Stilted Reporting

Two events of Violence are in the air. One is due to britain admitting that it had helped plan the attack on the Golden Temple in Punjab, the holy shrine of the Sikhs, in 1984. (The sikhs seem more incensed by this, than the fact that a terrorist had desecrated the temple by turning it into his hideout). The second is in the aftermath of Nido Taniam, a Young Man of 19 from the North East being killed, on reportedly Racist grounds.

Both events gave rise to Protests. And both the protests have something in common, as far as can be seen from the videos shown on TV. Both are Violent.

But Nary a word from the media on the Nature of these protests. No mention that those who had gathered had indulged in violent pushing and shoving, faces Angry, not only scaling the barriers that the police put up, but also overturning them.

Whereas there was the AAP protest, led by Arvind Kejriwal, just some time ago, where 3000 police personnel had been ordered onto the spot by administration (down with the word ‘govt.’). For so many police to be there, what must have been the number of AAP supporters? And Yet, had there been violence there? Except for that shown by an elderly policeman, distinctive in his whitish hair and moustache, who was caught on camera Twice, shoving, pushing and hitting? As for the stories by the police of stone throwing, etc, they were not convincing.

Now here comes the Stilted Reporting: How does media report these? In the case of Arvind’s protest, the administration, the police and the media had made so much noise, trying to show that the fabric of society was being torn apart, whereas just the Opposite was the case. And in cases of actual violence, as in the Sikh and NE ones, the media is Calm as a Calf. Shame on media, politicos and the police for this.

Is This Why?

The full question is: ‘Is This Why the Delhi police is under the home ministry?’ And Not under the Chief Minister of Delhi, himself?

I had long wanted to ask shinde, the home minister Why this was so.

Does the home ministry think that the CM, or members of the cabinet of Delhi, would not be CAPABLE of handling responsibilities of a police force? Or is it that they are not RESPONSIBLE enough?  Or is it the lone person of shinde himself who has these doubts?

The home ministry ‘could’ have solved things by giving charge of the Delhi police to the Delhi government, and the home ministry could have used Special police to take care of the Parliament and foreign establishments there.

shinde ‘had’ said, something like: Arvind might decide to go and sit in Protest in front of one of the embassies. This in itself gives rise to many questions. Is one Not allowed to protest where he/she wants? If I am protesting against you, you are going to tell me to  go to the Himalayas, or the Deserts of Rajasthan, or some Forest, lest I be obstructing others? So Ok, I shall sit by the Side, Near a Pillar. Would I be allowed to do that?

Let us suppose the police calls this a law and order problem. How so? Suppose People notice me sitting there, and Agree with my views and decide to Join me. We find that our numbers are growing, and decide to form a human chain! We Stand or Sit in such a Way that no Pedestrians have difficulties, no Travelers at Bus Stops or in front of Other Gates have problems. Where would be the Law and Order problem in this? SO LONG AS PEACE IS KEPT, AND NO VIOLENCE IS INVOLVED, IT IS NOT A PROBLEM.

Coming back to Arvind Kejriwal, – that MOST Loved Man, and Only CM who is Loved in India – Supposing he decides to go and sit in Protest in the way I have said, what would be shinde’s problem? Would it Irk him to see this Show of Unity, Strength and the Will of the People? Is shinde going to say that just a gathering in thousands would be a hindrance to Normal life? Would he prefer the kind of gathering seen at the latest Sikh demand for a SIT probe into the deaths of 1984? It was said that the AAP-ians had ‘broken’ the barricades at their protest. My Gosh! Even an elephant or a rhino would not be Able to break one. And they did not even say that these People had broken ‘through’ it.

So, at least as I see it, it should not be a problem for shinde even if Arvind decides to sit in front of some embassy in protest. Then what is left? A Question of Capability?

shinde should know that the Citizen thinks that Arvind is as good as he, if not Better.

Now let me come to a point I learnt just this morning. One ‘salve’ is legally representing as varied parties as:

1. The ugandan women against whom Somnath Bharti had wanted the delhi police to take action,
2. The companies supplying electrical power to delhi, on whom Arvind Kejriwal as the CM of delhi has asked for an Audit, and,
3. The delhi police on the way they had handled a meeting of Baba Ramdev.

In two of the cases above, salve is representing parties on whom AAP wants action taken. Now when I say this man charges a mere rs. 30 Lakhs (3 Million) per day as fees, You would get the point, and We shall be wondering:

• HOW the ugandan women could afford this man, if they were Students or People seeking jobs, or Working here, and
• WHY the ugandan women had needed this kind of a big wig?

The Same two questions would be asked in the matter of the delhi police keeping him as their counsel in their case.

If both the above parties, the ugandan women and the delhi police need this kind of a lawyer, the problems must be grave indeed, would they not? So this does seem to strengthen the early charge, that Somnath Bharti had wanted some Sex and Drug cartels investigated.

And if delhi police has this kind of money to throw around, it cannot do so without political backing. This in itself means that the politicians are getting their ‘king size’ cuts. After all, in these cases, they collect, give to the higher ups, and enjoy the rest.

And So, Is THIS Why politicos are reluctant to hand over the reins of the Delhi police to Arvind Kejriwal?

07. Love Speaks Out!

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There are some who keep talking about love, but do nothing much about it. And there are a few, who do things out of love, but stop with that. The problem with this group is that they are Very Capable and Talented people. They have reached, and are, in positions where people would listen to them if they speak. But in most instances, they fail to do so.

Communication, Reaching and Speaking Out, are Important Tools. I had the Opportunity to meet a Gandhian and Freedom fighter in Trichy. He said that Gandhiji had organized Volunteers to go to the Villages, Speak to the People about Freedom and the Support Needed for it, etc, for a Long time, before He, Gandhiji, brought His movement into the Open.

I had written earlier that the world is not just divided into the 1% vs the rest. It is more like 10-80-10. The 80% in the Centre are the ‘Sheep’ of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Ready to be swayed anywhere.

From of old, the story teller held a fascination over the masses. Even today, a person who can speak in public commands attention. It is not just the spoken word, of course, though the written word has a harder time.

hitler knew all this very well. So does castro, who liked to give 7 hour speeches. Knowing that repeated, loud speech has impact, china used it for its ‘brain-washing’ phase. jayalalitha, present cm of Tamil Nadu, gave Whole-page ‘statements’ in newspapers for months on end. Taking just her case, it can be seen that people pay more attention to words, than her dismal performance. Megalomaniacs have used Loud, Long, Repeated Speech/Communication almost as a Weapon to gain control over the masses.

Is Love supposed to be Silent? Should those who are Good limit themselves to ‘Live out Lives of Love and Simplicity?’ How many would come to know of these examples?  Would not somebody else have to share that?

Pope Francis is living a very simple and even ideal life. People appreciate that, and may be many would like to follow his example. This becomes possible ‘Only because Others are Talking or Sharing about what he is doing.’

What did the Masters do? Did they just set examples, or did they keep Speaking and Teaching?

It is Impossible to Count the number of those Who can be called Examples of Love. Similarly, Great Women and Men of All religions, in All societies, have spoken out against problems that need to be addressed. It is just Not Possible to give All their examples! When Indian philosophy was getting developed, there used to be great discussions and debates on them. Indian Logic was born especially for carrying out such debates. Buddha, Mohammad, the Sikh Gurus, all had their followers, who learnt at their feet on a regular basis. Being a Christian, let me give the Example of Jesus.

Christ Not Only Healed; He went around Teaching the People. He toured tiny Israel Three times in three years. And He spoke Not only on Worship, Prayer and Fasting.

Jesus spoke out against Hypocrisy of the pharisees, sadducees and scribes, who were leaders of the society there. The Evangelist Matthew, who records the Lord’s words the most, writes Whole Paragraphs, (See chapters 12, 15, 23), on this.

Jesus spoke out about taking Care of one’s Parents. (Matthew 15: 3-9). It IS a Social Issue, after all!

In those days, they had rules even for the Washing of Hands and Feet, Plates and Dishes. He Castigated the practice of keeping rules for rules’ sake. He Knew of the Problems of a Woman losing a Single gold coin, or a Shepherd losing a Sheep. He knew of being Waylaid, and How people generally Ignore Victims, particularly if they are of a different ‘social class.’ Jesus spoke on all these things.

John the Baptist spoke out against Herod, the ruler there, who was involved in Incest. John was killed for that. But he spoke.

The AAP has taken off because the youth of our country liked that, and took it upon themselves to the means of the Computer, the Net and the Cell phones to Share about it. We can sure that Arvind Kejriwal had thought this out well. The Good have to Speak out, too. Otherwise the evil forces win.

Our Light is supposed to Shine Out for Others to See, and We Have to be Catalysts of our Society. That is the meaning of being the Salt of the Earth. Jesus Taught us. We are expected to proclaim things from the Roof-tops Now, Loud and Clear. (Matthew 10: 27). No Mumbling Allowed.

Most Christians think that it is enough to say: ‘Jesus is Lord.’ No, there is Much more to say, to Speak. We Need to Speak out on the Injustice in the World, the evil in society, the many Ills.

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Indian courts

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The so called sup court of India has asked the police of Delhi, Why it permitted the People to gather when section 144 was in effect. I would have appreciated the court if it had asked, ‘Just why was 144 put in effect?’

The court seems to think that it has the Weal of the Common Man in doing this. Wrong judgement. Just WHY had the PEOPLE gathered there, if they had not so wanted it?

And Just HOW was the police supposed to have prevented the gathering? The People had braved the closure of railway stations, had not worried about the 3000 police personnel gathered there, and joined Arvind and the Team, despite His having Specifically asked them Not to Come. Does the court think that the police should have used their ‘Lathis,’ (staves) to disperse the Gathering? Or Worse?

Let me take a flashback onto the media. When an enquiry is instituted against police personnel, they are, at the least, Suspended. You can Imagine what they would do if they remain when the questions are being asked. Which Witness would dare to Speak out? Indian police is No Longer the Friend of the People.

But neither the police dept, nor India’s Home ministry, under which Delhi’s police is, suspended them. Only when Arvind threatened to take His Protest to the Republic Day Parade Ground, did the politicos, Knowing that that ‘Would’ happen, sent the guilty policemen on leave. The media ‘gloated’ over this, taunting: ‘Leave instead of Suspension,’ as if this were a great, personal victory for them. What interest had they in this?

As for turning up on the Republic Day Grounds, but for that it is a little too far for me at my age, plus my having to Care for my Aged Mother, I would have turned up there. And millions would have, had Arvind given the call.

A Change in Meaningless laws is More Important than mere ‘celebrations.’ Is India Truly a Republic? It is not the ‘Ayes’ who have it now. It is the ‘fat cats,’ the pseudo aristocrats, who have it. The politicians, judges, media personnel and the police have it. The Public have become the Have-Nots.

The thing is, No politician (Except those of the AAP), No judge, and No media person has ANY idea of the Pains or the Problems of the Common Man and Woman of India. policemen come from Humble enough backgrounds. But they too are ‘untouchable,’ (Would anybody with an ounce of sense think of attacking these creatures?). So the police also think that they too belong to the above club of pseudo aristocrats, and growl at the people.

It is Not only that they do not know the Pains of the Common Man. It is also that they do not Know the Changes that have Occurred in the Mind of His. Through the AAP, under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, the People of India have started to Realize that Democracy Can Work.

The Colossal Waste of the Tax Payer’s money had always Irritated one. With the AAP formed primarily to fight Corruption, the Corrupt have started to Tremble, Shiver and Shake.

Would like a few words on the media at this point. The media, along with others, had called the gathering a Mob. It is useless trying to show off, if your usage of Vocabulary is Wrong. Now, the crowd that had gathered at the demolition of a certain masjid was a Mob. The gujjars who had uprooted Rails, and those who stopped Trains in Andhra qualify for that name. Not the gathering in Delhi at Arvind’s Protest.

Above: gujjars ‘trying to,’ it is said, uproot rails. Should this not have been stopped and nipped in the bud?

Our politicians Incite Communal Violence, and then prove that they are the long lost descendants of nero. Our politicos might not be able to differentiate between a fiddle and a frying pan. But they are very good in going for Jaunts. Expensive ones. Local picnics will not do. And the Citizen is also Insulted, in that it is called a ‘study tour.’ The chief minister of the state, with other politicos, needs a Raunchy, Saucy stage show. All the while, the humble tents that the Victims of the Communal Violence have been living in are Bull-dozed! …And the good judiciary of India does not mind this.

A former chief judge of India, balakrishnan, goes on record saying: ‘No self respecting judge would declare his assets.’ After all, he knows that the Rest of the World are Fools for doing it. Hue and Cry is raised against judges dinakaran and soumitra sen. The courts believe it is enough to ‘Transfer’ them. …After all, Other Places of India Need the kind attentions of these, do they not? What sort of punishment is this? These fellows are going to have their posh accommodations, continue to travel in air conditioned cars, millions spent on their security… it would merely be a Change of scene for them.

Following a Three Fold Increase, Senior judges get paid rs. 90,000 pm, and the chief judge of India rs. 1,00,000. Allowances and ‘furnishings’ are separate.

Enough ‘chief judges’ have held their posts for just ONE day. After all, these poor creatures feel that they are paid so badly that they just Need some perks before they retire. In order that a senior, retiring judge may enjoy the pensions and other benefits of a ‘chief’ judge, he is allowed to sit on that chair, be it for a mere day. …Great work is being done in the ‘justice’ dept.

And I cannot, for the Life of me, understand just How these people are called ‘justices?’ We would be Slaves if We continue to keep calling them that.

The courts let go those Inciting Communal Violence, citing Lack of evidence, with the Utmost Alacrity. Trials of politicos drag on for Decades. And to ‘show’ that it is doing great work, the sup court orders enquiries on Arvind Kejriwal and company.

anna hazare, in his original demand, had asked for a bill that would make the judiciary also accountable to the People. That Has to happen, and it Will happen, however long it takes. And those days cannot be too far. We, the People, Look Forward to It.

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06. Love is…

Love is a little like SAMBAR! This is what You usually get with Idlis! Am sure You are making the connection.

Why like Sambar? Because, this dish requires Very Many Spices Indeed. Love too is a Combination of Many things.

Love is Warm, Joyous, Bubbling. One thing it is not is, It is Not Cold.

There is No Lukewarm Love. You Cannot make Tea or Coffee unless the Water is Boiling. Just heating the water is NOT enough. Similarly.

Love is MAD! It Jumps into Hot Water! It gets into Trouble. It does not think of Itself, but of the Subject of its Affection, like Jesus, Arvind Kejriwal, Somnath Bharti! Love easily Steps into Fire without a thought for self, to Rescue its Love. …Salutations to All the Brave hearts of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Twin Towers in the States, and the Innumerable Women and Men who have even laid down their very Lives for Others.

Love makes itself Odious and Tiresome. It does not allow itself to get Tired! It does not Worry about these things. If it sees a Wrong, it will Keep on Keeping on. Men may come and men may go, but Love goes on for ever, with Apologies to Alfred Tennyson.

The ungodly are Ever-so-Active. Those who are Good have to Learn something here.

When Jesus praised the Shrewd Manager, (Luke 16:1-8), He did not tell us to become unjust like that fellow. What He meant was that we too become Shrewd, Using our Brains, and Be Clever and Active.

So to Love means to Have Developed, and Be Developing our Intelligence, Knowledge, Fitness, Energy, Skills and what not. And above all, BEING ACTIVE; Cease being Couch Potatoes, get out of our Comfort Zones, Work up some Sweat, in Bettering the World, and in Aid of our Poorer Brethren. THAT would be Love.

Muzaffarnagar Riots – Delhi Protest

A search for the words. ‘Riots in UP’ gives 119,000,000 results in 0.32 seconds in Google! These Riots in the Muzaffarnagar area claimed 43 lives according to ‘Wikipedia.’ It left Thousands Homeless, afraid to go back to their places, fearing further Violence. These people had to brave the Cold of Zero degree temps, most unusual for the plains of India, but which occurred this winter.

What is Worse about the Riots is that they are the Result of Incitements, by politicians, of Both the Hindu and the Muslim communities, and belonging to major political parties.

On the other hand, politicians, the police, the media and even the courts are simply clamouring for the arrest/removal/jailing of Arvind Kejriwal and Somnath Bharti.

Oh, yes, there was some cry about the Inciting politicos. But the courts, saying, ‘Behold, the handmaid of the lord,’ gave Clean Chits to all of them, saying that there was no evidence against them. …In this day and age, with Dozens of Cell phones shooting away from any number of angles, the courts dare to say there was not enough evidence.

What are the Charges against Kejriwal? He is the Chief Minister of Delhi, but the police is not under him. Demanding that this be corrected, he started a Protest. Knowing that Hundreds of Thousands would support him, the Delhi police clamped section 144, by which people are forbidden to gather in numbers, and closed down railway stations close to the scene of the Protest. In spite of these, the People did so gather is his support, though he had specifically asked them not to turn up.

Kejriwal is blamed for disrupting the daily life of the common man of Delhi. …But when the political parties of Andhra had blocked Train Traffic for days on end, NO complaint came from the police or the courts. We have to note that Trains from ALL parts of the South of India, namely Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, HAVE to pass through Andhra, whether they are going to Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Kolkata or the North East.

Somnath Bharti is blamed, among other things, for demanding that a Woman suspected of using Drugs undergo a Urine test.

…Now let us see. Devyani Khobragade had been subjected Not only to a Strip Search, but Cavity Searches. Nothing less than a Rape. Even if it had been carried out by female security personnel, it is an Accursed Invasion of one’s body. Many have said that this is the law of that place, so it should not have been a big deal. I just invite them to ask one of their friends to carry out something like this on them, just to know and experience what this feels like.

As for a Urine test, the person enters a toilet cubicle, and in privacy, gathers the sample ‘by’ herself. I ask in My turn, just What IS the big deal in this?

Next, Let us take the Kangaroo justice meted out to the 20 year old in West Bengal. This woman is said to have had a relationship, and for this, the village heads order that she be Gang Raped, On Platform for all the See.

No Human Rights organizations, No Women’s Commissions, No court, No police have filed any FIRs (First Information Report, a police procedure) against the chief minister of West Bengal.

The Influence of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP is growing day by day. politicians are absolutely scared and worried by this scenario. The courts, police and media being subservient to the politicos, are sparing No effort to Try to Nip the AAP movement in the bud, if that would be possible. They have roped in some sort of Women’s commission in their aid. But that org is also headed by a  politico! …Great Fun, what?

It is There, for All to See!

Arvind Kejriwal, along with many of his Ministers, AND a Whole lot of People, turned up to show the central govt what they think of the way it is running things.

Among the words that are filling the Air, we have:

• From the side of the media, yammerings of: ‘Is this the way, AAP going too far? Complete Anarchy, Arvind protecting his ministers! Arvind’s dangerous tactics, Reducing governance to drama,’ etc. Well, in that case, Just whom is shinde, the home minister and the chief of police protecting? Also, the hypocrisy of the media needs a separate article.
• From the side of politicos: The Usual political bhah, like: ‘Focus on Administration, not Activism, etc.’ manish tiwari, one of the central govt ministers, Walks, as he find so many supporters of the AAP on the road, and makes much of it. And,
• From the side of the AAP, Point by point presentation of Facts, WITH written proofs. It is all centred around the Delhi police this time. The AAP presented 3 cases:

1. A Danish lady, 51 years old, had been Gang Raped. Some arrests have been made, but it does not seem that much progress has taken place.
2. A Young Woman went and complained to the police that she was mortally frightened of her in-laws, and that she was on the verge of suicide because of it. The police took No action. And it happened. She is fighting for her life in some hospital.
3. And the Local Citizens, where Somnath Bharti had told the police men to investigate, had been complaining for MONTHS, about Suspected Drug and Sex trade in that area. NO Action on part of police. …And interestingly, it comes out that the High Commission of Uganda had come up to the Delhi govt, – most probably because the central govt did not heed them, – saying that their Nationals had been lured to India on the pretext of getting them Jobs, only to involve them in the Flesh Trade. And they had named the Same area that had come under Somnath Bharti’s eye.

For all this, the TVs have NOT succeeded in Hiding the Truth. Instead of Anarchy, the People gathered there have Not resorted to ANY Violence, not even Shoving, Not involved in fisticuffs with the police, etc. And they have been there since 9 or 10 this morning, and it is past 5.40 PM just now.

It has been Notable that the Police is Very Quiet; It even seems As if it is On the Side of the People in This. On the Other hand, the police mentality is being seen in the person of An Oldish policeman, White Haired and Mustached, who has been seen Shoving the People in at least two instances.

To my fellow AAP-ians:

1. Please Keep Your Cameras, etc, ready.
2. Or Else, Please Record this kind of police highhandedness.

That would be a Great Service You would be performing.

No Right to Protest!

A section of the populace of Delhi had complained to the Law Minister of Delhi, Somnath Bharti, about suspected Drug and Sex dealings in their area. He had asked the police to Investigate. …All arguments were given by the police, but said Investigation did NOT take place. On the Contrary, the police, the courts and the media have taken Bharti’s this asking, and later Insistence, as High Handedness.

Arvind Kejriwal, the head of the Delhi administration, agreed with his minister Bharti, that the Investigation should have taken place. As this did not happen, Arvind informed that He would Sit in Protest in front of the Premises of the central minister in question.

Arvind and his Companions have been denied that Right.

It seems to me that all those who are Objecting to this Protest, or Hindering it, Would have Welcomed the Continuation of the british raj! The british had not wanted Protests, and had gone to the extent of the Jallian-wala bagh, where Protesters had been encircled and just gunned down.

Denial of the Right to Protest is a Denial of Basic Rights, Whatever whichever law says. If some law says otherwise, It is High, High time that that law was changed. Denial of the Right to Protest is Denial of Democracy. …But I have often said that We are living in a Pseudo-aristocracy, anyway!