Anyway, Nawaz Sharif is an inspiration for the moment. He has just stated that Pervez Musharraf has "lost his mental balance".
I like the honesty. Frankly, thats what we need. We need people to call a spade a spade, whether the spade in question is a corrupt theif of a politician, a government that is clearly failing miserably at implementing its policies, or just a friend who needs a reality check.
Impassioned by what Nawaz Sharif has roused in me, I would also like to state that Pratibha Patil being the first woman president of India is hardly something to be proud of! So stop saying it! Stop making it out to be a big deal.
As a woman, when I hear that it makes me angry.
Imagine her being introduced to the world for the first time-
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Introducing! For the first time ever! Leader of over a billion! Supreme Commandant of the Armed Forces of the Republic of India! A shining example of She Shakti! The Hon'ble President of India- Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil!"
I can just picture a large crowd, standing up a little more with every word of the presenter, in spine tingling anticipation.
And then when she trots onto the stage, I can also imagine the applause of thousands reduced to a few hesitant claps.
It's like we've been waiting for so long, finally we have a woman in...cough cough...power, and she is the best we could do??
Doesn't speak highly of women to be associated with a little rag, sapped of all energy and dynamism.
Personally, I would like to see some life.
Josh, if you please.
Throw me in jail, but that's how I really feel.
P.S. E-mail sent to my mother, vino, and a journalist friend from Tehelka (I was hoping this third one would pitch the idea to Tarun Tejpal) few days ago:-
"There should be a speaker's corner in delhi, at India Gate or some such central place so that people can go there and hurl abuses at the government, exposing the hollow and termite eaten core of its officials.
it's a shame that fear of humiliation is the main guiding force of action. there should be a way to make use of that. tedi ungli se ghee nikaalne ka prabandh hona chahiye!"
Jai Hind!
