TRAGIC DISQUALIFICATION IN 100 MTRS.RACE.

It was very shocking scene two days back to watch the fastest runner of the world Usain Bolt from Jamaica disqualified for false start in the 100 metres final in Korea where the World Athletics Meet is under way now. Bolt is the reigning Olympic champion and when he ran in the last Olympics at Beijing he surpassed all the previous fastest runners by running the event in the fastest timing one ever ran. His timing would have been still better if he had not to slow down during the last 15 metres taking for granted that victory is already in his pocket. Normally in 100 metres sprint the winners selected thru photo finish but for Bolt in the last Olympics it was totally different because almost from 15 metres before the finishing line Bolt was far ahead of his other world class competitors when he boasted of his victory by beating his chest saying ”I am the best”. Earlier top Olympian sprinters like Jim Hynes, Valery Borzov, Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis never boasted like Usain Bolt but Bolt is of totally different category sprinter. Carl Lewis after he saw Bolt at Beijing Olympics coming out first in 100 metres, remarked that he could not believe seeing what he saw of Bolt. It all happened because of the improved advanced methods of training. A small unknown country like Jamaica can produce such stalwarts then why we in India cannot do the same?

It was a very pathetic sight to watch Husain Bolt in desperate state immediately following his disqualification. In desperation he lost his sanity for a few moments, removed his Banyan in the middle of the track, went into the dressing room and banged his head on to the wall. Thank God he did not lose his mental balance. It was too much for him to bear this colossal loss. In his loss in this important race for which he practiced so hard for so many months together, he also suffered a loss in millions besides loss of his image. To start the 100 metres race one has to be totally alert and good frame of mind besides good frame of physical fitness and physical alertness. If your start is good then the 50 per cent of the victory is yours for this reason your start should exactly synchronize with the trigger of the gun. Usain Bolt inspite of his vast experience and training in this field still faulted and this fault cost him very dearly. I feel sorry for him. I missed a great opportunity to see him running a great race and enjoying it. In his disqualification the current World Athletics Meet has lost much of its charm and glamour. Usain Bolt was the victim of the latest rule change by the World Athletics Federation which stopped giving second chance for the first time falters. According to the earlier rule second chance was given if one takes a false start for the first time.

During my hey days in Goa I was not a world class runner but proved to be the fastest runner of Goa being an individual All Goa Inter School Champion and All Goa Junior individual champion. 100 metres was my favourite item and during the final of my record creating run in this item I faulted once but taking advantage of the second and last chance I became more alert to syncronise my start with the sound of the gun shot and began my race with confidence till I came out first. The starting point in 100 metres is killing you mentally, there is tremendous pressure on your nerves and all your body muscles vibrate your whole body. 100 metres race is the most grueling and strenuous race among all the running races. For this reason the winner of 100 metres is considered as hero of the Athletics Meet at regional or at international level.

A. Veronica Frnandes,
Kuwait.

CAN WE SAY SAYONORA TO CORRUPTION FOREVER?

Thank You Annaji ! All the fizz and the buzz of the last two weeks has
finally died down, the news and the talks on TV were indeed getting
monotonous and overbearing and we, the Indian public have had enough
of it, to last us a life time and now the forever hungry Indian media
will have to wait for yet another fast or yet another scam to feast
on.

Anna’s loud and aggressive tirade against corruption is a worthy cause
which people of all walks of life have embraced, with open arms and
clenched fists, there is no doubt that corruption has been a curse
that’s been usurped and promoted by our erstwhile and present
political luminaries to such an extent that in the last few years,
scams have been surfacing like mushrooms, on a mushroom farm,
curtailing and barricading the social and economic growth of the
states and the country.

There is absolutely no doubt that our politicians especially the
Congress, tried to bulldoze the bill with it’s dictatorial mindset
trying to emphasize that bill making was their congenital right as
elected representatives and the public should have to live with it,
come what may, but with Anna’s obstinacy and the dissenting voices
clamoring for a change, growing steadily louder by the day, a remedial
legislative action had to be taken for damage control, but
unfortunately the damage done by the Congress attitude and the delay
is certainly well beyond repairs.

Corruption, like bigotry can take on more insidious forms, if allowed
to incubate and spread, not that they both are a new found phenomena,
what I want to say is, if both are allowed open space and time, they
can be equally dangerous for the wellbeing of the people as well as
the country, so every marginalised group will have to be brought under
the ambit of this bill and we will also need to stigmatize corruption
as the perennial appendage of all evil and shame by punishing the
guilty with firmness and harshness, no matter who, leaving no doubt of
its far reaching and dire consequences, instead of just ostensibly
promising action against those professing and promoting corruption.

Even though Anna’s crusade has been supported by majority Indians
because of its critical issue, there has been criticism too from some
quarters because of his RSS background and the Modi issue, but these
however cannot dilute the efforts of this seventy four year old to
fight corruption. Knowing our politicians, we understand what they
stand for and why they stand for, so BJP’s double feet plunge in
support of Anna in the last days of fast can be very easily identified
and analyzed without much of an effort. So also some politicians form
either side of the great divide have made statements and showed their
presence in support of the anti corruption crusade of Anna but we all
know why, elections are just round the corner.

Anna being a simple man with a simple mind could be vulnerable to
manipulations from our highly skillful manipulators in all forms and
colours and I only hope Anna and his henchmen and women are wise and
cautious enough to identify the hyenas on the prowl in their midst.

If the Bill has to be a success we will have to be vigilant and cover
every loophole that may allow corruption to proliferate under it’s
very nose and eyes undetected and above all, to facilitate the
effectiveness of this Bill we ourselves will have to say no to
corruption and become incorruptible, but even then the monumental
question that perturbs me most is, will the Jan Lokpal Bill be the one
Bill army, a solution to all our myriad problems ? With this bill,
will we be able to say sayonara to corruption forever ?

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes.

MARIO REBELLO IN REPLY TO VERONICA'S ARTICLE ON ANNA HAZARE VICTORY..

Dear Veronica,

A very nice article on Anna’s victory on his fight for corruption, also highlighting the Indian democratic system. Cheers !! and keep it up.

Kind regards,

Mario Rebello.

From: averonicaf806@hotmail.com
To: averonicaf806@hotmail.com
Subject: Anna Hazare's victory.
Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:58:21 +0000


G O A

--No plans in this revolution are written for retreat--
August 28, 2011

ANNA HAZARE'S VICTORY IS THE VICTORY OF EVERY INDIAN OPPOSING CORRUPTION.

At last, thank God, Anna Hazare finally broke his indefinite Fast after 12 Days when the Government of India surrendered to all his demands for the good of all Indians. It was a victory of all Indians who want India to be corruption free. Anna Hazare is the mouth piece of all Indians who want good for Indians. His victory showed the power of peaceful agitation in a democracy. It is also a great victory for Indian democracy. The pressure brought on parliament was so extensive that finally parliament had to cave in as per the wishes of the people represented by Anna Hazare. As a representative body of the people of India requiring to follow the wishes of the people, parliament just did the right thing.

The surrender of Indian government to Anna Hazare was not a spontaneous one but it was extorted one by Anna Hazare from the mouth of Indian government which reluctantly gave in to the demands of Anna Hazare having no other options otherwise there was a possibility of India going into chaos. Anna Hazare was the symbol of aspirations of all Indians longing to have a corruption free India. People in India are fed up of corruption at every level going on in India and if Anna Hazare was denied his demands there was the possibility for riots and chaos to happen in India. Rightly government of India sensed the mood of the people and quietly surrendered giving an impression that it has done a favour on Anna Hazare.

Submission to Anna Hazare’s demands was not a favour or a goodwill gesture on the part of Indian government but it was a victory acquired by fighting a battle by Anna Hazare with the Indian government which was reluctant for 12 continuous days creating hurdles at every step. In this battle Indian government not only lost the war but also exposed itself as an unreliable government giving no confidence to the opposite party. For this reason Anna Hazare and his team demanded in writing the decision of Indian government. It is a pity that government of India is giving such a law opinion of its sincerity in dealing with important issues with opposite parties.

With the victory of Anna Hazare in his Fast against corruption it is just the beginning of the revolution that is going to take place in India. Anna’s team must not stop now with this victory. The next subject for campaign is the reforms in Electoral system which should be totally overhauled to disqualify people of questionable character from contesting election for any public office. This change again has to be brought thru the power of democratic system which must be maintained by all means. We in India are very fortunate to have strong democratic system in existence while people elsewhere in the Middle East are fighting and spilling their blood to get into democratic system which is denied to them by their political leaderships.

The greatest asset of India is the deep rooted system of democracy which is very difficult to shake even though overwhelming majority of Indians who exercise their democratic rights is literally backward. It is this democracy of India that brought the Indian government to the knees of Anna Hazare. It was this democracy of India that created democratic revolution in India in 1977 by dethroning Dictator Indira Gandhi from power. This very same democratic system must help overhaul the Electoral System in India to debar rogues and criminals from contesting election and to stop playing the game of money power to win the election.

To highlight the greatness of Indian Democracy, I quote the late assassinated Premier of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He said “If India is still strong as a unified nation, it is only because of the Hoax of democracy. Though it is a hoax yet it keeps India united in the name of Democracy”.

I hope this same Democracy will bring about total chance in India.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Posted by KRANTI at Sunday, August 28, 2011 0 comments Links to this post
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A frequent, chronological publication – exclusive, unpublished and hybrid personal thoughts of A. Veronica Fernandes -- can now be read at http://goa-kranti.blogspot.com/