Una verdad simulada

At a recent rally, Uddhav Thackrey called Manmohan Singh a eunuch. Congress has condemned it as a “perversity of the highest order” and police is looking into the matter to see if any model code of conduct was violated. A few points:

• Why is calling someone eunuch an insult? As Amit rightly points out, being an eunuch is not a disqualification for the job of the PM; why can an eunuch not do as good or better job than a male or a female?
• While one might object to the use of “eunuch” (I don’t), why would this be violation of model code of conduct. Why is the police even spending their time on this? There is no actionable material in that statement.
• The article says: ‘Uddhav recalled the remarks made by people at his Pune rally in January terming Prime Minister as “a eunuch.”‘ So no, Uddhav didn’t call Dr. Singh a eunuch, he just mentioned people at his rally called him a eunuch. That is one additional step away from being actionable.
• A congress rep said that “BJP is resorting to such remarks out of frustration […] on the losing ground.” If you really believe that statement, let the remarks pass. They won’t hurt at all since they were made to a group of folks who would anyway not be voting congress.

Tags: Ludicrous by Niket
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A conversation between a shaadi.com groom-to-be (GTB) and the father of potential suitor (FPS):

FPS: “Do you have any vices?”

GTB: “I don’t think so. BTW, I am not sure what you mean by ’vices’.”

FPS: “Well, do you drink, smoke or eat meat?”

GTB: “I don’t smoke, I drink socially and I eat meat fairly regularly.”

FPS: “Sir, do you really think I can trust my daughter with a person who drinks or eats meat?”

GTB: “Why not? If by drinking, you mean I come home stumbling and half-concious, I don’t. Social drinking essentially means that I enjoy a glass of beer or three occasionally when I go out with my friends. I eat meat; I see no reason why that would make me untrustworthy.”

FPS: “Well, I can’t trust my daughter with someone who drinks and eats meat.”

GTB: “If I were you, I’d rather that my son-in-law treats my daughter with love, respect and dignity and who does not abuse her than him being a vegetarian.

The above conversation is typical of dysfunctional way our society works. Daughter is a responsibility; I need to find a suitor for her; suitor who confirms to “social norms” and not one who’d love and respect my daughter.

Tags: Ludicrous, Hypothetical Conversations by Niket
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With Slumdog Millionaire bagging a few awards at the Oscars, I predicted that it was only a matter of time before we start hearing terms like “worlds best” and “Oscar-beaters.”

I wasn’t far off from the target. Here is Rediff claiming that “India conquers the Oscars.” The best part, of course, is that the author realizes that Slumdog is “an independent British film” and that “it’s ridiculous for us to appropriate [it] as our own.”

Tags: Ludicrous by Niket
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