Know your Sonia Article

I recently read an article titled 'Know your Sonia'. It is about Sonia Gandhi, Leader of India's Congress party and Leader of Opposition in the Indian Parliament. The article is supposed to be written by politician/economist Dr. Subramanian Swamy. I am not sure about the authenticity/veracity of the article or the source. I found the article in the following blog post. Some of the allegations about Sonia Gandhi are grave and deeply concerning. In a nutshell, the main claims in the article were :-

1)Her real name is Antonia - not Sonia. (I think Jayalalitha revealed this in a public address during her spat with Sonia Gandhi. I wish I could remember when this happened). Her dad's name is Stefano Maino.

2)She has lied about her place of birth in her bio data submitted to Parliament when she became a MP - allegedly to cover up her family's ties to Nazi-fascist underground networks.

3)She lied about her education when she ran for Rae Bareli's Lok Sabha Elections.

4)The Mainos(again her original family name) minted millions of dollars by smuggling Indian goods/antiques through Air India and Al Italia from New Delhi and Chennai International Airports.

5)The Mainos have connection with terrorists(in Palestine, with LTTE!) and espionage organizations (KGB due to her dad's background)

 Note that if either 2) or 3) is true, she can be prevented from holding office. 4) is despicable 5) is alarming. 

I am going to do some more research on this as I am horrified by these claims. If you have any info/links to articles about this topic, please comment/share it with me. 

Of Chaddis and Condoms

I have witnessed many valentine's day and many many protests for the same. The Shivsena activists breaking shops, destroying greeting cards all in the name of protecting Indian culture.Never have I taken them seriously nor have met peopple who took them seriously.
They were very easily branded as "jobless youths" who were lured in to performing such violent acts because of poverty or some misguided sense of loyalty.

Never have I felt such a personal rage like i do this year though. It is because moral policing has gone up a whole new level in India. What used to be a country with peaceful demonstrations to show their dissent has now become a goonda infiltrated one.
The Mangalore incident needless to say shook me. How can people who claim to be "Guardians of Indian culture" beat up women and molest them? Is that what the culture tells us? Do these people realize that news in one corner of India is accessible to people in North Dakota in United States. This is what people think of our culture. Uneducated, uncouth people from a third world nation. If that does not embarrass I don't know what will.

What is beyond all this is the fact that the man behind all this actually goes on record and says " When we are on a mission, these things happen". I am sorry if I fail to understand this statement. Does it mean when you are on a mission to get people out of a pub, some women will be molested. Interesting point. I guess a couple of people should try to oust a Ram Sena meeting and in the process beat up people and molest some women there and say" Hey don't blame us, this is what happens when we are on a mission".

One of the reasons why i supported the pink chaddi campaign was because its sole purpose or so it seemed to me was to insult the Ram Sena. i do not see what is so blasphemous about it. These people act all sacred and poius when they do despicable acts like beating up women. So sending them panties seemed a good retort. A punch in the face.Thats the only reason I joined it. To end with moral policing. To insult them.

If pink chaddis came up , can pink condoms be far behind. There was this other campaign that came up whose sole purpose was to demean the pink chaddi campaign. Now for the record I want it noted that I have no problems with the pink condom campaign simply because I think its a democratic way of saying " I don't approve of the pink chaddi campaign". In fact I appreciate them for taking a non violent stand.
But what I have a problem with is the whole religionising the issue. When I read the blog of the pink condom, what irked me was how the founders have made the "Pink Chaddi Campaign" a non Hindu one. Are we so religion obsessed that we cannot look beyond it. Does everything have to have a safforn, green color attached to it. Cant we look beyond them? Cant we ever look at white? Just because a person has a Chiristian name in the campaign, does it mean it has to be anti-hindu? It is religion that is keeping us apart, that is letting goons like Ram Sena to perform atrocities in the name of religion.

Does anyone realize the irony in all this! They call themselves Ram Sena!

Hey Ram!

Fairness Creams and Racism

Today I was reading a news item on The Mint on the Indian advertisment watchdog ASCI - Advertising Standards Council of India pulling up Procter & Gamble for making tall claims in an ad for one of its skin care products. It sent me thinking about all those fairness creams ads that we have been seeing for a long time and the kind of claims that they make. It is not really new for marketing companies to make tall claims about their products. I am quite surprised that the ASCI has suddenly acquired an increased awareness for such advertisments ! Couple this with fairness creams becoming the new obsession with the honourable Health Minister Mr.Anbumani Ramadoss and probably things fall into place

But , the ASCI or Ramadoss is not what prompted to write this piece. It is the very obsession of the general Indian public with "fairness" and this undying quest for a fairer skin. Don't you think the very idea of using a fairness cream is inherently racist. I definitely thinks so and to find out if someone else had already written about this before I blogged the title of our blog on google and found this

http://www.indianeye.org/tag/fairness-creams/

About a year back Arun Nair has actually written about the same thing that I wanted to write about now. I am really surprised that in all this time I have never looked at it from such a perspective. All along , I ve just felt trying to become fair is indeed a "fair aspiration" to have. But when you go a little further and really think about the underpinnings of this aspiration you do find that fairness is now a symbol of beauty , a quality to possess , so much so that if you are dark skinned you are made to feel inadequate and the first thing that you want to do is go to the nearest store and buy one of the fairness creams to tone down the melanine in your skin. Fairness , as a higher attribute , is now firmly entrenched as part of our culture. Could this be because we were ruled for two centuries by white skinned men ? I am not too sure !

Arun Nair's article says everything that I had wanted to say . To avoid the redundancy I would stop the post here.

It pains me to think that we are not proud of the attributes showered on us by nature. Instead we seek to become something we just not are simply because the society associates a higher value to it !

Shame on the blogger community !

Shame on us bloggers !

When Mumbai's Leopold Cafe faces Terror attacks we hold candle light vigils . When Barkha Dutt sues a fellow Blogger , we are angry and all over the place. But where were we when those innocent children lost the opportunity to see the world simply because they were born in a Government Hospital in Punjab that displayed indifference to safety precautions ? I just searched for the number of blogger entries on this incident and couldnt find many. But search for Barkha Dutt and look at the number of entries ! Its staggering !

This is not the first time things like this are happening in Government Hospitals in India. Numerous incidents have occured . Ministers have resigned. Enquiries Ordered . FIRs filed . Cases investigated and then closed. So what was the outcome ? Nothing ! The conditions are just the same as they have been eons ago.

Did you know that India spends 5% of its GDP on health care ? Did you also know that only 0.5% of this 5% is actually spent by the Government on health care ? The remaining 4.5% comes from private spending ? Did you know that health spending is the largest cause of rural indebtedness !

Alas ! Why would we strive to know ? We aren't bothered ! If the same incident had occured at probably Apollo Hospitals , I am sure the reaction would have been very different . You know why ? Cause that hits us right at our heads . It is our symbol of health care . Not that of the aam Aadmi of India.

Shekhar Gupta , the senior editor of the Indian Express was so right after all ! When he wrote that the Mumbai public reacted the way in which they reacted only because the terrorists chose the very symbols of luxury , of the upper class , of Mumbai ! He was heavily criticized for his comments in the editorial of the Indian Express. But , I think what he says is true. We are so selfish we are not bothered until we feel the pinch of the problem !

And you talk about Freedom of Press ?? Where is the Right to Life , my friends ??

Is the End Of LTTE near?

One of the biggest news that has been on all the news channels and web sites for a while now is the island nation Srilanka. The small nation has been facing troubles which have in no way been proportional to its size. In many ways, Srilanka has been facing terrorist acts since late 1970's since the LTTE started and won the support of the other rebel associations. The amount of public outcry non humanitarian acts seem to be directly proportional to the country's economic status and the scale of the ghastly acts. I could quote a few incidents like 9/11, LTTE's 1984 dollar farm attacks and countless other attacks in 1980's that brutally killed civilians.I however stop the list here as I run the risk of covering an entire blog post.

SriLanka has had a tumultous history with its terrorist organization. They tried everything, retaliating, cease fire and now are back to retaliating and it looks like they are gaining grounds.The whole scenario made me wonder and I came up with a few important questions which both the SriLankan govt and LTTE should think about? Or lets say the people who support the govt and the people who support LTTE.

1. Retrospect

Should this not be the first step the two parties take? LTTE should go back to thier goals and ideals and stop feeding its power crazy gloated leaders.
The organization started with a good goal but a bad means of achieving it. The typical means justifies the end argument there. However it is not quite justifies cause that means is a terrible failure, just how every act of terrorism is like, a failure. Though the LTTE literally ran a pseudo government in the norther areas of Srilanka, filled with banks and police station, their mind was in the wrong place. "You killed me, I will kill you back" philosophy has never worked in history, maybe movies but never in reality. Maybe the LTTE should realize that this could only end up being a long long long war and their demands could never face the light at the end of what seems to be a pitch dark tunnel.

The goverment needs to retrospect big time too. It would be grossly unfair to make them the victims. Because the government had caused much attrocities especially to the tamil inhabitants which led a few youngsters get all flustered and seethe with revenge. The government was truly opressing one of thier minorities ans they blinded by what i can call stupidity to not expect some kind of uprising.

2. What do " we " want?
This is again what the two organization i feel should ponder and rather deeply. Why did this all start? What have we achieved?

Did the LTTE get all thier demands answered through the ruthless killings of thousands of innocent civilians who did not have it in thier power to grant them a seperate state?

Did the Srilankan government get rid of all the tamils and create a country where one could sleep peacefully at night not worried sick whether he will wake up in his bed or in the heaven up above?

3.The classic " dialouge Vs destruction" route
Again both organizations need to decide for themselves if blood shed is thier answer to troubles or dialouge. Since bloodshed has not seemed to help much the past 30 years, I would assume that if they are as intelligent as they claim to be, they would look at the other option

4. Let go

As hard as it is for any victim to let go, maybe at some level the people involved need to let go of all the past. As hard as it may sound, one way to look at it might be to think of repercussions. To think of anyone is going to benifit from these various revenge activities. Its not easy, but maybe peace is a high price to pay.

However with the current scenario it seems like a good possibility that the LTTE might fall. However instead of gloating in victory, the government needs to take some serious recuperating actions in order to prevent other similar organization from cropping up. Take up the tamil issue seriously and work something out. No compromise does not always work. I do not suggest the government to accept for a separate state . But I think, they should seriously consider some of the other humanitarian demands like entry to public schools, colleges etc. Atleast accept them as citizens.The singhalese majority follows Buddhism! Bhuddism! I rest my case here.

The same goes to rebel organizations about to sprout. Think twice about going on a killing spree again. Is all the blood shed going to be worthwhile so that one or two of the leaders can feed thier overgrowing ego's!

The beauty of the above questions is that, they are universally applicable, I hope Israel , Palestine, India, Pakistan, United States, China and maybe every other fighting nation attempts some soul searching through these questions.

An outspoken terrorist and asian politics

Statutory warning/Disclaimer: In this post, I ask a few questions about recent events in India. Some questions are based on serious issues, some represent my curiosity. Though written in a lighter vein, I think some of the questions are important. Please share your thoughts!

Kasab the outspoken terrorist
Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only terrorist to be captured alive during the Mumbai attacks seems to be quite a talker. Ever since his capture, the Indian media has been releasing hot-news(aka claims to evidence linking terrorists to pakistan) by the nanosecond. And a lot of this seems to be based on confessions from Kasab. Now I thought terrorists and spies tried their best to keep mum.. Not Mr. Kasab! He seems to enjoy making revelations about plots and strategies. Hmmmmm, something doesn't add up here...

Shoo US!
a)How can a country which screwed up so badly in Asia(think Iraq/Afghanistan) be a moral police in Ind-Pak relations? Sorry Mr. Bush, I think we have enough rice in India.. We don't need Condi to deal with Pak.
b)This is a serious one. What is the end goal of US when it comes to relations with India and Pakistan? What are the factors that have led to changes in the Indo-US relationship over the years? What is the need for India to befriend US? What is the reason for US to support India's causes?

Here are my thoughts on these issues.. In the past, on various issues of dispute, India has always had Russia on its side, while Pakistan has had US on its side. US had a vested need when it came to Pakistan. Pak provided the route to battle the soviets in afghanistan. Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't it the US gov that provided the al-quaeda and a lot of other mujahideens with various forms of support/arms to battle the Soviets?

The collapse of the Soviet union and the emergence of China as an economic power has probably given the US a reason to change its strategy. US needs a strong India to counter China's rising dominance(?).

No one is a saint and both countries(US and Ind) probably realize the economic importance of having a symbiotic relation. A lot of people say that India should exercise extreme caution when it comes to dealing with China. I would think, that the same amount of caution is needed while dealing with the US.

Stop Fighting India and Pak!
I know its extremely hard to forget past wounds. The word trust has possibly lost its meaning in the relation between India and Pak. But why don't Indian and Pakistani governments(which do come into power once in a while) realize that their unity is a zillion times more beneficial in the long term than sucking up to western powers or winning national elections.

The common enemy?
Who funds the terrorists today? No seriously. Where does the money come from? Who benefits maximum from terrorism? I am trying to think like a conspiracy theorist here. There must be some other entity which carries out attacks(I am not talking about RAW or ISI!) and stands to gain from a deteriorating Ind-Pak relation. Who could it be?

Indian Media: We Can't keep a secret!
In other countries, the police, the army and secret services try their best to hide their moves from the enemy. They carry on their investigation covertly without leaving any tracks. They are extremely wary of internal leaks. Not in India! The Indian media provides live broadcasts of the progress made by the Indian police, armed forces, the navy and apparently even the National Security Guard during investigations ; Directly from the scene of action. Every decision, strategic action is announced to the world instantaneously. Lucky terrorists, no need to resort to bugs and double agents! Now, that does take me back to my conspiracy theory about who benefits from terrorism; After all, who gets increased viewership during such attacks? Wink Wink! :)

Who will stop the all powerful BCCI?

The English and Australian cricket boards dominated the world cricket scene for a long time. In the last two decades, things have changed; the roles have been reversed. The Asian-bloc has become extremely powerful and the situation is such that the ICC can make no significant decision without the blessings of the boards from the Asian countries. With its growing economy and hunger for cricket, India has become the leader of the Asian bloc and home of modern international cricket. With such power and success comes great responsibility. However, the BCCI has not played the role of a responsible leader.

Indian cricket seems to have subconsciously inherited some attributes from its cricket board. In yesteryears, Indian cricketers were renowned for their impeccable on-field behavior. They did not shout, they did not sledge, they did not abuse. Wristy-shots, superb timing and magical spin-bowling did all the talking. In contrast, today's cricketers are not afraid to show aggression and do not shy away from a fight. On one or two occasions, they have been guilty of despicable on-field behavior(Harbhajan and Gambhir are recent examples). But this article is not about the behavior of Indian cricketers; it is about the superciliatory behavior of their caretaker - the Board of Cricket Control in India, in recent times. Fresh in mind are the BCCI's reactions to some admittedly poor umpiring decisions in recent clashes between the Indian and Australian teams and its (lack of) respect and commitment towards the Future Tour Program and cricketing schedules of other countries. However, the most damning reflection of the BCCI's attitude and power has been its successful and monopolistic oppression of the Indian Cricket League. [Latest Update :- Lalit Modi's incredibly insensitive comments about Being Sidelined after the Mumbai attacks(http://usa.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/current/story/380088.html) is probably another close contender to the top spot - but in my defense, this article was written before that]

Despite all the bullying and big-brother attitude from the BCCI, the fact that ICL has been able to get on its feet and run two tournaments within two years is astounding. It is a testament to the demand for Twenty-Twenty Cricket in India and the organizational/marketing skills of the ICL management. It amazes me that such little attention is given to ICL by mainstream media(in India and abroad). Did you know that ICL had its own website - http://www.indiancricketleague.in. I did not!

Why is no one standing up to BCCI's arrogance? Why is no one questioning its abuse of power? Other cricket boards and the International Cricket Council seem to be quite content as long as they get a share of the pie. I won't complain about the ICC - they are weak and pointless. I think the blame lies with us - the Indian cricketers, the Indian media and the Indian cricket fans . Are we turning a blind eye, because we think of this as some sort of redemption? Or do we think it is not patriotic to question our own board's policies?


First and foremost, I am disappointed with senior Indian cricketers. I am surprised that senior statesmen like Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Kumble and Laxman are not questioning the board on their ICL policy. Aren't some ICL cricketers their ex-team mates? And surely, they do not want prodigious young talent from the ICL to be prevented from reaching the higher levels of international cricket? With decades of experience and massive fan-follwing, why are they being silent? What about retired cricketers like Shastri, Gavaskar and Manjrekar who have direct access to media? Do they not care about young Indian cricketers? Are they indifferent because so many kids play cricket in India, and the fact that a few are playing in a rebel league doesn't matter?

Second, the Indian media is probably the biggest culprit given its influence and reach. The difference in media coverage between the IPL and the ICL says it all. IPL news occupies entire pages on national newspapers, while ICL is lucky to get a small column. Isn't there a big moral and legal issue here? How was BCCI able to prevent ICL cricketeres from entering cricket grounds? How did the BCCI prevent ICL cricketers(even those from other countries) from playing international cricket or even other Twenty Twenty leagues? In today's world, cricket is a profession and all cricketers including ICL cricketers are professionals. What gives BCCI the ability to prevent other organizations and entities from seeking the services of these cricketers? The same media that celebrates our democracy, our secularism and all those wonderful ideals just watches with folded hands, when the biggest sport in the country is being monopolized using unfair practices. It has failed in its duty by not questioning the autocratic self-serving practices of the BCCI. The Indian media is probably the only thing that can affect the BCCI, but sadly it chooses to focus on national selection issues, team-squabbles, bollywood escapades of cricketers and other similar 'interesting' news.

Third, as Indian cricket fans, we are also culpable. We have failed to question our board's actions and policies. In my humble opinion, the average Indian fan tends to take cricket too personally. We need to be open-minded and objective when it comes to critical issues. We can still be passionate fans, but without being rabid nationalists. We have not been vocal in criticizing the BCCI.

I am not trying to defend Twenty Twenty or dethrone test-cricket. I am just questioning the monopolistic behavior of the Indian cricket board. I am questioning the inaction from senior Indian cricketers, the media and Indian cricket fans. A wise man once said, 'Power corrupts and Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely'. It seems to be true at least as far as cricket goes.