Category Archives: Of this and that

The Art of the Spin

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Some years back I saw two top level state politicians from different political parties bonding together at a resort. They were hand-slapping and laughing loudly. The same morning they had been featured on the front page of a national newspaper calling each other derisive names. The esteemed correspondent had analysed that the parties could part ways soon.

Politicians are past-masters of Spin and it’s more extreme form- Propaganda. But their most effective spin has been that they are all bitter rivals on the grounds of ideology and policy. Nothing could be farther than the truth. With a few exceptions like the feud between Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi which had sunk to personal levels, behind the scenes the political fraternity is just that- a fraternity. When one is in power he ensures that the other is not unnecessarily harassed , leave alone prosecuted. All the name calling is for public consumption-during elections, on media and on the floors of Houses and Assemblies. Politicos switch parties whenever it suits them and political alignments are formed or dropped as the landscape changes.

Please think why lip-service is paid to some of the most significant legislations our country requires. But is never passed. Think 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha and the State legislatures. Think the police reform bill basically freeing the law enforcement agencies from the clutches and control of the political masters. Think about the Election Finance Bill making the source of political funding transparent to the public. The Criminality Law barring candidates with criminal records from contesting elections. Lots of talk but no action. No politician of any consequence wants these ground-breaking changes. They will destroy his well entrenched interests and derail their dynastic agendas.

The media has become a willing accomplice in these manipulating games. Some have become propaganda mouthpieces. Think of Fox News in the US. In India the so-called high brow, intellectual channels are as guilty as the shrill competition they laugh at. The common man today does not have a single TV channel or newspaper she/he can turn to for unbiased, factual news content.

The avalanche on the social media platforms is also disturbing. Political parties and big business have their spin professionals and there is a lot of fake stuff floating around. The consequences can be scary and momentous. Think back to the 2016 US election or the Brexit referendum. Russian hackers with downloads of Immigrant hordes and impending marginalisation of the white population could easily have swung the results.

Spin is not the domain of only the political stream and need not have national or global repercussions. But even at this level there are interesting case-studies. Remember the ‘whitewash’ job done by Rajkumar Hirani in ‘Sanju’. A bio-pic of Sanjay Dutt?. A large hearted and at times misguided victim of circumstance and the media. His close ties to the mafia and the wanton ways of this privileged person are all glossed over. Hirani and Sanju Baba will soon team up for the third instalment of the lovable Munnabhai series.

Take the case of the legendary Dhoni. Embroiled in several controversies between 2013-15. He was VP at India Cements, captain of Chennai Super Kings and captain of India. His boss, Srinivasan was the owner of the first two and the Chairman of the BCCI. A cushy position for MSD. All bases covered. The Tamil-Nadu police officer who exposed the match-fixing racket has disappeared into the shadows. Smaller fish like Sreesanth have been sent to the cooler. Dhoni has manfully stood up for his boss’s son-in-law Meiyappan before the investigators, reportedly calling him’ just a special fan of CSK.’ Public memory is short. But this sordid episode is just not cricket. The Chennai team and RR are back after a two year ban. THALA IS BACK.

Then there is the small matter of Rhiti Sports, an agency run by his friend Arun Pandey. Co-owned then by Dhoni. Representing Jadeja, Raina and Ojha amongst others. Any conflict of interest, friends?

The same Pandey produced the hit movie “Dhoni”. The uplifting story of MSD from humble beginnings in Ranchi to railway conductor to captain of the World Cup winning team. The legend who finishes of the final with a six. Etched in our memories forever. But no mention of the match-fixing saga, the 2 year ban, the conflict of interest et al.

His accomplishments are undeniable. Captain Cool. Winner of two World Cups for India. One of the greatest cricketers ever. An inspiration to millions and millions. But with a spin-doctor in the background.

The latest chapter in what is at least this dubious- association tale is the case of the Amrapali Builders. The SC has come down like a ton of bricks on the real-estate operators who have duped thousands of middle-class buyers . Dhoni has been their public face and endorser for years. Now his lawyers claim that the cricketer has been duped of his Rs 40 crore fees. Another victim, right?

Is it any surprise that a docu-drama called “Roar of the Lion” is now streaming on HotStar. MSD setting the record straight. The cricketer-hero will soon be riding out into the sunset. But before that the country anticipates the Dhoni magic again-conjuring up the third ODI World Cup win for India.

The IPL event shows the Hype Machine in all its glory. This unusual mix of cricket, Bollywood, Big-Business and the Politicos is seductive. But the novelty may be wearing-off. The crass commercialisation may be its undoing. It has become more of a social event than a serious tournament. In which other top sports event will you hear the commentator screaming a ‘Yes Bank Six’? Even the ultimate cricket stroke is sponsored. Show-time it is. Great sport it is not. The passion, the edge is missing.

Make-believe and Bollywood are two sides of the same coin. Take the case of Salman Khan, the other bad-boy of the film-world. Maybe, Hirani can do another effective ‘white-wash job’ The super-star has been accused of killing an endangered species of deer whilst on a shoot in Rajasthan 20 years ago. Then there is the reckless driving and manslaughter case where a poor pavement dweller was run over and some others injured. In India, the rich and powerful can literally get away with anything. Then, the Spin kicked in. ‘Being Human’ a philanthropic organisation was born and promoted with gusto. Remember the T shirts with the logo.The large-hearted BHAI was taking shape.

Salman has become something of a social phenomenon, in the same way Rajnikanth is. But his is a carefully cultivated image off-scream. On-screen the swag, the attitude, the over-the –top action and the one-liners are the formula for success.

‘King Khan’ has however been having a disappointing run over the last few years. His last film Zero disappeared without a trace. But his PR machine is in top-gear. He is all over the social media. Everyday , there is some latest news about SRK. A honorary degree from some University, the doting father, some nostalgic pics from his early days, the enthusiastic owner of KKR, his grand visit to China. Hat’s off – the celebrity is happening while his career is in a slump. His friends in the media and his mega-star status ensure that there is little talk about his poor choice of movies and even taking his audience for granted. Now, he has hit the pause button and is on the look-out for the right role. His legion of fans are praying for a blockbuster. Here’s hoping that something of the quality of Swades or Chak De is in the offing.

But herein lies another example of the power and mystique of Spin. Many people will assume that SRK is the King of the Box Office. That has always been the title he is crowned with. Reality-check says different. In the last decade Aamir and Salman lead the honor list with 3 movies apiece in the top 10 Indian Movies list. A Shah-Rukh film does not make the cut.

The Corporate World has also bought into this game of Buzz and Hype. ‘The Best Company to Work with’, ‘the Best in the Industry’ are all trophies ardently solicited and even bought. There are media channels, newspapers and industry bodies willing to oblige. There are professional facilitators willing to show the way. All for a price. There are sponsored appearances on television and paid articles and interviews in the print-media to raise the profile of the CEO or the Company.

As for the tycoons, they own or have a stake in the media-houses and other hubs of influence. Need anything more be said.

In this spinning, at times manipulative world with its over-dose of planted news, it is difficult to sift through the real information. But for our own sake, let us hit the pause button at times, question what is being presented and try to make our own sense of things.

The Biryani-Vodka Brigade

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Biryani-Vodka Brigade

You all know whom I am talking about. That cabal of people who try to dominate and drive the narrative through the media-space, politics, academics and even the arts and literature. Who became very influential during Mrs Gandhi’s time and continued to enjoy special privileges in decades of Congress and UPA rule. Why, these self proclaimed intellectuals even evolved into “fixers” for the Congress. Check-out some of the tapes on You-Tube.

Under the garb of cultural exchanges, these very same people cross-over to Lahore or Karachi at the drop of a hat, be it a Lit Fest or a mehfil or simply for a biryani spread. The Pakistani establishment has played them skilfully and now it plays out “as a people to people contact”. The Pak hostilities since Independence do not seem to bother these regular Indian guests. That this neighbour has provoked four wars does not seem to matter.  Constant shelling and tensions at our borders does not make any difference. That Pakistan is a global exporter of terrorism with our country as a prime-target is shrugged away by this coterie. That we have lost a large number of security forces and innocent civilians in these heinous terror attacks is not acknowledged. These are the people who have seriously undermined our national security and sovereignty for decades. They have insidiously contributed to making India a soft, lumbering State.

Which other self-respecting nation would have remained silent after 26/11. The world knows that it was handled and directed by the ISI from Karachi.

Once the denials from Pakistan as a terror-hub had moved past its shelf-life, the new spin emerged. The country is itself a major victim of terrorist attacks. Sure, this monster has wreaked havoc on Pakistanis but it is a monster they have created. Principally, the Taliban has been responsible. The other non-state actors like the Jaish and the Hizbul and the Lashkar have been nurtured by the Pakistan military and Intelligence services as anti-India forces- to keep our country bleeding and confused. It would be foolhardy to mess with India in a conventional war, so let’s unleash proxy actors to keep the pot simmering on the borders and especially in Kashmir.

The civilian government has never truly ruled Pakistan. The Army and the ISI call the shots. Imran Khan is a puppet. But the biryani brigade would like to project him as a powerful voice for peace. If nothing else just to diminish Modi. During his campaign, this ex-cricketer shared the stage with many extremists and fundamentalists and talked their talk. And he turned to the army to fulfil his dream.

This group of so-called intellectuals, with disproportionate power and influence has gravely undermined our nation. Because of their presence within and proximity to the government, they have shaped our weak policies and strategies over the years. As Indians, we have paid a heavy price for it.

Where does the Vodka part come in? The leftist angle, my friends. Comrades and Advisors to the Congress governments for years. Enjoying power much beyond their representation. You will see portraits of Mao, Stalin, Lenin, Castro and more recently of Chavez in their offices and at certain college campuses. Dictators who have butchered millions in their time. But these folks present a superior, patronising, human rights activist façade whilst one of their beloved leaders has famously uttered- “Power flows from the barrel of a gun”. Their hypocrisy is sickening.

Yes, it is right and just to call out the Rohingya massacre in Myanmar and cow-lynching incidents in our country. But are there no words about the goon-army which helped them retain power in West Bengal for 30 years? The mercenaries who en-bloc shifted their loyalties elsewhere. Total silence about the million Muslims incarcerated in Xinjiang province of China. No discussion about Putin’s crackdown on all media and public criticism of his government in Russia. The bill has yet to become law but it is a done deal. Nothing to say about Chinese arms being smuggled to prop up the Naxal movement in some States in India. These talking-heads only talk about selective issues which serve their cause.

For the last 4 years, the space for the Biryani-Vodka brigade has shrunk and they have become strident to get attention, even dropping all pretensions about their agenda.

Take the case of the movie, “Uri – The Surgical Strike”. First, they questioned whether it actually happened. Casting aspersions on our Armed Forces! Do we really need external enemies? Then, some critics panned it for jingoism. How else would they want an officer to charge his commandoes for a life or death mission? Probably with a “Let’s go and play the game, boys.”

This true-life story was lambasted as a propaganda film for the current BJP government. The heroism of the Indian Armed Forces be damned. Do we need to politicise everything?

The answer is simple. If the mission to take out Osama Bin laden happened during the Obama years, so be it. Obama and his key team will obviously be shown and mentioned in every film and book based on the mission.

And, where was Osama found? At Abbottabad, near the capital Islamabad and near a military campus. So much for Pakistan and their fight against terror.

As Aditya Dhar, the director of Uri, succinctly put it, “The surgical strike happened under the current dispensation. They took the hard decision.”

Despite these biased reviews, the film is continuing in its ninth-week breaking all records. In box-office /ROI terms it has become the biggest hit ever. As for the critics-well they have rotten eggs and a lot else on their faces.

The same agenda was in plain sight after the Pulawama outrage. A former Chief Minister of J&K certified that Pakistan had nothing to do with it. That the Jaish claimed it and the global intelligence chatter supported it did not matter. The Security Council’s singling out the Jaish and Pakistan did not count.

The swift retribution by the IAF in destroying the Balakot terror camp took our friends by surprise. The story had to be shifted. Providentially for them, one of our brave pilots, Wing Cdr Abhinanadan was shot down, captured and released by the Pakis within 60 hours. His release was turned into a made for TV spectacle by our neighbour and Imran Khan was saluted by these pandits for his “noble gesture”.

The huge international pressure and unexpected snub from China was cleverly relegated to the background. These news channels and newspapers also did not mention the enemy F16 being shot down by our MIG21 pilot. It did not suit their script.

These elements represent our own deep State. They have their own nefarious and selfish designs. But their goal is clear- to regain their lost status of unfettered power and privilege.

‘Tis the political season, after all! The anti-Modi brigade have him plainly in their sights.

By all means focus on the faults and blunders of the BJP Govt. The De-Mo fiasco which only helped them to win the UP elections and stopped stone pelting in Kashmir for months as Pak stooges did not have the cash. The disappointing delivery on their tall promises on development. Also the fault lines developing because of the Hinduvta ideology. The continued erosion of certain institutions like the CBI with the ugly Verma-Asthana spat. The undermining of the RBI Governor post…

Take all the shots you may like. However, please do not put your own Armed Forces in the dock to score some petty political points. National security is sacred and cannot be trifled with. And India’s global stature and standing cannot be compromised. Irrespective of which party is in power at the centre.

The New Normal

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Josef Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, famously said that if you tell a lie a hundred times it becomes the truth.  Those were strange and abnormal times. We are reliving them today.

Vladimir Putin is a throwback to those sinister times. An ex-KGB officer, he is a master of intrigue. A master of spin. His is the ultimate macho-image, a bare-chested leader on horseback for the cameras.  The billionaire oligarchs are part of this Mafioso culture sworn to do his every bidding. The interference in the US elections and the poisoning of the ex-Russian agent are straight out of a spy’s playbook. Even the shooting down of a Malaysian passenger plane by a Russian missile and the outrage which followed was met with a shrug and a raised eyebrow. His popularity in Russia is huge- after all he is bringing back the glory days of the Soviet Union.

The Russian Boss also has some hold on Trump. The erstwhile reality show host is a purveyor of blatant lies, lies and half-truths. But he is a saviour to his core constituency. This master of deal making has filed for bankruptcy four times (Or is it six times? Does it even matter?), and not released his tax returns. Sex scandals, shady financial deals, racist comments, and the Russia probe – nothing sticks to him. He is made of Teflon. You can fool some of the people all the time and Donald J Trump is a hero and an unfairly targeted victim to his voter base.

Three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the world has become a dangerous place. Despots like Erdogan from Turkey, the Filipino Duterte and Kim Jong Un of North Korea are now described as “Strong Men” and featured in a TIME magazine cover story. Right wing and ultra-nationalist parties have come to power in Italy, the Five Star Movement, Hungary and made big gains in Germany and France. Brexit is another assertion of sovereignty and nationalism. The BJP’s rise to power in India also is partly powered by this same undercurrent. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its invasion of Georgia have led to sanctions but no solutions.

China’s strongman Xi Jinping – Supreme Leader for life-has imperial ambitions. His adventures in the South China Sea have raised alarms. The grand initiative of resurrecting the old Silk Route with the One Belt-One Road project is one with this dream. It will drive many poorer or smaller countries into the Chinese hegemony and debt. The Chinese Empire is taking shape.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting proxy wars to achieve dominance in the Arab world. Yemen is one such cursed country, which seems to have fallen off  the world map. Nobody seems to be interested in resolving this acute humanitarian crisis. The Syrian war has gone on for 7 years but the numbing impact of the TV images has not led to peace. Who is fighting on whose side? It is a veritable jigsaw puzzle. The actors in this inhuman conflict fill a big round table.

True, in the 90’s the Balkan wars dragged on for nearly a decade. Remember  Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia and Serbia of the former Yugoslav Republic? But international efforts for a resolution were genuine and consistent. It was finally the NATO bombings that ended the war. Also many at the forefront of the genocides were dragged to the International Court at Hague.

The massacre of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar reeks of ethnic cleansing. The silence of the Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is baffling. The rise of Hinduvta fundamentalism, the Chinese crack-down in Xianjing province, the perennial African hotspots all point to a disturbing trend. A world simmering with tensions.

Geopolitical, religious, ethnic, ideological, racial issues keep the pot boiling. A more globalised and connected world should have been a better place. Instead it has only become more complex and insular. We are not learning our lessons from history.

Compounding matters is the growth of both global and home-grown terrorism. Recruits for the cause are being brainwashed on the internet. The ISIS may be on the back-foot in Syria and Iraq but it has expanded to East Africa as Al Shabaab and in Indonesia as ISIL. Boko Haram holds sway in parts of Nigeria and the Philippines has also been battling the terror scourge for the last decade. Al Qaeda and Taliban are familiar names in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Egypt. Deadly individual terrorist attacks have taken place in many European cities, a vehicle replacing the bomb as the weapon of choice in some instances. Chilling!

And meanwhile the media, the Fourth Estate, has lost its venerable status. Fox News and Sean Hannity openly champion the Trump agenda. “Deep State”, “Fake News”, “Witch Hunt”, “Liberal Conspiracy”- the new phrases are lapped up by the conservative core base. The rest of the media is tying itself into knots trying to come to terms with this new alternative reality. In their attempt to be fair and neutral no one is calling the bluff. In their misplaced efforts to analyse the latest Twitter tirade, the real issues of health-care, DACA, immigration, racism, tax-cuts are relegated to footnotes.

In India too, the media channels and news outlets have aligned themselves with either the previous Congress regime-the Opposition or the BJP led government. There is no attempt to seek the truth or present facts in a balanced manner. No commitment to present an unbiased narrative. In their quest for the sensational, the worst stories and soundbites are being played out.  Social media has followed suit with each party presenting its version of the truth. A negative, divisive atmosphere is being built up with each power-broker thinking this will work to their advantage.

Duterte the Filipino strongman comes across like a mob-boss. So does the secretive Putin and the Trump team. In your face. In the US, well- meaning politicians, news anchors, business leaders, academics are struggling to wrap their heads around these new situations. No tough questions are asked. Only the Late Night hosts have got it right, having the gumption to call out this bull-shit. But are they being taken seriously?

You can see how weird the world has become when the US President shares the stage with the brutal North Korean dictator, who commands a nuclear arsenal, and calls it an honour. Trump’s only agenda is the Nobel Peace Prize. Kim Jong Un aka the Rocket Man walks away with most of the spoils. What is wrong with the multilateral Iran Nuclear agreement which the USA has walked out off?

As for the Strong-Men! Well, we have, the world over, bought into their lies and their megalomania. Being corrupt, tyrannical, ruthless, repressive, immoral, manipulative and even incompetent does not matter anymore if you have a loyal fan-base.

This is then the New Normal.  Bizarre, unpredictable, erratic, unstable, scary. And we are all adapting to it instead of trying to confront, change and correct it.

The Flickering Torch of the Statue of Liberty

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Photo by tom coe on Unsplash

USA.

The name conjures up images of Silicon Valley and Ivy League colleges, NASA and the Pentagon, the White House and Capitol Hill, New York and Wall Street, McDonald’s, the NBA and Levi Jeans. It is the wealthiest country in history and a mighty military industrial complex. American soft-power is unrivalled and it is a magnet to millions across the world. A land of opportunity, built by immigrants.

Only China can share the stage today with this superpower.

Look closer. Reality does not quite match the hype. It is not the land of the free and the brave. Racism is back in the open. Under Trump, the clock has been turned back to the days of the KKK and the civil-rights movement. Black Lives Matter is the cry on the streets in 2017. Fuelled by the cold-blooded shootings of unarmed blacks by white cops across many cities. The Republican Party (the party of Lincoln) does not even pretend to be politically correct on this issue anymore. The focus is on appeasing its core base which brought Trump to power and is critical for their re-election prospects.

The USA today is a highly polarised and divided country. Not a beacon of democracy or the global melting-pot. Its President is a corrupt, racist, misogynist, egoistic deal-maker. A type earlier found in banana republics and despotic regimes.

Next, take the case of the NRA (National Rifles Association) and its powerful gun lobby. Students in schools are massacred and thousands have marched for gun-control. The politicians make sympathetic noises and hide behind the Second Amendment- freedom to bear guns in the late 18th century with private militias and the New Frontier and the Wild West. Does it have any relevance in 21st century America with its powerful DOJ and vast law and order network?

Most of the Senators and Congressmen are bank-rolled by powerful interests. NRA or big business, health-care majors or Wall Street. We talk about crony capitalism in India, an evolving 70 year old democracy. There is no difference between us and them other than the suits and the gloss.

The USA is the only country in the world which has actually dropped nuclear bombs. First on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki. It controls the biggest nuclear arsenal but sanctions countries like Iran even after a multilateral agreement is in place. It is the biggest supplier of arms and deadly weaponry to all the hotspots across the world- from Africa to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan and South Korea. And there are 800 American military bases around the globe. War and strife are key to American business. Not peace.

More bombs were dropped in Vietnam than in the entire Second World War. Napalm scorched the earth and rivers were poisoned to kill thousands of innocents. But do you hear any talk of war crimes? No. The Americans have controlled the narrative since the 1940’s.

This great flag-bearer of democracy has not held the flag high on numerous instances. Dictators have been supported in the name of geo-political or international interests. Think Shah of Iran, House of Saud, Marcos or Hosni Mubarak. Latin America is full of such stories. The democratically elected Allende from Chile was killed in a US sponsored military coup. His crime- to shut down US companies which were tapping into his nation’s natural resources.

We know of the imperial British Empire, the French and Spanish colonies. The United States has been doing this clandestinely for decades- installing its puppet regime in many countries. These vassal states have been given loans by the IMF and the World Bank and driven into debt.

If you have watched Narcos on Netflix or tuned into Trump’s Mexican Wall, you are told about the DEA’s Great War on drugs. What goes unsaid is that whether it is Colombia or Mexico, the major consumers are Americans.

Let us look at this great economic engine. It has huge trade deficits with other major players, be it China or Japan, Germany or France. Balancing the US federal budget is a lost cause. It continues to lead the world economy as it is the largest consumer market in the world. The dollar is the primary global currency. Remember Nixon’s masterstroke of making the dollar the petro-currency. The other advanced countries have huge investments in the USA- be it in Treasury bonds or real estate, NYSE or the big corporates. They simply cannot afford to pull out.

The financial crises of 2008 revealed the glaring flaws in this massive capitalist economy. Decades of de-regulation had made the top companies fabulously rich and influential but unaccountable.  Money, greed and valuation overpowered everything. When the biggies went down, the Government stepped in to bail them out. Too big to fail. The top honchos walked away with fat bonuses whilst the average Joe’s lost their pension funds and their hard earned money.

Even today, tax breaks have been given to the rich and the stock markets make them even richer. The top 1% controls everything. The wealth gap keeps on growing. For the first time, today’s average real income is lower than what it was in the mid-eighties. Even in key areas like access to health-care and higher education, the US lags behind most of the countries in Europe.

The Indian fascination with everything American is well-known. The US is home to a large Indian diaspora who are doing well and millions more travel out with student and work visas. And obvious comparisons are made. The oldest democracy and the largest democracy. The multi-ethnicity and diversity of both nations.

The purpose of this blog is not to pull down the capitalist US as an ideologically driven leftist may do. Communism is also a God that has failed. The US remains a powerful engine for technology, research and innovation. It remains a leader in breakthrough ideas and thought. Not to forget its huge foot-print in music, entertainment and culture.

The object is to look at its position and influence through a clear lens. Not through rose-tinted glasses. Not getting swept away or seduced by the overpowering imagery.

India is a work in progress. Widely tipped to be the next economic power. It too is increasingly acknowledged as a soft-power through its movies and music, yoga and spirituality, cuisine and culture. And yet, there are things to learn from the US experience. That if we are to chart our destiny, it’s not enough to be a great military or economic power. We should also aspire to be a better, happier nation of 1.2 billion people.