Wednesday, August 19, 2009

SRK Incident - A national malice of VIP Culture ?

The demigod status accorded to Bollywood stars, Cricketers and popular politicians seems to reflect a mindset shaped by centuries of colonization of India. We firmly believe in 'Hero Worship' and 'VIP Status'. Many value their own status and standing by their perceived closeness to these so called VIPs and Stars.

No wonder then that these VIPs expect to be treated like Gods and see no reason to follow the rules or abide by the laws of this nation. Unfortunately, to their dismay, most other countries follow the simple philosophy of - "laws are same for all".

So when SRK got the treatment of a commoner in the hands of US Immigration officials, all his friends and followers were up in arms.
One of our overenthusiastic minister even proposed a tit-for-tat strategy for visiting Americans. Our national dailies and TRP hungry News Channels ran it as the headline story for days altogether.

Lets look at the facts -
Thousands of Indians visit US every day and millions live in the US. Given the US paranoia post 9/11, many would have had similar experiences, but neither the Indian government nor the media bothered to make it an issue. But all the hell broke loose when the "Global Icon" (we may have redefine Global)was queried at Newark Airport for over an hour.

May be it is the US paranoia and strict vigil, with no VIP exceptions, which has spared US any terror attacks post 9/11.

In our VIP infested nation, which provides no-security-frisking privileges not only to the VIPs but to even their relatives, terrorists strike at will. We only pray and hope, as we can not rely on the abilities of our government and security agencies to tackle the terror.

I completely sympathize with SRK when he says that he was irritated and angry for being made to wait but the accusation of racial & religious profiling and resulting media hoopla was completely unwarranted, given the fact that even senior US lawmakers like Edward Kennedy and former Vice President Al Gore have had the similar experiences. It goes to prove that US does not believe in VIP culture, when it comes to national security. So why such hue & cry?

This shows our immaturity as a nation which can not get over our fixation with VIPs and STARs.

SRK would have done a great service to himself and the nation by reporting this incident to the media and also telling them as to how gracefully he cooperated with the US authorities who were doing their job of securing their nation. This could have sent a positive message and might have done some good to change the attitudes of our VIPs and Stars. However, by crying foul, he not only has made himself look small but also has lost an opportunity to become a Real Hero ....

I hope that our VIPs learn some lessons from our beloved former President Dr. Kalam, who despite being frisked in his own country by an US Airline staff, as per US Aviation Authority rules which are certainly against Indian Laws, just laughed away and let the matter be handled by concerned authorities.

Well SRK is no APJ...

RK

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8 comments:

  1. Hmm, you are right in your views, but SRK needs all the publicity he can get for his movie, "My Name is Khan" and everyone (including you!) has fallen for his ploy. He is getting publicity that money cannot buy. I'd say he is doing a damn good job.

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  2. Agree with your views RK. Exactly my thoughts too (wish I said it first!). Like Arun observes, SRK is partly to blame and the blame mostly falls on the TRP hungry hounds called TV journalists in India.

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  3. I agree with you. Our VIPs simply cannot handle it when they are treated like a commoner.

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  4. Am watching an interview of SRK by Rajdep Sardesai on CNN-IBN. Looks like SRK has read RK's blog because now he is saying all the right things!
    Sheila

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  5. ya you are right,even edward kennedy also subjected to the issues like this but there VIP are not meant wich was meant in our country.

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  7. http://hinduonline.blogspot.com/


    Before the grand lanch function of "Bharat Swabhiman Mission"
    Baba Ramdev seems to be genueinly interested
    in the betterment of desh, dharam, rajniti
    and i used to watch him on Aastha channel regularly

    But right from the lanch function of "Bharat Swabhiman Mission"
    where Babaji had invited a Shia Muslim maulaavi
    and introduced him as his darling brother
    speeches of Babaji has lost its sharpness
    for the protection of desh, dharam, rajniti

    Maybe its the price one has to pay
    to garner support of all residing in india
    and whether they are muslim
    it does not matter

    As a common hindu
    what more could i have done but
    only stopped actively watching Babaji
    from that lanch function
    though i still regard Babaji
    as a great yoga master
    and for his oratory skills

    But, now in the present controvercy
    of Devband fatva against Vande Mataram
    attended by Babaji and home minister
    hindus should protest and show their displeasure
    to both Babaji and home minister
    for agreeing to be a part of function
    working against the spirit of Bharat
    and consolidating/ fanning the Jihadi movement

    As politicians support Jihadis
    for capturing muslim vote bank
    is Babaji trying to capture
    muslim and sickular followers
    by agreeing to attend Jihadi function
    and not speacking out against
    the fatva then and there
    not even 2 days after that

    all this when Babaji is
    the most outspoken hindu guru
    who is more than ready to
    give sound bytes on each and every
    topic including yoga
    and never take any nonsense
    laying down from any celebrited reporters/ editors

    is it that like all other leaders
    whether they are politicians or not
    they are always supporting Jihadis
    at the cost of hindus
    and like them Babaji too
    wants to capture muslim and sickular followers
    and / or
    even Babaji fears from Jihadis

    O Hindus come out of your hibrenation
    how long you want to wait
    for things to get worse
    before trying for their recovery

    its easy to get charged up against Jihadis
    but path to recovery goes first
    by winning over the sickular hindus

    O Hindus, this is the time
    to lanch campainge against
    all sickular hindus
    in the form of Babaji
    and dont wait for RSS/ BJP/ VHP
    dont look forward for their orders
    listen to your heart/ mind

    Babaji has a reputation
    of coming out sucessfully
    from every controvery in the past
    which where lanched by sickulars
    but this time
    if common hindus campainge
    against his sickular tendencies
    at least he has to say sorry
    for his moments of weakness

    i appeal all PRO-HINDU bloggers
    to write-up on this topic from their heart
    so that greater clearity and publicity to
    hindu's view emerage in media

    also remember that
    blogging alone cannot provide
    answers to worldly problems.


    http://hinduonline.blogspot.com/2009/11/original-post-no-4-o-hindus-come-out-of.html



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  8. Misra Sir we are waiting for your next post your blogs are really worth reading please keep writing sir :)

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