Posts Tagged “india”
A Padma for courage?
by Ritwik on March 26, 2011
I can think of no reason why Mrs. Neelam Katara, Ms. Sabrina Lall and and Mr. Chaman Lall Mattoo should not be awarded for distinguished public service. Each of these individuals managed to overcome personal tragedy to fight against the most rotten substructure of the Indian state. Their courage helped restore, albielt to a limited degree, a measure of faith in the criminal justice system of India.
Continue ReadingWhat Manmohan doesn’t know…
by Ritwik on February 11, 2011
A note to the PM’s spin doctors – the people would prefer that Manmohan knew about all these scams. It’s probably better to have a cunning and corrupt prime minister than one who has no idea of what members of his government are up to.
Continue ReadingA Few Questions On Roy, Geelani, Kashmir etc.
by Ritwik on November 2, 2010
“India is a fake democracy”. Repeat after me. “India is a hindu upper caste state”. Oh good, come and join the left-liberal bandwagon. Now that you are an admitted member of the club, child, go on and say whatever the fuck that comes to your mind – but remember, the more caustic you make it, the higher you will rise in the ranks. And don’t you forget to collect all state-funded scholarships on the way. My question is, why is the (still numerous) genuine left-liberal opinion in this country, of which I consider myself a tiny and insignificant part, allowing this scam to take place in its name?
Continue ReadingA Kafila of Brown Sahibs and Memsahibs?
by Ritwik on October 13, 2010
By muzzling the Nirmohis on a matter inextricably linked to them, not only does Kafila show intellectual arrogance, but a rather unfortunate sense of cultural and linguistic superiority which is a relic of the colonial episteme. Kafila should know that if they open their eyes to this, they can discard what we can call, the Educated Brown Man’s Burden, and this will enrich both their understanding and analysis.
Continue ReadingYet Another Non-implementable Law
by Ritwik on July 17, 2010
It is obvious that the proposed bill to prevent child abuse in India is yet another act of over-zealousness which seeks to achieve social objectives by force of law, rather than investing in necessary social and cultural reform. It will be non-implementable, because of its sheer impracticality. That does not bother me as much as the fact that unlike the equally stupid anti-smoking law, the proposed bill has inherently greater scope for misuse and harassment.
Continue ReadingBarbaric Attack on Kerala Professor: A Few Questions
by Ritwik on July 9, 2010
I don’t understand why the police needed to assure church leaders that the perpetrators of this attack will be brought to justice? Surely these “chruch leaders” should have been incensed regardless of the religious affiliation of the victim? this episode would not have even become a news story had the attackers not committed the tactical error of chopping off Joseph’s hand. As it is, they had him on the run.
Continue ReadingWhy the BJP is right in expelling Jaswant Singh
by Ritwik on August 23, 2009
To sum up this issue: It is right to expel jaswant singh, but wrong to silence him. You cannot continue in a party unless you accept it’s core ideological position. However, his book should not be banned.
Continue ReadingShould Kasab be hanged?
by Ritwik on July 28, 2009
Should Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone captured perpetrator of the mumbai terrorist attacks, be hanged for his crimes? Legally he deserves the death sentence, but ideologically it might be better for india to imprison him for life. His death would give his handlers the opportunity to construct a cult of martyrdom around him.
Continue ReadingTheatre of the absurd: outcomes of the Lyngdoh Committee Report
by Ritwik on July 22, 2009
The following is a riveting drama possible only in the contradiction that is India.
*a nod to history: all characters & situations in the following work are purely imaginary. Any resemblence to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
The players:
The Long Arm of The Law: it is omniscient. It extends everywhere, in every domain, in every direction.
JM Lyngdoh and minions – tasked by The Long Arm of The Law to rewrite the rules of student union elections.
Why statues won’t help Mayawati
by Ritwik on July 17, 2009
The reporting of the latest statue building exercise hasn’t touched upon the topic of electoral gain: will this statue building spree benefit Mayawati electorally?
Since I am not a journalist,I will go ahead and do what most Indians are very happy doing in their drawing rooms/paan shops/offices/playgrounds etc etc – predict the fate of politicians and political parties.
Continue ReadingEqual Rights are not a zero sum game: Response to Swapan Dasgupta
by Ritwik on July 8, 2009
Appliepiecrust has written a strong rejoinder to Swapan Dasgupta’s diatribe against gay rights. You can read it here Excerpts: Mr. Dasgupta is concerned about “in-your-face-gayness” and militant gay activism, and believes all gay activism to be defined by this “perverseness.” (…)
Continue ReadingGreat Danes
by Ritwik on July 8, 2009
A poem critical of colonialism and of those who overlook the role it has in the present poverty of so-called third world countries like India. Comparative analysis of Denmark and India.
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