This morning I realized that I am an alien in my own country. I was out walking at the Indian Airlines ground opposite the Military Camp in Santacruz (a western suburb in Mumbai, India)when I bumped into an elderly gentleman. We have seen one another almost everyday but never exchanged greetings. All that changed this morning.
I passed Mr. X on the track and heard the words good morning. I turned around to find him smiling; I returned the greeting and continued walking. After 45 minutes I decided to call it quits and plonked meself on a plastic chair in the lawn. I could sense a gaze and looked to my right, there was Mr. X.
He introduced himself and I was forced to do the same to avoid coming across as plain rude. As happens mostly in India, his first question was your name sounds south Indian, where are you from? I told him I was born in a place called Palakkad in Kerala on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border but have lived in Mumbai all my life except the first six months after birth. For those interested in geography, Palakkad is about 60 minutes by road from the business center of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
Immediately Mr. X said, then you are a Keralite. I looked at him and politely said no, I am a Mumbaikar (the equivalent of a New Yorker in NY). He smiled and said no, since you were born in Kerala, you can only be a Keralite. I could have but didn't refute him. I said bye and walked away thinking to meself, am I a Mumbaikar or am I a Keralite.
The educated call people like me TamBrams (short for Tamil Brahmins). This term is used to describe Tamil speaking brahmins from Palakkad whose ancestors are believed to have migrated from Tanjavur (Tanjore of old) some 400 to 500 years ago.
I reached home and called my cousin in Kerala. My first question, Would you agree if I called meself a Keralite? Prompt came the answer, NO. I was lost for words. I asked him why? His answer was simple: You don't belong here...you studied in Mumbai, lived all you life in Mumbai, then how can you call yourself a Keralite? I thanked him for his frank views and put the phone down.
I sat to have breakfast but couldn't focus. My mind was working overtime. I am not a Mumbaikar, I am not a Keralite. So who am I?
Suddenly the thought stuck me that if not anything I am an Indian. I was just about feeling happy when my enthusiasm collapsed. Indian? does that count for anything in today's India, I thought. The answer stuck me like a bolt of lightning. No, being Indian means nothing in today's context.
In today's emerging India it is important to be identified by place, caste, religion and all other possible mutated versions of identity. Being an Indian is just not good enough.
So dear friends tomorrow if the Shiv Sena or any other political party decides that people like me ain't good enough to live in Mumbai and start targeting us, where do I go? Certainly not Kerala, I may get the same treatment there.
If I cannot stay in my karmabhoomi (where I made my life) and in my janmabhoomi (where I was born), then there is little chance of any other state in the country accepting me. So what does that make me? the humble Indian?
An Indian without a state, an Indian in search of No Man's land. If such a situation does arise in future, what are my options. Are they a) seeking political asylum in some other country; b) changing my name to blend with the mob; and/or c) staying put and getting lynched by a mob ghost led by self-serving politicians.
As of now, I don't know. But what I know for sure is that being Indian must have greater value, must mean more than the word. That is what is lacking in today's India. We are First--Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Maharashtrians, Gujarathis, Malayalees, SC/STs, OBCs and all other identities, then as an afterthought, Indian.
The need of the hour is a radical shift in thinking. We need to be Indians first and Indians last. Will I see that happening in my lifetime? It's anybody's guess.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Sacrificing God at the Altar of Politics
There goes the UPA government again. In an affidavit before the Supreme Court on the Ram Setu issue, the government has questioned the existence of Ram and the validity of the Ramayana.
In doing so, the government has willingly questioned the very existence of God as believed by over 800 million Indians and a few hundred million others around the globe. That shows the scant respect that the government has for the very electroate that voted it.
Or does this government think that the majority voted for the Opposition, and it's in power thanks to the Pakistanis? To me, that appears to be the government's logic.
I for one do not believe in dividing people by religion, caste, and/or creed. But I also will refuse to be a mute spectator when a government drunk in its own power rubbishes the belief and faith of nearly 80% of the country's population to achieve its narrow goals.
For the government, it appears to be a case scoring a few brownie points. Or is it that the UPA, rather the Congress, has been foolishly emboldened by TV channels indicating victory for the party if it were to call for a snap poll.
Most of us believe in the existence of God. Is that because we have seen or experienced the presence? I dare to say no. It's more due to belief in a higher authority that guards the universe. In God we trust, albeit blindly at times. So is it now for the government to decide whether God exists or not? Or is the government trying to play God?
Karl Marx had said "Religion is opium for the masses". The Congress under the garb of secularism has fed the masses this very opium. Even for a party famous globally for it's divide and rule policy, this is a new low.
Everytime we Indians wonder how low can this government stoop, the UPA lowers its bar by that proverbial yard. For that, dear friends we have ourselves to blame. We elected this monster to power. Now it's assuming Frankenstien proportions.
In doing so, the government has willingly questioned the very existence of God as believed by over 800 million Indians and a few hundred million others around the globe. That shows the scant respect that the government has for the very electroate that voted it.
Or does this government think that the majority voted for the Opposition, and it's in power thanks to the Pakistanis? To me, that appears to be the government's logic.
I for one do not believe in dividing people by religion, caste, and/or creed. But I also will refuse to be a mute spectator when a government drunk in its own power rubbishes the belief and faith of nearly 80% of the country's population to achieve its narrow goals.
For the government, it appears to be a case scoring a few brownie points. Or is it that the UPA, rather the Congress, has been foolishly emboldened by TV channels indicating victory for the party if it were to call for a snap poll.
Most of us believe in the existence of God. Is that because we have seen or experienced the presence? I dare to say no. It's more due to belief in a higher authority that guards the universe. In God we trust, albeit blindly at times. So is it now for the government to decide whether God exists or not? Or is the government trying to play God?
Karl Marx had said "Religion is opium for the masses". The Congress under the garb of secularism has fed the masses this very opium. Even for a party famous globally for it's divide and rule policy, this is a new low.
Everytime we Indians wonder how low can this government stoop, the UPA lowers its bar by that proverbial yard. For that, dear friends we have ourselves to blame. We elected this monster to power. Now it's assuming Frankenstien proportions.
Democracy or Demoncrazy
Looks like the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in India has given Democracy a new meaning. The government's actions seem to indicate that people power is limited to voting. Once in power, function like an autocracy and/or a dictatorship.
A prime example is the issue of reservation under which the government has turned a blind eye to widespread protests, all to satiate the ego of aging Union Human Resources Development minister Arjun Singh, one foot in the grave and the other on its way, and his newfound love for the backward classes.
I have just one question to Mr. Singh. He has been in politics for over five decades. Then why this sudden and irrational urge to grandstand? Is it because of the guilt of having done nothing worthwhile all these years? If yes, then Mr. Singh even now you have done nothing worthwhile.
Sixty years after Independence of which the main protagonist, the ruling Congress, has been at the helm for over fifty years, if Mr. Singh feels that the backward classes have not got their due, whose fault is it, may I ask? What was the Congress government doing all these years?
Another example of the government's foolhardiness is its plan to levy an exit tax on students taking up jobs abroad. The reason being given is it defeats the purpose of subsidy being provided to educational institutions such as IIM and IIT. My question is why subsidy in the first place? What is wrong in privatizing these institutions and letting market forces decide fees?
Even with subsidy, how many bright students from the poor and backward classes manage to secure admission to these institutions? Just a fraction, I say. That effectively means the government has been providing subsidized education to students who can afford the fees sans subsidy. That, dear friends, is how foolish this UPA government has been.
The Prime Minister talks of the need for executive salaries not going over the top. The reason: to avoid discontent and disconnect among the not so lucky. So what was the government doing all these years, hatching eggs while the gap between the rich and the poor widened?
I agree that the PM Dr. Manmohan Singh thinks well and wants to do a lot to bring the country out of the morass that it has slipped into. But that can hardly be said about his cabinet, which is filled with self-serving, corrupt, illiterate, uncouth Members of Parliament (MP).
The Opposition fares no better. The British employed the divide and rule policy in India. Our politicians seem to be sired by the illegitimate desires of the British. They act as different parties in public, but scratch eachother's back in private. That's the biggest reason why a politician, any politican, is rarely convicted and imprisoned for any crime committed.
A classic case is that of Shibu Soren. It's public knowledge that the man is nothing but a goon. He was found guilty of murder by one court only to be acquitted by another. The reason as always, lack of or faulty evidence. No questions asked.
The Finance Minister keeps on talking about accountability and bringing more people under the tax net. Fine, but should that definition be limited to the salaried class. The salaried class has been the most dilligent in paying taxes. So what does our FM do, tax them further as a reward for compliance.
The common man not only pays income tax, but pays taxes on every product that he buys, on food that he eats at restaurants...the list is never ending. My question, why should the common man be always burdened? Just because he is vulnerable, and has little power to defend himself?
Dear Mr. FM, show me one politician who has been raided, forget forced to cough up taxes. You may say show me, and I will take action.
I take up that challenge and give you the list here: Sonia Gandhi, Bal Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Gopinath Munde, Vilasrao Deshmukh, LK Advani, P Chidambaram, M Karunanidhi, J Jayalalitha, K Karunakaran, Keshubhai Patel, Shankar Sinh Vaghela, Shibu Soren, Chandan Basu (Jyoti Basu's son), Suresh Kalmadi, Abu Azmi, Baba Siddiqui, Nawab Malik, Arjun Singh, Abhijit Manu Singhvi.
Is this list enough to begin with Mr. FM? If you have the guts to walk the talk, send your tax inspectors after these guys. I will then say you are a man of your word. Mr. Thakeray was a cartoonist. How come he is worth over Rs 300 crore today? Have you or any government before your's bothered to investigate? I say not only you but no minster or government before you had the guts to to even casually ask Mr. Thackeray the source of his wealth.
Last but not the least, the question of the Sethusamundram project. Forget religious sentiments, forget what the BJP and the VHP have to say. Isn't it ridiculous to ignore warnings of scientists against damaging the Ram Setu or Adams Bridge? They warn of Tsunamis from Indonesia hugely hurting India if the structure is demolished or tampered with.
So what's the motivation for ignoring scientific advise and going ahead with the demolishing the structure? Or is it that money is more valuable than human lives for your Governement?
Mr. Prime Minister, the people demand answers for all these questions and more. Are you listening or is it a case of Nero playing the flute while Rome burned? Or should I in your case say Dancing to Sonia's tunes while India drowned?
A prime example is the issue of reservation under which the government has turned a blind eye to widespread protests, all to satiate the ego of aging Union Human Resources Development minister Arjun Singh, one foot in the grave and the other on its way, and his newfound love for the backward classes.
I have just one question to Mr. Singh. He has been in politics for over five decades. Then why this sudden and irrational urge to grandstand? Is it because of the guilt of having done nothing worthwhile all these years? If yes, then Mr. Singh even now you have done nothing worthwhile.
Sixty years after Independence of which the main protagonist, the ruling Congress, has been at the helm for over fifty years, if Mr. Singh feels that the backward classes have not got their due, whose fault is it, may I ask? What was the Congress government doing all these years?
Another example of the government's foolhardiness is its plan to levy an exit tax on students taking up jobs abroad. The reason being given is it defeats the purpose of subsidy being provided to educational institutions such as IIM and IIT. My question is why subsidy in the first place? What is wrong in privatizing these institutions and letting market forces decide fees?
Even with subsidy, how many bright students from the poor and backward classes manage to secure admission to these institutions? Just a fraction, I say. That effectively means the government has been providing subsidized education to students who can afford the fees sans subsidy. That, dear friends, is how foolish this UPA government has been.
The Prime Minister talks of the need for executive salaries not going over the top. The reason: to avoid discontent and disconnect among the not so lucky. So what was the government doing all these years, hatching eggs while the gap between the rich and the poor widened?
I agree that the PM Dr. Manmohan Singh thinks well and wants to do a lot to bring the country out of the morass that it has slipped into. But that can hardly be said about his cabinet, which is filled with self-serving, corrupt, illiterate, uncouth Members of Parliament (MP).
The Opposition fares no better. The British employed the divide and rule policy in India. Our politicians seem to be sired by the illegitimate desires of the British. They act as different parties in public, but scratch eachother's back in private. That's the biggest reason why a politician, any politican, is rarely convicted and imprisoned for any crime committed.
A classic case is that of Shibu Soren. It's public knowledge that the man is nothing but a goon. He was found guilty of murder by one court only to be acquitted by another. The reason as always, lack of or faulty evidence. No questions asked.
The Finance Minister keeps on talking about accountability and bringing more people under the tax net. Fine, but should that definition be limited to the salaried class. The salaried class has been the most dilligent in paying taxes. So what does our FM do, tax them further as a reward for compliance.
The common man not only pays income tax, but pays taxes on every product that he buys, on food that he eats at restaurants...the list is never ending. My question, why should the common man be always burdened? Just because he is vulnerable, and has little power to defend himself?
Dear Mr. FM, show me one politician who has been raided, forget forced to cough up taxes. You may say show me, and I will take action.
I take up that challenge and give you the list here: Sonia Gandhi, Bal Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Gopinath Munde, Vilasrao Deshmukh, LK Advani, P Chidambaram, M Karunanidhi, J Jayalalitha, K Karunakaran, Keshubhai Patel, Shankar Sinh Vaghela, Shibu Soren, Chandan Basu (Jyoti Basu's son), Suresh Kalmadi, Abu Azmi, Baba Siddiqui, Nawab Malik, Arjun Singh, Abhijit Manu Singhvi.
Is this list enough to begin with Mr. FM? If you have the guts to walk the talk, send your tax inspectors after these guys. I will then say you are a man of your word. Mr. Thakeray was a cartoonist. How come he is worth over Rs 300 crore today? Have you or any government before your's bothered to investigate? I say not only you but no minster or government before you had the guts to to even casually ask Mr. Thackeray the source of his wealth.
Last but not the least, the question of the Sethusamundram project. Forget religious sentiments, forget what the BJP and the VHP have to say. Isn't it ridiculous to ignore warnings of scientists against damaging the Ram Setu or Adams Bridge? They warn of Tsunamis from Indonesia hugely hurting India if the structure is demolished or tampered with.
So what's the motivation for ignoring scientific advise and going ahead with the demolishing the structure? Or is it that money is more valuable than human lives for your Governement?
Mr. Prime Minister, the people demand answers for all these questions and more. Are you listening or is it a case of Nero playing the flute while Rome burned? Or should I in your case say Dancing to Sonia's tunes while India drowned?
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Color of Money
We dance to the tune, sing in joy
The color is green, crisp and clean,
We slave by the day, fear by the night,
Treasure it more than life,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
Heat and dust, rain or snow,
We strive to chase, we drive in haste,
We watch life pass by, Or do we?
Time is relative, but it does pass,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
We bring nothing, take nothing,
Still accumulate we do,
We lie, we cheat, we kill without mercy,
No father, no mother, no brother nor sister,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
We look for reasons for life on Earth,
But selfish we get when life’s at stake,
In the quest for the all-powerful green,
We bury our conscience in the color of green,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
We call it economy, term it God,
We ever look for God in the color of green,
We pray to God, but guard his abode,
If God’s the creator, then why fear,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
The color is green, crisp and clean,
We slave by the day, fear by the night,
Treasure it more than life,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
Heat and dust, rain or snow,
We strive to chase, we drive in haste,
We watch life pass by, Or do we?
Time is relative, but it does pass,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
We bring nothing, take nothing,
Still accumulate we do,
We lie, we cheat, we kill without mercy,
No father, no mother, no brother nor sister,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
We look for reasons for life on Earth,
But selfish we get when life’s at stake,
In the quest for the all-powerful green,
We bury our conscience in the color of green,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
We call it economy, term it God,
We ever look for God in the color of green,
We pray to God, but guard his abode,
If God’s the creator, then why fear,
It’s money my friend, the color of life
A Time to Rock 'n' Roll
It’s time to rock and roll,
More money to spend,
More luxuries to accumulate,
Life’s never been a bigger blast,
The economy’s on a roll
The car stopped at a signal,
A tiny hand popped through the window,
Just a coin Sir, my stomach’s on fire,
I stared into the child’s eyes,
The economy’s on a roll
Malls are full, shoppers are on a roll,
Bags full of goodies, looks like it's Christmas,
The mall walls are full of ads,
Pay by cash, pay by card,
The economy’s on a roll
I passed though Downtown,
Looked pretty rundown,
Windowpanes were broken,
Doors had no brass knockers,
The economy’s on a roll
Eateries are full, hotels are a boom,
Pastas and pizzas washed down with wine,
Red and white, the glasses clink,
Outside, I saw a queue for the leftovers,
The economy’s on a roll
While the few was painted like the majority,
The majority suffered in silence,
For ever Merc that rolled,
There were a thousand hands folded,
The economy’s on a roll
More money to spend,
More luxuries to accumulate,
Life’s never been a bigger blast,
The economy’s on a roll
The car stopped at a signal,
A tiny hand popped through the window,
Just a coin Sir, my stomach’s on fire,
I stared into the child’s eyes,
The economy’s on a roll
Malls are full, shoppers are on a roll,
Bags full of goodies, looks like it's Christmas,
The mall walls are full of ads,
Pay by cash, pay by card,
The economy’s on a roll
I passed though Downtown,
Looked pretty rundown,
Windowpanes were broken,
Doors had no brass knockers,
The economy’s on a roll
Eateries are full, hotels are a boom,
Pastas and pizzas washed down with wine,
Red and white, the glasses clink,
Outside, I saw a queue for the leftovers,
The economy’s on a roll
While the few was painted like the majority,
The majority suffered in silence,
For ever Merc that rolled,
There were a thousand hands folded,
The economy’s on a roll
Charity to poverty... Changing thought
What is it about us that we always try to act noble? Everyone wants to do good, and the easiest way to do that is talk. A lot of talk. We talk of wanting to help others, we talk of turning this world into a paradise. We talk of ideal situations. Is life that simple? Is the world that we live in an ideal place?
Therein friends lies the problem. If all of us are doing only good, then why is the world so screwed up? Why is the gap between the rich and the poor widening? Why are followers of Hinduism, Islam, Christ and the millions of other ideologies fighting each other? If all of us want to make the world a better place, then why has the world not become a better place?
The reason is just one. All of us believe in the supremacy of our beliefs. We align with those who hold the same beliefs as us and call others nonbelievers. All of us proclaim that God is one. Yet we fight to prove that our vision of God is supreme and set out to rubbish the ideas of others who do not fall in line with our thoughts.
One question crosses my mind repeatedly. If we believe God is the creator of all humanity, then why is it that we take it upon ourselves to defend God and his rights. If God had the power to create the Universe, don't we think that he has the power to guard himself? Or do we think that we are more powerful than God Almighty and hence it's our duty to ensure that no harm befalls God?
Simple logic says that if God needs our protection, then he ain't God in the first place. We need to understand that God protects us and not the other way. If we believe that God exists then we also must agree to the fact that God is supreme. If we don't then we are deluding no one but ourselves. Then what we are doing is looking at God as a business enterprise, invoking whose name a huge pile of money is waiting to be made.
That my dear friends is the nature and premise of Organized Religion of any name.If we really are to live happy and peaceful on Earth, what needs to be shed is the sham of Organized Religion. We need to believe that devotion to God is personal and should be kept within one's heart; not forced down the throats of people by force.
If we really believe in the existence of God, then we wouldn't be so insecure, selfish, jealous, and egoistic a race.We have governments, NGOs, and dogooders of all kinds wanting to eradicate poverty from the surface of this earth. Then why are more and more people growing poorer by the day? Why is that kids of the poor do not even have access to the basic amenities like food, cloting, shelter, and education? Things that kids of the betteroff sections of society take for granted and show scant respect.
The problem is our belief in charity. We believe that by doling out a few currency notes, we have done out bit to eradicate poverty. Charity without focus is as good as feeding poison. On needs to understand that it is not in the best interests of governemnts and NGOs and other dogooders across the globe to end poverty. If they manage to do that, more so in quick time, then what will they do?
It suits them to keep the poor as poor as before or even poorer. That's how they survive and thrive. If collectively we wish to eradicate poverty, then what we need to do is not hand out dole. We need to see that the money that we give is spent properly. Accountability is the key. Also the poor need education and jobs. By just giving them some money and believing that poverty will be eradicated is foolish.
Logic shows that if we have the will, political and personal, then it ain't that difficult. However, if we keep giving out doles, then we are churning out more beggars. And when people know that they can get money for doing nothing but for flashing their poor or caste cards, then why on earth would they want or opt to work?
As a society we have to promote a healthy work culture, pan inaction, and see to it that the law of the land is upheld. The poor should be provided basic education, and with means to find gainful employment. After that, if they are found reverting to a life of inaction, they should be severely penalized. That will send a clear message that the era of beggars is over. What the world needs is a cleanup of the collective thought process. What say friends, are we game?
Therein friends lies the problem. If all of us are doing only good, then why is the world so screwed up? Why is the gap between the rich and the poor widening? Why are followers of Hinduism, Islam, Christ and the millions of other ideologies fighting each other? If all of us want to make the world a better place, then why has the world not become a better place?
The reason is just one. All of us believe in the supremacy of our beliefs. We align with those who hold the same beliefs as us and call others nonbelievers. All of us proclaim that God is one. Yet we fight to prove that our vision of God is supreme and set out to rubbish the ideas of others who do not fall in line with our thoughts.
One question crosses my mind repeatedly. If we believe God is the creator of all humanity, then why is it that we take it upon ourselves to defend God and his rights. If God had the power to create the Universe, don't we think that he has the power to guard himself? Or do we think that we are more powerful than God Almighty and hence it's our duty to ensure that no harm befalls God?
Simple logic says that if God needs our protection, then he ain't God in the first place. We need to understand that God protects us and not the other way. If we believe that God exists then we also must agree to the fact that God is supreme. If we don't then we are deluding no one but ourselves. Then what we are doing is looking at God as a business enterprise, invoking whose name a huge pile of money is waiting to be made.
That my dear friends is the nature and premise of Organized Religion of any name.If we really are to live happy and peaceful on Earth, what needs to be shed is the sham of Organized Religion. We need to believe that devotion to God is personal and should be kept within one's heart; not forced down the throats of people by force.
If we really believe in the existence of God, then we wouldn't be so insecure, selfish, jealous, and egoistic a race.We have governments, NGOs, and dogooders of all kinds wanting to eradicate poverty from the surface of this earth. Then why are more and more people growing poorer by the day? Why is that kids of the poor do not even have access to the basic amenities like food, cloting, shelter, and education? Things that kids of the betteroff sections of society take for granted and show scant respect.
The problem is our belief in charity. We believe that by doling out a few currency notes, we have done out bit to eradicate poverty. Charity without focus is as good as feeding poison. On needs to understand that it is not in the best interests of governemnts and NGOs and other dogooders across the globe to end poverty. If they manage to do that, more so in quick time, then what will they do?
It suits them to keep the poor as poor as before or even poorer. That's how they survive and thrive. If collectively we wish to eradicate poverty, then what we need to do is not hand out dole. We need to see that the money that we give is spent properly. Accountability is the key. Also the poor need education and jobs. By just giving them some money and believing that poverty will be eradicated is foolish.
Logic shows that if we have the will, political and personal, then it ain't that difficult. However, if we keep giving out doles, then we are churning out more beggars. And when people know that they can get money for doing nothing but for flashing their poor or caste cards, then why on earth would they want or opt to work?
As a society we have to promote a healthy work culture, pan inaction, and see to it that the law of the land is upheld. The poor should be provided basic education, and with means to find gainful employment. After that, if they are found reverting to a life of inaction, they should be severely penalized. That will send a clear message that the era of beggars is over. What the world needs is a cleanup of the collective thought process. What say friends, are we game?
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