Jan-Lokpal and beyond....

While coming home today, i noticed a few residents of my society standing outside the society gate and shouting slogans in support of jan-lokpal bill and Anna. I also joined them.

We were just raising slogans by the side of the road. Not blocking any way not asking people to join us or causing any inconvenience apart from the noise of our voices. And i could see a lot of people passing by the road were joining in the chants of Vande-Matram. A few slowed down and a couple joined in as well. While it was very heartening that people were showing solidarity for a cause, what stuck me were the things i observed people do.

- A car slowed down, the occupant raised slogans with us, a few meters ahead, he opened his car door and let out a stream of spit.

- Another car with doctor's symbol on windshield crossed us and went wrong side on the road to avoid a long but legitimate U-turn.

Everyday on road i see people throwing things out of their car widows, everyday we see people haggling with policeman for bribes over petty violations. How can a lokpal help India if people are glad to be let off with a 40 Rs bribe instead of a 100 Rs fine!

Will lokpal show effect at the grassroots where people are so habitual of bribes that no work is done without the extra-constitutional-fee. The state of Indian society with respect to corruption was aptly described by the CVC before Thomas, he said:

"When we were growing up I remember if somebody was corrupt, they were generally looked down upon. There was at least some social stigma attached to it. That is gone. So there is greater social acceptance."

"if somebody has a lot of money, he is respectable. Nobody questions by what means he has got the money."

With so much concentration on passing of lokpal bill, has anybody thought if such powerful position is possible in reality. How can we be sure that the lokpal would be incorruptible, how can we be sure that a lokpal would not sway from its principles. Anyways, this is not what i wanted to say. All i wanted to say is, if you really care about the country and want to do your bit to make it a better place, please start caring for it like your own house.

See the lawns around India Gate on a Sunday evening they are full of all kinds of garbage and things left by people who came for picnic. How can you spoil the very place to which you go to enjoy. Next time you have a choice between a short wrong side drive and a long U-turn please take the latter. Follow the traffic rules and if caught breaking them, please prefer to pay the fine with a receipt. Roll down the windows of your car only to get fresh air, not to throw empty wrappers or bottles, they might lead to an accident for some two wheeler rider behind you. Keep your cool on the road, if somebody brushes against your car, please don't start throwing abuses. There is no confrontation that can't be solved by a dialogue. When you need to get something done in a govt office, please take out time and get things done yourself.

India is a great country, but with very misguided people. I just hope that this new found nationalism and solidarity does bring some change and leads to a slightly better India.

INDIA.... Be a MAN!!

India is generally considered as feminine, even among its citizens as Mother India. But considering the current scenarios where its territorial integrity is being questioned from various sides, no matter how small, it seriously needs to consider a sex change operation.

We had an instance of google maps depicting Arunachal Pradesh as a part of China, again it repeated the blunder by depicting POK as a part of Pakistan. Then we had iPhone 4 doing the same with Arunachal Pradesh again and now the most recent being FAO, a UN body, showing Arunachal and POK as independent entities.

Why hasn't anybody ever shown some chinese territory in India by mistake, why is it that while drawing borders on maps, the line invariably goes inside India rather than China or Pakistan. Well its more to do with our impotent government and self centered politicians than actual errors on part of Map makers. To be frank this should not matter if we are sure about our abilities of protecting our borders. No offense to our Armed forces, but in case China tries something audacious on the eastern border, our Government would hesitate to give a response and tie up our Armed force's hands, seriously affecting their ability to counter. Our soft spoken, spineless and immensely learned PM would look towards 10 Janpath for directions, where the Queen bee would probably be packing bags for the next Alitalia flight with the born to be PM prince in tow.

Our country, as it stands currently, is without a leader.

Even Kargil became a huge task for our Army as government chose to ignore credible intelligence and lingered on taking action thereby eventually increasing the causalities among our brave soldiers who had to pay for our politicians incompetence as Pakistan consolidated its positions.

If China can force Apple to show Arunachal as a part of it in lieu of letting it sell iPhone4, why can't India force similar conditions on it to make it show what is the truth. Why can't we impose restrictions on any company questioning our territory. It's time we did something concrete about such instances, it's time we barred chinese embassy from issuing stapled VISAs to Indian nationals from J&K and Arunachal via restrictions on its operation. For once think of country's pride rather than a possible backlash from Dragon. Show an iron resolve and some guts to let them know we won't take such things lying down. And most of all..

Be a MAN!!

Letter to Our PM

Got this as a forward:

Dear Mr. Prime minister

I am a typical mouse from Mumbai. In the local train compartment which has capacity of 100 persons, I travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at least squeak but we don't even do that.
Today I heard your speech. In which you said 'NO BODY WOULD BE SPARED'. I would like to remind you that fourteen years has passed since serial bomb blast in Mumbai took place. Dawood was the main conspirator. Till today he is not caught. All our bolywood actors, our builders, our Gutka king meets him but your Government can not catch him. Reason is simple; all your ministers are hand in glove with him. If any attempt is made to catch him everybody will be exposed. Your statement 'NOBODY WOULD BE SPARED' is nothing but a cruel joke on this unfortunate people of India.

Enough is enough. As such after seeing terrorist attack carried out by about a dozen young boys I realize that if same thing continues days are not away when terrorist will attack by air, destroy our nuclear reactor and there will be one more Hiroshima.
We the people are left with only one mantra. Womb to Bomb to Tomb. You promised Mumbaikar Shanghai what you have given us is Jalianwala Baug.
Today only your home minister resigned. What took you so long to kick out this joker? Only reason was that he was loyal to Gandhi family. Loyalty to Gandhi family is more important than blood of innocent people, isn't it?

I am born and bought up in Mumbai for last fifty eight years. Believe me corruption in Maharashtra is worse than that in Bihar. Look at all the politician, Sharad Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Bal Thackray , Gopinath Munde, Raj Thackray, Vilasrao Deshmukh all are rolling in money. Vilasrao Deshmukh is one of the worst Chief minister I have seen. His only business is to increase the FSI every other day, make money and send it to Delhi so Congress can fight next election. Now the clown has found new way and will increase FSI for fisherman so they can build concrete house right on sea shore. Next time terrorist can comfortably live in those house , enjoy the beauty of sea and then attack the Mumbai at their will.

Recently I had to purchase house in Mumbai. I met about two dozen builders. Everybody wanted about 30% in black. A common person like me knows this and with all your intelligent agency & CBI you and your finance minister are not aware of it. Where all the black money goes? To the underworld isn't it? Our politicians take help of these goondas to vacate people by force. I myself was victim of it. If you have time please come to me, I will tell you everything.
If this has been land of fools, idiots then I would not have ever cared to write you this letter. Just see the tragedy, on one side we are reaching moon, people are so intelligent and on other side you politician has converted nectar into deadly poison. I am everything Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Schedule caste, OBC, Muslim OBC, Christian Schedule caste, Creamy Schedule caste only what I am not is INDIAN. You politician have raped every part of mother India by your policy of divide and rule.

Take example of former president Abdul Kalam. Such a intelligent person, such a fine human being. You politician didn't even spare him. Your party along with opposition joined the hands, because politician feels they are supreme and there is no place for good person.
Dear Mr Prime minister you are one of the most intelligent person, most learned person. Just wake up, be a real SARDAR. First and foremost expose all selfish politician. Ask Swiss bank to give name of all Indian account holder. Give reins of CBI to independent agency. Let them find wolf among us. There will be political upheaval but that will better than dance of death which we are witnessing every day. Just give us ambient where we can work honestly and without fear. Let there be rule of law. Everything else will be taken care of.
Choice is yours Mr. Prime Minister. Do you want to be lead by one person or you want to lead the nation of 100 Crore people?

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PS: I wanted to write something very badly about the current situation, though this peice is too soft voiced, but still it puts forward my emotions very aptly.

The Game of the Decade!

It was a match unlike any match we've played against Australia for many years. Heres are some moments from a great game of cricket..

India started at a slow pace with just maintaining a RR of 6 in first few overs. Here Sehwag, injured within first two overs walks back to the pavillion after being caught behind. He scored 9 of 13 balls.

Yuvraj came at 2 down and showed Aussies the blitz he started with England. He was in pristine touch, middling every ball and hitting sixes on will. His innings of 70 of 30 balls was a major factor in India posting a fighting total on board.

MS Dhoni for the first time in the tournament played what can be called truly as a captains knock. He was his flambouyant best, sans the hesitancy he has shown in initial overs throughout this cup. He scored 36 of 18 balls.

India finished at 188/5 in 20 overs.

Australia started off well despite some fantastic bowling by Sreesanth and RP singh. Sreesanth first bowled Gilchrist and then later in this picture, he's reacting after dismissing Hayden in similar fashion. He put up his usual histrionics and finally got fined by match referee. He finished with just 12 runs in his 4 overs with two very important wickets.

After Sreesanth it was time for Irfan Pathan to pick another important scalp for India and thus we saw Symonds off-stump being hit as he tried to make some room for a shot. With this wicket India was back in the game.

After the Symonds wicket clark and hussey went within 11 runs being scored and India was in with a good chance to win by now. In the end with 3 overs to go and the required score looking within reach of Aussies, Harbhajan came up with a great over taking a wicket on the first ball and bowling a tight over. Then Dhoni showed excellent maturity and gave the penultimate over to RP Singh even though he had only Jogindar Sharma as the other option. So instead of keeping the best bowler for last over he gave RP the 19th over and the move payed brilliantly with RP bowling a gem of an over. Finally with six balls to go and 25 to get australia was in a bad position. Joginder bowled what probably was his first dot ball and gave what probably was his first smile in so many days. He finished the over with Aus still needing 15 runs. India had beaten the Aussies and set up a dream final for the first T20 world cup.

Glorious, Depressing and Fickle uncertainities of Cricket

Who could've predicted the outcome of super 8 match between Ind and SA, not many people would put there money on India beating SA and that too so convincingly.

Now, the three words i'v used in the title are for three different teams, first Glorious is for India for their gritty batting which saw India recover from 38-3 to 153 in the end, some very accurate bowling by RP and Irfan and finally better fielding than what India does on most of the days.

Depressing is the word for the luck of South Africa in big tournaments, time n again success elude SA in the later stages of tournaments. They were playing brilliantly in this T20 cup, one loss and they'r out of the tournament. And who can forget the famous tied semifinal between SA and AUS where SA was again the team packing bags early. Anyways, SA is a great team, unarguably up there with AUS, n i'm sure luck can't dodge them forever. They'l get there due soon.

And now the fickle part, this refers to the sentiments of New Zealanders watching Ind Vs SA match. At the start of the match they would've been praying that SA simply win the match putting India out of the cup and securing the Semifinal berth for NZ. But soon into SA inning when they were 31-5, NZ must've started cheering for India to stop SA before 125 run mark, which would've put SA safely into semis. Now when Boucher and Morkel put up a 50 run partenership for 5th wicket, again the NZ allegiance would'v shifted to SA to just win the game. But India with some inspired bowling aided with pretty ok feilding made sure that NZ finished the day while cheering for them.

India had achieved what a few expected them to, a semifinal berth and a thumping victory to put SA out. Lets hope this good run continues and India fights against AUS in semis, coz zim and pak have shown that aussies are not unbeatable.

Good Luck India!!