Thursday, July 05, 2007

Where is the world heading to ?

As I write, the umpteen number of news channels are covering various stories across the globe. And the saddest part? EVERY bit of it is depressing (to say the least). Let's start off with the London-Glasgow 'foiled' (rather, 'failed') terror plot. The latest (at the moment) is that Indian doctors are suspects. Muhamed Haneef has been detained in Austraila for interrogation; similarly, Sabeel Ahamed has been detained in Liverpool. To think that they are responsible would be to jump to a premature conclusion. After all, one is innocent until proved guilty.

Nevertheless, life for Indians in the UK is going to be an uphill task from now on. By corollary, Indians will be mistrusted and a possible racial backlash can't be ruled out. Gordon Brown, the PM of the UK, has called for stricter policies and scrutiny of recruitments to the National Health Services (NHS). And indeed, if doctors were involved....I wonder-
How can educated, intelligent, rational people abet terrorism?

Next prominent news doing the rounds is the clash between security forces and Islamic students at Lal Masjid, Pakistan. There are talks of 'jihad being declared' and also the threat of 'suicide bombers'. A theory doing the rounds is that it is a 'staged' episode to divert attention from the removal of the Chief Justice. Nevertheless, bloodshed and gore is imminent, is what I can make of it. Infact, bombings have already taken place. The Government might move in to forcefully evacuate the radicals from the adjoining madrassas and the Masjid.

And then, the story of Suraj, a 6-year old boy (some news channels claim 2-and-a-half-years) stuck in a borewell which is 180-feet deep. It has been more than 30 hours (I believe) and the child has not shown any signs of consciousness. Are the military forces working for a lost cause? Nothing can be said. Last heard, they were trying to make a parallel path to reach the child. And to add to the agony, the crane doing the excavation rolled over and injured another 5 people ! Another 'Prince' you think??? Well, atleast he was fortunate to get out of it alive. There have been many such cases in the recent past...and none of them survived. What happens of this...only time can tell.

Another terrible story I came across was that of a girl child being buried ALIVE (yep...ALIVE!!) by her mother (yes again....her MOTHER!!!) and grandfather (I believe, in Hyderabad). That was the most inhuman thing to do! It seems the child was the 8th girl child born to that couple. And to make it worse, the father suspects that the child is not his (nopes...it's NOT a movie plot !!). That prompted the mother to resort to this. The child's cry attracted the attention of the neighbours and that's how the child got a second chance at life. With so much resistance, it is only obvious how the child will be recieved by her 'family'. We may lament, criticise and condemn the mother (and the act). But imagine, if she had to resort to it, what must have forced her into doing it? No, I'm not supporting her or justifying her. But then, that's worth cogitating.

I'm an optimist (mostly). But I have been searching for the proverbial 'silver lining'.

Sadly, it is nowhere to be seen.


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Thought for the day: "If you don't long to live, then you won't live too long."

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