MARD ya NAAMARD?

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors seems to be a bunch of hypocrites taking the Hippocrates oath! It behoves a person from a noble profession like medicine to maintain the halo surrounding him or her just because he has the ability to cure a diseased person. And it is sad to see them stooping down and resorting to the level of the average proletariat. As a professional course student, I am ashamed to see other professionals toying with the lives of thousands of patients.
I agree that every individual must get what he deserves and he or she must fight for his or her rights. But doctors going to strike is one of the last things that should happen in the Monsoons! I know what a resident doctor suffers from and what sort of facilities they are provided with but please continue with your noble work, at least for the sake of the Hippocratic oath! If doctors start going to strikes like mill workers, the state would face harsher implications than an economic downturn. It is sad to note that medical students are turning to the profession because it offers emolument and not because of any feelings of social indebtedness. Every other profession can be a money making business, except medicine. Technology provides alternatives for other fields but not for Doctors of Medicine. I say this with due respect to doctors all around the world and only because I have seen a doctor from close quarters, my father. He is a strong adversary when it comes to discussing this issue and he strongly advocates better remuneration to resident doctors and supports their strike.
On humanitarian grounds, my heart goes out to the resident doctors and I know that others too support their cause but not their means of pleading for better amenities. Holding patients to ransom is not the solution. Resorting to activities typical of retrograde socialists does not suit doctors. It shows how people are forgetting their duties and moral obligations. Undertaking strikes is either a sign of cowardice or a blatant abuse of powers which only doctors wield. No wonder people have started questioning professionals who were unimpeachable in the days of yore. I wonder who are next in line to strike work? Bloggers?

Keeping up with old traditions

This is more like a post script to my previous blog rather than a new post. As mentioned earlier, landmarks in India are the fiefdom of a single family. But now they have started naming landmarks after sycophantic pets too.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway (yet another pet project of the Sena-BJP combo) is about to be christened and the present Maharashtra Government has once again succeeded in snatching all the credit from whatever work the former Government had undertaken. Their move is ridiculous!!! Naming the expressway after a person who is famous for nothing but sitting on the fence and leaping towards the winning side! He has his own 'achievements' but can he be a challenger to Pu.La. Deshpande's name? Pu La, who had nothing to do with politics, was one of the greatest literatteur produced in India. Not only a literatteur but also a music director, actor, director, producer, stage artist. You name any creative field and he has left his imprints in the annals of that field. A man who is one of the very few men from Maharashtra who has been apotheosised. Both Mumbai and Pune have played major roles in his life and career and his name would be the best option one could ever come up with for naming the expressway, except of course the name Mumbai-Pune expressway. Similarly, the Pune- Nashik road was to be named after the great poet, Vi.Va. Shirwadkar better known as 'Kusumagraj'. But the ruling combine has been blinded by power and the two parties are trying to appease each other for the sake of a strong pre-poll alliance.
Shame on the Government of Maharashtra for refusing to acknowledge the greatness of exemplary artists of the state! I won't be surprised if they rename our state from Maharashtra to Rajeevpradesh or Chavangad or Indiranagar or even Soniakhand!

All in the family

After a long wait, the greatest attraction of Mumbai, the newly developed 'tourist destination' of Mumbai, the pride of Mumbai, the Bandra-Worli sealink was finally inaugurated and hundreds of enthusiastic Mumbaikars crowded on the seafront of Bandra, Mahim, Shivaji Park and Worli to witness the pomp, first hand. The dazzling fireworks and the enthralling laser show was enough to draw gasps of commendation from the spectators. One need not be a seer to predict that lakhs of Mumbaikars would throng on the engineering marvel to enjoy the monsoon instead of heading off to Malshej, Alibaug or places akin. And so it happened as the first toll-free week saw cars scrambling to get onto the bridge at Bandra and reach Worli after a long and patient wait in the bumper to bumper traffic.
And as expected, the Chairperson of the ruling coalition (a.k.a. prima donna, a.k.a. Desh ki bahu) was invited to inaugurate the sealink, flouting every existent and non-existent protocol. What business she had over there can only be predicted if one observes the others who were present there. Mr. King of Cricket-desperate-to-get-back-into-the fold envisaged this as a chance to prove his loyalty and proposed a name for the sealink. Now look at the scenario...
Mr. King of Cricket has played no role even in the conception of the plan
Prima Donna has got no qualifications except her surname and logically she seems to be the last person related to the sealink
Prima Donna's late husband is out of contention when you set out to count the people responsible in the construction of this infrastructural facility.
Yet, lately, we have observed that every development plan is named after the late husband or the late mother-in-law or the late grandfather-in-law. And we have got no choice but to accept the names flung at us. The Bandra-Worli sealink is its identity and that is how it is known to the average Mumbaikar. Why name it after someone because his widow is the most influential woman in India (by fluke)? Why are people obsessed with one family? Is his name even worthy to be compared with the other names in contention? Does the sealink even require a name? And if it does, please name it after someone whose personality matches that of this beautiful piece of construction adorning our city's skyline.

P.S. I just attended the naming ceremony of the new sewage line in my neighbourhood. It was named the 'Rahul Gandhi sewage way' which flows under the 'Priyanka Gandhi footpath'. Just where the 'Robert Vadra' parking lot is situated! I had to descend down the 'Sonia Gandhi' staircase of my building and then I took a right turn after the 'Rajeev Gandhi' lamp post!

'Gone too soon'

It's the end of a musical era. Yes, we must accept it. It is hard to digest the fact that we won't be able to witness the inventor of the 'Moonwalk' dazzling the stage. A person loved by most and also hated by most has left behind his music to entertain generations of men and women.
I first heard the news when I was on my nocturnal Facebook visit. The Social Networking site is one of the fastest media and nothing else connects the youth across the world in a better fashion. There were unconfirmed reports of his death then. I and thousands of others who were online then refused to believe that Michael Jackson had left for his 'heavenly abode' (?). Everyone now claims that 'I was never a big fan of his' but deep inside they know that they admire his music, his dance. They revered him for being the ruler of the Pop world. Some didn't even take note of his existence until they felt the void (minute or huge) within them. That is proof enough to make Michael Jackson one of the greatest entertainers.
People hated him for his plastic surgery, for his alleged antics at the Neverland ranch, for dangling his baby outside his Berlin hotel balcony, for him being a celebrity. But who can deny his influence in the musical world? He inspired generations of singers, dancers and choreographers. Remember the 90s when western music in India started and ended with Michael Jackson? From the metros to the villages, children had a dream to dance like him. Street urchin knew his songs too. Do you like English songs? Yes I love Michael Jackson's songs- pat came the reply. A boy who could perform something close to the Moonwalk was celebrated as the best dancer in the school or in the colony. Children aspired to dance like him and made a special effort to emulate him whenever they got a chance. The 70s had ABBA,Boney M and the Beatles. But the 80s and 90s had MJ. Although our generation admires the golden 70s, we grew up listening to Michael Jackson. Irrespective of whether we could follow the lyrics of his songs or not, we envied him for his agility. Mumbai had a special relationship with him; not because of MTV but because of the Thackerays! Who could have imagined that a right wing party would welcome Michael Jackson with such pomp and splendour? His 1996 visit to Mumbai is still etched in every Mumbaikar's mind. The crowd at the airport to welcome him was later overshadowed only by the crowd which had gathered to welcome the victorious T20 team in 2007 (or probably to welcome Bill Clinton in 2000). Andheri Sports Complex was the centre of attention as people literally fought to be a part of the grand concert. Michael Jackson's visit to the Thackerays' residence was another memorable event. Remember Raj Thackeray welcoming MJ? And the famous toilet that he had to visit there? And the love letter that he had written to Mumbai with a lipstick on a mirror?
Michael Jackson as a part of Jackson 5 entered the world of music and later he just had to amaze people with his rhythm and dance moves and he became the indisputable King of Pop and ruled millions of hearts across the world. As I have mentioned before, people hesitate to be called his fans and so do I. I was not exactly a fan but I don't deny that he was a part of my growing up years. He was an icon back in the early 90s and I as a toddler loved to watch his music videos and his 'Dangerous' album was one of the most played in my household. His dancing has been an inspiration for me just as it has been for millions of urban Indians of my age. Be it the video where faces transformed as the men and women sung 'Black or White' or the Zombie scene in Thriller, every song of his has left an indelible stamp. Finally when death came to embrace him, he could not 'Beat it' but he will be remembered by everyone.
"It don't matter if you're black or white!"

Disputatious Delhiites

This is a message of caution to every Delhi based blogger who has been wildly accusing Mumbaikars of not being responsible enough! Agreed that the turnout in Mumbai was lower than expected and that 26/11 should have been a reason for people to vote but please do not indulge in senseless talk by saying that you are 'ashamed of Mumbaikars' and that Mumbai does not deserve the sympathy.
Keep aside the competitive spirit reserved for the IPL. I am appalled by the so called 'tit for tat divisive mentality' that Delhiites are indulging in. The NCR needs to be renamed as the 'National Cantakerous Region'!
Please note the following points:

1. The electoral lists in Mumbai were flawed and there were lakhs of cases where names were printed twice or thrice or multiple times in different booths (my name was printed twice too).

2. In some areas, old electoral rolls were used and new voters could not vote (half of my friends faced this problem).

3. The population of Mumbai is greater than that of Delhi by about 2 million.

4. Having a 50% voter turnout in Delhi is not something one should be proud of. It is not as if 80-90% people had voted. 50% voter turnout is as dismal as 44%. And both the figures are bad and must be condemned. Since you are living in a glass house, you should be careful with your stones before hurling them at Mumbaikars.

5. People in Mumbai should definitely be ashamed of not voting and instead enjoying a four day long vacation but the language used by the critics is absolutely uncalled for and harsh. Mumbai is being treated like some place in Balochistan.
Statements like "Let us beat Mumbai by having a greater turnout" and "Shame on you Mumbai" and "Stop giving infrastructural aid to Mumbai" are pointless because we are not having a competition here as far as the elections and voter turnout are concerned, we Mumbaikars won't tolerate the collective criticism against Mumbai because 44% of us did vote. Instead one must criticise the 56% people who didn't vote over here (especially those who loved to wield candles last year) and the 50% who didn't vote in Delhi. Competitive spirit can be displayed elsewhere.

6. Tone down the outburst against Mumbai because it is quite clear that no medium is left untouched. Even journalists in Delhi are singling out Mumbai.
One blogger intoxicated by consuming some 'syrup' has questioned the naming of the team 'Mumbai Indians' as if a referendum was held during the elections for suggesting a name. It was named by Mr.Ambani and that doesn't stop us from supporting it. And no one is trying to make any point by having both Mumbai and Indians in the name. Don't you think it is an apt union? Mumbai is the financial capital of India, the largest city in India and the pride of India. It is just a symbolic name which shows how proud we Mumbaikars are to be Indians.

7. Do not question our patriotism and dedication for the nation. Why do you need to be so divisive while thinking?
We pay more than half the taxes in the entire country and much much more than what Delhi pays. But do we question why we are not getting the returns in the form of development? Why didn't we get the Metro before Delhi? NO! Because we consider Delhi to be our very own and are proud of the majestic city because it is our 'Rajdhani'!

8. If the irksome comments continue, we Mumbaikars will not take everything lying down, especially we, the ones who have voted. So stop complaining and get back to your work. Or if you are unemployed get back to eating some nice Chaat! Anyhow you need to tackle the problem of 'Delhi Belly', so you cannot afford to have some show of 'guts'. Both ways you will have to consult Dr.Sheila Dixit.

After every O for Originality comes a P for Plagiarism

Plagiarism is an art. An art of thieving, an art of claiming others' thoughts to be one's own. An art in which the artist refuses to accept his or her limitations. The most artistic proponents of this art are often revered and glorified. They might run away with the booty when the source of inspiration or the original thinker is left with a mouth wide open appalled by the happenings.
Plagiarism requires just two 'virtues':
1.The art of observing, improving, imitating and following.
2. The art of being indifferent.

A plagiarist observes the source of origin and makes a mental note of all the positive aspects which can be emulated. Then as time passes, the plagiarist brings those observations into practice and starts transforming himself or herself into a behavioural clone of the person who is the father of all the thoughts.

But plagiarism can be easily spotted. If any changes are made to the original draft, they are conspicuous by the mere fact that they don't completely fit into the thought process or flow of ideas. It can be seen that the con artist has done an arduous job of thinking, sometimes translating and then posing in front of the world in the guise of a master of the art. Be it any art form, plagiarism is rampant and there is absolutely no solution to the problem because as long as people who are desperate to succeed by any means exist in this society of ours, people would aspire to better their performance and thus take the help of robbery if needed.

The only reaction to plagiarism by real artists would be the generous act of granting pardon to the wretched species which lives off others' work. These parasites are exterminated only by their own sins. Who knows whether you'll possess originality until you finish your pursuit to take the thieves to task? Oppose plagiarism till it withers off and till then Happy Creating!

Liar Liar

Indulgence in mendacious activities seems to be the 'Flavour of the Month' as all forms of entertainment on TV are tainted by blatant lies being thrown at you. If you are an Indian and have access to a television set or the internet then there is no chance that you are not following the IPL or the General Elections. IPL, because...DUH!...you are an Indian! And General Elections (essentially because you are an Indian but) because the build up to the results is sometimes far more entertaining than all the glitz and glamour of IPL put together.

Hat tricks, DLF maximums, Cheerleaders, blaring music....you have all seen it last year too. But the latest to be added to the list is the now reknowned and much followed 'fake IPL blogger'! He claims to be a player in the ever languishing Kolkata Knight Riders team but I'll eat my hat off (obviously figuratively because the gastric juices in my alimentary canal will complain) if it is not one of Mr. Stammering TobaccoSmoker's futile attempts to elevate his popularity. Mr. Wedding Dancer, we are tired of your propaganda and are tired of listening to your 'intellectual' interviews. I am being quite candid about it. More than you have ever been to your PR team.

Anyway, the 'fake blogger' seems to have a knack of nicknaming players and managers (if you can call them that...I prefer calling them a bunch of people paid by a rich guy to divert some money of unknown origin). Everyone in the team has been hilariously renamed. Irrespective of whether the anecdotes have at least an iota of truth in them or not, the nicknames are worth a read and are the only 'readable' stuff on the blog. As there are attempts made to search for the rat, the rat seems to be disillusioning people by either scampering away from the truth by miles or to be fearlessly revealing a lot of facts which would embarrass quite a few people. But I would like to encourage this fellow blogger in his endeavour to regain fans (or to devalue the team's status) only because that freakin' fabulist has a fan following more than the voter turnout in South Mumbai!

That reminds me to mention the other set of deceivers who have gained prime importance on the television set during prime time! Psephologists (a.k.a. fools... remember 2004 when they predicted an NDA cleansweep?) still dare to visit news channel sets and rattle off their humbug shamelessly! They are under an impression that they are better at numbers than Ramanujan, Varahamihira, Euler, Euclid. Most of them have gone beyond all boundaries of shame to repeat whatever they had 'predicted' in 2004. They derive their own set of theorems and declare that a particular coalition will win only 1/2 of the seats in a particular state or retain all their seats. That is tolerable but when it comes to opinions and vote shares they indulge in tomfoolery like professionals.

Who would be the next PM is the question asked and answers (apparently given by the Indian people) include people whose party has not won even a single seat in the last elections! And the total percentage of all the contenders adds up to a minimum of 157%. Then they enter intricacies like women above a certain age and belonging to a particular caste and literate would be opting for a certain candidate! I am waiting for the day when they predict the voters' opinion of men aged between 50 and 60,wearing lungis and having cornflakes for breakfast after reading the Indian Express or men aged between 18-28 who have a profile on Facebook and are fans of Sachin Tendulkar but hate chewing Orbit gum. Or maybe we might have a pre-lunch or post-lunch poll analysis and theories that people who have 2 chapatis for lunch tend to vote for the BJP and those who prefer buttermilk over lassi vote for the communists and so on. Wouldn't it be fun if could clearly demarcate the choice of people staying 200 km away from the sea coast from those who stay in an airconditioned house in a plush suburb of a metropolitan city? How do they expect viewers to digest this absurd 'number crunching' as they call it? They should be charged under Penal Code 420!

Especially this 'bawa' (I am not using this word in a derogatory manner but only to avoid legal consequences) who seems to be wearing the same set of clothes everyday for the 9 pm show on a prestigious news channel which I am surprised to see is the clear frontrunner in this game of lies! He has this smirk on his face because he is aware that he is still in the sets although he deserves to be thrown out of New Delhi leave aside the set. He has no sense of reasoning and his logical abilities are shockingly poor and his arguments regarding voters' frame of mind are utterly primitive. Why do they consult this 'expert' who is an expert at surveying to find voters who prefer to go to cast their vote in jeans rather than trousers? How the hell does he predict the outcome of elections even before the votes are sealed? Does every voter come to him and divulge his or her secret? Or does he consider the new voters to be a bunch of people who follow old trends?

But I have no right to complain as I, along with everyone else, love to follow both these liars quite fervently. After all a fistful of lies are not much of a burden to the arm. He who rocks the world with his lies rules the hearts of the masses!