The new Dark Ages??

For the past few weeks, all that the newspapers have been reporting is the heinous "Talibanised" statements and acts by the self styled "immoral" police in Karnataka. The goons have claimed to be the upholders of the Hindu law in India and even plan to get the couples out on valentine's day married!!!

The actually appalling part is not that some idiot is saying stuff like this, but it is the fact that it makes for front page news in the print media. The electronic media is no better- at the Mangalore pub, according to one eye-witness account, the cameras had reached before the goons did. There was someone who called "action" before the ruffians entered the pub!! So much for the "activist" role of the media.

Next, which culture or religion's tradition are these men trying to retain? If they really mean Hinduism, they are surely misguided. Ravana in Ramayana did not molest Sita when he abducted her- he upheld his dignity. Draupadi's was the character with immense strength in Mahabharata- it was the insult to her that actually led to the war of Kurukshetra. Do they even know one shloka from the Gita? And I am not even asking them to recite the Vedic Ruchas!!

The Sriram sene workers should be registered as sex offenders for molesting the women in the mangalore pub, and should not have been allowed to go free on bail. They just need another pretext to harass and molest innocent young women, and not safeguard our "culture".

And whose culture is it anyway? Hinduism in the Vedic ages never talked of the subjugation of women. At some point between the Vedas and the Upanishads, came the scriptures of Manu, which sowed the seeds of the lower status of women by men in the Hindu society. It was only after the invasion of Islam in India that the concept of Ghoonghat and Zenana came into existence in the Hindu social fabric. So who's values are they actually guarding?

The most outrageus part is the non-action on the part of the state and central machinery on this issue. What kind of justice is it to release these men on bail? Why aren't the state as well as the central ministries-the ones that the same public, which is being held to ransom by a pack of bestial bigots, voted- aren't taking any action to ensure security to the citizens? Why aren't these outfits being banned for terrorising common people? Why aren't the police making precautionary arrests so that people can do as the please without fearing their for their dignity or their lives?

Why do I read Muthalik's atrocious statements on the front page instead of Yedyurappa's and Manmohan Singh's assurances of safety and security?

Yes, can we really?

Barack Obama is being sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. Widely billed as the "Candidate of change", with not only the Americans, but the entire world rallying behind him with calls of "Yes, we can!"

But seriously, can we, really? can he bring in the change that we all are hoping for, or rather desparately seeking?

With Gaza, Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq, India, Pakistan, all conflicts escalating at the very time when Obama takes charge of the Oval Office, will he bring in a radical change in the foreign policy of the USA? Personally, I don't think so. For one, his defense secretary Robert Gates is a Bush appointee.

Clinton supported Israel, and so did all the presidents before him right since Lyndon Johnson. Check the link "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction" for reference. And although Obama has all reasons NOT to support Israel, he still hasn't condemned the Israel attacks on Gaza; instead he has reportedly gone on to say that Hamas deserved the ruthless attack. The Gazans may starve to death, but Obama will continue to support Israel. And God forbid, but if this war escalates into a full Middle East conflict, then he might even use military intervention, causing the entire of west Asia and the Indian Subcontinent to be in jeopardy.

His views on Pakistan may be different from those of President Bush's, but then, who knows pre-election political rhetoric better than us Indians? I donot see him pressurizing Pakistan into extraditing the terrorists. But in fact, it could very well be that the White House may just bide its time into dilly-dallying and sweep this issue under the carpet, leaving the Indian parliament watching wide-eyed and mute-mouthed.

Another major issue that comes up in my mind is his stand on immigrants, especially the Asians. The Americans have built their country on the shoulders of the immigrants. Whatever they are, it is because of the hard work of those who nurture the great American dream. But now the growth has not only been saturated, but it is also receding fast. Now, suddenly, the lawmakers realised that they don't really need the brains and sweat of the immigrants; the work has already been done. So out the immigrants go. And the worst hit, could be you and me.

I am sorry if I appear pessimistic about the larger-than-life icon of hope and change in the world order. But his stand on outsourcing, immigrants and Israel leaves a lot of questions about his future course of governance unanswered in my mind.

Please note: The opinions are personal and I respect all those people who continue to support Mr. Obama. I donot wish to enter any debate regarding the credibility of Mr. President. Time can only tell.