Thoreau on Reading

Thoreau has been quite a significant influence, “Walden and Other Writings” is a must read book. I have taken these paragraphs from the chapter ‘Reading’ from the above mentioned book, I picked it from some pavement somewhere in the country, I am thinking hard where?...mostly likely Kolkata or Shimla. Quite thought provoking these lines…

With little more deliberation in the choice of their pursuits, all men would perhaps become essentially students and observers, for certainly their nature and destiny are interesting to all alike. In accumulating property for ourselves or our posterity, in founding a family or a state, or acquiring fame even, we are mortal; but in dealing with truth we are immortal, and need fear no change or accident.

……

To read well, that is to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written. It is not enough even to be able to speak the language of that nation by which they are written, for there is a memorable interval between the spoken and the written language, the language heard and the language written.

……

However much we may admire the orator’s occasional bursts of eloquence, the noblest written words are commonly as far behind or above the fleeting spoken language as the firmament with its stars is behind the clouds. There are stars, and they who can may read them. The astronomers forever comment on and observe them. They are not exhalations like our daily colloquies and vaporous breath. What is eloquence in the forum is commonly found to be rhetoric in the study. The orator yields to the inspiration of the transient occasion, and speaks to the mob before him, to those who can hear him; but the writer whose more equable life is his occasion, and who would be distracted by the event and the crowd which inspires the orator, speaks to the intellect and the heart of mankind, to all in any age who can understand him.

……

The works of the great poets have never yet been read by mankind, for only great poets can read them. They have only been read as the multitude read stars, at most astrologically not astronomically. Most men have learned to read to serve a paltry convenience, as they have learned to cipher in order to keep accounts and not be cheated in trade; but of reading as a noble intellectual exercise they know little or nothing; yet this only is reading, in a high sense, not that which lulls us a luxury and suffers the nobler faculties to sleep the while, but what we have to stand on tip toe to read and devote our most alert and wakeful hours to.

……

It is not all books that are dull as their readers. There are probably words addressed to our condition exactly, which, if we could really hear and understand, would be more salutary than the morning or spring to our lives, and possibly put a new aspect on face of things for us. How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book! The book exists for us, perchance, which will explain our miracles and reveal new ones. The at present unutterable things we may find somewhere uttered. These same questions that disturb and puzzle and confound us have in turn occurred to all the wise men; not one has been omitted; and each has answered them, according to his ability, by his words and his life. Moreover, with wisdom we shall learn liberality.

What kind of Government is this?

Millions of tonnes of food grains are shown rotting in open, it is a criminal negligence. It is shocking that they didn’t anticipate these. It is incompetence at the highest level of policy making. You don’t necessarily bring down prices by economic jargons and fiscal measures. After all people don’t eat numbers they eat food. Millions of children are undernourished and malnourished, it is worst than poorest of countries in the world. One in three of the world's malnourished children live in India, says the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), a number more than in sub-Saharan Africa. Consider that India also has steadily increasing millionaires and billionaires. It is astounding the negligence. When they could make such swanky malls, why is that food grain storage not in place? Building these infrastructures is I guess much more important and urgent than making, say big dams (a fraction of money is enough). And these don’t need high technology. Whooping $12 billion in losses of agricultural produce owing to the absence or shortage of post-harvesting infrastructure. Shame on the government. We haven’t even start to discuss food security (I feel sorry for people like Swaminathan, they have been suggesting the policy makers for decades now). Consider this statistics: an astonishingly low 2% of fruit and vegetable production is processed annually in India, compared with 30% in Thailand, 70% in Brazil, 78% in the Philippines and 80% in Malaysia.

When supreme court recently passed a stricture (an 'order' in fact) against the government regarding millions of tonnes of rotting grains and asked to “distribute food grain free to the poor, instead of letting millions of tonnes of it rot”. An usually reticent Manmohan Singh found it necessary to say "It is not possible in this country to give free food to all the poor people" and that “Supreme Court should not go into the realm of policy formulation”. Lack of sensitivity is astounding. It is shocking that he couldn’t get the drift of the matter.

The other aspect that affects common people is criminal justice system. It is one of the slowest and corrupt. This blogger wants to know what has been done by the government on these matters. Why is investigation still under political authority?. What has government to do with Central Bureau of Investigation and other investigating agencies? Why shouldn’t these be autonomous? What has Manmohan Singh government done on this matter?

Take the high profile case of riots that killed hundreds of people in Gujarat. Even after seven odd years we don’t even know who were behind all these (same with 84’ riots, and many more crimes that kill and maim people). It seems to be working on political exigencies and perception that need be created for the same. It is about fixers and lickers (the Delhi Superbugs!). Somewhere some sections of the media and others have passed a verdict against Modi. Why should we believe them? Who are they to decide? And we are goaded to take stand against these ‘communal’ people. Indeed I would like to ask for an apology from Mr.Modi for early utterings and accusations (so should many in media and otherwise…the rules against defamation should be made strong). We have the right to condemn someone only once the verdict is passed by the judiciary on the basis of investigation. As long as the investigation is tardy and lackadaisical we need to blame the system. Which means the Union Government, which means the head of council of ministers and that is the Prime Minister. If they can’t get these basic systemic issues rectified then THEY SHOULD QUIT. I guess we had enough of this. Being nice is good, being knowledgeable is great but it is time to be competent. It is high time for delivering to the basic expectations and rectifying flaws in the system, we expect sterner response (for the same reason I think MS Gill is amazingly incompetent. I am shocked by his statement in parliament taking the example of ‘marriage’. It is condoning the systemic lacunae. Means and ways of achieving is important indicator of competence. This blogger even question the basic criteria under which he was appointed as Union Minister of Sport. He seems to be the product of years of bureaucratic mediocrity and chaltha hai attitude at the expense of the common people).

It is likely that these issues are kept subjective (who committed the crimes…take your guess depending on what helps you, take sides, snarl at each other) as it seems to be helping wide range of political spectrum. It works in building perception, since these have more maneuverability and therefore political dividends. That is why they are delayed. Further, delaying and politicizing the investigation gives the perpetrators also the leverage, they can now accuse of being victimized and posture for immediate gains. It works in dividing the society, which helps politics but is very detrimental to people. If crimes are committed, in particular mass killings, then they should be investigated without any outside influence and conjecturing. Criminal investigations should be brought under autonomous body or judiciary at the earliest. Result of the investigation should be concluded within a year or two, if not reasons should be given.

Look at what happened with Bhopal…they delayed it so much that it was made subjective and so manipulated by powerful people. So much so that they can even claim that it never happened!. Manmohan Singh government should be able to take policy decision on these matters that seriously plague the society and cause misery to millions. It might give less political leverage to ruling party (and the fixers within) but is a step towards better and healthier society.

An attempted poem!

That is a good point*

Blame not the Government
for the rotting foodgrain
children going hungry
Malnourished they survive
It is in our fate dear
that rain falls on the grains and it rots
and price too rise.
That they couldn’t even build storage
for tonnes of produce that go waste
in the land of despairing millions
is only a matter of debate
that can be refuted, reflected, rechallenged
and retalked.

What kind of people are these
who run the government?
Oh I mean blame not the government,
it's in the stars, planetary positions
and feeding the black cat on a rainy night
under the banyan tree
and wait for it to add up next birth
om bheeem creeem

*title courtesy: TV channels

10/10/10: A day to celebrate Climate solution…

Have you registered for Global Work Party?? This letter from the Organizers of wonderful event 10/10/10

Dear Friends,

Well, no one said it was going to be easy.
Last year, thanks to many of you, we built up enormous momentum for climate solutions. The global day of rallies you pulled off on October 24th turned out to "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history," according to CNN, with 5200 actions in 181 countries.
And in Copenhagen that translated into 117 countries--most of the world's nations--supporting a tough 350 target.
But it didn't translate into political victory. The biggest polluters wouldn't go along. So we still have work to do.

In fact, our slogan for 2010 is "Get To Work." Get to work to start changing our communities, and get to work to make our leaders realize that they actually need to lead. We've sifted through thousands of your emails from all over the world, and come up with an action plan for this year that we think may break the logjam and get us moving. But only, of course, if we act together to make it happen.

The first date to mark on your calendar: October 10. Working with our friends at the 10:10 campaign, we're going to make the tenth day of the tenth month of the millennium's tenth year a real starting point for concrete action. We're calling it the 10/10 Global Work Party, and in every corner of the world we hope communities will put up solar panels, insulate homes, erect windmills, plant trees, paint bikepaths, launch or harvest local gardens. We'll make sure the world sees this huge day of effort--and we'll use it to send a simple message to our leaders: "We're working--what about you? If we can cover the roof of the school with solar panels, surely you can pass the legislation or sign the treaty that will spread our work everywhere, and confront the climate crisis in time." 10/10/10 will take a snapshot of a clean energy future -- the world of 350 ppm -- and show people why it's worth fighting for. It's not too early to sign up here: www.350.org/oct10

Every nation is not created equal in this climate crisis, of course. If we can't get the biggest polluters and the biggest economies to change, then we'll never win. So we're going to focus some particular attention on China, the United States, and India with a Great Power Race--college and university campuses will compete to see who can come up with the most, and the most creative, climate solutions. We hope friendly competition will help governments see that they have a lot to gain by diving into clean energy--and a lot to lose by missing this opportunity.

And we'll keep figuring out ways to apply political pressure where it counts--in the U.S. Senate, say, where we're joining a group of our best allies in backing the proposed Cap-and-Dividend approach that would stop letting big polluters pour carbon into the sky for free. In other parts of the world, we'll hold more of the climate leadership workshops that produced so many great leaders last year.

And as the next UN conference approaches in Mexico in December, we'll stage the largest piece of public art in the planet's history--a reminder that we have to bring passion to bear along with science and economics if we're going to move this process.

We know, from the calls and emails we've been getting, that people all over the world are ready to go to work. We think this plan can increase the odds of real action. We know that we have no choice. When, years down the road, the next generation asks what we did to save the planet, we want to be able to say: "We rolled up our sleeves and got to work." There's no guarantee we can beat the rich and powerful interests that we're up against--but thanks to you we've got enough momentum to have a real chance. Let's use it now.

About 350

350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts,and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO₂ in our atmosphere.

Accelerating arctic warming and other early climate impacts have led scientists to conclude that we are already above the safe zone at our current 392ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to below 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.

One law for all...a speech by GIta Sehgal

Friends – this campaign stands at the heart of a debate over the future of Britain. It also stands at the heart of global attempts to destroy the most basic rights, to invade liberty and to crush equality and to do this in the name of upholding and promoting human rights. We stand here today facing down forces of racism and fundamentalism as we struggle for secularism.

Systems of religious law are common in many parts of the world and many of them have been reformed. But as the report points out, every single one of these reforms, whether it produced a common legal code or reformed different religious laws, took place because of internal movements for reform. These occurred in moments of greater secularisation.

Today, Banks and government aid agencies are promoting sharia laws and other parallel systems as a form of cheap and accessible justice. Many of them acknowledge that these systems do not, in fact, deliver justice. They are a particular problem for women and minorities since they reinforce the power of local elites. But no-one cares enough about this to change policy.

In fact, many papers are being written to provide intellectual justification for this policy. Worthy academics, misread women’s rights arguments. There is much talk of ‘balancing rights’ between group rights and individual rights. Beware when you hear talk of balancing of rights. Generally, it a code for denying women rights. Sometimes it is an explicit denial of women’s rights

In a post-conflict, post imperial world, peace and stability, will only be secure when women are forced back into submission and the Chiefs are back in power. That is what is happening in the dying days of Britain’s role as international policeman. That is what talking to the Taliban means. And it is happening in many other places away from the attention of the world. Fundamentalists are not seen as a threat to peace and security. As long as they promise not to plant bombs in Britain, they will be allowed to making lives miserable abroad. It is women who constitute the threat to security by disrupting the plans of the powerful.

In the course of years of work with women’s rights activists, I have often been asked why Britain’s major export is fundamentalism, particularly those that the last Labour government had decided were ‘moderates’.

We have a new government now, but I am concerned that this government will not change much. For one, indirect rule is one of the old and tested method of Empire as well considered a cheap alternative to post- Empire. Also, fundamentalists who preach the politics of purity are quite entertainingly promiscuous about getting into bed with any political party. They will re-invent themselves as part of the Big Society and offer cut price services on everything. In fact, one of the main organizing centres for global movements of fundamentalism – the East London Mosque – already does just that.

So if anyone thinks that law is not an issue and that the coming cuts to public services are what matters; think again. Private law alongside services delivered by religious organizations will be offered as part of a cheap two -for -one deal which will effectively contain and isolate Muslims in Britain.

One of the most powerful arguments that the ‘Sharia Councils’ use is that they exist to provide women their ‘Islamic rights’. Women, it is said, want these councils. They must be given a choice.

Over 20 years ago, I made a film about Sati – the upper caste Hindu practice of burning of women on the funeral pyres of their husbands. Having long been abolished, some women appeared to defy the law in order to publicly and ritually kill themselves. The patriarchs who controlled their lives claimed that they were not there, or had fainted when their daughters- in- law were possessed by a spirit and made this important spiritual decision.

In fact, it was precisely because sati had been illegal for over a century that spirit possession suddenly appeared. When it was legal, women were told it was their duty to kill themselves and they would be made to do their duty if they appeared reluctant. But once it was illegal, then suddenly women did it out of ‘choice’. No man, was man enough to stop them.

So it is with repressive legal systems. Threaten women enough with the consequences of their immorality, threaten them with shunning and many will certainly make ‘a choice.’ Not least many will make a choice to show that they are indeed good Muslims.

But there is another reason. One researcher studying ‘Sharia Councils’ found that many of the women she interviewed had not had a registered marriage. If you are not formally married you cannot be formally divorced. One way of solving this is to make sure that there are plenty of opportunities to register marriages, including allowing mosques to be places of registration. Another would be to look at the changes in immigration rules which have made it harder to get married in this country, thus driving many people to informal solutions. Another is to produce clear messages that the decisions made by Sharia Councils may very well be illegal and also do not have weight in law in many Muslim countries. In other words, they cause pain and humiliation but are worthless pieces of paper.

Many of these messages can be delivered loudly and clearly by groups and organizations who believe that religious laws are capable of reform and know the wide range of practice and interpretation that exists. I urge such groups to come forward and make common cause with the One Law for All Campaign. In Canada, it the multiple voices – of the ‘no sharia’ campaign and the campaign organized by the YWCA and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women which were successful in reversing the decision to allow religious arbitration.

I think it is highly significant that in Britain there has been silence where there should have been condemnation. There is active support for ‘sharia laws’ precisely because it is limited to denying women rights in the family. No hands are being cut off, so there can’t be a problem. Unfortunately for us, senior law officers will find that human rights expert bodies often have a similar attitude. They have done little research on the impact of family laws and the denial of justice caused by parallel systems of justice. That is why the findings of this report are so important. It is such dedicated work that changes the thinking of the experts.

The issue of ‘Sharia’ law was used strategically by the Church of England too. The Archbishop of Canterbury, needed to assert that religious law has a place in British life. He made that statement at the time his own Church was in danger of splitting on questions of equality such as gay marriage.

But in spite of these problems, there are signs of hope and the start of many converging movements for change. This election brought Conservatives to power – but it also signaled the defeat of the far right in all its various forms – the BNP was seen off, UKIP did abysmally and Respect was utterly defeated. In the face of coming hardship, the British people of all racial and religious backgrounds refused the politics of hate, fear and intimidation. The electorate, it seems, is way ahead of the anti- racist activists and theorists. Today, in Tower Hamlets, there is a mobilization apparently against racism. Many good and honest people will march shoulder to shoulder with the East London Mosque and the front organizations of the SWP. They want to express their solidarity with Muslims against the threat of the English Defence League to march in Tower Hamlets.

Unfortunately for them, local activists who have fought both racism and fundamentalism for years, do not recognize the East London Mosque as a leader in a campaign against racism. These activists have said loud and clear that while the EDL promotes hatred of Muslims, the organizations associated with the mosque too, promote hatred – often of local Muslims and many others.

Local anti-fascists, both black and white, have recognized the political agenda of hate behind the apparently anti-racist march. They know that the defeated forces of Respect are using a language of anti-racism to create an atmosphere of hysteria. They themselves have been intimidated for raising the great struggle for accountability for the mass killings that occurred in 1971: killings in which activists of the Jamaat I Islami were allegedly involved. If they are not Muslim, they are attacked as Islamophobes.

But the ideologues of an exhausted anti-racism, are, after all, only a few. A very foolish few. Many more, numbering millions, are those who have repeatedly rejected the politics of fundamentalism. You find them here in Britain, but also in Bangladesh and Pakistan, in India and Iran, in Sudan and Iraq and many other places. And that is why, this campaign, which allies liberty to equality in the interest of justice, is so important. For us in Britain; and right across the world.

finally...

Finally someone has listened to the call, this is a historic moment. Few decades back these kinds of decisions would not have been possible. India has more than its share of plundering millionaires. Looting wouldn't be so simple any longer, marginalized people are finding their voice. Dig and plunder may not be viable option to get rich (and richer one may add), get innovative, put money on R&D, hardwork no easy cuts.

Orissa is one of the poorest and backward states in India despite huge mineral deposits. One might be mistaken to think a man who doesn't even know the language of the region (speaks in funny accented English) becoming the Chief Minister was result of some egalitarian nature of society far from it this is reflection of feudalism, he has amply proved that in this case too. Orissa is one state that needs million mutinies, it seems to be trapped in time warp.

Australians rejects Julia Gillard

It will be a shame on democracy if Julia Gillard tries her tricks to usurp power again. Australian voters have rejected her. I am still in shock that a competent and universally liked Kevin Rudd was ousted so crudely, it is unpardonable. World don’t need likes of Gillard.

PS: this blogger congratulates Suraj Narredu for becoming the youngest and fastest jockey to reach the milestone of 1000 wins. It is amazing, i strongly support the case for Arjuna award for Narredu

Enter ‘the Spirit of game’!

So after ‘behavior of the pitch’ and ‘humidity in the air’ we now have "spirit of the game," this poltergeist seems to prefer retired cricketers who are showing signs of being possessed. Classic symptoms (as this blogger could observe, of course further clinical investigation is needed) include frothing from mouth, verbal diarrhea, cantankerous stutterings, redness on the cheek (which could also be drunkenness), finger wringing so on. Uncouth fellow Bedi shows these symptoms on all matters of “gentleman’s game”. Frankly this blogger thinks all cricketers from 1940s to 1970s shouldn’t even be considered, it was a game of nawabs and zamindars. Indeed they do create records, as do children playing gully cricket. Difference being they don’t have statisticians working for them. When Nawabs and Ranjis and other small time highnesses were working on nuances of their batting techniques most Indians were sacrificing everything for freedom struggle. Some people had it so very easy (“and sail it up their ass” quoting Bukowski!).

This blogger don’t think Sri lankans did any wrong, it is unfortunate that bowler is punished. They played within the rule of the game, spirits can wait. Spirits can settle with Indian media and make a living. This blogger sincerely hopes these kinds of incidents increase, it does add new exciting dimension to the game, I guess that is a satisfying logic: controversy=excitement=saleabilty.

This blogger is very concerned about scoundrels who don’t allow audience to watch the game properly, they put obnoxious ads even while the game is on. It is such a bad experience, amazingly crude people (wonder where the spirit of game vanish on these matters?...I guess retired cricketers know where to put their precious eggs!. Anyway audiences are suckers in scheme of things). Talking about ads, there are too many these days, wonder who are the kind of people who take decisions on buying a car watching these morons in ads. I guess for that dumb people should have lots of money, and for that economy has to be booming. Market economy has lots of incentives for amazingly dumb people. The more you think about it crazier it gets.

Ye taxpayer's money kya hotha hai?

These days lots of furious people in TV channels and otherwise use words like ‘taxpayers money’ as debate clinchers, as ultimate justification for their condemnation. Sometime back a fellow asked me whether I save my tax. Why would I do that, I ask. Well you save money, he says. Just couldn’t understand that one. I gather the government also encourages tax saving mechanisms and schemes. There are people who are professional advisors on these matters, conjuring terms that doesn’t make any sense to me. Now the question here is if you save tax then who pays the tax?. As I understand saving and paying are contradictory state of affair.

This blogger has his 10% earning cut as TDS, I think that is fair. I always felt 10% of earning should go for charity or used by government for productive use of society. It is a fair rule. And I follow it (even if they hadn’t cut it as TDS I would have given it to the nearest orphanage), so why should I use tax saving mechanism?. Also those who are saving tax how are they paying tax and therefore claim to be taxpayers? Never could understand these…

A regressive and dangerous trend

The Karnataka government’s intention to ban beef in the state is a regressive move. Government doesn’t have any business to decide what anyone eat or shouldn’t eat. They would do well to focus on issues of hygiene standards, spurious ingredients and so on. Beef is part of diet of many people, it is a source of cheap protein in many families. Further stray cattle lead to overgrazing and therefore detrimental to ecology. This law is discriminatory, and communal in it’s intend. The basis of ban itself is questionable, invoking Hinduism doesn’t hold much logic. Cows are revered animals in many rural homes is beyond doubt and have special place in the hearts of many Indians (frankly most Indians in small villages tend to love all animals around…I recall having specific names for each hen!!. In cities though these are broilers, the disconnect is astounding). It is more of utilitarian tradition that has acquired religious connotations Even if it is mentioned in religious texts or there are strictures against doesn’t make it a case for ban since it intrudes into rights of other communities. Many East Asian societies eat dogs, which is considered repulsive by West. Are dog meat banned in West?. Adjustments will have to be made in multicultural and multi religious societies. What should be part of diet is individual choice provided these don’t harm the environment or damage the ecology as also the issues of animal rights of being treated with dignity (this blogger is immensely happy to hear that bull fighting-the medieval disgust, is now banned in most part of Europe). Despite dire threats on survival of whales the Japanese haven’t really stopped whaling, it is regrettable that some people give more significance to their palette than prudence. People of Japan should be ashamed of themselves. Apart from habitat threat Indian tigers and rhinoceros are severely endangered by demands of traditional medicines in China. There is also the issue of increasing productivity that leads to diseases like BSE (that cause CJD), indeed WHO has pointed to certain hot spot region-like east Asia (includes Sars, swine flue so on) where news dangerous virus could incubate into highly contagious.

This blogger strongly feels that butcher shops need to follow strict hygiene standards and social rules, exposed meat shouldn’t be allowed as also the way these are transported should be humane. Laws on these matters should take into consideration sensibilities of vegetarians (who are in majority)

Phenomenal !!!

Muthiah Murlitharan has done something that is nothing short of miracle. What makes it incredible is this is rare to Indians, even if you have passed your prime and doing absolutely nothing keep playing till you are literally pushed out. Indians make lot of records but the win percentage doesn’t match these individual records. Murlitharan has called it a day at the peak of his achievements, with 8 wickets to go for the “milestone” of 800 wickets (these given lot of importance in Indian media, there is a small scale industry taking care of records) to declare his intention to retire was nothing short of ‘stupidity’ from Indian media’s (and ‘experts’ on cricket) point of view. He could have easily got these wickets if he had decided to retire after the series. But some people are made of sterner material. They play to win and enjoy, and not amass records at the expense of team and youngsters (people like Tendulkar are exception). Too much is given to reputation and seniority, typically feudal. If a player doesn’t play well they should be removed unless they prove otherwise, don’t understand what “form” means but a rickshaw puller in Chandni chowk cannot claim to be not in “form”, nor does millions of people. “Form” is load of crap as much as ‘humidity in the air”.

BCCI one of the richest sporting body in the world is also one of the most incompetent. Consisting of assortment of greedy people from politicians to businessmen they have minimalist interest in action and a gargantuan appetite for money. Earning at the expense of the game and audience they have functioned in a way that is detrimental to the game itself. Bunch of buffoons consist the selection committee, who flog the same horses till it is dead. No enterprise no thing. Wonder why there are too many Mishras and Sharmas in Indian cricket?.

Clearly the whole selection process is club oriented which is too narrow. They should go out to small towns outside clubs and street level to identify talent and nurture (this to every sporting body in the country). Only Mishras and Sharmas join club (some from middle class but you need to understand India’s extended family system to get insight into why Sharmas and Mishras join and have access to clubs despite being from middle class background). There is a new younger breed practicing Golf nowadays (I see them quite often from the road, as I travel daily on golf course route…hitting the ball and waiting for someone to pick it up and place, quite quaint. It also helps if you wear designer cloth…I am told the market is keen), these are high end games. Common people cannot even think of getting inside the gate. Very soon they will represent the country but their best is never good enough. Choosing these exclusive games does increase the chance to succeed in this country but not abroad.

This elitist bias of cricket as compared to other sport exists across the world. Look at South African cricket team- there are too many whites, while in football team there are blacks. Look at Indian hockey or football team they come from entirely different social strata, they come from poor family. The middle class is rarely involved in any sport, except maybe for time pass, due to lack of access as also uncertainties of career. If there is assurance of steady income and bright career, sports could be popular career choice. At this point it look risky, youngsters from lower strata get into games to survive.

These aspects need to be studied by sport experts and sport authorities, and responsible media need to focus on these to have an insight into Indian sports. Don’t know whether Sport Ministry has studied these or do they have any policy framework to further sport in this country. Organizing big events need to compliment with access to these infrastructure to common people.

Post Script: this blogger strongly feels that earning from these popular sports like cricket should be taxed heavily. If an Indian cricketer is earning in million it is not really a value on his talents as much as population of this country, they are living on us. These earnings absurdly disproportionate to their talent has to be put in context to Indian realities, the government should introduce another tax structure for these earnings.

A query: if they can ask Turf Club to move out of the city what prevents them from asking Golf Clubs to be shifted out?. There is an elitist bias. Huge chunk of pristine land is made inaccessible to common people. Oh I forgot learned Judge’s children could be playing golf, they cannot be jockey it is a risky business, hitting ball into the hole is a safe and hugely satisfying!!

Death of a dancer, passing of an era

Kottakkal Shivaraman was a master Kathakali dancer, he expertised in minuku that is streevesham (female roles) and took it a level that is iconic. He was a living legend, who gave life to mythical characters for almost six decades. Over the decades he was a delight to connoisseurs of this dance form. His pairing with Kalamandalam Gopi and Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair are stuff of folklore now.

Kathakali is an amazing artform, a dance drama with heightened aesthetic sensibility. If you can comprehend the nuances and subtleties it indeed is one of the most fulfilling experiences. This blogger has had the fortune of watching many live performances (and try to learn for few months…it takes years and ages to master. Must say it did help to understand and appreciate this wonderful dance form). I have heard stories about my grandfather (who unfortunately was polio afflicted on one leg…and lived a life dabbling in ayurveda) who could tell from far away, sitting at home with faintest of hint, the exact scene. He was quite crazy about Kathakali (he even encouraged his children in dance and theater, amazing man). One of cousin used to go into frenzy enacting chenda vadyam and would froth and later become unconscious; people said grandfather’s spirit has gone into him. It used to scare me a lot those days. There is something primal about Chenda and with splendor of characters of Kathakali it goes to a different level, surreal. Somehow that effect is absent when you watch it on TV.

One of the important aspects of Kathakali apart from the visual splendor is the use of light. Long back I happen to listen to a speech by Mr. Menon (I guess it was Delhi…only thing I recall about him was he attended these programs quite regularly with his wife who was an ex ambassador. He died few years later, I did attend his condolence meet). He spoke so eloquently about Kathakali, how in olden days the vilakku (lamp) hid the darkness and the characters emerged from nowhere. This is one experience we miss with the loss of darkness. I thought it was one of the most brilliant speeches I ever listened to.

Post script: It is unfortunate that the Indian government failed to recognize (unlike the State government though) and reward great souls like Kottakkal Shivaraman. Just look at the way they elect people to Rajya Sabha who are supposed to be represent art and culture, it is a dubious process. Judiciary should intervene. This is why it is important to have coalition governments. Like in Kerala there are some iconic figures in different artforms across the country who may not be marketing themselves nor scheming for power. It is the responsibility of the government to recognize and encourage these. It is a matter of grave concern that Union Government has failed in its duties to respect and value the cultural icons of the nation. Culture is not only about movies and people involved in it, indeed it is marginal. It is a shame that in the name of art some pretentious people are being given importance. I guess there are too many fixers to exaggerate these people, it makes market sense.

This blogger like to know why are likes of Padma Subramanium not selected to Rajya Sabha, she is truly iconic. I have seen the programs that used to come in DD decades back, wherein she went to different temples and try to study and interpret the dancing sculptures. It was brilliant, a masterpiece, arguably the best program made on Indian classical dance.