Chalo Dilli

The wife was telling me this morning, “We must book our tickets to Delhi for August 16 today or it will become extremely difficult to get.”

“Tickets for Delhi? Who told you we are going to Delhi on August 16? And I don’t understand why someone wants to go to Delhi on August 16. People go to Delhi on August 15 so that they can watch and take part in Independence Day celebrations. But not on August 16,” I said.

“Not on August 15, but on August 16 that is the day we will be going to Delhi,” the wife insisted, “And you know we are not going there to watch the Independence Day parade. We are going there to take part and support Anna Hazare’s fasting that he said will be starting again on August 16. The whole India will be there to support him, not only just us,” she said.

“You are mistaken, not the whole India, but some few thousands will be there to support him, six thousands to be exact, if you believe Kapil Sibal,” I said.

“That’s the problem with you and your Congress party,” she continued, “not only you don't want to go to Delhi to support Hazare but you are also underestimating him.”

“Let me make it clear, it is not my Congress party, it is Sonia Gandhi's, and I have no connection with any political party. As far as supporting Anna Hazare is concerned, I am a supporter of the cause he is fighting for but I have my reservations about the way the agitation being staged,” I said.

“If you have your opinion then you must present it to Hazare when we are in Delhi and not to me, I am going there only to support him and not to express my opinion,” the wife said.

“I told you earlier, neither you nor me going to Delhi and that is final.” I said, and continued, “I never said we will not support him. We are just ordinary people. There are politicians, intellectuals and social workers who can carry out this mission more meaningful way, but not us. We will give him all our moral support while watching his agitation live on our television.”

“You will support him by watching him fasting live on television while you are having your dinner, right?” the wife asked. “ You are becoming too selfish nowadays. In fact you must also fast along with him to show your solidarity,” the wife said.

“You know I have acidity problem and if I don’t take my food on time it will get worst, and secondly, if Anna Hazare’s health deteriorates after a couple of days of his fasting he will be forced to get admitted in a hospital by the authorities and he will walk out from the hospital healthier than ever. On the other hand if my health worsens there will be no one to take care of and if I die, even the insurance people won’t pay you the money, claiming that death due to fasting amounts to suicide and suicide is not covered under the insurance scheme.” I said.

“You have a habit of talking too much,” the wife said. “If you don’t want to fast then don’t fast but at least come to Delhi and support me to support Hazare. Can you do that?” the wife asked.

“Okay, I don't want to discourage you. I will try to get the tickets today itself. Are you happy now?” I asked.

“One more thing, tell your cousins in Mumbai to send us a nine-yard saree before we go,” the wife said.

“Nine-yard saree”? You wear normal saree, why you want to wear a nine-yard saree when you go to Delhi?” I asked.

“Not for me, it is for Hazare,” the wife said continued,” “If there is a police crackdown after midnight and Hazare jumps from the stage to evade arrest and lands in front of me I can offer him the saree. I am sure being a Maharashtrian he will be more comfortable in nine-yard saree than in a churidar like Baba Ramdev.”

billiga hotell london

Where Baba failed and Anna gained

I am against any form of corruption. I fully support Anna Hazare's and Baba Ramdev's efforts. But what I feel about these 'dramas' being staged in New Delhi recently by Baba Ramdev is utter nonsense. I have surprised by the reaction coming from these so-called 'intelligent' lot that is aired day in and day out in number of our news channels. These channels have their own reason to celebrate with anything good or bad happening in this country. It is obvious that their prime objectives are their viewer rating rather than any national interest. As the saying goes, even someone beats his mother there will supporters who will be taking sides.

I have astonished to hear some weird questions from these so-called 'intelligent lot', including members of the proposed Lokpal committee. The questions being asked is, if Ramdev is a 'Tug' why the four ministers went to airport to see him when he arrived there. The answer is simple: Even if he a 'tug' he is also an Indian national who comes here to agitate with a mass behind him. It is the duty of the government to hear him and make assurance that his concerns will be looked into. Is it wrong? What I want to tell the people who are opposing and crying foul against the action being taken against Baba Ramdev after midnight by the Indian government is, he has given all rights of a Indian citizen, the government heard his grievances and assured him that all this concerns will addressed and therefore he must end his fast. He has been reminded that these kinds of agitations could escalate the situation. There is a remedy for everything and the government is working towards that goal. What was Baba Ramdev's objective? Whether he was really serious about the issues or he just wanted to stage this drama for his own popularity are the questions that to be answered by these so-called 'intelligent' lot. If his efforts were honest he should have called off his fast at the end of the day after the government assurance and waited for the outcome. But that was not the case. Yes, India is a democratic country and every citizen has his right to express his opinion whether it is happiness, anger, or protest whatever it is, but they have no right to express it by holding a gun over the head of the government or anyone else in that case. And that's where Baba failed and Anna gained.

And before I end this note, one point that I would like to make in front of our honourable Supreme Court of India. The court is right in seeking government explanation on what prompted the government to take such an action against Baba Ram Dev. With all respect, being a citizen of this country, let me put up my answer to the highest court on this. The answer is ……Maintenance of law and order situation of the country falls under the preview of the Federal government and failure to take an appropriate action based on Intelligent output will not only bring disastrous consequences but also in that case the same court which questioned the reason for this action will be the first one to stand up and question the government's inefficiency to handle such a delicate issue effectively. Anybody can wise after the incident, including the judicial system. However a prompt action at a right time can bring a fruitful benefit in the long run. Surely, the government has only done that.