seeking stability in Asia

Talking about stability in south-Asia without mentioning Afghanistan is like staging Shakespear’s Hamlet without the prince of Denmark. 

Today Afghanistan has become a bone of contention in every international debate.

On one side, in different forums, there is a demand to end the assault on the innocent habitants and let the people find their discourse- themselves. And on the other side, people vow to take the war to another level before they start their retreat, next year.

History stands behind the Afghans. They have never undergone any foreign dominance and have always fought for their liberty. This needs to be kept in mind while forming a policy to tackle Talibans.

The war was started by the bush administration to avenge 9/11. But the perpetrators of 9/11 are still at large, may be hatching similar coup, and the US is running after the Kabulliwallas.

Almost nine years have passed to that fateful day, yet there’s no sign of Victory in the ‘war on terror’.

By the end of this year, the number of US forces present on the Afghan soil will be around 100,000.

In such a scenario, what should be the role of the South-Asian countries and India, vis-à-vis the stability in the region?

India has always, treated the Afghans as untouchables. Probably that’s the reason why it was not invited to the ‘London conference’ which the British PM held a few months back with 500$ trust fund and also in the Turkey conference.

It was a sheer foreign-policy failure for India.

Now, as is evident that the west has a change of heart towards the Talibans- they have divided them in Good and Bad, Talibans. There are chances of Good Talibans sharing the future government with Hamid Karzai. Thus, it’s imperative for the Indian government to re-engage itself with the whole of Afghans. Because, once the Talibans come to the power- which is not far, it may happen as soon as the US exits- it will find India more reliable than Pakistan’s duplicity.

Also, the geography of this nation is such that, it holds a special place in south-Asia. It shares a close proximity to all the power players in the region. Hence, commands a special position in the priority of each nation.

The earlier Indian approach was just investment in this deprived nation whose major occupation till now is opium trade. This approach is slightly flawed. India needs to engage the regional players and encourage them to become stakeholders in peace. This will enable them to seriously think of Afghanistan’s peace after the US leaves. Mere, investments will not yield results.

India must aggressively pursue its national interest.

Women Empowerment- an illusion- atleast the Bill is !!!!!!

"After a 14 year hiatus, finally women have got their due."

This I heard as soon as the women 'Empowerment' Bill got through the Rajya sabha. And then, a long session of debate presided the whole process .....
As if,  my collegues were unpleased over the passage of the Bill minus- debate in the Elder's House- as it is fondly called. Though, the scenes, on the day the bill was introduced, depicted some other story.

Let me not get into the ethics of proceedings of the Parliament- both the houses included. It's not worth teaching the Guardians of our democracy.
My collegues, kept themselves busy with their approach on the Bill.

The debate was still on..... and it was something we all missed by our Elders.

However, the debate on the Bill started with a misnomer" -Women Reservation Bill"... Had they said Empowerment, I'd have been more pleased, however.

First party's response was the bill should have been passed.

second party's idea was it shan't have been.

For any debate, two-party system is necessary- first supportive and the other dissident or the vice-versa.

The first and only requirement to start the debate was fulfilled. The other requirement to lead it to a meaningful conclusion was, however, absent.

For almost 2 hrs the debate continued- with each party pressing their point emphatically. And I kept on enjoying the ongoing 'battle of the warriors'.

During the whole debate the idea I found missing was the future of the Bill.

As the bill has been passed by the upper house, in due course it will also get through the lower- may be with some more high intensity performances.

What will happen next?

The bill is to provide a fair share to the 'under-priviledged'- as is talked about and being projected by the government.

But is it really so?

According to the Bill, 33% seats will be reserved for women.The first question struck to mind is, which seats? Not decided yet? But, It will be decided by a panel...

Fine........

Again the Bill says, the elected woman candidate will have to vacate the seat after 5 yrs
(the rotation formula provides) - for the government continues to complete its full tenure.... 

Here it can be asked,Will it not ENCOURAGE CORRUPTION AMONG THE POLITICIANS( both genders included). As the male candidate also fear losing their seat to the reserved category, in the next election.

The situation now is worse, what will happen if the leaders get to know about their fate earlier. Will they work to secure their position in the next election....

Most of them will seek to amass 'wealth' as much as they can.

Their thirst, however, is unquencheable.

These questions repeatedly came to my mind and I seek to clear the haze...

The Bill indeed is necessary and one whose time has arrived... But it needs certain changes...!

The most important work it will do is to reduce the spectre of the regional parties and once again bring the national parties in the fore front.. which is good in some way and in some ways it will increase the regional disparities and anchor the smooth sailing of the central parties.

What an innovative way to cater the increasing threat of the regional parties. 

EVERYTHING IS BALANCED

One thing that is universal to every human being is that we are never satisfied. our needs are unquenchable. We always look for ways to have 'more', in 'everything'...

Probably thats the reason why we never enjoy the life in its true sense.

We- the people, always try to push the bar, sometimes knowing that to attain cetain things are beyond our  reach..

And in search for that EXTRA, We usually forget that, "Every thing is Balaced"....

I was in my senior secondary at St. Xavier's... I use to live with a freind, who was also in the same school but in a different section... I never was worried about my studies and always thought that - I"ll manage for my exams. But my freind, who not just shared, the rented accomodation with me but share my name as well i.e. his name is Abhishek too... 

HE always said to me, "Every thing is Balanced". At that time, I never took it seriously or You can call it I was a, last minute person...

But today I realize his every word.... Yes Everything is Balanced. 

If, you push your limit against the nature- The nature will in turn push things to balance it..e.g. look at what we have done to our surroundings- global warming is a result of what we"ve offered to the nature.... isnt it? 

Now, coming back to the point...I didnt paid attention to my studies, though I was serious about my future. I, now, have to read more books than I ever wondered..

But thats fair ..... I've no complains...coz  Everything can be balanced provided the one does his work honestly.. 

If i we work hard today, it"ll bear fruits tomorrow.

Thanks, my dear freind for sharing your philosophy with me at a very early satge in my life so that I now understands the worth of it....

"Through the window panes"

 Through the window panes,

When the world falls asleep

and the darkness dispense,

through the pinions of ether.

When the blue umbrella stretches,

and the holy light scatters.

I look upto the zenith

and welcomes the unquenchable,

with the bountiful from her vineyard.

When the brook stops her voyage,

and the sea shrugs off her shackles.

when the sinews comes to rescue the thwarted

and When the woods chant melancholy.

I feel my soul loitering in he tranquility

and my mind sifting the impure.

But in the serenity of the cosmos,

In a corner of my heart

I crave for the twilight and the tither

and then with the dawn, i feel cheated.

when i wake from my cherished dream

to another day of my longing,

i feel guilty for my deeds.

Quiver to the truth of my domains

and of the window panes.

again, through the window panes

I look upto the blue umbrella

and wait for the solitude

when the world falls asleep....

A JOURNEY SO MEMORABLE....

A JOURNEY SO MEMORABLE....

wat can i describe it ... otherwise....

wait.... wait....!!!!

whenever we speak abt journey and it being a memorable one.... generally the first impression which comes to our (ppl like me) mind is of gals... hehe

what a boycan else think of in his youth....

But let me clarify... it has nothing to do with gals in fact its abt a boy, a man, and both of them --- "male"..

but before u jump to any conclusion... lets start frm the beginning....

On my return journey frm my birthplace towards my KARMABHOOMI........ I acquainted with a man.... his name was mr. GYAN.. and he was exactly true to his name..!!!

we both didnt had confirm tickets( u can undrstand the way how indian railways functions) and were looking for some way to get ourselves adjusted with the exodus ofmigrated ppl..

he was frm MP.. and coz of some engagements was coming to delhi.. he was atheletic and well built...

i thought he would be around 27 or 28 and unmarried but he was 38 and a father to his 12 yr daughter...

this attracted my attention coz when something surprises it attracts attention... same happened with me....

so finally after much hulla balooo... we managed to get two births on adjacent compartments, while it should have been alloted to someone according to the priority in the waiting list category.. ( this too a feature of indian railways,,,...) however i was happy to get a place put my butt so that i could go for an interview- the day i reached delhi....

By this time we had become quite familiar..... and started talking abt serious issues -- like global warming, communalism, communism, politics,, international relations....and more.... and he outcast me in every arena on every topic...

i was not surprised becoz he SHADOWED me but bcoz...

we normally expect intellectuals to be not just mature while speaking but in their attire toooo.....

but now onwards i"ll nt stereotype anyone just bcoz of his attire only....

now u must be thinking y i had written--

A journey so memorable --in the beginning ...

thats becoz i enjoyed his company... i found someone to discuss our perception

of social norms, and issues which are binding us and in some cases dividing...

becoz of this man, the more than 24 hr long journey seemed less....

and also becoz he persuaded me to continue with the field of media..... and i dont knw y he thought so..... but i can say that he was very learned and yet very freindly and down to earth.....