Women’s reservation bill should be resisted

This blogger has written this earlier but the issue is back again. Women’s reservation bill in the present form is undemocratic and elitist to say the least. It will be a regressive step and therefore all right minded people should fiercely resist it. Sonia Gandhi’s enthusiasm on this matter is dangerously misplaced. All the aspect of this bill has been discussed in and out of the parliament many times so this blogger doesn’t want to get into it but some interesting observation is worth noting.

In the last decade or two people from the lower strata of the society have started to assert their right and refuse to elect people from elite section to represent them. Mayawati is a spectacular example of this. There are many leaders from lower strata as also some tribal leaders too, lack of space for leaders to grow among tribals by mainstream political parties over the years is one of the reasons for it to be hijacked by Maoists. Even the leaders who emerge get easily corrupted for favors on billion dollar natural resource (that is run by outsiders). The issue of corruption is all pervasive, and secondly lack of redistributive justice and policies have seen to that most political leaders from this section lack the economic clout that has become so important these days.

The national parties whether Congress or BJP or the Communists have strong element of feudalism in their structure. You just have to look at the socio-economic background of the entrenched groups in these parties to get a clear picture. In recent time their hold over the masses has been slipping. Women’s reservation will therefore help them regain that hold by pushing their family and friends. This is an uneven battle and issues of gender are being manipulated to serve their narrow end. The divide in the Parliament and outside reflect this reality. It is not surprising that most mainstream political parties are excited about this, they know thier benefit.

The power of money has been well documented in the recent elections, most of our MPs are millionaires (hows that for a country with 1/3^rd having no access to next meal!!) and yes there is strong social context to benefits of prosperity. There is rural urban divide too.

One needs to just look at the enthusiasm of market media to be cautious. Clearly this bill is going to benefit their section, growing cynicism towards political class also need to be put into this context. Probably I am saying this umpteenth time: many in media are as corrupt, irresponsible and greedy as worst of us can be. Return of elitism will hugely help urban based media. Already you see favoritism shown by government towards one media over other. Home Minister (of India, of course...also note that the Union home Secretary is specially concerned giving live feed to each TV channel separately during any crisis) could be seen in TV channels most of the time with more regularity than exploding bombs . Junior ministers are complaining they don’t have work. If this is a joke I am not able to understand. I as any other citizen of this country find these extremely alarming.

Women’s bill will have to have strong safeguards against misuse and benefits accrued by elite section (this has been the tragedy of this nation). This blogger is not a supporter of caste based reservation that is like replacing A with B. The bill must favor women who have proven track record of having worked at the grassroot decision making, meaning they should be members of Panchayaths or municipalities for a minimum period (to prevent misuse, this need to be objective). Increasing the reservation to 50% has been an amazing step (we need to thank Bihar- not Brinda Karat party ruling Bengal- for this initiative).

If women’s bill is attempted to be passed in the present form it is an affront to Indian democracy and insult on its people. Sadly money power has seen a feudalist nature of parliament formation and therefore a very genuine threat that it could be passed. I hope this is severely resisted and all attempts made to block it.

To put it crudely replacing dicks with cunts is no gender parity (that is aggressive western model, India has its unique problems) nor does it solve gender issues. Further if there is less representation that is the nature of society we live in has to be build from grassroot level. This blogger doesn’t think there is any significant gender discrimination in elite section nor are they uniquely qualified to understand problems of millions of women at the grassroot level. Even men in the elite section may understand problems as much as women in Juhu or Malabar hills (weekend visit to slums may not help much except maybe ‘discovering’ that there are people who don’t own car or ac and still are surviving!. It may influence the west, which is how it is positioned but we know what it is all about)

Women’s bill in the present form is seriously flawed and is nothing but symbolism at the expense of democracy- that indeed seems to be the only voice of millions of marginalised Indians who queue up every year in large numbers expecting some change in their godforsaken life. If any attempts are made to tamper, it will have to be done with utmost caution. Women’s empowerment sounds good but it has to be genuine attempt to bring parity and sensitive lawmakers. I don’t think the present bill does any justice.

PS: talking of dick and cunt. There is this girl, an artist, whom I knew many years back, she was more keen on installation work than painting and was quite outspoken. She once said to me “the difference between man and woman is that woman has got it pushed in what man has hanging out!” and added “they call it dick and cunt”. She probably was mildly drunk but she made lots of sense. Her works include being photographed with balls inside her T shirt!!. While the guy whom she stayed with expertised in covering his middle finger with saffron colored cloth and pushing it out his pant zip, photographing and then titling it “saffron dick”. He distributed that to everyone around. Presto we have all the making of liberal intellectual or maybe he is already one wonder how I missed it!.

Isn't there a case for stop funding Amnesty International?

Amnesty International seems to be affected by British arrogance (it’s quite natural being headquartered in London), it has lost its plot. Either dimwits who are running this organization (it is mix of lack of conscience and armchair world view or it is most likely that they are trying to add some excitement to their pretentious sick life) should be asked to quit or the people who volunteer money to these should stop it at the earliest. Amnesty international has erred quite badly and should rectify themselves immediately; they are accused of lacking sensitivity and application of basic intelligence, that is also quite natural with people who exist in theoretical world. I feel sorry for that gentle soul Peter Benenson. It need be added here that Amnesty International has done some wonderful work since it was created, therefore it is important that they have clarity on what exactly they are supposed to be doing, less verbal dexterity and more compassion would be good beginning. World needs them.

As mentioned in the earlier blog British arrogance is a threat to the world. This country should be declared as supporter/sponsor of terrorist and should therefore be put under watch list

Also visit www.human-rights-for-all.org

This a copy of "Global Petition to Amnesty International: Restoring the Integrity of Human Rights". Please visit the site "http://www.human-rights-for-all.org/spip.php?article15" to sign the petition and support, it is important all the readers of this blog do this now (emphasis mine).

Global Petition to Amnesty International: Restoring the Integrity of Human Rights
Saturday 13 February 2010

As organisations and individuals who stand for and support the universality of human rights, we have noted with concern the suspension of Gita Sahgal, Head of the Gender Unit at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in London, for questioning Amnesty International’s partnership with individuals whose politics towards the Taliban are ambiguous.

We come from communities that recognize and appreciate the work of Amnesty International in defending human rights and women’s rights around the world. Many of us work closely with Amnesty International in their campaigns at various levels.

We believe that Gita Sahgal has raised a fundamental point of principle which is “about the importance of the human rights movement maintaining an objective distance from groups and ideas that are committed to systematic discrimination”.

This issue of principle is critical at the present moment, with the United States led “War on Terror” leading to the suspension of human rights and increased surveillance over individuals and the body politic. Ironically, the language of human rights and human rights defenders is being taken over by the US/NATO alliance in its efforts to legitimise a re-born imperialism. Equally disturbingly, this language is also being hijacked by organizations that espouse extremist and violent forms of identity-based politics. The space for a position that challenges both these is shrinking, and human rights are becoming hostage to broader authoritarian political agendas, whether from states or communities.

In this context, it is crucial for human rights defenders and organisations to clearly define principles and core values that are non-negotiable. Our commitment to countering, among others, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny and xenophobia should at no time blur our recognition of the authoritarian, often fascist, social and political agendas of some of the groups that suffer human rights abuse at the hands of the big powers.

The broader issue of principle which we raise here, is one which concerns all of us as human rights defenders from different parts of the world. Many of us who work to defend human rights in the context of conflict and terrorism know the importance of maintaining a clear and visible distance from potential partners and allies when there is any doubt about their commitment to human rights. Given the circumstances in which questions regarding the partnership with Cageprisoners appear to have been raised, we feel that Amnesty International should have refrained from providing them with a platform. It should have been possible for Amnesty International to campaign against the fundamental human rights abuses that have occurred at Guantanamo and elsewhere without making alliances that compromise Amnesty International’s core values, just as other human rights organisations have done.

History has repeatedly shown us that anti-democratic organisations can and do manipulate information and their own self-representation for narrow political advantage. In any situation of ambiguity, we feel that the benefit of doubt should have been given to the expert staff members of Amnesty International. We feel that in this instance there has been a lack of respect for the opinions expressed by Gita Sahgal, who is a senior member of staff, and a critical failure of internal democratic functioning at Amnesty’s International Secretariat.

What is needed is democratic debate, internally as well as in the public sphere, on the human rights principles that should guide Amnesty International and all of us in determining our alliances. We have to ensure that the partnerships we form are true to the core human rights values of equality and universality. Our accountability in this area, internally as well as externally, to all our diverse constituencies, cannot be put at risk. We need a rigorous examination of potential partners. Given the complex situations we work in, what is needed is open debate, not a censoring and closure of discussion on these important issues. Shifting the debate and turning this into a discussion about ‘Othering’ and ‘demonisation of Guantanamo prisoners’ is merely obscuring the real issues at stake. It puts at risk the work that Amnesty International is attempting to do in Afghanistan and other areas. Unfortunately, it also fails to answer the very serious questions that have been posed to which we are also seeking answers.

In the present context of ‘constructive engagement’ with the Taliban, as proposed at the recent Conference on Afghanistan in London, it is our obligation to ensure that we do not barter away the human rights of minorities and of women for ‘peace’. There are enough recent examples of such attempts which show that these deals are a chimera and do not result in either peace or security. Whatever the nature of ‘engagement’ with authoritarian groups, and whatever partnerships and alliances we enter into with individuals or organisations involved in such ‘engagement’, the positive conditionalities and checks based on human rights, which are universal and indivisible, must remain central and non-negotiable for human rights organizations and defenders.

We call on Amnesty International to clearly and publicly affirm its commitment to the above in all areas of its work; and to demonstrate its obligation to make itself publicly accountable, as it has so often demanded of others.

We extend our solidarity and support to Gita Sahgal, who is well known and widely respected for her principled activism on human rights internationally, for her courageous stand in raising this issue within and outside Amnesty International.

Drafted and initiated by:

• Dr. Amrita Chhachhi, Women, Gender and Development Program, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, member Kartini Asia Network of Women/Gender Studies
• Sara Hossain, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
• Sunila Abeysekera, INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Sri Lanka
  

Put Britain on terrorist watch list

Countries around the world will have to put Britain on terrorist watch list and citizens traveling from or towards Britain should be made to go through extra security check. This arrogant nation is very much the cause of miseries that is crossing boundaries. Quite accidentally as I was browsing the Net this morning I came across an interview of Wole Soyinka. Nigeria one of the prominent countries of African continent is in serious crisis, religious fundamentalism is eating into this society, as is the case of poor societies around the world. Subtle and quaint cultures that allowed people to coexist for centuries are finding their identities being redefined and their world mutilated. Understandably Soyinka is agitated "England is a cesspit. England is the breeding ground of fundamentalist Muslims. Its social logic is to allow all religions to preach openly. But this is illogic, because none of the other religions preach apocalyptic violence. "This is part of the character of Great Britain". "Colonialism bred an innate arrogance, but when you undertake that sort of imperial adventure, that arrogance gives way to a feeling of accommodativeness. You take pride in your openness." And so it is, he says, that Britain lets everyone preach whatever they want: It confirms a self-image of greatness.

"The Muslim Abdulmutallab (the young man who boarded a flight in Amsterdam on Christmas Day with a bomb in his underpants) believed in his own, alien deity, and yet, another deity—Ogun—protected his fellow travelers. In this case, the indigenous deity that (Abdulmutallab) carried inside him—Ogun, the god of wayfarers—thwarted his plan. The young man's suppressed deity came out…" Here, he chuckled wisely and added: "It's a poetic conceit, but I love it."

Will radical Islam take root in the United States, as it has elsewhere in the West? Mr. Soyinka was confident that it would not. "I doubt you can have the kind of indoctrination schools in America as you do in the U.K. Besides, there's a large body of American Muslims in the U.S.—the Nation of Islam—which has created a kind of mainstream Muslim institution. The Muslims there are open Muslims, whereas in Europe they tend to go into ghetto schools".

"The Nation of Islam provides an antidote in the United States to fundamentalist Islam—which is why individuals from America have to go abroad to find radical teachings."

(courtesy The Daily Beast. Visit www.thedailybeast.com )

When tragedy strikes

Death comes sneaking and gallops away before we realize leaving some distraught people in its wake. This blogger had gone to Ramanagaram (it is an hour from Bangalore) to snap Long billed Vulture (this my second visit in last one month and still couldn’t get it, will have to come back again). This is a rocky terrain (famous for movies like Sholay and Passage to India) climb up and you will reach a temple (dedicated to lord Ram) with deceptively placid looking pond- that is formed on the cervices of huge rocky mountains. I was expecting a calm day, had chosen a working day when people are busy in offices, a sunny quiet day i love to be out, then came bus load of utterly excited school children to my utmost irritation. I have nothing against children but there are times when you don’t want them around. So I climbed further up where you get a clear view of the mountains and no one around, I sat there to watch the amazing sight. Screams and shouts woke me from my stupor; apparently an adolescent boy was sucked into the pool his sister jumped to save him she too was drowning when some local saved her. It was chaos with children and attempts made to rescue, few who dared to get into the pool came back stunned by the steep sudden depth. In the meantime some foreigners came with troop of tidily dressed children and immediately congregated to evaluate the situation and decided to go back. I too was getting sucked into the whirlpool of overwhelming despair and so decided to go away. Close the eyes and pray for the soul and move on what else to do.

Who is responsible for this?. You cannot blame the child he was ecstatic, euphoric being out on a picnic. Did the school authorities take enough precautions?. Did they have parent teacher meeting to discuss the risks involved and precautions to be taken, after all you are giving your children’s responsibilities to teachers?. Were the children told what is expected from them?. I guess no because they were all running well ahead of teachers, when the tragedy happened there were no elders around. Further up the rock mountains too are dangerously placed with precarious paths, this is no place for unsupervised children.

What about the authorities? There is no one around, at the gate down below there is a fellow who collects money for parking that’s all. The threaded fellow in the temple should also be held responsible. He is not here to make easy money, he has responsibility. The path to the pond is from the temple, why was it kept open? He is not even bothered about basic cleanliness of the surrounding with plastic covers strewn around the place, disgusting people. To keep the surrounding safe and clean is the duty of those who run the temple. Religion should necessarily start from that premise.

Tragedies happen in tourist spot which collide with the might of nature, I have seen many like this it upset me lot (this time I got it on camera, more pics on photo blog). City dwellers generally tend to underestimate nature. I recall many deaths in meenmutti (near Trivandrum which was favorite excursion spot). Being drunk is understandable, being drunk on a beach is also understandable but being drunk during monsoon and wanting to get into the sea is not understandable at all. Sea is treacherous during monsoon with heavy undercurrent but some of these youngsters (studying in manipal) with exaggerated understanding of themselves are ready for any stupidity. I have seen many deaths in Malpe beach during my brief stay. Why would anyone intentionally reduce their probability of survival with these kinds of antics is beyond me.

PS: cleanliness of the surrounding is different from ritualistic cleanliness of dimwits, hygiene includes keeping the vicinity clean and safe. Religion should necessarily reflect heightened aesthetic sense. This blogger strongly believes there is an increasing need for ministry of aesthetics, every new structure or urban plan has to be cleared by them

Celebrating Galileo

Yesterday was Galileo’s birth anniversary, the Indian Institute of Astronomy (IIA) celebrated this by arranging a seminar. This blogger got an invitation but the distance and peak hour traffic was a threat, finally after much vacillation decided to go. Must say it was worth the time spent. The main speaker (don’t recall his name) had good sense of humor and made the seminar lively with slides. He did a good job. Certain aspect of Galileo was so spectacular that it kept me riveted. Galileo was multifaceted, apart from being an incisive scientist he was a writer, a musician. He used his writing skills to good affect trying to communicate his astronomical observations as dialogues. He used Italian, and not Latin, to reach common people. Galileo is referred to as father of modern physics, his contribution has been stupendous. UN declared last year as International year of Astronomy to commemorate invention of telescope. Telescope was a leap from what is seen and what is reality.

It was a great way to spent the evening, this blogger expresses his gratitude to IIA (more photos in photo blog).

What to say…

The blast in German Bakery was a heinous act of cowards. It has left me deeply sad. German bakery was quaint little place which was a meeting point for people, last few years the whole place had become quite crowded and so I used to avoid. Koregoan park was such a beautiful place more than a decade back (I guess I visited here in 1997 and brought a cycle on rent to roam around, I had come here much before while studying in school), it was a agreeable place and I used to interact a lot with foreigners. I recall being in love with a Colombian briefly so used to go to German Bakery with her often. My favorite was Cappuchino (a kind of fungus drink that took me an hour to finish. Every time I come to pune I don’t miss this drink). I also recall making fun of Nepali waiters in here when that massacre at Nepal monarchy happened many years back, they sold newspaper at the counter). Recently though Koregoan has changed a lot, a kind of development I hate. With traffic, even crossing once isolated roads has become difficult. I am also not a fan of young urban Indians, and suddenly lots of call centers and buildings have turned up and so this crowd. Last time I was in a pune I went to German bakery only once (for old time sake I think), for breakfast (poha sold by that woman under the tree used to be really good), I also keep my interaction quite limited these days so preferred the excitement of race course. Pune has changed a lot, some call it development (and therefore should be welcomed) but it lacks any form of subtlety, don’t know crude, crass and gross is how development should be defined. What prevents cities having stricter pollution and noise rules as also space for cyclists? I don’t think I will be going to pune in future, this I decided on my last visit. Slowly cities are moving away from me…images of German bakery only add to uneasiness.

Cities are becoming similar they lack the character and flavor of the place. Unaesthetic buildings are alienating us from ourselves. It is a colossal loss that is difficult to express. .

Britain does it again !!

This irresponsible nation has done it again. They have provided a Hindu fellow to exhibit his “religious rights”. Now this fellow wants to be burn his body (after death of course) in open pyre. This he believes is how Hindus attain salivation (it is news to me, not that I am terribly concerned about what happens to me after my death…living itself is quite a challenge!). These kinds of crude expressions and irrational adamant behavior (which is a step away from fundamentalism) you will find in people once they reach Britain. Britain seems to be churning out crudest possible people. The problem here is prosperity does cushion the impact but poorer societies pay heavy price. Unfortunately Britain also happens to have embryonic link to pretentious elite of the subcontinent- who get framework from these societies.

The fellow who won his religious rights in Britain has put people in here in precarious situation. Electric crematorium is encouraged, it is environment friendly and people have adapted to it quite well despite earlier reservations. Also one need to understand in crowded cities it is not feasible to have open pyres, it troubles other. Most people in this part of world will know that it is not decent thing to do and would compromise so as to not cause trouble.

Now enter the vicious breed, market has already done enough ground work, having emboldened by “developed nation” they will create problem here. Fundamentalist have got one more weapon to work on sentiments. It is I am told asserting one’s rights (there is this fellow with funny white hair -who calls himself ‘Lord’-another British joke!- who also visits this country occasionally to tell us how we should live). They will now insist on cruder forms of religion as their right. It puts tremendous pressure on societies that has to live by sharing and adjusting.

Britain is a shame, their arrogance (or is it the guilt of their primitive ancestors who basically were into looting and wholesale massacring) will definitely take them down. Yes they have the money to have high quality surveillance but then societies don’t work on surveillance they work on cooperation and being responsible towards society and environment. These kinds of verdict fracture that bond. The high priests in British judiciary may not have experience to realize these. These are not found in books.

Post script: flip side is in India they are only responsible to family and friends. The reason why India is among the most corrupt countries in the world. It about loving the family.

So is the film a super hit? Not exactly super hit but a movie can be hit before even it is released. These miracles happen these days. They don’t even need audience!!. Isn’t that wonderful?. They do it by selling the rights and working out with ads and so on. As far as this movie is concerned they saved a fortune on marketing, it’s been free for a week in news channel and otherwise, it has also helped the TRP (it has good looking people and ready made masala, a hindi news anchor kept repeating dilchesp hota ja raha hai!!). That is great beginning. Everybody seems to be happy. Ideally this nonsense would have subsided just before the date of release with each party having worked out their profit/benefit agrees to back down. But our man for once is being egged on to play martyr…who are the people behind these could be quite a revelation. Anyway the mardon wali cream fellow is an unlikely martyr, he is quite shrewd for that. I guess the calculation would be: even though the movie may have problem in Mumbai that should be the reason why people around the world should watch it. They could spin it as- if you watch the movie you are supporting freedom!!. So much of possibilities and can win awards (it becomes our duty). His being a muslim has only helped the matter. The mute question here is how can state machinery used to protect a movie, how much it has cost the exchequer?. Whether common people in Mumbai also don’t need police protection?

Shiv Sena goons are clear winners (others haven’t lost-these are always framed to win –win), it is not difficult to see why people in maharashtra wouldn’t agree with them (however if they don’t temper they might loose it, but I guess they are not really looking for majority). They have used the media quite effectively (it could be a case study in management schools). The state governments over the years have fed the goons and now they have attained a size that if you do anything they could play victim card and gain sympathy. They have taken the city on ransom. Chief Minister with centre is working out how to utilize the situation, Union minister Sharad Pawar has done his small mischief (even crude woman turd is out of her hole to steady her brand, this a trump card to brandish her image as also ask for future favors from big banners). It is amazing is it not?.

Have you ever seen dog in front of butcher shop?. The kind of concentration, patience, ditto here everyone is working out their future with diligence. Also dog will snarl if they see their kind around ditto here they are snarling at each other. So who gets the meat?

Believe me none of these people are going to be of any help when reality strikes, although they each are equally responsible to deteriorate the situation. The common people will pay some heavy price. The elite section will not be in streets when killings happen. That is why you will not see Sunil Gavaskar screaming on the TV screen because he doesn’t have to position himself. And yes he will risk his life to save lives (and I am very certain woman like turd-or that joker moron would even roll down their car window in the same circumstance- I know what these people are all about). He is an amazing guy, a great sportsperson, a great human…if any sportsperson is ever considered for country’s top honor it has to be him.

We live in a world that is increasingly getting cynical the reason why I seem to be getting very demotivated in my blogs. I am definitely going to reduce my postings. I though am quite excited about my birds blog (writing short story with my kind of English is an arduous task, I like the challenge so would keep posting once in a while. Previously when words fly I chase it now when they settle down they become poems without me realizing it!!). I love that one, it gets exciting every time. Initially I was thinking on hundred birds but now I would like to cover about 1000 birds. That will take my life time I think!!. And as you can see I cannot really leave it on birds alone I do write about literature/poems so on. That’s double whammy. I guess I have just got started and there is so much to cover and read. One of my dream when I was kid was to visit as many countries as possible- I still spent lots of time on atlas, that is unlikely to happen but internet (and TV) has opened amazing opportunities…you can visit countries with click of button. It is incredible.

What a filly !!!

you got to stand up for Jacqueline, what an amazing horse. Mumbai Derby was never so exciting and competitive (Becket is a great looking horse with flowing mane and a speed to match, i love that colt), it was worth the money and time. Well done everyone. Quite an incredible day at the turf club.

Mollycoddling Shiv Sena

It is a wonder that a small fringe party could take a mega city on ransom that too for decades, even the splinter groups has found its footing. I am amazed. Any ordinary person on the street if he or she breaks the law they have to pay instantly (last month I parked my vehicle in no parking zone- it was new sign I haven’t seen before, ended up shelling out 300Rs. Definitely not a small amount of money). And here they do all kinds of nonsense but seem to get away quite blatantly. That brings into question whether it is all not arranged with each party aware of its role and share?

Clearly police is politicized and nothing has been done by successive governments, maybe judiciary could do something about it. The executive seem to have failed the people consistently over the years for their personal gains and using state machinery for this purpose. The police need to professionally handle these law breakers without any bias or favor, strictly following the rule of the land. With the system like this it doesn’t look like it is going to happen. It is about accruing power never mind people pay for it heavily.

At this stage it seems that it helps the ruling party to pit splinter groups against each other and try to gain from these. Law and machinery therefore becomes mute testament to these violations. MNS’s growth can be traced to these soft handling by state government. Shiv sena looks like the major gainer again since they have made the kind of voices which most people seem to agree with and I will not be surprised if they win elections or become vicious in its pursuit. This is how societies get polarized, narrow short term gains for politicians. I fail to understand how Bal Thackery is a free man after all that he done and doing over years. He should very well be in jail. This blogger believes that any politician or person in authority who plays with the life of people should be arrested and kept behind bar as a social menace. I don’t give much about Babri demolition, but I am very concerned about what happened in Mumbai riots. Incompetent Liberhan (with an attitude to match) took twenty years, wonder what happened to Srikrishna commission. Shouldn’t there be a time limit for these commissions?. This blogger strongly believes commissions should be brought into the ambit of judiciary.

Normally fringe groups and its lumpen actions should be ignored but the compulsion of 24x7 news channels see to it that these are blown up exaggerated and repeated hundreds of times across hundreds of channels around the country, with screamers taking sides looking for their share (for small time ambitious people this a huge PR chance- to show how evolved peace loving they are). Most importantly the cameras are always present when these small skirmishes happen (must say sometimes end up instigating behavior that wouldn’t have happened otherwise, it becomes a play for wider audience), it surprises me always how camera reaches before cops?

Clearly Shiv Sena and other fringe groups are good for socio-political elite, they are fighting for their share. It is a synergic relation at the expense of people. They differ quite viciously in media, and goons take it out the remaining on the street. Politicians work out their agenda while media gets their bite. It is win-win situation for people at the top. It is people on the street who generally suffer. It is loss for them that too something they are not much bothered about, nothing to do with. People at the top are divided quite viciously for their own selfish reason (for smallest of action the benefits are huge in here) and common people become pawn. But the fact is ignoring these small skirmishes will embolden lumpen elements to go for bigger intrusion into law.

There is a question on why a big actor or big budget movie is targeted? Simple it is maximum publicity at minimum cost!!. You don’t have to be Newton for that!. Media loves these and there is no way they are going to miss it (ask any peddler worth his or her salt they will tell you how they make people buy things with few lines from these actors even mardon wali cream!!). This is ready made masala, TRP busting situation. So the fringe group leaders also get chance to speak to wider audience and increasingly selfish and cruder breed that is watching -of course they will agree to these. So there haven’t we got it right without any election campaign expense?. That is marketing strategy at desultory ease. Producers of movie are also looking for controversy after all that is the easiest publicity than jumping from one studio to another to malls and god knows what thamasha to make people watch their movie. Some even manufacture controversy. Even today when they were talking about Shiv Sena they were trying to promote their yet to be released movie. Showing clips of movie as people discuss. It is called maximizing the opportunity.

Apart from these there are also these clever breed who make a living out of using small time opportunities, they exist in fault lines very cleverly calibrating their moves. They are the one who want to play victims in this melee. Their whole life depends on it. Haven’t faced much problems in life they crave to represent the needy, a vicarious sense of victim hood. This is an easy career if you have access to money and power. Playing the saviors. Now these people have their butt close to the fringe group so even an accidental kick is a godsend. They howl and create hoopla and lo we have victims. They therefore actively instigate fringe groups. The problem is that they work very closely with market media and so make it precarious for common people. The more divided the people, more troubled the situation, better for them. It is about pushing their ass around powerful people. They have an eye firmly on people who matter and what they can accrue from the situation. It is a stampede.

So there everybody stands to gain. I too enjoy watching exclusive pictures “first time in any channel”, hypocrite leaders showing their fake emotions, amazingly irresponsible media telling the goons- who moon walk as politicians, to be civil. Quite entertaining, it is good for digestion. So far so good but the hitch here is if law is broken then they have to be punished. And yes police force should be depoliticized. Maybe judiciary can take this up.

Condolences: Cochin Haneefa was one of popular actor in Malayalam- Tamil movies, he expertised in comic roles (he also directed few movies). Comedy is one of the difficult things to do (put some glycerine you can cry, Chinese rope trick and muscles for heroes...that makes comedians exact actors!), it needs timing that should instantly click with the audience and you have to be innovative all the time. There are some masters in this field Jagathy (in Malayalam), Vivek (Tamil), late Mahmood (in Hindi), Woody Allen (English)…to name few. The list is quite long maybe some other time. Cochin Hanifa I came to know when kireedom was released “hydros” was a very popular character (there was this fellow in college whom we called hydros!!), he did it to perfection. Haneefa expertised in comedy through dialogue delivery, the way it was spoken, delivered and nuances associated with it. He was a class act.

continuation of last blog...

This blogger is proud to be a citizen of a country that believes in the ideals of secularism and has enshrined the right to practice and propagate religion to all (this individual right is curtailed in many countries) in the constitution. The protection of minorities is an indication of evolved society and stable state. But when individuals start to blabber about secularism is when you can be sure they are looking for power and have divisive agenda. Take for instance last week a cricketer turned politician (from BJP) made an amazing statement that “Pakistan players in IPL will help India’s secular credential”. This ridiculous statement is just another example of how they try work their position, clearly the fellow seem to be keen on moving away from BJP to ‘secular party’ this is his try. It is a different matter that Pakistan is an Islamic country that is shifting quite rapidly to cruder form of religion. Associating friendliness with Pakistan to gain confidence of Indian Muslims is one of the ploy of crude and dangerous form of secularism that some power monger practice quite blatantly, it is not only an insult to common people of this country (in particular Muslims) but compromises national security. It also put severe pressure on common Muslims on the street, they have to keep proving their patriotic credential all the time, obviously these attempts at secularism alienates and divide people. This affliction to Pakistan is a strange behavior of north part of the country (in particular the Punjabi types). I recall when Gen. Mushraff visited India the ‘secular parties’ were found shamelessly vying for his audience. That the fellow is a military dictator who usurped power and pushed that unfortunate country further into chaos is nobody’s business (this fellow was also the architect of kargil that was responsible for many deaths). That India to a large extend despite poverty and related problems remains a vibrant democracy and Indian people don’t need these crude forms of symbolism of secularism too is nobody’s business. Secularism seems to be emboldening fundamentalism and some really nasty people, seriously threatening the life of common people. It has become source of power play by socio-political elite.

I recall when I was in Delhi I used to spend time with painters (they though preferred to call themselves artists), mostly mediocre and amazingly selfish but high on attitude. There was this north Indian painter fellow with whom I was once, with us was also a malayalee muslim acquaintance of mine. Now this north Indian fellow (who also considered himself as some kind of sophisticate-I guess that is one way of being liberal) found rather puzzling that this muslim doesn’t know Urdu. He told him he should know Urdu and that it is his language. It is only now that I understand the significance of this thinking. It is a step towards creating muslim symbolism, it though doesn’t matter that it leads to ghettoisation. The impetus is on assertion of misplaced rights and be divisive, if you support these you are automatically elevated as secularist. The pertinent question here is how is Urdu a language of particular community?. There are vested sections that actively pursue this and many common muslims tend to believe that Urdu is what they should learn (I met a muslim auto driver in Gujarat he mentioned that he spoke Gujarati but was being asked to speak Urdu. Take also the example of kashmiri being replaced by Urdu). This is how alienation happens (the western initiates would like to mistake it for freedom and liberty), these blatant attempts to undermine local culture and tradition creates discordant relation with larger community. I don’t really blame that north Indian painter he was only following the existing narration of secularism to further his career, in places like Delhi clinging to these can easily classify you as an activist- which can be a substitute to mediocrity, and related perks.

When I was kid used to visit my home town (in the interior of Kollam in Kerala) and spend lots of time listening to talks and occasional story telling, it was relatively big house with verandah for people to sit (now demolished as people slip into poverty). The neighbors (who happened to be Muslims) were frequent visitors to these evening talks and mostly were like extended family. Few years back when I visited this place I was told that the muslim neighbors have adopted a new lifestyle and started to wear dark dress and women rarely interact, they keep to themselves (this is also the place where muslim fundamentalism is on the rise). This is how society gets fractured. In cities and in particular in so called developed countries like Britain these are how they define freedom but in poorer societies social bonding and interaction is what keeps the society alive, these are important checks to prevent disruption, they stop prejudices and alienations to take root.

Every religion has its cruder form but they are mostly kept in check or people would try not to identify with them, they would like to evolve from these primitive world, I guess that is what happens with having education. But the virulent form of Islam seems to be having a free run (and in a strange irony sought to be portrayed as beacon of identity), the Sunni wahhabi leads this pack. This extremely intolerant and crude interpretation of religion that seeks to create an insular and intolerant world have threatened and eliminated many subtler forms of Islam that is rooted in socio cultural context of the land around the world. They have created societies with alienated individuals who are easily indoctrinated to be extreme and violent, petrodollar has helped easy inroad to poorer societies (hapless poor illiterate people are easy target, I am reminded of some brilliant Samira Makmalbaf movies on these subject). Overnight we are seeing aliens sprouting in the neighborhood. Modesty is important understanding and subtle in its practice unfortunately neither religious fundamentalists nor market have any use of these.

Of course it helps the power hungry secularist to see obnoxious burqa (the whole body cover) as religious expression, it is a symbol of male chauvinism and patriarchy is clear. First it makes women disappear from public space (apart from alienation within the society at the micro level as was pointed earlier), few centuries back most women’s movement were restricted within house premise and there was strict socio-sexual control by men. Burqa is that regressive symbol. Further one has to understand that families where these are followed rarely have other female member given a choice of not wearing these particularly in poor societies (need to add here that in the same manner a woman may not have the choice to choose outside sari in many families, but the degree patriarchy is at limited scale compared to the appalling world of burqa) it further adds to exploitation of women, clearly these are not coincidence they are part of crude world. You just have to look at the societies from which they originate, they still live in dark ages and have absolutely no idea of democracy or individual freedom (take for instance Saudis). They also don’t give any right to other religion, it is an insular world. It is the same world they carry to other countries. They are now called the Islamists. They singularly lack mindset that is needed to live in multicultural community.

West is doing a big mistake to classify it as Islamophobia. You cannot categorize a religion like that and indeed most muslims don’t identify with these primitive and extreme form of Islam as much as I will cringe being classified in the same group of hindu fundamentalist or the practitioner of primitive chauvinist form of Hinduism. West in the process is legitimizing these crude people by victimizing the whole community. Understand this crude cannot produce or practice enlightened thoughts it is highly unlikely; the next generation therefore will be further alienated thus victimized. Britain has provided all kinds of freedom for extreme forms of people (I guess it is typical British snobbish superiority complex, probably trying to teach something to the world) it has only worsened and emboldened fundamentalists and extremists. It’s difficult to tolerate fundamentalists and their way of life and so there they are now victims of intolerance!!. Is it a coincidence that most terrorists seem to have link in Britain (and not France) even the latest caught trying to bomb American plane. They seem to have ambiguous worldview until they reach Britain where it seems they get emboldened (even the Indians who were involved in suicide attack in London few years back, they wouldn’t have thought of these extreme worldview if they were in India), am I surprised?. Britain is facing problems of its own making and other countries could learn from it (and not take extreme actions like the Swiss, it victimizes the whole community because of some crude people. I do feel French have been bit too extreme). To be asked to tolerate what is extreme- that lacks propriety, that seeks to create insular world view, that justifies male chauvinism- puts severe pressure on entire population. It creates situation for extreme reactions and violence.

There is a market driven world view that religious community should try to rectify itself and outsiders shouldn’t comment (you are free to do your crap and I mine). That is humbug and worst form of irresponsible behavior. First there is nothing like single community and that within any community nobody can take any decision for all, in a democratic set up they don’t really have authority to. It gets controlled by powerful interest group within the community at the expense of silent and suffering majority, they are used as pawns in power play. Secondly they are seriously affecting my world, my life, of course I will have to take action, react. In fact I am quite angry last few years my freedom has been curtailed because of security reasons, everywhere walls are coming up, people are suspicious of each other. Everywhere I travel I am put through question I don’t like. All this because of these jihadi macaques and their exaggerated victimhood, in fact I would argue that these breed lack any tolerance to live with people who have different god or worldview, so when they have to accommodate they end up fighting. Thirdly wherein the contribution of Christians has been stupendous in terms of providing quality education (this blogger is a direct beneficiary), medical facilities as also women who actively take part in social space. In contrast I haven’t really seen much from cruder form of islam, they end up building mosques and madrasas- that teaches (mostly for their own community) matter that doesn’t give anyone employability or confidence to tackle modern world nor to live in multicultural world (some Hindu groups can be accused of the same but they haven’t created as much havoc, nor are they beacon of freedom). They haven’t really created the kind of institutions that was expected from the kind of access to fund they had. Muslim community in the northern part of the country is one of the poorest (as also the case in Africa). What have they done?

What they are doing is spreading poison around the world. They are trying to destroy subtler world I know. I cannot even imagine in this increasingly crude world we live any muslim family would name their child Geeta (the name of my muslim neighbor in trivandrum, I got along with her younger sis quite well so much so I used to spend most of my free time at their home!). This is the world I would fiercely defend and would not allow secularist and fundamentalists to work out their share. It need to be added here that elite muslims have had a freak out time at the expense of common muslims. They have positioned themselves as symbolism for common muslim, so any matter wherein anyone has to work their secular credentials they just have to feed these pretentious people. It is therefore in their interest that fundamentalism grows since it hugely benefits them. This the reason why polygamy, burqa and all forms of crap are dumped onto common people as part of freedom, in a world where words like freedom is increasingly making no much sense. People then get caught in wrong place of no fault of theirs and become what they call hate victims.

Everybody loves a good communal riot and secularists: A cynic’s perspective

Communal riots are culmination of mistrust and prejudices that are created within communities, this could be religious or caste based or ethnicity. Understandably not many are much bothered about what leads to these situations this is something that is left for common people to negotiate or deal. Rich sections are rarely affected by communal riots or any form of social disruption (sometimes they do get inconvenienced though, and they create biggest hooplas over smallest of discomfort). A communal riot itself present lots of possibilities depending on which community is involved and how many get killed. People get killed for no reason of theirs all the time and in all the place but that is nobody's business…death need to have possibilities of exploitations among living and yes we don’t know the religion of people who die in the street do we?.

So undoubtedly the best possible situation for elite section in this country is when Muslims are victims there are peace marches, seminars, movies, songs and so on, it has also has international possibilities. They are the first ones to set shops around these tragedies. Some have made successful career out of these miseries. These people don’t have much impact on common people, and they will never face the situations which the common people find themselves in, some do make valiant attempts to understand but vicarious is always vicarious. Importantly why are we really bothered about these people to come and understand us?. They are no saviors; they only try work out their little life. Their life is least threatened and yes they are not going to miss their lunch for anyone. For us these are jokes that get repeated every time, and every time there are new gainers over the dead bodies and miseries of common people. Indeed the clever breed is least bothered about victims apart from what they can accrue, their aim being to showcase themselves to the bigger world, where appreciations are shared over nice talks (I scratch you scratch me world). A world that most of us don’t really much understand although quite ironically it is supposed to be about us.

Common people don’t really understand secularism or these big talks on tolerance. There are some serious issues that they have to face daily and every moment. Disruption means monetary loss, loss means further misery. So why would anyone indulge in anything that will lead to misery?. Isn’t that simplest thing to understand?. So why does riots happen?. There have been tons of articles and books written on these matters. Whatever the argument this blogger is very clear that poorer people will never instigate these, it just doesn’t make any sense to them. Riots kill common people, it gives them untold misery. So clearly it is engineered by people who stand to gain. And as I see it there are two distinct groups who feed from these miseries. One is the city based elitist secularists, also referred to as liberals (a word I came across only recently and haven’t really understood, but I gather it is a common reference point in West) and another is fundamentalist of all variety, also referred to as conservatives. Both of them always stand to gain and they come from same strata, they have their own theories (experience though is meant for common people) to justify themselves. These two groups feed on each other at the expense of common people. They exchange vicious attacks on each other. Some even lack basic decency, all crudeness justified from their own perspective- some for secular reason others for fundamentalist agenda. For a common man they don’t look much different nor do they affect him much atleast till its killing time. Many in media has made the situation precarious with competitive exaggerations (positive side is that active media does bring out the culprit, but that is after the riots, after people have been killed, property looted. Frankly like any other common people I am not really bothered about what happens after riots, indeed we want to forget and get on with our life with whatever is left without getting into anymore trouble. People with money and time can do the postmortem, write essays and score secular or non secular points. It doesn’t really affect common people).

With media and its simplistic version to life (of course there are exception but rare) world gets divided into two easy compartments the good and bad, or this view versus that view. I understand this strict world view also originates in western subconscious of God and Satan that is fed to them for centuries this has found its way through globalized market into our homes. The black and white world, either you are with us or with them (note communism, another of western import, plays on the same parameter). This is the world that is easy to understand, it also is the world the seculars and fundamentalist have positioned themselves quite nicely, so whatever happens it gets divided between them. Market media is therefore left with the simple task of providing a platform for apportioning the dividends, and also help constantly deepening the divisions in the name of discussion, in the name of assertion of freedom. So a secular party will remain secular whatever crap it does within that framework and fundamentalist will have to be pushed further and further even if they would like to be secular or mend their ways- that will make secular defunct, and so Madani will be condemned forever and BJP will be chastised for whatever it does. It is a self sustaining situation, it is a different matter though that these put common people in perilous situation. There is nothing like good people bad people there are situations some people exploit and there are people who are exploited, sometimes killed. Its about opportunities.

Post Script: this blog was written after an incident few weeks back. Here I was on my two-wheeler and this lady slips and fall in the traffic (nothing much happened to her), she happened to wear a burqa (meaning the fully covered one worn by very few muslim women in this part of the world), and instead of feeling sympathy for her situation I found myself cringing, a feeling of revulsion towards her came over for me, now this feeling is something I have increasingly observed among people towards this attire and the world view it represent. Suddenly I found myself appalled by my thoughts, looking at a suffering human not as human but as representation, as an object. This is exactly where prejudices get born, dehumanization begins.

(This blog is not over and will be continued further, will take some time to work out. I will like to explore how symbolism reduces common people to caricatures and help the powerful, as also what instigates divisive mindset…well something on that line. It should help me understand myself and the society better!!)

Passing away of an era...

Jyoti Basu belonged to that era of leaders who were tempered by Gandhian values that defined most leaders post independence. The crudeness in politics all around the country (in particular the new breed of communist leaders in Kerala and Bengal pose serious threat, it is no wonder CPI-M is no longer a national party). This death represent passing of an era that had great leaders who carried the values and ideals of freedom struggle, whom the society has started to miss quite terribly.

Post script: Communists will do well to understand that private need to be kept away from public, private matters of people include their understanding on religio-spiritual matters they seek to negotiate life. Questions can be only be asked if it impacts or influences policy decisions. Also the limitations of copying what is essentially alien system need to be understood and put in perspective of Indian society. Being religious is not essentially being communal nor it means being anti proletariat (if society can really be classified that way!). This narrow interpretations and rigid posturing need be reevaluated to the contemporary reality. Otherwise this will open doors to opportunist politicians who have no qualms in accepting crassness of market, we have seen enough in Bengal. A new breed of nasty 'leaders' (basically therivu chatambis) are readying in Kerala.

When moon start munching sun...

More pictures at photo blog

Recalling Gandhiji

Few months back I was reading Guy De Maupassant, a consummate French writer. He is such a natural writer that sentences just streamed out, it seems with not much effort. He brings brilliance out of ordinary, some places he reminds you of Edgar Alan Poe. I was reading this story Beside a Dead Man, it was about a man sitting vigil for philosopher Schopenhauer and an incident, now this story was stuck in my head and I ended up writing Gandhi was not killed few days back. Need to add here the incident of being invited to hotel is based on a true happening. When I was in first year of college we four or five guys used to go to kovalam beach quite regularly, once we were sitting around an elderly foreigner invited us to his room for beer!.

This story is of course dedicated to sacred memory of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great man. But if I were alive in 1920s and 30s I would have definitely preferred shanti niketan over sevagram (and yes only for few months…I gather I have a problem sticking around a place for too long!!), Tagore was an amazing man and I found the contradictions between him and Gandhi in his favor. But Gandhiji had immense hold over people and he understood human nature, society and value of non violence- at its practical and spiritual level. It is a mistake to compare people, it is an ugly venture. Comfort of retrospect makes it worst.
Care is also taken in this story not to put words on Gandhi that is not his.

One of the worst earthquake in Haiti

Nothing idiotic !!

This blogger happen to see Hindi movie 3 Idiots in the theatre while I was traveling few days back. It’s been ages since I have been to theaters. Last time I went to a theatre was to watch Guru while I was in Madurai. Unfortunately the theater had bedbugs, few minutes into movie I was all scratching. Mani Ratnam’s creative world was battling ferocious bugs, and I was vacillating between vicious attacks on my sensitive self and vista of Aishwarya dancing in rain on Rehman’s incredible song. It again was the age old mind over matter situation, won decisively by the latter this time when I was startled by a rat scrambling through my legs. I did catch up with the rest of movie on TV, the only hitch being saw the first half in Tamil rest in Hindi!!. Need to add watching movie on TV is quite a bad experience, with so many dumb obnoxious ads spoiling fun. It gets really crude when you switch on for cricket match, there is lack of basic decency. I guess when you are salivating for money these small issues don’t matter. Incidentally the richest “sporting body” couldn’t even get few feet of ground ready for match that too in the capital of the country. Any other set of people would have said “we will show what it means to be the richest, we will create the best sporting facility that the world could offer. A state of art stadium the world has not seen”. But not these small timers they will clutch on to the suck and back bite, when it comes to Delhi these behavior are an art itself, it is envied. It is a matter of shame, even to watch the match in the stadium can be such a bad experience. BCCI has become a syndicate to make money by few.

Enough of crap, so I was saying I saw 3 idiots (I didn’t realize it was last day of the year, crackers later signaled it’s a new year!!. Why it has to be noisy I never could understand, and yes I always find myself on the noisy side of the world). I liked the movie the story has things we all identify with, stupendous success of the movie is a testament to it. Not denying that there are some ‘filmy’ situations…but that only makes it endearing. Rajkumar Hirani is a good director I loved the Munnabhai series. Wonder what the controversy was for, Chetan Bhagat is immensely popular writer among youngsters. Aamir Khan is an amazing actor (all other actors did well in the movie, I thought the actor who played the principal -Boman Irani, was excellent). I recall seeing 'QSQT' when it was released!. Over the years he has given some wonderful movies, I prefer his funny movies that were hugely popular like Andaz apna apna, Ishq as also others like Dil hai ki manta nahi, Rangela, Jo jeeta wohi sikander, lagaan and so on. I also caught up with Gajini few months back on TV (done well but found it bit too violent). And yes Tare Zameen Par was a great movie with some amazing songs, one of the best. I also find innovative ways he market his movies interesting.

Denying the dead

We deny the dead their existence
in the absences, we deny them
in our hopes too.
Negating them into vague memories
or thoughts that suit us.

Couldn’t be that
they wait for us in the corner
just as we saw them
in moments of joy, in their best dress
thinking what we are thinking
dreaming our own dreams…

(dedicated to Sugathakumari teacher for more on this visit my birds blog)

Welcoming a new year celebrating biodiversity

More pictures in photo blog