Does this ungrateful country deserve aid?

2010 has been a severe year of Monsoon in south east Asia, particularly so, in Pakistan. Flash floods and landslides caused by rains hit north-western Pakistan and Pak-Occupied Kashmir on July 29^th. The situation worsened further in the next two weeks, with death toll exceeding 1600, rendering 15 million people affected by it. The loss to crops were so huge that the economy is expected to slump by about 2% this year.

International aid has been pouring into Pakistan ever since the grave situation existing in the North was disclosed to the world by western media. Pakistan is too proud to accept incapacity which would rather let its people die silently in the flood than the world knowing the pathetic state it has come to be. Based on the statistics provided by NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) of Pakistan dated Aug 21, 2010, a total of US$ 526.3 million has been pledged. The category wise distribution is as follows – Western nations US$ 321.4 m (61.1%), Muslim nations US$ 153.43 m (29.2%), International aid including U.N. US$ 27 m (5.1%) and Asian nations US$ 24.41 m (4.6%). One thing comes out in stark contrast – the Muslim nations have virtually let their brother to his fate in this hour of crucial need. Those nations which control the enormous middle-east oil revenue has not even bothered to offer some assistance. An ordinary Pakistani considers the U.S, U.K and other western democratic nations as evil and lends moral support (at least) to extremist elements vowed to crush democracy and unbelievers. But the hard facts paint a totally different picture. Pakistan has received the lion’s share of its aid (65.7%) from unbelieving Kafirs, who are guided by the principles of philanthropy and compassion. Pakistan’s bosom friend China has pledged only a paltry sum of US$ 9 m (1.7%). China, which aspires to become the world’s greatest financial power by 2030 is undisturbed by the grave living conditions of the flood victims so that not even a considerable sum is offered. Read this along with Pak’s arch enemy, India’s offer of a preliminary aid of US$ 5 million, which is not even mentioned in the list put together by NDMA mandarins sitting safely and comfortably in Islamabad. Pak has categorically refused to accept aid from India and demanded her to route it through international channels if she want it to be accepted by her haughty and irresponsible neighbour.

One of the Pakistani street protests against democracy and western nations.

Pakistani religious leaders trample upon the national flags of India, U.S. and Israel during protest rallies which are routine there.

Pakistani resentment against the West goes back to the Muslim experiences of the Crusades in the 11^th century! Needless to say, such deep rooted hatred is not going to subside any time in the conceivable future. Such ill-conceived political notions colour every aspect of Pakistani response. The world viewed with horror the gruesome beheading of the American journalist, Daniel Pearl with a blunt knife by Muslim terrorists. Even now, Taliban has threatened the western aid workers with death. It is an open secret that the common folk in Pakistan support these extremist outfits in general, otherwise how can you account for the truth that the top brass of Al Qaeda, including Osama Bin Laden can stay peacefully in that country? Extremist elements threatened the head of U.S.Aid in Pakistan with death and he fled for his life. Just think about the sarcasm!

Now, reverse the tape to October 2005. A severe earthquake of magnitude 7.6 in the Richter scale jolts most of the Pak-occupied-Kashmir, killing 73,000 people, injuring 100,000, rendering millions homeless. International aid flowed then also. Based on the Wikipedia article titled ‘International response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake’, we gather that a total of US$ 991.3 million was collected. The category wise contribution turns out to be Western nations US$ 454.9 m (45.9%), Muslim nations US$ 434.5 m (43.8%), Asian nations US$ 51.81 m (5.2%) with China delivering US$ 6.2 m (0.62%) while India gave US$ 25 m (2.52%). We see the same picture as we saw in 2010! It is the western and other democratic nations pledging the lion’s share of aid to a country desperately in need of it.

Look at these telling stories! We are shocked to see the monstrous ingratitude of the Pakistanis. While literally eating from the outstretched hands of helping nations, most of them western, these people feel no compunction to plot against them, help those who destroyed the World Trade Center, masterminded the bombing of the London subway and the Madrid train blasts. Pakistan still harbours Osama Bin Laden, Al-Sawahiri and other Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders. Aren’t these people instructed to imbibe a feeling of gratefulness to people who helped them when it was most urgently needed? How can they articulate Jihad against those hands which fed them when they were starving? How can they make widows and orphans in the West and India who were building roof for their own women and children in the troubled times? Only a demented and degenerate nation can be oblivious to the people who helped her in her hour of need. We can be absolutely sure that once they come out of this trouble, they’ll immediately switch off all memories of the help they obtained and again switch on the propaganda of jihad and violence. No wonder this rogue of a nation demonstrates to what level a theocratic state can stoop. Does this nation deserve aid? Shall we feed them by donating our hard earned money, only to get bombs and missiles in return, when they are healthy again?

Donate liberously and help children like this to return to their homes and live happily.

The answer to the above question is Yes, indeed. The world should be guided by compassion, empathy and sharing. Numerous children are suffering and starving there in the cold, flooded districts of Pakistan. The Islamists who rule them won’t be helping them, they would be too busy with their rhetoric and ugly warmongering. All religions of the world stress on kindness to the weak and atheism also is guided by philanthropy. So, in who’s interest it would be to deny them aid? They are our brothers and sisters, suffering in that forlorn country. We must help them and strive to ensure that they go back peacefully to their homes and continue their lives happily.

Julia Roberts' New Act of Comedy

Julia Roberts, often called America's Sweetheart has claimed in an interview that she has converted to Hinduism. Aged 42 and winner of the Oscar for Erin Brockowich, she is one of the leading figures in Hollywood. She says that she has been so spoiled with her friends and family in this life and wants to be something quiet and supporting in the next birth! She learned the basic tenets of Hinduism while shooting for the film 'Eat, Pray and Love' in India.

I had a hearty laugh after reading this news item. She says she had learned about Hinduism. Some learning! Probably she is not aware of the basic feature of Hinduism, viz. the numerous castes, some upper, some lower, some in the middle. To which of this caste she has converted into? Without caste, you are not a Hindu, as per the learned Brahmins who interpret religious law even now. I think she has been fooled into the spiritual mumbo-jumbo while in India, whose cultural burden we Indians always bear on our shoulders. Most certainly, she has not heard of many villages of India where lower-caste people are not even allowed to come near the upper-castes. They are not allowed to take water from government-built public wells and their children are still not allowed to attend schools. Sati, the practice of widow-burning when the husband dies, is still practised here and there, occasionally. Even otherwise, we Hindus consider those women who consensually commits suicide on the death pyre of their husbands as semi-divinities who are to be adored. We are easily swayed by superstitions and rumours! Some years back there was a news item which spread like wildfire on the sub-continent. People fed milk on a spoon to the idols of Ganapati and observed with wide-eyed wonder the milk seep into the idol through surface tension.

We Hindus live in a self-hypnotised world. We believe that India had a glorious past in which we surpassed all other countries. Some people even say that ancient Indians developed aviation, had knowledge about string theory and uncertainty principle and had known that there was water in the moon! Not even with tons of salt can you stomach some of the craziest ideas. The fact that nobody else in the world pays a iota of attention to these semi-lunatic claims doesn't deter the diehard enthusiasts. Its a tough task living with a level head in India now.

So, Ms. Roberts, what among these interested you so much to denounce the religion in which you were born and brought up? Or, is this one of your newest acts of setting the fashion? We'd have preferred you to stay the way you was, but a bosom friend of India and our culture. Yes, our culture, even though illogically glorified by some of us, is nonetheless great! We'd have liked to see in you an ambassador of the good will which is to flow from the fountainhead of our age-old traditions and way of life. But, converting to our religion was the last thing we'd have preferred you to do. We'd have gladly and proudly accepted you into our fold, even if you are a Christian!