Brand India, in the view of most people sane, insane and crossing the line, has taken a massive beating from the events of the past few months. What with the Bombay, yes it is and will always be Bombay, blasts and the Satyam tragedy. I have a distinctly varied view of how these events should be looked at, with the view of what has transgressed in the world till date which makes me say, "Seriously Mr World, You have GOT to be ... ". This almost seems like a KJo movie now with the title track being played at the end of the starting credits. Damn K3G!
We shall take these event by event,
Wasn’t too long ago that an American major CEO had come in to my cabin to have some discussions about what they were looking at in the domain that me and my team sold (the purists will object to the line but I show them the guise of colloquial respite). I have to remember, and with some consternation at that, the expression that anointed his face as we discussed the Bombay blasts and his very acerbic remarks about India’s security system and how we respond to emergency. He was a friend, and this I stated clearly to him in order that what followed was not looked upon as a sell error, I swore at him, excused my verbose outburst as it was politically correct with the presence of his secretary who I may mention was phenomenally attractive, and continued on a train of thought.
1838 1856, 1858, 1859, 1865, 1867, 1877, 1881, 1886, 1901, 1910, 1915, 1920, 1927,
These are not just years. These are those where there has been terrorist activities recorded either in America or organized by America. A knowing smile creased his face and as he raised his hand to, apparently, makes a point or raise the white flag, this having nothing to do with color or race….
1933, 1940, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975,1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 81,,83,84,85,86,,88,89,90,91,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 …. Fuck I had to stop!
Continuing with that train of thought and looking at the considerable consternation that had now shadowed his earlier smug smirk there were more numbers that were thrown around. Since the time America, the largest democracy in the world, has existed there were terrorists / terrorist activities that have permeated its FBI shielded walls. India was a relative newbie still on the other side of the economic cycloid and with a considerably more diverse religious back-ground. The CEO rose, congratulated me on a good deal signed and I would swear, swore as he walked out the door. The lights dimmed, a tune played in the distant horizon and a smirk creased my face as I slipped my suit on to go down for a smoke. Gosh! This could have been written so much better if I could just light up in the building.
Satyam, the debacle, is shameful. From any angle for any engineering graduate with knowledge of Engineering Drawing 101, which he had now forgotten due to the vagaries of politics, entertainment, music, economics or of Mariah Carey’s now rising bank-balance and plunging neck-lines, it is a shame. I argue, a more personal, than for a nation. Brown people do not deserve comfort on one count and that is their sincerity. We are a corrupt lot who love sitting on our hind-side, claiming labor for work not done or forgotten in the million cups of tea or the random fart we term ‘adda’. We love paying off officials, just cause it makes things easier for us. I repeat, brown people are not sincere. But the world pointing fingers at a nation because One individual in One company thought it would be a good idea to swindle the money off a Million peoples, employed or otherwise, can never be pinned on the people or the country. It is a personal shame in the public domain. So all you Enron forgetting, middle finger totting, brown man hating, sincerity carbureting individuals; we don’t hold America responsible for Enron. Arthur and Anderson found out why. Do not hate India for Satyam. Hate Raju!
Brand India, in the view of most people sane, insane and crossing the line, has taken a massive beating from the evens of the past few months. What with the Bombay, yes it is and will always be Bombay, blasts and the Satyam tragedy. The Bombay blasts have happened in the US, UK and every other nation where there have been separatist forces at work. Satyam has happened in the US, UK and every other large economic power in the world. Brand India, unfortunately for all those ‘the brown made my brown bread white’ stating people, is here to stay. Join us or fuck off!
"Surely Mr. World, You have ....", and now the theme song, echoing with the title of the movie comes in as the end credits roll. Have to stop watching KJo movies!
