KYA JOOTE SE CHALEGA DESH!!!

BY: DEEKSHA BHARDWAJ



'SHOE MANIA': It's raining shoes everywhere!!!



In India, flying footwear is the new hunger strike, overtaking even the trendy Facebook protest as an expression of protest.


Latest in a string of four shoe-hurling incidents during the month-long elections underway across India, is when a 21-year-old computer science student took aim at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a sparsely attended rally in Ahmedabad.


The shoe, of a yet-to-be-disclosed brand, landed 20 feet from the Oxford-educated economist, who appeared not to notice the tumult. Known for his cerebral, if dry, oratory, Singh, 76, continued to hold forth on economic development, reading from a written speech.


Elsewhere in Ahmedabad, someone also lobbed a traditional wooden sandal (Kharaon) at the BJP prime ministerial candidate L K Advani. It was the second time a sandal of conscience has been launched in Advani's direction this election season.


"Joota: The ultimate nonviolent weapon," a front-page headline in the Mumbai Mirror tabloid on Monday. An editorial cartoon in the paper showed shoes being handed back to hurlers on silk pillows with a new wristwatch inside, "to get around the election Commission's code against bribing voters," the caption read.

The shoe-as-missile-of-discontent appears to have been inspired by Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who lobbed both his shoes at former President George W. Bush in December. Zaidi became an international hero. But he also drew a year in prison.

In India, New Delhi journalist Jarnail Singh kicked off the "shoe bite," as the gesture is known here, when he threw a shoe at the home minister, P. Chidambaram during a news conference this month in the capital. He said he was frustrated by the minister's reply to a question about riots in 1984 in which hundreds of Sikhs were killed.

"Shoe-throwing is a real expression of the frustration of the people," said Anil Bairwal of National Election Watch, a watchdog group. "But you have to consider that citizens are at a loss for what to do. For too long, they have hoped that the parties would improve themselves, be progressive, put the right people in the seats and work for the betterment of the people. But none of that has happened."


Throwing one's shoe at someone is seen as a powerful insult across South Asia and much of the Middle East. We Indians rarely wear shoes indoors after being out in the often unsanitary streets. Showing the sole of a shoe is also considered an act of disrespect.


So far, no one who has thrown a shoe in India has been jailed. Some pundits here say that is a sign of the health of the world's largest democracy. Others say politically astute leaders realize that arresting the offenders may only make them bigger heroes -- and politicians bigger villains -- in the public's eyes.


The only problem is that actually hitting a politician has proved difficult: Shoes are apparently inefficient projectiles.


Even so, some elected officials are taking precautions. In Gujarat state, Chief Minister Narendra Modi has started putting up volleyball nets around the stage at his rallies to make sure a shoe doesn't hit him.

10 THINGS ABOUT 10TH

1O THINGS ABOUT 10TH ..............................................................

BY :PIA BAKSHI

Hello beta! Which class are you in?
Uncle, I will be going to 10th.
Oh my god!That is so sad …..DO you know that when I was in 10th , I studied all the time……….filana filana……..
Ugh……….we have all gone through that conversation with everybody we have met in the past couple of days .Starting with a sympathy and ending with endless advice. We all rush back to our room and turn up thw volume of our favourite radio station to drive away the haunting memories of the night mares we have been having since the last day of 9th when we are the junction of 9th and 10th.It was difficult for all of us to reconcile with the fact that the girls who spent all their time in dancing etcetra were now going to be only on the study table.Music would be replaced by poetic recitations;novels would be replaced by intimidating arithematic books.
The first day of 10th is still remebered by us all. Wafter the cheers of excitement and hugs all the unsurity, fear and anxiety of last night returned bringing with it new apprehensions.Just then the teacher entered and the rest is history…………………………………..
We have completed 1 month in 10th and all our initial fears seemed silly.Our life is not synonymous with just studies , though it is an extremely important segment of the 15th year of our existence.We still danc e; sing; read ;write. The difference is that now we feel responsible at the threshhold of growing up.
10t is perceived by different people in different ways. Cumulation of this diversity has always intrigued me.Divanshi remarked,”It is certainly better than 9th.Simerpreet Kaur could not agree more. Though Sanam chawla thinks that 10th is hyped and no matter what we say the pressure persisits.Ganeev further adds that because of friends 10ht is just the same as the other classes.ON the other hand Chahat says,”10th has made me responsible .Arti Goyal cheerfully added,”Its great!Though there is still pressure we still have fun.Eman, agreeing with aarti, adds,”I love 10th Iit is not half as bad as projected.”.”Gurshhen says,”It is better tha more interesting than 10th.”Deeksha explains ,”children are under constant pressure because the 10th class certificate follows you in evry venture of yours….and this is bound to have negative consequences.
On a positive note eman further remarks,”You cannot achieve something unles you love itso I have started loving mt studies.”
WE still go out and meet uncles and aunties who in unecessary concern inquire ,”How is class 1oth going, beta?” with a sadistic smile. We reciprocate, with a sheepish grin of our own and prudly declare ,”Great!!!!!!!!!!Could’nt get better.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”…………………..