Chidiya naal jebaaz ladaawa ...

A Sikh stands guard while Muslims pray in the Holy Month of Ramzaan in UK..... Small things in life which make us feel good...

Bharat Bhaagya Vidhaata?

The belief that the British were instrumental in building a nation called India is often a result of looking at the concept of Nationalism from a Western Point of view and failing to look at the nebulous nature of the eternal entity that has been India. Unlike the modern nation states of Europe which took form in the 18th century, India was always a different setup. The current attempt of unification of Europe had already matured in India and China a millennium ago. Whether empires expanded or shrank, or their names changed with time, the concept of a common and unique identity which distinguishes an Indian with an Afghan, Turk or European was always there, this difference of character was the nation which India strived for.

When it comes to political freedom, India had an enviable track record of a free nation which continued from 3000 BC to 1100 AD when some Northern kingdoms were subjugated by foreign invaders. Even if the Northern states were under the foreign rule, the rule of outsiders was never a bed of roses, the people resisted the foreign rule tooth and nail and there was never a period when some part was not up in rebellion. All this time, while the North was reeling under foreign invasions and occupation, the South not only remained free but also flourished. Barring a few exceptions, throughout the period, India was able to protect its ports, towns, trade centers and most importantly culture and free spirit.

As the Mughal Empire breathed its last, the Marathas rose in prominence and knit India from Arcot to Attuck in a common thread, ruling as a proxy for the Mughal Emperor whose diktats ran not far from the boundaries of Delhi. They were almost at the verge of becoming the greatest force India had seen in centuries when their young empire was dealt a death blow first by Ahmad Shah Abdali and then the British. The real change appeared with the arrival of White pirate turned traders. Even as the Marathas were reeling under the impact of the Third battle of Panipat, the British started stealing their territories sometimes by military might and most often by hook and crook.

The 19th century saw the decline of a great nation as never witnessed before. Like cancer, the British ate away in the economy, polity and culture of the country and made sure that even though they were to be driven off by the end of 1946, the scars they had left on the nation would continue to bleed for the decades to come. To understand the mentality that praises the British for contributing towards India, one would have to look at the analogy of a house owner who has been robbed of the last article he had in house. Now since the robber was so loaded with the goods, he had to leave his dagger in the house; and the robbed is happy that he atleast has a new dagger.

A belated note for the people in Japan

The recent triple tragedies in Japan have been an eye opener of a sort. On one hand, they have shown the might of nature and how powerless we are against it and on the other hand, it has shown how iron willpower can stand between even the strongest forces of nature and complete annihilation. The way they have reacted to the calamity, their grit, discipline and sacrifice in the face of endless trauma boundaries on Superhuman. Think of those workers, who volunteered to stay back in the doomed nuclear reactor, think of people working calmly to help each other in spite of their own personal tragedies, think of a nation all determined to rebuild itself all over again. No mad wailing, no chest beating.. they are dignified even in their defeat against the nature. They are almost an inspiration. In their misery and devastation, a humble Japanese stands taller than most...

बहुसंख्यक होने का अर्थ - नरेंद्र कोहली

पादरी के घरपर बहुत भीड़ देख, रामलुभाया घबराया। कहीं कोई दुर्घटना तो नहीं हो गई? पड़ौसी की चिंता के कारण वह घर बैठा नहीं रह सका। भागा हुआ उसके घर चला गया।
"क्या हुआ भाई?" उसने पादरी से पूछा, वह उसे फादर नहीं, भाई ही कहता था।
"अत्याचार हो रहा है हम पर इस देश में।" पादरी चिल्लाया, "हम इसे सहन नहीं करेंगे।"
"हम इसे सहन नहीं करेंगे।" उपस्थित लोगों ने चिल्लाकर कहा।
"अत्याचार तो कभी सहन नहीं करना चाहिए।" रामलुभाया उससे सहमत हो गया, " मैं इस लड़ाई में तुम्हारे साथ हूँ।"
"तो बताओ। उड़ीसा में उन लोगों को फिर से हिंदू क्यों बनाया गया?"
"किन लोगों को?" रामलुभाया ने पूछा।
"जिन्हें हमने पिछले सप्ताह ईसाई बनाया था।"
"क्या हिंदू और ईसाई बनाए जाते हैं?" रामलुभाया कुछ चकित होकर बोला, "मैं तो समझता था लोग अपनी आस्था के अनुसार हिंदू और ईसाई होते हैं।"
"रहने दो अपनी यह बकवास।" पादरी रुष्ट होकर बोला, "हम उनकी आस्था के बदलने की प्रतीक्षा करते तो वे क़यामत तक हिंदू ही बने रहते।"
"तो तुम्हारी क्या क्षति हो जाती?" रामलुभायाने पूछा, "धर्म तो अपने आत्मिक विकास के लिए होता है। तुम अपना विकास करो. . ."
"हम अपना विकास ही तो कर रहे हैं।" पादरी बोला, "जितनी अधिक संख्या में हम हिंदुओं को ईसाई बनाएँगे। ईसा मसीह हमसे उतने ही प्रसन्न होंगे।"
"ईसा मसीह के विषय में तो मैं नहीं जानता, पर पोप अवश्य प्रसन्न होंगे।"
"हाँ! " पादरी बोला, "यह देश जितना ईसाई होता जाएगा, उतना ही यूरोप और अमरीका के ईसाई देशों का गुलाम होता जाएगा। हमारी सत्ता बढ़ती जाएगी।. . ." पादरी प्रसन्न था।
"पर जब लोगों की आस्था नहीं बदलती तो तुम उनको ईसाई कैसे बना लेते हो?"
"वे अस्वस्थ होते हैं। उन्हें ज्वर होता है। हम उन रोगों की औषधियों को पानी में घोलकर उन्हें ईसा के चरणामृत के रूप में पिला देते हैं। उनका ज्वर उतर जाता है और हम उनको ईसाई होने का ज्वर चढ़ा देते हैं। नहीं मानते तो उन्हें ईसा मसीह के क्रोध से ज्वर लौटा लाने का भय दिखाते हैं।"
"पर यह तो झूठ है। पाप है। तुम धर्म के नाम पर लोगों को धोखा दे रहे हो।"
"मुझे तुमसे वादविवाद नहीं करना है।" पादरी बोला, "मेरा तो पूछना है कि उन लोगों को फिर से हिंदू क्यों बनाया जा रहा है ? इस प्रकार धर्म परिवर्तन का अधिकार किसी को नहीं दिया जा सकता।"
"तो तुमको किसने यह अधिकार दिया कि तुम भोले-भाले हिंदुओं को धोखे से ईसाई बनाओ?" रामलुभाया ने पूछा।
"इस देश में धर्म परिवर्तन का अधिकार है। इसीलिए हमने उन्हें ईसाई बनाया।" पादरी बोला।
"इस देश में धर्म परिवर्तन का अधिकार है, इसीलिए वे लोग पुन: हिंदू हो गए, जो वे सदा से थे।"
"पर यह अधिकार न तो उनको है, जो हिंदू हो गए, और न उनको है, जिन्होंने उन्हें हिंदू बनाया।"
"क्यों?" रामलुभाया स्तब्ध रह गया, "जो अधिकार विदेश से आकर भी तुमको है, वह इस देश के नागरिकों को क्यों नहीं है?"
"क्योंकि धर्म परिवर्तन का अर्थ है हिंदू से ईसाई बनना। हिंदू से मुसलमान बनना।" पादरी बोला, "हिंदुओं को यह अधिकार किसने दे दिया कि वे अपने धर्म की रक्षा करें?"
"जो अधिकार ईसाइयों को है, वह हिंदुओं को क्यों नहीं है?"
"क्योंकि वे बहुसंख्यक हैं।" पादरी बोला।
"तो लोकतंत्र तो बहुमत से ही चलता है। यह कैसे संभव है कि बहुसंख्यक लोगों को वह अधिकार भी न हो, जो उस देश के अल्पसंख्यकों को प्राप्त हैं?"
"वह जहाँ होता होगा, होता होगा।" पादरी बाला, "इस देश में तो बहुसंख्यक का अर्थ है, जिसे कोई अधिकार न हो।"

Kashmir ... some random thoughts ...

Heard a biatch's rambles on how the "Bhookhe-nange Hindustan" needs azadi from Kashmir as much as Kashmir needs azadi from India...

The first question that came in my mind was- What Azadi???

On what grounds does J&K want azadi?

What percentage of J&K is Kashmir?

Do Laddakh and Jammu want Azadi too ?

Why do some people love secularism when they are in minority but want Nizam-E-Mustafa when they are in a majority?

If Kashmir wants Azadi on the basis of the so called Kashmiriyat, then let them resettle the Kashmiri Pundits first, if they want azaadi on the basis of religion then it is much better to cull them like swine!!!

Kashmir did not do a favor to India by acceding to it. It was saved by India when its lands were looted, farms and homes burnt and honour raped by the very same people who are deemed as the saviors of Kashmir today by the namakharaam Hurriyat waalas. Once in, you are in for ever. By allowing Kashmir to secede we simply cannot start the Balkanization of India. All these talks of freedom of speech, democracy and all sound sweet coming from the coffee table intelligencia, at the end if the nation is not there, nothing will remain. So when supporting those morons in the name of freedom of expression; stop for a second and think about the soldier standing guard in the wilderness of Siachin. One day he should not turn around to find that there is no nation to back him.

Do they really want to protect the Wistleblowers?

"Any person who makes any disclosure which was false to his knowledge or reckless or malicious, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years and also to fine which may extend up to fifty thousand rupees."
This is a very interesting provision in the proposed Whistle Blower legislation which the government is trying to introduce.

What exactly do they mean when they say "false to his knowledge or reckless or malicious?"

Who is going to decide if a particular voice raised by a Whistle blower was malicious in nature? How exactly will it be made sure that this decision is transparent and unbiased?

Imagine a lone person standing against a corporation or the government. What are the odds that he will be able to prove himself in a system which abets and thrives on corruption? Given the way investigations and enforcement happens in this country, the way files go missing when an RTI is filed, there is little hope that any claim will ever be proved.

So what will be the result? You stand up against the system, the system will go all out to prove your comments false and "malicious" and at the end, you will end up in jail for three years; and Rs 50000 poorer. There goes the Whistle blowing down the drain.

There is no limit to how shameless can the people in power get to suppress the voice against corruption in this country. It seems that merely killing the RTI activists and other whistleblowers was not enough, now they want to break the will of the conscious too. This single provision will be enough to discourage anyone who wants to blow the whistle, and he will remain safe as long as long as he refrains from raising his voice.

This reminds me of a few lines by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, he becomes so relevant as far as the rot in the Indian system is concerned:

जहाँ पालते हों अनीति-पद्धति
को सत्ताधारी,
जहाँ सुत्रधर हों समाज के
अन्यायी, अविचारी;

नीतियुक्त प्रस्ताव सन्धि के
जहाँ न आदर पायें;
जहाँ सत्य कहनेवालों के
सीस उतारे जायें;

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake....

Utopia- the drama of a massacre

Not so long ago, in a remote corner of this planet, was a Utopia- the perfect society. Everything about the place was almost perfect, the people, the ethical government, the prosperity and the green-ness. It was a new habitat and the people had made all efforts to showcase their place as the epitome of perfection to the outside world, and the effort showed.

But, as with any other place, Utopia too had a small problem. Long before the city was built, there used to be a hamlet of poor outcasts in that place. They continued to live around the area and could be seen living on the pavements of the glittering city.

The sight of these poor amongst all the prosperity of Utopia brought different responses from the Utopians. There were three kinds of people, those who felt pity at the poor and used to feed and cloth them, there were many who were indifferent. And then there were a third class of people for whom the very presence of these god forsaken people was an eye sore. Incidently, this third catagory for people was the most vocal and demands were increasingly being raised to get Utopia rid of the pavement dwellers. They started putting more and more pressure on the government to act.

So what did the 'ethical' government do? Well, nobody actually knows for sure. But one fine morning, the Utopians woke up to find that the poor had simply vanished from the streets. And people were just clueless as to what happened to them. But slowly disturbing information started getting leaked from within the establishment. It was said on the fateful night before, the poor were all herded together, taken to an unknown location and gassed to death; as making arrangements for their rehabilitation was too much of a chore.

This infuriated some people and they started pestering the government to come up with an answer. At first, the government simply chose to ignore the questions; but when the protests became louder, after a prolonged silence, the government came up with an answer. The response was that, to ensure the percieved general well being of the Utopians, the government hired a private agency to 'take care of the poor'. Surprisingly, the government claimed complete ignorance on to how was that 'taking care of' activity carried out by that agency. The President of Utopia said in a public gathering that he would look into the issue. Needless to say, the issue was soon forgotten.

Incidently, much before the Government came up with this answer, the activists started getting veiled threats to fall in line or face the consequences. There were people who were happy to see the 'eye sores' gone and they started accusing the activists of needless rabble rousing. Some of them who were getting undue benifits from the establishment were concerned that any messing up with the establishment will mess up their comforts. The indifferent ones were simply surprised as to why so much importance was being given to such a petty issue.

The unexpected backlash from the Government and fellow Utopians, shocked and silenced the activists. They conceded defeat sensing that it was a lost cause and no matter how much they protested, nothing was going to happen. Slowly, they too got assimiliated in the main stream of Utopia.

So today, Utopia is finally perfect at last, The Establishment is happy and so are the people, Foreign dignitaries are being given a walk through to showcase how a perfect city should be run. The Elite are happy for getting rid of the eye sores. No one actually cares anymore...

... And they say that some unmarked graves outside the boundaries of Utopia have been forgotten too ...

Ruchika case -will we ever get justice for Shilpi Jain?

TV news channels and Newspapers are filled with Ruchika case.. made me very sad to see the abortion of Justice and Democracy. Now since the nation seems to have finally woken up to the injustice meted to Ruchika and her family, there are chances that she will get justice at last.

This reminds me of another girl who was raped and killed along with her boyfriend in Patna years ago. The case was another miscarriage of justice, closed as a suicide case while the criminals went scot free and went on to become Member of Parliament.

She has been dead all these years and the case has been shut down after a "thorough" investigation by the CBI, in which one accused was not tested for DNA because he refused to provide his blood sample.

Will Shilpi ever get justice ?

-- more about Shilpi Jain here --

The drama for Telangana- A belated response

Someone wants to be a CM but finds that the competition is simply too much for him at the Capitol. So what does he do?

Unlike the great RT who went ahead and brought back the tested formula of 1960s, this gentleman decides that if he cannot be the CM of the state he is in currently, he must carve out one for himself. And what a better way to do it than go on an indefinite fast, the novel way of emotional blackmailing which flourished in a distant southern tip of the black continent about a century ago and has come a long way to become the Brahmastra of the Indian politics. We had one Neta who started his "indefinite" fast after the breakfast, ended it before the lunch after much hullabaloo. Well, this one at least, ran for days.

Can Mr. TRS claim responsibility for the anarchy and destruction which happened after his fast? His action reminds me of another "Direct Action" which resulted in not only the creation of a separate nation but caused destruction on a much bigger level. So was it that action which inspired TRS or was it just the desperation to get into power ASAP? Even god cannot read the mind of politicians, ordinary mortals like us can only make speculative guesses.

By the way, why is a new state needed? For development's sake? Is development really dependent on how much fragmentation we are actually successful to bring to India? Take the instance of Bihar, what did it gain from a partition? Bihar was left penniless and the plunderers of Jharkhand started coming with a different block of surnames. Smaller states will not solve the problem, smarter states will do. If Mr. TRS is so bothered about the development of the Talengana area, he should have worked for it constructively instead of indulging in the Duryodhana kind of stubbornness he is displaying.

Center's knee jerk reaction to the fast was even more disturbing. It made me doubt if this government even cares to show that it has a spine. It feels that they just do not care what happens to the goddamned nation! I wonder who we elected to power this time!

बेताल की साढ़े सत्ताईसवीं कथा

बेताल उवाच : हे कलियुगी मनुष्य जैसा कि तुझे पता ही होगा ..हर कथा के उपरान्त तुझे मेरे सवालों के ज़वाब देने होंगे वरना तेरा सर फट जायेगा

बेताल : इस दुनिया में एक देश है .. भारत गणराज्य .. जिसका एक राज्य है, बिहार .. वैसे तो गणराज्य होने की प्रथा प्राचीन बिहार से ही निकली थी.. पर जैसे प्राचीन काल में बिहार ने भारत वर्ष को गणराज्य की प्रथा दी वैसे ही आधुनिक युग में 'गन'राज्य की प्रथा भी.

इस महान 'गन'राज्य की प्रथा को कुछ लोग जिन्होंने चारा खाया था उनलोगों ने बहुत ही आगे तक बढाया और बिहार का नाम विश्व पटल पे लहराया ..

पर हरेक अच्छी प्रथा की तरह ये प्रथा भी बिहारी मनुष्यों को ज्यादा दिन तक रास नहीं आई और उन्होंने २००५ में इस प्रथा को बदलने के लिए नितीश कुमार नाम के एक तुच्छ प्राणी को अपने राज्य का मुख्यमंत्री बनवा दिया |
श्री नितीश कुमार जी के आते ही बिहार में जो 'गन'राज्य स्थापित था वो फिर से उसी सड़ी गली और पुरातनपंथी गणराज्य व्यवस्था पे आने लगा जिसे देख कुछ परम बुद्धिजीवी लोगो को वो होने लगा जो स्वाभाविक था .. घुटन ..!!

अब घुटन भी क्यूँ ना हो .. 'गन'राज्य के चले जाने से चिकित्सा क्षेत्र में जो बिहार का परचम लहराता था वो उन्हें खतरे में दिखने लगा क्यूंकि 'गन'राज्य के समय लाशों की कोई कमी नहीं थी ..एक ढूंढो चार मिलते थे 'गन'राज्य की दया से... तो बच्चे उसपे अपने शुश्रुत संहिता के सारे ज्ञान आराम से सीखते थे .. पर गणराज्य में लाशों की घोर कमी हो गयी है और शुश्रुत संहिता अब मृतप्राय होने के कगार पे पहुँच गयी है .. हाय रे बद-इन्तेजामी ..!

'गन'राज्य के जाने से बिहार के कितने ही 'गन' कारखानों पे ताला लग लगा और लोग भूखमरी के कगार पे पहुँच गए .. हाय रे बेरोज़गारी .. किन नासपिटों ने ये गणराज्य लाया ... कितने भले और खुशहाल दिन थे 'गन'राज्य के ..!!

'गन'राज्य के जाते ही अब पुरुष अपनी नव विवाहिताओं को छोड़ दिल्ली पंजाब कमाने नहीं जाते जिसकी वज़ह से अब विरह के गीत नहीं गाये जाते .. 'गन'राज्य के के ज़माने में हर गाँव में हर गली हर कूचे में नव विवाहिताएं विरह का करुण क्रंदन करतीं थीं..

अब हर मोड़ पे विधवा विलाप नहीं होता क्यूंकि गणराज्य में गन रखना अब आम बात नहीं रही .. 'गन'राज्य के ज़माने में चलते फिरते कोई 'गन'धारी किसी भी जीवीत व्यक्ति की आत्मा को परमात्मा से मिला के उसे मोक्ष की प्राप्ति करा देता था और उनकी धर्म पत्नियाँ विधवा विलाप के अलावा कुछ नहीं कर सकती थी इसीलिए पूरे दिन विधवा विलाप करतीं थीं....

किडनैपिंग एवं "अडल्ट-नैपिंग " की वज़ह से मांओ का मार्मिक रुदन जो की 'गन'राज्य की ख़ास पहचान थी अब नहीं रही ...

हाय रे कितने अच्छे दिन थे .. विरह के गीत , विधवा विलाप , मांओ का मार्मिक रुदन .. सांस्कृतिक प्रतिभा अपने चरम पे हुआ करती थी 'गन'राज्य के ज़माने में ..!!!!

अब ये सारी प्रतिभाएं ना जाने कहा गुम हो गयीं ... बिहार की सांस्कृतिक प्रतिभा खोती जा रही है इस गणराज्य में ..


अब चूँकि गणराज्य व्यवस्था ५ साल तक बदली नहीं जा सकती थी तो इन परम बुद्धिजीवियों ने एक तरीका निकला जिससे की 'गन'राज्य वाली परम खुशहाली के दिन फिर से लाये जा सकें .. उन्होंने गणराज्य के दुष्प्रभावों का प्रचार प्रसार करना शुरू किया .. जैसे की लाशों की कमी से शुश्रुत संहिता के ज्ञान का अभाव, 'गन' कारखानों की बंदी से फैलने वाली बेरोज़गारी, विरह ना होने की वज़ह से विरह के गीतों का लुप्तप्राय होना इत्यादि इत्यादि ..! उनके इस प्रचार प्रसार से जो लोग बिहार में नहीं रहते थे उन्हें फिर से लगने लगा की 'गन'राज्य ही बेहतर था ..!

उन परम बुद्धिजीवियों ने अपने संकल्प को पूरा किया और अब बिहार में 'गन'राज्य आने की पूरी सम्भावना है ..!!!


तो हे कलियुगी मनुष्य अब मेरे सवाल का ज़वाब दे .. ऐसे महान बुद्धिजीवियों के होते हुए ओबामा जैसों को शांति का नोबल पुरस्कार मिलना किसकी बेइज्जती है .. ओबामा की .. नोबल पुरस्कार की ..या फिर ऐसे परम बुद्धिजीवियों की ?

~~श्री शतंजय जी निठल्ले महाराज के सौजन्य से

सरफरोशी की तम्मान्ना अब हमारे दिल में है - a modern take ...

No comments on this, read it and think how the writer may have been feeling when he wrote this poem:

सरफरोशी की तम्मान्ना अब हमारे दिल में है
देखना है जोर कितना बाजुए कातिल में है
वक़्त आने दे बता देंगे तुझे ऐ आसमान
हम अभी से क्या बतायें क्या हमारे दिल में है

ओ रे बिस्मिल काश आते आज तुम हिन्दुस्तान
देखते की मुल्क सारा क्या टशन क्या थ्रिल में है
आज का लौंडा ये कहता हम तो बिस्मिल थक गए
अपनी आज़ादी तो भैया लौंडिया के तिल में है

आज के जलसों में बिस्मिल एक गूंगा गा रहा
और बहरों का वो रेला नाचता महफिल में है
हाथ की खादी बनाने का ज़माना लद गया
आज तो चड्डी भी सिलती इन्ग्लिशों की मिल में है

देखना है जोर कितना बाजुए कातिल में है
वक़्त आने दे बता देंगे तुझे ऐ आसमान
हम अभी से क्या बतायें क्या हमारे दिल में है
सरफरोशी की तम्मान्ना अब हमारे दिल में है...

War !

*Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.


*We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing that we know about living.

-General Omar Bradley


*Do you know what astonished me most in the world? The inability of force to create anything. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the spirit. Soldiers usually win battles and generals get the credit for them. You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war. If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots.

- Napoleon Bonaparte

Evil !

When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before. I believe that what the rich have done to the poor people in this city is something that a preacher could call evil. Somebody has power. Pretending that they don't so they don't need to use it to help people -- that is my idea of evil. Without followers, evil cannot spread. The evil that men do lives on and on...

Evil unchecked grows, evil tolerated poisons the whole system. The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it. He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done. But, he who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.