On Right Politics: May 2015

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Modi Sarkar Report Card - May 2015

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Why I Support Ban on IIT Madras Hate Monger Group

From what I read, the guys who were part of the group called Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) were playing politics. They have gone there to study, not to do politics. Any institute would have expelled those loafers.

What kind of “study” it is to protest beef ban (in some other state) or against “Hindi enforcement” (as if it is really happening)? These guys as their group’s name suggests, are of a particular “ideology” and hence they were pitching up against some policies which are against their own ideology. I don’t know why it should be allowed, no matter how much anti-Modi forces speak for it. Because such politics could lead to civil wars and violence – a repeat in Tamil Nadu.

I read that this group has only been “derecognized” and has been refrained from using “IIT Madras” name or logo in its work. That is the least; we could not even call it “punishment”. And the whole anti-Modi brigade/media is shouting as if heaven has fallen on us. If I were dean I would suspend all such students which are playing such politics in the campus.

This is why I support action against this group at IIT Madras.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

How Obama Shifts US Foreign Policy Against World Peace

As his term is nearing an end, there is increased efforts seen by Obama to change long going foreign policies. If you see the countries or regimes which have benefited from his ‘generosity’ we smell something fishy.

Obama removed sanctions against communist Cuba, which is an autocracy under Castro family with decades of human rights violations. So many Cubans had to flee from their nation in order to settle down in the US; and most of these Cuban-Americans oppose Obama’s kindness towards evil doers. Oil is second leading Cuban export; which is now cheap; and Obama acted ‘in time’ to help Cuban autocracy survive.

Then Obama seem to have worked hard to help Iran become nuclear power, with the premise that Iran will use it for peaceful purpose only. A nation with one of the biggest oil fields beneath its surface wants to become nuclear and you smell nothing in it – I wonder what Obama thinks? Shia Iran is increasingly exerting its military power in the region. Again, because of plummeting oil prices, Iran was under pressure; and removing sanctions was so much welcomed.

At the same time US-Israel relations are in the worst shape in history. When Netanyahu was reelected, Obama launched a verbal attack as if he was personally disappointed and resented Netanyahu getting reelected! What was Obama thinking? Most political analysts think that US-Israel relations are at the bottom. And we can’t blame Israel for it.

With terrorists winning everywhere be it in Iraq or Syria, I think Obama has also caused much more damage to world ‘peace’ by his ‘strategic inaction’ than Bush did by his selective actions. I am sure if one reviews and compares the status of world peace at the end of Bush’s term with Obama’s term, Bush will appear much better. So much violence, human rights violations, with terrorism thriving everywhere, are you sure you have earned your Nobel Peace Prize by now, Mr. Obama?

Disclaimer: Views are personal.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Aap-ka-Drama for control over Delhi Police and Fight with LG

My opinion on the latest Aap-ka-Drama for control over Delhi Police:

1) If Delhi Police were under state govt’s control, do you think Kejri would take ‘responsibility’ for poor law and order situation? Almost certainly, he would still pass the buck on ‘Delhi Police’! May be he would transfer or sack some policemen in order to show some action, but in any case, whether Delhi police is under state’s or center’s control, Kejri govt would still not take responsibility. So why all this drama to ‘own’ Delhi Police?

2) If Kejri does not command ‘respect’ from Delhi police, let us remember its history. Kejri/Aap called Batla House encounter ‘fake’ and hence insulted Delhi Police’s martyrs (so as to exploit minority votes) and hence if Delhi Police does not respect Kejri from day one, it is because of his ‘Karma’! And Somnath Bharti type episodes did not make Delhi Police fall in love with Aap either.

3) Kejri should be happy that Delhi Police is under Center’s control because the state is getting “free” policing! Salaries and expenditure of Delhi Police, which are not small since New Delhi is India’s Capital, is being paid by the Center! So State Govt has its funds free for its popular schemes of ‘freebies’, which actually win votes!

4) If you notice the ‘timing’ of the latest tirade on Delhi police or war against LG; it happened exactly when Bhushan-Yadav camp started gaining popularity and Aap members started resigning! So by launching this drama, Kejri camp is sending a message to its cadre and to media – “This” is where all the drama is!”, “This is where all the TRP is!” Kejri camp is trying to snatch away attention/TRP from Bhushan-Yadav camp; because this camp with same strengths and weaknesses is most difficult to defeat otherwise!

5) If you think about it, state govts have been running in Delhi for last 20 years; there have never been such drama over ‘ownership’ of Delhi Police or over LG’s rights. Congress was ousted for corruption and people chose Aap because it promised the moon to them. A shrewd politician like Kejri knows that he won’t be able to deliver on promises and hence he should have preserved this ‘passing the blame’ drama for last 1 or 2 years of his term. By playing all his cards now, he is ‘peaking too early’! Why is he forced to do it? I think the reason is point# 4 above!

Disclaimer: Views are personal.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

UP Govt’s Show Business and Kashi Vishwanath Temple

When UP Chief Minister sanctioned Rs 5.5 Crores for face-lifting Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in Varanasi, it was seen as a method to appease Hindu voters. For example, The Indian Express writes [URL]:

“In a move, which political experts say has been undertaken to counter BJP’s Hindutva agenda, the Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned Rs 5.50 crore for beautification of Kashi Vishwanath temple in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi.

The move is seen as another attempt by Akhilesh Yadav to fortify his chances for a second term when the state goes to polls in 2017.”

But if you think about it, Rs 5.5 Crores is too small a sum to make any serious ‘facelift’. It could change a few tiles, do a little whitewash, but won’t change the temple complex for the better. The temple is situated in a crowded place, surrounded by small shops dominated by Muslims. People who go to do ‘darshan’ need to stand by the side of a stinking drainage – this has been a personal experience. The temple needs serious improvement in infrastructure and it can’t be done in paltry Rs 5.5 Crores.

At the same time, we need to be informed that the same UP Government has been trying hard to ‘milk’ the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, to earn higher revenues. In this news article [URL], you can read about it:

“Eyeing higher donation income to the revered Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, the Uttar Pradesh government is mulling to study the trust administrations of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (Balaji shrine) and Shirdi Sai Baba which receive donations running into several hundred crores of rupees. In comparison, the annual donations to Kashi Vishwanath come to a paltry Rs 4-5 crore.

UP minister of state (independent charge) for religious affairs Vijay Kumar Mishra directed officials to install donation boxes and ‘hundis’ in the Varanasi temple on the pattern of Tirupati Balaji and Shirdi temple trusts.

He asked officials for physical verification of the Trust properties and collation of details of its properties located in other states.

He said official website of the Kashi Vishwanath temple should be constructed and the facility of ‘online darshan’ to devotees be facilitated.”

After knowing all this, it appears clear that this small token of Rs 5.5 Crores is just a means to trick people into believing that the Govt is doing something good for the temple. The fact is that the govt is investing a bit of the earnings made from the temple, so that it could earn even higher. In the end, the state govt wants to milk the temple’s donations for its own good.