Gag on Internet, another voice of opposition

Hi,

Just got to know govt is advocating internet censorship over various news channels. I welcome the statement and condem the idea of taking up such an action.

I welcome the statement  because just like all of us the govt also has the right to free speech (including Kapil Sibal and Digvijay Singh). I condemn the idea because it is against one of the strongest pillars of our democracy , namely free speech.


If the government is going to use this as a tool to curb the bashing that is going on then this is gonna fail miserably. If it is using this for minority appeasement (as pointed out by Kapil Sibal - 'hurting religious sentiments')  then its not going to do anything other than add more hatred towards the minority communities. They are now going to be accused by majority community of  having to give up their right to free speech for them. Even more interesting is that this government  had nothing to say about M F Hussain painting Hindu gods  in an objectionable way.


One citizen in a TV channel correctly said that, if somebody is saying something bad then what we need to correct is that mentality in our society.  Also, the web is so open that the people will find a way to work around all these rules. What we really need to do is that we have good and fast laws to prosecute these people who misuse their right. We should cease to apply the old Victorian laws to modern day crimes.


Government really needs some new ideas.

Mumbai 26/11 anniversary

Yesterday was the third anniversary of Mumbai  Terror Attacks. I was just wondering what would be the importance we would be associating to the date.

There were no huge news flashes, dedications or memoirs.  Just a few TV debates, top news papers relegating the news to page 2 or 3.  Standard statements from government.

Some how I have to wonder, do we really have that short a memory? We have no follow up on the martyrs families. No improvement in security situation.  All the big wig politicos are back in business, back at the same post or a higher one.

The only people who lost something that day way the martyrs and the victims. The private firms that had collateral damage. But the politicians lost nothing. The police lost nothing. The security apparatus lost nothing, neither gained anything. The babus lost nothing, rather gained some free snacks and lunches in the name of report on the attack. The common man acts as if he has lost nothing.  India acts as if it has lost nothing.

Have we really lost nothing? Or is it really that miniscule?

That night 26/11/2008, Taj hotel, CST Terminus railway station, Nariman house, Leopold cafe it still remains as some bad memories in the minds of at least some Indians, like me.

The respect and thanks to the martyrs can never be lost in our day today run. I hope the media, politicians and babus will not forget that day, and take steps where more young men are not forced to give the ultimate sacrifice.

Jai Hind

Anna Hazare being released from Tihar jail

Great news. Anna Hazare is being released from Tihar jail right now. Its all over the newz channels.

I personally have some reservations on Anna's draft of lokpal (more due to lack of clarity). But the whole big brother attitude of the Govt has come down crumbling like domino. There is no power stronger than people power.


Dunno whether Anna will deliver for the common man. But  compared to the other options from the political word , I will take Anna and his team with both hands.


This is the real democracy. This is what the martyrs of this country died for.

Long Live INDIA.

Yet Another Blast in Mumbai

Yes,  13 July 2011, another date has now been written with the blood of innocent citizens. The politicians did the same thing. They Came , They saw and They left.

Our Dear Prime Minister who has lost his self respect and even basic spine fighting all the corruption and scandals said the same comments that he has repeated a number of times over the last 7 years. We will no bow to terror. Well Mr. Prime Minister, we cannot bow because our back already broken with the number of blasts. So please come out of your vote bank politics and do some thing for heaven's sake. I really don't think any Muslim who is a proud Indian would support these guys.

All the TV channels are showing the political leaders visiting the injured and talking about Mumbai resilience.  If India is so safe as what the politicians project it to be and that there is no inside support for terror why have some much security for themselves? Lets secure the border and we don't have to worry about anything inside.  Secondly, its not Mumbai resilience. Its just that we have learned to live with it and have to live with it. Otherwise we are gonna be the losers. These politicans just leave after their Photo-op.

In the last one year how many blasts have occurred in India, especially in Mumbai. Forget even in Mumbai, Zaveri Bazar has seen 3 blasts. All Major. They can't even protect one street. How will they protect the city, state and country?

I really feel that Mumbai should shut itself down for one week. Completely. Nobody should even go out. When there is financial crash and a Market shut-down this political class will wake up.

I am sorry that so many innocents are dead. I am even more sorry that not a single politican is injured or dies in these blasts. They are the ones who deserve to face the terror attacks. Not forgetting the inefficent and inept security fratenity also.

Why should the common man be the pawn always? Even in a democracy will he never be the king? Even time I believe will not answer this question.

Is sathyagraha or fast unto death really such a powerful weapon

Anna Hazare, Irom Sharmila and Swami Nigmanand. Do you know what is common between these three people? Ok, here is a clue. Add Baba Ramdev to this list. Now? Yes, you guessed it right. They have all gone on fast unto death for some cause or the other.

But is it really that simple and are they really like each other. Nopes, not at all. Anna Hazare achieved his cause or at least has a chance of achieving it. Baba Ramdev almost got what he wanted but failed to close the deal, but earned a lot of fans or at least dented the congress credibility.  We know what both their cause was.

Now coming to Irom Sharmila. She is from Manipur a North Eastern state in India. She is fighting for the revocation of  AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) from her home state. She is continuing her fast for last 10 years.

Swami Nigamanand is also from Haridwar as Ramdev, fighting a much more holy cause of saving the Ganga (Ganges) from illegal mining. He died yesterday fighting for his cause after fasting for 115 days.

This has forced me to really think whether fast unto death is really a powerful tool.  After much deliberation with myself I have concluded that you need 3 things for you to acheive your cause by this means.

1. You should be able to create a huge media hype and create public awareness and support.
2. The person/group that is supposed to address your concern should really have a conscience or its has group of people to answer to.
3. You should be thick skinned to suffer any amount of character assassination and  insult attempts made at you.

If you look at the four cases that I put forth to you and include the test case of Mahatma Gandhi also to this list you can see the difference.

When Anna Hazare went on hunger strike the media hype and his team's holier than thou attitude of not allowing politicians on stage actually created a public awareness and support. This, though sadly I have to say was even without actually understanding what they were fighting for and what Lokpal will actually do for them.

Baba Ramdev went on hunger strike with much fanfare and got almost what he wanted (at least publicly what he wanted). But his ineptitude in handling negotiations landed him in a soup. You know what happened next. Even here he has gained a lot of admirers and ensured that the Govt lost the few admirers who were left with them.

My point 3 is basically derived from the top 2 stories. Look at the kind of attempts that were made on Baba Ramdev by Congress and Government. All kind of stories started appearing in the media, even about the origin of Acharya Bala krishna. The government did not have a problem when he got his passport and gun. The moment he started a strike he is being questioned. This way 80% Indians can't question the government. We all have some baggage or other.

Just as a side note. I tried to do an analysis on what the government will accuse me of? Actually I could not find anything except having watched Porn (well who hasn't, at least once. lol). May be they can make it look really bad and frame me into anything. Anyway I am not going on fast unto death even otherwise at least. lolz

Now, coming to the story of Irom Sharmila. She started her strike in November 2000 after some innocent civilians were killed by army (allegedly). She went on a fast unto strike at Manipur itself. She once came to Delhi. She never courted controversy or try to add fanfare to her mission. Hence here issue is still not addressed. He issue is not a national concern and there is no value in talking to her or being good to her.

Swami Nigamanad's case is also similar to Irom and the most ironic part is this. He fought for the Ganga in a state ruled by a Party (BJP)  which promotes and aligns itself to the hindutva ideology. Even more ironic is that every day it is throwing dirt at congress where as this Swami went on strike against illegal mining in Ganga. So much for accountability and righteousness.

In case of Gandhiji his fights were successful because of the awareness against the British Raj and more importantly  because the British had a conscience or in other words their citizens to answer to. The current government has nobody to answer to. By the time they are to leave office it will be another three years and they know that since opposition is also made of the same kinda of metal they will be back in power one day or another. There were limits to which the British were ready to go. I really do not think the cheap tricks of character assassination would have been tried by the British against Anna Hazare or Ramdev that the current government is trying.

Just one last argument. When the Indian Airline was hijacked the government was quick to negotiate with the terrorist even after knowing that their motives we demonic. They are ready to speak and allow the Kashmiri extremist leader Geelani gives anti India  speeches  even in Delhi. They will still beat up the innocent civilians in Ramlila Midan. Try all dirty tricks on Anna Hazare and will never speak to Irom or be sad about the death of Swami Nigamanad.

That my friend is the great political class of My Great India.

Ramlila Maidan ambush despicable

Wanted to restart this blog for sometime now, really sad that I gotta start with kind of topic. Today as I am writing this blog I am watching across a number of news channels the midnight ambush of the common citizens in Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.

I do not know what is up between Baba Ramdev and Govt., don't know if there was any deal and going back on it. I am not really concerned with all that.  The only thing that I am concerned with is the police atrocity  that has happened over midnight at the ground. This totally not fair and the arguments from the govt site is just nonsense.

How can a democratically elected government run such a brutal attack in the very capital city.  I totally agree with Lokayukta of Karnataka Mr. Hegde when he says why wait till late night. If they wanted to crackdown why not in the evening or why could they not wait till the morning? Why is it that they needed to fire tear gas and lathi charge into women and children? Also, if the permission was granted to the event for only one day why the negotiated over 3 days and allowed people to gather all along?

I think PM himself should come out and answer a lot of questions. His ministers and his advisor have really lost credibility. He needs to come up with a face saving act?

BJP's answer to this whole event is even more condemnable.  In response to all this govt's excess they raised so many heavy sentences like comparing it to Jalianwala Bag and Emergency but act is too feeble. They are going to conduct a 24 hour sathyagraha in response to this. They could have literally done nothing rather. I would have had more respect for them then.


Irrespective of the motives of Baba Ramdev, the points he raised are very much valid. I think we need to respect that.


Lets hope some common sense will prevail and the govt will correct their actions.