Fun in the bar!!

Yesterday had a great time with Rajput, Bandan and Saroj. Saroj and I share, at least, one thing in common and that is our date of birth. So, it was a kind of birthday treat from both of us. So, we started with stepping on the sands near the beach, then counted few beautiful babes, then ate some real spicy stuff, then walked for sometime to kill the time and talked about rubbish things, then waited for a long time outside one restaurant to get our bellies tight and finally ended up sitting in a bar-cum-restaurant. And the real fun started then, when the bartender filled our glasses with beer. Rajput is specifically peculiar to alcohol and even 10 ml of beer is enough to charge him. Then he will laugh and blabber like a mad man. Seriously speaking, if you want fun at the minimum expense, handover a beer bottle to Rajput or share some glasses of whisky with him and then enjoy rest of the night. He will do the craziest things you could ever imagine. So, if you are in Chennai right now, drop in to 42/6, 5th Trust Cross Street with a bottle of whisky and get ready to laugh till your stomach pains.

The best surprise!!

Yesterday was a great day for me. For the last two three days, I could feel that my colleagues had been cooking something but could not have a hint about what was going on. I was really feeling strange and ousted of the group for no practical reason. And then came a surprise on the way yesterday evening, they started pulling me up to my so-called office canteen and I started getting the hint. A meager reflection of candle lights on the canteen’s door made me confident about what was going on. It was my BIRTHDAY cake with lit candles. And they succeeded to have connived to a foolproof plan to utterly surprise me. It was one of my best birthday celebrations and I really felt special and touched. I thank to Rajput, Bandan, Muthu, Jayakrishnan and Jinesh and everyone involved for making it so special and appreciate this gesture from my heart. Thank you guys :-).

MOCKERY OF SECULARISM - 2

Recently, I came to know that Arjun Singh (HRD Minister, India) does not even know the actual percentage of OBC people in India but he wants at least 27% reservation for them. When asked this question, he shamelessly replied, “I don’t know the actual number but I think it is quite big and I leave it to people to decide”.

Today’s headlines say that Government’s decision was final for providing 27% reservation for OBC in Government institutes. Government has given notices to doctors, who have been on strike, to vacate the hostels at AIIMS and other medical institutes. Government has expelled these doctors because of their agitation against the reservation, whereas, doctors have said that they will never get back unless Government changes its decision.

What a pathetic Government it is, where they don’t listen to the requests of the people, where they don’t know why they are doing something. They take decisions if their own interests are getting fulfilled. It is like an oligarchy where the selected few take their decisions without peoples’ consent. And still they say it is democracy. Actually it is Government’s hypocrisy.

I sincerely appreciate the courage and determination of the people who are fighting against these caste-biased policies of Government and I wish them good luck.

MOCKERY OF SECULARISM IN INDIA

It’s been a long time since I wrote my last blog but all this time, despite being busy I have been thinking about what to write. It’s true that I did not get the time that I need to write something creditable but I am never sure whether, what I write, is creditable or not. So, no worries about it :-).

Nowadays, the most happening thing in India is the agitation and protest shown by people against the Government's determination to provide 27% reservation to OBC (Other Backward Castes) in the elite institutes (IITs, AIIMS, IIMs and other engineering, medical and management colleges) of the country. Already there is reservation for SC (Schedule Castes) and ST (Schedule Tribes), which is around 25%, in all the central institutes so after this stunt, total reservation in these institutes will be around 50% of the total seats and that is really disgusting and detestable for a growing country like India.

Actually, Congress is hiding its inability and impotence by providing the reservation to OBC. In the last around 60 years of independence, they have been winning and forming Government for more than 30 years. And in this long span of 30 years Congress could not do anything significant for backward classes, they could not provide better primary and secondary education to backward people so that they can compete and get in the institutes of high repute on the basis of merit, they could not provide better infrastructure and environment that can make a student from backward class feel confident and competent. Now suddenly (at the time of election in some of the states), the most detestable HRD Minister Arjun Singh came with a sick idea that we should provide reservation to OBC because they have been neglected for years. They say that we are simply trying to negate the imbalance but in reality they are trying to create the imbalance. They have shown that to get the votes, they can go up to any level whether it’s a question of country’s future and development.

Today morning I read in newspaper that honorary PM Manmohan Singh with his allies has confirmed 27% of reservation for OBC. I never knew that Manmohan Singh is only a dummy PM and he has no powers and no brains to run the government. They say that they would increase the number of seats for so-called general classes and they will lay down a plan to implement it as if it’s a matter of few weeks or months. For so many years, every intellectual including President Kalam has been saying that we should create more institutes like IITs and IIMs to provide a better growth path to our country but Congress did not hear it but now suddenly it looks like a great idea to them. Why?

Sam Pitroda, chairman of National Knowledge Commission (NKC), who has come from a backward family in Orrisa cited that there is no need of reservation as opportunities are there in India. Two of the prominent members of NKC have resigned citing Center’s inaction over OBC quota. All the industry leaders feel the same way but our politicians are committed to spoil the future of our dear nation to fulfill their politically motivated intentions.

Students from all around the country are protesting and fasting but Arjun Singh says it’s simply a hype they have created. Nobody from Government has gone to appease them except one or two bootlickers. They have been there on road in scorching heat for more than 7 weeks and only asking for a just answer. And what they have got from Government is confirmation of reservation. I truly respect and support all those people who are protesting against this mockery of secularism played by our Government and I wish them success.

Some of the intellectuals (including PMO officers) are even saying that Arjun Singh has done it because of his personal jealousy with Manmohan Singh because Sonia Gandhi (Congress President) chose latter over him as the Prime Minister so it’s his time to avenge.

Now, I have something to ask everyone. What we were thinking when we voted for these sick people? Pt Nehru wrote in one of his letters to chief ministers (which is available on web nowadays) that he opposes any kind of reservation because that will make our country a second or a third-rate country. Then why Arjun Singh wants to make India a third-rate country? Is it not clear, what are his intentions behind it? Is he not simply fulfilling his own politically motivated interests at the stake of our nation’s future? Is it not disheartening to know that such morally corrupt, inapt and unjust politicians like Arjun Singh decide our country’s future? Do they deserve our support in any way?

HIV/AIDS - Its better never than late

Why would one choose HIV/AIDS to write about? I will ask why not? It is the world's deadliest pandemic that has jeopardised the lives of more than 40 million people globally. The figures are stunning!!!

1. WHO estimates that it has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognised in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemic in the record history.

2. It has taken more than 3 million lives in 2005, an increase from 2004, in which nearly half a million were children.

3. It has infected more than 5 million people in 2005, again an increase from 2004.

So, how is it spreading its wings despite so many awareness programmes!!! Are we really aware of the reasons that cause HIV infection? Are we really safe with the kind of efforts all the health organisations are putting to keep it off?

I have grown up watching TV ad for the prevention from HIV infection. They say it does not spread by touching, kissing, hugging, eating together, using same clothes and utensils etc but they hardly speak about the ways through which it infects people. The general awareness in India is, it spreads through unsafe sex, blood tranfusion, needle sharing injection-drug use and a mother to her child. But don't we need to know deeper than this? Do we all know what is unsafe sex? We still find it difficult to discuss this with our young and adolescent children who are eventually at higher risk due to lack of proper knowledge. Isn't it our duty to apprise them about unsafe and safe(r) sex?

Unsafe sex (i.e. sex without any preventive measures with an HIV infected person) and sharing needles for injecting drugs are the primary causes of its widespread nature. Recent studies show that the cases of HIV infection due to needle sharing are decreasing but on the contrary, cases of HIV infection due to unsafe sex are alarmingly increasing in spite of all the awareness programmes and in spite of knowing that it is risky. People in the age group 15-40 are the worst hit by this epidemic.

The only way through which one can remain uninfected from HIV through unsafe sex is either abstain from it and remain committed to his/her partner or use condoms. Former is the best way to keep it off but this is not the only solution because people will indulge in casual sex and in turn, will menace their lives. Moreover, in case you are committed but not sure about your partner's status then also it's a kind of risk. Use of condoms can substantially reduce the chances of getting HIV infection. It also virtually reduces the chances of getting unwanted pregnancy. Although many health organisations are distributing free condoms but the number of HIV infected people is still increasing. Why? Can only distributing condoms stop people to have unsafe sex? Answer is a big NO. Because only giving them condoms does not necessarily persuade them to use it. We have to change their behavior and for that we have to change their cognizance that can only be done by educating them. We need to educate people about sex and the intricacies involved with it. We need to educate them about the threat, which a single unsafe sexual activity can pose to their lives. We need to educate them that any kind of unsafe sexual contact, be it anal intercourse (between men and men or men and women), be it vaginal intercourse (between men and women) or be it oral intercourse (between men and men or men and women), has its own risk and can destroy the whole life of any person and we need to educate them about the ways to feel sexual gratification with a condom too.

There is no cure for the HIV infection till now. Researchers have been trying for more than two decades to find some vaccine/medicine for this deadly infection but till now prevention is the only cure.

I must advice that do not invlove in sexual activities that can lead your life to a different path. If you are married then remain committed to your partner and avoid casual sex with others. If you are going to get married then make it an issue to know each other's status. If you are not married and invloved in sexual activites then use condoms and most importantly refrain from risky sexual activites because sometimes its better never than late.

PS : All the figures here are from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids

I was not knowing so many facts about HIV infection before reading from the following link.

http://www.thewellproject.org/

If you have doubts then do not delay. Do read from the above mentioned locations or other useful websites.

The TV ad mentioned above was quite recurrent on DoorDarshan, India.

Rest all is my personal view.

If this article helps even a single person, the purpose is solved.

All the comments and criticisms are welcome.