Ram:
At 12:18 PM -0500 8/21/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
C'da
My question was 'just' about why the media should NOT be absolved. You wanted to absole a media that does not want to confirm sources on a regular basis.
**** How do you know that? What are the grounds for making that
assertiuon or even assumption?
Why should the media be held responsible to judge what 'bondho'
is legitimate and deserving of publicity, and what is not? Where do
they get their authority or wisdom to judge that?
I did NOT say that the media was responsible for the bandhs. But they DO have a role to play.
**** Yes, to disseminate the call for it as news or its results
and even to to express editorial opinions--but NOT to be the self
appointed or Rajen/Ram appointed censors.
They can hype it up based on unconfirmed sources or make sure the information they get is CONFIRMED before they give wide publicity. That is where they err.
**** Freedom of information and speech INCLUDES the right to
HYPE, spin ,set forth convoluted arguments as in Assam net, tell
half-truths and even lies under certain circumstances. It is the
responsibility of the consumers of such information to be
discriminating. I cannot tell the Sentinel or the AT or the Statesman
to stop publicizing the propaganda or halftruths and MHA les against
Assam's interests, but I can and do exercise my judgements to believe
or not to believe them.
>'Bondhos' are a result of the absurdity that is Indian governance.
And what about the absurdity of the people in following the calls for bundhs without question?
**** Believing is not the issue. Whether to comply with it IS.
And the reasons for complying with them ARE. For example, if I manage
to catch a bus to work but am stranded halfway for the rest of the
day, I may not want to take the risk. Or if you fear being manhandled
by ruffians, and knowing you cannot expect any assistance from
law-enforcement authorities, would you be wise to venture out?
There are some 'issues' which may require a bandh.
**** Why? Are there no avenue for orderly conflict resolution in
a civilized society? Or is it a unique Indian problem?
The issues should be something that affects the whole state or atleast a large section.
**** Your recommendations would be useful if the 'bondho' givers
made you the arv biter of what deserves to be one Ram :-). But
something tells me your argument is as arbitrary as one can
imagine.
The problem most people have is sometimes large areas observe bandhs even for localized issues in some small area. Those local issues often have solutions at the local level itself.
**** Go tell it to the judge.
If it is the absurdity of Indian governance, then the question asked is: Does the Indian govt. have a different set or rules of governance when dealing with Assam as opposed to Karnataka or another state?
**** That is a real good joke Ram :-), that Karnataka does not
have 'bandhs', that it is merely a unique Assamese disability.
Look up:
http://www.hindu.com/2004/08/28/stories/2004082808190300.htm
and tell us if the Judge made his comments because of ONE 'bandh'
that somehow crept into Karnataka.
Also, I did not say that India made up bad rules for Assam. That
is your predisposition to make such charges. The fact is that the
institutions of governance in India are UNABLE to respond to the need
for orderly, timely and just conflict resolution --- thruout the land
where those rule.
c-da
Is that the reason that Assam has way too many bandhs while a state like Karnataka has virtually none?
--Ram
On 8/21/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Ram:
Not that I am a defender of desi-media, assam-media or any media; but
you and Rajen are making the most convoluted of arguments here.
The 'bondhos' are not the result of 'media-support' or coverage,
before or after the fact. 'Bondhos' are a result of the absurditythat is Indian governance.
Those in the public services can get away with 'bondhos' for exactly
the same reasons for which they can get away with coming late for
work and leaving early, or for not doing any work, or for being
absent without cause, or for demanding and accepting bribes.
Your and Rajen's arguments are exactly like the demand of some
clueless Indians for a RIGHT not to VOTE ( as if someone can come
and pack you off to prison for NOT voting), so that they will not be
forced to vote for tweedle-dum or tweedle-dee, or for one scoundrel
vs. the other. The problem is the candidate selection /fielding
system; the electoral system. That is what requires radical reforms
-- not a constitutional amendment to give the clueless the right not
to vote.
Similarly the spouting of the 'bondho' culture is a result of a
degenerated and utterly broken Indian system of governance. Labor
laws don't exist, if exist are unenforceable or not enforced.
Employers can exploit workers, corporations steal the public blind,
and street rowdies can hold the public hostage. There is no orderly
system of conflict resolution that is either reliable, or timely or
just.
Those are the areas where the problems are. They are what requires
dramatic and radical reforms. But you know that reforms in India are
NOT possible. So instead you guys are seeking redress by squelching
the media.
How more convoluted can you get Ram?
c-da
At 10:53 AM -0500 8/21/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>C'da,
>
> >But seriously, the role of the media is NOT to censor news. It is
>to disseminate it.
>
>Which is true. The BIG if is that the media has to 'confirm' sources
>that it quotes. Normally what we hear is ' a spkesperson called in'
>about the bandh, and THAT is enough for the media to give wide
>publicity?
>
>In fact, sitting here in the US, you can probably call for an Assam
>Bandh (because, say St. Louis doesn't have the same weather as the
>South West). All you have to do is call up our unsuspecting media
>and tell them that you have declared an Assam Bandh and that you are
>from the TKHEC (Tita-Kerela Hybrid Experimentation Center) - and you
>would have a near 100 % success.
>
>Why? Because the media will not recheck the facts. This news from
>St. Louis is as good as any to fill the newsprint.
>
>And the good people of Assam will thank you profusely because you
>gave them another holiday :)
>
>--Ram
>
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