Train to Guwahati

Few days back in London when Mary Kom won Bronze medal in Olympic, whole country went gaga over her. We were quick to claim her as one of our own. It looks like that finally so called developed Indians have started realizing that India does include the 'north-eastern (NE) states'. But it was all mirages.
From past two days, thousands of fear-struck people from the north-East continue to flee southern cities like Bangalore and Pune after rumors they would be attacked in reprisal for recent ethnic violence.  There were rumors that northeastern people, who look more east Asian or Tibetan than most Indians, would be attacked after the end of the holy month of Ramadan on August 20. Isn’t surprising that just one rumor can lead to such massive exodus of northeast people. We are fail to restore confidence on north east Indian.

North East Indian Fleeing to home (Image)

This massive exodus clearly shows that northeast people feel second class citizen in their own country. Most people from NE don't refer to themselves as Indians merely because of the fact that the rest of the country doesn't see them that way. Exodus of such level is not result of just one rumor. For years, northeast people have faced racial discrimination in their own country. They are often termed as “chinky” based on their different look  in many parts of the India . From a long time, North East Indian community has been suffering insults, taunts or physical assault. The central government has always shows leniency towards these incidents.
The recent Pune attack has just made the situation worse for them. The fear that all this has generated among the people from the Northeast is understandable, considering that the police in most places prove unequal to the task when there is a mob involved in the attacks. The government must send a clear message that it stands committed to protecting those from the Northeast. It should also tell the people that the unrest in Northeast is an Indian vs foreigner issue and not a communal issue. It is high time  that politicians are severely warned that the country has had enough of vote-bank politics.

Thursday Thoughts- 5

Problems are like washing machines.

They twist us, spin us and knock us around, 

but in the end we come out cleaner, brighter and better than before.

London Olympics: Is It Just a Beginning?

London Olympics have given a cause to feel good to all Indians. This Olympic showed a set of spirited, ambitious small-towners who refused to be swept up by the hype and banked on monk-like devotion and undying hunger to serve up two silver and four bronze medals. Despite of debacles in hockey and ego fight in Tennis, India manage to deliver the best ever performance in London Olympics.
The results clearly shows that winners are emerging from the rural India. Sushil, Yogeshwar, Vijay Kumar and Mary Kom, all come from extremely poor and humble backgrounds.  If money was the answer, Gujaratis should be winning more medals. Gujarat is India’s most developed State.
The Sports Ministry alone spent a considerable sum of Rs 142.3 crore on the ‘Operation Excellence for London Olympics 2012’ or OPEX 2012 for short.
Out of the ministry's annual budget of Rs 722 crore, they spent about Rs 34 crore for hockey and boxing alone -- considered India's main sports at the Olympics. Yet, the boxing failure is a minor blip in the work in progress.
All said and done, Rio could well prove our watershed Olympics. An Indian contingent walking into the closing ceremony will no longer seem an ordeal anymore.

Thursday Thoughts - 4

You might feel worthless to one person but you are priceless to another..... Don't ever forget it.

RestLess

Restless

Thursday Thoughts- 3

Don't base your life and your own happiness upon finding someone else. Love when you're ready, not when you're lonely. If you aren't happy being single you will never be happy in a relationship.

Holy Smoke

Holy Smoke