Loss of making ‘Desh’

In a very positive note, government of Bangladesh has decided to honor 226 Indians for their crucial support to the country during 1971 Liberation War. As this TOI news tells:
 

Bangladesh to honour 226 Indians for role in 1971 ‘Liberation War’
 

Bangladesh will honour some 500 foreigners, including 226 Indians, for their crucial support to the country’s 1971 ‘Liberation War’, as it marks the 40th Victory Day anniversary next year.
 

Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would be conferred with a special honour for her “immense” support for Bangladesh’s independence, officials earlier said.
 

Apart from the late Indian Prime Minister, then Indian army chief, Field Marshal S.H.F.J. Manekshaw and the army commander in India’s eastern theatre, Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, figure in a list of eminent people to be honoured by Bangladesh.
 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Bangladesh-to-honour-226-Indians-for-role-in-1971-Liberation-War/articleshow/7100272.cms#ixzz18GcilMme
 

At the same time, I am horrified to read the concluding part of the article:
 

On March 26, 1971, Bangladesh – then East Pakistan – declared its independence from West Pakistan.
 

According to official figures, Pakistani troops, aided by local collaborators, killed an estimated 3 million people, raped about 200,000 women and forced millions more to leave their homes during the bloody nine-month guerrilla war.
 

Now this is shocking and completes the story of Division of India in 1947. I don’t know how many men and women would have died if there was no division of India, but certainly ‘a lot’ suffered due to it; be it in 1947, or 1971. All those who died or suffered, were sons and daughters of the same soil.
 

While sons and daughters of soil suffered in all three artificially created nations of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, interestingly, three dynasties grabbed power in the three respective nations, for decades. Nehru/Gandhi in India, Sheikh Hasina (daughter of BD’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and Bhuttos in Pakistan, these are strong dynasties which have survived and thrived. Their tales are full of ups and downs, with some members of dynasties paying price by their lives. In any case, I think situations with less separate “Desh”s would have been better and bigger.

Creamy Layer Income Limit

Caste Politics is perhaps the ugliest part of Indian democracy. Those leaders who claim to be supporting the weakest, often are those who grab their opportunities away, all in the name of political vote banks.
 

Caste based reservations in jobs and in schools and colleges was a very bad idea to start with. That is why it was planned to be applicable for a limited period of 10 years. But the corrupt politicians made the policy become an eternity – as they secured them strong vote banks from amongst beneficiary castes. The list of so called ‘lower’ castes was regularly enlarged in order to attract votes from maximum castes possible, and even those castes which took pride in being ‘upper’ are now fighting for a ‘lower’ tag. It is indeed a race towards the bottom. To ensure the politicians get patronage of maximum voters; they expanded the bracket of ‘Creamy Layer’ income limit. Therefore, today the poorest among the benefitting castes (from reservation policy) remain in oblivion while richest among the same benefitting castes (covered under quota) grab and swallow all the seats meant for the poor.
 

In a very welcome move the Supreme Court has allowed a petition which challenges this unfair raise in Creamy Layer income limit:
 

Creamy layer income: SC admits plea
 

TNN, Dec 13, 2010, 08.51pm IST
 

NEW DELHI: The SC on Monday admitted educationist P V Indiresan’s petition challenging the legality of the UPA government’s decision to raise the creamy layer income limit from Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 4.50 lakh per year for OBCs.
 

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate K K Venugopal said that by this increase, the poor among OBCs would be pushed out of reservation benefits by the rich among the backward classes.
 

The government had defended the decision saying it was a reasonable increase despite many elected representatives demanding raising it to Rs 25 lakh.
 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Creamy-layer-income-SC-admits-plea/articleshow/7094417.cms#ixzz185NDq94Q 

This is good news. I believed Creamy Layer limit has been hiked for political aspirations of corrupt leaders. It should be set at 1 Lakh maximum, otherwise the rich among the OBCs swallow the seats meant for really poor. Let us hope some sense prevails in the “mad rush to the bottom”.

Chidambaram is a Migrant too

One of my colleagues tells his story from the childhood days. He was very bad in studies and when caught to some difficult question, he would become philosophical and would give vaguely thoughtful answers which even the teachers won’t be able to make solve. This strategy of his, worked. The confused teachers often asked him to sit down. I think our Home Minister has reached a stage in life where he is qualifying himself to be incapable of handling really demanding jobs. One can only infer this, if one hears from him his recent remarks:
 

Chidambaram blames migrants for crime in Delhi, Opposition hits back
 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK & AGENCIES, Dec 13, 2010, 02.30pm IST
 

NEW DELHI: Union home minister P Chidambaram on Monday came under heavy fire by the opposition for blaming the spate of crimes in Delhi due to migrant population.
 

Stroking controversy, home minister Chidambaram said, “I condemn the heinous crime of rape. Migrants are behind such crimes in the capital.” “Crime takes place because Delhi attracts a large number of migrants,” said Chidambaram, whose ministry is responsible for law and order in the sprawling city of 14 million people.
 

Chidambaram was reacting after an 18-year-old girl was gangraped on Sunday in a moving car while 600-700 policemen, who were trying to locate the car went in vain. The policemen from the six police stations immediately launched roadblocks after her abduction but failed to save the modesty of the girl.
 

On the other hand, BJP leader Kirti Azad also criticized Chidambaram and said that Congress government has been trying to hide its failure and mistakes by blaming migrants. This was the fourth incident of abduction and gangrape in a span of one month. The rising incident of rapes in the capital have been raising serious question over the safety of women. Around 433 cases of rapes have been reported so far in this year in the capital. According to the statistics, Delhi witnessed one rape each day in the year 2010.
 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Chidambaram-blames-migrants-for-crime-in-Delhi-Opposition-hits-back/articleshow/7092575.cms#ixzz18GrwZntX 

To find the ‘originals’ in Delhi – a place where almost entire population was butchered by Muslim invaders so many times in its history – is puzzling enough. And then to blame ‘migrants’, as if the ‘locals’ (so called) would never rape a girl – shows one’s own imprudent state of mind.
 

I think it is fine and doable to look at the demographic profile of criminals and make some observations (still, I wonder if Chidambaram could make a comment on ‘religion’ of a lot of criminals). But for a home minister of a country as diverse as ours, it is given that he would see the repercussions of his statements and judge appropriateness to audiences. This is why I strongly feel his statements were very wrong and even ‘evil’ in a sense. As the news arrives, the Thackerays from Maharashtra have expressed their ‘agreement’ over Chidambaram’s statements and went ahead with spreading their ‘divisive’ agendas.
 

In any case, if 700 policemen couldn’t stop a rape, as the case is in this one, I think Chidambaram’s plain ‘philosophical talk’ won’t save him or his government anyhow.

2010 Varanasi Terror Blast

Last weekend, we went to a specialty restaurant near Jama Masjid in Delhi. The restaurant was very close to the Masjid and we could see people on its stairs. Then I noticed something. There were big posters fixed on the walls of the Masjid, which said, “Kahin Hum Bhool Na Jayen (Let us not Forget) – Babri Masjid Demolition”. I remembered the day – it was one day before 6th of December. Those who would have erected the posters, would be feeling great about it – may be they would have raised charity to get the posters printed. And what would the posters achieve? Some hatred and some trouble – for all.
 

On that day, I wondered why not someone printed and erected posters and banners saying, “Kahin Hum Bhool Na Jayen (Let us not Forget) – Babar’s Ram Temple Demolition”. Since Babri Temple was constructed at the ruins of a Hindu Temple, it was an un-Islamic structure – as experts say. But those who want to spread hatred in the society – and claim to hold power among Indian Muslims – hardly care for “righteousness”. All they care about is their own sources of income. A lot would be coming from funds raised from Indian Muslims, and a lot more from across the border.
 

Today’s newspaper tells there was a Blast near a Hindu Temple in the holy city of Varanasi. It was carried out by Indian Muzahiddin to avenge deconstruction of controversial Babri building. A young child has died and dozens are injured. I am not surprised. If our government supports the ‘hatred mongers’ in erecting those avenging posters and banners – a sample of which I saw near Jama Masjid – we would get only such hateful and disastrous incidents in return. When all power in India lies in the hands of a lady which has no accountability, and the man holding responsibility has no real power; our future remains at stake.

Friends of Bihar

Here is very interesting news.
 

In Nitish’ backroom, students from Harvard, IIT and TISS
 

It started with a student from Bihar at Harvard with a question as ambitious as it was simple: How can the leadership evolve in a predictable manner, not left to genetics or accident? The question had a specific context. It was encouraged by the spectacular turnaround story scripted by Nitish Kumar back home, evidence of the difference that good leadership can make. Beginning January 2010, when he came to Patna on a month’s break, Ghanshyam Tiwari’s question grew in size and reach. Soon, it drew a team around it. Eventually, it became a shared seven-month project that fed into Nitish’s poll campaign. The “Bihar leadership project” is one of the small untold stories of this election that was all about new things happening in the state.
 

Read Full Article here: https://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-nitish-backroom-students-from-harvard-iit-and-tiss/716132/0
 

Also visit: http://beta.friendsofbihar.org/

Is Sonia not a Roman Catholic?

Should a national level politician holding stakes in the government disclose one’s personal detail, when asked by the public? UPA head Sonia Gandhi or her children don’t really believe in this.
 

High Court dismisses appeal seeking information on Sonia Gandhi’s religion

Press Trust of India, Updated: November 29, 2010
 

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday dismissed an appeal seeking details of the “religion and faith” of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her children under the RTI Act, saying the petitioner was trying to encroach on their privacy.
 

“It is evident that the petitioner is making efforts to make unjustified inroads into the privacy of the individuals even if they are public figure and consequently the information cannot be made public,” a division bench of the High Court said.
 

Former Haryana DGP PC Wadhwa had sought details of “religion and faith” mentioned by Sonia Gandhi and her children during the last census under the Right to Information Act from the Central Public Information Officer (CIO) of the office of Registrar General, Census Operations, under the Union Home Ministry.
 

Ref: https://www.ndtv.com/article/india/high-court-dismisses-appeal-seeking-information-on-sonia-gandhis-religion-69356?cp  

I want to make two points here:
 

1) Compare this case with the USA where world’s best functioning democracy exists. Here is what current President Mr. Obama said, publically: “I’ve been to the same church – the same Christian church – for almost 20 years,” Obama said, stressing the word Christian and drawing cheers from the faithful in reply. “I was sworn in with my hand on the family Bible.” he said. (Ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22767392/ns/politics-decision_08/ ) So what makes Obama confident enough to declare his “personal” faith in public, while in India, we have to file an RTI request and still get rejected to know the “personal” faith of Sonia or Rahul Gandhi? Our democracy should think about it.
 

2) Congress party and UPA government supported the idea of “Caste Census” which is scheduled now at the expense of Crores of rupees. The census would gather data on people’s religion and castes. The exercise is done at the request (or threat) of casteist politicians like Mulayam and Laloo. The census is done so that the politicians can know the castes (and religion) of the masses. If it is proper; should not it be done the otherwise too? Don’t the masses deserve to know the religion and caste of their leaders, if they are made to reveal their “personal” religion and castes in front of the politicians?
 

I think we have a long way to become a proper democracy. At present our democracy is lost to suit the needs of one dynasty.

Bihar assembly elections 2010

The BJP-JDU alliance has won the Bihar assembly elections 2010 in a manner which would be remembered in the history. Together, the alliance has won 206 out of 243 seats.
 

The JD(U) and the BJP won 115 and 91 seats as against 87 and 55 seats respectively in the October 2005 polls. The JD(U) had contested 141 seats and the BJP the remaining 102. The RJD-LJP alliance, led by Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, won just 25 seats. The Congress, which contested all 243 constituencies and raised hopes for itself, won just four seats as opposed to the nine it had won in the 2005 polls. Ref: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/node/200324
 

Chart Ref: https://news.oneindia.in/2010/11/25/nitish-ends-lalu-reign-in-bihar-assembly-polls.html
 

There are many messages out of the results. But the most important in my opinion is that people care for all round development, irrespective of who is doing it. Nitish Kumar had done a wonderful job in the last 5 years and people of Bihar knew that and hence rewarded him. BJP had been a responsible partner and a national party, which anyway has a strong base in the state. It reflected in a 90% success factor for its candidates, which is seldom seen for any party in any state.
 

I don’t agree with a section of media’s assertion that BJP performed so well because it compromised on Hindutva demands, e.g. it didn’t send Mr. Narendra Modi to campaign in Bihar. I believe that the same results or better would have come if Narendra Modi campaigned in Bihar – because this time people had a strong resolve to support the present government because of the development work it had done. Irrespective of religion, caste or any other dividing factor, everyone likes development and prosperity – and this message is nothing new for anyone. Just that this time it surprised the cynics.
 

The results have also proven that Rahul Gandhi’s campaigns and his childish statements (e.g. against RSS in order to garner Muslim votes) would not stand anywhere, until the state government is doing its job properly.
 

In a way, Bihar has shown a way for all parties and all governments. I don’t say that Nitish Kumar has pioneered it. It was proven by Narendra Modi in Gujarat – people from all sections voted for him because they saw in him a true leader for the interests of his state. Every time Narendra Modi asks for votes, he simply asks his reward for doing so much development. Nitish did the same thing, and won.
 

We can hope that all the political parties and governments would learn lessons from the success of NDA (BJP-JDU) government in Bihar and would look at their performance card rather than making some discriminating policies for appeasement of sections, in order to win votes.

The Shame of 2G Scam

2G Scam is worth Rs 1700000000000. That is Rs 1.7 Lakh Crores. Who is responsible for it? Many. But the list would start with the telecom minister Mr. A. Raja. The irony is that he is still in his chair. Reason? His party supports one of the most honest men to retain his chair of PM. Do people of India win in the end – corrupt ministers costing it billions while honest Prime Minister sits on his chair? We know the answer.
 

The BJP says that the PM is guilty of not taking a firm stand on 2G issue. The accusation is right.
 

“Prime Minister is guilty of culpability of not taking a stand firmly and not acting beforehand before the damage was done. He is guilty of it and we are charging that,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters outside Parliament.
 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/PM-guilty-of-not-taking-a-firm-stand-on-2G-issue-BJP-/articleshow/6988182.cms#ixzz16ILh1BVL
 

The Supreme Court asks the CBI why it didn’t questioned A Raja. It knows the answer but needs evidence.
 

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the CBI why the agency has not questioned former telecom minister A Raja and his secretary in connection with the 2G spectrum scam. “The CAG report is replete with remarks about direct involvement of A Raja in the irregularities,” observed the SC bench.
 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/2G-scam-Why-have-you-not-questioned-Raja-SC-asks-CBI/articleshow/6988539.cms#ixzz16ILsqn3u
 

The scam has attained new heights when some Congress-friendly journalists have been found to have played a curious role. We suspected, and now we have proof.
 

Two high-profile journalists, Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi, whose names figure in the tapes, have also been internet and TV celebrities of sorts. But their images have taken a severe battering online since the Open and Outlook magazines published on their websites the tapes of their separate conversations with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia. In the tapes, the journalists are heard promising Radia help for her cause of getting A Raja the telecom portfolio again in the UPA 2 government by talking to their Congress contacts.
 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/2G-scam-sideshow-Netizens-lambast-high-profile-journalists/articleshow/6984715.cms#ixzz16IMAatz8
 

The dimensions of 2G Scam may be many, but I am sure about two things. Our Prime Minister must have known something and didn’t act in time. He has to face the nation. Secondly, the nation is fed up of corruption and scandals involving our grand old national party – INC. It is high time the party should introspect. Sonia Gandhi should even consider the option of dissolving it – after all, she came to join INC to do something good for it and the nation, not to see the party become the most corrupt political party in this world.

On Obama’s India Visit

I want to make two comments on American President Barack Obama’s recently concluded visit to India.
 

What Obama Wanted: During the most of his visit, Obama acted like the CEO of USA, which is good as such. His visit seemed to be focused only on a few issues related to interests of the US. And he got what he wanted – several publicized deals. Though I don’t think the much touted 50,000 jobs is a big deal. Population of US is 31,02,16,000 and with 10% unemployment rate, absolute unemployment becomes 3,10,21,600. 50,000 is only 0.16% of the unemployment figure. Even if he visits 100 countries in a year and win 50,000 jobs in each nation – he would only make up 16.11% of the unemployment figure. The remaining would be a challenge hard to tackle. This is why I see error in his strategy of “winning jobs”. He should be doing something for American economy and a boastful economy would generate far more jobs. (Though controversial, but facilitating the sale of some American companies to Indian or Japanese hands (in deep pockets) would help the US rather than giving American companies some subsidies. And I see even the reverse strategy paying off to the US – allow more Indian and non-US based MNCs enter, expand, and diversify in the US market – that would create far more number of jobs in the US than trying to open up Indian market for the troubled and uncertain American companies.)
 

How Opposition behaved: Following up the press coverage, I noticed a very good trend. The opposition has really been constructive and responsible on the issues related to Obama’s visit. It may be because it was AB Vajpayee of BJP/NDA who had forged Indo-US alliance in real terms. During his visit to the US, Mr. Vajpayee used the term “Natural Partners” for India, which Obama is accepting now. At that time the US President Clinton reciprocated to Vajpayee’s gesture and then on a new era of Indo-US partnership started. May be the BJP is still carrying on with its policy. Also, this time the BJP has not been only goody-goody. The party took a strong line and pushed the govt to be a bit assertive about US response on terrorism and Pakistan. During the last leg of his visit, Obama did make some strong anti-terrorism statements in a way targeted to Pakistan, and with his support for India’s candidature for UN Security Council, the relationship turned towards becoming win-win than being only one sided affair. Credit goes to the BJP in particular and opposition in general too.
 

In any case, I wish only the best for Indo-US friendship. What started from Swami Vivekananda’s visit should culminate in better ties and a close relationship between the two great nations.

Making Mess of the Great American Dream

There are some fundamental principles which managers and economists follow for better effectiveness. One of them is: “Cure the cause, not the symptoms.” After reading Barack Obama’s recent comment, I wonder when he would understand it.
 

I have to protect American jobs: Obama on outsourcing
 

President Barack Obama indicated that he was unlikely to accommodate India’s concerns about his policy of discouraging outsourcing of US jobs, saying it was his responsibility to support jobs and opportunity for the American people. Obama has recently spoken against outsourcing of American jobs to countries like India and offered tax breaks for those creating jobs in the US.
 

https://www.ndtv.com/article/india/i-have-to-protect-american-jobs-obama-on-outsourcing-64306 (Nov 3, 2010)
 

I strongly believe that a dearth of jobs in an economy is a symptom rather than a cause. It is a symptom indicating towards some rot beneath a decently looking economy. It should ideally make one re-look at one’s economic model and at some fundamental review of policies; rather than trying some popular gimmicks like tax-breaks or subsidies. After following Obama’s speeches and policies from before his election, I have always felt he is more bent towards taking popular decisions rather than the right but difficult ones. Whenever Obama compares American education system with India’s, I think about our basic literacy rate and brain-drain and shrug off his worries. When he talks about concerns for American companies and Indian IT, I just compare the size of IBM ($103.6 billion in 2009) with that of India’s biggest TCS ($6.5 billion in 2010) and laugh at his contention. India has more number of jobs because Indians do jobs on the lower value chain, at cheapest rates; which not many Americans would choose to do. And if you force such jobs back to the US at those high salaries, American companies would become uncompetitive. So why should there be all this hype? I think Obama has his priorities wrong. Instead of saying, “I have to protect American Jobs”, he should think, “I have to prosper American Economy.” And he should remember the basics: free movement of human resources is key to achieve that economic development in today’s knowledge based economy. Just imagine one Indian-born PhD making a Patent for one American company – it would sustain so many other jobs both in the US and in other parts of the world – for years.
 

Sometimes I feel Indians have a better choice of their leader. Dr. Manmohan Singh may be modest in his oratory skills, but he is an economist who understands things much better. Mr. Obama is a great orator, but he is a politician having a degree in law. As we know, economies run neither by oratory nor by myopic populist decisions. These turbulent years would decide the fate of both the US and India and I only wish the US would be in the right hands.

Attack to Defense – Congress knows Best!

It is said that attack is the best defense. Congress, virtually the family business of Nehru dynasty definitely understands it better than anyone else. Here is an interesting article which makes a very good point: how Congress is using a “communal” attack in order to hide “corruption charges” against it.
 

How Congress dodged raging scams
 

The Congress party on Tuesday attacked the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) for its ‘involvement in terrorist activities’ but studiously avoided all reference to two raging controversies – the Adarsh housing society scam and the corruption in the Commonwealth Games – at its special All India Congress Committee (AICC) meet in New Delhi.
 

https://sify.com/news/how-congress-dodged-raging-scams-imagegallery-national-klda0Cgjcid.html
 

Well, that is very much expected. You can’t rule over this country for 50 years without any propaganda!

When to say “India Shining” again?

Here is one very disappointing piece of news about our nation’s current competitiveness. More than the rank, the “trend” is what is really worrying.
 

World’s most prosperous nations: India slips 10 places to be at 88
 

India has slipped 10 places to the 88th spot in the World Prosperity Index due to poor healthcare and education systems coupled with a weak entrepreneurial infrastructure. The prosperity index is based on 89 variables and claims to comprehensively rank the level of prosperity in 110 nations of the world.
 

https://business.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/nov/03/slide-show-1-worlds-most-prosperous-nations.htm (November 3, 2010)
 

I think government should really wake up to the realities. Note the areas where India has gone down the trend: it’s about healthcare and education systems – the prime targets of our so called “govt for aam adami”. We need some genuine soul search.

Arundhati and Kashmir

Recently, the ‘famous’ Indian activist Arundhati Roy made a statement that “Kashmir has never been integral part of India”.
 

https://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Kashmir-has-never-been-integral-part-of-India-Arundhati/701793/
 

Before becoming an activist, Arundhati was an author. In fact “The God of Small Things” is the only novel written by her. Since winning the Booker Prize, she has been writing on political issues. I read Arundhati Roy’s “God of small things” after it won the Booker Prize 1997. Story was complex and treaded on many dimensions. But one part made me bewildered: the story showed a sexual relationship between a brother and a sister. At that time I wondered what kind of a perverted writer she was. Later on I read that her book “God of small things” is semi-autobiographical and a major part captures her childhood experiences in Kerala. (She was born in Meghalaya to a Keralite Syrian Christian mother and a Bengali father. She spent her childhood in Aymanam in Kerala. She married twice and she and her present husband Pradip Krishnen had no children.)
 

In any case I believe Arundhati wanted to create a public debate on Kashmir issue. Here is what I have to say:
 

1) First of all, let us remember why “freedom” or “azaadi” is so precious for Indians. If Indians won’t understand “azadi”, after being under foreign slavery for 1000 years, I don’t know who will. Innumerable sacrifices have made us achieve our precious freedom from the British and we have been tolerant enough to allow creation of Pakistan/Bangladesh on religious ground, so as to achieve long term peace. We have also tolerated confrontation with Pakistan and China even if they keep a portion of our land, in order to avoid war. In conditions like these, giving autonomy or freedom to one of our states, is out of question because it threatens the “India model”.
 

2) Arundhati has been supporting Naxals and now she is supporting Kashmiri separatists. She might have an opinion and reasons to support Maoists or Separatists, but she is definitely making India weak by supporting them in public and giving them limelight and legitimacy. In democracy, we are allowed to have radical opinions, but to work full-time in spreading anti-India violence, she should be told to restrain. I would support her right of expression greatly, if she supported a non-violent movement. But she supports Maoists who kill Indian police and military forces as a way of life; and separatists in Kashmir who killed thousands of innocent Indians – and I would be happy for a case against her to be filed. My personal opinion is that she is a publicity hound and has serious psychological deviations which make her invite public attention, and her ego even feeds on their outrage. She should be treated well.

3) Arundhati seems to have become an overnight expert to understand problems in Kashmir and is passing verdicts. I don’t know who would support her but only “elitists”? Look, Arundhati is famously wise and globally popular – if I too support her, may be some of hers would brush off on me too? I am glad rest of India is not with her.
 

4) For Kashmir, much of the protest is “sponsored” and stones thrown are “funded” by money coming from Pakistan – and hence the problem has many dimensions.
 

‘Kashmir stone-pelters funded by Pakistan’

https://ibnlive.in.com/news/kashmir-stonepelters-funded-by-pakistan/133688-3.html
 

5) Someone said why Kashmir should not get “azadi” when Pakistan got it in 1947? If we allowed Pakistan to get created, it doesn’t mean we would allow every Muslim dominated locality to become a separate nation. Today, India is not slave to Britain or anyone else, and hence can protect its soil from anti-nationals.
 

6) For those who blame Indian govt and think Kashmiri Muslims have got caught in the cross-fire, I suggest they search and read History properly. Read what is and how “Martyr’s Day” celebrated in Kashmir even now, remembering the dead Muslims who revolted against Hindu Dogra king, in 1931. Alas, the same kind of protest is going in Kashmir at present in 2010, as what was going on in 1931. Do read about it.
 

7) In my views, solution to Kashmir’s problem can be done in this way: India should first force a peace by sending all separatists to jail, take back special status of the state by removing Article 370 from our constitution and allow migration in and out of the state, and thereby inculcate the spirit of “national integration”. The special status for the state, no matter what was the historical reason behind it, has reached us to the point where our great nation which finds no parallel in history for being peace loving, is being accused like a murderous and curbing autocracy.
 

The bottom line is: I feel sad that the Kashmiri separatist Muslims have hijacked and abused the word and spirits of “Azadi” so much. India should strive for a proper solution to Kashmir in the long term and should strongly protect our sovereignty in the short term. And our governments should stop supporting antinational elements.
 

PS: I had also asked a question in Rediff QnA, which saw some very good opinion and discussion posted on the matter. You can check it out here:
 

http://qna.rediff.com/questions-and-answers/today-arundhati-roy-said-kashmir-has-never-been/18306184/answers
 

I asked: What do you think Arundhati is, and why:
 

(a) Patriotic Indian

(b) Unpatriotic Indian

(c) Childish / Mentally disturbed

(d) Publicity Hound.
 

My take is (d)

India Shining and CWG!

All of us remember the NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee with various feelings. Some of us appreciate that government, some of us like its decisions, some of us miss the quality of ministry it had, and I think most of us miss the sheer charisma of Atal Ji. But if “all is well that ends well” goes true, then most of us also remember NDA/BJP government with the curious slogan of “India Shining”. Some of us ridicule it (mostly because our media ridiculed it after NDA/BJP lost elections); some of us think it was a bad idea; some of us remember it as most massive PR campaign we ever had, and then some of us have also learnt a lot from it. One lesson that came out of it was, as per a popular view, that most Indians get a ‘nationalistic feeling’ only when either there is a war or there is a victory on Cricket grounds. Otherwise, our nationalism is a sleepy and stumpy creature. This explains why we got so very agitated when 26/11 happened, but soon after, we gave back power to the same guys who had created it. So much blood, tears, candles and TRP, went for nothing. Our public memory is so short that it takes only a cracker or a Saina Nehwal to forget all. This is why I suspect if we would still feel a need for a proper investigation of CWG corruption, after we witnessed such a grand inauguration and closing ceremony for the games.
 

Anyways, let me get back to the theme I started with. The NDA/BJP government had inherited a weak national economy. Our forex reserves were not good enough; our share markets were not hot. Loss making and bleeding public sector companies were a burden on the tax payers who were subsidizing them. Our private sector was craving for FDI and had a glass ceiling to break in the international space. Then came the NDA government which had the brightest non-political set of ministers India ever had in my opinion. These ministers had a lot to prove and a less incentive to care for their own political dynasties. The result was a complete turnaround. Our forex reserves touched new heights, share markets became hot-bed for investors, golden-quadrilateral roads were built, sick PSUs were divested with, and salaried class Indians had more money in their hands to spend. In those days, to whichever country our PM went, the Premiers broke protocols to welcome him warmly. Indian businesses became behemoths with less red-tape and NRIs started looking back to India because it had now prospects for them. In those times, somewhere around 2003, the government of A.B. Vajpayee also won the bid to organize Common Wealth Games after much effort. The Games were to showcase what we had achieved; the Games were to be a Gateway to the New Resurgent India! But as we realize some times now, such highly patriotic show-offs and our nationalistic feelings slip away even from the word go. So I guess we would just enjoy the opening/closing ceremonies of these games, would hail our sportsmen and would get back to our individual personal lives, completely forgetting that these games were also the most Shameful Games for India. Would we care to remember the mess that our corrupt government officials had thrown at us in terms of lousy preparations, the roads dug and covered, the shameful media reports which tore down our international image, the apathetic response of corrupt politicians at the helm of affairs and the crores of tax payers money which were siphoned off by corruption in the contracts and organization.

As a nation, we love entertainment. These Games have provided us with more entertainment than any other. Now I guess it’s time to go back to our collective numbness. Until, perhaps, the next time when we are again in similar mess. Then we would again curse the politicians, light some candles, watch TV news and then go back in our cozy couches. After all, this life is a game. But if we don’t play it, they will. If we don’t reject those corrupt ones in power, they will keep doing this again and again to us. Dozing, already?

Jai Shri Ram!

igh Court verdict on the controversial Ram Janmabhumi – Babri case is out. The court has established that the land on which the disputed structure and mosque stood, was the actual land on which Lord of Ayodhya, Raja Ram was born. First of all it’s a relief that the court verdict has finally come out. And I also believe that if the court verdict had come a bit sooner, there won’t have been any blot on the Hindu population with reference to the Babri demolition.
 

I have a few observations to make, which I think are far-reaching in consequences.
 

After Babri-demolition, the Hindu pride suffered hugely. For the secular Hindus who had never attacked or harmed people from other faiths in their history spanning ages, the blame of destroying a mosque, even if abandoned, was a shame. In fact the Hindus had even never attacked their violators by virtue of their faith; and their toleration and peaceful co-existence over a thousand year of atrocious rule by foreign faiths is a shining example for the world at large. Today’s court verdict, which establishes the fact that the disputed land was the place where Shri Ram was born, and the mosque which was built by invading fighters stood on the ruins of a Hindu temple, turns those painful accusations down. How would you feel if an invader demolishes your home and builds own, in its place? Attacking for self-defense is not totally wrong! Though I still believe demolition of Babri structure was not right, I hope from today, people would take the whole dispute in perspective instead of plainly blaming one side and turning away. Hindu pride is resurrected once again, in a way.
 

I also appreciate the mature and unprovocative manner in which the Hindu organizations have went about in the days before the verdict. I also note that the BJP’s take on it was very responsible, and Congress too acted just. I heard advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad speaking to media persons outside the HC sometime back and his appeal to the Indian Muslims to reinstate brotherhood was very apt.
 

We should also understand that had it not been the Hindu Organizations who relentlessly fought the case in the court, this decisive verdict won’t have happened. Many congratulations to them!
 

I guess another far reaching effect of this outcome would be that Hindus would start thinking fairly and highly of the Hindu social organizations. Even the skeptic of the lot would now wake up and realize that they were unintelligently believing in all the so called secular views aired for political convenience in our polity which is based on minority-appeasement at its core. The Muslim invaders did destroy Hindu temples, and we have to learn to accept our past history even if it is disgraceful. And the most important lesson: we can still get justice for us in our secular democracy, by fully democratic and non-violent means.
 

On a lighter note, I think it is not unfashionable to be a ‘Ram-Bhakt’ now :) It’s because the truth is on your side. Or should I say, better, you are on the side of the Truth…

Dilli aur Dil

Recently I was in Delhi. The amount of construction work half-completed for Commonwealth Games is startling. The whole of Connaught Place is dug up and gives the image of a war-wrecked area. Given the pace, it will take more than two months to paint the under constructed buildings, leave alone finishing them. And then we have heard enough of corruption and misappropriation in the finances meant for the games.
 

Another side of the same sad story is the outbreak of Dengu. Dengu in Delhi doesn’t only happen in slums or shady areas but also in posh areas and government hospitals! Tells much of government’s claims of Delhi being clean and beautiful! 
 

During the last state assembly elections, I had talked to some Dilli-wallas who were happy that a lot of works were being done. The fact that the work was being done for the games and not for the people’s convenience, didn’t matter to them. That is why they elected the previous Congressi government back to power, despite its dismal performance in issues like power, housing, or women’s safety. But now, after all this, will the public see, listen and speak out?
 

In matters like democratic elections, we should decide more by the head than by the heart. If Delhi has given its heart to non-performing Congressi governments due to some infatuation, it is time to evaluate the repercussions. There is no glory in getting exploited even by infatuating faces.