Where is the colour of ethics in our country’s saffron citadel? The self-styled moral policemen, the guardians of our culture, the keeper of our women’s chastity and the Hindu religion have tainted their own starched saffron robes.
Three ministers of Karnataka’s ruling BJP have been caught watching pornography on a mobile phone device! Ironically, one of them, C.C. Patil, seen peeping into Minister for Cooperation, Laxman Savadi’s phone and gesturing mirthfully is the Women and Child Welfare Minister. The other partner-in-crime was Minister for Ecology, Environment and Ports, J. Krishna Palemar.
At one level, we have the saffron brigade baring its fangs at inappropriately dressed women, attacking women at bars, or vandalising gift shops to embitter the Valentine season. And, to think that all this have happened in a state where the BJP is in power, speak volumes of the Sangh Parivar’s double standards.
The Sri Ram Sene had brutally attacked women in Mangalore night clubs. The organisation had also announced an action plan to target people observing Valentine’s Day in Bangalore, saying its activists would go around with a priest, a turmeric stub and mangalsutra, and drag such couples to nearby temple and ritualise their marriage.
Interestingly, this minister for women and child welfare, C.C. Patil, had said recently that provocatively dressed women would inevitably invite sexual assaults. He had suggested that women must pay attention to wear “decent” clothes to “prevent” being sexually abused.
Sigh! Little did these ministers realise that their tiny mobile-screen pleasure while the House was in session is going to get ticklish. Mr Savadi then made a preposterous statement in a face-saving press conference that Mr Palemar was showing him a video wherein a woman was gang-raped in a western country. “It looked like a blue film, but that was not what it was,” he said.
So sorry, Mr Minister, this is not a blue film. This is voyeurism at its best. We have a women and child welfare minister getting ghoulish pleasure watching a woman’s body being exploited. And, an environment minister joining in this supremely revolting conduct even as his state’s environment is in abysmal health, raped as it is repeatedly by miners and land sharks.
By the way, the house was discussing drought conditions in the state when these ministers were caught on camera quenching their thirst!
The Chief Minister, Mr D.V. Sadanand Gowda, made an even more outrageous statement today: “I am happy with their conduct,” he has said. “They said they hadn't committed any big mistake. They have resigned on their own. This is honourable behaviour in democracy.''
This is indeed a matter of honour, Mr Chief Minister!
Now a six-member inquiry committee will probe the conduct of the three BJP MLAs. And, like any inquiry committee, we all know which way it will go. Into oblivion!
Will this hypocrisy ever end?
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The dirty picture
‘Balan is the new Bollywood Hero’, cried a flier on a news capsule featuring Vidya Balan, whose Dirty Picture has emerged a top grosser.
The anchor (a woman) was gushing all over Balan’s new star status after her dare-all, bare-all act in the film, apparently a biopic on Silk Smita, the southern actor who played havoc with male hormones with her itsies and bitsies.
Balan exuded this confident, glowing persona after being recognised by people, media and critics for her “scintillating” performance, which they said could fetch her coveted awards next year.
We were treated to the promotional (read provocative) snatches of all that was dirty in the picture. And, then the question time began, with the anchor asking her what she felt about being the new “hero” of Bollywood. Balan was a picture of anything but humility. She was over the top because she had arrived, and even suggested that the Khans could add Balan after their name because she had replaced the Khans as the new hot property of Box Office.
I did not know how to react to the Q&A session and to the anchor’s conclusion that the Bollywood heroine had indeed “arrived” and she raised a toast to the celebration of womanhood; and how the Kareenas and Priyankas must take a leaf out of Balan’s book (which incidentally also means boobs in Bengali). Pardon my Freudian slip.
Our new diva said she was thrilled that she could make the people come (no pun intended) to the theatres with her orgasmic presence. She said she had only played the character of Silk Smita, who used her sexuality to get even with the men who exploited her, and reached the heady top of her career.
As a woman, two questions came in my mind: why did the media call her the “hero” of Bollywood? Why couldn’t it refer to her as a successful heroine? By adding this sobriquet, aren’t we celebrating the male authority, yet again?
Second question: Did Balan fetch the returns, or did her Silk, and her chest-heaving gyrations. Back in the Eighties, men had undeniably flocked to the theatres to feel Silk’s raw sexuality. Balan said she put herself into the Silk’s sleazy costumes and character, and managed to pull off a compelling performance. So why wouldn’t people go in droves in 2011 (like in the Eighties) when Silk’s character is splashed all over the screen from when the curtains rise to its fall?
Then the anchor and Balan discussed on how other heroines were willing to shed their inhibitions and bare all on stage to become the new “heroes” of Bollywood. Post-Dirty Picture, the anchor said Kareena Kapoor had reportedly asked her producer-director to make her film, Heroine, bolder and brasher.
The whole sequence of events is so problematic. It is sad that celebration of womanhood is reduced to celebration of her curves, her body, her sexuality. So even today, a woman remains just a work of art to be admired, to be fantasised, to be possessed, and to be destroyed, all at the whim of the male owner.
Balan, would you like to try playing an Erin Bronkovich and check whether your magic still works?
The anchor (a woman) was gushing all over Balan’s new star status after her dare-all, bare-all act in the film, apparently a biopic on Silk Smita, the southern actor who played havoc with male hormones with her itsies and bitsies.
Balan exuded this confident, glowing persona after being recognised by people, media and critics for her “scintillating” performance, which they said could fetch her coveted awards next year.
We were treated to the promotional (read provocative) snatches of all that was dirty in the picture. And, then the question time began, with the anchor asking her what she felt about being the new “hero” of Bollywood. Balan was a picture of anything but humility. She was over the top because she had arrived, and even suggested that the Khans could add Balan after their name because she had replaced the Khans as the new hot property of Box Office.
I did not know how to react to the Q&A session and to the anchor’s conclusion that the Bollywood heroine had indeed “arrived” and she raised a toast to the celebration of womanhood; and how the Kareenas and Priyankas must take a leaf out of Balan’s book (which incidentally also means boobs in Bengali). Pardon my Freudian slip.
Our new diva said she was thrilled that she could make the people come (no pun intended) to the theatres with her orgasmic presence. She said she had only played the character of Silk Smita, who used her sexuality to get even with the men who exploited her, and reached the heady top of her career.
As a woman, two questions came in my mind: why did the media call her the “hero” of Bollywood? Why couldn’t it refer to her as a successful heroine? By adding this sobriquet, aren’t we celebrating the male authority, yet again?
Second question: Did Balan fetch the returns, or did her Silk, and her chest-heaving gyrations. Back in the Eighties, men had undeniably flocked to the theatres to feel Silk’s raw sexuality. Balan said she put herself into the Silk’s sleazy costumes and character, and managed to pull off a compelling performance. So why wouldn’t people go in droves in 2011 (like in the Eighties) when Silk’s character is splashed all over the screen from when the curtains rise to its fall?
Then the anchor and Balan discussed on how other heroines were willing to shed their inhibitions and bare all on stage to become the new “heroes” of Bollywood. Post-Dirty Picture, the anchor said Kareena Kapoor had reportedly asked her producer-director to make her film, Heroine, bolder and brasher.
The whole sequence of events is so problematic. It is sad that celebration of womanhood is reduced to celebration of her curves, her body, her sexuality. So even today, a woman remains just a work of art to be admired, to be fantasised, to be possessed, and to be destroyed, all at the whim of the male owner.
Balan, would you like to try playing an Erin Bronkovich and check whether your magic still works?
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Anna’s fortress
Anna Hazare has confessed how he flogged men who got drunk in his Taliban-like fortress, Ralegaon Sidhhi. It is frightening to know that the man behind the anti-corruption crusade that has caught the imagination of the Indian populace is running a village by his rules.
It reminded me of Sri Ram Sene’s goons going berserk in a Mangalore night club when they spotted women drinking their spiked colas.
There have been stray reports and noises from political groups about Hazare’s saffron links. But the aam janta and the media decided to overlook that in the face of the mass hysteria at Jantar Mantar. And, the media glare was such that anyone making uncomplimentary comments about Hazare and his team was branded corrupt or supporting corruption.
The overwhelming support created by Anna’s vrat and maun vrat seemed to have created a monstrous ego among his team; an ego that goes out to behead the democratic institutions each time they rear their head. The team runs parallel campaigns against political parties (read Congress). Their extensive anti-Congress campaign in Hissar by-election, declaring the election as a referendum to Anna Hazare’s campaign for the Jan Lok Pal Bill, is one such example. The team then touted the Congress’ defeat as its “victory”. And, Arvind Kejriwal, a key member of Team Anna, went to the extent of saying this anti-Congress campaign will stop only when the party passes the Bill. Pressure tactics? Or is that neat black-mailing?
Agreed, we needed an anti-corruption crusade in our country. There are probably more people’s representatives in Tihar than in Parliament. But this entire Anna Hazare’s package is problematic. His Taliban-style methodology in his village goes against the grain of democracy. And he has smartly photographed himself against the Gandhian halo; giant Gandhi black-and-white picture in the background and leaning against a white bolster….the works.
He has forced vegetarianism in his village. His argument: Non-vegetarian food increases the craving for alcohol. This extra-constitutional authority had even banned cable television in his village, a ban lifted only when he sat in Jantar Mantar for the nationally-televised fast.
Now what next, Mr Hazare? Hold women responsible for high incidences of rape for their provocative attire? Or, ask women to dress “appropriately” to avert the make gaze? Or worse, ask women to stay indoors and out of the bad world “infested” by salivating men?
This will make the Talibanisation complete.
It reminded me of Sri Ram Sene’s goons going berserk in a Mangalore night club when they spotted women drinking their spiked colas.
There have been stray reports and noises from political groups about Hazare’s saffron links. But the aam janta and the media decided to overlook that in the face of the mass hysteria at Jantar Mantar. And, the media glare was such that anyone making uncomplimentary comments about Hazare and his team was branded corrupt or supporting corruption.
The overwhelming support created by Anna’s vrat and maun vrat seemed to have created a monstrous ego among his team; an ego that goes out to behead the democratic institutions each time they rear their head. The team runs parallel campaigns against political parties (read Congress). Their extensive anti-Congress campaign in Hissar by-election, declaring the election as a referendum to Anna Hazare’s campaign for the Jan Lok Pal Bill, is one such example. The team then touted the Congress’ defeat as its “victory”. And, Arvind Kejriwal, a key member of Team Anna, went to the extent of saying this anti-Congress campaign will stop only when the party passes the Bill. Pressure tactics? Or is that neat black-mailing?
Agreed, we needed an anti-corruption crusade in our country. There are probably more people’s representatives in Tihar than in Parliament. But this entire Anna Hazare’s package is problematic. His Taliban-style methodology in his village goes against the grain of democracy. And he has smartly photographed himself against the Gandhian halo; giant Gandhi black-and-white picture in the background and leaning against a white bolster….the works.
He has forced vegetarianism in his village. His argument: Non-vegetarian food increases the craving for alcohol. This extra-constitutional authority had even banned cable television in his village, a ban lifted only when he sat in Jantar Mantar for the nationally-televised fast.
Now what next, Mr Hazare? Hold women responsible for high incidences of rape for their provocative attire? Or, ask women to dress “appropriately” to avert the make gaze? Or worse, ask women to stay indoors and out of the bad world “infested” by salivating men?
This will make the Talibanisation complete.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Corporate despotism?
Kingfisher’s high-flying chairman, Vijay Mallya, has been knocking the doors of the Manmohan Singh government and banks to help him wriggle out of the financial mess his airlines is into. The owner of the F1 team and the IPL team, however, made it a point to clarify that it was not bailout that he was seeking but a “working capital management assistance”. Nicely put, Mr Mallya.
However, our Prime Minister has made a statement that the government might consider “bailing out” the airlines.
What is the logic of bailing out a private sector unit? If Manmohanomics is the mantra post 1991, why are we chanting a different tune? We have been pushing for private participation; we have been preparing a suitable environment for attracting foreign investment; we are bending backwards to disinvest the public sector units.
Let us decide the economic system we want to find ourselves in. If it is capitalism, then let us play by the rules ruthlessly. Why are we trying to bring in our socialism sympathy here? Agreed, a number of jobs are at stake. But isn’t that the norm of free market economy: Cold-blooded competition which shows no mercy on those who have failed in the race.
Then why is Mr Singh considering a pit stop for this F1 team owner? Why does he want to refuel Mallya’s bottomless appetite for grandiose?
The civil aviation ministry has been pushing banks to offer support to the country’s second largest airline, while not having readily responded to Mallya’s pitch for investment by foreign airlines.
A consortium of 13 banks, led by the SBI that have lent money to Kingfisher Airlines, are planning to quiz Mallya before a debt restructuring plan for the private carrier.
As expected the India Inc is divided over this “bailout” scheme. Bajaj Group chairman, Rahul Bajaj, opposing the government intervention has said that those who die must die in a free market economy.
By the way, the same Bajaj was opposed to the idea of a cut in import tariffs in early 1990s when Singh, then finance minister, ushered in reforms.
Spice Jet chief Neil Mills has said the government should not use taxpayers’ money to revive a private sector unit.
These seem music to the socialist’s ears. But is there a rulebook for the games that corporate India and the government of India play? The finances, bailouts and concessions are all the jokers in the pack that help them substitute their aces and spades in this game of symbiotic relationship.
There is just one question: in free market economy everything is according to market prices. At least that is what the capitalism rulebook says. What about special economic zones or simply put: land given at dirt prices. Or what about land bought (read usurped) from farmers for a song and given to industrialists to set up their industrial plants?
Are we talking about capitalism? Oligarchy? Or worse, corporate despotism?
However, our Prime Minister has made a statement that the government might consider “bailing out” the airlines.
What is the logic of bailing out a private sector unit? If Manmohanomics is the mantra post 1991, why are we chanting a different tune? We have been pushing for private participation; we have been preparing a suitable environment for attracting foreign investment; we are bending backwards to disinvest the public sector units.
Let us decide the economic system we want to find ourselves in. If it is capitalism, then let us play by the rules ruthlessly. Why are we trying to bring in our socialism sympathy here? Agreed, a number of jobs are at stake. But isn’t that the norm of free market economy: Cold-blooded competition which shows no mercy on those who have failed in the race.
Then why is Mr Singh considering a pit stop for this F1 team owner? Why does he want to refuel Mallya’s bottomless appetite for grandiose?
The civil aviation ministry has been pushing banks to offer support to the country’s second largest airline, while not having readily responded to Mallya’s pitch for investment by foreign airlines.
A consortium of 13 banks, led by the SBI that have lent money to Kingfisher Airlines, are planning to quiz Mallya before a debt restructuring plan for the private carrier.
As expected the India Inc is divided over this “bailout” scheme. Bajaj Group chairman, Rahul Bajaj, opposing the government intervention has said that those who die must die in a free market economy.
By the way, the same Bajaj was opposed to the idea of a cut in import tariffs in early 1990s when Singh, then finance minister, ushered in reforms.
Spice Jet chief Neil Mills has said the government should not use taxpayers’ money to revive a private sector unit.
These seem music to the socialist’s ears. But is there a rulebook for the games that corporate India and the government of India play? The finances, bailouts and concessions are all the jokers in the pack that help them substitute their aces and spades in this game of symbiotic relationship.
There is just one question: in free market economy everything is according to market prices. At least that is what the capitalism rulebook says. What about special economic zones or simply put: land given at dirt prices. Or what about land bought (read usurped) from farmers for a song and given to industrialists to set up their industrial plants?
Are we talking about capitalism? Oligarchy? Or worse, corporate despotism?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Reverse gear!
Two reports in the newspapers today grabbed my eyeballs. I skimmed past the humungous coverage given to F1: it did not interest me as much as a small story on our sports minister, Ajay Maken, being denied a ticket for the inauguration of the obscenely expensive sport that India (or even our planet) obviously cannot afford to host, given the huge appetite for fuel that it has. The other one was on Wipro’s Azim Premji planning a network of free primary and secondary schools in our country’s remote districts.
Ajay Maken is trying to be for the sports ministry what Jairam Ramesh had been for environment ministry and is now for urban development ministry: a minister with a conscience.
A few months back, Maken had tried to bring forth a new sports bill that would bring the sports federations, including the super-rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), under the ambit of the Right to Information Act (RTI).
Predictably, the Cabinet did not clear the Bill that was essentially meant to increase transparency and introduce accountability of all sports bodies. How could it when it had its ministers heading the federations and boards?
Today, when the media, corporate giants, celebrities and F1 enthusiasts are focussing on the flag that will be waved to ignite the event that is to take place on the swanky Rs 2000-crore Buddh International Circuit, our sports minister will be laying the foundation for the Rs 5-crore synthetic track at P.T. Usha’s academy in Koyilandi near Calicut.
The F1 organisers decided to snub the sports minister because he refused a Rs 100-crore tax exemption for the sport that is guaranteed to rake in billions. Isn’t the demand for tax waiver for a sport like Formula One itself a bizarre one? Especially when we are going to witness unbridled flow of money and liquor from corporate coffers; when we are going to see film promotions on cars; when we get to peek into those lavish after-parties (thanks to the paparazzi hunting down the celebs). So the very suggestion of a tax exemption is rather infuriating.
The other news story on Azim Premji planning free schools was a novel gesture in a country plagued by the heady concoction of population, poverty and corruption. The lack of basic education and health care in a country which is hosting a multi-billion-dollar sporting event is a trifle difficult to digest. Sorry for bringing in the formula one again and again into the thread of argument. But, when a country is unable to even whet the basic calorific appetite of millions, and offers an unrealistic Rs 32-a-day as a level to measure poverty figures, it does seem lopsided food for thought.
At least, Premji has lead by example for corporates to come out of their ivory towers and spare a thought for a country starved of basic necessities for survival. Even a few crumbs from them could go a long way to redefine corporate social responsibility, and not let us believe that it is an oxymoron!
Ajay Maken is trying to be for the sports ministry what Jairam Ramesh had been for environment ministry and is now for urban development ministry: a minister with a conscience.
A few months back, Maken had tried to bring forth a new sports bill that would bring the sports federations, including the super-rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), under the ambit of the Right to Information Act (RTI).
Predictably, the Cabinet did not clear the Bill that was essentially meant to increase transparency and introduce accountability of all sports bodies. How could it when it had its ministers heading the federations and boards?
Today, when the media, corporate giants, celebrities and F1 enthusiasts are focussing on the flag that will be waved to ignite the event that is to take place on the swanky Rs 2000-crore Buddh International Circuit, our sports minister will be laying the foundation for the Rs 5-crore synthetic track at P.T. Usha’s academy in Koyilandi near Calicut.
The F1 organisers decided to snub the sports minister because he refused a Rs 100-crore tax exemption for the sport that is guaranteed to rake in billions. Isn’t the demand for tax waiver for a sport like Formula One itself a bizarre one? Especially when we are going to witness unbridled flow of money and liquor from corporate coffers; when we are going to see film promotions on cars; when we get to peek into those lavish after-parties (thanks to the paparazzi hunting down the celebs). So the very suggestion of a tax exemption is rather infuriating.
The other news story on Azim Premji planning free schools was a novel gesture in a country plagued by the heady concoction of population, poverty and corruption. The lack of basic education and health care in a country which is hosting a multi-billion-dollar sporting event is a trifle difficult to digest. Sorry for bringing in the formula one again and again into the thread of argument. But, when a country is unable to even whet the basic calorific appetite of millions, and offers an unrealistic Rs 32-a-day as a level to measure poverty figures, it does seem lopsided food for thought.
At least, Premji has lead by example for corporates to come out of their ivory towers and spare a thought for a country starved of basic necessities for survival. Even a few crumbs from them could go a long way to redefine corporate social responsibility, and not let us believe that it is an oxymoron!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Loyalty counts
I do owe an apology for my earlier blog about the way Kolkata newspapers had reacted to Steve Jobs’ death. I had made the comment reading the internet versions of the newspapers, which had a news story about his death, in stark contrast to the way other newspapers had splashed the story. The reality is that The Telegraph was shut on October 6 for Dashami (Dussehra) and, therefore, there was no edition of the newspaper the next day. The early morning net edition of the paper carried the news as its second lead. And, I had misconstrued it as it had been carried in its print edition.
I could have easily sneaked in a delete click and let my post go into oblivion as if nothing happened. But I chose to keep the post, say sorry in my next one and expose my misunderstanding of the reality. That's loyalty for the newspaper that shaped me up. Cheers!
I could have easily sneaked in a delete click and let my post go into oblivion as if nothing happened. But I chose to keep the post, say sorry in my next one and expose my misunderstanding of the reality. That's loyalty for the newspaper that shaped me up. Cheers!
M’i’das fails to touch Kolkata media
My 10-year-old daughter rushed to me this morning and asked me: “Will there be more versions of i-pad, now that this person has died?”
That is the level i-technology has pervaded into our system. We no longer just connect, we “touch” each other’s lives.
I have never been a gadget freak, not even too friendly towards technology. I just about managed to understand its power and applications. Even the choice of my mobile handset is banal for the “arrived”. The three factors that guided me to choose my handset were: making and receiving calls, sending and receiving text messages and setting the alarm clock. So my present Nokia phone with its bulging number cover thanks to having been dropped umpteen number of times by my butter fingers, has just these functions. And, it has worked very well, has kept me connected (not informed) and has been loyal to me (no complaints) as I have been to it. So is my personal Dell. We were all living happily ever after…till I was bitten by the apple bug. The i-pad did help me shed my diffidence towards technology. It seemed to work intuitively, almost like magic. It seemed like this little rectangular device understood me and willingly came alive by my touch. I felt like Midas.
Then tragedy struck. The real Midas died. I came to know only when my Facebook account was full of tributes to the tech leader, who had once said: “Thomas Edison did a lot more to improve the world than Karl Marx.” I then told myself, “Why am I unable to react the way my Facebook friends have?”
I was not alone. I had company in the form of two leading newspapers that come out in Kolkata. Both these newspapers covered Steve Jobs’ death without much ado. Newspapers across the globe splashed the news on its front pages, like the world was being struck by a calamity. I was shocked to see The Telegraph and its muted coverage of the ‘i’con (this has now become a cliché). And, this came from a newspaper, which usually reacts furiously to even street clashes, giving banner headlines every other day.
I tried to understand the reason. I developed my own little argument: technology is connected closely with market, economy and consumerism. My friend had once told me how many schools in Kolkata even today were reluctant to allow technology walk past their wrought iron gates. And, the newspapers seemed to reflect this attitude. While the media across the globe screamed and wept for Steve Jobs, the Kolkata newspapers chose to let out a silent moan.
Time to ‘i’ntrospect?
That is the level i-technology has pervaded into our system. We no longer just connect, we “touch” each other’s lives.
I have never been a gadget freak, not even too friendly towards technology. I just about managed to understand its power and applications. Even the choice of my mobile handset is banal for the “arrived”. The three factors that guided me to choose my handset were: making and receiving calls, sending and receiving text messages and setting the alarm clock. So my present Nokia phone with its bulging number cover thanks to having been dropped umpteen number of times by my butter fingers, has just these functions. And, it has worked very well, has kept me connected (not informed) and has been loyal to me (no complaints) as I have been to it. So is my personal Dell. We were all living happily ever after…till I was bitten by the apple bug. The i-pad did help me shed my diffidence towards technology. It seemed to work intuitively, almost like magic. It seemed like this little rectangular device understood me and willingly came alive by my touch. I felt like Midas.
Then tragedy struck. The real Midas died. I came to know only when my Facebook account was full of tributes to the tech leader, who had once said: “Thomas Edison did a lot more to improve the world than Karl Marx.” I then told myself, “Why am I unable to react the way my Facebook friends have?”
I was not alone. I had company in the form of two leading newspapers that come out in Kolkata. Both these newspapers covered Steve Jobs’ death without much ado. Newspapers across the globe splashed the news on its front pages, like the world was being struck by a calamity. I was shocked to see The Telegraph and its muted coverage of the ‘i’con (this has now become a cliché). And, this came from a newspaper, which usually reacts furiously to even street clashes, giving banner headlines every other day.
I tried to understand the reason. I developed my own little argument: technology is connected closely with market, economy and consumerism. My friend had once told me how many schools in Kolkata even today were reluctant to allow technology walk past their wrought iron gates. And, the newspapers seemed to reflect this attitude. While the media across the globe screamed and wept for Steve Jobs, the Kolkata newspapers chose to let out a silent moan.
Time to ‘i’ntrospect?
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