Narendra Modi has drastically failed in communicating these virtues to the people. Answers to some very important points which stood up against Modi, could have given a sense of authenticity of these virtues being present in Modi’s heart.

Is he interested in Prime Ministerial position for the election of 2014? Isn’t this an official start of an election campaign?

Why and what amount of money has been spent for this giagentic event? There is already a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) against the money spent in this event.

Does he accept the moral responsibility for any horrific events happend in Gujarat including 2002 riots? He has never been clear on this. Can he answer this without any ambiguities and without responding grossly?

Wasn’t this event for targetting the religious minority, as on each instance the representatives from different religions were highlighted including at the time of breaking fast?

If Narendra Modi would have been generous, honest, faith worthy enough then he could have clearly answered these questions in his speeches and interviews in media.

An utterly misguided event and campaign name called Sadbhavana!

Many Gujaratis will have not have a good feeling to read this but these are all questions and no statements. Can there be a minute where they can think and assess?

https://www.facebook.com/notes/gaurang-raval/મુખ્યમંત્રી-શ્રી-નરેન્દ્રભાઈ-ને-ખુલ્લો-પત્ર/10150385421848203

Many believe that it has become fashionable to condemn Modi. I rather honestly feel that people who are writing such open letters and putting efforts are in pain and they are desperate to let people know in some way that please stand your ground, identify the hypocrisy and at least try to understand the truth.

I had to respond to Gaurang’s letter with my own perspective that we should try shifting our focuses.

To Gaurang,

“Gaurang’s feeling is understandable. I know that I share equal sensitivity about the points he has raised about Gulbarg and other instances of 2002. It has been 9 years now and Narendra Modi did not have to live a single sweating moment for this entire period, for what he has done in 2002 and also at many other instances. The cases are jumping from here to there, committees are appointed and dissolved, reports are generated and submitted, again cases are reopened and shut! Being a citizen of this state I don’t have much hope for justice regarding 2002 and over this period of time there are millions of things which have been manipulated, eradicated and vanished which can actually bring the truth out.

Secondly, I believe that somethings has happened a few years back and we are sad and heart torn. What now? We certainly know that Modi is a preacher and he knows the nerve of people of Gujarat. They like that Gammat Gulal and circus of this guy. They hardly think and assess. I talked about the Sabarmati waters spread in villages to one of my colleagues and he said, “e to lakhya kare”. ZERO SENSITIVITY. I totally appreciate Gaurang’s feelings and the way he has expressed. He has valid points. When I retrospect my efforts, I feel that Modi is like terrorism. He is not a person, he has injected himself in the nerves of Gujaratis very smartly and fashionably. We have to start from beginning. We have to start from the roots. I am just sharing my views and using this forum as a soundboard.

Targeting Modi and his (uncountable) misdeeds directly has made the people habitual of it and it affects neither modi nor people. It is like we keep taking pain killers and the body gets habitual and doesn’t respond to the medicine. We need to change the medicine. I would say sensitizing people and educating people for the issues rather than trying to understand and fight against modi would be rewarding at some point of time. It would have long term benefits. If I would have time and space to handle the current situation, I would forget all 2002 thing for a while, I will forget Modi’s presense completely and I will focus on people and render their mindsets by one way or the other.

May I be in that situation soon!

Amen…

Here is the page where you can download a Microsoft Word file. You can download this word file but when you open it, here’s what you get to see:

This file is a collection of junk characters. Watch out the fonts!

Now, I tried to download another press release. It was a regular Ahmedabad daily press release.

Perfectly readable with the same fonts as the other file – Shruti.

My suggestions for such critical information publishing:

1. Each piece of information coming out of the State Information Department has to be easily searchable and readable.

2. The files for download have to be readable through free software like Adobe PDF Reader or Notepad. Microsoft Office Word may not be available to every common person as the users need license and that costly.

3. Such documents have to available in at least hindi and gujarati – two languages.

4. If any kind of text is provided in any regional language – the site must provide the supported fonts to download.

And yes, we still don’t know WHY we don’t have the Lokayukta in Gujarat!!!

Some 50-60 postcards were bought and they started printing “I SUPPORT ANNA HAZARE” and the addresses of our honorable PM Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and the honorable President Shri Pratibha Patil. People are out on street, rubbing their feet off to support Anna and here they are lazy to write the addresses with their hands. Pity!!!

Here’s my post card to Prime Minister:

My idea about fighting corruption is “Start from Self”. No protest, bill or law will be more effective.

Jai Hind!

Team Anna Hazare and many others are comparing this anti-corruption protest with the FREEDOM FIGHT against Britishers. Let us just think and assess. If we consider the Britishers as the ruling entity, let us consider the Government of India in the same context (mind well, there is no similarity in attitude, intensions and actions of these two). So both of the entities are the receivers of the protest.

PROTEST FOR WHAT:

Freedom fight was a one point agenda and was the sole issue for which the entire nation has one voice, one belief. Fight against corruption is not the sole agenda of the country, countrymen or the Government of India to tackle and to deal with. Corruption is one of the major issues along with inflation, poverty, human rights, communal harmony, terrorism and many others. Yes, it could be a one point agenda for Anna Hazare and team as they have decided to concentrate to work in that one sole area. Appreciated! No complains for that.

So, there is a huge difference between the CAUSE of FIGHT in terms of seriousness and size.

PROTEST WHY:

PROTEST HOW:

What triggered this article is the song of Jan LokPal Bill (http://soundcloud.com/avnish-avi/lokpal-song-india-against-corruption) forwarded by one my colleagues – Arpan. The actual soulful meaning of the protest was being felt while listening to this song. It reminded the way songs were written while India’s freedom struggle.

If Government did not accept the draft of Anna, there could have been rallies in all over the country. Peaceful marches could have take place, with such beautiful songs which could wittily and sensibly bring in more and importantly fundamentally strong support to this protest. Current support to Anna has no soul. It’s a temporary, comfy and situational support. Anna negotiating the length of fast doesn’t make any sense. When in the life, did we hear about the length of fast being negotiated? This is also an entirely different debate.

There is the least similarity between the fight for freedom and fight against corruption. Comparing it with the emergency situation is also irrational. There are many other activists who are fighting for many such causes on state level, going into remote villages who also have practiced fasting, protested, blocked roads – they also have been arrested, kept in custody and released.

People not knowing the battles and struggles within their own home, want to romantically support Anna Hazare and wear ‘Topi’s. Thanks to Media and thanks to the money Anna and team is having who can stage such big events. Same size of events and protests have been taking place within Gujarat for various serious reasons including the protests against nuclear plants, unjust land distribution and natural resource protection. They don’t have 1.5 crore rupees to build a Steven Spielberg fasting stage.

Update 17/08/2011 – “With the whole writing, the comments and the discussion – I also want to extend the thought that it was not appropriate on Government’s part to arrest Anna Hazare. But as they have now corrected it and PM has also vowed to pass LokPal bill as soon as possible, what is left out of agenda of Mr Hazare? “

Anna Hazare is detained. The country hastily reacts to a cute old man showing a great courage from last few months. Who is Anna Hazare? If asked, more than 60% may get it wrong. Last night, in the first episode of Kaun Banega Karodpati – Season 5, a gentleman had no clue that who is Kisan Baburao!

Kisan Baburao Hazare, is the full name of Anna Hazare. Starting with the name, take the Lokpal, Lokayukta and even the objective behind this protest, there might be fingers in mouth while answering the meanings of these terms.

“We must change the system!” – Which system? What system? These people who say it, they won’t have an idea what system they are talking about. Anna Hazare is not fighting to end the corruption. Amazed??? I am afraid, it is true. Anna Hazare originally initiated his fight to put the Lokpal Bill in the Parliament to be debated and to conclude the laws which can tackle the corruption cases. From as simple explanation of his presented bill, it turned into an agitated throw hole for all who wanted to take an advantage of this stage. Hundreds have misused the stage Anna had set for all these months to put the bill of his choice in Parliament. But those who wanted to misuse they made out an agenda to push the government down. May they get well soon!

Now, how? Anna has been insisting upon the weapon of fasting (Anshan). Many have suggested in their comments that why a Government should resist a peaceful and non-violent protest of Anna? Well, what is a peacemaker? Does a peacemaker ever raise the tone, raise the attitude and does he/she ever threaten the stake holders who expect the peace to prevail? Anna may be a holy soul, the spotless personality, the most hard working worker or the most noble human being but he is a little far from being a sensible decision maker and solution seeker! An IIT lad is the brain behind Anna Hazare. He needed a cute face to be presented to the Indian people who always refrain and rather do not trust the young politicians much. Anna was planted to sit of fast (the first occasion when he fasted for the Lokpal bill), everything has is living drama like the Facebook story line. No one expected what is going to happen and no one really even measured this kind of response when they started. Babas and Swamis roasted their rotis and many other politicians took a chance to get published in newspapers and TV channels.

Anna kept changing his stand, attitude, statements and even the agenda. He burnt the Lokpal draft of Government as well. Again, is it a peacemaker’s act? Anna is too naïve and got it all wrong what the fasting means? We must refer to this:

Reference: Gandhi, M.K. “Letter to Mr. ——” 25 January 1920 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 19, p. 350)

Satyagraha has no place for violence. Anna’s way to insistence and threatening of fasting are forms of violence. “Give me this, or I will die (fasting)!” – is an utter violence. Fasting involves self-restrain, experiencing the gloom what others must be facing and the tone of request and plea. No eating and no drinking do not mean an Anshan (Protesting with Fast).

Not that the Indian government is the glass clean! It is also found to be over-reacting at some stages but Anna has to listen, talk, debate and understand a few more point of views. Government has 1000 more things to do than focusing on a crazy old nut who is threatening openly there and then.

There is nothing to conclude just yet, there is still more and a lot more to think and assess. One can contribute in this thinking and assessment process rather than jeopardizing the peace, order and law of the nation.

Exclusively for the dear people of Gujarat: (this space will keep udpating)

Definition of Lokayukta http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokayukta Gujarat is still to appoint Lokayukta which is a state anti-corruption organisation and Modi is talking about cleaning out the corruption from the whole country!!! LOL

I had this usual discussion with my collegues in office, and after 4-5 years this is my observation that if you speak anything against Narendra Modi (which is actually a rational opinion about the way Gujarat is being developed), you get victimized and you might be mobbed. Well fortunately, I was not beated but I would like to share that how disappointing it is know how people think and how they see the world around them. My head is filled with so many painful questions!!!

Whoever it is about, but the mindsets of these friends have become stagnent. Has the faculty of thinking completely dried up? OMG, Why? Why can’t they think? If they do think, why can’t they understand? If they understand, why can’t the choose what is right?

Why can’t they switch off the air condition, open the drapes, open the window and look outside the window? Please look around, it’s not only them. there are millions of other people, citizens, in other cities, villages and everywhere!

All these friends of mine seem to be concerned with the roads through which they commute to their offices, the flyover they have to cross, the cinema & the mall they go to each weekend and some facilities they get in daily life. NOTHING more than that! I asked what should be the priority of the state administration?

Answer: Safety (safe from what? communal riots?), Employment (employment means 25k job for them – nothing less is good because they are getting it), Development (malls, flyovers, buildings and IT companies), Image of State (state should be attractive for the outsiders). These are not my interpretations but their explanation.

Do we have enough understanding of the social priorities? Haven’t we studied about the basic needs of humans in primary school? Haven’t our parents taught that we should be sensitive towards others too!?

Guys please… it is not about any Modi or Singh. It is about being sensitive to our counterparts.

“Sacchhhin… he is on! Put the match on!”

20 long years! Not even the CEO of hs own company may not remain on the for 20 long years. But he has. Consistently… Meticulously…!

Today, on the 2000th test match of cricket history, and on the 100th test match between the legacy cricket playing countries – INDIA and ENGLAND, Sachin Tendulkar has walked down on the lush LORD’s pitch, in the spotless weather of England, in the white test match attire – white like Egrets, looking calm, composed and treating each ball with clinical excellence.

Stage is set for the most memorable, actually one more memorable achievement for the maestro of all time! When I ask my heart it says, HE WILL and when I ask my mind, my heart intrudes and tells my mind that HE WILL!!!

He still drives the BILLION INDIANS with the same spirit. It’s just a bliss to watch him!

Video Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wc-v06cKUA