Great Indian Family Circus

The ‘Rajiv Gandhi Jamai Kalyan Yojana ’ is a great scheme launched by government of india. It provides interest free, unsecured loan to the beneficiary; Property at prime locations at 90 % subsidy and many more things. However, the only flip side is that these scheme is applicable to only the ‘son-in-laws ’ of people in power and not to the ordinary ‘Mango People’. When there is so much hype over female foeticide, we guys should sign Shri Robert Vadera as a brand ambassador for our ‘Save girl Child’ campaign. He is the best example of a guy who is only known and respected because of his wife, instead of vice- versa. I wonder why the opposition parties like BJP were silent on this issue and I realized that they themselves too are party to the crime. How many of you guys recollect Ranjan Bhattacharya? Yes the same Ranjan Bhattacharya, who was an alternate centre of power when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power. Yes, he was the infamous son-in-law of our unmarried Atal Bihari Vajpayee. When ABV was in power, canards were heard of how this man became powerful and wealthy in a small span of time. But the fact still remains that though Ranjan Bhattacharya used his connections with PM, his pace of growth will be considered with that of snail, when compared with that of Robert Vadera. 50 lacs to 300 crores in such a short span of time! Wow! He should be given the award of most promising Entrepreneur for last 5 years.  He has paled the achievements of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and et al. This will never happen, because we know that this fortune is amassed only because of his position of being son-in-law of Gandhi family.

In Indian Politics, it is not necessary that only Son-in-law gets favoured. This theory holds true conversely too. You may get benefits, if your son-in-law is a party leader. Ashok Chavan, not so Adarsh CM of Maharashtra, had flats registered in names of his mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the Adarsh co-operative society. Gopinath Munde, was given a wild card entry in politics because of his brother-in-law Late pramod Mahajan. Infact, many people were anxious about Munde’s political career after death of Pramod Mahajan.

If we look at the recent history, we will realize that these politicians have reduced our democracy in to a farce and divided the states and seats as Feudal states. Even regional parties like Shivsena and DMK, who once lambasted congress for following dynastical politics have followed it intrinsically. So is true for NCP, INLD, SP and many more.

In this bleak future, we can only do two things. Either pray to God to save India or to be the force of Change. What will you decide?

India, Incredible Indeed…

India is a strange and mysterious country, famous for its mystic intriguing people. Though it is the largest democracy of the world, its politics is often obfuscating. People here have excess pride in cleanliness and hygiene, and still 70% population defecates in open. Four of the most powerful parties are run by women (Congress, BSP, AIADMK and TMC), and still crimes against women, particularly rape, female foeticide are on rise. We want girls as sister, mother, friend, and wife but never as daughter. Women are worshipped as goddesses and mother, and still we do not mind abusing mothers and sisters. 

On every nook and corner, people curse corruption, but they shamelessly indulge in it when they got even the slightest of chance. We have the highest number of doctors in the world, but unfortunately, more than half of our people die because of Non communicable diseases. Many of these lives can be saved if they get medical attention in time.We are complacent with our soaring number of graduates in universities and as a global back-office provider and IT industry, but the number of patents does not even match to that of Malaysia.

We preach in Unity in Diversity, but everyday a northeastern student is bullied in Delhi, a north Indian is heckled in Mumbai, a Maharashtrian biased in South. We strived to built an equal society with best of both Communism and Capitalism, but instead we are having the worst of both resulting in crony capitalism. We strived to built a egalitarian society, but every now and then , people face discrimination. A Brahmin student doesnot get admission in good college, despite of scoring good marks; a muslim is unable to find residence in decent housing colonies, because of his religion; a dalit is still socially excluded with entry denied in temples and common water bodies; poor people seldom can afford medical attention; rural folk still awaits basic necessities like roads, latrines, and potable water.

Of all these contrasts, the one on which I laugh often is, our constitution is the largest, most detailed constitution ever written, but as a democracy we are a failed state. Who is Responsible?

Happy Birthday Bapu...

Many Many Happy returns of the day Bapu. In the heavens you must be surely partying by working more on Charkha, while here in India, government departments are praising you and your vision lavishly for significant contribution in India’s development. Ironically though, you believed on Simplicity and probably that’s the reason you are worshipped. Critics of you lambaste that how you were a hypocrite; of your inaction in saving the life of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev as you feared for the fan-following they were commanding in youth. You are also criticized for your induced naiveness when British were recruiting millions of Indian soldiers to fight in foreign lands especially when you were prophet of non-violence and peace. You are also criticized by the tales of your hegemony and how you thrashed democratic procedures for electing P Sittaramayya over S C Bose in 1938 Haripura session or acting as Dronacharya by asking Sardar Patel to cancel his candidature in 1946 so that Nehru get elected.

However, for us, the generation who was born to celebrate the golden and diamond jubilee of independence, you were the hero, the father of nation. We were taught in schools of how you bravely fought with British to fetch us independence and that too only with the help of your Lathi. I was simply amazed!!! You being the one worshipped, I decided to follow your footsteps and practice life of Truth, simplicity and non-violence. Year’s passed. As a student, I always heard stories of Babus, Pandus and Lukkhas exploiting people to get money from corrupt practices. In fact, I pitied my friends who paid bribe to get their job done. You know, I still abided by your principles.

With a strong belief on you and your principles, I decided to get my driving license without any agent. I was termed insane by my friends. But, inside, I had a belief on you and your principles. And then this belief was shattered!!! I was forced to make a couple of rounds to the RTO office Vasai. I found myself helpless, running from pillar to post, even when I was having all the requisite documents. Graciously you only rescued me. It was only after offering the authority Rs 1000 note, I got my learning license. Your smile on the note was strange and vicious to me as if making a mockery of me.

Time passed by and as I was shouldering more and more family responsibility, I realized that without you (definitely on note), none of my work will be done. I myself became a part of the corrupt racket by offering bribes to get my work done. I simply couldn’t wait till eternity by sticking to your principles. Every time a paid a bribe, an internal feeling loathed my soul. But Bapu, this is India of 2012 and we are forced to pay bribe even for getting our lawful dues.

Some 20 months ago, we were given hope by a man who claimed to be your disciple. We as a country supported him wholeheartedly. We thought we won, when the merciful Government of India agreed to our demand of strong LokPal bill. But Alas! it was all farce. The government used Saam-Daam-Dand-Bhed to discredit the movement and dishonor the leaders.The call for strong Anti corruption bill is falling on deaf ears and with every passing day, new scam and scandals are being unearthed.

Neither your ideology of truth, nor your methods of non-violent protest are yielding any results. All our petitions are turned away with a blind eye. Lately, I have started to believe, that your mathods  are not going to work and to let our grievance heard, we need to follow the method employed by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, to make some loud explosions do that the deaf government listens to our voices. I know that you abhor violence and the path chosen by might cause peril to our lives. But Bapu, you only once said “It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence”

P.S: Give my warm regards to Manjunath, Navleen Kumar, Raju Shetty and many other unsung heroes who fought against corruption and have joined you.