A famous saying goes, ‘“People at glass houses should not throw stones at others”. This has been vigorously reminded by a lady journalist of Tehelka about the ‘misjudged’ behaviour of her boss, Tarun Tejpal. The incident reveals habitual ‘misreading of the situation’ by the sting operation expert. At the same time, it has exposed the malicious thinking behind ‘mishandling’ of the media group and organising events like ‘Think Festival’.
The so-called ‘Think Festival’ is claimed to be ‘most democratic and inclusive event’. First, names listed in the event as speakers and participants clearly exhibit that the event was neither democratic nor inclusive. Barring few names, most of the names featured have distinction of negating democratic values and inclusive policies. For example, Taliban founder Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef. He was delivering speeches there in the fest for two days, what democratic and inclusive thinking he has transpired. The irony is that the Finance Minister P Chidambaram shared space alongside the Mullah Omar confidant, and delivered old aged dictum of UPA Government on recovery of rupee, which is another source of ‘exclusion’.
Second, a confession of ‘a bad lapse of judgment’ in a drunken state by the self-proclaimed protector of ‘equity and justice’ elucidates the accepted wisdom at the back of organising such fest. The so- called ‘Left’ thinking, ‘non-democratic’ at its core, is absolutely fine with such ‘fearless’ behaviour. As ‘it involves Tehelka, I feel atonement’ and ‘self-recusing’ also reflects the arrogance and shameless ‘intellectual school of convenience’ Tejpal represents. The response of the vehement ‘protector of women’s rights’ and Tehelka editor Shoma Choudhary to the complaint made by the victim exemplifies the hypocrisy of these adventurous journalists who use all the wrong means to sell
their news.
This whole ‘Think Festival’ business has made us think
about the credibility of the fourth pillar of democracy and values it stands for.
Does ‘Simla Agreement’ nullify all other agreements?
If Government is to be believed, Captain Saurabh Kalia, an officer of the Indian Army who was tortured and mutilated during the Kargil War cannot be treated as ‘war crime’ by the Pakistani forces. In a bizarre reason given in response to a case pursued by Sourabh’s father N K Kalia, Government of India has filed affidavit in the Supreme Court that “India is committed to settle differences with Pakistan by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations,” under the provisions of Simla Agreement. This stand taken by the Centre poses many questions on India’s diplomatic and legal posturing.
It maybe a fact that India is committed to resolve all ‘disputes’ through negotiations. However, Pakistan had already broken its commitment to ‘peaceful means’ in the misadventure of Kargil then the applicability of Simla Agreement automatically nullifies in this case. India also cannot forget that it is also committed to the other International agreements pertaining to war crimes and human rights, especially provisions of the Geneva Convention. It is a commonly known fact that Pakistan withdrew its forces from Kargil only after ‘summoning’ intervention by the Washington. Post-Kargil also Pakistan did not stop abating terrorism on Indian soil. The recent interaction of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Sartaj Aziz, Security advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and subsequent permission given to separatist leaders from Jammu and Kashmir to meet Aziz again indicates India’s diplomacy is working under pressure. The stand and posturing of the Government leads to an assumption that due to the bindings of ‘bilateralism’ India is going to negate all multilateral treaties and sacrifice many of the Saurav Kalia’s to ‘state-sponsored-terrorism’ and ‘military incursions’ from Pakistan.
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