Stalling Parliament: The Opposition has the right, nay the duty, to criticise and even condemn the government at the Centre for its alleged misconceived policies and arbitrary action. But that can be appropriately done during a debate in the Houses of Parliament. Holding rallies outside Parliament and levelling fantastic charges against the government to which the government cannot reply defeat the rationale of a debate.
No doubt that may provide some intellectual orgasm for having taught the government a lesson. Frequent orgasms, intellectual or otherwise, are detrimental to health. Stalling Parliament frequently is tantamount to disservice to our people in the largest democracy of the world. It diminishes the image of our Parliament whose proceedings are watched by people in other democracies. Is it too much to hope for good sense to prevail and let Parliament function and pass pending Bills, which are eminently in the interest of the nation?
Minister Azam Khan Slammed by Supreme Court: Some ministers are in the habit of making outrageous statements in the fond hope that they can get away with it. Minister Azam Khan of Samajwadi Party (SP), in relation to a gang rape case, said that it was a political conspiracy against the SP government. Our Supreme Court, comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy, took a serious view of his statement.
It referred to the old adage that words once spoken cannot be recalled. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khan, tactfully submitted that though he had not said anything attributed to him, if the father of the victim felt offended, the minister would apologise. The case does not end here. Acceptance of the unconditional apology to be given by Khan will be considered by the Supreme Court on December 7, the adjourned date of the case, when the court will consider the contours of free speech and expression and the probable impact of statements by those holding high offices on free and fair probe in heinous cases, including rape and molestation.
Curious Penchant For Pornography: It is curious that ministers, especially in the Karnataka government, have a curious penchant for pornography. Karnataka’s Education Minister, Tanveer Sait, was recently pulled up for reportedly surfing the web for sexy pictures of Melania Trump—the soon-to-be First Lady of the White House in the US—on his cellphone at the Tipu Jayanti event at Raichur on November 10. Possibly the minister was just brushing up his knowledge on world leaders, especially when he came to know that Melania Trump was a former model. To his discomfort, partymen from the opposition, led by the BJP, caught him watching the revealing images and snitched on him in the most public and humiliating way. Apparently our political leaders never let pass a chance for public mud wrestle, especially when pornography is involved.
Incredible Iceland: Size does not matter at the Icelandic Phallological Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of penises, which has an array of specimens carefully collected from hundreds of different animals. The phallus of a sperm whale, the largest specimen in the museum is preserved in formaldehyde inside a huge plexiglass case at the museum’s entrance. It is 1.70 metres tall and weighs 75 kilos. Inside the museum’s large illuminated rooms, there are penises and penile parts of all shapes and sizes from a huge array of mammals, from whales to bears, seals to cats, and even mice.
The Phallological Museum is anything but quiet as visitors giggle while observing the 286 exhibited biological specimens. They say that it is a good plateau for jokes and having a good time. You can get educated while also having some fun, said Hjortur Sigurdsson, 52, a former logistics manager who runs the museum. It was years before the museum got its hands on a human specimen.
It was sent in by a 96-year-old Icelandic donor who was worried that his manhood would shrink as he got older. Obviously age does not matter. Can we imagine such a museum in ‘puritanical’ India with RSS and VHP ideologues? It would promptly be demolished to preserve our culture and virtues. A PIL would undoubtedly be filed, occasioning erudite judgments replete with citations and references to medical journals.
soli j sorabjee
Former Attorney-General of India
solisorabjee@gmail.com