Last of the grand

Zafar Futehally was truly last of the best that humans had to offer. It is also quite telling that the market media missed it. A reticent understated man deeply concerned with issues of Conservation, regularly involving -even when he was in his 90s, on environment issues of Bangalore. I recall receiving some mails from him just about two years back. He was a birders delight, with tons of perceptive writings and valuable observations, ever encouraging youngsters. I had met him few times, and took a picture of his once (you may visit me at http://iseeebirds.blogspot.in/2011/01/red-breasted-flycatcher-tiny-siberian.html). 

Happen to attend a condolence meeting held in his honour the other day. Zafar Futehally was the last of the celebrated troika of finest from a family in Ornithology that includes Salim Ali and Humayun Abdulali. It surely is passing of a generation…

Money can take you places!!

To their favour they will argue that this is only for entrance/tuition fee you will have to clear the exams to finally be awarded the doctorate. Very true and the same argument is also true in case for reservation where atleast a minimum criteria is adhered to. As the market says if you have money spend it, more spending is more consumption therefore more production and ofcourse employment and hence GDP.  More products will lead to competitions and hence quality and lowering of prices. We have seen that these haven’t really happened, prices have continually increased. Despite not doing anything wrong people tend to lose their money, as the value of rupee plummet, god knows why. Bernanke makes a statement and the economy of countries across the world is shaken, god knows why. Economists insist that the basic structure is intact and we should be proud, and should leave it there. And that this is globalization. I am sure I am simplifying things, but people at the street can only see these logics. The hardwork (mostly physical) is quantifiable input and is to be compensated in money but when the money is devalued then that is cheating, if it doesn’t compensate inflation then there is something wrong, it is not a fair system. In the meanwhile those who haven’t really done anything quantifiable get inflated returns. You may think it’s about great ideas, innovation and so on, the truth is profane. It seems the money has value in itself, and so they stack it from one place to another as is the return, no wonder it gets devalued because it is inflated on nothing. Slowly but surely it tends to become worthless. I am sure we are getting the drift, with crony capitalism it gets worst. In this context the only thing quantifiable is the Nature which will have to be exploited (looted is a better word). The villagers in Odisha (specifically Nyamagiri hills) said get lost to exploitative companies –neo colonial British company headed by an Indian (proud moment for making-the-country-proud seekers), desperately dangling employment generation carrot. What they don’t understand is for many people employment means much more than cutting the hills and making profit, and these choices are made by extremely impoverished people. Not very ironically the effort to entice them is made by extremely rich people, who could if they had the competence, put the money for better use. It is the greed and easy money, a terrific combination that defines Indian capitalist to a large extend. These are basis for investment, and so when they say ‘investment friendly’ you know what they are talking about. 

           

Consumption led system has not benefited people, it has only helped some section, who in turn haveexploited the Nature and degraded surrounding in the name of development. Most people know and it’s instinctive: it is not consumption but saving and judicious spending that helps them in long run. But market seems to be enticing them to fault, that is how the system functions!! Consuming less will see more products in market at less price, I think that is a better cycle despite the fact that it will make corporate less on profit or bankrupt, than consuming more, prices increasing and exploited for profit. 

If colleges in India are asking money for admission without any entrance criteria, as it is profitable, I am wondering what are the criteria for “prestigious” colleges like Harvard and yes Trinity College. I did some search and found there isn’t any except a terrific combination of money and power. Backgrounds of students from “third world countries” are a study in itself. There is reason for likes of Amartya Sen being proud, it is so subtle that it goes well with high tea!!

JNU ka junoon!!

That is how one TV channel put the gory happenings in JNU. It is unbelievable that this could happen in such a pristine and yes prestigious University. JNU has changed in last 15 years, atleast the type of students. Though the infrastructure and the surrounding haven’t changed, we did birding at JNU few months back, and I was so much thinking of days spend here, ferment and hotheaded days. The quality of students and the influences have surely deteriorated. I had the good fortune to study in JNU, quite briefly and significantly I was attending session/seminars/conferences/lectures randomly of different departments as it suited my liking rather than following any syllabus, it was a place to explore. I get to know some terrific people, though had a bitter showdown with some, for instance regarding Suhasini Ali’s big talk on Palestine during election campaign, which I thought was utter nonsense, as there are issues closer home and indeed urgent. These big talk falls into pattern, and are quite predictable. Anyway I moved out of the crap very soon, and found other interests, and yes I had expenses to cover!!  

I must add School of Language Studies runs mostly on the market demand than the real idea of exploring languages and its nuance, it seems to be a front for call centre and translator kind of quick job fixes. It generally tends to attract students of very low caliber and intent, they seem an extension of market. Though School of International Studies was rated quite high but I thought Social Science and Historical studies was the happening place, in retrospect I should have spend more time at ecological studies!!    

Arthshastri ka ardhsatya

…you really don’t have to spend too much time with a person to know that this twice elected MP has not contributed for what he was elected for. A parliamentarian has to be actively involved in daily proceedings of the House, and need to contribute. His presence and interventions in the Parliament has been nothing short of abysmal, even in cases of important discussions. His argument seems to be ‘working for the party’ and grassroot level involvement, now if that is the case why did he waste the money of the exchequer by becoming an MP? How irresponsible indeed. Why should people elect this person again? We would like to know how is he “maybe an excellent alternative”?

Everything said and done I have high regards for Mr. Sen, in particular, his views on population growth and fertility rate… so on. Little magazines and big talks flows through the genes!! Courtesy cannot be bought from the market.

Mrinal Pande will have to step down

Mrinal Pande is a respected journalist and hindi writer, who also happens to be the head of Prasar Bharati –the apex body of official Indian Broadcast Media. I was surfing through the Net I came across an article on “Rambogiri”. An article written in bad taste must add with extreme political undertone. It almost read like an anti-BJP pamphlet. 

She writes “The fanatical defenders of any carnage finally come to exist in a different dimension, a twilight zone of half-truths and lies, while those of us who try to defend the people’s right to know the whole painful truth must continue mucking about in the dimension of facts”

I am not aware of “inner details” of happenings in Gujarat, including the riots, nor do I have the clairvoyance that some journalist seems to be having. We go by the Facts, and that is: What does the Judiciary has to say on matters of disputes, including riots. What are the evidences and verdicts of the Court. If Mr. Modi is guilty he should have been punished, so even after a decade if there is no prosecution, it means, for us common people who may not have divya shakti, that he is not guilty. Media is nobody to pass judgment and has no business to act prosecutor. Media’s role is to investigate and report the case, they may pass opinion and comments. Politicians can work overtime to create perception through market media but a professional journalist is not expected to stoop.   

If anyone is to be blamed then it is the Judiciary as also the Executive for the tardy attitude towards the judicial reforms, politicized investigating agency and sloppy methods. The reason why facts are always reduced to the realm of subjective as it gives the powerful people space to manipulate and play their game of creating perception, for which market media is a conduit. Everything is reduced to speculation and conjecture, and tussle of obnoxious politicians. It is here in this mucky world of thoo thoo meh meh, journalists are recruited by the politicians to create an intellectual fervor to the ‘debate’, the art of twisting the arguments into palatable ideas to serve the influential upper class, as also the international audience. It is the game of perception that has absolutely nothing to do with troubles of common people. These journalists (sometimes even the whole media group)/intellectuals are extremely adept in these matters, surely there are many who are on the payrole of the political parties. It is also not a coincidence that “defenders of truth” generally dwell in the lobbies of power, if not are seen hobnobbing with powerful people in the big cities of Delhi, Mumbai…. It is also not a coincidence that these very “defenders of truth” write columns in newspapers that carry casteist matrimonial column as means of earning! As also gives views on serious matters in the TV channels interrupted by amazingly puerile ads (many a times asserting feudal norms)!! The whole framework stinks and lacks sincerity. Its foul and lacks trust or empathy. It is a joke. 

Ms Pande, meanwhile anchors a program in Prasar Bharati channel, I am not going into the merit of these programs but would like to know whether rules were followed in selecting her to anchor or is it a case of conflict of interest and nepotism? She may find problem with the way the word media is pronounced (“midiah” as Mr. Modi does according to her). Most people  in this country have accent when they speak english, to point it out in a serious discussion is travesty and smacks of classist arrogance which is not very unknown where she is located. 

It also brings us to a very important question on what motivates a senior journalist to take the government bait? Is it the power and perk? Exaggerated presence? I guess it is a personal choice, but once you are heading an organization you are expected to follow some norms. Clearly Ms Pande has crossed it. She should quit.

It is unfortunate that these visceral reactions are not only leading to polarizing the society but also obfuscation of issues. It unnecessarily focus attention on a personality who may benefit from these, as people know that these are unfair and motivated, if he had done anything wrong then courts would have prosecuted him.  Everything said and done I find it astonishing that Mr. Modi find it difficult to express regret or own responsibility of the happenings of 2002. He is undoubtedly responsible for anything going wrong under his administration, including riots, as much as he is working overtime to claim credit –I gather many a times exaggerations, for things going right. Taking responsibility of riots as head of government machinery is definitely not same as being culpable or part of criminal conspiracy, otherwise the Court would have prosecuted. Nor is it any victory of ‘secularism’. I guess Mr. Modi problems begin here; he needs to take responsibility of failures. He is surely coming out, in the game of perception, as man prone to stake hyperbolic claims (reflecting deep rooted insincerity) and arrogant in an exclusionary way (which seems divisive).  Clearly with this attitude and ambitions Mr. Modi will find it difficult to elicit support from wider audience. Also India is too big and diverse a country to be comprehensively driven to a corner or a section, simplistic solutions may not have significant impact. It looks like he will be used and at the last moment we will see some somersaults, and everything tumbling down like a pack of cards. But one thing is clear things are getting nasty.    

         

To ponder: when so many incidents of children getting killed or becoming sick eating mid day meals at school what is amazing is nothing of this sort is reported from Jails where prisoners are fed three times a day. It is just amazing or is it that the system knows whom to take care!!  

So while Indian media is breaking over two hindi actors meeting “is chath ke neeche itihas racha”  reminisces a rather excited “journalist”, while BBC “journalist” assures that he will show “royal birth as it happens”.  Crude woman tweets “biriyani ka swad tadke se nahi murge se atha hai”. It’s all happening in planet earth. Over and out. 

Egypt slips into quagmire

It is very likely that it could get really bad from here. I am quite an admirer of people in Egypt who are vocal about their rights and representation.  Unfortunately though, the passion in the street is not met with subtleties of the systems in place. If the elected government blatantly introduces changes in Constitution, there were no checks in place. It must have been dealt at the Legislative level, if not the Judiciary should have intervened and preempted the slide. Indian experience on these matters could have been a valuable example that could have been emulated to keep the sanctity of the institutions.  In Egypt a serious transgression has happened and has set a very wrong precedence, it will be regretted for a long time to come. Religion, in a country where most people follow, should have a space, provided it doesn’t impede into others right, if ever it need to be handled politically as also within the framework of law. Institutions should be respected and necessarily reflect aspirations of people. Army cannot impose it’s will, even in the name of people, it’s a dangerous development. It’s a failure of judiciary to safeguard the constitution in Egypt, first by the President now by the Army.   

People protest in Tahrir square against the Mubarak regime had repercussions across the world and was surely a landmark event in the world history. It is a benchmark for ruthless regimes, a lesson for all. It should have been a foundation for a vibrant democracy and prosperity with people participation. 

Egypt unfortunately couldn’t keep up the promise, the higher echelons of society including the Army is pushing the country into precipice. The “coup” has put the country in serious crisis, it looks like something quite extra ordinary could save things from here. If the society at this point is multipolarised, very soon it will coalesce into deeply fractured extreme sections: the Army and the Fundamentalist, both section not known for virtues of discussion (indeed it is neither the mandate of the Army nor the way it is trained, the reason why it has to be under civilian authority for democracy to flourish) or application of peaceful means for negotiation, that can put strong foundation of democracy. Both sections are armed, organized and has the potential for massive destruction. This also needs to be put in context of opportunists across the border of the increasingly fragile region, including the arms dealers, Islamists, neo-colonial forces, western powers for strategic gains so on.  Most people will have to either move out or take sides, as things will get violent. People protests works in the framework of non violence.  It seems the country is reaching the fringe. This seem to be the narration of most societies in the region, as elite section refuse to relinquish power and perks, they are so used to, and end up pushing the country into violence and chaos, either they try to capitalize on dying or else are the first people to flee to safer havens and continue their ‘struggle’, mostly in the luxury of Europe as champions of democracy. People protesting and struggling on the street will soon be pushed into extreme misery. Nobody will like such an eventuality to befall on an important nation like Egypt, but it seems to be a distinct possibility. Time is running out in Cairo…