Just my Thoughts

Finally, after more than a decade, Project DANTAK cryingly completed the construction of much hyped Chukha-Damche bypass road. Like many other Bhutanese commuters, I am excited too about shortened distance and prospect of cost saving on ever expensive fuel.  In an opening ceremony, our Prime Minister said, the road would remain as a symbol of Indo-Bhutan friendship. But I have other feelings. That patch of road would remain as a symbol of Project DANTAK’s unceasing love for constructing (so called the best) roads for us. They have been building roads for us far too long and I think it’s about time they allow us to do it for ourselves. We thank them for all their love and support and they should now rest. Today we have our own national builders who are technically more equipped. We have work force who possess skills and experience in building our own roads and bridges, if not hydro powers. But it’s the irony of the century that we still depend so much on some of the substandard foreign builders. Long time ago, I once met an official from DANTAK. I asked him whether the bypass would actually see the lights of completion days. I made a reference to India-China competition and told him that elsewhere in China, they are building 78 km of roads per night. But here you are taking ages to build just 29 KM road. Unable to tolerate my mild criticism, the official got mad and left the place.

Yesterday evening, I was watching some news on CNN and NDTV channels. Most of the contents are as disappointing as it can get. Americans are scratching their heads while their President continue to wreak havoc in political spectrum. Historically, it’s astonishing to see American President honeymooning with Russian President in a closed door room and later admitting that he fumbled with a simple word ‘Would’.  

In India, mob lynching and raping it seems have become the order of the day. On the other hand, BJP is obsessively fearful about the dynastic Congress and Muslim vote bank. But let’s be honest, what is not so dynastic in Indian Politics? Besides Gandhis, Look at the Lalus and Sinhas of Bihar, the Yadavs  and Yogis of UP, The Abdullahs and Muktis of J&K, Solankis and Patels of Gujarat,  Jogis and Shuklas of Chhattisgarh. The list will go on. Now with Modi in the center, there is an emergence of strong man politics and the world is Namo there. In brief, there is nothing great to learn from oldest and biggest democracies of the world at the moment.

There is this jolly guy called Richard Quest who says, the racial harmony is a cord yet to be struck in America. And in the similar line, I thought religious harmony in a secular India is another cord yet to be struck.

In my office, world cup fever is yet to subside. Some won and many lost their bets.  In between, wave of momo party and pizza party are happening haphazardly from the winners. For the last two days, I was busy moving between the groups, eating momo, drinking tea and munching slices of pizza. The slim advantage of being a senior in the office is that you get multiple invitation and in the end you risk getting stomach disorder.