Remembering Allama Iqbal:

For the past many days I have been thinking about Iqbal's two famous quotes,
one being:
Kuch baat hai ki hasti mit-tee nahi hamari,
Sadiyon se raha hai dushman daure-zaman hamara.

And then,
Vatan ki fikr kar naadaan museebat aane wali hai,
Teri barbadiyo ke mashwure hain aasmano me,
Na samjhoge to mit jaaoge aye hindostan walon,
Tumhari dastaan bhi naa hogi dastaano me.

I can't solve this dilemma, if our existence can't be erased easily why should we worry, right from Vedic age people came to India, some settled here and enriched it in someway or other. Even those who went back, they too enriched India. Our cultural continuity is intact while all other ancient civilizations are now a part of history. Or is this plain myth created by scholars.

I am no expert in history but as far as I know stiff resistance and use of force have never been a part of our history barring a few exceptions. What we had in plenty was infighting and small kingdoms, all over the country.

When a poet like Iqbal says 'Watan ki fikr kar naadaan' what does it signify, we by default neglect/ignore our nation and nationality, or we simply don't care about it (use of the word 'fikr'), we are so engrossed in our daily lives that a detached perspective is impossible for us. Did it emerge from the frustration and anger of being unable to eliminate the inaction and indifference from fellow citizens. What was it that made him write this?

Is it not something that I can identify with, a part of me says nothing will change, go back enjoy your life but the other part says have patience God takes tests before granting wishes.

Whatever it is, I can't get past this dilemma, which statement is correct or which one carries more weight if both are true.

Am I fooling myself. . . .

I just recalled this point, Even (if I remember correctly) Gandhiji too criticized this independent nature of the little republics (our villages) being a hurdle to socio-religious reforms.

Are we still living in these little republics or have we made the big republic called India by merging these.

WHO AM I & WHY AM I HIDING MY IDENTITY?

I am an ordinary man like who felt enough is enough after the Mumbai Terror Attacks, thought of working to clean the dirt in our country and its systems. I felt that in Democracy Politics is the thing that controls and is capable of making far reaching changes.

For this I thought of forming a new political party with like minded people, I searched the net to know whether someone has already initiated the mission of rebuilding our nation, I came to know about Jago Party, became an active member that very moment. I didn’t want to dissipate my anger to different places and disrespect myself. I didn’t want to fight battles on TV but a war in reality, once and for all.

This is the context where my real identity subsided and I became Latent Dissent, how and why I came to this decision read ahead

If I tell you that I am from Bhopal, am 25 years old and support liberalism you would focus on my words and ideas, but if I add to that my name you would consider my views in the context of my religion and caste, adding occupation would further complicate the picture, I want to talk to you on the condition of our country not myself, that’s the first reason.

The second reason is that, the moment you talk of joining politics to make a change, people start imagining you as a selfish person who wants to fulfill his personal ambitions through politics, there is nothing wrong in the attitude, even I am skeptic of anyone who shows such inclinations, the reason is we have been cheated emotionally so many times by our politicians that we don’t want any further responsibilities of creating yet another scoundrel.

I further accept that I am no expert in the field, but my intentions are very clear on the issue, much better than many experts of this field. I want to change my country for good, I am doing, I am trying my best, THE TURN IS YOURS !

THANKYOU !

WHY ACTING NOW?

The Terror Attacks on Mumbai stirred the whole nation, I am no exception. I feel a complex mix of emotions at this moment.

I am angered by the ease with which they have hit us. Then I am ashamed of electing such idiots who not only do nothing but abuse the martyrs’ sacrifices, their families what to talk of a common citizen.

Yet a corner of my mind tells me to lie low as this storm passes, for this is the standard tactic of terrorists to create an illusion of State being absent and also that people and the media will soon forget this too.

Even I am taking a sadistic pleasure on Tata’s misfortune as he cuts deals with governments, seeks tax relief and soft loans of the order of thousands of crores and then asks government to help him save his hotel with obsolete weapons and technology and without bulletproof jackets.

Still the question why I have to think on the issues that don’t directly concern me remains. The answer is not that easy, apart from above, the point that hits my mind most frequently is How can they hit, more so how can they hit Taj.

I think the attack was neither on Mumbai nor on India it was an attack on Indians and their dreams. Each and every one of us had for only once in their lives dreamt of enjoying a cup of Tea at Taj. When Taj is not safe, our dream is not safe and if our dream is not safe, all our toiling is waste.

So we have to act now before it is too late. I have asked questions to myself and tried to answer them. I agree I may be dogmatic but I have started.

At the moment this is my analysis of my condition, if I discover more I will certainly post it here.

MY MOTIVATION

लहरों से डर कर नौका पार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती.

नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है.
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है.
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती.

डुबकियां सिंधु में गोताखोर लगाता है,
जा जा कर खाली हाथ लौटकर आता है.
मिलते नहीं सहज ही मोती गहरे पानी में,
बढ़ता दुगना उत्साह इसी हैरानी में.
मुट्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती.

असफलता एक चुनौती है, इसे स्वीकार करो,
क्या कमी रह गई, देखो और सुधार करो.
जब तक न सफल हो, नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम,
संघर्श का मैदान छोड़ कर मत भागो तुम.
कुछ किये बिना ही जय जय कार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती

EKLA CHALO RE

In Bengali Romanization

Jodi tor đak shune keu na ashe tôbe êkla chôlo re,
Êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo re.

Jodi keu kôtha na kôe, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi shôbai thake mukh firaee shôbai kôre bhôe---
Tôbe pôran khule
O tui mukh fuţe tor moner kôtha êkla bôlo re.

Jodi shôbai fire jae, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi gôhon pôthe jabar kale keu fire na chae---
Tôbe pôther kãţa
O tui rôktomakha chôrontôle êkla dôlo re.

Jodi alo na dhôre, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi jhôŗ-badole ãdhar rate duar dêe ghôre---
Tôbe bojranôle
Apon buker pãjor jalie nie êkla jôlo re.


Tagore's English translation

If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou of evil luck,
open thy mind and speak out alone.

If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,
O thou of evil luck,
trample the thorns under thy tread,
and along the blood-lined track travel alone.

If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,
O thou of evil luck,
with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart
and let it burn alone.

DISCLAIMER

THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON VARIOUS ISSUES. I AM JUST AN AVERAGE PERSON AND I AM DOING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE ; I DON’T CLAIM EXPERTISE ON ANY OF THE ISSUES.

KINDLY CORRECT MY MISTAKES IF YOU LIKE TO AND COMMENT ON THE TOPICS SO THAT I CAN GIVE MY THOUGHTS DIRECTION AND COHERENCY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.