Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Candle-light
The outrage caused by the acquittal of Manu Sharma and his friends in the Jessica Lall murder case of 1999 sparked widespread protests. In fact, in an unprecedented move, NDTV urged its viewers to send SMS messages in support of a demand for a retrial. They promptly received well over a quarter of a million messages. So outraged were people that they flocked to marches and rallies, including a well-attended candle-light vigil at the India Gate.
Apparently, some sections of the press reported that the protesters were inspired by a very powerful scene from the recent Bollowood hit, Rang De Basanti. In the movie, an IAF pilot is killed while flying the dreaded MIG-29 Aircraft due to a faulty spare part. The Defence Minister squarely blames it on pilot error and neglect. The ensuing public outcry culminates in the mother of the pilot, played by Waheeda Rahman, leading a candle-light vigil at the India Gate demanding justice and her son's honor.
How a new generation of seemingly unlikely revolutionaries awaken is what the movie is about. These new brand of revolutionaries resort to a rather simplistic solution of violence in the end and the poignancy of the non-violent Candle-light vigil is somewhat undone, one might argue. What we can't argue with is that the movie itself struck a chord and has been a runaway success.
Now back to Jessica Lall. Late on an April night in 1999, 34 year old Jessica was working at a trendy bar frequented by Delhi's elite. Well past closing time, Manu Sharma, who is the son of a rich sugar mill owner and politician, demands a drink. Upon being refused, he allegedly shoots and kills Lall, with several people watching.
He is arrested, confesses, then retracts saying that his admission of guilt was under stress. Several years go by and several witnesses dramatically change their versions of what happened that night. And now, Sharma and his alleged accomplices are acquitted.
Traditionally, middle class, urban India has been a reluctant participant in protest marches, rallies, elections and the like. However, Jessica Lall seemed to have touched a chord with many. And the frustration with the ability of the rich and powerful to get away with murder, literally, seems to have triggered these unprecedented protests.
For now, they seem to be having some effect. For starters, the Delhi police have ordered a probe into evidence tampering in the case. While there have been no announcements about it, some acknowledge privately that the pressure from the public is going to be hard to ignore, as far as a retrial is concerned.
The Rang De Basanti style vigil seems to work. The SMS demands for retrial do seem to matter. Justice might not be elusive forever and with time, it might actually arrive.
And perhaps with time, we will learn not to look to Bollywood or NDTV to be the source of our collective social conscience. We might even come to realize that we don't need to look as far as Delhi to find instances of injustice.
And when we do come across injustice, here's to each of us finding it in us to light our own candle light.
Apparently, some sections of the press reported that the protesters were inspired by a very powerful scene from the recent Bollowood hit, Rang De Basanti. In the movie, an IAF pilot is killed while flying the dreaded MIG-29 Aircraft due to a faulty spare part. The Defence Minister squarely blames it on pilot error and neglect. The ensuing public outcry culminates in the mother of the pilot, played by Waheeda Rahman, leading a candle-light vigil at the India Gate demanding justice and her son's honor.
How a new generation of seemingly unlikely revolutionaries awaken is what the movie is about. These new brand of revolutionaries resort to a rather simplistic solution of violence in the end and the poignancy of the non-violent Candle-light vigil is somewhat undone, one might argue. What we can't argue with is that the movie itself struck a chord and has been a runaway success.
Now back to Jessica Lall. Late on an April night in 1999, 34 year old Jessica was working at a trendy bar frequented by Delhi's elite. Well past closing time, Manu Sharma, who is the son of a rich sugar mill owner and politician, demands a drink. Upon being refused, he allegedly shoots and kills Lall, with several people watching.
He is arrested, confesses, then retracts saying that his admission of guilt was under stress. Several years go by and several witnesses dramatically change their versions of what happened that night. And now, Sharma and his alleged accomplices are acquitted.
Traditionally, middle class, urban India has been a reluctant participant in protest marches, rallies, elections and the like. However, Jessica Lall seemed to have touched a chord with many. And the frustration with the ability of the rich and powerful to get away with murder, literally, seems to have triggered these unprecedented protests.
For now, they seem to be having some effect. For starters, the Delhi police have ordered a probe into evidence tampering in the case. While there have been no announcements about it, some acknowledge privately that the pressure from the public is going to be hard to ignore, as far as a retrial is concerned.
The Rang De Basanti style vigil seems to work. The SMS demands for retrial do seem to matter. Justice might not be elusive forever and with time, it might actually arrive.
And perhaps with time, we will learn not to look to Bollywood or NDTV to be the source of our collective social conscience. We might even come to realize that we don't need to look as far as Delhi to find instances of injustice.
And when we do come across injustice, here's to each of us finding it in us to light our own candle light.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Bush Yatra: We want full disclosure!
Long after Bush departed for Pakistan and back for Washington since, we are left with one unanswered question:
What did President Bush eat for lunch when he was in Hyderabad?
How and why did the media miss out on this one? Did the CM of Andhra, YSR, feed him anything? I mean, were the Hyderabadi chefs unable to tickle the President's taste buds or what? Surely, if that was the case, this is an insult to the land of the Biryani. The most powerful man in the world comes calling and the journalists did not even report what he had for lunch?
Contrast that with the news from the previous day in Delhi, where we read about how Chef Oberoi put out an opulent platter featuring delicacies like Khumbi-ka-ras, Zaffrani Ghosht, Tandoori Salmon and Masala Chai Creme Brulee, among other things at Taj Palace. In fact, apparently, Bush approved of the food so much that he forgot to eat dessert because he was so busy thanking the chef for the outstanding food!
If that was lunch, dinner in Delhi was not to be left behind. Unlike previous state dinners, we are reliably informed, Rashtrapati Bhavan's chefs seem to have got their act together that night, serving up one appealing dish after another. The President and the first lady looked mighty pleased with the chow. And all this from a man who is not known to usually venture into ethnic fare.
Don't moments such as these make us all proud? Whether congress approves the nuclear deal remains to be seen, but for now, Bush's approval of desi food will do. After the much talked about nuclear deal, Bush's menu seemed to be the most featured news item.
Beyond the nuclear deal and Bush lunch/dinner menu, there were some other stories that were featured as tier-2 news items. For example:
** There was this story about how several Members of the Lok Sabha who staged a dharna in the well of the Lok Sabha on Thursday morning were also spotted at the Purana Qila on Friday evening to hear the President speak.
** Then, there was this story about how US embassy officials acted high handed with prominent members of the Indian press at Hyderabad house. Evidently, the journalists in question refused to comply until someone from the Ministry of External Affairs in the Government came to request them.
** The "beggar story" was also buried underneath the main headlines and pictures of Bush with farmers and artisans at the N G Ranga Agricultural University (axe, basket, straw hat and all). The story goes that several thousand beggars were "shifted" out of Hyderabad by the Government due to a perceived security threat that they posed to the most powerful man in the world and his world class security cordon around him.
** And finally, the protests. While news about the ceremonial parade, the 21 gun salute, the parleys at Hyderabad House and the press conference thereafter was being belted out on the networks, hundreds of thousands of people were protesting against Bush, some protests even leading to injury and two deaths.
These tier-2 news stories might have led to some debate. They might have even evoked passions and a diverse range of opinions.
In the meantime, I am sure someone will tell us what Bush ate for lunch in Hyderabad.
What did President Bush eat for lunch when he was in Hyderabad?
How and why did the media miss out on this one? Did the CM of Andhra, YSR, feed him anything? I mean, were the Hyderabadi chefs unable to tickle the President's taste buds or what? Surely, if that was the case, this is an insult to the land of the Biryani. The most powerful man in the world comes calling and the journalists did not even report what he had for lunch?
Contrast that with the news from the previous day in Delhi, where we read about how Chef Oberoi put out an opulent platter featuring delicacies like Khumbi-ka-ras, Zaffrani Ghosht, Tandoori Salmon and Masala Chai Creme Brulee, among other things at Taj Palace. In fact, apparently, Bush approved of the food so much that he forgot to eat dessert because he was so busy thanking the chef for the outstanding food!
If that was lunch, dinner in Delhi was not to be left behind. Unlike previous state dinners, we are reliably informed, Rashtrapati Bhavan's chefs seem to have got their act together that night, serving up one appealing dish after another. The President and the first lady looked mighty pleased with the chow. And all this from a man who is not known to usually venture into ethnic fare.
Don't moments such as these make us all proud? Whether congress approves the nuclear deal remains to be seen, but for now, Bush's approval of desi food will do. After the much talked about nuclear deal, Bush's menu seemed to be the most featured news item.
Beyond the nuclear deal and Bush lunch/dinner menu, there were some other stories that were featured as tier-2 news items. For example:
** There was this story about how several Members of the Lok Sabha who staged a dharna in the well of the Lok Sabha on Thursday morning were also spotted at the Purana Qila on Friday evening to hear the President speak.
** Then, there was this story about how US embassy officials acted high handed with prominent members of the Indian press at Hyderabad house. Evidently, the journalists in question refused to comply until someone from the Ministry of External Affairs in the Government came to request them.
** The "beggar story" was also buried underneath the main headlines and pictures of Bush with farmers and artisans at the N G Ranga Agricultural University (axe, basket, straw hat and all). The story goes that several thousand beggars were "shifted" out of Hyderabad by the Government due to a perceived security threat that they posed to the most powerful man in the world and his world class security cordon around him.
** And finally, the protests. While news about the ceremonial parade, the 21 gun salute, the parleys at Hyderabad House and the press conference thereafter was being belted out on the networks, hundreds of thousands of people were protesting against Bush, some protests even leading to injury and two deaths.
These tier-2 news stories might have led to some debate. They might have even evoked passions and a diverse range of opinions.
In the meantime, I am sure someone will tell us what Bush ate for lunch in Hyderabad.
