Wikileaks, Rahul G and Diggy Raja

The times that we are living are indeed interesting, as any time ever when anyone has lived in, would have been. Only the manner of surprise changes, but shocks and surprises have always kept times interesting. We become shock proof or fail to be surprised at events that no longer remain a rarity. Bomb blasts were a HUGE thing in the late 80's for Mumbaiites. Now multiple blasts, make people to go through the motions - check for your kith and kins' whereabouts and once you are sure they are safe, display robotic emotions and get on with your work.

Should it be a surprise that in the age of internet and digital information, top secrets should become public information in the manner which Wikileaks is taking out TOP SECRET data on the net? Every thing transmitted over the net becomes a public property. It might be protected now, but over time it will be dug out with advanced tools and utilities. Rest assured of that! Wikileaks was waiting to happen and this wont be the last time secret info passed over internet is made public. Although, in this case, it does make the lives of informers and diplomats difficult and risky.

Wikileaks is making US diplomats scurry for cover and to cover whatever leaks come out. The situation US diplomats are in is like that of a family, whose 'good-for-nothing' nephew is giving out innermost circle secrets to other relatives and friends. The question that comes is what would a family do in such a case? Will it not try to preempt to tell other friends the information that would be given out later by the 'traitor'.

This idea makes the connection between statements given out by Congress spokesperson Digvijaya Singh few days ago, about he having spoken with ATS chief Ajit Karkare on 26/11, when the ATS chief confided in Diggy that Hindu fundamentalists have threatened his life. Now for any honest police constable too, threats to life are a common occurence in India. Diggy failed miserably to explain how Karkare confided with him such a matter and why. But not getting into that debate, the question that arises is, Is US administration making its own version of leaks to preempt loss of face for its allies, friends and 'elusive contact of the past, who are now clearly interested in reaching out to the US admin- Read Rahul Gandhi (Praise Be Upon Him)'?

A week after Digvijaya Singh's 'revelations', Wikileaks put up the damning conversation Rahul G had with US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer that India had a bigger threat from Hindu fundamentalists than Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Considering how every statement, is calibrated to suit the approaching uncomfortable event and how every new move is an attempt, to deflect attention from a previously uncontrollable circumstance, it should not be any surprise either, that UPA2 knew exactly what is coming out of Wikileaks.

So try to 'preempt' what will be the news in TV in the evening, based on what headlines you read in your newspaper on that morning.

Ayodhya - Ram Janmabhoomi Case

The verdict is out in the Ram Janmabhoomi Case, Allahabad High Court Bench has decided Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas, Sunni Wakf Board and Nimrohi Akhara as party in the ownership of land and divided it amongst them. The verdict has been a victory for the liberal democracy propounded by our Constitution. Debates and verdicts like this - and the NYC mosque - can come up only in liberal democracies like India and US. In nations like Saudi Arabia there will never even be a debate about such issues. For that and for the verdict having passed out peacefully in the entire nation, we all Indians deserve credit.

Now the next step will certainly be the building of a grand temple at the site, if the Sunni Wakf board doesnt appeal in the Supreme Court against the HC decision.

What should be taken into consideration that a Grand and functioning Mosque will also come up at the site on the land awarded to the Sunni Wakf Board where the non-functioning mosque was demolished. After having dealt a sensitive issue with patience, we should be careful not to make the place an epitome of oneupmanship.

Hope there would not be a contest amongst the temple and mosque designs to make one 'more Grand', 'more magnificent' than the other.

Hope there would not be a contest to make the minar and shikhars taller than each other.

Hope there would not be a contest on the decibel levels emanating from prayers from each shrine.

Hope the approach road to the site is made a little more logically accessible.

Hope devotees visiting the shrines are careful enough to have better civic sense.

Hope after another 60 years, history records the site as a once disputed but no longer contentious piece of land.