TRUE SAYING

There is a famous saying that it is only the wearer of shoe who knows where it pinches. It is so true. We read a lot of incidents of persons being looted at knife or gun point. We do feel  sad for such persons but the enormity of robbed person never can be gauged by us just by reading or listening in news. Why, here is the reply.

I and  my wife stay alone as our children are settled. Our daughter is married and our son along with his family is in another country.

For the past few years my wife goes for a walk alone in the mornings from our residence Up to a crossing near a Sports Complex cum park. She walks  on the main road. She also feeds pigeons who are aplenty near that sports complex just before crossing. I do not accompany her as I walk very slow due to my knee problem and I utilize that time to feed our 10 years old dog after taking her for a short walk as she also does not want to walk more due to old age.

On Sunday, the 10th April 2016 she went for walk at 8:30 am. Around 9:30 am a friend came to our house and told me that my wife is sitting & crying on the pavement of main road near Sports complex as she has been robbed of her gold bangles and chain He accompanied me to that place. One of the persons who had gathered there had informed police and there were a number of police personnel, including a couple of them in civil dress who seemed to be fairly senior, there. It took me some time to calm my wife down to an extent where she could at least tell what happened. She told that as soon as she climbed the pavement where pigeons flock, a young man approached her from side road. There was another man standing near a motorcycle. He told her they are from police flashing an identity card, which she could not make out as she was not wearing her specs. He further said not to go further as she has lot of gold on her. At that point another person approached her from behind asking her to hand over her 4 gold bangles, gold KARRA and chain or he would stab her. She was puzzled out of her wits and before she realized they had taken off said gold items and rode away on motorcycle. She broke down and started crying on the roadside. This was around 9 AM.

To me it seems a well planned act as they must have watched her routine for a few days before striking. Otherwise how come they were there with motorcycle and third person must have followed her from close to our residence and intimated those two that she was on way.

Police have lodged complaint but I am doubtful if there will be any outcome.

My wife is yet to recover from this trauma. 

FOR YOUR VIEWS, PLEASE.

Kindly read this story till end and then answer my question at the end.

There were many thefts in a state which baffled everyone. There was lot of political pressure on police to solve this trend. A senior police officer did study of reported cases from various towns and came to conclusion that 2 gypsy tribes which used to move around the country together were involved in this crime. He conveyed this information to the concerned minister. The minister then made a public statement about these findings. The tribal chiefs rejected this as false claim. They wanted the minister to give proof. So the minister arranged a meeting between the concerned police officer and the tribal chiefs.

In the meeting the tribal chiefs told the police officer that no one from their tribes was involved in such crimes. When the police officer insisted they asked him for proof. The police officer then informed that thefts had taken place in towns at times when their tribes were camping near those towns though at little distance. The chiefs said that this does not amount to proof. He then further stated that mostly young men from their tribes were seen travelling by public transport to the concerned towns late in evenings prior to night of thefts and travelling out early next mornings. He further substantiated by telling that at times some articles like bead necklace or headgear or other personnel clothing items used by tribesmen or empty bottles of liquor brewed by these tribes were found at scenes of crime. The chiefs told that this still does not prove without doubt that their men were thieves.

On return to their tribes, they called all young men for a joint meeting. They then advised them to ensure that they are not be seen going to town in late evening, be careful of their belongings and not to drink when they go for thefts to town.

Can you draw a parallel to this story in recent times?    

HAPPY HOLI

May God bless you all with a happily colourful life like Holi.

WHO IS A STUDENT?

Student – when we hear or read this word, most of us have image of a child in school uniform going to school. We do accept elderly teenagers and just out of teens who are in college after completion of schooling, as students. They may be even undergoing post graduation courses or professional course like medical, engineering or law etc. Even Oxford Dictionary interprets student as 1 a person studying at a university or college. 2 a school pupil .3 a person who takes a particular interest in a subject. adj. referring to someone who is studying to enter a profession : a student nurse. So normally a student would be in age group of 3 to 22 years, upper age may be extended to 24 years catering for a failure or so in school or college. In other words we may call someone Student who is undergoing a regular course in school or college, including open school or university, for getting a popularly recognised  certificate or degree.

Thus naming someone of around 30 years a student seems rather farfetched. I know that someone may be doing Doctorate or PhD but should we call them students? They are doing research in a particular subject, may be under guidance of someone but is that STUDYING? They may be called Research    Scholars /Assistants instead of Students. Otherwise there may be persons who become PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS for reasons other than studies. They can continue for years doing same research or start another one on completion of first PhD. Will you call me a student if at my age of 70 I start research for PhD in any subject?

Food for thought.

NATIONALISM Vs PATRIOTISM

JNU episode has lead to many debates. A lot of persons have either spoken or written supporting JNU Students union members & condemning government or opposing it. It appears that media as usual has not been neutral. It has been giving unprecedented coverage to students statements and mostly criticizing government. I read a number of write ups by some persons published in newspapers. One such article has prompted me to write this. I have been wanting to write this for a number of days but something or the other made me postpone it. Today I decided to get it off my chest.

A few days ago I read an article in which author stated “Nationalism asks you to believe your country is without fault. True Patriotism is loving your country, while also criticising the things that are imperfect.” She gave examples from times of Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev. She also quoted one of her colleagues who while urging her students to participate in protests against recent police action by saying “ The difference between a nationalist and a patriot is the  difference in believing your country is great , and it can do no wrong; and believing that your country is great, but not perfect. Nationalism asks you to be blind to the bad aspects, and to believe your country is without fault. True patriotism is loving your country, while also criticising the things that are imperfect and considering the ways it could be great.”     

This made me open up Oxford Dictionary to find :

“nationalism . n. 1 patriotic feelings, often to an excessive degree. 2 belief in political independence for a particular country.”

“ patriot. n. a person who strongly supports their country and is prepared to defend it. DERIVATIVES ........... patriotism  n.”

However giving benefit to the author and her colleague for their interpretation and choice of words; I would like to ask so called patriots by them :

a     a)         What are you doing to eradicate corruption which is poisoning growth of our               country?

       b)      What are your actions to get back wealth rightfully of our country stashed by               some persons in foreign accounts?

       c)    What do you propose to curb terrorism which results in killing of so many                    innocents, including women & children?

      d)   What suggestions do you have to stop infiltration by terrorists into our country by       underhand means including by digging tunnels under international border or               LoC?

      e)    What thoughts are you putting forward to those responsible to ensure safety of          women at all times and anywhere?

f     f)     How do you propose to ensure that all children do get proper education and                 teachers are of right capability & outlook?

     g)   How do you plan to make our population of various religions, culture and                     backgrounds to live in harmony?

     h)   What your attitude is towards a group of persons taking to arms to enforce their          ideology and forced collection of funds to run their activities by violent means -          killing so many innocents including aged, women and children?  

     i)     How would they contribute to lighten grief of young widows and small children left     behind by our soldiers killed by unwanted action from across the border or                   terrorists trying to infiltrate into our country to indulge in acts of violence?

     j)     What is your view about such soldiers who lay down their life in prime of youth to       defend our country – are they patriots or not?

And there are many more pressing issues other than shouting about so called Intolerance & suppression of Freedom of speech, which need urgent attention of all patriots to make our country achieve greatness.

Talking about suppression of freedom of speech – If it is so, then how come so many persons speak in public or write about it in newspapers / magazines or there are so many marches shouting slogans against this are being held?  

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Freedom of speech is a must in any democracy. Someone is supposed to have said that there is no Freedom of speech without Freedom to offend. Well, point taken. These days there are so many marches and protests using offending slogans going on about suppression of freedom of speech. How can these go on if there was no freedom of speech? Point to ponder.

When we talk of freedom of speech why there is no talk about Sense of responsibility which should come with freedom of speech? Freedom of speech and Sense of responsibility are two sides of same coin. Can we use our freedom of speech/offend to use abusive language? Should we not think before raising slogans which are anti-national? Should we not give a thought before raising slogans praising persons who had indulged in acts of terror killing so many innocents including women & children? Will we praise such persons if our near & dears ones were victims of their terrorist acts? I doubt if most of those who are taking part in protests have given a thought on these lines.

Another thing which comes in my mind is that this whole issue started due to protests by students in JNU. I feel surprised that many of these STUDENTS have been residing in JNU hostels for more than five years pursuing doctorate. What kind of students are they?   

National Pride

I feel so sad that some of us seem to have lost pride in our Nation. Or may be they put their own thoughts above National pride or respect. You may be wondering what brought this up in my mind. Well, there are two instances of protests against death sentence – in Bangluru and JNU, Delhi. I am also against death sentence except in exceptional circumstances. But in these two places the demonstrations were against hanging of Yakub and Afzal Guru under the garb of protests against death sentances. These two persons had been hanged for acts of terrorism leading to deaths of many innocents including women & children. Don’t you think that these were exceptional circumstances? Wouldn’t their protests bring embarrassment to our government in international forum? Are these protesters backing terrorism killing innocents? Don't the political leaders backing them also show disrespect to national pride?