In a Spot-Fix

NaMo, fellow countrymen, NaMo!

(The background behind me NaMo-ing is in my recent facebook status update)

Disclaimer : The post might tend to hurt a few sentiments. (especially if readers are around that age of early 40s to mid 50s - though I doubt I would have even a decent number of readers in that bracket!) It might even be interpreted as offensive by some of us young men/women but I appeal that it should not be received personally. With all due respect, I have tried to speak what I believe is the truth - unabashed and unashamed to do that as always!

I hadn't anticipated a blog from my side today, to be frank, but a small instance yesterday put me into my 'ponder' mode. I had returned from office when the kids in my housing society were playing cricket. There was the usual banter; there was the usual aggression! Then there were those accusations of not seeing where the ball landed on a wall or a katta or some car's glass windows. Then an old lady shouted from the first floor about some rules of not playing inside residential premises. (which was categorically ignored as a minor disruption!) I smiled, dropped off my bag on my bed and headed out again for some snacks. By the time I came back, cricket was replaced by hide-and-seek and with still some light available, that appeared odd to me. I asked a nearby kid (say Jo) as to why had they stopped playing cricket. He must have been 12 or 13 with a complexion which could have glown in the dark! Slightly rotund with short hair, he answered, "Arey dada, we don't have a bat now that Shantanu has taken away his." I burst into laughter; he reminded me of our days when bat & ball sharing was a no-go because of varied reasons or the squabbles over the same! I told him to collect a bat which had been lying around at my place and he broke into such a broad and beautiful smile that he reminded me, given his features too, of another friend of long (let us call him Zi) who must have been the same age near and about when I had first met him. My laughter suddenly died down; as I turned the key into the lock and walked into my dark home, joy was replaced with pain. Not that Zi is dead; he is in a much worse condition - not according to him, but according to me.

Understanding India's Security Strategy : Jammu & Kashmir

25-27 Feb 2013, I had attended a seminar Understanding India's Security Strategy : With a special reference to Jammu & Kashmir and North East India at Keshav Srushti, Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini located at a picturesque location near the Uttan village, Bhayandar, Mumbai. The Knowledge Centre built up at this place is an excellent location for study, thought and development of the mind. The melodious chirping of the birds in early hours of the day is a rare experience in a place like Mumbai for obvious reasons!

As clearly as the title suggests the seminar dealt with our security issues, current and future of the same along our borders and most importantly the need of enlightening the wide mass of Bhaaratiyas against these threats. Many sections of the seminar had thankfully reached upto me via the internet, through attending related seminars in the past and the general awareness created by many patriots and fighters in action before me. To say I didn't learn anything new would be a foolish mistake and some insights can only be presented by men on the field. When a multitude of ex-armymen Lt. Gen. Shekatkar, Lt. Gen. VM Patil, Brigadier Hemant Mahajan, Col. Gidh, defence/security/political analysts Nitin Gokhale, Alok Bansal, Historian/Witness/Professor K. Pandita (an elderly Kashmiri Pandit who has seen the Jammu-Kashmir story by his own eyes, RSS karyakarta Arun Kumar (with active and vast experience in all these regions) concluded by Ex-Intelligence Bureau Chief and current director of Vivekananda International Foundation Ajit Doval share talk space one should be certain that enlightenment is guaranteed! Describing the entire 3 day seminar (atleast 20 hours of talk) in its entirety would be an extremely cumbersome process and even if I manage that somehow it will be far off from live listening and interaction with such personalities. I will try and put up the gist.

We the Rapists....

Disclaimer: Friends, there have been extremely emotional responses vis-a-vis the latest gang-rape incident in Delhi. The blog is based on it but no particular incident has been earmarked as the foundation of this blog. The details and personalities will vary and have no connection to real life people. The views presented are to be seen in a general light and not case specific unless otherwise mentioned. As any person will be, I was pained too to hear what had happened. The attempt of this blog is not to condemn or criticize - may it be the criminals, the government, the police, the media or us fellow citizens. The purpose of this blog is to make a few statements and ask a few questions; I will call it thought provocation because as an individual, as a patriot, as a living being, (I am careful enough not to be arrogant and say "as a human being" for I have received ample proof that animals are more capable of love, mercy and compassion - which I guess Derek O' Brien disagrees with!) I am merely requesting my fellow countrymen to think over these statements in a hope that these statements and their subsequent follow-ups will help the readers as they have helped me. My intention is not to hurt any sentiments involved but to ask a few blunt questions which need not be answered publicly because I believe that those answers work best which are directed to the self's soul.

I find Ratna Kapur's article in The Hindu as one of the best as far as this incident is concerned.

Rape is defined as "to destroy and strip of a possession"; the blog is my take on what has been raped, who has been raped and who exactly have raped.

Reform, but Resolve too....

In the wake of major economic decisions by the Government of India many emotions, passions, opinions and expressions are flowing around. It is indeed commendable to what is happening - or rather most of it. Today, I am thinking of visiting in short all the major decisions of the past few days trying to explore as I see them and inviting opinions and counter-arguments if any. At the end of the blog today, I have shared a discovery of a unique and beautiful model; a middle-ground between the warring arguments of FDI in Retail. While doing so, I believe we can also dwelve on the difference between Idealistic & Practical schools of thought, the importance of a dual front - short and long term.

Life, Liberty & Lebensraum Assam....

Finally I have got the space and time needed to write again; the frequency of my posts is dwindling by the passing moment and even if I face a barrage of thoughts at times, I find myself with inadequate time, energy and concentration required to pen them down. Well, today I have thankfully and the best I could think off was the ongoing Assam conflict. I had spoken of the demographic invasion once before on the blog (Demo-Demographics) and while the underlying theme is the same, there are some additions and alternate angles which need to be highlighted in the light of what is being telecast on our news channels. It is important that a few facts be brought to light if not known or be focused upon - whichever is applicable.

The Heavier Burden....

There has been some time since I have returned from Hyderabad after a fulfilling and enriching two months experience with men who have a deep insight into their work. My internship reminded me, as has happened through other events many times before, that the depth of the ocean can never be gauged. Knowledge has no limits and no boundaries! In one word - Magical ! The word "limit" has also churned a few thoughts here and there but that will be a separate blog later though a starter would be in this blog itself. Today, I want to share a story which I have already shared on my facebook page but was yet to share my understanding of it as it has a leeway to be interpreted in a way I would not like us youth to. Well, the story goes as --