The familiar fight between freedom of expression and tolerance to dissent is on in full swing across the nation. From cinema to politics to religion to literature to judiciary to law & order to domestic disorders, the landscape is littered with offensive stuff, offended souls, loud voices and super-sensitive ears. So, let me add my byte to the season’s flavour by speaking without fear or favour.
Author: T R Jawahar
Dear delegates and all dumb masses outside those gates, I am honoured at being made Vice-President of the Italian Nationals’ Congress and I know you will believe me (I myself don’t) when I say it came as a surprise. And since no charge of ‘vice’ has stuck on me so far I am de facto President. Still, I thank INC President Signoraji for fulfilling the family formalities.
It was a long break that must have been quite back-breaking too to many. Not just work, but sitting idle endlessly before TV or gadget screens or criss-crossing bumpy, potholed streets to visit relatives or seeing recent releases could also strain your spines. So as workday dawned on Thursday and meandered wearily into Friday en route to another weekend of marriages and movies, it was not surprising to see more reluctant faces than refreshed ones at the office. While holidays are an alluring, addicting habit, too much ‘rest’ can be tiring too!
The retired senior army official must have been at least 70 years. He was on the telly as an experienced hand in Indo-Pak cross-border combat and an expert in military matters to discuss the murder and mutilation of two Indian jawans. Naturally, the expectation of a few pearls of wisdom and insight from him is not out of place.
I wanted to make an auspicious beginning and FM Chidambaram offered me just that trigger. Now, don’t get suspicious. I am not launching into any politico-bashing. Rather, his statement that he is mulling making gold dearer through higher tariffs and his advice to the people to ‘moderate their demand for it’ opens a golden opportunity for a glittering opening in the new year. Of course, costlier gold may not by itself be good news to most, but why should I care so long as my column gets a gilt edge?
The nation is quite aware of your ‘oratorical’ skills. On that count, you would not qualify even as a platfom speaker let alone a PM. Reason why we hardly hear you speak- it is not that we are hard of hearing, but you rarely strain your vocal chords, not at least in public. And on the rare occasions that you do, you just read from prepared scripts with a wooden demeanour and without even looking the nation in the eye.
Five senses make an animal. But the sixth sense often makes a male a bigger beast. And this beastly side of man is maximum manifest as crimes against women. Really, the primitive predatory instincts of a male vis-a-vis the vulnerable female never ceases. Neither modernity nor spirituality can camouflage this primal passion which can cross the limit of a natural procreative urge and land in the realms of pervert pleasure.
The sum and substance of their stuff is bluff. Of course, that is the stock-in-trade of the entire political tribe, but Mulayam and Maya are stand out ‘stall’-warts, specialising in this sacred (p)art of politics. That their political lives are littered with lies is no secret
Parliament’s summer session evaporated in the Lokpal heat. The monsoon session was washed away in the FDI flood. The winter session almost stands frozen on the same count now. Obviously, any thaw will only lead to the next stalemate. Indeed, seasons may change but MPs cutting across parties remain unanimous and steadfast in their resolve to keep Parli in permanent coma.