Dedications

A King who could have been born in a palace

A King who was born amidst animals

A King who did not come to change scripture

A King with miraculous powers to do anything

A King who never wanted to rule

A King who did not just preach to everyone

A King who did not arrange a buffet at His sermon on the Mount

A King who could judge the sinner

A King who preached forgiveness to a sinner

A King who not only made the lame walk

A King who could provide without laborous effort

A King whose anger had Him whip traders out of the temple 

A King who not only had a vision of the world tomorrow 

A King who never discriminated

A King who knew who would betray Him

A King who was promised a kingdom by the devil on earth 

A King who could have avoided the Cross

A King that did not judge a criminal of his crime, crucified along with him

A King who did not curse the ones who crucified Him

A King who could not be be killed with crucifixion 

A King who is not merely a human historical figure 

A King no Kings in the past could emulate before Him

A King who has never gone away

A King who was not an ordinary king

The Christian community was up in arms. Literally up with their arms carrying banners, posters and sloganerring against the proposed Anti Conversion Bill. The allegation is that the bill can criminalise acts of kindness or charity would be misinterpreted as act of conversion? Does only the Christian community do acts or kindness and charity?

The largest and biggest act of kindness and charity and which no religion has and can ever match is the Sikh community with their food feeding reach out called langar. So will they have to stop feeding now as it maybe alleged as luring into conversion? How come minority communities lesser in number than Christians dont have a problem. None of them are on the streets crying foul. The largest eye donors after death in India is the Jain community. So will they be banned? 

On the contrary it should have been the Christian community, be the largest eye donors as one of the early miracles of Christ was giving sight to the blind. Is the Anti Conversion Bill not insulting Hindu religion which gives an impression that there is no charity and acts of kindness in Hinduism. A person who converts and moves to another religion is primarily for not being discriminated as a caste he or she is born into, benefits which could be medical or education or a spiritual conversion where a person feels a better connection with God.

This is nothing but divertive politics of BJP? For over 78 years, religion was never a core problem in India. It was always used as a carpet under which the core problem of corruption was brushed under. Just that after BJP coming into power and there is nothing that can be shown as real development like that of China. So it has to divert attention from failed infrastructure, sexual assaults against women, hunger, bridges collapsing, law and order collapsing and even justice collapsing?

So before the wrath of the nation collapses on BJP, the next best, tried, tested and always worked is using religion. Even Emperor Constantine used Christianity as a tool for political reasons and made it the official religion of Rome. Imagine if the Romans had to protest against this conversion there would have been no Christianity in Rome, which spread across Europe, by the sword by the Crusades. Then into India which was done by the colonists actually by conversion through coercion, force, allurement, or fraud.

Even the original form of Christianity which evengelised by St. Thomas through his preaching in Kerala, those texts were destroyed by colonial Christianity. The original Christians even if they protested with banners would have not worked against the colonial forces. So too protesting against the BJP allegedly evil and sinister anti conversion bill will not work. 

What may work is protesting against BJP and educating the community and the society at large not to vote for them. As elections is also a form political evegelisation, where parties degrade, belittle and expose corruption of the party in power and urge the masses to vote for them. Then once they come to power like the BJP, it turned out to be the worst corrupt party India ever had in history? 

The blood donation camps or medical check ups is that not political evengelisation by political parties. So what next? Anti Election Bill? So the citizen will have no choice but vote only for one party? Or have no elections at all?

Attended a seminar recently where the title of the seminar was about 'Why privacy is the new currency and and how our personal data is someone else's wealth?'. One of the few seminars amongst the many I attended, where the speaker was dynamic, knowledgeable, thought provoking, educative, informative and also frightening. He was Adv. Murali Neelakantan.

Yes so frightening that I thought I was watching a horror play through his presentation and Halloween had just gone by a few days ago. This speaker even with out any devilish, frightening attire, spooked the excreta out of me. With all the attributes I mentioned about him, forgot to mention that he was also bloody handsome at his age. First time saw a handsome dude who could bloody frighten many in the audience with his knowledge on mobile privacy and how it can misused. 

Knowledge which he broke down so simply with a question repeatedly asked. Will anyone give their house keys or their wallet to stranger? The answer is a no brainer, No! The message was about Aadhar Card and our Mobile nos., which we give away so casually when asked for. Many or maybe few in the audience did not know to the levels this data can be misused and how badly a victim can be abused.

He even went on to confirm that he does not have an Aadhar Card, and yet he manages all the frustrating mazes of govt. enforced rules where you have to give your Aadhar Card and mobile no? So, not just a good looker but even an Intellectual Super Hero too! A man who is doing phenomenally well, renowned Advocate who practiced in UK and India and prosperous and living normal without whatsapp, without giving his mobile no? He does not use any apps like Gpay or delivery services like Blinkit, Swiggy, etc.

What he missed out is that he did not realise that we live in India. Not many are privileged with knowledge and prosperity like him. One of the topics he enlightened the audience was 'Digital Arrest', forgetting that we live under 'Political Arrest'. Politicians decide what we eat, what language we speak, excreta, excreta, I mean etcetera, etcetera. Even if a person has the knowledge he cannot fight the system where he says "I will not give my Aadhar Card for a KYC in a Bank". 

The common educated man is battling survival, where technology is a saviour. If he wants to book a simple outstation train ticket he needs to give his mobile number. He cannot say he will not give and waste a day going to a railway station and booking one. Many who cannot afford maids and with husband and wife working rely on food delivery apps in today's fast paced world, unless he wants them to survive on vadapav. A highly educated man if he applies for a job cannot say he will not give his mobile no. and will only give his email or Twitter id for messaging? He can be hunting for a job all his life.

If my data is someone else's wealth, then it is a bribe the common man has to pay to survive. It's like saying Delhi's air is polluted so I will stop breathing. Corruption pollution cannot be fought. This is where super intellectuals like Adv. Murali Neelakantan should join forces with like minded social activist, like superheroes of Marvel Cinematic League featured in series like Avengers and Justice League. Maybe then there could a microscopic level of hope for justice in India?

An anecdote that was shared was how Shahrukh Khan son was framed in a drug case. Common man do not have fathers like Shahrukh Khan and are frightened citizens, who is not sure if he will reach home alive travelling in Mumbai local train. 

What Adv. Murali shared at the seminar was even more  frightening, to the levels how mobile phone nos., Aadhar card can be misused by criminals. Went home after the seminar being more aware, educated and an informed citizen but even more a frightened one! 

All through the local train journey back home in my mind exclaiming OMG. It was not praying Oh My God, but cursing Oh My Goverment.

The recent victory of India in the Womens World Cup is definitely a cup of joy and pride for every Indian. A pride to the entire team as they would be remembered in the history of Indian cricket. A huge source of motivation to girls across the country, especially in rural and also in pockets of urban India, where girls are groomed to be homemakers. 

A source of inspiration to all women who plan, study and work so hard to make careers in the corporate slave world. Many at times sacrificing their talent which could be in sports, singing or any other creative art form. A talent which could have been their destiny and they did not give destiny a chance. Imagine Jemima Rodrigues being a corporate honcho? Maybe she could have been successful and even become a global CEO of a Multinational Corporation? Then would it have given her the glory and pride to be a pivotal part to be a part of Indian women's cricketing history?

Her victory and glory is no doubt her hard work, challenges, the brick bats when she was on her lowest level of performance. Even the alleged accusation of her father being involved in religious conversion in an elite club premises, ending in her honorary membership being cancelled. Despite that she standing tall and keeping her chin high and scoring higher in the recent world cup is nothing short of tenacity and not giving up.

Pegging her success to her strong religious belief was the modesty of her conviction that she is nothing without her God. Then this belief and faith should have been kept in private and personal space and not proclaimed in the sporting arena. Religion can become a lethal weapon if mixed with anything can do more harm than good. Imagine players chanting Allah Ho Akbar or Jai Shri Ram? What will we end up proving? Who is a good cricketer or which cricketer's God is better, mightier and powerful?

Today our country is buring in religious hatred because of this dangerous weapon of religion in social life. Religion in politics, sports or any other are of life should be kept out if not bowled out. There is no need to wear religion on your sleeve and evangalise it in a sporting arena, atleast not in India. 

Jemima would go very far in life as she has the blessings and good wishes of all Indians and cricketing fans across the world and above all of Jesus. Next time when she goes out play, she should read Mathew 6:6

Maybe this will help her to score the maximum number of 6 runs in cricketing history and the wisdom to know that the cricket pitch is for playing hard and not preaching religion loud. Cricket itself is a religion in India, where we consider Sachin Tendulkar the God of cricket. Maybe Jemima could be the Goddess?