Combating Maoist Thuggery By Political Posturing

It seems that the Left and double standards are synonymous with each other. Following the Maoist attack on Lalgargh, the Left argued that proscription would increase their appeal amongst the sections of society they represent. It is baffling that they believe the same ideology cannot be extended to right-wing organizations. One would reckon that the danger these forces represent to the state are far too serious for political parties to play politics, but our politicians always baffle and confound us with their ever decreasing sense of ethos.

Nobody in their right mind would believe that force alone would work against the Maoists. The fact that the Maoist cadre consists of the most vulnerable section of society is an indication of how we, as a nation, have failed in our promise to make growth equitable. We must first accept that we have made grave errors in our treatment of the sections that are ensnared by Maoist ideology. We must convince them that the ideology they believe in will not achieve what they seek. Then, we must work towards providing development to the weakest, and simultaneously fight the Maoists politically and militarily.

The Maoists are thugs who use pretensions of championing pro-people causes. If they were truly for the masses, why don’t they lay down their arms and join the political mainstream? They blow up cell phone towers and other infrastructure which provide so many benefits to the people whose cause they claim to fight for.

We would do well to remember that communism, even socialism will not deliver our people from poverty; our pre-1991 economic statistics are proof of this. We must contain Naxalism by providing the basic amenities of our people. For that, our political class needs to be united. Looking for vote banks and playing politics in situations which threaten internal security is dangerous;and it is not only the Left which is guilty. It seems our politicians have still not learnt the lessons of 26/11. They must act fast lest they need another reminder.

Colleges And Their Virtuous Bans

I don’t know what it is with colleges and their infinite wisdom with regard to protecting the virtue of their female students. Four colleges in Kanpur have banned T-Shirts and jeans. They are not the only ones. My Alma mater, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya University, enforced the ban, as did Anna University and a host of other colleges. Bapuji Dental College, where my sister has taken admission for BDS apparently has the ban in place as well. Gender neutrality is a concept either lost in our colleges or forgotten.

In some cases, the ban is applicable to both male and female students (my college is an example, though admittedly not a good one, seeing that there are a host of rules with regard to the female student population which are regressive) on the grounds on professionalism and preparing the student to the work environment. Yes, one has to adhere to a certain dress code in the work environment, but what is the need for preparation, given that the transition will be natural? Colleges are not only about academics and preparation for the big, bad world, but also a coming of age; an experience that shapes an individual. Professionalism is not only about the clothes; in fact if it were only about the clothes, it would not be a quality that prospective employers search for.

Even more out of touch with reality is the assertion that jeans and T-Shirts are provocative and invite some form of abuse. This stems out of a patriarchal belief that clothes are a cause for attacks on women, that victims “deserved it”. Numerous studies have proved that clothes, provocative or otherwise, are not a reason for attacks on women. The mindset that a woman is somehow inferior to a man is behind many of these attacks. Men must learn to respect boundaries. I wonder how much divinity we posses when everyday, there are reports of sexual abuse of women.

One cannot decide what an individual has to wear, irrespective of the individual’s gender. If an individual has a right to vote, then he/she must have the right to decide what he/she wears. College goers must be treated like the adults they are.

What must be fought is sexual abuse as a whole. Provocation is not a defence. It is a fact that institutions as well as a large part of our population, male and female must understand. I must have the freedom to wear what I want, be it T-Shirts, jeans, cargos or a simple shirt and trousers. Denial of this freedom is akin to denial of basic human rights.

This Ain't The End

These are not good days for Manchester United fans. Ever since the champions league final, fans have had to face an onslaught of bad news. What should have been a time of celebration and jubilation has turned into concern and dare we say it, fear.

Football fans point to the champions league final and say that Manchester United was all hype and no substance; that Barcelona proved that claims of United being the best in the world were far-fetched. My answer is simple. There can be no denying that Barca were the better team in Rome, just as there can be no denying that United played magnificently to retain the premier league, win the club world cup and almost become the first team to retain the European Cup. Some United fans will offer excuses and say, it would have been different had United taken at least one of the many chances they had in the first ten minutes. However, ifs and buts do not win trophies. There is no shame in losing to a quality team.

There have been suggestions that a huge overhaul is needed, but one bad game does not diminish the achievement of the players. Great teams bounce back from disappointments, and United will show next season why we are one of the best in the world.

That noble ambition has suffered a setback by the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. I can see Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Man City fans jumping in glee every time speculation rises of another high profile departure from Old Trafford. Ronaldo and Tevez will be sorely missed; and it will be difficult for us to replace them. However, this situation provides an opportunity to the youngsters such as Nani, Tosic, Ljajic, Wellbeck, Macheda and Gibson. There are rumours that Karim Benzema and Douglas Costa are being approached by the club, but newspaper stories are often proved wrong, and hence cannot be trusted. As a lifelong fan, I recognise that the departures of Tevez and Ronaldo will affect the performance of the team. However, the advantage is that there will no longer be speculation around the future of the high profile players. This will lead to a better dressing room environment, a prerequisite for success. The manager would have prepared for such an eventuality, and I am sure he has replacements in mind, via the transfer market from within the squad. Rivals may be laughing at us now, saying nobody wants to stay or come to the club, but we will be the ones laughing come May 2010. Of that, I am sure.

The club’s debt has been a topic of much debate, but I think Man United is too big a club to do the Leeds way. Rival fans might be hoping for this to happen, but we are talking about one of the biggest sport brands in the world. The debt will be settled in time. I just hope that the money will be available for Sir Alex to make the changes he wants to see. The debt should not affect Sir Alex signing the players he believes are worthy of putting on the Manchester United jersey.

In Fergie We Trust.

This club has gone through a lot, and still rose from the ashes. Something as trivial as a couple of players, no matter how good they may be, cannot sound the death knell for the club, as some suggest.

Pea Brained Buchanan

We have seen some supremely ridiculous ideas being mooted by coaches and officials in sport through the years. John Buchanan's four captain idea is a new low(or is it a high??).


It is tragic when sport gets mingled with politics. Ultimately, politics might be what all this is about. How else would you justify such a stupid concept?Do we have multiple Presidents?Multiple Prime Ministers, army chiefs,etc? Twenty20 might be a new concept;and yes, you have to come up with out of the box solutions. But this is just daft. The basics remain the same in every form of the game. Too many cooks truly spoil the broth.


If Buchanan was so convinced this was the way forward, why didn't he do this with the Australian national team. Had Buchanan done so, i am convinced Ponting would have told him to stick his head in some very unpleasant places. Why should Dada be any different?


My belief is that Buchanan came up with this idea because he had an issue with Ganguly, just like Guru Greg did. Dada was out of form then, he lacks match practice now. Besides, is IPL, with all the money that is involved, the time for experiments such as this? Indian cricket has had enough of these experiments, thank you very much. It is yet another i-told-you-so-moment for Shane Warne.


There is a limit to what technology and all out of the box ideas can do. I am sure Irfan Pathan will agree. Thanks to a so-called bio mechanics expert, he lost his swing. This pea brained idea should be consigned to the dustbins, where it belongs.

It's Now Official...A Full-Scale Title Wobble

I can't deny it anymore. It looks like the quest for the 18th league trophy will have to wait for a year. Manchester United's 2-0 loss to Fulham has meant the lead is now down to a point. Had United beaten Liverpool, we would have been 10 points ahead with a game in hand. The game in hand remains, but i dunno if United are going to respond to this double whammy.


What bothers me more is the manner in which we lost to Fulham. They had 62% possession at the end of the first half. We also ended the game with nine men, which means we will now be without Vidic, Scholes and Rooney for the crucial game against Aston Villa. We will be going into the match two points BEHIND Liverpool and without three of our best players. Yes, United have blown it. The March 14 affect? In 1998, we lost to Arsenal and blew a 12 point lead and last year, we lost to Manchester City on the same day. Aston Villa got thrashed 4-0 by us last season; we won the league. Liverpool have now beaten Villa 5-0. Omens against us?


Villa is going to be a huge test. Yes, they got thrashed at the hands of Liverpool, but let's be honest, so did United. They have some great players like Barry, Carew, Agbonlahor and Young while three of our best are suspended for the game. We need to win every game now, but the display against Fulham hasn't left me convinced that we can pull it off. Here's hoping i am wrong.

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Ronaldo has been getting a lot of stick lately, from so called fans who want Sir Alex to sell him to Madrid in the summer. Last season was phenomenal for him. There have been many instances this season where he missed by inches. The same would have resulted in a goal last year. I think his team game as improved. He will still end up with a minimum of 25 goals at the end of the season. Very good for a winger. Yes, he has his faults. And yes, he will at some point of time go to Madrid. That is his decision to make. if he thinks Madrid are better than United all he needs to do is watch a footage of their game against Liverpool. As fans, we must take his word and Sir Alex's word at face value and get on with it. We must support the team(that obviously includes Ronaldo) even when the going is a bit tough. Like right now. If Ronaldo wishes to move on, we must respect his decision and remember all the good times he gave us. This drama must end. If Ronaldo leaves, good luck to him. The club was the best before him, and will be the best long after he is gone.

Apathy Must End

I was 6 years old when I won first prize in elocution for reciting Pandit Nehru’s “A Tryst With Destiny” speech. I was 10 years old when I was taught the ideals on which India was built. As I grew older, I learnt about our struggle for freedom, learnt the Preamble to the Constitution by rote, and more importantly, understood what these ideals stood for. Today, 60 years after Nehru declared that India would end poverty and inequality of opportunity, the promises remain unfulfilled. The prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman, remain elusive.


The politicians of the era that won us our freedom took great pride in dedicating themselves to binding themselves to the service of India. The politicians of today throw furniture at each other and invent new means of cheating the people. Politics today is seen as a dirty business, a perfect vocation for the biggest swindler in town. Corruption is widely prevalent, to the extent that it is not looked down upon anymore; just a reality of life. The speaker of the outgoing Lok Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee, declared in a fit of anger that MP’s do not deserve a single paisa. Though he later retracted his statement, it is no doubt an assertion shared by many in the country. India today is still home to the world’s poorest, 27% of the world’s hungriest are Indians. These remain untold in the stories of Rising India that we take so much pride on.


Images of Godhra still remain in my mind. Though there have been many communal riots in the country prior to independence, Godhra is more horrific to me at a personal level as my family lived(and still does)in Ahmedabad at the time. Religious intolerance is on the rise. Who can forget the destruction of churches in Karnataka and Orissa or the impunity with which fundamentalists impose their rabid ideology on others? Gender equality remains a pipe dream, and moral policing is on the rise. Caste clashes still exist as do evils like dowry. The progressive nation Nehru dreamed of remains regressive in form and outlook.


However, it is time we stopped moaning and start acting. Years of neglect and indifference have yielded the India we see today. Yes, there is progress, but of what good is this if we fail to free or poor from the shackles of poverty and hunger? We must build a new culture, akin to the one that was prevalent when we gained independence under the stewardship of Gandhiji. We can start by realizing that every individual holds a stake in what happens around us; the culture of indifference and apathy must end.

Gender Equality...A Distant Dream

Gender equality in our country is a distant dream. The recent Mangalore attacks only underline this fact. It is indeed a tragedy that a country which aspires to become a superpower cannot provide basic security for its women. Even more abominable is the attitude of the attackers; who continue to remain unrepentant and call themselves “custodians of Indian culture”. There is full merit in assuming such elements to be for the Talibanisation of many parts of India.


To say that forces such as the Sri Rame Sene or even Abhinav Bharat have the backing of the RSS is to state the obvious. These so called nationalistic organizations, backed by the damnable VHP-BJP-RSS troika are wrecking havoc on our country. From Godhra to the pogrom that followed to the attacks on women in Mangalore a few days ago, these organizations have continued their bloodthirsty quest of robbing India of its values, whilst claiming to the protectors of the very values that make our nation the greatest in the world. However, these traitors could not have been successful in their nefarious designs had they not been backed by ordinary Indians, honest hardworking people taken in by the xenophobic rhetoric all religious fundamentalists specialize in. Therefore, the normal citizens are equally responsible for such vile heinous acts.


In our zeal for preserving our tradition, we have forgotten the noble values our culture stands for. We have forgotten that when the rest of the world was indulging in a never-ending cycle of violence, our ancestors offered protection to refugees from all over the world. We forget that while the rest of the world was treating its women with contempt. Our ancestors offered our women some degree of respect. Somewhere down the line, these noble values have morphed into the intolerant binge we see today, in essence no different from Saudi wahabism. How is it that we call organizations like the Taliban terrorists whilst refrain from using the same language to the Hindu version? The other great civilizations of the world have changed their outlook, but we remain stuck in the 19th century. We forget that traditions and customs were man made, not the other way around. They are meant to evolve with time. Therein lays our greatest sin.


I now speak from personal experience. I believe that the ideology of a nation can be gauged by the ideas of the youth. The common feeling among many of my peers is that the men involved in crimes against women are uneducated, with no sense of morality. What is disturbing, however, is the still widely prevalent feeling that all these women would have done something to provoke the men and this talk of “natural reactions”. If a woman is assaulted, she must have invited the wrath of the aggressors. There are a number of fellow male students who believe that a woman's place is inside the four walls of their houses. Teasing a woman in an inappropriate nature is a sign of masculine power. Women are weak and were created only to be subservient to the males, the so called superior gender. When the ignorance of such an attitude is pointed, people such as myself are accused of being out of touch with reality. The reason behind such attitudes is the glorification of machismo and patriarchy in our society. They are there in all our forms of art, most notably, films and television. These are the forms of art which connect the most with the young. In our movies and on television, patriarchy is glorified in the name of following our noble traditions and our ancient culture. Instead of fighting these outdated beliefs, our movies and television give a sense of legitimacy to them.


It is time we realized what Indian culture means and the values it promotes. This is true for the organizations responsible for incidents like Mangalore and also for the common man. It is not enough to keep shouting about the greatness of our culture from the rooftops, we must practice these noble values. It is important to discourage the moral policing widely prevalent in India. We are a democracy, not a theocracy or its offshoot wherein a group of people will decide what must and must not be done; what is proper and what is not. The value of a nation is measured by the way it treats its women. Till then, we have no right to make grand plans of becoming a superpower. To do so would be a disgrace to the term.

Congratulacion....David Beckham

David Beckham has now equaled Sir Bobby Moore’s record of most England caps for an outfield player. A fantastic achievement indeed, considering he has always been criticized of being a one-trick pony. Whatever his shortcomings, and yes there are many; he deserves every bit of praise coming his way. Sir Bobby is a legend, and Beckham going past his record will not diminish the legendary status he enjoys amongst football enthusiasts.


The criticism directed towards Beckham has always struck me as a bit unfair. When Beckham plays, England have that much more in them; he always gives his best; his work rate is one of the highest in the world and because of the blessed right foot, he always presents a real threat to the opposition. He may not be able to tackle, or burst along the wings, but he makes it up with the brilliance of the right foot. Anyway, there are very few players who are equally good on both feet, so saying he does not have a decent left foot is stretching things a bit too far.


He has been relegated to the bench in many of his recent appearances. This is only natural considering his age and the need to find a consistent player on the right side of midfield. Let’s face it, Walcott is prone to injuries, Downing, Lennon, Bentley and Wright-Philips are frustratingly inconsistent. Even Walcott is a work in progress and his ability to perform well in crunch situations remains to be tested. The game against Spain has only underlined the fact that England do not have a good player on the right apart from Beckham.


Let’s not delude ourselves. England were pathetic. They had only two real chances, one of which was provided when Beckham came on as a sub. We must applaud a very good player and appreciate what he has done for football, not moan about how he is undeserving of the honour.

Money Won't Give Success

Manchester City’s million dollar bid for Kaka has shocked many, including the revered Sir Alex Ferguson. There are many (and I must confess to belong to this group) who snigger at City’s attempts to attract the best talent in the world via the bucket loads of cash they now posses. It is indeed comical for a club which fights to avoid relegation every other season harbor illusions of being the best club in the world. The Sheikhs who bought City would have been no doubt inspired by the Abrahimovic story at Chelsea, but the Londoners had a number of world class players like Frank Lampard, John Terry before the oligarch took over; therefore, it was easier to convince players like Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and the rest. In comparison, the only world class player in the City team is Robinho, and even he came to the club after the Arabs took over. Stephen Ireland and Richard Dunne are not in the same as league as these champions, while Shaun Wright-Philips is a perennial under-achiever.


So must there always be a hierarchy of a handful of clubs, and must only these clubs fight for glory? No, but the methods employed by the likes of City and dare I say it, Chelsea before them, are obscene. All the big clubs in the world (Manchester United, Barcelona, AC Milan, Real Madrid, etc) have history. It took years for each of these clubs to be in the position they enjoy today. Many of these clubs became what they are after starting with limited money; the millions we see today was a by product of the success, the money was not a cause for success. For many of the best players in the world, ambition and ability to back it up with tangible results is the main criteria, money is only secondary.


Modern Day football is big money business. In today’s globalised world, matches in Europe are followed with equal amount of passion by fans in Asia. Ticket sales alone do not contribute to the club’s coffers; TV rights, merchandise sales contribute just as much, if not more. This has resulted in a situation where a handful of world class players are chased by hundreds of clubs. The biggest beneficiary of all this is the player himself, and he cannot be blamed for wanting to earn as much as he can in the 10-15 years that he plays the game. However, after a point, money becomes secondary; the player seeks to gain recognition as a player. Thus, he invariably plays for a club which has history, ambition and the talent to supplement the ambition. The reality of modern day football is that a club which fulfills the above requirements can also offer the player the six figure salary he seeks. If a player moves to a club solely for the money (like Robinho), the arrangement is bound to be a temporary one, with happiness and satisfaction eluding both the club and the player.


It is therefore a relief that Kaka has rejected a move to the Eastlands. If the deal had materialized, football would have been the casualty, for there would then be no morals and ethics involved. We must therefore be thankful that money has not corrupted a fantastic player, and this would discourage similar stories from happening in the future. Indeed, it would have been fantastic for the Premier League to have a talent like Kaka, but this would be no compensation for the grievous harm caused to the game. Teams like Manchester City can seek success, but they must realize that success would mean a lot of hard work spread over decades. Money will play a part, but it must not remain the primary means for achieving success. Maybe one day we will see City in the Champions League on a regular basis, but it would be a shame if this were achieved by basically bribing eleven of the best players in the world.

Life Is Good!!!

Aah, Life is good. Seriously. I know this would seem a little out of touch with reality in this milieu of recessions and frauds and blackmail by a failed state, but I refuse to be sucked into this whirlpool of depression.

Therefore, I shall celebrate the good things happening around me, the best of which is that come May, I would officially be an Engineer. Yay Me!!! Srinivas Chandrasekhar Mandapati, B.E. Has a nice ring to it, no? As I continue to evaluate the endless wonder of my new name, as it were, I am reminded of another fantastic event- the end of George Bush’s presidency. If all goes well, we could even get mukti from the biggest challenge to our sanity- Himesh Reshammiya and his suroor. Definitely something to be happy about (I couldn’t care less for the sods who appreciate his music and his acting!). I am sure I am in a majority when I say that I will be over the moon if he sticks to the reality shows…for eternity.

Now the one thing that positively makes me giddy with joy (besides my degree) is the masterpiece Deshdrohi. For a person who turns to endless re-runs of Friends for comic relief, this is manna from heaven. A complete swadeshi mode of entertainment and if you ask me, it is also the best antidote to all those wallowing over the multiple crisis’s. Can you blame me for being contended when I have such fascinating events and modes of entertainment to look forward to? And so, life is good. It just got better, because Manchester United have thrashed Chelsea 3-0.

Liberalism-Still India's Salvation

The world economy is in shambles. This has prompted many to declare that this crisis marks the end of capitalism. What does this mean for India, where liberalism has been in practice since 1991? I am no economist, nor do I claim to be an expert on the subject. My understanding is based on common sense, on statistics and the experience of a 21 year old that has had the fortune to be raised in a middle class household. It cannot be denied that the middle class has been the biggest beneficiary of the post-1991 policies, for could a family like mine own a car, a house of our own and live in comfort if change had not been brought about? My story is similar to those of thousands of Indians, many of those studying in the best schools and colleges in the country. We are not elitist; we are just making the best use of the opportunities available to us.



However, I see the pain of the less fortunate everyday, and it makes my heart bleed. There are many who say liberalization has failed. Many who say the benefits have not reached the neediest. Just as this cannot be denied, a system which brought about 3 percent growth at an average cannot be seen as a substitute. Socialism is hypocrisy. We have practiced socialism for more than 40 years. What did we have to show for it? A nation that begged the international community for money? A nation, whose best sons and daughters left its shores disillusioned, convinced that their talents would forever go waste if they remained in the land of their birth? If India is respected, even feared by some, it is due to the massive progress we have made in the last 17 years. Otherwise, we would have forever remained a land of elephants and snake charmers in the eyes of the world. However, amidst all of the euphoria, we must not forget the story of the farmer who commits suicide because he cannot pay his loans; of the child who leaves school as his parents cannot afford the cost of his or her education. This presents an opportunity, for a system that worked for the 300 million bourgeoisie Indians can surely produce the same results for the millions in our villages.



Yet, liberal economics in itself is not a solution. No single ideology can claim to the only solution to all our economic woes. We will need to be flexible as rigidity will get us nowhere. We cannot remain prey to the insecurity that suggests that we need to protected, nor should we remain apathetic to the woes of the common Indian tilling his land everyday, hoping for a better tomorrow. The votaries of the old order say that the present crisis in the world and sectors of our economy is proof that our economic policies have failed. Common sense dictates that every ideology has its faults; what should be determined is whether the good outweighs the bad, and one must strive for improving upon the good and eradicating the bad. This is what these people fail to grasp. The crisis is not an excuse to fall back to the old incompetence; it offers us opportunity to identify the mistakes that have been made and improve on it. Competition offers a scope for improvement, not the “curbing of autonomous development” as many so called experts have so colourfully declared. If I am exposed to highly skilled people, I will only improve. This is not esoteric, expert mumbo-jumbo; it is plain common sense.



To be honest, I do not understand half of what experts talk about these days. But I am convinced that often the simple route is the best. All our problems have one simple solution, common sense. And common sense tells me that in every crisis lies an opportunity, because crises do not arise unless there is something wrong. This may be an absence or regulation or a case of too much government intervention. I am convinced that the policies we follow will take us to the development and self sufficiency we seek. Yes, there will be hiccups, but these will only mean that we need to improve on the foundation. The tallest tower in the world cannot be built without the strongest foundation. Similarly, the policies we follow today will lead to India being one of the biggest economies in the world. Would this be possible if we had allowed the old order to continue? The most obvious answer is no.