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Twitter and the world of hate - Delhi Gang Rape

Common wisdom says that venting out reduces frustration. Twitter, Facebook, and blogs help us achieve the same. While what normally starts as a "venting out" experience, I suspect is turning out to be an anguish enhancer. When I look at trending topics on twitter all what I see is a world of "Hate". Small pieces of hate messages turn out to be a big collective bunch of hate. Take the case of Delhi gang rape and some ill-minded comments of politicians and spiritual gurus. What started as scattered bickering remarks against a comment made by "Asaram" has now become a full fledged ball of rage. This rage was "non-directional", had no agenda and was oriented towards sarcasm and wit. While Delhi gang rape highlights poor governance, societal problems and problems of law and order, venting out on a forum that accumulates the frustration by many such people only adds to the low well-being. It is time we use some discretion and post messages that...

Delhi’s Auto driver

The dark man riding the lime buggy, his life, his ambitions and the traveller. It does not take much for him to make people frown and it takes even less for him to give a reason for them to smile. His meter, which is much like an antiquity in the buggy, with the red lines make strange numbers that will never transform into reality. A lemon coloured canopy and green metal frame form a community, unique to its existence that run through the arteries of India’s capital, Delhi. The auto driver of Delhi is a person who is known for charging abnormally high fares, rash driving and CNG. For a distance that is a stone’s throw away, they would charge you for hiring their Auto for the whole day. They leave no stone unturned in frustrating, harassing and causing delay to the commuter. This is the story of Raman Chatterjee who came from Kolkatta for getting a room on rent as he had taken admission in a B-school in Delhi. Staying at his brother’s house in Laxmi Nagar, a trans Yamuna area, the strug...

Aakriti Bhatia and misplaced anger

The case of Aakriti Bhatia, a class 12th student who died after an asthma attack has turned into probably the most important discussion. Its sad that Aakriti died unexpectedly in an untimely death but, I believe now emotions have gone out of control. The principal of the school (Mordern School, Vasant Vihar) Goldie Malhotra is beign asked to resign. Why ? Because a girl died. Now c'mmon, its a rare incidence and what role has Goldie to play in a case of rare natural death. Emotions can close the windows of mind, but surprisingly many parents coming out and doing hoo hallah is no way. Parents are demanding action against Goldie for alleged negligence. How can Goldie neglect her or how can he not. If a person suffers a heart attack, a medical room in school (Which my school had) help it. The whole story is still under the veil. Things such as, did her inhaler not work, or did she forget it at home, or the medical facility at school not have it can throw more light. Here I blame the...

Lets face it - Traffic worsens, no other choice left

I met my worst driving nightmare yesterday. Driving blues had become commonplace because of unplanned and shoddy execution of projects, the construction nightmare on Delhi roads gave me the coma effect yesterday. All I could see was a mile long array of cars and buses in the front and the view was same through the rear view mirror. The only good thing I had unknowingly done was taken my Maruti 800 buggy rather than its longer cousin. Although it was good to have taken a bike version of car, I could only pray to prevent it from overheating. In the end, the turtles defeated my car. Looking back at the chain of events yesterday I feel such nightmarish clogging of city roads is just an indication of how overburdened our "assets" have become. 3 years back speed checking cars of Delhi Police had some work but now I believe they are no longer needed and it is quite visible from their presence(the lack of it). The upcoming elections and the rallies will only further add to the perils...

Letter to MCD

The roads of Delhi have craters deep enough to bury a man without a single burp. The banana shake in our bodies created by the shake and stir is enough now. Respected MCD officials, Being a resident of Delhi for the last 11 years I've seen the city transform from a dusty under-construction hot place to a still dusty, flyoverized place preparing itself for the 2010 common wealth games. I've known it through the highs of flyover and metro trains to the lows of BRT corridor, terror attacks, rapes, murders and thefts, but still I keep living out of compulsion, out of hope. As many say it is tough to live in a metro, the word 'live' makes me laugh at my helplessness, at my fate, still I live, out of hope and compassion for the country I was born in. You gave me the feeling of moon when I drove my car through the roads of Delhi, those craters and bumps that still echo in my head and all I want to say is thank you for your gratitude. I behaved like an obedient citizen, followe...