June 08, 2006

Speaks for itself

From a Hindustan Times (June 7) interview with Sarangi Mahajan, wife of Pravin Mahajan. (Recap: Pravin shot his brother, the BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, in April. Pramod died 12 days later).
    HT: Has the Mahajan family, including Gopinath Munde, abandoned you and your children?

    Sarangi Mahajan: ... My brother kept in touch with Munde, who told him to keep me away from the funeral and the hospital as party cadres could turn violent.
They "could turn violent"? Over a woman wanting to visit a man she regarded as something of a father figure? What kind of party cadres are these? Why was Munde not confident of keeping them from turning violent?

But the truth is, I'm just asking rhetorical questions. That statement about turning violent really speaks for itself.

***

Uma and some others alerted me to Ann Coulter's latest outburst. (One report here, a reaction here, there's plenty more coverage out there).

Once again, what she says speaks for itself.

Start with this: If [the "Left"] have a point to make ... how about sending in somebody we're allowed to respond to?

Translation: How about sending in somebody I choose, so I can win?

Didn't you know, that's what Mohammed Ali, Larry Bird and Rahul Dravid all said to their opponents: "You're sending in your strongest players! That ain't fair, dammit!"

But Coulter tops that with some other stuff. Sample:
  • [9/11 widows revel] in their status as celebrities ... I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much.

  • America[n] and Christian destiny [is] Jet Skis, steak on the electric grill, hot showers, and night skiing.
Yeah sure. In fact, they were just longing for those planes to plow into the towers so they could start enjoying themselves, probably skiing at night.

And finally someone's understood the essence of Jesus Christ's and George Washington's respective messages: Jet Skis.

Yep, JC used 'em on the Sea of Galilee. GW zipped across the Potomac on one. Don't you dare choke on your steak, or you won't get that hot shower.

17 comments:

Shinu Mathew said...

Times Of India, Dated 7th June 2006.
An exclusive interview with Sarangi, Pravin Mahajan's wife.
The first line reads..
Sarangi, Pravin Mahajan's widow...
Is there somebody called proof reader in Times Of India? Or is it an indication as to what will happen to Pravin later?

km said...

Dilip, how about discussing something really vital to mankind's existence - like our favorite "Princess Bride" moments and dialogues? :) (just noticed the new tagline on your profile!)

(Also see my comment on Uma's blog about Ms. Coulter's latest gem)

Anonymous said...

>>> Why was Munde not confident of keeping them from turning violent?

Before official ban, your Goa CM requested theaters not screen 'Da Vinci code' lest the crowds tear the theater down in which case the govt won't be responsible. Mind you this 'advise' came from a person no less than chief minister.

I don't know - does it say something about Congress people? Or the Christians of Goa? Or Law & Order in Goa? Tell us Dilip? Please.

Anonymous said...

consider dilip's hypocrisy:

http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jan/14dilip.htm

dilip blames the bjp hrd union minister for a primary school in bengal (education is a concurrent subject, informs uma).

now he has lost his ardour for reforms in basic education. what has changed? why, the bjp is no longer in power. dilip has gone from anti-establishment to pro-establishment.

Anonymous said...

http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jan/14dilip.htm

this is the link

wise donkey said...

its not about party cadres but about people. why make it out like its just bjp, if one set of party cadres could turn violent against sikhs in Delhi, then is it impossible to realise that it could happen with other party cadres also?

many people dont need a reason to become violent, just an excuse to become violent. and these people are probably there in all political parties and day to day life..

munde was just being realistic..though it would nice if the political parties werent hypocritic about them being holier than the rest

Dilip D'Souza said...

But wise donkey, I'm hardly saying it's just the BJP; that's not even germane to me. It just struck me as a pretty sickening reason to keep Sarangi Mahajan away from visiting her brother-in-law. Especially given the circumstances.

It's a pretty poor leader who is dictated by the possible behaviour of his supporters.

Anonymous said...

>>It's a pretty poor leader who is dictated by the possible behaviour of his supporters.

No comments even on the Goa CMs promise of violence against theatres!!

Hmm...let's see, all poor leaders are from BJP onlee. All the sharpest tool in the shed come from Congress. Or Congress ally of the day. That's why no calls for foreign invasion when Cong rules. Can one spell H-I-P-P-O-C-R-A-Z-Y? I think I might have it wrong?

Moving on...
Curious why this concern of some right-wing nut called Coulter? You guys (Uma and Dilip) didn't rant about Rev. Falwell's diatribe against Mohd (PBUH) - not even when people in Nasik were killed for some rants 12,000 miles away!!!

Anonymous said...

Tejal:
>>in particular as commenters have made it out to be

Yeah right. Either you were born yesterday or just started reading Dilip dumps yesterday.

barbarindian said...

Here is another conservative columnist you can take potshots at:
http://www.michellemalkin.com/

So, the great cheerleader of the downtrodden has fixed all of India's problems and now trying to fix the US!

wise donkey said...

well i agree, on the leadership point..but it could be simply petty politics
why allow her more press coverage..or something stupid..

and anyway, i wonder which Indian leader has control over his/her crowd..

If Uma or Joshi asked their cadres to build a mosque would they do it?

Dilip D'Souza said...

km, so you're both a N by NW fan and a Princess Bride fan? I think we must be twins separated at birth. Let's check with our respective mammas, OK?

Sad thing is, it's been so many years since I last saw PB that I've forgotten most of my favourite moments. I will make amends soon.

Did see your remark on Coulter.

Shinu, what a blunder! Did you tell TOI? How are things?

Tejal and WiseD, thanks. As for which Indian leader has control over the crowd: I don't know, but I think in this case Munde should have told Sarangi, if you want to come to the hospital, please do. I will see to it that you are not harmed.

They love to spit at him now, but I think Nehru had that kind of substance in him.

Anonymous said...

What kind of a person relies solely on (and plays up deliberately) the words of a murder-accused's wife who would, naturally, try and project those opposed to her husband in a poor light? What kind of person is desperate to clutch at any straw in the hope of turning it into a 'fact' justiyfing his prejudices?

I am asking rhetorical questions too. Fact is, this guy's words speak for themselves too: not a typist, not a rightist, just plain propagandist.

Anonymous said...

i loathe the bjp, but i loathe journalists on the take of the congress even more.

journalistic integrity is dead. long live journalistic integrity.

Anonymous said...

>>but i loathe journalists on the take of the congress even more.


UPA winning stopped Dcubed whining.

barbarindian said...

Dilip,

Did you know that Zarqawi had a 16 year old wife? Apparently he married her when she was only 14.

Zarq and his 16 year old wife

Could you say it speaks for itself?

Oh I forgot, the only fundamentalists in the world are those saffron clad loonies, who must represent aaaaaaaaaaaaalll Hindus.

Anonymous said...

Big broher's roving eye falls on a college beauty. He choses her as his younger bhabi. He tells her that she is his personal responsibilty and he will always take care of her. Romance of the hidden kinds proceeds.Many years later the chota bhai kills big brother in cold blood and peacefully surrenders. The family keep the younger bhabi away from the brothers ( one dead the other in jail). The jailed brother is the epitome of a man who has fulfilled his vocation. The bhabi surfaces from depression to clarify that big brother was a father figure. Bollywood arnt u listening ?