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.