Life in Mumbai Locals

Dt:29 Oct 2013

         I was returning back home from Bandra on a Tuesday morning after completing a quick assignment .After starting early I wound up work  by 11 am.This gave me an opportunity to travel in a Virar local with relative ease and comfort.

           I was relieved to find a seat and enjoy the ride.But barely ten minutes into this comfortable journey I realized that this would not be as  comfortable as it first looked like.A youngster (must be in his early  20s ) sitting next to me was fast asleep and decided to convert my shoulder into a comfortable pillow.

           The first reaction & thought that came to my mind was to wake this lad up and let him know that he cant use the public as his private cushion while traveling.Usual response time of the intolerant crowd in these situations is not more than 30 seconds .

           But before I could push him out of his comfort zone I went into a flashback of days gone by.Days when we used to slog hard in  training  and return home in the last locals often half asleep.During those days we would often end up having a nap on some  other stranger's shoulder.And they would also ignore us as they could make out that the kids are indeed very tired after a hard day's work.

         
              So I let this guy continue in his comfortable position in gratitude for those people who lent their shoulders to us when we were in need.Onlookers felt a bit strange that I let this kid carry on .Some might even have felt that he is a family member.

            Such is the life in a Mumbai Local. Aggressive and intolerant at large but compassionate and caring in  small confinements.You have to be there to experience it.



                  

Reforms in Indian Poltics

Dt: 5 OCT 2013


      Its been a pleasant couple of years in Indian politics.There has been a definite change in the way people are approaching politics and politicians in the largest democracy of the world.Well this was bound to happen in a nation which is slowly but surely rising up for a very good fuure.

      People revolution has always been the tool which has brought upon change in the way of functioning of the administrators or in som eother parts of the world brought aboutr regime changes as well.In India all this began with silent protest being headed by a socail activist named Anna Hazare.Peaceful protests against corruption has made the people so aware that they are now beginning to rise and challenge the institutions whihc have been governing them for years.

     
        While the media has played a big role in bringing these people agitations right to our TV screens and sparking a debate amongst the general public.There is also an educated class which is independent,earning well and therefore now taking interest in the matters of governance.It is this class of young middle class students and young professionals who over the course of the next decade going to change the face of the nation internally as well as in the world.

        Aiding them will be a social media revolution called 'Twitter' .As internet becomes cheaper and affordable you will see more people airing their views on twitter and putting tremendous pressure on the government.We are moving towards a world where the administrators will be under tremendous pressure to perform and most of the old guard will not be able to handle this onslaught.   

     
       Rising on the back of all these is a political party which has quietly managed to create a flutter in Delhi politics and which it seems is going to win more percentage of  seats in the Delhi assembly elections  than what MNS could manage in Maharashtra.So much for constructive politics.

        Supreme court rulings on NOTA,baring convicted leaders from contesting elections and disqualifying convicted MPs is also creating a positive environment.Even as I am writing this there in a PIL to be heard in SC to bar charge-sheeted leaders from contesting.that would be one hell of a legislation but not sure if dats fair enuf. SC and EC have always been empowering the voters and I am sure more of the middle class will vote this time around.

         Overall I predict a very bright future with numerous possibilities for India & all developing nations as well ,as  long as they keep away from war and do not face major natural calamities.