After so many days of the hectic schedule (from office to home n vice-versa), i was rather irritated to have an idle week-off. So instead of just passing my time i decided to go for a movie with my friends.
After much discussion we opted for the Kapoor kid- Ranbir`s latest `Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani`. His new movie had a name similar to a comic edition so it did caught our attention. However the lead pair also included Katrina Kaif who is somehow not my favourite but as i didn`t have any choice so i looked forward to have some enjoyment with my friends. As we opted for the last show at 10:45pm so after taking a heavy dinner we strolled out.
Talking about the movie i would suggest that it is a total bang and is really worth watching. Ranbir is at his best after `Wake up Sid` while Katrina is OK. You can find some similarity in some portions with the blockbuster Andaz Apna Apna of 80`s. Although the story is plain but the comedy sequences hold the audience till the very end. Coming to lyrics Pritam and Irshad Kamil have a unique chemistry which make the audience hum with the beautiful compositions.
Directed bty Rajkumar Santoshy the story revolves around a small-town with a distinct Ooty feel where Prem, a ninth-standard drop-out runs a local Happy Club. Now the story follows with the entry of the neighbourhood girl Jenny, a pretty young Christian girl who lives with her adoptive parents. they team-up and become good friends but lately he realises that he is falling for the girl, but can't muster up the courage to tell her. When Jenny's parents force her to marry an obnoxious rich boy, Prem volunteers to help. Turns out Jenny's got a boyfriend she loves, and now Prem must unite them.
So finally with all the twist and turns the movie finds a happy end giving the audience full time-pass. Ranbir Kapoor, is the brightest spot, rising above the script's many holes, occasionally even making the stupidity work. So I would suggest, go for the movie for Ranbir Kapoor whose performance alone justifies the price of the ticket.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Rediscovering the phantoms of 1984
I can see in your eyes, I can see in your faces, I can see you cry. But what I want to say, there’s no reason to cry. Do not, in the name of peace, go in the streets and riot.”- George Weah
Although I was born in 1985, tales of the 1984 riots have always haunted me. Hailing from Kanpur, which was the second worst riot-affected region after Delhi, discussions about how the Sikhs were tormented always petrified me. My father used to tell me about those painful days and horrible nights whose remembrance still brings tears in his eyes.
Imagining as to what would have happened 25 years ago is nearly impossible for me. Therefore on the 25th anniversary of Indira Gandhi’s death and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots, I decided to meet some of those who witnessed the uproar, grief, death, suffering and bloodshed. Alok Tomar, who was a reporter in Jansatta at that time, Arati Jerath, the reporter of Indian Express, and Deepak Duggal & Jasbir, businessmen who were targets of the carnage, shared their memories with me.
Alok Tomar (Editor, Datelineindia.com)
Nobody could have imagined the wrath and anger that October 31 brought with it. Alok Tomar was going to watch a movie in now defunct Chanakya theatre when, as a routine habit of a crime reporter, he called the police control room and was informed that PM Indira Gandhi had been shot dead by her Sikh guards at PM’s official residence at Safdarjang. He could not digest the idea of her being hit by 38 bullets.
He hired a taxi to AIIMS hospital and managed to see Mrs Gandhi at the 7th floor, lying lifeless. Many of the cabinet members were waiting in the conference hall of AIIMS. Rajiv Gandhi flew back from Orissa. Some of the prominent ministers urged him to take oath immediately but he insisted that his first priority was his mother who was dead. Alok then called Prabhash Joshi, his editor, and dictated to the desk the whole scenario over phone
He even witnessed the first death in the riots at around 4 pm on October 31 when, near the INA market, a sardar was brutally battered with bricks. Later in the day, he filed his story. He recalled the first lines of his report that said- “Aaj do hathyaen hui hai- ek Indira ki aur doosri manushya ke manushya par vishwas ki” (Today, two deaths have occurred- one of Indira and the other of trust in humans)
By November 1, the situation had worsened. While walking to his office, he was amazed to find all the police posts closed and locked. Trilokpuri, especially block 32, was badly hit. The second death occurred at 10:20 am when an elderly sardar was thrashed and killed using a burning tyre that was thrust around his neck. When he questioned Nikhil Kumar (the then additional commissioner of Delhi Police and now Governor of Nagaland), he answered that Hindus are just burning garbage and how could police stop the madding crowd?
Rahul Bedi of the Indian Express went with him to Home Minsiter Narsimha Rao’s place and both, tired and agitated, blamed him for the situation. Rao, however, replied that the Army had been called in. Mundka, Nandgoi, Shahdara and Trans-Yamuna areas were wrecked. Kakanagar, Sarojini Nagar, Palam were the other residential areas that were scarred. More than 300-400 bodies were seen by Rahul and Alok. The toll had passed 3000 in a span of 4 days. Because Indian Express group was pro-victims, Hindu mobs thrashed several of its employees, including Alok.
Later, several committees were set up where he recorded his statements; but all the enquiries were in vain. He also attended the cremation of Indira Gandhi where Rajiv Gandhi’s stoic and numb presence was really unbearable. Amitabh Bachchan, who had cordial relations with the Gandhi family then, was also present there.
Recalling the horror of those sleepless nights, he said that he and his team hoped against hope that what they had been doing would prevent a rise in casualties but unfortunately it was not enough. To quote Rao, “it was madness” but Alok saw a well-defined method in it. A bloody method!
Arati R Jerath (Senior Editor& Chief of Delhi Bureau, DNA)
Recounting her horror, Arati Jerath remembered that it was a chilly winter morning on October 31 when she was spending some quality time with her elder daughter, who was then an infant. Suddenly, she got a call at quarter to 10 that Indira Gandhi was shot dead at 9:20 am and that she was required at office.
Those days security was not much of a fuss and she therefore walked into the PM house easily later in the evening and surveyed the blood-splattered area for her story. The retaliation against Sikhs had still not become widespread but one gurudwara in Satya Chauraha Clave had been burnt down and it ran as the first flash in her newspaper. It was also rumoured that sweets were distributed in some of the gurduwaras celebrating the death of Indira. However, the scenario was like a still before a storm.
Next day, many parts of Delhi were hit by mob violence. Police were, needless to say, unable to control the situation. All those shops and colonies were targeted which belonged to Sikhs. As she used to stay at Amrita Shergill Marg, she had to walk most of the distance to her office. Nearby, the taxi-stand’s taxis were burnt. The drivers fled from the scene as they were all Sikhs. When they returned, they were all clean-shaven and their turbans were gone.
Like others, her family was also scared. Both she and her husband were reporters. Those three days were the most awful days of her life. Her parents came over from defence colony, which was also riot-hit. The violence had gripped the heart of the city and the Sikh domestic areas were prime targets. Be it Khan Market or Safdarganj, extremist Hindus lead by some local political leaders rampaged & vandalised the houses of Sikhs with impunity.
One of her friends in Vasant Vihar was also surrounded. In order to protect his family, he went out on the balcony and lit a cigarette which is prohibited in Sikh faith- to show that he was not of the community. After the riots ended, he started visiting gurudwaras regularly in order to rediscover himself.
Mrs Jerath could not go for reporting as Indian Express had barred girls from going out. But her other colleagues like Rahul Bedi and Joseph daringly covered the whole scenario, even protected some Sikhs from the blood-thirsty crowd. The most amazing part, according to her, was that the whole situation calmed down the day when Indira Gandhi’s body was cremated. This showed that there was some planned motive behind these riots.
The fifth day from Indira’s death, when she went to Tilak Nagar, the scene shocked her beyond words- pieces of burnt hair, clothes and turbans shook her soul. It was grotesque with women wailing for their husbands. Only some old men and children were left out of the ordeal- only to be victimised by circumstances forever.
Deepak Duggal & Jasbir (Businessmen in Kanpur)
Deepak Duggal recollected the memories of the horrendous behaviour of crazed mobs towards Sikhs. As William Penn puts it, “Passion is the mob of the man that commits a riot upon his reason”. Duggal’s experience confirmed the same.
By the night of October 31, it was clear that Indira Gandhi was dead. The incidents which took place on November 1 shook the whole of Kanpur. He elaborated, stating that at 7 am, the lower caste groups from Jajmau and other areas of the city started vandalising shops and ransacking the houses Sikhs in Lal Bunglow and Govindpur areas.
Friends turned foes. Women were raped and molested, not even kids and elders were spared. Police kept mum and the local Congress leaders added fuel to fire. Sikhs were singled-out and burnt alive. “We fired gun-shots and opposed the mob, which was trying to enter our house. Our trucks were burnt but thank God we were saved but the conditions were horrendous”, added Duggal’s friend, Jasbir.
After 3 days on November 4, curfew was imposed and continued for another week; but many lives were lost already. Politics had played its game, what was left was pain.
Follow the link to read the actual story: http://www.zeenews.com/news576514.html
Although I was born in 1985, tales of the 1984 riots have always haunted me. Hailing from Kanpur, which was the second worst riot-affected region after Delhi, discussions about how the Sikhs were tormented always petrified me. My father used to tell me about those painful days and horrible nights whose remembrance still brings tears in his eyes.
Imagining as to what would have happened 25 years ago is nearly impossible for me. Therefore on the 25th anniversary of Indira Gandhi’s death and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots, I decided to meet some of those who witnessed the uproar, grief, death, suffering and bloodshed. Alok Tomar, who was a reporter in Jansatta at that time, Arati Jerath, the reporter of Indian Express, and Deepak Duggal & Jasbir, businessmen who were targets of the carnage, shared their memories with me.
Alok Tomar (Editor, Datelineindia.com)
Nobody could have imagined the wrath and anger that October 31 brought with it. Alok Tomar was going to watch a movie in now defunct Chanakya theatre when, as a routine habit of a crime reporter, he called the police control room and was informed that PM Indira Gandhi had been shot dead by her Sikh guards at PM’s official residence at Safdarjang. He could not digest the idea of her being hit by 38 bullets.
He hired a taxi to AIIMS hospital and managed to see Mrs Gandhi at the 7th floor, lying lifeless. Many of the cabinet members were waiting in the conference hall of AIIMS. Rajiv Gandhi flew back from Orissa. Some of the prominent ministers urged him to take oath immediately but he insisted that his first priority was his mother who was dead. Alok then called Prabhash Joshi, his editor, and dictated to the desk the whole scenario over phone
He even witnessed the first death in the riots at around 4 pm on October 31 when, near the INA market, a sardar was brutally battered with bricks. Later in the day, he filed his story. He recalled the first lines of his report that said- “Aaj do hathyaen hui hai- ek Indira ki aur doosri manushya ke manushya par vishwas ki” (Today, two deaths have occurred- one of Indira and the other of trust in humans)
By November 1, the situation had worsened. While walking to his office, he was amazed to find all the police posts closed and locked. Trilokpuri, especially block 32, was badly hit. The second death occurred at 10:20 am when an elderly sardar was thrashed and killed using a burning tyre that was thrust around his neck. When he questioned Nikhil Kumar (the then additional commissioner of Delhi Police and now Governor of Nagaland), he answered that Hindus are just burning garbage and how could police stop the madding crowd?
Rahul Bedi of the Indian Express went with him to Home Minsiter Narsimha Rao’s place and both, tired and agitated, blamed him for the situation. Rao, however, replied that the Army had been called in. Mundka, Nandgoi, Shahdara and Trans-Yamuna areas were wrecked. Kakanagar, Sarojini Nagar, Palam were the other residential areas that were scarred. More than 300-400 bodies were seen by Rahul and Alok. The toll had passed 3000 in a span of 4 days. Because Indian Express group was pro-victims, Hindu mobs thrashed several of its employees, including Alok.
Later, several committees were set up where he recorded his statements; but all the enquiries were in vain. He also attended the cremation of Indira Gandhi where Rajiv Gandhi’s stoic and numb presence was really unbearable. Amitabh Bachchan, who had cordial relations with the Gandhi family then, was also present there.
Recalling the horror of those sleepless nights, he said that he and his team hoped against hope that what they had been doing would prevent a rise in casualties but unfortunately it was not enough. To quote Rao, “it was madness” but Alok saw a well-defined method in it. A bloody method!
Arati R Jerath (Senior Editor& Chief of Delhi Bureau, DNA)
Recounting her horror, Arati Jerath remembered that it was a chilly winter morning on October 31 when she was spending some quality time with her elder daughter, who was then an infant. Suddenly, she got a call at quarter to 10 that Indira Gandhi was shot dead at 9:20 am and that she was required at office.
Those days security was not much of a fuss and she therefore walked into the PM house easily later in the evening and surveyed the blood-splattered area for her story. The retaliation against Sikhs had still not become widespread but one gurudwara in Satya Chauraha Clave had been burnt down and it ran as the first flash in her newspaper. It was also rumoured that sweets were distributed in some of the gurduwaras celebrating the death of Indira. However, the scenario was like a still before a storm.
Next day, many parts of Delhi were hit by mob violence. Police were, needless to say, unable to control the situation. All those shops and colonies were targeted which belonged to Sikhs. As she used to stay at Amrita Shergill Marg, she had to walk most of the distance to her office. Nearby, the taxi-stand’s taxis were burnt. The drivers fled from the scene as they were all Sikhs. When they returned, they were all clean-shaven and their turbans were gone.
Like others, her family was also scared. Both she and her husband were reporters. Those three days were the most awful days of her life. Her parents came over from defence colony, which was also riot-hit. The violence had gripped the heart of the city and the Sikh domestic areas were prime targets. Be it Khan Market or Safdarganj, extremist Hindus lead by some local political leaders rampaged & vandalised the houses of Sikhs with impunity.
One of her friends in Vasant Vihar was also surrounded. In order to protect his family, he went out on the balcony and lit a cigarette which is prohibited in Sikh faith- to show that he was not of the community. After the riots ended, he started visiting gurudwaras regularly in order to rediscover himself.
Mrs Jerath could not go for reporting as Indian Express had barred girls from going out. But her other colleagues like Rahul Bedi and Joseph daringly covered the whole scenario, even protected some Sikhs from the blood-thirsty crowd. The most amazing part, according to her, was that the whole situation calmed down the day when Indira Gandhi’s body was cremated. This showed that there was some planned motive behind these riots.
The fifth day from Indira’s death, when she went to Tilak Nagar, the scene shocked her beyond words- pieces of burnt hair, clothes and turbans shook her soul. It was grotesque with women wailing for their husbands. Only some old men and children were left out of the ordeal- only to be victimised by circumstances forever.
Deepak Duggal & Jasbir (Businessmen in Kanpur)
Deepak Duggal recollected the memories of the horrendous behaviour of crazed mobs towards Sikhs. As William Penn puts it, “Passion is the mob of the man that commits a riot upon his reason”. Duggal’s experience confirmed the same.
By the night of October 31, it was clear that Indira Gandhi was dead. The incidents which took place on November 1 shook the whole of Kanpur. He elaborated, stating that at 7 am, the lower caste groups from Jajmau and other areas of the city started vandalising shops and ransacking the houses Sikhs in Lal Bunglow and Govindpur areas.
Friends turned foes. Women were raped and molested, not even kids and elders were spared. Police kept mum and the local Congress leaders added fuel to fire. Sikhs were singled-out and burnt alive. “We fired gun-shots and opposed the mob, which was trying to enter our house. Our trucks were burnt but thank God we were saved but the conditions were horrendous”, added Duggal’s friend, Jasbir.
After 3 days on November 4, curfew was imposed and continued for another week; but many lives were lost already. Politics had played its game, what was left was pain.
Follow the link to read the actual story: http://www.zeenews.com/news576514.html
Monday, November 2, 2009
Soon Mandarin will replace Hindi in Terai: Maoist leader Azad
Maoism today is considered synonymous with violence, brutality and crime. Yet its meaning differs in the eyes of its believers. The newly appointed Maoist leader and coordinator, Azad (who refuses to give away his real name) of the ‘Sanyunkt Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha’ says they are fighting for the independence of their motherland- the Terai region, bordering Nepal with India. Wanted in Nepal, he has been in hiding since 2004, away from his family and parents.
Speaking to Devika Chhibber of Zeenews.com, he deliberated on the issues dealing with the struggle of his people, the apathetic attitude of both Nepal and Indian governments towards them and China's presence in Nepal and India.
Excerpts:
Devika: Tell me something about yourself and your movement?
Azad: Born in 1971, like my many of my other colleagues I have dedicated my life for the cause of my land. I adopted Maoism in 2004. Born in the middle of this movement, I have always wanted to see my people and land free of all the atrocities heaped on them. So my movement is all about the freedom of Terai region.
Devika: What is this Terai conflict actually?
Azad: Terai basically was a part of India, but after the memorandum of 1816 and the treaty of 1860, the East India Company divided the land of Terai from west to Mechi, east to Mahakali and north of present Indo-Nepal broader. This treaty forced us to be a part of the Nepalese regime. Later after the independence of India in 1947, Nepal and India signed in “Peace and friendship Treaty 1950?, which nullified all the prior accords that Nepal signed with British rulers. That means the treaties of 1816 and 1860 were considered void. On the basis of UN charter’s Section 73, Terai became an autonomous region. But Nepal refused to grant us any autonomy and thus here we are fighting for our independence.
Devika: You are called Madheshis. What does it mean?
Azad: We are not Madhesis (With anger in his tone). This word is often used by Nepalese to humiliate us. This word actually means an object which is worse than the dead (I was politely asked not to refer to the word again).
Devika: What is the present situation in Nepal? Do they use threats too?
Azad: Yes, first they tried to shoo us away from the region by bringing in the Citizenship Act according to which only those were granted citizenship who spoke Nepalese. Later they started treating us like slaves and labourers. They also hired goondas(goons) to torture, murder, rape and evacuate us. The situation here is much worse than you can understand. Due to these tortures, many have fled to other nations. Several bonded labourers in Bihar and UP are our people.
Devika: You call yourselves Maoists, so do you intend to follow their violent methods?
Azad: We have adopted Maoism recently and yes we are determined to adopt violent methods to gain our objectives and kill those who try to barricade our movement. But actually, speaking from my heart, we do not want to do any of this. We want to live in peace and harmony, it’s just that we have no other choice.
Devika: Do you believe in communism?
Azad: I hate communists no matter where they are, be it India, China or anywhere else. I can assure you that in today’s scenario, communism just doesn’t exist and all those who call themselves communists are phony and bogus. In fact they are Kamao-ist i.e. they just want to earn money by idealizing the old beliefs.
Devika: What are your basic demands?
Azad: We want independence at any cost. Be it through blood or sacrifice. We want to do things which you can do in free India. We want our generations to breathe in free Terai.
Devika: How far have you been successful?
Azad: Recently held elections in Nepal answer your question. You won’t believe it, but no Nepalese was able to win from the Terai region and the winners were our people, who are all sitting MPs in the Nepal government currently.
Devika: Do you think Nepal Maoists are aiding Naxalism in India?
Azad: Yes, certainly they are. Not many know that there is an organization known as Communist Party of South Asia Association, which up to recently was headed by Prachanda. All the Maoist movements in the world are funded by this particular organization only.
Devika: What is your source of funding?
Azad: People who have faith in our movement support us (refused to comment any further).
Devika: Has change in power (from monarchy to democracy) in Nepal helped solve your problems?
Azad: No our woes are still the same. Be it the Kings, Maoists or democratic parties in Nepal, no one has ever supported us. They just want to use Terai for their own benefits least caring as to what happen to those residing there.
Devika: Has the Indian government been of any help to you?
Azad: Not at all. The Indian government has remained partial and biased as ever. The situation is still the same as it was at the time of independence. India has never supported our cause. In fact many a times they extradite us along with other criminals in Nepal. They name us as terrorists. Recently 22 weapons seem to have been recovered in Kalpi, but this we feel was a part of a conspiracy against us.
Devika: What do you think about Chinese presence in India and Nepal?
Azad: China is the mastermind and cause of the plight of India and Nepal. If you ever visit Nepal and Terai you can find pagoda shaped temples. Both the regions follow Hinduism, then why the shape of Chinese temples? It is not fair. It may be very soon that Mandarin will replace Hindi in the text books there. China always wanted to exercise its control on the neighbouring nations. It has already established control over Tibet which is the first in its plan. Leh, Ladakh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Arunachal will follow. Through them it will try to create disturbances and unrest in the nearby areas. The recent incursions in India are also the result of the same strategy.
For actual interview follow the link- http://www.zeenews.com/news566998.html
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Gujral forced me to quit Fodder Scam probe: Joginder Singh
“Tackle ‘big fish’ firmly and without fear”, PM Manmohan Singh said recently at a two-day conference to discuss the workings of the CBI. It openly reflects the gravity of state of affairs at agency and the uncalculated consequences of political interference in CBI’s workings.
Even the recent revelations in Aarushi murder probe are shocking and have raised doubts on the credentials of India’s premier investigation agency. There are many pending cases which emphasise the need to complete inquiries against those of doubtful integrity; and then there are those which were never ‘solved’ satisfactorily.
Devika Chhibber of Zeenews.com chatted up with former Director of CBI, Joginder Singh, popularly known as Joginder ‘Tiger’ Singh, seeking answers on the existing scenario and possible remedial measures.
Here are the excerpts:
Devika: ‘Evidence tampering’ is another twist in Aarushi murder case. What went wrong in the probe? Is CBI to be blamed?
Joginder Singh: Aarushi case was initially handled by the Noida police and all the mess which you can see today is because of them and the doctors’ negligence. CBI came into the picture very late, i.e. after 2-3 weeks. So, all the evidence was already tampered with and CBI could do nothing else except to pick up the leftovers to carry on the investigation. But the blame of tampering cannot be laid on CBI’s shoulders.
Devika: If CBI carries out all the investigations properly, then why is it that so many cases are still pending?
Singh: CBI can only investigate. What can it do if the witness denies everything in court which he has accepted in front of the police, and let me tell you that this happens all the time! There is no punishment for those who lie in front of court. What can we do? We are simply helpless in such situations.
Devika: So you are telling me that all the pending cases till date are the result of people backing out at the last moment. That’s what you call ‘lack of evidence’?
Singh: : I agree that in some cases, CBI is lacking, but most of the unsolved cases are because of insufficient evidences i.e. people backing out or due to government’s interference.
Devika: Can you please elaborate. What did you mean by government’s interference?
Singh: : In most of the cases, CBI has to deal with those who have strong political holds, and because CBI is not an autonomous body, the officers are unable to probe any further because it is the government that actually sanctions things. Moreover, only then we are allowed to probe. Without their permission we cannot probe to a degree that is required to go deep into the matter.
Devika: Did any such political pressure create impediments when you were the director?
Singh: : Yes, of course. I won’t call it political pressure, but yes, in cases relating to politicians, government did not give me permission and did try to restrict my moves. Even my transfer during my tenure was for the same reason.
Devika: Will you please share some such experience?
Singh: : I remember very clearly when I was investigating the fodder scam in which the prime suspect was the then Bihar CM Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, I was forced to stall my probe against him. Why, because he was close to the then United Front government. I even remember that conversation where the-then PM Mr Inder Kumar Gujral tried to stop my investigation by showcasing his power. He actually told me that he was ‘the PM’ and so I should listen to him. He forced me to leave the Fodder Scam Investigation.
Devika: This shows that CBI does not work freely….
Singh: : As stated earlier, CBI is never an autonomous body. It is just an image which is portrayed, but actually the functioning inside is not that liberal. You must be aware that CBI came into existence in 1943 when the Special Establishment Act was formed, which was once renewed in 1946. But that does not make it legal. We are still following those age old norms. Nothing has been done to renew the Act and the body, I must say today, is in the declining state of health.
Devika: Thank you so much sir but just one last thing. Now that you are out of the system, so as an outsider, what’s your take on CBI and the possible measures?
Singh: : I think that CBI can only perform well when it is not bound to follow the government. For this, a proper bill needs to be passed in the assembly, making it an autonomous body, and experts should be kept to guide juniors. The control can be vested in the hands of constitution directly. Unless this is done, a positive and concrete outcome cannot be accepted.
Here is the link: http://www.zeenews.com/news562134.html
Even the recent revelations in Aarushi murder probe are shocking and have raised doubts on the credentials of India’s premier investigation agency. There are many pending cases which emphasise the need to complete inquiries against those of doubtful integrity; and then there are those which were never ‘solved’ satisfactorily.
Devika Chhibber of Zeenews.com chatted up with former Director of CBI, Joginder Singh, popularly known as Joginder ‘Tiger’ Singh, seeking answers on the existing scenario and possible remedial measures.
Here are the excerpts:
Devika: ‘Evidence tampering’ is another twist in Aarushi murder case. What went wrong in the probe? Is CBI to be blamed?
Joginder Singh: Aarushi case was initially handled by the Noida police and all the mess which you can see today is because of them and the doctors’ negligence. CBI came into the picture very late, i.e. after 2-3 weeks. So, all the evidence was already tampered with and CBI could do nothing else except to pick up the leftovers to carry on the investigation. But the blame of tampering cannot be laid on CBI’s shoulders.
Devika: If CBI carries out all the investigations properly, then why is it that so many cases are still pending?
Singh: CBI can only investigate. What can it do if the witness denies everything in court which he has accepted in front of the police, and let me tell you that this happens all the time! There is no punishment for those who lie in front of court. What can we do? We are simply helpless in such situations.
Devika: So you are telling me that all the pending cases till date are the result of people backing out at the last moment. That’s what you call ‘lack of evidence’?
Singh: : I agree that in some cases, CBI is lacking, but most of the unsolved cases are because of insufficient evidences i.e. people backing out or due to government’s interference.
Devika: Can you please elaborate. What did you mean by government’s interference?
Singh: : In most of the cases, CBI has to deal with those who have strong political holds, and because CBI is not an autonomous body, the officers are unable to probe any further because it is the government that actually sanctions things. Moreover, only then we are allowed to probe. Without their permission we cannot probe to a degree that is required to go deep into the matter.
Devika: Did any such political pressure create impediments when you were the director?
Singh: : Yes, of course. I won’t call it political pressure, but yes, in cases relating to politicians, government did not give me permission and did try to restrict my moves. Even my transfer during my tenure was for the same reason.
Devika: Will you please share some such experience?
Singh: : I remember very clearly when I was investigating the fodder scam in which the prime suspect was the then Bihar CM Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, I was forced to stall my probe against him. Why, because he was close to the then United Front government. I even remember that conversation where the-then PM Mr Inder Kumar Gujral tried to stop my investigation by showcasing his power. He actually told me that he was ‘the PM’ and so I should listen to him. He forced me to leave the Fodder Scam Investigation.
Devika: This shows that CBI does not work freely….
Singh: : As stated earlier, CBI is never an autonomous body. It is just an image which is portrayed, but actually the functioning inside is not that liberal. You must be aware that CBI came into existence in 1943 when the Special Establishment Act was formed, which was once renewed in 1946. But that does not make it legal. We are still following those age old norms. Nothing has been done to renew the Act and the body, I must say today, is in the declining state of health.
Devika: Thank you so much sir but just one last thing. Now that you are out of the system, so as an outsider, what’s your take on CBI and the possible measures?
Singh: : I think that CBI can only perform well when it is not bound to follow the government. For this, a proper bill needs to be passed in the assembly, making it an autonomous body, and experts should be kept to guide juniors. The control can be vested in the hands of constitution directly. Unless this is done, a positive and concrete outcome cannot be accepted.
Here is the link: http://www.zeenews.com/news562134.html
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I want people to remember me as a friend: Nasser Khan
Disability is not a brave struggle or courage in the face of adversity. Disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.’ - Neil Marcus
Life is complicated for many, but easy for those who instead of complaining about what they don’t have try to make the best of whatever they have for achieving their aim. One such admirable person is the visually challenged Naseer Khan, whose debut release ‘Shadow’ is touted to be a different kind of cinema.
Born with visual defect owing to cataract, he has been operated upon several times. An enthusiastic and dedicated person, he learnt to drive a scooter and car at the age of 12. Even in Class VII, when he lost his eyesight completely, his failure never stopped him from setting sight on the stars. Born and brought up in Kanpur, the man is perfect example of sheer genius and positive attitude towards life. An industrialist, an actor, a producer and may be a director in near future, he is versatile and never fails to amaze with his long list of achievements.
The debut actor in an exclusive interview with Devika Chhibber of Zeenews.com shared some cherished memories through the journey of his life.
Devika: Tell me something about Nasser Khan - the man?
Nasser: Well Nasser Khan is filled with optimism, has a positive attitude towards life, is dedicated, and can learn things very quickly. He also has a very strong sixth sense and can never forget those whom he has met once.
Devika: Please tell us about the journey of your life?
Nasser: Since childhood I suffered from this eye problem therefore after studying for some years in a local school I directly took admission in 5th standard in St Joseph convent in Kanpur, but could not study after 7th grade. During those three years, I topped in each class but then I had to leave school. A tutor was kept for English, Hindi, Maths, Arabic and Urdu. I also learnt to type and later in 1996 started my own leather tannery. Now I am into Saddlery export and cosmetics business. So, the journey so far has been favourable.
Devika: Please tell us something about your family background?
Nasser: Apart from my other relatives, I have a beautiful wife and a 10-month old daughter Ayesha.
Devika: What would you like to be called - Nasser Khan the industrialist or the actor?
Nasser: I prefer Nasser Khan the industrialist because as a businessman I am able to enjoy all the comforts of life. I have peace, freedom, independence, money and all the luxuries of life. Being an actor is a hectic job for sure.
Devika: ‘Shadow’ is doing well in theatres, tell us about behind-the-scene incidents?
Nasser: Sonali Kulkarni and Milind Soman are very fine actors to work with. They used to be so patient while I used to rehearse my lines. I am really lucky that I got a chance to work with such talented actors in my very first movie. Let me share an experience I got my leg fractured on the sets. But my co-actors were wonderful as ever. They never complained about anything.
Devika: Why did you choose Sonali Kulkarni and Milind Soman?
Nasser: Well, to be very honest nobody wants to work with a new actor in Bollywood - that’s a known fact, which was repeated in my case. And I was determined to take those actors who would sign my movie for the sake of role and not money and the rest is history.
Devika: Why did you want to become an actor? Were you not skeptical about your acceptance in the industry?
Nasser: I wanted to become an actor because I wanted people to know about me and how I struggled in life and how I reached here. For this it was necessary to first introduce myself. Let me share a secret (with a smile) - I don’t invest into anything where I am doubtful about the returns.
Devika: You are visually challenged. How difficult it is to exist with that kind of handicap in the world?
Nasser: It is very difficult I must admit and quite a number of times I felt very depressed, but then you have to face reality and accept that you are part and parcel of this world. Hence I am here. I have learnt to face life instead of blaming others for my troubles.
Devika: What made you feel depressed?
Nasser: I remember when I was in 7th standard I lost my vision then I tried to shun the world, maintained distance with all those who loved me. I became very frustrated and used to remain in my room even on festive occasions. But finally, I gathered courage to fight the darkness.
Devika: Share with us the happiest moment in your life.
Nasser: Recently when I received ‘India book of Record Award’ for my work in ‘Shadow’, I was really excited. I was on the verge of crying that day.
Devika: Is there anything else you wanted but have not achieved?
Nasser: No, I don’t think so. I have achieved whatever I wanted to and wished for in my life. Yes, now I want to direct a movie and soon you will hear me directing my next venture.
Devika: What inspires you?
Nasser: Bluntly speaking, whenever somebody ignored or snubbed me about something I was inspired to do that particular thing. The first instance came when one of my relatives told me not to touch a typewriter because I was blind and would therefore destroy it but today I thank him. It was because of him that I learnt both Hindi and English typewriting, my first step towards the success ladder.
Devika: Your upcoming ventures?
Nasser: I have two upcoming movies in line ‘Rocky Rockstar’ - an action packed thriller and ‘Rajasthan weds Punjab’, which is a soft romantic movie.
Devika: What kind of music do you like?
Nasser: I love the song ‘Dil de diya hai, jaan tumhe denge’ from ‘Masti’. All Kishore Kumar songs are my favourite. Among female singers I like Asha Bhonsle. Sunidhi Chauhan is yet another favourite and for the same reason I made her sing two songs in ‘Shadow’. I am also crazy for party songs.
Devika: What would you like to do for others like you?
Nasser: I love to help the needy; rest is very personal to answer.
Devika: How would you define beauty and how will you relate it with life?
Nasser: Beauty for me is not materialistic or something which you can see through eyes. For me beauty is when somebody or something touches your soul and whose feel lasts forever.
Devika: How would you like people to remember you?
Nasser: I would like people to remember me as a friend and yes, girls please don’t remember me as ‘Bhai’.
Devika: What’s your message to the world?
Nasser: Tu sansen hai tu dhadkan hai tu zindagi ki aas hai, Tu aarzoo, tu justju, mujhe teri hi talash hai…. (You are my breath, you are my pulse, you are my hope of life, you are the thirst, you are the passion, and you are the desired one I search for in life.)
Here is the link- http://www.zeenews.com/news557507.html
Life is complicated for many, but easy for those who instead of complaining about what they don’t have try to make the best of whatever they have for achieving their aim. One such admirable person is the visually challenged Naseer Khan, whose debut release ‘Shadow’ is touted to be a different kind of cinema.
Born with visual defect owing to cataract, he has been operated upon several times. An enthusiastic and dedicated person, he learnt to drive a scooter and car at the age of 12. Even in Class VII, when he lost his eyesight completely, his failure never stopped him from setting sight on the stars. Born and brought up in Kanpur, the man is perfect example of sheer genius and positive attitude towards life. An industrialist, an actor, a producer and may be a director in near future, he is versatile and never fails to amaze with his long list of achievements.
The debut actor in an exclusive interview with Devika Chhibber of Zeenews.com shared some cherished memories through the journey of his life.
Devika: Tell me something about Nasser Khan - the man?
Nasser: Well Nasser Khan is filled with optimism, has a positive attitude towards life, is dedicated, and can learn things very quickly. He also has a very strong sixth sense and can never forget those whom he has met once.
Devika: Please tell us about the journey of your life?
Nasser: Since childhood I suffered from this eye problem therefore after studying for some years in a local school I directly took admission in 5th standard in St Joseph convent in Kanpur, but could not study after 7th grade. During those three years, I topped in each class but then I had to leave school. A tutor was kept for English, Hindi, Maths, Arabic and Urdu. I also learnt to type and later in 1996 started my own leather tannery. Now I am into Saddlery export and cosmetics business. So, the journey so far has been favourable.
Devika: Please tell us something about your family background?
Nasser: Apart from my other relatives, I have a beautiful wife and a 10-month old daughter Ayesha.
Devika: What would you like to be called - Nasser Khan the industrialist or the actor?
Nasser: I prefer Nasser Khan the industrialist because as a businessman I am able to enjoy all the comforts of life. I have peace, freedom, independence, money and all the luxuries of life. Being an actor is a hectic job for sure.
Devika: ‘Shadow’ is doing well in theatres, tell us about behind-the-scene incidents?
Nasser: Sonali Kulkarni and Milind Soman are very fine actors to work with. They used to be so patient while I used to rehearse my lines. I am really lucky that I got a chance to work with such talented actors in my very first movie. Let me share an experience I got my leg fractured on the sets. But my co-actors were wonderful as ever. They never complained about anything.
Devika: Why did you choose Sonali Kulkarni and Milind Soman?
Nasser: Well, to be very honest nobody wants to work with a new actor in Bollywood - that’s a known fact, which was repeated in my case. And I was determined to take those actors who would sign my movie for the sake of role and not money and the rest is history.
Devika: Why did you want to become an actor? Were you not skeptical about your acceptance in the industry?
Nasser: I wanted to become an actor because I wanted people to know about me and how I struggled in life and how I reached here. For this it was necessary to first introduce myself. Let me share a secret (with a smile) - I don’t invest into anything where I am doubtful about the returns.
Devika: You are visually challenged. How difficult it is to exist with that kind of handicap in the world?
Nasser: It is very difficult I must admit and quite a number of times I felt very depressed, but then you have to face reality and accept that you are part and parcel of this world. Hence I am here. I have learnt to face life instead of blaming others for my troubles.
Devika: What made you feel depressed?
Nasser: I remember when I was in 7th standard I lost my vision then I tried to shun the world, maintained distance with all those who loved me. I became very frustrated and used to remain in my room even on festive occasions. But finally, I gathered courage to fight the darkness.
Devika: Share with us the happiest moment in your life.
Nasser: Recently when I received ‘India book of Record Award’ for my work in ‘Shadow’, I was really excited. I was on the verge of crying that day.
Devika: Is there anything else you wanted but have not achieved?
Nasser: No, I don’t think so. I have achieved whatever I wanted to and wished for in my life. Yes, now I want to direct a movie and soon you will hear me directing my next venture.
Devika: What inspires you?
Nasser: Bluntly speaking, whenever somebody ignored or snubbed me about something I was inspired to do that particular thing. The first instance came when one of my relatives told me not to touch a typewriter because I was blind and would therefore destroy it but today I thank him. It was because of him that I learnt both Hindi and English typewriting, my first step towards the success ladder.
Devika: Your upcoming ventures?
Nasser: I have two upcoming movies in line ‘Rocky Rockstar’ - an action packed thriller and ‘Rajasthan weds Punjab’, which is a soft romantic movie.
Devika: What kind of music do you like?
Nasser: I love the song ‘Dil de diya hai, jaan tumhe denge’ from ‘Masti’. All Kishore Kumar songs are my favourite. Among female singers I like Asha Bhonsle. Sunidhi Chauhan is yet another favourite and for the same reason I made her sing two songs in ‘Shadow’. I am also crazy for party songs.
Devika: What would you like to do for others like you?
Nasser: I love to help the needy; rest is very personal to answer.
Devika: How would you define beauty and how will you relate it with life?
Nasser: Beauty for me is not materialistic or something which you can see through eyes. For me beauty is when somebody or something touches your soul and whose feel lasts forever.
Devika: How would you like people to remember you?
Nasser: I would like people to remember me as a friend and yes, girls please don’t remember me as ‘Bhai’.
Devika: What’s your message to the world?
Nasser: Tu sansen hai tu dhadkan hai tu zindagi ki aas hai, Tu aarzoo, tu justju, mujhe teri hi talash hai…. (You are my breath, you are my pulse, you are my hope of life, you are the thirst, you are the passion, and you are the desired one I search for in life.)
Here is the link- http://www.zeenews.com/news557507.html
Gaining Independence from illiteracy
India’s literacy growth rate since independence: 18% to 65% as per 2001 consensus
Male literacy rate: 76%
Female literacy rate: 54%
Variation from state to state: Kerala’s 91% against 47% in Bihar
Statistics mentioned above indicate that while progress has been made, measures have been far from adequate. We therefore need to upgrade our education system so that illiteracy can be completely uprooted from India. No matter how hard we try to fight the problem, it simply seems to persist. That even after 62 years of independence we have to lay stress on this issue is a shame- but at least it’s better than brushing it under the carpet.
India, the land of Vedas, where we have learnt over the years that culture flourishes with literature, is one of the nations with highest illiteracy rates. Even underdeveloped countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand have achieved higher literacy levels in shorter time.
In his India Development Report 2002, Kirit S. Parikh pointed out, “With a literacy rate of 65, we have 296 million illiterates, age seven years and above, as per the 2001 census. The number of illiterates today exceeds the population of the country of around 270 million at Independence, age seven and above.”
Our society faces several challenges in the form of poverty, unemployment, child labour, female feticide, overpopulation etc. But all of them evolve from illiteracy which is actually the mother of most our problems.
A high literacy rate can contribute to valuable social and economic participation by the people which will go a long way in human development and poverty eradication. Spread of education is necessary for modernization, urbanization, industrialization, communication and commerce. You name an issue and literacy will be a prerequisite for its solution.
Illiteracy in India can be easily characterized by the wide gaps between the urban and rural populations. The urban population is more educated and therefore desires a life of comfort and luxury. On the other hand, the rural population depends on agriculture for their survival. They are the food providers of our country, who work for basic necessities and thus feel no need for education in their lives.
Children in rural areas drop out of schools for a variety of reasons: some leave because of a sheer lack of interest; others quit so that they can work in fields or elsewhere, while some have no other choice due to inaccessibility and lack of school teachers.
In villages, a large percentage of the dropouts are females. Forced by their parents, they are limited to performing household chores. They are married at a very early age and are taught since birth that what is important for them is their family and the looking after the house. Education is not even a secondary item on their to-do lists. Inadequate number of teachers and their absence in schools across the country is another roadblock towards complete literacy. A large number of teachers refuse to teach in rural areas and those who do, are usually under-qualified. Many teachers lack the necessary enthusiasm because of their meagre salaries.
In one of his research papers, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has mentioned, ‘Absenteeism of comparatively well-paid teachers, particularly where bulk of the students come from scheduled castes and tribes, poses a major problem. Students are circumstantially forced to go in for private tuitions. Sometimes the very institutions that were created to overcome disparities and barriers tend to act as reactionary influences in reinforcing inequality.’
Lack of infrastructure like buildings, benches, books etc is a widespread problem too. Some schools are located in warehouses while others in small thatched rooms which are of little use during rains. Many rural schools operate without electricity. The distribution of government funds is another major hindrance in the reform of our educational system. According to World Bank, ‘30 % of the total educational funding goes toward higher educational institutions.’ What with announcements of quota in higher education and an increase in the number of IIMs & IITs, the government clearly cares little for primary education.
Even private institutions are seen to be a hindrance in the progress of children. In such schools, the children from poor households are seen as lowly, below average and thus not fit to sit and study with the children of upper caste or class. Untouchability has been abolished but this new rift between rich and poor students continues to take its toll on the country’s fortunes.
Our education system is more or less a remnant of the long gone colonial system of the British Empire. No emphasis is ever laid on vocational courses, which can provide many job opportunities. "We are bumbling along with this out modeled system of elementary education, which is a real shame," says Krishna Kumar, director of the Central Institute of Education in New Delhi.
Reservation is yet another problem. Though it exists in other countries as well, reservation in India has a totally different approach. Our government grants reservations on the basis of caste when the correct basis of granting quotas must be the economic standards of the people. As a result, even better off backward caste students seek to get an entry in venerable institutions like the AIIMS through petty quotas. Quality be damned, seems to be the motto of such policies.
Amidst this gloom, a recent welcome measure has been the passage of the Right to Education bill, during this session of Parliament. Its guidelines are like this: - Compulsory education for children between 6-14 yrs- Rs 10,000 fine if any child prevented from going school - No selection and screening process to choose preference over candidates- No physical punishments- States need to plan techniques to monitor advancements in the program- Roping in private schools to keep 25% seats reserved at entry level- Banning capitation fees.
It is a commitment that has taken decades to get fulfilled, but more efforts will be needed to implement it properly. As we have seen all these years, only directions and guidelines cannot resolve any crisis in the country
Various organizations and schemes have been fighting this problem. In 2003, the Magsaysay Award was awarded to Shantha Sinha in recognition of her work to end child labour, a major reason for illiteracy. The Supreme Court, in 1993, ruled that children had a fundamental right to free education.
The Sarva Siksha Abhiyan launched in 2001 was to ensure that all children in the age group 6–14 years attend school and complete eight years of schooling by 2010. District Primary Education Programme launched in 1994 has so far started more than 160,000 new schools, including almost 84,000 alternative schools. The National Literacy Mission, launched in 1988 aimed at attaining a literacy rate of 75% by 2007.
India is developing but at a very slow rate and one of the main reasons is the low level of literacy. Literacy enables a person to think rationally- for himself and others around him. A literate person is aware of all his fundamental rights and duties. It is a kind of panacea to fight problems like communalism, terrorism and under development. Not only the government, but also every literate citizen should contribute in battling the demon of illiteracy.
Each one should teach one if we are to become a superpower. Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ So let us enlighten the world by bringing this change into our and everybody’s lives.
Here is the link---http://www.zeenews.com/IndiaFirst/story.aspx?aid=555164
Male literacy rate: 76%
Female literacy rate: 54%
Variation from state to state: Kerala’s 91% against 47% in Bihar
Statistics mentioned above indicate that while progress has been made, measures have been far from adequate. We therefore need to upgrade our education system so that illiteracy can be completely uprooted from India. No matter how hard we try to fight the problem, it simply seems to persist. That even after 62 years of independence we have to lay stress on this issue is a shame- but at least it’s better than brushing it under the carpet.
India, the land of Vedas, where we have learnt over the years that culture flourishes with literature, is one of the nations with highest illiteracy rates. Even underdeveloped countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand have achieved higher literacy levels in shorter time.
In his India Development Report 2002, Kirit S. Parikh pointed out, “With a literacy rate of 65, we have 296 million illiterates, age seven years and above, as per the 2001 census. The number of illiterates today exceeds the population of the country of around 270 million at Independence, age seven and above.”
Our society faces several challenges in the form of poverty, unemployment, child labour, female feticide, overpopulation etc. But all of them evolve from illiteracy which is actually the mother of most our problems.
A high literacy rate can contribute to valuable social and economic participation by the people which will go a long way in human development and poverty eradication. Spread of education is necessary for modernization, urbanization, industrialization, communication and commerce. You name an issue and literacy will be a prerequisite for its solution.
Illiteracy in India can be easily characterized by the wide gaps between the urban and rural populations. The urban population is more educated and therefore desires a life of comfort and luxury. On the other hand, the rural population depends on agriculture for their survival. They are the food providers of our country, who work for basic necessities and thus feel no need for education in their lives.
Children in rural areas drop out of schools for a variety of reasons: some leave because of a sheer lack of interest; others quit so that they can work in fields or elsewhere, while some have no other choice due to inaccessibility and lack of school teachers.
In villages, a large percentage of the dropouts are females. Forced by their parents, they are limited to performing household chores. They are married at a very early age and are taught since birth that what is important for them is their family and the looking after the house. Education is not even a secondary item on their to-do lists. Inadequate number of teachers and their absence in schools across the country is another roadblock towards complete literacy. A large number of teachers refuse to teach in rural areas and those who do, are usually under-qualified. Many teachers lack the necessary enthusiasm because of their meagre salaries.
In one of his research papers, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has mentioned, ‘Absenteeism of comparatively well-paid teachers, particularly where bulk of the students come from scheduled castes and tribes, poses a major problem. Students are circumstantially forced to go in for private tuitions. Sometimes the very institutions that were created to overcome disparities and barriers tend to act as reactionary influences in reinforcing inequality.’
Lack of infrastructure like buildings, benches, books etc is a widespread problem too. Some schools are located in warehouses while others in small thatched rooms which are of little use during rains. Many rural schools operate without electricity. The distribution of government funds is another major hindrance in the reform of our educational system. According to World Bank, ‘30 % of the total educational funding goes toward higher educational institutions.’ What with announcements of quota in higher education and an increase in the number of IIMs & IITs, the government clearly cares little for primary education.
Even private institutions are seen to be a hindrance in the progress of children. In such schools, the children from poor households are seen as lowly, below average and thus not fit to sit and study with the children of upper caste or class. Untouchability has been abolished but this new rift between rich and poor students continues to take its toll on the country’s fortunes.
Our education system is more or less a remnant of the long gone colonial system of the British Empire. No emphasis is ever laid on vocational courses, which can provide many job opportunities. "We are bumbling along with this out modeled system of elementary education, which is a real shame," says Krishna Kumar, director of the Central Institute of Education in New Delhi.
Reservation is yet another problem. Though it exists in other countries as well, reservation in India has a totally different approach. Our government grants reservations on the basis of caste when the correct basis of granting quotas must be the economic standards of the people. As a result, even better off backward caste students seek to get an entry in venerable institutions like the AIIMS through petty quotas. Quality be damned, seems to be the motto of such policies.
Amidst this gloom, a recent welcome measure has been the passage of the Right to Education bill, during this session of Parliament. Its guidelines are like this: - Compulsory education for children between 6-14 yrs- Rs 10,000 fine if any child prevented from going school - No selection and screening process to choose preference over candidates- No physical punishments- States need to plan techniques to monitor advancements in the program- Roping in private schools to keep 25% seats reserved at entry level- Banning capitation fees.
It is a commitment that has taken decades to get fulfilled, but more efforts will be needed to implement it properly. As we have seen all these years, only directions and guidelines cannot resolve any crisis in the country
Various organizations and schemes have been fighting this problem. In 2003, the Magsaysay Award was awarded to Shantha Sinha in recognition of her work to end child labour, a major reason for illiteracy. The Supreme Court, in 1993, ruled that children had a fundamental right to free education.
The Sarva Siksha Abhiyan launched in 2001 was to ensure that all children in the age group 6–14 years attend school and complete eight years of schooling by 2010. District Primary Education Programme launched in 1994 has so far started more than 160,000 new schools, including almost 84,000 alternative schools. The National Literacy Mission, launched in 1988 aimed at attaining a literacy rate of 75% by 2007.
India is developing but at a very slow rate and one of the main reasons is the low level of literacy. Literacy enables a person to think rationally- for himself and others around him. A literate person is aware of all his fundamental rights and duties. It is a kind of panacea to fight problems like communalism, terrorism and under development. Not only the government, but also every literate citizen should contribute in battling the demon of illiteracy.
Each one should teach one if we are to become a superpower. Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ So let us enlighten the world by bringing this change into our and everybody’s lives.
Here is the link---http://www.zeenews.com/IndiaFirst/story.aspx?aid=555164
Woes of an Indian village
Isi gali mein wo bhuka kisan rehta hai Ye wo zameen hai jahan aasman rehta hai - Munavvar Rana (This is the lane where the hungry farmer resides; this is the ground where the sky belongs)
Can anybody forget July 27th, the day when it poured heavily in Delhi for 6 hours? Arrival of the monsoon was a blessing in disguise and a happy respite from the sultry weather. I was glad that the refreshing showers had finally greeted Delhi, but all my spirits vanished in thin air when a friend showed me the acute reality in so many parts of our country, with or without the rains.
It was my friend’s birthday, so I thought that I would probably be getting a delicious treat somewhere. But to my shock, he took me to a village on the outskirts of Ghaziabad in UP.
It’s called Milak Duhaipur and the village basically comprises Gujjar population. Initially, the greenery and the beautiful surroundings impressed me. I was quite sure that the farmers residing there must be rich and prosperous, but reality struck me soon enough. I learnt about their constant struggle for survival in the difficult circumstances.
Water, water, everywhere, not a drop to drink- the scenario fit Coleridge’s legendary lines. Just a day ago we were celebrating the onset of monsoons in Delhi, but in this village, the vast spread of water was dirty, unhygienic and germ-infested.
The farmers there face grave troubles. Sugarcane cultivation has been nearly clogged due to untimely rainfall. Half of their crops have dried up and termite has finished the remaining harvest. Due to the continuous use of pesticides, the quality of their lands has declined which further adds to their misery. Allotment of nine hours of electricity every week to a farmer is of no use either. Imagine these conditions prevail when this village falls next to the highway!
Farming is their ancestral occupation, but, in the current situation, the land is becoming increasingly uncultivable. Because of these reasons agriculturists are so poor that they have only rags to wear. Their children are perfect examples of malnourishment. Their wives work with them in the field. Very few have basic amenities, forget about any other modern equipment. Most don’t even own a tractor and still depend on the traditional system of using animals for cultivation.
To describe in the words of Dushyant Kumar: ‘Kahan to tai tha charagan harek ghar ke liye, kahan charag mayassar nahi sheher ke liye’ ( Once basic amenities where promised to every household, but fulfillment of those promises has just become a dream even for the urbanites)
Villagers have thus taken to doing temporary labour in brick kilns, rice mills and embroidery factories, which have gained an easy access into their farming lands. Wages are so meager for most that they resort to extreme measures of sometimes even selling their children to others. `Kya Karen, kai baar aisa karna padta hai, warna kya khayenge, apna aur bachchon ka pet kaise palenge`, (What to do, we have to sometimes do this, otherwise what will we eat and how will we feed the children), they say grimly.
For them, raising children is no different from raising a crop. Children can be sold for a profit as wheat, isn`t it? That’s what many say.
Indebtedness, crop failure and the inability to pay back loans due to high rates of interest lead them to commit suicide. Due to the decline in lending by government banks, farmers have no option but to turn to private money lenders whose interest rates are much higher.
More and more farmers have failed to earn enough to pay back their loans and so have fallen deeper into debts. The phrase ‘peasant lives and dies in debt’ fits completely.
Already 58 out of 71 districts in UP have been formally declared as drought hit. Normally being declared drought hit means farmers will get a lot of doles from government. However the point is as to how much actually reaches them. It would be worth watching as to how Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi`s turf war will play out for those who constitute the biggest vote bank for any party - farmers.
It goes without saying that the life for these poor farmers is harsh and severe. Once the owners of land, they are no more than slaves today. Parting with their ancestral freedom for submission has a price, which is hard to bargain. With their deteriorating condition, the age old way of livelihood country is also fading away- that’s what I realized in that small village.
Visiting Milak Duhaipur was an eye opener for me. Here is a little tribute for the food providers of our country…
Mehnat ki dastaan hai, Har pal ek imtihan hai, Mitti ki khushboo me girta pasina, Kabhi lahlahati kabhi sookhi faslein, Haan ye kissa-ae-Kisan hai ...
(This is the saga of hard work, each moment is a test, the scent of land in enriched with their sweat, sometimes a flourishing harvest sometimes a drought and this is the story of a farmer)
Here is the link- http://www.zeenews.com/blog/26/blog195.html
Monday, August 3, 2009
Chandamama - My friend forever
Maiya main to chand khilona lehon (Mother I only want the toy named moon)
Now, let me remember when it was that I first heard this rhyme. Hmmm… I must have been 5 or 6 years old. One day I asked my father what was that big white dot in the sky (Moon), which travels with us. With a cheerful smile he answered, “it’s your bedtime friend ‘Chandamama’ beta,” and delivered the lines. He also explained that it was Lord Krishna, who first recited them.
While writing this piece I was struck afresh by the large cultural space that Moon- the celestial body- occupies. ‘Chandamama’ as all of us call the Moon, is a part and parcel of everybody’s childhood. A small child is always happy to be in his company while travelling. All bedtime stories are incomplete without him.
Moon has always been the centre of attraction of my childhood memories. My mother used to warn me that Moon will disappear if I were to leave my homework incomplete, and on No Moon days I used to be very upset and depressed that my best friend had forgotten me for some unknown reason.
I think one can never forget the famous lesson in our English books `Rabbit on the Moon`. I read in my history book that in 1835, the ‘Great Moon Hoax’ fooled some people into thinking that there were exotic animals living on the Moon. Since ages the contrasts between the brighter and darker areas have created a pattern seen by different cultures as some human like creature on the Moon, while others believed it to be rabbit and the buffalo.
In every person’s life, youth is a period of freshness, with wonderful dreams and passions for life. Love is one such relationship that forms an essential element of this phase and what better than the enchanting moon to portray it?
Be it the lovers’ paradise or a parameter for beauty, Moon has been seen in all these roles. The metaphor of the darkened moon, or the incomplete moon, has been used to express one’s sadness. In the words of Parveen Shakir- “Pura dukh aur adha chand, Hijr ki shab aur aisa chand”. Full pain, and half a moon, Night of separation and such a moon.
Moon depicts romanticism in the best possible way and magnifies the beauty of love. Bashir Badra says- “Wo ghazal walon ka usloob samjhte honge Chand kehten hain kise khoob samjhte honge” She understands the principles of ghazal writers, Who is called moon, she must know.
The Moon has also been the subject of many works of art and literature and the inspiration for countless others. It is a motif in the visual arts, the performing arts, poetry, prose and music. It has taken several roles in the lyrics of some very famous songs such as "Blue Moon", "No Moon at All", "Moonlight Serenade" and "Moonlight in Vermont ". The Moon is also viewed as an unobtainable object in songs such as "Reaching for the Moon", "I Wished on the Moon" and "Oh, You Crazy Moon", once again mirroring the situation of the protagonist. Michael Jackson`s ‘moonwalk’ is yet another example of using the ‘moon’ word.
A glance at the most romantic Bollywood flicks shows its abundant use for creating all manner of scenes. Who can ever forget the famous description of Dimple Kapadia given by Rishi Kapoor in the evergreen hit `Sagar`.
“Chehra hai ya chand khila hai, zulf ghanehri shaam hai kya Saagar jaisi aankhon wali, ye to bata tera naam hai kya…….”
Moon effectively plays a significant role in some of India`s most prominent festivals like Karwa Chauth, Holi, Diwali and Eid, which are mainly observed on Full Moon, No Moon or First Moon days. It is also a prominent feature of astrological studies and in making horoscopes. Another unique astronomical phenomenon which involves Moon is eclipses.
Being the nearest celestial body, it continues to be a source of great interest to scientists. In 1949, history was created when Apollo-I spacecraft landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong and Edvin Aldrin took their first steps on its surface. Recently India also tried its hand by initiating Chandrayaan-I mission to study the features of the moon surface.
The moon has always been a source of mystery to the human race. It has been associated with mythology, beauty and darkness. There goes a very famous saying that, “Every one is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody”. Yes, Moon also has its presence in several horror flicks, which does make you bite your nails. Often it is associated with the dark world where witches love to perform all their witch crafts, blood-thirsty vampires sacrifice humans and beasts or Werewolves come into full power on the full moon day.
Even the Ramsay brothers of Bollywood applied all their blood churning dramatic horror formulae on either Full Moon or No Moon days. But since that side is always turned away from us, let us focus on the bright side we see. In the end, let me express my feelings, a once in a blue moon phenomenon, through this song.
Blue Moon in the The Marcels - by Lorenz Hart Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for You heard me saying a prayer for Someone I really could care for And then there suddenly appeared before me The only one my arms will ever hold I heard somebody whisper, "Please adore me" And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold Blue Moon, now I'm no longer alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own Blue Moon
Now, let me remember when it was that I first heard this rhyme. Hmmm… I must have been 5 or 6 years old. One day I asked my father what was that big white dot in the sky (Moon), which travels with us. With a cheerful smile he answered, “it’s your bedtime friend ‘Chandamama’ beta,” and delivered the lines. He also explained that it was Lord Krishna, who first recited them.
While writing this piece I was struck afresh by the large cultural space that Moon- the celestial body- occupies. ‘Chandamama’ as all of us call the Moon, is a part and parcel of everybody’s childhood. A small child is always happy to be in his company while travelling. All bedtime stories are incomplete without him.
Moon has always been the centre of attraction of my childhood memories. My mother used to warn me that Moon will disappear if I were to leave my homework incomplete, and on No Moon days I used to be very upset and depressed that my best friend had forgotten me for some unknown reason.
I think one can never forget the famous lesson in our English books `Rabbit on the Moon`. I read in my history book that in 1835, the ‘Great Moon Hoax’ fooled some people into thinking that there were exotic animals living on the Moon. Since ages the contrasts between the brighter and darker areas have created a pattern seen by different cultures as some human like creature on the Moon, while others believed it to be rabbit and the buffalo.
In every person’s life, youth is a period of freshness, with wonderful dreams and passions for life. Love is one such relationship that forms an essential element of this phase and what better than the enchanting moon to portray it?
Be it the lovers’ paradise or a parameter for beauty, Moon has been seen in all these roles. The metaphor of the darkened moon, or the incomplete moon, has been used to express one’s sadness. In the words of Parveen Shakir- “Pura dukh aur adha chand, Hijr ki shab aur aisa chand”. Full pain, and half a moon, Night of separation and such a moon.
Moon depicts romanticism in the best possible way and magnifies the beauty of love. Bashir Badra says- “Wo ghazal walon ka usloob samjhte honge Chand kehten hain kise khoob samjhte honge” She understands the principles of ghazal writers, Who is called moon, she must know.
The Moon has also been the subject of many works of art and literature and the inspiration for countless others. It is a motif in the visual arts, the performing arts, poetry, prose and music. It has taken several roles in the lyrics of some very famous songs such as "Blue Moon", "No Moon at All", "Moonlight Serenade" and "Moonlight in Vermont ". The Moon is also viewed as an unobtainable object in songs such as "Reaching for the Moon", "I Wished on the Moon" and "Oh, You Crazy Moon", once again mirroring the situation of the protagonist. Michael Jackson`s ‘moonwalk’ is yet another example of using the ‘moon’ word.
A glance at the most romantic Bollywood flicks shows its abundant use for creating all manner of scenes. Who can ever forget the famous description of Dimple Kapadia given by Rishi Kapoor in the evergreen hit `Sagar`.
“Chehra hai ya chand khila hai, zulf ghanehri shaam hai kya Saagar jaisi aankhon wali, ye to bata tera naam hai kya…….”
Moon effectively plays a significant role in some of India`s most prominent festivals like Karwa Chauth, Holi, Diwali and Eid, which are mainly observed on Full Moon, No Moon or First Moon days. It is also a prominent feature of astrological studies and in making horoscopes. Another unique astronomical phenomenon which involves Moon is eclipses.
Being the nearest celestial body, it continues to be a source of great interest to scientists. In 1949, history was created when Apollo-I spacecraft landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong and Edvin Aldrin took their first steps on its surface. Recently India also tried its hand by initiating Chandrayaan-I mission to study the features of the moon surface.
The moon has always been a source of mystery to the human race. It has been associated with mythology, beauty and darkness. There goes a very famous saying that, “Every one is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody”. Yes, Moon also has its presence in several horror flicks, which does make you bite your nails. Often it is associated with the dark world where witches love to perform all their witch crafts, blood-thirsty vampires sacrifice humans and beasts or Werewolves come into full power on the full moon day.
Even the Ramsay brothers of Bollywood applied all their blood churning dramatic horror formulae on either Full Moon or No Moon days. But since that side is always turned away from us, let us focus on the bright side we see. In the end, let me express my feelings, a once in a blue moon phenomenon, through this song.
Blue Moon in the The Marcels - by Lorenz Hart Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for You heard me saying a prayer for Someone I really could care for And then there suddenly appeared before me The only one my arms will ever hold I heard somebody whisper, "Please adore me" And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold Blue Moon, now I'm no longer alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own Blue Moon
Saturday, May 2, 2009
An IITian's entry into politics
‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy’. These lines by Martin Luther King Jr holds true for 31-year-old Omendra Pratap Singh alias Omendra Bharat - the UP chief of Bharat Punarnirman Dal (BPD), who is in the fray from Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency.
Hailing from a well-educated family, Omendra Bharat completed his M Tech from IIT-Kanpur in May 2006 and entered the political arena in Dec 2006. He sacrificed a lucrative job with TCS to wage a battle against caste-based reservation system, which politicians have effectively used as a tool to further their selfish motives. This young techie, who draws inspiration from Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad, shared his opinion and outlook with Devika Chhibber of Zeenews.com.
Excerpts:
Being an IITian what urged you to enter politics?
While I was at IIT Kanpur in 2006, the medical reservation issue came up. That time also I took an active part in the protests, but what I observed was that only medical students were concerned about the issue and the dire consequences; engineering students were totally missing from the scenario. After I got a job in TCS, I wasn’t satisfied and as I have always believed that you should do what satisfies you the most, so, I left the job and contributed towards the formation of Bharat Punarnirman Dal (BPD), which is two years old now.
Can politics change our lives?
Politics is part and parcel of our lives. Our day-to-day activities are influenced and affected by it. Just look around and you will find that politics contribute to everything that is a part of our life.
How will you define the relationship between politics and youth?
Relationship between politics and youth is complementary. ‘Politics is cool, but certainly it is not my cup of tea’- this is the statement we hear when we come across youth nowadays. Youngsters try to say that politics and politicians are fun to watch, but they can’t personally associate with politics. What is the motivation that can stimulate the youth to come forth and enter the battleground?
Many young people say that nobody can upgrade the status of Indian politics, but this is not true. There is a great need for positive thinking and motivation, which is lacking somewhere in the youth these days. They become more interested in their careers and forget that they owe some responsibility towards their country and those who realize, for them, the path is full of hurdles.
Then what will your party do in these circumstances?
Our party has never said that we will bring change as soon as we come to power. But we have taken that initial step, which many even find difficult to think. The current degraded political scenario, which everybody is talking about, can only be transformed and reformed when we have faith in ourselves. This is the need of the hour and if we do not respond, it will be really difficult afterwards. Hence ‘change’ is required now.
Today’s political youth icons are synonymous with dynastic legacy. Do you favour the trend?
No, I don’t because they are already standing on the bases, which their fathers have established. The fundamental ground is actually very difficult to gain. For them visiting the poor and the needy could be more of an adventure rather than a true service. Of course, they are educated and can solve the problems of the masses but the respect, which they get, is all because of their hierarchal family support system. What are they without this system? What have they done to gain it? They can’t even contests from new seats and instead prefer to be a part of the constituency from where their fathers contested.
Who are your favourite politicians till date?
I personally feel that instead of Jawahar Lal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose should have become the first PM of our country because he could have led the country as a whole instead of creating rifts among masses. Among the current ones, I appreciate Narendra Modi, although he is a controversial figure but I am speaking of his leadership qualities only.
Why do you think people will vote for you?
I agree that ours is a new party and we are very new in the race. I have never said that we will win many seats. This time we are contesting for around 10 seats and I am standing from the Kanpur LS constituency. Younger generation has come out in favour of our campaigns. They support us and make us feel that we are worthier of the respect and love they give us. So, we are confident and will try to give our best shot.
Do you think the older generation will also come out in your support?
Yes, I think they will, because it is high time they realize that they have been voting hopelessly for those politicians for the past 60 years, who have done nothing but made false promises. Now is the time that they should take the risk and give fresh faces a chance.
What are the highlights of your party manifesto and agenda?
Our manifesto basically supports two demands: that education must be provided to all and secondly caste based reservation must not be supported at any cost. First of all, I think that any party or candidate must be ready to debate because through discussion and debate, we can highlight several issues for the common man. Secondly, we will try to bring in electoral reforms like one day for voting is insufficient. At least 3 days of voting for a particular phase must be done.
Third, ID cards must be issued in the form of ATM cards, which can be used all over the country. Fourth, people don’t know about Section 49(O), which says that if they do not want to vote for any party they can ask for a form and fill in and show that they do not support any party although it is very risky because we are exposed to unwanted hazards. So, we also appreciate the idea of negative voting.
What is your take on the shoe hurling incidents?
These incidents show the outbursts of the weaker sections against a deaf government. But personally, I feel that these actions simply leave a negative impact. Why don’t we try to do something positive instead of just hitting hard at the politicians? Suppose, if our party wins even one seat we will get right to enter Parliament and participate in debates. We may not be on the ruling side, but the least we can do is to stand and speak against the wrong decisions made in Parliament. That’s what ‘change’ is all about.
You are continuously talking about ‘change’, so does Barack Obama also impress you?
It is not about impression, but about inspiration. There is a fervent need of educated, uncontroversial candidates in Indian politics. Obama is a graduate from Harvard University. His visions for US are highly appreciable. Only educated citizens can choose between right and wrong. We should lay emphasis on performance rather than making hollow promises.
Today, when the Indian politics is in a decomposing stage, it requires several reforms and changes. So, it is high time that we take up the responsibility to face the situation and take active role in our country’s politics.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Next govt must bring back our money: Baba Ramdev
(Adapted by Devika Chhibber)
An ardent admirer of Swami Vivekananda, Baba Ramdev is well known for his vigorous efforts to popularize of Yoga. But recently, his hard stance on Indian black money, allegedly stashed in Swiss accounts, has brought him into the limelight for quite a different reason. Candidly speaking in an exclusive interview with Swati Chaturvedi of Zeenews.com on ‘Kahiye Janab’, Baba Ramdev, puts forth suggestions for the next government.
Swati: Recently you have laid emphasis on compulsory voting and ending corruption. ‘Transparency International’ has listed India at the 3rd spot in the list of most corrupt countries of world, after Nigeria and Bangladesh. What’s your take on it?
Baba Ramdev: We have started a movement against ending corruption and for compulsory voting in the country. India has a lot of money which can be used for the uplift of society and to help the needy. Those who are poor and unemployed can gain a lot from such money which is stashed away in foreign banks. Thus our money .i.e. Rs 72,80,000 cr must be brought back for the development of the backward.
Swati: Before elections politicians make several promises, but never follow up on them. We are tired of hollow promises. Will your insight help us in availing fruitful results?
Baba Ramdev: We have launched our campaign to create awareness among masses. People should know where their money is going. For that, we are trying to involve as many as 50 cr people in two years’ time and will extend the figure to 100 cr in 5 years. We want people to understand the approach we have taken up. We want them to vote for the right candidate, who is honest and ready to keep his promise to bring India’s money back. "Aao kare matdan ki chot, mitayen loktantra ki khot".
Swati: BJP and Congress both have made several promises, but hardly fulfilled them ever. Do you have any hope from them?
Baba Ramdev: Currently my idea is to make people aware that their money, which can be utilized for good purposes, is in Swiss accounts and should be brought back anyhow. It’s for the first time that a Swiss bank has allowed transparency in its system and now we have the right to know about our money. My motive is to bring back that money and also find out the reasons of it going abroad. While for the political parties, I would simply like to say that they must keep their conscience clear.
Swati: BJP or Congress which party’s conscience is the clearest according to you?
Baba Ramdev: How can we decide that, especially when the political parties themselves are not clear in their respective approach? It’s necessary that politicians speak their mind and vow that they will bring back our money. At least they should accept the fact that our money is stashed in those accounts. Karat, Advani and Sharad Pawar have at least spoken of bringing back the money. It’s our country’s money and we should safeguard it anyhow. I would like to mention one point here that we will bring back those Rs 72,80,000 cr even if we have to go to war for that. We are a powerful country and we can lead the world. Politicians nowadays are trying to raise the issue just to gain political mileage, but we are very honest in our approach and after elections we will achieve our goal even if we have to march to Parliament. This is not my challenge, but my determination.
Swati: You took the names of Karat, Advani and Sharad Pawar, but let me inform you that these were the same people who created a lot of hue and cry when the Bofors Case was exposed. But still that money is out of India’s reach?
Baba Ramdev: We have to show the politicians that we want to take this issue seriously. Because of the corrupt politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats the situation has become more troublesome. How can we just keep this issue aside. Bringing back the money can improve the situation across country. Therefore, we are laying emphasis on this issue. Hence people must wake up and take up the situation seriously.
Swati: People are tired of reminding our great politicians. Don’t you agree on that?
Baba Ramdev: Swiss banks have for the first time taken up option of disclosing the information and we will make use of the service the best. Be it NDA, UPA, Third Front or Fourth Front only that party will be able to rule which will promise us that they will bring back our money. People are dying of poverty and when they will see that the culprits are in front of their eyes they will just vanquish them.
Swati: Earlier politicians made promises now Baba is doing the same. What is the deadline you are giving to the next government?
Baba Ramdev: After elections when the new government will come to power we will send them a letter demanding to find out a solution to the issue as soon as possible. We will wait for about a year and if we do not get appropriate response we will give a befitting reply to the govt. If we can vote in any govt we can also vote them out.
Swati: Baba Ramdev is also capable of giving wonderful speeches.
Baba Ramdev: I believe in performance and not in making empty speeches. One piece of work speaks volumes and I believe in it.
Swati: Would Baba Ramdev be seen entering politics in near future?
Baba Ramdev: No I would never want to enter politics. I am fine here teaching yoga to my followers. This is my biggest asset till date and I would not like to lose their love.
Swati: Out of the current politicians whom do you feel are the least corrupt and don’t be diplomatic?
Baba Ramdev: I think we should leave this for media as they are the best ones to judge this out. I am not trying to be diplomatic because people who know their work best should be left with them. "Jiska kaam usi ka sajhe, doosra kare to ninda baje".
Swati: You inspire so many people. Whom are you inspired with in Indian politics?
Baba Ramdev: Every party is a mixture comprising honest and dishonest people. We are nobody to question anybody’s character. People know best about the leaders standing from their constituencies. Hence, it would not be justified if I raise finger at somebody.
Swati: You have so many followers from all parties. Whom will you ask people to vote for in these elections?
Baba Ramdev: This election entirely different from earlier polls as it has no national issue. Emphasis is laid on age and caste. Those who are young are considered ignorant, while old are considered weak. We need patriots who love their country, who are true Indians are strong and are honest. We don’t want India to become a failed state like Pakistan. Already 300 districts are in close contact with terror groups. But what can one candidate do. Therefore we want to request the political parties to think and make efforts to bring back the money from the Swiss accounts so that we can use it for those who really need it.
Swati: Tell us something about your compulsory voting campaign.
Baba Ramdev: Oh! This campaign has really become influential. Previously people said that Baba has gone mad and the campaign won’t work but it has already got a success. This time you can see that nearly 60% voter turnout in comparison to the last elections.
Swati: Do you feel bad when people question your aesthetics, values or motives?
Baba Ramdev: No, I never feel sad because if I am right, I am not afraid of what others say and the day I will be wrong, I myself won’t be able to face the world as I would feel guilty.
An ardent admirer of Swami Vivekananda, Baba Ramdev is well known for his vigorous efforts to popularize of Yoga. But recently, his hard stance on Indian black money, allegedly stashed in Swiss accounts, has brought him into the limelight for quite a different reason. Candidly speaking in an exclusive interview with Swati Chaturvedi of Zeenews.com on ‘Kahiye Janab’, Baba Ramdev, puts forth suggestions for the next government.
Swati: Recently you have laid emphasis on compulsory voting and ending corruption. ‘Transparency International’ has listed India at the 3rd spot in the list of most corrupt countries of world, after Nigeria and Bangladesh. What’s your take on it?
Baba Ramdev: We have started a movement against ending corruption and for compulsory voting in the country. India has a lot of money which can be used for the uplift of society and to help the needy. Those who are poor and unemployed can gain a lot from such money which is stashed away in foreign banks. Thus our money .i.e. Rs 72,80,000 cr must be brought back for the development of the backward.
Swati: Before elections politicians make several promises, but never follow up on them. We are tired of hollow promises. Will your insight help us in availing fruitful results?
Baba Ramdev: We have launched our campaign to create awareness among masses. People should know where their money is going. For that, we are trying to involve as many as 50 cr people in two years’ time and will extend the figure to 100 cr in 5 years. We want people to understand the approach we have taken up. We want them to vote for the right candidate, who is honest and ready to keep his promise to bring India’s money back. "Aao kare matdan ki chot, mitayen loktantra ki khot".
Swati: BJP and Congress both have made several promises, but hardly fulfilled them ever. Do you have any hope from them?
Baba Ramdev: Currently my idea is to make people aware that their money, which can be utilized for good purposes, is in Swiss accounts and should be brought back anyhow. It’s for the first time that a Swiss bank has allowed transparency in its system and now we have the right to know about our money. My motive is to bring back that money and also find out the reasons of it going abroad. While for the political parties, I would simply like to say that they must keep their conscience clear.
Swati: BJP or Congress which party’s conscience is the clearest according to you?
Baba Ramdev: How can we decide that, especially when the political parties themselves are not clear in their respective approach? It’s necessary that politicians speak their mind and vow that they will bring back our money. At least they should accept the fact that our money is stashed in those accounts. Karat, Advani and Sharad Pawar have at least spoken of bringing back the money. It’s our country’s money and we should safeguard it anyhow. I would like to mention one point here that we will bring back those Rs 72,80,000 cr even if we have to go to war for that. We are a powerful country and we can lead the world. Politicians nowadays are trying to raise the issue just to gain political mileage, but we are very honest in our approach and after elections we will achieve our goal even if we have to march to Parliament. This is not my challenge, but my determination.
Swati: You took the names of Karat, Advani and Sharad Pawar, but let me inform you that these were the same people who created a lot of hue and cry when the Bofors Case was exposed. But still that money is out of India’s reach?
Baba Ramdev: We have to show the politicians that we want to take this issue seriously. Because of the corrupt politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats the situation has become more troublesome. How can we just keep this issue aside. Bringing back the money can improve the situation across country. Therefore, we are laying emphasis on this issue. Hence people must wake up and take up the situation seriously.
Swati: People are tired of reminding our great politicians. Don’t you agree on that?
Baba Ramdev: Swiss banks have for the first time taken up option of disclosing the information and we will make use of the service the best. Be it NDA, UPA, Third Front or Fourth Front only that party will be able to rule which will promise us that they will bring back our money. People are dying of poverty and when they will see that the culprits are in front of their eyes they will just vanquish them.
Swati: Earlier politicians made promises now Baba is doing the same. What is the deadline you are giving to the next government?
Baba Ramdev: After elections when the new government will come to power we will send them a letter demanding to find out a solution to the issue as soon as possible. We will wait for about a year and if we do not get appropriate response we will give a befitting reply to the govt. If we can vote in any govt we can also vote them out.
Swati: Baba Ramdev is also capable of giving wonderful speeches.
Baba Ramdev: I believe in performance and not in making empty speeches. One piece of work speaks volumes and I believe in it.
Swati: Would Baba Ramdev be seen entering politics in near future?
Baba Ramdev: No I would never want to enter politics. I am fine here teaching yoga to my followers. This is my biggest asset till date and I would not like to lose their love.
Swati: Out of the current politicians whom do you feel are the least corrupt and don’t be diplomatic?
Baba Ramdev: I think we should leave this for media as they are the best ones to judge this out. I am not trying to be diplomatic because people who know their work best should be left with them. "Jiska kaam usi ka sajhe, doosra kare to ninda baje".
Swati: You inspire so many people. Whom are you inspired with in Indian politics?
Baba Ramdev: Every party is a mixture comprising honest and dishonest people. We are nobody to question anybody’s character. People know best about the leaders standing from their constituencies. Hence, it would not be justified if I raise finger at somebody.
Swati: You have so many followers from all parties. Whom will you ask people to vote for in these elections?
Baba Ramdev: This election entirely different from earlier polls as it has no national issue. Emphasis is laid on age and caste. Those who are young are considered ignorant, while old are considered weak. We need patriots who love their country, who are true Indians are strong and are honest. We don’t want India to become a failed state like Pakistan. Already 300 districts are in close contact with terror groups. But what can one candidate do. Therefore we want to request the political parties to think and make efforts to bring back the money from the Swiss accounts so that we can use it for those who really need it.
Swati: Tell us something about your compulsory voting campaign.
Baba Ramdev: Oh! This campaign has really become influential. Previously people said that Baba has gone mad and the campaign won’t work but it has already got a success. This time you can see that nearly 60% voter turnout in comparison to the last elections.
Swati: Do you feel bad when people question your aesthetics, values or motives?
Baba Ramdev: No, I never feel sad because if I am right, I am not afraid of what others say and the day I will be wrong, I myself won’t be able to face the world as I would feel guilty.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
‘Change’ required in Indian democracy: Rakeysh Mehra
“He’s not going to win, but my vote is a vote for having more voices heard in the country”- Larry Bell
‘Janaagraha’s’ One Billion Voters (OBV) campaign launched by a Bangalore based non-profit organization took up some thought-provoking and interactive panel discussion on ‘Young India and role of youth in shaping its democracy’.
The panel discussion at the ITC Maurya Hotel in Delhi saw involvement of eminent personalities from film fraternity like director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (‘Rang De Basanti’ and ‘Delhi 6’ fame), who is also the advisory board member of the OBV campaign and celebrated actor Rahul Bose.
Excerpts:
About ‘One Billion Voter’
being asked about the campaign, Rakeysh answered that sometimes in our life we are driven by an urge to do something for our country and this is the foundation, which we are planning to lay here. Change comes from within. Many of us talk about changing the whole scenario but for that we need to change ourselves first. That is what this campaign is all about. Rahul Bose said that the campaign is an initiative to bring awareness among the youth. OBV campaign seeks to improve the functioning of the Indian democracy by empowering citizens especially the youth to participate in the political process. The first leg of the campaign will enable them to make an informed choice, and ensure a huge voter turn out in the General Elections.
How can technology help voters?
Answering to this question Hemant Sachdev, Joint Director of Microsoft India, which is campaigning partner stated that there was a time when India had doubts about the Y generation’s technology but today’s youth is well versed in the techniques. Technology helps in providing a platform to express emotions. This is what we are trying to do - to build a bridge between technology and politics. If a youth knows updates of several candidates and their constituencies through websites, SMS facilities or search tools, he automatically starts developing an interest in the field.
Is politics cool?
Rahul answered this question quite politely and said that he doesn’t agree with people who say that politics is cool. Politics is everywhere whether it’s about MF Hussain’s return to India or banning rock show events after 10 pm. Hence, it’s time that we understand the value of politics rather than ignoring the situation.
Any interest in Politics?
Rahul said, “As an Indian yes I am interested in politics but I am not a politician. Everybody is born with a motive. I can say that Rakeysh Mehra can direct movies conveying social messages while I can enact good roles in some very good movies. But politics is certainly not our cup of tea.”
Qualities of a powerful leader
Rakeysh answered this question, “Leader in itself is a word that holds a powerful meaning. We don’t need politicians, we need good leaders, who are capable of taking hard stance in certain circumstances, who respect the country and are responsible and accountable towards the citizens who bring them to power. We should not forget that the one in power can only make significant changes in society.” In answer to the question, Rahul Bose quoted the lines of U2 band leader Bono, he said, “Now I can talk to the President from my platform on the issues of the black and apartheid as I have the power to do so. We must always remember that power comes with great responsibilities."
Do we have good leaders today?
Rakeysh answered that those who are there are not leaders but politicians. On asking whether we have a choice while selecting them. He said that we may not have a choice but what we can do is not vote for any of them and teach them that our vote is worthier and that the corrupt candidates are not acceptable. Suppose a lady goes to a sari shop and tries to select the best out of the lot. If she doesn’t find the best, what she can do is to tell the shopkeeper that his collection is not of her taste and leave without making any purchases, that’s exactly what I am trying to say here.
Take on women voters
Rakeysh emphasized that women are the key players in our society. They nurture a child and strengthen our character. Because of a woman, we are able to face hardships prevalent in the society, so I think that emphasis should be laid on their voting too because they are the root and without watering the root a tree cannot nourish properly.
How do you see today’s youth?
With a grim smile, Rahul decided to answer by citing an incident from his life. He said that in 1985, when he was 18, Rajiv Gandhi came to power. At that time India lacked self-esteem. Youth in those days just wanted to settle down in America with their MBA degrees and forget about their motherland but today’s youth is so different, so full of life, so decisive. He knows that he can lead a life of self-respect here in India. He knows that he has the power to uproot corruption. Above all, he is proud to be an Indian and now especially post 26/11 he has started demonstrating and not accepting the corruption. He comes out on the road to express that he is hurt and angry with those politicians, who do nothing but feed themselves on public money.
On youth entering politics
Rakeysh agreed that those youth, who are interested in politics, do not get sufficient chances or do not have appropriate funds to support their candidature. But then every profession has problems, so, if somebody is really interested he/she will definitely emerge victorious amidst problems. My example is in front of you in this case.We should never forget that change is a timeless process. What we have started may take 2-3 years time but we should not be depressed with this thought. Someone has to take the first step to give our future generation a life of peace and prosperity.
One change required fervently
If someday I get the opportunity to do so I would like to uproot corruption from every field. Corruption is a disease, which decomposes everything. So, let us think of the brighter side and try to vote and bring change, said Rahul.
Your vision for India?
Rahul said that India is beautiful. It’s a country where everybody gets respect, basic rights and privileges, where the youth is not suppressed. Where we don’t have to look out for options. Where law binds all and the youth gets a chance to express and fulfill their basic desires and demands.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Hi there!!!!!
Down below many of my postings are the bylines which i received from Zeenews.com. Even in future i will keep updating my other posts here and will look forward to write on severe issues daily...
Devika Chhibber
`If`- My favourite one
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master;
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run-- Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
This is my favourite poem thus decided to share it with YOU ALL. This poem holds a meaning that u r the only one who have the solution of all ur problems. Hence become progressive and defeat all the evils who are hindering ur path of success. `Discovering urself is more glorifying than any materialistic oppurtunities in the world`. I believe it.
FINDING SOLITUDE IS THEIR DESTINY……….
Is success halting the frames of young minds to such an extent that the contrast emerges in the form of newly developed and well furnished Old Age Homes? We agree that the concept of quick success at the ease of individuality has fast taken pace but is it right that we forget and cut down our own roots in this process? In the last 20 years visionary old age homes have been on a rise. Parents, who instead of enjoying their shares of life together have laid more emphasis on the twist and turns of their young ones, are left behind with remorse and worry. And we the so called Gen Z people in an attempt to concentrate on our promising careers forget all about their sacrifices. Have we become so selfish that in our achievements and glories we forget all about our real families? The main arching reason today for the growth of these homes is the growing idea of nuclear families, then property disputes and less understanding among family members are the other inviting reasons. One very unique fact have also come up, the parents sometime themselves take decision to live in such homes, to maintain their dignity and also to spend their lives together. Why we turn our backs towards those people who have nourished us with the ups and downs of their life? Who are we, to leave them all alone in dark corners, in their moments of need and desire for us? One should never forget, History repeats itself and `As you sow so shall you reap`.
I wrote this after seeing the poor conditions of the people and the aged who reside in an old age home named `AASRA`- THE SHELTER as defined by one of my friend.
I wrote this after seeing the poor conditions of the people and the aged who reside in an old age home named `AASRA`- THE SHELTER as defined by one of my friend.
U r n will remain my ANGEL all my life............
We generally desire things besides what we have. Today i am finding it quite true. Today what i want the most is my mothers arms running smoothly all around me. Her embrace which makes me feel special and her warmth which gives me the joy of being so precious and beautiful. Her kisses assure me that besides being naughty and a hell lot of mischievous she loves me a lot , a lot more than any other wonderful thing on this planet. She mesmerizes me with those beautiful eyes of hers. Her pink smile gives me the vision of a greek goddess who is ready to enshower her love and warmth on anyone. Once i told her that she is my first love and she truly is. I think i worship her. She is my creator , my supporter and she is the one who has always cheered me in my journey of success and failures. Whenever in my moments of sorrow i have turned back i have always found her giving me strength and confidence to fight back the tears and step ahead on a new jouney of success and achivements. I love u mumma a lot n pray that i love you similarly all my life. Thank you for always being there with me. Without you i would have never been here.
Neeru, only for you my love
Urs Parul
Neeru, only for you my love
Urs Parul
हिन्दी तुम मेरी साथी हो !
सुबह की सुर्ख लाली और शाम का चमकता सितारा
खुशियों का मौसम और बागों का महकता ठिकाना
दोस्त की वो मीठी बात और हँसते हुए वो कॉलेज ना जाने का बहाना
कभी किसी पे हसना कभी ख़ुद मजाक का हिस्सा बनना
वो होठों की हँसी और शोर शराबे में क्लास में न पढ़ना
मौजों की लहर मतवाली
चाय की दुकान पर वो मीठी प्याली
कभी गलती पर डांट पड़ना कभी मुस्कुरा के सारी बातें अनसुना करना
सत्र ख़तम होते होते वो भविष्य के इरादे
वो साथ रहने के वायदे
वो हम-तुम करने की शरारत हर बात पे खीजना हर बात पे झल्लाना
पर फिर मुस्कुरा के दोस्ती की कसमें खाना
हर कसम पे नसीहत हर नसीहत पे गुस्सा
हर गुस्से पे मुस्कराहट हर मुस्कराहट का किस्सा
वो सारा आलम
आज भी मेरी यादों का हिस्सा
हर खुशी आपस में बांटना हर दुःख में किसी का साथी होना
हर पल को खुशियों से तोलना
आखिरकार ज़िन्दगी को अपनी शर्तों पे जीना
ये सब इतना आसान नही होता अगर तू मेरे पास नही होती
तूने मेरी ज़िन्दगी को आसान ही नही बनाया है
बल्कि मेरे जीवन में जोश का जज्बा भी जगाया है
शायद मैं संवेदनाहीन होती अगर मुझे तेरा साथ नही होता मिला
तू मेरी भाषा ही नही मेरी आत्मा है मेरा विश्वास मेरा हौंसला
पूरी की तूने जीवन की कमियाँ
तू है मेरी मां
"इसलिए मैं तेरा शुक्रिया करती हूँ और इस अवसर पर मैं तुझे शत शत प्रणाम करती हूँ इस हिन्दी ने हमें सब कुछ दिया पर हम आज उसे ही भूलते जा रहे हैं क्या ये आज की ज़रूरत नहीं एक तरफ़ हम जहाँ अपनी सभ्यता और परम्परा को बचने की बात करते है वही प्रतिस्पर्धा के नाम पे अपनी मात्रभाषा को भूलते जा रहे हैं चलो आज अपनी आवाजों को एक कर कर अपनी भाषा का वैसा ही ख्याल रखने का प्राण करे जैसे हम अपने मां बाप का रखते हैं "
खुशियों का मौसम और बागों का महकता ठिकाना
दोस्त की वो मीठी बात और हँसते हुए वो कॉलेज ना जाने का बहाना
कभी किसी पे हसना कभी ख़ुद मजाक का हिस्सा बनना
वो होठों की हँसी और शोर शराबे में क्लास में न पढ़ना
मौजों की लहर मतवाली
चाय की दुकान पर वो मीठी प्याली
कभी गलती पर डांट पड़ना कभी मुस्कुरा के सारी बातें अनसुना करना
सत्र ख़तम होते होते वो भविष्य के इरादे
वो साथ रहने के वायदे
वो हम-तुम करने की शरारत हर बात पे खीजना हर बात पे झल्लाना
पर फिर मुस्कुरा के दोस्ती की कसमें खाना
हर कसम पे नसीहत हर नसीहत पे गुस्सा
हर गुस्से पे मुस्कराहट हर मुस्कराहट का किस्सा
वो सारा आलम
आज भी मेरी यादों का हिस्सा
हर खुशी आपस में बांटना हर दुःख में किसी का साथी होना
हर पल को खुशियों से तोलना
आखिरकार ज़िन्दगी को अपनी शर्तों पे जीना
ये सब इतना आसान नही होता अगर तू मेरे पास नही होती
तूने मेरी ज़िन्दगी को आसान ही नही बनाया है
बल्कि मेरे जीवन में जोश का जज्बा भी जगाया है
शायद मैं संवेदनाहीन होती अगर मुझे तेरा साथ नही होता मिला
तू मेरी भाषा ही नही मेरी आत्मा है मेरा विश्वास मेरा हौंसला
पूरी की तूने जीवन की कमियाँ
तू है मेरी मां
"इसलिए मैं तेरा शुक्रिया करती हूँ और इस अवसर पर मैं तुझे शत शत प्रणाम करती हूँ इस हिन्दी ने हमें सब कुछ दिया पर हम आज उसे ही भूलते जा रहे हैं क्या ये आज की ज़रूरत नहीं एक तरफ़ हम जहाँ अपनी सभ्यता और परम्परा को बचने की बात करते है वही प्रतिस्पर्धा के नाम पे अपनी मात्रभाषा को भूलते जा रहे हैं चलो आज अपनी आवाजों को एक कर कर अपनी भाषा का वैसा ही ख्याल रखने का प्राण करे जैसे हम अपने मां बाप का रखते हैं "
अब डरने लगा हूँ
पहले डरता नही था पर अब डरने लगा हूँ ,
रोज़ तिल तिल कर मरने लगा हूँ ,
रोज़ बस से आफिस जाता हूँ ,
इसलिए आस पास की चीज़ों पर ध्यान लगता
हूँसीट के नीचे किसी बम की शंका से मन ग्रसित रहता
हैकभी कोई लावारिस बैग भ्रमित करता है ।
ख़ुद से ज़्यादा परिवार की फ़िक्र करता हूँ
इसलिए हर बात मे उनका ज़िक्र करता हूँ
रोज़ अपने चैनल के लिए ख़बर करता हूँ
और किसी रोज़ ख़बर बनने से डरता हूँ
मैं एक आम हिन्दुस्तानी की तरहां रहता हूँ
इसलिए रोज़ तिल तिल कर मरता हूँ
हालत यही रहे तो किसी रोज़ मैं भीकिसी सर फिरे की गोली या बम का शिकार बन जाऊँगा
कुछ और न सही पर बूढे अम्मी अब्बू केआंसुओं का सामान बन जाऊँगा।
इस तरह एक नही कई जिनदगियाँ तबाह हो जाएँगीबहोत न सही पर थोडी ही
दहशतगर्दों की आरजुओं की गवाह हो जाएँगी ।
इसीलिए मैं अब डरने लगा हूँहर रोज़ तिल तिल कर मरने लगा हूँ ,
तिल तिल कर मरने लगा हूँ ।
Posted by Tanzir Ansar
Mariah Carey: Beauty with substance
What happens when you feel short of words for somebody? Someone who is sensuous, glamorous and flamboyant in addition to being an excellent singer and presenter? This holds true for the March 1970 born Mariah Carey. Eventually, when you look-up the word "diva" in the dictionary, picture of Mariah Carey appears as the visual reference. In spite of the subtle reference to other female singers in the definition, Carey displays all characteristics of a diva. Mariah Carey is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Family life and past circleCarey was born in Long Island, New York, to Patricia Carey, who was a vocalist and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer. Since the tender age of four, she knew she wanted to sing. After her parents divorce Mariah was reared by her mother an Irish-American mother, Patricia who was a vocal coach and former singer with New York city Opera. Her older sister, Allison and her brother Morgon both stayed with their father. During her childhood, Mariah only periodically saw her father. Her father's mother was Black and his father was Venezuelan. Therefore, she had to go through the stress of being an inter-racial couple’s child in the '60s and ‘70s, which put her under tremendous strain. Over the years, their dogs were poisoned and cars were set on fire and blown up. By the time she was 18, Carey had a tape ready for the moment when the opportunity would come knocking. After her High School graduation she got her big break singing for Brenda K Starr, which lead to her eventual deal with the Columbia Records. A brief meeting with Sony executive Tommy Mottola, at a party was all she needed to begin her rendezvous with superstardom. Mottola told Ebony magazine that he knew right away that she had star potential. "When I first heard and saw Mariah, there was absolutely no doubt she was in every way destined for stardom," he said. Musical journeyHer early commercial success came with her debut album Mariah Carey. Carey burst onto the scene with the affluent and soulful single "Vision of Love," in 1990. It was the first single from her first album, which distinguished her as a talented singer. Except for three albums, each of her first singles has hit number one on the charts. The incredible freshman efforts lead Carey to become the third artist to ever be nominated in the same year for best album, best song and best new artist. This effort earned 22 weeks at Billboard's number one and moved more than seven million copies. It was while making her debut album, Carey and Tom Motolla got involved with each other and finally they were married in June 1993. Her second album Emotions was claimed by Rolling Stone as 'one of the same with less interesting material'. The title track "Emotions" made Carey the only recording act to have her first five singles reach number one on the US Hot 100 chart, though the album's follow-up singles failed to match this feat. After which she began writing and producing for other artists including Penny Ford and Daryl Hall. Her first widely seen appearance was featured on the television show 'Unplugged'. Mariah has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and yielded a record setting four consecutives on the No 1 position with songs like 'Vision of love', 'Love takes time', 'Somebody' and 'I don't wanna cry'. Butterfly is the most popular album and the title song is the most tracked. It marked the maturation of the actor. The songs took her music and fans in a bold direction as it was a mixture of the Rap and the hip hop with sophisticated lyrics and production technologies. With so much record-breaking successes under her belt and an album of greatest hits that included 13 number one singles, it seemed that Carey had accomplished all that any one person could in music. Carey's monumental success also helped her dethrone the Beatles that year to become the artists with the most weeks on top of Billboards Hot 100 singles list. By 2000, Carey began to spread her wings into the acting field as well. She finished a small part in the Rene Zellweger film, The Bachelor, and began looking for other acting roles to broaden her already full horizon of talent. Her bag of Grammies American singer Mariah Carey has received five Grammy Awards and a total of thirty-three nominations since the start of her career in 1990. She is the second most-nominated female artist in Grammy Award history behind Aretha Franklin, who has thirty-eight nominations. Carey won her first two awards in 1991, and at the 1996 show she had been nominated in six categories. She did not win any awards that year, and it marked the last time that she attended a Grammy Awards ceremony until 2006, when she was nominated for eight awards, the highest number of nominations that she has received for a single year. She appeared and performed at the awards show, and won three more awards. Emotional breakdownsIt is said that ‘success comes with pain’ and Mariah’s life reflects the statement. Her journey was certainly not on smooth ends. Be it her childhood or adulthood, her life was filled with miseries and sorrows but like a fighter she always remained unmoved. Critics panned ‘Glitter’, Carey's much delayed semi-autobiographical film, and it was a box office failure. The lead single, ‘Loverboy’ (featuring Cameo), reached number two on the Hot 100 thanks to a price cut, but the album's follow-up singles failed to chart. Following a well-received supporting role in the 2002 film ‘WiseGirls’, Carey released the album Charmbracelet, which she said marked "a new lease on life" for her sales of Charmbracelet were moderate, and the quality of Carey's vocals came under severe criticism. "Through the Rain", was a failure on pop radio, which had become less open to maturing "diva" stylists such as Celine Dion, or Carey herself in favour of younger singers such as Kelly Clarkson or Christina Aguilera, who had vocal styles very similar to Carey's. Best of her songs''Vision of Love'' (Mariah Carey, 1990)''You're So Cold'' (Emotions, 1991) ''Always Be My Baby'' (Daydream, 1995''Butterfly'' (Butterfly, 1997) ''The Beautiful Ones'' (Butterfly, 1997) ‘‘Fantasy’’ (featuring O.D.B.) (#1s, 1998) ''I Still Believe'' (#1s, 1998) ''Heartbreaker'' (Rainbow, 1999) ''Last Night a DJ Saved My Life'' (Glitter, 2001) ''We Belong Together'' (The Emancipation of Mimi, 2005) ''Shake It Off'' (The Emancipation of Mimi, 2005) ''Your Girl'' (The Emancipation of Mimi, 2005) FilmographyThe Bachelor (1999) Glitter (2001) Ally McBeal (episode: "Playing with Matches", 2002) WiseGirls (2002) Death of a Dynasty (cameo, 2003) The Proud Family (herself, 2003) State Property 2 (2005) Tennessee (2008) You Don't Mess with the Zohan (filming) Push (2008)
Frankly speaking with Alok Tomar
Alok Tomar is an eminent and known face of the media industry. His early career began with UNI at the age of 19. Till date he has contributed many works as a scriptwriter by being a part of NDTV (Ji Mantri Ji), Aaj Tak, Zeenews, Jansatta, Pioneer and also KBC. Here is a short excerpt from his conversation with Devika Chhibber about his experiences at The Taj--
What was your initial thought after understanding the terror situation?
As a scriptwriter my preliminary thought was OK I have got another story. But later on some panic did creep in my head and I felt a bit helpless. Though later on I relaxed and started sorting out ways to deal with the situation.
Any moment when you were face to face with death?
Once at midnight when we all were relaxing suddenly fire broke out in the tomb next to our hall. We could not see anything. Everywhere it was just smoke, black smoke our eyes were burning. That was the moment I felt that my end is near. But finally the police personals came and guided us outside the room. I can never forget this moment.
Was the security system efficient in combating terror?
NSG arrived somewhere around 7:30 in the morning on 27th in the BEST buses. So you can well guess out what was the situation before. We were left on the security of the police who were having simple rifles which was a poor comparison with the AK 47 of the terrorists. I can assure you many would have not used their guns in a situation like this ever before.
So much discussion is going on over media`s role, what`s your take on it?
I myself have done a course on war reporting, which earlier was provided by the Indian government. So I can understand that reporting in such situations becomes really difficult. Thus we require skilled and trained reporters for such situations in which Indian media really lacks. Hence coverage does not become easy for reporters who usually cover political and human issues. There is an utmost need to have skilled and trained media personals to cope and combat such situations.
At last after being a part of such mayhem now do you see life with a difference?
No not much I am still lazy and lethargic. Actually I am still the same but yes as a journalist I have a new piece of adventure to share with the world. I would also suggest terrorists that such heinous acts of crime won`t suppress the spirits of Indians. We know what are you people trying to do and we well do all in our wills to evade it.
What was your initial thought after understanding the terror situation?
As a scriptwriter my preliminary thought was OK I have got another story. But later on some panic did creep in my head and I felt a bit helpless. Though later on I relaxed and started sorting out ways to deal with the situation.
Any moment when you were face to face with death?
Once at midnight when we all were relaxing suddenly fire broke out in the tomb next to our hall. We could not see anything. Everywhere it was just smoke, black smoke our eyes were burning. That was the moment I felt that my end is near. But finally the police personals came and guided us outside the room. I can never forget this moment.
Was the security system efficient in combating terror?
NSG arrived somewhere around 7:30 in the morning on 27th in the BEST buses. So you can well guess out what was the situation before. We were left on the security of the police who were having simple rifles which was a poor comparison with the AK 47 of the terrorists. I can assure you many would have not used their guns in a situation like this ever before.
So much discussion is going on over media`s role, what`s your take on it?
I myself have done a course on war reporting, which earlier was provided by the Indian government. So I can understand that reporting in such situations becomes really difficult. Thus we require skilled and trained reporters for such situations in which Indian media really lacks. Hence coverage does not become easy for reporters who usually cover political and human issues. There is an utmost need to have skilled and trained media personals to cope and combat such situations.
At last after being a part of such mayhem now do you see life with a difference?
No not much I am still lazy and lethargic. Actually I am still the same but yes as a journalist I have a new piece of adventure to share with the world. I would also suggest terrorists that such heinous acts of crime won`t suppress the spirits of Indians. We know what are you people trying to do and we well do all in our wills to evade it.
Rendezvous with Alok Tomar- `My 17 hours at The Taj…`
Who said terror has no face? Terror has a face in all those humans who are alive to tell a tale of the brutal acts of crime committed on them. With the Mumbai siege, finally over what now remains is the left over. The left over, which is neither describable nor imaginable. Mumbai attacks have proved that our security systems have lacked and we have failed. We just can`t state the pain and torture faced by those who were present there. Some have died while some are alive to tell the stories of pain inflicted on them by the terror groups.
Here is one such person Alok Tomar, a senior journalist, and with old association with Zee news himself who encountered the terror attack. Here he has recalled his experience of the Taj cordon. He has pen down his adventures, as he was present in the new building, The Taj Tower. Let`s read his experience---
Alok Tomar---My 17 hours at The Taj…
Landing for the second time at Mumbai airport in 15 days my first plan was to visit the film city to meet one producer friend who has sent me the ticket to do so. However, you call it a coincidence, my fate, sheer destiny or irony of the situation that his mobile was switched off and the car also didn`t come to pick me up.
By chance, it happened that one of my friends, also a fellow traveller, was going to Colaba region so just in order to spend time and to catch-up with old times, I accompanied him. My producer friend called me when I was already celebrating the birthday of my friend’s colleague`s son at the top floor of the New wing of Taj Hotel.
It goes `Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder` the same happened with me. Taj has always attracted me. I remember, this striking monument was constructed to welcome George 5th nearly a century ago. On one hand where this monument derives a wow from the hearts of many simultaneously, the prices at the famous hotel are really heart breaking. (can do without this)
The watch was striking the chord. At 9 PM, the party has not yet begun. People were getting restless, suddenly a man informed everybody that a blast has been reported at the Sasoon Dock, where I lived for a long time, and gunshots are being heard. Actually, his idea was that somehow Abu Salem has escaped from the prison though we all knew that Arthur Road was far off from Colaba.
All of a sudden, everybody started getting messages on their cell phones. It was a total chaos. After sometime, we heard gunshots on the road below but saw nobody. Finally, when nothing went wrong we started partying again. Later we heard sirens of police and the manager came in the picture that was when we actually realised that something has gone wrong. In spite of children`s resistance the managers called off the party. Some people managed to go down through service lift while others managed to get down through staircases. At last, we all reached the big hall where the plasma TV was running, with the help of which we came to know about the terror attack on the financial capital of India, Mumbai.
I too, am like all is afraid of death but being a journalist the desire to live the adventure in any such situation was one of my biggest fantasies. Mostly, after getting the boarding pass I pray in subconscious to become the part of a hijack drama. Here too, I was just waiting to pen down memoirs of any such incident in my life and this was my chance. Although, I was frightened, I felt lucky too. I tried to move out of the hall by showing my so powerful press card but it didn`t help me as the well-built guard on the door stopped me from moving out. Subsequently we heard our manager speaking that some terrorists have come in the building and thus we must stay quietly at our respective places and if we require anything, we can call up the reception. All chargers of several models were sent. Suddenly the TV stopped working. The response from the reception was very puzzling that there was some technical problem and the TV would be rectified eventually. By that time, we all knew that some terror groups have made their way not only in Taj and Colaba but also at Oberoi and a coffee place nearby.
Some time later, the manager came with some packets of food and said sorry for the inconvenience. He also assured that our safety was his priority. Many of us wanted to smoke hence, understanding the circumstances he brought several packets of Dun Hill with him and opened the nearest room for the purpose also asserting the fact that we won`t be charged for the same. Wah Taj!
Gradually, all of us were nervous and anxious as to what will happen next. However, in due course we all settled. By that time, we understood that TV was disconnected in order to prevent terrorists from monitoring the outside activities. We all relaxed after sometime but were abruptly raised by an alarm that fire has broken in the building. Next to our room was the tomb, which has caught fire. We knew that we might not be able to save our lives but who wishes to be burnt alive. Hell we just didn`t know what to do?
At 1 AM we heard sounds of gunshots and blasts from within the hotel. People who had come their to celebrate their birthdays thought that it`s their death day, now while my mind was working on a new story. Many of my new found friends started telling me about their last wish. By that time, we could see the cranes. Many were even ready to pay for their lives. However, `friends with money you can buy your death not your life`.
Time just passed out. Finally came the morning the most beautiful morning of my life. Sun, which I used to watch regularly unexpectedly, seemed to be so brilliant. It was a perfect morning, morning which enlightened new horizons in my life. The hotel staff kept coming in between to reassure our safety. How brave of them they also kept us informed about where the terrorists were actually hiding. In total, they were keeping us abreast with the latest news of the day. The terrorists were actually hiding in the kitchen and basement as they had planned a 9/11 for Taj by hitting the historical monument at the base.By that time our mobiles were jammed for security reasons.
First time in my life, I slept sitting on the sofa. People say that habit never goes it`s true friends, later when I woke up my first urge was to read a newspaper. I simply can`t live without it. But in all this drama where would I have got a newspaper when we were the biggest news piece of the day followed by every channel and highlighted by all newspapers though that time the conclusion of the terror act was yet to be sketched out. Finally, after two in the afternoon the security guards directed us to move safely down the hall through the service lifts, to the narrow lanes backwards, away from the now lonely standing hotel to the BEST buses.
Thank god and more then that thanks to dare devil commandos, I was safe and sound. A sense of relief surpassed me on the thought that my media friends were not there or else they would have surely asked me that how a newsmaker became news himself. For, which I would have replied all thanks to the terrorists of the Mumbai mayhem………
Here is one such person Alok Tomar, a senior journalist, and with old association with Zee news himself who encountered the terror attack. Here he has recalled his experience of the Taj cordon. He has pen down his adventures, as he was present in the new building, The Taj Tower. Let`s read his experience---
Alok Tomar---My 17 hours at The Taj…
Landing for the second time at Mumbai airport in 15 days my first plan was to visit the film city to meet one producer friend who has sent me the ticket to do so. However, you call it a coincidence, my fate, sheer destiny or irony of the situation that his mobile was switched off and the car also didn`t come to pick me up.
By chance, it happened that one of my friends, also a fellow traveller, was going to Colaba region so just in order to spend time and to catch-up with old times, I accompanied him. My producer friend called me when I was already celebrating the birthday of my friend’s colleague`s son at the top floor of the New wing of Taj Hotel.
It goes `Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder` the same happened with me. Taj has always attracted me. I remember, this striking monument was constructed to welcome George 5th nearly a century ago. On one hand where this monument derives a wow from the hearts of many simultaneously, the prices at the famous hotel are really heart breaking. (can do without this)
The watch was striking the chord. At 9 PM, the party has not yet begun. People were getting restless, suddenly a man informed everybody that a blast has been reported at the Sasoon Dock, where I lived for a long time, and gunshots are being heard. Actually, his idea was that somehow Abu Salem has escaped from the prison though we all knew that Arthur Road was far off from Colaba.
All of a sudden, everybody started getting messages on their cell phones. It was a total chaos. After sometime, we heard gunshots on the road below but saw nobody. Finally, when nothing went wrong we started partying again. Later we heard sirens of police and the manager came in the picture that was when we actually realised that something has gone wrong. In spite of children`s resistance the managers called off the party. Some people managed to go down through service lift while others managed to get down through staircases. At last, we all reached the big hall where the plasma TV was running, with the help of which we came to know about the terror attack on the financial capital of India, Mumbai.
I too, am like all is afraid of death but being a journalist the desire to live the adventure in any such situation was one of my biggest fantasies. Mostly, after getting the boarding pass I pray in subconscious to become the part of a hijack drama. Here too, I was just waiting to pen down memoirs of any such incident in my life and this was my chance. Although, I was frightened, I felt lucky too. I tried to move out of the hall by showing my so powerful press card but it didn`t help me as the well-built guard on the door stopped me from moving out. Subsequently we heard our manager speaking that some terrorists have come in the building and thus we must stay quietly at our respective places and if we require anything, we can call up the reception. All chargers of several models were sent. Suddenly the TV stopped working. The response from the reception was very puzzling that there was some technical problem and the TV would be rectified eventually. By that time, we all knew that some terror groups have made their way not only in Taj and Colaba but also at Oberoi and a coffee place nearby.
Some time later, the manager came with some packets of food and said sorry for the inconvenience. He also assured that our safety was his priority. Many of us wanted to smoke hence, understanding the circumstances he brought several packets of Dun Hill with him and opened the nearest room for the purpose also asserting the fact that we won`t be charged for the same. Wah Taj!
Gradually, all of us were nervous and anxious as to what will happen next. However, in due course we all settled. By that time, we understood that TV was disconnected in order to prevent terrorists from monitoring the outside activities. We all relaxed after sometime but were abruptly raised by an alarm that fire has broken in the building. Next to our room was the tomb, which has caught fire. We knew that we might not be able to save our lives but who wishes to be burnt alive. Hell we just didn`t know what to do?
At 1 AM we heard sounds of gunshots and blasts from within the hotel. People who had come their to celebrate their birthdays thought that it`s their death day, now while my mind was working on a new story. Many of my new found friends started telling me about their last wish. By that time, we could see the cranes. Many were even ready to pay for their lives. However, `friends with money you can buy your death not your life`.
Time just passed out. Finally came the morning the most beautiful morning of my life. Sun, which I used to watch regularly unexpectedly, seemed to be so brilliant. It was a perfect morning, morning which enlightened new horizons in my life. The hotel staff kept coming in between to reassure our safety. How brave of them they also kept us informed about where the terrorists were actually hiding. In total, they were keeping us abreast with the latest news of the day. The terrorists were actually hiding in the kitchen and basement as they had planned a 9/11 for Taj by hitting the historical monument at the base.By that time our mobiles were jammed for security reasons.
First time in my life, I slept sitting on the sofa. People say that habit never goes it`s true friends, later when I woke up my first urge was to read a newspaper. I simply can`t live without it. But in all this drama where would I have got a newspaper when we were the biggest news piece of the day followed by every channel and highlighted by all newspapers though that time the conclusion of the terror act was yet to be sketched out. Finally, after two in the afternoon the security guards directed us to move safely down the hall through the service lifts, to the narrow lanes backwards, away from the now lonely standing hotel to the BEST buses.
Thank god and more then that thanks to dare devil commandos, I was safe and sound. A sense of relief surpassed me on the thought that my media friends were not there or else they would have surely asked me that how a newsmaker became news himself. For, which I would have replied all thanks to the terrorists of the Mumbai mayhem………
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