We aren't angry over innocents' killings in Kashmir but our Indian blood boils when Kashmiris cheer against us in a cricket match!

When innocents are killed in Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) by army bullets, do we feel angry?

Are we upset when mass graves are discovered or when gang rapes take place in the valley. And yet there is no action against soldiers due to AFSPA.

Most of us are apathetic on these issues and for our media it is no news.

There is no support for justice for them. There is no such rage. But if it is petty cricket match and Kashmiri boys have cheered for Pakistan, our blood boils.

Perhaps, it is these double standards, which makes them cheer for Pakistan. Don't Indians settled in UK, Australia and New Zealand, cheer for visiting Indian team, instead of their countries! Should we feel upset over someone taking sides.

In this case, it is not sure either that how many of these students had supported or raised voice for the Pakistani cricket team in its match against India. We simply rely on one sided version and the hysteria generated by it.

Let us take up the most basic points first:

1. Kashmir is part of India. Surely. But there have been issues and we haven't treated Kashmiris very well in the past. We forget that Kashmiris had the option to join Pakistan but the masses under Sheikh Abdullah preferred to join India, because they believed in secular nation.

What we do? We put their leaders in jail, didn't allow free and fair elections for decades. Governments were toppled and AFSPA makes life difficult for an average Kashmiri. There is hue and cry about scrapping Article 370.

2. We expect them to behave the perfect hosts when we go their for pilgrimage or trips. But Kashmiris are human beings as much as we are. They can also be political. Their youngsters too have raging hormones. They may act recklessly at times. But it shouldn't make us so angry.

3. We may not like it but we mustn't take it as a patriotism test. Cricket match can be no test for loyalty. Our nationalism is not so weak that a mere cricket match can prompt university to take disciplinary action. The irony is that those who talk about patriotism, themselves have dubious credentials.

4. The right-wing groups that are most vocal on such issues are affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which never hoists Tiranga (national flag) on its premises or buildings anywhere in India.

5. But no one questions it. It is not that Kashmir is the sole troubled spot. In other states, there are issues. But when it comes to Kashmir we are over sensitive. We should stop being reactive over such matters. This is almost a non-issue.

We must understand our responsibilities too, rather, than expecting the Kashmiri youth to just play the gallery and prove his patriotism. It will do us a lot of good. It will also help Kashmiris integrate with the rest of India, better, than by sending the youths back home from university.

We need to win the hearts and minds of Kashmiris. But what are we doing?

If Rajiv Gandhi's killers can be spared, then why was Afzal Guru hanged?

The three persons have been convicted for the murder of India's Prime Minister. Yet, the killers of Rajiv Gandhi are going to live.

The Supreme Court has decided to commute their death penalty into life imprisonment. The honourable court's decision is final.

There is no scope for disagreement. But politicians, citizens and activists in Jammu and Kashmir, now ask why 'Afzal Guru' wasn't pardoned.

Was his crime as serious and in the same league. In his case, there was no direct evidence but to satisfy the 'collective conscience' of the society, it was decided to hang him to death.

Even his family was not formally informed about the decision to hang him. It was undoubtedly an inhuman act. His family could have met him a last time before he was hanged. But the government machinery was sure that they had to kill him. Was it a lust for blood?

The signals aren't right. In J and K, it sends the wrong message. Punjab government did it best to save Bhullar from death penalty. The trio--Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan, have been spared the gallows. Why? It is not court's decision alone. 

The reality is that the prevailing jingoistic atmosphere where nothing is allowed to be discussed, if it is 'sensitive'.The BJP is the second biggest party. But it was never serious for capital punishment for Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan. It wanted Afzal Guru to be hanged.

While in most cases, the mercy petitions aren't disposed or the convict gets reprieve by PRESIDENT. However, Afzal's death penalty was not commuted. Why? Is it because he was a Muslim? These are really serious questions. The manner in which Afzal was made an enemy of the nation, proves how media and politicians joined hands to kill him.

It augurs bad for the nation when there is such clear difference on case to case basis. Are we a bloodthirsty nation?

After Satyam, it's Wipro: Tough time for Indian IT companies

Just when India Inc was trying to recover from the Satyam Computers' fiasco after the arrest of it's former CEO Ramalinga Raju, the World Bank (WB) whip on another IT major Wipro has come as a shock.

The World Bank decision to debar Wipro and stall future contracts of outsourcing to the software company has left the IT industry bewildered. In all, five Indian entities have been taken to task which include Megasoft.

The reason cites is that Wipro violated the provisions and procurement guidelines and offered improper benefits to WB staff. Naturally, Indian Information Technology industry is feeling the heat, as also the share market.

Worse, the IT professionals are getting panicky. Wipro, which is India's third largest software company after Infosys and TCS, has held that it's business and revenue will not be affected due to the World Bank ban (for violation of 'fraud and corruption provisions' of the Procurement Guidelines) till 2011. The company head Azim Premji was once the richest Indian.

Satyam has already been banned for eight years after the Rs 7000 crore scam came to light and Ramalinga Raju had to go to jail for inflated balance sheets. Two other Indian financial firms Nestor Pharmaceuticals and Gap International have been barred from doing business with the bank for violating guidelines.

Still, all is not lost. The situation isn't as bad. Industry watchers say that it can't go worse. Government has already constituted a new Board for Satyam and offered a bailout package. Satyam's share is already looking up after the crash. Of course, the government now needs to keep an eye on the functioning of IT firms in future with the help of Industry bigwigs.

At last, Sanjeev 'BMW' Nanda goes behind bars

The law has finally caught up with Sanjeev Nanda though it took almost a decade. It was in 1999 when Nanda had killed six persons with his car. He was drunk and the car was recklessly driven.

All sorts of tactics were used. The powerful and well-connected Nanda family did its best to save him. Money to victim's kin and bribe to the lawyers. Every trick in the book was tried but the case had acquired such limelight that the rich power-drunk brat, was thrown into the jail.

Five years is not a duration for murdering six people. Already the 9-odd months he was in jail would be deducted. Add the relief in term announced on every Independence Day and Republic Day.

And then the reprieve he may get for good conduct. Nanda may be out within just three years! Did he deserve any mercy. No. Even as victims remained entanged in the wheels of the car, he kept driving.

The grandson of former Naval Chief SM Nanda didn't get harsh sentence, as many claim. The court has not been harsh to him. NDTV must be congratulated for the sting operation in this case.

Senior lawyers RK Anand and IU Khan were trying to bribe the witness, Sunil Kulkarni, so that it could help Nanda in the hit-and-run case. Nobody can deny that it was media pressure that was responsible in the conviction.

Is St Xavier's wrong in suspending students for Puja?

The St Xavier's school in Jaipur is in the news for suspending seven students who performed 'puja' in the classroom. This has kicked off a debate and Saffron organisations led by Bajrang Dal and BJYM stoned the school building.

It is true that 'not allowing puja' sounds somewhat wrong to us and the middle-class sensibilities are hurt. Also, the suspension may be considered a bit harsh. But what is intolerable is that one of oldest schools of the City was targeted by vandals, who had no say in this issue.

Puja should not be denied to anybody. But in classroom? That's no place for Puja. Tomorrow some Muslim students will start offering Namaz and so on. A poster of Lord Ganesha was posted in the Class XII.

Principal Jose Jacob had to later say that the students were not performing puja but they were doing a 'mock puja' suggested by the fact that the entire class was laughing when he reached there.

It is middle-class Indian hypocrisy and double standards that we will try every link to get our children the admission in missionary schools, despite knowing that they are run by evangelists. At the same time because they are a minority, we also want them to run their schools by our rules.

This is ridiculous. Even if the school is guilty, the action should be lawful. Not that thugs and hooligans (two hundreds Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and Bajrang Dal activists) will be allowed to storm into the school.

Due to the the incident and the political pressure caused by the communalisation, the suspension was cancelled later. One of the students who was suspended, is son of a BJP office-bearer. His father refused to say anything on the matter.

Bihar Flood & Orissa violence: Colossal failure in times of calamity

For two weeks a horrified nation watched in disbelief how millions were stranded and lives of thousands were put to risk in Bihar.

Strangely, the state government did little to take any action and the surrging water of Kosi river didn't alarm the officials.

Or rather, they chose to ignore it. The plight of ordinary humanfolk hardly affects the babudom or the leaders. Though the army and the airforce swung in action and those marooned are getting rescued, the catastrophe has once again exposed this nation's failure to deal with any major disaster.

If there were no television images, perhaps, nobody would have given a damn outside the state. The photographs of emaciated children clung to their mothers and parents watching their owns sons swept away, evoked shock and horror.

But the ruling coalition JD (U)-BJP government was indifferent. Nitish Kumar looked worried only when situation was already out of control. Nobody knows how many perished in Katihar, Purnea, Madhepura, Araria, Darbhanga, Champaran, Sheohar, Saharsa, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and other flood-hit districts.

Similarly, for days Orissa continuted to burn. The goons of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal attacked Christians. Hundreds of churches were set afire and there was no proper action to stop the anti-Christian violence.

The killing of Swami Laxmanananda had sparked off the carnage but the police woke out of its slumber only when tens of thousands of Christians had already fled to forests and their homes were destroyed.

So, is India, just a nation of bustling metropolises that cares about just the IT, the Sensex, the BPOs and the so-called emerging India? While rural India goes to dogs. Shameful!

Liar Apollo docs to face trial

It's good to hear that the Supreme Court rejected the Apollo doctors' plea and they will now face the trial in the Rahul Mahajan drug case.

Remember the straight face with which these docs kept lying for days in front of media persons! They destroyed evidences and fabricated the reports. All attempts were made to show that Mahajan hadn't taken drugs. Even the hospital's registers were tampered.

The docs did all that just because the young brat was well-connected and had ample money. The doctors should have treated him to the best of their abilities but they became accomplices in a crime.

Dr Anupam Sibal, Dr Abha Gupta, Dr Awadhesh Bansal, Dr Prasad Rao, Mukund Pandey and Ali Ganai other than the staff of the hospital who did the conspiracy must face the trial. They can hire a battery of good lawyers, may get the case drag for long and even get acquitted.

But at least they will have to make rounds to the court, face a degree of embarrassment and the society would recall how they weaved a web of deception to save a young man. In June 2006, Rahul and his father Pramod Mahajan's secretary Bibek Moitra were admitted to the hospital.

Moitra had died in the incident. Though Apollo authorities kept on insisting that there were no traces of drugs in their urine and blood samples, the other lab reports confirmed that drug overdose led to the system failure.

The doctors went to Supreme Court agaist the High Court judgment which refused to quash the charges levelled by the police against them. But the Supreme Court rejected their appeal and they will now face charges under Section 177.

Calling pilot 'glorified driver': Should the pilots get so enraged?

The remark of a Member of Parliament (MP) that a pilot is nothing but 'glorified driver' has led to an outcry from various quarters including the pilot's organisation.

The conduct of the MPs and our leaders is often disgraceful. But hasn't the pilots' organisation gone overboard in its reaction and their plan to file defamation suit. What defamation? Is being a driver, a disgraceful thing?

Doesn't a driver earn his living respectfully. When it comes to politicians we are cynical and love to brand them as uncouth but it is a social problem in this nation that jobs are considered good or bad depending on how fat your pay packet is.

The Kerala MP Abdul Wahab should be taken to task if he did something wrong or flouted any law. But it is utterly unacceptable if somebody feels that a driver's job is not respectable. Hindustaniat believes in equality of every individual and strongly opposed any discrimination on the basis of class.
Pilots like Rajat Rana should also shed their arrogance. Thousands of drivers in India are graduates and numerous pilots have just the basic qualification required for pilot (it is a mere intermediate/XII).

Of course, money is needed to get the licence and that makes it a so-called elite job where the sons of the rich often try their luck. The Indian Commercial Pilot Association must ignore the issue as it will be more graceful.

Hold Chhat puja in Mumbai: After all, Holi-Diwali are now celebrated in South, Durga Puja & Ganeshotsava reach North India

The merchants of hate and division are creating a needless controversy over Chhat puja in Maharashtra. MNS leader Raj Thackeray has dared Lalu Yadav to perform the puja in Mumbai, after the latter announced his plans with an eye on North Indian votes.

Now the poster girl of Hindutva in the past, Uma Bharti has openly supported Yadav and said that she would also perform the puja. She has challanged Raj to dare stop her from the ritual. At one level you find it all, a non-issue, blown out of proportions.

But the fact is that there should not be any objection to Chhath in Mumbai. Bal Gangadhar Tilak initiated Ganesh Puja in Maharashtra, which was not just nationalist but also had communal overtones. It spread across the state and has in recent years entered Uttar Pradesh and other regions.

People in these states hadn't seen the Ganesha tableaux and the festivity, were surprised but never opposed this 'new culture'. They didn't feel threatened. Similarly, the Durga Puja has now become a national phenonmenon and it is not just Bengalis who participate in it.

Muslim artisans make the idols and people of various religions and regions are part of the celebrations. Until a few years back Holi and Diwali were not celebrated in cities in South India. And if you were in Bangalore or Chennai on Holi, you had a strange feeling.

But North Indians have reached there and now you hear sound of crackers and also colours of Holi splashed in Hyderabad and other metropolitan areas. But when it comes to the most cosmoplitan city of India, the retrogressive and divisive Shiv Sena, and its off-shoot Navnirman Sena, show their xenophobia.

Maharashtrian culture is threatened by Chhath. What nonsense? The culture of Maharashtra is not so weak. The problem is with the governments, both State and Centre.

Those spreading hate, even if they are politicians, should be booked and charged with anti-national activities. The groups and parties who create this atmosphere need to be dealt firmly.
[Photo Chhat puja on Juhu beach courtesy Mumbaidailyphoto]

If the Congress has the guts, it should book these sort of troublemakers and band of goons under the MCOCA because it is organised crime. If one is a leader or member of a political party, he doesn't get license to spread hatred and must not be treated above the law.

But Congress and other parties are equally to be blamed. For pushing its own agenda, it likes to have creatures like Raj Thackeray, who make Shiv Sena and the BJP uncomfortable. That's where lies the failure of Indian political class and our society.

Baba Amte: The Last Legend in a Nation of IT czars and growing billionaires

Baba Amte passed away in Anandvan (Maharashtra) at the age of 94.

A lawyer by profession, freedom fighter and a Gandhian, he had dedicated himself to the care and rehabilitation of the leprosy patients.

He was the voice of the voiceless. He fought for the tribals and undertook the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gandhi called him 'Abhay Sadhak' (one who fearlessly sought the truth).

One of the greatest sons of India, Murlidhar Devidas 'Baba' Amte should have been the most natural choice for Bharat Ratna, which unfortunately got embroiled in a political controversy.

He fought against cate prejudices, communalism and raised his voice against social injustice. His sons, both doctors, are of course, carrying on the legacy and working for the poor and the unprivileged. Anandwan (Wardha) has school, college, printing press and cottage industries and lots more, all run by leprosy patients.

Baba is no more with us. And there is hardly anybody close to his stature in this nation of over a billion. We have hundreds of business barons, trade tycoons and IT czars but few who are ready to embark upon a similar journey. And that is the tragedy of modern India.

He famously said that compassion knows no religion, sect or ideology. Can we imbibe that alone?

Baba Amte [December 26, 1914-February 9, 2008]

Raj Thackeray questions Amitabh's loyalty to Maharashtra

Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray seems to be living in a make-believe world and believes that sensational statements and xenophobic comments will make him the Bal Thackeray of future.

Poor Raj doesn't understand that times have changed. Modern India doesn't have a place for such crazy chaps. Raj Thackeray had the audacity to ask questions about the reason Amitabh contested election from Allahabad, later became brand ambassador of Uttar Pradesh and doesn't do much for the state where he lives.

So who is Mr Raj Thackeray to test patriotism of Amitabh Bachchan or any other person. Such statements are terribly against the idea of India, as extreme regionalism hurts national unity for which Thackeray's erstwhile party has always been a claimant.

It was a different era when Bal Thackeray had targeted South Indians and later Muslims, to create the atmosphere of fear. It was the frustration of middle-class and poor Marathi youths that was a reason for Bal Thackeray's rise.

Raj is making wild statements. He doesn't like the Chhat puja, and calls it a 'Naatak', a drama. By making outsiders including people from UP and Bihar as target, he hopes to emerge as a son of soil, a Marathi leader.

Ironically in this country, hatespeak is yet to be treated as a serious crime. And rogue politicians enjoy a sort of immunity from the law. Just like others who have multiple identities, Amitabh is not just a UPite, but also an artiste and a Kayastha.

But if the Navnirman Sena leader dares to question the loyalty of any person, whether a film star or a taxi-driver from Allahabad or Alappuzha (Kerala), by his narrow interpretatation, we can surely question his loyalty to India.

Bharat Ratna: Do Vajpayee, Kashi Ram, Jyoti Basu deserve it?

Recall the name of CV Raman, one of the first Indians to get the Bharat Ratna. Or the great engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya. And then think of Kashi Ram, Vajpayee and Jyoti Basu, the three personalities for whom demands for the highest civilian award in India has been raised.

No. I am not belittling the contribution of politicians. But I am sure this nation is not so devoid of great personalities that we ought to think of politicians alone when it comes to the Bharat Ratna. It was during the era of Indira Gandhi that the devaluation of the award began when K Kamraj was conferred the Bharat Ratna.

For garnering votes, regional satraps were awarded. And the situation came to such a passe that Bharat Ratna seemed to have lost its real value. Mercifully no award was given for the last seven years and the prestige of this award has been restored to an extent.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The most acceptable face of Sangh Parivar and BJP but notorious for his flip-flops. His role in Indepence movement was controversial especially the confessional statement before the magistrate that 'he didn't participate in the struggle' during the Quit India movement. He had allegedly become approver against freedom fighters and as a result, Kakua alias Liladhar was convicted and jailed. In later years of his career and during his tenure as Prime Minister, his stature increased considerably but he failed to take a proper stand on Gujarat riots and Narendra Modi.

Kashi Ram: The founder of BAMCEF created a social change in the most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh. The daughte of a Dalit, Mayawati, became the chief minister of the State thrice. His contribution from the Dalit point of view is astonishing. But he did little to awaken the Dalit consciousness or create any change in their educational sitatution. He remained focused on attaining political power. Falls way short of Dr BR Ambedkar or Periyar.

Jyoti Basu: The Communist patriarch ruled West Bengal for a quarter century. It was during his reign that West Bengal became a rare state to be ruled by a non-Congress government for successive decades. His role in the empowerment of peasants and holding land reforms is unique. Still, he remained restricted in WB though he had come close to becoming the Prime Minister of India.

Now about Tata

In a nation starved of heroes, Ratan Naval Tata stands out as the odd-'bania' loved and admired for his commitment to the nation and social concern. He promised us a car for Rs 1 lakh. And he delivered. He could have gone back on his words or simply pushed the price up to Rs 1.5 lakh. Even then it would have been a success. But he took the risk, defied the existing rules of business and ignored the lure of huge profits, to come out with the car.

For all these years, hundreds of Tata workers and engineers were working on this car, nobody could get an exact idea abouts its make until it came out in the market. That's the sort of respect he gets from his workers and also, the rest. For his commitment to business without dirty tricks. The Rs 1 lakh car has stunned the world. Can the Ambanis ever get this level of respect?

In 60 years, Indian Republic has given Bharat Ratna to 40 personalities. This list included names of great personalities like:

Subhas Chandra Bose, BR Ambedkar, Pandit Nehru, Maulana Azad, Vallabh Bhai Patel, DK Karve
Zakir Husain, Nelson Mandela, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Vinoba Bhave, APJ Abdul Kalam,

Amartya Sen and in peforming arts Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan, Subbalakshami and Lata Mangeshkar.

Also, JRD Tata was given Bharat Ratna in his life time. India may not give Ratan Tata the award. Think of Baba Amte, the face of poor India's resistance Medha Patkar or someone who inspires the millions. Surely the politicians of this era don't deserve it. No way.

Don't hound Sania Mirza

It is not long ago when Sania Mirza had protested in the course of a match abroad when the Indian flag was not properly hoisted and she had resumed play only after the mistake was corrected.

Then the media was all praise for her. But that's history. The media has conveniently forgotten that episode.

Now the same Sania Mirza is in the midst of a controversy surrounding her. She is accused of disrespect towards the national flag due to this photo (link).

The truth is that a publicity hungry person or a lawyer with hardly any clientele can get lot of media attention through such tactics.

Filing cases against Sachin Tendulkar for cutting a cake of the shape of India or filing a case against Sania Mirza is nothing but a useless activity, which the media unnecessary laps up. It is a favourite pastime for many persons to file such cases to get into limelight.

The electronic media gives good publicity to such pranksters as it gets good TRPs for showing scandals and controversies surrounding the celebrities of sports, Bollywood and other fields.

But do such lawyers, who care a lot about India's honour, ever think of taking on the corruption in court premises where the clerk openly takes bribe in front of magistrate and to which nobody can protest for fear of contempt of court.

Across India it is a common sight in all lower courts to see the court babu or munshi taking money for extending hearing dates in court room itself but no lawyer seems to have ever given thought to this disgrace in the temple of justice?

Will Shia Benazir's legacy survive in Sunni-majority Pakistan?

Never in the past so much emphasis was laid on the fact that Benazir Bhutto was a Shia. But, in articles on sites, blogs and converstions I got a feeling that it may be a factor in the politics of Pakistan.

Pakistan has become a more divided country. There is no love lost between Shias and Sunnis. And the radicalization of the population in the Sunni-majority country, will not help PPP.

Benazir Bhutto was a Shia. Her parents (Zulfikar Ahmad and Nusrat) were both Shia and her husband Asif Zardari is also a Shia. It is a spculation but will that be a factor?

In a country where sectarian tensions are deeply rooted, it is not surprising either. People say that Benazir's family always played down their strong Shia leanings, but they are well known.

Emotional reactions apart, the common Pakistani Sunni may not be tempted to vote for PPP and could go for the Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League. Pakistan has more than 80% of its population belonging to Sunni sect.

An acquaintance, who happens to be a Muslim, also shared this view. I have also just seen a You Tube video that refers Bhutto as a 'true Shia Muslim sister who was killed my monster Sunnis'. Benazir was not as popular in Pakistan as the media has made her to be. She had made the deal with United States and was soft towards General Pervez Musharraf.

The sympathy wave after her death can't be discounted. But contrary to what the newspapers in India are telling us that her party may now sweep polls, I think it would not be that easy for Pakistan Peoples Party. Asif Zardari's doesn't have any reputation. He is believed to be a corrupt guy.

The election of a nineteen year old boy, Bilawal, just because he is Benazir Bhutto's son, but who is not allowed to speak and his father presents him as trophy, may not cut ice with electorate.

(Though talking of voting and election in Pakistan is also a joke, given the track record of Army and their ability at rigging). That's all conjecture and the true situtation on the ground will be known only to the citizens of that country.

In the past Pakistan has had Shia leaders including premiers. Even the founder of Pakistan, Mohamed Ali Jinnah was also a Shia. But later years saw growing tension between the two sects .

Six photos on December 6: Black Mannequins in Hyderabad, Shiv Sena in Delhi and India 15 years after 1992

1. On the left is the photo of mannequins wearing black dress in Hyderabad to protest the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

Though the Black Day by Muslims and Shaurya Diwas by Hindus are annual fixtures, the shop-owner has came out with an interesting idea and a good opportunity for photographers than the usual sloganeering and protests. A banner 'Remembering December 6' also hangs at this shop.

And his commitment. Seems he doesn't care a bit about losing out on Hindu customers!

2. The second photo on the right is from Faizabad. Two Muslim raising a black flag above a mosque in Faizabad. The third photo is from Delhi where Shiv Sena clashed with Muslims sitting on a dharna.

3. With tridents in hand they reached the place and there was a street fight. Some persons were injured. The police, as usual, came much, letter. The newspapers and channels got some exiciting to report on December 6.

4. The fourth is the photo of Ayodhya 4. The photo of Ayodhya where Rapid Action Force guards the entrance to temple.

Sad, that Lord Rama needs such security!

There are two more photos. One of the market near Char Minar in Hyderabad, which is totally shut. Is there any other City where people remember December 6 so much?

I think these shops are closed also because the people fear violence in Hyderabad on this day. The last photo shows a gunman standing at the Eidgah-Krishna Janmabhoomi at Mathura, which is also considered disputed and is among the two main disputed places after Ayodhya. The third is in Varanasi (Kashi) where Vishwanth Temple-Gyanwapi Mosque is located.

NOW 15 years later, I feel Indians don't want a repeat of another December 6. We have understood that it was pure politics of hate. Hindus and Muslims both suffered. In UP there were not many Vijay Diwas celebrations this year. Muslims are also not as angry and hurt, as they appeared.

Everybody wants to forget December 6, 1992. But it must always remind us how just a few politicians had tried to play with the sentiments of people and get to power on dead bodies of Indians and trying to break this great nation. India bathed in blood for many weeks after December 6. And they were happy. But we must not let this happen again.

Unlit 'diyas' for countless Indians on Diwali

These women get just Rs 150 per month as pension for elderly destitute who have no source of income.

How can one survive on this Old Age Pension of Rs 150!

On one hand our MPs and MLAs have no remorse in increasing their pay packets and gift away millions and billions in the name of constituency development to their own cronies.

But there is no increase in the meagre Rs 150 which they are getting for years. When newspapers are going ga ga over the filthy display of riches by Mukesh Ambani and others of their ilk, countless Indians will have nothing to celebrate.

Think of the poor, the orphan, the needy and the destitute. Don't squander. Spare a currency note or some gifts or anything you can think of. Share the joy of Diwali with them who really need it. It will be a noble cause and if all of us start giving a thought to it, Diwali would come to this country in the true sense.

March of the Landless: Pamper Premjis but don't forget the poor

A unique rally of 40,000 landless tribals and farmers that reached Delhi after a harsh journey of nearly a month, has woken up the politicians and policy-makers in the national capital from their slumber.

Enthusiastic young reporters of TV channels are quite excited, for having seen or covered the story of 'tribals' for the first time. How else they would have known that these people existed in the same country. After all you don't get to see them at Cannaught Place or any of the Multiplexes and Malls.

Without any money or food they started off from Gwalior and walked nearly 400 kms to reach Delhi. Most of them had barely a blanket. Seven died on way due to accidents, disease and hardship. But they have made Delhi sit up and take notice.

In this country where industrialists are gifted huge chunks of lands, these tribals are evicted out their lands and forests where they were living for centuries, just by a bureaucrat's signature. Narayanamurthy and Premji are treated as icons for 'creating' jobs and Chief Ministers fall over each other to welcome them.

Further, these tycoons have temerity to still demand hundreds of acres of land on their terms. And these greedy men still want 'subsidised land'. But the poor peasant is treated like dirt. I have nothing against Narayanamurthy or Premji or for that matter any foreign investor.

But the issue that is nobody asks a tribal before deciding to gift away the land he lives on or cultivates in the name of indstury, jobs (for whom?) and development. Does he get anything except a cheque of compensation of Rs 25,000 (if he is lucky), of which also he has to part with an amount as bribe to the babu.

These tribals haven't shown their might yet. Delhi must understand that something very serious is happening in this country. Mukesh Ambani may become the richest man in the world through the syndicate of brokers and the 'satta' in un-governed Indian share market.

But in this very country a former Chief Minister's son is being killed by Maoists. And when Gujjars get out of their houses in thousands, the state gets paralysed. The poor man, the indigenous tribes, the farmers, the villagers, the qasba people, everybody is getting marginalised by the day.

And once they get out of their homes, this artificial boom in stock market and the fake glitter of Shining India wouldn't save the government. Just 40,000 have come. What will happen when 40 lakh will leave their homes? We better wake up.

Hypocrisy, Hollowness and Hatespeak: Abusing others on Internet

In real life it is nearly impossible for us to call a person belonging to to other religion as 'jehadi' or 'kafir' on his face, but when it comes to cyberspace, you can write the most hateful and racist comment without thinking for a while that what great damage it can cause.

It is cowardice and what else when hate-mongers comment on posts and judge Indians and human beings on the basis of their caste, religion and social status. Often comments are written by well-educated persons who fail to get over their biases despite good education.

They bare their real selves on the net. Isn't it cowardice? These Hindus and Muslims don't dare to say such a thing to a person of other religion whom they come across on the street. There they wear masks and keep their communal and casteist feelings within their hearts. But when it comes to cyberspace they unleash their tongues and forget all civility.

Most of us who do this don't have any conviction. Except our comforts and our family perhaps we have no sense of justice, humanitarian values or morality, This is shameful. What kind of a society is that? Isn't it disgusting?