As Raj Thackeray fans the embers of exclusionism that his uncle Bal Thackeray had expertly lit 40 years ago, the prospect of the spark becoming a fullblown fire that could sustain the careers of nuisance-makers across borders, and destroy innocent livelihoods, is alive and real.
Gauri Lankesh, the editor of the eponymous Kannada weekly tabloid, appeared on a CNN-IBN programme over the weekend:
Rajdeep Sardesai: Would Kannadigas identify with what Shirish Parkar of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena feels, [what] the Maharashtrians are feeling at the moment, a feeling of losing out?
Gauri Lankesh: Isn’t that the bigger question, with globalisation happening, the local people are losing out? But, OK, to specifically answer your question, most Kannadigas would not agree with it. But there are factions of Kannadigas, some local organisations over here like the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, which have also hit at the Biharis recently, in terms of railway jobs, and have tarred the MES (Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi) MLAs, and all that. There is a fringe element, a fringe lunatic element, I could say…. [I wouldn’t be surprised if they react the same way the Maharashtrians have done in the near future.]
What Gauri Lankesh also said responding to another question at the end of the interview – “local people are getting marginalised”. “I wish more luck to Maharashtrians in getting reservation for local jobs” – implying locals should get more jobs. Quotes are not necessarily what they exactly said since I dont remember verbatim.
What Bharat Dhabolkar said during the interview – “lower level jobs need not be filled in by outsiders, it should be filled in by localites”.
Gowri Lankesh IS the fringe lunatic element in Karnataka who desparately tries to make people believe she is intelligent and activist and all that and she thinks she has inherited her father’s legacy, actually she is an insult to Lankesh legacy talking nonsense.
Mriganayani,
Spot on. Exactly my thoughts.
Both Gauri and Indrajit are trying to ride on the fame and credibility their father painstakingly built.
Gauri is afflicted by the psuedo-seucularitis and tries to project herself as a ulta liberal, bra burning journo. During her pathetic editorial stint at Lankesh Patrike the circulation nose dived and has not recovered ever since. To even think that CNN-IBN considers her as someone who has original thoughts on issue is itself a joke. But then CNN-IBN itself a commie hell hole will only project Gauri Lankesh kind of characters as legitimate voices of Kannadigas
KRV and the splinter groups are also of the same feather.No point in supporting their views or taking a cntrary stand.If they want to dispense immediate justice by taking the law unto their own hands and let loose voilence against other linguistic communities , how different are they from the SENA.
At least the SENA has a genuine grouse , that of infrastructure crumbling .here the goons have nothing on hand, just extortion and blackmail is the name of the game
The issues – overpopulation leading to migration, strength in numbers, marginalization of numerically lesser and culturally different local populations. And local populations who are smaller but nevertheless large enough to resist the outsiders etc.
If nothing changes and the local and central governments are intent on only reacting rather than coming up with a proactive solution to the issues, it wont be ‘fringe’ for long.
And then we can blame cross-border nuisance, foreign hands etc. – but it will all be due our own thoughtlessness and lack of foresight.
Ms Lankesh,
When will the marginalized (according to you fringe lunatic) people get a chance? Our voted representatives have forgotten us long back. There is NO way out, But to act lunatically to get heard.
Thanks.
Lankesh, Nagaraj, Raj Thackeray & family, Karunanidhi, Ramadoss, Mamata are from the same clan or gothram. They are all heading at breaking India further. When will our people realise their motto?
Guari aadiro mathu keLi, Lankesh avara aatma avara gori yalli niTTusiru biTTirabeku. yentha appanige yentha magaLu !!
The injustice meeted out by the railways in group D employment is very very evident. They denied the entry of kannadigas by not putting the recruitment ads in local papers, they denied the entry of kannadigas by asking the 8th std passed out candidates to fill the applications in hindi/english, they denied the entry of kannadigas by asking the same candidates to write the exams in hindi/english. Bihar sends 2 specials trains, arranges accomodation for biharis to come and attend the interviews. Why these things become irrelevant to the likes of Gauri??
Laloo says” those with ability will get the job “, Lalooji, you must be kidding :).. the marathis, the tamils, the kannadigas think they are being denied their legitimate rights when it comes to railway jobs.. so, can we conclude that biharis are the most eligible people in whole of india to do all the railway jobs and every other state is incapable to produce quality (??) people to do these jobs??
what an irony Gauri !!
English media davara hatra hogaLasko beku anno bharadalli entha tappu maadidri madam !!
Everybody knows the injustice done in railway group D recruitment and it is KRV and not any political party which has brought this issue to the fore, when hundreds of KRV activists stormed the recruitment places, absorbed police lathi charge for 5 days that our political parties woke up to shout and Miss Gauri Lankesh thinks they are a fringe element, What a shame.. Has he been alive, Lankesh would have disowned his daughter.
Laloo called kannadigas “dirty people”. Let us celebrate, shall we?
sheer childishness and of course bad journalism displayed by churumuri, just like CNN IBN, NDTV, or may be even that Gowri Lankesh speaking in this “incomplete” video.
drawing conclusions, or at least imitating them, by pasting a portion of the big picture, which is absolutely necessary to even talk about topics such as this, is nothing but parochialism by itself. Looking at a topic only from one’s own angle, repeatedly, and making everything look that way by tailoring evidences to one’s convenience!
That apart, I guess the lady being conf-called in that programme is a “nobody” and heavens dont get disturbed when dogs bark!
See, this is just the way these model studio-room interview/opinion-poll programs are run, and people who claim to be responsible (talking about you, churumuri) in the society shouldnt be so much “driven” by such enactments of journalism. Gather a hand-count of mosquito-sqaushing citizens, mostly whose opinion can be molded by the swish of a mike in front of their face and a green-note behind the camera, and you have a template of such a drama.
Of course once you’re good at this, and you have more such “green”ery with you behind the camera, you can get whoever you want on screen to come and bark!
Bottomline – People like CNN IBN, and the likes, and of course individuals like Ms. Lankesh there, think this fight for Kannada (in KA), and fight for Marathi (in MH) are all personal tiffs fought with individual interests of profit at core, and try to pitch in their line and make more such “green”ery for themselves. Yes, thats true. Why then didnt they show one such “drama” on their network when biharis were dominating the taxi-driver business in Mumbai? Why then didnt they screen another such “drama” when the Railways was recruiting Biharis exclusively in Hubli, which is (with my wildest guess) about 3500kms from Patna?
Btw, is this another of such “drama”s to make greenery on this side of the media too or what? I hope not!
Yes, the_Animal_Eyed one and Mayura!
Cheers
Lets all drink Fighting Beer!:)
Gauri herself is trying a cheap imitation of Arundati Roy , who inturn in a cheap imitation of Chomsky..
Both Gauri and KRV suck.
laloo’s remark is one of the worst form of racial slur by an indian. he should be immediately sacked from the ministry. this has vindicated KA RA VE’ S struggle for justice.
I remember the same Gawri lankesh speaking in support of naxalites, who also according to her were marginalised but sane and right. She spoke as though she was ready to fight for them, till Shankar Bidari sitting next to her said he would do everything within the law to bring naxalites and their supporters(like her) behind the bars.
Gauri Lankesh and her ilk should realise that a short hair cut and a designer pygama kurta doesn’t make them true social workers.
Gaurii Lankesh talks about “a fringe lunatic element”????
Riiiight…..we all know where Gauri stands, don’t we?
the usual turn-uppers here in the forum all form a pattern… mostly militant opinionist in nature. is this the way forward to have dialogue?
Ravi,
…and your opinion on the matter is?….
Well.. its a bit grey. Gauri stands for anti-brahminism (that she inherited only the sheen and not the content from her illustrious father is besides the point), leftist intellectualism (i dont read Lankesh tabloid anymore, so not sure if she is really intellectual in her arguements, there are a host of veterans who help her in formulating her struggles….), symbolic anti-establishmentism(?) and CNN IBN stands for cashbox chatteretti par excellence.. and of course Rajdeep stands for…well screaming nonsense at the top of his voice.. these are all grey opinions.. and so, i rest in peace.
On the front page of Deccan Herald today (12’Feb 2008), Lalu is quoted as calling Kannadigas “Dirty people” – can Churumuri folks please confirm this is true through your channels and make a post on the issue ?
@dr. ramesh
“laloo’s remark is one of the worst form of racial slur by an indian. he should be immediately sacked from the ministry. this has vindicated KA RA VE’ S struggle for justice.”
How exactly? and what justice? terrorizing people is justice?
Laloo is a joker and if he did indeed say that, shame on him. He should be booked under apppropriate law.
Anon says: Laloo is a joker
Right, as always, shout that Laloo is a joker, Karunanidhi is a joker and somehow disguise the larger issue at hand, which is the audacity in these idiots calling people with abusive names. For Gods sake, he represents the GOI. If this was a proper Govt, they would have kicked him out. But this is Sonia and her cronies. What more can we expect
these arm-chair critics like gowri lankesh, dipankar bhattacharya etc are in total disconnect from the happenings the society. there opinions do not matter one inch.
KA RA VE has more activists, more registered members than KPCC, BJP and JDS. how can u call it a fringe element.
@Anonymous ,
What justice??
Justice in share of employment for kannadigas in Group D recruitmen in Railways
terrorizing people is justice?
KRV activists have eaten police lathi charge and not even a single person was hurt by KRV’s struggle in those 5 days. KRV just stormed the place and that made all those bihari babus to flee the place.
I dare you to write comments with your name, instead of hiding like a coward.
Calling an organization (KRV)
1. which has more than a million members across all the districts of Karnataka,
2. which has been in the forefront of all agitations against injustice meted out to Kannada-Kannadiga-Karnataka,
3. which has played the role of de-facto opposition party for the past 4-5 years,
4. which has the acceptability of the common man, intellectuals & the media
as “fringe lunatic element” shows the level of understanding of ground realities in Karnataka that Gauri Lankesh has.
In fact, “Gauri Lankesh”, her tabloid, “Gauri’s Lankesh Patrike” and her organization “Komu Souharda Vedike” very much fit the “fringe lunatic element” term.
http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/feb/12look.htm
Shiv Sena activists protest on Monday outside the Income Tax headquarters in Mumbai alleging discrimination against Maharashtrians.
They allege that in the latest recruitment drive for Grade 4 jobs, very few Maharashtrians were selected. Some Sena leaders met the IT commissioner and put forth their demands.
Laloo should be given Bharat Rathna for calling a spade a spade. Come on, he has never called all Kannadigas dirty. He has branded only Kannada Rakshana Vedike as such. Of course, they are dirty elements. What is wrong in what Laloo has said? When all others who want to say so are terrorised not to speak, we need people like Laloo and Tejaswini….
kbengaloorappa,
Since KRV is more than you, me and everyone because it represents the entire Kannada cult, one day it shall certainly be larger than life, and everyone around will surely begin to accept it for its principles, and of course deeds.
But kbengloorappa should realise is that in future “red-carpet” visits that more such laloos and tejaswinis might make to our state, they may promote themselves and call you and your “appa” also dirty people. But of course, then you’ll think, “Oh, may be thats true too!” and just sit through the spit-game showing no signs of remorse.
With your kind of slavish thinking, and expecting some ‘angel’ from outside (this state) will/should come and protect you, you are just the kind of muck our country needs to shed, immediately!
@SumneNeeve
As I said, if Laloo did indeed say those words he should be charged appropriately. I got no sympathy for anybody calling his / her countrymen names. Whether its Laloo, Thackray or KA RA VE.
@pancharangi
Relax mate, we’re all expressing our opinions here. Lets do it in a civil manner, lets not “dare” each other. For me your handle pancharangi is as anonymous as my handle is to you. Its not personal.
If you’re suggesting non-kannadigas are not terrorized of KA RA VE you’re fooling nobody. Same as non-maharashtrians (whatever is the definition of kannadiga and maharashtrian) are scared of Thackrays.
There are ways of registering protests, violence is not one of those. If there were any irregularities in group D recruitments (I once saw a set of numbers, which I don’t have now, suggested otherwise, but those numbers may or may not have been correct.) goto the court of law. Trust me if there is a genuine case and its pointed out for everybody to see, the cause will get a symathatic ear from all and sundry, kanndiga or not. Violence means will only alienate people, not to mention the harm they do to the social fabric of the nation.
one more,
leading corrupt politician of india, mine mafia kingpin venkaiah naidu ,in a speech in gangavati raichur dist , ended his speech with JAI ANDHRA.
he is a rajya sabha M P from karnataka . (reported in kannada prabha)
imagine if these CHEDDIS come to power in karnataka .
Dr. Ramesh,
Dirty Devegowda and sons qualify for the title of land mafia!
Any way, as you correctly noted it is deplorable that V Naidu said Jai Andhra in Karnataka! He should be taken to task by KRV and even the BJP. Unqualified apology is the first step and we can think of a suitable punishment later.
Let us face the truth. Even if these so-called “fringer” elements lash out at some stage, don’t be too surprised to see others with pent-up feelings (unemployeds, marginalised, youth, students et al…the emotional, frustrated or even “gump nal Govinda” types of Kannadigas by birth, and by domicile) joining in. In Mumbai, it was ostensibly Amitabh’s lack of love for Mumbai that sparked off the mini-revolt. Here, it could be anything, including Cauvery water. It has happened before. There were many many who exulted, “serves the kongas, right” remember? Bengalis, North Indians, Malayalees now rule the roost in Bangalore—this is the truth. Right or wrong, will be debated on and off.
@Nijavada
Nijavaagloo?….What evidence one needs to prove Lalooo right than your own post and your language, and culture and the mentality it displays Mr Nijavaada? You are dragging even ‘my appa’ into discussion. And you say you and your Kannada Rakshasa Vedike represent entire Kannnada cult?
Laloo has called only dirty people dirty and dirty people are dirty even if they are Kannadigas. In my opinion entire Kannada Rakshana Vedike and the ‘cult’ it promotes are dangerous. Deadly. Venomous. More dangerous than Laloo and Tejaswini, for both of them can be thrown out in the next elections if people do not want them but people have to suffer Kannada Rakshasa Vedike’s goondaism for ever because even the media and the police become spineless before evils like this. Neither you, nor your cult Kannada Rakshasa Vedike can prevent me from expressing my opinion even if you both want to do so…You can throw choicest words at me and display your culture…
Now the difference between Laloo and You Mr Nijaaada..he has called only dirty people dirty.And you are dragging even ‘appas’ into this discussion. Who is dirty?
We Kannadigas are losing out more by handing over protection of Kananda land and culture to street-rowdies. Not because we have to face unfair competition from Biharis in D group railway examination…..
Agree with Anonymous cent per cent. Thank god for saner voices like yours on this forum….
the mumbai-mns issue is an eye opener to central govt and so called NATIONALISTS,LIBERALS etc etc. issue of preference to locals was not looked into seriously till now and now the issue has snowballed into a pan-indian problem threatening the unity of the country.
how long can people( kannadigas in karnataka, marathis in mumbai)suffer injustice .muted feelings have comeout full throttle.
@Anonymous – “go to court of law”. Hah! In this country, with politicians like Laloo and Mulayam, even the courts of law dont function the way they should. And by the time the courts actually decide on anything, whole of Karnataka would have been filled with NIs.
I agree violence is not always welcome. But to paint a bad brush against KARAVE is stupid. KARAVE hasnt caused any murders or killings. All it has done is to make the Biharis not write an exam that they never should have in the first place.
This kind of “non-protest” from us kannadigas (and marathis) has what has resulted in Karnataka (and Maharashtra) becoming the playground of the scoundrels that NI politicians are (more so than their rest-of-India compatriat politicians).
>>”We Kannadigas are losing out more by handing over protection of Kananda land and culture to street-rowdies.”
I’d rather Kannadiga rowdies ‘protect’ Kannada “land and culture” than their Bihari or Konga counterparts. Any problem?
>>”Not because we have to face unfair competition from Biharis in D group railway examination…..”
So do you atleast agree that there is “unfair” (criminally unfair, actually) competition? If so, what have you done or what do you propose to do about it? Sit and twiddle your thumbs? Jump at imagined slights to all the appas of the world? Sign “Laloo is like that wonly. Wonly in India wonly” character certificates to Laloo and his band of lumpen elements holding not just streets but entire ministries to ransom? KRV, on the other hand is doing something(even at the risk of not looking elegant) about it. Remember, KRV’s first step was to urge our MPs to handle it and only then did they decide to handle it themselves. If there were even a bone of intellectual honesty in you, you’d take issue with the gauris and tejaswinis and laloos before you’d harp on KRV’s methods.
Anyway, me sipping extra lota of halu this morning and reading news(sensationalised, of course) of northie parasites fleeing nasik.
Dr. Ramesh,
No need to tag nationalists or liberals or whoever with the central government’s inaction.
This is a problem and has to be solved by the central government along with the states.
Otherwise as you said – muted feeling will come out eventually. In spite of the wishes of people who want to just turn a blind eye as long as they are not affected or are themselves mass migrators.
Sisya,
Rightly said!
@anonymous,
You: There are ways of registering protests, violence is not one of those. If there were any irregularities in group D recruitments (I once saw a set of numbers, which I don’t have now, suggested otherwise, but those numbers may or may not have been correct.) goto the court of law.
Me: Find the discrepancies infavour of biharis here:
http://nadunudi.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/railu-biduvudu-2/
You: Trust me if there is a genuine case and its pointed out for everybody to see, the cause will get a symathatic ear from all and sundry, kanndiga or not. Violence means will only alienate people, not to mention the harm they do to the social fabric of the nation.
Me: You must be kidding !! Karnataka has always got raw deal from the courts. Latest in the series is the objection filed by TN about our check dams across Kaveri, when the tribunal has categorically told that KA is free to do whatever with it’s share of water and the supreme court accepts the case and summons KA.
The only answer to this is devolution of power to the states. Keep only the key areas under the centeral bill(defence, foreign affairs etc) and move the remaining areas to the state bill.
When a criminal state like J&K can be given so much autonomy why not the other states. What is so special about Kashmir which is not found in other states.
For this to happen our MPs should develop some testicular fortitude and fight for the rights of their state. Learn something from the TN members of the parliament.
@Pancharangi
If the violations indicated in the link that you have provided are true, any court of law will strike down the entire recruitment. These kind of violations cannot be done surreptiously and there would be enough evidence for the court to see if they are really there. It does not require street rowdies to be deployed for instant justice and put the state to shame, following the dubious examples set by rabid elemets like the Thackerys of Mumbai.
Latest, Champa wants Kannadigas to follow Raj Thackerey!!!! It is an open call to kill for Thackereys men have already killed three and are still on rampage. Champa should be sent to jail and kicked out of Kannada Sahhitya Parishat in the best interest of Kannadigas
It is sad to note how the symptom solving mentality is engulfing people with so-called liberal mindset. Mouthing cliches like “constitution of india grants freedom to move everywhere” dont’ make you nationalist.
A true nationalist is one who solves problems. So, if you want to solve problems first recognise that the problem is the over-population, sub-standard governance, excess-corruptin in UP and Bihar. The migration from UP and Bihar will one day make hell-holes of states like MH and karnataka just like UP and Bihar are today.
True nationalist journalists would grill Amar Singh, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mulayam in front of their voters why they have not reduced corruption or done enough to provide opportunities IN up and bihar.
I have never seen a person like Gauri Lankesh who openly & brazenly supports Naxalism. Her way of “journalism” is a sham. Even her father P.Lankesh was only good at “character assasination” and thereby resoting to extortion. They are extortionists.