Recently I came across a classic case in this regards. A good teacher and an extremely religious man, whom I have personally known for last 5+ years, quit his job without giving any notice period to his employer and joined a direct competitor within the same premises the very next day. To the best of my knowledge, he had no such differences with his employer (for whom he has worked for a good five years) that called for such an unprofessional conduct. Leave apart the employer; he even deserted the students who had put their full faith in him for good learning. I was shell shocked since this person is so religious and God fearing that he would not do ANYTHING without whispering a few prayers.

So the question is that what are all these prayers teaching him if he can’t get his ethics right? How can one be God fearing if one is willing to back-stab his employer and office colleagues at the drop of a pin for some short term gain?

Do you think he is absolved of all his sins by saying a thousand prayers to Moti Doongri (Shri Ganesh Ji’s temple at Jaipur)?

I don’t think so.

 Why? Why can’t I have the same viewing pleasure on cricket as I have on football with FIFA. Zero advt. during the game. Immediate action replays and no cheergirl nonsense. 100% undiluted pleasure of watching football.

 Why can’t BCCI offer such an experience to the die-hard cricket fans in India? Is it because they are corrupt to the bone and worship “moolah” (money) more than any game? I think if they had their way, BCCI officials will be more than happy to get sponsored tattoos on their torso and flash them after every ball to rake in some more money (and compete with cheergirls). The insatiable lust for money never ends even when you are the richest sports body in the world!

 Not just the BCCI, why can’t the highly qualified brand managers realize that they are killing the pleasure of watching the game by endlessly queuing up to sponsor cricket? Why can’t they self-regulate to ensure that viewers (which include them as well) have a decent experience? For God’s sake, if not for yourself at least leave some cricket on the TV screen for your kids. We had the pleasure of watching un-interrupted test matches while what we leave for the next generation is the pain of watching un-interrupted advt. on the small screen with some TV shown in-between.

 The bottom line is that the so called “learned and professional class” of this country does only one thing best-shoot itself in the foot for a short term immediate gain. It happens in all walks of life and cricket is no exception.

I guess the answer is simple.

Do not be god fearing and go sell your soul to devil himself first… the “murkh” (dumb) and hysterical public will make you a godman. Have no hesitation in committing any kind of sin, whatsoever, and the public will kneel on their legs and bow deep in front of you.

First it was Nithyananda Swami of Chennai, having a gala time on a sex-tape. Then it was Swami Bhimanand operating a prostitution ring from his ashram. And last of all it was the stampede at Jagadguru Kripaulu’s ashram at UP where 69 innocent people lost their lives, all due to the gross mismanagement of the ashram management. The govt., in the typical knee-jerk reaction, announced ex-gratia compensation to the family of deceased and is now trying to get the political mileage from the whole incidence. No one, including the BJP, which has a loud “hindutva” agenda, wants to address the core issue on the conduct of godmans and gross mismanagement of Hindu temples in general. Since it is a hand-in-glove situation, no one wants to question on how these “sants” (saints) are able to collect huge wealth in the first place?

I question that why tax payer’s money be used to compensate for the “maniac” public which went in hordes to Kripaulu’s ashram for a free lunch and few freebies. If the hysteria has taken over their basic sense of reasoning (thanks to sustained Bollywood exposure), they called for the suffering themselves. Why should you and I be penalized by diverting funds (Rs 2 lacs from PM’s fund for next of the kin) for this knee-jerk band aid healing? Did we pay our taxes to compensate for some private ashram’s mismanagement or to get us and our kids a better quality of life in general? Why can’t govt. auction the not-so-kripauli ashram (built over 100 acres or so) and compensate those who lost lives because of the callous attitude of this thug and his “well greased” disciples.

Many questions but no answers. Public is on drugs and addicted to going from one sentimental hysteria to another. Anyone who can offer the next sniff, can make the kill. Be it 3 Idiots, the godman or a momentary win of India over Pakistan in World Cup Hockey (followed by 3 subsequent losses and elimination). Government (and media) coffers are open if you are the next drug peddler.

So why am I writing about it now, one week later, when there is no newsworthy masala  left into the issue? Here is my justification. If you write and react about a topic which is a really a “non-issue” in the first place, you are actually adding fuel to the fire and helping it to become a “hot issue”.  Hence this post a week later.

 The MNIK related chain of events (SRK on Pak players in IPL–> Shiv Sena reaction –> SRK refusing to apologize –> Shiv Sena threatening MNIK release –>congress lead govt. going in overdrive to make sure that the MNIK is released amidst state provided police security) should have been a non-issue for a Mumbaikar in the first place. Mumbai offers once of the worst living conditions and quality of life to everyone. Doesn’t matter if your surname is Khan, Shah, Marathe, Thackrey, Goel or for that matter Tom, Dick and Harry. It is unfriendly to all.

 Mumbaikars were shown a vision of “develop Mumbai like Shanghai” couple of years back. Obviously state government and politicians blatantly lied. A real and a relevant issue to talk about would be potential legal prosecution of such government office bearers who make blatant false promise in full public view with no real intent to execute and deliver. Are they guilty of “lie under oath” as per the constitutional framework?

 But no one wants to talk about such real issues as they lack the Bollywood (and coming soon IPL) charisma. Also for those who made a “we are bold” statement by watching MNIK, what have we really achieved? Shiv Sena & MNS has targeted many non-Marathi events and people earlier. With no real intent to bring due legal provisions against “hate speeches and writings” and fix the problem once for all, state administration will continue to be a mute spectator.

No one will come to rescue when a non-descript north Indian is targeted next time, who (unlike MNIK) can not promise big “moolah” to oil the state machinery and thereby protect his livelihood.On media’s role in making the MNIK non-issue into a national issue, I wish we return to the golden age of a fixed 30 minutes news bulletin available only once a day. For then, news only worthy of a spot in the limited time available will make it to the news. Right now every barking dog makes a news item. Somehow media is missing the point that barking comes naturally to dogs and there is really no news out there when a dog….barks.

First and foremost is a memory loss on any issue which outlives the span of a popular flick. Once a Bollywood hit highlights an issue, giving a chance to everyone (specially media) to bisect, dissect, discuss, hold talk shows and in general go into a “hyper-euphoria drive” about the movie (and less on the actual issue), consider the problem solved. Why revisit the core issue once the movie has faded out from public memory and all stake holders have made their kill!

Second is a movie like “murgi kya janne unde ka kya hoga” attitude to the life in general.  Let the whole life play out like a (bad) movie with you watching as a spectator and not having any intentions even to voice for a change for better. Why bother, when you can sit back and relax with an “all is well” attitude and make a fashionable statement too.

So here we are just about a month from the so-much-loved-by-the-people 3 Idiots movie with its core message of letting the youth make choices about its career and the newspapers are already getting flooded with advertisements urging people to put their kids into preparatory courses for IIT-JEE, AIPMT and other competitive exams four to five years in advance. Below you will find one such advt. but there are about a half a dozen institutions offering such “from cradle to IIT” courses!!

From Cradle to IIT

Thanks 3 Idiots for giving everyone a platform to discuss about the education issue. Issue stands solved by the mere fact that 3 Idiots was so successful. Public memory is short and we can not change our ways. So until Bollywood flick rakes in a new issue and gives all a new opportunity to live the hype, adios!

Take the case of Chak De, the SRK film blockbuster released on August 10^th 2007 glorifying the Indian women hockey team winning the world championship. Big time money earner. Since we Indians can’t live that dream in reality ever again, one might as well enjoy it in a 2 hours or so neatly packaged melodrama and go hysterical.

Anyone cares for reality check? It’s 2010 and player of Indian Hockey Team have refused to practice for the upcoming world cup (being held at no other place but Delhi) as they have not been paid their dues since 2009. If you thought that these guys were earning million of $$s by playing hockey, here is a reality check. A player gets INR 25000/- (~$550/-) for playing a hockey match!!

Thanks to the public euphoria, producers and actors of Chak De possibly earned 10x from that one movie than our national team players will earn in their entire life!

Rang De Basanti was no different. Judgment of Ruchika’s molestation case stands as a testimony.

“3 Idiots” is the next sequel. It has all the ingredients to start a “euphoria tsunami”, such as valid middleclass social cause, sinusoidal emotions, an idealistic positive ending, some comedy and Aamir Khan. And there are a billion idiots willing to shell out money so that they can feel good by watching the movie and discussing the problem.

Someone else will fix it. If not, Bollywood will make another blockbuster on yet another social cause and then we can choose to forget “3 idiots” core issues.

After seeing “3 Idiots”, ask yourself the following question:-“If my son is a naturally talented hockey player and really wanted to build a career by playing hockey, what are my choices?”

 The answer will tell you the futility of going gaga over 3 Idiots.

I am not sure what yardstick is being used to measure the success of India democracy, unless it is in comparison to the failed state of Pakistan (our favorite pastime). If numbers like GDP growth, FDI, Sensex etc. were the only measure of human life, maybe one can say that Indian democracy has delivered.

On the other hand if we talk about quality of life, accountability, security, and health and most important, a fair trial to all under the rule of law, it has failed miserably and is deteriorating with every passing day. Countries like Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, which are miniscule compared to India with far less resources at their disposal, have done far better.

Here is small example of how little human values democracy in India has achieved after 60+ years. Newspapers and TV channels have been regularly covering “lathi” charge on the employees of J&K State Transport Corporation for close to 4-5 months now. As per news, employees have not been paid salary for last six or more months.  Every 3^rd week channels broadcast live video of fresh lathi charge and it ends there..

There is no talk of a solution

Kudos to the lathi charge packed achievements of Indian democracy.

It was all going very well till the disaster struck late yesterday night. I am not talking about any earthquakes and fires. I am referring to the Grand Finale of the immensely popular “family” show, India Got Talent. The show had featured such innocent and unadulterated talent from all across India that it was quite an inspiration to watch with the family. The judges had done an exceptionally great job and for once truly deserving candidates were in the final.

However, as they say that the going was too good to be true, and the producers had to screw it up all in the final by inserting an uncalled for sleazy item number from some grossly untalented “bimbo”. Why?

Why did they have to turn a great family show into a “mujra” (item number) performance and turn my living room into some sort of a “kotha” (brothel)? Was it the call of the casting couch and the producers simply could not deny the offer? Even my young kids felt so disgusted that we decided to switch off the TV at that time and forego the winner announcement. We had to call friends in the morning to find out who the winner was.

I sincerely wish that the three judges, who have carried themselves so well during the show, should have excused themselves before the “sick and anemic but so called divas” took over the stage. In my eyes, they fell a little from their grace just by allowing their presence and see the family show turn into sleaze gradually…

Lately I have noticed two major trends with all the daily newspapers. One is that they repeatedly run series of articles on the pathetic state of public related issues (roads, parking, water, electricity and health). Other is a very high percentage (could be 50% or more) of government paid advertisements in all the leading papers. So how does this work? At one end, papers are largely dependent on govt. agencies for advertisement revenues. On the other hand they must write hard hitting articles against these very agencies to win public trust and thereby get increased subscriptions numbers.

The answer lies in the scanned copy (click on image. Save or enlarge) of the interview of a govt. official with so called solutions to the parking problem at Vasant Kunj, an upscale 30+ years old residential colony of New Delhi. Please do take a minute to read the scanned article. I have inserted my views to “expose” some “read between the lines” finer points. The whole interview is a big sham. It is there only to give a false impression to naïve public that the media is concerned about their problems and taking up the cause with concerned authorities.

What kind of grill session is this?

So junta (public) is happy as they see the newspapers taking their cause.

The raja (government) is happy as they have been given a chance to acknowledge that the problem exists without being forced to make any commitment to fix it.

The newspaperwala (newspapers) is happy as he gets his “moola” (money) from both junta and the raja. Everyone is feeling good. Why am I complaining? 

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Mahatma Gandhi initiated a “civil disobedience” movement which finally led to Swaraj (self rule). Another kind of civil disobedience movement is happening under the leadership of current prime minister, under full supervision of Gandhi family, leading to a total jungle raj (rule of the jungle). The “new avatar” of civil disobedience allows public to vent anger at any time, any place and for any cause by burning public/private property, beating “suspected” criminals to death, stopping trains, damaging stations and what not while the police force amuses itself by being a mute spectator.

In last fortnight, at least half a dozen cases of public arson has happened in various parts of India, including Delhi. Last year, Gujjar agitation held the whole state of Rajasthan hostage for weeks and railway property worth hundreds of crores was damaged. The reasons can be as trivial as someone hitting a Kanwaria’s (the holy Lord Shiva devotees who carry Ganga water on their shoulder and take pilgrimage) and spilling the holy water. It seems that the poor guy’s car was burnt by saintly bhakts and several public busses charred. How more “unholy” can it get?

Guess which organization in the world is running the biggest “sleeper cell” to create riots, unrest and arson. You guessed it wrong. It is not Al Qaida or LET. It is Govt. of India with its ”sleeping” Home Minstry. They are real threat to coming generations going forward.

Ideal script for the ISS Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao sequel..