The issue of lead contamination, and a tribute to Clair Patterson

Market facilitators and their cronies are trying their best to obfuscate the deadly contamination in food as general degradation of environment, and hence by this warped logic, poor multibillion dollar companies shouldn’t be held responsible. One crony even suggests why don’t we feed these contaminated food to poor people instead of wasting. There is intense jockeying going on to get into the right side of moneybags hence benefits. Let’s make things clear: food contaminated with lead beyond permissible level is dangerous for human health, whatever may be the logic. Secondly, it is expected from the rich companies to use technologies to remove these dangerous contaminants rather than blaming polluted environment, and yes if they are not able to make more profit then try something else to multiply money. At the end of the day it is about doubling the money (whatever is the charade of investment and other compelling jargons). The other day I was reading an article by Madhav Gadgil, these lines, that is attributed to World Bank (Vice President) in 1991, were striking and should help put things in perspective “The measurements of the costs of health impairing pollution depends on the foregone earnings from increased morbidity and mortality. From this point of view, a given amount of health impairing pollution should be done in the country with the lowest cost, which will be the country with the lowest wages. I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that.”

This article by Mr. Madhav is quite interesting (to read it in regrettable newspaper being the only hiccup, maybe few years down the line these arbitrators will be obsolete, as a reader I wouldn’t mind paying him directly. Miniscule amounts will add on). I was aware of TEL and how it was pushed, but I wasn’t aware that “…It is now definitely established that alcohol can be blended with gasoline to produce a suitable motor fuel…concluded that alcohol-gasoline blends can ‘withstand high compression without producing knock.’ But alcohol cannot be patented and cannot bring large profits to companies. So, all discussion of its potential was deliberately suppressed, and TEL pushed with vigour”. But there is more to it, apart from Surgeon-General Robert Kehoe who undertook forceful advocacy of TEL despite awareness of dangers, there was another fellow named Thomas Midgley –the inventor of TEL (the godforsaken fellow also invented CFCs –ozone depleting and major green house gas). Midgley conducted live demonstration of inhaling TEL in front of reporters, it need be noted that he was seriously ill due to exposure only a few months back, and was fully aware of perilous effect of lead.

Lead was ‘embarrassingly profitable to produce industrially’. So in 1923 three of Americas largest corporations General Motors, Du Pont and Standard Oil formed a joint enterprise called the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation with a view to making as much tetraethyl lead as the world was willing to buy…they called their additive ‘ethyl’ because it sounded friendlier and less than lead, and introduced it for public consumption. It should also be noted that production workers, almost immediately began to experience the effects of poisoning, irreversible delusions, and deaths were reported. But the spokesman of company blandly informed the reporters “These men probably went insane because they worked too hard” (as documented by Sharon Mcgaryne in Prometheans in the Lab, a book on history of industrial chemistry). This background should help us understand the complicity of big corporation and their greed.

Madhav writes about one Clair Patterson, a brilliant young geochemist who “systematically investigated levels of lead in rocks, rivers and sea water, ocean sediments, the atmosphere and the biosphere. He demonstrated that over the last few centuries, the levels of lead in the remains of marine organisms incorporated in sediments had gone up a hundredfold. The obvious conclusion was that the prevailing levels of lead in the human body were a result of pollution, and were not natural levels at all, as Kehoe had been claiming so far. Patterson provided clinching evidence of this when human teeth and bones from ancient burials turned out to have just one-thousandth the amount of lead as teeth and bones of modern-day humans”. It took full 20 years after the publication of his paper that the U.S. government was finally forced to ban TEL. In the meanwhile they tried everything to discredit Patterson.

Clair Patterson’s contribution is significant and it needs to be told in its entirety. Though his intent was to find the definitive age of Earth, which he did succeed and that in itself was remarkable effort. He was using a new method of ‘lead isotope measurement’, and that is what led him to the atmospheric lead. Patterson found that before 1923 there was almost no lead in the atmosphere, and that since then lead has climbed steadily and dangerously. Readers will note that 1923 was also the year when Ethyl Gasoline Corporation was set up. Patterson made his life’s quest to get lead out of petrol, he became a constant and often vocal critic of lead industry.  Ethyl Gasoline Corporation was a powerful global corporation with many friends in high places. Patterson suddenly found research funding withdrawn. The American Petroleum Institute cancelled research contract with him, so did Union States Public Health Service, a supposedly neutral government body. Ethyl Gasoline Corporation even offered to endow a chair at Caltech ‘if Patterson was sent packing’ (as reported by Jamie Kitman in The Nation). He was excluded from National research council panel appointed to investigate atmospheric lead poisoning, though he was a leading expert in this field. To his credit Patterson never wavered, and eventually, because of his efforts, Clean Air Act of 1971 was introduced, and finally to the removal of leaded petrol from US in 1986. It took many more years for it to be applied in chronically corrupt countries like India. Meanwhile lead in paints was removed only recently.

All the above information is input from a remarkable book A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson I was reading a month back. This is one book that is strongly suggested. I wanted to buy it almost a decade back when it was published, but somehow couldn’t and then the thought fettered. Few months back I was watching Fareed Zakaria ‘GPS’ wherein he suggested this book. Couldn’t get it in Mysore or Bangalore (?) and finally bought it from Khan Market Delhi, worth the effort and the read. Bill Bryson definitely has the way of explaining things, and it is compelling to read the stories behind the inventions, discoveries so on. Bryson writes “Clair Patterson died in 1995. He didn’t win a Nobel Prize for his work. Geologists never do. Nor, more puzzlingly, did he gain any fame or even much attention from half a century of consistent and increasingly selfless achievement. A good case could be made that he was the most influential geologist of the twentieth century. Yet who has ever heard of Clair Patterson? Most geology textbooks don’t mention him. Two recent popular books on the history of the dating of the Earth actually manage to misspell his name. In early 2001, a reviewer of one of these books in the journal Nature made the additional, rather astounding error of thinking Patterson was woman”. Apart from being an outstanding geologist his effort to remove lead from atmosphere in itself makes this man a prodigious soul.                  

Incorrigible rogues as journalists

Journalists cannot be expected to show competence in an overwhelmingly mediocre society nor are they expected to exhibit qualities of concern, tethered as they are to crude framework. Exceptions are always there but you can be sure in market media these are rare. This news piece could be from any newspaper (that it happens to be from Kasthuri&Sons is a coincidence, probably a tribute to their forefathers and family vaginas for former life deed pathways). Their promotion of obnoxious views is given but that they are able to squiggle in crudeness in news snippet, where space for prejudice is limited, is undoubtedly a talent. Now market friendly Crude woman would react by “Woman, and her husband…” crap, if men smoke then women smoking is about gender equality. That’s how you become darling of market, and work out service industry gigantism. The more you sell more merrier is the world, and yes richer you are intelligent you are. In this melee some even come out as ‘senior journalists’, something not quite unique in a society that expertise in grading people, sensitive about hierarchy.

Mr. Gajendra is an admirable man: As a citizen I am troubled by the protest of FTII students, it is quite unbecoming. As long as statutes don’t put in any qualification (why haven’t they?), a political appointee is deemed qualified. If they haven’t protested all these decades why are they now? Clearly it is politically motivated. Are all the political appointee of high caliber? How are people appointed to the RS? (if Mr. Gajendra has acted in cheap movies then ZK has written some serious crap in the name of art that will embarrass anyone). Undoubtedly these appointments are obnoxious mix of nepotism, sycophancy, manipulation, corrupt practices, political expediency so on. It is in this context one has to admit that Gajendra Chauhan is an apt choice to head FTII, though I have serious issue with a man with squatter framework surname to head any institution. His role in Mahabharata was well appreciated (indeed benchmark in some ways), further a head of the institution is not for inspiration but to run the institution properly. This blogger would like to know the attendance record of previous “inspiration invoking” heads. Most significantly despite their claim for high reputation, Indian film industry is quite mediocre. This also put in focus on nepotism, as to how do people get into such institution, the selection committee so on. Crude Woman can get in but Mr.Gajendra cannot is not because of lack of talent, nor that Mr. Gajendra was stuck with low grade movies (which doesn’t take away his artistic skills or potential) while Crude woman hobnobbed with the best and expertised her quid pro quo skills, due to lack of talent. Crude Woman was in a position to manipulate awards while Mr. Gajendra had to negotiate existential demands, part timing in hospitals so on, as he worked hard to get foothold in a manipulative and nepotism driven mediocre film ‘industry’.

These pretentious people cannot decide who is talented or can they veto a political appointee, nor does the student have prerogative to decide who should head them. Snobbish elitism and high level manipulators may have problems but they just have to gulp it. Take it on the chin and move on, times are changing. Decades of fattening thyself in the name of art is over, now it’s the turn of the other side. For common people these are just jokes. And yes FTII has been the looser for long, the lackadaisical approach and least concern for competence has taken the toll. I read that it is so badly managed that it has become horrible. 

The only thing that goes against Mr. Gajendra is his pedalling of stuff that promotes superstition. One wonders why promoting superstition not against law, the channel owners looking for easy money should be held responsible. But then how is it different from pedalling Coca cola Pepsi or whatnot, or matrimonial columns? …water purifiers or detergents, what is Crude woman (or small time bharat ratna fellow, he really cannot avoid these. What a cheapskate) connection to these, that she pedal to suck up money? All the products (some crudely exploitative) seeks to capitalise on manipulation. Mr. Gajendra, like many political appointees, is selected by the government in its own intelligence and reasons. He therefore must be given chance, and must be judged on his performance as an administrator, for which he is appointed. It is here that he should be keenly observed, and students protest herein, in case of transgressions, will make sense. In the meanwhile any student having problems must be dealt with disciplinary actions or rusticated, as is deemed fit under the rules. Arrogance, highbrow egotism shouldn’t have space. Indeed these students are known for their notoriety (all in the name of art and freedom of expression, i suppose, before having produced anything at all!!). One of the earlier directors of FTII, Mohan Agashe, had to go following students’ protests over his attempt to restructure some courses. FTII suffers from serious mismanagement, and interference from powerful interest groups/people. Mr. Gajendra’s appointment is only a continuation of that, it got stuck this time as the powerful coterie who were arbitrating benefits in the name of art/culture have been ignored/shunted out or are aware of losing ground and easy sucks, hence the viciousness. It only shows their depravity. Mr. Gajendra has survived in the industry despite trying circumstances and has clawed his way to head a premier institute is in itself something to admire despite his alleged shortcomings. He must carry on…  

PS: Crude Woman says “we don’t discriminate, hum log bhaisaab gender sensitive type ke log hai”. ZK adds “murga ho ya murgi biriyani sabki banegi” “it iz naturalz lawz”.    

Creator of Rock garden is dead

It is one of the most amazing creations you can witness. Millions and millions of mosaic, glasses, bangles ceramic pieces, broken pots, other 'waste' even electric sockets etc. aesthetically arranged in shapes, images and immaculate sculptures that transport you into some faraway fantasy land. First few moments as I entered the rock garden I was disappointed but then as you go further and further in, you wonder and gasp ‘this is impossible’, for a single person to conjure and execute this is nothing short of miracle. It’s brilliant.

I have visited Rock Garden many years back as an itinerant cheap backpacker, early this January I was back in Chandigarh, ofcourse with ubiquitous and irritatingly intrusive conception called camera. I spent more than an hour and as I was exiting I stopped at the curio shop and bought a rock garden inspired keychain that has a rather interesting peacock (I now use for my cycle, kind of interesting to look at it every time you take the cycle out) and then for a fresh pomegranate juice (O they make it so well, the khatta metta thing is lip smacking and yes healthy) and that is when I got lucky. I was talking to the juicer seller, marvelling about the rock garden and then enquiring about Nek Chand as I had seen a banner celebrating his 90^th birthday so on. The seller said “You are quite a lucky man” (translated) and pointed to an elderly man in the crowd and said “That is NekChand!!”. Mr. NekChand is rarely seen and this was in one of his rare outing, and to see him next to his creations was truly fortunate. I found him quite agile, reserved to the point of shy and observant to the surrounding. He couldn’t be more than sixty, I thought. Few minutes later he got in his car and left. He hid the rock garden for almost two decades as it was considered illegal, as he assiduously went on with his work!!. What a remarkable guy, in the overwhelming mediocrity that is getting louder and louder these days, here was a brilliant man and a rare Indian. My condolences.  

Distinction between pride, preference and prejudice…the frogs in the well croak

The depravity of Kasthuri&Sons is an unending pit, that they mask their depravity with characteristic ease is what defines deviant elite of this amazingly putrid society in more than many ways. Lump of humans coalesced in their primitive norms and values that masquerade itself into subtleties of higher being is a habit that is common in this part of the world. They have been negotiating these deviances, that violates basic human rights at every step, with self-assured ease, unchallenged by strict scrutiny or basic sense or thoughts of compassion (in this crude world words like compassion remain words and thoughts or else you need nothing less than a mahatma or miracle). With firm grip on narration the voices of brutalised protests are dealt with ease of neglect, if it gets louder stamp it, ignore or else push it as subaltern, finally if nothing works, as an act gallant, include in as any contrarian view. The unity in diversity primetime show continues. The avuncular benevolence is the focus here, the tradition of tolerance is throttled in from nowhere, the halo is much more than aggregate of the society can even muster. These therefore is added as necessary embellishments to the main narration, meanwhile brutalities is sought to be packaged as benign traditions.   

It is in this context that Kasthuri&Sons use their slaves to croak. They seek to distinguish "pride, preference and prejudice", elucidate their primitiveness in garb of choices and diversity. They assume the role of benevolent guardians. Only fascist, likes of Nazi (a narration that West understands quite well), comes close to this sick world that seek nuances in utmost bleak reality. Mozart in concentration camps is chilling. It’s a reminder of brutalities that depraved mind seek to savour, its degeneration of humanity at a colossal scale. In this brutal world where ethical norms are ambiguous it is the question of where you are placed. Kasthuri&Sons (by them, I mean the primitive Indians who seek to give moral bearing to the horrifying realities) are direct beneficiary of the primitive framework, the assiduously accrued spin offs have been capitalised with much ease. Hence “taking pride in or preferring a particular caste, either in the case of marriage or while voting for a candidate during elections, is not necessarily considered prejudice in India”. According to the logic of this world, anti-semantics or racism is matter of choice, it is how you play it. The key word is “not necessarily considered prejudice” it’s a leeway towards liberal, a hint towards rapprochement, a higher self, a space for experimenting with truth. In this world of ‘not necessarily considered’ what is not ambiguous is the smoke from the chimneys, that people are being burned alive. Read the audacity in these lines “…this is only limited good news, because it unfortunately aggravates the prejudice against Dalits and Adivasis”. Unfortunately?! So these are matters of fortune. Hence Nazis not so bad treatment of non-Jews treatment (I was reading Jehovah's Witnesses were among the few who could leave the concentration camps by renouncing their religious beliefs) but “unfortunately aggravated” atrocities against Jews. Systematic annihilation of humans, systematic brutalising of people is, according to Kasthuri&Sons part of fortune. 

Nazis had their own logic while Kasthuri&Sons trace their hogwash on acts of previous birth. Amazing travesty these people. What makes it grievous is that they are very much aware and are in the midst amazingly brutalities in the name of caste, particularly in TN. That what Kasthuri&Sons consider as identity is tethered to untold misery, a framework that degrades and decimates humanity in individuals, seems not their concern. It is the easiest route to power structure. We are being informed that we are living a life of ‘identity over system’, they quote fellow Gupta (sideshow intellectual alibi). I need to bring in here: the humanities and so called art stream in Indian context are worse than the science rot (engineer/doctor). What goes in the name of sociology/anthropology consists of books that spread amazing nonsense. There is difference between documenting and expressing ‘pride, preference and prejudice’. Most of these texts are written from colonial angle that quite well morphed casteist/racist ideas, indeed most of these books cannot be part of any civilised setting, forget school or colleges. Likes of Dipankar Gupta comes out of these holes tethered to brutal framework, hence can only see things as ‘phenomenon’ and will go back to their caves for further research. Our man has a tough life rollicking between Gandhi and MN Srinivas. I am not going further into these, the muck gets deeper but yes will remind a note of protest I wrote on my visit to Tribal museum at Silvassa.

International community needs to take these transgressions of human rights in all its seriousness. The brutalities is institutionalised to such an extent that there is a persistent effort to see it as normal. So far it had some success since the brutal elite had firm control over narrations hence they twisted depravity as some wonderful exotic tradition. The intellectuals, particularly in West, too have been complacent hence coopted into this nonsense. Casteist/racist based references should not tolerated and must be dealt severely; since Indian society is in the morbid grip of primitive who have stakes it is for the international community to initiate actions. In the meanwhile shops run by likes of Kasthuri&Sons should be denied dealing with civilized world, they shouldn’t be allowed cut paste from reputed columnists. International newspapers and the columnists concerned must take a stand on this. Newspapers that promote primitiveness in its pages (while actively censoring news related to or from the perspective of brutalised sections) through write ups/views that masquerade choices and matrimonial ads that seek to anchor these must be dealt severely. Their attempts to play benevolent figures in international scene are a sham and an escape from home truths. They try to portray themselves as liberal, egalitarian…by hitting gravy pointers.

PS: Spotted: Kasthuri&Sons at marina beach pleading amused passerby ‘Kapathingo french muslimgale kapathingo’. A century back they would be riding on downtrodden, literally, as they espoused grand ideas, now it’s a subtle metaphor. The myriad ways of the deceitful world. Meanwhile if anyone is interested all the justification and reasons can be traced to family vagina (in the streets of Delhi they have much better way of elucidating this), the distinction between pride, preference and prejudice. 

In the traditions of Mir Jaffars and Jaichands

All kind of nonsense are there on offer, pretty faces play on our emotions with endearing lines and compelling expressions, hawk all kinds of junk. No wonder the sellers from abroad, who consider lives of Indians much cheaper (consider the low standards they adopt for Indians, right from automobiles to food), boost ego of the elite by assuring them the status of service industry giant. India is seen as junkyard, a place/people who can be unscrupulously exploited (godforsaken economist use euphemism like investor friendly as embellishments for growth) they are catered for big moneybags, it’s a place to multiply their money without much care. The impunity is such that they even dismiss government reports. It is clear that Maggi (Nestle) is only the tip of iceberg. Indians are consistently exploited by paying the complying elite, the charming facilitators, who in turn give positive spin to exploitation with compelling ease. It is a framework we all know quite well. The tradition of Mir Jaffars and Jaichands is very much alive. The compliable elite are now in investor friendly role. Throw some more money and perks they will do worse, with charming ease and niceties. The sellers (service industry representations) are giving the impression of professionalism and competent work culture; meanwhile the brand values of care and compassion is all a spinoff for easy money. We know these are just packaging and superficial matters. The price the society pays is much high. They are quite consistently pushing in lifestyle that replicate American wasteful ways, hence consumption, thus growth, therefore development. They have destroyed a lot in the name of development. When Nooyi is declared as greatest Indian, hosted very much by Pranab (wonder what is the deal about Presidents/Governor that they are given such obnoxious deference, clearly they are trying to recreate the darbar. The unelected lords, the template that seeks to put every elected leader in his/her place), we know who is great and for what reason. Indeed Nooyi is appointed for very specific reason, her charade of competence withstanding. It is India, the hapless people (in particular impressionable children) and the natural resources, that is the target.

Technology led democratisation is the reason why people are finding their voice, their vigilance is being reciprocated and consolidated through social media. These are finding voice in the popular media, who are still controlled and manipulated by powerful forces. The political elite who have traditionally serving the entrenched groups, as also moneybags too are becoming circumspect. Indeed internet and the spin off herein has been the greatest leveller and liberator. Nothing has been as spectacular for human race as this has been. It is such a wonder that it is beginning of history. It is individual, it’s personal and connected, it is defining the way society functions, redefining arbitration of power, meaning of authority. It is selfistory.

Indeed few decades back Nestle would have easily wriggled out by paying off. It is not the consumers who are ‘confused’, it is powerful whose reduced space for manipulation that is creating the confusions. Indeed Nestle should be asked to pay compensation that should go to cancer patient funding. These people are worst, must add, extremely dangerous sociopaths. The neighbourhood restaurants can only be blamed of hygiene matters (which too are important and should be checked regularly by authorities) not this kind of depravity. Anyday stomach problem is a better option than stomach cancer! 

Post script: there is an excellent and thought provoking article written by Kancha Illaih recently. This blogger hopes that it is translated in all languages and published in all newspapers and websites. 

Discriminations as you search for room/house to live

…the kind of harassment you face as you search for room/flat to stay in cities like Delhi is appalling, it only consolidates how primitive this society is. You are humiliated and made to realise your ‘position’ as tenant. It gets worse as you go down for cheaper deal. You are disgraced and treated like a lump of shit. There is no line between private and public, you are deemed a property.  Not only that once you get a room then comes another set of blatant intrusions and restrictions. It can be frustrating if you don’t keep the mind out, it can even turn you into psychopath! These kind of crude dealing makes you wonder as to who are these people who are landowners, particularly in big cities (and as you near posh colonies things become quite crystal clear), and then the pattern emerges.  

You are discriminated on any fancy notion, quirks, idiosyncrasies, most significantly superstitions (believe me the scoundrels have long list, as god is in private dalliance with them and they seem to be holder of secret ways)  of the house owner, also reverentially referred as landlords. Any kind of variance can be source of scrutiny and further exploitation, so language, accent, surname, region, eat habiting, marital status and god knows what becomes source of intense scratching. If you have Muslim name then in most cases you will be shown the door, while Christians don’t seem to have much problems (indeed south Indians, specifically keralaites are preferred, I guess since they are easily subjugated, complete change of culture and environment puts most in shells). Since my name confuses and doesn’t obviously point to Hindu, to make matter worse I was going through mandatory JNU-kurtha phase, I have been pointedly asked many times whether I am Muslim? Aap muslim tho nahin hai?...don’t know how to translate that, it is quite nuanced, in the query there is sarcasm and rejection also. Even quite recently in Mysore the broker clarified that if I am Muslim I wouldn’t be getting room in ‘this’ locality, hinting some kind of pride. Likes of MN Srinivas could  explain that in some lucid theory, for me it is clear crudeness.

Unlike likes of Sardesais, Desais, Guhas, Mishras… who carry the primitive beacon and quite self-assuredly express humbleness and otherworldly shudhtha concerns, people from lower sections tend to hide their pecking order in primitive world. Any hint of it will be detrimental in mean streets of Delhi. So unlike on your face muslims they tend to morph. This the main reason why biharis as a group are targeted, lumpenized and treated inhumanly. Indeed in many cases they seek cities to escape the atrocities from the world that Sardesais of the universe pride in. This in itself should put in context to what kind of depraved people are at the helm, the one who play saviour.  

Post script: pandit is a term for reverence to knowledge, in case people have forgotten, if it is a casteist primitive reference (that the elite pride in) then I request it need to be expunged from English language. Amitabh Matto is known for his exaggerated concerns but he should understand that unlike careless media Kashmiri Hindus cannot be referred to as pandits. That is blatant casteism. Morons in the media can be forgiven for their habitual narcissism but he positions himself as some kind of intellect. He should be careful. In the meanwhile our man even finds time to take interviews for civil service aspirants. Come on sirji sab jegeh hath daloge kya, hum jaison ko bhi tho jeene do. Wonder why these retired bureaucrats/ambassadors even serving civil servants (they should be dealt severely by the government) find it interesting to take interviews? Many lack appallingly in their contemporary knowledge and understanding. It is shocking how they seek to capitalise on their position. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are the kind of people inhabiting UPSC.  

Matters of discriminations and concerns that makes us lighthearted to worldly ways

India is a primitive society is a well-documented fact, and that the elite (class-caste overlap) are depraved lot is known too. It is in this milieu that hilarities packed as concerns for discrimination makes it unannounced presence, as some kind of revelation, holiday surprise. That the cherished identities of most Indians i.e. Hindus perniciously extending to other religions in the intensity of camaraderie (in particular the elite) is in itself sustaining on discrimination, and that the nature of social relation herein is discriminatory, is hidden under carpet with characteristic alacrity. Gandhi mopped it in with exaggerated concern for nonviolence, a well-placed joke on a sedate society in trance in the brutal realities, incapacitated by its own cannibalistic tendencies. Taken out of context nonviolence exhibits itself as compassionate and nuanced response, in Indian reality though it was a clever attempt on status quo, a devious ploy to contain and subjugate the discriminated people –the mass majority, who lived in horrendous world created by debauched elite. Discrimination is part of Indian way of life it truly is the foundation of individual identity, shared by family, expressed by clans, cherished by society and a pointer for upgradation in next life in depraved scheme of things.

Each occupation that is part of ‘tradition’ can be traced as an outcome of discrimination. Statistics of people working in most dreadful and exploitative surroundings point to historically brutalised section. Merit is traced to competitions that disadvantage the majority, while competence itself is in flawed premise. Rot learning without any involvement or reference to surrounding create merit that is unskilled to realities while the skilled are deemed as waste. This mediocrity is celebrated, as India is described as service industry giant. Meaning bimbos ready to caress the investors, meaning help, hawk, sell whatever. Service industry is a euphemism for junk society, where brain dwells in tongue and facial expressions, a thoughtless world that seeks thoughtlessness, predatory on weakness, hyping to trap. No wonder Indian elite consider themselves god ordained competent, market has only emboldened their self-worth. Truth can be quite humbling. Competence is much nuanced understanding that necessarily is ability to comprehend deeply (ie more than the value/use associated), knowledge that leads to understanding, a convergence of thoughts. Nice talks (preferred in English) cannot create competence. Demographic dividends are hinged on flawed perceptions and exaggerations ably goaded by primitive elders. The reason why money, perks, prestige, position, power etc. are paramount considerations hence define competence.   

Statistics will point to unusually large presence of squatters in areas that is source of easy money, the chelas mopping up the rest. Clearly if temple priest were/are squatters then that is traditional discrimination on others. This is the core of tradition, extend it to other fields and you will see the blatant discriminations. Taking the example of angst filled media, wonder what makes squatters so competent. Likes of Sardesai (I have nothing personally against this fellow, just that this moron had the temerity to put his neck out. Unfortunate audacity) swing from one channel to another, as if is epitomizing competence. Any day I can speak much better than him, if I can then millions of people can, it is as stupid. But will I take such an offer i.e. to speak nonsense? (he sparkles during exit poll inane talks, also stupid talks surrounding cricket or juvenile surveys). Ofcourse not, it is too embarrassing (long time back I was offered one in radio channels that I refused. I was aiming on interviewing authors. Why should one be speaking if it doesn’t make any sense?). Complete absence of "dalits" and tribes from lucrative jobs, and over presence of squatters points to serious discriminations. This is irrespective of any religion. Coming to the middle class Muslim boy facing discrimination…well what is shocking is blatant nature of denying him the job. This is rare, since these are dealt in a nuanced way. Like when Sardesai is asserting his primitive identity he is expressing his camaraderie which works to enhance his career, as this will be echoed. In effect he is cleverly pushing out the competition, and establishing his brand (Desai understands, Guha sends his tweets). These subtleties carefully scrutinized shows entrenched favoritism and inbuilt discriminations. Attempts to stretch from sickularism to secularism will be closely scrutinized.

Apart from flawed understanding on competence, nepotism, that defines Indian society, is undoubtedly cause of serious discrimination. It denies others the opportunity. Hereditary transactions are source of discrimination. These degrade the system and give way to corruption and sleaze hence becomes source of exploitation. Population increase put serious pressure on resources hence the weaker section is seriously stressed, as the space gets reduced they pay the price, hence further discriminated. With low HDI (IMR, U5MR) poorer sections fertility rate will be high but that doesn’t explain increased progenies of elite sections. Every child born (where they could easily adopt) shows entrenched biases and insecurities that ofcourse is discriminatory. Amartya Sen therefore (despite his groovy talks and books) becomes a source for discrimination, as his more number of progenies have dwindled the opportunities for others in particular the marginalized. Every time resources are wasted/overused, especially food, it is a source for discrimination on others, understanding that about 40% of people in this country go without food.  

           

It is in this context that one has to understand the angst of liberal sickular elites, it is a habitual problem. A middle class boy, with Muslim name, was discriminated against in a job selection becomes the latest rallying point. It is an unfortunate event, the law should be applied stringently and guilty punished for discriminations. But this attempt on stretching it from sickularism to secularism is a constant struggle in this section, this time it is couched in ideas of liberal fairness hence modernity. Therefore now the elite with muslim names are automatically victims, Crude Woman who is desperately languishing in sidelines has opportunity for resurrection (and ofcourse create more misery for others), manipulate her way and ironically discriminate (how many genuine talents lost out as she manipulated her national awards so on, despicable). Lastly, coming to Muslim angst, this blogger has written this earlier too. Religion is not sacrosanct, indeed it can never be. These cannot be indulged beyond a point. It is quite clear that the world is facing severely due to atrocities emanating in the name of religion. Islam (particularly the horrible version of Sunni) is undoubtedly becoming a source for misery for large section of people around the world. Non-muslims have very credible reasons to be suspicious of a religion that seems to relegate it as non-entities, indeed dehumanised. ISIS is only extending it by brutal executions. It is therefore quite natural that Muslims explore the choice of rejecting religion altogether or shifting to some other faith. It is difficult to play it both ways and expect empathy. We live in civilized world in which each individual has a choice to decide what faith to follow or not. If something is giving untold misery then one should drop it or try be less arrogantly assertive. The world is increasingly becoming brutal place, it is unfortunate that common people are getting trapped in the cross fire. In the meanwhile it is duty of the state to promote secular thoughts and philosophies, as also crux of all religions, as also against religion, in schools. People must be in a position to choose, they cannot be born into something. That is how you define liberal society. I guess too much is being compromised in the name of religion as also pernicious nature of minority rights that only values religion. The genuine minority issues that needs attention is relegated.     

Horrible nature of poetry, and degraded creativeness

I have nothing against Mythli Sharan Gupt, a rather well known Hindi poet whose poetry we were taught in school, indeed some of the lines are quite endearing that I recall putting in this blog.  So here I was in Delhi on a sunny hot afternoon with nothing much on the schedule, a cursory shuffle through the net pointed to a talk on Mythli Sharan Gupt at IIC. Now before I go further into this let me point to those who may not know much about IIC, it is a pretentious place were Delhi’s retired and retiring  powerful people with big egos hobnob on lighter aspects of life and generally catch up on each other. There is general bonhomie and hilarity in the atmosphere as they negotiate crucial issues plaguing the nation with characteristic ease over multiflavoured cakes and pastries. You could glimpse the patron saints of media and vicious gatekeepers of cultures tied in ethereal conversation, the pause and the nuance, the drinks and the tarts. The chelas, the punds and gudhi punds in hierarchical patronising selves of propriety and conventions, fiercely defending their turf. Peace be upon him, them and everyone. 

IHC across the road is another of such holes, but it places itself in chic. Though I must add when you are in your 20s these places do open up the mind and does create inquisitiveness into areas I was not even aware of. Quite coincidentally IHC came into being about the time I landed up in Delhi. These places became my favourite haunt, and dropped in quite often, as I returned from work from CP to south Delhi and so on, a rather delicious free coffee sealed the matter. So here I was at IIC to listen to Gupt’s Yashodhara, expecting something interesting. I must add, one must not attend poetry readings or anything related to it, it is amazingly trivial affair unless it is about some new poet on the block.  Talks about a poem or a particular book could be interesting. Poetry is something that is dealt in privacy, that involves rereading and long pauses or maybe some sleeping over!!  The worst is literary meets. A writer must be read not met. I would rather prefer to meet a magician, some of these sleight of hand tricks are terrific.

One of the speaker mentioned Mythli Sharan Gupt being favourite of Gandhi, my antennas were up (one can easily conjecture that Gandhi had no poetic sense). The speaker who was introduced as veteran poet (a father like figure to some, I am not referring his name here since he doesn’t measure up) revealed something that had me straighten up and glimpse the degraded nature of Indian creativity, tethered as it is to the primitive framework. Gupt chose Yashodhara (wife of Buddha) as his protagonist of poem to bring out feminine angst. He couldn’t choose Sita since he was a devotee of Ram. This was revelation into the depraved nature of these people. Hence, Buddha was a fair game, putting that into social realities you realise the intent. As angst of Yashodhara was carefully hyperboled and interpretation herein further sought to contemporise the neglect (there was one woman speaker who tried to work out Yashodhara with gandhian disobendience!!, and woman’s emancipation so on…that she too was very much part of the primitive world was quite clear. These elite women therefore try to associate with international feminist angst and position for lick. That they are perpetrators of horrendous reality is conveniently hidden or presented with gandhian ease as ‘unity in diversity’). The old man even ventured further to point out that Yashodhara never converted to Buddhism “mujhe tumhare sharnam gachami se kuch nehi lena dena”. Our man’s fertile imagination conjured these lines to bring out his sarcasm, the impact of these to the contemporary reality is rather telling. He further ventured to assert that Buddhism did not contribute anything much to Indian society!

The Gandhi hugging old man (also moonwalking as revered poet, with ‘books of poems’…no wonder Indians rarely measure up to world standards or anywhere near subtleties of truth) is right in a way. Buddhism is too subtle and nuanced thought, the reason why it didn’t fit into the scheme of things. Buddha was never bothered about god, but squatter’s sought to create god out of him, an attempt was made to appropriate him as incarnation of "Lord Vishnu"!! As Kasturi&Sons will vouch a man has to be god to be able to interact with common people. "Lord Krishna" is an incarnation since he lived with common people and understood philosophies of life and so on. It needs a miracle. And since likes of Kasturi&Sons are not incarnations but representatives of higher scheme they needn’t mingle with common people. That needs a miracle. One fellow even tried experimenting with truth, he is henceforth mahatma!! Such depravity. It is not surprising that the best thoughts were evicted out by the devious squatters.  Best of thoughts (Buddhism) left Indian society, meanwhile percolated in the thoughts of great souls that continue to have space in lives of common people. The highly nuanced and enlightened framework of societies of east asia have definitive influence of Buddhism. The wonderful world’s haikus, zen and simplicity of being. The other day I was watching NHK channel (probably one of the best, and I really don’t expect Indian media to follow this. The cultural gaps are too wide!), a Buddhist monk of the temple told the lady over tea ceremony ‘to live like a single flower’. I found that amazing. This the squatter in the Indian (Hinduism, if you may) temple probably will never even be able decipher let alone utter. They will ofcourse have prescription on how to bring peace to the universe. This you will also see spilling out from the gudhi punds in the media. The all-encompassing universe and one’s grander illusions of ordained self.

Post script: the other day I was taking interviews for Civil service aspirants. A senior retired bureaucrat was the co panellist. He was also the board member at UPSC many times. He quite vehemently suggested everyone to read ‘Hindu’ newspaper and so on.  He asked this question to a candidate “What is Sanskritisation and who gave this theory?”. Having got the appropriate answer he was looking for, about ‘great MN Srinivas’, he ventured further to ask “What is de-sanskritisation?”. Not getting an answer he explained “When higher class people start behaving like lower class”, he guffawed and looked around for appreciation. I maintained a grievous face. Few decades back his ‘jokes’ would have resonated across the room. A general mirth would have instigated talks on ideas of India. Ditto, we are told is in danger now.        

Individual must come before religion

An enlightened state, that is based on values of liberty, hence democratic, should provide primacy to individuals. Whatever maybe the claim of society over individuals it really cannot have right over it. Individual, the human, his/her rights, the human right is paramount. It also means children, the most fragile member of the society, also have rights and it is duty of the State to protect these. It is being taken for granted that children are the property of parents or guardians, therefore have the right to indoctrinate with whatever they think is appropriate.  It maybe argued that parents have best interest therefore would be inculcating the best possible values. The realities in most cases is far from ideal, indeed families by extension societies are hotbeds of prejudices, biases and deviant norms established as traditions and argued as culture, sometimes these even percolate to wider society as benign nostalgia that needs protection. While the rightwing persuasions point to greatness of past, the liberal brethren too point to past as the ideal. The difference being the matter of timescale, for rightwing past is ancient, bordering mythical, wherein India’s greatness was legendary. It doesn’t really stand any scrutiny, although one may agree there were pockets of brilliance which is common in any society. Further, the idea of peninsula as cumulative society is absurd, even now societies within the region called India have wide and varied understandings that in many ways contradicts what is pushed as mainstream narration. Most significantly the society at large was entrapped within heinous squatter’s framework, as most people were marginalised and brutalised, it cannot by in any stretch of imagination signs of any great society, far from it this region was quite a primitive place to be in. The liberal brethren masquerading ideas of India seems to be hinged on recent past, I am not sure of the demarcation but there seems to be an attempt on idea of India. It is being claimed that this being violated. I am not sure what is being claimed and what is violated, it is made complicated -though it is quite clearly hinged to realities and trivialities of pretentious elite, hence if their fragile world is touched they cry foul. Hence the ideas of India we are told are crumbling. The reality being the so-called independence from colonial rule was nothing more than power transfer, the social systems and its intent remains primitive. Framework of apathy, manipulative brutal ways have seeped into every democratic institution. Insidious nature and camaraderie has helped elite section consolidate their gains, insisting garb of merit and competition. The trickle down, if ever, comes devalued and inopportune. This construction of reality of taking past as standpoint for goodness, whether its rightwing or miserable liberal, is questioned and is clear doesn’t stand the scrutiny. Egalitarian values generally emanates from awareness of contexts of common people -as they seek faith in whatever that could imagine as god and help ameliorate, hence secularism. Saints and seers gave values to compassion. These were constantly threatened by squatters as they seek to codify, subjugate and exploit. The present elite is the direct beneficiaries of these miseries, hence their claims of protecting values smacks of habitual hypocrisy. These status quoist beneficiaries of feudal realities have consistently scuttled land reforms or efforts to reforms inherited transactions. Their patronising attitude towards egalitarian efforts makes mockery of it. What makes it grievous is the attempt to represent and usurp compassion that is innate in society.            

It is therefore duty of the State to see that children are exposed to all kind of philosophies and religious thoughts. These should be mandatory, particularly in socalled religious minority schools. Children cannot be born into a religion, sect, ideology or section, they must be given choice to explore and choose whatever they desire. They are humans. That is the meaning of human rights, and that is what egalitarian State must strive and stand for. Religious rights are seen as absolute and sacrosanct these days, the pretentious elite encourages these to show themselves as agent of goodness, most significantly it also prevents primitive home truths. A child cannot be and should not be allowed to be indoctrinated. These narrow worldviews create prejudices, biases and violence. It gives space to obscurantism and dogmatic outlook, in the long run these cause much destruction. An education system can be religious or community based but it should have mandatory study on all religions and atheist worldviews. Religion cannot have right over children, hence create foot soldiers of misery.  State must intervene and prevent these human right violations. Individual must come before religions. There is something more fundamental than religion.  

Post script: depraved Kasturi&Sons aside, I am shocked that a man with views as primitive as Jayakanthan should even be considered for Jnanpith awards. It is also telling that of all his contributions Kasturi& Sons chose to highlight amazing nonsense, severely denting the writer’s credibility. They also sought to play mischief on iconic Periyar. Periyar deserves more than Bharat Ratna, wonder why Dravidian parties never insisted on this. What is more shocking is that these 'prestigious' literary awards don’t seem to be properly scrutinized or else only a particular section seems to be favored. It reflects their attitude and intent. What prevented Muhammad Basheer, one of the best known writer (indeed my all-time favorite) and great humanist, ever considered for these awards. It shows how trivial these people are.    

Incorrigible depravity, Indian media go back

   

This blogger seems to have bumped into the holy grail of amazing depravity entrenched into social framework and attitude herein something I had always suspected but couldn’t put the pulse on. It is too layered, and imagine if it is so hidden with complicated nuances that needs deliberate, sometimes intense, focus as also awareness of social realities, to decipher these crude world, then how are outsiders, particularly West, ever going to come anywhere near. The reason why Indian elites are having it so easy, pirouetting nonviolent concerns, hawking peace, piggyback riding Gandhi (man of the century, we are told) with charming, sometimes hilarious, ease. Positioning as representatives of society that exalts its wondrous ‘unity in diversity’ as entitlement. They are adept in their ways, the camaraderie is telling. 

   Where as the rightist elements in the elite are adept in taking high moral grounds their brethren show their visceral dislike by taking higher liberal grounds, tethered as they both are to squatter’s depravity and hypocrite home truth. This is an arduous task as they have firm control over narration as also seeped into popular idioms and equally entitlement driven progenies controlling the scene. The mediocrity of this society is astounding, India’s demographic dividend will very likely spread this nonviolent pus and gangrene the world, if preventive actions are not taken. I am now quite clear that wily exaggerated concerns for minorities, very narrowly defined to religion, with crude mullahs and elitist Christians, is to elicit compassion as valuable trait as also garner benefits herein. They prey on divisiveness and keep it alive. Casteism, and the incredibly primitive world it creates, therefore is valuable form of divisiveness that also seeks to define their entitlements. Amazingly this depravity is also sold as secular liberal values. For this very reason India is very well an Incredible India! It is a society of amazing primitiveness that has been packaged with compelling pointers as humanity’s saviour. An incredible hogwash.

I have everything against Kasthuri&Sons (there is no disclaimer), and they are only the tip of iceberg of pretentious mediocre elite who have been orchestrating nonsense in the garb of high concerns meanwhile quite viciously degrading society. Their appalling ways have been source of untold misery to common people, astoundingly they were able to work it out into liberal values and impress. Kasturi&Sons can easily be generalised, others to a large extend are too crass, the reason why I point to them. The high priest of Indian media, you may take that literally (surely that’s what they act and proudly stake claim), the entitlement driven fourth estate. As I write these the common people in Nepal, facing the worst of tragedies, have found time to ask Indian media to get out. That probably is the luxury we in India don’t have, we have to tolerate this disgraceful media, hooligans as conscious keepers. They milk the tragedy with amazing crassness, the one I witnessed in Haridwar (mentioned in the earlier blog) is the template that replicates. Clearly they work well in market environment and transactions. Meanwhile Mr. Ramdev, was caught pedaling ‘Putrajeevak’, literal translation means ‘producer of male child’. Obviously it is appalling, to make the matter worse he is the brand ambassador of a State (Haryana) that has the worst sex ratio, as also the region known for entrenched male chauvinism. Ramdev, instead of apologizing, went on the offensive.  It seems it is a Sanskrit word, hence god ordained sanction. Yoga is good for body but is not known to increase intelligence that needs an entirely different process, logic and understanding being critical. Reading scriptures (in Sanskrit) is not known to make one knowledgeable on worldly/relevant/contemporary matters. What is clear is Putra means male child, Putri means female child. So these products only consolidate heinous worldview and crude gender insensitiveness. Crap talk of justification doesn’t help, I am not giving too much social sensitivity to Mr. Ramdev, he seems too naïve and very much entrenched to traditional ways that is tutored. Also, we cannot ask for some product to be withdrawn and some people to mend while ‘liberal’ exuding market can have its primitiveness intact as choice. Kasturi&Sons don’t seem to have problem either. Don’t focus on semantics is their refrain, they don’t see the irony of the name. They cleverly understand that too much probing will very well lead the path to home truths. Nevertheless they seem concern of the effectiveness. Extending the logic I am concerned about effectiveness of all products that is peddled. I am very concerned about exploitative and racist products that degrade environment and society. Pointing to Mr.Ramdev is beginning of liberal classism. Nowhere in the world smoking could be studied from caste-religion divisions, Kasturi&Sons keenness on these divisions is legendary. Papa Kasturi must be contented man in his miserable grave. 

To probe further, last Sunday Kasturi&Sons were in true colours. A mediocre Tamil novelist Jayakanthan was the man in question. He is being sought to be compared with legendary revolutionary Periyar, every attempt is made to degrade Periyar this being latest. It is also an attempt to refurbish squatter’s view and camaraderie herewith.  The squatter columnist was in free flow. Incidentally some people defecate around railway tracks for lack of toilets, they are none too happy and show discomfort. But some happily defecate English words, sometimes long sentences (signs of too much garbage in the system), they call it columns, therefore columnists, these are sometimes also referred to as senior journalists. They look extremely satisfied with their daily defecation, they also get paid.  Then there are novelists whose defecations are legendary just that they quite skillfully skirt Indian realities. The depraved columnist at Kasthuri&Sons claims “An incident in a literary conference over half a century ago is etched in Tamil cultural memory. It’s a meeting in which two personalities laid bare the cultural fault lines in Tamil society.” Really Tamil cultural memory!! Tamil fault lines!! Or is it between the civilised and uncivilised. And goes on with his defection meant to salvage pride of squatters in best tradition of humbleness and Machiavellianism, meanwhile trivializing the struggles of common people from the horrendous reality for which likes of him and his masters (i.e. Kasturi&Sons) are very much responsible. “Periyar E.V. Ramasamy would have been the most unlikely candidate to inaugurate such a conference. But there he was! With over a half-century of selfless political work in the cause of political and social emancipation behind him, he still continued his relentless rationalist campaign despite being shy of 82. His subversive views on god and religion notwithstanding, Periyar’s challenge to the existing Brahmin-dominated order had won him much support even among the believers.” Even among believers?! It is assumed that squatters worldview is that of believers hence any challenge to this primitiveness is posited as challenge to faith. Clever, no wonder Kasturi&Sons saw some talent in this recruit.

“Periyar commenced his speech disavowing any literary credentials. He was no ezhuthalan (writer; the one who wields the pen), he insisted, but a karuthalan, one who dealt with ideas — a pregnant neologism coined for the moment. Delivered in the spoken register, shorn of rhetoric, it was a characteristic performance. His critique of caste, religion, Brahmins, god, and their baneful influence on Tamil language and writing was replete with proverbs and spiced with an earthy humour. Without burning the Puranas and epics, he asked, how was Tamil literature to flourish? Was it not the duty of writers to debunk such fanciful writing and lead the people on the path of reason?” Note even god doesn’t have capital letter! Amazing glimpse of worldly humbleness. Periyar’s disavowing of any literary credentials was deliberate snub at so called writers and artists who tend to take high ground on the basis of creative freedom, and in Indian reality as also in its mediocrity puts it in frame of shockingly absurd if not irresponsible.

“When he rose to speak, Jayakanthan clarified that he had no wish to contest Periyar. But considering that Periyar advocated reason as the touchstone of all thinking and action, and wanted to decimate the ancient wisdom of the Hindus, Jayakanthan declared that he too would employ reason to refute him. Invoking the great Siddha poet Sivavakkiyar, he argued that rationalism could follow not only the atheistic route but take recourse to belief as well. Drawing on pop anthropology, he provided a defence of Hindu Puranas. Rather than blame Brahmins for the ills of Tamil society, Jayakanthan defended the pristine and ancient varnashrama ordering of society, and argued that it was because Brahmins had failed in their duty that India had fallen to its present state! Finally, he declared that, as a writer, he would brook no instruction on what he should or should not write”. Note the emphasized words are that of the writer, ofcourse there is futile bid to elevate the mediocre novelist (clearly a man with such derogatory views shouldn't be even be considered for Jnanapith awards, it is unfortunate but then the list of highest awards is about high end camaraderie of mediocrity the reason why it is nowhere near any international standards) like Jayakanthan as some kind of titan. Obviously a much aware and civilized publication wouldn’t allow these kinds of primitiveness. These are little traditional ways Kasturi&Sons work out their little world, and yes this is 21^st century, and yes they also see themselves as guardians of worldly peace, and have strong views on how France should deal with crisis. The depravity of it all. Nepali people don’t know that Indian media is only a small fraction of Indian reality we face on daily basis that has been cannibalising common people for too long. In the meanwhile it’s time to be high on liberalism and preen in some classism.   

The scoundrels called Kasthuri&Sons

I gather Indian intellectuals have manipulated some gravitas for opinions and suggestions on matters related to national and international concern in the last many decades. They are being looked upon as benevolent guardians of humanity.  The Indian philosophy seems to be posited as solutions to problems besetting modern world, it is claimed Indians have upper hand on matters of high morals. And many have snooting their views as the repository of worldly order, the keys to these mystical world only they are ordained, haughtiness withstanding. On matters of minorities (ofcourse confined to religion) they behave as aggressive local guardians, clearly crossing the lines of civilised. That those claiming the minorities themselves are seriously flawed, regressive, is pushed under as freedom. That Indians themselves cannot claim to be much civilised and that diversity is a primitive alliance -pus is mistaken for peace. 

There are hundreds of newspapers in different languages but English had it easy, and in this The Hindu (run by patriarchs Kasturi&Sons) in particular claims to be high on concerns. It may be true as other bunches are too crass in their stampede to please the market and earn their daily meal. Most journalists are joke, indeed most people can do what they are doing in the name of journalism. The high sounding ‘fourth estate’ ‘pillar of democracy’ does attempt to give some credibility. And they do take some matters seriously, that is if it doesn’t rock their boat. It is a known fact that they play second fiddle to big corporates. The HSBC revelation points to serious nexus of revenue officials and big money, clearly they have severely degraded institutions. Army officials become arms dealers, bureaucrats become investment facilitators. We have amazingly successful lawyer luminaries in the tardiest of legal system that has given untold misery to common people. The sycophants in political parties (specifically Congress) don’t have any mass base therefore they cultivate these to consolidate themselves as they degrade the system for manipulative space. The moles, the marketeers, manipulators, fixers…have severely undermined democratic principles (take the con couple ZK and Crude woman on a two day custody and they will spill the beans on the modus operandi, this template of manipulation is played at higher level by exploitative corporate). Capitalism in whatever nuanced intent can only be crony in India, that is the nature of the society, while communism can be but pretentious posturing.  

The high intent of journalists, that of The Hindu too is limited, as they play within the exploitative framework. They may take high moral grounds but are tethered to primitive framework. Like almost all businesses in India they too are beneficiaries of feudal-made-worst by caste cannibalised framework is clear. And that they judiciously accrued these benefits and multiplied too is clear. The outsider they finally allowed as editor left in disgust. Recently as machiavellian politicians tried to usurp the legacy of Ambedkar, Kasthuri&Sons weren’t far behind. They posited themselves as saviours for the sake of under trodden, their heart constantly bleed for them is the claim. But let us be clear these people are in for the big ticket concerns that could be showcased to international audience, and benefits herein. Even in these their concerns are superficial.

The Hindu has a column dedicated to religion (meanwhile they also pose as left leaning!), even by the standard of primitive form of squatter’s world they carry amazingly crude views. It is appalling but Kasthuri &Sons find nothing amiss, maybe they carry it as redemption for the 'sins' they commit. Take these despicable lines in today’s newspaper. “…Are His avataras real, or are they the result of some magic on His part? Arjuna is born in a royal family, because he must have done some good deeds in his previous births to merit this position…Krishna gives Arjuna answers to all his questions. The Lord’s avataras are real and are not the result of magic. His avataras are taken because He wants to descend to the Earth. He does not come because of His past deeds…” blah blah and further crap of imaginatively clever mind to control herd. Clearly it seems to be primitive interpretation of Gita -not that everything about this book (one among many hindu holy texts) is enlightening. So Kasturi&Sons maybe showcasing their liberal angle by protesting against suggestion of Gita as national book, but underneath these scoundrels have no qualms spreading primitiveness.     

   

 Analyse the sentence that is packaged as part of god’s (clearly His) views “Arjuna is born in a royal family, because he must have done some good deeds in his previous births to merit this position”. Which means Ambedkar must have done bad deeds to demerit, therefore the sections who brutalised have reasons, meanwhile perpetrators have no hand, not even our London returned Kasturi&sons. These scoundrels are only humble (emphasis that) witness to cosmic play of brutalities. This crudeness is called caste cannibalism, worse than racism, a twisted understanding that enlightened seers have rejected outright. Kasthuri&Sons and their primitive forefathers are very much responsible for caste violence that kill and brutalise common people that one see on daily basis -but is cleverly manipulated as law&order issue, that has severely handicapped people. These are the people who deviously provide credibility to worst meanwhile humbly stand on the sidelines and parrot peace (Gandhian if you will), they are also prone to take high moral grandstanding. Hereditary legacy therefore is part of cosmic play. These, therefore are the people, who actively scuttled land reforms and inheritance tax, and encouraged nepotism and crony capitalism, made law&order machinery tardy and judiciary lax. They actively kept govt. schools/hospitals inefficient and people in trance of fate. They degraded the society and brutalised people. Meanwhile very much attuned to royal happenings across the world, as some kind of barometer of their own humble legacy. You will see their keenness on matters related to royalties as they negotiate liberal values and barbaric peace.

Kasthuri&Sons shouldn’t be allowed to get away, they have been playing for too long. They should be taken to task (for my part I write these, as also return the newspaper to the vendor). It is much worse than a white American liberal hiding Klu klux klan outfit in his closet or a Nazi wear that he wears on special occasion without ever feeling out of place. It is worse because it cloaked in religious/moral flavour morning sermons that seeks to further entrap common people and feed on their miseries. Kasthuri &Sons and their ilk have been feeding for many centuries now, even choice of modern enlightened thoughts don’t deter shows their deep entrenched hypocrisy and brutal ways. They shouldn’t be allowed in civilised circle.