Waking up this morning and reading T K Arun, Economic Times’ front page comment in which he talks of sparing the life of convicted terrorist Ajmal Kasab, which would be a most forceful strike by India, came as something new.
New because each day since 26/11 so many of us have woken up with only hurt and hatred and revenge and justice in our minds.
A student I taught, a banker I did PR for and an advertising agency professional who was responsible for my first foreign trip escorting journalists to the USA, the Bahamas and on a lovely cruise all died in the tragedy. Though not a hair of mine was hurt, my family and I were very close to the hotels involved in the tragedy and passed by the venues just minutes before. The helicopter rescue attempt above Nariman House happened in front of our eyes as our house is just 4 lanes away.
A nation’s psyche has been hurt. We have been wounded too deeply. Anybody would bay for Kasab’s blood.
But like it or not, the contrarian view of people like Arun, however unpopular, is the only rational way of looking at things. I wish God gives me the strength to look at life in this way rather than in the “eye for an eye” approach.
Mohan Rajan, CEO, Paradigm Shift PR +91 9820030671
Friday, 7 May 2010
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Lata, Hussain aa lautke aaja…
The nightingale says that if the flyover comes up at Kemp’s Corner, then she will fly away to Dubai. Hussain has already flown away to Qatar.
One is a Hindu, the other a Muslim. But does it really make a difference?
Flyovers have come up all over Bombay and have eased the traffic congestion. There is one at Mohd. Ali road. Not enough reason for Lataji to take the next flight out of Bharat?
Commenting in DNA Opinion, R Vaidyanathan, Professor of Finance, IIM – B, says Hussain’s reason to leave India in Hussain’s own admission is due to commercial considerations and tax issues.
The learned Professor says that in the last 100 years he has not heard of any artist being put in jail or beheaded for his actions. So Hussain need not rush out of the country post haste fearing a backlash for painting Hindu Gods buck naked.
Buck naked! Hussain’s argument is the Gods in the Hindu pantheon are featured in the nude in carvings, paintings in temples and caves, so where is the blasphemy. Accepted but why does he not draw almighty Allah. Is this because the Quran forbids physical depiction of this revered God?
You can’t have two sets of rules, threatened to leave the country from whom you have taken so much just because your view from the balcony is a wee bit distorted as people struggling to get to work need a flyover. Surely Lataji you have earned enough money to buy yourself a lake facing residence somewhere else in Bombay.
And Hussain, come back all is well and all is forgiven and all is fair, the business of paintings and nudity be damned.
One is a Hindu, the other a Muslim. But does it really make a difference?
Flyovers have come up all over Bombay and have eased the traffic congestion. There is one at Mohd. Ali road. Not enough reason for Lataji to take the next flight out of Bharat?
Commenting in DNA Opinion, R Vaidyanathan, Professor of Finance, IIM – B, says Hussain’s reason to leave India in Hussain’s own admission is due to commercial considerations and tax issues.
The learned Professor says that in the last 100 years he has not heard of any artist being put in jail or beheaded for his actions. So Hussain need not rush out of the country post haste fearing a backlash for painting Hindu Gods buck naked.
Buck naked! Hussain’s argument is the Gods in the Hindu pantheon are featured in the nude in carvings, paintings in temples and caves, so where is the blasphemy. Accepted but why does he not draw almighty Allah. Is this because the Quran forbids physical depiction of this revered God?
You can’t have two sets of rules, threatened to leave the country from whom you have taken so much just because your view from the balcony is a wee bit distorted as people struggling to get to work need a flyover. Surely Lataji you have earned enough money to buy yourself a lake facing residence somewhere else in Bombay.
And Hussain, come back all is well and all is forgiven and all is fair, the business of paintings and nudity be damned.
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