Friday, January 10, 2014
Renewing the interest in blogging...
The last time I posted a blog article was in may, 2010. I don't know why I discontinued the practice...but some of the possible reasons may lie in a few questions in my mind:
- Is blogging really useful?
- Can a not-so-famous person reach out to the public at large through blogs?
- Is the time and energy put into writing a blog worth it? (in my initial times of blogging, I had very limited success)
I do not have the concrete answers even now. However, I do realize that it may help in the long run; there is a strong possibility; let me explore.
Thus, this year I have renewed the interest and have decided to write regularly.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Naxals cannot be allowed to dictate terms
The recent carnage at Dantewada that saw more than 30 innocent people lose their lives exposes the Naxals. I always sympathized with the Naxals to certain extent for their cause, even though I did never approve of their violence. I thought these are people who have been left out of the India growth story. When India is growing to become one of the most influential nations of the world, both economically and politically, a huge number of these people languish in abject poverty throughout India. Hence I thought their anger against the state is a natural outcome of their desperation. But the latest mayhem has left me asking me two questions:
- Do these Naxals really care for the people they say they are fighting for? If so, how come they can kill the same people!
- Have their political ambitions got bigger than their so-called fight against injustice?
It seems that the Naxals have lost sight of their vision. They need to quit the path of violence and fight for their cause peacefully. There are a lot of people and organizations who support their cause.
Development is a slow process; whatever the Government is doing would take some time to reflect on the field. Besides, 'Development' is a complex process; even with best of endeavours, one finds it difficult to achieve it. The Government is trying to push forward the ‘Development’ agenda in the Naxal affected regions. But the Naxals seem to be non-cooperative and desperate.
The Government must now adopt a two prong strategy: (i) Establish the rule of law in these places; the Naxals can not be allowed to dictate terms to the state. It is one of the primary duties of the state to protect its citizens (ii) Accelerate the development process.The efforts of development must be immediate and on a war footing. Better education, health facilities, public distribution system, employment opportunities, etc will go a long way in solving the problem.
- Do these Naxals really care for the people they say they are fighting for? If so, how come they can kill the same people!
- Have their political ambitions got bigger than their so-called fight against injustice?
It seems that the Naxals have lost sight of their vision. They need to quit the path of violence and fight for their cause peacefully. There are a lot of people and organizations who support their cause.
Development is a slow process; whatever the Government is doing would take some time to reflect on the field. Besides, 'Development' is a complex process; even with best of endeavours, one finds it difficult to achieve it. The Government is trying to push forward the ‘Development’ agenda in the Naxal affected regions. But the Naxals seem to be non-cooperative and desperate.
The Government must now adopt a two prong strategy: (i) Establish the rule of law in these places; the Naxals can not be allowed to dictate terms to the state. It is one of the primary duties of the state to protect its citizens (ii) Accelerate the development process.The efforts of development must be immediate and on a war footing. Better education, health facilities, public distribution system, employment opportunities, etc will go a long way in solving the problem.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Behind the veil of honour and culture !
A few days back, I got an sms from a friend which read like this: "Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived together. One day, there was a storm in the sea and the island was about to drown. All the feelings were scared; but 'love' built a boat to escape. All the feelings boarded the boat except 'ego'. 'Love' tried and tried, but 'ego' did not move. Everyone asked 'love' to leave him back and move. But 'love' was meant to 'love'; she remained with 'ego' and drowned! 'Love' died because of 'Ego'".
I remembered this message when I heard the incident of Manoj and Babli being ordered to be killed by the 'Khap Panchayat' for same 'gotra' marriage in Haryana.
It is disgraceful that in a democratic country like India this can happen. This is barbaric and ruthless killing in the name of honour. There is no honour in killing innocent people just because they loved each other and wanted to marry. The civil society must condemn this act in the strictest terms and not allow this medieval practice to continue.
It questions strength of our liberal values as a nation and as a society. India has emerged from one of the oldest civilizations of the world. Gandhi is revered the world over for his teachings of nonviolence. Buddha was born this very land. Today, we boast ourselves as one of the very few liberal democratic countries! We must carry on the tradition.
We should respect people's and community's wisdom and culture, but things which are not acceptable in a civilized society must go. Traditions like 'Sati' and 'child marriage' were in vogue at a point of time, but people like Raja Rammohan Roy fought against these crusades and they are no more accepted. The same way, this must go now.
It is shameful that some of the leaders are sympathizing with the Khap's cause. This politics of vote banks is disgusting, to say the least. The leaders are supposed to lead the people in the forward direction and not backwards. They must not bow down to the pressures from some sections of the society. The same holds true for the judges who decide these matters. Recently, after deciding against the 'Khap Panchayat', the judge got a threat call and requested a transfer. It only encourages the perpetrators of such heinous crime. The judges too should not show their fear in public like this. We must resist these forces at any cost. The Chief Justice of India was right when he appealed for the need for showing greater tolerance and acceptance for lovers (He actually said that one do not check out the other's 'gotra' before falling in love).
Thousands of young people become victims of honour killing every year through out the world; India is among the top countries in this list. In India, it is not anything new. It's very much prevalent in different parts of the country, mostly in Bihar, U.P., Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. What is more perplexing is that it's prevalent among the middle class and so-called educated section too. In 2001, a middle class family from Punjab settled in Canada did the same to their daughter for falling in love with a Kabaddi player from Punjab and marrying. In this case, the mother herself ordered the killing of her daughter!!!
It's beyond comprehension how can a mother murder her daughter! The big 'EGO' of false honour and prestige does it. It's high time the society realizes this.
I remembered this message when I heard the incident of Manoj and Babli being ordered to be killed by the 'Khap Panchayat' for same 'gotra' marriage in Haryana.
It is disgraceful that in a democratic country like India this can happen. This is barbaric and ruthless killing in the name of honour. There is no honour in killing innocent people just because they loved each other and wanted to marry. The civil society must condemn this act in the strictest terms and not allow this medieval practice to continue.
It questions strength of our liberal values as a nation and as a society. India has emerged from one of the oldest civilizations of the world. Gandhi is revered the world over for his teachings of nonviolence. Buddha was born this very land. Today, we boast ourselves as one of the very few liberal democratic countries! We must carry on the tradition.
We should respect people's and community's wisdom and culture, but things which are not acceptable in a civilized society must go. Traditions like 'Sati' and 'child marriage' were in vogue at a point of time, but people like Raja Rammohan Roy fought against these crusades and they are no more accepted. The same way, this must go now.
It is shameful that some of the leaders are sympathizing with the Khap's cause. This politics of vote banks is disgusting, to say the least. The leaders are supposed to lead the people in the forward direction and not backwards. They must not bow down to the pressures from some sections of the society. The same holds true for the judges who decide these matters. Recently, after deciding against the 'Khap Panchayat', the judge got a threat call and requested a transfer. It only encourages the perpetrators of such heinous crime. The judges too should not show their fear in public like this. We must resist these forces at any cost. The Chief Justice of India was right when he appealed for the need for showing greater tolerance and acceptance for lovers (He actually said that one do not check out the other's 'gotra' before falling in love).
Thousands of young people become victims of honour killing every year through out the world; India is among the top countries in this list. In India, it is not anything new. It's very much prevalent in different parts of the country, mostly in Bihar, U.P., Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. What is more perplexing is that it's prevalent among the middle class and so-called educated section too. In 2001, a middle class family from Punjab settled in Canada did the same to their daughter for falling in love with a Kabaddi player from Punjab and marrying. In this case, the mother herself ordered the killing of her daughter!!!
It's beyond comprehension how can a mother murder her daughter! The big 'EGO' of false honour and prestige does it. It's high time the society realizes this.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Kasab story: A lot remains to be answered
It was an important day for India as millions of people awaited the judgement of the special court on the Mumbai terror attack accused. There were three accused: Ajmal Amir Kasab- 86 charges including murder of 72 people, Faheem Ansari- Mapped targets, and Sabauddin Shaikh- delivered Ansari’s maps to the LeT men in Nepal.
The court has finally given its judgement that the terrorist Kasab was found guilty on all accounts. But the other two were acquitted of the charges of criminal conspiracy because of lack of sufficient evidence.
It is a matter of happiness that (1) the terrorist has been found guilty and will be punished accordingly (decision pending), (2) it proves the independence of Indian judicial system (no one is punished until credible evidence beyond doubt is produced).
However, it has created new questions: How did the two conspirators escape scot free? Why the investigators could not produce enough evidence for a case running for more than a year? Is this the efficiency of our premiere investigating agency? Has the investigating agency deliberately hidden evidence against the two to clear Indian hand in the event and push the ball to Pakistan’s court squarely (as the Pakistanis allege now)? Is there going to be another round of legal battle? When is the saga going to end?
The court has finally given its judgement that the terrorist Kasab was found guilty on all accounts. But the other two were acquitted of the charges of criminal conspiracy because of lack of sufficient evidence.
It is a matter of happiness that (1) the terrorist has been found guilty and will be punished accordingly (decision pending), (2) it proves the independence of Indian judicial system (no one is punished until credible evidence beyond doubt is produced).
However, it has created new questions: How did the two conspirators escape scot free? Why the investigators could not produce enough evidence for a case running for more than a year? Is this the efficiency of our premiere investigating agency? Has the investigating agency deliberately hidden evidence against the two to clear Indian hand in the event and push the ball to Pakistan’s court squarely (as the Pakistanis allege now)? Is there going to be another round of legal battle? When is the saga going to end?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
OVER-CONSUMPTION IS THE MOTHER OF GLOBAL WARMING
There are numerous reasons of Global Warming; all emanate from the use of energy, however. Why is energy used? It is for producing something. Why is something produced? Because, it is consumed by someone. So, consumption is the fundamental cause of all carbon emissions, and ultimately, Global Warming. When the earth was less populated, it never mattered how much we consumed. But with population going ballistic, and the very nature of modern lifestyle being high energy consuming, it is time we reviewed our consumption pattern.
Have we noticed how much we consume? Some examples:
• Some people pack their cupboards with so many clothes that a garment shop can be opened; accessories are no less; most of these are not used more than once a year
• When we travel, we consume 100% more packed food than what we actually need, mainly as a habit; it is neither healthy nor eco-friendly
• We would not walk even 100 meters to buy our vegetable (rather we would start a vehicle)
• Is it really necessary to go down the stairs in a lift all the time?
• We would buy invariably a lot more than what we need at a time, giving space to the producer to store his produce in our houses
The list can go on.
If we can observe how we consume, and how we waste, we can really bring down the carbon emission considerably.
Don’t wait for others. Start from you, set an example and others will follow, for sure.
Have we noticed how much we consume? Some examples:
• Some people pack their cupboards with so many clothes that a garment shop can be opened; accessories are no less; most of these are not used more than once a year
• When we travel, we consume 100% more packed food than what we actually need, mainly as a habit; it is neither healthy nor eco-friendly
• We would not walk even 100 meters to buy our vegetable (rather we would start a vehicle)
• Is it really necessary to go down the stairs in a lift all the time?
• We would buy invariably a lot more than what we need at a time, giving space to the producer to store his produce in our houses
The list can go on.
If we can observe how we consume, and how we waste, we can really bring down the carbon emission considerably.
Don’t wait for others. Start from you, set an example and others will follow, for sure.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Understanding the context
At present I am reading a book- "If Cricket is a religion, Sachin is God" by Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramanian. This is a wonderful book for me, not only because I am a great admirer of Sachin, but also because the book has taught me a lesson in life.
The book does not provide one a great literature experience per se; it is more of a defence of a great Champion against unworthy critics. The book is not laden with emotional arguments, rather it presents a scientific analysis with appropriate doses of philosophy. The book presents a case for Sachin by appealing the readers to understand the context and the whole thing rather than a part of it.
I have grown up appreciating the Genius and have been mesmerized and thrilled by his performances over the years. He has given me the kind of joy no one else has. Over the years my idols in different field have changed... from Shah Rukh to Aamir, from Kishore to Rafi (and many other). But three of them have stood the test of time - Gandhi, Amitabh and Sachin. But like any mere mortal I had also started questioning the maestro's genius because of several criticisms by myopic critics.
As I am nearing the end of the book, I realize how important it is to understand Sachin in the context of Indian cricket rather than in isolation. It is vital not to judge him (or anyone else) on the basis of the few failures during a particular small period.
The lesson for life is the same too. We often get frustrated that we are not fortunate based upon things happened in the recent past, forgetting the innumerable ways in which we are blessed. We often fail to understand the context in which something happened and ruin our best of relationships.
This is perhaps the reason why the judges in the courts of law are given the power to punish culprits differently for the same crime committed.
This book has taught me a great lesson in life and restored confidence in my Hero and a few near and dear ones. I owe a deep sense of gratitude towards the authors.
The book does not provide one a great literature experience per se; it is more of a defence of a great Champion against unworthy critics. The book is not laden with emotional arguments, rather it presents a scientific analysis with appropriate doses of philosophy. The book presents a case for Sachin by appealing the readers to understand the context and the whole thing rather than a part of it.
I have grown up appreciating the Genius and have been mesmerized and thrilled by his performances over the years. He has given me the kind of joy no one else has. Over the years my idols in different field have changed... from Shah Rukh to Aamir, from Kishore to Rafi (and many other). But three of them have stood the test of time - Gandhi, Amitabh and Sachin. But like any mere mortal I had also started questioning the maestro's genius because of several criticisms by myopic critics.
As I am nearing the end of the book, I realize how important it is to understand Sachin in the context of Indian cricket rather than in isolation. It is vital not to judge him (or anyone else) on the basis of the few failures during a particular small period.
The lesson for life is the same too. We often get frustrated that we are not fortunate based upon things happened in the recent past, forgetting the innumerable ways in which we are blessed. We often fail to understand the context in which something happened and ruin our best of relationships.
This is perhaps the reason why the judges in the courts of law are given the power to punish culprits differently for the same crime committed.
This book has taught me a great lesson in life and restored confidence in my Hero and a few near and dear ones. I owe a deep sense of gratitude towards the authors.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Why I love Gandhi
Yesterday was the 140th birth anniversary of Gandhi, the man of the twentieth century. In course of time, he has become an institution..... he has inspired whole generations and modern nation states altogether.
My love of Gandhi statrted some time when I was in college and I read his autobiography- "The Story of My Experiments with Truth". Over the years on many an occasion, his words have helped me take good decisions and make my life better. It's not that I do not disagree with his ideas ever; on many points I have different opinions, especially regarding his views on Economics. But I am sure even those are based on strong propositions.
Indeed, it's impossible to capture him in an article (or even in a book), but when I think of him, five distinct points come to my mind:
1. He was the symbol of freedom and fight against injustice
2. His compassion and love for the humanity
3. His strength of conviction and how he followed it up with devotion
4. He pioneered the use of 'non-violence' and 'truth' as political weapons
5. His belief of primacy of 'means' over 'ends'
Gandhi represented humanity and not only India/Indians. He led a very simple life, but always stood by what he said or believed.
Albert Einstein was right when he said: "Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth."
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