मानवीय संबंधों का घोषणापत्र

पिछल प्रसंग में आपने पढ़ा कि अमरेन्द्र ने अपने नामांकन पत्र और शपथ पत्रों की प्रतिलिपि सुधांशु को सौंप दी थी. इनकी प्रतिलिपियाँ अब लगभग सबके पास उपलब्ध थीं. लोग इन की बात कर रहे थे. कुछ इनका मजाक उड़ा  रहे थे. कुछ बहुत ज्यादा उत्साहित थे. मैं भी अपने अन्दर एक उत्साह और नई चेतना का अनुभव कर रहा था. टीवी चेनल ने यह घोहना कर दी थी कि अब प्रतिदिन एक कार्यक्रम दिखाया जायेगा जिस में अमरेन्द्र अपने विचार रखेंगे, अपने कार्यक्रम और नीतियों से सबको परिचित कराएँगे, और लोग उनसे सवाल पूछ सकेंगे. 

आज के कार्यक्रम में अमरेन्द्र ने कहा, 'आज भारतीय समाज में मानवीय संबंधों की संकट-स्थिति चल रही है. परिवार के अन्दर, परिवार के बाहर, मोहल्ले में, शहर में, देश में, स्कूलों में, दफ्तरों में, यहाँ तक की लोक सभा और विधान सभाओं में भी मानवीय सम्बन्ध कटुता की हर सीमा पार कर चुके हैं. सड़क पर जरा सी बात पर जिन्दगी मौत में बदल दी जाती है. लालच ने मानवीय संबंधों की बलि चढा दी है. ऐसे वातावरण में जन प्रतिनिधिओं का यह कर्तव्य बन जाता है कि वह मानवीय संबंधों के उच्च आदर्श स्थापित करें. इस के लिए उन्हें अपने निजी "मानवीय सम्बन्ध घोषणापत्र" जारी करने चाहियें और यह शपथ लेनी चाहिए कि वह इस घोषणापत्र में किये गए संकल्पों को हर हाल में पूरा करेंगे. 

मैंने जिस घोषणापत्र  पर हस्ताक्षर किये हैं वह है:

"मानवीय संबंधों का घोषणापत्र 

मैं, अमरेन्द्र, भारत देश का एक गर्वान्वित नागरिक, यह शपथ लेता हूँ कि - 

- मेरे जीवन का उद्देश्य होगा - हर चेहरे पर मुस्कान लाना, और इस के लिए मैं, अपनी पूरी क्षमता, सामर्थ्य और योग्यता से भारतीय नागरिकों के जीवन की गुणवत्ता में लगातार सुधार करने के लिए अनवरत प्रयत्न करूंगा. 

- इस के लिए, 'चुनाव जीतूंगा तभी ऐसा करूंगा' जैसी कोई शर्त नहीं होगी. चुनाव जीतूँ या न जीतूँ, मैं इस कार्य में अनवरत लगा रहूँगा. 

- मैं प्रेमपूर्ण मानवीय संबंधों को सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता देता हूँ. 

- मैं यह मानता हूँ कि विकास दीर्घकालिक और चिरस्थायी होना चाहिए.

- विकास का फल हर नागरिक को मिलना चाहिए.

- ऐसा तब तक संभव नहीं है जब तक हमारे एक दूसरे से सम्बन्ध प्रेमपूर्ण न हों.

- मेरा सम्बन्ध हर दूसरे व्यक्ति से तीन स्तर पर होगा - व्यक्तिगत, सामाजिक, राष्ट्रीय.

- व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर यह सम्बन्ध इंसानियत और भलमनसाहत के सिद्धांतों पर आधारित होगा, क्योंकि हर दूसरा व्यक्ति मेरी तरह ही एक इंसान है.

- सामाजिक स्तर पर यह सम्बन्ध शांतिपूर्ण सह-अस्तित्व के सिद्धांतों पर आधारित होगा, क्योंकि मेरी तरह हर दूसरा व्यक्ति इस महान भारतीय समाज का सदस्य है.

- राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर यह सम्बन्ध राष्ट्रीयता के सिद्धांतों पर आधारित होगा, क्योंकि मेरी तरह हर दूसरा व्यक्ति इस महान भारत राष्ट्र का नागरिक है.

- हर दूसरे व्यक्ति के साथ मेरा व्यवहार इन सिद्धांतों पर आधारित होगा.

- मेरा धर्म, मेरा रहन-सहन, मेरी भाषा, मेरी व्यक्तिगत आस्था का हिस्सा होंगे.

- हर दूसरे व्यक्ति का धर्म, रहन-सहन, भाषा उसकी व्यक्तिगत आस्था का हिस्सा होंगे, मैं उनका आदर करूंगा और कभी ऐसा कोई काम नहीं करूंगा जिस से उनकी भावनाएं आहत हों. 

- मेरी हर व्यक्तिगत आस्था, हर दूसरे व्यक्ति के साथ मेरे संबंधों को और मजबूत बनाएगी. 

- इन संबंधों को आधार बनाकर मैं एक ऐसे समाज के निर्माण के लिए कार्य करूंगा जहाँ कोई अन्याय, भेद-भाव और शोषण न हो, जहाँ हर नागरिक राष्ट्र निर्माण में सहभागी हो."

क्रमशः  

चुनाव जीतना अंतिम उद्देश्य नहीं है !!!

पिछले प्रसंग में आपने पढ़ा कि टीवी चेनल पर अपने इंटरव्यू में अमरेन्द्र ने कहा कि चुनाव एक प्रक्रिया है जिसके अंतर्गत जनता अपने प्रतिनिधि चुनती है. कोई भी नागरिक जनता का प्रतिनिधित्व करने का प्रस्ताव रख सकता है. एक से अधिक प्रस्तावक होने की स्थिति में चुनाव आयोग ऐसी व्यवस्था करता है जिस में जनता किसी एक प्रस्ताव का अनुमोदन कर सके. जिस प्रस्तावक के प्रस्ताव को बहुमत का अनुमोदन मिलता है वह आधिकारिक रूप से अगले पांच वर्ष के लिए जनता का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है. इस सारी प्रक्रिया को चुनाव की संज्ञा दी गई है. अमरेन्द्र ने कुछ नया नहीं कहा पर जिस अंदाज में उन्होंने यह सब कहा और जिन शब्दों का प्रयोग किया उस से चुनाव की एक बिलकुल नई परिभाषा सामने आई, एक नया सोच सामने आया, चुनाव का सही उद्देश्य क्या है यह पता चला. यह सब सुन कर मेरे मन में एक नई आशा का संचार हुआ. मुझे लगा कि यह एक नई वैचारिक क्रांति का शुभारम्भ है. 

अमरेन्द्र ने आगे कहा, 'मेरे लिए चुनाव जीतना अंतिम उद्देश्य नहीं है. मेरा अंतिम उद्देश्य है समाज सेवा. मैं यह स्पष्ट कर देना चाहता हूँ कि समाज सेवा करने के लिए जन प्रतिनिधि होना जरूरी नहीं है, कोई चुनाव जीतना जरूरी नहीं है. हाँ यह सच है कि जन प्रतिनिधि के रूप में समाज सेवा और अधिक प्रभावशाली रूप से की जा सकती है. हमारे देश की प्रजातांत्रिक प्रबंध व्यवस्था में जन प्रतिनिधि को कुछ ऐसे अधिकार मिलते हैं जिन का सही प्रयोग जनता की सेवा करने में सहायक हो सकता है. लेकिन यह दुर्भाग्य की बात है कि इन अधिकारों का दुरूपयोग किया जाता है, जन प्रतिनिधि यह अधिकार पा कर निरंकुश शासक बन जाते हैं और तानाशाहों जैसा व्यवहार करने लगते हैं. आज़ादी के इन ६० वर्षों में जन प्रतिनिधियों के आचरण में जो गिराबट आई है उस ने भारतीय प्रजातंत्र का  नाम बदनाम किया है. जिनसे मानवीय मूल्यों के आदर्श स्थापित करने की अपेक्षा की गई थी उन्होंने इन मूल्यों को पतन के गर्त में झोंक दिया. इस लिए यह जरूरी है कि हम फिर एक क्रान्ति की शुरुआत करें और भारत को  इस अधोपतन की दासता से मुक्त कराएँ'. 

केमरा फिर एक बार सब पर घूम गया. सब मंत्रमुग्ध से बैठे थे. अमरेन्द्र ने अपने थेले से कुछ कागज़ बाहर निकाले और उन्हें सुधांशु को देते हुए कहा, 'मैं अपने प्रस्ताव के साथ भरे नामांकन पत्र और उसके साथ लगाए गए शपथपत्रों की प्रतिलिपियाँ सुधांशु जी को दे रहा हूँ. इन से आपको मेरा पूरा परिचय मिल जायेगा. इन शपथपत्रों में जो संकल्प मैंने किये हैं उनकी प्रतिलिपियाँ मैं जल्दी ही आप सबको उपलब्ध करा दूंगा. आप उन्हें पढिये और तय कीजिए कि क्या मैं आपका उचित प्रतिनिधित्व कर सकूंगा. यदि आपको यह विश्वास हो जाए तो मेरे प्रस्ताव पर अनुमोदन मत दीजियेगा.'

सुधांशु ने उन कागजों पर निगाह डाली. वह कुछ चकित सा लग रहा था. उसने पूछा, 'इनमें ऐसे शपथपत्र भी हैं जिनकी कानून के हिसाब से जरूरत नहीं है'. 

अमरेन्द्र ने कहा, 'आपकी बात सही है. पर मेरे हिसाब से यह सब जरूरी है. मैंने जिनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने का प्रस्ताव किया है उन्हें यह अधिकार है कि वह मेरे बारे में सब कुछ जानें. मैं भीष्म पितामह नहीं हूँ, पर जो शपथ मैंने ली हैं उन्हें निभाने में उनसे कम नहीं रहूँगा'. 

सुधांशु ने घडी पर नजर डाली और कहा,'समय के अभाव के कारण हमें यह कार्यक्रम यहीं समाप्त करना होगा. विश्वास कीजिए इन कागजों में जो लिखा है वह किसी भीष्म प्रतीज्ञा से कम नहीं है. मुझे लगता है कि यह कार्यक्रम हमें अब रोज प्रसारित करना होगा. अमरेन्द्र जी से मेरा निवेदन है कि इस कार्यक्रम के लिए समय निकालें. उनके विचार जनता तक पहुँचाना जरूरी है, नमस्कार'. 

क्रमशः 

मैं चुनाव नहीं लड़ रहा हूँ !!!

चुनाव का मौसम आ गया था. राजनीतिक उठा-पटक जोर-शोर से शुरू हो गई थी, पार्टियों के बीच सीटों के लिए, और पार्टी के अन्दर टिकटों के लिए. बंद दरवाजों के पीछे टिकटों की नीलामी बंद हो चुकी थी. लागों का कहना है कि हर बार की तरह इस बार भी दो ही मापदंड थे - बफादारी और टिकट की कीमत. सच्चाई, ईमानदारी और कर्तव्यनिष्ठा जैसे शब्द पहले ही बेमानी हो चुके हैं. आज की स्थिति को देख कर दो लाइनें याद आती हैं -

मवालियों को न देखा करो हिकारत से,

न जाने कौन सा गुंडा वजीर बन जाए.

हमारे चुनाव छेत्र से उम्मीदवारों ने नामांकन भर दिए थे. जांच हो चुकी थी और आधिकारिक रूप से जनता को पता चल चुका था कि कौन कौन महानुभाव चुनाव लड़ रहे हैं. एक टीवी चेनल ने घोषणा की कि वह सब उम्मीदवारों से इंटरव्यू प्रसारित करेंगे. टॉप के उम्मीदवारों के इंटरव्यू हो भी चुके थे. अपनी तारीफ़ और दूसरों को गालियाँ, बस यही हुआ. कोई नई बात नहीं. आज एक आखिरी उम्मीदवार का इंटरव्यू था. यह महानुभाव निर्दलीय उम्मीदवार के रूप में चुनाव लड़ रहे थे. कम ही लोग उन्हें जानते थे. किसी को उनके इंटरव्यू में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं थी. हमें भी नहीं. हमने कुछ मित्रों के साथ बाहर का एक कार्यक्रम बना रखा था. किसी कारण से यह कार्यक्रम रद्द हो गया. सोचा चलो इस आखिरी इंटरव्यू को भी देख लिया जाय. 

टीवी एंकर सुधांशु ने अपनी चेनल की तारीफ़ करने के बाद बताया कि आज उनके इस महान कार्यक्रम का आखिरी इंटरव्यू है. श्री अमरेन्द्र एक निर्दलीय उम्मीदवार के रूप में चुनाव लड़ रहे हैं. उनके बारे में कुछ खास पता नहीं है, इसलिए उनसे प्रार्थना है कि स्वयं ही अपना परिचय दें. केमरा अमरेन्द्र जी के चेहरे पर फोकस हुआ. कोई ज्यादा उम्र नहीं होगी. ऐसा लग रहा था जैसे अभी भी पढ़ रहे हैं. उन्होंने ने नमस्कार किया और कहा, 'सुधांशु जी ने मेरा इतना ही परिचय आपको दिया है कि मैं एक निर्दलीय उम्मीदवार के रूप में चुनाव लड़ रहा हूँ. यह परिचय गलत है. मैं चुनाव नहीं लड़ रहा हूँ'. 

मैंने सोचा मारे गए, अब यह श्रीमान कहेंगे कि मैं चुनाव लड़ नहीं रहा बल्कि उसमें भाग ले रहा हूँ. ऐसा मैंने एक फिल्म में देखा था जहाँ विलेन जनता को प्रभावित करने के लिए यही कहता है. एक बार सोचा कि टीवी बंद कर दें, पर कोई और काम नहीं था इसलिए चलने दिया. अमरेन्द्र जी ने हमें गलत साबित कर दिया. 

उन्होंने कहा, 'चुनाव कोई लड़ाई नहीं है. चुनाव एक प्रक्रिया है जिस के माध्यम से जनता अपने प्रतिनिधि चुनती है, और इस पक्रिया की आवश्यकता भी तब पड़ती है जब जनता को एक से अधिक व्यक्तियों में से किसी एक को चुनना होता है'.  

सुधांशु ने कहा कि सब ऐसा ही कहते हैं कि हम चुनाव लड़ रहे हैं. अमरेन्द्र ने कहा, 'आपकी बात सही है कि लोग ऐसा कहते हैं, पर यह गलत है. मैं अपना परिचय चुनाव लड़ने वाले के रूप में नहीं देना चाहूँगा. मैं यह भी नहीं कहूँगा कि मैं चुनाव में भाग ले रहा हूँ. मेरा आप सब से निवेदन है कि मेरी बात ध्यान से सुनें. हमारे देश में प्रजातंत्र है. इस के अंतर्गत जनता के द्वारा चुने गए प्रतिनिधि लोक सभा में जनता का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हैं, और एक प्रजातांत्रिक व्यवस्था के अंतर्गत देश का प्रवंधन करते हैं. कोई भी नागरिक, जनता के सामने उनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने का प्रस्ताव रख सकता है. जनता यदि उसके प्रस्ताव का अनुमोदन करती है तब वह व्यक्ति लोक सभा में पांच वर्ष तक उस छेत्र की जनता का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है. मैंने अगले पांच वर्ष तक जनता के समक्ष उनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने का प्रस्ताव रखा है. इसी तरह कुछ और लोगों ने भी ऐसा प्रस्ताव रखा है. जनता अब इन प्रस्तावकों में से किसी एक व्यक्ति के प्रस्ताव का अनुमोदन करेगी. इसके लिए चुनाव आयोग व्यवस्था करेगा और जनता मत के रूप में अपना अनुमोदन देगी. जिस प्रस्तावक को सबसे अधिक अनुमोदन  मत मिलेंगे वह आधिकारिक रूप से अगले पांच वर्षों तक जनता का लोक सभा में प्रतिनिधित्व करेगा.'

बात सीधी और साफ़ थी, बस भाषा अलग थी. सब लोग यह जानते भी थे, लेकिन जिस अंदाज में यह बात कही गई थी वह कुछ अलग था. मुझे ऐसा लगा कि अमरेन्द्र चुनाव को एक अलग तरह से परिभाषित करना चाहते हैं. सुधांशु ने कहा, 'क्या फर्क पड़ता है. बात तो वही है सिर्फ शब्दों का ही तो फर्क है'. 

अमरेन्द्र ने कहा, 'नहीं ऐसी बात नहीं है. शब्द बहुत ताकतवर होते हैं. जो शब्द हम बोलते हैं वह हमारे सोच को दर्शाते हैं और हमारे कर्म को निर्धारित करते हैं. अगर हम यह कहते हैं कि हम चुनाव लड़ रहे हैं तो हमारा सोच चुनाव को एक लड़ाई के रूप में देखता है और फिर हम उस लड़ाई को जीतने के लिए हर संभव प्रयास करते हैं. हमारा यह सोच हमसे हिंसा तक करवा देता है. चुनाव में जीतना हमारे लिए जीवन-म्रत्यु का प्रश्न बन जाता है. जब हम कोई वस्तु लड़ कर जीतते हैं तो उस का उपभोग करने की भावना हमारे अन्दर रहती है. चुनाव के बाद हम जनता के प्रतिनिधि नहीं, बल्कि उनके स्वामी बन जाते हैं. उनका लोक सभा में प्रतिनिधित्व करने की जगह हम जनता पर शासन करते हैं'.

अमरेन्द्र कुछ पलों के लिए रुके. केमरा सुधांशु से होता हुआ कक्ष में बैठे लोगों पर घूम गया. सब अवाक से लग रहे थे. यह सब कुछ उन्होंने इस तरह से नहीं सुना था. जो कुछ देश में हो रहा है उसे इस तरह भी कहा जा सकता है, यह सब के लिए एक नई बात थी. अमरेन्द्र ने फिर कहना शुरू किया, 'अब हम चुनाव को मात्र एक प्रक्रिया के रूप में लें, और खुद को  एक प्रस्तावक के रूप में, और जनता के मत को प्रस्ताव अनुमोदन के रूप में. इस से हमारा पूरा सोच ही बदल जाता है. क्या आपको नहीं लगता कि ऐसे सोच वाले व्यक्ति सच्चाई, ईमानदारी और कर्तव्यनिष्ठा से जनता का प्रतिनिधित्व करेंगे. वह जनता के विश्वास के ट्रस्टी होंगे, जनता के शासक नहीं. ऐसे सोच वाले लोग ही देश में सच्चा प्रजातंत्र ला सकेंगे. आज देश का तंत्र राज करने के लिए है, जैसा राजतंत्र में होता है. नाम प्रजातंत्र है पर वास्तव में है राजतंत्र. राजनितिक दल यह कहने में गर्व अनुभव करते हैं कि देश में या प्रदेश में हमारा राज्य है. कोई उसे प्रजा का राज्य नहीं कहता. हमें आजादी मिली अंग्रेजों के राजतंत्र से, पर अब हम गुलाम हैं भारतीयों के राजतन्त्र के. प्रजातंत्र तो कहीं नजर ही नहीं आता. इसलिए मैं अपना परिचय एक प्रस्तावक के रूप में देना चाहूँगा. मैं प्रस्ताव करता हूँ इस छेत्र की जनता का अगले पांच वर्षों तक लोक सभा में प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए. मेरा निवेदन है कि आप मेरे प्रस्ताव का अनुमोदन करें और मुझे अपना प्रतिनिधित्व करने का अधिकार प्रदान करें'. यह कह कर अमरेन्द्र चुप हो गए. केमरा फिर सब पर घूम गया. सब अवाक से देख रहे थे. फिर एक कौने से ताली की गूँज उठी और सारा हाल तालियों की गूँज से भर गया. सब खड़े थे और तालियाँ बजा रहे थे. धीरे-धीरे तालियों शांत हुईं. सब बैठ गए. एक बुजुर्ग सज्जन खड़े थे. सुधांशु ने पुछा, 'क्या आप कुछ कहना चाहते हैं?' उन्होंने कहा, 'हाँ, अमरेन्द्र जी ने जो कहा वह मैंने सुना. आजादी के ६० वर्षों में किसी ने ऐसा नहीं कहा. कुछ समझ में आया और कुछ समझ में नहीं आया. पर न जाने क्यों मुझे एक आशा बंध रही है कि कुछ नया और सही होने वाला है, और यह बहुत बड़ी बात है'. 

क्रमशः 

जायेंगे जेल अगर अभी भी नहीं सुधरे तो

मैंने अपनी पिछली पोस्ट में उस दिवास्वप्न का जिक्र किया था जिसमें मैं अपने परिवार के साथ यमुना में नौका विहार कर रहा था. दिल्ली निवासियों ने, दिल्ली उद्योग ने, दिल्ली सरकार ने यमुना को इतना प्रदूषित कर दिया है कि इस दिवास्वप्न के सच होने की कल्पना भी नही की जा सकती. क्या यमुना कभी साफ़ नहीं होगी? क्या सारे शहर का और उद्योगों का कचरा ऐसे ही यमुना में डाला जाता रहेगा? 

आज अखबार में एक ख़बर पढ़ कर कुछ आशा जगी है. अदालत ने दिल्ली जल बोर्ड के तीन उच्च अधिकारियों को दो सप्ताह की जेल की सजा सुनाई है. इन पर २०-२० हजार रुपए का जुर्माना भी किया गया है. जुर्माने का पैसा इन की तनख्वाह से काटा जायेगा. यह अधिकारी हैं - एक्स सीईओ अरुण माथुर, चीफ इंजिनियर आर के जैन और एक्जीक्यूटिव इंजिनियर पी पन्त. एक और अधिकारी बी एम् धौल को इस लिए माफ़ कर दिया गया क्योंकि वह रिटायर हो चुके हैं. मेरे विचार में सजा इन्हें भी मिलनी चाहिए थी.  

फिलहाल अदालत ने यह सजा तीन महीने के लिए मुल्तबी कर दी है और यह आदेश दिया है कि इस दौरान दिल्ली जल बोर्ड यमुना में कचरा डालने को बिल्कुल बंद कर देगा. अगर ऐसा नहीं हुआ तो गए यह अधिकारी जेल.   

अदालत ने इस बात पर भी नाराजगी जतायी है कि दिल्ली जल बोर्ड के अधिकारी अपनी जिम्मेदारी नहीं निभाते और सजा से बचने के लिए झूठे बहाने बनाते हैं. अदालत के अनुसार बोर्ड में भ्रष्टाचार गहराई तक अपनी जड़े जमा चुका है. अब यह आशा कि जा सकती है कि बोर्ड कुछ करेगा क्योंकि अब उस के अधिकारियों पर सजा की तलवार लटक रही है. किसी ने सही कहा है - भय बिन होत न प्रीत. 

दिवास्वप्न - यमुना में नौका विहार

आज सुबह हवन किया. हवन के बाद की गई प्रार्थना में निम्नलिखित पंक्तिया आती हैं:

"वायु जल सर्वत्र हों शुभ गंध को धारण किए"

हवन वातावरण को शुद्ध करता है. हवन करके हम ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करते हैं कि वायु और जल शुद्ध हों, और हमेशा उन में एक शुभ गंध व्याप्त रहे. 

दिन भर में यही सोचता रहा. वायु और जल प्रदूषण आज एक बिकट समस्या बन गई है. हर समय हर व्यक्ति वायु और जल को प्रदूषित कर रहा है. सरकार भी अपना पूर्ण योगदान दे रही है. कुछ दिन पहले दिल्ली विकास प्राधिकरण ने पश्चिम पुरी स्थित अपने डिस्ट्रिक्ट पार्क में कूड़ा जलाया और वायु को जम कर प्रदूषित किया. कुछ फोटो दिखाऊँगा कभी आपको इस महान प्रदूषण कार्यक्रम के.  

यमुना के बारे में तो क्या बात करना? यमुना साफ़ करने के नाम पर सरकार, उसके अधिकारियों, उस के नेताओं ने  जनता का करोड़ों रुपया साफ़ कर दिया; और यमुना और गन्दी हो गई. राजीव गाँधी के गंगा सफाई अभियान के नाम पर अपनी जेबें भरने के बाद अब मनमोहन जी गंगा पर दूसरी इनिंग्स खेलने की घोषणा कर चुके हैं. देखिये इस बार गंगा कितनी गन्दी होती है. मैं सोचता रहा और सोचते-सोचते आँख लग गई.

एक दिवास्वप्न देखा. अवकाश का दिन है. धूप निकली है. हलकी-हलकी हवा चल रही है. हवा में एक मनमोहक गंध है. बच्चों ने कहा कि हम यमुना जायेंगे नौका विहार करने. सो निकल पड़े. यमुना किनारे पहुंचे. लगा जैसे सारी दिल्ली यमुना किनारे आ गई है. लोग हंस-खेल रहे हैं. गुब्बारे वाले जम कर बिक्री कर रहे हैं. आसमान में रंग-बिरंगी पतंगें लहरा रही हैं. सब तरफ़ खुशी का माहौल है. यमुना का पानी इतना साफ़ है कि अपने चेहरा देख लो. बहुत से लोग  नौकाओं में विहार कर रहे हैं. हमने भी एक नौका ली. मीठी धूप, हलकी बहती हवा, और यमुना के पानी की हल्की सी ठंडक, लगा जैसे स्वर्ग धरती पर उतर आया है. खूब आनंद किया. शाम होते घर लौट आए. मेरी भी आँख खुल गई.

'चाय पियोगे?', पत्नी पूछ रही थी. 'अब दिन में भी सपने देखते रहते हो'. 

'चाय, हाँ जरूर', मैंने कहा. 'अब तो सपनों में ही देख सकते हैं यह सब'. 

किस की और ईशारा है यहाँ?

आज एक ब्लाग 'युग-विमर्श' पर एक पोस्ट आई है - "गिरफ़्तारी पे उसकी इस क़दर बेचैनियाँ क्यों हैं."

पता नहीं किस की और ईशारा कर रहे हैं डॉ. शैलेश ज़ैदी जो इस ब्लाग के अनुसार हैं प्रोफेसर एवं पूर्व हिन्दी विभागाध्यक्ष तथा डीन, फैकल्टी आफ आर्ट्स, मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय, अलीगढ. इस रचना की आखिरी दो लाइनों पर आप का ध्यान चाहूँगा:

दलित हों या मुसलमाँ या वो सिख हों या हों ईसाई,

सभी के साथ तनहा आप ही ईज़ा-रसां क्यों हैं.

कुछ अंदाजा तो लगता है. क्या ख्याल है आप का? 

समझौता एक्सप्रेस में आरडीएक्स इस्तेमाल ही नहीं हुआ

मुझे कुछ देर पहले यह मेल मिला:

"एटीएस ने नासिक कोर्ट में शनिवार को दावा किया कि समझौता एक्सप्रेस में धमाके के लिए इस्तेमाल किया गया आरडीएक्स लेफ्टिनेंट कर्नल पुरोहित ने मुहैया कराया था। 19 फरवरी 2007 को हुए समझौता एक्सप्रेस ब्लास्ट में 68 लोग मारे गए थे।

आतंक की गहरी साजिश का पर्दाफाश करने के लिए IBN7 ने इस खबर की पूरी तहकीकात की। तहकीकात में ये पता चला कि समझौता एक्सप्रेस धमाकों में आरडीएक्स का इस्तेमाल ही नहीं किया गया था। यानी एटीएस सरासर झूठ बोल रही है।

नासिक कोर्ट में एटीएस के वकील ने दावा किया कि भगवा आतंक की ब्रिगेड के मददगार फौजी लेफ्टिनेंट कर्नल पी एस पुरोहित के पास 60 किलो आरडीएक्स था। उस आरडीएक्स को पुरोहित ने भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच दोस्ती की मिसाल बनीं समझौता एक्सप्रेस में 2007 में हुए धमाके के लिए मुहैया करवाया था।

दरअसल समझौता एक्सप्रेस धमाकों में अमोनियम नाइट्रेट और सल्फयूरिक एसिड के साथ केरोसिन ऑयल का इस्तेमाल किया गया था। मकसद था कि जब चलती ट्रेन में बम फटे तो आग लगने से ज्यादा से ज्यादा लोग मारे जाएं और यही हुआ भी था। बम फटा और ट्रेन की दो बोगियों में भयानक आग लग गई थी। जिसमें 68 लोग मारे गए थे।

इसके अलावा 19 फरवरी 2007 को जांच एजेंसियों को ब्लास्ट के बाद ट्रेन से सूटकेसों में भरे दो जिंदा बम मिले थे। और उन बमों में भी आरडीएक्स का एक कण तक इस्तेमाल नहीं किया गया था। फिर मुंबई एटीएस का ये बयान मजबूरी में दे रही है या फिर कोई राजनीतिक दबाव में आकर।

साथ ही एटीएस ने ये भी दावा किया कि फौजी पुरोहित ने 60 किलो आरडीएक्स किसी भगवान नाम के शख्स को दिया था। सवाल ये है कि भगवान नाम का ये शख्स कौन और कहां हैं। कहीं ये शख्स मुंबई एटीएस की दिमागी उड़ान का नतीजा तो नहीं है।

गौरतलब है कि समझौता एक्सप्रेस में ब्लास्ट के बाद जब भारत-पाक सचिवों की बैठक हुई थी तो खुद देश के तत्कालीन विदेश सचिव शिवशंकर मेनन ने धमाकों के पीछे पाकिस्तान में बैठे रसूल पार्थी का नाम लिया था।" 

अब तो सब कुछ साफ़ हो रहा है. यह एक ईसाई द्वारा संचालित कांग्रेस सरकार का षड़यंत्र है हिन्दुओं को बदनाम करके मुसलमानों के वोट बटोरने का.  

क्या प्रेम बार-बार नफरत से हारेगा?

वर्ष २००८ बीतने को है. पिछले सालों की तरह इस बार भी प्रेम नफरत से हार गया. अहिंसा हिंसा से हार गई.

मैंने साल के शुरू में कुछ विश की थीं. उनमें से कुछ एक बार फ़िर दोहराता हूँ:

ब्लू-लाइन बस के नीचे आ कर कोई न मरे,

किसी वरिष्ट नागरिक की हत्या न हो,

किसी बच्चे पर अत्त्याचार न हो,

किसी स्त्री पर अत्त्याचार न हो,

सड़क पर गुस्से में हिंसा न हो,

पुलिस किसी असहाय नागरिक पर अत्त्याचार न करे,

किसी से भेद भाव न हो,

कोई आतंकवादी हमला न हो.

कोई विश पूरी नहीं हुई. कितने निर्दोष नागरिकों की जान गई. कितनी निजी और राष्ट्रीय संपत्ति का नुक्सान हुआ. ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है की वर्ष २००८ का बाकी बचा समय शान्ति से बीत जाए. वर्ष २००९ में फ़िर यही विश करूंगा और ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करूंगा की इस बात तो मेरी विश पूरी कर दो. 

Bring love back in our lives

In 2007 we have seen love loosing to hate, peace loosing to violence. We should stop and ponder. Are we going to allow this to continue or we should do something to reverse the trend?

If we want that in year 2008, love should emerge victorious over hate and peace over violence then we need to bring love back in to our lives. My friends wonder where the love has gone. I wonder too. Has love really gone out of our lives or it is still there within our hearts but has been covered by greed which brought hate and violence to the front? Whatever is the situaion we should re-discover love. Without love we cease to be human beings.

Every year people make new resolutions. I also do. Last year I made a resolution to develop positive attitude towards life and people. I succeeded to some extent. I continue with this resolution for year 2008 also.

This year I make a new resolution to bring love back in our lives. Let love be victorious on hate. Let peace be victorious on violence.

I have many wishes too (list is very long. Here are some):

No deaths under blue line buses.

No killings of senior citizens.

No child abuse.

No violence against women.

No road rage.

No police brutality on innocent citizens.

No expolitation of and discrimination against any citizen.

No terror killings.

No photos of ministers on public ads.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

We call him Father of Nation but .....

Today is 2nd October, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. We call him Father of Indian Nation. But the nation we have built after independence is not the nation of his dreams. If he was alive today, he will refuse to be referred to as father of this nation. Let us know what his dream was: "I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country, in whose making they have an effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability, or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy the same rights as men. We shall be at peace with all the rest of the world. This is the India of my dreams." Now, can anybody tell me whether we have built the India of Gandhi's dream? Do we see any part of his dream has been realized in today's India? Why we insult him and his memory by calling him father of this nation? Let us stop humiliating him on his birthday everty year. By the way, today is also the birthday of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the most simple and able Prime Ministyer of India. For Indian Nation he is a forgetten hero.

Forgetten Hero of India

Today, I searched and searched but could not find any mention of his name in 40 pages of Times of India. His name is Lal Bahadur Shastri and he was the third Prime Minister of independent India and a significant figure in the Indian Independence Movement. After seeing no mention of his name, I thought that I should write a blogpost in his memory and express my gratitude on his role in my nation's destiny. Lal Bahadur was born in the year 1904 in Ramnagar, Varanasi, UP as Lal Bahadur Srivastava. His father Sharada Prasad was a poor school teacher, who later became a clerk in the Revenue Office at Allahabad. His father died when he was 18 months old. His mother raised him. A poor, simple anf honest person joined Ganghi's movement and was imprisoned. After independence, he became Prime Minister of India after Nehru died. On his becming PM he stated - "There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the cross-roads of history and must choose which way to go. But for us there need be no difficulty or hesitation, no looking to right or left. Our way is straight and clear – the building up of a socialist democracy at home with freedom and prosperity for all, and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations". On the confrontation in Kutch with Pakistan, Shastri stated in Parliament - "In the utilization of our limited resources, we have always given primacy to plans and projects for economic development. It would, therefore, be obvious for anyone who is prepared to look at things objectively that India can have no possible interest in provoking border incidents or in building up an atmosphere of strife... In these circumstances, the duty of Government is quite clear and this duty will be discharged fully and effectively... We would prefer to live in poverty for as long as necessary but we shall not allow our freedom to be subverted". In a broadcast to the nation on the day the of ceasefire with Pakistan, Shastri stated - "While the conflict between the armed forces of the two countries has come to an end, the more important thing for the United Nations and all those who stand for peace is to bring to an end the deeper conflict... How can this be brought about? In our view, the only answer lies in peaceful coexistence. India has stood for the principle of coexistence and championed it all over the world. Peaceful coexistence is possible among nations no matter how deep the differences between them, how far apart they are in their political and economic systems, no matter how intense the issues that divide them". After the declaration of ceasefire, Shastri and Pakistani President attended a summit in Tashkent (former USSR, now in modern Uzbekistan). On January 10, 1966, Shastri and Khan signed the Tashkent Declaration. The next day Shastri died of a heart attack. He is the only Indian Prime Minister, and indeed probably one of the few heads of governmemt, to have died in office overseas. Some conspiracy theories allege his death to be of unnatural causes. All his lifetime, Shastri was known for honesty and humility. His quotes: Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer") "If one person gives up one meal in a day, some other person gets his only meal of the day", spoken during the food crisis to encourage people to evenly distribute food. "Perhaps due to my being small in size and soft of tongue, people are apt to believe that I am not able to be very firm. Though not physically strong, I think I am internally not so weak. Is that why Indian nation has forgetten him, even on his birthday.

Punishing truth in the country of Satyamev Jayate

Can the truth be a statement of contempt? Indian judiciary says Yes. Recently an Indian court has sentenced journalists for publishing, what they say is truth, against a retired judge. Court rejected their submission that truth can not be held in contempt of the court. This judgment has evoked a sharp response from many legal luminaries.

I am not a legal luminary, but I also feel that truth can not be seen in contempt of anybody, including judiciary. Truth is God. Can God be held in contempt?

ges I wonder what has inspired the learned judges to pass such a judgment. Do they feel that judges are above the law written down in the constitution, and even the law of God, that truth always wins?

Where love has gone?

In the blind race to be materially successful, human race has left love behind. Sons are killing their parents. Brothers are killing brothers. Wives kill husbands and husbands kill wives. Friends kill friends. Even people unknown to each other, meeting for the first time, kill each other without any valid reason.

Where love has gone? Why people are full of hate? These are the questions which disturbs me. I try to find the answer but it is not found.

Is Indian media colour blind?

Newspapers are full of news about corruption, violence, conflict. TV channels also focus on such news only. Is Indian media not able to find good news or good things have stopped happening in India? Whenever I look at news I feel disturbed. It is difficult for me to believe that good people are not there and good things are not happening. Then why media shows only bad things?

What do you feel friends?

Appeasement is another form of communalism

Communalism is strong devotion to the interests of one's own minority or ethnic group rather than those of society as a whole. Appeasement is yielding or concede to the belligerent demands of a minority or a ethnic group in a conciliatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles. If you think deeper you will find that communalism and appeasement are two sides of the same coin.

Political parties claim themselves to be secular but in fact they all are communal. Every single political party divides people on religious grounds and project themselves as the only messiah for divided groups. This is going on from British days. After India got independence, new political rulers decided that this policy should comntinue.

People should see and protect themselves from this divide and rule policy (Indian version). But then people are a divided lot.

Displaying open loyalty to other countries

Like during freedom struggle against British rule, Indo-China war, the Indian communists have again been exposed for their loyalty towards other countries. This time it is Indo-US nuclear deal. Left parties are openly working as agents of communist China. It is unfortunate that UPA Govt in its bid to remain in power is dragging its feet on nuclear deal under pressure of these Chinese Dalals.

For Sonia Gandhi it may not be a big deal but Manmohan Singh and other congress leaders are Indians, and they are loyalty-bound with Indian interests. BJP and other non-UPA parties are also behaving in unindian manner.

People of India, in majority, want Govt to go ahead with nuclear deal. UPA Govt should respect this wish of the people.

What do you feel friends?

Conflict between Government and People

I feel hurt at increasing conflict between the people and the government. On no issue Indian people and their representatives seem to have convergence of views. In our childhood, we were taught that democratic form of government is of the people, for the people and by the people. But reality is altogether different. Now people only elect their representatives for governing the affairs of the nation, and after this their relevance ends. They become relevant only at the time of next election.

There is no governance. What we see today is nothing but a crude rule of few representatives over the majority. No action taken by the government goes well with the majority of people. Be it the 'office-of-profit' bill, Indo-US nuclear deal, amendment to RTI Act, continuance of reservation and extending it to new sectors, a conflict is seen in expectations of the people and approach of the government. People have to come out on the streets to force the government to think and act their way.

How can a society develop in this conflicting environment?

My New Year Resolution

I, Suresh Gupta, a proud citizen of India, adopt the following as my New Year resolution:
 That I shall work for continual improvement of day-to-day life of Indian citizens.
 That my relationship with all other Indians shall be on three levels – emotional, social and national.
 That on emotional level the relationship shall be based on the principles of humanity, as I am a human being and so all other Indians.
 That on social level the relationship shall be based on the principles of peaceful co-existence, as I am a part of the Great Indian Society and so all other Indians.
 That on national level the relationship shall be based on the principles of nationalism, as I am a citizen of Great Indian Nation and so all other Indians.
 That my behavior with all other Indians shall be guided by above principles.
 That my religion, my language, my life-style, my food habits etc., shall be my personal traits.
 That I shall consider religion, language, life-style, food habits etc., of all other Indians as their personal traits, and shall respect them.
 That all my personal traits shall support and strengthen above relationships.
 That based on above relationships, I shall work for creation of a class-less all-Indian society.
That I do not have any copyright on this manifesto and all Indians are welcome to adopt it in full or part as their manifesto.

Who are these people?

Many people are canvassing for Afzal. They want that he should not be hanged for attacking India's center of democracy, the Parliament. It was fortunate that he did not succeed in killing peoples' representatives assembled in the parliament, but many other Indians (security personnel)were killed in this attack.

Who are these people and why are they are on the side of the enemy of India? Why are they not on the side of their country and innocent fellow citizens? Why they are asking Indian state to free him? Why are they not asking these terrorists to stop killing innocent people?

Are they the other face of terrorism? Will it be right to call them terrorists without arms?

Added on 03 September 2007

UPA Govt has succeeded in saving an enemy of Indian nation by sleeping on the mercy petition of Afzal. It will be a big mistake to pardon him, so the Govt is delaying a decision for indefinite period. People-rejected Home Minister Patil has already said that there is no time limit for taking such decisions. Now Rashtrapati Bhawan also has a Sonia loyalist.

Lok Sabha ya Goonda Sabha

After what happened yesterday in Parliament (LS), I am feeling hurt whenever any body calls it Lok Sabha. Lok means people and sabha means assembly, and that means the parliament is the assembly of people. This is wrong. It is not the assembly of people but assembly of goondas. If one says that these are people's representatives then again I don't agree. They can only be called representatives of goondas. They never represent people but only goondas, rather as Railway minister shouted they themselves are goondas.

If there was a law to recall them I would have initiated action under that law. But atleast I can disown them. From now onwards these goondas are not my representative in Goonda Sabha.

Why free land to hospitals and schools?

Hospitals and schools are carrying out business like any other business. Government does not give free land or land at highly concessional rate to any other business. Why then it should give free land to hospitals and schools. It will be absurd to say that nowdays hospitals and schools are carrying out any charitable work. Health care and providing education are nothing but any other business.

Media is daily reporting cases where hospitals and schools have not complied to term and conditions of free allotment of land. In some cases the trust concerned have sold out the building and land to others at very high market rates. Hospitals and schools have become dens of corruption these days. They have no concern for patients and students. They only look at them as source of money. In hospitals, the poor people are always neglected or attended to in a very casual manner. In schools, poor children either don't get admission or, if forced to admit, not cared for.

I feel hurt on wastage of such huge public money on these corrupt instutuitions. This practice of giving free land to hospitals and schools should stop.

Now it is SC's turn to kill RTI Act!

After right sense prevailed and UPA govt dropped the idea (for how long is uncertain) to kill RTI Act, it is now the turn of SC to try to kill the act by seeking cover from giving information to people. SC has suggested three amendments to this law which if enacted by parliament, will strike at the root of the most important safeguard contained in the act. All public authorities including courts are subject to the jurisdiction of an independent appellate body. SC says that this appellate body in case of courts should not be Central Information Commission but its own registrar general. Why, SC should be given such special treatment?

The proposal of SC is totally unethical and against the principles of natural justice. Are the people not disstaisfied with courts' working? Are courts delivering right justice in right time? Are people not forced to agitate to get justice from courts? Courts in India are like any other public authority which has failed the people. It should be subjected to a common law and no special treatment should be given to it for with-holding information from people.

First politicians, then babus and now courts want that they should be above the law. If country's highest judicial body has such negative mindset then who will deliver justice to the people? I am really hurt by this wrong and unethical move of SC.

Dark days ahead for India and Indian democracy!

A little hope was there. But a 15 minutes meeting between PM and Presdident has dashed that hope. President has signed the unethical and immoral office-of-profit bill. With this new law, all corrupt MPs and MLAs have been saved from disqualification. It has now provided constitutional sanction to corruption by MPs and MLAs.

The parliament has now become a den of corrupt politicians. The patronage to this naked corruption is provided by PM, Speaker and the President. These corrupt people make laws for the country but keep themselves above these laws. These people, elected by people, are expected to create standards of ideal behaviour but they create standards of unethical and immoral behaviour.

Leaders have become criminals. Dark days are ahead for India and Indian democracy.

'To compromise' is an exception, not a rule

Some people say, life is a compromise. I don't agree with them. Compromise affects self-esteem.One may feel that he or she has achieved something by making a compromise where there was no possibility of any achievement, but it lowers one's own rating in one's own eyes. At the most, compromise can be treated as an exception, meaning once in a blue moon one makes a compromise to keep the game going. I feel hurt as in current political scenerio, exception has become a rule. Everyday the government is making some or the other compromise to remain in power and all it is done at the cost of public interest.

It is a fact that there is a coalition govt at the centre, but Congress party wrongly thinks that it is dependent on the support of its coalition partners to remain in office. It is dependent on the support of Indian people and no body else. Its coalition partners are all there for serving their own vested interests and would never like to destabilise the govt. Even if it is destabilized then people will again elect congress to govern. But for that congress has to win the confidence of the people.

Congress should have confidence in the people of India. They want better governance irrespective of the party. Now, when congress is runnubg the govt people want it to deliver and deliver right in right time. People are pained every time the govt compromises with the demands of vested interests. Congress should remember that making compromises is an exception and not a rule. But, unfortunately it has made it a rule and keep on compromising with unjust and anti-people demands of the cailition partners. This is making people angry. If comgress does not stop compromising then people will sure punish it at the next election.

Yeh aam aadmi ki sarkar nahin hai

When election results were out and it became apparant that congress will form a coalition government at the center, a friend asked me, who will be the Prime Minister? I did not hesitate a bit to say Manmohan Singh. I still feel that he is the best choice amongst available lot but my 'zero' hurt at that time is now very deep. Almost every action of this government under Manmohan Singh has hurt me.

I was hurt when he started his innings by inducting in his cabinet those having criminal records and also those who were defeated by the people in the election. When this was opposed he defended it by saying that NDA govt also had such people and it is the compulsion of coalition politics. My hurt started becoming deeper. It was time when he could have simply refused to induct such tainted politicians in his cabinet. He could have taken a tough stand. Indian people were with him. But he choose to compromise and that was the beginning of compromises. he has been making compromises every other day and every other day my hurt is increasing. Will I never see a role model politician in my life?

People did not start respecting him after he became PM. Today also people do not respect him only because he is PM. Rather they are displeased with him as PM. He was a role model for them as an India, a person. They wanted him to be a role model as a politician also. But he failed them.

A child writes a letter to terrorists

A child, who felt hurt by killings of innocent people in Mumbai blasts, has wriiten a letter to terrorists and e-mailed it to a newspaper.

The child addresses them as Dear Uncle Terrorist, "please do not be angry because I am calling you a terrorist, but I don't know your real name. And everybody calls you a terrorist".

The child asks, "How can you be happy when someone dies? If someone kills your mummy and daddy, how will you feel? I was very sad when my bade Abba died last month.... people say that you did this purposely to kill people. What will you get by hurting people".

The child warns, "Uncle, please do not fight and kill. Allah does not like the killings. It is a sin. And when you die and meet Allah, he will put you in hell and not heaven".

The child advises, "..just say sorry to Allah and go to the police and put yourself in jail so that Allah will forgive you".

The perpetrators, organizers, financiers, sponsors and supporters of terrorism ……..

Terrorism hurts everybody, physically, emotionally, financially. It hurts more when fellow human beings become financiers, sponsors and supporters of terrorism.

Pakistan - Kasuri was not able to hide his happiness when he linked terrorist attacks in Mumbai to Kashmir dispute. Later he backed off from linking terrorist attacks to Kashmir dispute in the background of UNSC directive to member states to cooperate in combating terrorism and universal condemnation of attacks. In a presidential statement issued by UNSC underlined the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism to justice, and urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and various UN resolutions to cooperate actively with the Indian authorities in this regard. The statement said – “The Security Council reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the more serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminals and unjustifiable, regardless of their motives, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed”.

USA - David Mulford, US ambassador to India, chose to see a connection between the Mumbai attacks and Kashmir. The same thing was said by Pakistan foreign minister Kasuri. Look what this David fellow said – “Obviously there are linkages there. We all know that. But at this point, I think it is a little early to be precise as to who did what in these attacks and I think that’s also an issue for the Indian government to explore”. Is he justifying the attacks in reference to Kashmir and in some way holding Indian government responsible for the attacks. UNSC statement issued on Wednesday, July 13, 2006, puts US ambassador to India, David Mulford, on the side of terrorism. Shame to US government.

Mulayam Singh Yadav – Turning a blind eye to the central government directive to clamp down on SIMI because of its suspected involvement in the Mumbai massacre, this man chose to give a virtual clean chit to the banned extremist outfit. He has also cleared SIMI in two terrorist attacks in UP where he is the Chief Minister.

Shivpal Singh – Mulayam’s younger brother said – “SIMI is not a terrorist organization”.

What sort of justice is this?

I am hurt when India judicial system fail to deliver justice. Be it the case of Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matto, Nitish Katara Indian judiciary has failed the people. I wished to put words to my hurt on this but I found a very well written piece on Priyadarshini injustice case. I am reproducing it here _

"I am jsut rephrasing emails and information..couldnt write better than this .. but it is must read for every person in India and abroad who think Indian Judiciary can give justice. I really fail to understand how and when will the guilty be booked whether in this case or all other cases.

"Though I know he is the man who committed the crime, I acquit him, giving him the benefit of the doubt."

She was only 23. A Law student and the recipient of an award in 1988 from the then President of India for excellence in vocal music. She was a bright girl full of promises for the future - the future that she never got to see. Her life was brought to an abrupt end on January 23, 1996 by raping and strangling her to death. She was Priyadarshini Mattoo.

But, that could have been you!!! That could have been me!!! That could have been anybody. Priyadarshini was a girl next door.

The accused was her senior in college who had been stalking her for a year. She had even filed complaints against the accused Santosh Kumar Singh twice.
We feel so safe in the confines of our home, but are we? Priyadarshini met her untimely death in her Uncle's safe home.

“The evidence indicates that Santosh entered her house on the pretext of striking a compromise in their legal complaints. Subsequently he allegedly raped her, strangled her with an electric wire and then battered her face beyond recognition with a motorcycle helmet.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priyadarshini_Mattoo)

Priyadarshini did not get justice because the guardians of law chose to guard the accused. Santosh is the son of J.P. Singh, who was then Inspector General of Police in the Indian state of Pondicherry and in the course of the trial he served as Joint Commissioner of Police in Delhi, where the crime had been committed.

"The CBI in the matter of DNA evidence has not acted fairly. It tampered with the evidence of clothes of the deceased and also the blood sample of the accused. It even fabricated the documentary evidence and also the Malkhana Register of the CBI as is clear from the discrepancies." Excerpt from Justice J. P. Thareja's verdict

(http://www.justice4priyadarshini.blogspot.com)

The case ran over a period of 4 years in the court and finally on December 3, 1999 Justice J. P. Thareja passed the final verdict acquitting the accused with the words “Though I know he is the man who committed the crime, I acquit him, giving him the benefit of the doubt.”

“I will never forget the night of December 3. I could not sleep and I was jittery. Logic failed me because the circumstantial and scientific (DNA report) evidence had fixed guilt on the accused. What went wrong then?”

(http://www.indianexpress.com/story/843.html). Priyadarshini's father's anguish is quite evident from the above statement.

But, he did not give up. He appealed against the lower court acquittal on March 7, 2000. It's been six years now, and the appeal hasn’t even come up for hearing. Six years – thats how long it takes to translate three-year court records from Hindi to English—when the major chunk, the 449-page verdict is already in English. Six years and still counting.

What takes the case 10 long years (4 in lower court and 6 in higher court)?
The reasons vary from no lights in the courtroom to a judge on leave, from the case being transferred to another judge by mistake to lawyers suspending work to even the tantrums of the accused. (http://www.indianexpress.com/story/735.html)

They say “Justice delayed is Justice denied”. Priyadarshini is being denied justice. Are we going to watch it as silent spectators?

Some lines written by Sh. Chaman Lal Mattoo, father of Priyadarshini Mattoo, in his articles that touched my heart.

“My daughter Priyadarshini had a beautiful voice and often used to record her voice reciting poems and ghazals. Those tapes are kept with a family friend in Delhi as no one in my family and I have any courage to listen to them.” (http://www.indianexpress.com/story/843.html)

“If I meet Jessica Lall’s father, I will sit next to him and weep. On his fate, on my fate.” (In an article that was published on March 21, 2006, when Jessica Lal's father was alive, http://www.indianexpress.com/story/843.html)

“I also remember how my daughter used to unleash a spirited fight against injustice. I prepared myself, so that my daughter in heaven should not feel that I have lagged behind in getting justice for her.”
(http://www.indianexpress.com/story/843.html)

"When the media started writing about the Jessica and Mattoo case, I started getting threat calls. Earlier this month, I got a call asking me 'tum abhi bhi zinda ho'? I have no fear of death but I do not want the case to die with me," (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1500750.cms)

"I want to live to the day when I can see him (Santosh Kumar Singh) behind bars. I will fight till I can."

(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1500750.cms)

“I am already almost dead. This is my afterlife.”

(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1500750.cms)

After reading this, most would say what is the Judicial System doing? What are our politicians doing? What is CBI doing? But, we might as well ask, what are we doing? Don't we have a responsibility towards the safety of our womenfolk?
Are we going to allow a rapist to walk freely on the roads because he was born into a bureaucratic family? Are we going to do nothing to protect our daughters against such daemons?

How long are we going to dig our head in the sand and think that such things don't happen to us? She was one of us, a regular third-year student.

Now, the big question. What can we do?
A lot. July 23 is Priyadarshini's birthday. Lets join hands on that day to help her get justice. Please join and support the justice4priyadarshini rally being organized on July 23, 2006 at India Gate, New Delhi at 4:30 p.m.If you are a Delhite, this is your chance to stand up and do something for the nation.

For all other, the least you can do is help spread this message wide and far.
One line in an article titled “Middle class angst” published in http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1024820&CatID=19 says

“There is a Shayan Munshi in each of us.” (Shayan Munshi had retracted from his initial statement in the Jessica Lal case.)

It's time to come out of our shell and demand for our right to live and live with dignity. "

Posted by khaqsar on his blog - http://suttlenotes.blogspot.com/.

They asked for water but got jail

The news is on front page in TOI. The title struck me. I was too hurt to say anything for sometime.
The 14 residents of South Delhi Nehru Nagar - one of them eight months pregnant - went to discuss their problem with officials of Delhi Jal Board but were arrested and spent four days in Tihar jail where they were forced to clean toilets. These residents have not got a drop of water in their houses since January this year and were demanding water which seems to be a crime for DJB and aam aadmi ki sarkar.

Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Sheila Dikshit claim that their sarkar is the sarkar of aam aadmi. But DJB officials were not happy with aam aadmi as they dared to blame them for no water. The police was not happy with the aam aadmi as they were seen as trouble creaters (a pregnant lady amongst them). The judge did not like the aam aadmi and sent them to jail.

Terrorist strike and kill innocent people in one stroke. Aam aadmi ki sarkar kill innocent people slowly. What is the difference between this sarkar and terrorists.

No body is above any institution……

It hurts me when someone tries to impose himself on an institution and especially when such a person projects himself as the sole authority and overall responsible for institution’s effective functioning. It further hurts me when this person claims that he is interfering in public interest. Union health minister Ramadoss is such a person who is imposing himself on India’s premier medical institution unmindful of the adverse effects it is having on the performance of the institution and patients’ interests. If one goes by the aims and objects of this institution when it was created in 1956, Ramadoss’s political interference in AIIMS affairs is totally unwarranted, unacceptable, illogical and against public interest.

Removal of Dr. Venugopal, Director AIIMS, has hurt the feelings of all those who believe that no body is above an institution and people of academic excellence should be treated with utmost respect. Additional Solicitor General appearing on behalf of the Ramadoss (unfortunately Indian government) said in HC that Venugopal’s removal was necessitated by “public interest” and his “miserable failure” as AIIMS Director. See what Justice Anil Kumar, who stayed Venugopal’s removal, said in reply to this submission – “Ouster of such an eminent doctor whose professional eminence fortunately has not been disputed by the respondents (Ramadoss & others) may be a great loss not only to the institution but to the general public at large. He pulled up the authorities for not producing any evidence to prove his poor performance as an administrator. He held July 5 action of the government to terminate Venugopal’s services as “vitiated”. He further held that Venugopal’s removal was against the principle of natural justice, as he has not been given a “reasonable notice and hearing” before the decision to remove him was taken.

People of India should rise and protest against this naked political interference in India’s premier medical institution. If anybody is to be removed then it is Ramadoss, Ramadoss and Ramadoss.

Nations are not built on hate

What happened yesterday in Srinagar and Mumbai has hurt me. I was not present there physically so no harm came to me physically. But I felt as though the blasts have ripped through my entire existence, the body and the soul. All my countrymen and people outside India, who believe in love, must have felt the same. With hurt I am also feeling ashamed that those who killed innocent people are human beings like me.

Hate is ungodly. God wishes all his children to love each other. He does not sanction hate. Any human being indulging in hate is committing a crime against God and His will. What these killers of humanity have achieved? If they think that they have done what their God wished them to do and will be pleased by their act then they are mistaken. No God will be pleased with those who kill His children. If there is such a god who is pleased by these killings then he is not a god but Shaitan.

If they think that they have served their co-religionists here, in J&K or in their own nation then again they are mistaken, as nations are not built on hate. We know it. We have seen it. They built their nation on hate by carving out a portion of united India and the result is there for everybody to see. Day and night, they are only thinking of how to harm India, and for this purpose they spend lot of their energy and resources which could have been used for building up their nation. Their primary duty is for the well-being of their people but this hate has blunt their thinking and today they can not think anything other than hate, hate and hate.

They say that they are Muslims and are carrying out the work of Islam. They have become so blind that they do not see that long back they have ceased to be Muslims. A Muslim, by the will of Allah, is required to love and not hate. How can a Muslim claim that he is a Muslim, as he believes in Allah and then go out kill Allah’s children?

Today, by their hate-acts they have given a bad name to their co-religionists all over the world. People of other faiths see every Muslim as a terrorist, look at Islam as a religion of violence, a curse on humanity and a potential destroyer of all human beings. This is what these killers have achieved and will continue to achieve for themselves, their religion and their nation. Hate only destroys. To build there is only love.

I ask every Muslim to rise against these killers and warn them not to use the name of Islam or Allah in their hate-acts. Muslim communities all over the world should declare these killers as children of shaitan.

Where love has gone.....

Now-a-days media reports are full of stories of hate and violance. Today I read that two motocycle-borne persons threw acid on a 22-year old woman. She received serious face, chest and arm burns. Two by-standers were also injured. Why so much hate? Where love has gone? We are all children of God and He wants us to love each other. Why we indulge in such acts which are crimes in the eyes of God?

Another story tells that a 'tantrik' father sacrificed his eight year old son at the alter of black magic. He buthchered his son before a goddess. What sort of a goddess she is who is pleased by a father for killing his son? It is natural to hear that a father sacrificed his life for the sake of his son. But it hurts to hear that a father killed his son to please a goddess. Why people indulge in such unnatural acts? It is nothing but love has gone out of peoples' lives.

Pollution control and law breakers

First let me tell you the law - Any vehicle not carrying a valid 'Pollution Under Control' (PUC) certificate should be challaned under Section 190 (2) of the Motor Vehicles Act. The section provides for a penalty of Rs. 1000 for the first offence and Rs. 2000 for subsequent offences.

Now I will tell you about the law breakers, not the common people but those make the law and those who are required to enforce the law and also those who think that law does not apply to them. A recent survey conducted by transport department of Delhi Government has revealed that government's vehicles - owned by Union Ministers and Delhi Givernment - are not getting mandatory pllution Under Control (PUC) certificates. The survey has found that 67% of the vehicles with Delhi Govt officials are not getting pollution checks done and do not have a 'Pollution Under Control' certificate.

None of these vehicles were ever challaned. Babus and netas break the law and get away with it. Then they say that common people are breaking the law. Does it hurt you? It hurts me. The leaders of India have failed the people.

Killing of an autonomous institution......

Do you feel hurt when somebody is killed? Will you also feel hurt when an instiution is killed? I feel hurt in both cases. It is said that a human being becomes dead when soul goes out of the body. Similarly an institution becomes dead when its autonomy is taken away. I felt hurt when my own institution, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was killed by taking away its autonomy. Now I feel hurt as AIIMS is beng killed by attacking its autonomy.

Union Health Minister, Ramadoss, is slowly killing AIIMS and everybody is watching - the government, PM, its allies, its supporters, the doctors, the patients, the entire nation. Few of medical fraternity are of course defending AIIMS autonomy. Few of common men, like me, are also supporting them to defend the autonomy.

Should people like Ramadoss be allowed to interfere in daily administration of AIIMS? The answer can only be a big NO. Then why it is happening and why the UPA government is allowing it to happen? Again eveybody knows the answer - politics and a greed to have control over India's premier medical institution, so that pesonal interests can be served. This man, Ramadoss, has not read the statement of objects when AIIMS Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by then Health Minister, Rajkumri Amrit Kaur. It seems that everybody in the government including the PM have not cared to read it.

Let me remind everybody that political non-inteference was the cornersone of AIIMS Act. The Act envisages a 17-member governing body having mostly members who are apolitical and connected in some way with the medical profession, except three MPs, two from LS and one from RS. These MPs are morally required to represent the people and not their respective political parties. This makes them also almost apolitical. Even this provision of having three MPs was crticised by MPs when the bill was introduced in Parliament in early 1956. They apprehended that it left loopholes for future government's interference in the autonomy of this premier institution. The hallowed objective of political non-interference is being breached by UPA government under Manmohan Singh and his health minister Ramadoss.

Now the matter is in court. Perhaps the salvation point would come through the court. I pray for it. You also pray for it.

No Mrs. Dikshit, it is not done!

I feel hurt when people try to pass off their responsibility to others. They forget that responsibility is never transferred or delegated or passed off to others. It happens only with authority. Delhi CM is one such person who always passes off her responsibility to others. She is only interested in taking credit. Following her example, everybody in her government try to pass off their responsibility to others. Take any area and you will find that she has done it - price hike in essential commodities and vegetables, bad roads, bad power supply, bad water supply, bad peparation for monsoons - any area of governance.

Mrs. Dikshit, I am hurt by your words and actions. It is simply not done in good governance.

Yesterday you said on TV that no body including discoms are responsible for bad power supply situation in Delhi. You justified it by saying that when there is no power how it can be supplied. To day I read in the newspapers that you have transferred this responsibility to discoms. Have you forgetten that you are answerable to people of Delhi and not discoms? Any arrangement between your government and discoms is your problem and you have full responsibility to solve that. It was your decision to outsource power distribution to discoms. What checks and balances you have installed in this outsourcing process, and how you monitor it to ensure that people of Delhi get uninterrupted power supply is your responsibility. People of Delhi have elected you to govern the affiars in Delhi. They have not elected discoms for this purpose. So Mrs. Dikshit, please don't tell us that discoms have not done this or that. Tell us why you have failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the people of Delhi. People are not interested in any excuse of any shortfalls or any power thefts or any other reason for this bad performance of your government . They are interested only in uninterrupted power supply. For this they have elected you and you have miserably failed to work as per their trust posed in you.

I am further hurt by you when I read that you are going to Mongolia. People of Delhi are suffering because of your inefficiency and bad performance and you choose to go to Mongolia. It is more unfortunate that there you will unveil the statue of Mahatman Gandhi. I don't understand how you think you are qualified to unveil the statue of a person of such high stature. What credentials you have for this?

You have let down the people who have elected you. Delhites are seething in rage over your government's abject failure in either taking care of local generating units or arranging adequate power from other sources, and your power minister and power secretary are saying that maintenance of turbines was not done for seven years in the interest of the people? Have they lost their senses?

NO MRS. DIKSHIT, IT IS NOT DONE.