Well, I have been away from blogging for a long time. To be honest, to motivate myself to write a long essay is seriously bonecrunching (and to add to my woes, I hardly seem to attract any traffic). Now, with Twitter, it is much easier to tweet than to blog.

Though I must admit there has been no dearth of issues to write, what with Central Govt delaying Koda's arrest (in the fear some big names might have to do some serious answering), Raja's misdemeanours in 3G allocation, Vande Mataram controversy, Liberhan report, et al, I simply did not feel like writing anything and was quite content taking in news.

Then why I am here today suddenly? Well something just stuck a chord in me and that is why. I had a volunteer visiting me from one of the voluntary organisation which focusses on underprivileged kids. He detailed to me how the funds collected are put to good use for education, healthcare of these children. Being myself a father of an almost 4 yr old, somehow I believe it is grossly unfair to deprieve a child its basic rights as food, shelter, education, etc just becos it is the progeny of a poorman (or woman, if you like it that way). And I think it is our moral duty to help in whatever little way to alleviate the poverty that little child is faced with. Towards this, I decided to contribute my bit (actually a very small inconsequential bit) and started filling up the forms. The form asked me details about my address, tel nr, e-mail, blah blah. But right in the end, it also asked me to mention my religion. Now that set me thinking. I wonder what relevance my religion would have in the larger scheme of things, which is sponsoring a well-deserved child. My only concern is the money (howsoever small it is) that I give is not misused and I really do not care if it goes to any kid of any ethnicity/religion/caste/colour, etc. My only concern is, just like my own kid, the other kid in question also needs to be fed/loved/nurtured.

While in this age, when we are fighting religious fundamentalism (am not even getting into the argument of naming any particular religion), I only hope all secular organisations which champion the cause of destitute women, street-kids, abandoned seniors, etc only focus on the issue (which is providing relief) and not bother about antecedents of the donor. I think that way we would have made a small beginning in ensuring that we live in a society, devoid of religious divides. With this small step, I hope, perhaps, over a few thousand years later, the rapid strides we make as a society, brings benefit to one & all, irrespective of our religious identity. I think only then, we can claim to have become a truly secular society.