Of Rajas, big and small, and some creepy crawly insects

It is a sad day for the world -- there is so much unsettling that is happening around the world ...

That a dear friend of mine died yesterday seems to be the only grief that seems justified... all the rest seems totally unnecessary and unjustified... perhaps it is the beginning of the end of this world and this civilisation as we know it... the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, the unbelievable tragedy that is unfolding in Gaza, the misery in the aftermath of the earthquake in Venezuela, the madness of the many wars led by the orange-head in the US and back home... images of protesting fasting students and the arrogance and total insensitivity of those in power at the capitals, both big and small, of the country. 

What is amusing (if one can allow onself to smile in the midst of so much unpleasantness) to see in the midst of all this is the parallels that are being created by the small wannabe emperors in their own lands ... wanting to be seen not lacking in their blind allegiance, they try to imitate whatever their lords and masters do ... so if in Delhi Sonam Wangchuk is being taken away for protesting against the corruption and malpratices in the education system, in Guwahati Pranab Doley has been picked up for protesting against setting up of a superstar luxury hotel in Kaziranga. And rather than address the issues or concerns raised, our elected leaders of this sham democracy spend their energies trying to erase public visuals of the malaise... first it was an image of Zubeen Garg as a socialist under the Dispur flyover that made our overlords see red, then it was an image of Sonam Wangchuk painted by some Government Art College students in Basistha -- and rather than listen to what the citizens are saying, the present dispensation has created an army of uncouth and brash digital soldiers who will troll you and harrass you till you are silenced. 

Here normal decency, good will and kindness has no place anymore. You can be jailed for simply asking a question. You can be arrested for only uttering someone's name.  This whole country has been handed over to a bunch of greedy and unscrupulous industrialists by our corrupt and completely heartless rulers. And our systems have been systematically destroyed and handed over to the private sector -- education where thousands of government schools have been closed down, health where government hospitals have no money even to buy syringes and gauge to treat their patients, and so on. We saw how elections are handled by the ruling dispensation -- they can choose their voters, and some voters do not have the right to even believe that they are citizens of the country! It is getting worse by the day... the kings, their cronies, the reflecting mirrors and the echo chambers that keep them secure...

But the voices outside are getting stronger. Tomorrow is the 20th July 2026. I am rooting for Sonam Wangchuk as well as for Abhijit, Neha and all the amazing younsters who are showing us how to stand up against injustice and corruption...wishing them all the strength and courage they need to face the wrath of the huge government juggernaut... our generation is responsible for the rot... what is even worse, most of us are still shameless and unapolegetic about it... but what amazing restraint, resilience and maturity our younger generation is showing... my hats off to them... 

I am hopeful the next generation will stem the rot and get our country back on its rails again...for they deserve to survive, these tiny creepy insects who are crawling out of the woodwork, in increasingly greater numbers,  everywhere...