What is the point?

Soon the 26^th of November is gonna arrive yet again, and it will be three years since that fateful day that added another wound to the already crumbling “Spirit of Mumbai”.  Kasab is safely in prison, yes, but besides that what have we achieved in the last three years in the name of justice? Kasab is merely a pawn in the entire scenario, what about the perpetrators of the attacks?

Whenever there has been a terrorist attack post 26/11, there has been a huge hue and cry about the fact that Kasab’s sentence has not yet been carried out. However, we fail to concentrate on the fact that the conspirers of the attack have not yet been punished. Quoting Wikipedia “US officials believed that the Inter-Services Intelligence (I.S.I.) officers provided support to Lashkar-e-Taiba militants who carried out the attacks.” Then why has there not been much done about it? Alright, the Pakistani government claims that they have “Formally charged several accused, including LeT operations’ commander Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi” but can we ever be sure about that?

What have we really done about it? Yeah, sure, we have held candle light vigils and all that, but besides that what? Every time there is a blast or an attack, we are shocked at first, quickly calling and texting our near and dear ones, making sure they are okay; the shock turns to relief that everyone we care for is fine; then the relief turns to sympathy for the victims; which the next morning turns to indifference as we continue to ogle at news channels tut-ing in the luxury of out homes. We think, “Yeah, that was unfortunate,” but what beyond that?

Sine the past few days Kasab has been “Trending” on Twitter. He has been the butt of countless jokes, snide remarks and angry comments, and that’s about that. We content ourselves with venting our anger on social networking sites or on the couch before the TV set and leave it at that.

Let’s look beyond Kasab for a while, at one of our criminal celebrities (we have way too many of them anyway) Manu Sharma. Our outstanding courts allow a lifer to have fun at his brother’s wedding! Brilliant na? However it doesn’t stop there. The courts give him a minor warning, asking him to keep away from discotheques. This is how the judge spoke (in my head) “Come on Manu, please don’t visit discotheques this time. Don’t make it so easy for us, choose a more creative location for murder. Maybe someone at the wedding?” Now I am relieved that if some day if I get a lifer, I may still be entitled to attend my grandchild’s wedding (I will be pretty influential by then, don’t worry). Phew!

Back to Kasab, don’t worry guys, this dude is not going to the gallows, not really. Yep, he is sentenced and everything, but its not going to be carried out. At least not anytime soon. That is because he is now a different kinda pawn. Now every time we have a tiff with the Pakistani government, we are just going to wave Kasab before their eyes like a placard saying, “You did agree that this is your man, right?” It’s a filthy political game, and who knows when that is gonna end.

My point is that don’t sweat it, if on the 26^th of November this year you turn on your TV and watch interviews on news channels where the high and mighty of the nation are debating about how soon Kasab is going to be (or should be) hung, then just switch the channel. Because there is no point. 

Proud to be an Indian? You kidding me?

Indians are perceived to be one of the most God-fearing, cultured, and harmless race on planet earth. We boast of having gained independence through dedicated non-violence. India is obviously a diverse nation, with a variety of residents living in ‘mutual tolerance’. However, this notion of a cultured, God-fearing, and relatively non-violent race is limited to what the world thinks of us. What we Indians really are is something entirely different. Let me cite a few examples.

Once when I was crossing a one way lane on foot, a man on his scooty entered the lane from the no entry side of the lane, almost ran over me, and instead apologizing he instead had the audacity to yell at me for having stood in his way!

A few days ago when the elevator of the building where I stay was left open on the 3^rd floor, and when I complained about it to the third floor, instead of accepting their negligence, they gave me a “I don’t give four fucks about that elevator or the rest of the residents” look.

These instances don’t even begin to impress upon the fact that this nation is going to the dogs. These are just trivial everyday crap that most of us deal with all the time. Let’s instead talk about the shocking and heart wrenching murder of Keenan Santos and Ruben Fernandes that happened in plain view of a number a bystanders. This incident is a blatant proof of how the proverb ‘Each man for himself’ has become the mantra of every Indian. How can a couple of rowdies stab two men on a street within plain site of a large group of people who are merely watching and not even remotely responding to the scenario unfolding before their eyes? Please explain to me, how that is possible?

I was brought up in Bahrain and have only spent 4 years in India. I had studied Indian history back in school, and trust me I was in love with my country and its glorious past, don’t get me wrong, I still am. Its just the people whom I cannot stand anymore. Most of the time we are bothered with what’s happening in another person’s life, looking for something to gossip or laugh about, instead of paying attention to what we are doing with our own life.

Is there any hope for improvement? Hell yeah, provided we get their heads out of their asses and think in the direction of collective good for a change. If we think of collective good, and give up on the ‘I, me, mine’ mentality, then maybe things can change. However honestly, right now, i am on the verge of saying, "My Indian nationality is up for sale, any takers?" #Seriously.