Mohammad Afzal's family plead to Prez seeking clemency...

Heard on IBNLIVE:

"On her son's chat with the President, Tabassum said Ghalib wants to be a doctor and if his father was alive, he could realise his ambition.

Meanwhile, counsel Nandita Haksar said after Afzal's son Ghalib learnt about his father being hanged, he came home, tied a rope to the fan and tried to hang himself saying he wanted to know how much his father would be hurt if he was hanged."

Why is our media so incompetent? There are so many questions that should have been asked. This story screams "I am incomplete". I wish I could ask Tabassum whether she has any consideration for the children of the security personnel killed in the Parliament attack. Dont they have ambitions? Dont they wish to be doctors/engineers and scientists? Can these Desh Drohis fall any lower? The Prez has a special regard for children as builders of tomorrow's India. It makes my blood boil to see these shameless traitors attempting to use this for their anti-national purpose.

If the evil Afzal really wants clemency, he should beg before the mothers, wives and children of the slain jawans. He should accept that his so called Jihad was a huge misake and apologise for his crimes. He should become a government informer. If he wants to escape death, he should first prove that he is an Indian at heart.

I was impressed by the comprehensive anti-terrorism action plan outlined by the Prez in his speech on the eve of the Independence day. He has now been presented with an opportunity to walk the talk. The country is waiting Mr. Prez, to find out whether the National Campaign to Eradicate Terrorism (NCET) has substance or is it just another acronym...

Jai Hind!!!

9/11

It was the 5th anniversary of the attacks. I remember watching on TV, the gruesome images of the twin towers belching endless columns of smoke. A few months ago, when I first visited Ground Zero, I realised the magnitude of the damage. Most of the debris was cleared, of course, but there was a gaping hole in the ground where the majestic towers once stood. Looking almost out of place among the sky scrapers of downtown Manhattan.

Yesterday, as I sat on a bench at Exchange Place (NJ), gazing at the Manhattan skyline across the Hudson, I wondered what it must be like before 9/11/2001. The towers were almost twice as tall as the surrounding buildings, they say. As the golden glow cast by the descending sun over the city turned crimson, I decided to leave. I guess it will never be the same again. Neither for the people who lost part of their lives there nor for people like me who were not directly affected, but wished it had never happenned.

Later that night, I saw a faint indigo glow spread in my room. I swept the blinds away and saw before me, two powerful beams of light emerging from Ground zero, piercing the still night air and racing towards the heavens, to the abode of the 9/11 martyrs. May their souls rest in peace...

The call

It was a crazy week and the day was even worse. I was juggling too many things and my ToDo list was only increasing. I was seriously contemplating setting an out-of-office on Outlook and voicemail and walking out that door.

Until...my mobile rang. Now that was the last thing I wanted. It showed a friend's number so I took it. There dint seem to be anyone on the other side. And then I heard the sweet voice. I did not understand a word she said in her baby language. But she made me smile on a day like that. Thanks Naomi - you made my day. Naomi is Trilok and Kanchan's daughter, and a little over a year old
:)

Kick start...

I wake up with a start, grab my mobile to check the time. New voicemail - Executive cabs: "Your cab number is ***. It will be in Jersey City at 6:00am." I glance at the watch. 6:03!!! I curse and rant...while scrambling to get ready asap. It is 6:17 as I close the door and scamper down the 3 flights of stairs. Its raining. Great! What way to start a summer saturday.

Hey wait a minute did I say saturday? It should have started with "I wake up and check the time: 9:00am. 'Go back to sleep' I tell myself. And do so obediently."

But this saturday is different. I have to be at my offce at 6:30 am and the cab that will take me there is at my doorstep. I get in, as I apologise for being late, my eyes catch a small device mounted on the dashboard. It has a small 5" by 3" colour monitor flanked by sleek controls. I can't get my eyes off the Magellan RoadMate 360 North America. The cabbie can't not stop singing the praises of his GPS navigator. He keeps poking the roof animatedly to indicate the satellites that feed data into the navigator. I wonder how many more cab rides would it take to erode a hole into that roof. He tells me he bought it for $300 on ebay and there is no subscription or other costs involved. He insists it would work anywhere in the world...including India.

Theres something about cabbies and India. I cant remember one cabbie who let me ride without gushing over India like it was the best place they ever knew. And that always has the same effect on me - I smile and resolve to tip him an extra dollar. :)