When the emotions run high, truce is so fragile and pains are so intense, you must possess no heart at all to jeopardize the whole thing, however diminutive that progress might be.

What does External Affairs Minister, Mr. Natwar Singh exactly want to achieve by issuing provocative statements that India will pursue talks with Pakistan on the basis of the Simla Agreement. Was Bajpayee Government not following the spirit of Simla Agreement? Had they admitted anywhere that they would tolerate third party intervention in Kashmir (backbone of Simla Agreement)?

Had Congressmen not done enough prostrating before Soniaji when the whole nation was witnessing the drama live? Did Mr. Natwar Singh not know that India had/s given enough respect and power to Nehru Gandhi Family and now the least the Congressmen can do is not to make the foreign policy of India the hostage of Nehruvian era. Nobody can turn the clock back. Is this simple fact not obvious to Mr. Minister? Need his every act demonstrates his loyalty to Nehru Gandhi family?

We have got the reply from Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf. He said that “if the minister in his references meant that we will go by the Simla Agreement, then I don’t agree with him,” Mr Singh again reiterated that India will pursue talks with Pakistan on the basis of the Simla Agreement. At least we should grant quality of consistency to Mr. Singh.

The euphoria evident in Pakistan till recently about the peace initiative does not mean anything to our minister. Whatever miniscule progress is made between the two nations can be thrown away by such repeated irresponsible statements. When care had been taken to coach Indian Cricket Team by diplomats about what they could say publicly, so that ongoing peace process must not be endangered. All this prompted Vice Caption Rahul Dravid to say “We are not diplomats, we are players.” The minister can not let go of the temptation to lay bare his loyalty to Soniaji. I think the real political players are in action now.

India is already divided on so many lines; caste, creed, religion. The British did it. Now our own rulers are doing it. Laloo’s face flushes with pride whenever he discusses “MY (Muslims & Yadavs) Equation”. Why should we lag behind? We, the generation X, keep on inventing new means to divide it further. We create new yardsticks, day in and day out. Some decide whether you are human and not some insect, on the basis of eating joints, some on the basis of how you speak English, whether your accent is closer to Americans or not. For some your status is elevated instantly if you can use spoon and fork deftly. For some you are near to God if you are acquainted with and use all the “in things.” It is EXPECTED from literates that they will reduce the regional, religion, lingual, ethnical and others gaps. But what is happening is something else.

One of my cousins was narrating an office incident (he and his friend were working in Motorola at that time). In his office people pestered a fellow so much about his accent that he started stammering. I forgot to mention his friend was from Laloo’s state and is a professional from one of the world’s premier institutes. But all this don’t matter. How he speaks takes precedence over everything.

I remember one more incident. It involved my sister. She was in New Delhi’s United Nations office for an interview. There she met a famous writer’s cousin. He conversed with her for about 45 minutes but could not make out from her accent to which place she belonged to.
Suddenly he exclaimed, “ I detect traces of —— accent. You belong to —-place.”

My sister replied, “Yes.”

Then came the preaching part, “See you must pay attention to your accent. Otherwise people will detect your place of origin.”

Ah! If only he knew the character of my city and its people! Throwing every caution to wind, whether she will get THAT UNITED NATIONS prestigious project, my sister countered,

“I don’t want to hide to which place I belong to. And why should I bother cultivating another accent?”

Mr. ….. was speechless for few seconds, stared at her unblinkingly and admitted,
“I too carried an accent, with lots of practice I improved.”

My sister did not answer, “I have more important work to do in life”.

We thought they would never take her in that project. But they DID.

• He claims to be a cool dude. Nobody has heard him shouting till date. Without much effort you break his lifelong record in five minutes.

• Throwing his entire macho image to wind, he sobs in your lap like a baby.

• You had a talk with your male friend last night on the cell and forgot everything. He raises up the rudiments of conversation unexpectedly the next day.

• You just got up to answer the doorbell. He reminds you that your shorts are too short. It no longer is a WOW!

• You are about to tip over something. He anticipates it before you. (Read – never takes his eyes off you).

• You are sleeping peacefully, snuggled closely to your little nephew. He hugs you from the vacant side.

• You are sulking in a corner, watching him surfing the cyber world, with no obvious plan for the Valentine’s Day. On due day, flowers and gifts arrive at your doorstep, complete with the name of the website and the city, lurking in some other corner of this earth.

• He is about to retire to bed. You remind him of his ex-girlfriend. Within few minutes, you hear the “sweet and gentle” sound of his snoring.

• When he is lost and down and out . You don’t know what the right thing to say or do is. You just mumble something incoherent and it makes complete sense to him. He starts feeling sunny and bright again.

I am flying high;
The clouds,
Hanging over my roof,
Entice me to a dance.
The summer breeze,
Caresses me to insanity.
The brilliance of sun,
Invites me to compete with its magnitude.
The moon offers,
Tranquility to my turbulent soul.
The grand banyan tree,
Seems impartial in donating shelter.

I have broken my wings;
The clouds,
Hanging over my roof
Make me burst into tears.
The summer breeze,
Takes undue liberties with my body.
The brilliance of sun
Mocks at my labor.
The moon,
Wallows in self pity, faking glow in barrowed light.
The grand banyan tree,
stands helpless.
It HAS to offer shelter to passerby.

I am flying high,
I see warmth and affection in my sister’s eye.
I have broken my wings,
I see the same eyes staring back at me!

Music floating in the air,
Whispering voices
enveloping me,
Fizz of dainty wine,
Playing on my tongue,
Transporting me
to a different planet,
Not at the happening restaurant
Of town.
They promised a slice of heaven
And kept it too!

At peace with the world and myself
laughing vivaciously,
I came out.
The gateman sprang to action
Saluting us promptly.

But why this salute?
Done nothing
except, having fun
Money can offer.

Searching for answers,
I remembered
those weighty sentences,
ALL of us being greatest creation
Of nature.
Why does one equal
bow to another equal?
Why this abject gesture
of one creation
to another creation of the same God?
Why? Why? Why?
I asked aloud.

Stupid!
Spirit always cloud your faculties,
He was saluting to
The Distant future,
Sparing his progenies
from saluting my progenies.

I am reading a post, which inspired me to do a bit of my own research! And this fact dawned upon me that my fellow blogger was right all after all.

BJP and their allies are really cicadas. I will reveal their gameplan since independence. IT ALL HAPPENED IN LAST SIX YEARS. DON’T ASK HOW!

1. They agreed for partition of India. Every leader of Congress was ready to die and was opposing partition. But Bajpayee, Advani and Sangh Parivaar arm twisted Nehru and Gandhiji to concede.

2. Jawaharlal was dead against going to UN for Kashmir issue. Then Home Minister Sardar Patel said “Jawahr pachtayega”. But Advani, Bajpayee and Sangh Parivaar were so powerful. They again arm twisted poor Jawahar Lal to go to UN. See they are still sitting on both sides of LOC.

3. Jeep Ghotala involving Krishnana Menon ( he was again a victim of BJP’s conspiracy). Due to BJP, Gotalas are not recent phenomenon in Indian politics.

4.Mahalanobis model had given us giant public sectors who worked as Safed Haathi, apane hi weight nahi otha sake. This model was suggested by probably Uma Bharti to Nehru.

5. The mother of all coups. It was a conspiracy hatched by Arun Jetaly, Jai Prakash Narayan ( Laloo was mere a gullible bachcha, he could not understand the manipulation of Jai Prakash Narayan then). Advani, Bajpayee somehow convinced Indiraji ( A supporter of the world largest democratic party Indian national Congress said “Indira is India, and India is Indira”)for EMERGENCY. Poor cute doll. Again she fell prey to BJP’s heavyweights.

5. In the meanwhile Sangh Parivaar again convinced vulnerable Indiraji to depend on Saint Bhinderavalle. Due to wrong policies of BJP, the nation witnessed terrorism in Punjab, but poor Indiraji had to pay for it with her life.

6. Assam and rise of AGP, demand for Bodoland, Oh! I forgot there was a Subash Ghesing too from Darjeeling and Naga insurgency, all this happened due to the wrong policies of BJP and their leaders.

7. Novel idea of sending IPKF (Bush Jr. was not there to be rescued by Indian soldiers) to Sri Lanka. Later on CBI revealed that BJP had again misled Rajeev ji. Our soldiers had to make an … exit from that country. Goodwill was a casualty due to wrong policies of BJP. And Rajeevji had paid for the misdeeds of BJP.

8. Kashmir!! BJP was messing there since tribal attack in 1947! Misleading Nehruji all the time.

9. But they were always unable to misled Congress into a communal riots. First communal riots happened during PV N Rao’s Primeministership. BJP tied his hands to stop demolition of Babri Musjid. Earlier BJP coaxed Rajeevji to open the lock of Ram Temple and conduct a Bhoomi Poojan. Later on they hijacked the issue from Rajeevji. One has to learn back stabbing from BJP.

10. What happened in 1998? This time Bajpayeeji made an offer to Congress, —you were welcome to topple a Prime Minister by one vote casted by a Chief Minister ( someone called Gomango, he made last minute entry, just to caste his vote) and you will have Dilli. THEY DID IT. But again these Mulayams, Laloos, Left, Right, Middle? What happened? Oh! The almighty BJP again misled them. THEY TOPPLED THE GOVERNMENT BY ONE VOTE, BUT COULD NOT FORM A SINGLE GOVERNEMT. And Madam Soniaji decalred in the press conference, “WE have 273 and many more are coming” But President DOUBTED HER CREDENTIALS! HE ASKED FOR A LIST AND SIGNATURE OF ALL THE MPs! The sheer audicity of the President of India! Again BJP, tore the list, snatching it from Soniaji’s hand!

I am feeling inspired and highly optimistic. Our ancestors tried us to teach “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (This whole earth is your family.). The Congress Party being the oldest one definitely took our ancestor’s preaching seriously and converted it into concrete reality. Hats off to them.

Now I have placed very high hopes in our NRI Indians and those who are high fliers. Please acquire a wife from any country except India. Then come to India, do something to get people’s attention (if nothing else then at least leak CAT, CBSE examination papers) and fight election. This will ensure a Lok Sabha seat in Delhi.

Slowly but surely push your spouses into politics too. Teach them some tricks about Saree, Pallu, Bindi, pooja threads, Karava Chauth….It will ensure their claim to Indian nationality. Let them not surrender their home countries citizenship or passport (whatever the Indian Technicalities and bureaucracy and above all our constitution permits.) You might need it in your hour of reckoning. Remember Peruvians voted a Japanese national as their President. After 10 long years he started feeling nostalgic and returned to his dear homeland Japan and faxed his resignation from the beloved home country.

Indians living abroad, you are in a better position to execute the dream of our ancestors. Give our country a true global face. We have started getting leaders from other countries.I think with globalization, our parliament will be flooded with Columbians, Mexicans, Honoluluians, why forget Pakistanis and Chinese Nationalities. Our communist Bhais will support them as long as they are secular in their views. Our constitution framers have already left so many lacunae. So you have the full backing of the county’s highest source of power, the book called Constitution too. Congress will guard those lacunae with utmost zeal. And you will find enough intellectuals in print and broadcast media backing you. Ladies and Gentlemen, pay heed to the nation’s call. I hope many of you are already feeling charged up!

Imran to take custody of his ‘love child’
I was reading this news and absorbing the shock. He, till 1997, never acknowledged her as a daughter. But it is his personal matter.

I am thinking about other implications of these relations. It seems the norm that people keep on getting into and out of relationships. Fair enough. But why are they so stupid to bring a child into this world, if they don’t have any plan to stick together and just be busy with other things? A child has the right to get love of both the parents. The child has not filed an application to the parents to give him/her birth. But these stupidiest lot, in the heat of things, tend to forget that another life can get involved and the echo of this act can have a very far reaching effect on the child and others lives.

Why Boris Beckers, Marlyn Brandos, Ravi Shankers of this world are obsessed with spreading their seeds in different continents, but when the responsibility part appears, they turn tail and vanish??? They have sowed the seed, responsibility is over! What about the child?

Psychologists often says these children are too sensitive towards one of their parents (often with whom they are living), their extra possessiveness of mother or father creates discord in their own personal lives, when they attain maturity. They tend to see one of their parents as a victim or the wronged party. They are often forced to take sides.

Going out in the evening and playing with other kids are “normal” for many children. But not with every child. I remember one particular mother saying on TV, that her son, avoids to go out and play in the evening. He knows her mother would be alone in the house. But he does not admit so, and makes various excuses for not playing! He doesn’t want her mother to sense the real thing.

So by all means, have your fun, f*** and food, but don’t create another life amidst all this!

You must be having a well deserved rest after being out whole day, trekking somewhere in Himalayas. I hope desperately that you can check mails and visit my blog. Today is your birthday and this is the only gift I can offer you right now.

To You

Whenever I touch emotional nadir
You make sure the only option is,
To get up and gather my pieces.

Whenever I am surrounded by
Manipulation, egotism, and game playing maniacs
You make sure, I rise above all of them
And just concentrate on my work.

Whenever I was about to be one
With my own ashes,
You make sure to turn those ashes
Into life giving force.

Whenever I was licking my wound in silence
In an obscure corner, hiding from the world,
Wishing I were never born,
You resurrect my faith in me.

My staunch atheist attitude
Wavers many times,
When I think what have I done to deserve
A sister like you?
Does God really exists somewhere?
Is that why I have a sister
Like you?

Love,
To be given and received freely,
But I find no takers and no giver.

Storm,
Gathering momentum,
Threatening to burst out any instant.

Grief,
Screaming to be assuaged.

Impotent anger,
Devoid of courage.

Complaints,
But no one listens to it.

People,
Afraid of caring and sharing,
Refusing to come out of their closets.

My street fighter’s spirit,
declines to go to sleep.

From SV to us
Thanks to all of your calls and e-mails, the New York State Assembly Bill, A 10188a, which will ban the killing of non-native mammals such as lions, zebras, Corsican rams, and wild boars at Canned Shoots, passed out the Environmental Conservation Committee!!

Now, we need to take the next step of making sure this bill passes out of the Codes Committee.

Therefore, please contact Speaker Sheldon Silver to urge him to use his authority as the leader of the NYS Assembly to urge Assembly member Joseph Lentol to pass “The Canned Shoot Bill” out of his Codes Committee ASAP so it can be voted on by the entire Assembly. (That’s all you have to say!)

Speaker Sheldon Silver: 518 455 3791, Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us

Canned shoots are commercial hunts in which trophy hunters pay large fees to shoot animals in enclosed areas. These animals, who are often “retired” from zoos, circuses, or roadside shows, or may have been bred on the canned hunting facilities, often amble over to lick the hand of the shooter or trot up to the “guide’s” vehicle expecting to be fed as usual.

Animals at canned shoot “preserves” have no chance of escape, and they die in agony because hunters shoot them numerous times in the gut so as to avoid shooting them in the head. Hunters want to keep the “trophy heads” intact for mounting on the wall. This form of hunting is so deplorable that many hunting organizations, whose members adhere to “fair chase” principles, condemn canned shoots.

The current bill, sponsored by Assembly member Scott Stringer, bans the use of non-native big game mammals on all canned shoot facilities regardless of acreage. (Examples of non-native big game mammals are: lions, zebras, Corsican rams, wild boars.)

From time immemorial,
Orbiting this planet earth,
Witnessing lovers
Mooning over me,
Making love,
Manufacturing promises,
Weeping over broken promises,
Resurrecting promises.
Perceiving my
Venerated aura,
Tranquil Radiance,
Warm indifference,
Absolute allure,
As sprinklings of joy in their lives.
I am not in a meditative trance,
My infinite loveliness,
Scaring everyone away.
They love me with aloofness,
Insisting,
I bestow incessant tenderness.
Certainly I am not a saint.
Consequently here I am,
Unseen, unloved, unaccompanied,
Terrifying everyone
With my celestial integrity,
Mysterious divine beauty,
No one matches my paradigm,
So condemned to
Completing my solitary journey
Alone.