Individuals of Mass Destruction

When Mohd. Azahrudin was found guilty of fixing a match of Cricket; he was banned for life from taking part in any form of cricket, because his deed of selling himself to lose that match was considered to be a sin of the greatest order in Cricket. I am curious enough to know what kind of a punishment or action would be taken against those MPs who were kind enough to sell themselves (or buy others) and the pride of the country in the view of an important decision concerning the future of the country for a few crores (Cash for Vote in Parliament of India on 22nd July 2008).

Various ministers termed this incident in different ways ranging from “Black day in the history of Indian Parliament” to “Political Prostitution”. I don’t know how better to react to such an act which is quiet common but got highlighted in the media and in real in the parliament on camera for the first time ever in history.

I feel ashamed to be eligible to vote with such kind of wicked politicians our country has got. Votes sold for power (vote here refers to the trust vote and ministries refer to Sibhu Soren whose deal with the UPA was to get Coal ministry for himself and the seat of CM for his son among other things), cash and what not. No ideology, no ethics, how better do you expect such people to lead the country and expect growth while they are busy trying to fill their own houses with bundles of Rs.1000 notes.

Most astonishingly the kind of MPs we have, if we check their track record or criminal record to be precise, it would not be a big surprise to know that most of them have at least some or the other kind of criminal or civil cases against them for all kinds of illegal activities. What can you expect from a country where the highest number of criminals or wrong doers is sitting inside the most respected place (The Parliament) of the country deciding the good, bad and the better of a billion helpless people? I just don’t understand the constitution of the country in this regard, very simply because when a normal citizen cannot get a job in a good company if he/she has any kind of bad track record in terms of criminal cases or so, then how can a person who has to lead the nation and decide its future become an MP with such a black mark. I just can’t understand how such an important aspect is not taken care of while making the eligibility criteria for election.

I view such irresponsible and corrupt people as IMDs (Individuals of Mass Destruction). Yes they are 1000 times more fatal than terrorists (who at least do what ever they do with clear motive, explicit demands and warnings). So I feel I am not wrong in calling such people IMDs, as they have the license to do it once they are elected to the parliament and as seen often many of them have only done that in some way or the other. When such an act of selling the country for money takes place in the temple of the country what can you expect from any political party. I feel pity on Azahruddin, he just sold a match but these dirty selfish politicians are out to sell the country’s future with such brutal acts.

(The write up is in context to the issues which happened on the Trust Vote day at the Parliament for the Nuclear Deal and goes on to express the view on Indian politicians)

Failed the test of Integrity

The next time when I criticize government or politicians for corruption I better be careful and dare not do that unless I my self prove to be a good citizen. Yes I am in complete conscious and not drunk when I make this statement.

Last Sunday I (with 3 younger brothers) was getting back home from Tirupati after an unsuccessful visit to see the Lord. It was almost 8 in the night and I had no other means of transport back home than a Bus. So I decided to enquire about the buses available for immediate departure so that I could get back home early. No prizes for you to guess that the government officials there in the bus depot were not giving proper answer and were asking us to go from one counter to the other. While there was a conductor outside a Chennai bus talking to passengers, he had a list in his hand with details about occupancy in the bus. I just went ahead and asked him if there was any space left in the bus for 4 people and with 5-6 other people around he unhesitantly replied “No, this is a reserved bus and tickets are already sold”. I had only one thing in mind which was to find some other bus in which I could board to depart for Chennai, but none was in sight to me nearby.

I again went to the counters to see if there was any new info this time around, but again with so many people around I did not get a turn to talk to the authorities. While I was trying hard, an unknown person from behind asked me “Chennai a”, I was quick enough to respond to him. I told him that yes I wanted to go to Chennai but I need 4 tickets, so he replied saying “ok, you can get it”, then I asked about the time when the bus will depart and which one was the bus he was talking about, so he showed me the same bus about which I had enquired, so I told him that I had already enquired about that bus and the conductor had told me that there was no space in that bus. Then he said “you need not worry about it, I will get you the tickets, but it will cost you Rs.200 per ticket”, I agreed immediately and asked him, was that the rate of each ticket, and he replied saying “the rate is 150, but I need 20 bucks for myself and 20 for the conductor to get you the tickets”. He saw agreement on my face, as I had only one objective which was to get back home ASAP, so he asked me to shell out the money, so I did and asked him for the ticket in exchange immediately, he said “go inside the bus and occupy the last row, I wont run away just wait for some time and you will get the ticket”, so I did trust him but stood outside until I figured out whether he was lying or not, then once convinced after seeing him talking with the conductor, I with my brothers boarded the bus waiting to get the ticket so that we don’t end up in a trouble. And in some time the bus was about to start and the conductor came to me and gave the ticket and to my surprise the rate of each ticket was only Rs.135, I was puzzled that I got cheated by another 15 bucks, but then I did not bother much cos I was only thinking about getting back home.

The journey started normally, the conductor started checking tickets and everything was normal, while the bus got stopped with in 10 minutes from its start and the Branch Manager of the transport company entered the bus to check tickets for special enquiry and as he was checking tickets he kept asking each passenger how much they paid for their ticket apart from the 8 people in the last 2 rows all others had paid the correct amount as they purchased the tickets from the counter, while the 8 of us in the last 2 rows purchased from the conductor or so and we told the manager that we had purchased the ticket on a higher rate (initially I had told that I purchased it for 135 only fearing that the conductor will be screwed, later screwing me), the 4 people in front of me had purchased their tickets for 150 from the conductor and I purchased it for 200 through some broker who was a partner in crime of the conductor. So the manager asked us to co-operate and help him stop all such happenings and assured the 4 people that they will get their money back but did not tell me a word as I had purchased it from a broker and I did not mention to him that the conductor was involved as he did not ask. So he went outside and stopped the Bus to enquire about all this with the conductor and kept the bus on hold for about 20 minutes and the passengers got furious about this and started yelling at the driver to take off the bus. While the manger came inside again and assured the 4 about their money and took their number for future enquiry and help and got off the bus.

The journey went on and in a while the bus stopped again and another manager entered to sort the issue out as the conductor claimed to the branch manager that he was innocent and he did not over charge any one. So this new manager asked us questions about the way we obtained our tickets and I clearly said that I had paid to some unknown person to get my ticket, but one important question on which I lied to him was “whom did you get the ticket from?”, to which I answered that I had got that as well from the broker irrespective of the fact that it was the conductor who gave me the ticket as he was a partner in the crime with the broker, but I got piteous on thinking about the consequences to the conductors life and career and some how did not get the courage to tell the truth. And finally I gave a written statement to the manager which claimed that the conductor was no where involved in all this and he was innocent (the conductor some time back and was explaining to us that he did not want to do all this but the broker who gave me the ticket was a part of a rowdy gang and because of that he had to get involved in it, to keep his job going, which was the primary reason which made me lie to the manager).

So in summary I feel that I ended up being a partner in their crime, by not speaking the truth when I was required to, which was an attempt by the authorities to make the system efficient and corruption free. I feel guilty and shameful when I think about it and strongly also feel that I don’t have any right to raise a question against others when I myself did not have the integrity and became a party to this corrupt act of the conductor, just for the sake of saving his job and livelihood (he looked to be above 55 years of age). I am still not sure whether it was worth helping the conductor or not, but at that moment my conscience did not allow me to spoil his career that too after he explained that he had to do this due to the pressure from the rowdies.
Just let me know what you feel about the entire episode and how should I have acted.

My Experience at My First Job – Part II

“Well begun is half done” they say, but I am very sure I was not at the best in the beginning; I felt like I kid, I felt like I am in a land where I don’t understand a thing. New experience, new people, new business, new environment, but I was ready to face all this and learn and understand and so I did. I worked as far as I could, learnt everyday and not only business but several silly things like how to staple papers properly. It was learning everyday in some way or the other.

When I talk about my experience, I got only one person in my mind I can think of, and this was the person behind what ever I learnt what ever I did and accomplished. This person was none other than my immediate boss. Apart from being my boss he is also an alumnus of my college (5 yrs senior to me). He was instrumental in making my project as interesting as it ended up being. The moments I mostly cherish and rejoice in my office are the times when I used to be in discussion with him, our discussion at times used to go on for hours and those were the times when I learnt most of the things I learnt in the whole training period. I can never forget his upfront answers, straight forward remarks and cool attitude. He would have edited my reports N number of times, every time I used to edit it and he was able to find many more faults in them, but all he used to ask in the end was “are u not confident and satisfied”, if my reply was No, he used to say “don’t submit it as far as you are confident yourself” and these words always made me work harder and review things as well as I could. There was scope for improvement always but I was never in condition to determine when it was time to say done and then I used to seek his guidance. I owe major part of all my acknowledgement and regards to him for my project work, but he doesn’t believe in all this formality. I cherish those days and I have been telling all my friends that I have got the best possible boss amongst all of us.

The training period gave me various opportunities to learn and understand a lot of things, to have a new perspective, to be bold enough to take a stand (this is the most difficult lesson I learnt, I am quite bad at it at times and there were numerous occasions in the training period which highlighted this) and to be clear enough while saying or doing something. Overall it was an amazing experience and mainly since the head of my department once told me “I (we) like working with you and we have liked your attitude”, I was on top that day and had only one thought in mind that I need to carry on this good work and image throughout the training period, hope I succeeded in it.

Over all the experience and exposure was good, the other people in the department were very supportive, I did not have much interaction with them but then it was like a home away from home for those few hours I used to be there. One important thing which I would mention is the facility and the infrastructure provided in the organization was remarkable, again I would say I got the best even in this case compared to others, be it the refreshments provided or the printout facility or any other thing I did not find even a single problem, everything was very comfortable. I truly felt as a part of the team I worked in, even though I was not actively in conversation with others but then I felt as one amongst them.

I truly feel to have had an amazing experience and I feel proud to have been a part of such a nice organization and having worked with such great people. Pardon me I haven’t mentioned about the owner of the company yet, believe me if I start writing about that personality I would not know where to stop, he is such a Legend from what ever I know about him. Only thing I repent from the training period is, I did not get a chance to meet the Legend, who owns the company. Would some time share about him as I keep doing whenever I talk about my internship to everyone I know. And I wish I could some day meet or see this brilliant mind that runs such a great company.

Stay tuned …….. :-)