Monday, May 10, 2010

RangDo - Project 2, Uttaranchal Beckons!



With the overwhelming success of our previous event at Delhi, we now head further north to a picturesque village somewhere in the beautiful valleys of Uttaranchal.

This time we are painting a 'Balwadi' (a Pre-school) run by an NGO called Chirag.

Like last time, we again invite you to come with family and friends to this place called Simail Gaon, near Spila in Nainital District and participate in painting their little place with the colors of love, laughter, care, compassion and ofcourse bright paints!

The participants are expected to contribute Rs. 1000 for the cause to help us meet the expenses that we would incur to execute the event. Given the nature of our jobs, I am sure the contribution will not be a deterrent for most of us. After all we all know we need the money to make the change. :-)

Participants from Delhi can take the Ranikhet Express which leaves at night and reaches Kathgodam (the closest station) in the wee hours of morning. This place is another 3 hrs taxi ride from the station. We could arrange a car for pick up and we could put you up with a host family in the village.

Pure 'swadesi' experience is assured. You can spend the Saturday painting with the team (we already have 7 enthusiastic canadian participants) and spending time with the kids, and on Sunday we all could chill out.

It will surely be a weekend well spent! Think about it, if you are interested, pl leave a comment with your email id, and I will get back

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Convicted, 26/11

Its judgement day for the lone surviving attacker of 26/11.
I was listening to a few video clips which highlighted the divided views of the lawyers on the kind of punishment that they felt appropriate for Ajmal Kasab.

Half of the people interviewed thought capital punishment was the only punishment which could be given in order to get even with the crimes he committed, and another section of people thought that life imprisonment was more suitable, since men on such missions are generally in acceptance of death.

While these men in black robes confidently declared the best punishment for this man, there was a screen rolling behind them which repeatedly kept showing the pictures of Kasab, one in which he had an AK47 in hand, another where he was lying in a hospital bed, then there was one where he sat handcuffed in a police station, and another one at the court, and a last black and white close up of his face. Those pictures almost silenced the video, and I thought if such punishments are only way to deal with people who are victims themselves.

Ajmal Amir Kasab was a son of a poor man from Faridkot. He was a petty thief in the streets of Lahore, when one day he decided to take arms training so that his job of stealing became easier. Little did he know that the people who were prepared to give him free arms training would slowly poison his mind in such a manner that he will become ready to kill others for a meagre sum of money (which would be given to his family later) and a confirmed place in 'jannat' after he achieved martyrdom. The indoctrination was such that this young man of 22 years set out on this dangerous mission without much thought and knowledge. Of course, we cant excuse him for his stupidity -- more because his stupidity has caused misery to hundreds of families and also to the entire country, but are punishments like death or life in prison fair for people who are puppets in the hands of fatalist fanatics? The question is, is it fair to kill the messenger?

I think India should use the information Kasab can provide and try to nail the big pins. India should allow him another chance and by giving him an environment where he is able to realize the agony he caused to so many people and then send him back to his hometown to tell his story and maybe save more innocent young men like him from becoming soft targets of the real terrorists. This way may be we could get a little closer to the real culprits and also save another boy from becoming another Ajmal Kasab.

Many will argue that had I been a victim, I would have thought differently. I cant say for sure, but for now, as Gandhi said, 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind'.