Partly Yours, Partly Lost

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Some places stay with you long after life has moved elsewhere. There is something strange about destiny. You just cannot overcome it, but at the same time, you cannot simply do nothing because something is destined to happen. In India, it is not uncommon to have your horoscope charted about a year after birth. Grandparents wait with bated breath to hear how well the stars were aligned, and what remedies might be needed to appease the Gods. So when I was a year old, my grandmother took my birth date and time to Dharmaraja Ghanapadigal, one of the most revered astrologers in Pudukkottai. He apparently told her that I would do reasonably well in studies, travel to multiple countries, and eventually live abroad. Here was an old lady asking about her grandson from a small town. My parents were then living in Gobichettipalayam. This was the eighties, long before economic reforms had changed the country. My grandmother thanked him politely, but quietly wondere...
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What freedom of Speech?

It is funny to see the Congress party harping on the Aamir Khan issue, saying that freedom of speech and expression has been violated. On the same vein, the Punjab Congress government has not authorised the theatre owners to play The DaVinci Code. Why does Congress always gets involved in double standards? We live in a democratic society and the same yardstick should be used to determine issues that fall on the same side of the argument. But, sadly political parties flounder badly on these issues and end up issuing statements that are hardly in sync with the previously issued ones.

Take for instance the Karan Thapar interview of Arjun Singh on the quota issue. One cannot expect worse answers from a person who is supposed to be holding an important post in the cabinet. Any question posed was met with a response: I am just following the instructions of the Parliament. I cannot comment on this now. The Parliament has taken the decision and I, as a member am just following it. Truly unbearable! I guess, the reason for his being mum on the issue is because maybe he does not believe in the freedom of speech!

Why talk about Aamir, DaVinci Code controversy and other things, when we have people who proclaim to dispense freedom of speech, but then end up with total disorientation and disarray leaving us wonder whether they are really for freedom of speech or freedom of mum!

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  1. AnonymousJune 23, 2006 at 3:44 PM

    well praveen atlast i got to read ur blog...and i just loved the interview..thanks alot for the link...its amazing how ppl get to study in top colleges because they have privilege to be born as an OBC/SC/ST and i have seen so many of my dad's student in IIT how finish their Btech "aaram se"...well its high time things change ....
    Shweta

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