Yesterday the Media reported that MK has shot off a telegram to the PM and Chairperson of UPA. My information is that he wrote a Post Card.
It is heartening to see that people depend on the good old Post and Telegraphs for important and urgent matters rather than on phones, cells, fax, video conferences, or any other gadgets of any hue bluetooth or blackberry. Shame on them.
It is not the effect of the communication on the recepient but on the electorate that matters. However, tragic, humanitarian and urgent the subject matter may be.
He has asked for snapping of diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka in case immediate cease fire is not called but he will not snap ties with Congress or Government.
I dont know what sort of a coalition the UPA Chairperson is managing and what sort of a government MMS is running. Such unanimity on important issue like Sri Lanka! Lalu is another thorn in the flesh having been eliminated from next coalition even while continuing in the present! PMK has already deserted the sinking ship. Pawar is flexing his muscles. Pranab says Lalu will not be the PM. What a picture of unity, stability and confidence! It stands proved that the country can run itself without governance. It is the Babus who matter. Long live the steel frame of the British.
Congress asks for 3 seats in Bihar and gets the boot. In UP it will be miracle if it wins 2 seats, Amethi and Rae Bareli. Set to get wiped out in TN and AP. Pan India GOP!!! Talking of Rahul Gandhi as PM in the midst of these ruins. Nothing like optimism.
The President of our Republic is going to play a crucial role in the coming weeks. Let us wait and watch.
...ponder
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Spiritual dimension to elections
Setting up of a major industry will spawn many ancillary industries and services thus creating indirect employment and incomes. This everyone knows. What is the big deal about it?
Elections are big business. Thousands of crores are spent on them - officially and otherwise. White and black.
I dont know what is the budget of our Election Commission for the conduct of the ensuing elections. Manpower, security, logistics, transport, and other heads must be burning a hole in the pocket of our government, But that is the price well paid for the dance of democracy.
Political parties, contestents, their well wishers, companies incur mind boggling expenses, which mercifully are not all revealed in the expense account to save the election commission and income tax people from head reeling.
In this context one interesting nugget reported in a vernacular daily set me thinking. The expenditure incurred and incomes derived on a higher plane.
It seems the expenditure incurred on soothsayers, special pujas conducted, propiation of Gods of multi religions, etc during the current elections is said to be to the tune of 500 to 600 crores. There are about 62 types of 'homa's exclusively meant to ensure electoral success each costing 40-50 lakhs it seems. If the report is correct, there is one particular Astrolger in Bangalore engaging the services of about 500 Purohits busy ensuring the success of all the candidates. It appears he has also outsourced the heavy workload to 300 Namboodris from Kerala!
If a fundmentalist cancidate say from BJP or Muslim League or Akali Dal incurs less expenditure on one God only, Secularists like Communists or Congressmen have to incur more expenditure on all Gods! See same candidate visiting temple, Dargah, Church and making offerings. Secularism is indeed costly business. Only the very rich can afford it.
In addition, there are resident Brahmacharis and Swamis in each court who don't come cheap. The elections must have also given a boost to our ailing diamond industry with different schools of soothsayers prescribing different precious stones. You find most of the candidates with rings on atleast 8 fingers. Marxist Bengal must be topping the list because there the practice of wearing more than one ring on same finger prevails.
Construction industry also must be making hay when the election sun is shining what with modifications suggested by Vastu and Feng Shui experts.
I dont know what ill effects will result when the Gods of the losing candidates vent their anger. There certainly will be scholarly debates on what went wrong. Wrong stone on index finger or inauspicious time of filing nominations. The soothsayers would have looted and scooted - till next elections. Memory is weak and greed is stronger.
...ponder
Elections are big business. Thousands of crores are spent on them - officially and otherwise. White and black.
I dont know what is the budget of our Election Commission for the conduct of the ensuing elections. Manpower, security, logistics, transport, and other heads must be burning a hole in the pocket of our government, But that is the price well paid for the dance of democracy.
Political parties, contestents, their well wishers, companies incur mind boggling expenses, which mercifully are not all revealed in the expense account to save the election commission and income tax people from head reeling.
In this context one interesting nugget reported in a vernacular daily set me thinking. The expenditure incurred and incomes derived on a higher plane.
It seems the expenditure incurred on soothsayers, special pujas conducted, propiation of Gods of multi religions, etc during the current elections is said to be to the tune of 500 to 600 crores. There are about 62 types of 'homa's exclusively meant to ensure electoral success each costing 40-50 lakhs it seems. If the report is correct, there is one particular Astrolger in Bangalore engaging the services of about 500 Purohits busy ensuring the success of all the candidates. It appears he has also outsourced the heavy workload to 300 Namboodris from Kerala!
If a fundmentalist cancidate say from BJP or Muslim League or Akali Dal incurs less expenditure on one God only, Secularists like Communists or Congressmen have to incur more expenditure on all Gods! See same candidate visiting temple, Dargah, Church and making offerings. Secularism is indeed costly business. Only the very rich can afford it.
In addition, there are resident Brahmacharis and Swamis in each court who don't come cheap. The elections must have also given a boost to our ailing diamond industry with different schools of soothsayers prescribing different precious stones. You find most of the candidates with rings on atleast 8 fingers. Marxist Bengal must be topping the list because there the practice of wearing more than one ring on same finger prevails.
Construction industry also must be making hay when the election sun is shining what with modifications suggested by Vastu and Feng Shui experts.
I dont know what ill effects will result when the Gods of the losing candidates vent their anger. There certainly will be scholarly debates on what went wrong. Wrong stone on index finger or inauspicious time of filing nominations. The soothsayers would have looted and scooted - till next elections. Memory is weak and greed is stronger.
...ponder
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Back to the Future
According to news reports, Samajwadi Party has promised to ban Computers, English and Mechanised farming if voted to power. This is only the beginning and more will follow surely in this right direction. It is reliably understood that Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his party stalwarts, key allies and uneasy coalition partners are insisting on some more key changes. Those heard through the grapewine are listed below.
1. Mulayam Singh Yadav wants Urdu to replace Hindi as Link Language. Hindi was brought in by Congress Party.
2. Mulayam Singh Yadav also wants legalising Thugs an Pindaris whom the British unfairly tried to eliminate. They will be allowed to amass disproportionate assets.
3. Key Party Strategest Amar Singh has proposed closure of all factories, mills, etc,
4. Young and dynamic Sanjay Dutt insists on banning all modern weapons like AK-47 and granades. Chakus and lathis will be procured for our valiant Armed Forces and each citizen will be allowed to keep one Khatta.
5. Jayaprada has demanded total ban on Cinemas.
6. Key ally Lalu Prasad Yadav's proposal is to ban Railways and all forms of Mechanised transport. There will be an exclusive Minister of State for Asses.
7. Ram Vilas Paswan is adamant about dismantling reservations. He also insists that vocations should be purely caste-based.
8. Rabri Devi meekly hinted that women should be prohibited from entering public life. They will be in purdah and keep grinding atta on stone chakkis.
9. Almost all NGOs are of the view that Sati should be re-introduced and made compulsory.
10. The cake goes to the gem from uneasy partner Sonia Gandhi. If she has her way, Samajwadi will be banned and Dynastic rule formalised. This will totally eliminate the bother of elections and Manifestos.
...ponder
1. Mulayam Singh Yadav wants Urdu to replace Hindi as Link Language. Hindi was brought in by Congress Party.
2. Mulayam Singh Yadav also wants legalising Thugs an Pindaris whom the British unfairly tried to eliminate. They will be allowed to amass disproportionate assets.
3. Key Party Strategest Amar Singh has proposed closure of all factories, mills, etc,
4. Young and dynamic Sanjay Dutt insists on banning all modern weapons like AK-47 and granades. Chakus and lathis will be procured for our valiant Armed Forces and each citizen will be allowed to keep one Khatta.
5. Jayaprada has demanded total ban on Cinemas.
6. Key ally Lalu Prasad Yadav's proposal is to ban Railways and all forms of Mechanised transport. There will be an exclusive Minister of State for Asses.
7. Ram Vilas Paswan is adamant about dismantling reservations. He also insists that vocations should be purely caste-based.
8. Rabri Devi meekly hinted that women should be prohibited from entering public life. They will be in purdah and keep grinding atta on stone chakkis.
9. Almost all NGOs are of the view that Sati should be re-introduced and made compulsory.
10. The cake goes to the gem from uneasy partner Sonia Gandhi. If she has her way, Samajwadi will be banned and Dynastic rule formalised. This will totally eliminate the bother of elections and Manifestos.
...ponder
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Separatism & Elections
It is heartening to see the Chairman of People's Conference, one of the seperatist outfits in Kashmir, deciding to contest Parliamentary elections. It is another matter that he has averred that this is a strategic change and not an ideological change. He has amplified further by stating that he will represent Kashmir in India and not India in Kashmir.
Now apart from the significance of an avowed seperatist joining the election fray, it will be interesting to see what sort of an oath he will take both as a contestent and, if successful, as a newly elected Parliament Member.
I know that Kashmir enjoys a special status with its own constitution. I dont know what sort of an oath Kashmiris were taking till now.
I wonder wether he will swear by the Indian constitution and solemnly promise to uphold it and the unity and the integrity of our country which he has distinguished from Kashmir. I also dont know if some special provision exists exempting Kashmiris from this.
Taking oath is not an easy business as some may think. It could be a tricky affair. For those who take a oath without meaning it as a routine necessity it is okay. See how our friends who claim to believe in Akhand Bharat swear to uphold the territorial integrity of our country as it stands today. But for a committed person it could be tricky on ideological or even on religious grounds.
But I have unshakeable faith in the wisdom and capabilites of our Legal Pundits and our Babus. They will find a way out. Remember how MGR took oath as CM in his last tenure. He was already unable to speak and almost in vegetable state. His oath taking was held 'in camera' and it was claimed that somebody read the oath and he nodded his head. If I am wrong my apologies and I stand corrected.
Let us see what happens now.
...ponder
Now apart from the significance of an avowed seperatist joining the election fray, it will be interesting to see what sort of an oath he will take both as a contestent and, if successful, as a newly elected Parliament Member.
I know that Kashmir enjoys a special status with its own constitution. I dont know what sort of an oath Kashmiris were taking till now.
I wonder wether he will swear by the Indian constitution and solemnly promise to uphold it and the unity and the integrity of our country which he has distinguished from Kashmir. I also dont know if some special provision exists exempting Kashmiris from this.
Taking oath is not an easy business as some may think. It could be a tricky affair. For those who take a oath without meaning it as a routine necessity it is okay. See how our friends who claim to believe in Akhand Bharat swear to uphold the territorial integrity of our country as it stands today. But for a committed person it could be tricky on ideological or even on religious grounds.
But I have unshakeable faith in the wisdom and capabilites of our Legal Pundits and our Babus. They will find a way out. Remember how MGR took oath as CM in his last tenure. He was already unable to speak and almost in vegetable state. His oath taking was held 'in camera' and it was claimed that somebody read the oath and he nodded his head. If I am wrong my apologies and I stand corrected.
Let us see what happens now.
...ponder
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Justice vs. Law
Abhishek Manu Singhvi hit the nail squarely on its head when he said that there can be no justice beyond law. Though he wears two hats i.e. of a suave and erudite Lawyer and that of a cultured, educated, articulate Politician, it was the Congress Spokesperson who was speaking and not the Lawyer in search of justice. The venue was not a court room and neither was he holding the brief of those seeking justice. In fact he is in the camp of those in the dock.
Courts cannot make Law. They uphold Law and dispense justice within its limitations. Sometimes they may gently nudge the Law makers into the path of justice. But that is where their powers end.
In a vision for democracy, the right balance has been struck by our constitution framers which is still holding good despite occassional stresses and strains. These tribulations are not due to flaws in the system but due to human fallacy. However, each pillar has to perform its role to achieve the objective of justice. If one pillar fails, others will crumble too.
Constitution has been amended umpteen times to move ahead with times or to serve narrow partisan ends or any other reason. But the moot point is why we could not narrow the yawning gap between Justice and Law? The framers of the constitution left enough hints in the Directive Principles which could have been subsequently been made into law. Alas. "It shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws".
Contrast this with the constitutional amendment inserting the word 'Secular' in the Preamble to the constitution. Was there a need? What new purpose it served? Are we more secular after its insertion than before?
Elections are round the corner. We hope we will get a new set of law makers who will bridge the gap between Justice and Law. But the likes of some contestents does not really nspire confidence. Is it not ironic that Singhvi's assertion is just in the context of contestents!
...ponder
Courts cannot make Law. They uphold Law and dispense justice within its limitations. Sometimes they may gently nudge the Law makers into the path of justice. But that is where their powers end.
In a vision for democracy, the right balance has been struck by our constitution framers which is still holding good despite occassional stresses and strains. These tribulations are not due to flaws in the system but due to human fallacy. However, each pillar has to perform its role to achieve the objective of justice. If one pillar fails, others will crumble too.
Constitution has been amended umpteen times to move ahead with times or to serve narrow partisan ends or any other reason. But the moot point is why we could not narrow the yawning gap between Justice and Law? The framers of the constitution left enough hints in the Directive Principles which could have been subsequently been made into law. Alas. "It shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws".
Contrast this with the constitutional amendment inserting the word 'Secular' in the Preamble to the constitution. Was there a need? What new purpose it served? Are we more secular after its insertion than before?
Elections are round the corner. We hope we will get a new set of law makers who will bridge the gap between Justice and Law. But the likes of some contestents does not really nspire confidence. Is it not ironic that Singhvi's assertion is just in the context of contestents!
...ponder
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Andhra MPs
Gurazada Appa Rao famously said that "Our fellows are a Useless Lot". The exact telugu idiom used by him may be treated as unparliamentary and breach of privileges if applied to our Hon'ble MPs. But will it be off the mark?
Krishnam Raju, who was a BJP MP and a MOS in Vajpayee Ministry finally joined PRP. The reason attributed him is "He cannot do anything for the state remaining in BJP".
Does he feel BJP is anti coastal Andhra given its staunch pro-Telengana stance? Is that why Pendem Dora Babu, one of the 2 to be elected on BJP ticket in last elections, left BJP to join Congress?
Pallam Raju, MP from Kakinada and MOS in MMS Ministry candidly admitted he could not deliver Kakinada-Pithapuram line, a sanctioned project mooted 60 years ago and cannot do it as long as Lalu Prasad is the Railway Minister. Pallamraju Did not elaborate why Lalu is against it but is so vexed with his Cabinet colleague’s indifference that he had commented in the media that only a new Railway Minister might concede the long-pending demand.
Though dawning of wisdom is better late than never, it is more than a coincidence that these gentlemen became wiser after enjoying power and position to its full in their respective tenures.
Except for Valluri Basava Raju, who commanded respect for his erudition and oratary skills, and Vadde Shobanadeeswara Rao to some extent I dont think any other MP from AP commanded any respect nay recognition in Delhi. This is uniformly applicable cutting across party lines. Is this due to the unique DNA of Andhras who have the crab trait.
Anyway BJP owes an explanation to Andhras on Krishnam Raju's reasoning.Mere contradiction will not do. Bandaru Dattatreya, who himself was MOS Railways should react or confess.
...Ponder
Krishnam Raju, who was a BJP MP and a MOS in Vajpayee Ministry finally joined PRP. The reason attributed him is "He cannot do anything for the state remaining in BJP".
Does he feel BJP is anti coastal Andhra given its staunch pro-Telengana stance? Is that why Pendem Dora Babu, one of the 2 to be elected on BJP ticket in last elections, left BJP to join Congress?
Pallam Raju, MP from Kakinada and MOS in MMS Ministry candidly admitted he could not deliver Kakinada-Pithapuram line, a sanctioned project mooted 60 years ago and cannot do it as long as Lalu Prasad is the Railway Minister. Pallamraju Did not elaborate why Lalu is against it but is so vexed with his Cabinet colleague’s indifference that he had commented in the media that only a new Railway Minister might concede the long-pending demand.
Though dawning of wisdom is better late than never, it is more than a coincidence that these gentlemen became wiser after enjoying power and position to its full in their respective tenures.
Except for Valluri Basava Raju, who commanded respect for his erudition and oratary skills, and Vadde Shobanadeeswara Rao to some extent I dont think any other MP from AP commanded any respect nay recognition in Delhi. This is uniformly applicable cutting across party lines. Is this due to the unique DNA of Andhras who have the crab trait.
Anyway BJP owes an explanation to Andhras on Krishnam Raju's reasoning.Mere contradiction will not do. Bandaru Dattatreya, who himself was MOS Railways should react or confess.
...Ponder
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Security for God
My late friend Sandur, also known as 'brown saheb' used to say
"Some wisemen created God and gave Him all the virtues, and exhorted their fellow men to rever, fear, worship and emulate Him."
How good this world will be if everybody treats himself as God and behaves exactly as he/she expects Him to be.
Probably this is the meaning of the saying "Aham Brahmasmi".
Whether man created God or not, he created a lot of wealth, assets, procedures, rituals, dangers and more importantly rival Gods for Him.
Hence, the need for security for God.
See what happened at Ayodhya. Deliberate inaction by security brought down an antiquated structure whether you call it a temple or mosque. Now see the paradox, a vigilent security keeps the present taurpaulin structure intact.
All temples, churches, mosques,synogogues, etc. so called abodes of peace, need the khakis to keep them peaceful.
I extract a recent news report:
"NEW DELHI: • A leading Christian organisation that manages India’s busiest churches is shopping for a “complete security package”. It held talks with a visiting high-level Israeli security delegation earlier this week."
I think God is very kind to the security business in these days of recession and slump. So God deserves the best security to keep the businesses of God and the Security booming.
Am I being irreverant or factual?
...Ponder
"Some wisemen created God and gave Him all the virtues, and exhorted their fellow men to rever, fear, worship and emulate Him."
How good this world will be if everybody treats himself as God and behaves exactly as he/she expects Him to be.
Probably this is the meaning of the saying "Aham Brahmasmi".
Whether man created God or not, he created a lot of wealth, assets, procedures, rituals, dangers and more importantly rival Gods for Him.
Hence, the need for security for God.
See what happened at Ayodhya. Deliberate inaction by security brought down an antiquated structure whether you call it a temple or mosque. Now see the paradox, a vigilent security keeps the present taurpaulin structure intact.
All temples, churches, mosques,synogogues, etc. so called abodes of peace, need the khakis to keep them peaceful.
I extract a recent news report:
"NEW DELHI: • A leading Christian organisation that manages India’s busiest churches is shopping for a “complete security package”. It held talks with a visiting high-level Israeli security delegation earlier this week."
I think God is very kind to the security business in these days of recession and slump. So God deserves the best security to keep the businesses of God and the Security booming.
Am I being irreverant or factual?
...Ponder
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