Passive Invasion of Goa!
I found following video on youtube. A news report of invasion of unarmed Indians into Portugal occupied Goa. Alas, it didn’t succeed and in this attempt 22 dead and 120 wounded. Later, India invaded Goa militarily and Portuguese surrendered. Start watching from 2m07s
It shows depth of the following of Gandhi then, which is very hard to imagine today.
Why don’t some people like Arundhati Roy?
Her sweeping generalization and oversimplification of the problems. Here is a link to her interview with democracy now.
In her review of the recent conflict against Naxalits, She begun her narrative just before the MNCs started showing interest in the natural resources of the conflict region. She says MNC came in the region and start displacing local people. Local people are resisting this. So, Government is labeling them Maoist. This will give government an excuse to suppress the resistance with the military force. Her analysis strongly suggests a direct causal connection between MNC activities and the rise of Maoist resistance. Therefore, Globalization is bad. She didn’t mention the whole history of Moist resistance in India, which is a key point to understand the conflict. I guess not every problem is straight away reducible to ‘Globalization’.
This makes some people accuse her misrepresenting the reality. Sadly, I have to agree with them. Even though, I agree with general framework of her thought.
Operation Green Hunt: Blood bath is about to begin!!
Another military operation with another cool name. Now! India engages in ‘War against Naxals’. I was wondering why not ‘war on Naxals’.
A quick background, Central India has large area of forest, where huge tribal population lives. They are 25% population of India. They are poor and target of hyper social injustice. There people only know government in the form of the police. Police acts with full impunity. Police is hardly distinguishable from goons of land lords. I guess I don’t have to explain you that legal system is also fully rigged. So, this area is a lucrative market for selling communist revolution. During last 60 years, Maoist Communists (aka Naxals) have been leading armed rebellion. They literally want to overthrow Indian government. Their leadership might have been Maoist but most of their recruits hardly know who was Chairman Mao. Mostly, tribal young men join Naxals in a state of desperation. In result, there has been mindless brutal civil war between police and Naxals.
Recently, this civil war has been escalated. There are multiple theories behind this escalation. One theory says( Tipping-point theory ), Naxals tried to assassinate Chief Minister of a state. In revenge, police unleashed its brutality on the tribes. So, tribal men started joining naxals. Other theory says (Vested interest theory), Government and corporations have developed great interest in minerals under these forest land. They are using one reason or another to force people out of the land. This new wave of brutality is giving Naxals a greater support among tribes. There may be other explanations. I don’t know which one is true.
Now! Indian army is being deployed. 75000 soldiers will fight ‘Operation Green Hunt’. I am highly worried about upcoming events. Each time Indian arm forces are deployed within India, they are given a special ‘license to kill’. No accountability! Murderous military units are rewarded. If anyone demands accountability then he/she is either anti-national or naive.
I don’t know how to deal with armed rebellion if not military force. Government has to deploy armed forces. The problem is lack of accountability. Kashmir and Assam have left deep scars. There army has been given license to kill and problems haven’t been solved.
Please! Please! Please! Don’t raise armed forces beyond realm of doubt and accountability. It has not solved and will not solve India’s political problems.
Ganesha: The elephant God
Ganesha is one of the most popular God in India. Its statue has body of a chubby child and head of an elephant. You can find it everywhere. Almost all sects of Hinduism worship Ganesha. For foreigners, this God is cute and comic, which fits with current standards of coolness. Sometimes, you can find his picture in adverts in Europe. Here is a picture, in which Ganesha is advertising for a super market.
Ganesha promoting Migros
So recently, I went to an Indian restaurant. I found a picture of Ganesha on the menu and I started telling his elephant head story to others. I made grave mistakes in my story and an Indian intern caught me. I was bit embarrassed. Then, I went back and read about Ganesha. I found amazing things about Indian scriptures. I mainly read this book.
Ganesha was not the main God in early vedic tradition. Some claim that he didn’t even exist then. The main evidence is that he wasn’t mentioned in Ramayana and Mahabharata at all. His myths were invented in 5th century and became the pop God of the time. The puranas(mythical books) were written about him. Someone also came up with Ganesh GITA. There was also a cult which believed that Ganesha was the highest God.
The most interesting fact is that these puranas are inconsistent with each other. There are multiple versions of same mythical events. For example, how was Ganesha born? Some sources say, his mother Parvati wanted a child but father Shiva didn’t. In a sex session, Shiva somehow feeds his semen to mouth of god of fire instead of her womb. This act made Parvati angry and she created Ganesha out of her neckless. From other sources, the sex session was interrupted by Vishnu, another God, and semen falls on the floor. This time Vishnu was complicit with Parvati. So, he does some magic and that semen drop became a child. This is one example. Every small piece of detail about him has multiple versions.
Its interesting! Next time I will tell people the correct story.
Mee Nathu Ram Godse Boltoy
This is a play about Nathu Ram Godse. He assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. In this play, his character argues for necessity of killing of Gandhi at the movement, kills Gandhi, and proudly goes in death row. Play is full of nationalist sentiments. He repeatedly identifies him self with Sivaji. He cites the great cultural heritage of Indus valley civilization. He cites ancient epic references to the places in current Pakistan which after all shows that whole south asia should have been a country called Hindustan or Bharat. He is specifically angry about giving away ‘Holy Sindhu’ river to Pakistan. He mainly accuses Gandhi for not standing against the partition. He believes that if Gandhi has been firm against partition then he could have stopped it. Therefore, Gandhi has sole responsibility for the partition. He then goes on to make a case for assassination. He says Gandhi should be stopped because he is full of crazy ideas to appease Pakistan even if it is waging war against us.
The problem with play is that there is no strong character against Nathu . Son of Gandhi suppose to represent opposite side of Nathu’s position. He comes at the end of the play and argues with the Nathu. He has weak lines. Nathu wins the argument with nationalistic jargon and very simplistic arguments. For example, he argued that Gandhi’s ‘religion does not divide’ attitude is flawed because other side, which is Pakistan, doesn’t recognize it. We are being attacked and we should prepare to fight in our self defense. Why even we thinking about helping Pakistan with lots of money?* If Gandhi looked at everybody equal then why did he fight with British? At this point, son of Gandhi becomes speechless and Nathu wins. I find it such a weak defense of Gandhi. Someone could have easily argued that Gandhi was not fighting against British but the repressive and unjust system, which they represent. Gandhi simply wanted injustice to end.
Gandhi had his own ideals and he was acting on them. He made his choices according to his thinking. As there is vast evidence that he has been consistent and honest to his principles. So, we may safely assume that he made his choices in honest spirit in the case of the partition. As this play reflects, Nathu has no principle criticism against Gandhi’s ideals. He liked Gandhi’s basic ideas. He didn’t even try to accuse Gandhi as charlatan or being inconsistent. He was just unhappy about Gandhi’s attitude towards Pakistan.
This play doesn’t paint complexity of the situation. It cites Hindu’s being killed in riots but it doesn’t say anything about Muslim who are being killed. It ends with a massage of certainty of correctness of Nathu’s position. I think this is a dishonest thing to do if you are writing a play about such a sensitive issue.
*India donated 550Million rupees to Pakistan at that time.
Slumdog effect!
Following is the front page story of CNN website for a while:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/14/india.slums/index.html
Razing slums is everyday story in India. All of sudden, why CNN is so interested – which is great – in slums of India.
I guess Slumdog Millionaire effect.
Movie: Sorry Bhai!
Interesting one!! Fans of ’ Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’ must be rushing to watch this one. The 3rd film of Chitrangada Singh.
Movie is about a guy who falls in love with the fiancée of his brother and ends up having live in relationship. I didn’t like it much. Just story flow didn’t feel natural.
This film displays the acceptance level of changes in the social values in India. It is a constant struggle for an Indian about which social value to keep or which one to let go, as we are running towards the industrialization and modernization. There is noone who can provide a solid definition of ‘Indian social values’ but people have a vague idea about what is ok and what is off limits. Many of the social practices have become impractical and sometimes absurd in the light of current shape of careers of people, knowledge, and cultural mix with western world. Main observation is that now it is possible to make movies which finally says,
It’s OK. Things happens. Let, them live their life.
This movie not that famous in India. Some of my friends have never heard the name of this movie.
Chomsky reffering to Mayawati
In recent article by Noam Chomsky, he reffers to Mayawati of Uttar Pradesh in following way:
Reactions to the election from across the spectrum commonly adopted the “soaring rhetoric” that was the hallmark of the Obama campaign. Veteran correspondent John Hughes wrote that “America has just shown the world an extraordinary example of democracy at work,” while to British historian-journalist Tristram Hunt, the election showed that America is a land “where miracles happen,” such as “the glorious epic of Barack Obama” (leftist French journalist Jean Daniel). “In no other country in the world is such an election possible,” said Catherine Durandin of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations in Paris. Many others were no less rapturous.
The rhetoric has some justification if we keep to the West, but elsewhere matters are different. Consider the world’s largest democracy, India. The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, which is larger than all but a few countries of the world and is notorious for horrifying treatment of women, is not only a woman, but a Dalit (“untouchable”), at the lowest rung of India’s disgraceful caste system.
It is up to Indians if they want to feel proud or feel sorry. 
What do you think….
It was summer of 2005, I was working in Delhi and going home on weekend. I was catching an overnight train to Kanpur. I couldn’t manage to get reservation for the sleeper berth. So, I choose to go using general class. It wasn’t that crowded day. I easily found place to sit. I found a compartment with 3 more people sitting. 2 of them were facing me and 3rd one was sitting next to the window besides me. The 2 facing me were traveling together. One of them sitting just next to the window and, by his appearance, he seems to be some pundit(hindu priest). His fellow passenger was very lean middle aged man. He seems to be unhappy just by design. He would tell me his name but all I remember that his name ends with ‘ram’ so lets call him Sitaram. Sitaram kept asking Panditji time to time if he needs something. Sometimes, he whispers in the ears of Panditji and then Panditji mumble something, with noding his head, to give him some kind of assurance. The guy next to me was dosing all the time. He seems to be annoyed by every single utterance of a word in the compartment.
I was reading a book on quantum physics. After half an hour on the train, Panditji interrupts me and asks, “What are you reading?”
First, I was puzzled by the sudden question. If you have a habit of traveling in higher class then you would never experience such questions from strangers. I had no idea how to explain quantum physics to a layman and specially in hindi.
I started, “I am reading a book about physics. It is a field of science which tries to explain behavior of physical objects. Quantum physics is one of the theory which explains some activities of our surroundings. This is very special kind of theory which revolutionize the way people look at the world. Can you follow me?”. I stopped and asked if he wanted me to blather more about it.
He kept nodding and said , “Go on!!”
“This is a special kind of theory. Very hard to comprehend. It is not because of its mathematics but the view of universe it tries to propose. …….” Then I kept speaking for next 4-5 minutes and he kept nodding harder and harder.
At the end he asked, “Why are you reading this book? Which exam are you preparing for?”
“No, I am just reading because I want to know. It is exciting.”
Then Sitaram jumps into conversation, “Educated people behave weird ways!” ( padhe likhe loogoon ki alag hi baat hai!!)
Sitaram asked me, “What do you do?”
“I am an engineer working for a company which makes microchip for you mobile phone.”
Then I asked, “What do you do?”
Sitaram responded or lamented, “I work for railways at Kanpur railway station. These days it has become harder and harder to work at the station. Time is getting harder.” Pointing at Panditji, he says, “He is known priest. He is full of knowledge. I am taking him to my place to do some prayer for my kids. They are extremely naughty. I have 2 son’s and a daughter. 2 sons ran away from home about an year ago. I used be bit tough on them but it doesn’t mean they should run away. I looked for them all over the city but I couldn’t find them. I complained in police and they wouldn’t do any thing until I pay them. You know I am just a poor railway worker. I just unload and upload on goods carriage. How can I pay to those police officers.”
I was in little shock to hear the story. He continued, “Then, I went to known Guru in Unnao. He told me that I should go to south-west of kanpur then I will find my kids working at some road side food stall. I went on my bicycle for 200km on jhansi-road but I didn’t find my kids. I had to come back. I was dis-hearted. I couldn’t believe how can that Guru make a mistake”
“Did you find your kids?” I asked with excitement.
“I came to Delhi to meet this priest. He told me to go back on bicycle and look for kids on the way. To my surprise, I found my kids working in a tea shop around 50km north of kanpur.”
I thought what an odd that the first priest just missed it by direction but he got rest of it right.
“I knew that my elder son made all the plan. Younger one just followed. I will see if he doesn’t try to run away again.”
I hardly believed his story. Various thoughts were floating in my head. He might not have found his kid when was coming back from delhi. They might have returned just by themselves. He might have found them somewhere else. He might be deluding himself that he found his kids because of miraculous capacities of the Panditji. He might be saying things just to flatter the Panditji. He might be saying thing because you make up stories when you gossip with strangers. The thought, that he was a deliberate liar, never came to my mind. He might be just trying to grab some stranger’s attention.
Then Panditji started, “Look this man is so unhappy. I had to help him. I don’t take much money for helping people. Look I agreed to travel on general class because he can’t afford sleeper class ticket.”
Then he turns to sitaram, “Sitaram! God will help! and I will make sure he will! You have to just follow the right procedure of prayer.”
“Only you are the available help to me! God knows how else I will cope!”, Sitaram said after touching his feet. I saw bits of tears in his eyes.
This was a scene for me. Sitaram then sit back and PanditJi says, “This guy regards me very much, like many others. I don’t know how to help all of them.”
I said with sympathy, “It must be tough.”
Then this conversation ended. I think it was a longer conversation but I guess that I have forgotten most of the details. May be we had spoken about corruption in Indian Railways. May be about cultural degradation in the youth. After an hour of silence Sitaram speaks again,
“What do you think? Is America’s time over? Their pot of sin must be over flowing by now!”
( Kya kahete ho aap, Lagta hai amrika ke din pure ho gaye hain.. paap ka ghada bharne waala hoga!! )
I stopped myself in bursting into laughter. I didn’t know how to answer that so I just nodded and closed my eyes as if I was trying to sleep. I am almost sure he hardly knew any facts about the sins of America. All he must be knowing that America is rich so Americans must be living a fanciful life. India is miserable and He is poor. So, all the blame of his problem goes to the rich America. He must be hearing all the time America bashing blathers. So, He concludes America is doing sins at very fast rate therefore their pot of sins should be about to be full. It was not filled yet otherwise God must have started taking its vengeance on the America. Apparently, God is giving all the things that Americans want.
Facist face of India!
Hindu right of India is getting more and more attention therefore receiving lots of sympathy, support, loathing, and detest. But, They are all the time in news. Thanks to SABASE TEZ news channels .
Recently, they attacked S.A.R Geelani by spatting on his face. The professor of Delhi University who was accused for parliament attacks and acquitted by the supreme court. He has been attempted to be assassinated.
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