Are we really living in free India ?

I request all the readers to read the following three news items. Though these three news items are not interconnected but it will force the people to think over it. Are we really living in free India where the form of Government is democracy. Is it really a democracy?

Let us first think about the CBI raid in the house of Stalin in Chennai. Whether the CBI is free to do its job or not. The way the Prime Minister, Congress President and the senior minsters of the Union Cabinet is feeling apologetic, it appears that CBI should take permission from the Government, whether the raid will suit them politically or not. Only if it suits them, then only they should conduct raid. The raid was conducted in respect of the import of vehicles without paying duty. Why the government is not allowing the machinery to work as per the law of the land. Opposition parties are also crying foul, why? Because, they were also sometime in power and they know how these machinery are being misused. What right they have got to cry? Why they did not took steps to make these machinery independent when they were in power? Even if they will again come in power, they will also do the same thing.

Second, In Maharashtra assembly legislators have beaten up a police officer, for the reason that on previous day while doing his duty, he antagonised one legislator. I do not want to discuss as to who was guilty, but is it the way our policy makers, law makers should behave and teach a lesson to the police officer. If this is the way our elected representatives will start behaving, how the government machinery will function fearlessly.

Third, Mr Sanjay Dutt has been sentenced for 5 years imprisonment under the arms act for 1993 serial blast of Mumbai. People are forgetting 257 people were killed and 713 were injured in the serial blast. Now many people including many senior leaders of the ruling party in Delhi are talking about the pardon of Mr Sanjay Dut. Why? because he is son of Mr Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt who were associated with the film industry and were politically with the congress party. His sister is a congress MLA. I have all the sympathy with Mr Sanjay Dutt but if the reason for pardon is his good conduct then they should take up the cause of all the convicted people whose conduct is good. Why they have sympathy for only the big and powerful people, why not for the ordinary citizens of India.

Please think over all the three instances and think are we living in independent India?

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_shocker-in-mumbai-legislators-beat-cop-who-misbehaved-with-mla-seek-action_1813105

Shocker in Mumbai: Legislators beat cop who 'misbehaved' with MLA; seek action

Published: Tuesday, Mar 19, 2013, 14:37 IST

Place: Mumbai | Agency: PTI

In a shocking incident, a group of MLAs today beat up a policeman who had allegedly stopped the vehicle of Vasai MLA Kshitij Thakur on the Bandra-Worli sealink here yesterday.

The melee occurred outside the House at noon when a group of MLAs led by Thakur caught hold of Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Suryavanshi and roughed him up.

After the Question Hour, Thakur moved a breach of privilege notice against the policeman for obstructing his vehicle on the Bandra-Worli sealink. He gave details of the incident which took place yesterday when he was on his way to attend the Assembly proceedings and how the policeman had "misbehaved" with him.

Enraged by Thakur's account, members cutting across party lines were on their feet demanding that the official be suspended. Amid the uproar, the House was adjourned for 20 minutes.

Suryavanshi, who was seated in the visitor's gallery made hand gestures looking down towards the members. Thakur identified him as the same policeman who had obstructed him yesterday.

The MLAs Ram Kadam (MNS), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena), Pradeep Jaiswal (Independent) and Jaykumar Rawal (BJP) rushed outside the House and caught the policeman on the first floor of the Vidhan Bhavan building and beat him.

The House witnessed two more adjournments for half an hour each. Speaker Dilip Walse Patil said the entire incident including the melee outside the House needed to be probed and disallowed the members from speaking about it. This did not go down well with the members who were firm on their demand to take action against the police official.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_cbi-raids-stalin-house-pm-says-timing-unfortunate_1813998

CBI raids Stalin house, PM says timing unfortunate

Published: Thursday, Mar 21, 2013, 22:27 IST
Agency: ANI

Two days after the DMK quit India's ruling coalition, the CBI on Thursday searched the house of party leader MK Stalin in Chennai, sparking a political storm with an upset Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying the timing was "unfortunate". DMK chief M Karunanidhi played it cool, saying enigmatically it "may or may not be political vendetta".

"We are all very upset (at these events). The timing of this is most unfortunate. The government had no role in this that I am sure of. We will find out the details," the Prime Minister said in the capital.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram also spoke out, declaring that he strongly disapproved of the CBI raid, ostensibly carried out to detect tax doging on imported cars, leading to reports that the search had been called off.

However, a Tamil Nadu intelligence official said that in Chennai that the search had "got over and was not called off".

"Normally I do not comment on the working of another department (home ministry), but in this case I have to say that I strongly disapprove of the CBI's action. It is bound to be misunderstood," Chidambaram said.

An angry Stalin, a former Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister, called it political vendetta and vowed to face all legal issues. "I am being targeted. It is quite clear why I am being targeted. We will face the case legally," he said. His father and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi said: "Generally actions of political vendetta surround DMK party, and this (the CBI raid) may or may not be one of that." He added that he subscribed to the view of several leaders who voiced opposition to the raids. Actions of political vendetta, he said, were carried out not only by the centre but also in Tamil Nadu.

The CBI raid was carried out in connection with the import of a Hummer car used by Stalin's son Udyanidhi, an official said.

United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is known to have voiced her unhappiness over the CBI raids. V Narayanasamy, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, denied there was any "witch hunting" by the Congress following the DMK's exit from the UPA. The CBI said it had registered cases under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act following a complaint that 33 vehicles had been imported in Tamil Nadu. The CBI said: "Of these, certain vehicles are believed to have been imported and subsequently sold in violation of import provisions causing loss of up to Rs.48 crore approximately to the exchequer." Faced with all round criticism on the timing of the raid, the CBI clarified that the operation was strictly in accordance with procedures and there was no intention to target any particular individual. The raid, which began around 6 am, came two days after the DMK announced its decision to pull out of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance over New Delhi's stand on supporting a US-sponsored resolution censuring Sri Lanka over killings of Tamils during the war against the LTTE.

Stalin, widely seen as the successor to the ageing Karunanidhi in the DMK, reportedly played a key role in persuading his father to snap ties with the Congress and the UPA.

The CBI also raided Stalin's friend Raja Shankar's house. The investigating agency's move gave the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) more ammunition against the Congress-led UPA.

"This is a signal to all friendly parties that what happened in Chennai can happen to you as well. The Congress is known for misusing the CBI, which is the Congress Bureau of Investigation," senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu told IANS outside parliament. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley also slammed the government.

"It is an interference in the CBI's work if the government got it stopped. And if the government was actually interfering, it is answerable to the accusation that the CBI is being misused," he told reporters.

"However, if the CBI is working as per the law, the government did not have any right to interfere. If the PM's statement is accepted, it's the CBI's normal course of search. The government does not have any right to stop it," he said.

Stalin is the third person in his family to be questioned by the CBI.

In 2011, the CBI questioned Stalin's mother Dayalu Ammal and sister Kanimozhi in connection with the flow of over Rs.200 crore from Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa's DB Realty firm to Kalaignar TV, a regional Tamil channel in which Karunanidhi's family members allegedly have majority stake.

Later, Kanimozhi was charged as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum scam with former telecom minister A.Raja, and lodged in Delhi's Tihar Central Jail. She was later freed on bail.

The raids came on a day India voted for the US-sponsored motion against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council for war crimes.

http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=41762&boxid=21073&ed_date=2013-03-22&ed_code=820009&ed_page=1

1993 Mumbai serial blasts: Sanjay Dutt gets 5 years, Yakub Menon sentenced to death

Published: Thursday, Mar 21, 2013, 19:50 IST | Updated: Thursday, Mar 21, 2013, 19:50 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI

Twenty years after the 1993 serial bombings in Mumbai, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon and commuted the death sentence of 10 others. The apex court also upheld the conviction of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt under the Arms Act and sent him to five years in prison.

The Bollywood fraternity rushed to Sanjay Dutt's aid after the verdict by the Supreme Court was announced. Noted personalities like Vidya Balan and Raj Kumar Hirani were spotted entering the actors house.

While confirming Yakub Memon's death sentence, the bench of Justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan said his "deeds can't be viewed distinct from the act of Tiger Memon, hence, both owe an equivalent responsibility for the blasts". The 13 blasts in India's financial capital on March 12, 1993, claimed 257 lives and left 713 injured.

Following the upholding of the sentencing of film star Sanjay Dutt to five years imprisonment by the Supreme Court in 1993 Mumbai blasts case, Press Council of India chief Justice Markandey Katju has appealed to Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayanan to pardon the actor.

कभी  भी यह मत सोचियेगा कि मेरा जितना बुरा होना था वह हो गया अब और क्या बुरा होगा

बहुत ही पुरानी बात है। एक पंडितजी थे। बहुत ही विद्वान थे। वो बहुत ही अच्छे भविष्यवेत्ता थे। वो किसी का भी कपाल देखकर उसका भविष्य बता सकते थे। एक दिन वो घूमने के लिये घर से बाहर जा रहे थे। उन्हें सड़क के किनारे एक खोपड़ी दिखाई पड़ गयी। वैसे तो खोपड़ी में कोई विशेष बात नहीं थी, वह किसी ऐसे आदमी की खोपड़ी थी जिसे मरे हुए बहुत दिन हो गए थे। उस खोपड़ी से मांस वगैरह गल कर निकल गया था। वह एक बिलकुल सूखी हुई खोपड़ी थी। लेकिन पंडितजी की नजर जब उस खोपड़ी पर पड़ी तो वह चौंक गये, तथा उन्हें बहुत ही आश्चर्य हुआ। उस खोपड़ी के माथे पर लिखा हुआ था की इसकी अभी और दुर्दशा होनी बाँकी है। पंडितजी सोचने लगे कि, इसकी और क्या दुर्दशा होनी बाँकी है, ये आदमी कई महीने या शायद कई साल पहले मर चुका है। इसका मांस वगैरह भी गल कर इसके हड्डी से अलग हो गया। सोचते-सोचते पंडितजी बहुत ही परेशान हो गये, उन्हें कुछ समझ में नहीं आ रहा था की क्या किया जाये। उन्हें यह जानने की भी उत्सुकता थी की इसका और क्या होना है। आखिर में बहुत सोच-विचार करने के बाद उन्होंने उस खोपड़ी को उठा कर अपने थैले में डाल लिया और घर आ गये। घर में उन्होंने पुस्तक बाली आलमारी पर उसे संभाल कर रख दिया और फिर बाहर चले गये। 

थोड़ी देर के बाद उनकी पत्नी घर आयी तो वो क्या देखती हैं कि पुस्तक बाली आलमारी पर एक खोपड़ी रखा हुआ है। पहले तो उन्हें बहुत ही गुस्सा आया कि घर के अन्दर ये खोपड़ी किसने ला कर रख दिया। फिर उन्हें खुद ही समझ में आ गया की यह पंडितजी का काम होगा। फिर वह खुद ही बडबडाने लगी की यह पंडित भी पागल हो गया है, पता नहीं कहाँ से एक खोपड़ी लाकर घर में रख लिया है। उन्होंने खोपड़ी को उठाया और उसे खिड़की के रास्ते बाहर फेंक दिया। शाम के समय जब पंडितजी घर आये तो उन्होंने देखा कि खोपड़ी गायब है। वह चिन्तित हो गये कि खोपड़ी आखिर गया कहाँ। अन्त में और कोई उपाय नहीं देखकर उन्होंने अपनी पत्नी से खोपड़ी के बारे में पूछा। पत्नी तो पहले से ही गुस्से में थी, उन्होंने पहले तो पंडितजी को बहुत ही डांटा कि ये क्या अंटशंट चीज लाकर घर में रखते हो मैंने उसे खिड़की से बाहर फेंक दिया है। पंडितजी ने उन्हें बहुत ही समझाने की कोशिश कि उन्होंने उसे कुछ अन्वेषण करने के लिये घर में लाकर रखा है। लेकिन उनकी पत्नी कहाँ मानने वाली थी। वो बिलकुल ही उस खोपड़ी को घर में रखने के लिये राजी नहीं हुई। 

आखिर पंडितजी भी कहाँ मानने वाले थे क्यों कि अभी भी उनकी उत्सुकता बनी हुयी थी। वो  चुपके से बाहर गये और चुपचाप छुपाकर उस खोपड़ी को ले आये तथा उसे अपने एक बक्से के अन्दर रख कर उसे ताला लगा दिया तथा चाभी अपने पास रख ली। उनकी पत्नी भी थोड़ी दूर से छुपकर उनका यह सारा क्रिया-कलाप देख रही थी। दूसरे दिन जब पंडितजी जब बाहर चले गये तो उनकी पत्नी बक्से के पास गयी और एक पत्थर के सहारे उस ताला को तोड़ दिया फिर सोचने लगी यह  पंडित तो इल्कुल ही पागल हो गया है। यह ऐसे नहीं मानेगा, इसका तो कुछ पुख्ता इंतजाम करना पड़ेगा। यह सोच कर उन्होंने खोपड़ी को बाहर निकाला तथा उसे ऊखल में डाल कर मूसल के सहारे अच्छी तरह चूर कर चूरा बना दिया, तथा उस चूरे को समेट कर बाहर फेंक आयी।

शाम के समय जब पंडितजी घर आये तो देखा की बक्से  का ताला टूटा हुआ है और खोपड़ी गायब है। यह देखकर वह अवाक् रह गये। फिर उन्होंने हिम्मत कर के अपनी पत्नी से खोपड़ी के बारे में पूछा। उनकी पत्नी ने उन्हें सारा वृतान्त सुना दिया, फिर पूछा कि अब क्या करोगे, अब खोपड़ी कैसे लाओगे। पंडितजी ने कहा कि अब मुझे कुछ भी नहीं करना है, मुझे समझ में आ गया कि उस खोपड़ी कि यही दुर्दशा होनी बाँकी  थी। पर मुझे यह क्यों नहीं दिखा कि उसकी यह दुर्दशा मेरे यहाँ होनी थी। मेरा उस खोपड़ी के ऊपर अन्वेषण समाप्त हो गया।

कभी  भी यह मत सोचियेगा कि मेरा जितना बुरा होना था वह हो गया अब और क्या बुरा होगा

Anti Rape Bill

 Since the incident of infamous Delhi gang rape happened almost everybody was demanding a strong bill against sexual assault on women. The government also was quick enough to form a committee to suggest about the changes in the present law. They were again in a hurry to formulate a bill not entirely based on the recommendation of the committee. Everybody in the country including all the political parties including the ruling and the opposition started discussing about the bill. Even all the channels of television did not miss the opportunities and they also were quick enough to have panel discussion on the subject for days together.

Ruling party i.e. the government has very cleverly diverted the attention of the citizens of the country from the burning issues. Now nobody is discussing about the inflation, price rise, corruption etc. which are the problems of the common man of the country. Poor are unable to sustain as the prices of essential commodities has gone beyond their reach and hence poor are becoming poorer. Corruption is at its peak, name a scheme and there is some scam. Only thing is that in some of the scheme it has been unearthed and in the rest it is yet to be unearthed. Law and order situation is very bad. Nobody in the country feels safe.

Now coming to the original issue of anti rape bill, some of the political parties are supporting the bill and the rest is opposing. Congress, Left are supporting but Samajvadi Party of Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav,  RJD of Mr. Lalu Yadav and TMC of Ms Mamta Banerjee are opposing it. Today only in morning I was watching a news item which was elaborately discussing about the molestation of a lady in the train by an ex-MP of Samajvadi Party who has been again given ticket by the party for 2014 election. Such people are our law maker sitting in the parliament, what we can expect from them.

Today in the parliament main topic of discussion was regarding lowering age of consensual sex from 18 yrs to 16 yrs. All our honourable members of parliament were discussing about it, some in favour and some against it. Inspite of my best efforts I could not understand how lowering the age of consensual sex from 18 yrs to 16 yrs will be a deterrent for rape. Why the necessity was felt to lower the age? What way it will help the society? What relevance it has with the rape?

After the incident of Delhi gang rape, I find that all the news papers are full of incident of sexual assault on women. I do not understand whether such incidents has increased or reporting has increased. If the incident has increased one must think what has happened to the people of our country. Government must also think, what lesson they have learnt from the Delhi gang rape incident. What measures they have taken, which has acted as catalyst and the incidents have increased. If the reporting has increased, then one must think about the news papers we read. Why such incidents were not reported earlier? Why they were not giving importance to such sensitive issues? What has now suddenly happened?

In my opinion if two measures are taken one each by us and the government the problem can be solved to a great extent.

In the family attitude towards the girl child has to be changed. I have seen in most of the family girl child is treated as inferior than the boy. Hence right from the beginning boys in the family consider themselves as superior than the girl. It is assumed that the sisters are supposed to serve their brothers. It is the duty of sisters to help their mother in the house hold jobs, where as the brothers even if they wish they are not allowed to do so. Girls are second class citizen in the family itself. Parents will not hesitate to spend any amount of money for educating their sons whether he is worth it or not but when the same situation will be for the daughters they will think many times. Think of the situation of marriage, I have very seldom seen boys parents going to the girl’s parents for a match. Boy’s parents expect that the girl’s parents will come to them and they will dictate the terms assuming that girl’s parents will not have any condition. When this is the situation in our society how the status of the women will improve.

Now coming to the government’s action, why it is so that police is so insensitive towards the crime against women. Why lodging of FIR is being delayed on one pretext or other? What actions against the police are being taken who are so insensitive towards the crime against women? It must be made mandatory to lodge the FIR by the police whether the crime is committed in the area of his jurisdiction or not. Subsequently the case can be transferred to the concerned police station. If any police is refusing to do so he should be charged for his inaction and FIR should be lodged against him for connivance. There should be a time bound action for filing charge sheet in the court. There should be fast track court for trial for such crimes.

Unless these actions are taken there will not be any change in the situation whatever the law is. Unless the enforcement of law is strict what is the use of having any law.

One can sit idle without doing anything only if he is sitting on the top of the hierarchy and not on the bottom.

दिसम्बर का महीना था। अत्यधिक ठण्ड पड़ रही थी। धूप बहुत ही कम समय के लिए निकलता था। मनुष्य ही नहीं पशु-पक्षी भी ठण्ड से बहुत ही परेशान  थे। करीब दस बजे दिन का समय था एक कौआ जो ठण्ड से परेशान था, एक टेलीफ़ोन के खम्भे पर बैठ कर धूप सेक रहा था। उसे इसमें बहुत ही आनन्द आ रहा था। उसी खम्भे के जड़ के पास एक बिल में एक चूहा रहता था। वह भी ठण्ड से बहुत ही परेशान था, इसलिये वह थोड़ी-थोड़ी देर पर बाहर निकलता था धूप सेकने के लिये, लेकिन डर के मारे फिर बिल में घुस जाता था। 

जब उसने कौए को आराम से धूप सेकते हुए देखा तो उससे रहा नहीं गया और उसने कौए से पूछा- तुम इतने आराम से कैसे धूप सेक लेते हो मै तो डर के मारे बाहर आकर नहीं बैठ पाता हूँ। कौए ने उससे कहा- भाई ऐसा कुछ भी नहीं होता है तुम भी आराम से बैठ कर धूप सेक सकते हो। तुम भी आराम से खम्भे के जड़ के पास बैठ जाओ और आराम से धूप सेंको। चूहे ने उसके बात पर यकीन कर लिया और दूसरे दिन सवेरे बिल से निकल कर खम्भे के जड़ के पास बैठ गया और धूप सेंकने लगा। उसे बहुत ही अच्छा लगा। जब शाम होने को आयी और धूप ढल गया तो वह बिल में घुस गया। उसे बहुत ही मजा आया।

दूसरे दिन वह चूहा फिर बिल से निकला, धूप सेंकने के लिये। आज उसका डर भी कम हो गया था और उसे लगने लगा था की कौआ ठीक ही बोल रहा था और वह बिना कारण डर रहा था। इसलिये दूसरे दिन वह असावधान भी हो गया। थोड़ी दूर से एक बिल्ली यह सब तमाशा देख रही थी। थोड़ी देर के बाद जब उस बिल्ली ने देखा कि चूहा धुप का मजा ले रहा है और निश्चिन्त भी है, उसने दौड़ लगायी और झपट्टा मार कर चूहे को पकड़ कर खा गयी। 

खम्भे के ऊपर बैठा कौआ यह सब कुछ देख रहा था, उसे समझ में नहीं आ रहा था की ये क्या हो गया। उसने सोचा कि मै तो इतने दिनों से बैठ कर धूप सेंक रहा हूँ पर मेरे साथ तो ऐसा कुछ कभी नहीं हुआ फिर इस चूहे के साथ ऐसा क्यों हुआ। बहुत देर के बाद सोच विचार करने के बाद उसके समझ में बात आयी की दोनों के बैठने के स्थान में फर्क था। चूहा नीचे बैठा हुआ था और वह शीर्ष पर। 

उसने निष्कर्ष निकाला कि कोई भी तभी बिना कुछ किये हुए निर्भय, निश्चिन्त होकर बैठ सकता है अगर वह शीर्ष पर बैठा हो ना कि नीचे बैठा हो। One can sit idle without doing anything only if he is sitting on the top of the hierarchy and not on the bottom.

.

BLOOD

I request to view and read DNA News Paper of today i.e. 24/02/2013 on the link "http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=6&edcode=820009&eddate=2013-2-24" which reads as " IN BLOOD AND FLESH- Sculptor Hussaini with a sculpture of Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa, made from 11 litres of frozen blood, in Chennai. The sculptor, made from 6.5 litres of Hussaini's own blood collected every three months for the past 8 years, as well as 4.5 litres of donated blood, was created to celebrate Jayalalithaa's 65th birthday, which will take place on Sunday.

I am shocked to read the news. On the one hand our hospitals and blood banks are having shortage of blood to save the life of our people but on the other hand 11 litres of blood which should have saved the life of many, has been used for making a sculptor. I have seen near and dear ones of the accidents victim or the sick people urgently needing the blood transfusion, running from pillar to post for procuring a bottle of blood to save their life.

When ever Hospitals, Blood Banks or the Voluntary organisations are arranging blood donation camps it is a difficult task to get the donors in such camps due to lack of awareness. People of our country hesitates to donate blood for a noble cause which can save the life of many. However it is a surprise that 4.5 litres of blood has been donated by the people to make a sculptor.

There are many ways other than making sculptor of blood by which one can show respect, love and affection to their loved ones. Had he used this 11 litres of blood by donating it to hospitals/ blood bank he could have many lives.

England vs India

I request the reader to read the news item at the link"www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_britain-best-partner-to-realise-mumbai-s-global-goals-david-cameron_1801376" the last but one paragraph of which reads like "Cameron, an avid cricket fan, after his luncheon meeting with corporate honchos, including Ratan Tata and Adi Godrej, found some time to indulge in cricket at the Cross Maidan in the early evening."  This news item was published in DNA on 18th February 2013. This has happened in Mumbai on 17th February 2013 during the visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron, the first English Premier to visit the city in 20 years.

To me this was really pleasant news. Here is a Prime Minister of a country who after finishing the serious business agenda found time to play cricket with our boys in a ground unknown to him. He has the energy of doing this. Since he has the energy, his mind, body & soul will work perfectly. Since he is fit fully he can work for the welfare of his country and his fellow country men. He will be capable to take his country forward.

Can we imagine, can we think of any of our political masters, forget about the Prime Minister, President, Chief Minister or any of the Minister playing any game like this. Our political leaders are always busy in playing dirty politics cheating us. They have time neither for doing serious business nor for playing cricket. On the other hand they do not have energy also for doing these. The present lot of leaders of our country are neck deep in corruption looting the country. They have become so powerful that they think they are above all laws of the country. This is demonstrated from the fact that since independence not even a single leader has been punished for any scam though so many scams have been reported. Almost all the leaders who are at the helm of affairs are either of 70 years of age or more. Just observe the gate of our Prime Minister it appears that he is a puppet which is being controlled by somebody else.What direction, what development of the country we can expect these lot of leaders? In almost all the front be it the development of the country, controlling the prices of essential commodities, fighting with the terrorism they have failed.

They know only two subjects, one how to loot the country and second how to get votes. They have made our people beggars. They all spend their time and energy only to provide subsidy. They will never try to create employment opportunities for the people. They know pretty well that if employment opportunities are created the people will be self dependent and will not look towards them. But instead of that if subsidy is provided to the people, they will always remain dependent on them.

But I personally feel that we have no right to blame them. Because it is not their fault that they have become our masters. We only are responsible for this sorry state of affairs. We only have elected them. At the time of election why we do'nt consider all these things and why we vote without applying our mind.

सबसे बड़ा कष्ट क्या है ?

मेरे मन में कई बार यह प्रश्न उठता है कि संसार में मनुष्य के लिये सबसे बड़ा कष्ट क्या है। हर व्यक्ति को अपना ही कष्ट ही सबसे बड़ा लगता है। उसे हमेशा ही दूसरों का कष्ट अपने से छोटा लगता है। इसलिये मुझे यह समझ नहीं आ रहा था कि कौन सा कष्ट, किसका कष्ट इस पृथ्वी पर सबसे बड़ा है। अचानक एक दिन मुझे महाभारत की एक घटना याद आ गयी। घटना कुछ इस तरह है। 

महाभारत की लड़ाई समाप्त हो गयी थी।  कौरोवों के सौ में से निन्यानवे भाइयों की हत्या हो चुकी थी। केवल एक युयुत्सु बच गया था क्यों कि उसने लड़ाई में हिस्सा ही नहीं लिया था। वह लड़ाई को अनुचित समझता था एवं उसे लगता था कि पाण्डव सही है। जब यह समाचार गांधारी के पास पहुंचा तो वह बहुत ही दुखी हो गयी तथा अपने आँखों की पट्टी खोलकर कुरुक्षेत्र के मैदान के तरफ दौड़ पड़ी। आपको यह तो ज्ञात ही है की गांधारी ने अपने विवाह के समय से ही अपने आँखों पर पट्टी बांध रखी थी  जिसे उसने इससे पहले सिर्फ एक अवसर पर हटाया था।

वह वदहवास दौड़ती हुई युद्ध के मैदान में पहुँच गयी तथा करुण विलाप करने लगी। उसकी विलाप ऐसी थी कि किसी के भी ह्रदय को द्रवित कर सकती थी। वहां उपस्थित सभी का ह्रदय करुणा से भर गया। सभी परेशांन  हो गये। युद्ध के मैदान का दृश्य बड़ा ही मार्मिक हो गया। जब यह दृश्य श्रीकृष्ण ने देखा तो वह चिंतित हो गये। उन्होंने ने सोचा कि यदि यह दृश्य युधिष्ठिर ने देख लिया तो अनर्थ हो जायेगा। उसे विरक्ति हो जायेगी और वह राज्य छोड़ कर चला जायेगा। उसे राजगद्दी तथा राजमुकुट से भी विरक्ति हो जायेगी। यह सोच कर श्रीकृष्ण ने गांधारी को बहुत जोरों की कृत्रिम भूख लगा दी। यह भूख इतने जोरों की थी कि गांधारी की सहनशक्ति जबाब दे गयी और वह वहीँ युद्ध के मैदान में ही कुछ खाने के लिये ढूढ़ने लगी। लेकिन जिस मैदान में इतना भीषण महाभारत युद्ध हुआ हो वहां खाने को क्या मिलता। यह देखकर श्रीकृष्ण ने वहां पर एक कृत्रिम बेर का पेड़ पैदा कर दिया जिसमे बड़े-बड़े पके हुए मीठे बेर लटके हुए थे। यह देखकर गांधारी की भूख और बढ़ गयी और वह तेजी से उस पेड़ के तरफ बढ़ गयी। पेड़ के नीचे खड़े होकर हाथ ऊपर कर बेर तोड़ने का प्रयास करने लगी। लेकिन उसके हाथ ऊपर करते ही श्रीकृष्ण के चमत्कार से बेर के फल थोड़े से ऊपर उठ गये जहाँ उसका हाथ नहीं पहुँच पा रहा था। आखिर इधर-उधर देखकर उसने एक शव को खींचकर उस पेड़ के नीचे रखा तथा उस पर चढ़ कर फिर बेर तोड़ने का प्रयास करने लगी। उसने यह भी ध्यान नहीं दिया कि वह शव उसी के एक पुत्र का था। लेकिन फिर इस बार भी वही हुआ फल तोड़े से और ऊपर उठ गये। उसने दूसरा, तीसरा, चौथा और आखिर में अपने निन्यानवें पुत्रों का शव एक जगह ढेड कर दिया और उसके ऊपर चढ़ कर बेर का फल खाने के लिये तोड़ने का प्रयास करने लगी।

यह देखकर श्रीकृष्ण उसके पास आये और बोले की हे! माता यह आप क्या कर रही हैं? ये सारे शव जो आपने एकत्रित कर रखा है वह आपके पुत्रों का है और आप उस पर चढ़कर खाने का प्रयत्न कर रही है। कोई भी देखेगा तो क्या कहेगा? यह तो लज्जाजनक स्थिति है। आपको ऐसा करते हुए शर्म नहीं आती।

यह सुनकर गांधारी ने कुछ इस तरह कहा:-
वासुदेव जरा कष्टं, कष्टं निर्धन जीवनं !
पुत्र शोक महाकष्टं, कष्टातिकष्टं  परमाक्षुधा !!

अर्थात, हे श्रीकृष्ण बुढ़ापा बहुत कष्टकर होता है, लेकिन गरीबी में जीवन बिताना उससे बड़ा कष्ट होता है। किसी के पुत्र का मृत्यु होना उसके लिये बहुत ही तकलीफदेह है, किन्तु भूख सभी कष्टों में सबसे बड़ा कष्ट है। भूखा प्राणी कोई भी अपराध कर सकता है, कोई भी पाप कर सकता है, यह तो सभी जानते हैं। भूख ने ही हमारे देश के एक बहुत ही बड़े भूभाग के लोगों को नक्सलवादी बना दिया है। मै इस विषय पर बहुत कुछ नहीं कहना चाहता हूँ।

मेरा सभी से निवेदन है कि भूखों कि सहायता अवश्य करें, उसे खाना जरूर खिलाएं अगर आपको कभी भी कहीं भी कोई भूखा मिल जाये।