Jinnah's ghost & BJP's self goal

       ‘We shall have India divided or we shall have India destroyed.’ In August 1946 Mohammad Ali Jinnah declared in front of his followers in Muslim League.
       My reading of Freedom at Midnight coincides with BJP’s drama of unfurling tricolour at Lal Chowk Srinagar. Last week during regular evening stroll, my friend talked about the loss caused to India and Pakistan due to partition. He viewed that both the countries have spent too much on arms and the same could be utilised in the development of both of them. But I am of the view that he had seen a small loss, very small. There are bigger losses and biggest of them is the shifting of focus. The politicians successfully shift the focus of people from the real issues in both the countries. Think wats more important! Nuke bomb, fighter aircraft, rearing terrorism and ruling over beautiful valley of Kashmir or poverty, development, corruption and the peaceful life of the people of Kashmir. These shrewd politicians very cunningly shift the attention of the people from the real problems. They play with the people’s emotions and shift their focus from the real problems. What more, an ill humoured political party named BJP kicks the ball inside its own goalpost from the penalty circle of the opponent. Last time it did with ‘India shine’ and again with Tiranga Yatra! It was going very well with inflation and corruption issues then y this foolishness of Lal Chowk.
       Just think about the security personnel deployed in the valley and then sub zero temperature and then the misadventure of BJP. Was this yatra really required! After 4 months of closes, clashes and civilians' death the things were becoming normal. BJP should understand Jammu & Kashmir is not an ordinary state. Situation there is fragile. It has to be dealt with caution. It’s not that people in Kashmir do not like to unfurl the tricolour like others but situation there is not like rest of the country. In fact they are not living the life like ordinary citizen of this country. After all why shud ABVP or BJP should go there and unfurl the national flag? Should not they go there and share the grief of those mothers who have lost their sons in police firing or to see what kind of life common man is living there! Using force to maintain law and order is one thing but feeling the pain of those who suffered due to use of that force is another. Kashmir is not a colony of India rather it’s a part of her and its citizens enjoy same rights (and in certain cases more) as other Indians. The politicians should not forget things, like this, snatch even the basic rights from civilians.
       Thank u Jinnah sahib, u divided India and destroyed it!

Professor M.C. Joshi

       The Joshi I am talking about is not Bheemsen Joshi though the news of his departure comes to me the same day when the latter departed. I first time met him when I was searching a teacher from whom l could take psychology lessons. After a lot of search someone gave me his number. I called him and requested to teach me. Initially reluctant but then he invited me to his house. As soon as I entered, I was greeted by a 75 yrs old frail  gentleman and 2-3 street dogs. The dogs seemed very happy to receive me, wagging their tails and making circles around me. Professor Joshi chided and shooed them away. He escorted me to his study-cum-living room. The scene inside was bizarre, 8-10 chairs and moodhas (a type of chair typical to arid zones of north India) all occupied by street dogs - black, brown, spotted and white, diverse like true India. Couple of them raised their heads to look at me and one or two opened one eye to see me, giving a half hearted welcome to an undesired guest, but others did not care and kept sleeping. I was yet bewildered when professor Joshi told me to pull one of the chairs out, kept under the study table, to protect them from the encroachment of the four legged inmates. Prof Joshi sat on the couch and I joined the dogs, facing the professor, with my chair. “These are my companions now; it might be a sort of unnatural behaviour on my part.” Prof Joshi said.

       His wife had died 9 years before and his children, like all so called successful children of their parents, were settled in the cities like Bangalore and Ahmedabad. He lived alone with those street dogs. A maid servant used to come daily to do household cores and prepare food for Joshi saheb and the dogs. The dogs had 24 hrs access to his living room and street. If any of them knocked the door or the main gate, Prof Joshi would get up to facilitate his departure or arrival.

     Prof. Joshi was retired Head of the Psychology Department, Jai Narayan Vyas University Jodhpur. He used to call me Chauhan Saheb with great affection and refused to accept any money for the classes he gave me. After leaving Jodhpur, though I called him several times but could see him only once. He told me that the dogs were harassing the neighbours and he had talked to some NGO which took care of stray dogs and he would be giving some money for their expenditure. Strange I thought, the animals have started to harass the human, the most dangerous animal. I don’t know how he felt after the departure of his companions. I visited his home on my second trip to Jodhpur to discover that he had left to stay with his daughter at Ahmedabad. The communication between us broke since then. Yesterday when I visited his house on my present trip to Jodhpur I had a sort of fear in mind. The house was locked. Dry leaves and dust had occupied the entire premises. I knocked at the neighbour’s door and enquired about him. ‘Chale gaye’ the reply came, the feared had happened. My throat choked. But the heart was not willing to accept. I again asked if he had gone to his daughter’s house. ‘He is no more’ the neighbour said. He left for the heavenly abode some 5-6 months before. I wish I could see him for the last time. May his soul rest in peace!

नया साल मुबारक

            सभी पाठकों को नव वर्ष की शुभ कामनाएं! लीजिये नया साल 2011 भी आ ही गया! एक और दिन हमें ईश्वर ने दिया कि हम अपने उन resolutions को  फिर से लें जिन्हें हम हर नए साल पर लेते हैं और उन पर कुछ ही दिन चल पाते हैं! चलिए हर पहचाने चेहरे को बनावटी मुस्कान के साथ हाथ मिला कर नए साल की बधाई दें ! 31 दिसंबर की आधी रात को पटाखे चलाने वालों के उत्साह को 'सुन'  कर लग रहा था कि  शायद उन्हें इस बात का शक था कि 2011  आयेगा भी या नहीं! मेरे चाहने वालों ने मुझे रात ग्यारह बजे से ढाई बजे तक जगा-जगा कर नए साल की बधाई दी इस बात से बेखबर कि मुझे सुबह चार बजे उठना है! मैं मेरे प्रति उन के इस प्यार का आभारी हूँ! और इस से पहले 31 दिसंबर की शाम मेरी एक दोस्त मुझ से नाराज हो गयी! असल में उस के इस सवाल का जवाब कि मैं 31st की रात कैसे मना रहा हूँ मैंने उस की उम्मीद के विपरीत जवाब दिया, कि मेरे लिए हर दिन हर पल celebration का है और मैं उस का लुत्फ़ उठता हूँ, वैसे इस नए साल में कुछ नया नहीं है इस की बजाय मैं होली दिवाली और नवरात्रों में ज्यादा पुलकित होता हूँ क्यों कि ये त्यौहार मुझे मेरे बाप दादाओं ने विरासत में दिए हैं और आने वाली पीढ़ियों को सौंपने तक मैं उन्हें 31 वीं दिसंबर से ज्यादा सहेज कर रखना पसंद करूँगा! उसे मेरा जवाब बड़ा ही नीरस लगा पर वाकई ये रस मैं अपने पारंपरिक त्योहारों के लिए बचा कर रखना चाहता हूँ! बहरहाल उस की भावनाएं आहत करने के लिए क्षमा प्रार्थी हूँ आशा है वो नारी के क्षमाशीलता के गुण को बरकरार रखेगी! 

           मैं जानता हूँ कि कुछ लोग मेरी इस बात से इत्तफाक नहीं रखते! पर मैं भी कई 31 दिसंबरों को बिना पिए ही अपने नशे में धुत्त दोस्तों के साथ आग के चारों तरफ उछल कूद करता आया हूँ और आज भी मुझे इस बात से परहेज नहीं है! पर मेरा मानना  है कि हम उन चीजों को भी संजो कर रखें जिन्हें हम भूलते जा रहे हैं वरना हम हिन्दुस्तानियों की आदत है कि जब योग पश्चिम के देशों में जा कर योगा  बन कर आता है तब हम उस की अहमियत पहचानते हैं! मैं कोई resolution लेने के लिए नए साल का इंतज़ार नहीं करता और वैसे भी मुझे शराब, तम्बाखू, धूम्रपान, सुपारी, गुटखा, चाय या ऐसे ही किसी व्यसन की आदत नहीं रही और इन के अलावा  जो भी बुरी आदतें मुझ में हैं वे मुझे इतनी प्रिय हैं की उन्हें छोड़ने का resolution मैं नहीं लेने चाहता!