Day 197

The results of class 10th and class 12th are out now. Boys have been beaten by girls again. Girls have emerged as the top scorers. It’s time for celebration for all successful students. But there is one more side of results. And that’s very painful. Suicides. Yes, suicides. Young girls and boys commit suicide when they get failure or doesn’t get the expected scores in the examination. I wonder that is the examination going to become a system of life and death. Does the failure mean death? If yes, then what’s the use of this very examination? Sometimes, I think that examination has become a death trap. If you score well then you will get appraisals. And if you fail then suicide. Whom we blame for this bad system? Is it the system? Or the pressure which is given to students? If its pressure then who gives pressure to the minds of students of age 15 to 17? Is it the school? Or society? Or parents? Who is responsible for this?


Every year, many students across the country commit suicide due to this examination phobia. I think this should be avoided. There should be no pressure to excel on students. After all, marks are not so much important as compared to the life of a human being? Many students hang themselves. Many consume poison. And many students end their lives by coming in front of the running train or bus? Why this pressure is given to them that lead to their death? Why isn’t something done to stop this evil? Many intellectual, school forums and parent’s organisations are suggesting the steps to eliminate this system of examination pressure. Here I want to ask a question. Why isn’t a single plan or strategy is been formulated to end these suicides? How many lives will be taken in the name of examination pressure? Is there anyone listening to me?

Day 196

At last, the Prime Minister has agreed to the demand of Anna Hazare. Indeed it’s a victory of the common man. The Lok Pal Bill will be brought to the Parliament and it will be passed as a law. All the newspapers are filled with the editorial about the bill and Anna Hazare. I’m with Anna Hazare. But I would like to say few things here.

First of all, making the bill alone is not sufficient. It requires the will power from the common man. The common man means the mass. If the mass refuses to pay the bribe or refuses to agree to the illegal demands of the officers, politicians and ministers then obviously the corruption is going to get out of the country. The mass includes the top industrial houses also. Of course, the bill will make the ministers work according to the law instead of against it. But it needs the participation of the public also. Suppose a common man is found to be violating the traffic signal, then instead of paying the bribe to the traffic constable, the common man should pay the fine. I know this may be sounding something abstract but this is the right track. Because to save ourselves from getting a fine receipt, we give some amount to the traffic constable. This is nothing but bribe. This is the cause of corruption.

On news channels and in news papers I have seen many people carrying the placards stating the Anna Hazare, we are with you. You are our leader against corruption. This is a good sign. It shows that now the public is aware and wants to get rid of the corruption. But if the public really wants to get rid of the corruption then it has to say no to bribe or illegal demands of the corrupt people. Because leaders like Anna Hazare isn’t going to come and tell how to say no to corruption.  So we have to do it ourselves.

If we will do it on the small scale then only we can have corruption free India. And due to the small bribes only the corrupt people demand money from other people and hence it grows up. It’s like nuclear reaction. If one person gives bribe then the corrupt person demands money from other people as well and hence this reaction of corruption goes on and on. And everybody thinks that he isn’t alone in giving bribes. Or the mentality becomes like this that okay that person or the businessmen has given bribe, so they are triggering the corruption. But in reality, the common man gives more bribe than the businessmen. Or people often say that how I can stop corruption. I’m just an individual.  I want to say that the community, city or country is made up of individuals only. So be the one of the persons to protest corruption. 

Day 195

Finally the dream of every Indian came true last night. And the world cup is back again to India after 28 years. I must congratulate every Indian and team India for this. Yesterday, the whole India was watching this match. Hope and dream of 121 crore Indians weren’t shattered. The sad part was that Sachin couldn’t make his 100^th century. But I must praise Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli for making a good partnership and for not allowing Malinga, Murli & others to put pressure on India. And one good decision by MSD by coming to the centre after dismissal of Kholi after dismissal of Kohli. Means every decision taken by MSD turned to be boom for India and at last bringing the world cup back home. And when Yuvi came to bat after the sad dismissal of Gambhir, the momentum was back. Last 2 over were really worth watching. And at the end, we needed 6 runs in 12 balls. Yuvi took one run and MSD came on the striker end. And then on the next ball of Malinga, MSD made a historic hit of six which came up to expectation of every Indian. In every city, people came out on road. Everyone was screaming and was congratulating each other. The party mood hasn’t ended yet. It’s going on and on. Kudos to everyone related to Indian cricket team.  My heartily congratulation to entire Indian cricket team. JAI HO.

Day 194

Finally, the most awaited day has come. It’s final of the ICC world cup. India beat its arch rival Pakistan in a nail biting semi final. What a match it was? One of the most memorable matches in the cricket history. Now today, one of the rarest match in the history of cricket world cup. For the first time in history, two big teams of Asia are facing each other in the final. As I have said in the previous blog also, since 1992 one or another big team of Asia is there in the final. Now the main question is that whether its repetition of 1983 or 1996? If I would do analysis then both the teams have balanced side. When they are in pressure then they are really performing well. But from the core of my heart, I want the repetition of 1983 at the Wankhede stadium. I want India to break this taboo that none of the host country has won the world cup except Sri Lanka in 1996. Right now, I’m remembering one of the text messages which I got when India beat Pakistan. It was like this “Team is ours. Stadium is ours. Then the world cup is obviously ours. Cheer for India.” Frankly speaking, I also want to scream “Go INDIA Go”. 

Day 193

I know I’m late in writing my blog. But as usual I’m also been affected by cricket fever. Like all Indians, I was also thrilled in the quarter final against Australia. It was truly nail biting match, where the suspense was there till the last ten over. But thanks to the Australian bowlers and batting of Yuvraj Singh, we made that impossible thing possible. In fact, for me, it was like the final match of world cup 2003. I prayed and wished that we would have won that match. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Anyhow, I’m pleased that the supremacy of Australia in the world cup is halted now. Don’t know in the next world cup what will be the scenario but right now I’m very much optimistic about India in this world cup. And interestingly, there are few interesting things happening in this world cup. For the 1^st time, the three south Asian teams are there in the semi final of the world cup. Since 1992, one or the other south Asian team in the final. But this time, I’m praying that India and Sri Lanka are going to clash in the final of this world cup.  But the final of this world cup isn’t going to be that much exciting and thriller like the semi final between India and Pakistan. Any cricket match between India and Pakistan has always been an exciting one and worth of watching. No word can describe that feeling which comes in the minds of the viewers who leave all their work to watch India and Pakistan against each other. And this is the most watched cricket match when these two teams are in the field.

This time both the teams are ready to beat each other.  This match at Mohali isn’t a normal game. It’s a fight for the place in final of the world cup. Both the teams are gearing up for this match. India has good batting line and Pakistan has good bowling line. So it will be worth watching, nail biting game filled with last moment thriller. 

Day 192

Today’s headline in every newspaper is the railway budget presented yesterday by Mamta Banerjee. As the West Bengal is going to election this year, so there was no passenger fare hike as per expected. And another expectation was the number of new projects and new trains for her home state. I’m not blaming her for this. Actually this is a general pattern for the railway ministers to give huge packages and new projects to their respective home states. It has become an unwritten law. It’s good that new projects give more employment to the people of that place but rest of the country shouldn’t be left out. But there are few good things coming out of this year’s railway budget. Senior citizen’s concession for women is to start from the age of 58 instead of 60 earlier. And men will get 40% concession as compare to 30% earlier in the category of senior citizen. One thing more I like very much in this year’s railway budget. 1.75 Lakh vacancies are to be filled. Children of employees over 50 and unable to work are likely to be appointed by the railway itself. Around 16,000 ex-servicemen are to be hired. This is really appreciable. But I think that Mamta Banerjee has to think about the finances now. There is severe financial crunch in railway’s finances. There is very little left for the future investment. Now the railway has to borrow for any future investment. Time has come now to think about the finances also.

Day 191

Hi friends. I’m back. I know you people might have thought that I have again disappeared in thin air after writing for couple of days in a row. But that’s not the case. Actually, I was observing few things. Globally there has been protests and revolt in Middle East which is resulting in the change in the government of the respective country. And at home, there is a political unrest regarding the 2G spectrum. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is having a tough time. He has to take care of his coalition partner and he has to face the opposition also. I agree with him on one point. Running coalition government isn’t an easy job. Being the head of the government, he has to oblige the coalition partners. He doesn’t have much privilege to choose his ministers. It’s the choice of the coalition partners. Actually, sometimes, I wonder that in a coalition government a Prime Minister or a Chief Minister is the softest person. He can’t make any wish but he has to go with the wishes of his coalition partners.  And this is the point which gives a freedom to the coalition partners to do the things whatever they wish. They always blackmail the main political party of withdrawing support very often. Same thing happened when Manmohan Singh told A Raja to resign over the spectrum scam issue. That followed the political drama of M Karunanidhi to save A Raja. A Raja resigned in a dramatic way. That followed raids at the residential and official premises of DMK leaders. But I feel that it’s a cover up. There must have been a political agreement between Congress and DMK. Otherwise A Raja wouldn’t have resigned until and unless Karunanidhi was assured that Raja will be dealt leniently. There is a big cover-up.

And we need strong laws and strong determination to end the corruption.  Until we get ready to fight against corruption, India isn’t going to be a corruption free country. And the politicians have to stop compromising on the sake of country. The coalition government isn’t a good thing for a developing country like India. The major political party of a coalition has to stop bending its spinal cord to the wishes of smaller regional party. I know that in a general election, a large amount of money and manpower is required. After all, we are the largest democracy in the world. But to prevent the midterm election at the cost of multi Crores scams like 2G spectrum scam isn’t a good choice to make. If Manmohan Singh would have terminated Raja from his ministry without having fear of breaking of coalition then he would have emerged as a strong leader rather than seen as a weak leader amongst people.