Rasta Aur Basta

Image Source: CAPTIVATING KASHMIR (Instagram) As I write this piece, the weather turns around and spring makes way for the blossoms in the Kashmir Valley. The ice melts and as it is expected, the infiltration bids tend to increase through the LoC. For the locals, some hope to see tourists arriving over Asia’s largest Tulip Garden: Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Gardens in Srinagar. Lakhs of people are coming to admire this garden on the foothills of Zabarwan range. Though, the valley has witnessed some of the bloodiest days in the recent years, there is something to cheer for the Army, a successful month ending with the killing of atleast 13 militants in three encounters in Shopian & Anantnag. CM Mehbooba urging centre about “Reconciliation”, interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma talks about showing restrain over civilian killings to the security forces; still valley remains on the edge. As the winters depart & financial year ends, let’s track WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING IN KASHMI...

Image Source: Catch News On the counting day, amidst the trends started pouring in favor of Samajwadi Party, I read a tweet by a random politics enthusiast, “BJP wins every state election, but loses every by-poll. People are confused! And that’s why they want simultaneous elections…” With an astonishing win registered in the red bastion of Tripura just a week ago, the saffron flag suffers a dent after a humiliating defeat in the home turf of “brand” Yogi. Gorakhpur being ruled by Goraknath Matt for 28 years, Yogi himself ruling since 1998 & prior to him by his Guru Mahant Avaidyanath, now goes into SP’s fragment even with a fall in vote-share of the BJP. With a pre-poll unconditional support coming in from Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party turns out to be a game changer, just a day after a dinner hosted by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to look into possibilities of “an anti-BJP” coalition.   Image Source: Ndtv.com Results in UP shows that the combine of SP-BSP whic...

(Image Source: indiablooms.com Whatever seems to be impossible, for the duo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, turns out to be victorious, and sometimes with much bigger margin. With this, Tripura gives, the BJP it’s CM number 15. The journey from “Shunya” to “Shikhar”, in BJP’s ideological battle against the Left, in a region that is crucial to RSS plans, the Tripura result is more than another state victory. With PM Modi in Party’s Delhi Headquarters dedicating this victory to the slain party workers died in political clashes in the state, CPI (M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury blamed the “money and muscle power” used by the BJP in all northeastern States. After ruling for straight 20 years out of 25 years of Left Rule in Tripura, the outgoing Chief Minister Manik Sarkar would never have mused of such a fierce loss and that too from their arch rival. TRIPURA IN NUMBERS In the 60 member (elections were held on 59 seats) assembly of Tripu...

Roads no matter how they are, they are always story. Some give rest to the tired feet, some make you  dream beneath the stars. I like to take road less travelled: Saransh Goila.” Local People Crossing the river on boat early morning near Gai Ghat.    Dreams* are always reliable, especially when you Dream* to travel to your Dream* place. You can dream endlessly and still remain unsatisfied.  I’ve learnt during my reporting training that there tend to remain a bitter truth “behind the scenes”, let’s call it: chamak-damak . Ok! Let’s come out of over-thinking. Let me take you across my over exhilarated trip to the Land of Ghats. I expected it to be a thrilling experience, but, it turned out to be a mess! Many avoidable mistakes by us and moreover my decision to take along a group of non-enthusiast people who might not have watched Masaan! My mistake, deadly mistake! While it’s a common notion that mostly youngsters would take up adventurous trips and pre...

जब मैंने पहली बार संत बाबा गुरमीत राम रहीम सिंह इंसान का नाम सुना था तो ऐसा सेक्युलर नाम सुन के ही खुशी हो गई थी। लेकिन वो किसी ने कहा है ना कि नाम में क्या रखा है ? काम पता करने के बारे में सोचा तो महीनों बाद टी.वी. पर बाबा को गाना गाते सुन लिया। कुछ साल बाद घर के साथ वाले खाली प्लाट में सालों से पड़ी झाड़ियाँ अचानक साफ कर दी गई। देश में चल रहे तथाकथित निर्मल भारत अभियान से भी ज़बरदस्त सफाई तो मैंने बाबा के समर्थकों को करते हुए देखा। यहाँ मैं यह भी बता दूँ कि हरियाणा का होने के कारण, राम रहीम का यहाँ प्रचार ज्यादा ही है। देश के इसी हिस्से में प्रति वर्ग किलोमीटर सबसे ज्यादा बाबा हैं (पंजाब सहित)। कुछ साल बाद जब मैं दिल्ली कालेज में था तो ब्रेक में ढोल-गानों (और तिरंगों) के साथ डेरे के लोगों को जाते देखा। सभी बाबा की पहली फिल्म MSG के प्रचार में घूम रहे थे। बीच में एक-दो बार सफाई करते या फिल्म के प्रचार के लिए ही बाबा को देखा या सुना। और अब सीधा 16 अगस्त 2017 को जब पंचकुला में सज़ा के तारीख तय हुई। आगे जो कुछ हुआ आपके सामने है। BABA RAM RAHIM IN SAFAI MAHAABHIYAN IN KARNAL (SOU...

SNAPCHAT POST OF 8th JUNE It’s 1 pm and Sun was exactly over my head. At platform no 1 of Karnal railway station I waited for my train which’s one hour late and abruptly an announcement: “May I have your attention please. Train no 12460 from Amritsar to New Delhi (ND) via Ambala Cantt., Panipat, Sabzi Mandi is further delayed by one hour and is expected to reach by 2pm. The inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.” RAMESH KUMAR, THE OLD MAN Uff! It’ll be close. At 4:35 my train for Bareilly (BE) will depart from New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). It’s 9 th of June & as I’ll reach BE it’ll be 10 June and 10 May’s (Tanmay’s) birthday and this is what for I planned such a long and hectic journey. According to National Train Enquiry System (NTES), if current time is followed, I will reach ND by 4:12. Cool! However, my train arrived Karnal at 2:15 pm and I got my reserved window seat. Waiting in such a humid weather bound me to have a short nap until I started reading Ind...

आफिस के दो महीने में जो कुछ देखा, सीखा और जाना सब एक दम नया था और मैं सब इस लिए लिखना चाहता हूँ ताकि आगे आने वाले मेरे जूनियर्स पहले ही यह जान लें कि जैसा हम क्लासरूम में सोचते हैँ वैसा कभी होता नही है। ख़ैर मेरे आफिस ब्रेकअप की दूसरी “ बरसी ” है तो मैंने अपने दो कारण ज़ाहिर करने का फैसला किया है। ना चाहते हुए भी यह दोनों कारण पर्सनल ही हैं क्योंकि “ प्रोफेशनल इज़ पर्सनल ” । निजी इस नाते कि ये दोनों कारण मेरी निजी विचारधारा को चुनौति देते है। पहला कारण: इससे पहले वाले ब्लाग में। गुरू गोबिंद सिंह जी के 350वें प्रकाश उत्सव पर बंगला साहिब से दूसरा कारण : काम : कालेज के ढाई साल में मैंने लिखने, बोलने और पढने की अच्छी प्रैक्टिस की। तो ज़ाहिर सी बात अच्छे काम की ही उम्मीद थी। चैनल छोटा था तो उम्मीद और बढ़ गई। लेकिन मेरे शुभचिन्तकों ने मुझे एक ही सलाह दी की पहले एक बार ऐन्ट्री ले लो बाकी सब अपने आप हो जाएगा। मेरी ट्रेनिंग शुरू होने के तकरीबन एक हफ्ते बाद मुझे असाइनमेंट डेस्क पर शिफ्ट किया गया। काम अच्छा लगा लेकिन यहाँ लिखने का नाम था ही नही और बोलने ...