Today They've Murdered Cartoonists, Tomorrow They Will Come After You

Regardless of how racist, Islamophobic and arrogant, as its being suggested, reported and said across the sphere of Internet today, the reporting and publishing of Charlie Hebdo Officiel is or was, what happened on 7 January should not be justified. Not by saying 'oh, they were racist in their portrayal,' or 'their cartoons reeked of Islamophobia' and blah and blah.

So what IF it was?

Secondly, regardless of whether you agree with the notion of free speech or not, or how you may feel the liberals (west in particular) use it to and for the profit of their hidden agenda (whatever that is), those cartoonists (and others with them) did not deserve to be shot dead for it.

So what IF they mocked Islam?

Moreover, if you feel (because let's face it you are really not the thinking kind) that people -- who offend you with their wit, sarcasm or through the portray of caricaturing someone or something you hold high -- need to be taught a lesson for their such acts and the lesson is that they be massacred by the self-proclaimed managers of such overly sensitive deities, you really need to start analysing whether what you are feeling is derived out of your own incompetence to comprehend that if your religion can be shaken by a mere piece of cartoon than your faith in your religion is catastrophically misplaced.

In the end, try to feel (because as I said before you really are not the thinking kind) beyond the bullshit of religion and what it tells you to do and feel. Do try! Because if keepers of religion can murder cartoonists today, tomorrow they won't even blink an eye before murdering you, whether or not you drew something.

By David Pope

And as a friend tweeted earlier, "Cafe goers, school children, cartoonists. No one is spared." - is this what religion teaches? To kill?

Sigh!

We Are The System!

By Sadho Ram

If the system is represented by the criminals or people who are charged under criminal offences, who therefore are elected by the society, which therefore is a result of who and what we are, than are we not the biggest of all criminals? We blame the politicians―those who come to power courtesy our votes―for everything that is wrong with the country today, but we fail to see that we are the root cause of everything. We're the most corrupt. Hiding in plain sight, not letting go of even one opportunity where we get to put the blame on the politicians and how this system is being run.

For example, consider this:

If the system is a tree, the politicians its leafs and fruits, then we are indeed its root, and it is because of us, our apathy, ignorance and arrogance coupled with insane amount of regionalism, casteism, religious-favouritism that has resulted in the tree being forever shaken, leafs being perpetually dry and its fruits being horribly rotten.

What am I trying to say?

Don't blame. Period.

Want to do something? Then embrace the very blame and before stepping out to change the world, change yourself!

Even the Gandhi said something similar, didn't he?

Corruption as Metaphor

By Sadho Ram

Originally written for YKA, an online media blog. Publishing it here on ARTH, just to make it available to readers who are not aware of YKA.

Corruption, though always prevalent everywhere, but somehow over the years have become synonym with India’s name, and in 2010 it has established itself as India’s official ruling force or …party (I guess I’ve this much of liberty to write in whatever hypocrisy…err I mean, democracy is left in our country today). And Corruption is what it is. An Identity! Therefore, I’m most corrupt. (You’ll know why I’m stating this. Just read on).

Image Courtesy Google

Not a day goes by, when there’s even one news headline that says that yesterday was a corruption free day. No scams were discovered. Government offices and officers worked without bribe. Traffic constable did not stop a helmet wearing and under-speed riding biker and did not fine him for something that he wasn’t doing. That the recently constructed bridge suddenly did not come down because instead of poor quality iron rods, there were superior qualities used, or the ongoing metro work was not postponed because the issue of non-payment of the workers was cleared. Not a single day. It’s all in just fantasy. And while we keep dreaming about all this, our public-appointed and (some) self-appointed guardians indulge in those games uglier than shitholes of a slum and messier than the garbage canisters of a posh colony. (I’m telling ya… these two are the worst places you’ll wanna fall into).

And while my Editor-in-Chief wants me to write about the top political scams happened in India during 2010, I somehow see no point in it. But still, I’m writing (though not entirely what he wanted. You see now, why I stated above that I’m most corrupt? I’m not doing the job I was asked to). Maybe because, like our politicians, who might not want to be included in the metaphor on their own but are somehow reluctantly keen to be part of it. Why? Maybe, they see it, the Corruption, as a larger symbol than the metaphor itself. Or maybe, they are just plain greedy (as you will plainly agree) and are simply having a jolly grand time stuffing away your hard-earned-tax-paid money. Maybe something else! But who knows? And most importantly, who cares? While it, the scams happen, noises rise. Groups are formed. Inquires run. RTIs and PILs are filed. The official representative of that organisation, involved in that particular scam, gets his or her profile and job axed. While some random officer is picked up and put behind bars. Public rage turns into euphoria. Media starts praising the same it was blaming a few hours ago and so on. And the one, the King of the Kong, the executioner, the Chanakya of cunningness, is having the last laugh, while also foreseeing all those future possibilities where he, she or they, as collective force, will again have the same old but still grand last laugh, at the cost of all those who themselves, in their own greed for a so called promised land and twisted ideologies based on some ancient theory, have appointed him, her or them as their collective ruler.

I call this chaos. Perfect, precise, and fulfilling its purpose to the level of utter equality. Like you eat, you shit and then to clean it, you flush, wipe or pay yourself (depending on the type of life-style you are leading). Because at the end…err I mean, beginning of the day, it is after all your mess, and you ought to yourself or pay to clean it. So in the same manner, you chose them, the one now eating away all the butter made from your bloody/bloodier sweat, and alongside asking you to say – “cheese”. There’s literally nothing you and I can do, except about venting out our anger (Literary Expression in my case. Come on, give me that much of space. Will ya? Thank you!) But there are ways. Some real ways! Not all those just high-talk ways. Though, I’m afraid, that I can’t write them here in this Opinion openly. But I’ll give you some glimpses. Some subtle hints!

Like what you do, when that tiny little tree inside that intricately designed pot, made with earthly attributes, kept in the balcony of your home (provided you have one. No, no, not the home, the intricately designed pot, made with earthly attributes, with that tiny little tree), starts to rot? Yes, rot. Not dry, but rot. What? What exactly do you do?

I don’t know about you, but I immediately pluck it out of that…that intricately designed pot, made with earthly attributes, and throw it as far as I could, with a force sometime, even not familiar to me.

But I know what most possessors often do. They keep watering it. With a hope! Yes, with that so called most famous word in the English dictionary, they keep watering it with a blind hope that someday it will become what it was. Pure! Un-corrupt!

I call them escapists. You can call them illusionary.

Because, no amount of persistence, however willing, can reverse that cycle where the tree, though still growing, but is rotting! Of course, until forcedly stopped. So, if you really want to get rid of this metaphor, you know what you have to do. And if you are not clear then enjoy dude (gal?), because this metaphor of – I am most corrupt – is not meant for you.

Ayodhya Verdict: Will You Follow To Kill Or Lead To Build?

By Sadho Ram

किस काम के मंदिर मस्जिद, किस काम के हैं गुरूद्वारे,

इस देश के बे-घर बच्चे, जब फिरते हैं मारे-मारे,

I have no idea who was that wise man (woman?) who penned these pleading lines, but they sure are the apt representation of our nation, where millions of kids today are either forced, dumped or born to live a homeless life.

People are dying of hunger here, and all we want to do is to build mosques and temples, and for what reason?

Not to offer prayer, not even to read namaaz, but to prove some stupid claim over some stupid land, for which thousands of people have lost their lives and probably millions are on the verge of losing it, again.

Come September 28, 2010, at 10:30 am, the apex court will (supposedly) hear the (final) verdict on half a century old Ayodhya land dispute.

At the time, when we are supposedly suppose to have been completely evolved as human beings, and accept each other as we are, spread not only the message but also the peace to people of other religion and nation, and build a system where no one dies of hunger, and for that matter sleep on streets, what we are doing is fighting over religions and individual’s personally derived (twisted) meaning of its “peace.”

We, instead of building stone structures which we can call as “homes” and put the ones who are in desperate need of it, are fighting to build those stone structures which we fondly address as mosques and temples and place stone carved statues and tombs in it.

What a mighty sad time for the entire human race, who has become disgustingly repulsive at its want to have what it wants at any cost, no matter even if the cost is its own destruction.

But all is not lost in this want for another ‘excuse’ to kill each other. On the one hand where a section of this society of ours is desperately waiting to bring out their knives and swords and start wielding it on fellow human beings, another section of this same society of ours is trying to keep the ‘bond’ between humans intact.

“Around 15 Muslim families in the Asharfi Bhawan area of Ayodhya, some 150 km from Lucknow, have been involved in making floral garlands and decorative offerings for Hindu devotees for the last several decades.

Asked what they think about the much-awaited verdict in the long-pending title suit Friday, Muslim artisans said irrespective of the outcome of the judgement they would continue with their business to help Hindus.

"We just pray for peace and believe the judgement will not affect Hindu-Muslim brotherhood and unity," Sartaj added."

Like you (who is reading this) I too, don’t know what will the judgement be, but whatever it may be, one thing is for sure that there’s going to be lots of smoke in the air. Now it is not inevitable, it can be stopped, but the question is WHO? WHEN?

You? Me?

Of course, WE, no one else, but WE!

Now it is up to us that whether we get influenced and spread venom or inspire and transform lives, whether we become the follower and tarnish the bond or lead and make it stronger, whether we become the swords and kill our brothers and sisters or pillars of support those who are in desperate need of us.

So it’s very important that we choose, but what’s more important is that we choose wisely.

Thank you for your time, and (hopefully) for your understanding. You are welcome to post your comments in the comment box below. Please feel free to express yourself.


The article also appeared as featured news in the online media site - Youth Ki Awaaz

I Was Bhopal Once: A Letter To India!

By Sadho Ram

Greetings India,

Howdy?

I hope (yes hope) that you are duan’ just awesome.

And why wouldn't you? Last week you delivered what others thought you can’t – as in your own word – “a righteous and fair enough justice” to my miserable people.

Why my?

Oh I am sorry… I am so sorry for not introducing myself at the first place.

But before I introduce myself to you, I think I should thank you, as it would be rude if I don’t thank you, right?

But what the heck let it be rude. I won’t thank you. Never!

Hmm…

Now the intro!

I was Bhopal once, yes, a very long ago – to be precise – 25 years and few months ago – I use to be Bhopal once. The land of happy and peaceful people!

Now all I am is a land of worst industrial disaster in history.

At that time most of your today’s generation was not even born, and at this time almost all of my yesteryear’s generation has been either wiped out or is facing unending health problems, still after 26 long but toxic years.

I myself sometime choke, and believe you me, though now I am kind of use to it but it still causes a lot of nausea.

When I heave, blood oozes out from my mouth along with froth.

You will say that I am growing old.

But no, I ain’t actually growing old.

As although I was born somewhere in 1000 – 1055 (quite a long time to be still alive) and so, I don’t exactly remember the date.

Not easy, you see, it has been quite a long period and since then I have been constantly tortured, gagged, raped, tormented, destroyed, betrayed and perished. So it’s just not easy to remember certain dates and events considering what I have been through all my life.

But one thing I am sure, I ain’t growing old.

I hope you understand my situation but please, I beg you to not sympathise with me. No!

I have had enough of this wretched sympathy which you have been showering upon me to cover your own apathy.

As you see, I am today considered to be one of the greenest (Yes) among the greens of yours. So that proves that I am actually not growing old.

So what’s wrong with me then? Why whenever when I heave, the goddamn blood oozes out from my mouth along with froth? Why?

Do you know the answer, India?

I know.

Of course, I am supposed to know but don’t you have any responsibility, too? Don’t you know the reason behind the existence of this bloody froth in my goddamned blood?

I know you won’t accept. Not because you can’t but because you simply don’t have the power of acceptance in you.

What you possess is nothing but your very own self-created pride of falseness born out from your own greedy actions taken against thousands like me.

Oh, I pity you, India. I pity you on your constitution. I pity you on your judicial action. I pity you on your government and its system. Moreover, I pity you on your judgements. I pity you, my India, I pity you!

I was beautiful once and peace prevailed at my door step. I was home to the leading industries (though I still am, but they are only adding up to my misery). I was bathing in glory and my life was set. But now at present, I am in dust and as my past loom hard on me, my future is in debt.

You would say then why don’t you cry, why don’t you shout, why don’t you yell, why don’t you mourn (like a woman) for help? Why, Bhopal, Why?

Well, to be honest I don’t actually want to but a part of me does cry and it also shouts and yells and yes, it also mourns (like a woman) for help, it does!

Not because it (that shouting and yelling part of me) is feeble or cannot fight. But because it (the crying and mourning part of me) needs your hand, your support to stand and ask for what belongs to it – Integrity, Justice and Righteousness.

Will you give me your hand, India? Will you support me in my fight against injustice and inhumanity? Will you stand by my side and say – “I, India, take pledge to support Bhopal and its people, who are still living under the shadow of Methyl Isocyanate, in their fight for Justice,” will you?

I guess you won’t.

Well, I have so much to say … so much so that you probably wouldn’t care to read just like you have not properly tried to avenge the culprits who robbed me off from my happiness and good-life.

So, India, I’m done. Khuda Hafez. Do well. Remember me. All things pass, but the poor and their misery remain. I am the land of poor and miserable people now. Tomorrow there will be more like me. But don’t worry; you won’t have to act to protect them just like you didn’t think about protecting me.

With Shame and Disgust


The rotting in dust Bhopal




The article appears as top story is an online newspaper Youth Ki Awaaz

Die, Bhopal, Die!

By Sadho Ram

“Because you are poor and because you are miserable, so - Die, Bhopal, Die!

You won’t get justice; we won’t let you have it, so better - Die, Bhopal, Die!”

That’s what India and its judiciary system along with its loathing government seems to be saying to the nearly 1,80,0000 people and to more than 25,000 dead of Bhopal who have waited for 26 long toxic years for a rightful justice and a fair compensation.

But in return of their shattering wait, what they get – nothing, absolutely nothing!

Thanks to the false pride of India and its greedy & murkier politics.

On Monday, the 12^th Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Bhopal delivered an order which at its best gave the accused 2 years of imprisonment and a day after, on Tuesday; all 8 accused were granted bail and released on obedience of a security of Rs. 25,000 by a trial court in Bhopal.

What a mockery of the heart-wrenching throbbing and anguish of thousands of people of that state whose water, after 26 years, is still contaminated and whose air is still toxic; and that too in the hands of its own Nation!

This, my fellow countryman and women, happens nowhere but here – in India.

On 3^rd December 1984, under the shelter of midnight’s darkness, the deadly Methyl Isocyanate leaked from the Union Carbide factory in the heart of Bhopal, immediately killing and maiming its 4,000 people and injuring 300,000 out of the then 800,000 people of Bhopal.

There was absolutely no warning; none of the plant’s safety systems were working. The people of Bhopal woke amidst the harrowing darkness and to the soulful sound of screeching screams and with the gases burning their eyes, noses and mouths. They began retching and coughing up lather streaked with blood. Whole neighbourhoods fled in horror, some were crushed, and others convulsed and fell dead. People lost control of their intestines and bladders as they ran. And within hours thousands of dead bodies lay in the streets; inviting the crows and vultures but alas they too, have had fallen prey to the killer Methyl Isocyanate gas.

Today the toll has risen to more than 25,000 dead, and 1, 20,000 injured and after 26 years of its unfaithful wait – Bhopal has once again been fobbed off in the hands of its own greedy protector – who sold its dead as cheap as $450 million dollars in an out of the court settlement with the main culprits of world’s largest industrial disaster.

Makes you wonder, really?

Is that the life worth of thousands of people of Bhopal, who are still dying from the effect of Methyl Isocyanate? Is that much what the Indian government calculates the life of its poor people as?

Shame on it then, and as Shobhan Saxena so rightfully said in his TOI blog that –

“No country sells its people so cheap.

No country sells its poor so cheap.

No country sells its dead so cheap.”

No country but mine, my country, My India… and only my India who does so and does it without any shame! My heart goes out to all those people of Bhopal but then I wonder of what value is my sympathy to them?

Zero. Nil. Zilch. None. Nothing!

Yes, that’s what it will measure up to, as the people of Bhopal now seek more than just mere sympathy of its Nation. They seek full attention. They seek a better judgement. They seek that long lost path of hope which will bring them what they seek the most – Justice.

But in a nation, where the PM himself says – ‘We are a nation of one billion dollars.’

Who is going to give any heed to the plight of some few thousand poor people’s?

I live in a country where the accused have the reputation of being a “Free and Protected’ man. Upon whom millions of rupees are spent. The most recent example being – the true keeper of Jihad – Azmal Kasaab!

I am reminded of a four line poem by Fiaz Ahmed Faiz that suits the Bhopal and its misery, and to those who seek or hope for justice in this country which sells its people cheaper than chicken’s meat, the best.

“Kyun naahak tukde chun-chun kar, Daaman mein chhupaye baithe ho
Sheeshon ka maseeha koi nahin, kyun aas lagaaye baithe ho”

And so there seems to be none but only one solution to the misery of Bhopal…

Die, Bhopal, Die!




This article is also published in an Online site for the people of India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries called CHOWK

A trimmed version of this article also appears in an online newspaper YOUTH KI AWAAZ

And The Mango's Heart Was Ripped Apart

By Sadho Ram

The joint-gimmick and its much publicised propaganda, that of our ‘bloodthirsty old neighbour’ Pakistan’s and of our very own diplomatic (read- coward) government, though a major success among the fools of sophisticated (but ignorant) and elite class, is now finding a place to hide itself from all those particular few Mango’s eyes who are forced to shed tears and mourn on the dream shattering death of their dear little Mangos. The ones bubbling with hopes and zest were bombed on the eve of St. Valentine’s death anniversary.

But does the same damn ‘sophisticated and elite class’ really care?

Nope!

Coz’ it simply ain’t their thing.

To care about LIFE is one thing they have not been taught in that schooling system where they were so passionately taught about how to market themselves and their propagating views through the sticky label of age old exaggerated culture and heritage in the name of spreading the so called LUST & PEICE ...err I mean LOVE AND PEACE with that nation who has the tendency to stab in the chest as it is this ‘pure’ rotten blood which runs inside their vein which has ‘masterfully’ demented their soul and have cemented only one thing inside their ‘Jihadian’ head – ‘to stop the ever increasing, world alarming, earth threatening, space consuming freaked out population of the Indians.’

Yes, that’s what I think. Seriously!

See, they, the gory-whory Pakistanis, are worried over our freaked out population which seems to be fighting for the top spot in the world’s highest population category and so their worry is very much justified as it is their country, the same gory-whory Pakistan, which has the potential threat of losing its ‘Independent status’ to our crooked Country.

Not getting what I am telling?

Well, now pay attention as I am not going to explain it over and over again.

According to my reliable Mango in “Board of Control for Population in India” (BCPI) it has been stated that the BCPI are planning a scheme to grab the top spot in WHP category and they can only do this if they overtake the Pakistan and re-merge it with our Nation so to have more physical land space so that our Country can keep that coveted spot for much longer than it can now with its limited ‘India’ only land space. And that scheme requires an uncontrolled birth-rate of Mangos among the Indians... but somehow the information got leaked out and our ‘Oh-so-sorry-gory-whory’ neighbour got hold of it. Now the only possible way that seemed fast and feasible to them to stop the Bloody BCPI from maligning their ‘Pak’ Country by re-merging it to ours is by – ‘Bombing the bloody deceiving Indian Mangos.’ And so the Mangos in Pune were perished. So the Indian media should refrain itself from blaming Indian Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba for the blasts which ripped apart the many Mangos heart as it is this BCPI and their unsafe security system which should be blamed and paraded instead.

Now did you get it? If still not then go to Pakistan and find -

‘Abdur Rehman Makki’

He will erase all the foggy confusion from your head and guide you towards the path of True Jihad.

A very informative Article by the superlative Mangoes

The Mango Dream!

By Sadho Ram

The vibrant skin of the state government goes pale, the animated bones of the babus of the state starts to shiver, the ‘so called’  rainbow spirit of the ‘Bombayait’, ‘Mumbaikar’ (or whatever it is called) die and the underrated ‘Mangos’ are left alone to cry as each time the Shiv ‘say-na’ to anything and everything that they think is immoral and un-Marathi or for that matter damaging the world famous, superbly illustrious and overwhelmingly generous image of their (yes, as claimed by them) Mahan-rashtra.

Now whether its Shah Rukh khan, a Bachchan (not necessarily the Bachchans) eating a Bihari paan, a movie named My Name Is Khan, or the Courageous service of the NSG Jawaan.

Anything is simply not enough for them. And it’s not surprising considering the fact that ‘nothing has been ever enough for the idiots of any kind in any part of the world’ and so is the case with these parties with idiotic ideologies of regional politics who has only one single agenda- “To spread hatred among the already hate-loving and hateful people of the country” -who goes breaking, destroying and vandalising anything ‘breakable’ that meets their eye.

Well, of course, it has to face the wrath. Of course, it has to be condemned and of course, it has to be labelled as damned. Of course, it has to. Yes, according to them, it must have to.

I don’t remember who said this (but I remember it was an Indian who did, well, it was me then, probably) that-

‘Ours is a Country of hypocrites... bloody two faced people with even bloodier two faced ethics.’

It pains, trust me, it really does to foresee the shattered future of the Country, to see it burn into cinders, to witness its glory being eaten by these ‘termites’ and turn into dust. It pains a lot.

But of what value is my pain to ‘them’?

Zero. Nil. Zilch. None. Nothing.

Yes, that’s what is the value of My, Yours and Ours pain to ‘them’.

They care for their greed for money, power and double-meaning politics and they won’t spare anyone who dares to ‘bark’ or ‘howl’ at them. Not even the so called Marathi ‘Mangos’ for whose dreams they seem to be fighting. For example, they didn’t think twice before slapping (verbally) Sachin Tendulkar, who by caste happens to be a Marathi Mango or Lata Mangeskar (she, too, is a Marathi Mango) and there are many similar cases and instances where ‘these’ self-proclaimed owner of this Mahan-Mango-State has tortured, abused and hanged the people who have dared to even ‘hiss’ at them, forget the barking and howling. No, it didn’t matter to them that those Mangos too, were Marathi. The very part of the same Marathi ‘Mangos’ for whose ‘owned’ rights they have taken birth into this Mahan-Mango-rashtra of this Neech-world so that they can project it, guide it and then lead them into the darkness of... err... I’m sorry; really, I’m sorry from ‘mann se’... I meant, into the lightness of ... well, whatever it is that they think it is.

Well, I guess, I have said enough. So I would like to end it here, well, of course, with one last thought. It’s just that it has been boiling inside my head from last few weeks.

As these ‘Shiv Maniacs’ ...err, I mean ‘Shiv Sainics’ and “aM-aN-asS” are always so keen and eager to demolish the state property and kill country Mangos then why not allot them the task they master so brilliantly. Like these days there’s too much construction work is going on in and around the Mahan-Mango-rashtra where big and huge and giant machines are being use to demolish the old buildings so to build the new ones in their place. The government is spending thousands and millions of rupees for it so why not let the ‘... Maniacs’ and the ‘... asS’ do it. As it will not only save the huge government fund but will also cut down heavily on the ever increasing global warming.

How?

Well, these ‘... Maniacs’ and the ‘... asS’ unlike their counterparts (the big and huge and giant machines) don’t require any kind of fuel or gas to run or operate to destroy and demolish. And then ‘these’ two great parties will also be able to boast about their own ‘Mango-power’ except that this time the whole Country will give them a toast.

What an amazing idea, right? Everybody will be happy and then we all can turn idiots and sing “Aal Izz Well, Aal Izz Well.”

Well, I hope the Mango with the real power reads this and creates a committee which will domesticate the ‘... maniacs’ and the ‘... asS’ and then save the Country from needlessly spending its precious fund on machines by allotting ‘them’ instead and the World from the threats of Global warming by reducing the consumption of ever decreasing fuel and gas. Amen!

Article by a Mango among the other Mangoes