No Country For Women!!

Been watching the Indian visual media cover the most recent incident of rape in Delhi over the last day or so, discuss the public outrage, response of the government machinery and what not.

It is past 9.00 in the night, I've got my bourbon on and maybe that's why I'm being so cynical, but I just don't see anything changing any time soon. A few days would go by and the media would find the next juicy story to carry and grab TRP. And the countless people and celebrities displaying their anger on social media by tweeting, liking Facebook pages, supporting causes/campaigns etc. would find a new distraction.

Why wait a few days, only one day, just one day after the women MPs made some moving remarks in the parliament regarding the issue, our elected representatives were back to their callous ways. On the floor of the house one of the members snatched a bill from another MP and within minutes a melee ensued. Only one day after such a heinous incident was talked about in the parliament, the MPs couldn't maintain decorum, couldn't maintain a more somber disposition. They had to cause a ruckus. 

This is the attitude of our 'elected' representatives. We like to blame the politicians, the police, the system for everything but where the hell have these people come from!! These lawmakers are people that we elected. Those in the police were at some point part of the general populace. They are not a lot different from us as much as we'd like to believe otherwise. I'm paraphrasing George Carlin when I say, "Selfish ignorant people will have selfish ignorant representatives. That's how the system works. Garbage in, garbage out !!".

This is not the first time I've seen these candlelit vigils, not the first time I've seen these campaigns for women's safety. And something tells me that this isn't the last time I'd see these. And I don't blame the politicians, the police or anyone in particular. I squarely blame all of us. 

We say that the perpetrators of these crimes have no fear of the law. But do WE fear the law? We don't think twice before we break a traffic rule or bribe a cop/government official to find a way around the system. Men who rape women feel the same. They feel that they'd either bribe their way out of it, or someone high and mighty would come to their rescue, or the incident would go unreported, or even if the case goes to trial it would be take forever to get a verdict. 

We say that these criminals don't respect women but do WE? What they do is not a lot different from the 'innocuous' playful teasing that is a common occurrence anywhere in any of our cities. I don't think we're showing women respect when we stare at them on the roads while they're driving. Not showing any respect when we depict them as merely pieces of meat in our movies. Yeah it is crass but true. Almost 99% of our movies are men oriented. When a movie like Matrubhoomi is made its considered non-mainstream. Way to show respect!!

Others say that these criminals consider women inferior to them and hence think they are right in subjugating and abusing them. How different are we when we prefer the boy child to the girl child? The way we raise them. The way we discriminate against the girl child. And I'm also including the educated lot in this. Of course exceptions are there but largely this is what is prevalent. 

Folks are saying that women should be taught self-defense and that is a potential solution. Well in our own country, in our own cities, in our own neighborhoods if a woman has to learn self-defense to go out then what a shame it is. We've completely failed them. The politicians, the police, the justice system, the celebrated Indian cinema, the parents. Everyone! You and me!! 

'Anna'tomy Of A Disaster 2 !!

A government acting under extreme pressure and stern time constraints. All political parties acting against their natural disinclination to formulate a law that would act as a deterrent to their debauched ways. A 'civil society' movement that lost the plot a long time back. A popular leader who got distracted from his pithy message on corruption by talking about 'flogging' and 'slapping'. And an apathetic populace who was too busy holiday shopping. It was the recipe for a disaster. And that's exactly what the Indian parliament hurtled to in the last week of 2011. A disaster !!

I had mentioned in my previous post, "Haste if of the devil". That's where I'd like to start this time. The Anna movement generated unprecedented support in it's crusade against corruption at the beginning of 2011. They did a stupendous job of it. But once they had flagged the issue they should have been a little more patient. Threatening the government every few weeks with fasts and rallies was never going to help. 

The government rather reluctantly introduced it's version. They hoped to jam it through by the stipulated deadline. The idea I believe was to put anything out there that they could term the 'Lokpal Bill'. It didn't matter how weak or ineffectual it'd be. 

They were able to jam the bill through in the lower house as they had the numbers. But the sailing was not to be so smooth in RS. Congress knew they wouldn't be able to muster the votes in the RS. So they decided to filibuster. What completely beats me is why did they shy away from a vote? In a democracy it's not uncommon for a bill to be defeated in the parliament/congress. It simply means that the bill doesn't have the confidence of the house in it's current form. It should be deliberated further and could be passed with some concessions/amendments. I fail to understand why the Congress considered this vote as a referendum on their governance. I guess after the FDI debacle Congress didn't want to lose another one. 

The opposition led by the BJP insisted on sitting through the night and deliberating the 180+ amendements to the bill. But their brouhaha the following day made clear their sole intention. And that was to defeat the bill in RS, claim that the government didn't have the support of the House and the confidence of the people and demand fresh elections. The Congress is definitely culpable. There is no doubt about that. But the BJP cannot be exonerated in any way either. The Indian electorate is stuck between a rock and a very very hard place. 

This was a defeat for everyone. The government, the opposition, Team Anna and the People of India. An opportunity that had arrived after many decades was squandered.

I once read a cynical journalist write, "Politicians everywhere are the same. To believe that they'd think about the people before they'd think about their own good is hopelessly naive". Unfortunately our politicians vindicated his remarks.

'Anna'tomy Of A Disaster !!

Dear Anna,

Hope you're well! As well as someone who's not eaten for 10 days can be !! I write to you with a purpose so let me get straight to it.

Granted that the current government and the prior governments have been infested with the fungus of corruption. Granted that their moral fabric is steeped in malfeasance. And granted that their profiteering ways and complete disdain for the law is an utter abomination. And I know that people, myself included, are fed up of this mess. It's high time we act. But we should be cautious lest we commit a blunder. As they say, 'Haste is of the Devil'.

Now I don't know how big a fan are you of our constitution. But I'm sure you'd know that the Indian constitution was chalked out over a period of close to 3 years by a Constituent Assembly that comprised of people from a multitude of backgrounds, regions, religions and communities. The idea was to have a constitution that would consider the aspirations of each and every Indian, no matter their community, no matter their religion and no matter their gender. I wrote about it a little more here if you wish to read.

Now during this period there were many points of contention amongst the members of the Constituent Assembly. Disagreements about the Gandhian idea of village panchayats, affirmative actions and the status of Indian languages especially the idea of an 'official' language. The CA spent days and weeks and months deliberating these points. Spent a lot of time understanding every one's point of view and their concerns. Only then they came to a decision.

Now even though these are very important facets of our constitution they are still not as important and as far-reaching as the one that you are proposing. If these were debated and deliberated for months on end, don't you think the law that you're proposing needs a little more discussion? More and more people should read and discuss it. In my occupation we have a dictum that says 'the more the number of eyes that look at a piece of code, the more robust and less buggy it is'.

You've mobilized the entire populace of the nation. To spur into action so many people, people across age groups and people across social stratas, is no mean feat . And to do so in this age is just stupendous. The bumbling government is definitely on the back foot. They are now cognizant of the power of democracy. I'm sure they wouldn't dare go back to their state of lumber and lethargy. Negotiate with them. To get the bill passed in such a short duration and without due deliberation would be unwise. The repercussions of a bill jammed through like this could be severe.

Even if you feel that your version of the bill is 'the perfect one' I implore you to not let the 'perfect' be the enemy of the 'good'. Negotiate with the government.

And before that please have some juice !!!

Regards,

Vk Singh

For You, A Thousand Times Over !!

Over the last few days I've had many matters vying for my attention. Moving apartments, parents visiting among many other things. But the issues that have taken the maximum toll are the ones pertaining Amir, Hassan, Ali & Baba. 'The Kite Runner' is an engaging tale. An engrossing one really. Amir's guilt, Baba's pride and Hassan's goodness & unflinching loyalty. The story thralls you and makes you feel all these in your gut.

'There is a way to be good again', this phrase from Rahim Khan is the perfect embodiment of the book's theme. That of sin and redemption. Amir gets a chance to atone not just himself but do penance for his father's sin too.

The story's about a lot of other things too. Love, friendship, betrayal, loyalty, shame, remorse & courage.

Baba says 'A boy who can't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up for anything'. Amir doesn't stand up for his friend once and rues it for many many years. He stands by the side while Hassan is scarred for life. His cowardice prevents him from helping his friend and his guilt forces him to drive Hassan & Ali away. He tries to move on but he cannot. Like a bad penny his past keeps turning up.

Baba's character is also an interesting one. On one hand he tells Amir that 'the biggest sin of all is theft. When you lie you steal someone's right to the truth...' and on the other hand never divulges to Hassan & Amir the biggest truth of their lives. As Oscar Wilde said, 'Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he'd tell you the truth'. Still Baba's character comes out as a strong one. Most of all when he risks his life to defend the honor of a woman when fleeing Kabul. His guilt engenders good.

The thing that struck me the most about the story was Amir's guilt and remorse. At one point he says 'I understood the nature of my new curse. I was going to get away with it' And that's perhaps a curse of the worst kind. Your guilt gnawing at you and nobody knowing about it. I guess that's the reason he wanted Hassan to hit him when they were at the hill. He had wronged Hassan but didn't get the comeuppance. No one reproached him ever. No one confronted him but his own self. When he's in a hospital bed in Pakistan and Farid tells him 'For you a thousand times over', he breaks down and cries uncontrollably. He remembers what he did to the last person who uttered those words to him.

The story ends with hope. Hope that Amir is able to build a bond with Hassan's son. Hope that one day he'd be able to forgive himself. Hope that one day he'd be able to sleep again!! I have the same hope for myself !!!

Viva La Raza !!!

Generally I don't write this often. Roughly once a month. I just published a post a few days back but what happened in Egypt recently spurred me into writing another post.

"There are decades where nothing happens; and then there are weeks where decades happen" - these words are quite apropos in describing what transpired in Egypt. A popular uprising usurped the 30 year rule of Hosni Mubarak. In a matter of days the political landscape of the country changed completely.

Scenes in the news showed huge crowds in the streets. Air pregnant with emotion. Joy, tears, ecstasy, euphoria. Nehru said in his famous speech in 1947, "A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance". No other words could be truer in Egypt's context.

Democracy is something the Egyptians would have to wait for. But they've made a start. Democratic institutions take time to be set up and there is a possibility that it may all go awry if the wrong people get the reins of power. But the fear of the unknown cannot stop you from doing what is right.

The Egyptians had a dream, the dream of freedom, the dream of democracy. And they believed in that dream. And when someone believes in something, get excited by an idea then they can achieve it. And that's what the Egyptians did.

What we saw was the triumph of human spirit. The thing that in my opinion makes our species special. The spiritual and mental part of our humanity. Our ability to come together for a purpose and transcend the individual.

Long live this human spirit. And long live freedom.

Viva la razzza !!!

India After Gandhi !!

I always tell my friends that I don't read as much as I'd like to. I attribute it mainly to the fact that I'm an out-and-about kinda guy. Every single day (even a work day) is packed with so many outdoor activities and there are so many things that I need to follow (like sports, politics, movies, economics, technology etc) that whatever leisure time I get I tend to spend it on these activities.

But over the last month or so I've managed to find the time to read 2 books. The first one was 'Too Big To Fail' which I read en-route to my brother's place in Arkansas (there's not much else you can do on a plane that's not much bigger than a bus !!). That book was just too good to put down. A true page-turner. Its a behind-the-scenes account of the financial meltdown. Awesome awesome read!! I highly recommend it to anyone with even a scintilla of interest in finance & economics.

But this post is for the second book. It's titled 'India After Gandhi'. And if the title didn't make it amply clear it's the story of India after the demise of Gandhi. In the foreword the author rightly points out that all history books in India seem to climax with the independence of India in 1947. We are 60 years past that point. But we don't have a book that chronicles the issues and challenges India has faced since.

This book describes the affair between India and it's destiny after their famous tryst on the 15th Aug 1947. India's problems did not end that day with the attainment of liberty. As the leaders of that time were to find out, they had just started.

The book talks abouts how independence came not to "one" but to "two nations". The anguish that was caused by the partition. Countless people died, countless became refugees, lives changed forever. It details the plight of refugees from both East & West Pakistan. I came to know so many things I had absolutely no idea about.

Then there was the onerous task of including the various "princely states" to the Indian union. It was as the author puts it "the hottest of all the hot potatoes of the time". Also the herculean task of drafting a new constitution. A constitution that had to take into consideration the aspirations of a multitude of communities, religions, classes & regions and had to allay the fears of minorities in a Hindu dominant nation.

In 1952 the first general elections were held. This was a formidable challenge to say the least. The issue of Kashmir was still unsettled in the 50s (remains unsettled till date). The book also talks about how the Congress leaders had always professed the formation of states based on language but how after independence they thought it wouldn't be wise to divide the nation, already marred by a bloody partition, any further . And how they eventually had to give in to the numerous protests in favor of linguistic states. How the leaders of the time handled the Naga rebellion, the Hindu Civil Code and India's foreign policy.

I've been through just one portion of the book up till now. I must say reading it drains you. It's not one of those books you can read for pleasure but a book that you should read nonetheless. I look forward to reading the rest of it !!

If you do too then we should talk afterwards.

For Frodo !!!

For many months now we've seen the unemployment rate at an all-time high. For more than 2 years now the rate of home foreclosures has been hitting the ceiling. These are tough times for America. Made tougher by a Congress which is broken. At least that's what a majority of the Americans feel.

Most feel that 'politics' is winning over 'policy' when it comes to any issue in Washington. Both political parties seem to be suffering from an acute case of myopia and seem incapable of thinking beyond the 2012 election. What they don't seem to understand is that if they don't work together at this time, if they don't display bipartisanship in solving the plethora of problems facing the country at this time, no matter which party wins in 2012 it would find itself in a much deeper abyss and under tremendous pressure.

To say that the situation is complex would be a big understatement. Some congressmen are fixated on cutting the spending as they don't like the idea of America living beyond its means and owing large amounts of debt to foreign countries. Well it makes sense if you think about it! But others feel that this is not the time for austerity. The economy is in recession, the businesses are not spending and they are not going to as the domestic consumption has fallen. If the govt also tightens its purse strings at this time then the economy would go into a downward spiral in no time. A stalemate ensues.

Its common sense to extend the unemployment benefits to the almost 10% unemployed. When some argue against this by saying that this adds to the govt's spending, that's when you start to lose it. This is one spending the govt must do IMHO!!

Extending the 'Bush Tax Cuts' for the richest 2% Americans is yet another debate raging on in the Congress. Add to all this the numerous problems on the foreign policy front.

Now lets face it. We know that the Republicans and the Democrats have fundamentally different ideologies. That's why they are labelled 'conservatives' and 'liberals'. They cannot completely come together since they follow essentially 2 disparate doctrines about governance. But coming together and reaching some middle ground shouldn't be that hard. After all they've done it in the past right?! They surely can do it again. The country needs it more than ever now!!

Millions of Americans would hope they do come together for the sake of the country's future. So would I !!

For some inspiration the folks in Washington could read the following lines and act with valor. Take some tough decisions even though they may not be the best decisions politically. We need an Aragorn! And a Gandalf. And a Frodo and a Sam!!!

"A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! " - Aragorn

Lets fight !!