From Sexy Clothes to Mystic Mask

 

From Sexy Clothes 

to Mystic Mask

There is more to this ‘mask’ than meets the eye. Read a curtain raiser write up

By Mukesh Sharma

Man comes to earth in his ‘birthday suit’. In early days of human evolution, he would move around buck naked. The natural sensation in erogenous zones on human body at the sight of opposite sex, made man to feel the need of wearing the loin cloth  – it helps to hide the copulative desires, and passes him for a man of ‘good’ character.

There is more to this ‘mask’ than meets the eye

With the course of time and material advancement, other wears were developed. However, the ‘sex’ was the basis of all the clothing – woman clothes were suitable for woman body – helpful in giving nature’s call and perform quickly and comfortably other ‘acts’ – man’s clothes too were made with compatibility to male ‘needs’. Further clothes were developed to give the man a distinctive identity related to region, tradition, culture, profession and position. In other words, each clothes  worn by the man serves specific purpose.

Now the mystic mask has also joined the wardrobe of the man. Unlike other wears designated for man and woman separately, the mask is not sexist. Irrespective of colour or country, region or religion, rich or poor, it treats all equally. What genius like Karl Marx couldn’t do, the petty mask has done. Right from Donald Trump to common tramp pissing around on the roads of Indian cities, everyone wear mask. Mask is a great leveler.

Though the common man doubts the efficacy of mask being used for the prevention of spread of corona, for,  the tinniest virus can pass through any porous fabric, he sees a big ‘’conspiracy and million dollar business behind the mask”, particularly, in India.

Big names like Reebok, Levis, Nike, etc with good ‘understanding’ with the authorities have flooded the market, allegedly with the “non standard branded fancy masks.” Middle class always takes pride in using branded stuff in India. Even private schools have come up with their own mask going with the uniform of their school. It is easy to squeeze parents.

To hospitals and doctors, it is a “roaring business” behind the mask. Surprisingly enough, India stands at No.2 in the world for corona cases but recovery rate is over 88 per cent that too without the availability of medicine/treatment. No developed country has performed such a ‘grand feat’. What is more, there are news reports  that reveal that government hospitals are not fully equipped to tackle corona; a  great number of hospitals lack oxygen, ventilators, beds, etc. Sources reveal besides donation of  thousands of crores to PM fund by Indians,  India also got $2.9mn from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and  World Bank  aproved $1bn corona fund to India. However,  the poor people are charged for COVID test and treatment, for the reasons best known to ‘honest’ netas only. For VIPs/VVIPs treatment is free of charge. Even if vaccine hits the market, people doubt that govt. can make it available for all. By an estimate, 80,000 crores would be needed to vaccinate all. In a country where a sizable number of populace struggling  with deadliest disease ‘hunger’, it is doubtful that government would spend the estimated whopping sum for the containment of corona.

‘Dutiful’ police, the next 'regiment' of corona ‘warriors’ which has been given free hand, always remains on its toe to ‘salute’ the mighty, and ‘sanitize’ the commoner with danda and ‘comfort-fee’. People allege brisk ‘businesses behind the mask.

People contend  that in this this tough and trying time, only government servants who have secured jobs, fat salary and no work, have been enjoying life. Private giant players like Amazon(Jeff Besos, US), Ambani, Hinduja, Shiv Nadar, Adani, Azim Premi,  even in COVID situation have amassed wealth. Rest more or less are doomed.  But all 'hon’bles' as ever are busy in discussion and suggestions. Here in India words speak louder than action. Thanks to media, the mouth piece of elitist and political class.

Duly and democratically elected government with 30-40 per cent vote share armed with managed magic numbers  is busy working overtime in passing bills after bills in the Parliament where the most of the session scores of seats remain empty – 'devoted and diligent' law makers remain busy in other more important 'public' activities than the parliament session. Notwithstanding, laws are made for the common peoples, the mighty rules the law. Indian netas have mastered the ‘rules' of the 'game’ precisely and perfectly from the wily Britisher who ruled for 200 years and bled the Indians for every penny through bills/laws. Always preoccupied with the politics of brinkmanship and one-upmanship , netas are successfully using ‘mask’ to hide all failings – low GDP, unemployment, alleged rampant corruption at implementation level by over smart government officials, widespread poverty and hunger in flood affected areas etc. There is more to this mystic mask than meets the eye.

Immortal Ravana

Immortal Ravana

Ravana is no longer the mythological rakchhsa; he is a  wily 'businessman' today; he is nobody’s fool when it comes to business. Ravana is a great peddler of promises; he is a hustler of hope

By Mukesh Sharma

From time immemorial, Dussehra is being celebrated as a victory of Good over Evil. The effigy of Ravana is set on fire amid huge cheering crowd watching the ‘act’ with all gusto and gaiety. While covering such a 'gala' day,  this blogger happened to have overheard an interesting conversation between a child and his father yesterday. “Was Ravana a bad guy?” asks a child surprisingly. “Yes beta,” the father answers caressingly. “All bad men must be burnt to death” the child murmurs with the mirth. When violence is legitimized, it becomes custom, and even a king follows the custom. It is known to all that Lord Rama killed Ravana. Did Rama really kill Ravana? Was it really a victory of good over evil? If my valued readers ask me, the answer is ‘no’. If Lord Rama had killed Ravana, there would not have been Ravanas in legion today. If it had been the victory of Good over Evil, it(evil) would not have been all pervasive today. Lord Rama might have killed the mortal body of Ravana; his spirit lives on. Ravana is immortal.

Immortal Ravana

Since the day of Lord Rama, Ravana has come of the age; he doesn’t have long mustaches; he doesn’t wear crown; he doesn’t dress himself as a king; he doesn’t laugh loudly.

On the contrary, Ravana doesn’t call himself a king but the people look upon him as king; he doesn’t use any arms but he uses his words as arms. Ravana’s bark is worse than his bite.

Ravana wears simple kurta-pyjama but his gesture are very complex; he never speaks truth but the people accept his words as truth; he never helps anybody but he never says no for help; he calls himself servant of people, but he lives like a king and his masters (the people) reel under poverty; he doesn’t do any work but his wealth continues to get multiplied every year; he looks like a mortal man with limited capacity but his words are heard all over the world where the voice of the common people can't be heard beyond a few steps;  he is not God but he has the power to write or change the destiny of the people.

Ravana is no longer the mythological rakchhsa; he is wily businessman today; he is nobody’s fool when it comes to business. Ravana is a great peddler of promises; he is a hustler of hope; he owns political parties for his political ambitions; he owns big business houses; he owns  newspapers and TV channels; he owns universities and colleges; he owns big coaching centres. It is an irony that the people have faith in Ravana. Faith knows no reason.

Ravana is above caste and creed; he knows no religion; he never fights himself but can get killed millions – Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, etc. are the example of his 'benevolent' acts, and he says it is for the 'salvation' of the people.

Some religious minded people offer prayer as per their religious belief in  Temple, Mosque, Gurudwara and Church etc. They hope that once again Lord Rama would come to earth and kill Ravana,  and emancipate the humanity. But the possibility is remote.The people are not able to understand the simple fact that  one Lord Rama is not enough to eliminate millions of Ravana today.

Despite all the facts, the people organize Ramleelas with all religious fervor. Dussehra is celebrated with all fanfare. What is interesting to note that in all these so-called Ramleelas,  Ravana himself comes in the guise of Lord Rama in white clothes and shoots arrow to kill the Ravana. Strange are the ways of the world. Ravana burns the effigy of Ravana. Hope my valued reader can guess about the true identity of Ravana in today’s world.

Self-employed youth – the victims of Justice

Self-employed youth – the victims of Justice

By Mukesh Sharma

It is a fact that only elite political class has been enjoying life in Indian democracy, loaded heavily in favour of netas. Irrespective of caste creed or religion, the most of Indians believe that India is country of the netas, by the netas and for the netas.

While the netas live a king’s life, the poor people wriggle through the devouring problems all the life. Resigned to fate, the people remain at the mercy of some divine providence or the netas.

With all prerogatives and privileges, the netas celebrate Independence day and Republic day with the usual euphoria and exactitude every year. And the fooled people watch all the celebrations on TV channels with the sense of helplessness.

The system is such that once a glib-tongue and street-smart person gets in the politics, and manages to become an MLA or MP, he or she becomes law unto himself or herself. The proverbial long hands of law think ten times before reaching out to these netas even if they are found complicit in some crime. The people contend that these demi-gods are above the law.

On the other hand, the hapless common man who has been struggling from dawn to dusk for his survival for the ages, is a favourite whipping boy. Even the lowest rung government official can kick his ass just for kicks. What is more, this confused common man often falls prey to so-called JUSTICE.

The classic example is the ongoing sealing drive by MCD in Delhi under so-called Supreme Court Monitoring Committee. The properties of innocent self-employed people who have even paid the conversion charges and parking charges against their properties in order to carry out commercial activities for their livelihood, are being targeted and sealed arbitrarily without any notice.

True to their element, the netas of all the political parties are trying to use the predicament of the businessmen to their political advantage. Mud-slinging, slanging match and buck-passing have become the part of debate. While the netas are busy in their squabble, sealing is going on day after day. If the government cannot provide the employment, it has no business to deprive the people of self-employment.

      Over the years, the coaching Institute Business across India has become a giant industry with annual turn-over in thousands of crores, providing direct and indirect employment to thousands of teaching and non-teaching  youths.

Among the famous places for the coaching centres, Mukherji Nagar in north- west Delhi has a distinctive reputation. It is the favourite destination for government job-seekers. The students from all the parts of India throng this place with their cherished dream.

But to the utter surprise of student community at large, the renowned Mukherji Nagar and GTB Nagar stand rather ravaged today in the wake of rampant sealing drive. Hoardings, signboards and bill boards have been pulled down. Furniture and fixtures have been removed from the premises to ward off sealing drive. Obviously, it has put a big question mark not only on the future of self-employed teachers but also on the dreams of hundreds of students.

Dejected and disenchanted these hordes of self-employed people contend that much touted ‘start-up’ India is just a political gimmick. “At Davos, our Hon’ble PM Modi lays a red carpet for the foreign companies and business tycoons” says  a teacher ruefully. “And here in India Modi’s men are pulling the rug of  the feet of thousand of self-employed youth”. “BJP is a party of talk talks and talk claims. And those who talk by yard, act by inches, deserve to be kicked  by foot” says a student spitefully.

Evidently enough, the self-employed youth of India, who are already overburdened with the propounded GST, Income Tax, Property Tax, Conversion charges, Parking charges and  ever running high commercial electricity bill besides the alleged monthly extortion by the local authorities, are  VICTIM OF ‘JUSTICE’

Ramshackle Wazirabad Yamuna bridge ̶ a disaster in waiting

Ramshackle Wazirabad 

Yamuna bridge  ̶  a disaster in waiting

       By Mukesh Sharma

NEW DELHI: The Wazirabad Yamuna Bridge in North-East Delhi which is over 70 years old, is the only bridge connecting North-East Delhi, and besides local traffic all the vehicles from Loni, Ghaziabad use this bridge to enter inner parts of Delhi, and today it stands in dilapidated condition. However, thousands of vehicles crawls through this neglected bridge daily, and perhaps the authorities are waiting for some disaster to happen.

Nearly three months ago, the bridge was closed for busses and trucks to ‘repair’ the so called cycle track, nearly 8 ft. wide abutting the bridge. In fact, it was just a footpath and meant for pedestrians. The vested interests changed the nomenclature and renamed it ‘cycle track’. The restoration work is yet to be completed. The shoddy manner the work is being done rises doubts in the mind of the commoner that the contractor and officials concerned have made a fortune. It is open secret that based on public complaints and notings of the top officials, the tender for restoration work is floated; it is awarded to the ‘right’ contractor; work is completed; the calculated and well bargained cut reaches the share holders and the file is wrapped up with  hip hip hurray . . . and three cheers.

      Waterlogged Yamuna Bridge

On last Friday, the heavy rain led to water logging on the bridge. The vehicles were wading through knee deep water. The drain pipe put up by the contractor were chocked with dirt and mortar. Nobody bothered to open it. Moreover, the road over the bridge is full of potholes. The vehicular movement of this rugged bridge is so slow that a long line of bumper to bumper traffic jam can be witnessed from both sides of the bridge  round the clock. Hats off to Delhi Police cops who try to regulate the traffic but in vain. In fact, the authorities concerned should have first mended the road over the bridge for the smooth flow of traffic. But who cares! Enjoying fat salaries with no accountability, the officials who act like demi-gods, take little interest in public work on ground zero  except in file.

Interestingly enough, all the drivers of passing vehicles while moving like a bullock-cart do look at the much-touted Signature Bridge just 100 meters away. The people do dream of the auspicious day when the bridge would be completed and thrown open to public and the people would get rid of this daily tussle of traffic jam. But the next moment, they curse the netas. . . and get going.

The signature bridge was conceived by the respected netas about 14 years ago with a budget of just Rs 700 crores. The work dragged on for years for one or other reasons. The budget continued to be enhanced years after years for the reasons best known to netas only. And now it is said to have crossed  a whooping sum for Rs 1500 crores, and still it is under construction. To raise the hope of people, every year ‘netas’ give a deadline for its completion, but it turns out to be as hollow as their election promises.

Fearing the worst, disgruntle people content that the authorities would wake up after some untoward incident. God forbids, if this Wazirabad bridge collapses, the netas would visit in hordes; inquiry would be instituted; next of kins would be given some solatium; some overactive NGOs would stage candle light protests and some enthusiasts would raise a memorial and lit the candle every year on the day of disaster. But no lesson would be learnt. In all the cases, as usual, it is people who have to pay the price, and remain at receiving end.