Comments on: Why Indians bloggers need to get angry

By: sonia

sonia — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 16:41:46 +0000

thanks Sunny. it looks like you folks have been keeping up the good work. i see your Google page rank is 6 – very good!

By: Sunny

Sunny — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:32:33 +0000

are you by chance a PETA member?

Yes

*glares back*

By: MumbaiGirl

MumbaiGirl — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:18:57 +0000

Barbara, I am Indian and blog in English because that is the language I am most comfortable in.

Fortunately, the number of bloggers blogging in the different Indian languages is increasing.

I agree that the Jessica Lal and Meher Bhargava cases got attention because of who they were. But hopefully this vigilance will now extend to other cases as well.

By: Vikrant

Vikrant — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 21:20:31 +0000

are you by chance a PETA ~~whacko~~ member?

By: Sunny

Sunny — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 20:49:44 +0000

Hey sonia, nice to have you back!

You make a good point about confidence. I think its partly because of centuries of re-conditioning them to think that by stepping out of line they’ll bring upon themselves the wrath of society.

I say – if you want to make an omlette you gotta break a few eggs. Here’s to breaking a few eggs. Except I’m veggie and don’t eat eggs but thats another matter….

By: sonia

sonia — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 17:08:44 +0000

i suppose you can’t expect everyone to know that the middle-upper class desi’s speak english, now can you?

why, the attitude so many indians display when they are ‘abroad’ – the surprise if someone – say french or spanish – says their parents don’t speak english – “what your parents don’t speak english?! but how come? is it because you are poor… or sth”

is suprising to most ‘international’ folks.

By: sonia

sonia — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 17:04:33 +0000

hmm getting women in the army isn’t particularly a wonderful thing. oh look there are more killers – of both sexes -how wonderful.

anyhow just having come back from a trip to bangladesh, this subject is bang -on target. the power differential – jesus. women in the subcontinent need confidence to stand up for themselves, and they need the help of society and the media to do that. to change attitudes and make more women feel empowered to stand up for themselves.

would anyone believe there was an immigration officer at the Dhaka end – when i was leaving – who was pestering me no end about the fact that i’m ‘living on my own’ in the UK- ‘ah a foreign country, why aren’t you scared? [since you're only a silly little girl].
what the hell was it to him what i’m doing?oh but we are interested in what our citizens are doing yeah right buddy, you’re using your position of power to hassle some women.

By: Vikrant

Vikrant — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 18:03:42 +0000

Why do they blog in English?
What? they’ve got 200+ million English speakers in India.

By: Barbara Meinhoff

Barbara Meinhoff — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 13:09:49 +0000

Jessica Lal was reopened because she was photogenic and a member of the media savvy elite. The News channels find it infinitely easier to lavish sympathy on the Beautiful Wheatish Dead than bothering with the everyday harrassment faced by ordinary women.

Same reason why there is a focus on Meher Bhargava.

Why do they blog in English?

By: Sunny

Sunny — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 12:47:08 +0000

that pedestal, the women of India are put on, must be the one where they are’ seen but not heard’.

Generally yes, but I would say in their defence that Indian women are among the most outspoken in the world.

Thanks Sakshi. I did get your email btw, sorry I’ve just been drowning in work. Still trying to figure out what to do with it…

By: Sakshi

Sakshi — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:41:41 +0000

Very well put Sunny.

By: Debbie(aussie)

Debbie(aussie) — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:17:18 +0000

that pedestal, the women of India are put on, must be the one where they are’ seen but not heard’.

By: DesiPundit » Use Your Power

DesiPundit » Use Your Power — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 23:54:32 +0000

[...] Sunny at Pickled Politics has a thoughtful essay on why Indians bloggers should remain angry on such blatant travesty of justice on our streets. [...]

By: Vikrant

Vikrant — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 22:16:06 +0000

may one day see air to air battle.

God (my atheistic god mindya!) forbid.

By: raz

raz — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:46:52 +0000

Not bad. The Pakistan Army already has two female 2 star generals. However, like this Indian woman you mention, they are in the medical corps. What makes these female pilots so unique is that they will undertake full combat roles, and may one day see air to air battle. A truly groundbreaking achievement.

By: Vikrant

Vikrant — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:27:56 +0000

Raz

On the other side of the line, Indian Army gets its first Kashmiri Muslim Female Lt.Commander

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar262006/editpage1728122006325.asp

By: raz

raz — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:15:35 +0000

Sickening. Let’s hope that this publicity will encourage Asian women to take a stand against the bigotry which infests the subcontinent.

On the subject of sex equality, and striking a more positive note, the Pakistan Air Force has graduated its first four female fighter pilots.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4861666.stm

Excellent news.

By: Vikrant

Vikrant — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:01:01 +0000

Well atleast they’ve reopened the Jessica Lal case. With police are giving in to political pressure every now and then i say Indian public/media are suffering from “outrage fatigue”.