#241

As they say, one should be gracious in victory and generous in defeat.  So, let me be generous enough in admitting that this sledgehammer of a verdict in favor of Narendra Modi is a massive endorsement of the kind of politics the BJP represents, with which I will never agree.  But then, I can only speak for myself.  However, I am also realistic enough to see that a substantial number of people in this country at the moment have internalized the ideas of muscular nationalism, Muslims being put in their place, Hindutva, anti-intellectualism etc etc.  Even if you know that in the long run, these are recipe for disaster; but don't they say that in the long run we all are dead?  Anyway, I should not be churlish, but should rather offer my congratulations to all the friends and families who have always blindly rooted for Modi no matter what.  Today, people like us will have to find other distractions.  Tomorrow is another day.  There will be other elections.

Not many people realize, but the 9th of May has to be a red-letter day in the annals of women's emancipation. For it was on this day in 1960 that FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the U.S. finally gave its stamp of approval to the use of birth control pill across the country. This singular act, to my mind, contributed most to the feminist movement and women's empowerment in general than any amount of sloganeering, marching and bra burning could ever have done. Suddenly, women not only in the United States but all around the world had a sense of autonomy over their own bodies. They were in the position to decide when to have children and how many. Because now, they could have sex without fear of getting pregnant, it also paved the way for the sexual revolution of the 70s. The world is a better place because of that.

#239

Before the Pulwama terrorist attack, it was by no means certain that Narendra Modi will return as Prime Minister of India after the general elections in April-May 2019.  But I can sense a change in optics after  Valentine's day massacre of the security forces in Kashmir.  It is almost inevitable that the rising tide of jingoism, mixed with prevailing anti-Muslim feelings, adequately being nurtured by the North Korean news channels, they will add up, in the end, to propel the BJP and Modi in the saddle ones more.  I hope I am wrong.

The various reports of violence against individual Kashmiri Muslims across the country are just insane! This madness is going to play right into the hands of the extremists and the ISI, in that it's going to provide a catchment area to recruit more and more disaffected youths to their evil agenda, and will make this whole issue of grievance and alienation a self-fulfilling prophecy.

By any account and any yardstick of terror, what happened in Kashmir yesterday, was a monumental tragedy.  Shock and a numbing sense of stupefaction are the underlying emotions at the moment.  What's the point in apportioning blame one way or the other when the whole state is in a ghastly mess?  A stray SUV laden with military-grade explosives on an industrial scale finds its way on one of the most secure highways in the world, represents a colossal intelligence failure.  Who is going to be held accountable?

#235

Rahul Gandhi often says that he and the Congress party will always play on the front foot and that they are never going to play on the back foot against the BJP.  That's fine up to a point, but since he has used a cricketing analogy, let me just say that a good batsman should be equally adept in both front and back foot in order to negotiate hostile bowling from the opposition.  He should see the example in Narendra Modi in that how he would purposely shift on the back foot; when he would become maudlin and start crying in the name of his mother and also his humble origins.  Even though how humble the man is in a real sense, is, of course, another matter.  So, you see?  Indian politics is a devious business, and Mr. Gandhi should learn from the best.

#234

Good music is something I have always appreciated ever since I can remember.  Many years ago when I was just a kid, I remember we had an HMV Vinyl record player given as an item when mother and father got married.  I clearly recall, from time to time, they would play the records of Hindi film music on the turntable.  I would be absolutely fascinated by those small sized 33 RPM disks, and also by the bigger standard sized 45 RPM disks.  Looking at my parents now, you wouldn't think that they were the kind of young people once upon a time who actively sought to buy records to listen to Hindi music.  In those days, ours was the only household as far as I knew which had a vinyl turntable.  Otherwise, the cassette-player deck used to be the most common thing.
   I don't know how exactly, but with the passage of time, the record player fell into a state of disuse and disrepair, until it gradually vanished from our lives altogether.  We cannot stall the march of technology, and in good time like everyone else, I also started consuming music digitally.  But even with such a long absence, I could never forget those vinyl days of my childhood.  A few years ago, the word was getting around that vinyl record is making a comeback in the retro-cool circles, not only in the west but also in India.  It got me really excited, that's for sure.  Only one thing had changed from the old days; the vinyl had become prohibitively expensive to afford more than a couple of someone like me.  But I wasn't ready to give up.  I thought let me get hold of a turntable first, then with a bit of patience and some good fortune, I can increase my collections.
   Finally, due to the generous offer of my younger brother, I got my record player.  He and my sister have made sure that I am not wanted for vinyl either.  These days, there are multiple ways of consuming music.  The thing with listening to an LP record is that the quality of sound that you get is pure and completely original and unvarnished, unlike in the digital format where it is embellished with all kinds of instrumentalities.  Holding a vinyl with its magnificent sleeve is like possessing a piece of music in a tactile and tangible way.  Gently putting the record on the turntable and lowering the stylus on the outer most grooves is nothing short of performing a religious ritual by the faithful if you like.  I am happy to report that my neat little pile is slowly but surely growing, and I am so grateful to be reunited with something that is no longer just of nostalgic value but a tangible reality.

#233

I have picked up this book on Nehru. This is neither a hagiology nor a denigration, but a rather clear-eyed, unsentimental account of the life and career of the great man. These days, it has become fashionable in the Hindutva minded sections of our society to slander, smear, and vilify the legacy of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, led especially by the current 'supreme leader' in the country. But the fact of the matter is that to malign Nehru is to really throw pebbles at a mountain. It will not make an iota of difference to this gigantic statesman and an intellectual colossus of his time. His contribution and legacy to this nation are simply too great to be dismissed by the present pygmies who are in power at this moment in time.

How Not to be Boring

#232

Unlike some people, I would like to believe that I am no hypocrite when it comes to the question of freedom of speech.  Undoubtedly, the BJP MLA in the state, Ms. Sadhna Singh the other day made a patently crass and vulgar comment against the BSP leader Mayawati during the course of a public meeting.  No matter how distasteful and derogatory those remarks, the lady was exercising her right to the freedom of speech and expression.  It is up to the good sense of hers if she regretted her behavior or not, and the good judgment of the party whether they reprimand her not.  I would just like to say that Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyyar was also availing of his right to free speech when he made certain comments about PM Modi.  But at that time, the whole media and the great Indian middle class descended upon him like a pack of hyenas.  But in this instance, the institutional biases of society against members of the Dalit community is on full display here, and there is almost a silent approval among the same upper caste middle classes for the rabidly sexist and misogynistic views expressed by Ms. Sadhna Singh.

#231

India is going to vote in the most decisive election in its history in a couple of months from now.  The issue of freedom of speech and the freedom of expression has to be at the center stage of all this in view of what's transpired in the last few years.  Is Mr. Rahul Gandhi, on behalf of the Congress party willing to pledge unequivocally and in no uncertain terms that they would stand on the side of personal liberty and freedom?  Are you going to promise that if you come to power, you are going to scrap the abominable vestige from the colonial era in the form of Sedition Law in this country?  Are you going to demonstrate, not just by your words, but also by your deeds that, given the opportunity, you'll be different from Narendra Modi?  We are waiting, and we are watching.

#230

A lot of well-meaning people press me as to how could I support a bunch of people who have defrauded the exchequer in the past as potential prime minister instead of the saintly Mr. Modi? (which by the way, he's not)  Broadly, I would say that for me, moral ambiguity in a person is far more preferable than someone who is full of self-righteous indignation, whose track record has been of a bigoted Hindu supremacist, someone who suffers from delusions of grandeur, and last but by no means least, being economical with the truth is a second nature to him.  So, there is your answer.

#229

What follows is a copy-paste job.  But it's too good to let go unnoticed:
Let's start a thread on what famous Indians would do if we were living in Nazi Germany.
Shashi Tharoor would write a book titled 'Why I am a Nazi'. Then he will write articles about how soft Nazism is better than Nazism.  Amir khan would have a TV show where he would be shedding tears on hearing stories of Jewish persecution. 
Then he will go and meet the Fuhrer. He will give interviews saying the Fuhrer is the real German superstar.  Liberals would blame Jews for being backward socioeconomically and for lagging behind in society. They would blame Jewish leadership for not doing anything for Jews.  Anupam Kher would say that Jews have opressed and killed Kashmiri pandits since forever.  Mukesh Ambani would fund the Nazis. Anil Ambani would get the contract to build gas chambers instead of the state run GCGL (Gas Chambers of Germany Limited)
Bal Thackeray would say that Berlin should be only for Berliners. He would mass murder Jews. Alyssa would provide him a state funeral.  Channels would be running shows on love jihad and Jewish terrorism.  R shivshankar would be revealing chilling assassination plots by the red army daily on his TV show. He will type 5000 pages of assassination details every night.  Prasoon Joshi would say to the Fuhrer 'ek fuckeeri hai aap mein'.  Anupam Kher would be shouting what about Kashmiri pandits every time someone talks about the killing of Jews.  
Anupam Kher would be shouting what about Kashmiri pandits every time someone talks about the killing of Jews.  Akshay Kumar would visit Germany to wave the Nazi flag while being a resident of Canada.  Liberals won't hear any criticism of the Nazi army.  Brahmins would do havan and puja for Mussolini to retain power and live longer.
Mehbooba Mufti would ally with the Nazis to retain power and then wonder why Jews are still being killed.  Adityanath would call the Holocaust an accident.  All news channels and print ones would call Nazis goons or cadre or SS members. Jews would be called terrorists.

#228

I closely watched Rahul Gandhi's interaction with the media last evening after the state elections returns came out, and I really liked what I saw. He was quite candid, calm and measured in what he had to say. There was a sense of realizing what an enormous responsibility this success places on the Congress party going forward. The big difference between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, to my mind, is that the former draws you into a conversation. He's always cultured and never loses his civility and decency. Mr. Modi, on the other hand, comes across as a crass and hectoring bully, who is not interested in talking to you but is only looking to harangue the opposition and give a lecture from the pulpit.

#227

For quite a few years, I would watch Udayan Mukherjee on television analyze the corporate sector and stock markets.  And then, he completely went off the radar in order to pursue his passion for writing.  And the effect has been dazzling.  This novel is right up my alley.  A haunting meditation on personal loss and private grief, a choking miasma of depression from which there is no escape for the protagonists

.  First few pages and I am already hooked.

#226

On the one hand, it's a matter of immense shame, and on the other, also of great relief that sexual predators of varying degrees are being outed almost on an hourly basis in India on the rising tide of 'Me Too' movement by a lot of courageous women, who have finally shown the gumption to speak out.  However, I think some sort of distinction needs to be made between harmless flirting without any ulterior motives, and the scary, unremitting, and incessant harassment which has crossed all bounds of civility and decency, and respect for women in general.  I think, the former works as some kind of grease to reduce friction of our existence, but the latter has only poisoned the well for every civilized male of the species.  Unless of course ladies, you think that a civilized man is an oxymoron in itself.

#225

As a neutral observer from so far away, who has no real stake in the Supreme Court nomination in the United States, I'd rather believe in the testimony of Ms. Christine Blasey Ford than the angry defense of Judge Kavanaugh. I think no self-respecting woman would come out with such a serious accusation of sexual assault and subject herself to a circus-like atmosphere of the Senate hearings on Capitol Hill unless she has a compelling reason to do so. What really struck me was not what Brett Kavanaugh said in his defense, but how he singled out some Democrats for trying to sabotage his nomination. For all practical purposes, he's as good as laid his cards on the table as to which side his bread is buttered. This is no ordinary nomination. Brett Kavanaugh is in his fifties, and since there is no retirement age for the Justices in the U.S. Supreme Court, his nomination would decisively shift the balance of power to the right for generations in the highest court of the land. Very unwelcome prospects indeed.

#224

It is important to keep visiting the classics from time to time, and ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' is one of the most enduring classics in more than 150 years.  Published in 1852, the novel was instrumental in raising an outcry against the inhumanity of slavery practiced in the Midwest and the deep south of the United States.  In fact, when the civil war finally broke out in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln went to meet the author, the diminutive Ms. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and gently said to her, 'so, here is the lady who started the fire!'

#223

The prime minister doesn't speak to the people of this country, he lectures like an insufferable school teacher, mostly giving sermons about useless things.  He is always silent on substantive issues affecting the public discourse in India.  There is not a shadow of a doubt that a grave impropriety has been committed in the Rafael fighter aircraft deal between the governments of India and France.  Why have an otherwise so voluble Mr. Modi on ''Mann Ki Baat'' maintained a studied and embarrassing silence on this?  What is stopping him from coming out in the open and deny that there is anything suspicious about the purchase of the aircraft?  Why can't he plainly say in public that no pressure was brought to bear upon the French government to give the offset contract to his friend Mr. Anil Ambani who incorporated his firm just 12 days prior to the signing of the agreement between the two governments?  If you don't have anything to hide, then you should bring everything in the open.  This is surely raising an almighty stink.  Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

#222

Former French president Francois Hollande has no reason to be economical with the truth.  He's got no ax to grind with the Indian government, nor does he need to curry any favors with them.  I would be willing to believe him far more than these liars like Mr. Jaitly and Ms. Sitharaman.  It's a clear case of crony capitalism, where a major defense offset contract was awarded to a bankrupt company with zero experience in manufacturing of defense hardware.  All this because the owner of the company happens to be a close buddy of PM Modi.  The defense minister needs to resign, and the prime minister must answer questions.  He cannot stand aloof and apart like an Olympian god.