Rural development minister, Jairam Ramesh goes for an official work to Bikaner where he was welcomed by cotton spun garlands. Mr. Ramesh keeps it on the table and later uses it to wipe out something off his shoes.
Now the entire nation is offended because of this. The BJP leaders are saying that this act was an insult to Gandhi!!!!
This is totally insane. It just could be a one of situation where someone wipes something off their shoes or dresses with the most accessible linen that s/he finds at that point of time.
To add to this drama, they now demand an apology not only from Jairam, but also the CM!
Linking this to national shame is not really the most intelligent thing to do. Especially when the same news paper has reports on 2G corruption and India being one of the top most depressed nations of the world.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Numerously bitten, never shy!
There were bomb blasts in Mumbai yet again, and I think we (Indians) are responsible for this mayhem. Our basic attitude of tolerance of injustice, ignorance of the politics around us and our 'I don’t care till I am not directly affected' is bringing us to this pitifully dangerous existence.
This culture of inappropriate aloofness is also allowing the government to take our homeland security for granted.
Imagine the Rupert Murdoch incident happening in India. No one would have batted an eyelid. But since this happened in UK, the entire world is talking about this and it and this news is making world headlines. People abroad are sensitive about their privacy and rightly they should be. But the same thing if it happens in India, no one would have really cared much, maybe there would have been a little murmur but nothing when compared to the scale of what is happening in the western world. If you come to think of this, then maybe the only reason I see is the culture. It’s the culture and conditioning of our people where firstly it is difficult to clearly establish what ‘privacy’ means at a personal individual level and secondly we are made to believe that invasion into our lives is no big deal. This ‘adjusting’ culture in this super transient world of complexity, survival struggle, disparity, technology and access (or the lack of it), is allowing injustice to take place without an appropriate remediation or response.
The response is and can never be violence. It can only be solved if the root cause is addressed.
If each of us do our part of the duties honestly – be it awareness, education, health, knowing and demanding our rights, working for a living, paying our taxes, take into politics, be compassionate and learn to fight against injustice – to self or to others.
It is difficult for me to accept that if a nation is firm, honest and compassionate, it will still be subject to atrocities.
If we are dishonest ourselves, if we cannot look at ourselves in the eye, we are not doing our bit.
It’s time we should stop giving leverage to India saying its big, populated and diverse. Security is basic. And no one’s got any excuse. Including us.
May the souls of the 21 people who died yesterday rest in peace, and may their families get the strength to bear the loss which can never be compensated.
PS: Yesterday there were 3 bomb blasts in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. 21 people were killed and over a 100 injured.
This culture of inappropriate aloofness is also allowing the government to take our homeland security for granted.
Imagine the Rupert Murdoch incident happening in India. No one would have batted an eyelid. But since this happened in UK, the entire world is talking about this and it and this news is making world headlines. People abroad are sensitive about their privacy and rightly they should be. But the same thing if it happens in India, no one would have really cared much, maybe there would have been a little murmur but nothing when compared to the scale of what is happening in the western world. If you come to think of this, then maybe the only reason I see is the culture. It’s the culture and conditioning of our people where firstly it is difficult to clearly establish what ‘privacy’ means at a personal individual level and secondly we are made to believe that invasion into our lives is no big deal. This ‘adjusting’ culture in this super transient world of complexity, survival struggle, disparity, technology and access (or the lack of it), is allowing injustice to take place without an appropriate remediation or response.
The response is and can never be violence. It can only be solved if the root cause is addressed.
If each of us do our part of the duties honestly – be it awareness, education, health, knowing and demanding our rights, working for a living, paying our taxes, take into politics, be compassionate and learn to fight against injustice – to self or to others.
It is difficult for me to accept that if a nation is firm, honest and compassionate, it will still be subject to atrocities.
If we are dishonest ourselves, if we cannot look at ourselves in the eye, we are not doing our bit.
It’s time we should stop giving leverage to India saying its big, populated and diverse. Security is basic. And no one’s got any excuse. Including us.
May the souls of the 21 people who died yesterday rest in peace, and may their families get the strength to bear the loss which can never be compensated.
PS: Yesterday there were 3 bomb blasts in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. 21 people were killed and over a 100 injured.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Almost my end of stay in KL
The 2 months i spent in this fast city of Kuala Lumpur was full of food, taxis, learning about a different culture and ofcourse lots of work. A picture of one of the most prominent structures of KL.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Learn, Unlearn and Learn Again
Since quite some time, my actions appear unexplained to none other but me. Yesterday I realized that how shallow I had begun to think. How I had started to silently put myself before I put others. I was never like this. The only pleasant character that I knew in myself was humility, kindness and the ability to put others happiness ahead of my own. But I realized last night that I was being my antithesis. I was slowing giving in to the powerful force of self.
A friend shook me out of the spell, told me how I forgot the definition of love and I realized that it was nothing but true. I have been in fact doing this since quite some time and I did not even realize when an action became a habit. I owe an apology, to this person. I am sorry. And I am shameful that I disrespected the greatest emotion in this world.
But as they say 'Jab Jago, tab Savera' (i.e. If you have woken up, then this moment is morning for you'). Thanks for making me realize. I have started my conscious effort to change the ugly habit that I had slowly imbibed.
Incidentally I had been listening to this song called 'Hor vi neevan ho' by Noori from the Coke Studio (Pakistan), since the past couple of days. Yesterday I figured out the meaning. And I fell in love with the song all over again. Sharing it with all of you. (The translation I picked up from some lyrics website and I hope its accurate).
Hor vi neevan ho
Bow your head even further down (in humility)
Hor vi neevan ho fakira
Fakir, bow your even head further down (in humility)
Uccha saroon gharoor mein
There is great pleasure in holding the head high in arrogance
Kaddi naa phall paiye, fakira
But, that pleasure will never be fulfilling
Hor vi neevan ho fakira
Fakir, bow your head further down (in humility)
Paiye gaa deedar sahib da
One day you will be bestowed with His presence
Hor vi neevan ho
Bow your head further down (in humility)
Ho rabba koi meray dil diyan kadraan pachanay
Lord, if only someone could understand the deliberations of my heart
Mein sawali jinna naeen koi sawal
I am a seeker who seeks nothing
Mein jogan ban dar dar phir diye
I am a wanderer, roaming from one land to another
Koi na meriyan, ramzaan pachanay
No one can unravel the secrets within me
Mein jogan ban dar dar phiriyaan way
I am a wanderer, roaming from one land to another
O koi na meriyan, ramzaan pachanay
No one can unravel the secrets within me
Mein jogan…
I am a wanderer
Chal meray naal
Come along, come with me
Hor vi neevan ho
Bow your head further down (in humility)
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