What does “Haath main chudiya pehen ke rakhi hai kya” really mean?

"Haath main chudiya pehen ke rakhi hai kya" is a phrase worthy of a discourse analysis - it is a unique example of gender discrimination.

In December 2012, during the Delhi Gang-Rape protests some women were reported to be shouting this - "these men have worn bangles" (see the screen shot below). 

 

So why exactly is it wrong to use such an expression? 

Whenever a human being wants to ridicule or abuse someone he or she resorts to comparisons with lesser things - things that would effectively humiliate a person. For example, saying - “you are a pig”. What this sentence does is 1) It assumes that a “pig” is essentially a dirty loathsome creature 2) It implies that you are as loathsome and dirty as a pig. 

Does this young woman (quoted in the screen shot above) assume that women are weak? And why did she use references associated with feminism, and that too being a woman herself? with an intent to ridicule someone? 

It only suggests that there are some rather deep subconscious notions and ideas existing in our society and minds.

Men use this phrase to tease the ego of another man or to rouse someone “for not being daring”. And the man on whom this phrase is thrown at, is expected to get offended. 

So far, I have used this blog to support AAP, but I would like to make some critical remarks so that protesters and activists, particularly representing AAP, are aware of what inferences their actions can make. This is one photograph which I came across and this method of protest should not be used. 

These kind of expressions have seeped into our society over centuries, the underlying assumption of which is that women are weak. Volunteers and members of AAP I hope that next time much thought will be put into symbolism used during protests - of course, no use of bangles anymore.

What is the truth behind report of AAP-NCP alliance?

On April 20, 2013 – there was a report doing rounds in the news media that AAP and NCP will be forming an alliance in Arunachal Pradesh. This was discussed mainly on the basis of a Press Trust of India (PTI) report - link here 

It is important that you study this report critically – what does it say? on what basis does it say what it says? Who is quoted? Who are the sources? If you read this PTI report critically, you’ll notice it gives no names – just mentions “sources”. Whenever you come across a news-report whose only spine is “sources” – doubt it.

PTI is a news agency, the reports which it publishes are brought by newspapers and websites of TV channels all over India and abroad – depending on the requirement of the newspaper or publication. The same news was seen in Hindustan Times (link here) - it perhaps brought PTI’s news report and  I say this because the credit in HT report is given to PTI (always see who has written the news report). However, there is a cache – though Hindustan Times says it’s a PTI report (which only based it's report on “sources”), HT report comes with “names” and gives credit to PTI – how is this possible?

It is also job of AAP to investigate who this “combined media secretary Kaling Jerang” quoted in Hindustan Times report is, and if he has any power to release any statement on behalf of AAP.

It is my request to all AAP supporters – be critical of all news reports you either read or hear about AAP in news media. If it is positive – don’t go gaga over it. If it is negative, be critical – question the source of information and demand evidence. A sizable amount of money is spent not just in gagging voice of AAP, but also in spreading false propaganda.

Other newspapers have picked the same PTI story - DNA and Economic Times

How can activists use Twitter to report a protest?

Twitter is a fascinating tool which protesters can use to disseminate information. While reporting an event on Twitter, these are simple general guideline's you must follow - your reports would be better than reports from TV channels or news websites

The information you tweet must have one or all the elements mentioned below - you can make one tweet, or you can make several tweets addressing different aspects of the protest.

WHAT

What do you see around you? What is happening at the site of protest? What are protesters saying or discussing? What is police saying or discussing?

WHEN

When did you come to the protest site? Has some untoward incident happened like beatings by the police? When did it happen? You may also add how did it happened - describe it, make pictures.

WHO

Is any police officer/officials or political parties involved in creating trouble? Who is it? Identify the person - name or political party and make pictures or video.

WHERE

Where is the protest or incident happening? Tweet the exact location and the picture and time. If silent protesters are beaten up - where were they beaten up? You can also describe how they were beaten up, and by whom.

WHY

Why are people gathering at the protest site? Why is police beating protesters? (if they are!) Make small clips and put it online.

HOW

How many people are there? How is the police behaving? Are there protesters from other political parties? What is their behavior like? What exactly are they doing? If possible - make pictures, and upload it.

Recommendations - TV news channels and news media cannot be entirely trusted as a lot of false propaganda is being spread. Please report with hash tag #AAPreport  or any other consistent hashtag which makes it easier to find news related to protests.

Keep your mobile phones, camera's, audio recorders for any evidence - up and running.

Tripping on Manmohan Singh's speech at NDTV Indians of the Year Award

OPINION

On April 15, PM Manmohan Singh had something up his sleeve which was quite rattling. He gave a speech at the NDTV Indians of the Year Award Function. Since he was on the "turf" of his hosts NDTV, he obviously had good (imaginary) things to say about it. You can find his full speech on pmindia.gov.in – I am excusing myself from analyzing the customary "ladies and gentlemen..." and the three hour pauses between them.

So here are some troubling highlights of the speech he made – toh shuru karte hai, leke prabhu ka naam.  My commentary (bracketed) is in italics bold.

PMs speech at NDTV Indian of the Year Award:

(starts) I have been told that today happens to be the 25th anniversary of the establishment of NDTV (Accha) NDTV’s successes and achievements in its journey of 25 years owe a great deal to another outstanding individual and its founder Dr. Prannoy Roy (Okay, I understand - kiske ghar jao toh unki buraiyi nahi karte - chalo #Theek hai - granted) Twenty five years back he ( bole toh, Prannoy Roy) had

the courage of conviction to enter untested waters. This boldness and his talent, and the talent of many other men and women working with him have resulted in a media brand that is widely respected for its professionalism and ethics (Sirji ye thoda jyaada ho gaya). I congratulate Prannoy and his team for the high standards they have maintained.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, for your lack of research, and for speaking from the top of your head, this is what you must know.

(1) NDTV's stance on important issues in past has been questionable. Take for instance the time after Abhishek Manu Singhvi's CD made it on the public domain. Then, he was the chairperson of Parliament Standing Committee on Law and Justice and the charges against him were of extremely serious nature - of allegedly appointing judges in the Supreme Court of India. Most of the media had to keep mum due to the court order, others who spoke gave it a kind of spin which was not representative of a 'sound' fourth estate. NDTV did this story - Do public figures have right to privacy? How was this a "private affair" when the allegations were against a person holding a public position? And when the alleged activity allegedly took place in a government premise? If this is not agenda setting than what is? Also, it seems NDTV always has access to all the officials particularly of Congress, including the PM. Is NDTV open to do a "we the people" with PM taking questions from people of India? Access should not be a problem right?  

(2) NDTV's Group Editor Barkha Dutt has a questionable professional past - Open Magazine and Outlook had done an extensive expose on her alleged involvement in Niira Radia case. In journalism, once's a question mark floats on someone's credibility - its over. 

(3) Forget asking the right questions, on occasions  it was social media which brought to the notice of NDTV news website about its lack of research on different news stories. The most recent one was this - Naredra Modi was a "Union Railway Minister" - the text is updated here - but the website doesn't feel it is important to inform readers about the changes made. You may also like to read this.

-----XX----

The PM goes on to add:

The period of 25 years that NDTV has been in business is also broadly the period of economic reforms in our country (wait a minute... business? shouldn't it be journalism?). The media has both been a partner and a beneficiary from the reform process. The need for enhanced communication because of

increased economic activity, and advancements in telecommunications technology have led to a rapid growth in the number of television channels in our country. At the time when NDTV pioneered the idea of a private television company, our country only had Doordarshan as a public broadcaster. Today, we have more than 800 channels in nearly two dozen languages. Television sets have now reached more than half the households in our country (Yes Sirji, but what work are they doing? Padho, please padho) .

---XX----

Then PM, in an absolute failed attempt to sound "balanced" adds:

I have always believed that the media has a very important contribution to make in the processes of nation building in our country (Nation building? news media? Kya bol rahe ho?). We expect our media not only to just report accurately on what has happened but also to highlight social and economic injustices and thus pave the way for their redressal. We expect the media to educate public opinion on what is advisable and what is not by informing the people of the benefits and adverse consequences of following a particular course of action (news media se advise? majority are owned by politicians sirji - what kind of advise will they give?. We expect the media to point out the shortcomings of the government and thus help in improving the effectiveness of the administrative set up in our country (now this is the part which I like - read this letter by a certain Shriman Mukesh Ambani - who gagged the media when Arvind Kejriwal did the duties which should have ideally been done by a journalist. Btw, on one occassion Shriman Mukesh Ambani had also alledgedly said that "Congress toh apni dukaan hai" - Dr. Manmohan Singh - what does this say about "administrative set-up of the country?". If you didn't know, Ambani also has "preferential access" to content of Network18 group channels like CNN-IBN, IBN7, IBN Lokmat etc.) This is indeed a formidable list of expectations (considering all this, indeed... indeed... absolutely).

----XX----

Another interesting part from the speech:

I also believe that the media in our country has, on balance, acquitted itself well (Sirji please... you say, "media in our country has on balance acquitted itself well" - "acquitted" of some crime? Ok, if that was inference you were trying to make - I agree. Sorry.) We can be justifiably proud of its vibrancy and its independence (Justice Katju, the karta-dharta of PCI must now post a list of all news media owned/share by politicians in India - will it happen?). There are many newspapers and TV channels that have maintained a very high quality in their work, and have made a conscious effort to take up issues that are of critical importance to our society and country. We witness examples of accurate, fair and well researched reporting everyday on the pages of newspapers and on TV screens (ab aur bhi kuch bolu?). I think that as a whole our media has been successful in its task of informing and educating the people about the state of our society and to our country and the work of the Government (Bwahahahahahaha... bas kar... bas kar).

However, there have been aberrations too. We sometimes see sensationalism driven by personal and political prejudices (You need education in Indian news media). There is trivialization of the serious issues resulting sometime in misinformation (Exactly - you must be referring to Diggy boy?). Reports about ‘paid news’ during the election times should be a major cause of concern to the media. I am of the view that it is for the media itself to find effective ways and means of addressing these concerns problems (What do you feel, all our editor's are Kesari's Bal Gangadhar Tilak? Read about the serious allegations some editors have on them)

The politics of caste and religion

OPINION

India has a complex social structure largely dominated by casteism. History reveals a pattern wherein roots of political parties have been based on caste or supported by voters belonging to a particular caste. Examples of this would be Shiv-Sena, Bahujan Samajwadi Party, Vishawa Hindu Parishad or Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. You may like to go through this list here - and categorize parties which are representative of a particular caste or religion. There are way too many. History also tells us that all these parties were formed to preserve the interest of a particular group, caste or religion or to free them from some kind of "oppression". Aam Aadmi Party is also a result of oppression - there was no party which preserved the interest of hard working, tax paying, law abiding, common man who did not believe in these separatist ideologies, or who was tired of corruption.

But the existence of these caste-based political parties in itself is questionable. If you look at it, the Indian Constitution provides enough provisions for "trouble-makers". Let's say - for instance - if a Hindu is troubling a Muslim, the troubling Hindu will be put behind bars. If a Muslim is troubling a Hindu, the troubling Muslim will be put behind bars. If someone from upper caste is oppressing someone from the lower-caste, the person from the upper-caste will be put behind bars. I only mention this to make a point - the Indian constitution and Indian Penal Code does not take into account any particular caste or religion as a parameter - then what is the reason for a political party to be based on a particular caste or religion? Don't these political parties believe in the power of Indian Constitution and Indian judiciary?  

If we look at 'caste' separate from politics, you may agree that the "norms" within a particular caste by itself are not bad, and objectives can be achieved without the political shell. Take for instance, the objectives achieved by Anna Hazare in his village of Ralegan Siddhi where villagers themselves constructed ponds, reservoirs, and small dams on their own, and planted around 4 lakh trees. Elsewhere, in Rajasthan, a labor union Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) or Workers and Farmers Power Organisation is known to frequently obtain access to official expenses under the Right to Information Act. This group cross-checks expenses made by the government, and assesses the actual work done on its basis. The group, though less-educated, has ably exposed several frauds within the government. This proves one thing – politics, based on caste system, achieves much less. And even heavy labor workers, who may not have much education, can achieve their goals without giving political tone to their motivations. This leads us to a question - political parties, which are run on the basis of caste, do have an ulterior motive  -they mainly cite protection from 'external threat' as a reason for their existence - when there is none. The common man, who doesn't necessarily believe in this theory of 'external threat' has to pay a heavy price - in terms of utilization of national resources - and the way in which policies are framed to appease a particular caste or religion.

Aam Aadmi Party's motive is to cut these barriers raised by political parties which have not contributed to India in anyway. AAP's ideology is simple - give power back to hard working, tax paying, law abiding citizens of this country irrespective of their religion, caste or creed. If you are one - make sure you vote for AAP.

Poll survey says, 'AAP to win' - news media buries the report without explaination

A news report on this link disappeared after being online for a few hours. Was there something wrong with the source? If yes, why didn't the publication do a story questioning the methodology of the source? Or at least provide a clarification for retracting the news update?

The report cited a survey done by this agency which predicts that majority of votes in the 2014 Delhi Elections will go to AAP. We have the google cache - so feel free to read it here.

This news features in google search results, and people who want to know more about the contents of this report might be unable to do so unless they know the link for the cache.

Though the news publication has removed this news report, this story continues to appear in the search result. Do you know why? It is likely that many people are clicking on the link to read the news story, and more this link is clicked on, google algorithms will recognize this as something that is widely read, and refuse to bury it down.

But there are several questions that this incident raises, but first of all, people must write to the editor of this online news portal demanding an answer. Additionally, it must be cross-checked whether http://news.oneindia.in/ is registered with Registrar of Newspapers of India or any other similar body that recognizes a news publication on internet. You can file an RTI application, or write to the Grievance Redressal. Such incidents must not be over-looked anymore. Newspapers/Magazines/Online publications  are bound to provide us with objective, unbiased information, and also answerable regarding the contents of a news story they publish or retract.

Another question is - does RNI only recognize "Newspapers and Magazines" or also "Online News Publications" - there is no information available online with respect to this. Every newspaper (print publication) comes with a registration number which can be cross-checked on the website of Registrar of Newspapers of India - what is the process for online news publications?

A suggestion to online news publications, newspapers and magazines - if you cannot provide objective news/information/analysis then start a blog.

Kejriwal's fetish for Topi - really?

I would urge you to read this article first, and then read the rest of this post. What you just read, may be classified as an example under “second level agenda setting”.

What second level agenda setting does is - it tells you “how to think about the object”. You can read more details about second level agenda setting here.

Don’t you also feel that a newspaper like Business Standard had a good opportunity to do a business story? Investigating whether there is indeed misappropriation or collusion between business houses and politicians? And perhaps an investigation about how much percent of rise have these private companies made, and on what basis? But you see a rather needless take on Arvind Kejriwal - one that is far from the niche of the newspaper. And by the way, the word “fetish”, is usually used with a sexual connotation - I am unable to make sense of why it was used here.

Anyway.

Do you remember the issue of Vir Sanghvi? His case is an apt example of second level agenda setting and framing.

Let's take an excerpt found in Open Magazine to better understand this.

VIR: What kind of story do you want? Because this will go as Counterpoint, so it will be like most-most read, but it can’t seem too slanted, yet it is an ideal opportunity to get all the points across.

RADIA: But basically, the point is what has happened as far as the High Court is concerned is a very painful thing for the country because what is done is against national interest.

VIR: Okay.

RADIA: I think that’s the underlying message.

VIR: Okay. That message we will do. That allocation of resources which are scarce national resources of a poor country cannot be done in this arbitrary fashion to benefit a few rich people.

RADIA: That’s right.

Did you notice what Vir Sanghvi did? He offered to do something very subtle - “That allocation of resources which are scarce national resources of a poor country cannot be done in this arbitrary fashion to benefit a few rich people.” Simply put, he “framed” the issue in a manner that it becomes an issue of the "country". In short, through his columns, he wanted the common man to think about this issue in a certain way.

There’s another interesting thing I found.

It was reported that Ambani’s lost Rs 20,000 crores in 'market value'. The timing about this story is questionable, and I would urge people not to believe it unless hard core evidence is also provided with the story - is this also confirmed by SEBI? Please check all the news reports for the quotes used, and write to the editor to put online the facts on which this story is based. I am anticipating that such a story will be used by “experts” and columnists by tommo or in coming weeks, to suggest that Ambani’s are going into loses, and Kejriwal’s protest harms the Indian economy.

What the media won't tell you, but tell you about Kejriwal's fast

I scrolled through a few web pages for news relating to Arvind Kejriwal's fast (Civil Disobedience), and found that there were glaring contradictions between what I read on news portals, and what was distributed on social media (mainly Twitter).

Simply put, news websites played down Kejriwal's fast as something which has failed to gather response, or is a "flop show". On the other side, Twitter provided with documentary evidence of what was happening on ground. Whom would you trust?

These are images of on ground activity of the movement.

 Volunteers (unpaid, self-motivated) went door to door to gather consensus. 

More evidence/cases of inflated electricity bills were found. In this particular case, a women received a bill of approx. Rs 93,000 for a small room she lives in. If such a thing was to be discovered by a journalist on his own, he or she would have done a news story. But since AAP is first to raise the issue, perhaps, there is no more news value to it.  

And some more... 

This is another related event in Lucknow where medical students, protesting in support if AAP were arrested.

These are people coming out in support of Kejriwal's fast, and denouncing unjust rise in electricity bills.

Seated on left is Mr. V Kalyanam, who has worked in the capacity of personal secretary to Mahatama Gandhi. He came to meet Arvind Kejriwal.

And like any normal human being would - Arvind Kejriwal also spent some personal time with his family.

  

But this is the image which flashes on TV.  

In the above picture, I can see Headlines Today reaching a conclusion of sorts "Civil Disobedience Flops" - does it support this conclusion with a research? And what are the parameters under which this movement can be qualified as a successful one? 

I also came across some news stories, which can be considered as downright dishonest practice of journalism.

For instance, the above headline is stated. Is it a fact? Is it supported by a research? How many people did this reporter interview in order to reach to this conclusion? In the hurry of being creative, and using pun-intended headlines, the journalist (or maybe the sub-editor) seems to have forgotten some basic principles. Such a statement cannot be made unless the reporter has surveyed/interviewed a representative population of Delhi.

The above news story (also archived here for sake of posterity) crosses all limits of journalistic sensibilities. It offers to tell you "How" Kejriwal's fast became a flop show but doesn't answer the "How" part (and remember the fast is only in its 3rd day at the time of this report). For those who don't know components of a news story - here it is - very briefly, it consist of 5Ws and 1H - (5W's - What, Where, Who, When, Why and How). Read the news story for yourself, and see if it answers the "How".


Another assertion stated as fact in the above news headline. After reading the headline Delhi: Kejriwal's civil disobedience movement fails to attract public, one would be curious or expect that the report will now answer "why" and "how" the movement failed to attract public. Some natural questions which arise are - Is it that the people do not want to participate because they do not like Kejriwal's initiative? Or they do not agree to the method of protest? Or his party? If yes, an objective reporter will support his claims by quoting at least a handful of  random people (remember, it still would be inappropriate to use a headline as one above). But guess what - this report does not include a single quote of any common man, whether opposing or supporting- and still makes a rather tall claim in the headline.

So were there publications which followed basic journalistic sensibilities before publishing stories around Kejriwal's fast? 

Very few. Citing an example below.

A headline like the one above is safe to use when one is not sure what is going to happen next. This headline is questioning the potential of the movement to mobilize people, and it is fair to do so. But in journalism in India, questions and question marks are perhaps the most abused (and mind you, its importance - grammatical or contextual is rarely understood). An issue can be framed even through a question mark.

Do you think its happening in the headline below?