Commonwealth Games 2010 – Indian Pride and Some Home Truths

So, CWG begins today, right now as I write it.

Today we welcome it with optimism and jubilant spirit with hope it is successful. We had to bridge sea waves of emotions of outrage, disappointment and anger to arrive at this placid, equable point of view.

What were we angry at? Because the games WERE mismanaged by the organisers, hated not only at home, but also worldwide. This made some of the most ‘patriot’ of us to quickly to run and defend it. After all, how can we let our country put down by others. Mind you, we are an emerging Superpower, just like China that was praised for wonderful organisation.

But, I hate to break it to you, supporting CWG now that games have begun is one thing but nothing could have been more misguided than to rake in patriotism to jump to defend it few days back. For a millisecond forget what media, essentially foreign media, says. Let’s take a hard look at facts at home – consider this a sum up of all that you read past few days.

Swine Flu Diary

I sneezed.

Immediately I checked if my nails were blue and that if I could breathe properly. Now I definitely wasn’t getting fresh air. I was standing in queue at a closeted billing counter of a departmental store. It was definitely hard to breathe fresh air there.

Other than me, everyone wore masks both inside and outside the mall.  Why not, I am in swine flu capital, Pune. I have to check my symptoms at every sneeze or cough, to be sure.

I do carry a scarf these days to cover my mouth like a bandida, but it’s a suffocating feeling.

Interestingly, Pune girls, even before we had heard of swine flu, have been tying headscarves (instead of helmets) while driving as protection against pollution. Their headscarves are unique in that cover their entire face and head except eyes.

Pune Girls Wearing Headscarves - Pic courtesy Eric Parker's Photo stream

A new Police Commissioner tried to ban headscarves in vain, amidst the hue and cry of Pune girls. So, owing to use of these headscarves I think, Pune girls at least are safe from air-borne swine flu contamination. 🙂

Fire-ed Up Politicians

We all know how our politicians are corrupt and how massacres are staged by them for their gain. Recently I came across one such story.

3 slum-dwelling areas in Delhi were hit by fire. Fire brigade did not arrive for atleast an hour!

It was fishy considering that the Fire Brigade had arrived last evening in the slum at the behest of some fire rumors. Our ever-efficient TV news channels too were quick to publicise the rumors as ‘breaking news’.

Dharavi slum fire picture courtsey this Mumbai blogger

When a single Fire Brigade van finally arrived after an hour, half the slums could have been salvaged. But angry slum-dwellers were busy beating the fire-fighting van driver and firefighters because they were late! Frightened, all the other fire brigade vans stood outside the slum.

The slum dwellers were understandably agigated and angry. However, some of them were NOT surprised. They knew it had to happen sometime before elections. It has happened before in 2004. Timing is just too predictable. They ahd been almost waiting for it.

These people predicted the sequence of the events from this point, which is exactly how the events unfolded.

Politicians from loacal area arrive > Fire Brigadev vans run behind him (by this time whole slum is burnt to ashes) > Then comes a bread van (to distribute bread obviously) > The milk van arrives > Next blanket van expected to arrive.

These slum dwellings are predominantly occupied by minorities, so no guesses on which ‘secular party’ that will be dedicatedly involved in the ‘relief work’.  By the time election will arrive here, which is on 7th May, they will have ‘earned’ their votes by hard work.

Bread, milk and blanket. What more could you need? It doesn’t matter if you have no place to go and hide in heat after having all your belongings and house burnt down? Relocate, rebuild on the promises of pukka home in future.  Till then elections will ahve happened, and your ‘secular’ representative elected. 😦

Dare to Stand, Dare to Die?

I have always spoken how only writing about issues may not be enough. We may need to be part of the system, such as be in politics. Having said that, I have always known that it is easier said than done. One reason I can’t join politics is that I need a regular income to pay off my bills and loans. I don’t have enough money and time it takes to campaign. I am not alone in it, it is same with almost all of us aware citizens.

There is another bigger reason for our aversion to take part in Indian politics, which we all know but are shy to admit it. Standing up in political arena against corrupt biggies is also about risking your life. Just as Bahadur Sonkar, Lok Sabha (LS) candidate from Indian Justice Party (IJP) candidate found out hard way.

Bahadur,  a Dalit leader who was contesting in LS elections from Jaunpur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, was found hanging from a tree near his home on 14 April, 2009. His chief opponent was BSP’s Dhanajyay Singh, who is a Don-turned-politician.

It Happened in Bangalore!

After Mangalore, it happened in Bangalore on 6th February, 2009.

Edited to add: Other than this, 4 more incidents of attacks on women have been reported in Bangalore. Read another victim, Archana’s  account here. More reports pouring in Hindu. See comment section and PCC blog for more links and updates.

Different people, different intentions. But base point remains same. Lack of law and order. Unfair treatment met out to different citizens based on status, gender and connections. It scared me. I am not ashamed to say that. But it also enraged me. It made me more determined not to cow down. I hope, after reading this story, we can find more ways to engage in something more powerful than usual chest-thumping that we do online.   😦 Your take?

A Nude peace protest against Bush's War policies in New Orleans. Undignified?

I came across this post via Goofy Mama’s blog. This is not written by me. It is written by a courageous girl Saugata Chatterjee. Story, in her own words that was first posted here:

Freedom of Expression and Amendments to CrPC

Now don't forget Article 19 (2) either.

19-year-old IT student, D. Ajit from Kerala, has been slapped with a criminal case for initiating an Orkut community criticising  Shiv Sena, for its “moral policing.” The case was registered after complaint by a Shiv Sena official by Thane police in 2008.

Blog Action

After my preious post that blogging is not only about ranting, I found two action-able points.

Thanks to our media, we are all warned about Manglore-incident-accused Ram Sena Chief Muthalik’s endeavor on 14th February. Good thing is bloggers in Delhi are meeting this Sunday, 8th February to protest. Here’s where you can find the details: Stand Up to Moral Policing

This protest is not because we want to uphold love-is-in-the-air sentiment of Valentine’s day but because it is our right to mix with opposite gender. Its about standing up against any regressive moral policing.

The Mumbai Seige: Link Diary

A complilation of all the worthwhile links I came across various blogs (like DesiPundit, Smoke Signals, lallopallo’s), newspapers and other internet portals

Burning Taj: almost has become image of the year

We have all been complaining about the minute-by-minute media coverage of combat operations that took place during terroist attacks in Mumbai. Musician Vishal of Vishal-Shekhar fame has filed a petition about the same. You can go there on his website to sign the petition to show your support to the cause.

All the landmarks of Mumbai were attcked by 10 terrorists, who were armed to teeth. The timely information on Internet portals was well-publicised. Lede blogs updated everyday-progress in Mumbai attacks. Citizen journalists twittered and blogged away. Vinu’s Flickr page, that displayed first pictures of the Mumbai attacks, is being upheld by every blogger and online media.

Mumbai Under Seige

Taj Hotel Burning at Mumbai

Image courtsey CNN-IBN slideshow

26 November: Shock reverberates in my body when I see the morning newspaper headline, while traveling for work. Mumbai under siege. 80 dead, 300 injured. I visibly withered after reading the headline. I had missed last evening (25 November) bulletin.

Was it a coincidence that a day ago I had watched Denzel Washington–Bruce Willis–Annette Bening-starrer 1998 movie, The Seige? One of the targets of attack in the movie was elite broadway after having hit the commute system. Eventually military was called to manage country’s own citizens against all prudence. Now elite hotels like Taj and Trident Oberoi are under siege. Terrorists have attacked Nariman House, CST terminal and hospitals. Since three days! Death toll and number of injured have increased since the first newspaper headline. 125 lives lost and 327 injured as per latest bulletin. You can check list of released hostages, injured, and deceased here at Mumbai Help.

Let’s Go Local

Links Delhi Can Use

Internet has already become a dependable resource to keep up with local ongoings in a busy schedule. We book movie tickets online, read online local newspapers or tabloids. Our banking transactions and bill payments are also done online. There are several other things you can do online locally.

I am looking for a rented place these days. There is Locanto, Indianroomates.in and click.in where I find most relevant advertisements. Though, once in a while you can come across a fool’s advertisement like:

I am male 35 year old, living in 2bhk apartment. Looking for a female partner to share my bed. Room rent: 5000k.

!!

Sounds like a dating advertisemnt straight from fropper.

I check all listings for foreign movies, plays, exhibitions, dance shows and recitals in Delhi City Limits magazine. (published by Outlook magazine group). If you are an art lover residing in Delhi and are not going to these events, I would say you are missing something. You can check all these events online here at Delhi Events Web site. This site is diligently and passionately maintained by its founder Rohit Malik at not-so-great-profit. How do I know? I read his interview in the newspaper; he says he wants to keep the site going for the love of it.