Scribbles

"We, as a free people", wrote late Serbain American playwright Steve Teisch "have freely decided that we want to live in some post-truth world" in an essay in the Nation magazine in 1992. The essay was in the context of the Iran -Contra scandal and the Persian Gulf War. The author would not have even the faintest idea that almost twenty-five years later Oxford dictionary, on November 12, 2016 will make ‘post-truth' the word of the year. 'Post' here doesn't mean ‘after' but suggests to the time when truth becomes insignificant and irrelevant. Thanks to Brexit and the results of US Presidential elections –this failed media prophets and others in the field of psephology. However, had Oxford University paid heed to the India around and from 2014, the word Post-truth would have found its place a few years ago only! In 2014, Media machinery projected a man who hitherto was nowhere in the picture, as the "leader", the country needed on it...

What happens when the processed food replaces the fresh food in the shelves of our kitchen, snacks become the part of the staple diet and the food regulatory authority in the country remains ineffective and toothless? This gives the companies more ways of escaping the responsible business and aids them to remain indifferent towards the health hazards their products pose to the consumers. "Food is becoming the cause of diseases in a country which was once had the reputation of undernourished and we need to pay attention to the trend", said Ms. Sunita Narain , Director Centre for Environment and Science while addressing the audience in the hall comprising of journalists, Health experts, Doctors and people from food companies. She was addressing the group at the Workshop on Food Labeling, Claims, and Advertisements. While complaining about the ineffective laws relating to the food regulations in the country, she said: "Food Safety and Standards Authority of I...

"World needs Revolution" we used to say when in College, while responding  to the question what does world need today when the global peace is threatened, poverty and inequality are on the rise? But do we really need revolution? Or we need to address the basic needs of the people? I have just come back from a journalism workshop in Rajasthan; where team was suppose to cover various aspects of free medicine scheme of the government. Teams went to cover Udaipur, Bikaner, Bhaswara, Jaipur and Chittorgarh. The scheme incubated in 2012 under Mr Ashok Gehlot government, emerged out of will to provide free medical care to the people who are deprived of the access health care facilities because of their socio economic status. Dr Shamit Sharma, then District collector, was moved when his maid's son died because she could not afford the medicine prescribed by the doctor .This incident acted as the seedling for the free medicine scheme. Rest as they say is history. In the mont...

Last Laugh: USA win customary gold lead, read Express headline .Below the headline, there was medal tally in which USA was at top with total of 119 medals and India stands 67 with meager count of two. Discouraging and disappointing way to begin morning! In college in few of our social development classes we discussed sports as one of the indicators for the development of any country. The medal tally tells why all the developed countries take away the medals. They must have re alized years ago what we are to understand and realize as yet. Sports add value to the human existence. It teaches us the importance of discipline, keeping body active, doing physical labour, embracing losses and knowing what it takes to win. It's while sweating in field we learn team spirit the best. But in our country parents still tell young ones, "don't play you would get hurt", Indians are afraid of getting hurt a lot; they play safe without taking enough risks and challenging...

We were not taught (told) history as it was. History lessons dealt with dates and events only, history was always about kings,wars,victories and so called larger than life things. We were just told who ruled us,for how long.We never came to know about common man's life,may be it was not worth writing or documenting(it is still not worth it,only politicians make news). History books never had chapters of North East India and its contrib ution to Indian freedom struggle.Conflict regions' making and history was never made available rather they were just called resource abundant regions. Rise of right wing (radicalisation)doesn't find mention either. History books have been agents of lies and deception. History writing is often used as tool by state to deceive it's citizens,so that the truth and facts never come out. Whether it's America,India or Pakistan,their school history lessons are self congratulatory. Currently state is busy in bringing 'In...

National capital is again in the news for Congolese national who was beaten to death in Vasant Kunj on 21 May 2016.Though investigations are on and the reasons for the murder are still to be identified. This unfortunate accident has once again opened the debate -Are metro cities becoming vulnerable for outsiders? What are the possible reasons for increasing incidences of intolerance and discrimination? Does belonging to another race, or dressing in unfamiliar style or having different food habits make people more vulnerable in metro cities? What creates apathy in people of Metro cities towards people who are different? Delhi is not new to such incidents, the cases of racial discrimination are frequent here, take for example .Nido Tania student, 20 year student from Arunachal Pradesh was murdered in broad day light in Lajpat Nagar because of his mongoloid roots and the clothes he had put on his body. The same questions were asked then as well, however such incidents fail to c...

A man calls on National news channel ,not to ask or comment on issues of national interest or politics but to know when will he get the job and how long will it take to find a life partner. This situation is not as simple as it might look.It is a compound result of problems that exist in our society. Without bashing at the grim media scene or smashing at caller for irrationality and calling him person of low intelligence.Let us look at the few reasons for this. 1.Education s ystem:it all starts from here,when education system will not encourage questioning and critical thinking, how do we expect rational citizenry in the country.Our education system doesn't promote overall development of students. When Foundation is so faulty ,how can the lives build on this Foundation suppose to be good quality. 2.State's failure-Whose responsibility it is to provide employment to the citizens,god's or state's.If state guarantees equal employment opportunities to...

“Frequent or seldom flood in eyes –Men at cry”, read title of an article I wrote in class ninth in the diary I maintained. What inspired me was the article I read  in Times life, Sunday supplement of Times of India in those summer vacations. That article forced me to think on why men are trained not to cry. I talked to my male colleagues and male relatives to know how they respond to crying. "Yes there are times when we feel broken, then we get over it, we don’t express it too often ", this what majority of them said. A year back I saw a video ‘boys don’t cry’. The video showed how society conditions men not to cry and when men become stoic we complain men do not pay heed to their emotional needs or people around them. Men will men, what we end being saying. First society traps a human being within his /her identity. We make them close individuals who are made to behave or not to behave in a certain way. I have seen a lot of women crying. I cry a lot too, most of t...

The actual wisdom is near us, we get it from the life around us, from the people around us. That is the authentic and proximate wisdom. Most of the lessons that have made my life simpler were acquired from life around me. There are many lessons that my parents gave me while growing up, but I did not care then. It’s only now that I have started noticing their impact on my life. These lessons were nowhere written in the books, contrary to my belief that I had as a child that every lesson is taught by the books we read. Only those who hold pen, are custodians of wisdom, I believed for a long time. These lessons have started to make sense since I have started living away from my parents. While I was cooking yesterday in afternoon, I quickly recalled the lesson my mother gave me while I was still a teenager-very angry and arrogant. Once my mother asked m e that it was time ,I should learn how to cook meal. I remember getting angry at her and saying to her in high pitch “I don’t wan...