India Against Corruption

I fully and unconditionally support Anna Hazare’s struggle against corruption in India. While living 10,000 miles away from India, there is only some limited way I can show my support but nonetheless, support I extend to this Gandhian and his clarion call for rising against corruption.

India and every Indians are suffering from rampant corruption; right from birth to death, the demon of corruption is eating at the basic fabric of the society. From birth certificate to death certificate, everywhere you need to grease the palm to get your work done. Now, with the advent of internet, no doubt some lower level corruption is getting eliminated as more and more online services are proliferating but an increased level of corruption at the top especially by politicians has brought shame to all Indians across the globe. According to a recent UN report, India appears at the bottom of the list of countries that are honest in their dealings. From CWG scams to 2G scams to other high profiles scam, it is now getting increasing difficult to find how many zeroes are there in such scams, such is the magnitude of money being looted.

The most disturbing side of the loot of public money is that this is being done by the people who are well educated, are in high office, supposed to be the protector of the money, people who are in the top bracket from all possible angles.

Now that a Gandhian, Anna Hazare has infused the war cry to pass the “Jan Lokpal Bill” that if enacted by the parliament will bring a strong law against the graft and will be a big positive step towards arresting this menace.

I have tried to write a few lines and dedicate my compositions to Anna Hazare and India against corruption

देश की एक तिहाई जनता,
अभी भी दाने दाने को मोहताज है|
पर भ्रस्टाचार के मामले में,
हमारा देश बादशाह बेताज है||

कांग्रेस हो या बीजेपी,
लालू हो या जयललिता|
भ्रस्टाचार के सवाल पर,
एक हैं सारे नेता||

भ्रस्टाचार को जड़ से मिटाना है,
नेताओं के लिए ये तो ज़माने को दिखाना है|
देश का सारा पैसा,
स्विस बैंक में लुटाना है||

सफ़ेद को काला और काले को सफ़ेद करना,
भारत के नेताओं की कला है|
जुर्म साबित होने के बावजूद भी,
कानून ने कभी किसी नेता को पकड़ा है?

भ्रस्टाचार को लेकर आज आम आदमी दुखी हो गया है,
जन्म से लेकर मरन तक पैसा खिलने का रिवाज़ पक्का हो गया है|
Birth Ceritificate लेने जाओ तो बाबु कहता है बाद में आना,
पैसे दे दो तो कहता है आज ही लेते जाना||

Death certificate लेने जाओ तो बाबू कहता है,
साहब से समझ लेना, मैं तो फाइल आगे बडवा दूं|
पैसा दो तो मुर्दों का क्या,
जिन्दों का भी Death certificate बनवा दूं||

हर साल बरसात के पहले दिखावे के लिए सड़क बनती है,
और फिर पहली बरसात के बाद टूट जाती है|
कोई सड़क बनाने वाले और बिल पास करने वालों से,
पूछे की उनके घर के रंगों की चमक कहाँ से आती है?

नेताओं से भ्रस्टाचार के बारे में पूछो,
तो कहेंगे नेता तो समाज का आइना है|
हम कहाँ भ्रष्ट है, हम पर तो सिर्फ इल्जाम लगता है,
तो फिर क्यों नेताओं का भ्रस्टाचार पर जन्म सिद्ध अधिकार दीखता है?

राम राज्य से दूर होकर,
भ्रष्ट राज्य हो गए हैं हम|
इस बीमारी को जड़ से मिटने के बजाए,
इस बीमारी को फ़ैलाने में जुट गए हैं हम||

युगों युगों से चली हमारी संस्कृति और परम्पराओं का,
आजादी के ६४ साल में ही हमने त्याग कर दिया|
भ्रस्टाचार में लिप्त नेताओं ने तो,
पुरे देश को ही पीछे धकेल दिया||

अतित

यह मन का भ्रम है या
मानसिक अपरिपक्वता की निशानी है |
की जो गुजर गया, जो भूत है,
वो बार बार बेताल का रूप लेकर
भविष्य के लिए कर देता परेशानी है ||

अतित से सीख लेकर वर्तमान में, भविष्य के लिए,
नए आयाम ढूँढने चाहिए ||
न की भविष्य को,
अतित के चक्कर में ही डुबो देना चाहिए ||

काल चक्र तो निरंतर आगे बढ़ता है,
तो फिर क्यों नूतन को सँवारने के बजाए,
हरेक मसले पर भूत
सामने खड़ा हो जाता है ||

मैं यह नहीं कहता की अतित के अंतर्त्द्वंद,
मन को विचलित नहीं करते हैं |
मगर पश्च दृष्टि के तुलना में विद्वान जन,
दूर दृष्टि से नजर नहीं हटाते हैं ||

यह सही है की गुजरे हुआ पल को समझ कर,
आने वाले पल का स्वागत करना चाहिए |
पर गुजरे हुआ पल को हमेशा पकड़ कर,
आने वाले सच्चे पलों से मुंह नहीं फेरना चाहिए ||

बर्बाद हुए चमन पे ही तो,
फिर से बहार आती है |
जैसे हर रात का सीना चिर कर,
सवेरा फिर से जीने का एहसास दिलाती है ||

यह बेजान सि, मरी हुई अतित,
जो बारम्बार हमारे पीठ पर बेताल सरीखे बैठती है |
यह देखना है की कब कोई विक्रमादित्य की तलवार बेताल को काटकर,
भविष्य को देखने की सही दिशा दिखाती है ||

Double Standards?

Recently I read about Krittika Biswas, daughter of the vice counsel at the Indian Consulate in Manhattan, Debashish Biswas, who was handcuffed in her school in US and spent a night in the jail on suspicion of sending some obscene photo to her teacher. This arrest even in normal circumstances would have been wrong but it was especially wrong and bordering on arrogance on the part of US cops because of some simple reasons.

1. Krithika is the daughter of Dy. Consul General in US and hence enjoys diplomatic immunity
2. She was arrested in her school
3. It was just a suspicion based on which she was arrested (the IP address from which the photos were sent was of someone in her apartment complex)

While these kind of incidents earlier would have gone unnoticed but with increasing speed of information flow and democratization of information per se, it baffles my mind that how still arrogant the cops in US are becoming in enforcing laws. Inspite of Krittika telling the cops that she has entered US on a diplomatic visa and her Dad is an Indian Counsel Officer, the cops still went ahead with the handcuffs and put her in jail.

If you still don’t think that what Cops did was wrong, the more bizarre explanation came from the spokesman of the US State Dept, Mark Toner. Earlier this week, Mark Toner, US State Department deputy spokesperson, said immunity enjoyed by consular officials does not extend to Biswas. "As a family member of consular officer, rather, she does not enjoy immunity from jurisdiction or inviolability," he told reporters.

Nothing can be further from truth. Insisting that Toner had got it wrong, Prabhu Dayal, the Indian Counsel General in New York pointed to article 53 (2) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, which says "Members of the family of a member of the consular post forming part of his household and members of his private staff shall receive the privileges and immunities provided in the present Convention..." The State Department, however, said yesterday that it is sticking by Toner's earlier remarks. What a pathetic display of knowledge of the US State Dept of one of the main diplomatic conventions followed across the world.

The reasons are also not difficult to find. The police in the US in a majority of the cases have just a High school degree before they get inducted in the force. Their understanding of Vienna conventions is basically too much to ask. While I cannot extend that logic with similar degree of certainty to US State department, but at least considering that US is one of the most developed nation on the planet, their response should have been to go back, read the Vienna convention and then come in front of the media to share the right information and not look dumb with their current response of family members of diplomats do not enjoy similar diplomatic immunity as the diplomats themselves.

This action of US in handcuffing the daughter of Indian diplomat smacks of arrogance than incompetence. US must realize that with democratization of information and opportunity they will continue to be increasingly submitted to greater scrutiny. They cannot take citizens of any country for granted in subjecting them to high handedness without rational thoughts

I was very happy to see that the Indian Counsel General, Prabhu Dayal clearly stated the provisions of the law that was applicable here and asked for an apology from US. I am seeing such kind of spirited and calling spade a spade kind of response of late from India which is a welcome sign of speaking up and be not subjugated to the grandeur arrogance of US.

When will US learn to avoid having double standards on such matters? What if the US citizens in India are subjected to similar treatment? Will the US keep quiet?

Geronimo EKIA

They came, they killed and they went back home saying Geronimo EKIA - Geronimo is the name given to Bin laden after the Apache warrior who fought with America & México for many decades in Apache Wars and was captured with great difficulty in late 19th century. EKIA is the acronym for Enemy Killed in Action.

One of the most wanted terrorist by America since 9/11; this US operation re-established American credibility that seems to have been lost in the last one decade in their fight in Iraq & Afghanistan. It also helped fulfilled the pledge of George Bush and Barack Obama to capture or kill Bin Laden. One of the interview that I saw of Condoleezza Rice with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, also re-iterated the view that even the Bush administration was sure that Bin Laden will ultimately be brought to justice as it took America 20 long years to finally kill once infamous terrorist Abu Nadel.

However, this US operation raises quite difficult questions for Pakistan. If four helicopters could enter the country’s boundaries anytime without any check, and complete their operation in 40 long minutes without any interference from Pakistani forces, how are the Pakistanis going to trust their hugely financed army? Where is the justification of 18 per cent raise in defense budget this year?. Is this complicity or simply incompetence? The latter seems more likely though the former cannot be ruled out

Even more important question than breach of sovereignty is the fact that Bin Laden was living near one of the most secure area of Pakistan (The Pakistan Military Academy) in Abottabad and no one in Pakistan was aware of this. When it’s difficult for any ordinary Pakistani to buy a piece of land without establishing identity, how come the most wanted terrorist was living for the last 5 years. Who purchased the land and built the house for Bin Laden to live peacefully? Who provided the visa to Bin Laden and his many wives living with their children’s?

The overwhelming narrative that engulfed Pakistani media, remained focus on ghairat (honour) and the way USA has violated Pakistan’s sovereignty in all its imperial arrogance. Little did anyone on these pulpits tried to recall that bin Laden was anything but a law-abiding citizen of Pakistan. The biggest question regarding Pakistan’s sovereignty comes from Osama’s presence in Pakistan. Pakistani’s must admit that having Bin Laden living right under their nose is much worse violation of their sovereignty than the US forces coming in and killing Bin Laden.

The leaders of Pakistan must reflect, take a lesson, and drop any covert support to terrorists and by extension global terrorism. A general consensus has emerged the world over that Pakistan cannot be relied on these global epidemic concerns. Pakistan still has a chance to regain world’s trust by now handing the wanted list of 26/11 to India.

Has India lost its conscience?

Just a few days back a young girl by the name Radhika was shot in broad daylight in Delhi near the campus of Delhi University. She was declared dead on arrival at the hospital a little later. The students of Delhi university students have since been agitating against the police and the Govt. for bringing justice to the victim and her family. Interestingly, yesterday, the Chief Minister of Delhi came out with a statement that turned the table from fixing the responsibility on Delhi police to catch the culprit to the society at large. She said that in general, the society shows uttler apathy in reporting or coming forward as witness to the crime. She pointed out that not one person came out to help the victim.

While there is no doubt that with every right there is a corresponding duty and it’s a shame that not one individual came forward as a witness to this heinous crime; the reasons for this is very clear. The police in India are a spoilt lot! They harass the witness to an extent that the witness starts feeling like an accused. In a country where the legal system works at a snail pace and couple with police action of finding a scapegoat atleast to start with, it is not hard to believe why people fail to come forward and help the police. What has stopped the Government in bringing out legislations wherein the witness is treated with respect and their security, safety and privacy is ensured?

If you look at the American system, if anyone is found to abdicate their responsibility to report the crime then action is taken against the individual(s), however, the police is extremely careful to make sure that the witness is made to feel a part of the support system in the investigation rather than making them feel victimized. The privacy of the witness is maintained in case a citizen likes to invoke his right to remain private. The system allows you to remain either active or passive witness depending upon your choice without compromising the quality of the investigation. It is no doubt that in countries like United States community-police relationship helps solve most of the crimes.

Why India continue to fail to provide a simple system like the one we find in developed countries where ordinary citizens feels secure to come forward to provide assistance to the police? It’s a shame that the chief minister of the capital city of India instead of helping tighten the law to facilitate co-operation from the citizens instead, chose to blame the society in turning their eyes away from a crime. Police in the national capital has failed to be deterrent for the criminal but instead invokes fear in the mind of law abiding citizens. What kind of policing is this and what kind of politicians have we chosen to run our country? We boast of India being the youngest Nation of the world in terms of the average age, we boast about being one of the major economic and super power, we boast of being the world largest democracy – and here is a crime that gets committed against our children and the Chief Minister Mrs. Dikshit instead of re-assuring the citizens to bring the culprit behind bars turns around and is trying to implicate the society at large. Funny!!! Not funny to me.

Mrs. Dikshit, the Chief Minister of Delhi must introspect instead of passing the buck. She has been mandated by the people of Delhi to provide a safe and secure place for the citizens of Delhi. She better stand up for that task or come out of power and teach sociology in an educational institute. Her office is supposed to maintain the law and order, to bring the criminals to justice. Pls. do what you have been assigned and not find fault with society at large. The collective wisdom of people is always better than an individual. If the citizens fear coming forward to be a witness to the crime then the legislative and the executive arm of the Govt. must rise above their petty politics and entrenched corruption to find a way to rectify that anomaly. Please provide a safe and secure infrastructure to citizen’s first and then talk about fixing the responsibility of the society. Don’t put the cart before the horse. No nation can progress if the ordinary citizen cannot feel safe and secure. India is not an exception. Here is my opinion to improve police-community interaction

1. Pass and enforce legislations that provides safety, security and privacy to witness of crime and accidents – fix accountability if police fails to provide such service to its citizens
2. Remove the security of all politicians except those of Prime Minister, President and very senior functionaries with a real threat to their life and deploy the freed cops from politician’s security duty to the streets to prevent crimes
3. Strengthen the role of police ombudsman and spread the organization of ombudsman to each and every police station in the country
4. Raise the quality and effectiveness of investigating and prosecuting officers for proper and timely closure of cases
5. Find a way to decouple the police set-up reporting to political set-up
6. Take our policemen and policewomen to the elementary schools to inspire our next generation to be honest, upright and stand-up for their right. A strong young India will eventually turn into a strong India

Let the citizens of India in 21st century invoke its constitutional right to live peacefully, safely and securely. The ability to report crime and be the witness will come automatically. No politician need to teach us.

1.1.11

I always wonder what the significance of a New Year is. Does anything change except our desire to celebrate this day? This day comes smack in the middle of winter, trees have already shed their leaves; bears are hibernating; dark, damp and cold days symbolize the lazy spirit. In essence everyone tries to conserve their energy to sustain. So what’s special about celebrating this day? Will texting, calling, emailing or saying Happy New Year make the New Year happy for all of us? I don’t know. I don’t think I have an answer except the fact the entire 6 billion plus human being try to reboot themselves in their own way by imagining that some things will magically change starting this day.

The divide between the have’s and have not’s is quite stark in the way this day is celebrated the world over. The have’s generally celebrate by dancing, eating, shopping, making new resolutions and by doing things that are inherently without any significant value to anyone around. The have not’s, any ways, don’t have the resources to celebrate and will pass it like any other day of the year. Have you ever seen a pan handler either in US or in India or any where else ring in the New Year with a dance and song? Atleast, I have never seen one. Do they don’t have the desire to change their status? Don’t they wish that Harry Potter can magically weave his wand and change their fortunes if they say Happy New Year? But does that happen?

So then what does New Year stands for? The only thing that makes some intrinsic value to me for celebrating the New Year day or night (depending upon individuals) is HOPE – that things will change, that a renewed effort will be made to make amends, that the new year resolutions will eventually lead to better individuals and hence a better society in the overall scheme of things. And I am quite sure that if we put sincere effort towards making those changes for good then eventually things would change and this sense of accomplishment(s) will add another dash of HOPE for the next year. The cycle continues and HOPE becomes contagious that finally envelopes the entire humanity making people to celebrate this particular day to be finally more hopeful than last year. In turn, HOPE makes this day the only day in the entire year when the whole world gets a common holiday and break from their routine.

Am I more hopeful than last year or literally just a day before? YES, I am. I lost my maternal grand mother in 2010 to whom I was extremely close but have not been able to meet in last few years and that hurts. However, I am infinitely more hopeful that I will be able to bring more satisfaction for myself in 2011 and happiness to everyone around me especially my immediate and extended family, friends and acquaintance.

I wish all my readers a very happy and prosperous New Year. A very Happy Birthday to Himanshu, my cousin who currently is in Hyderabad and Pankhuri, my niece who is in Delhi. They both share this magical day for their Birthdays, 1.1.11.

What about you? I will be happy to read your thoughts as to what HOPE means for you in the New Year.