No to Nano March 24, 2009
Posted by preetischronicle in my country, this is me.4 comments
The wonder small car was launched yesterday. The Nano that unleashes a small car revolution of the Maruti 800 variety. It will now become every family’s first car. Indian dreams of owning a car of the two most sought after luxuries of ‘ghar aur gaadi’ will be realised. While I am all for power to the Indian and the revolutionary $2000 car, that the US media calls it, I shudder to think what will become of the already over strained road network of our country. Traffic will worsen as all the bikers will switch to Nano and the already swelling upper class will not think twice before owning another car. Our government is doing very little to ensure that this car doesn’t end up making driving on roads a nightmare. The government should (a) Restrict Nano’s use to only city driving (ie local driving) (b) Ban the Nano from all metros (c) Begin to tax heavily the luxury segment cars (some very rich class, won’t mind paying another lakh or 2 to get the car of their desire) (d) Use this money to improve the transport system.
As of now, I am saying No to the Nano. What about you?
The Gandhi Dynasty March 5, 2009
Posted by preetischronicle in my country.add a comment
Its election time again, and much will be said about the Gandhi clan. The opposition will spare no opportunity to mention the ‘dynastic’ problem with Congress. Every attempt will be made to write off the ‘heir apparent’. Much has been said about Sonia Gandhi too. I have great respect for the lady. Born with the name Edvige Antonia Albina Maino in Italy, this lady embraced her Indian man and his Indian culture. She married into one of the most influential families of Indian politics. She saw assassinations of her mother in law and her husband. She could have had an easy passage by moving back to her country and leading a peaceful life. But she jumped into politics, knowing fully well the dangers she was exposing herself to. It took her time and must have taken courage to face Indian people and its dirty politics with her handicap for Hindi. I admire this lady for choosing to stay back for her husband’s country and embrace the family’s political affiliation. I might not have the heart to see her become the Prime Minister of our country, since she is not a born Indian, but I still carry a whole lot of admiration for this lady who can speak from her mind and think logical. Who dresses up and presents herself as much an Indian as any of us and gave up the choice of a comfortable life to take on the baton from her husband. We talk of young blood and fresh minds in our politics, but why do we want to write off a Rahul Gandhi, just because of what his last name stands for. He was only 21 when his father was assassinated and he’s back in the same arena that took away so many members of his family.How many of us are willing to give up the safety of our own life like that? I would just chicken out!
a trip down under December 5, 2008
Posted by preetischronicle in Little V, my country, this is me.6 comments
Hubby dear is in the land of kangaroos, Australia. He’s on a official trip, so little V and I are planning to join him next week, hubby and me have taken the week off from work to enjoy the beaches and the sun away from the Delhi winter. Well, I am not particularly fond of the delhi winters or winters anywhere for that matter, especially now that I have little V. I don’t quite enjoy the chill that makes me feel like lazing too much under a quilt, I like to be up and about.
So it all had to happen now, coming together of all things wrong. I have a flight on 6thDecember, the date that marks the anniversary of the babri masjid attacks and the day a hijack attempt has been planned at the airports of Delhi/Bangalore/Chennai. These airports are on high alert (whatever that means, I refuse to give in to any sort of ‘alertness’ of our country to anything now!). My trip is via Bangkokwhich was just reeling with protests and stranded passengers. And the status will be clear tomorrow morning.
I am scared to visit the airport and all kinds of what ifs are floating in my mind. That is the kind of hysteria that comes to you, when attacks like the one in mumbai take place. The only thing that makes me wanna go to australia braving a late night flight, a city under threat and an airport under attack is to run to safety of the arms of the man I love. I would have just stayed put right where I am in the comfort of this blanket, but damn! my country doesn’t even make me feel secure in my own house, I want to be with him. At some corner of my mind, gory pictures appear of the massacre. And again the angst refuses to settle down even a bit. Will I be living with the memory of this terror all my life? Will every trip to the airport, the railway station, a crowded market remind me of just the killings. I hope not. I am missing the excitement I would have had of looking forward to a fabulous break, which came quite unexpectedly and so soon after having joined back work. But I am just trying to be my safest best for tomorrow. And praying that I have a safe journey and land myself in the other half’s comforting hug! I am coming honey.
Its just begun.. November 29, 2008
Posted by preetischronicle in my country, this is me.1 comment so far
not over yet. The war has now begun. Some heartless shameless people conspired to finish us. They entered our homes and killed our people. I do not have words to even think in my mind what the people inside those 2 hotels must have gone through. To die in a flip second from an unknown bullet. What it must have been to see people being mercilessly fired at. To see bodies strewn around everywhere. Men and women having a hearty meal, hotel staff going about their routine jobs, a flash of a second and gone. To be held as hostage. What kind of a heart these terrorists carried if they were born with it at all?! How someone just brainwashed them to commit something as horrendous as this. But I didn’t I log in today, to just do a post. I decided to make a small pledge for myself -
- When I stand in queue waiting to get into a cinema hall or the metro, i pledge to be patient with the frisking. To cooperate with them.
- I pledge I won’t hurry myself and ask them to let me go, I’d rather point out to them on all ocassions that I can that what they are doing could some day save many lives.
- I will encourage brave gestures of all kinds, at restaraurants, hotels, all places. Do a pat on the back. We could do better with some more brave hearts around here.
- I will caste my vote, always. Like I did today.
I won’t let this fade from my memory. I won’t sit back and blame the government, their policies. I won’t forget what these men(??!!) attacked, the very core of my country. I am going to do my bit. What can I do more? What will you do?
