The first decade of the new millennium draws to a close. A rather angry, volatile and capricious decade. Sprinkle some unpredictability as a topping. Overall, not too many pleasant memories to cheer us up. On the contrary, too many gruesome, gory pictures remain imprinted in the mind-the senseless killings in Afghanistan, Iraq and the cold blooded slaughter of the Palestinians keeps us awake at night. The pictures of the ravaging Tsunami across the east, the devastation in Pakistan, Haiti are still vivid. Then we had the mighty Katrina swallowing all that came its way. The flotillas being attacked by the Israelis was another blot on humanity. In brief, a rather bloody and chilling decade.
However, what is more alarming to me is the attitude of nations. This , to me , is more hurting than anything else. Julian Assange may not have thrown anything sensational as yet. But he has exposed the mindset of nations. Especially the big and powerful and how they reek of arrogance with little remorse as they trample the weak. The supercilious, haughty, and dismissive view of the so called elite League of Nations has shown that nothing has change over the centuries. Still the strong chews the weak albeit under the garb of providing a helping hand! 2010 witnessed the same air of the strong roaring with disdain. Their condescending attitude , though camouflaged with sweet exterior, is disgusting. So much for civilization and a civilized civil society!
India , save for the sportsmen, could have said, a decade to forget! If it were not for our “ men/women in shining armour”, we would have been drowned in the deluge let loose by the Narender Modis, Rajas, Radias, Chavans, Yedurappas and the Bangaru Laxmans. In India Kautilya was the first person to mention the forty ways of embezzlement in his famous Kautilya’sArthashastra during the ancient Mauryan Times (321-296 BC). Today, our politicians have perfected these forty and keep adding new ones by the dozen! The scams horizon is big and wide and cuts across political parties, professions, regions and so on! The CWG, the Satyam, the cash for question, the housing loan scams, the AICTE, the MCI….The list is steep, endless. To quote a survey by S Daniel Rathinaraj , “commodities of greater value are bartered for those of small value; what is of smaller value is bartered for one of greater value; price of commodities enhanced; price of commodities lowered; number of nights increased; number of nights decreased; the year not in harmony with its months; the month not in harmony with its days; inconsistency in the transactions carried on with personal supervision, misrepresentation of the source of income; inconsistency in giving charities; incongruity in representing the work turned out; inconsistency in dealing with fixed items; misrepresentation of test marks or the standard of fineness (of gold and silver); misrepresentation of prices of commodities; making use of false weight and measures; deception in counting articles; and making use of false cubic measures such as bhájan - these are the several ways of embezzlement.”
Ketan Parekh was probably the one who started the scams roll for the decade with his scam which hit the stock market where it really hurt! We still have a couple of days to go for the New Year, a new scam of unforeseen proportion can hit us any time!
The so called saviours of society-the Journos-too had their hands full. Well, they probably always were-but this time the lid just blew away! But they are tough nuts and they faced the world with dour grit and determination. Almost making one believe that the poor souls have been hugely wronged , targeted and victimized and that they are as clean as a new born soul!
Tendulkar and Saina bring solace to our scams riddled nation. They and a bunch of really talented and professional sportsmen/women bring honour and prestige. They provide hope and succour. They give us belief that India is still a proud nation. They give India the strength to go up the ladder. Long live the sportsmen of Bharat!
But strange it may sound, we are still the darling of the West! Obama, Cameroon and Sarkozy are dancing to our tune and even prepared to do a bhangra..if we so choose to demand! Even after all those pan spit photos of the common wealth village screaming across the globe, even the Chinese are prepared to waltz! Man Mohan Singh has been a let down. If only he had played his cards as well as he can, India would have been the judge in “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’ being competed between Merkel, Sarkozy, Obama ,Cameroon and who( Hu Jintao) and when ( Wen Jiabao)!
Singh Saheb, you still can. But for that, you have to step out and take the bull by the horns.
Saree ka palloo chodna padega……khud qadam uthana hoga!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Bang on target! Bihari Babu brings cheers!
Results in Bihar are a huge signal that if there is a will, there is a way. Bihar had become the playground of the ruthless politician who toyed with the state as if it was his personal fiefdom. He would dole out to whomsoever he wished. No attempts were made to tread the path of growth and development because if the average Bihari would become educated then how would he fall a victim to the baits of caste and religion!
The Bihar of 2010 ushers in a new dimension to not only Bihar but to the nation. Nitish Kumar has shown that if there is adequate amount of political will and determination, the civil society can be reformed in quick time! Laloo languishes deep down somewhere where even his political obituary cannot reach him. By the way, as of now, Samosa in Bihar will be sans aloo!! Rabri's humiliating double loss at the hustings speaks volumes about how the voter has ditched rhetoric and prejudices and today demands performance and achievement.
Congress and the other players have reasons to introspect. Nitish has proved that social reengineering can also mean deliverance without touching the caste/religion cards. He has actually successfully reengineered the concept of Community management. He understood the needs of the society. He developed the products and services they needed and delivered! As simple as that! But there is another feather in Nitish Kumar’s cap. Successful coalition management. JDU and BJP did not cut into each others votes. As a matter of fact, they complimented. On the contrary, Laloo and Paswan could not come to terms with the Congress due to their inability to seize the needs of the moment. They cut into each others votes and aided the JDU, BJP.
Somehow, the relevance of the symbols seems striking. Laloo's Lamp has been doused. Why? Not because there was any flaw in the lamp. It was just that the lamp failed to provide the light that the society needed. A lamp as a lamp has no value till as long as it does not serve a purpose. It was lost in the darkness. Some one trampled on it. Pawns Bungalow could provide to comfort to anyone. He forgets that first it is Roti, then Kapda and finally the makaan! And not vice versa! And Nitish struck with his Arrow! Bang on target!
Yes, the PM is like what Obama is today . Not really lame duck but probably quite close. But Singh sahib can take a positive out of Bihar. You still have a couple of years to go and public memory is notoriously short. Get cracking on the non performers. Reengineer your policies and attitude. Redraw your relations with your allies and stop accepting their bullying , bellicose and pugnacious attitude. Start delivering with a firm hand. Corruption is your main disease. Start weeding out the parasites and the blood suckers.
For a change, let the hand try the arrow!
If Bihar can do it, then can India be far behind? Are you listening Dr. Man Mohan Singh?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Indian Renaissance needed
Indian Renaissance needed
People have been writing and talking about the various scams that surround us. There is immense anger, angst and disgust amongst the so called civil society. Amongst all this, the media is having a ball. Histrionics is the order of the day.
Mud slinging has now acquired a new dimension. Today a Manish Tewari hurls a super slander at a Ravi Prasad without even batting an eyelid! It comes as a matter of routine! And the recipient receives the hurling brickbat with a smiling face! Such is the level of shamelessness amongst our people.
Coming to the main issue. It is not the silence of the Dr.MMS but the sheer audacity and brazenness of the small time, small city, small thinking politician who sits smugly on the national scene. I am not angry with the likes of Raja or a Chavan or a Yedurappa. I am not disappointed with the Congress or BJP or CPM. I am not unhappy with the Mushrooming angry young Anchors of the media.
I am devastated by our Civil Society. I am shocked by our apathy and our capacity to bear the pain inflicted by the politician and the political parties! We groan, then cry and later shout. But this is where it all stops. Then we crumble and give up. This is where the politician and his party capitalizes and seizes the jugular vein.
The 2G scam did not happen yesterday. It was a good few years back when this puny, petty politician from Tamil Nadu ravaged in glee. Where were you all this time, Mr. Swamy ? Sushma Swaraj says that she cannot settle for anything less than a JPC ? May I ask why so? Where were you and your JP colleagues all this time? Twiddling your thumbs? What will you now achieve what you have not done so in years? Strange. There is a demand for a JPC when the entire corruption is due to them! Perhaps a JPC should not stand for Joint Parliamentarians Corruption! Just a small sixth sense goads me to say that this JPC is just a means to protect the corrupt parliamentarians- Jab Sainya bhaee kotwal, to dar kahey ka? Were you oblivious of the happenings? Or were you waiting for your share which never came through? Hence the pitch. I suspect this is not because Raja looted but because the share in the loot did not come through! On the heels of the super duper 2G comes the reprimand from the supreme court questioning the very appointment of the CVC! And once again, we see the same pattern. All the political parties raising a limited brouhaha ( for public consumption) and then signing the dotted line. Sushma Swaraj and her BJP is as much culpable as Dr.MMS and the Congress party. I am reminded of he old saying about the status of all the bathers into the Turkish bath! Corruption in India is now a hydra headed and a behemothian ogre of unimaginable proportions. It needs gigantic efforts to tame this ever growing monster.
The time has come when we ought to realize that we live amidst scams. Scams are in various stages in our daily lives. Some become big and some remain small or medium. Some catch the attention of those who could not get their pound of flesh, so they run to the nearest hill top( read TV channel) and shout and dance till they can do no more! And then the Herd mentality takes over. All join in. Some join in because they want to be a part of the pandemonium, even though they know not why they shout!
Indian Society shall continue to unearth scams with alarming frequency. Political Parties will continue to suck the blood of the poor tax payer. Politicians will continue to build palaces in Switzerland.
But this can be stopped. Surprised? Cannot believe me? Can’t blame you. However, before we begin, we need to have the political will at the centre. Regional players like Nitiesh Kumar have shown that if there is a political will, the state of affairs can change. Bihar was trampled under jungle raj for years. Today’s Bihar is perceptibly different from the days of Laloo. If Bihar can change, so can India! Yes, we Can!!!!
I do believe that the effort begins with the Judiciary. If Dr.MMS is serious, let him start with our system of dispensing Justice. Look at those nations where Law is designed to act as a deterrent also. Today, there is no deterrent in our Indian system of Justice. Raja will never be made to return the money he swallowed! Worse, it will take years( if at all!) to convict him! If a crime is suitably punished and within a short time, the perpetrator will think twice. Laloo and his Fodder Scam still goes on. I have even forgotten how many years have passed by! Laloo does not even bat an eyelid!
Have a look at the Sharia and how it can be used. It has proved to be an excellent deterrent and has stopped many a criminal from implementing his evil plans. Even the British have looked up to the Sharia for succor. India needs strong system of governance to back strong laws.
Let us re-look at our law books to review the laws. Rewrite the IPC and the CrPC. Add many more courts to ensure speedy trials. Make the Judges more accountable and transparent. This is where we begin from. Clean up the Judicial stables. Restructure the Courts. Restore the ethics. Once done, the next step becomes easier. It will take time, yes, but then, there are no short cuts when cleaning the nation.
But the above needs the aam admi to stand up and be counted. Let there be a renaissance, resurgence of the society. We redefine our values. Start believing that education is a must for ALL. Stop being a sucker. Prepare to fight it our when the salivating bureaucrat or politician demands his “bakshish”. Stop giving bribes. Stop being a whimp and gather courage. Stand by your values. And above all, castigate and ostracize the cheat from the society. Let there be an awareness that a criminal will have no place in our society. Blacken his face with disdain and banish him. Let values take their due place in our society. Let us sift the muck from the good and condemn the muck in strong and unequivocal terms. Then bury it deep.
Label a cheat. And hit his psyche. Let him suffer. Do not turn a blood sucker into a hero…what we saw for Raja in Chennai!
And finally, when the time comes to vote, do not get sucked in by the age old prejudice of voting on cast and religion lines. Vote as an awakened and aware community. Vote in numbers. Vote for ethics. Vote for Honesty. Vote for efficiency. Vote for your child’s future.
Vote for India.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
India in reverse gear!
Judicial Justice sacrificed at the altar of Reconciliation
Just before the verdict was delivered, all the TV channels were asking, “Has India Moved on? We were patting ourselves that India of 2010 is not the India of 1992. Have we… ? Let me leave this issue till the end.
When the first batch of lawyers emerged from the court premises waving
an emphatic and a victorious V, the Muslims were distraught and
dejected. It appeared that all was lost for the country’s largest minority community.
But as the details filtered in and a clearer picture emerged, it dawned that the V waving lawyers were either celebrating premature or were deliberately misleading the nation. Either ways, the joy was short livid. The judgment had varying proportion of happiness for all.
Muslims though feel that they have less to cheer. It is essentially a judgment that in leaning towards reconciliation. How else does one explain the non cognizance of a mosque that stood for over four centuries? History has been expunged. The verdict may have cast a pall of gloom over those who had great expectations from our judiciary. Purists feel that the verdict is based more on emotions and less on hard core evidence. Even the BJP luminary Arun Jaitly feels the decision is based on Perception!
And this may well be true . However, it has attempted to open doors for possible amicable settlement. The verdict needs to be seen from two perspectives. One is the purely legal angle and the other is the political tangle. Each actually contradicts the other as the premise for each is tangent to the other. One has to have real patience to study the over 8000 pages long judgment to know the judges mind but prima facie it does appear that facts have been sacrificed to contrive upon a populist judgment. Legally speaking, there is a lot to be desired. Interestingly there are many aspects of the judgment that many have chosen to either deliberately ignore or are unable to read between the lines. The court has not proved that this is the Ram Janam bhumi. On the contrary, it has said that this is the belief of the Hindus.( If now, according to the judgment, we are expected to beleive that Lord Ram was born under the central dome, then, what is the date of birth of Lord Ram?).
Not only does the court throw out the idea of the idols emerging miraculously inside the mosque, it goes on to state unequivocally that there were placed by people. But the decision to let the idols stay where they are is mind boggling! Huge contradiction! But this is the political side of the verdict!
The court also believes that no temple was destroyed to build the mosque though it is built on old forgotten ruins which were probably a temple. And this is a very significant part of the judgment that needs to be publicized to the masses to dispel erroneous impressions( as spread by the fundamentalists) that Babur desecrated, defiled or dishonoured a temple to build a mosque.
The court may have also thrown out the petitions by the Sunni Waqf board and the Nirmohi Akhara, nevertheless, the decision that the title of the disputed land has to be shared, is a “bouncer” but is presumably aimed at ensuring the secular fabric of the nation. But will this work in the long run ? This, as I see it, is the huge political inclination of the bench. They have lost track of the judicial process to achieve this! Sharing it equally gives equal opportunity to all. A possible win win situation for all could not be reached but could have been had the land partition been half to the Sunni Waqf and the remaining with the other parties. If land partition was the objective, then the court could have opined that the entire area be leveled and then allot subsequently to the parties. By insisting that the central dome be given to the Ram Lalla party, the honourable court has faltered and given certain quarters the feeling of triumph. It sort of appears to vindicate their stand of the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Yes, the judgment sticks out like a sore paw. Justice Sachar, Supreme court lawyer Rajeev Dhawan and many others have blasted the bench in very strong terms.
Yet, I feel this could be the turning point in Indian society. Many of us may not agree with the judgment in totality and may move the Supreme court with a fresh battery of more efficient and capable lawyers. We may have serious reservations and consider the verdict a blot on the name of the Indian Judiciary. But Muslims, who have shown great maturity, restraint and dignity, have to brush aside their huge disappointment and move a step ahead and look forward to the new scenario- they are legal joint owners of the Mosque! Now, they can contemplate building a majestic and a glorious mosque alongside the temple. Le them become the two glittering eyes of India! This is a glorious beginning of communal harmony and inter faith acceptance. The community needs to move on and focus on issues that inhibit its development. Let us live in peace and devoid of any fear.
However, one issue still needs to be resolved. It is now the turn of the parliamentarians. They should enact a law that prohibits opening up issues on so called disputed shrines across India. A special ruling to maintain a status quo should be passed within the next three months. Yes, there is the Places of Worship( special provisions) Act 0f 1991. There is another passed in 1993 also.
It is imperative that all the political and religious parties acknowledge the above with a solemn promise to abide by the above in letter and in spirit. Anyone raising the bogey of another place of worship should be sentenced summarily and the party de recognised.
This will certainly ensure that no party would move the Supreme court
and the issue of Babri Masjid controversy will lie dead and buried. Forever. And no judge needs to tread where even no angels dare !
Coming to the issue of has India moved on. The three judges, ( no reference to Amir Khan’s recent movie) have converted our gallop to a slow trot. I sadly feel that though we have moved, it is a sluggish and feeble movement. If the CWG negative publicity showed us as inept, inefficient and corrupt ,the world today does sniggers at the skewed verdict and reserves a knowing smile. One more step gone awry.
Syed Abdallah Rizvi
Just before the verdict was delivered, all the TV channels were asking, “Has India Moved on? We were patting ourselves that India of 2010 is not the India of 1992. Have we… ? Let me leave this issue till the end.
When the first batch of lawyers emerged from the court premises waving
an emphatic and a victorious V, the Muslims were distraught and
dejected. It appeared that all was lost for the country’s largest minority community.
But as the details filtered in and a clearer picture emerged, it dawned that the V waving lawyers were either celebrating premature or were deliberately misleading the nation. Either ways, the joy was short livid. The judgment had varying proportion of happiness for all.
Muslims though feel that they have less to cheer. It is essentially a judgment that in leaning towards reconciliation. How else does one explain the non cognizance of a mosque that stood for over four centuries? History has been expunged. The verdict may have cast a pall of gloom over those who had great expectations from our judiciary. Purists feel that the verdict is based more on emotions and less on hard core evidence. Even the BJP luminary Arun Jaitly feels the decision is based on Perception!
And this may well be true . However, it has attempted to open doors for possible amicable settlement. The verdict needs to be seen from two perspectives. One is the purely legal angle and the other is the political tangle. Each actually contradicts the other as the premise for each is tangent to the other. One has to have real patience to study the over 8000 pages long judgment to know the judges mind but prima facie it does appear that facts have been sacrificed to contrive upon a populist judgment. Legally speaking, there is a lot to be desired. Interestingly there are many aspects of the judgment that many have chosen to either deliberately ignore or are unable to read between the lines. The court has not proved that this is the Ram Janam bhumi. On the contrary, it has said that this is the belief of the Hindus.( If now, according to the judgment, we are expected to beleive that Lord Ram was born under the central dome, then, what is the date of birth of Lord Ram?).
Not only does the court throw out the idea of the idols emerging miraculously inside the mosque, it goes on to state unequivocally that there were placed by people. But the decision to let the idols stay where they are is mind boggling! Huge contradiction! But this is the political side of the verdict!
The court also believes that no temple was destroyed to build the mosque though it is built on old forgotten ruins which were probably a temple. And this is a very significant part of the judgment that needs to be publicized to the masses to dispel erroneous impressions( as spread by the fundamentalists) that Babur desecrated, defiled or dishonoured a temple to build a mosque.
The court may have also thrown out the petitions by the Sunni Waqf board and the Nirmohi Akhara, nevertheless, the decision that the title of the disputed land has to be shared, is a “bouncer” but is presumably aimed at ensuring the secular fabric of the nation. But will this work in the long run ? This, as I see it, is the huge political inclination of the bench. They have lost track of the judicial process to achieve this! Sharing it equally gives equal opportunity to all. A possible win win situation for all could not be reached but could have been had the land partition been half to the Sunni Waqf and the remaining with the other parties. If land partition was the objective, then the court could have opined that the entire area be leveled and then allot subsequently to the parties. By insisting that the central dome be given to the Ram Lalla party, the honourable court has faltered and given certain quarters the feeling of triumph. It sort of appears to vindicate their stand of the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Yes, the judgment sticks out like a sore paw. Justice Sachar, Supreme court lawyer Rajeev Dhawan and many others have blasted the bench in very strong terms.
Yet, I feel this could be the turning point in Indian society. Many of us may not agree with the judgment in totality and may move the Supreme court with a fresh battery of more efficient and capable lawyers. We may have serious reservations and consider the verdict a blot on the name of the Indian Judiciary. But Muslims, who have shown great maturity, restraint and dignity, have to brush aside their huge disappointment and move a step ahead and look forward to the new scenario- they are legal joint owners of the Mosque! Now, they can contemplate building a majestic and a glorious mosque alongside the temple. Le them become the two glittering eyes of India! This is a glorious beginning of communal harmony and inter faith acceptance. The community needs to move on and focus on issues that inhibit its development. Let us live in peace and devoid of any fear.
However, one issue still needs to be resolved. It is now the turn of the parliamentarians. They should enact a law that prohibits opening up issues on so called disputed shrines across India. A special ruling to maintain a status quo should be passed within the next three months. Yes, there is the Places of Worship( special provisions) Act 0f 1991. There is another passed in 1993 also.
It is imperative that all the political and religious parties acknowledge the above with a solemn promise to abide by the above in letter and in spirit. Anyone raising the bogey of another place of worship should be sentenced summarily and the party de recognised.
This will certainly ensure that no party would move the Supreme court
and the issue of Babri Masjid controversy will lie dead and buried. Forever. And no judge needs to tread where even no angels dare !
Coming to the issue of has India moved on. The three judges, ( no reference to Amir Khan’s recent movie) have converted our gallop to a slow trot. I sadly feel that though we have moved, it is a sluggish and feeble movement. If the CWG negative publicity showed us as inept, inefficient and corrupt ,the world today does sniggers at the skewed verdict and reserves a knowing smile. One more step gone awry.
Syed Abdallah Rizvi
Monday, September 27, 2010
CWG- possible glory goes awry
Arnab Goswami and the likes who are intoxicated with a heavy dose of megalomania have done more harm than good to the nation. An overzealous Arnab perhaps visualizes himself as the Angry Young Man of the Indian TV! And with that comes his poker faced jibes at one and all who was or is, associated with the CWG. Not to be left behind is the rapidly graying Rajdeep Sardesai who makes great efforts in shooting incisive questions! Those which are supposed to “Knock out” the already punched and battered office bearer of the CWG working committee! Coming to the Hindi channels. Less said the better.
I do not opine that Kalmadi and his Man Friday Bhanot are whiz kids who deserve any accolades. On the contrary, I also dub them as spineless and worthless organizers. But I stop here and ponder. By publicly( Internationally) castigating the likes of Kalmadi, am I really doing a favour to my motherland? The way we have blared our vocal chords ( accompanied by that devilish glee in the eyes) on almost all the TV channels, it seems that there is some kind of an award for the most aggressive, high pitched and self centered presenter. The expose by the TV should have been sent to the PMO and not to be aired all over the world. Those pictures of the Pan spitted walls, dirty loos going across the world have caused long term damage to our image. This should never have happened. Yes, the guilty should have been brought to justice. The inefficient should have been bunged out with little remorse. And at the right time. But all this with dignity and purpose. If there is a problem in your house, then you settle it tactfully and wisely even the nosy neighbours knowing nothing. Right? Why do we treat our nation differently?
We have washed our very dirty linen in public. We have shouted from the roof top that we Indians are excellent when pulling the legs of our fellow country men. We have shown the world that we do not understand the meaning of freedom of expression and speech. We have shown that all our TV channels are far from mature and in their quest for a higher TRP, they will embarrass the nation. I stand dejected and embarrassed. India has been belittled and dirty filthy muck thrown with little compassion and compunction. As I write this, I can see the headlines in all the TV channels castigating and demonizing India. One snake has been “seen” in one of the African delegates room, a bed has caved in and so on. Such issues deserve HEADLINES on TV which is seen the world over?
The West and some other prejudices nations are on the look out to find faults with this growing super power. Yes, India is a growing super power. The likes of pseudos like Suhail Seth etc would leave no opportunity to gun India down. Still, India will survive and emerge stronger. The Australians have the temerity to say that we did not even deserve to get the games. He did not say it for years! But he is emboldened due to the mud slinging by our own folks. They rake up the issue of security when it comes to India but sent their cricket team to England even when the IRA was at it’s peak, blasting bombs like crackers! As one gold medal winner said, “ The athletes normally stay in University hostels and all facilities are as per university level only. But none complains. Why? Because their media does not do what our media does! Blast not for the sake of improvement but for the sake of TRP!!! So much for media emancipation. Maybe we will have to wait for more time to see a more mature and a responsible media. Especially the powerful audio visual media. Most of the presenters have “cowboy approach of firing first and talking later’. They need to understand the power of their “ journalist gun”. They have single handedly brought the Progressive and Nuclear India to the level of the corrupt, inefficient, archaic, “third world” India
Kalmadi and co have lost a great chance. Rather than his name coming in the Hall of Fame, he shall be hung on the Wall of Shame. He should be suitably punished . Not because he went wrong but because he went woefully wrong . Kalmadi’s punishment should be such that it should become a deterrent for future administrators of sports in India. A massive shakeup of 10 points on the richter scale is needed to wake up the lazy, lethargic and laid back sports organizers in India. At least this is one good I can see emerging from these CWG.
But before I sign off, a small point worth pondering over…..who was responsible for organizing the games? I seem to understand that it was a team of two. One, the IOA, headed by the likes of Kalmadi and VK Malhotra and two, the likes of Janab Mike Fennel and Mike Cooper, the Commonwealth Games Federation big wigs. If Kalmadi gets the boot, then what about Fennel and co.?
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Step up and offer!
Step up and offer!
It has been close to two decades when we witnessed a mad frenzy of convoluted and perverted thinking. We saw an orientation that was completely alien to the normal Indian psyche. The politicians and other disoriented vandals attempted to hijack the true Indian ethos when they mauled the spirit of the Indian constitution and in a brazen display of arrogance and malevolence they raised the Babri Masjid to dust. They had trampled the rich heritage of India when they sought to sow seeds of hatred within fellow Indians only on the basis of religion. There were cracks within the nation. Or at least it appeared so. Muslims were vary and apprehensive of the intentions of the Hindus. There was a feeling of suspicion that there would be attempts to attack and capture more mosques across the nation. This feeling got strengthened as militant and rambunctious saffronites took to the streets airing their plans of taking over mosques in Varanasi, Mathura etc. Muslims were petrified, mortified and a pall of gloom shrouded the community. And then they prepared to fight back, come what may. People lost faith in government and governance. They were prepared for the worst.
Today, in 2010, we stand with our heads high. Indians have proved once again that brotherhood among fellow citizens is strong and vibrant. Hindus and Muslims have not blown the battle bugle. They have, on the contrary seen through the façade of the bigoted , overzealous politician. They are seized of his hidden agenda. No more blind faith or following as each one realizes that the significance of the destiny of his community is linked with the fate of the nation. A strong and resilient nation ushers well for a dynamic and bubbling community.
Since Dec 1992, there have been no more attempts to capture any more mosques. Muslims were no longer facing a bellicose opposition. Better sense prevailed upon all concerned. The nation prospered. We prospered.
We as Muslims have shown our courage and resilience in ensuring that no places of worship can be bullied into acquisition. We can wait for the court to decide and then abide. Today when the decision of the court creates a huge suspense and anxiety, let me float a small thought, albeit with trepidation. Hindus and Muslims have shown remarkable maturity in dealing with the changing scenario. I felt that we Muslims can step up and hug our Hindu brother and say, “ Irrespective of the court order, we gift you this land. We will cooperate with you in building the Ram temple”. If we do this, do we Muslims loose anything? Is there any loss to the community? I really do not see any. On the contrary, we build a huge reservoir of goodwill and camaraderie. This goes a long way in bettering the future for all concerned. Some diehard extremists and opportunists may take affront to this suggestion, but when mulled over in tranquility, they will also see merit in this idea. Islam is all about forgive and forget and then move ahead. They should remember the treaty of Hudaibiyah and the conquest of Makkah. Islamic history is replete with instances of sacrifices for the sake of the community.
The Government, on its part, can also show benevolence by appreciating this gesture in the form of a reciprocal gift. They can do it in many ways, but what comes straight to my mind is that it can offer the Muslims a special reservation for a period of time. Reservation in Education and in Jobs, say for five-ten years. The Ranganathan or the Sacchar commissions have already shown the pitiable and pathetic condition of the average Muslim. This will benefit the community and make it stronger and more mainstream. Also it will seal the lips of the opportunists and myopic leaders. It takes two to Tango?
History can be made. A beautiful chapter can be written. This shining chapter will be the one which the future generations will refer to with pride and joy. Let us put our hands together and pen the glorious event of a marvelous gift , one which ensures a Gabrial Oak
smile across the nation, cutting through religious and community lines. Mera Bharat Mahaan.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Long Live the Flotillas!
Long Live the Flotillas!
A bellicose Israel indicates the impotency of the world at large. What they did to the flotilla should convince humanity of the insanity that shrouds the powers in Israel. It should also shake the sleeping world to wake up and realize that here lies the epicenter of the turmoil that engulfs the world today. The normally sensitive Americans are now totally sedated under a heavy dose of the Israeli intoxicants. The British have ceased to be a nation of alert and asserting statesmen. The French and the other Europeans are busy finding ways and means of banning anything that is even distantly related to Islam. Israel ravages with impunity and in sadistic ecstasy.
But the courage of Greta Berlin and others of the Free Gaza Movement is worth applauding. Undaunted by the killers, they are now ready with another boat to set sail into the bloody waters. They know that death is waiting but they are ready to face it . This should put the Europeans , Americans and the others to shame. Small groups have the courage whilst nations buckle. Ironic and depressing. The killing of the volunteers in the flotilla is appalling to the world. But not to Israel. They do it regularly with the newborns, infants and the weak! Occupied Palestine is a witness to such blatant atrocities. But the world is blind and deaf. The UN Security Council is as helpless as the dying man. It’s feeble condemnation cannot be heard even by Mr. Boon himself!
Following this brutal bloodbath, the same old story will be repeated. There will be protests in the Arab world. Flags will be burnt by slogan chanting youth. Some Europeans will organize a march. Some national heads will come up with a stifled condemnation. That’s it. It will pass. Netanyahu and his cohorts know the pattern. They snigger and smile. They shall continue their massacre unabated. And the world will be a passive spectator to the drama. More innocents will be put to the grave as the butcher of humanity knows that the so called elites of the civil society are deaf, blind and also dumb.
When will the International civil society take cognizance that Israel is a nation that can be tamed? Yes, they can be! If only the civil society rallies in right honest! We do not need the Sakozy’s and the Obama’s if they are unable to deliver. History will show that cowardice of International leaders was the sole cause for the marauding, stomping autocracy of Israel.
We need more of Greta Berlins, Mairead Corrigan Maguires, Denis Hallidays and the others who made this flotilla a reality. We need flotillas every week! I am convinced that this six ships flotilla which had members from various religions, regions and beliefs has set the first ball rolling!
Long live the courageous and the bold! Let the civil society rise and over throw the barabarics who are akin to a hydra headed Dracula who sucks the blood and life of the innocent and the weak.
I am reminded of Gandhi’s very successful Civil disobedience against the then powerful British. We need an International Civil disobedience to bring the Zionists to their knees.
The fountainhead of peace has been set afloat and none can stop it!
A bellicose Israel indicates the impotency of the world at large. What they did to the flotilla should convince humanity of the insanity that shrouds the powers in Israel. It should also shake the sleeping world to wake up and realize that here lies the epicenter of the turmoil that engulfs the world today. The normally sensitive Americans are now totally sedated under a heavy dose of the Israeli intoxicants. The British have ceased to be a nation of alert and asserting statesmen. The French and the other Europeans are busy finding ways and means of banning anything that is even distantly related to Islam. Israel ravages with impunity and in sadistic ecstasy.
But the courage of Greta Berlin and others of the Free Gaza Movement is worth applauding. Undaunted by the killers, they are now ready with another boat to set sail into the bloody waters. They know that death is waiting but they are ready to face it . This should put the Europeans , Americans and the others to shame. Small groups have the courage whilst nations buckle. Ironic and depressing. The killing of the volunteers in the flotilla is appalling to the world. But not to Israel. They do it regularly with the newborns, infants and the weak! Occupied Palestine is a witness to such blatant atrocities. But the world is blind and deaf. The UN Security Council is as helpless as the dying man. It’s feeble condemnation cannot be heard even by Mr. Boon himself!
Following this brutal bloodbath, the same old story will be repeated. There will be protests in the Arab world. Flags will be burnt by slogan chanting youth. Some Europeans will organize a march. Some national heads will come up with a stifled condemnation. That’s it. It will pass. Netanyahu and his cohorts know the pattern. They snigger and smile. They shall continue their massacre unabated. And the world will be a passive spectator to the drama. More innocents will be put to the grave as the butcher of humanity knows that the so called elites of the civil society are deaf, blind and also dumb.
When will the International civil society take cognizance that Israel is a nation that can be tamed? Yes, they can be! If only the civil society rallies in right honest! We do not need the Sakozy’s and the Obama’s if they are unable to deliver. History will show that cowardice of International leaders was the sole cause for the marauding, stomping autocracy of Israel.
We need more of Greta Berlins, Mairead Corrigan Maguires, Denis Hallidays and the others who made this flotilla a reality. We need flotillas every week! I am convinced that this six ships flotilla which had members from various religions, regions and beliefs has set the first ball rolling!
Long live the courageous and the bold! Let the civil society rise and over throw the barabarics who are akin to a hydra headed Dracula who sucks the blood and life of the innocent and the weak.
I am reminded of Gandhi’s very successful Civil disobedience against the then powerful British. We need an International Civil disobedience to bring the Zionists to their knees.
The fountainhead of peace has been set afloat and none can stop it!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Lyins sans a conscience?
Lying as you go up the ladder?
When was it the last time that you lied? Indeed an embarrassing question as we all see ourselves as honest and one with overflowing integrity! Although we come across people who lie without even batting an eyelid, I do suppose that lying does make one uncomfortable even if one is a compulsive liar! A lie can be perceived differently depending upon the source of the lie. If there was a lie meter that could measure the degree of lie, it would show that every lie can have differing levels of acceptability. There are some who tell a lie sans any overt display of emotions. Seasoned Politicians come in this category. Some lie but show their discomfort by either a twitch of the facial muscles or an unsteady set of eyes! Green horns stepping into the big bad world are the prime examples! Some get caught as soon as they let off their lie! These are the first timers who have a huge conscience weighing on them! And then is the Gambler’s lie when he sits poker faced! He squirms if he tells a truth!
"People in power are able to lie better," said Dana Carney, a management professor at Columbia Business School and one of the co-authors of the study. "It just doesn't hurt them as much to do it."
The more one thinks about what Professor D Carney says, the more one realizes how true it is of us Indians! Right from our childhood we are fed with the idea that lying is an unwanted and unacceptable habit and should be abhorred and kept at an arms length. So, every time we were late to school, we bit our lips and closed our eyes and fought our conscience as we told some excuse which was something of a hybrid truth! Half lie and half truth! We would console ourself that we did not tell lies…only hid some truth! And on many an occasion we would face the corporal punishment as we had to tell the truth!
But looking at some of the Power clad persons of today, we do question ourself that perhaps it was indeed a silly thing to stick to the truth and faced the cain of our school teacher?
Lying has become an art, perhaps. And as the professor says, the higher up one is in the hierarchy, the easier it is to pull a fast one! Obviously, the listener has no option but to accept! When we hear Mayawati talking about the upliftment of the masses, we know the truth and the reality behind the statement! When we hear Mulayam and Laloo go gaga over the achievements of each other, we also clap like fools! This is not because we know not what the heart says but because we have no option to pretend to be a fool.
Like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we can actually make a Hierarchy of lies!
This in terms of acceptance. Blatant Lies from the top has a great chance of being accepted with a smile whilst a small one coming from the bottom has a great chance of being scrutinized and looked at with suspicion! That is exactly why bosses get away with lies whilst the poor front office clerk is grilled till he turns black!
What happens if my boss reads this?
Who wrote this?
Search me!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Clean the cricket stables-Once and for all!
BCCI and their hydra headed shenanigans have brought more disrepute not only to the game of cricket but to the nation at large. I had written earlierin my previous posting that Modi and his cohorts should be dealt with appropriately and swiftly. The unraveling of new aspects that bring new twists and turns is appalling. The water could not get murkier, so I thought. But I was woefully off the mark! Probably we have still more to come! The water from deep down the coal mines would be clear and transparent by comparison!
The issue is no longer of individuals. The thugs who ran our cricket( read BCCI) are neck deep in corruption and immorality. Each one pretended to see the other way so that the other could go on with his own escapades whilst Indian cricket was ravaged and raped. Cricket bled. But the BCCI put Nero to shame.Now they have the audacity to offer a "holier than thou" attitude!Pinning everything on one man....and they knew nothing of the moumental corruption flourishing in their own back yards!!And they want us to swallow this! Are we THAT naive??
The government of India is caught on a sticky wicket. I doubt if they have the courage or the ability to go after the criminals. There is a demand for a Joint Parliamentary committee but I doubt if it will be formed. And even if it is, the JPC really does not have the necessary teeth to bite! At best, it may bark! But who cares? Have you seen any barking dog bite???? In the deep sea of cricket corruption, there are so many big fishes that one wonders at the consequences if they are all netted??!! But then, it will not happen. The big fishes will swim away leaving the small ones to pretend they are the big ones. And they will be nabbed and displayed as the BIG catches!The sharks, hidden in some remote island, will have a mighty laugh!
The PM should hold ALL the BCCI members accountable until proven innocent. Sounds unfair? Well, regrettably, the gravity of the situation demands that each one be thoroughly probed because ALL the members are bloody good actors also!
And for those who give monumental credit to Modi. T-20 started way back in 2003 and the idea of IPL may just about have been hijacked from the ICL!! And using the heavy clout of the BCCI, Modi and his gang eliminated Kapil paaji and others. The Indian cricket League should have been allowed to function under open competition. But this was not to be. In hindsight, it is obvious it was the total monopoly by the BCCI that lead to total corruption. Why was the ICL treated so shabbily and why the government did nothing to allow competition? Where was the MRTP commission?
Huge dirt will be rolled out and skeletons will fall from each and every cupboard that will be opened and Modi may well be ousted. But the buck does not stop there. He was just one of the master manipulators who knew how to share the loot with all! And this loot sealed the lips and clogged the conscience of all, including the franchise owners! Remember, it takes a team, not an individual, to execute the devils plan to perfection. Catch them all- the businessman, the politician, the criminal and all those who washed their dirty hands in the flowing river of IPL! Spare none. Book them all.It may tke time and patience. yes, courage and tenacity of purpose will also be needed. But, ManMohan Singh saheb, we need you to take the bull by the horns and deliver! Yes, you can.... if you want!!
Let us look to IPL 4 as a league of clean people who can offer us clean and genuine cricket. Remember, it is NOT the league but the format of the T20 which ushers excitement-England, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan all have T-20! Let us continue with the format and enjoy the thrills of the game!
The issue is no longer of individuals. The thugs who ran our cricket( read BCCI) are neck deep in corruption and immorality. Each one pretended to see the other way so that the other could go on with his own escapades whilst Indian cricket was ravaged and raped. Cricket bled. But the BCCI put Nero to shame.Now they have the audacity to offer a "holier than thou" attitude!Pinning everything on one man....and they knew nothing of the moumental corruption flourishing in their own back yards!!And they want us to swallow this! Are we THAT naive??
The government of India is caught on a sticky wicket. I doubt if they have the courage or the ability to go after the criminals. There is a demand for a Joint Parliamentary committee but I doubt if it will be formed. And even if it is, the JPC really does not have the necessary teeth to bite! At best, it may bark! But who cares? Have you seen any barking dog bite???? In the deep sea of cricket corruption, there are so many big fishes that one wonders at the consequences if they are all netted??!! But then, it will not happen. The big fishes will swim away leaving the small ones to pretend they are the big ones. And they will be nabbed and displayed as the BIG catches!The sharks, hidden in some remote island, will have a mighty laugh!
The PM should hold ALL the BCCI members accountable until proven innocent. Sounds unfair? Well, regrettably, the gravity of the situation demands that each one be thoroughly probed because ALL the members are bloody good actors also!
And for those who give monumental credit to Modi. T-20 started way back in 2003 and the idea of IPL may just about have been hijacked from the ICL!! And using the heavy clout of the BCCI, Modi and his gang eliminated Kapil paaji and others. The Indian cricket League should have been allowed to function under open competition. But this was not to be. In hindsight, it is obvious it was the total monopoly by the BCCI that lead to total corruption. Why was the ICL treated so shabbily and why the government did nothing to allow competition? Where was the MRTP commission?
Huge dirt will be rolled out and skeletons will fall from each and every cupboard that will be opened and Modi may well be ousted. But the buck does not stop there. He was just one of the master manipulators who knew how to share the loot with all! And this loot sealed the lips and clogged the conscience of all, including the franchise owners! Remember, it takes a team, not an individual, to execute the devils plan to perfection. Catch them all- the businessman, the politician, the criminal and all those who washed their dirty hands in the flowing river of IPL! Spare none. Book them all.It may tke time and patience. yes, courage and tenacity of purpose will also be needed. But, ManMohan Singh saheb, we need you to take the bull by the horns and deliver! Yes, you can.... if you want!!
Let us look to IPL 4 as a league of clean people who can offer us clean and genuine cricket. Remember, it is NOT the league but the format of the T20 which ushers excitement-England, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan all have T-20! Let us continue with the format and enjoy the thrills of the game!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
If Tharoor sulks, then can Modi be far behind?
If Tharoor sulks, then can Modi be far behind?
He was nestled in a corner in a white lungi and a broad smile across his face. And he was chuckling in choicest of Malyalee to all and sundry! Just the coconut oil was missing from the hair! Yes, he was the suave and very urbane Shashi Tharoor courting the glamourous and charming lady with the sweat equity! Today, the same man languishes in a corner but sans the glamourous aide! That is what time and acts do to one. I am none to dismiss him as one who is guilty of impropriety. Nor am I a judge to comment on his ability to play the right “strokes” when in company of people who run the IPL. To borrow from Sunny Gavaskar, his “stroke selection was found wanting”!! But then it is sad to see the rather pathetic and dismal end to one who promised a lot. Yet another flower on the Indian political horizon has withered even before it bloomed!
If I am saddened by the turn of events involving Tharoor, then I am also relieved that the Indian masses may now be protected from the “Thugs” of Indian cricket. We Indians are gullible to the extent that we sacrifice our future at the altar of silly games like cricket( Oh! how my wife would be enjoying this! ) Cricket has long ceased to be just a game or rather a Gentleman’s Game. Today it is a game of rogues( apologies to all those “Genuine Gentlemen” who wielded the Willow in the yesteryears and some like Sachin even today!) be it those who flaunt the white( or coloured) flannels on the green field or those who wield the power in the corridors of the BCCI or those who decide the fate of the match even before it is played!
IPL may have taken the world by a storm as people are sitting glued to the idiot box from the time the coin spins in the air to decide who bats first till the last word of the presentation ceremony. Even those who had words of scorn and contempt for the game which stretched over five days, are seen scurrying home to enjoy a few hours of exciting cricket. But when the truth of match fixing and other dubious acts like the “IPL nights” dawns, then there is anger and frustration. Anger at being cheated and frustration at being incapable of doing anything to set the deviants right. Most cricket enthusiasts are raging at what is going on in the IPL today. Modi may have done wonders in marketing the new product-the T20. But that does not allow the man to perpetrate crime of fixing and arm twisting. Give him credit where he deserves and condemn him where his acts defame the game and the values of a civil society. We should be allowed to enjoy the game. And players should be allowed to play the game as a game where one tries his level best to win. Not to loose and fill the coffers of those who operate the players by remote control! The credit of the past should be carried over to cover the misdeeds of the current and the future.
There is a general feeling that Lalit Modi has grown too big for his boots. I am not inclined to give my personal opinion on the matter but I do feel that none should be greater than the game itself. A sport is an act that reflects a healthy mind and an equally healthy body. However, when a sport links a healthy mind but with an unhealthy mind, then caution needs to be exercised and exterminate the cause(s) that lead to this. If one man or a group of people indulge in melting the healthy values of the society and replace them with mouldable and flexible not so healthy values, then the society should act as a whole and ostracize the offenders promptly. Otherwise the rot sets in. Games that generate money that changes hue by the hour, can gnaw at the vitals of our society. Dishonest means generates dishonest money and this brings dishonesty to the society. We should not allow this.
If Tharoor sulks, then can Modi be far behind?
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Shoaib Clinton
The Shoaib episode takes me back to Bill Clinton and Monica. I recall how Bill beat around the bush and was finally nailed due to the blue dress! Ayesha too has probably kept her original dress and when she flashed her card of a DNA, Shoaib shivered and lost all his chivalry and caved in ! He crumbled and groveled and sought the papers to ink his name on the dotted line! And then the towering Ayesha went a step further. She needed money for the rest of her life. She needed to buy another house on the prestigious Banjara Hills. How much should she demand? Nothing less than 5-6 million rupees? But then, the wily mind works further. The settlement will be in hard cash. No cheques…who wants the Income Tax sleuths sniffing all over when all is done is dusted!! Tell the silly and gullible media that all this was done only for honour, for happiness , for justice. For token sake, ask a petty amount of Rs 15,000 as Mehr. The media and the public will buy it since they see a happy ending for the Indian girl who was taken for a ride by the Paki guy!
Well, this is my way of writing the story of Shoaib Clinton. Ekta Kapoor may add a dose of Sohrab Mirza who may find Ayesha a motivating factor and then Sohrab revists his past!! After all, no harm in raking in the mullah when it comes as easy as this!!
Sohrab can extend the opera for a few more episodes!!
But my mind is still puzzled. For my satisfaction, will someone tell me “Whom did Shoaib marry and whom did he divorce?”
And by the way, will the PCB still wave the ban on Shoaib?
Well, this is my way of writing the story of Shoaib Clinton. Ekta Kapoor may add a dose of Sohrab Mirza who may find Ayesha a motivating factor and then Sohrab revists his past!! After all, no harm in raking in the mullah when it comes as easy as this!!
Sohrab can extend the opera for a few more episodes!!
But my mind is still puzzled. For my satisfaction, will someone tell me “Whom did Shoaib marry and whom did he divorce?”
And by the way, will the PCB still wave the ban on Shoaib?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
A Bizarre Drama end in a damp squib!!
A bizarre end to a bizarre drama!
The media had a gala time. From the dailies to the plethora of TV channels! It did not rain, it poured! From the most obscure to those who have been sidelined. Each had a hearty go at the ridiculous angles in the tales of the triangle! Even Shobha De and Talat Aziz matched each others wits in an effort to project that one knows more about the whole saga!
I had always maintained that there is nothing in the whole exercise of washing ones rather dirty linen in public. The Siddiqui family was running after money. After all, why were they quiet for all these years and got excited only when they saw that Shoaib had netted a huge fish! They wanted monetary compensation matching Ayesha’s volume! And when the bite is as humongous as that, then obviously, the dirtiest of the linens can go public! No holds barred. A free for all mud slinging followed. All limits were crossed.
To Shoaib’s credit, he faced the scene like a man. He could have kept away from Hyderabad and got married in Dubai( which I feel they have already done). Ayesha and co would have fretted and fumed, but to no avail. However, Shoaib’s decision of marrying on phone was rather stupid. He fell lock stock and barrel for the “barrel”! And now he has to dole out from the “barrel” since he found himself staring down the barrel of a double barrel big bore! People started taking sides. Initally there was sympathy for Ayesha. Later people started feeling for Shoaib! Even the Trigger Happy Minister Quereshi was voicerfous when voicing support for Shoaib and welcomed the new Bahu to Pakistan!!The PCB felt the emotions and there are reports that the one year ban on Shoaib may be lifted!
Now with both the parties having tested each other to the hilt, they have acquiesced to a formula that no on will ever know about! Money has the power to crack even the hardest of nuts! Money also has the power of making the most unlikely become bedfellows!
Shoaib has reportedly agreed to divorce Ayesha. In return, Ayesha shall withdraw her police complaint. Quid pro quo. Now, how come Shoaib mian is divorcing someone whom he never married!!!! ( TV channels rush and net a more than willing Qazi sahib to comment on whether this divorce is acceptable!)And why is Ayesha suddenly changing tone and becoming goody goody??!! By the way, Ayesha supposedly had a miscarriage. Who was the father? That makes two fathers to be identified. One who sired Ayeshas unborn kid and the other is Rohit;s father. Rohit who? {Our very own ageing ND Tewari is ducking a paternity test lest he is proven to be Rohit;s father!} Wow! What a tale ! Utter rubbish heaped on us for days! Good riddance to bad rubbish. Finally we can go back to watching our TV news sans the nasal and shrill Sania Shoaib bellowing about her marriage plans.. Shoaib and Ayesha started with a “ You ruin my back…I ruin yours”. They ended with “ I caress your back. You caress mine”! As Sarfaz Nawaz would say, The whole epode was “fixed”!!! What do you say?
By the way they took off, we were anticipating a length and deadly duel! New postures would be seen. More intense attacks with unfolding of more personal details! People had almost stopped watching Sas bhee kabhee bahu thee…they had found a more melodramatic soap opera- Sania…ayesha kee Sautan!! And the beauty of this daily opera was that one could see it on all the channels and each channel had its own episode running! Wow1 Multiple episodes running thoughout the day! This made Balajee films see red! Beaten at their own game! But alas! Before the crescendo could be reached….the whole thing just fizzled out! Maybe it was not Shoaib who has paid Ayesha!? Yes? Yes!! Could be the TV serials fellows who bought out Ayesha ! They had to save their shows!!Hahhahaha
I always felt that the whole episode is a blot on modern society. Neither party was innocent and their behaviour has once again showed that money makes mankind perverse. As responsible citizens of a civilized society, we should condemn such rantings and devious deeds. And more so when they come from the so called respectable citizens. I wonder who is more poor…the honest but poor man who protects his honour and dignity with patience, come what may or the so called elites and he rich donning the garbs of Shoiabs , Sanias and Ayeshas who rush to the ever eager media to bite a little deeper into the pocket of the other??
Moral of the story? In order to divorce, there is no need to marry!! In order for money to meet money, shell some money! In order to shoot your TRP, get a cross border sob sob story!
The media had a gala time. From the dailies to the plethora of TV channels! It did not rain, it poured! From the most obscure to those who have been sidelined. Each had a hearty go at the ridiculous angles in the tales of the triangle! Even Shobha De and Talat Aziz matched each others wits in an effort to project that one knows more about the whole saga!
I had always maintained that there is nothing in the whole exercise of washing ones rather dirty linen in public. The Siddiqui family was running after money. After all, why were they quiet for all these years and got excited only when they saw that Shoaib had netted a huge fish! They wanted monetary compensation matching Ayesha’s volume! And when the bite is as humongous as that, then obviously, the dirtiest of the linens can go public! No holds barred. A free for all mud slinging followed. All limits were crossed.
To Shoaib’s credit, he faced the scene like a man. He could have kept away from Hyderabad and got married in Dubai( which I feel they have already done). Ayesha and co would have fretted and fumed, but to no avail. However, Shoaib’s decision of marrying on phone was rather stupid. He fell lock stock and barrel for the “barrel”! And now he has to dole out from the “barrel” since he found himself staring down the barrel of a double barrel big bore! People started taking sides. Initally there was sympathy for Ayesha. Later people started feeling for Shoaib! Even the Trigger Happy Minister Quereshi was voicerfous when voicing support for Shoaib and welcomed the new Bahu to Pakistan!!The PCB felt the emotions and there are reports that the one year ban on Shoaib may be lifted!
Now with both the parties having tested each other to the hilt, they have acquiesced to a formula that no on will ever know about! Money has the power to crack even the hardest of nuts! Money also has the power of making the most unlikely become bedfellows!
Shoaib has reportedly agreed to divorce Ayesha. In return, Ayesha shall withdraw her police complaint. Quid pro quo. Now, how come Shoaib mian is divorcing someone whom he never married!!!! ( TV channels rush and net a more than willing Qazi sahib to comment on whether this divorce is acceptable!)And why is Ayesha suddenly changing tone and becoming goody goody??!! By the way, Ayesha supposedly had a miscarriage. Who was the father? That makes two fathers to be identified. One who sired Ayeshas unborn kid and the other is Rohit;s father. Rohit who? {Our very own ageing ND Tewari is ducking a paternity test lest he is proven to be Rohit;s father!} Wow! What a tale ! Utter rubbish heaped on us for days! Good riddance to bad rubbish. Finally we can go back to watching our TV news sans the nasal and shrill Sania Shoaib bellowing about her marriage plans.. Shoaib and Ayesha started with a “ You ruin my back…I ruin yours”. They ended with “ I caress your back. You caress mine”! As Sarfaz Nawaz would say, The whole epode was “fixed”!!! What do you say?
By the way they took off, we were anticipating a length and deadly duel! New postures would be seen. More intense attacks with unfolding of more personal details! People had almost stopped watching Sas bhee kabhee bahu thee…they had found a more melodramatic soap opera- Sania…ayesha kee Sautan!! And the beauty of this daily opera was that one could see it on all the channels and each channel had its own episode running! Wow1 Multiple episodes running thoughout the day! This made Balajee films see red! Beaten at their own game! But alas! Before the crescendo could be reached….the whole thing just fizzled out! Maybe it was not Shoaib who has paid Ayesha!? Yes? Yes!! Could be the TV serials fellows who bought out Ayesha ! They had to save their shows!!Hahhahaha
I always felt that the whole episode is a blot on modern society. Neither party was innocent and their behaviour has once again showed that money makes mankind perverse. As responsible citizens of a civilized society, we should condemn such rantings and devious deeds. And more so when they come from the so called respectable citizens. I wonder who is more poor…the honest but poor man who protects his honour and dignity with patience, come what may or the so called elites and he rich donning the garbs of Shoiabs , Sanias and Ayeshas who rush to the ever eager media to bite a little deeper into the pocket of the other??
Moral of the story? In order to divorce, there is no need to marry!! In order for money to meet money, shell some money! In order to shoot your TRP, get a cross border sob sob story!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Women can finally raise the toast!!
Why the ruckus?
Inspite of the dithering and an awkward stance, the members of the Rajya Sabha finally got the act together and passed the Women’s reservation bill. Hamid Ansari bore the brunt of a few agitated MC P’s, but in the end, he had his day! Not only is he getting accolades for his brave and firm handling of the situation, he had the last laugh when the Terrible Seven were handed their punishment.
Coming to the Bill. Why the ruckus? What was there in the Bill that had Laloo and Mulayam in jitters?? Mulayam, your Dimple would not have lost to Raj Babbar if she had the chance to contest from a women’s reserved constituency !!
The Bill actually is a very simple document that wants to reserve 33.3% seats in the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabhas for women. Where is the problem? It looks fine to me to see that women are being empowered in a nation that is pitched to be a super power in not so distant future. If women slug it out between themselves and then reach the Lok Sabha, fine. Why the song and dance??
I sense it is the mental make up of us men. Probably , there lurks a fear that these women may outsmart the “Politician mards” in the parliament/Assemblies? A sense of inferiority grips the macho Yadav’s? And also probably, the “Politician mards” would be uncomfortable when in an agitated mood, mike flinging ensues!!
But some fear does filter in when one visualizes reservation. Women with money and status may over power the women who are from lower castes and economically weak. This is a possibility and needs to be addressed in great depth. I suppose this may be reason why the antagonists feel that a reservation within a reservation is desirable. But then, I feel that women will sort out this issue themselves very much like water finds its own level. Leave it to them. Women have already come a long way from the pre independence days. They are stronger, more aware and much more intelligent and aggressive.
Finally, I would suggest that Government should consider only one idea of reservation. 33.3% of the current strength. Not to add 33.3% over and above the current. See the difference? If we consider 33.3% of the current, then say in the lok Sabha, 181 will be women and 363 men. This fine and great. But if they add to the current, then we will have about 820 MP’s! Along with the 545 men, we will have another 273 women MP’s! This would spell disaster!! Economic madness as the parliamentary budget will shoot up! The poor “Aam admi will be skinned to his bones to provide for the budget!! And what of the discipline inside??? A fighting husband and wife can keep the entire locality up and about…God alone can help us when 545 men and 273 men decide to do what the seven Rajya Sabha MP’s decide to do what they did with Hamid Ansari!!
All said and done, a great achievement by the politicians of today! Cutting across party lines was a great gesture and deserves kudos! And yes, the earlier decision of similar reservation in Panchayati Raj elections has yielded good dividends. So, all the more reasons why this Bill should be welcomed with open arms!
Do we see a new India around the corner?
Inspite of the dithering and an awkward stance, the members of the Rajya Sabha finally got the act together and passed the Women’s reservation bill. Hamid Ansari bore the brunt of a few agitated MC P’s, but in the end, he had his day! Not only is he getting accolades for his brave and firm handling of the situation, he had the last laugh when the Terrible Seven were handed their punishment.
Coming to the Bill. Why the ruckus? What was there in the Bill that had Laloo and Mulayam in jitters?? Mulayam, your Dimple would not have lost to Raj Babbar if she had the chance to contest from a women’s reserved constituency !!
The Bill actually is a very simple document that wants to reserve 33.3% seats in the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabhas for women. Where is the problem? It looks fine to me to see that women are being empowered in a nation that is pitched to be a super power in not so distant future. If women slug it out between themselves and then reach the Lok Sabha, fine. Why the song and dance??
I sense it is the mental make up of us men. Probably , there lurks a fear that these women may outsmart the “Politician mards” in the parliament/Assemblies? A sense of inferiority grips the macho Yadav’s? And also probably, the “Politician mards” would be uncomfortable when in an agitated mood, mike flinging ensues!!
But some fear does filter in when one visualizes reservation. Women with money and status may over power the women who are from lower castes and economically weak. This is a possibility and needs to be addressed in great depth. I suppose this may be reason why the antagonists feel that a reservation within a reservation is desirable. But then, I feel that women will sort out this issue themselves very much like water finds its own level. Leave it to them. Women have already come a long way from the pre independence days. They are stronger, more aware and much more intelligent and aggressive.
Finally, I would suggest that Government should consider only one idea of reservation. 33.3% of the current strength. Not to add 33.3% over and above the current. See the difference? If we consider 33.3% of the current, then say in the lok Sabha, 181 will be women and 363 men. This fine and great. But if they add to the current, then we will have about 820 MP’s! Along with the 545 men, we will have another 273 women MP’s! This would spell disaster!! Economic madness as the parliamentary budget will shoot up! The poor “Aam admi will be skinned to his bones to provide for the budget!! And what of the discipline inside??? A fighting husband and wife can keep the entire locality up and about…God alone can help us when 545 men and 273 men decide to do what the seven Rajya Sabha MP’s decide to do what they did with Hamid Ansari!!
All said and done, a great achievement by the politicians of today! Cutting across party lines was a great gesture and deserves kudos! And yes, the earlier decision of similar reservation in Panchayati Raj elections has yielded good dividends. So, all the more reasons why this Bill should be welcomed with open arms!
Do we see a new India around the corner?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Barkha jee…pull up your socks and stop the gabble ! { Come on….don’t say, “ I wear none”}
Barkha jee…pull up your socks and stop the gabble !
{ Come on….don’t say, “ I wear none”}
Inspite of Shoaib Q’s reminder, I missed the telecast as I had to complete an important errand. But he was gracious to remind me that the repeat telecast was round the corner. It was 15 minutes and I was over 15 kms away! I juggled the steering as I went perilously near a side walk. Later I just about managed to avoid a screaming jaywalker as a horn hungry Lumina almost pierced my already weakened ear drums! I stepped on the gas and relived some memories of when caution was thrown to the wind when behind the steering! I did not want to miss the programme!
Panel discussions are normally always very exciting and one learns a lot from the wisdom of the panel. But there is always an exception. Barkha Dutt in We the People telecast on the 7th of March was a huge disappointment. The panel is an indication of the possible quality of the discussion. And the panel she chose was pathetic and a loose collection of people who had really nothing much in common. Soha Ali Khan and Kabeer Khan, almost anonymous persons who would find little claim to name or fame of any kind. I do not wish to sound harsh but the fact remains that they were total misfits. By the way, pardon my ignorance, but who is Kabeer Khan?
Now let me ask Barkha. What was the show all about? What exactly were we debating or discussing? Was there a basic theme? Muslims? Islam? Stereotypes? Hijab? Muslim Leadership?
Now let us review the panel. Eight members on the panel. Out of these, five were from the film fraternity. Now, if the issue was Islam or Muslims, them I really wonder what Karan Johan and the likes were doing there? From what I could understand, the issue was dealing with Muslims and their image. And Alyque Padamsee, a panel member, confessed on stage that he did away with his religion when he was 18! And yet, he pretended to profess profound and abstruse philosophy on religion! Soha had little idea if she was actually a Muslim. She groped on many an occasion but found it difficult to state unequivocally that she was a Muslim. Sharmila Tagore has been a great Ma. Her daughter , dressed in some outlandish and humongous boots, tried her best to sound like a “know all” but in vain. Karan Johar was like fish out of water. He would make some strange gurgling sounds and though faint, I interpreted them as My Name is Khan, which we all know is not. But then he was referring to the much flouted Shahrukh Khan starrer. But what was he doing here? And that brings me to the other panel member-Shahrukh Khan. Though again, not the most suitable member to debate religion, he did make some very honest and serious efforts. And Barkha is probably angling for a debut on the celluloid! Why I got this feeling? Well, she was ensuring that the Khan was getting the maximum frame and exposure! The two members who were seriously qualified to discuss the topic were reminding me of Akshay Kumar. Why? Well, both suffered heavily at the hands of the editor! Minimum exposure to the most qualified speakers! That, I am afraid, does not speak very highly of Barkha Dutt. She , either by design or by default, ensured that both Dr. Zakir Naik and Maulana Madni, who could make the difference, were derailed. They were totally stifled. For some stranger reason, Najeeb, the one from the Jamia Millia was ill at ease with himself! On most occasions he was on the look out for some pot shots at Dr Zakir Naik. Perhaps, the skull cap and the flowing beard of Dr.Naik made him see red! I pity Jamia.
All in all, a very pathetic show and a massive disappointment for all those who had great expectations from the Warrior Journalist Barkha. Poor selection of panel and poor time allocation. Even the audience was throttled. Questions asked by them were never answered!
Barkha should remember that discussions on religion are serious matters and deserve an appropriate panel to debate intellectually and fearlessly. What happens when Jaspal Bhatty tries to analyze the Union Budget? Or when Shakti Kapoor assesses our national nuclear programme? Need I say more? And Barkha should have had more intelligent and relevant questions rather than asking insipid ones opinion on Osama Bin Laden!
I rate Barkha as an excellent anchor. But to err is human and this is the second major goof up by Barkha Dutt. The first being the one which was sent out live just after 26/11 where she allowed Simi the freedom of expression which impinged upon the basic rights of us Indians.
And all the dare devil driving only to watch Soha dangling her boots , hear Kabeer talk gibberish whilst Shahrukh and Karan promote MNIK? And additional claptrap and twaddle provided by Woodey Allen look alike, Alyque Padamsee ?
{ Come on….don’t say, “ I wear none”}
Inspite of Shoaib Q’s reminder, I missed the telecast as I had to complete an important errand. But he was gracious to remind me that the repeat telecast was round the corner. It was 15 minutes and I was over 15 kms away! I juggled the steering as I went perilously near a side walk. Later I just about managed to avoid a screaming jaywalker as a horn hungry Lumina almost pierced my already weakened ear drums! I stepped on the gas and relived some memories of when caution was thrown to the wind when behind the steering! I did not want to miss the programme!
Panel discussions are normally always very exciting and one learns a lot from the wisdom of the panel. But there is always an exception. Barkha Dutt in We the People telecast on the 7th of March was a huge disappointment. The panel is an indication of the possible quality of the discussion. And the panel she chose was pathetic and a loose collection of people who had really nothing much in common. Soha Ali Khan and Kabeer Khan, almost anonymous persons who would find little claim to name or fame of any kind. I do not wish to sound harsh but the fact remains that they were total misfits. By the way, pardon my ignorance, but who is Kabeer Khan?
Now let me ask Barkha. What was the show all about? What exactly were we debating or discussing? Was there a basic theme? Muslims? Islam? Stereotypes? Hijab? Muslim Leadership?
Now let us review the panel. Eight members on the panel. Out of these, five were from the film fraternity. Now, if the issue was Islam or Muslims, them I really wonder what Karan Johan and the likes were doing there? From what I could understand, the issue was dealing with Muslims and their image. And Alyque Padamsee, a panel member, confessed on stage that he did away with his religion when he was 18! And yet, he pretended to profess profound and abstruse philosophy on religion! Soha had little idea if she was actually a Muslim. She groped on many an occasion but found it difficult to state unequivocally that she was a Muslim. Sharmila Tagore has been a great Ma. Her daughter , dressed in some outlandish and humongous boots, tried her best to sound like a “know all” but in vain. Karan Johar was like fish out of water. He would make some strange gurgling sounds and though faint, I interpreted them as My Name is Khan, which we all know is not. But then he was referring to the much flouted Shahrukh Khan starrer. But what was he doing here? And that brings me to the other panel member-Shahrukh Khan. Though again, not the most suitable member to debate religion, he did make some very honest and serious efforts. And Barkha is probably angling for a debut on the celluloid! Why I got this feeling? Well, she was ensuring that the Khan was getting the maximum frame and exposure! The two members who were seriously qualified to discuss the topic were reminding me of Akshay Kumar. Why? Well, both suffered heavily at the hands of the editor! Minimum exposure to the most qualified speakers! That, I am afraid, does not speak very highly of Barkha Dutt. She , either by design or by default, ensured that both Dr. Zakir Naik and Maulana Madni, who could make the difference, were derailed. They were totally stifled. For some stranger reason, Najeeb, the one from the Jamia Millia was ill at ease with himself! On most occasions he was on the look out for some pot shots at Dr Zakir Naik. Perhaps, the skull cap and the flowing beard of Dr.Naik made him see red! I pity Jamia.
All in all, a very pathetic show and a massive disappointment for all those who had great expectations from the Warrior Journalist Barkha. Poor selection of panel and poor time allocation. Even the audience was throttled. Questions asked by them were never answered!
Barkha should remember that discussions on religion are serious matters and deserve an appropriate panel to debate intellectually and fearlessly. What happens when Jaspal Bhatty tries to analyze the Union Budget? Or when Shakti Kapoor assesses our national nuclear programme? Need I say more? And Barkha should have had more intelligent and relevant questions rather than asking insipid ones opinion on Osama Bin Laden!
I rate Barkha as an excellent anchor. But to err is human and this is the second major goof up by Barkha Dutt. The first being the one which was sent out live just after 26/11 where she allowed Simi the freedom of expression which impinged upon the basic rights of us Indians.
And all the dare devil driving only to watch Soha dangling her boots , hear Kabeer talk gibberish whilst Shahrukh and Karan promote MNIK? And additional claptrap and twaddle provided by Woodey Allen look alike, Alyque Padamsee ?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Mr.Prime Minister....we need Colleges and varsities!
Mr. Prime Minister….we need Colleges!
On the last day of February of 2010, the Tricolour flutters with pride. So does every Indian who works in Saudi Arabia. The picture in Riyadh today is that of colour splashed all over! The Indian and the Saudi flags dance in harmony and glory. A sign of the great relations that exist between the two nations.
Today’s newspapers in Saudi Arabia are all about the warm and friendly Indo Saudi relations. One leading newspaper has over a dozen advertisements hailing the visit of the Prime Minister ! The first after a gap of 28 years!
And what is more remarkable is the fact that the Prime Minister is accompanied by a high powered delegation of several senior ministers and officials along with a legion of senior journalists who would be carrying back the impressions to our fellow countrymen back home. The role of this throng is vital and will make an impact for the future.
This visit is not merely ornamental but it means business. It is said that nine agreements will be signed during this three day visit including one on memoranda of understanding on scientific and technological cooperation.
I look at the larger picture for tomorrow. There are almost 1.8 million Indians residing across the Kingdom and this is a substantial proportion of the total expatriates living here. And we have come a long way as today India has its own brand equity in the market. We are no longer seen as suppliers of unskilled labour but as one which has provided the intelligentsia. It is a matter of pride that we see Indians not only as senior manager but also as entrepreneurs! And that too in substantial quantity.
The NRI’s in Saudi have always stood up when they were needed. But there are issues which bother us and which are left unaddressed. The most vital and pressing is the need to provide for College and Varsity education. Now, this is a huge hassle and families are faced with very traumatic conditions as the child approaches high school! Sleepless nights , animated discussions, anxiety levels on the rise and what not are the order of the day as one tries to plan the future for the 14-15 year old little kids who have always lived a protected life! Trauma grips the family. The family is going to be split!! The little ones have to fend for themselves whilst the mother braces to live alone chaperoning the child. The Father happens to be the bread earner hence he has to stay back and live the life of a forced bachelor. And one must not forget that the parents are now in the late 40’s and early 50’s. This is the stage when health issue gains priority. What was once a happy united family is now torn apart. This is where the Government of India needs to step in and find a solution. We need to have colleges and varsities here. And this depends on the determination of the Government. And yes, to ensure that no violation of any sorts occurs, these colleges and varsities will be restricted to Indian nationals only. Mr.Man Mohan Singh needs to do what Indira Gandhi did 28 years ago. She was instrumental in establishing Indian schools in Saudi Arabia. Singh will become King if he can get college education for over 50,000 kids who study in Saudi Arabia! Man Mohan Singh will be providing a solution to a burning issue. It would be a great service to the community and the nation.
And yes, we have long been yearning to have voting rights. And it is time that the present government works hard and takes a decision on the issue.
On the last day of February of 2010, the Tricolour flutters with pride. So does every Indian who works in Saudi Arabia. The picture in Riyadh today is that of colour splashed all over! The Indian and the Saudi flags dance in harmony and glory. A sign of the great relations that exist between the two nations.
Today’s newspapers in Saudi Arabia are all about the warm and friendly Indo Saudi relations. One leading newspaper has over a dozen advertisements hailing the visit of the Prime Minister ! The first after a gap of 28 years!
And what is more remarkable is the fact that the Prime Minister is accompanied by a high powered delegation of several senior ministers and officials along with a legion of senior journalists who would be carrying back the impressions to our fellow countrymen back home. The role of this throng is vital and will make an impact for the future.
This visit is not merely ornamental but it means business. It is said that nine agreements will be signed during this three day visit including one on memoranda of understanding on scientific and technological cooperation.
I look at the larger picture for tomorrow. There are almost 1.8 million Indians residing across the Kingdom and this is a substantial proportion of the total expatriates living here. And we have come a long way as today India has its own brand equity in the market. We are no longer seen as suppliers of unskilled labour but as one which has provided the intelligentsia. It is a matter of pride that we see Indians not only as senior manager but also as entrepreneurs! And that too in substantial quantity.
The NRI’s in Saudi have always stood up when they were needed. But there are issues which bother us and which are left unaddressed. The most vital and pressing is the need to provide for College and Varsity education. Now, this is a huge hassle and families are faced with very traumatic conditions as the child approaches high school! Sleepless nights , animated discussions, anxiety levels on the rise and what not are the order of the day as one tries to plan the future for the 14-15 year old little kids who have always lived a protected life! Trauma grips the family. The family is going to be split!! The little ones have to fend for themselves whilst the mother braces to live alone chaperoning the child. The Father happens to be the bread earner hence he has to stay back and live the life of a forced bachelor. And one must not forget that the parents are now in the late 40’s and early 50’s. This is the stage when health issue gains priority. What was once a happy united family is now torn apart. This is where the Government of India needs to step in and find a solution. We need to have colleges and varsities here. And this depends on the determination of the Government. And yes, to ensure that no violation of any sorts occurs, these colleges and varsities will be restricted to Indian nationals only. Mr.Man Mohan Singh needs to do what Indira Gandhi did 28 years ago. She was instrumental in establishing Indian schools in Saudi Arabia. Singh will become King if he can get college education for over 50,000 kids who study in Saudi Arabia! Man Mohan Singh will be providing a solution to a burning issue. It would be a great service to the community and the nation.
And yes, we have long been yearning to have voting rights. And it is time that the present government works hard and takes a decision on the issue.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sovereign or subjugated?
Sovereignty misunderstood
Last month India rejoiced on the 60th Anniversary of its constitution. 26th January 1950 was indeed a red letter day for India as we Indians stood up and adopted a charter that was free and provided opportunity to one and all. At the same time it ensured our sovereignty. Our constitution gave us the freedom to not only practice what we believe in but also gave us a nation that was capable of taking its own decisions and not being subservient to anyone. As a proud Indian, I salute all those known and unknown souls who made this constitution a reality. I salute because of their vision. I salute because had it not been their far sightedness, we might have just about ended up as just another nation which is counted because of its geographical existence and not because of its status and strength. Hamare buzurgoun ko salaam!!
Indeed, we have been gifted with the two most sought after W’s-wisdom and wealth. Our heritage made our future a lot easier to craft. We moulded with success.
But today I stop and look back. What must have been in the mind of Pandit Nehru, Dr.Ambedkar , Maulana Azad and all those who strived for India’s freedom? Did they visualize the India as it is today? Perhaps partly.
India has grown as a giant in the world today. This would have pleased Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru no end as this was their vision. The freedom fighters laid down their lives for a better India. And today we stand with pride in our eyes living their dreams of a free and fair India. The 50’s and the 60’s were the Nehru Era when India stepped into the world with decisive and firm steps. We saw the beginning of the demise of untouchability and discriminations. Nehru ushered technology that led us to the Silicon Valley!
India started to bloom. But still away from a glorious, full bloom!
But an honest evaluation may reveal a slightly uncomfortable picture. Uncomfortable at our own contribution, at our own roles. Uncomfortable at our compromise of our sovereignty. I suspect that we never really understood what sovereignty meant. We sold our nation to our own whims and fancies. Our own petty parochial thinking. We forgot the nation and remembered our caste, creed, religion. We forgot the sacrifices of our forefathers and looked at what benefits us, our family. National interests got buried below our idiosyncrasies. We became insular, blinkered.
India has not reached where it should have. We have the potential but not the willingness. We stride not hard enough to reach the goal. We form political parties that have agendas which take us away from national perspectives. We patronize politicians who never wish the welfare of the masses. We are subjugated not sovereign! Whatever India has grown, it is by its rich heritage. Not by our efforts.
When will we really understand that a sovereign India will be achieved only when we forget vote bank politics? When we stop divisive politics. In the race for world supremacy, India needs its children to stand shoulder to shoulder. We need to create a truly sovereign India. Indians need to wake up to the stark reality that nations progress when the citizens strive and sacrifice. When hard work replaces lethargy and when national pride displaces ill conceived petty personal gains.
A truly free India will assume the mantle of the Leader of the world. We owe this to our children.
Last month India rejoiced on the 60th Anniversary of its constitution. 26th January 1950 was indeed a red letter day for India as we Indians stood up and adopted a charter that was free and provided opportunity to one and all. At the same time it ensured our sovereignty. Our constitution gave us the freedom to not only practice what we believe in but also gave us a nation that was capable of taking its own decisions and not being subservient to anyone. As a proud Indian, I salute all those known and unknown souls who made this constitution a reality. I salute because of their vision. I salute because had it not been their far sightedness, we might have just about ended up as just another nation which is counted because of its geographical existence and not because of its status and strength. Hamare buzurgoun ko salaam!!
Indeed, we have been gifted with the two most sought after W’s-wisdom and wealth. Our heritage made our future a lot easier to craft. We moulded with success.
But today I stop and look back. What must have been in the mind of Pandit Nehru, Dr.Ambedkar , Maulana Azad and all those who strived for India’s freedom? Did they visualize the India as it is today? Perhaps partly.
India has grown as a giant in the world today. This would have pleased Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru no end as this was their vision. The freedom fighters laid down their lives for a better India. And today we stand with pride in our eyes living their dreams of a free and fair India. The 50’s and the 60’s were the Nehru Era when India stepped into the world with decisive and firm steps. We saw the beginning of the demise of untouchability and discriminations. Nehru ushered technology that led us to the Silicon Valley!
India started to bloom. But still away from a glorious, full bloom!
But an honest evaluation may reveal a slightly uncomfortable picture. Uncomfortable at our own contribution, at our own roles. Uncomfortable at our compromise of our sovereignty. I suspect that we never really understood what sovereignty meant. We sold our nation to our own whims and fancies. Our own petty parochial thinking. We forgot the nation and remembered our caste, creed, religion. We forgot the sacrifices of our forefathers and looked at what benefits us, our family. National interests got buried below our idiosyncrasies. We became insular, blinkered.
India has not reached where it should have. We have the potential but not the willingness. We stride not hard enough to reach the goal. We form political parties that have agendas which take us away from national perspectives. We patronize politicians who never wish the welfare of the masses. We are subjugated not sovereign! Whatever India has grown, it is by its rich heritage. Not by our efforts.
When will we really understand that a sovereign India will be achieved only when we forget vote bank politics? When we stop divisive politics. In the race for world supremacy, India needs its children to stand shoulder to shoulder. We need to create a truly sovereign India. Indians need to wake up to the stark reality that nations progress when the citizens strive and sacrifice. When hard work replaces lethargy and when national pride displaces ill conceived petty personal gains.
A truly free India will assume the mantle of the Leader of the world. We owe this to our children.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Obama, Lend me your ears
Barack, you are almost on the verge of completing a year in Office as the most powerful man in the world. When you stop and look back, what do you see? Peace on shaky grounds? International violence on the rise ?
I know you can. But what we do not know is when you can. And it is this uncertainty that casts its doubt about .Yes, you are a man of peace. I believe in this albeit I am in the small minority. When you were awarded the Nobel Peace prize, there were skeptics gunning for those who decided. They sniggered and summarily cast aside the citation and called the whole exercise as politics. But I believed in the award and still believe that the right man has got the award at just the right time.
But when I read the story of the Lap Bomber, I was shell shocked. The timing of the whole episode reminded me of the video tapes emerging just before the presidential polls featuring George Bush. Even your clear tone seemed to acquire a slight Texan brawl. We all remember Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," arrested on December 22, 2001, for trying to blow up American Airlines flight 63, coming into Miami from Paris. The issue set the stage for a massive screening of selected passengers at all airports and you specifically named fourteen nations whom you distrust. This skepticism alienates even further. Although a ridiculous exercise, you seem to be set to get the screening going which as per the CBS news, “ Bares All”. It's called a "whole body imager," and it can indeed see your whole body underneath your clothing”, according to CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.
Barack, we know that humans have a way of competing with each other. We know that there is always a war between the good and the bad. That is nature. That is why Law and the criminal are always vying to be a step ahead of the other. That is why crime still happens the world over in spite of great policing efforts. That is why we had the Oklahoma Bomber. You agree?
Barack, any amount of screening will not guarantee safety. This is because, you, a man of peace, is looking at the wrong end of the gun. You have tried to reach when the plant has grown into a tree. Reach when the sapling can still be moulded.
You, a worthy persona, is lamentably providing knee jerk treatment which is superficial. You are not reaching at the root cause. Barack, the Nobel laureate, may please take a leaf out of the original man of peace Mahatma Gandhi and do some “Gandhigiri”. No nation or community is inherently gun toting. When the environment instills insecurity, the instinct of survival moves one to measures other than peace. Let me quote from Psychology Today which proves my point, “Societal influences help foment violent behavior. The images that populate mass media actually have the longest-lasting impact of all contributors to violence. Prolonged exposure to violent images increases the of becoming a victim, desensitizes violence, and heightens the viewer's appetite for similarly engaging in violence”.
Barack, you are still in your presidential infancy. You have the vision and I have the faith. Yes, you can-replace the gun with peace and trust and propagate policies to weed out the root cause of violence. Lap Bombers will automatically cease to exist.
Barack, you are almost on the verge of completing a year in Office as the most powerful man in the world. When you stop and look back, what do you see? Peace on shaky grounds? International violence on the rise ?
I know you can. But what we do not know is when you can. And it is this uncertainty that casts its doubt about .Yes, you are a man of peace. I believe in this albeit I am in the small minority. When you were awarded the Nobel Peace prize, there were skeptics gunning for those who decided. They sniggered and summarily cast aside the citation and called the whole exercise as politics. But I believed in the award and still believe that the right man has got the award at just the right time.
But when I read the story of the Lap Bomber, I was shell shocked. The timing of the whole episode reminded me of the video tapes emerging just before the presidential polls featuring George Bush. Even your clear tone seemed to acquire a slight Texan brawl. We all remember Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," arrested on December 22, 2001, for trying to blow up American Airlines flight 63, coming into Miami from Paris. The issue set the stage for a massive screening of selected passengers at all airports and you specifically named fourteen nations whom you distrust. This skepticism alienates even further. Although a ridiculous exercise, you seem to be set to get the screening going which as per the CBS news, “ Bares All”. It's called a "whole body imager," and it can indeed see your whole body underneath your clothing”, according to CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.
Barack, we know that humans have a way of competing with each other. We know that there is always a war between the good and the bad. That is nature. That is why Law and the criminal are always vying to be a step ahead of the other. That is why crime still happens the world over in spite of great policing efforts. That is why we had the Oklahoma Bomber. You agree?
Barack, any amount of screening will not guarantee safety. This is because, you, a man of peace, is looking at the wrong end of the gun. You have tried to reach when the plant has grown into a tree. Reach when the sapling can still be moulded.
You, a worthy persona, is lamentably providing knee jerk treatment which is superficial. You are not reaching at the root cause. Barack, the Nobel laureate, may please take a leaf out of the original man of peace Mahatma Gandhi and do some “Gandhigiri”. No nation or community is inherently gun toting. When the environment instills insecurity, the instinct of survival moves one to measures other than peace. Let me quote from Psychology Today which proves my point, “Societal influences help foment violent behavior. The images that populate mass media actually have the longest-lasting impact of all contributors to violence. Prolonged exposure to violent images increases the of becoming a victim, desensitizes violence, and heightens the viewer's appetite for similarly engaging in violence”.
Barack, you are still in your presidential infancy. You have the vision and I have the faith. Yes, you can-replace the gun with peace and trust and propagate policies to weed out the root cause of violence. Lap Bombers will automatically cease to exist.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The world of 2010
A lesson learnt
As the 2009 Sun was about to bid goodbye
It stopped and looked at me
There was a smile alright
But it lacked in warmth and real happiness.
I smiled back with joy
And looked deep into the setting Sun
Why was it devoid of zest
What was amiss that saddened the Sun?
I was glad to see the setting of the year
I had lived with happiness and joy
There was pleasure and felt no fear
But perhaps the Sun had seen what I had not
My World was small
But the Sun had seen the World
It saw the flying missiles and passing bullets
It saw the slow dying of those who starved
It heard the cries of the trodden and old
It saw the helplessness of the weak
It felt the fear of the hounded
It cried when children were orphaned
This it saw over and over again
It saw each in his own little world
Oblivious of the sorrows of the rest
It never slept, joy was lost, it only wept.
But a small smile adorns the setting Sun
It sends a message of hope
All is not lost, there is scope
The early morning rays beckon
Now I see what the Sun wanted to say
Indeed, we forgot the weak and hungry
We saw our own small world and lived
Like the Sun, we need to live for the World.
It is time we felt and lived
Not just for our own small circle
But for humanity, the entire world
Let’s keep pace with the 2010 Sun.
Syed Abdallah Rizvi
Dammam/2010
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