Mixed feelings

…I have been slightly off the mark lately … partly because of my laziness and more so, I wasnt getting any topic to write about.

I felt really sad when Islamic jehadis in Pakistan completed a hat-trick of sorts in planting bombs and blowing away people. First day, when Benazir returned back home after 8 years of self imposed exile, close to 170 people were killed in the bomb that ripped apart Karachi. The very next day, another bomb went off in a bus killing 07 people, and it followed with yet another blast in Baluchistan which killed some people. Violence, bloodshed, freedom, Islam, Jehad, bullets, torn limbs………I was wondering will I ever understand the logic behind these killings in the name of religion and freedom. Islamic clerics openly address rallies in Karachi and call for war against the “infidel” nations like Israel, the US and India. I immediately checked up the meaning for the above quoted word, and it means a non-believer in faith, religion etc…in this case Islam. I asked myself, dont I have a right to live peacefully, if I dont believe in your Allah..??

The World is changing fast. Hundreds of people are killed in Iraq everyday, and as far as I remember, I havent seen a figure anything less than 60-70 whenever a “roadside car bomb” goes off. If we leave Iraq, India is the victim to the most no. of people killed by terrorist activities. Terrorism is raising its ugly head everywhere. Almost the whole of Africa is gripped in civil war, India has been at the receiving end of a proxy war since decades, LTTE in Sri Lanka, Hamas in Palestine, Chechnya, Military junta in Myanmar, Jehadis in Pakistan……….I suppose the Scandinavian countries and, perhaps Antartica are the only two regions left on Earth, where you dont here any reports of growing intolerance among masses.

It is, in fact, a disturning trend. People have started to react impulsively. Every now and then, I hear, a mob beating the hell out of a man for a petty theft, and more often than not, the man dies. ‘Lynching’ is the word. If he survives, he would be booked for the crime, but nobody bats an eyelid to arrest those who took law into their own hands. 

You are driving happily down the expressway, with your family. You get distracted by something going inside the car, and you accidentally bump into your adjoining car. You feel and say sorry, are ready to pay the damages to the owner. You promise to do everything that saves you from any kind of harrasment. But you get beaten up badly. Road-rage is the word, and I am talking about Delhi.

There are tens of other such instances which I can narrate and make you aware of the growing intolerance among the janta. I often, laugh myself off, when I think that, the day is not far when people will start killing in the name of sunsigns.  

But why the ‘Mixed feelings?’. I had a reason to cheer coz India demolished Australia comprehensively, in a Twenth-20 match played in Mumbai. India’s batting was spectacular in that event with Uthappa and Yuvi sending most of the deliveries across the boundary. I was delighted to see the “I-will-cry-any-moment” look on Ponting’s face. Gulping down some pegs at a bar, with two of my college mates, I was hooting and clapping with everyone else. India truly deserved the World Champions title, becuase they played like one.

Although not very recently, I have developed an interest in political affairs and business, and this happened since I switched over to The Hindu and started carrying it over to work, reading it in the office bus, and stealing some naps here and there. Two days ago, I was reading an issue of the BusinessWorld, and I loved every page of it. I understood what is causing the bull run in the stock markets, and why is it necessary to control the rather, disturbing upsurge.

I would keep updating myself as and when I feel like and it is subject to a) me being ‘useless’ in Office; b) me not feeling lazy; c) if none of my freinds have scrapped me or are online.

Cheers!