Media thrives on triviality and how!

Even as India moves into her 63rd year of independence, the might of the country is more often than not shaken by trivial issues. Trivial issues always comes in the way of (or people rake them in to avoid) the main issues. Today’s media especially the broadcast is adding spice to such issues. Media is just becoming a joke with a bunch of so called ‘intellectuals’ discussing issues like how SRK was frisked just because he chose to say ‘My name is Khan’. Why Emran Hashmi didn’t get a home in a Hindu society just because he is a Muslim. And, a raging debate on Sach ka Saamna must be banned or not.

King Khan could not have asked for a better publicity for his upcoming movie on the state of Muslims in USA in the aftermath of 9/11 – ‘My Name is Khan’. Ok, SRK gets frisked, interrogated at Newark Airport. What’s the big deal? He surely is the ‘King Khan’ in here, but he is just another ‘Khan’ there. Within hours of the incident, it spread like wild fire, thanks to the TV channels going over the top (as always). Even as we were celebrating 62nd year of independence, SRK’s news made bigger headlines than India’s Independence Day (SRK was the first headline in most of the channels, and PM’s I-Day speech was 3rd). A similar incident involving former President APJ Abdul Kalam came to light after 2 months of its occurance, Abdul Kalam’s issue rocked the parliament, civil aviation ministry, opposition, ruling parties stood united for once, but for such a trivial cause! Kalam himself said it was not a big deal.

Emran Hashmi – Ah! How do I start? Many ‘intellectuals’ have come out in the open saying that they could not get themselves a home in Mumbai just because they are Muslims. Well, I really wonder if Muslims don’t get to own a home in Mumbai at all. In a Muslim housing society, it sure is difficult to get a home for yourself if you are a Hindu, as a matter of fact it would be really difficult for a Hindu to get a home in a Parsi colony. Why all the hue and cry? Don’t remember any of his movies being released in the near future so that he would have garnered some publicity. Lets just say Emran, just stick to kissing scenes that’s definitely going to work for your selected few audience.

Another such instance with which I can’t really face the truth is the uproar, mayhem in the parliament when a bunch of 50+ year old people were up in arms against ‘Sach ka samna’ (Can you believe that?!). Why are our ministers so boggled by who sleeps with whom and who wanted to cheat his wife? Sach Ka Saamna is just like any other soap trying to get in as many eye-balls as possible. It’s as simple as that. Don’t know why the media is so obsessed with the show (may be the news shows feel threatened in the race for eye-balls…don’t know). When we have accepted so much of sensationalism, drama, suspense in news these days, why target a show where the contestants themselves know what they are in for?

These overdose of sermons by ‘intellectuals’ and aggressive presentation is just dumb-ing down the viewers and deflating the IQ of the average Indian.

BJP’s Decison 09 Debacle

‘India Shining’ in 2004, ‘Weak Prime Minister’ & ‘Price rise’ in 2009.

BJP’s nukes back fire and how!

Two major coalitions UPA and NDA led by the ‘national’ parties Congress and the BJP respectively entered the battle ground of 2009. It was a marathon election procedure that started on the 16th April to and culminated exactly a month later with the results on 16th May.

On the last phase of voting on 13th May, just 3 days before the counting, exit poll results started buzzing all over the tube soon after the polling ended at 5PM. Most of them in unison predicted a ‘photo-finish’ between the UPA and the NDA, and giving an edge to the UPA. Thank God, this time they (media) were closer to their exit poll results after being haunted by the exit poll ghosts of 2004 where they had predicted a majority for the NDA.

The electorate of India decided and gave their verdict. A thumping victory for the UPA with congress winning over 190 seats. NDA was left behind by a little over 90 seats. Clearly the might of the once ‘national’ party BJP has been reduced to a bigger ‘regional’ party with its strong hold in states like Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Here’s a quick fire analysis that I think led to the BJP’s debacle or to sound positive Why the Congress and its allies of the UPA won:

The BJP took on the might of the ruling Congress on the issues like:

• A Weak Prime Minister and terrorism

An Eighty-one-year old L K Advani taking on a Seventy-one-year old Manmohan Singh (How Interesting!).

Spate of terror attacks in India This was an important issue and the BJP could not capatalise on. Despite a plethora of terror attacks that rocked the nation in UPA’s regime.

Congress was at its best in dealing with both the issues in a single shot by linking the Kandhahar hijack episode where Maulana Masood Azhar was released in return of the passengers of the IC 814 that was hijacked in December of 1999. It was all over the media that the then Home minister LK Advani didn’t have a clue that Azhar was being released. Azhar later orchestrated the Parliament attack.

Congress on the other hand focused on the power of youth. Congress took steps to moot and encourage youth to enter politics. Leading from the front was the scion of Rahul Gandhi, other youth in the cong+ front like Jothiraditya Scindhia, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora, Priya Dutt, Omar Abdullah…et al were hand-in-glove with Rahul.

• Recession, economic crisis, inflation and price rise

This was a non-issue really. BJP went around the town telling that it was in UPA’s regime that prices of essential commodities shot up. People realised that this was a non-issue, we were just feeling the after-shocks and ripple effects of the collapse of the world’s most powerful nations -  USA.

Congress went to the grass roots of India with the ghost of ‘India Shining’ campaign. Congress more so Rahul Gandhi went all over the country saying that there was no spark or light that would help India shine in the rural India.

The above issue too was over-ruled by the Indian electorate.

• Black money

When the above issues lacked steam in gaining them a strong hold, they came up with the issue of the Indians’ black money stashed up in foreign bank. They claimed that over twenty five lakh crore rupees (that is 2,50,00,00,00,00,000…that’s so many zeros, and math I don’t even know!) belonging to Indians in black money were stashed in foreign banks and that they would get that money back to invest in India. As expected, this too hasn’t worked for the BJP to bring in votes.

Road to BJP from here:

The BJP if at all dream of coming into the power anytime soon, they have to go for a serious image make-over. More younger blood should enter making way for fresh ideas, there by inspiring many more to join politics. I can’t help but say things would have been really different if Mr. Pramod Mahajan was still around. If the old debate of age v/s experience has to be revoked, I would say it is a fine blend of newer, innovative ideas with experience that would lead to development of the Nation than being regressive.

Development must and should be the main agenda than the regressive Ram Mandir and Ram Sethu issues. That brings me to another face/domain of the BJP. Communalism, moral policing, regionalism, religion. Though these sentiments invoke strong sentiments, will lead the nation to anywhere but development. BJP didn’t have any strong issues to fight the might of the UPA this time around. They put all their eggs in the same basket and thus the disaster was waiting to happen. The moral policing in the BJP strong-holds is another problem for the BJP. Horrifying incident of a girl being beaten up by a group of hooligans, Destroying greeting card shops during Valentines day, driving away people who have migrated from from other parts of the nation…these are just the incidents I can think of from the top of my hat.

BJP must come out of their regressive thinking. They must. If at all they see themselves coming to power. They should stress upon the youth card rather than the communal card. Development instead of division must be the mantra for them from now on.

Its high time BJP changed their stance, else BJP from being a national party would be reduced a big regional party active in BJP ruled states.

Even as I write this I read about BJP supporters vandalizing Muslim houses In Mangalore. Calling this a ‘celebration’ of BJP candidate Nalin Kumar Kateel. (http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/18/stories/2009051859091000.htm).

Its high time BJP did some serious thinking and introspection unless they want to see themselves to power any time.

I would like to revisit this post when they do.

Voting compulsory…why not?

Making voting compulsory!?! Hmm why not?

Leader of opposition ( well 2 more days to go till the results are
out) L K Advani has suggested that voting must be made compulsory. It is actually a nice suggestion considering only about 50% of the people go and cast their votes.

Consider a scenario where the candidate’s name field on the ballot
paper or the EVMs reads something like this:

Mahatma Gandhi

Bhagat Singh

Subash Chandra Bose

N R Narayana Murthy

Ramesh Ramanathan

Arvind Kejriwal

Rani Lakshmi Bai

With candidates like these, making voting compulsory makes sense, on the
other hand it would be a pleasure to vote.

In today’s scenario, with the current set of candidates whose charges
filed against them is replaced by their educational qualification on
their visiting cards. Candidates who compete against each other on the
reaching the #1 slot of the corruption charges. Candidates who woe to
divide the nation on the basis of caste.

If voting is made compulsory will the ‘none of the above’ option be available?

Section 49-O of the Indian Constitution gives us the right to do so.

According to this act of 1969, a person can go to the polling booth, confirm
her/his identity, get her/his finger marked and inform the presiding
election officer that she/he doesn’t want to vote anyone.

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

In a constituency if a candidate wins by 100 votes, and that constituency
has received “49-O” votes more than 100, then that polling will be cancelled
and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the
contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since
people had already expressed their decision on them.

2020 – MY VISION

I wake up at 9AM, realise that I had to be at office by 10AM for an important edit meet at office. I go to the washroom, remove the can of ‘Feel Fresh Spray’ and use a few drops of it to cleanse my mouth. On the pot, with my phone  I will read my e- news papers. My bath is a quick wipe using a scented paper towel to wipe self clean and I put on clothes and pack my bag, take my swanky new bike and leave for work. World famous Bengaluru traffic is traumatising as ever, with the number of bikes increasing manifolds. Occasionally an ambulance passes by with such speed that you can actually fall off you bike due to the force in which it passes. Finally I reach office, rush to the wash room, put on my office clothes and dash to the all important meeting.

 

PHRASES USED ABOVE & THEIR MEANINGS

‘Feel Fresh Spray’ - to rinse my mouth ‘coz there’s no water that I can afford to use for such a thing like brushing.

News papers on my phone - ‘coz there are nothing called papers anymore.

Scented paper towel - ‘coz there’s no luxury as water to bathe.

Bikes - bi-cycles.

Ambulance - The ONLY private owned motor vehicle that can get supply of fuel *

* after a Bill passed by the Indian Govt in interest of rescuing a precious life.

Office clothes - the fresh set of clothes that I change to after cycling for about an hour.

 

On the occasion of ‘Wold Earth Day’ this year (22nd April 2009), I just attempted to live a day in 2020.

Well, this peek into the future seems shocking! Isn’t it?

So what are WE doing about it?

 

 

Towards change?

Disclaimer: I am a hard-core, true-blooded Bangalorean. I have been staying in Mumbai since a li’l over 8 months now. I mostly read the Bangalore editions of major news papers and empathise towards things happening 90 minutes away from me. This article Is a product of emotion, instinct and gratification.

Bangalore south constituency is always a well fought for seat. This time it just gets better.

BJP’s Ananth Kumar has been undefeated from this constituency since 1996. All the political parties have fielded their best candidates to counter Ananth Kumar, Krishna Byre Gowda from Congress, Prof K E Radhakrishna from JD-S ad a surprise candidate in the form of an independent Capt Gopinath of Deccan Aviation / Air Deccan fame.

I was amazed to read the article in Deccan Herald ‘Campaigning sans Acrimony’ (Dated: 17th April, 2009. Page 2) this really made me optimistic that change is just around the corner!

By ‘Change’, I don’t mean who wins the coveted seat. It is the attitude, people willing to be the ‘elements of change’. The whole idea of these heavy-weights taking pot shots at each other and getting away from the usual mud-slinging was a refreshing change (to read).

Sugget you to kindly spend a few minutes reading the article.

It is not about voting, it is about voting the RIGHT people

Post 26/11, there has been a new wave of movement among the citizens. After a plethora of terror attacks in the country over the last 5 years, the central government had to react to convey to the nation that they have ‘woken up’.

The state of Maharashtra got a revamped government. The UPA more so the Congress got brownie points when they did this and brought in one of their main men P. Chidambaram to man the coveted home ministry. This move by the think tanks of the UPA was a killer move so close to the general elections.

BJP finally formed a government in Karnataka after a strained alliance with JD(S). A fringe right winged group and self-styled-guardians of Indian culture called the Sri Rama Sene came to light with the (in)famous pub assault case in Mangalore. The members of the group almost 40 in number beat up girls who were in a pub one afternoon. The ugly face of moral policing raised its head in Karnataka.

The Bangalore police bungled up recently when they raided a farm house off Mysore road near Bangalore. A crowd of 111 people were partying in one of the farm houses, acting on a ‘tip-off’ from the neighbours, the police raided the farm house and arrested the revelers, holding them in the custody for over three days. What is shocking is that the manner in which the police acted, all they found was stacks of liquor, DJ console and music equipments.

I mean, who are these so called moral brigade? If I’m downing a couple of beers with my friends that include girls…who and why would I listen to some sene? The honourable Home Minister of the state Mr. Acharya says that parents are responsible for their children’s behaviour. Guess Mr Acharya is closely following the steps of the former home minister Shivraj Patil.

One of the most done-to-death words during elections is the secularism. A word or a weapon the UPA uses against the NDA. Come to think of it, BJP endorses Hindutva out-right, this however doesn’t stop people from the other castes to support NDA. On the other hand, UPA stands-by the so called minorities and never misses an opportunity to hit back at NDA. I fail to understand who is more into caste politics!

You can like it or hate it but surely can’t ignore it. Yes that is the third front for you, they are called the grand alliance, set to root out the bad policies of the UPA and the communal NDA. The most interesting thing about this is alliance is that whoever (read non NDA) voted against the UPA government during the crucial trust vote after the left parties pulled the plug are a part of the alliance. Some of the major parties include BSP, Left parties, Telegu Desam, JD(S), AIADMK et al. There are as many candidates for the Prime minister as much as the number of parties in the alliance. As of now, everyone is tight-lipped about their PM candidate, all are waiting for a post-poll alliance to throw and weigh their weight around.

Unfortunately, the whole nation doesn’t vote for an /Individual/ single person like the presidential polls in the United States, we vote several people who make that / Individual/. There are several king-makers who get a good deal out of supporting the /Individual/.

Like some say that it is our duty as a citizen of the country, I would like to stress upon the fact that voting a wrong person will lead to a wrong government. The policies and polices would have caused irreparable damage to the society, country You and I live in…

Though I had drafted this a couple of days back, I couldn’t have waited for this day to post it on the blog…

A day before the first phase of voting for the 15th Lok Sabha…

God Bless India.

Peanuts

Peanuts

I AM OUT OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE ABOVE PIC. HOPE YOU GET THE MESSAGE.

What’s for motivation?

Have seen lots of ‘challenged’ people near signals, busy junctions begging..rather earning their living….A man without either of his limbs and hands…sitting / standing (I’m NOT insensitive…just don’t know what to term that) in front of a small metal bowl with some money.

I stay very close to the Mahim’s Darga. A Urz will be held annually during December. The area resembles a fort for the simple reason – hoards of people clad in khakhi…

Yes. The Policemen. Around 500 Policemen, of which 100 are armed with a gun the rest with a good’ol lathi. This to guard, control, watch, mind the crowd of 10,000 to 15,000 people that visit the darga everyday.

The usual dinner joint I go to day-in-and-day-out now looks, feels like a police officers’ mess, 23 of the 25 seats in the hotel occupied by the policemen. On 1 such incident, I happened to share my table with 3 Police constables. Our dinners arrived on the table, 2 of the 3 Policemen said a small little prayer and started eating. The journalist in me did not take long for me to start a conversation. So asked where they were from, which station they from so on. We struck a comfortable cord just then I popped a question about their ‘professional’ life about their designation. All three were Police Constables (PCs) in their late 20s. I asked them how much time would it take for their next promotion, one of them said 20 years. TWENTY YEARS! That is what it takes for a PC to be a Head Constable without writing an exam and just keep doing your job. Else, write an exam or two to be a Sub Inspector (SI). Then our conservation hovered around the Urz, recent terror attacks over Mumbai. All the 3 seemed really energetic and showed no signs of tiring out even @ 10:30 PM. I was too tempted to ask about their salary. I asked “if you don’t mind…er…how much do you earn? I mean what’s d salary you get? One of them answered as cool-ly as ever…7,000! I was shocked again!

The Police are the first round of defence for a common man. The constables are way below in the hierarchy. These people are paid this salary in this age, I am in a state of dilemma. Don’t really know if I have to praise the spirit of these men or wonder at the state of affairs in terms of the vulnerability of breaking through the system!

Seema Goyal – A crusader in every sense

 It is a revelation to see the wife of Prabat Goyal, Captain of the hijacked MT Stolt Valor ship, now we all know her better as Seema Goyal. Seema almost single-handedly crusading to get her husband and the other crew members of the hijacked ship back to India safe.

 

Seema Goyal

 

MT Stolt Valor was hijacked off the Somalian coast during mid-september, the Somalian pirates had demanded a ransom of $6mn, later reduced it to $2.5mn. There are 18 Indians off the 21 crew members held hostage.

 

 

The government has turned a blind eye towards the issue. The pirates had set a dead-line of 48hours to pay the ransom to free the hostages. Despite ’strong’ remarks by the Naval chief like “we will do anything to get the sailors back” nothing concrete has been done till yesterday when the Navy sent a fleet to patrol the Somalian waters and negotiate with the pirates. Don’t know if it is too little too late.

 

A Ukrainian vessel was hijacked with 3 Russians on board. Russia rushed in its warships on the rescue mission to get back their men. This just after two days of the capture.

High time India picked up a leaf out of this !

 

Now, back to where I started…

 

Seema Goyal,

From candle light vigils to knocking the doors of Sonia Gandhi to the Japanese Embassy..She has done it all to free her husband from the clutches of the pirates. I really get fired up looking at the way she has handled the entire situation.

 

It is appalling to see the lesser efforts taken by the fleet management company here in Mumbai, the Indian Government, and the Japanese firm do very little to get back their sailors.

 

A report dated 19th Oct says “Pranab assures safe rescue of MT Stolt Valor crew”, well this is ALL WE can do…BIG TALK, ASSURANCES, PROMISES…What’s new? We have been seeing these since 60 years…haven’t we?

 

Even as I write this blog, I learn about another Indian ship being hijacked in the Somalian waters. This time a cargo vessel with 13 Indians on board.

 

What is happening? I wonder.

Can anyone kill their own child for money???

This is one thought I cannot get over ever since the time one of the elderly security personnel told me the other day…I will save time in transliterating what he said “these mother f@#$ers can go to any extent…they would have pushed the kid into the bore-well and made a huge fuss about it…at the end they would be paid a compensation of about 5-10 lacs…..”

Sonu might not be as lucky as Prince was… after over four days of ordeal, rescue operations form the locals and the Army joining in…Sonu was brought out from the bore-well….like many had expected Sonu was not alive.

Sonu fell in the bore-well on October 9^th around 10 AM, people could hear him cry till about 1230 PM. After that some movement was detected some time and that is it. Oxygen was supplied to him throughout, some futile attempts were made to give him food, milk and water.

The inside story was that there were wide spread rumors that Sonu had gone to his uncle’s place and no one was there in the bore-well…

Thanks to Big B’s health and the ‘fight of their lives’ test match between India and Australia we as audience were spared the trauma of over 90 hours of live telecast of the Sonu’s rescue operations…

Lastly, I really feel sorry for Sonu…really do.