I have been intrigued by the recent ekta yatra of BJP to such an extent that i dreamed it yesterday night.I decided...enough is enough. I had to do something. I am confused. Why is there so much fuss about a political party hoisting our national flag on Republic day. Apparently there was more to it than appeared on the surface. So this is my mind speaking about the two facets of this coin.
The ruling party view
The ruling power i.e. the coalition of National Conference Party and Indian National Congress has its priorities set up high in order. They donot want to compromise on peace in the valley at any cost. The fear that this "Uncalled for" show of patriotism by some sections of the Bhartiya janata Party can prove to be fatal to the process of peace and prosperity in kashmir after a particularly "hot" summer. They fear that this might incite a reaction from the Separatist groups in the valley and it may disturb the peace building process. The chief Minister of J&K Mr. Omar Abdullah has his stand clearly cut-out. He would not let BJP set up divisive precedents. The other party members and journalists of Kashmir have repeatedly tried to dissuade BJP to hoist Tricolour at lal-Chowk by saying that The Tiranga is hoisted and will be hoisted at Bakshi Stadium then what is the need to Publicize the notoriously infamous lal chowk for the same. The politicians who want to showcase their patriotism towards INDIA are welcome to do so by joining the Flag hoisting at Bakshi Stadium. The people of Kashmir have been subjected to numerous tortures. They have been oppressed, the kashmiri pandits were forced to flee the valley, the separatists and the militants have rendered millions of lives in the valley at bay. At this point of time in a period of peace after 6 months of stone pelting, this period has come as a sigh of relief for the politicians and the people. So, as soon as they came to know about the plans of BJP, they decided to not let it succeed.
Meanwhile as we were talking about theseparatists , they have decided to oppose the Ekta Yatra by taking out a rally to the lal Chowk on Republic day. The separatist groups have decided to foil the attempts of any group to hoist the tricolor on lal chowk. They consider this a challenge to their existence.
The BJP Counterview
The propagator of this Rashtriya Ekta yatra i.e. the Bhartiya Janata Party, on the other hand, has a totally different story to tell. According to Lal Krishna Advani, the seniormost Leader of B.J.P. this yatra is a challenge to the separatists. He wants to "PROVE" that Kashmir is an integral part of India and not a special state as perceived by its NATIONAL FLAG AND CONSTITUTION. According to other sources, the BJP wants to show to the whole India that Kashmir is not a hostage of these separatist groups and there are political parties in India who will not succumb to pressures from these separatist groups as well as Pakistan. The BJP has been emphasizing on the fact that this Yatra is completely peaceful (so was said by Uma Bharti during eidgah tragedy) and they are also committed to bringing peace to the valley. The fact that what is the enthusiasm of BJP party workers towards this yatra can be highlighted by the fact that they kept sleeping while their train was returned from Maharashtra, making a mockery of the patriotism published so widely by them. Apart from this the Mr. Advani cites the example of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who laid down his life in a prison (he was imprisoned by Sheikh Abdullah) to end the Permit system to enter Kashmir. The stand of BJP is further supported by the erst-while flag code which was enacted in Kashmir but now has been demolished. So, in order to re-instate the fact that J&K is an integral part of India against the proclaims made by the separatists and their allies, this is a reply to them. Thus speaks the B.J.P.
My view
Amidst this chaos and politics, the opinion which matters the most in a democracy has been unheeded to. My opinion. The common people's opinion. I am still confused over this debate and there has been no respite for me. The people opposing this yatra have their arguments ready and so have the people who are ensuing this. I wish i could take a stand on this but alas, i am too confused to take one. So , in view of the common Public Interest, should not Mr. L.K.Advani and Mr. Farooq Abdullah have a public Debate on a national channel. Being a citizen of India, it is my duty to work for the unity and integrity of the nation but is not peace and prosperity my right.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Dont know what to do
It is so mundane to be at home in a long holiday. There is a fixed routine. Sleep. Eat.facebook.again sleep again....blah blah. blah blah...You can enjoy with your friends but not in my case coz none of my friends are home.So it goes without much ado that i am BORED.
One of my friends sugested to me about this.So thinking to prepare a plan for the same. Talked to my elder bro. He suggested me a few things. Gonna start today. Lets hope for the best.
One of my friends sugested to me about this.So thinking to prepare a plan for the same. Talked to my elder bro. He suggested me a few things. Gonna start today. Lets hope for the best.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Retirement
Looking into the recent dada fiasco of IPL 4, where none of the IPL franchisee was interested to buy sourav ganguly even at his base price, i was forced to think. Is there an age for retirement.Or is it performance that matters.
In IPL 3 dada scored over 490 runs with a strike rate of aver 115. To add to it he hit more than 50 boundaries and 15 maximums.If records were to speak for themselves, dada would have been a highly sought-after figure in the 4th edition of IPL. But apparently they don't. And thats the reason why Ganguly finds himself stranded in the middle of almost nowhere.
IPL is more about business than about cricket. The corporate giants who own these clubs(calling them team would be inappropriate) have invested millions of dollars in this so-called cricketing extravaganza not for philanthropic purposes but to earn money. So the reason why ganguly gets dropped and irfan pathan gets picked even after missing 2 yrs of international cricket at a streak is clear.
On the other side of it if we see, we can clearly visualise that ganguly being such a great sportsman and fighter as we all know, has mistimed his timing. Like many of those prodigies who had an aplomb career could not decide when to call it a day. Be it Kapil Dev or Md Azhar-ud-din.
In a broader perspective Michael Jordan is the most eminent example.After returning back from retirement, he was virtually thrown out from the WASHINGTON basketball team.
Sunil Gavaskar rightly said while retiring "better retire when people ask why? rather than why not?"
On the other hand those who got their timing right are cherished till now. Be it Sunil Gavaskar, Shane warne Md ali or javagal Srinath . Questions were asked. Debates were thrown on News Channels. Couch Potatoes like me got their share of time pass and we all missed them when they left.
Coming back to dada, the spirit which we sometimes back called resilience is now being perceived as being stubborn. Once a role model to many of us, his prestige as well as his self respect has gone for a beating. Its time he should bid adieu to playing cricket for the sake of his respect. We know that he can fight and still come victorious but he doesnt need to. His records speak volumes about his contribution to Indian Cricket. I still remember his reaction at the NATWEST Series final and we all want to remember that click of dada and surely not the one leaking the boots.
In IPL 3 dada scored over 490 runs with a strike rate of aver 115. To add to it he hit more than 50 boundaries and 15 maximums.If records were to speak for themselves, dada would have been a highly sought-after figure in the 4th edition of IPL. But apparently they don't. And thats the reason why Ganguly finds himself stranded in the middle of almost nowhere.
IPL is more about business than about cricket. The corporate giants who own these clubs(calling them team would be inappropriate) have invested millions of dollars in this so-called cricketing extravaganza not for philanthropic purposes but to earn money. So the reason why ganguly gets dropped and irfan pathan gets picked even after missing 2 yrs of international cricket at a streak is clear.
On the other side of it if we see, we can clearly visualise that ganguly being such a great sportsman and fighter as we all know, has mistimed his timing. Like many of those prodigies who had an aplomb career could not decide when to call it a day. Be it Kapil Dev or Md Azhar-ud-din.
In a broader perspective Michael Jordan is the most eminent example.After returning back from retirement, he was virtually thrown out from the WASHINGTON basketball team.
Sunil Gavaskar rightly said while retiring "better retire when people ask why? rather than why not?"
On the other hand those who got their timing right are cherished till now. Be it Sunil Gavaskar, Shane warne Md ali or javagal Srinath . Questions were asked. Debates were thrown on News Channels. Couch Potatoes like me got their share of time pass and we all missed them when they left.
Coming back to dada, the spirit which we sometimes back called resilience is now being perceived as being stubborn. Once a role model to many of us, his prestige as well as his self respect has gone for a beating. Its time he should bid adieu to playing cricket for the sake of his respect. We know that he can fight and still come victorious but he doesnt need to. His records speak volumes about his contribution to Indian Cricket. I still remember his reaction at the NATWEST Series final and we all want to remember that click of dada and surely not the one leaking the boots.
Washing away the sins
NOTE:This fictitious story is all about how the Naxals have lost their way from a just cause to mere blood spill. Nevertheless all facts are true to the best of my knowledge.
He was on his usual evening stroll beneath the dusky cloudless, unlimited sky trying to organize the bits and pieces of what memories had remained in his ageing grey cells, of his journey, the journey of a simple 17 year old school-boy in his Intermediate who later went on to become the undisputed leader of the foremost armed struggle which Independent India would ever see. A journey of how he tried to incorporate Marx and Lenin in his endeavors.
He still remembers the hustle and bustle of Calcutta where he had come from the remotest corner of West Bengal to pursue his education. Beating all the odds, he got admission in a reputed college and chose arts as his stream. Being hugely interested in History he used to lay his hands on almost everything of any historical importance. He studied and observed, observed the discrepancies in India’s Political system. He read the history of America, USSR, Germany, France, Italy, England, India and many more to find his answers which had engrossed him since his childhood days. He could not stand the inequality and subjugation against the poor class. His young mind and blood told him to revolt, organize an upheaval against the riches. Just when he was fed up with the oppression and injustice prevailing in independent India, he came across “Das Kapital” written by Karl Marx which brought about a radical change in his thought process. He sometimes still gets bemused how that piece of paper had captured his each & every imagination.
Anirban da!…somebody called from behind interfering in the train of thoughts he was set on. Yes, he was Anirban Majumdar, the name topping the wanted list of every police station in 220 districts of over 22 states of India. Being a Naxal Supremo that he was, outwardly, inwardly he had become a repenting old man unsure of his deeds. Paying no heed to the person calling, he set on to his journey- a journey to the lanes of memories.
Back in 1967, when he was a student at Calcutta, he used to visit his village . On one such visit when he reached his village, he saw things had undergone quite a radical change. Some people had taken up armed struggle to redistribute land to the poor who had ploughed the lands of Zamindars for centuries. Although, he wasn’t sure of the methods, one thing impressed him quite a bit, “motive”.
He set out to help these people in their struggle and became the right hand of Charu Mazumdar and became an active member of this revolution which had started in NAXALBARI. He decided to devote his whole life to the emancipation of the poor and the downtrodden, whatever be the methods, he knew that his motive was that of truth. After the death of his Guru, he took over the commands of the Naxal movement. Under his aegis the Naxalites were empowered with a more fearless approach. They took on the government openly and fiercely and got success. Terhey concentrated themselves and controlled an area of 92000 kms also called the “RED CORRIDOR”. 20,000 armed and nearly 50,000 regular cadres were inducted; Methods and weapons of advanced erwarfare were procured with the help of neighboring communist portwers. He himself had undertaken the trip to almost all states of India, organized underground meetings and urged the unemployed, both literate and illiterate, to join the Red Army. He used to see himself as the mobilizer of youth.
But, now after more than 40 years of the incitation of this struggle, he was in the middle of nowhere. An intellectual void had engulfed him which left him gasping. He had committed a mistake which almost all leaders and revolutionaries had made in their lives, that of too much faith. He had shown an unflinching faith on his commanders & cadres who, it seemed, had failed him. They had failed in the realization of the salient truth behind this revolution and seemed to be indulging themselves in a showcase of power in everything against the government. The cadres no longer were driven by the spirit of emaearncipation but by greed and lust. He, at the age of 60, no longer had thinhgs under his controls. There was blood spill everywhere, innocent people were killed and there was no ideology or code. There were no demands, just a penchant for killing. This hurt the ageing Anirban da. This was not what his mentors had dreamt of. His cadres had been lost, entangled in the ideals propagated by the armed Communist movement itself. There was no one to guide them and nobody was ready to be guided. The mission he had devoted his whole life to now headed to nowhere.
He was really disturbed at the turn of events. He could not take it anymore. So he stopped abruptly and returned to his cottage on the outskirts of his village. There he took out today’s Newspaper reread the lines which he had by now read a zillion times: “gyaneshwari express derailed; hit by goods train; hundreds feared dead “
Taking a bath, hoping to wash away all the sins he had accumulated in these 43 years, he walked to his book shelf and took out Das Kapital. He still hoped to find out his answers in the pen of Karl Heinrich Marx before his dusk knocked the gate.
-AMBIKESH KUMAR JHA
He still remembers the hustle and bustle of Calcutta where he had come from the remotest corner of West Bengal to pursue his education. Beating all the odds, he got admission in a reputed college and chose arts as his stream. Being hugely interested in History he used to lay his hands on almost everything of any historical importance. He studied and observed, observed the discrepancies in India’s Political system. He read the history of America, USSR, Germany, France, Italy, England, India and many more to find his answers which had engrossed him since his childhood days. He could not stand the inequality and subjugation against the poor class. His young mind and blood told him to revolt, organize an upheaval against the riches. Just when he was fed up with the oppression and injustice prevailing in independent India, he came across “Das Kapital” written by Karl Marx which brought about a radical change in his thought process. He sometimes still gets bemused how that piece of paper had captured his each & every imagination.
Anirban da!…somebody called from behind interfering in the train of thoughts he was set on. Yes, he was Anirban Majumdar, the name topping the wanted list of every police station in 220 districts of over 22 states of India. Being a Naxal Supremo that he was, outwardly, inwardly he had become a repenting old man unsure of his deeds. Paying no heed to the person calling, he set on to his journey- a journey to the lanes of memories.
Back in 1967, when he was a student at Calcutta, he used to visit his village . On one such visit when he reached his village, he saw things had undergone quite a radical change. Some people had taken up armed struggle to redistribute land to the poor who had ploughed the lands of Zamindars for centuries. Although, he wasn’t sure of the methods, one thing impressed him quite a bit, “motive”.
But, now after more than 40 years of the incitation of this struggle, he was in the middle of nowhere. An intellectual void had engulfed him which left him gasping. He had committed a mistake which almost all leaders and revolutionaries had made in their lives, that of too much faith. He had shown an unflinching faith on his commanders & cadres who, it seemed, had failed him. They had failed in the realization of the salient truth behind this revolution and seemed to be indulging themselves in a showcase of power in everything against the government. The cadres no longer were driven by the spirit of emaearncipation but by greed and lust. He, at the age of 60, no longer had thinhgs under his controls. There was blood spill everywhere, innocent people were killed and there was no ideology or code. There were no demands, just a penchant for killing. This hurt the ageing Anirban da. This was not what his mentors had dreamt of. His cadres had been lost, entangled in the ideals propagated by the armed Communist movement itself. There was no one to guide them and nobody was ready to be guided. The mission he had devoted his whole life to now headed to nowhere.
He was really disturbed at the turn of events. He could not take it anymore. So he stopped abruptly and returned to his cottage on the outskirts of his village. There he took out today’s Newspaper reread the lines which he had by now read a zillion times: “gyaneshwari express derailed; hit by goods train; hundreds feared dead “
-AMBIKESH KUMAR JHA
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Google Code Blog: Google URL Shortener gets an API
Google Code Blog: Google URL Shortener gets an API: "When we launched Google’s URL shortener externally back in September, there was no accompanying API to allow people to integrate goo.gl into..."
Price Rise And "I"
In India "I" is a very unique alphabet. It stands for the Common Man. It also starts words like India, Independence, Inflation. It also ends the Congress(I). All the words are related in our politico-social scenario.I came to realise this close bond just yesterday . This is a story of how!
When i went to Sunday market yesterday to buy some vegetables, I visualized Inflation in a very unique way.I took my bike and started for the market, stopping at the petrol pump to refuel my bike. The Petrol price had Increased by Rs 2.50. Anyways, after refueling i went to the market to see the prices of onion and other vegetables rocketing high in evening sky.
I was so upset to see this price rise that I decided to take some action.
I returned straight back home and dialed the number of agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. His secretary picked up the phone.
"Where is the minister?" I asked in a stern voice.
"I am sorry sir. He is in a meeting to resolve the spat between Lalit Modi and BCCI." pat came the answer.
"Hasn't he noticed the price rise in recent weeks?" I persisted.
The P.A. after a long gap says"Sir he is too busy in IPL auctions and parties to be wasting his time on the ever-complaining Garib Jantaa. Don't waste my time too." And he disconnected.
Infuriated, i decided to call Nitin Gadkari the BJP General Secretory.
He picked up in a single ring and answered the call himself. I was impressed.
"What are you doing as the main opposition party against Price rise. Why aren't you pressurizing the government to curb inflation in prices of goods and vegetables." I asked my question straight-forward.
He replied in a bemused tone "We are dealing things one at a time. Right now we are too busy boycotting the parliament and burning effigies of A. Raja over the Telecom Scandal."
I asked again, "But farmers and BPL families are resorting to suicides due to this price rise. Dont you think this needs to be addressed first."
He kept the phone saying he was on his way to china and when he returned back he surely would address the situation.
I knew this reaction.
I was hapless. Seeing no other way i decided to talk to Dr. Manmohan singh. Being the prime minister of India, he is answerable to the common man like me. I called him. Somebody picked up the phone. "Hello" I said. No answer came. "Hello! Hello!"Mum.
Suddenly !
I remembered. "Puppets don't talk".
I called the mistress of the puppet thinking that She would solve the problem.
When i told her about my problem, She began to say as if she was delivering a speech in one of her Chunaavi sabhaas. "I" i.e. the Congress(I) helped India achieve her independence. We have curbed the communalism and landed the "Maut ke Saudagars" behind the bars. I am an idol of renunciation and am above everyone.
I was so fed up with this that i disconnected the phone without saying anything. After spending over Rs. 200 on Telephone bill, I realized that I should have bought the Onion Instead.
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