The last and not least post of this series.
7:19 The PM rises and so does Md. Salim. He seems to be running for "Most visible MP of session" Award
7:20 The PM cannot be heard at all. Hardly any surprise as there is a very powerful female voice, among others heaping abuse on him
7:21 The PM files his reply. What a shame! The Speaker calls for voting and calls it for the "ayes"(the government). Demands for a division.
7:25 NDTV is running a list of viewer responses to the cash-for-votes scandal. Sample quote-"Today is the darkest day in Indian democracy"-;)
7:26 Another vote. The Speaker calls it for the ayes again. There will still be a division
7:30 The division is on
Ayes-253
Noes-232
Abst-2
Total is 487??? What happened to the others? Mass boycotts?
7:31 Looks like all the MPs who couldn't cast their votes will be filling in slips. This is going to take ages! The UPA is celebrating already though things actually still seems close.
7:48 A lot more of uncertainty. More outrage on the networks..."Can't our MPs press a switch".."In a country so well-known for its achievements, can't we have a proper system in Parliament" are common sentiments.
7:54 Rajdeep Sardesai at CNN-IBN calls the situation a tragedy and a farce and asks everyone's favourite question "Why don't they change the system"...Too many "Singh is King" jokes...
8:23 (by which time even this blogger lost patience)- The Speaker calls it for the Government-275 for and 256 against with 10 abstentions. Seems like some majpr cross-voting has happened.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Really enjoyed all your posts on the voting tamasha. Worth recording for posterity.:)
(I caught only bits and pieces what with flitting between the kid's homework and mine!)
But the biggest WTF moments for me were:
-Gandhi's speech being wowed on both channels as "eloquent". Seriously what standards are they trying to promote?
-The celebration of Singh's new aggro image. Blech.
Hmm..true and it was not just the news in itself as much as responses from "viewers" as well.
For the channels, Rahul's speech fitted perfectly into a larger narrative of their being above politics and celebrating those who seem to be so.They recognise that a large part of their viewership feels a specific contempt towards politics and they use every opportunity possible to build up on those sentiments. So "I am speaking as an Indian" touched all the right chords.
Of course, what is being hidden here is that almost all media organizations have very significant ties to every sphere of politics. I mean it is not a coincidence that CNN-IBN got the tape of the cash-for votes scam!
Post a Comment