Thought for the day
- Thread starter niftyoption
- Start date
Source :Article From The Hindu Newspaper
One man can make a difference. Read to know why Ghasamfar Ali K. made the news
Less than a month ago, auto driver Ghasamfar Ali K., picked up a passenger in Bengaluru at 8.30 p.m. and drove her to her destination.
Just another journey, as far as he was concerned. Except, by the next morning, he had become a social media celebrity. In less than a week, people were recognising him on the street. And last weekend, the same passenger travelled from her hometown in Chennai to Bengaluru, turning up unexpectedly at his home to say ‘thank you.’
Back in Chennai, the passenger, Ranjani Shanker, a marketing consultant and musician, talks about how that seemingly ordinary journey made an impact on not just her, but thousands of people across the country. In Bengaluru for a short holiday, she found herself stranded in the city at night. “I needed to go to Kanakpura Road, about 38 km away, and I just could not get a cab.” She finally tried the Ola Auto app on her phone and Ghasamfar Ali accepted the ride.
Before he began driving, however, he warned her that a large part of the route would be through deserted roads. “He said, “the light is very low and it will be lonely — I need to tell you that. But don’t worry.” Despite being nervous, she decided to get into his auto anyway, instructing him to stick to a route she picked via Google Maps. “About 15 minutes into the ride, the roads got dark. I was worried — but he kept checking on me, saying ‘Are you ok, madam? Don’t worry’.”
When she reached Kanakpura, where a friend was to pick her up, she jumped out of the auto in relief. “It was not a city road, but at least there were tea shops, and some light.” However, her friend was delayed — stuck in traffic. “Ghasamfar then insisted on waiting with me for 20 minutes till my friend arrived. And it was those 20 minutes that made me write that Facebook post.”
She wrote the story as soon as she got back to her hotel that night. “I’ll be honest — I did have a feeling it would be popular, but I did not expect it to become the sensation it did.” In an hour, there were 400 Likes. By morning, there were 2,000. “I was like, whoa, I’ve never seen so many Likes on a post,” Ranjani laughs. “Then 4,000, 5,000… now it’s at 17,500.” With almost 2,800 shares. But that’s not all. It’s also gone viral on a number of online news sites.
Why did this post get so popular? “That’s something I’ve been thinking about,” Ranjani says, “I feel it’s the lack of positive news that’s made it stand out. We hear so many negative stories — especially about cab and auto drivers. Men who are rude, who are offensive and dangerous.” She talks about how women, in particular, related to her post. “I think women understand that fear of a dark, lonely road, because they’ve all felt it.”
Meanwhile, Ghasamfar has been making waves in Bengaluru. Says Ranjini, “He’s a local hero now: he’s been on radio stations, three newspaper articles and television. The local Commissioner of Police also felicitated him and posted the picture on their Facebook page.”
Ola finally got wind of the story and wanted to reward Ghasamfar. “They decided to pay off his autorickshaw loan. And they called to ask me if I’d like to join in and surprise him at his home,” says Ranjini.
She agreed enthusiastically, and Ola flew her to Bengaluru last weekend. “He was so surprised when I walked into his house!” She says, “My family was insistent that I give him something as well, as a token of our appreciation and respect.” So she gave him a watch, after which he introduced her to his wife and five-year-old son.
Ranjani then says with a smile, “As we were all sitting together and drinking tea, he said, “Madamji, I don’t even know why I’m famous. I hear it’s because of Facebook. I know what Facebook is… But what is a ‘Like’?”
One man can make a difference. Read to know why Ghasamfar Ali K. made the news
Less than a month ago, auto driver Ghasamfar Ali K., picked up a passenger in Bengaluru at 8.30 p.m. and drove her to her destination.
Just another journey, as far as he was concerned. Except, by the next morning, he had become a social media celebrity. In less than a week, people were recognising him on the street. And last weekend, the same passenger travelled from her hometown in Chennai to Bengaluru, turning up unexpectedly at his home to say ‘thank you.’
Back in Chennai, the passenger, Ranjani Shanker, a marketing consultant and musician, talks about how that seemingly ordinary journey made an impact on not just her, but thousands of people across the country. In Bengaluru for a short holiday, she found herself stranded in the city at night. “I needed to go to Kanakpura Road, about 38 km away, and I just could not get a cab.” She finally tried the Ola Auto app on her phone and Ghasamfar Ali accepted the ride.
Before he began driving, however, he warned her that a large part of the route would be through deserted roads. “He said, “the light is very low and it will be lonely — I need to tell you that. But don’t worry.” Despite being nervous, she decided to get into his auto anyway, instructing him to stick to a route she picked via Google Maps. “About 15 minutes into the ride, the roads got dark. I was worried — but he kept checking on me, saying ‘Are you ok, madam? Don’t worry’.”
When she reached Kanakpura, where a friend was to pick her up, she jumped out of the auto in relief. “It was not a city road, but at least there were tea shops, and some light.” However, her friend was delayed — stuck in traffic. “Ghasamfar then insisted on waiting with me for 20 minutes till my friend arrived. And it was those 20 minutes that made me write that Facebook post.”
She wrote the story as soon as she got back to her hotel that night. “I’ll be honest — I did have a feeling it would be popular, but I did not expect it to become the sensation it did.” In an hour, there were 400 Likes. By morning, there were 2,000. “I was like, whoa, I’ve never seen so many Likes on a post,” Ranjani laughs. “Then 4,000, 5,000… now it’s at 17,500.” With almost 2,800 shares. But that’s not all. It’s also gone viral on a number of online news sites.
Why did this post get so popular? “That’s something I’ve been thinking about,” Ranjani says, “I feel it’s the lack of positive news that’s made it stand out. We hear so many negative stories — especially about cab and auto drivers. Men who are rude, who are offensive and dangerous.” She talks about how women, in particular, related to her post. “I think women understand that fear of a dark, lonely road, because they’ve all felt it.”
Meanwhile, Ghasamfar has been making waves in Bengaluru. Says Ranjini, “He’s a local hero now: he’s been on radio stations, three newspaper articles and television. The local Commissioner of Police also felicitated him and posted the picture on their Facebook page.”
Ola finally got wind of the story and wanted to reward Ghasamfar. “They decided to pay off his autorickshaw loan. And they called to ask me if I’d like to join in and surprise him at his home,” says Ranjini.
She agreed enthusiastically, and Ola flew her to Bengaluru last weekend. “He was so surprised when I walked into his house!” She says, “My family was insistent that I give him something as well, as a token of our appreciation and respect.” So she gave him a watch, after which he introduced her to his wife and five-year-old son.
Ranjani then says with a smile, “As we were all sitting together and drinking tea, he said, “Madamji, I don’t even know why I’m famous. I hear it’s because of Facebook. I know what Facebook is… But what is a ‘Like’?”
Son and his Friend
A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.
“Mom and Dad, I’m coming home, but I’ve a favour to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring home with me.”
“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”
“There’s something you should know the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”
“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.”
“Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy.
He’ll find a way to live on his own.”
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn’t know, their son had only one arm and one leg.
A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.
“Mom and Dad, I’m coming home, but I’ve a favour to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring home with me.”
“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”
“There’s something you should know the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”
“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.”
“Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy.
He’ll find a way to live on his own.”
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn’t know, their son had only one arm and one leg.
Muslims in Nepal demand a 'Hindu state' to protect Islam :clap::clap::clapping::clapping::clap::clap:
Kathmandu: In an unusual move, Muslims in Nepal have backed the ongoing campaign for reinstating the country's erstwhile Hindu identity, saying they are more "secure" under a Hindu state than under a secular Constitution.
"It is to protect Islam. I have opened my mouth demanding that Nepal be declared a Hindu state in order to protect my own religion," said Amjad Ali, chairman of the Rapti Muslim Society, who is also involved in the protest programmes demanding a Hindu state in Nepal.
CPN-UML CA member Anarkali Miya said she has personally experienced missionaries trying to influence people from other faiths to follow Christianity.
"I believe Nepal should not adopt secularism. It will only create more problems in future," Miya said.
Udbudhin Fru, chairman of Muslim Mukti Morcha affiliated to the UCPN (Maoist), also admitted the growing influence of Christianity in Nepal.
"Turning the country secular is nothing but a design to break the longstanding unity among Muslims and Hindus. So there is no alternative to reinstating the country's old Hindu State identity in order to allow fellow citizens to live with religious tolerance," Babu Khan Pathan, chairperson of the Rastrabadi Muslim Manch Nepalgunj, was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times.
"We don't need a secular identity, but want to see the country called Hindu State as this ensures safety and security for all," Pathan added and claimed that around 80 per cent of Muslims in Banke are in favour of Hindu State identity.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, a pro-monarchy party and some other pro-Hindu organisations have also been campaigning for reconverting Nepal to a Hindu state as the country plans to adopt a new constitution.
The constitution writing process had proved to be a cumbersome work for Nepal's ruling and opposition parties.
For the last eight years, they have been vigorously arguing their differences over crucial issues including secularism and federalism.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 - 19:43
Source : http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/muslims-in-nepal-demand-a-hindu-state_1646037.html?=23456
Kathmandu: In an unusual move, Muslims in Nepal have backed the ongoing campaign for reinstating the country's erstwhile Hindu identity, saying they are more "secure" under a Hindu state than under a secular Constitution.
"It is to protect Islam. I have opened my mouth demanding that Nepal be declared a Hindu state in order to protect my own religion," said Amjad Ali, chairman of the Rapti Muslim Society, who is also involved in the protest programmes demanding a Hindu state in Nepal.
CPN-UML CA member Anarkali Miya said she has personally experienced missionaries trying to influence people from other faiths to follow Christianity.
"I believe Nepal should not adopt secularism. It will only create more problems in future," Miya said.
Udbudhin Fru, chairman of Muslim Mukti Morcha affiliated to the UCPN (Maoist), also admitted the growing influence of Christianity in Nepal.
"Turning the country secular is nothing but a design to break the longstanding unity among Muslims and Hindus. So there is no alternative to reinstating the country's old Hindu State identity in order to allow fellow citizens to live with religious tolerance," Babu Khan Pathan, chairperson of the Rastrabadi Muslim Manch Nepalgunj, was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times.
"We don't need a secular identity, but want to see the country called Hindu State as this ensures safety and security for all," Pathan added and claimed that around 80 per cent of Muslims in Banke are in favour of Hindu State identity.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, a pro-monarchy party and some other pro-Hindu organisations have also been campaigning for reconverting Nepal to a Hindu state as the country plans to adopt a new constitution.
The constitution writing process had proved to be a cumbersome work for Nepal's ruling and opposition parties.
For the last eight years, they have been vigorously arguing their differences over crucial issues including secularism and federalism.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 - 19:43
Source : http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/muslims-in-nepal-demand-a-hindu-state_1646037.html?=23456
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