Offstumped: An Indian super-conservative blog
Have you seen this blog called Offstumped by one Yossarin? It claims to be a blog “for all things right of centre.”
When I came across this blog for the first time a few months ago, I was thrilled. Here was a blog that was written by an ordinary citizen. It talked about issues. It had a good audience: each post had at least 50 comments. How many Indian political blogs can we find which can boast of that?
But as I followed the posts on this blog, it became apparent to me that this person really means it when he calls himself conservative. Here are some recent blog post titles from this blog:
- Jamia Millia University should be prosecuted
- Shame on you Oscar Fernandes
- Indian Mujahideen & CounterCurrents – Potential nexus
- War on Terror – Spotlight on Chicago’s Indian Muslims
- War on Terror – America Walks while India Talks
- War on Terror – Time for Pre-emption
Big head lines may get more clicks. But really this blog is doing more harm than good.
Far from being merely “right of centre,” the content in this blog is really to the extreme right. There is a clear religious bias that becomes obvious to anyone who cares to read a post or two. There have been many posts made about terrorism, and the connection to Islam is ever present. However nothing has been said about the recent activities of the Bajrang Dal, except this:
With mischevious comparisons being drawn between the Bajrang Dal and SIMI and absurd demands for banning Bajrang Dal if the Congress and its minions think they can shift the public debate away from the War on Terror then they are in for a huge disappointment.
By now, the political affiliations of this blog must be plainly obvious. However in the ‘About’ section, they claim not to be affiliated with any party.
The author also assumes he is some sort of modern day investigative journalist. Of course he requires no evidence whatsoever and makes allegations as he pleases. For instance, he makes one of his stupid-ass baseless claims here, and in the very next post does a complete U-turn. Makes me laugh! But it also makes me very angry. You make a huge accusation on someone, and all your faithful comment writers agree. The next day you contradict yourself, but don’t find the need to apologize or add corrections to your previous post. This is hugely irresponsible and leaves the site with absolutely no credibility.
I would really like to see some liberal political blogs from India out there. Do you know of any?
You would like to see the movie ‘A Wednesday’. Its the best hindi movie I have seen in recent times. Its mostly based on how a common man fights terror and finally wins. You will not repent you 2hrs watching that movie.
Adarsh – Thanks for the feedback, would appreciate specific points of concern rather than sweeping generalizations. Keep visiting.
One more point , dont ever recollect having described myself as a conservative
I equated “right of centre” with conservative. Please correct me if I am wrong. Do you claim to be liberal?
Dont care about western labels of liveral or conservative. You can read my posts on Flat World Hindutva and Dharma under the dharma-debates category to better appreciate my moral compass to understand the how, why and what of the stances I take on issues. In general I am for responsible exercise of freedom and national interest with Dharma as the moral guide. You can also specifically read my criticisms on “progressive liberalism” to better understand the fundamental differences with what I describe as ideologies of victimhood and guilt.
Thanks. I shall read those and get back to you.
In the mean time, I would like to address your remark that I have made a sweeping generalization without pointing to anything specific.
(1) In the post above, I have pointed out that you have quietly taken the side of Bajrang Dal, given that you have blamed others of being apologists for Islam very often. Are you not being a Bajrang Dal apologist? The fact that you have not written much about the incidents themselves can be overlooked. After all, I can’t blame you for _not_ having written something. But it is still conspicuous due to its absence.
(2) I have also pointed to the incident that involves countercurrents.org. You make a claim with very shaky, almost non-existent evidence, and contradict yourself in the next post with your head held high. What is your claim to credibility in your future allegations?
adarsh – to your first point, i have addresed the issue of violence multiple times read the flat world hindutva posts and posts on calls for hindu suicide bombers, dont see a need to issue a criticism everytime the media cries hoarse on something
to your second point on countercurrents.org where is the contradiction. The questions still remain on a potential nexus between the email from dreamhost and and “someone at countercurrents”. The second post merely points out that the editor reported a hacking incident. Doesnt in any way dilute the original question.
> Doesn’t in any way dilute the original question.
Right, because the original question needed any more diluting. I am not familiar with the content of countercurrents.org, and don’t want to take their side. But still, does that evidence seem convincing to you? Would that hold up in a court of law?
First off, the fact that the email originated from dreamhost cannot be proved by looking at the email headers.
Even if I give that to you, it is impossible to lay the blame square on one website hosted by dreamhost, when the very page you linked to says that dreamhost hosts 30,000 odd other websites.
Third, after your allegation, they simply claimed to have been hacked. End of story!
Your charge moved from ‘you help terrorists’ to ‘who hacked you’.
dude this is a terror investigation not a trial. You investigate leads based on plausible causes you dont close them worrying whether the preliminary leads will hold up in a court of law. If every terror investigation were to work on this principle then there is no way in hell any case will get solved or attacks pre-empted.
As far as email headers go the case is water tight dont worry about them.
To your point on why this site, read their content you will understand. Looks like you have not spent any time understanding the facts or the background of the principal players in countercurrents.org.
I have engaged you since you bothered to write an elaborate post on my blog.
Do your homework before we engage in any further debate on this.
cheers
Adarsh,
The labellings and certitudes by ELM weigh so heavy on us that we are unable to analyse the things on their own merit. Only a lunatic will equate Bajrang Dal with Islamic terror. For those already sold to the ELM prognosis there is an array of choice. For the few who refuse to buy the apparently obvious politcal biases of psec ELM we have blogs such as offstumped.