Money: I surrender to YOU!!!!

I wake up every morning and run after You.
As I close my eyes, You rule my dreams too.
I slog all day to get your sweet touch,
You won't believe, what I would do for You.

I need you not just to survive, no, that’s not my aim.
I need you for a lovely life, do You get it My (Un)Fair Dame?
Without you no one bothers or cares about me.
With You world is, trust me, not quite the same.

I think of you as my ultimate goal.
O' sweet green devil I offer you my soul.
I would fight the entire world, just to be with You,
Without You I am just a piece, with You I become WHOLE.

So choose me over all other contenders and please be mine.
I am the most promising slave You have in line.
I surrender myself to You for life,
Money! Long Live Your Glory, May You Shine.

Sex Workers- Legal Status in India

How many times have you seen ill and tired looking, provocatively dressed girls on the streets late at night haggling with customers over their charges. I saw it yesterday night and it was not a pretty sight. The number of female sex workers in India is growing at an alarming rate and may leave all other professions far behind very soon. Sonagachi in Kolkata, Kamathipura in Mumbai, G. B. Road in New Delhi, Reshampura in Gwalior and Budhwar Peth are the breeding grounds for this profession. Ninety-nine percent of the women in this field are either forced, trafficked, cheated, sold or lured-most of the times by their own family members. These innocent, unsuspecting women generally enter this territory much before the age of eighteen and the life that follows is one of utter pain, misery and harassment from all sections of society. They are imprisoned in shady brothels, raped and forced to sleep with psychopaths who burn and bruise them. Its their duty to serve customers tirelessly from one morning to the next morning. These women have no one to share or even hear their woes.  These women are forced by the brothel owners and pimps to have unprotected sex as they are paid better for that.  The girls who try to escape from brothels are caught easily and tortured even more to teach the other women there a lesson. The very few who succeed are also forced to return as they do not have any means for survival. If they turn to the police they are harassed even more as the police also abuses them in every which manner. This all continues till they grow old, after which their life is on streets as they are thrown out of these brothels which was their bread, butter and shelter for so many years. They do not get ration cards or the right to vote along with the other basic human rights. Since they have to be underground, they never get medical check-ups or treatments. All they get is suffering, pain and sexually transmitted diseases. The primary law regarding sex workers and their legal status - The Immoral Traffic (Suppression) Act (SITA) states that prostitutes can practice their trade privately but cannot legally solicit customers in public. Organized prostitution, pimping and living on the income of sex workers is illegal in India. In the recent past, there have been cries and appeals from various organizations to legalize this profession. Most of these voices have been suppressed cleverly under the name of societal norms and culture. Some genuine reasons have also been put forth against the legalization. However, thinking objectively, I feel there are more pros than cons. 

First thing being the fundamental rights of any human being- These women are at present devoid of these rights. They are considered as criminals without even committing a crime. Legalization of prostitution will uplift their societal status by leaps and bounds. They would not need to hide from police, they can fight back the evil pimps and choose their customers on their own. They can challenge and speak up to the people who mock and ridicule their helplessness. They can pay taxes, cast votes and live like normal citizens.  

Secondly, their health status as well as the health status of their customers can improve. They would not be forced into unprotected sex and can get periodic medical tests done which will  bring down the number of HIV infected people enormously. Apart from the sexually transmitted diseases, various other diseases will also find cure when they do not need to hide out in dungeons raking with diseases.  And apart from these obvious improvements, their economic condition will also improve when the pimps and brothel owners won't be able to extract money from them. 

Above all the question is- Who are  we to  segregate the society on basis of anything- religion, language, caste or profession? Most of these women are doing this just for their survival, they work hard for it and suffer a lot. So how fair it is for us to add to their troubles by outcasting them from the society and law. Being humans, the correct way is to live and let other people live on their terms till it brings no harm to anyone else. So we should all grow up and be a little more mature to accept this profession as any other one and give these women equal social and legal status which has been long impending.

Bt Brinjal Fiasco

After a lot of time and heated debates finally our Honorable Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has said no to Bacillus Thuringiensis Brinjal, commonly known as Bt Brinjal. This brinjal baby is a born celebrity with people fighting, opposing and defending its debut in the Indian farms. There were roadshows, hunger strikes, dharnas and I even saw a community on Facebook for people opposing it. Anyway with all the ho-hum it generated, now it seems to be resting in peace. India has shown that it does not run on one person's opinion. It is a democratic country and thus no one should force its people into something that they do not want . We all are also aware that MNCs are organizations with the sole purpose of making profits and there is nothing wrong with it. It is their job to make money and profits. But its the job of the government and regulatory bodies like Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to not fall prey to their money-making schemes. Such bodies meant for promotion as well as control of Science should know that SCIENCE is a journey of inquisitiveness followed by a great deal of observation and research that leads to attainment of an answer.  Science in itself is a boon to mankind but without research it is the BIGGEST BANE.  In March 2002, despite inadequate tests and results Monsante-Mahyco  had got the permission to introduce Bt Cotton. The end result was that the farmers suffered severe losses due to expensive seeds and inefficient crops while the Company merrily made money. Maybe this time the company has improved its research and has covered the loopholes of Bt Cotton but genetically modified crops have impacts on food chains so strong that its aftereffects will last forever. So it is important that before the introduction of Bt Brinjal, there should be no discrepancy in the tests of its effects and side effects. It is of utmost concern to everyone that a lot of research over this product is done before its arrival on people's plates. So the government is doing the right thing by saying no to it till proper research is done. And yes!For sure, the people who have developed this product should not be involved in this research because-To a mother the child is never ugly. :-)