Much Ado About Nothing

Bombay is again witness to a slugfest over trivia. The highhandedness of Bal Thackeray
and his goons are very much in evidence in the destruction of posters of Shahrukh Khan’s
forthcoming movie ‘My name is Khan’. They’ve said that they will not allow the screening of the film because the actor had hit out against the boycott of Pakistani players in the recently concluded IPL auction. On a personal level, I too endorse his views on the issue because no country can be humiliated in this manner and especially so when sporting events are involved. While one accepts the fact that Pakistan has tried every trick in its repertoire to discomfort India, we do not have to stoop to their levels. But who gave the right to Thackeray to take law into his hands?

The Maharashtra government is a mute bystander watching the fun. How long can one man take the state to ransom? Doesn’t an individual have the right to freedom of speech as enshrined in the constitution of this country? And can this goon say anything and everything and get away with murder? Some of the articles that he writes in his party mouthpiece ‘Samna’ are explosive and full of venom. Since the time of his arrival(?) in the early sixties, questioning the right of the South Indians coming to work in Bombay, he has never looked back as he’d the patronization of politicians across the spectrum (And the biggest irony was that his chief fund provider then was none other than Vyjayantimala, the actress!).

And having said this, it’s my gut feeling that Shahrukh and Thackeray will eventually patch up – it’s just a matter of time – pat each others’ backs and proclaim that each has great love and respect for the other etc, etc. If that be the outcome, why is this pantomime being played? Who, out of the two, needs more publicity and media space? And as always, we, the gullible public, end up being on the receiving end.

The Moral Dilemma

Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash in the Dock
The media is all abuzz with the general’s impending court martial. The public outrage is understandable as it’s a common perception that the armed forces is the last bastion of honour and rectitude amidst this otherwise corrupt world. The guilt of the general will be ascertained by the court through its proceedings and one needs to be patient for the results before crucifying him. The whole episode has left a bad taste in the mouth, the reason being that it wasn’t handled properly with all the dithering in taking a decision and speculative statements being made by everyone. But I’d like to go something beyond all this superficiality and especially because of the fact that the general and me have had almost the same background in our military upbringing – a Sainik School , NDA product before getting our commission.
‘Service before Self’ is the credo of the NDA. During our period of growing up, this aspect was always drilled into us. However, as a cadet there were plenty of occasions when it was better to opt for ‘the easier wrong than the harder right’ to avoid the ridicule of one’s peers. Many of us went about it with no qualms of conscience as the ends justified the means! I wouldn’t say that I was different but I always took my call from my inner self – like I never considered ragging my juniors just because I’d been subjected to the maximum taunts/abuse during my junior terms( Was the shortest from our course in my squadron and stood out like a sore thumb whenever we’re in a fallin). I’ve had seniors who used to ask me as to why I did not find any excuse from getting away from all the bullshit and then proceed to give me ‘lift’ by taking me under their wings! I’ll never forget my Divisional officer’s words on my being made an appointment and I quote, ‘Rajeev, you’ve done fairly well in your course, you’ve shown an ability to come up trumps and show grace in the most trying times and you’re decent to a fault and we’ve decided to make you an appointment. Now show the others that we’ve been right’ unquote. I’d heard similar words from my Principal and masters when I was made a House Captain, years earlier at school.
And I must admit that I never went out of my way to champion my cause or curry favour with the authorities to get what I wanted. During my IPKF days, after returning from a hard deployment I was asked by the NOIC to write my own citation so that he could forward the same to get me the honours at the impending Republic day which I flatly refused to do. His parting advice was, ‘Rajeev you’ve to change in this dog-eats-dog world’ and took upon himself to do the needful. My NM(Gallantry) was the end result. As I was taught at home, my work had to be good always and recognition and honours would come my way. That has stood me in good stead to this day and I’ve no regrets about the way that my life has shaped up.
I’d like to believe that Gen Avadhesh Prakash’s parents were honourable people, his teachers at school and the instructors at the Academy, who nurtured him, were all honourable people, his wife is honourable and he’d definitely have told his children to do the right things always. If that be so and if all the allegations against him are right, why has he got into this muddle?

Musings on Two International Events

Elections in Sri Lanka
Mahinda Rajapakse has got another mandate to rule that beautiful country.
He, alongwith his brother and Defence Minister, Gottabaya seem to have
carried out human rights violation and used all the dirty tricks to eliminate
the LTTE (incidentally, they too never played by the books) which was talked about in the runup to the elections. But not much heat was generated in analysis. Gen Sarath
Fonseca, the united opposition candidate did not give him that big a fight going by reports. Was he a serious contender at all? I was personally rooting for his victory on two counts:-
(a) He had successfully led his armed forces, which were a disenchanted lot
due to earlier reverses, to victory against the LTTE beating them at their own game.
(b) He had come back after two years of intense medical management from
injuries due to an LTTE suicide attack and hence, was the common man’s hero.

But what seems to have tipped the scales was the strong Sinhalese support for
the incumbent egged on by the influential Buddhist clergy. Whatever said and
done, Sri Lanka’s woes can only be removed by statesmanlike actions by giving
equal status to the Tamilians as the Sinhalese, by bringing about an amendment
to their constitution.

Obama’s Congressional Address.
A sizable number of Indians feel let down by what Obama told his Congress,
especially the aspect on outsourcing of jobs. My question to all such fellow
men is simple, do you really expect a US President to formulate policies to
benefit India? Why do we require American endorsement in all that we do?
I’ve this feeling that this habit of looking over our shoulders for their
support, stems from our weakness for white skin and the exaggerated
qualities that we assume them to possess for assuming global leadership. It’s
a well known fact that in relationships between nations, there’s no permanent
friendship but what remains is permanent interest. And the Americans know
this only too well and anyways, his speech is pure rhetoric to play upto the
gallery against the backdrop of his plummeting popularity ratings. The actual
market forces will work otherwise!


PS.
1. ‘Rann’ and ‘Ishquia’ have opened to rave reviews today. Both, of course,
have nothing new to say and merely endorse things that we already knew. But the
picturisation seem to be the strongest element about both. Will endeavour to see them as and when time permits.

2. The weather in Delhi seems to have changed suddenly. The biting cold has
given way to warmer climes and the thermocot inners/ heavy woolens seem to
be horribly out of place. Even the fog seems to have bade us goodbye!

The Invocation of the 'Gurbani'

Every morning between 6 and 7 listening to ‘devraag’ on 98.3 FM is refreshing and soothing (actually, the programme starts earlier but 6 is my waking time). The programme has a wide repertoire of bhajans and hymns. But I must admit to my sneaky preference to the invocation of the ‘Gurbani’ over the other hymns/devotional songs. Was I a sardar in my previous birth, I wonder? Jokes apart, the sweetness of the hymn never fails to well tears in my eyes, produce instant goose pimples with hair standing on ends and a tremendous sense of peace. And I know for sure that the day is gonna be good for me.

Pune to Delhi via Lucknow

The Nasty Weather
As feared, the Delhi fog did me in on the night of the 26th and my flight from Pune was diverted to Lucknow. The Jetlite authorities put us up in ‘Tulip Inn’, about 10 kms from the airport, where a hot meal awaited us. Travel weary that I was, sleep was not difficult to come by and sometime past midnight, I flaked out.

And Miles to go
Why do I always find that I’m on a voyage of discovery when I stay in a new place? The room at Tulip Inn was good in aesthetics with a well designed layout and with the latest contraptions fitted, that gave it altogether a swanky look. But navigating thro’ the switches and the taps of the washroom was a nightmare for me. Finally, with the help of room service, I was able to access hot water for my requirements. When Jagdish, the service boy just turned the taps left thro’ 90 degrees to show hot water gushing out, I could only sheepishly grin and apologise for my ignorance! Similarly, the toilet flush, too, did give me the heebie jeebies – my fear being that the lovely piece wouldn’t come into my hand with all the unwanted force that I was applying!!

The Love talk
Rajat, a youngster, who’s just joined the TCS out here, was my roommate for the short stay. A charming young man, brought up in the best of values and traditions did give me valuable inputs on the way he looked at life. Could understand that he’d a lot of talent in music and dramatics beckoning him and it could be just a matter of time before he chucks up his present job, as he feels himself to be a ‘9 to 5’ prisoner in his present ‘avatar’. He’s shown an eagerness to interact with this ‘sir’ nay ‘uncle’ and has taken my contact number and given me his. He talked to his girl all thro’ the night – no exaggeration at all – and knocked off at 6 AM pronto. He’d initially warned me of this disturbance when I’d made my case for him to be my roommate to the concierge at the reception!

Tailpiece
It took me just 19 hours and 5 minutes to reach Delhi from Pune and that too via Lucknow - from the time of take off from Pune to the time of touch down at Delhi.