June 6, official or not (I'm unsure), is a date etched in my mind as the start of monsoons in Bombay. I share a love-hate relationship with the rains there. Five years back, I hated the rains; but since, I absolutely love them.
Rains for me meant getting out of the building extremely armed, with a wind-cheater (I don't really know how that's spelt) and an umbrella, but both in the bag. It was about getting drenched. It was about making that run from college to Shot Club, and then trying to dry out the skin between the thumb and the forefinger so that I could cue. It was about going to Dhiraj for the coffee. It was about morning drives to the beach, and trying to park an enormous Innova in the by-lanes of Juhu. It was about avoiding the puddles on the ground while trying to kick the football.
It was about cursing the rain, while ever so loving it.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
India and the youth
When the UPA government came into power, India went berserk proclaiming the decreasing age of the politician. The focus was on Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora, Jyotiraditya Scindia and the likes, who seemed weirdly out of place but welcome in the leadership. Everyone revelled in the representation of youth, and how Indian politics would change forever.
It surprises me then that today, two people who are revolting for national causes, paint a very traditional picture. The common man responds more to these two more than he does to Rahul Gandhi's farmer protests.
The reason is the cause. I haven't read a lot about the farmer protests, so I won't comment further on that. However, the demands of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev are in sync with most Indians. If there is provision for the money stashed away in foreign banks to be brought back, who wouldn't want it. It's like telling a child that you have his chocolate, but making him cry for it, and still not giving it to him. Cruel. (Well, unless the child has bad teeth, in which case, get him treated, teach him to brush his teeth, and then let him eat the chocolate.)
I understand the government's apprehension to telecast the Lokpal Bill committee meetings live. The Indian media is irresponsible. Every word said by anyone's dog is dissected and twisted and edited to create sensational instead of accurate news. (I wonder what happened to the live phone conversation between India TV and the Cama House terrorist on 26/11?) However, when you take responsibility to lead a billion people, the least you can do is think before you speak.
The government has two and a half years left to rethink its ways. The Indian of today is difficult to please, because he has started to think.
It surprises me then that today, two people who are revolting for national causes, paint a very traditional picture. The common man responds more to these two more than he does to Rahul Gandhi's farmer protests.
The reason is the cause. I haven't read a lot about the farmer protests, so I won't comment further on that. However, the demands of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev are in sync with most Indians. If there is provision for the money stashed away in foreign banks to be brought back, who wouldn't want it. It's like telling a child that you have his chocolate, but making him cry for it, and still not giving it to him. Cruel. (Well, unless the child has bad teeth, in which case, get him treated, teach him to brush his teeth, and then let him eat the chocolate.)
I understand the government's apprehension to telecast the Lokpal Bill committee meetings live. The Indian media is irresponsible. Every word said by anyone's dog is dissected and twisted and edited to create sensational instead of accurate news. (I wonder what happened to the live phone conversation between India TV and the Cama House terrorist on 26/11?) However, when you take responsibility to lead a billion people, the least you can do is think before you speak.
The government has two and a half years left to rethink its ways. The Indian of today is difficult to please, because he has started to think.
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