Party with differences

The chances to dislodge the ruling dispensation seems remote but the 'party with a difference' is already fighting with differences over the prime ministerial candidate. Aging Atal, hardliner Advani or the new bridegroom Rajnath, the party is fighting a war on a surreptitous battleground. Having run out of issues to put the treasury benches on the mat in the Parliament, perhaps the safforn party is now embracing the escapist route knowing fully well that power hunt is going to be tough.
Isn't it tomfoolery on the part of the BJP to discuss the PM candidate in the Lucknow convention when the elections are scheduled to be held in 2009. With no possibility of a mid term poll, there's no point in discussing a hypothetical situation. The party leadership instead must call for boosting the morale of the grassroots cadre as well as addressing its problem of reaching out to the rural India. Urban votebank and glitzy campaigns, as it must have learnt by the drubbing down it got in the last general elections, are not enough to win the polls. And Hindutva, of course, is not going to work. Though the Mandal magic may still be relevant with the passage of a reservation Bill, the kamandal sutra is just not viable in the present context. Then why this hankering over PMship? Even the Bhismpitamah of Indian politics, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has not done much to put the party back on track. Reportedly, the BJP giant has annointed LK as his predecessor. With due respects to the former PM, wouldn't it have been a wise thing for him to ask his Lakshmans to focus on issues rather than bothering themselves with the leasership debate?

Faceless devils

Shop till u drop... I did... overwhelmed with love and expctations, there's excitement about the grand finale... but the intimidating moments of uncertainty overshadow happiness. Muted by phases of depression and brotherly concern, elations surface in times of momentary forgetfulness... a conscious effort not to think about what stares in the face just works fine for me when I am engaged in conversations not with myself. But in my loneliness, the age-old ghosts of apprehensions become the best companions. Oh I never wanted to befriend them but the monsters, buried under a courageuos heart, come back to be with me. They just refuse to go away. I am sure they bother other human beings too. That's perhaps the only solace of facing them day after day... In every situation, the faceless devils come back to sow the seeds of doubts and reinforce them every moment. The weak just give in to their machinations and the rest like me slug it out... This time also the doubts will melt and the ghosts would have to retreat to their graves... GOD is with me, us.

poetry

Poetry, I thought, was written out of pedantic effort till I discovered its emotional strings. Influenced by Eliot and other modern poets, I was led into believing that great poetry has its roots in obscure allusions and wide reading. The uncommon metaphor, erudite learning, the wisdom of books, the ability to beat rhyme and falling out of symphony were what I thought comprised poetry. Form me, a poem, to provoke thought, needed to have refrences to the dehumanising aspect of modern world and urban waste phenomenon.
But I have grown out of it when I see aspiring writers with a mature mind and sentimental heart writing their experiences and giving shape to their own poetry.

Will update later....

SEZ

Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the emerging symbol of India's buoyant economy, has an altogether different dimension for fiery Bengal opposition leader Mamata Banerjee. She considers these spheres of economic progress as not more than Special Energising Zone (SEZ) as we have found out during her recent energy-filled opposition to land acqusition in Singur for the Tatas. Yes, Singur is not an SEZ but it entailed acquiring agricultural land from farmers. An energised Mamata having run out of issues against the Red rule lapped up the land acquistion drive to save the 'marginalised farmers', already at the bottom of the economic ladder. Never mind these farmers had no complaints against the compensation package. The voice representing the poor has again richochetted through the corridors of Kolkata. Save the farmers

Who will compensate the loss?

He has braved it all. The militants' bullet, the inhospitable terrains of Siachen, the gruelling session of Army training... Coming from him with much acclaim and pride, he now stands to guard the country. Motivated, ready to sacrifice his life, the toughie in the service of his country, the friend owes it all to the country and his batallion... but yesterday as we raised a toast to the memories of our school days, we discovered in him a normal human being. There's a corner in his heart that craves to be pampered. The toughie soon joins the rest of us, the bloody civilians of a few moments back for not respecting time. With aplomb and a sense of belongingness to the country, he narrates his days in the service, the moment when he killed terrorists, when he saw the skull fracturing by the impact of a bullet, when he saw his jawan, blessed with twins just a week back, falling to the guns. At 26, he's intimidated death. But, the moment he talks about his elder brother dying in a MiG crash, our man breaks down. Suddenly his voice starts breaking. And he breaks down. Who will compensate the loss? Perhaps the warring governments of this world, perpetually fighting for territorial control, need to answer this query?

AIDS DAY

World AIDS Day. Five million and counting... the number of people living with HIV is growing exponentially in India. Move over sex workers and truck drivers, the epidemic is slowly enveloping all sections of society. As sexual freedom and pre-marital sex are no more subjects of taboo treatment, the threat is all the more alarming. With an emerging middle class youth having tremendous purchasing power, the issue can't be brushed under the carpet. The government and the civil society groups should focus on educating the youth about the dreaded disease and the perils of unsafe sex. The situation demands immediate action. Or else it will be too late.
Besides spreading awareness about the disease, there should be a concerted effort by the research agencies to develop a vaccine for containing the virus. With India emerging as the knowledge powerhouse in biotech and IT, there should be a coming together of the private and the public to tackle the menace.