My controversial moment!

Over the past few months a lot of important events have taken place. Nah! I am not talking about me finishing up with my Masters, which in itself is an achievement, believe me! And neither am I talking about the other numerous tests that I’ve been breaking my head over with. They are all red letter days, but then only in my diary. And let us just say that I am not that vain (yet!) to impose those on others’ calendars.

What I am talking about are the following:

The Presidential Elections:

Not the Prez polls of the US of A, dummy! We have one at home. And well, we have decided to overtake the Americans in this regard. In all probability we are going to end up with a Madam President. We are definitely not going to miss the chance of rubbing it in. The largest democracy is going to have the first woman president and well, that’s one thing where the newest democracy will have to find solace in a mere second. And this of course, in a race run by just these two countries. And if one thought that the US presidential polls were glitzy and glamorous with their neat ribbons and confetti showers, well, ours is more exciting. We have been fortunate enough to have a wonderful President for the past five years. “A person who has filled us with a rare commodity-hope”, as a tv commentator rightly summarized his five-year term. But now, it is time for a change and well, a lot of names were fielded. And that’s when UPA decides to field a woman as a candidate. No one questions the right of a woman to don the role and neither her capabilities; for, if elected, they are yet to be tested. The whole controversy has taken epic proportions with every news channel having a debate with a panel of “experts” on a dais every half hour. News flashes and breaking news almost always deal with the Presidential polls. My vote would always go for someone who can do the job, irrespective of their caste, sex or creed. And that’s something everybody on television agrees. And that’s exactly why these recent ‘debates’ are a mockery of the whole process of the election of the President.

“The Americans, the so-called Big Brother, are fielding a woman candidate for the first time and we are here to make one before that.”

May I ask the above ‘expert’ as to what is the ratio of literate and empowered women in the US and India? How many Indian women can walk out on the streets at night without having the fear of being violated? And more so, the Presidential elections in the US is public voting and not so in India. Well, one can argue it is an indirect election done by the representatives of the public. But what about the above mentioned ratio??

“There is a need for someone with a political background to be a successful President.”

One name for you. Dr.A P J Abdul Kalam

Of course, everything comes down to politics. But there’s just one thing. Do not try to fuel feminist passions and sweep the other issues under the rug. Do not claim that we women are being ‘empowered’ by having a woman president. There are still a large number among us who still cannot spell ‘President’. There is still a larger number of us who do not have the freedom to voice their opinion in their own household without being battered, let alone spend time thinking as to who should be the president.

Mission Munnar:

Well that’s the name given, by the media, to the demolition drive happening in the resort town of Munnar in Kerala. Posh hotels and buildings have been brought down as though they were Lego blocks by mighty JCBs. There wouldn’t be a single Keralite who does not know the entire history of JCBs right now, who invented them, what it stands for, etc. The government drew a lot of appreciation for its ‘mission’ to drive out people who illegally took over the land and built profitable tourist resorts. But it equally drew flak when the CPI building was about to be brought down by the government aka CPI(M). Now that’s a comrade betraying a comrade. And what does the government who took credit for all the good work do? Pass the entire ‘flak’ on to the IAS officer in-charge of the whole operation. What does the officer do? He scoots off to Delhi and from there he will be visiting Kulu Manali for a nice family vacation.

Sunita Williams:

I admire the woman for the fact that she dared to be there for six months. I love the idea of being able to see the world and the stars from up there, but staying there for six months, alone? Erm. Let’s just say that I like my feet firmly rooted in the ground! But the entire hype about her in India just because she is of Indian-origin is annoying. Agreed, we need to take pride in what an NRI is doing. But dude! She is a NRNI at the moment. Non Resident Non Indian. The thing that is annoying is the fact that we tend to make her achievements our own. Just because her father is from India apparently gives us the right to a share in her success. These successes do not mirror ours. If nothing else, they mirror our failure to set our priorities right.

I did have a few other issues at hand. But, maybe some other time. I do not wish to be too controversial. Somehow, my hunger for 15 seconds of fame is quite non-existent, at least along these lines.