One-Day Carribean Disaster

For all those ardent fans of the "Men in Blue" the recent One Day series in Caribbean must have been disappointing. It must have been a real jolt from the blue to realise that the team which was doing so well till now, having embarked on a Winning Streak of 18 matches while batting second, were undone by the inconsistent men from the West Indies.

It was to me as well, but you know what - I am smiling inside.Before i hear shouts of Traitor and "Not an Indian fan" etc., i would like to offer my reasons.
I was hoping India would not do well and they realise that all that Dhoni and Pathan have been possible to contribute to the Team is great, but it should not be taken for as granted and everyone makes the same efforts to keep winning as they did after Rahul took over.

Some of the learnings that a defeat can teach cannot be taught when the Team is on a Winning mode. It also re-affirms to the entire team its strengths and weakness in different and trying circumstances.
The Team definately is in building mode with the average age of the side around 24. Some of the Younger Cricketers in the current team - Pathan, Dhoni, Sreesanth, Munaf - will no doubt learn a lot from the current experience and Rahul will also realise that he needs to have a better if not a sound stratergy and cannot push with the 5 batsmen, 5 Bowler, 1 All Rounder theory.
It proved that the absence of a Senior Cricketer other than Rahul, Yuvraj ( who deserves to be called a Senior Cricketer going by the way he has started to play ) and Sehwag ( who for all his seniority was on his first tour to the Carribean ) proved critical in the end, for the youngsters could not shift gears and get into the Accumulation mode.
Maybe this is where Sourav da can prove his case. If he would play to his best potential as an opener for Notts and show that he is still the same old "Prince" with the bat and in the field, i dare say even Chappell cannot afford to keep him out of the team.
The Shortist boundary ropes will also have taught portly but athletic Powar a thing or two about his length for the Tossed balls - When even a mishit from Gayle can sail over the fence, Powar better sharpen his trade.
It will also teach this Young Team with his young captain, that when you are losing, plain desperateness wont do the trick. Its Sticking to the basics which will.
With the Sluggish nature of the tracks, Coach Greg Chappel would be ready to pour out the videos for the assimulation of the younger cricketers who would be willing to learn it all and want to prove that they do not repeat the same mistakes in their next trip to the Carribean and ......
We all know what we want from the next Indian Trip to the Windies - Nothing less than the World-Cup.

Are Peaceful Demonstration Effective

In the very Country where the great Mahatma Gandhi displayed to the world, how agitations minus violence can lead a country to Independence, i can feel the total-apathy towards peaceful demonstrations.

Just take a look at the newspapers and you can see the Government's attitude towards Peaceful and Violent Agitations.

Up North - in Kashmir - Where there is large scale violence everyday, hundreds if not thousands killed, the government is willing to talk to those militants, but they will hardly be bothered by the millions of Kashmiri Pandit Refugees who stage silent protests right in New Delhi.
In the East - Maoists, BODOS and ULFA's hold North East to ransom resorting to acts of violence and yet again the government says we are ready to talk.
Moving towards the South - Naxalite movement results in immense loss to Government Property. Still we hear "Please Come to the table".

Shouldnt the Government realise that people who resort to violent actions are not going to come to the table and even if they do, they would come with a Weapon.

Now lets sample some Peaceful Non-violent Demonstrations.
In Delhi - Narmada Bachao Andolan - People resort to hunger strike to request the Government to work out a modality for settlement of villagers displaced and reason out the causes for heightening the dam ( not just one state/individual's view point , but the collective good of teh country ).
ACTION - Zilch,
Public Opinion - Govt gives a Damn.

In Delhi/Mumbai/All over India - Agiitations against Quota - People resort to hunger strike, Peaceful Morchas
ACTION - Lathi Charge, PreventMedia Coverage of Issues
Public Opinion - Govt gives a DAMN again.

I dont for one suggest that one of the above two groups resort to the method i suggest, but i cant help but wonder what might have been if either one of these groups would have resorted to Violent Demonstrations instead of peaceful ones.

For one moment, I dont think the Government is that stupid to consider the perpetrators of violence to come to the table
Then again maybe it is in this deadly stale-mate and continued state of violence and demonstrative non-apathy towards solving issues for the larger good and betterment of the generations to come, lies their oppurtunity for survival at the top flight of politics.

Make them pay.

Reservations of 27% for OBC's is what the Cabinet committee decided.
Thank God the politicians did not take too long to jump off the fence.
All this for a few votes and few more years of governance.
Grow up you morons and stop playing with Casteism as a tool of Politicking.
When almost 1/3rds of the existing reservations in Govt. Institutes are going abegging, they want to add more reservations. How do we digest this fact ?

I just hope that as the youth of India we are able to give one telling blow to the darned politicians so that they are once and for all told in no uncertain terms that the youth of india dont like some bunch of unwanted politicians sitting in the North Block deciding on our future's whilst they educate their children in the best colleges abroad. Would they themselves care educating their kids amidst the Reservations proposed and get them qualified under the General Quota. I would bet that not one of these bunch of politicians would be able to do so. They would like to pack theirs kids off to the best colleges in US,UK ensure they get the best possible education and then get them back to this country to govern it. Its such a shame we allow these politicians to treat us like Crap. I really desparately would like to make them pay for this decision.

Reservations

I wish i was born in one of the numerous listed OBC's/ SC-STs that are recognised by the Government of India, then

- I would not have to struggle hard to get a seat in the best Engineering/Medical College in India.
- I would not have to be worried about how my parents were going to pay my next installment of fees or how they were going to deal with the increase in the College Fees. (Simple my studies are subsidized and i would not have to deal with the hike).
- I dont have to slog my butt out and burn the midnight oil to secure a top rank in the University - Why u ask - Dude havent you heard, Arjun Singh plans to introduce Reservations even in the private sector.
I am pretty confident that by the next round of elections come, we will have reservations for OBCs/SC-STs in the Senior Management of every company and dont worry i wont have to work hard for that. All that i need to guarantee is i stay somewhere among the group of my fellow OBC's/ SC-ST's and i am safe. Forget the guys who might secure a 99% , who wants to compete fair.
No wonder they are called the "General" Junta Category. Dude we are the Privelidged ones.

BTW i also happened to catch a glimpse on the TV of students( who have spent their parents earnings trying to get a degree and a good career for themselves), being caught in our very own Arjun Singh's penchant to go for reservations. They have a right to protest in a democracy, but then getting whipped by lathis without the slightest hint of violence is something they did not bargain for.
Maybe if i was there i could have helped a few of them get out of the jail and avoid getting thrashed - How u ask me - Simple Dude - Flash my OBC/SC-ST Identification Card.

Enough of the Sarcasm.

I am sick and really tired of the way our Politicians seem to be treating every decision ( bar the Economic Policies ). Why rake up the controversy again - Mr.Arjun Singh.

Is that because you have been advised by the great old Congress party that this could be your last ticket to STARDOM and even if you fail, this might well be the last term of Politicking that you would have to deal with. So its a WIN ALL but LOSE very little for Arjun Singh. For Everyone who is familiar with the game of Chess, this would call for a Sacrifice from the great old Congress Party and in turn if this gamble pays off, it would be a master-stroke.
I hardly thought Mrs. Gandhi and her bunch of Cronies would be so adept at playing Chess games with the Normal Indian. I can visualise her playing the eternal savior by solving the matter amicably with her great *blah-blah-visionary-thoughts-and-sacrificial-behavior* after the matter has reached its violent cresendo. Till then she would be happy letting the matter rake up all the Print and Media Footage.

Even if this is of your own ingenuos brain, what possible justification can you give despite hearing the commission's report on not to go ahead with Reservations. Has this now become a matter of Ego to you and if yes, Is Your Ego worth more than a hundred thousand Student's lives and their careers?

Stop playing the politics of Casteism and deliver true/good governance.

if you think there was injustice meted out to the OBC/SC-ST then set it right by having enough free schooling,primary education. Setup Funds- Scholarships for deserving students so that they dont suffer due to lack of money, irrespective of the caste/creed they belong to. Dont you think people below the poverty line who are Brahmins deserve the same upliftment or you will Implement Mandal now, let their state run as is for the next 50 years, and come up with a new Mandal like bill then to uplift the people.