Gurukul Trust

Today morning when I was casually moving through television channels, a story was attracted me and made me view it completely. Generally I never view a programme completely.

During Nizam's era a great philanthropist and arya samaj activist ( I do not remember the name but I will surely update in future) built a gurukul (a residential school which educates poor people). He used to go to the villages and ask the poor people to give their children to him so that he would educate them and make good citizens. He devoted all his life devoted to social service. He got 625 acres of land as a dowry offer by his father-in-law. But he refused the dowry but still this father-in-law registered the land on the name of Gurukul Trust he was running. Now the land alone is worth Rs 6000 Crores. But the descendants of the saintly man are in poverty stricken. The trusty members and politicians are openly selling and encroaching these lands. The fore runner is Mr YS Vivekananada Reddy with his sprawling building in the encroached land with all documents like power connection, water connection in tact with older dates backed to 6-7 years where the Google earth is telling that there was no building constructed 2 years earlier.

It is very disturbing to see that the land belonged to a great unselfish soul and meant for a great cause is now in the hands of hooligans. It seems that the middles ages with a lot of blood and sin were much more better than the days which we are witnessing now. It is astounding to see that these people so openly take the share of the kill with no shame. Instead of feeling guilt they are feeling proud!

I am more concerned on the fact that they have taken the people for granted. They never care about what people think about them. They know pretty well that on the election day the people again vote them. If not in this election, they will definitely vote them in the coming election. (The people would have been vexed up by their counter parts by that time). We can not expect a different result when the people are casting their votes by taking 500 notes and whisky bottles. The people who do not want these things are not voting at all. If the voting is done in selfless manner, we can expect leaders of quality. Till then...

Hyderabad Blasts

On 25.08.2007 there were serial blasts in Hyderabad. First one at Lumbini park laser show and the next one at Gokul Chat, Koti. At least 43 people were dead and many more were injured. Gokul Chat, which is situated right in the center of Hyderabad city, no ambulance was available to take the victims to hospital. After waiting for an hour, people stopped an APSRTC bus and shifted the injured to hospital. The bus performed the duty of ambulance in emergency. Irony is that the very people stoned the bus earlier in protest to the blasts (and many other buses also). Among the dead were people who represent all the country. There were Hindus as well as Muslims. People from all over India, north and south alike.

Hyderabad is panic stricken now, with the blasts. I used to eat cutlet and other fast foods in Gokul Chat right from my college days. I never expected the blasts to happen in Gokul Chat. I would have least surprised if the blasts were to happen in a temple or in a masjid. In a Theater or in a Shopping Mall, considering the prevailing terrorism in the state. I think the attack on Gokul Chat is a direct attack on Hyderabadi culture.

Political parties immediately started blaming one another. State Government blamed ISI to be responsible for the blasts. Central Government said there were no connections found yet with ISI or Pakistan, a more balanced statement. BJP said it is because the UPA government has scrapped the infamous POTA act and all such things are happening. They say this is done by Muslim fundamentalists. TDP says the chief minister is responsible and he should immediately resign. There were also certain comments heard to be saying that this is done by Hindu fundamentalists. They argue 'agar muslim hain to kyon Mecca Masjid mein bhi bomb lagate?'. That is also a question to be answered.

In my view, it is all because of the one word, fundamentalism. Because of that only all these evils. It is always wrong to choose extremes. May it be Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam or any thing else. May it be a political faith like communism. Fundamentalist always believes that his views are only the ultimate truth and he can not see any other way of thinking. And therefore he tries to force his views on others by any means he feels just. His ultimate goal is to make the people believe in what he believes and to eradicate the people the who do not have faith in his words.

Never stick yourself to extreme ends. If you choose the middle path, you will find several solutions for the problems. You will start accepting others' beliefs to be as valid as yours. All faiths seem to be one and the same. People of different communities, nationalities, faiths look like our own intimate relatives!