Musings of 1084

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Ashok Singhal at the Chidambaram temple on Tuesday.

Yesterday(23-08-09) Morning, i was filled with smile admiring the ’story’ that came up  in ‘The Hindu’, on Subramanian swamy, along with Ashok Singhal and Vedantham visiting Chidambaram Nataraja Temple .

This is how the story evolves.

Dr. Swamy along with Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Ashok Singhal and VHP working president S. Vedantham offered worship at the Natarajar temple on Tuesday.

When they were going around the temple a group of women belonging to the Podhu Dikshithars’ families and members of the Hindu Temples’ Protection Committee, led by Geetha Anbalagan, with tearful eyes appealed to them to restore the temple to the Podhu Dikshithars.

The leaders categorically said: “We will win, we will win” (the matter is now before the Supreme Court).

I had a doubt about how the historical meeting of the group of women with Swamy took place. Whether Swamy announced he will visit the temple or it was an accidental meeting when he was going around the temple as mentioned in the story? But I immediately shrugged off my doubt since ‘The Hindu’ is known for it’s journalistic credentials, especially in it’s ‘originality’ and ‘creativity’  more than 100 years.

I’ll  summarise the issue for the better understanding of the readers. Chidambaram Lord Nataraja Temple situated in Tamilnadu is alleged as a ‘denomination’ temple, which means a community owns the temple, by the Dikshithar Community, a sect of Brahmins. Recently after years and years of legal battles, Tamilnadu Government appointed an Executive Officer for the temple, through the HR&CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) Department on february 2009 on the basis of  verdict given by Justice Mrs. R Banumathi. Podhu Dikshithars, leading Priests of Dikshithars appealed again and recently on September 15, 2009, Madras High court division Bench dismissed the plea.

So, I was moved by the emotions of the above mentioned scene of the story, the tears of Dikshithars who lost the case and the cries of the ‘leaders’. I was relieved as the ‘leaders’ not once but twice said that they will win. I mean the count.

Swami and his friends at the Chidambaram Temple on Feb 13,2009.

Because, some time back,  When the appeal filed by the Podhu Dikshithars was in court, Swamy visited the temple and said that he will win the case in High Court on Feb 13,2009. He said the words,”We will win” only once at that time. He was showered with slohas and with the spiritual impetus, he entered the High Court at Chennai to implead himself in the case on the fateful day, 17 February 2009. Alas, he had to face rotten eggs allegedly thrown by the lawyers who were strike on Eelam Tamils issue. It’s alleged that they did the heinous crime of throwing eggs against Swamy’s support of Sinhala Chauvinism.

Ironically, there is a similarity with the present story. That time he was ‘going around the court hall’ and accidentally or incidentally, the meeting with the protesting lawyers happened. Swamy shouted for dismissing Tamilnadu Government as throwing eggs on him was a clear sign of  ‘law and order breakdown’ in Tamilnadu. Some strongly condemned the incident and admonished the advocates for ashaming eggs by throwing on Swamy which could have otherwise become hot omlettes or sweet chickens.

The attacks on lawyers by the police as a consequence flashed all television screens in the days followed. Some said this is the classical ‘law and order break down’ breaking the heads of protesting lawyers.

Coming back to the story, unrelenting ‘leader’ Swamy who was sure of winning the case, was allowed to implead in the case.  But unfortunately, he and his friends had a worst defeat as the Madras High court division Bench Categorically said that in view of the finding of the HR and CE Commissioner that there had been a large-scale misappropriation of temple funds, the court would be failing in its duty to safeguard and preserve the ancient temple if it interfered with the E.O’s appointment.

The Bench said in view of the admitted stand by the appellant, it was proved beyond doubt that neither the appellant nor their predecessors or forefathers were the founders of the temple and they were not entitled to have the benefit of protection under Article 26 (Freedom to manage religious affairs) of the Constitution.

Historical records indisputably proved the fact that the temple was established by Chola and Pandya kings and the rulers of Vijayanagaram between 10th and 13th century and worshipped by both Saivites and Vaishnavites. Hence, the Podhu Dikshidars could not claim it as a denominational temple.

The Bench said there was a startling revelation that the Dikshidars never maintained accounts either in receipt of 400 acres of fertile land or in respect of gold offering, hundial collections and cash donation for ages. Also, no account was maintained for fixing of rent and collecting them from tenants. These revealed that the Commissioner rightly concluded that the Podhu Dikshidars had continuously neglected to perform their duty. Had there been a proper administration and management of the properties, the temple would have become another rich temple like the ones in Tirupati and Palani, the Bench said.

Well, whatever the court may say, Dikshithars had been alleging the ownership on the basis of their popular theory known in Tamil as Dikshithar Moovayiram. They claim that 3000 Dikshithars came from Kailash, and the last and foremost Dikshithar was lord shiva itself. They along with lord shiva started maintaining the Temple. Now i really don’t know why the courts are not accepting this ‘historic and scientific’ fact.

Anyhow, coming back to the story, this time I am sure Swamy will win the case in Supreme Court as from what Swamy addressed a ‘gathering’ at the temple. I would prefer to call the event as ‘coming together’ rather than ‘gathering’.  Swamy said he and his friends will  join hands with ‘intellectuals’ to get back the temple from the government. I appreciate the statement as Ashok Singhal and Vedhantham,  whose ‘historical and intellectual’ contributions to the Indian society right from Babri Masjid to Ram Sethu, ofcourse with the ‘intellectual’ help of Swamy are remarkable.  I am sure they will enlighten us this time too. Swamy fought the Ram Sethu case on the basis of unquestionable ‘historical’ evidence, Tulsidas Ramyana. Yes, commoners like Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib, ’some’ officials in Archeological Survey of India (ASI) may disagree the historical value of Swamy’s evidences. As a true Swamy fan, I would say, they should be ignored.

HRPC, PLF members agitation - 17.7.2009, against the fifth attack on Arumugasamy by Dikshithars.

Many say that now the entire news media in Tamilnadu is undermining the role of HRPC (Human Rights and Protection Council) and Arumugasamy, a shiv devotee who were also litigants in the case. They say Arumugasamy, an old shiva devotee was attacked by the Dikshithars for singing Tamil hymns before the sanctum-sanctorum in 2001. His arms were fractured by the Dikshithars and was thrown to the street. HRPC took up his case and fought for his religious right. It exposed the malpractices, murders and the immoral acts of Dikshithars, waging a long and ardous struggle  both in court halls and to the masses. They say, in a way,  HRPC and Arumugasamy waged the real struggle for the rights of ordinary Hindu devotees. Well, again as a true swamy fan, I have nothing to comment on any human rights organisation or any other samy or swamy.

Now coming back to the story again, Swamy further said that none could destroy the Hindu force that constituted 83 per cent of the total population. A death knell was now sounded against those who were undermining dharma. Siva Thandavam (the ferocious cosmic dance of Lord Siva) would render them powerless.

I started trembling with fear to read those words. An image of the ferocious cosmic dance of Swamy and his friends, the living avatars of Lord Shiva started filling my mind. “We will win, we will win”! “We will win, we will win”!

Some say Swamy is a mere political tout, a paid CIA agent whose at best political activity is to create confusions and commotion. Initially he was toppling governments with many other power brokers. now he has taken the avatar, the au savior of Hinduism. Well, again as a true swamy fan, I don’t pay attention to such allegations. My only sincere wish is that, there shouldn’t be any naxal or dravidian or eelam elements amongst Supreme court Lawyers, as rotten eggs are available in delhi too.

image courtesy: sify movies

North Indian news channels, be it hindi or english, have a view that, whatever is a news in north or whatever the news they generate in north, is the news of India. Ofcourse English news Channels are bearable if not to ponder much on the polished class affinities. ‘Sach ka Saamna’, a so-called reality show is now making news in these circles.

The so-called reality show is getting aired in the Indian pillar of  Murdoch kingdom, Star Plus. (ya, root cause of recent indian oscars. if Star wouldn’t have imported ‘who wants to be a millionaire’, how come we would hav got the oscar? Now you bet another oscar based on ‘Sach ka Saamna’) So, they have come up with a next giant leap, ‘Sach Ka Saamna’,  the Indian version of the popular American game show, ‘The Moment of Truth’. The original show debuted on Fox Network in January last year.

In the show, the contestants are asked 21 varied questions about their personal and professional life. The prize money for correctly answering all the 21 questions is ‘mere’ Rs 1 crore. The correct answers are determined by the results of a polygraph test done on the contestants before the show is filmed.

As Samajwadi Party member Kamal Akthar stated yesterday in parliament, a woman was asked in the presence of her husband whether she would have physical contact with another person. Though she said no, the polygraph test said the answer was wrong. Ironically,during the promotion of the show, Keertan Adyanthaya, executive vice-president and general manager, Star Plus, said that unlike Moment of Truth, the questions have been designed keeping Indian sensibilities in mind. “Some questions will be edgy though. The Indian society is at the cusp of change and it can take such entertainment,” he says. Now you wonder what are the so-called indian sensibilities.

Prannoy roy was lashing the moral policing of parliamentarians yesterday, while Siddarth Basu, producer of the show said, “Even indian emblem has ‘Sathyameva Jayathe’ inscribed in it. We are not forcing anyone to ‘play’ in the show but only voluntary participation. why should we fear to face the truth?”

We are amazed at the selfless service and conviction of the media tycoons who bear the cross of moving India forward pushing the ‘cusp of change’ tirelessly, envisioning a future free of moral policing and openness. Leave the imitation, after all that’s what means Globalisation. we reach where the west reach. How come one can deny Globalised Culture when we crave for a Globalised Market? If that’s the case, why complain the ‘innovations’ of Globalised Culture Market?

I request our ‘progressive’ media doyens to stop issuing money in the show so as to teach the moral policing backward, idiotic voices. After all every one is for admitting ‘truth’. Why should they take money in return? this will prove that it’s a cultural change and not a mean, vulgar, voyeuristic-exhibiting urge, complemented with loads of money. Will they be ready do that? Will ‘voluntary’ participation be there if pea nuts will be given in return? You may say negative. I don’t think so. After all, india is in the ‘cusp of change’.

Moreover, if money is not only the criterion, we can expect many other celebrities who can answer better questions than with whom they slept. There are some wide open secrets which are always under denial by the concerned who are successful enough to evade all these times.

For example, Narendra modi can face questions on Gujarat genocide and undergo a polygraph test. Sajjan Kumar can face a question on 1984. Manmohan Singh on what exactly is in the agreement between India and US. Pinarayi Vijayan on his role in SNC-Lavlin scam etc., If this will happen, the parlimanterians won’t be shouting this is dangerous to indian culture. Instead it will be dangerous to the notion of India itself. Keerthan and Basu are much sensible to these kind of ‘indian sensibilities’. Now let us ask, Do you have courage to take this task and face the Truth, Star Plus?

Well, the whole world knows Muntazer al Zaidi hurling shoes at Respected US president George W. Bush, the outgoing president of the mighty US empire, the savior of the world, the greatest exporter of democracy. if you missed it, watch the video above. Zaidi hurled the shoes shouting, “This is a farewell kiss, you dog!This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.” Zaidi was working a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt.

At last, George Bush won his argument. He has indeed found the Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMD), after years and years of search.ie., a pair of shoes. It was not visible for the eyes of UN Monitoring group or for the international media but was waiting for four long years in the feets of Zaidi. May we all fight for Bush to get him the Nobel Prize this year for the discovery for which he took so much pain in his ass for years.

But see the reaction of this ungrateful world…Television news stations throughout Iraq repeatedly showed footage of the incident, and newspapers carried headline stories. In Baghdad’s Shiite slum of Sadr City, supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for protests against Bush and demanded the release of the Zaidi.

But wait, what we hear next? The Model 271 shoes that were hurled, now better known as “The Bush Shoe” has created a sensation in the market.“We’ve been selling these shoes for years but, thanks to Bush, orders are flying in like crazy. We’ve even hired an agency to look at television advertising,” says Ramazan Baydan, the owner of the Istanbul-based Baydan Shoe Company which produced the model. Baydan has recruited an additional 100 staff to meet orders for 300,000 pairs of Model 271, more than four times the shoe’s normal annual sale, following an outpouring of support for Zaidi’s act, ‘The Guardian’ reported.

Orders have come mainly from the US and Britain, and from neighbouring Muslim countries, he said. Around 120,000 pairs have been ordered from Iraq, while a US company has placed a request for 18,000. A British firm is said to have offered to serve as European distributor for the shoes, which have been on the market since 1999 and sell at around 28 pounds in Turkey. A sharp rise in orders has been recorded in Syria, Egypt and Iran, where the shoemaker ’s federation has offered to provide Zaidi and family with a lifetime’s supply of shoes. And, to meet the mood of the marketplace, Baydan is planning to rename the model “Bush Shoe” or “Bye-Bye Bush”.

And that’s not all. Mohamed Makhafa, a retired school teacher from Saudi Arabia has something to offer on his part. Heoffered to pay USD 10 million for the pair of shoes.“It is more precious than all my property. I will bequeath it to my children and display it in a museum and call it the Medal of Freedom,” Makhafa told AlArabiya.net. uh..uh..

The face blackened authorities came up with an apology letter from Zaidi. Uday al-Zeid, Brother of Muntazer al Zaidi bombarded the veracity of the letter. He told The Associated Press that the letter was written against his brother’s will because of torture during detention that included being doused with cold water while naked. “He told me that he has no regret because of what he done and said that he would do it again if time went back,” Uday said by telephone. He had visited Muntazer in jail a day before and saw more-severe injuries, including a missing tooth and burns on his ears made by cigarettes.

Well, a cool-headed Bush had only this much to say showing his teeth.“It was a size 10. So what if I guy threw his shoe at me?” His wife, Laura Bush, has much humor sense than him. she said she wasn’t amused at the incident. “So it is — as bad as the incident is, in my view, it is a sign that Iraqis feel a lot freer to express themselves,” she said. Commentators to her remarks are not so polite. Like one Mr. Joe Jackson, who says, “Who cares what this woman has to say anyway. Paris Hilton makes more sense.” Just go through other comments, thank god, Laura won’t be reading them.

Indians do not lag behind. After all our honourable prime minister Dr.Manmohan Singh during his visit to US declared “Indians love Bush”. Abdul Rahman of Chennai couldn’t find Bush in person to express his love and had to express it to the embassy building. He was arrested for throwing his pair of shoes at US embassy at Chennai. Weapons of Mass Destruction spreading from Baghdad to Chennai!! God Save US! Dr.Rudhran also expressed his love. Comrades of People’s Art and Literary Association, Tamilnadu expressed their love by distributing sweets to public!!

Well,
Happy New Year America!

I came across a comment in Rediff which is giving a near to every minute update on Mumbai Happenings. The comment by one Mr.Bolo India follows.

Raj Thackrey!
by Bolo India on Nov 28, 2008 02:13 PM  Permalink

Guys pls give me raj thackrey and Narayan Rane’s number…don’t know where hide when all this happen. Where are their goons?…they are required in Taj and Oberoi because Army & Navy & NSG have denied participating on account of alleged regionalism of Mr. Thackrey…Waise bhi Raj ke goonde bahut kudatey hain….unhe oberoi aur taj ke top floor is kudao…militant ko maar gheerane ke liye!

I Reached to Raj Thackrey’s number. I have given the full transcript of our telephonic chat below. for the sake of readers, I have given the transcript in English as you all know he speaks only shudh(pure) marathi.

me: Hallo is it Raj?
Raj: Who’s this?
me: I am 1084 who writes a blog. can i speak to Raj?
Raj: Where r u calling from?
me: aamchi mumbai sir. but am i speaking to Raj?
Raj: ya, go ahead. but tell me do you have any links with any TV or magazine?
me: no sir.
Raj: what do you want?
me: I want to ask one question sir.
Raj: will you publish our chat?
me: No sir, it’s for sure.
Raj: okie. but be sure of not publishing it. if you publish you know what will happen. i mean generally we are non violent but my men go out of my control often.
me: oh..no..no sir…whole country knows sir..who will dare to?
Raj: okie. but strictly one question.
me: okie sir.
Raj: okie. proceed.
me: Sir, it’s not my question alone but every one is asking. Where is Raj Thackrey and MNS activists(for heaven’s sake, I was speaking to Raj Thackrey. I cannot use the correct term goondas) when Mumbai is under attack after all they are the proclaimed saviours of Marathis?
Raj: See the problem is not for marathis but for outsiders like US, UK citizens. so it is for their country men to fight and not MNS.
me: ??? but sir there was a shoot out in bazaar and hospital too, in which ordinary maharashtrians got hurt and killed.
Raj: That’s where the problem starts. The panwalahs from bihar have occupied the bazaar. They lured the innocent marathis to come to the bazaar. so it’s very big conspiracy.
me: That’s mind blowing sir. no one did thought in this angle.
Raj: ya, actually there is the problem. except me nobody thinks of the dangers that are engulfing Marathis from outsiders. but i strongly condemn terrorists for taking the foreigners as hostages.
me: That’s the spirit sir. i always knew that you are against terrorism.
Raj: ya, but that is not the crux of my statement. See, when they come all the way to Mumbai through boats with so much plans, they should have held Mumbaikars as hostages and not foreigners. That’s why we are fighting for ousting outsiders. Hence we are going to conduct a bandh tomorrow protesting for the Marathi right for being hostage. we want our share and we will achieve it. actually our brave cadres are secretly preparing  to barge in to Taj and protest to the Terrorists face to face demanding the right to held us as hostages.
me: !!??? That’s bravo sir…
Raj: Okie. We have a meeting on the issue. It’s time.
me: Ok Thank you Sir. Thank you for enlightening me.

Now Bolo India, you were saying he is hiding.. see how veer maratha(Brave Maratha) our Raj Thackrey is… Sorry Raj sir. I have published the transcript even after your warning. Actually I couldn’t bear people hurling abuse on you when you are secretly preparing for such daring attempts.

Jai Maharashtra!
Jai MNS!