Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Conversations and Observations in 2009

You all will more than concur with me that time is moving in the blink of an eye. Having said that, 2009 opened to a string of significant happenings and events. No sooner were we reeling under the terrorist attack, we found talibanisation of women in Bangalore. I’m afraid it might happen in Hyderabad though Hyderabad is a symbol of freedom and showcases a cosmopolitan attitude.

Jaago Re India campaign has started creating awareness in 2008 and is leaving no stone unturned to make people of India to vote and choose their leader. This phenomenon is here to stay. While Jaago Re takes pot shots at you on its site by saying “so you decided to finally wake up”, the brainchild behind the Jaago Re campaign also woke up finally to wake the country up. I believe and stand up for this noble cause because jingoistic fervour for nation is not just chanting slogans like mera bharat mahan, ye mera India, mother India, proud to be an India, occasionally twice in a year on republic day and independence day or for that matter fawning over India at the recent Oscars for slumdogMillionaire. It’s very much about being aware of your right to vote and use the power invested in you to vote for change rather than be a mute spectator.

I exercised my first vote in the recent state MLA elections. I voted for the leader I wanted to lead our constituency and that leader emerged victorious. I was satisfied and happy that my vote contributed to that leader’s victory. The same happened for Indian Idol. My brother and I voted for Saurabhee, India’s first woman idol in the last five minutes and we made her win. Of course in such reality shows you can vote innumerable times, whereas in elections, where you vote for the government of your choice, your single vote will make a world of difference; unlike reality shows it will not get diluted.

I solicit and urge each one of you to exercise your vote and make democracy work for you. Do vote for a party that is unbiased and not prejudiced to a religion but a party that is secular. I will NOT vote for a party that rides roughshod over minorities like the recent attacks against Christians in Orissa and Bangalore; and a party that stands for talibanisation of women and try to sap our autonomy and independence ; and a party that concocts religion with politics and politics with religion. Religion and politics should be sequestered.

News channels are crying hoarse as to how terrorism has not spared the cricketers and one channel puts it “there is an uncanny resemblance between the attacks in Lahore and Mumbai. When the gunmen have not spared innocent people, why will their plans exclude the cricketers is what I fail to understand. How can it be a bizarre similarity when it is crystal clear that the same gunmen shot the cricketers too.

On the other side, we have Lalit Modi, chairman of IPL who is adamant to hold IPL inspite of elections and the security issues. He is in no mood to compromise with the dates or postpone the same. Whether the IPL will kick off and how far will the dates not clash with election is one that we have to wait and watch.

As far as movies are concerned, 2009 has in store for us a bouquet of some assorted, formulaic movies. I watched some good ones like Arundathi (Telugu), slumdog millionaire, Delhi 6 and pink panther 2 hitherto.

So much has happened in a span of 3 months and we are catching up with the pace too.
I wonder what the rest of the year holds for us. Touchwood!

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