A tear...

This post is on a different tangent from what I write on this blog, but I could not resist myself from sharing this.
This is the story of Mughli whose son disappeared after being taken away by security forces in 1990. After 19 years of search, she breathed her last this Sunday. A mother kept on the relentless search for her only son, her only ray of hope. Her son, Nazir was born after she was divorced by her husband. She decided not to marry and give her child a good upbringing.
Her last words: “My Nazir, have you come”
When I read this story (courtesy: Indian Express/Kashmirlive), I could not control my tears. Looking now at the situation in the valley, what has changed is the intensity of hatred. It just keeps on increasing. You kill us, they kill blab la… Huh!
There are many such stories that have become history; many more will be the order of the day if this keeps going. The only person to live in the valley would be neither me nor you, just hatred and hatred alone. Many more maniacs with no goals would nurture it and would die just to pass on the fire that would eventually burn the valley we are fighting for.

BJP does it again, but how ?

I had little time to take a view of the election campaigning process that took place in the state elections, the results of which gave BJP another Jhatka. Looking and analyzing the results and results alone, it wouldn’t be hard for anyone to say that second innings for congress has just got going. The glaring thing about BJP is the big rupture in the party. The word missing from the party character is “Integrated”. As a marketer, if I am not clear with my product or an idea I’m trying to sell, how would I convince others. It is as simple as that. But to convince yourself and that too when you have a 100 heads (just a number, no reference) is tough. There is still going to be that unhappy head, which would give you a big time headache. And then there are those tumors and genetic defects. Now the meaning of this post can slip. I’ll keep it simple – It is not possible to satisfy everybody at the same time. And not to say that winning parties don’t have conflict of ideas. When there are two or more people there is going to be conflict of ideas and interests. As a unit, BJP, even remotely does not give the impression that it is a single unit. The central command has a soft voice and it unfortunately forgot to cultivate the new set of leaders. Today, BJP is lacking a clear vision, but then who does have a clear vision. The only vision cum mission is growth, development and upliftment of India and Indians. To have an edge, parties try to go the extra mile, when there is no need to. The result is that you see mythical characters such as Marathi manoos, caste or religion oriented agendas. Now aren’t you yourself dividing your own vote-bank (nation ofcourse). Symbolic gestures to attract the voters you rejected in your core agenda would not call them back, rather they would deplete the existing vote bank. The only thing that should appeal to a voter is the personality of a party.

I would recommend 3 B’s for BJP

1. Behind: Look behind, and just look behind. Don’t analyze. Just check the extent of damage in your voting share. If possible hire some analysts.
2. Bend: Bend towards a new ideology, a more universal one. Everybody would be a part of it. Hindu’s won’t leave you if you call others to join the party of development and prosperity.
3. Birth: Think 10-15 years down the line. Cultivate new set of leaders. Expend some resources on them. Let the best one take the baton forward.

I want BJP to come back not because of my special affinity to it, but because for the prosperity of this country we need to have a competitor (and a one which poses some sort of a real threat) to the government to keep them on their toes and work for the betterment of the people (in a true sense, no tokenism). I hope BJP revives itself to challenge the government (on some real issues) and gives itself a national, infact an international character.

Obama and Nobel peace prize

Obama for peace!
A hope for peace, a new dimension. There is a lot of debate going on whether he has done enough to deserve it or can he work for it. I won't be talking about whether he is the right one or not for the prize but lets look at it from how is it going to influence him. Maybe the man for hope will choose a path of peace. The prize definitely has increased the expectations of the world (atleast mine). Obama's policy initiatives, especially foreign policies can have more of a peaceful nature than his predecessor.

One negative aspect could be that Obama's influence and popularity could reduce if robust measures take the place of popular measures.

On the positive side, the expectations from Barack Obama would become higher and the positive effect would be that the world's most powerful man would force himself to act towards peace. I agree that it has been more of speeches till now, but that is what is needed. Without intitating dialogue how can you plan in an integrative way ? An integrative way, which would more or less be a win-win for humanity.
I feel Obama has a new challenge. ["Peace not war", "Solution, not another problem".] Incorporate more of peace in the new solutions. This, I believe is a high risk, high return approach, but a high quality return is the need of the hour. So, I stand for Obama as the man of peace today for not what he has done, but for what he can do.

There is an interesting point of view of Harsh V Pant on the choice of Obama for Nobel Peace Prize,which provides a different perspective.