President Day- 18 Th February 2013
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                                                         The President Day was celebrated  in America  on the 18th February 2013 in order to give rich tribute to the all presidents..  However life of some the presidents are still Role model for the people.The presidential perks,comforts and glamour are very attractive,but duty part is always difficult. However there were  presidents who  remained aloof from presidential glamour, and comforts.  They knew that those perks and comforts are all at the cost of hard earn tax money of the people.
                                                          Abraham Lincoln was one of the great presidents who came from very ordinary family and lived very simple life. He was a president who liberated all slaves in America. He wanted that his family should be treated as a ordinary family without giving consideration to his presidential position. Therefore he wrote one letter to the principal of his son's school that he should treat him like all other students. President Harry Truman who took very important decisions during  the second world war was very strong but simple living president. He fired the most popular General MacArthur for his inappropriate conduct.  However he was very simple person  in his personal life. He drove down to his home town by car on his presidential retirement in spite of that he was entitle for more comfortable transportation facilities. He refused the offers of substantial amounts of assignments after  his presidential retirement. He believed that it was given because he was former president of USA.  He use to say that American presidency is not for sale. This shows that some of the presidents were not affected  with the perk and glamour of the presidential offices.
                                                      It is recently reported that president of Iran Mohamed Ahmadinejad refused to stay in presidential house and  wanted to function from his small house. He wanted to live among his people. However security agency forced him to stay in Presidential House. He ordered to remove all expensive furnitures and carpets from presidential Mansion. Besides that he lives their with minimum facilities.  He slip on the floor like ordinary citizen and some time also takes food with visitors on the floor. This is only to show that he is a representative of  poor people of his country.
                                                    The President of Uruguay Jose Alberto Pepe Mujica stays in Two Bed room House in his farm House. There are only two  government guards along with him. He washes his own cloth and fill up water from near by well. He raises flowers for Extra Income. He drives tractor and repairs himself if necessity arises. There are no servant in the house and he drives himself for going to office. He is  well dress when he is performing his official duties. He goes to restaurant like ordinary person and meet the people personally  He had only $1800.00 asset in 2010. He draws salary of $13300.00 per month.  But out of his salary he gives away $12775.00  as donation to needy people and maintains him self from the remaining amount of $525.00. He  appears to be living  life according  to the concept of Mahatma Gandhi.
                                                  Mahatma Gandhi told the same thing to the congress ministers after independence of India. He advised them to live in small House and to draw salary of  Rupees Five Hundred per Month. Some of them even murmured then that Gandhiji appears to have lost his mind.  Thus his ideals were never fulfilled.The first president of Indian Republic was Dr Rajendra Prasad who was true Gandhian and lived very simple life in Rashtapati Bhavan .  The subsequently most of the Presidents were Glamorized with the perks and comforts of President House. The present President of India Pranav Mukherji said that once he was very much impressed with the wonderful Horses of  the Presidential Mansion. It is  reported that one of the past Indian  presidents was  asked to return the gifts which were received as a president and supposed to be deposited in the Indian treasury.    Thus some time the glamour, perks, and comforts are also the attractions for the leaders to occupying the Presidential Positions.
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The Dark Continent
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                                            The Africa was the most exploited continent  in the terms of its resources by European colonial powers for several centuries. However now it is more or less independent with about 48 independent and sovereign states. The Asian business community including Indians also sucked its resources.We are also well aware that in the south Africa white had suppressed black in every manners until it became independent.
                                             Its resources were also exploited commercially. The exploitation some time leave deep scares  in the heart which is very difficult to overcome.  We had some African students with us when was doing my law at Mumbai.  Some of our friends were not happy with them because they use to pass adverse remark to the effect that" The Indian government is giving them scholarship for higher study because they want to transfer its excess population to Africa " We were very uncomfortable with those uncalled for remarks. However now  can understand  those remarks in the right perspectives. Those harsh words were out of their deep pain for suppression and exploitation of their countries. I also understand that former president Kaunda of Zambia and Nelson  Mandela of South Africa and including leadership of several African countries  very much appreciated the help they received from wealthy Indians in Africa during their freedom struggle. But their financial interest were not protected by the next line of African leadership and indians have to leave because of the insecurity.  This  may be because of  prejudices against them regarding their past commercial exploitation in their respective countries.
                                            However South Africa is still  suffering from the deadly decease like HIV/AID. The several families are being wiped out due to HIV/AID. The anti virus drug for aid was  not available their up to 2004. The 3.37 million children below 17 are without one or both the Parents.Besides that the unemployment is running to 25%to 40%.  The corruption is increasing day by day including in political leadership.
                                            In Nairobi, Kenya you may find posh localities of  British age but still poverty looming over people. They have to search their lively hood. The Country is rich in Nature and Wildlife but without improvement in the standard of living of  people.  The  local people are still living in the mud  huts
                                            The Congo was also under colonial rule and  was divided after independence due to infighting among tribes. The Democratic  Republic of Congo is very rich in metal and minerals  including gold and diamonds. However the rule of president Joseph Kabila is not strong over its capital Gama due to undisciplined army. The militia known as M23 from east had recently taken over the Capital Gama for few days overrunning and army and bypassing the UN Forces. They raped,and abuse people including looting them.  This is happening as Rwanda is helping M23 Militia. Besides that  they have also eyes on the metal and mineral resources of Democratic Republic of Congo.
                                          There is a complete chaos in Somalia where thugs, robbers, pirates and religious fanatics are ruling over the people. It is unfortunate that country whose oil resources are more than Kuwait is totally under chaos.There was also revolt against autocratic rules in Libya.  It will take some time to establish law and order in the same. Meanwhile people are suffering.
                                         The country like Sudan has its own political and racial  problems. The half of Mali is also now occupied by terrorist and the France has intervened militarily on the the request  of the legitimate government of Mali.
                                        These are the few examples of the countries on the continent of Africa where darkness  is still looming. What about other countries on that continents? They may be all struggling and craving for developments.
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Mahatma Gandhi
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(30th January -The death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi)
The observance of 'Martyrs Day' in India
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                                                                  India got freedom because of the  sacrifices of Martyrs  who sacrificed their lives. They were many Martyrs unknown and known like Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad and others. However the Mahatma Gandhi was also one of them who led India to freedom and sacrificed his life for India and its people.
                                                              There was something in Mahatma Gandhi which attracted different types of people with different views  towards him in the freedom struggle. He worked with left leaning Nehru as well as with Iron Man Sardar Patel with strong convictions. He also commanded respect from  Subhash Bose who believed in exactly opposite ideology.  He even converted Pathan Leader Abdul Gaffer Khan in to his nonviolent philosophy.    In short he was more or less catalyst and  binding force in the fight for independence.He was not only politician but also reformer, philosopher, Guide and Saint. He believed that you can exist in politics with moral values as he had deep faith in' God'. He said "It is better to pray 'God'with heart without words than words without Heart".
                                                               He was a living a life which which he use to preached. He was for removing the Untouchablity. Therefore he started  cleaning the toilets which untouchables were doing centuries to gather. He wanted to give message that no work is inferior and that too  people who are doing it. He also adopted one untouchable girl Laxmi as a daughter. His wife Kasturba was very conservative woman but he persuaded her to clean the toilet  because he wanted to start the campaign from his own house. He was respected very much as he never preached but asked people to follow him which he was doing himself. Therefore he was very appealing. He said" You must be change if you wish to see in the world."
                                                            He was very humble to accept his mistakes. He withdrew many agitations when it was found that something has gone wrong. Gandhiji also use to walk by putting two hands on the shoulders two young girls. One of his followers pointed out that it was giving wrong signals to his people. He replied that he does not care as his conscious is clear. However after some time on the basis of his observations he wrote in 'Harijan' that his associate was right in that matter. You requires big heart to accept the truth. This was not new in his life as he had also accepted his several indiscretions in his biography i.e. in 'Satyana Prayogo'. He always show the qualities of person not his weaknesses as he observed that" As I am not being faultless"
                                                           His life was totally sacrificed for the people of India in the process he sacrificed his own family. In the words of his own son Hiralal ' He became Mahatma at the cost of his mother'. It is also true that we got our freedom, our right and self respect but where is Gandhi family? However it is also  fact that he is the father of nation i.e. India and its people
                                                           We can pay our best tributes to those all 'Martyrs' by adopting the spirit of their selfless  sacrifice, and patriotism for the  Country. It will only further strengthen  the hard earned freedom.
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