Traffic Inhumanity

Accidents obviously are unexpected and uncalled for. But who should be blamed for them?? Can’t there be a minor mistake on the driver’s part? Or even if he is driving carefully can’t there be a malfunction of any of the mechanical parts in the assemblage of so many rods and bearings?

Mostly it is seen that commercial vehicle drivers are being treated mercilessly by public because his vehicle had done something unusual while he was on the driver’s seat. Abusing and assaulting them has turned out to be a habit and also a matter of pride. The common person without judging anything by his conscience breaks out on the driver and the helper. This sort of passive hooliganism is present in every street of the country.

Is it right to assault the driver and the helper? There are traffic rules that states to investigate whose mistake it was and on conviction has appropriate punishments. If hitting the driver and the helper is booked under law then a criminal offence can also be registered against those chocolate heroes who hit them.

It was once when I was in a Guwahati city bus, where I got up at Adabari and was heading towards Panbazar. A lady tried to get up on the bus even after the bus left the bus stop. The bus was at around 15 Kmph. The lady couldn’t maintain her balance on the running bus and she fell down. The driver didn’t accelerate and decently stopped the bus. The bus passengers got furious at this and ran to grab held of the driver. He got a slap instantly by a well-dressed gentleman. I couldn’t understand why the passengers got so furious. I grab hold of the second person who was about to punch him on the face. The driver tried to hide behind me. While I tried to stand there and advocate for the driver, the lady suddenly arrived and made it clear that it was her mistake. The so looking gentleman who hit the driver felt ashamed and realized his mistake. There was no one who went to pick up the lady who fell down from the bus. The driver realized something wrong and instead of accelerating his vehicle and running away he showed his decency and stopped immediately. While the well-dressed gentle that should have run to help the lady get up, showed his indecency by hitting a poorly paid, over time working labour.

We should try to place ourselves at their position and imagine life for a minute. How would we feel if we have to get up early morning and hurry to work? How would we feel if we are asked to drive from 6 AM to 9:30 PM? While driving is a passion for many rich brats, there is this community of drivers who is actually fed up of pushing clutches and brakes after every hundred metres in a traffic jam and they are doing this just to earn two square meals a day for their family. There is nothing called human resource management or any organizational behaviour to monitor their livelihood and health. After working so hard, they have to face a bunch of idiots who are all into assaulting and abusing. Even if they commit mistakes and admit it, they are sure to get beaten black and blue. The best irony is that there is nobody to stand up for their human rights.

The public agitation in accidents is obvious. Rather than out bursting and handling the driver physically, the agitated public if calls an ambulance and helps clearing the passage to enable smooth fly of other vehicles shall exhibit a sense of responsibility and maturity.

 

I feel that the public is not at all bothered about accidents and causalities. It is just that they are trying to express their frustration upon this class of poor and helpless citizens. They are fed up of their household troubles or India losing the cricket match or their boss’s scolding in office and they have none upon whom they can really outburst their frustration. By abusing and assaulting these helpless people they are trying just to minimize their frustration.

I doubt if the world we live in is really civilized or it’s all namesake. Carrying smartphones and wearing formals doesn’t really mark our progress. Our progress is hidden in a change in mentality. When we will learn the basics of humanity, only then we can approach towards modernisation.

N.B- This piece of my writing was initially published for Guwahatian - An E-Magazine from Guwahati.

About An Incredible Teacher

Last year I read about this great person about whom I am writing now.

Abdul Mallick, hailing from Malappuram, India is one of the greatest examples on the list of the dedicated teachers. For him teaching is not at all a profession but a passion; and which is perfectly reflected in his effort to reach school wading the neck high waters everyday. His action says about his dedication towards teaching. He is not one among those who takes up teaching as an alternative or with the charm of a lucrative salary.

It takes him three hours to cover the 12 Kilometer journey to cover by road. He swims across the river to maintain the punctuality. He tries his best never to miss his school. Once he crosses the river he changes the wet pair of clothes and proceeds to his school to teach.

His action reflects about a person's dedication to enlighten the society. Hats off to such a great personality.

Me & Philanthropy

I have always stood up for helping those who need our help and being a Salman Khan fan I have always known that it is necessary to act 'Being Human' to be a true human being. For me it is not possible to donate ample amount of fund to orphanages and old-age homes now because I am still a dependent but that doesn't mean I am presenting an excuse. I have always stood for blood donation and social causes. Last May it was the 15th time that I donated blood and perhaps next month I will be donating again. It was long back when I donated blood for the first time that I realized the kick in a person smiling at me after I have done something good for them. It is a bizarre experience to live the moment after helping someone. It boosts up the morale within and also develops a self respect.

The last when I did something good for other's..

Three days back after I returned to my second home, 'Charaideo Men's Hostel' I found a middle aged lady sitting on the stairs of our hostel. I parked my cycle at the cycle stand. I walked towards her. She showed me a photograph of a man who was in bed and said that the man in the photograph was her husband. He was detected with cancer. She couldn't afford for his treatment. I put my hand inside my pocket and discovered  two ten rupee note inside. I immediately handed over a ten rupee note. The lady although was sad, passed on a smile reflecting her blessings. It really felt good.

Submitted for Indispire

Mahendra Nath Phukon - The Tardily Cremated Soldier

A senior Police Official and Army personnel paying their tribute to Mahendra Nath Phukon

Mahendra Nath Phukon's brother's on the day of his cremation

On 7th February 1968. twenty Two year old Mahendra Nath Phukon was on the plane with 102 other Army and Air Force personnel and was travelling from Chandigarh to Leh. After the commencement of the AN - 12 aircraft the flight lost control and finally crashed near the 6264 meter Chandrabhaga Peak in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul valley. None of the boarders were alive.

The wreckage stayed undiscovered till 35 years and on July 2003 a soldier named Pioneer Beli Ram was the first corpse to be excavated from the deep glacier area.

On 2nd August 2007 an expedition led my Major Nishant Kumar of Dogra Scouts recovered three bodies from the body. One of those three was of Mahendra Nath Phukon, who was still in uniform. His identity card and other documents led to his identification. 

His body ensconced in a coffin and draped with the Indian flag reached on 20th August 2007 to Deodhai, his native village in Sivasagar district, which is about 360 kilometers east of Assam's main city Guwahati. The last time Mahendra Nath Phukon was home to attend his elder brother, Tuben Nath Phukon's wedding in the year 1967. For his family it was a dream. His body was cremated on 21st August 2007. Many Government officials also were present to pay their tribute to Mahendra Nath Phukon. Mahendra Nath Phukon's brother's, Tuben Nath Phukon and Durganath Phukon are both retired personnel of the Indian Army.

A Promise, by me and all

A call for my Motherland, my first love that I have known,

No fille lover’s tenderness I shall ever yearn,

No lesson other than patriotism I had ever learn,

No moral except sacrifice I shall ever teach,

Nationalism as my religion, I shall always preach.

Mother India, I shall also live the manner they did,

And shall take scars on my face upholding your dignity.

Appraising the sacrifice that all the martyr’s gave,

A promise we must take on their grave,

United in hands in hand, as we will walk across all land,

Fearless and brave we shall stand, victory we’ll understand.

Walking aloft we will promise to take along to all terrain,

The colours saffron, white and green.. whilst all pain.

Mother India, we shall also live the manner they did,

And shall take scars on our face upholding your dignity.

We shall live, merely not to follow the practice of human being,

But we shall live.. live to enjoy pain, anguish and suffering..

Jaswant Singh Rawat - The Forgotten Hero

First of all a tribute to all the martyrs who have happily laid their lives in the service of our motherland and a Salute to all the Indian Army Personnel.

I am confused with how should I address him. Should I mention Late Jaswant Singh Rawat or Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, Fourth Garhwal Regiment? Based on his extraordinary act of bravery, I would choose to believe that he is still among us and is serving at the India-China Frontier and shall address him as Jaswant Singh Rawat, Fourth Garhwal Rifles.

As we head towards Tawang, the Switzerland of North-East, about 500 kilometers from Guwahati, the Gateway of North-East we shall come across Jaswantgarh, a war memorial at Nuranang in Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh, which stands in memory of 4039009 Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, Mahavir Chakra awardee (posthumous) of the 4th Battalion of Garhwal Rifles. A journey towards the picturesque Tawang through pristine hills of Arunachal Pradesh can't be complete without a stopover at Jaswantgarh Memorial that stands testimony to an Indian soldier's unparallel bravery. It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for three days assisted by two local Monpa girls named Sela and Nura. They set up weapons at separated spots and maintained a volume of fire that made the Chinese think they were opposed by a body of troops. Finally the Chinese captured the man who was supplying rations to Jaswant and he revealed to them that they were opposed by only one man.They attacked in force, Sela died in a grenade burst, Nura was captured and Jaswant supposedly shot himself with his last cartridge when he realized that he was about to be captured. Jaswant has killed around 300 Chinese soldiers after confronting them with continuous fire for three days. It is alleged that the Chinese cut off Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China. However, after the ceasefire, the Chinese commander, impressed by the soldier's bravery, returned the head along with a brass bust of Jaswant Singh. The bust, created in China to honor the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle. The post that he had to repulse the Chinese  troops has been named Jaswantgarh in recognition of his valor and sacrifice.

The Garhwal Rifles are today deployed on India's western borders, but the unit makes it a point to keep at least half a dozen personnel at Jaswantgarh to take care of Rawat as if he were alive. He is served bed tea at 04:30 AM, breakfast at 09:00 AM and dinner at 07:00 PM. Five army soldiers are at his service round the clock. There are no chores to be done. Life couldn't have been more comfortable for Baba Jaswant Singh Rawat, but for the fact that he is no more. These soldiers not only serve 'Baba' but also render their yeoman services for travelers along the hazardous portion of mountain terrain. Besides coming to rescue of travelers in trouble, they run a snack store where they serve tea, coffee, samosas, and pakoras to serve the tired tourists charging a nominal price that goes to upkeep the war memorial. They make his bed for him, polish his shoes and deliver the mail sent by his admirers. They even clear the mails the next morning after 'he has gone through them'. They change his bed sheets every Tuesday. Each morning, his bed is found crumpled, and his freshly ironed clothes lie scattered on the floor. The army men posted over there believe that Jaswant Singh is still here all the time, although no one can see him. According to locals and soldiers posted near Jaswantgarh, Rawat's spirit roams the area, and he comes in their dreams and solves their problems.

Jaswant Singh Rawat is the only soldier in the long history of the Indian army, who is known to have risen through the ranks after his death, and this rifleman has been promoted to Major General, and is still believed to command troops guarding the dizzy heights of India's eastern frontiers with China. He also gets his leave, salary – everything that a living soldier gets. A Leave Certificate always hangs on the notice board issued by his commanding officer for ten days casual leave to attend a marriage ceremony of one Yoginder Yadav from November 5, 2008 to November 14, 2008. Jaswant Singh's family members apply for leave on his behalf whenever needed, and if the leave is granted, the army men carry his portrait is to his native village with full military honors and when his leave expires, again his portrait is brought back to its original place.

Myths, folklore and superstitious beliefs are also strong among the soldiers. Army personnel passing by this route, be it a General or an ordinary soldier, make it a point to pay their respects at the shrine of Jaswant Singh, or else they invoke his curse. A Major General once refused to pray at his shrine while crossing the area, saying this was just a superstition, but he met with a mysterious road accident a few kilometers away from here and died.