Dash of Truth

10 Commandments: Don’t Do These Things While In Goa

2015-06-14T19:50:00.001-07:00

Source:
10 Commandments: Don’t Do These Things While In Goa
http://ift.tt/1BcyxRA
Thou shalt read and remember this!

Change is here..!

2014-05-18T22:47:00.001-07:00

Not once in last 10 years have I seen such an exhilaration and jubililiation being expressed in a single day across all strata and classes.

I voted for Narendra Modi and thankfully my vote didn't go to waste. I believe that all this hoopla

over him is not a media created frenzy or political fervor or simply an expression of anguish against Congress. On the contrary, it is purely based on his stellar performance and credentials. I don't know whether any of you guys have been to Gujarat, but trust me, Mr.Modi has transformed it like anything. From a state once in shambles and recovering from earthquake and bloody riots to a fledgling economy with foreign and domestic investments of more Rs 80000 crore, he has simply transformed it beyond recognition.

As far as the next 5 years are concerned, a change is imminent, just hoping that it is for good.

Reverse Tether an Android

2012-05-18T03:01:00.001-07:00

Tethering is the ability to share Phone’s Internet connection (GPRS or 2G) with PC. Reverse tethering is the opposite. It allows for sharing of Desktop’s/Laptop’s Internet connection with an Android phone over USB.
Using ADBTools, it is very easy to enable reverse tethering in Android Phones (Gingerbread and above).

Root the Android Phone (Follow this link for step by step procedure for "rooting" of Android phones - http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-root-android-2-3-gingerbread-using-gingerbreak/ )
Download ADB Tools from the following link - http://depositfiles.com/files/ll7argiq0
Run AndroidTool.exe
Connect the "rooted" Android device. Ensure that the Debugging mode is enabled on the phone.
The device should be listed in "Select a device" dialog box.
Select DNS Server (Preferably use Google's Public DNS servers: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)
Click on Connect
The device will prompt for granting Super Access to the tunneling application
ADB Tools application should show status as Connected
Internet is now enabled on your phone

Kindly note that some applications like Google Play will not work, as USB tunneling utilities like ADB Tool cannot simulate a GPRS or a Wi-Fi connection.

Cartoon Wars !!

2012-05-14T11:13:00.001-07:00

11th May, 2012 : Politicians create an uproar in parliament over a cartoon featuring Dr. Ambedkar. This cartoon depicts Dr. Ambedkar in a manner which is supposedly demeaning to the father of the Indian constitution. HRD minister is forced to apologize. A group of youths belonging to RPI, ransack the office of an ex-member on board of NCERT, which is responsible for publishing the cartoon. All parties unanimously claim that, this cartoon is a big blow on the image of Dr. Ambedkar.

13th May, 2012 : We celebrate 60th anniversary of Parliament and Parliamentary form of democracy. The same politicians go ga-ga over how we are one of the very few surviving democracies in the world, in spite of being a multicultural society and how we should uphold the freedom of expression to preserve democratic principles.

Irony at its very best!

Political satires have been mainstream since times immemorial. We have had great artists like R.K Laxman, Shankar, who have made us look at the unattractive world of politics with humor-tinted glasses. We even have had politicians who take a dig at other politicians and governments through their caricatural masterpieces. Then what was so offending about this particular cartoon (in which Dr Ambedkar is merely shown sitting on a turtle named "Constitution" with a whip in his hand) that made our revered politicians go berserk? Was it

Their love for the Constitution
Their undying affection and respect for Dr Ambedkar (which the cartoon had nothing to do with)
Playing the card of caste politics

You obliviously don't need to be a rocket scientist to answer that.

Using the names of iconic figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, etc, for petty personal gains is an art that our current politicians have attained a mastery in. Its a matter of utter regret and shame that, they have not realized the vision of modern India that these great leaders had dreamt about. Our founding fathers had envisioned a country, that, is free from all socio-economic barriers; is free from social evils like fascism, fundamentalism, authoritarianism that plague the society; takes into consideration views and opinions of all its people, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion and is self-sustaining economy where no countryman sleeps hungry. This was the very same reason why it took such a long time for an intellectual personality like Dr. Ambedkar to frame our constitution. He wanted to incorporate all of the above and much more. He wanted a state where a person, dalit, under-privileged or otherwise, can live amicably and prosper; a community where woman, children and old are all treated equally with honor and respect; a society where a person is not “identified” by his last name and a country where every Indian puts his nation and its people before self. This is exactly what the cartoon along with its sub-titles was implicitly intending to portray. But, leave it to our genius politicians to misinterpret it, twist it and weave a story to ignite mass sentiments.

To cut a long story short, in a modern day India, all it takes is a facetious cartoon for all our politicians to unite and raise their voice in protest. On the other hand, acts involving money laundering, million dollar scams, corruption, land grabbing, terrorism etc, are all perspicaciously brushed beneath the carpet.

Sometimes, I wonder, if Dr. Ambedkar (or any of our great freedom fighters) would have been alive today! Would he be more angry on the cartoon or deeply worried about the saddened state of current leadership of this nation? A nation, which he loved so immensely and wanted it to be one of the greatest and fledgling democracies of all time.

Technorati Tags: Politics,Cartoon,Ambedkar Cartoon controversy

Paradise…

2012-05-06T11:46:00.001-07:00

Aesthetic, pleasing, mesmerizing, charming; no matter whichever adjectives you use, words will always fall short to describe the beauty of Palolem Beach. Tucked away in southern tip of Goa, this arc shaped slice of sandy strip is every beach lover's ecstasy. Its has its own vibe of elegance and classiness that attracts tourists every year from all over the world.

It was a love at first sight, when I first visited Palolem beach in Jan,2012. The vast stretches of the silver beach, tranquil atmosphere, pristine white sand, the calmness and serenity of the waves, palm groves popping out from the shore and colorful shacks dotting the coastline created the most perfect and picturesque landscape; something I thought existed only in a dream. I regretted the fact that I got to spend just one night in Palolem. This was the precisely why I was desperate to revisit this slice of heaven.

I made my second trip to Palolem in April, 2012. It was certainly not going to be an ad-hoc trip like the earlier one was. On the contrary, it was a 3 nights/4 days long excursion, all of which, I was to spend in Palolem.This time, I had researched and planned each minute of my trip. I wanted to experience everything that this place had to offer (I have given a detailed itinerary at the end of this article). Previously, we had stayed at Sai Valentine, which is located on the northern part of the beach. This stretch is considered to be more family-oriented, with most of the restaurants closing down by 11:00 PM. This time we opted for the southern side, which apparently appeals to the party types (considering that most of the bars here have a 24*7 license to serve alcohol). After few weeks of online research and multiple mail conversations later, we finalized upon Camp San Fransisco as our choice of stay for the trip. The owner of the shack, Mr. Joseph was prompt in responding to all our queries on the phone. He even helped us by suggesting few Do’s and Dont’s after arriving in Madgaon and tips on haggling with cabbies for Madgaon-Palolem fare.

Our shack, was a sea facing AC hut with en-suite bathroom. As power supply is a huge problem in Palolem (with power cuts for as long as 4-5 hours in a day), the AC hut was fitted with stabilizer which allowed for an uninterrupted power supply (there was a timer which cut of AC after a fixed duration of time; this allowed for AC to be run at periodic intervals throughout the day, keeping the room sufficiently cooled, without any worries of long power outages). The interiors were decent, bed sheets were clean, bed and pillows were soft. The toilet was much better than the one at Sai Valentine (especially, since it also had a jet).

The bed had a mozzie net, which was intact and not torn (our previous experience regarding mosquito net had been horrible).
This was a relief as mosquitoes can be a huge problem in Palolem (especially during summer).

The best part about these shacks was that, they were located 3 meters above the ground, thus providing an unparalleled view of the beach.

One could literally gaze at the vast expanse of the Arabian sea with blue waters spanning all along the horizon.

Camp San Fransisco also offers Sea Facing Non AC huts and Papaya Garden facing huts.

Given below is the trip log for 3 nights/4 days which I spent in Palolem. I have also tried to include review for some of the restaurants, I visited during my stay:

Day 1:

1:00 PM : Check-in at CSF, Palolem (and have a chilled beer to kick start the vacation!)

2:00 PM : Lunch at The Dylan’s (tender chicken steak and an awesome Banoffee pie; Prawns salad is avoidable)

5:30 PM : Swim – Palolem beach

8:00 PM : Sameer Restaurant (must try is a Fish sizzler)

9:00 PM : Silent Noise Party at the Neptune Point in southern most end of Palolem beach (its a sin to miss this party when in Palolem – the birth place of Silent Noise Disco)

Day 2:

10:00 AM : Hire a Scooterette (Do not pay for anything more than Rs 200. Ensure that, you are carrying an additional photo ID apart from the Driving license)

10:15 AM : Breakfast at Cafe Inn (located at the back side of Palolem bus stand on the main street, this place is a hidden gem. The deli sandwiches and tortilla wraps were perfect and served with authentic sour cream.

Watermelon Juice and Mint Ice Tea was fresh and soothing. The staff is local and trained to a very high degree of service. The atmosphere is friendly, relaxing and warm. Café Inn serves amazing coffee and coffee slush from a real Italian coffee machine. Undoubtedly, one of the best cafe/restaurants in Palolem.)

11:00 PM : Visit to Cabo-de-Rama fort (Not much is known about who built the fort, but legend has it, that Lord Rama and Sita took an abode here, during their years of exile from Ayodhya.


The fort now lies in ruins, but the panoramic view of the Canacona sea coast makes it a must visit)

12:30 PM : Visit to Cola Beach (Finding this beach is like finding a lost treasure.

Though the beach is not safe for swimming during summers, the adjoining fresh water lagoon makes up for the loss)

1:00 PM : Visit to Agonda beach

(a relatively younger cousin of Palolem, this beach is less crowded and has limited food and stay options than its southern counterpart)

1:30 PM : Lunch at Patnem beach (This beach is comparatively rougher than Palolem but attracts a swish crowd. It has plethora of BnB options, thus making it similar to Palolem on many fronts).

For lunch, we had Stir fry prawns and Goan fish curry at Casa Fiesta, Patnem. The stir fry was perfectly done with hint of tanginess of the soya sauce. The Goan fish curry was bland with no visible tinge of spiciness that is expected from a Goan fare. Other options for foodies include The Papayas, The Home and Cuba)

4:00 PM : Visit to Rajbagh beach (Nothing much to see here, as the entire beach stretch is owned by a private five star hotel. However, we did manage to click few snaps of the Talpona river located at the end of the road)

6:00 PM : Drop off the Scooterette (Make sure to collect Photo IDs submitted with the bike rental shop)

10:00 PM : Dinner at Casa Feista, Palolem (This is one place which you can clearly strike off your itinerary. A clear sham in the name of authentic Mexican food, they serve, what you can call, an Indianised-Mexican fare. The nachos were nothing more than fried maida (plain flour) and tacos were maida roti stuffed with vegetables and chicken.

Heck, they even served Rajma chaval under the name of fried beans and rice. Avoid at all cost)

Day 3:

8:00 AM : Breakfast at Ciaran’s (This place is undoubtedly a five star as far as beach huts are concerned. However, there are very limited options when it comes to breakfast)

9:00 AM : Kayaking in Palolem (Per hour charges for a two-seater kayak ranges from Rs 200 – Rs 300 per hour. Knowing how to swim and life jackets are mandatory pre-requisites before indulging in any water sport. Avoid kayaking after mid-April, as sea may tend to get a bit rough)

1:00 PM : Lunch at Camp San Fransisco (We had one of the best meal of the trip at CSF. Chicken Cafriel with Roti (Indian bread) and Fish curry with Rice was as perfect as an authentic Goan fare could get. Highly recommended)

4:00 PM : Trek to Columb Hill (This is the southern most tip of the Palolem beach. From here one can have a panoramic view of the entire Palolem stretch. A visual treat for photography aficionados)



6:00 PM : Sunset drink at Boom Shankar (this restaurant tucked away in Columb hill has a sunset view to die for. Strawberry Daiquiri is a must try)

8:00 PM : Shopping in Palolem market (there is a plethora of artifacts, handicrafts, hand bags, apparels, masalas and flavored tea leaves that can be bought. Be ready to bargain. If possible, do buy one of the exquisite hand crafted chillums)

10:00 PM : Dinner at the Cuba (Famous for cocktails; Bloody Mary, Cosmo and Margaritas are a must try. Avoid Pin-a-colada as the cream may not be fresh. The Italian fare is also delectable)

Day 4:

7:00 AM : Fishing trip (Local fishermen will take you on a fishing trip to nearby Honeymoon beach. If you are lucky enough, you might as well catch some small fishes. However, if you are not so lucky, you may end up catching some weird sea creatures like eels and sea urchins!)

10:00 AM : Breakfast at Smuggler’s Inn (A Palolem institution, this restaurant has a fan following of its own. It has a typical British feel to it, with interiors resembling that of London pub. It has an extensive menu to chose from with cuisines ranging from English, Mexican and Indian. We had chicken burger and French toasts with honey. The food was delicious and mixed fruit juice was tasty and filling.


Off topic, but worth mentioning is the in-restaurant toilet. It has got the cleanest toilet amongst other restaurants in Palolem.

1:00 PM : Lunch at Magic Italy (A must try for Italian food lovers. It serves mouthwatering and scrumptious pastas, pizzas and other Italian favorites)

3:00 PM : Explore the north end of Palolem beach (This side has classic shacks like Sundowner Cafe, Ordo Sounsar, Dreamcatcher and Cozy Nook. This side also has the famous inland creek which cuts inside the northern end. During low tides, one can even walk along the shore to Canacona Island).

6:00 PM : Depart from Palolem

I could not believe the fact that my 4 days and 3 nights of blissful solace had ended, no sooner than it had began. Leaving Palolem was easily the most toughest thing to do!
Finally, I hope Palolem retains the beauty and rawness that it already has instead of succumbing to the perils of heavy influx of tourists: too much commercialism, over-development, noise and littering. I don't want it to be just like another Baga or Calangute. I hope Palolem continues to remain, Palolem.

As for me, I'll keep returning to this heavenly abode, for as long as I possibly can. In me, Palolem has found an admirer, for life.
Tips:

Be ready to bargain at all places, especially with vendors, rikshawallahs, cabbies, bike rental etc
Carry a hand sanitizer at all times
Only drink bottled water
Don't trust anyone with valuables and important documents
If possible, book a room before arriving on the beach. The locals might take you for a ride otherwise
Stock on cash as cards are not accepted. The nearest ATM is 3 kms away.
In case you hire a bike, fill up the gas at the nearest petrol pump (about 5 kms away from Chaar Rasta). Petrol sold at local shops is twice the authorized rate. There is also the possibility of the petrol being adulterated.
Don’t Litter. We are equally responsible for preserving the beauty of Palolem. Help the locals keep the beach and its surroundings clean.
Enjoy responsibly

Technorati Tags: Beach,Palolem Beach,Palolem Beach review,Palolem Itinerary,Camp San Fransisco,South Goa,Goa Itinerary

An hour at the Hair Dresser

2011-06-11T20:38:00.001-07:00

No matter how early you wake up or no matter how early you reach the salon, there will always be a queue of at least 10 people waiting ahead of you. But sitting there, waiting for your turn gives enough time to ponder on things which you never get time to think upon. Things that you may have knowingly or unknowingly done or things which you may want to do or achieve in the near future.

Why does life have to be so complicated? Why is it a mystic journey with path full of wicked twists and unexpected u-turns? Why does this puny brain is left to think of so much; Career, Money, Parents, Relatives, Job? And midst all this humdrum, where does a person find time for thinking about himself? Thinking about own's happiness, sorrows, thoughts, dreams, hopes, likes, dislikes.

To think about it, waiting for an hour at the Salon does not seem to be that bad after all. At least you can dedicate that one hour for yourself. No one to bother you, no one to bug you and no one to hinder you with annoyances, vexes or unwanted irascibility. But to figure out the mystery behind a happy and a contented life, I think i'll need many such hours at my local hair dresser.

My turn's here...adios !!

My New Hobby !!

2011-05-21T07:30:00.001-07:00

Circa 2009 - “I will never ride a bike again in my life”

These were the exact words iterated by me when I dashed my friend’s bike against a signboard while he was teaching me how to ride. Back in college, friends used to make fun of me when I couldn’t even kick start a bike. To top it all, I used to justify this by saying

“Arey hum Mumbai waalon ko kya karna hai Bike ka…We have a Rs. 2 million worth of personal mode of transport for daily commute (read Train). Why spend a bomb on bike, its maintenance and petrol !!”

Circa 2011 - “I can never stop riding a bike ever”

From vowing to never ride a bike to finding petty instances for riding a bike, it has indeed been a strange journey. Ironically, it all started from the day I lost my license.

Since I was pretty confident of my “riding” skills, I preferred not to buy a bike and go for an Activa instead. Sweet, simple, fuss-free and easy to ride. It couldn’t get any simpler than this. However one freak mishap and it made me lose my license for 6 months. It took me some time to recover from the shock, but I thought, heck, why not make use of this time and try giving learning the bike one more chance! And that is how it all began.

I started learning on Yamaha RX 100, still a cult favorite amongst many. Being light in weight, it helped me quickly recover in case I lost balance or put in the wrong gear or accidently over-rev the vehicle. I realized that those few months of riding an Activa helped a lot as it made me familiar with basics of 2 wheelers like balancing, acceleration, braking etc as well as riding in a real environment under real traffic conditions. And no sooner than I knew it, I was riding a bike, all by myself. A week of practice and I was ready for the real test; riding in my local market on a Sunday at a rush hour between 7:00-8:00 PM. Kalwa’s market is a dreaded place where few newbie driver’s dare to tread. Its a place swarming with shoppers where no amount of incessant honking can budge them to make way for any vehicle. Instead of keeping eyes on the road, the shoppers are busy looking at groceries, vegetables and many other wares sold by a horde of vendors doting the road side. Somehow, I did manage to get past them, without bumping into anyone, without knocking anything over and always ensuring that engine doesn’t turn off due to improper clutch-gear positioning or low power due to lesser acceleration. That was it; I had successfully overcome my fear of riding a Bike and unknowingly I had made myself an obsessive fanatic of this wonderful world of Bikes and Bikers.

I got myself a white TVS Apache RTR 180 in December, 2010 and have never looked back since. I have also registered myself on XBHP, a one stop portal for all your biking needs, queries and much more. Now onwards, this blog will also feature travelogues of all the trips which I make on my Bike along with pictures and travel tips.

A million thanks to Akash for putting his life on stake and teaching me how to ride and to Nikhil for lending me his RX 100. Due credit to Sujit as well for trusting me with his Apache whenever I asked for.

To summarize, the below mentioned adage says it all,

Its One Life, so Live it and Its One World, so See it

Cheers to this new found love. Keep riding !

Marathi ZooZoo

2010-05-09T00:38:00.001-07:00

Ekdum Jhakkaaaaaaaass!!!!!!!!

What an Essay!!

2010-05-07T10:57:00.001-07:00

An essay written on INDIAN COW by a candidate appearing for IAS exam. This was published in the Marathi daily news paper - Loksatta

Forts of Maharashtra

2010-05-03T09:27:00.001-07:00

Original Article: http://indumol.livejournal.com/47020.html

These forts are truly a feat of an engineering marvel and an ode to one of the greatest warriors in the history of India, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Janjira

Alibaug

Arnala

Lohagad

Pratapgad

Purandar

Raigad

Suvarnadurg

Some others

Jai Maharashtra!

A much needed Outing

2010-04-11T12:30:00.001-07:00

3rd April 2010; it was the day I was waiting for. After an array of cajoling, coaxing and persuasion, we finally managed to gather a flock of 6 people who were ready for a weekend road trip. The location - “West Palm Beach Resort” in Vasai.

Vasai (Marathi: वसई) or Bassein is a historical town in the city of Mumbai in the Maharashtra state of India.

It is located in Thane District, 50 km north of Mumbai. The city is located on the north bank of Vasai Creek, part of the estuary of the Ulhas River. Vasai is famous for its historical fort and vast expanse of beaches. The West Palm Beach Resort is located on 5 acres of landscaped greenery. It is flanked with thick vegetation at the back and the famous Merces Beach by its side.In short, a perfect spot for a nice weekend getaway.

We left Thane at 4:00 in the evening. Myself, Nikhil, Vaibhav and Akhil decided to go on our bikes while Yogesh and Sachin agreed to come by Diwa-Vasai local. We reached the resort by 9 in the night. The place was bubbling with weekenders; guys like us (whose sole purpose was Drinking, drinking and more drinking), girls only group (it was our lucky day!!!) and families. The night was spent in boozing (a whole lot of it), pulling each others legs (a must after during every drinking session), and drooling on the girls/ladies who were present in the resort.

The next day scenes were right out of the Hangover movie. Vaibhav was the most stoned amongst all. Few rugby style huddles were required to awaken everyone from their slumber.

A night of incessant drinking had made us all pretty hungry and the first thing we did was have a hearty breakfast.

The lush 5 acres of greenery offered some scenic vistas for clicking pictures. The owner of the resort had a picturesque house of his own which looked like straight out of a fairy tale.

We could have snapped in some more photos but the sweltering heat was taking its toll on us. The in-house pool started to look more tempting than ever. Without any further ado, we jumped right into it. We spent almost 3-4 hours but it all seemed like an instant. To add to the festivities, there was a Rain dance and DJ Session too. The crowd started swaying to some of the hit Marathi numbers belted by the DJ.

The highlight was Yogesh’s unique belly dance/robotic moves a la Shakira.

Overall it was an afternoon well spent.

A light lunch and a quick nap later it was time for us to leave. It was indeed the much needed respite from the humdrums of the daily office life.

How I wished we could all do it every weekend!!!

Sasin does a Pande

2010-03-09T09:25:00.001-08:00

Original Author: Akash Jadhav

“What began as a pleasent day for the teams, ended as a nightmare for one particular player -Sasin Salian aka 'hagrya'. The beginning of the day was pleasant because of absence of Sujit Nimkar at the field who had given worst performance for the last two weeks. His absence meant that the other players were going back to their playing ways. A comment by Nikhil Salian

“Aaj Sujit nahi aya hai toh sab barabar football khel payenge"

says it all. But that was not going to be the way.

Sasin wanted to be the striker even after his manager Akash was against it.Bt as usual he didn't take him seriously and played at that position, a decision he will regret for his life. In 1st game he missed 2 chances but den everybody does. So Akash thought of giving him another chance by signing him up for 'Manpasand FC' and he disappointed his manager and team by giving up the ball at the kickoff which was converted into a goal. Then the passed the ball to his opponent while his whole team was in the other teams half and had a chance of goal for themselves.And den came the worst experience for Sasin. He stole the ball from opponent to find an open goal. He took the ball near it and shot it wide off the goal which must have been miles away from the post.The whole team was mad by now and the opponents were enjoying this comedy football. The fans booed and booed. The scene resembled to Amay Pandes miss few weeks ago who was beaten up by his own teammates den. A treat for the opponents and agony for teammates and fans. Worst performance by anyone in the history of football.”

A trek to "Cypress"

2009-08-05T07:14:00.001-07:00

After lengthy discussions for finalizing a trekking spot (which went around for days!), one of my friend came up with a very hysterical suggestion; "Lets go to Cypress"! Hysterical, because of from what I had heard, it was a place near Mulund (A Mumbai Suburb), where young and just-in-college couples came to do their "thing". However, not once did it cross my mind that, it was an excellent trekking spot. Naturally, I was reluctant at first to wake up at 7 in the morning on a Sunday to see juvenile yokes making out in open. However, persistent requests and a few death threats later, I finally relented to drag myself along. Now, when I look back upon the entire experience, I have only one thing to ask myself; How wrong could I be!!!

The day started at 8 (that is the least you can expect people will start coming when you ask them to come at 7) in the morning. The foothill of Cypress was a half hour drive from our place. No sooner did the trek began than we were lost. All we could see was a 10 feet wall bordering the entire area. Some of the daredevils amongst us decided to climb over, while some Gandhian's protested. Finally, when we all crossed the wall, we noticed that there was a small opening in the wall some 200 meters away which was used by most of the people to go across! Then came the tough part, the Climb Uphill. The hill was a dangerous mix of jagged rocks, slippery slopes and lose mud. Halfway through the trek, some of our "Nawabi" team members had already given up any hope of climbing further. But that hope was rejuvenated when a flock of energetic (and good-looking!) female trekkers zipped past us. 45 minutes and a lot of cribbing later, we finally managed to reach the top! And that is when it felt like it was all worth it! Contrasting view of Vihar lake nestled amongst lush green Sahyadri hills on one side and towering skyline of Mulund and Thane on the other was enough to render anyone mesmerized. Seeing the dissonant existence of concrete forest vis-a-vis an authentic forest evoked a bemused image of how would have Mumbai turned up to be had it not been for such a wanton felling of trees for human settlement. Lying down on the grass, gazing upon the gently passing clouds above with tranquil and cool breeze blowing against you; the only thought which raced through our mind was, Is this how it must be to be in heaven? We spent 1 hour on the peak, but it felt like only few minutes had passed by.

(i) Towering Mulund Skyline (ii) Vihar Lake (iii) Mission Accomplished

A few quick snaps and we were ready to start our downward journey. Our climb downstairs was the funniest part of the entire trip, with people slipping, climbing and swinging on trees and masquerading for picture in the most weirdest poses imaginable.

Once at the foothill, we had a hearty breakfast, a "chai" and a "sutta" to conclude one of the most remarkable and memorable trek of my life.

Celebrity of the Year - Ajmal Amir Kasab

2009-07-27T12:18:00.001-07:00

Just glance at the number of pages listed by Google Search for each of the following "celebrities":

Sachin Tendulkar: 1,720,000
Shahrukh Khan: 2,980,000
Akshay Kumar: 2,270,000
Madhuri Dixit: 1,040,000
Ajmal Amir Kasab: 6,290,000

If one goes by Google's Listings, there will be no doubt who the bigger celebrity amongst them is! All thanks to our glorious Indian Judicial System and a babbling Media, Kasab has become nothing short of a famous figure. And all it to took for him to achieve this "feat" was callous killing of 200 people at random, including some of the finest officers Mumbai Police had ever seen! Almost 9 months have passed since that dreaded incident occurred, but Mr Kasab is still languishing in our jail, scoffing off our (Indian) food and is being provided a high-level security cover, all of which is paid for by the Indian taxpayer, who ironically happened to be Mr Kasab's prime target! It cannot get any outrageous than this.

One thing that distresses me the most is, why are our politicians and bureaucrats not able to distinguish between a Criminal and a Terrorist. Kasab is not some petty hoodlum who has robbed a bank or has run over a bunch of napping slum dwellers. He has waged a war against the nation! Just like Chechen rebel Movsar Barayev led gunmen did when they attacked Moscow Theater killing 129 hostages or like the Black September members did when they wiped out the entire Israeli team during Munich Summer Olympics of 1972. But, what happened eventually? The chechen terrorists were put to death while the Black September members were hunted down and bumped off. No court room dates, no witnesses required, no prolonged trial; just plain, simple and well served justice.

On the contrary, in India, it has become a ritual to harbor terrorists (which, by the way, are caught after an intense gun battle, mostly resulting in the death of one or more of our brave policemen/army man). Haven't we learnt anything from 1994 Kidnappings of Western Tourists in New Delhi? (3 Brits and 1 American tourist were kidnapped by a group of Kashmiri Separatists led by Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was captured but had to be let off after the Kandahar Hijacking debacle). Are we waiting for another Kandahar to happen?

To add to the misery, the entire drama has been given a fancy name of "Fair Democratic Hearing"! Pure balderdash! How can it be a fair and democratic trial if it is unfair and unjust to the people of this very own Country? Nearly 450 people have been killed in a spate of terrorist attacks that have rocked Mumbai since 2002, but not a single captured culprit has received a capital punishment. For that matter, most of them have not even received a punishment at all (in spite of the presence of number of special courts dedicated only for terror-related cases!) What kind of example are we trying to set here? Are we saying that come to India, kill a few hundred people, get captured and involved in a web of complicated and prolonged lawsuits, meanwhile tell your chums to capture a few hostages, exchange them and get free to do the same all over again? Can it get any simpler than this?

My sincere request to all our Politicians and Bureaucrats of this country is that, you engage in as much fraudulent practices as you want, you fill your bank accounts with as much black money as possible, but do not, at any cost, jeopardize the security of this country. This lenient and languid attitude towards terrorists will only help in breeding hundreds of Kasabs, who next time may vie for the blood of your near and dear ones too!

This article also on

NSG Issue

2009-07-25T01:14:00.001-07:00

Multiple Policemen flashing Sub-Machine guns or Black cat commandos toting AK-47's and a long cavalcade of red-beaconed cars and jeeps; all these have become more of a status insignia than a measure of security. This was clearly evident from the hysteria which was created after the review committee decided to downgrade the security cover of few politicians. Prominent among them were Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati, Murli Manohar Joshi and Lalu Prasad Yadav. But the humorous part of this entire fracas were the comments issued by some of these leaders after the Home Ministry announced this decision;

"You are insulting those leaders who are fighting for social justice. You are putting our lives in danger by proclaiming that you are reducing our security"
-SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav
(You are absolutely right Sir. If banning English and Computers is your way of fighting social justice, then you are surely in a grave danger from the numerous people who are qualified, those who wish to get a better education and those who vouch for a prosperous and developed India)

"If anythings happens to me, then Home Minister will be held responsible"
-RJD Cheif Lalu Prasad Yadav
(The entire India is counting that something happens and Lalu Prasad develops a strong yearning for developing Bihar rather than simply demanding for more trains from Patna to Mumbai!)

Jokes apart, just glance at some of these figures which will have you flabbergasted. Our government annually spends Rs 175 lakhs per politician in providing them with a Z+ Security, add to that Rs 1 Crore for a yearly NSG cover, 8-15 Lakhs for bullet proofing of a single vehicle (a full convoy may consist of 6-8 Bullet proof Cars), installation of high-end security devices at the offices and houses of these politicians, not to mention the fuel and ammunition cost and you have a bill thats runs into hundreds of crores. Also, the above estimate is just for the Z+ security, add to it 3 different types of security covers (Z, Y and X) which are currently being provided to approximately 6000 VIP's all over India and you will have a number that is way difficult for my pea-sized brain to calculate!

One solution to this problem can be, to make use of services of private security instead of NSG or para-military forces like CRPF, CISF or ITBP. Other solution may be to formulate a completely new force altogether whose only task will be to gaurd our "revered leaders". And by looking at the way in which SP and BSP leaders protested the downgradation of security, I thought the one person who needed security cover (may be a Z++) the most was our poor old LS Speaker! God save his a**!

This article also on

Airline gets notice for frisking Abdul Kalam

2009-07-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

Some facts about Dr. Abdul Kalam:

Director of the project to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III)
Responsible for the evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV
Responsible for developing Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO)
Responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles
Chairman of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC)
Author of 4 books "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium", "My journey" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashing the power within India"
Awarded the coveted civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997)
11th President of India…and the list goes on

Such is the stature of one of the most respected and distinguished personalities of modern India. No doubt such a furor was created when a foreign airline was involved in frisking him, making him wait in the aero-bridge and treating him like a “normal airline passenger” as a part of the routine airport security exercise. However, what boggles my diminutive brain is, WHAT CRIME DID THE AIRLINE OFFICIALS COMMIT?

The airline officials lucidly stated that, they did what is to be done according to their company policy i.e. to scrutinize every person using the airline, irrespective of whether that person is a VIP or a VVIP. Instead of applauding them for their unprejudiced and impartial act, they were forced to dole out a public apology. The fundamental question to be asked here is why is there a different set of rules for a different set of people in the first place?

This is one of the many flaws which makes way for other debauched malpractices like Corruption to seep into the system. Our great MP’s and MLA’s have customized, reshaped and revised the red-tape in such a manner so as to be suited for their own convenience. No matter in which part of India you are, there is always a separate parking space, train berth, airline seat reserved for our dignified VIP’s. Heck, there is even a fully furnished “cell” waiting for them when they are sentenced to a jail term.

The irony of the fact however is that, according to the airline officials, Dr. Abdul Kalam was very cooperative and underwent the entire process without any hitch. So who were the ones who created such a ruckus over the entire issue? None other than those very same politicians who felt that their VIP stature was at stake if they would be subjected to such “blasphemy” as “airport security”.

So next time, if you want to smuggle that expensive 80 Gig IPod or bootleg that chic Sony PSP you desperately wanted to lay your hands on, you know whom to call; Your friendly neighborhood VIP, of course!

This article also on

Dec 2 1984: The Night Bhopal Turned Into A Gas Chamber

2006-12-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Originally posted on : Desicritics.org

The article posted below is an actual bloodcurdling account of the Bhopal Gas tragedy by Mr.G.V Krishnan, who was then a correspondent for TOI based in Bhopal. Now retired, he runs www.mymysore.com , a civic initiative on the web.

December 2-3 night has significance for my family. We are Bhopal survivors. I read in the papers that people in Bhopal observed the 22nd anniversary of the gas tragedy with a silent procession by the gas victims. Even after two decades since the tragedy the gas victims are still on a protest mode for relief and rehabilitation. Over 40 tonnes of the lethal methyl isocyanate – a toxic substance whose formula remains an industrial secret that is zealously guarded by the company – leaked from the Chhola Road Union Carbide pesticide plant, Bhopal, claiming 3,000 lives and leaving thousands of others with, what is suspected, genetic and reproductive

after-effects. The pregnant women exposed to the gas that spread to much of the Bhopal town had suffered abortion or gave birth to stillborns.

For several days in the wake of the disaster all nine cremation grounds in town were kept busy round the clock. There were reports of collective cremation of bodies to clear the backlog in the first few days of the gas leak. As many as 191 bodies were cremated as "unclaimed." Many of them were rail passengers who collapsed in the waiting hall and platforms of Bhopal railway station. Over 85,000 residents fled Bhopal in the wake of the gas leak.

It happened late on a Sunday night, when the town had gone to sleep. I was woken up by commotion on the street. When my wife opened the balcony door for a look-see we sensed irritation in our eyes. I thought the police might have burst teargas shells somewhere in the vicinity to disperse a mob. People were out on the street, heading towards the lake close to our flat in Professors' Colony. Within a few minutes I got a call from N. Rajan, a neighbor and editor of the local daily, Hitavada. He said there was a gas leak in the Union Carbide pesticides plant and residents in the old city were fleeing their houses to escape the gas that caused irritation in the eyes, vomiting and breathlessness.

Before long we felt the effect of the gas in our house, though we were more than five kilometers away from the Carbide plant. And, like scores of others in our neighborhood, we locked our place and took to the street in a bid to outpace the drift of the poisonous gas. The four of us - my wife, 12-year-old son and I, along with our dog Bitsy - joined hundreds of others on the road. Many were rushing ahead in panic, hoping to get as far away and as quickly as they could from the Union Carbide plant. We could not keep pace, which turned out to be a blessing. For those who were in a rush, and breathing heavily, inhaled more of the toxic gas, developing breathlessness. We saw some of them vomit and collapse on the wayside.

As we fled our houses, Rajan, who also represented Patriot newspaper, and I realised that we had a major story to handle. I was then the Bhopal correspondent of The Times of India. But the story had to wait. Besides, it was past edition time. My immediate concern was finding a place that was unaffected by the leaking gas. We spent the night at a relation's place in Arera Colony.

The morning after the tragedy was bright and sunny. I started working the phone for information. Among the more resourceful newsmen in Bhopal those days was Taroon Bhaduri of The Statesman and Abhishek Bachchan's grandpa. Bhaduri told me about a call he received from someone high up in Union Carbide. Initial reports put the gas leak toll at five and the company executive said the situation had been brought under control. It was evident that the Union Carbide spin doctors were already at work.

Later in the morning Rajan and I found that all hell had broken loose at Hamidia Hospital. The OPD verandah, outer lawns and even the driveway were littered with people who had collapsed in fatigue and complained of breathlessness. Doctors said they were running short of drugs. To cope with a spate of patients that continued coming through the night the hospital authorities sent out their staff to buy up from drugstores in town all available stock of sodium thiosulphate - antidote to cyanide poisoning.

The tragedy of it was that the gas victims did not respond to the drug. The toll mounted by the hour. Postmortem indicated that the deaths were due to respiratory failure following pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs). It was found that the lungs of gas victims contained 250 cc of fluid and weighed 900 grams against the normal lungs weight of 400 to 500 grams.

The gas that leaked out of the pesticides plant was methyl isocyanate (MIC). And doctors in Bhopal administered drugs for cyanide poisoning. The 'cyanate' in MIC was quite another devil. No one had a clue to the formulation of MIC, which was the trade secret of the US multinational. The Union Carbide stonewalled all queries on possible antidote to MIC while the gas affected were dying by the hundreds. All that the Union Carbide could be persuaded to divulge was a statement saying that methyl isocyanate had nothing to do with cyanide and that the two substances had entirely different effects on tissues and human health.

The views represented in this article are unedited and unaltered standpoints of the author as discussed by him on desicritics.org. The article is posted on this site with the author's imprimatur.

Joke of the Year !

2006-11-08T00:32:00.000-08:00

For those who are not able to snicker at the gags conjured up by those half-witted, imbecile morons from the Great Indian Laughter Challenge show…here is something that is sure to crack them up. It’s an advertisement (issued in the November 1 issue of TOI) highlighting the “DEVELOPMENTS” made by the Democratic Front government in its two year of being in power in Maharashtra.

Some of the most “dazzling” claims made by this ad are:

1. “I feel safe and secure right here”

I feel safe alright. With terrorist attacks becoming a once-in-a-fortnight affair and our ‘conscientious’ and ‘high-spirited’ police personnel getting tangled in zillion scams, charges of rape, extortion and corruption, I surely feel secure. After all, it is undeniably safer than Kabul or Baghdad!

2. “The best jobs in the world in IT, Finance etc are right here”

And what about some of the major IT corporations like Intel and Google that we lost out to Bangalore, thanks to the absurdly high real estate prices in Mumbai and predominantly due to the Maharashtra Urban Land Ceiling Act. (The Maharashtra government continues to swear by the Act despite its counter-productivity and the Centre’s advice against it.)

3. “I have seen airports abroad and we have similar ones….right here”

The lady in this ad need to be catechized exactly which Airports has she seen abroad. If she means airports of Sudan or Nigeria, then I think it’s a legitimate claim. But by that, if she means world class airports like Heathrow or JFK, then I guess we need to take her to a little tour of our International Airport, which I presume is the only Airport having the world’s largest slum in its own backyard! (Or is it Front yard!)

And the last one which will undoubtedly have you rolling in laughter,

4. “The roads are becoming better and the air cleaner”

What can I say about this stupefying comment? The one who has externalized this line has evidently either not been to Mumbai or is a burnout alcoholic! There are estimated 1500 potholes on roads in Mumbai including suburbs, some of them gargantuan enough to make the craters on Moon look diminutive! The pollution levels don’t draw a rosy picture either. The phrase ‘Cleaner Air’ is Latin for us Mumbaikars where breathing is equivalent to smoking almost 8 cigarettes daily!

This is the situation prevailing in the Financial Capital of India, the city which contributes 40% of income tax collections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade and Rupees 40 billion (approx US$ 9 billion) in corporate taxes. The situation gets worse as we move into deeper parts of Maharashtra, where the exigency of load shedding (8-10 hours a day) and naxalite problems are rampant.

So instead of thinking about making us laugh by publishing such humorous ads (that too at the cost of the exchequer), I request our government to bequeath the money spent on such ads to those hapless and impoverished farmers who are committing suicides by the day. As far as our laughing is concerned, we will somehow manage to snicker at the gags conjured up by those half-witted, imbecile morons from the Great Indian Laughter Challenge show!

Muslim Group Alleges Apple's Store To Be Blasphemous

2006-11-05T22:41:00.000-08:00

Article first posted on : Desicritics.org
Author: Kishore .
Original Source: MEMRI ( Middle East Media Research Institute )

If you need the lamest excuse to start an unnecessary ruffle in the name of your religion, then this is probably the best of all.

A report claims that some unnamed Muslim group has raised a furor alleging Apple's cube-shaped New York City Store to be an insult to their religion. The reason? The structure of Apple's new store resembles that of the sacred Ka'ba in Mecca.

The Middle East Research Organization claims in its web site,

"The fact that the building resembles the Ka'ba [see picture below], is called "Apple Mecca," is intended to be open 24 hours a day like the Ka'ba, and moreover, contains bars selling alcoholic beverages, constitutes a blatant insult to Islam."

Contrary to the claim, the store has not been named Apple Mecca. It's just called the Apple Store (so how blasphemous is that?). Neither does the Genius Bar in the cube-shaped store have anything to do with selling alcohol let alone affronting Muslim dictates about consumption of alcohol. Actually, the Genius Bar, unlike the name suggests, does not serve drinks. It's meant to provide Product Consulting and Support services to its customers. Whoever the unnamed Muslim group is, it has clearly misunderstood the idea of behind the term Genius Bar.

(i) The Apple Store at Fifth Avenue (ii) The Sacred Ka'ba

The report calls this project a blatant insult to Islam and is trying to gauge worldwide support to stop the construction of the building. The message urges Muslims to spread this alert, in the hope that "Muslims will be able to stop the project."

If you notice the pictures, you'll understand why the group's claim is ridiculous. A store being constructed by a company to provide product support services for its customers, with the only crime that the cube shape resembles the sacred Ka'ba in Mecca is suddenly the biggest reason to fuel religious hatred. Well, going by those standards, anything cube shaped in this world is blasphemous and against Islam because it would then resemble the sacred Ka'ba.

Some deeper analysis into this ridiculous story reveals that it originated within an organization whose goal is to find the worst possible quotes from the Muslim world and disseminate them as widely as possible.

Seems like some people just hate peace. I wonder if the anonymous people behind these unnamed sites sit up every morning nibbling through every newspaper in the world looking for tiny bits of items which can be extrapolated and imbued with religious meaning, and then promptly claim, in the name of religion, that the world is secretly conspiring against their religion and inspire their fellow men to stand up against all such atrocities.

Phew! Just give us a break.

The views represented in this article are unedited and unaltered standpoints of the author as discussed by him on desicritics.org. The article is posted on this site with the author's imprimatur.

Are we AFRAID of the Pakistanis?

2006-10-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Picture this...on one page of Saturday's (27th Oct) edition of Mumbai Mirror you have,

"Terror Strike on Bangalore Foiled"

'Following a gun battle in Mysore on Thursday night, police nabbed two ISI trained Al-Badr militants of Pakistani origin, who were planning a 'devastating' terror strike, including on Karnataka Assembly and other places'

And on the page, exactly next to the above mentioned one you have,

"Cargo Links with Pak to be opened after 35 years"

'Ahead of Crucial foreign secretary-level talks, the Centre on Friday decided to restore cargo shipping services with Pakistan after a gap of 35 years to substantially bolster sea trade and boost the peace-process'

This is how India responds to the capacious amount of terror strikes which are carried out by Pakistan-sponsored jihadi outfits.

Since time immemorial, we have always been the begetters of the peace process with Pakistan. We have provided artistes from their country with a platform to foster, publicize and boost themselves. We have provided free medical services to kids from their country. Our actors/actresses have performed in concerts which have helped augment funds for various social activities in their country. Even though we ourself suffered a significant amount of damage in the earthquake that hit Kashmir, we still managed to make an exemplary contribution to relief activities in PoK.

And how do they reimburse us in return? Bomb our Trains....Attack our places of Worship…Effectuate suicide bombing operations on our Jawans and even civilians….Introduce counterfeit currency to wreck our economy.......Harbor Terrorists and Gangsters which are responsible for carrying some of the most dissolute, heinous and vicious attacks on our Country.

During the “Ban-cricket matches-with-Pakistan call given by the Shiv-Sena” incident, when people were asked whether banning matches with Pakistan is the appropriate thing to do, most of them answered by saying that Cricket and Politics are two completely different fields and should not be mixed! What does this imply? Have we taken Gandhigiri too seriously? Or, isn’t there at least an iota of self-esteem and patriotism left within us? Or, are we AFRAID of the Pakistanis? Wake up people…..TERRORISM isn’t politics….its gruesome mass MURDER of innocent people by cold-blooded, ruthless, brain-dead fanatics….its WAR!

It's useless relying upon our politicians for our defense needs as they are the biggest terrorists of them all (the people who commit scams in deals related to buying improved weaponry for meliorating our Country’s security or the people who take bribe from militants are no less than terrorist themselves).

So it’s entirely up to us to look out for ourselves. We must forget mutual animosity and think of us as ONE unified entity. Linguistic and Caste based differences be damned, Indian ness should be the only religion for us to follow. Or the day isn’t far when we all will be offering Namaz (with all due respect to INDIAN Muslims) five times a day or worse still, we will all be DEAD.

This article on

Gandhigiri......Is it worth the "HYPE"?

2006-10-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Munnabhai, Gandhigiri has become a part of our everyday vocabulary. Innumerable new sites promoting Gandhigiri have cropped up. Every second editorial in every other daily has a mention of it. There even have been instances of Gandhigiri been used in parts of our Country to fight injustice. But is this hoopla created by it justified? Is it...really worth the HYPE?

How many of us believe that Gandhigiri would be effective in tackling the problems of a modern day INDIA? Do you think that problems as grave as a Militant attack or an imminent threat of a Nuclear War can be solved by the use of Gandhigiri? Can a person simply walk up to a Suicide bomber, offer him a rose and request him not to bomb us? Would K.P.S Gill have been successful in weeding off Terrorism in Punjab if he had not answered the bullets of Khalistani Militants with his own?

Forget Terrorism. Consider the case of a more "home grown" disease called Corruption. Do you think that maligning or humiliating a "BABU" in Public, a la Munnabhai, will make him aware of his Moral Duties?....CRAP!! Ever since our bureaucrats and Politicians took the oath of "SERVING" the people of India, they lost their hearts and long forgot the meaning of the word SHAME. Gandhigiri or for that matter any other "Giri" will seldom have any effect on them. All except "RISHWAT"giri of course!!

Gandhigiri or as it is more sophisticatedly called, Satyagraha, was not even successful in the days of British Raj. Why do you think that M.K.Gandhi himself, who had promoted the path of Non-Violence his entire life, finally gave the slogan of "DO or DIE", which when translated literally, meant "KILL or DIE trying"? It clearly highlighted the fact that his path of non-violence was a failure. British didn't leave India after succumbing to the his style of agitation, but they left because they had nothing left to STEAL from this, once rich, country of ours.

Plain and Simple, Gandhigiri never was and never will be of any use to our country.

Issue of Security cover for Big-B

2006-10-09T04:55:00.000-07:00

Maharashtra Government's decision of downgrading legendry thespian Amitabh Bachchan's security cover has kicked up a major controversy. No points for guessing who is behind this political furore, none other than the Samajwadi Party leader Mr.Amar Singh.

I have never seen a politician as naive as Mr Amar Singh. He has often been nicknamed, and rightly so, the "Tail of Amitabh Bachchan". He never misses an opportunity of basking in his limelight and flaring up controversies as and when he is given an opportunity. He has done so in the past, when Amitabh was made to sit in the 14th row instead of his "well-deserved" front row seat at a major award ceremony. Now, when his security cover has been just down-graded to level X, dozens of Samajwadi Party have taken to streets in Allahabad and are burning effigies of Sonia Gandhi.....because according to them, it is all a BIG CONSPIRACY hatched by the CONGRESS....Yeah Right!!

Why does a rich person like Amitabh Bachchan who is capable of paying for his own security expenses needs a Z-level cover in the first place? A Z-level cover includes four gaurds, trained in Martial Arts, armed with carbines and bullet-proof vehicles at all times. Maharashtra Government spends 2.5 crore of tax-payer's money on providing such escort services to these "Celebrities". Even the family members of some VIP's are made to avail of such facilities!! Don't you think, that for a state, already reeling under a debt of of 1.1 Lakh Crores, a saving of 2.5 crores per-annum will surely be noteworthy?

As far as Mr.Amar Singh is concerned, here's a little "NEWS" for you Sir, It is not Amitabh Bachchan who travels by a Local train or a Bus. It is the common man who does. And it is not an imported Limousine or a S-Class Merc of a celebrity that is bombed, it is this very same Local Train or the Bus. So, Who is in need of an ACTUAL Security cover here? Its neither Amitabh, nor you Mr Amar Singh, but it is the COMMON MAN!!

Should Mohammad Afzal be sent to Gallows?

2006-10-06T05:40:00.000-07:00

Today, nothing interests me more than the topic of Mohammad Afzal Guru, the prime suspect accused of orchestrating the most spineless of attacks on the largest seat of Indian Democracy, the Indian Parliament. For me, he has now become a living epitome of our pathetic judicial system and a perfect example of how a Democracy can fail.I am not a supporter of Terrorists or Militants or Freedom Fighters or Mujahideens or whatever crap they are called, but it is surely wrong to pass a judgement by hearing just one half of the story.

Today, Kashmir, a one-time paradise on Earth, has become nothing more than a living HELL. A common Kashmiri dreads of a BSF personell as much as he dreads of a terrorist. And what other choice do these people have? If they don't support the cause of Militants, their lives are at stake, if they don't support Indian Military forces, they are branded as terrorists and are executed. Its death for them either way. And here we have a Pak-returned guy who was against all the Pro-Pakistani groups, and who made a simple mistake of surrendering to BSF in hope of leading a normal life, What did he get in return? Months of being subjected to endless tortures beyond anyone's wildest imagination, beating, electrocution and finally a tag of TERRORIST pasted on his forehead and a sentence to be hanged till death! What kind of Justice is this? He was not even properly represented in the court. No lawyer was ready to accept his case and the court refrained from providing him any. And we take pride of calling our Country the Biggest Democracy in the World.....Pure HOGWASH!! Same was the case with Maqbool Butt, founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) when he was hanged back in 1984 on charges of killing an Indian Intelligence Officer, even though the charges levelled against him were not proved.

Now with BJP joining in the fray, the issue has taken a political turn, for worse. Many people in the country would support the judgement of hanging him, even would have I, but only if the charges against him were proved with suitable evidence in the Court of Law. Then there would have been no question of granting clemency. But just because of the fact that he is a Bearded Kashmiri Muslim should in neither way influence the judgement agaist him. Uptil now, he is no more or no less than an INDIAN as we all are.

RDB for OSCARS

2006-09-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Rang De Basanti, can aptly be titled one of the most influential and mesmerizing movie that has ever rolled out of the Bollywood stables. No other movie made this year (execept Lage Raho and Omkaara ) had the potential of keeping the audience hooked onto the screen until the very end. Every aspect of the film, the direction, the cast, the acting, the cinematography, the story was synonymous with the word perfect. Even the songs were expertly assimilated into the main plot; not like those extra bits, which are thrown in haphazard way and dont gel with the film. Obiviously, RDB's nomination for OSCARS came as no surprise.

The way in which the director has succesfully incorporated the problems faced by two different eras is worth applauding. The film instigated the people to outgo their 'Chalta hai' attitude and awakened the spirit of patriotism, which is seldom exhibited by youngsters of this age.

As far as RDB's nomination for OSCAR's is concerned, it is up against a tough list of competitors ( Germany's The Lives Of Others, Netherlands's Zwartboek, and Canada has Deepa Mehta's water ). Water is more of a lyrical film highlighting the socio-economic dynamics of a society in transition while RDB is more up-to-date with smart young mobs et al. However, Water has a more probable chance at winning because of the fact that it is teeming with Satyajit Ray-style rural exegesis, which has been a hit with the academy in the past.

Ultimately, may the best film pick up the Golden lady. But one can surely infer that after Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan, RDB has got all what it takes to rule the roost!!

Abu Salem in Politics!!

2006-09-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

It can't get any worse than this.It is not like we have had shortage of gangsters in Politics before, but now with Abu Salem joining ranks, our political system has truly become a haven for them!
Though the verdict on his involvement in the 93 Serial Bomb Blasts which rocked Mumbai and took toll of nearly 300 innocent lives (http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/nov/13salem.htm) is yet to be passed, the parties in UP are busy in making preparations for contesting him from the Azamgarh assembly constituency in the forth coming elections (http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20060904/441473.html).

Don't these politicians have atleast some amount of Patriotism left in them? How can they stoop to such low levels? At this rate, tommorow if Dawood is extradicted to India, they will even make him enter politics!

We all know that he is responsible for the blasts. Then, why give him a royal service in the first place? Why not just kill him him under the pretext of an encounter or give him a lethal injection? I know that doing so will be against the extradiction treaty with Portugal, but its not like Portugal will attack us if we do. He was not a Portugalese resident. But, instead of doing that, if we make him contest elections, what example will we be setting for other gangsters responsible for the same attack?

My humble request to the politicians is, If you can't make India any better, please don't make it any Worse!