Saudi Arabia's royal tragedy

The grandson of Saudi Arabia's king Abdullah, who was living in London and is on trial for beating his servant to death, might face the death penalty in his homeland. Wait for the news. If true, he will be given the capital punishment not for killing a human being, but for being homosexual. Homosexuality is a criminal offence in the state, one that carries the death penalty.

It's really something to hear about such conservative societies when one is born in an environment where freedom is almost perfect. Capital punishment for homosexuality is absurb! I mean something as simple as your own sexual preference and life can be the cause of your death LEGALLY is just minbboggling.
The saudi arabian law could violate the the sensilbilities of even a conservative liberal individual today, especially the way the law is interpreted when it comes to women's freedom, sexual and political. A recent case of a saudi man getting married to a 12 year old girl created an uproar highlighted the fact that in this day and age of human rights awareness, Saudi Arabia still not does have a minimum marriagble age for it's girls. Agreed that underage marriages happen in some remote parts of our country to this day, but the Indian's law recognises this as illegal.
 But what is going on in that country where it seems human rights holds a very different meaning altogether ? If at all. It doesn't favour too well with the human rights agencies and activists around the globe.
It is the only country in the world where women are forbidden to drive cars! The truth is that Saudi Arabian law is a very conservative and strict interpretation of the sharia law, and so it is mostly the culture rather than Islam itself that seems to be getting in the way of women's liberation in the country. They are a mere property of the men in their family, fathers of husbands and can hardly get anything done without their approval.

Although i do agree that the western world's view of Islam is sometimes only a reflection of their little understanding of it, and the fact that they tend to compare their freedom to the rest of the worlds.

 However i have to say, it's a redudnant society and a primitive way of living. They treat their women like pseudo citizens and hardly even human beings with basic rights. Plus their treatment of punishment is at once scary and makes 'to err is human, to forgive, divine' seem like fallicious wishfulness.

 But the fact is that their laws and the sexual repression of their women is actually accepted by them as a part of their life, their identity and that is sad because every individual should be atleast given a choice and not made to do things with a knife to their throats, but there is growing awareness and unrest among the women about their rights.Their idea of a man and woman has never been on an equal footing even in theory, forget practise. this story of a woman raped and then punished by the saudi for being raped reminds me of how different my reality is from their and as indignant and sad it makes me, i feel blessed to not be a part of their society. Let's see what the Royal Family decides will be the fate of one of it's own, will this make them think again about their archaic laws or is the shame of dishonour much too big to forget?

Hindi-chini bye bye?

"China, Pakistan threat to India'a security"-V.K.Singh, Indian army chief general.
Really. It's obvious China has always has been a very intimidating issue on our foreign policy agenda.
It took so long for our revered PM Manmohan Singh to even officially recognise China as a not so well intentioned party to asian politics, when it has been clear all along, if history is anything to go by.
Asia's has her own Big Brother. Their bigotry pales in comparison to none. Ever since India's independence, they have made sure that India never becomes a threat to their unilateral power in our continent.
I feel our the government needs to strenghthen it's attitude towards bully nations like these, like the times when India refused to sign the CTBT because it was discriminatory and not in the interest of our state.
In 1949, they take over Tibet and in 1954 Nehru signs the Panchsheel Agreement,  move towards improving bilateral relations after years of border confusions. But even the Nehru government was not completely bereft of confusion and pressure while dealing with the giants. The agreement was a proof of India's recognition of Tibet as a part of China. In 1949, India was one of the first countries to recognise the new communist government and supported it's claim to a seat in the United Nations. But it's clear that China will never agree to India taking a seat in the Security Council's permanent memberhsip. China has never taken a soft stand on democracy, there communist ideology has always tried to suppress the rising democracies in Asia.
And what angers them ? That we gave refuge to Dalai Lama. Seriously. They trick our leaders and make false promises. In 1962, they wage a war on India after promises of building confidence and bilateral relations.
They scare me and i truly believe they are a bigger threat than Pakistan. With all the power politics and power plays, they just can't keep their nose in their business. Now they want a stake in the J n K issue also. They're back to a stand supporting Pakistan on kashmir issue rather than observing neutrality .

60 years into their communism, and things are as rigid as they were , atleast with the chinese government. In the past China has always been the aggressor with India. And majorit chinese people believe that India is the biggest threat to them. This is a joke. The communist regime has maligned the hearts of it's citizens against India over the years. They play diplomatic dirty politics and always want to be in control.
I can see China being a very big issue in the coming times for India and unless out FP is strenghtened and our ties with western democracies tightened, and our leaders can stop being petty and look ahead, China will keep a check on our progress as a rising giant in Asia.

Chak day! for indian ladies at CWG

Last day of the CWG. India in 3rd position, behind England. Saina Nehwal playing for gold against malaysian Mei ChooWong. Saina one down at matchpoint. She makes a superb comeback to win the last set 21-13. She along with Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnapa have made history. And history has been made.

The corruption, lies, embarrasment, anger, of the the entire fiasco that has been the Commonwealth Games just fades into thin air when your politicians faces are replaced by smiling and graceful sportsperson who have done their nation and it's people proud. More so when it's the women who have truly shown that if there is an inferior sex, women are not it. At these times, especially, i cannot help but jump with joy that i was born a girl. I'm swelling with pride at these ladies and so are the men. Are they?

Jwala Gutta did not hide her indignation for BCI President V.K. Verma, who did not congratulate the gold duo after their win, nor did he present them the medal. However Saina Nehwal was presented the medal by him. Seems with great power comes great politics. These women have brought your country honour and you can't find it in your heart to appreciate that when that is your job! Blasphemy.

But with such success at the games, think how much better the country could have done had the country's sports been a little more organised. Too much bureaucracy, politics and confusion has led budding young sports fans to turn to private coaching since the authorities don't seem to be doing a lot. Especially it's seems so that women have to take their own initiative so get anywhere. Looking at the background of these prize winning women one is taken aback and silenced in reverence at their determination and courage.

 Some say they had the home advantage, what about all the other disadvantages they have overcome ?
 I have no doubts about a real life Chak De scenario because when i was in school, my instruments teacher politely refused to teach me to play the drums because i was 'too young' while my classmate's, a boy, request,  did not meet the same fate. When this type of  attitude plants itself in the minds of  the headhonchos of the sports world, and even the society in general, then support, financial and otherwise, and strength must be sought elsewhere.

This CWG has shown that India has mad her mark on the international platform, the games were a success, the to top it all, the women in india have truly proven their worth. Can it  be left up to the government and authorities to see to it that they can sustain this level of performance and performers and give other countries a run for their money at the other sporting events around the globe? After all, we have seen that their is absolutely no derth of talent. And no derth of wasted talent either.  India, needs to take a que from this fiasco turned success to usher in a new era of sports where Cricket is not the only sport, men are not the only players. Let the women in indian sports be the new stars, not the ones that burn out in a flash like the Sania Mirzas of the world but continue to shine bright like the Saina Nehwals.

Censor deplored.

So the ' Lucknow bench of the Allahbad court'is again in the limelight .This time it's to act on a petition by one lawyer who has found the use of profanity in films like Peepli (Live), Omkara, Bandit Queen to be too extreme for public viewing and wants the court to revoke their censor certificates as these flout the Cinematography Act of . Also, the petition asks for the members of the Censor Board to be removed. That includes it's Chairperson, Mrs. Sharmila Tagore, who happens to be the mother of Saif Ali Khan, the famous villain Langda Tyagi in Omkara.
This legal action could hamper the selection of Peepli (Live) as our official entry to the Oscars, or that's what some people would like because it will destroy the image of our country on the international platform. But Kalmadi is way ahead in this race to defame the nation in the global arena. So relax. In anycase, if you need a reason to stop Peepli( LiVE) from going to the Oscar awards, it should be purely because there have been other, far more superior films this year.

Anyway, I don't understand the use of this petition, now. Bandit queen came out in 1994! And if you consider the plot, setting ang the general feel of the films, i think a little profanity is warranted. Can you really see these conniving, stubble faced angry people respectfully addressing each other before blowing out their brains. The point is, if sex can be allowed, where asthetically done, and murder can be shown in new innovative techniques, why not the same with language if it fits. Things like vulgarity and asthetics are subjective to a large extent. What makes one part of the crowd uncomfortable will be watched without so much as a shrug by other. And as far as being a bad influence on kids, please. Your kids will pick up these words any which way, and maybe from the society guard or someone in your own family. Besides, that's what ratings are for, aren't they ? Take Star world, for example, which use uncensored words like 'bitch' and 'bastard' very generously, replacing these words by 'witch' and 'ass' in the subtitles! No point having double standards, indian television. Obviously, there needs to be stricter, more clearly defined rules as to what is allowed and what is not. And a Censor board that is more responsible, because if they have flouted the rules, it's serious business, after all they're the only ones in this country who are crtitisized for doing their job! And if that doesn't happen, there be a lot more movies with a lot more swearing, ladies twitching, men snickering, and kids chuckling. Entertainment.

Is there anything Ranjinikanth do?

With Robot, it has been officially proved that even outside his territory of Tamil Nadu, there's not much the cult actor can't accomplish. If there's a movie in India which sells not because it flaunts beauty queen Aishwarya Rai, then you know there is a reason way larger and less superficial. And it's Rajnikanth. The 160 crore budgeted film  'Robot' it truly larger than life and is breaking all sorts of records.

I watched Robot a few days back, catching the late night show. The theatre, as it usually isn't after 10,
was packed with young kids, couples, old and new, and parents carrying little kids on the brink of slumber. But it was completely packed. And although I won't go to the extent of praising the movie, however,
I did find it amusing, for a good half and a half. Enthiran was over the top in true Rajni style. It was definitely entertaining(although the towards the end it tends to stretch) and a new step in the evolutionary chart for indian cinematic technology. The movie was dubbed in hindi so some of the songs originally meant to be in tamil caught me by surprise and I have to admit I could tell it wasn't Gulzar. Anyway, it told me that this 60 something man is a real star in every sense of the word. His fans have sworn eternal loyalty to him and whatever he does is pure gold. After his superhit Shivaji, his much awaited Robot has him return to the screen with a bang! He's everywhere, even the internet is swarming with jokes about the infallibilty of this Tamil hero. Here are some funny ones including Chuck Norris fans going head to head with Rajini fans.
It struck me that nobody is bollywood enjoys this status nowadays. 'Stars' come and go, they are put on a pedestal and dropped at will. If god is an actor, he does not work in bollywood.
And that is what makes south indian movies different from hindi ones or any other. Since I half descend from Kerala, I have noticed over the years that when one goes to a theatre anywhere in south india and watches a supermovie (films starring top actors), it's always the male actors who get the whistles and cheers, from the men in the audience! No matter how beautiful and well-known your actress is, these superheroes take the cake. And I realise that theirs no fooling this audience with something as superficial as appearence, if you've got nothing to back it up with. Say, something like the ability to walk horizontally to the ground, on the side of a train!
 It's not about the way you look, or the way you dress. Never the glamour. Always the style. It's all about personality. All about charisma. If the south indian moviegoers believe you got these three, they'll worship you with a passion. But i think it's also a lot about humility.
Rajinikanth's life hasn't been this easy. He used to work as a bus conductor. Wow, isn't that the stuff movies are made of! And maybe his cult status is a little surreal but nobody can deny him his talent and unearthly powers (on celluloid). That is Rajinikanth. And it's probably this life story that keeps his feet grounded to the earth and keeps his fanbase growing evermore....
If only our mainstream Bollywood stars of today, with their unauthenticity, air of grandiosity, and their inability to impress us, could learn a little about humility and talent, or atleast how to use their talent in Rajini style, i.e., getting rich and famous by making it look 'cool' for us to spend our money and time on them.

Kalmadi: Lost and floundering!

One would expect that the Chairman of the any committee, to be a poised and sophisticated person who seem like they can handle the responsibility and that comes along with their position of authority. And if this committee happens to be in charge of organising the biggest sporting event in India since 1982, then these expectations rise higher. But no! Mr. Suresh Kadlmadi has proven from the very beginning that he is not only unfit for the job, he was probably the worst man for it. Since the time I remember, he has only been in the limelight for being enmeshed in one scam or another. Today he stands as the epitome of corruption in our country. He's a public disgrace in every sense. Even when all he has to do is say a few words, not in defence of  his fraudulence, but simply a few harmless words, he can't even do that right.
 So finally the day had come and we were ready.The much anticipated opening ceremony brought along with it a feeling of national pride and a chance for Kalmadi to redeem himself a little by being as inconspicuous as he could and letting everybody enjoy the spectacle... but no. Possibly flustered by the unacceptance of the crowd, amidst all the anger and the booing, he introduces our ex-president who is loved by all in this country, especially the children, by calling him 'Abdul Kalam Azad' who was actually a freedom fighter! What a bafoon! I guess the lack of love can make people seriously nervous and uneasy.
 A day later at a Press conference he claims that 'Prince Diana' was there at the opening ceremony. Maybe they should take his dope test too or tomorrow he'll claim that Sir Winston Churchill has been called to distribute the prizes. The poor guy is hallucinating.Or it could be the stress. He has a lot to worry about now when the games are over.
Mr. Kalmadi, if the games are a success, it will be despite your antics not because of them.
I can't believe our leaders are this corrupt today, and bring such dishonour to the country which is still has a lot to prove. These guys need a great lesson in life and the common man will be pleased to teach them. One good thing has come out of this is that the serious issue of corruption has come to the fore and the immense public discontent will force the government to take this matter and deal with it justly and rigourously Seriously Mr Kalmadi, take your rip-off taxi and go home. We don't need you, or the likes of you.

Chewing the spirit?

The Australian athelets at the CommonWealth Games have been complaining that the indian event organisers treated them like 'cattle' as they were made to wait in a tunnel in '"in cauldron conditions" during the opening ceremony. Imagine our beloved Mr. Kalmadi's luck, first the embarassing, and hilarious, speech bloopers and now he has to apologise and make promises that nobody expects him to keep.

So when Australians were treated like cattle, is that bad? Australia is the 6th largest breeder of cattle so i guess they realise the cows have it good. Even here Look at the indian cattle, right at home while marching the streets, exploring green pastures wherever they find it. They don't seem to even mind the weather too much. Point being, if it was meant to be a derogatory remark , then no offense should be taken. Because it seems everyone is playing into the whole idea of 'criticise for the sake of critisising'.

Talk about stealing our thunder! Why aren't any other teams complaining about our oven stadium and poor management?

Recent relations between the two countries have been on shaky grounds with so many indian students and residents being beaten up by australians in what were called racially motivated acts. So why can't mature, happy, well off nations realise this and just take it easy.

 How bad could it have been, we haven't seen any other teams complaining. And whatever said, the opening ceremony was spectacular. It proved that India has arrived. So instead of trying to take away from our glory, and threatning India with absences of their teams at other sporting events in the future, why not handle things amicably, maturely and diplomatically?

Yeah, so our leaders are corrupt, the games could be managed better, but there always an upside, when you're eyes are open enough. As corrupt as Kalmadi is, the guy makes the whole nation laugh atleast at him, but we don't mind. Because it's our country and we feel we have a right to. But when outsiders come and start trashing our nation along with us, we'll have none of it. Especially on trivial things which can be sorted out at another level, maybe through feedbacks or diplomatically rather than creating media hype and trying to dampen spirits.

With events on such large scales, there will be glitches, especially when it' a blooming wonder like India but it would be so nice to see sports people forgetting what they're being served and meet it irrespective with their best sportsmanship.