Punching Bag For A Punch-Line

Dear readers, a few days back we wrote about Mr.Radhakrishna S. Bhadti's column in Vijaya Karnataka. If you remember, in that column he wrote about water resource experts and the seminars they attend. He seemed to know a lot about them including the type of toilets they use. However, when it was time to name the names, alas the words failed him; he failed to name a single person or seminar he so vigorously railed against.

This week [Vijaya Karnataka, January 27th, 2006] Mr.Bhadti has written about Laavancha aka Vetiver, the fragrant grass grown in many parts of India -especially in the coastal regions of Karnataka.

Vetiver [Vetiveria zizanioides]is known to control soil erosion and also block water runoff. In addition to these, the roots of this grass are very fragrant and is used in many ways.

Mr.Bhadti writes about Vetiver and how an essay written by an expert called Richard Grimshaw has led to interest across the globe for this grass.

In his last column if Mr.Bhadti was bashful to name the comic villains who use flush-toilets. Not this time. He names the name. Yes, the NAME!

Of course it is the global villain America.

Here is what he writes:

ಬಹುಶಃ ನಮ್ಮ ಹಳ್ಳಿಗಳ ಇನ್ನೂ ಅದೇಷ್ಟೋ ಮನೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂಥ ಅಸಂಪ್ರದಾಯಿಕ ಪದ್ಧತಿಗಳು ಸದ್ದಿಲ್ಲದೇ ನಡೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಬಂದಿರಬಹುದು. ತೀರಾ ಸಣ್ಣಪುಟ್ಟ ಸಂಗತಿಗಳೂ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ದೊಡ್ಡ ವೈಜ್ಞಾನಿಕ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಗಬಹುದು. ಅಂಥವನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕಿ, ಪ್ರೋತ್ಸಾಹಿಸಿ ವ್ಯಾಪಕ ಬಳಕೆಗೆ ಮುಂದಾಗದಿದ್ದರೆ ನಮ್ಮ 'ಹಿತ್ತಿಲ ಗಿಡ ಮದ್ದಲ್ಲ' ಎಂಬ ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯ ಧೋರಣೆಯನ್ನು ಬಳಸಿ ನಮ್ಮದೇ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಸಸ್ಯ, ಪ್ರಯೋಗ, ಪದ್ಧತಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಅಮೆರಿಕದಂಥ ಬಂಡವಾಳಶಾಹಿಗಳು ಪೇಟೆಂಟ್ ಪಡೆಯುವಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುಮಾನವಿಲ್ಲ.

Earlier in the article when Mr.Bhadti writes approvingly about Richard Grimshaw, he does not mention about Mr.Grimshaw's country. Yes folks, Richard Grimshaw is an American. He runs an organization called The Vetiver Network to promote the usage of Vetiver. Yes, the same usage that Mr.Bhadti says that must be promoted.

However to end his column Mr.Bhadti was looking for a punch-line. Of course, is there a better punching-bag than the capitalist USA?

Is Prajavani The Best Kannada Newspaper?

Dear readers, we are sorry. In the best tradition of misleading headings, we will not answer the question we have asked. We actually do not know which Kannada newspaper is the best.

But, we can tell you one thing. In the fast unfolding events that might bring down Mr.Dharam Singh's government in Karnataka, it is Prajavani that first identified the major roles being played by Mr.H.D.Kumaraswamy and the B.J.P.

On January 8, 2006, it carried a front page story that not only linked J.D.(S) and B.J.P., it also mentioned about talks of Mr.Kumaraswamy forming the government.

ದುಂಬಾಲು: ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯ ರಾಯಭಾರತ್ವ ವಹಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಹಿರಿಯ ಶಾಸಕರು ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಜೆಡಿ(ಎಸ್) ಕಾರ್ಯಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಎಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಅವರನ್ನು ಭೇಟಿ ಮಾಡಿ ನಿಮ್ಮೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕೈಜೋಡಿಸಲು ಸಿದ್ಧ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. `ನಿಮ್ಮ ಬೆಂಬಲದಿಂದ ಅಧಿಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದಿರುವ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಈಗ ನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನು ನಡು ನೀರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕೈಬಿಡುವ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇಂಥ ಸನ್ನಿವೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್‌ಗೆ ಪಾಠ ಕಲಿಸಲು ನಾವು-ನೀವು ಸೇರಿಕೊಂಡು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ರಚಿಸೋಣ' ಎಂಬ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಮುಖಂಡರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎಂದು ಮೂಲಗಳು ತಿಳಿಸಿವೆ.

`ನೀವೇ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾಗಿ. ನಾವು ನಿಮಗೆ ಬೆಂಬಲ ಕೊಡುತ್ತೇವೆ. ನಮ್ಮ ಪಕ್ಷದವರಿಗೆ ಉಪ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಸ್ಥಾನ ಕೊಟ್ಟರೆ ಸಾಕು. ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ಸೇರಿ ಹೊಂದಾಣಿಕೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಪೂರ್ಣಾವಧಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ನಡೆಸೋಣ. ಆ ಮೂಲಕ ಸೇರಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಮಣಿಸಬಹುದು'

While Prajavani was reporting the above, Kannada Prabha had multiple stories about Congress - JD(S) coalition. All of them were about the recently concluded district panchayat elections and none of the reports mentioned Mr.H.D.Kumaraswamy's name even in passing.

From Kannada Prabha, January 8, 2006:

.ದಂಡ ಕಟ್ಟಿದರೆ ಅಕ್ರಮ ಬಡಾವಣೆ, ಕಟ್ಟಡ ಸಕ್ರಮ (ವಿಶೇಷ ವರದಿ)
.ಪಂಚಾಯ್ತಿ ಮೈತ್ರಿ: ಜೆ.ಡಿ.ಯಸ್. ಆಗ್ರಹಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ನೋ
.ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಕೇಳಿದರೆ ೪ ಪಂಚಾಯ್ತಿಗೆ ಸಹಕಾರ: ಸಿದ್ದು
.ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಜುಟ್ಟು ೪ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ ಕೈಲಿ
.ಬಾಹ್ಯ ಬೆಂಬಲ: ಜೆಡಿಎಸ್‌ನ ಹೊಸ ಚಿಂತನೆ
.ಪಂಚಾಯ್ತಿ ಫಲಿತಾಂಶ: `ದೋಸ್ತಿಗೆ ಧಕ್ಕೆ ಇಲ್ಲ' ಹೊಂದಾಣಿಕೆಗೆ ಸಿದ್ಧರಿಲ್ಲ

On that day, Vijaya Karnataka's leading story was also about the panchayat elections. It reported that Mr.Siddaramaiah was ready to join hands with Congress.

From Vijaya Karnataka January 8, 2006:

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು, ಜ.೭- ಅತಂತ್ರ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ ನಿರ್ಮಾ ಣವಾಗಿರುವ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಜತೆ ಕೈಜೋಡಿಸಲು ತಮ್ಮ ಪಕ್ಷ ಸಿದ್ಧ ಎಂದು ಮಾಜಿ ಉಪ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಘೋಷಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿ ಚುನಾವಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಮೊದಲ ಸ್ಥಾನ ಪಡೆಯಲು ತಮ್ಮ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಕೊಡು ಗೆಯೂ ಇದೆ. ಈ ಅಂಶವನ್ನು ಆ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಅನೇಕ ಮುಖಂಡರು ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದಾರೆಂದೂ ತಿಳಿಸಿದರು.

While a son of Mr.Deve Gowda appeared on the front page of Viajaya Karnataka, it was not Mr.Kumaraswamy; instead it was Mr.H.D.Revanna.

Clearly in this instance Prajavani readers were served better by their newspaper. Does this make that paper the best? We at 108 Sullu world H.Q. say, "We Don't Know".

Digging Deep To Find Nothing Specific

In today's (Jan. 20, 2006) Vijaya Karnataka, there is an article about Water [Resource] Experts, and the seminars they hold. It is written by Mr.Radhakrishna S. Bhadti.

It is Mr.Bhadti's contention that these seminars are not of any use. He starts thus:

ಇಂಥವುಗಳಿಂದ ಅದ್ಯಾವ ಪುರುಷಾರ್ಥ ಸಾಧನೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೋ ತಿಳಿದಿಲ್ಲ. ಹಣ, ಸಮಯ, ಶ್ರಮ ಹೀಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದೂ ವ್ಯರ್ಥವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇದು ಸ್ವತಃ ಅವರಿಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತು. ಆದರೂ ಅವರು ಅಂಥ "ಘನಕಾರ್ಯ" ಮಾಡುತ್ತಲೇ ಇರುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಅದು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯ ಕೂಡ.

It is only the beginning. Here are some of the things he writes about these experts and the seminars they hold:

• They talk for hours.
• The seminars are held in very expensive star hotels.
• There are way too many seminars - at least one or two a month in Bangalore alone.
• If you want to attend these seminars, you better have "Nike" footwear, jeans pants and designer shirts. Further, you better use perfume...
• Once you are there, you must consume [alcoholic] drinks.
• These seminars are sponsored by companies like Coke, Pepsi, King Fisher etc.
• These seminars are held in expensive hotels. (Yes, this is mentioned twice in the article.)
• The professors and experts who attend these seminars have no clue about ground-water.
• Their toilets are better than our prayer-rooms (ದೇವರಮನೆ).
• They use western style toilets with flush buttons. (Yes, it's there in the article!)
• They drink "Bisleri" water bottled by companies that are depleting our ground-water.
• Some NGOs [that arrange these seminars] that live on foreign money have made this their "ದಂಧೆ".

Mr.Bhadti seems to know a lot about these seminars, experts (and the toilets they use). Surely he must be able to name at least a few of them, no? Definitely he is capable of naming one such seminar and one such expert, don't you think?

If you thought so, think again. In an article that's 11 paragraphs long, that engages in incessant attack on these "seminars" and "experts", not a single seminar or an expert is named.

As far as strawman-arguments go, this indeed is a gem!

Don't Hold Your Breath

A single story in today's New York Times proves the two stars of Kannada journalism wrong. Here it is:

Former President Bill Clinton plans to announce today that his foundation has negotiated lower prices on AIDS tests and on two important AIDS drugs.

Four companies, from the United States, India and China, will offer rapid H.I.V. tests for 49 cents to 65 cents, which will reduce the typical cost of a test in poor countries by half, Mr. Clinton said in a written statement. Another four companies - three from India and one from South Africa - will make the antiretroviral drug efavirenz for as little as $240 per patient per year. One of the Indian companies, Cipla, will also make the antiretroviral abacavir for $447.

The most common three-drug combination pill for H.I.V. now costs $136 per year, so the new drugs, even at steep discounts from the thousands of dollars they cost in the West, can easily triple the cost of therapy. But as patients become resistant to their first-line drugs, doctors must have new options.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation acts as a broker, meeting with the health ministries of about 50 poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and with drug makers.

In July 2004 Mr.Vishveshvara Bhat was not at all happy when Bill Clinton was appointed by the UN as an envoy in its initiatives against the HIV and AIDS. Here is what he wrote then:
While Mr.Bhat was upset about Clinton's involvement, Mr.Ravi Belagere saw a sinister conspiracy. For him AIDS/HIV were "specters" created by "countries like US" to sell drugs manufactured by US companies and "swindle" millions of dollars from India!

Here is what he wrote:
Now that Mr.Clinton and his foundation have made major headway in supplying test-kits/drugs for AIDS/HIV patients in developing countries -- test-kits/drugs manufactured in countries like India -- can we expect our star journalists to revisit this story?

Belagere On Islamic Extremism

Ravi Belagere writes here about Islamic extremism. To be more specific, he asks the all important question: How does a Muslim become an extremist?

This is an important topic. We at 108 Sullu H.Q. compliment him for that. We generally don't get to read such topics being discussed by major Kannada journalists like.

It is also refreshing to note that Mr.Belagere does not view -- unlike many of our intellectuals -- the phenomenon of Islamic extremism (in India) as a reaction to the rise in Hindu fundamentalism. In fact, Mr.Belagere excoriates them for their theory that the Islamic extremism is a natural expression of Muslim minority's fears of insecurity in a Hindu majority India. According Mr.Belagere, these are the thoughts of intellectually immature people.

If that is not enough, he further calls these -- albeit nameless -- intellectuals: "phoney revolutionaries who condemn the meek and punish the undeserved"

Even those -- again nameless -- intellectuals who condemn all orthodoxy including the Islamic variety do not escape Mr.Belagere's ire. According to him, these intellectuals do not show the same alacrity when reacting to the violent acts of Islamic terrorists that they show when they issue condemnations when a structure of a mosque is disturbed.

We at 108 Sullu World H.Q. always welcome articles on such topics. Especially, if the writer is ready to name the names. However in Mr.Belagere's article, except for Mr.Baraguru Ramachandrappa's name -- who gets mildly skewered for an unrelated issue -- there are no other names mentioned.

Now to the topic of Mr.Belagere's article: "Why does a Muslim become an extremist?"

He has a simple -- in our opinion a rather simplistic -- answer: Bangladeshis.

As per Mr.Belagere, Bangladeshi Islamic preachers are brain-washing and recruiting Indian Muslims against Israel, USA and of course India.

While this may or may not be true in a particular incident like what happened at I.I.Sc., we have seen no statistics to blame Bangladeshis for the general rise in Islamic extremism. Mr.Belagere of course does not prvide any either.

There probably are more Bangladeshis in West Bengal and Assam than in most other states. But, we are unaware of any statistics that show that Islamic extremism is more prevalent in these states than others.

Mr.Belagere also engages in hyperbole: For example, all the taxi drivers in Mumbai and Calcutta are Bangladeshis. And the gentle Bangaloreans do not even sound their vehicle's horns near the mosques lest that disturb the prayers of Muslims!

We also did not like Mr.Belagere's disinterest or even seeming acceptance of extremism against Israel and USA. In our opinion, when it comes to violent extremism, it is not acceptable anywhere; India, Israel or USA.

Mr.Belagere's article has many nits to pick. Still, we at 108 World H.Q. congratulate him for his intellectual independence from the still fashionable left wing intellectual orthodoxy.