My all time favorite is:
"I am blogging after a long time. But I plan to write more often from now on".
Comeon!, as if we are falling head over heals to read your stuff! Just kidding :-) You are most welcome to suggest your favorites!
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
Politics!
Richard L Kempe said "Favoritism is the only use of politics." He couldnt be more wrong!! I have objection to the word ONLY!!
Its strange how our perceptions change as we growup. I remember writing in my diary that my role models were Gandhi, and Nehru. This was way back in my 4th standard. Things have changed since!
Back in 9th standard, I remember asking my dad his favored party. His response was 'Politics is a scoundrel's game'. I was least expecting this response!! And I was not able to understand it completely at that time. I was starting to dislike Congress, and BJP was my new favorite (like I had a choice). This was because dad used to say if Congress 360 degrees corrupt, then BJP is 280 degrees corrupt. I guess even he didnt know completely about BJP as it was never in power before (atleast for a significant period of time). Now that I have had a chance to observe our nations so called poilitics, even I feel disgusted by it. You can bet that I too will tell my kids (long time!) that politics is a scoundrels game!! There were many key events which helped shaped this perception. I am just going to recount few of them.
First experience one was in my +1. I was studying in DAV jalandhar. My parents had come to take me to home in one of the weekends. As we were coming back, we came across a road which was blocked. Apparently there had to be some speech by some BJP member. So the partymen (around 50 of them) were busy making the preparations. The road was not completely blocked as yet, and we could have got through. So we proceeded. Just then few partymen came and said that the road is blocked, and we should trace our way back. My dad said that we have an urgency and need to get through to a hospital (yes a bluff). But the response of the guy was what shocked me. He said 'Listen man, do you want your car to be broken up, or you want to go back?'. Yes, we did take a longer route to reach home, and this was my first brush with people who govern our country!!
The 2nd experience was when I was doing my engineering. We (me, Pawan and Kapahi) used to spend nights in discussions on various topics. Politics and cricket were the hot favorites. Anyway there was once this ruling by supreme court that all candidates should declare their educational background, and property to the voters. It was seen as a welcome decision by people like me. But then came the unexpected turn of events. I was to see the unity in politics for once. All the parties (I mean ALL!!), came together and vetoed down the ruling!! All the MP's concluded that they cannot be forced to declare their assets and ed background. I still wonder if even one party could stand apart from the crowd and said that 'yes, we welcome the ruling. Our candidates have nothing to hide. Our candidates are not Bhaai's!!'. Alas, it never happened.
The 3rd ongoing experience has been the truth that is hidden from young minds. I used to read how Nehru was chahcha nehru, and how Gandhi is father of the nation. Ofcourse these terms have been given by their fellow congressmen. Now that I get to read what actually happened at that time, I shake my head in disbelief! I read how freedom was granted and not taken (white man's burden). I read how Nehru used to show Chinese that we used to make needles in our defense factories. How Gandhi forced all congressmen to choose Nehru over Sardar Patel. Also how he alienated Boss from congress! And I read how Nehru was photographed early morning in Lady Mountbatten's home in UK. I see the pic of Nehru smoking under a 'No smoking' sign! The last two do not concern me, but still they play a part in building a perception thats not pretty. I can go on and on here, but thats not the point.
The 4th ongoing experience has been to see the judicial system in action when it concerns politicians!! The first landmark case that jolted me was Shah Bano's case. The case demostrated how the temples of justice were insulted by politicians. Since then politicians have been smart and never gave justice any chance. They know supreme court can do anything, so whenever a politician is in trouble the case is referred to a committee. I still dont believe how George Fernandes/Jaya Jaitley got away scott free, even when they were video-taped!! Hats off to politics. The cases on Advani, Soren, Uma Bharati have been dragged on for more than decades. And I am positive that they will be given a clean chit posthumously. Yes I am referring to Rajiv Gandhi in Bofor's case.
Actually this is not all. When I was young, I used to think that I could make a difference to my nation. 'Saare Jahan se achcha, Hindostan hamara'. How can I lie like this now?? I know even if I am made PM amongst the present set of politicians, I will just end up quitting the office. Yes, politics is not for me, its a scoundrels game.
Its strange how our perceptions change as we growup. I remember writing in my diary that my role models were Gandhi, and Nehru. This was way back in my 4th standard. Things have changed since!
Back in 9th standard, I remember asking my dad his favored party. His response was 'Politics is a scoundrel's game'. I was least expecting this response!! And I was not able to understand it completely at that time. I was starting to dislike Congress, and BJP was my new favorite (like I had a choice). This was because dad used to say if Congress 360 degrees corrupt, then BJP is 280 degrees corrupt. I guess even he didnt know completely about BJP as it was never in power before (atleast for a significant period of time). Now that I have had a chance to observe our nations so called poilitics, even I feel disgusted by it. You can bet that I too will tell my kids (long time!) that politics is a scoundrels game!! There were many key events which helped shaped this perception. I am just going to recount few of them.
First experience one was in my +1. I was studying in DAV jalandhar. My parents had come to take me to home in one of the weekends. As we were coming back, we came across a road which was blocked. Apparently there had to be some speech by some BJP member. So the partymen (around 50 of them) were busy making the preparations. The road was not completely blocked as yet, and we could have got through. So we proceeded. Just then few partymen came and said that the road is blocked, and we should trace our way back. My dad said that we have an urgency and need to get through to a hospital (yes a bluff). But the response of the guy was what shocked me. He said 'Listen man, do you want your car to be broken up, or you want to go back?'. Yes, we did take a longer route to reach home, and this was my first brush with people who govern our country!!
The 2nd experience was when I was doing my engineering. We (me, Pawan and Kapahi) used to spend nights in discussions on various topics. Politics and cricket were the hot favorites. Anyway there was once this ruling by supreme court that all candidates should declare their educational background, and property to the voters. It was seen as a welcome decision by people like me. But then came the unexpected turn of events. I was to see the unity in politics for once. All the parties (I mean ALL!!), came together and vetoed down the ruling!! All the MP's concluded that they cannot be forced to declare their assets and ed background. I still wonder if even one party could stand apart from the crowd and said that 'yes, we welcome the ruling. Our candidates have nothing to hide. Our candidates are not Bhaai's!!'. Alas, it never happened.
The 3rd ongoing experience has been the truth that is hidden from young minds. I used to read how Nehru was chahcha nehru, and how Gandhi is father of the nation. Ofcourse these terms have been given by their fellow congressmen. Now that I get to read what actually happened at that time, I shake my head in disbelief! I read how freedom was granted and not taken (white man's burden). I read how Nehru used to show Chinese that we used to make needles in our defense factories. How Gandhi forced all congressmen to choose Nehru over Sardar Patel. Also how he alienated Boss from congress! And I read how Nehru was photographed early morning in Lady Mountbatten's home in UK. I see the pic of Nehru smoking under a 'No smoking' sign! The last two do not concern me, but still they play a part in building a perception thats not pretty. I can go on and on here, but thats not the point.
The 4th ongoing experience has been to see the judicial system in action when it concerns politicians!! The first landmark case that jolted me was Shah Bano's case. The case demostrated how the temples of justice were insulted by politicians. Since then politicians have been smart and never gave justice any chance. They know supreme court can do anything, so whenever a politician is in trouble the case is referred to a committee. I still dont believe how George Fernandes/Jaya Jaitley got away scott free, even when they were video-taped!! Hats off to politics. The cases on Advani, Soren, Uma Bharati have been dragged on for more than decades. And I am positive that they will be given a clean chit posthumously. Yes I am referring to Rajiv Gandhi in Bofor's case.
Actually this is not all. When I was young, I used to think that I could make a difference to my nation. 'Saare Jahan se achcha, Hindostan hamara'. How can I lie like this now?? I know even if I am made PM amongst the present set of politicians, I will just end up quitting the office. Yes, politics is not for me, its a scoundrels game.
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