Jarawa ‘cabaret’ reeks of colonial hangover

All hell broke loose a couple of days ago when British media aired footages of Andaman’s Jarawa tribal women dancing half-naked for tourists in exchange of food. It is alleged that the policemen who are deployed to keep the tourists from intruding into their reserved area were the facilitators for this ‘entertainment’.
With brickbats being rained on the Central government and the Andaman administration, the Centre has ordered an inquiry and has sought explanation from local authorities.
The blame game is on but no clarity has emerged till now on how Jarawas, designated by international bodies as human equivalent of ‘endangered’, can be treated so shabbily. The whole episode has proven that despite suffering from colonial bondage for 400-plus years we don’t know how to respect our own people.
Or maybe it’s a new phenomenon called ‘brown man’s burden’. When the ‘white man’ set out to reform the ‘uncivilised’ world with the Bible in one hand and a gun in the other, it sounded the death knell for several ancient civilisations, which did not conform to the West’s idea of modernity.
Today’s torchbearers of freedom, liberty and equality, who invade countries to liberate countries from tyrants and despots, are themselves products of the blood of indigenous populations who were suppressed, oppressed, tortured, enslaved and/or annihilated.
Canada and the US were once the lands of proud Red Indians who lived in sync with nature. They were no match for the ‘white’ invaders who almost exterminated them with guns and diseases. Canada’s Indian population was almost wiped out infecting them with smallpox — to which they had no resistance. Today they are refugees in their own country, living in reservations on government handouts. The story of Australia’s aborigines is not much different.
Civilisations of Incas, Aztecs and were also decimated by the European invaders. The ironic part is that when the West went to invade, plunder, colonise and enslave the rest of the world, the missions had full support of the religious authorities who are supposed to promote values of love, peace and tolerance.
Why look elsewhere when we have our own illustrious examples of trampling on indigenous populations. Almost all the mega power projects, industries and other such installations have displaced millions of tribal folk from their ancestral land. There begins the bloody tale of state-sponsored genocide — all for ‘greater common good’.
These illiterate people, unaccustomed to the wily ways of modernity, are being ruthlessly exploited ever since. They form the cheap labour, who don’t seek their rights. They work in hazardous industries as unskilled hands without safety gear. Their women become domestic helps and the remaining unlucky ones are pushed into flesh trade.
Children don’t go to school, start life as rag-pickers addicted to substance abuse and join the ranks of criminals.
While we crib about the extent of reservation benefits they enjoy, we should realise that what we perceive as unfair is the miniscule few who managed to survive and succeed. Their acquired modernity is no indication of equity or equality.
The special treatment and protection extended to the original inhabitants of this land is not our charity but an insufficient compensation for what we have unjustly taken away from them — a life and happiness we can never replace.
How we treat them is an acid test for us as a nation, a democracy and polity. And we must not fail.

Sankranti T-party may sink students’ future

Barely has the State found its feet after the innumerable miseries of the 45-day Sakala Janula Samme and Telangana Rashtra Samiti supremo KCR has dropped his Sankranthi shocker — another wave of separate-statehood agitations.
Other than the industries, which suffered a whopping Rs32,000-crore loss and a massive migration of investments to states considered more ‘stable’, it is the education sector, which bore the brunt. Schools, colleges and universities lost precious working days, putting enormous pressure on parents and students alike.
Since the conclusion of the Samme, the educational institutions have been working extra hours, cutting short holidays or skipping them altogether to finish lessons. Such a massive interruption has had a serious impact on the psyche of students, not to mention the tremendous pressure brought about by the massive workload and in­adequate rest. The length of the agitation also forced parents to hire private tutors or arrange for tuitions, causing a further strain on family budgets.
Also thrown haywire, were plans of students preparing for entrances to higher education institutions elsewhere in India and abroad. About 10,000 foreign students in different colleges and universities were also at their wits’ end as the visas are issued for limited period and getting them renewed involves a lot of paperwork and expenses.
Life for the public was made difficult by closed government offices, lack of public transport and the massive power cuts forced by employees of Singareni Collieries joining the strike. Everything has a tipping point; the same applies to the agitation for separate statehood. With the Centre in no mood to concede to their demands, the public opinion, fuelled by the denial of services, turned against KCR and Co, the T-protagonists had no other go but accept the first face-saving truce.
But what happened to the students of Osmania University, the heart of the agitation? Nothing! OU students came out with flying colours in their exams and the cream of the lot was lapped up by major companies in campus placement drives.
So what happened to the students who were forcibly made to ride the separate-statehood bandwagon? They are struggling and toiling to ensure they don’t miss the bus when their contemporaries across the country are inching closer to the limited pie, without any hassles.
Even the latest round of agitation has been planned by the TRS bosses keeping the convenience of their foot soldiers in mind. The OU students will participate only 10 days after the stir begins as they have exams during those days. Now what makes the pink squad assume that the lives and priorities of the rest are not as important?
The last round of agitation was nothing but prolonged nuisance, misery, destruction of property, monetary losses and missed opportunities. A repeat of the nightmarish ordeal definitely looks scary.
If KCR and his T-brigade are confident about the public support they claim to have, they should have the guts to make participation in the Telangana agitation voluntary. Let the people decide if they are desperate enough for a separate state that they will drop all work and join their visionary leader and his cronies in realising the land of milk and honey that will cure all ills that have been ailing the region.
With the dismal performance of states for­m­ed on similar lines at ensuring jobs, development and justice to their regions in mind, the people will show the T-men where they stand.

This high-steak game could land you in jail

The president has given her approval for Madhya Pradesh’s anti-cow slaughter legislation after a delay of almost two years. Not just slaughter, even consumption of beef can land you in jail for seven years.
It also has provisions allowing a whole range of officials beginning at head constable to barge in anywhere and conduct checks on mere grounds of suspicion.
Cow slaughter is one topic that has been the centre of heated debates and disputes over it have led to innumerable communal clashes across the country but not a single government, Central or State, has been able to come up with an amicable solution.
Such legislations’ implications don’t stop at socio-religious spheres but spill over into guidelines on state policy that defines the right of an individual.
Ours is a country where there are thousands of castes, sub-castes and communities — each with its own culture, tradition and way of life. One sweeping law like that is a blunt statement to those in the minority to let go of all that and be in ‘conformity’ with what’s ‘acceptable’.
For many communities, beef is very much a part of their regular diet and a cheap supply of essential proteins. Beef dishes are part of ceremonies ranging from birth to death. It would be gross injustice to force them to abandon their culture using legal coersion.
What about the Northeastern states or a State such as Kerala, where beef is a delicacy popular among all communities? Who will protect the rights of millions of Hindus spread across the country who eat beef?
Now imagine a scenario where two of the biggest minorities were to declare onion as sacred to their faith. Will the governments introduce laws to prohibit farming, sale, transportation and consumption of onions because it would hurt the religious sensitivities of the minorities?
The essence of a functional democracy is presence of an environment of tolerance where every segment can enjoy their unique way of life without being arm-twisted to fit into a larger picture.
If a plural country like ours can’t ensure their rights, how different are we from countries where rape victims are stoned to death because they did not follow the lifestyle demanded by the majority religion?
For a country to progress the people have to feel motivated and for that they need to feel that they are valued for what they are. If not, the feeling of alienation would creep in and the social, economic and political cost would be too much to bear.
The harassment and humiliation people from Northeast face all over India, with hardly any help coming from the police or the otherwise vigilant civil society, because of their ‘different’ lifestyle has left scars that reservations and economic packages can’t heal.
When Indians are targeted abroad in racially motivated attacks there is an outrage across the country. Media, civil society and politicians compete to outdo each other in pointing out the stark contrast between our ‘tolerant’ heritage and the narrow-minded West. Next time your blood boils at the news of racial abuse of Indians, think of what we are doing to our people in our country.
A possible solution doesn’t require rocket science to arrive at. It’s called the policy of ‘live and let live’.

How the lights went out on Anna Hazare

In contrast to the massive support he received for his first two fasts for a strong Lokpal, there are hardly any crowds at Anna Hazare’s fast venue in Mumbai. The parallel fast by his core team in Delhi could barely muster 1,000 people. In Hyderabad it was even worse with hardly 100 showing up.
What went wrong with the strategy of the man whose name became synonymous with anti-graft movement and inspired people to sport ‘Anna is India’ caps and T shirts?
From a flower seller at Dadar station who organised people against thuggery of land sh­a­rks to the patriot volunteer to the army in the aftermath of the 1962 war and the eventual metamorphosis into a social activist, Kisan Hazare has come a long way to become the towering beacon of hope for millions who had almost given up on the fight against corruption.
However, somewhere down the path the Gandhian deviated from the target and went on a bashing spree on anyone and anything political that fell foul of him — the Congress and its allies emerged as his favourite targets.
His core team, whose nom de guerre is Team Anna, was seen manipulating public su­pport for the veteran activist to promote their personal agendas. Theatrics of Kiran ‘çrane’ Bedi may have entertained crowds at Ramlila, but little did the former top cop realise how close she was to the class she was trying to ridicule.
If it was the CD controversy that dogged the Bhushans, inflated air travel bills came as a major embarrassment for Bedi. Arvind Kejriwal lost face when he was pulled up by the I-T department over unpaid dues; Santosh Hegde, the man with impressive credentials as Karnataka Lokayukta, pulled out of the team; and Swami Agnivesh was ‘expelled’ for ‘colluding’ with the government. The halo that shined bright once has vanished.
With Anna going into overdrive attacking the Congress and even resorting to political campaigning against it in bypolls, the Gandhian was reduced to a Sangh Parivar instrument — something that cost his credibility and popularity dearly.
Another factor that Anna and his team underestimated is the public support for the politicians they elected to Parliament. Arm-twisting a democratically elected body to satisfy their whims and fancies may fetch an initial round of applause, but will not suffice to ensure constant support.
When pundits list the severe winter and holiday season as the reasons for the sparse attendance at the latest fast, they are indirectly acknowledging that the public is willing to give their elected representatives time to sort things out — something that India Against Corruption has overlooked.
With all due respect to Hazare and his noble intentions, it remains undisputed that the movement is destined to collapse from within when one man and his coterie are trying to steamroll all opposition and hold a country with a million divergent voices to ransom through emotional blackmail.
The blind opposition to government’s Lokpal Bill without waiting to assess its performance looks more like an ego issue than an argument based in logic.
A Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas at state-level, bolstered with extensive legal reforms to plug existing loopholes, are essential for the anti-graft legislation to work effectively.
Polity has a way of educating leaders, even the most battle hardened one. Anna has made a wise choice by calling off his fast and jail bharo movement.
Anna should show some patience. Isn’t that an inseparable part of the Gandhian approach?

Freedom from fear forever… really?

Sounds familiar, seen it somewhere? Yes, it’s the motto of the Hyderabad police.
The newspaper photographs and television news clips of senior police officers launching awareness and crime control schemes come to my mind. Let me tell you the story of my brief late night ‘encounter’ with the guardians of the City.
That day the movie got over at 11pm and my forage in the kitchen and the fridge to pacify my growling tummy yielded nothing. I roped in my bachelor neighbour to try our luck and see if some trolley vendor is still serving ‘fast food’.
Halfway we ran into a group of friends returning after a movie and we were soon immersed in our informal review on the sidewalk. Oblivious we were to the lingering suspicious eyes of a two-man bike patrol that slowed to observe us before speeding off.
An approaching police siren broke the silence of the night air and our conversation. “The cops are rushing to help someone in distress…” my friend contributed with his educated guess.
Even before he could finish his sentence a patrol jeep comes around the corner and screeches to a halt before us and half-a-dozen men in uniform emerge to form a semi-circle around us.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you *^&#* know it’s forbidden to venture out after 11pm?” thunders their leader.
After a few moments of petrified silence my friend musters courage to ask what wrong we have done to deserve such harsh treatment.
Bleep bleep… Another generous dose of Hyderabadi gaali that would shame the filth in Musi followed.
I offered my enlightened awareness of the rights of a citizen and asked them which law prohibited us from walking the streets at odd hours.
Immediately a firm hand fell on my shoulder and the cop pulled me towards their vehicle. “Why don’t we head to the thaana, where I can explain your rights to you in OUR style?” suggested the policeman, flashing a wicked smile as he exchanged glances with his colleagues. They nodded in agreement.
Sensing trouble, another friend offered an apology for our ‘ignorant and rude’ behavior and ‘admitted’ we shouldn’t have been out on the streets at this time and pleaded with them to let us go.
The cops muttered something to each other and told us to get out of sight and off the streets before they change their mind.
We scampered to the safety of our homes, still sweating from the ordeal but happy that we could decline the invitation to the thaana.
Every youngster in Hyderabad has a similar tale to narrate — tales of getting verbally or/and physically abused by the police.
If people have to stay off the streets at night to make them safe, what are cops for?
The action of enforcing an illegal and arbitrary ban on venturing out at night speaks volumes about incompetence of the Force in identifying and eliminating criminals.
We pay taxes that go into the upkeep of the law enforcement machinery so that we don’t have to fear to walk on the streets even at the dead of the night. It’s an irony that the same agency that is supposed to ensure that freedom to us ends up denying it.
Freedom from fear forever… Yeah right… tell me about it!

Whose power is it anyway?

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has put an end to ambiguity over the government’s policy on how it plans to implement the controversial nuclear power projects by saying the Kudankulam plant will start operations in the next couple of months.

The four reactors, built with Russian technology, are slated to provide 4,000MW to the national power grid and cater to both the domestic and industrial consumers.

One can’t help but wonder if the newfound panacea for our power woes will go the same way as the mega dams, which Jawaharlal Nehru had touted as “temples of development”. These projects provided electricity and irrigated millions of hectares but also displaced millions of people and drowned vast stretches of pristine forests.

Till Fukushima, Japan was the poster boy for champions of “safe, fail-proof” nuclear power and the tsunami nailed all the well-crafted and well-publicised lies. It has come to a point where even breast milk in the nearby precincts have been found contaminated by radiation.

If somebody wants to establish a firecracker factory next to your house won’t you want it shifted to some uninhabited area? Won’t you be worried for the safety of your family and that of the neighbourhood even if the top rocket scientist comes and tells you about its safeguards?

In a country where operations and safety features of all nuclear facilities are ‘classified’ and details opaque due to ‘national security’ concerns, it is only natural that the threatened population is up in arms.

Visuals of tribal folk near the Jaduguda uranium mines suffering from unknown diseases, congenital defects in newborns, sterility in young adults, and lung disease in mine workers, from Anand Patwardhan’s War and Peace (the filmmaker had to go all the way to the Supreme Court to get the censors’ cuts quashed) are enough to make anyone have second thoughts about ‘safe’ nuclear power production.

The prime minister’s soft voiced yet razor sharp concluding observation that Kudankulam protests were “overdone” smacks of arrogance and makes a mockery of the idea of democracy. Not surprising for a head of the government who is used to being dictated by a higher power.

When the whole world is phasing out nuclear power and replacing it with greener and sustainable technologies, it’s sad that our government is going for it — a policy with single-minded focus of burgeoning the wallets of private players at the cost of health and safety of public.

It's not a strip show stupid!

Moral police gets cops to stop Slutwalk Bangalore

In another feather on the cap of to the nation of tolerance and the truly cosmopolitan city (pun definitely intended), the Bangalore police cancelled permission for SlutWalk citing security concerns — read threat from the 'moral police'.

SlutWalk is an in-your-face name coined for a movement that exposes the hypocrisy of taking refuge in hallowed culture and traditions — no wonder the knee-jerk reaction of the self-styled guardians of collective morality.

The logic of the moral police for upholding the social fabric and integrity of the society is akin to locking up an entire population permanently to save them from rabid dogs.

The sheer refusal of the self-appointed vigilante's to even allow the SlutWalk organiser's the freedom of expression — yes, the same free that guarantees the right to prudish propaganda — betrays the shallow foundations of their cause.

The irony is that the police, who are supposed to ensure that every person enjoys the rights legally, were hand-in-glove with the moral police brigade in denying the SlutWalk activists permission to hold their program. If police can't guarantee security then why are they still in their jobs. Ever heard of a company (not PSU) retaining employees who can't deliver?

Every human being has the inalienable right to dignity and an environment where one has freedom of expression is inseparable from it. It's high time we pull our minds out of the Dark Ages and make them one with our bodies in the digital era.