Living with terror

It was not long that I experienced a terrorist attack at the heart of the capital Delhi-- the Connaught Place--popularly called C.P. Was recuperating from the terror that the blasts caused. Everyday passing by the Regal Cinema (from where a live bomb was recovered) and Barakhamba road bus stop (a bomb went off there in the September blasts), I have this Goosebumpy feeling. Yes, I was not there, nor any of my friends. Though, most of us have to pass by those places everyday.

Most of the time, I tell myself that a criminal does not strike a place that has already been struck. But such logic stands defied when I watch the city of Mumbai attacked once again by terrorists. Well this time the terrorists were roaming around the city shooting people in cafes, train terminal, hospital, innocent bystanders on road and then taking hostages in the luxurious, prestigious and landmark hotels in the city. Our security forces did a great job in record time. Their bravery installs the faith that somebody is there who can protect us from these anti-humanity elements.

But the other scary fact remains that now you cannot live without the thought that you can die any moment. The larger fact remains that the terrorists have been striking at their own will. Whether our policy makers are at fault or the intelligence sources or both, I refrain from commenting on that but the larger fact remains. As it was said in the movie, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ that “its easier to get killed by a militant than getting married/a decent husband” (not sure of the part said after ‘than’, but the first part about being getting killed by terrorist I remember pretty well) is indeed becoming true.

BIDDING ADIEU TO NANO AND DADA THIS DURGA PUJA

This year's durga puja has not been very good for the state of West Bengal. First the news is confirmed that the Tatas are taking their one lakh car-the nano project out of Singur because of the demand and agitation put up by the Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee to return the "unwilling farmers' land" which was 300 acres, otherwise they won't allow any work at the plant. The Tatas came to this decision after all negotiation process fell apart and Mamata not moving an inch from her demand. Within days of anouncing the moveout, Tatas have located the land for the new Nano plant in Gujarat's Sanand and they announcement came on the sameday as Kolkata's Prince Sourav Ganguly announced his retirement from cricket that is on 7th october when the state was celebrating Mahastami. many farmers had still not believed the " mamata has pulled trigger" confirmation of moveout statement made by Ratan Tata on 3rd October. but the news of moving to Gujarat would shatter the false ray of hope that they have built, again during the Durga Puja.

Though people will take the retirement news more calmly as there will be no room for protest during the times of puja, but the confirmation of Tatas moving out would certainly bring gloom to the houses of those farmers in Singur who had willingly gave away their land and those employed at the plant.

It is to see if Kolkata, especially the politicians, learn the important lesson about professionalism out of this two announcements. if you want the industrialist to invest in the state, you can call strikes over every miniscule of trouble with the management. If the business does not meet the target, the business would move out. Professional attitude is what the entire Bengal needs to adapt, which is still painted in too much red.

The Unused, much misused human resource

About 50 percent of the sanctioned posts lie vacant at various community health centres in the country revealed an Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) study. An investigation done by a leading national daily by acquiring facts from the concerned departments through RTI shows that there are more than 1.3 lakh vacancies in the police dept. in the country.

These are two of the many examples where numerous posts in the country are lying vacant. Educational institutions lack staffs, libraries don’t have the staff. We do not need any study or research papers to show that vacancies at various places need to be filled. But how many job opening advertisements do we find in the papers. Not many.

Whenever we have to count one of the biggest strengths available in India that makes it conducive for investments (especially foreign investments) it is, here one can get a good lot of educated human resource.

Few years back Hillary Clinton while speaking in the sidelines of a summit said that the good thing about India is, more people could afford a college education.

But what is coming out of it? Are there enough dependable jobs available for the college educated? Outsourcing surely has generated jobs, but is it secure enough? The answer would be no for at least a large number of those who are working in that industry.
Privatization has been advocated by successive governments in the country, thus trying to do away with the socialist strand in our economy. Leaving a large number of people to an insecure job market and future, where you can be hired and fired anytime. The issue for termination not all the time remains, ‘not been able to meet targets’.

So many posts in the govt. offices remain vacant, yet no hiring is done. It is also trying to delve into the contract basis job system.

Are you living in Delhi, wondering why the domestic breeding checkers have not been to your locality yet? Because, they are on a strike, demanding for permanent jobs. They are also hired for the season only.

It’s a pity that the Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandez chose to speak on such an important topic on death of the CEO of the Italian firm Graziano, who was attacked by a lynch mob of striking factory workers. ‘Hire and fire’ policy of the India Inc. and foreign Incs. present in India needs to be questioned but the timing was not right. It was after all a law and order issue (lack of security presence; even the Italian ambassador had earlier requested for more security cover be given to the company, until the labour issue is resolved) which catapulted into this sad tragedy.

The result of the wrong timing is that hire and fire policy which happens to be a grave issue, as correctly pointed out by the minister, who asked the companies to be “compassionate” towards its employees is not going to be raised again. After all the Prime Minister had to intervene to make the minister apologize for his remarks (which made India Inc. angry).

The Paradox of our Age

We have bigger houses, but smaller families
more conveyances, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense
more knowledge. but less judgment
more experts, but more problems
more medicines but less healthiness.

We've been all the way to the moon and back.
but have trouble crossing the street
to meet the new neighbour.
We have built more computers
to hold more information,
to produce more copies than ever,
but have less communication.
We have become long on quantity,
bit short on quality.
These are times of fast food,
but slow digestion;
tall man, but short character;
steep profits, but shallow relationship.
It is a time when there is much in the window but nothing in the rooms.

- by Rudyard Kipling

I dont feel like commenting much on these lines. but trying to put these lines in the context of the Delhi blasts, only thing that comes up in my head is, why afterall, some people will go for killing inocent people for some ideology of sorts. Are they misunderstood? Is there some communication gap or something? Why churches are being attacked?What ever it may be , any protest or misunderstanding should not grow to an extent that it starts taking the life of innocent people.

27th August 2008 nine o’clock news: most shocking ever

Today’s nine O’ clock news was the saddest things that I have ever seen, except the post-9/11 days. It seemed as if a chaos like situation from pandemonium has suddenly hijacked our nation. Law and order, peace, natural harmony, suddenly has gone missing. And both god and the government have forgotten about its subjects.

So many unnatural stories were reported today, but the reaction, both verbal and physical was nowhere to be found from the people vested with the duty and power to protect us. Neither god nor the government was answering the prayers of the hostages in Jammu or flood affected people in Bihar or the people affected by communal violence in Orissa.

The violence in Jammu and Kashmir is refusing to die down. For more than two months now the state has been in news because of the protests because of the Amarnath land Transfer issue. And for few days the Kashmir valley is trying to cope up with the curfew imposed there. And midst of all these, one also gets to hear ceasefire violations and militants trying to cross the Line of Control. Political parties try to do nothing other than playing electoral politics as the elections are inching closer. When will the normalcy return in the ‘Paradise on earth’? One after another problem is gripping the state but the government and the respective agencies aren’t even able to figure out even produce a gimmick of peace.

It’s not been long, the state of Gujarat has not yet recovered, and another terror attack takes place. Three militants cross the line of control holds 7 people hostage including women and children in a home in Jammu. It took almost 17-hrs for the security forces to gun down the terrorists.

Bihar’s ‘river of sorrow’ Kosi has again changed its course flooding several districts. Over thousands are stranded in submerged houses without food or water, with hope of being rescued. The chief minister has announced for complete evacuation but with the resources available with the administration at the ground zero is telling that such a task is a Herculean one, as the officials are falling short of rescue boats.

Meanwhile a communal clash is in progress Orissa, where Christians are being targeted after a local Hindu leader was killed. Christians there are fleeing to the Phulbani Hills to take refuge.

Why are the concerned authorities not being able to take steps to curb the violence or the problems at stage? Why things are allowed to spiral out of control? Aren’t we alert enough? Probably the militants were right when they mockingly called our Intelligence Bureau, ‘Ignorance Bureau’. It seems like the people in the country are living on the mercy of the god, who is also not been kind these days. Probably the authorities are thinking people will get used to living to this as they have with bad roads, without regular water supplies, irritatingly irregular long power-cuts.

Few days back one editor mentioned in his column that whining is our national obsession. After the situation around us is not at all rosy or perfect. And if you stop making the authorities know that you are not satisfied with the present circumstances then even the ‘late reactions’ that one is getting in form of some compensations from the authorities will also vanish.