In a recent development on Poonam Pandey stripping case,  in an unique and distinguishing act of unity between India and Pakistan, TV celebrities Rakhi Sawant and Veena Malik have joined hands to protest against Poonam whom they find guilty of garnering cheap publicity and upseting the sanctity of Indian society. While both are not available for any comments, one of the close relatives of Veena Malik has reported that Veena is currently having a overnight meeting at Rakhi house and they are planning this protest and “fast-unt0-next morning”  from next day night at Jantar Mantar.  They have named their campaign as “India against Poonam”

If close sources are believed then Rakhi Sawant was agitated after reading Poonam’s Pandey strip comments and fired her creative manager for not giving her this idea. After this,  she has immediately contacted her ‘Pakistani counterpart’ Veena Malik who is currently in Mumbai in search of new sandals and explained the whole situation to her alongwith the threats that Poonam is trying to impose on their uniform reign in India. Veena, being on the same frequency as Rakhi,  immediately understood the risk and thus both have planned to do this protest. Veena has also been quoting that since she has got so much of ‘Muhabbat’ from Indians, now it’s time to return the favor and she’ll not tolerate if anyone else degrade the India family values.

While the details of their protest are yet to come, however looks like that their main demand is that either Poonam should strip immediately at Pakistan-Afganistan border or should seek a public apology from Rakhi & Veena and return/cancel all the contracts, assignments, shows that she has got owing to strip comment.  They think that had she not made such comments then all these offers would somehow landed up with them. They strongly believe that people will support them more than they have done to Anna Hazare. However, as a fall back option, in case their protests don’t garner much of public support because of ongoing IPL then they are also in talks with their lawyer Krishan Baisakhmalani who is working on all the legal options that they can exercise against Poonam. Shri Krishna believes that his client’s case is pretty strong owing to the patents done by them on all the cheap publicity statements to be made in India and any reproduction needs their prior approval first.

While this journalist tried contacting other celebrities on any comments that they might have against this protest, Ass-mit poured his full physical and mental support to Veena while big mouth Dolly rubbishes all these protest talks saying that Poonam is not garnering any publicity with her statement and she is naturally talented for if nudity brings any publicity then why not in her case (she has planned this twice in the past without any avail)? Rahul Mahajan in an animated mood said that  as far as anyone of these three will go nude, he doesn’t have any problem with the protests and “Rahul ka Swayamwar – Part 2″ will be far easy affair for him, provided these three accept to become part of it. If Bollywood is to believed then Ram Gopal Varma has already booked the tickets for  his assistant director to Delhi and also planned his next title as “Tri-devi”. Politicians are also seen to utilize this opporunity and Ram Vilas Paswan thinks that it’s the conspiracy of all higher caste and said that he’ll protest against this protest unless there’s any Dalit lady included alongwith Rakhi and Veena. Per last reports,  Raj Thackery is confused and in discussion with core committee to support or oppose these protests as while Rakhi is a Marathi, Veena is pakistani.

Meanwhile, Poonam is still standing on her comments and written separate letters to BCCI, Sonia Gandhi, President of India asking for permission to strip for Team India in Paris. She has also expressed her desire to become Brand Ambassador and face of Indian Cricket team and offered a dream date to Sachin Tendulkar on any place of his choice.

Please stay in touch and keep reading this space for more information.

Picture Credit : Badal

Disclaimer: In case you can read, this is pure pun post and no harm is intended. Relax !

And finally my country has witnessed, what the whole world has been experiencing in last few months but what I would not have perceived couple of weeks ago – a mass revolution against the single biggest issue of India, cancer of our society – Corruption ! Salute to Anna Hazare and whole of India who are doing it possible – we guys will do it, this time !

While India is great country, brilliantly tolerant and thus this sustainable society – we are not extremist by any sense. Our economy is growing, the money is flowing and things look good but they could have been much better, had Corruption not being an integral part of our nation. This tolerance while is one of big strength, it has created the atmosphere of “Chalta hai”  … 4-5 people are adjusting in 2 seat berth,we say – “Chalta hai”. Police stops at check point and the first thing we do is bribe. We are 1.2 billion people, fastest growing economy, everyone is looking towards us to lead the world – still we are poor, we are not progressing on education reform front as quick as we should, we are unhealthy, we die in flood as well as in droughts … why ? If corruption is not the answer to all the questions, it’s the answer to most of those.

Our politicians are most corrupt people in the world, people say that we choose them. Right – we choose them but do we have a choice? We choose a lesser incompetent than more incompetent, but everyone around is incompetent. Look at my home state, UP, what are the options – Mayawati vs Mualyam Singh? Whom to vote? Congress is banking on Gandhi dynasty popularity wave while BJP is busy in shuffling off and on Ayodhya. Politics is a gutter, all are dirty and we choose one who stinks less at that point of time.

While Congress government has done well in its first governance, it has been screwed up badly in this part – scam, after scam and more scams – and these are the ones which are unearthed. Prime minister is saying that he was not aware – then why is PRIME MINISTER? He must be aware and if not, then quit. He is clean but so is my maid’s dad? He is knowledgeable, so what, we have large pool of scientists in the country ? He is everyone but politician? He is filling up the time for Rahul Gandhi to be ready and become prime minister one day – such a hypocrite country !

Ohh, this blog is about the recent mass movement that’s taking place in India. Every square is on the verge of becoming Tehrir Square under the leadership of Anna Hazare – the person behind the RTI Act. Few sentences on the objectives of this movement – this is to bring Lokpal bill in the country. This lokpal bill is similar to office of Ombudsman in other countries where there will be body consisting of former chief justice of Supreme courts and high courts, independent of politics just like our Election commission and Supreme court. They’ll have authority to prosecute ministers, public servants and all those cases will be done on fast track courts, leading to quick execution of judgement. There is this whole tussle on the draft of this bill. Politicians, as always wants this bill to be as symbolic, derogatory and symbolic as possible to make mockery of one more bill. Then there are lot of fine prints and media has been printing all that since last so many days and you all should be aware by now? Are you? If not then please be as it’s your India as well.

I repeat that ours is great country and the next wave of development will belong to us. We need to get rid of this corrupt politicians, there is no limit of their greed. Comeon guys, crores make sense but crore of crores are just way too much. All this money is kept in Swiss bank or coming back to India through Tax Havens. This is all our money – our hard earned tax money. It’s we people who are getting bad roads, bad schools, bad healthcare system, bad security, bad transport. Our national sport has died, not because we couldn’t produce players but because our politicians have eaten all their money. After Olympics, China has been talked and praised everywhere – they have shown the world their might and what have we shown? Our corruption. No talks on the success of Commonwealth or to leverage the infrastructure for Kalmadi has made more than the whole event. Bridges were broken, dogs were found in the athlete’s room, labors litter everywhere. I am surprised that we have not got the threat from International Olympics association to get debarred from the games. Alas, they could not – we are the second greatest economy and continue to do so.

My this blog is not my usual or perhaps my most usual. I didn’t proof read it and nor checked the flow of thoughts – there is anger, frustration, sadness. I pray and wish that this movement should not die in the gallop of time and this time, enough is enough. It’s time to rise and do Egypt, Libya and Tunisia in India !

Amen !

Regards,

Pawan

Photo Credit: Deepak

In Cricket world, there can’t be anything bigger than this – India vs Pakistan semifinals. Suddenly after second quarterfinals, when India defeated Aus and it was decided that India will play against Pakistan, rest of the matches started looking abased (Sad for NZ who have beaten the favorites yet choker SA and for SL who have lead marvelous 10 wicket win over England !). Perhaps they play cricket but India-Pak eat, live, breathe, worship Cricket.

Why did I turn to my forgotten blog (yet again)? Because if something as big as this can’t move me then perhaps no news ever will. In Bollywood terminology (though I have given a Hollywood title), this match is going to have everything one can imagine- strategy, action, drama, politics, emotions – you name it and you have it !

Though like every Indian who thinks that he is a Cricket expert, I can plan to give stats- how Sachin is on verge of 100th ton in International cricket or how out of top 10 batsman in the tournament, three are Indian and Pakistani batsmen don’t even figure in top 25 or how if Afridi is bowling great (Alas, I always think of Afridi – the batsman, if he has started bowling then he’s going to be India’s 12th player) and is no.1 in bowling ranks, then Zaheer is no.2. There is never ending stat sheets on how India has beaten Pakistan in all the previous four world cup clashes but has lost in both matches at Mohali or how Yuvraj, wearing Purple patch, will do in front of his home crowd? There are so many things to write but will I (ohh or did I? ) ? No !

No doubt, this is important. The looser team has to face wrath of their people and winner team perhaps can afford to loose the finals without public anger, Ohh… yeah ! It’s more than a game especially after reading and listening various newspapers and channels since last couple of days. The stage has been set between the two countries with Indian Prime minister sending invite to Pakistan President and Prime-minister and Pakistan in turn accepting it. If I have my facts correct then it’s going to be first visit in a decade of a Pakistani PM to India. Indian PM and his Pak counterpart with atleast 100 of their associates, alongwith all the industrial heavyweights – Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallaya and various Bollywood personalities and a huge crowd of fans from both sides of borders – Mohali is going to present the best site, one can imagine in a a game, atleast in India sub-continent !

At the same time, Mohali has been converted to a fortress, with TOI reporting that there are jet planes and anti-aircraft guns deployed in the city and there’s multi-layer security arrangement right from highly sophisticated Black CAT commandos to Central and State force, intelligence agencies like NTRO has also been roped in. The intelligence already has been conveying how extremists can target the tournament, I have full faith on Indian security agencies. They have been hit before but only the people who stay in hotel or travel in train. I am not denying that there might be numerous attacks which has been uncoiled by our security agencies before they even get executed but has even one of our leaders or politicians hurt in these terrorist attacks? Recall, recall more …. Ohh the parliament attack but none of the leaders have been hurt even then. It was just the policemen deployed at the gate. Without dragging the topic to one of my favorite trajectories, I’d say to all my Indian and Pak friends that nothing is going to happen in this match because India and Pak PM are present, their security is in safe hands.

About the results, like all my country mates, I wish India to win but out of no hatred to Pakistan. If you see then these people are most like us, they are our neighbor, they eat the same food as us, speak the same language and has same dialect as us, we share the same genes and same natural disasters like floods every rainy season and famine in Summers, hear the same songs, watch same movies – we are born out of same country ! We are like a family whose younger brother has gone on a wrong path and the elder brother being engaged and convoluted in his own affairs, instead of giving support and helping hand to it’s younger brother started putting the blame of its problems over him.

While the politics is the root of all evil between India and Pakistan, may this 6 hrs game of Cricket change things, hey Ram and Ya khuda !

I woke up the morning with this news that Pakistan bans Facebook and is planning to ban Youtube which may extend to banning Wikipedia, Flickr, Picasa and what else. Not sure, if this is all rumour where news frenzy media has gone extreme with extremist Pakistan but who cares … and thus this haha !!!  Oh My poor boy Pakistan, you remind me of my 14 year old cousin who gets offended by every second thing in the world … bless you !

There is so much to write on this story : cite religion, criticise Pakistan, freedom of expression, some history digging with Dutch cartoonist or the recent militant warnings to attack Dutch team and supporters in the FIFA World Cup 2010. I am getting excited … Pakistan has suddenly given me a stress-buster for my stressed office life … thank you Pakistan !

I will begin with couple of status messages that I have found on my facebook wall today morning, really made my day -:D

1. Pakistan may just become the most productive country of all, now that it has banned facebook! -  Shwetak .

2. What’s the difference between Facebook and Jamaat-ud-Dawa? Ans: Facebook is banned in Pakistan – @Acron,

3. Pakistan bans pen and paper in schools as they can be used to draw and depict objectionable content – fakingnews

There are many more, but I don’t want to fill up my post with other people satires.

Honestly speaking, I was not aware of the root cause of this ban and no hints of any contest to draw Muhammad, and after some googling, the whole thing looks so funny. Summarizing for my less news-savvy readers, the story goes like thast there is some cartoon show – South Park in US where the producers have showed Mohammad in bear suit earlier this year and that has attracted lot of criticism and threats from various Muslim groups. After that, the producers have publically apologised which didn’t go well with one Seattle based cartoonist Molly Norris and she in turn created one cartoon criticising South Park with a hoarding – ‘Everybody draw Mohammad Day’ – which soon caught the fascination of couple of people where they went ahead and made a campaign out of this, created a facebook page and decided 20th May as the day to submit various drawings. While Molly is now horrified and has joined the group – Against Everybody draw Mohammad Day but the pro group has already crosssed 40K mark and against group also crossing 55K+ ( I see after this ban, pro may move faster than against as whole lot of people will not be able to access FB). Alrite, moving ahead, Pakistani people - Protest champs- have protested against this ban, some people have filed petition in Pakistan court and the court has given verdict to ban the Facebook (not just the page but the entire website as the later has allowed to put the page). Not surprised to see how suddenly court has become so efficient to pass this electrical verdict when millions of cases are pending.

While I am smiling finding this whole series of events as funny, it’s real sad and frightening to see a nation with nuclear powers acting this childish. I can compare this to lot of things – I have been teased by the neighbor child and I committ suicide (Note: it’s not like killing neighbor – here Facebook – as ban will kill Pakistani young generation who must be clueless and confused after this).  It’s like – My sister has been teased by someone on Road and after that she has been banned to come to Road. It’s childish, stupid, non-liberal, most idiotic thing on planet !

While I don’t connect this particular incident with Muslims but with couple of power holding, power hungry,  self-indulgent illiterates as Pakistan doesn’t represnt Muslims. There are more muslims in India and Muslims worldwide are protesting in various ways – like deactivating their accounts on 20th May for one day, taking oaths to boycott Facebook etc etc, so my dear friends, I respect your religion and your belief with whole gratitude and don’t take any of my writing otherwise.  I am angry with these politicians, hard-liner judges, religious leaders who fool poor, god-fearing people and play with their sentiments.

These power hungry politicians are not able to provide electricity, clean water, homes  so they are diverting people attention. While govt can’t save dying people in NW Frontier from Al-Qaeda, govt is attacking/passing death sentences to writers and cartoonists. While they can’t ban militant outfits, they are banning facebook. They are so coward and weak that they can’t tolerate any criticism. Tell me one thing – Is it that one religion is above all crticism and there should no questions on it but just blind beliefs. Whatever has been written in Stoneage will hold true always. Perhaps this is the reason which made me to write this post on why I wish to be Hindu always? If you will not improve and accept positive criticism then there is only one way for you – backwards !

While this is sad for many of Progressive Pakistanis and Muslims who have been trying their best to gel with the whole world, like recent Muslim Miss USA, even the court decision is flawed if analyzed most objectively. What was the problem – A campaign to draw Mohammad  and who has been punished – some US community website. Now the whole hatred have been shifted from those bunch of people who have started this campaign to Facebook. We know that these websites (after that they are nothing but money making companies who have to take care of their shareholders and quarterly statements) have been very supportive to obey rule of law. Has Pakistan govt asked to remove the page, I don’t see any reason why Facebook would not have pleased. This hastiness has given bad taste and twisted the whole event.

This ban has once again provided fuel to those who see Pakistan as intolerant society. The new Pakistanis must be feeling at loss – the govt has acted on their behalf, done something which people should have done on their own where the govt has really failed to perform it’s essential duties. A bunch of haters have caused hell lot of inconvenience to whole Pakistan young fraternity and Govt only supported those haters and marketed their hatred to guys like me who were not aware that today is some Day and now you see that I am expert on this case.

Sad for Pakistani young people, you are the change …bring the change !

I love to write, yet I have not turned to the only place where I write since last so many weeks or months?? I love to live free, yet my alarm always wake me up at 7:00 and after snoozing, I get up at 7:20. I have just read the blog of one of my friends and started feeling how different and yet how similar our lives have become?

But I don’t wish to make this a crib writing, instead I am looking for some solution, something positive. Fine, I am in hustle-bustle but this is me who has choosen this life over other things and I have to manage this, perfect it to the point it could be, correct the mistakes and ease out the pain. But how would it be ?

The world is getting faster each day, Internet is overloaded with tons of data pages, scientists are busy making super fast computers to process that data. I, in my small capacity gets over 20-25 work emails (fine, you may chuck at this number, but this itself is pain to my ass) by the time I wake up early while I invariably clean up my mailbox before sleeping. What are options?

First is to move with the world, the more information is provided, the more you start to process. Get smarter each day, pick up the pace and run and run and run. The risk here is that you may easily get lost. This pace may prove counterproductive and you end up loosing the focus, forget your aim, the basics of the whole thing.

Second, is to Stop and say ‘No’ (As I am writing these words, I am smiling on my own contradiction. If you know me than you must know that I am not a ‘No’ person.) Isn’t this like not fighting the war and keeping down your ammunitions even before the enemy attacked? No. I am not saying to say ‘No’ to everything and start living in a lonely island with your beautiful wife, kids, spend some quality family time (how fancy it may sound but we are trying to find out pragmatic solution here). It’s to be focused and say ‘No’ to the non-important thing of your profession, business, life. The risk, you will not be as updated on the world events as your friend who reads the online news every 15 mins and you’ll be delayed by some couple of hours, as you’ll read it next day morning at breakfast table. With so many books of faces (read it facebook, duffer), links to get in, tweeting, blogging, we fight to keep pace with our friends, family, followers …aha !

Here’s what I have read somewhere (Sorry, I don’t recall the source but perhaps some news site – healthy living blog) and really appreciated it. To prepare two lists of things:

1. First will list out your priorties, the things which give you happiness like playing with your kids. List out all the minimal things that are important things which you can’t and should not avoid and which are so interrelated that you keep focused in your own world. Alrite, here was the easy part.

2. Second list will have all your aberrations. This list will contain non-important but tempting items which many-a-times cause you to loose focus. Here non-important means the items which are non-important to you. What doesn’t make you happy or what you don’t wish to achieve?  This is the tough part.

The second is more difficult and getting more important each passing day owing to distractions coming on the way. Stop responding each email right away, stop going to news site every 30 mins and stop the temptation of your blackberry as soon as it vibrates.

While you prepare the list, ensure that you also follow them and don’t put them in your office file. You might have to disappoint a few people, get behind from some people but believe, it’s going to pay. Even God doesn’t have everything, so be focused, stay focused and cut out the distractions. That’s the key to win !

Photo Credit : annakieblesz

This is a guest post by my wife. She chooses to put a poem written by her -

एक दिन अचानक यूँ ही सोचा मैंने
काश कही ऐसा होता
इस दुनिया में कोई गम ना होता
कोई प्यासा ना होता
कोई तरसा ना होता
हर होठ पर शबनम और हंसी होती
इस दुनिया में सिर्फ ख़ुशी होती
हर दिल में सिर्फ मोहब्बत होती
नफरत की कोई जगह ना होती;
फिर तभी सोचा मैंने
अगर कही ऐसा होता
इस दुनिया में कोई गम ना होता
कोई प्यासा ना होता
कोई तरसा ना होता
तो ख़ुशी की कोई कीमत ना होती
हसी का कोई मोल ना होता
गम भी ख़ुशी का हिस्सा है
सारा किस्मत का किस्सा है
किसी को पहले गम
किसी को पहले ख़ुशी मिलती है
दुनिया में हर चेहरे को एक हसी मिलती है !

-Sonam Verma

I couldn’t figure out the original source of this … so no credits. If you happen to know then please drop a comment.

 

This is a guest post of one of my dear friends , Amit Goyal. He is sharing his admisson interview experience for Rice University, USA.

Amit writes,

Interviewer – I am Kolin from Rice University and currently a second year student here. I am basically from States only. I did my under graduation from Purdue University and worked for few years at P&G before I joined MBA.  I just did my summer internship at CITI Group and looking forward to join them by August. So why don’t you walk me through your resume -

Me – I am an engineer in Information Technology, for almost three years I have been working with Wipro, an Indian IT services company. I started my career as an implementation team member in the field of Identity and Access Management. My first project was with Sri Lankan Telecom, later I moved to Dubai and worked as an Information Security consultant for Road and Transport Authority, Dubai. For last one year I am in Saudi Arabia, working as a technical team lead as well as onsite consultant for Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Interviewer – Thats good to know Amit, so why do you want to pursue an MBA at this point of time

Me – In my three years of career, I have worked with multiple clients and working with them have been given me an understanding of various industries, the way a business moves ahead following a strategy. I have found myself to be working for the completion of larger strategic plans. Now i wish to play a bigger role, however I also realize that i will need few skills like finance etc etc before i move to my future goals   After spending almost three years in Wipro and getting promoted from technical engineer to team lead, I guess that this is the right time for me to move ahead and acquire the necessary skills.

Interviewer – What’s so special about Rice that you would like to come here?

Me – There are couple of reason for me to select Rice University, first being the smaller class size which will give me an opportunity to have a good interaction with my faculty. Another important and unique thing being the ALP program which will provide me a practical experience on industry. I believe ALP is very important for me as I wish to change my career domain. Other factors include the location advantage, Rice reputation etc.

Interviewer – Going back in your life what would be your biggest accomplishment till now

Me – Made up a story, as how got selected in my summer internship through a tough examination: P

Interviewer – Tell me about a time in your professional life where in you went against everyone for a cause you believed was correct.

Me – Again made a story as how my team members and management wanted to go ahead without the clustering in our final Go-Live. However, I convinced people and solved the issue of clustering.

Interviewer – Tell me about a failure in your professional life in which you had a tough time with your boss and what was your leaning

Me – I was working for a sales deal with one of our client, i was quite new in the company. I had to collect data and quotes from various internal departments of Wipro, however the process didn’t go very smooth and the final proposal didn’t come up quite well. We didn’t get that deal, I guess I should have escalated these issues well on time and if people were not responding on time i should have put more pressure. Learning being – a proper communication goes a long way: P

Interviewer – Do you read financial news like finance times etc or some other news through which you keep yourself updated.

Me – I do read various newspapers like Indian news paper economic times, I am also a fan of BBC business news.

Interviewer – Can you share any recent financial news and if you have any views on that event

Me – Well recently President of USA Mr. Obama has decided to levy huge taxes on banks, which from my understanding is not a very god thing to do. These banks have just come out of a difficult phase I guess these banks need more support and should be given 2-3 years more. Such harsh rules will not do any good currently

Interviewer – And if you don know he is pushing these taxes to finance the auto industry that is much worse. One thing I would say here. I interview many people and I always find them very much informed about USA which we Americans don’t know much about other countries like I don’t even know who is the president of India or China. Although i know India will be growing at the rate of 7% .  I guess the basic problem with USA is the uninformed electorate but i find outsiders very much informed

(At that point I thought he was trying to persuade me to say something bad about USA)

Me – I guess the people you interview are quite reading kind of people but our general population is also not that much informed

Interviewer – ya you may be right on that, so now again go back in your life and tell me your biggest disappointment

(I had not thought about this question, quite out of blue)

Me – made up a story how i was not selected at IIT;s and  after that i worked very ahrd and today i find myself competitive to them

Finally he asked me if I had any questions, I asked him few question about internships, jobs, funding etc and Khallas. He wished me good luck.

Happy Republic Day !

I recall to dedicate a post  on Republic Day in 2007. I would say things have not changed much or should say that things have improved by far or ohhh no …. things have deteriorated a lot…. err, am I confused? Guess, no …. let me explain !

Things have not changed much:

Things are same as they have been three years back.

1. We are growing steadily, being seen as world’s future economy, maintaining the recession proof growth etc etc.
2. There are no changes in corruption, terrorism, population, floods, all the problems in the India. You can swear India by them and them by India.
3. Our relations with our neighbors are nearly same with slight ups and down but on a graph, it would be a zig-zag straight line.
4. Our IT indsutry is thriving as usual and so are our cities, with lot of village people migration.
5. To connect all the rivers and to built all the national highways, was a dream three years back and it’s still the same. 
6. We are still religious fanatics and bomb blasts are realties.
7. Bollywood was and is producing the same and highest number of movies.

There are so many things but this is just a spot-on post and has it’s limitations.

Things have improved:

Yes, things have improved.

1. After a long long time, when coalition has become synonym with the Indian politics, people have voted for a single party majority. We should not care if the correct people have been voted, that’s not important but India has voted unanimously. United we stand !
2. We are having better and more consistent cricket team than ever, got 1st position in Test cricket though it’s a short time now.
3. We have given IPL to the world showing our business acumen and now in a position to kind of dictate our rules on the ICC.
4. Our private companies are on buying spree, when US companies are getting bankrupt, we are buying them out.
5. Came out with World’s cheapest car, launched rockets to Moon – all showing that Science is now no more West’s domain.
6. Bihar has got the second highest growth rate in India, much higher than national average.
7. More IITs are setup and so does more Supreme Courts (I count it even though it’s a proposal only).

Things have worsened:

No, things have worsened

1. We are the largest democracy but never has become so family dependent. Rahul is next Prime master unless something extremely unfortuante happens- are democracies this predictable ?
2. President has become a real Rubber stamp. Though, he has always been quoted so in India but this time, she has really been. I was reading somewhere that there are no controversies in President Pratibha Patil’s time : Do you really believe that there would be any? Rubber stamps don’t create controversies ! And I even don’t care to write about Vice President which has always been second highest authoirty in country (FYI: Primeminister comes third in hierarchy!)
3. We are less safer. Fine, Chandni Chowk and Mumbai trains- common man has never been safe but we have been beaten, killed inside Hotel Taj, rich man is also unsafe in India. (I would disagree if you quote Parliament attack as then only police guards have been killed and not any politician. The loss was much less severe !)
4. Localisation, division is all time high. Don’t know Marathi, can’t get a Taxi permit is what signifies India? Are we on the verge of breakup? Name it as biggest threat which should be checked immediately.
5. With all the radical economic developments, we are worse than Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Bangladesh on nourishment.

We are soaring at 60 and I wish that we  continue to have such strong democracy for next thousands of years but that doesn’t make us any lenient towards our responsiblities at home. 

Regards,

Pawan

Photo Credit: Sujesh

This video caught my attention during usual surfing …. recommended !

Photo credit : Gabor