Satyamev Jayate #1#2#3#4#5 June 3, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Corruption, Feelings, India, Patriotism, Politics, Satyamev Jayate.11 comments
Okay! Cut the crap, I can’t wait till 4th June (which is tomorrow) for my exams to get over, because what I saw today was exactly what I have always wanted to raise a voice for.
Today’s episode of Satyamev Jayate dealt with everything that we often read in newspapers every now and then, and yet choose to close our eyes towards it. Uh, well actually we all are lackadaisical enough that we close our eyes to everything that happens around. But, the truth is, things are happening are they need to change. To bring in this change and awareness among people, the valiant Aamir Khan with his ‘Satyamev Jayate’ has stepped forward for a one-on-one combat with the evils prevailing in the Indian society.
But, the problem with India is that if you step inside a quagmire to clean it, it clinches your leg so tight, trying to pull you down; most of us give up then, and only a few heroes survive it. One same thing, I came across in the newspapers yesterday, stating, ‘Aamir Khan should apologize to the doctors for besmirching their image.’ (For those who missed the last episode of Satyamev Jayate, it handled the corruption prevailing in the medical field, among the doctors, with nicety.) After reading such a thing in the newspaper, I had immediately thought, what would he do now, would he apologize? Oh please, he shouldn’t do that for whatever was exhibited on the show and the way he handled, it was perfect. We all know what evils are prevailing in the society, we all know who all are corrupt, yet we just choose to be silent, and when one guy begins his quest, trying to eradicate them, if not eradicate then trying to make the people aware towards them, then we point a finger toward him? Well, whatever. Aamir Khan handled those fingers quite well today, in the beginning of the show, giving a pellucid answer that- ‘My aim is not to tarnish anybody’s image, my aim is just to create a society where everyone can talk about their problems and sufferings openly. My aim is to make the people aware, so that what happened with some of them, doesn’t happen with the rest of us.’ *Impressed* (Yet, again.)
Okay, returning to today’s topic of discussion, it revolved around honor killing, morale policing in the name of gram panchayats, khap panchayats etc., and inter-caste marriages. The highlight of the episode was Aamir Khan’s encounter with the khap panchayat of a village of Haryana. It’s funny how one can be so complacent with themselves and their decisions that they start considering themselves as self-made-leaders.
Some part of the conversation between the members of the khap panchayat and Aamir Khan was-
On of the members proudly said that, ‘When youngsters, in their passionate thoughts, commit the crime of breaking the rules of the ‘samaj’ and ‘parampara’, then we simply punish them, we don’t charge their lives, we just simply punish them.’
To this Aamir Khan very humbly questioned, “I just want to know for my own knowledge, do you have the right to punish anyone, in the eyes of law?’
Their reply, ‘In law, gram panchayats, khap panchayats have been given no right at all, but when we see that our ‘parampara’, our ‘samaj’, is being hurt, then we think it is the right thing to do.’
Aamir Khan promptly said, ‘But, we have judiciary in our country to make the decisions.’
One of the members retorted, ‘Judiciary is judgmental, it doesn’t give justice’ (‘nyaay‘). Even in England there is no written constitution, and everything is followed according to their ‘parampara’, and that’s how it has been going.
To this Aamir Khan, very rightly remarked, ‘But, this is not England!! We have a written constitution!! The judiciary is responsible to take the legal decisions and not anyone else.’
Okay! One, what is “samaj” after all, and who makes it? I think it is made by the people, its definition needs to change with the changing times. Moreover, if they can make comparison with England then they must also know that they follow their tradition in which every individual has a complete right to his/her life. I don’t think there are any boundaries to the word ‘samaj’, and nobody can go on a killing spree in the name of setting the youth right. If the constitution defines a person of age 18 as an adult, then it gives them the right to make decisions about their lives as well.
Two, who gave you this right, anyway? Nobody!
You are no Robin-hoods, so please don’t be hounds too.
Lastly, hats off to the “Love Commandos” as well! 
My First Experience With Voting April 15, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in 2012, India, Patriotism, Politics.9 comments
As the city enjoys the pleasant weather and the unexpected shower the follows, with the cool breezes disseminating a new splash of life away from the mundane heat; the city also steps out, today, to cast votes (at least some of them do) for the MCD elections.
Anyway, not much of a “party-political” person myself, but what it was for me was a FIRST TIME – with Voting! I feel big already (no, not in size, but in senses and maturity!).
In this place where preoccupation is your second name, your best friend as well as your enemy too, I had never really stopped to realize that “twenty” years had actually passed, or maybe I just closed the eyes, each time, to the very thought of it.
I remember how I used to go with my parents, as a kid, to the same voting place as I went today. It used to be a sort of game, clicking on the button, getting that ink mark on the finger, and then telling my school mates that, “See, I too have cast the vote.” And today, I have a “real” mark for my own vote.
Ambivalent feelings inundate my heart. I don’t wanna grow old so fast. I wish time could turn around, so that I could freeze it and keep my childhood, the best time of my life, with myself forever, because the life that lies ahead is harsh and very hard, and I don’t know until when I’d be able to withstand it.
Anyway, till I deal with my tribulations, happy voting!
India at the Brink of Independence! August 15, 2011
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Corruption, Freedom, Independence Day, Patriotism, Politics, Poverty, Struggle.18 comments
Wondering if I’m talking about just-another festive day in India. National holiday. Ensconcing yourself at home. Complete rest and relaxation. Well yeah, then I’m talking about just that!
Talking about this just-another holiday what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Of course kite flying, I know! Coz we’re just happy comfortably sitting at our homes giving free advises to run the country and criticizing the system. Coz we’re just too busy (or lazy) to step out of our comfort shell and actually do something. And when some Anna Hazare steps up for us, we do nothing but give advises to him too! This is OUR country and he is out there fasting and giving them a run-for-their-black-money just for us. What will he get on doing something like this? Now, here there is no selfish motive involved.
So, the fact is that we still have good people in the country. It is just that they are crushed. Why? Because we Indians are too chickened to come out on the streets and support someone who is doing it.
Now, I know I need not give any reasons why you must support Anna Hazare, for it is beneath Anna’s dignity to beg and make case for support when he is fighting for you against an abusive, corrupt regime. But, for those who still prefer to be the ostriches of their country (nah! country would be too vast a term, even I’m an ostrich then, in fact I may even be an ostrich of my city, Delhi, too! But, let’s just keep it to ostriches of the city), here’s a quick recap.
(As stated by Chetan Bhagat) Anna did a fast in April, which became the nation’s movement and spread virally. Concerned, the government agreed to make a good Lokpal Bill, shook hands with the activists and in principle agreed to Anna’s version, designed to truly check corruption. Since then, the government has insulted Anna’s team, thrown away their draft, and come up with its own almost pointless draft of the Lokpal Bill. The draft the government is presenting to Parliament will not check corruption. Only 0.5%, or one in 200 government officials are under its purview. Your corrupt ration shop, RTO, passport office, panchayats or municipal authority will not be covered. State scams will not be covered – yes, the Adarsh society scam or the Jharkhand scams are all out of its purview. The prime minister is excluded as well. Ever heard of a corruption law in a democracy that only applies to a certain section of people? The government is throwing magic dust in your eyes – and counting on India’s illiterate and ignorant to not know the difference. However, you reading this are educated. You know when wrong is being committed. You know that while you have lived your life with corruption, you do not want your children to do the same. A bad Lokpal Bill may not affect you today – but tomorrow it will hit you when your child does not get a college seat, when your hospital gives shoddy treatment, when your government work doesn’t get done. We live in a poor country – poor not because we don’t have what it takes to be rich, but because our leaders have let us down. We have given them too much power, and they consider our vote as a mandate to steal and be incompetent. They hate accountability. However, without accountability, our progress will stall. There are countries where the average income per person is 50 times more than in India. Don’t we deserve the same?
Thus, whatever your personal view on Anna, it is not him but his cause that needs support. The government can crush a few activists. However, it cannot crush India on the streets. A peaceful, firm, decisive protest is every Indian’s birthright, and must be exercised in times of need.
Coming back to flying kites on Independence Day, you know flying kites symbolizes the spirit of freedom, a spirit of free India. But, do you think we really are independent? Being a part of a political discussion, I was really ashamed to see that most of the people (and I mean people from all ages, including those who have witnessed the freedom struggle, too) acknowledged that India was better when there was British Rule than what is prevailing here today. Now, this is a point of real chagrin for all of us, for this means all those who struggled so hard only to make their next generations see a free country, all those who lost their lives in the struggle, was in vain? Are we so insentient that we don’t even canonize their sacrificed lives? And then we are happy digging our faces into the air and symbolizing the spirit of freedom when what we are suffering from is worse than British Rule!
Ending it with an excerpt from the ‘Tryst of Destiny’, the historic speech by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, which I think most of the ‘people-in-power’ have forgotten today.
The pledge “At this solemn moment when the people of India, through suffering and sacrifice have secured freedom, I, a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, do dedicate myself in a humility to the service of India and her people to the end that this ancient land attain her rightful and honoured place in the world and make her full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and the welfare of mankind.”
With this, it’s a cry for help from India and we have to aid her coz she’s our mother and she needs help.
When there will be freedom from hunger, freedom from poverty, freedom from child labour, freedom from corruption that’s when India will be Independent. Coz ‘Nothing is permanent’ and we have to change it. We have to prove the advisory-systems, present in every home, wrong. We have to prove that India can change and we have to do it.
We have to save our country’s future. It’s time for us to come out on the streets and that’s how we can end this trepidation!
Now we have a job to do, coz we know that we are on the brink of independence but we are not independent yet!
India – It’s a One Day Drama here. August 7, 2011
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Anger, India, Patriotism.9 comments
Ever got the privilege to witness those local MLAs’ moment of hullabaloo, those expressions of pride on their faces? And for what? Of course, their seminal issues! (Yeah, right!) Their major accomplishment of bringing the LPG gas pipeline to their locality. Bringing in underground telephone lines. Why? Don’t feel these are huge enough? Okay! Okay! Let me tell you even more paramount accomplishments. Decimating the already “finely” constructed road, and getting them re-builded. (Wondering that it is still good, considering atleast some work is done? Wait! Scamper your thought here, let me put it this way.) Defacing the already “finely” constructed road only in front of their houses (mansions, rather) and rebuilding it (and that too, not once or twice, after every fixed interval of time), and this doesn’t end here, it comes with an afterglow. The whole road (their road) is decorated for their “success bash”.
Continuing with their laurels.
Remember the “hugely successful” Common Wealth Games 2010? (yea! yea! I’m not here to salvo the very respectable Mr. Suresh Kalmadi and his achievements, we all are very well aware of that, already. Yeah, filling your pockets over the maximum limit is surely worth to be called an achievement!) Anyway, remember how Connaught Place was cracked and crashed with the speed of light, only to make it appear B-E-A-U-tiful for the “foreign” gentry, which by the way hasn’t been completed even till now and CP is still crashed. Even huger, remember how the roadside beggars and the homeless people were cleared away from the roads with the blink of an eye, to find clean roads decorated with plants everywhere. (ya! I know it’s a good thing, making your place presentable for the guests but, what about abiding by that change later on too? Can’t we always be so presentable? The beggars are back on the roads again, the flower pots have vanished and we are back to being “normal” again. Infact worse.) But, the in-charge people always prefer to keep their eyes closed, and carry on with their gala of celebration.
Caught sight of a similar thing yesterday. The passage crossing for the Keshavpuram Metro Station had been under contruction for ages now, which finally completed yesterday. And like it is a usual scene in India, less work more time, less requirement more material, obviously, it was the same here too. Until yesterday, this passage had been a private “rest house” for all the sleazy kind of people, which was converted into a decorated piece of art, with all the simmering and the flower pots, yesterday. Build under the orders of the Ashok Vihar MLA, of course it was a moment of pride for him and so there had to be a carousal. And so it was, yesterday. Guarded by millions of policemen, clearing off all the Rickshaw valas, that place looked nothing less than a carnival, with songs like Nanha Munna Rahi Hun pouring into my ears. But, like any other person, I was so sure that the moment the Sun sets in, the party would be over forever, and the newly made museum-of-jokers would be converted back into a “bedroom” for cheesy people, (obviously, which would, thereby, help to increase the unpleasant activities) and that’s what exactly happened, today. (Maybe, now it’s my moment to feel proud, after all I had already predicted it. Haha. But, disgusted at this sight too, at the same time.)
Tried to capture it. (Not so clear though, as it’s done rather covertly. But, just a moment of I-Told-You!)
(Wish I had captured what it looked just 24 hours before! Totally contrasting.)
Well, that’s India. Don’t know how we can change it, till the major part of our population continues to be occupied by such “learned” people. But, there’s one thing we all surely can change. Have you got a chance to visit BhartiVidyapeeth “Deemed University – A School of Distant Learning”, lately? (Yeah! That’s what it has been converted to, now. But, that’s not my point of concern at the moment.) Where I’m trying to point at, is the Plantation Drive just near the Paschim Vihar East Metro Station. It’s a really good start but, it seems rather sparse there, and we all can help to make it dense. Not necessarily there, we can plant a seedling anywhere and then who knows it can be a start to make our country presentable always!
Plant a sapling, nurture it into a tree! We would definitely be contributing to Earth as well as our country. That’s my chore for Friendship Day. A friendship with Earth (and to the land where I belong, too)! Hope you include it in your errands too.
~Happy Friendship Day.
