Being Juvenile - in India

“Wow, I am a juvenile and I can do whatever I feel like!” I said in response to my colleagues complimenting me on younger looks (sweet seventeen!) post my latest shorter haircut. It was a natural response the day after hearing the official pronouncement of India’s infamous Juvenile Board in favour of the so-called not-yet-18 rapist-murderer of Nirbhaya. My saying so elicited laughter and my mind immediately went back to many years ago when I had said a similar thing on my 18^th birthday: “Wow, I am 18 and I can do whatever I feel like!”

If earlier attaining an age of 18 meant becoming an “adult” - an independent being free to choose the course in life as one wishes, besides getting to vote the government into power – if, of course, one had a wonderfully supportive & understanding educated family, then today being a Juvenile seems to be a blessing, at least in India. The age-wise classification of people in the world starts with born as an infant to becoming a baby to growing up into a young child to being an adolescent to becoming an adult, ageing gracefully and evolving simultaneously as a human. This “juvenile” category is the latest in vogue, in India only.

Actually this disturbing virtue of being a juvenile in India was playing on my mind since the previous evening when hearing a bunch of the so-called activists of all hues - human rights, child rights, juvenile justice – go absolutely tangent in their bizarre and twisted – fit to be prosecuted and stoned if left in public – television arguments in support of the so-called juvenile rapist-murderer of Nirbhaya. Their calling this criminal a “child” made me cry with rage and shame. I sent smses to Arnab Goswami to throw those mad activists out of his studios – as The Newshour was ‘live’ - and not waste time by giving those nuts national primetime and platform to appear on television and infect the public opinion and insult public sentiments on a hugely sensitive subject.

(I respect Arnab’s viewpoint to have a democratic debate whatever the case may be and thus giving opportunity to even the opposing voices; nevertheless, I confess that if ever I get an opportunity to anchor a television news program and moderate a debate, and I am ‘forced’ to have them on my show, I will “mute” these deranged voices and blur their faces and thus ensure that these opportunists do not get national primetime and visibility.)

Those twisted activists were talking through their hats and proposing putting a “robust system” to “reform” the juvenile rapist-killer of Nirbhaya! I sent another sms to Arnab asking him to ask those same activists if they were willing to take the juvenile criminal to their own homes – in turn – and “reform” him, a “child” in their words! I exactly know how they would have reacted: they would have fainted in the studios itself! And their own family members too would have fainted in their homes at the same time!

It is one thing talking in a television studio in order to justify and save their “jobs” and appear compassionate and committed, and absolutely another thing to “walk ones’ own talk”. These so-called activists should first take a few juvenile criminals and “reform” them; to start with they should try their experiment on a few petty juvenile criminals. Nirbhaya’s juvenile rapist-murderer will be punished as per the heinousness of his crime. Period.

Frankly, I have always wondered about the grand purpose of these so-called activists in every imaginable human-related field; I am yet to see them doing anything worthwhile in their respective chosen action areas. To me these so-called activists seem to be a complete waste of time and resources (they are almost always a part of some so-called NGO or a government board/body, prospering on public funds but almost always acting on behalf of the “accused” – fighting for the “human-rights” of the non-humans, almost never being on the side of the “humans” which are the “real victims”. Examples are numerous: be it in case of Maoists or Child abusers or juvenile criminals. I have never heard them arguing and voicing their concern and exhibiting their commitment in fighting human rights violators. In my opinion, the best way to get rid of the menace of these so-called human rights activists of all kinds is to gag and ban them. 

   

I am sure the India Justice System will set an example in front of the world by delivering appropriate and speedy justice to Nirbhaya. I am sure the government and the Judiciary will amend the archaic Juvenile Justice System and evoke their extraordinary powers to punishment all rapists-murderers of Nirbhaya equally, keeping only the gravity of their crime as their yardstick and guiding principle. I wonder if an opposite scenario arises, will this so-called juvenile criminal be able to breathe even for a second the moment he steps out of Tihar or his reform home in public domain as a free individual …   

Another aspect which disturbed me the most about this so-called juvenile angle being propagated in Nirbhaya’s rapist-murderer’s case, is that if we treat even hardened so-called juvenile criminals with kid gloves, then soon we will see the professional criminals hiring or grooming a brigade of the so-called juveniles to commit crimes of all types, assuring them immunity against any kind of punishment – forget about that being “harsh” – just because of they being on the “right side” of the age limit. I shuddered with these thoughts. This type of “outsourcing” in the criminal field is not an imagination; this could become a reality soon in India. Only God can save India then, perhaps …

The evening of the 16^th of December of the year gone by is the day which told India in cold voice that why it was called the most dangerous place for women in the world. It also woke the Indians – hopefully every one of us – that in order to live a life with dignity and peace, India need to be bold in dealing with the ills of its society, especially in cases of crimes against its female citizens. Indians expressed their shock and disbelief hearing soul-curdling Nirbhaya’s ordeal. We cried and felt rattled; we felt insecure and vulnerable; and ashamed. But the best thing witnessed was the strength showed by the protesters, most of them young students, who braved the brutal clampdown of the government but did not budge. The most shocking and shameful was the prime minister saying “theek hai?” post his 2 minutes 13 seconds much belated – forced – televised address to his country folks. 

Come on, Mr. Prime Minister, you were among the most respectable personalities India ever had in the post-Independence period and you were hailed as the architect of the modern and prospering India; but your prolonged stay in the position of power seems to have blunted your vision and emotions. I am sure you too must be wondering about this transformation within yourself. Wake up before you get banished by Indians too; the world has already labelled you as being an “Underachiever”. Indian history will mock your meekness.   

Making India a safe and secure country for all its citizens – females included – is going to become a reality only when the Indian government wakes up to the realities and its own responsibilities. Because before the much needed mindset change comes about, the crimes need to be checked and deterred with deterrent punishments delivered through fast track judiciary process and a sensitive and committed government towards good governance, bringing about the much needed amendments in its archaic laws. Of course, gradually much need initiatives need to be taken up by Indians collectively; each individual Indian needs to take the oath to work towards reforming our own mindset first and foremost and of our family members which will cumulatively bring about the much needed changes in the society and the country. Otherwise, we will keep waiting for the much needed mindset change for millennia and the world will keep wondering that “what the hell is happening in India of 21^st century?”  

………………

P.S: Nirbhaya, India will not fail you; all your rapists-murderers will be hanged till death soon including the so-called juvenile rapist-murderer. …

Will Desert Jasmine wilt away?

Just a couple of winters ago I was so thrilled to see the changes sweeping through the historically troubled and suppressed regions of the Middle East. Tunisia had just been unshackled from Ben Ali’s grip after a month-long largely peaceful protests; Egypt had erupted with large demonstrators congregating in Tahrir Square against the Hosni Mubarak’s iron grasp on governance; the scent of revolution had spread far and wide in the desert sub-continent- whether it was Bahrain or Syria or Libya or Yemen, people were out on streets protesting against their dictatorial regimes; they all wanted Tunisia like freedom – nothing less than regime change!

The mood overall was of fearlessness and cheerfulness. They had shattered the glass ceiling of suppression. And there was no stopping them.

Egyptians ensured that they got what they had wanted, even if the struggle had to be sustained somehow in the face of repression. But the sense of freedom was still faraway for public in other Middle Eastern nations. Bahraini Kingdom did not hesitate in brutal stamp-out of the demonstrations. Yemeni people couldn't hold long in front of the cruel control of their national administration. Yes, there were celebrations in Libya for ousting Muammar Qaddafi – actually capturing and killing him with the US help – after a long fight which had acquired a violent hue ultimately. The Syrian struggle is still on.

All along while the Desert Jasmine was witnessing changes in the surrounding landscapes, the hotbed of Middle East revolution Palestine-Israel borders were keeping relative cool, perhaps because of international attention being diverted to emerging revolting states. Both countries demand for control over their “claimed” territories had taken a back seat, sort of. Or maybe they too were busy watching the unprecedented level of changes taking place in their neighboring nations. However, it is not to discount Israel’s uneasiness over the calm in their disputed land as it was evident in their tries to instigate unrest.

And though I too understood that the lull was before a storm, but I was confident that this time the outcome could be different from all earlier attempts towards freedom in Palestine-Israel conflict. Jasmines will bloom in this holy land too, sometime soon! And I was happy :)

For me the meaning of life is in living, and living “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high”. For me the dignity of life is the most crucial dimension of one’s being. And that is the reason why I thank God for making me a citizen of a democratic country (though there are serious doubts emerging about the degree of real freedom in India as well). But the fact that I can write about it openly – hope no authority or party or person takes offence to any of my “personal” thoughts -  is testimony to the fact that India is an independent country now!

Thinking of and talking about the Middle East – and all such countries in other parts of the world – always left me perplexed. That why was the region perpetually in revolution mode and why no real freedom had been seen for ordinary people even in today’s modern age? This part of the world which was the crucible of civilizations and cultures should have continued to be role model for rest of the population globally. However, sadly and unfortunately, the significance and relevance of most of the things Middle-Eastern have got lost for a larger world. The oil of course remains the sole strongest magnet.

An honest reflection will tell the Middle Easterners that they themselves are primarily responsible for the deteriorating state of affairs in their land. They should have forged a stronger bond among themselves and could have shaped their own destiny much more beautifully. This, of course, does not imply that the life per se is not livable; in fact it is much better than many parts of the world. But, in all honesty, they deserve much better. Using their historic legacy and learning  the structure of governance and state of being could have been inspiration to the rest of the world. United they could have thwarted the attempts of the West – developed nations with insatiable hunger for oil – from venturing into dirty & dangerous oil diplomacy & politics and in the process propping and supporting dictators. More than the ordinary folks, it was the responsibility of various heads of nations to join together in their united pursuit towards geo-political dominance. However, as we know, that could not be a possibility.

Today Israel has provoked Palestine and has re-started almost a war in the Gaza strip. The devastation in the areas is depressing. On the strength of the “Iron Dome” pounding the “enemy’s” places with unrelenting bombing is quite distasteful. Killing hundreds of innocent Palestinians including women and children in name of God-knows-what is reprehensible. As expected, the West is unable to yet again contain the Israeli madness. But what is more unfortunate is the silence in the Middle Eastern states. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iran and also Iraq besides the smaller ones could have stood up strongly in support of the Palestinians and could have put a brake in Israel’s insanity.

Israel should not forget that the stake on the 'occupied land' is historically with Palestine and only a "live and let live" attitude will result in permanent peace. 

Iran-Iraq, Iraq-Kuwait, Iraq-US, Jasmine revolution, continuing Arab Spring, and of course, the mother of all conflicts – the Palestine-Israel war. These are a few of the contemporary times warfare witnessed in the Middle East. Historically this largely desert land has been beset with battles – most of it among themselves. Elsewhere the world has progressed from a medieval mentality to a modern existence – well almost in certain terms – but this part of the world has remained warped in time. In spite of shared history and religion and culture, the divisions within states have remained glaring. And that is the reason why even in today’s times, the Middle East gets abused repeatedly by the West.

One of the fundamental existential flaws of the region has been its tendency to lean towards religious fundamentalism frequently. The progress which could have put the area on the world map as a dominating power has in fact been stalled consistently by the extremist tendencies of a certain dominant section of its conservative populace. Not to forget that even this situation could have been managed if the Middle East would have stood united. Now, standing united does not imply being governed as one nation state; a regional unity is what it lacks tremendously and to its own peril.

And that is the reason why we see the turmoil re-surging repeatedly in the region. If Tunisia, Egypt and Libya are all facing continuing unrest in spite of them now having democratically elected governments, they returning to crises once again don’t seem a remote possibility. Their first few steps towards democracy seem to be shaky at the moment.

The freshly erupted crisis in Egypt is testimony to trouble-ingrained nature of the Middle East politics. President Morsi’s plans to thwart democratic essence of governance and garner dictator-like powers for himself has to be put to an end by a combined diplomatic effort of rest of the Middle Eastern nations. Else, soon the great state of Egypt will slide into an irreversible downfall. Any negative change taking place in Egypt will augur very badly for the other democracy-aspiring countries of the region as it would set a bad precedent.

These newly minted democratic nations needed full support of the stable Middle Eastern states but we rather see these nations gradually treading the path of religious fundamentalism as was seen earlier in Iran. And if there would have been support, then that would have been ‘unprecedented’!

The contemporary world history is observer to the state of Palestine being abandoned by its powerful neighbors leading to decades of devastating consequences for proud Palestinians. I truly believe that if the Arab world had resisted, the illegally formed state of Israel would not have been able to garner legitimacy. And, even if they did not act then against the Israeli occupation, later with their honest approach they could have successfully implemented the peace accords and the two states solution in the disputed holy land. At the cost of sounding naive in matters of international politics and diplomacy, I simply state that with talks all conflicts can be resolved amicably to both parties satisfaction. Of course, in the process, they also needed to reign in the opposing factions.

The way the world has managed the Israeli-Palestine conflict so far, it seems to keep it going is in interest of many developed nation.

The recent UN upgrade of Palestine to a nonmember observer state is a major step. The resolution to the decades old Palestine-Israel conflict seems a possibility in near future now. Israel expectantly will oppose it tooth & nail and it has already started demonstrating its displeasure openly. However, a united rest of the world – minus the US – will be able to force Israel see the realities and relent.

As the world depends almost entirely for its fuel on the Middle East and for humanity’s sake, it is in the shared interest of the entire world to work towards stability and democracy in the region. The freshly bloomed Desert Jasmine should not be left to wilt away in the harsh desert sun. …  

                         

Bye, Schumi; will miss you ...

I do not exactly remember the first race I watched of Michael Schumacher’s. But I distinctly remember the first “serious” Formula 1 talk I had at home. It was the 1^st of May in 1994, the day the world lost Ayrton Senna in a fatal crash at the San Marino Grand Prix while driving for Williams. It was perhaps the most devastating incident in Formula 1 fans’ life as we lost the most beloved racer of all times but that was also the time when the ascent of Michael Schumacher had already begun. Alain Prost completed the triad with these two as the most famous drivers in F1.  

Watching Michael Schumacher drive for the last time in the history of Formula 1 today made me go through a roller-coaster of emotions. Today was not the day of Schumi’s final retirement alone but also brakes being put on one of the most beautiful chapters of my life. I have spent many evenings enjoying F1 races with family and friends, with the sole aim of watching Schumi race! For me F1 was Schumi and visa-versa! If F1 became my most favourite sport, the credit goes to Schumi!

Schumi’s Ferrari Red was my colour too! The fact that red was always the most attractive colour for me perhaps played its part partially in attaching me to the most vibrant and energetic colour and the F1 team of the world! For me, Red denoted Life and immense life Schumi infused on tracks!   

Ask a Formula 1 fan and he/she will tell you that F1 is not merely a sport; it is meditation. Yes, meditation! The roar of those high power sophisticated engines in unison put you in a trance! Mesmerized, you watch those cars fly by! In fact many a times watching F1 races I have enjoyed the most peaceful of my sleeps! Well, getting up soon enough to check for the current grid positions!

Watching a F1 race is like watching high tides crash onto your beach! The sound of the sea is akin to the thrilling sensation felt at hearing a racing car roar by! Both make you experience life’s calmest moments! Don’t believe it? Try sitting on a beach and putting on the TV on a Race-Day!

In 2006 when Michael Schumacher announced his retirement, I felt like I had lost a crucial part of my being. F1 without Schumi was simply not for me. My most favourite sport suddenly seemed charmless. And gradually I found myself missing out on many of the races – a rarity in Schumi-days! The F1 Diary which I kept also lost importance for me; I would fill it up only occasionally, updating the records reluctantly. I was a Reluctant F1 fan, now!

Came 2010 and Michael Schumacher started his second innings as a race driver! This time with Mercedes and his colour changed to white. And along with he brought one of his most ardent admirers – that’s me! – back on track! Of course, like Schumi himself, I too believed in his capabilities to become a champion again but unfortunately that did not happen. Though the second phase of his career did not see him having even a single podium finish, but his presence on the track made all the races worth watching!

I cannot thank God enough for giving me the opportunity to watch my Hero live in the 2012 Indian Grand Prix! Seeing him wave to race enthusiasts – including me! - while taking a lap around the track in a decorated open trailer along with all other drivers, I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was seeing my most favourite sport person in flesh and blood! Schumi looked as handsome as on television and in magazines! The radiance of his face and the brilliance of his brain all came through just the way he is! It was pure ecstasy! Hypnotized I was looking at him! It was Dream come true! Being at the same place where Schumi was made me tizzy! I was breathing the same air which he was! I couldn’t simply believe my own luck! I was watching The Great Michael Schumacher live! Wow!

Everything about Formula 1 was unfolding in front of my eyes like a breath-taking sequence! Everything that I had read and watched, I was experiencing in person! The excitement, the preparation, the involvement, the ceremonies, the grandstanding, the pit-stopping, the grid positions, the warm-up laps, the start-finish line, the 5 illuminating lights, the pole positions, the team crews, the grid girls, the television crews, the race cars, the safety car, the tyres, the tyre-warmers, the chequered flag, the yellow flag, the blue flag, the pit-boards, the marshals, the cranes, the screens, the laps, the circuit, the track, the sectors, the grand stand, the paddock, the pit-stop, the chicanes, the stadium itself, everything what I had ever known about F1 was all there laid out in front of me! I was a part of this amazing event on the earth! And I couldn't believe it! I was living one of the most beautiful experiences of my life! And I was thanking God for the blessings!    

And there was Michael Schumacher! And I was watching Schumi’s last venture into the Indian Grand Prix live! As the laps were reducing, my feeling of loss was increasing. I knew that soon the race would be over and I would never ever see Schumi race again – as if I had watched him live all my life!

Drivers had gone inside; crews had thinned; volunteers had also all gone; crowd had also almost disappeared but I waited for the place around to become quiet. F1 technicians had started to dismantle things around; the 5 illuminating lights were the first to be lowered. I was trying to absorb as much as possible. The Mercedes crew members were busy packing their things, leaving Schumi’s name plank at the top of his pit section to be removed last. For the team, they had already said good-bye to the beautiful Buddh International Circuit in India!

The most lasting memory of my Indian GP is of looking at Schumi’s pit for one last time before walking out of the grandstand. I wanted to take his memory within me.

Seeing Schumi race for the last time today kept bringing back beautiful memories from my life, realizing simultaneously with a heavy heart and teary eyes that this blessed moment will never ever come in my life again. All throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix today, my eyes kept trying to spot Schumi; I was almost oblivious to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel’s record matching performance at Interlagos of becoming the third driver – and the youngest - in the history of F1 to win three Championships in a row! Congrats, Sebastian; and sorry.

F1 is an amazing sport; one of the most fantastic experiences in a human’s life! Nevertheless, I do not know if I will ever enjoy it the way I did while watching Michael Schumacher race. I know for sure that I will not see Schumi come for a third stint – and he should not – and that is the reason I am so sad today :(  

Schumi, Thanks for all those amazing F1 moments and memories; I will miss you …         

Ek Tha Tiger !

The one thing that fascinates me the most about a leader is his/her mass appeal! And today Balasaheb Thackeray emerged as the most popular political leader of India going by the throng of people – 2 million! – which converged at the Shivaji Park in Bombay for his funeral. The congruence of such a large gathering, walking alongside his carriage – hearse – in the procession was unprecedented! Watching his cortege move from his residence Matoshree to Sena Bhavan and then to the cremation site – Shivaji Park – alongwith a moving sea of mourners in an almost shutdown megapolis made this popular-powerful yet controversial politician seem larger than life, in his death!

Numerous mundane thoughts crossed my minds while watching his televised funeral. Firstly, that if Balasaheb was so loved by all in Bombay and Maharashtra, then why did the same public brought his party into power only once in its more than four decades of existence? Though Shiv Sena has been winning Mumbai Municipal elections consistently, why couldn’t Maharashtrians trust him with their fate when it came to state administration? And, how could he sustain his powers on Mumbai for so long? Also, if Bal Thackeray was such an immensely important political leader – which he was – then why was Media’s attention more on other mainstream national politicians than him, except for interviewing him once in a while whenever any controversy erupted due to his hard-line stance. The fact that he had receded into his den – where would a tiger live! – and secluded himself from active public life having handed over the party reins to his son Uddhav couldn’t be the case for Media’s limited interest in him. Recently, we had seen his nephew Raj hogging the Media limelight much more than both father and son combined.

Being blessed with a strongly fierce and proud personality, why did he restrict his patriotic pride primarily towards his own community – Marathi Manoos? I wonder if he realized that his brand of politics with a strong dose of nationalistic pride bordering on the verge of fundamentalism couldn’t succeed at the national level.   

This however doesn't say in least bit that Balasaheb’s influence over life and lives in Mumbai – for him Bombay was always Mumbai – had diminished, though it had dimmed lately no doubt. He remained as significant and relevant as ever. However, the junta of Bombay and Maharashtra appeared to have moved on from his divisive politics as they didn’t see it yielding anything for improving their livelihood. But perhaps he had stayed in their hearts and minds and souls too as it were reflected in the crying faces of millions across the city today.      

And also in the live coverage of his funeral procession by the Indian Media. Frankly, I was a bit surprised. To hear all participants including the television anchors wax eloquent about the great personality that Balasaheb was made me a bit uncomfortable. There was of course no doubt that for any political leader to have such a large followers base could only be a dream, still seeing journalists come together to eulogize him sounded deliberately biased – as if they had been given the duty to lionize him in his death! All of a sudden his fundamentalist politics and his controversial tenure as a strong regional politician became irrelevant. Everybody was singing praises of him; there were anecdotes and personal interactions and experiences being shared with the television viewers. Perhaps they wanted to stay connected with the current mood of the crowd and remain on the right side of the popular tide! Otherwise, except for mentioning it as a passing remark, not even a single person on various TV panels questioned Balasaheb’s admiration of Adolf Hitler. In no country on this Earth, certainly not in a functioning democracy, could a political leader – howsoever popular – could get away with his pro-Hitler remarks! And our esteemed Media chose to willfully ignore those oft repeated dangerously deep words of Bal Thackeray.

Watching Balasaheb’s body being consigned to flames and millions of his followers weeping inconsolably, I wished I had a chance to meet him in person – a desire which surfaced only today – and ask him: “Why do you admire Adolf Hitler? And what do you think of Hitler’s ethnic cleansing and killing of 6 million Jews?” … Now that he has left his earthly adobe and joined Hitler’s soul in God’s paradise, would he ask his Hero that “Why did he do what he did?”

There were many more thoughts clouding my mind: that witnessing millions converge and cry for him, how would he be feeling now? That would the other political leaders present at his funeral be feeling jealous of Balasaheb’s unmatched popularity? And, importantly, would they be learning a lesson of two from his life – and death - about mass politics? Most significantly, what would the people be feeling out there? Would they be able to sustain their feeling of loss for long? How long? Would the public support Uddhav in the same manner? Or will they prefer the firebrand Raj to the cooler cousin? Or will both the brothers join hands and make their political base stronger in absence of the towering presence of Balasaheb? Were all people in the crowd Marathis? Or were there South Indians and Muslims and Biharis who have been at the receiving end of Shiv Sena’s divisive politics at various stages of state’s politics? And if all twenty lakhs were Marathis – middle class Marathis – then how many were left at home to watch his last journey on TV? Could Biharis have come out in grief over Balasaheb’s death and with their great gesture won over the Shiv Sainiks forever? Will both the younger scions of Thackeray clan rethink their political philosophy and make it more inclusive and take all Mumbaikars along, irrespective of their state of birth and in turn start a new era for Shiv Sena in state politics? Would they be thinking of expanding their base to national level by cashing upon the massive support shown by the people of India towards Balasaheb in their hours of personal loss? Will the grieving youngest generation of Thackerays – Aditya included – take the lead in taking Shiv Sena beyond the boundaries of Maharashtra?

Well, my thoughts continued streaming in …     

Another aspect which fascinates me about a mass leader is his/her thought process: I wonder what could be going in his/her mind seeing the supporters surround in massive numbers? I am sure Balasaheb too would have felt overwhelmed seeing his followers follow him to his funeral pyre and cry for him. In fact, India as a whole felt the loss. Because it is not at all easy being a mass leader for long and Balasaheb seemed to thrash all possible theories about sustaining mass support today. May he rest in peace :)

Balasaheb Thackeray will live in stories of India as “Ek Tha Tiger”!         

Congratulations, Mr. President Barack Obama!

Watching you deliver your victory speech tonight I got transported to Grant Park in Chicago where exactly four years ago on the 4^th of November in 2008 you had mesmerized the whole world with your maiden victory speech! You had just created history by becoming the first “black” president of the United States of America and had gained entry into the otherwise forbidden walls of the White House!  

Tonight also it felt exactly the same. Seeing you come on the stage gave me goose bumps. And as you started speaking, my tears started rolling down. My tears were testimony to pure joy! Just like 2008, this year too I was absolutely confident about your chances for the second term. And then I realized how fast the last four years had flown by! I went down my memory lane.

Your journey towards the White House which started with you making a hypnotizing keynote speech at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles in 2004 brought me into your Universe as an ardent admirer! And I have been a selfless companion ever since, just like billions of your fans all across the globe! Interestingly, and a bit unbelievably, an average Indian was not even aware of your existence back then; they woke up to your presence only in 2008.

Your 2008 nomination as the presidential candidate seemed just a formality from the beginning itself as you were far ahead in terms of qualities and capabilities than all other competing candidates. Nevertheless, as the campaigning progressed, the world along with America got to discover you better. It was almost like witnessing an evolution of Barack Obama, the future president of the United States of America which was going to govern this incredible country of yours for at least next eight years!

“Change You Want” and “Change you can believe in” became synonymous with you! And after a long time people believed in political slogans. They got to greet a genuine leader who was not a politician. The circle of your charisma was not limited to the boundaries of America; your fame had travelled far and wide. The congregation of millions at the Tiergarten in Berlin in July of 2008, waiting patiently for hours to hear you speak live was the proof of you graduating as a world leader. Never before in the history of humanity did any “foreign” political leader have your kind of inclusive influence on people in a faraway land! People’s response all across the globe was simply mindboggling! I and my entire family had eagerly awaited your speech since evening; sleep was the last thing on our mind – and in our eyes – though it was already night in India.             

I fell in irreversible love with you in March of 2008 while listening to your “Race in America” speech in Philadelphia! What a speech it was! Unbelievable! The impact of your words could still be heard reverberating in my heart! That day our bond got cemented forever!

I followed your presidential campaign like a shadow. I joined your mailing list, I read about you extensively on the Net and in your books; you seemed a part of my being; your family members felt like belonging to my family; in my heart and mind, there was no distinction because of geographical & geopolitical barriers. I was no less than a walking encyclopaedia on you!

I distinctly remember the early morning of 4^th November of 2008. I was sleeping when my sister called from Shanghai, accusing me of “still sleeping while your Obama is winning!” And soon my parents and other family members called to congratulate me on your victory! Yes, for them, it was my victory as well! It was as if everybody in my circle had accepted the fact that I had a shared fate with you – just like the billions all across the globe!        

Today also the sequence of events was exactly the same. My sister called me in the early morning to “wake me up” to the election results! My parents and friends congratulated me on your victory! And, today again I cried listening to your victory speech in Chicago!

And I remembered your Toots – your grandmother – who too would have felt exactly the same as she had four years ago – blessing you from up above the sky so high! Wish God had kept her alive for just two more days in ’08 so that she could herself witness the beautiful metamorphosis of her “black” grandson into the 44^th – and 1^st black – president of the United States of America!

And how could I not remember your amazing mother Anne who transferred her extraordinary genes into you and made you what you are today!

Now I wait for your inauguration in January of next year. In fact everything from your earlier inauguration is so fresh in my memory that four years seem just like yesterday. I await you inauguration speech just like I did before.  

“Barack” means “blessed” and blessed indeed is America, and so is the world, with you being there as the president of the United States of America! May God be with you, as always! And, hope to see you soon in India – this time with Shasha, Malia and Bo, besides the First Lady Michelle :) 

Congratulations, again, Mr. President Barack Obama!

Consenting rape victims

God created the stars and the moons and the planets and the solar systems and the galaxies and the black holes and the Universe and the birds and the animals and the insects and the microbes and the plants and the humans and the demons and the politicians and the Indian politicians… Beyond this the God lost the plot!

“Human Genome Project” could come to aid if we want to get insights into what all goes inside the mind of an Indian politician – well, most of them. We need to know how exactly the neurons “conceive” – to “perceive” is a human trait – a situation and transmit those signals to the world in form of bizarre statements! The intricate workings of this unique species’ weirdly wired existence have to be due to mutations in their DNA sequence. And I am sure that no CT Scan or MRI will be able to map this breed’s brain, howsoever advanced the equipment may be.

No evolution theory will be able to infer this kind of mutation in a creature!

A girl gets raped; there is a case of gang rape; a female toddler is sexually abused by neighbour and killed; a father-in-law exploits his son’s bride to satisfy his carnal desires; incestuous tendencies get reported; a teacher seduces his pupil; etc. etc. These are a few examples of heinous atrocities being perpetrated against the “better-half” of India’s population.

Take a slice from our honourable politicians responses: “girls wear small dresses inviting rape”; “girls should not be out of home after dark, else they will get raped”; “girls use mobile phone to be in touch with boys and thus get raped”; … but the blockbuster of the conclusion is when they say: “rape happens only when the girl is willing!”

Tell me, can your ordinary mind fathom the “meaning” behind this distinguished deduction?

In the examples enumerated above, I fail to see the ‘consent’ of the victim – here, a female in all the mentioned cases. Did the girl “invite” the boy to rape her? Did the female “seduce” the group of men to gang rape her? Did the baby child “motivate” the neighbour to molest and murder her? Did the woman make the “move” to have sex with her groom’s father? Did the daughter “throw” herself at her own father for “consensual” physical relationship? Did the girl student “inspire” her teacher to sexually abuse her? …

To apply the ‘rape-inviting’ reasoning of our illustrious politicians: was the rape committed due to the female protagonists in all these cases displaying any of the “taboo” characteristics - either wearing a short dress or staying out till late evening or using a mobile phone or because she was “willing”?

Has the world ever before heard of ‘consenting victim’ in any crime, including rape? Well, in India we have these theories doing the rounds, all because of the brilliant logic proffered by our equally brilliant politicians!

See, even you are left speechless and shell-shocked!

I try scratching my head to be able to comprehend the grand logic behind all what our politicians say about ‘consenting victims’ but fail comprehensively.

To add insult to injury of rape victims, yet another great argument is being offered by esteemed elders of some section of our society: “marry them off by 16 and prevent rape.”

Some even blamed the humble chowmein for all evils in the Indian society! (I am sure this story hasn’t yet reached the shores of China, else India could be fighting hard to deflect a diplomatic crisis and an international outrage in the UN!)

God save India.

Neither there is any sense nor any sensibility. I wonder when they rest their head on pillow at night and think about their day gone by, how do they get a sound sleep? And before that when they get back home to their grandmother-mother-sister-wife-daughter-granddaughter, how do they face them? If I had a father who was a politician and who made such atrocious announcements, I wouldn’t have been able to face the world out of shame; and, of course, I would be cursing God for making me inherit those obnoxious genes!

All these extraordinary things happen in a nation which is led by incredible women personalities in numerous social-economic-political fields; and a country which prides itself on having its divine pantheon dominated by female Goddesses!... In spite of the Indian society having ‘evolved’ to a significant extent, it is sad to see India still being considered the most dangerous place for females in the world.   

But what is the remedy to this widespread malaise in the Indian political - social spheres?

Public have to be active in raising voices and together in boycotting such public figures – or anybody for that matter – making such dangerous remarks; Media have to be vigilant in exposing and condemning such dodgy politicians – or anybody for that matter; and above all, laws should be put in place to nail such ‘mutated’ individuals, barring them and banning them from holding public offices – or any post for that matter – for life.

Hopefully, then the God will get the plot back!     

……………….

I realize that India is not alone in having such dubious distinctions; the US also is blessed. Recently one of its politicians drew an inference regarding rapes: “female body has a remarkable ability to shut out pregnancy in case of rape!” (To read the details and his exact statement, please google.)

                    

When God speaks

When God speaks, you don’t hear anything! You only see – magic!

And when God of Cricket speaks, well, you still see magic :)

It was pure magic to hear Sachin speak with Arnab, frankly! Every word an “inspiration”; every sentence a “quote”! It was incredibly enchanting to watch two of my favourites chat with each other, and, frankly :)

Watching Sachin answer to Arnab’s probing – sometimes provoking – questions, yet reverential and friendly, took me more than two decades back. I was in Bombay – yes, it was called Bombay then; not that i call it by any other name now; Sachin Tendulkar had become a big name by then; and it was in the grapevine that he had met his love of life, his future wife Anjali Mehta.

It was a Sunday afternoon and we were at the Dadar Club, enjoying snacks while enjoying a club level tennis match between Ashok Mankad’s son Harsh and his opponent (I don’t remember his name).Befitting a cricket crazy country, our talks veered towards cricket and soon it got concentrated on Sachin. Imagine: we were watching a tennis match and talking about cricket! A friend of ours, a born-&-brought up Mumbaikar, who happened to personally know various sportsmen including Sachin, seeing the group’s enthusiasm extended his “generosity” and promised to take us to meet him at his home; he only needed a couple of hours to fix up our meeting for the coming weekend.

Wow! We spent the seemingly never-ending week counting days! And came the day when we were to go and meet Sachin Tendulkar. Yes, the same Sachin Tendulkar, who today is referred to as the God of Cricket!

We gathered at the Dadar Club, got into our friend’s car and started towards Sachin’s home. Excitement was at its peak! Unbelievable! And indescribable! And then the disaster struck! A dear friend of ours who had suffered from heartbreak recently went into sudden depression and refused to go anywhere. In sympathy, we friends dropped the “idea” till next weekend, which, of course, never came.

I too did not try to cheer up my friend or insist upon rest of us going ahead to meet Sachin as I too had recently suffered a personal loss – assassination of my most beloved personality, Rajiv Gandhi uncle, and I too was in not so cheerful mood. Then there was the hope that there would always be a ‘next time’ – next week – with our Mumbaikar friend being around. Today, I cannot believe it myself! Not even my family, who rightly think that I have been the biggest fool to have ever walked the planet Earth!    

Soon our days in Bombay came to an end and it was time to go back to our campus – without meeting Sachin, of course. And as the fate would have it, within months we got the tragic news of the death of our Mumbaikar friend and the link to Sachin Tendulkar was lost, forever. May his soul rest in peace. We miss you, Kamlesh :(

Since then I haven’t been able to understand God’s design in not letting that meeting happen with Sachin. I have regretted the lost opportunity every time I see Sachin; and will continue to mourn it even post my death. Once up there I am going to ask the God that why He not let us meet the then future God of Cricket! Was the God himself feeling threatened about this “imminent” competition?!

The regret regressed little bit when I got the God sent opportunity to watch Sachin play live.

The day was 7^th February and the year was 1999. The venue was Feroz Shah Kotla ground in Delhi. The occasion was the second test between India and Pakistan. It was the 5^th day of the test match. Pakistan was batting in their 2^nd innings. The advantage was that India was fielding and thus all players were visible on the field! And, yes, it was then that I first saw Sachin Tendulkar live! In flesh and blood, from so near that I could touch him! Yes, the God of Cricket was in front of me, playing, and I simply could not believe my luck! That day too I rushed back to Bombay of 1991. The memories of that day are so vivid that I can narrate in all details even after 13 years!

It was indeed a special day in my life! Not only for the fact that it was my first meeting with Sachin Tendulkar in person but also for the fact that Anil Kumble single-handedly demolished Pakistan with his historical 10 wickets haul in an inning! What a match it was! And what a meeting it was with the God of Cricket! And, that day too, I regretted deeply for having missed out, yet again, on seeing Sachin for four more days during the first four days of the test match; believe it or not, i did not go for the first four days of the test match as i was so-called busy with routine office work whereas actually I was wasting my cricket passes and the God’ sent lifetime opportunity!

I wonder if Sachin would remember this fan of his in red pullover and blue jeans :)

Many years have passed since then. Cricket has evolved further in India. We are the world Champions for the second time! T20 is the most popular format today. IPL is a big brand globally. India has become the super power nation as far as this sport is concerned. We may not have remained the No.1 in various formats of the game for long but India surely dominates – and dictates - the world of cricket!

In today’s times of too much cricket, I do not watch matches always. Not even when my country and my favourite players – Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni – are playing. Watching cricket matches live has also reduced drastically for me. But watching Sachin speak about his “imminent” retirement and his doubts about his availability for the next world cup gave me goose bumps! Indian cricket without Sachin? NO! The thought itself is frightening! Watching Frankly Speaking I prayed to the God for letting the God of Cricket be a part of cricket as long as possible – always, actually. I am sure even the “cricket atheists” will join me in my prayers …

And, thanks Arnab, for your wonderful chat with Sachin! You could bring out so far unseen dimensions of his personality with your superb interviewing. I especially liked your introductory comments and your concluding remarks. I am sure even Sachin is going to remember this interview for ever, when he spoke Frankly :)