Modi’s Fast is a Farce
I blame the media for this yet another round of theatrics. It is now a Fashion to fast. And with the 24X 7 media blitz of Anna’s fast, the ground has been prepared for the media hungry polticos! Good for the channels…good for the politicos…but bad for the aam admi! Why the channels are focusing so much on the copy cat? Leave the man alone and see the results. Modi needs Iballs as his daily diet!
Coming to Modi and his farce, a travesty. Did I say Farce ? Just a slip of the tongue….I mean his fast which is aimed at sadhbhavna. What does this mean? To me as a layman, this means “twist the arm further” You understand anything different? Sadhbhavna, as per Modi, is the ability to squeeze the last bit out of the hapless victims. After almost 10 years of taunting the victimized community, he now feels it is time to go for the Jugular. He wants to ensure that those whom he trampled mercilessly should now realize that absolute power lies within his reach and that he will suck the last drop of blood once the case comes to the trial court! Hence, the fast to intimidate and communicate. Modi is in no “pashchatap” mode. He has no regrets, no qualms. Given the opportunity, he would gleefully do the same again! After all, he consolidated the majority votes after his genocide. His face reveals a unique , wry , limited extension of the end of his lips. We cannot call this a smile. It conceals more than what it reveals. In Islam, fasting is for cleansing the heart and mind. If this is the case with Modi, we will support him and forgive him. But alas, this does not seem to be the case. It is just the façade! A charade!
Modi says that he has been exonerated. Really? And how? I am no legal brain but I suppose I can still read English. I read that the court has taken cognizance of the appeal of Mrs. Jafri and felt that, as per the law, let the matter be heard in the trial court, where both the SIT and the Amicus will be given an opportunity. The SC opines that this is the privilege of the trial court. Where is the exoneration? Let me quote Mr.Sanjiv Bhatt, the IPS officer who has dared to speak the truth, “Mrs. Jafri had approached the Honorable Gujarat High Court with a prayer for registering her complaint as an FIR. The said petition was disallowed by the Honourable High Court of Gujarat. Mrs. Jafri, therefore, approached the Honourable Supreme Court of India by way of a Special Leave Petition against the order of the High Court. The Honourable Supreme Court directed the SIT to look into her complaint and subsequently also directed the learned Amicus to examine the evidence collected by the SIT. At the end of this long and arduous exercise the Honourable Supreme Court has not only allowed the Appeal of Mrs. Jafri and directed the SIT to virtually treat the complaint of Mrs. Jafrri as an FIR, but has also directed the SIT to file a report under section 173(2) of the Cr.P.C. Let me clarify for your benefit and for the benefit of your Six crore brothers and sisters of Gujarat, that this report under section 173(2) of the Cr.P.C. is colloquially known as Charge-Sheet or Final Report.” Where does the Supreme Court say that charges by Mrs. Jafri are baseless and hence Modi “ba izzat bari keeye jaate hain”. Has anyone read or heard this? So, from where is the exoneration? Yes, I do suspect that the catch lies elsewhere and for which the celebration under the guise of a fast! Can we hear someone saying, “ab aaya oont pahad kay neechay”?
Yes, Modi is eyeing the centre. He feels that he needs to get out of the state and reach Delhi. But he is in for a rude shock. Not only him, but his sycophants , which includes the grand old Advani. Modi is dishing out meaningless figures boasting of his great entrepreneurial spirit and expertise. He is taking the media for a ride. While speaking to Rahul Kanwal of Headlines Today, he compared the riots of 1969,84,92 with the Gujarat massacre and challenged him why no one speaks of them and only wants to corner him. He actually toyed with Rahul like a kid who did not answer him! A sad commentary on the level of the channel. Let me answer Modi with this simple one liner. “In the cases mentioned by you, NO CHIEF MINISTER WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED like you were”!!!
He tried to conceal his glee while stressing that he is adroit at all that he touches. Let me ask his cohorts if they have heard of a man by the name of Nitiesh Kumar? If they have, then they should know that he has a better track record of governance that Modi. Kumar has transformed one of the most backward states( Bihar) into a model. He has fought odds to show brilliance. He is the Anna of Bihar and will be backed by the NDA allies( and possibly some BJP leaders also!). Gujarat, on the contrary, has always been more entrepreneurial and has always shown very high growth rates. Even before Modi, double digit growth rates have been recorded. By nature, a Gujrati has been ambitious and hard working. And finally, the nation as a whole has seen a sea change. Just a decade back, communicating from smaller cities was an ordeal; villages were in a world of their own! Transportation was a luxury. Electricity was a rarity. Education was for the elite and few. Today, India has evolved. Naturally, also the states have benefitted. This is not a case wherein the whole nation has been a laggard except Gujarat which has grown by leaps and bounds. So, Modi has done nothing exceptional. He shows no outstanding managerial and organizational skills. He has carried on what he received in legacy…the magnificent spirit of the Gujarati!
Modi needs to sincerely apologize to those whom he trampled. He needs to honestly apologize to the community which gave him mandate ( to become the CM) and was then humiliated ruthlessly. He needs to humbly apologize to the nation which gave him everything and in return he decimated its children and ransacked its gardens.
But there is another view point. An apology will be words only! He can conveniently shed a few crocodile tears and pretend remorse. Justice should be done. And justice means punishment to the guilty. Punishment commensurate to the crime committed. If all criminals plead remorse and walk away , India would have to abort its IPC’s and the Cr.PC’s!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Anna needs to mellow
My sincere apologies to the die hard Anna supporters. I have always professed my appreciation of the issues that Anna raises. But I am not on the same page when it comes to the methods he adopts. He however, is as free as anyone else, to pursue his methods. But they should be based on mutual respect and within the framework of our robust democracy.
I felt that Anna has always had that streak of autocracy in him. Beneath the Gandhi topi rests a very authoritarian mind. It has surfaced before when he dismissed Digvijay Singh as one fit for the mental asylum and is now once again very much visible when he points his pudgy fingers and rolls his eyes and says that those MP’s who have opposed his Jan lok Pal bill, should be identified and then harassed by virtue of “gheraoing” their residence. I consider that as utterly Hitlerian in attitude. This reflects that he is not willing to see any opposition to what he considers is the ultimate truth-either my way or the highway approach. Anna fails to realize that we are a free and a democratic nation and like him, each citizen f India has the right to his own opinion! Why should Anna attempt to “terrorize” others into toeing his line?
I find this ridiculous to the core. Why does he utter diktats? Are we living in a country ruled by Emperor Anna? If the MP’s have not favoured his bill, so what? And why not? They may have a reason for it.Even otherwise, they are free citizens of a free nation. Who is Anna to pass a Pheronic judgment? I have always feared that the so called Gandhians have always betrayed a different hue when they are in their own elements. And this is what bothers me . Anna and his team have bulldozed their way to fame. Yes, the government played further into their hands by mismanaging the Anna fast and the proposed Jan LP Bill. Anna, the simple man from the village, suddenly was propelled to the International pedestal at such a felicity that he probably wondered if he was enjoying a Midsummer Night’s dream or was he Anna in wonderland! Suddenly, he realizes that he carries a clout more powerful than the politician! And then, the thrill of wielding it! Step on it…tells the heart! And this is where I see a conflict between the heart and the mind of a septuagenarian! Not to mention some over zealous advisers who are eager to cash on his growing fame and stature!
But as citizens of India who feel that India is going through very trying times, we feel that Anna needs to exercise caution and wisdom. He has to ensure that the masses who are trusting him are not betrayed by his attitude. India stands at a cross road which is very crucial. We could go in any direction. Anna has raised the issue of corruption and the performance of MP’s. Both are very vital and should not be allowed to fizzle away. He needs to reign in his autocratic leanings and become a Gandhian in a true Gandhijis spirit. Anna, the nation needs you. I know that 73 years is too old an age to change, but still for the sake of the movement that you have initiated, bridle your instincts and adopt flexibility ….at least till the time you have belled the cat!!
I do hope that a fresh diktat is not issued to gherao the write of this blog!
I felt that Anna has always had that streak of autocracy in him. Beneath the Gandhi topi rests a very authoritarian mind. It has surfaced before when he dismissed Digvijay Singh as one fit for the mental asylum and is now once again very much visible when he points his pudgy fingers and rolls his eyes and says that those MP’s who have opposed his Jan lok Pal bill, should be identified and then harassed by virtue of “gheraoing” their residence. I consider that as utterly Hitlerian in attitude. This reflects that he is not willing to see any opposition to what he considers is the ultimate truth-either my way or the highway approach. Anna fails to realize that we are a free and a democratic nation and like him, each citizen f India has the right to his own opinion! Why should Anna attempt to “terrorize” others into toeing his line?
I find this ridiculous to the core. Why does he utter diktats? Are we living in a country ruled by Emperor Anna? If the MP’s have not favoured his bill, so what? And why not? They may have a reason for it.Even otherwise, they are free citizens of a free nation. Who is Anna to pass a Pheronic judgment? I have always feared that the so called Gandhians have always betrayed a different hue when they are in their own elements. And this is what bothers me . Anna and his team have bulldozed their way to fame. Yes, the government played further into their hands by mismanaging the Anna fast and the proposed Jan LP Bill. Anna, the simple man from the village, suddenly was propelled to the International pedestal at such a felicity that he probably wondered if he was enjoying a Midsummer Night’s dream or was he Anna in wonderland! Suddenly, he realizes that he carries a clout more powerful than the politician! And then, the thrill of wielding it! Step on it…tells the heart! And this is where I see a conflict between the heart and the mind of a septuagenarian! Not to mention some over zealous advisers who are eager to cash on his growing fame and stature!
But as citizens of India who feel that India is going through very trying times, we feel that Anna needs to exercise caution and wisdom. He has to ensure that the masses who are trusting him are not betrayed by his attitude. India stands at a cross road which is very crucial. We could go in any direction. Anna has raised the issue of corruption and the performance of MP’s. Both are very vital and should not be allowed to fizzle away. He needs to reign in his autocratic leanings and become a Gandhian in a true Gandhijis spirit. Anna, the nation needs you. I know that 73 years is too old an age to change, but still for the sake of the movement that you have initiated, bridle your instincts and adopt flexibility ….at least till the time you have belled the cat!!
I do hope that a fresh diktat is not issued to gherao the write of this blog!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
India is not Egypt nor a Libya..we are a throbbing democracy!
Just a brief taste of public adulation and power! Just a few days of limelight at the national level! Suddenly he started feeling larger than life. Fall came even before he could really taste success! Anna Hazare has lost the prestige, the status, the almost iconic status with one single stroke of supporting an allegedly corrupt Baba who is, ironically, crusading against corruption!! Anna was supporting a movement against corruption and the Indians were excited with new felt enthusiasm. Massive support was pouring in from Indians across the world. He was being hailed as the messiah. But alas! India seems destined to be saddled with the corrupt for some more time when a genuine messiah emerges.
Anna was going well till as long as he was the same old Hazare whose name and fame was limited. Suddenly his tenor changed. Gone is his gentle, soothing voice only to be replaced by a voice of arrogance laced with contempt. His choice of partners has shocked the enthusiastic Indian. How could he be chums with the man whose rise to riches has been dubious? On one side he dedicates himself to fight the hydra headed corruption whilst on the other he supports a Baba who is soaked in corruption! The whole of Baba’s kingdom is based on allegations of corruption. What a contradiction! And now to top it all, the Baba has threatened to raise an army of 11,000 men and women who will fight the police if they dare to take on them in future!! I wonder what is the definition of terrorism? Advaniji might help me here for he too supports the Baba. And just a few more words on the Baba. I see a lot of hue and cry in the media. All the channels are vying to use adjectives that can be as romantic as possible. We hear the police “ brutally thrashed the women and children”. If true, then it deserves complete condemnation. But I have a larger point. And I want the media and the politicians to answer this. Why did the Baba not surrender to the police????? Why did the Baba dodge and hide? Why did he make the police chase him?? For a politician, it is the ultimate to be arrested! Baba should have expressed his dissatisfaction to the police, given a press statement( the press was all ears to him 24 hours!) and gone with the police. NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED and he would have become a hero! So, should we not blame the baba for the pains and sufferings of the innocent and gullible followers?? Rahul Gandhi was arrested in Greater Noida. Later he was released. Varun Gandhi was arrested and put in Jail. Advani and Vajpaee were arrested. No politician runs away from the police unless he has something to hide!! It’s a politicians dream to be arrested!
Anna and his team have adopted a rather condescending tone. I read the letter that Shri Shanti Bhushan has sent to the Government and I am taken aback at the rather rude and intimidatory tone. It seems that except for team Anna, no one else neither has the right not the ability to draft a Jan lok pal bill. This is dangerous and disappointing. Dangerous because an air of aggression and superiority complex is the perfect mix for starting well but getting lost midway. Personal ego derails one from his mission. Disappointing because there was a lot of hope for the demoralized Indian who had suddenly found a new vigour due to a bright future that he had started visualizing!
Anna and his team need to revisit their strategy. They need to see that a new India cannot be buried under the debris of a five star jet hopping and “jumping” Baba who has some very strong personal interests. And yes, Anna, please do not disgrace and humiliate our valiant martyrs. Jallianwala bagh was a crime against India, against humanity. It slaughtered patriotic Indians. Comparing that with the Ramlila event is pathetic. By the way, Anna seems to be blissfully unaware of the genocide in Gujarat! He did not make such sweeping statement when thousands were slaughtered….
On the Jan Lok Pal bill. Anna and his team should not make this an ego issue. If they feel for India as they claim, then work with the objective of getting things done. Do not threaten and intimidate the other partners. If there are issue of strong dissent like the coverage of the PM and the judiciary, then do not become adamant. Go for whatever is acceptable to all. Let there be an “ interim Lok Pal Bill”. At least get the ball rolling! The bill can always be amended. It is not the end . Rather, it will be a beginning. Yes, the politicians will always try for a weak bill and we must resist them. Let’s be more astute and wise. Compromise a little bit to get the larger interest accomplished.
India is not an Egypt or Libya so let us stop giving examples of Tahrir square etc.. India is a vibrant and a throbbing democracy which is even more democratic than America. Let the elected government work. Yes, do chastise them with vigour but do not throttle the functioning. Wait for the next hustings to annihilate the poor performers. Some states are going to the polls. Let us elect people who can deliver. Let us focus on setting an example in the state elections so that the centre knows what is in store for then. As a mature democracy start educating the voter. All those who are voicing for a change need to consolidate at the state level elections. Work together with a focused interest and strive for a clean election by electing clean and competent people. Reject the corrupt candidates.
Anna was going well till as long as he was the same old Hazare whose name and fame was limited. Suddenly his tenor changed. Gone is his gentle, soothing voice only to be replaced by a voice of arrogance laced with contempt. His choice of partners has shocked the enthusiastic Indian. How could he be chums with the man whose rise to riches has been dubious? On one side he dedicates himself to fight the hydra headed corruption whilst on the other he supports a Baba who is soaked in corruption! The whole of Baba’s kingdom is based on allegations of corruption. What a contradiction! And now to top it all, the Baba has threatened to raise an army of 11,000 men and women who will fight the police if they dare to take on them in future!! I wonder what is the definition of terrorism? Advaniji might help me here for he too supports the Baba. And just a few more words on the Baba. I see a lot of hue and cry in the media. All the channels are vying to use adjectives that can be as romantic as possible. We hear the police “ brutally thrashed the women and children”. If true, then it deserves complete condemnation. But I have a larger point. And I want the media and the politicians to answer this. Why did the Baba not surrender to the police????? Why did the Baba dodge and hide? Why did he make the police chase him?? For a politician, it is the ultimate to be arrested! Baba should have expressed his dissatisfaction to the police, given a press statement( the press was all ears to him 24 hours!) and gone with the police. NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED and he would have become a hero! So, should we not blame the baba for the pains and sufferings of the innocent and gullible followers?? Rahul Gandhi was arrested in Greater Noida. Later he was released. Varun Gandhi was arrested and put in Jail. Advani and Vajpaee were arrested. No politician runs away from the police unless he has something to hide!! It’s a politicians dream to be arrested!
Anna and his team have adopted a rather condescending tone. I read the letter that Shri Shanti Bhushan has sent to the Government and I am taken aback at the rather rude and intimidatory tone. It seems that except for team Anna, no one else neither has the right not the ability to draft a Jan lok pal bill. This is dangerous and disappointing. Dangerous because an air of aggression and superiority complex is the perfect mix for starting well but getting lost midway. Personal ego derails one from his mission. Disappointing because there was a lot of hope for the demoralized Indian who had suddenly found a new vigour due to a bright future that he had started visualizing!
Anna and his team need to revisit their strategy. They need to see that a new India cannot be buried under the debris of a five star jet hopping and “jumping” Baba who has some very strong personal interests. And yes, Anna, please do not disgrace and humiliate our valiant martyrs. Jallianwala bagh was a crime against India, against humanity. It slaughtered patriotic Indians. Comparing that with the Ramlila event is pathetic. By the way, Anna seems to be blissfully unaware of the genocide in Gujarat! He did not make such sweeping statement when thousands were slaughtered….
On the Jan Lok Pal bill. Anna and his team should not make this an ego issue. If they feel for India as they claim, then work with the objective of getting things done. Do not threaten and intimidate the other partners. If there are issue of strong dissent like the coverage of the PM and the judiciary, then do not become adamant. Go for whatever is acceptable to all. Let there be an “ interim Lok Pal Bill”. At least get the ball rolling! The bill can always be amended. It is not the end . Rather, it will be a beginning. Yes, the politicians will always try for a weak bill and we must resist them. Let’s be more astute and wise. Compromise a little bit to get the larger interest accomplished.
India is not an Egypt or Libya so let us stop giving examples of Tahrir square etc.. India is a vibrant and a throbbing democracy which is even more democratic than America. Let the elected government work. Yes, do chastise them with vigour but do not throttle the functioning. Wait for the next hustings to annihilate the poor performers. Some states are going to the polls. Let us elect people who can deliver. Let us focus on setting an example in the state elections so that the centre knows what is in store for then. As a mature democracy start educating the voter. All those who are voicing for a change need to consolidate at the state level elections. Work together with a focused interest and strive for a clean election by electing clean and competent people. Reject the corrupt candidates.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Its not WHO but HOW and WHY...Obama Saheb!
Obama is grinning from ear to ear! He is the toast of not only the town but the whole of the American nation! After all he has wiped out the most dreaded terrorist in the world! What Bush could not do in two terms, Obama has done it in one only! Hence, he sure is a happy guy. Americans are celebrating this with a frenzy that outweighs the thanksgiving also! Such is the power of the machinery called Propaganda. I am reminded of Bhindranwala. One can see that Osama was to America what Bhindranwala was to Indira Gandhi.
It is not the killing which is significant. It is the manner in which it was done. Brazen, cold blooded, sodden in arrogance and one which sends a chill down the spine of lesser nations! It shows that the Americans have scant respect for International protocols. It is another aspect of the Jungle Raj. Might is right as one muscles ones way least bothered of the possible repercussions. Today, a nation stands undermined and humiliated.
We re not debating what Osama was. We do not debate why he was never on the CIA’s web list of wanted terrorists for 9/11 and yet Obama has related him with this and has garnered sympathies so as to shoot up his rapidly declining public rating! Just one of the many contradictions involving this “shoot out at Abbotabad”.
I write with a sense of trepidation and consternation. A feeling of fear of things to come. The modus operandi used in elimination of Osama is a sign of the times. Here is a group of elite commandoes flying into another nation, making a mockery of sovereignty, shooting the target dead at point blank range. The body is picked and taken from one nation to another and finally dumped into the sea. All this is coming from one of the most civilized nations. From the nation that teaches others about the freedom of expression and freedom of democracy and freedom of values. If one has to be taught a lesson, then it should be done, no doubt. But within the rules of decency and civilized society. Any one who is a scourge on society needs to pay for his misdeeds. Catch the man and bring him to justice. Put him before law. Try him for his crimes. Like what was done to Slobodan Milosevic. Taking law into your own hands is not the best example set by the most progressive nation on earth. What would the US do if India does the same to get Dawood ? The term sovereignty would loose all meaning. The world has watched in disbelief. Violence has been preferred and chances of truth coming out in the open have been buried forever….deep down where none can reach. It will always be felt that the accused should have been given a chance to prove his innocence. India stands out in the way it treated a sadistic killer Ajmal Kasab and gave him all the chances to prove that he in innocent. Obama needs lessons from India.
Wanted Dead or….dead! Yes, this seems to be the motto of the forces chasing Osama. It appears that they could have possibly apprehended the unarmed old man. But they decided otherwise. Why? Deadly silence from those who matter. Since the time they went out to “smoke em out” policy, they have bunged thousands of tones of bombs on just about any place they thought he was hiding in. This hurt not only the poor society where the bombs were dropped but also the economies of nations! Who benefited?
Now I come to the whole drama that has been enacted. Pakistan and the US are hand in glove in this rather filmy sordid episode. However, none can admit this openly for obvious reasons. Hollywood and Lollywood combined!! As per the news reports, Osama has been staying in the house for almost five years, oblivious to the nosey parkers of all so called “smart intelligence agencies! US is blaming Pakistan for its intelligence failure. And we are to believe that the CIA- the mother of all intelligence agencies across the world- and which is all over Pakistan, does not know this on it’s own!! Have a heart , Obama, yes, people are gullible and innocent and the civil society is very forgiving. But to swallow this one has to be more naïve than the silly dodo! And what to say about the frequently changing versions of the whole act! Once we hear that Osama was unarmed and trying to hide behind the skirt of his wife! Then we hear that he was killed in gunfire exchange and then we hear that he was killed by one other than the Americans! What do believe?? But one thing is for sure, I cannot imagine Osama, a man first fighting the Russians and now the Americans for nearly three decades, will run away from death! Going by the earlier reports in the media, he was fighting for a religious cause and such people would be looking forward to embracing death! Mission accomplished, is what he would say and not hide behind a skirt to save a life that he always wanted to loose!
And the last video that we saw on the TV adds more mystery and makes things murkier. We are shown a video of Osama using the remote control of a TV. If one notices, this is in the right hand. Now, go back to the scene so frequently shown on the TV-Osama firing a machine gun. Notice the hand? He appears to be a left hander! And why would a leftie use the remote in his right hand? Unless that hand has been left behind in the Tora Bora! And yes, why did Osama get himself filmed from such weird angles and then leave the cassettes for the Americans to conveniently discover?? Elementary , dear Watson!
No civil society permits killing of innocents. Whosoever is guilty of doing so should be punished severely. No mercy. But there should be one law for the same crime. When asked to relate 9/11 with 26/11, the Americans have looked the other way!! They were deaf to the shrieks of the people who lost their dear ones in the Mumbai Massacre!
The buzz is that Obama thought that if Bush could resurrect the ghost of Osama and win his otherwise almost lost elections, then a dead Osama should surely get him a second term! And the deal is “buy one, get one free! Free is the exit from the labyrinths, quagmire of the monstrous Afghanistan!
My fear is that this John Wayne type of action might be counter productive. Swooping into another nation under the cover of darkness and technology, smashing the guy to smithereens, collecting the body and flying off to dump it into the sea may just about make the killed a martyr. And this would spell disaster. Not only for the Americans but for the world.
We can only pray that such juvenile bravado by the gun slinging Obama does not create more Osamas.
It is not the killing which is significant. It is the manner in which it was done. Brazen, cold blooded, sodden in arrogance and one which sends a chill down the spine of lesser nations! It shows that the Americans have scant respect for International protocols. It is another aspect of the Jungle Raj. Might is right as one muscles ones way least bothered of the possible repercussions. Today, a nation stands undermined and humiliated.
We re not debating what Osama was. We do not debate why he was never on the CIA’s web list of wanted terrorists for 9/11 and yet Obama has related him with this and has garnered sympathies so as to shoot up his rapidly declining public rating! Just one of the many contradictions involving this “shoot out at Abbotabad”.
I write with a sense of trepidation and consternation. A feeling of fear of things to come. The modus operandi used in elimination of Osama is a sign of the times. Here is a group of elite commandoes flying into another nation, making a mockery of sovereignty, shooting the target dead at point blank range. The body is picked and taken from one nation to another and finally dumped into the sea. All this is coming from one of the most civilized nations. From the nation that teaches others about the freedom of expression and freedom of democracy and freedom of values. If one has to be taught a lesson, then it should be done, no doubt. But within the rules of decency and civilized society. Any one who is a scourge on society needs to pay for his misdeeds. Catch the man and bring him to justice. Put him before law. Try him for his crimes. Like what was done to Slobodan Milosevic. Taking law into your own hands is not the best example set by the most progressive nation on earth. What would the US do if India does the same to get Dawood ? The term sovereignty would loose all meaning. The world has watched in disbelief. Violence has been preferred and chances of truth coming out in the open have been buried forever….deep down where none can reach. It will always be felt that the accused should have been given a chance to prove his innocence. India stands out in the way it treated a sadistic killer Ajmal Kasab and gave him all the chances to prove that he in innocent. Obama needs lessons from India.
Wanted Dead or….dead! Yes, this seems to be the motto of the forces chasing Osama. It appears that they could have possibly apprehended the unarmed old man. But they decided otherwise. Why? Deadly silence from those who matter. Since the time they went out to “smoke em out” policy, they have bunged thousands of tones of bombs on just about any place they thought he was hiding in. This hurt not only the poor society where the bombs were dropped but also the economies of nations! Who benefited?
Now I come to the whole drama that has been enacted. Pakistan and the US are hand in glove in this rather filmy sordid episode. However, none can admit this openly for obvious reasons. Hollywood and Lollywood combined!! As per the news reports, Osama has been staying in the house for almost five years, oblivious to the nosey parkers of all so called “smart intelligence agencies! US is blaming Pakistan for its intelligence failure. And we are to believe that the CIA- the mother of all intelligence agencies across the world- and which is all over Pakistan, does not know this on it’s own!! Have a heart , Obama, yes, people are gullible and innocent and the civil society is very forgiving. But to swallow this one has to be more naïve than the silly dodo! And what to say about the frequently changing versions of the whole act! Once we hear that Osama was unarmed and trying to hide behind the skirt of his wife! Then we hear that he was killed in gunfire exchange and then we hear that he was killed by one other than the Americans! What do believe?? But one thing is for sure, I cannot imagine Osama, a man first fighting the Russians and now the Americans for nearly three decades, will run away from death! Going by the earlier reports in the media, he was fighting for a religious cause and such people would be looking forward to embracing death! Mission accomplished, is what he would say and not hide behind a skirt to save a life that he always wanted to loose!
And the last video that we saw on the TV adds more mystery and makes things murkier. We are shown a video of Osama using the remote control of a TV. If one notices, this is in the right hand. Now, go back to the scene so frequently shown on the TV-Osama firing a machine gun. Notice the hand? He appears to be a left hander! And why would a leftie use the remote in his right hand? Unless that hand has been left behind in the Tora Bora! And yes, why did Osama get himself filmed from such weird angles and then leave the cassettes for the Americans to conveniently discover?? Elementary , dear Watson!
No civil society permits killing of innocents. Whosoever is guilty of doing so should be punished severely. No mercy. But there should be one law for the same crime. When asked to relate 9/11 with 26/11, the Americans have looked the other way!! They were deaf to the shrieks of the people who lost their dear ones in the Mumbai Massacre!
The buzz is that Obama thought that if Bush could resurrect the ghost of Osama and win his otherwise almost lost elections, then a dead Osama should surely get him a second term! And the deal is “buy one, get one free! Free is the exit from the labyrinths, quagmire of the monstrous Afghanistan!
My fear is that this John Wayne type of action might be counter productive. Swooping into another nation under the cover of darkness and technology, smashing the guy to smithereens, collecting the body and flying off to dump it into the sea may just about make the killed a martyr. And this would spell disaster. Not only for the Americans but for the world.
We can only pray that such juvenile bravado by the gun slinging Obama does not create more Osamas.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Baba Culture-pulling India back?
India chained
The recent event that lingers in my mind and just refuses to fade away is the smiling , fuzzy haired Sai Baba. He was indeed quite a character who courted controversy although the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Man Mohan Singh at his funeral does give a glimpse of what kind of political clout he wielded when alive.
It is always difficult for anyone to accept humans as Gods. Kind of weird that the guy next door could possibly proclaim to be a God, albeit supposedly in an Avtar! It is certainly possible to accept one as a holy fellow who connects better with his creator and displays more human values than an average person. And then comes the final clincher. A picture of the thronging devotees praying for the Sai Baba! Asking for health! Asking for his Life! A plethora of questions flashed upon my mind: are they praying for their God….their God NEEDS the prayers of the devotees? To whom are these devotees of Sai Baba praying??? Are we to suppose that there is a bigger God who can cure the smaller god? Gods can get sick? Gods need the prayers of humans?
Let’s take a quick flash into the past. We must remember that as a child, Sai Baba was described as "unusually intelligent". And what is more relevant is that the young Baba was exceptionally talented in drama, music, dance and writing, and was an avid composer of poems and plays. He was said to be capable of materialising objects such as food and sweets out of thin air, but alas! He could not escape death by using his own vibhuti! The power of the vighuti vanished when he needed it most! By the way, the glass casket in which the body of the Baba was on display, was air conditioned ! An over zealous devotee felt that reincarnation occurs better under more pleasant conditions!
Sachin Tendulkar was seen crying sitting besides the body of Baba. Was he crying at what would be Baba’s fate in the herafter or was it because he realized that humans die, Gods do not. I am still guessing……And the news that is going around is that the Baba will reincarnate in about a decade. Whatever be the truth of the matter, at least this gives us hope that the world will not finish as predicted by the calculating priest, Harold Camping, a preacher from Oakland, California or the other doomsday theory of the world coming to an end in 2012!
That brings me to the other bigger issue. The issue of Rs 45,000 crores. What crores? As I understand, the value of Baba’s Trusts could be touching a whopping 45,000 crores! And will this issue be ever investigated? What taxes have been paid by the Baba or the trust? What has been the source of this humoungous income? I know that many charitable pursuits have been initiated by the Baba. Why not? If peanuts can fetch you Gold, then why not! Simple logic.
And then I thought of the other living soul who has been in the news. Anna Hazare. And I wondered to myself , can this living Gandhian ensure that the Jan Lok Pal bill will be passed and implemented? If he can, then I am sure that the late Baba can be brought under it’s ambit. After all, movement against corruption does not begin by seeing the colour of the dress that one wears or by the volume of ones hair? Or does it?
Before I digress into more worldly matters, let me continue with the Godman who was, as I understand, an avatar of the Shirdee kay Sai Baba. Quite a contrast, I must confess. The original Sai baba was a “fakir” when he passed away, probably not possessing even Rs 400 at the time of his death! Well, it is all a matter of modern economics. Demand and Supply. Probably the “kalyug” can be seen when economics determines rebirth! The idea of an Avatar , as I understand, was to improve the society and rid it of it’s evils. Now it seems that Avatars rids the society of their money!
And now let me come to the worldly matters. India is huge nation sitting on the brink of glory and greatness. What stops us from achieving greatness are such avatars. India as a nation is like South Africa in cricket. Chokers.
India’s step into the world of greatness is choked due to it’s gullible ,highly emotional and immature masses. They are pulling us back. Anna Hazare can continue his fasts till as long as he likes. India will be like a cat catching it’s own tail. Corruption, as it appears, will never be weeded out because corruption cares about colour of the dress and the volume of the hair that dons the head that weaves a magic spell on those who matter. Masses as well as classes fall prey.
The recent event that lingers in my mind and just refuses to fade away is the smiling , fuzzy haired Sai Baba. He was indeed quite a character who courted controversy although the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Man Mohan Singh at his funeral does give a glimpse of what kind of political clout he wielded when alive.
It is always difficult for anyone to accept humans as Gods. Kind of weird that the guy next door could possibly proclaim to be a God, albeit supposedly in an Avtar! It is certainly possible to accept one as a holy fellow who connects better with his creator and displays more human values than an average person. And then comes the final clincher. A picture of the thronging devotees praying for the Sai Baba! Asking for health! Asking for his Life! A plethora of questions flashed upon my mind: are they praying for their God….their God NEEDS the prayers of the devotees? To whom are these devotees of Sai Baba praying??? Are we to suppose that there is a bigger God who can cure the smaller god? Gods can get sick? Gods need the prayers of humans?
Let’s take a quick flash into the past. We must remember that as a child, Sai Baba was described as "unusually intelligent". And what is more relevant is that the young Baba was exceptionally talented in drama, music, dance and writing, and was an avid composer of poems and plays. He was said to be capable of materialising objects such as food and sweets out of thin air, but alas! He could not escape death by using his own vibhuti! The power of the vighuti vanished when he needed it most! By the way, the glass casket in which the body of the Baba was on display, was air conditioned ! An over zealous devotee felt that reincarnation occurs better under more pleasant conditions!
Sachin Tendulkar was seen crying sitting besides the body of Baba. Was he crying at what would be Baba’s fate in the herafter or was it because he realized that humans die, Gods do not. I am still guessing……And the news that is going around is that the Baba will reincarnate in about a decade. Whatever be the truth of the matter, at least this gives us hope that the world will not finish as predicted by the calculating priest, Harold Camping, a preacher from Oakland, California or the other doomsday theory of the world coming to an end in 2012!
That brings me to the other bigger issue. The issue of Rs 45,000 crores. What crores? As I understand, the value of Baba’s Trusts could be touching a whopping 45,000 crores! And will this issue be ever investigated? What taxes have been paid by the Baba or the trust? What has been the source of this humoungous income? I know that many charitable pursuits have been initiated by the Baba. Why not? If peanuts can fetch you Gold, then why not! Simple logic.
And then I thought of the other living soul who has been in the news. Anna Hazare. And I wondered to myself , can this living Gandhian ensure that the Jan Lok Pal bill will be passed and implemented? If he can, then I am sure that the late Baba can be brought under it’s ambit. After all, movement against corruption does not begin by seeing the colour of the dress that one wears or by the volume of ones hair? Or does it?
Before I digress into more worldly matters, let me continue with the Godman who was, as I understand, an avatar of the Shirdee kay Sai Baba. Quite a contrast, I must confess. The original Sai baba was a “fakir” when he passed away, probably not possessing even Rs 400 at the time of his death! Well, it is all a matter of modern economics. Demand and Supply. Probably the “kalyug” can be seen when economics determines rebirth! The idea of an Avatar , as I understand, was to improve the society and rid it of it’s evils. Now it seems that Avatars rids the society of their money!
And now let me come to the worldly matters. India is huge nation sitting on the brink of glory and greatness. What stops us from achieving greatness are such avatars. India as a nation is like South Africa in cricket. Chokers.
India’s step into the world of greatness is choked due to it’s gullible ,highly emotional and immature masses. They are pulling us back. Anna Hazare can continue his fasts till as long as he likes. India will be like a cat catching it’s own tail. Corruption, as it appears, will never be weeded out because corruption cares about colour of the dress and the volume of the hair that dons the head that weaves a magic spell on those who matter. Masses as well as classes fall prey.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Decade best forgotten
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!
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!
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?
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