Black Friday

Friday's incident is once again a tight slap on the law and order and security agencies of our country. The nation is ashamed to hear the horrific act of gang rape of a woman photojournalist in the Central Mumbai. It is more shocking that such immoral offence took place in the state which is known as a safe and secured place for the fairer sex.

Also the ordeal of the foreign student Michael Cross in her 3 months education tour to India has depressed me and I have nothing to say.... Her statement "India is heaven for tourists and hell for women" speaks volume of sufferings she had to bear in her 3 months' stay in India. What is happening to our boys and men? Why there is a constant erosion of moral values in our testosterone group these days? Are our Indian men a sexually starved community? Why despite so much noise this beastly act is not declining? Where does the problem lies? Why men are doing this constantly? These type of innumerable questions run into my mind turning me red with anger with the feeling of knocking down those morons and breaking them into pieces.

These people have made life miserable and scary for every girl breathing in this part of the world. What is eating up the psyche, moral and ethics of the people that young, old, educated, uneducated, relatives, strangers, all are found plunged into this heart wrenching act? Why Indian men cannot get over with the thought of 'women is meant only for gratifying their physical hunger'? Why they can't see a woman beyond their skin?

The mind doesn't find consonance on any of the talks, assurances or guarantees. It seems a covert crusade has been launched by a section of male community to shake the soul of feminism like never before.

Surely, the string of similar incidents have impacted me enormously and for now just speechless.....

  

Film screening at ILCC

Realizing the exigency of making people aware, active, sensitive and responsible towards the Mother Earth, Ranchi Film Club has come up with a welcome initiative.

Ranchi Film Club, a wing of ILCC (International Library and Cultural Centre) shall hold a session on 26^th April, 2013 from 10:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the ILCC itself where two films related to issue of water will be screened followed by a panel discussion.

Every year April, 22 is celebrated as Earth Day. This Earth Day is observed to remind each of us not to take the nature, natural resources for granted. Time and again natural disasters and mishaps happen to warn the human beings of worst consequences, if, immediate steps are not taken soon. Growing urbanization, industrialization has severely affected the environment in which we live. Water is the core of all living beings’ survival, hence needs to be used carefully.

However, putting his own interest and need at the first place, man has been constantly playing and exploiting the nature since a long time. Digging of multitude of wells has resulted in lower level of aquifer in most of the places. The reckless and greedy attitude of man has given the issues like Global Warming, which serves as a global warning to stop the apathy towards the most perilous situation which is very much imminent, if the same attitude continues.

 Also, the most important thing, to save the nature, to save the earth, there’s a greater need of common people to overcome their chalta hai attitude and jump into the required action. The government has the power and privilege to make, amend and enforce certain guidelines and laws regarding any issue but the real power vests in the people. Hence, this step is to stimulate the people to come out of their comfort zone and become a bit responsible towards their deeds. This initiative is to awaken the people from their slumber and start executing what they should.

The films that will be screened are, “Blue Gold”, 45 mins., Director Sam Bozzo , U.S.A. and “Water Business is a good business” Director: Sanjay Barnela, Vasant Saberwal
English (subtitled), 27 min, 2004, India.

The Panel discussion shall see renowned geologist Mr. Nitish Priyadarshi and Gulab Chand (Damodar Bachao Andolan) as the panelists. There will also be an interactive session with the audience.

The pursuit of Reformer

If one has been even frivolously keeping track of the past year's content of all the media in India, one can agree with the fact that the two issues that are enjoying an unprecedented ascent despite their widespread protests and condemnations are corruption and misdeeds towards females. It's surprising and preposterous at the same time to witness the two most crippling issues in the path of the nation's progress and overall development rising unceasingly.

 

Since its second consecutive regime from 2009 until now, the UPA government has earned piles of scandals, gory incidents, and discouraging economic affairs in its baggage. Starting from the 2G Spectrum Scam that unveiled the greedy and deceit-ridden faces of our politicians to the current Finmeccanica deal, the list seems endless. Not to mention the several corrupt practices that were uncovered between the two.

 

Similarly, the agony and atrocities meted out to women have left us completely numb. No matter how much uproar the nation makes and how sternly we criticise, condemn, and badmouth the perpetrators of the uncivilised acts, they are not at all scared to execute the beastly acts. The nation wept and mourned like never before in the wake of the horrifying December 16 Delhi gang rape incident, but to everyone's surprise, the uncivilised and inhuman behaviour towards women is rising and growing every day. It seems the perpetrators of these acts have no fear or shame about committing a crime. It's more baffling because Nirbhaya's incident shook the entire nation and even beyond that, which compelled the governing bodies to take the required action at once. The prompt action of getting hold of the suspects, setting up the fast-track courts, and the 'hyperactive' role of the bigwigs as well as India's middle class from all corners of the nation symbolised a newly reformed and transformed India. But all in vain, as every 22 minutes, a Nirbhaya falls prey to the hands of biologically proven males.

 

These incidents are really a tight slap to the citizens of India, who exercise their right to elect the most suitable candidate to look after them and garner maximum positive output for the nation.

 

The question posed before us is how to control the epidemic of corruption and crime against women. And we can have laws and acts on every activity under the sun, but what to do with sick minds?

 

Looking at the unpleasant issues all around, there is a greater need for an internal wiper and reformer for us in the first place. I feel India needs a renaissance now—just now.

International Film Festival comes to India

The battle between science and nature has been as old as the formation of the universe and the living beings. History is evident that whenever over-ambitious mortals transcended their limit and turned avarice in terms of power, authority and moolah they have always been awarded with heavy reprimand and mass destruction not only for the present genesis but also for the unborn generations. In spite of past lessons human beings have always and continue to challenge the nature and follow their own greed. The recent Chernobyl fire, Fukushima disaster and the ill effects of uranium mining all over the globe proves the above maxim. The people staying nearby comes in direct contact with the particles through polluted water, air and soil ensuing getting affected with harmful health issues like breathing problem, lungs’ malfunctioning to deadly diseases like cancer. In Navajo Nations multitude of bread earners of the family lost their lives during the mining boom period of 60s-80s as they used to hold the uranium ore with their bare hands and work there sans any protective kit. 

In an effort to make the masses aware of this growing menace an international film festival titled “International Travelling Uranium Film Festival” is being organized across eight cities of India starting from New Delhi’s Siri Fort Auditorium from 4^th January, 2013. The organizers of the festival include Mr. Norbert- Director of Rio film festival held last year and Mr. Shri Prakash, National Award Winner documentary film-maker hailing from humble surroundings of Jharkhand. It will be a three day festival in each of the cities excluding Shillong, where it will be of two days. After Delhi, the festival will travel to Shillong, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Thrissur (Kerala) chronologically. In Shillong, the festival will be held on 10^th and 11^th January after which it will straightaway move to Shri Prakash’s home town Ranchi. Here, the festival will be on the floors from 15^th to 17^th January. The inaugurating day will be organized in the serene campus of Central University of Jharkhand. After this it will move to RIIMS and conclude at ILCC. The festival will include screening of some of the world’s best movies on the subject followed by interactive sessions and panel discussions.

Whether the festival would be a success and whether it will garner the response as expected by the people is a thing to watch. But it is certainly a welcome step by the duo towards making the masses more vigil and cognizant pertaining to the growing menace of over-exploitation of nature and exhorting them to act accordingly. Also, the festival is expected to prove much beneficial for the budding film –makers as they will be exposed to the art of film making and best usage of cinematic language in a motion picture.