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with a great sense
of pride and respect as the coveted statuette passes from hand
to hand at the annual academy of greats and greats...but, the
loss of the moment of truth to a scintillatingly, cultivated
series of emotions and values emerging from the celluloid of
art, cinema or written fiction carries also with it a sense of
light hearted banter and no serious offence to the genuinely
deserving contenders of upkeepers of truth, unlike...
Oh, for a moment
of truth!
Whereas, both are
industries, the movie industry and the political industry, the
political industry, hereinafter identified and referred to as
politicians, has an obligation to perform for the electorate,
hereinafter identified and referred to as public, and
therefore, cannot seek refuge in carefully cultivated make ups
of lies or corrupt practices unlike the world of celluloid
even though, it is quite apparent that both the industries
depend upon increasingly sophisticated techniques at lies.
It is truly a
fully developed environment, where it is almost informally,
legally accepted that the moment of truth should not be
expected in the world of politics and therefore, no real
breakthrough for the poor and the down-trodden and the world
passes, callously, millions of needy and beseeching eyes, in a
blitz of steely reds and colored purples! Desperate eyes, at
times, beseeching and at other times, hopeless, stretch their
arms to find that one supreme being, who shall relieve them of
their misery and show them the golden life of happiness,
contentment and prosperity! Read below and you will know,
immediately, whether the Superman will arrive or not!
8000 crores of
rupees are expected to be reserved for railway pension fund in
the forthcoming pay commision for those people, (in realistic
terms, without any offence to their hard work), who
successfuly worked for the Indian Railways for over 30 years
without attempting to generate a single rupee of profit! It is
only since 2004-5 that Indian Railways has reported profit,
publicly.
Oh, for a moment
of truth!
I had a couple of
50 paise coins (which I detested when the cab driver, the
previous day, handed to me), and when an old couple begged for
alms at a traffic light, in Mumbai, I looked away into the
oblivion of traffic, stuffing my detest for the clinking,
"cheap" coins in a huff of honour, weighed by a
conflict of "No, begging is not permitted" and
"How many alms can I truly give and how many men
to?" !
Princess like
strutted the young girl of about 4 years in a shining, blue
salwar kameez - strutting proudly for that one moment of rich
glory, at 7:00 AM on a cold morning - without a thought to not
having had breakfast and possibly, no sight or knowledge of
lunch!
But, what was I
doing, smoking in the balcony, waiting for the cigarette to
burn away when all it required was the courage to walk down
and hand a bread over? Fear that the next day I would be
barraged with scores of poor, wretched kin of hers. Where did
I think of this? That is why people, in India, are scared to
help the needy. Hey, what about the scores of NGOs, ethnically
clad in Indian couture, frequenting villages, slums and the
likes and helping the poor? Where do they get their courage
from? If these non-profit organizations can help, so bravely,
the poor then why not the....?
Oh, for a moment
of truth!
In effect, when
the physical disparity, between what is true and what is not,
is directly proportional to how soon or how late you get
framed in a photo placard and bestowed to history, there does
not seem any real need for all the disparities we have among
fellow humans. I know the names of Honey, Half Tail and other
big cats of Africa and their gorgeous lives.
When we can be as
emotional and caring for others, who don't even benefit us in
any way, what is it that keeps us helping those, who,
although, may not contribute much to the success of our
own lives, nevertheless, may harm our own quest for
something more and something more and something more.
Prior to History,
may be there was dust; prior to the British revolution,
probably there was no structured living; prior to the 20th
century, flying must have been as big a dream as discovering
the edge of universe is, today; prior to 1947, there was
no independence for us. And what has independence taught me,
who has not seen the struggle? That, independence should
always be accompanied with a sense of responsibility and
accountability otherwise, educated people take great pride in
forming a network, without a sense of fear nor conscience but,
who are scared of losing their jobs!
The infallibility
that democracy provides to corruption and hailed political
techniques is probably just a little on a rung higher to what
truth is to falsety in today's world!
No, not for a
moment of truth but, it is definitely worth noticing the men
and women, who look quizzingly at the great war between
Cricket Australia and the BCCI and millions of dollars at
stake when, they know, as we all know, that a small percentage
of such great displays can bring them up to a level where they
too can contribute to the progress and development happening
around them.
Is it that they
are cursed to live beside open drains, railway tracks and
playing fiddle to politicians or is it, that they are the real
moments of truth of our life?
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