Bal talk-rey !!

Does this sound like a familiar name? Rings a bell ?
huh, if not, you must be in a non-internet, no newspaper zone - and especially several miles away from my birthplace Mumbai !

Bal Thackeray - Chief of Shiv Sena - is in headlines again! and this time he's used Mr. Sachin Tendulkar as a ladder to reach the news.
Issue? none rather. It's a bad (yet old) habit of Mr. Thackeray to pull out an issue out of nothing - just like the magician pulls out a rabbit out of an empty hat. Well, I admire his skill in doing so- but not in this manner! What are the objections to Sachin's statement? Let's look -

"He's suited best in his field -cricket and he has no business to enter politics. He has no business to talk about being an Indian first and then a Maharastrian"
Now wait a minute!
"I am an Indian first and then ________ian (fill in the blanks!) ", does this sound like a political statement to you? Raise your hand if you say yes/no! keep it raised if u say Yes, and slap Mr. Thackeray with the same hand if you say No.

What makes me angry here is not Mr. Thackeray's attack on Sachin. It's his view on expressing an opinion. Who's he to decide what one should say and what not?
If by saying "I'm an Indian first" makes the statement political then stating the price of 1 dozen "eggs" would make me a poultry farmer! It is as absurd as that.

Enough is enough Bal Talk-rey, You've made a mistake, better admit it!

Thank you Sachin !!

Not many days ago, I was feeling down and out.
No particular reason- (NO, It's got nothing to do with me scoring zero in a test. Neither with my jeans getting eaten by a mushroom size cockroach in our backyard.)

So here I was, feeling lonesome and isolated. These days it is barely 5pm , and darkness falls. That gives creepy feeling, and one feels even more distant from dear ones. Evening - not a good time to call home, or friends back home or anyone in India. Damn !

Whoa - I opened the regular-feel-good- pass-time youtube. (I think youtube should be part of anti-depressant or anti-boredom kit. Seriously.) the site recommended me all sort of nonsense including a "OMG !alien attack on Obama" video.

I glanced across and found Sachin smiling in a corner. I clicked on the link reluctantly.
It started with World cup 03 against Pakistan. Then moved on to Sharja 98. Then he was murdering Aussies down under. Some time more, and Warne was sent for a glorious boundary with a mere push of the bat.
Interview moved on, Tendlya started talking about cricket, practice, family, late night long drives and many more.

It was so good to see him talk - Not as a star batsman, but as a veteran in his field and yet so down to earth. I felt proud, happy and bang - better !

Thanks Sachin! You rock!