Happy Diwali

This was my 7th Diwali away from home, since year 2000. This was it was a long weekend too. And it was so different from others. It turned out to be another weekend at Powai flat. Most of my time was spent on Internet as usual and rest went sleeping and watching TV. However the time was little different, Saturday being Diwali. However, you can imagine that how much excitement this festival of life can bring to ones life, who spent the eve eating Maggie noodles. It was the most lonely weekend as well with 4 out of 6 flatmates away home. Diwali evening I took a walk till the tea shop in Hiranandani. The celebrations were at peak, with crackers bursting in full swing, and each seemed to be targeted on me. I soon took rescue in an ice-cream parlour. After having a cup of roasted almonds, I decided to put an end to my walk and headed back home. Each bomb was exploding right next to my year, so I made sure no window was left open in the flat.

Yesterday, Ekka, Gurpreet and myself watched the DON remake. A good movie, I would say, but definitely not better than the original one. We took the usual bus and walk route back home after the movie, making sure we each had a cup of coffee at the junction outside Pizza Hut.

Today, I received another e-mail from my younger brother, Nisu, who has recently learnt e-mailing. Nothing was clear from his mail, and morning I will have to call him up to clear out things.

Quotes

1. Life is a test, and I didn't take very good notes.
2. You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
3. Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.

Don't Hang Afzal, Blow him up

Terrorists on December 13, 2001 attacked the Parliament of India resulting in a 45-minute gun battle in which 9 policemen and parliament staffer were killed. There were no protests in the Kashmir valley against this incident in which 9 Indians on duty were killed fighting the radical fanatics spreading terror in the name of Islam. Didn't they have a family, a wife, a mother or a son/daughter. Haven't their lives changed for ever? Why so much hue and cry over hanging of Afzal Guru? Where had the conscience of people gone at that time? Let these perpetrators of terror have one more martyr in this so called Holy War.

The accused is trying to be a true martyr, with no appeal for mercy coming from him. Instead he is taking this route via his wife and mother, to appeal the President for pardon. It's should either be a YES or NO. He has either committed the crime or not at all. And if the court of law has upheld his conviction, then no mercy should be shown towards such people. People who don't value life and take the path of such gross violence to express their views have no right to exist. Instead of hanging such people, they should be blown, tied to a bomb. They should know what such a death is, when you see your own body tearing apart into pieces. Let this be a tribute to those who laid their lives for the call of duty, defending the highiest symbol of Indian democracy.

Jai Hind.