Friday, April 18, 2008

We vs Our Country

Okay...This was something I had written during June 07 during Gujjar-Meena riots. The recent hulla over reservations brought this topic again to my mind. Will write about my views on reservation policy soon.

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A very dangerous example has been set by the Gujjar community of Rajasthan. If you want something, just get out on the streets in hundreds, burn buses, burn effigies of ministers, stone offices and police stations, block highways. In the process, you ofcourse lose some 'martyrs', but however outrageous your demands might be, the government is forced to negotiate. These are similar to the tantrums a child throws when he wants something, albeit on a larger scale. But what is shocking is the loss and destruction of government property during this.

The Gujjars wanted to be 'promoted' from OBC to ST status to avail better benefits from the reservation system. But starting from the government to the sociologists, everyone was against this as they didnt 'qualify' for the ST status. As thare was no defining criteria, the Gujjars did a weeklong protest in Rajasthan, which in its final stage extended even to Delhi. Now the Meena community, which has already been accorded the ST status didnt want to share the pie with the Gujjars, protested against their demands. The two communities clashed and conditions had worsened to a near civil war when the government intervened.

Now who did really suffer because of all this? Who else but the aam aadmi. Thousands of passengers were kept waiting in the railway stations and on the roads because all the rail and land routes were blocked. My heart goes out for those AIIMS aspirants, who could not give the test after a year's hard toil, because the trains to the exam centres were cancelled. Jaipur was completely cut-off from the rest of India. Buses were burnt, shops were destroyed and many people died in the clash. While all this was going on, the government looked on helplessly.

These violent protests are so common these days that I bet that you switch on your television and you will find at least one of the numerous news channels flashing something like 'PROTESTS IN PUNE' or 'STUDENTS GO ON A RAMPAGE IN BANGALORE' .

Some of the political parties so these to gain mileage. Shiv Sena will surely top the list. These self confessed moral police think they own everything and thus they can destroy everything. Recently, it bashed up computer cafe owners in Mumbai in the presence of the police. Their fault? Someone had created a community in Orkut slandering Bal Thackeray and Shiv Sena. Now, cummon guys, say that you dont need a reason for doing this, you just do it for fun right? And after creating havoc in the cafes, they said smilingly on screen, "We are mards". Of course, they are.

A sabjiwala was hit and the entire trader community went on a protest. A guy was killed in a hospital and the whole locality destroyed the hospital and heckled the doctors accusing them of negligence leading to his death. Every doctor then stopped working saying they have been mistreated. Now what we are doing is killing others because one guy was killed. Burning of theatres because of objectionable scene or dialouges in some obscure fim has become commonplace. We recently saw the destruction of a famous Art museum because some of the paintings didnt go with the taste of a political party.

I believe every country has attained its freedom through some kind of protest or revolt. The sepoy mutiny in 1857, Gandhi's non co-operation movement, Bhagat Singh's heroics all justify that. But the difference is that they had something against them. When are we going to understand that this is our country, this is our government, these are our people. What are we gaining by destroying our own property, by destroying ourselves? If we are against some policy, cant we resolve it in a peaceful manner without any wreckage and havoc?

A cult movie, Rang De Basanti surely inspired millions of Indians to come on the streets and seek justice for Jessica Lal. Candle protests were organised, uncountable SMSs were sent on moblies. No-one had expected the ferocity with which this social activism spread. And didnt we succeed? Where has that Indian gone? Are we taking out our frustrations on ourselves? I am not asking others to just become silent spectators. Their opinion matters as much as that of the President's. Everyone should come up with his views even if he is against the highest authority. But we should also take care that this country is ours, what we destroy is ours...

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The 30 Questions

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?
Requiem for a Dream... We had a film fiesta at our institute and it was the only film I saw there( at out institute theater)... I had seen it before but the ruthlessness and nakedness with which it deals with addiction made me watch it once again. I love it.

2. What book are you reading?
The Inimitable Jeeves by PG Wodehouse. I am so much loving the gentle humor and old wordly charm of the book.

3. Favorite board game?
I hate board games actually... Maybe chess


4. Favorite magazine?
I dont have a favourite. Generally read them without preference. Outlook, India Today, The Week, I love every magazine. Somedays back I was hooked to Readers Digest. Borrowed old copies from library and read them in class. But am over them now.

5. Favorite smells?
Oh I have this deo with me that has kind of a orange-y smell that i so love. Everytime I smell that, I wish I was drowned in an ocean filled with that smell.

6. Favorite sounds?
Must say the light strumming of guitar strings is my favourite. And yeah the chirping of birds during a wonderful winter morning comes close.


7. Worst feeling in the world?
Whenever I am engulfed by that inferiority complex, I feel I am gonna fall and break to pieces, only that the fall doesnt end quite soon. That I think is the worst feeling.


8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
Will the prof give me attendance if I go now? Thats what I think. And if the answer is in negative, I just go back to my wonderful sleep.

9. Favorite fast food place?
Oh how I miss that wonderful little place by the school tuiton where all we friends used to gather and have double rounds of rolls n soups.

10. Future child’s name?
Havent really thought about that. Will have to consult with my future wife...Hey anyone listening???

11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d….?”
Spend a lot. I am really a believer of "Have it, Flaunt it" philosophy...Dont have much belief in saving and all...

12. Do you drive fast?
Yeah, sometimes when I am in the mood. Though I am half baked in driving a car.


13. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
What the ???


14. Storms - cool or scary?
Cool. Love the harsh winds, the noise, the lightning.

15. What was your first car?
Nah, Havent got myself a car. But have decided which one it ll be.

16. Favorite drink?
Maybe choclate vanilla shake. I would love to say any alcohol...that would be cool but really I hate them.

17. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”?
Sleep...Thats what I do with most of my time anyhow.


18. Do you eat the stems on broccoli?
I hate brocoli...forget the stems...


19. If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice?
Nah! I love the natural...black it is.

20. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in?
Puri( I was born here. A nice coastal city that is reluctant to advancement),Berhampur (Lived for most of life here),Bhubaneswar (Love the crowds and girls ;) ),Rourkela (Presently studying here.Extreme heat, extreme rains, everything extreme here)

21. Favorite sports to watch?
Cricket, Soccer, Tennis ( strictly in that order)

22. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?
I love her candid writings written with all innocence and wit. Its like eating a salty snack with something damn sweet...and it tastes real good, mind you.

23. What’s under your bed?
A bucket which cries at being not used regualrly, my travel bag, sometimes old newspapers. As messy as I am, you would find a hell lot of things under my bed.


24. Would you like to be born as yourself again?
What! Isnt this life enough?

25. Morning person, or night owl?
Now that is one question I can answer with as much conviction as I can answer what is one plus one. I can stay awake upto four easily watching a movie, chatting with friends or just like that but ask me to wake up at six even though I slept last afternoon, it would be as difficult for me as climbing Mt Everest. I guess I was supposed to live at the other side of the world.

26. Over easy, or sunny side up?
Sunny side up. That brings the fun.

27. Favorite place to relax?
Ohh many. but my fave would be my own room where I could just put on some light music on my lappy, kill all the lights and pretend to be dead. Thats my idea of relaxing. Most of the times do that after an exhausting lab session.

28. Favorite pie?
It sounds weird but I have never had a real pie. So favorite- pending.

29. Favorite ice cream flavor?
Of course choclate. Nothing comes close to that.

30. Of all the people you tagged this to, who’s most likely to respond first?
Difficult. Maybe Veens( Hey Veens dont dissapoint me.)


Okay. I tag Veens, Neha, Aditi "Jiggs" and Dave.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Bangalored and Houseless

End sems will be starting on 28th. Still a lot more days left to xerox notes and start mugging. But I really wished the profs would let us rest in peace until that. But they have other plans I guess. Thank God the week is over now. With all the class tests, lab tests, viva and practicals, it was a hell of a week.Went to a nice restaurant “Rice n Spice” last night with two of my frinds. The food was good and I ended up having more than I needed. I was exhausted to the core and no wonder I slept upto 2:30 today and ended up missing lunch. Really hungry now...

I will be going on an internship to HMT( yeah the one whose watches your dad used to wear), Bangalore at Bellary Street. As I have no relatives at Bangalore, so it will be an experience for me staying on my own. But as you see, I will there only for a period of two months and so it will be difficult to get accomodation from what I have heard from my friends. So guys, if you know anyone who would like to sublet a room or want to add to another mess to their already existing one, please do tell me. I really really need that. Anything, even a PG option would be welcome for me. So do help me guyz....

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

If I Were A Girl

Okay...So I was tagged by Aditi to list out 5 things I would do or like to do if I had a chance to change into the opposite sex...

1) I would like to flirt around and have sex with as many guys as possible...Yeah, that is sick but that would make me happy and the guys too...

2) Well...I would love to do a lesbo act with someone like Elisha Cuthbert or Katherine Heigl...Yeah that would be more feasible as a guy but then a lesbo act is so more fantastic and passionate... ;)

3) I would have really long hair and have a thick line of kohl on my eyes. I would be always dressed in jeans and tees. Thats the way I like girls and probably I would like myself that way too...

4) For a change, I would not have a thousand dresses, two thousand pairs of shoes and three thousand purses. Its like a rule with girls - the smaller the things get, the more numbers of them you got to have...

5) I would marry a rich useless old man, divorce him, have his money as alimony, buy a cool sports car, have a dude boyfriend and flaunt them both. Lol...