Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday 14 March 2014

Ides of March ?



In ancient Roman calendar , 15 March is called , " Ides of March "

A few days earlier in 44 BC , a seer had warned Julius Caesar to " Beware of the Ides of March "

On that day , on his way to Senate , Caesar joked to the Seer ,

" Ides of March have come "

Seer replied ,

" Aye , Caesar , but not gone "

Once inside the Senate , Caesar was assassinated !

Caesar paid the price for ignoring the warning  !



Thankfully , 2000 years later , there are no physical assassinations

But , what about political " harakiri "  ?  Self - inflicted wounds  ?

Entirely possible , when ego combines with anger - a deadly cocktail !


Why else should Arvind Kejriwal threaten ALL media by saying ,

" Media are corrupt . They are bribed by political parties and businessmen to air PAID NEWS

If we come to power , we will investigate and send ALL of them to jail "



Of Course , we understand the anger , the enthusiasm , the frustration with the present political system and can forgive AAP leaders for the following :


>  a few hundred people were inconvenienced when Arvind travelled by
    rickshaw / local train in Mumbai


>  some AAP workers misbehaved in their enthusiasm to show their
    support to Arvind's crusade


>  AAP organizers did not  apply for the necessary police permissions
    sufficiently in advance



We can also concede that media will place before the public , not the real / total / unblemished picture - but its " tainted " version , dependent upon that media's political leanings


Eg :


How many TV anchors thought it fit to place Nitish Kumar ( CM - Bihar ) in the witness box , when he brought the entire state to a grinding halt , a few days back  ?


Or when those election rallies of Narendra Modi / Rahul Gandhi disrupt millions of lives ?


Sure , Arvind is given to hyperbole and we could have brushed aside if he were to say ,

" In my perception ,- and I have no proof - , some TV channels are being financed by some people / parties , to tell white lies and to malign AAP

If we come to power , we would investigate such nexus , if any , and try to make media , truly independent of such undesirable influences "


But he allowed his ego to overtake his genuine / well-placed anger  !



ARVIND



It is still not too late to be warned - to militate with decency  !



The Ides of March is here  !



*   hemen  parekh (  15  March  2014  /  Mumbai  )




    

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