Riots

Pain of a riots are never forgotten. The tears dry, but the throbbing pain remains. The wounds dry on the surface and only need a little poke to open up again.
Can there ever be a reconciliation without justice done and seen to be done ?! Can there ever be a closure for the mother who has lost her son? A wife who has lost her husband ? A son who has seen his father butchered ? A woman whose dignity has been violated ? We can wish it gets hidden in some remote recess of the brain !! It doesn't happen.
As a small child in 1979, I was unfortunate to see the ugly side of a communal riot in Jamshedpur. The Congress who claims moral high ground today has seen some of the worst riots during regime. Often under the stewardship of their demi God Indira Gandhi.
This no way absolves the BJP of the atrocities committed during the 2002 riots in Gujrat. No amount of development can hide the ugly scars. Especially when there is no acknowledgement of the crimes committed, no regret expressed, no apology extended and no justice delivered.
What keeps the wounds festering is the arrogant smugness of the government and the wheel of justice, which stubbornly refuses to move. 

Goverment's apathy to dissent

Few incidents in recent times has reflected this government's intolerance to dissent. The action against social networking sites, attempt to muzzle protest against nuclear installations and now arrest of a journalist for the blast in the Israeli embassy car.

We have seen repeated failure by Indian investigative agencies to deliver timely solutions to various acts of terrorism. Worse, they have gone on to falsely implicate citizens. 
These acts of omissions and commissions by the administration not only cause a dip in the already dwindling faith in the Indian system but also forments violent movements against the nation.

The government do well to nip these trends in the bud. 

Sparrows and Butterflies

Saw a few sparrows and butterflies today. So rare nowadays!! Even the ubiquitous beehive is a rarity.

I remember the guava tree, in the corner of my garden, in my old house. It attracted a lot of parrots. Alas! the garden is not there anymore and so, gone is the guava tree and the chatter of the parrots. And that little blue bird....I never knew its name! The little yellow and violet flowers, do not dance in the summer breeze anymore. Gone also those rhododendron, petunias and that flame of the forest.

The onset of the monsoons heralded the croaking of the frogs and the swarms of dragon flies. I miss them !!

Will we ever see and hear them again?! Will this rapid urbanisation take away these little joys of life.........?! What have we gained and how much more have we lost...?! Can we ever balance the equation ?! I often ask myself, in my moments of solitude !!