एक गुस्ताखी !

एक गुस्ताखी माफ़ कर मौला,पर इतनी तकदीर दिला दे,
जन्नत न मिले तो एक प्यारा सा जहान दिखा दे |

सूरज का प्रकाश न सही, चिरागों की रोशनी फैला दे,
कम से कम इस अंधेरे में कुछ उजाला तो करा दे|

प्यार न मिले तो सही पर वो नफ़रत तो मिटा दे,
अपने परायो के भेद की जगह सबके दिल वो मिला दे|

सबको अमीर न बना सके पर वो गरीबी मिटा दे,
हर इंसान, हर काम को एक सी इज्जत दिला दे|

जब दवा न दे सके तो कमसकम वो दारू पिला दे,
इस जखम का मर्ज न सही,  तो दर्द ही मिटा दे|

उन सितारों की जगह हो सके तो कुछ जुगनू दिला दे,
अँधेरी रात में मेरे आँगन को ऐसे ही झिलमिला दे|

कोई फ़रिश्ता न सही तो एक अच्छा इंसान बना दे,
खुदाई न सही तो कम से कम इंसानियत सिखा दे|

यह कैसी हवा है, यह कैसी लहर है !!

यह कैसी हवा है, यह  कैसी लहर है,
कर्णाटक को फिर देखना येदुरप्पा का कहर है|
जिस मोदी की चर्चा हर गाँव शहर है, 
उन की सीट को लेकर ही पार्टी में गदर है|
जिनके लिए  परिवारवाद  एक जहर है,
पासवान पिता-पुत्र उनके हमसफ़र है|

यह कैसी हवा है, यह  कैसी लहर है, 
UP और बिहार में जातियों पे नज़र है|
जो राष्ट्रवाद के साथ कहते हर पहर है,  
राज ठाकरे से मिल जाने की खबर है|
हर एक वोट की होड़ इस कदर है,
पानी की तरह पैसा  लगा इधर है|

भैया, ये तो सब  चुनावी समर है,
मुद्दे और निति की बात अब किधर है|
चुनावी टिकड़म बाजी की डगर है,
इनकी मंजिल एक दिल्ली शहर है|
यह ऐसी हवा है, यह चुनावी लहर है,
यह ऐसी हवा है, यह चुनावी लहर है||

What about voting rights of NRI ?

Voting right is a fundamental right of a citizen of any democratic country. Theoretically, every NRI has a right to vote, but practically none of the over 25 million NRIs actually participate in voting due to outdated laws of India. Unfortunately, there was no provision of NRIs to register as a voter till 2010. Though, NRIs were given voting rights in 2010 through an amendment in the Representation of People Act, 1951, but a majority of NRIs are unable to vote as they have to travel all the way to India to exercise their voting right.

Currently, as the law is defined, people have to vote in person in their constituencies except government official and Army personnel, who can use postal ballots. This regulation is seen as restrictive as only 10-15 thousands Indians living around the world have registered as voters, the maximum being from Kerala. Only 10-15% of those registered voter actually did vote in any election so far .In today's global world where people around the world travel for work, pleasure and family commitment, Indian Government law is still medieval as far as casting the vote is concerned.

The govt is ignoring a section of the Indian citizen and denying them their fundamental rights due to policy paralysis and lack of decision making. The same Govt. and political parties have been trying hard to attract the NRIs and people of Indian origin around the world to invest and do something in India. But there is no reciprocating mechanism to provide them a fundamental right, which is practically denied because of lack of Govt initiative. The political parties specially like BJP and AAP get lots of funding from NRIs, but there is no political will across political spectrum to do something about this issue.

This a shame for NRIs to not to be able to raise this issue significantly. There are large NRI communities which are supporting different political parties and provide them funding too. Almost all the NRIs have their view about India whether it is about how to eradicate the corruption or it is about development of India. Most vocal voices across the internet can be head from NRIs on  this General Election but unfortunately none of those voices are going to convert in the vote.

There are three options to achieve NRI voting, first postal ballot for registered NRI voter, second is online voting and third is voting at Indian consulate in the foreign countries. This needs amendments to Representation of Peoples Act to have a provision for "Absentee voting facility" for Indians living abroad. BJP has been the only party which is raising the issue of NRI voter right largely because of very significant support to the party from NRI community.  Election commission has been trying to implement this but it doesn't look like that it can be done for this General Election.

Most democratic countries like US, UK and other European countries provide the voting rights to their citizen living outside the country. India which is not only a largest democracy in the world but also have second largest diaspora around the world, should have done something more concrete towards the democratic rights of their 25 million citizens living abroad. I hope that better sense prevails and new Govt will do the same soon.

72 days to go..

Today, the dates of the General Election of world's largest democracy has been announced. We have 72 days to see the change in Government. This happens on a day when we witnessed mobocracy of 2 parties who are claiming themselves against incumbent Congress. There are few obvious in this election and some unpredicted questions:

Few obvious things which are going to happen:

1. Congress is going to lose the election and perhaps reaches to lowest ever tally.
2. BJP will be single largest party and NDA will be largest alliance.

Unpredicted Questions which may come up after election results:

1. Can BJP keep up the momentum and march towards half marks with their alliances and make Modi PM?
2. Is AAP going to hurt BJP's chances in urban center?
3. Is there a possibility of third front Govt with the support of Congress?
4. Who will be BJP's PM candidate if they don't get number or they can gather other party's support for Modi?
5. Who will be the next Devegoda or Gujral in case third front makes the government?

Watch it out .. First time we are seeing the awareness among people for change and they are here at least to support and vote for somebody. Whether it is an idealistic vote for AAP or realistic vote for BJP!!!

चाय वाला

चाय के नाम पे राजनीति में उफान से देश में आम चाय वाले के उत्साह और अचम्भे को कुछ पंक्तियों में पेश किया है ....

आला रे आला  'चाय वाला' आला,
   उनके आने से देश का हालत है सुधरने वाला,
वो आये है तो सूरज का उजाला होने वाला,
      वरना  यहाँ  तो  सब  था  काला  काला ।

पर हैरान परेशां है वो बाजू का चाय वाला,
      ये नेता  चाय का स्टाल क्यों खोलने वाला,
क्यों कल तक कोई नहीं था पूछने वाला,
       क्यों सब पुकारे आज चाय वाला, चाय वाला।

ऐसा क्या कर दिया मैंने, पूछा चाय वाला,
        जो नहीं कर पाया वो भैया बाजू वाला।
न कर पाये वो सुबह शाम का दूध वाला,
       न वो रद्दी, सब्जी, पान या  झाड़ू वाला।

हमने बोला, तेरी किस्मंत का खुल गया है ताला,
       इस चाय ने तुमको है विशेष बना डाला।
तुम जैसा एक नेता जो मिलने वाला,
    जिससे देश का चहमुखी विकास होने वाला।

इसमें हमे भी कुछ फायदा होने वाला,
    इसका जवाब है एक सच कड़वा वाला  ।
गरीबी को सबने चुनाव का एक खेल बना डाला,
      ऐसा ही  हैं  ये नेता राजनीति   वाला।
चाहे फिर वो हो  ये  पहले पार्टी वाला,
      या हो वो  दूसरा  और  तीसरा  पाला।

सुन ले पते की बात भाई चाय वाला,
      चुनाव का गणित  है ये  बहुत काला।
ये चाय की दुकान है नेतागिरी की शाला,
   तेरी गरीबी का उपाय कोई नहीं ढूँढने वाला।

बेरोजगारी का तो कुछ नहीं  होने वाला,
      और  न  रुकने  वाला कोई  घोटाला।
असली मुद्दो की जगह आम राय से,
    सबने तुमको ढूंढ लिया है 'चाय वाला'।।