Most Discussed Apart From...!!

In one end of the world, there is the most friendly war going on, the cricket world cup: I don't know why football has so many fans!! People seriously do not understand the beauty of cricket. They just don't. Well, Indians have always been ultra smart and they understood the fineness of cricket and struck to it! In an other part of the world, in a small region called Haryana, there are stupid attempts of worsening an already worse education system and also to raise a dead river. Well, I guess Haryana is quite well irrigated. Maybe they want to help other states too. They better think about the unification of rivers.

Anyway, amidst all the excitement due to cricket and anger due to stupidity by few Sanghs, there is one event which everybody is talking about. Probably for the first time in my life, I am seeing the Annual Budget which the finance minister proposes get this much attention. Be it the land acquisition bill, the increasing growth rate or the markets, this budget probably is the most talked one in recent times. It got so much talking about it that I read people wanting it to be like the budget of 1991 which changed the fate of the country. So much attention. That is why, fingers crossed!

There obviously is a lot of decentralisation by the central government and it is evident in the 14th Finance commission. Few things I like very much in this commission is that there was discussion about increase in forest cover and the economic benefits of it. Also, the breakage of funds to Panchayats, Municipalities and corporations. Especially, separate fund for disaster management. Now, states need not beg the center for money when there is disaster. It is good that states like Karnataka and Arunachal Pradesh are receiving more. There is a lot of poverty there. The northern Karnataka is horrible and Arunachal Pradesh is vulnerable. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are rich.

Cinematic!!!

No body wants to give away land. We are no Vinobha Bhave. Boeing had to abandon a project which might employ a lot of people just because people sat for a dharna about a small strip of land. Then there are these NGOs. Moreover, the compensation still remains the same and consent of owners is not taken only when it is a defense or nuclear or rural project. Apart from this, almost everything else remains the same. The only thing that is worrisome about the new act is the "social infrastructure" part. It would be pretty scary if this means real estate! That is a demon. The new ordinance is pretty much similar to the old one. I don't know why Anna had to hold such a huge rally!! Maybe there is some fault with the act, else why would he stage a dharna?

The railway budget was designed in a light way, though the markets went down. But just announcing new trains will not do. This is a wise and more importantly, non controversial rail budget. This makes the financial budget even more interesting. As Jim O'Neill says, if the expectations are met, markets would rally! The entire nation is looking forward to how the budget satisfies the share markets and the vegetable markets!!

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/markets-can-rally-20-30-if-budget-2015-meets-partial-expectations-jim-oneill/articleshow/46362167.cms

In the prime minister's words, "Khela aamir ka phal nahi hai, khela garibon ka phal hain" It would be fascinating to see how the finance ministry balances the equation. The economic survey shows good work and its continuance. But then, it is done by the finance ministry. Personally, I have only one wish, economy boost should not be at the cost of ecology. It would be nice if the good work is truly continued.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/interview-with-robert-c-orr-modi-government-has-shifted-gears-on-climate-change/article6926480.ece?homepage=true



Looking forward for comments on the budget to the experts and the critics tomorrow!

Don't Make Promises YOU can't keep!!

YOU campaign against the corrupt chief minister promising that YOU will sue her and win. You are sworn in as the chief minister, YOU are asked what actions YOU would take against the old corrupt Chief Minister, YOU say, "Let the BJP bring strong evidence against Shiela Dixit and then we shall take action against her!!" Good, very good. Maybe YOU is or maybe YOU is not, but you do not look good!! Anupam Kher thinks so too!!

True. YOU included only middle class promises in the manifesto because Delhi has a majority of middle class people. Mostly Bank Employees, call center agents, political peons. But YOU have clearly forgotten that Delhi has poor people and rich people too. Sanitation, Water, Electricity, Road transport are all fine. But what about employment? Daily necessities? Lowering prices? Industries around Delhi? Cleanliness? Economy? Terrorism? Clearly, a middle class wooing manifesto and a big name after the thunderous Anna Hazare movement. But, are these enough for YOU to be decided the ruler?
Jan Lokpal was YOUr trump card. YOU promised jan lokpal by 29 December and later said fifteen days after coming to power. Nothing happened. Flop! Commando force(joke!) for women security. Flop!! Janata Darbar..Flop!!! As a matter of fact, Janata Darbars are there in many states. Bihar was the most successful state in organising them. Nothing wrong in learning from Bihar. YOU said no to Government Bungalow and took a Duplex house elsewhere. Controversial!! Flop! Flop! Flop!! All YOUr ideas are flops. Promising a good future is not enough. YOU should live in the present!!

lesson.1: Don't make promises YOU can't keep

20,000 litres of water for free to all in Delhi. But that's only for those who have a water meter, the middle class of course!! Can the middle class not afford 200 rupees per month? Instead give those 20,000 litres to industries. They will lighten up lives!! YOU said no to red beacons, went to swearing in ceremony in Metro. Nice publicity stints. But YOU do not realise the nuisance that you create to the police due to these decisions..stupid decisions!!  Now this mistreatment of women too?!!?
YOU have come with an agenda. An Aam Admi agenda. When YOU being in the decision making seat cannot take any small decision without taking opinion polls, it clearly shows YOU go the majority way.
Not always is the majority right.
I took membership in Aam Admi Party before elections in Delhi for 10 rupees and now that I fear the same scenario as in the tamil movie, "Ko", I want my 10 rupees back!!

YOU/AAP:
If you are really honest, you are ignorant and innocent!
If you are really dishonest, you are very very intelligent!

Anyway UPA/NDA/AAP/ uska Baap - ultimately it is not YOU but WE, the people of India who suffer due to any bad decision even if it is taken with a good intention!! 

Divide and Rule!

Even in the core of many bad and unfortunate events happening around me like the frequent fire accidents in trains and buses, Schumacher's accident( I hope he will make it!!), I want to write about a beautiful article I read in the editorial page of a local telugu newspaper, eenadu dated 30 December 2013. 
The article is about a policy which the bad guy of the Mahabharata, Dhuryodhan should have adopted..the Divide and Rule policy which the British have taught us so well.

The article says that Dhuryodhan should have set up a committee of five wise men who he had against his rivals, the five Pandavas. The committee then should have declared three of the Pandavas as innocent and the other two guilty of some charge. Then those five would have fought among themselves with the two guilty people saying the other three are puppets of Dhuryodhan. This person was not either that intelligent or he was not that cunning. Either way there was no congress back then. If there was, the epic story would have been...never mind!!

Just before the elections, the ruling party which understood that it's story came to an end has decided to pelt stones at the opposition. Luckily for them, the opposition has chosen a suitable candidate who might be worthy but has come with open arms to controversies. Inquiry after inquiry, the ruling party is trying by all means to bring this guy down. Gas allocations, communal riots and 'snoopgate'...he too is trying to cross all the hurdles. Tough guy. But one thing. The more inquiries, the worse it is for the ruling party if every time the opposition comes clean. Nevertheless, the greatness of the ruling party lies in the smart moves it is making to win. No other party in this Indian peninsula can ever come up with such shrewd ideas. Ever!!

One more intelligent move by the congress is the support given to AAP. Once the congress was shunned away in four states, the entire media which is against the opposition has shifted focus to AAP. Mind you before AAP won, not much was discussed about it in any media. Only after they won, all this daily headlines and all! I took membership in AAP long back for 10 rupees and once I came to know that the common man has joined hands with the congress men, I want my 10 rupees back. I will talk about AAP later but look at the smarty move by congress...now AAP shall be but a member of the UPA!!

What is better for Dhuryodhan than having a great man with him like Bhishm pitamaha. Of course, Anna hazare, I guess was sensible enough to predict this and not enter politics. Again, the row between anna and AAP has led to a weak and wrecked Lokpal. Any way, politics are not for "saintly men" is the moral of the story. You have to shoot asthra after asthra...inquiry after inquiry...to win.
Is all fair in war......?? 

In (?) we Trust..

In the event of extremely deplorable and poignant things happening around me especially with regards to my country, I am forced to write articles under a separate label, "We are like this only!"

I think I am lucky to attend talks by two Nobel laureates in the same week. I heard Amartya Sen and Venki Ramakrishnan speak. Though I truly loved listening to Sen, I was not actually that impressed by Venki. He does have a Nobel, sadly only after winning which a scientist is recognised in India who otherwise is not even acknowledged except maybe by the government!!
I do not understand what is so shocking to him in just offering prayers to God before launching rockets. You might have forgotten sir, but even you would have prayed before you got your tenth grade results. By the way, no one from ISRO attributed the success to God. They gave due credits to all those who were involved in building the brilliant spacecraft. What I feel bad is that, where a scientist like Venki Ramakrishnan must be sharing his "scientific" thoughts, they are being replaced by unnecessary "non-rationale" thoughts like these. We are like this only!!

Another event where we never learn to not vote to the wrong person. Wait, first, thank you very much, AAP for betraying us early. I am sorry but to say that this is not expected from a party who have come into prominence campaigning against the corrupt government but now joined hands with the same government!! I call it betrayal. I am a fan of Anna Hazare and I still support AAP only because it was formed from his ideology and I really want to see them make a difference. However the hope I have left, I cannot believe Mr Arvind Kejriwal agreed to take support from the congress. Now can we really trust another party which in future comes up with an agenda of change and clean politics?? In WHO do we put our trust?

On the other hand, though I am happy India swam hard to the shore in the first test cricket match against South Africa, I felt sad for the chokers as they fell at a crucial time true to their nick name. It has been a long time since a fine match has been played without the match being one sided or batsmen friendly.

Hungry Old Men

Just an year and a half back, Anna Hazare was sitting in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan fasting for 'Jan' Lokpal after the ultimate scams by the government were exposed. He was well supported by gentlemen like Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Medha Patkar. The anti corruption movement raised hope and enthusiasm across the corners of the country calling in for a strong Jan Lokpal.
But of course, the movement was curbed if not soon. The bill was discussed and never came into existence until Arvind put up Aam Admi Party and won a lot of seats in the Assembly elections in Delhi recently.
Anna Hazare's attitude is little strange now-a-days. Looks like he is the Never-Hungry Old man. Fasting when ever he remembers that his bill is not yet drafted. He stated he did not need politicians's help so he did not support AAP and its formation. If politicians are not required who will pass the bill for him, CII members??
Why the rift between him and Arvind? Why is Anna Hazare happy with the highly compromised Lokpal bill which as Arvind rightly said does not even send a mouse to jail and is just being passed to pass the chocolate boy Rahul gandhi after he failed nicely in four states.
Surely, Anna might not have lost that previous touch but definitely, this is not the bill he wanted. Why is he falling in the government trap? Is Anna right in saying that whatever he wished to be present in the bill need not be present? What use would it be of?
ACB section of CBI is not included under Lokpal. Those who complain can be jailed. The Judiciary, Prime Minister and MPs excluded from Lokpal scrutiny and most importantly and humorously, the bench of Lokpal would be decided by politicians from winning party and the opposition. There are many other stupid changes made to the original Lokpal.
If this is the case, what will the 'common man' get from it. Employment? All he might get is a one year sentence with an additional fine for requesting a probe into the corruption by some minister.
If this bill comes out what kind of a socio-economic justice is assured? Or am I thinking a marxist unlike Pope Francis, the anti capitalist but not for-marxism guy who has been criticising the economical situation right from his beginning. He says the ecomonic differences is the cause of many problems. Who do we follow? Half of America is catholic and America is capitalist. What is gonna happen now?? Is Arvind Kejriwal a marxist too?!!

AAP kyun sarkar nahi ban raha hai?

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has given a statement with which I will happily agree. He said that people do not vote for dull candidates. Something related to this "dull candidates" is happening over there in Delhi. The Delhi politics is obviously taking all possible twists and turns. With BJP and AAP not showing any interest in forming the government, Delhi is heading towards President's rule for the next six months, get ready media folks, write whatever you want to in these few days!!

Be Bold Be Strong

First, when the lieutenant governor of Delhi called for BJP to form the government, they said a straight no. Why? Had they got 4 more seats, would they have not formed the government? Why not now? Since they have long back announced their support to 'Jan Lokpal,' could they have not negotiated with AAP atleast after Prashanth Bhushan gave the statement?!?

Second, my dear Arvind, aap and AAP have entered politics with the aim of fighting corruption not with the aim of sitting in the opposition and shouting on the chief minister in your microphone. Why don't you agree to extend issue based support to the BJP, form the government and start fulfilling your promises, if you have no better works to do. Certainly, that is a far better option than all the parties sitting in the opposition. But a humble request of mine to the AAP convener is not to join hands with Congress for the only reason that you came to power campaigning against congress.

Both the BJP and AAP have to learn to be bold. Think about the people, form the government somehow and start doing the good work. Politics is not for dull people who expect to be "sitting" in a safe cocoon. Dude, look at Congress they have officially announced unconditional support to AAP who claims to be an alternative to congress. Not to forget the hurried passing of the 'Lokpal' bill in the parliament. They will shamelessly take the credit too..why not!?

Be brave, be bold like a man. You have slept enough!! 

Clean "SWEEP"

The stage for the semi final was set in four North Indian states. With all the national parties looking seriously into these state elections considering the fact that the general elections are round the corner, the fight was an interesting one. By interesting one, I mean not that a tooth breaking fight took place or something like that. In fact it was a whitewash. A clean sweep by the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) over the Indian National Congress(INC) in general. But there are other interesting things to be noted.

Of the four states, two of them saw the existing governments retaining power for the third time and one state saw the downfall of an empire. A empire built over 15 years. This is the most interesting of all. That is the point of focus. A conclusion that voters were vexed of the same government for 10-15 years and brought in new ones cannot be made because that is contradicted in two states where the government retained majority.
So, keeping aside the results of three state elections after congratulating the winners, I would want to discuss the Delhi election results.

Staying in the near past, let us go back to 2010. That was the time when beggars in Delhi started learning how to demand fifty rupees in English. That was the time Delhi hosted the commonwealth games. A overpriced, useful-for-none event for which a lot of money was kept aside out of which 76,000 crore rupees were pocketed. Eventually, many other (in)famous scams were exposed by people like Dr.Subrahmanya Swamy. Apparently, Delhi was the center stage for most of the crimes including the inhuman rape of a girl on Delhi streets. After all the central governemnt is in Delhi.

Whilst the ever increasing list of the scams led to movements like 'Jan Lokpal' by Anna Hazare who sat on an indefinite fast demanding Jan lokpal be implemented, the crimes on women led to movements which saw the rise of 'Nirbhaya' Act. All these reasons were enough for a new party to be formed by the country's most respectable men led by 'Parivartan' founder, Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Admi Party(AAP) This is most interesting because AAP has won 28/70 seats in Delhi on its first attempt itself. A real clean "sweep." Their campaigning techniques were excellent. That is even though no media gave proper coverage to the party and its campaigning, they did an excellent job. Especially, Arvind Kejriwal winning over Sheila Dixit keeping his promise was a highlight.

The sad part of  the story is the above point only. The media has not given AAP proper coverage. In few states like A.P, news papers are founded to support only one party and specially, one Person.But nowhere was the AAP given any big status in national media. The happy part of the story is AAP got all the coverage whatever it wanted through social networking sites like Facebook and Google+ Right from Anna Hazare's fast to Arvind Kejriwal's "Jhadu."