Imagine - the Beatles

- Give it a thought. No more.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

- "Imagine" by the Beatles.

The spirit of Mumbai

A lot has been said about the never say die attitude of the people of Mumbai, their ability to bounce back after disasters, their resilience. Me not a Mumbaikar. Infact, I have been to the city only a couple of times. But even on those short trips I could feel the energy that drives the citizens. I have held them high, and after this calamity they have just gone a few steps higher.
But what I question is the apathy shown by the Government. Such acts of brutality should have evoked more than just a gentle reprimand to our neighbour. The response has not been more than a gentle spanking that a baby gets. You want the baby to know that his action was improper, but at the same time you don't want to hurt him. I don't know who would have been hurt, if a fitting reply was given. Not us, because we are bleeding right from J&K to Kanyakumari. It's very well to call Indians peace loving in general (and Mumbaikars resilient in particular). But to take advantage of that, and keep testing their patience is to ask a lot. We have been asked to maintain calm even in the face of 13 attacks (7 in Mumbai and 5 in Srinagar) on the same day, so that the "Peace Process" doesn't get derailed. But I ask why should we be quiet and peaceful? What has the peace process achieved so far other than a few bus journeys and India-Pakistan cricket matches becoming benign. The Kashmir problem remains the only and central issue. Our Government chooses to put that in the back burner and works on the so called Confidence Building Measures. All these are just means to evade the main issue, buy some time from the people, fill the already over-flowing closets.
You want to call me naive, so be it. But for a moment imagine if the same had happened to the G-8 countries. Unimaginable,right?
Just because we are not in the group of developed nations, does it mean that our lives are less valuable? We are extending an olive branch to a rouge nation, only because Big Brother is watching? While this hog-wash of friendship is on, our people continue to bleed.
Daily deaths in the J&K valley no longer make the headlines on the newspapers' front pages. Those are reserved only for other states. Does it mean that we are a nation of peace loving, gentle citizens, following the path shown by the Mahatama, or does it mean that we have got our directions wrong, now so weak that we can't even defend ourselves from within?
How many more deaths will it take for us to reply in a manner it should be done?

For those who perished in the Mumbai bomb blasts.

Please visit the following link and light a candle for those who never returned home on 11/7.
Light A Candle

My fallen country!

Consider this- out of about 2 lakh only around 1200 get into the exclusive IIMs
- AIIMS has less than 50 seats for the UG course,even lesser for the PG course
- a couple of 1000s make into the prestigious IITs
- even 95% marks don't ensure an admit into SRCC and St.Stephens select courses
- NLSUI has less than 100 seats

- An average politician does not have a basic school degree, forget about the above mentioned advanced qualifications, and holds all of us hostage.

I have long held this belief of owing to my country. After all I was born here, I have some allegiance to my land. But of late I have been forced to give a long hard thought to my convictions. What constitutes a counrty? Is it the people or the politicians? I used to think the former was the right answer but recent events have shown how foolish I was. I grew up like most do in this country- in a middle class family, sent to one of the better schools, competing with thousands to get into a good college, moving onto a professional environment in order to take care of my family, still dreaming and striving to do something better. I was not born with the proverbial silver spoon but life has not been difficult. I am in every way one amongst the lakhs of ordinary Indian youth. I always had the notion that if I work hard, I could make it big. There was no dearth of opportunities now with the economy opening up. All that was needed was dedication and a little bit of luck. And I thanked my country for that. I thought it was made up of people like me, who toil, and expect to have a better future.
Then happened Mandal2 , students beaten and dragged, the premier medical school engulfed in the grime of politics, peaceful demonstrations marred by lathicharges, protests in colleges not given media coverage because of fear of political backlash, proposals of job quota in private institutions, AIIMS director getting sacked......... I am talking about this because it affects me, call me selfish if you want. I never sought any advantage, so why should I agree when others are given such privileges? Was it unfair to dream?
Is my patriotism misplaced, because as far as I can see, the country isn't made up of people like you and me, but by our politicians?
A country of the politicians, by the politicians, for the politicians?