of finding never land

I dream of an India,
which is secular,not just on paper,
which is socialist and not capitalist at all,
where the elderly are treated with respect,
and where they don't have to slog till the end,
where the children are treated like children and not cheap labour,
where they get free education,
where women are given the applause they deserve,
and where they are guarded and not raped.

I dream of an India,
where the leaders are selfless,
where people have camaraderie,
where the rich are generous to poor,
and where the spirit of the nation never dies.

Is this like finding never land?

India vs Bharat

The first decade of the 21st century has seen many highs for India.The social and economic indicators of developments are showing unprecedented levels.Government has implemented many plans to facilitate better transport,communication and health facilities.Environmental concerns are finally given attention courtesy the strict measures of Jairam Ramesh.But most of all these are visible in India and not in Bharat.

The strategy of centralised development has always been talked and the repercussions are known.But the knowledge hasn't helped.A major chunk of the investments made were concerned with the urban areas.Bharat representing all the rural areas is still being neglected.The development of rural areas and the agriculture industry both show alarming concerns.We need to realize that our country's population which is almost 1/6th of world population is showing no signs of slowing down.The government expects a stabilization by 2070.Unless some concrete steps are taken, we will be the most populous country by 2030.A victory that will never be celebrated, but the loss will be celebrated in Beijing.To feed such a huge population the dependence on the food production in the country is going to to increase exponentially.And the shocking number of farmer suicide last year are indicating that no effort has been made to address the concerns of rural areas.

Moreover,because of centralised development of some metro cities, people are moving to these cities which are already over populated. So the need of the hour is to come up with more such cities.The government should encourage the capitalist class to invest in such areas which are yet under developed.This will also create employment opportunities in such places.

We people living in big cities might not realize the plight of people in the villages.Even after more than 60 years of Independence, these places haven't undergone much changes and are not connected with rest of the country.The living conditions are shocking and pathetic.People living there are living a life worse than dogs in the metros.PETA activist say, 'We should treat dogs humanely!'.We need to realize that first we should make sure that humans at these rural places are not treated dogly.

P.S. I have nothing against PETA.

Rang de basanti

There was a time when the word 'India' meant so much for the the people.It created ripples among the crowd.It meant so much more than a democratic entity under whose jurisdiction we live in.The pre-independence era saw so many visionaries like Dadabhai Naoroji, Mahatma Gandhi, 'raja' Ram Mohan Roy who dreamed of a prosporous and peaceful Swaraj.Then there were extremists like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad and many more unsung heroes who sacrificed themselves in pursuit of freedom of their nation and their people.

After Independence, prominent leaders of the Indian National Congress like Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru took the responsibility of the young India in their hands and nurtured it like their own child.The golden bird finally free from the shackles of imperialism was ready to fly high in the modern sky.But little did they know, that the future generations of leaders which were to come, would recapture that golden bird. And on the expense of the commoners the country born with the ideas of socialism, would turn capitalist. And it's not the worse part.The law and order in the country has lost it meaning.

Today, the newspapers are flooded with scams,scandals,brutal killings and what not.And these are the only ones which come into press.This might be just a tiny fraction of the overall chaos.But everyone is silent.Everyone is happy in their little worlds.No one wants to get their hands dirty in all this.They do talk about all this, they do discuss a lot, but they won't do anything about it.What would have happened if the freedom fighters had done the same thing? And after what all they did for this country, they must be real pissed off at the current state of the country looking from up there doubting if their sacrifice was worth it.

The time has come for a similar agitation।Another national movement।But this time the enemy is even more powerful.We have to fight against our own people.The enemy is within us.It's time we all contribute a little to this nation.We should act rather than just complaining.We should change things.Change perceptions.Aware people.Help the poor.Educate the illiterate.And we should always remember that along with Fundamental rights , we do have duties.

"कोई भी देश परफेक्ट नहीं होता, उसे परफेक्ट बनाना पड़ता है! और अगर इतनी ही प्रॉब्लम है, तो बदलो न इस देश को, ये तुम्हारा भी देश है जाके बदलो , पर तुम नहीं करोगे , देश को साफ़ करने में हम 'अपने' हाथ क्यूँ गंदे करे , है न ? "

Rare Gestures

She is a lovely girl. Simplicity at it's personal best.She is full of life which amazes people.She has this incredible zest and inspires everyone around her.She wants a simple life.She wants to serve the society in some way.She already is, by inspiring masses.She is just unaware. She loves this guy.She dreams of marrying him.But she knows it cannot happen.Some part of her wants this to happen, the other wants to run away from him.'I cannot do this to him, I love him.I want to see him happy.'

He is a gentleman.A gem rather.He also likes life the simple way.He has known this gal for several years now.He admires her.He adores her.Respects her.He is amazed at her spirit of life even when life has been so unfair to her.He loves to spend time with her.He loves to be around just in case she needs anything.He has fallen in love with her.He wants to marry her.But his parents ridicule him on this when they should rather respect him even more.They think he has gone out of his mind.But he has decided to marry her.

She is paraplegic.And he is of the opinion that her being on the wheel-chair doesn't change anything.

How many people can do something like this ? Who would want a handicap companion ? How many of us even care these days about such people ? Forget about doing something for them or showing respect for the least, today such people get crushed by the crowd everyday. It's a shameful truth.

I bow before him.And wish him all the best.

Barbaric Savior

Manisha Thakur - A 22-year old railway employee and a national level women kabaddi player was shot dead from point blank range by a CRPF jawan in Patna.No, it was not a ambush set up by the CRPF to trap some militant group.Nor where they expecting some naxal activity near by. And no, it was not an accident.The reasons behind this barbaric act are so shocking,disgusting and shameful that it surely marks the lowest point of human behaviour.That CRPF jawan was a stalker,eve-teaser,molester and every nightmare a young girl in mediocre towns of India can think of.And when she tried to fend him off on being asked her phone number, that bastard shot that innocent girl several times.She was declared dead when taken to the hospital.

For such a heinous and inhumane act, even the death sentence would not suffice.He should be put in a recursive loop where he is bought to life after each execution and then hanged again.I know we cannot take the law in our hands. But sometimes blood for blood may not be wrong.That asshole should be shot down with that very weapon in front of the people making a zillion holes in his body.

Unfortunately, we can't even be sure that he will get a death penalty.But we are sure of one thing that our judiciary will take it's sweet time to deliver the verdict and probably by that time that jawan won't be 'jawan' anymore.

May god give her family and friends the support they deserve.

The Pride Puller

Delhi is flooded with people. They all look the same from a distance. But it's only when you decide to be a part of it, you get to see the different ones. Those who might not be as fortunate as you are, but surely there is something about them which makes you feel low in spite of having everything.

Usually I prefer to walk over other alternatives of locomotion Specially when the place I am going is not far.But that day, I was a little weak in my knees and ergo decided to take a rickshaw. The city has abundance of every entity when it comes to people.And just when I showed signs of wanting a rickshaw, they sprouted from each corner and crouched towards me like a predator. Amongst their annoying noises, my eyes where struck on the one at the far end.I moved towards him now realizing that he only has one arm.I asked him if he was willing to take me.He agreed and said," Dus rupaye lunga Sir...Isse kam nahi!".I smiled. I wouldn't have negotiated if he had even said fifty.On the way, i admired the way he controlled it in such traffic with one hand.I asked," Ek haath se handle karne me dikkat hota hoga aapko?".

"Aadat ho gya Sir.Upar wale ka yahi marzi tha.Bachpan se hi mera ek hi haath tha.Amma kehti thi ki mera ye ek hi haath kaafi hai sabke liye aur main has padta tha", he said.He was laughing and my eyes were wet."Main aisa tha iske liye mera baap mujhe road pe bhikh mangne ko bitha deta tha.Par apne ko nahi jama.Jab baap se lamba hua to main chod diya wo sab.Sala khud kamayenge mehnat ka, kuch bhi karke, par sala bhikh nahi mangne ka tha".

I simply had no words then.I wanted to do something for him.But could only think of giving some extra to what he said,"Apun kya bola tha Sir, bhikh nahi maagne ka tha".He took what he said earlier and returned the rest.He turned to leave.I stood there for a while watching him go.I stood there tamed by his pride.