Go Arnab Go .!Dont Forget to Take Maroof Along !!

I always watch the 9 o'clock News Hour Debate .The reason is very simple .Its Arnab Goswami .We have all seen him starting his career  as a correspondent of NDTV and work his way to the top as the most influential TV anchor .There will be difference of opinion on whether he is scholarly or jingoistic –but that is something that will always happen to people like Arnab .One will either love him –or hate him .One cant ignore him .Infact when my son and me watch the debate we are either saying “Shut Up Arnab”, or “Go Arnab Go .Bite him now”.He lacks the polish and the charm of my dear friend Vinod Dua , the balance at times that Rajdeep Sardesai  has ,the effervescence  of Sagarika Ghose ,the glamour of Barkha Dutt ,and the looks of Prannoy Roy .But he gets on to his show the best people and asks them tough questions .Of late he has been able to rope in Pakistani diplomats –Hilaly , Strategic Analyst Syed Tariq Peerzada ,and the former spokesperson of Pervez Mussharaf –Rasheed Qureshi .He lines up moderate Indian diplomats  –Kanwal Sibal,K.C .Singh  (moderate in tone I mean!!),the very articulate Ltd  General Bakshi (real Mama of my school headboy ),and the one and only Maroof Raza (ex Mayo ,and St Stephens ).Yesterdays   debate was a classic –it came against the background of Hina Rabbanis foolish and ill informed statements in the US .  Hilaly, (a tough and wily old fellow-very good with words and coming from a family of distinguished diplomats   who have their roots in Mysore in South India )and Peerzada were trying to defend the indefensible –that India was warmongering and trying to internationalize the issue .Maroof whose nostrils were dilating throughout, due to pent up anger shot a volley at Peerzada . “Do you need any other proof that the Pakistan army is involved in Kashmir after the land mines show they were made in Pakistan ?Do you need any proof that the Pakistan Army is in the hands of Jehadi and Taliban  elements , where a “kaffir”,has to be beheaded ?Do you still have the guts to say that your Army is a professional Army ?”.And when Peerzada tried to interrupt him Maroof shouted loudly “Will you shut up Mr Peerzada .I am not impressed by your accented English .Pakistan is trying to internationalize the issue because it is the temporary President of the Security Council .It is trying to divert the attention of a crumbling civilian government which is being threatened by a maverick mullah .It is trying to internationalize the issue because Kashmir is a dead issue as far as the world is concerned.You tell me one good reason why we should internationalize the issue?”.

Peerzada did not speak a word after that .He mumbled “I don’t want to talk with you”.Whom will the Pakistanis talk to ?Can they stop talking to our Chief of the Army ,Air Force and Navy  ?Or the DGMOS?Can they stop talking to our politicians ?Can they stop talking to our burueacrats?Can they stop talking to our school Principals ?Can they stop talking to our chai wallahs who sell tea on roadsides ?Can they stop talking to Nationalistic Indian Muslims like Maroof Raa ?

No –they cant .And when they do everyone  will tell them what Maroof Raza said –“Shut Up”.Start behaving like a nation that is equipped with computers and whose kids want to enjoy the technology of the ipads ,notepads ,laptops ,facebook ,twitter and cloud and flutter technolgy ,and who are preoccupied with global issues like climate change and depleting energy sources .Dont behave like medieval men who come riding on horses with a severed head as a mark of your expertise.We no longer live in the Dark Ages or in the time of the crusades .At least we in India don’t .Come –share the benefits of the modern  age with us.Learn from us .And you can do that by shutting up .!!And –Go Arnab Go !!And don’t forget to take Maroof with u .He rocks .!!  

(Written late last nite .Posting it today)