Bye Bye 2008, Welcome 2009

It's the evening of 31st January of 2008. After a few hours 2008 will become history and people will come out to welcome the new year with lot of fun and gaiety, exchange pleasantries and wish a happy new year for each other. It has become a very hot custom and one who ignores his dear ones on this day is rediculed enormously. Among many new found customs this is one as no such pleasantry was exchanged on this day in olden days in this society. It's probably the impact of Britishers in India or one of the effects of close global communication system developed recetly. Going deeper into the psychology of this day it's actually not a new year day for Indians as there are various calenders observed in this land and they naturally differ in the observation of New Year Day. One good that has come out of it is the international integeration as most of the countries observe the English calender for official purpose except a few. Generally there is nothing bad in exchanging pleasantris on this day as it has many good things connected with it and almost nothing bad attached to it.

Omer is the new J&K CM

Omer Abdullah, the third generation politician of Sheikh family is decided to be the new CM supported by the State Congress Party. Thus Farooq Abdullah has succeeded to keep power in his home by installing son Omer on the highest seat of power in Kashmir on one hand and on the other stopping Mufti's PDP from seeking coalition with the Congress. Thus Sheikh family has proved successful in retaining power among all odds it has been facing recently. 38 year old Omer has a good political experience at his back and is hence expected to do well. It is again the success of a family polity winning over many a stalwart in the party besides Farooq. The point here to ponder is how a young man would ride the high seat of power if he didn't have the highest qualification at his side of being son of a former CM and the grandson of Sheikh Abdullah ,the towering political personality of Kashmir. Moreover power is again in the hands of a Kashmir Muslim who is born in England to a Christian mother but fathered by a son of the legendery Sheikh of Kashmir called Sher-i-Kashmir. As has been the tradition in Kashmir politics the ultimate power will again remain with the Kashmiris while Jammu Hindu and Ladakh Bodhi will continue being in the back burner. Let's see how the eleven BJP legislators on one side and a more powerful lobby of PDP on the other make things difficult for the coalition govt and how the energetic young Omer with Kashmir blood in his veins respond to the situation.

Election results demand introspection

The Kashmir election results have presented various surprises and some bitter facts too. The Kashmir valley has by and large voted for Mufti's PDP and the Jammu Hindu belt has voted for BJP bagging the first ever eleven seats for the assembly. The National Conference, the traditional stronghold of rural Kashmiri has been almost rejected this time in the valley. Though it has bagged a good number of seats here and there and has turned out the largest party still it has lost the tradtional base in the valley. This scenario in the state demands a significant thought for the policy makers and political experts. There has been a significant divide in the polity of the people of Jammu with a majority of Hindus and Kashmir with a almost cent percent Muslim population. This is the first time public verdict that gives a clear signal that Jammu and Kashmir are people with quite different thoughts and hence poses a very sensitive affair. National Conference is headed to form Govt with the active support of Congress and some stray members but what about PDP that has got the clear mandate from the people of Kashmir and BJP that represents a big area of Jammu with a Hindu population. These questions will be very difficult for the new govt to answer and would surely pose problems for the Centre time and again.

A hectic day for Kashmir

Today is the day of reckoning for the electors in Kashmir. The counting of votes is in progress and by evening the position about the winners and losers will be clear. The initial indicators suggest that there will again be a hung Assembly with no single party getting a suitable majority to make a government independently. However in all cases it is a win win for the nationalist forces and a slap on the face of separatists who are once again bent upon singing their lyrics of separation from the mainstream. Now the ball is in the court of the authorities at the centre. All the eyes will be on the Central Government in Delhi as to how they are able to handle the situation in Kashmir under the changed circumstances and respect the emotions of those electors who fearlessly braved all the threats from the terror machinery and voted for the development, peace and democracy of Kashmir. If the authorities at the centre are able to deal the situation tactfully without undue harrassment of the masses the time won't be far when Kashmir will restore its glory for all times to come, so let's see which way the wind blows---------

Kashmir Tour ---I

Who wouldn't like to visit Kashmir, the paradise on Earth! Those who have are really fortunate and those who haven't should go on aspiring till they reach there. Now what about them who are born there and continue living there! They are really the choicest of God's creation. But alas! things are not going on well there for the last a few centuries and the worst of it for the last about two decades. This paradise on Earth is taken hostage by some self centered individuals and organisations to fulfil their personal nefarious designs and in spite of numerous steps taken for the improvement of the situation the conditions refuse to normalise. Thus this paradise seems occasionally converted to hell because of the volatile situation there. The common man mostly poor and unsuspected citizens bear the brunt. The day to day work of the common man suffers and the opportunist is basking in the glory of his success. Whenever the situation seems to normalize and the common man begins to heave a sigh of relief and the opportunist seems defeated; he goes again on prowl to seek ways and means to exploit especially the religious sentiment of the people and take the situation to the same past position. This condition goes on repeating time and again in the valley as the opportunist has pampered certain soft targets to exploit among the simple people of Kashmir.................. (to be continued)

Kashmir discussion

No doubt, Kashmir is in my veins as I belong to Kashmir and am out of this paradise on Earth for the last about two decades. The reason is that I'm not secure there for the circumstances created by some vested interests but hope that God if not man will surely make things better for me there and I return to my roots. I don't want to discuss this topic this time though I'll be always open for discussion if my readers wish so. Currently I want the readers who want to know the ground realities in Kashmir create a discussion with me so that I reply their enquiries as far as my knowledge goes. Though I'm out of Kashmir but I'm very much there mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Nothing can deprive me of this flare for my motherland where my roots are spread for not less than six thousand years.

2008, a requiem

2008 is going to replace yet another year, 2009. Speaking generally it's not a major event as years go by leaving only certain memories, some for individuals and many for nations, communities and even the world. 2008 has been eventful as will be discussed by people who interest in keeping a record of events at personal as well as community and national level. Since I'm not interested in keeping such records I leave the exercise to those who have sharper memory than me. As for me the year has been more distressing than smooth going. It got along some events that would have lasting effects than the rest. As for our country the administration proved too slack to control the avoidable events. The common man suffered enormously for the lack of effective security infrastructure that resulted into terror attacks on unsuspected innocent citizens. As usual corruption, the multifaceted dragon ate into the vitals of this society and damaged the democratic infrastructure at the hands of the criminal politicians and govt officials. Let us welcome the coming year with good fanfare and hope some improvement over and above the going year that is 2008.

My first post

I hope I find some readers for my first post. I would definitely like to share some of my emotions with them. The world is so joyful a place provided you make it so. Your internal thoughts do reflect on your face and so it's impossible to hide anything. Let's make this world a beautiful place by sharing love with all, shuning all negative thoughts and above all keep no place for egoistic attitudes which all traffic of thoughts coming from others. I hope you agree to my view and respond positively. Bye bye-------------