Not on…
One kid dies in India every 15 seconds
25% of children dying worldwide before the 20th day after their birth are from India
33% of the world’s underweight children under age five live in India
India accounts for 43% of the world’s infants born with a low birth weight
These are the latest statistics from ‘The State of the World’s Children-2008’ report by UNICEF.
You can bet that none of these will be considered issues to be dealt with. Our government and political parties are still thinking of what we should do with Taslima Nasreen, spy satellites, and the Left wondering how Left it ought to be.
In 15 seconds I could not even type this, and to think a baby died already?
On…
She was bent over. The moment she came out of the dentist’s room she gave me her new-denture smile. “Today I went in first!” she said in Gujarati.
“Ah, you remember?” I replied in the same language hesitantly.
I had been there a week ago and was taken in first.
She pointed to her head, “This still works well.”
“And I thought there was something special about me that you could still recall.”
“Haan, te bhi…that too!”
It was the most marvellous cackle I had heard in a while, and from a 93-year-old, I later discovered.
My dentist said, “Look, she has made your day.”
Yes, a brief glimpse, a remembrance, a reconnection…enough of life to sink your teeth into.
FV:
ReplyDeleteSo what... Mukesh Ambani, Preity Zinta and SRK just bought some cricket teams and Sachin Tendulkar scored another century. Proud to be an Indian!
Who cares for the babies, malnutrition and suicides as long as the GDP is growing at 9% and the Sensex will hit 25,000 in six months time?
All of us are guilty, in our own way -- some more and some slightly less. But it is not about personal guilt, but the collective guilt of the society and the nation. Does the nation and its society even have a conscience that will be pricked by this guilt? Nah... never.
awwww, touch, touchy...
ReplyDelete" Our government and political parties are still thinking of what we should do with Taslima Nasreen"
ReplyDeleteonly because the followers of the religion of peace were rioting on the streets of Calcutta.How conveniently FV tries to overlook the thuggery of the muslims...!!
PS:
ReplyDeleteNext they will buy the country...as though they haven't...I am glad that Sachin scored that century, but it is time we stopped this "Oh, he did it in Sir Don Bradman's city and Don would have been proud". He broke Bradman's record a while ago...
Regarding collective consciences, they are just too numb.
Circle:
I suppose you refer to the second part.
Anon:
In this whole post you found one IMPORTANT sentence. Then let me tell you it isn't the followers of the "religion of peace" responsible for all those stats staring you in the face. You go protect Taslima, that is if you live in my country at all...and let our babies die.
And where were you when there were protests in Nandigram? Rizwan? Who is burning effigies of Sharad Pawar? Muslims?
The second part...very, very nice. Reminds of a few lyrics, even though they have a different meaning in the song-
ReplyDeleteKaaghaz ke tukde to dekha
Jinne jod ke too bana khuda
" You go protect Taslima, that is if you live in my country at all...and let our babies die."
ReplyDeleteletting babies die and protecting Taslim need not be mutually exculsive.I m surprised that you brought of Tsalima while talking of dying babies.Maybe in the core of ur heart,u also want the brave woman to be killed because he has spoken out against muslim thugs in Bangaldesh.
so many of the piorities of the govt is wrong and you could have mentioned any one: Increasing the salaries of the President and the VP,holding the commonwealth games or even the lavish lifestyle of the politicians.But why Taslima?Because she pointed out ur prophet married his adopted son's wife?
"And where were you when there were protests in Nandigram? Rizwan? Who is burning effigies of Sharad Pawar? Muslims?"
There are thousands of Rizwans in this country.Their name never comes out because they do not belong to the 'peaceful' community.Protest in Nandigram were sought to be diverted and Taslima was made the taget to pacify the muslim thugs..
Anon:
ReplyDelete"letting babies die and protecting Taslim need not be mutually exculsive.I m surprised that you brought of Tsalima while talking of dying babies.Maybe in the core of ur heart,u also want the brave woman to be killed because he has spoken out against muslim thugs in Bangaldesh."
I don't want her killed because I do not think she is a brave woman.
I brought in Taslima because on that day this among two other bits of news were there on the same page.
Read:
[Our government and political parties are still thinking of what we should do with Taslima Nasreen, spy satellites, and the Left wondering how Left it ought to be.]
"There are thousands of Rizwans in this country.Their name never comes out because they do not belong to the 'peaceful' community.Protest in Nandigram were sought to be diverted and Taslima was made the taget to pacify the muslim thugs.."
Of course, now everything revolves round this woman...what happened to Rizwan was no joke but she kept quiet; she keeps quiet about treatment of Bangladeshi immigrants, she has nothing to say about our fanatics. She just wants to stay in Kolkata because nobody will give her the time of day elsewhere...
Now I am through with this for now.
Mask:
ReplyDeleteBeautiful verse, thank you.
It also reminded now of the famous Jagjit Singh song:
"Woh kaaghaz ki kashti woh baarish ka paani...
muhalle kii sabase nishaanii puraanii
vo bu.Dhiyaa jise bachche kahate the naanii
vo naanii kii baato.n me.n pariyo.n kaa Deraa
vo chahare kii jhuri.ryo.n me.n sadiyo.n kaa pheraa
bhulaae nahii.n bhuul sakataa hai koI
vo chhoTii sii raate.n vo lambii kahaanii"
Of course, now everything revolves round this woman...what happened to Rizwan was no joke but she kept quiet"
ReplyDeleteWhy should Taslima speak out against what happened to Rizwan when she herself is a fugitive?There are enough people who spoke abt what happened to Rizwan(CBI says his brother has a role in driving this Rizwan into suicide,so it's not the fault of 'evil' hindus alone).Speaking out against 'our fanatics'(read Hindu fanatics only) is the hottest career option in India now,IT/BPO sector do not even close,when you consider the number of people who are involved and how much instan money and fame it can bring to otherwise unemplyoable people.
" she keeps quiet about treatment of Bangladeshi immigrants"
what was that?Why should the bangladeshis leave their Islamic paradise and come here?Create sleeper cells for HUJI?And why should Taslima speak out for them?They are the pampered vote banks of the parties like Conbgress and the SP.
"Now I am through with this for now."
Obviously.Your hatred for Taslima exposed ur so called liberal outlook.Underneath, you all are the followers of ur prophet,very sympathetic to the violent cult of Islam.
I read the full report as part of work and nothing will be done by govts.If you don't mind ignore anonymous replies.
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd part was sweet and the jagjt chitra gazal is a favorite
KB:
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that most NGOs too become helpless when governmental policies interfere (not that all of them are above-board).
Yes, the Jagjit-Chitra (I forgot to mention her) ghazal is indeed very soothing, almost like a fable.
PS: Hope you are not a "so-called liberal"!