Indian News

I am reading the newspaper. I have always 'enjoyed' reading newspapers. But don't mis-interpret my words. I usually don't 'enjoy' what I am reading about. When I hear people remark that “the news is always bad”, I always think that “no news is good news”, so it follows that if the news was always good there would be nothing to write about.

Anyway, I read the Indian English language broad sheets. They tell much more than news items which they report. For example, the way which they never seem to contradict government policy. At the moment the news is monopolised by Prime Minister Singhs ten day trip to the United States and France, in order to lift the three decade ban on nuclear commerce with India. However, I have yet to read an article against the expansion of India's nuclear technology. Even the editorials and letters to the editor seem to have been debating the different advantages of nuclear technology rather than the massive concerns which it will also bring, including that even more people will be displaced from their lands for the 'greater' economic good, while India's track record of safety and waste disposal is hardly reassuring.

Perhaps it is the diversion from discussing anything controversial which means that intermingled with news of India's growing international status or the latest bombing in Delhi are the most bizarre stories. For example, Yoga for Paramilitary Jawans was one of the stories recently reported by The Tribune newspaper. Apparently, in order to cope with the pressures of combating growing threats of terror and Naxalite violence, paramilitary personal are now attending 'yoga camps' with the aim to improving the men's mental and physical health. However, this hasn't seemed to pacify the army's lust to 'empower' the local population of Indian women - through the use of fire arms: On the same page there is a colour photograph of a woman police officer (looking butch and 'modern' in her olive green slacks and hard hat), 'instructing' a local Indian women (dressed in a cotton sari, gold bracelets around her wrists, and her head covered for either modesty or denial, I'm not sure which) on the finer 'empowering' points of combat. The photograph shows both the women holding the same double barrelled shot gun, surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers (who are also wearing their beautiful brightly coloured 'traditional' saris, adorned with gold and looking bemused).

On the same page, there was a harsher reflection of the Indian reality, as it was reported that “Three debt-ridden weavers end [their] life”. India has an incredibly high rate of male suicides, which is partly a reflection of the growing consumer society and the subsequent trend of the poor to take bank loans they are unable to repay. This is especially the case amongst farmers who use bank loans to pay for new seeds and then when their crops fail, or the price drops, they are left to face the pressure of the public humiliation and legal responsibility; unable to fulfil the role of the main bread winners and unable to repay the loan they end their lives. I recently saw a fantastic piece of investigative journalism, which revealed the deadly impact of the North American company, Monsanto, on the livelihoods and lives of Indian farmers. The documentary (The World According to Monsanto) was immediately banned.

The Tribune also referred to the continued discrimination of the scheduled castes. It was reported that the “provision for reservations” remains disrespected. A recent example was given of two high scoring students from the scheduled castes failing to be selected for government jobs, despite having higher grades than the high caste candidates who were selected.

However, news seemed to be looking up for animals as an NGO named People for Animals have been protesting about the forthcoming sacrifice of bulls by a local Gurka Regiment. It brought to mind an ancient ritual which I had read in the Kathmandu Post a few years ago, where it was still tradition for the oldest man of the village to sacrifice a male goat – by biting it.

Social activism has also been taking a rather imaginative in regards to the health education of prisoners: Another story reported how a “magician educates jail inmates on TB.” The 'magic' including showing a human skeleton and saying that the skeleton was a healthy man, but due to ignorance about TB, he remained undiagnosed and untreated, so he turned into that state. The story made me think again about the fantastic art of Clowning, and how this is another potentially powerful area of expertise which I would (seriously) like to learn.

Meanwhile in Punjab, security was put on high alert after a balloon floated across the Indo-Pak border with a message written in Urdu. The message had yet to be translated.

A report from Islamabad detailed that 225 women had been killed in karo kari (honour killing) in the last six months only. According to the survey, the number of women murdered for reasons other than honour was 722. In the same period only two men had been sentenced by courts for murder.

Finally, in the business section was a photograph of David and Victoria Beckham at the launch of the Beckham Signature fragrance collection at Macy's in New York. The photograph of the couple looking posed and rather ridiculous, but for some reason brought to mind a beggar who I had stopped to talk to today. I asked the old man if he wanted some fruit as this was all I had with me. The man replied in the Queen's English, that “fruit is God's gift so yes please Madam,” and in return for my one apple and banana, would I like to read his paper? Indeed he was sitting in the dirt at the side of the road, begging tin by his feet while leaning over a spread copy of the same newspaper. Would presuming that he has larger concerns than the new Beckham Signature fragrance be just fulfilling another of my preconceived ideas? Just in case, I read my own paper and left him reading his, eating 'God's gift' and wishing “Madam a pleasant afternoon”.
If your interesting in more 'Indian News' please let me know and I will be happy to oblige!