Neo Nationalism

Anna Hazare is undoubtedly quite a clever and an intelligent person.

Of all the things the most admirable is the mettle of his character to deal with the LokPal Bill issue and his stubborn-ness to get what he wants.

No doubt- the man has given sleep-less nights to the Congress ruling government.

However, I feel there is alot halla gulla about this matter over the public forums like

facebook, twitter among the new generation and the fact is that the people who actually know what is LokPal bill is really a smaller percentage.

Every Tom Dick Harry is making the most out of it - from filmstars to media and not to mention the politicians as well.

Ramdev ji, after getting a danda and wearing a ladies suit has gone out of sight and as a result out of mind as well.

It will be wrong to compare the chaos generated around 6th December 1992 (Babri demolition) and the chaos as of now. But we must learn that at times (and not always) the public's anger/chaos driven accomplishments are not quite right.

I am not as such a supporter of Congress or BJP but yes I do think that there are matters

which are mature enough and requires decisions to be taken within the constiutional framework (making amendments,

passing bill etc.) and with advice from senior honest and experienced people with expertise and vision.

Now saying so, I know there will be people with raging anger saying - netaaon ko humne bahut chance de diya. To them : Chhut-bhaiyyon mere pyaaron , ye samay apne ko public forums pe netaa saabit karne ka nahin hai isliye study the facts properly ,socho aur galat prachaar naa karo na bhadkaao.. ye time pass nahin hai.

The reality is - there is a meager percentage of people among us who have really casted their vote.

After saying the first line and admiring Anna Hazare, I do have my own reservations about the way he and the media sometimes portrays himself.

Respected Anna Hazare Ji: there is no doubt you are an honest Gandhian but please never ever portray yourself as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi by declaring that this is the second war of freedom and all .. well frankly speaking this does not goes too well with the man of your stature and in fact sounds quite ambitious.

Let others say whatever they want .. the people may portray you even greater .. but giving such kind of statements, clippings (with you gazing in camera) shot specifically for and appearing on facebook, youtube- all this appears as more of self publicity .

Be honest enough and do your job .. the entire nation is with you .You will attain even greater heights.

Do not make statements like -> Govenment girti hai to gire .. sounds like a cliche and

in sync. with a typical opposition leader.

For the few youngsters/new generation people: really ask yourself how much you know about Lokpal bill and what implications it might bring if the controversial changes are done.

At this part, I truly belive that the ruling government's media management team is poorest of all.

The government - if at all is so adamant about not making the asked changes should clearly publish banners show clippings (what Anna Inc. is doing but not self publicizing please) stating what is preventing it from doing so.

After all till now a lot of the senior leaders of the BJP or Congress have not made there

statements clearly, that the PMO should be brought within the LokPal ambit.

There must be a good reason/vision why these experienced people are not openly supporting this change. Let it be out among us- please. The reason might be wrong and it might be right as well.

I do believe that something good will come out of this LokPal chaos for sure and the major credit to goes to Anna and team. At least the man started a good thing, to begin with- the debate started.

But for neo nationalists -> have a proper reading of the Lokpal Bill (from reliable references),its history the role of the BJP as well

as Congress to it, and what extra Anna and team has contributed to it before lighting a candle at Jantar Mantar or bunking your classes/offices for the cause(as suggested in a recent video).

Because at the end, if something fullish happens, we all will feel like a herd of sheep misdirected by the relatively newly appointed civil society members.

Neither congress is good nor BJP and neither is RSS and the civil society members can not be the party ruling us.

Lets intelligently weigh what each is offering, and not be part of anything simply in the name of wind of change.

A thought (courtsey 1799)

Recently joined JP Morgan Chase project .

I am usually quite fond of studying about big organisations and like BIG brand names.

JP Morgan Chase being no exception .

At times I also like to take photographs of the big buildings and offices of such organisations.

I remember taking the first such picture of Microsoft Development Center there in Hyderabad with my Sony Ericsson W550i :) when the security guard was totally stopping me .

So back to why I mentioned JP Morgan.

As I said I like reading about the companies , I was reading about JP Morgan as well .

I found that the comapany history, turnover, revenue is HUGE .

I mean I don't deny that bigger organisations do exist but this is really BIG .

Falling within the category of BIG 4 banks in US (Citi, JPMC, Wells Fargo, Bank of America).

The, company in context (here JPMC) was founded in the year 1799.

So Old ?? This diverted my attention to - where was India at that point of time ?

I then started thinking that why these countries got an edge over ours .

As it has been quite long that I read about Gandhiji, ( I felt a little guilt as well ) but then searched for the birth year (2nd October I remembered) of our very own Shri Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

DOB: 2 October , 1869.

What I am pointing to is ...

So even before Gandhiji-the father of our nation was born , the banking industry had started taking shape in US .

And that too 70 (SATTAR - to make a better effect) years before Mr. Gandhi was born .

I don't say that the gap between the developing country, and the developed country will be always there .

And I am more assertive on this now after I watched a very nice video of Swidish Professor Hans Rosling on TED, that I would like to share

(http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html).

But yes, the better use of brain that the WEST has done is very much appreciable .

Then, I also read in an article about the leader Mr. Thomas Robert who was the first the raise the concern for population

overgrowth .

Thinkers -- these have definitely been the real visionary people .

Saying so I do not commend all the deeds that the west or the britishers have done and looted India.

Surely in 1799 in India the three big Battles of Seringapatam, Seedaseer and Mallavelly were being fought .

but I really sometimes wonder , why since the very begining the birth rate of such philosophers, thinkers, visionary people is more in these countries rather than ours OR is it like there have been leaders but some how we did/do not promote them ...

A Nice Story ...

Horror gripped the heart of a World War-I soldier, as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. The soldier  asked his Lieutenant if he could go out to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the Lieutenant," but don't think it will be worth it.

Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.

"The Lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Miraculously, he managed to reach his friend, hoisted him onto his shoulder and brought him back to their  company's trench. The officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend.

" I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, Sir," said the soldier.

"What do you mean by worth it?" responded the Lieutenant.

"Your friend is dead."

"Yes Sir," the soldier answered,

"but it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say...."Jim...I knew you'd come."

ON RACISM

A scene took place on a BA (British Airway) flight between Johannesburg and London. A white woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess. "Madam, what is the matter?" the hostess asked. "You obviously do not see it then?" She responded."You placed me next to a black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat." "Be calm please," the hostess replied. "Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another place is available." The hostess went away and then came back a few minutes later. "Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in the economy class. I spoke to the captain and he informed me that there is one seat in the business class. All the same, we also have one seat in the first class." Before the woman could say anything, the hostess continued: "It is unusual for our company to permit someone from the economy class to sit in the first class. However, given the circumstances, the captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting." She then turned to the black guy, and said, "Therefore, sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in first class." At the moment, the other passengers who were shocked by what they had just witnessed stood up and applauded.

HOW DIWALI STARTED ;)

(Got from somewhere ....)

A young second generation Indian in the US was asked by his mother to explain the significance of "Diwali" to his younger brother, this is how he went about it... " So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him. But, like, his step-mom, or something, was kind of a bitch, and she forced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Ram, to some national forest or something... Since he was going, for like, something like more than 10 years or so.. he decided to get his wife and his bro along... you know...so that they could all chill out together.But Dude, the forest was reeeeal scary shit... really man...they had monkeys and devils and shit like that. But this dude, Ram, kicked with darts and bows and arrows... so it was fine. But then some bad gangsta boys, some jerk called Ravan, picks up his babe (Sita) and lures her away to his hood. And boy, was our man, and also his bro, Laxman, pissed..... all the gods were with him... So anyways,you don't mess with gods. So, Ram, and his bro get an army of monkeys.. Dude, don't ask me how they trained the damn monkeys... just go along with me, ok...So, Ram, Lax and their monkeys whip this gangsta's ass in his own hood. Anyways, by this time, their time's up in the forest..and anyways...it gets kinda boring,you know... no TV or malls or shit like that. So,they decided to hitch a ride back home... and when the people realize that our dude, his bro and the wife are back home... they thought, well, you know, at least they deserve something nice... and they didn't have any bars or clubs in those days...so they couldn't take them out for a drink, so they, like, decided to smoke and shit...and since they also had some lamps, they lit the lamps also... so it was pretty cooool... you know with all those fireworks... Really, they even had some local band play along with the fireworks... and you know, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding.., that was the very first music-synchronized fireworks... you know, like the 4th of July stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know. And, so dude, that was how, like, this festival started." And it goes on.....

Old version Vs. New version

(Got from somewhere ....)

OLD VERSION...
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

******************************************************************************************
MODERN VERSION....
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering gasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house.Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter. Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper. The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) . Opposition MP's stage a walkout.Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers.Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter.Arjun Singh makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Insititutions & in Govt Services.The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV.Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice". Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'. CPM calls it the 'revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden' Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.Many years later...The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in silicon valley. 100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India.