A Year After

In at one ear, out at another. this seems to be Indian Government's policy with regard to addressing terrorism. After all, it has been more than a year since the formidable attacks in Mumbai rocked the nation. The shrill of slain men and woman in the Nariman House, Taj hotel and CST still make remnant reflexes in our senses. But what has happened since the D-day? Even after the mourning and half mast flags which lasted for a fortnight, or the candles that lit Mumbai's busy nightlife or even the Studio talk shows by electronic media?

Just at the expense of an extradition treaty, a 21 year old lad (I reckon, we have finalised on his age after a horrendous hullaballo that he was minor), Ajmal Ahmed Kasab awaits his trial and sentence in a Mumbai jail, when the neighbour across deems him an absconding criminal. Doesn't it gives goosebumps when the reality outweighs the rhetoric? Adding insult to the injury, Shiv sainiks and Maratha warriors launch "rage attacks" on the attorney who hails for the convict, thus making more impediments for a faster trial in India. National security and patriotism wins here?, Prerogative, No!!!

Did the media vanish into thin air for the next one year after the event? The TV anchors and journalists who bloviated on the sad plight of the slain men and women were in their pregnant silence mode till the eve of the first anniversary of the "Big Event" . Cutting across bias lines, the total fraternity were quick to step uto the plate to reap pecuniary benefits by reliving the past events during prime time shows. Doesn't it really question the integrity, commitment and obligation of media in acting towards morale, germane causes.

Remember the promises that were made after the fiasco? Excellent security measures in Railway stations, spycams in crowded areas and squares, new machinary for cops, better vehichles and facilities for security agencies, ID cards for Fisherfolk, the list is on and on!! But, as expected, it still remains quixotic reveries as with our government!! Two months after the event, I had a chance to visit Mumbai's CST station which crawled into attention with the rapid killings and Sebastian D'Souza's snaps of Kasab's demoniac victory march!! Guess what? I was not told by the cops to pass through the metal detectors present. They were busy relishing on their evening tea in the midst of a freewheeling chat about the recent Bolllywood fick!! Would stricter weapons or facilities make a better force if the frivolous attitudes of our Law enforces stayput?

Personally speaking , the sole loser in the endgame remains Shivraj Patil. The poor chap was the scapegoat for Manmohan Singh and his government. Hadn't Patil been enforced a resignation, the opposition would have clamoured for Manmohan's head. The prudent and proactive Congress brains (Of course there are still good ones among the harebrained ones in the party) saved him and let the storm blow over.
But a million dollar question still remains. When will Indian governments study the difference between action and reaction, prudence and hindsight, introspection and retrospection? Well, no idea!

But one thing is for sure.
They would continue to play Russian Roulette with the security and national integrity!!!!!!

Sucker Punches!!!

Journeys are often learning experiences. Train journeys of course top the list. Senses are so exposed and left ajar to injest anything that happens before us in a train journey. However, when this senses receive a sucker punch, its a different experience indeed, a different learning curve and a different ball game altogether.

I came rushing to the Railway station after collecting my marklists from my college, where I had a stint of 4 years studying the intricacies of Electronics and Instrumentation. I purchased my tickets. Well in India you still purchase tickets and dont fish it out!!! Whatever, its still not very important in what we are discussing. However, there was a girl who asked me whether I knew which platform the train was expected. I said "1st obviously", though the reason for me doing was ulterior. The lady seemed to be a spinster in her early 20s.

Clambering to the train, the first thing I sought was a conversion of my open ticket to a AC 2 tier. However, it proved abortive. Even the lady was not spared. She too failed in it even with her coquettish looks at the TTE. Here is a lesson, no rather a question. Why do girls often be kittenish with their tone of speech, looks and behaviour when they need to get something in their favour?

The compartment was jampacked and somehow I managed a seat. The lady sat infront of me facing me. What intrigued was her response to the gentleman who gave her the seat. Literally, right after the moment he helped her with her seats, she in fact made a 180 degree somersault in her approach towards him. She ceased to look at him even, though she was busy pleasing him with her kittenishness before. I reckon, the gentleman turned "sheepish" when the "kittenish" stopped!!!! Well, wasn't it a learning point in a Sucker Punch?

Corporates are using brainstorming sessions to nail down the market wars and woo their customers. They fight really hard to sell their brand equity. Well if they have one, fine. If not, tough luck babies. Brainstorm and bean count. You may prove yourself. However, there was one exemplary show by someone in the compartent, which the corporates could ape. It came from a lame derelict. He was amputated in his right hand and had it really cast off. He had plasters on his amputated parts and a yellow patch of medicine, I rechkon Tingere Iodine stains accesorising it. He must have had a bad hair day, when he lost his limb, I guessed. But here is the punch.. He came with currency notes of 10s and 100s(I m not sure whether he had even showcased higher denominations). To my surprise, most of the passengers were seen opening their billfolds to deliver him with currency notes rather than loose changes. I too followed suit, since I thought loose chane wont be the best bet he would get.

But then came the Sucker punch. A gentleman who had borrowed Chethan Bhagath's "Two States " from me came running to me from the other side of the compartment. He quipped me I had executed a bad decision. I scowled. But he was right. Absolutely, when the story was retold. He knew the derelict who had wooed the passengers. Indeed he had talked with him. The derelict, as per the gentleman, belonged to Cochin. His daily collection from the trains reach beyond 2000 Indian rupees. And the way he spends it gave me an inferno in my stomach.. He bingedrinks, dine in good hotels and the rest of the peanuts are given as loans for high interests.Well, Wasnt it the "SUCKEREST Punch"?

I sat there speechless, studying the floor. By the time, I regained my nerve to catch the derelict by heels, he was out of horizon!!!!!!

It gave me goosebumps

What a rhetoric. Must read!!!

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him;
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones,
So let it be with Caesar ... The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it ...
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all; all honourable men)
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral ...
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man….
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
O judgement! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason…. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

It happens only in India

WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE social , economic , and political;

LIBERTY of thought , expression, belief,faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity and to promote among them all;

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN THIS CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November,1949 do HEREBY ADOPT ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION

In hindsight when we look back at the very genesis of our constitution and the preamble, is it not time ripe that we inflicted a change in it? Where in INDIA can you find justice ,be it social,economical or political??? when the judiciary, who is the custodian of citizens rights even is wobbling in the dirty hands of illicit politicians and bootlegged money, when and where can you redeem justice???


When THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT is still in its infancy can anyone be sanguine about the right to expression??? When some wrondoing by the court is being pointed and that in itself becomes contempt of court where in india can one think of freedom of expression???

Equality of status and opportunity finds place only in Electoral tours and gimmick speeches of our Political fraternity. Sadly, this brethren do not even move a finger to bring fraternity to assure the dignity of our fellow citizens, nor do they uphold the integrity of the nation as a whole. Rather, their endeavours could dig a hole on the motherland out of nowhere.

Our motherland is no longer secular. Outbreaks of fanatic wars are not beynd distant horizon. After all this is a country where "Trishuls" were distributed cutting across all racial, political and gender lines for that matter.

Yes, of coutrse we are sovereign, but only to capsize in the big ocean of developed flagships led by America. If a US Air carrier could humilitate a past president in his own turf by frisking him unto the worst, Yes definitely we are sovereign!!!!!!!

Though Rahul Gandhi's gospels about reverting the hot money in Swiss banks has evoked a loud applause, why is the clarion call just restricted to voice and not action. Wouldn't this money alleviate the wicklow status of millions of our citizens? Couldn't purchasing power bringforth better facilities to the social, economic, political and judicial equality of India?

As with him, its all better said than done!!!!!!

It happens only in India

Yes, we have a preamble, the nutshel of our constitution, which in itself is a misnomer. Better that we don't delve into the constitution itself!!!!! :D