I discriminate, so do you...

The social assemblage of race exists even if there is no genetic veracity. Of course, there is only one human race. But saying that is about as meaningful as saying there is only one world. Look at our very own nation...

Bengalis get abused because they are too sissy. Jaats are avoided because they argue and fight for no reason. Parsees are dirty fellows. Sindhis are considered stingy. Kashmiris can't be trusted. Gujratis are too money-minded. Punjabis are deemed to be "show-offs". Marwaris are "bloody foodies". And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

Every terrorist attack in the nation is pointed towards Muslims. Every Christian in the country is eyed with the suspicion of a "converter". Hindus are thought to be timid. Sikhs are considered rebellious. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

The slum folks are too low standard. High society is too snooty. The people in the middle are from the old school of thought - they aren't modern enough. The newer generations think the older ones are not fit enough to live with them. The older generation thinks the newer lot is too fast paced. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

Cricketers are branded as over-paid under-worked stars. The film stars are notorious for their connections with underworld. The politicians are all money- gobbling eagles. The bureaucrats can be bribed all the time. The female actors all sleep their way up to stardom. The policemen are all sold. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

Writers are considered retarded. Social activists are called attention-seekers. Singers and painters are the ones who are unemployed and are desperately seeking some money. And in the end, we proclaim that we are one nation.

A look at human history shows that fanaticism and odium is as elemental to us as is to be in love with and that no matter how you label it, populace will categorize the others as different and second-rate whether it is race or religion or profession. It is an essential survival instinct. It is a way to sustain freedom and power. We do it in so many ways on a daily basis.

An Irony - The First LaDiEs of InDiA

India swears in her first woman President, Pratibha Patil. The same day, the first Indian woman to join the Indian Police Service in 1972, Kiran Bedi, is denied the post of Police Commissioner ofDelhi...

The reason? A very lame excuse that she does not have enough active policing experience.

Can we forget that she earned the moniker Crane Bedi for towing away Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's illegally parked car during her tenure as chief of Traffic Police? That incident reflected her sense of duty and justice.

The most enduring images are of Bedi at India Gate during the Akali-Nirankari riots in 1977. The front page of a leading newspaper carried a series of shots of her amidst a large group of sword-wielding, turbaned Sikhs. The first shot showed a Sikh attacking one of her constables with his sword. The rest of the shots showed her beating the daylights out of that man with her lathi while the others stood with their limp swords, too shocked to react.

That's Kiran Bedi for you!

Today, I am unable to express my anger when I see her being discriminated against! Am I supposed to shut up and feel happy now that India has a woman President? A woman who until yesterday was a complete nobody, had no strong opinions, and added no great value during her career. When the UPA announced her candidature for post of the Honourable Rubber Stamp, the nation chorused: Pratibha who?!

Am I supposed to feel proud of the woman President who thinks that subjugation of Indian women began with the Mughal invaders? Not only does this show a very narrow view of history, it also reflects a deep-rooted prejudice against Muslims. The woman President, who pretends to decry the purdah system, wears a full-sleeved blouse and keeps her head covered under her pallu.

Perhaps she's the best candidate to be a rubber stamp. She will continue to serve the UPA and Madam Sonia with silent devotion. It is sad that she is stepping in to the shoes of someone like Abdul Kalam - the people's President - who proved that the highest post in India can be the voice of the nation. That is why I refuse to accept Pratibha Patil as my President. Maybe I will be vindicated when some day Kiran Bedi becomes our President.

When a man loves a woman...

It shows...

This legendary photograph of Mountbatten, Nehru and Edwina has been pulled out to accompany reports on Pamela Mountbatten's (Mountbattens' daughter) just published book India Remembered: A Personal Account of the Mountbattens During The Transfer of Power....

Who cares whether Nehru and Edwina's love was platonic or otherwise. How does it really matter to anyone beyond these three people frozen in time!

What matters is when you see a man wear just the expression Nehru's wearing - the jester, desperate to catch the woman's eye, trying to impress her, waiting for validation - you will know a man loves a woman.