So we have Vidhan Sabha election in a couple of States. We have the same questions.
Will things change?
What about the poor voter turn out in Haryana and Maharashtra?
What about farmer suicides and development?
Why don't people vote in Mumbai?
Is it rebellion by an angry society or apathy of a pampered city?
Will we have 80% reservation for Maharashtrians or 98% reservation for Marathi Manus?
Who will win?
Does it really matter?
Can I still afford to make the mistake of calling a city by its original name?
Will MTV India start a reality show that has politics in the real sense of the term?
Should I care about who wins the Indian Champions League?
Why do I post things for discussion when I know that I'll end up having discussion with my own self?
Answer to all these questions may just be-
OPTIMISM;
HOPE;
COURAGE;
Lots of Free Time
Monday, October 12, 2009
A very old post of mine on Mumbai Attacks
On 26th November 2008, terrorists attacked several sites across Bombay oops Mumbai(I am sorry Mr Raj. Didn't mean to hurt the sentiments of the Maximum City), killing many people and taking numerous hostages.
Lashkar-e-Toiba emerged as the source of these attacks, although this is yet a little unclear(you can't blame an INNOCENT MILITARY ORGANISATION unless proven guilty, right?). Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi returned unexpectedly from his visit to India and returned to Islamabad.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has taken the blame and fallen on the sword, to be repaced by Chidambaram, while Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh (and later Mr. Pranab Mukherjee)has taken over the Finance Ministry. CM Deshmukh was replaced by Mr. Chavan. An All-Party Meet has concluded, as expected, with the different sides trading insults. The BJP said it was too little, too late. Questions are also being asked to as to why the NSG took 9 hours to arrive on the scene. It showed the amount of red tape we have to curb the bright sparks of nationalism and action.
On the plus side, India's security is being beefed up all along the coastline - it is very possible that future terrorists would not sail to Bombay but to the other side(Bay of Bengal), and so coastal security all across the line needs to be addressed.
According to a captured 'fidayeen' aka Ajmal Kasab, the terrorists originated from Pakistan, and were trained by L-e-T. At the same time, they were helped by locals who showed them around.
The Mumbai Police claimed that there was no local help - "There were 10 terrorists in five groups of two members each, who had come from Karachi in boats. They later hired five taxis to get to their destination."
Meanwhile, Pakistan made about withdrawing 100,000 troops from the Afghan border and bringing them to India - this has been construed as a veiled threat to the US in its support for India.
The US pledged total co-operation with India, while Pakistan proposed the formation of a joint investigating mechanism with India. Well we didn't accept that but sent numerous dossiers and evidence so that Pakistan can start a Trial. Controversially, the US says it warned India of its coastal weaknesses and probability of attack.
Options??????
Broadly speaking, I see 3 main options-
1. Direct war
2. Rogue Operations
3. Diplomatic Negotiations
WAR will result in international repercussions especially when Pakistani officials say that we aready have started to move in our forces on LOC
Rogue Operations will lead to hostage situations on both sides
AND
Diplomatic Negotiations by building international pressure will take a lot of time.
But, I guess that's the Indian way.
SO BE IT!
P.S. Pakistan has freed Mr Hafiz(the alleged mastermind of the attacks and in top 20 of the internationally most wanted terrorist) of all charges.
Lashkar-e-Toiba emerged as the source of these attacks, although this is yet a little unclear(you can't blame an INNOCENT MILITARY ORGANISATION unless proven guilty, right?). Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi returned unexpectedly from his visit to India and returned to Islamabad.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has taken the blame and fallen on the sword, to be repaced by Chidambaram, while Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh (and later Mr. Pranab Mukherjee)has taken over the Finance Ministry. CM Deshmukh was replaced by Mr. Chavan. An All-Party Meet has concluded, as expected, with the different sides trading insults. The BJP said it was too little, too late. Questions are also being asked to as to why the NSG took 9 hours to arrive on the scene. It showed the amount of red tape we have to curb the bright sparks of nationalism and action.
On the plus side, India's security is being beefed up all along the coastline - it is very possible that future terrorists would not sail to Bombay but to the other side(Bay of Bengal), and so coastal security all across the line needs to be addressed.
According to a captured 'fidayeen' aka Ajmal Kasab, the terrorists originated from Pakistan, and were trained by L-e-T. At the same time, they were helped by locals who showed them around.
The Mumbai Police claimed that there was no local help - "There were 10 terrorists in five groups of two members each, who had come from Karachi in boats. They later hired five taxis to get to their destination."
Meanwhile, Pakistan made about withdrawing 100,000 troops from the Afghan border and bringing them to India - this has been construed as a veiled threat to the US in its support for India.
The US pledged total co-operation with India, while Pakistan proposed the formation of a joint investigating mechanism with India. Well we didn't accept that but sent numerous dossiers and evidence so that Pakistan can start a Trial. Controversially, the US says it warned India of its coastal weaknesses and probability of attack.
Options??????
Broadly speaking, I see 3 main options-
1. Direct war
2. Rogue Operations
3. Diplomatic Negotiations
WAR will result in international repercussions especially when Pakistani officials say that we aready have started to move in our forces on LOC
Rogue Operations will lead to hostage situations on both sides
AND
Diplomatic Negotiations by building international pressure will take a lot of time.
But, I guess that's the Indian way.
SO BE IT!
P.S. Pakistan has freed Mr Hafiz(the alleged mastermind of the attacks and in top 20 of the internationally most wanted terrorist) of all charges.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
UPA win
A govt which was openly ridiculed as incompetent after 26/11 from all quarters, is voted back, the major contributors being the people who did not vote. In Mumbai where there should have been a heavy turnout after the 26/11 tragedy, there seemed a lack of political will.
We Indians deserve the terror strikes;
We do not want our black money back;
We do not want governance;
We don't seek solutions,
We only seek candles to light after the damage is done.
Clearly India does not want Mr. Advani as the Prime Minister. Old and educated don't like him and the youth cannot relate to him.
BJP has failed to produce any leader with the charisma and respect Vajpayee ji commanded.
On the other hand, Congress and it's policies have made the young generation disinterested in politics. The few who did vote suffered from the same preoccupation the previous generations have suffered from. If good governance would've been delivered post 70s, India could well have become a successful super-power.
All the problems of class and caste divide could well have been on decline.
Kashmir and Ayodhya issues could have been sorted.
Culprits of India would have been standing trial.
Naxalism and regionalism could have been a thing of past.
India could have got the money back from Switzerland and Cayman islands.
But,
India simply ran out of options.
At present, there are no leaders that we look up to.
The future does not look bright either.
Congress is projecting Rahul simply because of his Genes.
BJP will turn to Modi or Joshi none of whom has a nation-wide inclusive appeal. Moreover, the former is still haunted by Godhra Ghost
The present election proves that the regional parties have there own limitations in Loksabha Elections and let's just not say anything about the Left.
Noone sees any fourth party even coming to picture.
So it's just Left, BJP and Gandhi Pariwar.
So as I said we are fast running out of options.
We need a young breed, a new crop of politicians who can evoke the sense of interest and pride we all want to feel.
Till that happens, I hope no single party comes in absolute majority lest we have a tryst with dictatorship or another national emergency.
We Indians deserve the terror strikes;
We do not want our black money back;
We do not want governance;
We don't seek solutions,
We only seek candles to light after the damage is done.
Clearly India does not want Mr. Advani as the Prime Minister. Old and educated don't like him and the youth cannot relate to him.
BJP has failed to produce any leader with the charisma and respect Vajpayee ji commanded.
On the other hand, Congress and it's policies have made the young generation disinterested in politics. The few who did vote suffered from the same preoccupation the previous generations have suffered from. If good governance would've been delivered post 70s, India could well have become a successful super-power.
All the problems of class and caste divide could well have been on decline.
Kashmir and Ayodhya issues could have been sorted.
Culprits of India would have been standing trial.
Naxalism and regionalism could have been a thing of past.
India could have got the money back from Switzerland and Cayman islands.
But,
India simply ran out of options.
At present, there are no leaders that we look up to.
The future does not look bright either.
Congress is projecting Rahul simply because of his Genes.
BJP will turn to Modi or Joshi none of whom has a nation-wide inclusive appeal. Moreover, the former is still haunted by Godhra Ghost
The present election proves that the regional parties have there own limitations in Loksabha Elections and let's just not say anything about the Left.
Noone sees any fourth party even coming to picture.
So it's just Left, BJP and Gandhi Pariwar.
So as I said we are fast running out of options.
We need a young breed, a new crop of politicians who can evoke the sense of interest and pride we all want to feel.
Till that happens, I hope no single party comes in absolute majority lest we have a tryst with dictatorship or another national emergency.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Give Peace a Chance
‘Heal the world and make it a better place’, was the message passed by the students of D.E.S. Law College, Pune when they organised a peace march last Saturday. This peace march was organised as a response to the recent terror attack in Mumbai which caused lurking fear and anxiety for three days. We became so appalled by the sheer enormity of the devastation that we didn’t know what to do other than empathize with the city. As one of the students said, it is not easy to see these things in the evening and go to work the next day like nothing happened.
Distressed by the turn of events, we made a decision to organise a march to prove that the fanatic terrorists cannot quell the spirit of the maximum city. Every pathetic attempt to provoke discord in any part of the nation shall only help us rise above the barriers of caste, community and region. These attacks will be feeble if we stand together and face the adversity with our heads held high. This was the idea when the students of D.E.S. Law College walked through F.C. Road and J.M. Road, holding candles and placards in their hands. It was homage to all the brave souls who laid down their lives to rid us of the chaos and also to the innocent people who lost their lives and loved ones.
Thousands of eyes lit up when they saw the students spreading the message of peace and humanity. Heads turned and people stood up to take notice. The march suggested that the struggle is yet not over and will never be until we, the entire human race, come together and become one. There was no propaganda; all we meant to put across was that the world has seen enough hate. It’s time we make it a better place by giving peace a chance. It may not lessen the grief of the victims but if we have been able to give some hope to a frustrated soul or change the angry mind-set of one person I think it was worth the effort.
Distressed by the turn of events, we made a decision to organise a march to prove that the fanatic terrorists cannot quell the spirit of the maximum city. Every pathetic attempt to provoke discord in any part of the nation shall only help us rise above the barriers of caste, community and region. These attacks will be feeble if we stand together and face the adversity with our heads held high. This was the idea when the students of D.E.S. Law College walked through F.C. Road and J.M. Road, holding candles and placards in their hands. It was homage to all the brave souls who laid down their lives to rid us of the chaos and also to the innocent people who lost their lives and loved ones.
Thousands of eyes lit up when they saw the students spreading the message of peace and humanity. Heads turned and people stood up to take notice. The march suggested that the struggle is yet not over and will never be until we, the entire human race, come together and become one. There was no propaganda; all we meant to put across was that the world has seen enough hate. It’s time we make it a better place by giving peace a chance. It may not lessen the grief of the victims but if we have been able to give some hope to a frustrated soul or change the angry mind-set of one person I think it was worth the effort.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
India
Languages to culture, water to air, temperature to soil, India varies at very footstep. It is said that you can find a new dialect after every five kilometres. It may not make a huge difference but the constitution itself recognises as many as 22 languages.
Now, this is so since time immemorial, yet we are one of the oldest surving societies. What is that quality that makes us stand apart? What is it that gives us that quality of survival against all odds? Surely not religion, we hardly have that in common.
I am still figuring out.
Sorting out answers...
Now, this is so since time immemorial, yet we are one of the oldest surving societies. What is that quality that makes us stand apart? What is it that gives us that quality of survival against all odds? Surely not religion, we hardly have that in common.
I am still figuring out.
Sorting out answers...
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