Change in India is not going to happen by the resignation of the Home Minister. Nor by high profile dialogues in high profile news channels by high profile people. One of the reasons that India has not been able to change is it is still a feudal society where hundreds of millions of its citizens barely survive in degrading inhuman conditions. With no right to justice, education or dignity. Our greater crime is not just that this state of the nation exists, it is that we, the more fortunate ones accept it so easily. Yes we pay lip service, but do we really care ?
Change in India is not going to come from elections either. 60 years of freedom has proven that to us clearly. The political system has been subverted to serve only those that manage to push their way into the so called ‘elitist club’. Through any means.
Change comes from HOPE. And the majority of the people of India live without hope. It is a true indictment of our political system that we have not been able to give the people of India hope. We need a leader that can give us hope.
We need another Mahatma Gandhi. And if there is a movement we need in India – it should be a movement to look for that leader. One that has no affiliations to a party. One that is outside the completely corrupted political system, but one that the people of this nation, the rich, the poor, the downtrodden, the elite, the young, the old, will completely follow, trust and respect. Hindu’s and Muslims, Sikhs and Christian – all of them,
is there such a man or a woman that can lead us to our ‘true tryst with destiny’ ?
you talk of times when the leaders were decent human beings with values. HOPE arises along side the existence of a common noble cause….even if the manner of thinking may differ.
in the midst of these criminals……..even gandhiji may have had it tougher !
yet, who knows………when the time is right the leader will appear.
NOONE CAN STOP AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME.
you, perhaps! why not!! but You would know better.
Sir I completely agree with you. I feel Kalam sir is the best option available. He talks of a developed India and in all the public meeting he takes promises from everyone that they will work for india’s growth. Pretty simple and a great approach to make everyone aware of their priorities.
I feel he needs to involve more. We need to listen him. This time really we need someone who can assure us, at least can show us a developed India. A secure and educated India who will be spreading peace in the world. Amen..
Om shanti….
YES
Search for THE Leader is needed Now
Change is must for India
We all need to stand for it
We all can create THE leaders we need,
remember J Krishnamurthy & Annie Besant …
remember Bollywood, created from zero, Why, How, By Whom, you know the detials …
Our own willingness is must for Change
I know. My heart knows,this Indian exists.I beseech this person to stand up and speak.When he raises his voice we will all recognise that he is the chosen one to lead.No time to loose now.THANK YOU.
when something like drops of water falls constantly on the same place it makes a mark …makes a depression on the hard ground …so are such incidents making its marks on the minds and heart of the masses in India. Once we are all united in our thoughts …the much needed revolution will come about in history . Its only a matter of time and we wont even have to look for a leader — someone will emerge from amongst us…someone who has no agenda except for making our country united and secure in every sense.
Lets spread the awareness around us …thats the role we are to play .
ASen
We need to reinforce feelings and sentiments to make humanity stronger,
Once again the need of the crucial times …
“TEETAR KO MAIN BAAZ BANAAU …
SAWA LAKH SE EK LARAAU …”
We need good people all together. People like Kalam, Kiran Bedi… People who really puts our country first. We need to change the parliamentary form of govt. Its a constitutional amendment and very very tough to get it done but we can. Nothing is impossible. We will get our leader soon if everyone and starts working for one common goal.
YES, those politicians and big people who are responsible for our security must resign. They must go and let others come forward to serve for this country. We can how that govt. works for us and if they dont perform well, they are fired.
Why is it that we are incapable of having leaders who take us seriously- us and our needs. Mumbai has been in trouble since 1992. What has changed? The name, in 1995, then the Marathi non-marathi divide and so on and so forth. Oh yes riots also. More bomb blasts later, we still watch these incompetent people use this tragedy also as a gigantic political photo-op. Is it because as a people we get the leaders we deserve. People who are able to manipulate us on our religions, our personal biases and preferences and regions. People who use us and then use our carnage to further their interests. Nothing else. We are also as much victims of the “chalta hai” mentality as our “leaders” are. Why blame them., We need accountability., not blaming another country or the followers of a particular religion.
A good part of the nation is already on involuntary hunger strike. That has not helped soften the terrorist’s stand in any way.
The invading Mughals had put many non-violent protesters to rest. Even though Gandhiji was an enlightened soul, this situation demands an Arjuna or an Ashoka. This is a proxy war, and India needs a war-time leader.
Think, Mr.Abdul Kalam is the best choice available.
He has laid down a vision, even before becoming the president of India.
And i strongly, we leader who can influence young people more than just providing Hope.. and think he has the potential to ignite minds.. as he had done earlier during his tenure…
Other good choice would be Mr.Narayana Murthy ..he claims himself to be “Socialist at heart and Capitalist in reality” and we need a person who can be an example to the youth of India.. and he is an amazing person.. to lead India ahead.
Both of them have handled complex requirements with respect to Project Management , Man management etc.. and think it should be possible for them to lead us forward..
Mr.Shekhar ,
i dont know what change you are narrowing upon,but when talking about Politicians(resignation) and Navy (naval security),both of them are on fault lines ,cross border security ,where non-indians (terrorists) entering into Indian sub-continent is a clear indication how Navy has failed to secure,where Politicians have no role to control.but once on to the shore the fishermen who have complained of abduction of boat and the killing of the crew of the boat by terrorists ,and a case registered ,which was left like a pick pocket case,which normally happens when politicians feed corrupt police with money and biryani to buy and sleep so badly that they cant see and hear the anti-social elements creating havoc.How can the government or police department ignore ,Fisherman union’s writen information of RDX tranport into mumbai.what are they doing.Politicians like R.R.Patel ,who say,”Bade bade sehro mein aise choti choti ghatna hotha hai”,(not exactly these words but) something similar ,which came from his mouth has woken our senses questioning how did we vote this kind of people,who cant feel the anguish and anger of the people of India?but yes the politicians and leaders have gone one step ahead ,like,Vilasrao Deshmukh has taken Ram gopal Varma ,i dont know what the hell is wrong woth these two guys,a c.m makes a visit to horrific and tragedy that hurt the nation with defense ministyr and intelligence and national security personnel ,leaves those people and takes a film director who wants to commercialize on the incident by scripting it to screen,shameless . there is lot of “Spirit of Mumbai” is heard all over,for godsake media,this attack is not entitled to mumbai,its for whole the country,its about the “SPIRIT OF INDIA”.
Dear, Shekhar:
YES THERE IS!
Let’s use social media to find our true leaders. I blogged on this at http://tr.im/1l6b and will open up the site in the coming days to invite user participation in this grassroots campaign.
First lets just stop complaining and
BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE.
Lets start seeing the half glass filled with water.
If you get into election, I would definately vote for you. I think so you have a support of one vote already, that is if you stand for election in south mumbai.
From the current people in politician. I would vote for Milind Deora. He was out on the streets without security. He would tell the news channel that, commandos are doing their job and he was helping out the injured who needed help.
I wanted to share this with you. There is this group i joined on facebook.
BOMBAYITES FOR ACTION!!!!
They have planned a meeting at Gateway on Wednesday. I am surely going to be a part of this.
Dear all,
Right now there is a lot of anger – justifiable anger.
we want the politicians kicked out,
we want terror camps bombed
we want Raj uncle socked in the face
All justified, all good…
But the important thing is that this should not be shortlived anger that gets expended in rhetoric and slogan shouting and marches and blogs
and is forgotten one week or one month from now
All of us are angry
I say we use that angry
coolly, calmly
we want revenge, we want justice – great
But let us be Sicilian about it – Revenge is a dish best served cold
What we really want is a safe Mumbai
a safe India
an India where we know the taxes we pay are being used to secure us
to build infrastructure
to make our lives better…
where our leaders are people we look up to
not crooks we want to thulp with our chappals…
What we need is for the system to change
and that can’t be done from ranting or railing from the outside
if we want the system to change, we have to get in there and do it
Mahatma Gandhi said – be the change you want to see in the world
that’s where we have to start
no one if going to show up with a magic wand and clean for us the mess our country is in
we’re going to have to get our hands dirty…
what i’m suggesting, proposing, envisioning, dreaming of is a party of professsionals – engineers, doctors, architects, media people, ad guys, film makers, TV folk, finance and marketing junta and so on and so forth. I’m saying we come together all of us – find the best leaders amongst us who are willing to take the leap, put them up as candidates, raise money for them market them, publicise them, get support at the grassroot level for them and try and get them elected. Simultaneously we come up with an agenda for sustainable development, for creating the India we have wished for – we find out what the common man wants, we put the best minds available to come up with policy that best serves the needs of the country and this becomes the manifesto that the party stands for.
In a nutshell – I’m talking about the most creative, most brilliant minds being put to use to make a better India, nay – the best India…
It sounds like a pipe dream, it’s not going to be easy. So many minds – we will not agree easily – but if we stick to a common dream, we will find consensus. So many vested interests – they will try to break us, brow beat us, bludgeon us, but remember – they think they can fight dirty – but we are the ones facing terrorist bullets and bombs. we are the ones getting our bones restructured on potholed roads. we are the ones facing electricity cuts, water shortage, rising prices. We are the ones (once we get beyond the cities) who have faced starvation and suicides. We are way, way tougher than these assholes. i say we can kick their butts…
We’re at ground zero now – it’s going to take a lot of thinking, research, hard work to make this dream happen. But it can happen. Maybe not this election, maybe not the next but maybe the next to next. And I do know this – if we start now, in 6 months we can field candidates in all Bombay constitutencies – we may not win – but we will be there…
WE CAN… SO LET’S…
It begins wed Gateway – 6 PM…
Sunshine in our lives
What a great post and a great conversation. I think leadership and change will come organically from the grassroots level. The whole build the temple and they will come mentality. You have to build the foundation and define your idea, spread your message and build support and awareness, and once you have a strong backing you will have a voice and a natural leader will have emerged. There is such strength in numbers.
THE QUESTION SHOULD BE – IS THE INDIVIDUAL READY FOR CHANGE??
IMAGINE ONE BILLION INDIVIDUALS WAKING UP TO THE UGLY REALITY –
“PRIEST AND THE POLITICIAN – MAFIA OF THE SOUL”
President’s rule.
Bring in Dr. Kalam. People like Dr. Bedi.
Put in a harsh punishment for crime against the country- a punishment, not a joke. No mercy.
What about the rest of the gang that got away?
What about the stories of torture and rape that are now coming in?
What about the network on the ground that has brought this operation to flawless execution?
I don’t know. But I wont back off.
Do we really need change? rather as a nation are we ready to accept change, clean governance? Is one iconic figure the answer? Can we in our daily life agree, understand to make simple changes? Will we stop buying smuggled goods, will we respect traffic signals, can we be polite to one another, can we stop child labour.. can we most of all have a consensual decision to control our population? why is it based on religion, why do some people need children to work in garages to feed the household? why can’t all of us get real… kids are kids they are the same souls going around in cycles… if every woman limits herself to have just one or two really & give adequate time, love & VALUE BASED EDUCATION can’t we see a better world in the future. Can’t all men accept the fact that producing children no way is a sign of their masculanity. We all need to accept the fact we all contribute similarly for the genetic make up but a fine human being emerges because of good up bringing, exposure to good values .
Terrorism is one aspect of life but we by our complacent behaviour are creating so much of unpleasantness, such lopsided views, such unhealthy atmosphere for our future generation. Gosh, I wish my son does not think sleeping with a gun under his pillow is the best way to tackle evil… just because his favourite celebrity does so. Also our pseudo secular celebrities making comments about bias by public towards particular community. Stop making mountains out of mole hills.
Wish the media stops highlighting two things’educated’ terrorists, & ‘spirit’ of sufferers. As it has already been highlighted by many, studying in international schools, getting degrees or speaking in english is not education. it has to be VALUE BASED. Spirit is there because there is no alternative, can we sit brood cry , who will feed us? can you go on a killing rampage?
I don’t know if we are going to find that leader ever! The problem with our today’s leaders is that they are not leaders they are politicians. They will do anything and everything to earn the currency of the democracy: votes. We can call them Vote Whores. They don’t care about India. In fact they don’t want India. All they want are castes, religions and regions to be exploited to get to the Power.
Yes, elections can not bring change in India. Probably democracy has failed in the biggest democracy in the world. But remember democracy is not about leaders it is about people. India will change only when we the Indian people will change
I think SK is absoloutly right in what he has said. I also think he needs to voice this at a much higher level with the media continously and start a revoloution to find the next great leader. S
We have to change to see the change.
– Old saying.
Dawn does not come with our efforts.
Harb
Signs Of An Attempted Coup In New Delhi
With a traumatized nation and a paralyzed government, a core group of secular ideologues and Hindu nationalists are executing a ‘soft coup’ in New Delhi to bring to power hawks who want to pursue America’s agenda of grooming India as a regional policeman, sort out Pakistan and confront China.
India will self-destroy in the process. India’s military and intelligence has been penetrated. More.. The man who uncovered the plot, Hemant Karkare, the anti-terrorism chief of Mumbai police, was the first target of the mysterious terrorists. Patriotic Indians need to wake up and save their country.
Preliminary signs emerging from India’s power center, New Delhi, paint a picture of an unstable situation. Security is already compromised. But a bigger story is taking place in New Delhi, not Mumbai. There are disturbing signs that India, a nuclear-armed nation of a billion people, is witnessing a ‘soft coup’ attempt involving secular rightwing ideologues and Hindu nationalists.
Exploiting the fears of a traumatized nation and a government caught sleeping at the wheel, a core group of rightwing ideologues within India’s military, intelligence and political elite are trying to overthrow Manmohan Singh’s government. The plan apparently is to help the rise of rightwing elements in power and firmly push India in a confrontation with Pakistan and some other countries in the region.
The objective of this core group is to see India emerge as a superpower closely allied with the United States. They are excited about American plans for India as a regional policeman and have no problem in confronting China and Pakistan to achieve this status. They think time is slipping and they don’t want a hesitant political leadership in their way. Already the instability in the wake of Mumbai attacks is being exploited to start a war with Pakistan. The fact that this will also help U.S. military that is facing a tough time in Afghanistan appears to be more than just a coincidence.
In the very first hours of the Mumbai attack, the unknown terrorists were able to achieve a singular feat: the targeted murder of Hemant Karkare, the chief antiterrorism officer in the Indian police. The man was responsible for exposing the secret links between the Indian military and Hindu terror groups. His investigation resulted in uncovering the involvement of three Indian military intelligence officers in terrorist acts that were blamed on Muslim groups. At the time of his murder, Karkare was pursuing leads that were supposed to uncover the depth of the nexus between the Indian military and the sudden rise of well armed and well financed Hindu terrorism groups with their wide network of militant training camps across India.
Curiously, a CCTV camera has caught on tape one of the unknown terrorists when he arrived with his group at their first target: a train station. The man, dressed in a jeans and a black T-shirt and carrying a machine gun [see picture below], is wearing an orange-colored wrist band very common among religious Hindus. As a comparison, a recent picture of a Hindu militant activist taken during an event this year is shown to the right where the militant is wearing a similar band.
Left, a CCTV snapshot of one of the Mumbai terrorists, wearing the sacred Hindu armband and carrying a machine gun. Right, a picture of a typical member of Hindu terror groups, wearing the same armband. The band is sacred to fundamentalist Hindus who believe wearing it shows devotion and brings good luck from gods. [click here if you can’t see the pictures]
An aggressive advertisement campaign has already begun across India urging a scared population to rise against the government.
On Friday, front-page advertisements appeared in several newspapers in Delhi showing blood splattered against a black background and the slogan “Brutal Terror Strikes At Will” in bold capital letters. The ads signed off with a simple message: “Fight Terror. Vote B.J.P.”
The Indian, the Pakistani and the international media has not woken up yet to this ‘soft coup’ taking place in New Delhi. Some observers and journalists are beginning to catch its first signs. This is how a New York Times reporter, Somini Sengupta, has characterized it today:
“Mr. Singh’s government had lately hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party with evidence that its supporters, belonging to a range of radical Hindu organizations, had … been implicated in terrorist attacks. Indeed, in a bizarre twist, the head of the police antiterrorism unit, Hemant Karkare, killed in the Mumbai strikes, had been in the midst of a high-profile investigation of a suspected Hindu terrorist cell. Mr. Karkare’s inquiry had netted nine suspects in connection with a bombing in September of a Muslim-majority area in Malegaon, a small town not far from Mumbai. “
Evidence is emerging that Karkare knew he was facing the prospect of a violent death because of the investigation he was pursuing. What Karkare probably didn’t know is that his elimination would come in such a perfectly executed operation.
Only hours before Karkare’s violent death, his close friend, retired Colonel Rahul Gowardhan, received an envelope. Karkare called him to say he was sending him a confidential letter. This is how Times of India has reported the story:
Just some hours before that, Karkare had sent a letter to him in an envelop which had some “personal” content. “Hemant had called me up on Wednesday,” said Gowardhan, a top official with MSEDCL. “As I was in a meeting, we decided to postpone the talk. He hung up saying he would be sending me an envelope. When I wanted to know the content, he told me to just read the letter that’s inside it. I returned home and read it. I cannot share the content of the letter with anyone,” said Gowardhan.
The highly sophisticated nature of the attack in Mumbai, lasting for almost 60 hours, diminishes the chances of a foreign invasion and increases the possibility that influential elements in Indian intelligence and Hindu militant organizations might have helped orchestrate this incident, pretty much like they did in the Sept. 29 Malegaon attack, in which they tried to simulate a Muslim terrorist group. In that attack, in which three Indian military intelligence officers have been arrested, the objective was to provoke a Muslim backlash that could justify a massive state crackdown against minorities.
Observers are already seeing how the hawks within the Indian establishment and Hindu militant organizations have seized the initiative from a paralyzed government. The Indian army and intelligence are already penetrated. Now the real culprits are channeling the fears of a traumatized people toward Pakistan.
India is on the same path today that the Bush administration hawks took the American nation on after 9/11. But this time, patriotic Indians have the benefit of hindsight. They should stop the secular warmongers and Hindu militants from hijacking their country. The future of the entire region depends on it.
Mr. Brown, u obviously know nothing about Indian politics. At best, the malegaon incident could have been an Indian retaliation to Muslim terrorism. If it was a plan as suggested by you, the blast would have taken place in a hindu majority and not in malegaon. That would, according to ur “plan”,have been a much better choice. Regarding the terrorists disguised as hindus….u obviously dont expect them to come like mullas and roam unsuspected in mumbai, do u. OK… lets assume wat u r saying is correct….then in that case y were there so many bomb blasts just 5 yrs ago when the right wing BJP was is power? Did the congress orchestrate it then to come to power. Mr. Brown, by hiding from the facts and shifting of the blame u r digging a hole for the whole world. Terrorism has not even spared Pakistan and it will not spare anyone in the world.
The leaders are all there everywhere. The reason why no leader can be seen in this modern world is bcos of intense scrutiny. Imagine our media running after each and every activity of Gandhiji. Could he have become this great a leader. The problem is with our expectations. Why are we expecting a lord krishna to arrive. This is a human world. Humans are imperfect souls. Are we ready to accept an imperfect being as our leader. Just someone bcos we know he has the conviction and intention(most lacking in our present lot of leaders).
Dear Shekhar,
I’m extremely worried; I dread a full blown conflict between India and Pakistan after what happened last week. No guys, I’m not being paranoid here. This wasn’t a regular terrorist attack or some random bomb blasts which will be forgotten easily this time. The carnage is weighing heavily on millions of Indians across the world. People in India no longer feel safe; ‘anything can happen anywhere now’ is the common sentiment among people there. Though I admire our commandos, who continuously fought for 50+ hours with terrorists, experts believe that in the final count India’s response to the attacks was much delayed, amateurish and a systematic failure. (Please read this article, http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india1-2008dec01,0,1130306.story)
Now, if India can provide concrete evidence to Pakistan and, more importantly, to the International community (including UN security council) that Mumbai terrorists had base in Pakistan (even if Pak govt or the ISI was not involved directly), I see no reason why India cannot take Pakistan to task this time. I mean the whole world witnessed in horror what happened and most of them are as eager as us to punish the culprits.
But there is a caveat here. How many times it has happened that after a terrorist activity in India, our govt and intelligence points towards Pakistan and Pakis in return say that they are innocent…and then the status quo persists until it happens again. What’s the guarantee that it wont happen again? Yes, we have captured one terrorist alive and right now it’s claimed that he is admitting to be a Pakistani and so on..but remember, there is just one suspect alive..all others are killed. Now, what if a week later, he turns hostile and starts saying that he was forced to give those statements by Indian police!!! I mean hasnt such volte-face happened before in such cases? Now coming back to the dead terrorists… Yes, we have their mobile phones which show calls made/received from Pakistan and we found almonds in their bags and all that blah blah blah which, as always, will do us no good in proving conclusively to the world that Pakistan was behind these attacks. No, I’m not being cynic here..I have just become more realistic in life as I’m tired of the same drama playing again and again..plus if you guys have any doubts on this, just scan the media outside India….even though they all are empathizing with India at this moment, explicitly or implicitly everybody is urging for concrete proof of Pakistan’s involvement before they can join us in condemning Pak.
So, here comes my worst fear; As usual, Pak wont admit anything and the world will also remain wishy washy on this..now, Indian govt under the mounting pressure from it’s answer seeking citizens, and also to salvage it’s hurt pride in front of the international community, will take some concrete action which might mean eventual border conflict with Pakistan. With both sides being Nuclear power, one thing can lead to another (dont forget: Iran’s closeness to Pakistan and also Iran’s nuclear arsenal, Russia’s threat to the US in case US attacks Iran, jihadis in the middle east and their war against imperial west and so on) and before anybody knows, we all will be in a deep shit. Yes, I remember that similar situation occurred after 2001 parliament attack but nothing happened (because of US intervention). But, remember that the current situation is very different..the scale of the attack is much bigger this time and it has stunned the whole world. Plus, the ruling Congress is under constant attack by all and sundry for being soft on terrorism..general elections are around the corner and Congress fully knows that they are for sure gonna lose if they dont do something now ..infact for them, this might be a God sent ’opportunity’ to win back the losing electorate.
I think the best case scenario is that we prove to Pakistan/to the world that the terrorists are based in their territory (even if Pak govt is not supporting them) and then Pakistan will have no option but to admit. Then, perhaps with a joint operation with US and Pakistan, India is allowed to go after the terror bases in Pakistan’s NW provinces and weed out the terrorists. In between these two extreme scenarios, I dont see anything happening except we all chattering all over the place and then in 2-3 months everything going back to square one.
I would also take this opportunity to request all you intelligent and sensitive souls out there to not get swayed by emotions alone during these critical times. It’s very important for all of us to be cautious of media rhetoric and not get carried away by the mumbo jumbo of all and sundry; everybody seems to have countless opinions but not necessarily any wisdom based on correct information and proper context.
We need to question everything (the media, the administration, intellectuals and most importantly ourselves) and try not to get satisfied everytime by easy answers. Before we get honest answers and achieve fair solutions, we have to first go to the root of this scourge without the prism of our own religion, region, prejudices and nation affecting our judgement. Because, it’s not a problem of one country or one region alone..we all are connected through our problems..
With both fear and hope in my heart…
Regards
Dev
Shekhar,
First of all, please de-mystify Gandhiji. He had said to not to refer to him as a Mah-atma (Great Soul). Let’s call him M.K.Gandhi. Once, we do that, we now encourage ordinary atma’s to step forward and excel in their lives. May the Billion atma’s of India step forward!
Then, we have another 5 Billion atma’s outside of India. Let’s ask them to step forward for the rest-of-the-world.
Each one has a task of educating people in their immediate circle of the message of compassion to other Humans and all on our planet, down playing greed, etc. etc.
Will it work! I don’t know. Mahabharatha does preach to “Yudh Kar” (Fight injustice). Could the war in Mahabharatha be avoided? I don’t know. This is a sincere question. I have not had a chance to read the whole Mahabharatha. Can someone educate me, please?
Tim Brown,
Save your stupid conspiracy theories, and please do not compare the Hindutva groups in India to the right wingers in the US. They are completely different in nature and ideology. For India, it is a matter of survival to confront these terrorist neighbours, and not a war-profiteering venture. It’ll take you a lifetime to study the history of India. And you should probably do that before posting crap like that.
Dev,
At times, doesn’t it just make sense to address this situation through military operations – probably not full blown war – to take out these camps with or without Pak support, rather than allow this proxy war against civilians to continue? There is probably NO PEACEFUL SOLUTION to the Kashmir issue or Pakistan. This might be the hard truth.
YES.I am PREM, a representative of Almighty . How can you help me to make this country a Supernatural Power of the World. I have left all my hopes from the politicians this country who have proved to be dishonest at heart. They have ridiculous attitude toward Almighty.
RajuK,
The Gita is a divine insight into non-duality. Arjuna and Gandhiji are different sides of the same coin. All types of work are done by what we commonly refer to as God. Many of our Hindu epics are composed in the context of war. Different situations demand different solutions. Lack of deep wisdom in today’s India has led to this mess of passivity and inaction.
Did you know that there is a system in our constitution, as per the 1969 act, in section “49-O” that a person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he doesn’t want to vote anyone!
Yes such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called “49-O”.
Why should you go and say “I VOTE NOBODY”… because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received “49-O” votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them. This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way, of our whole political system… it is seemingly surprising why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public….
Please spread this news to as many as you know… Seems to be a wonderful weapon against corrupt parties in India… show your power, expressing your desire not to vote for anybody, is even more powerful than voting… so don’t miss your chance. So either vote, or vote not to vote (vote 49-O) and pass this info on…
“Please forward this mail to as many as possible, so that we, the people of India , can really use this power to save our nation”. Use your voting right for a better INDIA.
India is probably one of those countries which has not been able to defend itself right from invasion of intruders like Mohammad Ghazni, Nader Shah, and later Mughal invasion and then British invasion. We as a culture have never laid emphasis on violence so here we are, unable to defend ourselves, because we deep down in our hearts are scared, we try to pose our fear as our tolerance. We may have nuclear weapons , or one of greatest army in world, and yet 10 people could make whole nation a hostage, speaks of our utter incompetence, in rergard to our self defence. Our response has always been reactive, and will remain that way for many more years. It takes centuries to shape a culture, and probably will take many more if we wish to change.
Hi,
I had been to Gateway of India today. And it was something never seen before, I just hope this ethusiam and madness is channelised in the right way. I was expecting a meet, but this was more of a rally. I mean no NGO or Government was involved. Woh kahte hai na ‘aam aadmi’ organised it.
I have seen this kind of madness for cricket in our counrty, people on street with flags.
I went with my sis, jiju and one of my friend. There were people in thousands…..it was like everyone were together. I one person said ‘Vande’ loudly, everyone would just scream ‘Mataram’. Or any such slogans.
There were so many banners:
‘Our fight is not against Pakistan, but against terrorism.’
‘We had terrorist entering with boat and politicans entering with vote.’
‘No Security, no tax’
‘No dogs and politicians allowed out here’
‘Salute to the Camandos’
‘We want to feel safe’
and many many more.
News channels are flashing:
Mumbai Police have announced that gathering of more than 5 people in public places are banned after 5th December.
Prime Minister John Howard – Australia :
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation’s mosques. Quote: ‘IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.’
‘This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom’
‘We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!’
‘Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.’
‘We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.’
‘This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, ‘THE RIGHT TO LEAVE’.’
‘If you aren’t happy here then LEAVE. We didn’t force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.’
Stupids. Idiots. Inane asses who dont learn however hard they are hit. Incorrigbly warped in ‘definitions’ and endowed with slavish mindsets.
All of the above describes India and Indians. We deserve the leadership we elect. With a distorted sense of history and self-damning attitude always prone to self-destruct the esteem , we dont need anyone from outside to mess with us.
we mess with ourselves enough for the rest of the world and our enemies to watch in glee. Of course once in a while , they walk on the carpet we have spread for them to kick our balls – if they indeed exist.
India’s balls are missing – also missing is the beauty , free spirit and valour it once had – in the classical times before Islamic invasions and the Hindu haulocaust left us reeling before another set of looters took over – the British.
Pakistan has no right to exist – the Anti-Indian mindset and the home of Anti-Hindu , Anti-Indic culture is the idea of Pakistan.
For peace to prevail in this region , Pakistan must be dismantled – all Indians should re-claim their original sacred geography – that extends from Takshasila (Taxila) and Gandhar ( Kandahar) to Dhakinipur (Dacca).
India needs a Chanakya – as I wrote many times in the past – This Chanakya will be bloodier than before. This land needs cleansing . Sooner or later , this is bound to happen.
I dread the day it will , because this second Chanakya will be a bloody one , maybe a Hindu Hitler – maybe thats what India needs.
Hi Sir, i dont know if anyone would agree with me but i feel Mr. Lalu prasad Yadav is one modern leader who has always spoken the right things and has a heart of gold , head of a fox and Fatherly temprament . He is a bold person at the same time a great family man at same time very practical and never tries to create divide between people . Even media , film stars , professionals , politicians almost everyody when they speak anything the underlying meaning of their words is either self interest or to malign someone . Lalu prasad on other hand is man who has the courage to visit Pakistan and connect to people as if he is naive to any human divide , he tries to rebuilt a bankrupt Railway system coming back to its purpose of serving Indians and does it succesfully , he stands by Congress party or any party at center with patience and like a loyal ally come what may , he is a very original person and his head most of the times comes out with very fertile and practical thoughts . He is a man of morality , courage and thick skin unlike most of modern day people . The only drawback he holds is his rustic ways may not attract urbane Indians but then attraction , glamour , shallow thinking is what has caused all the modern day miseries . I would urge all your readers to listen to interviews and floow the track record of Mr. Lalu yadav and you would be convinced by what i want to tell .
Thanks
Venkat
Rudra,
I’m copying a post of mine from another topic:
The solution is not to go after people of any religion, but to go after the religion itself.
These revelationary religions were corrupted alterations of originals borne of politics and power struggles before and during dark ages, and do not contain any efficient tools for spiritual evolution, but rather contain emotional formula to create division and wage war under some copyrighted mental idols called by various names.
The only God is within, and it is formless..to realize it is what in Hinduism is refered to as self-realization. That is why higher teachings of Hinduism ‘click’ with so many advanced souls. These souls have probably gone through some or all other externally directed religions which have failed them, and it’s time for their minds to go inside.
Any organized religion that claims exclusive rights to an external God, and calls others infidels or unsaved souls and such crap is a virus. So, this fanatic brand of Islam – and any religion – can only be dissolved with exposure to higher truths. But this is not to say that all Hindus in India are sages..far from it..those monkeys also need to absorb some of it. That’s all i can say..if that will ever happen or not is to be seen.
Bravo Rudra! I agree with you 100%
You have said what many are afraid to voice. You are absolutely right. Each culture, each tradition had the right to live in peace; and it is now clear that when your neighbour’s (in this case Pakistan’s) raison d’etre (reason for existence) itself is to hate us, then such a state is founded on wrong principles, and does not deserve the right to exist. Islam can claim as its territory the Arabian desert where it was born. The Indian subcontinent is the land of Hindus, its very name in Arabic says it; Al Hind, meaning Land of the Hindus. Curiously Hindukush means the Hindu Holocaust, or the Hindu pogrom, the steady agenda of Islam for over a 1000 years, something the negationists of this country have disallowed from being widely-known.
Yes, this is going to be a bloody war. Sooner or later, it is bound to happen.
As a iranian astrologer once said,
Around the year 2009-2010 a leader will rise from the east, who will change the global dynamic, end world war 3 and envisage a new era for the people of the east…
I think Modi’s time has come…
Modi will end islam in 2009, the day he becomes Prime Minister, most probably nuking mecca and medina, and the west and israel will get blamed, world war 3 will begin, where the west, the communists, the middle east and china battle it for world hegemony…
In these trying times, modi will build the indian economy like no other leader, the world has seen, and once again, india will be the golden bird of the world..
prosperity for the west came through blood and violence… prosperity of islam came through the sword…
modi is the karmic reaction of colonialism and islam.
a force, that will shatter the western world and the middle east forever….
Teesta,
Now those are some real extremist views LOL I think you are giving Modi too much credit. He is quite a moderate actually. He may go after Pak, but he’s quite pro-american since a lot of his support base of Gujaratis are from the US and UK. The west of old is not the west of new, so the west is not the enemy, neither are all the muslims from the middle-east. If you have been exposed to any of them, you’ll even see that many of them prefer Indians over Pakistanis..Pakis are a disgrace world-wide.
So yes, Pakistan has to be dismantled or resolved in some critical way sooner or later. But you are taking it too far.
Read my comments,
I am not against the west.
Modi is the western world’s answer to islamic violence.
Because, modi demonstrates to islamists what real brutality is.
Osama bin Laden once said, the greatest threat to Islam is not Bush, America or the Western world, but the real threat is MODI.
Modi was born to end Islamo fascism. Karma of 1200 years of Islamic violence, finally gave birth to a leader called Modi.
I am from small village in Tiruvanalli in Tamli Nadu, I think this modi is good leader. in all small villages like mine, simple poor peoples like me are inspired by the modi. I sold tea for 4 years, now i am computer teacher in village, modi will bring I think the good economic development here. Inspired by him, even in madurai and salem, many of the goverment officers dont take bribe inspired by his nationalism.. this is good change
I urge all Indians to get the UPA out of power as soon as possible, because if they continue for another term with all their pseudo-secularism, facade of do-goodership and rampant corruption, India will descend further into chaos. They are the 3rd biggest blunder for India after the Mughals and the British. Instead of replacing the leaders in Maharashtra with some honest, sincere people, they have chosen Chaggan Bhujbal and Chavan..some of the most corrupt politicians who have despicable scams to their credit. Sharad Pawar is the one who promoted the underworld especially Dawood for his fight against the Shiv Sena. Their allies such as the Lalus, Paswans and Amar Singhs are probably on ISI payrolls, and are exponentially worse than the caste system ever was in inciting division among the lower castes to get votes and money. Their anti-hindu agenda is borne of the corruption of their own souls.
But i think by design, India is heading towards being a strong and united nation glued by a tolerant but aggressive Hindutva ideology. Prior to independence, there wasn’t a singular Hindu nation, and through all these happenings the passive giant is being awakened. The majority of India are Hindus, and if a party like UPA keeps aggravating the majority on a constant basis, it will polarise things to great depths, as has already happened. So now is the perfect time to get a Hindu-oriented party to pacify the majority, stop this division from spilling into further chaos, and instilling some values – however imperfect – into this circus of governance in India.
Modi is the ideal candidate to lead the country, a politician way above the league, tainted by these fearful anti-hindu forces to hold on to their dear lives and keep their long history of scams and corruption under wraps..hopefully Advani gives him the way.
It’s unfortunate for support barbarians like Modi who have embarrassed humankind by their opprobrious acts. The progress of a humanity is not in condemning each other. We need to move beyond the boundaries of religion. The religion has and will always impede the progress of society.
Mr Kapur, I strongly condem any remarks in support of barbarians like Modi. The mother of all problems is illiteracy which breeds nothing but ignorance and forces the vulnerable souls to be misguided by the politicians and fundamentalists.
I strongly believe that the most effective ‘CHANGE’ that can happen in our country is in the Electoral Mechanism. Look at all the news, debates, demonstrations, chats, blogs….. a vast majority points their finger at politicians. They are all probably correct. However a politician is just the host body, in which this virus resides. Look beyond what produces a politician & one may find the first hints of a solution.
I am probably just re-wording what many of us already believe in. But I want to put forward my arguments based on the premise of a basic CONTRADICTION in the discussions all over the media in the past days. Some say “we must be responsible citizen, by exercising our right to vote”… then in the same context it’s said “by voting we can ensure responsible politicians come to power”.
That’s exactly where the contradiction lies.
One can certainly be a responsible citizen by turning up for voting. One will determine to the best of his ability the right candidate & will cast his vote. But how many of us are as lucky enough to get the situation laid out so simply (or am I being too cynical?).
My experience has always been thus. Before elections I am so full of zest to fulfill my moral obligation as a citizen, to have my say in choosing who runs the country. I try to make my choice in as unbiased & reasonable manner as I can. I start to choose from the vibrant palette of prospective candidates from my constituency, for example say: P (congress), Q (BJP), R (CPI) & S (Independent).
I know that even though P belongs to my family’s favorite party Congress (favorite since my grand dad) he had been involved in a minor prostitution racket a few years back & that he was allegedly involved in a bribe case before he joined politics. But Mr. P has never been proven guilty & still has an untainted reputation (or so I hear). Now Mr. Q belongs to BJP whose party runs my state & who’s CM I respect the most. I so much like the party’s ideology that I am tempted to disregard my family tradition. However I know that Q has 2 illegal wives besides the affair he is having with a 17 year old junior artist in bollywood & that he is the prime suspect in the murder of his wife (who was burnt alive some 10 yrs ago). But this Mr. Q is a respected politician who has dedicated more than 20 years of his life in serving the society. Now let’s go to Mr. R, who has supported the slum dwellers in my city & has stood for their rights ever since he set up this mitra mandal in the midst of the city 15 years ago. Now the slum has developed from a few tin squatters to concrete units huddled together in the middle of which his son runs a seedy dance bar. Now Mr. S is a very young independent candidate, whose revolutionary ideas have impressed me. Also, he has an untainted reputation apart from a brief stint with drugs a few years back & the video on YouTube where he can be seen holding the car door open for Dawood in Dubai. But S has categorically denied all such allegations.
Now what should be my choice? Maybe I should go with P, since his party can be very stable at the centre OR I should choose Q, so that his party will have a firm hold over things in my state as well as in the center OR maybe R who’s years of experience in my state will help him govern wisely OR perhaps S just for the heck of it, cos he represents the youth. Who cares if one of them has been caught taking bribes or if he has raped someone, or if he is still prime accused in a racket? I should be prudent & responsible to my country & to the idea of democracy by exercising my franchise. But am I being responsible by discrediting well know personal flaws about each of these candidates, for the sake of getting the favorite party to power at the center. Won’t I be adding another criminal or a prospective scam-monger into our political system? Will choosing ‘the least evil’ from an assortment of undeserving misfits help me fulfill my duties towards my country? Or am I not EXCERSICING my franchise & being a responsible Indian by REFUSING to be a part of this farce. I am forced to believe that my last conclusion is RIGHT. I decide not to vote. But this should not end in me & a few others not voting. If the voting percentage falls below 50% the govt. should call for re-election, until the time that all of us WILL cast their vote. I feel if so many of us dont mind spending all this time blogging, we definitely wont mind the time to come out and vote. Its not laziness, its lack of choice due to which I dont vote. I dont want the best of what is available, I WANT THE VERY BEST TO CHOOSE FROM.
It might sound a clichéd philosophy that many young Indians harbor, a bohemian statement with which a young guy likes to impress people in a cocktail party. However over the years I have only been proven right time & again, due to the jokers who stand for elections. I don’t deny that this might not apply to all constituencies. Some of you really had the opportunity to select a really worthy candidate to power (Thank goodness for that). But that doesn’t condone constituencies where none of the candidates are worthy.
The change should therefore be a COMPULSORY SCREENING of anyone who wants to stand for election. Apart from him being adequately qualified, the judicial agencies must clear him after a background check & he should be denied a seat if he has involvement in any litigations. Is this such a difficult law to be formulated? An agency to do background check on a handful of people who stand for elections!!! Isn’t doing this worth the future of the millions in our country? I would gladly cast my vote for a man who may be inexperienced in politics, but all he has to do is to put forward a convincing ideology in his election campaign & at the same time clear the background check which the govt does on him. Won’t you all want a politician with a ‘QC PASSED’ stamped across his profile.
I believe the RIGHT policies will come about if you have the RIGHT people formulating those policies.
Maxi Young’s comment on “Compulsory Screening” should be a part of the constitution.
On a separate note, majority of our MPs will be asked to leave if “Compulsory Screening” process is established.
The time has come when golden sparrows of the yore become phoenix Lions with Olive branches in their mouths given to them by peacefull yet helpless doves.
They spread their wings to rule land, air and waters while riding on blue whales of devoted humanity.
So strong and powerful in themselves that nothing live or dead dares to cross them yet so profoundly self-regulated that they don’t loose the Olive branch no matter what.
And thus establish peace and green prosperity from the vantage point of Strength & Power.