The Screen is mightier than the Pen

Its been a couple of weeks since I posted. Lack of good things to talk about. You wonder? considering that all newspapers (at least the top ones) do decent sales? I have become so jaded by the repetitions that I have become de-sensitized to the violence and negativity that surrounds me.

I however could not resist talking about this - DVC remains one of the best books I have read. Coming from me, thats impressive, if I say so myself. I have been waiting for the movie ever since I heard about the idea.

Today, the Bombay High court will decide if I still retain the freedom to watch the most-waited fro movie of the Year, The DVC.

In a country where the book has been a rage, banning a movie may look strange, but is enlightening in another way!

It makes it obvious that the The Screen is mightier than the Pen, which is, in turn,mightier than the Sword.

Is faith so much on shaky ground that it needs to defend itself against a film that questions some beliefs rather than depict Christianity in some indecent way?

The criticism of the movie makes me wonder if the film is a faithful representation of the book or it has added some gory details that make it less palatable to its critics.

If only we can have a "Demo" version for such films!

The killing of Suryanarayana by the Taliban

Outraged. The word that occurs frequently in all the media pieces on the killing of the Indian Engineer by the Taliban.

Beheaded and dropped on a dusty god-forsaken place in a country where an AK-47 sells for 50 bucks. For what? To show who controls the country? To show that they do not want anybody to bring them to decent living standards? I think they do this because development will bring in outside influences. People will start new industries, buy property and settle their families, Universities and schools will come up - in short, Afghanistan will become a place to live.

With education comes knowledge and the thirst for freedom. Men will follow their heart instead of morbid interpretations of the Holy Quran.

I think the leaders of the Taliban are men. Yes, men, since no other species can become as deranged and mad for power as man. They don't even have the excuse of "Jihad" for this murder. This is the evidence that the Taliban surely are terrorists.

Now that the family of Surya has been taken care of, lets turn to India's response. Aside from a few standard scripts on "not bowing to the terror", there is no concrete step taken to punish the people responsible.

My opinion is that the powers that be fear that any military action could trigger off another mass terrorist activity in India itself. "A few for the good of the many" seems to be the guiding principle here. We don't have the courage to follow Israel. There is a report floating around that states that India knows who did it and where they are. Why don't we load a few planes and bomb the whole area? OK, that was maybe a little too much for the "peace-loving" us.

In essence, there are two questions: Will India avenge Surya's death? Can we do anything to prevent such killings?