Recent developments in Pakistan, the provocative statements issued by their politicians and the military buildup along the border demonstrate that Pakistan is a great deal more zealous for a war than India is, bringing back memories of the Kargil war, where Pakistan launched offensives on an unsuspecting India for no apparent reason. It does make one wonder what exactly is going on in the minds of Pakistan’s Leaders. No matter whoever comes to power, they always appear to be more obsessed with India than they are of their own people and the development of their country. Over the years, Indian government has made innumerable attempts to patch up things with Pakistan for better bilateral ties, yet somehow it always boils down to a tense affiliation.

Why are they so fixated on us? We have definitely grown beyond Pakistan and have left them far behind where progress and economic development is concerned. Are they unable to digest our prosperity? Has their irrational jealousy gotten out of control and is the reason for innumerable attacks on India in the name of terrorism? Indian’s are least interested in Pakistan’s affairs. Do they hate being ignored and this repeated incursion on our soil by their terrorists and ISI men a cry for attention? What do they really want? Is it the Hindu population in India that is infuriating them? Would they have been so incessantly felonious towards India, had Indian population had a greater part of Muslim inhabitants like Bangladesh and other Islamic countries?

Let’s debate if the government of Pakistan really represents its people? Are they speaking the common man’s language? It’s no hidden fact that the country is plagued by poverty and unemployment, yet the government instead of paying attention to the welfare of their own people, gives the impression of being more interested in the welfare of Kashmiries, who have yet again demonstrated their loyalty to India by turning out in large numbers, breaking past records, to vote for democracy in recent elections. Do the people of Pakistan dislike India as much as their leadership does? Do killing innocent Indians, just because they are not Muslims give them that sadistic pleasure? It definitely is a triumph to the radicals that their politicians are sheltering in their country. I have come across so many educated Pakistanis and they appear friendly, so much unlike the impression their politicians give us.

Behavior of Pakistani leaders have always been erratic, they foster terrorists, capture innocent Indian fisher men and put them behind bars and arrest credulous Indian visitors and tag them as spies. When questioned, they make inconsistent statements, blame everything on India, and threaten of a war. Even regarding the recent terrorists strike in Mumbai, no matter what proof you supply, they refuse to acknowledge that Kasab is a Pakistani, even when Kasab’s father and fellow villagers claim him as their own. What do you do with a government that is this obstinate and is just unwilling to mend their ways?

So, how do we handle this neighbor that albeit may not be a direct obstacle to our country’s advancement is still a chronic itch that is beyond arm’s reach? There definitely is no quick fix solution to this problem. We have to continue ignoring them, strengthen our security system and hope that one day they come to their senses and start looking after their own welfare.

Makes you realize that with a neighbor like that, we don’t need an enemy, do we?

I tried putting off blogging on this subject for quite some time now, but with media broadcasting increasingly disturbing news each passing hour, politics getting dirty, while the real issues get sidelined yet again, coughing up so many negative emotions in me, mainly anger; and While I cannot get down to streets to protest, voicing my thoughts is the only healthy constructive outlet.

It all started on a seemingly very peaceful night, when we returned home from a late night party and I switched on the TV to catch a glimpse of the news. What I saw can only be described as an overwhelming shock, disturbance and a sense of loss. Terrorist attack on Mumbai was one thing, but the loss of three most well trained, well experienced officers was unforgivable! I sat the whole night watching the developments and as I watched Taj go up in flames, the horror, panic and grief I felt was as if my very own roof was burning.

I have since been closely following up on turn of events and I cannot help but wonder what is wrong with us Indians and our politicians. Let’s face it; we get the kind of politicians we deserve. They are there, because we have elected them or the educated ones have failed to cast their votes.

Recent Mumbai attack was not the first time, we have been targeted by the terrorists time and again and it is not going to stop. This time, the only error the terrorists did was that they singled out the rich and the elite. Money is power, no wonder, this particular Mumbai attack has had such massive impact on our politicians and so many heads have rolled since then. But that’s not enough.

What India needs is a responsible attitude and respect for life. It’s a shame that a few terrorists came through boat and held the financial capital for ransom. It speaks in volumes of how weak our national security is. What we need to do is secure our border so no one enters our country unauthorized. We have to scrutinize to whom we are giving the visa. We need more security checks and bomb detectors all over the country. And instead of spending our taxes on expensive cars and body guards for politicians, we need to get our police officers and army men a better pay, arms and protection devices.

Every news channels seem to be hinting of developments leading to a war. But is it wise to go on a war against Pakistan, especially during an economic crisis that Indian is facing today? Would US really stand by us during the war? But isn’t Pakistan an ally of US and doesn’t protecting an ally become a duty of US? Looking at the activities of Pakistan from past couple of months including repeated firing at the border, Pakistan appears to be increasingly provoking India in to a war. It seems to me that they have an agenda up their sleeves and are very ready for a war. Where does China stand in all this? We all know that the weapons used by terrorists are made in China and we also know that China and Pakistan are better pals. India and China have always had a tense yet unacknowledged relationship related to Dalai Lama and border issues. Moreover China seems to be in a war like mood too. They have recently strengthened their military capacity and it wouldn’t surprise me if behind Pakistan’s flamboyant arrogance lies China’s support. If there is war, China is more likely to support Pakistan and we cannot depend on our ever fickle, opportunistic US, even if they were the ones who talked us in to the war in the first place. The real victim of any war is the civilian. So keeping India’s well being in mind, a war against Pakistan is extremely ill advised.

What India can do, is pressurize US to stop funding Pakistan and urge UN to deal with terrorists inside Pakistan. An even better strategy would be to end all financial and trade ties with Pakistan. Meanwhile, we need to understand that Pakistan is least bit of our problem. Handling terrorists inside Pakistan is a Pakistani problem; we just shouldn’t let them enter our soil. Our problem lies with us and “chalta hai” attitude of our politicians. Nothing was done when every single Pandit was either killed or forced out of Kashmir; What preventive measures was taken after the serial bomb blasts in Bangalore, Ahemedabad and Delhi in recent past? It always ends up in political blame game. What we don’t need is publicity mongers making controversial remarks to stir hateful emotions that can destroy our solidarity. We don’t need so called human rights activities who somehow always tend to support the criminals and terrorists.

There is no such thing as spirit of Mumbai; it’s only their helplessness that keeps them going. We don’t need to be hunted down, we need to be protected for if we are secure, no one can harm us.

It’s happened again, the brutal death of an engineer at the hands of a MLA who tried extorting money for Mayawati’s birthday celebrations is yet another grim reminder of the atrocities committed by our politicians against the very people who have bestowed them with power. However Mayawati disowns the allegations and yet suspiciously enough, refuses CBI enquiry. The good tiding is that, the accused MLA has been arrested; for, so many other powerful politicians before have gotten away with their crime, because the loopholes of law are large enough for them to slip through.

But why do we have such politicians? Let’s take Mayawati for example. Does she need to celebrate her birthday on such grandeur? The Taj corridor controversy; shutting down of reliance shopping mall, just because they were purchasing directly from the farmers, giving them a better price and cut out the agents, are just a few examples of corruption. The protests of poor farmers fell on deaf ears and were silenced with a lathi charge. She even banned public from wearing black dresses while watching a cricket match that was held in her city! She plans to be the next prime minister of India! God forbid!

Let’s take the case of Laloo Prasad Yadav, another Prime Minister wannabe, who, not very long ago was quite well known for his corruption and gundagiri, yet, like Shibu Soren, a murder accused, he is now a close ally of the government and all the charges against him have been dropped. If it is of any consolation, he appears to be doing well in the railway department and let’s hope that he has cleaned up his act.

Down south, we have karunanidi, who gave away free color TV to everyone, no, not from his own pocket, but our hard earned money we had parted as taxes. The people who received this TV are so happy that they will continue to elect him as their CM for next, god knows, how many terms. Little do they realize that they cannot run TV with out electricity and their life would have been much better had the government provided them with electricity, irrigation system and schools for their children. Of course not that they have an alternative choice, for in the opposition stands Jayalalitha, equally shady; and not be outdone, if she wins she will supply gratis fridges to one and all. No wonder each alternative election, it’s either him or her that get elected, whoever seems to be the lesser of the two evils at that time.

Come to Karnataka, we have Deve Gowda and his sons playing government maker or breaker and had both congress and BJP at his feet for a long time, i.e., until people decided enough is enough and voted him out completely!

Let’s move towards two most prominent communist’s state, fostering loud mouthed politicians. A Kerala MLA abuses pilot and calls him a driver, while CM bad mouths a martyr’s family. In Bengal, the poor were abused by the communist workers during singur agitation. Both these states are so backward in developments, beleaguered by unemployment and their labor union’s makes it absolutely impossible for any decent company to open up and prosper.

And then we have national level politics; the ruling government always claims that they are performing better than how the opposition did in their terms. If only they let people decide that! The opposition party thinks their only job is to oppose what ever the government does, weather it is for the good or bad of the country is of no consequence. They just oppose because they are the opposition.

The politicians have made a habit of dividing people on religious and geographical basis. What does Raj Thackery have to say about Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who although was born in kerala, grew up in Bangalore, gave up his life fighting terrorists in Mumbai? When Saddam Hussein was executed, which although caused a rage in Iraq, did not rouse any of the neighboring gulf countries, all are Islamic states, mind you; nonetheless we have in India; politicians and human rights activist bringing people to street to protest even though we are least remotely related to Iraq.

Is it any wonder, that in India, we are like this only?