The romance of the morning tea

 

The Americans take their coffee on the go, if you happen to be driving during the morning hours in the US, you will see a majority of the drivers having their coffee while driving to work. While America works on coffee, the English and their tea is a tradition. The English tea in flowered porcelain cups are as much English as bread pudding. But no where in the world has the making and taking of tea acquired a cult status as it is India.

From the kadak chai of Mumbai to the Irani chai of Hyderabad every Indian has his or own favourite way of making the brew that India wakes upto. We Indians do not believe in the making tea as the world does, with the tea leaves seeped in hot water and had with a little cream or sugar. Like our cuisine we prefer our tea to be robust. Based on personal preferences, the tea is made either with full milk or half milk and half water, which has to be boiled and simmered and sugar and tea leaves till its aroma wafts around the surroundings and wakes up the soul. 

Each person I have seen has his or her own idiosyncrasy associated with the first cup of the day, some like it scalding hot right from the kettle on the stove to their cup and their lips in a matter of minutes if not seconds any delay and they say it is as cold as water. While some prefer it luke warm and some take it downright cold. The variations are as varied as there are races, one of my cousins wants his tea to be served hot with steam rising from the cup, he would take the cup place it on a table near him and watch it till the steam slowly subsides, when  only then would he take the first sip. Give him a cup of tea that is not scalding hot and he would send it back saying the tea is cold. When asked the response was classic, “watching the steam rise from the tea enhances the pleasure of anticipation it is the same as the romance of waiting for ones beloved” .

This set me off thinking of tea and romance Indian style and what I observed was that no matter how harried the life of the Indian couple, no matter how hard up he is for time and space no matter how rushed the days, irrespective of age and social status morning tea time is a time for romance Indian style. And each couple has perfected its own style of romantic tea ritual.

I know this couple, the husband makes the morning tea as he is the one to get up earlier of the two and after his morning walk returns home and makes the tea and wakes up his wife, by the time she finishes her morning rituals the tea is ready. The husband serves the tea along with the biscuits and takes it out in the verdandah, where the couple enjoy their first cup of the day. Now, the wife takes extra sugar in the tea, and it is the husbands duty, once she is seated across him to add the extra sugar to the tea and stir it and hand over the cup to her. And if the husband adds in the extra sugar in the kitchen she takes a sip of the tea and leaves it saying its not done properly. And the days when the husband is off on tours, she has no trouble with making and drinking the tea by herself.

Then there is this other couple who have their first cup of tea in the balcony of their apartment, while reading the paper. The husband reads the paper while the wife prepares the morning tea and brings it out to the balcony. Once she places the tea cups on the table the husband stops reading the paper and gives it to his wife, who reads the paper while the husband drinks the tea. Once she finishes reading the paper, the husband removes the thin layer of cream that forms on the tea if left to cool, and hands over the cup to the wife.

The one with most consequences was the ritual of one of my many aunts and uncles, it was the husbands duty to make the morning cup of tea for the wife. My aunt after having the cup of tea would enter the kitchen only after her husband served her tea. She would not have the morning tea if any person other my uncle made or served it to her. And God forbid if for any reason my uncle did not make or serve tea to her, she would not enter the kitchen itself forget cooking. My uncle had to first make the tea and serve her and only then would she enter the kitchen. One good thing about this was no matter how big the quarrel between the two of them, it would have to be resolved by a cup of morning tea else the whole house would go hungry.

As for me and my husband, we get up in the morning and wait for the maid to come and give us the morning cup of cheer.

To live or die

Almost all religions speak of the day the world will end and go on to describe in detail the spine chilling events that will unfold before it happens, and almost all of us except the doomsayers strongly believe it is somewhere in the distant future when we will all be dust. However, for the Indian middle class doomsday seems to have come slowly and silently and now has them firmly in its grasp with nowhere to go except wait out the end.

Everything was going good till March when the first cases of Carona virus were diagnosed and the Nation along with the rest of the world went into a collective shock fearing imminent death in hordes. Then the lockdown was announced and we all breathed a sigh of relief and entrenched ourselves in our houses and went out to fight the scourge with clapping, singing and burning diyas. While we were waiting for our victory over carona, the virus first stuck us from the rear which no one anticipated not the Government nor the high ranking economists  or the advisors in their ivory towers, the first casualty were the migrant workers who in a few hours lost their livelihood, their shelter and also the means to go back home. While we were still grappling with the humongous tragedy unfolding before us, we dug deep into our pockets and donated what all we could spare to the PM’s and CM’s relief funds little knowing that son we will need aid and have no one to help us.

Even as we were trying to make the best of the unfolding pandemic, the second blow hit us when we received our salaries taking a cue from the Government many of the private companies cut back our salaries citing there was no income. And we learnt to do with less and folded back our wants and needs to adjust to the smaller pockets. A small relief was with the lockdown the petrol and other incidentals were reduced which along with our fortitude to take all setbacks in stride we managed to make do with half our income making do with rice and dal with the occasional novelty of vegetables thrown in. And thanked God that we atleast had food in our plates.

As we got used to frugal living and were getting comfortable in our near borderline life, the Government surrendered to the might of Carona and relaxed the Lockdown and opened all establishments. We went back to the workplace happy with the tought that though we may be exposed to the virus atleast with going back to work our families will be spared from the slow death of wants and needs. However the aftershocks of the lockdown have hit us with a knee breaking blow, though we were now going to work though only thrice a week the salarybeing doled out was still a fraction of the full some. And to top it off with the easing of the lockdown the first to come were the men from the Electricity department with their bills for 3 months of electricity consumed all calculated at the highest bracket and for most of us it was equal to six months of electricity bill which had to be paid in full at one go.

Even as we withdrew from our savings to pay the electricity bill and were going back to our frugal comfort when the next whammy came from the portals of learning and knowledge. The childrens school the nightmare started with an innocent watsapp message asking the school fees be paid, and the school administration was magnanimous in stating the annual fees could be paid in 3 or 4 installments instead of at one go. As we were trying to find out what we could sell or pawn to pay the fees when the reminder came that failure to pay the fees will mean the school would not be able to apy its teachers, now we were in a moral dilemma and taking the bold decision pawned a few tolas of gold to pay for the children’s school fees when the school again sent a reminder for the payment for the books. And even as we were dreading how we could generate this cash when the school messaged that due to the covid problem the school will be taking online classes and to organise for a computer for the children. And now here we are dreading how to survive a week leave alone a month on a curtailed salary, we have stopped using the TV and have just one light switched on at any time and the whole family sleeps in a single room so as to use just one fan, but all the money we save in electricity today is swallowed up at the petrol pump tomorrow with the daily increase in fuel price, when I go to fill my bike’s tank with its daily dose of half a pint. Like my family my bike too is living hand to mouth.

Where a few months back a couple of cases of corona in the city were enough to send the entire family into panic today we give just a cursory glance to the 1000 plus cases a day and putting on our mask go out into the world trying to make ends meet while keeping up the façade of middle class respectability and wellbeing. It is very well for the CM of the State to say don’t go to private hospitals but what other option is there, the Government frittered away precious time that we had since January to ramp up the medical infrastructure and recruit doctors and nurses and support staff in publicity stunts on showcasing preparedness that spoke of capacity to treat 1000’s of patients but which crumbled when the cases increased to a just few hundreds leave alone the 1000 and more that are being diagnosed everyday. And as we struggle in our fight against the virus and the avalanche of financial woes, the Government has wiped its hands off the people, and is busy demolishing buildings and closing down hospitals making money and filling up its coffers, leaving us to the mercy of God and fate. We do not know how many of us will survive this virus and can only pray that if we are afflicted to make the end short without putting our families under a financial burden that will take decades to overcome. 

Destiny weaves its own path

Nalla Pochamma was getting ready for her annual visit to her home on Earth, She  was excitedly and happily thinking about the bounties to bestow on her devotees on this visit. “My children have faced untold difficulties in the last few months”, she mused, “they have been afflicted with this Carona disease and the resultant, poverty and hardships. This year I will give the boon of peace and plenty, I will bless them with deliverance from misery and bless them with a good harvest, and prosperity and an end to this scourge they call Carona.” 

As goddess Pochamma was contemplating her coming visit to Earth and reminiscing about her previous visits , one of the maids came running into her Bhawan and falling down at the Goddesses feet, wailed, “Mother, the unthinkable has happened these humans have razed your home on Earth to the ground.” 

Hearing these words, Pochamma turned around and in a commanding voice asked, “Speak clearly woman, what are you saying. My devotees are busy at this time of the year, making preparations to welcome me who no matter how difficult the times are for them keep no stone unturned to welcome me with pomp and gaiety. They can never willingly destroy my home.”

Even as Pochamma was speaking to the Maid, another maid entered and prostrating before the Godesses said, “Mother, your home in the Secretariat of Hyderabad has been razed to the ground. We were making preparations for your visit to your earthly home and were shocked on hearing this news from Narada, Brahma’s Son who was travelling through Pataal lok.  He sent me to tell you and that he will come and give you the details..”

“Who dared do destroy my home, I will sever his head like I did Mahishasur’s”, roared Pochamma.

“Mother, these people have destroyed your home and that to at the time of your annual visit. Who will dare do this, have the Men forgotten your power do they think they can destroy our Mothers home and get away with it. Men have begun to think they are powerful and have now started challenging you.” the maid lamented in anger. 

“If My home has been destroyed, I will never set foot in that place again. ” Pochamma replied in a voice seething with anger. At this the walls of the room started shaking, “and I will teach these people who have destroyed my home a lesson they will not forget in this Yug. The pestilence that has afflicted the people will grow in numbers and eat away at all those who dared destroy my home. I will …..”

Before Pochamma could complete her words, Narada entered the chambers chanting, “Narayana Narayana, Mother before you say the words that will bring ruin and can never be taken back, please listen to me. Your home in the Hyderabad, near the building these people call the Secretariat has been demolished to make way for a new building. A place from which they want to Govern in a better way. There is one person and a few of his people who are  responsible for this sacrilege, you should punish them and not the innocent people who are more shocked, angry at this crime and fearful of your anger. They were making whatever preparations they could inspite of their difficulties. They are already in pain and suffering at the hands of the same people who destroyed your home. Please do not compound their suffering.” So saying he asked Pochamma to look down on the people of Telangana, and She was shocked to see her devotees struggling to make ends meet, scared of the disease they called Carona and living in fear of raising their voice with no succour in sight. She saw ill people waiting to die in State hospitals, others who were ill and having money but with no hospital to go to. She saw people with no hope in their eyes going about their daily life waiting for the virus to strike them. She saw them getting up in the morning with fear of the virus and the coming day in their eyes and the relief of going to bed without illness at night. Narada showed her the houses of the people who had given the orders to destroy her home, there was plenty there, houses more grand than her Bhawan, living better than the Gods themselves.

Seeing the people’s faith and the preparations they were making for her visit inspite of their pathetic condition, Nalla Pochamma asked Narada, “Why are these common people living like this. I have been blessing them with plenty for the last few years they should be wealthy and prosperous but most of them have no work, and are living on a pittance they call pension. And why are all these young men and women I have blessed with passing their University and other scholastic exams still unemployed. This was my most loved place on Earth, and I have been showering my bounty on these lands for the last few years. Yet, the people are more poor and helpless than they have been in the last sixty years.  What is happening in my beloved Telangana Narada”

Narada smiled and said, “Mother, the same person who had your home destroyed  is also responsible for the plight of these people.”

“But, how is this possible”, Pochamma asked “These people no longer have Kings and Queens some of who were cruel and wicked and ruled with the Sword. They  have a system for Governance called democracy. They are now Governed by the Laws they made and gave themselves”

Narada said, “Mother, you are full of love and believe in the goodness of Man. It is true these people have a system for electing their leaders, and once elected the Leader rules over them not unlike the Kings of old times, some are good and some are despots. These elections are like the boon that Lord Brahma bestowed on Shumbha and Nishumbha or Arunasur whom you destroyed, Once the elections are over the power they bestow on the Leaders makes them believe they are invincible and do as they please. They are a law unto themselves and no power on Earth can stop them. But whereas Lord Brahma and the other Gods had you and Vishnu and Shiva to help them destroy the powerful demons they created by their boons, these people have no recourse except to wait for the next time the Elections are held, but by then they are so emasculated and weakened by the System that the old guard ends up with more Power then before using money and sword.”

As Pochamma and Narada were moving around the place where the Nalla Pochamma’s temple lay in debris they saw two old men looking with distress at a couple of buildings. Noticing the Godesses’s curiosity Narada said, “that is Allah God of the Muslims and his angel Gabriel, their homes has also been destroyed along with yours.”

Pochamma approached Allah and Gabriel and said, “Narada tells me your home has also been destroyed along with mine. I am going to destroy the people responsible for doing this to my home.”

Gabriel replied, “Holy mother, our homes are being destroyed with impunity by this person. Last year our home in Amberpet was destroyed to build a road, we should have punished the infidel then, but he repented to our flock and promised to build a new one but till date not even a brick has been laid for it. And today two of our masjids were razed to the ground to build a new secretariat. Though this Man has again promised to rebuild a bigger masjid we have no faith in him or his words.”

At this point Allah thundered, “Enough, I will not tolerate it any more. I have been merciful and have forgiven that man his sin for desecrating my home but this time I shall make him pay. He shall know what pain is I shall take away everything he has and believes he has till eternity. I will make him repent for his Sins.”

Hearing these words, Pochamma said, “Allah I agree we have to teach these infidels a lesson. But we should punish the guilty, just like my children are innocent of this crime and are its victim. So also are your followers helpless against this Man they have made their leader who has destroyed our homes and hurt our children. Let us punish those involved in this heinous crime of destroying our homes.”

As Allah and Pochamma were discussing how to punish those guilty, they saw The Future coming towards them, there was a look of serene contentment on his face as though a big burden had been removed from his shoulders.

Both Allah and Pochamma asked, “Why are you looking so happy, does not the destruction you see around you sadden you.” Future replied, “I am saddened by the destruction of your homes and the coming misery and destruction you are going to unleash on the Guilty ones. But till today I was wondering how the old Secretariat building could destroy a Man and bring you both together to finish his reign as prophesised. By destroying the old Secretariat the Man tried to change destiny, just like Kansa thought that by killing his Sisters sons he could evade death as prophesized this person by razing down the old building tried to evade his destiny. But by razing down your homes he has done my work for me. Even as I was coming here, I was thinking how I could bring you two together for his doom is to come at both your hands. And for both your devotees and followers to jointly overthrow this person. And here you are working together to punish him and your believers and devotees will follow.  Now I can go back to moving ahead knowing the future as ordained will happen and the Guilty punished.

Lets use THE BOMB Mr.Prime Minister

The recent incursion by China in Ladakh is one in a long line of transgressions THE Chinese have been indulging in with impunity since 1962. Whereas, in the past the incursions were in areas where the boundary is disputed, since the Doklam incident in 2017 the incursions seem to be   preplanned and premeditated and in areas which have not had any dispute on the border demarcation. These incidents and the increasing Chinese influence and presence in Nepal, Srilanka and Pakistan including POK where China is building the Karakoram highway which will connect China to the Gwadar port, are omens for India and bode ill for peace in the region.  Since 1962 China has encroached in and occupied thousands of kilometres of Indian Territory, and the Indian Government has denied it everytime and continues to live in denial and keeping the Nation in the dark. A myth I have heard from quiet a few defence personnel and corroborated by readings on Indo-China defence is that the Indian army is scared of facing the Chinese because they have seen first hand Chinese aggression in the 1962 war, where the ratio of POW’s was 2 Chinese soldiers to 4000 Indian soldiers . However, the tone now is different, the old guard of Defence ranks that were part of the 1962 war are no longer there and the fear of the Chinese military is a myth that needs to be rested once and for all. And the Indian people need to know the story of the battle of Rezang La where 124 Indian soldiers killed 1300 chinese soldiers, and the words “Last Man, Last round” became immortalised.

The time has come for India to rewrite history and take bold and decisive action, if reports are to be believed the Chinese army was stunned by the aggression shown by the Indian army if true we need to up the advantage. China has never been in a more disadvantaged position as it is now both internally and Globally. Never in its history has world opinion been against China as it is today, and the World holds China responsible for the scourge of the Carona virus, which many believe is nothing short of a biological war it has waged on humankind. No one can deny the Carona virus was invented in China as a means of suppressing the Hong Kong protests. China made Carona has already killed more than half a million people worldwide and devastated economies globally. On the domestic front China’s economy is distressed with the ongoing trade war with the US and the pressure of maintaining its trade with the ASEAN countries, which are already facing the backlash of the US trade war with China. There is internal dissent raging in Hong Kong and amongst the Muslim population especially the uighur’s and the long running Tibet’s struggle for freedom. Regionally China is seen as a threat with its expansioninst plans in the South China Sea and cannot bank on support from any regional power.

For India to engage China in a traditional war is ill advised and unwarranted. As the situation stands now, China has a strong strategic presence in Pakistan both militarily and economically. If India engages with China on one front, Pakistan may engage Indian troops by increasing cross border proxy engagements and infiltrations on its side, forcing India to fight on both ends. What is needed is decisive action that will halt China’s expansionist mindset and give India a leadership role in the world stage. In short, the time is right for India to bite the bullet and unleash the power of the Brahmastra on China. If India is really serious about wanting peace in the region then it is time for India to act decisively and strategically.

The attack will have to incapacitate the Chinese leadership and shock and awe the army for a short time for India to seize the situation and also to pre-empt a second strike by China, as also give India the lead time to work on the world leadership. Secondly apart from the leadership the target has to be nullify China’s financial hub thereby weakening the country further. India is lucky in that Chinese Government Leadership and Military leadership are closely entangled in fact the Mebership of the Central Military Commission, the decision making body of the Chinese Military is the same as the Party Leadership. Removing the Leadership while leaving the Financial hub intact and China may rebuild itself fast. And on the other hand if India cripples the Financial hub and leaving the leadership intact will mean a short term setback and the country will bounce back in no time resilient and hungry. For the maximum pact and for peace in the region, both the Financial and the Government and Military leadership will have to be nullified in one go. And Beijing the headquarters of the Government and the Military and Shanghai the financial and trade hub meet these criteria, and a simultaneous explosion of Brahmastras in Shanghai and Beijing are what is needed for everlasting peace in the region. Though Hong Kong is a much bigger financial and trade hub than Shanghai, it has a sizeable representation of Global presence which could back fire on India also the instability in Hong Kong can be a boon for India in the post bomb scenario.

For Maximum impact the Brahmastras have to coincide by a land offensive, India may have a distinct advantage in this as the Chinese army may be rattled by the news of the explosion and the result may be a breaking down of the chain of command. A major offensive across strategic points may see India reclaiming lost territory. The other objective of the Brahmastras will be to  embolden the underlying dissent among the Chinese and give them the courage to take on the Chinese oppression headon and create a fertile land for a hundred Tinnamen Squares to bloom across China.

If India times its attack right and succeeds in getting the Chinese leadership in a spin even for a short time it can change the geopolitical landscape in the region. Japan will be emboldened to stake a major claim in the South China Sea. A weakened Chinese leadership will also be a boon for countries globally who have been subjected to militant Chinese mercantilism and trade violations.  And it can throttle China’s intellectual property infringements, forced transfers of technology, disguised state subsidies.  And will throw open Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka for South Asian powerhouses to explore for bases.

Decapitating the Chinese leadership will also give the Uighurs a chance to raise their resistance and if rightly played can lead to the formation of a Uighur Nation in the future. Another internal front for the weakened Chinese State will be the Tibetan Adminstrative Region, where the Tibetans have been waging a 60 year struggle to free their country. And the most fatal blow may well come from Hong Kong which may declare itself an Independent Nation. A financially and militarily hurt China may find its hands full trying to settle its internal strife and may give India and the region Peace in the region for a few decades.

However, a lot will depend on India’s diplomatic offensive, as to how it manages to avoid the pitfall of global sanctions and trade embargoes. In this India will need to work up the support of the OPEC countries and leverage the suppression of the muslims and uighurs by China. As for the US and Russia India can blunt their ire by underlining the fact, that it has just set a small stone rolling down the Chinese mountain and it is for both the US and Russia to take it forward and build it up as their base. Or in the best case scenario democracy can find roots in China.

India Parliament attacked by Seemandhra MP’s

Pakistan no longer needs to fund Organisations like the LeT, Indian Mujahideen and several others and incubate terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, Ajmal Kasab or others like them, for why waste time and effort and incur the wrath of the World, when its anti India agenda can be carried out by the likes of Lagadapati Rajagopal, Venugopal and others who can carry out armed attacks within the Parliament of India.

The attack on the Parliamentarians inside the House on 13, February 2014, with chemical sprays and knives led by Ladgapati Rajagopal and Venugopal is an act of war on the Indian Nation. Those carrying out these attacks need to be tried as traitors and anti-India arsonists and awarded the strictest sentence.

The people of India, cannot take this act of aggression on their Parliament lying down, we demand that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha file a case of criminal conspiracy against the Nation on these anti India elements, and they be arrested immediately for endangering the lives of the MP’s and  for carrying out an armed assault.

Lagdapati Rajagopal, Venugopal and the others should be awarded a life ban from contesting any election in India and from holding any Government or Constitutional post in India. The very fact that knives and chemical weapons were brought into the house, inspite of the heavy security and frisking of all personnel entering the Parliament, shows that the act was premeditated and other others are involved in smuggling in these weapons inside the parliament. A judicial enquiry should be instituted to investigate how the weapons were smuggled into the house and who else was involved in planning and carrying out this invasion of democracy.

The attack today was carried out with the aim of subjugating the will of the Parliament and forcing them 12^th of July 2006, after the deadly Mumbai train bombings, and refused to be bowed down by the acts of terrorists. So do the Parliamentarians need to defeat the very purpose of this attack and unanimously pass the T Bill. For to keep silent now or take any other action like opposing the bill or boycotting the parliament when it is to be passed will be to give victory to these arsonists and set a precedent for similar tactics to be employed for pressing demands in the future.

The Nation will be proud of you if you collectively defeat the objective of these anti India elements.

Jai Hind

Neera Kishore

A Tale of two men

Asumal Sirumalani and Vijay Jadhav, both accused of the most heinous of crimes, while Vijay Jadhav raped a lady in Mumbai Asumal Sirumalani raped a child of sixteen in Jodhpur, the similarity of the both the cases ends right there.

In the case of Vijay Jadhav and his other accomplices, the entire Mumbai police force was on the hunt for him. The entire police machinery was put on the job of tracing and apprehending the culprits, and the 5 culprits were arrested in 50 hours. The outrage against this crime resonated across the country right from candle light vigils and demonstrations in the hinterland to the hallowed portals of the Parliament house, where the leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj thundered, “nothing less death for the rapists”. And no less a person than the Home Minister made a suo moto statement in the Lok Sabha that the Maharashtra government was in the process of appointing a special public prosecutor and setting up a fast track court to expedite trial.

All this happened on the 22^nd of August, a few days previously a child of sixteen was raped by Asumal Sirumalani, a 72 year old man. The girl and her family filed a complaint with the police in UP and the case was registered on the 21^st of August. Since then the girl and her family have threatened, the child’s character assassinated and she has been labeled both mentally unstable and/or a conspirator by the supporters of Asumal Sirumalani, when these did not work one of them also tried to buy off the silence of the girl and her family. All this while the culprit travels across the country at will. But, what is surprising is the eerie silence of the powers that be and voluntary laxity on the part of law enforcement agencies in taking action. When the police finally nerved itself to summon the culprit, it waited for over 8 hours as Asumal Sirumalani was occupied elsewhere, would the same police have waited for 10 minutes for Vijay Jadhav to finish his tasks before accompanying them to the police station. Not only this, he has been given the leeway by way of being asked to appear for questioning before the 30^th of August, giving him ample time to tamper with the case and evidence and build his defense.  But the most worrisome is the eerie silence from the people in power on this heinous of crimes, let alone speaking out against it public figures instead of rallying behind the hapless girl have closed their eyes, ears and sense of justice and humanity to silently watch while this (un)godly man and his supporters go about town, whipping up communal passions to cover his heinous deed. And what of the Government, “the Chief Minister the police is investigating the case.” Did he or anyone else accord the same leeway to Vijay Jadhav and his accomplices they were tried, convicted and sentenced as soon as it was known who the culprits are. Yet, the same Government machinery and the media seems to be handling this fiend with kid gloves and according him the highest respect, in the eyes of the law he should have been arrested on the 21^st of August itself as soon as the FIR was registered against him and the warrant for his immediate arrest made.

The reason why Asumal Sirumalani is being accorded such privileges is because his other name happens to be Asaram Bapu, who many rever as a god man, let alone the fact that by this vile deed he has shown himself to be devil incarnate. Until men like Asumal Sirumalani are put on fast track trail and handed the death sentence, the system will continue to nurture fiends like Kanda, Asumal and Ram Singh. If the state and central governments do not the guts to have this man arrested then it is time for the President, Pranab Mukherjee to step in and fulfill the oath he took, “to preserve, protect and preserve the dignity of the Nation and its People.” As the Nation and its citizens cry out for justice like at no other time in its history.

Save the Presidency

By Neera Kishore

“We want a tribal President. Pranab Mukherjee is competent but time has come for a President from the Scheduled Tribes community,” stated PA Sangma in an interview to one of the TV channels, he added, “It has been 60 years, there has been President from all communities but ours.” And with the bugle cry of “tribal for President” Mr. Sangma kicked off his campaign for the August office of India’s 13^th President.

As Mr. Sangma continued to expound on his theme of “tribal for President” I was reminded of a scene we are witness to daily, if you observe at many of the small traffic islands that dot our cities there will invariably be a bunch of street children playing. Whenever the signal turns red and the traffic comes to a stop, one of the older kids picks up an infant and carrying it in the arms goes from vehicle to vehicle asking for alms. As the signal turns green the kid returns to the island and continues with the game until the signal turns red again, when another kid picks up an infant to go begging. There is a striking similarity in the kids using the infant as an aid to begging and Mr. Sangma’s parading of tribal MP’s to garner support for his bid to the Presidents office.

It is ironic that Mr. Sangma, a sitting MP, former speaker of the Lok Sabha, erstwhile  CM of Meghalaya, former Union Cabinet Minster, stakes his claim to be the First Citizen of India, not on the basis of his considerable achievements but on his Scheduled Tribe status. His efforts making his tribal status the central issue for the Presidential bid is a manifestation of the decay that has been plaguing our body politic for years.

Sangma is not alone in trying to tarnish the Presidential elections with the taint of caste, religion and gender based politics, according to reports Jayalalitha and Naveen Patnaik's decision to root for PA Sangma as a Presidential poll candidate was prompted by their "understanding" that Sonia Gandhi would eventually pick a tribal leader as the UPA nominee. Also there are speculations raging on the acceptability of other potential candidates like Hamid Ansari, Meira Kumar, Abdul Kalam etc. sadly no one seems interested in talking about their achievements, the issues seems to be focused on the impact their respective nominations may have on the vote banks.

Today it is Sangma and his supporters demanding India’s first Tribal President, next time it may be a clamour for a Kashmiri, a Gujarati, a Parsi, where will it end. If we continue to hurtle down the path of caste and religion based politics, a time may come when all religious and caste denominations demand the President of India be elected solely from among their caste or Community on a round robin basis. Is this what India in the 21^st century aspires to.

Over the years we Indians have been conditioned to turn a blind eye to the communalization and castification of policy. But to reduce the election for the Highest Office the country has to offer, to the lowest common denominator is sacrilegious. The President of India is not a consolation prize, you award to a person, race or community for services rendered. It is a position of responsibility and honor requiring the highest moral standards and personal integrity, the President is the bulwark that protects and safeguards the Constitution and the Citizens from the vagaries and ineptitude of the Parliament. We the people of India would like to look up to the President for what he/she stands for and not have the image diminished by the tag of religion or caste.

No one denies Sangma’s credentials to be the future President of India, what we object to is his exploitation of caste to make it to the august office. Sangma and Jayalalitha need to apologize to the Nation for having committed the heinous crime of belittling the stature of the President of India. We the people of India, demand that the hallowed portals of the Rashtrapati Bhawan not be sullied by the divisive forces of caste or religion. We want the political parties to take a collective oath to protect and safeguard the sanctity of the Rashtrapati Bhawan from this cult of divisive politics.