So this is one auction I DONT understand! And that says a lot about me because until now I thought I was a good cricketer & a keen business man!!
Both parameters are curial to ‘BUYING’ an IPL cricketer right! Because unfortunately only cricketing skills will only get you as far…After that it’s all your marketability!!
Take for example my favorite (break dance) the LEGENDARY Sreesanth!!!
Sree at over 4 crores is INSANE. Yes, but people bought him because he not only plays good cricket ( cricketing worth for me is 1.5 Cr) but is also a NATIVE of KOCHI!
SO the man will become the FACE of the team & will be seen all across billboards & station pinups! (But still 2.5cr) premium for him!!! To market him!! That’s a bit much don’t you think!!!
It’s also surprising to see the OLD classics not being picked up!!! GANGULY or LARA per say. So what’s basically being said is that EION MORGAN at 350,000 is a better pick than GANGULY OR LARA at 400,000. That’s like saying that HMT at just a lesser price than TITAN is a better buy!!!
Hold on, what!!! WTF!! How is that ever possible? TITAN is a classic & will also be a pedigreed horse (that’s why Amir endorses it). No matter what happens to HMT & no matter how much the new boys advertise it.. TITAN with all its class & years of finesse will also be the pedigree!! But I guess I don’t know much about pedigree, cricket or brands!!
I’m sure that GANGULY or LARA would have been superb buys; their mere presence would benefit the dressing room enough.
Young players would look upto them, learn from them.. crowds will come to see them bat & if that’s not enough I’m pretty sure that a 50 from LARA would be more talked about that a 50 from MORGAN EVER!!!! SO that’s additional free PR for the team right!!!
The point here is that CRICKET Class alone was NOT the parameter for selection for if it was both these players would have been picked! There were OTHER FACTORS… and what I’m saying is, after including those other factors too, these OLDIES were a better bet!
But I don’t have the money & I guess I don’t know much about pedigree, cricket or brands!! Those 50 wise men & women in that room knew!!!
Only time will tell if they were right!!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Bowled by a Full Toss- Kolkata Knight Riders’ CEO reflects on how a gullible media was beaten comprehensively when the Fake IPL Player ‘broke’ dressing room news
After 16 months, another ‘insider’ Fake Pakistani World Cup player blog, and a ‘game-changing’ book, the Fake IPL Player finally revealed his identity.
Surprise, surprise. He isn’t someone from Kolkata Knight Riders. He isn’t someone from the Indian Premier League. He isn’t a cricket journalist. And he wasn’t even in South Africa. Turns out, he’s a person sitting in Bangalore, whose only sources of information were the net and newspapers.
I have few issues with Anupam. He wrote racy stuff—called himself the Fake IPL Player, so anyone believed him at his own risk—and generally had a blast tearing his imaginary team apart. As he admitted, he didn’t have the faintest idea that it would become so big. Good for him, though I have a feeling some of those nicknames will not have gone down well. If his revelations get him enough publicity to sell his film script or book or whatever it is that he is planning to peddle, that’s his gain.
My problem, specifically, is with the mainstream media I dealt with in South Africa at the time. In that period, I met journalists from every leading newspaper and most of the channels. Obviously, their one question was who I thought it was. And my stock answer was: he still thought that players in IPL teams had roommates (the Indian team has allotted single rooms for the longest time), that the team played water volleyball in Cape Town, which was freezing that April (also, the water volleyball happened a year ago in Kolkata), and that we had team meetings every other day. Conclusion: this guy was not even on the same continent as the IPL.
I went on to tell them not to believe a word I said but to check the easily verifiable facts. For example, did the team take a flight that morning as mentioned, was there a team meeting in the hotel on a particular day, did the team practise at the nets that day? All these facts were easily verifiable, and certainly not restricted information. Any journalist present there could have found out in half an hour that the blogger was writing absolute rubbish when it came to verifiable details. And if he was wrong about these details, why on earth should they believe him when he wrote about what transpired in nonexistent team meetings?
It has been argued that it was easier and more enjoyable to just follow the blog—whether it was true or not was immaterial. In which case, I have a hard time understanding why there was so much feverish speculation on the identity of the blogger. Obviously, there was a strong belief in the media that there was some inside information.
It didn’t seem to strike a single journalist that it made sense to just check out a few details to see how much truth there was to the blog. There were more than a hundred journalists in South Africa, and not one of them did a background check. Not one editor decided that this was bullshit, and therefore a great opportunity to leave the rest of the media with egg on their face by proving it was a complete fabrication. Most of all, a fabrication by a guy who called it the Fake IPL Player blog. As a friend remarked, which part of ‘fake’ did they not understand?
Sixteen months on, I still do not see a single publication admitting they got taken for a ride. Not one teeny-weeny bit of introspection, or an article or television programme about how they were misled. I would love to know if any editor has lashed out at his reporting team, asking them how they could have been duped so easily. Or is that asking for too much from our media?
The above article has been featured in OPEN- THE MAGAZINE. THIS IS A COPY PASTE EFFORT
Surprise, surprise. He isn’t someone from Kolkata Knight Riders. He isn’t someone from the Indian Premier League. He isn’t a cricket journalist. And he wasn’t even in South Africa. Turns out, he’s a person sitting in Bangalore, whose only sources of information were the net and newspapers.
I have few issues with Anupam. He wrote racy stuff—called himself the Fake IPL Player, so anyone believed him at his own risk—and generally had a blast tearing his imaginary team apart. As he admitted, he didn’t have the faintest idea that it would become so big. Good for him, though I have a feeling some of those nicknames will not have gone down well. If his revelations get him enough publicity to sell his film script or book or whatever it is that he is planning to peddle, that’s his gain.
My problem, specifically, is with the mainstream media I dealt with in South Africa at the time. In that period, I met journalists from every leading newspaper and most of the channels. Obviously, their one question was who I thought it was. And my stock answer was: he still thought that players in IPL teams had roommates (the Indian team has allotted single rooms for the longest time), that the team played water volleyball in Cape Town, which was freezing that April (also, the water volleyball happened a year ago in Kolkata), and that we had team meetings every other day. Conclusion: this guy was not even on the same continent as the IPL.
I went on to tell them not to believe a word I said but to check the easily verifiable facts. For example, did the team take a flight that morning as mentioned, was there a team meeting in the hotel on a particular day, did the team practise at the nets that day? All these facts were easily verifiable, and certainly not restricted information. Any journalist present there could have found out in half an hour that the blogger was writing absolute rubbish when it came to verifiable details. And if he was wrong about these details, why on earth should they believe him when he wrote about what transpired in nonexistent team meetings?
It has been argued that it was easier and more enjoyable to just follow the blog—whether it was true or not was immaterial. In which case, I have a hard time understanding why there was so much feverish speculation on the identity of the blogger. Obviously, there was a strong belief in the media that there was some inside information.
It didn’t seem to strike a single journalist that it made sense to just check out a few details to see how much truth there was to the blog. There were more than a hundred journalists in South Africa, and not one of them did a background check. Not one editor decided that this was bullshit, and therefore a great opportunity to leave the rest of the media with egg on their face by proving it was a complete fabrication. Most of all, a fabrication by a guy who called it the Fake IPL Player blog. As a friend remarked, which part of ‘fake’ did they not understand?
Sixteen months on, I still do not see a single publication admitting they got taken for a ride. Not one teeny-weeny bit of introspection, or an article or television programme about how they were misled. I would love to know if any editor has lashed out at his reporting team, asking them how they could have been duped so easily. Or is that asking for too much from our media?
The above article has been featured in OPEN- THE MAGAZINE. THIS IS A COPY PASTE EFFORT
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi Ganapati Bappa Moriya
Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi pum paara
Zoobi doobi param pum
Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi naache kyun… ganapati bappa moriya!!
As I come back to Maxim city (just flew back in from GOA!!) besides the utter stench of garbage I am drawn to noticing Ganesh Pandals everywhere. They hit you as soon as you land on Mumbai airport as the city is immersed in celebration. As you come out from the airport & start to stare in-to most of these temporary celebratory constructions you start to understand the frailty & the utter essence less charade of this exercise!!
For someone in whose home the GOD comes & resides for all 11 days for more than the past 60 years I feel PISSED, really pissed!!
Let me explain why….
To first understand why this is a farce lets understand the true essence & background of the festival….
In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed this annual Ganesha festival from private family celebrations into a grand public event. He did so "to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins and find an appropriate context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them" in his nationalistic strivings against the British in Maharashtra. Because of Ganesha's wide appeal as "the god for Everyman", Tilak chose him as a rallying point for Indian protest against British rule. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions, and he established the practice of submerging all the public images on the tenth day. Today, Hindus across India celebrate the Ganapati festival with great fervour, though it is most popular in the state of Maharashtra.
So basically the essence is religion & inter-class unity. However both these objectives are not achieved in today’s day and age!
Now, today it’s just plain & simple dirty vote bank politics
Most Pandals take HUGE donations from local builders to fund for their Pandals (read Political party) after which huge sums of money are naively dropped into “Dakshina” boxes from unsuspecting believers..
what happens with this money is anyone’s guess!!
Where is the Money from LALLBAUG going!! Into a temple trust? NO. I don’t trust!!
Even within the Pandal where is the setting of religion! It’s more of a crass party with a part time DJ churning out the latest bollywood hits!
The matter is fully compounded on the last “Visarjan” day. People, hoards of people preceding huge trucks are dancing on insanely loud music!! In my entire life I haven’t seen people dance this way. You have to be either possessed or drunk!! & we all know what the obvious answer is!
The situation is sad, if not already pathetic. But the question is what can we do from here? How can we ensure something well within the law is done in the morally correct fashion? How can we ensure the real meaning & soul of the occasion?
To this question, I do not have any answers!! Maybe there is just too much money involved! I don’t know..
For now.. its just Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi naache kyun… ganapati bappa moriya!!
Zoobi doobi param pum
Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi naache kyun… ganapati bappa moriya!!
As I come back to Maxim city (just flew back in from GOA!!) besides the utter stench of garbage I am drawn to noticing Ganesh Pandals everywhere. They hit you as soon as you land on Mumbai airport as the city is immersed in celebration. As you come out from the airport & start to stare in-to most of these temporary celebratory constructions you start to understand the frailty & the utter essence less charade of this exercise!!
For someone in whose home the GOD comes & resides for all 11 days for more than the past 60 years I feel PISSED, really pissed!!
Let me explain why….
To first understand why this is a farce lets understand the true essence & background of the festival….
In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed this annual Ganesha festival from private family celebrations into a grand public event. He did so "to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins and find an appropriate context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them" in his nationalistic strivings against the British in Maharashtra. Because of Ganesha's wide appeal as "the god for Everyman", Tilak chose him as a rallying point for Indian protest against British rule. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions, and he established the practice of submerging all the public images on the tenth day. Today, Hindus across India celebrate the Ganapati festival with great fervour, though it is most popular in the state of Maharashtra.
So basically the essence is religion & inter-class unity. However both these objectives are not achieved in today’s day and age!
Now, today it’s just plain & simple dirty vote bank politics
Most Pandals take HUGE donations from local builders to fund for their Pandals (read Political party) after which huge sums of money are naively dropped into “Dakshina” boxes from unsuspecting believers..
what happens with this money is anyone’s guess!!
Where is the Money from LALLBAUG going!! Into a temple trust? NO. I don’t trust!!
Even within the Pandal where is the setting of religion! It’s more of a crass party with a part time DJ churning out the latest bollywood hits!
The matter is fully compounded on the last “Visarjan” day. People, hoards of people preceding huge trucks are dancing on insanely loud music!! In my entire life I haven’t seen people dance this way. You have to be either possessed or drunk!! & we all know what the obvious answer is!
The situation is sad, if not already pathetic. But the question is what can we do from here? How can we ensure something well within the law is done in the morally correct fashion? How can we ensure the real meaning & soul of the occasion?
To this question, I do not have any answers!! Maybe there is just too much money involved! I don’t know..
For now.. its just Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi naache kyun… ganapati bappa moriya!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Who are the next India/ China?
With India & China’s growth rates flying off the charts it is no surprise that “Mike Cooper” CEO of PHD India says "For smart global brands, it is pretty much taken for granted that they have a strong presence in China and India,"
But what about going forward? What about in the next 5- 10 year period? Where are the emerging nations? Who are the Next India & China?
Investment bank Goldman Sachs has nominated the next wave of developing nations and likes to call them the N11. I think it’s a brilliant list.. And would like to share it with you..
The 11 countries are Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam. From the media perspective I believe the N11 actually present far more interesting opportunities for media companies and their clients to generate the biggest returns.
Even with regard to other businesses we can already see Indian Telecom majors like BHARATI & RCOM entering into Voice & data markets in Egypt & Indonesia. While Pakistan, Philippines, and Turkey and Vietnam present limitless opportunities for Auto sectors, Infrastructure businesses, Power suppliers & obviously telecom majors.
Having said the above marketing & distribution or even basic penetration into these countries will not be easy.
Marketers will face problems of language, geography, varied ethnicity & culture. All that need to be overtaken faster than the nearest competition! And this doesn’t include LOCAL businesses or the so- called unorganized sector!!
To add to this frenzy by the year 2020, 80% of the world or 5 billion people will be connected to the web! How will that change equations? Surely it will..
Stay tuned for more on my take on that.. aabhi ke liye.. bus itna hai!
But what about going forward? What about in the next 5- 10 year period? Where are the emerging nations? Who are the Next India & China?
Investment bank Goldman Sachs has nominated the next wave of developing nations and likes to call them the N11. I think it’s a brilliant list.. And would like to share it with you..
The 11 countries are Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam. From the media perspective I believe the N11 actually present far more interesting opportunities for media companies and their clients to generate the biggest returns.
Even with regard to other businesses we can already see Indian Telecom majors like BHARATI & RCOM entering into Voice & data markets in Egypt & Indonesia. While Pakistan, Philippines, and Turkey and Vietnam present limitless opportunities for Auto sectors, Infrastructure businesses, Power suppliers & obviously telecom majors.
Having said the above marketing & distribution or even basic penetration into these countries will not be easy.
Marketers will face problems of language, geography, varied ethnicity & culture. All that need to be overtaken faster than the nearest competition! And this doesn’t include LOCAL businesses or the so- called unorganized sector!!
To add to this frenzy by the year 2020, 80% of the world or 5 billion people will be connected to the web! How will that change equations? Surely it will..
Stay tuned for more on my take on that.. aabhi ke liye.. bus itna hai!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Can we ignore the money? The future depends on it
It is a well know fact that not so long ago Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani was a good friend of a certain Mr. Ramnath Goenka who owned the then & now well known Newspaper the Indian Express
However, the relationship between them soured and as the days passed by The Indian Express, a broadsheet daily published by him carried a series of articles against Reliance Industries and Dhirubhai in which they claimed that Dhirubhai was using unfair trade practices to maximize profits. Ramnath Goenka did not use his staff at the Indian Express to investigate the case but assigned his close confidant, advisor and chartered accountant S. Gurumurthy for this task.
In this time of trouble Dhirubhai Ambani did what only he could do. He took an entirely different approach to the problem and if anything decided to increase the ad spends of the Reliance group on the Newspaper. His thinking was that the publication would eventually get bogged down by the weight of the money spent on the newspaper. As it turns out Mr. Ambani suffered a stroke forcing the newspaper to turn their attention to the fallacies of the government & that ended the quarrel.
What would be interesting is what would happen if things were like that today. What if the situation was the same, & only the protagonists different? Let me explain….
Today the biggest advertisers in the Indian Media space are the Big FMCG companies. There is Reckitt Benckiser, P&G and the big boy HUL. But does anyone know who the fastest growing advertiser is? Or who is increasing their spends the most Y-O-Y.
Let me tell you, it’s the Government of India (GOI).
Think about it, it’s only logical isn’t it! They are the one “Company” that has as many “brands” as Unilever does (ministry of telecom, Ministry of forest, ministry of external affairs, ministry of family planning, ministry of infrastructure, and so on and so on) and as these ministries start to understand the potential of media their spends on Media are only going to increase right!
Let me share some numbers with you here. There are close to 7000 (yes, 7000) major government portals & websites providing government information to all internet users in India. After all of this, India is still ranked 113th on the United Nations e-governance Index (Source; the United Nations e-governance survey 2008)
With the government more eager than ever before to showcase their initiatives & policies and with the number of people getting on to the internet in India increasing rapidly Indian Media companies are in for a windfall of advertising from them!
In such a position will Indian Media companies be in a position to speak against the government? What will Newspapers do? How will News Channels react?
If the government spends 10-20 Crore on a News channel will the news channel still be in a position to speak objectively about the government & its policies?
For the journalist it’s the real deal. Commercialism v/s journalism! Who will win?
For now, you will think, obviously journalism right!! What’s all the fuss about?
But it’s not all that simple & straight forward. News broadcasting today is more than just reporting News. It is a industry. Scores of people work with News channels, their lives and livelihood dependant on it. More so, scores of people INVEST in News channels. It is a business and like any other business they expect the money to flow back in, twofold!!!!!
In the Indian scenario where the only source of revenue is from Advertising (subscription revenue is non existent in India) the BIG advertiser becomes all important. The Money he brings to the table difficult to ignore!!
The last count says that there are close to 110 News channels in India (including National & various regional languages). Many of these News Channels are small & region centric. They will value the Government money so so much more!! What is important is that will they be able to ignore it? And give unbiased commentary?
TELEVISION NEWS media is one of the most important catalysts that have an invariably important role to play in shaping up public opinions, sentiments, and dogmas. Due to its vast intrusion in public life, it has the power of creating an enduring impact on society and culture of a region & also to SHAPE SOCIETY & ITS OPINION.
It is hence immensely important that the Media remain neutral and detached as they have a colossal responsibility to shoulder. The future of a potentially prosperous country is in their hands!
The road ahead will not be easy. How successful they will be in their endeavor, only time will tell…
However, the relationship between them soured and as the days passed by The Indian Express, a broadsheet daily published by him carried a series of articles against Reliance Industries and Dhirubhai in which they claimed that Dhirubhai was using unfair trade practices to maximize profits. Ramnath Goenka did not use his staff at the Indian Express to investigate the case but assigned his close confidant, advisor and chartered accountant S. Gurumurthy for this task.
In this time of trouble Dhirubhai Ambani did what only he could do. He took an entirely different approach to the problem and if anything decided to increase the ad spends of the Reliance group on the Newspaper. His thinking was that the publication would eventually get bogged down by the weight of the money spent on the newspaper. As it turns out Mr. Ambani suffered a stroke forcing the newspaper to turn their attention to the fallacies of the government & that ended the quarrel.
What would be interesting is what would happen if things were like that today. What if the situation was the same, & only the protagonists different? Let me explain….
Today the biggest advertisers in the Indian Media space are the Big FMCG companies. There is Reckitt Benckiser, P&G and the big boy HUL. But does anyone know who the fastest growing advertiser is? Or who is increasing their spends the most Y-O-Y.
Let me tell you, it’s the Government of India (GOI).
Think about it, it’s only logical isn’t it! They are the one “Company” that has as many “brands” as Unilever does (ministry of telecom, Ministry of forest, ministry of external affairs, ministry of family planning, ministry of infrastructure, and so on and so on) and as these ministries start to understand the potential of media their spends on Media are only going to increase right!
Let me share some numbers with you here. There are close to 7000 (yes, 7000) major government portals & websites providing government information to all internet users in India. After all of this, India is still ranked 113th on the United Nations e-governance Index (Source; the United Nations e-governance survey 2008)
With the government more eager than ever before to showcase their initiatives & policies and with the number of people getting on to the internet in India increasing rapidly Indian Media companies are in for a windfall of advertising from them!
In such a position will Indian Media companies be in a position to speak against the government? What will Newspapers do? How will News Channels react?
If the government spends 10-20 Crore on a News channel will the news channel still be in a position to speak objectively about the government & its policies?
For the journalist it’s the real deal. Commercialism v/s journalism! Who will win?
For now, you will think, obviously journalism right!! What’s all the fuss about?
But it’s not all that simple & straight forward. News broadcasting today is more than just reporting News. It is a industry. Scores of people work with News channels, their lives and livelihood dependant on it. More so, scores of people INVEST in News channels. It is a business and like any other business they expect the money to flow back in, twofold!!!!!
In the Indian scenario where the only source of revenue is from Advertising (subscription revenue is non existent in India) the BIG advertiser becomes all important. The Money he brings to the table difficult to ignore!!
The last count says that there are close to 110 News channels in India (including National & various regional languages). Many of these News Channels are small & region centric. They will value the Government money so so much more!! What is important is that will they be able to ignore it? And give unbiased commentary?
TELEVISION NEWS media is one of the most important catalysts that have an invariably important role to play in shaping up public opinions, sentiments, and dogmas. Due to its vast intrusion in public life, it has the power of creating an enduring impact on society and culture of a region & also to SHAPE SOCIETY & ITS OPINION.
It is hence immensely important that the Media remain neutral and detached as they have a colossal responsibility to shoulder. The future of a potentially prosperous country is in their hands!
The road ahead will not be easy. How successful they will be in their endeavor, only time will tell…
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Mayawati, the enigma!
The freshest news of the hour as I write this is that the CBI has ordered a probe into the NOTE Garland episodes of Shree Mayawatiji ! (& I don’t blame them really)
Very few women in recent times have been able to capture the type of media frenzy & footage or time spent on TV as Mayawati has been able to achieve.
So, why does she get all this adulation & attention? & is it warranted?
What’s important is we understand who “MW” (short for her from here onward) is and infinitely more importantly what she REPRESENTS
She represents the poorest section of the Indian Economy or Caste structure, the Dalits. Dalits are a mixed population of numerous caste groups all over India & indeed South Asia, and speak various languages.
While the caste system has been abolished under the Indian constitution there is still discrimination and prejudice against Dalits. Since Indian independence, significant steps have been taken to provide opportunities in jobs and education. Many social organizations have encouraged proactive provisions to better the conditions of dalits through improved education, health and employment.
Quota systems have been made, to give this backward community a fair chance {Although I am truly against the quota system (for Dalits or even RESERVATION FOR WOMEN..and that is a discussion for another time) } Colleges with exclusive inclusion of Dalits have been formulated…MNC’s have been literally ordered to provide these Castes with added privileges but through all of this MW stands as a beacon of DALIT hope & pride. Being pampered as the ‘Dalit Queen,’ Mayawati has carved her own place in not only Uttar Pradesh politics but also in Indian polity. Stakes are that she might turn out to be first Dalit woman prime minister for the country.
Enjoying her fourth stint as chief minister of a state that was notorious for the worst treatment of the untouchables and Dalits, she has very candidly assumed the role of a state maker. Today, she enjoys Z plus security cover and a huge bank balance that has led to a lot of uproar in the opposition circles.
It is exactly this topic that I would like to touch upon? Is there an elite disdain of Mayawati? I think there is! And I think there should be!!
Don’t get me wrong here…I don’t intent to put her down, she stands for the right cause, & maybe at some point her motives and means were also pure, but they cannot be anymore. In the process of standing up for Dalit rights she has made so much money!!
That aside, the show of money in a way that has been done is ridiculous! What are we (as the rich or NON DALIT) supposed to think about the dalits then and what are we supposed to think of their representing party & party leader?
Where did they get so much money from? What do they intend to do with all that money other than their own uplifting? And if they do have their own resources to look after themselves (as is evident) then why do they need us or our support in terms of discounts/exemptions & reservations?
It is easy to see where she has made this money from … Indian politics, for the last 50 years has witnessed that Uttar Pradesh decides the party or coalition at the center. Mayawati being the chief minister of the state and her party becoming the single largest in the state assembly holds sway to what happens in the Center.
In crude terms she holds larger national parties “with their balls” and in return the national parties shower her with more and more money (I don’t matter if its black o white)
In this all conquering situation she has all the power she needs to really do some “GOOD” work & some serious uplifting! She can take these people forward, along with her. She can provide them with a rare and genuine chance to live a fair life, earn a fair wage and give their children’s future a fair & just chance
But she chooses to make more & more statues of herself, she chooses the NOTED garlands and she chooses to spend 250 CRORES of the states fund for BSP celebrations!
For the 1st time in a long time, after Mr. BR Ambedkar there is somebody who can really do something for these people & that is her truest achievement…
Will it be glory? or will it be "TERA MUU KAAALA" like it has been for the millions of other dalits before her....
only this time....SHE MAKES HER OWN CHOICE!
How history will take her name is now entirely upto her & her alone, Ms. Mayawatiji…the true enigma of Indian politics, GENDER & CASTE.
Very few women in recent times have been able to capture the type of media frenzy & footage or time spent on TV as Mayawati has been able to achieve.
So, why does she get all this adulation & attention? & is it warranted?
What’s important is we understand who “MW” (short for her from here onward) is and infinitely more importantly what she REPRESENTS
She represents the poorest section of the Indian Economy or Caste structure, the Dalits. Dalits are a mixed population of numerous caste groups all over India & indeed South Asia, and speak various languages.
While the caste system has been abolished under the Indian constitution there is still discrimination and prejudice against Dalits. Since Indian independence, significant steps have been taken to provide opportunities in jobs and education. Many social organizations have encouraged proactive provisions to better the conditions of dalits through improved education, health and employment.
Quota systems have been made, to give this backward community a fair chance {Although I am truly against the quota system (for Dalits or even RESERVATION FOR WOMEN..and that is a discussion for another time) } Colleges with exclusive inclusion of Dalits have been formulated…MNC’s have been literally ordered to provide these Castes with added privileges but through all of this MW stands as a beacon of DALIT hope & pride. Being pampered as the ‘Dalit Queen,’ Mayawati has carved her own place in not only Uttar Pradesh politics but also in Indian polity. Stakes are that she might turn out to be first Dalit woman prime minister for the country.
Enjoying her fourth stint as chief minister of a state that was notorious for the worst treatment of the untouchables and Dalits, she has very candidly assumed the role of a state maker. Today, she enjoys Z plus security cover and a huge bank balance that has led to a lot of uproar in the opposition circles.
It is exactly this topic that I would like to touch upon? Is there an elite disdain of Mayawati? I think there is! And I think there should be!!
Don’t get me wrong here…I don’t intent to put her down, she stands for the right cause, & maybe at some point her motives and means were also pure, but they cannot be anymore. In the process of standing up for Dalit rights she has made so much money!!
That aside, the show of money in a way that has been done is ridiculous! What are we (as the rich or NON DALIT) supposed to think about the dalits then and what are we supposed to think of their representing party & party leader?
Where did they get so much money from? What do they intend to do with all that money other than their own uplifting? And if they do have their own resources to look after themselves (as is evident) then why do they need us or our support in terms of discounts/exemptions & reservations?
It is easy to see where she has made this money from … Indian politics, for the last 50 years has witnessed that Uttar Pradesh decides the party or coalition at the center. Mayawati being the chief minister of the state and her party becoming the single largest in the state assembly holds sway to what happens in the Center.
In crude terms she holds larger national parties “with their balls” and in return the national parties shower her with more and more money (I don’t matter if its black o white)
In this all conquering situation she has all the power she needs to really do some “GOOD” work & some serious uplifting! She can take these people forward, along with her. She can provide them with a rare and genuine chance to live a fair life, earn a fair wage and give their children’s future a fair & just chance
But she chooses to make more & more statues of herself, she chooses the NOTED garlands and she chooses to spend 250 CRORES of the states fund for BSP celebrations!
For the 1st time in a long time, after Mr. BR Ambedkar there is somebody who can really do something for these people & that is her truest achievement…
Will it be glory? or will it be "TERA MUU KAAALA" like it has been for the millions of other dalits before her....
only this time....SHE MAKES HER OWN CHOICE!
How history will take her name is now entirely upto her & her alone, Ms. Mayawatiji…the true enigma of Indian politics, GENDER & CASTE.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Most awe inspiring.. everyone should be aquainted
Off late I have been exposed to a tremendous Marxist personality from our History Called Pash
Pash for those of us who don’t know him was a REVOLUTIONARY PUNJABI MARXIST POET.
“He published his first book of revolutionary poems, Loh-Katha (Iron Tale) in 1970; his militant and provocative tone raised the ire of the establishment and a murder charge was hastily brought against him. He spent nearly two years in jail, before being finally acquitted.
On acquittal, he became involved in Punjab's maoist front, editing a literary maga, and was awarded a fellowship at the Punjabi Academy of Letters in 1985. He toured the United Kingdom and the United States the following year; while in the U.S., he became involved with the Anti-47 Front, opposing Sikh extremist violence.
The brilliant journey of poetry was cut short in the year 1988 when Paash who was in Punjab for a holiday from the US was shot dead by a group of Khalistani terrorists”
-----Wikipedia
His most amazing work below....
Sabse Khatarnak
Mehnat ki loot sabse khatarnak nahi hoti,
Police ki maar sabse khatarnak nahi hoti,
Gaddari, lobh ki mutthi sabse khatarnak nahi hoti.
Baithe bithaye pakde jana bura to hai,
Sahmi si chhup me jakde jana bura to hai,
Par sabse khatarnak nahi hoti.
Sabse khatarnak hota hai murda shanti se bhar jana,
Na hona tadap ka, sab kuch sahan kar jana,
Ghar se nikalna kaam par, aur kaam se loutkar ghar aana,
Sabse khatarnak hota hai,
Hamare sapno ka mar jana.
Pash for those of us who don’t know him was a REVOLUTIONARY PUNJABI MARXIST POET.
“He published his first book of revolutionary poems, Loh-Katha (Iron Tale) in 1970; his militant and provocative tone raised the ire of the establishment and a murder charge was hastily brought against him. He spent nearly two years in jail, before being finally acquitted.
On acquittal, he became involved in Punjab's maoist front, editing a literary maga, and was awarded a fellowship at the Punjabi Academy of Letters in 1985. He toured the United Kingdom and the United States the following year; while in the U.S., he became involved with the Anti-47 Front, opposing Sikh extremist violence.
The brilliant journey of poetry was cut short in the year 1988 when Paash who was in Punjab for a holiday from the US was shot dead by a group of Khalistani terrorists”
-----Wikipedia
His most amazing work below....
Sabse Khatarnak
Mehnat ki loot sabse khatarnak nahi hoti,
Police ki maar sabse khatarnak nahi hoti,
Gaddari, lobh ki mutthi sabse khatarnak nahi hoti.
Baithe bithaye pakde jana bura to hai,
Sahmi si chhup me jakde jana bura to hai,
Par sabse khatarnak nahi hoti.
Sabse khatarnak hota hai murda shanti se bhar jana,
Na hona tadap ka, sab kuch sahan kar jana,
Ghar se nikalna kaam par, aur kaam se loutkar ghar aana,
Sabse khatarnak hota hai,
Hamare sapno ka mar jana.
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