1. A painter shows Indian goddesses nude. There are protests. The government feels its communal. Left parties denounces hegemony of majority community. He is nominated for Bharat Ratna by a major news channel.
2. A Muslim writer writes against some practices of Islam. She is denounced by Muslim clergy. There are protests in Left dominated states. She is practically barred from the country by the same central government.
This is secularism in India.
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Monday, August 11, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
And so the democracy wept...
1. Mining lobby makes it possible for BJP to win in Karnataka. The so called first win for BJP in a southern state. Rumors say that the Congress CM of a neighboring state supported BJP in Karnataka due to his interests in the Iron Ore mines.
2. So called communist parties are afraid. After giving up their last remaining communist ideology of socialism, they lost the support of the poor and mainly intelectuals.
3. Nuclear deal. When you cannot reveal the treaty details on issues of highest priority to leaders of parties constituting a majority, you have no right to sign such a deal with another shady government with an "immaculate" history of supporting democracy outside its own teritory.
4. Day One: Left withdraws support to government. Congress is in Minority. Day two: SP supports congress. It is still in minority but only a bit nearer half way mark. Noose tightens around the biggest adversary of SP. Coincidence?
5. Surprise Surprise. Left (Communist), BSP (Dalit) and BJP (Hindutvavadi) have common opinion on an issue atlast. Who said miracles dont happen now a days.
6. Congress in negotiation with convicted MPs for support. Now the murderers will decide the fate of our Motherland. Wads of cash start making rounds, buying votes on either side.
7. And the PM Of the nation, the most revered and would-have-been-most-honest doctorate holder asks for proof of "horse-trading".
And hence the helpless democracy wept.
2. So called communist parties are afraid. After giving up their last remaining communist ideology of socialism, they lost the support of the poor and mainly intelectuals.
3. Nuclear deal. When you cannot reveal the treaty details on issues of highest priority to leaders of parties constituting a majority, you have no right to sign such a deal with another shady government with an "immaculate" history of supporting democracy outside its own teritory.
4. Day One: Left withdraws support to government. Congress is in Minority. Day two: SP supports congress. It is still in minority but only a bit nearer half way mark. Noose tightens around the biggest adversary of SP. Coincidence?
5. Surprise Surprise. Left (Communist), BSP (Dalit) and BJP (Hindutvavadi) have common opinion on an issue atlast. Who said miracles dont happen now a days.
6. Congress in negotiation with convicted MPs for support. Now the murderers will decide the fate of our Motherland. Wads of cash start making rounds, buying votes on either side.
7. And the PM Of the nation, the most revered and would-have-been-most-honest doctorate holder asks for proof of "horse-trading".
And hence the helpless democracy wept.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Two Lives
Part-1
It was a bad day. It started with a headline in the newspaper. 'H1B visa quota exceeded in 1 day'. "What the hell, we work so hard here and America doesn't even have consideration to let us live our lives peacefully" thought the Vimla. She had been eagerly waiting for the new year so that she could restart working. It had been a long wait, but worthwhile now that their son was in school and she had free time to start thinking about supplementing the family income. She had even managed to get a sponsor for the H1B after long process, even agreeing to drive 2 hours one way to work. And now all the hopes were dashed. She was cursed to this wait-for-husband-and-kid routine for one more year. And over that, the plans of buying a new car will have to be postponed.
But what wretched life this was. She could not work. Ram could not change his job. The expenses were rising. And the forever illusory 'Green Card' was taking forever to be granted. She had just heard that the backlogs were enough to last 5 years. And this was going to increase with time. Without the green card, they could not settle in life, could not buy a house, get scholarships for their children.
The archaic laws were forcing them to lead a life of relative poverty and was unsettling. Why was that happening to them. Most of her friends in the US had got their green card, bought a house, sending the children to best of the schools and now even planning for a second home. She took another dose of anti-depressent, hoping that she will be well by the time her son returns home, cursing the US and its weird laws at the same time.
Part-2
It was a bad day. It started with traffic snarl in the morning. The maid had taken another day off without informing. Vimla was already late for the office. So many problems. The new home they had bought was farther than her office and road worse than thought earlier. It would have been so nice had her husband Shyam took up the job offer in US. She would have a comfortable life like her sister Bimla. How nice it would be to be out of this traffic and cruising on a free-way. It was year since she had started working again after a long break. Now with the new job of Ram and the additional income she was earning dint heart in any way. They had a bigger home, sending their son to one of the most expensive school in the city, and also managed to buy a new bigger car. But still the heat was killing her. The car she was driving dint have an AC and the roads were jammed. Why did India has so much population. Why did Shyam ignores her nagging. It was such a comfortable life her sister was leading. And she took an anti-depressent from her purse and drank a bit of water. Cursing under her breathe, she started honking hoping that the additional noise will clear the traffic.
It was a bad day. It started with a headline in the newspaper. 'H1B visa quota exceeded in 1 day'. "What the hell, we work so hard here and America doesn't even have consideration to let us live our lives peacefully" thought the Vimla. She had been eagerly waiting for the new year so that she could restart working. It had been a long wait, but worthwhile now that their son was in school and she had free time to start thinking about supplementing the family income. She had even managed to get a sponsor for the H1B after long process, even agreeing to drive 2 hours one way to work. And now all the hopes were dashed. She was cursed to this wait-for-husband-and-kid routine for one more year. And over that, the plans of buying a new car will have to be postponed.
But what wretched life this was. She could not work. Ram could not change his job. The expenses were rising. And the forever illusory 'Green Card' was taking forever to be granted. She had just heard that the backlogs were enough to last 5 years. And this was going to increase with time. Without the green card, they could not settle in life, could not buy a house, get scholarships for their children.
The archaic laws were forcing them to lead a life of relative poverty and was unsettling. Why was that happening to them. Most of her friends in the US had got their green card, bought a house, sending the children to best of the schools and now even planning for a second home. She took another dose of anti-depressent, hoping that she will be well by the time her son returns home, cursing the US and its weird laws at the same time.
Part-2
It was a bad day. It started with traffic snarl in the morning. The maid had taken another day off without informing. Vimla was already late for the office. So many problems. The new home they had bought was farther than her office and road worse than thought earlier. It would have been so nice had her husband Shyam took up the job offer in US. She would have a comfortable life like her sister Bimla. How nice it would be to be out of this traffic and cruising on a free-way. It was year since she had started working again after a long break. Now with the new job of Ram and the additional income she was earning dint heart in any way. They had a bigger home, sending their son to one of the most expensive school in the city, and also managed to buy a new bigger car. But still the heat was killing her. The car she was driving dint have an AC and the roads were jammed. Why did India has so much population. Why did Shyam ignores her nagging. It was such a comfortable life her sister was leading. And she took an anti-depressent from her purse and drank a bit of water. Cursing under her breathe, she started honking hoping that the additional noise will clear the traffic.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The 2 Indias
Here is the story of 2 Indias. 2 sides of the same coin. 2 extremes of injustice.
All of us know and expect that the mail/blog will be about the difference in standard of living. The rising income of the city dwellers while the poverty and debt ridden village farmer. But expect the unexpected.
This is from a different perspective. From the Casteist perspective.
City is where the "other" castes are empowered. They know the power they hold. It is the place where the injustice of thousands of years is vindicated. They get the reservations in education institutions and jobs generations after generations. May be the first person in each family deserved some concession. But this "Chalta hain.. waise bhi IIT mein admission mil hi jayegi" attitude lowers the performance of the individual as well as the country.
This is the place where the employees make false complaints against their bosses, falsely alleging casteist comments. This is the place where they form unions and monopolize several businesses. This is the place where they get loan and freedom to not repay however rich they are.
And this class of people are the main cause for opposition to reservation in the minds of the upper caste.
And then there's the other India. They dont even know what freedom is. They dont have access to water, toilets etc. They have to get up from the seat in government bus if an upper caste person enters. And the administration is not with them. Hardly any lower caste IAS officers/Police commissioners want to work for the upliftment of these people.
And these are the people who deserve the reservation more than any one else. And they get nothing. No dignity. No opportunity.
Miles to go before I sleep.
All of us know and expect that the mail/blog will be about the difference in standard of living. The rising income of the city dwellers while the poverty and debt ridden village farmer. But expect the unexpected.
This is from a different perspective. From the Casteist perspective.
City is where the "other" castes are empowered. They know the power they hold. It is the place where the injustice of thousands of years is vindicated. They get the reservations in education institutions and jobs generations after generations. May be the first person in each family deserved some concession. But this "Chalta hain.. waise bhi IIT mein admission mil hi jayegi" attitude lowers the performance of the individual as well as the country.
This is the place where the employees make false complaints against their bosses, falsely alleging casteist comments. This is the place where they form unions and monopolize several businesses. This is the place where they get loan and freedom to not repay however rich they are.
And this class of people are the main cause for opposition to reservation in the minds of the upper caste.
And then there's the other India. They dont even know what freedom is. They dont have access to water, toilets etc. They have to get up from the seat in government bus if an upper caste person enters. And the administration is not with them. Hardly any lower caste IAS officers/Police commissioners want to work for the upliftment of these people.
And these are the people who deserve the reservation more than any one else. And they get nothing. No dignity. No opportunity.
Miles to go before I sleep.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)