Mr. PM Modi, get your act straight...

State and Religion being together leads to a disaster, the prime example being Pakistan. NO this is not a problem of Islam, but the mix of Religion with State, Power and Authority. Any Religion for that matter.

A Government, State is for the People, irrespective of the Religion, caste, creed or the class of the people. What we see in reality is that the State is for the rich firstly and secondly for the majority, majority in terms of Religion.


People struggle and die for the basics of life of food and giving a blind eye to this, people fight and kill over Religion. The Nation and Leadership should distance itself from such matters. When the PM reflects a certain Ideology and Religion, he is born into it or not, it doesn't matter. Once you are the PM of the country, the religion, place, caste, or even political party for that matter should not matter. As one is doing the greatest service to the Nation, and still if stuck to these issues, it will be a disservice to the Nation in itself. I know what I am talking is impractical and too naive.


When you are representing a Nation, you are representing all the citizens and not the majority. Every vote is important, and people's opinion matters, isn't that the whole essence of Democracy, aren't we the world's biggest democracy..? Or just in name?

  

So I have every problem with ‪#‎PM‬ ‪#‎NarendraModi‬ gifting religious texts to the leaders of the Central Asian countries..
I don't have a problem with religious texts.. This issue could have been  handled with more sensitivity, if he had gifted all the Religious texts of India and not just Gita. He would have gifted Gita, Quaran, Bible, Guru Granth Sahib also along with Gita, as that reflects what India is, multi-religious, multi-cultural and not a Hindu country, just because Hindu's are in majority. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and all the other religions in India are equal, all the people belonging to these have equal right in the country as citizenry, the spirit, is what an Indian is and not the religion, especially not the majority religion. 

I fail to understand the logic people give that we are one of the two Hindu majority countries, and what is the problem if he gives Gita?, as it preaches peace, humanity and is the best book in the world, an ideal gift. Well, yes, we are a Hindu majority country, but that's all we are, a Hindu majority country. Not a Hindu country, We are a Secular country. Unless it is changed in the constitution, I would like people to understand and perceive it that way.
The other thing about Gita being the solution to all the world problems.
So is every other Religious text, according to all the Religions. So can we just skip it and go beyond it, but no the PM had to make a point by giving only it.

What harm right? There is every harm in it. May be the mild, liberal Hindus, not but the extremists and fundamentalists of the Hindu's (now don't start with the nonsense of, that the extremists are not real Hindus and all, as is the same with all religions, i will see what is in front of me right..!!!), will take it up in pride, that he took only a Hindu scripture and hence, he is projecting himself as a Hindu, which he may be, but right now he is heading the office of the Prime Minister of the Country, not a Hindu pundit, who is travelling the world promoting Hinduism.

Another harm is that it empowers the nuisance power of these extremist and fundamentalist groups which in turn causes communal and religious violence and makes the minority feel unsafe.

Even if nothing of this happens, the message it sends is wrong. The gifting of one religious scripture by the PM of the country who represents various other religions too. Religion in India is a personal thing, not a state matter. People do not understand this. Just because Hindu's are in the majority, does not give any right to the PM to do this.

Also, I feel he missed a great opportunity, as Modi is representing the largest ‪#‎Democracy‬ and when there are hardly around 56 countries that are democratic in the world, wouldn't it have made sense if he gifted the ‪#‎Indian‬ ‪#‎Constitution‬ to the world leaders when he visits them?
And that is when he himself had said once (before elections Ofcourse) that the "Constitution is the holiest book for him, above all"... Spreading the essence of a Constitutional Democracy, where people matter (in principle at least) should have been the thing to do rather than the religious texts.
This would have demonstrated that India is beyond ‪#‎Religion‬ and ‪#‎Hinduism‬ and we really care for people, and through governance it can change people's lives, not some nonsense.


‪#‎India‬ ‪#‎Modi‬ ‪#‎8legTour‬ ‪#‎CentralAsia‬ #Religion #Democracy

Democracy - Is it the last resort?

Humans have reached the moon. Well that was long back! Removed poor Pluto from the planetary system and again adding it as the 9^th planet, the Human Genome project, Curiosity (the Mars one), Chandrayaan (India’s mission to the moon), NASA’s Maven which was $671 million and now India’s Mangalyaan is $67 million, captured and killed Bin-Laden, 3D printer, Stem cell treatment, Bit coin, Amazon delivery via drones, the GOD particle and what not; all new mind boggling innovations and theories. 

We have theories for each and every thing, as everything started as a theory and philosophy. We even have Stephen Hawkins’s ‘The Theory of Everything.’ These studies and research gave us everything from Nanotechnology to supercomputing, bringing back the dead is the next step (if not already done) that’s where the medical innovations have also reached.

 In 2014, when there seems to be no end to human innovations and endeavors, we are somehow handicapped due to the political theories specific to “Governance”. There were evolution and we came from totalitarian, dictatorship to oligarchy to communism/socialism/Marxism and then “Democracy” and as we say today. Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best till we find some other form of Governance. It has been ages since we have found any other form. While the older ones still exist. Out of 193 countries in the UN hardly 48-51 are democratic, though many of them claim to be one. There is so much turmoil around the world the basic reason being the way or rather the form of governance. People in dictatorships want democracy; people in communist countries cannot do much, for them the ideas of freedom and independence are feeble. And then comes the righteous ones stuck in democracy, those who do not know what went wrong. Is this the way the ‘Elected’ Government is supposed to behave and govern? And these democracies have given themselves the superior duty of teaching the world democracy, (Good or Bad is contextual), but I have always believed that, one should govern themselves, however bad; rather than being governed by others, however good. For me that’s the basic essence of Life - Freedom.

 The one’s which are stuck in Democracy, don’t seem to move. No new ideas or ways of governance seem to come up. Considering today’s age of innovation and free flow of ideas, it’s weird. Which makes me wonder is it the most exploitative, most profit making venture for the ones who rule? Is it the safest way for the exploiters as they can manage and escape it if at all they get caught? The best argument against it being that people themselves have elected the leaders!

 An extract from the phrase "tyranny of the majority" (or "tyranny of the masses"), used in discussing systems of democracy and majority rule, involves the scenario in which decisions made by a majority place its interests above those of an individual or minority group, constituting active oppression comparable to that of tyrants and despots. In many cases a dislike for ethnic, religious or a racial group is deliberately penalized by the majority element acting through the democratic process.

 Also Democracy is termed as “Mobocracy” many times. And if there is no logic behind all this and if the system of Governance of Democracy is so perfect why is no one satisfied? Well humans are never satisfied, but at least they are happy with what the government is doing, as they have elected them for some reason, to work for the people, for the betterment of their country.

People elect the government so that the government can run the country; and people can look after their home, family, daily businesses. But ultimately if citizens come on roads, protest against its decisions, to make them do something, for something which they have elected the government for in the first place. What’s the use of this system? 

Well, I know nothing is perfect and all. Of course how can it be? People who elect the government are not, for that matter.  So is it supposed to be like this? I guess, but the problem is that why haven’t we found an alternative. That’s the most important question, something more important than the lack of ideas, innovation. It points towards exploitation, money making and profitable ventures, to be in power always and all is what comes to mind. May be it’s the best form and this poses no problem with its governance and it’s probably just “My crazy mind.”

 I will end with a thought which has been on my mind for a long time. “If the new world order means, we are in the business of destroying anyone who questions the political agenda, then I will better be an Anarchist.”

Revelations on Foreign Soil…

Anand always seemed to have a battery problem with his phone and felt everyone else's is perfectly ok.. 

London didn't change it, rather made it terrible, well it wasn't the fault of the place where he had landed, it was the amount of calls he made using the 3G internet, but that couldn’t be helped since he was so far away from home. With this problem, he realized that he needed an external charger urgently!

He got down or rather up from the Baker Street tube station and began searching for a shop. There were many shops with big names and fancy designs, but he was still looking, not knowing what exactly for…..That's one of his USP’s 'Not knowing Exactly' and 'Searching on and on.' Suddenly, a shop at the far end on the road caught his attention. He went in and was greeted with a warm smile by a guy in his mid-thirties – well-built and really smart. An Asian guy, not Asian-Asian like the Chinese or Japanese, but someone with Indian features. It didn't take a minute for Anand to realize that the owner was a Pakistani and that was when the owner also realized that Anand was an Indian. That did not make any difference. He was a businessman and Anand was a customer. He showed him 3-4 chargers in different price ranges. Then suddenly he was lost in thought for a moment and then he spoke and said that he had something very good, way better than all these, but the problem was it was pink in color.. They both laughed and Anand was like if it's really good and can charge my iPhone twice, pink or purple really doesn't matter! The guy said it was courageous of Anand to buy it and showed the price tag which said 35Pounds. He smiled and told Anand that he could have it for 25 since they were neighbours!

That came as a real surprise for Anand, as he was not expecting any kind of conversation. Anand was really amazed and appreciated the gesture. He forwarded his hand for a handshake and introduced himself. The man behind the counter accepted the gesture. They exchanged basic information about where they were from and all. The owner told Anand that he had a friend from Pune when he was doing his MBA in London. He said that he had heard so much about Pune and other cities and it would be great to visit them one day. He was from Lahore. As they were talking a Scottish playing the bagpiper passed by and the shop owner was like look at these guys, the Scottish referendum is tomorrow;, and see how peacefully they manage everything without any violence. Of course there was bound to be some heartache tomorrow, he said, but whichever way the referendum goes. It’s still admirable. And look at us... We have been shedding blood since decades fighting over Kashmir and still found no solution. Anand was like (to himself) yeah right (as he was also aware of what happens to talks and how the Pakistani Army and ISI violate the ceasefire and how the person representing from Pakistan is in no control.) He was trying so hard not to speak about all this and there the owner was going on and on…..And it was the owner, who said, but what can be done; our country is in bad shape as the politicians aren;t really in control. Other countries like America Saudi Arabia and the army run the show, but it will change for good. Soon there will be friendship between India and Pakistan. He said, who wants to  fight every day. Not long ago we were one single country and where did all that unity disappear!? Why did it become so bitter? 'Politics' they both said at the same time and gave a high five. The owner then continued to talk about how different it would have been if Jinnah had lived for a longer time. He was so secular and progressive and could have taken Pakistan in the right direction, he added! Anand couldn’t have agreed more!.

They were so involved in the talks that he just couldn't entertain any more customers. Anyone who came into the shop was directed to one of his colleagues. Being a busy time and a big shop with so many customers Anand found it strange. He thought to himself that this shows that the person is genuine and really interested in the topic that he is talking about. Anand was happy to meet a Pakistani guy who talked of peace and friendship at the ground level and was genuine and true about what he felt and meant every word he said!

Their conversation was just not stopping, soon it went on to the topic of the drama involved in the Pakistani and Indian elections. Anand asked him about who would be the one who could change things for Pakistan. He said it would be Imran Khan. Just a week back he was leading a march against the government in power in Pakistan, he added. Anand told about the alleged links he had to the Taliban sympathizer groups and that he had no standing as to what exactly he would be doing. The owner argued and cleared some things about this topic, to which Anand did not completely agree. And the owner was like can't blame you it's the media which paints things differently. The owner said he had flown from London to vote during the last elections and there were a lot like him and the numbers were increasing day by day as there are people who care for their country. He said all the election manifestos of almost all the parties had 'Good relations with India' in their list of things to do. He said how the general perception about India had changed and it wasn't like it was earlier. He stated that hate was slowly vanishing and was being replaced by peace and friendship. Anand was so happy to hear that. The owner was feeling so sentimental that his speech was overflowing with words and emotions. He also mentioned that so many times he felt like taking a car from Lahore and going for a drive to see the beautiful northeastern states and all, but he could not. Hopefully it will change. It has to change, he added. There are many like me who feel this and we will make a difference in our countries politics, he said, with his tone ranging from despair to hope.

Before they realized it nearly two hours had passed since they had begun the conversation. Anand’s iPhone’s battery gave him a warning sign and that brought both of them to their senses. He gave him the card with the new London number and wrote his personal cell number on it. He also informed him about places where he could find  better accommodation and also asked him to call him if Anand needed anything. Anand told him that he would come there if he needed to buy any electronic equipment in future. The owner smiled and said brother just drop in anytime to talk and also meet me about anything you need other than the stuff in his store or any kind of help in London. This didn't come as a surprise for Anand as he understood the bond they had built in the last ninety minutes or so. Both patriots, intellectuals, thoughtful, passionate people who wanted something better for their country had met and this kind of bond made sense!

Events like these make one realize how perceptions can be wrong, how it can be so different than something one had been thinking all along. And when you know, feel, you know everything and have made up your mind and formed your opinions, and feel nothing will change it or there is no hope, that's the time, 'LIFE happens'..