Saturday, May 29, 2010

A STAR WHO LOVED MOTHER EARTH

Emily Bronte with ‘Wuthering Heights’
Though landed on top of the world,
Married loneliness
And led a barren, gloomy existence
Virginia Woolf
One blessed with all the
Charms and comforts of life
Broke ‘her stream of consciousness’ deviated
Flowed away somewhere along the path
Earth to her was an alien land
Sylvia Plath
Flew away in search of her beloved to an unknown land
Finding no delight or happiness on earth.
Jacquline Susan
Always found solace
In drugs,
And found salvation
In drugs in the end
“Once was enough” for her…
But a star from
Heaven.
Always preferred to
Be on earth
Yearning for love, warmth and care,
Which she got in abundance
She loved everything beautiful on earth
Like a butterfly
Fluttering around a colourful garden
Sucking the nectar of love from each flower
Its sweetness insatiable to her
The more she aspired for
the more she got.
Whenever she felt like
The depth of love, warmth and care waning
Like a baby she cried
And cried
Kicking her legs and
Hands in the air,
Despite in the cradle of love
Pain and scorn, never she could bear
As she yearned more
And more affection
Warmth and care
Even in the twilight
Of her life
She, the shining star
From heaven
Never wanted to leave earth,
As Mother Earth was heaven to her

Friday, May 28, 2010

NEO-LIBERAL REFORMS ON THE WANE

“Woods are lovely dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep”
-Robert Frost

Frost’s much quoted lines seemed to have lost its meaning as more and more leaders in more and more countries, most of them corrupt, cunning and wily continue to cherish those lines pregnant with sacredness and dignity. Our first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was a worshipper of those much acclaimed lines and he cherished them till he breathed his last. It is heard that, I don’t know for certain, he had scribbled those lines on a piece of paper and kept it under his pillow till the end of his life. Yes he had dreams, great and farsighted dreams about an India, a developed, prosperous, harmonious one keeping its rich democratic traditions and rich cultural heritage intact with equality of opportunity to all to grow up and develop.

He always yearned for peaceful co-existence with all countries, without interfering in their internal affairs. It is worthwhile to recall here that he was one among the three, two being Kemal Abdul Nasser, Egypt, Marshall Joseph Tito, Yugoslavia who had taken the initiative in founding Non-Alignment Movement.

This is not for eulogizing Nehru’s invaluable contributions to India and to the world as a whole about which much has been written.

When our incumbent Prime Minister Dr. ManMohan Singh who on the auspicious occasion of UPA 2 Government completing one year in office during a press-conference marvelled about the ‘innumerable’ achievements of his govt in a short span compared to his achievements during its first term was a total disappointment to 90% of the masses. About the remaining 10% which constitutes the corporate sector enjoys happy times as always. Blessed ones they are.

Recalling Robert Frost’s lines he made clear to the media that he had no plans to retire from his prestigious post till he completed the full term albeit with a clause that younger men are always welcome to take up the mantle obviously keeping the heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi in mind. But Rahul is shrewd enough to play it safe and therefore remains elusive from accepting any post in the Ministry. Our PM is quite sad over the reluctance of Rahulji to take up the mantle, and our Prime Minister cherishes many dreams of empowering India in every field.

If the global melt down of 2008 had only marginal effect in India as the Congress ‘messiahs’ continue to claim it was because of the regulated economy but frankly speaking it was only due to the arm-twisting by the Leftists who were a powerful force to reckon with in keeping the neo-liberal policies of the UPA 1 govt. in check. Unfortunately the ones who deserved credit had to leave bare-handed with the govt. of the day taking all credit. Because ManMohan Singh’s close confident still now he is a darling to PM though he had to be shifted to another ‘great responsible’ portfolio P.Chidambaram, the then Finance Minister was determined to go ahead with neo-liberal economic policies with much vigour. The regulated economy up till then would have been displaced by an unregulated one but the leftists remained his headache and an obstacle throughout. The Harvard educated gentleman’s rigid approach about which Congress Spokesman DigVijay Singh termed in a national daily as ‘intellectual arrogance’ which was however penned in another context. Free Market forces would have been let loose by the govt. of the day for ‘a quantum jump’ on the growth front. Eventually India would have been converted into another US of 2008.

After the Left-front withdrew power to UPA 1 govt. on the issue of Indo-US Civilian Nuclear deal, behind the curtain activities- horse-trading to be precise - was watched by everyone across the country, the spectacle of a Grand Old Party stooping to such low levels to keep itself in power was something detestable and deplorable.

By taking credit for all the good things the leftists had done for the welfare of the masses and due to the schisms in the left front itself, the Congress party could cobble together a majority without the support of the leftists who got reduced with 16 MPs in its kitty.

Almost virtual disablement of Left Front emboldened the UPA 2 govt. to proceed with their neo-liberal policies with renewed vigour and now we are witnessing its outcome in the country.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Programme embarked upon during the UPA 1 tenure is virtually in disarray with corruption, lack of proper supervision, middlemen pocketing huge sums meant for the uplift of unemployed youth virtually leaving the hapless in the lurch. Agriculture front totally neglected. The election promise of 25 kgms of rice for Rs.2 a month to the people at the lower rungs of the society is almost in a shambles. The differences over the RTI ( Right To Information Act) with a section of politicians and bureaucrats at loggerheads over its implementation still continue, FDIs on a massive scale even in the banking sector - on every front the govt. has turned out to be an abject failure.

Repeated fuel-price hikes, sky-high prices of essential commodities and food items all add fuel to the fire. Even organized protest march to Parliament by the opposition parties and one day Bharat Bandh couldn’t deter the govt. from going on with its agenda - in short it is drunk with power.

Good. After the global meltdown 2008 and as the world was about to breath easy, another catastrophe, this time from Greece- the Greek recession- which almost dragged the country to disaster with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreau dashing to the European countries, since Greece being a member of European community literally begging those countries to help Greece come out of the abyss with their help, Papandreau on a war-footing has been compelled to take some tough measures- austerity measures- to bring back the Greek economy to shape. Such as cutting wages of employees by 20% pension by 10% and raising the retirement age to 65 amidst violent protests across the nation. Following the Greek tragedy almost all European countries like Spain, Portugal, France, Germany to name a few are working round the clock concentrating on cutting massive budget-deficits by adopting austerity measures in the face of stiff resistance from the masses. Remember, all these consequences of neo-liberal economic reforms and these countries are paying for it dearly now. Pompous, lavish, glittering and greedy lives of a section of people have landed these countries in a pathetic situation. The bubble has once again burst affecting all other nations across the world. With a vanishing neo-liberal economy in sight our Prime Minister and his hench men still live in a make-believe world harping on the ‘plus points’ of neo-liberal reforms. Our PM’s ‘far-sightedness’ must surely be appreciated.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

GLOBAL WARMING – OVER TO MEXICO

Jairam Ramesh, Union Environmental Minister is known for his outspoken nature. In the corridors of power, be them Ministers or Babus all are ‘eternally optimistic’. Great. But the outspoken Minister of State for Environment is of a rare genre, thank god.

Recently our Minister paid a visit to China to attend an International conference on climate change, and his outspoken nature landed him in trouble which resulted in a serious uproar across the country.

After the ‘historic’ – what else I could say – Copenhagen Summit (Copenhagen, Denmark. December 7-18, 2009) held at Dansih Capital one year ago attended by 193 nations comprising developed, developing and under-developed countries which lasted more than one week after debates, discussions, even pandemoniums, nothing fruitful came out in the end.

After all the avenues of a solution got exhausted, to save the face in the end a ‘respectable’ President of USA Barack Obama suggested some measures, legally non-binding to US and other developed nations insisted others to accept legally binding decisions which were abruptly rejected by the participating nations even ManMohan Singh went to the extent of staging a walk-out in anger and driving to the airport to take the fight back to India a shrewd US President with soothing words persuaded the fuming Singh and brought him back to the venue. Obama proposed a formula which was not legally binding was acceptable to only the BASIC(Brazil, South Africa, India and China) countries and ordered the under-developed countries either to follow suit or get lost. His orders didn’t prevail with them and angrily terming a treachery even one of the leaders of a small nation, an under-developed country went to the extent of comparing it to the treachery committed by Judas accepting 30 silver coins for the crucification of Jesus Christ.

What he stated was absolutely true but the developed and emerging economies even didn’t take notice of his protest. The under-developed nations are the worst hit due to the carbon gas emissions by the developed and developing nations and being a neglected category such poor nations had to leave the scene empty-handed because of the sin of being under-developed. Besides the haves and have-nots within countries the haves and have-nots exist among the nations across the world.

On asking to comment about the incoming summit on climate change at Mexico in 2010, Mr.Jairam Ramesh without hesitating for a moment responded by saying that he was not all optimistic of anything worthwhile to emerge out of it. Keeping this fact in mind our Environment Minister and his team would dash to Mexico to attend the summit and stage a comeback happily after the summit in good humour.

Felip Calderon, the Mexican Head, is already embroiled in an environmental threat or menace in the form of a large-scale oil-slick which could affect many nations, in the Gulf of Mexico affecting and perishing the rich bio-diversity in the region. He was in US last week ‘the one worth depending upon’ in times of crisis and was in serious consultations with Barack Obama. Round the clock reports emanate in the news channels and in the print media with visuals of the habitat of the Gulf struggling for life. Pathetic and mind-boggling.

Jairam Ramesh with the sole intention of keeping Chinese leaders in good humour, happy and delightful took the opportunity during his visit by declaring if India had not come to the help of China, the neighbouring nation would have been isolated in the Copenhagen Summit. In addition to it he ‘frankly’ quite frankly took the opportunity to cast aspersions on the defence Ministry under P.Chidambaram for maintaining a ‘paranoid’ approach toward a friendly country like China forgetting about or ‘conveniently forgetting about’ what all are in store for him after his return trip to India. Elite in the party as well as the opposition plunged into the arena and for his utterances against the defence ministry in the foreign soil . Scathing attacks from various quarters resulted forcing him to keep mum. Prime Minister himself strongly took exception to his remark summoned him to PM’s chamber and ordered him to meet P.Chidambaram and apologize to him. It was reported that Chidambaram made him wait for the appointment and at last got the permission to meet him. What transpired in between the both is anybody’s guess.

Our outspoken Minister for the time being has escaped unscathed and still retains his portfolio.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

DESERT FLOWER

Like a desert flower she came,
Alone.
Walked down the concrete path
Holding something
Close to her chest
Like a mother holding
Her kid close to her heart.
Mother’s heart always beats rhythmically,
musically to keep the
Kid always calm
Quiet and happy.
Like a somnolent effect.
The guests in the shamiana and in
The marble mansion
Seemed like a colour world.
Familiarity writ large on their faces
She was the cynosure
Of all eyes
Neither looking right nor
Left, straight she moved,
climbed up the steps
Confidence and poise personified.
Entered the drawing room
His sister ran to her
Like a butterfly and hugged her
She beamed a smile at her
And kissed her forehead
The butterfly led her to
Her brother’s room
Who was getting dressed to the occasion -
In front of the mirror
The butterfly flew somewhere else
Leaving him and her alone inside
Both glanced at
Each other
With searching eyes
Without blinking for minutes
“All the best” – she handed over the gift to him
Nothing further came out of both
No tears, no adieu,
She turned away
Neither looking right nor left
Looked straight stepped down and moved along
Got inside the car
Turned the ignition key
Car started with a whimper and sped away
The gift was her heart itself.

Friday, May 21, 2010

BRAND AMBASSADORS

Rocky
An obedient, loyal servant
His master’s voice
Rocky, driver cum sweeper
Also the errand boy
Rocky, the driver of
A celebrity master
Rocky, a proud man.
Wakes up in the
wee hours of the morning
Sweeps the rooms and
Premises
Plastics, decayed
Food, remnants of meat and fish
All wastes filled in a sack
Carries it to the car
And places it in the dickeys
Enter the car, press the ignition key
Car passes the gate
Down to the streets
Reaches the destination
in time, the world around
Still drowsing
Hence no wordy duels
Throws the weight into
Road-side, looks left right and front
Return journey to
the celebrity’s house
In the nights, rocky
Watches the miniscreen
Watches Master, the brand ambassador
In white clothes
An array of whites behind
Counsels the viewers
Make our state pollution free
Let’s work unitedly and make the surroundings clean
Rocky amusingly watches master’s body language
Rocky on watching
His master’s performance
Feels proud
Recalls the early morning exercise sacks full of waists
Dumped them on the roadside
Suppresses his laughter
My master, the celebrity
As brand ambassador
Appears in the mini-screens
In various forms
Variety of costumes,
He sports on each occasion
Master always prefers
Colourful, glittering clothes
When you are in Rome
Be a Roman, an adage prevalent among all
Sometimes in full khadi
And its dignity, he preaches its sacredness each day.
Gandhi must be turning in his grave several times a day
After sunset celebrity appears in new uniform
“Save energy, save power
Please switch off your
Lights in the peak hours.
Celebrity, always prefers
Air-conditioned rooms
Sits there, relaxes there,
Sleeps there.
Another matter
A celebrity can always be like that
Brand-ambassador is a brand ambassador
Rewards he gets from
The advertising firms
But celebrity is not a Gandhian need not be a Gandhian
Whatever the firms request him to do, praise the
Virtues of the products he elaborates in style
Companies offer big amounts
Money never turns bitter to anyone
Beverage companies, jewelleries
Always politeness personified
Good sir.
Right left center about turn
Stand sit, stand sit
Of course in uniforms
Same man in different uniforms
That is versatility
It is his hallmark
Every brandman’s hall mark
Keeping ISD Standards
Always important it is
After all, self-deception is an art
A style, order of the day.
Sorry, anyone, every one
Is imperfect, incomplete
Though not a celebrity
Self-deception is inherent
In each common citizen
In the reel life and in the real life, such is the trend
Let’s enjoy and laugh at ourselves.

LACK OF FORESIGHTEDNESS OF OUR RULERS

This is not a matter of pride, but of pain.

In one of my Malayalam novels, “Indiayude bhupadam” (The map of India) which was published in April 2007-its spade work actually started in 2006 and manuscript completed in the same year and one of my characters, Aarati Verma, a journalist by profession was talking painfully, shockingly about the state of affairs across India especially Chattisgarh, Jharkand, Orissa, Bihar, Bengal, Assam and fast growing discontent among the deprived sectors and the appearance of CPI (Maoists) on the scene, resulting in the formation of militant movement under whose umbrella, the exploited ones consolidated and learnt about their fruits of labour being robed away by corporate miners. The character in the novel was foreseeing a catastrophe with the Maoists gaining strength day by day even eclipsing the main stream communist parties, communist party of India (Marxist) (ignore the splinter ones) in the long run.

Their lack of presence a nominal presence so to say in the Hindi belt with the emergence of regional chauvinists wresting power from the Indian National Congress (GoP) and Bharatiya Janata Party forming governments in the Hindi spoken States. Alas, even grass root level organizing in the Hindi belt getting up more and more difficult due to the mindset of masses they had already begun to tread the lines of casteism, tribalism. Sheer common sense needed to arrive of a conclusion that if left unchecked, even the Delhi throne would shake like an earthquake with revolutionary spirit escalating among the deprived ones. But both central and state Govts playing safe took the emergence of a “red-corridor” in the difficult terrains of the North Indian states keeping their eyes shut otherwise call it ‘selective amnesia’. The trouble with them was not ignorance but of looking at serious things lightly. Otherwise “yes, we can very well rein in the Maoists, at any point of time’ we deem fit” and went on with their new era reforms. With P.V.Narasimha Rao sworn in as Prime Minister and his red carpet welcome to an eminent economist from World Bank, Dr.ManMohan Singh and entrusted in him Finance portfolio, a virtual non-entity as Finance Minister in the world of politics, agree, now he has come of age as politician now, straight away opened up the economy inviting massive investments by Indian corporate world and multinationals from abroad. When the economist Finance Minister showing no interest in measuring or reading the pulse of the masses went on with introduction of neo-liberal reforms and massive globalization spree and succeeded in creating two worlds. The worlds of haves and have-nots. A perfect setting for a class struggle. Fortunately with the main stream communist parties on a weaker wicket Narasimha Rao and Man Mohanji declared from the top of the world “ economic reforms are irreversible.” Now it has already become ‘irreversible with the leftists left with crying foul whenever they are free, care free. A protest rally, a picket, a hartal, okay they turn happier.

The Maoist didn’t go after power still not going after power might be thinking that the time is not ripe. Power must come from the barrel of the gun and for that they are waiting for more time to consolidate. In the meanwhile they unpredictably strike at soft spots like gunning down of CRPF personnel, blowing up rail tracks making commuting fearsome and tedious, blowing up mobile towers and making communication impossible robbing away explosives, substances like ammonium nitrate, ad weapons from paramilitary and police personnel, killing “informers” and ‘salwa judum’ actvists out of revenge ruthlessly, coldbloodedly and with full intention. The ones who started their fight using bows and arrows, now possess lethal weapons like guns, grenades, bombs, mines, adding more vigour to their fight and resistance. If the Goverments of the day, both the centre and the states had kept an eye on the threat ball without waiting for the showdown reach its zenith through negotiations with agitating tribals and assured them of their overall welfare, dwelling, education, health, food, water, employment more development with the help ands concurrence of representatives of the tribals and taken the steps on a war footing.

Instead a policy of suppression, fake encounter deaths and all sorts of retaliatory steps let loose by concerned state and central governments.

As Sidharth Varadarajan of ‘The Hindu’ daily put it mines and bullets won’t solve the ‘internal security threat no.1’ (Courtesy:Dr.Manmohan Singh). The Governments launching operation Green Hunt has already rebounded and provoked Maoists on a daily basis go on with lethal strikes leading to more murders and devastations. Both Maoists and the Govt’s in power should share the blame for all that happened in the past two or three weeks. Calling army and airforce are not at all a solution in this late hour and it would only help in aggravating the situation. People everywhere are peace-loving they have dreams and aspirations like me and you and to provide them maximum help – confrontation and annihilation must be stopped as early as possible. It is for the Governments to take the initiative.

People with autocratic bend of mind, always preach violence to kill violence, gunning down, bombardment with an iron fist.

Even America’s military might got shattered in Vietnam, Iraq and new Afghanistan though will hesitate to admit it. The fact everyone knows If India were to go the American way here the only difference is it all happened in the so-called ‘red corridor’ within the nation itself. Centre and State Govts are likely to meet America’s fate.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

RED CITADELS IN TROUBLE

16th general elections are scheduled to be far ahead if the UPA 2 Government could weather many a storm till 2014 in the run-up to the latter. UPA 2 at its own risk can either advance the polls at its own risk if the conditions look rosy or may be forced to step down in the event of something untoward. Hence the question is hypothetical. At present no such sign or possibility is that much visible.

A few states are scheduled to go to polls next year and beforehand civic polls are fast approaching. The impending elections, both Civic and Assembly polls are crucial for the Leftists and that is the sole reason behind this write-up.

Kerala and Bengal said to be the red citadels, I would say once - the entire political scenario has undergone changes in the above two states. Left from Kerala in the run-up to the civic polls and the subsequent assembly polls is weathering a political storm in its literal sense due to some unfortunate reasons within the leadership in the Kerala unit. The latest being one the appointment of C.P.Narayanan one among the Marxist idealogues in Kerala as the political secretary of Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan whose appointment by the State Committee was stoutly opposed by the latter. V.S even went to the extent of lodging a complaint to the Central leadership of the party against Narayanan’s appointment some months ago and consequently the decision was kept in abeyance. The bitter rivalry and differences of opinion on various counts between the state committee on the one side and the CM on the other side, former said to be under the control of his bete noire Pinarayi Vijayan are a public secret in Kerala. Achuthanandan’s ire towards C.P.Narayanan who is reported to be close to Pinarayi has already added to the tensions prevailing in the state unit. Factionalism always acts as a detriment to the future growth of a cadre-based party like CPM or for that matter any other communist party and on looking around the aftereffects of factionalism can be seen through out India resulting in mushrooming of Communist parties - even among the CPI (Maoists).
Further more, crass parliamentarianism is a crucial factor among other factors which are notorious and are known to its followers and the larger public like lines in one’s inner palms. Added to these, another simple truth, well-known also the precedence of alternate govts under Left front and UDF is a reality in Kerala. Hence the next chance or mantle most probably is to fall upon a UDF coalition Govt in Kerala in 2011, otherwise a miracle should happen.

Two fronts in Kerala though holding opposite views and principles are two sides of the same coin. The style of governance never changes, what all happened and still happening now under the LDF dispensation is certain to happen in the Congress Govt if such an eventuality were to happen that is most probable.

Now take West Bengal. The Marxist led Left Democratic Front Govt in Bengal which holds sway ever since 1977 after 30 years of unbroken rule this time faces daunting tasks ahead. The Trinamool Congress under Central Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee whose anger against CPI (M) is known across Bengal, after relentless struggles against the incumbent Government in 15th general elections and in the bye-elections in certain constituencies which were till then Marxist strongholds, and the last civic polls with scored gigantic victory with the help of congress were till then unheard of. Almost all polls she literally swept away, forcing the CPI (M) and its allies bite the dust.

Now with enthusiasm and ambition at its top, leaving the railway portfolio in the lurch which incidentally led to criticism by the opposition and her junior ministers, she is on a whirlwind tour of Bengal campaigning for the victory of her party in the ensuing elections be it civic or assembly elections. Sensing victory she has even demanded advancement of Assembly elections by 3 months to the chagrin of Budhadeb Bhattacharjea, Chief Minister of Bengal and his allies. Whether the Left Front Govt. will have to vacate Writers Building is a mute question after more than three decades in power seems a possibility and in the event of such an outcome, it will certainly be a misfortune not only to the CPI (M) and its allies, but to the Indian Communist movement as a whole. Getting wiped out from two citadels simultaneously means these two fronts will have to be satisfied with crumbs left here and there. The consequences of their own undoing with no one left to shed tears.

At least in the future if the Left Front could keep away from fence-sitters for cobbling together a third front at the state level and national level as these fence-sitters will have no qualms in changing colors as and when the situation demands, instances abound, recall the bailing out UPA 2 Govt with promises through back door support by some of them. B0y remaining consolidated and coming down to the grass roots, it would be invigorating if not for now, in the long run it would spring surprise to the Left Front. Otherwise get satisfied as a laughing stock. AKGs and Pramod Das Guptas are the need of the hour.

MOTHER NATURE AND SLAVERY

Mother Nature and Slaves
Two sides of the same coin
Unlimited, the patience of them,
It seems sometimes.
Like an elephant running amok
Causing devastating harm
All the way,
Crushing mahouts to death,
Trees uprooted,
Walls reduced to rubble
Houses, buildings and vehicles
Destroyed and upturned,
Creating havoc all the way
After prolonged periods
Of harassment and torture
Under the scorching sun for hours on end
Its patience reaching rock-bottom,
Unlimited patience
Is actually an illusion.
Mother nature as a result,
Of relentless plunders
Its greenery getting wiped out,
Face distorted, body bruised
And bleeding like
a girl defiled by sex-maniacs
Leaving her naked, dress torn apart
Mother Nature appears
In its true colours.
Uninterrupted torrential rains,
Floods, hurricanes,
Lightning and thunder,
Tsunamis, earthquakes,
Melting glaciers,
Raising the sea-levels,
Vanishing islands and inhabitants,
Unbearable droughts-
As ozone layers like blankets torn apart,
Mother Nature shedding
unlimited patience
Wreaks havoc throughout.
Slaves like bullocks since time immemorial
Under the yokes ploughing the fields,
Often whipped up in the searing heat
By their masters
Robbed of the -
Fruits of their labour,
Forced to starve and perish.
Their rock-bottom patience
Gets exhausted.
Out of anger and frustration
Break their shackles
With uncontrollable fury
like Mother Nature
Rise up in arms and revolt against their masters
And wrest their hard-earned rights.
With dawn of victory smiling at them at last.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

STAND OFF, TURMOILS, GREEK DRAMA

Thailand stand-off continues. Situation seems to be going out of hand with the Government under Abhisit Vejjajiva on the defensive. Though on the defensive and the situation aggravating a determined, adamant Abhisit Vejjajiva with the army on his side has launched a mounting offensive against the equally offensive “Red Shirts”-the so called supporters of the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who leads the fight from his exile.

According to the latest CNN report, 18 persons are already killed and several hundreds mortally wounded with the stand off continuing showing no signs of a compromise solution the death toll is likely to rise.

Ever since Shinawatra was ousted from power on charges of corruption and fled from country his supporters, thousands of them are determined to bring him back from exile and install him as the Prime Minister of Thailand. How come Shinawatra a business tycoon and notorious for corruption could find a large number of supporters one might be inclined to enquire. The simple truth is being a shrewd, astute ruler he was a pastmaster to sweep his misdeeds under the carpet. I mean corruption in this context. He did a lot to the social sector and endeared himself to the society at large. The formation of the militant outfit “Red Shirts” was a consequence of this and the determined “Red Shirts” are sparing no chances to oust the incumbent, Abhisit Vejjajiva by waging relentless struggle against the army.

Rumours are rife with reports of the army leaders or a section of them - means a chasm among the army hierarchy itself might in the end force Abhisit Vejjajiva to leave the hot seat. Thaksin Shinawatra, the Robinhood reminding me of Kayamkulam Kochunni who was a great thief and looter of Kerala origin whose mission was the welfare of the downtrodden or the have-nots in the society, could find himself in the saddle in the immediate future after a namesake election process. All possibilities rest upon the ultimate stand of the army. Thailand on the boil reports at present flash across the visual media, and widely covered in the print media.

IRAQI TURMOIL

Iraq seemed to be somewhat calm, uneasy calm is the apt word, till a few months away. Such a feeling was around not only among Americans, Britians and their allies, even such a fond thought was widespread even the world over. With many other issues of international importance drawing the attention of all what actually emanates from the war ravaged country is something distressing. As in Pakistan, yes, it is not a war ravaged nation, agree, suicide bombings on daily basis are coming out with huge numbers getting perished as consequences of it.

America, Britain and their allies so also the Iraqi Government were starting to breath easy infact, but against their expectations, Sunni-Shia divide and divisions within the Shia groups itself, create havoc in Iraqi cities and towns through unexpected suicide bombings thus holding the entire Iraq to ransom ever since the war and the gruesome death of Saddam Hussein at the hands of U.S allies. Their troops after “successful accomplishment” of their mission were about to return their respective lands and some already called back what would be their next moves? A clear message to the Iraquis to get lost or set your house in order message-most probable-or once more into the battle arena? Whatever be their next moves Iraq is poised to evolve itself into a towering inferno, in the days to come, thanks to the Americans, and Britains. George W Bush and Tony Blair must be feeling excited.

Greek recession

After the somewhat successful escape from the recession of 2008 which first originated in U.S while George.W.Bush was in the White House as President and the whole mess fell upon his successor Barack Obama and as initiated by him a resolution was passed in the Congress, The Federal Reserve under its new incumbent Ben Bernanke, through fiscal stimulus, bailed out the crumbling financial institutions, and corporates. U.S and other nations across the world heaved sighs of relief. Though functioning under a regulated mechanism India unlike under the then U.S President Bush where unregulated economy was left loose (with no strings attached) India also could not escape the aftereffects of meltdown though to a limited extent. Barack Obama had to weather many a storm in the form of Republican onslaught one by one, commencity from the GoP’s opposition to the new Health Care Bill which would benefit more than 32 millions of Americans-a few leaders of GoP like Sarah Palin calling it “death panel” reform. Each reform that Obama concentrates upon passing like reining in of corporates, Wall Street et al through amendments of the law, the Republicans oppose the incumbent Government for its own sake like “terrorists go on a killing spree for its own sake………..”

The U.S. Recession of 2008 is somewhat under control though unemployment still remaining a head ache, now the tragedy has hit Greece and even its repercussions are felt around the world. The “talk of the town” now is the Greeke Conundrum. The Pulitzer prize winner Thomas L Friedman even went to the extent of calling Greece “the United States of Europe”. I feel this some sort of an exaggeration as Nobel lauraeate economist Paul Krugman put it compared to U.S.A, Greece is a small country and hence the comparison is in poor taste. Moreover American economy according to him, even during the meltdown of 2008 was in a much better shape than that of Greece.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreau was on a whirlwind tour of European countries to plead fro rescuing his nation from the unprecedented recession, and the 27 member body was sympathetic to his pleadings and promised to extend help. IMF also came to the help of Greece of course with many a string attached. As someone put it, IMF stressed the need for running the Greek economy on an ‘economic diet’ by adopting strict austerity measures like reducing the wage hike by 20 per cent, pension by 10% and raiising retirement age by five years, thus cutting down the expenditure to help the nation wriggle out of a quagmire.

George Papandraeau stressed the need for the people sacrificnig hitherto comforts enjoyed by them for the future prosperity of the nation or atleast make it possible to bail-out. May 1 massive rally organized across Greece by workers in protest against the austerity measures to be adopted was displayed by CNN on the historic day. The rally had reported to have turned violent.

If Greece like Britain had stuck to its currency instead of Euro, such a pathetic situation would not have arisen. This is not to explain that British economy is in a better shape and in Britain one of the reasons which led to the fall of New Labour Party Government under Gordon Brown after 13 years of uninterrupted rule by that party was due to the shattered economy. But they have still the choice left.

To rescue Greece from an economic collapse is the collective responsibility of European Union and they should have to rise to the occasion. The very concept of European Union and the adoption of a common currency Euro by the community was itself a step in the wrong direction.

SAFETY VALVE

Loneliness like a python
About to wind around
Her crushing her to death.
Each night brings her
Loneliness and fear
Snatches away her sleep.
Hatred, anger, frustration
Not to anyone, but herself
She wakes up from the bed
And switches on the light
Walks to and fro
With hands folded across the chest
Memories like a pendulum
Moves moves back and forth, always restless
Happiness, delight, ecstasy,
Anger, sorrows, tears
Pendulum never stops.
She moves to the window
Outside the moon and stars.
Hidden behind the dark clouds
Like her mind
Sometimes she feels like
Opening the door
Running down the stairs
And rush to the
Crowded city
A thought in a split second
Such a thought is crucial in one’s life
Nishant still not come
With his friends he
Always moves along.
Never can he sit idle
Whiling away time.
It is his safety - valve
Saaju’s room still bathed in light
She came to the door
As expected
Scribbling something in the
Light of table lamp.
His safety- valve.
Everyone finds out a
Safety-valve
She saw a child
In front of her
She jumps, dances, kicks
Her legs and throws her
Hands in the vacuum
Plays pranks
Never sits idle
Immersed in her delightful images of the child
Closing the doors and windows she jumped,
Danced, sang
Her hands thrown into the air and played pranks
And giggling
Her hairs disheveled
She could not hear
Nishant and Sanju knocking at the door
Calling amma, amma, amma
She fell tired on the bed……..
Her
Pent-up energies
exhausted.
Nishant and Sanju
Looked at each other
Frighteningly
Question marks flashing in their eyes
Her safety-valve

Thursday, May 13, 2010

GOD ILLUSION

Actors with pride flickering in our eyes

Boast “We, the actors are

Gods,

Many avatars

We have,

As heroes, villains,

Comedians, supporting actors

A wide range of

Roles we enact in unique ways.”

“Audience, sit spell bound

On watching our magic on celluloid

Tears, laughters, ecstasy, violence, sex,

Messages imparted to the society at large

The changing expressions in our eyes each moment

Facial muscles tensed up and loosened as and when the situation demands

Body –movements, dialogues

Anger, seriousness,

Humour, love-making

Wonderful are our histrionics.”

Fame, glory, wealth

Make us celebrities

Intoxicated with pride

“Fans” galore

Running with

Break-neck speed

And “lights” keep on shining

To our joy and arrogance simultaneously.

Criticisms, we abhor.

Being actors,

Very adept in

Hiding our

Anger and frustration, we utter with beaming smiles

“Criticisms we welcome."

Hollow, empty words

We know for certain.”

“Sometimes angry outbursts by us feeling hurt,

Our true colours, umpteen colours have we

Get displayed unawares on our faces

Even a Fatherly figure, whether he be a cultural icon

We hate if he dares to

Darken our image

We laugh at him with scorn

Illusion, delusion, hallucination

We hurl epithets at him

Whenever we respond to his outspokenness

Intolerance we keep as our biggest asset

And we feel satisfied and happy.”

“Like a madman, calling

A sane person mentally deranged.”

Some one, we feel like hearing like an oracle

behind the curtains

We turn back with shivering rage

“Who is the rascal there?”

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

MOTHER – DAUGHTER DUO – TWO FROZEN MINDS

Indira and Malu
Mother and daughter,
Employed.
Father retired, relaxing
In the flat
A happy man now
After a life-long
Swimming and
Reaching ashore.
No Padma awards, No Bharat Ratna,
Lucky chap
Mother and daughter
Wake up early morning
Both in a hurry
Office two to three hours away
Ambarnath to Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Finish off routine chores
Glance at the clock on the wall
Umpteen times
Hour hand, Minute hand, Second hand
Ticking fast
Breakfast and lunch
Placed on the dining table
Safely covered
For the snoring ‘Kumbakarna’
Whenever he awakes he can have the breakfast
Both with vanity bags go out,
Door kept closed from behind, but not locked.
But quite safe he is.
Security’s frequent
Moves round-the-clock
Streets already crowded
Autos, trains and buses
Some speed away
Some wait to speed away
Down the roads both walk
Walk the talk.
Straight to the railway stations
Cross the crowded over-bridge
Platforms fill to the brim,
Occasionally turn out to be a flooded river
Fast ‘monsters’
Rush ahead roaring
From Pune and faraway states
Indira and Malu
Mother and daughter
Watch, talk and smile to each other.
Over-bridge-an obstacle,
To some.
First climb up the steps, move
Through the faceless crowd,
And climb down the steps
Cross the rails to reach the platform at the earliest.
An easy route
Some lucky but
Some ‘luckier’,
The latter are run over
Indira watches the scene with detached eyes.
No shock, no pain.
Malu just smiles.
Frozen minds never feel pain
Monsters are monsters
Their duties only,
to rush ahead
City makes man and woman monsters.
Frozen minds.
Indira never press the rewind button to go to her past memories
Hence no problem.
Shock,pain,tears, nightmares, decapitated, mangled corpses, roars and howls and her loud cries
All played havoc
In her mind once.
Now thank God
All those frightful images got buried somewhere in her memories
Not even a drop of tear to shed
Tears got dried up
Somewhere on the way.
Malu daughter of the city
Nothing hurts her
Born with a frozen mind
Lucky girl.
Two to three hour journey to CST
That in the morning.
Two to three hour journey back
That in the night.
More than eight hour slavery in the office

At 10 pm in Ambernath.
Flat,dress-changing
Preparations for supper
In the meanwhile
Televisions comes alive
Films songs, serials, sports
Choices vary
Three of them
Enjoy talking
Light and serious
When all is over
It’s sleeping time.
Clock on the walls
Announces 12 past 15
Four to five hour sleep
Sufficient.
A busy day awaits
For both mother and daughter.
What to do? Life should go on.

BRAZIL AND INDIA – DIFFERING VIEW POINTS

Jorge Heine’s article (Chair in Global governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, is Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University and a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario) on Luiz Inacio Lula D’Silva, Brazilian President, his reforms, after his ascension and vast progress undergone by the country since then, the progress is still apace is a must read for all interested in changing international scenario. He had a humble beginning, I don’t want to call it a rag-to-riches story as that usage is befitting to another category, first as a factory worker, where in an accident lost one of his fingers, then joined the trade union movement and became an activist as a TU leader. He could very well see and understand myriad problems affecting those at the lower rungs of the society and hence possessed a compassionate heart since his early days. Those experiences contributed a lot to change and thus transform the living conditions of the poor which he still continues, in other words an ongoing process.

Jorge Heine in the course of his write-up did compare Lula to Dr. Man Mohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, while writing about the liberalization reforms introduced by both, Dr.Singh as Finance Minister in 1991 and Lula in 1993 which helped to speed up the progress on various fronts thus improving the lot of the citizens. Mr.Heine, however did go wrong here while the comparison was done.

True. Progress, immense progress did happen in India but our Prime Minister shed all his energies to the welfare of the corporate sector in the process leaving the socially backward sections in the wilderness. Their conditions remain as before and as Sitaram Yechury, leader and Polit Bureau member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) noted for the haves it is shining India and for the have-nots, a suffering India which constitute the majority of our population. He was speaking a naked truth, a painful truth and nothing but the truth in the literal sense, of what use to a country neo-liberation reforms and Globalization benefit only a few while millions and millions continue to starve. Whenever the social sector is ignored, neglected and only an elite group is taken care of extending to them massive tax concessions all the so-called progresses are equivalent to “lines drawn on water”. Such is the pathetic condition of social sector in our country now. Only a massive overhaul of the system is the need of the hour in India and unfortunately that is least expected from those in power now.

Tall talks of social reforms with practically doing nothing won’t be of any help to alleviate the hardships of those at the lower rungs of the ladder. Platitudes abound and that in that.

Lula’s Brazil is entirely different. Always keeping a compassionate approach to the poor as Lula himself had a humble beginning remember he didn’t have the opportunities of higher studies at Oxford or a prestigious post which attracted status as well as massive wealth (Brazilians are lucky, really lucky) he could very well fathom the depth of the problems of the toiling masses and that awareness alongside generosity could care equally the corporate sector as well as the social sector thus transforming the nation an emerging economic power. In the course of the write-up, Jorge Heine might not have gone through these aspects and his inadvertent lapse could be forgiven.

By the by, permit me to ask our economic pundits what about our GDP? The Sensex? Soaring hopes? That is enough and more for you people and unfortunately we the citizens are left high and dry as usual.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Leaning against a concrete wall he was sitting
Both his legs folded with arms resting on his cheeks
Looking pensive
She was glancing at him
With penetrating eyes.
Ragged clothes,
Knicker torn and grimy,
Shirt like-wise.
He didn’t care her looks.
“Never mind”- she whispered smilingly.
Commuters alighting
From the platforms,
Some elegantly dressed,
With brief-cases in their hands,
“Peak hours”- she recalled
Some frantically rushing ahead
to their destinations
Some to a nearby hotel to have a cup of tea and idly chutney.
Hotel already packed to capacity
Like a glassful of water,
Ladies in vanity-bags hanging over
their shoulders
In singles and groups
Announcements of train timings.
Frequent, loud, but melodious,
Piercing sounds of
Trains rushing past
Hooting sirens
She was watching him
Not sympathy, but empathy
Love, warmth, affection.
‘Your name?
A moment of refusal
“Vital”-he murmured.
“Where you live?”
He frowned but she kept on smiling.
In the railway platform
His indifferent looks,
“Your parents?’
“None”- his stoic reply
“Where you spend your nights?”
He was getting angry, felt like she getting on his nerves.
“In railway platforms”- the same indifference
“No idea?”
No answer forthcoming.
Gone to school?”
No answer forthcoming.
“Shall I take your photo?”
He waved his hands in permission but showing no interest
She took out the camera hanging from her shoulders
It was like one of her organs
Camera flashed intermittently.
He hung his head in anger.
She stood still for a while.
“Had anything in the morning?”
Never cared to raise his head.
“Tell me, my son.”
He looked up with
Tears in his eyes.
Again hung his head.
Reluctant to leave him
she stood still.
“Mother India goes on weeping for you
Since time immemorial, my son”
She was looking somewhere
Then moved away
With her head hung in shame.
Something she felt touching from behind.
The boy was running away
with her purse.
“Empty pocket”-
She smiled to herself
“My son has the right,
to snatch away anything
From me, his mother”
She was glad.
A burden unburdened from her heart.
She walked away, was all smiles.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

MUMBAI CARNAGE VERDICT and AFTER

3rd May 2010. Fateful day in the history of a nation. The day on which Justice Tahilyani pronounced verdict sentencing the lone surviving gunman Muhammed Ajmal Kasab of 26/11 Mumbai carnage to capital punishment which took away the lives of 166 persons. Besides Muhammed Ajmal Kasab, there were nine more assassins with him to hold the city to ransom for three days i.e. from 26/11 to 29/11. The security personnel in fierce encounters with ten terrorists finished off nine except Ajmal Kasab who survived the encounter with grievous wounds. As per my knowledge, the bodies of nine assassins killed in the encounter with the security men are still “enjoying” happy moments in a Mumbai hospital mortuary with no claimant coming to the fore. The wicked, cold-blooded leaders of LeT (Laskar-e-Taiba) who roam free in Pakistan with the knowledge and overt connivance of Pak Government I don’t know, these so-called peace-lovers feel I mean the Pak government feel proud of them who imparted Jihadism, brain-washed, provided training, logistics and massive funds. They call themselves clerics, charity workers and pro-poor and they call themselves Jihadists. And they are searching for thousands of Jihadists to spread the message of launching jihads against their proclaimed enemies their prime enemy being India. Ajmal Kasab is one among thousands in their army here I mean Laskar-e-Taiba and its chief Hafeez Saeed. A hammer to hit a fly is something absurd and immaterial. And hence the primary responsibility of all nations as each of them is a prey to the whims and fancies of the hard-core terrorists. Be it in Russia, be it in China, be it in the U.S.A, be it in U.K, be it in Indonesia, Bangladesh wherever peace-loving citizens love to lead a peaceful life, the trigger-happy monsters are on the prowl to upset the harmony and rhythm of human co-existence irrespective of ethnicity, caste, creed and religion.

Right from the day on which Justice Tahilyani announced the date of verdict, media world was agog with talks, discussions, calculations even predictions relating to the fate in store for Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, Fahim Ansari, and Sababuddeen the latter two are Indian citizens apprehended citing suspected collusion in the tragedy of 26/11.

To make a mountain out of a mole-hill is every one’s game and here also exaggerations abound. Some national newspapers even went to the extent of writing about the curiosity with which the world as a whole watching with fingers crossed about the fate, hanging over Ajmal Kasab and his alleged accomplices.

And the dates on which the verdicts were pronounced I recalled the proverbial saying “a mole-hill made out of a mountain”. To many citizens, though they are not blessed with divine powers verdicts were almost on the expected lines. Fahim Ansari and Sababudeen acquitted by the judge saying the prosecution could not establish their alleged complicity in the 26/11 carnage. Then came justice Tahilyani sealing the fate of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, aged 22 who sprayed bullets indiscriminatingly killing, how many no one knows for sure, starting from Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus), Madam Cama hospital - patients and employees included -, and the visitors of Leopold Restaurant frequented by foreign tourists. All facts presented before the court by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam beyond any doubt - a commendable job, by the man from Jalgaon, Maharashtra.

True. What the 22 year old ruthless assassin deserves maximum punishment and that was why celebrations by the citizens of Mumbai, relatives of some victims were seen before TV cameras weeping, even cursing the assassins and unable to control their emotions with tears running down their cheeks we heard them saying in broken words, the verdict though gives them momentary solace the memories of their beloved ones were still lingering in their minds and they appeared to be gloomy as before.

Mohamed Ajmal Kasab though convicted and sentenced to death will have to be confined to the death cell for a long period before being led to the gallows. If such a thing is about to happen he is said to be the 30th man who has been sentenced with capital punishment awaiting the fateful day.

In India, many legal formalities have to be crossed, as there is protracted legal formalities ahead for him to be led to the gallows and added to this is some “extraneous” matters. Celebrations on the spur of the moment immediately after the judge pronouncing the verdict by our citizens should have to be counted as emotional responses.

In the meanwhile world wide debates are going on the justifiability and logic behind the adherence to capital punishment by certain countries at a time more and more countries are moving away from the path of awarding capital punishment as they feel it somewhat uncivilized and inhuman in contemporary times. A decision to declare a moratorium on awarding capital punishment till 2015 is on the anvil. I think it would be better if ones who deserve maximum punishment are to be sentenced to life imprisonment means to the very end of one’s life in between provide him/her with opportunities to repent, to reform and whatever possible is needed to transform him or her.

S.M.Krishna, our Foreign Minister, P.Chidambaram, Home Minister and Veerappa Moily, Law minister - their reported responses - that “the fateful verdict is a strong message to Pakistan” about which no comments, please.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

INDIAN FILMS – REALITY HURTS

Are you a gentleman? I am not a gentleman. The honour ‘gentleman’ is something irritating, revolting and abhorrent. I always want to be known as a common man. If I am about to claim to be a gentleman there will be lot to laugh at me. The so-called gentlemen we have heard about or seen in public in literal sense are men of clay feet. I can very well name countless of them the only reason why I don’t want to divulge here is not out of fear or libel suit. Be that as it may. I hesitate to prolong the discussions about the species. The only reason being that only.

At least five days in a week, sometimes a whole week I take a trip either by autorickshaw or by car to the nearby town down the streets to meet someone or to the bank where I operate my account, remittances are rare, frankly speaking, and withdrawal of cash sometimes, to consult doctor once in a while, to purchase medicines, some periodicals, vegetable from the market. Little little items, nothing much expensive, the reason ‘funds insufficient’ in the banking parlance.

On the way to the town unawares my eyes catch sights of obscene, erotic cinema posters depicting actors and actresses scantily dressed, some even naked in compromising positions. On watching those posters I feel ashamed of myself, the whole film world must be thinking about depravity we have fallen into. I can very well picture or imagine some reader’s faces and their silent sarcastic comments about the morally upright ‘gentleman’. I don’t want to be known as a morally upright man as I was not at all, still now not that much morally steadfast or straight forward. While in my teens- an explosive period in everyone’s life- and early youth I too was bewitched, fascinated and attracted towards the raunchy, seductive, inviting looks of ladies even got entangled in it admit as my life took a new turn with passage of time, means when I came of age or attained maturity I got ashamed of myself, still get ashamed of myself on thinking about the moments or period when I was always a part of it.

The theatre which continuously runs the types of obscene or porno films stands at the side of the road through which I proceed along posters are nauseating and erotic to me and a few persons like me. Man and woman in various poses, some perverted, are numerous and I could always watch crowds starting from school going ones, drop-outs, youth, middle-aged and even who are in their 70s or 80s impatiently waiting outside to purchase tickets which are sold dime a dozen like the pulp fictions of Sidney Sheldon, Alberto Maravio et al.

Regrettably these kinds of vulgarities are exported to Kerala from Kodambakkam in TamilNadu and AndhraPradesh. Such sorts of Malayalam pictures were very rare once and now down the line even our Malayalam films are stooping to very low levels with the actors willingly or are forced to exhibit publicly their flesh to the ‘delight’ of viewers, apparently these low standard films are produced to amass as much money as possible.

It is even alleged that these vulgar films draw inspiration from Bollywood and Tollywood. Unfortunately malayalee girls often fall prey to this so-called ‘flesh-trade’. I was aghast when I happened to go through an interview given by the daughter of one of the Mega stars of TamilNadu - widely known all over India – the said girl is also an actor in her own right, non-chalantly speaking to the interviewer “so what in exhibiting my skin to the exhilaration of the audience”? Wonderful times indeed.

A few Super stars and some political leaders did take strong exceptions to the making and display of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ an Oscar winner which brought many a laurel and wide acclaim across the world alleging that India’s “great sacred image’ was tarnished in front of the world which according to them was extremely shameful. The realistic portrayal of poverty-stricken, malnourished, emaciated women and their drunkard husbands, lack of sanitary facilities and pure drinking water in ocean-sized slums of Mumbai was not to their taste in other words left ‘bitter taste’ in their mouth.

Needn’t get surprised or embarrassed over these allegations.

Even the greatest film-maker of all times Satyajit Ray was a target of scathing attacks by a cross-section of Bengali elite when his debut film ‘Pather Panchali’ which bagged President’s Gold Medal and many laurels around the world in the history of Bengal alleging that Bengal’s historic image of greatness was dirtied by the depiction of poverty prevalent over a period of time.

By the by how many of us know May 2, 2010 was his 90th birth anniversary? Only a few must be knowing about it even the Bengali citizens barring his family members.

Bollywood money-spinning entertainers stuffed with masalas ranging from sex, stunt, comedy, fire-spitting dialogues, the tear-jerking love-triangle, separation and reunion- a world of colour, pomp and pageantry are now largely seen, appreciated and talked about show the abyss to which the Indian films have fallen into, exceptions only a few.

MATHAI’S EXISTENTIAL AGONY

Mathai’s Morning

Mathai smiled at the vast expanse

Calm, quiet and tranquil
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like a cooling, caressing


Hugging effect

He felt

Like a caring, patient, affectionate mother

Like a lovely, matured village girl

Her anklets jingle rhythmically while walking along

Or like an obedient, silent child.

Delightful images

Of the vast expanse flashed through his eyes

Mathai smiled, he exclaimed,

Where this expanse ends

Whether it has any limit?

Or infinity? Mathai wondered

A motor cycle, stopped

With a thud

The middle-aged,

Bulky fellow in expensive dress

A Middle-aged beauty

in violet saree and sleeveless blouse and cropped hair

In glittering ornaments she shined

Daily visitors.

Mathai glanced leftward

Both as usual sat

On the concrete chair

Not man and wife

Mathai was sure.

The man was all love and passion

Hugging her with one hand

Kissing her necks,

Cheeks and the vast “area” behind her neck,

Oblivious of the “world outside”

Mathai smiled.

The beauty quite submissive,

Like a hen. Some women find pleasure in being submissive to her lover.

And he like a cock,

A cock and hen story

Mathai’s imagination crossed all barriers

What both were talking all along?

A group of men

All bulky, elite group

With cars parked sideways

All on a morning stroll,

A daily sight,

Carrying the burden of their weight with them,

Diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension

Common for these folks,

Mathai was sure.

Cracking jokes all the way

Their subjects vary,

Business, politics, the explosive population like a dam in spate

Violence, congestion,

Subjects galore.

An aged, tall man,

Medium-built

In his white kurta and dhoti

Enjoying music holding

A transistor close to his ears

moving along

That too a daily sight.

Mathai looked rightward,

Tender coconuts-

Piled up,

A man in tucked-up lungi, and banian

‘A coconut merchant’

Thus he is

Known in his distant village-

Of Kerala,

That too opposite

Oberoi-Trident.

Doing ‘brisk business’,

A white man and his girl-friend

Both in jeans and T-shirts

With the jeans folded upto the knees

Standing before him,

Coconut merchant out of love and respect embodied

He knifed

Top of the coconuts

Picked up two straws

Each put inside each,

Both in praises-sweet,tasty,healthy and pure

No cadmium, no lead, no pollutant.

No bargain followed

The white man with

A pat on the man’s back,

Stuffed a hundred

Rupee note inside his banian

Not waiting for the balance,

Both walked along delightfully.

Mathai’s conditioned-reflex,

Sharp 10.00 AM.

Mathai stood up hesitatingly

Walked down the roads

Office waiting for him

To gift him-

One more monotonous working day.



Mathai’s Evening

Vast expanse angry and violent

Like a mother gone mad

Or like a ditched girl,

spitting venom on her lover

Or a quarreling, crying baby,

The vast expanse above,

Sometimes turning

cloudy, sometimes glittering with

Golden smiles,

Resembling the changing

Moods of Mother Nature,

Mathai, among the crowd,

With the sorrow

Of an outsider

With vehicles

Hooting down the

Streets.

An alien world-

“Who am I?Where am I? ” – Mathai to

Mathai. Whether Mathai is Mathai?

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Righteous Indignation of a Thespian

Gritting his teeth
Fretting and fuming
His eyes burning like
Glowing embers
Facial muscles tensed-up often
Emotions-pain, anger,
Shock, all flashed in his eyes
Body language revealed his varying emotions
“If I were that hapless girl
(With fists thrust into the space as if to hit anyone)
“I would have bloodied,
His nose and reduced him into pulp
“A poor girl squeezed like
A bunch of cane-sticks and thrown
Down the drains”
“Bastard”-he fumed.
News caster bewildered, aghast and embarrassed
The burning glowing
Embers in his eyes
Made all stunned.
His voice like the
Roar of a lion
“Paedophiles, rapists
Goons, looters
Underworld, terrorists
Roaming bloodhounds
Flesh-traders - all on prowl
Searching victims
“Picture these.” he thundered
Allotted time lapsed
A big ‘Thank you’ by
The newscaster
He breathed easy
Cooling down
He cast a smile,
A beaming smile
Perhaps at me, perhaps
Who knows?

Monday, May 3, 2010

EROSION OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN INDIA

Rahul Gandhi MP, the heir-apparent to the throne of Indraprastha, Sonia Gandhi, MP, UPA Chairperson, Congress President, Chairperson, National Advisory Council, keep mum whenever the stability of the Government in power faces a threat of ouster from power. Tall talks of ethics, morals, the rich heritage of Grand old party of India (GoP), Indian National Congress which has already crossed 125 years of existence once led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopalakrishna Gokhale, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel - an array of great leaders of integrity and honesty who swore by great democratic traditions and principles the party has now fallen into an abyss of corruption, horse trading, encouraging defections, cobbling together of majority befriending opportunist parties who pretend to be the avowed enemies of the Party when threatened with loss of power. Here I am compelled to point out the enormous profits being made by various corporates each quarter, the wide coverage they get in the media, finance columns of each national newspaper are full to the brim about the gross profits amassed by corporate honchos. The business channels like CNBC TV18 and NDTV Profit compete with each other in projecting the record profits acquired by the business tycoons, interviews, hot discussions and debates, well, no news forthcoming about the progress made on agriculture front, alas it is just the opposite when the media men are confronted with the issues and problems faced by agriculture in our country which is actually the nation’s backbone have nothing to say about it and keep mum. “The less said the better”- they might be telling to themselves. The elite get bored about the harrowing tales, countless of them about the severe droughts experienced by the country, the toiling farmers who find it difficult to make both ends meet, the threat of GM foods and seeds exporting to our country by multinationals, or their agents with the covert and overt support of the ‘Gandhian’ government in power, crores without roofs above their heads, the vast slums and the languishing men, women and children, now even the loud and tall promises of uplift of crores of Kalavatis are not being mentioned - no indications of trickle down effect which our economic pundits under an economist Prime Minister proclaiming at the top of their voices but all turn empty proclamations notwithstanding. Fed up. Our ruling leaders remain inebriated with power, hence their arrogance and intolerance to criticism. Recent nation wide bandhs did not make them climb down on the issues of petrol price hike (you know the petrol prices remain volatile hence no looking back, says our Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, “sometimes high and sometimes low”), sky rocketing of prices of essential commodities, food items, host of issues. The opposition sponsored cut-motion threatened the very existence of the ‘pro-poor’ frantic henchmen of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress Secretary Rahul Gandhi M.P and Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh all were reportedly in search for fence sitters with promises of waiver of criminal and civil cases filed against them to be watered down with Sonia, Rahul,Man Mohan Singh keeping mum and clean. This is the period of proxies in India - proxies there were in the past also – that is another truth but such henchmen in large numbers emerged right from IPL to politics, both related to each other. Here also proxies jumped into the forefront to propitiate the Gods and Goddesses with promises galore. To defeat the cut-motion, the avowed enemy, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) sided with the Govt in power with Rashtriya Janata Party Dal (RJD) of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Samajwadi Party (SP) of Mulayam Singh Yadav abstaining. Like the young man or lady in the UNINOR advertisement saying confidently, ‘Next comes my number’, both the aforesaid leaders still dream about a day, when two seats remaining vacant to get enconsced in cosy chairs.
Mayawati’s enemity verging on personal animosity towards Sonia and Rahul is famous/notorious and the mutual mud-slinging and allegations of corruption on various fronts traded against Mayawati by Rahul and Sonia Gandhi on the issues of instalments of statues of Mayawati, her mentor Kanshi Ram, B.R.Ambedkar and SreeNarayana Guru, misusing of central funds allotted to the State, deforestation to beautify some parts of Uttar Pradesh - all swept under the carpet with both of them keeping mum and remaining clean. How much value they give to the words mouthed by them now? Any kind of introspection took place? Even an iota of remorse?

Whether in politics anything is possible? If that be so, the future of this country is doomed with democratic traditions, principles, ethics and morals getting guillotined.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT – US NIGHTMARES

A news report purporting to be that of an interview given by former bodyguard of Osama Bin Laden about the latter’s dream of possessing a nuclear bomb apparently to attack U.S.A, Al-Qaeda’s No.1 enemy. Once it was hand in gloves with U.S, that is part of history now. You must be remembering Laden’s outfit Al-Qaeda was provided with enormous funds and logistics by U.S to fight against the erstwhile Soviet Union to force them vacate Afghanistan in 1989.
U.S. nurses perpetual nightmares of Al-Qaeda’s launching of a nuclear attack anytime anywhere in U.S.A after the traumatic, shocking, painful and unexpected bombardment of the twin towers of World Trade Centre (WTC) on September 11, 2001.

The sudden reprisals targeting Al-Qaeda elements embedded in the safe havens which still continue unabated with renewed vigor in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan adjacent to Afghanistan with a combined NATO Allies-US force of approximately 150000 against the hardcore elements. First a renewed surge in Marjah devastating the region and shortly in Kandahar.

These stories you must be knowing very well and fearing a counter attack by Al-Qaeda forces now scattered across the world is quite natural on the part of U.S.A - a devastating nuclear attack U.S. fears most targeting its territories and that fear has something to do with the recent Nuclear Security Summit convened by U.S. President Barrack Obama in Washington from April 12-13. 47 nations from across the world assembled at Washington to discuss and deliberate upon reducing the nuclear armory to the minimum and most importantly the need for taking urgent steps or measures to prevent the militant elements of Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Lashkar-E-Toiba, Tehrek-E-Taliban, Jaish-e-Muhammed from acquiring “dirty bombs”. All nations know for sure in the event of the aforesaid elements possessing those lethal weapons, they won’t have any qualms in launching devastating attacks against enemy nations. The nuclear security summit was certainly convened by U.S apprehending such a horrifying eventuality targeting especially U.S.A.

Simultaneously, in order to keep its historical friend in need, Pakistan in good humor U.S. is somewhat inclined to forge a civil nuclear deal with that country which is the epicenter of terrorism and the traditional rival of India. Other Asian country China, which remains neighbours of both nations claiming to be friendly with both has openly admitted to go ahead with a civil nuclear deal and also with Nuclear weapons, besides the already signed treaties related to various fields-defense, education, infrastructure, trade and industry. Both U.S and China are seemingly in competition with each other on the matter of extending help to Pakistan. Why? Nothing but to cut India into size and to handle Pakistan, like a tool to checkmate India, an emerging economy (though only a few benefit from it is another bitter truth, no doubt) from reaching to the top. At the same time, both U.S. and China, can play safe and pledge their friendship and love to India ostensibly without any iota of sincerity. Indian foreign minister S.M.Krishna visited China recently some agreements reached on various fronts, most importantly a hotline between Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo established. Now the ‘India festival’ is being celebrated in China. Keep everyone in good humor is diplomacy at its best alongside protecting once interests is great. Pragmatism never fails, I think in the field of International relations.

In addition to this on recalling the Nuclear Security Summit of April 12-13 in Washington soon after Obama convened a meeting of 55 Muslim nations in keeping with the true spirit of his historic Cairo speech last year which brought him wide acclaim the world over.

This meeting has also something to do with nuclear issues other than ties in various fields, apparently to keep all of them friendly with U.S which would according to him isolate the fissiparous elements like Al-Qaeda, Taliban, LET and Tehrek-E-Taliban.

If the man is true and sincere in his words and deeds, it would help U.S as well as other peace-loving nations escape from the horrifying nuclear threat confronting the nations. Whether his words turn out to be hollow and insincere, some of his deeds point to that direction unfortunately, the Nuclear Security Summit and the meeting with 55 Muslim nations will prove to be infructuous and just showmanship. Await…..

CAMARADERIE

An air-conditioned spacious room,
With all comforts
Ambience – cool, calm and serene
The negotiating table,
Large, wide and rectangular.
Embellished with flower vase, paper weights
Both got seated across the table
Customary greetings followed.
Smiles, warm hand-shakes,
Pleasantries exchanged
Something personal, something about
The climate in each country.
“Here quite hot and humid”
“Same case over there”
Moments lapsed.
In came business
Files opened.
Both looked serious and gracious.
Who should begin?
“Yes I shall start”
“Okay”
“Terror must stop”
“First the core issue of valley”
(In came steaming tea, cutlets and vadas)
“First terror must stop”,
“It is our ‘core’ concern”
“We are fed up with terror,
You know” (A serious smile)
“But don’t bracket the two” (Serious smile in return)
Discussions, deliberations
One hour, two hours
Gone
“It is lunch-time already”
Oh, I did not notice it in the heat of discussions.
“Even in the ac cabin” (jokes)
“Your sense of humour, I appreciate it” (smiles)
“Your return flight at?”
Quick came the answer.
“Okay, let’s meet another day”
“Certainly after discussions with our Heads”
Warm hand-shakes, beaming smiles,
Have a nice journey”
“Thanks a lot”
Core-issues remain core-issues
So be it.
The dialogue must go on
No press conferences after and no comments to the media
Loud explosions outside,
One after another
Media men run helter-skelter
Shocks, protests as usual
TV screens screamed.
Strewn body parts, wailing
maimed victims writhing in pain cries in the wilderness
frantic searches of parents, siblings, relatives, friends, all sobbing
Shocks and protests
Charge and counter charges
One after another.
Looming war in the horizon
Dialogue must go on
Certainly