Sanity in Insanity

People find various ways to justify their acts of being in-human, inconsiderate sometimes illegal. There always seems to be a valid reason and explanation for their behavior. I have heard so many stories about people jeopardizing their relationships based on past bad experiences. I have heard stories about bad childhood, bad parenting being cause of crime streaks in young adults. Men justifying rapes as an act of 'revenge' and/or 'witch hunting'; the list is long. Recently, I visited a slum area, notorious for theft in the adjoining plush locality. The people living there were of the opinion that the "rich society" had enjoyed a free run for far too long and as part of their plan for social justice, their kids took up thieving to reduce the disparity seen in the society. "Robin Hood" syndrome was in vogue in this slum and they somehow did not see the "illegality" of their actions. This is just an example I am taking in context, I believe in social justice too. However, I cannot justify crime as a solution. I can still remember the words of Gujarat CM, Narendra Modi justifying the Gujarat riots as a "mere repercussion" to the Godhra train carnage. I could not understand till today, how can this be justified. How the killing of 2000 Muslims could be justified as a repercussion or a spontaneous act of revenge. Politicians across the board have been justifying humanitarian crimes as a valid tool to gain political advantage and split the people on communal lines. However, when left in political vacuum, people exhibit amazing human traits that restore my faith in humanity. In times of major calamities, human beings (not politicians) actually stand together for human spirit and not use it as an excuse to inflict further pain upon others.

14:20 hrs (local time) on 11-03-2011, a Tsunami hit the coast of Japan after an earthquake measuring 8.9 hit the pacific coast of North Eastern Japan, the world saw the crude face of nature's fury. Sendai, a small town of NE-Japan, lost almost its entire population to the tsunami. I remember watching BBC footage of the entire town being swept under waves after waves destroying everything in sight and purging the town of its people, buildings etc. The aftermath of this was not any better. For the week that followed, there were many after shocks felt in Japan and each one created a fear of another tsunami. The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant was shut down causing fear of a major nuclear meltdown that would affect millions of lives in Japan and elsewhere. People were homeless, without food or any necessary items, without power in the darkness and a nuclear threat looming large. Yet, in their collective grief, they elevated humanity.
1.THE CALM
Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
2.THE DIGNITY
Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
3.THE ABILITY
The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn't fall.
4.THE GRACE
People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
5.THE ORDER
No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
6.THE SACRIFICE
Fifty workers stayed back to pump water in the N-reactors. How can they ever be repaid?
7.THE TENDERNESS
Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
8.THE TRAINING
The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9.THE MEDIA
They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No sensationalizing. Only calm reportage.
10.THE CONSCIENCE
When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.

Human tragedy or loss of human life is always a moment of grief, we all bow our heads to honor the departed souls, but, its the people who were left behind in the carnage; whose lives are changed forever; some handicapped for life, who actually show the way. Some choose to make an issue out their experience and milk the situation to extract benefits; some others are so deeply grieved that they find it impossible to live on; some use the grief to seek revenge of the perpetrators and a only a handful, peacefully accept that the event was destined to happen in their life and celebrate the victory of life over death and destruction. We all stood with our Japanese brothers and sisters in their hour of grief, but the fact that they stood by each other is what acted as a soothing balm to the deep pain inflicted by nature's fury. The politicians did not make an issue of the Government handling of the emergency and each one pitched in to help the cause of their brethren. Even the media held restraint and did not dramatize the entire episode to garner TRPs. They were merely reporting the events and not looking for stories. (Some tips for TRP crazy Indian media)

We need to learn to grieve in a dignified manner from Japanese people. The world is bound to face many a calamities, some natural, some with human intervention. What is important that we never let go of humanity and at all times stand up for the victory of human spirit. People salute the "spirit of Mumbai", I feel even Mumbai can learn a lot from the Japan, for its very difficult to maintain sanity in the times of insanity.

PS: Special mention to Dr. Amruta Nayak Pai, whose e-mail inputs taken into account while writing this post.

So long...

Insaaf ka Talwar.. or was it tarazu

The law is blindfolded and does not consider any aspect of the person before it except, what is placed in the balance that she carries. Once all facts are placed, you see which way the balance is tilted and decide upon the case. Now, it doesn't not matter to the law, that you are the "father" of the victim and according to you, it is impossible to think of killing your dear daughter - the apple of your eye. What matters is, when all the facts are before the law for consideration, Dr. Rajesh Talwar and Dr. Nalini Talwar seemed as much culpable for the double murder of Arushi Talwar and Hemraj (may rest in peace) as any other accused in the case.



I was filled with disgust when Dr. Rajesh Talwar was first accused of killing his own daugher and her "lover" Hemraj because he caught them "in the act". The media reports had gruesome details and I was wondering why don't the media weigh their words and stop maligning a beautiful relationship of a father and daughter. I felt sympathy for him as a "soft target" in this case and was all for a speedy investigation so that Dr. Talwar is acquitted and he can go back to his home and reconcile with the fact that his only daughter is no more. My heart went out for the Talwars and felt that it was an unfair media trial. No father deserved this. I was utterly shocked when the CBI filed its closure report on 29-12-2010. The facts and questions raised by CBI had no answers. No explanation could be given by anyone about certain stunning facts and it became more and more certain that the CBI was right in first place and the father might have actually planned and killed his daughter and servant in cold-blood.



Here are some facts about the case:
1. Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj died within hours of each other and the terrace door, that was always open, was locked for one whole day and guess what, Hemraj's body was found on the terrace.
2. Aarushi's bedroom has a lock, just like the main door and the keys were with her or her mother Dr. Nupur Talwar. The door was locked from inside and there were no marks of a forced entry anywhere.
3. Aarushi's body bore no marks of fight. Naturally any person does put up a fight for his/her life. Her body was nicely placed on her bed covered in sheets and no item in her bedroom missing or moved.
4. The cut on her neck was of a scalpel like object (usually used by surgeons for incision) and was done expertly. There was a mark of golf club at back of her head (so also in the case of Hemraj).
5. There were no finger prints of her parents anywhere in the room. Consider, on the night she died, her parents claim they were with her in her room. There ought to be few prints here and there. Someone had carefully dressed the scene of crime.
6. The Golf clubs were found at a later stage and found recently cleaned. The only object that was present was a flask of Whiskey, blood stained and bore finger imprints of Hemraj and another set. It seemed planted there.
7. Her parents sleeping in the next room did not hear any sound all night and the Internet modem was supposedly used to browse Internet till 3:00 am. So they were awake and not in slumber. Strangely they din hear any noise.
8.The moment the maid came in the next day, Dr. Nupur Talwar enters her daughter's room and cries saying "look, what Hemraj has done". Normally seeing your daughter in a pool of blood, takes you into shock that you are numbed for a while. With mind in such a state, nobody thinks of blaming the servant. It was a ploy to deflect the blame and confuse the investigation.
9. No one was allowed to use the terrace for a day and it was next day that Hemraj was found dead on the terrace. Turns out, he was killed within hours (if not minutes) of Aarushi's death.
10. Aarushi's private parts were cleaned and this was verified by doctors who performed autopsy. (What was reason for this)
11. Dr. Talwar's brother used political influence to get the doctors, not mention that Aarushi was sexually active in the autopsy report. (Sorry Aarushi, no offense meant). Some angle of investigation was tried to be misled deliberately.



There are some horrible cover up stories made by the family to explain these facts and none of them sound convincing to even laymen. Let alone the CBI experts. If we place all the facts, Dr. Talwar(s) and his family should be tried for the murder of his daughter and servant and for blocking investigation and obstructing justice. I do agree that the murder was so well planned and the crime scene was dressed up so that there will remain some missing links which would not allow the case to be airtight. Maybe Dr. Talwar will be acquitted for want of evidence. Does that mean he is innocent??? Thats a different question altogether.



So long....