Sri Lankan Crisis - Our Willful Ignorance

Arundathi Roy, much reviled within the Indian middle class, has an article in Times of India about what is happening in Sri Lanka. I like her because, whatever her motive - hogging the limelight as many suggest or an opportunist, she asks some tough questions that we Indians never ask of ourselves. Here too she asks some pertinent questions.

From Times of India:

Why the silence? In another interview Mangala Samaraveera says, ‘‘A free media is virtually non-existent in Sri Lanka today.’’

Samaraveera goes on to talk about death squads and ‘white van abductions’, which have made society ‘‘freeze with fear’’. Voices of dissent, including those of several journalists, have been abducted and assassinated. The International Federation of Journalists accuses the government of Sri Lanka of using a combination of anti-terrorism laws, disappearances and assassinations to silence journalists.

There are disturbing but unconfirmed reports that the Indian government is lending material and logistical support to the Sri Lankan government in these crimes against humanity. If this is true, it is outrageous. What of the governments of other countries? Pakistan? China? What are they doing to help, or harm the situation?

More than the article itself I found the comments section very interesting. You can see a perfect schism between the opinions of Tamils (deduced from names) who have an idea of the history of the conflict and people from the rest of India who just don't have a clue but readily lump each and every Tamil with LTTE. What is happening in SL is tragic. Between the Tamil politicians who use this tragedy for their political gain and the rest of India which does not know what is happening nor wants to know what is happening, there is not much hope for Tamil civilians in SL.

Memo to BJP: India is a parliamentary democracy

I know BJP does not believe a lot of things that we associate with India like plural, secular etc., However, i find it amusing that Advani is calling the PM for a US style debate on television. Hope Advani realizes India is a parliamentary democracy and not a Presidential form centered around one personality, at least for his sake.

From Times of India:

Senior leader and prime ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) L K Advani on Thursday threw down the gauntlet, challenging Prime
Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to a live television debate like in the United States.

Either BJP (and Advani) are desparate or Advani's senility is catching up with him.

Our Judicial Priests: We are holier than thou

Hmm..Our Highcourt judges feel they are beyond the law. Funny that this guy can't see the difference between independence and accountability. The third rail of our democracy claiming its holier than thou. It will be vey funny only if it ain't so sad.
From TOI:

Judges have to work according to law and without fear. For the proper functioning of judiciary it has to be liberated from all kinds of fear. Election Commission and other such institutions are vibrant because they are independent,’’ Justice Bhat observed.

LMAO

Thanks to Ashank. Enjoy!!!

Amartya Sen on Recession