Foot-No-Path

The foot path along the Shivajinagar bus stand is occupied b y hawkers making the pedestrians take the road for commuting from one point to another. The hawkers have been setting up their petty shops along the foot path for the past five years and no action has been taken by the Bangalore Bruhat Mahanagar Palike to resolve this problem. The pedestrians who have no choice but to walk on the vehicle infested road are not only causing heavy traffic jams but also are being victims to speedy motor vehicles. Dilip Krishna a graduate who is a frequent visitor of the bus stand said that the hawkers are the main reason for the pedestrians to walk on the road. He also feels that the BBMP should provide a separate complex for the hawkers and extend the foot path and improve its structure. Meanwhile the traffic police say that the hawker menace is responsible for the increasing number of pedestrian accidents and traffic jams near the Shivaji Nagar bus stand. The Bangalore East zone has recorded a grave 760 accidents this year from January to March 31, and only threatens to get worse. Police inspector of Administrative department of Bangalore East Sajad Khan completely blames the pedestrians for the increase in accidents and accuses them of not walking on the foot path.

Goods vehicles pay ‘good’ fines

Bangalore, November 17: According to the Bangalore Traffic Police, goods vehicles like trucks and tempos account for 21 per cent of all traffic offences under the Motor Vehicles Act. Also, these vehicles constitute about 3.6 per cent of the total vehicles in the city, but account for 21 per cent of the total violations.

Sajad Khan, the inspector of police for the Administrative Department said, “A lot of these goods vehicle drivers know how to drive and possess licenses too.” But, they are not aware of the traffic rules that should be followed while driving, he added.

The daily commuters also complain about the reckless driving of the drivers of these goods vehicles. Rahul Raghavendra, a student said, “Truck drivers cause too many problems. They break the traffic rules and ride too fast.”

Rickshaw drivers also narrate the same story. Naasir, an auto driver said that goods vehicles create a lot of traffic jams in the city.

Khan attributed the problem to the carelessness of the drivers of goods vehicles who park the vehicles in no parking zones, drive in prohibited areas and change lanes, often without taking notice of the other vehicles on the road. He added that the cases of jumping the signals are most common for these drivers and they are made to pay huge fines for it.

Srinivas, a goods vehicle driver, said “The police await an opportunity to fine us. Even if we carry our license and all the necessary documents and the vehicle matches all the standards as per the Regional Transport Office, the police create a lot of problems and fine us heavily for having faults in our vehicle.” He added that they are made to pay hefty fines like Rs 700 for just a broken light many a times.

Mock Interview

This is a mock interview about a newly opened up pet spa in Bnagalore called Fuzzy Wuzzy

http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=21657

thank you

ROLE OF DEFENCE IN DEMOCRACY

India is one of the largest democracies in the world and this image is being tainted by the blood and tears of the innocent harassed and tortured by the Indian Police. In the year 2007-08 Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have reported maximum number of custodial deaths. A shooting number of 188 custodial deaths were recorded in the year 2007-08 which was 30% higher than the year 2006-08. The Indian police whose duty is to protect and serve the common man has been using unrighteous methods to implement their rules.

Custodial rapes have also been a passion of a few police men. There are various cases of women in custody being raped and sometimes gang raped by the police. Ram Kumar vs The State of Himachal Pradesh 1995, P. Rathinam vs The State of Gujrat 1993 etc are a few cases where the protectors had abused their power and taken advantage of the civilians.

The Central Reserve Police Force was accused of sexual discrimination. A CRPF woman officer had filed a human rights violations complaint against the CRPF for posting her in a completely male battalion. This also shines light on the male chauvinistic ideals of the force. There are thousands of women in the force who have faced such atrocities over and over again in the Indian Police, Navy, Air Force and the Army. A lot of women officers in all these fields even today are a target of sexual abuse and assault.

The Border Security Force or the BSF is responsible for protecting the Indian borders from alien entries or insurgencies of any sort. It is vital to the sovereignty of India that the defenses protect the borders and gave the citizens a safe environment to live in.

In a democratic set up it is important that the defense system is sound so that the citizens know they have someone to answer to and hence maintain the law and order in the country. If the citizens lack a basic respect and faith in the defense force it could lead to a state of complete chaos and confusion.

WOMAN!!

Born and till the differences appear

she is treated like her brother.

Run, play, climb trees,

no one could stop her ever.

But when she grew older

and her body showed signs,

just because she bled once in a month

did it mean she lost her spine?

Don't do this and don't do that

act of what you are,

these words kill her bit by bit

as she drifts away too far.

She longs for those scars of early childhood,

which she'd flaunt to children then.

Now she's expected to look good all the time,

for the rabid to stop and stare.

Where's her spirit? That of a stallion it was,

now pulling the cart of society, worst than a mule.

Trying to find joy in everything,

she weaves her own noose.

Fathers, brothers and uncles,

the men who have her in control

Is a husband her only option,

to satisfy her soul?

Why marriage? Why kids?why cook and serve?

Are these the only things that women are for?

Shattered are those dreams of becoming something great,

Woman get up!, hurt and get hurt, but leave a blinding scar.

songs in exile

What is MUSIC?Any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sound that is pleasurable and has a soothing effect on the listener can be called music. It is very subjective, and this property of music makes it a far-flung topic. Chirping of birds, sound of rain, notes on a musical instrument, a passing by train etc, can be perceived as music. Classical, Hindustani, rock n roll, pop etc, are a few genres of music which people are aware of. A true musician is a one who respects music in totality irrespective of its genres.

From the time we open our eyes and carry out our daily chores to the time we rest our fragile bodies, we hear and feel different sounds. Traffic, work load, family etc, seem to be the crude hurdles of life and the only source of energy that helps us take the leap over these hurdles is 'Music'. It not only relaxes but also refreshes and entertains. One doesn't need a CD player, Walkman, or any other gadget to feel music, humming to a previously heard tune can be accomplished without the need for technology. In our hectic lives it is very important for us to relax our mind and body. Today MUSIC is often used in many psychological therapies and is considered to be a really good relaxant.

Live music is concerned with playing a piece of music live in front of an audience. The act of recreating previously played tunes or harmonies in front of an enthusiastic audience is called performing live music. Zakir Hussain, Pandit Ravi Shankar , M.S Subbalakshmi etc, are a few Hindustani and Carnatic artists who are well known for their live performances. Like painting, drawing and sculpting, music also is an art form which deserves equal respect. Performing live music is the best method for any artist to promote him/herself, it also bridges the gap between the artist and the fans or audience.

Not long time back, did the Karnataka government pass a rule which prohibited any live form of entertainment in places which define the culture of Bangalore. On the path of elimination of prostitution and illegal dance bars, the government tightened its ropes on performing artists like the Disc Jockey's, professional Dancers, Bands who play in clubs and pubs etc, this not only destroyed the culture of the city but also snatched away all the opportunities of displaying talent and livelihood of various artists. These steps taken by the government were not only severely harsh but also contradicted the right to freedom of expression stated in the constitution of India.

The hard working people of Bangalore who on weekends usually relax to the tunes of their favourite DJ's or Bands have to compensate with pre-recorded music flowing out of a computer of a jukebox. Its like wanting to eat fresh pineapples but settling for canned ones. The freshness of public houses and disco's that kept the city alive is withered. Like music, dance is also a form of expression and the Karnataka government has taken necessary steps to make sure that no person can ever express him/herself through the oldest art form of 'Dance'.

From the economic point of view, this ban on live music has also affected the revenue generating abilities of the leisure and entertainment sector. Public houses and Disco's have been affected greatly by this ban also in turn affecting the state revenue. “With a ban of all forms of live performances including karaokes, clubs, pubs and restaurants, the entertainment business in Bangalore is experiencing a 60% loss in its revenue.”- Times of India 8/10/2008. The Karnataka police has been insisting that they are just following the Karnataka Excise license rule which does not permit gambling, get-together, dancing or any live band performances in places serving liquor. Artists whose livelihood depended on their performances have been moving out of the city to other states in search of work and other financial opportunities. What kind of example the Karnataka government is trying to set in this era of rapid modernization?

"You can listen to recorded music, and you cannot listen to live music is something which is not understandable. How can the police say that listening to music in a club and having a drink leads to crime. This has nothing to do with the live band. The attitude of the police should be questioned here." said Girish Karnad a notable writer and an artiste who along with other prominent personalities from different spheres of art like Rohit barker, DJ Ivan, Prasad Bidappa, Arundhati Nag etc, have been reacting strongly to the imposed ban. At the same time media too has failed to project this propaganda. This ban has also affected the venturing of national and international artists in the city.

I being an artist myself have been singing for a band from past three years, and to day I cant help but feel crippled by this absurd rule. I have been denied of dreaming, or supporting myself through my talents. This is not the democracy I read of. This is not the democracy I dreamed of. Is democracy a type of government which supports its peoples interest or is it just a four syllabic word which is manipulated when in hands of the rich and the powerful, and the influential. Today is not so different from 1947, we fought for our rights then , and we are fighting for our rights now. The only difference is probably the people who we are fighting against, the East India Company or the so called Democrats. What state denies its people of their basic rights? what country supports this absurdity? Today they have banned live music, tomorrow they will ban playing music at home. Can these actions of the Karnataka government be justified?

Music is a feeling, it is an expression, not bound by religion, cast, creed or any factor of social difference. Music is a religion in itself, and it has been resolving the conflicts of mankind for ages. If we still fail to realize the potential of this source of harmony and peace, and lead our lives guided by political, communal and other selfish motives, we'll end up burying this universal language of love in our minds and our hearts. “Music is the essence of life”.