Archive for October 2015
Why FTII student protest didn’t get public support?
Normally if you see, student protests get huge public sympathy. The arrogant college administration is lambasted for harrowing poor students. But it somehow didn’t happen at FTII. It begs the question, Why? Why didn’t public sympathize with FTII students? I thought of a few reasons.
1. They didn’t look like students but politicians: I remember seeing few protesting students, in TV debates. They spoke like full blown politicians. They lacked the innocence that students have. Their political bytes, gave them a negative edge.
2. Their cause was political and not academic: Had they fought for better curriculum. Better hostel facilities. Better studios and equipment. Better grant. Public might have sympathized with them. But they didn’t. They wanted to oust who they called a political appointee. This gave their cause a political color and public decided to ignore them.
3. Letting opposition leaders inside campus: Students should not have let opposition leaders into their protest. Once they did, their struggle seemed motivated. It seemed like a protest by elderly students who wanted to join politics. Had they followed the Anna model which didn’t allow politicians to share stage during Lokpal struggle, the protest would have some success.
4. History of protests at FTII: This protest brought history of protests at FTII into limelight. Given such lengthy protests have been a norm; it took away the seriousness of the protest. It looked like a habit.
5. Old students lingering on for free hostel and food: When it came to knowledge that students as old as 2008 batch were residing at hostels and using college facilities, it sounded somewhat fishy. Public couldn’t imagine their own children lingering on at college for so long. Why didn’t they pass? Did they fail again and again? These were questions that came to public mind. Students also didn’t give any clear answer to this. It added to the opinion that students who don’t want to study are influencing young ones and not letting them study.
6. Who studies film making? This is a not so diplomatic reason, but is so true when we put our society into perspective. We want our children to study medical, engineering etc. Film institute is not something which public at large would want their ward to study at. When we hear students, we think academics. This was not the case. Here. Hence lack of sympathy.
Stop this award drama: Doing harm to a legitimate issue
And the trend of returning awards continues. I have always believed that such awards decided by all-so-biased juries of the past has led to generations of political awardees. The regime of the past was intolerant to fresh minded people who were against dynasty and sycophancy.
I agree to some extent with the feeling that religious intolerance is on the rise. Right wing groups have found new vigor. But then when Babri was demolished what did so called secular Govt. did? Nothing! Was religious intolerance not on rise then? Why not answer who gave rise to right-wing Shiv Sena to oust the communists off Mumbai? We have even forgotten the ills of Emergency. Your cause, which might be right, has been undone by company you keep.
All this hoopla initiated by member of Nehru family when she returned her award, has done nothing but harm your fight. There would have been other means of struggle, like the ones people chose during emergency and various riots across last 50 years. By following the steps of a Nehru relative, you have fallen prey to being branded as anti-BJP and pro-Nehru. Nehru, if you ask younger generation, does not hold that high esteem anymore. Indira Gandhi does hold some respect but not Nehru. And everyone knows this but you. By ganging up with a member of Nehru family, you have demolished your own fort. Youth of today care less about Hindutva but more about jobs.
Your action in fact has given the way out to Central Govt. Instead of being on the back foot, they are now riding high on the Nehru-Dynastic hatred in today’s youth and have been able to paint you all, self ignorant fools. For youth, corruption is the ugliest of sin. For you religion related issues are. For us corruption has kept us under privileged due to which successive Govt’s have been able to fool us to fight over religion. You don’t address corruption as an issue. When we hang our head in shame due to rampant corruption and emergency, you just want to celebrate secularism.
I care two hoots about secularism or religion for that matter. I want these dynastic and sycophancy beneficiaries, stripped off their luxuries. Just see their dare to dictate to us what is right and what is wrong. Social media has made us better aware than to tolerate such people.
We knew all about Modi when we elected him. We might not have sided with him, but for your silence when India was being looted and poor were kept deprived.
I so wish you had spoken when Nehru furthered his daughter and laid the foundation for dynasty. I so wish you had spoken when Bhopal terrorist was let free. I so wish you had spoken when Emergency was imposed. I so wish you had spoken when India was looted rampantly. I so wish you had spoken for such issues than to cite religion to settle your petty ideological differences.
HRD Ministry: Please Spare the IITs and their Academicians
Please HRD Ministry, hands off IIT’s. There is so much wrong with our education system, specially the school system. Government schools are in pathetic state. No one but the poorest of the poor send their children to these schools, that too due to helplessness. Better concentrate your energy there.
The reports about your interference in IIT’s academic functioning are disturbing. Recent incident about you asking IIT dean to reconsider decision to cancel a PhD student’s admission is unbecoming. You might justify yourself with the best of oratorical strengths that you possess, but we are in no mood for that. Admission is sacrosanct to college administration and it’s wrong to meddle with that.
Going by history, I know what you would say minister. A letter came to me and I just forwarded it for redressal. Why add a point to put the matter before its Board of Governors for “suitable verification/redressal? Why not request dean/director to look if the complain had any merit?
Wording of your letter amounts to interference and you know that very well. I would urge you not to upset the already less in number teaching community in premier institutes. There people have given plush careers in foreign universities for their nation. These are true patriots and want nothing in return. There are silent contributors to nation building. They have put their blood into the foundations of IIT’s. Don’t upset them.
You know most of our Profs, the deans, and the directors have spent almost all their lives inside educational institutes, studying and teaching. They are not what you would call socially active beings. They are uncorrupted by this world and its vices. Any student who has gone through IIT’s will stipulate to this; we in fact used to make fun of our faculties for this very trait.
They just do what is the right for students and institute. If they found merit in canceling the admission to a student due to issue with the details provided, they are entitled to it. Let the student fight it out in the court. If you feel student has been wronged, provide student with all legal help, but stop writing such letters to deans of our alma maters.
I would for sure listen to what you have to say, but only after you improve the Govt. school system in our country. I don’t want to be personal, but I would listen to you minister once you are comfortable sending your own children to a Govt. school. Maybe then you would have earn some right to write such letter to the Deans, deans who have give their youth, their life, their luxuries for our nation.
Where has My Protein Gone? Expensive Dal and Cleansing of the Poor
So Dal is being sold @ 220/- per Kg. I have written enough articles lately as to how current Govt. has lost the plot completely. I don’t want to go into that today. Today I want to discuss the health aspect of expensive Dal. Thanks Ravish @ NDTV for bringing it to our attention.
Dal is the main source of protein for most Indians. Most migrant workers (laborers, cycle rickshaw pullers, auto rickshaw drivers, watchmen etc.), depend on road side stalls for daily food. They eat one time a day, heavy meal which costs them 30 bucks. The news report was of Delhi. But I have tried same meal in Mumbai too. It costs the same.
With the Dal price sky rocketing, the amount of Dal is decreasing and amount of water is increasing in the meal. Toor Dal was already away from reach. Now they don’t even use Moong Dal. A Mauth Dal is being used, which is the cheapest available in market and looks like Moong Dal; that too in decreasing quantity. This leaves us with less and less amount of protein in the poor man’s diet.
What is the health aspect of it? Will it not make them weak? Will that weakness not result in less productivity? Will that make India better? I shudder to even think the horror of the empty stomach and weak shells of the poor. What is this if not cleansing of the poor? Just like Congress was accused of eradicating poor and not poverty; current times are equally dreadful.
Next time you see poor laborers, rickshaw drivers, watchmen a bit lean and weak, do offer them a Dal-Rice meal. They need proteins too.
ISL: Tough For Football to survive in India
This weekend I went to ISL Football match between Mumbai and Goa. I have witnessed a good number of IPL cricket matches at DY Patil Stadium in the past; hence the place was not new to me. The atmosphere was starkly different from IPL. Easy parking, no traffic jam and hassle free entry. The entry was made free for everyone by the time the match started.
The point that I want to discuss is why football is not popular in India and why it is difficult to get people interested to come to stadium. Let’s contrast it with cricket. The earliest memories of cricket we have are playing in the backyard with siblings, friends. How we remember stopping near a ground where people happened to be playing cricket; soaking in any and every bit of action. We have been brought up viewing/playing cricket on ground. Out visual impulses are used to watching cricket; basically we are able to make out what is happening in stadium and hence enjoy it.
Football is different. The earliest memories of football are seeing on TV. The high octane clashes in European countries. Also only people who got used to good football were people who had cable TV connection. We didn’t grow up seeing football in stadium. Hence it becomes difficult for us to comprehend it on ground. For those who have seen cricket in stadium would understand what I am talking about. Experience is totally different from TV. Majority of us won’t enjoy football in stadium for that very reason. We started up with football in TV and that’s what we understand.
The major issue is lack of quality. Substandard quality of players in ISL makes the watch painful. After watching EPL, CL on TV, it’s not possible to enjoy ISL matches. Imagine watching Zimbabwe/Afghanistan cricket match in stadium. Would you enjoy it? ISL is not even that. It’s as bad as a cricket match between Division C/D countries.
All the interest in ISL is due to the owners Ranbir Kapoor, John Abraham, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly etc. These were people who invested here as they lost out on IPL teams earlier. Their interest was to own a sports team rather than Football. Football is not the selling point yet. And going by the weekend Mumbai vs Goa match, where people were more engulfed in selfies, food than football, it’s hard to see the interest growing.
Brutal Lust for TRP’s and Downfall of Arnab Goswami
Half the time I turn on news channels, I am witness to an advert as to how that channel is No. 1. How it beats others in a given time slot, event or what not. It is not about News anymore. News has taken a backseat. It’s about money, money, money.
As I wrote sometime back, Arnab Goswami’s triumph as per the advert rates backed by TRP’s, gave rise to an army of imitators. Each following his footsteps in shouting match, disrespecting panelists, twisting facts for making interesting story.
It was the day journalism kinda lost. Journalism is the business of News not Views, was a thing of the past. What it gave birth to was motivated news. And the worst kind of, “pick and choose” which story to run based on TRP it can generate.
But days of such yellow journalism are only few. Change has already started happening. Recent viewership of CNN IBN has left Times Now behind and it has come as a fresh whiff of fresh air. A new breed of news readers and anchors headed by Zakka Jacob, have brought a welcome change. Gone are the days of mudslinging and shouting slugfests.
I commend Zakka Jacob and team and would urge them to remain as they are. There will be temptations and pressure to go rogue and initiate a shouting match. But please don’t. Ethics and honor in journalism are hanging by a thread. Hold it together.
Why it’s good to be selfish
Since childhood we are taught not to be selfish. Selfishness is a moral sin. We should think about others before ourselves. This training begins from such an early age that it gets imbibed into us naturally; to some more the than others.
What we are not taught is that there are cases where it’s okay to act selfish. For instance our happiness supersedes all. If we are happy by being selfish, then so be it. If putting others before us is making us unhappy then it’s of no use.
But it is easier said than done. This gives rise to a moral dilemma. What if we are unhappy either ways? If by being selfish, you are sad for others. And by not being selfish you are not happy for yourself. What to do then? Well my friend, it’s a classic case of being screwed.
Such people have some manufacturing defect and are bound to suffer all through their life. They are the ones who are not able to take finite decisions due to their inner dilemma. They dilly dally to the extent of making their own life and life of people around them miserable.
They feel like everyone around them is making them suffer. What they forget is people around them are just being selfish for their own happiness; something which the miserable beings are not able to do.
Such people are bound for eternal disgruntled life.
8 Things Every Guy must Learn from Pyar Ka Punchnama 2
1. Whenever the girl cites parental pressure for not marrying the boyfriend, she never would marry a 50K earning man which her father finds, if her boyfriend earns 2lac. No, she would wait till her father finds a 2lac or more earning groom for her. So much for parental pressure.
2. When you say Sorry, the girl is not content. “Do you know why you are Sorry”, “You don’t even know why you are Sorry” are her next statements. Come ‘on, I am saying Sorry for the thing we were just fighting about. How hard can it be?
3. “Where do you find such guys who are best friends with a girl, who is in relationship with another guy? Who makes such best friends?” Everything is platonic with them. Kiss, Hug, probably even s*x. At the end of the movie it is aptly shown that such best friends are nothing but a backup.
4. “I always split bills. It is non-negotiable for me”. Every time you pay, she would say, “Remind me to pay you back”. But she would never pay back. Her only issues will be about the money you spend when you are with your friends. “Your friends, they take advantage of you”. Irony is the girl is the one taking the utmost advantage.
5. A hint of financial instability, and she would be through the roof. If you want to do anything of your own, you can expect next to nil support from her. “Don’t I have any say?”, If you say Yes, then she would ask you to shelve your dreams and continue with the job, that you don’t want to. If you say No, then she would get a reason to make your life miserable.
6. She would spare no time to throw, “Lets Break up” on your face. Just for the fun of it and playing with your emotions. Something like, “to teach you a lesson”. So that you go crawling on your feet, begging and apologizing.
7. She would never agree with anything you try and explain. Same thing, if her friends and colleagues would explain, she would get it in an instant. You would always be the wrong one.
8. She knew she never would marry you against her parent’s wishes and her parents would never agree. Still for years she would use you for fun, shopping and time pass. She also needs some enjoyment till she gets married. “I know I don’t have entire life with you, have only few months. I would like you spend those few months with you. I want to”. She would not spare a moment, telling the police that you drugged her and molested her. Under parental pressure of course.
OnePlus 2 Phone heats up like Indian summer afternoon
The review I wrote on amazon.in
Purchased on 12th Oct, in the one hour invite free window. Received on 13th Oct and requested for return that day itself. My reason below,
THE PHONE HEATED up like anything. The upper half body was on fire. I installed 5-6 apps and played few videos. It was smoking hot. I could even smell that burning smell.
I asked my colleagues in office (as I was not sure of myself anymore). They assured me I was not going insane and phone was really hot.
It’s sad as I was excited to get my hands on this phone and I had to return it.
All the raving reviews seem to me FAKE as there can’t be so much difference. Most people just want to show off in reviews.
I read a review which said, “I finally got my hands on this BEAST”. I too was excited by this review and was eagerly waiting for a BEAST to arrive. But alas!
I feel ONE Plus guys have screwed it up big time and will feel the pinch in times to come. It’s an invite game.
People who are giving rave reviews are just happy to get hold of this artificially elusive product. If not for invite, they too would have felt cheated.
India is an already hot country. Why give me a phone that heats up so much.
Five days a week
Wake up morning aimless,
News and shit, lameness,
Often it plays, hide n seek,
I do this, Five days a week.
Jog and sweat, calmness,
Shower and clean, freshness,
Jazz a bit, hair and cheek,
I do this, Five days a week.
Milk and Cereal, Munching,
Fruits a few, pack lunching,
Sometimes salad, fresh Greek,
I do this, Five days a week.
Stroll to office, oh so slow,
Some hot, some cold, I blow,
To my seat, I quickly sneak,
I do this, Five days a week.
Login password, old routine,
Workspace, always find clean,
Keep sitting, till take a leak,
I do this, Five days a week.
Lunch time here, off I go,
Eat together, all my bro,
Bitch, snitch, plotting reek,
I do this, Five days a week.
By the evening, left no thrill,
Not got enough time to kill,
Next day feels equally bleak,
I do this, Five days a week.
ArpitGarg's Weblog 