Bluffs, Truths and Audiotapes

There is a wonderful book “The Making of the President, 1960” by Theodore White. This book narrates three things primarily. One, that how United States elects a President, and two, how and what did John F. Kennedy do to become the President of the United States and three, that your initial observations are not necessarily true.

The book, a very interesting novel, captures the “randomnosity” of the electoral processes. It aptly depicts the fratricidal wars within parties to win the nomination. It also speaks about the “Foyer Politics” where the candidates and his group “unscrupulously” “Lobby” in the Hotel to gather support. The writer is successful in bringing out the “movements” in democratic processes. The book also portrays that the arena of politics is not a “gentleman’s game”. You can be good. You can have all the knowledge and resources. But if you cannot muster the “right pulleys”, you are incompetent. The higher the post, the longer and more emphatic should be your chain of influence. That’s the truth about democracy.

We have, I believe, a horrendously mistaken belief that we have to correct the system. It’s like every one has to jump into action and fight elections or be involved in some elective bodies etc. We all believe that we have to roll our sleeves and jump in the cesspool. If we continue with this belief that, in politics, “We have to do it” then we will miss the point by a millennium.

Actually, we don’t have to correct any political system. System Correction is Management Prerogative. It lies within the organization. Hence outside the domain of suffrage. Correction is always within the zone of influence. The Prime Minister controls the whole nation through a very limited “Bells and Push-buttons”. Hence, viewed from our side, we too have to control the political eco-system through our own limited controls. We should not expect sweeping powers. We just have one vote. And that should be powerful enough. Now, how many of us vote?

But Governments don’t tumble by solitary votings. A vote signifies an Opinion. When sentiments and speculations fuel that “one” opinion, that point of application of force is bound to move. Thus, Opinions are important. But what happens when your are led to a certain doctored believes.

We have to get aware. Then people who want to get elected (there will be always such people) will then play on our new awareness. You can see this in your daily lives. The moment you are informed or acquainted, the games change. The “cheatings” are then kicked up by few notches.

My aim of writing this post is two folds. First is to keep a record for myself. Second, to express what I comprehended as artificial reporting and people making quick judgment-calls. In conversations and in recent Theater Arts too, Kalmadi has become a synonym for corruption. So from now on, we have a new mascot till we get another one, probably for a decade or half. It would be a sorry state, if we still have the same muck.

Muck is inevitable but why not have some new better muck. For example, all developed country has quite developed mishmash. But that does not impinge on the quality of life for the people. They don’t fight starvation but obesity is there new disease. Why not get the same for us here! Or, do we still see God in Poverty. We should prefer delusion due to diabetes than from hunger.

There is a reason why we are still in the age of “Bijli-Paani-Sarak” (Electricity, Water, Roads). It’s not that our Politics has solved “Roti-Kapra-Makaan” (Bread, clothes, house). They are simply scared to repeat these words. Many regions have become aware of this and they call this political bluff.

Also, there are many places where loan-sharks victimize the public. In Bihar, after a level, there is abject poverty. It’s not that the land is in-fertile or rivers choose to flood only that state in particular. The state suffers from basic lack of awareness. The moment they get aware, politics will cling around the new growth. Politics needs a prop. Change the Prop and that will change Politics.

But, educated as we all are, we were stumped. Our lack of awareness did us in. For a population who refuses to stand in a proper “queue” or obey traffic lights, we supinely submitted to our media. The Opinion Makers made a fool of us. Like, in the game of Hide-and-Seek, a fool is always a seeker. The “Hiders” – The Media – always gets to the “Home Base”.

Just before the Common Wealth Games and also after it, I sensed “Jugular” nature of the Media. They were following some pattern which did not fit the prevalent probabilities. I raised (to myself) several questions. Why is the Media not targeting the right persons? Why is the media incessantly targeting one person and also for the wrong reasons? When Delhiites are stuck in Traffic Jams, why is Kalmadi forced into the picture? When the Prime Minister ordered a probe on New Delhi Urban Development, why did the media suddenly took flights to London and start airing scams on Kalmadi with AM Films as the backdrop?

I heard Burkha Dutt and other media “Stars” raise questions way off the target, and the Public devoured their drivel. The synchronous orchestrations pointed towards a subterfuge. My wonder would have continued. But the “Radia Tapes” put the truth out in the open. The Media Opinion Makers turned out to be just “Agents”.

We all watch News, isn’t it? We all form our opinions from there, isn’t it? Then we cast aspersions wrongly on people, isn’t it. But then again, we let it pass and say – “its politics”, hence not our “cup of tea”. Isn’t it!

It is not Politics, actually. It’s just Pattern. The scenario is very close to those Logical Reasoning questions which we all solved in our exams. Even if things are wildly abstract, it should fit in somewhere. The critical thinking which we all use to pass our exams, the same, or even less, is required to catch the amiss here.

I am reasserting my opinion. Lobbying is not bad. It happens. It should be accepted. Our failure is that, when the media goes “berserk”, inevitably we fail to ask ourselves – “For who are they doing this?“ We should be Critical but we all choose to Capitulate. The media provocation should evoke an opposite, if not equal, reaction from us.

But we have reasons to agree what our media shows us. Let’s see how.

Suppose, you are standing on a crowded railway platform and you have missed a few over-crowded trains. You are waiting hopefully for the next. On the beams above, there is a big screen playing out the News. Obviously, sound is the discount. But the screen shows faces of people tagged with “Corruption”,” arrested” “CBI” etc. In the environment where you are, this Media-Onslaught will definitely evoke ill-feelings. Imagine similar settings elsewhere too. Like coming back from your work, couple of hours in Jams and then switching on T.V. to see that sewage. Then, of-course, those opinions then sinks inside you along with your “drinks and dinner”.

We feel short-changed hence we take a short cut to opinions. Our feelings are understandable but not valid. It will stop us from not going to the polls next time. O.K., Don’t go to vote. But at least have an attitude that does not allow the shit to stick onto you. The moment they know that it’s not working, they will give up.

I am embedding a few links; the video is on You Tube. Please use your head-phones and listen in to those people. What they do and who they serve behind the scene? Just listen. What is astonishing is Vir Sangvi taking dictation from Radia on what should be the subject matter of his next article. Barkha Dutt did not surprise me. She is a true Congresss Agent. Best is Ratan Tata, not saying much or doing much. Just listening and asking information, no judgments. That’s Tata Power.

There are ample reasons to believe that the tapes are authentic. Barkha Dutt and Vir Sangvi have both come on camera saying sorry. Ratan Tata had filed a case to stop its distribution. I find this an interesting case study.

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Barkha Dutt Nira Radia All Tapes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIgOItvvsS8

Vir Sanghvi and Nira Radia Exposed Tape Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIw7IfGYWEk&feature=related

Vir Sanghvi and Nira Radia Exposed Tape Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljLoovK9SQU&feature=related

Rajdeep Sardesai N’ Nira Radia Nexus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktuWeDb3dXI&feature=related

Ratan Tata and Nira Radia Conversation – 2G Spectrum – Part 1 of 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTZgm2XnztA&feature=related

Ratan Tata and Nira Radia Conversation – 2G Spectrum – Part 2 of 2