Versions of the following comment have appeared in :
Reuters.com: Krittivas Mukherjee Cricket row lands India reformist minister in trouble
Telegraph.co.uk: Ayaz Memon IPL 2010: Lalit Modi's Twitter controversy is no surprise
Telegraph.co.uk: Ayaz Memon IPL 2010: Kochi controversy shows action not limited to the pitch
The Independent: Andrew Buncombe India's tweeting cricket boss hits minister for six
The Independent: Andrew Buncombe How Twitter attack brought down the most popular tweeter in India
online Wall Street Journal.com: Tripti Lahiri India's Junior Foreign-Affairs Minister Resigns
blogs Wall Street Journal.com: Rupa Subrahmanya Dahejia India Journal: An Inconvenient Truth About Corruption
Newsweek: Samanth Subramaniam India’s Next Big Thing
SF Gate: Indian Cricket Chiefs to Meet Next Week on Franchise Scandal
M J Akbar is reported to have “insightfully” observed,”They went to war through the media…A veteran would have told them, had they but asked, that children in glasshouse nurseries shouldn’t throw stones.”
I have always puzzled that the popadum panjandrums of India’s media are always blaming those who seek recourse to the media for the expression of their views.
What’s wrong with that in a putative democracy ?
Also everybody knows in the subcontinent, nothing happens without “band baja”
I blog, Modi and Tharoor tweet, and our more forceful neighbours in Pakistan fire off their AK 47s and their IEDs.
M J Akbar is too coy to speak the truth about India’s ruling class.
And the truth is that Dr Manmohan Singh and his Congress party have been wishy washy, namby pamby, lackadaisical, mealy mouthed and covertly encouraging of corruption.
As long as the Eleventh Commandment – Thou Shalt Not Get Caught – was not broken, Dr Singh and his party could be relied upon to engage his considerable personal influence and the immense powers of his office to pour unction on roiling waters.
Faced with a eight day long furore and the cold fact of one of his brightest colleagues having been caught red handed, Dr Singh’s reported first response was, ” There are ups and downs in politics”.
Given such dissimulation from the Prime Minister Of India, a scholar with a reputation for probity, for those who stand up for the idea of the rule of law in India, there is only one long, unbroken “down”.
Till date nobody knows for sure whether Shri Tharoor has been fired for corruption or has merely had his Blackberry temporarily taken away from him.
In other words India is so mired in corruption, that it is for all practical purposes an administrative basket case.
Yesterday it was Satyam, today IPL, tomorrow what ?
It is in the context of Dr Manmohan Singh’s indecisiveness and the leading political parties’ ambivalence on the idea of the rule of law in India, that the following recounting of the most perverse injustice may be seen:
Twenty years ago – I had the privilege of having conceived, researched, scripted, edited, presented and produced a 37 minute Doordarshan commissioned documentary in Urdu,”Hyderabad. August 1948″, on the circumstances in which the 28 year old editor Shoebullah Khan of an Urdu newspaper, Imroose, was slaughtered, because of his open defiance of the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad.
The documentary was acclaimed nationally.
Historians of the calibre of Dr Bipan Chandra commended the meticulous research.
Freedom fighters expressed their gratitude that light had been shone on a chapter of history, which they believed had been obscured.
Among the most epiphanic reviews was the one by Dr Manmohan Singh’s former media adviser, currently editor of Business Standard and fellow Hyderabadi Dr Sanjaya Baru.
Under the informal chairmanship of Dr Abid Hussain, India’s former ambassador to the USA, I was able to organise a petition to the former Prime Minister Dr P V Narasimha Rao.
This resulted in a freedom fighter’s status and pension for the martyr’s wiidow, more than four decades after his supreme sacrifice.
However since the past two decades I have been hounded by the bureaucracy, with the Indian editorial class (with an occasional honourable exception)doing its bit to trivialise, denigrate and gag me.
My crime?
I have been outspoken – wrote an article in the editorial page of The Hindustan Times and The Pioneer- about corruption in Doordarshan – the Government’s so-called public service broadcaster.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbors to cut off my water supply.
Wajahat Habibullah and C D Arha have conducted themselves as though the RTI Act 2005 does not exist.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The AP high court sought independent legal opinion on my plaint, which was completely and unequivocally in my favour, and a judge issued a notice, yet the AP High Court high court denied me my right to competent counsel – a right given to the 26/11 gunman – and punished me for complaining.
The Prime Minister’s Office appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
In the same vein, it has and continues to illegally and fraudulently deny me the information I have sought.
Rashtrapathi Bhavan had issued notices to the Ministry of Law and the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh almost a year ago, presumably it has taken a prima facie view, but since then has been content to let matters fester in limbo.
In other words, even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
India’s editorial class always narcissistic has decayed and is useless.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in many abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of The Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/ :
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Grieving For The Bloodbath Of The Innocents
The following comment appeared in The Economist: Politics with bloodshed -
A slaughter reveals the inadequacy of India’s counterinsurgency effort
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:06 GMT
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - “Go along to get along” - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I grieve for the this and other bloodbaths that might follow.
An avoidable fiasco of this and various other kinds that splatter over the local television screens everyday reinforce the apprehension that despite the fantastic growth figures, India is fast deteriorating into an administrative nightmare and a bit of a basket case.
Readers are aware that for several years, I have been banging at the doors of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's Office, demanding that they step in and do all within their powers to bring accountability to the cascading delinquency of constitutional authorities that I have documented.
Unfortunately, both these august offices have not yet stirred.
They have demonstrated that they do not value life.
Their 'pontifical' silence demonstrates without any doubt, that they are too mired in perversity to care about the public weal.
Much more than the Vatican, Rashtrapathi Bhavan and Prime Minister's Office appear to be able only to blame the complainant and protect the offender.
In such a situation where the psychosis and necrophilia of the ruling classes are relieved only by the perennial Bollywood and IPL excitements, calamities, catastrophes and the bloodbath of innocents, appear preordained and inevitable.
A slaughter reveals the inadequacy of India’s counterinsurgency effort
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:06 GMT
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - “Go along to get along” - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I grieve for the this and other bloodbaths that might follow.
An avoidable fiasco of this and various other kinds that splatter over the local television screens everyday reinforce the apprehension that despite the fantastic growth figures, India is fast deteriorating into an administrative nightmare and a bit of a basket case.
Readers are aware that for several years, I have been banging at the doors of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's Office, demanding that they step in and do all within their powers to bring accountability to the cascading delinquency of constitutional authorities that I have documented.
Unfortunately, both these august offices have not yet stirred.
They have demonstrated that they do not value life.
Their 'pontifical' silence demonstrates without any doubt, that they are too mired in perversity to care about the public weal.
Much more than the Vatican, Rashtrapathi Bhavan and Prime Minister's Office appear to be able only to blame the complainant and protect the offender.
In such a situation where the psychosis and necrophilia of the ruling classes are relieved only by the perennial Bollywood and IPL excitements, calamities, catastrophes and the bloodbath of innocents, appear preordained and inevitable.
Democratic India's Dodgy Media - The Hindu's Modus Operandi Revealed
Boot-lick the powerful and ambitious Roman Catholic Church.
Bully the local khat panchayat.
The following comment was published in: The Economist: The Vatican's travails When walls are too high
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:51 GMT
Finally after years of careless silence, The Hindu finally bestirred itself to write a second editorial on this horrendous issue of pedophilia and systematic cover up in the RCC.
In another disturbing show of the Indian media's small mindedness and self hatred, the editorial stayed well within the safe boundary of recycling the well worn foreign criticisms of the RCC.
Not one word on what this might mean to the children and the RCC institutions in India!
To the best of my knowledge, there is very little from the vernacular media - especially television.
What an outrageous betrayal of India's health and future !
India's ruling classes are given to believe that sado masochism or the boot-licking/bullying thought and behaviour is a secret legacy of our ancient wisdom.
After its careful and tender licking of the RCC boots, The Hindu thundered on about a tiny so called "khap" panchayat from an India state.
From where I sit, this is yet another glimpse of a nauseating lack of self awareness by India's self celebratory ruling classes.
In my experience that I have documented, it is India's editorial classes colluding with the rhino hided babucracy, that are the truly barbaric panchayats that are the crushing burdens of India today.
With such a dodgy and deluded Indian media and authority, who needs the alleged 10 yuan armies ?
Recommend (3)
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:16 GMT
Earlier I had written:
India is crisscrossed by schools and other institutions run by Jesuits.
Yet thanks to India’s dodgy editorial class very few in India know that the Vatican has paid out close to a hundred million dollars to compensate for victims of child sexual abuse by albeit “a small minority” of priests.
The Indian media has barely reported that story.
Was the media’s heinous silence an act of concern for Indian children or a hideously wrongheaded act of leaving well enough alone ?
Abuse of power often happens in plain sight, since to the busy and self absorbed lay person, the powerful appear glamorous and formidable and their prey appear to be rebellious, despicable and in many ways, asking for it.
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I am able to feel deep appreciation for the heroes who spoke out and for those who heard them, felt outrage and who together managed to extract a measure of accountability from one of the most powerful and ambitious organisations on this planet.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a guilty silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
India’s editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
Recommend (4)
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:15 GMT
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/ :
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Recommend (4)
Bully the local khat panchayat.
The following comment was published in: The Economist: The Vatican's travails When walls are too high
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:51 GMT
Finally after years of careless silence, The Hindu finally bestirred itself to write a second editorial on this horrendous issue of pedophilia and systematic cover up in the RCC.
In another disturbing show of the Indian media's small mindedness and self hatred, the editorial stayed well within the safe boundary of recycling the well worn foreign criticisms of the RCC.
Not one word on what this might mean to the children and the RCC institutions in India!
To the best of my knowledge, there is very little from the vernacular media - especially television.
What an outrageous betrayal of India's health and future !
India's ruling classes are given to believe that sado masochism or the boot-licking/bullying thought and behaviour is a secret legacy of our ancient wisdom.
After its careful and tender licking of the RCC boots, The Hindu thundered on about a tiny so called "khap" panchayat from an India state.
From where I sit, this is yet another glimpse of a nauseating lack of self awareness by India's self celebratory ruling classes.
In my experience that I have documented, it is India's editorial classes colluding with the rhino hided babucracy, that are the truly barbaric panchayats that are the crushing burdens of India today.
With such a dodgy and deluded Indian media and authority, who needs the alleged 10 yuan armies ?
Recommend (3)
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:16 GMT
Earlier I had written:
India is crisscrossed by schools and other institutions run by Jesuits.
Yet thanks to India’s dodgy editorial class very few in India know that the Vatican has paid out close to a hundred million dollars to compensate for victims of child sexual abuse by albeit “a small minority” of priests.
The Indian media has barely reported that story.
Was the media’s heinous silence an act of concern for Indian children or a hideously wrongheaded act of leaving well enough alone ?
Abuse of power often happens in plain sight, since to the busy and self absorbed lay person, the powerful appear glamorous and formidable and their prey appear to be rebellious, despicable and in many ways, asking for it.
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I am able to feel deep appreciation for the heroes who spoke out and for those who heard them, felt outrage and who together managed to extract a measure of accountability from one of the most powerful and ambitious organisations on this planet.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a guilty silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
India’s editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
Recommend (4)
divakarssathya wrote:
Apr 9th 2010 3:15 GMT
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/ :
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Recommend (4)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Google's Sathyagraha
The following comment was published in:
Reuters: For Google Stock China Could Mark Turning Point
The Huffington Post : Sandeep Gopalan - Google's Faustian Bargain Unravels
SF Gate: Opinion Shop - If China unplugs Google ...
WIRED :Ryan Singel - Microsoft Tarred as Tyranny Abettor as Google Asks Feds to Promote Net Freedom
Dallas Morning Views: Jim Mitchell - Google, A Human Rights and Free Trade Warrior?
The Washington Post: Google's Good Deed In China
Online Wall Street Journal: Jessica E Vascellaro - Brin Drove Google to Pull Back in China
The Independent: Clifford Coonan - The Big Question: Is Google right to abandon its search engine in China over censorship?
Boston.com: John Pomfret - Google-China showdown is turning point
SF Gate:China vs. Google: A call to (government) arms
BBC - Maggie Shiels - dot.Maggie - a blog from Silicon Valley - Google's lonely stand
CNET News: Molly Rants - Molly Wood - Google leaving China: better late than never
Chicago Tribune: Google And Repression
Online Wall Street Journal:Gordon Crovitz - Google's Search Result: Hong Kong
miami herald.com:Edward Wasserman - Taking bricks from Great Wall
The Huffington Post: Libby Liu - China's Google Syndrome
The Huffington Post: Adam Hanft - Google Is the New "CorporNation" - Half Company, Half Virtual Government
Foreign Policy.com: Christian Caryl - Google Isn't China's Problem. Press Freedom Is.
The Morung Express: Source - Christian Science Monitor - Google and China: What Obama can learn
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - “Go along to get along” - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I can appreciate the doubt and ambivalence with which Google may currently be viewed.
But when big, influential corporates begin to value innocence and say “no” it portends interesting times.
Google’s Done Good.
Google has challenged the smug corporate assumption that business alone will liberate.
It will not.
Fellow traveling businesses will allow corrupt, inefficient and doltish coteries, cliques and regimes to bask from the reflected glory of hard won wars for equity, freedom, enlightenment and excellence that have been fought in societies that have produced such new, thoughtful responses.
Fellow traveling businesses, that squander their freedom and slip into cozy relationships with the authorities betray the ” poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak” in the case of even democracies these are all those without a vote – children, the environment and the future.
Such businesses produce cynicism, and conformism, not innovation and wonder.
Such businesses die slow, inglorious deaths.
Google’s decisions – first to engage and then draw the lakshmanrekha – the line in the sand – are both that will inspire life conscious people.
Creative people are quixotic.
Mahatma Gandhi was when he took on the might of the empire with stubbed pencils and recycled envelopes.
Erich Fromm characterizes revolutionaries as those imbued with “a passion for independence, a passion for justice, a passion to serve the unfolding of life” . He may have been describing the quintessential Quixote.
This is not to underestimate to quantum of insanity on this planet.
It takes the whole village to create fun alternatives to psychotic behaviour.
In other words, this is not a moment for corporate schadenfreude or voyuerism.
Remember the lessons from Nazi Germany. They first came for the trade unions. Remember apartheid South Africa.
Abuse of power often happens in plain sight, since to the busy and self absorbed lay person, the powerful appear glamorous and formidable and their prey appear to be rebellious, despicable and in many ways, to be asking for it.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a guilty silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
India’s editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at
http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Obviously, internet freedom is not complete without privacy.
But I am grateful for even this “free” scrap.
Till I put some money on this P III, the ruling class of India had believed it had consumed me with their toast.
I now have had the dignity at least of telling a little bit of my side.
Reuters: For Google Stock China Could Mark Turning Point
The Huffington Post : Sandeep Gopalan - Google's Faustian Bargain Unravels
SF Gate: Opinion Shop - If China unplugs Google ...
WIRED :Ryan Singel - Microsoft Tarred as Tyranny Abettor as Google Asks Feds to Promote Net Freedom
Dallas Morning Views: Jim Mitchell - Google, A Human Rights and Free Trade Warrior?
The Washington Post: Google's Good Deed In China
Online Wall Street Journal: Jessica E Vascellaro - Brin Drove Google to Pull Back in China
The Independent: Clifford Coonan - The Big Question: Is Google right to abandon its search engine in China over censorship?
Boston.com: John Pomfret - Google-China showdown is turning point
SF Gate:China vs. Google: A call to (government) arms
BBC - Maggie Shiels - dot.Maggie - a blog from Silicon Valley - Google's lonely stand
CNET News: Molly Rants - Molly Wood - Google leaving China: better late than never
Chicago Tribune: Google And Repression
Online Wall Street Journal:Gordon Crovitz - Google's Search Result: Hong Kong
miami herald.com:Edward Wasserman - Taking bricks from Great Wall
The Huffington Post: Libby Liu - China's Google Syndrome
The Huffington Post: Adam Hanft - Google Is the New "CorporNation" - Half Company, Half Virtual Government
Foreign Policy.com: Christian Caryl - Google Isn't China's Problem. Press Freedom Is.
The Morung Express: Source - Christian Science Monitor - Google and China: What Obama can learn
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - “Go along to get along” - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I can appreciate the doubt and ambivalence with which Google may currently be viewed.
But when big, influential corporates begin to value innocence and say “no” it portends interesting times.
Google’s Done Good.
Google has challenged the smug corporate assumption that business alone will liberate.
It will not.
Fellow traveling businesses will allow corrupt, inefficient and doltish coteries, cliques and regimes to bask from the reflected glory of hard won wars for equity, freedom, enlightenment and excellence that have been fought in societies that have produced such new, thoughtful responses.
Fellow traveling businesses, that squander their freedom and slip into cozy relationships with the authorities betray the ” poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak” in the case of even democracies these are all those without a vote – children, the environment and the future.
Such businesses produce cynicism, and conformism, not innovation and wonder.
Such businesses die slow, inglorious deaths.
Google’s decisions – first to engage and then draw the lakshmanrekha – the line in the sand – are both that will inspire life conscious people.
Creative people are quixotic.
Mahatma Gandhi was when he took on the might of the empire with stubbed pencils and recycled envelopes.
Erich Fromm characterizes revolutionaries as those imbued with “a passion for independence, a passion for justice, a passion to serve the unfolding of life” . He may have been describing the quintessential Quixote.
This is not to underestimate to quantum of insanity on this planet.
It takes the whole village to create fun alternatives to psychotic behaviour.
In other words, this is not a moment for corporate schadenfreude or voyuerism.
Remember the lessons from Nazi Germany. They first came for the trade unions. Remember apartheid South Africa.
Abuse of power often happens in plain sight, since to the busy and self absorbed lay person, the powerful appear glamorous and formidable and their prey appear to be rebellious, despicable and in many ways, to be asking for it.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a guilty silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
India’s editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at
http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Obviously, internet freedom is not complete without privacy.
But I am grateful for even this “free” scrap.
Till I put some money on this P III, the ruling class of India had believed it had consumed me with their toast.
I now have had the dignity at least of telling a little bit of my side.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Pope And The Prime Minister's Office - Unfortunate Similarities
The following comment was published in:
The Guardian.co.uk Saying sorry is not enough
Online Wall Street Journal: Scandal Shakes Catholics In Bavaria
Newsweek: Pope Benedict's Underwhelming Response
telegraph.co.uk: Cardinal Brady Must Go
Global Post - Connor O'Clery: Ireland Greets Pope's Apology With Skepticism
Reuters - US Edition - Faith World - Religion Faith And Ethics - Pope-victims gap is tip of iceberg of incomprehension in Catholic Church
Telegraph.co.uk: Damian Thompson - More Catholic-baiting from The Times
The Independent: Leading article: A landmark for Ireland, if not yet for Catholicism
The Independent : Bruce Anderson: Only a different leadership can save the Irish church
timesonline:Richard Owen - Vatican and Nico Hines Pope Benedict XVI 'knew child abuser allowed back to work'
cnn: connect the world
npr news blog:the two way-Punish Pope, Other Church Officials: Sex-Abuse Victim
The Daily Beast: Dirk Johnson - A Shocking Priest Abuse Tale
US News & World Report:John Aloysius Farrell - Catholics, Police Must Act to Stop Sexual Abuse in the Church
The American Spectator: Joseph Lawler - Benedict And The Media
The Economist: Papal Vulnerability - Pope Benedict XVI is losing popularity
India is crisscrossed by schools and other institutions run by Jesuits.
Yet thanks to India’s dodgy editorial class very few in India know that the Vatican has paid out close to a hundred million dollars to compensate for victims of child sexual abuse by albeit “a small minority” of priests.
The Indian media has barely reported that story.
Was the media’s heinous silence an act of concern for Indian children or a hideously wrongheaded act of leaving well enough alone ?
Abuse of power often happens in plain sight, since to the busy and self absorbed lay person, the powerful appear glamorous and formidable and their prey appear to be rebellious, despicable and in many ways, asking for it.
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I am able to feel deep appreciation for the heroes who spoke out and for those who heard them, felt outrage and who together managed to extract a measure of accountability from one of the most powerful and ambitious organisations on this planet.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a guilty silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
India’s editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/ :
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
The Guardian.co.uk Saying sorry is not enough
Online Wall Street Journal: Scandal Shakes Catholics In Bavaria
Newsweek: Pope Benedict's Underwhelming Response
telegraph.co.uk: Cardinal Brady Must Go
Global Post - Connor O'Clery: Ireland Greets Pope's Apology With Skepticism
Reuters - US Edition - Faith World - Religion Faith And Ethics - Pope-victims gap is tip of iceberg of incomprehension in Catholic Church
Telegraph.co.uk: Damian Thompson - More Catholic-baiting from The Times
The Independent: Leading article: A landmark for Ireland, if not yet for Catholicism
The Independent : Bruce Anderson: Only a different leadership can save the Irish church
timesonline:Richard Owen - Vatican and Nico Hines Pope Benedict XVI 'knew child abuser allowed back to work'
cnn: connect the world
npr news blog:the two way-Punish Pope, Other Church Officials: Sex-Abuse Victim
The Daily Beast: Dirk Johnson - A Shocking Priest Abuse Tale
US News & World Report:John Aloysius Farrell - Catholics, Police Must Act to Stop Sexual Abuse in the Church
The American Spectator: Joseph Lawler - Benedict And The Media
The Economist: Papal Vulnerability - Pope Benedict XVI is losing popularity
India is crisscrossed by schools and other institutions run by Jesuits.
Yet thanks to India’s dodgy editorial class very few in India know that the Vatican has paid out close to a hundred million dollars to compensate for victims of child sexual abuse by albeit “a small minority” of priests.
The Indian media has barely reported that story.
Was the media’s heinous silence an act of concern for Indian children or a hideously wrongheaded act of leaving well enough alone ?
Abuse of power often happens in plain sight, since to the busy and self absorbed lay person, the powerful appear glamorous and formidable and their prey appear to be rebellious, despicable and in many ways, asking for it.
As somebody who has conscientiously refused to do business the way it “normally” is in so called democratic societies - I will not pay bribes - and who has been almost destroyed for my pains, I am able to feel deep appreciation for the heroes who spoke out and for those who heard them, felt outrage and who together managed to extract a measure of accountability from one of the most powerful and ambitious organisations on this planet.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the “patronage paradigm” – the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption” – and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me by one former Chief Minister of my state, one former minister of home affairs, one speaker of the Lok Sabha, several prominent ministers of the central cabinet, eminent intellectuals and freedom fighters.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh”s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all locked in a most perverse and ignominious conspiracy of silence to deny me justice.
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a guilty silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
India’s editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it “impact”.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our “know-it-all-in -chiefs” have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
What about “civil society” in India ?
Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS (Aruna Roy)and Anna Hazare regarding this cascading delinquency of constitutional bodies in India.
There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in helpless denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been hounded and humiliated since two decades, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
Please visit and participate at http://sathyagraha.blogspot.com/ :
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Compelling Criminality. Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Citizens Risk Lives Seeking Information.
The following comment was published on The FOI Advocate
The official blog of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the FOI ADVOCATE, in which we bring news of freedom of information developments far and wide... NFOIC is a coalition of state groups dedicated to open government, headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism.
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is the "patronage paradigm" - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
The official blog of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the FOI ADVOCATE, in which we bring news of freedom of information developments far and wide... NFOIC is a coalition of state groups dedicated to open government, headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism.
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is the "patronage paradigm" - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
Suspension Of Conscience
The following comment was published on Next.com February 10, 2010
For a quick and easy way to be outcast, outlawed, to be put forever beyond the pale, whatever, try this.
Try standing up for the idea of the rule of law.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining. Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad. However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled. It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao. That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot. But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
What about "civil society" in India ? Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS and Anna Hazare regarding this serial delinquency of constitutional bodies in India . There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in deep denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been relentlessly persecuted, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
For a quick and easy way to be outcast, outlawed, to be put forever beyond the pale, whatever, try this.
Try standing up for the idea of the rule of law.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining. Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad. However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled. It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao. That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot. But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
What about "civil society" in India ? Since close to a year now, I have written to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Campaign for Judicial Accountability And Reform, Forum For Judicial Accountability, MKSS and Anna Hazare regarding this serial delinquency of constitutional bodies in India . There has not been one constructive response.
They all appear to be in deep denial of the awful truth that an innocent citizen has been relentlessly persecuted, not for any bad behaviour or wrongdoing, but for resisting the dilution of the values of the Indian constitution and standing up for the correct administration of the Right To Information Act 2005.
India's Real Estate Boom Is on Shaky Ground
The following comment was published on the online Wall Street Journal March 7, 2010
Like the smile of the Cheshire cat, the "license raj" may putatively have disappeared, but the the "kickback raj" sure has not.
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
That is why many suspect India's growth story may be mere a smoke and mirrors illusion built on swamp land.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations.
Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
Like the smile of the Cheshire cat, the "license raj" may putatively have disappeared, but the the "kickback raj" sure has not.
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
That is why many suspect India's growth story may be mere a smoke and mirrors illusion built on swamp land.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations.
Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
India's Unequal Political Landscape
The following comment appeared in guardian.co.uk India's unequal political landscape
Only the corrupt, predatory, servant seeking ruling class will dance to visions of an effulgent future, with the passage of this or that law.
The way the "system' is run, benefits will accrue to a small, monstrous minority, beyond all dreams of avarice.
The rest will consider themselves lucky to be favoured as servants, sycophants, propagandists of the brutal few.
In a system where the "success" of the few inevitably creates squalor for the rest, where the media does its truth by numbers, where the judiciary is blithely compliant with the rich , where education is as much a racket , lets not expect, that we have arrived at any envisioned Ram Rajya, "where the mind is without fear and the head is held high"
Because:
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
That is why many suspect India's growth story may be mere a smoke and mirrors illusion built on swamp land.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court?s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India?s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan?s, ?no excuses?, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations.
Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
Only the corrupt, predatory, servant seeking ruling class will dance to visions of an effulgent future, with the passage of this or that law.
The way the "system' is run, benefits will accrue to a small, monstrous minority, beyond all dreams of avarice.
The rest will consider themselves lucky to be favoured as servants, sycophants, propagandists of the brutal few.
In a system where the "success" of the few inevitably creates squalor for the rest, where the media does its truth by numbers, where the judiciary is blithely compliant with the rich , where education is as much a racket , lets not expect, that we have arrived at any envisioned Ram Rajya, "where the mind is without fear and the head is held high"
Because:
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
That is why many suspect India's growth story may be mere a smoke and mirrors illusion built on swamp land.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court?s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India?s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan?s, ?no excuses?, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations.
Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
BBC chickens out ?
I am saddened and disappointed that my exhaustive and factual comments about my nearly two decade long personal experience in dealing with brazen abuse of power issues - in effect administrative or professional dysfunctionality or incompetence - appear to have been held back since days by moderators on this site.
This appeasement by the bbc of an atrocious conspiracy of silence is barbaric.
However if the bbc's heart is in the right place, you may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
This appeasement by the bbc of an atrocious conspiracy of silence is barbaric.
However if the bbc's heart is in the right place, you may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tendulkaristics Are The Right Of All Human Beings
The following comment was published in:
The Independent.co.uk Sachin Tendulkar: Little Master
Global Post The Michael Jordan Of India by Jason Overdorf
Wisden Cricketeer Tendulkar, a thank you John Stern
bbc.co.uk Soutik Biswas's India How Does Sachin Tendulkar Do It ?
The Straits Times: The Wonder That Is Sachin Tendulkar
Guardian.co.uk : Is Sachin Tendulkar The Best Batsman Ever ?
Thaiindian News: Andhra assembly congratulates Tendulkar on ODI double ton
The Wall Street Journal: Sachin Breaks ODI Record, Slams 200 Runs
The Daily Inquirer: Sachin Score 200: Sachin Tendulkar breaks ODI record
Sport.co.uk: Tendulkar smashes record breaking ODI Double hundred
bleacher report.com:Surely You Must Be Joking, Mr Fletcher?
The right to be soft spoken and heard, the right to be honest, correct and productive in one's relationships, the right to choose one's field of endeavour , however outlandish and even extravagant it might seem, the right to be supported by "the village" in one's quest for excellence and joy, the right not to deteriorate into a cynical, necrophilous slob,the right to be true to one's country and people, the right to earn the right to pass on one's knowledge to whosoever shows an interest, and the right to the good life that ensues; these Tendulkaristics are the rights of every human being.
It says something about humanity in the 21st century that these are rights are so rarely respected, leave alone supported, that Sachin Tendulkar stands almost alone in embodying them.
The Dalai Lama and Aung San Su Kyi are in their own way exemplars of integrity and excellence, but why have we not been able to receive their benedictions to the the fullest ?
Even in sports India, citizens were recently witness to the Olympic Gold Medallist Abhinav Bindra and earlier the entire hockey become "activists" and get involved in a"panga" (tussle) with the authorities to receive proper playing conditions.
I place my own “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India,now in its 18th year, in a similar category of my quest for my right to love, to play and to excel.
Since the media and civil society in India prefer to ride bandwagons and idolize, rather than apply their imaginations and responsibility, I appeal to your esteemed publication and your readers to get my message across to the powers that be in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's Office in India.
It says a lot about the infantile and narcissistic character of these two august offices of the Indian state, that they have since months, given the strong impression of abusing their immense power by instigating and sustaining a conspiracy of silence against me.
It is in this larger context that I make the following observations:
In India today any “aspiration” nursed by the “common man” for integrity, innovation or excellence, can quickly get “him” ostracised if not brutally killed.
And in the stilted political discourse manufactured by India’s ruling class the “common woman” does not even exist !
A culture of profiting from deceit and dysfunctionality appears to have enveloped India.
And even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its “politics” are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the “patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption that has cretinised us all”
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh’s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a sane, unexploitative, equitable life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
India’s Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister’s office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler .
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar’s Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Thank you for your attention.
It has been an 18 year long innings and thanks to the unwillingness of the various leaders of the Indian state to own up to their various delinquencies, I continue to be hounded for my innocence.
Not cricket.
Deepan Joshi responds:
Keep the faith Diwakar; and you will get your due just try and make it easy on yourself and on others as well. What you are is your lookout and what the others are is in a broad sense their lookout.
divakarssathya draws Shri Joshi's attention to a small detail:
Thanks for your carefully considered response Deepan.
BTW, I spell my name with a V. It is DiVakar.
Cheers!
The Independent.co.uk Sachin Tendulkar: Little Master
Global Post The Michael Jordan Of India by Jason Overdorf
Wisden Cricketeer Tendulkar, a thank you John Stern
bbc.co.uk Soutik Biswas's India How Does Sachin Tendulkar Do It ?
The Straits Times: The Wonder That Is Sachin Tendulkar
Guardian.co.uk : Is Sachin Tendulkar The Best Batsman Ever ?
Thaiindian News: Andhra assembly congratulates Tendulkar on ODI double ton
The Wall Street Journal: Sachin Breaks ODI Record, Slams 200 Runs
The Daily Inquirer: Sachin Score 200: Sachin Tendulkar breaks ODI record
Sport.co.uk: Tendulkar smashes record breaking ODI Double hundred
bleacher report.com:Surely You Must Be Joking, Mr Fletcher?
The right to be soft spoken and heard, the right to be honest, correct and productive in one's relationships, the right to choose one's field of endeavour , however outlandish and even extravagant it might seem, the right to be supported by "the village" in one's quest for excellence and joy, the right not to deteriorate into a cynical, necrophilous slob,the right to be true to one's country and people, the right to earn the right to pass on one's knowledge to whosoever shows an interest, and the right to the good life that ensues; these Tendulkaristics are the rights of every human being.
It says something about humanity in the 21st century that these are rights are so rarely respected, leave alone supported, that Sachin Tendulkar stands almost alone in embodying them.
The Dalai Lama and Aung San Su Kyi are in their own way exemplars of integrity and excellence, but why have we not been able to receive their benedictions to the the fullest ?
Even in sports India, citizens were recently witness to the Olympic Gold Medallist Abhinav Bindra and earlier the entire hockey become "activists" and get involved in a"panga" (tussle) with the authorities to receive proper playing conditions.
I place my own “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India,now in its 18th year, in a similar category of my quest for my right to love, to play and to excel.
Since the media and civil society in India prefer to ride bandwagons and idolize, rather than apply their imaginations and responsibility, I appeal to your esteemed publication and your readers to get my message across to the powers that be in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's Office in India.
It says a lot about the infantile and narcissistic character of these two august offices of the Indian state, that they have since months, given the strong impression of abusing their immense power by instigating and sustaining a conspiracy of silence against me.
It is in this larger context that I make the following observations:
In India today any “aspiration” nursed by the “common man” for integrity, innovation or excellence, can quickly get “him” ostracised if not brutally killed.
And in the stilted political discourse manufactured by India’s ruling class the “common woman” does not even exist !
A culture of profiting from deceit and dysfunctionality appears to have enveloped India.
And even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its “politics” are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the “patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption that has cretinised us all”
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh’s office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, “You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar.”
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta’s “Outlook” has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published “spin” by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a sane, unexploitative, equitable life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
India’s Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister’s office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister’s Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler .
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar’s Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity’s struggle to honour the gift of life.
Thank you for your attention.
It has been an 18 year long innings and thanks to the unwillingness of the various leaders of the Indian state to own up to their various delinquencies, I continue to be hounded for my innocence.
Not cricket.
Deepan Joshi responds:
Keep the faith Diwakar; and you will get your due just try and make it easy on yourself and on others as well. What you are is your lookout and what the others are is in a broad sense their lookout.
divakarssathya draws Shri Joshi's attention to a small detail:
Thanks for your carefully considered response Deepan.
BTW, I spell my name with a V. It is DiVakar.
Cheers!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
In The Economist - Kind Words For Divakar
The Economist published the following comment in the article The Politics Of Repression In China - What Is China Afraid Of ?
What are they afraid of?
Feb 23rd 2010 2:45 GMT
Even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all".
In India today, a culture of profiting from deceit,dysfunctionality and decay is flourishing.
In this culture of perversity, monstrous behavior is the ticket to wealth and domination.
In India today, the "Common Man" - a typically feudal pejorative - who 'aspires' to be an intelligent citizen might be labelled "goody-goody", ostracised and brutally killed.
It takes a whole village and the recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
In my experience India's editorial class is as dense, amoral and narcissistic.
Variations of this comment have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the professionalism to pick it up and make it "impact".
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
Our "know-it-all-in -chiefs" have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist and fixer, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a good life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations.
Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler.
To which East Wind responded:
What are they afraid of?
Feb 23rd 2010 3:15 GMT
@ divakarssathya
THANK YOU FOR a most truthful posting
STRAIGHT FROM the heart
The truth, nothing but the truth
You , sir , are a man of honour
All decent people on this forum salute you
This made divakarssathya go all mellow:
Feb 24th 2010 6:17 GMT
Dear East Wind.
Thank you for your very thoughtful and kind response.
I am willing to bet that almost every intelligent Indian who has had an opportunity to study abroad has a bunch of Chinese, Korean, African, Black, Latino, Paki, Jewish and of course Anglo friends, whose memories still bring a smile to his face.
Let us rage against the machine and wish that we will all live to watch our grandchildren play with each other.
Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Corruption Engulfs The Indian Army
The following comment was published by Macleans.CA in their story entitled Corruption Engulfs The Indian Army
In the culture of profiting from deceit and dysfunctionality that has developed in India, the problem is that even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all"
In India today any "aspiration" nursed by the "common man" for integrity, innovation or excellence, can quickly get "him" ostracised if not brutally killed.
And in the stilted political discourse manufactured by India's ruling class the "common woman" does not even exist !
The recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
And now, unfortunately, between various Chiefs Of Army and real estate agents.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a sane, unexploitative, equitable life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler .
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
In the culture of profiting from deceit and dysfunctionality that has developed in India, the problem is that even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all"
In India today any "aspiration" nursed by the "common man" for integrity, innovation or excellence, can quickly get "him" ostracised if not brutally killed.
And in the stilted political discourse manufactured by India's ruling class the "common woman" does not even exist !
The recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
And now, unfortunately, between various Chiefs Of Army and real estate agents.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a sane, unexploitative, equitable life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler .
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
Any struggle against a predatory authority is humanity's struggle to honour the gift of life.
21st Century Governance
The following comment was published in the article 21st Century Governance by David Osborne of the Public Strategies Group on Forbes India Online
It is heartening that Shri Osborne and other fine minds outside India are applying themselves to issues of good governance.
In the culture of profiting from deceit and dysfunctionality that has developed in India, the problem is that even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all"
In India today any "aspiration" for integrity, innovation or excellence, in the "common man" can quickly get "him" ostracised if not brutally killed.
The "common woman" does not even exist !
The recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Very little difference between the judiciary, the administration, the legislature and the press.
They all know that while being "goody-goody" - can quickly mark you out for destruction, bad, perverse, dysfunctional behaviour is the capital with which money and power, beyond all dreams of avarice, are accumulated.
My fear is despite the fantastic growth figures, India is fast deteriorating into an administrative nightmare and a bit of a basket case.
Transparency and accountability are the mantras that will create the necessary paradigm shift into an autonomous, functioning society.
The Right To Information Act 2005 is a brilliant piece of legislation.
But count on the bureaucrats to racketeer on this too.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh’s Office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in a criminal conspiracy to deny me justice.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary has misbehaved egregiously.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a sane, unexploitative, equitable life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler .
A variation of the above comment was also published in the Wall Street Journal
It is heartening that Shri Osborne and other fine minds outside India are applying themselves to issues of good governance.
In the culture of profiting from deceit and dysfunctionality that has developed in India, the problem is that even while the Indian political leadership spins technicolour dreams of 21st century superpowerdom, its "politics" are mired in the medieval anachronisms of what I have called the "patronage paradigm - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption, that has cretinised us all"
In India today any "aspiration" for integrity, innovation or excellence, in the "common man" can quickly get "him" ostracised if not brutally killed.
The "common woman" does not even exist !
The recently exposed Ruchika Girhotra case and my own experience indicate that checks and balances have collapsed and coalesced into one corrupt predatory ruling class.
Very little difference between the judiciary, the administration, the legislature and the press.
They all know that while being "goody-goody" - can quickly mark you out for destruction, bad, perverse, dysfunctional behaviour is the capital with which money and power, beyond all dreams of avarice, are accumulated.
My fear is despite the fantastic growth figures, India is fast deteriorating into an administrative nightmare and a bit of a basket case.
Transparency and accountability are the mantras that will create the necessary paradigm shift into an autonomous, functioning society.
The Right To Information Act 2005 is a brilliant piece of legislation.
But count on the bureaucrats to racketeer on this too.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh’s Office, “Daredevil” Pratibha Patil’s Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in a criminal conspiracy to deny me justice.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary has misbehaved egregiously.
If you would like to know about the sheer impossibility of living a sane, unexploitative, equitable life in India, you and your esteemed visitors may want to visit and participate at sathyagraha.blogspot.com
Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09
RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09
Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09
Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09
And India’s editorial class will not report the story!
Divakar's Sathyagraha
News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the idea of the rule of law in India.
Now in its 18th year.
India's Home Minister has called on civil society to speak out against Maoist depredations. Will he kindly let me know why Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Prime Minister's office have not taken appropriate action on the representations made on my behalf by the former Home Minister Shri Indrajit Gupta, Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao and others ?
Even as the Prime Minister's Office maintains a baleful and ignominious silence in my case, it appears to have jumped through hoops to heap honour on a businessman alleged to be a serial swindler .
A variation of the above comment was also published in the Wall Street Journal
Sunday, February 14, 2010
More "anonymous" appreciation on Fumiko Nagano's blog
The Hokey Herd ?
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 23:09.
It is instructive that while most of your participants go on and on about this hokey zero rupee note idea, only one appears to have taken the trouble to visit Divakar's Sathyagraha - a live, non cooperation struggle against corruption in India.
The herd that will scramble to seek favors from a Big Power by flattering its silliness and ignore individuals like Divakar who are trying real things - that is the corruption.
Maybe I am being too hard on the zero rupee note, but why not try the real thing ? Why not hand out real greenbacks ?
Surely, the honest, suffering Indian may deserve them more than the so called "good Taliban " ?
But the most repugnant aspect of the zero rupee note is that the giver of the note puts himself on a pedestal not through any struggle, evolution or suggestion of equity but merely through an alienated, mechanistic and capitalist process.
The fact that neither the President nor the Prime Minister of India have been able to respond to Divakar's documented criticism indicates the awful grimness of the abject helplessness of the Indian state in dealing with its lawlessness.
If the President and Prime Minister are "helpless", then God alone can help and zero rupee notes are merely cute distractions.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sixty Years Of Change In India
The following comment was published by The Guardian UK
For a quick and easy way to be outcast, outlawed, to be put forever beyond the pale, whatever, try this.
Try standing up for the idea of the rule of law.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
Melting Pots responded:
@divakarssathya
For a quick and easy way to be outcast, outlawed, to be put forever beyond the pale, whatever, try this.
Try standing up for the idea of the rule of law.
I very much sympathise with you.
Whatever you have said is not something new and they are just the echoes of what already been told over and over again. It's bit of a silly of us to expect that "Rule of Law" will ever take its place and justice will prevail. You are just a sprat, not a shark!
Unless you are politically influential, or powerful enough to intimidate, you plea for justice is a waste. Media work not to highlight the absence of "Rule of Law" but to promote the interests of the ruling class and thugs.
I will be surprised if your comment is not removed! Good luck!
divakarssathya took the high ground:
Bless your kind heart Melting Pots.
It does occur to me that with the precious life you used up to express your angst, you may have written to the editor , guardian to investigate my claims and do a story.
Its better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
To the editor; on the subject of the influence of the guardian in the US, my feedjit has lit up with - presumably - your esteemed visitors from across the Atlantic.
Thanks, guys. Give a thought to the story, will ya.
Thanks Craig Jeffrey
For a quick and easy way to be outcast, outlawed, to be put forever beyond the pale, whatever, try this.
Try standing up for the idea of the rule of law.
Since the past two decades, the Government of India, the Government of my own state, Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh High Court , the Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner have combined to impress on me that what works in India is what I have called the "patronage paradigm" - the paradigm of shoddiness, irresponsibility, cronyism and corruption - and that ideas of the rule of law and democratic processes are merely spectacles to lull the gullible.
I have been denied the recognition that were commended to me.
I have been unable to earn a decent living.
The office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh incited my neighbours to cut off my water supply.
The information commissions in the state and at the centre denied me my right to information on spurious, brazenly illegal grounds and punished me for daring to object.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in the inimitable manner of the Indian judiciary, has misbehaved egregiously.
The high court denied me my right to competent counsel and punished me for complaining.
Even as we speak, Dr Manmohan Singh's office, "Daredevil" Pratibha Patil's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, State Information Commissioner CD Arha are all in an obvious conspiracy to deny me justice.
Why are we so abysmally cynical and hopeless that conditions will continue to remain outrageously inhuman in India?
One simple reason: The following comment or variations of it have appeared in almost every major Indian online publication plus in a few abroad.
However, not a single editor or reporter has had the nous to pick it up and work it to the max.
My credentials are strong and I have taken much trouble to meet many editors personally, usually on impeccable referrals.
And of course our editors know it all. They have had nothing but smirks to offer.
When I sought the solidarity of the press, Shekhar Gupta (editor in chief of New Indian Express) advised me, "You cannot go around taking pangas (quarrels) with people, yaar."
Even my comments are mutilated.
Vinod Mehta's "Outlook" has banned my comments on risible grounds.
The Hindu crawled.
It published "spin" by corrupt officials and got hissy with me for pointing out, with evidence, its craven, yellow soul.
The Indian Press (with a solitary exception) blacked out the fervent open letter written by Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao.
That dear man , clear as a bell in his nineties, had laid his head on my shoulder, hugged me and wept.
In India today, it is difficult to tell the difference between policeman and journalist, politician and criminal, lawyer and judge, Indian Administrative Service Officer and the village idiot.
But they all are laughing all the way to their offshore accounts.
Melting Pots responded:
@divakarssathya
For a quick and easy way to be outcast, outlawed, to be put forever beyond the pale, whatever, try this.
Try standing up for the idea of the rule of law.
I very much sympathise with you.
Whatever you have said is not something new and they are just the echoes of what already been told over and over again. It's bit of a silly of us to expect that "Rule of Law" will ever take its place and justice will prevail. You are just a sprat, not a shark!
Unless you are politically influential, or powerful enough to intimidate, you plea for justice is a waste. Media work not to highlight the absence of "Rule of Law" but to promote the interests of the ruling class and thugs.
I will be surprised if your comment is not removed! Good luck!
divakarssathya took the high ground:
Bless your kind heart Melting Pots.
It does occur to me that with the precious life you used up to express your angst, you may have written to the editor , guardian to investigate my claims and do a story.
Its better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
To the editor; on the subject of the influence of the guardian in the US, my feedjit has lit up with - presumably - your esteemed visitors from across the Atlantic.
Thanks, guys. Give a thought to the story, will ya.
Thanks Craig Jeffrey
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
From Indonesia With Love
Editorial: Our friend India
The Jakarta Post | Tue, 01/26/2010 10:14 AM | Opinion
Today we share the joy of the Indian people as they celebrate their 60th National Day, remembering the historic moment when India adopted a new Constitution as a republic on Jan. 26, 1950. Different from Indonesia, which adopted its Constitution as a republic a day after our founding fathers declared Indonesia’s independence on Aug. 17, 1945, India endorsed its Constitution nearly three years after it declared its sovereignty from the British colonists on Aug. 15, 1947.
We congratulate the Indian people whose Constitution has led the country to become the world’s largest democracy and one of the major pillars of political and security stability on the continent. Indonesia has followed India’s example and has now become the world’s third-largest democracy after India and the United States. It is not just in democracy where we have learned from India; the subcontinent’s culture also has a very strong influence on Indonesia. We also need to learn from them how to develop our education. Who can deny the high quality of India’s education system?
It is a matter of eternal record that India played a major role in our struggle for independence. The deep friendship between leaders of the two countries flourished long before both countries could enjoy their independence. Indian leader Jawaharlal Nehru quickly offered his help to our founding fathers Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta.
During the Cold War, Indonesia and India became anchors of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and in 1955 the two countries were among key players in organizing the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, West Java. Bilateral relations between the two countries are also still rapidly growing.
India and China are fast becoming regional — even global — economic, political and military superpowers. A strong India helps ensure the safety and security of the Indian Ocean. India is also an important factor to counter the domination of China on the continent.
Again, we congratulate India on this very special day. Mutually beneficial cooperation between Indonesia and India will be helpful to accelerate the development of the two countries and the Asia.
The Jakarta Post | Tue, 01/26/2010 10:14 AM | Opinion
Today we share the joy of the Indian people as they celebrate their 60th National Day, remembering the historic moment when India adopted a new Constitution as a republic on Jan. 26, 1950. Different from Indonesia, which adopted its Constitution as a republic a day after our founding fathers declared Indonesia’s independence on Aug. 17, 1945, India endorsed its Constitution nearly three years after it declared its sovereignty from the British colonists on Aug. 15, 1947.
We congratulate the Indian people whose Constitution has led the country to become the world’s largest democracy and one of the major pillars of political and security stability on the continent. Indonesia has followed India’s example and has now become the world’s third-largest democracy after India and the United States. It is not just in democracy where we have learned from India; the subcontinent’s culture also has a very strong influence on Indonesia. We also need to learn from them how to develop our education. Who can deny the high quality of India’s education system?
It is a matter of eternal record that India played a major role in our struggle for independence. The deep friendship between leaders of the two countries flourished long before both countries could enjoy their independence. Indian leader Jawaharlal Nehru quickly offered his help to our founding fathers Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta.
During the Cold War, Indonesia and India became anchors of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and in 1955 the two countries were among key players in organizing the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, West Java. Bilateral relations between the two countries are also still rapidly growing.
India and China are fast becoming regional — even global — economic, political and military superpowers. A strong India helps ensure the safety and security of the Indian Ocean. India is also an important factor to counter the domination of China on the continent.
Again, we congratulate India on this very special day. Mutually beneficial cooperation between Indonesia and India will be helpful to accelerate the development of the two countries and the Asia.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)