State of Republic 60 years later...

Buying Peace with WMD is another title.

The Republic nation is in conflict with its own citizens like never before. The war rhetoric that can be drummed by outside powers, can occupy the minds of our government and can deafen them to the basic rights plea of our own people.

The paranoia of insecurity whether it be in food, energy or border issue can be named by the perpetrators of 'solutions' and our government can believe them without adequate thought or vision.

Our perceptions are on sale through the visual media, our rights are on sale for a wee-bit more of FDI, our life style is on sale in urban centres of living, our children are on sale for the education factories, our best minds are on sale for sustaining someone else's profit, our lands and rivers are on sale for washing and retaining others' synthetics, our lives cannot be sold, because the majority of us are so poor, we will fetch no price unless sold in bulk...in the sixtieth year of Republic, we sell our votes, not as a mark of protest to the republic, but, to be part of a national culture, a culture that is most practiced by the State.

If the State thinks stocking more WMDs is way to Peace, selling votes is no less valid way to practice Republic.

However, the promise and potential remains because, the young still learn their mother tongue at home, learn a few peaceful traditions in society, pride in communities, aesthetics in culture and some understanding through religion. These have existed despite the State's best efforts to destroy them. Our Republic will survive if these don't give up on the State. 

Bt Brinjal: A Robert Clive arrives...will we commit the blunder of our ancestors??

It is said that when Robert Clive marched into the streets of Calcutta, there were just a few hundred white soldiers marching in with him, while several thousands watched them marching in from the road side.  Though armed and aided, if only each of those had thrown a stone on the invading murderers, Indian history could be different today, say our historians.

Aided by twisted authority and Powered with Money, Bt Brinjal is about to invade our midst, will we remain the mute spectators our ancestors were? Do we have the courage to act in our own small way and say 'no' to this mindless technology and meaningless product?

Several civil society organizations have forged alliance to jointly say 'No, we don't want Bt Brinjal or any GMOs for India', indicating that this is no longer a issue of farmer or technocrat alone, but, also the issue for every citizen and consumer.

Do whatever you can, attend the consultations if you happen to be living in any of the towns where it is happening. Write a letter to mark your protest, sign a petition, get others to sign, talk to neighbours, friends, un-friends, strangers...tell people that this is a time to act or history will never forgive us, just like we will never forgive those sods who watched Clive walk in awestruck and didn't think it was their right to do something and act.

Don't wait and be a victim, better act today and say 'no' to all GMOs, including the bt Brinjal.