Mr Chidambram: Give me a break!
“Karti is being targeted because he is my son”, said an aggrieved Chidarmbram. That he is an ex-Finance Minister, ex-Home Minister, adds a twist to the narrative. Seeing the screws tightening on his son Karti’s business empire, father has come out to lend his support.
Mr. Chidambram, give me a break. Just by talking small sentences while looking far at the horizon, you made yourself look like the only person who knows everything whilst everyone else was a fool. You along with Manmohan Singh, portrayed yourself as the champion Economists. The truth is you are nothing but a failed Finance Minister. You are nothing but a failed Home Minister.
Yes, Karti is being targeted because is he is your son. Because by being your son, and quid pro quo, he has created a business empire. When you were sworn for betterment of sons of the soil, you were working for betterment of your own son. How then, son of a hard working common man found it difficult to pay for college, found it difficult to get a job and your son had best of all worlds.
If you have nothing to hide, why are you so nervous? Let the law take it’s own course. Isn’t this what you have said innumerable times defending the corruption of your Govt. You and Jaitley are two people who are very much alike. You have kept your wrongdoings under wraps creating a holier than thou aura. It is time you are taken to task.
And just to be fair to you, when you have never been fair to poor people of the country. I will say it again. Let law take its own course. If you have nothing to hide, why do you fear? Have faith in the law of the land. And yes, Give me a Break!
Trick to Beat Trump
After the race has almost slipped out of the hands of establishment candidates, they have started hitting Trump hard. Given that Trump has captured the imagination of the nation just like Obama did in 2008, the attack is not working at all.
From Rubio, Cruz to the Republican Party elites, all are going crazy against Trump. They might think it is the best way to stop him, but they couldn’t be more wrong. This would earn more votes for Trump. I’ll tell you why. When Trump lambasts Washington, politicians, GOP elites, it comes out as one man’s fight against the whole establishment. People like that and relate with that. “See a guy is taking on the elites, just like I always wanted”, people think. One guy against the world. It always works. And it is working for Trump.
The more Trump is attacked, the more he wins. When the whole bunch of people start attacking a single person, we all know how it looks like. A herd attack. Unfair fight. The bunch becomes whole. It has never worked, nor will it work now. People’s belief in Trump solidifies by seeing predators attacking him.
So what could Trump’s detractors do? Well it’s tricky and manipulative but here it is. The worst liked people of the establishment, the worst of Washington political elites should start supporting Trump. There should be a daily new endorsement for Trump by worst of the GOP leaders. This would make people think twice as to why? Why are these bad people supporting Trump? Something doesn’t seem right. Maybe Trump has made peace with them. Trump is not for our good.
To praise Trump is the only way to put him down. Not just praise him, publicly announce that Trump is one of their own and this is all just an act by one of their own. They want Trump to win as he is their pal. Believe me this would destroy his support base of angry people. No point attacking him on Trump University, KKK, immigration etc. His supporters rally behind him with each attack. Praise him to put him down.
Wrong v/s Anti-National
I think most of us are getting the issue wrong. People who are saying Govt. action is wrong and students at JNU and people in general have all the right to shout anti-national slogans, are missing the point here. There is a difference between being wrong and being anti-national. There is a difference between moral and legal right.
I agree God had given us every right to agree/disagree with whatever we want. No one can take that away from us. No one is saying people who shouted anti-national slogans are wrong or bad. They are people just like everyone else.
They are just being called anti-national. And people are confusing it as if they are being inhumans or bad people. No. To understand this, we have to understand the term anti-national. It means people who are against the nation. Now nation here is India. If you feel and act against India, you are anti-national. This does not means for everyone around the globe. An American or a Chinese will not be called anti-national if he/she shouts anti-India slogans. Only citizens of a nation.
India as a nation is itself quite new. It all began with princely states coming together under a single flag post 1947. In 1950 we as a nation agreed to be bound by a set of rules, we called Constitution. So if anyone goes against the nation, it is anti-national. They may be perfect human beings who don’t like the nation as it is. They might not agree with the Constitution as it is. Which is not morally wrong. But under the ambit of nation, it is anti-national.
Let’s dispel this confusion once and for all. Perfectly good human beings can be anti-national. We as a society have decided to put them behind bars. As they have the potential to destroy the nation as it is.
Maybe you agree with this. Maybe you don’t. If you disagree, you will have to wait till another revolution when you change the Constitution and burn down the nation. Within the ambit of the Constitution that we have, if you raise such anti-India rhetoric, you will be labeled anti-national. Better get in line and work for the betterment of the nation.
Supreme Court while granting bail to JNU student leader has made similar scathing remarks. When on one hand people die at border defending the nation, some people sitting in coziness are trying to destroy the nation. This cannot be justified.
No one shouted anti-India slogans at JNU?
I have nothing against politicians who are siding with JNU people. They will do where they see votes. In essence they are performing what is expected in ‘electoral democracy’. It saddens me to see that they indeed gain votes by siding with such people who shout anti-India slogans. It means there is something wrong with the concept of nation that is India.
If politicians support anti-India sloganeers and they get votes by doing so, it seems to me that it is will of the people. Should we not abolish the nation then? Absurd isn’t it? What else can we do?
First ‘No one killed Jessica’, then ‘No one was driving’ and now it is, ‘No one shouted anti-India slogans’. That’s what Delhi Govt report says. More absurdness. Was I there when slogans were shouted? No. But those who know JNU politics know that it is a norm than an aberration. JNU students (guided by teachers) have prided themselves in shouting anti-India slogans. For the first time the Govt has acted and these people are hiding around. “We have not shouted”, is the defense.
With such a response from students now, I think that Govt did the right thing with the police action. This will prevent any further sloganeering. Students need to study. At JNU, FTII, they are well fed, subsidized bunch of folks. Since they have to not pay for education they don’t feel like spending their time studying.
This circus will continue under the ‘electoral democracy’ and till then we live with, ‘No one shouted ant-India slogans’. Either we have the nation or we don’t.
Budget 2016: Course correction from Modi Govt
I have been critical regarding the fiscal policies of Modi Govt. But this budget is a course correction and aims to fulfill poll promises. Personally for me this budget brings nothing to the table, but I am not the electorate that any party worries about anyways.
Small taxpayers have been benefitted. There is no change in Tax Slabs but small taxpayers have been benefitted via other means. That means higher taxpayers are excluded of any benefit, a popular move in sync with poll promises.
A great step for farmers and rural India, who voted en masse for Modi. Irrigation fund, Organic farming, soil health cards. Govt. has aimed to double farmer’s income in 5 years and have set aside money for that. Gram Sadak Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana another one for the silent majority of our country.
Middle class will not be too much enthused by this budget and BJP might feel the wrath of their agony in coming elections. Maybe not that much as I think middle class vote is more than secured for BJP due to lack of alternatives.
There is a big push on construction which helps everyone from low wage labor to home buyers. I have liked the budget as far as I have seen. Will try and do a detailed study when I get time. But it’s a thumbs up from me to Modi and Jaitley. They have done a course correction after couple of embarrassing drubbing in Delhi and Bihar.
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज
भूख लगी मुझे आधी रात को,
सोचा रसोई में रखा हो कुछ,
नहीं मिला कुछ, पड़ा था बस,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
नींद भी थी और भूख भी थी,
कुछ मिल जाए जल्दी से बस,
पेट की आग बुझाएं कैसे ये,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
कुकर चढ़ाने को हुआ जो मैं,
देखा कि थी सीटी नदारद,
खाना नहीं मिल पायेगा आज,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
छीलूं कैसे अब आलू को मैं,
चाकू कहीं जो मुझे न मिलता,
थक गए पेट के चूहे भी नाच,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
कच्ची प्याज ही खा जाऊं क्या?
ऊपर से पी पानी भर गिलास,
इस व्यंजन पर मुझे नहीं है नाज,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
बनाऊं दो प्याज़ा या आलू दम,
भूख नहीं दिख रही होती कम,
कुछ है गड़बड़, गहरा है राज,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
मुहँ में पानी, महक और स्वाद,
मेरे अंदर का भुक्कड़ मुखर,
सपने भी आते खाने के अब,
ढाई किलो आलू और प्याज।
Pope just Trumped himself
I don’t really like to go after religious figures as faith of a lot of people is concerned. But when Pope Francis on his visit to Mexico took a dig at Donald Trump by saying, “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian”, I couldn’t but feel amused.
I have studied in a Christian missionary school for 12 years and have a lot of regard for the faith. But this one was hilarious. More than anyone Christians should be offended by what Pope just said. In fact Pope’s reflection in the mirror should be offended by the man. It was a self-goal. Before I begin, have a look at the image below.
You see a sanctuary surrounded by end to end wall, that’s the Vatican City, where Pope lives. It is the place of Christian faith. I have been there once and it’s majestic. But for Pope to question walls, reeks of bad judgement. To be fair he was just trying to be good to his hosts, the Mexicans, who have taken quite a beating from Trump of late.
Vatican City is 110 acres of walled enclave. And to me it’s fine. But Pope’s blooper seemed to have left a lot of his follower’s red faced. They are having hard time justifying the Vatican wall. In a bid to out-wit Trump, Pope has just Trumped himself here. Well happens to the best of us.
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं
घुट घुट कर के जीना जैसे,
छुप छुप कर के रोना है,
पा कर सबकुछ खोना क्या?
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
आहट की राहत है क्या,
उसके चौखट पे आने की,
आँखों पे नमी की चादर क्यों?
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
बदल करवटें कटती रतियाँ,
पलछिन, लगे जैसे सदियाँ,
आवाज क्यों अटकी हलक तले?
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
खोजा तुझे मैंने कहाँ कहाँ,
बनके फ़कीर माँगा करता,
दिल बन पत्थर टूटा कैसे?
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
मैं सिसक सिसक के रोया हूँ,
पर आसूँ न आने दिए कभी,
क्या कसम तेरी मैं खा बैठा?
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
न दवा मिले, न दुआ सरे,
अंतर्मन अलग ही सुलग रहा,
है दर्द भरा क्या मन में मेरे?
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
शून्य को बैठा रहा ताक,
नापाक हुआ, न रहा पाक,
जो मन में दबाये बैठा हूँ,
पूछो तो बतला दूँ मैं।
Emotional Weakness: It’s a disease
It’s a disease, It’s a disease. I have an epiphany. My whole life has not been my own life. I have never lived it on my own terms. I was led by a disease. I am an emotional fool. It’s one of the worst diseases out there. Scientists have not been able to find a cause for it and are years from a cure.
This disease, take over your mind and shrouds your judgement. It defines everything you do. It hypnotizes you to make you believe you are the master of your life, but you aren’t. A devil that is always on your back, whispering into your brain. It makes you weak, not kill you, but makes you want to die sometimes.
During tough times, this disease eats up your emotional immunity and shatters you. And it’s next to impossible to diagnose. You feel like you are doing what you believe in. You think you are doing what is right. But no, they are just the symptoms.
So what can you do? You can only take precautions. It’s a genetic disease, imbibed to your DNA. You can only suppress it once you know you have it and are strong enough to fight it. Never take snap decisions when in serious situations. You think you are doing what is correct. Maybe it is, maybe it not. But it is the disease that makes you take the instant decision. Ride it out for a while depending on the situation. Sometimes few hours, few days, few weeks. It lets the emotional fever subside and then you can take a rational decision.
I have struggled my whole life due to this. Recently I have been able to diagnose it. As a first step, I admit to myself that I have a disease. I have promised myself that I will fight and win over it. Don’t want to be the one that destroys myself.
Trump Rhetoric: Vibrant Democracy
There has been a lot of hullabaloo in international media about a phenomenon called Donald Trump. Indian media has called him names; UK went ahead and had a discussion in the parliament deriding Trump. Gulf countries are too appalled by his rhetoric.
I have a different take on this. I believe Trumps rhetoric strengthens the democracy. Don’t start scoffing. Let me explain. First of all I don’t believe democracy has fulfilled why it was conceived. There is no power to people. Money abuse and Corruption has kept power in the hands of top few, both in US (oldest democracy) and India (biggest democracy). Do I have an alternative proposal to democracy? No. At this point we have live with it, but it has not functioned well.
Stating my lack of fondness with Democracy let me explain why I believe Trump’s rhetoric augurs well with it in its current form. After all what is Democracy? Power to people. When power goes to people to elect a leader, run their country, they will choose whoever they like. Now who will the people like? One they understand and who they think will do good for them and the nation. If people are supporting Trump, it means they like what he is saying. In the sense he is mirroring people’s views. Isn’t this what Democracy is?
Now one can argue, if it’s a correct thing for people to choose Trump. Are people doing the right thing? It would be calling the judgement of people in question. This will be to question the concept of Democracy itself. Remember, Power to People!
So you can question if Democracy is good or bad that is letting such a rhetoric from Trump flow. But what Trump is doing is a sign of vibrant Democracy. In the same vein, people berating Trump are also sign of bubbling Democracy.
No Harm, No Foul!
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