Just one day after Centre's announcement on carving out a separate state of Telangana, demands for carving out many such states has come from various corners of the country.
Every sect and sub-sect wants a state of its own!
Read more on these demands.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
India carving out its 29th state
India is preparing to carve out the new state of Telengana from the current state of Andhra Pradesh. What is more interesting is that the district of Hyderabad could also end up as a part of Telengana. This will only leave Andhra Pradesh broken and without a capital!
For the people of Telengana this comes as a huge victory. The Central government's announcement on the formation of a new state ends their 50-year long battle.
Residents of the Telangana region accuse the Andhra Pradesh government of neglecting their economic development in favour of the other fertile and developed regions of the state. According to them, carving out Telengana as a independent state is the only way to ensure the development of the region.
However justified this might sound, I believe the Indian government could try and come up with a better solution to this problem. Carving out a new state every time there is a shout, a demand, a protest and a fast will only end up in India being rechristened as the 'Country of Thousand States'. It may not come as a surprise when I say that the fight for a separate Gorkhaland has already begun.
The Indian government, rather than agreeing to carve out a new state, should have made sure that the people of Telengana received their fair share of financial support. The Centre could earmark a specific amount to be used for the developement of the Telegana region. It could establish certain 5-year or 10-year schemes for the betterment of the region and lives of the residents.
The real issue here is the development of Telengana and not the formation of a new state. The demand for a new state is due to the negligence of the Andhra Pradesh government. The Centre should have realised this. A new state is not the answer to this problem.
Whether the formation of a new state will help the people of Telengana is still unsure. But this move will surely provide the greedy and corrupt politicians more seats to fight for!
For the people of Telengana this comes as a huge victory. The Central government's announcement on the formation of a new state ends their 50-year long battle.
Residents of the Telangana region accuse the Andhra Pradesh government of neglecting their economic development in favour of the other fertile and developed regions of the state. According to them, carving out Telengana as a independent state is the only way to ensure the development of the region.
However justified this might sound, I believe the Indian government could try and come up with a better solution to this problem. Carving out a new state every time there is a shout, a demand, a protest and a fast will only end up in India being rechristened as the 'Country of Thousand States'. It may not come as a surprise when I say that the fight for a separate Gorkhaland has already begun.
The Indian government, rather than agreeing to carve out a new state, should have made sure that the people of Telengana received their fair share of financial support. The Centre could earmark a specific amount to be used for the developement of the Telegana region. It could establish certain 5-year or 10-year schemes for the betterment of the region and lives of the residents.
The real issue here is the development of Telengana and not the formation of a new state. The demand for a new state is due to the negligence of the Andhra Pradesh government. The Centre should have realised this. A new state is not the answer to this problem.
Whether the formation of a new state will help the people of Telengana is still unsure. But this move will surely provide the greedy and corrupt politicians more seats to fight for!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Celebrating Independence or Bollywood?
Come August 15th and a billion people in India will celebrate their Independence Day. The spill-over of this population, us – the Non Resident Indians and the Diaspora - will also not lie behind.
In the foreign land, Indians away from their motherland will raise higher the colours of a country that came into existence just 62 years ago – India!
While back home, the ordinary Indian will hoist his National Flag, sing the National Anthem and listen to the country’s leader speak of future, we here have different plans.
We wish to celebrate our Independence Day in style and glamour. So, as a representative of our beloved homeland, we invite our movie stars; sing the songs from Bollywood; and pay a meager amount of $25 to hear the words ‘I Love India’ being uttered by them.
This year, while Shahrukh Khan, Katrina and others will rock Chicago, New York will sizzle with Shilpa Shetty. Indians from around the US will flock to these cities to just catch a glimpse of these celebrities, dance to their movie tunes and savor the food in the various stalls.
While all this promises a great weekend, celebration of Indian Independence seems a little doubtful. The weekend would have been equally enjoyable with a fair or pop concert instead.
What is it about these movie stars that make them better representatives of India overseas? Is it their houses in Dubai and London? Is it their movies being shot in Melbourne, Zurich and New York? Or is it their vacation and shopping in Rome and Paris? Will an ordinary middle-class citizen represent India any less?
Why cannot w
e have a soldier guarding our nation on the world’s highest battlefield, on Siachen Glacier, representing India? Why cannot a farmer who depends on his oxen to plow his land represent India? Why cannot the social workers, who are ready to lay their lives to save trees, rivers and underprivileged people, represent the country? How about a Police constable, who has to face a terrorist with his heavy rifle?
Bollywood is not the only product with a ‘Made in India’ label on it. There is more to our country. A day like August 15th, with celebrations on such grand scale, let it act as a stage for us to showcase the real India, its achievements and the progress made. Let us all come together on this day as Indians rather than Bollywood movie fans.
In the foreign land, Indians away from their motherland will raise higher the colours of a country that came into existence just 62 years ago – India!
While back home, the ordinary Indian will hoist his National Flag, sing the National Anthem and listen to the country’s leader speak of future, we here have different plans.
We wish to celebrate our Independence Day in style and glamour. So, as a representative of our beloved homeland, we invite our movie stars; sing the songs from Bollywood; and pay a meager amount of $25 to hear the words ‘I Love India’ being uttered by them.
This year, while Shahrukh Khan, Katrina and others will rock Chicago, New York will sizzle with Shilpa Shetty. Indians from around the US will flock to these cities to just catch a glimpse of these celebrities, dance to their movie tunes and savor the food in the various stalls.
While all this promises a great weekend, celebration of Indian Independence seems a little doubtful. The weekend would have been equally enjoyable with a fair or pop concert instead.
What is it about these movie stars that make them better representatives of India overseas? Is it their houses in Dubai and London? Is it their movies being shot in Melbourne, Zurich and New York? Or is it their vacation and shopping in Rome and Paris? Will an ordinary middle-class citizen represent India any less?
Why cannot w
e have a soldier guarding our nation on the world’s highest battlefield, on Siachen Glacier, representing India? Why cannot a farmer who depends on his oxen to plow his land represent India? Why cannot the social workers, who are ready to lay their lives to save trees, rivers and underprivileged people, represent the country? How about a Police constable, who has to face a terrorist with his heavy rifle?Bollywood is not the only product with a ‘Made in India’ label on it. There is more to our country. A day like August 15th, with celebrations on such grand scale, let it act as a stage for us to showcase the real India, its achievements and the progress made. Let us all come together on this day as Indians rather than Bollywood movie fans.
Monday, December 1, 2008
BOMBay!
The name says it all. Even renaming it to Mumbai did not help, it seems.
Mumbai is a dream city for many Indians. And Bollywood just adds to it. It is a city of contrasts. The city has, on one hand, glamour and riches and on the other poverty. There are high rise buildings very next to the slums. The local trains bring together the educated and also the uneducated. There are the hard working individuals, who work long hours. Then there are those who know how to make some easy money. The Mumbaikars can kill each other in riots and also join hands when in need.
One example of this was seen on November 26, 2008. A date, which will go down in history. There was enough praise for the commandos for the rescue acts. Even the people of the city deserve appreciation for the support they have lent.
But, for how long will the rest of the world shower praises for Mumbai and its people?
What Mumbaikars need is not words but some action. The city has to be protected from such future incidents. And the only ones who can make this possible are Mumbaikars themselves.
I wish from now on the people of this wonderful city stay alert. They cannot trust anyone to safeguard the city. The responsibility is solely their own. Mumbai can become a lot better place to live in if the people take some time to look around their surroundings, report anything that evokes suspicion and any individual who breaks any law.
We cannot take law into our hands but we can certainly make sure everyone else follows them. Each citizen should now on monitor his and his neighbour's actions.
Let Mumbaikar not only join hands to reestablish the peace of the city, but also in building a protective wall around it.
Mumbai is a dream city for many Indians. And Bollywood just adds to it. It is a city of contrasts. The city has, on one hand, glamour and riches and on the other poverty. There are high rise buildings very next to the slums. The local trains bring together the educated and also the uneducated. There are the hard working individuals, who work long hours. Then there are those who know how to make some easy money. The Mumbaikars can kill each other in riots and also join hands when in need.
One example of this was seen on November 26, 2008. A date, which will go down in history. There was enough praise for the commandos for the rescue acts. Even the people of the city deserve appreciation for the support they have lent.
But, for how long will the rest of the world shower praises for Mumbai and its people?
What Mumbaikars need is not words but some action. The city has to be protected from such future incidents. And the only ones who can make this possible are Mumbaikars themselves.
I wish from now on the people of this wonderful city stay alert. They cannot trust anyone to safeguard the city. The responsibility is solely their own. Mumbai can become a lot better place to live in if the people take some time to look around their surroundings, report anything that evokes suspicion and any individual who breaks any law.
We cannot take law into our hands but we can certainly make sure everyone else follows them. Each citizen should now on monitor his and his neighbour's actions.
Let Mumbaikar not only join hands to reestablish the peace of the city, but also in building a protective wall around it.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Summer of 2008
This video is very close to my heart. Married in the Summer of 2008, I came to the US with Siddharth. Being what he is, a caring husband, he made sure I did not miss home. We went to a lot many places this summer. 2008 has been for me a year of journey, new experience and transition.
Editing, direction and camera are all done by Siddharth. All I can do is thank him for making me feel special!
Editing, direction and camera are all done by Siddharth. All I can do is thank him for making me feel special!
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