Well Done

A fortnight ago, one youth was shot at by the cops at Bhiwani.  Unfortunately, the youth who was a student, died due to the brazen and inhuman approach taken by the police.  The residents of this upcoming town of Haryana got enraged and rampaged on the streets of Bhiwani for a couple of days only to protest against the Haryana police.

It is well known that the Haryana police is notorious while handling crimes.  In general, they are considered as ill-mannered, ungraceful and speak foul-mouth. Citizens of Haryana avoid making approach and parleys to the police.  The language used by the police here are unacceptable to any educated person.  In addition, they are corrupt.  They always look for hush money, and leave no opportunity to grab money by force from the people.  Collecting bribes from the vendors, checking the vehicle papers, clearing security pertaining to issuing of passports, are some of the routine matters from where they force people to cough up as much as they can.  Otherwise....

The DSP of Haryana Police at Bhiwani has recently ordered that indignant and impatient police officials will not be carrying service revolvers any more while on duty, and they would be asked to do jobs in the office room only, and not on roads.  This is a very welcome measure and must be admired. The DSP concern is reminded to take steps also regarding the behaviour of Haryana Police. At present, Haryana is rated amongst the best state of India and its people are performing excellently in different places. Considering this aspect, Haryana deserves a very matured police force who are well behaved, caring and  receptive. The days seem gone when a policeman could talk uncouth with the modern Haryanvi.  Looking at it, now the time is ripe when the police authority creates a vocational school for its employees and extends behavioral education, so that its force wedges a good name for itself, ala the State.

Wonder Girl

Amongst all the Indian athletes participated in the Beijing Olympic in June, 2008, Saina Nehwal was the one who looked most promising. Though she could not bag any medal there, yet her approach was really scintillating. When she went out of the tournament empty handed, many Indians sobbed for her silently, but her subdued approach while leaving the court did say everything, 'I will surely come back'.

Since then, the shuttler Saina has shown her grit. In all the tournaments she has participated in, she has not only improved, her game excelled, her racket has flown brilliantly. Right now, she has reached at No.11 in the world ranking. This young, talented badminton player looks like a champion. We hope that she would focus herself to her game as sincerely as she is doing, she would definitely reach the top. She must remember that we had recently lost another woman player Sania from being champion in Tennis as she turned herself from her game to focussing on the glamour world.

We had two world champions in the badminton in the past. So the badminton authority is well aware of the ways of making one from the women category also. Saina is a potent sports person and if she is looked after properly, there is no reason why we would be refused to have one more world champion from ourselves. A sincere effort from the badminton authority and SAI is expected to carry on to make Sania a legendary athlete.

Right Time to Crack

The first phase of poll in the state of J&K is over with a surprise high turnout. People in large numbers came out of the house and cast their votes to elect a government of their choice, defying the boycott calls made by the separatist groups, the Hurriyat supported by the militants. Even the political parties who matter in this electoral fray could not hide their emotions, but cautiously remarked,'the democracy is taking its roots.' Considering the beginning of harsh winter in the valley, the over-all 69 percent vote signifies a massive change in the perception of the people of Kashmir. Though the time is not yet ripe for euphoria, as the next round of polls are forthcoming, but the trend during the eve of first poll indicated that the people were keen to resolve their daily needs. Looking at the people inclined to take part in the poll at some of the militancy-prone areas really gives satisfaction to those who were expecting peace in the region. Bandipura polled 57 percent now against 31 percent in 2002, Surankote also braved in polling 74 percent against forty in 02, Poonch also has its high stake at 75 percent against sixty. However, the real test lies ahead when areas like Srinagar, Baramullah, Anantnag and Kupwara face the polls.

The approach of the militancy toward the Kashmir, since 2006 has invariably shown a downturn. There are many reasons that had forced the militants to recede from the points they were operating during 1999 to 2004. The involvement of the United States in the warfare at the border of Pakistan, the unpleasant exit of diehard President Musharaf, clipping the hard wings of army and ISI due to the reversal in the political arena of Pakistan, put the core issue of Kashmir insignificant. Regular funding to the militant groups are under surveillance, the government is keeping a distance with the militant groups, the officers in the ISI are feeling the heat, and people at large are fed up with the idea of annexing Kashmir into Pakistan.

The environment that has cropped up in Kashmir after such a long period must be cashed in on immediately by the central government. The government has to be defiant and take audacious steps in order to lead the people of the valley and ensure that the people dump the separatist once and for all. At present, the Govt. of India is rich enough to take on the problems with ease, it is only the wish that matters. Arrange a job to each youth of J&K, compulsory education upto senior secondary, provision of health care to all, distribute food initially to the poor and regular free and fair elections in the state. These will cost much less than what we spend on protecting the state by force. Scrap article 370, allow the people from other parts to venture for new businesses, encourage Kashmiris to dwell any part of the country, give encouraging support to the industrialists who dare set up their plants in Kashmir.

Do not bring in America or Obama to settle this problem. Remember, making of LOC into a permanent border is not the solution of Kashmir issue. If we make our house decent, it would only be a neighbour's envy and not its irritation.

A Different Team

Surprisingly, we found India team on level one up in the beginning of the series against Australia and finally beat them hands down (2-0) during the just concluded cricket Test Series. After the kangaroos left India sulking, we were engrossed in the thought of who would replace the versatile southpaw batsman Sourav and elegant leggie Anil in the future. Even a week hasn't passed, the English Team arrived to take on the new upsurge Team India. This English Team has tired out indomitable South Africa in the one dayers, before coming to face India. Again the Team India moved ahead with the first ODI played, and bullied them.

Truly speaking, we have never seen Indian Team began any series with a lead. Even in the near past, we invariably lost the matches in the beginning and then move from behind to try to square the series. This approach was a routine one since the days of Pataudi and Bedi. Before that, we seldom won matches, and never strived for the series win. It is not that this English Team is a weaker one. It has tremendous batsmen of the callibre of Pietersen, Collingwood, speedster Harminson, Anderson and the world's best all-rounder Flintoff.

Have we changed suddenly? Is it the cricketers alone who have different ways of thinking as compared to others, or are we all changing? A little earlier, this Indian Team was called choker, and now they are ornamented with world-beaters. It seems, in these modern times our cricketers are paving the victoria ways for us, we look through them and we live through them. May be now, we have lost faith in our political masters and religious seers. It's truly said that the cricket is our only religion.