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.