The forgotten promise of my generation....

The whole world seems to be falling off at the seams and my country has not been left behind from the winds of turmoil and uncertainty that gradually blows us towards an unseen brink. What lies at the bottom of the abyss beyond the cliff I do not know. But I know that as a generation we have failed. And failed rather remarkably!

Every generation has a promise and every generation fails its promise in some measure. For what is a promise if it is not haughty enough to be an aspiration! I was born into a generation with roots in a murky, hardening and protracted struggle for economic and social identity - whether in the microcosm of our own hamlets of existence or on a global stage. A basis that carried the expectation of great achievements and promise of opportunities for takers. Seeded in ideals of tolerance and equality, we came with the promise to build bridges of confidence and unity over all that divided us. 

And when I look around me today, I cannot help but feel that we have squandered away what was handed down to us from our fathers who toiled hard to put up for us a foundation from whence we could establish identities that would make us proud citizens in whatever room we walked into. Instead we have landed ourselves into self-centered isolated islands with no room to spare, no charity in our hearts, intolerance to our neighbours and devoid of the capability to build and sustain relationships. 

Yes we have made a lot of progress on the chronology of evolution with means and ways to ease every pain and eliminate most basic units of struggle. In the process however, we have managed to increase the distances between our hearts, break down the bonds that held us together and all of this while pursuing individualistic aspirations fuelled by fear and greed. A fear that feeds greed and a greed that fuels fear. Entangled in a vicious cycle that is pushing a generation towards a social and economic reality that has incinerated all that was our rich inheritance. 

We have become more prosperous and pronounced as a people but driven a a blade against the moral fibres to the point from whence we can probably no longer repair. And, unabashedly, we continue gnawing at that which unites us, and continue building more walls that divide us.

Acquisition of wealth and associated potency has become the axis of most of our existences. In this pursuit values of sharing, kindness and civic duty being drowned in an apathy that is so dark and desperate that it has begun feeding on our own self worth. 

But I believe that there is good there in our souls. Buried deep in the reverie of selfishness and self-centredness, there still burns the promise of the generation that was to take the world on a shinier path. From the debate that I hear waging in corners and the unrest that brews within the walls of our homes, I hear hope for a better tomorrow. It is hope worth clinging on to for without a tiny glimmer of hope of some measure, we will end up as a generation that failed our past and failed our future. 

Where is the agenda...?

As I sit through rebroadcasts of political campaign messages, it strikes me most odd that political and policy debate has descended to the bottoms of mud pelting & a spit fight between contenders with no vision or discussion on issues that affect the future economic and social state of the nation. And it is disappointing to say the least - we have degraded democracy to a washing machine of dirty linen. On their best days the lead contenders aim at cheap exploitation of the electorate sentiments or make shallow and ridiculous comments that have no bearing on almost anything that makes sense.

Some 'isms' from the political battleground... 

"The escape velocity for earth is 11.2 km/sec while that of Jupiter is 60 km/sec. In India, we have the concept of caste. There is an escape velocity here also. For a Dalit to achieve success, the escape velocity required is that of Jupiter. More effort is needed."

"There is a tendency to look at India as a country. If you go back 1,000 or 2,000 years, India is actually energy. "

"Gujarat is bigger than the United Kingdom, to give you an idea. In fact, India is bigger than Europe and the United States put together."

"Politics is everywhere. It's in your shirt, your pants. Politics is everywhere. That is the problem with youngsters these days. This is a fundamental problem and we are trying to solve this problem."

This is but a sample of the ludicrousness that is presented to us to choose the person who will lead us into an uncertain and complex future. Where is the discussion on economic reform, education, poverty or other blaring issues that have sunk India into an inertia that is proving difficult to drive out of? The nation can only ponder on as the media and neta led circus plays out on the big screens. 

Communal Divide - A tool to divide and rule....

According to Bipan Chandra, in his book “Communalism in Modern India”, communal riots are not caused spontaneously and also that they are rarely caused by religious animosity. They arise due to conflicting political interests, which are often linked to economic interests. While our leaders would like us to believe that communal conflicts in our country, especially the recent ones, are an outcome of religious differences they are not.

Yes, we have religious differences and a past that has some times not been the brightest example of our ability to live united. And yes, the foundations of our boundaries and our culture are rooted in deep-seated and often divergent political beliefs. But we are human beings capable of compassion, tolerance and peace. And yet, our leaders have been able to diminish the functions of our sensibilities and convince us that there is a divide and have been able to trigger hatred of those on opposite shores at each other, profitably to satisfy the power and economic benefits of a political class that is crass and unabashed at methodically deconstructing the dreams of our founding fathers and freedom fighters who gave their lives so that we could be free. Free from the oppressions of colonial rule, oppressive landlords and the unscrupulous laws that sought to divide us as a united people and rule to exploit our weaknesses. 

We have faced Fifty-eight major communal riots in 47 places since 1967, ten in South India, 12 in East, 16 in West, 20 in North India with a total death toll of 12,828 (South 597, West 3,426, East 3,581, North 5,224). This is in the land of many religions with none speaking of hatred, conflict and killing in the name of God. Whichever name you give to your God, no God, in any meaningful interpretation of any scriptures has ever spoken of murder and bloodshed as instruments of a spiritual journey.  

Religion is not about domination or doctrines. Nor is it about erecting temples or building churches or mosques, or attending public worship, or participating in any form of display of rituals. Religion is about intellectual wisdom and a spiritual journey. And for long now our political leaders would not like you to think so. Because in their business, if religion were to become your personal guide to whichever higher purpose suits your souls, there would be no divide between people across religious borders that can be exploited for personal benefits. As long as we as a people can keep fighting with each other instead of focusing on the real issues that need serious national debate, the ruling class can get away with administrative inefficiency, a complete lack of personal values and the most menial forms of corruption.

The time is upon us to question whether this nation needs to be built on religious principles. Is religion the purview of the State? Are our individual guides of religion really so different that the simple matter of coexistence must be the foundation of political and national debate? Are political parties playing us across the board – Congress or BJP, the Left or the Right or the national and regional political parties in the name of religion?

Swami Vivekananda said “religions do not come from without, but from within.” It is in our personal space where our religion resides. And no one, no leader, politician or religious leader can prevail over our own internal thoughts, beliefs and triggers. For till the day that they do, till the day we make decisions and commit to actions based on religious divide that has been inculcated in us from without, we can never be truly free…

Intention – the true power of democracy….

 

We have, as a nation and as a people, shrunken to remarkable depths of lack of purpose and a telling vacuum of values. We have been gripped by selfish fear and doubt of affecting good in the world. Not because we do not have the resources or the opportunity but we have come to a fantastic lack of will to make a difference. As Roosevelt says in his inauguration speech in ’33, “our distress comes from no failure of substance. We are stricken by no plague of locusts. Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for.” And yet there lurks within the corners of our hearts and minds the plague of self-doubt and apprehension that have become hurdles to progress. We have stopped fighting and, more seriously, lost the intent to fight in our hearts. The lack of intent has led to us seeing the ill and inequity in the world and yet not taking cognizance of it. It has led us to hearing the cries of suffering but not listening.

We are the world’s largest and most dense democracy. Being as that may, we have, instead of exploiting the great miracles of it, become victims of it. Our leaders have gone from being humble representatives of our aspirations to becoming the directors of our fate. Stubborn, incompetent and corrupt, our representatives have exploited our lack of intent, our doubts and our selfishness at every opportunity that we have presented them to corrupt them into incompetence, stubbornness and incredible lack of loyalty for the land and the people whence they derive their birth and ascension, the land and labor on which they have set up their empires of tyranny and the people who they have been elected to represent in national decision making and governance.

How did we get to this place of hopelessness? Is it the system that is to blame, or the law of the land, or is it the executive layer? I think the biggest bearers of the burden of blame must be us. Every individual who has sacrificed our sense of ownership of our country, our right to question the people we have elected and drowned in accomplishing narrow goals without a wider purpose, is to blame. What separates us humans from the less evolved is our ability to form intentions that rise above the fulfillment of base instincts and material greed, and act upon these intentions. The Irish tell a story of a man who came to the gates of heaven and asked to be let in, St. Peter said "Of course just show us your scars", the man said " I have no scars", St. Peter said " What a pity, WAS THERE NOTHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR?"

Today, more than ever before, we need to demolish our corners of comfort and rekindle the long extinguished wicks of anger. More than ever before, we need to channel our doubts and fears into a conduit for demanding more – first from our own selves and thence from our leaders if we are to survive as a nation and rise to a glory that is quickly getting covered in the realms of past glory. More than ever before we need to stand up and take responsibility for what is failing around us and fight to rebuild what has fallen by the way. It is only then that we can realize our true place and full potential.

No one is beyond reproach and unaccountable for their actions. No one owns our destiny more that our own selves. No one can do wrong and get away without punishment. Those that seem powerful and untouchable today rose from among us, were poorly chosen by us and must be dismantled by us before their greed and selfishness can dismantle our most prized possessions – our national identity and pride.  Subhash Chandra Bose once said in a speech to the SOLDIERS of India's Army of Liberation, “History had taught me that every empire has its inevitable decline and collapse. Moreover I had seen with my own eyes, cities and fortresses that were once the bulwarks but which became the graveyards of by-gone empires.”

Change is brewing around the corner, waiting for the strength of our collective intentions to call in the forces that will drown the beast who has long fed on our weaknesses and impotence. Let’s unlock our intentions, long buried under, and join to build a better future…

Who to vote for…

If you are an average citizen of India, like me, most of you probably are faced with this dilemma every time that you approach the prospect to exercise your democratic rights. And some of you will probably not vote to elect your leaders because either you cannot make up your mind or because you think that there is no point in voting! Nothing’s ever going to change, from the the way see things.

And I am guilty as charged. Most often I do not vote because I cannot make up my mind on who is the better of multiple evils. I promise that I spend time looking through my options and listening through the campaign build up but when it comes to the moment, I get serious cold feet. Because I have a criteria that I use to filter out the candidates and then more often than not, I am left with pretty much a shameful void at the end of the process. Here is how I judge and, this is not really a definite rule book but I think it does two things. One, it will provide an estimate of how bad the prospective leadership has become in this country and two, you may just get lucky and be able to make a decision. And when you do, it is just your laziness that is to blame for the adverse election results.

Sometimes, you expect a set of results and even take the initiative to vote, but the actual outcomes are, well look at where we are today. Here is how I decide and I leave it in the open to critique, abuse and maybe I get a fan following. My conscience is clean either ways…

The first step is to be able to appeal to your self and also to the patriotic personae in you (this might be buried under the  and reflect on the following questions…

1. What really matters to you? – there is no point in pretending to be selfless and self sacrificing because truthfully, at every level of thought, we are serving self interests – there is very little that really classifies as truly selfless.
2. What do you think are are the 3 things your immediate surrounding need for the betterment of everyone around you? – Now based on where you are and your life’s experiences on a day to day basis, this list might be the most difficult to come up with – not because you live in utopia but the list can tend to be infinitely long but must be limited to 3 and must be realistic. We all hope for low fuel prices and free food but that’s not happening anytime soon!
3. What do you think are are the 3 things this country needs for the betterment of everyone around you? – Now based on where you are and your life’s experiences on a day to day basis, this list might be the most difficult to come up with – not because you live in utopia but the list can tend to be infinitely long but must be limited to 3 and must be realistic. We all hope for low fuel prices and free food but that’s not happening anytime soon!
4. What are the kind of people you would like to be surrounded by? – This is a slightly indirect but I will get to it! Again, as before, don’t go for the idealistic or be misled by social conditioning. We’d all like to be surrounded by a fusion of character traits that do not really exist in one person. If you want to be surrounded by honest, selfless, funny, good looking, spiritual and articulate people then you were born in the wrong place, time and probably as the wrong kind of living organism.

This will take some time to achieve but you will get there after a few iterations. Depending on your level of patience and dedication to achieve the outcome, it will take from a 30 – 50 iterations! Don’t worry, you get better at it over time.

Now make a list of the potentials – the potential candidates. This list, typically will be in 3 layers. The lowest rungs will be comprised of the DOGS – people who do not deserve to even be in the consideration set. Not considering them is a no-brainer.

There are then the other two layers. Layer 1 will be based on your own political  and social affiliations and Layer 2 will be based on people you think have potential, agnostic of political or social affiliations. And Layer 1 and 2 may have the same candidates. 

The problem is that most often these will not be the people you will directly vote for! We can all think that Narendra Modi may be the person you would like to vote for but you need to understand that a great leader with a bad ground level machinery is not really a good leader at all. That’s not a reflection on the top guy but just that our democratic system is so complicated that it is often the case that the tail end may not be as great as the top guy.

This, in itself, will take some time – more often because we vote for the symbol and not the person hiding behind it – we are driven by a lot of symbolism as a country.

Once you get to this point where you have your thoughts listed out and your potential options consolidated, it is time to open the news channels, news paper and now the Social Media to look for information. Listen to the campaigns and compile as much information as you can get.

Then, GO TO VOTE.... Chances are you will have narrowed down to 2 or 3 possibilities. If you have followed the steps and been true to yourself, you would not have more than a couple. Hit the button!

Shameful Letter….

This is the letter that was sent to President Barack Obama by the shameless MPs who represent us. I think this is the lowest that we have fallen in flouting the spirit and letter of our Constitution that defines India as a Sovereign nation above all else.

Politics, Greed or Just Plain Inefficiency...

  

A bunch of really innocent kids dies and for what? This is the saddest and, at the same time, most aggravating tragedy that that hit the country in the recent years. And the recent years have been tumultous with corruption, terrorism and foul politics affecting citizens across the length and breadth of the country. But the death or children because someone mistook pesticides for oil, is the worst stain of inefficiency on the machinery.

Was it just the usual political foul play, that is so common and frequent in this the World's largest democracy? Was is Laloo or some devil from the Congress that planned this outrageous attrocity to create an agenda to fuel the election debates - especially within a state, that by comparison, is currently one of the most efficient and economically growing in the country? When you take a look at the crazy political mileage that is being exploited by the various parties vying for a piece of the Bihar pie, it is almost a matter of certainty that this is quite possibly the most tragic political chess play in the sad and dirty history of recent Indian politics. Consider this...

- The Congress is grappling with extreme governance issues and corruption clouds. Chances are slim that they will come to power unless there is a complete breakdown of the BJP.

- Laloo, apparently backing congress, realizes that with the level of development in Bihar and his impending judgement day at court, he does not have a winning agenda.

- If Nitish comes together with the large section of the BJP, and its allies, who are not favoring the Rajnath Singh way, BJP will fail miserably in the elections.

Any two of the three driving factors has a winning play in the tragedy. And the tragedy has the plus side too of making Nitish Kumar look like an angel - the suspicions and accusations seem to be arising pretty quickly given the standards of the Indian police force.

The Mid Day Meal policy, much like any of the other socialist and populist policies in this country, is one that is designed to win votes more than do any real good. And the administration of the same is loose at best - with the absence of any meaningful and efficient governance that permeates to the roots where the policy actually gets implemented. And from the days of the rations to the looming food security bill, such policies have done nothing but generate red-tape employment for greedy mediocrity to make a short cut buck. I will not be very surprised if this was a plan to make the extra buck by not using the cooking oil provided for by the government and use the spare fertilizer/pesticide lying free. Someone decided to pocket the money. The plan was to probably mix up stuff (oil with pesticide) and went sideways with the wrong container got used. Greed and/or extreme inefficiency. 

Whatever led to this outcome, it was an unnecessary loss that could really have been done without. The kids will not vote for another 10 - 15 years and the parents will lament bothering to vote for the rest of their lives. Is this the path of our righteous democracy? Is that how cheap the cost of a life is. We can raise our voices in protest and carry candlelights to boost the wax industry but we must ask ourselves this fundamental question - are we voting for these people who, beyond the path to the seat, cannot value life of the voter?    

Towards Complete Failure…

You know that the political leadership has reached the peak of corruptibility when the governed people look at every move and action with suspicion. I was speaking to a few random people and the Chidambaram comment of the weakening rupee not deserving the panic it is encountering came up for discussion. There were some opinions of intellectual sort and some kept quiet. The comment that stuck to my mind the most was the claim from one person, known as someone with significant optimism in general who said, "I am sure someone somewhere is making illegal money off of the rupee depreciation." This gentleman, while he had no plausible explanation of how anyone was making money but the conviction that some money was changing hands to allow for the weaker rupee, was absolute and unshakable.

And that’s proof that the country is in dire trouble. We have reached a stage with the current Indian government where the common average aam aadmi, the median that the government is so inclined to champion the cause of, begins suspecting your every move. Whether it is good for the country, bad for the country or anything in between, the average Indian has begun suspecting the very core of what holds together the democratic form of governance that is India. Too few people have spent too much effort in making too much of undeserved money over the last few years and this has led to a complete lack of belief and trust of the people in the system. And when the system established by and for the people, loses hope and faith of the people, democracy is cracking at the seams.

The problem is that the cracks do not span across a specific political party, leadership lobby or region. It spans across the ruling class irrespective of political ideologies or affiliations. So a change in leadership from one political tower to the other is not going to cement the cracks that are threatening to transform into crust shattering rifts. I do not know what the solution is. I have some inkling of what the outcomes might be.

Political Crisis is generally preceded in appearance by economic crises and plenty of this is available for introspection today if you take a look around. Economic crises also follow political downfalls because of the paralysis of policy, decision making and implementation. We have seen enough and more indicators of the Indian economy failing consistently – weakening currency, dropping credit ratings, slowing GDP growth, etc. No matter how much our leadership claims that the signs are not worth the panic and the world is slowing down and taking India down with it, the possible truth is that the leadership has no idea of why the world is spiraling out of control and even lesser idea of what can be done to stop the free fall.

And economic crisis is generally followed by unemployment, crime, civil unrest and eventually an absolute and complete socio-economic breakdown.

A Script of Indian Politics…

Day 0

MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar May 18 20xx

7 Killed and 12 Wounded in Militant Attack in North Rashmir
"7 people were killed, including 3 military personnel, in a suitcase bomb at Kshitij Plaza in North Rashmir…"


Day 1

Chief Minister of Rashmir– Senior Member of the Wrongress Party

“This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly. We will spare no pains to hunt down and bring the criminals to justice”

President of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“We believe that Chindistan Jihad have again gained the upper hand in challenging our national integrity as the ruling Wrongress Party leaders sit back and encourage such attacks by fundamentalist elements from Chindistan to act under the cover of meaningless peace talks”

Prime Minister of Hindistan – Wrongress Party

“This is a very savage act on our soil and we are mobilizing our strongest investigative partners to hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice”

Senior Member of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“This is a barbaric act. The Wrongress Party must deal a stronger arm instead of playing fiddle to west driven friendship and peace policies”

Party Spokesperson of Wrongress Party

“We have instructed the Chief Minister’s Office at Rashmir to work closely with the military police and civilian agencies to chase down the criminals behind this horrific act”

Chief Minister of Rashmir– Senior Member of the Wrongress Party

“We have had detailed discussion with the Prime Minister and have requested the resources of Hindistan Intelligence Agency (HIA) and Border Intelligence Agency (BIA) to investigate the incident”



Day 7

MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar May 25 20xx
Attack Intelligence was shared with Rashmir Home Ministry
"An anonymous source at the Border Intelligence Agency said that it had shared advance intelligence with the Rashmiri Home Minister that indicated possible terrorist activity in April… "

President of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“This Wrongress Government is inefficient and corrupt, and has not been able to deal effectively with any of the past Chindistan Militancy on our soil. We demand the immediate resignation of Central Home Ministry and Rashmir Chief Minister”

Senior Minister of Rashtriya Satyavaadi Party

“This government led by the Wrongress Party and the Opposition leaders of the Rashtriya Righteous Party are all equally inefficient and corrupt. Rashmir should be under military rule.”

Home Minister Rashmir

“I can assure you that no such intelligence was shared with us. This is just opposition tactics to taint the current government”



MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar May 25 20xx
Rashtriya Satyavaadi Party threatens to go on Indefinite Hunger Strike
“Rashtriya Satyavaadi Party President has threatened to organize a peaceful hunger strike and demonstration outside the residence of the Wrongress Headquarters from Saturday unless speedy justice was dispensed on the Rashmir Investigations.”

Party Spokesperson of Wrongress Party

“We have setup a Joint Parliamentary Investigation Commission to investigate the communication failure between the BIA and Rashmir Home Minister. The Prime Minister would like to assure the country that strict action will be taken based on the findings of the report.”

President of Rashtriya Satyavaadi Party

“BIA, HIA, Military Police and Home Minister are all in each other’s beds. We are starting our protest demonstration on Saturday. I shall go on indefinite hunger strike.”

Senior Minister of Wrongress Party on Twitter

“Another hunger strike! ROFL..!! RSP should understand that hunger strikes don’t solve real problems”

Day 12

MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar May 31 20xx
Rashtriya Satyavaadi Party President goes on Hunger Strike
“Rashtriya Satyavaadi Party President has commenced his hunger strike and demonstration outside the Wrongress Party Headquarters.”


Party Spokesperson of Wrongress Party

“The party leadership is not very worried about populist protests – like so many before the RSP will run out of steam when brought to a national debate, away from their fringe attack policy”

President of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“We will boycott parliament until a full report of Rashmir Home Ministry investigation report is not submitted”


MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar May 31 20xx
Parliament hung over uproar from opposition – no Food for Poor Bill this session
“The opposition parties led by Rashtriya Righteous Party gheraod the speaker demanding justice. No action marked the day in parliament and the speaker adjourned the house…”


Day 15

MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar June 3 20xx
RSP President continues his hunger strike. Physician says condition stable.

Party Spokesperson of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“We will boycott parliament until the prime minister resigns.”

President of the Wrongress Party

“The Prime Minister has our full support.”


Day 20

MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar June 8 20xx
Joint Parliamentary Report submitted. An ASS found guilty

Party Spokesperson of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“The Rashmiri Home Minister must resign immediately.”

President of the Wrongress Party

“We are going through the report submitted. Let me assure you that just action shall be taken.”

Party Spokesperson of Wrongress Party

“The prime minister has called for a meeting with the BIA and HIA chairmen to map out next steps.”


MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar June 8 20xx
President of RSP end fast
“The president of RSP has ended his indefinite fast. In a statement to MoI he said ‘we will observe the action taken by the Wrongress Government on the report before deciding on next steps’ “



Day 25

MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar June 13 20xx
Home Minister claims error by Assistant to Special Secretary of Rashmir Home Ministry – ASS of Home fired from job
“The Rashmir Home Ministry spokesperson claimed that the report was classified as insufficient evidence by the ASS and that the ASS has been fired on negligence...”

Party Spokesperson of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“The Rashmiri Home Minister must resign. The culture of the ministry is responsible for such misconduct and the Home Minster must take responsibility”

President of the Wrongress Party

“We have read and acted upon the report by firing the ASS in the office of the Home Ministry.”



Day 30
MoI Correspondent, Minutes of India, Srinagar June 18 20xx
Bomb Suspect Apprehended!!

Press Release by BIA Chairman: The BIA Special Action Force, in collaboration with the State Police, HIA forces and the army has apprehended the two key suspects involved in executing the Suitcase Bombing last month….

Press Release by HIA Chairman: The HIA Special Tracking Team, in collaboration with the State Police, BIA and the army has apprehended the two key suspects involved in executing the Suitcase Bombing last month…

Press Release by Rashmir Home Minister: The State Police Special Purpose Team, in collaboration with the HIA, BIA and the army has apprehended the two key suspects involved in executing the Suitcase Bombing last month…

President of the Wrongress Party

“I am proud of the relentless effort of all agencies involved in tracking down the perpetrators of a truly barbaric act.”

Party Spokesperson of Rashtriya Righteous Parishad

“The center must now focus on speedy justice. Anything short of the death penalty will send messages of leniency to Chindistan”

Chairman of a major Human Rights Group

“The prisoners must be given a fair judicial process. Killing them will not make us any different from them.”

…

…..

………

…………….

The essential characteristics of an Indian Political Leader…

On any average day we choose to make decisions that affect not only our own lives but the lives and ways of those that we depend on, those that surround us and even those whose lives are not intimately connected to ours in any particularly decipherable way. And very often those decisions do not conclude to the outcomes we expect from these decisions. And when this happens, more often than not, we end up creating our own perceived burden of failure that we live with for the rest of the period that we suffer the outcomes. We make these weighty burdens pins in the cushion of our life; sometimes learn from them and, with a little luck, move forward with corrective and wiser decisions that create positive outcomes for all affected.

There are those among us who do not feel this burden and continue to make whatever there is to make of the resultant situation, and simply move on. Considered in an isolated environment such individuals are very often considered brave and optimistic in their approach. When you consider that their decisions and outcomes affect many lives, they make for extremely selfish and almost social psychopaths – most of them probably end up becoming our political leaders. The ability to reap personal benefits off of every situation and make that the core objective is quintessential to get to a position of power where one can govern and lead. Every other manifestation of evil we see, as we read through the lives of those who decide our fate as a people and as a country, is an outcome of this profitable ability to shrug off the good or bad of any decision made as long as there is a personal benefit.

Take a look around and then take a while to contemplate on the state of the nation. Every day and every newspaper that covers the truth will tell you the same story of leaders who we elected to office have pegged us at the lowest end of the priority spectrum. Somehow these people have been able to convince us of our their genuine intent on helping us develop, progress and get from high to higher, while their every subsequent decisions sink us lower and lower into a quicksand from where there is no recovery. The only high-to-high movement is for their own coffers. And that stems from the complete lack of any possible consideration of outcomes. When you take that look around, ask of yourself this question – who among these clowns is really someone who cares about the condition of the constituent? I have had a very hard time spotting anyone who can restrict the high of power from getting the responsibilities of power drunken stupid.

From a limited internet research, 2012 alone yielded scams worth losses over 3000 billion – about 3% of the GDP. And this is just what has made it to the Wikipedia list. Even if I am very optimistic, I would peg the corruption losses to about 10 – 15% of the GDP of 1.89 trillion dollars in 2012. In 2012 India has ranked 94th out of 176 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, tied with Benin, Colombia, Djibouti, Greece, Moldova, Mongolia, and Senegal. Look at the countries we are ranked with and then put the promises and propaganda of progress and growth in perspective. Have our leaders done us proud or pushed us to the brink of shame?

Two Marines, Two Fishermen and a whole lot of Nationalism…

A few interesting few questions…

Do you remember the names of the two fishermen who died?
Do you remember the name of the fishing boat?

No mate, no Wikipedia or Google – do you honestly remember?

11 fishermen took a rather rustic fishing boat to the sea to fish for Tuna. The came upon the MV Enrica Lexie was traveling from Singapore to Egypt with a crew of 34 including 19 Indians and accompanied by six Italian marines from the San Marco Regiment. In an ill-fated incident of misunderstanding 11 fishermen were perceived as pirates (Really? Have you seen Indian fishermen lately?), and got mercilessly fired upon, apparently without good cause or intimation. Apparently the country that strikes up the maximum scams to sell us arms, the country where our unofficial head of the country hails from, is full of trigger happy marines who love shooting pirates! And, have no clue of the difference between pirates and poor Indian fishermen!

(Here is bit of a Spot the Differences for whoever trains Marines in Italy!)

Vs.

And two of these marines get arrested for their crimes. The Kerala Police charged two Italian marines aboard the Enrica Lexie, who were identified as Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, with homicide under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and on 19 February 2012 took them into custody for interrogation. And things went through the merry love of our legal system – court to court, a 196 page charge-sheet, 46 material objects and 126 document annexures.

Given our love for Italians, we let the guilty go home to celebrate Christmas and they came back. And then, given our love for the idea of democracy, we let them go home to vote. And then they did not come back. Supreme Court said, maybe in not these terms, “but the Italians said they would be back!” The beauty of their innocence leaves the horizon of naivety miles behind visible range. And then all hell broke loose.

By the way, before I forget, the names of the fishermen were Gelastine and Ajesh Binki and they were sailing the St. Antony.

Like most acts of aggression against India in the past, and possibly into the future, our ludicrous sense of nationalism catches fire only after we have been drenched breathless in gasoline and shoved into the furnace. Some of the fallouts of our nationalism are accounted below.

• There was ruckus in Parliament over the issue on Wednesday with the BJP claiming collusion between New Delhi and Rome – that was to be expected, wasn’t it. We have got a lot of past baggage!
• Union Ministry of External Affairs led by Mr. Salman Khurshid, who ignored red flags when Rome had sent a letter seeking a high-level diplomatic meeting to resolve the issue, is showing all forms of misdirected aggression by detaining the Italian Ambassador to India.
• Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said Italy had not only violated “every rule of diplomatic discourse”, but also called into question “solemn commitments given by an accredited representative of a government” – seriously mate? Too little too late…
• Mr. Arun Jaitley went on to say “This is an outright fraud against the government of India and Supreme Court by a sovereign nation. This is a case of state-sponsored abduction."
• One columnist even wrote about this being a case of “sophisticated racism”.
• There have even been suggestions to be extra strict on the Agusta Westland chopper deal – so this is what it takes to really get cracking on arms deal kickbacks.
• CPI-M, the clowns of the court had their say too. The acts of foreigners who violate Indian law "with virtual impunity is directly connected with the neo-liberal trajectory of economic reforms" New Delhi has pursued since 1991, the CPI-M said. "In the urge and eagerness to attract foreign investment, virtually succumbing to the dictates of international finance capital, India is increasingly seen as a state that vacillates to firmly uphold our political sovereignty and the rule of law,” said an editorial in the CPI-M journal People's Democracy.
• Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “It is not a case of diplomatic stand-off. It is one of diplomatic send off.” – LOL
• Mr. Modi tweeted too, given all his new tech-age populism, “On the issue of #ItalianMarines, nothing short of their return to India must be the acceptable outcome.”
• Italian car manufacturer Ferrari decided to adorn its Formula One race-cars at the 2012 Indian Grand Prix with Italian Navy flags. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin has been reported to have said: “Using sporting events to promote a cause which is not of a sporting nature and one which is sub judice is not in keeping with the spirit of sport.”
• Surprisingly enough, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has remained silent so far.

All of this drama without a single constructive move towards a solution to the problem. Justice must be served and there is no two ways about it. But we should, in the interest of saving what little is left of our dignity, stop making a public spectacle and refrain from politicizing the event to gain publicity mileage. We have led public discourse at a local level to feed into hyper nationalism. Italians have complicated it by lying in court.

What should we be doing? I don’t have the answers. But, I think that some silent diplomatic intervention is necessary, away from the media glare and political critiquing. We definitely cannot conduct state affair with the immaturity of detaining Ambassadors and crying foul (without any substantial actionable outcomes) in the parliament.

Meanwhile, here is wishing Gelastine and Ajesh Binki a wonderful afterlife. May their souls rest in peace and not be lurking to see the drama that is Indian politics.