Corona: A Curse on Migrant Workers

 

It has been months the whole world has been grappling with coronavirus. It has dented very effort put up by the mighty countries. In the global scenario, each and every country does their part helping each other during this paranoid time, from China sending PPEs and masks, to India sending hydroxychloroquine tablets (the most sought-after drugs to fight COVID-19 before the real drug is available) to all over the world, to most importantly Mr. Trump (I won’t say the United States) threatening China whenever he regains sense of his mishandling of COVID-19 in his country and the WHO for taking side with China. He is relentless in finding scapegoat over his inability to tackle the pandemic. Because of his oversight, the common people are paying the price. More than 200,000 people died so far in the United States, which accounts for one-fifths of the whole world’s casualties. Every day the news are awash of accusations and admonishment. But this will not turn the tide in favour of anyone. This is not the time of pointing finger to others, but time to help each other and work together bringing out all the expertise for the eventual removal of the virus. By now, COVID-19 has not spared the world over, with the exception of North Korea. Despite being located between China and South Korea, it remains and will remain a mystery how they manage to stay away from coronavirus.  As of writing this, COVID-19 has travelled the length and breadth both in India and in the whole world. It is all-pervasive. It has shifted its epicentre from one continent to another; first from Asia to Europe, to North America, to South America, and now back to Asia (this time in India). We have witnessed many countries especially developed countries inclining towards nationalism, protectionism, and nativism in the recent time. They will become more conspicuous in the coming years. But at the end of the day, it will not last forever as global issues like COVID-19, climate change, hunger, and global warming need concerted efforts. The whole world is racing against time to develop vaccines, but it won’t happen before a year. This time, it will be for the global public good. Whoever country makes the first vaccine will share the know-how to the rest of the world. For the first time in 20 years, global extreme poverty is expected to rise due to disruption caused by pandemic. Are we in a losing battle? No, we will emerge victorious. We have the resilience to come out from this darkest hour.

 

COVID-19 in India

 

Just like other countries, corona has given untold misery to India also. It has completely flattened our GDP. Keeping in mind the severity of COVID-19, India has taken up measures at the very early stage to stop the spread of disease. The country was imposed lockdown when we had fewer than 100 cases. Children have not gone to school for a long time. Lockdown after lockdown, but the positive end of the pandemic is not on the sight. Because of increasing case profile despite lockdown, this lockdown will remain work-in-progress project which is dragging so long and will go on till 2021. As of now, more than 90,000 new cases added every day, with over 1,000 deaths daily. If the trend continues, we will soon overtake USA for the No. 1 spot for both infected cases and death toll. More than 1 lakh already died from COVID-19 in India and the total cases already crossed 70 lakh.  Life has come to a complete halt. Who could have imagined cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore will bear a complete deserted look. We saw such thing only in Hollywood zombie movies.

The devil wears lockdown and unleashes untold misery to the poor migrant workers

 

Although we have imposed total lockdown in the country when there were fewer than 100 COVID-19 cases, a week of lockdown has brutally exposed the callousness and indifference to the reality of India’s informal workers. The Prime Minister’s 8 pm total lockdown announcement was not accompanied by proper and necessary relief measures. What could possibly have been the reason for the Prime Minister to give only 4 hours’ notice for the lockdown? Because of this unscientific lockdown and callousness of the state, the migrant workers are undergoing clumsy, unexpected stinging pain. With each passing day, life has become increasingly difficult for them. They are living in the constant state of fear for their life. They were in a precarious condition. The panic that was created exacerbated and the prospect of dying out of hunger became clearer each passing day. Stranded without any guarantee for food and shelter, migrant workers became very weak and mentally ravaged; they decided to walk home. This homecoming is the last resort to stay alive, but this is not a one-day journey. Some will walk over 1,000 kilometres to reach home. They braved rain and heat. Many could not make home; many died in accidents. Everyone who returns home has the same tale to tell – hunger and fear of death.

 

There were so many heart-breaking stories – 16 persons were killed when a train run over them while they were sleeping on train track; the video of an infant playfully tugging at the sheet that covers his dead mother at Muzzafurfur Railway station in Bihar; a young girl returning from Telangana to Jharkhand died just one hour to go before reaching her home; a father of four from Bihar who returned from Delhi to Bihar by cycle with his friends killed by speeding car in Lucknow; a migrant woman giving birth to a baby on the roadside and then walked another 150 kms after taking rest for 2 hours. Such stories of tragedy are endless. Migrant workers from Orissa pooled money to buy waterboat and braved the five-day journey in sea to reach their home from Chennai. At least five such waterboats reached Orissa from Chennai. Thousands of migrant workers are returning to states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. The centre’s turn down of opposition’s extension of help to ferry migrant workers is pure political gimmicks. UP govt has rejected Rajasthan govt’s offer to ferry workers when thousands are walking hungry on roads. Not less than 3 crore migrant workers have returned home. This reverse migration will put severe strain to origin states.

 

Small traders and entrepreneurs witness a sharp fall in income, a large number of workers in the organized sectors are facing salary cut and job loss, and farmers are facing difficulty to sale their produce even at MSP. Migrant workers are the most vulnerable section of the informal sector, which accounts for 80% of non-agricultural employment. They are most vulnerable because they don’t have social protection, nor do they have health care benefit that other salaried group enjoys. Cooks, cleaners, delivery boys, factory workers, construction workers, painters, etc. form majority of migrant workers. Migrant workers were in the middle of cross-fire when the center and states are passing buck over each other for the train fares, let alone the center’s advisory to the states to take care of food and accommodation of migrant workers during lockdown. Few days after the lockdown, defying all social distancing rules thousands of migrants gathered at Anand Vihar bus terminal in Ghaziabad only to find that the news of arranging 1,000 buses to ferry the migrants to their respective home states was false. This is a real insult to the helpless migrants.

 

Prosperity of our nation will come from equality and education, not from the pursuit of more and more inequality. Our migrant workers should be empowered to shine through. It is very disheartening to rob off their right to be heard and express their worth. Stimulus package of 20 lakh crore announced by the Finance Minister is a big welcome. Now, we need to turn this to reality that the MSMEs will continue operating. MSMEs, the largest employers of industrial workers, is the hardest hit. The small businesses are the places where most migrant workers from rural India work.

 

It is no wonder that most not well-thought-out plans are characterized by omission of humane side of the story. Any plan that places human misery at the backstage will have serious repercussion.  The death of migrant workers due to failure of state machinery is nothing less than the systematic extermination of individuals in detention centers. This conduct amounts to committing crime against humanity. In a world that has shown them only prejudice and heartbreak, the poor never succumb to bitterness. They bear all the pain they are going through silently and continuously stand up. But the institution and corruption keep dragging them in the vicious cycle of poverty. People are dying; inequality soaring. Everyone has aspiration for upward social mobility. If they are deprived of their legitimate rights every time, one day when things have become increasingly oppressive, they will definitely stand up and fight the obvious injustice of the system, and create mayhem which will be difficult to contain—a storm that will take much more to get through. Remember the Arab Spring and the Yellow Protest in the Western countries. Lifting up a few and pushing down the majority will drag all of us down.

 

LET’S NOT FORGET: UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.

Corona: Mother Nature’s Message to Humanity

Donning your magnificent crown

You set out to build an empire,

An empire too big that no emperor ever built before.

From your humble abode of Wuhan

You have travelled far and wide,

Conquered the whole world in months.

Even the British Empire where sun never set

Has become so tiny.

The mighty British, Persians, Romans and Spaniards

Bow to the ground and surrender without any protest.

Despite the most advanced technology at our arsenal,

You have brought all the mighty to their knees.

Your origin still unknown,

You cast intolerance and racism among nations.

Your atrocities all-pervasive,

Your reign of terror omnipresent,

The whole world gripped by your juggernaut;

You are the king of the kings,

The emperor of the emperors.

Many fell victims to your wrath,

Thousands bade farewell to their loved ones,

Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and relatives,

Lying inside a serpentine queues of coffins,

Piling up to erect the mound of dead;

And many more are lying in hospital beds,

Hospital walls reverberated with moans and sobs

Life hovering in uncertainty between death and life.

Your lockdown has brought untold misery to us.

With not guarantee of food and shelter for many poor,

Thousands brave relentless summer heat and rain,
Walking thousands of miles to be with the family;

Many have died mid-way

From starvation, deprivation, and scorching heat.

Story of unrelenting tragedy all around,

The world is engulfed with innumerable personal tragedies.

Very quiet and tranquil,

You made the whole world kneel before you.

The whole earth has gone to perpetual deep sleep,

There is only fear on the earth,

Fear and panic let loose on the earth,

Nothing left on the earth but fear,

Horror, heartbreak, and panic all around.

The cloud of uncertainty hovering,

Humanity has become so alienated and moribund.

We are looking up at the sky for magic healing;

The stars and moons are laughing at us.

Everything is in standstill and all work halted,

Only your casualties grow to staggering numbers each day.

Our heroes are fighting with splendid heroism,

But they are only fighting with the invisible force.

While humanity is grieving

And living every moment in fear,

Oh, Mother Nature, you are all smiling and glowing.

Your pale and dull look disappeared,

The dust that masks your beauty is gone,

Your glow has become increasingly brighter,

Your beauty so captivating,

All the beholders enthralled and seduced.

What a repercussion!

Now you have gifted this mask to us

And it has become our new fashion.

The sky is blue, the air is clean,

Can see gleaming snows of the Himalayas from afar,

The trees glitter with fresh green leaves,

The scent of flowers travels long distance,

Birds are chirping and signing in glory,

Toxics-liberated rivers are flowing again with full vigour,

Everyone is singing and dancing,

Only humans are in sombre mood.

We are dreadfully silent now,

Our life so terrifying and unsettling.

The marching of hundred thousand hurry feet

Echoing down the busy street,

The hustle and bustle of city,

The noise of honking vehicle and train,

All become dead silent and deserted;

Everyone is celebrating the beauty of Nature.

Forests, rivers, oceans, moon, stars, and Sun,

All conspiring to punish us,

Seeking avenge for our cruelty and callousness.

Blinded by greed and folly,

We extracted all the natural resources

By all of us, for all of us,

Ravaged forests and cut trees with impunity,

Pollute lake and oceans,

Choking rivers and polluting skies,

Spewing intolerable cruelty and unforgivable exploitation,

Human folly transcends borders.

A constellation of problems we created;

In a place where everyone lived in harmony,

Humans greed prevailed over peaceful co-existence

Between humans, non-humans and nature;

We have become so habituated

That we give no attention to the suffering of others.

Even in anger, you can’t hide your love for humanity,

Your punishment comes with a precious gift,

The long-deprived time together with family.

In the race of competition and livelihood,

We all forgot our family;

TV and mobiles have become

Closest friends, father and mother of our children.

Oh, Mother Nature!

We always ignore your warning;

You sent Ebola, swine flu, Nipah

When we infiltrated your territory

And disregard the distance between us.

Now, you have taught us the lesson

And we have learnt it.

Please give us a chance to amend our past wrongs;

Please show us a ray across this storm-torn ocean.

The night seems long,

Dispel the cloud of fear,

Let the sorrow and despair sink away,

Let the magic healing save humanity.

Movies Promote Crimes Against Women and Racism in the Society

Whenever any crime against a woman is committed, the first person to be blamed is either the politician or the police. The film industry is hardly mentioned at all. From time to time, women’s right activists voice their concern over nudity/vulgar scenes and item numbers. But these item girls and villains who rape heroine or the protagonist’s sisters are not the role models of the masses.  What the hero does is what that stays long in our mind and that we imitate. Films promote the traditional male characters that are partly responsible for promoting sexual crimes against women. In every Bollywood films, we will see heroes pestering and stalking heroines, forcing unwanted attention to heroines. But they will end up getting the heroines, and the audiences are cheering and happy at that. That is the conventional Bollywood way for heroes to win heroines. Take any examples of blockbuster movies. In Deewana, Sharukh Khan, a spoilt son, was seen stalking the heroine, a widow. In Tere Naam, Salman Khan, a college dropout, was seen harassing and stalking the heroine, a college student. No one reacted and voiced against the heroes’ behavior toward heroines. Everyone was happy when their heroes won the heroines. Worst of all, in the movie Darr, Sharukh Khan was seen stalking and calling up the heroine late night in her home telephone all the time, tormenting the life of heroine, her fiancée, and her family members. At one point, she was suffering from acute depression. In spite of all villainous activities Sharukh portrayed, no one sided the protagonist Sunny Deol. It is the villain and women stalker Sharukh who got all the accolades and sympathy from audiences. Imagine Sharukh and Salman are the heartthrobs of millions of people, will they be able to think what their heroes are doing are wrong? Beware of this, because they are indeed heartthrobs and have huge fans following throughout the country. When the movie Fire was released, there were huge protests against the film demanding either to ban the film from running in theaters or delete the lesbian act between the two lead female protagonists. Ironically, the names of female protagonists in the movie were Radha and Sita, the name of Hindu deities. Imagine, if Sabhana Azmi and Nandita Das were heartthrobs for the country just like Salman and Sharukh, what message would they send and lesson they would teach to their die-hard fans? Our all-time favorite villains Ranjeet, Prem Chopra, and Gulson Grover each had almost hundred rape scenes in their filmi careers, but they failed to motivate the masses since it is heroes not them who are worshiped by the masses. What villains do in the film is not a threat to the society, but what heroes do does. We are not judgmental to what our heroes do. We cheer and glorify whatever they do. We believe whatever they do is right, and start applying in our life.

Imagine what lessons are taught by heroes in other states where heroes are worshiped as deities. I can’t comment much on other regional movies in other states, but I have clearly seen the transition in the behavior of youths and rising crimes in my state Manipur. We grew up watching Hindi films. We saw villains raping heroines, killing brothers for property dispute, killing brides for dowry, villains kidnapping heroines or heroes’ mothers or sisters for ransom. Although we watched these movies all the time, we never imitated or tried to imitate. We always believed that our culture is different from these. So we watched these as just films, and never tried to imitate what Hindi films showed to us nor influenced our mind. However, after the ban of Hindi films in Manipur, regional moves started becoming very popular. Now the erstwhile foreign culture shown in Hindi movies is no longer alien. Now we can relate these acts to our culture and society after seeing the same acts in our own regional films. Killing wives for dowry or other reasons was unknown to Manipuri society, and rape and molestation of women were unknown or happened very rarely. But today, we are not so lagging behind other states for such crimes. I believe the same is true in other states.  One easy way to get this fact right is to compare the crime rates between the U.S. (the home of Hollywood) versus other European countries.

Nirbhaya: A Yet Reminder of Rape Against Women in India

So much has been written and said about the brutal assault and rape of a young 23-year-old medical student Nirbhaya by six men. It is not that this incident is something new to our society. What is new is the solidarity and united voice “Enough is enough, it is time to awake.” Every rape and killing of women has always been a yet reminder of another brutal attack to women. How far can this go? Instead of trying to remember other such horrible instances of the past, let’s straight get into why the rapists are so emboldened to commit such crime over again and again, and how to control such menace from the society. First, let’s find out what is going in the mind of these rapists. Why are they so emboldened to commit such heinous crime? Although today girls perform better than boys in education and many fields, their mobility and socio-economic growth have been hampered by these treats and crimes against them. Now let’s us focus on two institutions that need immediate reforms. First and foremost, we need to have judicial and police reforms.

Judicial Reforms: Slow, low conviction rate, and lighter sentence embolden these criminals. It takes years to convict a rapist. Many rapists are moving freely in the street, uncaring of their conviction thinking there are hundreds of rape cases pending before them. Speedy, impartial, and efficient justice delivery is the need of the time. It is widely known that there are large vacancies of judges in both lower and high courts. Our judges are overstretched due to this. The lack of the number of judges and poor infrastructure such as the lack of computerization make the delivery of justice a snail pace. Until we have enough number of judges, the need of the time is computerization of our courts to achieve quick case disposal. We should seize the opportunities of information technology, such as video conferencing, for faster delivery of case. Considering the increasing number of criminal activities against women, the need of the time is to set up fast-track courts especially to address crimes against women. No any case should lay idle on the file for more than a month.

Police Reforms: Retired IPS officer and social activist Kiran Bedi had rightly stated that the unfortunate gangrape of Nirbhaya was an avoidable one if the basic law and order measures were implemented by the police. She went on to say that the worst is that the police escaped unpunished despite failing to do their duties, because their officers themselves either don’t know whats and whys of policing and governance or misplaced their priorities. What is more appalling is the victim’s male friend revelation that the police wasted more than half an hour over jurisdiction argument. Had the victim been rushed to a nearby hospital, she could have been survived. Before talking further of police reforms, we are better not to forget that just like judges, there are enormous vacancies of police personnel too. Our officers are overstretched. These unfilled posts and VIP security duties make an appalling ratio of 1 policeman for ordinary 760 ordinary citizens and 3 policemen for 1 VIP.  VIP security service is very often the excuse for the police why they can’t provide enough security to stop such crimes against women. Since police reforms are huge and the goals can’t be achieved very soon, let’s us divide our priority into short- and long-term goals.

Short-term goals: Increase the number of women police officers in every police station, register all FIRs to cases against women and prosecute those who don’t do this, install GPRS to all public vehicles and cabs, install CCTVs to public places and roads, issue non-temparable ID to auto and taxi drivers, identify vulnerable areas and conduct random checks on vehicles, and tinted glass should be removed from the vehicles everywhere irrespective of cities and other areas. And most importantly, to augment our meager police personnel we need to use the community resources. Create village defense forces, and utilize NCC cadets, citizen wardens, and special police officers. With proper training, discipline, and guidance, they can deter the incidence of crimes beyond imagination. Cooperation between police force and community will build up better relationship between the two, but they should be under constant review. 

Long-term goals: Here come accountability and transparency in the functioning of police officers. Our police functioning must be insulated from the interference of politics in the recruitment, posting, transfer, arrest, and prosecutions. Finally, the 2006 Supreme Court-mandated police reforms --- in the recruitment of the police chiefs, DGPs, IGPs, senior SPs --- must be implemented.

Besides all the measures and reforms, it is education that can make our society a peaceful and crime-free one. It needs discipline and respect to women to prevent crimes against women. And we get discipline from education. But home is considered children’s first school and parents their first teachers. Hence good parenting and good school education play the most important roles of all. Shutting down metro stations, cordon off streets, and spraying water canons are not the answer. When the whole nation stand up in anger and shout in a common voice, can the government dare to waste more time instead of having an emergency joint sitting and pass a stringent law against rape and crime against women.  Don’t politicize safety of women. Set aside political interests. It is the time to shun off these blame game and selfish political interests.

A tip to Congress!!! The government, which has already long suffered from trust deficit and corruption, must not miss this opportunity to rebuild the lost trust. With the election just one year away, seize this opportunity. Pass a strong rape law and immediately punish the convicts with maximum punishment. This will again boost confidence to people that the government does really care for the people. Don’t forget the real power lies at the hand of the people. The government is formed by the representatives of the people. The people can bring the fall of the government anytime at will. When the whole nation awakes in anger against you, the only thing the government should do is listen to them carefully and do what they want. 

Time and Friendship

Friendship is like a watch battery
It comes with a warranty for a specified time
Arguments are reconciled to few occasions
Once gone, it is gone forever
It has to be replaced by a new friend
No one bothers the whereabouts of the dear departed
The newcomer will play his part until the validity is over
Some friendship lasts longer and some shorter
Everything comes with a price, but momentary
It’s all how much we’ve invested our thought to that person

Proximity keeps the relationship ticking
Meeting eclipses the impending nostalgia post-disappearance of her
Togetherness adds the colors of friendship
Friends are for laughter and celebrations
As recluse is for sorrow and melancholy

But sacrifice our time for the other erodes its lifetime
The friend who says,
“I hope I am also among those who are very special in your life,”
Will be the one who leaves you first when you are in extreme need of her

When corrupted, it results to an immature end
Ego and misunderstanding kill friendship half-life

The Death of Paul

The FIFA 2010 World Cup is over, and the clubs desperate chase for the best players has already begun. Time for that record-shattering deal is not very far. It is that emotional time to see the reigning stars bid adieu and handover the throne to newcomers—little-known players just 30 days before—to rule for the next four years. Many star players who came to blast the dream tournament with mighty dreams returned home with dreams only. This World Cup witnessed for the first time in its history that the off-field players rocked the tournament more than the on-field players. It was Diego Maradona, the God of soccer fans all around the world, who ruled the tournament till the quarter finals. Blame Maradona for always being famous both in short and long pants, off and on field. Believe it or not, people glued on television to get the glimpse of this little man. Then entered the little-known little Paul like a thunderstorm, and the mighty little Maradona’s life cut shockingly short with his arrival. Questions erupted how the entry of the never-heard-before player marked the exit of the legend. It happens in sports—new heroes are born and records are broken. Every World Cup has some surprises and heartbreaks. Above all, Maradona is no match for Paul, simply because he has only two legs while Paul has eight legs.

Rise and Fall

Paul, the beautiful eight-legged oracle octopus residing in German aquarium, has become the sensation of the tournament after he correctly predicted the result of all seven games of Germany, as well as the finals between Spain and the Netherlands. He shot to international fame after he correctly predicted Germany win over Argentina in the quarterfinals. Then onward, the attention of the whole world shifted to the real hero of the tournament. He defeated his competitor Mani, a Singapore-based oracle parrot, who came at the tournament in the late stage and hanged him upside down on the goal post. Neither Messi nor Ronaldo got so much media coverage as Paul did. It was Paul and only Paul who made headlines of both newspapers and TV news channels when the tournament entered the crucial stage. Paul remained the true patriot and national hero of Germany until he picked up Spain over Germany in the semi final. All of a sudden, the national hero turned enemy of the state, and celebrated oracle octopus became psychic octopus. It is not uncommon that friends turn foes, patriots turn traitors, and friends turn lovers. From that moment, all those Germans who sang praise choruses for Paul have been busy tweeting the recipe of octopus. The whole world was in shock and awe when Paul appeared in the hit list of Hitler. Today, Twitter is flooded with Paul. Most of them are from Germany, the Netherlands, and Argentina. All these three countries are desperately pursuing Paul for the same mission—KILL PAUL. Germany wants to fry Paul, Argentina wants to beat him till death, and the Netherlands wants to hang him. Now comes the rescuer. The enemy of a country is a patriot for another country. No sooner had Paul become the Enemy No. 1 of Germany than he became the celebrated hero of Spain. Pressurized by its citizens, the government of Spain is pursuing to bring Paul in Spain and give the hero Spanish citizenship and re-christen him as Pablo. Having rejected its demands by Germany, Spain is now all set to send security guards to protect Paul in Germany. Also, they are seeking legal aids from the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) to bring the hero home. ICJ is not very cooperative with Spain as the Netherlands, where it is headquartered, is also pressurizing it to bring Paul there. Now, if Spain succeeds, Paul will get everything—love, protection, and fame—in the new land for the next 4 years until he picks up some other nation over Spain in the 2014 World Cup.

In India

Imagine the great Paul lands in our country. Can you even imagine how much media coverage he will get? If he thinks all the media coverage he will get is temporary, then Paul, you are underestimating the power of Indian media. Since cricket tournaments are held 365 days in a year both in and outside India, and India participates all the tournament, you will always stay at the headlines of both newspapers and news channels. Apart from cricket, you can put your hand in Bollywood also. Because of the absence of good soothsayer, most big budget movies bomb at the box office. You will be a big help for big producers and directors who make ambitious projects but end up making big flops and run heavy losses. A wise lady said that if she has Paul, she will gift it to the MET Department of India to provide correct weather forecasts. I think it is a very wise idea, particularly during the monsoon season when the MET Department officials are tired of coin flipping to predict weather.

The Hero Takes Retirement

Now, it’s official that Paul will take retirement. He said this in the award function where he was facilitated the Champion trophy and the Diamond Boot of the Year for being the most sensational player of the tournament. It was a very bleak and emotional moment for billions of people who glue on television watching their favourite star. Now, Paul will go back to his previous profession—playing with his handlers and children who visit him. Spain won the World Cup, but all the credits go to Paul. Kudos to Paul! You rocked the Cup of the World.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Eats, Drinks, Waka Waka, and Paul

The month-long thrilling and gripping football saga has come to an end finally with style. Spain who came to the tournament as the favourite of bookies won the title for the first time in its history. Their skills, quick and magnificent passing, and unity among players proved indomitable to other teams. As predicted, this South Africa FIFA World Cup exceeded all. It is a blockbuster in every sphere: fun, crowd, action, vuvuzela, dance, drinks, warm hospitality, and inspiration—those who broke their hip while dancing Shakira’s “Waka Waka” are inspired by K’naan’s “Waving Flags” to dance once more. It got bigger and stronger than the joint effort of Japan-South Korea in 2002 and Germany 2006. Imagine how big the event could get if the two largest populations of the world India and China participated the game—I mean if they could qualify to participate. This World Cup made history for many reasons: the entry of new champion, hosted for the first time by non-developed nations, vuvuzela, and Paul. The gap between strong teams and weak teams has reduced. Significantly, the strong teams made an early exit, throwing the red carpet for novices and weak teams—marking the event of making sacrifice for the first time in the history of sporting event. Kudos to FIFA and mighty teams, particularly Italy and France (the defending champion and runner-up) and Brazil and Argentina, for taking this bold initiative. This World Cup also marked for the first time in its history that the coach rocked the tournament more than his players. Blame Maradona for always being famous both in short and long pants, off and on field. For Italy, it is a very emotional moment because not only its national team made a historic sacrifice but also the prime minister sacrificed his “playboy” tag. In the parliamentary session, the famous Silvio Berlusconi declared, “I am no longer a playboy, I am play old now.” Hundreds and thousands burst into inconsolable tears. A young reporter broke down, and she was rushed to ICU. Why did you do this, Mr Berlusconi? You have been hailed as the epitome of S.T. Coleridge’s famous lines:
“Life is but Thought: so think I willThat Youth and I are housemates still.”
Now, who will we adore as our youth icon?

Heroes and Zeroes
Expectations were so high on star players like Ronaldo, Kaka, Rooney, and Messi. They are the costliest players on earth, and every team competed to buy them before the World Cup. High stakes are riding to them, and the whole world is betting for them.

“THEY CAME, THEY SAW, AND THEY ARE CONQUERED”

Just like every World Cup, the FIFA 2010 World Cup also produces new heroes, but it was never expected that all the existing heroes will return zeroes. It was the not-so-known players who rocked the tournament. It was a delight to see emerging heroes David Villa, Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Asamoah Gyan, and Diego Forlan, who eclipsed these big stars, in the field.

Complaints and Criticisms
No sooner than the beautiful event kicked off, the ugly controversies erupted—poor and dreadful Jabulani ball, noise of vuvuzela-blowing, wrong referee decisions. Coaches, players, goalkeepers, everyone was in complaining mood: The direction of the ball cannot be predicted; it is like someone guides the ball; its trajectory is unpredictable; it moves so much and makes it difficult to control; it is like the one you bought from the supermarket; and the list goes on. I agree the new ball might have got some problem, but guys you are not the only player or team who experience this. Each player, each goal keeper, each team plays the same ball. Also, FIFA gave this new ball to each team for practice months prior the World Cup. But, by the time the tournament entered quarter finals stage, the complaints for vuvuzela blowing and Jabulani ball have subsided. Because, in the battlefield the one who complains dies first. It is time to defeat the enemies and move on. Beyond belief, the popularity of vuvuzela had shot up. Brazil has already booked five vuvuzela manufactures for the next World Cup they are hosting. Even, Indian prime minister has asked his South African counterpart to supply vuvuzelas for Commonwealth Games. But there is a condition: vuvuzelas do not make sound if the crowd in the stadium in fewer than 10,000. So, the Indian Government is having a second thought. But the South African Government says there is no any conditions apply for supplying vuvuzelas for IPL.

The Age of Technology
Debate erupted why FIFA does not use technology to ward off wrong referee decisions. Every sport, be it cricket or tennis, uses technology. Pressure mounted on FIFA officials, yet they are still reluctant to adopt technology. I think there is a valid reason behind this. The truth is at the time of framing the Sports Constitution, football was given the rights to live only for 90 minutes, unlike unlimited lifetime given to tennis and cricket. Also, football fans don’t have whole day to watch the match as do the cricket fans. Football can’t afford the luxury to wait 5 minutes for the referee decision. Guys! It is not cricket that players can slower or faster the game at their will. Soccer means exact 90-min thriller from beginning to end, and there is not even 10 seconds to relax because it takes less than 10 seconds for the ball to reach from one goalkeeper to the other goalkeeper. That is why soccer is so gripping. It is not only soccer, in today’s fast and busy life everything small and short is famous and most-demanded. That is why Tweeter is so famous. Those days of writing beautiful and flowery letters are gone. It is a world of “C U 2moro” and “4 U I die.” Send this text messages to Chomsky; he will hang himself just like Isaac Newton committed suicide after watching Rajnikant’s movies. It is not only life that is busy, so is the road. That is why more and more automobile makers have produced small cars.

Image Transformation
The success of the event has changed the way how the world watches the host nation and Africa as a whole. So far, Africa is defined by poverty, AIDs, and crime. It is very heart warming to see the event brought togetherness and unity to the nation that is so riven racially. All those critics who slammed the host country for lavishing $5 billion for the event have been silenced by vuvuzelas in the middle of the tournament. They think that spending billions of dollars in airports, public transportation systems, roads, and stadiums for the game does not make sense when the country has so much social needs and poverty. The truth is otherwise; these lack-of-long-sighted-thinking critics could not visualize the improved infrastructures will bolster growth in the long run by attracting foreign investments and surge of tourism. Now, with the World Cup in its resume, it is no wonder that South Africa has emerged as one of the best destinations to host major sporting events. To South Africa's credit, not even a single crime against outsiders who came to watch the World Cup was reported during this month-long event.

Enter the Great Paul
When the tournament entered quarter finals stage, the attention of the whole world shifted to the real hero of the tournament. Paul, the beautiful eight-legged oracle octopus residing in German aquarium, has become the sensation of the tournament after he correctly predicted the result of all seven games of Germany, as well as the finals between Spain and the Netherlands. He defeated his competitor Mani, a Singapore-based oracle parrot, who came at the tournament in the late stage and hanged him upside down on the goal post. Neither Messi nor Ronaldo got so much media coverage as Paul did. It was Paul and only Paul who made headlines of both newspapers and TV news channels when the tournament entered crucial stage. Paul remained the true patriot and national hero of Germany until he picked up Spain over Germany in the semi-final. All of a sudden, the national hero turned enemy of the state, and celebrated oracle octopus became psychic octopus. From that moment, all those Germans who sang praise choruses for Paul have been busy tweeting the recipe of octopus. Twitter is flooded with Paul. Most of them are from Germany and Argentina. Germany wants to fry Paul, Argentina wants to beat him till death, and the Netherlands wants to hang him. Now, Spain has come for rescue. The government of Spain wants to give citizenship to Paul and bring him to Spain. Now, they are seeking legal aids from the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) to bring Paul in Spain. ICJ is not very cooperative with Spain as the Netherlands, where it is headquartered, is also pressurizing it to bring Paul there. Now, if Spain succeeds, Paul will get everything—love, protection, and fame—in the new land for the next 4 years until he picks up some other nation over Spain in the 2014 World Cup.

Paul in India
Imagine the great Paul lands in our country. Can you even imagine how much media coverage he will get? If he thinks all the media coverage he will get is temporary, then Paul, you are underestimating the power of Indian media. Since cricket tournaments are held 365 days in a year both in and outside India, and India participates all the tournament, you will always stay at the headlines of both newspapers and news channels. Apart from cricket, you can put your hand in Bollywood also. Because of the absence of good soothsayer, most big budget movies bomb at the box office. You will be a big help for big producers and directors who make ambitious projects but end up making big flops and run heavy losses. A wise lady said that if she has Paul, she will gift it to the MET Department of India to provide correct weather forecasts. I think it is a very wise idea, particularly during the monsoon season when the MET Department officials are tired of coin flipping to predict weather.

The Hero Takes Retirement
Now, it’s official that Paul will take retirement. He said this in the award function where he was facilitated the Champion trophy and the Diamond Boot of the Year for being the most sensational player of the tournament. It was a very bleak and emotional moment for billions of people who glue on television watching their favourite star. Now, Paul will go back to his previous profession—playing with his handlers and children who visit him.

Spain won the World Cup, but all the credits go to Paul. Kudos to Paul! You rocked Cup of the World.

Mangalore Air Crash: Time for Aviation Authorities to Take Action

One fine morning, Roshan wakes up in jolly mood with eyes open wide and smile all around. His mother is coming to stay with him to give company to his lonely life in Delhi. Now onward, he will not force himself to wake up and prepare breakfast before rushing to office. When he returns home, he will find all those mouth-watering dishes and foods that he has been missing for months in front of his eyes. She will be busy the whole day thinking what to prepare for her child to eat when he returns from office tired. The smell of home food and the warmth and love of the mother, he will not ask for more to God for at least a month. He has been impatiently waiting for this day since the day he booked ticket for his mother. After quick shower, he rushes to the airport in ecstasy and stands in front of the wide LCD screen, checking the flight status. Minutes after minutes, flights arrived and departed. Every time he keeps looking at his watch, and impatience makes him feel if his watch has stopped ticking. Now, he starts wondering whether the flight will ever arrive. All of the sudden, life rewinds to those youthful days of those wild and never-worry-for-anything days. After many years, he remembers how impatiently he waited his first love for the first date. Those days when his world rotated only around her, but who already left him today when he is in dire need of her to give company in his solitariness and self-exile in quest of making career and earning money. All loved ones also disappear along with the waning youth. But today he has all the reasons to forget those melancholic thoughts but instead rejoice once again for being stood by the eternal love—the love that never lessens for anything and anywhere. Loneliness and distance have already taught him the love and care of parents for their children. At one side endless thoughts and joys flooded his mind, and on the other hand flight never arrived. By now he is tired of watching both LCD monitor and sky for the flight. Finally the watch strikes 10:30 am, and both heartbeat and impatience get stronger. He can see the same curiosity and happiness in the eyes of others who are also impatiently waiting for their loved ones. After 5 minutes, chaos and noise erupted inside the airport. Policeman and fire brackets start running amok. In no time, the eyes that bore impatience and curiosity turn into fear. The word “plane crash” spread like wildfire. The next few hours follow a state of disbelief, screaming, crying, and wondering amid lifeless bodies strewn all over. Many of them are charred beyond recognition. After wondering over here and there unconsciously, a half-charred body lying near a thick bush returned all his every-over-here-and-there-wondering senses to him. She is calmly waiting for her son. But this time, she does not smile at him and opens her wide arms to embrace him.

Now, change “Roshan” to “I”. Hasn’t your world shattered yet? What will you do with the lifeless body of your mother in a land that is thousand miles away from your home with no one to assist you? WARNING! Don’t even try to imagine how it will feel like. Every plane crash left untold miseries and heartbreaking stories. Accidents do happen, but the accidents orchestrated by human errors and negligence deserve punishment. The recent Air India plane crash at Mangalore airport that killed 158 of 166 passengers on board was a national tragedy. Along with grief sparks a fresh debate on how unsafe the Indian sky is for airlines.

If we look at the developments in the Indian aviation industry in the last few years and the daily near misses, the recent air crash can only be termed as “unfortunate,” not “unexpected.” It was just the culmination of negligence and innumerable near misses that make newspapers and news channels headlines from now and then. The aviation industry has expanded tremendously in the recent years with the mushrooming of many new commercial airline companies. Because of the inclusion of many low-cost airlines, the number of domestic passenger has shot up more than three times in the last 5 years. Today, Indira Gandhi International Airport handles more than 700 flights a day; the same airport handled only 77 flights daily in 2002-03. Similarly, Mumbai Airport today handles more than 600 flights daily, although it handled only 96 flights a day in 2002-03. So, the big question is “Do the present infrastructure and safety standards keep pace with the alarming growth of passengers and flights?” The answer is big “NO”.

Whenever any air crash happens, the first report that comes out is it would have been caused by pilot error. Investigation in the number of cases and incidents that would have caused accidents has found most of them are related to pilot behavior. Investigation on the recent 15 near misses and other cases has found pilots reporting drunk for duty. There are also other factors that cause near misses, such as lack of communication between pilots and air traffic controller, poor training, infrequent inspection, difficult location of the airport, and of course the congestion of flights in major airports. Expanding airport, adding runways, and building new airports will take both time and money. So, the immediate step that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as a regulatory body for civil aviation and is responsible for ensuring safety and monitoring pilots, has to take up is to take disciplinary action on those pilots and crew members who report duty drunk. There must be zero-tolerance approach to alcohol-related behaviors. Pilot drunkenness has direct impact on the safety of the flights. The DGCA has revealed that in the last 1 year, a total of 42 alcohol positive cases related to pilot were detected. However in response to RTI reply, the DGCA reveals neither the names of the airlines nor the names of the pilots, whether the pilots were detected before they boarded the flights, whether the pilots were stopped from flying, and the nature of action taken against them. Such information should be made transparent to the public.

Today when I woke up, my blood was boiled by the front page headlines of the Times of India “VIP flights force 3 jets land with no fuel to spare.” According to the news, the Indira Gandhi Airport was closed due to President Patil’s departure for China. Because of these, more than 10 flights were diverted and many were asked to fly around. And the worst of all, three unlucky flights ran out of fuel when they landed to Jaipur. Who will be responsible for the 450 plus passengers on board if any of the flights were not that very lucky—the president, civil aviation minister, pilots, or the DGCA? Not only this, just 3 days ago there was a narrow escape in Mumbai airport when an Indigo flight landed on the same runway where a Jet Airways flight was ready to take off. The precision of the pilot averted the tragedy. If these near misses are the order of the day, there is really no surprise when there is air crash. The lesson to learn is “You can’t get lucky everyday.” And, safety measures and precision must be taken on every moment and operation. We cannot afford innocent and valuable lives pay the price for the negligence of the higher authority. VVIP movements are synonymous to public inconvenience. Whenever our leaders decide to travel, the common men have to suffer all the inconveniences, be it a 3-km-long traffic jam, late in the office or call it a day, or landing flight at the destination 3 hours behind the schedule, and so on. A plane carries extra fuel only for hovering half an hour for the destination airport and some more for the alternative airport when emergency arises. Airline companies have requested aviation authorities a number of time to let them know about the VVIP movement in advance so that they can carry more than 30-minute hovering fuel. But their pleas are rejected for security concern. Yes, it is true that top security should be given to the movement of our leaders. It is also equally true that hundreds of people should not be left stranded on air in the process. BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN’T WALK ON AIR!!!

Muivah, Terrorism, Lawlessness, Unemployment: Manipur Is the Victim of Center’s Negligence and Step-Motherly Treatment

The defiant Muivah’s, the chief of a banned outfit NSCN (IM), unwillingness to back off his proposed visit to his birthplace Somdal in Ukhrul district, Manipur, and Manipur Government’s firm resistance to let the rebel leader fulfill his mission have brought a complete economic turmoil in Manipur, opening once again a debate on how much the Government of India (GOI) cares the Northeast states. The news of rebel leader homecoming after 49 years had made headlines and spread like a wildfire, setting Manipur on fire along with it. But what is shocking to me if why it does not attract the attention of the Center to act to ebb the ongoing situation.

Both NH 39 and NH 53, the lifelines of Manipur, have been blocked by Naga Students’ union for more than 2 months, pushing the state into severe economic and food crisis. This students' union wants greater autonomy for the hill districts and their leader Muivah be allowed to visit his birthplace. The economic blockade that was originally meant to press the state government for greater autonomy for the hill districts was intensified when Chief Minister Ibobi Singh refused NSCN chief to enter the state. And, it turned into indefinite blockade following May 6 mayhem in Mao gate in which two Naga students were killed in police firing while trying to control the protesting crowd who gathered to welcome Muivah. Manipur is facing acute shortage of foods and life-saving drugs. For now, foods, fuel, and medicines are airlifted from Guwahati to Imphal, yet it can’t meet the requirements. The price of petrol rose to Rs 150 per liter while LPG cylinder was being sold for Rs 1,500. Also, the price of rice and local produce has skyrocketed. Worst of all, most of the hospitals are forced to stop routine surgeries due to the lack of oxygen and life-saving drugs.

Muivah has said the refusal of his visit came as a big surprise to him since his homecoming is meant for peace, love, meeting friends and relatives, and not to disturb anyone. However, if we look deeper, the truth is otherwise; he plans to hold a series of meetings during his stay in Ukhrul. His visit to his birthplace is not exactly a homecoming; it is political move to break the territorial integrity of Manipur. There is no problem for Muivah to visit his birthplace. Everyone has got the right to visit his birthplace, and Muivah is not an exception. However, he can’t do so as a leader of a banned outfit and that too with hidden agenda. The people of Manipur view NSCN (IM)-related issues seriously and are strongly against the outfit’s ambitious “Greater Nagalim” concept of forming unified Naga homeland by merging Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Myanmar in the territory of Nagaland. We do not have any problem in the peace talk between NSCN (IM) and the government of India. However, any plan to disturb the territorial integrity of the state will result into complete chaos and upheavals. No one wants to repeat the June 18, 2001, uprising in which many innocent lives were sacrificed and state assembly house brought down to cinder—its root cause “the extension of ceasefire between GOI and NSCN (IM) without territorial limits”. Not only this, Muivah had orchestrated the 1992 communal riots between Nagas and Kukis in Manipur, in which more than 900 Kukis were killed and above 1 lakh rendered homeless. I was very young then, but I can’t forget the tears-rolling picture of those helpless brothers, sisters, and mothers who went door to door begging for food and clothes with those heartbreaking stories. Muivah should be dragged to court for genocide.

The government of Manipur has every right to stop Muivah from entering the state. One, he is the leader of a banned revolutionary outfit. Two, the ceasefire between the Center and the NSCN (IM), which entered in August 1997, does not extend to Manipur. And, it is the duty of the Center to lift the highway blockade and normalize the situation arising out of it. In a snub against state government, the defiant leader has already arrived the state frontier and stationed in a village that is just few kilometers from Mao gate. Some 50 plus vehicles, mostly members of Naga NGOs, NSCN (IM) soldiers, and Nagaland police, escorted the 75-year-old rebel leader in his attempt to enter Manipur.

The ongoing situation and the crisis faced by the people of Manipur are all because of the step-motherly treatment meted out to Manipur by the Center. How can the Center give green signal to Muivah to enter Manipur without having a consultation with the government of Manipur? Why can’t the Center lift the highway blockade imposed for more than 2 months by some students union when the people in the other state are dying and starving because of the blockade of their lifeline? Can’t the Center provide security forces to ensure that the goods-laden trucks reach Manipur safely, or can’t they use paramilitary or state force to crush a tiny warring students union? Because of this negligence and step motherly treatment, today Manipur is on the verge of collapse. It is a lawless state today where human rights are found only in the political science book. Today, there are more than 40 insurgent groups in Manipur. Except for the few leaders of these groups, there is no any ideological commitment among the militants. They are just extortion groups running extortion racket to support both their families and activities. In Manipur, every government employee is paying to these insurgent groups for survival. And the mode of payment is very systematic; the contribution is deducted just like income tax deduction. No one is spared, including Chief Minister and DGP. Only the governor and the chief secretariat are exempted from this. The insurgents reach their hand everywhere¾politics, administration, recruitment, and so on. They are the real watchdog of the state. It may sound exaggerated but it is true¾a schoolteacher who wants to take one-month medical leave writes application to the militant, not to the school principal. Imagine how awkward it sounds. Most students unions are the overt group of the militants. There is a nexus between militants and ministers. Unlike NSCN(IM), table discussion is not possible with these militants because they don’t have any constitution for sovereign Manipur; they know only how to threaten people and pull trigger. The militants have equal share in any government contracts and recruitments. Monies come from extortion are siphoned to their leaders who stay in foreign countries enjoying foreign locales and luxuries; they are least bothered by what is happening at home. Despite having above 60 percent educated people, unemployment poses an easy target to desperate and employed youths for these insurgent groups. The Indian government should not delay anymore to revive its erstwhile desperate efforts of bringing Manipur into mainstream India¾this time in building economy and maintaining peace before it collapses. The Center should start by removing the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 first¾the mother of all ills, lawlessness, and problems in Manipur¾the very Act that killed many innocent people, the very Act that deprives human rights, and the very Act that deprives the family of the deceased to seek justice in the court for the dear departed.

Television Reality Shows: Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega

Just as reality and fiction, although two separate things, are always fused together for debate and controversy, reality shows always draw ire from the public. It always remain questionable up to what extent these reality shows are real. The recent reality show Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega has caught the attention of both media and many women rights activists/organizations right from the beginning. They are crying for showing women in indecent manner in the show. Generally, viewers have doubts regarding reality shows, particularly swayamvar, thanks to Rakhi Ka Swayamvar—the first television swayamvar in the country in which our famous controversy’s best friend Rakhi Sawant was going to marry one of the contestants—which turned out to be fake. Viewers are doubtful whether Rahul Mahajan will really marry one of the contestants or end up doing what Rakhi did. Despite this, such shows win the heart of millions of viewers, ensuring the TRP rise. So, there has been a mushrooming of reality shows across television channels.

From the very beginning, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the information and broadcasting ministry to stop showing this program stating it portrays women in an indecent manner. These young girls find beautiful all these glamour and fashion things. And the most important one—appearing on the television. They are least concerned what is waiting ahead in their life, and no one ever imagines the impending effects of long-term trauma and depression they will undergo after this short stint of bubble glamour.

The show started promising. Rahul romances 15 beautiful girls who are short-listed from more than 16,000 applicants. Rahul said there is no any restriction on the basis of caste, religion, color, education, and age for the participants. It is right; the youngest participant is 19 and the eldest being 34. Wow, that’s sound great! Isn’t it? But, I wonder how there is not even a single widow or divorcee in the swayambar of a person who himself is a divorcee. Now and then, girls are eliminated. To make the show more interesting, two NRIs also have come to participate. I don’t know exactly how they came to know about this swayambar, whether they participate from their own end or were paid to participate. Let’s forget it.
Each episode shows Rahul wooing the girls in exotic locales. Sometimes, he will take the girls to boating in lake, sometimes on cable car, sometimes a drink on yacht, and sometimes on palace. The hearts of millions of viewers started beating stronger each day when the show is about to be over. There is no wonder when very few girls are left, those who gave only adjectives to Rahul from Day 1 left infinite negatives while bidding adieu after being eliminated. Wait, luxury and romance are not over yet. When the three finalists come to Mumbai to meet Rahul’s mother, he takes each of them for Mumbai Darshan—this time on the jet. This one is really romantic. Romance on the air! It makes Rahul join the league of Hollywood couple Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nair. Then, Rahul pays a visit to the home of each girl. By now, the curiosity of the viewers rises up, including me. Rahul got the best designers of the country to dress up these three girls. Also, he got the famous choreographer Saroj Khan to train them dance for the sangeet day. Things become larger than life each day. Eventually, Rahul Mahajan’s swayamvar becomes a really most-talked and big affair.

The judgment day arrived. The three brides along with their parents and relatives arrived the hotel where the wedding will be solemnized. They all are dressed up with their traditional marriage gown, and all pujas done. Here is the climax of the three-week-long bride hunt. Rahul will choose his life partner. Only one of the three girls will get lucky and be a winner. She will get all the attention of media and will become a celebrity kind.
But, what will happen to the other two. They set out from home telling everyone, “Today is my wedding day.” How will they cope up with the depression, shame, and the gossips of the society? The final day showed the three finalists standing together, and Rahul with a garland at hands to garland one of them whom he is going to marry. Imagine you go to fish market and taking time to decide which fish you will buy for dinner. Nothing can portray women more indecently that the way it does.
Most of the reality shows are women-centric—about love, marriage, and relationship. The objectification of women is rampant in these shows. It is not possible to go and ask everyone to stop screening of such shows, because they will talk about freedom. Spreading awareness across to highlight the consequences and pitfalls of such shows is a must. There should be a self-regulation, and the government must act on this now. It takes 14 years to clear the Women’s reservation bill after it was first tabled, that too amid stiff opposition and protests from male brigade. So far, the highest number of women participation in the Lok Sabha is 12 percent. So, 33 percent quota means 21 percent male politicians out of office. It is a real threat to male politicians, particularly who rely on caste and minority vote banks. It is no secret that we are a country where women are perceived physically, mentally, and practically inferior to men. So if some women help objectification of themselves just for the sake of glamour and money, then gender equality will remain a dream that will never enliven. It takes more than 60 years for the Indian women to secure one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. How many more decades will we wait to see this figure become 50:50?

Shah Rukh Khan–Shiv Sena Face-Off: Wake up Bollywood, Wake up India

Our news channels have been completely devoted to Shah Rukh Khan and Shiv Sena face-off for the past more than a week. In the country where film stars are worshipped as deities, the face-off between the country’s top movie star and an attention- and popularity-hungry sectarian group makes a great dish for the media and the public. Although the same news airs on every news channel 24 x 7, out thirst for more never dies down. This very same news has transformed a chartbuster that we love to listen over again and again. It is no secret that the popularity of Shiv Sena has waned and reached a new depth in Shiv Sena-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) popularity competition. The last few years have witnessed the rise of MNS and the subsequent falling down of Shiv Sena in popularity. As the bankrupt banks finally resorted to government help for rescue following financial crisis, Shiv Sena has been waiting for the right time and right target to attack that will help boost and shoot up its popularity to a new height. Both the Senas champion Marathi manoos and do everything to lead in this competition by turning unconstitutional—promoting violence, boycotting government recruitment examinations for making open to every Indian, beating couples for holding hands while sitting in the park, beating taxi drivers for speaking Hindi to passengers, and pelting stones to lovers who celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Before, they targeted India’s sporting icon master blaster Sanchin Tendulkar. They were hopeful to gain political mileage by taking on the country’s biggest and most-respected sports person. The whole country hit back Bal Thackeray in unison in support of Sachin. Contrary to what they presumed, their popularity hit the bottom line. Once bitten, twice shy. Then, they took on country’s richest person Mukesh Ambani. This time, they were very hopeful, but their hopes came crashing down on the mountainsides yet again. The two icons are targeted for being an Indian first. Their being an Indian first by living in Mumbai irks the Senas and their statement, “Mumbai belongs to every Indian,” does not digest well to the Sainiks. Then, the father-son duo took on to our future prime minister Rahul Gandhi. The battle of words ensued; Rahul came to Mumbai and dared the father and son. Shiv Sena could not digest well the very fact that Rahul Gandhi derailed them in its own soil.

Now, Shiv Sena is threatening the release of SRK’s most-awaited film My Name Is Khan until the latter retracts his statement supporting Pakistan players in the coming IPL-3. SRK sticks on his stand why he should apologize and what he will retract when he did not give any anti-national statement and hurt anyone. The whole country is eager to see who will back off first. Bal Thackeray is very hopeful that SRK will apologize since 35% of all India business for his movie will come from the Mumbai territory. The unexpected opposition and staying away of long-time partners the RSS and the BJP following this drama has left Shiv Sena more isolated. The Sena does not want this big opportunity give them a miss because the success to stop the screening of the year’s most-awaited film of the country’s biggest star will do half of their job. This will help them revive their political prospects. On the other side, why will Shah Rukh apologize when he is the youth icon and every Indian adores him as a role model? That too, when he did not do anything wrong. It is not new that celebrities have been the soft target of politics in our country to get political mileage. It is also equally true that film stars are wooed by political parties to help win election. Although film stars enjoy deity position, they go for lone battle when they are targeted. The film industry can’t face the threat of political parties due to the lack of leadership.

As a citizen of India, I have few questions in my mind: Is Mumbai not a part of India? Who is the real leader of Mumbai, ruling government or Shiv Sena? Of all the businesses run in Mumbai, how many percentage of them are run by Maharastrians? How many Mumbaikars support the Senas? Why does MNS remain keep quiet in this whole drama, even though both Shiv Sena and MNS champion Marathi manoos? Is there a taboo for the celebrity to exercise the freedom of speech, a right given by our constitution to every Indian? Will the marriage of politics and sports help improve the country’s impoverished state of sports?

As every liberal Indian to whom caste and religion do not matter much, I stand by the statement of SRK. When he said that Pakistani players should have got a slot in IPL-3 because they are the best, I find nothing unacceptable and derogatory in this statement. There is no denying that Pakistanis are the best T20 players because they are the defending champion. They should have been treated well. Now, we can ask: Why did not SRK bid for Pakistani players during the auction? Why was there a consensus among IPL teams not to pick up even a single Pakistani player? Were IPL team owners asked or threatened not to allow any neighbor’s players? I smell a rat in the last question. Shiv Sena showed displeasure to allow Pakistani players in Mumbai following the last year terrorist attack in Mumbai. It is the responsibility of the team owners to provide security of the game. Since most of the games will be played in Mumbai, it is quite natural that any franchise will not be ready to take chances when there is a question mark on the security of the game because millions of dollars are riding on the game. Are we never going to talk to our neighbor? Is sports meant to intensify friendship, cooperation, and love or to divide and yield hatred.

Now, we every Indian should stand by SRK and should not allow the sectarian groups to take the law of the land at their hands. Don’t assume but know the fact why MNS does not break silence and come out in open to support Shiv Sena when both of them believe and pursue for the same cause. It is time to wake up and say “NOT ANY MORE” to these sectarians who have been befooling innocent people to meet their selfish ends by promoting mayhem and violence. The time when criminal factors play a major role to win election is coming to an end. Bogus voting and booth capturing are also fast disappearing. Take anti-north/west/east/south Indian rhetoric as undemocratic and anti-Indian. The real loser of all these political maneuverings and chauvinistic agenda are common man. Today, people are more educated than before, and they want competent leaders---san crime records and black marks---to rule the country. The leader who can protect the minority but champions for the cause of India.

A Standstill Part of My Life

The time clock continues ticking
Caring no one around.
Looking nothing what is happening
As a dutiful and strict Master
Counting how much time has gone and left for each one.
While you are performing your strict duty
Even without stopping for a moment,
My life has become standstill.
Somewhere my own clock stops silently.
Suddenly, I was awaken to …
Love came and gone,
Good friends came and bid adieu.
Infatuation developed and disappeared.
Everything seems temporary.
And everybody came just to play their part,
No difference between dear ones, friends, and good friends,
Once done, they disappear without a trace.

We had many fun parts and enjoyed many good moments.
Those moments will become a memory,
Some shorter and some longer ones.
But one day, you will wash them all.
The fun parts will reduce each day
Until nostalgia and loneliness replace them all.
Only reminiscence and solitude will remain my company.
This is reality, and there is no escape from it.

Some have gone to the right place,
Some are struggling,
Some have surrendered to destiny.
And, I am hanging still in the middle,
Still searching my identity
Although I have lived more than one-third of my life,
I still continue dreaming that I started a decade ago.
While dreaming, I put labor aside,
Dreaming got complete freedom to prevail for decades,
There are many things that we don’t get even if we wish to,
So are many things we can’t turn into dreams if we wish to,
And can’t start everything afresh as new ones.

Now I am wise,
Have learnt what it takes to live,
And what it tends to leave in life.
Dear ones will come again once more,
There will be spring all over again san everlasting,
And will depart someday making life more nostalgic.
I will continue dreaming,
May be it will enliven someday.

The Confession

When things are so conspicuous, it becomes a hologram.
We have been playing this game for years.
Both know what the truth is,
But neither I had the strength to disclose it nor you are ready to recognize it.
You only began the game by just coming into my life.
Then, it was me who invented various techniques of the game.
Playing in the different tunes of the heart for the heart,
Somewhere, what the heart yearns for has become a departed soul.
You know only how to come but not leaving,
As you only know how to cast love but not acknowledging it.
I went up to the farthest distance of torture and grief.
I spent many nights playing with tears and dreaming.
My world has been rotating in your universe.
But it is just a part of the universe, and you have others to worry.
You never know how hard my heart was broken,
When I concealed my feelings when you asked me to tell the truth.
You never know how hard my heart was broken,
When I could not say "It's you", even when you insisted.
You never stop by to see my grief.
Why will you do it when I am the only one responsible?
My confidence was so high of our union,
I even did not dare to think that you will even once come into my life.
It was just a true one-sided love of an abnormal lover.
Death is unpredictable but certain,
But love is both unpredictable and uncertain.
Sometimes, the sun rises from the west when it is cloudy in the east.
Finally, there is a confession,
A thing that we mutually agreed to keep in secret for long.
Finally, there is a confession of a mutual feeling.
Finally, there is a confession of a mistrust mind to an insensitive heart.
How could I know both of us are pursuing the same goal?
The wait is over, and the confession is done.
We are ready to play our part,
And rewrite the history of love.
But understandably, the script was written already.

The Death

Why does the fear of death always hound me?
Each day, more and more blankets of darkness cover my life,
But, it never blocks my mind to forget time is running out fast.
Suddenly, mind wakes up shedding all fears and constraints.
Strong soul backfired pains and betrayals,
And riding high for the love ones.
Every moment is a big challenge between life and destiny.
Though discriminated and weakened, it always strikes back,
Though alienated and illusioned, it always returns to sense.
May the destiny controls my goals but never destroys my tryst,
Until this ultimatum conquers my mind.

Once it rings its bells, the mind that shakes everything is shaken.
Do I do the justice by fighting too much with the destiny?
Is it fair to torture this tired body and mind?
What victory will I boast for defeating the destiny?
Everything will be taken away by this monster.
The unwavering mind wanes hearing his name.
Even the destiny who has another plan for my every will has no
Another plan for this monster.
He is also very kind to me as to others for this Guest.
He makes mockery of my love, struggle, and trust;
Making them just an illusion.

What will the reputation and wealth do after death?
I want them when I am alive.
I don't live to be remembered; I live to remember.
Why living when love ones are gone?
What will be left after death for which I can be proud of?
Destiny, you are just nothing!
I can face you but not Mr. Death.
It just shakes my life and shanks my will power below zero degree.
His power is so strong that even this short-living is made nonliving.
When everybody knows that they can't live more than hundred years,
Uncertainty and darkness prevail everywhere.
You just come and take everything along with you whenever you like.
The fear of untimely death darkens every ray of hope.

What do you think of yourself, you idiot?
Can't you even be little good to let us live our guaranteed years in peace.
Are our souls so cheap?
Is this the way you rule the world?
Who will spend sleepless night if they fear that they may die tomorrow?
I need time to achieve something
But you make blur of it,
And unleash unending fears and darkness.
Why don't you knot with destiny, and leave humans in peace,
There are other living beings in other planets also,
Who are far knowledgeable and powerful.
You are no longer welcome as it was always before.
Please leave us alone.
Free our live from the game of dice.
Please allow us to live for what we perspire.

Valentine’s Day

Life was not beautiful but full of dreams.
Happiness was all around
And there were new buds in every stem.
All pains were vaccinated by new love,
Sorrows renewed by new hopes.
Somewhere, slowly but surely, life started compensated from long misery.
Spring has set its foot eventually after a long break.

In the peak of spring, When everything was blooming, glowing and shining,
A new stem developed from nowhere in my heart.
The proud owner of the full bloom rose seemed more interested at the new bud.
Where there is happiness at one side,
Equally, there is dream at the other side.

The season collided with Valentine’s Day.
If not in spring, when will the beautiful things come?
The yet to bloom bud whispered at me
“Happy Valentine’s Day!
Though this is nothing to us,
There are many people celebrating this day,
Thinking as a special day”
I suddenly started paying attention to her.

All of a sudden, spring disappeared abruptly from the garden.
The cloud of betrayal and pretension darkened my garden.
Even the new bud started feeling reluctant to bloom in my garden.
How will she shine proudly in the garden of darkness and shame?
When I had moved out too far to return, she always found time to go back.

Exactly after one year, I whispered the same note to her
“Happy Valentine’s Day!
Though this is nothing to us,
There are many people celebrating this day,
Thinking as a special day.”
Where intolerance is there, memory is so short.
She has forgotten the sweet note that she whispered at me.
Words bridged two hearts when they feel for each other,
The same words infringe somebody’s modesty when the feeling is not reciprocated.
The same words she said become an insult to her when she can’t remember it.


Even believing becomes forceful that her head was resting on my shoulder,
And her tender hand on my lap.
The moment of complete silence and departure of mind from thinking anything,
It was the moment when only two persons lived in this earth.
Even the white doves are not as sweet as we were.
No distance can take away that memory far.
Neither time nor betrayal can dwindle that sweet moment.
The shortest moment was powerful enough to last for a lifetime.

When there was love, infatuation makes everything sweet,
Where there is intolerance, everything turns bitter.
It is hard to imagine that how relationships change when darkness falls.
When her words changed from worrying “Are you ok?”
To callous “What is the problem with you?”
That marked the sunset of our relationship.

It takes only four months to change a season,
Somewhere I have forgotten that it is one year from one Valentine’s Day to the next Valentine’s Day.
Then why do I wonder when I saw a change in her.
A meeting for two moment, and eternity of memories.
The head that once rested on my shoulder and face that shone on my eye,
Reincarnates into memory that rests forever in the heart.
But somewhere, the owner forgot her words,
And the return of the lost treasure doesn’t incite her.
I wish she could remember what she had said.

The Wish

Days and years passed by since we met and parted;
But the ordeal continues and the destiny is leading.
Many sleepless nights have gone.
Countless moments of agony and pain disappeared without a trace.
But the perennial tears still water every new pain and distress.
The thought of incessant love for you always troubles me;
But the belief that I won’t get you ever consoles me.
The pain why I can’t let you know always haunts me,
But weakness has found an excuse in destiny.
My inside always asks me why I don’t get you.
Sometimes, a question does not have any answer, only reality prevails.

For everything, I never repent for the hunger of the heart.
Thinking of you is enough to feed me for each day.
Remembering you is all that makes me feel alive.
There are laughter and hopes when dreaming of you.
But a stream of tears overflows from reality when wake up.
I want to think of you as much as I can until it explodes my brain.
It is my source of reconciling the trials of destiny and attaining nirvana.
Nothing is more peaceful than to die for the loved one.
There is only “I Wish” for everything I want in our love.
But the thought of living and thinking in you always consoles me.
Sometimes, I think to ask you what I should be to get you,
But the thought that the union of minds overpowers the unison of bodies consoles me.

Every wait has an end,
But there are only eternal dreaming and perennial tears in my love.
Still, I don’t have any remorse as all I want is to drug my every nerve with your thought,
Where I could see you smiling and hold my hand every moment.
And touch my lips when tears roll down from my eyes.
All I wish is to see you shedding a tear drop on my face when I die.
It will extinguish the thousand fires of hell,
And keep me from thirst in the day long work there.
My heart only seeks for renouncing the world on some beautiful day,
To start a long voyage in the ocean of your eternal love until it submerges forever.

As usual, destiny has the other plan even for my silent and unexpressed love also.
He restricts the freedom to think and weep for you.
When I like to bid adieu to everyone, I have many to look after.
When I want to dig my grave in your heart,
Somebody is dying for me openly.
My hopes and thinking are clipped everywhere.
But for everything, I don’t repent.
Because if there is anything in my empty brain, it is your thought.
My dark life is always bright inside your thought.
Your remembrance always accompanies me in hell and heaven.

A bunch of sweet mistakes in life

I have come to this earth.
A mistake!
To experience hard childhood and poverty.
The joy of the happy family was curtained just after the trailer,
And left to suffer the bliss of broken family at the right time of life.
The more I knew about others, the more mixed feelings I endured.
The more I opened my eyes, the more hardships I saw.
Experienced the life of homeless at the unwelcome place in the early life.

I went to school.
A mistake!
Perpetual tears on my little eyes and headache for mama for tuition fees and clothing.
Failure in exam, and swelling hands for being the constant companion of teachers’ cane.
Gifted shame and tears to mama for the sacrifice of her hard-earned money before others.

I had determined to become a good student.
A mistake!
Brought a moment of happiness to my parents for regaining the lost hopes.
A part for the pursuit of reputation and setting big goal in life,
And poverty was given the backstage.
Soon, many sleepless nights and tears in hostel,
And many nights without dinner at home followed.


I had grown up and fallen in love.
A mistake!
A moment of caring for none and ruling the world.
Got inspirations and enjoyed overflows of water for the desert river.
A companion to give strength for the hungry night, and smile for tears.
I never realized one day I had to pay a heavy price of my poverty.
Her hundred promises and my immortal love died suddenly in one betrayal.
Trust for love dried up somewhere in the valley of disgusts and betrayals.

I got a job.
A welcoming mistake!
There were no more nights that passed away without dinner.
A long era of window shopping had gone by.
Where there was enough food and rest at one side,
Stress and dissatisfaction of work stabbed me all the time.
When I touched the stars, the heart cried for the moon.

I was falling in love again.
A mistake!
The long drought was lover.
The lost faith redeemed again and the cuts of betrayals healed.
The happiness and trust that lost five years back were back.
But the joy did not last for long.
When you thought you can’t live without somebody, she would be taken away for sure.
When I was lonely, an eternal loneliness prevailed,
With perfect serenity and zero interference from anybody.
When I found my savior, another savior appeared.
Both equally strong, and my heart was floating in between.
Each day, when my heart slowly submerged to the nearer,
Equal amount of pain and tears was shedding for the distant one.
The more I got closer to the other,
My heart was resting more for the departed.
Cutting the heart into two equal pieces, and mourned for the unseen every moment.

I got married.
A mistake!
I was an actor, a masquerader playing different roles.
Playing a faithful husband for the faithful wife at one scene,
And a heartbroken, melancholic lover at the other part.
Smiled during the day with tearful eyes followed in the night.
Everything was bright and beautiful until dark.
Unfaithful mind was taking shelter behind the curtain of smiling face.
Paying every moment the price for marrying somebody while loving someone else.

I am dying.
A big mistake!
He has already written new plots and the actor is dying.
Plots will not be wasted; another actor will be chosen.
Living in separation from the heart without any reflection of gloom was the most difficult role.
I want to be a legend of this play, and won’t like handover the bastion to someone.
No one should play this role any further.
But the script has written and the old actor is dying.
Someone has to be chosen to succeed me.