Kargil Vijay Diwas..

As the nation salutes our jawans and officers on the 10^th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, we need to once again take a close look at our own priorities and civic life. From failing to queue up at the polling booths on Election Day to jumping the queue whenever we happen to be in one, we have our own surreptitious and indigenous ways of surviving in this great nation. We are an diverse bunch of citizens with a remarkably short memory and high emotional quotient (that soar to dizzying heights when a cricket match is on television). We have a government which seemed reluctant to join in the celebrations and which just about did what was obligatory and nothing more. We have a media which turns this into another sensationalised drama with the all knowing politicians throwing punches at each other and looking like complete idiots in the process.

Still, somewhere amidst all the chaos, we still manage to preserve the memories and nurture the emotion that keeps the phenomenon called India on the move.Jai Ho!!!

UPA making a mockery of parliament...

Past week has once again demonstrated how redundant and sidelined the Indian Parliament has become in the Indian administration. Even in UPA’s first term, parliament was repeatedly bypassed in important national issues and we even had a bunch of bills being passed without any discussion under the pretext of non-co-operative opposition. Sadly none among the UPA’s think-tank seems to have ever heard of the concept of inclusive decision making. The victory that gave UPA a second term should have made the government more sensitive and responsible while dealing with vital issues, especially those related to defence and foreign matters. Instead, all that we have is a government that cannot seem to make up its mind on such issues and which keeps taking u-turn arbitrarily every now and then.

Even when the parliament is in session, the government doesn’t deem it necessary or desirable to make use of the opportunity to clarify its stand and thereby keep the nation informed. This time the UPA has to own up its misdeeds as there are no left parties to blame. More importantly, the media cannot keep covering up for a directionless government with a visionless programme. Even in a democracy, wining and election and forming a government is not the ultimate aim. In fact it is just the beginning. Living up to the expectations of the common man and delivering on the vital issues is the real aim and no government can afford to fail on that count twice in a row.

CPI(M)..The great gamble that should never have been..

The events that compelled CPI(M) to convene extra ordinary PB and CC meetings and the decisions taken by the highest party forums are by now well known. The entire country and especially we Keralites are in a stock taking mode, trying to work out what the latest turn of events means for the future of the party as well as the nation.

The most damning impact of the unfortunate decisions taken by the CPI(M) is the total erosion of faith in the party central leadership, read more precisely as Prakash Karat. We Mallus were looking forward to a pragmatic and constructive approach which sadly didn’t materialise behind the closed doors of AKG Bhavan. By choosing to back the tainted state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Prakash has chosen to take the ultimate gamble that could prove to be fatal in coming years. Why do I think so?

Well, think of a scenario where Pinarayi Vijayan is convicted by the court. What will happen then? The party will have to either accept its colossal error or it will have to continue drifting more and more away from the general public and its very own supporters. I agree that there is a possibility of Vijayan being let off by the court after proving his innocence. Still, as the party’s all India general secretary, Prakasha Karat should not have put the party on such a tight spot where it’s very honour and moral existence is at the mercy of a court verdict.

Now it is too late for the CPI(M) to change its stance. It will have to face the consequences of a decision which has the potential to become the biggest in the long list of ‘historic blunders’ that are dished out of the CPI(M) head quarters every few years. Once again, I wish to reiterate that I am not a supporter of CPI(M). Still as a citizen of a state being ruled by a CPI(M) led coalition, I feel badly let down by the party and I can only sympathise with the beleaguered cadres of the CPI(M) who are at this very moment holding marches and protests in different parts of Kerala even in this rainy day.

On the lighter side, the protests and violence might end up in a hartal giving us another blissful day of sheer lazy indulgence....

Homosexuals are also human beings...

2nd July 2009 will always be remembered as a historical day for India. On this day India truly became a democratic and inclusive nation and this was brought about by the Delhi High Court verdict which de-criminalised homosexuality.

The landmark judgement enables millions of Indians (a deliberate choice of word as they are as much a citizen of this country as you and me are) to come out of the closet. It would give them some hope of living the life of their choice, of seeking better education, career and health care, of being a normal human being who does not have to look over his/her shoulder even in his/her most private moments in his/her bedroom. This would also enable the government, NGOs and other concerned authorities to address the high incidence of AIDS and other diseases among the homosexuals. This must be enough of a reason for the society to accept homosexuals as equal human beings.

The Delhi High Court has shown compassion and vision in coming out with such a verdict. Rest of us would do well to imbibe these qualities before sitting in judgement about other people’s bedroom life.

The reaction from various quarters has been along predictable lines, ranging from utter stupidity and intolerance to ecstasy and delight. It is really sad that majority of the so called religious and social organisations and leaders have once again displayed how intolerant and misinformed they really are. How can you claim to be democratic, inclusive, non discriminate and the holiest among these adjectives ‘secular’ when you want to confine a section of the society to mental asylums and jails for no other reason than their sexuality? What use are your scriptures and high moral preaching when you are not even able to comprehend the emotions of an oppressed mind? Are you in the business of religion only to amass wealth, commercialise education and covert people? Did HE not teach you to be tolerant and compassionate, did HE not show the way of universal brother hood? Shame on you..