India at 60

India celebrated her 60th year of Independence on august 15th. But when I read about cholera epidemic, death of flood affected people and starvation deaths in many places, I doubt whether we live in free India.
It is a shame to India that her children still dwell in penury and ignorance after 60 years of Independence. Many of the Indian villages are a synonym for poverty and illiteracy. India has progressed in the area of science and technology, has got big cities, malls, big buildings, big dams and big fly overs. But failed to take care of her hapless children. What does freedom means to these children of a lesser God?

Politicians are concerned about people only at the time of election and prefer to leave them in ignorance. They happened to be the weapons in the hands of politicians and are being exploited for years. Even Medias are not really interested in the real issues of rural mass; they are lost in the glamour and glitter of city. Our GDP growth or sensex index also is of any help to the down trodeen mass.
Many Indians found place among the word’s richest people and Indian media celebrate their success with prominent coverage. Is that a deciding factor of the development of a country? In what way it is going to help a nation unless and until the rich Indians are ready to share the surplus money among the unfortunate children of India? It is against humanity to accumulate wealth more than needed when more than half of the world starves.
But who will bell the cat? India needs sincere politicians, strong and transparent leadership to take bold initiative to include those dwell on the edges of society, into her growing economy.

Silence and Violence

Violence is beyond my understanding. I never understand why people are fighting or why they are killing each other? Sometimes I would try to figure out their mental state, I don’t know may be they are just blind and live in the darkness. I don’t understand what drive one to take arm against the other? We are mortals and will leave the earth one day, what is the need to kill?
I really feel pity for the perpetures when I hear of a bomb blast or a riot. What force somebody to kill innocent people? What they achieve through this soulless act? I feel violence is an act of a mean mind, an act of a thoughtless head that has no respect for the self or others.
We have immense of examples in history of violence and bloodshed. We have traveled a long way forward in the area of development. We landed on Moon, explored space and make possible things that are considered impossible few years back. But our minds are not grown at par with our development. We are still the same (even worse) human beings who commit savage acts.
Violence is there in every society. Sophisticated west can hide that under the carpet unlike other societies where life is a constant struggle. We are forced to see violence in our drawing room in the form of riots, ethnic wars and explosions around the world.

Can’t we get away from violence? I have seen many times police beating up defenseless people; I don’t know what their crime is. I witnessed even the public handling the petty criminals in the same way. But I hardly have seen anybody raising voice against this inhuman act. This silence about violence is a dangerous trend than violence itself.

President of the hearts

Now Abdul Kalam is not president of India. And I am unhappy that the man I hold in high esteem was denied a second chance discarding the opinion of millions of Indians. I was wondering with my naiveness, why he was denied a second chance! I don’t know the crooked ways of politics and I don’t really understand whose interest politician serve. I find it a blow to the values and intergrity he represents. But as usual, he was the right man in the wrong place.

I am not interested in politicians though I am ineterested in politics. Kalam is not a politician, but still has got all the ingredients of a good politician. He is a good orator, writer, visionary and above all a man of magnetic personality. He is a man of high ideals and simple living. He wasn’t carried away by the power and comforts he enjoyed during his tenure. He made it a point not to misuse his position for any personal advantage. I feel our politicians should learn certain basic things from this man of flawless personality who inspired immense of tender hearts in this country.

When Pratibha Patil’s name figured from nowhere, many were trumpeting about the chance of first woman President in India. Politicians were segregated between the narrow considerations of Maharashtrian and non Maharashtrian blood. But what does it matter to a country, which was ruled by a woman Prime minister as early as 60’s? And Indira Gandhi did nothing extra ordinary to emancipate women.

His stepping down pained me for sure. I don’t know him personaly, I havn’t ever seen him in person, but I look up to him as a father or as a Guru (teacher). I feel not only Indians but all humanity should draw inspiration from his life and should imbibe from his noble ideals. APJ Abdul Kalam is a great son of India and was a great President. He will dwell in millions of hearts as the President of the people.