This is a Global Truth. A simple truth. Not so complex or sophisticated. In this modern world, everything seems quite complex, complicated and sophisticated. Be it in India, America, Germany, France, Russia, China, this simple and sad truth is prevalent. In fact across the Globe one truth is simple does not mean, it is silly or unworthy. I think most people across the World have such a misunderstanding.
Most of us have been to Banks. We are all customers by one way or the other. We must have noticed poor and middle-class customers, either to remit a hundred or two hundred rupees in their accounts or to withdraw such small sums, spending long hours in queues. Practically wasting one full day in a Bank, even after modernization is progressing with lightning speed in every business establishment. While these poor people spend long hours in queues with patience, they have no other way, rich gentlemen or gentlewomen with lakhs or crores deposited in the Banks, most of them avail the facility of Safe Deposit Lockers also for keeping their gold ornaments worth lakhs or important documents or having overdraft or cash credit facilities by pledging title deeds and also co-obligants with their collateral securities worth crores of rupees. They come with their heads held high, some wearing valuable cloths, a few wily chaps in khader shirts and khader dhotis( they are disciples of Gandhi) meet the manager, he with all his humility stands up and shakes hands with them or offers a ‘namasthe’ ( show of respect) to the gentle ladies, and personally and obligingly, extends all help they want and disposes off their problems or needs within no time. This is the trend prevailing in every nation. The poor man can stand in the queue, enjoy the sight and heave a long sigh…
Most of us have been to shops. In the early days margin free markets, retail shops of billionaires both Indian and foreign, the employees always clad in uniforms with neck-ties keeping a smile in their lips(even Wall Mart, the World’s number one retail chains based in America have branches in almost all the countries particularly third World countries and conduct business and reap profits but an amusing truth is that in USA , in certain States like NewYork and California they are not given permission to open their retail chains there but our nation has no such problem, very generous indeed! Our small-scale retail traders are forced to close their shops while the billionaires both Indian and foreign take away the profits. While the rich customers approach them and indulge in shopping spree, the daily wage earners and middle-class people make purchases in the provision stores- nowadays they struggle to compete with the new generation business tycoons and suffer huge losses often forcing them to down their shutters.
Majority of us- rich, middle-class people and the coolies are forced to approach hospitals, both public and private as the modern life-styles make us sick and are compelled to consult doctors. The rich can book their names by remitting huge amounts at five-star hospitals, consult brilliant physicians or surgeons, undergo all medical check-ups, spend weeks or months in AC wards, with all the comforts like television and telephone facilities and can make enormous calls to their friends and relatives either in India or abroad. Like the tourists spending their time at tourist resorts. But the common man, if he has to consult a physician or surgeon, has to borrow money from the local money-lenders at exorbitant rates and spend it for his treatment and if he is asked to get admitted has to pay extra amount making his family life miserable. Nowadays medical stores are seen at every nook and corner of the towns and cities because the number of patients are increasing day by day and the prices of medicines getting to be expensive and unaffordable. The fast-food culture and ultra-modern dietary style make people ill and now our society is choking with diabetes, heart-ailments and other serious ailments. Environmental degradation is rampant and consumer items are imported. Rice and vegetable items thus imported from other countries contain toxic wastes as a result of using huge quantity of chemical fertilizers and insecticides like Endosulfan and Furidan. The importance of using bio-fertilizers is the latest eye-opener otherwise our cultivable land will turn out to be barren in the long run.
The most pathetic condition is that of poor people- the daily wage earners. Whatever be the ailments they suffer from they are compelled to approach to Primary Health Centres and Government hospitals, often they have to bribe the doctors or else they become a neglected lot with nobody to turn-up for their rescue. Diseases, poverty and malnourishment make their life a hell on earth.
This is the beginning of the first half of the 21st century. Science and Technology have developed into unimaginable levels and this century known among the people as the age of Information Revolution. Space Science has made it possible to our scientists to launch a “Chandrayaan” expedition and MIP (Moon Impact Probe) has successfully kissed the moon and the scientists are provided with thousands of photos of the various surfaces of the moon. This is not to harp on our developments in the field of science.
Actually I wanted to write about the inequality in the field of education. Our nation is mentioned as the Sovereign Socialist Secular Republic of India in the Preamble of our constitution. The gap between the rich and poor is widening as the days go by. In many of our North Indian States even elementary education is still a luxury for many children, they after joining the classes, drop out due to hunger and poverty, mid-day meal scheme is not being conducted properly by the concerned authorities and corruption is ruling the roost in the running of this scheme, and the deserving lot are left in the lurch. Comptroller and Auditor General had pointed out the discrepancies in the implementation of the scheme, whether any remedial measures have been taken remain a mystery. On the other side, children from well-to-do families are enrolled in properly run schools and the managements, teachers and parents are always taking care to fulfill every aspirations and ambitions of their children. Whether these children are aware of their brethren in various States languishing under the scorching Sun with begging bowls in their hands. The concerned authorities are not much bothered about these unfortunate lots and they are busy with preparing huge lists of candidates preparing to contest the 15th General Elections supposed to be held in April-May months. Sixty two years after independence, majority of children of our nation are remaining illiterate and living without even roofs above their heads.
Now let us have a pilgrimage to any of the famous temples in India. We can find thousands and thousands of devotees struggling to have a ‘darshan’( glimpse ) of God, and for begging his blessings. Imagine about an information about a VVIP about to visit the temple to have a ‘darshan’ of the God and offer lakhs or crores worth jewels, crowns or idols, the concerned temple authorities appear from nowhere and with the help of security force the devotees standing with folded hands for hours in the queue, move backwards making way for the VVIP to pray to his beloved God to his heart’s content standing at the Sanctum Sanctorum offering his valuable gifts to the God Almighty, thus propitiating him, deriving solace happiness and ecstasy.
Those in the long queues without much to offer to the God can wait, if they are so particular to have a ‘darshan’. Otherwise he/she can leave the queue and return to his/her house and decide to visit the temple any other day.
Money is Power, sir, whether in India, America, Germany, Japan- all nations across the Globe. This is a Global Truth not a Gospel Truth…Think positively!!!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Bharathiya Janata Party In Dire Straits
If trends are going to be like this, it is ‘advantage Congress’. Bharatiya Janatha Party finds itself in a quandary. The party with a difference was building castles in the air, from the very beginning and was becoming more and more confident as the days passed by with victories in all the by-elections held earlier. And the setbacks suffered by the Congress and its allies, on different fronts, such as shooting inflation, sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities affecting the ‘Am Admi’(common man) badly, the law and order situation getting to be worse day by day, the frequent terror attacks at various places like Ahmedabad, Delhi, Assam, Karnataka, AndhraPradesh, Varanasi (UP), even Kerala once a comparatively peaceful state getting to be a breeding ground of terror-recruits, Mumbai, and an inefficient HomeMinister( the then HomeMinister was Mr.Shivraj Patil), almost everything turning out to be disadvantageous. Furthermore the Global Financial Melt-down spreading across European as well as Asian countries affecting the stock markets and there by the investors, FII (Foreign Institutional Investors) running away from the scene thus affecting the economy badly.
The recent by-elections to five States of Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh, Chattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram, with the Congress snatching victory in Rajasthan- once a BJP citadel, the third consecutive victory at Delhi under the leadership of Shiela Dixit and unexpected 2/3 majority in Mizoram, were a morale booster for the Congress and its allies with a renewed confidence in the emerging elections scheduled to be held in April/May.
After the withdrawal of support by the LDF on the issue of Civil Nuclear Deal and the subsequent canvassing of political turncourts like Samajwadi Party and the JMM( Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), Party led by Shibu Soren to extend support to win trust-vote on the controversial matter boosted the confidence of UPA.
Even the carnage committed by Lashkar-E-Taiba militants in Mumbai, during and before the by-elections in the five States didn’t do much harm, to the UPA which was a pleasant surprise to the alliance, a win contrary to their worst expectations of a wash-out. The BJP which pinned much hopes on the elections had to suffer the unexpected. The frequent terror attacks have turned the citizens stoic and also learnt to live with it and hence did it attach much importance and on the contrary they expected much help from the concerned State governments to pull on with rice, wheat and other essential commodities at reasonable rates which the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Delhi provided. Infrastructural developments during the tenure of Sheila Dixit contributed a lot to the victory of Mrs Dixit to score a hatrick.
In the meantime, the capture of the Sangh Parivar activists like Pragya Singh Takur, a sanyasin, Lt Col Srikant Purohit of the Indian Army on the shocking revelation of their involvement in the Malegaon blasts and sabotage of Samjhauta Express resulting in the deaths of hundreds of commuters landed the ‘Party with a difference’ in dire straits. In the past, these kinds of incidents pointed fingers to Muslims and even the innocent Muslims were nabbed, grilled, assaulted and put behind bars. Never in the wildest of dreams, the authorities had suspected the involvement in terror acts committed by the hindu fanatics. Investigations and trials are still going on and the elections are fast approaching and with butterflies in their stomachs, the BJP leaders are frantically trying to wipe out the mud from their faces and are eager to come clean once again, and at the same time wishing for another opportunity or incident to put the UPA in the dock
The Party’s predicaments are rolling out one by one in the form of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the former Vice President of India and a one time BJP leader deciding to throw his hat in the ring causing head-ache to Prime Ministerial aspirant L.K.Advani and the BJP President Rajnath Singh, division in the ranks coming to the fore with the desertion of former UP Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, who is from the Lodha community and throwing his weight behind SP(Samajwadi Party) leader Mulayam Singh, Uma Bharti, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh already out of the Party and as the count down is about to start, more and more activists are leaving the Party and are in search of greener pastures, a common sight in India during election season. While Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, the Party had the support of around twenty two allies, and the bigger lots like TDP (Telungu Desam Party), AIADMK (All India Anna DMK) under the leadership of Kumari Jayalalitha, the alliance was smoothly run by the diplomatic approach of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was in the saddle for the full term. Now Vajpayee is not in the scene due to his ill-health and old-age, the number 22 has shrunk to five or six splinter parties. The great political manipulator and former convener of the NDA, George Fernandez is also inactive due to his ill-health and the reported infighting going on among the second-rung leaders- all these factors stare in the face of the Party and the leaders are in a dilemma. Castles in the air no more, BJP with pounding hearts of the leaders fear a certain defeat.
Will the atmosphere change for the better in a short span- most unlikely.
Anyhow in politics everything is possible and let that hope guide them as an interim relief.
The recent by-elections to five States of Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh, Chattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram, with the Congress snatching victory in Rajasthan- once a BJP citadel, the third consecutive victory at Delhi under the leadership of Shiela Dixit and unexpected 2/3 majority in Mizoram, were a morale booster for the Congress and its allies with a renewed confidence in the emerging elections scheduled to be held in April/May.
After the withdrawal of support by the LDF on the issue of Civil Nuclear Deal and the subsequent canvassing of political turncourts like Samajwadi Party and the JMM( Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), Party led by Shibu Soren to extend support to win trust-vote on the controversial matter boosted the confidence of UPA.
Even the carnage committed by Lashkar-E-Taiba militants in Mumbai, during and before the by-elections in the five States didn’t do much harm, to the UPA which was a pleasant surprise to the alliance, a win contrary to their worst expectations of a wash-out. The BJP which pinned much hopes on the elections had to suffer the unexpected. The frequent terror attacks have turned the citizens stoic and also learnt to live with it and hence did it attach much importance and on the contrary they expected much help from the concerned State governments to pull on with rice, wheat and other essential commodities at reasonable rates which the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Delhi provided. Infrastructural developments during the tenure of Sheila Dixit contributed a lot to the victory of Mrs Dixit to score a hatrick.
In the meantime, the capture of the Sangh Parivar activists like Pragya Singh Takur, a sanyasin, Lt Col Srikant Purohit of the Indian Army on the shocking revelation of their involvement in the Malegaon blasts and sabotage of Samjhauta Express resulting in the deaths of hundreds of commuters landed the ‘Party with a difference’ in dire straits. In the past, these kinds of incidents pointed fingers to Muslims and even the innocent Muslims were nabbed, grilled, assaulted and put behind bars. Never in the wildest of dreams, the authorities had suspected the involvement in terror acts committed by the hindu fanatics. Investigations and trials are still going on and the elections are fast approaching and with butterflies in their stomachs, the BJP leaders are frantically trying to wipe out the mud from their faces and are eager to come clean once again, and at the same time wishing for another opportunity or incident to put the UPA in the dock
The Party’s predicaments are rolling out one by one in the form of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the former Vice President of India and a one time BJP leader deciding to throw his hat in the ring causing head-ache to Prime Ministerial aspirant L.K.Advani and the BJP President Rajnath Singh, division in the ranks coming to the fore with the desertion of former UP Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, who is from the Lodha community and throwing his weight behind SP(Samajwadi Party) leader Mulayam Singh, Uma Bharti, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh already out of the Party and as the count down is about to start, more and more activists are leaving the Party and are in search of greener pastures, a common sight in India during election season. While Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, the Party had the support of around twenty two allies, and the bigger lots like TDP (Telungu Desam Party), AIADMK (All India Anna DMK) under the leadership of Kumari Jayalalitha, the alliance was smoothly run by the diplomatic approach of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was in the saddle for the full term. Now Vajpayee is not in the scene due to his ill-health and old-age, the number 22 has shrunk to five or six splinter parties. The great political manipulator and former convener of the NDA, George Fernandez is also inactive due to his ill-health and the reported infighting going on among the second-rung leaders- all these factors stare in the face of the Party and the leaders are in a dilemma. Castles in the air no more, BJP with pounding hearts of the leaders fear a certain defeat.
Will the atmosphere change for the better in a short span- most unlikely.
Anyhow in politics everything is possible and let that hope guide them as an interim relief.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
PAPARAZZIS, VOYEURISTS AND GOSSIP-MONGERS
Princess Diana and her lover Dodi-Al-Fayed met with a tragic accident in 1997. Both of them succumbed to their injuries. It was a shocking news to people across the World. To escape from the prying eyes of Paparazis, who were following them ,the chauffeur, as per their instruction was driving the car with mind boggling speed. If my memory is correct, the incident occurred in 1997 at Paris.
From the moment she got married to Prince Charles, later they divorced is another matter, the paparazis were always behind them. Now her sons, Prince Harry and Prince Williams are being pried upon by paparazis, both of them are involved in romantic relationships. Paparazis are interested and very much excited to publish the hot news of their relationships in the tabloids with the photographs of their intimate moments at various tourist resorts.
Celebrities, if there are controversies surrounding them are always shadowed wherever they are. Imagine the mental trauma these people undergo, be it in day or night the feeling of being followed by the paparazis. But paparazis don’t care and they are not worried about mental agonies of the celebrities. Britney Spears,Madonna, BradPitt and Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruiz, Katie Holmes- all are undergoing the trauma through out the day and night. I recall the days when BradPitt and Angelina Jolie visited India to act in a film about Daniel Pearl ( Wall Street Journal), the unfortunate journalist, who was hacked to death by Pakistani Terrorists. But in our nation, the men with prying eyes are not included in the category of paparazis, I don’t know why. Might be the “patent” is already awarded to the European and American guys who are always in the hot pursuit of celebrities!
Men and women alike, whether celebrities or common men or women, always covet their privacy. They don’t like to be shadowed and what they always aspire for are some moments of loneliness to share their personal joys and sorrows. The very reason for the fall of the Govt of late young Turk S.Chandrashekhar was the news of two members of Central Intelligence were found frequently near the residence of late Rajiv Gandhi, leading to the withdrawal of support to Govt.
Lay-men and women need not laugh at the predicament, dilemmas and agonies of the celebrities. Most of them are not aware of the truth that they are also occasionally followed. These followers are better called voyeurists, not paparazis.
Here I recall Kunjuvarkey, an young man of our village, and think about his perverted mind. Not so lean, not so fat, not so tall and not so short always wearing a lungi which is tucked up to his knees and a towel fastened around his head. Kunjuvarkey was always smiles whether in good times or bad times, a daily wage labourer and whenever he got a day to relax, he encroached upon somebody’s coconut estate without a human trace there he climbed up the coconut trees and stole coconuts, sold them to those who were familiar with him. With the fall of darkness in the village, Kunjuvarkey chose the duty of a voyeurist and with his prying eyes he entered the premises of certain houses particularly where there is newly married couple enjoying sweet moments and stealthily moved to the house and through the gaps of the windows peeped his eyes through the gap to watch and enjoy- the inside hot moments going on there. An energetic Kunjuvarkey would jump the compound wall of the land and walk with mischievous smile and divulge the secrets to his so-called friends like a drunkard inebriated by consuming arrack and toddy. But his perversion was known to certain people and hence during the night before going to bed they got out with their torch to have a view of the premises of the houses and occasionally “caught him with his pants down” and a brutal assault followed. The gentle man would roar and after giving him a violent kick ordered him to run away, that Kunjuvarkey would obey with folded hands.
Such blows and kicks were not new to Kunjuvarkey and he would take it in his stride and continued the adventures unabated. Village people would laugh at him and he became a talk of the “town”. Kunjuvarkey was not taken aback and he always kept his smile intact.
The poor fellow is no more now. One day, he decided to put an end to his “extra-curricular activities”, to put a full-stop to the entire story by consuming poison. Human mind is always a puzzle and it can’t be confined to squares and circles. As the famous Assamese writer Indira Goswami wrote in her autobiography (“An Unfinished Autobiography”), even after the phenomenal development in science and technology the so-called experts in the field of psychology have not been able to fathom the depths of human mind even when they are capable of delving deep in to the very bottom of an ocean.
Urban and rural people are not free from gossips and voyeurism. Kunjuvarkeys’ are galore in our land. In the matter of spreading gossip about somebody women are a few steps ahead,they excel in that “art” very well, they also derive some sort of pleasure from gossiping about the women living nearby always vowing not to disclose the secret to anybody and in the next moment, these “parties” break the vow of silence and trust whisper it to another ‘friend’ and the gossip spreads like wild fire engulfing the whole village. In all fields, whether it be in gossip-mongering, voyeurism, politics,arts, tinsel-world, such things go on and don’t expect a full-stop ever… As one character put in a novel “we can’t escape human depravity”.
From the moment she got married to Prince Charles, later they divorced is another matter, the paparazis were always behind them. Now her sons, Prince Harry and Prince Williams are being pried upon by paparazis, both of them are involved in romantic relationships. Paparazis are interested and very much excited to publish the hot news of their relationships in the tabloids with the photographs of their intimate moments at various tourist resorts.
Celebrities, if there are controversies surrounding them are always shadowed wherever they are. Imagine the mental trauma these people undergo, be it in day or night the feeling of being followed by the paparazis. But paparazis don’t care and they are not worried about mental agonies of the celebrities. Britney Spears,Madonna, BradPitt and Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruiz, Katie Holmes- all are undergoing the trauma through out the day and night. I recall the days when BradPitt and Angelina Jolie visited India to act in a film about Daniel Pearl ( Wall Street Journal), the unfortunate journalist, who was hacked to death by Pakistani Terrorists. But in our nation, the men with prying eyes are not included in the category of paparazis, I don’t know why. Might be the “patent” is already awarded to the European and American guys who are always in the hot pursuit of celebrities!
Men and women alike, whether celebrities or common men or women, always covet their privacy. They don’t like to be shadowed and what they always aspire for are some moments of loneliness to share their personal joys and sorrows. The very reason for the fall of the Govt of late young Turk S.Chandrashekhar was the news of two members of Central Intelligence were found frequently near the residence of late Rajiv Gandhi, leading to the withdrawal of support to Govt.
Lay-men and women need not laugh at the predicament, dilemmas and agonies of the celebrities. Most of them are not aware of the truth that they are also occasionally followed. These followers are better called voyeurists, not paparazis.
Here I recall Kunjuvarkey, an young man of our village, and think about his perverted mind. Not so lean, not so fat, not so tall and not so short always wearing a lungi which is tucked up to his knees and a towel fastened around his head. Kunjuvarkey was always smiles whether in good times or bad times, a daily wage labourer and whenever he got a day to relax, he encroached upon somebody’s coconut estate without a human trace there he climbed up the coconut trees and stole coconuts, sold them to those who were familiar with him. With the fall of darkness in the village, Kunjuvarkey chose the duty of a voyeurist and with his prying eyes he entered the premises of certain houses particularly where there is newly married couple enjoying sweet moments and stealthily moved to the house and through the gaps of the windows peeped his eyes through the gap to watch and enjoy- the inside hot moments going on there. An energetic Kunjuvarkey would jump the compound wall of the land and walk with mischievous smile and divulge the secrets to his so-called friends like a drunkard inebriated by consuming arrack and toddy. But his perversion was known to certain people and hence during the night before going to bed they got out with their torch to have a view of the premises of the houses and occasionally “caught him with his pants down” and a brutal assault followed. The gentle man would roar and after giving him a violent kick ordered him to run away, that Kunjuvarkey would obey with folded hands.
Such blows and kicks were not new to Kunjuvarkey and he would take it in his stride and continued the adventures unabated. Village people would laugh at him and he became a talk of the “town”. Kunjuvarkey was not taken aback and he always kept his smile intact.
The poor fellow is no more now. One day, he decided to put an end to his “extra-curricular activities”, to put a full-stop to the entire story by consuming poison. Human mind is always a puzzle and it can’t be confined to squares and circles. As the famous Assamese writer Indira Goswami wrote in her autobiography (“An Unfinished Autobiography”), even after the phenomenal development in science and technology the so-called experts in the field of psychology have not been able to fathom the depths of human mind even when they are capable of delving deep in to the very bottom of an ocean.
Urban and rural people are not free from gossips and voyeurism. Kunjuvarkeys’ are galore in our land. In the matter of spreading gossip about somebody women are a few steps ahead,they excel in that “art” very well, they also derive some sort of pleasure from gossiping about the women living nearby always vowing not to disclose the secret to anybody and in the next moment, these “parties” break the vow of silence and trust whisper it to another ‘friend’ and the gossip spreads like wild fire engulfing the whole village. In all fields, whether it be in gossip-mongering, voyeurism, politics,arts, tinsel-world, such things go on and don’t expect a full-stop ever… As one character put in a novel “we can’t escape human depravity”.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
POLITICS,BUSINESS AND HUNGER
“Politics (or Patriotism?) is the last resort of a scoundrel”. I think this is a statement made by Dr.Samuel Johnson. Scoundrel or no scoundrel, I have decided to enter politics. Years of observation of the happenings around me made me come to the conclusion that it is a lucrative business. The most positive thing is that this business needs no capital. It is often said that to be a business man/woman, to start a business, you need money or should I say capital. But this business of politics doesn’t demand capital and you don’t have to ponder a lot and strain your nerves thus affecting your health and mind. Moreover this business never demands education. Any illiterate, any thug, and for that matter a goon can easily enter politics and proceed with his old games like murder, robbery and theft and can easily wriggle out of any knotty problem with in no time. The custodians of law and order, won’t dare to take action against the VIP. The only authority to punish him if he commits thuggery, murder or theft is the judiciary and these gentle men have the guts to put these VIPs on trial and take action independently and without fear.
Even now, some criminal MPs belonging to several parties are behind bars but they are provided with basic necessities, sometimes luxurious items by the men entrusted with the duty of having a close watch on them. Mobile phones, TV or radio, newspaper for those who are literate, liquor- every necessity of life. Outside and inside alike, they enjoy life as per some media reports.
As a first step, a man who entering politics have to shed or do away with his integrity. Integrity is defined as the ability to stand by one’s principles. But he should pretend to be man of integrity to whole World. That means he needs to study the so called “villain’s histrionics” in celluloids. An ability to act well and also play innocence. Not much difficult to learn the nuances of action. Try your utmost to wear torn and dirty clothes, that is for you to make people believe that you are a man of ‘ high thoughts and simple life’, not at all interested in the luxurious items available aplenty in our World. The capacity to mobilize the people, thus becoming a good organizer, utter lies to them nonchalantly, intervene in any dispute between two persons or parties and in the process the ability to collect money from them as ‘donation’ to the party and thus pocketing it.
Years of observation and experience have taught me a lot, but till now not practised because of a moral prick…
Over to some other VVIPs in our country. Business tycoons constitute a lot here, millionaires as well as billionaires. Sometimes people call them fat-cats of our society. Similar is the case with shining jewels of tinsel World and I don’t want to name them one by one. It is a long list.
These jewels and the so-called fat-cats amass crores and crores of money and real estate, build multi-storeyed buildings in the heart of cosmopolitan cities, own airplanes (sometimes, some gentlemen present their wives often on their birthdays airplanes, imported cars, if these ladies prefer to have moon in their hands their men even dare to bring moon from above! Like Bhima ( a character in an Indian Epic) who went in search of “Kalyana Saughandikam” (An ancient revered flower) for Panchali, his wife. Our men should learn to love their wives even willing to sacrifice their integrity.
At least twice or thrice, these billionaires with their whole family undertake long pilgrimages to various temples like Tirupathi, Shirdhisai temple, Guruvayoor, Akshardham, Sabarimala (beware young ladies, impossible for an young lady to pray with folded hands at sanctum sanctorum as Ayyappa, the God is celebate and doesn’t like young women praying before him, if that desire persists she will have to wait for long years) and try to fill the coffers in cash, gold idols and ornaments or other valuable things made in gold worth crores of rupees and offer prayers for the fulfillment of a long list of dreams to materialize. Outside these temples hungry, poverty-stricken, malnourished children, women and men lining along both sides of the street and stretching their begging bowls to the VIP bhaktas to give them anything and the fat-cats even caring two hoots for them. Here I recall one statement of late E.K.Nayanar( former Chief Minister Of Kerala) who asked once, for Gods what is the need of security. God is believed to be omnipotent. Keeping his sense of humour, I am also asking myself: For God what is the need of crores of money, ornaments and idols worth crores of rupees and such precious things.
While crores of innocents die of poverty and diseases outside the spiritual centres even without a roof over their heads, except the sky and stars, the rich men in our society pour out a lot of valuables to God to propitiate them earnestly praying to God, literally begging for his blessings.
This is not an Indian phenomenon. This is a global phenomenon. The amount that the outgoing U.S. President George W Bush and his hench men squandered billions of dollars for destroying and killing the civilians and ancient monuments of Iraq and Afghanistan, would have been sufficient and more to feed the poverty-stricken, starving lot in the entire World. Darfur, Somalia, SriLanka, Congo and Zimbabwe are only a few examples.
Even the NGOs like International Red Cross people are even forbidden by some rulers to supply food packets and medicines to the starving poor.
In such a situation, the ruling elite are engaged in calculating the sum total of offering in cash, gold and silver offered by the VVIP Bhaktas.
In the name of spiritualism, the greed for money increases with each passing day. Materialism has the last laugh. Spirituality bears the brunt. Everything looks quite absurd and meaningless. When will our World going to be a place of peace and prosperity to all? Is it possible?...
Even now, some criminal MPs belonging to several parties are behind bars but they are provided with basic necessities, sometimes luxurious items by the men entrusted with the duty of having a close watch on them. Mobile phones, TV or radio, newspaper for those who are literate, liquor- every necessity of life. Outside and inside alike, they enjoy life as per some media reports.
As a first step, a man who entering politics have to shed or do away with his integrity. Integrity is defined as the ability to stand by one’s principles. But he should pretend to be man of integrity to whole World. That means he needs to study the so called “villain’s histrionics” in celluloids. An ability to act well and also play innocence. Not much difficult to learn the nuances of action. Try your utmost to wear torn and dirty clothes, that is for you to make people believe that you are a man of ‘ high thoughts and simple life’, not at all interested in the luxurious items available aplenty in our World. The capacity to mobilize the people, thus becoming a good organizer, utter lies to them nonchalantly, intervene in any dispute between two persons or parties and in the process the ability to collect money from them as ‘donation’ to the party and thus pocketing it.
Years of observation and experience have taught me a lot, but till now not practised because of a moral prick…
Over to some other VVIPs in our country. Business tycoons constitute a lot here, millionaires as well as billionaires. Sometimes people call them fat-cats of our society. Similar is the case with shining jewels of tinsel World and I don’t want to name them one by one. It is a long list.
These jewels and the so-called fat-cats amass crores and crores of money and real estate, build multi-storeyed buildings in the heart of cosmopolitan cities, own airplanes (sometimes, some gentlemen present their wives often on their birthdays airplanes, imported cars, if these ladies prefer to have moon in their hands their men even dare to bring moon from above! Like Bhima ( a character in an Indian Epic) who went in search of “Kalyana Saughandikam” (An ancient revered flower) for Panchali, his wife. Our men should learn to love their wives even willing to sacrifice their integrity.
At least twice or thrice, these billionaires with their whole family undertake long pilgrimages to various temples like Tirupathi, Shirdhisai temple, Guruvayoor, Akshardham, Sabarimala (beware young ladies, impossible for an young lady to pray with folded hands at sanctum sanctorum as Ayyappa, the God is celebate and doesn’t like young women praying before him, if that desire persists she will have to wait for long years) and try to fill the coffers in cash, gold idols and ornaments or other valuable things made in gold worth crores of rupees and offer prayers for the fulfillment of a long list of dreams to materialize. Outside these temples hungry, poverty-stricken, malnourished children, women and men lining along both sides of the street and stretching their begging bowls to the VIP bhaktas to give them anything and the fat-cats even caring two hoots for them. Here I recall one statement of late E.K.Nayanar( former Chief Minister Of Kerala) who asked once, for Gods what is the need of security. God is believed to be omnipotent. Keeping his sense of humour, I am also asking myself: For God what is the need of crores of money, ornaments and idols worth crores of rupees and such precious things.
While crores of innocents die of poverty and diseases outside the spiritual centres even without a roof over their heads, except the sky and stars, the rich men in our society pour out a lot of valuables to God to propitiate them earnestly praying to God, literally begging for his blessings.
This is not an Indian phenomenon. This is a global phenomenon. The amount that the outgoing U.S. President George W Bush and his hench men squandered billions of dollars for destroying and killing the civilians and ancient monuments of Iraq and Afghanistan, would have been sufficient and more to feed the poverty-stricken, starving lot in the entire World. Darfur, Somalia, SriLanka, Congo and Zimbabwe are only a few examples.
Even the NGOs like International Red Cross people are even forbidden by some rulers to supply food packets and medicines to the starving poor.
In such a situation, the ruling elite are engaged in calculating the sum total of offering in cash, gold and silver offered by the VVIP Bhaktas.
In the name of spiritualism, the greed for money increases with each passing day. Materialism has the last laugh. Spirituality bears the brunt. Everything looks quite absurd and meaningless. When will our World going to be a place of peace and prosperity to all? Is it possible?...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
SOLILOUQIES OF AN INDIAN VOTER, INDIAN WOMEN AND STREET CHILDREN
It is heard that elections are approaching. May be in April or May. In the early morning, as usual, went to Souru’s tea-shop. All regulars were present. Pappanavan, Chullikadan, Mathai, Esthapanose, Kavat Kuriakose and Sasankan. All are regular customers of Souru. Sun had not risen. Darkness was slowly disappearing. Another dawn is in a hurry to appear.
Souru is always busy. Our bald-headed friend is busy preparing tea for us. Vada, jilebi, hot dosas, idlis- the shelf was almost full.
Sasankan is the only literate among us. He is young, educated and in search of a job somewhere. He is the only literate in the breakfast club, to read the news paper loudly and enlightening us is his duty. All of us would sit on the benches leaning back to the wall and listen to his news reading with rapt attention. Sasankan is blessed with a baritone voice.
Sasankan was all excitement when reading the news report from Delhi, about the preparations, discussions, debates and prophecies by some political observers and political leaders about in whose favour the electorate would swing.
While the young man was reading the news and the prophecies of observers and political leaders, I was silently watching the others. Like me all were in funny mood.
Eventhough an illiterate and a coolie, I have not yet abstained from exercising my franchise like a model Indian citizen. But I have not yet revealed to anyone in whose favour, I would cast my vote. That must remain a secret.
Though, I am not involved in any political parties, I have also some leanings to certain parties. But I won’t disclose.
I had voted on every election, without expecting anything from any party coming to power. I know deep down in my heart a common man is not going to benefit anything from these leaders, for example the MP of our constituency, after winning the election, in the last five years have not atleast once cared to visit the poor and rich seeking the welfare of those who stood in the queue under the blazing sun, for hours to cast vote for him.
After five years he is coming again to visit us for our valuable votes, with all humility in his face with a ‘colgate’ smile adorning his lips, sometimes he might kneel down before the old and young alike touch their feet with crocodile tears, begging for the precious votes to give him a chance once more to allow him serve us with all sincerity and love.
We have only hatred in store for him, but won’t show our anger and hatred, give him back our smile making him feel that we are all going to vote for him as long as he remains as one of the candidates in the electoral arena.
The other day Sasankan was reading an important and shocking news item- that 77 percent of Indians are making both ends meet with 2 dollars a day equivalent to about Rs 90 only. The other 23 percent consists of millionaires and billionaires leading a pompous life in Metropolitan cities like Mumbai, NewDelhi, Chennai, Calcutta and some others abroad enjoying their life with all luxuries.
The rich-poor gap is alarming. Even our rulers give the rich maximum respect and adulation. The rulers are very well aware of the power of money and the business man’s extraordinary skill to topple the government whenever he feels like taken for a ride by the ruling establishment.
As the sun already disappeared and blanket of darkness slowly thickened, I stood up from the bench in verandah, putting an end to the day’s thoughts. Now I have to take bath in the stream just infront of the house flowing in the northern direction and then to my daily quota of rice.
Wife is cooking something in the kitchen, might be fish curry or fish fry.
An Evolved Generation Of Women
We, women are an ignored lot. It was always like that. From time immemorial. Hapless and helpless, most of us bear the brunt of daily chores. At the worksite we are paid less amount as the daily wages than men. Always we are discriminated against. When will our plight come to an end? If we were allowed to go to school and continue our studies in colleges, we could have risen to the upper ladder of the society and would have become teachers, doctors, engineers, clerks or something equivalent to those jobs and could have been able to stand on our feet without depending upon anybody. Nobody was there to think about our plight, the elders in our families always took interest in the studies of sons only. Our brothers, got all they wanted, they studied well and had many hobbies like football, cricket, mimicry, and all such enjoyments of life.
We are always confined in the kitchen, cooking rice and curries, leisure time only for a brief spell and in the nights even when we are tired, have to surrender ourselves to our men for their momentary gratification, we feel like flowers trampled upon by pachyderms. A kind of ‘simple animal transaction’.
Contemporary generation, ie our young ones are somewhat very lucky compared to our pathetic situation as they are more enthusiastic to learn, study well, play well, score maximum marks and their dare devilry, challenging the male-chauvinism, no fear to fight for their rights, raise a hue and cry against female infanticide and also daring to join politics and fight for amicable settlement of student’s rights by joining hands with male students. Our female children are very lucky because they don’t have to live like slaves under their men and after marriage if they find it difficult to get on with a smooth marital relationship, they won’t hesitate to break the relationship then and there. All because of the education they achieved and jobs they got.
While thinking on such lines we are very happy. Though we couldn’t struggle against adverse circumstances our children fight against the atrocities and inequalities prevalent in the society and most of them are having nice times.
Our children are always vigilant and for equality of opportunity they have to tread a long path, our North Indian female children are still suffering from various hardships and lead slave like existence. Even child marriages are going on there. Unwed mothers are increasing. Progressive minded parties and their leaders, especially women leaders- there are umpteen women leaders in the communist parties and other like-minded parties- should be pro-active in the fulfillment of the long cherished dreams of illiterate girl children.
Street Children-their unknown sorrows
We, street children are an accursed lot. We are orphans. Nobody to look after us. We beg, pick-pocket, get thrashing by the gentle men of the city, as those things are not new to us, we have learnt to live with such things.
About our parents, we have no idea. We are not much concerned with such problems. Occasionally in the moments of our loneliness, we wish for somebody to shower love on us- motherly affection, sisterly affection or fatherly affection. We know these are all our long cherished dreams. Nobody will be there to care us. We are out-castes. Please don’t blame us, if we feel jealousy on children from higher societies, wearing attractive uniforms, bags full of books, shoes, watch in their wrists hurrying to schools cracking jokes. If we had also loving and caring parents, they would have brought us clothes, sweets, bags, shoes, books and umbrellas. During those times we feel hatred towards the world, the God--- feel like jumping to the front of speeding train and end the chapter once and for all. Actually who are we? What sin we have committed to undergo hardships like hunger, poverty, mal-nutrition and lack of facilities to study in the schools? What is the meaning of our existence? Any meaning? An absurd existence… We are floating in the city just like logs in a rushing river. Ignored by all. Even by God, we don’t know whether there is God, an ever loving, ever-affectionate force in this Universe?
Souru is always busy. Our bald-headed friend is busy preparing tea for us. Vada, jilebi, hot dosas, idlis- the shelf was almost full.
Sasankan is the only literate among us. He is young, educated and in search of a job somewhere. He is the only literate in the breakfast club, to read the news paper loudly and enlightening us is his duty. All of us would sit on the benches leaning back to the wall and listen to his news reading with rapt attention. Sasankan is blessed with a baritone voice.
Sasankan was all excitement when reading the news report from Delhi, about the preparations, discussions, debates and prophecies by some political observers and political leaders about in whose favour the electorate would swing.
While the young man was reading the news and the prophecies of observers and political leaders, I was silently watching the others. Like me all were in funny mood.
Eventhough an illiterate and a coolie, I have not yet abstained from exercising my franchise like a model Indian citizen. But I have not yet revealed to anyone in whose favour, I would cast my vote. That must remain a secret.
Though, I am not involved in any political parties, I have also some leanings to certain parties. But I won’t disclose.
I had voted on every election, without expecting anything from any party coming to power. I know deep down in my heart a common man is not going to benefit anything from these leaders, for example the MP of our constituency, after winning the election, in the last five years have not atleast once cared to visit the poor and rich seeking the welfare of those who stood in the queue under the blazing sun, for hours to cast vote for him.
After five years he is coming again to visit us for our valuable votes, with all humility in his face with a ‘colgate’ smile adorning his lips, sometimes he might kneel down before the old and young alike touch their feet with crocodile tears, begging for the precious votes to give him a chance once more to allow him serve us with all sincerity and love.
We have only hatred in store for him, but won’t show our anger and hatred, give him back our smile making him feel that we are all going to vote for him as long as he remains as one of the candidates in the electoral arena.
The other day Sasankan was reading an important and shocking news item- that 77 percent of Indians are making both ends meet with 2 dollars a day equivalent to about Rs 90 only. The other 23 percent consists of millionaires and billionaires leading a pompous life in Metropolitan cities like Mumbai, NewDelhi, Chennai, Calcutta and some others abroad enjoying their life with all luxuries.
The rich-poor gap is alarming. Even our rulers give the rich maximum respect and adulation. The rulers are very well aware of the power of money and the business man’s extraordinary skill to topple the government whenever he feels like taken for a ride by the ruling establishment.
As the sun already disappeared and blanket of darkness slowly thickened, I stood up from the bench in verandah, putting an end to the day’s thoughts. Now I have to take bath in the stream just infront of the house flowing in the northern direction and then to my daily quota of rice.
Wife is cooking something in the kitchen, might be fish curry or fish fry.
An Evolved Generation Of Women
We, women are an ignored lot. It was always like that. From time immemorial. Hapless and helpless, most of us bear the brunt of daily chores. At the worksite we are paid less amount as the daily wages than men. Always we are discriminated against. When will our plight come to an end? If we were allowed to go to school and continue our studies in colleges, we could have risen to the upper ladder of the society and would have become teachers, doctors, engineers, clerks or something equivalent to those jobs and could have been able to stand on our feet without depending upon anybody. Nobody was there to think about our plight, the elders in our families always took interest in the studies of sons only. Our brothers, got all they wanted, they studied well and had many hobbies like football, cricket, mimicry, and all such enjoyments of life.
We are always confined in the kitchen, cooking rice and curries, leisure time only for a brief spell and in the nights even when we are tired, have to surrender ourselves to our men for their momentary gratification, we feel like flowers trampled upon by pachyderms. A kind of ‘simple animal transaction’.
Contemporary generation, ie our young ones are somewhat very lucky compared to our pathetic situation as they are more enthusiastic to learn, study well, play well, score maximum marks and their dare devilry, challenging the male-chauvinism, no fear to fight for their rights, raise a hue and cry against female infanticide and also daring to join politics and fight for amicable settlement of student’s rights by joining hands with male students. Our female children are very lucky because they don’t have to live like slaves under their men and after marriage if they find it difficult to get on with a smooth marital relationship, they won’t hesitate to break the relationship then and there. All because of the education they achieved and jobs they got.
While thinking on such lines we are very happy. Though we couldn’t struggle against adverse circumstances our children fight against the atrocities and inequalities prevalent in the society and most of them are having nice times.
Our children are always vigilant and for equality of opportunity they have to tread a long path, our North Indian female children are still suffering from various hardships and lead slave like existence. Even child marriages are going on there. Unwed mothers are increasing. Progressive minded parties and their leaders, especially women leaders- there are umpteen women leaders in the communist parties and other like-minded parties- should be pro-active in the fulfillment of the long cherished dreams of illiterate girl children.
Street Children-their unknown sorrows
We, street children are an accursed lot. We are orphans. Nobody to look after us. We beg, pick-pocket, get thrashing by the gentle men of the city, as those things are not new to us, we have learnt to live with such things.
About our parents, we have no idea. We are not much concerned with such problems. Occasionally in the moments of our loneliness, we wish for somebody to shower love on us- motherly affection, sisterly affection or fatherly affection. We know these are all our long cherished dreams. Nobody will be there to care us. We are out-castes. Please don’t blame us, if we feel jealousy on children from higher societies, wearing attractive uniforms, bags full of books, shoes, watch in their wrists hurrying to schools cracking jokes. If we had also loving and caring parents, they would have brought us clothes, sweets, bags, shoes, books and umbrellas. During those times we feel hatred towards the world, the God--- feel like jumping to the front of speeding train and end the chapter once and for all. Actually who are we? What sin we have committed to undergo hardships like hunger, poverty, mal-nutrition and lack of facilities to study in the schools? What is the meaning of our existence? Any meaning? An absurd existence… We are floating in the city just like logs in a rushing river. Ignored by all. Even by God, we don’t know whether there is God, an ever loving, ever-affectionate force in this Universe?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
INDIA GETTING READY FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS
Our nation is inching towards General Elections or General Elections are inching towards us. Both are same. The enthusiasm and curiosity are gaining momentum with the passage of each day. The heartbeats of political leaders are increasing day by day. They are deeply in pursuit of forming alliances to capture power at the centre and those who are not expecting the Supreme authority at the centre are on the look out for becoming part of winnable alliances, with the hope of capturing as many seats as possible - most of them are regional parties - are keeping an hidden agenda of bargaining for power after the elections and thus becoming part of power at the centre. The days of single party rule are immaterial and impossible in contemporary India and the regional parties are sure of a coalition government whoever may be the occupant of the throne at Indrapastha. With the growth of regional parties and thereby three National parties are now occupying a backseat. These are not the days of PanditJi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi. The fondness with which they nurtured the party and their personal magnetism are rare in our political scene now and moreover the Prime Ministerial aspirants are mounting even among the regional party leaders. While PanditJi was in the saddle for years, a question mark looming large before the eyes of the Indians were after Nehru- Who? They couldn’t figure another VIP occupying the chair of Jawahar Lal Nehru. Now the situation is entirely different. Even Mulyam Singh, his deputy, Kumari Mayawati, Jayalalitha, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar, most of them parochial are interested in keeping high hopes of becoming PM. As far as a Bihari leader is concerned, India means Bihar. For another regional party leader from TamilNadu, TamilNadu is the whole India, and for the one, two or three ,UP is India. These VVIPs are unable to or are not willing to visualize an India comprising the States and Union Territories are also parts of India, ie Bharat. Parochialism, sons of the soil mentality and secessionism are pulling India backwards to the princely States of an old era.
As an high court Judge pointed out the other day, let me quote his words- “Those who touch a sword should not think that they are oracles”. But in our country such a belief has gaining ground.
“World’s Greatest Democracy” has already conducted the Presidential Election in November and an African-American gentleman, Barack Obama is poised to enter the Oval Office on January 20. At a time when the Greatest Democracy is in throes of a severe economic recession, engaged in two wars- Iraq and Afghanistan, job cuts in millions, Wall Street in a mess, Obama has started listening to “music”. The whole World was watching with bated breath for the last one or two years as to who might be their next President keeping their fingers crossed. Obama’s predecessor, now he is lame-duck, with an authoritarian streak, made a mess of American economy by clutching to the Free Market Economy, and unnecessarily getting involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, spending billions of dollars, massacring millions of innocent civilians, literally wiping out those countries’ valuable cultural monuments, still without repentance going on with their destructive activities. The people of USA were fed up with the eight year rule of an arrogant President landing the nation in shambles particularly the economic collapse-his popularity rating was at its lowest level still remaining unrepentant.
Now after the election in USA, the whole World is in the process of turning attention to the General Election in the “World’s Largest Democracy” ie India.
New political equations have started emerging. Ticket mongers are frantically running after the leaders, even willing to pay ‘bribery’ to the tune of crores ( that they can make up in no time, their political chicanery that much laudable and are adept masters in making each move in the political chess board), sycophants have already appeared in the corridors of power and infront of 10 Janpath, even willing to bow down and crawl before the High Command and always available at the beck and call of higher authorities willing to obey “his master’s voice”.
Fence-sitters are biding their time, pondering over which way the wind blows, they are adept in this game of throwing to the wind political and moral values, and ethics.
The worst example, we saw on the occasion of confidence motion( trust vote) tabled in the LokSabha and the horse-trading conducted with maximum precision. For example, the Samajwadi Party’s volte-face at the last moment, until then one of the staunch opponents of Civilian Nuclear deal and ditched the third-front-actually it was a hotch-potch alliance-, that is another matter and thus made ManMohanSingh, the happiest man.
Then the ruling leaders turned to Shibu Soren and his cohorts enticed them and bought their support reported to have extended to him and his men, all they demanded, thus forcing their MPs talking with much vigour the positive aspects of Civilian Nuclear Deal and finally voted in favour of the Government. If the Government was not willing to oblige what they demanded, with the same tongue they could have spoken against the deal, without any compunction. It all depends…
Samajwadi Party’s charismatic and manipulative leader is reported to be flexing his muscles to extract the pound of flesh for all the help rendered on the occasion of tabling the confidence motion and subsequent voting to ensure the survival of ManMohanSingh’s Government. Now the gentleman is said to have threatened to walk out of the UPA and has given five days’ time to take action against Pakistan, otherwise be prepared to face the worst- the withdrawal of support. The seat-sharing talks in UP(Uttar Pradesh) is in doldrums, UP, once the citadel of Congress is in the hands of regional parties like BSP and SP even BJP is facing the heat, a State about which Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said- the route to Delhi is through UP.
Now Congress and BJP have found themselves in the same boat in the affairs of UP.
BJP had already begun preparations for the General Elections very much earlier than other parties and they had the confidence of riding the crest of popular wave and wrest back the throne at Delhi. Even the Prime Ministerial candidate had already been named, he is none other than L.K.Advani. Their confidence has already evaporated after the recent bye-elections in Rajasthan, Delhi, MadhyaPradesh, Chattigarh and Mizoram. A dream of clean sweep in the elections has disappeared and find themselves in predicament. The frequent terror attacks and latest carnage in Mumbai and the Government’s failure to detect the terrorist plan might turn masses to their side and clean sweep was expected. That didn’t materialized. In the meanwhile another shock in the form of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat , the former Vice President, respected by leaders across political spectrum has already plunged in to the electoral arena, much to the chagrin of PM aspirant L.K.Advani and other leaders like the Party President Rajnath Singh. In the matter of power play, both Congress and BJP are in a precarious situation.
Even the Left Front is facing a dilemma like the other two bourgeois Parties. In West Bengal, the citadel of CPI(M), in the bye-election conducted in Nandigram, the Trinamoool Congress candidate has wrested victory from the leftist candidate with a wide margin of more than 39000 votes. It was an unexpected defeat, such was the confidence of Left Front of Bengal. And for Trinamool Congress and its leader Mamta Banerjee, this victory has emerged as a morale booster.
Kerala is going to be another head-ache of LDF. Besides the anti-incumbancy factor, the infighting still raging in the CPI(M) which is the major ruling Party and sky-high prices of essential commodities and the wranglings in the coalition for seats to contest to the Parliament are the gigantic problems still remain to be attended.
A nation enmeshed in terror attacks, communal clashes, rampant corruption, splinter parties without any ideology to present before the masses, poverty, mal-nutrition, illiteracy, parochialism and secessionism affecting the election exercises, gives not much hope to the people at large.
As an high court Judge pointed out the other day, let me quote his words- “Those who touch a sword should not think that they are oracles”. But in our country such a belief has gaining ground.
“World’s Greatest Democracy” has already conducted the Presidential Election in November and an African-American gentleman, Barack Obama is poised to enter the Oval Office on January 20. At a time when the Greatest Democracy is in throes of a severe economic recession, engaged in two wars- Iraq and Afghanistan, job cuts in millions, Wall Street in a mess, Obama has started listening to “music”. The whole World was watching with bated breath for the last one or two years as to who might be their next President keeping their fingers crossed. Obama’s predecessor, now he is lame-duck, with an authoritarian streak, made a mess of American economy by clutching to the Free Market Economy, and unnecessarily getting involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, spending billions of dollars, massacring millions of innocent civilians, literally wiping out those countries’ valuable cultural monuments, still without repentance going on with their destructive activities. The people of USA were fed up with the eight year rule of an arrogant President landing the nation in shambles particularly the economic collapse-his popularity rating was at its lowest level still remaining unrepentant.
Now after the election in USA, the whole World is in the process of turning attention to the General Election in the “World’s Largest Democracy” ie India.
New political equations have started emerging. Ticket mongers are frantically running after the leaders, even willing to pay ‘bribery’ to the tune of crores ( that they can make up in no time, their political chicanery that much laudable and are adept masters in making each move in the political chess board), sycophants have already appeared in the corridors of power and infront of 10 Janpath, even willing to bow down and crawl before the High Command and always available at the beck and call of higher authorities willing to obey “his master’s voice”.
Fence-sitters are biding their time, pondering over which way the wind blows, they are adept in this game of throwing to the wind political and moral values, and ethics.
The worst example, we saw on the occasion of confidence motion( trust vote) tabled in the LokSabha and the horse-trading conducted with maximum precision. For example, the Samajwadi Party’s volte-face at the last moment, until then one of the staunch opponents of Civilian Nuclear deal and ditched the third-front-actually it was a hotch-potch alliance-, that is another matter and thus made ManMohanSingh, the happiest man.
Then the ruling leaders turned to Shibu Soren and his cohorts enticed them and bought their support reported to have extended to him and his men, all they demanded, thus forcing their MPs talking with much vigour the positive aspects of Civilian Nuclear Deal and finally voted in favour of the Government. If the Government was not willing to oblige what they demanded, with the same tongue they could have spoken against the deal, without any compunction. It all depends…
Samajwadi Party’s charismatic and manipulative leader is reported to be flexing his muscles to extract the pound of flesh for all the help rendered on the occasion of tabling the confidence motion and subsequent voting to ensure the survival of ManMohanSingh’s Government. Now the gentleman is said to have threatened to walk out of the UPA and has given five days’ time to take action against Pakistan, otherwise be prepared to face the worst- the withdrawal of support. The seat-sharing talks in UP(Uttar Pradesh) is in doldrums, UP, once the citadel of Congress is in the hands of regional parties like BSP and SP even BJP is facing the heat, a State about which Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said- the route to Delhi is through UP.
Now Congress and BJP have found themselves in the same boat in the affairs of UP.
BJP had already begun preparations for the General Elections very much earlier than other parties and they had the confidence of riding the crest of popular wave and wrest back the throne at Delhi. Even the Prime Ministerial candidate had already been named, he is none other than L.K.Advani. Their confidence has already evaporated after the recent bye-elections in Rajasthan, Delhi, MadhyaPradesh, Chattigarh and Mizoram. A dream of clean sweep in the elections has disappeared and find themselves in predicament. The frequent terror attacks and latest carnage in Mumbai and the Government’s failure to detect the terrorist plan might turn masses to their side and clean sweep was expected. That didn’t materialized. In the meanwhile another shock in the form of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat , the former Vice President, respected by leaders across political spectrum has already plunged in to the electoral arena, much to the chagrin of PM aspirant L.K.Advani and other leaders like the Party President Rajnath Singh. In the matter of power play, both Congress and BJP are in a precarious situation.
Even the Left Front is facing a dilemma like the other two bourgeois Parties. In West Bengal, the citadel of CPI(M), in the bye-election conducted in Nandigram, the Trinamoool Congress candidate has wrested victory from the leftist candidate with a wide margin of more than 39000 votes. It was an unexpected defeat, such was the confidence of Left Front of Bengal. And for Trinamool Congress and its leader Mamta Banerjee, this victory has emerged as a morale booster.
Kerala is going to be another head-ache of LDF. Besides the anti-incumbancy factor, the infighting still raging in the CPI(M) which is the major ruling Party and sky-high prices of essential commodities and the wranglings in the coalition for seats to contest to the Parliament are the gigantic problems still remain to be attended.
A nation enmeshed in terror attacks, communal clashes, rampant corruption, splinter parties without any ideology to present before the masses, poverty, mal-nutrition, illiteracy, parochialism and secessionism affecting the election exercises, gives not much hope to the people at large.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
MY OBSESSION WITH MUMBAI – A MIRAGE!
Allapra is just like any other village in Kerala. A beautiful landscape with lush greenery with its paddy fields, rubber estates, coconut and arecanut trees, plantains grown in a vast area, the serenity throughout the day and night, no vehicular rush, no frantic crowd, houses nearby, ponds, two churches, a temple from where devotional songs could be heard in the early morning and in the evening just before the Sun sets for the day and long narrow tarred road passes through the village.
Till the age of twenty I was a rural young man in the village of Pulluvazhy, about two or three kilometers from Allapra, the praises already showered on Allapra could be applied to Pulluvazhy also. The young generation of Allapra and Pulluvazhy leave their villages and near and dear ones after higher studies to the urban areas to secure jobs either in banks, government offices, factories or own business and amass money. Some young men with the help of their parents go abroad to earn and also for sending money to their parents. Most of these young men visit their villages once or twice in five years spend their vacation in their beloved houses spend time with the loving and caring parents, friends and relatives. The new generation men and women are not at all interested in the old profession of agriculture and their parents even though getting old slog it out in the fields and sow the seeds. With the monthly arrival of money from their kids working across India and abroad, the farmers are gradually withdrawing from the farming scene and stop cultivation. With in a few years, in the place of paddy fields sky-high concrete buildings may come up and the present scenario may become a thing of the past. 60 Percent of Indians are farmers, but this profession, instead of bringing them profits and laurels, find themselves in debt-traps due to loans availed of from local money lenders at exorbitant rates for purchasing fertilizers and insecticides. The liberalization policy of our governments resulted in the reduction of import-tariffs, the countries importing rice and paddy and other essential commodities enter the market and sell at cheap rates thus forcing our farmers to be bankrupt and end their life by consuming insecticides, find salvation in suicides, thus making the life of their dependants unbearable. Here I recall an advice to farmers by the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra to join the ‘Art Of Living’ classes to keep away from suicides! These types of fiddling Neros are the bane of our nation.
I have deviated from the main story and beg your pardon. In the interim period, ie between my life as a rural man, till the age of 21 and present life at Allapra, for about five years I was in faraway Mumbai. That also in connection with my job in a bank. A totally different atmosphere compared to my life in the village, I underwent a severe homesickness and thought about resigning the job and to rush back to my village. The homesickness lasted for about one month and later got accustomed with the ‘peculiarities’ of Mumbai life. New friends, a few close relatives hither and thither living in the suburbs and with their presence and help, I finally overcame my homesickness and gradually began to like the city and was overwhelmed with my new found freedom, that is a rare commodity in Pulluvazhy in the presence of my parents and close relatives. I began to love the sky-rocketing buildings, mad rush of crowds, the hustle and bustle, speeding vehicles- trains, buses, cars and autorickshaws everywhere and occasionally some hot drinks in the company of newly got friends and the subsequent feelings of joy and delight and also some ‘adventure sports’. My frequent letters to parents, friends and relatives became rare, but the continuous flow of letters from them didn’t have an interval.
Sometimes in my moments of loneliness, that is also a rare commodity in Mumbai, told myself in a whispering tone- Incredible and unbelievable these evolutions- the young man in me wondered. One who initially had only hatred and anger in store for Mumbai getting converted into a typical city man and began to forget the village and my dear and near ones appeared before me once in a while with unbelievable eyes just like a flash.
Recently, one of my friends in Mumbai, Balachandran , together with his family visited my house and surveyed the surroundings and took a stroll down the roads and spent one day with my family, memorized our past life in Mumbai and recalled some other friends, cracked some jokes, sons of the soil policy of Shivsainiks and occasional terror attacks, yet the city day by day getting to be like a huge dam, about to burst-out anytime due to inflow of young men keeping their life at risk.
Balachandran is at Airoli, in the New Mumbai area, and while myself and my family paid a visit to his flat, it was quite amazing to watch the whole New Mumbai from the terrace of the building, vast areas of New Mumbai with sky-high buildings bathed in bright fluorescent lights and the residents- men, women and children watching the whole city from their balconys’ enjoying the winds blowing from the sea. Even though I didn’t tell him, I really envied the man for turning a Mumbaikar.
But when he visited my house and an entirely different ambience (for him) bewitched him and told me with wonder and curiosity glowing in his eyes- “Lucky chap. What a beautiful area. No noise pollution, no fear psychosis, no faceless crowd, no violence, calm and quiet. Really I like this place. My SIDCO flat is nothing compared with this house and the rural atmosphere.
Another visit also paid by my wife’s intimate friend, Sharadha, who is in Ambernath. She was accompanied by her husband and daughter. While we were in Mumbai, we used to visit her flat once in a while and spent atleast one week.
On a vacation tour to Kerala, Sharadha’s native place is Cherthala, before returning to Ambernath, after our repeated compulsions, she came with her family.
As my friend had already done, she also found our house beautiful and also the premises.
“Lucky you. A marvellous place indeed. Calm and serene. Loving and caring neighbours. No noise pollution. No faceless crowd. After retirement we will certainly dispose off our property and would purchase a plot somewhere here and build a house. That much I am enthralled and excited”.
Mumbaikar Malayalee hate the city and prefer to be away from the city and lead a calm and quiet life in villages.
The man always dreams of returning to Mumbai and be a Mumbaikar- myself- kept mum. Is this a mirage!
Till the age of twenty I was a rural young man in the village of Pulluvazhy, about two or three kilometers from Allapra, the praises already showered on Allapra could be applied to Pulluvazhy also. The young generation of Allapra and Pulluvazhy leave their villages and near and dear ones after higher studies to the urban areas to secure jobs either in banks, government offices, factories or own business and amass money. Some young men with the help of their parents go abroad to earn and also for sending money to their parents. Most of these young men visit their villages once or twice in five years spend their vacation in their beloved houses spend time with the loving and caring parents, friends and relatives. The new generation men and women are not at all interested in the old profession of agriculture and their parents even though getting old slog it out in the fields and sow the seeds. With the monthly arrival of money from their kids working across India and abroad, the farmers are gradually withdrawing from the farming scene and stop cultivation. With in a few years, in the place of paddy fields sky-high concrete buildings may come up and the present scenario may become a thing of the past. 60 Percent of Indians are farmers, but this profession, instead of bringing them profits and laurels, find themselves in debt-traps due to loans availed of from local money lenders at exorbitant rates for purchasing fertilizers and insecticides. The liberalization policy of our governments resulted in the reduction of import-tariffs, the countries importing rice and paddy and other essential commodities enter the market and sell at cheap rates thus forcing our farmers to be bankrupt and end their life by consuming insecticides, find salvation in suicides, thus making the life of their dependants unbearable. Here I recall an advice to farmers by the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra to join the ‘Art Of Living’ classes to keep away from suicides! These types of fiddling Neros are the bane of our nation.
I have deviated from the main story and beg your pardon. In the interim period, ie between my life as a rural man, till the age of 21 and present life at Allapra, for about five years I was in faraway Mumbai. That also in connection with my job in a bank. A totally different atmosphere compared to my life in the village, I underwent a severe homesickness and thought about resigning the job and to rush back to my village. The homesickness lasted for about one month and later got accustomed with the ‘peculiarities’ of Mumbai life. New friends, a few close relatives hither and thither living in the suburbs and with their presence and help, I finally overcame my homesickness and gradually began to like the city and was overwhelmed with my new found freedom, that is a rare commodity in Pulluvazhy in the presence of my parents and close relatives. I began to love the sky-rocketing buildings, mad rush of crowds, the hustle and bustle, speeding vehicles- trains, buses, cars and autorickshaws everywhere and occasionally some hot drinks in the company of newly got friends and the subsequent feelings of joy and delight and also some ‘adventure sports’. My frequent letters to parents, friends and relatives became rare, but the continuous flow of letters from them didn’t have an interval.
Sometimes in my moments of loneliness, that is also a rare commodity in Mumbai, told myself in a whispering tone- Incredible and unbelievable these evolutions- the young man in me wondered. One who initially had only hatred and anger in store for Mumbai getting converted into a typical city man and began to forget the village and my dear and near ones appeared before me once in a while with unbelievable eyes just like a flash.
Recently, one of my friends in Mumbai, Balachandran , together with his family visited my house and surveyed the surroundings and took a stroll down the roads and spent one day with my family, memorized our past life in Mumbai and recalled some other friends, cracked some jokes, sons of the soil policy of Shivsainiks and occasional terror attacks, yet the city day by day getting to be like a huge dam, about to burst-out anytime due to inflow of young men keeping their life at risk.
Balachandran is at Airoli, in the New Mumbai area, and while myself and my family paid a visit to his flat, it was quite amazing to watch the whole New Mumbai from the terrace of the building, vast areas of New Mumbai with sky-high buildings bathed in bright fluorescent lights and the residents- men, women and children watching the whole city from their balconys’ enjoying the winds blowing from the sea. Even though I didn’t tell him, I really envied the man for turning a Mumbaikar.
But when he visited my house and an entirely different ambience (for him) bewitched him and told me with wonder and curiosity glowing in his eyes- “Lucky chap. What a beautiful area. No noise pollution, no fear psychosis, no faceless crowd, no violence, calm and quiet. Really I like this place. My SIDCO flat is nothing compared with this house and the rural atmosphere.
Another visit also paid by my wife’s intimate friend, Sharadha, who is in Ambernath. She was accompanied by her husband and daughter. While we were in Mumbai, we used to visit her flat once in a while and spent atleast one week.
On a vacation tour to Kerala, Sharadha’s native place is Cherthala, before returning to Ambernath, after our repeated compulsions, she came with her family.
As my friend had already done, she also found our house beautiful and also the premises.
“Lucky you. A marvellous place indeed. Calm and serene. Loving and caring neighbours. No noise pollution. No faceless crowd. After retirement we will certainly dispose off our property and would purchase a plot somewhere here and build a house. That much I am enthralled and excited”.
Mumbaikar Malayalee hate the city and prefer to be away from the city and lead a calm and quiet life in villages.
The man always dreams of returning to Mumbai and be a Mumbaikar- myself- kept mum. Is this a mirage!
Monday, January 5, 2009
WEAR A MASK TO PULL ON IN OUR WORLD
Words lose meanings in our contemporary World. This is a tragic truth prevailing across the World. Everything for the sake of formality. Most of us are aware of it, in a Globalized, Liberalized World, we all wear masks. Social etiquette is here to stay. We don’t know whether wishes like Merry X’mas, Happy NewYear, Many Many happy returns of the day, whether these wishes are genuine from the bottom of our hearts, sometimes we ask ourselves.
One minute or second after the stroke of 12’O’clock midnight, the whole World erupt in joy, with all pomp and pageantry, everyone conveys happy and prosperous NewYear wishes to each other. Are we happy or expecting happiness? We human-beings living on the edge of a turbulent hypocritical, terror-struck World. Add to these the Global financial melt-down and slowly spreading recession, poverty, impoverishments, ethnic wars raging with all ferocity resulting in the death of crores of innocent civilians for no fault of theirs. Many flee their homes and native land and end up as refugees at any comparatively peaceful area in tents. Anytime, anything can happen in this World, quite unexpectedly. Putting life at risk NGOs are engaged 24x7 to provide food, clothes and building tents for millions.
NewYear day brought before us or welcomed us, with the mind-chilling serial bomb explosions in Guwahati- Assam, allegedly by ULFA (United Liberation Front Of Assam) killing five innocent people and injuring many. A happy newyear, ie 2009, welcomed us all. Our present Home Minister, P.Chidambaram had in a sense, a providential escape from the blasts, as the blasts occurred just before his arrival in Assam. He was scheduled to pass through the streets where the IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) were hidden by alleged ULFA militants.
Outside India, in our neighbouring country of SriLanka the ethnic strife spreading like wild-fire with the Tamil militants (LTTE) fleeing to safer places fearing the army assault. In their struggle for existence while frantically running away, most civilians lose their lives due to lack of food and occasional bombings by the SriLankan forces and fatigue -both mental and physical. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the nation is determined to flush out LTTE militants who find safety in bunkers including Velupillai Prabhakaran. While writing this piece, SriLankan forces with determination and confidence, are heading to Mullaithive, killing hundreds of human lives and wounding a lot of them. With the successful capture of Killinochi, which the LTTE claim the defacto capital of Tamil Elam, the government and the soldiers are upbeat.
In West-Asia, Gaza strip is surrounded by Israeli soldiers, the Ground offensive already started there also approximately five hundred civilians killed, with Hamas militants launching rockets in to the Israelian territory, thus whole West-Asia caught in inferno. Most nations across the World are trying earnestly to end the genocide, even brought the subject to United Nations and appealed for calmness, tried to pass a resolution to condemn the war between Israeli soldiers and Hamas. UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon, the so-called supreme authority’s repeated pleas to have a cease-fire agreement at the earliest, fell on deaf ears with USA as always, siding with Israel. USA had never condemned Israel and moreover encouraged and provided the intimate nation with all logistical support. ‘Happy NewYear’ chanting is still reverberating across the World.
On NewYear day, early in the morning, woke up from the bed, sent sms’ to friends and relatives, called some of them getting in return the same happy and prosperous newyear wishes and sms’. At least for a few minutes the picture of a turbulent World disappeared from the mind and the usual customary greetings continued for a brief spell.
Only one person, he is one of my intimate friends took exception to my greetings. Anyhow some lighter moments made both of us happy. The Chief Manager of a bank has to wear a mask in front of his customers, many of them business tycoons, rushing in to wish him happy newyear.
I called him at about 9’O’clock in the morning. Our friendship is so many years old, and therefore I can utilize my freedom if possible with an authoritative tone. “Hello Good morning Jameskutty and wish you a happy and prosperous newyear.”
“Surendran, you are also getting formal. What happy year,you mean. Actually tell me what is the difference between yesterday and today? Tell me- I burst into laughter and beaming a smile , I told him.
“Yesterday is yesterday..Today is today.. That’s all”
“Frankly speaking, I hate this formality of wishing Merry Christmas, Happy Newyear and all such absurd things.”
“Let me know one thing. You are the Chief Manager of a bank. Many customers, both poor and rich, the rich will come to your cabin today(the poor never wear masks) to wish you a happy Newyear with a mechanized smile. You will have to get up from your seat and show maximum politeness and respect, shake hands with each of them. Won’t you respond to them when they wish you and keep a pensive mood, sitting like a detached monk?- my friend remained silent for one or two seconds.
“I will have to respond. I have to wear a mask. I think in our World, all human-beings are hypocrites. We are all helpless Baba, helpless. Anyhow I don’t want to be a hypocrite in my approach to you. I can’t and I won’t. The old rebels are still hiding in our mind. Let us be the same old rebels”.
I came to the conclusion that 2009 is going to be an extension of 2008 which was an eventful one. We must learn to live with it…
One minute or second after the stroke of 12’O’clock midnight, the whole World erupt in joy, with all pomp and pageantry, everyone conveys happy and prosperous NewYear wishes to each other. Are we happy or expecting happiness? We human-beings living on the edge of a turbulent hypocritical, terror-struck World. Add to these the Global financial melt-down and slowly spreading recession, poverty, impoverishments, ethnic wars raging with all ferocity resulting in the death of crores of innocent civilians for no fault of theirs. Many flee their homes and native land and end up as refugees at any comparatively peaceful area in tents. Anytime, anything can happen in this World, quite unexpectedly. Putting life at risk NGOs are engaged 24x7 to provide food, clothes and building tents for millions.
NewYear day brought before us or welcomed us, with the mind-chilling serial bomb explosions in Guwahati- Assam, allegedly by ULFA (United Liberation Front Of Assam) killing five innocent people and injuring many. A happy newyear, ie 2009, welcomed us all. Our present Home Minister, P.Chidambaram had in a sense, a providential escape from the blasts, as the blasts occurred just before his arrival in Assam. He was scheduled to pass through the streets where the IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) were hidden by alleged ULFA militants.
Outside India, in our neighbouring country of SriLanka the ethnic strife spreading like wild-fire with the Tamil militants (LTTE) fleeing to safer places fearing the army assault. In their struggle for existence while frantically running away, most civilians lose their lives due to lack of food and occasional bombings by the SriLankan forces and fatigue -both mental and physical. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the nation is determined to flush out LTTE militants who find safety in bunkers including Velupillai Prabhakaran. While writing this piece, SriLankan forces with determination and confidence, are heading to Mullaithive, killing hundreds of human lives and wounding a lot of them. With the successful capture of Killinochi, which the LTTE claim the defacto capital of Tamil Elam, the government and the soldiers are upbeat.
In West-Asia, Gaza strip is surrounded by Israeli soldiers, the Ground offensive already started there also approximately five hundred civilians killed, with Hamas militants launching rockets in to the Israelian territory, thus whole West-Asia caught in inferno. Most nations across the World are trying earnestly to end the genocide, even brought the subject to United Nations and appealed for calmness, tried to pass a resolution to condemn the war between Israeli soldiers and Hamas. UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon, the so-called supreme authority’s repeated pleas to have a cease-fire agreement at the earliest, fell on deaf ears with USA as always, siding with Israel. USA had never condemned Israel and moreover encouraged and provided the intimate nation with all logistical support. ‘Happy NewYear’ chanting is still reverberating across the World.
On NewYear day, early in the morning, woke up from the bed, sent sms’ to friends and relatives, called some of them getting in return the same happy and prosperous newyear wishes and sms’. At least for a few minutes the picture of a turbulent World disappeared from the mind and the usual customary greetings continued for a brief spell.
Only one person, he is one of my intimate friends took exception to my greetings. Anyhow some lighter moments made both of us happy. The Chief Manager of a bank has to wear a mask in front of his customers, many of them business tycoons, rushing in to wish him happy newyear.
I called him at about 9’O’clock in the morning. Our friendship is so many years old, and therefore I can utilize my freedom if possible with an authoritative tone. “Hello Good morning Jameskutty and wish you a happy and prosperous newyear.”
“Surendran, you are also getting formal. What happy year,you mean. Actually tell me what is the difference between yesterday and today? Tell me- I burst into laughter and beaming a smile , I told him.
“Yesterday is yesterday..Today is today.. That’s all”
“Frankly speaking, I hate this formality of wishing Merry Christmas, Happy Newyear and all such absurd things.”
“Let me know one thing. You are the Chief Manager of a bank. Many customers, both poor and rich, the rich will come to your cabin today(the poor never wear masks) to wish you a happy Newyear with a mechanized smile. You will have to get up from your seat and show maximum politeness and respect, shake hands with each of them. Won’t you respond to them when they wish you and keep a pensive mood, sitting like a detached monk?- my friend remained silent for one or two seconds.
“I will have to respond. I have to wear a mask. I think in our World, all human-beings are hypocrites. We are all helpless Baba, helpless. Anyhow I don’t want to be a hypocrite in my approach to you. I can’t and I won’t. The old rebels are still hiding in our mind. Let us be the same old rebels”.
I came to the conclusion that 2009 is going to be an extension of 2008 which was an eventful one. We must learn to live with it…
Thursday, January 1, 2009
INDIA AND ISRAEL…POLES APART
“We see light at the end of the tunnel…Let’s hope for the best”.
While the tripartite talks were going on in the past (and present) either at USA or Egypt with the American President or Egyptian President donning the role of mediator to find a solution for the intermittent clashes, bombings, shooting, throwing grenades against each other resulting in the death of hundreds of innocent civilians, the leaders came out after one day’s inconclusive talks scheduled to be continued for the next day with cautiously optimistic smiles, addressing the anxious media outside the venue, the media men also saw light at the end of the tunnel on hearing some pleasant news from them. Actually, there was /is no light at the end of the tunnel and what they were claiming was an illusion. The hope and ardent prayers of the millions across the World, might be one of the reasons for the illusion- the light at the end of the tunnel.
While writing this article,in West Asia, the war between Hamas Militants and Israel are raging like wild fire killing innocent civilians, the men, women and children falling dead or badly bruised, crippling them for the rest of their life.
Hamas launching missiles from their side inflicting casualties at the other side of Israel and the belligerent Israeli forces retaliating with double or thrice the forces of Hamas inflicting massive destruction of properties of the Palestininans and also their violent deaths. Today is the sixth day of fighting. The innocent civilians of Gaza strip are reeling under hunger with the depletion of food and other essential commodities owing to the blockade imposed by the retaliating Israel army. The NGOs are frustrated and helpless and their hearts go all out for hungry children,women and men.
Israel’s Military is a mighty force, with all kinds of ammunition kept in their arsenal including the weapons of mass destruction like atom bombs and chemical weapons ready to take on the Arab nations surrounding it, it so happened in 1967 annexing substantial areas of Arab lands like Syria, Jordan and Egypt. USA has always a soft corner for Israel, either under George W Bush or the President-elect Barack Obama. Even almost all nations want Israel to be calm and not be belligerent, the issue is getting to be aggravated day by day even after passing resolutions to avert a war-like atmosphere. USA always cast vetos in support of Israel extending all logistical help to Israel, thus making UN almost “redundant”. For the World Super Cop, UN resolutions have not much worth, thus ignoring the World Body’s diktats and advices. Israel keeping atom bombs in its arsenal is not at all a concern for USA , in fact they are extending maximum logistical support to develop lethal weapons like atom bombs, but Iran developing Uranium enrichment for even peaceful purposes and for that matter certain targeted countries which are blacklisted by USA are also prevented from Uranium enrichment process threatening to impose sanctions in the event of violation of their commands or diktats. USA is always like that, what they need is loyal and submissive nations and so they apply different criteria for different nations whether these nations are governed by dictators or ‘democrats’. And appreciating themselves by claiming “The World’s Greatest Democracy”.
Here I recall the carnage committed by ten or more Pakistani terrorists, held the entire country to ransom for about 60 hours. With crocodile tears George Bush sent his close confident, Ms. Condoleezza Rice to India, didn’t forget to condemn the gruesome murders committed by the terrorists of the neighbouring country. She also advised our leaders not to take “knee-jerk” decisions by attacking Pakistan or Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) and offered herself as a third person by sitting across the table with the representatives of India and Pakistan to defuse the crisis. A wonderful peace-loving lady!
If these developments had taken place in the Israeli territory, USA would not only have condemned the actions but also encouraged or directed Israel government to intervene in the imbroglio and effect as much damage as possible in the Gaza strip. Such is the double standard of the “World’s Greatest Democracy”. USA, aware about all the activities going on in Pakistan still keeps a soft heart towards that country now named by nations across the World as the “Epicentre Of Terrorism”.
Even after one month, our intellectuals, former ambassadors and other think tanks are advising the Manmohan Singh government not to commit ‘knee-jerk’ action. Quite amusing? It would have been called ‘kneee-jerk’ action, had our nation immediately attacked Pakistan and demolished the terrorist training centres thriving at Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
India always loved peace, still want to remain a peaceful country and it retaliates only after the neighbouring countries declare an all out war. It is India’s tradition to keep a peaceful policy and our nation is still following a peaceful path. This nation never intervened in the internal affairs of another country and is taken for a ride if a child on the other side of LOC throws a stone in an angry mood. But that is not the case of Israel. If some young students cast stones to Israelian side, that is enough and more for Israel to engage in a full-fledged war.
That is the difference between India and Israel. Dear sirs, please don’t intimidate the citizens with ‘knee-jerk’ reactions and something like such terms. After all 26/11/2008 is left far behind.
When will we see light at the end of tunnel? For the last several years as an observer of the current events prevailing in our country, and the World as a whole the one question often needling me is the happenings in the Middle-East, especially the frequent fighting between Israel and Palestine with no end in sight. If the Palestinians, the Fatwa movement under Mahmoud Abbas formerly its leader was legendary Yasser Arafat and the break away faction-Hamas make a climb down recognizing Israel as a Sovereign Republic instead of threatening that country to wipe out of the World map and accept it as a reality and Israel also make a climb down by returning the captured lands to the neighbouring Arab nations and create a peaceful atmosphere throughout the area with amity and friendship and lead a harmonious life forgetting the bitter past , the issue will come to an amicable settlement for ever.
Would Khalid Mishail, the supreme leader of the Hamas faction and Ismail Haniya, Prime Minister of Gaza strip get mellowed in the not too distant future, the West Asian crisis is likely to blow over. If such a scenario happens we can certainly see light at the end of the tunnel…
While the tripartite talks were going on in the past (and present) either at USA or Egypt with the American President or Egyptian President donning the role of mediator to find a solution for the intermittent clashes, bombings, shooting, throwing grenades against each other resulting in the death of hundreds of innocent civilians, the leaders came out after one day’s inconclusive talks scheduled to be continued for the next day with cautiously optimistic smiles, addressing the anxious media outside the venue, the media men also saw light at the end of the tunnel on hearing some pleasant news from them. Actually, there was /is no light at the end of the tunnel and what they were claiming was an illusion. The hope and ardent prayers of the millions across the World, might be one of the reasons for the illusion- the light at the end of the tunnel.
While writing this article,in West Asia, the war between Hamas Militants and Israel are raging like wild fire killing innocent civilians, the men, women and children falling dead or badly bruised, crippling them for the rest of their life.
Hamas launching missiles from their side inflicting casualties at the other side of Israel and the belligerent Israeli forces retaliating with double or thrice the forces of Hamas inflicting massive destruction of properties of the Palestininans and also their violent deaths. Today is the sixth day of fighting. The innocent civilians of Gaza strip are reeling under hunger with the depletion of food and other essential commodities owing to the blockade imposed by the retaliating Israel army. The NGOs are frustrated and helpless and their hearts go all out for hungry children,women and men.
Israel’s Military is a mighty force, with all kinds of ammunition kept in their arsenal including the weapons of mass destruction like atom bombs and chemical weapons ready to take on the Arab nations surrounding it, it so happened in 1967 annexing substantial areas of Arab lands like Syria, Jordan and Egypt. USA has always a soft corner for Israel, either under George W Bush or the President-elect Barack Obama. Even almost all nations want Israel to be calm and not be belligerent, the issue is getting to be aggravated day by day even after passing resolutions to avert a war-like atmosphere. USA always cast vetos in support of Israel extending all logistical help to Israel, thus making UN almost “redundant”. For the World Super Cop, UN resolutions have not much worth, thus ignoring the World Body’s diktats and advices. Israel keeping atom bombs in its arsenal is not at all a concern for USA , in fact they are extending maximum logistical support to develop lethal weapons like atom bombs, but Iran developing Uranium enrichment for even peaceful purposes and for that matter certain targeted countries which are blacklisted by USA are also prevented from Uranium enrichment process threatening to impose sanctions in the event of violation of their commands or diktats. USA is always like that, what they need is loyal and submissive nations and so they apply different criteria for different nations whether these nations are governed by dictators or ‘democrats’. And appreciating themselves by claiming “The World’s Greatest Democracy”.
Here I recall the carnage committed by ten or more Pakistani terrorists, held the entire country to ransom for about 60 hours. With crocodile tears George Bush sent his close confident, Ms. Condoleezza Rice to India, didn’t forget to condemn the gruesome murders committed by the terrorists of the neighbouring country. She also advised our leaders not to take “knee-jerk” decisions by attacking Pakistan or Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) and offered herself as a third person by sitting across the table with the representatives of India and Pakistan to defuse the crisis. A wonderful peace-loving lady!
If these developments had taken place in the Israeli territory, USA would not only have condemned the actions but also encouraged or directed Israel government to intervene in the imbroglio and effect as much damage as possible in the Gaza strip. Such is the double standard of the “World’s Greatest Democracy”. USA, aware about all the activities going on in Pakistan still keeps a soft heart towards that country now named by nations across the World as the “Epicentre Of Terrorism”.
Even after one month, our intellectuals, former ambassadors and other think tanks are advising the Manmohan Singh government not to commit ‘knee-jerk’ action. Quite amusing? It would have been called ‘kneee-jerk’ action, had our nation immediately attacked Pakistan and demolished the terrorist training centres thriving at Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
India always loved peace, still want to remain a peaceful country and it retaliates only after the neighbouring countries declare an all out war. It is India’s tradition to keep a peaceful policy and our nation is still following a peaceful path. This nation never intervened in the internal affairs of another country and is taken for a ride if a child on the other side of LOC throws a stone in an angry mood. But that is not the case of Israel. If some young students cast stones to Israelian side, that is enough and more for Israel to engage in a full-fledged war.
That is the difference between India and Israel. Dear sirs, please don’t intimidate the citizens with ‘knee-jerk’ reactions and something like such terms. After all 26/11/2008 is left far behind.
When will we see light at the end of tunnel? For the last several years as an observer of the current events prevailing in our country, and the World as a whole the one question often needling me is the happenings in the Middle-East, especially the frequent fighting between Israel and Palestine with no end in sight. If the Palestinians, the Fatwa movement under Mahmoud Abbas formerly its leader was legendary Yasser Arafat and the break away faction-Hamas make a climb down recognizing Israel as a Sovereign Republic instead of threatening that country to wipe out of the World map and accept it as a reality and Israel also make a climb down by returning the captured lands to the neighbouring Arab nations and create a peaceful atmosphere throughout the area with amity and friendship and lead a harmonious life forgetting the bitter past , the issue will come to an amicable settlement for ever.
Would Khalid Mishail, the supreme leader of the Hamas faction and Ismail Haniya, Prime Minister of Gaza strip get mellowed in the not too distant future, the West Asian crisis is likely to blow over. If such a scenario happens we can certainly see light at the end of the tunnel…
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