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Positive
posturing
Forces need women |
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AAP's false dawn
Choosing precise words for clear communication
Dark, yet illuminating
Bland and boring
Fairytale fare
Blending error
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Positive posturing Chinese
Premier Li Keqiang
and Prime Minister Narendra Modi know that they can do business
together. They have interacted with each other earlier, and now, when
Li called Modi, the latter assured him that China is "always a
priority in India's foreign policy." Li, on his part, asserted
his government's wish for more robust ties. The conversation marked a welcome departure from a certain amount of hawkish posturing adopted by the BJP during electioneering, and showed a desire on India's part to engage with its biggest neighbour. The immediate effect of Modi's proactive foreign policy is obvious. China is sending its Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India on June 8. He will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders during his visit. This is expected to lay the groundwork for better economic ties between the two countries. China is a major investor in Gujarat and warmly welcomed Modi during his four visits to that country. A focus on the economy means a great potential to increase ties between the two Asian giants. India can take advantage of the Chinese experience in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, both of which are at a critical stage. India has a huge trade deficit of over $30 billion with China, and naturally the Modi government will try to take steps that can narrow it down. India, however, will have to remain cautious of aggressive Chinese attitude towards territorial issues. It was the border incursions that triggered the earlier reaction from Modi. The Chinese have made aggressive moves in the North and South China Sea, and nearer home, in the Indian Ocean. They would well remember that a foundation of good neighbourly relations is a respect for the boundaries. On this base, a lot can be built, including more diplomatic cooperation and better economic
ties.
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Forces need women From
Kashmir to
Kanyakumari, India has a toilet culture which may be a 'manageable' affair for men, but for women it causes inconvenience and embarrassment. Lack of toilets becomes a professional hazard for women with field jobs, especially those working in the police. The absence of women's toilets affects their health and hygiene due to long working hours in the field. Women increasingly join the forces like the police, which remain patriarchal to the core, breeding resistance to their presence. No wonder, there is lack of concern for providing basic infrastructure for their survival. According to the statistics provided by the Home Ministry, out of 15,85,117 personnel working in the state police forces, only 84,479, or just 5.33 per cent, are women. Almost 70 years since the first woman was absorbed in the Bombay police, there are just 499 all-women police stations in the country out of a total 15,000 stations. This is despite an unprecedented rise in the number of crimes against women. According to the National Crime Records Bureau's report "Crime in India 2012", rape as the fastest growing crime in India has jumped by 902 per cent since 1971. To handle close to three lakh incidents of crime against women annually, more women are needed in the police to instil confidence among them. But the ground reality is far from welcoming for the women who join the police force. In Punjab where 400 women personnel have been employed annually for the past two years, of the 393 police stations 300 lack separate toilets for women. Now the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Home Department and the Director-General of Police, Punjab, to provide separate toilets for women in police stations within four months. The court had to intervene for what was the basic duty of the department to improve women's working conditions. These days when toilets are going to get priority over temples, the police would do better by caring for the basic needs of its women cops.
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A pair of powerful spectacles has sometimes sufficed to cure a person in love. — Friedrich Nietzsche
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Sanitation in the Punjab
THE Punjab Government has just issued a Resolution on the Report of the Punjab Sanitary Conference, 1913. According to this, Health Officers will be divided into classes. First class officers will be employed in Lahore and Amritsar, and second class Health Officers in Multan, Rawalpinidi, Sailkot, Ludhiana and Jullundur. The scale of pay for first class officers, viz., Rs 450-20-750, has been taken from the United Provinces. In the case of special qualifications the Committees will not be tied down to the initial pay of Rs. 450 but the maximum of Rs. 750 should not be exceeded without special sanction. The officers must be medical men with Public Health qualifications and are debarred from private practice. The second class officers should also be medical men with a D.P.H. but the scale of their pay is fixed at Rs 160-10-800, although they are also debarred from private practice. Defamation from the witness box
AN interesting case was disposed of by the Chief Presidency Magistrate of Bombay on Thursday last in which a certain lady complained that she was defamed by a Parsee gentleman when he was examined on oath in an unconnected case. The defence was that the matter was privileged and the witness had only to answer questions on oath and he did not volunteer the statement complained of. It was pointed out that the imputations which were made did not strictly cover the answer to the question put by court, but certain details that were unnecessary and could have been withheld without prejudice to the case, had been made and these were defamatory. The magistrate, remarked that the detailed answers were also relevant and the defendant was privileged and could not be prosecuted for defamation.
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AAP's false dawn
Then after 49 days in power, Kejriwal threw it all away chasing the chimera of national honours. What went wrong and how did the great promise AAP offered ended in
shattered dreams? There are several reasons for this modern-day tragedy, but the biggest was that Mr Kejriwal was carried away by his own success in his debut attempt at playing politics. Second, he did not draw the line between governance and agitation highlighted by his decision to sit in dharna on the streets of New Delhi as the city state's Chief Minister. Third, the theatricals that got him free lavish media coverage became an end in themselves. AAP's success came so quickly that the new party hardly had time to put together a coherent programme, apart from the all-encompassing anti-corruption fight. Judging by the furrows made by such associates as Shanti Bushan on Kashmir and other ruminations of Kejriwal's supporters, there was no agreement in the party on its social and economic programme, much less an attempt at a coherent manifesto. In a sense, Kejriwal was AAP, maturing in the Anna Hazare movement and splitting from his mentor by taking the political route. He had inspired many by launching his party and perhaps the rock star status he came to acquire went to his head. He had good men at his side of the ilk of Yogendra Yadav and Manish Sisodia, but he seemed to have formed a coterie in his decision-making process. Warning signs came early even as some selfless workers from various fields sought to correct Kejriwal's propensity to take decisions without consultations, apparently guided by their impact, rather than logic. Some peeled away protesting that their voices were not being heard, but AAP's crisis became full blown after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were out, with one of the party's live wires, Shazia Ilmi, leaving the party in protest. The crucial point to discover is whether the reverses in the general election represent the end of a brave experiment. True, AAP won four Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, its total tally in fielding hundreds of candidates, but that was due to the double whammy of the Bharatiya Janata Party singed by the anti-incumbency attached to the Akali Dal and the low opinion of the Congress-led Government at the Centre. One can only speculate how things would have been different had Mr Kejriwal indulged in less theatre and more diligent work in running the Delhi Government while waiting to attempt a national role five years later. It would have made evident sense if AAP had devoted itself to resolving the capital's various problems, rather than indulging in political grandstanding. One would hope that Mr Kejriwal and his loyal associates have learnt their lessons the hard way and will now get down to rebuilding the party from the ground up in Delhi and would use its token representation in the new Lok Sabha for advocating realistic policy alternatives. Unlike its spectacular debut, the party lost all seats in Delhi to the BJP although it did increase its vote share. Sometimes, Mr Kejriwal gave the impression of a drowning man clutching at straws as when he tried to revert to ruling the state again with Congress support, until even the greatly diminished Congress said a firm 'no' after having suffered continuing insults by AAP. With the BJP cock-a-hoop after its great victory, AAP will have to go back to the drawing board to plan a new strategy. However, AAP must face the fact that it is a much diminished party than in its earlier avatar. It has lost its sheen and will need to work twice as hard to convince the voters that it would govern, if given another chance, instead of indulging in theatricals. But Mr Kejriwal will have to convince himself that an insurrectionist form of political policy has its limits. It seems AAP forgot to change gears once it became the ruling party, courtesy the Congress. Mr Kejriwal can spend his time usefully while preparing for fresh elections to the Delhi assembly by undertaking two tasks. One would be to frame a coherent policy framework for his party. Anti-corruption is eye-catching, but hardly a
programme. From his periodic forays, largely to quell protests, the impression Mr Kejriwal has given is of a vaguely left-oriented policy guided by what has come to be known as Nehruvian socialism. He will, in that case, have to put flesh on the bones and specify how his programme differs from those of other parties. In various degrees, the Congress and the Left parties lay claims to versions of socialism, despite the policies they follow in practice. And wouldn't AAP be harking back in a country that seems to have gone past the clichés of the past? These are valid questions to consider in presenting a manifesto for the party. Perhaps the most difficult task for Mr Kejriwal and his team will be to re-energise the people who voted for them in the first instance in the Delhi elections. Mr Kejriwal has apologised for the manner in which he abandoned office, but he will need to do a lot more to reassure the Delhi voters that he is a wiser man after his spectacular reverses in his Lok Sabha misadventure. AAP must realise that the party's birth was greeted with so much enthusiasm because it promised a new kind of politics to a people tired of the shenanigans of too many politicians. Judging by the conduct of AAP, it proved to be a false dawn and many old enthusiasts are still recovering from the shock.
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Choosing precise words for clear communication
“Language is intrinsically approximate, since words mean different things to different people, and there is no material retaining ground for the imagery that words conjure in one brain or another.”
— John Updike 1. Once Bob’s parents, John and Betty were divorced, his father, John married Sheila. And when Shiela moved in with John, her son, Tim from her earlier marriage came along. To everyone's relief, Bob gladly accepted his half brother, Tim. The user needs to replace "half brother" with "step brother" since Bob and Tim are children from different marriages of the couple. To be considered as half brothers, they should have one biological parent in common. Usually, learners tend to mix up words like these when not much distinction is made between them in the popular usage of their mother tongue. The sentence can read as, “... Bob gladly accepted his step brother ...” 2. The Bansals are celebrating their 20th marriage anniversary this Wednesday. The couple is in fact celebrating their “wedding anniversary”, not “marriage anniversary”. The word “marriage” describes the legal relationship couples like the Bansals have. Also, we usually use "marriage" to refer to the period of time of the relationship, not so much for the point of time when it began. Moreover, it is the anniversary of the wedding ceremony that is honoured by such celebrations. Therefore the sentence “The Bansals are celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary ...” is more appropriate. 3. Oh, your younger brother is married. Does he have an issue yet? The word “issue” is used to refer to a child in a highly restricted way- its usage, always in its singular form, belongs to the legal language. Some learners use “issue” in place of “child” since it sounds more formal, even learned. They also try to add an element of politeness to the situation with this word since the question is directed towards somebody’s personal life. It can be reworded as, “... Does he have a child ...” 4. Only an agnostic like Sandy could have made this statement: “I don't believe in the existence of God.” The learner is mixing up the word “agnostic” with “atheist”. A person who believes that God does not exist is an atheist. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, an “agnostic” believes that it is not possible to know if God exists or not. So the sentence may read as, “Only an atheist ...” It has been reported that a few of the recent aircraft accidents caused by human error centred on misinterpretation of messages. Given its impact, this illustration may be an extreme case but the fact remains that precision in choice of words is a key to clear communication.
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CINEMA: NEW RELEASES
Dark, yet illuminating But hold it; CityLights isn't just another slice of discomfiting reality. Nor is it a regular fare about a man drawn into the vortex of crime. An official remake of BAFTA nominated Metro Manila, it's a crime thriller of sorts, with its feet firmly rooted in realism. The biggest plus of the story is it stirs clear of melodrama. There is no overt sentimentality, no tearjerker moments not even in the cataclysmic finale. Sure it bares the debasement and humiliation the underprivileged have to suffer at the hands of those who call the shots, with forceful impact. However, there are no obvious and usual done-to-death tales of exploitation. Of course, a whole lot of credit for keeping the narrative uncluttered and fuss-free goes to the director and may be to a large extent to the original film. But the person who can once again take a bow is acting powerhouse Rajkummar Rao. And here we mean power not by way of action or muscles, but in its most controlled and sublimated form. As Deepak Singh, a small-town man pushed against the wall, every movement of his, every gesture and expression is characteristic of the character he portrays. His gullibility is as believable as his love for his family and finally the bravado born out of desperation too comes alive. Yes the opening lovemaking sequence between the husband and wife rings a little false, far too sophisticated rather than raw and sensual as one would expect from a village guy. But the rest all falls in line. Be it treatment or character development, all of it is authentic. If Manav Kaul's (exemplary performance) uncanny behaviour troubles you, vulnerability of Patarlekha (she makes a promising debut) moves you. Finally you may or may not agree with producer Mahesh Bhatt's proclamation, "The film is not for the faint hearted," it certainly is not for the thick-skinned. Sensitively made, it's aimed at and meant for sensitive souls. Check it out especially if you are not addicted to commercial masala fare. And remember this is no dhimi gati ki film rather moves at an even keel and a fairly fast pace.
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Bland and boring Delhi Belly and Fukrey managed to convey both wildness and a sense of unconventional fun. Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand ho Gayi, modelled on similar lines, doesn't have either the humor or the resourceful treatment to make the cut. Meant to be a quirky romcom, this one has just heavy-duty tedium written all over it. The screenplay has precious few laughs and the treatment is just not accomplished enough to be riveting. Kuku's dream of owning a restaurant appears far-fetched until he meets Prabhakar Bhaiyya (Amit Sial), a jugadu from Kanpur who has solutions for every problem. Taking a Fukrey sort-of turn, Kuku buys the scheme and becomes successful. But that's not enough, obviously. Predictable and unaccomplished, this film lacks intrigue or interest. The treatment is cliché-ridden, the exposition and set-up just too uneventful to be absorbing. The actors are also quite stilted in their performances. Overall, there's very little to keep you engaged here.
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Fairytale fare The King soon loses his wife and his charming daughter Elle is taken away from him to be looked after by three always-arguing aunts who provide much of the dramatic relief. Actually Maleficient, with her black gown and wings, is probably inspired by Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close) of 101 Dalmations' and though some of the lines are cute, she tends to hog the limelight to her disadvantage. Is a fairy tale relevant in today's age? Well, director Robert Stromberg tries his best to prove that, but he could have done without some petty incidents that tend to detract from the main theme. A timely shift in the plot saves the fare on the home-stretch to end on a pleasing note. Angelina Jolie is her usual competent self and she is well supported by Elle Fanning, but Sharito Copley is wooden.
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Blending error Adam
Sandler is not everyone's idea of a comic and that is because he believes that nothing succeeds like excess. Blended is no different. It is, no doubt, inspired by the 1968 romantic comedy Yours, Mine & Ours (Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda) although here it has a different angle. Jim Friedman (Adam Sandler) has three girls while Laureen Reynolds (Drew Barrymore) is a closet saleswoman and they meet through a common friend. What's more, both families find themselves on a trip to Africa where they have enough of time for fun and games. But, as in most of Sandler's films, its slapstick and cheap humour that drown the few good gags. Looking much heavier now, Adam Sandler's flashes of real wit are drowned in silly gags and slapstick humour. Drew Barrymore is more believable while Bella Thorne gives evidence of talent, but former basketball star ONeal is a clear no-no and leaves a gross taste in the mouth.
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Saturday May 31 Yuvvraaj is a film directed and produced by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Zayed Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles and is inspired from Hollywood film Rain Man (1988). ZEE CINEMA 11:26AM Phool Bane Angarey 5:55PM The Real Tiger 9:00PM Taare Zameen Par ZEE STUDIO 12:00PM Uninhabited 4:00PM The Insider 7:15PM Pirates of the Caribbean: on Stranger Tides 10:00PM Bringing Out the Dead ZEE ACTION 10:30AM Insaaf 5:30PM Shiva Shakti 8:30PM Prem Qaidi INDIA TALKIES 1:00PM Hijack 4:30PM Paatshala 8:00PM Yuvvraaj 11:30PM Soundtrack STAR MOVIES ACTION 9:30AM Taken 11:30AM Rambo: First Blood Part II 5:30PM Terminator 2: Judgement Day 8:00PM Face/Off 10:00PM Game of Death ZEE CLASSIC 11:00AM Raja Jani 5:08PM Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan? 8:00PM Arzoo 11:37PM Khoon Paseena STAR GOLD 10:45AM Housefull 2 2:05PM Hera Pheri (2000) 5:00PM Singham 8:00PM Ek Tha Soldier 10:45PM The Great Veera STAR MOVIES 10:00AM The Front Row with Anupama Chopra 10:30AM Armour of God II 12:30PM Turbo 2:30PM Mr. Bean's Holiday 4:30PM The Mummy Returns Sunday June 1 Jolly LLB is a National Award winning Bollywood courtroom comedy drama film, written and directed by Subhash Kapoor. The film stars Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani and Amrita Rao in lead roles. ZEE CINEMA 7:45AM Love U... Mr. Kalakaar! 11:14AM Mr. India 2:52PM Hum Saath Saath Hain 5:50PM Mujhse Shaadi Karogi 9:00PM Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyon ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Mera Dharam 10:30AM Champion: The Winner 5:30PM Dildaar: The Arya ZEE CLASSIC 9:48AM Hero 1:07PM Prem Rog 4:32PM Mother India 8:00PM Deewar 11:25PM Himmat STAR GOLD 9:25AM Jolly LLB 12:05PM Hungama 3:20PM Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? 5:45PM Hero No. 1 8:00PM Ready 11:00PM Jigar Kaleja STAR MOVIES 7:30AM Ratatouille 9:30AM The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior 12:00PM Hollow Man 2:00PM New Police Story 4:30PM Turbo 6:30PM Spider-Man 9:00PM The Lost World: Jurassic Park 11:30PM Prometheus WB 9:06AM Mars Attacks! 11:10AM Catwoman 1:13PM Cradle 2 the Grave 3:09PM Jason X 4:54PM The Hangover 6:49PM The Karate Kid, Part II 9:00PM V for Vendetta 11:42PM Snakes on a Plane
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So while at one level it pierces your heart by depicting the predicament of the impoverished family, on the other it keeps you on tenterhooks. Both the impending doom and 'what next' suspense, keep you clued in. Yes, much of the thriller aspect you can make a calculated guess about and much more is kept under the wraps. But between the predictable and the unpredictable the director Hansal Mehta of Shahid fame crafts a riveting story. So you enter this maze where you try to put the clues in place all the time empathising with its lead protagonist. Alongside, you are privy to the agony and anxiety of the couple caught in the quagmire of dreams and circumstances. Yet nowhere does the film go overboard. 
A
quirky title alone does not guarantee a hit film. Production houses like Balaji Motion pictures should have known that. These titles might generate curiosity, but without the content to match that expectation, there's no chance of recompense.
The premise is meant to be slice-of-life reality, but the treatment makes it thoroughly contrived and lacking in reality bytes. Two friends from a middle class colony in New Delhi, Kuku Mathur (Siddharth Gupta) and Ronnie Gulati (Ashish Juneja), are inseparable. Kuku's father is a government officer who wants his son to study hard and get a good job. The Gulatis, on the other hand, are rich cloth merchants. The authoritative grandfather of Ronnie gifts him a shop of his own - Ronnie Blouse & Petticoat Matching Center while Kuku struggles to get into college and has to finally become a spot boy in a film unit. His girlfriend falls for someone else and even the Gulati family ignores him. His best friend Ronnie is too busy reaping dividends from the shop.
On the other hand, Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) grows up to be a warm-hearted creature and even manages to turn Maleficient by her winning ways. However, 3D is a handicap with the visuals looking dull and depressing (it is not even advertised).
Meanwhile, Africa with its many treasures provides enough of wildlife and some of them even ride ostriches! But tourist guide Doug (Shaquille ONeal) proves to be a wet blanket — loud and gross in whatever he does. So, the fare is both lukewarm as well as predictable and director Frank Coraci has too much on his plate. He could have been more selective and the Bunuelian formula would have made a big difference.
8:00Pm INDIA TALKIES
9:25AM STAR GOLD