Lost in Translation of secularism

Well what to say for the media in India anymore, you had an incident in a remote corner of India where a bunch of self styled goons of a small moral brigade go and beat up some girls and its flashed on to us for days. A guy accused of hate speech is shown and discussed time and again on prime time with the same conclusion i.e. law will take it course. These laws are insufficient in any case of there perceived brand of Hindutava, but they are sufficient for any terrorists.

They flood us with irrelevant news time and again.  Discuss them over prime time and the real issues are skirted under the carpet. When the law is taking its course they want to follow it, when it does not they don't want to cover it. Take the case of one of the

 biggest issue raised by the opposition leader L.K Advani yesterday. He asked for PM to build a consensus in G-20 summit to end secrecy in banking where by a citizen of one country can not stash money in any foreign bank with tax benefits and evade taxes in his home country. It can't only stop an individual from hoarding of cash but can also stop horse trading, or money laundering in black market. This money laundering in black market is the backbone of terrorism funding all over the world.  Forget even that think about the money which might be stashed by the politicians themselves and how many corrupt politicians can we be free of by these just one act. 

If the figures stated by L.K. Advani is even half the actual figure then at least lakhs  of corrupt nationals will come into light. Consider even if 25% of the amount to be politicians money (which is most predictable) and only an handful of 10% (which is totally contrary) of politicians in all found to be guilty then we can be free of hundreds such corrupt politicians by just one act. 

From time immortal each one of us has always wondered when can we get these corrupt politicians out in open and make them pay for there deeds and here is a Prime Ministerial candidate who has support his pledge even if the present government does not take it to logical conclusion, here is a candidate who has already formed a team of people to look into its technicallity and ligalities even before the elections and yet there is no prime time discussion or national news on it. Kudos to generations next political activism that started a pink chaddi campaign against a single incident of violence and had courage to stand against one morale brigade affecting themselves and not having courage to cleanse a whole political class and set precedent for generations to come. 

IPL(15) vs IPL(2) ... an IPL match postponed

The schedule and dates for the big Indian Political League were announced almost a month ago. But, the real fight of words has just begun. One IPL is another IPL's (Indian Priemier League) loss. Australian Davis Cup team has already asked for the venue change for there match against India citing concerns over security saying that, if IPL has been shifted from the home country than they should also shift the Davis Cup. But thats a different story.

There is another very interesting war of words going on between two probable PM candidates namely Manmmohan Singh and L.K Advani. I don't have to make it clear here who, I support. 

Since, last 5 days (read years) BJP has been bowling an attack on

star batsman Mannmohan Singh of Congress team, who has dropped the run rate to a predicted 5 % due to external pressures and on account of Duckworth Lewis recalculations. On seeing there deem prospects of winning he muttered the courage of verbal abusing the BJP's captain L.K Advani, on the very final day to save his face. 

L.K Advani shot back at him and challenged for an shorter version of the game that is Twenty20 (live debate). Congress captain Sonia Gandhi and managers Digvijay Singh are not pleased, citing that they have played enough matches throughout the 5 years on their home turf , Lok Sahbha.  These matches with no neutral audiences and not so good commentary (journalism) had millions of fans disappointed were played in an indoor stadium due to security and proprietary reasons. Though, public at large is waiting for the shorter version of the game between the two top teams of IPL at a neutral venue as home turf gives undue advantage to home side. Moreover, after the recent war of words on the field between these players and a challenge by the BJP's captain things have heated up even more.

The star batsman of Congress, who got injured in the last leg of the match, backed by his team captain and managers is not ready for such an challenge. Congress denial to face BJP in a challenged match has shown it weak and they want to shift this IPL(15) match after the IPL(2) match due to security reasons(elections) and terror threat(voting). But thats not a national shame it seems. 

Young vs Old... Rahul vs Advani

Today I was watching a discussion on NDTV's Big Fight about "Are young politicians better than old". After, about repeatedly bashing just one young politician Varun Gandhi for his alleged hate speech, finally some sense prevailed on them and they started discussing about other issues of concern. To end this discussion and to prevail some sense of intelligence on my fellow Indian ....

....... here is a story that was once told to me by a wise man and one of my dear friend's father. Some Rahul Gandhi was in love with a young girl, Kala, whose parents would approve of there marriage only when he pass there test. So, with all enthusiasm and fresh knowledge and with no experience of what was coming his way he accepted it. Kala's parents asked him to come with all the young of the family and his friends for the marriage and that there should be no person older than his age. He was all charged and happy that such a easy test that he will pass without any efforts. 

He preared for huge fun and fare and band-baja with grand procession and reached Kala's home. On reaching there he was surprised that this was just the eligibility for taking the test and the test is yet to begin. He pondered what now, when Kala's father asked all of them to sit in a round table. Then he asked him that all of you will be given a jaggery  block each (picture on the side) and each one of you have to finish it. If anyone fails then Rahul can not marry his daughter. On being given this mammoth task they all looked at each other in shock and dismay. Rahul told Kala's parents this is impossible and that they asked us to do it just to make fun of us and cancel the marriage. 

Disappointed with this and eager to marry, he quickly SMS his teacher Dr. Manmohan Singh for a solution, Dr. replied back and asked him to say that the minorities has the first right on the resources so you will make them eat first and eat only the ones thats left. 

Kala's parents rejected the idea and gave him one more chance. So, Rahul messaged his another teacher P. Chidambrum and ask for the solution. Mr. Chidumbrum replied blame everything on global jaggery meltdown and low demand, so he asked even the bride's guest to eat the jaggery with them to balance demand and supply. Bemused by the idea Kala's parents gave him a final do or die chance. One of his friends watching all this and knowing that no else could provide a solution to this problem SMS L.K. Advani, he replied back Jyotiraditya beta ask the parents that they all will eat one block at a time which will be distributed in equal measures among them. Rahul told this to Kala's father, who knowing that this is the right solution let Rahul marry his daughter.  Standing far from the pedestal Sachin, Jyotiraditya and other Rahul's friends watching it wondered why can't they go on a discovery of India journey and find such a beautiful wife themselves. 

  

Alliance of friends fighting with each other

Congress riding SP's bicycle punctured by JMM's arrow in the dark as RJD+LJP shut the lantern and NCP's clock is ticking. 

Thats the story of UPA this elections, none of there partners are happy with the seat sharing arrangements and fighting with each other and with  the oldest pseudo-secular party Congress on there home turf. Its LJP+RJD in Bhiar against Congress, its JMM vs Congress in Jharkhand, its SP vs Congress in UP but they call it friendly fights for there aspirations. 

If I am not getting it wrong then these aspirations is not to have a stable pre-poll alliance for a constructive alternative as a national alliance for Indian polity, but to have the necessary strength to bargain for portfolios after the election if and only if the UPA wins the majority. It is also for there individual gains that these pseudo-secular parties cannot say they are not in alliance because then it makes them completely irrelevant in politics. Congress can not leave RJD and manage to win in Bihar, JMM and Congress can not leave each other and win in Jharkand. NCP after such hard talk and playing hide and seek can not leave Congress in Maharashtra and risk itself to become irrelevant and same is true for Congress in the state. All these parties have just one common goal and that is to be in power and share and loot the public money as long as they are in power for

there individual gains. All they care about is to keep BJP out of power and project themselves as formidable force in Indian politics. 

It is true that BJP is not comfortable with alliances either but its not diminishing as Congress is across the length and breadth of Indian diaspora. In-fact BJP has much to gain these elections as it is contesting more and more seats and the Left is loosing ground in its own jungles. In all these permutation and combination which every party is trying to figure out and come up with wining alliance after the elections one thing is clear that they all are playing wait and watch game where they can bargain for portfolios of there choices at the end of the biggest political game on earth, that is Indian politics. 

Comment if I am wrong but in all these the only party which seems serious about the state of the nation and governance, economy, agricultural etc. is BJP which from time to time have come up with splendid policies e.g. IT VISION policy of  BJP, ONE RANK ONE PENSION for defense  personnel, completion of GOLDEN QUADRILATERAL, RIVER LINKING etc. 

It criticizes the government on valid points that of !>failure in economic front, @>failure on containment of terrorism, #>pseudo-secular policies and outlook with narrow vision, $>incompetent leadership etc.  

Rest as they say will be history once the elections are over. So vote intelligently.

Million dollar baby

The euphoria over The Slumdog Millionaire is already over except for one party, Congress, in India which wants it to keep alive to gain politically in elections. It's just that they invested Rs. 1 crore in the hit song Jai Ho from the same movie that they can not wish away that the euphoria should be over. So, went a step further and invited the kids Rubina and  Azharuddin to there party office and made those innocent kids wait for over 2 & 1/2 hours before they can meet the party President Sonia Gandhi. 

The poor kids even have to say in front of the media that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi ki Jai Ho. Does those poor kids barely in there teens understands what elections are for, what the Congress party stands for and that the Dharavi slums come under the Congress ruled state. The idea to rope in instantly shot to fame kids looks good from outside, but are teenage kids voting these elections ? No, does the mature Indian public in there right to vote see any difference and be affected by the child artists endorsements or The Congress has no one else left to endorse for it after Lalu snubbed them in Bihar and SP in UP.  

What about the rights of children, those kids need to go to school, play in fields and have a fun filled life are burdened with carrying the Congress's campaigning and will be made to smile in front of the camera every time for the party's president sake.  

The irony is that the party which should itself go to such kids and provide them a better living has to sought there help for its own survival, and if they survive then those kids can never have a better life as they might be needed in future in the same avatar again, just like elections after elections and 50 years of reservations they still need to show that SC/ST and OBC are still poor and only they can bring them up. The gravity of the matter is that if the Congress endorses you than you are doomed because they will need you the same way years from now to survive.

 

Varun Gandhi and the aftermath

So, the latest media target is the first timer Varun Gandhi. The irony is that the media has already passed a judgement to a case which is yet to be heard by the EC even after the accused denied the charges. We had once seen the consequences of that in  Arushi Murder case where the blame was put on the poor father's shoulder even when the investigations were on. 

The same media thought that it is it's constitutional propriety not to telecast the sting operation on Vote-for-Cash scandal that rocked the parliament even though the legitimacy of those tapes rested with itself. It didn't even waited for the trail to begin or the case being heard by the Election Commission to verify the authenticity of Varun Gandhi's speech tape. They already had discussions on it, in Face the Nation or Face the Election and various other forums and already pronounced him as guilty. They have already substantiated it with another follow up with a comparison on Varun Gandhi and his father Sanjay Gandhi. If, rumor mills are to be believed than one can say earlier the plane crash was done to silent a rising star which was not approved by some congress man as he was rising to instant fame and had differences with this own mother late Indria Gandhi. This time the conspiracy can be to save the political career of Rahul Gandhi and by that logic its easy to believe that such tapes can be doctored to dent a blow to his arch rival Varun's political career well in advance. 

Though much can not be said on this unless and until the truth behind the tape is not confirmed but keep your fingers crossed till then, you never know if another murkier episode of political drama is in the making. 

Moral of the story is don't jump to conclusions and don't be judgmental instantly this elections otherwise you may be flooded with doctored CD's all the season. 

Third Front

Many of us must have celebrated mismatch day in our colleges. If you haven't then to let you know the idea was simple and fun, all you got to do is wear something that doesn't match at all. It was fun, made you look totally out of place from the usual crowd. At least for non participating crowd we looked funny and among us we would be wondering who is looking more funnier or more mismatched just to have a big laugh and some fun in our day. 

The idea of THIRD FroNt sounds similar given that none of them share the same policies or ideologies, and it also appears funny from outside that how TDP's privatization and CPI-CPI(M) communist Marxist economy policies can come together to forge alliance. Similarly, there is DMK, JD(U) and even NCP now, which wants it to be included in UPA as an important alliance which cannot be ignored.  Though the Third Front is yet to come up with its common policies but on the outside its hilarious to imagine. Imagine for every economic policy the Left and the TDP fighting over and probably they will compromise on a middle path or all together frame different policies for different sates. Say privatization will be done in AP and government undertakings in West Bengal, and different agriculture policies for Karnataka and other states. Then there will be Third Front alliances meeting to discuss PM and we might see 5 different PM's in 5 years, Cause everyone needs to project itself as an important player in Indian politics, regular reshuffling of cabinet ministers and every year a different policies and all leading India towards growth. We will wonder at the end of the tenure that which one let us down which one lead as with growth  or did we ever moved anywhere an inch or was these five years was just to project every political party in the Third Front as capable. At the end we might be wondering was it just the show of strength and stability or they did some work. 

All this and much more funnier and hilarious things of my wild imagination can come true if the Third FroNt actually comes to power after the election. Hope that people don't choose this option just for some fun for next five years after recent despair due to economic recession. After all this can be termed as some extraordinary effort in extraordinary times. LOL

   

Thanks to Model Code of Conduct

Had it not been for this current boring lecture I am sitting in, I wouldn't have realized why is it important to stop election campaigning 48 hours before the polling date. As the lecture progressed, I was lost in the cloud of information that my proffesor was creating every minute, I realized I needed time to process all the knowledge thrown my way. Similarly, for more than 70 days all the political parties would throw goodies and promises our way, and we would need at least 48 hrs to process all that and even the last 5 years of the incumbent government policies and its consequences. Though, I think even this time is very less after all the din and noise we go though in this period, it is enough for the incumbent government to hide it's failures and opposition trying to highlight the same, it just makes it even more confusing, and as if that was not enough pain to bear already every politician screams at the top of his head to vote for him/her. Sometimes, I wonder why the incumbent government ever need to even advertise its achivements which is for us to decide and see, and why the opposition even need to remind us of the government's failure. 

But yet again thanks to MCC to save millions of tax payers money that the incumbent government would have wasted in these extraordinary times to feed us daily with full page advertisements in numerous national and regional daily.  

Hungry for more power - try fractured Politics

Well this election season, India is witnessing the worst of political equations or tactics and a politics of divide. Whether its smaller regional parties with narrow outlook for the betterment and development of a particular region or parties which are fighting for a religion or cast. Moreover, these parties which have just these fringe areas of expertise, this would be an exaggeration in its own right to say that,  are muscling or ailing the two national parties for a share of power at the center which has to frame the policies for a nation as a whole. 

Such a fractured polity can result in the divide of the nation on regional, religion and cast basis. The question before the general public is that, does it want India to stand united or divided in the future on such lines and what their and nation's future holds in such a fractured scenario. It makes me wonder, that it is not bad to have different views, ideologies for attaining similar goal but what is worrying that the goal is not to see India as a developed nation. Instead each party has one goal and that is to have power at the center irrespective of their ideological differences. 

Its amazing to see, that these parties are ready to forget there basic ideological differences in sharing the power hierarchy at the center and contradicts themselves for what they stand for. They still call themselves as the only party or alliance which cares about India, its unity and diversity and plans to push India in the direction of development and prosperity. 

Its as if a box is pushed in all the directions with variable forces and somehow they have figured out a way to move it forward in the right direction without deforming or defragmenting it.

Lets. hope that the country is so strongly cohesive that whatever be the mandate of the people it still continues to move forward, even at snail pace, without disintegrating itself.  

General Elections 2009

For long I was wondering how to sum up 5 years of UPA government at the center and show how the country has deteriorated in its rule. Friends of BJP meet at Mumbai in which Mr. Arun Jaitely gave a fabulous speech saved me a lot of effort and numerous reading for the same. So, in this post all I want to do is give you this video. A word of caution, it just might change how you think about the media and Congress(I), it might hit your consciousness so hard that you might change your loyalties  and vote otherwise ....