Archive for the ‘Real Incidents’ Category
Indu Sarkar: Trailer, like nothing before
I just saw the trailer of movie Indu Sarkar, a movie about the atrocities of Emergency, a black chapter of lust for power. I came to know about emergency quite late in my life and have always wondered why? The dark chapter of our history should have been part of our school curriculum, but it never was. It was as if it never happened. A reason why such a movie was never made before today is simple, the dynastic rule never ended. The more I read about emergency, the sad I felt that judiciary, intelligentsia and media of the day knelt down in front of what they called Iron Lady, and they still do.
I always wondered why people voted her back post emergency and continued with the dynastic rule. Maybe we needed to grow as a nation to get out of bonded mindset. Maybe the internet and free knowledge needed to reach to deep interiors of our country to bring people together. I feel we have almost reached there. Movie like Indu Sarkar, if trailer is anything to go by, is bound to change the manufactured history of our nation. Couple of hard hitting dialogues stood out. Dialogues which should have been the part of our national psyche, but they never were.
“Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko gulam bana ke rakha hua hai, doosri beti se ummed hai azaadi ki” (One daughter of India has kept the nation enslaved; it is up to the other daughter to free the country). Chilling! It took the nation good 40 years to reach here. But I am happy that we finally have strength to say it out loud. We were enslaved. Struggle against emergency was nothing short of Third War of Independence. It should have been celebrated like one, but it never was.
“Tum log zindagi bhar maa bete ki gulaami karna” (You continue being slave to mother and son, your whole like). I couldn’t control my emotions hearing this. So relevant even today! It makes me sick and sad watching septuagenarian leaders bowing to mother and son just to keep their position. Mind you, we as voters were equally culpable, coz we as a nation were ready to serve mother and son, then and now.
But the time seems to have come to say it out loud. Time has now come to absolve ourselves of the sin of electoral mistakes we made. Time has now come to absolve us of the slavery. Indu Sarkar might not turn out to be as hard hitting as its trailer, but it is a step in right direction nonetheless. A step towards mainstreaming the atrocities the nation faced.
I don’t expect the movie to be celebrated by the media and intelligentsia. I don’t expect the movie to be celebrated by the nation as large, as we all were culpable in our choices last 40 years. But I expect it to be a start for a brighter future. Only after accepting and internalizing our failures and mistakes, do we become better.
The story needed to be told. I’d say it came not 40 years late, but it came on time, whenever it came.
Eman’s Doctors: Paying the price of their own greed
We have been seeing a story unfold last few days about Eman Ahmed and her sister Shaimaa Selim. For those who might not know, Eman is the patient who was flown in from Egypt for treatment of obesity. Dr. Muffazal Lakadwala and his Centre for Obesity and Digestive Surgery made it known to the media and the whole world that they would be treating the patient free of cost and spending crores in the process. And headlines they got. The heaviest person on Earth and an Indian surgeon to the rescue.
Things have degenerated all too quickly with the Eman’s accusing the doctors of negligence. All hell has broken loose. In major news papers, all I am seeing is character assassination of ‘ungrateful Egyptian sisters’. How the God’s own avatar, Dr. Lakadwala and his team did all the free service and now they are being blamed. And I am amazed how Indian media is not even ready to show Shaimaa’s side.
First of all it was all done not for philanthropy but as a PR stunt. For philanthropy we have enough problems in India to spend money and resources on. But the headlines ‘world’s heaviest woman’ can give to a hospital and a doctor, nothing else can. As about ‘free service’, I consider it advertisement budget, nothing else. It was an investment to get paying patients from all across the world at Dr. Lakadwala’s footsteps.
Coming to the character assassination of Eman’s sister. She is being touted as an ungrateful snob. Why ungrateful? Why now say that it was all free service? Why not treat her as another paying patient? Were the similar reservations made by a paying patient, would we have seen similar character assassination? Such PR stunts have their own downsides and one such downside we are seeing now. Seems the medical team was all too ready to shower in the glory of success and reap millions that follow, but are coming out as sore losers. Like rug has been snapped from under them.
I am not saying that its all Doctors fault, family could be at fault too. But the way character assassination is being done; it’s pathetic and portrays a dull picture of our hospitality. What happened to all ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’? These are two sisters in a foreign land. Shaimaa is worried about her sister Eman. Given the condition Eman is in, I know a lot many of my fellow citizens who would have abandoned their own sisters long back. Don’t we know what a lot many of us do to their parents in old age? But Shaimaa has stood alongside her sister, fighting for her.
She was promised a miracle by the publicity hungry doctors and now she is worried about deteriorating health of her poor sister. If she is blaming negligence, instead of investigating the claim just like it would have been done for any paying patient, whole medical team is busy character assassinating the sisters. Rich, isn’t it. Sad part is media is playing the ball too.
All I can say is Govt. should frame some rules to regulate such publicity stunts which put whole nation’s image at stake.
Pakistan annexing PoK (Gilgit Baltistan): A win for India
You would have read this news last week; Pakistan is all set to declare PoK (Gilgit Baltistan) as its fifth province. Contrary to the popular belief, it’s a win for India. It’s a part of shrewd mind-game that Modi diplomats have been playing on China. Let me explain why.
History: Why was it not made Pakistan province till today?
The answer lies in Pakistan agenda of Kashmir Azaadi. PoK was kept as a separate entity so Pakistan can blame as to how India has occupied Kashmir while they have kept their side of Kashmir Azaad. There was no other reason.
Why Pakistan action now after so many years?
It’s under duress. CPEC (China Pak Economic Corridor) is passing through PoK. India stressed upon China that since PoK is not Pakistan territory officially and since India considers it as our integral part, any aggression by India and resulting destruction of CPEC, should not be considered aggression against China. After all PoK was Azaad and not part of any sovereign nation. Worried China stressed upon Pak to annex PoK officially, which is what Pakistan has done now. It’s all about money.
What India Gains?
This was the only practical solution to Kashmir issue. Since PoK will now officially be a part of Pak, Pak can’t misguide Kashmiri youth anymore that Indian side of Kashmir is under seize while their side of Kashmir is Azaad. It is a huge psychological strike by India. Pakistan was forced to show its true colors and has lost all grounds to criticize India and has also lost any credibility in the eyes of militants. It’s early days yet but a great step towards normalcy.
Bengaluru to Delhi: Real reason behind the beastness
Another New Year celebration showcased another round of incidents by rotten eggs of the society bringing shame to the nation. Then there were remarks by his highnesses and how so easily media changed the narrative. No one cared other than for TRP’s and hence no one dared to speak the real truth behind the dare of such beasts.
The real reason is the failure of law enforcement and the judiciary of India. If over the years such culprits had been caught and jailed in time and an example made out them, even the high and mighty would have thought twice. Local police stations do not register majority of such cases as they sully their record. Women are left with no option when the law enforcers say, “Madam yeh sab toh hota rehta hai, Jaane do”. Whatever cases do get registered, they take ages to come to conclusion. Women get no support from police, judiciary or the society, while the hooligans are out on bail, breaking the spirit and squeezing the fight out.
But no, who is concerned about the real issue, when the politicians and their apathetic remarks give the ready mix for high TRP’s. The high drama in the late night news shows and the society sleeps sound. Had the police and judiciary done its duty over the years, we would have seen a much better society.
Such selective outrages are good for getting adrenaline going, but what purpose do they serve? It’s been years, still Nirbhaya has not been avenged. The case has been moving through the damping by lanes of courts at snails pace. Want to bet on how long before the men arrested for Bengaluru are out on bail and how long before they are put in jail. I suggest, don’t bet me on it!
Tata vs Mistry
We haven’t heard the last of Tata vs Mistry. New revelations are coming out each day. Leaked emails, sound bytes, sources and what not. I don’t want to take sides here, but a bad image of India Inc is going out to the world. For investors looking to invest in in India, the feud is a red flag.
I was puzzled as to the manner of removal of Mistry (not the removal itself). Removal of a chairman is the prerogative of Board of Directors, which was well within its right. However the manner was puzzling. There was a report that Mistry was asked by Ratan Tata prior to the board meet to step down, but Mistry turned it down. There has been no clarification on this from either Mistry or Tata’s. Mistry, who has been a lot vocal on a lot of things, is conspicuously silent on this report.
I see a deep rift and a suspicion that Board members had with Mistry, so much so that they thought that giving Mistry 2 week notice might be detrimental. Maybe they feared sabotage. That can be the only logical explanation. Mistry has not covered himself with glory by badmouthing Tata Group. That’s not what grownups do. It is his conduct post the exit that makes me and a lot of us wonder. Outing privileged information is just not a done deal.
If you see the ouster as Chairman as a reputation loss that you need to salvage by going with a hammer after the organization, you were wrong to become the chairman in the first place. After all it’s a job and it comes with a threat of termination.
I think the issue here is that he was a Chairman with 20% stake in the company. He was not an employee but the owner. He was too rich for his ego to take the termination in right spirit. Any employee level chairman would not have done so. He/She would have been worried about the prospects of next job. But not Mistry. He doesn’t need to find another job. He is hell of a rich guy and has his reputation loss to take care of.
I urge Mr. Mistry not to wash dirty linen in public. It doesn’t suit the stature of ex-chairman of Tata Group. As this moment, his conduct since exit makes me believe his ouster was the correct decision.
Gandhi: To be or not to be
Let’s go back to Circa of Aug 1947, when India got Independence. A new republic was born. And there was one man, Mahatma Gandhi around whom the freedom struggle was fought. There has been a debate over the years about Gandhi, what he did and his legacy.
Fortunately I have been brought up with both sides of the spectrum. My Maternal Grandfather (Nanaji) was a freedom fighter who fought alongside Gandhi. My Paternal Grandfather (Dadaji) was a businessman. Both had differing views when it came to Gandhi. Nanaji was a Gandhian in spirit and in practice. He had a big framed photo of Gandhi in his room. He praised Gandhi a lot for what he did for the freedom of the country. “Desh ko ajaadi dilwayi Gandhiji ne”, he often said proudly. He also related me stories as to how the freedom fighters were tortured in jails during British time.
Dadaji had a family business. According to him, life pre and post 1947 was poles apart. He was no fan of Gandhi. No so much for his role in freedom struggle. But what happened post that. Nehru was the damnation which led to destruction of the nation. Steep inflation and rise in crime rate were two things that he saw soon after Independence. “Son, there was a leadership deficit. He made Nehru PM, who had no plan at all. No plan at all”, he told me. Dadaji was not a political person, just a common man. “Ghee, Dal, Atta ka bhaav aasman choo gaya. Chori chakari, aam baat ho gayi. Angrezon ke jamaane mein yeh sab nahin tha. Kya faida hua?”, he often lamented.
They both were good and honorable man who never tried to impress these views on other people. This is what they thought and told to people who came to have a chat. I think both were true in their own regard. Gandhi was a unifier who brought a fractured nation together against British. At the same time, we all know how that freedom withered away with rampant poverty, corruption and breakdown of law of order.
Disclaimer: These are from my childhood memories to the best of my recollection.
Then I woke up
After quite a while, I had a bad dream last night. Funnily enough, I remember quite a few details of it. With those details in mind, I try to understand the reason behind the dream.
I have not been in a great spirits last few weeks with a lot of things bothering me, and I guess this dream might be connected to it.
The setting was in a neighborhood that I have lived in long back. But it was O! So drastically changing. It was not completely changed, mind you. But huge infrastructural change was going on in front of me. I was there discussing with an unknown young fellow about landmarks which were no longer there.
Then there was a murder case which that guy told me about. A murder that took place in the same neighborhood recently, but in a house that was not there during my time. It was a two story house overlooking a lake. But there was no lake when I lived there. A guy killed a girl and then shot himself. They were both students who lived on rent there. Then there was a tale of the ‘girl that lived’. Apparently this guy open fired, one girl died on the stop and the other girl remain unscathed.
I found myself talking to that dead girl. Séance of some kind. She was telling me how that guy entered her room, told her he has already killed two others and shot her dead. She didn’t know anything else. There was no reference of two others killed anywhere in my dream.
I found myself crying for some reason with all the sadness around. Then I woke up.
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.
Fast-Track Talwar Case Campaign: A case of Rotten Journalism by Times of India
As if “Times of India” group was not content of unleashing that shouting headache on us, now they want to sway public opinion to achieve social injustice. Their latest gimmick is “Campaign to Fast-Track The Talwar Trial”. They are asking people to Join Times Campaign.
What a load! Do they even know what fast-tracking means? If these pretentious and arrogant people don’t know, let me explain in simplest of words. Fast-Tracking this case means, delaying justice to someone else. Someone else who might be as eagerly waiting for justice to be delivered. Maybe more. Someone else who was waiting so eagerly for his hearing date, but would be delayed. Someone else who do not have money to such fanciful and expensive lawyers.
Just because ToI thinks, we should delay justice to some unknown, poor man, whose case hasn’t got traction to get ToI readership and TRP’s, and fast track the case for Talwar’s why? So that their shouting headache should go on air and ride on his high horse of righteousness.
I mean media get a grip. It’s okay raising issues. It’s okay reporting news. It’s okay highlighting corruption and demanding justice. But to delay justice to some poor man that hasn’t graced your newsroom or been a part of the mainstream news is not good.
I am not against Talwar’s right to justice. They are entitled to it. But it should be equitable. Media has no right to make some case more important than others. I understand in crimes of rape, it is necessary to get justice faster than others, and hence we as a society support jumping the queue. But latest ToI campaign smacks of rotten journalism. Not unlike their cheap news on Deepika Padukone not long ago.
Fight for more courts, speedier justice for all. But if you start to cherry pick readership and TRP worthy cases and start campaigns in their support. You tend to lose public confidence. Already a number of surveys have cited media as the main reason behind all that ails our society.
We don’t want good media to fall prey to the deeds of such bad media. People from good media stand up, be counted and raise their voice against such bad media.
Talvar: A movie which should not have been made
Talvar. The case fascinated us all, didn’t it? It hijacked airwaves like no other. The mere mystery of it! It was like a crime thriller unfolding live television. It became a real world Bigg Boss which provided entertainment like no other.
Movie based on the case was the most apt culmination for this sordid saga. The movie is so intriguing, so heart wrenching, that it’s hard not like it. Add to it Irrfan’s acting and we have got a gem. But does it really portray the case or is mere art of fiction?
The crux of the movie is that Parents were innocents, servants were culprits and what happened was a travesty of justice. Title Talvar refers to the sword in the hands of Lady of Justice, a sword that has become rusted of late and more so due to this judgment.
Director/Writer claimed to have taken an unbiased view and presented all three viewpoints. Of local police (which blamed parents), first enquiry by CBI (which blamed servants) and 2nd enquiry by CBI (which blamed parents). But the fact is first and third enquiries are shown as shoddy. The 2nd CBI investigation is shown as proper. No wonder 2nd investigation was headed by our protagonist Irrfan.
Although the film makers are entitled to their expression. For their part they have changed the name of the characters to remove any direct reference to the real incident. But still, when you claim to be unbiased, you need to be unbiased.
The movie takes an open stand for the parents who are portrayed as victims (maybe they are for all we know), and demonizes the servants. They disregard the human rights of the servants who might be victimized by society post this movie. They too might be innocent. But not for the filmmakers!
It’s not too hard to realize why the storyline? A movie becomes emotional and heart wrenching if the parents are shown as victims of the system. If movie would have conformed to the courts judgement, it would have become a demonic thriller, where parents slaughter their daughter.
The only issue with such movies based on real incidents (when the matter is still in court) is, they tend to sway opinion of common public. I felt the mood in the theater after the movie was somber and everyone felt for the parents. Guilty servants went scot free!
I cannot pinpoint but I feel something was not right and this movie ought not to have been made. Not until the case was in court. It felt like an appeal on parents behalf under guise of a movie.
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