Ekya revisisted

CNN-IBN reported today that Rahul Baba suffered a sprain in his leg.

And that should be a matter of concern for me and you because ?

Well because we are all his subjects. He is the prince of the Monarchy called India. And we the lesser mortals need to keep updated about his day to day health. So if his tender body is affected by lets say a mishap as BIG as spraining of leg, it's IBN-CNN's duty to report. Off course IBN-CNN being the news agency of international standards and also it is apparently secular,liberal and progressive, needs to report all this.And that makes it doubly important to read and follow.

I remember during college days there used to be a small local daily called "Ekya" which routinely splashed such BIG news items on the front page. Like a neighbour's girl seducing the father's boy or two police men taking bribe. These news items would be splashed on front page with so much ado, so as to seek bystander's attention. We used to make fun on those news paper's and were very proud of ourselves for reading Times of India. [We as in college going young under-grads]

Not sure if we were priding ourselves with the right thing. Times Of India and now IBN-CNN don't seem to be too far away from Ekya, do they?

Secularism ki Jai

The Nehruvian brand of secularism prevelant in India has now taken much firmer root than it started with. The Hindutatva brigade after some delayed protest , starting early 90s has caved in.
The combination of Leftist media + Congress + Communists + Socialists + ISI finally won.

I realised this when Mulla Mulayam Singh, UP's CM, stopped short of calling SIMI a patriotic organisation in his speech to UP assembly. The other Yadav, Lalu prasad, routinely pokes fun at Hindus. He even asked his appointed judge - justice chatterjee - to call the Godhra massacre as an accident.

For all practical purposes Shiv Sena is a dead organisation now. And so are Bajrang Dal and VHP. BJP may continue to have political relevance for a few more years, winning some states here and there. But if it is not dead already, it will be soon.

Must congratulate all the BJP haters for contributing to this win. This includes a lot of my friends and relatives too and other social aquaintances.

By and large, brand Sonia has remained unaffected and so has brand Manmohan and brand Rahul. If at all they are on a rise.
While brand Advani,Vajpayee,Jaswant etc have taken a beating.
For a right-wing conservative like me, these are certainly not happy times. When you are loosing battle from all ends, even the foot soldiers of BJP [like me] have very frustrating times motivating ourselves to fight the battle [in whatever form we do fight].

I do not want to sound Cassandra-ish when i say that these people - meaning the Barkha Dutt,Rajdeep Sardesai,Mahesh Bhatt ilk - will be largely responsible for the dire consequences the next generation of Indians face at the hands of the Lalus,Sonias,Mulayams of the nation. For they had the power to drive the nation's opinion in right direction. Or atleast convey the views of the "right" side.That they only promoted the Congress/Left views and suppressed the counter points will almost always be never known to anyone.

As the nation continues it's downward slide, I can only hope that Dawood Ibrahim and Abu Salem do not get a Padmashree some years down the line after Baba Rahul Gandhi becomes the PM. That would be like salt rubbed vigourously on the wounds of Mrs. Joshi who lost her only son in the Mumbai train blast.

Vijay Diwas

I salute the heroes of Kargil war today and i confess i feel shallow and inadequate in relation to their spectacular sacrifice.
They were real Men. True Heroes. Possibly the only heroes remaining in this nation of one billion eunuchs.
http://specials.rediff.com/news/2006/jul/26sld1.htm

What's the point?

Very funny

Body blow to Economy

Ever since the "economist" sardar was "allowed" - nay permitted - to be the nation's PM, two things have clearly gone for a toss. The nation's security and the nation's economy.
Only a blind man or an ardent Sonia/Manmohan fan or a prejudiced BJP hater will not see this.

With the announcement of the sixth pay commission, the economist has just made us enter the red-zone.The already good-for-nothing babus of the government organisations, flushed with money from fifth pay commission and arrogance from the backing of the unions are a huge burden on nation's economy. Most states in the nation today shell out 90% - yes 90% - of their revenue for paying these babus. In the year 2000 some states did not have enough money to pay the PF for retirees.

Naturally Prakash Karat and Co are happy with this decision. Isn't something bad for the nation - by default a good thing for the pinkos?
Congress has a history of playing with nation's economy. The depressed periods India witnessed during the dynastic rule and now under the shadow of Sonia, we are witnessing or will witness a steady decline on economic front.

The stock markets and GDP are not telling the true picture. This will be proved once the government completes 5 years. It's been only 2 years since this rag-tag coalition came to power to keep BJP away. Yes just 2 years. A time good enough for extraordinary damage.

By the time these idiots complete 5 years India would be on a brink. I hope not since I have invested bulk of my money in India.

It is likely that UPA will come back to power. They are an expert in winning elections. In india, unlike in other democracies, a parties popularity is not directly linked with who wins. It's a different ball game out here. It's more maths than chemistry.

Two people; Two stories

One Israeli soldier was kidnapped by Hamas in Palestine last week. Israel waited for three days. It negotiated and asked upfront to Palestine authorities to release the soldier. When nothing worked the 4th day Israel attacked the Palestine's PM office with missiles. And now this

No talk of "peace" and "brotherhood" and other abstract stuff. Just hard core action. On ground. No long speeches on tolerance and resilience. Only one language was used by Israel. Tit for Tat. Well more than a Tit actually.

The Hezbolla of Lebanon kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers. Israel bombed the Beruit airport
The message from Israel is plain and simple. You want to talk peace with us? Sure why not? We are all for the peace process. But don't piss on my legs. I'll throw shit on your face if you do.

Come back to India. 250 people bombed in one day. Mother's lost their sons, daughters lost their fathers and sisters lost their brothers.
Our humble and gentle PM comes on national television and in a sombre message says "we won't kneel down". What melodrama? Sonia Gandhi "visits" the people in distress, so does Lalu. Thats it from the government side. Business goes on as usual. Sonia is back with her family enjoying Italy's WC victory.

But here's the best news. UP chief minister Mulla Mulayam Singh is planning to withdraw all the cases against SIMI, an organization suspected to be in forefront of these attacks. Almost as if rewarding the criminal for the evil doing.

Hindustan Times, a Congress party run newspaper is more worried whether the ICC cricket series will be affected because of this minor irritant

Some columnists in Indian media have already started legitimatizing the incident by calling it a "retaliation against the Gujarat riots" by muslims.

So for India, it is important that the "piss process" and circket matches should not be affected by these "minor" events of people being bombed. That's ok. The fabled "mumbai spirit" will take care of bombing etc. What's important is Muslims should not be offended. After all "All muslims are not terrorists"..as though it is a big favour that all of them are not terrorists.

And the Lion roars ........!!!!

I once commented some where that our 'alleged ' PM will pee in his pants if his Goddess Sonia even shouts at him. So i was a little suprised when this tender man roared like a lion
in his message to the nation.

OK so let me get this straight again. "We will not kneel down before the jihadis" he says.. Ok no sorry he did not call them jehadis... let's not forget the tender hearts of these people.. [Muslims i mean].. it will be broken if they are called what they are... So just call them "militants".. ya that sounds more politically correct..

So our Singh Sardar Manmohan finally comes of age and breaks his silence. And roars on the national television. Oh yes, i am sure after hearing his very "strong" message the "militants" , all of them will be shivering in their pants... !! What a strong message they got..

Oh yes and Mr. Singh is also very generous in his compliments for the Mumbaites.. ok now they feel happy? Forget the sons and fathers lost.. we are mumbaites and Sonia and Singh are congratulating us... so let's forget everything.. We are happy!!!!

Singh is media's darling.. so it will be business as usual at Indian Express, Times of India, The Hindu etc. Why that? He will even be hailed as a "Statesman" for his bold statements. How many people have the guts to say "we won't kneel down"?

Teesta,Kuldeep Nayar and Praful Bidwai are waiting for the dust to settle.. Infact in India, moreso in mumbai the dust settles very fast after devastation. It is more or less routine for us. Obviously these guys are contemplating a "conspiracy" theory behind this. I will not be surprised if Justice Banerjee of the Godhra conspiracy fame will be asked to "probe" another "accident". Off course Banerjee on behest of Lalu Yadav will investigate everything from his air-condtioned room in Kolkatta and pass final judgement on this.

But people already know what his judgement will look like. It will tell us that it was coincidence that 8 bombs blasted at the same time. It was 8 accidents which happened because the trains in India are self-combustible. Banerjee might add that all these trains were very old and hence susceptible to such mishaps.

And all will be forgotten , if it is not already.

Another Day Another Blast

I am putting my money on the notion that this will be "just another" blast for Mumbai and India.
By now India is immune to such events and not only Mumbai, which famously went on with it's routine after the 93' blast, but also the entire country including the Bal Thackrays and the BJPs and RSS and othe Hindu fundamentalist organization will go on with their work.

After the token statement of condemnation by our STRONG leadership of manmohan and sonia and company India will move on.

I think the jehadis need to invent a new weapon of terror now. The shock factor from the blast has diminished over the period of time. The jehadis should understand that Hindus are "dead" inside anyways. They attacked Varanasi; probably the most Hindu of the Hindu temples and yet there was not a wimper of reaction from Hindus. So I am not sure what jehadis are really looking at.

In the meantime the Congress and other party's who need to keep the Muslim population in good humour will make statements so has not to "hurt" the oh-so-sensitive soul of the Muslims. Their condemnation will be measured.
The Communists will off course blame all this on the "fundamentalist' forces - aka Shiv Sena and BJP.

So, let's get this straight. India gives $25 Million to Pakistan on the same day Pakistani backed organization with the help of Indian locals merrily kill 200 odd people and permanently disable thousands. So let's just say Pakistan had a blast with that donation !!!

I am sure Vinod Mehta and Mahesh Bhatt must be more worried about whether India-Pak piss process will be affected by this. For these two gentlemen nothing is more important than a peace process with Pakistan. Mumbai local crowd be damned.

For all you know, they should not be worried. The niceities between the two countries will go on without any hindrance. They can have their biryani and goshth on the nice lawns of Pakistani embassy.

Praful Bidwai and Kuldeep Nayar must also be more worried for the "poor" muslim terrorist who will be "unjustly" tried in India courts. They might already be exploring the legal means to keep the "innocent" terrorists out from the Indian police's reach. I think they too need not worry. First of all UPA has revoked POTA. So the Indian police cannot put them behind the bars for too many days anyway. And after UPA coming to power the Indian police anyway does not have much motivation to go after the culprits.

So bottomline, everything will be back to normal. Infact nothing will be abnormal to come back to. Life will go on as usual. For mumbaikars and for India in general.

How sad is this?

A Patna unit of Congress party organized a yagna to pray for Italy winning the world cup. Portraits of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were placed in the yagna ceremony.
And you thought you haven't seen the worst of the Congress yet? Link here

This is a new low.

The Azzuris did it!

So it was in the end Italy. I am sure the Australians must be feeling uncomfortable with the images of the celebrations by the Italians. Were it not for that stupid penalty call against them in round 2 match against Italy, the Aussies might have made the Italian journey much much shorter.

But luck is important in sports. Like in any other thing. The Italians have been on the wrong side of luck as well, earlier. Specially the last 3 world cups. They were booted out on penalties. So it is only fair to them that luck should favour them once. Law of averages if you will.

I followed this world cup for most part. These are my thoughts ..

Zinedine Zidane was a class act against Brazil and Spain. These two teams will always fear the name Zidane. But the two most outstanding players for me as far as France is concerned were Henry and Ribery. According to me they are the most under-rated players of their times. Ribery's equalizer against Spain stands out for me as one of the topmost goals of the World Cup.

Spain added to their own woes to the endless list of under-performance this WC. They are the perpetual chokers. Feel sorry for them.

Brazil again showed how inconsistent and unpredictable they are. They were just too overconfident. The problem with Brazil is that they have 11 super stars. Someone needs to do the dirty work in the back ground. And they lack the defense and professionalism inside their own half. But it still was the best team in the WC, as far as pure footballing skills is concerned. Good that Fifa awarded them the "fair play" award.

Italy were scrapy at the beginning, but in the end their defense won them the WC. Buffon was awesome in front of the net. All of 6'4" , he was like a wall too high to climb for the opponents.

Australia was a revelation. The quintessential minnows of the game were in no way pushovers. They were plain unlucky not to reach further. But i am banking on Australia to make it big in soccer soon. Their display in this WC was a tribute the the great Australian spirit in any sport.

USA was dissappointing considering the high fifa ranking they had before the Cup. And so was Korea and Japan. They were harmless and pushovers.

I have never liked the African brand of soccer frankly. I was never ever impressed by Cameroon and Roger Miller's histrionics in previous cups. But thought Ghana was better than Cameroon. They deserved to move to round 2, which they did.

In the end the one moment that will probably stand out in the WC will be red card given to Zidane. Technically he deserved it. But i thought the Italian player Materazzi deserved a rebuttal from someone for doing what he did. In the end Zidane proved he was a human after all.

Some other moments from this WC were - the Argentina-Germany post-match brawl, the almost "violent" match between Portugal and Netherlands, Henry's goal against Brazil and Ribery's goal against Spain, Wayne Rooney's red card, the booing of Chritian Ronaldo by the crowd, Figo and Zidane exchanging jersey's, Germany's awesome performance......... and a crying Brazilian supporter.

The greatest show on the earth came to an end. It was the greatest gathering of humanity where one sixth of world's population was glued by one single event.

The tears , emotions, joy all came out of the closet and was in it's most colourful display for a whole month. And we soaked in every color possible.

Another WC where the favourites did not make it and the teams from whom not much was expected came out triumphant.

Thats cruel

England and Brazil both kicked out !!! I can't take two blows in one day.. isn't that really really cruel? I was rooting for both these teams and they lost on the same day. And that too to the teams who were at best round 16 teams. Both Porugal and France must have done some real good karma to reach semis.

It would be most insipid world cup from here on.

Just what is it in France that brings the worst in Brazil. Brazil it seems have just not come out of that quaterfinal loss in 1986. They continue to be overwhelmed by France.

The first half was totally dominated by france and Zidane was totally dictating the terms. It's as if Brazil had lost before the match even started - dito - 1998 finals.

From here on whoever wins the world cup, it won't be the best team to win. But if i have to choose from these four undeserving teams, it would be Germany.

But knowing my judgement, it will be anyone but Germany. Whichever team i have supported has lost in last most matches i remember.


What a shame it will be if either Italy, France or Portugal wins? I will loose faith in talent a touche further

Flattered to decieve

Spain flattered to decieve again for the nth time in a FIFA world cup. They always start with a bang and choke at crucial times. I often compare them with South African cricket team that often chokes at crucial moments on big stage.
Probably this is what differentiates great teams from good teams. Big stage brings out the best in great teams.
I was hoping that Spain beat France simply because France has a psychological advantage over Brazil in world cups. Brazil being my favourite team, i want its journey smooth.
Having said that, it won't be easy for France this time, unless Brazil messes up big time. France have been lucky to reach this far. They, with Italy, are the two most undeserving teams in Quarters. But am sure they won't ride their luck very far. Hope Brazil can show them their place.

A great finale would be Brazil-Argentina and an even more great result will be Brazil beating Argentina in final. This is a mouth watering scenario. But if Brazil exits then i would hope for England reaching the finals with Germany. That again will be a classic. Such combination make a great difference. Whatever may be the situation i a hope it is not the repeat of last WC finals , i.e Germany - Brazil. I hope for a unique combination this time around.

"Impossible is nothing"

Adidas's new ad with the tag line - 'Impossible is nothing' - has caught my imagination. The ad actually has two latino kids "imagining" a dream football team each. They toss and select a player each. They not only select players from different countries but also from different generations. At one end they have Zidane,Beckham and all and at the other end one guy selects Platini and Beckenbeur. And then they start playing till one of them is stopped by his shouting mom to stop playing and come back home.

The ad instantly touched my core. I could relate to it since when we were kids we used to do the same for cricket. For example me and my cousin in the backyard of the house would make two imaginary teams and select a player each and start playing. I would chose australia or england and he would choose Windies or India. And then we would select players and play a 10 wicket game between just the two of us.

After seeing that ad i was reminded of those innocent days. In that sense the ad is so universal. Telling us that sports has a universal aura. And kids all over behave the same.

If an ad is all about sending a message, this ad has conveyed one too many. I must say i was Impressed !!

Ciao

Today is our last day at 200 South Wacker. Our office is moving to a new building in downtown. I liked this place a lot. The building itself, all of 30 floors, is sandwiched between Sears Tower on one end and Chicago union station on the other. Both great landmarks of this great city.
Sears Tower was off course in the news today for the wrong reason.

Just next to this building and between union station and 200 S Wacker is the Chicago river that contours through the Adam and Monroe Streets. It is a beautiful sight, specially in summers, and my wife and me have had lunch along the river side every week-day since summer dawned. I guess we'll be missing that as i won't be walking all the way from my new building to the river.

Hoping that the new building is equally swank, though.

Visa denied? Good.

Javed Akhtar's visa was denied by Pakistan I say good. People like Akthar, Mahesh Bhatt,Shabana Azmi et al form the bulk of the loud mouths in India. They present themselves as the flag-bearers of "secularism" and what not. Their holier than thou demeanour, and the good actors that they are, help them present to the TV audience a face of super-liberals and bleeding hearts.

It has now become a fad amongst these limousine socialites to comment and opine about everything under the sun. Javed Akhtar, the crusader of the "poor","hapless","victim" who are being victimised by the "villians" of the nation - namely - RSS / Modi / Bal Thackrey etc.

Truth be told. These liberals live in world of richess and high class that neither Modi or Thackrey has seen. They, in their air-conditioned palaces, procure the good-will of people by their high-handed comments and impress the ever-guillible populace of the nation.

That Pakistan, a nation so much a favourite of these bollywood asses, has denied a visa, is a welcome piece of news.
All that punjabiyat and biryani talk of these bleeding hearts deserve exactly this kind response from Pakistan.
Yes they want relations with pakistan to improve, by "cultural" exchange; whatever that means.I say thanks but no thanks, we do not want their culture. You can bring it to your homes if you love them so much. [BTW the only culture I know that exists in Pakistan is AK-47 and Terrorism]

Don't know but somehow got a kick from this news. Though Akhtar and Pakistan both are not worth talking about.

Gooooooooooooal !!!

The 18th world cup was kicked off in Germany last friday. For more than a month, more than a billion people will be emotionally involved in this mother of all events. I cannot think of any other sport or for that matter anything that gets so many people come together.

Arguably it is world's greatest show. Millions of hearts will be broken. Millions will cheer. And still millions will feel let down.

USA is a part of the world cup finals, yet you do not see much in general in terms of talk in the media or otherwise. Baseball, NBA are dominating the media space. It is an irony that India which is ranked 117th has more media coverage of Soccer than here in US.

Anyways , considering that most US citizens owe their lineage to Europe, it will surely catch up, specially if US performs well.

I am rooting for Brazil (as always), though i wish England well. They were very unlucky in 2002 and 1998.

The initial round has gone to Germany,England and Argentina. Sweden let it fans down by coming up with a draw with minnows Trinadad and Tobago. It was a moral victory for T & T.

I am sure as we move on their will be many more surprises. Hope this sporting spectacle comes as a welcome break for all who have been depressed by constant bad news coming off in the media otherwise.

Tight Slap !

What a stinging rebuke this ! The President seems to have come of age in his role as the saviour of our constitution, finally. Just when you loose all hopes from this nation, something comes back to you saying , yes, we are still alive.

Kalam's returning of the bill of the Office of profit back to the parliament may just be that miniscule ray of hope. Just to save one lady's parliament seat, the entire government machinary was used to twist the Constitution. The shameless speaker who so brazenly refused to resign in wake of opposition to his holding an office of profit and the rest of the "ruling class" were riding a high horse thinking no one can pull them up. Just then the President struck.
The bill may pass finally, but not without an egg on the already battered Congress face.

Wonder where the clerk [Manmohan Singh] is in all this. He is, as always, INVISIBLE.

Musings

Kerela did not let me down. My recent "official" trip to Kerela was some sort of a personal landmark. I enjoyed every bit. From the royal treatment at the Taj Residency, Ernakulam to the extra-ordinary hospitality of our vendor, i was floored by all the largesse.
I should have planned my trip a little better though. I did go to Kumarkom 'back-waters' and Alleppy, but in hind sight a trip at Wayanad to meet my friend Sunder would have been more fruitful. I did meet Sunder though, but at Anand-Ashram in a place called Kanahangad [for some strange reason it is pronounced Kanjangad]
Sunder Iyer was a revelation. And so was Kerela's spicy food. I always thought hot food was not an issue with me until i landed in a "soup" quite literally at the Taj. I just could not complete my hot and sour soup. It was so spicy.
The city of Cochin left much to the desire. It's non-existing infrastructure left a bad taste. Off course the fact that Kerela has been ruled by Communists for many years did it make it obvious to me after seeing the total lack of civic amenities at a place of such high importance.
It is a tribute to the hard work of Kerelites that Kerela not only survives but thrives inspite of Communism [ and not because of it, as Arundati Roy would like us to believe].
Also, the petro-dollars from middle-east have played a major role in Kerela's economy, a fact that not even Amartaya Sen can deny. [Sen usually alludes to Kerela model to buttress his thesis]
The progress made on human index in Kerela, though cannot be denied. And here one should complement the Communists, or the work done by them in earlier days. The literacy level is way higher than any other state. Even my driver, who came to pick me up every day, was so well spoken and educated. One of the waiters who served me at Taj, told me he was pursuing Computer courses parallely. He had just completed his MCom. It was good and bad. Good that even a waiter was so educated, bad because he was still a waiter.

Cochin airport was nice and very decent. Also very clean, unlike the Delhi airport. I thought some bus depots in Mumbai were cleaner than Delhi airport. That airport really needs a face lift, and can do without Sitaram Yechuri's interference.


My handy cam really came handy. I shot Kumarom,Alleppy,Cochin and Kanhandgad. The Antherepelly water falls were grand so was the royal bathing of the elephants at Kakkanad. Brian, who was with me for first few days, could not have enough of that fun.

On the whole Kerela scored very high on food, hospitality and relaxation. I wouldn't blink if i am asked to go again.

Infosys goes to Shanghai

In what seems to be like signs of things to come, Infosys may not be the only one setting shop in China.

The current dispention is hell bent on destroying talent and merit. It is likely that reservations will come into play in private sector as well. This could mean trouble for companies like Infosys. Atleast in China they may not have to give a job to someone just because he is from OBC.

India's lose is China's gain. Though there may not be any corelation with reservations and Infosys going to China, companies like Infosys are clearly worried with power-hungry politics of Sonia Gandhi and Co. [arjun singh is just a pawn in this big game]

Who knows?, if Indian companies are forced to employ people with less talent and skills they may be forced to seek alternate avenues , even if it means setting up shops elsewhere.

Reservations is clearly an assault on the Indian middle class. 'The Hindu' newspaper, a known China supporter today carried an article on how Chinese universities are attracting Indian students. The timing of the article could not have been more effective , looking at the desperate situation Indian students find themselves in. The Hindu might have pulled up a good PR thing for it's masters in China. It has struck when the iron is hot.

There has been a pattern of sorts in last few years and if my guess is not too inaccurate China has something to do with that pattern.

It should be common sense to assume that a weak India is good news for China. The fall of NDA and the extra-ordinary rise of Left in India has a link somewhere to China. The Left is flushed with cash inflow and if you are an Indian you know how much part money plays in elections.
Since Left's big win, many policy decisions taken in the country have been aligned with Chinese interests. The development work of port in Trivandrum being awarded to a Chinese company is not a mere coincidence in the bigger scheme of things.

Middle Class Blues

Life will become touche difficult for the middle classes across the country. UPA is pretty firm on vote-bank politics and has decied to go ahead with its favourite mantra - RESERVATIONS.

The Gandhis and Arjun Singhs do not need reservations. They have earned enough wealth to keep sending their kids to Harvard and Cambridge and "buy" out certificates and degrees, for several generations to come.

This really has hit the middle classes the most; right under their belts. But to be honest they should have seen this coming. If they were expecting anything better than this from Sonia and Co, they were living a dangerous dream.
Most middle class people in last elections did not venture out to vote. They still won't do that. It is likely that UPA will return to power with a thumping majority next time around and Gandhi parivar will firmly be in the saddle. The reservation thing will certainly boost Congress's tally in the lower house.

It will either be Rahul or Sonia taking over the PM's post soon.

The Gandhi parivar,quite remarkably, has again fooled the public here. They have maintained a studied silence over the issue. The media has once again shielded "Her Highness" from any uncomfortable questions. Sonia only shows her face or makes a statement when things are going good. When the Congress is on the back foot, she simply refuses audience.

There is a pattern to most of this. Volcker, Quottrochi, and now this. Gandhis would keep themselves away from spotlight when under scrutiny. They come back with a bang when the going is good. It's a good lesson for wannabe politicians. Also they are hugely supported by the media during these tough times. This cannot be ignored.

Speaking of media, NDTV has again started applying it's own spin. They have blacked out the police lathi charge news. Instead they are focussing on the "plight" of patients. One of the correspondents at NDTV stopped short of blaming the doctors for this entire issue.
Even their opion poll carries this question - "Are the doctors justified in carrying out strikes against reservations?".
NDTV never questions strikes in West Bengal and Kerela.

They are also trying to manipulate statements made by leaders from their bete noire, the BJP.
Luckily no-one from BJP has given out too much till now. BJP leaders would do good to stay away from NDTV for sometime now.

The need of the hour really is for the middle class of the nation to come together and create a solid vote bank against the Gandhis and Lalus and Singhs.

Looking at the apathetic response to the nation's issues , the idea of middle class coming together, can only be my pipe dream.

A Telling Tale

How Pakistan treats its rape victims

Makes you throw up. Our liberal elites of the punjabiyat and biryani types [Vinod Mehta, Burkha Dutt and Co] have great respect for this rouge nation. Not a problem. Except that they want others to share the same feeling vis-a-vis that pathetic state. And if we do not concur with their views , we are at best "Communal" and at worst "fundamentalists".

Loving pakistan is one of the important benchmarks against which you are judged as far as secularism in India is concerned.

Ain't good this

The news coming out from the 3 states that went to polls is not good. Left was expected to sweep Bengal and Kerela, but i was hoping that Amma returns to Tamilnadu. Not that i like her. Just that she is a better option than Karunanidhi who has promised reservations for muslims in TN.

West Bengal election results is a foregone conclusion. I wonder why the election commission even goes through the hardship of having polls in Bengal. I think it is time this formality of having elections be stopped and some tax-payers money saved.

Kerela again was a mere formality i think. Congress should have simply placated and given the reigns to Commies. Anyway they were not fighting the elections. As what Shekhar Gupta said on NDTV yesterday - "They want to save the center. They were just not willing to put up a fight against the Left"

So except for TN elections the others were simply of academic interest. With Amma going the dominance of Left will be much higher now. It will be interesting to see how things unfold at the center.

India's economy will be the first victim of these results. Also the jihadi terrorism will get a filip in Bengal and Kerela and also Assam thus further endangering the national security.

This ain't good time in India. I also believe stock markets are going to crash in days to come. Anyone invested heavily would do good to come out fast and may be re-invest again.

Obsession with arguing

We indians have a staggering appetite for arguing,discussing and debating. Sitting in my hotel room, scanning the various news channels in hope of some sensible news, i have figured out one thing that is common to all the news channels. DISCUSSIONS. The mantra is to keep discussing to death the smallest of issues.

For example yesterday i saw a discussion , which later became a debate, on Sachin Tendulkar's fitness. Still a couple of days back i saw some so called analysts discussing to death the issue of aiports privatisation, even after Delhi airport had already gone into the private hands.

Just because we are democracy doesn't mean we need to have an opinion on everything. The sad part is, the people who really have knowledge about these things are never a part of discussion.

You start getting a feeling that there's way too much of time at disposal in India. But then you also figure out that people who really matter do not discuss. They go on with their work.

Endless and aimless debating is a culture being brought into Indian homes via satellite. Only one news channel appeared to be quite sane amongst all this hoopla. The Headlines Today, which appeared to be objective and balanced and bereft of all the cacophony of other news channels.

I am sure it is the least watched of channels amongst the English audience. Yet it has left a mark, as far as i am concerned. I guess in long term it will pick up when the fad for hopeless arguing ends.

Tragic

The death of Pramod Mahajan is a blow for the BJP. Ever since it lost the last elections in 2004 there has only been bad news for the party. Mahajan's death is like a bolt from the blue, for the BJP, which was looking for a turn around in it's fortune, lately

Can't think of any one person now in BJP who can replace Mahajan.

Born to a poor family in remote village of Maharashtra, Mahajan's meteoric rise in Indian politics had very few parallels. He was according to me one of the best minister's we ever had. The strides that were taken during his tenure in telecom and IT are still spoken of in India Inc.

He was almost like the glue that was holding all the strings of the party from falling apart. His backroom manouvers and his ability to keep his ego aside and help resolve issues were legendary. BJP is a party full of ego riders. Mahajan was a little different in that sense and was a true and loyal worker.

This is more or less the beginning of the end for BJP now, even though it is ruling majority of the states in north and central india.

Though one might argue that party is always bigger than a person, Mahajan was certainly larger than life as far as BJP is concerned.

To keep the balance of Indian politics right, BJP will need to be strong. And someone from BJP will have to step into his shoes soon. Sooner or later.

A tribute of some substance

Unlike the arm-chair critics of Sachin Tendulkar who fart off their mouths, sipping on cocktails in their AC rooms, Wasim Akram is someone who has had the [mis] fortune of throwing that red [or white] leather to the little master. Any sane follower of the game of cricket will always consider a comment by a man as prolific as Akram to carry certain amount of weight.
And so when he speaks, one sits up and takes notice. In this most beautifully worded commentary by Akram as a part of tribute to the master blaster on his 33rd birthday [even today he is just 33 !] Akram dwells briefly on Sachin's current situation.
It's only fair that it comes from Akram, who himself in his home country faced a similar situation not too long back. If anyone can relate to what Sachin is going through at this moment, it would be Wasim Akram.

Sachin is unbowlable batsman

Critics be damned. Two of the greatest cricketers i have known [Bradman and Akram] have certified Sachin's ability. Doesn't matter if pygmies shout and fart. It's their problem.

They won't speak

In another bizzare case related to islam [what else?] a muslim couple has been asked to live seperately , just because the husband in his sleep mutterred talaq.

The mullahs of the community have asked the poor wife to stay away from her husband and re-marry after a year. But what's worse is she is being asked to stay with another man for that period of time.

Now, we are not talking of a village in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, but a situation very much under our "democratic" and "secular" society, where there's no dearth of self-proclaimed, chest thumping liberals right from Barkha Dutt and Shabana Azmi and Teesta Setalvad.
I am sure this news has not reached them, as the plight of Imrana was not conveyed to them by our very pro-active and socially aware media.

As usual , like in previous cases, this has come with a defeaning silence from these candle holders of the society.

Though i do not have a great love for this community, I still feel someone should take up the cause of poor muslim women. These Shabanas and Barkhas won't speak up when it matters most. Counting on them, if at all muslim women are, will be foolish on their part.

Ya Right

Sonia Gandhi says she has only 20,000 /- in cash . I'd say , Ya Right !

And how about she not owning a Car? Also according to the political Saint of the nation, and Buddha and Jesus re-incarnate, she is worth only 1 Crore.

Aham.. or is it 1 Crore per week. Not worth spending an effort even puncturing this claim. It is way to easy to do that.

Whatever be the case. One should hand her this. She is the most confident lier on Indian political circus. Ever.

Sounds fair to me !!

The British media says that there should be "Heat Rule" for cricket matches. Considering that their gora chamdi cannot take the Indian summer in strides, what they say , sounds about right to me. And why not? If we can have stoppages and no-plays for rains, why not apply same rule for extreme heat?
I will even go to the extent of applying the same rule for extreme cold - "Cold Rule" i.e. I remeber how the indians routinely dropped catches in a series in New Zealand few years back when they played in conditions that could well qualifiy as extreme. It's a different issue that Indians , then, dropped catches any which way.

Kill the brand

Congressmen have a great knack of destroying prosperity. This time the Congress henchman Arjun Singh has set his eyes on IIMs and IITs. Possibly the only two institutes in India recognized the world over for the quality of their alumni.

But if something good resides in India, will UPA like it?

http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rurl=http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=front%5Fpage&file_name=story3%2Etxt&counter_img=3?headline=Quota~may~unseat~half~of~IIM,~IIT~merit-listers

[Link from Pioneer - copy pasted ]

Quota may unseat half of IIM, IIT merit-listers

Rajeev Ranjan Roy/ New Delhi After introducing a bill for reservation of seats for SC, ST and other backward classes in educational institutions, the Human Resource Development Ministry has initiated a move to increase the quota in the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

The move has evoked sharp reaction in academic circles, and is bound to generate a major controversy as the Ministry is planning to raise reservations from the current 22.5 per cent to as high as 49.5 per cent.

Currently, IIMs and IITs have 15 per cent seats reserved for SC students and 7.5 per cent for ST students. Ministry sources said the Government aspires to extend reservation facility to OBCs including Muslims as identified by the Mandal Commission.

"By increasing the percentage of reservation in IITs and IIMs, Human Resource Development Ministry is out to do a great disservice to meritorious students. We have seen during our days at IIT-K how the students from SC/ST having got entry through reservation used to suffer from inferiority complex. There used to be extra crash courses for them to ensure they cope with the syllabus," YPS Suri, secretary, IIT-K Alumni Foundation, said.

"Instead of compromising on merit to accommodate others at the centres of academic excellence like IIMs and IITs, the Government needs to provide effective primary education to students from deprived sections of the society. This will enable them to compete with others and carve a niche for themselves in the competitive world," Mr Suri added. non-SC/ST students in IIMs and IITs by taking the ceiling to 49.5 per cent. Reacting to the ministry's move to increase reservation levels in IIMs and IITs, a director of IIM told the Pioneer that while they are aware that such a decision is on the anvil, the Government has not yet communicated anything to this effect to them. "The move would certainly kick off a fresh bout of debate across the country. Every affirmative action should ensure merit is not being compromised. It has serious repercussions," he added.

"IITs and IIMs are brands symbolising quality education that India offers. This has been possible not because these institutes have quality faculty members, but also because of the fact that they get meritorious students at the entry level. You cannot make the sub-standard stuff excel. You pick up meritorious students from the weaker sections of the society, and prepare them for competitions," a senior researcher at IIT, Delhi, said.

Commenting on the reservation in IIMs and IITs, former Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) president Dr SS Rathi said: "The Government should ensure the merit is not compromised while admitting students in top class professional and technical institutions."

HRD Minister Arjun Singh has already written to States to frame laws in the light of the 104th Constitution Amendment, passed in the winter session of Parliament, which gives States the right to take steps that would ensure advancement of socially and educationally backward classes, SCs and STs in private educational institutions as well.

Ministry sources said increased reservation for backward categories in these premier central institutions is possible only with increased intakes.

Yes. Let's talk peace with them

http://www.samachar.com/newsasia/fullstory.html

74 Indian PoWs lodged in Pak jails
Reuters

New Delhi: At least 74 prisoners of war (PoWs), besides 386 Indian fishermen and 162 civilians, were lodged in Pakistani jails, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The Pakistan government had not acknowledged the presence of any PoW in its jails, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said in a written reply.

Pakistan had acknowledged the presence of only 377 fishermen and 156 civilian prisoners, he said.

The Minister said the government was persistently pursuing the matter with Pakistan through diplomatic channels and high-level talks from time to time for the release of all the Indian prisoners.

There were 59 Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails, he said adding no Pakistani PoWs were in Indian jails.

Media insensitivity

A day after the blast in Varanasi, Media has [as usual] started playing a cruel game on Hindus. It did the same thing after the Godhra roasting.

Congress-man Rajiv Shukla made a joke on BJP - 'saying leave Hanuman alone now'. Only a Congressman could have stooped so low at such a tragic moment. But our media men were not too far behind.

Indian Express played the Congress joke in the Headlines - Advani to undertake yet another yatra, Cong tells him to leave Hanuman alone

In another related article the Express "journalist" and a known BJP-baiter Manini "Sources" Chatterjee played her own little spin analysis. Even before the blood of the tragedy has dried, the Express team is in an overdrive to defend it's masters in Dehli.

Here's the quote from Manini's article - " Sangh Parivar insiders view the latest development as an opportunity. Their calculation is that the BJP, which has declined considerably in UP over the last few years, would benefit from a communal polarisation in the state.

Manini usually uses the "insider" term a lot, to quote unknown faces in the BJP.

How could NDTV be far behind. After all they manufactured this concept [of spin journalism] in India. "An aggressive BJP sensed the opportunity for resurrecting the Hindutva agenda, and accused the UPA government of going too soft on terror and minority appeasement." says the article.

I never for my life understand what the much maligned "Hindutva agenda" really is? NDTV has manufactured such terms in last 10 years of it's existence and the guillible Hindu middle class which is so impressed by NDTV , cannot even read through this politics that NDTV plays.

Leaving aside the real issue of terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism, the English languauge media has been busy, nay , have been in an over drive to cover "secular" Congress's butts.

How long are they going to dodge the real issue? Will they not be affected by the same terrorism at some point, if not today? Do they think that by not calling spade a spade they can buy peace with jihadis? Ok they may win handsome praise for their "secular credentials" from a handful of readers, but will that be good enough for long run?

The media's short sightedness and it's allergy to Hinduism both have contributed to this rot. The candle-lighting-liberal-fashionable-brigade led by Arundati Roy will as usual respond with a defeaning silence on this tragedy. They feel sorry only for the Taliban. But what about the "neutral" commentators of the media? Don't they have the minimum sense of outrage at such a horrifying tragedy?


How long are they going to keep giving dozes of "maintaining peace and harmony" without even acknowledging the fact that the real culprits belong to one particular community, whose actions all these years have been detrimental to India and Indian nationalism, to put it mildly.

Outlook applies its own little spin

Varanasi, one of the holiest places for Hindus was attacked by terrorists today. The "Sankat Mochan" temple was part of the attack.

I am sure Hindus do not care for all this. They will go on with their lives as they have done so far. Infact most Hindus will be blaming BJP/VHP/RSS for these blasts. The philosophy being - 'the Muslims attacked because Hindus might have done something wrong.'

Whether Hindus are shameless or cowards or both, does not matter. The fact is the community really does not need enemies.

Look for instance this article in Outlook. Not even 24 hrs have passed after the blast and Outlook [a jehadi lover] has already started applying it's own spin to this tragedy.

Check this unneccessary comment in the article - The BJP was quick to make political capital by upping the communal tension --

As if more "upping" is required. So what is BJP expected to do now? Not even condemn the blasts?

In another heading Outlook says that "Muslim organisations have condemned the blasts". Don't worry, they are not condemning muslims who carried this out. On closer look - Here's what they are saying - "the political designs" behind these blasts and other recent incidents of violence in Uttar Pradesh "must be defeated."

Got the dirft? Yes, they are suggesting the blasts was carried out by a political party [read BJP].

You know what? I do not even feel sad for the Hindus anymore. With Hindus like Vinod Mehta and Prannoy Roy we anyways are a people, doomed to miseries. I am not too sure what Jaichand did during the Akbar era. But am sure he was not too far from what these guys are doing today.

I am not even sure why ISI/Jehadi/Muslims need to kill so many people to get power. They already are in power. Hindus anyways are second class citizens, right Sonia? Why do they bother to carry out so much of logistics to kill people? UPA is doing a good job. But then aren't these people fools by birth?


Oh and by the way, if you have lost count of number of Hindus killed in blasts after the UPA came to power, don't worry. One day a consolidated report will be prepared by an "educated middle class" Hindu like me for your preview.

Masters of Brazen-ness

BJP must really learn the art of being brazen in face of accusation from the Congress Party. If a finger of criticism is ever pointed towards BJP it immediately withdraws into the shell. On the other hand Congress party reacts quite the opposite. It becomes more shameless in the face of accusations. I guess this is important political difference between the two.

Offcourse it helps the Congress that the media is partisan. Just how much noise would Times of India had made or how incessantly NDTV would have damned the BJP if they had done what Congress did recently is anybody's guess. NDTV is not even discussing these issues is just an obvious indicator of who's mouth-piece it really is.

By the way i was talking of Congress's blatant involvement in CBI's functioning and it's doublespeak on the same subject.

No point in elaborating on this as is evident from the reports that i am just about to paste here.

That Congress is shameless is taken. But just how smoothly they operate in the Indian democratic context is something someone should seriously consider studying. When it suits them they talk of big words like Democracy and Constitution and all that. When it hurts they simply show the middle finger.

Way to go !

http://inwww.rediff.com/newshound/showarticle.htm?rediffid=http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=118520

http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rurl=http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=front%5Fpage&file_name=story1%2Etxt&counter_img=1?headline=Storm~over~Govt~letter~to~CBI,~Parliament~adjourned

24-Karat crap

Prakash Karat says CPI(M) is making efforts to form a third political front as an alternative to the Congress party and the BJP.
This third [class] front will have parties like FB,SJP,RJD,TDP,DMK et al. Big yawn!

Hasn't this been tried several times already? And look at the names of all those parties. Those TDPs and SJPs and DMKs and I guess all possible alphabets of English language have been exhausted by these political parties. I guess since more and more political parties are coming into play there will be a shortage of acronyms soon and may be we will have parties called XYZ or PQR or something of that sort, soon.

Third Front , ya right! How about making some positive contribution to Indian economy for a change Mr. Karat?

George Fernandes

I have chosen George Fernandes as my second unsung hero for multiple reasons. It would be clear why i consider him as a hero in the first place, or at all, in the following passage.

We are in a media-driven era where media houses like NDTV and 'The Hindu' decide for us who should be the Heroes and who should be damned as villians. Naturally if we go by NDTV's judgement, George Fernandes will be India's biggest villian after Narendra Modi. And by the same judgement we should consider Sonia Gandhi as India's greatest person since after all NDTV decided that she was the -"Indian" of the year.

But leaving aside for the time being what Prannoy Roy wants us to believe or what Vinod Mehta feels about George Fernandes or for that matter all the (pseudo) social-fashionable-intellectual-liberals combined have an opinion about Fernandes, let's just focus on the individual himself. Let us analyse his journey from a rebel-bomb-throwing-socialist to being the defense minister of India.

Fernandes was born in a poor Christian family in Karnataka. There are stories of how he was a born rebel and how at some point of time he even went against the Church's priest. Stories of how he was responsible for orchestrating India's most devastating Railway strike and how he was detained by the Indira Gandhi government for carrying explosives. How he went underground during the Emergency and how he started a campaign against Coca-Cola.

All these legends about Fernandes that occured when my generation was not even born, tell us something about this person. It tells us about Fernandes's passion and about his convictions. That he is fearless in his acts. Some may call it foolish or non-pragmatic but Fernandes has always been called that. Specially by people sipping juice on their arm-chairs in air-conditioned rooms.

When George Fernandes, a christian by birth, joined hands with the "right-wing","communal" BJP many were surprised. Specially the NDTV kinds who always painted BJP as a pervert/vulgur/fundamentalist outfit. NDTV studios became uncomfortable with the idea of the two joining hands. NDTV ensured that whatever came out from George Fernandes mouth would be twisted out of context and thus Fernandes over the period of time was labelled "controversial". And off course the [Congress sponsored] Tehelka "scandal" ensured the taint forever.

Notwithstanding NDTV's prejudices, Indian Arm Forces had after a long gap got a man of substance who they could count on. Fernandes , during the Kargil war, personally went to the battlefield and met the soldiers, a gesture that won him iconic status in the hearts of jawans. He's arguably the most popular defense minister till date. It's a testimony of his integrity and honesty that Vajpayee continued to restore faith in him even after the Tehelka episode. His integrity was never in doubt amongst the soldiers, and i guess in the end that is what mattered.

Facing relentless onslaught by the media outside the parliament and gross humiliation by Congress and Marxists inside the parliament , George continued doing his work with unaltered passion. He never used short cuts to gain favours with the media. Like Modi he was on media's hotlist all the time. But he woudn't budge. Not an inch. By completing his full term and quite successfully at that he single handedly scored a major moral victory over his adversaries.

Today Mr. Fernandes is keeping the fight against the monarchy [read Gandhi family] on. The flame is burning and he is not stopping at 76. Even at this age his passion and energy can give younger politicians a run for their money.
Fernandes was instrumental in dislodging Lalu from Bihar. And if not for anything the people of India owe him big for this effort of his.

The media created "coffin scandal" and the Tehelka damaged his reputation beyond redemption. But people of conviction and strong will power do not give up. They keep on going. And GF continued.

I always believe in a simple thumb rule. If Communists hate something than it must be good for the country. They hate privatisation. They hate economic reforms. They hate America. They hate Indian army. They hate Infosys/Wipro/TCS. They hate IT boom and they hate that Indian government is giving tax benefits to middle class.

And yes. They hate George Fernandes.

Sadly like Narsimha Rao, George Fernandes won't have many positive tributes written about him, since most of the media commentators follow [blindly] the unwritten diktats of NDTV et al. But that is what makes these two people so special. Just because Indian media houses painted a sad picture of these two men, I personally would do my own two cents of "rebellion", if you will. And yes, flow against the conventional wisdom.

George Fernandes is not the most conventional hero one can present to any audience. But ask an Army men what he meant and you'd be surprised. And that was what his job was. He was responsible towards the army men. And that job, he performed like no one.Like a true Hero.

References - 1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1223625.stm
2] http://siafdu.tripod.com/fernandes.html

What's hot and what's not

This is February 2006. And Ipod Nano is hot but Bush policy on Iraq is Not. BrokeBack Mountain has 8 Oscar nominations and Steelers just won their first Super Bowl in more than a decade. The Communists are making life hell in India and Mulayam and Amar can't handle Raj Babbar's tantrums. Desperate Housewives is the new Sex and the City and Ekta Kapoor still holds sway over the Indian cable skies.
Techies cannot have enough of BlackBerry.
Cartoons and protests are making headlines. New York Times has just refused to join issues with it's European friends.
Indian cricket team is more or less resigned to it's defeat in it's tour of Pakistan. India's 5th series defeat at it's arch rival's hands.
Mani Shankar Iyer has been kicked off from Ministry and BJP has made a back-door entry in Karantaka power house. Communists continue to pursue privatisation in their home state of West Bengal while opposing the same for India.

just mindless musings for nothing.!

Left with nothing

It was dual shock for the Leftists this week. The Airport employees called off their strike after "assurances" from the PM and India voted against Iran in Security Council. What does left have to say now ? It will be interesting to note. But my guess is they will eat their humble pie. They will make some token noises but nothing much. They cannot afford to loose this government. This is their golden period where they can make noises and yet remain unaccountable. They are are a masters of nuisance.

Swapan Das Gupta - brilliant as he is - smacks the left wonderfully well in this article in Pioneer

Embarrassing Leftovers

Swapan Dasgupta

Judged purely by inches of column space in newspapers and minutes of footage on television, the past seven days has been truly momentous for the Left. From the kerfuffle over Iran's nuclear programme to the stinking lavatories in India's airports, the Left has intruded into the public consciousness more effectively than at any time since the Chinese invasion in 1962. And what interventions!



It began with the Karats and Yechuris threatening socialist retribution if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh succumbed to US pressure and voted at the IAEA to refer Iran to the Security Council. In the backdrop of the outrage over US Ambassador David Mulford's indiscretion, the Government was understandably nervous and anxious not to be seen as an American supplicant. It didn't matter that India's national security would be horribly jeopardised by Iran conferring an Islamic depth to Pakistan's rogue nuclear programme. It was the stability and coherence of the UPA Government that was deemed paramount. By that incredibly short-sighted logic, there was just no way India could be seen siding with the US and the European Union.

Then the miracle happened. A meeting of the five-member nuclear club (P-5) in London decided the twaddle of the bit players was becoming insufferable and it was best to deal with the Iranian crisis through the UN Security Council. That way international diplomacy could devote its energies attending to the problem rather than having to lend an ear to either a dithering India or a completely insane Venezuela.

For the Prime Minister, the news from London came as a breather for his non-eventful press conference last Wednesday. However, it left the Reds stupefied. How could the Communists be seen to be opposing an arrangement that had been sanctioned by China? Emerging from what was billed as a make-or-break meeting with the Prime Minister, Sitaram Yechuri could only blabber incoherently about Russia still insisting on a dialogue with Iran. Gone was the fire and missing were the threats. It could well have been a throwback to August 1939 when Stalin unexpectedly negotiated a non-aggression pact with Hitler. Then, the relentless war against fascism abruptly became the "imperialist" war.

The Communists have repeatedly disclaimed their extra-territorial loyalties. Yet, if anyone took their pronouncements of patriotism seriously, they have to merely look at the way the Red guns in India were silenced on the Iran issue to judge for themselves. If it was in India's national interests to keep the Iran issue in the bureaucratic muddle of the IAEA, things should not have altered because China changed tack. Whose national interests were the Comrades upholding?

The battle in the airports was a convenient diversion, with Comrades simulating the war on barricades. Privatisation not now, never, became the chant of the public sector aristocracy, led by the Communist unions. As a dress rehearsal of a genteel insurrection, the harassment of passengers was quite effective. Coming as it did at the height of the tourist season, the Left managed to give Incredible India a new, unexpected meaning.

The timing was also perfect because it provided a smokescreen over a brazen act of crony capitalism. Since highlighting the manipulative bidding process ran the risk of being seen to be opposed to the much-needed modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports, the non-Left parties preferred silence.

Ultimately, it was all-round public outrage that forced the Left to eat humble pie and relegate a political strike against privatisation to a pedestrian issue of seeking assurances against retrenchment. Those Airports Authority of India employees who struck work with such enthusiasm must have by now gauged that were used as cannon fodder in a game of extortion. After the strike collapses, we would probably have seen the last of trade union belligerence at the airports for a long time. Has anyone heard a squeak from Gurgaon after the Left cried hoarse over the police beating of Honda workers last July?

The conclusions are inescapable. Left politics in India doesn't stem from conviction; it flows out of collateral considerations.

UPA vs NDA

Growth Rate
NDA - 8%
UPA - 7%

Infrastructure Development
NDA -Massive
UPA -Miniscule

Read this report card of UPA and judge for yourself. The best part of this report is it states the facts as they are and lets the readers judge for themselves. The report card does not anaylse anyhting. And yes, do not try to get this report card from Times of India or The Hindu. They are Sonia's fans. They won't let this government to be exposed.

http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/feb/02mspec.htm

The Government of India's report card

George Iype | February 02, 2006


The United Progressive Alliance government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came to power in May 2004 with a plethora of promises.

It promised to protect the interests of the common man, reduce poverty, generate employment, prevent farmer suicides, end labour exploitation, boost the economy and accelerate the pace of reforms.

Has it delivered? You judge.

Promise 1: Take the economy to at least 7 per cent growth per year.

Reality: In the period between July and September 2003, India's gross domestic product growth rate was 8.4 per cent. It dipped after that. A few months after the UPA came to power, the GDP rate plunged to 6.9 per cent. Now, it stands at 7 per cent.

India Inc confident of 10% GDP growth


'Eight per cent (economic growth) is perhaps the ceiling for the current year, given the current level of investment as a proportion of gross domestic product,' Finance Minister P Chidambaram told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, recently.

'But if we can ramp up the investment to GDP ratio to say 30 or 32 per cent, then 10 per cent (GDP growth) is possible,' he added.

Promise 2: To introduce a National Employment Guarantee Act to provide at least 100 days of employment -- to begin with, and on asset-creating public works programmes -- every year at minimum wages for at least one person in every rural, urban poor and lower middle-class household.

Reality: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was notified on September 7 last year. The Act guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to every rural household. The Act is being formally launched on Thursday.

Hundred and forty five districts have been selected for the first phase: 23 in Bihar, 22 in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in Jharkhand, 19 in Orissa, 18 in Madhya Pradesh, 13 in Andhra Pradesh, 12 in Maharashtra, 11 in Chhattisgarh, and seven in Assam. Within four years, the Act will cover the entire country.

Column: Can rural job quota scheme succeed?

But does that mean every villager will soon be employed for at least 100 days a year?

"Not yet," says a rural development ministry official.

"The law is in place. We need to create a system to ensure that public works programmes are created to provide jobs to the needy," the official adds.

Also, Opposition parties argue that the millions of poor, educated, unemployed people living in the urban areas have been kept out of the purview of the Act.

Promise 3: To reduce trade deficit and increase exports.

Reality: On the contrary, imports are increasing and exports decreasing.

In the first five months of the current financial year -- April to August last year -- the trade deficit reached the figure of Rs 783 billion. The imports went up to Rs 2,389.5 billion, as opposed to Rs 1746 billion during the corresponding months in the last fiscal year.

Promise 4: To repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Reality: The UPA government abolished POTA in September 2004. It was the Manmohan Singh government's first major policy decision.

The government argues existing laws are sufficient to check terrorism. Cracking down on terrorists' funding tops the government's agenda.

Promise 5: To pursue an independent foreign policy to promote multi-polarity in world relations and oppose all attempts at unilateralism. Particular attention will be paid to regional water resources, power and ecological conservation projects. Dialogue with Pakistan will be pursued systematically and on a sustained basis.

Reality: Has embarked on the 'soft border' initiative with Pakistan. Has accelerated the pace of developing friendship with China. Has accorded priority to building closer ties with its neighbours in South Asia and to strengthening the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Column: Beyond the bus service

Last and far from the least, it has further cemented the foundation for better relations with the United States with the nuclear agreement. The deal, however, is on a sticky wicket now.

Promise 6: To introduce a model comprehensive law to deal with communal violence.

Reality: Has gone ahead with the proposed legislation -- Communal Violence (Suppression) Bill, 2005 -- to check communal violence.

The Bill is currently under the consideration of the Prime Minister's Office and the National Advisory Council chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Opposition leaders say it is a draconian and potentially dangerous piece of legislation as it gives extraordinary powers to the Central and state governments to deal with communal disturbances.

Promise 7: To accelerate the pace of economic reforms.

Reality: Under pressure from its Communist allies, the Manmohan Singh regime has virtually gone slow on the plans to sell stakes in public sector units to strategic investors.

Analysts say this is one of the major dangers that can derail the government's promise of economic reforms. Bowing to pressure from the Left, the government has abandoned plans to sell stake in 13 firms, including HPCL, Engineers India Ltd., Shipping Corporation of India and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers.

Column: Why reforms are slow in India

The UPA government has gone ahead with the privatisation of airports plan, but met with stiff resistance from Leftist unions and airport employees, who are now on strike.

And with the Leftists opposing a host of reforms in foreign investment and the banking industry, the reforms progress has been rather slow.

Promise 8: Develop and expand physical infrastructure like roads, highways, ports, power, railways, water supply, sewage treatment and sanitation.

Reality: The government has not announced or undertaken any new major infrastructure project. It is continuing with the projects that the previous Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had envisioned, like the ambitious river linking project and the Golden Quadrilateral.

The government says it is planning to expand the network of hospitals and educational institutions all over the country, undertake extensive irrigations projects and other developmental projects.

Promise 9: To ensure more public investment in agricultural research, rural infrastructure and irrigation. The rural cooperative credit system will be nursed back to health.

Reality: The rural cooperative credit system continues to bleed in most states. There has not been any dramatic increase in investment in rural infrastructure.

According to the Farmers Relief Forum, a Hyderabad-based farmers initiative, on an average 10 Indian farmers commit suicide everyday.

Why Andhra Pradesh is jihad's new hotspot

In Andhra Pradesh alone, nearly 2,500 farmers have committed suicide in the last 20 months.

Promise 10: To accelerate fiscal reforms and eliminate the revenue deficit of the government by 2009. To introduce the value-added tax, strengthen the Stock Exchange Board of India for the orderly functioning of capital markets and encourage foreign institutional investment.

Reality: The fiscal reforms are on, but the pace is doubtful. The government has introduced and implemented the value-added tax. The new fringe benefit tax has irked India Inc. SEBI seems to have been strengthened, and FIIs are continuing to pump in money into the capital markets in the country, taking the stock markets to historic highs.

Indians Loose

My prediction unfortunately came true. India lost the final test and the Test series to Pakistan.

I guess Tendulkar will retire after the World Cup. I think he should. Ganguli will stick around for sometime till he is finally bundled off once the UPA government goes.

In the end the pressure of facing Rawalpindi Express did the trick. We are no match to his histrionics. I am sure Indians do not mind the pace as much as they mind his on-field stunts. The meek Indians just cave-in to his mind games.

Greg Chappel must be feeling uncomfortable in his pants. He knows so well how the Aussies tackle the Pakistanis. The Aussies just go on an all round offensive and make Akhtar fret and fume till he is finally taken off the attack. I clearly recall how Adam Gilchrist once hammered Shoibh Akhtar out of the attack so badly that Akhtar actually feared balling him.

But then you cannot accept the Indians to be aggressive, can you ? We need to keep Gandhi's name shinning. We are the good boys of the class. And good boys always come last !

The Jee Huzoor PM

Read this editorial below along with The Unsung Hero to get a fuller view

A servile PM

http://www.samachar.com/features/010206-editorial.html

Back in the 70s when Mrs Gandhi was putting artificial clamps on economic growth in the name of `garibi hatao’ and implementing her own peculiar brand of socialism, it had become second nature for her followers to dub anyone talking economic sense as an agent of capitalists. Dhirubhai Ambani had yet to make his first million.

Invariably, it were the Tatas and the Birlas who were caricatured on the stump by Congressmen and Commies as if they were carnivores feasting on the cheap labour of toiling Indians. Of course, the crazy imagery was meant only to fool the great unwashed masses into keeping the corrupt rulers in power indefinitely.

Therefore it was poetic justice when in the early 90s under the intense pressure of the IMF-World Bank combine the same party was obliged to abandon its socialistic straitjacket and embrace the cause of economic liberalisation, nay, pragmatism.

Manmohan Singh as an economic bureaucrat had rather enthusiastically tightened the screws on corporate India in the name of socialism, impeding its growth potential. He had been a senior economic bureaucrat in successive governments in New Delhi. And done everything to raise the socialistic content in state policy at the behest of his political masters.

Now in his new avatar as Finance Minister in the Narasimha Rao Government he was made to dismantle a good part of the very license-quota regime he had himself helped put in place. While keen observers noticed the sharp U-turn he had taken in first enforcing strict production and distribution controls and then removing them in the post-90s phase, he himself seemed blissfully unaware of the inherent irony in his professional career.

Only weeks before he became the Finance Minister of India, and in that capacity felt obliged to embrace the path of reforms and liberalisation, he had argued forcefully in favour of socialism at a South: South seminar.

Amazingly, he did not protest when they sought to make him out as if he was the real father of reforms. He wasn’t. He was merely following the dictates of his latest masters who this time were in Washington and not in New Delhi. Economic bankruptcy had stared India in the face in the early 90s. The Fund-Bank agreed to rescue provided India opened up its economy.

In other words, Singh can be relied upon to do the bidding of his masters, whoever they might be. Therefore it was not surprising at all that be it Goa or Jharkhand, Bihar or Quattrocchi, the gentleman Prime Minister did not bat an eyelid, dutifully doing the bidding of those who had catapulted him into the prime ministerial `gaddi’.

Since even his worst critics concede that financially he stood to gain nothing from monkeying around with the constitutional law and norms in pushing the partisan interests of the Congress leadership in all the above cases, it is clear that he has a strong `jee-huzoor’ trait in his mental make-up which makes him obey blindly his masters of the day. Thus everything Sonia Gandhi wants him to do, he does without a murmur of protest.

After all, as Finance Secretary under Charan Singh he had slapped high duties on soaps and toothpaste and such like items of daily use only because the late BLD leader wanted him to attack what he had perceived to be the urban constituency of the BJP. Singh willingly enforced the late PM’s diktat because questioning his superiors is not part of his character.

The latest reshuffle of the Cabinet further underlines a complete lack of vertebrae in the prime ministerial body. He was well aware that Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Law Minister Hansraj Bhardwaj had caused him much embarrassment, but he could not, would not, move them out of their current ministries for fear of annoying their real boss in 10 Janpath.

As Home Minister, the blame for Jharkhand, Goa, Bihar, et al must be laid at the doorstep of that colourless and clueless Patil. As for Bhardwaj, it is public knowledge that he went to great lengths to ensure that Rs 21 crores of the Bofors loot was finally delivered to that Italian fugitive from the Indian law.

Dropping Bhardwaj from the Cabinet was never on the agenda of the helpless PM. But the spineless PM could not even replace the crude Bhardwaj as Law Minister with an able and well-regarded Kapil Sibal. L. K. Advani has a point when he insists that Manmohan Singh is the weakest PM the country has had.

This can only tarnish the image of the country and hold it back from attaining its full economic, social and political potential.

An amazing story

If i would have been a movie director i would have been tempted to make a movie about this.

An Italian fugitive, a Queen and a God-mother who rescues the fugitive from the laws of a nation of one billion dodos. What a deliciously attractive plot !

Quotrochi was let off in 1993 by the government of India and allowed to leave the country. In 2005, when the same government came back to power, his account worth 23 crores (coming from Indian tax payers like me and you) was defreezed on the orders of Indian government and within couple of days the entire amount was transferred to Quotrochi's italian account.
Neat.
(Wonder which government would do that ?)

And here's the best part. The Queen remains unaffected. Her "popularity" remains intact. Infact people actually love her. Her party man actually fall over one another to lick their "Godmother's" feet. (I would have liked to use a different word instead of feet here) And the media is uncharacteristically mum. Infact one of them, what's its name, oh right NDTV, gives the "Queen" its "Indian of the year" award.

One wonders how apt that song from one of Govinda's movies- "It happens only in India", is.

We may have "freed" ourselves from the British raj. But guess what, we still are slaves to a mentality. A mentality which says - the Dynasty can do no wrong. A nation of one billion dodos is taken for a royal ride by the Queen, all along portraying herself as a political victim and a widow who is so great that she "sacrificed" and "renounced" the Prime Minister's seat because she apparently heard her "inner voice" - whatever that means.

I am sure Congress will win next elections with a thumping majority. The scion of Gandhis and the prince-in-the-waiting will take over his "rightful" chair as the PM of this unfortunate nation where it's people actually love the nation's biggest culprits. And the Queen will rule again - this time not through her puppet but through her own blood, her own son. And then many more Quotrochis and many more Volckers later the Indian people will wake up. !!!
No just kidding. We will never wake up. We will never have our own French revolution against a shrewed Queen- thats just a mirage.

Which by the way reminds me. This movie will never have a hero. The slaves will continue to remain so...
Amen !

Refer the articles - The Family Does no wrong and Q marks dent the halo around a ‘renunciant’

While you were sleeping

While the nation was sleeping and waking up only to criticise Gujarat and it's CM again and again, slowly a miracle was unfolding in Kutch. Another of the innumerable success stories of Gujarat which have been (intentionally) kept away from Indian public.
For the politically correct media nothing positive about Gujarat/Modi should be reported. Else they will face the wrath of their secular masters in Dehli,Calcutta and may be even China, who knows ?

Signs of danger

This is not a good sign. Hamas has won a landslide victory in Palestine elections

Since we are staying in a closely interactive global village so to say, such events, however irrelevant and distant from us they may seem will some day indirectly affect us. A hard-code jehadi group forming a government in Palestine is a clear sign of danger for India which offically acknowledges Palestine as a free nation. Now India will have to deal with Hamas at an official level. Its like dealing with Taliban at an official level. Doesn't make sense, does it ?

Anyways our current government is bending backwards to keep the muslim population in good humour, often forgetting the national interest in its pursuit for naked vote-bank politics. Now with Hamas/Musharraf et al in power and more aggressive alien leadership to deal with for our soft leaders, it will further complicate domestic policies.

Off course the Leftists will be quite happy today as they relate to the Hamas doctrine of killing and terrorism very well. With their jehadi brothers in power leftist will see this as a "sign of victory over imperialism".

UPA's Extended Honeymoon

Recent surveys/polls carried out by some Indian media houses give Congress/UPA an edge. Apparently if elections were to be held tomorrow, Sonia will lead Congress to "another victory".

Now i am not surprised by this finding. And here's why.

1] Positive media spin : The Congress government and specially Sonia has still been able to maintain that (media created) halo of hers. Volcker/Bihar/Quotrochi et al has not affected her image much, thanks largely to the shielding provided to her by Times of India/The Hindu etc. Come to think of it, the combined readership of Times of India, Hindustan Times,The Hindu, Outlook, Asian Age,Malaya Manorama, NDTV all of whom are avowedly Sonia fans, have provided her the much needed protection from accountibility. She has been smart enough to keep mum on all of these issues as she was never probed by these houses and thus effectively cutting any chance of meaningful debate in national discourse.

2]Apathetic Youth : The BJP is loosing ground amongst the young urban of the nation. And this is clear from the general apathy I see amongst today's generation towards anything that relates to Nationalism. We are too swayed and busy with the success of BPO and IT. Apart from that, that the BJP has arguably the poorest marketing skills, is not helping. With 65% of electorate expected to be less than 30 years of age in next elections, it is going to be a cake walk for Rahul Gandhi in next elections. BJP has no answer to his (again media created) charishma. Something that is so important for the (shallow) voters of this nation.

So lets just say that next general elections Congress will come back to power and the half-educated-prince-of-the-worlds-most-pathetic-dynasty will take over his "rightful" place as an Indian PM which the current one is keeping warm for him.

India will again be officially handed over to the Gandhis. We lesser mortals, who are forever enslaved in our mental thoughts as the subject of high and mighty will bow down to the power of dynasty. Monarchy will prevail back over Democracy which did have, in all fairness, a chance to survive a few years under NDA. The Czars of this nation led by "young Gandhi" will take their "rightful" places and decide our fate for the next decade.

Google's googly

While Google is fighting the Bush administraion against giving it more freedom for searching and peak into the google database, it has surprisingly conceded to Chinese government's demand and has agreed to censor its results in China, adhering to the country's free-speech restrictions in return for better access in the Internet's fastest growing market.

Difficult to fathom what can lead someone to oppose its own nation and bow at an alien entity for some cheap rewards. May be we should probe the Communists back home. We might get the right answers !

Yankees suck at saving

Americans are the world's worst savers says CNN headline.

Having stayed in this country for sometime now, I can vouch for that personally. There are so many avenues , some might say tempting avenues, to spend that its hard not to go that way. Apart from that, Americans are undoubtedly the world's best sales-people. Me and my wife in past three years have brought so many things that we had no compelling reason to buy. We just got sucked into that.

But isn't that precisely the reason why Americans have such a huge economy ? The money is always circulating and not stagnant eternally in banks of a few (unproductive) individuals. It keeps changing hands and spirals into growth.

I know of individuals in India and some in my own family who have accumulated millions in wealth just by SAVING and SAVING. To a large extent they compromised with "materialistic pleasures" and kept themselves happy looking at their bank accounts.

I am surely here not making a case for abusive, exhorbitant spending. Just pointing out to some facts about my own family.

Americans have enjoyed success largely because of this attitude amongst its citizen, that of letting money roll in the economy. And the best part is bankruptcy is not a social taboo here. As some might say even Enron can go bankrupt.

The interest rates are so low that nobody bothers to keep money in banks if ever that was the motivation. People would rather buy stuff and repay in installments. And even the installments now come at 0%; while some even go for deffered payments as far as by three years.

Wonder why Americans shell out so much than ?

Stinging Rebuke

Sandipan Deb is a self-proclaimed Leftist and hence would qualify as a friend of the Congress under the present circumstances. But even he could not take what's going on in Congress Plenary in full public view. The absolute and perverse show of sycophancy by Congressmen, young and old, experienced and new, falling all over each other to touch (metaphor) the feets of (their Highness) Rahul and Sonia can almost lead one to, as Deb says, PUKE.

Link Courtesy : Indian Express

Congress leaders and Cabinet ministers were in competition on how much praise could be showered on the Gandhis before they puked. (I am assuming that this collective Uriah Heeping induces some nausea in the bellies of the Gandhis. I sincerely hope it does.)

We saw the same cravenness two years ago when, after the UPA won the elections, hundreds of Congress politicians queued up to implore Sonia Gandhi to be prime minister. This disgusting spectacle of grown men and women — and many of them quite well-educated — debasing themselves shamelessly would have made any decent man’s skin crawl. I remember wondering, as I watched MP after MP jumping through hoops to prove their devotion to Mrs Gandhi, what Manmohan Singh, sitting next to her, was thinking. Because with every ringing eulogy to Mrs Gandhi, every promise that they would slit their wrists right then if she did not agree to be prime minister, they were also insulting and rejecting Dr Singh. Mrs Gandhi was, as usual, inscrutable, but the primary emotion any person with any sensitivity at all would have felt in her situation is contempt for these toadies.



Such a stinging rebuke even if it comes from a Left winger is always welcome.

A Consortium of Otiose

Congress planery session currently in Hyderbad is nothing short of futile excercise of packaging the hopeless. Brand Gandhi is on display and Rahul-baba is being portrayed as the saviour of our Nation..(Give me a break !). While Mamaa Gandhi channelizes her herds to new levels of sycophancy,Rahul Baba is busy polishing his image in presence of shallow media men who like bunch of idiots keep pasting his portrait in our newspapers day in and day out. In the din the voice of our alleged PM is not even heard. Invisible he truely is. Can't think of time when the PM of our country was so irrelevant. Even the sleepy Gowda commanded greater respect than this PM.

In the meantime the Congress session has come up with announcements that will blow you off.
1] It says that it will go against the SC judgement and bring minority status back to AMU.
2] It says it will not privatise the Navrathnas (PSUs)
3] It says that to keep BJP away from power it will go to any lengths.

Great ideas aren't they? I mean what more can a nation ask for. With all the above pronouncements all the ills facing the nation will be gone forever, isn't it?

Hail this country and its people who elected these bunch of morons to rule us.
And in the meantime if you want to witness some mind-numbing action and have a laugh, visit Hyderabad. You won't be dissappointed.