Goodbye, Americans!

Yes, Goodbye, Americans! That’s what Iraqis would be saying today. And to add to their relief, I say, good riddance! I wonder what a certain Mr. Bush would have to add to my comments.

The name I refer here is the name of a person whose middle name is War: George War Bush. He prefers to present himself as George W. Bush – lest people easily deciphered his pastime: War mongering!

It was seven years ago on 20^th March in 2003 that George W. Bush invaded Iraq – an act for which he had been preparing America, the American troops - and the world (“coalition of the willing”) - from the 10^th day of his re-election to the White House. This monster was so intensely intent on waging a war against the Saddam Hussein’s regime that he did pay any heed to the United Nations Resolution 1441 terming his “Bush Doctrine” propagating pre-emptive attack on Iraq completely illegal – not in conformity with the UN charter. The world opinion opposing his plans also fell on his self-imposed perennial deafness. What followed in Iraq is “history” – well etched into the bloodied pages of modern world history and into equally bloodied hearts and minds of humankind. The only “unkind” person in the unending sordid saga remained, and no points for guessing, George W. Bush!

With Barack Obama taking over the United States presidency in January 2009, “Change” came to America – and to Iraq as well! Ending the never-ending war in Iraq was one of his election promises and he has delivered on his promise – withdrawing the residual 50,000 American troops in “advise & assist” capacity from the illegally occupied soils of Iraq on 31^st August, four months in advance from the 18-month withdrawal window set for 31^st December 2010.

Today I am happy along with the rest of the world for the people of Iraq that finally – hopefully - they will get their due peace and prosperity, and dignity. Their pursuit of happiness has been quite painful, all thanks to a certain Mr. Bush in America.

Today I join the people of Iraq in saying “Thank You, Mr. President for honouring your words. With joy in heart we say goodbye to Americans. May they live in peace – in America!”

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Post-script: If George W. Bush were an Indian political leader, he would have “planted” the otherwise “elusive” WMDs in the “tyrant” Saddam Hussein’s courtyard and would have “legitimized” his “war on terror” in Iraq! …

You would have been 66 today, Rajiv uncle :)

Rajiv uncle, I became your fan on the 31^st day of October in 1984. The character exhibited by you on that day while taking over the prime ministership of India attracted me towards you. I felt I have found my “Hero”! On one side you looked completely composed, showing no signs of extreme personal trauma with your mother’s assassination – every bit a national leader at that young age – and on the other side you seemed to be absolutely apolitical. Yes, you not looking like an average Indian politician appealed to me the most!

Rajiv uncle, as you were the first person I had become a fan of, I started behaving like one! If you would have met my parents they would have told you how annoyed they used to get seeing “windows” in newspapers even before the day was over! Even repeated scolding could not deter me from cutting out your photographs from newspapers everyday! Magazines were also routinely subjected to same brutal scissor treatment by me! Diamond Comics series dedicated to you was soon bought by me. The result of this hobby which I was pursuing religiously was that soon I had built a beautiful collection of your photographs – of all possible sizes - which gradually grew into uncountable numbers and a precious possession! (I still indulge into this habit.)

Rajiv uncle, today I will confess about my “chori”, the only one so far! – of my life. I had accompanied my parents to a doctor’s chamber where I saw November’84 – perhaps – issue of Frontline magazine dedicated to you. It was, as guessed by you rightly, full of your pictures. I politely requested the aged physician to give that magazine to me and he refused flatly. I acted like a “true” fan and resorted to the best technique I thought appropriate at that time: I filched the magazine! You should have seen the anger followed by resignation on my mother’s face later! But I still believe that “effort”, howsoever “illegal”, was worth it!

And, I was always thankful to our good old Doordarshan for giving adequate airspace to you, which ensured I could see you speak regularly.

Rajiv uncle, your becoming the prime minister also initiated me into the world of “current affairs” – politics – of India and the world as well. From Day1 of your assuming office I started maintaining a “Diary” in which I used to note down in brief your daily itinerary. Soon the ambit of my notings enlarged to sports – tennis and soccer in particular, and cricket in general – in separate diaries. (Soccer and F1 diaries are still being filled in regularly.)

Rajiv uncle, your becoming the PM also put me on the path of communication with a person whom I had never met. Yes, of course, I am taking about you. I treasure all your letters – replies – and cards – and your autographed photograph - which I can never exchange even for the entire wealth of this world! Thanking you for taking time out from your extremely busy schedule to reply – timely – to a young fan would not be adequate. I really do not know the right expression for this grand gesture of yours. But to say that I enjoyed exchanging views on the then prevailing political situations with you would be an understatement. In fact, the day I would post a letter or a card I would start waiting anxiously for your response! Initially you used to acknowledge my letter in a few words but gradually those grew into 2-pages long detailed discussions. I sometimes read them to relive those days!

Rajiv uncle, here I would like to confess about one of my biggest mistakes which I committed under the influence of my young age. I still hate myself for stopping writing to you after the Bofors scandal. To tell you honestly, my immature mind and heart were absolutely shattered at the alleged involvement of yours in the whole corruption scam. “Even Rajiv uncle? …” And I foolishly decided not to pursue my communication with you any further.

Rajiv uncle, I know that the world is not going to believe me if I tell them that after 8 months of hiatus, you wrote to me without waiting for a letter from me. And I felt ashamed till my core. I cannot thank you enough for ensuring our favourite-fan relationship continued till you lived. I have lived with enormous guilt since then because soon I came to know that I will never ever get the chance to “undo” it in this lifetime. I am saying sorry today, which I know I must have said then. I am sorry, Rajiv uncle.

Rajiv uncle, I remember receiving your last letter dated 21^st April on 3^rd of May to which I couldn’t send a reply as the next day only I had to travel to Bombay for academic pursuit. Little did I know then that I will never ever get the chance to reply to your letter in this life of mine. Your mindlessly brutal killing on 21^st May’91 shattered me immensely. I went numb. My family and close friends called me to inquire as they all knew how deeply attached I was to you. Watching your body being consigned to fire made me cry in public for the first time. Those sacred flames seemed to be taking away my Hero – my most favourite personality ever! – forever…

Rajiv uncle, I hugely regret not getting the opportunity to meet you in person. It was of course my biggest dream - to meet you and talk to you and discuss the entire world with you! But what I regret even more is the cruel cutting short of your life at a young age of 46. The closest I could get to you was when I met Sonia aunty at your home on 31st May'06 on her invitation.

Rajiv uncle, I felt intensely connected with you also because of our shared date of birth. You know that your untimely demise has never let me enjoy my birthday in real sense as every year on 20^th August, the date of my birth – our DOB – I start the day with moist eyes. I simply cannot help crying seeing your photographs in newspapers.

Today is 20^th August. You would have been 66 today. I know you are not alive in the worldly sense but you are - will be - alive - living - in my memory, forever. I miss you, nevertheless.

Happy Birthday, Rajiv uncle :)

Wake up, Mr. Prime Minister! (Jago, PM, jago!)

I say for the Nth time: Wake up, Mr. Prime Minister!

India says for the Nth time: Wake up, Mr. Prime Minister!

Tell us, Mr. Prime Minister, till how long will you continue to sleep? The entire nation awaits to hear your voice. There are myriad matters requiring your immediate intervention. India needs assurance from you, the prime minister of India, that all will be well soon. You simply cannot afford to keep silent. (“Silence of the Lamb”?!) As the head of state it is your primary responsibility to ensure that India keeps its commitments honourably. Of course, I am talking about the ongoing crises in the Commonwealth Games.

Mr. Prime Minister, the Indian Media – particularly Times Now - has done its job, though belatedly. Now it is your turn to act. Frankly, no other (developed) country would have let its Media do its work – of exposing the colossal levels of corruption in preparations of the CGW. And yet we are not prepared!

Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, though thousands of crores of tax payers’ money have been spent – criminally wasted – in the name of the Games, yet India is not prepared to host the Games. And you continue to be silent – almost appearing asleep. You cannot absolve yourself of your accountability.

Mr. Prime Minister, as the head of the state of India, it is your responsibility to show to the world that we are not a country with hollow global aspirations; that we as a nation are quite capable of delivering on our promises of holding a international stature event – howsoever irrelevant it may be for the global sporting community. And if today the whole world is casting serious doubts over preparedness of India for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games – besides India’s image suffering a further beating with surrounding corruption – you as the prime minister needs to address the nation and all those CW countries which are going to participate and assure them that the Games will be held as promised. You have to uphold India’s honour in the international arena.

Mr. Prime Minister, you are an incredibly honest politician with impeccable integrity and India owes majorly to you for its economic prosperity. Nevertheless, your position as the prime minister of India does not leave you with the option of sleep and silence over issues of immense importance. Please act and fast as time is less.

Mr. Prime Minister, immediately sack all members of the Organising Committee of the CWG – including Suresh Kalmadi and his cronies. Remove Sheila Dixit right away who as the chief minister of Delhi has failed miserably in delivering on required infrastructure in time. Straight away fire all corrupt officials and parliamentarians – including the useless sports minister M.S. Gill - involved in the preparations of the Games who have made fortunes by stashing away millions in their Swiss accounts. You should not only sack all of them but make sure that each one of the culprits is punished adequately as per laws.

Mr. Prime Minister, please take charge of the CWG directly and immediately by involving qualified and capable people. And if you feel the paucity of time will make it difficult for you to deliver as promised then simply scrap this unnecessary sporting extravaganza. Believe me, no one, absolutely no one, not even a single nation, India included, will miss the otherwise no-purpose Commonwealth Games.

Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, you need to break your silence and speak; not only speak but act swiftly. I am sure no other head of state of a developed nation would have allowed this to happen in his/her country. And even if things would have gone horribly wrong and mammoth corruption would have surfaced, each one of them would have acted instantaneously. Barack Obama, David Cameron, Angela Merkel, Dmitry Medvedev / Vladimir Putin, Nicolas Sarkozy, you name any, all would have acted and owned the accountability completely – and timely.

Mr. Prime Minister, sadly we have not seen you ever speak or act when required. Whether it was 26/11 then (you had taken 3-4 days to face the nation on television to read from a typed script; I don’t think it should have been too difficult for you to speak without an aid on the issue) or the deep crises plaguing the forthcoming Commonwealth Games now.

Prime ministership is not a position; it is a serious responsibility; prime minister is not a ceremonial head but leader of its people. Mr. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, either act like a prime minister or step down. This way you will sustain your honour and respect in hearts and minds of Indians.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President Barack Obama

Like billions all over the world, I will never forget the 4th day of November of 2008! (Actually 5th morning for us in India.) Early morning my sister called up from Shanghai to Congratulate: "Didi, your Obama is Winning and you are sleeping?! ... This time "your" favorite has won, finally! ..." (She had "warned" me at the beginning of his campaign itself NOT to support him if I "really" wanted him to win; she had actually wanted to protect me from disappointments of unexpected - and unfair - results of elections.) ... At least amongst my family, friends and colleagues, it was "my" day of victory, too, and I reveled in the fervor around!

Like billions others, my tears were simply unstoppable while watching him deliver his victory speech - an extension of my overwhelming emotions since news of his Toots' demise just a day earlier. On 11/4 in 2008, my fear for his safety resurfaced gripping my mind and heart and I prayed to God to protect him always and not let him, too, fall prey to assassin's bullets like all world leaders in history, a scare which has stayed with me since listening to his landmark "Race in America" speech. May he live long - forever – and lead!

The simultaneous overwhelming feeling was to be "Barack" (Blessed!) enough to be witnessing a momentous moment of my lifetime, perhaps, and felt my regret of not being born in the times of Mahatma Gandhi gradually regress. ... It is very rare that a Body gets an extraordinary Soul. Barack Obama is that Special Creation of God! (Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati America ...?!)

Actually, America was reborn on the 4th November in 2008. (Time for Tom Cruise to get ready for a sequel: “Reborn on the 4th of November”!) Or, shall we say that in fact the seed of this rebirth was sown on the 4th of August in 1961 with his birth? (As the world got "Barack" - Blessed - on 8/4/61, shouldn't we celebrate 4th Aug as the "International Day of Blessings?!")

On 11/4/2008, he said: “Change has come to America!” We all know that, on 11/4/2008, Change came to the world as well! ...

Honestly, for the first time in my life, on 11/4 in 2008, I experienced an intense desire to become an American citizen and proclaim proudly: "Barack Obama is (going to be) my president, too!"

Happy Birthday, Mr. President :)

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Wish India and all countries had their own Barack Obama. The world would be a Barack – Blessed – abode for all!