Tuesday 13 November 2018

DAMN INTOLERANCE

Intolerance appears to have reached such tragic heights in India that if Deewali festival pertained to a particular community other than Hindus, children there of exploding crackers for fun could possibly have been labelled as "youth trying to gain expertise in handling explosives"

Shameful indeed...

Sunday 5 August 2018

Punjab Drug Problem; Genesis to Date

All that one wants to know about the Punjab drug problem, right from genesis to present, is contained in these two episodes in Punjabi...

Wish someone could help me doing the same in Hindi and English also...

https://www.facebook.com/GarvPunjabTVSacramentoStudio/videos/2178954238782416/

https://www.facebook.com/GarvPunjabTVSacramentoStudio/videos/2180823201928853/

Thursday 3 May 2018

NEED TO DE-DEMONISE JINNAH


NEED TO DE-DEMONISE JINNAH

The ongoing controversy about the portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Aligarh Muslim University is nothing but unfortunate, very unfortunate indeed. 

                                                                      Image result for amu logo

Some of my friends see a trend behind such disgusting controversies, saying that they invariably have been coming up around the ‘election time’. I do not know if such an allegation is correct or not. But I definitely see a sinister trend behind these mindless acts, an attempt, a deliberate attempt to destabilise India, which already has an ugly scar on its face, the horrendous allegation of having become an ‘intolerant’ nation, and this tag has been reverberating both within the country as also abroad.

Coming to the moot point, I fail to see the reasons why Jinnah has been demonised in the country. Let us travel back in the time machine. I vividly remember some haunting lines from a beautiful article written by one Yasmin Khan in the August 6, 2017 edition of The Guardian. I reproduce that below...
On 3 June 1947, only six weeks before British India was carved up, a group of eight men sat around a table in New Delhi and agreed to partition the south Asian subcontinent.
Photographs taken at that moment reveal the haunted and nervous faces of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indian National Congress leader soon to become independent India’s first prime minister, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, head of the Muslim League and Pakistan’s first governor-general and Louis Mountbatten, the last British viceroy” besides five others.

                                    Image result for june 3, 1947
  
These seemingly innocent lines are enough to rattle the nerves of any conscientious individual.
It was a group decision to ‘carve’ the united India. A rough mutilation plan had already been drawn up by Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India prior to his replacement as Viceroy, in February 1947, by Lord Louis Mountbatten.  The plan to ‘dress-up’ the Indian turkey had the concurrence of the British sovereign and of the cabinet. There were many reasons including an economically week Britain which could not afford to continue handling an ‘instable India’ where the songs of freedom were at their highest pitch. Yes the political ambitions both of Jawahar Lal and Muhammad Ali had an important inglorious role to play. But this aforementioned Group of Eight ‘wise men’ concurred, contributing their offerings of fat into the fire.

The cumulative decision of all these divergent white and brown skins handed over a damned pen in the hands of  Sir Cyril Radcliffe, Chairman of the Boundary Commissions (one for Bengal and one for Punjab), to divide 175,000 square miles (450,000 km2) of territory with 88 million people into sovereign and independent nations of India and Pakistan.  Radcliffe, a lawyer by profession, arrived on his first ever visit to India on 8 July 1947. He was given unverified and rough maps and a ‘life span’ of just five weeks to decide on a border. Of course, he had four each of prominent individuals as his colleagues, in each of the commissions, but it was to be his final decision. Radcliffe, unable to tolerate the Indian climate, rushed up with his work and left India after burning all documents in his custody. He departed even before the boundary award was proclaimed. He was never to came back. The justification behind choosing his ‘drawing’ perished with him.
                                                            Image result for sir radcliffe

On 15 July 1947, the Indian Independence Act 1947 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom stipulated that British rule in India would come to an end just one month later, on 15 August 1947.


             Indian independence act 1947

Long titleAn Act to make provision for the setting up in India of two independent Dominion states, to substitute other provisions for certain provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935, which apply outside those Dominions, and to provide for other matters consequential on or connected with the setting up of those Dominions.
Citation1947 c. 30
(10 & 11. Geo. 6.)
Dates
Royal assent18 July 1947


To make the matter worse, the implementation of the ‘award’ was no less hasty than the process of drawing the border. On 16 August 1947 at 5:00 pm, the Indian and Pakistani representatives were given two hours to study copies, before the Radcliffe award was published on August 17th.

                                               Image result for india and pakistan as drawn by sir radcliffe

And what ensued was, sheer misfortune. Demons danced and shed rivers of blood.

Given this background, one wonders which singular hand was exactly responsible for whatever happened.

Why exactly is Jinnah despised by a section of Indians?

And why exactly Nehru and some others are despised by a section of Pakistanis?


Sunday 29 April 2018

‘ADOPTION’ OF THE ‘ORPHANED’ LAL QILA


‘ADOPTION’ OF THE ‘ORPHANED’ LAL QILA


The current fauxtrage on the plan of the government of India to involve reputed companies / organisations for the maintenance of iconic monuments is just unfortunate. Those creating ruckus on this issue are just faking their injury, a kinda pretentious on the issue. Wonder if any of these top notch guys who are creating ruckus over the issue, ever visited these’ institutions’ of national importance, ever since obtaining their adulthood. Wonder if any of them felt like peeing during their visit but could not locate any public facility. Wonder if any of them felt like having a sip of water in the scorching sun while on such a visit, only to find that there was no water. Wonder if any of these creating hubbub ever felt the need of sitting under the shade of a tree or on the lawns or benches while on the visit to such romantically scintillating places where one feels as if someone from the history bygone might come up front? Those creating this brouhaha have a fleet of lackeys running around brandishing their guns and umbrellas and cold water bottles and even folding chairs for their masters to rest their butts on.

All of this in full view of lesser mortals who brave the existing tough and inconvenient conditions only on account of their sheer wish to visit the history, unlike these  visiting ‘cream rolls’ who visit only to be either seen there for some goddamn photo shoot. Mercifully these ‘cream rolls’ remain unaware of the curses being showered on them by the lesser mortals around.

The iconic Red Fort which was lovingly and adoringly got built by Emperor Shah Jehan and commissioned in 1639 stands orphaned today on account of the apathy of the governments and government agencies entrusted with its upkeep.


                                        
                                                     (Pic, courtesy the net)


Only the facade of the crumbling Red Fort is cleaned once in a year when successive Prime Ministers of the country visit with the ‘shan-o- shaukat’ of the emperors who once inhabited the fort. Unfortunately these leaders visit only for about an hour once a year, primarily to satisfy their egos by way of telling stories to the people of India and to the world in general, telling about their greatness and what all wonders they achieved for the country. 

Unfortunately, this iconic symbol still remains a place to showcase the exuberance, vanity and lust for power by those who rule.



                                          
But for lesser mortals, who visit with a sense of pride, it is an icon, a story which they proudly tell to their children not only during the visit, but for years to come. The visit gets set in their mind for years. Wonder what the harm is if some basic civic amenities and comfort is attempted to be provided by someone, from private sector. The Archaeological Survey of India has grossly failed. The ministry of tourism and the ASI are mostly at loggers head so what is the harm if some ones else tries to come to the rescue of the lesser mortal of the visitors. No one, not even the government or private sectors can restore LAL QILA to its pristine glory. No one has resources so why not let some rich corporate come in to try to maintain it.




                                                         
1785 view of the Red Fort from the east. In the foreground the Rang Mahal is on the left, the Khwabgah Jharoka in the centre and the Moti Masjid on the far right. (Pic, courtesy the net)



                                        
                        View of the Red Fort from the river (by Ghulam Ali Khan, between  1852–1854 (Pic, courtesy the net)

About time the detractors who love to criticise for the sake of criticising, shut up.



                              Let someone adopt the ‘ORPHANED LAL QILA”

                               Let the soul of Bahadur Shah Zafar rest in peace. 

Let the scheme be implemented all over for the sake of lesser mortals like us.Iit is nothing but the extension of the CSR

Tuesday 24 April 2018

A RAPE RIDDEN SOCIETY?


A RAPE RIDDEN SOCIETY?


Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act appears to be somewhat lopsided and nothing more than an electoral strategy. It does not talk about the ways and means about the meticulous compliance of the Act and implementation and righteous enforcement of the laws. This is what ails and stinks about the Indian system.

Yes, it rightfully seeks death penalty for rapists of girls below 12 years of age and stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape particularly of girls below 16 years, minimum punishment having been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment. The punishment for gang rape of a girl less than 16 years increased to imprisonment for the rest of the life of the convict. The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has also been increased from rigorous imprisonment of 7 to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment. Further, the government has also ‘decided’ to put in place several measures for speedy probe and trial of rape cases. It has also provided for a six month time limit for disposal of appeals in rape cases.

On the face of it, it all appears laudable, but I find the ‘catch’ in the process of investigation and the court trial when immense pressure is built up on the victim and family, to ‘compromise’. This process amounts to nothing but bullying, blackmailing, physical and mental torture and blatant abuse of the due process of law by some of the agencies which are supposed to enforce the law. And this pressure is often generated by few of the family members as well.

When and how will the government seal these loop-holes effectively? It remains to be seen.

While browsing the net, I came across this interesting piece on the Online ‘FIRSTPOST’ which is produced below with due humility and acknowledgement. It gives out the data to prove that the offender is known to the victim in over 95% of the cases.

                    
                   
I wonder what provisions shall be introduced, if ever, to halt these ‘in-house’ rapes? I also wonder if the government will ever also try to rope in that section of politicians / officials (both in government or private sector) of whatever strata, who do indulge in rapes but succeed in escaping the ‘due process of law’ by whatever means and painfully also get rehabilitated because of their ‘nuisance’ value (read muscle / monetary power / clout). I also wonder about the ‘Casting Couch Rapes which are perpetrated almost all the time in a section of film / fashion and theatrical industry. I was shocked when I read this reported post on twitter today. Apparently they go unreported because; as the choreographer said that at least such victims do get a ‘roti’.

                                           

And this brings me to another aspect of Rapes, talk about which is a total taboo in the society and hardly any data is available with regard thereto. It concerns the rapes (read sodomy) of boys of tender and non consenting age. It is unfortunate that the rapes and sexual exploitation of young boys is as prevalent in the society, as that of the girls. Both boys and girls are molested under the same circumstances and by the same category of men; some close relatives, helpers, neighbours and other ‘damn sex seekers’. Exploitation of both is deplorable and need strict legal and social cognizance. It is heartening that the society is up in arms about the rapes and molestations of the girls and women but it is also about time that due cognizance is also taken to save and rescue those hapless young and innocent boys who are being violated with impunity every other day and all over. India has become a hot destination of pedophiles and vicious monsters seeking sex with gullible male children as well.

Hope the sleeping government and the society wakes up to the entire gamut of same / opposite sex rapes in the Indian society and takes real stern action instead of just cosmetic ones. Entire process of law needs a thorough and total overhauling.

Indian society seeks bloody retribution from such devious monsters…

And it also needs to seek equally deterrent retribution from those who fail to meticulously implement and enforce the laws of the land…

Tuesday 20 February 2018

MY PAINFULLY DISILLUSIONING, YET FACTUAL, LETTER TO A YOUNG IDEALISTIC FRIEND ABROAD, WHO HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING ME TO DO WHATEVER I AM DOING...

Hey ......

Great getting your mail, after ages. A fantastically honest mail. Thanks.

Incidentally your mail just reminded me of some lines, half forgotten, written by someone I have forgotten who (lol, I ain't getting younger, it appears ๐Ÿ˜‚). These wonderfully honest lines often come to my mind, when I am on cross roads of life...

"เค–เคคเคฐे เค•े เคจिเคถाเคจ เคธे เคŠเคชเคฐ เคฌเคน เคฐเคนा เคนै เค‰เคฎ्เคฐ เค•ा เคชाเคจी,
เคตเฅ˜्เคค เค•ी เคฌเคฐเคธाเคค เคนै เค•ि เคฅเคฎเคจे เค•ा เคจाเคฎ เคจเคนीं เคฒे เคฐเคนी;

เค†เคœ เคฆिเคฒ เค•เคฐ เคฐเคนा เคฅा, เคฌเคš्เคšों เค•ी เคคเคฐเคน เคฐूเค  เคนी เคœाเคŠँ,
เคชเคฐ เคซिเคฐ เคธोเคšा,เค‰เคฎ्เคฐ เค•ा เคคเค•ाเฅ›ा เคนै, เคฎเคจाเคฏेเค—ा เค•ौเคจ;

เคฐเค–ा เค•เคฐो เคจเคœเคฆीเค•िเคฏां, เคœ़िเคจ्เคฆเค—ी เค•ा เค•ुเค› เคญเคฐोเคธा เคจเคนीं,
เคซिเคฐ เค•เคนेंเค—े เค•ि เคšเคฒे เคญी เค—เค เค”เคฐ เคฌเคคाเคฏा เคญी เคจเคนीं;

เคšाเคนे เคœिเคงเคฐ เคธे เค—ुเคœ़เคฐिเคฏे,เคฎीเค ी เคธी เคนเคฒเคšเคฒ เคฎเคšा เคฆीเคœिเคฏे,
เค‰เคฎ्เคฐ เค•ा เคนเคฐेเค• เคฆौเคฐ เคฎเคœ़ेเคฆाเคฐ เคนै,เค…เคชเคจी เค‰เคฎ्เคฐ เค•ा เคฎเคœ़ा เคฒीเคœिเคฏे..."

Yeah, of late there has not been any exclusive interview. Only some so-called panel discussions where moderators try to incite and goad panellists trying to make them 'bark and fight' like ferocious dogs, transforming the show into crazy dog fight shows instead of  serious thought provoking ones. Of late I have stopped accepting such invites aswell.

Apart from these dog fights, I have also been busy visiting places and universities trying to create much needed awareness on the drug issue. I, however, feel that my attempts have been a dismal failure. sometimes I feel that i have wasted my energies on a futile and useless venture. Sad...
Sad indeed.

Yes, besides 'wasting' my time, as mentioned, in the preceding lines, I have also been busy trying to make  some more of powerful enemies (as if the existing horde of them was not enough).

I have also been busy studying 'basis' to file a PIL in Supreme Court of this country, seeking registration of cases against some Indian political parties for deliberately making false promises to be-fool people, if not the nation, but never fulfilling them. Not fulfilling them because there was no intent ever. Even while formulating their election manifestos or indulging in 'verbosity' (now popularly called 'JUMLA BAJI'), they know / knew that such allurements can't be fulfilled. It was, just an attempt to be-fool and cheat the nation, making mockery of the Constitution of the country.

Funnily, 'Cheating', in India 'incidentally' happens to be an offence under sections 420/34 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) besides causing 'breach or trust'. But unfortunately these appears to be applicable only on lesser mortals. Rich and powerful appear to have been 'exempted' from their application. Various leaders & manifesto makers need to be imprisoned and fined heavily for this blatant 'Cheating and wilful undermining' of the Constitution, and Spirit of the Nation. Instead they go merrily scot-free and keep sitting smug and smilingly in their ivory towers ridiculing the lesser mortal of the citizens and Constitution of this unfortunate nation, 'INDIA, THAT IS BHARAT'...

Man, honestly speaking, often I feel ashamed of having born an Indian. The nation has since become a 'RANGMANCH of POLITICAL NAUTANKIES', romantic and scintillating theatre which used to be immensely popular in rural North, particularly U.P. and Bihar etc. 
To sprinkle salt on my injury, I have till now not been able to locate any good lawyer who is ready to take up this case in question on a token payment because I am not in a position to meet their enormous monetary demands.

My planned act has also infuriated vested interests. Threats have increased  and I don't know when I am done away with' or fall pray to their Machiavellian and criminal designs.

Several of my 'friends' have been trying to dissuade me, but what can I do?
"เค•เคนเคคी เคนै เคฎुเคे เคœ़िเคจ्เคฆเค—ी, เค•ि เคฎैं เค…เคชเคจी เค†เคฆเคคें เคฌเคฆเคฒ เคฒूँ,
เคชเคฐ เคฌเคนुเคค เคšเคฒा เคนूँ, เคฎैं เคฒोเค—ों เค•े เคชीเค›े, เค…เคฌ เคฅोเคก़ा เค–ुเคฆ เค•े เคธाเคฅ เคคो เคšเคฒ เคฒूँ...

You have written about your friends planning not to return to India and make their future abroad. Under the given circumstances, I think that it is a wise decision. These politicians have made this country not worth living. It is not what it was meant to be. Not what it used to be either. Instead of trying to work for the country, most of them are busy working for themselves in all possible ways, all three 'Ws' included. Any one can see through their nefarious designs, but no one has guts to check them...
"เค‰เคธे เคฒเค—เคคा เคฅा เค•ि เค‰เคธเค•ी เคšाเคฒाเค•िเคฏाँ เคนเคฎें เคธเคฎเค เคจเคนीं เค†เคคीं,
เคชเคฐ เคนเคฎ เคธिเคฐ्เคซ เค–़ाเคฎोเคถी เคธे เคฆेเค–เคคे เคฐเคนे, เค‰เคธे เค…เคชเคจी เคจเคœ़เคฐों เคธे เค—िเคฐเคคे เคนुเค..."

And watching them stooping lower and lower into the gutter, my dislike and hatred for most of them has only increased, forcing me to go my own way, which, I know will only eventually lead either to my gruesome murder or implication in fake and false cases, some of which I have already been facing for quite some time...
But again...
"เค–ुเคฆ เคธे เคœीเคคเคจे เค•ी เคœिเคฆ เคนै, เคฎुเคे เค–ुเคฆ เค•ो เคนी เคนเคฐाเคจा เคนै,
เคฎै เคญीเคก़ เคจเคนीं เคนूँ เคฆुเคจिเคฏा เค•ी, เคฎेเคฐे เค…เคจ्เคฆเคฐ เคเค• เคœ़เคฎाเคจा เคนै..."

Sad that I am not getting younger day by day otherwise I would perhaps revolutionised the country.

Chal, I think I have bored you enough, my young friend.

Take care

Make your decisions carefully 

And be happy

God bless...

-S.K.

P.S.

I have half a mind to put my pain on my blog site. Have not written one in ages...