Between the Lines

In her recent outburst, Ms Arundhati Roy says, "I am on this side of line. I do not care...pick me up put me in jail". This lady has become larger than law itself. Even after making a complete mockery of Indian Justice system by defending a duly convicted terrorist Afzal Guru (http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?265790), the Indian Judiciary, Executive, Legislature and Media still treats her as a demi-goddess, outside the purview of law. They are all afraid of her, even the highest Judiciary, as was clear in their muted and guarded response to this lady's clear contempt of court earlier.

This lady knows that she has become almost unreachable. I quote - "Now that Operation Green Hunt has begun to knock on the doors of people like myself, imagine what’s happening to activists and political workers who are not well known". Our rotten system is always afraid of "well known" people and this lady is taking a great advantage of that, laughing at our faces (us, not well known people) who have more pressing matters to attend like providing for our family against all the odds.

I am sorry lady but I don't stand on your side of line. I also do not have the luxury to stand on Indian Gov side of line. I am the one who gets bulldozed in the middle. I am the one who dies in train attacks by Maoists, who dies in blasts by terrorists, who needs to earn and pay so that the Government can protect me (and often screw me). They are screwing me all over the place and yet, I work everyday with reinforced zeal so that my children have a better tomorrow. That's an idea worth living for, probably the only one!

India Pak Peace Process - Favourite Intellectual Masturbation

There seems to be no end to reading and hearing so many mushy-mushy or 'intellectually stimulating' articles/talks on India Pak relationships. I view them now as nothing but intellectual masturbation. Authors and speakers get a high and think of themselves as great thought leaders. Frankly, all of this is essentially so stupid and so hopelessly naive that one has stopped responding to them or taking them seriously. Nobody says anything that has not been said before. There is the usual odd visit report by a columnist saying how hospitable the Pakistanis are, the usual speaker feeling nostalgic about their pre-partition days when they used to play in Lahore, the usual candle lighters... In short, too much of all the usual things. Not since last year but since the cows came home.

Reality is until Pakistan can get its act together, there is no hope for India to get out of this quagmire. Two neighbours, with a stake in development, can talk and come to conclusions. But if one of them is a scoundrel who has given hope on his/her life, then the second neighbour cannot hope to reach a settlement. This only results in blackmail, with no end.

Stop the talks. Do everything to seal your borders. Work hard like crazy to improve lot of Indians. Become rich and resourceful. Dictate or influence world opinion. These are the things India should spend energy on. Not utterly futile talks , going on since 1947, resulting in so many over and covert wars!