Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

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RajeshA
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by RajeshA »

Alex Salmond is the current First Minister of Scotland and has announced autumn of 2014 as his preferred date for the Independence referendum. However the Scottish National Party requires Westminster's cooperation in allowing such a referendum.

Published on Jan 11, 2012
Scottish independence: Alex Salmond squares up to David Cameron and George Osborne over referendum: Periscope Post

Published on Jan 12, 2012
Scottish independence referendum: Alex Salmond seeks ‘consensus’ on vote: Scotsman

Considering all that the Brits have done against India's unity, I would urge all Indians in UK and across the world to support Scottish Independence.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by anishns »

Hari Seldon
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Hari Seldon »

Apologize for offensive show, India tells BBC
In the programme, Clarkson allegedly made controversial comments about India's trains, toilets, clothing, food and history.
Whuddathunkit now, eh??
The letter (from the Yindian High commission) added: "The programme was replete with cheap jibes, tasteless humour and lacked cultural sensitivity. This is not clearly what we expect of the BBC. I write this to convey our deep disappointment over the documentary for its content and the tone of the presentation".
WTH? And why exactly do you not expect the obvious, sirs?
"It seems that the reasons given by the BBC in order to obtain their visas to go to India did not disclose the true nature of the content of this programme." [...] Before leaving for India, Hale had informed the high commission in a letter dated 21 July that the trip was intended to be "light hearted... focusing on the journey and the inevitable idiosyncracies of the cars they will drive, as well as the country and the scenery we see along the way". [...] "There will be spontaneous interaction between the presenters and their environment, and potentially people they meet along the way. This will be in an incidental manner, not interviews. Key ingredients of what we film will be beautiful scenery, busy city scenes, local charm and colour within these locations, areas to illustrate the local car culture that exists in India."
Aah. So the BBC lied, again, in getting visas for its highly paid spit-and-scoot team. Big deal. Disappointing that desis haven't learned to spot Briturd craven-ness, cussedness & low-blows even after decades of briturd misrule, propagandu and pillage. Aak-thoo only.

The game continues. Apologists like Keith Vaz gallantly rise to paint a 'reasonable', "we're jolly-good-fellas onlee" face to Briturd chicanery and deviousness. Yet again. Fully expecting to fool us Yindians into forgiving and forgetting yet another cheap transgression. Sample this:
"One ridiculous programme has done a lot of damage to this good relationship. A swift apology from the BBC and Mr Clarkson may go some way towards restoring our good relations and the reputation of the BBC in India," Vaz added.
Yawn. Your sing and dance ex post don't impress much. Sadly, the MEA is staffed with critters waiting to impressed by briturd propagandu-giri. "Sigh".

And the world spins on. jai hor.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by svinayak »

This is more of a psy ops to bring the role of anglo Indians out of the limelight

From 1970s they have played an important role in the India US/UK relationship and have control over many things.
THis will need more information to find out what is their role now.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Karan Dixit »

Going forward, stop issuing visas to British personnel who intend to enter the country with a purpose of making films. There had been way too many cases of unethical behavior by British media professionals which include tax evasion and engaging in anti national activities to name a few. The solution is quite simple and I find it surprising that GOI personnel cannot see it. For starter, just ban BBC for one year from operating on Indian soil and then see what happens.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by RajeshA »

Karan Dixit wrote:Going forward, stop issuing visas to British personnel who intend to enter the country with a purpose of making films. There had been way too many cases of unethical behavior by British media professionals which include tax evasion and engaging in anti national activities to name a few. The solution is quite simple and I find it surprising that GOI personnel cannot see it. For starter, just ban BBC for one year from operating on Indian soil and then see what happens.
Just like the Pakis show their tactical brilliance, so too do the Brits.

The Brits showed racism pure. Make them pay. Throw out BBC out of India indefinitely. It is much more difficult to throw out some media outlet on some critical reporting, because then it looks like as if we have got something to hide. A faux pas like that of Jeremy Clarkson is a "God-sent" opportunity to punish BBC without losing any sympathy or looking like the villain. We should punish them and punish them hard. Keep BBC out of India for the next 20 years. Let them keep on apologizing to us for the time period, but don't let them in. Keep on calling them racists and vulgar people.

That would be cool, when BBC would have to report that they cannot have a reporter on the scene in India because they were thrown out for racism.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Haresh »

The BBC is a disgusting organisation.
We in the UK have to purchase a TV license to fund this body.

It is biased, pro islam/terror/pakistan/anti Israel/India.

During the Mumbhai massacre they refused to call the "terrorists", arguing that using the word "terrorists" was judgemental, instead they called them "gunmen".

Its former chairman Sir John Birt's son was a convert Yaha Birt.
The BBC is blatently left wing, the majority of its staff being champagne socialist types.
A few years ago they had an internal enquiry into anti Israel bias, the report was never made public.
They are reknowned for taking an anti-India stance.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by RajeshA »

Haresh wrote:They are reknowned for taking an anti-India stance.
Eggs-Actly! So why pass-up on such a lovely opportunity to ban BBC from India for the next 20 years or so?!
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by uddu »

Haresh wrote:They are renowned for taking an anti-India stance.
First they are against anything that's not BBC type (Maoist Brit).
But they do have special hatred towards Yehudis, Yindoos and to a small extent the Yanks.
and believes in YYY conspiracy onlee.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Karan Dixit »

... or, if the GOI wants to be equally funny, it can fine BBC in the sum of millions and use that money to fund the toilet maintenance on railways. Then, that would be really funny.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by vishvak »

Some food for thought

When push comes to shove and then to shovel, all this don't matter.
Disclaimer: Not sure how many of the ones neatly arranged in the queue to make the best of the situation are poor dirty Yindoos or educated white Britishers.
Image
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Dan Mazer »

In case you haven't seen this show:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnbdaw ... shortfilms
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnbdgl ... shortfilms

I saw this when it was aired and struggle to understand what exactly I'm supposed to get offended by. The only thing which might be mildly offensive (to some) might be the toilet modification done to his car by Clarkson.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Philip »

Frankly,no one takes Clarkson seriously.He is a buffoon at times and the self-deprecating humour of the British must be understood.There is just too much of political correctness these days and it has sadly entered Indian life too with the moral police,etc..Can you imagine India without its Sadarji jokes? And who has given us over the years some of the best ones? Kushwant Singh himself! If one loses one's humour,one loses part of one's humanity and is the lesser for it.

However our auto industry and condition of roads,absence of any traffic sense by our drivers and two-wheelers is no secret and we have supposedly the world's highest accident and fatality stats.I just saw a brand new Audi Q-7 in Bombay with a beautifully crushed fender and door.We once owned an Amby Nova,meant to be our out-of-town workhorse.It actually spent 9 months in its first year being "rebuilt"! It came with the ad,that "every village mechanic could repair it".On one of its first trips, a run of about just 50km,a small drizzle blessed us.Result? The right light chrome ring fell off! I then understood the maker's ad .It's real meaning was
that the car was such sh*t,that every village needed a mechanic who could repair the car because it broke down so often. I wrote thus to the company's top exec.Needless to say I got no reply.I almost forgot,the absence of headrests in the back seats also contributed to a chronic back and spondilitis problem for one of our directors, which resulted in him having major spinal surgery and being out of action for three months.Fortunately he made a complete and full recovery.

Right now the UK govt. has its cross-hairs firmly centered upon India.Perhaps it knows India better than we ourselves,as it ruled us a for a few centuries! It is making strident efforts to get an inside line into India's eco success,which will benefit British companies.Education is another sector where UK univs want more Indian students,as they have a good knowledge of English and can pay the fees.Ratan Tata has turned JLR around and is adding 1500+ jobs in the UK with a new plant to be built.The enormous Indian diaspora there generates its own momentum in further cementing Indo-British ties.I see here a more intense Indo-UK relationship developing,that in some areas will be more of a partnership rather than a buyer-seller affair.Just contrast the situ with Pak,where even Pak's closest bum-chum,the Chinese are scared sh*tless about investing and working on projects like the frigate construction in Karachi,because of the dangers and violence surrounding them.The Chinese workers in Karachi shipyard cannot get out/allowed out of the shipyard at all,and are reportedly taken out for boat rides to little islands for breaks! All that the UK gets from Pak is trouble with a capital T,standing for "Terrorism".It needs India in more ways than just trade.
Last edited by Philip on 14 Jan 2012 08:56, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Purush »

The Top gear guys are tired old trolls plain and simple.
Top gear started off as a show about cars, but in recent years it's evolved into an 'entertainment' program that showcases the 'comedic' talents of the 3 hosts more than the cars. In the process, it has become boring, amateurish and predictable; they've also run out of ideas for new content.
So, the hosts have made it a habit to intentionally offend countries (Poland, Mexico, US etc) in order to generate controversy and increase ratings.
Don't fall into the trap by giving them more publicity.

That said, there was nothing on the show that was really racist. Unflattering, definitely...it was standard 'dirty streets and slums', 'poor people', 'crowded places' of India fare instead of focusing on the positives.
Racist, not so much.

And BBC should have been banned from India several years ago.
Their consistent support for pakis, kashmiri terrorists and the 26/11 terrorists should have been enough cause to charge their local affiliates/personnel with treason and throw them in Tihar for a few years without trial. Only the danda method works for these clowns.

But our establishment doesn't have the spine to do any such thing.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Rahul M »

one of the obvious ways bbc's bias comes out is when they announce their show timings : islamabad, dhaka, new delhi, in that order.
the order is neither alphabetical nor geographical, it can only be hypocritical.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Philip »

Purush,true we also have nice parts of our country with good roads,etc...in private gated communities,but who is responsible 60+ years after partition for the condition of our roads? Our corrupt politicos.Just check out the roads in Lanka,which fought a war for 25 years by comparison,and its new expressway to the south.Our gang of thieves steal the money set aside for public infrastructure,which is why we open ourselves to criticism by buffoons like the Top Gear crowd and others.We just can't shove our sh*t under or into the potholes!
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Yogi_G »

everytime i see clarkson speak and i believe in the theory that oiropeans have 2-3% neanderthal blood in them. Brits see the greeks as ancestors, we ruled their ancestors some 1500 years before brits ruled us. brits started farming onle in 4000 bc while it had already existed in India from 8000bc. britards got modern Indian numeral system only in 1200 ad and used primitive roman numeral uptil then :D.if anyone shud be racist,its the Indians not the retarted Brits.that we dont believe in racism reflects on our magnanimity and cultural superiority, a culture that produced Vedas when these retards were still hunter gatherers.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Neela »

Philip wrote:Frankly,no one takes Clarkson seriously.He is a buffoon at times and the self-deprecating humour of the British must be understood.There is just too much of political correctness these days and it has sadly entered Indian life too with the moral police,etc..Can you imagine India without its Sadarji jokes? And who has given us over the years some of the best ones? Kushwant Singh himself! If one loses one's humour,one loses part of one's humanity and is the lesser for it.

.
What a load of bull crap!
There is always one to undermine the argument - everywhere!


You consider this humor. I pity your taste. HItting under the belt schoolboy stuff. It is neither funny nor culturally ok.

Firstly, the people who reacted - it is the Indian High Commission we are speaking of. And the INdian High COmmission is manned by INdian Foreign Service.
I do not know if you realize this - but the netas can pull the guy who issued the visa and make him answer as to why they let this arsehole inside. And one poor fellow will have a tough time because of Jeremy Clarkson "who no one takes seriously"

By all means, let there be Sardarji jokes. But that is our humour we make on ourselves. Let Jeremy make fun of the Queen and her pompous ways and the balding senile Phillip. Jokes ARE culturally linked. What is humor for him need not be for us. Capiche?
Trying to impose their sense humor on us and you say it is PC gone too far if we react? Apologists for India too many.
Why don't you try making humor with your neighbor on his mom. In fair England, it is fine. Maybe it is ok here too...do try and report back.

What you don't understand and probably are too naieve and thick is that the same stuff were part of a serious tone during the Commonwealth games. Wasn't there a NZ reporter who started to dirty the walls of a athletes residence to get her report done? Is that humor Phillip? What excuse this time? PC gone too far still?

We all know what our problems are - thanks Phillip for "opening our eyes" ...yes yes very enlightening and all. But you are batting for a nutjob, who stated one thing on the Visa form and did something else as part of a television crew. Now what do you think the High Commision should do?
If they react, then it is PC gone too far.
If they do not react, then it is Indian lazy dont-care work ethic and we are to blame according to your earlier post.
Where do you stand Sir.

( Tell you what...there is a ****** condescending and patronizing tone of yours that I sense if every post of yours. You act like some kind of messiah bringing knowledge for the natives. Cut that out.And your " the standards of this forum have declined" is also part of the same ****** condescending tone )
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Dan Mazer »

Again, what exactly was offensive about the show?
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Lisa »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIMUNyFGauE

This is a BBC programme about how an Indian sees UK rail network. Does anyone find this offensive?
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by shiv »

Dan Mazer wrote:In case you haven't seen this show:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnbdaw ... shortfilms
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnbdgl ... shortfilms

I saw this when it was aired and struggle to understand what exactly I'm supposed to get offended by. The only thing which might be mildly offensive (to some) might be the toilet modification done to his car by Clarkson.
I just saw the first one. Actually it was mostly funny and most of the jokes were on Britain or the Top Gear Trio. If I must fault that first video - the humor, or humour, if you like, is too British. Like they are thinking what English food shall we promote "French Fries?", "Danish pastry" and then one guy says "English crumpet" with a deadpan face which is a bit like the Shashi Tharoor type subtlety. Only an insider would understand.

As an Indian who is hypersensitive to criticism of India maybe the only real "un-PC" joke was towards the end - "In England they would say "when daddy gets home", but here they would say "if daddy gets home" The toilet bit would probably offend some unless one is willing to accept that most firangis get the runs once they get a taste of Indian spice.

Will check out the second one later.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Yogi_G »

Dan Mazer wrote:Again, what exactly was offensive about the show?
depends on whether u r a proud bharatiya or a macualite p-sec or a gora aping accent touting DIE.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by shiv »

shiv wrote:
Dan Mazer wrote:In case you haven't seen this show:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnbdaw ... shortfilms
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnbdgl ... shortfilms

I saw this when it was aired and struggle to understand what exactly I'm supposed to get offended by. The only thing which might be mildly offensive (to some) might be the toilet modification done to his car by Clarkson.
I just saw the first one. Actually it was mostly funny and most of the jokes were on Britain or the Top Gear Trio. If I must fault that first video - the humor, or humour, if you like, is too British. Like they are thinking what English food shall we promote "French Fries?", "Danish pastry" and then one guy says "English crumpet" with a deadpan face which is a bit like the Shashi Tharoor type subtlety. Only an insider would understand.

As an Indian who is hypersensitive to criticism of India maybe the only real "un-PC" joke was towards the end - "In England they would say "when daddy gets home", but here they would say "if daddy gets home" The toilet bit would probably offend some unless one is willing to accept that most firangis get the runs once they get a taste of Indian spice.

Will check out the second one later.
Saw the second one. It's totally pointless I guess. Some Christmas cheer for the Brits. The second half stops being funny and turns pathetic. Slapstick and a little bit of jingoistic self congratulation at the end. The credits I guess are supposed to get a haw haw haw. But that's about it. Waste of time.

It's just a stupid show. I'm sorry I watched. Looks like a lot of permissions were obtained to do the things that were done - all paid for I guess by the TV licence fees paid by 60 million people (including 5 million Pakis) huddled in front of their TV sets in Britain.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Dan Mazer »

Yogi_G wrote:
Dan Mazer wrote:Again, what exactly was offensive about the show?
depends on whether u r a proud bharatiya or a macualite p-sec or a gora aping accent touting DIE.
I didn't realize that being a proud bhratiya involved getting offended over nothing.
shiv wrote:It's just a stupid show.
I agree.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Rahul M »

yogi, this one wasn't too offensive, unexpectedly so. it was more self deprecating humour than anything. they looked like clowns trying to shore up the humour quotient with slapstick comedy, that's about it.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by brihaspati »

Self-deprecation at the cost of another - seems to be soo enjoyable! Where did Indians sign on the dotted line on some legal paper not to get offended at outpourings from something done with obvious and clear consciousness of a cultural difference!

Suppose Indians made a short film of self-deprecation based on such sundry inoffensive British items as "English vice", or say the Queen, and/or royalty, or the "anally challenged or obsessed Englishman" - all done through self-deprecation of Indians themselves in a British setting? I hope the Brits too would be able to laugh and not take offense?
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by brihaspati »

From the viewpoint of Indians, making fun of other cultures is not seen as "cultured". One who does not respect his own culture will often make fun of other cultures - and in many cases making fun of self through highlighting differences with another, is an indirect and safe way of criticizing the other.

British too are most sensitive on certain topics - including the ones I mentioned above. Even the tabloids would go only so far in mocking the Queen or anyone from royalty. Indians who demand from other Indians that they should all be able to laugh with the Brits about their precious superlative cultural observations on India done under the cover of self-deprecation - and not take offense - better advise themselves onlee. Other Indians are free to choose when and where and on what they will take offense. After all taking offense is a personal prerogative and not a matter of doctrine or instructions from charismatic individuals.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Purush »

There was one offensive part: the part where one of them attaches a small statue of Lord Ganesha in place of the Spirit of Ecstacy on the Rolls Royce and makes some mocking remarks about it IIRC.

The scenes of cows on the streets, dogs/men urinating in public etc is nothing we don't see on a daily basis in any Indian city.
No point getting worked up about this H&D issue if people living in the cities themselves don't care.
As long as slums, stray dogs, lack of sanitation, and similar problems persist, these will always be highlighted by the goras to demonstrate the 'thhurrdworld' nature of Indian cities and put down India.
Nothing short of eliminating these problems (and using the lathi heavily if they report such things falsely) or ignoring these reports will succeed.

As for the rest of the show, as the Doc said, it was just stupid and pathetic.

But BBC should still be banned, using whatever means are available to achieve this end.
Pay these &$%@s back in their own coin...massive outrage, anger, accusations of racism etc is a good way to put pressure on some 'neta' or minister to take steps towards banning.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Rahul M »

>> Self-deprecation at the cost of another - seems to be soo enjoyable!

did you actually watch the thing before making the comment ? I think not. I would be the last person to 'defend' bbc.

how can self-deprecation can be at the cost of another anyway.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by brihaspati »

Purush wrote:There was one offensive part: the part where one of them attaches a small statue of Lord Ganesha in place of the Spirit of Ecstacy on the Rolls Royce and makes some mocking remarks about it IIRC.

The scenes of cows on the streets, dogs/men urinating in public etc is nothing we don't see on a daily basis in any Indian city.
No point getting worked up about this H&D issue if people living in the cities themselves don't care.
As long as slums, stray dogs, lack of sanitation, and similar problems persist, these will always be highlighted by the goras to demonstrate the 'thhurrdworld' nature of Indian cities and put down India.
Nothing short of eliminating these problems (and using the lathi heavily if they report such things falsely) or ignoring these reports will succeed.

As for the rest of the show, as the Doc said, it was just stupid and pathetic.

But BBC should still be banned, using whatever means are available to achieve this end.
Pay these &$%@s back in their own coin...massive outrage, anger, accusations of racism etc is a good way to put pressure on some 'neta' or minister to take steps towards banning.
If there are dogs, cows, dirt, traffic gridlocks, urination, defecation - they are still our dogs, cows, dirt, traffic gridlocks. We don't want them to persist, and we will clear them - but we will do them according to overall priorities and targets and resources. Its our business and none of theirs.

After all we have been trying to recover from the after effects of their looting, and we do not have had the glory of profiting from slave trade to jump start empires. Why is it we do not see any self-deprecating humour from the Brits on how their empire and hence the capital accumulation that to a large extent fueled their "upgradation" drive [many parts of London remained squalid, dog and rat infested, open sewered, and cesspools of diseases until the mature colonial phase, look at the history of East End for example] - was based on selling the misery of other "cultures"?

We have not gone in and made short films on say how dirty the tube platforms get in UK, or railway stations get. We have not made short films on how dirty and garbage strewn side streets get in many places. We have not made short films on council estates and how people live in many places. We have not made short films on the homeless kids or squatters and really under what conditions even squatters live. The list can go on and on.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by brihaspati »

Rahul M wrote:>> Self-deprecation at the cost of another - seems to be soo enjoyable!

did you actually watch the thing before making the comment ? I think not. I would be the last person to 'defend' bbc.

how can self-deprecation can be at the cost of another anyway.
Look at the "valet parking" business for example. If its not that obvious - then may I point out how Indian traffic "habits" are represented? You are claiming that it is all self-depreciating?
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Purush »

brihaspati wrote: If there are dogs, cows, dirt, traffic gridlocks, urination, defecation - they are still our dogs, cows, dirt, traffic gridlocks. We don't want them to persist, and we will clear them - but we will do them according to overall priorities and targets and resources. Its our business and none of theirs.
Well, it doesn't matter who owns these cows and dogs. They need to be removed from the cities and the cities cleaned up ASAP.
And this is not happening.
In fact, we are going in the opposite direction.
And the powers that are, don't care.
Neither do the people who vote for these netas.

If people don't lose their H&D when a stray dog takes a public dump next to the open sewer beside the road, I doubt they care when it is shown in full HD on international channels.
This is not some private bedroom stuff that was filmed secretly, but a daily feature of Indian public life that is open for all to see.

We can either (a) eliminate this problem ASAP or (b) sweep it under the carpet by banning such reports PRC style and pretend everything is spic-n-span
I suspect (a) would be a better long term solution. I doubt (b) is even workable in India.
We have not gone in and made short films on say how dirty the tube platforms get in UK, or railway stations get. We have not made short films on how dirty and garbage strewn side streets get in many places. We have not made short films on council estates and how people live in many places. We have not made short films on the homeless kids or squatters and really under what conditions even squatters live. The list can go on and on.
And who stopped Indians from doing that? :?:

If people feel so strongly about it, nothing is stopping them from filming all this, making a nice documentary called the 'Glory of Britannia' and putting it on a 24x7 loop on one of the satellite channels.
Add the sordid domestic life of the 'royals' on the special edition DVD as a bonus feature too :P

I suspect the reason why no indian has done it is because we have better things to do.
Clearly the people at BBC don't have anything better to do, hence their obsession with painting themselves as soop-e-rear by mocking/insulting other countries.
Last edited by Purush on 14 Jan 2012 21:10, edited 1 time in total.
Purush
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Purush »

brihaspati wrote: Look at the "valet parking" business for example. If its not that obvious - then may I point out how Indian traffic "habits" are represented? You are claiming that it is all self-depreciating?
What part was that? During the party in Nai Dilli?
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Rahul M »

b ji, driving habit is not 'represented', it stares you in the face till you crash into the nearest car. it happens to the most seasoned of desi drivers.

what was the valet parking thing ?
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by shiv »

It is very likely that many of my own reactions to the video are coloured by my own personality which I believe has a fairly deep connection, if not understanding of British culture.

But I see a subtext in this video. The scenes and stunts shown could not have been done without lots of permissions and the use of local expertise. in filming outdoor scenes in India. They would have to have had local help for servicing the cars and the scenes that showed the cars being winched up for a change of tyres and other modifications being done. Even in India the police will haul up a car that has its exhaust coming out the bonnet blocking the drivers view.

Most of the tiffin boxes were empty - so that was clearly "arranged". The well heeled Delhi crowd were there knowing what to expect like movie extras - and that explosion and breaking glass were clearly Bollywood. There is no way the police would have allowed people playing with fireworks and bombs sans permission. Indians are the first to accuse our police of high handedness and fake encounters - but lets face it- our police have by and large kept terror at bay for most people most of the time.

This program was some sort of Christmas gift to Britain. It was self deprecating insofar as the fact that all of India's cliched negatives were shown or announced but none was used as a prop to show British supremacy - which is really the norm for anyone who highlights Indian negatives.

I think Top Gear does better programs and this one was not worth it. The ended up insulting Indians and the British. You have to have some serious degree of irony to actually enjoy it. It was a sort of cheap schoolboy/college humor. Since I am still occasionally cheap and schoolboyish I admit enjoying some jokes - but it was a pathetic program mostly.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Purush »

shiv wrote: But I see a subtext in this video. The scenes and stunts shown could not have been done without lots of permissions and the use of local expertise. in filming outdoor scenes in India.
Undoubtedly so.
This is true with most of these Top gear episodes, especially with the previous 'Christmas Specials'; most of it is premeditated and choreographed.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by shiv »

Purush wrote:
brihaspati wrote: If there are dogs, cows, dirt, traffic gridlocks, urination, defecation - they are still our dogs, cows, dirt, traffic gridlocks. We don't want them to persist, and we will clear them - but we will do them according to overall priorities and targets and resources. Its our business and none of theirs.
Well, it doesn't matter who owns these cows and dogs. They need to be removed from the cities and the cities cleaned up ASAP.
And this is not happening.
In fact, we are going in the opposite direction.
And the powers that are, don't care.
Neither do the people who vote for these netas.
Purush you have missed the bus in that post. India is NOT going to clear roads of cows and dogs anytime soon. I have persistently tried to make the point that Indians think and behave differently from others that we perhaps want to emulate. But Indians really do see animals as having equal rights to this world. Indians have been bashed for being "hypocritical" because they don't have rights for people but wax eloquent about rights for animals.

But then - you see didn't I say we think differently? Our worldview is different. Will post more thoughts in the usual thread under burqa. OT for this thread
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by RajeshA »

In the West, when people have broached the subject of cows on the streets in India, I've just told them, yes, we cannot remove them, cuz cows need some freedom too. We are a free society!
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by Purush »

One last post before I head off to Skyrim for the night.

I completely oppose cruelty to animals, but that doesn't mean I support cows and dogs roaming freely on the roads. :!: :!: :!:

Cows should be allowed full freedom, in properly enclosed and secured locations, preferably outside the city, where they can roam safely, eat well and be taken care of properly.
Just not on the roads where they pose serious traffic hazards, disrupt (the already chaotic) traffic flow, defecate all over the place, eat hazardous garbage etc.
For their own benefit as well as ours.

This goes x399 for dogs which sometimes are a serious problem in some areas (eg. Kochi and Bangalore come to mind readily), attacking passersby, acting as vectors for nasty diseases (rabies?), causing traffic accidents etc.

Otherwise, animal lovers who support free roaming cows and dogs in our cities should adopt these animals and let them roam freely inside their houses/compounds/apartments.
Also, add a few rats to your apartment while you're at it.

-----------
Doc, noted. This is fast going OT indeed; will check Burkha forum tomorrow.
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Re: Indo-UK News & Discussion 9th Aug 2011

Post by shiv »

Purush wrote: Doc, noted. This is fast going OT indeed; will check Burkha forum tomorrow.
Maybe not tomorrow - I have some thoughts that I am still composing Sorry OT
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