Monday, April 13, 2009

Random Thoughts on Elections 09 - Shashi Tharoor, Advani, Narendra Modi et al

The man who jumped on to a rath and traveled from Kanyakumari to Ayodhya to demolish a mosque and let loose communal disharmony in the country now writes to religious leaders swearing to protect “the multi-faith spiritual heritage of India if voted to power”. Not that people don’t change over the years. Had his present posture been prefaced by an apology for his role as the architect of a divided nation, his words would have carried conviction. As of now, one can only say that Advani sure has a perverted and cruel sense of humour!

* * * * *

Coming out of the church after midnight mass on Easter, I collected the longish card that was being distributed at the gate of the church. Distributing novena or prayer cards after service is a common practice. I looked at it to find Shashi Tharoor smiling up at me under an overhanging konna branch with a hand symbol beside his face, wishing me a happy Easter and Vishu. I felt happy. Is it symbolic that this should be given out on Easter? It is predictive of the resurrection of morality in public life in India? Ha ha, if wishes were horses - - - Anyway, Sashi Tharoor’s face is the most visible one in Trivandrum. Congress posters are all over the place and very very prominently pasted. A very different face (he’ll make an excellent poster boy for anti-aging creams, I must say). Taken from many imaginative angles. Seemingly innocent of the filth that distorts the image of our politicians. Once he gets elected (a foregone conclusion or wishful thinking?) will he turn out to be a Dorian Gray? God forbid, but such is my faith in the polity of my dear country.
* * * * *


Meanwhile, netas - of left, right and Centre (read Congress)-are descending all over the state bullshitting the same old stale or toxic crap. When will they realize that they cannot fool all the people all the time?
* * * * *

Elsewhere in the country, Narendra Modi comes up with a metaphor reminiscent of Hitler’s holocaust policy. Congress, being an old lady, is of no use to the country, he says. There is grave danger lurking in this metaphor. In the Jewish concentration camps, the category consisting of the old, the women and children were marked out for the first rounds of gas chambering, ‘cos their utility value was none. If metaphors are windows which expose the hidden recesses of the human mind, Modi is a danger man who can subvert the humanitarian values that form the foundation of a civilized society. And, oh God, he has his eyes on New Delhi!

6 comments:

  1. U in Tvm now? How come you got the Tharoor wishes?? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. yes. in tvm.
    tharoor wishes-what's that? if u mean why i support him,well, Indian political leadership can do with a change-no harm experimenting tharoor-like i said in an earlier blog, he cant be worse than our existing MPs

    ReplyDelete
  3. oh yeah, Im all elated to see another Tharoor supporter in blogosphere, I was referring to the leaflet you got with his Vishu greetings. :) --> thats what I meant by Tharoor greetings*

    ReplyDelete
  4. Forget not the good things that Modi has done to Gujarat. Godhra happened - agreed - forget not that the per capita income among Indian Muslims is highest in Gujarat.

    Babri Masjid demolition is a really sad episode in Indian history. But there are many such things that are kept out by the media like the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiris, the Sikh riots - it has been 25 years since that happened and even now the case is on - compared to that Godhra is recent. not justifying Godhra but when you tell Godhra and when you call Modi a communal politician, please mention all these as well.

    And if Congress led UPA is really for a "secular" India, how come they give CBSE status only to Muslim Madrassas and not any other religious school? Is it not minority appeasement?

    And if Shashi Tharoor is a man of ideals, then how can a man who oppossed the INC be a part of it! Why is it that he didn't stand as an independent?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well said Prasanth!

    Its just plain vote bank politics thats being played here. Cant believe that ppl in power can go this low to win votes... cbse status for madrassas!!!

    And talking for a Muslim as well - is this in their better interests? I really doubt. Sooner or later the student has to come out from the madrassa and compete with the others... This is like, more of encouraging them to remain backward?

    Wonder why these people dont realise that this is one of the very same reasons why Muslims are backward in education compared to other communities... The religion in a way had asked them to stay away from foreign languages such as english; and few had learned the language then - which to a great extent is the cause of where they are now.

    Now, we again have something for them. Go to madrassas and stay away from the mainstream...

    Wish a few learned Muslims had protested against such cheap politics!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Moslems of Kerala have been ignorant lots because one foolish Tangal declared Western education to be 'harrahm', two generations ago. Thanks to the Gulf, things are changing now. Make them go to schools and colleges and they will think for themselves and not be susceptible to Mullahs and Mukhris any longer. Whatever the government does to this end might thus be good only in the long run. The majority among them are only Hindoos force-converted by Tippu anyway.

    ReplyDelete

Dear visitors, dont run away without leaving behind something for me :-)
By the way, if your comment does not get posted at the first click, just click once more.