My Take on Affirmative Action in India

The Government of India plans to reserve 50% of the seats in educational instituitions it runs, for the traditionally opressed classes.

The people in question are discriminated against purely on the basis of their birth, based on a system of castes which cannot be justified in any rational way. In fact, I feel ashamed on my Indian nationality whenever I come across anybody referring to their own or anybody else's caste. (I'm like, why the f@#$ am I a part of this pathetic society?)

Much has been made about this matter in India's media, mostly criticizing this notion and the Government for proposing it. I have listened to and read arguments for both sides, and have been mentally debating on what posture I should take.

But the reality is that the caste system is alive and kicking in India even in the 21st century. People openly follow caste considerations for purposes like social interactions, marriage, and so on. Even people who, like my forefathers half a millenium ago, had converted to Christianity or Islam, still remember their castes.

If Indian society wants to follow the caste system, it should also accept its pitfalls. Hence, given the present state of affairs, I support the initiative by Dr Manmohan Singh's Government.

The war on terror and the war on civil liberties

If you are in India, you probably wouldn't be able to access this blog directly now, as the Indian Government has got most blog-sites blocked to prevent access to seditious online material.

I'm not too sure anymore, but I recall having read in school that India is a democratic country, with freedom of speech and expression as a fundamental right of its citizens.

What's even more alarming is that the educated elite who screamed their heads off at the government's plan for some affirmative action towards India's oppressed classes (discriminated against on the basis of an unbelievably pathetic and stupid system of castes) are now calling for India to follow Israel's approach towards terror.

The problem with Israel's approach is that its a never-ending war. And ultimately everyone who wages war is a loser.

Anyway, now PKblogs.com has clubbed India along with Iran, Pakistan, and China. I hope its not soon that we are clubbed along with North Korea.

A Happy and GAY India

The sex ratio (number of females per thousand males) is at an alarmingly low 850+ in India. In some states like Punjab and Haryana in the North, it is lower than 800.

Traditionally, Indian society prefers male children, and in a lot of communities, female children are simply killed in cases of female infanticide. Female foeticide is also extremly rampant almost all over the country, regrettably, helped in part by developments in ultra-sound imaging technology.

At the rate at which the number of females is declining, soon a time will come when around half of Indian men would be forced to turn gay. And this time is not that far off.. I see it happening in my lifetime.

The silver lining is that such a situation would lead to a sudden massive drop in the population, leading to some stabilization in population.