Fragile Sentiments

Apart from my personal problems, I find every day a person unknown hitherto trying to hurt my sentiments. I swear, a day before I went to watch a movie for simple entertainment. Hero of the movie was so unkind that he made mockery of my caste by smearing three vertical lines on his forehead, and yet seen debauching. He was shown to have been licking his fingers after eating sumptuous non vegetarian meal which is a taboo in my cast. Yet another case of ridicule was found in one movie not long ago when one of my three million gods has incarnated as a buffoon though I was not quite definite with the characteristics of this god, I surfed through internet for authenticity to protest for this kind of deprecation.

Recent power packed speeches by our regional leaders made me conscious of my accent and surprisingly I found that every where it had been distorted in the name of sophistication . Why the heck I should mend my accent when I have to be formal? They say that this language format has been used in books. Who wrote these books? It is not my caste people who wrote these heavy books and bothered us to learn them. Even before I forget let me tell you I found my accent frequently been used by villains and goondas in many movies which is derogatory. Do you suggest any kind of treachery behind it? How come I was ignorant of this fact for so long?

I cheered up to my favorite bats man every time he hit his century but he really seemed to have failed in understanding my sentiment about my city when he declared it to be open for every Tom Dick and Harry who flock here to plunder all of 'our' people. Though ungracious I would like to question his propriety in doing so. Same is the case with Big C who came here like a pauper and made his millions. I demand that he should cough his millions to develop my city. By the way am I wrong in saying so? After all it is we who made him rich. So in a way it is our money. So there nothing wrong even if I demand a chunk of land from him.

As if I have few problems, Government of India has declared an award for a book which I hardly cared before. But I followed a discussion on television which ultimately divulged it's true nature of being very atheistic and vulgar. How responsible government can ignore the fact that this kind of books wound our sentiments? Years of people's ignorance and carelessness has resulted in number increase in atheists, who don't hesitate to insult our epic heroes or heroines. I think government should not stop with ripping him of his award alone but also punish him for being so disrespectful to our culture. Although I have never been traditional, celebrate festivals, I think I am very conscious of my culture. My wife nags for my bed tea and lunch before bath, yet I believe I am born with culture.

I have become increasingly irritant with my neighbor who revealed his Lahore roots. "Are you Pakistani?" "No, no we are Hindus, and we migrated during partition". Whatever, he is still a Pakistani to me. I cautioned my children to be away from theirs. My heart tells me that he is not Indian though he is Hindu. Why every body comes to India as if we are not enough here? I suspect that my brother-in-law did not get his job due to severe competition from these ' settlers'.

I felt guilty that I switched off my T.V. while my children watch a movie promo this morning. They say it is historical. I apprehend that history is full of blunders. My community has been shown as monsters few centuries ago depriving some other community their basic rights. How can it be true? I heard a great lot about their valor. What other communities think of us if they watch this movie? I want to consult a lawyer so that he can bring a ban on this movie. It may cost me some money. So what? Should we not spend that much for the sake of community?

On my way to the lawyer there stood a giant statue of Einstein. He was shining and grabbing every body's attention. Municipal people might have cleaned bird's excreta covering it. What this man is doing here all these years? Is he is Indian? More importantly is he Hindu? No way. Why not I include this clause in my petition to bring this statue down? My ignorant lawyer asked me what the statue got to do with my community case. I thought a while and told him "It is irreligious to erect a Christian statue in Hindu dominated street"

My wife acted rudly with me refusing to part with her bangles towards the lawyer fees and slammed on my face "You better go the forest and live there where you are not in contact with people, books, television or movies and your sentiments are secure."

"Don't you ever dare to question me, you North Indians ever allow us to live in peace?"I freaked out.

Justice to Stay

Our society was literally saturated with umpteen number of lawyers even few decades ago. It was the foremost profession any body from elite or educated middle class would aspire to become, when Engineers, and doctors were not really in the rat race. By the time India got independence it was flooded with lawyers with their Barrister, Bar at law , LLB degrees on hand. Imagine my grand father himself was a lawyer vouchsafing it's antiquity. By the the time I was born and grew up lawyers were often called to be understanding the trees ( which means they were standing under the trees).

Hindi movie "Kanoon" of sixties made waves for it's intensive arguments which demanded sound knowledge of Hindi from a South Indian. Great lawyers adorned the political circles, and were in the forefront in the freedom struggle. High profile lawyers were noted for their powerful arguments and often making news in the print media.Relatively unknown Shanti Bhushan a lawyer could change the political scenario of the country with his arguments against Indira Gandhi. Our own Jeth Malani occasionally misfires with his weird arguments threatening or own sense of justice.

Actually in ideological terms lawyers are the custodians of justice, the ideology being left to the winds ages back. They can upturn the cases and innocent might be punished while the culprit goes Scot free. Many families entangled in the court battles spend their life time making rounds to the courts. Many lost their huge properties feeding the lawyers and paying court fees. Our movies fantasize the role of lawyers with blindfolded statue behind, making heated arguments till they get a heart attack. The actual sight of a deglamorized court room can really make one fret as he misses every single imagination of a professional conduct. Piles of cases pending in various courts bring a culprit to the gallows only after few decades, when every body including the petitioners become forgiving and forgetting.

Present lawyers with the changing times changed their ideology and overtures. The socially conscious practitioners seem to have taken a totally different format, some of them taking the stance of goons. They seem to be spear heading every agitation and unlawful activities virtually breaking professional code of conduct. Recent wrestling in High court campus, brawling, and sight of black coats in collective violence show drastic falling standards of professional decency. The very incidence of collectively beating Nithari criminals in the court promises even before they were taken for trial, however heinous their crime might be, quite a precursor to the impending lawlessness and aggression in the community.

With the allegations of creeping corruption and political influenza into the judicial circles, chief justice himself buried neck deep into the criminal charges, adding to the vows, the shocking widespread ignorance of many judges as to the sections of the corresponding acts and judicial procedures, throw public at large into the unfathomable depths of justice denial and misery. This is the miserable part of our judicial system. Playing indiscriminate caste cards at every level could doom country's credentials leaving it mediocre by yardsticks.

Yet we can pat our shoulders for some of the historical judgments delivered in recent times, the vigorous Supreme court involvement in political issues and creating impediments in free run for treacherous political moves. Our to day's judicial system is not strictly confined to legal issues. The judges are trying to rise above their rigid proscriptions to deliberate on social issues. Many times they are road blocks to the power abuse , communal politics, and social dithering. People still take refuge of courts for justice, though late, finally to be delivered.It is a healthy sign that our democracy is functioning. The four standing lions of Saranath Stupa taken as national spirit, the one lion is obviously is Judiciary, the very fundamental tenant of democracy. Let this lion not be pulled at any time. Vigilance is the only way to safeguard our systems.

Jana Gana Mana

For major portion of our population Indian democracy is a reality. With sixty years standing many of us have not shared early apprehensions and uncertainties about it's survival as a democratic country. It's huge survival deserves an absolute credit.

It's exuberance and liveliness being the chief characteristics that could mesmerize any foreign national, many anomalies inherent in the system are glaringly conspicuous. In terms of poverty alleviation and literacy growth we are far from being a developed nation. The anomalies inherent in the system are glaringly conspicuous. Improper wealth distribution breaking the spine of polity, rampant corruption, power abuse, and criminal politics are the resultant serious flaws that occurred to the nation.

Our history of independence is not with out an event. Muscled private enterprise, rise of middle class, improved medicare, tripled purchasing power, growing wealth, sizable women employment, numerous educational institutions, active commerce, increased communications, powerful media, and foreign acquisitions are major good things that have happened to the state.

Growing national pride, increased confidence, plausible youth power, many fold increase in woman's education, NGOs, emerging downtrodden classes, breaking free from the superstitious conventions, unlimited talent growth are the positive social changes that are taking place.

Dynastic politics, parochialism, fanaticism, caste bias, declining moral standards, solo growth objectives, aggressiveness, increased money power are the negative trends which are creeping into the society.

Present day youth of the country are very resistant to inferiority, display lot of patriotism, show love towards parents, ambitiously career oriented, sexually active, tolerant towards the opposite sex,passionate about culture, consumerist, movie crazy, and more vocal.

On the negative side, caste based mindsets, inclination to negate ethics for personal gains, increased alcoholism, mindless western imitations, aggression are the traits which besiege the young impressionable minds in the present day Indian environ.

We have to bear it in mind that we are being ruled by a generation of politicians a way different from earlier role models. Politics is more a commerce than a governance . I believe this situation will not continue for ever.

India has it's own greatness. Taking it's strength from it's great cultural and social past it can built it's future with distinctive model than being poor western prototype. . Put a check on excessive consumerism and invasive I, me culture. By designing Indian specific formulas taking the spirit from our socially workable past, a new polity can be envisaged where every body in this sea of humanity has a place. I think it is possible as I see more and more socially conscious people around. When I see a single person capable of creating a havoc, I have a strong belief growing within, that one good leader can change the fate of this country.

Let me sing "Jana Gana Mana..."on this Republic Day.

Be a linguist to Drive

We sink to any extant to make our politics. When taxis were smashed and burnt, vendors were beaten, examinations were spoiled, warnings were issued to celebrities, few groups were on rampage creating terror, no body really cared to check them. People were aghast at the way things were taken into private hands issuing diktats at personal will. People were induced to take law into hands, yet receive no reprimand. It is the situation in city no smaller than Bombay. Sheer political motives to reign high led the attacks and government sits with their hands tied looking at their coalition loyalty score board. It took long time to get people used to the jitters caused by inaction. The entire genesis of the problem seemed to be the regional chauvinism which has taken roots long ago but multiplying with speed in recent times.

The series of offense firstly being committed, secondly being tolerated,and thirdly being adopted.By taking a decision to issue taxi permits only for those who can read or write Marathi Maharashtra government proudly chose to be a part of offenders team. What could be more deplorable than governments trying to adopt the abominable technique of discrimination on regional lines? Are they trying to snatch the spotlight from the vandals?Are they desperate to find the vote bank? A cheap technique to allure gullible public who tend to get some benefit by the discriminating methods at the expense of some. The intentions were neither coveted. Administrations get their purpose served as much it is publicized. But is it justifiable for the governments to own this kind of audacity ?

A look at the growing regionalism with copious growth of regional parties and coalition politics, the onset of unhealthy tenor. It is strongly felt that some kind of legislation is required for either controlling or blocking the unhealthy regional plethora. In case the seventh large big country in the world is involved in this ramification, people will have very slender choice of making their livelihood even in a big democratic system. Cultures and languages form natural barriers for free flow of people from one place to another in countries of heterogeneous character, India being one. The efforts made by our earlier generation of politicians in uniting the country were successful to a large extant. As we grow nefariously greedy over time, clever are in constant search for new plunder tactics which involve politics of divisive nature. At their instance people become obstinately loyal to their castes, and regions. The dangerous loyalty leads to the widespread hatred towards the unfamiliar. Passions arouse even with the slightest hints of stealth by an outsider.

We are drawing iron curtains between ourselves in the name of language and region which makes impossible for anybody to penetrate into an unknown zone. Imagine a world where a person cannot just move out of place where he is born. Animals migrate in search of food and sustainable weather. Homo Sapience would not have crossed Africa if people have no natural tendency to migrate to the new places, offering food and opportunity. This water, sky, planet do not belong to any one person. Every human being has a right to live and move though limited by his country boundaries. How spiteful it would be to limit one's legitimate right of living in his own country?

Fallen Tower

Some leaders don't belong to the party alone they belong to the nation.

K K K Vs D D D

K the K K is known to the people but I think I need to explain what is D D D as I coined it, it is Desperate Destitute Desi. Destitute because he can not plead any thing to any body as he is at the receiving end all the time. Desperate because he seeks greener pastures in far away places as his lands are either barren or over crowded.

He is being punished and tortured as the lands he seeks to pursue are being felt as overgrazed by likes of him by the locals. The statistics are simple, the world is shrinking. Growing nationalism, resource crunch, and intolerance towards an intruder even if he is legitimate, partly supported by the perceived white supremacy are the causes behind the intolerance and hatred.

Why people go to any developed nation as students in the first place? For many many it is not great standards of education that attract an international student to shell down astronomical amounts to universities abroad to obtain a degree, it is tagged job opportunities abroad that fascinate many to follow the suit. The jobs that can fetch resident status, green cards etc.etc. to an aspiring young lad who wants to have a better life and better paycheck. If financial aid to the students is withdrawn by the universities you can find sharp fall in the numbers even with a job prospect. It is apathy of majority Whites to education and hard work that keeps us going. So our foreign ministers better stop wondering why people are going for petty courses like hair cutting and beauty care.

Evidently we do not command great respect among developed nations. Gone are the days of Non alignments and Panchasheels. No more Brezhnevs and Nazirs to give us a false sense of complacency. We whip Tharoor for saying so. We loose our battles to China even as emerging economy. Our protests are met with denials and dismissals like Indian deaths as urban crimes. We cannot wrest our muscle with any nation, some for economic reasons some for communal reasons. A Western tourist can withhold his visit with a administrative warnings from his government about a small unrest in a region in the destination country, but our exodus continues even with beatings and stabbings. People are not to be blamed. This is the story of the poverty of India. Unmistakably every third Indian is poor. Don't say that poor are going not going abroad. As a country still we have not learnt how to live with dignity.

Habib some thing..something who hid in an aircraft to come to India tells helpless Indians are sold like ' cattle' in Middle East with their passports confiscated. It is not that we learning this for the first time. Either our embassies or High commissioner's office work with the same laxity as in India , or unable to exert any pressure on governments to get their people a better deal. Our passport applications handled by our foreign passport offices are clear cut examples of our efficiency and willingness levels. For thousands who seek jobs in Middle East promised high salaries are never paid. Accommodation by the employer means nothing but sharing a pig stack, some times depriving them even food. Any obnoxious or hazardous work is to be done only by few unlucky like Indians. Health and hygiene of the local worker is to be ensured against guaranteed Indian participation.
Hundreds strand in the airports for lack proper documents, or passports. Even after their returning home horrible conditions prevailing there unto force them to flee back into the hell's kitchen to take up underpaid jobs risking their lives and health once again. They are no more than commodities. In this case it is not the white supremacy that plays villain, it is the saga of exploitation. People up there know thousands would run to grab half roti given by them than stay hungry at home..

Where is emerging India?

Unchecked

How good is our public conduct? The question comes across the minds of many in the light of recent developments in country. Right from the start of the day there are thousand reasons for every one of us to be unhappy than not. We being taught with infinite patience and forbearance for ages try to gulp the unpalatable or prefer a selective ignorance to the inhospitable surroundings which are delivered on regular daily doses.

But a glance at the incidents that happen offer us deep insights into the nature of our buried emotions which erupt like collective violence . We fail to respond as an individual but collectively we can create havoc. It is the byproduct of our perception of poetic justice meted out to an unjust oppressor or aggressor. Our movies have nurtured the idea of revolting on a mass scale against long forborne perceived injustice. We as the people have evidently have not developed great respect for our justice delivery system. The enforcement which is detested to be ineffective to this point, is now viewed as culpable evil incapable of delivering goods. There is a large scale collapse of faith in our system. Establishments and agencies vested with the duty of safeguarding people's interests have developed functional paralysis due to increased interference of the political interests rather than administrative considerations . The only way one can make it work is only by manipulating it than by straight dealing.

The systemic cracks evident to the naked eye turned as loopholes vulnerable to the public attack. Suppressing a genuine revolt was often handled with success in the past but failure to tackle the fake revolts is fraught with it's inherent weaknesses. Ambitious plans of pleasing political bosses, shying flare up of caste and communal sentiments and resultant apathy towards a solution seemed to be tenants of present day law and order administration.

Years of misrule, outrageous corruption and dominant role of money power made a huge impact on the mindset of the people. Very few are able to see the things in the right sense. Burning buses can yield some fare reduction, hysterical slogan shouting can dethrone a Governor, playing Kho Kho on the freeways can disrupt the entire road transport system, smashing the train could result in national catastrophe. Veiled threats and open challenges and abuses also do not attract any kind of reprimand, hence can sustain. People here are convinced that protesting even for unreasonable demands could yield a positive results. They are made to believe that display of manipulative wrath camouflaging the ulterior can arm twist the authorities or Governments. Thus we are made to believe that a toddler sitting on his potty could warn the President or prime Minister with dire consequences if not heeded.

Strikes by the Hockey players, dharnas by the pilgrims to disrupt the peace of the temple town, indiscipline displayed by the elected public representatives, are only few of the many examples to follow. Stepping out of the norms is the new thriller which is tickling many. No need to say clearly we are heading towards chaos. People are set to explode either for their legitimate or illegitimate demands. Either way it is far from being constitutional or democratic. Total collapse of the grievance redress system, administration, and peacekeeping results in anarchy. We are playing with dangerous weapons of disruptive tendencies like provocation and vandalism.

It is high time that we restore our faith in legitimate constitutional methods of venting our grievances. The amount of displeasure shown towards dysfunction could as well be used for choosing a right system. A stitch in time save nine. There is no place for blackmail politics in well constituted democracies. Malfunctions are the off shoots of misjudgments and callousness on the part of the non vigilant citizens. Our numbers are dangerously swelling exerting extreme pressure on our resources distribution. Extreme caution is required in dealing with the situation. Exploding with anger by using extra constitutional methods is only making way for the antisocial elements to creep in. Increasing number of caste and regional cards in the play will not only undermine the overall growth but also usher self destruction.

We reap as we sow. Sow the right seed.