ARE WE BORN SLAVES?

BY BRIG RS GREWAL

(THE AUTHOR IS A VETERAN ENGINEER OFFICER.

  THE TITLE IS APORTIONED BY ME BUT THE VIEWS 

  EXPRESSED ARE THAT OF THE AUTHOR. 

  THOUGH I DO NOT AGREE WITH EVERY THING WRITTEN     HERE, THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUS THAT WE ALL 

  NEED  BEWARE AND TAKE NOTE OF)

Webster Dictionary defines Fascism as :

"A way of organizing a society in which a 
  government ruled by a dictator controls 
  the lives of the people and in which 
  people are not allowed to disagree with 
  the government. 

  A political philosophy, movement, or 
  regime that exalts the Nation (Often 
  the race too), above the individual and 
  stands for a centralized autocratic 
  government headed by a dictatorial 
  leader; severe economic and social 
  regimentation and forcible suppression 
  of opposition."

We Indians have developed our own version of fascism. It is, perhaps, a consequence of centuries of subjugation that results in projecting ordinary human beings as icons and then worshiping them irrespective of their shortcomings and faults. Anyone pointing a finger at the icon is labeled as a traitor/antinational.

Indira Gandhi was worshiped as "Indira is India and India is Indira". A painful consequence followed in the shape of Emergency. 

We still did not learn a lesson. Even an Army Commander in his official address to the Jawans referred to Indira Gandhi as 'Mata Ji' and sang praises as if she was a Goddess. The Officer was rewarded with a gubernatorial post after his retirement.

Rajiv Gandhi was the next icon. Despite his justification of carnage in Delhi with his statement' "When a big tree falls the earth shakes" the country heralded him as 'Mr Clean'. It was the Bofors scandal that forced the Nation to sit up and think. But still he was honoured with Bharat Ratna and there was not a whimper from the media or the 'intellectuals' to object to the lowering of national standards. After all, he was an icon!

Even in the States, there are icons thrust on the people by the 'dynasties'. Badals, Yadavs, and many more.

At the Centre we now have Modi. BJP's spin doctors have projected him as an icon that has emerged to save India. So we now have people going gaga over his governance - they are mesmerised at the floating reports that he has forced the Babus to reach offices in time and has cut their extravagant expenditure! It is altogether a different matter that he is unable to overrule them on major policy matters. 

Anyone pointing out the corrupt practice of accepting a gift of Rs 10 lakh-suit is branded as traitor. The same suit is later auctioned and a businessman buys it. The same businessman later gets possession of Government land at throw away prices. That is the version of honesty - courtesy Modi Bhakts! 

No wonder Robert Vadra case has not progressed further. Modi objected to the then Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee writing letters (love letters!) to his counterpart in Pakistan in order to try and improve relations. But as PM he went one step further : Went to Pakistan to do it in person, by giving a 'Jadu ka Jhappi'! 

Were Modi's opposition to UPAs efforts in national interest? Modi Bhakts though would reply with a resounding 'YES'!!!

Despite having savoured independence for almost 69 yrs, we have remained slaves - 
only -
the masters have changed.

BEATING RETREAT : 
THE GREAT RETREAT 
OF OUR BAHADUR SENA

Thanks to the 'Parivar', the age old custom of the battle field, now reduced to beating the tabla and stringing the sitar. What next? Ghulam Ali singing ghazals 'Parivar' style :

  "Mohe jamghat pe chappaniya,
    Chhedgayore...."

The three Service Chiefs, bewteen 

themselves, could not convince the Govt 

of the day, that Beating Retreat is NOT a 

musical concert. It is a battle field 

tradition, coming down from ages, even 

though the present day format is of more 

recent origin.


Originally it was known as 'watch

setting' and was initiated at sunset by the

firing of a single round from a gun in the 

evening.

An order from the Army of James II

(England), otherwise James VII of 

Scotland, dated 18 June 1690, had his

drums beating an order for his troops to

retreat. 


A later order, from William III in 1694 

read "The Drum Major and Drummers of 

the Regiment which gives a Captain of the 

Main Guard are to beat the Retreat 

through the large street, or as may be 

ordered. They are to be answered by all 

the Drummers of the guards, and by four 

Drummers of each Regiment in their

respective Quarters". 

All of you soldiers who solicitously courted and voted-in the present regime to unbriddled power, ('Pradhan Sevak' - Ha! Ha! Ha!), now hang your heads in shame at the monstrosity of it all.

IN MY BENGALI HINDI : MAACHHIKAA POEND CHIPE, RAWKTO DAAN KORTAHAE


Translated into English :

Doing blood donation from squashing the backside of flies !!!

THE UNFINISHED PORTRAIT OF A DALIT STAR

THE REWARD FOR STATE ENGINEERED MURDERS : THE SECOND HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD OF THE COUNTRY

THE UNDERHAND BUSINESS

 OF 

DEFENCE PROCUREMENT

The article on def procurement in india at : 

(http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2012/05/5137),

is interesting, but I have reservations about the following part of the piece :

"Not that India is incapable of indigenizing, but for that to happen it must be willing to make do with what is possible. And this means its armed forces must not insist on state-of-the-art weapons systems right away. That is the crux of this problem. Not infrequently, our top brass will simply say that without a particular weapons system the defence forces cannot guarantee the outcome of a conflict. Often, this argument is just a fig leaf to obscure other intentions."

Our armament has to keep up with that of the enemies around, and we have two of them. We don't want a repetition of 1962. for that matter even 1965, when spirit and skill won over superior equipment of the enemy.

The solution to the problem, as brought out by the author is not in the scaling down of rewuirment by the Armed Forces but in upgrading the capabilities of DRDO. 'Arjun' to decades to develop, not due to the Army. 'Tejas' has been on the envil for three decades not because of the Air Force. When the world around is upgrading their fighter aircrafts to the fifth generation, the Indian Air Force cznnot be expected to make do with second generation ones, just because the DRDO are unable to go beyond it. Import, thus becomes imperative.

The rampant bribery in defence procurement can easily be eliminated by the present govt by making it a punishable offence and resorting to govt to govt transactions.

Those who are hell bent on destroying the Nehru-Gandhi legacy and as a part of that excercise, malign Indira Gandhi, forget that, but for her, we would not have 1971 as the crown jewel of Indian Military and Political History, since both were created in one master stroke by Indira. Not for nothing did Vajpayee compare her to Ma Durga!

Even as I write this, can the Nation forget on the Republic Day, that the 'Amar Jawan Jyoti', where the PMs of the Country have gone to pay lip service to the Martyres of the Nation and lay wreath, year after year, was the idea of and creation due to Indira Gandhi and remains the only National War Memorial, more than three decades after her death, .

TO ALL MY SISTERS, BROTHERS & FRIENDS 

OF 

BHARAT

On the Eve of the 67th Republic Day :