Ouch, It ‘Stings’?

Re: # 41:

Anil...

``Are you becoming pro-establishment?``

I would never have looked at it this way. I do believe that once any `counter` movement gets organised, it starts behaving like an Establishment. I have questioned this aspect. In fact, Jaya Jaitley made an intersting comment on a TV show; she said it would be honest if, say, someone went to these sting operators and told them that such and such person was taking money for asking questions/getting things done, then the snoops should accompany the person and catch the culprit redhanded. It makes sense (although what happened during Tehelka had its merits to an extent).

Besides, I feel that there should be transparency re. sting operations too. I quoted the figures from a newspaper report in an earleir post. If this is all vigilantism for the public good, then I would like to know how much money was indeed returned to the TV channel. This is not some in-house home video that was shot.

Let us also not forget that the Antulay cement scandal and Bofors kickbacks issues were brought to light long before sting operations became fashionable.

Farzana:

Are you becoming pro-establishment?

Anil Kapuria

Re: # 35, Hi Farzana/35, thank you for the quote from the Asian Age.

However, since we are still keeping this topic alive it seems . . .

a) The sting operators already met the Speaker of the House, and gave him their explanations. The Speaker then presented Aniruddha with a pen, which was symbolic.

b) Do you have details on how much was returned to the said tv channel? I do.

c) How is all this important.

All that matters is that somebody stood up and did something for society. Most people like it, take a straw poll anywhere. You don`t. Cool.

sincerely,

Veeresh

An update: Other people are now asking the same questions.

Reported in The Asian Age, December 19:

The television channel, according to sources, gave the sting operators a lump-sum amount of about Rs 58 lakhs

Less than Rs 10 lakhs was spent on the entire operation.

The bribe amount amount was less than Rs 3 lakhs. Other expenses were about Rs 5 lakhs. The equipment was available on loan.

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Re: # 26

Dear Farzana

I have three things to say.

First, doing a sting operation in India requires guts. I happen to know Tarun Tejpal (of Tehelka fame) who, along with Anirudh Bahel, did the sting on the Indian Army officers taking bribes. They both went through hell, and Anirudh was even jailed for a while. Fortunately many people came to their aid, including Ram Jethmalani (who once said in a public function that though he had represented many people in Court for no fee, Tarun was the only person whom he had represented for free AND paid money to at the same time).

The point I am making is that one can never know in advance what connections the ``sting target`` may have. Exposing someone, or some organisation, in public strikes at the heart of that entity. The entity will hit back with everything it has. Hence the perpetrators of the sting operation have to be courageous.

Second, the days of sting operations are nearly over. People are making big money these days importing, and selling at good profit margins, equipment that detects hidden cameras, tape recorders etc. Anyone who does any deals will have this stuff soon.

Third, stating that condom machines will promote illicit sex is absurdly hilarious. Hey, the Government has been giving away condoms for free for decades. Anyone who thinks that condoms are hard to get in India, and that their easy availability will promote ``sin``, is a total idiot. On this ground alone, we need to dismiss the sentiments of the protesters against condom machines.

Re: # 26

>>>>Yes, use of foul language does take away from the quality of any discussion…<<<

That’s pretty serious stuff coming from an editor. All “foul” “quality” and “discussion” are highly subjective substances lest we forget Stern’s ½ a billion dollar contract. I believe Sirius has a lot more at stake than a little Desi piece of shyt.

Let’s worry more about the content than the delivery apparatus.

While it might be terribly important to contradict what is being stated by someone, I only wish people would read carefully the lines they are opposing. Empty challenges might give fakely pumped-up punks a high; not everyone falls in that category.

The portion about a group of Muslim women protesting against condoms available in public places is an important discussion. When someone refers to it as a community having a monopoly, then it does amount to bracketing it. It is not the same as headlines referring to them as Muslims, because unfortuantely they did use their religion, rather stupidly. They are up for ridicule, as this writer has made amply clear in every single sentence where an opinion has been expressed.

Yes, use of foul language does take away from the quality of any discussion, as is evident from what ensued on the particular thread that was started. Was there any qualitative contribution to even the ridicule? No.

- - -
PS: The posts that have been filtered out from here had nothing to do with the site. Two people discussing who is what to whom does not fit in here. Or on any other board. It would really help if personal banter was left out from discussion fora; not everyone is interested in these minutiae. In fact, most people are not except those who post these one-liners themselves.

This Life within all living things,my Prince,
Hides beyond harm.Scorn thou to suffer,then,
For that which cannot suffer.Do thy part
Be mindful of thy name, and tremble not.
Nought better can betide a martial soul
Than lawful war.Happy the warrior
To whom comes joy of battle..
..But if thou shunn`st

This honourable field-a kshittriya-
If,knowing thy duty and thy task, thou bidd`st
Duty and task go by-that shall be sin!
And those to come shall speak thee infamy
From age to age.But infamy is worse
For men of noble blood to bear than death!

Therefore arise,thou Son of Kunti! Brace
Thine arm for conflict; nerve thy heart to meet,
As things alike to thee,pleasure or pain,
Profit or ruin, victory or defeat.
So minded,grid thee to the fight,for so
Thou shalt not sin!

(Krishna to Arjuna-Mahabharat)

BOOK: ON WAR by Von Clausewitz

He is gone,gone from you,not to return
that friend,even as a lamp by gusts blown out;
See me like him, my plight is just the same
Smoking, burning in unendurable pain

(Goddess Rati for her dead husband)

BOOK: THE CONTINENT OF CIRCE An Essay on the Peoples of India. By
Nirad C. Chaudhuri


These are just Quotes.Don`t take it to your heart or relating with your life.
Jahilon kau samjhana parta hai.

#23 stuka, to provide a proof of your balance please post an article about a red state protest against condoms or distribution with a title

“Do conservatives have a monopoly on fighting for the most Ch….. causes?”

i am happy with this tamasha-based media. the leftist had their time with silly street-theatre (and prithvi), this is good spicy stuff, sponsored by Pepsi, made for TV and will attract many youngsters into an otherwise staid profession.

``Imagine what an important discussion this would have been had it not used foul language or bracketed a whole community. ``

Why would foul language stop a discussion if it was important enough? Are communities not bracketed in every way and form? Does the Media headline not itself shout ``Muslim Organizations`` ask for such and such?

The point is that its not an ``important discussion`` to begin with. Such people should be ridiculed and made fun off (regarldess of community / religion - my token secular balancing act)