Patriotism because of fear of law?

Given the spate of decisions that have come from their respective quarters in recent months, it is moot if the central government and the judiciary are not locked in a race to grab headlines. Supreme Court's verdict on National Anthem is just similar to, as some priests and pandas will tell you, taking a dip in the holy Ganges.

If we have come to a stage where theatres need to remind us of the value of patriotism, the Indian value system has failed. If our family could not teach us, our school its curriculum could not teach us and peers could not teach us and the time comes when a forceful therapy is needed to inject the feeling of patriotism. So, be alert here comes the dooms day of the Republic.

Patriotism therapy just before the three hours of entertainment in a movie theatre is all needed today?

I can still walk past victims of road accidents, watch quietly as women are harassed in public, even can ignore the screams of the women who was being beaten in her home, stay silent when female foetuses are killed, not pay my taxes religiously, ignore the Army's calls for recruitment, spit my paan-gutkha in public. But as long as I chant national anthem I rightly call myself a patriot. The feeling of patriotism rises in me when I see a tricolour furled when Indian team win in any category of sports. For example at Beijings when India made us proud by winning an individual gold at olympics, gave us the real pleasure when the whole stadium rose to the national anthem. I am sure that every Indian while watching the moment on their TV sets felt patriotism in their veins. This is all what we needed. Even I believe in rising from my seat in grief when I see a soldier being sacrificed his life at border while protecting our own nation.

India needs such moments of pride and glory to relish the sight of national flag, standing with pride for national anthem.

In my opinion India needs culture of patriotism but not patrio-tization of culture. If patriotism is to be force-displayed because of fear of the law, it means deep down we lack it. Respect for national flag, anthem and emblem are natural reactions and can't be forced upon in a civilised society.

देखो, सोचो, पूछो, समझो

देखो, सोचो, पूछो, समझो और फिर आवाज़ उठाओ
पर देखों शांति भंग होने न पाए।

देश बदलने का एक जो दौर चल पड़ा है
कही उस रंग में भंग पड़ने न पाए।

मकसद बड़ा हो तो मुश्किल भी बड़ी आती है
मुश्किल आने से कही मकसद बदल न पाए।

जहां राष्ट्रीय गान पर खड़े होने का फरमान दिया जाए
देखो कहीं फरमान की आड़ में देश-भक्ति कम न हो पाए।

जब फ्री में बंटने लगे सीम सड़को पर
पर देखना की दिलों से दिलों तक की दूरी कम हो न पाए।

नोटबंदी के दौर में जब कैशलेस हो गए भगवान के घर
तब देखना की Paytm करने से कहीं भक्ती कम न हो पाए।

सरकार जब साइकिल छोड़ सिंहासन के लिए खड़ी हो जाए
देखना की कही गद्दी पाने की चाह परिवार कलह को सड़को पर न ला पाए।  

बचपन का ज़माना

एक बचपन का ज़माना था 
जिसमें खुशियों का खज़ाना था
चाहत चांद को थी पाने की 
पर मन तो तितली का दीवाना था
ना सुबह और शाम का होश 
और ना रात का ठिकाना था
थक कर आना स्कूल से 
पर शाम को खेलने भी जाना था
कभी पापा-मम्मी से रूठ कर बैठना
और कभी पल भर में मान जाना था
बारिश में कागज़ की नाव थी
और हर मौसम सुहाना था
भिंडी-तोरी-करेला प्लेट में देखकर नाक सिकुड़ी 
पर बाहर की चाट-पकौड़ी दस्तों संग चट कर जाना था
प्यार करने का तरीका तो वही पुराने जैसा है
पर आज लगता है इंसान का विश्वास छोटा हो गया है 

Encounters a legitimate way of dispensing justice?

When you question the bravery of Madhya Pradesh police, beware you will be tantamount to deshdroh and don’t forget to chant ‘Bharat mata ki Jai’ at the same moment when you see video in which policemen cries of ''maro, maro", fires at what looks like a dead body. We are in a movement of desh bhakti where everything being served as a gospel. We are living in the world where all those in khaki uniform are living Shahanshah's dream of being the jury, judge, and executioner. We cannot question the authority, but authority in uniform can shoot you in name of encounter. Few days back eight SIMI activists were killed in an alleged police encounter following a daring prison break in Bhopal. The incident furnishes a new controversy and raises many question which need to be answered.

A series of videos which surfaced later, however, showed the police gunning down – at close range – men, who were apparently unarmed. In the wake of the controversy over the encounter, the responses “authorities” have once again raised serious questions about our commitment to the principles underlying the criminal justice system.

First of all, even the men were terrorists- must not forget they were undertrials and under law cold-blooded killing of suspects or even of convicted criminals are not legitimate. But the authorities in charge follows different justice system or it’s not wrong to say that they make their own laws.  Few questions raised on the killing of eight persons cold-bloodedly--

1. What was the need to kill eight men who were believed to be equipped with knives and utensils when they carved out of jail and surrounded by police from all place.
2. How the eight men escaped from the “high security’’ jail and can climb a 20-feet wall and fled a prison.
3. Where were the guards, security cameras, prison officials when eight prisoners were making their way from their secured cells.
4. Why these men, seemingly in a hurry, travelled just 10-15 km from the jail in almost eight hours when they could have easily put miles between themselves and police during this period.
5. Why prisoners running from the law, short on time, would first buy new clothes, new shoes, get a haircut, shave — all of it between 3 am and dawn.
6. Why after presumably getting access to country-made pistols, cartridges, clothes, dry fruits etc these eight men could not get a vehicle to escape.

I myself didn’t wanted to be named as ‘deshdrohi’ for all the reasons I mentioned above and for also I raised question on the deeds of policemen who involved in the encounter of eight  men. Don't ask questions because encounters have become a legitimate way of dispensing justice for many Indians, a symbol of pride and nationalism, a proud moment to savour with rousing slogans.

कोलाहल पर कोलाहल गूंज रहा है

जंग तो आखिर जंग है, इधर हो या चाहे उधऱ
ढेर है लाशों का, सबकी आंखें नम है

कोलाहल पर कोलाहल गूंज रहा है
लोहा लेने फिर से चल पड़ा वीर है

मत मना जश्न किसी की लाश पर
जो मरा है वो भी एक इंसान है
जिससे जुड़े किसी के रिश्तों के अरमान है

धरती की खातिर मिटे किसी अपनों के अरमान है
किसी की राखी, किसी का सिंदुर फिर आज पंहुचा शमशान है

जहां खुदा के रंग बिखरे थे, वहां लहू का सागर बह रहा है
जिस गोद में कभी बचपन खिला था, वहां आज नीरस धड़ पडा है

किसी के सपने, किसी का सिंदूर अधूरा सा रह जाता है
जहां कभी लाली बिखरी थी, वहां सफेद रंग ही रह पाता है

जिस बेटे को कंधों पर बैठा कर मेला दिखाया है
उस सपुत ने पिता को अग्नि देना ही नसीब में पाया है ।।।।।

Parents to let their children dream

After the examination come results, and then admission. So, the admission

fever has just started. The time has just arrived when students had to queue

for hours to get the admission in the best college or varsity, which is

believed as the footnote to push their career at peak. This is the hard and

most precious time not only for students but also for the parents.

As experts to be believed, this will not determine whether your life is a

success or a failure, or whether you live a happy life or not. Life never turns

out the way you think it will, and learning to fail well is what helps you

excel.

In India they are parents who decide on the careers their kids should

follow. For example if a student who got 95 % in his 12th board exam result

were not allowed by the family to choose arts stream. As per to maintain

standard in the society parents want their kids to be a doctor, engineer or

architect nothing less than that.

Hundreds of students end up making bad career choices under pressure

from their parents to choose subjects they think are important to succeed in

life. Depression for not getting the freedom to choose the subjects of their

choice force the students to commit suicide. Many cases have been reported

so far.  

Parental pressure dominates children’s career choices even in this century.

They want a secure & financially safe future of their kids. But, children

should be allowed to explore all options & parents too must be willing to

adopt a much mature thinking. There are students who choose their careers

thrust upon them by their parents.

Nowadays, so many careers are coming up which gives an equal

opportunities & packages as other professionals. It’s important for the

parents to talk to their children’s on the same matter. Parents across all

income groups, are petrified about choosing any other subjects less than

engineering etc.

Arts still considered a poor cousin of science subject, even though it offers

plenty of interesting & even well-paying option. A little out-of-the box

thinking is required. Parents should allow their children to dream.

SANITATION CRISIS IN INDIA!

Its early morning and local commuters queuing up for tickets at the railway

counter, but some of the people gathered for some other business along the

railway tracks. They are among the 48% of Indians who do not have access

to proper sanitation.

The people defecating along railway tracks invites unwanted audiences.

Tourists who wants to enjoy themselves commuting by trains feel trapped

in awkward moment by watching people defecating in open.

These number of people- belongs to slum areas who don’t have toilets and

defecate in open near trees and bushes along the railway track. This is a

normal and daily ritual followed strongly despite the hazards of catching

contagious diseases.

It can be more hazardous for women defecating after sunset, which invites

many danger of sexual assault. Some of the cases like two teenage girls

from the state of Uttar Pradesh were gang-raped and found hanging from a

tree after they left their village home to go to the toilet.

According to the WHO (World Health Organisation) report 60% of people

defecating in open in world live in India. More than half a billion in India

defecates in open without any privacy or dignity.

Sanitation access to all is the gimmick to which all the politicians played for

making their poll banks more strong. All the parties promised to put an end

to open defecation in their election manifesto.

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised "Toilets first, temples later"

during his election campaign. After becoming Prime Minister, Narendra

Modi launched his maiden ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ aims to make India

clean and green.

Most of the states like Haryana & Uttar Pradesh also initiated hygienic &

sanitation awareness campaign such as “No toilets, No bride”. This

campaign urged brides to reject a groom if he did not have a lavatory at

home. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation vows to build toilets in slum-

dwellers areas in India.

What could be the solution to the problem, the solution should not lie within

the manifesto or false promises made by the political parties. We as the

citizen should also realize our duties and try to change not the lives of

people living in cities but should also think about the rural part of our nation.

India will be free of open defecation only when "every Indian household,

every village, every part of Indian society will accept the need to use toilets.