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Politicians, Big Hoardings, and the Common Man
Sumeet Trivedy
On the anniversary of the 26/11/2008 terror attacks, the media was busy with many articles and news. Rediff.com described how MNS, the so called political party for marathi manoos, forgot non-marathis who sacrificed their life for marathi manoos's land (It's what MNS and Shiv Sena think). The link to the article is MNS hoarding forgets non-Marathi heroes
Too much has been said and written about both 26/11/2008 and Marathi manoos's land, let me not touch these two topics.
If you see the hoarding, the size of the pictures of those who sacrificed their lives defending Mumbai on 26/11/2009 is much smaller than the two politicians sponsoring the hoarding. I wonder what they are trying the display their sympathy or respect to those who died on 26/11/2009. There must be many more hoardings in the streets of Mumbai, Pune, Nasik and other cities of Maharashtra for the victims and martyrs of that tragic day.
The current CM of UP has been on a spending spree (Tax payer's money of course) and is busy building statues of her and the elephants that symbolize her rise to power, all over UP. The governments of Tamil Nadu keeps themselves busy installing, removing and reinstalling the statue of legendary Tamil woman Kannagi. There were some incidents where current Congress president's hoarding was displayed as some mythological character or freedom fighter.
Be it Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu or any other state of India you see hoarding wishing for birthdays and other occasions. In Tamil Nadu, there are hoardings with big pictures of brides and grooms wishing them best wishes along with a social worker or politician. In our country's capital there are big hoardings displaying the ruling candidate of the municipality/assembly or the MP of the constituency. At times these hoardings are so big in size and so colorful that it can distract you.
I wonder how these gimmicks would benefit a common man like me. These large banners, are they of any help to these politicians? These are just a few of the many questions to be answered.
Politicians, Big Hoardings, and the Common Man
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curdriceaurora
December 13, 2009
05:50 AM
It would help the common man if he is in business of making / installing those hoardings.
arundhati thapar
December 13, 2009
07:48 AM
Sumeet,
A pet hate of mine is to see huge billboards of smarmy politicos, giving us their worst toothy insincere smile plastered across the facade of historical buildings or even in a marketplace....
I think we ought to file a public interest petition to prevent these people from making use of public space for blatant self interests. Afterall, if I suddenly feel the urge to fill that space with pictures of my favourite human beings, I wouldnt be allowed to, bacause its public property. And, if I was a businesswoman looking to advertise in that space, I would have to pay the Government for use of space. There may/maynot be a system of payment for political parties such as MNC but who knows what records are kept? And certainly not for pasting posters on random walls across the city.
The worst time is election time when its difficult at times to see any bit of the skyline without giant posters/ hoardings.
Alpesh
December 14, 2009
12:03 AM
To me, these hoardings are just another mean of publicity, to show that they [politicians/Social worker] care for people [actually, do they really?] and to stay on top of people's mind [helps @ the time of election]. This doesn't work for thoughtful people but then there's a big question....How many are thoughtful?
arundhati thapar
URL
December 14, 2009
07:12 AM
The other question that needs to be asked in this particular instance you have sited, is what gives the likes of Raj Thakray the right to associate themselves with these martyrs of Mumbai? Where was he when this crisis was playing out on live television across the globe? Holed in a bunker?
What did he ever do for these policemen wen they were alive and What has he done for their families since they've been gone? Did he even ask the permission of the families before so shamelessly putting up their son/brother/husband's picture alonglside his own? Maybe some of them will have conscientious objection to having their dear one be used to further his image...and maybe some of these brave men would, had they been alive, been staunch opponents of his policies? The Indian electorate, from a lot of the recent election results, is not as naive and gullible as some of this mentally retarded bunch of hooligans seem to think and hopefully this would be recognised for what it is- a cynical political stunt and contemptuous of the people it is aimed at.
Sumeet Trivedy
December 14, 2009
10:59 AM
Thanks arundhati for the comments.
I do not know where Raj Thakrey was but I came to know that Shiv Sena and MNS were collecting blood for the victims. I do not know how authentic the news is though.
I agree with you these shameless politicians should not be allowed to be near to these martyrs picture forget about being in the same hoarding.
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