The day after...

The crystal ball didn't lie, after all. With some variations here and there, many of the predictions in my earlier post turned out to be true. Unfortunately, I don't know whether to feel happy or sad about this. When one's prediction of a ridiculous and totally avoidable event turns out true, what does one do?
In all the mayhem on TV channels following Kasab's verdict, I would like to focus on that part which came as a surprise to me.
The big moment, as touted by all channels, the announcement of the verdict, was anchored on NDTV by Nidhi Razdan. Whether this was by design or some divine intervention, I was glad that the most sensible anchor on NDTV handled this part. All other channels without exception went berserk.
NDTV's late night show on 'Your verdict' anchored by Sonia Singh featured interviews of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father, Shantanu Saikia (husband of Sabina Saikia, who was one of the victims of attack on Taj) amongst others. I was left dumbstruck to hear Shantanu's views. I am still to get over it completely. After the day-long tamasha on all channels, his fortitude and grace were touching and inspiring. I can only quote him ad verbatim.
Quote
"This is really a personal matter. Me and my sons have forgiven Kasab long back. That was the only way we could survive. I do not wish that my sons grow up to think like terrorists do. An eye for an eye will not bring Sabina back. Our country is in the throes of social and economic upheaval, and this is the time for us to sit back and think in quiet dignity. I am neither happy nor sad at the death sentence."
Unquote
No words can encompass the gravity, the enormity of this sentiment. I can only bow to Shantanu and his family for the stance that they have taken.

Where does the money go?

I just heard an interview of Montek Singh Ahluwalia (Dy. Chairman of the Planning Commission currently) on NDTV. I was startled on hearing something. Montek informed the viewers that we are not borrowing from the World Bank anymore. Good. We are also not borrowing from IMF either. VERY good, you would say?
On the contrary, we have actually LENT 10 billion dollars to the IMF. On first glance, this seems like something we Indians should be mighty proud of. After all, when the first reform budget of 1991 was announced, our reserves had dropped to an alarming 1 billion dollars, while today our reserves stand at 270 billion dollars. (Figures quoted by Montek himself.) So the reform budget and the ensuing 18 years have probably pulled India out of the economic doldrums . We all should be justifiably proud of it, right.
The question is, who is 'WE'? A minuscule population of urban Indians who can afford a car, an AC, a Blackberry and an iPod?
If we as a country can lend 10 billion dollars to the IMF, then the questions that haunt me are

- Why do millions of Indians still have to starve?
- Why do millions of Indian do not have access to basic medical services?
- Why does one farmer in Vidarbha have to commit suicide every day?
- It seems there is foodgrain surplus now. Then why are food prices going up all the time?
- Why are there frustrating power cuts? (In Pune, there is power cut from 9 to 5 on all Thursdays.)

I hasten to add that my rant is not against Montek at all. I have huge regard for him. I am sure he is bothered by the same questions himself. I wish someday I hear him give possible answers to them.
The money that we have lent to IMF surely has come from the taxpayers. (If it came from the black money that is generated, we could possibly lend 10 Trillion dollars. Not billion.) Is that why we pay taxes? So that the development in India can wait, while we lend money to the IMF?
I am not an economist by any stretch of imagination. I hope someone from the readers who are more enlightened on these matters can provide me the answers to these questions. Till then, I will keep hoping that Montek and Co. are taking India on the right path ahead.

Slumdog kids walk the ramp - can we stop this nonsense please?

Now the two little kids from Slumdog walked the ramp today. What's going on?
There is this highly irritating show going on NDTV just now and and an even more irritating lady (Leena Singh) gushing forth about how she put them up in a 5-star hotel, how she took them to the swimming pool, and other equally idiotic stuff. The amount of money being spent in this completely meaningless exercise could be spent on other worthwhile causes. Say, building toilets for the school in Dharavi, where these children hail from. I am also sure that if you ask the kids, they will agree to this. But who really cares for what they want? Come on Leena Singh, they are KIDS. You give them a chocolate, they will eat. But remember that you are making them do it so that YOU can be on TV. Not because you want the to enjoy chocolate.
I fear what's gong to happen to these kids when they grow a little bigger and stop being cash cows for armchair social activists.
There was this other lady (I missed getting her name, sorry lady) who went blue in her breath trying to assert that "its not about these two kids. Its about millions of kids like them. " I agree with you Ms. But unfortunately the world, read TV anchor, wasn't listening to you. She was more interested in getting unnecessary details about the ramp walk.

Jade Goody - the final act.

Unbelievable. That's all I can say. I find it difficult to look at the whole thing objectively. But let me give it a try anyway.
There are two issues. One - Jade Goody herself, and two - the media. It is a well known fact that Jade's only claim to fame is her ability to act stupid in front of the camera. Now, whether she is really stupid or whether she nicely leveraged the public tendency to watch stupid TV shows is something that only she knows. In the latter case, I would say she is really smart.
As death stalks close on her heels, she chooses to raise money for her children by 'dying on camera.' How much money her children will actually get is a matter of speculation. But is money the only thing she is leaving back for her children. What about all the unncessary media exposure at this age? Would they be able to put it in perspective and respect her for what she is first and foremost for them? Their mother, that is.
As for media, I heard this debate on NDTV where Devika Bhojwani made a valid point - that Jade Gody is choosing this. Its not really an intrusion on her privacy by the media. She is right. But then, I am surprised by the media's rather hypocritical approach to this. The TV anchor kept asking the panelists whether the media had 'gone too far' this time around. Not too far back, our own Indian media could be so brazen and insensitive in interviewing Sabina Sehgal's husband even as she was facing terrorists' bullets in the Taj. Where were their sensibilities then? Would the media ever say no to anything? I doubt very much.
Electronic media is a Pandora's box. It has been opened and the blame cannot be pinned down on only one person. Take Youtube for example. It gives me access to some great videos. Just some days back I saw a clipping from the interview of legendary Pt. Kumar Gandharva. Its rare footage, and God knows why Doordarshan cant air it more often. Vallarie can watch some breathtaking Kathak performances on Youtube and learn. But that's not even 5% of all that is there on Youtube. Maybe 1%, I don't really know.
Today anyone can shoot anything on a cell phone and post it straight on Youtube for the world to see. A German madman can post his sinister plans on the net before going out and shooting teenagers in his school.
It really is the Pandora's box. Once opened, there is no way we can close it. We can only switch channels.
I said in the beginning that I find it difficult to look at the Jade Goody episode objectively. Maybe, just maybe, therein lies the success of her last camera appearance.