New Year "Celebration"?!

I did a lot of walking today between the bed and the couch. In between those exertions I expended my energies on clicking the mouse and staring at the laptop screen, updating myself from Facebook on the important life events of many people, whom I haven't met with, or spoken to in years. I even shared some quotes on my timeline, which I know will be life-changing for someone out there. Well, doesn't every act of altruism count?

Yet by the end of the day a feeling of ennui had definitely set in. I remembered from my younger days that hanging out at the mall is a good way to kill time. The bright lights, the soft music playing in the background, the hustle & bustle of the crowds, and the controlled weather can lift your mood without having to exert yourself much after a tiring day of inactivity. Little did I know what it means to be at a mall in India at this time of the year!

Including the time in queue for the security check, I was able sustain myself there for period of about 300 long seconds. I went up the escalator, and ran down the elevator. When I stepped out into the street, and inhaled the exhaust of a hundred vehicles stuck in a jam, I felt relieved of asphyxia! At the mall it seemed that some hordes had taken a collective decision to ... not think! The only word I could use to describe the milieu was - CRAZY!

I hope no tragic eventuality causes me to go to a mall before the 2nd of January.

Our Battle of Paavankhind!

It is a surprisingly warm midnight even for the month of July. The half moon has lighted the night just enough for us to march towards our destination without being too conspicuous. Few hours earlier few hundred of us quietly slipped out of Panhalgad with our great hero Shivaji, who is fighting against insurmountable odds for our people and our freedom. Shivaji's lookalike Shiv Kashid has gone to meet Siddhi Jouhar, and is sure to be martyred tonight. But that will give us few hours of lead as we race towards a battle to fight at Vishalgad. The big question is whether these few hours are going to be enough? I guess not! For Siddhi Masud's army is already in hot prusuit of us. The war cries of Siddhi Masud's ten thousand men, including a cavalary of three thousand, are reaching us. We are a band of 300 lightly armed infantry. It is becoming clear to us that this will be the last battle of our lives.

As our never-say-die commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande rallies us to take guard, I hear what few of my fellow men are talking about. "This is a disaster"! "The idea of swaraj is great. But couldn't they have planned it better"? "There are bigger enemies to fight with. Why are we even fighting this battle"? "Even if we win this one battle, it will make no difference as our people will never change". "Couldn't they have chosen a better place and time to fight? This is soooo inconvenient". "In all these battles, it is only the poor that suffer". "I admire his courage and his intentions, but I am not a blind devotee to follow him without questioning". I could take it no more. "Keep quiet", I shout, "and do your part. Ten generations before us have suffered in slavery. If we lose this battle tonight, because of your whining, cynicism, skepticism, pessimism, and negativity, our next ten generations will never ever get a chance to fight for freedom! They will never forgive you. So stop complaining and do your part".

It may not have been my words that bring them back to senses. But they do get back to their senses. For we fight. And how!! A depleting force of three hundred of us hold a mightly armed army of ten thousand at bay for five hours, until we hear the canon fire announcing Shivaji's victory and safety at Vishalgad! That's when most of us lay down our lives. As I close my eyes for that one last time, I know that generations after generations will visit this pAvankhinD ("the Sacred Pass") and sing paeans not just of Shivaji, and of Baji Prabhu Deshpande, but also of us anonymous heroic 300 mavalas, who are giving up everything for freedom!

I do now know how much time has passed after that. Some sort of heated talk has woken me up. As I open my eyes and look around, I realize it is not July of 1660. This is December 2016. But I am hearing the same words again. "This is a disaster of an implementation"! "I like the idea, but couldn't they have planned it better"? "There are hundred things broken in this country. How does fixing one make any difference"? "Is it going to be effective at all? So why do I have to suffer this inconvenience"? "I am not a blind bhakt to follow him without questioning". "It is the poor who suffer, while the big fish always go scot-free". "I find the timing very fishy". "Our people never change their habits. Why are you asking me to change?"
This time with less indignation, I say, "Somebody is fighting for us against insurmountable odds. The least we can do is provide support. If we lose this battle due to your doubts, cynicism, pessimism and negativity, generations that come after us will never get such an opportunity. So stop complaining and do your part."

Alas! I do not know whether my words would ever bring these guys to their senses!

Taking Crucial Indo-US Relationship to a New High

It is less than two-and-half years since Indian diplomat in US, Devyani Khobragade was arrested and strip-searched by US authorities, resulting in a diplomatic disaster that took Indo-US relations to its nadir. That's where Indo-US relationship was when Modi took over as Prime Minister of India. In just over 2 years Modi has managed to take this most crucial relationship, for India, US & the world, to a new high. And he has put it on a path that will take the partnership between the two largest and most stable democracies in the world to heights we have never known!

Here's a very good article on Indo-US relationship by John McCain, where he mentions India's rise by saying that "only a select few countries rose so quickly to such an exalted esteem". Interestingly, McCain, who has been Obama's foremost opponent, whom Obama defeated in bitterly fought 2008 Presidential elections, has appreciated Obama's efforts in nurturing relationship with India. This shows the maturity of McCain as a politician, and the maturity of US political system in general. Sticking to the belief that international relations should be kept above and beyond petty political gains was practiced diligently when PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, and Vajapayee was the Leader of Opposition. Unfortunately, this is something that is totally missing among present opposition party leaders in India - it is something that the likes of Sonia and Rahul hopelessly lack. 

"Congress-mukta Bharat" in progress!

I have been busy last few weeks, and did not see results of 2016 Assembly elections until last night. It was good to see BJP/NDA sweep Assam. The first statement of CM-designate Sarbanand Sonowal that his government will secure the border in two years inspires hope. Results from Kerala and West Bengal aren't bad either. Although BJP did not win many seats in either of the states, they opened their account in Kerala. More importantly, in both the states vote share of BJP/NDA was in double digits. In five years BJP will emerge as an alternative to present political formations in both the states.

While it is good to see BJP emerging stronger, it is equally heartening to see the decline of Congress. "Congress-mukta Bharat" is in progress! For the good of the nation, Congress has to be stripped out of power all over the country, and the Ghazi-Nehru-Gandhi family has to be denuded of any the political influence that they have over India. Presently Congress is left with control of Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand state governments, apart from Puducherry and few states in the North East. Uttarakhand, Congress will lose early next year. Himachal also goes to polls later next year. Congress is also bound to lose Karnataka in 2018.

Assam election results are worth spending pondering upon, because the conditions on the ground in Assam were materially the same in 2011 and 2016, and yet the results have been so different. BJP should have won in 2011 the way they won last week. But BJP came 5th with 5 seats out of 124, while Congress triumphed on 78. In 2016 NDA has won 84 seats with a vote share of over 40%. A huge jump from 5 seats to 84 seats in 5 years. The difference between then and now is the difference between Advani's BJP, and the BJP of Modi-Shah. One of the reasons purported for Congress victory in 2011 was Hindu consolidation in favour of Congress to keep pro-Bangladeshi illegal immigrant AIUDF out of power. "Hindu consolidation in favour of Congress" - there can hardly be a bigger irony in Indian politics. Hindus were voting for a political party that enacted the disastrous anti-Hindu Illegal Migrants Determination Act. BJP being unable to project itself as a viable alternative to Hindus of Assam was its failure in 2011. Modi-Shah's BJP of 2016 succeeded in doing what the BJP of 2011 had failed to do. By forging a successful alliance with AGP, and BPF, BJP ensured unity of all anti-illegal immigrant forces in the state, giving them a resounding victory.

Good days lie ahead for BJP, for Assam, and for India. "Congress-mukta Bharat" is in progress.

Am I back?

I haven't blogged in almost 3 years! And during this time I did irreparable damage to my blog when I deleted my picasa.com account, and all the images on my blogsite got deleted! As I scroll down I realize that there are many images that I would never be able to reload on my blog, and without which those blog entries would be incomplete. That's sad. But that's okay!