My friend Joseph has written in his blog about the protests and media hype that is going across India regading the visit of Mr. George W Bush. This is my opinion, reply, argument.. whatever.

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I think there is something wrong with these “protesters”. They are the people who actually makes up the hype for GWB’s visit to India. Nowadays it has become a tradition for these “soldiers of culture” to protest against anything and everything!

If the protest is because of what his stand was against Taliban and IRAQ, here is my personal opinion.

1. Taliban was the worst form of Islam extremism. It needed an end. Remember one Indian aircraft was hijacked and illegally flown above Packistan and landed in Kabul?. That day we saw what terrorism means. It is not just smuggling things in and out of Inida. It is not just killing some people with bombs. It becomes even worse when they start to play and negotiate with lives. When they start to take the freedom away from us. What we did when our Parliament was attacked? We arrested a few people and found that there was certain extremist groups behind the same. Then? . Like always, we slowed down. We left the case as it is. Where is the people who sent the bombers. Who gave them bombs and guns? Who funded them? There are endless cases like this. Our polititians are not interested in finding out all this. American did. And they reacted. Where is Taliban now?.

2. IRAQ was a “big mistake” from GWB’s words itself. And it is not only the president’s order to attack IRAQ. If I am not wrong, USA has a senate which can even “veto” it’s president over the decisions. So why they kept silent. What about the allies of USA in this war?. Be it power politics or tactics, you cannot blame GWB alone.

GWB’s visit can be a “show” for the media and they will try to get the most out of it. But the protester’s words are “just adding to the fun” for this media morons. They are not actually going to show GWB that most of India does not want to see him here.

GWB has a great tolerance to critics. He is facing it in his own country itself. It is not a new thing to him and his party. This is not going to make any difference at all.

I do not see any harm in his coming to India. It would actually bring in more world attention to India in regards to business and politics. It will give our people a chance to express our stand in many global issues today.

USA is not an enemy of India. They are providing us cutting edge technology, thousands of jobs (where our govermnets just promise jobs!) and support in many other areas.

My questions is, then why we need to protest? You are welcome, Mr. Bush.

I remember there was a story for us to study in english when I was in school. It was about a man who sleeps for some 20 years and wakes up one fine day morning to find out the amazing differences happened. I do not remember the exact story but I am sure I enjoyed it very much that time.

Now, After so many years when I get some time to sit back and relax in between my robotic work schedule, I feel like that character in the old story. I am missing so many things. I feel amazed when a friend tells me that he passed an exam. That is definitley not because I think he is not good in learning, but I never knew that he was preparing for an exam! . I feel ashamed. I am not getting enough time to spend with my family and friends. I am not blaming it. It is a fact that my job keeps me away from my friends and family.

I am working nearly about 12-14 hours a day. It’s not that I do not like what I do. I do love my job. I love the freedom that I get at my workplace. I like my collegues. But I still need to find some time which I can spend with my Family and Friends. Biju asked me why I am not updating my blog. I told him that I do not get enough time. He said he keeps checking my blog for updates. I realised what I was doing wrong. I am a failure in keeping things going. I start up things with great enthusiasm and then fail to keep it up.

I know it irritates most of my friends that I just go “offline” sometimes. Sometimes I do not mail or call them for months. They had already expressed this to me many a time. This is a public apology to all of you guys.

Thank you very much for bearing my horrible behaviour. Thank you very much for still keeping me in your address books. Thank you very much for still considering me as your friend. Thanks for everything.

I feel good now. 🙂

Wired is reporting that a lot of medical research firms are using India’s poor as a hot test bed.

From the article: “The sudden influx of drug companies to India resembles the gold rush frontier, according to Sean Philpott, managing editor of The American Journal of Bioethics. ‘Not only are research costs low, but there is a skilled work force to conduct the trials'”

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