Church Hopping

At the suggestion of my ex-roommate, I went off to Matunga today; to attend the 11am service at the Don Bosco Cathedral there. I got in about 15 minutes too late, after enduring the Mumbai local trains and mid-morning summer heat. But it was well worth it. The church itself was just the way I like it - sandstone exterior, marble laid vast expansive interior, tinted glass portraits and more. The choir was led by a lady with a rather delightful voice, and it's been so long since I'd heard a church organ being played. To top it all, one of my favourite hymns was sung during Communion. And of course, I managed to go for confession too (after nearly 2 years!).

Two thoughts on India and Pakistan (from today's Times of India)

First up, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (BJP national executive member):

[War with Pakistan] will certainly take care of some issues although a step like this is a calculated risk. The nation is in favour of some kind of action that will teach Pakistan a lesson. All the normal deterrents have failed to stop cross-border terrorism over the years. Now, Pakistan does not even bother to cover its tracks. There is enough evidence to show that plots are hatched there and carried out by Pakistani nationals.
The time has come to stop talking and start doing something concrete to put a full stop to all this. If we ignore the growing feeling in our country that something specific needs to be done to foil Pakistan's machinations, it will only breed cynicism and affect our morale as a nation. Pakistan has been testing our patience for far too long and has forced a decision on India. The manner and method of retaliation now has to be adroitly managed.

All this talk of war being a solution is oversimplifying the whole issue. Our problems in Kashmir are not entirely Pakistan's doing. The roots of militancy lie in deprivation and injustice. Are we not guilty of creating such a situation in Kashmir by our discriminatory policies? The war hysteria has been created to cover up the government's sins of omission and commission - from Tehelka to Gujarat. And this talk of hot pursuit and surgical strikes is simply nonsense.
We are not dealing with an unarmed enemy but with an army of matching strength. Any rash action on our part will certainly lead to a full-fledged war with an enemy who, if pushed into a corner, will not hesitate to use the nuclear bomb. The problem needs a political solution. As it is, the nation is spending 1000 crore a month to keep the army in battle-mode.