AN OPEN LETTER TO THE HOME MINISTER

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE HOME MINISTER

Don't Ban the film,ban the rapes if you can !

I am too agitated to address you amicably in this particular letter and I think I

reserve a right to do so.

This is the height of insanity to be shown by a person who represents the people of this country.

How could you grant permission to an interview of a dreadful rapist who is alive just because 

the incompetent and inappropriate laws you and your government do not want to amend?

What did you think a brutal rapist had to tell to the world except the absurd and obnoxious dirt 
in his sick mind?

I can’t find any fault in the film maker Leslee Udwin’s, choice to make a film on that ‘highly 

propagated’ incidence of rape. She was aware that she could have an easy access to the 

culprits in our country. Also, the convicts of a crime of that degree of brutality could be found 

relishing the comforts of jail for that long in our country only. She claims to be a rape victim 

herself and observes that the interviewing one of the convicts of that ‘scintillating’ rape case 

would help in knowing the psyche of the rapists and hence would help in solving the problem. 

Her smartness outdid you. Did she tell you that she would help you in absolving the serious 

issue of rape in India?

Why didn’t she interview her own rapist? Are women not raped in her own country? Haven’t 

there been more cruel cases of rapes in any other country?

Perhaps, she knew how millions of Indians are emotionally attached to that particular case and 

that would help her earning glory and popularity. And now when sentiments brewed after that 

beast’s rumbling became viral, you realized your mistake and did what our government is 

very good at-you have banned that documentary in India. 

Well done. ..Applause …I request all the readers to give it for the honourable Home Minister.

Dear Mr. Singh, we have not yet recovered from the pain and shock of that ominous Sunday of 

December 2012 brought to us. We live that pain again and again whenever we are reminded 

by the media that those beasts are still alive and living a comfortable lives in jail. Thanks to the 

benevolent law of our land that gives every opportunity to the violators of evading punishment 

and the justice-seeker has to put everything on stake to prove his violation.

Our legal system is responsible for giving voice to the beasts like Mukesh who shamelessly 

held the victim responsible for her brutal rape. We really should be proud of the rights we enjoy 

as the citizens of India when a criminal can brazenly do moral policing and suggest what 

women should do and what they should not.

He knows that our law loves offenders, especially who commit serious offences and treats them most hospitably in jails by providing everything for free even security.

Kindly hear what that bas**rd has said and feel proud. You have not banned that film because 

you thought that what the interviewee said is wrong and weird but you realized that the people 

who are calm and seemed to have settled with the status-quo of rape in our society would 

awake again. You fear from the agitation.

Leslee Udwin herself is a woman, a rape victim. I wonder why she wants to show the interview 

of an unrepentant rapist in a film named ‘India’s Daughter’ to be aired on the Woman’s Day. 

Don’t stoop low in search of glory and fame. However, one thing you rightly said Ms Udwin. 

Yes, we are a sick society. Mr. Singh, are you hearing? She said we are a sick society.

And I hope you will accept it.

क्षण .....

कुछ क्षण
         जो बार गूंजते हैं,
                नहीं मरते,
क्योंकि  छोड़ पाये हैं,
       छाप, एक याद,
               नहीं मिटते |

वो क्षण जब,
         मुस्काती आँखें ही बोलती हों,
                  चमकती सी,
        कह जाएँ,
              इतना कुछ कि,
                        नींद भी जागी रहे,
                                    उसे सुनने को|
और सुबह भी खटखटाये,
                 किवाड़ रात के,
                               कई बार,
कि सुन ले कुछ तो|

एक शान वो भी जब,
         भीगी आँखें ही बोली हों,
                 कुछ अस्पष्ट सा कहें,
भारी हुयी पलकों से,
              पूछा भी बहुत,
                       अचानक उठकर,
क्या कहा मुझसे?
        देखा था?
                गुहार थी?
                        या शिकायत की थी?

एक क्षण, वो था जब,
         मैंने एक जीवन-प्रश्न,
               किया था तुमसे,
दाँतो में दबाकर, जबाब दिया था तुमने,
             बुझे चेहरे से जब,
                उठी थी आँखें ऊपर,
                        और न समझकर भी,
                               मैं सब कुछ समझ,
                                 मैंने को तत्पर|

और वो भी थे क्षण
          जब आशाएं जगाई तुमने,
                और तोड़ दी,
न चाहकर भी
         असहाय होने का ,
संकेत देती,
         किन्तु मेरे लिए
जीवन वाक्य बन गए हैं,
          तुम्हारे द्वारा  कहे कुछ शब्द,
मेरे हर क्षण के स्वामी हैं,
हाँ, तुम परिपक्व हो,
तभी मैं, स्तब्ध|

          गौरव शर्मा

स्वपन जागेंगे....

स्वपन जागेंगे....
आँखें जब सोने को होंगी,
स्वपन जागेंगे |
जीवन के सुरभित सौभाग्य,
 यत्न मांगेंगे |
कितनी ही इच्छाएं अंतर्मन में,
छटपटाती रहती हैं,
कितनी ही आँसु स्मृतियों में,
पछताते रहते हैं|
सब अपने लिए थोड़ा थोड़ा,
मरहम मांगेंगे,
आँखें जब सोने को होंगी,
स्वपन जागेंगे |
कई प्रश्न समय के,
अनबूझे ही रहते हैं,
क्षण भी बात अपनी,
बीतने पर ही कहते  हैं|
भविष्य के कण नए नए सम्बोधन मांगेंगे,
आँखें जब.......|
कितनी घुटी हुयी
भावनाओं को पाला है,
गिरते हुए आंसूं को,
पलकों में संभाला है|
ये भी अपने लिए नया,
एक अर्थ चाहेंगे|
आँखें जब.............|
कितनी ही चेहरे
अपनत्व की आस जगाते हैं,
स्नेह सिक्त दृष्टि से,
प्रेम की प्यास बुझाते हैं|
एकांकीपन के सहमे एहसास,
झटपट भागेंगे,
आँखें जब ...........|
बहुत से कथनों के ,
गुणात्मक अर्थ होते हैं,
भोजे न जाएँ ऐसे वाक्य,
 व्यर्थ होते हैं|
भटके शब्द अपने लिए,
आशय मांगेंगे,
आँखें जब सोने को होंगी ,
स्वपन जगेंगे,
जीवन के सुरभित सौभाग्य,
यत्ने मांगेंगे|
भवैश्य बता रहा है,
वर्तमान झूठा है|
खुशियां मत ढूँढो ,तुमसे,
भाग्य  रूठा है|
फिर भी उनके साथ नया एक,
जीवन मांगेंगे,
आँखें जब सोने को होंगी,
स्वपन जागेंगे|

क्षण

क्षण .......

हर पल के लिए,
जीवन की किताब पर,
छूटा होता है एक हाशिया...

मिट जाते हैं कभी,
और कभी अमिट छाप लिए,
वे पल छोड़ जाते हैं कई नाम,
कई टिप्पणियाँ |

भविष्य को बहाकर लाने वाले,
पृष्ठों से जब धुंधलाते हैं,
अतीत को, तब भी,
स्पष्ट सा दिखता है कुछ,
कुछ क्षण,
कुछ नामों की अर्थी लिए,
बन जाते हैं याद,
भविष्य को ढकती परछाईयाँ|

उस हाशिये पर,
कुछ हलके नाम भी हैं,
जो समय में बहते आये,
पर न ठहरे,
जीवन की किताब पर,
छोड़ न सके कोई निशाँ|
फिर भी दीखते  हैं,
कहते हैं,
टूटे सपने जब
आंसुओं में बहते हैं ,
गूंजती हैं तब,
उन क्षणों से जुडी कहानियाँ|
अब भी ये पल,
वर्तमान के ,
लिए हुए हाशिये,
बिना किसी नाम के,
टिप्पणियों से सजे हुए,
इतराते हैं यूँ ही|
पर समांतर पंक्तियों में है,
ज़िक्र पुराने नामों का,
हर क्षण फुसफुसाता है,
नए नाम भी यही लाएंगे,
सोचता हूँ क्या खेल रचा रहे हैं?
आने वाला सभी  पल क्यों,
अतीत की है कठपुतलियां?
      ---गौरव शर्मा

WHY I LOVE AIR FORCE?

Why I Love Air Force

‘Sky asks the cloud, ‘Dear, what you love the most?

‘Is it the chromatic rainbow, or the bird I host?’

‘No’ replied the cloud ‘beauty is noble and gracious,

I like my pals to be a vagabond, arrogant and dexterous.’

Fighter planes are the ones who match my thunder’

We care, revive and secure the mankind under,

I shower rains helping the soil, getting pregnant,

They drop bombs to wipe off the assailants.’

Ask teenagers, what they want out of their lives and you can vouch for answers to be-Status and wealth, with reluctant additions such as integrity, perseverance, pride and dignity and enthusiastic utterance of ‘thrill’ and ‘adventure’ as topping. However, when they look up to their guardians for guiding them through to get all these, seldom are they told to join the Air Force.

A simple and realistic way of seeing all aspirations coming true is to serve the Air Force with a bonanza carrying distinction of serving the motherland that would, ultimately provides the greatest satisfaction. The best thing one can do is to defend his country.

We can buy the most expensive clothes with the riches, but believe me, heaps of diamonds and suitcases filled with currency notes will be insufficient to get the feel of pride and dignity the uniform of a soldier facilitates.

It just asks you to cultivate the readiness to sacrifice and to consider the country before yourself.

Michael P. Anderson has said “If you want something that’s going to provide you with a lot of challenges and a variety of different things to do, then you really can’t beat a place like the Air Force. I don’t mean this to sound like a recruiting pitch, but it’s been a lot of fun”

Fighter planes are the most sophisticated man-driven automobiles. One can be a professional pilot without joining the Air Force but won’t you be a mere ‘driver’ carrying passengers here and there? And to sit in that cockpit will become a delusive and distant dream for ever.

The training and courses, one has to go through to become a pilot, normally cost a lot. But in Air Force, you don’t have to spend money for it; just a burning desire would suffice.

I haven’t seen a mortal, not applauding a somersaulting, squirming, maneuvering and formation displaying jet. The roaring and threatening device even compel you to brave the glares of the sun. I always fancy the imagination of seeing myself occupying the cockpit of a hunter and playing hide and seek with the clouds in the sky and the amazed spectators applauding me.

I don’t want to see my compatriots scarifying dreams or to settle for less, but if someone’s circumstances force him to earn after school, I see Air Force as the best job option. No organization gives such handsome remunerations to raw intermediates. The most favorable part is the working hours- you can study further and go for commissioning after improving your credentials.

Metamorphosis from a raw recruit to a prepared, confident and masculine Airman in a real sense might not be easy but it is less difficult than a civilian normally goes through to become equally deserving.

If not me, somebody else will come forth; after all, our country is not short of people. Air Force doesn’t really need us. We need to find out where we fit in it.

It offers variety of jobs-both in technical and non-technical grades. We can be a fighter pilot, which is the most respected trade among all armed forces or a paratrooper or a doctor in the Air Force and even clerks can find a life in it.

The Air Force offers lifetime medical facilities, Job security, travel opportunities, Pension and the most glamorous side is the Rank that remains with us for the rest of our lives. The Chevrons and the Strips are great intoxicants. They give you distinct identity, dignity and pride.

So if you have the courage and desire to test yourself against the spur of difficulty, if you want to brave the storm, if you want the vast sky to bow in front of you and allow you to wander across its expanse, the Air Force is the place for you.

The Air Force invites you to have a spectacular life-and Hey! You always have a choice to quit.

"तुम बिल्कुल वैसी हो"

“Mathematics, Ego and Me” An Anecdote

“Mathematics, Ego and Me”

                                                                                    An Anecdote

It was 2006, six years after I gave up my job and was contended teaching in my institute.

I was aware that people thought that I was haughty and had intolerably irritating superiority complex. I, however, considered it their covetousness.

A very good friend of mine, who lives in Pune, telephoned me one fine day and apprised that some Mr. Apte, also from Pune, who was a celebrated motivational speaker and trainer, was conducting a Personality Development workshop at Faridabad.

                                                                                                                             

He insisted that I should attend the workshop. I cited all sorts of excuses; my busy schedule, my parent’s health and other lame and inadequate pretexts. Although it was May, which is comparatively relaxing for teachers, I didn’t want to go as I thought that my personality needed no rectification. Finally, he said that he himself was coming to Delhi for attending it and I would have to accompany him.

I had to agree to oblige him. 
It was a three-day workshop in some Motel in Faridabad. The fee was Three thousand eight hundred rupees which I painfully parted with, just for the sake of my friend.

During the introduction at the start, elucidation that among the eighty men present, I had the most humble social status. There were Chief Medical Officers of renowned hospitals, ACP’s of Haryana and Delhi Police, CEOs, highly placed Government Officers and many more.

The rumbling ghost of superiority took a backseat and consented to wait to see what those refined gentlemen had gathered there for.

Post-lunch session was the most significant period for me that really changed my life.

Mr. Apte drew a square on the board with four vertical and four horizontal lines inside it that divided it into smaller squares. He asked the trainees to count the number of squares it had. Some found 16, some 17, few others found 20 while few could see 24 squares in all. 
There were multiple answers from the men from various fields. 
My answer was 30 which was the highest number of squares anybody had quoted. 
Mr. Apte came to me and asked if I was sure. My ego replied to him on my behalf, ‘Yes sir, pretty sure. Actually, I’m a Mathematics Teacher. It's a routine thing for me.’

‘Oh, I see. However, I advise you to recount,’ said Mr. Apte.

‘No Sir, I can't be wrong in this. I dedicate ten hours a day to this subject,’ I said, proudly.

Mr. Apte smirked and asked me to follow him to the podium.

‘Mr. Sharma, we will talk about the squares later. Let’s have a fun exercise before that. And, gentlemen,’ he addressed the others, ‘I’ve chosen him for this exercise because he is a Mathematics teacher.’

He took an A-4 size sheet of paper, held it from two opposite corners and asked me to tear it off with a punch.

As I punched, he withdrew his lower hand foiling my attempt. He asked me to give another try and did the same, letting it loose just before my punch landed on it.

The third attempt failed too. I stood exasperated and exhausted because of the repeated failure.

‘No sir, it will not tear off if you keep doing so,’ I said. 
He smiled smugly and looked at me, ‘And you understood that after three blows?’ I sheepishly gazed into his eyes feigning the shame. 
He continued, ‘Each blow was fatal than the previous one; enough to knock me down if I had been in the way,’ he paused and smiled and looked on the amused audience, ‘actually Mr. Sharma, you had realized that right after the first hit. However, your ego forbade you to accept failure so early. It stopped you to concede defeat even though you knew it was impossible. You thought that I might not do it the second time.’ 
I wanted to run away from the hall. He had not finished, ‘And coming back to the count of squares, I can prove that there are more than thirty squares in it and Mr. Sharma, mind you, it’s not my routine job.’

My arrogant mind still was not ready to  accede to his challenging my knowledge of mathematics.  Nevertheless, I decided to hear him patiently. I didn’t want more embarrassment.

He said, ‘Count all the squares including the black outline and then count them leaving the outline. That would double the number of squares that you counted.’
Mr. Apte placed his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Mr. Sharma, there will always be something more to learn. Remember improvement has no finishing line.’

Years after the incident, I always try to keep my ego in check and still trying to be a better human being.

Thank you, Mr. Apte, for the valuable lesson you taught.

RAHUL GANDHI FAILED...

RAHUL GANDHI FAILED...

I pity Rahul Gandhi for a bad decision yet again, of choosing seasoned Arnab Goswami for his maiden interview. It was RG's novice and Arnab's guile all the way. He must understand that it's a journalist's job to ask uncomfortable questions. I never saw Arnab so polite with politicians speaking irrelevantly.

I found in the newspaper that NDTV was approached earlier but in view of the TRP's of Times Now, the core group of the Gandhi scion changed its decision.

Few days back I had met a youth who visited brothels frequently, as a part of research for my next novel. Watching Rahul Gandhi evading the questions, I recalled the description that youth had given me when I asked him about his first face off with a prostitute. My object is not making fun of Rahul Gandhi. I like him as an individual irrespective of his political achievements. However, the position he is in, his body language and his words were enunciating his nervousness which is highly unbecoming of the stature of the politician he wants to be and this country wants to see him as. Anyhow, I am nobody to judge his performance.

If he had intentionally and knowingly chosen the most difficult journalist to deal with, I would appreciate him and would stand with him for he has desire to learn. I would like to see him improved in confidence, posture and language the next time and sincerely hoping that the next time comes sooner.

LOSING THE WAY....

LOSING THE WAY....

Arvind Kejriwal's AAM AADMI PARTY promised a lot and still, hope sustains. However, the ongoing protest for  sacking of four Delhi police officers is politically, morally and socially incorrect considering the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.

For an Indian, India should come first. The national festivals hold a great significance for a nation. I remember and many readers would relate too, that we learn a lot about our country because of such festivals and celebrations. My ten year old daughter asked me the difference between the Independence day and the Republic day yesterday only.

Mr. Kejriwal said yesterday 'Jhankiyan nikalne se gantantra divas nahin manta'. Yes, I agree but sitting on Dharnas too, is not the only solution. Sacking of the officers in question, wouldn't in any way change the conduct of  Delhi police. Nevertheless, if he considers it right, he should have taken into account the occasion being a Chief Minster of National Capital Territory.

He has become a subject of criticism, mockery, ridicule and have certainly lost many admirers.