Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge - Varun Grover

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Varun Grover

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tana Shah Aake Jayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tana Shah Aake Jayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tum Aazun Gas Ujaloge

Tum Zeher Ki Chai Ubaloge

Hum Pyar Ki Shakkar Gol Ke Usko

Gut Gut Gut Pee Jayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Ye Desh Hi Apna Haazil Hain

Jahan Ram Prasad Bhi Bismil Hain

Mitti Ko Kaise Batoge

Sabka Hi Khoon To Shaamil Hain

Tum Pulis Se Latt Padadhoge

Tum Metro Bandh Karodhoge

Hum Paidal Paidal Aayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Manji Yehi Bichayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Samvidaan Ko Bachayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Jan Gan Mann Bhi Gayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tum Jaath Paath Se Baatonge

Hum Baath Mangthe Jaayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Where the mind is in fear

Where the mind is in fear

and the head is in gloom and pain

Where knowledge is enslaved

Where the world is being broken up into fragments

By narrow domestic walls

Where words come out from manufactured lies

Where hollow praises and gloating attain puerile crescendo

Where the stream of reason is a muddy quicksand

In the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Where the mind is led forward by coterie

Into submission and eternal flattery

Into this hell bent fiefdom, dear father

let not this country awake.

Tryst with Destiny

Jawaharlal Nehru delivered on the night of 14th August, one of the greatest speeches of the 20th Century. I have heard parts of this many times, as they had been played on the old Doordharshan TV.

As i read it again today, i am touched by one of the architects of the Indian polity. And also saddened as we endeavour to squander it away. A nation that developed its constitution, by adopting from the many around the world, choosing the very best from each, and aptly suited to us, now seems to be  consumed in a downward spiral. Pitting relgion, caste, gender and everything possible to divide the people. And instead of aspiring for higher levels of individual freedom and a superior inclusive society, we are taking away rights, considered basic civil and or human rights.

Below is the text of the speech i was able to get from the www.

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.

That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.

And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this One World that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill-will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.

The appointed day has come—the day appointed by destiny—and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning-point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about.

It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed!

We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow-stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father of our Nation, who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us. We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.

Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death.

We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good [or] ill fortune alike.

The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.

To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy.

And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service.

Wonder if we will be able to live upto the ideals expounded here. I know many are trying. We probably need to try harder.

iZed Security for Mukesh Bhai

Abh kya hai ! After all, democracy mane, "for the people, off the people, by the people". All this if for us only, the Aam Aadmi, or is now popularly known "Mango People".
Interestingly quite a bit of media (specially business publications, here's one) see this as nothing but normal. Just, when the Supreme Court is going to pull the laal-bathi (red light) from a bunch of unwanted cars, now we will have a bunch of Kaala Billis (Black Cats) running around town. What a colourful world we live in?

Source: Manjultoons

Aam Aadmi, will remain an Aam Aadmi, as long he or she thinks that way. Wake up people, tell your government, you are not a mango.

Aside: By the way, will this create a new Top 100 list !! The Top 100 wanted on the Indian Mujahideen hit list.

Non Standard Disclaimer: Everything stated here is a verbatim transcription of what was provided to me by SHIV. I do not claim credit or responsibility. Shiv is a friend i have known for long, and almost always has an opinion on anything and everything. Sorry Mukesh Bhai, if you feel dinged, please dont take it out on me. Please take it out on Shiv.

Things better than Free Speech

There are quite few things that are more important than free speech. Here is a list of things i think are more important to average citizens, than the free speech. And i also think there needs to be big difference between"Freedom to Speak" and "Free Speech"

Free & Fair Elections	Free or Reasonably priced food
Free Responsible Press	Free Primary Health
Free impartial Judiciary	Freedom to move

What are the limits of free speech ? If my freedom ends where your nose begins, then where does free speech, begin and end ? My tongue ?

Things better than Free Speech

There are quite few things that are more important than free speech. Here is a list of things i think are more important to average citizens, than the free speech. And i also think there needs to be big difference between"Freedom to Speak" and "Free Speech"

Free & Fair Elections	Free or Reasonably priced food
Free Responsible Press	Free Primary Health
Free impartial Judiciary	Freedom to move

What are the limits of free speech ? If my freedom ends where your nose begins, then where does free speech, begin and end ? My tongue ?

Democrazy

Its not real. Its just a crazy demonstration. There are no rights, limited duties and most importantly, the answer must always to be the question "Ask not what your large corporations can do for you? Ask what you can get the country to do for the large corporations?".

Facing the Voters in 2012
Patrick Chappatte - International Herald Tribune

A whole bunch of fools, the crazy part of the democrazy, are going to vote, thinking they can make a difference. All the best.

Satyagraha - then and now

I have been thinking about this for a few days now. And this article 'The government against satyagrahas, then and now' only reinforced this thought. Clearly the current government is following the steps of their erstwhile predecessor (the British), the difference is that we elected this government using our 'powerful' votes.

I'm in effect reliving my history books, i am getting to know more about 'divide and rule', 'disregard for public emotion and rights', 'deflection', 'involve in committees, only to disregard', 'arrogance' and the view that 'might is greater than right'.

Parliamentary Democracy

Here is how things really work in a Parliamentary Democracy. On second thoughts, in virtually any democracy. The concept of democracy is so overrated, that i have come to the view that the best form of government is a 'benevolent dictatorship'. No elections, no fooling the public, possibly no corruption also.

This cartoons depicts the recent mood of the Govt of India, about the Lokpal bill, an initiative grabbed by ordinary citizens, lead by Anna Hazare. The Govt and the Congress party, seems to believe that no one other than the parliament can make rules. So the ordinary citizens, even in a democracy, apparently, will have to sit back, relax and simply wait for their handouts.