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TOI: The demise of a voice, surrender of honour
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India :
The Times of India Delhi edition on Thursday, October 9, 2008 published an article on Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Somnath Chatterjee’s refusal to visit Britain because the British government couldn’t give him a security clearance at the airport where he was going to land to enter into the country, making him subject to being frisked by airport security.
Shri Chatterjee, in the past, had refused to visit Australia on similar grounds and there were a few eyebrows raised then as well.
Shri Chatterjee is no ordinary man. He holds the post of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament in the world’s largest and greatest democracy, a country from where the great Mahatma came.
The subservient editors of the self proclaimed largest selling newspaper in the world found it right to lick the bums of the concerned blokes on security in Britain and had the lack of spine to come with a paragraph with their opinion in what they term as Times View. Their main argument was that the security of a country should weigh more than the individual status of a person and hence, Britain was right.
An eighty nine year old veteran politician holding the Speaker’s post in the world’s greatest and largest democracy is a security threat to Britain?
Perhaps Vineet Jain, who is the MD of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Limited that owns the Times of India brand, which was a white entity before the brown sahibs took over, was subjected to a similar process like George Fernandes, our near-80 leftist leader when he was the defence minister.
If the former Defence Minister of India can be stripped naked and frisked, why can’t the Speaker of the Lok Sabha? After all, he lives in a country where the strongest pillars of the Fourth Estate like the Times of India survive on ads from massage parlours promising you educated, sensuous beauties from all over the world to make your day.
A disgraceful day in the books of Indian journalism and mainstream media. It was apt that none other than The Times of India carried out the article and published its view on the issue, because it leads the trash that the print media is fast becoming in India.
Shame on you.
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RSS 
If I remember correctly, this isn’t the first time that a diplomat has been asked to be frisked, especially from India. Most didn’t speak up and just grimaced and complained later. But, since Mr. Chatterjee did not let that happen and even canceled his trip, he deserves praise. TOI is not a newspaper but a tabloid. They shouldn’t be taken seriously. In fact, most newspapers in India are defendant on external sources for funding and even the editorials are I guess coloured.
(Local Perspectives)
Very well said, Jaiyant. In fact, I think TOI has just included this news with half-heart. I’m sure if it had received some steamy ads (for massage parlours and more... as Jonty has pointed out), it wouldn’t even think twice before omitting this news to accommodate the ad.
I mean, its disgusting - with a capital ’D’.
I mean, its disgusting - with a capital ’D’.
(Local Perspectives)
That was meant to be dependent*, typo.
And yes, you are very right about advertising and media relationship being Disgusting.
And yes, you are very right about advertising and media relationship being Disgusting.
(Local Perspectives)
Somnath Chatterjee is a man of principles. I wish there were more leaders like him.
He apparently is the right politician who was in the wrong party.
He apparently is the right politician who was in the wrong party.
(Local Perspectives)
He has been one of the few Indian politicians with a socialist bent of mind (Not everyone associated with the Communist parties have been socialist. They in fact have been more capitalist than others) and someone who really worked towards an equal society. However, the politics here is too dirty, and that includes the communist parties as well.
(Local Perspectives)
Reading this article, yes colonial mentality still exists. Would they strip and frisk the British Prime Minister, I think not. Or the New Zealand Prime Minister? The media and rubbish journalism is disgraceful and without honour.
I admire the gentleman concerned to stand on principles and real values in the face of pressure: is a man of courage. Good on India and people like him.
I admire the gentleman concerned to stand on principles and real values in the face of pressure: is a man of courage. Good on India and people like him.
(Global Perspectives)
Maybe, Kiwis are not exactly terrorists and since we are so 'clean' and 'non-violent', maybe they won't strip Helen Clark at JFK or Heathrow. But probably they might do the same to the Governor-General Anand Satyanand who is of Indian origin. This shows a definite bias, doesn't it? You know what I am talking about.
(Global Perspectives)
I am not apologetic at all. India is being treated as the princess of the world these days. Despite valid and principled reasons for New Zealand opposing the inclusion of India without being a signatory to the NPT in the Nuclear Suppliers Group , the United States bullied us to accept it and India got blanket waivers. New Zealand gained nothing.
(Global Perspectives)
”The colonial mentality still exists”. Is that supposed to be a joke? Or are you on another planet? Or in another century?
NO-ONE in Britain thinks like that in 2008, and we living British are not going to feel guilty for what happened a century ago. I can understand that people from India still feel resentment. That’s normal.
But someone with an aristocratic and upper-class english bourgoise name like Hazeldine-Barber shouldn’t have to stoop to fawning and catholic attitudes to save their ancestral souls....
NO-ONE in Britain thinks like that in 2008, and we living British are not going to feel guilty for what happened a century ago. I can understand that people from India still feel resentment. That’s normal.
But someone with an aristocratic and upper-class english bourgoise name like Hazeldine-Barber shouldn’t have to stoop to fawning and catholic attitudes to save their ancestral souls....
(Global Perspectives)
I thoroughly agree with his decision. I’m British, and proud of my country, but this is a disgraceful episode which takes Britain back to the kind of shameful condecension that should have finished with the Age of Empires. Deplorable. Thanks for posting this....
Michael
Michael
(Global Perspectives)
Michael,
I must admit that you are a man of principles and have the courage to speak for what is right even though the article stresses that India is the greatest democracy which is highly debatable owing to large scale political corruption in the country. But I fully stand by you and agree to your thoughts. It embarrasses me no end to see this being done by my country of birth.
I must admit that you are a man of principles and have the courage to speak for what is right even though the article stresses that India is the greatest democracy which is highly debatable owing to large scale political corruption in the country. But I fully stand by you and agree to your thoughts. It embarrasses me no end to see this being done by my country of birth.
(Global Perspectives)
It’s a fact Indians never get respect they deserve....especially from Caucasians, may it be beraucracy, corporate visits or even sports. There have been numerous examples of this, even I can give a few. No matter we are home to 1/6th population of the world, for them, we r going to be the same BROOD of animals that we used to be till 60 yrs back. India and Indians r something to be made mockery of, laughed at and sidelined — may it be hollywood flicks or even video games like MS’s AOE. And what’s more frustrating our brothers justify this act of their’s by indeed trying to supress the spontaneity by giving historical references that have been manipulated by them.
We have to be strong, thts it. Stop behaving like we r crippled and honestly remain what we are. Somnath Chaterjee, however, is an indeed a great man with an aware conscience, a rare thing in most politions!!!
We have to be strong, thts it. Stop behaving like we r crippled and honestly remain what we are. Somnath Chaterjee, however, is an indeed a great man with an aware conscience, a rare thing in most politions!!!
(Local Perspectives)
It's high time now that our politicians took a strong stand on this and do whatever is needed to stop this kind of insult. What is the standing of a country like Australia or England before India? I demand to know.
(Local Perspectives)
Yeah!! Right!!! Let’s declare war!!!
(Or let’s just get on with making Your country work (something that I sincerely wish) instead of trying to make those British people like me, who want the world to move forward, feel guilty. It won’t work.)
I wasn’t there during the colonial period, and nor were you, and you and I should not be feeling either guilty or angry about it. I’m not guilty for what happened before.
Stop feeling angry. Move on, be proud.
Your country is magnificent. Don’t play the peurile political game.
Respect
Michael
(Or let’s just get on with making Your country work (something that I sincerely wish) instead of trying to make those British people like me, who want the world to move forward, feel guilty. It won’t work.)
I wasn’t there during the colonial period, and nor were you, and you and I should not be feeling either guilty or angry about it. I’m not guilty for what happened before.
Stop feeling angry. Move on, be proud.
Your country is magnificent. Don’t play the peurile political game.
Respect
Michael
(Global Perspectives)
The treatment that Chatterjee got teaches us not to admire the West like everyone does and in fact look at all the crimes and abuses the colonial powers have committed. In fact, the colonized have in a way allowed colonization to continue well in to the 21st century. I, in fact see a neo-colonization happening which looks worse than the industrial age colonization.
(Local Perspectives)
Hi Jaiyant!
I understand your reaction, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I’m British and that’s fine by me. And the big bad ”West” that you talk about is not the people people who live here, ironically. No-one here wants to ”colonialise” anyone. It’s just the geopolitical/economic game.
And I, for one, am happy to know that India is now a part of it. For better or for worse.......
However, either you play the game or you keep your ”we-are-downtrodden” values. But you can’t have your cake and eat it, my friend......
Michael
I understand your reaction, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I’m British and that’s fine by me. And the big bad ”West” that you talk about is not the people people who live here, ironically. No-one here wants to ”colonialise” anyone. It’s just the geopolitical/economic game.
And I, for one, am happy to know that India is now a part of it. For better or for worse.......
However, either you play the game or you keep your ”we-are-downtrodden” values. But you can’t have your cake and eat it, my friend......
Michael
(Global Perspectives)
Somnath Chattejee has shown his inflated ego and cancelled his trip thereby not representing the country in the meeting. Is he higher than the country? Is his frisking in any way undermine the prestige or honour of the country? All his countrymen are frisked. What’s wrong if he sets an example and behaves as a man who is with the common man? The VIP treatment that the politicians get in India has apparantly gone to his head
(Local Perspectives)
Mr. Balam
Just going against the flow or opening your mouth to criticize everything (without even thinking over the matter) won’t make you more intelligent.
If someone says that ’B’ comes after ’A’, you will say ”no, it comes before say” and you think you will prove that u are more intelligent?
No, Mr. Balam; you make a fool of yourself - very similar to that monkey who is always going over the edge to say that ”my a** is red”. The poor monkey doesn’t realize that the ’redness of his bum’ is not any privilege and it doesn’t make him more superior to any other species.
Now, its upto you Mr. Balam. If you think you have a contradicting answer, then give it - but I won’t treat it any different from the emotions of that ’red-bummed’ monkey.
BTW, reading the post and giving some work to your brain is advisable before putting your comments. It saves you from appearing foolish.
Just going against the flow or opening your mouth to criticize everything (without even thinking over the matter) won’t make you more intelligent.
If someone says that ’B’ comes after ’A’, you will say ”no, it comes before say” and you think you will prove that u are more intelligent?
No, Mr. Balam; you make a fool of yourself - very similar to that monkey who is always going over the edge to say that ”my a** is red”. The poor monkey doesn’t realize that the ’redness of his bum’ is not any privilege and it doesn’t make him more superior to any other species.
Now, its upto you Mr. Balam. If you think you have a contradicting answer, then give it - but I won’t treat it any different from the emotions of that ’red-bummed’ monkey.
BTW, reading the post and giving some work to your brain is advisable before putting your comments. It saves you from appearing foolish.
(Local Perspectives)
I’m British, and I have something to say to those of you who talk about ”colonialism”. Your comments are peurile and stupid.
Either you don’t know anything about modern Britain because you’ve never been there, or you’re just viscerally anti-western in general.
The fact is that, despite this regrettable incident, the British people have completely forgotten the colonial era, me included. No-one in Britain wishes to dominate India, Pakistan or anywhere else. I find these comments offensive.
Live in the past if you want to....fight past battles if you want to;;;;
....but you remind me of obscurantists, and you need to find another scapegoat. Your argument just doesn’t work.
This is 2008. Not 1855. For the sake of your countries. I wish you all the best, but ancient griefs will get you absolutely nowhere.
Get real.
My respects to you all.
Either you don’t know anything about modern Britain because you’ve never been there, or you’re just viscerally anti-western in general.
The fact is that, despite this regrettable incident, the British people have completely forgotten the colonial era, me included. No-one in Britain wishes to dominate India, Pakistan or anywhere else. I find these comments offensive.
Live in the past if you want to....fight past battles if you want to;;;;
....but you remind me of obscurantists, and you need to find another scapegoat. Your argument just doesn’t work.
This is 2008. Not 1855. For the sake of your countries. I wish you all the best, but ancient griefs will get you absolutely nowhere.
Get real.
My respects to you all.
(Global Perspectives)
Michael,
This is one of my last comments here. Thanks for being there. I wish to tell you from my point of view that Great Britain, the erstwhile superpower, but still a great power is one of the model countries in the world.
Britain is the lodestar of free world, civilized society, and an epitome of religious tolerance. There is no country in the world that that can boast of being a multi-cultural society including the great United States and our diverse nation India.
The comments you see that are maligning Britain as colonialists are people with half-baked knowledge who flunked in their progressive history lessons.
When the Denis who-went-Amiss from his duties during a series between South Africa and India took some unprofessional decisions against India, people here started crying ”Racist South Africa” despite SA got rid of apartheid and England stopped patronizing the country under the old system (though it did covertly, as it did to Ian Smith’s Rhodesia).
I can feel the pain in your heart, but let them off. You can’t fight with a bunch of ignorants.
By the way Michael, what are you doing in France? *wink*
This is one of my last comments here. Thanks for being there. I wish to tell you from my point of view that Great Britain, the erstwhile superpower, but still a great power is one of the model countries in the world.
Britain is the lodestar of free world, civilized society, and an epitome of religious tolerance. There is no country in the world that that can boast of being a multi-cultural society including the great United States and our diverse nation India.
The comments you see that are maligning Britain as colonialists are people with half-baked knowledge who flunked in their progressive history lessons.
When the Denis who-went-Amiss from his duties during a series between South Africa and India took some unprofessional decisions against India, people here started crying ”Racist South Africa” despite SA got rid of apartheid and England stopped patronizing the country under the old system (though it did covertly, as it did to Ian Smith’s Rhodesia).
I can feel the pain in your heart, but let them off. You can’t fight with a bunch of ignorants.
By the way Michael, what are you doing in France? *wink*
(Local Perspectives)
Aneez,
I have not claimed intelligence over you or any one else. I am a learner and intend to remain so. If God has gifted you with more intelligence than me then it is perfectly fine with me. I have no cribs.
I have no qualms in going against the tide and expressing my opinion without fear or favour. I have read the article, understood the contents, grasped its meaning and given reasons for my opinion. If you do not agree, give more forceful and strong arguments to reject my opinion.
You are free to hold any opinion about me. If you think I am a fool or stupid or idiot or a monkey or donkey or a pig or whatever; you must be having good reasons for it.
I just understand that when you come to the level of calling names, you don’t have any valid argument and you have come down to the level you belong to. The words you choose are manifest of your upbringing and knowledge. If you don’t accept dissent, it means that you don’t wish people to remain and express their view point in a democratic set up.
A few years back there was a huge uproar when George Fernandes, the then Defence Minister of India was frisked at an airport in USA. George Fernandes is no less a patriotic man than Somnath Chatterjee. Wearing a country’s honour on one’s sleeve and feeling that a mere security frisking will dishonour the country may be such in your opinion; but it is fundamentally wrong. My great country’s honour is not that small that it gets dishonoured by such small acts. Please upgrade and revise your understanding of the meaning of the word called ”honour”.
The last comment of Michael C doesn’t support the article. Do you intend to abuse him too?
I have not claimed intelligence over you or any one else. I am a learner and intend to remain so. If God has gifted you with more intelligence than me then it is perfectly fine with me. I have no cribs.
I have no qualms in going against the tide and expressing my opinion without fear or favour. I have read the article, understood the contents, grasped its meaning and given reasons for my opinion. If you do not agree, give more forceful and strong arguments to reject my opinion.
You are free to hold any opinion about me. If you think I am a fool or stupid or idiot or a monkey or donkey or a pig or whatever; you must be having good reasons for it.
I just understand that when you come to the level of calling names, you don’t have any valid argument and you have come down to the level you belong to. The words you choose are manifest of your upbringing and knowledge. If you don’t accept dissent, it means that you don’t wish people to remain and express their view point in a democratic set up.
A few years back there was a huge uproar when George Fernandes, the then Defence Minister of India was frisked at an airport in USA. George Fernandes is no less a patriotic man than Somnath Chatterjee. Wearing a country’s honour on one’s sleeve and feeling that a mere security frisking will dishonour the country may be such in your opinion; but it is fundamentally wrong. My great country’s honour is not that small that it gets dishonoured by such small acts. Please upgrade and revise your understanding of the meaning of the word called ”honour”.
The last comment of Michael C doesn’t support the article. Do you intend to abuse him too?
(Local Perspectives)
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Indeed, Shri Somnath Chatterjee has taken the right step by calling off his visit to Britain. Whats more ridiculous in this whole fresco is the fact that Shri Chatterjee is in British protocol’s list of people exempt from body frisking.
And what reason does Britain has for this? That search procedures were a necessary part to ensure the security of all passengers!! Looks similar to a statement from a drunkard bouncer who can’t differentiate between trouble makers and the chief guest of a party.
Forget TOI, I don’t spend a damned second thought on fiddles like this; as a Citizen of India, I ask the British Government, will it behave in the same way, or to be little more clear, does it have the courage to follow the same line of action if President of America was on a visit to Britain??
Further, if Britain can’t distinguish between a common person and a high-profile person like Shri Chatterjee, I think even Shri Chatterjee should consider Britain at par with a seven star resort and make a wise selection in planning his visit - obviously, a courteous staff is anytime better than a drunkard bouncer!
Coming back to TOI, I think the last three words of Jonty’s article sums it up all - SHAME ON YOU.