Posts Tagged ‘delhi’
African Issue: Yes, there is racism, but this is not racism
The issue of African national getting beaten to death in Delhi, has hampered India’s diplomatic relations with said nations. This has been taken up heavily by Indian media and has been called spate of racist attacks. Indians who have always been on the receiving end of racism worldwide, don’t know how to react. Over the years we have called all white people racist, now what do we do? Most are rejecting the charge; some in opposition are blaming the Govt as usual. So what is it? Are is this racism or is it not? Are we racist or are we not?
Well, the answer lies in the question itself. Yes we are racist, but no current issue is not racism. Indians are born racist. North Indians make fun of color, accent of South Indians. South Indians make fun of North Indians brutish eating and drinking habits. Both North Indians and South Indians make fun of Indians from North east on how they look. The list is endless. It has been engrained in us. But is making fun racist? Yes and No. No in the sense that there is not physical harm, Yes in the sense that it opens up the possibilities of physical harm.
For those who know Delhi, the issue of African nationals is not racism. It is much different. The issue can be attributed to the law and order situation in Delhi. At the risk of being lambasted by PC brigade, let me lay out some facts. A lot of African students study in Delhi University. Most of them live as paying guest or on rent across Delhi. By and large, things are good. So what went wrong?
The issues lie with Delhi Police. There is a big drug racket in Delhi. Handful of African nationals are involved (mostly as drug peddlers). It is an open secret from a number of years. When locals complain to local police, what do the police do? They do nothing. They don’t even register a case. Let alone jail or deportation. Off the record this is what police say, registering a case against foreign national is not that easy. Lots of permissions, lots of follow up. And then there is pressure from ministry that arrest and deportation too harms the potential students and bilateral relations. End result is that the culprits are left with just a warning. And they continue the business unabated.
It’s not just that. When common people try to stop them forcefully, they are lambasted as racist. Which is what happened couple of years back in Malviya Nagar. This roots the hatred against African nationals. Over the years, police apathy and inaction has fueled this anger. Had action been taken against handful of drug peddlers earlier, there would have been no bad blood.
Common people know that police will do nothing. They know if they try to stop such things by force, whole national media will label them racist. So they do nothing but the hatred swells inside. People who don’t live in Delhi, have no right to judge the localites. But still everyone judge them.
The exact details of this case will tumble out in time to come. But some rotten apples among Indians prey on this hatred and take this to extreme level, which happened in this unfortunate incident. By and large I don’t see any more racism against Africans, than there is against South Indians / North East Indians in Delhi. But the inaction of Delhi police and lack of directions from Govt has blown up a simple law and order issue to hatred against African nationals in general.
The resolution is simple. Police need to take action against African nationals found involved in drug trade (there are only handful, and police know them). And also take strictest action against the perpetrators of the murder of the innocent Congolese youth in the current case. You know what, neither of the two will happen.
Ola Uber surge pricing: Paid Media decry the ban
App based Taxi services have been charging higher during peak hours under the fancy name of ‘Surge Pricing’. There has been a lot of hue and cry by public across the country, but given the pathetic state of public transport, people could do nothing but pay often x2, x3 the fare.
Similar thing was noticed during Odd/Even days in Delhi when understandably the demand was high. People ended up paying up to x4 the fare. Then came the warning from Delhi Govt., post which the surge pricing was suspended by both Ola and Uber. What I noticed next was really funny.
Uber sent a notification to its users explaining that if they see ‘no cabs’ around, it is due to the surge pricing ban by Govt. And then there were paid lobbyists who started campaigning under the garb of ‘blogs’ on news websites. They say what Delhi Govt has done is death to free market and sends a wrong signal to innovation. They use the same fancy term, ‘Surge Pricing’ which is an ‘algorithm’ developed by these companies based on demand and supply. Let me point out why they are hypocrites.
These were the same people who used to tear up their clothes and run naked, when asked return fare by auto drivers. “These auto wallas, I tell you. Such bad people. The guy charged me half return (x1.5). The loot I say”. Those were their lines. Now they are justifying Surge Pricing. Just coz auto wallas didn’t pay them to lobby on their behalf and Ola/Uber did. Or maybe because they consider poor auto drivers perfect vehicle to vent their anger and rich taxi aggregators too premium to lambast. Or maybe they have some other convoluted justification.
If they ask for free market then why the smirk when auto unions ask for hike in auto fare? Why smirk when during peak hours auto drivers ask for x1.5 or x2. Don’t they deserve surge pricing? Or is surge pricing only applicable for those having AC cabs.
What more is, I have seen such anger at auto drivers among the so called educated people. As if auto drivers are kings and live in palaces. They are poor people and live in shoddy conditions. But no, they don’t deserve surge pricing. Only AC cabs too.
No doubt cab aggregators have made life simpler for commuters. They provide safety and security. But they should not be allowed cannibalism. First eliminate competition (autos) by making losses/providng free rides and then go for the kill (surge pricing).
I am not against surge pricing as it comes heavy on my pocket. I am against it as it is cannibalism. India has a lot of poor people who live by driving auto rickshaws. We need to protect their livelihood for the sake of humanity.
And remember all the coupons and 6/- per km rides will go away very soon. And when the prices become stable, what will remain are carcasses of auto’s and the surge pricing.
Delhi Management Quota Abolished: Is it really happening?
All of us berate the management quota in schools/colleges. We know how seats are openly sold under management quota. What do we do? Nothing! Make provision for money so that we can buy seat for our child. Actually we common people can do nothing else.
But now things are changing at least in Delhi. Management Quota has been abolished by Delhi Govt. And what a feel of fresh air it is. I sometimes wonder who let such blatant corruption tool function in the first place. And it is not even a clandestine thing. It happens openly in all schools and colleges by private players.
It might not be good news for the rich, but it sure is good news for common people of Delhi. Hope we create more schools so that need of such corruption ends entirely. Hope other states emulate this too. Next is strengthening Govt. schools to give us a true RTE.
बच्चा पहले ही मर गया था
मेरा बचपन आगरा शहर में बीता है। दिल्ली की कड़ाके की सर्दी क्या होती है, मैंने महसूस करी है। रूह कंपा देती है। जल्द से जल्द घर पहुंचकर रजाई में दुपक जाता था। बेघर लोगो बेचारे ऐसी सर्दी में क्या करते होंगे, बचपन में यह ख़याल कभी नहीं आया। बड़ा होकर पाया की उनमें से काफी लोग, सर्दी में दम तोड़ देते हैं।
जो दिल्ली में हुआ, ऐसा नहीं है की यह पहली बार हुआ है हमारे देश में। ऐसी तोड़फोड़ पहले भी होती रही है जगह खाली कराने के लिए। अतिक्रमण हटाना। मुझे कभी इसका मतलब समझ नहीं आया। यहाँ से भागो, कहीं और जाके मारो। मुझे बस इतना ही समझ आता है।
मुझे दुःख इसलिए ज्यादा है, कि मुझे लगा था की मोदीजी सबसे आगे खड़े होंगे, इन गरीबों को बचाने के लिए। भारत सरकार ने बोला, “बच्चा पहले ही मर गया था”, तोड़फोड़ बाद में हुई। मान लो २ मिनट की बच्चा पहले मर गया था। तो इससे ज्यादा भीषण रूप कुछ और नहीं हो सकता, कि जिसके घर में मौत हुई, उसका घर उजाड़ा गया।
मैं शर्मसार हूँ, ऐसे तंत्र का हिस्सा होने पे। जमीन तो भगवान ने बनायी थी, कबसे रेलवे की जागीर हो गयी। कौनसे वो बेचारे शौक से झुग्गी में रहते थे? विकास के नाम पे सबको रौंदते चलो।
Shame to Shame
Not sure what exactly has gone wrong, but a lot has evidently. It’s not that I am a gullible person but all too sudden double speak by Modi Govt has taken me aback. How the mighty have fallen and continuously do so.
Consider this, Arun Jaitely recently said that indirectly elected Upper House can’t hold the passage of bills and is a threat to democracy. This statement is against the very core of constitution. Upper house represents the states, which under the federal structure is a must. Centre was not envisioned to be all too powerful and states were given rights to decide for themselves. In Centre the Upper House plays this role.
Being the leader of the party in the Upper House, this smacked of all too hypocrisy. Anyways, one could have discounted this as his genuine personal view. But what his party is doing with Delhi Govt. via Lt. Governor is the same. According to BJP, Opposition is not letting elected Govt work. And BJP is not letting elected Delhi Govt work. Shame to Shame.
Hypocrisy, thou art a bitch!
Why BJP lost Delhi?
More than the AAP victory, I consider this BJP’s loss. Delhi was with Modi and yet somehow it was lost. What happened?
1. 7 month > 1.5 month: BJP kept harping on 49 days AAP Govt but did nothing for Delhi in 7 months they ruled indirectly via Centre.
2. LG the puppet: You would remember BJP people raising hue and cry on AAP for raising fingers on LG. LG is constitutional post. Let LG call us first etc. This used to be the Congress line. People of Delhi saw that and decided to teach them a lesson.
3. Black money: Lethargy over black money. People elected BJP not to form SIT and gloat, they did so that black money is brought back. No out of the box acts by Govt to bring back black money did it in.
4. Communal Tension: Unlike in Lok Sabha election, Hindu vote didn’t get polarized. Attacks on churches, communal statements by BJP leaders and silence of Modi was too much to handle for people.
5. Acche Din: The promise was of instant relief and people wanted just that. Nothing changed on the ground and Modi was not able to communicate to people that he required more time.
6. Arrogance: I wrote recently that arrogance shown by BJP spokespersons was just like the one shown by Congress people in the past. BJP took people for granted in their arrogance.
7. Bad mouthing: Bad mouthing a good man like Kejriwal didn’t help. People were angry with Kejri for running away. But they still considered him a good person. Bad mouthing him like Modi did in Maha, Haryana and Jharkhand was not accepted by people.
8. UPA 3: BJP has started to turn into UPA 3. Crony capitalism continues. Loot of country continues. Kejriwal was able to bring home this point.
9. Bedi: Though not a major reason. Opportunist Bedi drove away whatever voters were left with BJP.
BJP goes the Cong way
What is happening in Delhi today saddens me. Horse-trading has been a cruel reality of Indian politics but expectations from Modi era was different.
The anger among youth was the reason for ouster of Cong at the Centre. This anger was largely due to corrupt practices and policies of quid pro quo. BJP seems to have failed the very first test.
“L-G will take his decision. Let us be invited by L-G first”. Such hiding behind the LG/Governors/Presidents back was what Congress did for last 10 years. It was good for TV debates, but the common man was not fooled; given all above constitutional posts toe the Home Ministry.
What BJP has to realize is youth of today is not as patient. We see through the deception. The arrogance that I see today from BJP spokespersons is like a slap on my face. Congress was voted out due to this very arrogance. Sad to see BJP repeating it.
Today’s sting operation was just a formality. Everyone was aware what was happening behind the doors.
We all lapped up to each and every Modi-vachan through elections and beyond. There was a Modi speech on the TV today. I changed the channel.
The Human Langur
A news item recently grabbed my attention. To counter the money menace around the parliament, men dressed as langurs were stationed in that area. It’s a known fact that monkeys fear langurs. Having grown up in a monkey abundant dwelling, I have a first hand experience of it.
Coming back to men dressed as langurs. This is one of the most ingenious inventions that I have come across; already falling out of my chair with laughter.
For one we could have gotten real langurs but given today’s age of political correctness, a law in Delhi bars this form of animal atrocity (but killing chicken is legal!). Fearing away monkeys is a glaring example of short sighted and quick fix mindset of our nation as a whole.
Better would have been to capture monkeys and relocate them to the jungles. But we are more concerned about chasing them away from VIP areas. One question, where will monkeys run to? You are right, areas where common population live. So we divert the menace from Parliament to other areas of the city. What an achievement!
Given the fact that I was attacked and taken away (long story for another time) by a monkey during my baby days (not funny), I embody some strong feelings.
What I would like my Govt. to do is to formulate a stringent nation wide policy w.r.t monkeys and stray dogs (similar problem). Not just Delhi centric. I have lived under the terror of monkeys all through my childhood and can safely say that it’s just not safe.
But with out lawmakers settling with shooing away the problem and turning the blind eye, I don’t expect much.
Delhi Elections: Make or Break
Power struggle in Delhi has intensified. Impending elections in sight, Centre is trying to woo the voters with clean-up drive across the city. Detractors see inability to rein inflation and absence of knee-jerk reforms to be Govt.’s undoing; huge promises to outdo the fact that they just can’t be fulfilled in such a short span.
Amidst all this, we have failed to notice something substantial, which for me could shape Govt.’s future. The DDA flat allotment. In the past there has been rampant corruption in this much subsidized property allotment.
This DDA draw would be an acid test for the Centre which is ruling Delhi by proxy. Any whiff of corruption and the fortress will come crashing down. People will give Govt. time to fix inflation, poverty etc, but deliberate corruption, they just won’t accept.
Govt. would be well aware of this. It’s interesting to see what protocols it puts in place so as the lottery goes through without rigging. It’s a humongous task given much entrenched corruption across the spectrum. This would also be the first major test for the Govt. against the power dealers and brokers.
Most of us will bet the Govt. to fail. Come on, for once, prove us wrong!
6 conditions rejected by Anna Hazare
Delhi Police imposed 22 conditions for peaceful protest by Anna Hazare. Last heard 6 out of 22 were rejected by Anna and his team. What these 6 conditions were had been kept under wraps. Yours truly found it out through well placed sources at US Embassy, who tends to know more on India, than India itself.
Conditions were as below:
1. At least 50 helicopters should be present at the Anshan site (Quick evacuation in case of bee attack).
2. 50 AC’s are mandatory. No one should suffer heat stroke coz of Dilli ki Garmi.
3. All the attendees must sign an undertaking that they hereby agree for nasbandi.
4. Attendees should give an undertaking that they will not urinate for the entire duration. Anyone found otherwise will be lynched.
5. Such fasts tend to get boring. So as nobody dies of boredom, performance by Lady Gaga is must. Pending her nod fast cannot go ahead.
6. People made to sit long hours can develop severe back pains. Arrangements should be made for back massage by professional masseuses.
According to our sources, Anna and his team were bummed out specifically by Lady Gaga condition. They tried to reason with her. But once she insisted to perform, they had no option but to back out.
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