2S
Techie. Writer. Photographer.
Archive for August, 2007
August 30, 2007 at 11:01 am · Filed under crime
Looks like there’s a Taleban hangover in Bhagalpur.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gFOqlCslZE]
An incident of this nature doesn’t require any dramatisation - the facts are disturbing enough. Mohammed Aurangzeb, also known as Salim, apparently stole a gold chain, a crime for which he nearly lost his life.
In the video, Aurangzeb can seen kicked in the face and abdomen, and thrashed by the Bhagalpur mob. He was even whipped with a belt, before being dragged on a motorbike on his stomach, his hands tried to the bike. The bike seemed to belong to the police. It’s barbaric rider, a sub-inspector.
What kind of discipline is instilled into these officers? What kind of barbarism is this? Where are the human rights gone? With which face do we as Indians now tell the world that we are a democracy? This is stuff right out of pre-historic India - has God really given up on Bihar?
And this isn’t the first incident either. Authorities have first used, misused, overused and now abused their power in enforcing law. Women have been raped, students have been beaten, petty theives nearly pay with their life, and many a criminal has lost his life to an encounter. Those who have been ‘encountered’, of course, are more often than not convicted criminals beyond repair. Not that innocent people have never been encountered, but hey.
Police brutality has always been there in India. It has been researched, and action points recommended, but clearly, little has happened since. That report of 1996 is extremely relevant, even today.
Someone at a top level of the State needs to act. Extreme force is potentially justifiable in the wake of an emergency, or when things go out of hand. The only good that has come out of this incident, is that it’s struck fear into the hearts of many theives around the nation who might see the video. But at what cost?
Indeed, quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
August 28, 2007 at 3:09 pm · Filed under religion
There still is speculation as to the real origins of the festival of Raksha Bandhan, or simply Rakhi - which is today. The most common (and popular) one dates back to the epic Mahabharata, where Draupadi tears a piece of silk off her sari and wraps it around Krishna’s wrist to stop the flow of blood. Krishna, moved by incident, vows to protect her in return. Which he did, by elongating her sari, preventing the Kauravas from disrobing her. But is it a Hindu festival? Yes and no. Yes, because hey - it’s so tightly coupled with Hindu teachings. No, because the Sikhs celebrate it too, in spite of acknowledging it as a pagan practice. As do many other people, yes - Muslims and Parsis inclusive. Because, in case you’re wondering, ours is a secular nation, and it is inevitable that harmless religious practices find themselves overlapping across other faiths.
So when I looked at this rediff interview, and more importantly, at one of the comments at the end which suggests that the Rakhi is un-Islamic, I had the same reaction that you might have - what the heck?
Just in case that comment gets written off as abuse, these are the exact words: ‘Rakhi is forbidden in Islam. Be careful. Some mulla may issue fatwa.’
Many ‘learned’ Muslims who think they know the religion have rubbished Raksha-Bandhan as a pagan practice. As far as Islam goes, there are sins - minor and ruinous. And I find it extremely difficult to believe that tying cloth around the wrist of a brother can lead to a fatwa. It’s not about the cloth in any case - yours truly is not a fan of blind religious practices - but the meaning behind it has merit.
Maybe the comment was a joke, but it sure as hell isn’t funny. I hope these extremists, blinded by what they believe in, realise that we live in a different world. No one is asking them to move towards apostasy. A rather inspiring conversation with a friend last night introduced me to a suggestion he made for those who are firmly rooted in their religion: ‘Move forward within your religion’. A bit of broad-mindedness in a secular nation won’t do harm, and will work wonders for the attitude.
Incidentally, today is also 15 Shaban - Shab-e-Barat. Muslims around the world believe that on this night God writes the destinies of His people considering their past deeds, and hence holds importance. They pray for forgiveness of their sins, while they celebrate the festival at night. In this nation, sweet vermicelli is as common a sight today in a Muslim’s house, as rakhis are in a Hindu’s house.
There is this little apartment in India where, today, you’d find both. You’ll find a Muslim woman ringing up her brother, and all forty-nine years of her bonding with her brother will unite when she mumbles ‘tumna happy rakhi, bhaiyya’ in Deccan Urdu. This little apartment celebrates every festival from every religion as if it were its own. In this little apartment, the poor are fed till they drop dead in remembrance of the elders every Shab-e-Barat. The madrasa receives a donation every Ramadan. The diyas are lit every Diwali night. The sisters send in their Rakhis ever year, some in anticipation of a return gift, often monetary. In this house, traditional puliyodurai is cooked on Hindu festivals with the same enthusiasm as the finest quality of mutton biryani is cooked during a Muslim festival. This house rarely leaves out the eggs on Easter or the avial on Onam.
This house sends a message: that let there be no mistake, it has absolutely no time and effort to waste on creating differences. It just wants to live and let live. Everyone who sets foot in this house is treated equally, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. This house dreams, every single day, of prospering in a world and in an India of religious harmony, the one thing that can truly unite against all forces of damage.
This is my home.
And you know what? I love it here.
August 28, 2007 at 11:38 am · Filed under bollywood
Considering recent attacks, few events have rocked the nation as destructively as the ‘93 blasts that shook Bombay, the finest symbol of India’s economic strength. Triggering mass murders, violence that continues to exist in the aftermath and a surge of human anger fuelled by baseless religious extremism, the outcome has been devastating for the city of dreams. Zaidi’s book harnessed the emotions into words brilliantly, but it’s Anurag Kashyap’s pen-to-celluloid act that really creates a long-lasting impact, so I thought of recalling that review here.
Interestingly, while I was doing that, I found the man himself at his blog on PFC. The guy can write, but hey, wasn’t Satya testimony to that already?
Black Friday’s plot kicks off with the bomb blasts in the city, and the investigations surrounding it. Inspector Rakesh Maurya (Kay Kay Menon) is appointed to lead a hand-picked team of his choice to commence the pursuit with the leads that follow. The prime accused is Tiger Memon (Pawan Malhotra) who was responsible for arranging the funds, logistics, and of course, brainwashing his forces, pushing hurt Muslims to his fabricated vengeance of the Babri Masjid incident and the riots that followed where both faiths lost many followers. With ever stone turned, and as every suspect transforms into a criminal that divulge information, darker stories begin to flow into the police force.
Ably supported by his colleague Dangle (Kishore Kadam) who personifies the typical paan-chewing Bombay ruthless cop, they uncover a series of clues and make many arrests, often using third-degree to extract information.
On the run is Baadshah Khan (Aditya Srivastava), a key accused and aide of Tiger Memon, as he flees from Delhi to his village (Rampur), Rajasthan and back to Rampur, awaiting Memon’s instructions on how escape out of the country. Time and the law finally catch up with him, as he’s taken into custody and interrogated for information. His story is quite unique, in the sense, his transformation from a blood-thirsty extremist to a helpless convict, realising that the Memon he believed to be a redeemer of his faith actually used him as a pawn for a baseless benefit.
The cast’s performances are outstanding - Aditya and Pawan churn out brilliant acts. Pawan’s Tiger-bhai is exceptionally well enacted, maintaining his cool composure in the midst of arrests, and his ruthlessness for those against him. The Dawood-touch is exciting, more so as Vijay Maurya resembles the underworld don to the T. But the real stand-out performance here lies with Kay Kay Menon, his captivating screen presence accentuated by the red dened backdrop is an honest picturization of the police efforts that went into cracking the case. Interestingly, as Kay Kay plays the complete ruthless cop to perfection, he channels out his frustration and anguish in solitude, a mark of maturity, control over one’s emotions, that every law enforcer would love to have.
The camerawork is sleek, as the picturization in general remained above average. Complementing the movie were real-life snippets of actual footage after the blast, but I personally did not find them to add much to the genuineness that it attempted to. The thin layer of Indian Ocean’s soul-stabbing instrumentals at the heart of Black Friday’s most critical scenes really do it for the viewer. This band has progressed to new heights, one can only hope to (see and) hear more of them in the future.
This is a brilliant work of art, fearlessly plunging into documentary territory to put the facts on the table, portraying raw human emotions, or the lack of it in the law enforcers’ ruthlessness. What makes it so very pure is it’s loyalty to the adversity, and Zaidi’s ink.
The only blemish on this masterpiece? Maybe it’s a personal choice, but I genuinely was amused to know that bananas are kept in refrigerators.
Like Parzania, this one also carries Gandhi’s message against the violent masses, coined exceptionally that only a man of Gandhi’s deep thinking could, “an eye for an eye made the whole world blind”
August 27, 2007 at 3:21 am · Filed under terrorism
People are dead. People are injured, some decapitated - worse than death, that. Families are shattered, a whole generation is mourning. There’s talk, there’s analysis, there’s blame. But there’s not enough action - first to prevent it and then to counter it. I don’t care if anyone does think they’re trying their best. If this is the ‘best’ we can do in the event of a terrorist attack, then hey, we’ve screwed up somewhere.
And while people are blaming each other, some are defending them. Um, are we missing something here? Pardon me, for this is a point done-to-death, but it’s quite salient, so I’ll make it again.
There is a fundamental difference when bombs go off in India and America. We don’t retaliate.
And that sucks. It pains me to think that we should look at the Americans for inspiration on anything of national interest, but here I am.
If there were twin blasts in New York, Uncle Sam - who might have his brains where other orbs ought to be - would have ensured that he nukes the rears of a thousand ‘terrorists’ (who could just be innocent Muslims, but hey - you think Bush can tell the difference?). Eerily, it seems there is an anti-Muslim propaganda taking birth from these events. Maybe someday the leaders will wake up and realise that there’s a political agenda, and nothing else. If indeed, these are Muslim outfits, then they are horribly far from their religion, and they ought to be exterminated anyway.
But we, on the other hand, do very, very little to lose them. When have you heard of R&AW’s counter-intelligence officials assasinating ISI agents? When have you heard of a planned military offensive on targets in Pakistan and Kashmir to counter terrorism?
We can’t have this. We just can’t have cowardly eunuchs scare us, and then kill us. My heart goes out to the people of Hyderabad, many of whom are scared to walk out in the open. I genuinely hope the Army and Intelligence work together to realise their fundamental objective - National Security. I hope they find out exactly who was behind all this. I hope they hunt down every one of manhood-deficient rogues in those sleeper cells. I hope they put everything else aside, and focus entirely on eradicating terrorism from the city. Not being able to walk free is the shittiest feeling one can ever encounter, and that’s what many in Hyderabad would be thinking about now. It’s mass murder. It’s bloody genocide.
I also hope that we will counter-attack - both strategically and tactically. And fast. We ought to kill them, not before feeding their intimate parts to the strays.
And Gandhism you better sit this one out. Because folks, we are at war. Again.
The only differences in this war - the victims are civilians, the enemy is an illegitimate coward who isn’t even blessed between his legs with the courage to stand up and fight like a man for his baseless cause, and the battlefield is the city.
It could be your home next. Or mine.
August 25, 2007 at 3:45 am · Filed under cricket
Massacrenhas
- 0328 Update - Very rarely do I stay up beyond 3am for an ODI early in the series, but this was thrilling. Dimitri Mascarenhas calls himself a ‘right-handed batter’, and it seems he’s walked out of the Jayasuriya backyard, what with Sri Lankan roots and similar spirit, a fighter to the end. Slog-sweep being his main weapon, he toyed with the bowling, sending five towering sixers before self-destructing, holing out to mid-wicket off a mis-timed pull. RP Singh, as is so often with Indian bowlers these days, planted the choicest of crisp words around. The massacrenhas had ended.
But it was entertainment, nevertheless, although Bell and co. threatened to bore the hell out of the viewers after Flintoff smacked his lips at a flighted Powar delivery, only to find the grateful hands of a waiting Agarkar at mid-wicket. Flight is his strength, although he has loads of improvement on the catching, as does Munaf. Oh, and Powar needs that treadmill, he seriously does.
But the bottom line? India win, it’s 1-1, perfectly set-up ODI series, and Dravid picks up the man of the match award, as he should. Cornflakes, apparently, pumped him - so folks, you know what ought to be for breakfast tomorrow. On a rather serious note, as Dravid himself suggested, this was way, way, better than the second innings at the Oval, where Dravid scored as quickly as a 4-wheeler crawls on prime-time M.G. Road.
Leaving you with a few of my bits from the day, and this simple thought from Ian Chappell:
The best way to contain a batsman is to get them out. I’ve yet to see a batsman score runs while he’s in the dressing room.
Neither have I …
Karthikanth?
Fred Flintoff is arrogant enough to make me address him as ‘Fred, ***koff’ (but hey, I’m not supposed to be biased in this ‘report’) - so let’s leave the powerful lad alone. Speaking of power - and Powar - Karthik lifted his colleague when the offie picked up Fred. I mean, wow, this is stuff straight out of a Rajnikanth flick, considering that it takes one hell of an effort to get Powar off the ground. The commentators say he should try for the Olympics - weightlifting.
That’s a gold medal secured.
Chawla delivers
First one hurried onto Pietersen who defended it to extra cover. Second one in, pitched on middle-ish and crashed into off, Pietersen is left gaping.
Two balls that rocked. Give it up for Piyush Chawla. Sunny says it’s the ultimate insult for a batsman, letting a spinner’s ball meet destination woodwork. True, that. Oh, and while on the subject of timber, in walks Collingwood.
He’s a piece of work - the Indians would be wary. Back to the box, then.
- 0135 Update - Chawla’s gotten rid of Collingwood for 27, seduced him out of his crease and cleaned him up. 18-year old leggie drawing England’s captain out with a googly? Warne would’ve smiled.
Butterfingers
Fielders we’re not, droppers we are. Powar’s just made a mess of a sitter that Bell left flying, and this isn’t the first time in the match. Earlier Dhoni teased, half-attempting a catch just as Ganguly pulled out of it, and Prior was given a chance.
And what did the batsman do? Send two of Agarkar’s (cricket) balls to the fence, prompting a change to bring Munaf in, which turned out to be good anyway. But, dudes in blue, take those goddamn chances.
Haven’t you heard? Catches win matches.
- 0015 Update - Dhoni just dropped Pietersen off Ganguly. Kevy, of all people! Big, big, big miss, and let’s see if India will pay.
Midpowerplays
Halfway through the powerplays, and England are pounding hard. Yessir, we’re getting screwed.
But what do we have here? 76/1 in 10.5 - Dravid’s just taken the catch and Munaf’s just accused Prior of making love to his sister. The ball went right up to the sky, higher than the rents in Bangalore - mind you - so the batsman have crossed. Oops, Munaf takes Cook out next ball - amazing delivery, and hey hey hey hey hey, look who’s winning?
Nobody. Shut up, y’all. Pietersen is in. 76/2 with Munaf’s ass on fire. RP Singh’s pair of bottoms have been warm too. Game still on.
Innings break - 49/99, now in Bristol
No, not the toy franchise in Maharastra, but the scores of Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar respectively, in today’s second ODI against England at Bristol. Somehow the milestones just evaded the Indian batsmen. Dravid remained unbeaten on 92, missing out on a milestone himself. Weird. India end up on 329, and that’s a chase-and-a-half for England.
It’s been a spirited performance by the Indians so far, and people might claim that it’s a flat pitch, but the work has to be done anyway. Seeing a big Tendulkar score upfront and Ganguly playing his part in the partnership wasn’t uncommon until recently, and that’s been a good sign. Yuvraj knocked the ball around for a bit, and regained a bit of lost touch. Dravid’s timing, of course, was Godlike today - it isn’t everyday you see him score 92 in 63 with a strike rate touching 150. The beehive stats suggest that he left nothing and defended only four deliveries - quite a rarity for the ’slow and defensive’ captain.
But the innings so far has done two things that stand out. First, it’s rekindled age-old memories of Tendulkar, being his innovative best. And the flat six straight back just had us fly back in time to the ‘98 tour of Sharjah where the Aussie bowlers were taken to the cleaners, the one tournament where Tendulkar really turned it on when India needed it most. Because it’s an unwritten statement that though Tendulkar is the better batsman, and probably has more records to his name, it’s Dravid and Ganguly who made the bigger difference to contemporary Indian cricket.
Secondly, it’s proved a point - we Indians need a kick up the rear to get us into action. Almost always. Every big tournament since 2002 including the 2003 World Cup, we have been slow, slow starters. Why? Why aren’t we proactive with our killer instinct? Why are we still stuck with this reactive approach?
And while you think it over, I’m outa here. Just heard the crowd scream - it’s a boundary, Cook and Prior have announced their arrival - so yours truly is back to the idiot-box. With Pietersen’s promotion in the batting order, this is one helluva contest.
Match on, and my report’s out when they call it a day.
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