I am still naked

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"I am still naked." She said it tonelessly, almost hopelessly; no anger, not even an eye-lid moved, and then she got up and left. Her hand waved in a feeble gesture, her bony face and cheeks contorted with anger, and then with an almost a deathly expression she said it again. "I am still naked. Nothing has changed." I felt her body shudder. And then all at once she was seized by despair. She clenched her teeth so as to not scream...and leaned against the wall. And then tears rolled down her wrinkled face. I had never seen Laishram Gyaneshwari cry before, actually I never imagined her as someone who would cry. My first meeting with her was a few years ago. The last encounter was clear in my head. We had sat down for an interview on the roof of an under-construction building. The women....

'I am ashamed as well'

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Lots of things shame me about India (I take great pride in lots as well). For instance, farmers forced to commit suicide because they wouldn't get institutional lending at a low rate of interest, whereas I with a decent income would be flooded with SMSes from banks or builders to buy a home or a car without collateral and at sometimes rates of interest as low as 6 to 7%. I also feel squeamish when I try and recollect how many times the Prime Minister of this country has visited the Western world but his trip to Vidarbha in 2006 came after 40,000 farmers committed suicide (according to government data). I feel distressed sometimes when I read dispatches from Vidarbha where a farmer once remarked, that he wanted to be born as a European cow. India exported food grain at the rate of 5.45 rupees per....

Count the bodies, but don't move on

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Let this debate, not settle in the light of facts, analysis and reports. Among the many headlines today, one struck me, "Ye dhokha hai, countrymen killed my brother". A sentiment that's at the centre of this divide, at the heart of this conflict. Who's ambushing whom? Who are we fighting? Is it a people's movement, is it a guerilla group, is it an ideological splinter fighting for tribal rights and social equity or is it a grass-root movement working towards empowerment? Am not so sure if there is a simple answer. The 76 who died aren't quiet far away from the thousands who ambushed. They come from the same small-town India; their aspirations from a 6000-rupee salary are strikingly similar; a brick house that has to be made pucca, a younger sister who has to be married off, an ailing father who has....

You are in the Army now

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Whatever I write here today, I do believe the Indian Armed Forces is one of the nation's last-standing bastions of a morally upright force, an institution that is one of the nations strongest foundation. Absolute realities never die, so it's important that the truth and justice aren't just on offer but are complete and total. In two months from now when the Chief of Army Staff Gen. Deepak Kapoor hangs his uniform, it would have been by far the worst send-off a Chief would have ever got. The Sukhna land scam and the fact that the Army's top brass is caught in a dubious land deal has caused immeasurable damage to a force whose moral chakravyuh should be impenetrable. Did the Chief do enough to stem the rot? Did he act in time? Was he soft on people believed to be close to him? Was a turf battle....

Justice for not only Ruchika

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In a house where a journalist and a lawyer live under one roof, campaigns like Justice for Ruchika, Jessica, Nitish Katara aren't just limited to the reams of newspapers and pixels of video footage. It's a debate that often puts us both husband-wife on two ends of the spectrum. It happens every time. The discussion often centered on how the media in some cases tramples on principles of natural justice, holds judgement in an open court, often doesn't respect the sanctity of the law of the land and creates a situation where an accused is already held guilty without the verdict being pronounced (not in Ruchika's case). Most institutions then on including government respond either too quickly or without careful thought. My arguments are often on public outrage, that situations sometimes warrant that the media take a stand, that in the cloak of unbiased coverage, we....

Ostentatious Austerity

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Heard in political, bureaucratic and aam-aadmi circles 1) How do you end the Austerity debate: Declare the country drought free. If there were no drought, the UPA wouldn't have to show it cared for the poor. 2) FM to the cabinet: Don't worry dear colleagues, the austerity will only last a year. (We don't want you to be austere forever). 3) Reporter to Congress MP: Sir how come you are roaming around in a 5 star. I am an MP. It doesn't apply to me. It's only applicable to Ministers. But sir shouldn't you be showing that you care for the drought affected? I do. I have given 20 per cent of my salary to the drought hit. Besides its raining now. Delhi is flooding. I hope we don't have to show our sympathy for the flood-hit now. 4)....

FAULTY SHIELDS

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We all remember images of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare donning a bullet-proof jacket (BPJ) and a helmet just before he went into the 26/11 operations. Hemant Karkare died of bullet injuries on his neck. Every single bullet fired from the AK-56 and the AK-47 weapons used by the Mumbai terrorists went through the bullet-proof jacket. Sadly Karkare's counterparts who are engaged in counter-insurgency operations across the country and face similar bullets on a daily basis are in no better shape. The soldiers have been saying the jackets are heavy, cumbersome and largely ineffective. CNN-IBN has copies of letters written by the Rashtriya Rifles and HQ 16 Corps dating as far back as 2004. Soldiers have been complaining that the jackets are worn out, bulky, clumsy and sag towards the front, thus leaving upper parts of the chest, shoulder and neck exposed to terrorist fire. The Army further adds that even....

A Letter to the Chief Minister

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Dear Mr Chief Minister, My heart fills with rage, shock and pain as I hear you hurl abuses at a martyrs father. A father broken hearted and grieving at the loss of his young son is further hurt and humiliated by you. As you remain defiant and dont want to apologise to the Unnikrishnan family, Mr Achutanandan, all I can say is you are deeply disconnected with the people you claim to represent. So I hope and pray that God Almighty bestows upon you empathy, grace and a sense of concern. My sincere prayer, that you never have to go through the pain of lighting the funeral pyre of a loved one My sincere prayer that no loved one of yours should ever come as a body bag wrapped in the tricolour. My sincere prayer that you never have to go through the anxiety of....

TRYST WITH DESTINY

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Americans were wrestling late into the night, some just holding each other, some partying, some dancing, some popping champagnes and some just savouring the moment. Tears flowed, they were tears of happiness, of joy, of history made, of change and hope. Its hard to be in America and not feel a part of this history At the Democratic party HQs in Cleveland, Ohio, many of us witnessed America's tryst with destiny. There was joy at not just Obama's historic achievement, but many finally found their grand parents and great grand parents words come true 'You can be anything, you want to be." For a country that has had uneasy racial relations, this was a moment of special pride, this was a night to redicover America As the last racial barrier was swept, emotions reached a crescendo. Years of self doubt gave....

'Race' to the White House

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Perhaps every Presidential election day, the tendency is to see the choice as historic, but this time America believes its truly making history. Its taken nearly two years, many ups and downs, many hits and misses and finally in a few hours America would know who its next President would be, whether America voted for the best man, whether America voted its prejudice or whether the nation voted with its best interests in mind. As Barack Obama called it, in one of his radio interviews, its like running a marathon. "On mile 20 you're tired. On mile 25, you're full of energy." This energy will be much needed for the next President. Remember just a year ago America was in a different place. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had broken 14,000. The war in Iraq was sure to surge the Presidential campaign. But look where America....