A step in right direction ....

‘Reservations in India’ is indeed a vast & complex subject. It has many intertwined facets. Moreover, politicians (and perhaps judiciary too) have made a Royal khichadi of reservations. Hence it has become a three pipe problem!

I do not want to create confusions here by myriad of Constitutional provisions; their interpretations and various court rulings. To put it straight, reservations (rather the benefit of 'special provisions for advancement'), as contemplated under the Constitution are to be given to 'socially and educationally backward classes or the SCs and STs'. Thus, caste was the main basis for reservations. Perhaps in 1940s when Constitution was drafted, this did make sense. Economic grounds could not have been considered that time, perhaps for obvious reasons that vast population was affected by extreme poverty, and adequate seats and jobs may not be available back then.

In 1991-92, PV Narasinhrao Government tried to give reservations on economic backwardness ground, but it was struck down by Supreme Court. The reason then, was firstly that there was no such Constitutional provision for reservations on economic grounds, and it was coupled with Mandal Aayog recommendations.

Since 1950 and even after 1991, time has changed, and it has changed for the good.....

In past so many years, economic condition of countrymen has improved considerably. But this has resulted into increase in financial disparity, and rift is getting wider. Naturally, the number of ‘have nots’ in the country has increased exponentially. It is no secret that such people are deprived of good education and consequently jobs, and continue to live in destitute conditions.

With these changed economic conditions in the country, passing on the benefits of reservations to economically backward aka poor class is important. This will also bring back socio-financial equilibrium in the country.

Besides, perhaps no logical man would disagree that its really alarmingly high time we change our caste based social structure. Educated class in the society definitely wants this deep rooted caste system to be eradicated completely. Something like 'Meiji restoration' is need of the time.

However, if such a social change doesn't happen in time, despite all the economic progress which country is witnessing presently, ever-widening cleave amongst castes would endanger social fabric.

Reservation is one such thing which further tightens the grip of caste system on our society, so much so that sane people also are not ready to relinquish casteist mindset, due to the benefits attached to caste based reservations.

If we gradually move from caste based reservations to reservations based on financial condition of the people, it definitely makes more sense in today’s time. Ultimately, economic backwardness would always impair educational upliftment and would render such population socially backward too.

Considering all of above, I am personally quite delighted with the decision of granting 10% reservation to economically backward class. If transformation takes place gradually, I behold an utopia that caste system has become history in India! Amen!!!

- Sarang Bhanage

Roadless Travelled………..story of India

 

My Independence Day began yesterday, when I embarked upon my ‘expedition’ from office (in Hinjewadi) to home (in Bibwewadi)…..a journey of about 35 kms. On any day in monsoon, typically it takes about 1.5 hours for me to cover this distance. But yesterday was unusual day (and there are many such unusual days in an year), when it took about 2.5 hours to reach home.

 

‘One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it’ – Master Oogway in Kungfu Panda 1 (Brilliant movies…all three parts).

 

So to avoid traffic congestions, out of 3-4 different routes to my home from office, yesterday I thought of taking a different one, which I rarely commute on. I used to take that road last monsoon as the condition of my usual road was pathetically pathetic (don’t worry about grammar, there is no adjective which can convey my emotions about the road condition). But this season (yes; it’s seasonal), I had not travelled on that road for long time. This is the road from Hinjewadi Phase 3 to Pirangut.

 

I started on that road, and within few minutes I realized that I do not have to put my foot on clutch, or accelerator either. Put the car into first gear and then enjoy the moon-like ride! There were patches of few feet in which the road was indeed …… ‘a road’…….errr!

 

Soon I realized that I have a spine, as all my vertebrae started acheoing (yes spelling is correct, it means when your body aches and echoes its pain) in one voice to change the road, I took one diversion which connects to my regular road. After a peaceful drive of about 15 minutes, I reached a point of disappoint, as at around 9 p.m. (in the night……RaGa) there was lo(0=n¹⁰⁰)ng line of cars waiting for their turn to move on. It was almost 2-3 kms long queue, on that pathetically pathetic road (NASA recently discovered that this area on the earth resembles moon, and since there life in this area, they are inclined to draw a deadly inference that there must be life on the moon too). I tried to play something on YouTube; Ted or iTunes, but I was not surprised that there is no service by Vodafone in that area (Can’t blame them; I do not think there is any carrier providing mobile service on the moon…..or moon-like area).

 

Thank God, wait doesn’t increase your weight; else I would have gained at least 50 kgs yesterday in the car itself J J

 

Finally in about 30-40 minutes I crossed that 2-3 kms terrain faster than a snail; but slower than a turtle, and reached two acutely curved turning point(s) to hit the highway; where a huge bus trying to take turn, but the curve was beyond its turning radius. After a lot of hick ups and back-n-forth, he succeeded. Someone said ‘history repeats’!, and I experienced the same when on the next turn barely after 100 mtrs, the bus displayed ‘action replay’ of previous turn. Goes without say that this ‘action replay’ was in ‘slow motion’!

 

Yatto (finally in Japanese), I hit Mumbai-Pune highway (?) and was hoping to push my foot on the throttle, but actually the road was throttled by traffic. I was dismayed and despaired to helplessly see and haplessly experience the vapid traffic, and my irritation was growing rapidly. But this time respite was that I could find an audio book of ‘Wings of Fire’ in my audio-stick. It engaged my mind for rest of the journey, and it was sheer delight to hear what I read years ago.

 

After about 2-3 kms of elephant-pace drive, finally the road was relatively clear and I could accelerate the machine to reach home in another 30-40 minutes. By the time I reached home, I was drained. I went straight to bed room and slumped on the bed. Thoughts started flowing in mind when I closed my eyes.

 

‘Is this the country worth living’; ‘Can’t we have better life’; ‘Why our Government cannot fulfil some simple expectations of basic needs of good roads’; ‘What have we done in past 72 years, and does this give us right to celebrate 72^nd anniversary of our independence as free nation’……..

 

Now I was experiencing congestion of thoughts in my mind. Countless neurons were rushing through my brain-nerves, creating strong electromagnetic waves and my head started stirring. I went to bathroom and splashed some running cold water on face. Perhaps that cooled me down, as by the time I wiped my face and looked into broad mirror, I recalled sentence from Wings of Fire which APJ mentions when he narrates the story of his despair after his rejection in first interview and met one Swamiji in an Ashram in Hrishikesh, who says unto APJ that (may not be exact words) ‘desires, if they are intense and strong, they become electromagnetic waves and go to the ether when the mind sleep in the night, and come back with cosmic energies when we wake up in the morning’. This calling back of immensely thoughtful thought refreshed me lot more than cold water. Harmonious positive thoughts started flowing in mind, and perhaps those neurons and their electromagnetic waves were dancing in synchronization!

 

72 years back at midnight, when Mr. Nehru was elated to talk about independent India’s ‘tryst with destiny’, what cunning Britishers had handed to our forefathers was a nation cut into, not just 2, but many pieces. It was not partition of greater India into two nations, but it offered freedom of choice to 564 princely states to choose their partner or freedom as independent nation. We all know that story; don’t we!

 

So when Mr. Nehru was rejoiced to cut the cake with the letters ‘tryst with destiny’ written on it amidst hooray and cheers, the cake was already cut into 565 (or 566) pieces. Indeed Gora Sahib must be smiling how he made India to ‘eat the cake and have it’ at the same time!

 

The time must have been horrific! Our great leaders saved us from breakage and wreckage, and let it not sink. They sailed us through high tides; cyclones and perhaps even Tsunamis of challenges and abysmal conditions. Many known and unknown hands inked history of last 72 years and put us in today’s situation, which is no less than paradise compared to those days, and even compared to many nations which attained their independence around the same time.

 

Indubitably, there is lot more and better that could have been done. This country could have been lot better and perhaps true paradise! But journey we have travelled wasn’t easy for sure. Even now, we have many unique challenges, but we are moving ahead like a giant elephant. World is watching us and reckon us as one of the nations which has big role to play at international arena.

 

And trust me my friends, our progress is promising! We are going to be a great nation as we always were, but for perhaps few centuries which marked downfall of a great nation; great civilization. We are bound to be world leader in many ways! We have travelled this far roadlessly, but we are, and we must, now build mega-expressway to our future!

 

Have faith; have trust…..as that is our ‘tryst with destiny’!

 

-          Sarang Bhanage

(15^th August 2018)

Fear

When fear engulfs me
her embrace is so tight...
almost strangulating,
but the noose is loose enough
so that I can scream

I look at her face
so unmoved; unperturbed
not an iota of sympathy;
no sign of realisation of turpitude

I envy her; and ask for
not mercy;
but her quintessential stone-heartedness

Melancholy rushes into her eyes
They are still dry like parched sand,
But now soaking my sorrows....
she eases the grip

when blood flushes throughout my face
she kisses me on my reddish cheeks;
murmurs in hebrewick lingo

my brain ejects her words;
but heart accepts...
without effort to discern or comprehend!

I pat her, and let her go
and she...without looking back
leaves for her destiny!

I am now ready for her, yet again

and people call it courage & valour!

- Sarang

Time's always the same!

I kept walking

for so long that I forgot

whether I was following the path,

or path was following me

I wanted to stop; breathe; see around

My feet never allowed that

They kept dragging me, and ...

I kept dragging them, endlessly

There was no end to the road,

but I always felt.....it's end of the road

Sometime I wanted to be footloose

to wander under blue sky.....aimlessly

I was warned....by none other than my own mind

'Should you waste your time, you impair your future,

and I had to keep banging my head

against bountiful headless morons

but all that I left behind in my journey

I always carried with me

in a carrier called mind!

and the question then that keeps haunting me is..

'did I travel any far!'

I am where I am; where I was

There is no journey, no road, no end

Everything's subsumed into one -

'I'

Time's always the same!

- Sarang Bhanage

From Darkness to Dawn: Mission of 20 in 2020!

Sindhu created history! Perhaps for the first time people were so excited about any sport other than cricket.

Many won medals in past two decades in Olympics before Sindhu, but kind of emotion, elation and enthusiasm which we saw and experieced in countrymen was not seen ever before for other medalists. So she's set a tone which I feel would infuse vigor and passion amongst all Indians, and inspire millions of hearts to take sport as career.

In fact, Sakshi's unexpected victory brought a lot of sudden positiveness in our Olympic mission, and Sindhu rightly rode on that wave of exhilaration. So Sakshi also deserves salute for turning around India's ship which was lost in darkness for first 13 days.

And not to forget Deepa, another young girl, who passed the baton to Sakshi and then from Sakshi to Sindhu.

This gusto created in succession by 3 amazing young Indian girls in their respective and different sports, would certainly give impetus to Indian sporting.

Three cheers for 'teen devinyan' of Indian sport!

But this should be mere beginning of journey, and lets admit that we have long long way to go. Our improvement in sports in last two decades has been satisfactory, but let's not be complacent.

Yes Sindhu was great in this tournament, but taking inspiration from her we all, people; parents; children; teachers; coaches; media and Government too must pledge for goal of 20 medals in 2020 Olympics.

Amen!
#Mission_of_20_in_2020

SALMAN KHAN'S CASE - CULPABLE HOMICIDE - BRIEF LEGAL ANALYSIS

Prologue:

At the outset, I wish to declare that I am not Salman Khan fan, nor does I support him for his acts of drink & drive and / or rash and negligence act.

I also wish to clarify that I am not criminal law expert nor have I studied Salman's conviction verdict or his bail order.

But since past 2-3 days, so much of noise over this case happened, for obvious reasons, I was quite curious (as a legal professional and even otherwise) whether the punishment inflicted upon Salman under Section 304 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for 'Culpable Homicide not amounting to Murder' is correct or not. My curiosity led to quest to find the answer and my quest led to putting down my thoughts and little study here.

I would appreciate if some experts could share their thoughts about whole case from legal perspective, but I would request people who are only looking at this whole issue from layman's perspective to abstain from writing here (reason being, a layman is driven by status of Salman as celebrity, and they want to see celebrities and such other bigwigs behind bars as typically so far they are and were spared from the course of law; death of poor victims in this case, which creates sympathy in our mind 'being human'. But that has been discussed enough already, so it is important that we now try to learn what is legal position on this.

Of course, I trust that Hon'ble Sessions Court, who passed the sentence against Salman is learned and must have considered all the legal angles, but nonetheless it is not uncommon that Courts also make error in passing judgements; and only therefore we have higher courts to correct such inadvertent errors.

This was rather a bit longer prologue, and was required only to make this as focused discussion.

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IPC Provisions:

Section 299 of IPC -

Who ever causes death by doing an act with the intention of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death, commits the offence of culpable homicide.

Illustrations

(a) A lays sticks and turf over a pit, with the intention of there by causing death, or with the knowledge that death is likely to be thereby caused. Z believing the ground to be firm, treads on it, falls in and is killed. A has committed the offence of culpable homicide.

(b) A knows Z to be behind a bush. B does not know it A, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely to cause Z's death, induces B fires and kills Z. Here B may be guilty of no offence; but A has committed the offence of culpable homicide.

(c) A, by shooting at a fowl with intent to kill and steal it, kills B who is behind a bush; A not knowing that he was there. Here, although A was doing an unlawful act, he was not guilty of culpable homicide, as he did not intend to kill B, or to cause death by doing an act that he knew was likely to cause death.

...........................................................................................

Ingredients of causing Culpable Homicide:

According to me, following are two very important and absolutely necessary ingredients of culpable homicide. (Please note, punishment inflicted upon Salman is under Section 304 of IPC, which sets out the punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder i.e. this Section 299 of IPC) –

1. causing death – Salman did this

2. doing an act – Salman did this as he was driving the car

3a. with the intention (of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death) – doubtlessly Salman did not have any such intention, so this ingredient fails

3b. with the knowledge (that he is likely by such act to cause death) – arguably, Salman could not have knowledge that there could be people sleeping on footpath; therefore this ingredient also fails (unless detailed facts are different and somewhat like shown in movie Jolly LLB, where the offender injures victim in an event of accident similar to Salman’s case, but when finds that victim is only injured, and not dead, reverses the car to roll over victim’s body ensuring that victim is dead; thus having full knowledge that his such act would cause death)

...........................................................................................

Above analysis, according to me, clearly goes on to show that Salman could not have been convicted for culpable homicide under Section 299, and punished for the same under Section 304.

My view is further substantiated and fortified by the Illustration No.(c) given in the Code itself, which clearly enunciates that unless there is intention or knowledge of likelihood of death, the offence of culpable homicide is not committed. In the given case of Salman Khan, I suspect if at all any such offence ever happened due to lack of the main ingredients of the offence.

I would be quite happy to be corrected and enlightened in case my knowledge, understanding or interpretation is incorrect.

Which Section Salman should have been tried under:

Section 304-A

Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

...........................................................................................

It is evident that Section 304-A is applicable in the cases of ‘rash and negligent acts’, and there is no need to prove any ‘intention (much less mens rea i.e. criminal intention) or knowledge of death’. Thus, ‘rash and negligent act’ becomes the sole ingredient of this section, and I believe it is much easier to prove rash and negligent act, than intention or knowledge; because intention and knowledge reside within our mind, and those can only be proved by overt conduct of a person. Whereas rash and negligent act does not foresee or require intention or knowledge, and mere conduct is the evidence to prove this.

In the given case of Salman Khan, it is beyond doubt proven that he was rash and negligent, and therefore offence under this Section is 304-A is proven and he still deserves imprisonment (though for much small term i.e. 2 years as against 304 which can be imprisonment for life.

Section 304-A was introduced by way of an amendment (as per my reading way back in 1870 i.e. about 10 years after enactment of IC). This goes on to show that about 145 years ago similar incidences may have occurred and it could have been seen that people who are causing death unintentionally or unknowingly are escaping any punishment under law i.e. IPC, and therefore need to amend IPC and add Section 304-A must have arose. If my guess is true, the very intention of adding this new section after original enactment was to address cases similar to Salman’s case.

Thus, the point is proven that even though Salman may not have committed offence under Section 304 of IPC of culpable homicide, he cannot escape from the hands of law, as Section 304-A would clearly make him guilty. But surprisingly, he was not even charged (and therefore not tried) for Section 304-A at all. It would be interesting to know why he could not be tried under both the Sections 299 as well as Section 304-A.

Some believe that Section 299 and Section 304-A are contrary to each other. I fail to understand how it is so. I believe, under criminal law, Prosecution is very well entitled to take alternative stands i.e. charge an Accused for alternative offences and attempt to prove either of them.

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Epilogue:

I strongly believe that there is an error in punishing Salman under Section 304, but he should have been charged; tried and punished under Section 304-A (amongst other provisions of law for rash and negligent driving, drink and drive, causing injuries etc., for which he was tried and is punished).

Law and Justice have to be given cautiously within the framework of law, but perhaps Judges are also not immune from public sentiments at times, perhaps they also ‘being human’ first. I respectfully believe that somewhere this sentence under Section 304 is erroneous.

I also believe that granting bail to Salman would have been much easier, perhaps on these grounds.

I am sure there are many more legal facets to this case, and I would be happy to be enlightened more about this subject and happy to be proven wrong.

I must sincerely thank you who could patiently reach to end of this narrative.

==========================================================================

 Sarang Bhanage (9th May, 2015)

Ketan Mehta's "Mirch Masala" - - some thoughts which overflowed my mind!

 I was always big fan of Hindi parallel movies. Would not claim that I have watched too many of them, but whatever few of them I may have watched, I always admired them from bottom of my heart.

I love watching mainstream movies also and I strongly believe that mainstream or so to say typical box movies also do exhibit a lot of art performances, but nonetheless parallel movies were always very close to my heart.

I am so glad that now there does not exist anything called parallel movie. In other words, parallel movies also became mainstream movies, or parallel movie makers perhaps learnt the 'art' of making a real 'art' movie which can be admired by any class or which also can be box office hit, or may be taste of people really became classy or matured enough to watch parallel sort of movies these days. Recent one, Lunch Box is the best example of this (though I did not find it too appealing to me)

Mainstream movies used to be like our playback singers; whereas parallel movies were like classical singers who would perform in concerts like 'Sawai Gandharwa'.

Anyway, I have no knowledge of either of these arts, but as an ordinary viewer and admirer of those movies, I felt like sharing my thoughts with all.

All these thoughts started flowing in mind after I watched Ketan Mehta's 'Mirch Masala' last night after a long time.

I remembered seeing this movie quite some time back on some TV channel or perhaps on Doordarshan (solo channel of our childhood days - thanks DD).

This movie, 'Mirch Masala' is an excellent creation by Ketan Mehta and his crew. Actors included most dynamic and versatile acting stalwarts like Smita Patil, Nasruddin Shah, Om Puri as centre cast and supported by long list of supporting actors including Deepti Naval, Suresh Oberoi, Raj Babbar (almost a guest appearance), Mohan Gokhale (he died at very young age, but during our childhood days he was one of the well known actors in Marathi cinema and television. I still remember his Marathi TV serial 'Shwetambara'), Supriya Pathak, Ratna Pathak, Dina Pathak, and most surprisingly in almost a side role none other than Paresh Rawal (when I watched this movie many years back, perhaps I did not recognize Paresh Rawal. He was not so known then. Its fun to watch such lead actors of today's time in such inconsequential support roles in some of those old movies. This shows how much struggle they must have made to reach this stage, and then I feel very pity about this great 'art industry' which gives so many movies to children of ex-stars like Sonakshi Sinha, Akshay Khanna, Fardeen Khan....list is really too long)

I do not think that anyone needs to say anything in praise of performances of these actors. But the one who outclassed everyone was Om Puri. Almost 28 years back, he played a role of 70-80 year old man, who braves to fight against tyranny of Nasruddin Shah (a police officer during British rule) and ultimately sacrifices his life. Om Puri was brilliant in depicting this character of brave old security guard of ‘Mirch Karakhana’, but what admired even more is his make-up. His make-up man and movie Director’s keenness in ensuring that at that young age (Om Puri technically never looked young :)) Om Puri should still appear old of 70-80s. One natural advantage obviously was Om Puri’s face, which has natural wrinkles on to it, but none the less, make-up man has really did an extremely wonderful job in Om Puri’s make-up. Even Om Puri’s hair, beard and hair colour has come out so perfect to suit his muslim old man’s character!

Suresh Oberoi (what a base voice he has got, at times I love to hear him more than Amitabh Bachhan or Om PurI0 was another surprise. He was good actor and he has done some nice roles too in mainstream movies. But watching him in the role of ‘Mukhi’ was really a wonderful experience. He did very balanced performance. His character is of a typical orthodox male chauvinist head of the village, who takes pride in ‘keeping a mistress’; not caring about his own wife or family, he is submissive to Nasruddin Shah (the Police Officer); but does not lick his shoes (avoiding to say what they say in English for this Marathi proverb) and not at all kind hearted; but not as ruthless as Nasir is shown. He was very well suited to his role and looked fabulous in that typical Gujarathi (or Kathewadi) costume.

Nasir has done very well again, doubtlessly. But I felt that he was not suited for the role. He neither had physique of a cruel; ruthless; tyrannical Police Officer nor a villain-ish face. I think Ketan Mehta has always tried to show Nasir in those days’ Police Officer’s costume to cover Nasir’s physical limitations and have got typical Indian ‘mardani’ moustache to cover Nasir’s calm & caring face. Perhaps despite umpteen effort, they could not overcome Nasir’s these natural limitations.

Overall, movie was indeed great experience. It left with storm of questions in my mind, such questions answering them would not only be extremely tough, but daring to think of those answers itself makes one very uneasy. We are talking of rapes and sexual exploitations today, perhaps more due to media publicity (and I am not saying that this is wrong), but so many such incidences of persecution on women must have happened on the past.

Movie goes on to show so many things. It’s not merely about Nasir’s oppression on women, he is equally cruel to men. One scene of the movie really shakes you from bottom. After Smita Patil slaps Nasir for his attempt of sexual advancement towards her, Smita Patil runs away and takes shelter in ‘Mirch Karakhana’, Nasir is adamant that he must get Smita Patil for his sexual pleasure, who is safe behind close doors of ‘Mirch Karakhana’ guarded by Om Puri bravely and firmly, not allowing anyone to dare entering inside. Nasir gives ultimatum to villagers to handover Smita Patil to him; else threatens them to burn down the village to ashes. Sheepish Villagers, humbled and humiliated, go to Nasir and request him that they will hand her over if Nasi promises that he will never after make such demands. Within no time, Nasir ridicules such request and demands the name of the person who made such request.

If you love this kind of genuine art exhibition, please do watch this movie, if had not seen it before!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G183S7w34g

Sachin Tendulkar retires from ODI

Finally He called it a day! While I was looking forward for Him to retire, when I hear it, I feel sad. It perhaps is similar feeling when someone you love passes away after a long ailment. You are fade up of his age & ailment, but losing him is still a great pain to you, because you always loved him.

Good Bye the Hero of Indian Cricket! You could have done this when you were at the peak of revere...nce for every Cricket lover just about 21 months back. You didn't play a single one day international after that, but took 21 long months to announce your retirement. If you had retired then, the feeling of all of us would have been utterly different. Nevertheless, we still love you and love you a lot!

You entertained us for so many years and we remembered you countless of times. You are an icon of Indian Cricket and a living legend who will be talked about for centuries. Your contribution to Indian Cricket is invaluable. You stood strong in all odds - shameful defeat in 1996 World Cup, Bookie rackets making all fouls in this Gentlemen's game, monkey gate scandal and many more matters like this. You emerged even stronger every time when criticism or injuries inflicted upon you, and you answered every time by your performance, and we actually witnessed someone proving our childhood lesson of ‘action speaks louder than words’!. We see lot of larger than life heroes in Cinema, but we know that this all is mere fiction. But with you, we have stories to tell to our next generation, of real life hero who, we witnessed living a life, which was truly ‘larger than life’. You always modestly responded to the praise and kept your feet always on the ground. We salute to your courage, faith in cricket and your immortal spirit to play.

Anyway, I have no words to offer in your praise. I would just finish saying that you will always persist in our hearts as our ‘Real Hero’, and that we would long cherish your innings. In today’s time, if someone asks me to show a Role Model who can inspire us to keep doing good work, I would have no hesitation to look upon you as the same.

Raj Thackray-Gujjar-Nandigram vs. Constitution-Gandhi-Jalianvala Baug

Every morning when we open a News Paper, “wanted” or not, we encounter a new News (nothing new actually) about new encounter……..

Raj Thackray & Ma. Na. Se. has opinion that UPs and Biharis should not have place in Maharashtra. I am neutral on that. I don’t support or protest it. Because Raj brings out this issue which perhaps is core at heart of many Mumbains. It also has some social justification. But it is nevertheless grossly illegitimate.

There is a say – “Everything Moral is not Legal, and Everything Legal is not Moral”. I think this suits the philosophy (?) of our beloved leader ‘raj’. (“Raj tum raj karo, hum tumhare hath hai”).

Few months back when I first read about Gujjar’s, I thought they are not but ‘Gujjus’. I was quite taken aback then, why Gujjus are looking for ‘reservations’. But later I realized that Gujjars are different than Gujjus, and they are one amongst perhaps 10000 different castes in India, mainly amassed in Rajasthan (‘Royals’). I have complete sympathy for them. They should be given reservation. In fact every one (I don’t mean every individual; but every caste, creed, breed, religion & class) perhaps should have reservation. I highly recommend this to “Sarakar ‘raj’” at Delhi. Bravo Gujjars……… I recommend that there should be constituted a Constitutional Committee to determine the caste based reservations for all the castes in India, which Committee should have ‘equal’ representation from each caste, so that no ‘caste’ is ‘cast away’ from ‘the blessings’ of Reservation………….The real problem is to prepare authenticate list of all the castes in India, and even greater problem is which caste people should prepare such list. (I invite suggestions on this).

Nandigram is different story altogether. I fail to understand why few thousand people are concerned and bothered about the progress of few ‘handful’ (the term is used because their ‘Hands’ are already ‘Full’) of people. I further, and even more, fail to understand how come and why at all in the (e)state ‘rajjed’ (please pardon yourself if you are not familiar with the verb ‘raj’; this is modern form of verb ‘lead’ at least in India, and I am sure Oxford, Cambridge and Chambers must be incorporating this very soon in their new Editions or reprints of Dictionaries and Thesauruses) by Communist Party (Oh! I am sorry, now days they prefer called them as “Leftists”), who are so pro-labour. They are there to take care of all those protestants and antagonists. Don’t blame them with the stigma of being Capitalists, else they will call overnight meeting of Polit Bureau to discuss their Polity about this issue.

Art.14 of Constitution of India (I know this is very embarrassing Article) entails the concept of Equality. It contemplates ‘equality before law and equal treatment of law’. It was then rightly interpreted by apex Court quite some time back that equality means ‘equality amongst equals’, and how true was that in the context of all above encounters. The only thing which is beyond my comprehension is that why at all our apex Court had to spend its time and energy interpreting it that way, when long back a statement was clearly enunciated in the famous book “Animal Farm” authored by Mr. Orwell – “All Animals (he had forgot to mention – including without limitation ‘party animals’, perhaps because he was that time unaware of existence of such an animal) are Equal; however some are ‘more equal’ than others”. Three, no, many many, cheers to Mr. Orwell. (Possibly this sentence might have been considered by Constitution Makers or the apex Court while construing the word ‘equal’, because like our Constitution, its interpretation could also be “borrowed” one). (I disclaim all liabilities of Contempt of Court).

Salute and many many thanks to a Man called “Godse” for assassinating Gandhiji soon after our (?) independence or freedom or whatever it was. Godse was such an intelligent man, he helped our society and politics from probable tortures of Gandhiji, and he literally helped Gandhiji escaping the trauma of encounters like above. Its so easy and nice to have Gandhiji’s foto ‘hanged’ on the wall and then we gain the right to have praise for Gandhi (including without limitation, with specific reference to Congress Party, ‘Indira, Rajiv, Soniya, Rahul, Priyanka, their children, grand-children and so on and so forth’) and Gandhism, without any need to implement his principles, which are very recently pronounced (rather reproduced) by super-hit “Munna bhai”. He also in the end has to say to all Politicians “Lage raho…”.

The Government, I guess, has manifold program for population control, and as a strong and quickest possible measure perhaps, it is implementing the strategy of giving “mukti” to people who protest for their demand (justified or unjustified). Believe me, this is very effective measure looking at the results in terms of figures (35-40 in Rajasthan in 2 days; and many more in W.B. in few months). Bravo (not that non-Indian cricketer Dwyen Bravo) our Government!!

No, no, please..no. No way I can afford to have thoughts of comparing these ‘encounters’ with brutal, sheer inhuman, stigmatic to mankind, cruel, merciless and ruthless act at “Jallianwala Baug”. Please forgive me if I compare like that. How can tyrannical British Rulers be compared with our ‘raj’ makers. I condemn incidences like Jallianwala, but the way all these ‘encounters’ are (man)handled by our Government is really highly commendable. I criticize the censure passed by many social workers and media people on our politicians. The actions taken by respective Governments were ‘need of time’ to control emotional eruptions of few people. In fact this is a great service to mankind. Let us all thank these Governments for doing such multi-purpose actions of controlling population growth, unwanted demands and reactions and maintaining the “Law and Order”. Kudos! to them all.

I recollect an article written by a creature, who is a ‘Common Man Creator’, our beloved R.K. Laxman. This article was titled as “Thanks for Blunders”, written at the 50th Anniversary of Indian Independence from British reign. He thanked, and so do I now, all our Politicians for making those Blunders, which helped this man to create so many caricatures, and thus earn his bread, butter and reputation. Thanks to Laxman for picturizing us, the “Common Men”, so well. Long Live Laxman and his “Common Man”.
I am aware that in today’s world a common (corporate) woman/man (I declare and disclaim that I do not intend to make any sexual discrimination by using such gender specific terms) is not permitted to have or take (if already have unfortunately) any political view, but this time – please “Gustakhi Maufff”.

Train to Pakistan - journey that shakes you

“Train to Pakistan” is the story of those post independence days when massacres were routine; cutting and killing was matter of pride; communal riots were at peak; inhumanity and brutality had taken wildest ever shape…………It was perhaps the darkest page of history of India independence, without any silver lining at all.

Mano Majra, a small commonplace village on the border, peacefully leading its way of life, the life of Sikh farmers and their Muslim peasants. The villagers are dwelling happily despite all odds of post independence calamities all around.

Jugga Singh, a dacoit, a budmash, is arrested for dacoit and murder of a Hindu Money Lender in his own village, Mano Majra. It is known to the Police that he is not involved in the crime, but as a part of strategy of the Magistrate to save this border village from those killings, Jugga is kept in custody.

The old Magistrate, Hukum Chand, lays one more strategy to move Muslims of Mano Majra to Pakistani camps, to protect them from possible attacks, not by Sikh dwellers of Mano Majra, but by refugees coming over from Pakistan and also by villagers from other parts of district.

When all Muslims are moved to refugee camps, including Jugga’s beloved Nooran a troop of fundamentalist Sikh youngsters along with some Sikh refugees, plot a plan to execute the Muslim travelers in a ‘Train to Pakistan’.

In a dramatic end of the story, which shivers you entirely, Jugga sacrifices his life to save the ‘Train to Pakistan’, and gets butchered by the very train which he saves from his own countrymen and community people.

Khushwant Singh’s first novel, “Train to Pakistan”, deserves many accolades. The book depicts the horrifying times of post independence days. The facts to which our generation is completely alien. In a country like India, people were butchered, women were ravished, kids were ruthlessly killed and houses were voraciously looted. Without going into too much of description on such incidences, Khushwant Singh lefts tremendous impact on your mind about all these things, and also perhaps raises the thunderstorm of questions; the unanswered questions.

Khushwant Singh uses his each word aptly and choicely. While creating the drama in the story, he doesn’t forget to write some paragraphs about the beauty of nature, the philosophy of human life, failure of religion systems etc. This adds literary value to the book. His characters are real life characters. He’s meticulous describing even the small action or movement of the character, which makes each one of them live.

The book is very honest effort. The story is crafted and drafted such a way that its neither boring or slow nor is too dramatic such that it would lose its real life touch. He takes leisure in building the drama in the story, but never disturbs the flow of the story.

Unusual to such stories, which usually end on negative note, “Train to Pakistan” in one way ends with a very positive note. The story doesn’t give any message or lay down any controversy, but raises some obvious questions in one’s mind, search of which would begin, when one would end reading the book.