Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Anna Hazare
He once contemplated suicide and even wrote a two-page essay on why he wanted to end his life. Anna Hazare was not driven to such a pass by circumstances. He wanted to live no more because he was frustrated with life and wanted an answer to the purpose of human existence.
The story goes that one day at the New Delhi Railway Station, he chanced upon a book on Swami Vivekananda. Drawn by Vivekananda's photograph, he is quoted as saying that he read the book and found his answer - that the motive of his life lay in service to his fellow humans.
Today, Anna Hazare is the face of India's fight against corruption. He has taken that fight to the corridors of power and challenged the government at the highest level. People, the common man and well-known personalities alike, are supporting him in the hundreds swelling to the thousands.
For Anna Hazare, it is another battle. And he has fought quite a few, Including some as a soldier for 15 years in Indian Army. He enlisted after the 1962 Indo-China war when the government exhorted young men to join the Army.
In 1978, he took voluntary retirement from the 9th Maratha Battalion and returned home to Ralegaon Siddhi, a village in Maharashtra's drought-prone Ahmadnagar. He was 39 years old.
He found farmers back home struggling for survival and their suffering would prompt him to pioneer rainwater conservation that put his little hamlet on the international map as a model village.
The villagers revere him. Thakaram Raut, a school teacher in Ralegaon Siddhi says, "Thanks to Anna's agitations, we got a school, we got electricity, we got development schemes for farmers.''
Anna Hazare's fight against corruption began here. He fought first against corruption that was blocking growth in rural India. His organization - the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan (People's movement against Corruption). His tool of protest - hunger strikes. And his prime target - politicians.
Maharashtra stalwarts like Sharad Pawar and Bal Thackeray have often called his style of agitation nothing short of "blackmail".
But his weapon is potent. In 1995-96, he forced the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra to drop two corrupt Cabinet Ministers. In 2003, he forced the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state government to set up an investigation against four ministers. In April this year, four days of fasting brought thousands of people out in support of his crusade against corruption. They also made the government realise it could not be dismissive about Anna Hazare and his mass appeal.
His relationship with the UPA government continues to be uneasy. The truce of April was short-lived. An exercise to set up a joint committee made up of equal numbers of government representatives and civil society activists, including Anna Hazare came to naught when the two sides failed to agree and drafted two different Lok Pal Bills. The government has brought its version in Parliament and Team Anna is livid.
The Gandhian is soldiering on. From one battle to another in his war against corruption. He fought from the front to have Right to Information (RTI) implemented. He is now fighting for the implementation of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the anti-corruption bill drafted by his team of crusaders.
This year, more than 30 years after Anna Hazare started his crusade, as the 74-year-old plans a second hunger strike in Delhi against large-scale corruption at the national level. Nothing really has changed except the scale of his battle.
The story goes that one day at the New Delhi Railway Station, he chanced upon a book on Swami Vivekananda. Drawn by Vivekananda's photograph, he is quoted as saying that he read the book and found his answer - that the motive of his life lay in service to his fellow humans.
Today, Anna Hazare is the face of India's fight against corruption. He has taken that fight to the corridors of power and challenged the government at the highest level. People, the common man and well-known personalities alike, are supporting him in the hundreds swelling to the thousands.
For Anna Hazare, it is another battle. And he has fought quite a few, Including some as a soldier for 15 years in Indian Army. He enlisted after the 1962 Indo-China war when the government exhorted young men to join the Army.
In 1978, he took voluntary retirement from the 9th Maratha Battalion and returned home to Ralegaon Siddhi, a village in Maharashtra's drought-prone Ahmadnagar. He was 39 years old.
He found farmers back home struggling for survival and their suffering would prompt him to pioneer rainwater conservation that put his little hamlet on the international map as a model village.
The villagers revere him. Thakaram Raut, a school teacher in Ralegaon Siddhi says, "Thanks to Anna's agitations, we got a school, we got electricity, we got development schemes for farmers.''
Anna Hazare's fight against corruption began here. He fought first against corruption that was blocking growth in rural India. His organization - the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan (People's movement against Corruption). His tool of protest - hunger strikes. And his prime target - politicians.
Maharashtra stalwarts like Sharad Pawar and Bal Thackeray have often called his style of agitation nothing short of "blackmail".
But his weapon is potent. In 1995-96, he forced the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra to drop two corrupt Cabinet Ministers. In 2003, he forced the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state government to set up an investigation against four ministers. In April this year, four days of fasting brought thousands of people out in support of his crusade against corruption. They also made the government realise it could not be dismissive about Anna Hazare and his mass appeal.
His relationship with the UPA government continues to be uneasy. The truce of April was short-lived. An exercise to set up a joint committee made up of equal numbers of government representatives and civil society activists, including Anna Hazare came to naught when the two sides failed to agree and drafted two different Lok Pal Bills. The government has brought its version in Parliament and Team Anna is livid.
The Gandhian is soldiering on. From one battle to another in his war against corruption. He fought from the front to have Right to Information (RTI) implemented. He is now fighting for the implementation of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the anti-corruption bill drafted by his team of crusaders.
This year, more than 30 years after Anna Hazare started his crusade, as the 74-year-old plans a second hunger strike in Delhi against large-scale corruption at the national level. Nothing really has changed except the scale of his battle.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Mentality of Indian Politions
> Indian political math
> An Indian politician went to the US to visit his counterpart. When the senator invited him home for dinner, the minister was very impressed by the lavish mansion, grounds and the costly furnishings. He asked "How can you afford all this on a meager senator's salary?"The senator smiled knowingly and took him to the window.
> "Can you see the river?""Yes""
> Can you see the bridge over it?""Of course", said the minister.
> "10 percent", said the senator smugly.
> Some time later, he had the occasion to pay a return visit.?
>
> The Indian minister lavished all hospitality on him. When they came to his house, the American was stunned by the huge palace the minister had built, glittering with precious art, hundreds of attendants etc. etc."How can you possibly afford this, on a salary in Rupees ?', he asked.
> The minister called him to the window."See the river over there?"
> "Sure", cried the senator."Can you see the bridge over it?"
> The senator looked, was confused, peered closely and said -"No, I don't see any bridge."
> " 100 percent", said the minister !!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Hi Friends...
Often on many occasions we criticize our own country for its disadvantages and attitude of people.And we criticize our governments for all these so called mishaps and chaos that India is being over-shadowed with,but forgetting the fact that we are the ones who elected them to rule over us. Strange world sometimes.. right?? Well... i made this blog getting inspired by a blog of my friend. In that she scripted her comments like this :
"We are the present youth of our nation and we have the power to change the country more than any government. If this happens, the change along with the impact would be a massive. Earlier the question used to be ‘what can the country do for us?’ but at present age the question should churn as ‘what can we do for our country?
I do realize it’s so easy to write but tough and perhaps dangerous to bring ourselves to action. But if a magazine or a movie like ‘Rang De Basanti’ could awaken me then so can I rouse my friends who read the post. When you read it, I want you to realize that you are today’s Indian youth and you have the immense power to change and dawn our country to new beginnings. I am not talking about going up to the streets and protesting for a change. As a matter of fact I myself haven’t got a clue of how to bring about this change."
After reading that i was truly inspired initially.But in a state of bother too at the same time, when i read the last line that even she was clueless about what to do.
Changes start with ideas.This blog of mine is a small one which poked my thoughts when i read the above blog.Coming straight to the point buddies-lets imagine ourselves to be working as a group all over the country to make a change unitedly. Thinking from that point of view just speak out how you will try to make INDIA a better country!!! How we can bring about changes!!!
I know this might not be considered as a realistic venture by many of you.You may even think this to be a silly, impractical idea. But guys who knows... Someday anyone could get inspired by your suggestions.And who knows..what if we succeed to bring these small suggestions of ours to a big stage where at least some sensible people among the authorities notice it!!??? Hope is too small a word but with huge consequences when they come true. Lets 'hope' for a better INDIA and 'hope' that- we Youth Can Bring a Change!!!
REPLY YOUR SUGGESTIONS THROUGH COMMENTS!!
Often on many occasions we criticize our own country for its disadvantages and attitude of people.And we criticize our governments for all these so called mishaps and chaos that India is being over-shadowed with,but forgetting the fact that we are the ones who elected them to rule over us. Strange world sometimes.. right?? Well... i made this blog getting inspired by a blog of my friend. In that she scripted her comments like this :
"We are the present youth of our nation and we have the power to change the country more than any government. If this happens, the change along with the impact would be a massive. Earlier the question used to be ‘what can the country do for us?’ but at present age the question should churn as ‘what can we do for our country?
I do realize it’s so easy to write but tough and perhaps dangerous to bring ourselves to action. But if a magazine or a movie like ‘Rang De Basanti’ could awaken me then so can I rouse my friends who read the post. When you read it, I want you to realize that you are today’s Indian youth and you have the immense power to change and dawn our country to new beginnings. I am not talking about going up to the streets and protesting for a change. As a matter of fact I myself haven’t got a clue of how to bring about this change."
After reading that i was truly inspired initially.But in a state of bother too at the same time, when i read the last line that even she was clueless about what to do.
Changes start with ideas.This blog of mine is a small one which poked my thoughts when i read the above blog.Coming straight to the point buddies-lets imagine ourselves to be working as a group all over the country to make a change unitedly. Thinking from that point of view just speak out how you will try to make INDIA a better country!!! How we can bring about changes!!!
I know this might not be considered as a realistic venture by many of you.You may even think this to be a silly, impractical idea. But guys who knows... Someday anyone could get inspired by your suggestions.And who knows..what if we succeed to bring these small suggestions of ours to a big stage where at least some sensible people among the authorities notice it!!??? Hope is too small a word but with huge consequences when they come true. Lets 'hope' for a better INDIA and 'hope' that- we Youth Can Bring a Change!!!
REPLY YOUR SUGGESTIONS THROUGH COMMENTS!!
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