Friday, August 15, 2014

The 68th Independence Day.

Never before, I reckon, had people been so keen about what the Prime Minister was going to say from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the Independence day than it was at this time. Perhaps, it was because of the enormous expectations that he'd promised during his poll campaign. And Narendra Modi did not disappoint the people through his free flowing speech that did announce quite a few new initiatives. But I, too, would like to join the chorus to ask as to why he's asked for 'a moratorium of only ten years on religious, caste fracases' to herald development. Why didn't he ask for shunning it altogether?

The doing away with the 'Planning Commission' and bringing about a new organisation instead, taking into consideration the ground realities and the future requirements, seems to be a fine idea. Am I being a cynic when I say that the people have been muted in their reactions to his call for a clean India with good, clean toilet facilities at every nook and corner of the country? Do we consider it as a not so important aspect?

Pakistan, on the other hand, seems to have had a troublesome Independence Day celebration with Nawaz Sharif parroting the Kashmir issue to please his military brass and the anti-government march, led by the cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan and the Canada based cleric, Tahir-ul-Qadri, which has been making its way from Lahore to Islamabad! Why don't these guys, shun cheap and narrow minded rhetoric, get together around a negotiating table and come to a common solution to deal with terrorism and the different 'jihadi groups' that are eating away the innards of their nation?

May India attain prosperity and all inclusive development!


Tailpiece.

(a) I'd hoisted the national flag that I own at 'The Quarterdeck' at 8, in the morning, and hauled it down at sunset. Felt a thrill deep within me when I saw it flutter in the breeze all through the day!

(b) The legislation on the 'National Judicial Appointments Commission' has got the nod of the Parliament. Now it requires the endorsement of over half of the states' legislatures(15 of them) before it becomes law which is gonna take time. Hope it would nullify the drawbacks of the 'Collegiate System of selection of judges by the judges themselves'! It's also fairly sure that the next Chief Justice of India will be selected as per the existing criterion!!




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