Yeh daag daag ujala, yeh shab guzeedah seher/
    Who intizaar tha jis ka, yeh who seher to nahi/
 Bohot azeez thi laykin rukh-e- seher ki lagan/
…Sobak sobak thi tamanna, dabi dabi thi thakan/
        …Abhi giraaniye shab main kami nahi aayi/
         Najaat-e- deedah-o- dil ki gaddhi nahi aayi/
        Chalay chaloo ki who manzil abhi nahi aayi/.(F.A.F)

   What if over quoted; they convey the essence and sense; a sort of dissatisfaction with the perverted set up this blighted sub continent gained- sham of socialistic, democratic, clean & pro- people system, after colossal sacrifices & irreparable loss . They hold good even today for a distantly located state like ours- where all is not well, though the sleepy penchant watchmen perched on vantage of high rise wall just above the soul sucking pit of  gallows- courtyard says aloud “ saaaab theeeek haiiiiii”.
    I was about to shift the neatly stacked June 2011 issues of G.K to the store room, this morning when the delivery boy’s voice made me rush to the gate for picking up the Friday 15 July issue. Spotlight & Report on the front page, by our two promising members, FA & MA, made me postpone the intended shifting of the bundle and instead I fished out some marked issues of June. “Jk Neck Deep in Corruption…corruption has become all pervasive, omnipresent and ubiquitous…SFC has termed certain offices as citadels of corruption & festering sores…rampant graft and embezzlement of public money…nothing achieved without greasing the palms… State Vigilance Commission (confined by police regulatory system), State Accountability Commission…tardy anti corruption courts… conscientious officers are few & far between…Transparency International had rated J&k as the IInd most corrupt state… Bureaucrats Rule the Roost … state government’s baton of administration is with ..an influential group of non-local  officers- holding key positions…disconnect bred…alienation.. but do we have local officers in the pipe line?” In the June 9 issue the same guy informs readers about Home Truths of some Babus : “Mr.A- land in Udhampur, New Delhi, 32+26 + Lakhs; Mr D- land in Naranag, Sidhra, D-flat that fetches 2.16 lakhs rent per year …; Mr G- Plots in Noida, Channi Himat, + 20 Lakhs; Mr J - land in Sidhra, ompora H.C, flat in Gurgaon ; K ki S 12+14Lakh, Greater Noida Villa 24-17lakh; Mr.M 166 lakhs , etc..etc” Then we have it on 29 June: …Seek repatriation of Mr AKM, KAG, PD, PJ, PKT, RKG, SK etc etc..”
    Quite an interesting revelation, I said to myself but the man inside me saw the face- out of office of late, ‘stalking like Mr.India Character’ but visible on papers, and the smile that caressed my lips on surmising about his intentions was followed by one word: kaash….
   It is true that corruption is a living virus in the entrails of all offices; right from babus to jamadars; and we have our share in the species called Kalmadis, Sukhrams etc, and people of numb conscience do sell their souls for fast bucks but who can deny that most of our political leaders too and their followers indulge in such shameful things without any regret. It is equally true ( I quote my father) ‘ be it spoonful or bailcha berkay…najasat is najasat…no justification can change its soul- tarnishing effect… equal recompense for deeds is enjoined…good for good and bad for bad…one earns fire for his own self and the family members too- who are fed on evil…If you can’t reform others at least do good your self- for that is in your power…Tu agar mera nahi banta na bun; apna toa bun ( Iqbal’s verse).
  There is a grave side of this currency-coin. That is getting the recommendatory slips from Mantrys, phone calls from their personal staff... “ assinish te lagev na zanh… sahaban vonnav ye chho karroen…soan khaas nafar chho, party worker chho, saane constituency heund…agar kagzan munz kami chhe so chhe nibaven, rulen munz chhe vath kadein…nati sofarish kiyze karehav…begum seibheund heund rishtedaar chho”. Not only from ruling party alone, opposition people and EX MLA/ Ministers too pressurize officers & employees with the result the names of deserving, poor people who neither have money to grease the palms, nor sufarish, nor strong vocal chords & muscles suffer in such situation where bloated heads with ego blown out of proportion and crafty people rule the roost. Well off and well connected prosper while common man gets disillusioned. The latter at least send duai- khayr to Farooq Abdullah, saying,..yoes maetgi manz oes poz vanaan… hata engineer te theikedaroo kum say kum 25-30 feesad aes tav lagan…hindustaan chhoe varreyah rupyi sozaan…mager avamus kyah chho laaran...
  Now Panchayet raj and RTI Act has put a new breed of activists in field. Empowered, they are now to use them as tools of exploitation and pressurizing for extracting their “pound of flesh”. Wasn’t the limited franchise – educated & tax payers alone had the right to vote in pre 1947 era, or the suggestion of allowing only clean track-record holders, well educated in the respective field- who would take only token money ( Rupees 111) as salary, to contest elections. People who truly hold prophet, shah-e- vilayet and other saintly persons as Pattern/ imam alone can save this land.
  No way, a voice said… Gandhi of India was killed long back. Now vampires abound. Halla bol ! Is it Prof. Safder Hashmi’s Voice? Wait my children…my GENEX…chand roaz aur…wait till muster our strength to pull out the Sun from the black mantle of night… woh subeh zaroor aayegi.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 IST