Just read the very interesting blog of Hiren Shah. His style of writting is just very neat.. Just read his latest post and thought i should put it here.. so here goes…
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Times of India displayed a photograph of former American President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary in Indian wedding clothes. They make an impressive sight and the former President even declares that he would wish the same kind of wedding for his daughter. He further said that he kept coming back to India because he loved India.
This is addressed to Mr Clinton and other American Presidents in general:-
Since you have mentioned our weddings so specifically, Mr President, I would apprise you of a movie that I had seen a few years ago. The name of the movie was “Hum aapke hain kaun” where perhaps for the first time; the Indian wedding was shown in full swing and splendour on the silver screen. It became the biggest commercial success of all time became a precedent for a spate of such movies. The word “Hum aapke hain kaun” literally means “how are we related to you?’.
Looking at the American foreign policy, it puts things in a very interesting perspective. It’s common knowledge the world over that the United states follows the policy of “short term gain long term pain “in blindly following its “interests”.
The brutal murder of more than a hundred thousand Iraqis and two thousand plus American soldiers in the invasion of Iraq sent shockwaves through the world – and captured the attention of an author named William Blum.The movie covers his journey to create a bestseller ROGUE STATE: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower. Through his extensive research, Blum compiles a detailed list of US governments’ involvement since WWII in torturing, kidnapping, harbouring terrorists, using chemical and biological weapons and utilizing many other lovely foreign policy tools. The book got a recommendation from the most wanted and homicidal of terrorists, Ossama Bin Laden. (I am not kidding!)”
One comes across so many articles which state that the attitude of the Western world changed towards India and the third world only after they themselves experienced terrorism on 9/11 and the London bomb blasts. Does it take catastrophes for you to empathize with us? Doesn’t it reflect poorly on the human race in general? Considering the recent cartoon controversy which has aroused worldwide resentment, one really wonders how much revulsion the Iraq war must have caused and what are its long term consequences… Ponder again “Hum Aapke hain kaun?” I remember reading in a magazine before the war started that the Iraq war had the potential of creating more terrorists and more 9/11s. In the same magazine, I remember reading that though the United states was perceived as a bully boy in third world countries, the serial “friends “ is very popular in Pakistan of all places. That apart the American culture is aped the world over. It’s a great pity that despite having the right weapons in abundance, you tend to choose the wrong ones. Ponder again “Hum aapke hain kaun?” Just as you have mentioned your fondness for Indian marriages, the romance for an average English educated child in India with the United States begins at the age of around 10-12 when he begins to read Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew or the Archie comics before graduating to better stuff( In my case, some great management literature). Considering that you and we are the world’s oldest and the world’s largest democracies having the largest speaking English populations, we should have been the greatest of friends and the words “Hum aapke hain kaun” should have had no significance even during the cold war. That is long over, why start similar wars by pursuing such policies and create further cold wars. Iraq is a case in point. I have come across so many Americans who are opposed to the war. I hope that all the Presidents who form policy in the future have this question on their heads “Hum aapke hain kaun”. .
In a lighter vein, let me conclude: – Poem begins: –
Mr Clinton for us it is a matter of pride.
That your daughter you would want to wed like an Indian bride,
Why follow policies that most people in the world deride?
Why try to take the rest of the world for a ride?
Instead of perusing policies from which you may have to hide
The most powerful nation could proudly assume a different stride
We too are proud that you have been so enamoured of an Indian marriage.
Why follow policies that arouse the world’s outrage
Its high time American foreign policy comes of age
The mood of the people all over is not something that powerful satellites can gauge. Use empathy and Spiritual leadership, many a great leader have had flashes of a sage. American presidents have been charming,
wars they don’t have to wage.
Then instead of your saying “Monica, Oh my darling”(old Hindi movie song), the whole world may say “America, Oh my Darling” .
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Afterthought : Isnt it ironic that i work for an MNC??