Thursday 12 December 2019

Forget Muslim or Hindu. Why is India easing regulations for illegal immigrants?





The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which eases Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who left Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and entered India before 2015, has been passed in both the houses of the parliament. After assent from the President the bill would help lakhs of non-Muslim refugees get Indian citizenship, even if they do not have any document to prove their residency. The Opposition has been criticising the government for excluding Muslim minorities from Nepal and Hindu minorities from Sri Lanka.

The issue has been communalised and reduced to a Hindu vs Muslim debate by politicians and presstitutes but no one is asking why India, with a population of over 1.3 billion and a GDP per capita of mere $2000, is easing norms for illegal immigrants.

Some numbers:
1. India's GDP growth for the quarter ending September 2019 fell to 4.5%, which is the country’s slowest economic growth rate in six and a half years. 

2. As per World Bank data, India’s per capita GDP is half of Sri Lanka, Indonesia and less than a third of African nations like Suriname, Namibia and Gabon. 

3. With 5.2 million foreign-born people, India ranks 12th in the list of countries with immigrants. 

4. As per the 2011 census of India, Hindu population percentage has dropped from 83.45 to 79.80 during 1951 while Muslims population percentage has gone up from 9.8% (post partition) to 14.23%. Other religions have maintained the same percentage. 

5. The argument Union Minister Amit Shah made in Lok Sabha was that Pakistan’s non-Muslim population dropped from 23% post-partition to 3.7%. However, his claims are faulty because West Pakistan during 1951 census had 3.44% non-Muslim population which is still very much the same. But East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, saw a major drop in Hindu population from 23% in 1951 to 8% in 2011. 

6. Talking Afghanistan, there were just 700 Sikhs and Hindus left in the country as of 2018, according to a report for the US State Department. 

7. As per the 2001 Census, Bangladeshis form the largest group of migrants in India followed by Pakistanis. Over 3 crore people in India have come from Bangladesh. The welcoming approach towards such refugees from the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC govt in West Bengal has also been criticised as a move to gain Muslim votes by registering them as Indian citizens. 

8. In Assam, 19 lakh people were left out from the final list of NRC, for which over 3.3 crore people applied. These 19 lakh now to prove they are Indian citizens in court else they would be treated as refugees.




The Rohingyas from Myanmar are excluded from the Bill despite their persecution in their home country and Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus are also left out, probably because they don’t speak Hindi, as Congress MP Shashi Tharoor pointed out.

So what remains to be debated is why is the BJP government hell bent on the welfare of non-Muslim minorities from select countries with India’s own GDP in tatters or is the move plainly targeted to increase their Hindi-speaking vote bank in the North? Is Modi's India becoming Hindustan or the idea of Bharat still remains intact? And most importantly, if it's indeed for a long-time vote bank, is it justifiable at the cost of national security?


Interesting reads:

1. Citizenship (Amendment) Bill Explained In 10 Points

2. Which countries have the most immigrants?

3. Citizenship Amendment Bill: Are India's claims about minorities in other countries true?

4. CAB is a new story, here's how illegal migrants shaped politics in Assam and West Bengal

5. I have problems with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill- Arnab Goswami

Monday 3 July 2017

What is happiness?

Le bonheur, c’est quoi?
¿La felicidad es lo que?


Hoy reflexiono, pienso profundamente
¿La felicidad es lo que?
C’est qui me donne du bonheur?

Hay muchas cosas que me gusta hacer
como viajar, explorar lugares desconocidos
como leer, aprender idiomas nuevas
como comer, todas las fritas del mundo
como dormir, desde medianoche a mediodía
sin embargo, sin responsabilidades.

Pero a 25 años, me doy cuenta
las cosas de las que disfruto
no son las unicos cosas que me dan la felicidad.

La felicidad no es solo eso
es algo más profundo.

Voy a explicar es lo que siento…

La felicidad es cuando encuentres tu pasión
la manera de la vida
cuando esta misma pasión te da dinero
dinero suficiente para comer, viajar,
vivir en paz y dormir tranquilamente.

Pero la felicidad no es sobre cuando
hacemos cosas para nosotros mismo.

La felicidad es cuando ayudamos a alguien
para ninguna razón egoísta
cuando traemos una sonrisa en cara de alguien
una sonrisa para siempre

Pero la definición de felicidad
no termina con solo una sonrisa
o unos actos de filantropía.

La felicidad persistente es
una resulta de vivir una vida de significado
una vida completa de todas los emociones
una vida llena de locura y aventuras
con lágrimas mezcladas en risas
con dolor escondido en sonrisas
con esperanza detrás de ese dolor
con sueños incompletos
que te obligan a seguir viviendo
con energía, con fuerza
y lo más importante, la creencia.

Pero lo que mantiene el corazón ardiendo
es sosteniendo el mano de alguien
en el viaje de la vida

Aunque si los destinos son diferentes
Porque el camino caminó juntos te da recuerdos
Recuerdos que te dan fuerza
Fuerza para caminar ese resto del viaje
El viaje para llegar al horizonte
El viaje para encontrar a tu Dios

Un viaje para cumplir con tu amor por fin.

Monday 17 April 2017

A veces yo pienso...





A veces pienso en mi vida, mi existencia
Me pregunto qué es lo más especial en mi vida
El amor, ganar dinero o las cosas que hago…

A veces pienso en quién es más importante para mí
Mis amigos, mis padres o mi novia?

A veces pienso que es más necesario
Tener una alma pura o una mente dura?

A veces me pregunto qué me da más felicidad
Amar o ser amado?

A veces pienso lo que me define
Mi comportamiento, mi trabajo o mis acciones?

A veces pienso lo que me da forma
Mi educación, mis viajes o las lecciones de la vida?

Yo reflexiono, creo profundamente…
Pero no tengo las respuestas


Y un día, alguien viene en mi vida
Ella me ama sin ninguna razón en absoluto


Y luego me doy cuenta
Lo más importante en mi vida son las cosas que hice para ganar el amor, no el dinero
La gente más importantes son mi padres, mis amigos y todos los que me enseñaron a amar

No importan la mente y el cuerpo
Tener un corazón puro es lo que necesito

Lo que me define y me da forma 
Son todas mis acciones, mis pensamientos, mis experiencias de viajar y trabajar,
desde mis lecciones de infancia hasta las feas fases de la vida


Ahora yo sé que amar o ser amado no es significativo
Lo importante es amar a alguien sin razón, sin expectativas y ser amado más de lo que tu esperas


Y eso...eso te da la mayor felicidad en la vida!

Monday 6 March 2017

Soliloquy

Quand le monde dort
mon cerveau se réveille
je pense à ma vie en silence

J'aime la nuit
en absence du bruit de la ville
je me retrouve dans la paix
et je pense à toi

Je me rappelle
les belles histoires de l'Europe
les mémoires les souvenirs

Je me sens en sécurité avec la lune la lumière des étoiles
elles me donnent
de l'énergie pour mon être

Je n'aime pas les règles sociales
je préfère la solitude
j'adore être accompagné
par moi-même

Je m'aime fortement

Ils disent,
"S'aimer soi-même
est le début d'une histoire d'amour
tout au long de la vie"

Je n'aimais pas être cerné.

Saturday 25 June 2016

L'amour, encore une fois | Love, once more.

J’ai aimé jusqu’à atteindre la folie; ce que certains appellent la folie, mais ce qui pour moi, est la seule façon d’aimer. -Françoise Sagan
I have loved to the point of madness; that which is called madness, that which to me, is the only sensible way to love.
Ella y Yo
Elle et Moi
Her and Me



Elle aime le soleil, et je brille dans la nuit.
Elle s'endort pendant que je parle. J'ai du sommeil quand elle se réveille.
Ses yeux sont mon soleil pendant la nuit.
Elle m'appelle Murciélago.
Et je l'appelle mon amour d'été.
Quand elle me câline, je m'en sens sécurisé.
Cuando estoy con ella, no hace falta nada.
Cuando ella está conmigo, no quiero nada más.
Ella es como un sueño.
Elle parle pas l'anglais. Y yo soy terrible en español et français.
Pourtant, nous trouvons nos mots dans les yeux de chacun.
¡Dios mío! qu'ai-je fait pour trouver l'amour encore!

Même sans gravité sur terre, je tomberais amoureux d'elle.


She loves the sun, and I shine at night.
She falls asleep while I banter. I feel sleepy only after she wakes up.
Her eyes are the sun for me during the night.
She calls me Murcielago (The Dark Knight).
And I call her my Summer Love.
When she cuddles me, I feel like home.
When I am with her, I don't miss anything else.
When she is with me, I need nothing more.
O yeah, she's like a dream.
She doesn't speak English. And I am terrible in Spanish and French.
Yet, we find our words in each others eyes.
Oh God, what good have I done to find love again!


Even without the Earth's gravity, I would fall in love with her.


L'amour précède et succède aux besoins de la vie. L'émotion qui transcende les frontières, la vie et la mort, humain et non pas, l'espace et le temps, l'émotion toujours éphémère, potion magique de la vie. 

Love precedes and succeeds the needs of life. The emotion that transcends boundaries, life and death, human and not, space and time, the forever fleeting emotion, life's magic potion.
-------------------------------

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Pata nahi.

सब अपनी धुन में गुम हैँ, 
किसी को किसी के लिए फुर्सत नहीं। 
किसे दोस्त कहूँ इस ज़माने में पता नहीं, 
क्या खुदसे कहूँ पता नहीं। 
ज़िन्दगी एक पहेली है, 
साथ है किसका ये भी पता नहीं।
अकेले निकले हैं हम मुसाफिर बनके,
रास्ता भटक गए तो भी पता नहीं। 
करते रहे एक मोड़ पे किसी का इंतज़ार, 
मोड़ है गलत ये भी पता नहीं। 
कहते हैं लोग रुक जाओ ठहर जाओ,
मंज़िल है कहाँ ये पता नहीं। 
चले थे हम दिल में कुछ अरमान लिए, 
पूरे होंगे या नहीं पता नहीं। 
चलता रहे साँसों का ये कारवां,
कदम कब रुक जाये पता नहीं। 
ज़िन्दगी और मौत का डर नहीं हमें, 
हमसफ़र मिले या नहीं ये पता नहीं। 
इन रास्तों पे है बस चलना सीखा, 
रुकना है कब ये पता नहीं।

Wednesday 7 October 2015

London Diaries: with pieces of Oxford and Culham.


The excursion iaps4fusion, to Oxford University, JET (Joint European Torus @ Culham) and Imperial College, London, meticulously organized by the IAPS (International Association of Physics Students) was a great academic adventure. The reason? Find it below!

The four-day (27th September-1st October) event, officially started with assembling of the 40 odd participants at the Department of Physics, Oxford University.

Day 1: After a satiating breakfast organised by the Oxford University, we headed on for lectures on basics of plasma physics, viz. magnetic confinement fusion, laser-plasma interaction, laser-driven plasma accelerators followed by laboratory visits to see Plasma Astrophysics center, laser-driven plasma accelerators. Doing a Masters in nuclear fusion science, it is always good to brush up the basics in plasma and fusion physics. The lecture on Laser-driven plasma accelerators was quite new and unique for me. Also, the petit 5 cm working model of a GeV electron beam accelerator was fascinating! That was mostly the pedagogic part of our first day, albeit visits to the Museum of Natural History and the University Parks were fun and refreshing.

Day 2: The most awaited part of the event- visit to CCFE (Culham Centre for Fusion Energy) to see the JET. Ever since my undergrad, whilst studying plasma physics and interning at the prestigious Institute for Plasma Research, India, I have been enamoured by the promise of future energy via sustainable fusion in Tokamaks. JET, being the biggest working model yet, was a long time contender to tick off my bucket list. After a brief presentation on the working and technology of JET, we got a guided tour of the JET facility. However, as the device was operational that day, we could not get a closer look to the diagnostics and the confinement vessel. The tour anyway, was really satisfying and encouraging to see so many scientists and engineers dedicating their careers for a promise in future energy via fusion.


Day 3: Having returned from Culham to London the evening before, we had sufficient time to relax, explore the maximum city by night and prepare for yet another amazing day. As the visit to Imperial College was scheduled after lunch hours, we visited the nearby museums viz. Science museum, Natural history museum and the Victoria & Albert museum (filled with antiques taken from India). We were welcomed with introduction to the PhD application process there, followed by presentations on theory research and inertial fusion confinement, especially, my favourite field on Dusty plasmas. We were fortunate to see the Blackett laboratory which included the CEREBRUS (100 TW laser system) and MAGPIE (Mega Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments, 1.4 million amperes in 240 nanoseconds)

I talked to various professors about research opportunities and future projects at Imperial college during the tea break. The awe inspiring infrastructure indeed makes me want to apply there for further studies. Well, that was all the academic bit from the amazing and flawless event organized by the IAPS team (Francesco, Danielle, Steven, Kelvin & Deividas). The fun, however continued with the group moving towards the College Union Bar for dinner and drinks and me taking up as the Spotify DJ for the night. Also, with the next day comprising of a planned visit to the Greenwich Royal Observatory. 

The fusion team with me third from left.
Photo credits: CHOI Tsz Hei (Kelvin)
In a nutshell, it was a delightful gathering of like minded physics enthusiasts, resulting in a lot of friendships and knowledge sharing, for which, I would once again like to thank the organisers, and not to forget, FuseNet for funding this excursion and making it possible for me to be part of such an amazing experience.


For those who scrolled down without reading a WORD:

Crossing the English Channel enroute London (Ferry from Calais to Dover)

Tower Bridge


Trafalgar Square

London Eye

Westminster & Big Ben

Westminster bridge

Chinatown, London
Picadilly
British Library, King's Cross
London skyline as seen from Greenwich. Francesco everywhere!

Last one for the nerds.
T-rex's Galore @ Museum of natural history, Oxford.
P.S: I always knew I had a Ross Geller in me.

For more pics like these, stay tuned to my blog or simply find me on Instagram @myeuropediary!

Pictures shot using Nikon P600 and Sony Xperia M2.