SUPERSTITION IN GOD'S OWN COUNTRY

SUPERSTITION in GOD’S OWN COUNTRY

The English language TV media as well as television analysts have been accusing the Hindi news channels of converting non-issues into big news, of drumming up trivial issues and of pandering to the superstitious elements of society. By chance I switched on a Hindi TV channel and the very first item had me laughing out loud. The newsreader was speaking in a rapid fire manner about how in a town in Kerala it was literally raining blood ! The town was experiencing an alien attack was what the reader suggested. Thick red blood like substance was falling in a heavy shower over the town. A scientist from Cochin was interviewed . He ‘confirmed’ that it was a set of aliens that was venting its spleen over the town. Another religious looking person said that it was the wrath of God that was pouring over the people for their sinful acts !The channel confirmed that a laboratory had ‘analyzed’ the stuff and said that nothing like that substance was ever available on earth and hence it had reached the ‘inescapable ‘ conclusion that something from outer space had invaded our earth though it was not explained why this non-descript town was chosen for the invasion. Why not a town with a tell tale name in Nashik district called SINNAR? To add some ‘scientific’ credibility this report said that the human DNA was not seen in the ‘ rain’ drops thereby suggesting that aliens were truly upon us.

I can imagine people in many parts of Kerala , not subscribing to the leftist ideology, huddled around endless cups of tea or country liquor looking somber awaiting judgement day and repenting their sins. Tears streaming down their eyes and cheeks they might rush to places of worship begging pardon for their many acts of omission and commission. A wag suggests that the Almighty may not pardon them for electing a Godless communist Government !There seems to be a big constituency of people who are ready to believe in a supernatural explanation for anything that they are not able to explain with their simple approaches. The TV channel might have noticed that none of the other channels had even telecast this event let alone asked scientists for an explanation. No doubt this Hindi TV channel will not tell you that something as mundane as acid rain could explain the phenomenon. But then that would not ‘ break’ news.

A political analyst writes that small states like Kerala with their small literate and stagnant population have a marginal say in legislation in Parliament while large states like UP with their uncontrolled illiterate population have a decisive say. This argument appealed to me till I saw how two states-Kerala and West Bengal—by electing communists have been able to paralyze the reforms process with the inordinate clout that leftists have with the coalition at the center.

TV channels might do well to highlight how a state like Kerala as well as West Bengal are holding back reforms that could propel the country forward. The communists with their core constituency restricted to these states are holding the country’s reform agenda to ransom with their veto over every reform proposal of the UPA government. Mr. Karat the CPM leader has said ‘NO’ to every reform proposal. In fact in the heat of the ‘Bharat Ratna’ controversy I had suggested in the media that Mr. Karat be conferred the ‘DR. NO’ award for being a ‘no-sayer’ to reforms .

Meanwhile a satirist from Kerala says that his state is so devoted to the leftist cause that even rain has turned red.

K.R.RAVI

USA