ALOK PRASANNA writes from Hyderabad: While India launches a slick, high-decibel campaign to attract foreign tourists to Atulya Bharat, Indian state governments are simultaneously engaging in a crude, high-decibel campaign to throw out two foreigners from Indian territory.
Taslima Nasreen and Fiona MacKeown hardly fit the category of criminals or miscreants, but if you hear the announcements and statements being fed to the press by mantris, babus and assorted officialdom, you would think that they are somehow responsible for undermining the very existence of Indian state and society.
Consider Taslima’s case.
She has been assaulted (in Hyderabad), driven out of her adopted home (in Calcutta) and kept in a state of house arrest (in Delhi) all because she wrote a book. We let corrupt legislators off, watch as serial killers walk free, but treat an author like this because “religious sentiments” are hurt.
Never mind that not one person who claims to have bruised “religious sentiments” actually seems to have read the book.
The ultimate irony of this whole situation is that the campaign against her is being led most stridently by the apparently atheist, pro-feminist Left front government in West Bengal. It would be tempting to point out the BJP’s position on Taslima Nasreen’s fate, but knowing the BJP’s true position of freedom of speech and expression, the stench of hypocrisy is too difficulty to ignore.
Or what about Fiona MacKeown?
She would be, what British newspapers tend to derisively call, “chav”, but does that mean she has no right to see her daughter’s rapists and murderers punished? How does her parenting abilities exonerate the Goa police and government from the shoddy investigation and cover up that they engaged in?
The cake is taken by this statement issued by home minister Ravi Naik: “The girl died because the mother acted in an irresponsible manner. Tourists must behave properly and respect Goa’s culture and law of the land.”
Notice how casually the statement glosses over the guilt of the actual rapists (and possibly murderers). While they are presumed innocent till proven guilty, Fiona is presumed guilty of being responsible for daughter’s death.
Pray tell us, Mr. Home Minister sir, is “Goa’s culture” built around drugging and raping young girls? Are you so depraved a people that misguided young women are seen as nothing more than prey for the sexual predators among your people? And will this be the message that you want her t
o carry to all tourists about your “culture”.
It is not a mere co-incidence that both the victims/accused are women, and in one case, woman plus religious minority.
It is perhaps something of a national trait to blame women and minorities for the crimes committed against them. Think back to see how often the quick reaction to any rape/molestation /harassment is either quickly blamed on the kind of clothing worn, or responded to by imposing stricter dress regulations.
Or remember the ridiculous argument that “they deserved it”, every time a religious riot breaks out, because “they” ruled us once.
Is it thus any surprise that the Indian Government’s reaction to the events in Tibet is nothing more than the institutional equivalent of “We don’t give a shit” in diplomatese? After all, the Chinese also blame the Tibetans for the violence and the uprising despite the fact that the Dalai Lama has been repeatedly calling for peace and calm.
In any India-China comparison on the quality of life, infrastructure, economy, education and health we lag way behind China. We can be glad now that we match them blow for blow in human rights violations.
Photographs: durdesh.net, abcnews.com
Also read: ‘India is the loser if Hindus become communal’
7/ 8 children having different fathers.No source of income.Children aged 15 and below not studying but involved in drugs , alchohol, late nights , prostitution ( that is the word to be used ) .Waht can one expect.
Taslima ?? Considering that UPA is still limping and on crutches with left support , Congress cant do much.
Tibet : China claims Arunachal as its OWN and Not a SINGLE COMMIE has ever confirmed INDIA”S official posiition.So the response from the Congress was expected.
Wrt the troubles in Tibet, B.Raman has this to say about China’s press release printer in Madras.
http://ramanstrategicanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/03/peoples-daily-of-chennai-b.html
buDi alokappa. this is all buffalo on top water pouring like. neer waste-u. kuDiyaake neerilla neevu emme mele sureethini anthiralla.
idella alde ne, yaavano tirboki, jnu-ge innu hattu paTTu deNige koDbeku anta haTa hiD konD kootoune. avara jaay maanadaage, puska biTTu ond hott aadru nela noDidaava aa munDe makkLu? uppu, beLe rate gotta avakke?
Madam Fiona,
The state govt is right. If you werent smoking pot in Bangalore and sending your 15 year old daughter with someone whom you met a couple of weeks back to make merry, have sex and do more pot; I am sure that she would be very well alive. I wonder if in your attempt to bring justice to your daughter, if you forgot how completely misguided you were.
Is it Karma that is finally making you realize and fight for your own daughter? Touche.
You say “We can be glad now that we match them blow for blow in human rights violations.”: Remember that if you were a citizen of china and had said this about China you would have been in jail by now. India is far ahead in human rights. There is no free press in China. There is no free speech in China. There is no democracy in China. We in India do not realize how important each and every one of these elements are.
It is unfortunate that almost all countries including India have till now shied away from taking any action on China.
Very well written. Totally agree with this blog.
Well said PTC Bus. The commies are useful idiots whereever they are, and especially in India.
Look at what happened to the commies in Iran who were supporting the muslim clerics against the shah of Iran. Once the muslim clerics overthrew Shah and took control, their next target was the commies who helped them.
mayura,
Watched the animated movie ‘Persepolis’. A good account from the point of view of the niece of a card carrying communist in Iran at the time of the overthrow of the Shah and later. Need sub-titles if you don’t understand French. The Iranian government protested that the movie shows things in a negative way. And some irony (from wikipedia):
“However despite such objections, the Iranian cultural authorities relented in February of 2008 and allowed limited screenings of the film in Tehran, albeit with half a dozen scenes deleted due to sexual content.”
Which is strange since I didn’t see any sexual contents in the movie! Anyway – recommended watching.
Simply You saar, get your facts right at least- Ms Fiona was in Gokarna not bangalore and she has repeatedly denied using cannabis.
Even if by a wild stretch of imagination we were to presume that it was pot in Bangalore are you by any way suggesting that children of such parental cicumstances can expect such horrendous eventualities- wow and you call yourself a civilised human being!
Churumuri Sir,
Are we going to see a post on ‘Tibet’ since you are so worried about ‘human rights’ ?
Gaby Sir,
Please read the reports of the british press and watch the NDTV question hour where our very own Bakhra Dutt talks about the escapades of the mother and daughter. Apparently, Ms Fiona has slept with half the men in UK and has sons/daughters from atleast a quarter of them. Madam Fiona also confesses that she now knows that her daughter was taking pot and she also indicates that she knew of her daughters wild sex escapades.
Please get yourself updated.
Gaby says: any way suggesting that children of such parental cicumstances can expect such horrendous eventualities-
No sir. I didnt say such things. Please learn to read clearly. I am only moaning about how having an ounce of extra commonsense would have saved her daughter. Do you see me batting for the murderers anywhere?
@hari
Thanks
@SN
Whatever Fiona’s parental record may have been, it still does not take away the POlice’s failure to properly investigate the case.
She did perhaps fail in her duties as a parent, but that should not stop or hinder her efforts to get justice for her murdered daughter. We can’t use the former as an excuse to deny her the latter (as the Goa Govt. is trying to do to ensure that she is as far away as possible from the case).
No sir. I am not and no where indicating that justice to her daughter is already served when she got murdered.
I have also no where indicated that the police are doing a fantastic job by covering up the murder. Have I indicated that? No.
I am merely highlighting the wonderful life that Fiona has incorporated and passed on to her daughter. Period. Is there more confusion?
Maybe thats the problem – that you have not indicated anything else but the wonderful life of Fiona, which is the only character in the drama who you seem to get ‘personal’ about and point your moral lens at.
SumneNeeve,
You will find it difficult to have a normal relationship with women… Unless you manage to find someone from some bygone ages or one brought up in purdah all her life.
I suggest you get hold of some pot yourself. It will free you mind a little. Believe me.
AnonymousGuy: I tried pot once in the confines of my home, never in the company of strangers. (Get my point?).
Hari: My moral lens is keeping me safe and alive. Thank you very much.
Sumne,
Try it in the company of women. Which must mean strangers to you.
AnonGuy: Gladly. Perhaps, you could lend me some of them that you know like
For all the bickering that is going on here, no one, has indicated that what I have said is wrong merely asking me to stop concentrating on her character. Would love if someone spoke clearly if her character was nothing to do with this murder?
Sumne,
Contrary to what you may think – people are not things that you lend. But maybe that is the only way someone with your attitude towards women will have to do finally. Maybe you can try to ‘buy’ someone off the street. Though I doubt if you have the talent to do that…
Well, I see that my comments were too nice for this blog. I see that they have been deleted.
AG: you are quite right, I certainly lack the comment to pick whores off the streets or have the sense to act like a pimp. Why dont you show the way in how to act like a pimp. I sense that you are quite qaulified by the confidence in your posts. Is this talent perhaps handed down to you through generations? Please educate me