Was it a Govt. blunder or is there more than meets the eye?

Before I begin, let me state that I have no verified facts to speculate what I do here, this is merely a Layman’s Rant as it would be considering all that’s been happening over the last 4 days! It does make for thrilling fiction though!

It all started with the governments horrendous goof up- The arrest of Anna Hazare and he being sentenced to 7 days of judicial custody! It was an occasion where the whole nation concurred; barring those in power! If this was imply an error an apology would have been more gracious but what followed was a bizzare chain of events and announcements that has 'left my left eye' twitching ever since!

For when we speak of people in power here, we are not talking of some minority government who has just come to power after warming the opposition benches for decades, We are talking of the Congress here- The traditional rulers of our democratic land. These people are not some naive opportunists to jump the gun; instead these are seasoned strategists with cold hearts and sharp minds. Could they have committed what looks and is an obvious error of this proportion or is there more than meets the eye?

For a few things have very discreetly and naturally happened over the last four days while we fret, fume and agitate over the arrogance and ignorance of the government.

Firstly, the 24*7 channels who are so detrimental to the nations agitations have covered the protests so thoroughly that there is absolute no room left for any other news! Suddenly all the scams and probes that were the talking point have got buried under the repetitive discussions that each celebrated news reader conducts on their prime time debate shows.

Secondly, we all know that- to err is human but to err again and again is sin. How could then this veteran government commit a faux pass within as few days, as they did by declaring that the US was in someway involved behind all the protests. Its taking the bizarre to another level which is not a nature of these men in white of the Congress. They are programmed over half a century to speak carefully and diplomatically. Even in the confines of their homes- I am guessing :P- they could be appointing committees and sub committees to decide how much pocket money their kids!

Thirdly, Forgive me for being cynical but is it mere co-incidence that it is when the “Congress’ High Command” is recuperating out of her beloved country that an uprising of such levels occurs in the country?? You may read either her competence in this or something else but the co-incidence has been not brought by anybody because the secrets of the congress are a matter of holy grail!

However, on the contrary, Last night the news channels had already resorted to digging the closets of ‘Team Anna’. In a very sincere but heavily sarcastic tone they smirked at how some of Anna’s team members were educated and accomplished people, some former media men and women, as if that was enough proof to something being amiss in their sincerity! Could we be soon witness to the Congress machinery’s might as they surgically destroy the tidal wave they used to wash their sins but are now afraid could wash them too??

I am yet to read the Jan Lokpal and my above rant is only a reaction to Anna being arrested, sent to prison, then released, events thereafter and above all the arrogance with which every congress leader has shirked from taking responsibility of the blunder.

It however still remains to me a blunder, too naive to be committed by a ruling party of such experience... I hope there is not something that’s missed our eye!

Full National Anthem or Full Poem?

First time in 65 years- hear and sing- the “Full National Anthem” screamed NDTV 24*7 on their prime time bulletin last night. Earlier in the day I read The Times Of India claiming to 'present'- The Full National Anthem'. On their loud and ever so sensational channel Times Now too they were going to unviel the ‘Full National Anthem’!!

“Why were we singing only half of the national anthem?”, asked my 8 year old neighbor whom I had forced to watch the parades and PM’s address that morning on DoorDarshan.

Does that mean we have been singing only half of our national anthem for over last 6 decades???!!! Does that mean those generations that had amongst them, people who fought for our freedom and won and celebrated, did so only with half of our national anthem??? Does that mean WE- the so called shinning nation of the 21^st Century- amongst other things did not even get our National Anthem right? NO!, Of course not!

What we have been singing and know as our national anthem is indeed our ‘full’ national anthem adopted officially by the Constituent Assembly on the 24^th Of January, 1950. However it happens to be the first of five stanzas from a Brahmo poem that Ravindranath Tagore wrote in 1919. Thus although the original poem contains five stanzas, our national anthem is full and complete with the first stanza which we have been proudly and judiciously singing all these years from 27^th December’1911 when it was first sung in the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress.

However on the strategic eve of the Independence Day an album has been released called Jaya Hey which has the "full poem" by Tagore.

If only our freedom would have imbibed responsibility in us our media know the difference between a "poem" and a "national anthem".

Should we shut down the Censor Board?

Makes sense doesn’t it? For what is the purpose of an institution whose say has no credibility? It goes about doing its work monotonously and even judiciously only to then look like a buffoon sitting on the sidelines and watching its mockery!

There are many cases that I can think of but lets take the case of the recently in storm, Prakash Jha’s “Aarakshan”. Censor board has seen the film with a group of people who were from all the sections of the society that the film represents or effects. All of them unanimously gave the film a U/A certificate, meaning the film can be watched even by under aged viewers. That should have been the end of the story had the Censor Board had any authority or standing.

What has happened is from various corners of the country, any round, dick and hairy politician is standing up and announcing a ban on the film. Without having seen the film, they have passed their verdict that the film is hurting sentiments of their people (read vote banks) and have ordered their followers (read hired goons) to burn posters and break offices of the film maker. The actors are issued threats and banned from entering states- all without seeing the film and for the people who are really not bothered.

Meanwhile, the film maker is running from court to lawyer, assuring distributors and hoping that people at least see his film first before passing a verdict on it.

What happens to the Censor Board at such times? They continue to watch more films- free and first- spending tax payer money on their job which seems to be completely ineffective and a farce.

Now tell me... Should the Censor Board be shut or not?

Do the clerks & peons at government offices hate us?

There is something synonymous about boredom and government officials. By definition they are ‘public servants’ and since we- the tax payers and voters- happen to be the public, the government employees/ staff are meant to respect and attend to us when we knock on their tables. However, no one that I know of has ever been blessed with as much as a polite gesture- let alone a welcoming smile- from the said officials!!

Instead what greets us often is irritation, boredom, lethargy and sometimes even hostility. They seem to get offended especially when they sense that we- who have been made to wait for hours, have got all the papers needed and have been nice to them- are showing signs of impatience . So what if the employee is talking on phone- repeating the simple alloo sabzi recipe for the 4^th time- or abnoxiously discussing his next door neighbours issues with his next table collegue, while we restlessly wait? We are not supposed to even- squirm!

Worst effected are the ones who do not know the regional language! God save them!

It is such an uniform behaviourial tendency that one cannot escape it. Everytime I have been to say a Passport Office, RTO, Mumbai University etc I have almost felt as if somepeople have put up large banners on top of their heads that read- “I do not want to work” or “Go back! I hate you for coming here you fucking citizen of India!”.

The two reason for the above- as told to me- are - 1) Low Pay which builds that angst and hatred and 2) Monotony of work which make them bitter and irritable.

I agree with the reasons although they do make up for the money part!! My only bone of contention in some cases is that these people chose these lives. I feel their behavious is an escape route or rather a solution to the above two reason/ problems. Here’s how-

On most occasions such government employees happen to be people who are not ambitious or conscientious. They are never from very rich back grounds and have had restricted means where they grew up with one goal- to secure ‘ a permanent government job’ and now- They have got it!! But hey... life is still not over! How does then one cope with the tiresome monotony? How does one motivate oneself to get up every day in the morning and turn up for work? All of us need kicks that propel us

to do what we would have otherwise not liked to and these indespensable public servants get these kicks from that one element that is most intoxicating- “Power”.

The knowledge that someone is depending on you (thats us!). Someone who seems to have more facilities than you may have had, more ambitions than you have had and more avenues than you wish to have. To make that someone suffer when they come to you is a thrill that they get used to and embrace.

Hence, the peon loves it when he is cajoled and begged to do what he is supposed to do. The clerk loves it when he can dig his nose or clean his ear while we wait helplessly. The guy at the booking counter loves to walk off and announce lunch time even though he is not hungry. They all simply love to call us the next day even though today is as good!

Not because they hate us, simple because they love the power they have over us. A power that fuels that otherwise mundane existence!

To King Kishore, Who's always been there...

When i was all alone, Lost and broken,

Awake at night, finding the silence too loud to bare,

I felt the warmth, felt consoled,

'coz You, King Kishore, were always there...

In those moments of joy, To shake that leg,

To raise that toast, to celebrate and share,

The party got its tone and its voice,

coz You, King Kishore, were always there...

In those blanks of life, when vaccum settles in,

There is no joy or sorrow but only a blank stare,

Those blanks did not feel as empty and void,

'coz You, King Kishore, were always there...

Even if you had not asked us to remember your songs,

There was no way we were going to spare,

The gems you gave us for eternity, and hence...

As long as we live, You, King Kishore, will always be there...

Happy Birthday, Kishore da...