60 Years.. Many Happy Returns...

India celebrates her 60th Independence Day in a few hours from now. Despite whatever I've written about India, this is my country. She has gone through a lot of ups and downs and has certainly been going good for the last few years. We just forget how good we have it here sometimes. That's why I believe that after a long, long time - we should be thankful.

When British India split into two, it was India which was getting more of everything - many people forget that we got more of the population too. Nehru and Co. had a lot of responsibilities. They had to cater to a nation which was in turmoil in every single way. I think India chose the right path in doing many things - even politically. We believe in equality and have a 'no-no' policy on discrimination. I know countries who almost make themselves non secular.

60 years is just such a long time that my mind boggles at what could have been had even a tiny detail changed. Of course, that could hold for many things relating to the past. Over these years, we certainly have progressed a lot more than our neighbours. We have risen sharply as an economy and our society has become a lot more liberal in the decade gone by. It has been a turbulent transition without a doubt, but I think that we’ve survived. We are quite easily the strongest nation in the sub continent – in every which way.

The Beeb has come out with a bunch of statistics about who has how much amongst India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is a no brainer that India has the most of everything (land, population, military stuff, ammo, nuclear warheads).

The problem I have with such anniversaries is that people tend to look backward. We tend to look at history and forget that we do live in the present. We have a future to look forward to. Everyone thinks of the hardships of the partition and forgets that we live in a free country where we get to do pretty much anything we want today. Everyone thinks of the bloodshed and the events of August 1947 and forgets about August 2007.

I think that over the last 60 years we have come a long way. Yet people look at the poverty (yes, me included) and all the other negatives. I say, think positive, think about the future. We can be a world power and at 60 years - India is a fairly young nation. When there is a will, there is a way and I dare say that we have so much will that the next 20 years could well see India rise to the top of the world. I really see that vision becoming a reality.

Tagged - Part II

Here's the second part of my tag, the kind of people I judge. Keeping in mind that I would have probably judged every person I know, I have to try and keep this list short! Here goes..

1. People who have no clue about the concept of trust.

2. People who talk behind other people's backs - if you can't say it in front of the person, don't do it behind their back!

3. People who seem to be diplomatic in every situation. These people will have to stick their neck out one day.. I can't imagine what that would be like!

4. People who say things without even knowing what they mean - we were always taught "think before you speak".. these people need to "know before they speak!".

5. People who back out of stuff at the last minute - I can't stand their sheepishness or apologies.

6. Gate crashers. If you're not invited, people probably don't want you there!

7. People who set their "Relationship Status" on orkut as "Committed". Please, you're probably just 18.. do you even know what the words "Relationship" and "Commitment" mean?

8. Guys who can't put together one proper sentence in English. I know, sounds kind of snobbish - but I judge them.

9. People who incessantly judge others. It gets kind of irritating.

10. People who are getting into something they don't know anything about.

11. Finally.. the guys who think they "know it all". Well.. you ain't seen nothin yet!

It wasn't as long as I thought it would be. Maybe certain things just didn't click. I think a lot of us do or have done some of what I've written about. In any case - as long as we don't do that anymore.. I think we're safe!

"Justice Delayed is Justice Denied..."

When William Gladstone came up with this quote in the 19th century, he obviously had very little knowledge of what would become the Democratic Republic of India. Well, the judicial system in India to be precise. So when I came across this quote, I felt, as every Indian would feel that justice is denied in every which way in this country. I am certain that most of us felt the same way when Sanjay Dutt walked into a special TADA court set up in a corner of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

By bad luck or good judgment though, the actor who so famously portrayed the self righteous gangster - Munna Bhai was sentenced to a 6 year term in jail. People who said that the Indian Judiciary didn't have the bottle to sentence big names had to eat their words. Sanjay Dutt himself would have felt hard done by as he had already served a year and a half in jail.

Sanjay Dutt was erratic in his behaviour to buy 3 guns (or whatever the number) from underworld members. He was incredibly stupid to buy them at a time when the TADA Act was in force. He was ignorant of the fact that he was breaking the law and that has ultimately cost him 6 years of his life (in theory). The odds are now stacked against him and his legal team probably will have to do a lot of convincing to the Supreme Court for his bail.

As for PD Kode, the judge - he was incredibly strong and put his foot down in terms of this case. It was a remarkable display of bravery by the judge and in a case where there was so much scrutiny by the media and the public at large, his performance must be commended.

Laws are such that they can only judge people at the time they are committing the crime. In 1992, Sanjay Dutt committed a very big crime. His actions could have potentially lead to many people's killing. He had a rifle to "protect his family" - an explanation I don't understand. He had to be convicted. We live in India, where cases move incredibly slowly. So what if he has become a better person? Does that take away what he did 14 years ago? He was merely out on a technicality in any case.

Sanjay Dutt might be a great human being with good intentions. He is a good actor without a doubt. There are so many good people who do things against the law though. Do they get the media coverage and the pleas that this man gets? Do they get shown any sort of leniency?

The thing that lets me down is that people who have a portfolio in the cabinet have denounced this verdict and have said that he has suffered enough. Who are they to say this? I think the public will be happy if justice is served. If you commit a crime, you have to do the time.

So, I do hope that even if justice is delayed, it isn’t denied. I know that for now, in this case it has been delivered by and large. The scene may change very quickly and easily in 4 months time though. That's because this is India - justice is pretty much always delayed and as William Gladstone said - pretty much always denied.

Tagged - Part I

Well.. I feel like I'm writing after a zillion years! It’s nice to be writing after ages in any case. I've been tagged to write about 2 things: What kind of people I admire and What kind of people I judge. So, here's part one!

I admire:

1. People who say "I don't cheat" - and actually practice that!

2. People who value friendships and know what it is to be a friend.

3. People who actually know what the word "trust" means - there aren't a lot by the way.

4. Independent people - who hate relying on others for every little thing.

5. People who don't renege whatever they say - people who are as good as their word.

6. A person who is brave, who has courage.

7. People who are liberal - people who aren't rigid in every way.

8. People who think about others before thinking about themselves.

9. People who have it in them to have a smile on their face even though they have had the worst day of their lives.

10. People who don't sit on the fence all the time - people who don't know what it is like to play politics.

I know that most of the stuff that I've said above is farfetched. I still believe there are people who would qualify for 9/10 of these qualities. In any case I'll be writing my second part next - which I believe will be slightly easier!