Straight talking politician

Chanced to tune into some Sahara Bombay TV channel and found Sanjay Nirupam being interviewed. Apparently Raj Thakre recently mentioned that if Bihari don't respect Marathis beat them up or something to that effect.
What I found refreshing in the interview was the candor with which the MP spoke on issues. Yes it is wrong to target people based on any identity. Yes all have a right to live.
This gentleman I found, and a first in a politician, did not skirt questions and was forthright. What I really liked was when he said to effect that when one Shilpa Shetty was told something that was deemed improper in a TV show the entire world media went up in arms against those who made those racist comments including in India while we in India are probably the most racist people of them all.
I totally agree.
There is so much identity based hate and violence in India, it is numbing. As Mr Nirupam said for how long will we keep considering ourselves only as a part of a small group while the race to advance the country to a glory place in world has to be fought. I have found this so obvious even in a highly educated place like Pune. Go to a peth (old market) area and you can make out that if you are from North India the attitude of people towards you is of contempt! And this for region that gave most freedom fighters, great musicians and poets and many in academia.
Heck in my own housing society "foreigners" are not allowed to be tenets. And this when half the owners themselves or a close family member live abroad half the time. By Mr Thakre's logic, should US sack all Maharastrians because Maharastrians believe that their own land should not have any outsider living?
This attitude is not just here, I use it because I live here and see it firsthand. I am sure it the same in most other provinces in India. MH which in many ways is a very progressive state still suffers such bigotry I shudder to think what happens in more conservative societies in India.
This kind of discrimination is so common in India that we do not even bother to take notice anymore. I have traveled abroad a few times but the amount of hostility that I have seen within India for people from different "stock" is way ahead of any country outside. Its sad to see the original melting pot so degenerated. I had hopes that once people start traveling abroad often they will imbibe some of the good values. But when I asked a young guy in my housing society why such rules - he was shocked by my questioning it. They are so immoral was the answer I got! Wonder why then Indians so pride on family members settled abroad. How can you be happy about someone who leaves glorious India and goes on to live in an "immoral" society?

The occasional disappearances

Its been an uncharacteristically long break from blogging for me. As promised earlier I get back now to update on some of the recent happenings in my own life.
Last month, I chucked my job of nearly 7 years and switched to another org, no not quite chasing the dreams yet but its a beginning. A change after such a long time is unsettling and that explains some of the delay in updating this blog. Alas my days of unemployment (the break in between) were only about a couple of days so the energy levels are still not recharged. Then there is the whole thought of getting the hut up to speed in offering all creature comforts to a harried commuter at the end of the day.
Meanwhile there are a couple of travelogues to pen down, including that trip to Seattle being asked about in this blog. They'll all come.
The big question is what can one do to recharge energy quickly? I am quite sick of traveling, the last year or so having turned out so hectic, still I will not rule out some pleasure trip. I have also picked up reading science fiction as bedtime reading, but that seems to generate more thoughts than rest - a bad choice. Food binges - ah yes thats more in my line, Pune as such offer an insane choice of eateries, but very few that serve good food. Maybe I should restart dancing. Hmmm. So the quest continues.
Cricket world cup has started and I had the misfortune of reading the fixtures list today. So that was what the commentators were discussing. What a lame collection of teams. The first decent matches start like in April mid. What the heck. This is supposed to be the WORLD CUP and half the teams in it as those that I till today morn didn't know, had heard of cricket! Way of increasing the game's popularity - what crap? Have a qualifying world cup and let em slug it out and whittle down to maybe 2 teams who get into the "real world" cup. The good thing about all this is that but the time the serious matched start, I might have accumulated a few leaves to actually be able to watch the decent matches.
Or I might save on those and wait till the UP elections happen. Now that has real potential for some entertainment more so since I don't live in UP any more. And while it may come as a shocker, I think I'd prefer Bahenji aka Mayawati to win. With the choice being Mulayam (all criminals+caste+minority appeasement) or Kalyan (temple - who cares- the hungry masses or the just robbed lady?), she at least seem to be doing decent politics. And politicians who don't do politics are well unprofessional.