COULD AAP BE THE CHANGE?

BY NOLAN PINTO

Picture courtesy-

www.thehindu.com

For years while growing up, I always discussed this when the subject of politics was brought about as to why could not politicians be down to earth and focus on issues that matter the most to us all. Matters such as continuous electricity, clean water, good roads, better government hospitals and schools and much much more.

While watching Arwind Kejriwal deliver his speech in the Delhi Assembly before the all important vote made me feel that suddenly there is a possibility of this nation changing after all.

For long, many elders dejected with politics in this country told me that nothing happens in India and nobody can change the way politics is played over here. The best option would be to leave the country and settle abroad where at least things are way better and cleaner.

I had nothing to hold on to while always arguing that India can change and will change. Listening to AK speaking that day, I personally felt happy that the change is here. I believe we need to give AK's AAP some time and not pounce on them every other day when things do not move forward. After all, they have to clean and fight the rut that has set in for more than 6 decades. Not an easy job at all for anybody.

So, lets give them time to settle in, take stock of the situation, get a good feel of things, understand up close and personal where the system is failing and more. I would say with the way they have begun all guns blazing, it will not take them more than 3 months max to get the show on the road completely.

It is but human nature to want things done fast but as we all know, things done fast 90% of the time, end up a big waste. Let us have patience. Further more, their success has led to people in thousands wanting to join the party.

I can see it happening in Bangalore with corporates standing up and taking the plunge. The old school politicians will surely be laughing at all this. Their mantra as always is to target the poor and gullible and end up winning.

INNOCENTS JAILED, WHILE THE GUILTY ROAM FREE?

BY NOLAN PINTO

A pastor who regularly helps in the prison here in Mysore and I were having a talk on many things a few days ago. From what happens in there to how life is tough for them, we touched upon all these and more. The warden himself confessed to the pastor that many in there are not at all accused or involved in the crime but due to reasons unknown to us, were put behind bars.

The pastor then began to speak about how those incarcerated have lost their families. They could not even get out when somebody was sick, dying or even passed away. They had to grieve in silence. What caught my imagination was that Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is out on parole. His wife is unwell and hence the authorities gave him a month if I am right.

He told me about this one man, who was allegedly falsely put in jail. He was an eye witness to a murder. This person has been in jail for the past 8 years. During these years, his wife, son and parents passed away. The pastor tells me that this man has nobody and nowhere to go. The jail is now home sweet home. Even if he is let out now, he said, what can he do? Shunned by society and by his own relatives, who will give him a job? This man, when asked by the pastor for his jail number did not know what that was either. The others convicts upon hearing him being asked, forced him to go get all the documents he had to give it to the pastor. Such is that man’s state of affairs.

Then there was another case where this man was jailed after his wife passed away. Again, we do not know how true it is but according to him, his wife's family put a dowry case on him and that is how he was arrested and incarcerated. He told this pastor that if his wife was alive, she would tell the world he is innocent. She, according to him, was suffering from heart problems and he, the husband tried to take care of her by getting her treated in different hospitals. He was crying bitterly while narrating his life.

I listened patiently and quietly to what he was saying, all the time feeling real sad and at the same time once again angry with our system. The system that favours the rich and powerful and ignores the poor.

Maybe they were wrong and deserved punishment, maybe they have been reformed or maybe they just have been framed. All I am saying is that the justice system must be equal to all. Why is Sanjay Dutt out on parole while these people are stuck inside? I am sure his wife has a lot of aides and family to look after her. They are not without money either. So why did he get parole? Our system sucks.

I have personally seen how the poor are treated and how the rich are worshipped. It is sickening to see all that happening in what we call a thriving democracy. WE are not a democracy.