By Abhishek Pandey

On the republic day morning, there was a stark contrast in daily newspapers. On one side, we were going to celebrate the 60th Republic day of India and on the other side the freedom of individuals were hurt by some lumpen goons of Shri Ram Sene in Mangalore district of Karnataka. The incident took place on the eve of Republic day in Amnesia pub, where some party lovers were enjoying their evening in the pub’s lounge. Guests were attacked by self-claimed moral police and activists of Shri Ram Sene. Activists of the sene claimed that girls were drinking alcohol, wearing indecent dresses and indulging in vulgar activities. They said that it was against their culture (Indian culture) and they would not allow girls to visit pubs and bars. It was awful, shameful and blot on a republic and democratic nation.

They are not custodians but just thugs. Even if they were doing so who gave them power to correct the situation and take the laws in their hands. They say that they are representative of Indian and Hindu religion. Who gave them the post of custodians on behalf of India or Hindu religion? If they are talking that pub culture is neither belongs to India or Hinduism. They must have forgotten the visuals of our religious serial on our mythological epics in which Inder and other Devtas drink som rasa (wine) and enjoy the dances of apsaras. I think that Indians are pioneers of the pub culture. But molesting, pulling up helpless girls’ hair and beating them up are absolutely no where in the Hindu religion or in the Indian culture. This is the high time for the extremist to stop invading the privacy of individuals otherwise they will face the music.

Our system has collapsed everywhere in tackling against extremists be it against Raj Thakrey and his goons in Mumbai or against Bajrang Dal in Orissa, Karnataka and MP. This time Shri Ram sene has challenged the system again and let see, what would be the response of the government this time. Comments from the senior political leaders like Union health minister, Ambumani Ramdoss, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gahlot, Karnataka CM BS Yedurappa and others on the sensitive issues like this should not directly or indirectly hail or justify the deeds of law-breakers. The response from the political parties and their leaders is also not praise-worthy.

If going to pub is allowed to men then for what reasons the girls and women are not allowed. It is the hypocrisy of these lunatic fringes. They don’t care about the Indian culture; even they don’t know what it is. Molesting women in public places is not Indian culture and never, it was. Violence and intolerance is not Indian culture. They must turn back few pages of history to learn something about our culture from Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. It is the absolute violation of human rights of the girls and women. State government must take stern steps to stop these incidents in future. Not only the perpetrators of the incident but also their political bosses, should be punished for Talibanising the country and breaking the law. Otherwise, what would be difference between us and Taliban, which is ruling in Afghanistan and in the North- West frontier areas of Pakistan, where girls are not allowed to even go to schools and their human rights are in danger because of fatwa issued by some mullah. We are living in a democratic nation and Government should make sure this time that it will not let this happen again in our ‘cultured’ society called India.

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By Abhishek Pandey

Tourism ministry of India may think to change its punch line from Incredible India to Horrible India after watching Slum dog millionaire, a famous movie directed by Danny Boyle. The movie’s story is based on a boy from one of the Mumbai slums, a slum dog, who becomes a millionaire after winning a game show of Indian version of “who wants to be a millionaire”. The story idea has been taken from the novel ‘Q&A’ written by Vikas Swarup, an Indian diplomat from Allahabad. Story moves around a boy Jamaal who enters and luckily won the game show for getting his lover back in his life.

Slum dig millionaire which has won four Golden globe awards and also been nominated in 10 categories for the Oscar awards this year, is based on a story, which is a mockery on India for the entertainment and enjoyment of first world countries and their populace. India has been shown in a bad line in this film. The movie shows the abusive police, filthy conditions of Indian slums and sub-human conditions of Mumbai slum dwellers, communal violence, beggary, exploiting orphan children by maiming them and forcing them into beggary, flesh market of minor girls, underworld, and conman cheating tourists and very big-hearted white people and above all copying of TV shows’ concept shows from the west. Declining moral values of Indians has also been shown in the movie when an elder brother rapes the lover of his younger brother in a movie scene.

I am not saying that Mr Boyle has shown all the lies to the world. I am not saying that we can deny the child beggary, prostitution, stealing of concepts from the west and our filthy slums. Yes, I accept that these things exist and prevailing in few parts of the country, not in every nook and corner of the country. Don’t you think Mr. Boyle it is the exaggeration of the facts for your vested interests and for satisfying your ‘we are superior’ attitude. You need not to be as objective as a news producer is, while making news reports but you could have selected few things which could show the real idea of India even in those conditions, which you selected to show in the movie.

I have watched the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ several times but not even on a single show I found that Amitabh or for that matter, Shahrukh Khan mock any of the contestants in their shows as Anil Kapoor did in the movie by making fun of Jamaal, a tea seller in the game show in the movie. India is not only what has been shown in your movie but far beyond that. We are the largest democracy, oldest civilisation, homeland of most of the scientist, engineers and doctors, having rich cultural and moral values and one of the fastest growing economies of the world. India is the country which has the largest number of billionaires in the world, even more than America, according to a report published in Forbes magazine. But Mr Boyle you did not give a damn to it. Mr Boyle said in a interview that the movie meant to capture Mumbai zest. I think that he must research well to know about Mumbai and India.

Amitabh Bachchan, a famous Bollywood actor said in his blog, “If Slumdog Millionaire projects India as a third-world, dirty, underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations.” Mr Bachhan’s statements are absolutely right and raise the question why they (west audience) don’t love to watch their existing murky underbelly. It is very nice to see porn movies of others but dirt start hitting the roof when you got to see some one you know. The Times rightly reported in one of the articles written by famous columnist Alice Milles, Slum dog Millionaire is poverty porn.

India has been the leader in making maximum number of movies annually, but its record in Oscar is disappointing. I don’t understand the reason why movie depicting our poverty and backwardness attract the attention of the International audience and award givers. This trend is not new. We have won nominations in academy awards for three films – Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan. All of these movies are based on our backwardness and our struggle with the life. Only one Indian director, Satyajeet Ray had been given the honorary Oscar award for life-achievement in 1991. The most of his films project poverty of India and its populace. Whatever, he was a brilliant filmmaker. If we look at these facts then it is very hard to believe any justification. It can not be mere coincidence. It is because of preconceived stereotype idea of the west about Indians.

We, Indians, may be happy about the movie for few reasons because it is getting international recognition, and awards. We may be happy because India is being discussed on such big platforms. But it is valueless for me when my country is being maligned and misrepresented with exaggerated facts. There is only one thing good for us to be happy about that some handful Indians including AR Rahman and Gulzar are winning international awards and recognition for their good work in the movie. But don’t forget this is not a Bollywood film at all. It is a purely Hollywood movie and story idea is based somewhere in Mumbai slums. I doubt that if the same movie would have been made by an Indian it could win such big international awards. Indians should not be demoralised from this but should wake up from the slumber and let the world know that India does not live only in slums or we are not becoming rich by chance. Let the world know that All ‘rags to-riches’ stories are not about winning the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ or any other show. We have the talent and the attitude to prove them wrong. Let’s do it.

And Say Jai ho for real India, not for Slumdog Millionaire!!!

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By Abhishek Pandey

Kalyan Singh, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Vice-President of BJP, resigned from all his posts in the party alleging that he was humiliated and insulted in the party. Mr Singh has returned the party ticket which was given to him to contest in the next LS elections to contest from Etah. BJP’s stalwart Mr Singh’s resignation from BJP, which is struggling with its inner conflicts, has given a blow ahead of expected Lok Sabha polls in April-may. According to PTI, Mr Singh was miffed with the party for giving ticket to Ashok Pradhan which he wanted in next LS elections. He blamed Mr Pradhan for sabotaging his son’s chances in last assembly elections two years ago from deboi seat in Aligarh district.

After his resignation from BJP, Kalyan Singh asserted that he would campaign for Samajwadi Party in the next Loksabha Elections. He also asserted that he would like to campaign for Atal jee if he would contest in next elections from Lucknow. He clarified that he is not going to say good-bye to active politics but would not join any party or form any new political party.

Kalyan Singh belongs to Lodh Rajput community of Uttar Pradesh. Lodh heartland consist of 11 LS seats and it stretches across Aligarh, Firozabad, Farukhabad and Agra. He not only has electrifying impact on Lodh community in and around western UP but also has a reach to OBC voters in other parts of the state. Lodhs constitute only two percents in the state but in these 11 constituencies they constitute about 30 to 35 percents. BJP may loose his ground there after Kalyan’s departure from the party.

Samajwadi Party, which claim to be a secular party, has accepted Kalyan Singh as his associate but officially Kalyan Singh is not in the party as yet. SP wants to enhance its base in UP because it has lost the last state election badly against Mayawati, who is emerging as a big political leader in India. Samajwadi Party, self-claimed secular party, has accepted Kalyan Singh, a communal leader termed by SP for his inaction as CM in 1992 during Babri mosque demolition. The statement only shows the hypocrisy of Mr Amar Singh, who is saying now that Kalyan Singh, is not communal. The reason must be that Kalyan is campaigning for Samajwadi party and it may enhance the political power of Samajwadi party and it may also elevate the height of Mr Amar Singh with in his party and in UPA.

This is not the first time that Kalyan has came closer to Samajwadi party after his first came out in 1999 from BJP made his relations close to the Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chief of SP. Kalyan Singh rejoined the BJP after five years of vanvaas from 1999 to 2004 before last Lok Sabha elections in 2004.

BJP is in troubled water these days when senor party leaders like Mr Kalyan Singh and Bhairo Singh Shekhawat are adversely affecting inner health of the party. This is the right time for BJP’s Prime ministerial candidate, Mr Advani, to show his kundali to pandit jee (Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee) and ask for solution before LS elections to make his dream true.

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HI guys, it is very exciting that I am starting a blog for putting my takes on the crucial happenings. About me, well I am a journo based in Delhi. My name is Abhishek Pandey and I hail from Kanpur, a medium-sized city of northern India. This is all about me in brief. I wanted to start blogging because this is the best medium now to express the views to the larger section of the people. I believe that most creative idea has no value if it does not reach the right people on right time. And technology has showed the way.

Blogging is becoming trend in India and like always film stars are trend-setters. Aamir Khan started it followed by Big B, Amitabh Bachhan and later others also jumped in. Lalu Prasad Yadav, the infamous politician for scandals and now famous for his business acumen, has also started writing his blog. I don’t say that I have great eloquence to influence the attitudes of the people like these big guns. But yes, I have the determination and desire to use the power of media in forceful manner for public interest. I will try me best to renew my promises in the months and years ahead to undrstand the nedd of the time and the reders. This is the main purpose to be served.

I would like to dedicate this blog to my family, especially my mumma, papa and to my some one special, who gave me their unyielding support in all spheres of my life. While she is no longer with me, I know my grandmother is blessing me somewhere from heaven. I miss her today and know my debt to her is beyond measure. Sorry I took you to my family business which may not serve the purpose for you.

Ah well…. for introduction round its enough. Keep visiting the blog. And, I would love to read your comments, especially when we disagree. Enjoy reading!!!

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