Time to change the medication!

I believe Gaurang Raval could not resist his agony and he wrote is this honest open letter to CM of Gujarat:

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…

My post card to Prime Minister

Usually Saturdays at work are less burdened! Some of the highly enthusiastic fellows were desperate to spell out their support to Anna Hazare. Perhaps because they are land brothers 🙂

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!

Anna != Gandhi

Anna does not equal to Gandhi.

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	Anti-Corruption
Freedom fight was the protest against Britishers who were outsiders and they were exceptionally insensible and unjust towards the people and the country. The expected outcome was FREEDOM, may be the issue of highest rank for a country and countrymen. Very serious protest!	Fight against corruption is an issue within our own country and receiving rulers are the Government of India which is also our own, a Government which is elected (and not imposed) by us. This is not the sole point to be made to justify the Government’s action. This is just a mandatory and factual assumption. The issues are very serious to but smaller than the fight of freedom.

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:

 

Freedom

Anti-Corruption

A century long battle with Britishers was not an overnight product of mere dissatisfaction of people. The chronic penetration of British rule in each corner of India was a long drawn pain. Inhuman conditions and the heights of tolerances were encountered before it burst out into a historical protest to win our own freedom. Only if we consider Gandhi’s return to India (in 1915) as an actual trigger point of Indian struggle for independence, it took 32 more years to actually get the freedom. The reason is already justified here and now but the reasons for Anna’s protest have to be drawn.

Not before the beginning of 2011, Anna Hazare took the baton of Jan LokPal Bill in his hands. On March 13, 2011, a group of Delhi Residents drove around the city in white clothes to support anti-corruption campaign and passing the Jan LokPal Bill. And the original protest of Anna (as he calls it a Satyagraha) began on April 5, 2011. Within 5 months, Anna, his team and some other people have started comparing it with the half-century long, exceptionally sacrificial struggle of freedom. Neither the objective nor the reasons are anywhere near to the freedom struggle of India.

 

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.

 

Freedom

Anti-Corruption

Despite of intolerable conditions and despite of being the victims of most unjust incidents of the history, people were creative, artistic, full of heart and so much in the actual mood of protest. Most of them hardly held agony, hatred and negativity against Britishers. Rather they had a deep faith in those humans who lived within those Britishers as well. FAITH is the key when something is expected from someone.

With the least faith, bitter mind set, harsh statements, stubborn and agitated approach – this team of Anna Hazare is expecting overnight law from the bill which has been lying there from 1960. Taking an advantage of this agitation, opposition has jeopardized the Parliamentary sessions. All these may sound theoretical but Parliament is the most important place of country’s politics and it is the most important time when the sessions are held to discuss bills, issues and problems of the country. Not letting it function is not going to help anyone!

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.

Anna Hazare is detained… So?

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:

Gandhi distinguished between satyagraha and passive resistance in the following letter:

 

 “I have drawn the distinction between passive resistance as understood and practiced in the West and satyagraha before I had evolved the doctrine of the latter to its full logical and spiritual extent. I often used “passive resistance” and “satyagraha” as synonymous terms: but as the doctrine of satyagraha developed, the expression “passive resistance” ceases even to be synonymous, as passive resistance has admitted of violence as in the case of suffragettes and has been universally acknowledged to be a weapon of the weak. Moreover, passive resistance does not necessarily involve complete adherence to truth under every circumstance. Therefore it is different from satyagraha in three essentials: Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any circumstance whatsoever; and it ever insists upon truth. I think I have now made the distinction perfectly clear.”

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

देशभक्ति का पुरस्कार

एक आदमी: “अरे यार, क्या जरुरत थी अपने पति को पकडवाने की? ३-४ बम फुट जाते – हम या कोई हमारे घरवालो में से कोई मर जाता ! सरकार कम से कम हर परिवार को एक-एक लाख रुपये देती. उसको क्या मिल गया? पति गया, कमाई भी गई, और २५००० रुपये दे कर सरकार भी छुट गई”

Mumbai Bomb Blast Incident Trail

Scene: House of an educated Indian Family

JULY 13, 19:05

wroom wroom… Finished work… Go home… Watch TV…
BOMB BLASTS IN MUMBAI…

JULY 13, 20:13

Open FACEBOOK.. THROW UP….

“We can’t fight terrorist”

“Our Government is impotent”

“Manmohan Singh should wear bangles”

“Our police is useless”

JULY 13, 20:35

Open Twitter.. Throw up again…

“We need AK47”

“We need anti-terrorism law”

“We should shoot Kasab now!”

“We should attack and destroy Pakistan”

JULY 13, 20:45

“Honey, is the dinner ready? What do we have? Oh, Enchilladas! Wow… Let’s have it”

JULY 13, 21:41

“It was a hectic day honey, had clients, had meetings!…”

“Yes, I too had to drive 10 km to find the new beauty parlour!”

JULY 13, 23:29

“Ice cream was really nice today…” “Yes, it was organic!”

“Good Night!” – “Good Night”

My Name is Khan! I don’t want to meet Mr. CM :D

“Yaar, aaj to Ready ki tickets nahi milengi! Yeh Ahmedabad hai, Modi se jyada Salman ke fans hai yahan par…”

I just hope that this remains the reality and people love Being Human instead of in-humans. 🙂 Some office chaps talking about today’s release of READY. Salman Khan is still a hot pick when it comes to masala movies! Expected to be an entertainer this time.

Mr Modi met Amitabh Bacchan, Sunil Shetty, Ajay Devgan & many other celebrities. Why are you not meeting any of the Khans, dear common man? Bloody Biased Being!

Young Brigade 2.0

Teens, youngsters, collegians… That is how we know them! They are one of us, our siblings, our cousins and our neighbors. India is a country of youngsters. A huge portion of the Indian population is aged between 0 to 40. (Source: http://www.census.gov/ipc/prod/ib-9701.pdf). With two major factors, one – majority percentage of the population and two – majority being the young population, young brigade will dominate the ‘train’ INDIA significantly.

But where do these young wagons are heading? How would they see the neighborhood, state and the country? How would they treat this expeditious growth and how would they even tackle?

This young brigade does not seem to be giving a lot of hope and they rather seem to be disappointing with their behavior and perception towards the country, state, society or even to the person sitting next to them. The respect to other is just an obligation and also limited to family and nearer ones. These youngsters are sought hardly to be respecting a waiter in the restaurant, a traffic cop at every cross road, a manual worker, a lower class individual and everyone who look inferior, poorer and more precisely unable and helpless. Here’s a fresh incident of today:

“A few college going students were having an unlimited lunch at a Pizza Parlour. They wanted to be served in second, they kept changing their orders and they were laughing at the confused waiter. One of those was talking on the phone and was threatening someone and saying that he will not pay some bucks and was also ready to beat him up. They also wanted to finish everything in the restaurant as they had unlimited lunch offer despite of the capacity of their stomach. They were rudely talking to the waiter if he did not understand what they were asking for. They were continuously laughing after the waiter. Very disappointing scenes!”

Respect to others regardless of anything, isn’t it a foremost virtue? Are the parents and teachers are proving to be failed to teach children about basic respect and behavior?

An Open Letter to Maruti Motors

Date: 27-05-2011

Ahmedabad

http://www.marutisuzuki.com/Maruti-joins-hands-with-the-Gujarat-Government-to-set-up-Driving-and-Technical-Training-Institute-for-Tribal-Youth.aspx

Dear MARUTI,

As a leading car manufacturer of India, we are undoubtedly proud of you and we are deeply attached with the brand and products of Maruti with the stories it has spelled over the years and years now.

With the sheer concern and with the respect towards Maruti, I would like to bring your attention to a serious matter. As it has been read in all newspapers and on your own website, Maruti is coming to Gujarat to establish an automobile training institute. Well, many congratulations! It is a very good news. Being an open-eyed citizen of Gujarat and having seen the tide of awareness in Gujarat being spread by some authentic leaders, I would like to bring your attention to a few things which you must check, verify and confirm before you land into this huge initiative:

• The present Gujarat government has been involved in a random land distribution to the industries and businesses **2 with the least concern to the owners of those lands, environmental safety and also overlooking the legitimacy of the transactions. Hence, firstly it is very important that the land acquisition taking place by Gujarat government for Maruti is legal and more importantly, moral.

• It is also important that whatever clearances and certificates Maruti receives from government or relevant departments, it is necessary to verify that it has been provided to you it all of its legalities and maturity.

• As the initiative is mentioned to be a part of Maruti’s social responsibility, it is strongly recommended that the CSR team visit and assess the land situation and people’s concern wherever the training institute is going to be located.

• The issues may range from forced land acquisition, underpaid purchasing of land, type of land (fertile lands cannot be used for industrial development) **1, employment of local people, pollution and other environmental hazards affecting the local people, the portion of water and other natural resources used by the training unit and if that affects the overall need of the local people.

If all these issues are addressed and if all the clearances from the Environment department are proven and well assessed, you are more than welcome in the throbbing land of Gujarat. Gujarat is rich with its agriculture and farmers in hundreds of villages, enriched with remarkable and beautiful natural resources in remote places in all over state. We and I am sure, you too would like to preserve these natural resources, preserve the livelihoods of people and preserve the human integrity wherever you are, or we are.

Recently, Supreme Court has rejected the clearance of environment safety for cement plant of Nirma in Mahuva, Gujarat. After two years of agitating protest of farmers and people of Mahuva, who were about to lose their livelihoods which majorly relies on the fertile lands and water resource around Mahuva. MoEF has advised SC that Nirma has to move the cement plant from their current site to save the natural resources. In the entire circus, even if we forget everything, Nirma is going to lose several crore rupees of investment because of this decision from MoEF.

Nirma tasted the sweetness when they got the clearance from environment department and also got the wetland for very good price, but at the end they suffer a huge loss. This can happen to any industrialist and any business if they do not chose the right path. One would not be able to blame government who helped them grabbing all good lands and natural resources for cheap prices. People are waking up and they are ready to act.

With all due respect to Maruti, it is the only small request of mine that please consider the nature, people and farms before presenting projected graphs of fantastic social responsibility work.

Kindest Regards

Sneh

Email: sneh@red-em.com

Phone: 9979506249

Some Links to refer:

**1 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nirma-cement-plant-has-violated-green-norms-SC-told/articleshow/8232346.cms

**2 http://www.livemint.com/2011/03/16223138/A-land-policy-debate-unfolds-i.html

http://www.inewsone.com/2011/03/27/no-more-forced-land-acquisition-says-buddhadeb/38584

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-25/india/29580895_1_land-owners-urgency-clause-public-purpose

http://deshgujarat.com/2011/03/18/sc-orders-formation-of-8-member-committee-on-nirma-issue/

Hello Ladies!!!

Two ladies, everyday, come for lunch in our office canteen! They always come together, do not look at each other, do not care what one has brought for lunch, do not even talk a single word. Still, every single day they come for lunch together, sit on the same table in front of each other and they look completely aloof from each other.

Well, what could be the reason? One of the senior employees of this organization once suggested that people from same department should go for lunch together. Is this the reason? If it is, it could be the most unpleasant place to work for both of those ladies.

I thought of one another interesting possibility. They may be connected through a man, one is wife and one is sister of the same person but they don’t get along.

Any other reasons you can think of?

Keep posted