Explaining Exuberance of Verbosity: My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves

My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves (song)

When news editors become verbose and bombastic, this is how you explain their stupidity 

[From Wikipedia]

My Name is Anthony Gonsalves is a popular comic song from the 1977 Bollywood film Amar Akbar Anthony. One unusual feature of this song is that the actor featured in its picturization, Amitabh Bachchan, provides vocals along with the playback singer Kishore Kumar. Amitabh speaks and Kishore Kumar sings.

The opening line, "sophisticated rhetorician intoxicated by the exuberance of your own verbosity", that is spoken by Anthony when he emerges from the Easter egg, is an almost exact quotation from a speech in the Parliament of the United Kingdom given by British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli in 1878.

Exuberance of Verbosity

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This is one thing I've always, always wanted to figure out -- what the heck was Antony Gonzalves trying to say??

In "Amar Akbar Antony", a popular Hindi movie from the late 1970's, Amitabh Bachchan, playing the role of a maverick named Antony Gonzalves, pops out of an Easter egg and sings a song. Its a mixture of English and Hindi, and delightful, unadulterated nonsense.

The Hindi lyrics fits into the overall plot and makes some sense - Mr. Gonzalves, the 'party entertainer' is trying to woo a girl on the sly. But what is he trying to say in English??

Here it is - gibberish deciphered:

"Wait, wait...WAIT! You see the whole country of the system is juxtapositioned by the haemoglobin in the atmosphere because you are a sophisticated rhetoritian intoxicated by the exuberance of your own verbosity!!"

"You see such extenuated circumstances coax me to preclude you from such extravagance!"

"You see the coefficient of the linear...is juxtapositioned by the haemoglobin of the atmospheric pressure in the country!"

Exuberance of Verbosity:When Indians in Auckland can hardly understand Hindi news on their Indian radio station

When Indians in Auckland can hardly understand Hindi news on their Indian radio station

British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, world’s most prestigious brand, operates under Royal Charter as a public service broadcaster. Its Charter specifies that the mission of the Corporation is to "inform, educate and entertain". BBC exists to serve the public interest and to promote its public purposes: sustaining citizenship and civil society, promoting education and learning, stimulating creativity and cultural excellence, representing the UK.

Similar parallel may apply to national stations in India (All India Radio), New Zealand (Radio New Zealand), Fiji (Fiji Broadcasting Commission for Indigenous I-Taukei programmes), and so on. Among other things, these stations are also guardians of culture and language of original settlers of respective countries.

This role or obligation however does not apply to Hindi or Indian radio stations in New Zealand. It therefore came as a surprise to me when listening to certain newsreaders of Radio Tarana who appear to sit with Hindi-English-Hindi dictionary, and bombastically translate English news into Hindi that normal mortal Indians find hard to understand and decipher. The purpose of language is communication, and not to show linguistic prowess of its editors and sub-editors. [This used to be done with my understandable articles, when adulterated by one Indian Newspaper editor, with his officious editing, inserting difficult and hard-to-understand words).

I can read and write Standard Hindi and Fiji Hindi and would consider myself above-average in understanding of Hindi. When listening to Radio Tarana news of certain newsreaders, my children used to ask,” Papa what language is the announcer speaking in, what did he say?” My reply “I did not understand with formal Hindi classes to year 9, how can you understand?”

For example, the newsreader speaks about conflict in Iraq, and would say, so many people died because of a suicide-bomber, which he will say in Hindi as “ Atm-Ghaati humlaa” without so much as repeating in English so normal mortal Indians could be educated and understand, especially children struggling to speak and understand Hindi in New Zealand. Other unusual, never-spoken Hindi vocabulary normally are used in Hindi news which even I do not understand, full of verbosity such as: “Prashashnic kaaryawahi (disciplinary action) “Sacratmak” (optimism-positive), “Sthayi Sachiu (permanent secretary), “Raj waadi, prajatantra” (democracy), Baam Panthi dal (left wingers –I do not know what they mean, “Vyahan” (car), “Vyahan chalak” (car driver).

Another, younger news reader of Radio Tarana, who I expected to be more liberal in use of understandable Hindi, took the cake. It was good that I had heard the news in English and understood because I knew the context. He used the word “Saamling” which no Indian I spoke to understood what it meant. It was reportedly used for “lesbian”, but I am not sure if that is correct. Another word used by the same newsreader the other day was “Anubandh” which I do not still understand and hope some Indian can tell me what it means.

So, is Hindi News in Radio Tarana about informing and educating or is it to show the Hindi language skills of the news team that common Indians hardly grasp. Like Latin and Shakespearean language, it sounds good, but very few understand. While this was brought to attention of management many years ago, nothing has changed. In fact, it has gone worse. The general attitude is “Who is this Thakur, telling us our job.” Well, Fiji Pundit has spoken and many will listen.

I hope Fiji Pundit will bring some culture change, where once again in our adopted country, Indians and people of Indian origin are able to understand Hindi news on an Indian radio station.

The state of Indian media in Auckland:FIJI PUNDIT-Indian Media Watch

The state of Indian media in Auckland

Is Indian media in Auckland working as divisive forces in search for audience and readers? Are they dividing the community with carrots of funding/sponsorships, seeking exclusivity in organising multitudes of same festivals in one location? Are they also dividing sports, especially soccer? Many have been thinking on these lines, but nobody was speaking. Was the mouse in the community waiting for somebody to tie the bell on the cat’s neck? Well, no more waiting - over to FIJI PUNDIT, a new blogsite by THAKUR RANJIT SINGH to act as Indian Media Watch to guard the guardians, because some editors and media owners act as little Gods in the community. No more now, Fiji Pundit will speak without fear or favour and expose their agenda.

Thakur Ranjit Singh operates new blogsite Fiji Pundit, that will also endeavour to be  Indian Media Watch in Auckland: Guarding the guardians.

I decided to go this way when Indian lynch mob, headed by Indian Newslink, tried to gag my freedom of speech and denied my right to be corrected when misquoted and misreported in Indian Newslink [Read in Fiji Pundit: http://www.fijipundit.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/satyamev-jayate-hey-ram-indian.html]

Henceforth, any aggrieved individual can approach Fiji Pundit to highlight any grievance, seek redress from Fiji media in Auckland or highlight cases of prostitution of journalism standards for commercial success.

When I started my communications company Media Relations Limited, I was armed with Masters in Communication Studies (MCS) with Honours from perhaps the best media institution in New Zealand - Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

My intention was to bring some semblance of professionalism in communication in general and Indian media in particular. This is because some rich people or those with access to resources feel that merely being rich or having success in some business makes them experts to run media or pass judgement on others. Indian media in Auckland has become a cut-throat business, and to gain advertisers, there is cut-throat competition literally. If you shut the ten or so Indian media-wallahs in Auckland in a room, unsupervised with no holds barred, they would end up killing each other, giving cut-throat competition a new meaning.

When a new radio station was launched, I had offered to provide my expertise and was able to dig up my offer and advanced the following to market myself. This is also an opportunity to provide my credentials to the readers of Fiji Pundit:

1) With my advanced understanding of media and communications and general political commentary, I could lead your news and current affairs team, together with talk-back, interviews, panel discussion and other related issues. With my high level of standard Hindi and Fiji Hindi, I could anchor any programme in any form of Hindi. I had converted / translated standard Hindi to Fiji Hindi in the recent movie Pump Up the Mandali, produced by Mirchee TV

2) As a former publisher and general manager Fiji’s Daily Post newspaper, I could assist in strategic management, market positioning and market penetration strategy of your media group. I provided this support to the new newspaper, Indian Weekender when it was launched at Waitakere Holi Mela in 2009 and when I was its Chief Reporter. With intense competition from already-established two-24-hour Hindi radio stations and a saturated Hindi radio market, it is essential for this station to determine what it will do different. There still needs to be strong and rational strategic market planning to wrest control of the market with proper SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis and market penetration strategy. That is where I could help.

3) As a media commentator, community leader and a community worker, I am well known in the Indian community and the media circle. I am also well known through my frank and straight political and media commentary. Hence my integrity and frankness will gain customers who believe in truth and fairness. (Satyamev Jayate)

4) With my knowledge and leadership in promoting Fiji Hindi, this unique language could be utilized as a promotional tool in your organisation, depending on the marketing positioning of your station. I was also the producer and presenter of Radio Fiji’s Fiji-Hindi programme Tanik Hamri Bhi Suno. I also authored yet another Fiji Hindi column, Lo kar lo baat, this time, in the Hindi weekly paper Shanti Dut which was owned by Murdoch’s Fiji Times.

5) Success, acceptability, image and credibility of media organisations are dependent of the integrity, sense of morality, ethics and character of individuals in the organization. I am confident I can bring these attributes to your organisation.

My offer was not taken, and there was no acknowledgement or reply. I have heard through grapevine that things are not too well at the new radio station now. There are reportedly some rumblings, as noted on Facebook.

Now you can rely on Fiji Pundit to bring you update on this story and other areas of interest on Indian Media.

Keep reading Fiji Pundit for the real inside news.

[Next Update: When Indians cannot understand Hindi news at Radio Tarana]

Does UK's Leveson Report justify Bainimarama’s Fiji Media controls? Guarding the guardians - making the print media more publicly accountable.

Does UK's Leveson Report justify Bainimarama’s Fiji Media controls? Guarding the guardians - making the print media more publicly accountable.

Thesis by Thakur Ranjit Singh on content analysis of the Fiji Times between one year rule of Chaudhry Government (May 1999 to May 2000) showed that like the findings of Judge Leveson in UK, the Fiji Times also indulged in irresponsible, reckless and outrageous reporting that assisted in demise of democracy in Fiji.

In light of Rupert Murdoch’s (past owner of the Fiji Times) press scandal, Lord Justice Brian Leveson in Great Britain issued his 2,000-page report which effectively said that the self-regulatory Media Council-type arrangements by press (that Fiji had) was not reliable and workable. He ruled that Britain's unruly newspapers should be regulated by an independent body dominated by non-journalists with the power to levy steep fines.  Judge Leveson’s key recommendation was to create a new print media regulator, which he said should be established in law to prevent more people being hurt by "outrageous" press behaviour that had "wreaked havoc with the lives of innocent people whose rights and liberties have been disdained.” It was heard that newspapers had been guilty of "recklessness in prioritizing sensational stories almost irrespective of the harm the stories may cause." As a result it was essential to have a legally – instituted body that guards the guardians, as self-regulation was not acceptable.

Sensational and racially-divisive headlines of the Fiji Times that created animosity against Chaudhry Government in 1999 [Extract from the thesis]

It appeared that Judge Leveson had read Fiji’s media decree, putting controls and conditions of Fiji’s failed Fiji Media Council, which saw Murdoch’s Fiji Times sold to Motibhai Group. My research thesis “The 2000 Speight Coup in Fiji: An analysis of the role of The Fiji Times and the impact of a partisan media,” [http://aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/handle/10292/2554]

 like Leveson report, also found many faults with Fiji’s influential and oldest newspaper, The Fiji Times (FT). There is little doubt that the analysis carried out in this research shows that FT did not operate like a responsible and more cautious media in a developing nation where the concept of democracy was still evolving and adjusting to a post-colonial phase and FT’s obsession with racial overtones in its stories divided the nation. All the good things about media being a uniting force were rarely seen in FT. If anything, FT lived to its colonial reputation of being anti-Indian since it was established in 1869. It also displayed traits characteristic of the Propaganda Model where FT was seen to be protecting the interest of the Fijian political elite and the business community. While no proof has come to light to substantiate allegations that some sections of the business community contributed to the fall of the Chaudhry’s People’s Coalition Government, my research indicates enough motives for that to be so and why the majority Gujarati business community wished to see Chaudhry go.

Russell Hunter who was at the helm of the Fiji Timed when Chaudhry Government came to power. Netani Rika trained under him. Hunter's work permit was refused by Chaudhry Government and this created much animosity with the Fiji Times. [Extract from Thakur thesis]

In light of conditions placed by the new Media decree, an interesting feature has been the departure of Murdoch’s News Limited from Fiji and FT’s purchase by the Motibhai Group. What is interesting here is the media ownership which now largely rests in the hands of those people who were accused and suspected of supporting the divisive elements and the ethno-nationalists in the removal of the People’s Coalition Government which was shifting towards a socialistic trend. Fiji’s business Indian community, the Gujarati community now controls almost 90 per cent of Fiji’s print media. C.J. Patel (who featured in my thesis analysis), with Vinod Patel, owns Fiji Sun, while, the Motibhai Group now owns FT. Hari Punja , who also featured in the analysis, has shares in the radio broadcasting group, Communications Fiji Limited. With some of the elites now in control of Fiji media which FT was seen to be protecting, have ended up controlling the Fiji media. This new balance in ownership, coupled with the new media decree would provide rich fodder for an ongoing research to gauge the transition of Fiji media into a “real” Third World media: A Third World media for a Third World nation.

Ken Clark, CEO of Fiji TV in 1999, when his work permit also created controversy with Chaudhry. [Extract from Thakur thesis]

My content analysis of the Fiji Times found many faults with the oldest Fiji media and cited cases of sensational reporting, recklessness and irresponsible behaviour. Among many others, there appeared to be a double standard of scrutiny and criticism of different governments by FT. Its zeal and so called investigative prowess in unearthing scandals and indulging in muckraking were seen to be inversely comparable when reporting on Chaudhry’s “Indian” government and Qarase’s “Fijian” government respectively. While the objective of my thesis was not to determine this question, the difference was so marked that at least three cases showed FT’s favourable stance to a “Fijian” government. These included appointments of a disbarred lawyer, Qoriniasi Bale as Fiji’s Attorney General, non renewal of work permit of Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Peter Ridgway and paying little media scrutiny to Simione Kaitani’s admission of the criminal offence of sedition on the national TV programme Close Up. [This issue to be covered later in Fiji Pundit]. These examples bring into question FT’s media ethics and its claims of being an independent, neutral and free media, as Leveson found the British media.

Other racially-divisive and sensational news coverage and headlines by the Fiji Times [Extract from Thakur thesis]

Therefore controls brought about by Bainimarama government to shackle irresponsible media through media controls are similar in respects about call by Leveson for a more responsible media in Great Britain.

[Full thesis of Thakur Ranjit Singh: The 2000 Speight Coup in Fiji: An analysis of the role of The Fiji Times and the impact of a partisan media can be found at this link:  http://aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/handle/10292/2554]

Once Were Farmers:A documentary film (44 mins) on eviction of Indo-Fijian farmers in Fiji - 2004

ONCE WERE FARMERS

  A DOCUMENTARY ON DISPLACEMENT OF INDO-FIJIAN  CANE FARMERS IN FIJI UNDER A SHAM OF DEMOCRACY UNDER QARASE REGIME IN EARLY 2000, AFTER DEPOSING OF CHAUDHRY GOVERNMENT AND VICTORY OF ETHNO NATIONALIST SDL PARTY.

This film was made by Dr Satish Rai in 2004, after the launch of a report on escalation of poverty among Indo-Fijians. The film explores this issue and relates it primarily with the upheavals caused in the Indo-Fijian community in Fiji after the 1987 coups and more specifically with Qarase government's racist eviction policy of Indo-Fijian farmers. More that 5,000 Indo-Fijian farmers were unceremoniously evicted from their farms. With little resources available to them many ended up in hundreds of squatter settlements that began sprouting in and around the two major Fijian cities and towns like Nadi and Ba. 

This eviction policy contributed greatly to the demise of Fiji's sugar industry from the primary source of revenue generation a few years ago to the pathetic state it finds itself now. Nearly ten years on, poverty among the Indo-Fijian community in Fiji appears to be still on the increase, giving fire to social issues such as unemployment, prostitution, depression, mental issues, suicide and such like. 

This film will give a little glimpse into this issue which has greatly contributed to the social/cultural disintegration of the Indo-Fijian community in Fiji. 

You will note that parts on interview were done by a younger Thakur Ranjit Singh of a decade ago. Larger portion are in Hindi.

Indo-Fijian Diaspora spread worldwide are urged to look at this. Academics, armchair critics and supporters of democracy who support democratic governments are urged to rethink their perception of democracy that Fiji had under Qarase, and how Qarase under under SDL Party and ethno nationalist Fijians disowned and marginalised Indo-Fijians in Fiji under guise and sham of democracy. 

PEOPLE , AFTER WATCHING THIS VIDEO, NEED TO APPRECIATE WHY INDO-FIJIANS REGARD FRANK BAINIMARAMA'S TAKEOVER OF QARASE'S SO-CALLED DEMOCRATIC AND BLATANTLY RACIST GOVERNMENT A BOON AND BLESSING.

A media analysis of 2012 IDC coverage in Ba: Questioning the questionable media treatment of the event

A media analysis of 2012 IDC coverage in Ba: Questioning the questionable media treatment of the event

Thakur Ranjit Singh,

Media Relations Limited Auckland

October 2012 (Vol 18 (2) of Pacific Journalism Review, a journal of Pacific Media Centre (PMC) at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) runs my article, titled Fiji’s coup culture 1987-2006: A media perspective. In that article I raise some pertinent issues relating to action or rather inaction and deficiency in Fiji media between 1987 and 2006 that led to so many coups to happen in Fiji and so many false prophets masquerading as a saviours of i- Taukei. I questioned Fiji media’s inability to question issues, raise intelligent and informed discussions and raise knowledge about what people needed to know. In effect, I branded Fiji media of pre-2006 as sleeping on the job, especially The Fiji Times. I raise a rhetoric question; would we have been able to avoid political instability in Fiji if we had more educated, effective, neutral and responsible media?

The main livelihood and economic lifeblood of Ba - sugar mill and sugar industry.

 Coincidently, I raise the same issues when discussing soccer fiasco and the abandoned final at Inter-district Soccer Tournament (IDC) at Govind Park in Ba on the night of 14^th October, 2012. While other lessons may be learnt or forgotten, I raise the standard of sports reporting both by Fiji and visiting overseas media, especially from New Zealand. Most media personnel covering IDC in Ba, Fiji over that IDC  weekend were either from Suva or belong to teams Ba have defeated, hence they carry animosity or dislike towards the most successful soccer giants in Fiji’s history – Ba soccer team. Posting comments on my Facebook, I commented that the biggest enemy for Ba Soccer Team is its success and popularity.

There has to be something unique in the smell of soils in Ba that it keeps on producing  excellent soccer sons.

 In the finals, Ba appears to have played against 15 players - 11 from Suva team and other 4 the match officials, including a controversial and questionable referee. Two goals against Ba were disallowed in the final. Nobody questioned those. Why these media people are harping about a decision that appeared questionable to the officials and those watching the game. Fiji has no video refereeing; hence human factors, likes, dislikes, discrimination, envy and infallibility do come in. Mai TV’s journalistic standard comes into question as well when the commentator and technical teams over and over played what appeared to be a controversial last minute goal, taken from a fixed camera from only one location. However, Mai TV failed to do the same with two controversial goals that were NOT awarded to Ba. We seemed to have had an extremely partisan media covering IDC. It would help sports immensely if media personnel covering such games, many of who are not qualified match officials, displayed some semblance of media neutrality and dig deeper on issues that thwart sports development in Fiji.

Police and Fire preparedness and pro-active action prevented further trouble during IDC final on 14 October, 2012 at Govind Park, Ba, Fiji

 I commend Fiji Football Association for making a rationale and expedient decision in abandoning the match and summoning the help of Police and fire brigade in case of crowd getting rowdy. Some may see that as an overreaction but thanks to the immediate and effective action and show of force by authorities that prevented more adventurous spectators from taking advantage of the mayhem that was waiting to happen. Had our police and authorities being that effective and vigilance on that fateful 19^th May, 2000, perhaps the riots in Suva City and political instability could have been avoided when the police were caught with their pants down due to ineffective leadership twelve years ago. The immediate action and show of force during the trouble at the ground bolstered our confidence in the police force. At the same time it showed good effective leadership of FFA to make timely decision to diffuse a volatile situation. Perhaps this may be a learning curve for sports in Fiji where perhaps consideration may be given to introduce video-refereeing in some crucial games or where too many questions, as in this case, have been raised about standards of refereeing.

While I agree that the referee’s decision is final and walkout should not be condoned, these should be viewed in proper context and perspective. The situation had been made very explosive, even provocative and frustrating for Ba fans who see their team short-changed in a habitual fashion by an apparently partisan decision -making by match officials. This had left Ba fans very frustrated. Apart from two goals not allowed in the final match, there were other questionable decisions against Ba, and media never came on board to question such supposed injustice that was damaging sports development in Fiji.

The slogan of the soccer champs - an envy of other districts. Their achievements can hardly be matched by other teams

In light of general standard of media in Fiji and ethnic media in NZ, this IDC also revealed lack of media’s ability to grasp the technicalities of the game, question any anomalies and report constructively without taking sides, to improve the standard of the game. They should have raised issues about standard of refereeing and resulting frustration that resulted in the "hated" team walking off the field in the final. They may have influenced improvements and avoided abandonment had they been more questioning from day one. Were the media impartial and neutral with a view of reporting anomalies to improve the standard of refereeing? I believe not, as the reporters came with their blinkered and partisan view of teams they supported, or the team (s) they hated. Did they question other questionable decisions of the referee and match officials to prevent the situation that escalated? Why were so many goals by very popular and envied team Ba disallowed in so many cases? 

If one thing this IDC match reflected is the inefficiency and failure of the local and overseas media to be neutral and questioning. Journalistic standards went down Ba river, they all became armchair critics without much knowledge of the technicalities involved and became little Gods. So how can they question decision, many times without the full knowledge of ALL facts? They just shoot off their mouths and shoot the photos without full facts. In sports, a picture can lie, if the other factors linked to the picture are not taken account of. A ball in goal may not be a goal if it was taken in offside situations. Ba had some three such goals disallowed. We do not have journalists parading those photos. How come some media are showing photos of a disputed goal in the final, telling us to believe it was a LEGAL goal, without full facts, and confusion it may have been an offside?

In the past, Fiji democracy has been let down by a partisan, uneducated, poorly trained and inefficient media. Same seems to apply to their game coverage of IDC soccer tournament at Goving Park in October, 2012.

[E-mail: thakurji@xtra.co.nz]

WEBSITE: www.mediarelations.co.nz

(About the author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is an independent media commentator and heads Media Relations Limited, a communications and media promotions company. While he hails from Ba, his analysis was more to prompt media to assert a responsible and neutral role in sports reporting that develops sporting standards in Fiji. A separate story of a partisan Fiji Times journalist, extracted from social media (Facebook) comments will be presented later.)

Indian migrants, family violence and White Ribbon Day.

Indian migrants, family violence and White Ribbon Day.

[THIS ARTICLE IS TO HONOUR WHITE RIBBON DAY TO COMMEMORATE THE NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN-25 NOVEMBER, 2012]

Are you bold enough?

Statistics with the police, hospitals and settlement agencies in Auckland, New Zealand reveal that of the migrants, Indians in general and Indo-Fijians in particular have some of the highest numbers on family violence on a percentage basis. If this was said by an outsider, like Paul Henry (TV presenter) or some non-Indian journalist or commentator, Auckland Indian community would jump on them and accuse them of racism. In my case, they cannot do this. Because, despite the claims of some so called “pure” Indian leaders in Auckland and in particular an Indian newspaper editor and apprentice politician that Thakur is not a “real Indian”, are great deal of hot air and hogwash. What do you call the grandson of an Indentured labourer whose both parents were of Indian origin and whose grandfather was born in Karouli, a small derived and poor village in Rajasthan, India where so called Maharajahs still exploit their people? May be a Fijian, and Indo-Fijian, but nevertheless an Indian who could still shame many so called ‘real Indians” with his knowledge of Hindi, mythologies and history. The sad irony is that many such migrant Indians and Indo –Fijians reportedly committing violence against women happen to be Hindus.

Show your support

Hinduism in particular and India in general show very high regard for Goddesses and women in theory and rituals. In Navratam, before Diwali, we dedicate ten days to dance and celebrate women and Goddesses made of lifeless statues of plastics, mortars and stones, founded in mythology and mostly made in China or Brazil. However, the actual living Goddesses in flesh and blood, in form of our ladies - our mothers, sisters and daughters in some instances are still treated as second - class in real life. The cases of female infanticide (foeticide), violence against women and treatment of widows and dowry are still some living examples. The cases of latter one still exist in developed countries, where some cases of dowry have been reported in New Zealand as well. In a recent community project in West Auckland, Indian community worked with Police, Auckland Council and Ministry of Social Development on Family Violence in our community. This was as a wake-up call to our religious organisations to shift emphasis from rituals, festival celebrations, dance and songs to tangible community service, welfare and support for their followers. Having feel-good conferences make leaders famous and win them award and medals but delivers little tangibly to the community. Having business conferences, supporting businesses in name of Hinduism delivers wealth for business community, what do the community with many social ills and their suffering women and children get?

Henderson White Ribbon March, starting at Waitakere Hospital

WEST AUCKLAND WHITE RIBBON MARCH

The White Ribbon March for West Auckland was at 1pm on Friday 23 November, 2012. One would think that our Indian community, with high statistics of family violence, would be represented in high numbers, at least their women. However of the 200-300 people, Indians were prominent by their absence. They are represented by this group or that group, this Mandali, this Sanatan, but nobody came, as if we do not have a problem, or it is somebody else’s problem. I have been challenging our community, especially priests, pundits and religious leaders to make religion more tangible and helpful for the people instead of abstract rituals and blessings which no way solve social ills our community is infested with. In two recent publicised cases, we have Indians who were discharged on bail and ended up committing murder while out on bail.

Indians were prominent by their absence

Indian and Hindu community leaders holding feel-good conferences, celebrating festivals, raising flags with great deal of noise, song and dances need to realise that they cannot sweep under the carpet some evils lurking in the community.

Ostrich syndrome of putting your heads in the sand to escape a problem does not solve your problem. In fact by doing so, we hide our heads but end up exposing our posterior. Shooting the messenger, like they did recently to me, does not solve our problems, neither does it obliterate the fact that we have some grave problems we need to collectively address. Accepting the fact that we do have a problem is good starting point.

 Shakti, a commendable support for women in need of support

On this White Ribbon Day, I pay tribute to many White Ribbon Ambassadors and organisations which come to support our battered, mistreated and homeless women who are victims of family violence. We do have a problem; we will see it once we pull our heads out of the sand.

West Auckland White Ribbon March - Good support from the community. We need more Indians to appreciate and recognise the problems in our community