 |
Manu Joseph became a journalist because he didn’t have to crack any objective-type entrance exam to be one. His first novel, Serious Men, is the winner of The Hindu Best Fiction Award. It is one of Huffington Post’s 10 Best Books of 2010, and was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2010. He is the editor of Open. EMAIL AUTHOR |
It happened, providentially, between the World Cup and the IPL. Anna Hazare, whose infatuation with Narendra Modi and Raj Thackeray was not known to many (the character of a man is so hard to google, especially when you have to transmit a whole revolution live), said he was ready to sacrifice his life to end corruption in the country. In response to his fast-unto-death, the beautiful people held candles and walked great distances. Kabir Bedi, or his wax statue, said in his baritone, “If this is not revolution, I don’t know what is.” Thousands of angry people employed in the private sector, some of whom even took comp offs, came out on the streets to support Hazare. Hundreds of thousands gave missed calls to a number to say that they were with Anna. The Government surrendered to fight another day. The people had won a rare victory. In tribute, Sai Baba nearly died.
It was exactly the kind of revolution the Indian middle-class loves. Like Ravi Shastri’s fielding, it did not soil their whites. They went back home without being hit by lathis or spilling blood. Enchanted by the seeming triumph of their rage, they unfriended and abused anyone who questioned their revolution, their cause.
But then Anna started talking. First he congratulated Modi for the “good work” he was doing in rural Gujarat. Unable to tolerate the erroneous praise for a man who is accused of presiding over one of the worst massacres of Muslims in India, a section of Hazare’s followers, including Mallika Sarabhai, left in a huff. Prashant Bhushan, part of the committee that is drafting the extraordinary Jan Lokpal bill, said Hazare’s compliment was “politically naïve”. Then Hazare said on Headlines Today that he believed not only in Gandhi’s ways but also in the justice system of the medieval king, Chhatrapati Shivaji. He suggested the hands of the corrupt be cut off. This is the kind of statement that usually gets him applause in his village, but as the new saint of the middle-class, he was becoming an embarrassment.
In time, if not controlled by the people around him, he will say many more things that are as silly. It is already clear to those who want to wake up from their dream that Hazare is just a simple man from another time, like your affable grandfather, with communal tendencies and an obsolete view of the world. But he managed to sell the middle-class a lemon—himself.
The consequence of an excited naïve middle-class hoisting Hazare as a hero is the irony that he would, in time, make the Government look better than civil society. It is unfortunate because this society contains very bright and honest people. As it is, the Jan Lokpal bill is ambitious—it imagines an institution beyond the authority of the Government that would have the power to investigate and prosecute the most powerful people in the country.
Those who believe that Jan Lokpal is practical are most likely to point to the success of another powerful independent body—the Election Commission. But then the reasonable success of the Election Commission is largely due to the fact that all rival political forces have a common interest in the functioning of the Commission. The body, in principle, offers a level playing field. But in the case of an anti-corruption body, it is in the common interest of all corrupt political players, across party lines, to come together as a cartel to thwart its functioning. The very reason why existing bodies drafted with good intentions, like the Central Vigilance Commission (created by another Gandhian), have become ineffective.
There can be many arguments for and against the Lokpal. Whichever way you look at it, the process of breathing life into the extraordinary institution is going to be very complex, and much depends on its mascot, Anna Hazare, retaining the support of television’s most important constituency—the middle-class. But he seems bent on losing them by revealing his inner thoughts.
In the middle of all this, it is hard to ignore the fact that while the middle-class has the right to be disgusted by corruption, it is also a huge beneficiary of the malaise. What is the corruption that the middle-class is referring to? Bribes paid to politicians by giant corporations. But then what really is such a bribe? In a country where governance and systems are inefficient, a bribe is often an incentive given to a person in power or cartel of powerful people to ensure that a path is cleared quickly and smoothly. It is a way of buying efficiency. A number of companies that now employ the middle-class have managed to set up and grow their businesses in India because of this incentive. The same reason why expressways and sealinks and whole suburbs have risen in the country, greatly changing the quality of life of the middle-class.
So the middle-class is not the victim it projects itself to be. The real victims are the sections that have been left out or are on the fringes of the new economy.
In fact, if the middle-class really wanted a revolution, all they had to do was quit the companies that were tainted in the many scams or refused their services and products. This demand is not very different from what Gandhi asked of his people during his struggle. Very few complied. Even then, marching on the road was easier.
+++
In an earlier version of this article, there is a mention of Hazare, a few days ago, supporting Raj Thackeray's philosophy. While Hazare has made statements to that effect in the past, it is not true that he made any such statements this month. The error is deeply regretted.
OLDER COMMENTS FIRST
44 COMMENTS
Permalink
Brilliant! I love manu's article .
Permalink
This magazine is amazing. Some one finally has the courage to show us, the middle class, our truth. Keep up the good work.
This article will not change anything , but these new revolutionaries need to be told the facts . The media created victim mentality needs to be stripped.
Permalink
It drives me nuts when people in India call this a revolution. I mean revolution of what kind ? getting to change the high school rules to wear lipsticks. That how this whole thing sounds, juvenile and contrived.
Permalink
Manu Joseph, congratulations on penning this brilliant and intelligent article. I love the sprinkling of humour as much as the well-articulated take on different persons.
I havent been unfiended by anyone yet for voicing similar views, but have had earfuls...but all in jest.
Permalink
This is a fantastically written article, especially the bit about the middle class and corruption. Though I am a bit uncomfortable with what it seems Open's dislike for Anna; as the old saying goes - nobody (except Rajnikanth) is perfect, therefore we need to make the most of whatever we are getting. Anna might be an pretty ordinary man with all his follies , but this movement is not only about Anna alone.
Somehow, maybe because of the social media, lot of ordinary people got an opportunity to join this movement, even if it was just virtually. For that reason itself i find this movement worth the hype it created. It definitely serves better purpose than the poonam pandey kinds of hypes.
Permalink
Excellent writing, and thanks to Open for taking Hazare on. And for stating that the middle-class is not the victim it projects itself to be; ironical that this candle-holding crowd, so contemptuous of politics, illiterate about anything that does not affect them directly and believes in the absolute power of money, has decided that Gandhi is leading them on.
Permalink
It is disturbing to see Hazare's political leaning towards Thackeray and Modi. I would have expected a more neutral stance. But I believe he wants a departure from the status quo just like all of us, fame could be a by product but this is far from a revolution. Media is feeding off the middle east revolution and trying to make this into something its clearly not designed to be. If we, the middle class, really want a revolution, we will need to the change that we want to see. Maybe stop paying bribe, stop trying to get our driving license sitting at home, overall just being responsible for our actions.
Permalink
Heh, so, the answer to stopping corruption is to boycott the products of the companies that paid bribes. Nothing should be said to those politicians and bureaucrats who forced them to pay bribes, eh? Next time a cop wants you to fork over 100 Rs for some imagined traffic violation, after you have paid it, turn yourself into jail, Mr Joseph. If you havent already got out of paying it by telling them youre a journalist, of course. Pathetic. How much were you paid, Manu Joseph, for writing this trash?
Permalink
'it is also a huge beneficiary of the malaise' is hard to digest. Because 'expressways and sealinks and whole suburbs have risen in the country, greatly changing the quality of life of the middle-class' through corruption, it seems the middle class shall be content and quiet. After an admission like ' In a country where governance and systems are inefficient', I wonder how there can be beneficiaries. All are victims, period.
Be a little hopeful, think of expressways, sealinks and whole suburbs that arise without the need for corruption. They might cost a little less, be affordable to more people.
Criticize the uncalled for comments, criticize the methods used in the fight, criticize even the motives, but not the people who joined. They were there because they dare to hope for a better tomorrow.
Even when the whole country was fighting for freedom, there was only one Gandhi. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have only one leader now. When we are drowning, we will hold on to the rope that's there, even if it's faulty.
Permalink
Yes, Anna Hazare is naive, somewhat jejune and has a simple unsophisticated world view. He has not been schooled in the fine art of politically savvy soundbites expected of those who choose to lead in this televised age. He is a relic of a more innocent age - and as such, ripe for manipulation by his media savvy opponents - of which, for some reason, I'm dismayed to see are Manu Joseph and his ilk.
But this movement is NOT about Anna Hazare. It is about the corruption endemic to our politics and our society. It is NOT about the middle class - despite that crack about 'beautiful people holding candles'. The biggest scam right now is not the 2G Spectra but the systematic looting of foodgrain and fuel in the Public Distribution System - depriving the poorest of poor of their basic needs of life.
This crusade has been masterminded not by Hazare or by Baba Ramdev or Sri Sri or even Kiran Bedi or Swami Agnivesh, but by hard headed activists like Arvind Kejriwal - an ex IItian and a Magsasay award winner, who has worked tirelessly for more transperancy in governance and was instrumental in getting the (invaluable as it turned out) RTI Act passed, as well as Shanti and Prashant Bhushan who have campaigned for judicial accountability and reform.
Anna Hazare has captured the imagination of a population fed up to the gills with the large scale looting of the public treasury by its elected leaders, but he is merely the moral face of the movement - not its brain. Mr Joseph can mock the credulity of this unsophisticated old man but he cannot say a thing against his personal integrity. Mr Joseph also has yet to air his views about the Jana Lokpal Bill. After the spate of anti- Hazare articles appearing in succession in this magazine I have strong reservations about Mr Joseph's stand on the anti-corruption issue and his motives in belittling a man who , after all is said and done , has at least managed to take the country forward one tiny step.
Permalink
Thing is, when the cynicism starts getting predictable -- this writer especially seems to be making sure Open reaches that point quickly -- are there other tricks up your sleeve? If you suspect otherwise, the time to start teaching this new horse some new ones is about now.
I do hope there are though - certainly the makings of a good magazine here.
Permalink
The point raised here are good, corruption is not all bad in a inefficient system where there is no incentive created by the systems to do the work fast , bribes act like external incentives to speed up the work but the morality of it is still a question mark.
Anna might not be as sophisticated as Mahatma Gandhi but he indeed created a revolution, for the first time brought it to the attention of masses and made it look sexy to be a part of it.
The road is long, Lokpal or any bill itself will not do it. It will require a behavioral change of the way Indians think about wealth .
I wrote a blog long back on it when CWG was in limelight ..
Common Wealth Games Corruption, Why are we blaming bureaucrats and politicians for large scale corruption . I have the following questions ?
1. Why do we idolize our wealthy relatives without checking out their means of income and wealth ? And even when we know that they are corrupt, our respect and appreciation within society for them never change.
2. Do we prefer to bribe the Traffic Police man rather than paying actual penalties ? How much money are we annually saving out of it, nothing, But we still do it , right ?
For more please visit the URL
http://www.ankitzen.com/2010/10/why-blame-politicians-for-corruption.html
Permalink
Manu, it's fun watching you make an ass of yourself. Last week you wrote that barely 300 people turned up for Anna's morcha at Jantar Mantar. This week after the government accepted his demands making your article look silly, you have decided to dub this a middle-class revolt. since the middle class doesn't read your rag, or care to read your vapid prose, there's a good chance that you will remain an unknown to them. Let's take the first thing, and get it out of the way. This Modi business. There's no evidence that Modi presided over any massacre. All the evidence we have points to the fact that Modi called for the Army in double quick time, and within two days of they were on the streets quelling the riots. Have you no shame Manu? Modi put that behind him and went on to win two elections, taking several unpopular decisions with a courage that is lacking anywhere in India. No free electricity, no loan waivers, no freebies. It also helps that Modi has no flunkies and works tirelessly for his state, and now presides over the most robust agricultural sector in any state, bar none. When a state like Gujarat organizes investment events in partnership with Canada and Japan, while New Delhi dithers over economic reform the man on the street knows who is a performer and who is a slacker. As one person puts it, "Modi is the only leader. The rest are looters." So then who are your heroes Manu? A naxal thug like Ganapathy who tortures informers metes out lynch mob justice, and blows up schools? Or let's see, the jihadi thug Geelani of Srinagar who lives off government largesse?
The middle class is an aspirational station for the underclass, who yearn to educate themselves, find a stable job, raise a family, and enjoy the simple joys of life. Yesterday's underclass is today's middle-class. Today's underclass is tomorrow's middle class. The middle class puts up with a lot, pays for everything, including your salary. Corruption is enabled by a compact between a feudal political establishment (consisting of the Congress, and the regional parties) and a feudal business class (consisting of companies like your employer). Middle class promoted companies like Infosys or middle class friendly companies like the TATAs keep clear of skulduggery. It is in crony capitalist run establishments like Open magazine where one finds flunkes like you Manu, who actually begin to believe what they write is true.
Permalink
Manju Joseph!! What an article of utter hog bollocks. There should also be a bill against literary corruption of the Manu Joseph kind
Permalink
The rats are starting to coming out.
As the Lokpal Bill movement gets stronger, we will see many people with hidden agendas come out in the open to criticize it. Most of them will try and be sly about it. After all, they don't want to reveal their leanings so soon.
So they will try and make persuasive arguments about the folly of this movement.
"The Lokpal Bill seeks to usurp the role of the Parliament. We already have a system in place, let's just make it better. Democracy is in danger etc. etc."
When all else fails, they will indulge in character assassination.
"Shanti Bhushan is caught on a CD talking about a 'deal'. Arvind Kejriwal was crooked when in the IRS. And Anna Hazare is no Gandhian, but a sinister autocrat who doesn't believe in democracy."
These establishment stooges will do their best to try and influence people against this movement. Because they know that time is running out. If all goes well, by 15th August 2011, the Lokball Bill will be passed and the game will be up for dishonest politicians, bureaucrats and all their friends.
Hartosh Bal and Manu Joseph are just two among thousands of these establishment chamchas. No more or less than Ms. Barkha Dutt whom, ironically, the Open Magazine went after with so much gusto.
The rats are starting to come out.
Permalink
I have been reading Open for a while now, because of the quality of the writing, but it is amazing and shocking to see Open so cynical of a 72 year old man who is just trying to galvanize a nation against corruption (which apparently according to Mr. Joseph is okay to have, because the middle class is somewhat indirectly enjoying it; buddy, the moral of it is wrong. You should be getting government services efficiently without bribes).
Anna is a person who has brought out not only the middle-class's anger, but most Indians' frustration with the system. As one of the above comment mentioned, the real brains behind the corruption campaign are Arvind, the Bhushans and the Indian people who voiced their anger with the system and the corrupt politicians. Anna might not be politically savvy, but his heart's in the right place. Is yours?
Permalink
Its very encouraging to know that there are still writers who can swim against the stream. We, the middle class, love a revolution that demands nothing more of us than lighting a candle or taking a walk out in the streets. This is not a revolution. Its an excuse to do something without doing anything. Corporations are just as guilty of corruption as government officials. This will be a revolution when we begin to take responsibility for our part in the corruption of the country. Its always easier to light a candle.
Very interesting counter-perspective to the Anna Hazare movement!
Permalink
Debatable points, but overall a much saner article than the earlier rant. That's an improvement :P
And, " they unfriended and abused anyone who questioned their revolution..." Ouch!
Permalink
Manu, there is a journalist, a real journalist, who is "rishtey mein tera baap, aur jinhe log Shahensha kehte hain," Mobashar Jawed Akbar
"The contemporary young have provided the surge that has led India to the doorstep of international economic leadership, and they want the benefits of this growth to rescue the impoverished base of the country, and strengthen the middle class to which they belong. Instead they see wealth being sucked up the needle-point apex of the pyramid, captured by a coalition of capital and comprador politician. They are angry at the thought that the national symbol has become a bloated leech."
Added to that is this inner court of chamchas, jesters, and rajkavis, canaries who sing the praises of the puppet master, who runs our government behind the scenes. MMS doesn't decide whom to appoint to the Cabinet. It is this puppet master who does. But Manu or Hartosh won't be caught ever questioning this sinecured sinister character.
Permalink
Mr Joseph,
You are 100 % right and middle class or anyone does not want to lead by example. Your previous article was also posted by me and so is this one. We too were from day one exposing the movement and how they have played with the citizens emotions and sentiments but middle class is interested in dreams and magics and so now focus shifts from 2 G, CWG and other scams committed by Congress. The whole movement was managed by Congress and yes it has succeeded. I salute you for true journalism even if it amounts to going against public sentiments and opinion.
Regards,
Rajeev Yadav,
National President,
(B.Sc., M.B.A., L.L.B., P.G.D. Human Rights),
Adhikaar the rights path,
+919811242471.
www.adhikaar.in
Permalink
Be a part of Revolution, Write some thing today for Good India and Strong India.
We know many freedom Fighters... This time we need corruption fighters.
We don't care what anna hazare said or whom he is linked with... we dont care.
we care the cause "which is right" and need of the time.
Add Something Good to nation by power of your writing.
Jai Hind.
Permalink
All such articles deserve a strong counter response. And the most befitting response is the following article by Santosh Desai in TOI.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Citycitybangbang/entry/death-by...
Read it folks and then make your own judgment.
Permalink
Debatable points, but a much saner article than the earlier rant against Hazare. That's an improvement. And "...they unfriended and abused anyone who questioned their revolution..." Ouch! :P
Permalink
There have been a plethora of such articles denigrating the man and the mass mobilization that he has achieved. All these articles deserve a strong counter response. And the most befitting response is the following article by Santosh Desai in TOI.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Citycitybangbang/entry/death-by...
Read it and then make your own judgment about our cynical media.
Permalink
Manu joeph is highly conspicuous among the pool of modern day journalists.
Its indeed heartening to see such articles about the false pride of indian middle class.
Permalink
Just in case you are criticising only because it is so common to like anna and so "different" to be not.. ! He might be whatever in his personal life.. but the only aspects that I am concerned with is - that he is creating a trend of PARTICIPATORY law making in our democracy... after RTI, this will be the second law which will be made by citizens.. with their inputs and insights.. despite an unwilling, reluctant and rather obstinate government !!
Permalink
I really dont understand today's journalism. Have you all become such big cynics that you really want to find something negative in everything!! the age of scams is really conning you journalists into increasing TRPs or in case of print journalism number of copies sold by just being pure HATERS! really.. although i may or may not agree totally with the jan lokpal bill presented by the civil society, i am of the strong belief that the government should know what the people think.
the BJP keeps calling bandhs and stalling parliament saying this is what the people want. this is not what we want! what anna hazare is doing is atleast more democratic. in today's electoral system, you could claim that the MPs are democratically elected but the truth is what anna says, they are elected coz they had enough money, alcohol and in case of Jayalalitha n Karunanidhi, enough mixers to give away. so please stop being haters and atleast try to see the good points in what is being said thruogh this whole protest.
Permalink
Well written article. But finally the middle class has awakened to an issue and how ever easy it might have been to take the streets and do a candle light vigil, they did it overcoming a lot of inertia. We hope that now that we have over come this barrier, we would continue to fight.
Permalink
Sure the man is a villager who does not seem to understand his questions belong to the pre English Civil War era. But that is hardly the point. The real question is, why are there 3 write-ups on the same issue - - and each not offering anything substantially different to reader compared to the other two? Shows shockingly poor editorial choices. Or, worse, an agenda (good or bad) driving editorial decisions.
Did you not accuse Ms Dutt of exactly the same crime? Tut Tut.
Permalink
The man seems to have missed political philosophy classes and belong to pre-English Civil War era.
But that is hardly worth 3 write-ups in the same issue. Worse, each offers nothing spectacularly different from the other two. The real question hence is, why was this shockingly poor editorial decision to run all 3 made? It either editorial incompetence or worse, your editorial judgement is driven my some agenda(good or bad). Isn't this the exact crime you rightly accused Ms Dutt of?
Permalink
I was disturbed when Manu Joseph called this a 'middle class' movement. Is the Indian middle class so easily identifiable or definable? How does he know the poor weren't as thrilled by the movement as the so-called middle-class? How does he know it won't benefit them as much, if not more, than it will the middle-class? Every million that is stashed away by a corrupt politician can perhaps be used for primary education or healthcare. To have dismissed the whole movement as the misguided exertions of the middle-class reeks of intellectual arrogance. The more Manu and his writers exhibit this, the less likely we are to read Open. Check out Tehelka's nuanced coverage of the Jan Lokpal bill -- it accommodates a diversity of views. Open's writers, on the other hand, are just reflecting the views of their editor.
All the good work done by Open on the Radia tapes seems a distant memory.
Permalink
In the middle of all this, it is hard to ignore the fact that while the middle-class has the right to be disgusted by corruption, it is also a huge beneficiary of the malaise. What is the corruption that the middle-class is referring to? Bribes paid to politicians by giant corporations. But then what really is such a bribe? In a country where governance and systems are inefficient, a bribe is often an incentive given to a person in power or cartel of powerful people to ensure that a path is cleared quickly and smoothly. It is a way of buying efficiency.
Then why did you object to lobbying by the radia's and their ilk. It is also way of buying efficiency. what is wrong with TATA'S and AMBANI'S,
Permalink
Superb commentary. The hypocricy of the anti-corruption movement is matched only by naivette and this is a lethal combination if we are intent on fighting corruption to the end (going past lip service and tokenism of enactments).
The endorsements for the Anna campaign coming from corporate heads who were pontifying on governance deficits ignorng their own organizations governance structures and ambivalence on ethics and how their paid lobbyists were trying influence peddling to get a so called level playing field . A level playing field defined as one which protected their own entrenched interests... where did this leave 'competition' 'cutomer' and 'entry barriers' quite immaterial it seemed. An amazing sense of entitlement and right to win amidst lectures on governance.
The second set were the filmstars. They ranted and raved about corruption (justifying it as an emotional response to a systemic issue) and did not ostensibly lift a finger, in all these years to correct or even object to the foundations of their industry based on black money, hawala and underworld fundng and tax evasion.
The third set were the religious leaders across faiths who went there to lend credibility to a campaign of a closet communalist and who were surprised to find that communal leaflets were being distributed at Jantar Mantar (strange the organizers did not seem to know or chose to wink at it and the government did not dare make arrests) till Anna chose to depict his binary world view and preference for a CM who did not have time for a lok ayukta and has corrupted the police force in Gujarat to an incredible extent. A kind of corruption , gnawing at the entrails of a parliamentary democratic system as played out in Gujarat, but was never contemplated by the Jan Lok Pal bill....strangely no inputs to the Jan Lok Pal drafting committee on this perverse and cynical abuse of power to corrupt and compromise the law enforcement machinery (the foundations of any civilized society). Is corruption only based on a narrow definition of exchange of money (ignoring peddling of influence, compromise of institutional integrity and independence of arms of government from mala fide interference for short term political gain and this is not only in Gujarat but in full frontal view in Bengal and Kerala too)
And then came the middle class, the champions who will not hesitate to undervalue their property values as allegedly displayed by the 'leaders and protagonist of Jan Lok Pal'. A class that can live comfortably with the malaise of black money in most significant activities of their lives.
On the positive side the anti-corruption movement was a well scripted and carefully played out mass media campaign, hats off to the specialists behind the scenes who are yet to step forward and take credit for timing and positioning. It galvanized the apathetic (to make outlandish comparison with Tahrir Square and target the ruling party) and to paraphrase a leading thinker .... all this while the candle lights (and surreptitious pamphlets) were in circulation in the streets.... who stood to gain but were barely visible?
Here is my tuppence. At what stage was the NAC drafted Lok pal bill and where was the government in implementing Sonia Gandhi's suggestions on fighting corruption when Shanti Bhushan and company chose to jump into action and preempt. Why was there a need to preempt? When for 2 1/2 years Bhushan as law minister could not finish the agenda on Lok Pal what compelling reasons or prescipitate factors on the ground forced them to give no time to the NAC or the Government? Yes there were recent issues of corruption and the actions of the SC and CBI are quite visible... so then what was the compulsion for such coercive peremptive action?
Permalink
manu please start a tv channel.. we too can stage some kind of this thing ... wats that.. oh yes revolution
Permalink
Seriously? the problem with so called English journalists like you that they are simply not Indian or have no respect for Indian value. I mean come on Manu! It's about creating a movement which is a long due to India and a village level guy has done it! So instead of praising and seeing positive in it you decided to write negative. Someone had said right "Angrez chale gaye bacche chhod gaye" or better put in this way - Angrez chale gye But Gawar nai gye!
Permalink
Great read....Good to see handful of people do see something rationale. For the rest who think its negative "Time will tell" :)
Permalink
Panchi kahe kis gagan udu me..
behtar jo is daal
pankh sunehri...shahad chadh gaya...
antar tham gai chal...
bhor bhor bhor bhai ek udta panchi...
ja betha ek daal ja betha ek daal
That's the story of the Manu and others!
Permalink
I have only one question.Is there any indian who never bribed for his petty personal things.A gas connection,violation of traffic rules,Confirmation of a railway ticket or atleast a police verification of passport.
The politicians chosen by a corrupted society will also be same..A society gets a goverment which they deserve.First let everybody check on themself.My government is just an a larger extention of me.What manu says is R u ready to change..Than no bill is required..Otherwise every bill is useless.Ur politicians are just an multiplied black face of u.
Permalink
Suddenly when a Voice, however misguided, puny or rightist, has risen to chant Corruption, or wonderful liberals have found a new villain.
Tragic this.
Manu, Manu Manu, nuance the discussion please. state what you would like in the bill. think deeply and produce examples from a stream of corrupt acts that can act a s obstacles....think instead of just writing...not good enough this deep suspicion of poor starving Anna.
You sir either have an agenda or none.
I liked your book and was hoping you would continue to put out meaningful stuff after Ms Radia's tapes but you will have to go many extra miles to make Open into a brand and your words count.
Disappointed Middle Class Ass hole. ( Me I mean. I don't know how you identify your class)
Permalink
Is it a battle between news channels and print media?
Although I may be proven wrong on further dissection of the matter but it appears to me that one of the fallout of Anna Hazare's movement is a sense of insecurity that can be sensed in print media. The news channels have several advantages over print media. One that is of consequence in this discussion is periodicity of print media while news channels can cover anything instantaneously (here I do not mean to say that there are no advantages of print media, there are). This apart from more familiar way of people understanding events, i.e. by watching, gives this media an edge over print media. Moreover, the news channels target TRP and their commercial interest whereas historically the print media eyes authenticity and other positive values (though not safe to state this nowadays as many of them have started to deviate). The news channels have a tendency to create hype about anything of little consequence if it suits them and their interest. Print media can do it. We have seen this as 'Nattha marega ya naheen?' in Peepli Live and Shahrukh film "phir bhi Dil hai Hindustani".
Coming back to the point, this Anna movement was 'booth captured', hyped and patronized by news channels. It appeared to me that the print media (or a section of it) felt left out in all this. The ones who left out failed to understand their emotions and started digging past of those who initiated, supported or joined the movement. This was initially done for individuals.. For example initially not against Anna but the people who surround him, later Anna himself, still later Bhushans. Although the print media had sympathy with people who joined the movement and now we can see the middle class becoming the target of this frustration. The frustration may have taken root from the belief that that the real exposes are done by print media but the credit is being taken by electronic media. TV anchors have become heros by hosting talk and chat shows and very few recognize faces and names of those who write for newspapers and magazines. We cannot help this. Many students do not know names of authors of their textbooks but they know stars of the movies they watch. I am not going into who is right and who is wrong debate but this is the fact of life. A greater percentage of news channel watchers know names of journalist the watch. In contrast fewer persons bother about recognizing name and face of author who has contributed article to a newspaper or magazine. I am not supporter of Barkha Dutt, Veer Sanghvi or Prabhu Chawla ( in fact surprised why Barkha is still with NDTV, and happy that the incident will mellow down Prabhu and he will introspect about his own amities) but sometimes forced to think that it may have some connection with this under current (I do not believe that charges against these journalists are false but wonder whether all of print media are clean and were they from print media would there be hue and cry).
If one carefully examines write ups like the ones penned painstakingly (and painsgivingly to middleclass) by Manu and Hartosh I start feeling that the biggest mistake that we have ever committed was to support the current movement against corruption. The write ups seem to act on priciple of divide and rule. First these have divided us into middle, higher and lower class. Higher class, according to logic of these authors is certainly corrupt hence not with the movement or is not concerned whether there is corruption or not. They are sure that lower class has not participated in it and perhaps according to them this class is wiser since it knows that both this is gimmick of middle class so why lend support to them. Now we are left with only middle class. This middle class watches TV channels so is worth beating with any stick. (What about Open Magazine? Is it exclusively distributed through PDS or given to VIPs with world Cup passes or meant for Executive ticket holders of Airlines?). The anger and frustration is so deep rooted that the author questions integrity and intentions of entire middle class or its entitlement to raise wise against question. Is this monopoly of select few, most of them journalists? What proof or penance shall entitle us to raise voice against corruption? Please apprise about this in our next article. Also take time out to inform us whether you have given clean chit to all other sections of society regarding corruption- Politicians, Bureaucrats, judiciary, upper class and lower class? Please also go throw Amartya Sen and others about multiple identities and do not held middle class accountable for all vices of the society. If you think that middle class has lost its right to question corruption in that case even journalists are not entitled to raise voice against corruption since their 'news channel cousins' have been caught red-handed talking to lobbyist.
Dear Manu, I request you to fight your war directly against news channels. Do not drag all middle class into this. I also request you not to look down upon as middle class. Please make your articles balanced and do not commit the same mistake that your news channel cousins are committing- going by emotions and not by logic. Try to know us. We, middle class, are not all that bad. Although as sinners we watch TV but we also read magazines and newspapers. Is it not sufficient to atone us from our sins?
Wish you good luck.
Dhirendra Devarshi
Permalink
Is Manu the Ayyan Money?
I got interested in Manu after Niira Radia expose. Then came his article to belittle sentiments of Indian public against anti-corruption, then one more of this kind. Gradually I developed a feeling that his articles are not balanced. I read several of his articles at website of Open Magazine and found that many of his articles offend people. May be he is trying to give another point of view but does one needs another pint of view when events themselves indicate another point of views from what is already established (e.g. corruption is established and peoples reaction is another point of views) I tried to create his psychological profile ( I have posted it as comments for one of his article).
Now I have started believing that the character Ayyan Money in his novel Serious Men is none other than Manu himself. Arvind Acharya may be all those who are taken as superior or those who give inferiority complex. Brahmins are all those who are not identified as his own class. Manu has confirmed in this article that he hates middle class itself. He is not certainly higher class. Fair chances are that either Ayyan is in fact Manu or he has got so impressed by his own creation that he has acquired Ayyan's style. Any person with average intelligence can come to certain conclusions about him if s/he reads 7-8 of his articles critically. One of the conclusions will be that his articles reveal more about him rather than about the subject he intends to focus.
Permalink
Very nice piece. I am glad that the Anna Hazare show is over! Pathetic
Permalink
Hello Manu,
What are you tying to say? That Anna's effort was just a Show? You mean it was just for publicity? If you think yes, Let me tell you this article is bigger show off than that. You do not get any attention to your article if you praise Anna like many others. You will become one among thousand and dont get any attention.
And coming to the content of your article, Who are you to talk on behalf of whole middle class? Have you ever been approached any gov.employee for some work without your 'Journalist' tag or any other influence? If you had approached then you would have come to know about why he is doing all these. You want to boycott the product ? huh, mate what all you will boycott? Is it not better to try change the system rather boycotting ?
Government system is inefficient, So Bribe is the solution ???
If I got you correctly, you are indirectly telling express subways and other developments are bi-product of corruption\bribe! Mate, you need a break.
Anna never said he is modern Gandhi. He tried his bit to change the system and like all of us including Gandhi himself, Even Anna has some flaws in his ideology. But that should not take away the the good intion and effort he has shown in changing the system.
Whatever he has done, It is far and far better than the dumb people who never react or it is even far better than the journalists like you who sees NEGETIVE in every aspect\movement.
Permalink
i agree with your views here...as a person who belongs to the excited naive middle class,as u put it,i can clearly understand the emotion u r trying to convey..
it was all more of a chak de india kind of moment...a movie that played itself out and asked the viewers to forget it when the story had reached the zenith of optimism...
disregarding your comment on modi,i guess what you r trying to say is we all love our "pink chaddi" nd "pink ribbon" moments but walking with a candle is probably the most we will ever do for it coz the image of doing itt excites us and cleanses our guilty conscience..
like the atheist who is so simply coz he's too lazy to pray,the indian middle class simply blames it all on the system and portrays themselves as victims...we do not vote.we do not pay our taxes properly.we worship the companies that engage in malpractises coz we find them more practical and more intent on giving us returns..
the western companies r changing their images to a clean and green one coz their roots in countries like ours can continue to do the dirty work..i dont like the left side of things,but here u r kind of correct.good work.loved the article.
Post new comment