STOP TACTICS, THEATRICS AND BLACKMAILS! PLEASE! GOVERMENT & ALSO HAZARE TEAM! INDIAN CONSTITUION & DEMOCRACY ARE AT STAKE!

STOP TACTICS, THEATRICS AND BLACKMAILS! PLEASE! GOVERMENT & ALSO HAZARE TEAM! INDIAN CONSTITUION & DEMOCRACY ARE AT STAKE! by Sridhar Patel on Friday, August 26, 2011 at 3:10pm Mr Hazare: What next? Want to 'gherao' parliament? If your condition is to pass a bill that ONLY YOUR bill be passed, NEED NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST OMBUDSMEN BILL, then why do we need a parliament? Why do we need to discuss? Why do we need any other pillar of democracy? We will make life simpler... If we need a solution for anything, we will go on an 'indefinite fast' (Mind you: It is not a 'fast unto death'. Not sure of the choice of words by the team B of jokers). We will get a law without a discussion, and get santri to CJI under its ambit, blackmail, instigate, provoke people at the same time say 'I am peace loving'. If a 'Gandhian' says 'gherao parliament, MP's, 7 RCR, then poor old Gandhi must be turning in his grave now that his last name hijacked and mistaken for another family and now if his idealism too is hijacked. Did anyone who blidnly get carried away by this wave know the meaning of an 'Ombudsman' (English for 'Lok pal') mean? Merriam Webster defines an Ombudsman as: 1: a government official (as in Sweden or New Zealand) appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials 2: one that investigates, reports on, and helps settle complaints It DOES NOT say get Judiciary. It is not a way to get judiciary under a Lok pal. If say one doctor was reported a quack in a newspaper, does that mean that the next time you visit a doctor, you ask him to prove he is a doctor? Yes, judges too can be corrupt. But you cannot get them under an ombudsman. Get judicial reforms for that. Nothing else. Even if you drop this, it still does not give you a right to subvert the Constitution of India and Democratic System of India. Those are supreme. Politicians have let the country down and do not forget, We, Indians have let the country down (by making corruption a way of life and 'chaltaa hai', 'jugaad' as part of our life). It is not the other way round. If you say ALL politicians are corrupt, then why on earth did you elect them? Or is it that you didn't even vote? Do not even attempt to hijack the parliament. A lady tried doing it in the mid 70's and left an indelible mark on the face of India called Emergency. Next thing is to get this Lokpal to cover all the states. Remember Indian constitution says that (and I quote the preamble) India is a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic. It is a an amalgamation of Federal and Union structure. How can Centre force states to go for Lokayuktas? That is a state subject for God's sake! Go to the states and fight it over there. Please start it with the North East. That is the most alienated part of the country. Can you? Would you? And Mr. Kejriwal, stop your arrogance and SHUT UP. It is not as much that the governments inaction that is hurting the health of Hazare but your arrogant ways. Whenever I see you talking, I am reminded of the climax scene of a Hindi movie 'Guide' where Raju is forced to go on a fast for rains without his will and wish and then, not let to eat until it rains. By the time it starts raining, people forget that there is someone fasting until death and he is forgotten, and the poor guy dies in a bid to become immortal. Please do not let this old guy die like that for your aspirations. Indian rural society needs more and more of people like Hazare to improve their standard of living - irrigation, grain banks, strengthening grass roots democracy and much more. Lastly, surprise from the most unlikeliest of quarters. Yes, why not make the ombudsman a constitutional body? Prince Gandhi might have had a great media manager and a political advisor who have planted this thought, or he himself might have gotten a 'Eureka' moment, but, I care the least where it came from. But, if the Election Commission is spotless, if the Lokayukata has been spotless, if the CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) is spotless, if CVC is spotless (Thomas had to quit, and that is because of the checks and balances in the Law and not because he wanted to quit or not because the government wanted him to go), why not have a constitutional body of Lok pal? Think! Act sensibly! Please! India deserves nothing but the best. Let it get it out of discussions, and brainstorming, but not with blackmails.

I SUPPORT ANTI-CORRUPTION, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT ANNA HAZARE

Extracts from my Facebook notes and discussions: I SUPPORT ANTI-CORRUPTION, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT ANNA HAZARE by Sridhar Patel on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 2:54pm At the cost of being unpopular, let me be clear: I am a 100% supporter of any anti-corruption movement but, I DO NOT SUPPORT Kisan Baburao - Anna Hazare. Corruption is the biggest leach of Indian society, polity and economy. Agreed. But people who are naming this as the second Independence movement, do you know the difference between Independence movement and a social cleansing mechanism? There is a need for better anti corruption law, but, I DO NOT support Anna, his ways and his theatrics. You have done your part, woke the urban society. Thank you for that. But that is it. Agreed that the entire political spectrum in the country is corrupt, but, you and your team should not cross the line and try to be law makers. If you want to be a law maker, get elected and get into the House. DO NOT try to do it using the blackmail tactics. You do not even represent the entire civil society. Do not forget the Aruna Roy's version of Lokpal is far better than yours but did not get as much air time and remains largely unheard of. Do not try to take the place of the new Father of the Nation. There have been better contenders for that (JP) who could not fit in those shoes.You wont too. History will remember you as the one who got the urban masses educated on the need for anti-corruption bill. Be happy with it. YOU DO NOT DESERVE BEYOND THAT. In response to a friend's comment on this post where he said that I seem to be a Congress supporter, I wrote: I am equally irritated with both the family run businesses (one of Gandhi's and the other one being Sangh). I do not like the 'Rahul Bhajan Mandali' along with the guy himself who lacks experience and is no different from any other person if that family tag is removed nor do I like the octogenrain who ideally should have retired by now along with his senior but who is still sitting in the Lok Sabha with the single wish of doing a 'house warming ceremony' at 7RCR. But I have always liked certain individuals and I do not have any qualms about it. I do not even think twice when I say that AB Vajpayee and PV Narasimha Rao were the best PM's that India ever had. Both of them have had cases of inaction against them (one where the Centre was sleeping when a centuries old structure was being demolished with 'ek dhakka aur do, babri masjid tod do!' slogans running high and the other where the External Affairs minister of the country escorts a dreaded terrorist and a bus over the Gangetic plains and Punjab lead to the hills of Kashmir). They made history in more than one way. Yes, Man was the best FM our country had in the recent times but his self confessed helplessness and coalition compulsions have deprived him of being a good PM. There is no ways about the black money, 3G, CWG, Air India, and all the other scams and the rampant corruption that is running the show. I also mentioned in my note that I do not subscribe to the rampant corruption of this government and nor do I support the ways they are using to handle situations. Especially the way jokers like Ambica Soni, Kapil Sibal, Singhvi, and the gang are handling the government. I guess they never heard of the saying 'It is better to shut you mouth and let people wonder if you are a fool, rather than opening your mouth and confirming that'. As I said, I do support the anti corruption awareness of the day and thank Anna Hazare for that. But, nothing more. That does not mean that I want an anti corruption bill which is not the best around and which can jeopardize the working of any government. I want a government that works on its own and looks after its people any day vis-a-vis a government that would not act and cannot act on anything because even the judiciary comes under a 'super power' called Lokpal. If that is the case then why would you need a parliament, a judiciary or an executive? Lets do away with all of them and create one Lokpal. But what after that? Who will monitor them? If you want judiciary to monitor the executive and a parliament to monitor the judiciary and a Lokpal to monitor the parliamentarians (including the PMO) then that is fine. But if you want to do away with all the existing structure and bodies and get even the judiciary under its perview, then I am sorry. I wont subscribe to it. There should be checks and balances. Correct. But, there should not be any Frankenstine monsters around. We are better without them. I was sharing this with one of my other friends the other day, and I say that here again - corruption has become a part and parcel of our lives. The same people (including you and I) who brag about corruption do not mind bribing a constable for a 'petty traffic offense'. We find it absolutely fine when we say 'do this bit of work and I will give you an extra chocolate' to a kid. We do not even spare God when we say 'I will break a 100 coconuts if you do xyz to me'. We do not realize that all that is ALSO bribing. If you want to fight corruption, start it with a 'No' at home. I said that I thank that guy (Anna Hazare) for the awareness that he generated with the urban folks. But he does not deserve beyond it. If he wants to be a law maker. Let him be one. It is easy to sit in Ramlila Maidan and give a speach. It is a totally different story to sit in Parliament and discuss a bill. If you are saying that MP's are corrupt, I ask who got them there and who made them corrupt in the first place? If putting the bill for discussion in the parliament is the aim, then, why can't an MP (Agnivesh is a strong supporter of his and an MP too) put the so called 'Jan Lokpal' as a private member bill? Then the parliament will have to discuss it. But no, that will take the fizz out, the TRP's will fall for these news channels, and Anna will have to go back to his crusade of agricultural reforms, creating water banks, fighting for the rural issues in the Maharashtra heartland and he is good at that. But, the only problem being he won't get this publicity and attention to do theatrics. Think! :)

Random Pursuits Of Self

Started reading The book that I always wanted to. Always intrigued by the fact when people used to say that this (as the other two major works of other religions) were the means with which He is trying to talk to lesser mortals. But, when I started to read it, now I know why people say that. Now I know why people regard this sort of book as the epitome of everything that one needs to know. Yes, the things are told in a totally simplistic way, but, life is not as simple as it looks. Rather what things look like need not necessarily be what they actually are. That is what makes us what we are... creatures who complicate life when He gave everything simple. We choose not to look at things as He gave, but, we try to look at things through our own prism, the prism called our 'perspective'. How stupid of us!

The book itself says:

na tu mam sakyase drastum
anenaiva sva-caksusa
divyam dadami te caksuh
pasya me yogam aishvaram

Though this is purport to have been told by one person to another one as a one-to-one, I, however, feel (so do many people) that this is a way of He talking to each one of us. He says, that with these 'human vision' of yours, you cannot see Me, with all my splendor and opulence. You need 'miraculous vision' in order to be able to see Me, as I am all encompassed.

Look at it in a simple way, as a simple verse, it might mean something. But, I look at it like this...

We are so blinded by our own prisms of perspectives, of thoughts, of limited knowledge that we fail to see the obvious. We need to look 'beyond the obvious' to know what things are, as they exist in reality. That will give us a totally different and unique way of looking at things and progressing and at the same time, regressing. What might have seemed to be a simple pebble or a stone rolling would have been that had the human of that day not looked at it beyond what his predecessors have always seen it. But, he looked at it in a totally different way and we got something called as a 'wheel'. A wheel that drove us to where we are right now. No one can deny the importance of this invention. At the same time, till that fateful day, no one, not even its inventor might have thought that a filled in plane, if hits a skyscraper at the right position will have the fuel to be combusted, melt the iron skeleton that beholds the structure and bring down not just the structure, but also a symbol, a symbol of a thought process that we know as a free world, a capitalist world in what we know as the land of opportunities come crumbling down.

Look... look beyond the human vision, and you can look everything in Him, as He has created, both living and the non-living, past, present and future, and in the truest sense. At that point, everything will be peaceful, no attachment... only serene.

Well, why am I talking about this verse and this interpretation one may ask. I just opened The book, took a random page and read it and I think that this one coming up is not a coincidence. Or is it? May be I need some divine vision to make it out!

Nero And Robin

I hate politicians.

I say I hate politicians not because they have come to epitomize the corruption, got the culture of courtiers, chamchas and goons into the mainstream, split the entire country deep down on lines of caste, religion, creed, what not! I say I hate politicians not because the only thing they know is to ‘save their a##’, and behave as if they are God sent and forget that they are in their political seats of power because of the silent voters who vote them in (and out of power if things go way out of control) and try snub them at every given opportunity. They behave as if the common man is a cockroach, and once in 5 years as a ‘vote bank’. They, for their own personal ends and means, just because they have to get their opponents from within his own party and because they have to end those people’s political careers can go to whatever extent. Here, let me talk about our ‘Robin hood’ who gathers goons, thugs, and people beyond law; pack them into lorries, vans, jeeps, and get them into a city a good 250 odd km away, and orchestrate riots, the worst riots and thankfully the last big ones till date that this city has seen. He threw those opponents out of power and in doing so, threw his own political party out of power. Then, he got into the drivers seat of power of his party, and take on a ‘Nero’. While our ‘Nero’ was busy wooing the white skinned people creating a ‘cyber land’, this ‘Robin hood’ sat calmly, with a smile on his face which at times was really provoking a fight when his opponents had objections on his way of work. This Robin Hood is truly of a feudal mould. Born in a rich feudal and most importantly a factionist family, from an agrarian background, never had to think about money. He, after all, was born with not just a golden spoon but with a golden spoon studded with diamonds. The amount of land his family owned was counted as only ‘as far as your eye can see’ and could not, and still cannot be measured in acres. It still is so. Some of it own and earned property, some of it encroached government land, some of it handed down by his ancestors, and some just ‘gifted’ by people you know who. This Robin Hood was one of the youngest taxpayers from that part of the land. Being from a feudal background, was also well educated, a professional doctor at that. Feudal and factionism took the better and also, probably a thought that an extension to the power is politics. At that time, ages ago, Robin Hood met Nero, both as comrades, as partners, as friends started their careers. Nero, due to factors beyond anything, and initially by virtue of sentiments associated with his wedlock, has moved on to the tent of the best theatric and by far the most enigmatic leaders of the place. Robin Hood stuck to the roots, quite literally, not just to the political affiliations but also to the rustic rural background. Cut the picture to over a decade, Robin Hood, as mentioned, has become the head of his unit (with a little help with the goons, thugs, sprinkled with a few riots, faction feuds, and all) and Nero, after cutting from the ‘umbilical chord’ of his charismatic pap-in-law (and what a way he cut that chord… it was so bloody, that Nero’s thrown was washed with blood) has become the ‘king’ of the land. But, Nero being Nero was not satisfied with the Rome he had at his disposal, but, wanted to build his own Rome in cyber land, totally forgetting that his kingdom remains intact by virtue of the real votes of the real Romans, and not by the virtual Romans of his virtual land. But, Robin Hood being Robin Hood, though had every wealth, with all the power in his backyard ‘estate’ was aspiring for more. Aspiring is one thing, but walking for 1500 km directly onto the thrown of the land was a thing of awe. Being a doctor by profession, Robin Hood knew the ‘pulse’ of Romans and much better than Nero himself. To try and give a panacea for these Romans, he tried giving things, essentials and at times non-essentials too. But, at the same time, he gave things to his courtiers too and also ended up creating a mini ‘Sanjay’ in his own family. He also tried selling parts of Rome to serve people and also his people. But, at the end of the day, Romans never ceased to be in awe of this Robin Hood. But that is not just why I hate politicians of the day, or do I have to say, of the recent past (though it is not still that very believable to talk in the past tense in this story).

Both Robin Hood and Nero loved to hate each other and hated to love each other. That is the most simplistic way to put things across. But, that is the fact. They never left an opportunity to swear at each other. Robin Hood was on record in saying that Nero would feel ashamed of being born to his mother if all the truth comes out about the past. Nero was not far behind when he accused Robin Hood of being a cold-blooded murderer. Both of them stooped downed to newer lows by the day. But at the end of the day they were still friends and it is the best-kept secret. I get reminded of the lines that transpire between King Priam and Achillies, which go something, like this… ‘If I let you walk out of here, if I let you take him, it doesn’t change anything. You are still my enemy in the morning’ to which King Priam retorts ‘you are still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can show respect’. And here, the issue is between opponents, and not enemies when I talk about Robin Hood and Nero. They lived in Rome, which, thankfully, was still a democracy. Two small anecdotes based on which I can vouch for the fact that both were good friends, though opponents in the public eye. Nero had made enemies while trying to build his cyber land and those were called the ‘red shirts’ and these ‘red shirts’ plotted to kill Nero but thankfully, he survived the attempt on his life. It is said that among the first one to call Nero was Robin Hood to enquire about his well-being. Also, the other incident was when Robin Hood went walking to know the pulse of Romans, as it was long strenuous walk in mid summer, he had sunstroke and at that time, it was Nero who sent his personal set of doctors and good facilities to the doorsteps of Robin Hood. Enemies don’t do that. Opponents also cannot do that. It is only friends who can do that kind of a thing.

I hate politicians precisely because of this. To take a leaf from a very colorful and most eloquent ruler of another country, ‘Politicians also have personal lives’. But not for public consumption I guess. Never could the friends meet. Now, they never can. I hate politicians because of not the other reasons, but because of the sheer absence of humanity, a personal touch for their own, just because they are compelled to act to the gallery. And the gallery does not approve of friendship between Nero and Robin Hood.

This is for the Robin Hood, who lost his life because of bad weather, because of rains. The same rains about which he joked a while back that the rain God has joined his fold and that is the reason that there never was a drought in the land from the time he took to the realm. And he Robin Hood vanished in the forests, close to the rural folks that he claimed to be his. And he had to be brought back to the city after taking help from an ambulance network service, which he has been instrumental in getting wider and to serve the common man. He died while on his way to take a walk, this time only to take a walk for a place in history.

I hate all politicians equally, but, at the same time, I have no objection to admitting and approving the small ‘blips’ of good work that they do… few and far between.

I guess you, the reader would know who the Nero, Robin Hood and the other characters are in this story.

Be compassionate, be humane, be a politician later... you never know if there is a tomorrow ever!

Diwali - Eid - 'Hyderabadiyat'

Been a while since I have posted something here. I still am not able to do justice to this completely, but, as of now, I have this writeup I have made for some other purpose a couple of years back, when both Diwali and Eid fell on the same day. That was the time, I wrote about the significance of both these festivals, and how similar all the religions are, though we keep fighting on petty issues. Also, through this essay, I tried to show how Hyderabad celebrates both these festivals, and tried giving it a local flavor.

So, here it is...

If India is known for its rich cultural heritage and religious tolerance, welcome to the Melting pot, Hyderabad! What best time to know about the cultural and religious heritage than this month, November, for, this is the most happening month on the festive calendar, after all this is the month when Deepavali and Eid-Ul-Fitr are celebrated! This is not about knowing how these festivals are celebrated, but to throw light on the much finer aspect that is going missing in the modern day world and how close we both are, two brothers after all!

This is the most revered, the most pious month according to both the Islamic calendar and also the Hindu calendar. Eid marks the end of Ramadan, the month long fasting. Eid-Ul-Fitr literally means “Festival of Breaking the Fast” in Arabic. Ramadan, the holy ninth month of Islamic calendar is the month of sacrifice and to look inwards and become a better human. It is marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. It is primarily a way of seeking proximity to God.

Ramadan and its significance is marked by the fact that it is mentioned as Siyam (singular: Saum) in Arabic which is the fourth pillar of Islam and places a number of rules for self restraint on the activities of Muslims during Ramadan. This month is significant as this was the month when the holy Qur’an was revealed to the humans through the Prophet Muhammad by the holy angel Gabriel. Muslims consider the Qur’an to be God's speech recorded in the Arabic language, and transmitted to humanity through Prophet Muhammad, who is considered the last of the prophets.

On the other hand, Diwali falls on the last day of the seventh month of the Hindu calendar, Ashwin. There are many tales about the festival based on which part of the country you hail from. On this very day the sun enters its second course and passes Libra, which is represented, by the balance or scale. Hence, this design of Libra is believed to have suggested the balancing of account books and their closing. Despite the fact that this day falls on an amavasya (new-moon) day it is regarded as the most auspicious. Diwali is the day when King Ram’s coronation was celebrated in Ayodhya after his epic war with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka.

By order of the royal families of Ayodhya and Mithila, the kingdom of which Sita was princess, the cities and far-flung boundaries of these kingdoms were lit up with rows of lamps, glittering on dark nights to welcome home the divine king Ram and his queen Sita after 14 years of exile, ending with an across-the-seas war in which the whole of the kingdom of Lanka was destroyed. In Kerala it is celebrated as the day of the return of their beloved king, Bali. The story is that Vaman, an avatar of Vishnu while sending Bali to the nether world, gave him a blessing that he can return to his people once a year to light millions of lamps from the one lamp that was gifted by Vaman himself, so that on the dark new moon light of Diwali, the blinding darkness of ignorance, greed, jealousy, lust, anger

It is also the day when the world celebrates the end of the demon king Narakasur ruler of Pragjyotishpur (a province to the South of Nepal) in the hands of Lord Krishna.

Prophet Muhammad said, “Ramadan burns the sins and faults, just as the fire burns the wood.” The importance of this divine month was reiterated by the Prophet when he said, “The Month of Ramadan is the month of Allah (God), bringing His Mercy and Forgiveness.” And the Hindus light the diyas on Diwali to denote that innumerable rays of light and knowledge pierce the impenetrable darkness and ignorance. A sublime light of knowledge dawns upon humanity and devotion of man finally conquers ignorance. This self-enlightenment is expressed through the twinkling lamps, the diyas that illuminate the palaces of the wealthy as well as the lowly abodes of the poor.

It is believed that on this day Lakshmi walks through the green fields and loiters through the bye-lanes and showers her blessings on man for plenty and prosperity. Both Ramadan and Diwali speak of correcting oneself and becoming a better human. According to Islam, Ramadan fasting leads one to become a better human by way of conquering oneself, their desires and wants to attain knowledge while the diyas of Deepavali signify the attainment of knowledge.

In Islam, fasting is worship, a time of reflection to refresh our long-forgotten pledge with God, the pledge of being perfect witnesses of the Prophets’ lifestyle. It is the time to look at ourselves critically, see where we have departed from the ways of the Prophets. On the other hand, the Hindus, on the day of Diwali, worship the goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi. Muslims, as mentioned before, believe that the month on the whole is blessed as the holy Qur’an was bestowed to the humanity and that the humans can reach the closest to Him this whole month. There is a belief in the Hindus that Lakshmi walks on the earth during Diwali and to welcome her, the pujas are done.

So, no matter you are a Hindu or a Muslim, this is the time you can get the closest to God. On the day of Eid, there are special prayers that are held at the Idgahs, where people congregate in large groups and offer prayers to God. Diwali is also marked by a visit to the nearest temples in the day and pujas done along with the families at night. And how can Diwali and the festivities be complete without the mention of firecrackers? After all, this is the festival of lights, sweets, rangolis and crackers and fireworks, not necessarily in that order! There generally are marathon rounds of cracker bursting that at times continue till the wee hours of the next day!

Now let’s look at the similarities in the way we celebrate these festivals. One buys new clothes, and lights and decorations mark the festivities. Children are seen as the busiest lot with gifts galore. There is shopping frenzy all around as it is the biggest festival. Families and friends visit each other and exchange sweets and dry fruits. They also have special meals together. They greet and hug each other and seek blessings from the elders. This is a typical festive atmosphere, and one cannot make out whether this was a mention about the Eid or Diwali as such, as this is how both of them are celebrated.

Almost similar! In fact, one of the main features that mark Eid is the charity that is associated with it. There are business communities, mostly from the “Old” parts of Lukhnow, Delhi or Hyderabad where both Muslims as well as Hindus equally take part in giving a percentage of their earnings to charity, either to the poor or to the nearest masjid. Ask any old timer from these cities as to what festival it would be when people wear new clothes, exchange sweets and especially dry fruits, he would have two answers… Eid or Diwali!

There is a very good reason behind Hyderabad being referred as the “Melting Pot” and that reason is a delicacy that is special to this place! At the time of Eid, visit any Muslim family and there is a “Must Have” dish, which is called “Sheer Korma”. Also, if you visit any Hindu family, not just in Hyderabad, but to any typical Telugu household of the Telangana, you would for sure be served with a dish called “Penilu”. So what? What is the similarity, one might ask! Sugar, dry fruits fried in clarified butter and vermicelli in milk, that is how it is made no matter you call it “Sheer Korma” or “Penilu”!

Well, if you are still thinking about the similarities, then here is more food for thought. Diwali is the day when Bhagvan Mahaveer, one of the holiest prophets of Jainism attained “Nirvana” this day and this is the reason that makes this day auspicious for Jains. So, time for prayers, celebrations, feasts, Indian style, whether you are a Hindu, a Muslim or a Jain!

This probably is the shortest blog post that I would ever post for this. First things first... not good on my part that I couldn't take time out to post more for my blog... but here is the part why I came here...

I wanted to share a hunch that I have... regarding this US Elections 2008. I don't know if the 'Bradley Effect' will play its role and would transform and rename itself into the 'Obama Effect' or not... but... even if he wins the elections, I am really skeptical about him completing the term... I know that all this is a big conditionality... a big 'If' but... I still wanted to put my hunch and share it... before their D day... don't know if it would be a 'Bradley Effect' that would stop him or may be some Neo Nazi group or a racist group or a KKK or what not... but... I feel it would be a real miracle if he gets into the Oval and also sits there for the entire term!

Well... why... one might ask... C'mon folks... we are talking about the country which proclaims itself to be the messaiah of democracy, of equality, of freedom of everything... but... no non-white has ever reached a commanding position in that country... neither did any other 'minority' section... be it a Hispanic or a woman... and I still remember reading somewhere that Kissinger was the best person who has never gotten to sit in the Oval office... and the reason being that he was not a 'born' American and that he is not a Christian nor does his roots belong to Europe/UK... he is a Jew with roots in Israel!

Now as their history reckons... I am reminded of Faiz... and his lines... Hum Dekhenge!!!

Next one after their tryst with their destiny is done and dusted!

A ***** General, A Gorkha, And A True Indian

‘… Your airforce has been destroyed. You are surrounded on all sides. And if you don’t surrender, you will be killed unmercifully’ the voice thundered. These were the chilling words that I first came across when I was a kid and when I saw some video on air from the Films Divisions archives. I was so awestruck with that video and that person who said those words that I always wanted to get hold of that archive and record that address for myself to listen to. If that was the impact that speech had on me, I can but only imagine the impact that address would have had when it was originally aired… on All India Radio, way back when I was not even born. It was over a generation back! That original address would, I am sure, have given chills down the spines for the people it was meant for, serving its purpose. That was the first time that I have ever come across a picture and the name of this person. My first impression on him… he too had a long nose like me and he too is an Arian like me (am not trying to compare myself to this legend and neither am I trying to belittle him by comparing him with me, but, I seem to come across and have a liking to read about the persona of these people with long pointed nose… more about some more long nosed people some other day, may be), a fair complexion, trimmed moustache and an impeccable smile. I am talking about Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, the first of the only two Field Marshals of India till date. A Five Star General from Indian Army and the eighth Army Chief of Indian Army.

The more I started to read about this person, the more I started admiring him. Let me share some aspects or tit-bits of this person, which I have always been fascinated about:

He never budged down in front of any politician or any babu. It was only his faith, conviction and his caring about his people that would have changed any decision he wanted to take… no one else! There is this story about he being summoned by the then PM into a cabinet meeting where they were discussing the biggest problem of the day. There were at least 4 CM’s who have sent in telegrams that they were no longer in a position to absorb the mass exodus of refugees into their states. The entire cabinet, in one voice wanted some action to be taken (read: WAR). The PM briefed him about the background and the entire situation (with details that he did not have as he was privy to most of that information already). The long nosed PM asked him… ‘So what are you doing about it?’ And this man, with his cool smile, just said: ‘Nothing’. A pause and he continued, ‘It has got nothing to do with me. You did not consult me when you allowed our BSF, CRPF to encourage the Pakistanis (read: people of the then East Pakistan) to revolt. Now that you are in trouble, you come to me. I have a long nose. I know what’s happening’. He then asked her what she expected from him. Mercurial as she was, she said ‘I want you to enter Pakistan.’ To that he responded ‘That means war!’ This was a conversation in early 1971. This was what he himself shared with the world. Indira was stunned and puzzled. The reasons that he did not give to the cabinet, but only to her was that his armored division and two of his infantry divisions were away, in Jhansi and Samba sectors. If was to be declared right at that point in time, those three divisions should come back to the theatre. It meant that all the rail wagons of that time would have to be diverted to get them along with blocking the roadways. Even if the government of the day was ready for that, it meant that the railways would have to carry the army and all the harvest of the year from the Gangetic belt from Punjab to UP would not have any means of transport and without moving them to the godowns, the harvest of the year would have rotten. Besides, by the time the forces were moved to the theatre, the monsoons would have started. And monsoon in East Pakistan and the North East of India is to be faced to believe. When it rains, it pours. Even till date, starting from Bihar, Bengal to the ‘Seven Sisters’ and not to mention Bangladesh and Burma, this entire region reins in floods, without fail. Had it been some other person at the helm of Army, not to demean any other Generals who came before and after Sam, they would probably have budged to that demand, c’mon if the entire babudom and the cabinet and 4 CM’s wanted it, you need to be very strong to go against the tide. But we are not talking about anyone else. We are talking about Sam. After that meeting ended on that note, when the cabinet has left the room, and he was about to leave, Indira Gandhi asked him to stay back. The purpose was to know what was running in Sam’s mind and why he had to put his foot down firmly. But Sam, being proactive, asked, ‘… may I send you my resignation on grounds of health (mental or physical)?’ This took her aback and she rejected that idea of Sam’s resignation. And this, we are talking about the person whom Sam himself has referred to as the most short-tempered woman he had ever come across. Theirs was the best team that led India to its proudest military moment and got the Indian Army to its zenith.

Another story also is about this time. This war took just 13 days and the Indian Army was knocking on the doors of Decca (that was how it was called at that time, not Dhaka). But it was December and not before the onset of monsoon. Thank God and Sam that we didn’t do that mistake of starting the war any other time than in December 1971. OK, coming back to this story, we were in Decca. Sam has addressed the Pakistani Army and the entire East Pakistan through that AIR address asking the Pakistani army to surrender. After that, everyone, press, people, politicians and not to forget the babu’s have all assumed that Sam will personally go and accept the surrender by the Pakistani army at Decca. After all, over 93,000 troops, one of the largest ever in this world, were going to surrender. Sam just laughed at it. It was Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Arora (referred to as Jaggi by Sam) who accepted that surrender of the Pakistani army, which was represented by the maniac AK Niazi. Later Sam clarified that he would have gone to accept the surrender if it were the chief of Pakistan army that was surrendering, but to accept the surrender from Niazi, who was in-charge of Pakistan’s Eastern Command, would be demeaning his stature. It was. How many would have understood that logic all by themselves? He got elevated to the rank of Field Marshal for his leadership role. He commented on this, ‘While Jaggi did all the work, I got the baton’ with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

Well, I chose these two instances to highlight the fact as to how logical was Sam, not to forget the ‘think and understand from all angles before you decide’ and ‘think logically, think with past and present in mind and also the likely impact of your decision’ aspects of this person.

There are some specialties to Sam… vast experience, of being a part of 5 wars (three Indo-Pak wars, one Indo-China war and also the WW II), the first Field Marshall, a five star General, a person who had a ‘love hate’ relationship with the political class of the country, a people’s General and last but not the least, a smiling and humane General. He was so humane that he never ill-treated his enemies too. There was this story about him, when he went to Karachi after India won the war, there were some people who just came and touched his feet. Sam was surprised at that and asked as to why they are doing that. In response, they said, ‘it was because of you that our children are alive. They have surrendered to your (Indian) army and we get letters from our children that they are being treated well, you have provided them Quran Sharif as per their request and no one is ill-treating them’. Years before this, actually when everything started, in 1947, Jinnah had offered him a good rank and a nice position if he chooses to join the Pak army instead of Indian. He was acceptable to an Islamic Pakistan, after all Sam is not a Hindu; he is a Parsi (something like what Jinnah’s daughter’s family, the Wadia’s of the Bombay Dyeing were). Sam did not accept that offer. Years later, Sam was asked this question ‘what would have happened had you accepted that offer by Jinnah and joined Pakistan army?’ to which pat came the reply ‘The result of the war would have been different’. How true! Though his dedication towards the country is unquestionable, he also had friends in Pakistan and he was proud of it. After the first Indo-Pak war, he told Nehru that Ayub Khan can do what he would like (in Pakistan) and at that time, what Nehru did was unquestionable in India. ‘Can we sort it out?’ asked Sam indicating that Kashmir dispute can be solved if his personal rapport was what it needed to solve it. He had created enemies thanks to his trait of speaking his mind out. He took Krishna Menon, the defense minister of India at the time of Indo-China war. He was totally sidelined as a result, in 1961. Nehru soon realized that Menon’s policies were not right and sought his resignation. After that, he sent Sam to the Eastern front for fire fighting. Immediately, after reaching the Eastern Front, Sam sent out a message that there will not be any withdrawal without any written orders and also that the written orders would never be issued. In other words, he meant that he wouldn’t mind dying than to withdraw or surrender. This, he said to the totally outnumbered and demoralized Indian Army of the day. These words worked magic on the troops and they rallied around Sam and gave their best shot. Compare this with the ‘My heart goes’ address of Nehru to the Assam and Arunachal people after the Chinese invaded those territories where people were confused if Nehru was going to surrender based on the way and the wordings of the address.

There was this saying in the Army that no one who worked under and with Sam ever had to worry about any injustice, for; there were no losers under Sam’s command. If there were any cases that were brought to his notice, Sam used to check and find out any reason, however trivial it might, to save that person, believing in natural and liberal justice system. But at the same time, Sam never tolerated any injustice by his people. There is this story about a General who was being court marshaled for misusing Army funds. The case came up to Sam. Sam just read through the entire case and made one statement to that General. He said, ‘your chief is not only accusing you of being dishonest but also calling you a thief. If I were you, I would go home and either shoot myself or resign. I am waiting to see what you will do’ and he postponed the hearing for the next day. The accused, so ashamed of this, quit the Army by the next day.

Everyone knows that Sam was the product of the first batch of pass outs of the IMA, Dehradun, that he was awarded a Military Cross by his superior, one Major General Cowan, who spotted him after being hit point blank in stomach, took out his own Military Cross and pinned on Sam and said ‘A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross’, not knowing that, contrary to his thoughts, Sam would survive, to reach the heights that everyone who dons an olive dress or any other service dress would aspire to. Everyone knows that he came from the Gorkha Regiment and that headed the infantry division and a command before he became the Chief. That he was born in Amritsar in a family where serving the Army was never heard of. He was awarded with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushans while serving and that he became the first Field Marshal of India just about 15 days before he retired. But not many know that he had a great sense of humor.

He was known to have challenged, in lighter spirits though, the power of Indira Gandhi. He is known to have said ‘… don’t you think I would prove to be a worthy replacement? You have a long nose and so have I. I don’t poke my nose into other people’s affairs and you don’t poke your nose into my affairs’ when Indira Gandhi drew his attention to the reports that he might launch a coup against her after the ’71 war, for which she replied ‘No Sam, you can’t’ and then Sam responded with ‘what do you mean I can’t, do you think I am so incapable?’ and Indira had to change her statement and say, ‘not that Sam, I meant you wont’ and he wouldn’t. He believed in the principle that it is his job to fight, to win and not to run the country. He said ‘I don’t poke my nose in other people’s affairs’ and he did his own work, at the same time not letting others poke their noses into his affairs of running the Army.

He was so close to his people, the Gorkha Regiment that he is quoted to have said, ‘If someone says that he doesn’t fear anything, then, either he is lying or he is a Gorkha’. He was a true Gorkha and would remain one, someone like the Lawrence of Arabia, born a Parsi in Punjab to being ‘born again’ as a Gorkha.

He probably was the last of the military leaders who have and will remain captured in popular imagination. They simply don’t make generals like him anymore I guess!

This one is for Sam Bahadur: April 3, 1914 – June 26, 2008.