Sunday, April 27, 2008

India's Boldest PM Yet

Despite someone remarking that only Indira Gandhi wears pants in the cabinet, I rate P.V.Narasimha Rao as the boldest PM that India ever had. Few examples for his boldness.

1. Establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel despite the vote bank politics of India and possible adverse reaction of muslim world.

2. Announcement from the ramparts of the red fort that the only unfinished agenda with Pakistan is wresting back of occupied Kashmir.

3. Ushering in economic reforms which pulled the country from out of the mire of nehruvian socialism and making Man Mohan Singh the FM giving us a future PM.

4. The covert boost he gave to achieve neuclear weapon capability. Pokhran-I and II are nothing compared to his contribution.

5. Making the so-called first family of Indian politics irrelavant for 5 years.

There was something in him for the congress politicians to experiment, emulate and exercise.

...ponder

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Criteria to contest Elections

During the course of reporting the news about PMO writing so many letters seeking favours to one Union Minister, Indian Express made a passing reference that the said Hon'ble Minister has two wives and the would-be beneficieries are sons of different wives. I don't know whether this is true or as usual 'twisting of facts by the media'! If true, hats off to the Hon'ble Minister for his fair and even handed treatment to his offsprings from different sources without playing favouritism.

However, my question is whether a person with more than one spouse can be permitted to contest as per the law of land? The would be contestent is asked to give so much information like assets, convictions, pending criminal cases, etc. For holding certain offices/for contesting elections to bodies like Panchayats, two-child criteria has been enforced.

Does n't the Election Commission ask about number of spouses? Is it not more important to put one spouse criteria in place over and above two-child norm? Will the Election Commission look into this aspect?

If the news is wrong my apologies to the Hon'ble Minister.

...ponder

Friday, April 25, 2008

Some memories of childhood

Though we are Telugu people, I was born and bought up in Madras now Chennai. My links with Andhra was only through annual visits to my maternal village viz. Vangipuram near Guntur. My memories of the days spent are ever green. If we give prior intimation to my uncle he used to come with his bullock cart to Prathipadu which place we used to reach by bus from Guntur. In summer days buses used to ply upto Vangipuram.

My uncle was the village Karanam and a big farmer. His was the only 'pucca; house in that village boasting of mosaic floor in fifties. There were no roads, no water supply, no toilets, no electricity but the place was heavenly fo me a city boy.

My maternal grandfather, a paralytic confined to bed used to teach us telugu poems from various satakams. Amongst the books I read there was a poetic composition speceially brought outto commomorate the accent of Queen Victoria to British Throne as Empress of all colonies.

Since everyone knows everyone else, I as an intruder introduce myself to everyone as the grandson of Sriramulu garu and second son of Seshamma garu. People were not impersonal.

Vangipuram boasted of two Temples - One Sivalayam, whose gopuram used to come into sight as we approached the village and another - Vallabharaya temple, a grand granite vaishnavite temple.

Later I used to visit the place occassionally to meet my uncle who was looking after our lands. The last visit was in 1977 when we sold off the lands.

Eversince, my dream is to visit once that small place which gave me so much happiness.

But i know that I will be in for disappointment. Known people are there no more. The place itself would have changed beyond recognition. There will not be anyone to enquire who I am. So the dilemma is whether to go and see the changes or keep my memories as they are.

ponder...

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Kakinada Pithapuram rail connectivity

Kakinada is just about 15 km from Howrah-Chennai Main line and is connected by a branch line - Samalkot-Kakinada. Kakinada is the administrative headquarters of East Godavari District. It is traditionally known for the well laid out town planning and educational institutions. There has been a demand from local population fore bringing it on the mainline so that important trains like Coromandal Express and Howrah Mail can stop there. This aspiration is nearly 40-50 years old. A few years back, I think when Mamta Banerjee was the Railway Minister, after due approval of survey, technical feasibility, viability, etc. the project has finally been sanctioned by the Railway Ministry. However, in successive Railway budgets, only token allocations of a few lakh rupees are being made. Cost is escalating. All that is required is to connect Pithapuram with Kakinada barely 20 kms I think. With a surplus of about 20000 crores, what problems Railways are facing in taking up the actual construction is not known. People of East Godavari are generally polite and docile. We have a wonderful technocrat politician Sri Pallam Raju as Kakinada MP and a union Minister. His family has served Kakinada with distinction. I hope he will do his bit in getting this project executed.

Kakinada is emerging as a major industrial/knowledge hub. A SEZ is on the anvil. A shipyard, two refineries are supposed to come up. Gas has been discovered at massive levels. A STPI has started functioning. It will be a favoured destination for IT/ITeS companies. There are about 9 engineering colleges, a medical college and a host of other educational institutions in Kakinada itself.

I would request the leading citizens of East Godavari like Sri Pallam Raju, Sri Jakkampudi Ram Mohan Rao, Sri Undavilli Arun Kumar, Sri Harsha Kumar, Sri Yanamala Ramakrushnudu, Sri Mudragada Padmanabham, Sri Pantham, Sri Jyotula, Sri Pendem Dora Babu etc to lend their influence and prevail upon the Railways to commence and complete this small project early fulfilling the legitimate needs of the travelling public and the long pending aspirations of the people of this region.