Casteing a census.

The cabinet is brooding over the 2011 census need to be conducted for the 1.1 billion citizens.Its been 80 years since all the castes were taken into account. After that only the SCs/STs were numbered.
The naysayers of caste-census are mainly from the elite and educated . They are mainly against the caste system and are afraid of the neo-nationalism taking birth in the country.Caste is seen as a division but what they are arguing is against the caste system and not the census. For the census they cite the framers of the constitution who decided to do away with the caste based counting. The counter argument can be the fact that the constituent assembly hoped for a caste free society in just 10 years. The reservation for these castes was only till 1960 and since then the articles are amended every 10 years to include the policy.Caste is a reality. A totally caste based party winning a majority in the 16 crore populated state shows how important is caste to a voter.Moreover,till the last census we had reservations only for the SCs/STs and the decennial census kept the count. In 2008 Supreme Court ruled in favour of reserving seats for OBCs and there arises a need to know the numbers for which the policies are framed. We do need the numbers but what the issue is "SHOULD CENSUS BE USED TO COLLECT CASTE STATISTICS OR SOME OTHER METHODS BE EMPLOYED"?
In census each family is asked about the data .As the home minister agrees, the enumerators lacked the sociological sensitivity to record and classify the population on the basis of caste and sub-caste. There are about 3000 castes under OBCs only and each one of them are different in economic and social status.More surprisingly is the fact that if a caste is poor in one region the same caste is the most affluent in another region. Backward classes commissions at the State and Central levels be better placed to conduct a detailed survey.These surveys are mainly sample surveys and are handled keeping in mind the various issues involved with the castes.
The political parties are divided on the issue for the known reason of politics but what we demanded were good debates on a national level . The cabinet is sealing the fate of caste census today and the decision will be out soon. I hope after today's decision we do not remain divided and come together to contribute in "the biggest exercise of humankind".

Movie review: Kites

The story of 70's is rolled and packed with the glamour and appeal of Hrithik and Barbara.The boy giving his coat to the drenched girl shaking and shivering in rain but what is new is that the girl is taking out her sweater and bra to pay dollars . It was a long time since we saw a hero, a heroine and a villain and chase & run stories but Kites could not manage to fly high with this simple idea.
To make an exotic entry for the mexican in the bollywood the director makes her up as a mermaid. It looks Hrithik is struck with her on the first sight but a minute later a new flashback tells you that they are already married. The two birds fall in love and elope leaving the millionaire fiancee estranged on the gun point.All this happens in Vegas with shimmering lights and shining glasses but does not remain there.The two crosses the mexican borders to get married again. Chasing and running continues till a futile end.
The performances are okay.Kangana fits as always best in the hyper-crazy role. Salim-sulaiman background music is below standards with Rajesh Roshan's romantic themes. Anurag Basu is not able to use the fine actors, sizzling girls and expensive locations to create any magic with the dull story. Save your money for buying melons this summer.

Queen and the Soldiers

Starting at 5:30 in the morning from Meerut we were passing by Dehradun at about 11. Before we are enchanted by the hills around and the smell of newly born litchies a sudden uphill route and a cold breeze sway our eyes to a board reading 'Welcome to the Queen of Hills'. The valley going deeper with every minute makes one wonder if he is heading for the heavens. The thought becomes louder when I see the clouds crossing me .The car stops and the driver proclaims that we are at the Mall Road of Mussourie. Shops of hats, sunglasses, handicrafts run across one side of the road with other being decorated by metallic gothic lamps kept for sight viewing of the valley below. Though the place is also called 'the honeymoon capital of North India',some school buses can be seen with teachers trying to que up their students for the 'educational trip'. Being far from the scorching summers of Delhi and the relentless sun the kids do not waste a single minute in learning discipline and the dazzling soap bubbles are seen all over the place. A ropeway (gondola) takes you to the top of the hill,called Gunhill, where you realize that the thoughts about heaven were correct. The vast Himalayas across with Gangotri glacier in your view can never justify the name of the place. Telescopes are fixed at gunhill to view the snow peaks and places like the famous St. Georges' School and a Nagdevta temple. They were looking just like tiny marks in the hills before but now became alive with students playing basketball at one and a red flag waiving for the spiritual peace at the other mark. After 2 hours with no mood to snatch our eyes from the peaks we headed for our next destination called Kempty falls.
We were moving downwards and the serpentine roads met us again. Within in half an hour we were near the falls. The falls as hoped were surrounded by lush green mountain trees .We bathed in the cold water and after an hour left for the doon.
We stayed at a hotel 'Drona' and left early the next day for the trip ahead. Sahastra Dhara as the name claims ,comprises of hundreds of streams and waterfalls coming out from the mountain with no sign of origination.Guchchu pani (also called Robbers' Cave was about a km long cave with knee deep cold water running inside. I came outside and got the call from my best friend to visit his institution famously known as Indian Military Academy.
As we reached IMA we were feeling hot as the day was matured and the Gentleman Cadets were training to become the officers of Indian Army. The Academy has four entrance gates of mainly four batallions comprising of 3-4 company each. My friend,the ACA (Academy Cadet Adjutant),head of the cadets, belonged to the Thimayya batallion and Miektila coy. The tricolour waving at its very front the academy has a motto "Valor and Wisdom" and is equiped with every facility one can think of, Hundreds of horses for riding, vast open space for shooting practices and a magnificient library . Though all the buildings had a unique architecture, the building that stands out the most is the Chetwode Building, named after Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode, the founder of the Academy. Cadets ride bicycles(bikes,as they call it) and sometime the bikes ride them for their weight exercise cum punishments.The discipline can be noticed at the very sight of Cadets wearing full shirts,pants and ties with well polished shoes as their "casual" attire.
The articles reading recent courageous sacrifices of the officers in the other valley were filling the boards all across the corridors. Pride and courage is always in the air where the young officers are being born. The day was by now dying down and we were required to leave IMA before 4pm. Bidding adieu to my friend I promised to come back for the passing out parade in mid-June.
After the Academy we visited Buddha temple in Clementown .It felt there was no better way to end such a trip filled with so many experiences and beauty.Finally we reached home at 11 in the night and in no time started watching the pics of the journey behind.