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Tragedy of errors
Higher education |
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The organic struggle
Equal citizenship
The prompter
CINEMA: NEW Releases
The flip side of love
Fallen from grace
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Tragedy of errors
Italy's decision to return the two marines standing trial in India for the murder of two fishermen brings to end an ugly standoff between the two countries. Italy has relented after an assurance from the Indian government that the two marines will not face the death sentence and that their human rights will be respected. Although the marines have been charged with murder and it is for the court to decide on the punishment, the case does not fall in the "rarest of rare" category. The government's assurance is understandable since Italy has abolished the capital punishment. The impasse is not yet over. There are differences over where the two men should be tried. Italy says the trial should take place in Rome since the incident occurred in international waters. The Italian naval officers "did their duty" and mistook the fishermen as pirates. The Supreme Court of India, on the other hand, has ruled that a special court will handle the criminal case. The Supreme Court made a mistake by allowing the marines to go home for a month to vote. Italy blundered by unilaterally deciding that the marines would not return. Then the Supreme Court order to restrain the Italian Amabassador from leaving India further complicated matters. The Government of India had no option but to respect the court order. Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi reacted strongly against Italy's "betrayal". Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations diplomats are immune from prosecution in countries they serve. Though the Supreme Court has said that the Italian envoy surrendered his diplomatic immunity when he gave the undertaking on behalf of his government that the marines would return, opinion is divided on the issue. The European Union threw its weight behind Italy and accused India of violating the international law. It would have been a very difficult situation for the Government of India had Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini insisted on travelling abroad. Fortunately, Mancini did not assert his diplomatic immunity. Finally, good sense has prevailed and the diplomatic tension has eased. |
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Higher education
President Pranab Mukerjee’s recent call to raise the quality of teaching in Indian universities is another reminder that education in general and higher education in particular continues to be on the backburner. It is unfathomable how the one thing that that will have the most impact on the future generations is suffering from apathy of the authorities concerned. The President is quite right in pointing out that not one Indian university is ranked among the top 200 universities in the world. The absence of a vision of the kind that gave this nation IITs and other such institutions is obvious. Most students study from curricula that are not in sync with the latest international trends. The charge that teachers design the curricula for their convenience may hold some truth, given the lack of innovation and imagination that is often encountered as students are taught much of what their teachers learnt as students. Research is an integral part of higher education. Unfortunately, emphasis is often on quantity rather than quality, on the number of MPhil and PhD students produced, not what path-breaking thesis that they write. Not enough effort goes into ensuring that research topics are truly in sync with the society around them, and with international trends. Colleges and universities must benchmark themselves against the best to ensure excellence. Of course, they would not be able to do much in the absence of the requisite infrastructure, and in the absence of quality teachers. Facilities and emoluments vary widely at various educational institutions and the lack of funds is often stifling. Concerned governing bodies must ensure that infrastructure is provided, and then monitor the progress of various departments to ensure excellence. The President’s appeal should be taken as a wake-up call and a challenge that must be accepted by educationists. The low percentage of students opting for higher education is another concern that needs to be addressed, both by giving scholarships and by opening more education institutions which would also become centres of excellence for the academic community. Educational institutions would do well to ensure more focus on quality, even as they discuss, debate and adopt various measures needed to ensure excellence within their walls. |
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The organic struggle
Organic farming is promoted as a concept to make agriculture more sustainable, but its own sustenance is under threat. Taken up by a few adventurous farmers, or pushed by non-profit organisations, it has failed to catch on as a popular movement at both ends — producer as well as consumer. On the other hand, the chemical-driven conventional agriculture continues to be plied with more inputs as well as mainstream support in the form of government funds and research. The primary reason for this apparent partial treatment is the outcomes of the two. As organic practices stand today, the yields are not always commensurate with the labour put in. However, it would be too early to write off the organic way, as it has not yet been given sufficient time and money. There are two primary goals of organic farming: limiting environmental impact and protecting human health from chemicals in food. You also save on some material input costs. But to achieve high output, there is a long way to go. Those who are practising it are, therefore, doing a yeoman service, because their fields serve as laboratories. Government facilities, focused on maximising outputs, do not devote meaningful resources in that direction. Norman Borlaug, ‘father of the Green Revolution’, did not believe organic farming could feed the world. And he is largely accepted as right; food security is not possible at least in the organic way as it is understood today. What we have is two extremes. One absolutely opposed to any interference in Nature’s way of growing food, and the other unperturbed by any amount of tinkering. A workable solution may lie in between. Marry the two approaches to beget a method sustainable environmentally as well as in terms of food security. Limit pesticide use to the bare minimum; apply fertiliser only to the extent necessary. This will require extensive soil testing, real-time crop assessment, and intensive farmer education. The costs involved would be more than offset by the benefits from soil health and preventing wastage of chemicals. ‘Sustainable and viable’ is the key, not the philosophies. |
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When I eventually met Mr. Right I had no idea that his first name was Always. — Rita Rudner |
Equal citizenship
In his famous closing address to the Constituent Assembly, Dr Ambedkar warned that no country could live on the basis of one man, one vote alone. It was as important that each vote be of equal value to ensure equal citizenship so that social inequalities did not tear the state apart. He pleaded that scourges like caste be urgently addressed. Sixty years later, we have made some headway in that direction but, shamefully, have a long way to go. The excuses are many; but the grim reality stares us in the face. Whatever the virtues of the Code of Manu in his time, caste can have no place in a modern democratic society. It is a pure evil, completely outdated, undemocratic, divisive and cast in stone as a divine ruling, a hereditary curse. It admits neither of liberty nor justice nor equality nor fraternity, the four foundational pillars of modern India. As a social more than a religious custom, caste spread to other faiths in India such as Christianity, Islam and Sikhism even if not so perniciously or pervasively. But nothing extenuates its continued practice despite Articles 14, 15, 17 (the abolition of untouchability) and other provisions of the Constitution. This homily on human bondage follows innumerable reports of atrocities against Dalits in violation of the law and ordinary human decency which most often go unpunished. Caste discrimination is practised with impunity. It is a structural reality in sections of Hindu society, Bihar being a particularly bad case in point such that even a “progressive” like Nitish Kumar has singularly failed to address. The regressive land system and social structure that prevail in that state, and elsewhere, are based on caste. This has become an instrument of degraded politics of which none can be proud. The latest report comes from Odisha (Indian Express, March 13). A report entitled, “New Generation of Dalits struggles with old state of intolerance” tells it all. They are denied entry into temples, given restricted access to water, made to work like bonded labour and perform “traditional” chores for free or for a pittance and have their houses torched or are excommunicated if they protest. The police intervenes on occasion but the “special courts” to try such offices are clogged. Justice is a distant dream for most of the increasingly assertive new generation of Dalits, many with education, who are seen as getting too uppity and stealing jobs of the upper castes who rule the roost. This is a recipe for civil war. The questions that must be asked without beating about the bush is: What are political leaders and social activists doing about these fundamental ills in our society? Is this not a form of most heinous corruption? Where are the protests, the candle light processions, the ostracism of defaulters that include hosts of humbugs posing as godmen,sants and leaders? Which political party has made this a living issue, devoted time to fighting it and punishing and, indeed, expelling rank casteists from its ranks? Not the Congress. Not the Sangh Parivar, including its most voluble sections or the BJP. Nor the Dravidan parties that once fought caste but seem now to have compromised with it, as atrocities abound in Tamil Nadu. Where is Anna Hazare and the moral police and their ilk? There is endless, empty talk and furious panel discussions about trivia, with every issue reduced to some mindless electoral calculus. Leaders are created by cheer leaders, if not self-appointed, but what has any one of them said on India’s horrific social contradictions? They are almost all of them part of the problem and not of the solution of which they have no care and lesser understanding. Which political party supports the constitutional directive of a uniform civil code? On the contrary, the intelligentsia has ganged up to prevent any such legislation on the most fraudulent legal and political grounds that have no constitutional validly whatsoever. Strangely, the women’s groups are supine, bowing to male superiority in matters of property and inheritance which is what the UCC is really all about. The State, across parties, and Parliament have abdicated. Goa has a UCC thanks to the Portuguese. Has anyone looked at that and sounded Goan opinion on the question? Absence of a UCC denies Indians the right to be Indians as everybody, in matters of personal law, is slotted in little communal boxes but for the Special Marriage Act. There is also little understanding of secularism, located in a deeply religious society, which has been reduced to vote-bank politics often devoid of ethical values. The larger and nobler constitutional value, Fraternity, has been elbowed out by a secular imposter that was smuggled into the Constitution during the Emergency with little understanding of what was being done and why, and with no debate. Religion and the far wider concept of culture have been confused and sometimes conflated. There is no study of comparative religion or cultural appreciation. Kumbh Mela is an extraordinary manifestation of faith, albeit ritual faith for most. But spirituality has become a casualty. Were that not so, caste and untouchability would have been effaced long back. The educational system has not sufficiently projected a casteless society. There are still caste hostels in Patna University! Common schools should be promoted and why should Dalit women not be employed to cook midday meals at schools. Some parents might object but many, and increasingly more, would perhaps fall in line and should be denied other state benefits such as access to PDS, pensions, credit and so forth. The National Integration Council remains a broken reed and represents the tokenism that passes for focussed policy and executive action. Reservations have served a useful purpose up to a point but have become a crutch and are often abused. “Backwardness” has become a lazy criterion for advancement. Far better concentrate on skill formation and capacity building so that Dalit and other socially handicapped categories are enabled to qualify for higher and more responsible tasks. Remedial teaching could be useful and is being given. But more avenues must be found to give a greater push to the equalising principle. The same must be said for other disadvantaged groups like tribals, Muslims and other minorities. The Sachar Committee report is still being tardily implemented and corrective action is all too frequently traduced as “appeasement” by Hindutva and related groups whose “cultural nationalism” represents a clear and present danger to an equal society. What has happened to the Equal Opportunities Act, more than a year after it was first bruited? Time is not on the side of the angels. We must hurry or face increasing strife and social upheavals that can only undermine progress and good governance and development. Anybody listening? Meanwhile, the Pakistan Assembly resolution deploring Afzal Guru’s hanging and demanding the return of his body to his family is a bizarre post-script to the former ISI Chief, Lt.Gen. Javed Ashraf Qazi’s telling Pakistan’s Parliament that “Jaish was involved in …, bombing the Indian Parliament …”. Guru helped plan that attack. So here is Islamabad waging peace by formally endorsing cross-border
terror. www.bgverghese.com |
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The prompter One of the most looked forward to events in Sanawar was the staff play that was staged at Founders. The children loved to watch their normally stern teachers make a fool of themselves . The teachers loved it because the rehearsals brought them together in much needed social interaction for a month and gave them Mrs. Sehgal’s delicious dinners. I was the prompter. I enjoyed my job and performed it with enthusiasm. Perhaps too much enthusiasm because there were actors who would not learn their parts well and would say airily: “We’ve got Harish”. The most incorrigible of them all were Messrs Bhalerao and Gore. They had both been my teachers and I regarded them with a lot of respect and affection, both of which were sorely tested on one memorable occasion. They had a rather extended scene between them. The scene opened to a complete and deadly silence. I threw them the opening line not once, not twice but three times. I was sure that every last member of the audience heard me, but the actors obviously didn’t — there was no response from them. Then Mr. Bhalerao turned his back to the audience and through the side of his mouth addressed Mr Gore “Babu, it’s your line.” Then he turned back to the audience and smiled. After a pause, Mr. Gore repeated the movement and through the side of his mouth muttered “No Babu, it’s your line.” For the rest of the scene my prompting went something like this: “Mr Gore, sir, this is our line........” “Mr. Bhalerao, sir, this is your line....” If anyone in the audience had noticed he did not seem to mind. Another time we staged “The Happiest Days of Your Life.” The ‘Headmaster’ was happy, he did not have to learn his part and would not need a prompter – the script would be in a file in front of him and he would read from it. After the first tentative titters the audience got into the spirit of the play and Barne Hall pulsated with the excitement of a captive audience. Suddenly something went wrong. I realised that the ‘Headmaster’ in turning the pages of his script, had turned four pages instead of one. The other actors, all seasoned troupers, took this in stride. Then suddenly the ‘Headmaster’ realised that they had lost some of the best lines in the lost pages. He looked up at the audience and with superb nonchalance said
“Sorry, my fault” and turned back those missed pages. All hell broke loose and it took two minutes of shouting lines at the top of my voice to bring the play back on track. No wonder at one of the post- play dinners which the ‘real’ Headmaster always hosted, one of the Governors asked me: “Were you in the play too? I don’t remember seeing you.” “I was the prompter,” I said with some diffidence. “You did your job remarkably well. I was sitting right at the back, in the gallery and could hear every word of your
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CINEMA: NEW Releases RATINGS: ***** Excellent **** Very Good
*** Good ** Average *Poor Nonika Singh
Film: Aatma
Ghostly and ghastly…. alas in most Hindi films the line is wafer thin. So it is with Aatma, a spooky fare no doubt but one that moves on razor thin albeit slightly different storyline. And so as this one tries to marry a serious concern of domestic violence with other worldly presence, the end result is not much different. The bottom-line perhaps is—bad husbands make even worse ghosts. So abusive husband Abhay (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) returns after death to reclaim his daughter Nia (Doyel Dhawan) whom he loves almost to the point of obsession. Reasoning, we know, has little place in supernatural thrillers but at least some degree of credence can be built. Sadly few makers who dabble in the horror genre care to work on the credulity aspect. So, this ghost can kill everyone right, left and centre except his child and wife. Of course, one grants that netherworld, beyond human comprehension or as the movie reminds us of science too, can't be governed by intellect and logic as we understand it. So, let us focus on thrills and chills. On this count no doubt Aatma scores in the first half where it does manage to scare you and keep you on the edge. Actually from scene one, it makes no bones and gets straight into the mode of the genre it represents. Suitably horrifying, thanks to some adept cinematography, simple settings like school and high rise buildings become haunted. But as it keeps the fear factor constant, the film soon moves on an even plateau with little surprises in store. Besides as with zillion of other variants of other Indian horror films, this one too relies on stock formula of panning cameras, moving objects, levitating bodies, rainy nights and all the usual gore. All this works well to begin with, but when the body count keeps on piling, the sting begins to lose its bite, deja vu takes over and fatigue sets in. Then even the presence of a brilliant actor like Nawazuddin can't save it. To be honest, he is wasted and shows his prowess only briefly in a court scene. But then you can't expect ghosts to acquire flesh and blood (pun intended). Bipasha within the constraints of her role of a harried wife and distraught mother is suitable. The child actor Doyel Dhawan as the daughter caught between the love of a dead father and doting mother is just cut out for the part and by and large delivers a convincing performance. The other plus of the movie is it refrains from song and dance staple and there is no unnecessary romantic twist either. For most part the narrative that moves at a fairly fast pace stays on track. Only as the supernatural journey concludes the horror quotient takes a dip and gives way to ennui, the hallmark of so many others of the same ilk. Strictly for those who have stomach for horror. The film will give you its fair share of frightening moments… nothing more or less. But then in a horror flick you don't want or expect anything better? |
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The flip side of love Film: Rangrezz
Sometimes, something as simple as a Priyadarshan movie titled Rangrezz can turn your life upside down, especially if you are in love with the girl and thinking of doing something as absurd as eloping…hang on…maybe you are overreacting, maybe you should reconsider it, maybe you should not involve your friends…or you should watch Rangrezz. After many successful attempts at disappointing us, Priyadarshan's movie Rangrezz hits you hard with a dozen questions about love and friendship. Starring the 'most unlikely to deliver anything other than a few Gangnam style steps' Jackky Bhagnani, Vijay Verma and Amitosh Nagpal, Rangrezz gives a harsh treatment to love, something which is practically correct. Well, love is not about mush, it is not about singing in Switzerland, it can be cruel. Director Mani Ratnam brings out this element in a crude yet acceptable way. Something like the Salman Khan and Nagma starrer Baagi, Rangrezz is harsh. The story of three boys helping a friend to elope with her love is nourished with splendid action. Injected with blood, fights and fleet of white cars all over, the film doesn't slouch. It is tight and crisp, also because Jackky doesn't have much to say! Or cinematographer Santosh Sivan is just too good! Jokes apart…the actor has definitely been put to a good use in the film along with two other co-actors, Vijay and Amitosh, who have done a great job. Rangrezz definitely doesn't say come fall in love, it sure says think twice after falling in love! And it does so with a 'to-the-point' dialogues and screenplay. It is like what you see is what you get! A bit of political role play by Lushin Dubey and Panjak Tripathi, with the accent in place, makes the plot believable. The pyar key dushman are made to look like real villains. We haven't missed out the actress; after all she is the one who started it all! Overall the drama is engaging, but it doesn't promise a fevicol ka jod, you can twitch for a minute. This is where the actors, the fights, the music pulls you back to your seat. All said and done, you can just walk away thinking that Priyadarshan makes sure that you break into a smile more than once. In Rangrezz this job is handled by Rajpal Yadav — you hate to say that a fine comedian is wasted in the movie, but didn't we say earlier that love has another side to it, which doesn't tear into laughter. It might just mock at you! |
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Fallen from grace Film: Olympus Has Fallen
For sheer slam bang action, this fictionalised version of the siege of the White House and its subsequent efforts to repulse the Koreans is hard to beat. Credibility goes right out of the window. But for those who prefer to leave their brains at home, Olympus Has Fallen might be just the right recipe to drive away the blues. How superman Banning acts like a one-man army is what the film is all about. For those who care for quantum, the fare is all of 120 minutes. But one cannot help but admire the establishing shots and the first 20 minutes with cinematographer Conrad W. Hall at his supreme best. But after that, action becomes dulling. Speaker Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) soon takes over the President's place showing the US promotion of the blacks. There are a few good lines here and there but scarcely enough to keep the viewer going. Defence Secretary Ruth McMillan (Melissa Leo) shows some spunk and Kang (Rick Yune) is impressive as the villain. But the latter half is jingoism all the way, and for those who relished the first anti-American surge have to suck their thumbs in discomfort. With the Korean speaking some gibberish dialogue it took us back to those distant World War II days when the Japanese were the favourite villains. For all its action I would just not recommend it. |
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movies on tv
Saturday march 23 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is a fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two cinematic parts which form the screen adaptation of the novel by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final installment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman, David Barron, and Rowling. ZEE CINEMA 7:20AM Mr. Azaad 10:40AM Aakhree Raasta 2:10PM Viewers Choice 5:45PM Aan: Men at Work 9:00PM Tirangaa STAR GOLD 7:25AM Force 10:35AM Taqdeerwala 1:55PM De Dana Dan 5:50PM Masti 9:00PM Dushmano Ka Dushman STAR MOVIES 7:40AM Men in Black II 9:40AM The Front Row with Anupama Chopra 10:10AM Flight of the Phoenix 12:40PM Just Go with It 2:44PM The Sitter 4:41PM Armour of God II 6:59PM Chronicle 9:00PM We Bought a Zoo 11:38PM Eragon SONY PIX 7:40AM Screamers: The Hunting 9:30AM Blood and Bone 11:10AM Aeon Flux 12:55PM Men in Black 3 2:50PM The Spy Next Door 4:45PM Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 6:55PM Hancock 9:00PM Piranha 3-D 11:05PM Angels & Demons FILMY 9:00AM Yahaan 12:00PM Sherni 3:00PM Dharamyudh 6:00PM Meri Aawaz Suno 9:30PM Chachi 420 ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Ek Tha Raja 10:30AM Platform 1:30PM Chandaal 5:30PM Trimurti 8:30PM Apaharan SET MAX 7:20AM Hum 11:15AM King No. 1 2:30PM Ek Tha Tiger 5:35PM Golmaal: Fun Unlimited 9:00PM Bunny The Hero 11:35PM F.A.L.T.U HBO 8:20AM Clockstoppers 10:20AM The Eagle 12:45PM Stomp the Yard 3:10PM Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 5:40PM Mean Girls 7:25PM The House Bunny 9:00PM Johnny English Reborn 11:30PM Conan the Destroyer Sunday march 24 STAR GOLD 9:45AM Toonpur Ka Super Hero is a 3D animation film written by Raaghi Bhatnagar and directed by Kireet Khurana. The film features Ajay Devgan, Kajol, Sanjai Mishra, Tanuja and Mukesh Tiwari in lead roles along with a number of animated characters. The film was remade in English in early 2011. ZEE CINEMA 7:15AM Khiladi 10:40AM Aitraaz 1:45PM Shahenshah 5:35PM Laadla 9:00PM Gadar: Ek Prem Katha STAR GOLD 9:45AM Toonpur Ka Super Hero 12:00PM Sivaji: The Boss 3:10PM Deewar: Man of Power 5:40PM Duplicate 9:00PM Mar Mitenge STAR MOVIES 9:19AM Hitman 11:45AM Priest 1:19PM We Bought a Zoo 3:58PM Eragon 6:12PM The Avengers (2012) 9:00PM X-Men: First Class 11:40PM Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull FILMY 9:00AM Hanuman 12:00PM Vishwanath 3:00PM Robbery 6:00PM Dosti Dushmani 9:30PM Malamaal Weekly ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Gaddaar 10:30AM Izzatdaar 1:30PM Kudrat Ka Kanoon 5:30PM Khoon ka Rishta 8:30PM Karz Chukana Hai HBO 8:40AM Daddy Day Care 10:40AM Transformers: Dark of the Moon 1:40PM Johnny English Reborn 3:45PM Conan the Destroyer 5:43PM Torque 7:22PM Horrible Bosses 9:00PM Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 11:21PM 10,000 BC SET MAX 8:35AM Hisss 10:00AM Chak De! India 1:00PM Singh is Kinng 5:00PM Munnabhai M.B.B.S. 9:00PM 3 Idiots |
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Toonpur Ka Super Hero