Archive for the ‘Political’ Category
Salman Khurshid: Shaming India for Personal Fame
So Mr. Salman Khrshid, torch bearer of Congress party is following the footsteps of another Congress leader Mani Shanker Aiyer. Mr. Khurshid is of the opinion that India has not responded well to Pakistan’s friendship hand. “India ignoring Pakistan’s overtures for peace”, he said while on a personal visit to Pakistan. Moreover he praised Pakistan’s fight against terrorism. Applauded Pakistan while deriding India.
Well it is not surprising from former external affairs minister of the country. These remarks lets us know why India had a soft foreign policy under him. A Cabinet Minister who shared cabinet with one of most corrupt Ministers in India ever. A cabinet minister who bowed in front of Gandhi dynasty (aka Katappa from Bahubali), for becoming a minister, this statement is not surprising.
To settle their petty politics and coming back to power at any cost, such people are destroying India’s credibility abroad. A former external affairs minister when makes such pro-Pakistan statements that too in Pakistan, implications are global. His statements will be played up against India by Pakistan media. But a man from political dynasty himself couldn’t care less.
From sting of fund embezzlement for the invalids to appearing for banned organization SIMI in court, he seems to have no shame when it comes to making money and clinging to power. Such people are the real face of most Corrupt party in India ever aka Congress.
Anyways one who bows to dynastic heir Rahul Gandhi, we should not have any expectations. I just can say this to you Sir, since you destroy my Country’s name globally, it’s all our fault Sir, that we elected you. It’s what we deserved.
Modi Promise Break 2: Corrupt Roaming Free
Second in my series on Modi’s un-kept promises. I remember Modi’s speeches against the corrupt. Chagan Bhujbal, Ashok Chavan, Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Robert Vadra, Suresh Kalmadi, Manmohan Singh, A Raja etc etc etc. The 2G, CWG, Jijaji scams. The Adarsh, the Coal, the irrigation scams. We all roared along with Modi against them. It resulted in Modi victory.
What has Modi done? They all roam free. Infact Modi attends social functions with few of them. We stand aghast. We stand cheated. Modi today have no answer when people asks, “Why do they roam free?” Sir, this is one of the reasons you lost Bihar. This is the reason you will lose more if you don’t do anything. Moreover you took control on Delhi ACB when Kejriwal started using it against corrupt. What should we make of all this?
Below are people against whom Modi roared a lot and now they roam free. Moreover no corruption money has been recovered from them till date.
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Suresh Kalmadi (2G Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Ajit Pawar (Irrigation Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Ashok Chavan (Adarsh Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Robert Vadra (Jijaji Land Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Manmohan Singh (Coal Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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A Raja (2G Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Chagan Bhujbal (Maharashtra Sadan Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
You took votes in lieu of putting them behind bars. But then you take no action in hope of forging alliances with them in future. Best of Luck!
Bihar: Why Lalu ruled 15 years and Modi ousted in just 1.5 years
Lalu ruled Bihar from 1990 to 2005, good 15 years. Even without progress and with thriving kidnapping industry, Lalu kept his vote bank intact. People attributed it to Lalu’s hold on Muslim-Yadav votes in the state. Lalu’s citadel was destroyed by Nitish-BJP combine who ruled the roost for good 10 years together.
Then came Narendra Modi tsunami which captured Bihar like no other. Every other party was decimated in 2014. But Modi was himself thrown under just 1.5 years later. It begs the question why? When Lalu ruled for 15 years, Congress for decades before that, without much progress, Why was Modi ousted so soon? Regardless of Modi non-performance, this seems discrimination by voters in Bihar, right?
Let’s try and ponder on the reasons behind the psyche of people of Bihar.
1. Caste loyalty is like Fevicol Bond: People owed Lalu caste allegiance. Modi had no such distinction. Modi rode on anti-Congress plank and Promise of Development. People didn’t consider him as one of their own. Thus they soon became disenchanted with Modi non-performance and went back to the caste. Caste, the exact reason why Lalu ruled for so long. “Kam se kam apni jaat ka toh hai” (At least he is of our own caste).
2. Unreasonable promises: Modi promised voters the heaven. He left no promises un-made, no stone unturned in 2014 elections. He promised anything and everything. He was like a messiah to the downtrodden. These unreasonable promises and lack of fulfillment thereof, was like a dagger through the chest. People felt cheated. Fulfilling these promises might be near impossible in just 1.5 years. But Modi is himself to blame.
3. Modi thought he had 5 years: When Modi was elected PM, I remember him saying, “We will work for the nation for first 4 years and will work for votes in the last 1 year”. What he forgot was it was not like running a state. He forgot that he will face number of state elections in between. His 4+1 model might have worked in Gujarat but didn’t work at the Centre.
4. Impatience in correcting history: As I wrote in my last post, people had no problems with BJP correcting history, spreading RSS ideology or lambasting Nehru. People started having problems when they felt that BJP was doing only that and nothing else. With no perceptive change in jobs, development and standard of living, people felt as if development was not on BJP’s agenda at all.
5. Dal prices: However BJP disagrees, soaring Dal prices just near Bihar elections hurt them a lot. Opposition mocked acche din and drove home the point how Modi fooled them. With Dal disappearing from the plate, poor felt cheated and wanted to teach someone a lesson. Nitish was not incumbent here, Modi was. Nitish told people how Dal was cheap when Modi was not at Centre. Dal ki wajah se logo ne Modi ko hi Daal diya. (People did Modi in, due to Dal prices).
6. BJP became Arrogant just like Congress: Lalu-Nitish appear humble if nothing else. You have to give them that. However corrupt Lalu may be, he is always soft spoken. Same is the case with Nitish. BJP seems to have become arrogant since coming to power. And people hate arrogance. Divide between the common man and BJP’s once grass root leaders is widening day by day. In this day and age, every statement of leaders is scrutinized. Every action is known to all. What BJP started doing to AAP Govt. in Delhi under LG’s disguise was disgusting arrogance. Voters saw that and were waiting for their chance. Peoples’ woes were not taken seriously. Leaders looked like mocking the poor. And there was no perceptible action taken against them. This arrogance did a lot of harm to BJP.
Modi Promise Break 1: Dynamic Train Fare
When Modi promised us Acche Din, he never promised such through the roof train prices. Never has the railways been more expensive. Just after 2014 elections, Modi raised Train Fares. Was called a bitter pill. People were anguished but they supported Modi. Time passed and no perceptive results were seen of that bitter pill. People got a chance and BJP was brought to the ground. First in Delhi and then in Bihar.
I know people will try and justify the dynamic train fare (also increased fare) as a good initiative and all that. But such loot in the name of lack of availability of trains amounts to exploitation. Bihar elections have shown that you can take all those explanations and justifications and shove it up. We are just not interested.
Such flashy fares feel like rubbing it in. Not sure who was the mastermind behind this and why Modi lets it continue. Politics is perception war and such loot, aids losing that war.
It is time Modi showed urgency and plugs this loot; Fire people responsible for it. People often wondered why Congress didn’t try to stop Corruption, why Congress didn’t do something against policy paralysis. My answer was they just couldn’t. It is how they were. You can change clothes, but not the soul. Afraid same seems true with BJP now.
A snapshot of Mumbai-Delhi Aug Kranti Rajdhani Exp for 10th Nov. Price is 6145/- with 4000 added in lieu of Dynamic Fare. Only for rich, right? Even middle class is not able to afford it. And then you do chintan why you lost Bihar!
Bihar Election Result: Isko Sabak Sikhana Hoga
Let me admit at the onset, I would have liked if Modi would have won Bihar. Comeback of Lalu’s dynasty and corruption never felt right. I liked Nitish standalone but taint of Lalu is too much for me. But now that Nitish-Lalu has won Bihar big time, it has left Modi a lot to ponder.
Of Late, a lot of Modi supporters have grown disenchanted with him. Similar thing happened with Kejriwal also. Modi and Kejriwal both came with lots of promises and shook the rotten foundations. They promised us the moon. We fell for it and not just supported them, but also became their torch bearers. I believe same was the case with Bihar public.
People who voted for BJP big time during general elections, rejected them bigger. Why? This can be because people wanted to ‘sabak sikhana’ (teach a lesson) to Modi. 18 months have seen a lot of rhetoric and not much perceptive action. All through elections never once Modi admitted that he has not been able to do what he promised. Had he admitted and pleaded for more time, maybe the results would have been different. But he kept riding on a high horse all through the campaign.
Modi’s campaign was just as it was in 2014. He kept giving ‘Gyan’. What he forgot was 2014 was more a referendum on Congress’s corruption and less on Modi. People felt, ‘Ded saal pehle aaya, gyan deke vote le gaya. Kuch kiya dhara nahin. Phir se gyan dene aa gaya. Isko sabak sikhana hoga’ (He came, preached 1.5 years back for votes. Did nothing all this while. Came again asking for votes. We will teach him a lesson).
Zero poll promises fulfilled from 2014 elections. Vadra is roaming free. Remember Modi chest thumping on Vadra. People felt that Modi is another thug of a politician. Sir, please put Vadra in jail, rather than keeping the trump card for next elections. Prosperity didn’t come as promised. Jobs weren’t created. Although common man don’t have problem as such if BJP imposes RSS ideology in education and otherwise. But it felt as if BJP wanted to do nothing else. Common man don’t care if BJP demonizes Nehru, but it felt as if BJP wanted to do nothing else.
People voted Modi for development. Modi should have fulfilled some promises before coming back with more promises. Middle class was lost by higher train price, higher service tax, higher dal prices, and no bumper tax sops. It was as if voters were being punished for their faith. Voters in turn decided to punish him back. I don’t think intolerance debate did much harm to Modi. It is just for TV studios. What harmed him was lack of action.
Loyalty to Modi is not Caste based. Caste loyalty is very strong. Not the case with Modi. People decided to discard Modi and go back with the caste. It’s high time, Modi corrected course and did something perceptive. He should start acting on his 2014 poll promises before making more promises. Warna UP mein bhi sabak seekhna padega.
Of Tormentors and ‘So Called’ Saviors
Lying down, old and tired, I am wondering what is happening? I have faced a couple of attempts to my life, a whole lot of diseases, bouts of indigestion. My will to live and level of immune system let me sail through all these hardships all these years.
As a newborn, my father was taken away from me. A fanatic shot and it was curtains. I learned to live without him. I had an amputation right at my birth. I felt extreme pain but braved the surgery to survive. I had a troubled childhood. Before I was 15, I had couple of attempts on my life already. Such had been my lineage. A part of my head still has scars from deep cuts as reminiscence of those attacks.
I was teased regularly by people in my neighborhood. However I always helped them. I stood up for lady next door. Her husband used to beat her up daily. I said enough. Gave her enough will and support to divorce that evil man and find independent existence. Alas! That lady never was grateful. Tried to mug me a couple of times!
I found myself all chained up and locked up for a number of years by a dictator. I felt so helpless and full of resentment. One day I finally burst of anger and broke the shackles. Dictator was thrown off only to be back. Sometimes I wonder what was wrong with me. Was it my humility and good nature that they exploit?
I was labeled mad. Was subjected to mental shocks. All to get hold of me. I resented and survived again. I was attacked again and again and again. I saw bystanders just whistling and looking the other way. I witnessed them being bribed not to help me. They knew I was being tortured but they were kept placated by my tormentors.
I have grown old now. I don’t hold anything against anyone anymore. Just when I am trying to relax, having gone through a tumultuous life, I see a lot of those bystanders coming back. They say they are trying to save me. I am not sure from what.
They say they won’t let me get hurt. I am not sure from what. I ask them to go hunt my old tormentors if they are so concerned. They go silent; they say nothing.
They just keep on saying they will save me from what is happening. I am not sure what that is. I ask them to get lost. They say they won’t tolerate such intolerance.
Who am I? I am India.
Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Ramu Kaka Syndrome
I don’t have political leaning as such to any side. I have admired Congress, BJP, and AAP at different times due to their actions and also berated all of them, again for their actions. Also I have don’t have any mumblings about people’s ideology whether it is right, left or center.
At present times, at least among the people I meet, I find number of BJP supporters, AAP supporters. Congress supporters are getting fewer day by day and are therefore hard to find. Still whatever Congress supporter I come across, I always ask this one question.
“It’s okay that you support Congress’s secular ideology. It’s okay that you cheer for the party. But how can you support Rahul Gandhi?” A lot of times I get a smile to this question. I would like to explain why I ask this.
The same question I ask the so called rationalists to justify the rationale behind supporting Rahul Gandhi. Please explain me and I will be indebted to you. For me those who support Rahul Gandhi represent the people who support dynastic politics. People with “Ramu Kaka” mentality. Classic Ramu Kaka from Bollywood films. He will serve the Maalik with utmost loyalty and then serve Maalik’s son. He will call him Chote Huzoor. Now Ramu Kaka is genuine in his devotion towards the family of his Maalik.
I feel Rahul Gandhi sympathizers, suffering from Ramu Kaka syndrome. They are loyal to Nehru family. They will serve Chote Huzoor no matter what. They don’t do it for salary alone; they do it as they have to. They can’t help it.
I know most of the population supported Indira/Rajeev due to the same syndrome. But a lot of time has passed since. India has evolved. Social media has brought hypocrisies of Media and loyalties of Ramu Kaka’s out in the open. People have become smarter now. I am sure in times to come; such Ramu Kaka’s will get less and less in number.
I just have this to say, any self respecting individual can’t be a Ramu Kaka. Maalik and his family will prosper while your son will grow up to become another Ramu Kaka. Spine up, if not for yourself, then at least for your children.
Why FTII student protest didn’t get public support?
Normally if you see, student protests get huge public sympathy. The arrogant college administration is lambasted for harrowing poor students. But it somehow didn’t happen at FTII. It begs the question, Why? Why didn’t public sympathize with FTII students? I thought of a few reasons.
1. They didn’t look like students but politicians: I remember seeing few protesting students, in TV debates. They spoke like full blown politicians. They lacked the innocence that students have. Their political bytes, gave them a negative edge.
2. Their cause was political and not academic: Had they fought for better curriculum. Better hostel facilities. Better studios and equipment. Better grant. Public might have sympathized with them. But they didn’t. They wanted to oust who they called a political appointee. This gave their cause a political color and public decided to ignore them.
3. Letting opposition leaders inside campus: Students should not have let opposition leaders into their protest. Once they did, their struggle seemed motivated. It seemed like a protest by elderly students who wanted to join politics. Had they followed the Anna model which didn’t allow politicians to share stage during Lokpal struggle, the protest would have some success.
4. History of protests at FTII: This protest brought history of protests at FTII into limelight. Given such lengthy protests have been a norm; it took away the seriousness of the protest. It looked like a habit.
5. Old students lingering on for free hostel and food: When it came to knowledge that students as old as 2008 batch were residing at hostels and using college facilities, it sounded somewhat fishy. Public couldn’t imagine their own children lingering on at college for so long. Why didn’t they pass? Did they fail again and again? These were questions that came to public mind. Students also didn’t give any clear answer to this. It added to the opinion that students who don’t want to study are influencing young ones and not letting them study.
6. Who studies film making? This is a not so diplomatic reason, but is so true when we put our society into perspective. We want our children to study medical, engineering etc. Film institute is not something which public at large would want their ward to study at. When we hear students, we think academics. This was not the case. Here. Hence lack of sympathy.
Stop this award drama: Doing harm to a legitimate issue
And the trend of returning awards continues. I have always believed that such awards decided by all-so-biased juries of the past has led to generations of political awardees. The regime of the past was intolerant to fresh minded people who were against dynasty and sycophancy.
I agree to some extent with the feeling that religious intolerance is on the rise. Right wing groups have found new vigor. But then when Babri was demolished what did so called secular Govt. did? Nothing! Was religious intolerance not on rise then? Why not answer who gave rise to right-wing Shiv Sena to oust the communists off Mumbai? We have even forgotten the ills of Emergency. Your cause, which might be right, has been undone by company you keep.
All this hoopla initiated by member of Nehru family when she returned her award, has done nothing but harm your fight. There would have been other means of struggle, like the ones people chose during emergency and various riots across last 50 years. By following the steps of a Nehru relative, you have fallen prey to being branded as anti-BJP and pro-Nehru. Nehru, if you ask younger generation, does not hold that high esteem anymore. Indira Gandhi does hold some respect but not Nehru. And everyone knows this but you. By ganging up with a member of Nehru family, you have demolished your own fort. Youth of today care less about Hindutva but more about jobs.
Your action in fact has given the way out to Central Govt. Instead of being on the back foot, they are now riding high on the Nehru-Dynastic hatred in today’s youth and have been able to paint you all, self ignorant fools. For youth, corruption is the ugliest of sin. For you religion related issues are. For us corruption has kept us under privileged due to which successive Govt’s have been able to fool us to fight over religion. You don’t address corruption as an issue. When we hang our head in shame due to rampant corruption and emergency, you just want to celebrate secularism.
I care two hoots about secularism or religion for that matter. I want these dynastic and sycophancy beneficiaries, stripped off their luxuries. Just see their dare to dictate to us what is right and what is wrong. Social media has made us better aware than to tolerate such people.
We knew all about Modi when we elected him. We might not have sided with him, but for your silence when India was being looted and poor were kept deprived.
I so wish you had spoken when Nehru furthered his daughter and laid the foundation for dynasty. I so wish you had spoken when Bhopal terrorist was let free. I so wish you had spoken when Emergency was imposed. I so wish you had spoken when India was looted rampantly. I so wish you had spoken for such issues than to cite religion to settle your petty ideological differences.
HRD Ministry: Please Spare the IITs and their Academicians
Please HRD Ministry, hands off IIT’s. There is so much wrong with our education system, specially the school system. Government schools are in pathetic state. No one but the poorest of the poor send their children to these schools, that too due to helplessness. Better concentrate your energy there.
The reports about your interference in IIT’s academic functioning are disturbing. Recent incident about you asking IIT dean to reconsider decision to cancel a PhD student’s admission is unbecoming. You might justify yourself with the best of oratorical strengths that you possess, but we are in no mood for that. Admission is sacrosanct to college administration and it’s wrong to meddle with that.
Going by history, I know what you would say minister. A letter came to me and I just forwarded it for redressal. Why add a point to put the matter before its Board of Governors for “suitable verification/redressal? Why not request dean/director to look if the complain had any merit?
Wording of your letter amounts to interference and you know that very well. I would urge you not to upset the already less in number teaching community in premier institutes. There people have given plush careers in foreign universities for their nation. These are true patriots and want nothing in return. There are silent contributors to nation building. They have put their blood into the foundations of IIT’s. Don’t upset them.
You know most of our Profs, the deans, and the directors have spent almost all their lives inside educational institutes, studying and teaching. They are not what you would call socially active beings. They are uncorrupted by this world and its vices. Any student who has gone through IIT’s will stipulate to this; we in fact used to make fun of our faculties for this very trait.
They just do what is the right for students and institute. If they found merit in canceling the admission to a student due to issue with the details provided, they are entitled to it. Let the student fight it out in the court. If you feel student has been wronged, provide student with all legal help, but stop writing such letters to deans of our alma maters.
I would for sure listen to what you have to say, but only after you improve the Govt. school system in our country. I don’t want to be personal, but I would listen to you minister once you are comfortable sending your own children to a Govt. school. Maybe then you would have earn some right to write such letter to the Deans, deans who have give their youth, their life, their luxuries for our nation.
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