Free Press it seems!!!

As I write about this, my guess is that most people would be unaware of this just as I have been. About 5 days back a shocking scam had come to the fore, almost. So you would ask me, ‘what’s new in that?’ What’s new is that this time the scam involves no one else but our renowned, ‘senior’ journalists. The people we have known to expose scams. Now, I’m not referring to a scam as in terms of money, there is no definitive proof of that…yet.

A few days back, the IT department released some tapes showing the unprofessional and frankly speaking, disgusting behavior of two prominent faces – Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi. These are recorded telephone conversations with Nira Radia. Now, I do not know who that is but from the conversations I take it that she is a powerful power lobbyist.

In the ten minute Barkha tape, you hear her act like nothing short of a pimp between Congress and DMK for who gets how many seats and which seats in the cabinet. In the Vir tapes, we first hear him scripting out a show so as to suit the purpose of the involved parties and then also playing the role of a pimp between the same parties (clearly the Congress had huge problems with DMK).

Now, on the outset you might think, ‘what’s wrong with that?’What’s wrong is that THEY ARE JOURNALISTS. They’re supposed to report the story, not become a party to it. The Press Council of India has put down a basic code of conduct for the journalists. Something like the hypocritic oath for the doctors. This clearly states that a journalist has to be objective, they have to report the story and not become a party to it. If they fail to do so, it is unprofessional behavior.

What is even better is that no TV news channel or print newspaper is carrying this story. NONE. No one is broadcasting the tapes. Of all the moments ever, this is when the press decides to unite and protect their black hearted own. If they are certain that they have done nothing wrong and unbecoming why don’t they telecast the tapes and let the people decide. Only the magazines OPEN and OUTLOOK are carrying this story.

I was always aware that nothing was as it seems. But this incident gives that phrase an all new meaning, an all new disgusting meaning. I feel sick, violated. The press has immense power in our country. And I think they’ve taken the ‘free press’ bit way too far this time. Something needs to be amended, something needs to be done to bound people like them, or at least make them answerable.

For starters I’m trying to spread this ‘sensational news’, this ‘aaj ki taaza khabar’ to as many as I can. And I request my journalist friends to please please please do not stoop so low, ever.

Link to the Barkha Dutt tape: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/tell-me-what-should-i-tell-them

Link to the Vir Sanghvi tape: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/what-kind-of-story-do-you-want

nanha sa nazaara!

Un chhoti chhoti aankhon ne

Kabhi banayi thi ek tasveer

Jab main ho jaunga bada

Toh banaunga apni takdeer

Ab bhi kabhi kabhi

Yaad aata hain ho sapna

Woh masoom khayal

Aur woh nanha sa nazaara

Tab na duniyadaari ki samajh thi

Aur na thi paise ki koi keemat

Tab toh sirf ek masoomiyat thi

Aur ud ne ki ek chaahat

Aankhen toh raftaar se badhne lagi

Akal bhi dheere dheere aane lagi

Par is samajhdaari ki race mein

Who khoobsurat nazaara dhoondhlane lagi

Aaj bhi woh sapna

Kabhi kabhi mujhe aata hain

Par use dekh main muskurata nahi

Bas apne aap se mila pata main nazre nahi

Dukh sirf is baat ka nahi

Ki woh nazaara sach na hua

Gham toh is baat ka bhi hain

Ki woh sapna aaj bhi mujhe aata hain.

Women!!!

Don’t worry. This is not another rambling of a heart broken, dejected, rejected guy. It’s far more significant and important than that petty issue.

Over time, I have formulated a somewhat bizarre theory – a conspiracy theory, if you want to use that phrase. I think our ancestors (referring to the men here) had seen the power, the potential of women and they got scared. They were petrified. They realised that if something was not done about it, soon, they would have the lower hand. And I guess the mountainous ego of men existed even then, which did not allow this domination.

Using nothing more than muscular superiority and a hint of foresight, they devised a society, a system where woman was the one to follow and man, the one to lead. Of course, if you see from my point of view, there are hints strewn all over the place that point to this conclusion.

Right from the start of all things – birth, it’s evident that they’re superior. Nothing we men do in our lives equals in importance or significance to their ability to give birth, to bring a new life into this world. (at this point if you’re going to argue saying ‘that’s not possible without man’, I pity you and your ego. We’re merely donors, that’s all)

Borrowing from Hindu mythology, have any of you wondered why the God of Power is a Goddess? (Shakti) All the important ‘departments’ are with Goddesses – Vidya (Saraswati), Money (Laxmi), Earth (Dharti) and Power to name a few.

Recently at the Karwa Chauth, another thought struck me. Has man been so adamant and consumed by his ego that he does not even need to please the Gods (we’ll debate their existence later, this is in relevance to our ancestors who definitely believed in them) to get a ‘good wife’ or for the long life of his wife? (once again, debating on whether man wants a long life for his wife is fodder for another discussion) Why is it that traditionally, only women were to fast for a good husband? Man apparently believed (or still believes) that he does not need the help of God to make his life better. Or was it once again just a trick to establish the dominance?

I know I’ve only, so to say, ‘blamed’ man’s ego for this. But there is another possibility. Like I had mentioned earlier, foresight. The power that women wield is extensive, no two ways about it. Therefore, if it were to be used for the wrong reasons, it would cause a lot more damage than a man gone bad. Plainly putting, a villainess would have wreaked more havoc than a villain, or probably 10 villains.

These are of course not enough instances to ‘prove’ my theory. But I think it’s a good starting point nonetheless. (moreover, I know how boring really long articles get)

I think it’s time we men accepted this truth. Of course, the first step would be to at least accept that they are equals, superiority ka baad mein dekhenge. So take a step back men, and look at this objectively.

This is my way of showing respect to all the women I’ve known and met.

Oath of a Hypocrite

I hereby, solemnly swear that,

I will switch off the engine of my car at signals

I will throw garbage only in a bin

I will not waste water during a bath

I will condemn people for not caring enough

I will congratulate people for every considerate act

But,

ONLY IF IT DOES NOT CAUSE ME ANY DISCOMFORT!

Why should I switch off the car when it is so hot?

I might lose some of my precious sweat.

How can I throw garbage in the bin?

The bin is so so far away.

How can I not take a bath under a running shower?

That’s the only way I feel clean.

How can I not condemn people for not caring enough?

After all, I do pretend like I care more than enough.

It’s time to stop pretending, and truly start feeling.

you knew it was coming...

You stood in anticipation,

of the inevitable pain,

you thought you were prepared,

but only in vain.

You thought you had the strength,

to withstand the blow,

but when it really mattered,

you were lying burnt on the floor.

You look in the mirror,

and smirk at your stupidity,

you feel nothing else,

but loathing and self pity.

That time is now past,

that age is long gone,

it’s time to pick up those pieces

and move along.

There will be many such hurdles,

and many such falls,

but what really matters,

is how you overcome them all.

Uncomfortable comfort

There’s an uneasy feeling, it’s settling in, slowly but surely. It’s very comfortable here, now. But should it be? Why am I not tensed or feeling pressure? I have been repeatedly reminded that this is the age when you slog, when you work your ass off, when you can take any load and still come out on top. Then why am I not there yet?

I want to be at the top, I need to be at the top. Sooner rather than later. I thought this was the best path. Is it? There can be no gain without pain. There is no pain here. Does that mean there will be no gain? Should I go out searching for pain? I want to.

Nothing seems to disturb me now. As a friend would say, ‘I’ve reached the Zen like state’. I don’t want to be Zen like. I want disturbance, I crave it. I want to know I can still feel. I’ve always believed that’s been ‘my edge’. I don’t want to become one of those ‘anything will do’ types. The thought is disturbing. Ahhh…finally, some disturbance. There’s a restlessness stemming from the lack of restlessness. That’s more like it. This will do. This should start off a chain of familiar unpleasant thoughts. Phew…finally, comfortable with my discomfort.

The Opportunist!

Is it wrong to hold onto every opportunity that knocks on that heavy wooden door? I’m sure most of you will agree that there is nothing wrong with it. Consider, the ‘ethics’ behind it. Is it ethical? There are so many facets to this, that I am uncovering as I am writing this. You also then have to consider, is being selfish right? Now, if your answer to this is no, then how can your answer to the first question be no. You see the dilemma now. Don’t you?

Almost every time you grab onto one opportunity you are ‘hurting’ someone. ‘Your loss is someone else’s gain’ and vice versa. So if you’re gaining from it, somebody is losing. Then how do you judge whether its right? Whether it’s worth it? Now, the most common reply will be, ‘does it feel right to you? If yes, then its right and justified’. Feelings are the most unstable and fleeting phenomena. So, what if at this instant, it feels right but after a while it feels wrong? Which ‘feeling’ are we to believe to be true? Whatever be your opinion, at this very instant, I’m playing the role of ‘The Opportunist’.

Seeing Red

76 jawans were slaughtered yesterday by over 1000 Naxalites. Ambushed and massacred. Why on earth are we worried so much about what the neighbouring country is trying to do? Why are we wasting our time and energy about a nation that is not even under our governance? Shouldn’t we first look into ourselves. Our country. Regions and people under our governance.

In a lay man’s terms, Naxalites are people who take a violent approach to Communism. They are against the red tapism, against the bureaucracy. If I think about it, I am forced to agree with their ideologies, if not their methods. Remember 26/11? The death toll for that ordeal was 173. Do you know how many people have died during this Naxalite struggle in the year 2009? 1134. Isn’t the number significantly larger than the death by external terrorism? But still, why is Pakistan given more screen space, more news time and more importance than this persisting issue? Because it is high profile. Why do the terrorist attacks get more importance? Because they happen in cities where civilians like you and me are affected. So what if in some rural internal part of the country men are dying to try and maintain peace in the country. That merely makes an interesting topic for conversation over a cup of coffee. Even today, more news time is given to IPL and for some weird reason the marriage of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik. How is that of any importance to the nation? Two people find each other compatible and want to spend the rest of their lives together. What the f**k is the country’s objection/interest in that?

Humara kya jaata hain? We sit in our air conditioned homes and see the news and mourn over it for a couple of minutes. The fault lies in us. Because we are more interested in Sania Mirza, the media shows more of her. Because we give more importance to IPL, the media covers it extensively. Have we completely disconnected ourselves from that inner voice we loosely refer to as the conscience? There are people out there, dying to maintain peace in our country; people who have pledged to fight against any threat internal or external. Forget about helping them, forget about supporting them, we don’t even have the decency, the courtesy to show solidarity towards their deaths.

What is wrong if someone is raising a voice against such development? What is wrong if someone is raising a voice against such a government? What is wrong if someone is raising a voice against such people? So, the real questions is, are the Naxalites the villains or are we, the people, the society the villains? Naxalites are merely the effect, we are the cause.