On the demise of Hindustan

In their orgulous lust for power
Clandestine means deployed
Whittled weakened institutions
Weakened and destroyed
Corrupt judges and bureaucrats
Running helter skelter
Disorganised and blind people
Fearing what they dealt her
O Hindustan you never existed
A name you got from outsiders
A non existent nation
Killed by it's own riders
Elections come elections go
Little masters of destiny EVMs
Tampered or not
We will never know
But one thing is certain
Hindustan has met it's curtain
A nation of ignorant fools
Killed by it's own burden
O Hindustan I returned to you
Hoping to find your sky's a blue
Little did I know
A greater sinister plot would come
Deathly blows from your own scum
O Hindustan that never became India
You lulled your Kings to penury
Politicians driven by greed for power
Injury after injury
A republic yet a contradiction
Spineless people lacking conviction
Sadly I watch your spectacle
A slow systematic dereliction
A nation that denies Hindi but emraces English
Independent from the queen but loving her language
You live out a shameless paradox
Killed by it's own vernacular rampage
O Hindustan show us your true face
A face wrinkled with contradictions
A face scarred by acid thrown
Crumpled by it's people's inflictions

A young man starts to unravel the maze in his quest for truth.

At the time that the young soldier was entering Academy a young boy was born to a politically active family in Orissa. Over the years the young boy would also go to distant schools, try within his limited means to perform to the best of his limited resources. As with every other boy from his state, his diction had the heavy rolled tongue influence of his native language-Odiya. Little did he know that even the passage of time and best of his efforts would not take away the roll in his tongue that had become native to his diction.
Many years down the road he would still struggle with his diction. But his power enormous the language used became edict contextual incorrectness aside, floral words acquired their own color and meaning. Many would appear before him perplexed by his language but overawed by his stature!

38 years in the army and four wars later he sits in a drug induced stupor recovering from surgery and completely dazed at his life.  His entire life savings deployed into a building now in the venomous grip of a political serpent who networks with babus, judges and police officers, 87 days in jail for no reason, his wife and sons threated with arrest, under debt and shame, the soldier in him perseveres, faith in a bottomless pit, soldiers truly are naive.

In sharp contrast the serpent Mahesh Vermani sits on the lawns of the Law minister, smoking a cigarette and chewing pan, a prominent smirk on his face.  The broker before him feels lucky to be on the lawns and feels assured when Mahesh assures him that the building is his to sell as and when he completes the destruction of the Yadavas, the day that he says is not far. He claims that he will not let the building go.

Does India still have an underbelly? Do citizens have rights? Are courts and government law officers unbiased? How easy is it to manipulate the system?  This article explores the fate of retired Major General who was used to the manicured and disciplined environment of the Army and stumbled into the womb of corruption, malaise and abuse of power. Do not be surprised if this story makes you think that no body is honest!

A young lad he grew up in the deserts of Rajasthan in a small hamlet that his father a serving army officer called home. Walking 17 km over burning Sands slightly cooled overnight and completing the same journey back in the peak of heat in the late afternoon was normal. Arrival of the uniformed gods with their dream fit physique and disciplined behaviour always excited him and he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. Fighting all family opposition he stubbornly took the examination for NDA and as expected was chosen, excelled as a gentleman cadet and got commissioned into the infantry. Over 38 years he would fight against China, Bangladesh, the Naga separate tests and Kashmiri infiltrators. He went on to command the unit he was commissioned in then to command a brigade then to command a division until the pyramid narrowed for the preferred and he was designated the director-general rehabilitation and resettlement. The true soldier in him knew only how to command and was not cut out for a desk job.

Having served at the frontline for each war that India bought he has retired as a major general. He has a dark secret too – he was arrested at the age of 73 and detained in jail for 87 days. The police has been threatening to arrest his 73 year old wife and 50 year old US resident son. He wonders what went wrong.  The Law – it had completely let him down.

A small time broker for police officers and a supplier of girls Maheshan Vermani had approached him in 2009 to rent his property. Maheshan wanted to use the property as a hotel and made tall promises of high returns 

What I consider concern,
you consider burn,
what i consider progress,
you consider churn,
rattled by perception yet moving forward,
a fairytale once, now ashes in an urn.
Last rites of a relationships demise,
beginning the end of a compromise.
Live a life that makes you smile,
manifest yourself be your own style.
Laughter that you once had but had forgotten,
walk your own path afresh and leave the rotten.
Watching from a distance. will we both smile,
I cant say now but will know in a while.

A series on the plight of retired army officers - II

38 years in the army and four wars later he sits in a drug induced stupor recovering from surgery and completely dazed at his life.  His entire life savings deployed into a building now in the venomous grip of a political serpent who networks with babus, judges and police officers, 87 days in jail for no reason, his wife and sons threatened with arrest, under debt and shame, the soldier in him perseveres, faith in a bottomless pit, soldiers truly are naive. A two star general who led his faithful into the arms of death, now reduced to rubble yet not dead.

In sharp contrast the serpent Mahesh Vermani sits on the lawns of the Law minister, smoking a cigarette and chewing pan, a prominent smirk on his face.  The broker before him feels lucky to be on the lawns and feels assured when Mahesh assures him that the building is his to sell as and when he completes the destruction of the Yadavas, the day that he says is not far. He claims that he will not let the building go.

Does India still have an underbelly? Do citizens have rights? Are courts and government law officers unbiased? How easy is it to manipulate the system?  This article explores the fate of retired Major General who was used to the manicured and disciplined environment of the Army and stumbled into the womb of corruption, malaise and abuse of power. Do not be surprised if this story makes you think that no body is honest!

A young lad he grew up in the deserts of Rajasthan in a small hamlet that his father a serving army officer called home. Walking 17 km over burning Sands slightly cooled overnight and completing the same journey back in the peak of heat in the late afternoon was normal. Arrival of the uniformed gods with their dream fit physique and disciplined behaviour always excited him and he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. 

Fighting all family opposition he stubbornly took the examination for NDA and as expected was chosen, excelled as a gentleman cadet and got commissioned into the infantry. Over 38 years he would fight against China, Bangladesh, the Naga separatists and Kashmiri infiltrators. He went on to command the unit he was commissioned in then to command a brigade then to command a division until the pyramid narrowed for the preferred. 

But today he has a dark secret – he was arrested at the age of 73 and detained in jail for 87 days. The police has been threatening to arrest his 73 year old wife and 50 year old US resident son. He wonders what went wrong - the Law – had it not completely let him down.

A small time broker for police officers and a supplier of girls Mahesh Vermani had approached him in 2009 to rent his property. Mahesh wanted to use the property as a hotel and made tall promises of high returns.  ......... to be continued.

A series on the plight of retired army officers - I

He sits blankly staring in the distance in a drug induced stupor. 34 years, four wars and a lifetime given to the country and all he has to show is public shame and ignominy, 83 days in jail housed with common criminals and financial ruin.

Burdened by debt, threatened with arrest, mistreated and humiliated by sub inspectors and inspectors, the likes of whom would not have ventured within miles of him, the soldier in him fights on.

On the other side of the story sitting on a lawn chair in the Lutyens Delhi bungalow of a cabinet minister, with a smug smirk on his face lips slightly stained by the tobacco laced pan he is addicted to - the broker knows that his vice -like grip over the soldier is tightening by the day and soon the soldier will die, his dazed family will surrender on his demise and the broker will own is property.

Complaint after complaint unheeded, case after case, one police inquiry to another, the soldier fights on, a losing battle but then a battle nevertheless.

Is there an underbelly to the Modi government? Is it plagued by the same disease as the Congress? Is propaganda concealing reality?

I will pose these questions to you through the facts and do not be surprised if you start to feel that no one is honest.

Quoting a translation of Waris Shah's epilogue to Heer Ranjha, translated by Joseph Davey Cunningham in his book "A history of the Sikhs", don't necessarily agree with all of it but it seems this has been the state of our nation occasion after occasion: Fools and sinners give counsel to the world, The words of the wise are set at naught. No man tells the truth or cares for justice. Telling what is untrue has become the practice in the world. With violence men commit flagrant iniquity, In the hands of tyrants there is a sharp sword. There is no Governor, Ruler, or Emperor. The country and all the people in it have been made desolate. Great confusion has fallen on the country. There is a sword in every man's hand. The purdah of shame and modesty has been lifted And all the world goes naked in the open bazaar. Thieves have become leaders of men. •Harlots have become mistresses of the household. The company of devils has multiplied exceedingly. The state of the noble is pitiable. Men of menial birth flourish and the peasants are in great prosperity. The Jats have become masters of our country, Everywhere there is a new Government.^