Delhi Incident: Aftermath

The dark forces of the beautiful Delhi have marked their presence once again, and this time victim was a 23 years old girl. This time she was not alone, but traveling with her a friend. After every such incident we raise our concerns over media, in parliament, on social networks, over blogs, in homes, offices and small tea stalls around every corner of the city. But, after few months it will be a forgotten story, why?? Because we are so ‘great’, ‘resilient’, know how to ‘move on’ and many other adjectives could be given to support this, but the fact it that it is nothing more than ‘ignorance’. We talk about this for some time, slowly start be feel better that it didn’t happened to someone we know and then get busy with our daily life.

It was really hard for even a person like me, who thinks that surrounding usually don’t affect me, to just read about this incident. So, imagine what that girl must have gone though. I still get shiver while reading doctor’s statement, and her friend’s recount of the incident. It is really hard to believe that such animalistic behavior still exists in humans (if we bother to call those people human). These people were not merciless terrorists; they were normal citizen of this country, who can be found around the block in every city, and village.

I am saying all these things because I am hearing the demands of people, political parties, student unions etc. to ensure death or other extreme measures for anyone who commits this type of crime. But, is it really the solution? This time, accused could get a tough sentence as they do not belong to ‘privileged class’ of politicians, businessmen etc. But, will people stop committing such heinous crimes? What will happen to girls like Ankita, Ruchika etc. who are victimized (in a similar way) by so called ‘privileged class’?

You cannot make people to behave in certain way by just threatening them with a tough sentence, it can bar them for sometime but instincts can’t be killed by force. It could be a good means, but it will not last for long time, especially in this country, where people are notoriously known for coming up with “work arounds”. Is government, politicians, court really serious when they say that they will hang all accused, especially given the fact that many accused are around them (politicians, businessmen, military(?) etc).

Then what could be more effective solution to this problem, if not force then what? I think that the best way to control this problem is the proper counseling at grass root level to develop understanding and respect towards opposite sex, especially in Indian social setup. This counseling cannot be done at any consoling center in specific. A complete effort will be needed, including that at home, playground, collages, schools, and in social circles. One cannot expect a person to respect other sex if he has seen his mother, sister beaten by father and other family members right from the childhood. Apart from this, there has been a growing frustration and insecurity among people which lead to these type of incidents directly or indirectly. Frustration from their current state (financial, job, family etc.) and insecurity about their future, some commits suicide, some commits crimes and some turns towards alcohol-drugs etc. The current case is outcome of effect of alcohol (as per one of the convict), so it is important to go into the root of the problem before start to look for a solution, ‘quick fixes’ won’t work every time and probably they won’t work this time.

In the end, I just pray for the victim and hope that her life will be saved by doctors, and more importantly may god and society give her courage to live a life with positive outlook for the future.           

26/11: हिंदुस्तान की कसम - Kalpesh Yagnik

**** Following post is taken from Dainik Bhaskar (bhaskar.com), I do not own any rights for it and all views express in the post were of the original writer of the post. It was published long back, but in the light of current events, I think its worth sharing. ****

कल्पेश याग्निक; भास्कर समूह के नेशनल एडिटर हैं, उन्होंने यह लेख मुंबई हमले के तत्काल बाद लिखा था| इसमें निकृष्ट नेताओं को नकार, आतंक के विरुद्ध एकजुट होने की गौरव गाथा का वर्णन था|

 
बह रोने की आवाज से हुई। टीवी पर अमर जांबाजों के साथी सैनिकों द्वारा उनके पार्थिव शरीर पर तिरंगे तह कर सलीके से रखे जाने के दृश्य पर देशभर की अनेक महिलाओं के साथ मेरी पत्नी भी आंसू न रोक सकी। बाहर बच्चे को स्कूल वैन तक छोड़ने आई एक युवती सेलफोन पर रुंधे गले से बता रही थी कि बेटे ने अखबार देखकर कहा: मम्मी, इसके डैडी तो मर गए! भीतर मेजर उन्नीकृष्णन की मां फफक रही थीं। चैनल बदलने पर रतन टाटा को भर्राए गले से बोलते सुना। फिर ताज के स्वागत कक्ष में मातमी माहौल, बिखरे कांच, टूटते दिल और यह सब बताते हुए फूट-फूट कर रोती बरखा दत्त।
 
सारा राष्ट्र रो रहा था। किंतु यह कोई कमजोरी का क्रंदन नहीं था। न ही किसी विवशता का रुदन था। ये पलकें तो आहत होने से भीगी थीं। तीन दिनों से बंधी हिचकियों का खुलना था। कलेजा मुंह को आ गया था। सो फट पड़ा। अपनों को खोने का दुख था। किसी और के अपनों के जाने का दु:ख था। इजरायली बच्ची के माता-पिता के मारे जाने का सदमा ठीक उतना ही गहरा जितना ताज के जनरल मैनेजर की जयपुर में पढ़ चुकी पत्नी और दो बच्चों का। सब हिंदुस्तानी। जो भी आतंक के विरुद्ध- वे सब हिंदुस्तानी। जो भी आतंक के साथ- वे सब आतंकी। जैसे 9/11 पर फ्रांस के एक अखबार की हेडलाइन थी: आज हम सब अमेरिकी हैं।
 
26/11 को देश पर हमला, 29/11 को देश एकजुट उस रात हमारे मुंह पर था कि हम पर आक्रमण हो गया। आतंक अंतहीन है। हमारा खून बहता जा रहा है। अब हमारे सीने शहीदों की शान में तने हुए हैं। कमांडो कितने ताकतवर हैं, उनकी हिम्मत की सानी नहीं, तीन दिन-रात चले इस खतरनाक ऑपरेशन के दौरान कई जांबाजों ने पानी तक नहीं पीया- ये बातें हमारे बीच हैं। हमले के दूसरे ही दिन गोलियों की बौछारों के बीच आम आदमी, युवतियां व छात्र भी, सुरक्षा बलों का हौसला बढ़ाने के लिए नारे लगा रहे थे।
 
यह नया मुंबई था, नया हिंदुस्तान था। 1993 के खौफनाक मुंबई धमाकों के कुछ ही घंटों में शहर सामान्य हो गया था। इस बार नहीं हुआ। डटा रहा। एकदम निडर। इंडिया अटैक्ड से इंडिया युनाइटेड। भ्रष्ट राजनीति, त्रस्त जनता तीन साल में आतंकी हमलों में 800 निर्दोषों की जान जा चुकी हैं। किंतु क्या तब के और अबके प्रधानमंत्री, गृहमंत्री, मुख्यमंत्री या एकाधे सांसद ने ही कभी गद्दी त्यागने की पेशकश तक की। न अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी में इतना माद्दा था कि किसी मंत्री को बर्खास्त करते, न डॉ. मनमोहन सिंह से ऐसे दमखम की किसी को उम्मीद है।
 
गृहमंत्री शिवराज पाटिल इतने गैर-जिम्मेदार निकले कि 200 कंमाडों फोर्स को दो घंटे के भीतर मुंबई भेजने की अति गोपनीय, अति संवेदनशील जानकारी खुलेआम टीवी चैनलों को दे डाली। क्या इसलिए कि आतंकी मजे में टीवी पर देख सकें कि उनके मुकाबले के लिए सरकार कितनी देर में क्या करने जा रही है?यही नहीं- आज तक कभी किसी शासनाध्यक्ष ने खुफिया तंत्र की नाकामी से इतनी जानें जाने के बावजूद किसी अफसर को बर्खास्त नहीं किया। क्यों? कोई रॉ प्रमुख, कोई आईबी प्रमुख, कोई गृहसचिव, कोई पुलिस प्रमुख आज तक किसी आतंकी हमले से खुद तो विचलित नहीं ही हुआ, कोई इनका बाल तक बांका न कर सका। जांचों के जीवाश्म अनंत हैं- उतने ही अजर हैं उच्च पदों पर बैठे निर्लज्ज नेता व अफसर। हालांकि पहली बार लोगों की घृणा इन सब के विरुद्ध खुलकर सामने आई है। नया हिंदुस्तान जो है।
 
समुद्री मार्ग: 15 साल बाद भी भंवर 1993 में मुंबई पर हमला इसलिए हो सका क्योंकि अरब सागर के सीने पर सवार होकर आतताइयों ने कोई 800 किलो आरडीएक्स भेजा था। समुद्री सीमा नौसेना और कोस्ट गार्ड के जिम्मे है। कस्टम का अमला भी तैनात रहता है। इनमें तब भी हक की लड़ाई थी, आज भी जारी है। 15 साल बाद इसी समुद्री छाती को चीरकर फिर आतंकी आ गए!इतने सालों में कुछ सबक न लिया? कुछ न बदला? हमारी समुद्री सीमा 7000 किलोमीटर की है- जिसकी देखभाल कितनी कमजोर है इसका अंदाजा इसी से लगाया जा सकता है कि खुद रक्षा मंत्री एके एंटनी ने लोकसभा में स्वीकारा था कि आतंकी समुद्री मार्ग से आ सकते हैं।
 
स्वीकारा तो सही,.. लेकिन किया क्या..? और उसी मार्ग से आतंकी आ ही गए तो एंटनी, शिवराज पाटिल की तरह पद पर बने हुए क्यों हैं ? इस हमले में एनएसजी का एक लेब्राडॉर डॉग मारा गया, वहीं सैकड़ों कबूतर भी चल बसे। वे गोलियों से नहीं दहशत से मरे। एक फोटो में गोलियां चलाते हुए हमारे एक सैनिक के चारों ओर ढेरों कबूतर दिख रहे हैं। वे उड़ क्यों नहीं गए? संभवत: वे जानते थे कि ये गोलियां जान बचाने के लिए चलाई जा रही है- इसलिए डटे रहो। हिन्दुस्तान की कसम।

Link to Post- http://www.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-mumbai-attack-2260018.html?HT1a=
 

Noor-e-Hindustan...

I am sure most of you watching news and following some stories coming into media for last two months from Kashmir region. I don't know what to say about that situation, because as a proud Indian I have no doubt that Kashmir region was, is and will be a part of Republic of India. But at the same time I have concerns about the people over there, and about the tax payers money being wasted on one single state. 

I know that this post may be little strike on some of us, but seriously just take the two points I have mentioned above. First, about people of Kashmir, if just 5% of there allegation on Indian police and army is true then just imagine how tough life would be there to live in this situation, at the same time the daily life threat from militants and other separatist groups. You can't pick a side and without picking a side you can't survive. So, what is the result? Some fools will influence you and guide you in the way that you are behaving these days. It is the time when government leave all the pride behind and take this issue seriously and take some strict steps to control the situation, not by keeping people inside their home but by creating an open atmosphere there. 

Now looking at the other side, I do accept that people there have problems and they are in some real tough situation. But, will behavior like this will solve the problems? I believe that the way there people are behaving these days is little immature. If they don't have faith in their country and they think the neighbors will be a better option then what the hack they are doing here, they should have moved back there long back. They have to understand that the amount money put on this single state and special provisions given to this state are something which they will never get in either of autonomy or going with Pakistan option. I don't know if these people watch television or not and how much they are in touch with the situation across the border, just think of a life in that country and ask your self that is that the place where you want to be?

I believe that there are two clear options in front of people and Government of India- 

1- Try to mix with the mainstream in India, and don't look at the government with expectation of something 'special'. Be a good citizen of India and support the country by helping us removing all these trouble makers like militants and separatist. You can do so by informing any suspicious activities near by your place, not giving them place to live and perform operations and at the same time boycott these separatist parties, if you won't support them, there will be no existence of them in the beautiful valley. 

2- Its my humble request to my government that stop throwing  a big chunk of tax payers money on a single state if these people are not ready to co-operate. If you calculate the amount of money spend on different schemes, military operations and other stuff in this state it would a shocking revelation. Why not spend the money on development of country, infrastructure, creating jobs, warfare, agriculture, education, sports etc. I believe that we have more big concerns they to worry about. China is creating troubles everyday, if some emergency arrives then we should be in a position to stand by our-self. So why not focus on making the country stronger. 

This second point is written keeping in mind that if people of  J&K are not cooperate. I believe that if this is the case, let them go be a part of some other nation or let them be on their own, they will learn soon that what blunder they have made. At the same time, open doors for the people who really want to be a part of this country and reallocate them in other states. I believe that this step would be a responsible as well as strict step. 

Anoop

 ...

Common Wealth Game

Two years back when I was in US, there was some exciting things to look forward in India after my return. One of those was Common Wealth Games in Delhi, and to tell you the truth I intended to attend the games, but that time I didn't knew that Common Wealth Games means Commonly Wealthy ban-ne ke Games (Games to become wealthy commonly) for politicians. 

Facts have been stated many times, and I am repeating once again that amount of money spent for preparations is more than that of Beijing Olympics, work done is hardly 10-20% of them. None of the sport complex and sport village can be called completely done! No sporting facility is available for players to practice regularly. People responsible for all this mess up are not even accepting their fault, on top of that they are busy in blame game and being ignorant. All these things have been said repeatedly, along with much more irregularities. The corruption will require a separate blog post, and I seriously do not want to touch that topic as it just more and more disappointment. 

I am not writing this blog to restate the complaints as you all know about them, this blog is about what should be done about it. I believe that this is the time to shake things up from top to bottom. Last time I saw some hope, anger and awareness in this country after Mumbai attack, I think the time is calling us to show the same face again to tighten up the things. I think that some of the things that we can do are- 

1. Boycott the games, I am serious about. Those who know me, they know that I am not a person that support this type of activities. But time is asking for sending a strong message to this government, opposition and all the useless people sitting in parliament. Whole world should see what happens in this country... no Mr. Singh or Mr. Gandhi can cover this shame. Its not against the players participating form Indian side, but national interest is above individual interest. 

2. Country wide legal cases filed against IOC, and other people involved in this scam. One or two request can be ignored, but when thousands and millions of cases filed, they can't be ignored. 

3. All players should boycott the associations run by politicians (irrespective of they are honest). Specialists of the game should be given ultimate power. Politicians could be given role of 'external adviser' at max. 

4. There should be a new provision to file criminal cases against these a$$*****. 

I think that money spent on organizing these games was enough to develop multi-sports facilities throughout the country, or to meet any problem like hunger, poverty, illiteracy up to a great extent. So, next time any candidature should be proposed after common consensus is the country. When thousands of farmers are dying out of hunger, there is no arrangement of power, or even clean water to drink I believe country is not in a good condition to bear these games with corruption on top.

P.S.- anyways we are not going to create magic in these games, so there is not matter of pride in conducting these games saying that it will bring pride for India in sporting world.

What is going on??

I wanted to write this blog a long back, but work is keeping me busy here and home internet connection is no longer active. So, finally today I got some time to reiterate some of the recent incidents in India.

1. I was born in 1984, for most of you this year means nothing, but for a whole city name Bhopal it was a nightmare to remember the this year. I gas leak in Union Carbide Factory took more then 25,000 lives (Government figure is 16,000). Millions have life long deficiencies or illness and many future generations are carrying those symptoms, it felt like a Nuke attack on Bhopal. After 26 years of court trials, the people who were responsible have got 2 years imprisonment!!! I wonder, if it is possible in any other country in the world. On top of that, the main convict is spending his life in outskirts of New York, everyone knows that except Indian and American governments.

First, those people faced a tragedy and then followed by such a disrespect to those who are dead. Its a shame, on any civilized society and people who takes responsibility to be representatives of the society. The news that I have mentioned was on enough to broke hearts of millions that now a followup is airing that claims that State Government had helped in escape of the main culprit. 

2. Manipur, a north eastern state of India. With population of about 24 lac is suffering from the 'bandh' announced by the Naga people. These so called activists have closed the National Highway for many days. This highway is the lifeline of this small state, and all supplies of food, medicines and other important things has been done through this highway for many years, and now the situation is that the state has no food, no medicines, no gas... in all they have nothing to live on. The local food price in the market has reached up to a level that it is out of reach of common man, most of the hospitals are closed or taking only emergency cases due to lack of medicines. 

And our beloved government is doing.... NOTHING. I wonder, if in place of a north eastern state if it would be Delhi or any other state... the army has been called by now, but people sitting at the higher level never cares about a state which is politically and financially not very beneficial. No wonder they ask for a separate country or getting in closure with China, I don't blame them. Our government has to understand that concept of Republic of India is not only limited to a few state, the a holistic concept that our forefathers conceived and everyone believed in it. They have to understand that organizing CWG or aiming Olympic or boasting about our software industry is worthless if so many people are dying or suffering.

Looking at these two situation, sometimes I ask myself is it the same country that I believed in and confident about? I need answer, and presently I believe that no one is out there with a satisfying answer.

The Prince deserves the Kingdom? Really!

I was wondering since I came back to India about the popularity of Rahul Gandhi… the next prince of Gandhi dynasty of Great Indian Political Theater. The youth of India is really crazy about him, with a huge fan following over internet as well. He has all the good reasons behind it, he is good looking, and he talks his heart and has a very clean image in the current political scenario. I really liked the fact that he made many young people to think about politics seriously and many youngsters are becoming part of active politics and for them the politics is not just thing of those tainted individuals that mold it for their own benefits.

I like all those faces that I have mentioned above, but there are certain things that seem to be misplaced, first, people have already acclaimed him as the next hope of the country. Being a person of logic I think that so far he has not done anything for country that shows his so called wonderful quality and dedication towards country. I was watching an interview where he mentioned that all he is doing these days that to rebuilt congress, so my logic says if he has not done any observable thing for country even after being on the post of the cabinet minister so far then what we are expecting from him? First, may be most of the youth is misguided from media or maybe they have misinterpreted the whole scenario in both the cases it is very dangerous for the youth and country to believe on such person.

Second, I am highly disappointed with selection of his close ones. Most of them belong to some of the richest families or from old dynasties (Schindia, Pilot, Shailja Kumari, Jindal etc), in the counter argument you can name few like Minakshi Natarajan etc but if I compare the names then the picture becomes very clear. So, are we supporting some kind of age old system of following a family or a group of families? If this is so they why do we need democracy? Why not go for the system that we have left behind years ago?

Finally, I have some questions about his qualities. I have never seen him in a heated debate, I have never seen him as confident leader while speaking and moreover he is still under that ‘Gandhi’ cover and has no individuality out of it. I want to see that future leader of my country to be a confident, strong and thoughtful. I am just asking you a question, does he possess those qualities and does he deserves what he is getting? I am not a prince with silver spoon in my mouth, and I want someone like me who truly represents the ‘stupid common men’ of this country.