It's time to protect "Brand India"

I still live in this belief that we are living in a democratic nation, where some nice to read terms like equality, freedom, human rights, law etc., exists in a lovely bound document written over six decades ago, by some wise old men called "constitution". Though there are  many reasons to convince myself, that the belief is nothing but hallucination and what we have is a flawed, depleted,  poor distant cousin of what it should have been termed as democracy, But I am yet to come in complete terms with that. That reasons my sporadic outbursts and meaningless musings, like this.

We all know that civil rights, freedom and liberty are wrested by a powerful few, and rest just manage to float around or rather float for them.  But still a few good things tend to filter down to the common man (probably the left over after the use and abuse of the powerful and mighty). Again I also have this hallucination (perhaps because getting used to seeing the tax deductions on the salary slip month after month)  that there is something called national resources, where every citizen of this country have equal rights on (which we call public property) and name of the nation (India - which itself was a gift from Persian invaders like the term Hindu), is one among them.  In that line of thought, representing the country in any international fora should or rather must rest with democratically elected civil bodies (what we call government). Which means that the nation cannot be represented by a any private individual  or group of individuals or clubs that are neither authorized by the government/civil bodies  nor a part of the democratic institution.  Logic says any individual or group of Individual who are representing (or supposed to be representing) the nation should be at least controlled by the government and accountable to every citizen of the nation.

Now apply this logic about the Cricket Goliath, BCCI. They themselves have declared that they are an independent entity, a society which is registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act. and the Government of India or any democratically elected civil bodies have no control over the administration of BCCI. And they are using government owned stadia  across the country at a nominal annual rent. They are a "private club consortium", that enjoy tax sops time and again, with a notion that they represent country India.  But above all they get the right to use/abuse the brand name "India" absolutely free. When their team looses in a bilateral series, the media across the world beams headlines - India bites dust, India beaten, India defeated... whatever. And the responsibility or shame of loss is comfortably passed across to the country and the people. While BCCI stays completely unaccountable and above every law of land. I know they have bottomless coffers to keep the mouth shut of even powerful imperial powers these days. They sell the brand name India for corporates and exploit the brand India commercially and restricting the benefits out of it within themselves. and India becomes Sahara India, or Nike India or whatever...  I think it's time for us to get united to fix this. I don't think it's in any means different from encroaching public space, or misusing public property. Not sure how can proceed though. It's high time that we should join forces to protect the misusse/abuse of brand India for commercial exploitation, on which every Indian citizen has absolute rights. Why don't they send their team in the name of BCCI.. not India. May be they can employ the best lawyers in the country and may counter legally,... but still there should be the people power that can ultimately reign, over all else.

The Lokpal Hullabaloo

The old man gearing up for his second round of the Great Lokpal Show, promising more fodder to the sensation peddlers who are otherwise called "News Channels", from tomorrow. There are for sure some attrition in the follower fraternity and a significant reduction on the levels of  enthusiasm displayed by the  pop activists in the past. It may take some extra efforts from his image managers to bring back the vigor and sheen that brought the likes of Kapil Sibal down to their knees.

Anyway it appears to me, wrongly timed to kickstart the agitation now, while the houses are discussing on the very matter on their floors.  May be a hogwash, but still we must provide them some time and space right away to demonstrate, their true commitments. This indiscreet display of impatience can only result in more disillusionment among the people, who otherwise support him and the noble cause. It is a known fact that most of the political establishment we have, are hotbeds of corruption and there are hardly a few who wanted to change it for good. But still we are a unique nation which is standing upon a strong fabric of democracy, which is threatened with this extra constitutional agitation. I don't think any sensible citizen would have a different opinion about the need of inducing accountability to the governing bodies and ensuring their commitment towards people. But the ways and means are questionable. Let it not degenerate to a mere petty political war, which will ultimately shatter the common man's hopes and expectations.

I feel he should have used the golden opportunity of UP elections to prove the point and push the envelope than  going ahead and locking horns again for another round of "all excitement no action" drama. A sensible group of advisers should have got him to think and focus on the forthcoming UP elections, to prove the point staying within the ambit of democracy. They should have started engaging right away, to identify candidates with clean background and promising credentials, field them, and show the establishment that people power can prevail and make the difference. It would have provided tremendous credence to his campaign than any "dramabaazi" on Mumbai or Delhi. May be a move in those lines could have also alerted the current crop of political parties to be careful to field better candidates which would have resulted a transformed poll scape.

Another ironic fact I have noticed is that there is a significant chunk of the vocal followers of this campaign belongs to the upper-middle class families who are among the biggest beneficiaries of the corruption in the system. Some of them are second generation of corrupt beurocrats and businessmen who abused the system and amassed wealth, to offer their offspring, high quality education and lifestyle that provided cushion in their  life to be a cyber warrior  fighting "facebook activism". Anyway one can ignore the irony, thinking that there should be a point where you need to draw a line and make the difference. Hope good sense prevails. 

Racism – home and abroad

We have witnessed a spate of incidents classified as racial abuse against Indians, in Australia – which was amply exploited by media and Bollywood to boil the blood of urban Indian, whose only exposure of life is confined to the idiot box. The war cries from so called “elite socialites” and “political activists” to give a befitting reply to the “ugly Australian racial abuser” taken over the prime time news and banner headlines….. In this society of snobs – the issue will become an issue only if it happens to the “upper strata” of the society… No one really cares on the abuses that are happening in the lives of common Indian, day in and day out. No one bothers to worry about lacs and lacs of Indian citizens, in offices, homes, street, and every corner of life, subjected to every kind of torture (mental or physical)… be it your maid, your kid, your gardener, chauffer, sister, mother, or grand father…. If you belong to certain community – you won’t get a house in a locality, one will not consume even a droplet of water from a person belonging to other community, a dalit will get killed if he happen to fall in love with an upper class girl, your homes will get burnt and you get beaten up if you question the masters…. Can anybody imagine the amount of abuses one has to suffer, just because of being born as a girl…

If the sex is determined before birth – she may not see the world (which in one way is much better than living the whole life being a subject of torture).. after birth, right from being the bearer of blames for every misfortune that would have happened to the family, to being a daughter, sister, mother, widow, colleague…. Attacking poor taxi drivers or labourers, just because they come from some other state, speaking another language… Isn’t that an abuse? It’s quite ironic that same stalwarts who order these atrocities are making war cry against Australia… Let me sum up this way… All these happenings will never justify the racist attacks happen anywhere in the world.. The only thing is that we should also pay attention to set our house in order before crying wolf…

Lalgarh and beyond - playing with fire

Perhaps one of the most disturbing news originated in the recent times, post the Mumbai attack, is the story of Maoist violence in Lalgarh. It's a matter of great concern that in this civil society of the great democratic nation, we are allowing violent forces to take over and promote anarchy. As most of the so called "national media" is wasting the time and effort to discuss about "India's cricket debacle" and "Celebrity rapist", this most dangerous situation is not getting the deserving attention. It's extremely condemnable to watch the "national political parties" keeping away from responsibility and "enjoying" the situation (if not precipiatating it further) as the communists were getting the taste of their own medicine. Any responsible and sensitive citizen cannot keep his mouth shut watching such a dangerous crime taking place. I know it's hardly appealing to the elite's and socialites like the "racist attack" against students in Australlia (no common man has the resources to send his ward for overseas education, especially to Australia) or the Mafatlal arrest... Moreover it's difficult to connect a "hindu fascist" hand behind the carnage (to appeal the "activists")... But it's high time to realise that we are slowly letting loose a huge monster that is going to affirm it's scary grip on the entire nation in a much nearer future than one could imagine. All the national political parties have to act swiftly with responsibility to end the siege and not treat it as a golden opportunity to settle the score with communists.. If it's Lalgarh today.. it can be Lucknow tomorrow...Any delays the entire nation has to pay for it

Sainthood that aint

While media is busy praising the "selfless gestures" of mother and son who refused to budge to the "temptations" of accepting any constitutional positions, they are completely ignorant to the hard fact... It's such a position of advantage than any painful sacrifice.. When someone is giving you "cream". "Milk", "Curd", "butter", "yoghurt" ... and virtually everything in a platter, why do you need to buy milk. They are enjoying all the power and might of the supreme extra constitutional authority, sans any responsibility connected to one... So why do they need to take oath of secrecy... And the whole nation is busy to impose them the halo of sainthood for their "selfless sacrifice".. I love this "democrazy..."

More...

Thinking more on the points i have noted down analyzing the results, and processing some of the responses from like minded souls, i am feeling like adding a few lines to one point... Among the important aspects that infulenced the India verdict, i have given utmost importance to the support which Rahul Baba gained from Indian youth... But if you dwell deep, most of the support is manufactured from the so called "Jagore generation".. The generation conditioned by media to react to what they "see" in the TV channels, and not what they "understand".. They were completely influenced by the "pyjama charm" of the scion... It became cool and hep to support the "good looking gentleman" whose "rural escapades" were hailed by English Speaking Channels..The media also shooed them away from supporting any other ideology by imposing the image of being uncool and primitive (the monstersque imagery of hindutva brigade, or the anti-development imagery of communists.. ) A similar situation that was created by his dad's courtiers when he "reluctantly" jumped into the fray after his mother's demise... However it didn't take much time to get the spotless kurta smeared with allegations.. Let's hope this time the son is more smarter or better advised... to have a longer career...