A NEWS ARTICLE FROM THE DNA

Here’s a special quiz: for DNA readers. Which two of the following four men are terrorists: David Coleman Headley Tahawwur Hussain Rana Vilas Pandurang Warak Rahul Mahesh Bhatt American investigators working for the FBI think it’s the first two which is why they have been arrested. On the other hand India’s own National Investigating Agency (NIA) seems to think it’s Warak and Bhatt who are the offenders and has been treating them accordingly. Perhaps this is not a time for levity considering that issues of national security are involved, but the fact remains that the NIA has treated Rahul Bhatt and Vilas Warak with a callousness which goes far beyond mere insensitivity. And in the manner in which it has handled these two young men you can see why the NIA fails in its primary duty which is to investigate terror plots and if possible, foil them. There is no doubt that it has failed in this job. Rana – who has a Canadian passport – was in India for three weeks in November 2008 and left days before 26/11. During his stay here he visited five cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Kochi. Headley – who has a US passport -- also visited these five cities; in fact, he made as many as nine trips into India between 2006 and 2009, but neither he nor Rana were on the radar of the NIA as possible suspects who needed to be monitored. Yet, they were under the FBI’s surveillance, Headley for as long as a year before he was arrested last month and Rana for about half that time. Why did the NIA not have any clue of their diabolical intent? In fact, why did the name David Coleman Headley on a former Pakistani national not arouse suspicion? Why was the Indian Consul General in Chicago in such a hurry to give Headley a long term multiple entry visa? And why is it only now that no one found out that the name Headley was a camouflage for the man’s real name Daaod Gilani, and that he had served 15 months in a US prison for drug trafficking in Philadelphia? These are questions Mr Chidambaram, the Home Minister needs to ask those who are allegedly in charge of our nation’s security. After the colossal intelligence failures which led to the 9/11 felling of the World Trade Centre Towers in New York and the tube attacks in London, the United States and Britain have put into place surveillance systems of such magnitude and efficiency that no terrorist attacks have taken place there since then. This is not for want of trying. The US still remains Enemy No.1 for terrorists, and the UK is not far behind as a target. Yet with the help of intelligence gathering of a very high order, terrorist conspiracies have been nipped in the bud, terror networks have been exposed and many terrorists arrested before they could do any damage. In arresting Headley and Rana, the US may have foiled strikes in India, though it’s still possible that the two have installed sleeper cells in the five cities they visited. If so, the onus is on NIA to identify and neutralize them. Intelligence gathering relies on a network of informers, some of whom would be part of an agency like NIA, but many more of whom would be freelancers or people on retainership who provide information for payment or for reasons of patriotism. While the first kind, the freelancers, are essential for a continuous flow of information within groups likely to cause problems, there can be a huge informal network of the latter, citizens who out of nationalistic altruism will report suspicious activities on one, and only one condition. That condition being that there has to be a responsible and responsive person in the police or the NIA who will listen carefully, take notes diligently and ensure anonymity. Instead of that we get a sordid spectacle of Rahul Bhatt and Vilas Warak being hounded by the NIA, their names being made public so that the media could harass them, and worse, being treated as if they were under some kind of cloud. And why? Because they had the misfortune of meeting Headley by chance and getting to know him. How were they to guess that Headley had a criminal past or evil future intentions when the NIA itself had no clue ? In the US or the UK, the identity of witnesses is never revealed. A press release would have merely said “Two men are helping the police in investigations.” If Bhatt and Warak were volunteering information to the FBI or Scotland Yard, they would not have been summoned to the police station in the full glare of publicity; instead plainclothes men would have visited them in their homes and made discreet inquiries. You can’t blame the media for highlighting a story; it is up to the authorities to make sure the media does not get the story in the first place. In a while the frenzy of the current excitement will die down and Rahul Bhatt and Vilas Warak will get back to their normal lives. But will the ordeal they have gone through encourage other people to volunteer information to the police or NIA in the future? Would you go out of a patriotic sense of duty to report suspicious activities if there was a good chance that you yourself would be treated as a suspect? Is anyone now surprised why our intelligence agencies never gather any intelligence?

SHIV SENA IS BATTING ON A VERY BOUNCY WICKET!!!

The Shiv Sena was loosing its ground(Not cricket ground!). They had no issues that they could fight for and those could truely be called as "Issues". Uddhav Thackrey has not been an impressive leader and they are still relying on the charisma of Bal Thackrey whose frailing health is not helping the sinking party. The MNS is creating furthur problems to Sena which anyway was in trouble as the Raj Thackrey syndrome is causing grave damage to their thinking and working.

The assembly results made it obvious what otherwise was only whispered and murmured. The Sena supreme accused the Marathi Manoos of back stabbing him and ended up distancing them further more from the saffron brigade. As if all this was not enough, they come up with a disastrous goof up like the attack on Sachin Tendulkar!!!!!! Of all the people...Of all the millions of sane and insane issues around, they end up picking the most sanctimonious of all!!! Running down the national icon of international repute-our very own and dearly loved- Sachin Tendulkar!!! WHY??

How can someone be so naive? How can someone who has been in the political arena for above 40 years and has emerged and sustained on nothing else-(issues, i cant think of any) but sensing the pulse of the people -go so wrong at this crucial hour??

I am still willing to concede that mistakes happen! An article once written in the surge of emotions cannot be held as testimonial of someones entire IQ and identity, so the first article in Saamna was a blunder but NO- they did not stop!! They go on and on and on...

Statements are made like Sachin did not make it possible for (an out of form and under performing) Kambli to stay in the national team so -shame on Sachin!!! In other words the one who does his job sincerely is a traitor to the marathi cause?? Sachin said he is an Indian first so- Shame on Sachin. What does that mean????

Is there no one in this entire Sena enterprise who can think well for themselves and advise the party decision makers that they must save the very little grace of theirs by shutting up...at least now!!

This is beginning to seem like an ideal case study of a downfall for the desperation is getting the better of them. The helplessness is beginning to seem very obvious.- They attacked Sachin Tendulkar as guardians of marathi manoos!!!!!!!! Hasava ki radava aamhi??

LOVE IS GOD…GOD IS LOVE…is it??????? YES IT IS!!

STATUTORY WARNING: I am fully aware of the cynical and satirical nature of the write up to follow however the idea was to highlight the analogy between LOVE and GOD and smile on its usage here under!

I have started to believe that most poetic and mystical concepts that we know off-LOVE and GOD taken here- are actually products of excellent marketing!! They are avenues that have supreme potential for economic exploitation!!

Both Love and God seem to be marketed not only aggressively but also successfully as we’ll find out…

In both these cases- if you observe- the target audience is enamored and in awe making them extremely vulnerable to be induced into believing anything!!!

In both the scenarios there is a subjects desire to please and please fast! The reactions of being pleased are also wanted fast by the one in love and by those that pray!! In other words better the gift-faster the sex and higher the donation-faster the wish granted!
Keeping this in mind it is only natural that a lot of money is at stake on both these supposedly spiritual emotions…and keeping this in mind the entrepreneurs have developed a market that provides fodder to the above non-materialistic feelings and concepts.

The brilliance of the entrepreneurs is that they have also cushioned their position by developing a market at the other end of this tunnel. That is when a person has fallen out of love or given up god. That is the time when the liquor barons come into play or even worse another start of the same process---falling in love again or turning to religion and spirituality and lastly being violent and unlawful!

The last one herein which is that of being unlawful leads to the encounters with the law, judiciary, governance and thus into a much corrupt and thriving set up!!

Imagine if one does not fall in love or believe in god! There would no acts of illogical sentimentality, there would be no loss of focus or a surge of happiness which when goes missing and one hits the ground and feels the world falling apart!

That would mean a consistent life with a balanced frame of mind that is based on practicality and sensibility…would it??

Hmmm…

LIGHT THE CANDLES AGAIN- IT IS TIME!

I was ridiculed by a group of certain young college kids when I did not applaud them for their candle gathering at the Gateway of India post 26/11. In order to urge me into joining them they attempted to arouse my nationalistic senses by reminding me about the grave tragedy that they were gathering in the memory off. No amount of my explaining to them that ‘Terrorism was a very deep rooted problem that will require persistent and very intelligent efforts on a day to day basis’ seemed to hold any ground before their excitement to make a difference- NOW!

The difference so far has been that nothing has been done!
The difference has been that everyone has got busy and tied up in their lives which is yet not touched by the sting of terror.
The difference is that the media and radio channels continue to wait for an event that they can milk for their own benefit and making people believe that it is being done for them! The difference is that those who cause all the damage are laughing at our business and continuing to be miles ahead of us!!

Else why would there not be an uproar or inquisitiveness when two innocent young men by the name of Rahul Bhatt and Vilas Varak who volunteered information to the cops about terrorists- terrorists who were involved in the terror attack and about whom the investigative agencies had no clue as to where to look for their foot prints- are finding themselves crucified amidst the web of lies and sensationalism and even vandalism.

Rahul and Vilas did not realize that- by doing what all the candle carrying mobs of the city should have actually done- they brought to light in a very unintentional manner the lackluster working of the NIA (National Investigative Agency) who at that time believed that the “Rahul” mentioned in the phone excerpts of David Headley and Rana was either Shah Rukh Khan or Rahul Gandhi!!! How close!!!

Let me now state a few revelations that are so far very conveniently underplayed-
1) No questions are asked to the management of the gym where David Headley was a member! He could also run a business in the city and get an apartment here!!
2) The snap of Headley shown on all channels so far is wrong- it is not Headley!!
3) The true pic of Headley has been located now and in there he is seen having wine with the ex US Counsel General- Michael S Owen in Feb 2008!

This is only the beginning for more is yet to be buried under the carpet because we are not going to take this lying low.
If this can happen a reputed and socially credible man like Mahesh Bhatt what will you and I do if tomorrow one of your loved one is accused of being a terrorist because his/her name was taken by some terrorist in some phone conversation?????

It is time to light the candles but not carry them to any place where they die out in the wind but to use those flames to burn the lies and the liars to ashes.

I DOUBT IF ANYONE WOULD WANT TO HELP THE POLICE EVER!!

…after what is been happening with Rahul Bhatt.

A Mahesh Bhatt or Pooja Bhatt does not need any endorsement or certification from me for the absolute innocence of Rahul Bhatt who is presently being crucified for discharging his duties as a responsible citizen. However it is my very own frustration and extreme anger at the ongoing circus of sensationalism at the cost of someone’s life that is making it impossible for me to stay quiet.

I am no major fan of the Bhatt’s to make me blindly stand up and speak for them but I have had the esteemed opportunity to work as an Asst. Director on two films directed by Ms. Pooja Bhatt. It is during this process of over 2 years that I did got an opportunity to see and know the Bhatt’s more closely than the average film and news watcher does. It is a result of this experience that I can vouch for the fact about the current buzz around Rahul Bhatt and his connections with an LET operative are not only bizarre but scary- for what it means is that one can get crucified for doing the right!!! One can get tortured for daring to speak the truth!

Again let me emphasize I am not reacting because of any attachments or bias with the esteemed and celebrated family of the Bhatt’s but for the simple reason that a very innocent citizen who did the right by volunteering information to the authorities is being crucified because it makes good news and more importantly helps cover the lack luster affairs of the law and investigative agencies. It pains me no end to see the plethora of news channels and publications all playing the tune of “Poor Rahul” instead of “Atrocious Justice”!!

In short stop writing and showing pictures of Rahul Bhatt with the haunting back ground score or writing about how he is sitting in seclusion at his home and instead highlight how without the revelation made by this guy we would have never known about this now sensationalized terror trail.

The Gym Mr. Hadley was a member off, the visa agency he ran, the house he stayed at and so many other things are more important to be talked about…and if nothing else at least give the credit due to Rahul and his friend Vilas for daring to speak the truth.

Right now the manner in which the episode is being handled I doubt whether anyone would ever want to help the police!!

DELHI- POWER, POLITICS...

A model working in a high end bar refuses to serve drinks to a son of a politician because the bar has been closed. The angered son shoots the model. She dies on the spot.

Some witnesses testify and a nationwide hunt is initiated by the Delhi Police. They cannot find him!!
However the accused surrenders himself but only after acquiring anticipatory bail!! So he is out again...
As the trial runs over the next 7 years the witnesses turn hostile and thus the politicians' son is acquitted and set free owing to insufficient evidence!!

However a year later owing to public uproar the case is re-opened and new evidence is presented as a result of which the hot blooded son is indeed found guilty of murdering the model and is to 'Life Imprisonment'!!

But...A couple of years later the same dude is seen clubbing at another high end Delhi pub and is found out that he has been out on parole for quiet some time owing to his mother being unwell.

His mother however is openly campaigning for some elections rallies and is fit and fine.

I wish this was a fictional short story or a concept for a feature film but it is neither. It is a true story from the nation's capital. It is what we all know as the Jessica Lal Murder Case. It is something that has been going on for the last 10 years. it is something that reeks of Delhi's power circles and its inherent corruption and power games.

It is something that is considered to be part of living. The media can go only to the extent permitted and will do so only till they get another news item to fill space. The common man is to only discuss this in his living room or at bus stops...

Dear Mobile Ringers,
It was truly an experience to watch the film festival being surrounded by you’ll at all times. I speak to you humbly for at a most unlikely place you have shocked me by your numbers and reach. I say ‘unlikely place’ because at a festival venue I had expected myself to be away from ‘your kind’ as your personalities seemed to conflict with the kind that cinema lovers are supposed to have. I was wrongly under the impression that being from the same field or being connected to it in some way would have made you maintain decorum by putting your phones on silent but you proved me wrong at every screening. The phones rang, sometimes repeatedly during a film disturbing all around you and exhibiting your strength of indiscipline and disregard.

One does meet your kith and kin at various theaters when you go in to watch movies in general. However their presence there seems valid as the purpose of their visit there is exclusively to pass some time and get entertained. It is unreasonable to expect them to care for the time and effort it takes to make a film. They have a life to lead with problems of their own and the films are meant to relieve them of the stress or distract them as per their convenience. Thus they are such and cant be expected to unanimously regulate themselves.

But you claim to be cinema lovers, many of you depend on this medium for your bread and butter and most importantly a lot loose sleep over the filmmaking process and rejoice to see their names roll away at a time when the rest are rushing towards the exit…sometimes already cursing the film!! Despite this you talk while a film is on and your mobiles are not on silent. Your mobiles ring loudly which you then pick up and talk on!!!!! I have been thinking about this all through the festival for not a single screening has gone by when I have not sensed your presence. There is no explanation I can find as to why despite repeated announcements and slides put up before the each show you continue to keep your phones on and talk while a film is on!

I thus humbly ask each one of those like minded souls whose mobile rings loudly in the middle of a film screening as to what keeps you’ll from putting it on silent. Despite repeated announcements to turn it off, despite being fully aware that the loud ring in the middle of the film is very disturbing and a conversation after that is very wrong and is often objected by all around you, what is it that makes you shamelessly let your phone scream out your foolishness and indecent personality? You’ll who pretend to be the well read intellectuals of the cultured world and expect the security guards to not stop you and ask for your pass every time you enter the festival venue or seem to sneer every time your bags are opened and checked, Why do you allow yourself to be degraded as morons and exhibit yourself as an illiterate arse-hole by not paying any heed to the announcements asking you’ll to put the mobiles on silent? I’m sure there must be some reason for esteemed people like yourselves to flaunt such cheap and chutiyatik behavior.


For all it takes is a click of two buttons to put the phone on vibrator mode. In this case you can sense the call coming and then decide whether to take the call or ignore it. Even if you wish to simply ask the caller to ‘call back later’ you can pick up the call, whisper the same and disconnect it. If the call is still important then you can leave the hall and talk to your hearts content. It seems so freakishly simple that your contempt makes you that much more ignorant and dick heads.

However I have finally agreed that there is something reasonable behind your actions for why else will you continue to do something that makes you come across as moronic arse-holes?

Please enlighten me with the same so that I can look beyond my narrow mindedness that makes me follow rules and discipline without causing myself any inconvenience!

Awaiting your reply and thanking you in anticipation.

Regards

P.S. - If in case you call me to reply to this letter I might not attend the same in the middle of a film, please bear with me for I’ll call you back. Thank You.

MUMBAI FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT: 29TH OCTOBER 2009- INVITEES ONLY!

Film festivals have always attracted me over the years but somehow it has never worked out to be present all through any festival. This once it seemed possible and as such I was determined to witness the entire MFF this year. However I was under the impression that the festival begins on the 7th of November. It was only a day prior to its actual opening (29th Oct) that I realized I had one day to arrange for the pass and plan my week ahead!!

The same was immediately done and I was ready for an entire week of movie watching from all over the world.

Fun Republic, the multiplex in the Mumbai suburb of Andheri was my chosen camping ground for the week, Metro Cinema and R City mall also being the venues where the fest was going to be held. However Fun was much closer in terms of traveling and fortunately was also the main center with 5 films being screened everyday in each of its 4 screens which meant at least 20 films per day and for 7 days!! Make the maths- its mind boggling!

On going through the schedule the fair seemed impressive with approximately 140 diverse films to choose from which had a mix of world cinema- fiction along with nonfiction docu dramas, first time directors and retrospectives of legends.

There was confusion on the first night over whether the film to be screened was open for all or invitees only!! However I reached with my calculation that since the film was going to be screened in all 4 screens it would be silly to keep the general film hungry crowd away as there weren’t that many celebs/ invitees. But silly was the theme they chose to take and that’s precisely what happened. The film ran to deserted screens as some celebs just made an appearance and left whereas the ordinary film lover was left stranded. Never mind… it was too early to judge anything and too unpleasant to spoil one’s mood right at the start.

Keeping with the tradition of sketchy organization the catalogues were not available even on the opening night so my choices were dependent on my vague knowledge of world cinema and some expertise of a few learned people. I however was hungry for anything as long as I watched at least 3-4 films a day.

Some obvious must watches were circled even without synopsis like Costa Gavras’s Eden is West and the Iranian films that I so dearly love. I was also looking forward to French cinema and had decided to avoid the films from UK, US and the films by any Gurinder Chada clones!

It would thus be fair to say that my festival began on the 30th October’ 2009 wherein I had circled the first film to watch as- Petition- a Chinese docudrama!