Who am I?
Who areYou?
In my eyes--
Find the clue.
Within me-
Without you;
You are me-
I am you .
In my heart-
You reside;
I am a part-
Of your inside;
So tied & wired ,
With each other,
People inquire-
Who is a Prisoner?
Years ago,
We did defy-
The social 'logo'-
And family cry;
On love's wings-
We did fly,
Hearts slinged-
With Groggy eyes.
Hand in hand-
As we move,
A resolute stand-
Does always prove:
That Unbound love-
Is the only glue-
That unites the 'doves'-
Life long through.
Read more...
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Friday, May 09, 2008
SIACHEN GLACIER--A NATURE's OPEN PRISON!
I wrote this poem in the winters of 1986-87. Explanatory notes are at the end of the poem.The height of SIACHEN GLACIER varies from 12000feet above sea level at Base Camp,snout of the glacier, to 21,000 feet at INDRA COL. The base of Indra Col is at 20,000 feet. Rarified air above 9000feet leads to breathing problems. Pluminary oedema is the most common disease for everyone followed by extreme cold injuries, such as frost bite, chill blains & hypoxia etc.
*************************************************************************************************************
SOLDIERS AT SIACHEN-PRISONERS OF NATIONAL UNGRATEFULNESS!
Nestled amongst Himalayan peaks--
‘Soltoro’ on west, ‘Karakoram’ on East;
Icy bed of a great glacier runs,
This ‘Valley of Roses’,called Siachen .
‘Sia-la’ in North, ‘Bilafond’ in Centre;
‘Old Silk Route’ through them entered;
To those trekkers of years begone –
Bartering ‘goods’ was purpose known .
From glacier ‘base’ to Indra Col ,
Sheet of whiteness upwards rolls;
Littered with snow, nasty winds blow,
At its snout River Nubra flows .
Nature at its best, free of any pest !
Hefty black crows do have their nest;
Oh, surround this vale, snow-crapped hills;
What a natural prison , devoid of grills !
No fenced–walls and no solitary–cells,
Open compound , without alarm bells;
No tough jailor with barking guards;
Yet prisoners of national ego, do not dart.
Rough is life on glacial surface –
Lots of folds with deep crevasses;
A careless step at this place –
One will disappear without a trace.
Tied with ropes, many dare do walk!
Crawling and panting on non-existing paths-
Laden 'human–mules', carry survival stocks;
Occasionally supplanted by a helicopter drop.
Morning comes, hopes grow ;
Evening shatters Life’s glow ,
Silently curse men their lot --
What crime had them brought?
Memory gets normally impaired,
Eating becomes sometime affair;
Emotional tension abounds in lads,
Some lose nerves and go mad .
Isolation sparks nasty illusions;
Ever-bad-weather adds to confusion !
Sub zero mercury; high speed blizzards-
Even ‘toughies’ sulk under such like hazards .
Bankrupt thoughts! No dreams ever errupt !!
Life, there, goes on in aimless context ;
Men do work like programmed machines ;
‘Death’ and ‘injuries’ are normal routine !
Silent eyes! no questions bespake,
Ever and always towards sky they gaze;
Through clouds some ‘drop’ may come!
Perhaps, a letter from near and dear ones!
‘No Bath’, they must be crazy;
‘No Shave’, Aren’t they lazy?
‘Head to toe’ what clothes they wear ?
No zoo can boast of animals rare ?
Each one counts each one’s days,
No one wants a prolonged stay;
Yet time for them moves very slow,
Each day seems, years in a row .
Some lucky ones go on ‘parole’!
Some spend time singing ‘carroll’.
Self-pride and the 'Regimental image',
Make ‘some’ bear nature’s rage.
Everyday here, as machine guns rattle;
Thundering noise dampen human mettle:
Purposeless fighting thus goes on –
Where not a blade of grass grown.
Leaders across borders make tall claims,
Honours bestowed on heroes of Siachen fame!
‘Sense of reality’ though seemed to be lost,
Amidst emotional minds and prestigious boasts.
******************************************************************
EXPLANATORY NOTES!
1. This is a poem on the plight of soldiers on the Glacier. Siachen Glacier is the second largest glacier in the world. It is 105 km long and 8-10 kms wide. (Lambert Glacier in Australia is the largest. It is 406 km long). The posting on the glacier gives a feeling of jail because the soldiers posted there have no connection with the outside world. In the winter of 1986-87, the living conditions were aweful. These were the initial years of SIACHEN OCCUPATION. Temperature would go down as low as minus 50 degree celsius and wind speeds touch as high as 150-200 knots. It was difficult to shave and was a horrendous experience to attend to nature's call. Appetite banished; sleep was disturbed . These conditions apply even today. Memory is affected and people behave in an abnormal manner. Isolation and extreme cold, coupled with high speed winds, create psychological disorders. It is a fallacy that Siachen has a strategic significance. Vested interests have fooled the authorities and the general public. The cost of occupying Siachen Heights is explosive. In 1986, a single ‘Chapati’ a soldier ate, cost the nation Rs 80/-. During the same period, the cost of maintaining a force of half an infantry battalion (Approximately 450-500 men) worked out to Rs two crores per day. And 22 years later, it must have touched some 30-40 crores per day, i.e. a staggering figure of Rs 10950 crores to Rs 14600 crores per year, which is almost 8 to 10 percent of annual defence budget. Think of it, India needs only Rs 28000 crores for the construction of GOLDEN QUARDILATERAL.But annual expenditure on SIACHEN OCCUPATION is just half of this. Economically, the nation has been bleeding since 1985. Further, if 70% of the defence budget goes for pay and allowances; 10 % for Siachen; 10-12% for maintenance of defence assets and about 2% for defence production and research, then it leaves only 6-8% for up-gradation and modernization of armed forces. Poet feels Siachen was a deliberate ploy by Pakistan to bleed India economically. When ‘Zia' said, "--Not a blade of grass grows", he actually taunted at its so-called strategic significance. Those who know the geography would not agree more.Just for the information of general reader--Karakoram pass from Indra Col, the northern most point on the glacier is some 80 miles crow flight, due East, over most hostile terrain and the KHUNJERAB PASS, through which the so called KARAKORAM HIGHWAY passes and links China to POK, is 120 miles crow flight to the North West of indra Col.( I was located at the base of Indra Col in 1986-87 winters)
2 References.
2.1 Line 2 ‘Soltoro’. A ridge line that takes off at Point NJ 9849 and runs North along the Western edge of Siachen Glacier. It separates POK from Indian Kashmir and is also called AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line).
2.2 Line 2. ‘Karakoram’. It is a pass East of the Northern most but Eastern Edge of Siachen Glacier. The ridge line from Karakoram Pass, separates Chine from India (Kashmir). The area East of the Siachen Glacier is Aksai Chin which is under Chinese occupation since 1962. The Karakoram Pass joins Aksai Chin Area of Kashmir with Chinese province of Sin Kiang. Today it is only the Siachen Glacier corridor which joins the Indian ashmir with the Chinese province of Sinkang but it is all glaciated on both sides of Indira Col---a northern most point on the Glacier and one of the most hazardous and rugged terrain any where in the world. Even Siberia and Antartica do not match this corridor in its ruggedness and degree of difficulty.
2.3 Line 4. ‘Siachen’. In local dialect, ‘Sia’ stands for valley and ‘Chen’ denotes roses. But this is a misnomer.At Indira Col, the ice is so hardened that hardest stones, too ,would not be as hard. It is million of years of hardened ice. It is only at the base of Siachen Glacier,called 'Snout' where River Nubra takes off that one finds rose-wood shrubs. This glacier takes its name from the Nubra Valley where the Rosewood shrubs abound.
2.4 Line 5. ‘Siala’. A pass on the Northern most point on the Siachen Glacier at the junction of Soltoro and the Boltoro ridge lines. Boltoro ridge line takes off North est from here towards Khunzerab pass, through which runs the famous Karakoram highway from Chinese province of Sin-Kiang to Gilgit under Pakistan occupation. In local dialect ‘Sia’ stands for the valley and ‘La’ for the pass. It is a gateway to Siachen valley (i.e In fact Nubra Valley).
2.5 Line 5. Bila Fond. Mid way between point NJ 9849 and Indira Col on the Soltoro Ridge line, is the famous pass of Bila Fond. This part of the glacier was in news in 1987 because of Pakistan’s desperate efforts to get on the Soltoro Ridge line which is effectively dominated by Indian troops from Point NJ 9849 to Indira Col.(Subedar later hony CaptBana singh got his PVC for defending this post.)
2.6 Siachen Dispute. The whole Siachen dispute hinges around Map Pt NJ 9849. In 1949 when Karachi agreement was arrived at, the ceasefire line ended at Pt NJ 9849. It was very difficult to survey the line beyond this by both India and Pakistan as the most hazardous and a glaciated area lay ahead. The present dispute is all about the way the cease fire line should run beyond point NJ 9849. India interprets it as running North from this point all along the Soltoro Ridge line. Pakistan sees it as running North East from this point to Karakoram Pass. If this is conceded then Siachen goes to Pakistan and it gets linked to Aksai Chin area under Chinese occupation. Soltoro Ridge Line is occupied by Indian Army from Point NJ 9849 to Indira Col and this is also called AGPL.
2.7 Line 12. 'Snout’. Base of the Siachen Glacier, which is its protruding nose.
2.8 Line 14. "Hefty Black Crow ---------”. Other than the Soldiers, only other creatures who live here are crows which are almost double the size of normal crows. They have been there from time memorial.
2.9 Line 20. ‘Dart’. Run away.
2.10 Line 22.'Crevass’. An opening in the snow which is a deep abyss.
2.11 Line 57.‘Go On Parole’. Medical evacuation of patients.
2.12 Line 58 ‘Carrol’. Religious hymns.
2.13 Line 67.‘Sense of Reality’. Practical wisdom and pragmatism.
*************************************************************************************************************
SOLDIERS AT SIACHEN-PRISONERS OF NATIONAL UNGRATEFULNESS!
Nestled amongst Himalayan peaks--
‘Soltoro’ on west, ‘Karakoram’ on East;
Icy bed of a great glacier runs,
This ‘Valley of Roses’,called Siachen .
‘Sia-la’ in North, ‘Bilafond’ in Centre;
‘Old Silk Route’ through them entered;
To those trekkers of years begone –
Bartering ‘goods’ was purpose known .
From glacier ‘base’ to Indra Col ,
Sheet of whiteness upwards rolls;
Littered with snow, nasty winds blow,
At its snout River Nubra flows .
Nature at its best, free of any pest !
Hefty black crows do have their nest;
Oh, surround this vale, snow-crapped hills;
What a natural prison , devoid of grills !
No fenced–walls and no solitary–cells,
Open compound , without alarm bells;
No tough jailor with barking guards;
Yet prisoners of national ego, do not dart.
Rough is life on glacial surface –
Lots of folds with deep crevasses;
A careless step at this place –
One will disappear without a trace.
Tied with ropes, many dare do walk!
Crawling and panting on non-existing paths-
Laden 'human–mules', carry survival stocks;
Occasionally supplanted by a helicopter drop.
Morning comes, hopes grow ;
Evening shatters Life’s glow ,
Silently curse men their lot --
What crime had them brought?
Memory gets normally impaired,
Eating becomes sometime affair;
Emotional tension abounds in lads,
Some lose nerves and go mad .
Isolation sparks nasty illusions;
Ever-bad-weather adds to confusion !
Sub zero mercury; high speed blizzards-
Even ‘toughies’ sulk under such like hazards .
Bankrupt thoughts! No dreams ever errupt !!
Life, there, goes on in aimless context ;
Men do work like programmed machines ;
‘Death’ and ‘injuries’ are normal routine !
Silent eyes! no questions bespake,
Ever and always towards sky they gaze;
Through clouds some ‘drop’ may come!
Perhaps, a letter from near and dear ones!
‘No Bath’, they must be crazy;
‘No Shave’, Aren’t they lazy?
‘Head to toe’ what clothes they wear ?
No zoo can boast of animals rare ?
Each one counts each one’s days,
No one wants a prolonged stay;
Yet time for them moves very slow,
Each day seems, years in a row .
Some lucky ones go on ‘parole’!
Some spend time singing ‘carroll’.
Self-pride and the 'Regimental image',
Make ‘some’ bear nature’s rage.
Everyday here, as machine guns rattle;
Thundering noise dampen human mettle:
Purposeless fighting thus goes on –
Where not a blade of grass grown.
Leaders across borders make tall claims,
Honours bestowed on heroes of Siachen fame!
‘Sense of reality’ though seemed to be lost,
Amidst emotional minds and prestigious boasts.
******************************************************************
EXPLANATORY NOTES!
1. This is a poem on the plight of soldiers on the Glacier. Siachen Glacier is the second largest glacier in the world. It is 105 km long and 8-10 kms wide. (Lambert Glacier in Australia is the largest. It is 406 km long). The posting on the glacier gives a feeling of jail because the soldiers posted there have no connection with the outside world. In the winter of 1986-87, the living conditions were aweful. These were the initial years of SIACHEN OCCUPATION. Temperature would go down as low as minus 50 degree celsius and wind speeds touch as high as 150-200 knots. It was difficult to shave and was a horrendous experience to attend to nature's call. Appetite banished; sleep was disturbed . These conditions apply even today. Memory is affected and people behave in an abnormal manner. Isolation and extreme cold, coupled with high speed winds, create psychological disorders. It is a fallacy that Siachen has a strategic significance. Vested interests have fooled the authorities and the general public. The cost of occupying Siachen Heights is explosive. In 1986, a single ‘Chapati’ a soldier ate, cost the nation Rs 80/-. During the same period, the cost of maintaining a force of half an infantry battalion (Approximately 450-500 men) worked out to Rs two crores per day. And 22 years later, it must have touched some 30-40 crores per day, i.e. a staggering figure of Rs 10950 crores to Rs 14600 crores per year, which is almost 8 to 10 percent of annual defence budget. Think of it, India needs only Rs 28000 crores for the construction of GOLDEN QUARDILATERAL.But annual expenditure on SIACHEN OCCUPATION is just half of this. Economically, the nation has been bleeding since 1985. Further, if 70% of the defence budget goes for pay and allowances; 10 % for Siachen; 10-12% for maintenance of defence assets and about 2% for defence production and research, then it leaves only 6-8% for up-gradation and modernization of armed forces. Poet feels Siachen was a deliberate ploy by Pakistan to bleed India economically. When ‘Zia' said, "--Not a blade of grass grows", he actually taunted at its so-called strategic significance. Those who know the geography would not agree more.Just for the information of general reader--Karakoram pass from Indra Col, the northern most point on the glacier is some 80 miles crow flight, due East, over most hostile terrain and the KHUNJERAB PASS, through which the so called KARAKORAM HIGHWAY passes and links China to POK, is 120 miles crow flight to the North West of indra Col.( I was located at the base of Indra Col in 1986-87 winters)
2 References.
2.1 Line 2 ‘Soltoro’. A ridge line that takes off at Point NJ 9849 and runs North along the Western edge of Siachen Glacier. It separates POK from Indian Kashmir and is also called AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line).
2.2 Line 2. ‘Karakoram’. It is a pass East of the Northern most but Eastern Edge of Siachen Glacier. The ridge line from Karakoram Pass, separates Chine from India (Kashmir). The area East of the Siachen Glacier is Aksai Chin which is under Chinese occupation since 1962. The Karakoram Pass joins Aksai Chin Area of Kashmir with Chinese province of Sin Kiang. Today it is only the Siachen Glacier corridor which joins the Indian ashmir with the Chinese province of Sinkang but it is all glaciated on both sides of Indira Col---a northern most point on the Glacier and one of the most hazardous and rugged terrain any where in the world. Even Siberia and Antartica do not match this corridor in its ruggedness and degree of difficulty.
2.3 Line 4. ‘Siachen’. In local dialect, ‘Sia’ stands for valley and ‘Chen’ denotes roses. But this is a misnomer.At Indira Col, the ice is so hardened that hardest stones, too ,would not be as hard. It is million of years of hardened ice. It is only at the base of Siachen Glacier,called 'Snout' where River Nubra takes off that one finds rose-wood shrubs. This glacier takes its name from the Nubra Valley where the Rosewood shrubs abound.
2.4 Line 5. ‘Siala’. A pass on the Northern most point on the Siachen Glacier at the junction of Soltoro and the Boltoro ridge lines. Boltoro ridge line takes off North est from here towards Khunzerab pass, through which runs the famous Karakoram highway from Chinese province of Sin-Kiang to Gilgit under Pakistan occupation. In local dialect ‘Sia’ stands for the valley and ‘La’ for the pass. It is a gateway to Siachen valley (i.e In fact Nubra Valley).
2.5 Line 5. Bila Fond. Mid way between point NJ 9849 and Indira Col on the Soltoro Ridge line, is the famous pass of Bila Fond. This part of the glacier was in news in 1987 because of Pakistan’s desperate efforts to get on the Soltoro Ridge line which is effectively dominated by Indian troops from Point NJ 9849 to Indira Col.(Subedar later hony CaptBana singh got his PVC for defending this post.)
2.6 Siachen Dispute. The whole Siachen dispute hinges around Map Pt NJ 9849. In 1949 when Karachi agreement was arrived at, the ceasefire line ended at Pt NJ 9849. It was very difficult to survey the line beyond this by both India and Pakistan as the most hazardous and a glaciated area lay ahead. The present dispute is all about the way the cease fire line should run beyond point NJ 9849. India interprets it as running North from this point all along the Soltoro Ridge line. Pakistan sees it as running North East from this point to Karakoram Pass. If this is conceded then Siachen goes to Pakistan and it gets linked to Aksai Chin area under Chinese occupation. Soltoro Ridge Line is occupied by Indian Army from Point NJ 9849 to Indira Col and this is also called AGPL.
2.7 Line 12. 'Snout’. Base of the Siachen Glacier, which is its protruding nose.
2.8 Line 14. "Hefty Black Crow ---------”. Other than the Soldiers, only other creatures who live here are crows which are almost double the size of normal crows. They have been there from time memorial.
2.9 Line 20. ‘Dart’. Run away.
2.10 Line 22.'Crevass’. An opening in the snow which is a deep abyss.
2.11 Line 57.‘Go On Parole’. Medical evacuation of patients.
2.12 Line 58 ‘Carrol’. Religious hymns.
2.13 Line 67.‘Sense of Reality’. Practical wisdom and pragmatism.
Read more...
SAND DUNES OF MIND!
Ladies and gentlemen, of a great esteem;
Welcome aboard the ‘thought-machine’!
Thoughts,dear,are the sand-dunes of mind-
Keep shifting their base from time to time.
Your eyes do observe what is directly in line,
The brain shapes it into a ‘thought’ sublime;
Process repeats like a programmed machine,
Images germinate, though, as a normal routine.
We shall soon embark upon a tour of history,
Our pro-active minds will unveil its mysteries;
Kindly have a glance at the menu in your tray-
Where, we also have two imagess on display!
Right, these images are two statements in stone-
Of two themes on life, without flesh and bones;
While one defines love of a king in its pristine form-
The other is an embodiment of ‘thinking storm’.
Well! unique in concept, both have no peers--
Though separated by time by two hundreds years;
Dignified and graceful,they have their own shine--
Undobtedly,the classy ideas from the womb of times!
First snap displays ‘Taj Mahal’s’ grandeour,
Which graces the list of world’s seven wonders;
On the banks of river Yamuna,it stands so fast,
River might be polluted, its splendour does last.
A number of buildings make Taj Mahal complex-
From a 'marbled mausoleum' to 'red stone' mosque;
A thousand elephants were used to cart the stores,
Artisans came from Baghdad, Bukhara and Lahore.
Built slowly over two decades by 22000 workmen-
It commemorates a queen who bore 14 children;
She died in child-birth, when she was thirty nine-
In 19 years of marriage, she conceived 14 times.
Was it royal love or simple lust of a Moghul king?
When history is doctored, do we ought to cling?
Tragically, another gory fact we ought to know--
To guard exclusivity,craftsmen‘s hands had to go.
The King and the queen,no doubts, are immortalised,
Today, land-sharks want the place to be commercialised !
Some times back there was a plan to build a ‘Taj corridor’-
Supreme Court stalled the project of multi-million crores.
The second snap on your screen is a statue in bronze-
It was sculpted as ‘The Thinker’ by Auguste Rodin;
It evokes many visions though eyes do not blink;
Also,very pensive mood does force you to think .
Born in 1840, ‘Rodin’ was past forty two years-
When ‘The Thinker’, ‘Adam and ‘Eve’ did appear;
At the age of twenty-four he had married ‘Rose;
At forty three, love banished and it led to divorce.
‘Balzac‘ and ‘The Kiss’ were his other creations-
Then, ‘Walking man’ too, created a sensation;
Rolling in fame he discarded two more wives!
‘Rose’ came back, months before they both died.
‘Rodin’ is an example as to how a ‘thinking man’-
Makes gem for the society but lacks maritial elan;
As name and fame comes, one craves for more-
And treats one’s ‘lady-love’ as a disposable whore.
These are the thoughts which comes to my mind-
Realities of historical myths we ought to unwind;
Don't you blindly accept what history books say ?
Glamourised tales always, real truth they betray.
'Taj' and the 'Thinker' are the product of selfish deeds,
Both of them used women for their sexual needs;
If 'Rodin' ditched three women for name and fame-
'Mumtaz's' 14 children over 19 years, who will explain?
Strange but true, both were married for 19 years-
'Rodin' to 'Rose' and 'Shahjehan' to 'Mumtaz', dears!
And when success smiled, Rodin left the lady in learch;
To build a monument for the queen, the king did splurge.
Read more...
Saturday, May 03, 2008
WHEN THE STORM BLEW AWAY-1 (A Serialised Story in Five Parts)
WHAT STORMS DO?
The sky was dark. In fact, it was pitch dark. One could hardly see 20 feet away. Air was still—absolutely still—not even a leave stirred. There was an uneasy calm in the atmosphere. It was not evening but 10 AM in the morning. The overcast sky had made the scene very scary—nay, very very scary.
Amit, sitting in the balcony of his house, could feel the pulse of a ravaging storm that was undoubtedly imminent. To be very frank, in the months of May and June, storms are a regular feature in North India. They occur with regular periodicity with devastating effect. They are the harbinger of death and destruction. Storms are often followed by lightening showers which provide relief and succor to the people.
Irony is before the relief and succor, there is a naked dance of devastation, unleashed by dust storm. Trees are uprooted. Houses collapse. Roofs are blown away. Electricity .poles and old trees are a mangled mesh on the roads, blocking the traffic. Water pipes get choked. In a nutshell, it takes a while before normalcy returns. You need effective administration to do this. Once the normalcy returns, everyone forgets about the nasty storm and its devastation. Human memory is not only short lived but it also jumps from one crisis to another.
Amit suddenly realized that the incoming storm might cause heavy damage to open windows and doors of the house. As he got up to shut the doors and windows, he noticed his grandma standing in the terrace, next to him, and gazing at the dark clouds. She was completely immersed in her thoughts. Amit yelled, “Get inside, grandma! Get inside. A heavy and a severe storm is likely.”
“You know Amit, Storms are known to cause damages but there is one thing very funny about them”, Grandma responded.
“What is it, grand ma?” Amit shot back.
“You see the people who weather the storm, do not enjoy the peace, harmony and serenity that follows it. Invariably, the people who enjoy the good times following a storm, are those who desert and hide in the safe heavens when storms unleash their wrecking fury.” Grandma sermonized.
“Well, grandma! You are getting philosophical and hyper sensitive. I reckon it is their practical wisdom, grandma.” Amit dismissed grandma’s theory.
“Practical wisdom? My foot! It is sheer dereliction of human, social and official duty—whoever you are. Their enjoyment rests on the sacrifices and blood of those brave people who give their lives away to checkmate the storm?” Grandma chided Amit.
“Fine, grandma! No more harangues and pontification. Let us stop this session on moral values and ethics. Let us worry about the imminent danger of a weather-storm which is due any moment.” Amit tried to deflect his grandma’s mind.
“Oh, I see! You are trying to classify ‘Storms’!! ? What did you say –“Weather Storm? You mean to say it differs from Social and Political storms? Does it? No, my son the end result of all storms is same. They all affect human lives. They all leave debris behind. They only bring misery and pain to those who dare to combat them. In their aftermath---the cowards, who escape to avoid its fury----come back later to enjoy the benefits of harmony & peace?” Grandma retorted.
“Grandma, you are unduly getting emotional on a non-issue. Remember, what you always sermonize me? You always caution me that EMOTIONS MAKE ONE BLIND. Overpowered by emotions, one loses control of one’s rationality because mental faculties have their shutters dropped. Hope you are not its victim.” Amit hit back with an equal punch.
“No, it is not emotional outburst. It is my visualization of the times ahead on the social, political and national platform. You see-----“, “Stop it Grandma”, Amit Interrupted and pulled his grand ma inside the room.
By now, a very fast wind was blowing. Laden with dust particles, it was hitting the eyes in such a manner that it had begun to obscure vision. Open doors and windows of the house were banging against each other to produce deafening sound. On top of this the whistling sound of the wind was ripping apart the ear-drums. Storm was growing in intensity every second. Amit was running around the house to shut open windows and doors but dust in the air and poor visibility was making his task difficult. He was moving around almost with closed eyes.
In this melee, while he was closing the windows of the drawing room, a strong puff of wind hit his face and he lost control which sent him flying over the sofa. The window pane hit the iron grill in a lightening speed and glass was broken. It made a big banging sound. Shattered pieces of glass were all over the body of fallen Amit, causing multiple cuts and bruises on his arms, hands and face. As he was slowly getting up, taking care not to touch the scattered glass pieces, he found his grand ma standing some feet away an asking,” Have you been hurt, Amit?”
“Yea, grandma! Didn’t you just now say that those who weather the storm invariably get hurt? But, thanks God, it seems only a superficial injury—my eyes and head have escaped the disaster.” Amit responded.
“What happened?” Mrs. Raj Rathaur, Amit’s Mother, came rushing into the drawing room from the kitchen.
“Amit fell down while closing the drawing room windowpanes. He has been hurt.” Amit’s grandmother informed her daughter- in- law.
“So many times, Amit, So many times I have told you to be careful. But no, you are always in a hurry. You are 30 years old, working out a career in journalism, when will you grow up, Amit? Look at it what have you done to yourself?” Amit’s mother scolded him.
“Come on, mom! I was only trying to do your job. The damn wind was so intense and hurting to the eyes that I lost my grip on the latch and the window banged the iron grill with a lightening speed” Amit tried to explain.
“I knew it, Amit, I knew it. You will not admit your fault. This is what is wrong with your damn generation: you people seem to be ready with justifications and excuses at the drop of a hat. Too damn obsessed with self-righteousness. I do not like it; just don’t like it.” Mrs. Raj Rathaur burst out angrily.
“Come on, Raj! Do not behave like the boss of a HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION: always missing the woods for trees. You are not appreciating as to how much damage Amit has saved to our house. You are only concerned about the breaking of one glass of your window. Exactly like these human rights organizations—just obsessed with only finding faults. The fault might not be entirely of Amit. In rush of things, when deadlines are to be met, some mistakes do occur inadvertently.” It was grandma scolding his daughter- in- law.
“But mummy1 you see his arrogance? He tells me that he had been doing my job. Do you think it was only my job to do al house-hold jobs such as closing of doors and windows; making of beds; cooking; cleaning the house; dusting so on and so forth? Is it my job alone to keep everything in the house in order? Don’t you think, we all who live in this house, have a collective responsibility?” Raj vehemently protested.
“No. it is not your job alone. All of us must share the responsibilities equally. But you must understand in the course of discharge of one’s duties and responsibilities mistakes do occur. After all we are all human beings prone to errors of judgment. Think of it this way if afraid of committing mistakes people shy away from their responsibilities how much damage could be caused to us. The SWEET mistake might have probably saved us a catastrophe. Same way, Amit too was trying to discharge his duty when he decided to close all window sand doors before the storm. If he won’t have done so, a lot of dust and muck would have made a mess of your house. It would have damaged more windowpanes. Please understand and appreciate his efforts rather than crying hoarse with his one unintended mistake” grandma moralized.
“But mummy, we can not condone wrongs. It leads to a bigger wrong later--------“Mrs. Raj Rathaur was trying to justify when Amit yelled in anger.
“To hell with your “RIGHTS” and WRONGS? If you are so peeved at my inability, why do you want me to do a job for you when I can only commit mistakes? Do it yourself, then. Stop talking of your moralities and ethics—also do bother to care for my cuts and bruises You are just not concerned about my bleeding face and aching arms.” saying this Amit walked away in protest, murmuring to himself, “I will never do anything in this house, even if you beg me.”
He took out his mobile and dialed a number. He checked about the confirmation of his air ticket from New Delhi to Kolkotta. He was scheduled to go this Wednesday to report on a very important court case of alleged encounter between a terrorist couple and CAT SQUAD of Punjab police. He was covering the case for his news channel. He calculated that he might have to leave on Monday itself to be able to tie up certain details at New Delhi. He had only one day left to go. Amit decided to get some medical attention from a doctor after the storm had subsided. He was now thinking of the case of late BASHIR KHAN and his wife SABINA BAI –the alleged terrorist couple killed by Punjab police in an encounter on May 17, 1993. On Wednesday, the trial court was to deliver the judgment. This case had whole nation glued to it. The media was hyperactive. Policemen had become the villains in the media trials of the case. But Amit decided to wait for the judgment day before making any final comment in his report.
(Author’s note:- This is part one of this serialized story. It will run into ten sections)
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The sky was dark. In fact, it was pitch dark. One could hardly see 20 feet away. Air was still—absolutely still—not even a leave stirred. There was an uneasy calm in the atmosphere. It was not evening but 10 AM in the morning. The overcast sky had made the scene very scary—nay, very very scary.
Amit, sitting in the balcony of his house, could feel the pulse of a ravaging storm that was undoubtedly imminent. To be very frank, in the months of May and June, storms are a regular feature in North India. They occur with regular periodicity with devastating effect. They are the harbinger of death and destruction. Storms are often followed by lightening showers which provide relief and succor to the people.
Irony is before the relief and succor, there is a naked dance of devastation, unleashed by dust storm. Trees are uprooted. Houses collapse. Roofs are blown away. Electricity .poles and old trees are a mangled mesh on the roads, blocking the traffic. Water pipes get choked. In a nutshell, it takes a while before normalcy returns. You need effective administration to do this. Once the normalcy returns, everyone forgets about the nasty storm and its devastation. Human memory is not only short lived but it also jumps from one crisis to another.
Amit suddenly realized that the incoming storm might cause heavy damage to open windows and doors of the house. As he got up to shut the doors and windows, he noticed his grandma standing in the terrace, next to him, and gazing at the dark clouds. She was completely immersed in her thoughts. Amit yelled, “Get inside, grandma! Get inside. A heavy and a severe storm is likely.”
“You know Amit, Storms are known to cause damages but there is one thing very funny about them”, Grandma responded.
“What is it, grand ma?” Amit shot back.
“You see the people who weather the storm, do not enjoy the peace, harmony and serenity that follows it. Invariably, the people who enjoy the good times following a storm, are those who desert and hide in the safe heavens when storms unleash their wrecking fury.” Grandma sermonized.
“Well, grandma! You are getting philosophical and hyper sensitive. I reckon it is their practical wisdom, grandma.” Amit dismissed grandma’s theory.
“Practical wisdom? My foot! It is sheer dereliction of human, social and official duty—whoever you are. Their enjoyment rests on the sacrifices and blood of those brave people who give their lives away to checkmate the storm?” Grandma chided Amit.
“Fine, grandma! No more harangues and pontification. Let us stop this session on moral values and ethics. Let us worry about the imminent danger of a weather-storm which is due any moment.” Amit tried to deflect his grandma’s mind.
“Oh, I see! You are trying to classify ‘Storms’!! ? What did you say –“Weather Storm? You mean to say it differs from Social and Political storms? Does it? No, my son the end result of all storms is same. They all affect human lives. They all leave debris behind. They only bring misery and pain to those who dare to combat them. In their aftermath---the cowards, who escape to avoid its fury----come back later to enjoy the benefits of harmony & peace?” Grandma retorted.
“Grandma, you are unduly getting emotional on a non-issue. Remember, what you always sermonize me? You always caution me that EMOTIONS MAKE ONE BLIND. Overpowered by emotions, one loses control of one’s rationality because mental faculties have their shutters dropped. Hope you are not its victim.” Amit hit back with an equal punch.
“No, it is not emotional outburst. It is my visualization of the times ahead on the social, political and national platform. You see-----“, “Stop it Grandma”, Amit Interrupted and pulled his grand ma inside the room.
By now, a very fast wind was blowing. Laden with dust particles, it was hitting the eyes in such a manner that it had begun to obscure vision. Open doors and windows of the house were banging against each other to produce deafening sound. On top of this the whistling sound of the wind was ripping apart the ear-drums. Storm was growing in intensity every second. Amit was running around the house to shut open windows and doors but dust in the air and poor visibility was making his task difficult. He was moving around almost with closed eyes.
In this melee, while he was closing the windows of the drawing room, a strong puff of wind hit his face and he lost control which sent him flying over the sofa. The window pane hit the iron grill in a lightening speed and glass was broken. It made a big banging sound. Shattered pieces of glass were all over the body of fallen Amit, causing multiple cuts and bruises on his arms, hands and face. As he was slowly getting up, taking care not to touch the scattered glass pieces, he found his grand ma standing some feet away an asking,” Have you been hurt, Amit?”
“Yea, grandma! Didn’t you just now say that those who weather the storm invariably get hurt? But, thanks God, it seems only a superficial injury—my eyes and head have escaped the disaster.” Amit responded.
“What happened?” Mrs. Raj Rathaur, Amit’s Mother, came rushing into the drawing room from the kitchen.
“Amit fell down while closing the drawing room windowpanes. He has been hurt.” Amit’s grandmother informed her daughter- in- law.
“So many times, Amit, So many times I have told you to be careful. But no, you are always in a hurry. You are 30 years old, working out a career in journalism, when will you grow up, Amit? Look at it what have you done to yourself?” Amit’s mother scolded him.
“Come on, mom! I was only trying to do your job. The damn wind was so intense and hurting to the eyes that I lost my grip on the latch and the window banged the iron grill with a lightening speed” Amit tried to explain.
“I knew it, Amit, I knew it. You will not admit your fault. This is what is wrong with your damn generation: you people seem to be ready with justifications and excuses at the drop of a hat. Too damn obsessed with self-righteousness. I do not like it; just don’t like it.” Mrs. Raj Rathaur burst out angrily.
“Come on, Raj! Do not behave like the boss of a HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION: always missing the woods for trees. You are not appreciating as to how much damage Amit has saved to our house. You are only concerned about the breaking of one glass of your window. Exactly like these human rights organizations—just obsessed with only finding faults. The fault might not be entirely of Amit. In rush of things, when deadlines are to be met, some mistakes do occur inadvertently.” It was grandma scolding his daughter- in- law.
“But mummy1 you see his arrogance? He tells me that he had been doing my job. Do you think it was only my job to do al house-hold jobs such as closing of doors and windows; making of beds; cooking; cleaning the house; dusting so on and so forth? Is it my job alone to keep everything in the house in order? Don’t you think, we all who live in this house, have a collective responsibility?” Raj vehemently protested.
“No. it is not your job alone. All of us must share the responsibilities equally. But you must understand in the course of discharge of one’s duties and responsibilities mistakes do occur. After all we are all human beings prone to errors of judgment. Think of it this way if afraid of committing mistakes people shy away from their responsibilities how much damage could be caused to us. The SWEET mistake might have probably saved us a catastrophe. Same way, Amit too was trying to discharge his duty when he decided to close all window sand doors before the storm. If he won’t have done so, a lot of dust and muck would have made a mess of your house. It would have damaged more windowpanes. Please understand and appreciate his efforts rather than crying hoarse with his one unintended mistake” grandma moralized.
“But mummy, we can not condone wrongs. It leads to a bigger wrong later--------“Mrs. Raj Rathaur was trying to justify when Amit yelled in anger.
“To hell with your “RIGHTS” and WRONGS? If you are so peeved at my inability, why do you want me to do a job for you when I can only commit mistakes? Do it yourself, then. Stop talking of your moralities and ethics—also do bother to care for my cuts and bruises You are just not concerned about my bleeding face and aching arms.” saying this Amit walked away in protest, murmuring to himself, “I will never do anything in this house, even if you beg me.”
He took out his mobile and dialed a number. He checked about the confirmation of his air ticket from New Delhi to Kolkotta. He was scheduled to go this Wednesday to report on a very important court case of alleged encounter between a terrorist couple and CAT SQUAD of Punjab police. He was covering the case for his news channel. He calculated that he might have to leave on Monday itself to be able to tie up certain details at New Delhi. He had only one day left to go. Amit decided to get some medical attention from a doctor after the storm had subsided. He was now thinking of the case of late BASHIR KHAN and his wife SABINA BAI –the alleged terrorist couple killed by Punjab police in an encounter on May 17, 1993. On Wednesday, the trial court was to deliver the judgment. This case had whole nation glued to it. The media was hyperactive. Policemen had become the villains in the media trials of the case. But Amit decided to wait for the judgment day before making any final comment in his report.
(Author’s note:- This is part one of this serialized story. It will run into ten sections)
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WHEN THE STORM BLEW AWAY-2
THE JUDGEMENT DAY
Mercury bulbs of the cameras were flashing; microphones were buzzing with glamorous men and women from electronic and print media safe-depositing the sound bytes of legal luminaries into their dicta-phones. Clearly there was divided opinion. Some favored the defendants; while some others were highly critical. There were people amongst the legal luminaries who longed to publically hang the accused; others were equally vocal to allow the accused to be honorably acquitted and be bestowed upon with national awards.
The court room was totally full, packed to the utmost capacity. It was crowded with the big names of print and electronic media along with lawyers in their black aprons who were the most wanted commodity by the media. Anybody and every body in the legal profession was having potshot on the case. It was a unique case where the men who saved the integrity of the nation by risking their own lives were charged with the murder of those who threatened the nationhood. Charged emotions on both sides of the fence aroused interest of the common man, too.
Amit Kushwaha was totally confused. This was his first independent assignment as a journalist after he had graduated from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. He had been strictly instructed by his boss to go for the facts and truth—no emotional frills. He didn’t know what was the truth—whom to believe. While his conscience cried for the blood of those who carry out cold blooded murders; his brain argued as to how come the 'security forces or the men of the law enforcing agencies' be dubbed as murderers when the nation itself bestows upon them “THE RIGHT TO KILL, IF NATIONAL SECURITY IS THREATENED”. “What is the dividing line? Is it overlapping or very subtle and thin?” he put these questions to self.
Amit worked for DNN (Delhi News Network). His immediate boss was Rajesh Rathore, a doyen of news makers, who had earned a name for his unbiased and truthful reporting. He always looked beyond the facial expressions of people in front of the camera. He anchors, every Sunday at prime time, a very popular TV show on DNN, called “Spine Less Wonders of India”. In this programme, he highlights the ills of Indian Democracy and its shallow claims of self-greatness. He had once stated that the people, who had been born in India in the immediate aftermath of Independence, say between 1947 to 1960, abound in SLAVE MENTALITY and were no good to lead India. In fact, he continues to emphatically state todate that generations born in the two decades of FIFTIES & SIXTIES are “Confused Generations” and they lack not only in self discipline but also moral integrity, consequently accounting for all the ills of modern India. National Interests to them are like tissue papers to be used for personal advancement or for votes. He had, in his inner circles, often known to have quoted a CIA representative in PAKISTAN in early eighties, who had made very funny remarks about Indians to Brigadier Yusuf Mohammed (retired) of Pakistan Army. According to Brigadier Yusuf Mohammed, as quoted in his book, “Bear Trap”, the CIA representative, when questioned by him (Yusuf) as to how Indians were supplying arms for the MUJAHIDEENS in AFGHANISTAN because Indian Government was, then, supporting Russians and Afghan Governments in the Eighties, had stated:
“-------Indians are bast***s, they can sell their mother for money.”
Rajesh Rathore was a great critic of political leaders and the mess they had made of the Indian Democracy. He was equally scathing on his own breed, too. He opined that most of the media men worked for vested interests. He thought that bulk of them were committed to their benefactors and lobbied for them. He always cautioned people on the PLANTED STORIES both in the print and electronic media. Rahesh held a view that all those sting operations on corruption and flesh trades were actually aimed at trapping the persons to later blackmail them. He invariably cited examples on various media disclosures of sex scandals and corruptions, where there was no follow –up action and the issues died natural death. He highlighted the importance of follow-up action to pin down the culprits and wrong-doers. In this case, he often quoted the Yamini Lal Murder case, which was kept alive by the active media and all attempts to bludgeon it into silence were foiled. He was, therefore, a great advocate of media’s power to build strong and a vibrant India by supporting Indian National interests at all costs and nothing else.
Therefore at times, he too, would compromise his journalistic ethos if it conflicted with national interests. He would impose restrictions upon himself when he found a portion of the truth could endanger national security. People, often criticized him for this. He cared too hoots for such criticism. He used to dismiss criticism by saying, “I know my duty. I do not need lessons on TRUTH from the Gods of FALSEHOOD.” On innumerable occasions, Rajesh had cautioned his new disciple, Amit Kushwaha, “ Do not go by what people talk in front of camera. As a society, we are hypocrites. In public, we would preach moralities; in private, we would flaunt them. There are no exceptions to this. Look beyond the obvious. But, remember the golden principle of NATIONAL INTEGRITY that the truth ought to be told in MEASURED TONES when it affects the national interests. Americans do it--they did it in both the GULF WARS--CNN gave the pictures of the wars to the outside world what the AMERICANS wanted the world to know. Britain did it during the second world war--it had broken the GERMAN SECRET CODE and it had known about impending JAPANESE attack on PEARL HARBOUR. Had they cautioned the Americans, the PERAL HARBOUR tragedy could have been avoided but USA would not have joined war on behalf of the allid forces? Even our scriptures sanctify the manipulation and orchestration of the real TRUTH for a BIGGER national cause. Lord KRISHANA along with YUDHISTERA had resorted to a bit of ORCHESTRATION of real truth when informing DRONACHARYA about the alleged death of his son ASWATHAMA.”
In the case of his current assignment, Amit was desperately trying to emulate the teachings of his mentor and guide. He had to do a good job of this because first impression was the last impression. But, more he immersed himself in the case, more he was grounded—unable to take off in any direction. In a state of utmost confusion, he spotted Sh Pritam Khullar of “The Tribune” –a Chandigarh based daily newspaper of North India. Pritam Khullar was a leading light of this Daily and he was known for his incisive analysis of such cases. Fortunately for Amit, he was known to his father and he was a frequent visitor to their home. Pritam and Amit’s father had served together in the army in their young days. Their friendship flourished since then. He had seen Pritam uncle and his dad getting involved in heated arguments over the deteriorating state of the officer class of the army. His dad will often chid Pritam, “ what do you expect when good fellows like you run away from the field like cowards, the downslide has to take place.” Pritam uncle would invariably retort, “ We had left some good fellows like you behind to look after the fort but what can we do if you become spineless wonders and YES MEN of the SELF SEEKERS.” At this, his mother, would invariably intervene to change the topic or give the final call for dinner. Notwithstanding their shouting bouts, their friendship never tasted mutual bitterness or animosity.
As soon as Amit saw his Pritam Uncle outside the court room, he almost shouted “Eureka” in euphoria. He rushed to him and explained his dilemma. Pritam Khullar curtly told him, “ Didn’t IIMC teach you the finer points of journalism? Well! in army they say before you fire to kill, get your weapon caliberated and get requisite ammunution to load. It is the judgement day. Let the judge pronounce his verdict. Wait for it. What is the hurry.” Amit could not agree more. Yes, it was the judgement day.
Amit had known the incident had taken place when he was just a college student. He had only superficial idea of the case. It was more than three years now when it was to be concluded. But the media had been carrying out the trial since the closing year of the last decade of second millenium. All these years media had taken upon itself the role of a ‘Trial-court’; ‘prosecution’ and the ‘defence’, all combined in one. Thus,media had many versions of its judgement—it was written in the ink of the side it represented. In short, media had its cake and it ate it too. “Now let us wait for the legal verdict. Why run around ? the judge will be in the court any time”, Amit counseled himself. And sure, the frantic hustle-bustle in the court-room suggested that the Trial Judge had come into the court room.
His lordship, Shri Shashank Sen Gupta occupied his chair exactly at 10A.M. He cursorily looked at the accused. Five members of the erstwhile MISSILE SQUAD—the CATS—of Punjab Police stood in total silence in the accused box, blankly staring at his lordship. They were convinced that they had committed no crime. They were made victim of a political drama whose script they did not understand. They vouched for their selfless devotion to duty and invaluable service towards resolving a problem in Punjab which had cancerous manifestations. They were bitter with so called Human-rights organisations and civil rights enthusiasts. In fact, during the trial, Mr Sanatan kumar Singh, Superintendent of police (SP) in charge of operations of Bhatinda district in Punjab, the prime accused in the case, had submitted an affidavit to the learned judge. In the said affidavit, he had raised questions on the motives and intentions of these so called civil right and human right organisations. In a lengthy statement, he had questioned their sources of funds and their lavish life-styles. He had asserted that in the name of being a NGO(Non-government Organisation) with social objectives, they were actually money-making organisations with ulterior motives of the foreign institutes who fund them. To quote a most cited para:-
“------My Lordship, where were the POACHERS when civil rights and human dignity of the general public were trampled under the feet by the likes of gun-toting BASHIR KHAN and his hoodlums? Where were these Ladies and gentlemen of human rights when Bashir Khan and his gang pulled out 30 men, women and children from a bus near Bhucho Mandi and gunned them down in a cold blood. I did not see the great exponents of civil liberties and human rights, Madam Varuna Raut and Shiksha Rajawad , to come and shed tears for those seven innocent children between the age group of one to five. Why don’t they register cases and provide evidence against the likes of Bashir Khan for such heinous crimes? Their motives are suspect. They can only voice against those who respect law. They will not do anything to assist law in providing evidence against known criminals. To them, human rights violations is a one way street-------------.”
No doubts, Mr Sanatan kumar had vigorously questioned the motives of “PEOPLE’s ORGANISATION AGAINST CIVIL and HUMAN RIGHTS EMBELLISHMENTS by a REPRESSIVE STATE” or POACHERS for short. He had articulated his plea that they have been falsely implicated in a murder case where as it was a plain and simple ENCOUNTER between terrorists and his MISSILE SQUAD. He had forcefully stated that the terrorist and his wife were killed in a fire-fight which ensued when the CATS raided their hideout. It is incidental that CATS suffered very minor casualities. It was and must be the measure of their trining, efficiency and motivation. Just because there was no death amongst the CATS , the shoot-out can not be termed as fake . He had vehmently asked the court IF IT WERE MANDATORY FOR THE SECURITY FORCES TO SUFFER FATAL CASUALITIES WHILE INDULGING IN A FIRE FIGHT WITH TERRORISTS ? He was apprehensive of the real motives of the POACHERS and its head, Mrs Varuna Raut, who was internationally renowned for her book, “The Land of Silly Gods”.
It was a fact that Sanatan and his men were booked on a case filed by Shiksha Rajawad on behalf of POACHERS. Shiksha was not only a friend of Varuna but a renowned criminal lawyer of Kolkotta. She had been trained by another great name in legal circles, Mr. Sham Jootewala, who boasted of getting people acquitted from the sure shot death sentence. His legal acumen was unmatched. Shiksha was her very able disciple. She alongwith Varuna made a great team of POACHERS who allegedly helped out the underprivileged and the poor. Security forces dealing with militancy and terrorism from North East to J&k and Punjab, were engaged in number of legal cases by them for violations of human rights.
Sanatan’s affidavit to the trial judge had started a moral, ethical,legal, political and social debate amongst the intellectuals all over India. Intelligentia willingly and vigorously participated in this debate . And why not? They were the conscience keeper of the biggest democracy in the world. Sitting in the convention halls of FIVE STAR HOTELS or the air conditioned studios of major news channels they had lambasted or glamorised SANATAN KUMAR and his accomplices. Speaking with immaculate accent and dead-sure assertion they would claim to represent the common man of India. But did they really know the pulse of the common man in India? Perhaps not; may be ‘Yes’. Leaving aside the people of Punjab, people in other states barely knew the details of the case. Yet the news channels would demonstrate through their repetitive play of same video clip, as if the whole nation had been galvanised. Facts spoke otherwise.
A rickshaw –puller in New Delhi, when questioned by Miss Jasmine Bhalla of Sahara Samay news channel had responded, “ What is this case? I have no idea. Watching TV ? Who has the money to buy this gadget? What? Reading a news paper? Why should I be plying a Rickshaw madam, if I could read and write? Also, who has the time to follow this time-wasting pastime? To buy a TV or a News paper I must have money. I do not have , so I can not indulge in these luxuries. Let those who have the money, waste it on these frivolous issues. We don’t care—really don’t care, Madam.”
A college student in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, when confronted by Mr. Ram Moorthy of THE HINDU newspaper had asked back, “ Yes, what is the case, I know nothing”. Ram Moorthy explained to hin certain facts . The Student, Mr. Tk Kanan, then responded, “ Oh! I see. But why are you so peeved at these policemen? What do you expect the police to do? As you have said these terrorists had killed some 30 innocent children,women and men in a cold blood shoot out , why is it not being investigated by these POACHERS? Weren’t they murderers at large? What about the human rights of those 30 people? You said there was no evidence but for the boasting claim made by the terrorist organisation, to which Bashir khan and his wife belonged. Did the couple ever refute this allegation? Do you think any criminal will leave any evidence for the law enforcers to get them convicted? Why should the Punjab police persons go to KOLKOTTA to raid their hideout? Did they have personal enmity? Operation must have been planned at highest level as two states were involved. Why only target these five people? Why not all those who have tasked the security forces to tackle militancy, terrorism and insurgency? Do you think these five people dreamt of the anti-national activities of this couple? There ought to be some information on their activities. How come a fugitive from law in Punjab was living a comfortable life in KOLKOTTA? I am not convinced by this fuss by your so called POACHERS?”
A school teacher in Assam had told Mr. Dipankar Roy of “THE EASTERN CLARION” Daily from Jorhat that lmedia must leave it to the court to decide. He said to Roy, “ Why are you wasting your time? Does it have any value? How would my opinion influence this case? Should the criminal or terrorist cases be decided by voting by the public? If media and public has to decide cases like this, then why waste money on courts? I am afraid media is unnecessarily trying to influence the judge of the trial court by cluttering his mind with orchestrated public opinion. You are adulterating the justice by influencing the mind of the judge. Such mind adulteration is not good for the legal landscape of the nation. Media trials must stop for justice to prevail.”
The best comments had come from a college girl at TARNTARAN in Punjab. In a quisitive response to Gurvinder Thukral’s query , Manjit kaur had reacted, “ Did you ever rape your sister?” Gurvinder Thukral, a reputed journalist, working for Chandigarh based Daily, "THE TRIBUNE" ,was shocked and immoblised to hear such a response to his simple question by a brash young girl. Nonplussed and agonised, Gurvinder had replied to Manjit, “ Miss! Your question is not only irrelevant but also unthinkable.” This had further infuriated the young lass and she had exploded, “ What did you say? It was unthinkable? Kindly tell me what was thinkable? Was it thinkable to learn that the Prime Minister of India had allegedly accepted a suitcase full of cash as bribe? They say it was Rs One Crore. Was it thinkable for a serving minister at the Centre to be raided by the CBI in his home town in Himachal Pradesh and come out with a bounty of Rs 3.5 crores? Did you ever think that an honourable serving judge of the Supreme court could be accused of having misappropriated government funds while serving chief justice of a High Court? Could you ever think that a Session Judge would have links with the underworld in Mumbai? Could you ever imagine warrants of arrest issued against DIG/IG/ ADGP and DGP of police for corruption? Sir, this is India in the year 2000 AD. Please imagine what you could not even visualise in your wildest dreams. Kindly do not dismiss it as a trash from a young college lass. It is people of your generation who sing songs on false moralities. It is your generations who are responsible for the sorry state of affairs India is in. It is your generation which produce BASHIR KHAN and SANATAN KUMAR SINGH. There is no difference between the two. Both of them have raped their CONSCIENCE; one for riches and money, the other for glamour, honour and awards. And you people—the media men—are painting them as HEROES and VILLAINS—depending on what your own inclinations, perceptions and preferences are. The fact is both are evil in its most lethal form.” Gurvinder Thukral was shaken and stunned. His 20 years in journalism were reduced to zero by an angry young girl from a remote town in Punjab. He really resnted that day of having asked this question on the case from this young girl.
To Gurvinder Thukral there was a food for thought. A question rang in his mind: was the media, both electronic and print, really responsible for creating “HEROES” and “VILLIANS”? He pondered over this time and again—mulled over the questions many a times and then said to himself, “ Yes! How true this young Lass was!!” Thereafter, Gurvinder had written a big article ventilating these sentiments. In the concluding part of the article, Gurvinder had said, “ ------------Some one ought to listen to these young people. But the question that begs my mind is: ‘WHO is this person?' I have no answer.” Amit kushwaha had read this piece by Gurvinder Thukral and he was quite impressed with his plain speaking. He was now busy recollecting in his mind the fine points he had raised. He was oblivious of the fact that the judge had already entered the court room.
---------To be continued in Part 3"THE CONFUSED GENERATIONS"
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Mercury bulbs of the cameras were flashing; microphones were buzzing with glamorous men and women from electronic and print media safe-depositing the sound bytes of legal luminaries into their dicta-phones. Clearly there was divided opinion. Some favored the defendants; while some others were highly critical. There were people amongst the legal luminaries who longed to publically hang the accused; others were equally vocal to allow the accused to be honorably acquitted and be bestowed upon with national awards.
The court room was totally full, packed to the utmost capacity. It was crowded with the big names of print and electronic media along with lawyers in their black aprons who were the most wanted commodity by the media. Anybody and every body in the legal profession was having potshot on the case. It was a unique case where the men who saved the integrity of the nation by risking their own lives were charged with the murder of those who threatened the nationhood. Charged emotions on both sides of the fence aroused interest of the common man, too.
Amit Kushwaha was totally confused. This was his first independent assignment as a journalist after he had graduated from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. He had been strictly instructed by his boss to go for the facts and truth—no emotional frills. He didn’t know what was the truth—whom to believe. While his conscience cried for the blood of those who carry out cold blooded murders; his brain argued as to how come the 'security forces or the men of the law enforcing agencies' be dubbed as murderers when the nation itself bestows upon them “THE RIGHT TO KILL, IF NATIONAL SECURITY IS THREATENED”. “What is the dividing line? Is it overlapping or very subtle and thin?” he put these questions to self.
Amit worked for DNN (Delhi News Network). His immediate boss was Rajesh Rathore, a doyen of news makers, who had earned a name for his unbiased and truthful reporting. He always looked beyond the facial expressions of people in front of the camera. He anchors, every Sunday at prime time, a very popular TV show on DNN, called “Spine Less Wonders of India”. In this programme, he highlights the ills of Indian Democracy and its shallow claims of self-greatness. He had once stated that the people, who had been born in India in the immediate aftermath of Independence, say between 1947 to 1960, abound in SLAVE MENTALITY and were no good to lead India. In fact, he continues to emphatically state todate that generations born in the two decades of FIFTIES & SIXTIES are “Confused Generations” and they lack not only in self discipline but also moral integrity, consequently accounting for all the ills of modern India. National Interests to them are like tissue papers to be used for personal advancement or for votes. He had, in his inner circles, often known to have quoted a CIA representative in PAKISTAN in early eighties, who had made very funny remarks about Indians to Brigadier Yusuf Mohammed (retired) of Pakistan Army. According to Brigadier Yusuf Mohammed, as quoted in his book, “Bear Trap”, the CIA representative, when questioned by him (Yusuf) as to how Indians were supplying arms for the MUJAHIDEENS in AFGHANISTAN because Indian Government was, then, supporting Russians and Afghan Governments in the Eighties, had stated:
“-------Indians are bast***s, they can sell their mother for money.”
Rajesh Rathore was a great critic of political leaders and the mess they had made of the Indian Democracy. He was equally scathing on his own breed, too. He opined that most of the media men worked for vested interests. He thought that bulk of them were committed to their benefactors and lobbied for them. He always cautioned people on the PLANTED STORIES both in the print and electronic media. Rahesh held a view that all those sting operations on corruption and flesh trades were actually aimed at trapping the persons to later blackmail them. He invariably cited examples on various media disclosures of sex scandals and corruptions, where there was no follow –up action and the issues died natural death. He highlighted the importance of follow-up action to pin down the culprits and wrong-doers. In this case, he often quoted the Yamini Lal Murder case, which was kept alive by the active media and all attempts to bludgeon it into silence were foiled. He was, therefore, a great advocate of media’s power to build strong and a vibrant India by supporting Indian National interests at all costs and nothing else.
Therefore at times, he too, would compromise his journalistic ethos if it conflicted with national interests. He would impose restrictions upon himself when he found a portion of the truth could endanger national security. People, often criticized him for this. He cared too hoots for such criticism. He used to dismiss criticism by saying, “I know my duty. I do not need lessons on TRUTH from the Gods of FALSEHOOD.” On innumerable occasions, Rajesh had cautioned his new disciple, Amit Kushwaha, “ Do not go by what people talk in front of camera. As a society, we are hypocrites. In public, we would preach moralities; in private, we would flaunt them. There are no exceptions to this. Look beyond the obvious. But, remember the golden principle of NATIONAL INTEGRITY that the truth ought to be told in MEASURED TONES when it affects the national interests. Americans do it--they did it in both the GULF WARS--CNN gave the pictures of the wars to the outside world what the AMERICANS wanted the world to know. Britain did it during the second world war--it had broken the GERMAN SECRET CODE and it had known about impending JAPANESE attack on PEARL HARBOUR. Had they cautioned the Americans, the PERAL HARBOUR tragedy could have been avoided but USA would not have joined war on behalf of the allid forces? Even our scriptures sanctify the manipulation and orchestration of the real TRUTH for a BIGGER national cause. Lord KRISHANA along with YUDHISTERA had resorted to a bit of ORCHESTRATION of real truth when informing DRONACHARYA about the alleged death of his son ASWATHAMA.”
In the case of his current assignment, Amit was desperately trying to emulate the teachings of his mentor and guide. He had to do a good job of this because first impression was the last impression. But, more he immersed himself in the case, more he was grounded—unable to take off in any direction. In a state of utmost confusion, he spotted Sh Pritam Khullar of “The Tribune” –a Chandigarh based daily newspaper of North India. Pritam Khullar was a leading light of this Daily and he was known for his incisive analysis of such cases. Fortunately for Amit, he was known to his father and he was a frequent visitor to their home. Pritam and Amit’s father had served together in the army in their young days. Their friendship flourished since then. He had seen Pritam uncle and his dad getting involved in heated arguments over the deteriorating state of the officer class of the army. His dad will often chid Pritam, “ what do you expect when good fellows like you run away from the field like cowards, the downslide has to take place.” Pritam uncle would invariably retort, “ We had left some good fellows like you behind to look after the fort but what can we do if you become spineless wonders and YES MEN of the SELF SEEKERS.” At this, his mother, would invariably intervene to change the topic or give the final call for dinner. Notwithstanding their shouting bouts, their friendship never tasted mutual bitterness or animosity.
As soon as Amit saw his Pritam Uncle outside the court room, he almost shouted “Eureka” in euphoria. He rushed to him and explained his dilemma. Pritam Khullar curtly told him, “ Didn’t IIMC teach you the finer points of journalism? Well! in army they say before you fire to kill, get your weapon caliberated and get requisite ammunution to load. It is the judgement day. Let the judge pronounce his verdict. Wait for it. What is the hurry.” Amit could not agree more. Yes, it was the judgement day.
Amit had known the incident had taken place when he was just a college student. He had only superficial idea of the case. It was more than three years now when it was to be concluded. But the media had been carrying out the trial since the closing year of the last decade of second millenium. All these years media had taken upon itself the role of a ‘Trial-court’; ‘prosecution’ and the ‘defence’, all combined in one. Thus,media had many versions of its judgement—it was written in the ink of the side it represented. In short, media had its cake and it ate it too. “Now let us wait for the legal verdict. Why run around ? the judge will be in the court any time”, Amit counseled himself. And sure, the frantic hustle-bustle in the court-room suggested that the Trial Judge had come into the court room.
His lordship, Shri Shashank Sen Gupta occupied his chair exactly at 10A.M. He cursorily looked at the accused. Five members of the erstwhile MISSILE SQUAD—the CATS—of Punjab Police stood in total silence in the accused box, blankly staring at his lordship. They were convinced that they had committed no crime. They were made victim of a political drama whose script they did not understand. They vouched for their selfless devotion to duty and invaluable service towards resolving a problem in Punjab which had cancerous manifestations. They were bitter with so called Human-rights organisations and civil rights enthusiasts. In fact, during the trial, Mr Sanatan kumar Singh, Superintendent of police (SP) in charge of operations of Bhatinda district in Punjab, the prime accused in the case, had submitted an affidavit to the learned judge. In the said affidavit, he had raised questions on the motives and intentions of these so called civil right and human right organisations. In a lengthy statement, he had questioned their sources of funds and their lavish life-styles. He had asserted that in the name of being a NGO(Non-government Organisation) with social objectives, they were actually money-making organisations with ulterior motives of the foreign institutes who fund them. To quote a most cited para:-
“------My Lordship, where were the POACHERS when civil rights and human dignity of the general public were trampled under the feet by the likes of gun-toting BASHIR KHAN and his hoodlums? Where were these Ladies and gentlemen of human rights when Bashir Khan and his gang pulled out 30 men, women and children from a bus near Bhucho Mandi and gunned them down in a cold blood. I did not see the great exponents of civil liberties and human rights, Madam Varuna Raut and Shiksha Rajawad , to come and shed tears for those seven innocent children between the age group of one to five. Why don’t they register cases and provide evidence against the likes of Bashir Khan for such heinous crimes? Their motives are suspect. They can only voice against those who respect law. They will not do anything to assist law in providing evidence against known criminals. To them, human rights violations is a one way street-------------.”
No doubts, Mr Sanatan kumar had vigorously questioned the motives of “PEOPLE’s ORGANISATION AGAINST CIVIL and HUMAN RIGHTS EMBELLISHMENTS by a REPRESSIVE STATE” or POACHERS for short. He had articulated his plea that they have been falsely implicated in a murder case where as it was a plain and simple ENCOUNTER between terrorists and his MISSILE SQUAD. He had forcefully stated that the terrorist and his wife were killed in a fire-fight which ensued when the CATS raided their hideout. It is incidental that CATS suffered very minor casualities. It was and must be the measure of their trining, efficiency and motivation. Just because there was no death amongst the CATS , the shoot-out can not be termed as fake . He had vehmently asked the court IF IT WERE MANDATORY FOR THE SECURITY FORCES TO SUFFER FATAL CASUALITIES WHILE INDULGING IN A FIRE FIGHT WITH TERRORISTS ? He was apprehensive of the real motives of the POACHERS and its head, Mrs Varuna Raut, who was internationally renowned for her book, “The Land of Silly Gods”.
It was a fact that Sanatan and his men were booked on a case filed by Shiksha Rajawad on behalf of POACHERS. Shiksha was not only a friend of Varuna but a renowned criminal lawyer of Kolkotta. She had been trained by another great name in legal circles, Mr. Sham Jootewala, who boasted of getting people acquitted from the sure shot death sentence. His legal acumen was unmatched. Shiksha was her very able disciple. She alongwith Varuna made a great team of POACHERS who allegedly helped out the underprivileged and the poor. Security forces dealing with militancy and terrorism from North East to J&k and Punjab, were engaged in number of legal cases by them for violations of human rights.
Sanatan’s affidavit to the trial judge had started a moral, ethical,legal, political and social debate amongst the intellectuals all over India. Intelligentia willingly and vigorously participated in this debate . And why not? They were the conscience keeper of the biggest democracy in the world. Sitting in the convention halls of FIVE STAR HOTELS or the air conditioned studios of major news channels they had lambasted or glamorised SANATAN KUMAR and his accomplices. Speaking with immaculate accent and dead-sure assertion they would claim to represent the common man of India. But did they really know the pulse of the common man in India? Perhaps not; may be ‘Yes’. Leaving aside the people of Punjab, people in other states barely knew the details of the case. Yet the news channels would demonstrate through their repetitive play of same video clip, as if the whole nation had been galvanised. Facts spoke otherwise.
A rickshaw –puller in New Delhi, when questioned by Miss Jasmine Bhalla of Sahara Samay news channel had responded, “ What is this case? I have no idea. Watching TV ? Who has the money to buy this gadget? What? Reading a news paper? Why should I be plying a Rickshaw madam, if I could read and write? Also, who has the time to follow this time-wasting pastime? To buy a TV or a News paper I must have money. I do not have , so I can not indulge in these luxuries. Let those who have the money, waste it on these frivolous issues. We don’t care—really don’t care, Madam.”
A college student in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, when confronted by Mr. Ram Moorthy of THE HINDU newspaper had asked back, “ Yes, what is the case, I know nothing”. Ram Moorthy explained to hin certain facts . The Student, Mr. Tk Kanan, then responded, “ Oh! I see. But why are you so peeved at these policemen? What do you expect the police to do? As you have said these terrorists had killed some 30 innocent children,women and men in a cold blood shoot out , why is it not being investigated by these POACHERS? Weren’t they murderers at large? What about the human rights of those 30 people? You said there was no evidence but for the boasting claim made by the terrorist organisation, to which Bashir khan and his wife belonged. Did the couple ever refute this allegation? Do you think any criminal will leave any evidence for the law enforcers to get them convicted? Why should the Punjab police persons go to KOLKOTTA to raid their hideout? Did they have personal enmity? Operation must have been planned at highest level as two states were involved. Why only target these five people? Why not all those who have tasked the security forces to tackle militancy, terrorism and insurgency? Do you think these five people dreamt of the anti-national activities of this couple? There ought to be some information on their activities. How come a fugitive from law in Punjab was living a comfortable life in KOLKOTTA? I am not convinced by this fuss by your so called POACHERS?”
A school teacher in Assam had told Mr. Dipankar Roy of “THE EASTERN CLARION” Daily from Jorhat that lmedia must leave it to the court to decide. He said to Roy, “ Why are you wasting your time? Does it have any value? How would my opinion influence this case? Should the criminal or terrorist cases be decided by voting by the public? If media and public has to decide cases like this, then why waste money on courts? I am afraid media is unnecessarily trying to influence the judge of the trial court by cluttering his mind with orchestrated public opinion. You are adulterating the justice by influencing the mind of the judge. Such mind adulteration is not good for the legal landscape of the nation. Media trials must stop for justice to prevail.”
The best comments had come from a college girl at TARNTARAN in Punjab. In a quisitive response to Gurvinder Thukral’s query , Manjit kaur had reacted, “ Did you ever rape your sister?” Gurvinder Thukral, a reputed journalist, working for Chandigarh based Daily, "THE TRIBUNE" ,was shocked and immoblised to hear such a response to his simple question by a brash young girl. Nonplussed and agonised, Gurvinder had replied to Manjit, “ Miss! Your question is not only irrelevant but also unthinkable.” This had further infuriated the young lass and she had exploded, “ What did you say? It was unthinkable? Kindly tell me what was thinkable? Was it thinkable to learn that the Prime Minister of India had allegedly accepted a suitcase full of cash as bribe? They say it was Rs One Crore. Was it thinkable for a serving minister at the Centre to be raided by the CBI in his home town in Himachal Pradesh and come out with a bounty of Rs 3.5 crores? Did you ever think that an honourable serving judge of the Supreme court could be accused of having misappropriated government funds while serving chief justice of a High Court? Could you ever think that a Session Judge would have links with the underworld in Mumbai? Could you ever imagine warrants of arrest issued against DIG/IG/ ADGP and DGP of police for corruption? Sir, this is India in the year 2000 AD. Please imagine what you could not even visualise in your wildest dreams. Kindly do not dismiss it as a trash from a young college lass. It is people of your generation who sing songs on false moralities. It is your generations who are responsible for the sorry state of affairs India is in. It is your generation which produce BASHIR KHAN and SANATAN KUMAR SINGH. There is no difference between the two. Both of them have raped their CONSCIENCE; one for riches and money, the other for glamour, honour and awards. And you people—the media men—are painting them as HEROES and VILLAINS—depending on what your own inclinations, perceptions and preferences are. The fact is both are evil in its most lethal form.” Gurvinder Thukral was shaken and stunned. His 20 years in journalism were reduced to zero by an angry young girl from a remote town in Punjab. He really resnted that day of having asked this question on the case from this young girl.
To Gurvinder Thukral there was a food for thought. A question rang in his mind: was the media, both electronic and print, really responsible for creating “HEROES” and “VILLIANS”? He pondered over this time and again—mulled over the questions many a times and then said to himself, “ Yes! How true this young Lass was!!” Thereafter, Gurvinder had written a big article ventilating these sentiments. In the concluding part of the article, Gurvinder had said, “ ------------Some one ought to listen to these young people. But the question that begs my mind is: ‘WHO is this person?' I have no answer.” Amit kushwaha had read this piece by Gurvinder Thukral and he was quite impressed with his plain speaking. He was now busy recollecting in his mind the fine points he had raised. He was oblivious of the fact that the judge had already entered the court room.
---------To be continued in Part 3"THE CONFUSED GENERATIONS"
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WHEN THE STORM BLEW AWAY-3
CONFUSED GENERATIONS versus SKYWAVES GENERATIONS!
Amit had not only read this article by Gurvinder Thukral but had also made a photo copy of the same and kept in his ‘TREASURE FILE’ of noted articles. He was at IIMC, New Delhi when this article had appeared in THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE of January 2000. Amit was not sure of the date as he had forgotten to put it on his photo copy. In the institute, he had not only witnessed heated debates but also actively participated in them on the lopsided thinking of what Gurvinder called “CONFUSED GENERATIONS” .
Gurvinder had argued that the post Second world war, the sudden collapse of the COLONIALISM had created a euphoria of self- greatness in the developing world. Anti-colonial leaders of AFRO-ASIAN region had niether considered nor planned a strategy to move ahead beyond freedom and independence. When the colonialists departed , there was sudden vacuum in experienced administration and management. There was thought-bankruptcy on the future guidance, directions and movement of society and the polity. In a fit of things, old was sought to be discarded because of its colonial connections but there was no real ideas ever espoused as to how to move forward with a new identity. Thus, new nations and polities either adopted ‘Hit and Trial Method’ or left it to their ‘Bigger- than -Life- Leaders’ to chart out a course of action. Most of these leaders were despotic and one-track minded and so on their whims and fancies, the grappling in the dark began. The 20th Century decades of Fifties and Sixties were decades of “ Confusion and Chaos” in the Afro-Asian nations. India was no exception despite the towering personality of Nehru and his elk in the freedom movement.
The generations born in the aftermath of the Second world war had to rear themselves up on a system set up by the colonialists but run by the impractical yet idealistic nuances of leaders with nationalistic fervour. Therefore, there was a huge gap on what was practically admissible and what the theorists of idealism wanted. This led to dilution and adulteration of social, political and moral ethos. Thus, the children who grew in these environments were practically torn between the two extremes of what the heart wanted but the head did not approve of. This inner conflict led to mental confusion through out. Most of them were mental slaves of old values while putting up a façade of a free person. Mental inhibitions had closed their minds to what is new and desireable. They were out of sync with the fast paced growth in the developed world. They continue to be so even in a world flatened by technology and communications. Gurvinder was more harsh with the development in India. He wrote an auxillary on the CURSED GENERATIONS OF INDIA. He had advised the CONFUSED GENERATIONS to stop moralising the young and let them get on with their task. In fact , he had said , “---the young ones know what is to be done to take India forward. Retire, you old fogies! Hand over the reigns of power to the young.”
In the light of preponderance of fog about the truth on the case he was currently handling, Amit wondered if it had something to with the moralities of ‘Confused Generations’. He opened his brief case; took out his “Treasure File” and pulled out this article by Gurvinder Thukral on the ‘Confused generations’. He began to read. It read:-
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THE AGE OF SKY WAVES GENERATIONS
By
Gurvinder Thukral
“Did you rape your sister?” , a young college girl from TARN TARAN in punjab had fired this bullet at me from a very close range and I dropped dead in my thoughts. She had incapacitated my mental faculity with one simple shot. I was not only stunned but also mentally immobilised. In response, I could only utter, “ Miss! Your question was irrelevant and unthinkable---------.” It was a very meek response to a very powerful burst of anger but it was adequate to ignite the volcano in her. She discoursed me on how ‘unthinkable” has become “thinkable”. She was absolutely right. We are confused. My generations are confused as to what we really want in life. We are confused whether we want our children to be modern and forward looking or we want them to be entangled in the web of old moralities----- designed for some other age; some other centuries and some other people , long gone from the surface of this earth. In the name of religion we regiment their minds on true and false gods. We bind their mental processes into “THINKABLE” and “UNTHINKABLE” human acts. We preach something else; we do something else.
All religions forbid violence but it is the die-hard followers of these religions who kill and prepetuate violence. Do I take it that the teachings of all religions are false, fake and man-made sermons? In pursuit of the ‘Hitlerite’ principle of "SELF- EXCELLENCE or WE-THE-BEST”, we ridicule others. We sit on judgement on their beliefs, faith and their way of life. We want them to follow what we think is right. We want to impose UNIFORMITY on all and sundry. This is the basic cause of all human conflict. “ Be-like-us-or-Perish” philosophy of all religions, polities and societies has been the cause of man-made destruction, devastation and damages down the centuries.This has become more pronounced in the aftermath of second world war—the war to end all wars. In their single minded pursuit of an objective of enforcing self-perceived uniformity, all social, political, economical and religious philosophies unleash violence on their opposing philosophies. There are no exceptions. Although, percepts and contexts might differ but the the contents of end-product, the violence, do not. The architect of racial abuse of THIRD RIECH, ADOLF HITLER, might have died half a century back but his clones dominate the earth under different skins, colours and names. Killers roam the earth like never before.
How do pure, simple and sensitive children turn into desensitised monsters--- oggling venom and practicing extreme violence. Is it due to eloping old moralities? Is it a transitional phase? Does it have a more sinister face for the future? Will there be a turn about to the past? What is the future of humanity—nay, our golden earth. These are questions---questions desperately asking for answers. Who will provide answers? If you take my advice, the answer to your last question is very simple i.e Leave it to the emerging generations. Do not stuff them with OLD, OUTDATED and OUT MODED moralities to confuse them—like our generations are. They will find a way out with new moralities and new social, political, religious, economical and global doctrines and strategies. How do I explain this to you?
Let us be clear—the world is flat and getting flatened everyday more vigorously—with undulating surfaces getting evened out with great pace. Therefore,when such a process is on, how can you protect your specific old identity. The more you resist, the more damage is caused to your social, political and individual self, for, you are up against the tide of the times, whose final bell had been rung when USSR collapsed. The age old maxim, “ SWIM WITH THE TIDE” is your saviour. In other words, accept the reality that old was no more gold. It ought to be consigned to the archives section of human history. Such efforts need more emphasis in the Third World and developing nations. They are more emotionally stuck with their past and not ready to discard it easily.
Let me illustrate this with the examples from our own national life. No doubts, India is in the forefront of this turf war between the old and new. Trouble is with its ageing generations of 'Confused Decades'. They want to cling on to past—which they never understood and followed, but suddenly realised its virtues. They, in their old age, have found the significance of joint family systems and its accompanying moralities. Their self interests have suddenly pitch forked to the top of their brains, the greatness of old social ethos and values. While they harp on them and swear by them, new social and political values as befitting the flatened world are emerging. These new values are reshaping the frontiers , definitions and scope of such terms as honesty, integrity, nationalism and social parameters.
‘Continent Hopping’ global citizens understand these new values whereas old, faded and jaded do not understand them. The difference is : while my generation keeps crying on as to what has gone wrong, the new generation simply says, “ Change the course and ‘Move On”. There is a mismatch in our thinking. Younger generations think we do not practice what we preach. They do not trust us because what act we publically put up or swear by we flounder it in private. We tell a child, do not tell lies. But the very moment when the door-bell rings we ask the same child to tell the visitor that papa was not at home. We do not have the courage to face awkward and difficult situations. We endlessly criticise corruption but we shamelessly accept DIWALI and X-MAS gifts from strangers as recognition of our authority and status. Like chivalary, corruption, too, begins at home. A new trend has begun. Parents go out of their ways to ensure their children do well in school and college examinations. They teach them copying and unfair means. They bribe teachers, examiners and supervisors.
We fix quotas and reservations in the name of social upliftment of down trodden. But who has benefitted in the last 50 years? Reservation has become an INDUSTRY. Government jobs, education and professional institutes are all inflicted by them. What competent professionals would the third rate candidates become in these automated factories? Incompetent doctors, half-wit engineers and inefficient bureaucracy from these privileged reserved classes lay the foundation stone of corruption. When incompetent , undeserving and self-oriented people of low personal values get into position of authority, they have only one agenda to pursue i.e to seek self advancement. Their logic is simple and understandable: “Seen enough of poverty and miseries, it is my chance to alleviate my sufferings and of my family, let moralities be damned.” How can you remove corruption?
We have legalised corruption. Why do we crib about it now? In the process we have sowed the seeds of terrorism and militancy. When we deny the deserving candidates their place in educational and professional institutes, aren’t we practising discrimination? When we tell the youth that there was no place for them in the govt job because they were born in the upper class, aren’t they being denied their fundamental right of equal opportunities? Won’t it cause frustration? Simple, when we deny desrving persons their place, do we expect them to sing songs in praise of constitution? This constitution needs to be changed, it is discrimnatory. The fore fathers of the constitutions were not wrong. They gave 50 years for these classes to come up. But the policy was not allowed to be properly implimented by the power brokers in these lower castes. They wanted to keep their flock together by keeping them illiterate, uneducated and uninformed. Same thing happened to minorities. But the leaders of CONFUSED GENERATIONS are extending these provisions beyond 50 years because of lack of vision. Today, every one who has some clout is getting its quota of reservation. It is a big sham.
How ironic it is, we want to undo the injustice of thousand of years of class and social deprivation, but we repeat the same mistake that MANU is being accused of. We are creating new privileged classes at the cost of competent people. What is the fault of the generations born in the modern times? Is it a good logic to make them pay for the excesses of their ancestors? Who should be held responsible for the past 50 years? Reservation is a retrograde step. It is moving us back by thousands of years. How can you remove the caste system from the society when you sanctify it through the provisions of your constitution? Haven't you legalised the most abohored Caste-system? On one side we want to remove it, on the other side, we keep it alive and prepetuate it throught the law. This is our confusion.
“India is one”, we all say. But you can not buy agricultural land in Maharashtra, if your ancestors were not farmers. You can not buy property in J&K. You can not buy land in Himachal Pradesh & Uttaranchal. There are so many inequities in our so called EQUALITY FOR ALL. We are for sure a confused lot of people. We can not move forward unless we sort out this confusion. My simple question is who has benefitted by this CONSTITUTIONAL DENIAL— which you call reservation or article 370 or simply protection of Hill State and interests of the FARMERS.
The age old maxim, “ Do not give fish to eat to a hungry man but teach him how to catch fish” is either not known to our leaders or it has been glossed over in a competitive politics of expediency. Democracy in our case has become a curse because we are doing only the wrong things what the democracy can ill-afford. In the 50 years of this democracy, we might have created a few feudal lords amongst the lower castes, but general profile of the society has not changed. Perhaps, it was a noble dream of the forefathers of the constitution to rid the society of its caste system. Their motives are well understood but this open ended provision has created another more dangerous evil for the society. Corruption flows out of the constitutional longivity of reservation. Consequently, militancy and terrorism are born out of its corrollary of “CONSTITUTIONAL DENIAL OF EQUALITY” .
No modern nation seeking rapid growth and development can move back into times to correct a social wrong by applying corrections to its past history. This is what Indian constitution is doing? History can not be changed. It must be made to change course by modern dynamism. Such historical corrections, provide analogies for the justifications of more dangerous historical blunders. Demolition of BABRI MASJID on 06 december 1991 was a similar folly. History must be accepted as it is.Change its future course by not correcting it but by breaking free of it. Those who defy history and tend to correct it, undoubtedly become its victim. India ,certainly in recent times, has become a victim of its own history. If it moves forward three steps every day it is pulled back two steps next day.
When this young girl from Taran Taran in Punjab asked me if I had raped my sister, she might not have literally meant it. What she probably equated the word “SISTER” was with our high portals of self-acclaimed “MORALITIES”. And we rape them everyday in the name of law and constitution. We do so when in search of honour and glory, in pursuit of riches and comforts. We do it in a bid to create a public image. We create an aura of self greatness about ourself.
We do it as public servants; we do it as men of media; we do it as politicians; we do it as judges; we do it as parents; we do it as men and women; we do it as religious people; we do it as businessmen; we do it as administrators; we do it as law enforcers; we do it as defenders of our borders; we do it as legal practitioners; we do it as champions of human rights and civil liberties; we do it as teachers and preachers; we do it as ministers and men of authority; we do it as common people and we do it as previleged people. We do it and we do it. Every day we preach to each other; we sermonise each other; we debate and discuss but every day we forget what we had said. We excel in moralising but we fail in practising our own philosophies. We take pride in our history one moment and condemn it the very next moment. We make bagful of promises to all and sundry but we fulfil none. This is the bane of our society—theorists par excellence but the poorest practioners of theories. This is our modern dilemma. It is because of our social hang-up of the past. Our moralities are of old joint family system which has been ripped apart. These moralities keep humming our heads like a melodious symphony. Enchanted and mesmerised by them we close our eyes and go to sleep. We are totally oblivious of strides the others are making in the social reforms and national security.
People born in the confused decades of fifties and sixties of 20th century are caught in this hang fire of social confusion. They can not come out of this CHAKRAVYUH (Encirclement). We need an ABHIMANYU to break this 'Confusion Aided Encirlement' (CAE). Mercifully, our SKY WAVE GENERATIONS (SWG)----the children born in the era of 'Space Age', say after Niel Armstrong put his foot on the moon ------- have broken free of this CAE. We must trust them and fully supprt them. Our hopes lie with SWG. The young girl was right .We must think of the UNTHINKABLE. We must not shackle ourselves into known and unknown truth. We must not reject the new customs and new values. Accept them. If kissing in the public is no more a taboo, do not keep making it a horrendous sin. If love marriages are becoming a fashion, acknowledge it. If Valentine's day is a bigger festival than your RAKSHA BANDHAN then, so be it. Let the SWG hold the banner and march forward. Let my generation gracefully retire—even if we do not like the type of change and the direction of change. SWG knows what it is doing---it is their future—let them build their own moralities. Burry the past for ever. Let us make a break with history. My bet and hope is on SWG. I hope so. I can only hope.”
Amit kushwaha had liked this plain speaking by Gurvinder Thukral. He knew the present case has some rough edges but its answers lay in breaking the CAE about the real truth. Will he be able to this? Could he think of the unthinkable about the case? He was happy he had not formulated any personal opinion about the case so far. He refused to join either of the two clubs—one supporting POACHERS , other standing by the prime accused Mr. Sanatan kumar, ex-SP (operations) of Bhatinda police in Punjab. He had liked Pritam khullar’s advice, too, who had told him to wait for the judge to give his verdict. What mattered to him was the truth. And the truth was far away. Amit lost in these thoughts when his lordship, Shri Shashank Sen Gupta, had begun to read his judgement. Amit was shaken by the person sitting next to him. He regained his posture and started listening to the honourable judge very attentively to filter out truth from judicial pronouncements.Was it possible?
-----to be continued in Part -4 “ THE JUDGEMENT”
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Amit had not only read this article by Gurvinder Thukral but had also made a photo copy of the same and kept in his ‘TREASURE FILE’ of noted articles. He was at IIMC, New Delhi when this article had appeared in THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE of January 2000. Amit was not sure of the date as he had forgotten to put it on his photo copy. In the institute, he had not only witnessed heated debates but also actively participated in them on the lopsided thinking of what Gurvinder called “CONFUSED GENERATIONS” .
Gurvinder had argued that the post Second world war, the sudden collapse of the COLONIALISM had created a euphoria of self- greatness in the developing world. Anti-colonial leaders of AFRO-ASIAN region had niether considered nor planned a strategy to move ahead beyond freedom and independence. When the colonialists departed , there was sudden vacuum in experienced administration and management. There was thought-bankruptcy on the future guidance, directions and movement of society and the polity. In a fit of things, old was sought to be discarded because of its colonial connections but there was no real ideas ever espoused as to how to move forward with a new identity. Thus, new nations and polities either adopted ‘Hit and Trial Method’ or left it to their ‘Bigger- than -Life- Leaders’ to chart out a course of action. Most of these leaders were despotic and one-track minded and so on their whims and fancies, the grappling in the dark began. The 20th Century decades of Fifties and Sixties were decades of “ Confusion and Chaos” in the Afro-Asian nations. India was no exception despite the towering personality of Nehru and his elk in the freedom movement.
The generations born in the aftermath of the Second world war had to rear themselves up on a system set up by the colonialists but run by the impractical yet idealistic nuances of leaders with nationalistic fervour. Therefore, there was a huge gap on what was practically admissible and what the theorists of idealism wanted. This led to dilution and adulteration of social, political and moral ethos. Thus, the children who grew in these environments were practically torn between the two extremes of what the heart wanted but the head did not approve of. This inner conflict led to mental confusion through out. Most of them were mental slaves of old values while putting up a façade of a free person. Mental inhibitions had closed their minds to what is new and desireable. They were out of sync with the fast paced growth in the developed world. They continue to be so even in a world flatened by technology and communications. Gurvinder was more harsh with the development in India. He wrote an auxillary on the CURSED GENERATIONS OF INDIA. He had advised the CONFUSED GENERATIONS to stop moralising the young and let them get on with their task. In fact , he had said , “---the young ones know what is to be done to take India forward. Retire, you old fogies! Hand over the reigns of power to the young.”
In the light of preponderance of fog about the truth on the case he was currently handling, Amit wondered if it had something to with the moralities of ‘Confused Generations’. He opened his brief case; took out his “Treasure File” and pulled out this article by Gurvinder Thukral on the ‘Confused generations’. He began to read. It read:-
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THE AGE OF SKY WAVES GENERATIONS
By
Gurvinder Thukral
“Did you rape your sister?” , a young college girl from TARN TARAN in punjab had fired this bullet at me from a very close range and I dropped dead in my thoughts. She had incapacitated my mental faculity with one simple shot. I was not only stunned but also mentally immobilised. In response, I could only utter, “ Miss! Your question was irrelevant and unthinkable---------.” It was a very meek response to a very powerful burst of anger but it was adequate to ignite the volcano in her. She discoursed me on how ‘unthinkable” has become “thinkable”. She was absolutely right. We are confused. My generations are confused as to what we really want in life. We are confused whether we want our children to be modern and forward looking or we want them to be entangled in the web of old moralities----- designed for some other age; some other centuries and some other people , long gone from the surface of this earth. In the name of religion we regiment their minds on true and false gods. We bind their mental processes into “THINKABLE” and “UNTHINKABLE” human acts. We preach something else; we do something else.
All religions forbid violence but it is the die-hard followers of these religions who kill and prepetuate violence. Do I take it that the teachings of all religions are false, fake and man-made sermons? In pursuit of the ‘Hitlerite’ principle of "SELF- EXCELLENCE or WE-THE-BEST”, we ridicule others. We sit on judgement on their beliefs, faith and their way of life. We want them to follow what we think is right. We want to impose UNIFORMITY on all and sundry. This is the basic cause of all human conflict. “ Be-like-us-or-Perish” philosophy of all religions, polities and societies has been the cause of man-made destruction, devastation and damages down the centuries.This has become more pronounced in the aftermath of second world war—the war to end all wars. In their single minded pursuit of an objective of enforcing self-perceived uniformity, all social, political, economical and religious philosophies unleash violence on their opposing philosophies. There are no exceptions. Although, percepts and contexts might differ but the the contents of end-product, the violence, do not. The architect of racial abuse of THIRD RIECH, ADOLF HITLER, might have died half a century back but his clones dominate the earth under different skins, colours and names. Killers roam the earth like never before.
How do pure, simple and sensitive children turn into desensitised monsters--- oggling venom and practicing extreme violence. Is it due to eloping old moralities? Is it a transitional phase? Does it have a more sinister face for the future? Will there be a turn about to the past? What is the future of humanity—nay, our golden earth. These are questions---questions desperately asking for answers. Who will provide answers? If you take my advice, the answer to your last question is very simple i.e Leave it to the emerging generations. Do not stuff them with OLD, OUTDATED and OUT MODED moralities to confuse them—like our generations are. They will find a way out with new moralities and new social, political, religious, economical and global doctrines and strategies. How do I explain this to you?
Let us be clear—the world is flat and getting flatened everyday more vigorously—with undulating surfaces getting evened out with great pace. Therefore,when such a process is on, how can you protect your specific old identity. The more you resist, the more damage is caused to your social, political and individual self, for, you are up against the tide of the times, whose final bell had been rung when USSR collapsed. The age old maxim, “ SWIM WITH THE TIDE” is your saviour. In other words, accept the reality that old was no more gold. It ought to be consigned to the archives section of human history. Such efforts need more emphasis in the Third World and developing nations. They are more emotionally stuck with their past and not ready to discard it easily.
Let me illustrate this with the examples from our own national life. No doubts, India is in the forefront of this turf war between the old and new. Trouble is with its ageing generations of 'Confused Decades'. They want to cling on to past—which they never understood and followed, but suddenly realised its virtues. They, in their old age, have found the significance of joint family systems and its accompanying moralities. Their self interests have suddenly pitch forked to the top of their brains, the greatness of old social ethos and values. While they harp on them and swear by them, new social and political values as befitting the flatened world are emerging. These new values are reshaping the frontiers , definitions and scope of such terms as honesty, integrity, nationalism and social parameters.
‘Continent Hopping’ global citizens understand these new values whereas old, faded and jaded do not understand them. The difference is : while my generation keeps crying on as to what has gone wrong, the new generation simply says, “ Change the course and ‘Move On”. There is a mismatch in our thinking. Younger generations think we do not practice what we preach. They do not trust us because what act we publically put up or swear by we flounder it in private. We tell a child, do not tell lies. But the very moment when the door-bell rings we ask the same child to tell the visitor that papa was not at home. We do not have the courage to face awkward and difficult situations. We endlessly criticise corruption but we shamelessly accept DIWALI and X-MAS gifts from strangers as recognition of our authority and status. Like chivalary, corruption, too, begins at home. A new trend has begun. Parents go out of their ways to ensure their children do well in school and college examinations. They teach them copying and unfair means. They bribe teachers, examiners and supervisors.
We fix quotas and reservations in the name of social upliftment of down trodden. But who has benefitted in the last 50 years? Reservation has become an INDUSTRY. Government jobs, education and professional institutes are all inflicted by them. What competent professionals would the third rate candidates become in these automated factories? Incompetent doctors, half-wit engineers and inefficient bureaucracy from these privileged reserved classes lay the foundation stone of corruption. When incompetent , undeserving and self-oriented people of low personal values get into position of authority, they have only one agenda to pursue i.e to seek self advancement. Their logic is simple and understandable: “Seen enough of poverty and miseries, it is my chance to alleviate my sufferings and of my family, let moralities be damned.” How can you remove corruption?
We have legalised corruption. Why do we crib about it now? In the process we have sowed the seeds of terrorism and militancy. When we deny the deserving candidates their place in educational and professional institutes, aren’t we practising discrimination? When we tell the youth that there was no place for them in the govt job because they were born in the upper class, aren’t they being denied their fundamental right of equal opportunities? Won’t it cause frustration? Simple, when we deny desrving persons their place, do we expect them to sing songs in praise of constitution? This constitution needs to be changed, it is discrimnatory. The fore fathers of the constitutions were not wrong. They gave 50 years for these classes to come up. But the policy was not allowed to be properly implimented by the power brokers in these lower castes. They wanted to keep their flock together by keeping them illiterate, uneducated and uninformed. Same thing happened to minorities. But the leaders of CONFUSED GENERATIONS are extending these provisions beyond 50 years because of lack of vision. Today, every one who has some clout is getting its quota of reservation. It is a big sham.
How ironic it is, we want to undo the injustice of thousand of years of class and social deprivation, but we repeat the same mistake that MANU is being accused of. We are creating new privileged classes at the cost of competent people. What is the fault of the generations born in the modern times? Is it a good logic to make them pay for the excesses of their ancestors? Who should be held responsible for the past 50 years? Reservation is a retrograde step. It is moving us back by thousands of years. How can you remove the caste system from the society when you sanctify it through the provisions of your constitution? Haven't you legalised the most abohored Caste-system? On one side we want to remove it, on the other side, we keep it alive and prepetuate it throught the law. This is our confusion.
“India is one”, we all say. But you can not buy agricultural land in Maharashtra, if your ancestors were not farmers. You can not buy property in J&K. You can not buy land in Himachal Pradesh & Uttaranchal. There are so many inequities in our so called EQUALITY FOR ALL. We are for sure a confused lot of people. We can not move forward unless we sort out this confusion. My simple question is who has benefitted by this CONSTITUTIONAL DENIAL— which you call reservation or article 370 or simply protection of Hill State and interests of the FARMERS.
The age old maxim, “ Do not give fish to eat to a hungry man but teach him how to catch fish” is either not known to our leaders or it has been glossed over in a competitive politics of expediency. Democracy in our case has become a curse because we are doing only the wrong things what the democracy can ill-afford. In the 50 years of this democracy, we might have created a few feudal lords amongst the lower castes, but general profile of the society has not changed. Perhaps, it was a noble dream of the forefathers of the constitution to rid the society of its caste system. Their motives are well understood but this open ended provision has created another more dangerous evil for the society. Corruption flows out of the constitutional longivity of reservation. Consequently, militancy and terrorism are born out of its corrollary of “CONSTITUTIONAL DENIAL OF EQUALITY” .
No modern nation seeking rapid growth and development can move back into times to correct a social wrong by applying corrections to its past history. This is what Indian constitution is doing? History can not be changed. It must be made to change course by modern dynamism. Such historical corrections, provide analogies for the justifications of more dangerous historical blunders. Demolition of BABRI MASJID on 06 december 1991 was a similar folly. History must be accepted as it is.Change its future course by not correcting it but by breaking free of it. Those who defy history and tend to correct it, undoubtedly become its victim. India ,certainly in recent times, has become a victim of its own history. If it moves forward three steps every day it is pulled back two steps next day.
When this young girl from Taran Taran in Punjab asked me if I had raped my sister, she might not have literally meant it. What she probably equated the word “SISTER” was with our high portals of self-acclaimed “MORALITIES”. And we rape them everyday in the name of law and constitution. We do so when in search of honour and glory, in pursuit of riches and comforts. We do it in a bid to create a public image. We create an aura of self greatness about ourself.
We do it as public servants; we do it as men of media; we do it as politicians; we do it as judges; we do it as parents; we do it as men and women; we do it as religious people; we do it as businessmen; we do it as administrators; we do it as law enforcers; we do it as defenders of our borders; we do it as legal practitioners; we do it as champions of human rights and civil liberties; we do it as teachers and preachers; we do it as ministers and men of authority; we do it as common people and we do it as previleged people. We do it and we do it. Every day we preach to each other; we sermonise each other; we debate and discuss but every day we forget what we had said. We excel in moralising but we fail in practising our own philosophies. We take pride in our history one moment and condemn it the very next moment. We make bagful of promises to all and sundry but we fulfil none. This is the bane of our society—theorists par excellence but the poorest practioners of theories. This is our modern dilemma. It is because of our social hang-up of the past. Our moralities are of old joint family system which has been ripped apart. These moralities keep humming our heads like a melodious symphony. Enchanted and mesmerised by them we close our eyes and go to sleep. We are totally oblivious of strides the others are making in the social reforms and national security.
People born in the confused decades of fifties and sixties of 20th century are caught in this hang fire of social confusion. They can not come out of this CHAKRAVYUH (Encirclement). We need an ABHIMANYU to break this 'Confusion Aided Encirlement' (CAE). Mercifully, our SKY WAVE GENERATIONS (SWG)----the children born in the era of 'Space Age', say after Niel Armstrong put his foot on the moon ------- have broken free of this CAE. We must trust them and fully supprt them. Our hopes lie with SWG. The young girl was right .We must think of the UNTHINKABLE. We must not shackle ourselves into known and unknown truth. We must not reject the new customs and new values. Accept them. If kissing in the public is no more a taboo, do not keep making it a horrendous sin. If love marriages are becoming a fashion, acknowledge it. If Valentine's day is a bigger festival than your RAKSHA BANDHAN then, so be it. Let the SWG hold the banner and march forward. Let my generation gracefully retire—even if we do not like the type of change and the direction of change. SWG knows what it is doing---it is their future—let them build their own moralities. Burry the past for ever. Let us make a break with history. My bet and hope is on SWG. I hope so. I can only hope.”
Amit kushwaha had liked this plain speaking by Gurvinder Thukral. He knew the present case has some rough edges but its answers lay in breaking the CAE about the real truth. Will he be able to this? Could he think of the unthinkable about the case? He was happy he had not formulated any personal opinion about the case so far. He refused to join either of the two clubs—one supporting POACHERS , other standing by the prime accused Mr. Sanatan kumar, ex-SP (operations) of Bhatinda police in Punjab. He had liked Pritam khullar’s advice, too, who had told him to wait for the judge to give his verdict. What mattered to him was the truth. And the truth was far away. Amit lost in these thoughts when his lordship, Shri Shashank Sen Gupta, had begun to read his judgement. Amit was shaken by the person sitting next to him. He regained his posture and started listening to the honourable judge very attentively to filter out truth from judicial pronouncements.Was it possible?
-----to be continued in Part -4 “ THE JUDGEMENT”
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WHEN THE STORM BLEW AWAY-4
THE JUDGEMENT
Amit leaned forward in his chair to listen carefully to each word being uttered by His Lordship in a husky, barritone voice. The judge had begun:
“ This case had generated more than required media interest, though I doubt it merits so much attention. But I suppose in the INFORMATION AGE, every one wants to create information out of information. We, as a society, are becoming slaves of spicy titibits which media excels in generating”, his lordship had taken the dig at new found ‘Media Activism’ as a rejoinder, probably, to counter media cocncocted phrase of ‘Judicial Activism’.
Amit told himself quietly, “ No doubts, we media-men poke our nose everywhere, whether most of us understand the issue at hand or not. Under the banner of freedom of expression, we comment on issues that the knowledgeable and informed persons can only pull their hairs at our degree and dimension of ignorance.” As he was thinking like this, the heavy voice of the Judge began to resonate his ears, once more:
“ I am a man of law. I do not go by emotions and human passion, certainly not by media created pyramid of reasons and counter-reason. It is not required and the law does not approve of it. All the same, one must remember, judges are also human beings. They ,too, have emotions—both positive and negative. They also react, over-react, and under-react on every piece of information finding its way into the ‘Gossip-Bazaar’of media. But all this is within our selves. Our emotions do not and can not spill out of us. There have been times when I got sick of irresponsible arguments. I never understand as to why each one of us views issues in an isolated manner and not in a holistic manner. Security forces only think of security; Media only of information; politicians only of politics and lawyers only of legalities. Why can not we debate in our inner-self about the impact of our intended act on the other limbs of society and the polity? Why don’t we define our limits to check us from being dubbed as irresponsible in pursuing single-minded objective? Shouldn’t we say, ‘ Thus far I go, for, territory beyond this is a prohibited area ?’ Notwithstanding our well-meaning intentions and motives, but as members of a civilised and a dignified society, we are lacking in self-discipline and self-restraints. Take this case.”, The judge said with a deep sigh and then continued:
“ I have tried my best to keep my personal feelings out of it. As a judge, my job demands a hard solid evidence to separate the chaff from wheat. I can not go by inferred logic and say, “ Lo, behold! It is QED.” That is a mathematician’s job. I am not here to enhance my judicial TRP to swim along with popular sentiments. Well! it is the domain of the TV channels and they are welcome to try all the tricks up their sleeves. As a judge and upholder of our laws, I must note that THE ERRORS LIKE STRAWS UPON THE SURFACE FLOW, THOSE WHO ARE IN SEARCH OF TRUTH MUST DIVE BELOW. I , therefore, had to do deep-sea diving in this raging sea of arguments and counter arguments; followed by counter-counter arguments and counter-counter-counter arguments. I had to sift the real evidence from the heap of non-evidence. I am bound by this evidence in coming to certain conclusions on this case. It might disappoint some and cheer up others. But as I have already said I am not here for a popularity contest”, His lordship stopped a while to take a few sips of water and then resumed.
“ My judgement runs into 148 typed pages. I am going to read only the operative parts of my judicial verdict. It is a unique case. Here, the law enforcement organ of the state was accused of violating the very code of law enforcement. The protectors of citizens were accused of taking lives of the honorable citizens. Alferd hitchcock, the doyen of Horror Movies, had said, ‘I AM NOT ANTI -POLICE BUT I AM AFRAID OF POLICE.’ Is it true in our case, too? Have the policemen become law unto themselves? Do they nourish a notion that they were above law? Then, the questions also rose in my mind as to how the enemies of the state are to be treated, particularly, those who had taken up arms against the state? The biggest question which kept nibbling at my conscience during the hearing was: Why should law and the constitution give refuge to those who not only disrespect it but refuse to accept its validity? The accompanying corrollary to this was: DO THE MEMBERS OF AN ORGANISATION, WHETHER NATIONAL or INTERNATIONAL and LAWFUL or UNLAWFUL, WHO CLAIM TO KILL THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS OF YOUR COUNTRY IN A COLD BLOOD, HAVE ANY LEGAL RIGHTS TO SEEK THE PROTECTION OF OUR COURTS? I must say that these were emotional questions. But law has no human sentiments and it has its own connotation of so called human rights—whether fundamental or otherwise.”
“ It should be by now obvious that it was not a simple case of double murder. I had to determine if it were law-enforcer’s own brand of justice or it were a murder most cruel and brutal. The death of two persons in encounter or police custody, either at KOLKOTTA or in Punjab was crystal clear? I had to look into the circumstances and assigned motives. This was very important in this case. Even the defendants did not deny the death of the couple? The question, and very important one, was not as to why did ‘the accused’ kill but how did it happen? This was the basic yardstick for my judicial pronouncement.”
“ I asked myself some questions and then answered them. These were: Was it a case of law enforcer’s own brand of justice after his frustration with passivity of the general public in providing witnesses? Is it acceptable? If not, Why not? What should the Law enforcers do? Allow the murderes and terrorists a free run? In my 30 years of judicial sevice, I have never found an accused and guility readily accepting his/her sin. Law lays emphasis on evidence and things have become so horrendous these days that to obtain evidence and a witness in militancy and terror infested areas, it was a nightmare for Law Enforcers. In the judicial parlance of dispensation of justice we continue to standby the maxim: let 100 criminals go scot free but not one innocent be punished. It is a very high moral principle of our legal system acquired from the British judicial system. Unfortunately, what happens these days? Virtually, now-a-days, this principle is made to stand on its head. Ironically,today, due to reasons of expedient witnesses and inept police, 100 innocents might get punished while rarely a single real culprit can be sentenced. Will it happen in this case, too? The question has been bugging my mind. I want to ensure it doen’t.” The judge stopped, surveyed the courtroom in an air of moral triumph for having shed the load from his conscience and began to gulp water down his dried up throat. Amit could feel an air of mental relief around honourable judge’s face. It was a kind of self –belief that says you were on the right track.
“As I pronounce my judgement, some questions will continue to haunt me. Over the last few years, after the incident took place on May 17, 1993, this case has been kicking dust not only in the media but also in the legal circles. Some distinguished members of legal profession have given their verdicts one way or the other.They have raked up moral, ethical,social,legal,political and security issues. I have heard and read a lot, both within the courtroom and outside, on fake and orchestrated encounters by police to eliminate anti social and antti national elements(ANEs). Definitely, in a free, civilised and a democratic society there was no justifications for such acts. But in certain official and administrative circles, this semmed to be the favourite response to deal with the the issue of non-responsive witnesses. All the same, whatever the difficulities in procuring witnesses, such acts can not be condoned at any cost .
I have, also, read about known terrorists organisations making vociferous claims on brutal killings of innocent civilians by their organisation members. We generally know about local members of such organisations, who carry out these gruesome murders. Are they justifiable acts on the grounds that the group or the organisation has not got its dues from the authorities? Does law of any nation permits individuals to attain their objectives or remove grievances through violence and terror? Does it sanctify brutal killings of innocents by these organisations? Unfortunately we do, because we do not take notice of vociferous claims of the heads of these organisations for taking responsibility of brutal killings?It happened in Punjab and Assam. It is happening in J&K. Militant organisations, within and outside India's borders, make claims of gruesome killings in trains, buses, temples and public places with much fan-fare. There is a sense of 'bravado' in such pronouncements.It silences future witnesses. Our security forces are, thus, handicapped. Orchestrated encounters are , therefore, a fall out of the lacuna in our code of criminal procedures, which is exploited by modern out-laws, murderers and criminals. The security forces can be hauled up for violating the law. However, due to inept and outdated policing system and lopsided clauses on ‘CrPC as well as Evidence’, it is extremely difficult to bring to book the organised terrorist and criminal groups who not only ridicule but mock at our social, legal, political and administrative systems. Not only the police but our legal system cries for dynamic reforms to make them more responsive to guiles of law-breakers. Why don’t we try out these organisations and their members in absentia?Why not take ex-parte decisions, if the accused fail to present themselves in the trial courts? It is a food for thought for our law makers and law enforcers” . The honourable judge made a forceful assertion of his point. Amit was further confused as to where the judge was heading. So far his lordship had not given any indication of the shape of things to come.
“ We often go by the edict that all accused are innocent till convicted. But how do we convict a person? The prosecuters have to provide evidence. The problem of the delivery of justice comes when evidence is muzzled, blocked or distorted. It is compounded when law-enforcers, whose job is to collect evidence, resort to adulterating it or ignore it. The worst problem is when the witnesses are silenced or co-erced to give mutilated evidence to save the accused. How about those who do not recognise the law itself? In such cases, what should the policeman do? Should the policeman allow the law breakers or the offenders of law to exploit the principle of ‘INNOCENCE BEFORE CONVICTION’ by silencing witnesses by threat, elimination or the money or Should he dispense his own brand of justice? Is it permitted in a liberal, democratic and a civilised society? Is the modern society, really free and civilised? Does a society, torn by militancy, terrorism and violence qualify to be called a civilised and a free society? Isn’t it allowing itself to be exploited by those who have no respect for its laws? How ironic, those who do not respect law, ultimately take the shelter of the judicial principle of innocent till convicted? There is definitely a case for making our laws and definitions more dynamic to remove these ananmolies. Police reforms is the cry of the day.” The judge had hinted at the shape of things to come.
“Take the instant case of the death of Bashir khan and his wife Sabina Bai. Both of them lived under disguised identity of Lakhmir Singh and Rashmi Singh in the Kailash Nagar colony of Central Kolkotta. Why should they have change their identity? Did their past haunt them? To their neighbours , they were a respectable couple and known as ‘Do-gooders’ in the locality. Evidence before me proves beyond doubts that they had a shady past. ‘Defence’ has reasons to state that they had connections with terrorist organisation of Punjab. If their old identity is correct, then police of Punjab had a large number of cases of extortion, murder and kidnapping against the couple. Could they be the victim of police outrage or harassment? This has not come from the prosecution or the POACHERS. Instead , they have accepted their old identity. This implies there was something fishy about their past before they came to Kolkotta and merged with the normal public. I know the past character can not be taken into account but it is important to look for the motives of Punjab police. As things stand today, they were a law-abiding couple living at Kolkotta but they had violated the law in the past. Again, I am not comfortable to know as to how a low-paid ex-constable of Punjab police could manage so much of funds and live in a posh locality. He owned a taxi and lived a comfortable life. Why did he leave Punjab police? I know the dead can not speak but neither the organisation fighting their case, the POACHERS nor the prosecution, has any viable reasons to explain this. But one can only conjecture. Yet I am not going to base my judgement on mere conjectures.”
“You see the law does not accept violence against the person of anybody unless it is carried out against the enemy of the state. It is a truism that law also accepts that anybody who had taken up arms against the state was her enemy. In the present case my job was to determine if the killed couple were an enemy of the state. Even if I accept their shady past and plethora of accusations by Punjab police, it has not been provem in my court that they had taken up arms against India. I do acknowledge that they had links with some terrorist organisations. But this could be due to the lure of money or sheer blackmail or anyother reason. Therefore, were the accused justified in eliminating the couple as they did on 17 May 1993? I am not deliberating on the fact as to where did the killing take place? It is immaterial for the purpose of this judgement? Fact remains that the said couple was killed. I have no doubts, it took place in Kolkotta. But was it a cold–blooded killing? This is avery important aspect of the case.” The honourable judge was now veering around to his final verdict.
“ Let me recount certain important facts. Firstly, Lakhmir Singh and Rashmi Singh are the same couple of Bashir Khan and Sabina Bai as has been alleged by the accused and not contested by prosecution and POACHERS. Secondly, the couple was killed by the accused, as has been alleged by prosecution and not denied by the accused. Thirdly, the couple had been peacefully staying in Kolkotta over the last few months before their death. Fourthly, Bashir Khan was a constable in the punjab police which he had deserted in 1991. Fifthly , there is adequate proof to suggest his links with some terrorist outfits. Sixthly, it has been proven that the killer squad of Punjab police came in a helicopter to central Kolkotta and engaged the couple in an encounter or probably killed them and took their bodies to punjab where they stage- managed an encounter to cover the incident. All this has been established by CBI, the investigating agency. The guilt of the five accused is proved beyond doubt. But why did they do so? How did the accused get the lead to kolkotta? Why were they provided helicopter by the state of Punjab? Evidence does suggest that Bashir Khan was probably involved in large cases of extortion and some cases of killing innocent people . There are indication of his involvement in the Massacre of bus passengers near Bhucho Mandi, Bhatinda in Punjab on January 15, 1992. But all this does not mitigate the guilt of the accused. However, it does go to suggest the motive. It does establish that there were no personal interests. Yet, the accused are also found guility of taking law into their own hands. Even if I accept defence counsel’s version that accused were arrested in Kolkotta and not killed here but in Punjab, it does not dilutes the gravity of the offence. On their own admission , the couple was in their custody. Therefore, safety of the couple-in-custody was their prime responsibility. They have dithered in their responsibility. I do accept their point that they were performing their duty and killing was incidental in the performance of that duty. I feel they might not be alone in this venture. They were provided helicopter to carry out this operation. I am sure very high level government decision should have been taken to carry out a swift operation to nab them , if not kill. I do not know why there was no central government agency coordinating and controlling such operations. If the central agency was involved, there would have been no gruesome murders and probably the dead couple would have been answering for their alleged crimes in some court of law. I hold the five accused guility of not only homicide but also taking law into their own hands. However I do give them the benefit of doubt that no one had any personal motive. It therefore mitigates the guilt to that extent. I sentence them to 14 years of imprisonment on all three counts. The defendants and the prosecution have seven days to appeal to a higher court. The court now rises for the day”, saying this the honourable judge quickly disappeared into his chambers, leaving stunned silence in the court-room. No one had expected such harsh punishment after the judge had been passing strictures on the media and human rights organisations. In fact, he had once asked the prosecutor as to how would he deal with a person who had been proven to be involved in cold bloded murder of 30 women, children and old men.
Amit felt while the judge gave his judgement based on his head but his heart was somewhere else. What the honourable judge did not say but definitely conveyed that he very well understood the compulsions and helpness of security forces in gathering evidence against faceless prepetrators of most heinous violence, who live in and terroise the very society which provides them human and civil rights while they mock at it. “What a dilemma for a democracy”, thought Amit.
-------------- To be continued in Part-5 “ The Roots”
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Amit leaned forward in his chair to listen carefully to each word being uttered by His Lordship in a husky, barritone voice. The judge had begun:
“ This case had generated more than required media interest, though I doubt it merits so much attention. But I suppose in the INFORMATION AGE, every one wants to create information out of information. We, as a society, are becoming slaves of spicy titibits which media excels in generating”, his lordship had taken the dig at new found ‘Media Activism’ as a rejoinder, probably, to counter media cocncocted phrase of ‘Judicial Activism’.
Amit told himself quietly, “ No doubts, we media-men poke our nose everywhere, whether most of us understand the issue at hand or not. Under the banner of freedom of expression, we comment on issues that the knowledgeable and informed persons can only pull their hairs at our degree and dimension of ignorance.” As he was thinking like this, the heavy voice of the Judge began to resonate his ears, once more:
“ I am a man of law. I do not go by emotions and human passion, certainly not by media created pyramid of reasons and counter-reason. It is not required and the law does not approve of it. All the same, one must remember, judges are also human beings. They ,too, have emotions—both positive and negative. They also react, over-react, and under-react on every piece of information finding its way into the ‘Gossip-Bazaar’of media. But all this is within our selves. Our emotions do not and can not spill out of us. There have been times when I got sick of irresponsible arguments. I never understand as to why each one of us views issues in an isolated manner and not in a holistic manner. Security forces only think of security; Media only of information; politicians only of politics and lawyers only of legalities. Why can not we debate in our inner-self about the impact of our intended act on the other limbs of society and the polity? Why don’t we define our limits to check us from being dubbed as irresponsible in pursuing single-minded objective? Shouldn’t we say, ‘ Thus far I go, for, territory beyond this is a prohibited area ?’ Notwithstanding our well-meaning intentions and motives, but as members of a civilised and a dignified society, we are lacking in self-discipline and self-restraints. Take this case.”, The judge said with a deep sigh and then continued:
“ I have tried my best to keep my personal feelings out of it. As a judge, my job demands a hard solid evidence to separate the chaff from wheat. I can not go by inferred logic and say, “ Lo, behold! It is QED.” That is a mathematician’s job. I am not here to enhance my judicial TRP to swim along with popular sentiments. Well! it is the domain of the TV channels and they are welcome to try all the tricks up their sleeves. As a judge and upholder of our laws, I must note that THE ERRORS LIKE STRAWS UPON THE SURFACE FLOW, THOSE WHO ARE IN SEARCH OF TRUTH MUST DIVE BELOW. I , therefore, had to do deep-sea diving in this raging sea of arguments and counter arguments; followed by counter-counter arguments and counter-counter-counter arguments. I had to sift the real evidence from the heap of non-evidence. I am bound by this evidence in coming to certain conclusions on this case. It might disappoint some and cheer up others. But as I have already said I am not here for a popularity contest”, His lordship stopped a while to take a few sips of water and then resumed.
“ My judgement runs into 148 typed pages. I am going to read only the operative parts of my judicial verdict. It is a unique case. Here, the law enforcement organ of the state was accused of violating the very code of law enforcement. The protectors of citizens were accused of taking lives of the honorable citizens. Alferd hitchcock, the doyen of Horror Movies, had said, ‘I AM NOT ANTI -POLICE BUT I AM AFRAID OF POLICE.’ Is it true in our case, too? Have the policemen become law unto themselves? Do they nourish a notion that they were above law? Then, the questions also rose in my mind as to how the enemies of the state are to be treated, particularly, those who had taken up arms against the state? The biggest question which kept nibbling at my conscience during the hearing was: Why should law and the constitution give refuge to those who not only disrespect it but refuse to accept its validity? The accompanying corrollary to this was: DO THE MEMBERS OF AN ORGANISATION, WHETHER NATIONAL or INTERNATIONAL and LAWFUL or UNLAWFUL, WHO CLAIM TO KILL THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS OF YOUR COUNTRY IN A COLD BLOOD, HAVE ANY LEGAL RIGHTS TO SEEK THE PROTECTION OF OUR COURTS? I must say that these were emotional questions. But law has no human sentiments and it has its own connotation of so called human rights—whether fundamental or otherwise.”
“ It should be by now obvious that it was not a simple case of double murder. I had to determine if it were law-enforcer’s own brand of justice or it were a murder most cruel and brutal. The death of two persons in encounter or police custody, either at KOLKOTTA or in Punjab was crystal clear? I had to look into the circumstances and assigned motives. This was very important in this case. Even the defendants did not deny the death of the couple? The question, and very important one, was not as to why did ‘the accused’ kill but how did it happen? This was the basic yardstick for my judicial pronouncement.”
“ I asked myself some questions and then answered them. These were: Was it a case of law enforcer’s own brand of justice after his frustration with passivity of the general public in providing witnesses? Is it acceptable? If not, Why not? What should the Law enforcers do? Allow the murderes and terrorists a free run? In my 30 years of judicial sevice, I have never found an accused and guility readily accepting his/her sin. Law lays emphasis on evidence and things have become so horrendous these days that to obtain evidence and a witness in militancy and terror infested areas, it was a nightmare for Law Enforcers. In the judicial parlance of dispensation of justice we continue to standby the maxim: let 100 criminals go scot free but not one innocent be punished. It is a very high moral principle of our legal system acquired from the British judicial system. Unfortunately, what happens these days? Virtually, now-a-days, this principle is made to stand on its head. Ironically,today, due to reasons of expedient witnesses and inept police, 100 innocents might get punished while rarely a single real culprit can be sentenced. Will it happen in this case, too? The question has been bugging my mind. I want to ensure it doen’t.” The judge stopped, surveyed the courtroom in an air of moral triumph for having shed the load from his conscience and began to gulp water down his dried up throat. Amit could feel an air of mental relief around honourable judge’s face. It was a kind of self –belief that says you were on the right track.
“As I pronounce my judgement, some questions will continue to haunt me. Over the last few years, after the incident took place on May 17, 1993, this case has been kicking dust not only in the media but also in the legal circles. Some distinguished members of legal profession have given their verdicts one way or the other.They have raked up moral, ethical,social,legal,political and security issues. I have heard and read a lot, both within the courtroom and outside, on fake and orchestrated encounters by police to eliminate anti social and antti national elements(ANEs). Definitely, in a free, civilised and a democratic society there was no justifications for such acts. But in certain official and administrative circles, this semmed to be the favourite response to deal with the the issue of non-responsive witnesses. All the same, whatever the difficulities in procuring witnesses, such acts can not be condoned at any cost .
I have, also, read about known terrorists organisations making vociferous claims on brutal killings of innocent civilians by their organisation members. We generally know about local members of such organisations, who carry out these gruesome murders. Are they justifiable acts on the grounds that the group or the organisation has not got its dues from the authorities? Does law of any nation permits individuals to attain their objectives or remove grievances through violence and terror? Does it sanctify brutal killings of innocents by these organisations? Unfortunately we do, because we do not take notice of vociferous claims of the heads of these organisations for taking responsibility of brutal killings?It happened in Punjab and Assam. It is happening in J&K. Militant organisations, within and outside India's borders, make claims of gruesome killings in trains, buses, temples and public places with much fan-fare. There is a sense of 'bravado' in such pronouncements.It silences future witnesses. Our security forces are, thus, handicapped. Orchestrated encounters are , therefore, a fall out of the lacuna in our code of criminal procedures, which is exploited by modern out-laws, murderers and criminals. The security forces can be hauled up for violating the law. However, due to inept and outdated policing system and lopsided clauses on ‘CrPC as well as Evidence’, it is extremely difficult to bring to book the organised terrorist and criminal groups who not only ridicule but mock at our social, legal, political and administrative systems. Not only the police but our legal system cries for dynamic reforms to make them more responsive to guiles of law-breakers. Why don’t we try out these organisations and their members in absentia?Why not take ex-parte decisions, if the accused fail to present themselves in the trial courts? It is a food for thought for our law makers and law enforcers” . The honourable judge made a forceful assertion of his point. Amit was further confused as to where the judge was heading. So far his lordship had not given any indication of the shape of things to come.
“ We often go by the edict that all accused are innocent till convicted. But how do we convict a person? The prosecuters have to provide evidence. The problem of the delivery of justice comes when evidence is muzzled, blocked or distorted. It is compounded when law-enforcers, whose job is to collect evidence, resort to adulterating it or ignore it. The worst problem is when the witnesses are silenced or co-erced to give mutilated evidence to save the accused. How about those who do not recognise the law itself? In such cases, what should the policeman do? Should the policeman allow the law breakers or the offenders of law to exploit the principle of ‘INNOCENCE BEFORE CONVICTION’ by silencing witnesses by threat, elimination or the money or Should he dispense his own brand of justice? Is it permitted in a liberal, democratic and a civilised society? Is the modern society, really free and civilised? Does a society, torn by militancy, terrorism and violence qualify to be called a civilised and a free society? Isn’t it allowing itself to be exploited by those who have no respect for its laws? How ironic, those who do not respect law, ultimately take the shelter of the judicial principle of innocent till convicted? There is definitely a case for making our laws and definitions more dynamic to remove these ananmolies. Police reforms is the cry of the day.” The judge had hinted at the shape of things to come.
“Take the instant case of the death of Bashir khan and his wife Sabina Bai. Both of them lived under disguised identity of Lakhmir Singh and Rashmi Singh in the Kailash Nagar colony of Central Kolkotta. Why should they have change their identity? Did their past haunt them? To their neighbours , they were a respectable couple and known as ‘Do-gooders’ in the locality. Evidence before me proves beyond doubts that they had a shady past. ‘Defence’ has reasons to state that they had connections with terrorist organisation of Punjab. If their old identity is correct, then police of Punjab had a large number of cases of extortion, murder and kidnapping against the couple. Could they be the victim of police outrage or harassment? This has not come from the prosecution or the POACHERS. Instead , they have accepted their old identity. This implies there was something fishy about their past before they came to Kolkotta and merged with the normal public. I know the past character can not be taken into account but it is important to look for the motives of Punjab police. As things stand today, they were a law-abiding couple living at Kolkotta but they had violated the law in the past. Again, I am not comfortable to know as to how a low-paid ex-constable of Punjab police could manage so much of funds and live in a posh locality. He owned a taxi and lived a comfortable life. Why did he leave Punjab police? I know the dead can not speak but neither the organisation fighting their case, the POACHERS nor the prosecution, has any viable reasons to explain this. But one can only conjecture. Yet I am not going to base my judgement on mere conjectures.”
“You see the law does not accept violence against the person of anybody unless it is carried out against the enemy of the state. It is a truism that law also accepts that anybody who had taken up arms against the state was her enemy. In the present case my job was to determine if the killed couple were an enemy of the state. Even if I accept their shady past and plethora of accusations by Punjab police, it has not been provem in my court that they had taken up arms against India. I do acknowledge that they had links with some terrorist organisations. But this could be due to the lure of money or sheer blackmail or anyother reason. Therefore, were the accused justified in eliminating the couple as they did on 17 May 1993? I am not deliberating on the fact as to where did the killing take place? It is immaterial for the purpose of this judgement? Fact remains that the said couple was killed. I have no doubts, it took place in Kolkotta. But was it a cold–blooded killing? This is avery important aspect of the case.” The honourable judge was now veering around to his final verdict.
“ Let me recount certain important facts. Firstly, Lakhmir Singh and Rashmi Singh are the same couple of Bashir Khan and Sabina Bai as has been alleged by the accused and not contested by prosecution and POACHERS. Secondly, the couple was killed by the accused, as has been alleged by prosecution and not denied by the accused. Thirdly, the couple had been peacefully staying in Kolkotta over the last few months before their death. Fourthly, Bashir Khan was a constable in the punjab police which he had deserted in 1991. Fifthly , there is adequate proof to suggest his links with some terrorist outfits. Sixthly, it has been proven that the killer squad of Punjab police came in a helicopter to central Kolkotta and engaged the couple in an encounter or probably killed them and took their bodies to punjab where they stage- managed an encounter to cover the incident. All this has been established by CBI, the investigating agency. The guilt of the five accused is proved beyond doubt. But why did they do so? How did the accused get the lead to kolkotta? Why were they provided helicopter by the state of Punjab? Evidence does suggest that Bashir Khan was probably involved in large cases of extortion and some cases of killing innocent people . There are indication of his involvement in the Massacre of bus passengers near Bhucho Mandi, Bhatinda in Punjab on January 15, 1992. But all this does not mitigate the guilt of the accused. However, it does go to suggest the motive. It does establish that there were no personal interests. Yet, the accused are also found guility of taking law into their own hands. Even if I accept defence counsel’s version that accused were arrested in Kolkotta and not killed here but in Punjab, it does not dilutes the gravity of the offence. On their own admission , the couple was in their custody. Therefore, safety of the couple-in-custody was their prime responsibility. They have dithered in their responsibility. I do accept their point that they were performing their duty and killing was incidental in the performance of that duty. I feel they might not be alone in this venture. They were provided helicopter to carry out this operation. I am sure very high level government decision should have been taken to carry out a swift operation to nab them , if not kill. I do not know why there was no central government agency coordinating and controlling such operations. If the central agency was involved, there would have been no gruesome murders and probably the dead couple would have been answering for their alleged crimes in some court of law. I hold the five accused guility of not only homicide but also taking law into their own hands. However I do give them the benefit of doubt that no one had any personal motive. It therefore mitigates the guilt to that extent. I sentence them to 14 years of imprisonment on all three counts. The defendants and the prosecution have seven days to appeal to a higher court. The court now rises for the day”, saying this the honourable judge quickly disappeared into his chambers, leaving stunned silence in the court-room. No one had expected such harsh punishment after the judge had been passing strictures on the media and human rights organisations. In fact, he had once asked the prosecutor as to how would he deal with a person who had been proven to be involved in cold bloded murder of 30 women, children and old men.
Amit felt while the judge gave his judgement based on his head but his heart was somewhere else. What the honourable judge did not say but definitely conveyed that he very well understood the compulsions and helpness of security forces in gathering evidence against faceless prepetrators of most heinous violence, who live in and terroise the very society which provides them human and civil rights while they mock at it. “What a dilemma for a democracy”, thought Amit.
-------------- To be continued in Part-5 “ The Roots”
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Friday, May 02, 2008
AN ODE TO MY MOTHER!
I know not, where you have gone, my great mother?
I have images in my memory of our existence together;
You were goddess to me as all mothers are to their sons,
And you bestowed on me your love and affection, in tons.
O' Ma, your strong resolve and tons of patience,
Your melodious voice with words condensed-
Could make iron-rods bend and shake mountains,
For, excelling in self-belief, you personified action.
Who cares if they say you had no formal education ?
Isn't it enough you taught me how to stand on my own?
I do remember how you goaded me to take my first stride?
And you also did teach me how to walk with my head high.
You were not only my teacher but philosopher too,
"Do this", if you commanded, could I defy you?
You were my world and every thing within it,
Your sudden departure has rendered me unfit.
How would this world be without you, O' Ma?
I never did imagine the drudgery of this trauma;
Now when you have gone into your heavenly abode-
I can only cry looking at these evil-soaked gods?
Must say, you did try your best to make me worldly wise-
Of scheming and hungry sharks in the family and outside;
At times, I got angry at repititive doses of moral lectures,
Patiently you absorbed my non-sense without any strictures.
What ever I am today, I owe it to you ,my mother dear!
You gave me such a character that I have nothing to fear;
You not only stood by truth but also lived by it every inch-
If you made a promise of any sort, you had never flinched.
Read more...
I have images in my memory of our existence together;
You were goddess to me as all mothers are to their sons,
And you bestowed on me your love and affection, in tons.
O' Ma, your strong resolve and tons of patience,
Your melodious voice with words condensed-
Could make iron-rods bend and shake mountains,
For, excelling in self-belief, you personified action.
Who cares if they say you had no formal education ?
Isn't it enough you taught me how to stand on my own?
I do remember how you goaded me to take my first stride?
And you also did teach me how to walk with my head high.
You were not only my teacher but philosopher too,
"Do this", if you commanded, could I defy you?
You were my world and every thing within it,
Your sudden departure has rendered me unfit.
How would this world be without you, O' Ma?
I never did imagine the drudgery of this trauma;
Now when you have gone into your heavenly abode-
I can only cry looking at these evil-soaked gods?
Must say, you did try your best to make me worldly wise-
Of scheming and hungry sharks in the family and outside;
At times, I got angry at repititive doses of moral lectures,
Patiently you absorbed my non-sense without any strictures.
What ever I am today, I owe it to you ,my mother dear!
You gave me such a character that I have nothing to fear;
You not only stood by truth but also lived by it every inch-
If you made a promise of any sort, you had never flinched.
Read more...
Whence in life, hard-times come,
Whence in life, hard-times come,
Great become they, who do not succumb.
History is replete with numerous examples –
Greatness follows a unique preamble;
A small incident may trigger an avalanche –
Of thoughts and actions, of resolute stance;
A white-man pushed ‘Gandhi’ off train –
That stirred a storm in a fragile frame,
‘Naked –Faquir’ – Whom Churchill so called –
Shook the empire and made it recoil.
Whence in life……………..
Changing times have unleashed confusion,
Materialistic life is creating an illusion;
Cheating and corruption is a way of life,
Hatred is the cause human strife;
People are engaged in self-seeking pursuits,
No one cares for the ‘Propriety of the route;
Short-cut methods so craftily designed,
Values and moralities into dustbin consigned;
Alas! It ensures no life – time aplomb –
As bubble soon bursts like atomic bomb.
Whence in life……………
Three principles, I tell ye my child!
Contours of ‘Greatness’ on whom glide;
First, be called, “knowledge is power!”
‘Reading will make ye ‘EnlightenedTower!!’
Second is named, ‘Hard work will pay’ –
'Failed – attempt’ becomes a guiding ray.
Then comes the rule of ‘Self-Confidence!’
Always, it opens courses of providence.
Whence in life……………
All these ingredients are present in you,
My sweet little child, “I am proud too!”
I know it, too, ye are cut above the rest,
Any thing ye do will be better than the best;
Remember, small things always matter in life,
For, hidden in them are opportunities wide;
But, a word of caution, I must impose,
Moralities of life must not be disposed.
Whence in life……………
Finally, I sum up my ode to you,
In my humble and modest but words true;
Set thy Goal and define thy aim,
Vigorously pursue, unmindful of pain;
Success may smile after a great ordeal,
Once it comes over- joyed ye feel;
Sense of achievement shall make ye a flier –
On ‘Himalayas’ of life, ye go higher and higher.
Whence in life……………
Great become they, who do not succumb.
History is replete with numerous examples –
Greatness follows a unique preamble;
A small incident may trigger an avalanche –
Of thoughts and actions, of resolute stance;
A white-man pushed ‘Gandhi’ off train –
That stirred a storm in a fragile frame,
‘Naked –Faquir’ – Whom Churchill so called –
Shook the empire and made it recoil.
Whence in life……………..
Changing times have unleashed confusion,
Materialistic life is creating an illusion;
Cheating and corruption is a way of life,
Hatred is the cause human strife;
People are engaged in self-seeking pursuits,
No one cares for the ‘Propriety of the route;
Short-cut methods so craftily designed,
Values and moralities into dustbin consigned;
Alas! It ensures no life – time aplomb –
As bubble soon bursts like atomic bomb.
Whence in life……………
Three principles, I tell ye my child!
Contours of ‘Greatness’ on whom glide;
First, be called, “knowledge is power!”
‘Reading will make ye ‘EnlightenedTower!!’
Second is named, ‘Hard work will pay’ –
'Failed – attempt’ becomes a guiding ray.
Then comes the rule of ‘Self-Confidence!’
Always, it opens courses of providence.
Whence in life……………
All these ingredients are present in you,
My sweet little child, “I am proud too!”
I know it, too, ye are cut above the rest,
Any thing ye do will be better than the best;
Remember, small things always matter in life,
For, hidden in them are opportunities wide;
But, a word of caution, I must impose,
Moralities of life must not be disposed.
Whence in life……………
Finally, I sum up my ode to you,
In my humble and modest but words true;
Set thy Goal and define thy aim,
Vigorously pursue, unmindful of pain;
Success may smile after a great ordeal,
Once it comes over- joyed ye feel;
Sense of achievement shall make ye a flier –
On ‘Himalayas’ of life, ye go higher and higher.
Whence in life……………
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A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE FUTURE!
A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE FUTURE!
“Hi, is anybody there?”
“Yes, what’s it dear?”
“I am your 'future'' on line.”
“What is your message divine'.”
“Why are you in soldier’s uniform?”
“Violent earth, I want to reform.”
“I must say, it is a noble mission!”
“Tired of our leaders sloppy vision!”
“Do you feel the earth is likely to explode?”
“Unless we eliminate the man-made gods?”
“Why do you have such negative thoughts?”
“Because ruffians fill the leader’s slot.”
“Hey! violence is not the answer.”
“But 'Jihadis' act as Islamic bouncers”
“Do you dare to be ‘evil-busters?”
“This is the courage, we do muster.”
“Are you then, a crusader of white man?”
“Such though just don’t figure in our plans.”
“ Are you not acting as white man's saviour?”
“No, No! we are responding to Islamic terror.”
“Is it some kind of a 'backlash' approach?”
“Consider it as a stand against evil thoughts.”
“Well! Well!! Do not talk in knotty riddles”
"Terrorists have no religion' is a similar puzzle .”
“Then, moral discourses must be a sham”
“Like a well-metalled road on a seeping dam.”
“Does the hole widen with falling bricks?”
“Innocence falls prey to emotional tricks.”
“How do you account for this value-erosion?”
“Obliging yes-man’s passport to promotion.”
“All right! How does this system operate?”
“Leaders look sideways when terrorists dictate.”
“But 'freedom-fighting' is a noble venture?”
“Frustration acquires an artificial denture.”
“So, freedom movements are losing their teeth.”
“Because,‘globalization’ is rising on its feet.”
“So, why are you, then, dressed like soldiers?”
“Along its path, removing human-boulders.”
“But I will not allow your hegemony, here.”
“The days of ‘brawn’ have gone, my dear.”
“I am the ‘Jihad' and you are still a child.”
“Submit gleefully, else we would be wild?”
“But, you see, I am not a human boulder.”
“Why do you carry past on your shoulders?”
“This is jungle, dear, not a human habitat.”
“Yes, we want to make this world flat.”
“I do not get it, what does it imply?”
“The notion of ‘nationhood’ is about to die.”
“What? Nationhood dying? It makes no sense.”
“It means border less world without any fence.”
“Hey, what is so new? Our jungles are like this.”
“Soon the flattened world will have the bliss.”
“You mean to say the rules of jungles will apply.”
“Yes! Yes!!, it would be future man's staple diet.”
“Shut up! Do not utter a sheer white lie.”
“It is darkness when you close your eyes.”
“Come on, dears; check this moral down-slide.”
“'Flat world' will have no ‘groom’; also no bride.”
“Do you say marriages will have no social stamp?”
“Yes! Yes, it is on display on the ‘Western’ ramp.”
“Well! Religions will not approve this murky affair.”
“Where jungle rules matter, who would care?”
"Will religious 'heads' put down the shutter?"
"In lit up areas, dying insects do flutter ."
"You mean the role of religion will decline."
"You must know it is losing its glossy shine."
“Shocking, dear! It is shocking revelations!”
“Infallible will explode with inner implosion.”
“Is this our ‘future’ ,then,on a corrosive tray?”
“Draw your conclusions, whatever you may.”
“Then, how come you are making a loud noise.”
“As 'future' unfolds' itself you have no choice.”
“Hey, you mean future has broken through?”
“Old order changed yielding place to new.”
“Are we, of the old genre, now history books stuff?”
“Well! Better you kiss reality now, it is not a bluff?”
“Can you give ‘the old’ some space to live?”
“Whirr……..whirr…….whirr………”(Line gets noisy!)
“Hey, do you hear? It is time to quit.”
“Whirr………..whirs……….whirr……”
”Hullo! Hullo!! Are we still connected?”
“Whirr…..whirr…….whirr……whirr…..”
“It will take time before past is resurrected”
“Whirr……..whirr…….whirr…………”
“Hey, ‘kids of the future’! Are you still there?”
“Caller please leave the line, your time is over.”
“Whirr…………..whirr………….whirr………”
“Hi, is anybody there?”
“Yes, what’s it dear?”
“I am your 'future'' on line.”
“What is your message divine'.”
“Why are you in soldier’s uniform?”
“Violent earth, I want to reform.”
“I must say, it is a noble mission!”
“Tired of our leaders sloppy vision!”
“Do you feel the earth is likely to explode?”
“Unless we eliminate the man-made gods?”
“Why do you have such negative thoughts?”
“Because ruffians fill the leader’s slot.”
“Hey! violence is not the answer.”
“But 'Jihadis' act as Islamic bouncers”
“Do you dare to be ‘evil-busters?”
“This is the courage, we do muster.”
“Are you then, a crusader of white man?”
“Such though just don’t figure in our plans.”
“ Are you not acting as white man's saviour?”
“No, No! we are responding to Islamic terror.”
“Is it some kind of a 'backlash' approach?”
“Consider it as a stand against evil thoughts.”
“Well! Well!! Do not talk in knotty riddles”
"Terrorists have no religion' is a similar puzzle .”
“Then, moral discourses must be a sham”
“Like a well-metalled road on a seeping dam.”
“Does the hole widen with falling bricks?”
“Innocence falls prey to emotional tricks.”
“How do you account for this value-erosion?”
“Obliging yes-man’s passport to promotion.”
“All right! How does this system operate?”
“Leaders look sideways when terrorists dictate.”
“But 'freedom-fighting' is a noble venture?”
“Frustration acquires an artificial denture.”
“So, freedom movements are losing their teeth.”
“Because,‘globalization’ is rising on its feet.”
“So, why are you, then, dressed like soldiers?”
“Along its path, removing human-boulders.”
“But I will not allow your hegemony, here.”
“The days of ‘brawn’ have gone, my dear.”
“I am the ‘Jihad' and you are still a child.”
“Submit gleefully, else we would be wild?”
“But, you see, I am not a human boulder.”
“Why do you carry past on your shoulders?”
“This is jungle, dear, not a human habitat.”
“Yes, we want to make this world flat.”
“I do not get it, what does it imply?”
“The notion of ‘nationhood’ is about to die.”
“What? Nationhood dying? It makes no sense.”
“It means border less world without any fence.”
“Hey, what is so new? Our jungles are like this.”
“Soon the flattened world will have the bliss.”
“You mean to say the rules of jungles will apply.”
“Yes! Yes!!, it would be future man's staple diet.”
“Shut up! Do not utter a sheer white lie.”
“It is darkness when you close your eyes.”
“Come on, dears; check this moral down-slide.”
“'Flat world' will have no ‘groom’; also no bride.”
“Do you say marriages will have no social stamp?”
“Yes! Yes, it is on display on the ‘Western’ ramp.”
“Well! Religions will not approve this murky affair.”
“Where jungle rules matter, who would care?”
"Will religious 'heads' put down the shutter?"
"In lit up areas, dying insects do flutter ."
"You mean the role of religion will decline."
"You must know it is losing its glossy shine."
“Shocking, dear! It is shocking revelations!”
“Infallible will explode with inner implosion.”
“Is this our ‘future’ ,then,on a corrosive tray?”
“Draw your conclusions, whatever you may.”
“Then, how come you are making a loud noise.”
“As 'future' unfolds' itself you have no choice.”
“Hey, you mean future has broken through?”
“Old order changed yielding place to new.”
“Are we, of the old genre, now history books stuff?”
“Well! Better you kiss reality now, it is not a bluff?”
“Can you give ‘the old’ some space to live?”
“Whirr……..whirr…….whirr………”(Line gets noisy!)
“Hey, do you hear? It is time to quit.”
“Whirr………..whirs……….whirr……”
”Hullo! Hullo!! Are we still connected?”
“Whirr…..whirr…….whirr……whirr…..”
“It will take time before past is resurrected”
“Whirr……..whirr…….whirr…………”
“Hey, ‘kids of the future’! Are you still there?”
“Caller please leave the line, your time is over.”
“Whirr…………..whirr………….whirr………”
Read more...
Thursday, May 01, 2008
RETIREMENT BLUES- A SHORT STORY!
1.
“Hey, come on man! Why tomorrow? Come right now.” Sumesh was euphoric.
“No, No, friend. Just the other day we were there. What would BHABIJI (SISTER-IN-LAW---Sumesh’s wife) think?” Raj Singh sounded cautious.
“Come of it, man, I am alone. Yes, all alone. No one here now for a few days to boss around.”, Sumesh was showing his excitement
“What? Where is Sunita?” asked Raj.
“Oh, she has gone to some interior place in HIMACHAL to attend the marriage of her some distant cousin’s daughter. She won’t be around till 25th June. I AM FREE, MAN. TOTALLY FREE! How I have been longing for this day for the past 30 years?” Sumesh was unable to hide his jubilation.
“Oh, so this is the secret of euphoria?” Raj added sarcasm to his tone.
“Come on, dude. Join me. Let us enjoy the FREEDOM OF A WEEK. Come and see I am my own boss here. I can do what I want to do. Come on, Raj.” Sumesh invited Raj.
“How lucky you are? Ok, it is, 10 AM, now. I will be there in half an hour.” Raj could not refuse the temptation.
“LUCKY? You don’t know what is it like? It is a relief from 30 years of NON-STOP –HOME- SLAVERY, momentary, though. You see I don’t have to get up at 6 AM to take the delivery of MILK from the milk boy. I get up at 10 AM. I don’t have to run with that KACHRA TIN (GARBAGE BOX) to hand over to garbage collector at 7 AM daily. I told these guys to buzz off for next 10 days and don’t disturb me. I don’t want to drink that damn milk. I always vomit. The best part is I don’t have to take out clothes from the washing machine and hang them in the gallery for drying up. Many many more such things, friend.” Sumesh had amplified the benefit of his sudden bout of FREEDOM from daily chores.
“Wow! What luck man? I have to do worse—dance on every command of Ranjana. She SAYS ‘GO’; I GOETH. She says ‘COME’; I COMETH. I have to cycle to vegetable market every day to remain fit. I have to do that SWAMI RAMDEV’s exercises with her at 5 AM onwards to keep her diseases away. I can not eat sweets. I can not eat salty food. I have to eat bland boiled VEG food every day. Drinks? It has been eons since I last had them.” Raj explained his miseries.
“Come, then, come and let us enjoy today, for, who knows IF Tomorrow comes.” Sumesh provoked him.
“Ok, I am coming, dude.” Raj shrieked.
2.
“Who were you talking to, darling?” Ranjana was inquiring from Raj Singh.
“Oh, that was Sumesh, Sweet heart. He is in the bank, you see. He had gone to get his TDR renewed. The manager told him about rejection of my annual certificate on PENSION. You know that annual certificate of pension given in NOVEMBER had some anomalies” Raj Singh was making excuses.
“OK, but you seemed very ecstatic darling. Is Sunita there?” Ranjana WAS NOT CONVINCED.
“No, I did not ask about Sunita. She must be at home only?” Raj replied.
“What was he saying?” Ranjana enquired.
“Yea, you know that damn Sumesh. Don’t you? He cracked that funny joke—a NON VEG one—MERI BAGIYA KE PHOOL TERI SAREE MEIN KAISE (How come the flowers from my lawns have been imprinted on your SAREE) -----Blah blah”
“You ‘Buddha KHADOOS’ (You old foggies)! Even at this age, when your grand children have been married, you will only talk of silly things. You men will never change.” Ranjana reprimanded.
“Yes, my darling. Because MEN ARE FROM MARS AND WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS—never the thinking of TWAIN SHALL MEET. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” Raj Singh thought he had delivered the dialogue of his life.
“Don’t crack this silly joke? Behave your age you rotten fellow.” Ranjana was serious.
“Come on don’t get serious Ranjana.” Raj looked at his watch and said, “Oh it is already 10.30 AM. I must be there before the Manager leaves.”
“How much time will u take? I am sure you will be back by lunch?” Ranjana enquired.
“Oh, I will try darling. If I am late, then, don’t wait for me.” Raj told her
“Hey, Listen, Why don’t you drop me at SUNITA’s place? Pick me up when you are on your way back. ” Ranjana made a reasonable request.
“No, No, You don’t keep company with that woman. I don’t want her to teach you wrong things, darling.” Raj refused the request deliberately hiding the truth.
“Ok, go but come back soon. And don’t sit with that BOOZE MASTER friend of yours. What is his name? Yea----MANOJ Rana. Understand.” Ranjana commanded
“Trust me darling” and RAJ was gone.
3.
Knock !Knock!! Knock, but no response. ‘Don’t tell me this guy has been knocked off at 11.30 AM” Raj said to himself. Then, he remembered, “But no. He is off drinks. He had left it some six months back. He had made a big promise to SUNITA after that FISTING BOUT with TARKESHWAR in the SILVER JUBILEE ANNIVERSARY celebratioins of UMESH and UMA.” “Must be the guy has gone off to sleep. I will try once more and then go back, if no response. ” Raj promised himself.
Knock and the door swung open with Sumesh rubbing his sleepy eyes with right hand.
“It took you so long, you lazy bum?” Raj said while surveying the room. He noticed that every thing was in a state of FUNCTIONAL CHAOS. There were beer bottles thrown around the room. Used utensils lay on the dining table as if they have not been cleaned for days. There was dust all around.
“ Oh, I waited for you for 15 minutes and then poured half a bottle of VODKA down my throat and went off to sleep” Sumesh explained.
“Vodka? Beer Bottles? What is this? I thought you were off drinks Sumesh” Raj showed his surprise.
“Oh, that was just to pacify Sunita after that fist-fight with TARKESHWAR. She thought I behaved like an animal after drinks and I had punched him very badly on the nose.” Sumesh justified his drinking freedom.
“Does she know your hidden tryst with LIQUOR?” Raj asked.
“Oh, I am a HOLY COW for her now. She won’t believe you even if you show my video to her” ,Sumesh exuded an air of confidence.
“Why, what have you done to change her impressions about you?” Raj was curious.
“I let her buy a diamond set every six months---You see with her own money only” Sumesh said with a mischievous wink.
“With her money? How?” Raj expressed curiosity.
“ You see --------She has no clue of finances---I keep putting her money in mutual funds---book profit---when markets shoot up---keep it with me----when she wants to buy jewelry I release that money. She is only bothered that her principal amount of Rs one million should not come down—so she thinks I‘ve put it in fixed deposit with rate of interest around 6-7 percent for six monthly deposits---where as I make a neat 20-25 percent profit through my direct trade on the net” Sumesh explained his investment jugglery and wizardry.
“Smart guy. I might also try.” Acknowledged Raj.
Thereafter both of them got into guzzling VODKA and yapping. Yap! Yap!! Yap, and nothing else. Time slipped past like a supersonic jet. They didn’t realize it was past six in the evening. They had chatted their afternoon discussing whole life from school to college to retirement. Time to time they cried for those wonderful days gone by. The reminiscences of those days, as top executives in the MNCs, were haunting them. It was the time when the whole world was at their beck and call. They were lords at homes, too. Their wives never questioned them on their iterinary. They did not have to do household chores. It was below their dignity. But, no, not now. The times had changed. They were the UNPAID SERVANTS of the lady of the house. Both of them cursed the life of RETIREMENT. It was a big joke of the fate, they concluded. But this was the present reality. They must obey their employer at home. Their daily meals for their survival were through courtesy of the ladies of their houses. Today, the long lost friends of childhood were really having a rollicking time when Raj Singh’s mobile started making the noise.
“Where are you?” thundered Ranjana.
“Oh darling I’m stuck in the road block” Raj sing sounded confident
“Road block? On IT Park road? Where?”, Inquisitively Ranjana showered her questions.
“Hey, not road block but TRAFFIC JAM—it was slip of the tongue” Raj corrected himself.
“Traffic Jam? Sounds funny, dear.” roared Ranjana.
“But it is there” Raj was assertive.
“What time did you leave the bank?” Ranjana was getting suspicious.
“EXACTLY AT 2 PM.” RAJ replied.
“So, you have been there in this JAM for four and a half hours. Are you kidding?” shouted Ranjana.
Raj realized the faux pax he had created but he sheepishly responded, “Truth is bitter. But I know it will clear in half an hour, sweetie.” Raj asserted his confidence.
“I hope so” and Ranjana switched off her mobile.
“I must be going” declared Raj.
“Sure, you do let us finish off this damn bottle” suggested Sumesh. They again got down to Vodka. Another hour had gone by.
It was almost 8 PM when the door bell rang. Sumesh opened the door and all hell broke lose with Ranjana fuming hot with anger. She shouted, “Where is he?”
“Inside” was the instant reply of Sumesh. Ranjana surveyed the room and almost fainted. Beer bottles were strewn in the room like a pearl necklace scattered on the floor. She gained her composure and exchanged glances with Raj—who was standing unmoved with VODKA glass in his hands.
“So, this is your TRAFFIC JAM or a JAM SESSION with a drunkard?” Ranjana was furious.
“Bhabijee, you are violating rules of decency?” Sumesh mustered courage to save his friend.
“Oh, SHUT UP. Where is Sunita?”, Ranjana cut him short.
“She has gone for a marriage of her niece.” Raj butted in.
“Oh, I see. So you do not want me to keep her bad company but you want to enjoy with this man who is cheating his wife” Ranjana was accusing.
“Bhabijee, you are being discourteous, too” Sumesh had no other words to rebut her.
“Oh, get lost. To hell with you two RATS” ,so saying Ranjana walked out of the house. Raj Singh had no choice but to run after her to calm her down.
4.
Time was 9 pm. Sumesh’s mobile rang.It was Sunita.
“Oh darling, I hope you could manage”, Sunita was so concerned.
“How can I without you darling? It is very difficult to stay without you.” Sumesh was pleading with his wife.
“Don’t worry darling, I would be back in 10 days. One Problem, sweetheart?” Sunita was opening up her cards.
“What is it?” Automatically, responded Sumesh.
“I forgot to get my Diamond set. Every one is decked up in dazzling jewelry, here.” Sunita explained.
“Where are yours? You had three of them darling?” Sumesh quizzed.
“In the locker. But the keys are with me. You can not take them out.” Sunita clarified.
“What to do now?” Sumesh asked naturally
“Ask Mrs. Raj Singh to lend her set for some days.” Suggested Sunita.
“No, No, never ever Sunita. I do not want you to borrow from this woman. I will buy another one for you, darling. Remember the one you selected last DIWALI.” Sumesh was certainly buttering.
“Oh, dear how nice you are? I will send my nephew to fetch it day after.” Sunita was overjoyed.
“Certainly. And bye” Sumesh switched off his mobile in a hurry, lest his voice betrayed his condition.
5.
Raj was chasing Ranjana like a policeman goes after a thief. The only difference being he was pleading and requesting.(It is a different matter that policemen actually do this these days!) But Ranjana was not listening. She was climbing the steps of her flat like PT USHA jumping across the hurdles. In this race Raj suddenly fell with a thud and probably twisted his ankle. His losing of the balance might have been due to the effect of amount of liquor he had consumed. But a BIG ACTOR as he was, he made a big moaning sound, which forced RANJANA to check her steps and look back. This was the golden chance for RAJ to wash off his sins and he cried loudly in pain, as if he was badly hurt. Ranjana shouted, “What happened?”
“My ankle is twisted. I can not walk. It is the same old ankle, I had got hurt last month.” Raj was exploiting his chance. Ranjana came down. She could see Raj holding his ankle. She helped him get up. With lot of 'OOHs and AAHs' he got up, giving Ranjana the impression that he was badly hurt. As a good actor, he had managed to cool her down and she slowly and slowly carried him towards their house. In the house, she massaged his foot with saline water. And------there was no problem that night. He had perhaps blind folded her with his exxaggerated injury. Or maybe, Ranjana had given up trying to cure an incurable disease.
6.
It was 11PM. There was a message on RAJ’s mobile. It read:
“HAS THE TORNADO COOLED DOWN OR ARE THE WAVES STILL RISING IN THE OCEAN?
Raj saw his wife sleeping, he intoned the reply:
TIDAL WAVES HAVE CALMED DOWN AND QUIETNESS RULES THE OCEAN. HOPING FOR NO 'TWISTER' TOMORROW?
The reply came in a jiffy:
WHENCE THE WINDS BLOW, SET AT SAIL; LET YOUR BOAT WITH THE WINDS SWAY.
Raj promptly put down:
" Yes, I am swaying with the wind b'coz of TINA, should you think otherwise , it is :THERE IS NO ALTERNARIVE, Friend!"
Read more...
“Hey, come on man! Why tomorrow? Come right now.” Sumesh was euphoric.
“No, No, friend. Just the other day we were there. What would BHABIJI (SISTER-IN-LAW---Sumesh’s wife) think?” Raj Singh sounded cautious.
“Come of it, man, I am alone. Yes, all alone. No one here now for a few days to boss around.”, Sumesh was showing his excitement
“What? Where is Sunita?” asked Raj.
“Oh, she has gone to some interior place in HIMACHAL to attend the marriage of her some distant cousin’s daughter. She won’t be around till 25th June. I AM FREE, MAN. TOTALLY FREE! How I have been longing for this day for the past 30 years?” Sumesh was unable to hide his jubilation.
“Oh, so this is the secret of euphoria?” Raj added sarcasm to his tone.
“Come on, dude. Join me. Let us enjoy the FREEDOM OF A WEEK. Come and see I am my own boss here. I can do what I want to do. Come on, Raj.” Sumesh invited Raj.
“How lucky you are? Ok, it is, 10 AM, now. I will be there in half an hour.” Raj could not refuse the temptation.
“LUCKY? You don’t know what is it like? It is a relief from 30 years of NON-STOP –HOME- SLAVERY, momentary, though. You see I don’t have to get up at 6 AM to take the delivery of MILK from the milk boy. I get up at 10 AM. I don’t have to run with that KACHRA TIN (GARBAGE BOX) to hand over to garbage collector at 7 AM daily. I told these guys to buzz off for next 10 days and don’t disturb me. I don’t want to drink that damn milk. I always vomit. The best part is I don’t have to take out clothes from the washing machine and hang them in the gallery for drying up. Many many more such things, friend.” Sumesh had amplified the benefit of his sudden bout of FREEDOM from daily chores.
“Wow! What luck man? I have to do worse—dance on every command of Ranjana. She SAYS ‘GO’; I GOETH. She says ‘COME’; I COMETH. I have to cycle to vegetable market every day to remain fit. I have to do that SWAMI RAMDEV’s exercises with her at 5 AM onwards to keep her diseases away. I can not eat sweets. I can not eat salty food. I have to eat bland boiled VEG food every day. Drinks? It has been eons since I last had them.” Raj explained his miseries.
“Come, then, come and let us enjoy today, for, who knows IF Tomorrow comes.” Sumesh provoked him.
“Ok, I am coming, dude.” Raj shrieked.
2.
“Who were you talking to, darling?” Ranjana was inquiring from Raj Singh.
“Oh, that was Sumesh, Sweet heart. He is in the bank, you see. He had gone to get his TDR renewed. The manager told him about rejection of my annual certificate on PENSION. You know that annual certificate of pension given in NOVEMBER had some anomalies” Raj Singh was making excuses.
“OK, but you seemed very ecstatic darling. Is Sunita there?” Ranjana WAS NOT CONVINCED.
“No, I did not ask about Sunita. She must be at home only?” Raj replied.
“What was he saying?” Ranjana enquired.
“Yea, you know that damn Sumesh. Don’t you? He cracked that funny joke—a NON VEG one—MERI BAGIYA KE PHOOL TERI SAREE MEIN KAISE (How come the flowers from my lawns have been imprinted on your SAREE) -----Blah blah”
“You ‘Buddha KHADOOS’ (You old foggies)! Even at this age, when your grand children have been married, you will only talk of silly things. You men will never change.” Ranjana reprimanded.
“Yes, my darling. Because MEN ARE FROM MARS AND WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS—never the thinking of TWAIN SHALL MEET. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” Raj Singh thought he had delivered the dialogue of his life.
“Don’t crack this silly joke? Behave your age you rotten fellow.” Ranjana was serious.
“Come on don’t get serious Ranjana.” Raj looked at his watch and said, “Oh it is already 10.30 AM. I must be there before the Manager leaves.”
“How much time will u take? I am sure you will be back by lunch?” Ranjana enquired.
“Oh, I will try darling. If I am late, then, don’t wait for me.” Raj told her
“Hey, Listen, Why don’t you drop me at SUNITA’s place? Pick me up when you are on your way back. ” Ranjana made a reasonable request.
“No, No, You don’t keep company with that woman. I don’t want her to teach you wrong things, darling.” Raj refused the request deliberately hiding the truth.
“Ok, go but come back soon. And don’t sit with that BOOZE MASTER friend of yours. What is his name? Yea----MANOJ Rana. Understand.” Ranjana commanded
“Trust me darling” and RAJ was gone.
3.
Knock !Knock!! Knock, but no response. ‘Don’t tell me this guy has been knocked off at 11.30 AM” Raj said to himself. Then, he remembered, “But no. He is off drinks. He had left it some six months back. He had made a big promise to SUNITA after that FISTING BOUT with TARKESHWAR in the SILVER JUBILEE ANNIVERSARY celebratioins of UMESH and UMA.” “Must be the guy has gone off to sleep. I will try once more and then go back, if no response. ” Raj promised himself.
Knock and the door swung open with Sumesh rubbing his sleepy eyes with right hand.
“It took you so long, you lazy bum?” Raj said while surveying the room. He noticed that every thing was in a state of FUNCTIONAL CHAOS. There were beer bottles thrown around the room. Used utensils lay on the dining table as if they have not been cleaned for days. There was dust all around.
“ Oh, I waited for you for 15 minutes and then poured half a bottle of VODKA down my throat and went off to sleep” Sumesh explained.
“Vodka? Beer Bottles? What is this? I thought you were off drinks Sumesh” Raj showed his surprise.
“Oh, that was just to pacify Sunita after that fist-fight with TARKESHWAR. She thought I behaved like an animal after drinks and I had punched him very badly on the nose.” Sumesh justified his drinking freedom.
“Does she know your hidden tryst with LIQUOR?” Raj asked.
“Oh, I am a HOLY COW for her now. She won’t believe you even if you show my video to her” ,Sumesh exuded an air of confidence.
“Why, what have you done to change her impressions about you?” Raj was curious.
“I let her buy a diamond set every six months---You see with her own money only” Sumesh said with a mischievous wink.
“With her money? How?” Raj expressed curiosity.
“ You see --------She has no clue of finances---I keep putting her money in mutual funds---book profit---when markets shoot up---keep it with me----when she wants to buy jewelry I release that money. She is only bothered that her principal amount of Rs one million should not come down—so she thinks I‘ve put it in fixed deposit with rate of interest around 6-7 percent for six monthly deposits---where as I make a neat 20-25 percent profit through my direct trade on the net” Sumesh explained his investment jugglery and wizardry.
“Smart guy. I might also try.” Acknowledged Raj.
Thereafter both of them got into guzzling VODKA and yapping. Yap! Yap!! Yap, and nothing else. Time slipped past like a supersonic jet. They didn’t realize it was past six in the evening. They had chatted their afternoon discussing whole life from school to college to retirement. Time to time they cried for those wonderful days gone by. The reminiscences of those days, as top executives in the MNCs, were haunting them. It was the time when the whole world was at their beck and call. They were lords at homes, too. Their wives never questioned them on their iterinary. They did not have to do household chores. It was below their dignity. But, no, not now. The times had changed. They were the UNPAID SERVANTS of the lady of the house. Both of them cursed the life of RETIREMENT. It was a big joke of the fate, they concluded. But this was the present reality. They must obey their employer at home. Their daily meals for their survival were through courtesy of the ladies of their houses. Today, the long lost friends of childhood were really having a rollicking time when Raj Singh’s mobile started making the noise.
“Where are you?” thundered Ranjana.
“Oh darling I’m stuck in the road block” Raj sing sounded confident
“Road block? On IT Park road? Where?”, Inquisitively Ranjana showered her questions.
“Hey, not road block but TRAFFIC JAM—it was slip of the tongue” Raj corrected himself.
“Traffic Jam? Sounds funny, dear.” roared Ranjana.
“But it is there” Raj was assertive.
“What time did you leave the bank?” Ranjana was getting suspicious.
“EXACTLY AT 2 PM.” RAJ replied.
“So, you have been there in this JAM for four and a half hours. Are you kidding?” shouted Ranjana.
Raj realized the faux pax he had created but he sheepishly responded, “Truth is bitter. But I know it will clear in half an hour, sweetie.” Raj asserted his confidence.
“I hope so” and Ranjana switched off her mobile.
“I must be going” declared Raj.
“Sure, you do let us finish off this damn bottle” suggested Sumesh. They again got down to Vodka. Another hour had gone by.
It was almost 8 PM when the door bell rang. Sumesh opened the door and all hell broke lose with Ranjana fuming hot with anger. She shouted, “Where is he?”
“Inside” was the instant reply of Sumesh. Ranjana surveyed the room and almost fainted. Beer bottles were strewn in the room like a pearl necklace scattered on the floor. She gained her composure and exchanged glances with Raj—who was standing unmoved with VODKA glass in his hands.
“So, this is your TRAFFIC JAM or a JAM SESSION with a drunkard?” Ranjana was furious.
“Bhabijee, you are violating rules of decency?” Sumesh mustered courage to save his friend.
“Oh, SHUT UP. Where is Sunita?”, Ranjana cut him short.
“She has gone for a marriage of her niece.” Raj butted in.
“Oh, I see. So you do not want me to keep her bad company but you want to enjoy with this man who is cheating his wife” Ranjana was accusing.
“Bhabijee, you are being discourteous, too” Sumesh had no other words to rebut her.
“Oh, get lost. To hell with you two RATS” ,so saying Ranjana walked out of the house. Raj Singh had no choice but to run after her to calm her down.
4.
Time was 9 pm. Sumesh’s mobile rang.It was Sunita.
“Oh darling, I hope you could manage”, Sunita was so concerned.
“How can I without you darling? It is very difficult to stay without you.” Sumesh was pleading with his wife.
“Don’t worry darling, I would be back in 10 days. One Problem, sweetheart?” Sunita was opening up her cards.
“What is it?” Automatically, responded Sumesh.
“I forgot to get my Diamond set. Every one is decked up in dazzling jewelry, here.” Sunita explained.
“Where are yours? You had three of them darling?” Sumesh quizzed.
“In the locker. But the keys are with me. You can not take them out.” Sunita clarified.
“What to do now?” Sumesh asked naturally
“Ask Mrs. Raj Singh to lend her set for some days.” Suggested Sunita.
“No, No, never ever Sunita. I do not want you to borrow from this woman. I will buy another one for you, darling. Remember the one you selected last DIWALI.” Sumesh was certainly buttering.
“Oh, dear how nice you are? I will send my nephew to fetch it day after.” Sunita was overjoyed.
“Certainly. And bye” Sumesh switched off his mobile in a hurry, lest his voice betrayed his condition.
5.
Raj was chasing Ranjana like a policeman goes after a thief. The only difference being he was pleading and requesting.(It is a different matter that policemen actually do this these days!) But Ranjana was not listening. She was climbing the steps of her flat like PT USHA jumping across the hurdles. In this race Raj suddenly fell with a thud and probably twisted his ankle. His losing of the balance might have been due to the effect of amount of liquor he had consumed. But a BIG ACTOR as he was, he made a big moaning sound, which forced RANJANA to check her steps and look back. This was the golden chance for RAJ to wash off his sins and he cried loudly in pain, as if he was badly hurt. Ranjana shouted, “What happened?”
“My ankle is twisted. I can not walk. It is the same old ankle, I had got hurt last month.” Raj was exploiting his chance. Ranjana came down. She could see Raj holding his ankle. She helped him get up. With lot of 'OOHs and AAHs' he got up, giving Ranjana the impression that he was badly hurt. As a good actor, he had managed to cool her down and she slowly and slowly carried him towards their house. In the house, she massaged his foot with saline water. And------there was no problem that night. He had perhaps blind folded her with his exxaggerated injury. Or maybe, Ranjana had given up trying to cure an incurable disease.
6.
It was 11PM. There was a message on RAJ’s mobile. It read:
“HAS THE TORNADO COOLED DOWN OR ARE THE WAVES STILL RISING IN THE OCEAN?
Raj saw his wife sleeping, he intoned the reply:
TIDAL WAVES HAVE CALMED DOWN AND QUIETNESS RULES THE OCEAN. HOPING FOR NO 'TWISTER' TOMORROW?
The reply came in a jiffy:
WHENCE THE WINDS BLOW, SET AT SAIL; LET YOUR BOAT WITH THE WINDS SWAY.
Raj promptly put down:
" Yes, I am swaying with the wind b'coz of TINA, should you think otherwise , it is :THERE IS NO ALTERNARIVE, Friend!"
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