NEW DELHI: All is not well with AAP is no secret. Starting with the sacking of Yogendra Yadav, & Prashant Bushan, to the multiple run-ins with police and Lt. Governor of Delhi, to allegations that PM Modi continuously trying to destabilize AAP government in Delhi, there have been many incidents that has brought bad name to AAP and its ‘uncrowned’ king Arvind Kejriwal. Only after, AAP drew blank in Goa and did not do as well as expected in Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal has gone quiet. Earlier, every day he will have a new theory that ‘PMO is busy trying to hurt AAP government’.
Chastened by negative happenings Kejriwal appeared more amenable to bring both Bhushan /Yadav duo back into the AAP fold. And there have been some moves to bring back into the party fold, likes of Prashanth Bhushan & Yogendra Yadav and others who left the party in the past. But nothing concrete happened.
And comes this latest report from New Delhi, “ No chances of returning to AAP says Bhushan/ Yadav”. According to the news datelined New Delhi, Kumar Biswas had expressed displeasure over the AAP functioning and had said that party needed to go back to basics, while expressing that talks are going on with the duo and others, to bring them back.
Reacting to the report on their possible return to AAP, Prashant Bhushan sounded very curt in saying that it is not only absurd but there is no such possibility. However Yogendra Yadav while expressing surprise had also said that there is no possibility of this happening.
After their dismissal from AAP, the duo had hit out at Kejriwal’s ‘Supremo’ style of functioning and lack of transparency in the party.
While it is true that both Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were treated rather badly, they should not close the door of their return if they are brought in with due dignity and of course with it the change in the AAP top has to happen. Kejriwal has to step down as convener and Yogendra Yadav shoulb be made the party president and Kejriwal should remain C.M of Delhi.
Also, both Yadav & Bhushan should not make it a prestige issue and say that they will not come back to AAP. Except the ‘Supremo’ trait of Kejriwal, AAP appears to be a functioning government and trying to deliver honestly.
Given this record in Delhi, return of Yadav & Bhushan can truly auger well for value based politics and AAP. Hope it happens.
UTTAR PRADESH: As a subject of public discourse INTOLERANCE in India is of recent origin. In fact it is only after AMIR KHAN mentioned about his wife KIRAN RAO wanting to leave the country due to this newer dimension of intolerance. But truly speaking intolerance as a social/political response is as old as birth of Homo sapiens and is universal in nature. There is nothing particular about the Indian dimension of being intolerant. But there is a section of Indians who routinely suffer from this malaise, so also there is this section of Indians who suffer from selective mental poverty.
While it is nobody’s case that intolerance is not there in India, it is also true that there are cases of large heartedness prevalent among a large section of Indians. Then there are those, professional Nit Pickers whose only past time is to inspect the drain. That is how they lampoon, insult and criticize only one section, then it gives them a self worn hallow of secularism and our friends in the media bask in their false glory.
There is this story from P.T.I reporting from Agra. There is one Gulchaman Sherwani, a shoe parts maker in Azampur in the outskirts of Agra. Husband wife team is making shoes for big companies. The couple has a boy and a girl. The girl being elder was attending a school run by local Muslim community. Interestingly this family of four are fond of Indian tricolor and hence they wear dresses made of all 3 colours of the Indian national flag and since Sherwani is fond of singing Vande Maatharam , the entire family sings it with pleasure. But reportedly, PTA informs, that this family of four has been boycotted by the local Muslim Community. Yes, the Muslim majority Agra, did not want this Sherwani family to either wear dresses made of tricolor nor they want the family to sing Vande Maatharam. But where are our sentinels of individual personal freedom! Nobody has raised any hackles for this boycott. If it had happened because of some Hindu bigots, sky would have fallen and it could as well be a national disaster in their words. But no, if it is non Hindus, who are intolerant, then these secular gangs are deaf and dumb and see the other way.
Crazily even Shahi Imam Maulana Ahmed Bukhari of Delhi Jama Masjid has issued a fatwa declaring this Sherwani family as Kafirs. Among other crazy outfits are All India Majlis-e- Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM), who too have boycotted the family and the school has rusticated the daughter of Sherwani for same reasons.
And the good thing, undeterred by this boycott and fatwa, Sherwani family is keeping the tradition alive by singing Vande Maatharam and wearing clothes with 3 colors, of orange, white and green. Yes, 3 salutes to this family for their love of our motherland. Do you hearken Mr.CM Adityanath!
JHARKHAND: Rafia Naaz, as her name suggests is a Muslim. She is young and clearly aspiring to better herself. She is doing her M.Com in a local college in Ranchi. These details in the media tells that she could be a self starter wanting to empower herself, which by itself is a worthy example for any girl, especially a Muslim girl.
Now she is in the news, because, she has been provided security by the police in Ranchi.
According to the report from Ranchi she is facing a ‘threat to her life from members of her own community’, so informs police sources. Reportedly, as per instruction from Ranchi SP Kuldeep Dwivedi, a male and a female security guards were provided to Rafia Naaz.
The question is, why a young Muslim girl, doing her M.Com is fearing for her life? What is the problem for the community from her to threaten her?
Media informs she is an instructor and is earning livelihood for her family. But the issue is she is an instructor in Yoga. Rafia Naaz ekes out a living for her family by teaching Yoga. Is it bad? Is it wrong? So why has she been targeted by the community? Believe it or not nobody asked this question in our social media. Isn’t it a height of double standard?!
Gujarat: IFS Senior and seasoned Congress leader, is a motor-mouth by his own degree, or else he wouldn’t have called the Prime Minister of the country as ‘NEECH’, which means despicable in English. But somehow word NEECH con notes more than just despicable in the normal course of Indian conversation. Mani Shankar is a politician across the national spectrum known for his foul mouth especially against anything BJP or Sangh Pariwar. But someday, somebody had to call the bluff. That it came with the change in the guard at the Congress Bhawan is indeed very telling.
Certainly it is to the credit of Rahul Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi alone for having put Mani Shankar Aiyar in his place. And to have been suspended from the primary membership of the Congress Party is something Aiyar may never have expected at all. Clearly Rahul Gandhi was disturbed at the vile diatribe from the whisky drinking Aiyar from Palghat. This act of Rahul Gandhi, would certainly get him some more votes from those who are looking for responsible opposition in politics.
Of course it is another matter that PM Modi has latched on to Aiyar’s intemperate barb in his politics of hitting back, he has to read little more in the considered response of Rahul Gandhi. There is clearly a lesson from Rahul Gandhi to PM Narendra Modi, how to act fast, where action is needed.
Motor-mouths in BJP and Sangh affiliates are fairly routine, but there is no routine action from the top BJP hierarchy. It would be gentlemanly to recognize that Rahul Gandhi always spoke respectfully of PM Modi as Modiji. He may not be as articulate as the PM, but he is certainly decent in public posturing.
So, clearly it is an occasion for PM Modi to introspect and probably even congratulate Rahul Gandhi for his impromptu response as an opposition leader to an attack on the Prime Minister of the country. That can also add to his luster, if he cares to do it.
However what is most intriguing is the studied silence of those interlocutors in the social media. There has been hardly any response on Aiyar’s barb so also the instant response from Rahul Gandhi to almost ask Aiyar to ‘shut up’. Probably if Rahul had allowed the ‘Thus Spake Aiyar ’to simmer then probably the ‘hit & run’ brigade in the social media would have been active. But Rahul’s statesmanship in recognizing the attack on Narendra Modi as an attack on the Prime Minister of the country has clearly put paid on the over enthusiasm of ‘drain inspectors’ in the social media.
Two cheers to Rahul Gandhi. He has certainly created a bar higher for any politician to respond with responsibility.
Gujarat: Modi alleges ‘Pakistani conspiracy in Gujarat polls’ or ‘sees Pak hand in Gujarat polls’, are innuendos that will not win him friends and influence people. Of course there is always a section that buys anything their leaders mouth. That’s apart. But there is something as truth in the public space that should not be killed, especially by someone as high as Prime Minister of a country.
It is true that ever controversial face of Congress, Mani Shankar Aiyar, had no business to invite former PM Manmohan Singh, former Vice President Hamid Ansari and other Congress leaders to a dinner hosted for some Pakistani political dignitaries. It would have been a private event, as Mani Shankar Aiyar is another La Shah Rukh Khan. These gentlemen want to be nice to both Pak and India. India for its freedom, and Pakistan for its, ‘Mehman Nawazi’, the hospitality. It is good to be friendly with all for its own sake, but there is a fine balance one needs to maintain when there are larger issues of national concerns. There is a ‘Laxman Rekha’ which all must observe. But Congress in its eagerness to be seen as different from the ruling party compromised and attended the dinner and remained silent, until ‘grapevine’ spilled over on the public space. That was being a bit of Smart Alec. In the event PM Modi latched on to it, to take the attack to the Congress camp. He, in his over enthusiasm, over stepped the diplomatic barrier and went ballistic.
And comes ‘Mauni Baaba’ of 2004/2014 ruling clique to come back with vengeance as if, he is a freeman without the reins of party president. He goes overboard and demands an apology from PM Modi over his comments on Pakistan.
It could be eminently possible, that diners at Aiyar’s residence did not discuss Gujarat poll. But the very fact, such a meeting took place in the nation’s capital, over dine and wine, with an adversary is enough to ignite the likes of PM Modi.
Yes, both have come out with an entirely avoidable muck on their face, leading to equally avoidable heat in the public space. But will we ever learn our lessons!
MAHARASHTRA: Small children continue to be vulnerable at the hands of adults, be in school or at home or other place. Unfortunately it was the human bestiality which prevailed over innocent vulnerable victims. In less than a fortnight, there were four stories of sexual assault on these delicate victims.
A five year old girl child was allegedly sexually assaulted repeatedly by a teacher inside a Madrasa in Mumbra, in North east Mumbai. Reportedly the perpetrator was an Arabic teacher from Bihar, joined only 2 weeks earlier. Reportedly he was arrested by the Thane police and is in jail.
A five year old was allegedly sodomized by his neighbour Suhel in Begampur in West Bengal. The child was reportedly admitted to the district hospital and accused arrested.
G. D Birla Centre for Education runs a school in south Kolkata, supposedly, a school for the haves of the society. Here too children being children are equally vulnerable. Believe it or not, a 4 year old nursery school child was allegedly sexually assaulted by two physical training instructors of the school. Reportedly both PT instructors have been arrested after a 16 hours gherao of the school by agitating parents. Report also informed about the insensitivity of a teacher who described the accused as ‘naughty boys’ before the media. West Bengal government so also WB Board of Secondary Education appears to be seized of the matter.
A sex maniac father in Rajasthan has reportedly sexually assaulted repeatedly his own 7 years old daughter, in the absence of his wife, who died some months ago. She was an Anganwadi student. The incident came to light only when Anganwadi worker visited child’s home, noticing the absence of the child.
Childs father, a laborer, was reportedly arrested under POCSO. It is so sad, that a country claiming and wanting to be a teacher to the world is so poorly caught in the wrong foot.
MAHARASHTRA: Ever since Arvind Kejriwal started making noises of upgrading government primary and secondary schools in Delhi Capital Region and its outskirts, it was widely recognized that it is indeed the need which is eminently possible to do. Most state governments have started to think on those lines. Ever since independence, for sheer lack of vision by our leadership, education was never treated as a top priority, despite knowing that education is the primary requirement of empowerment of any society or individual.
There have been continuous debates on spending more in a planned way in creating better teachers and infrastructure in all our development plans. But somehow, there lacked a political will from all state governments and even central governments of different political combinations.
Better late than never, it is slowly being realized and implemented at least by some state governments.
Print media reports from Mumbai, that facilitating education in a conducive environment is the objective of Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, informs officials. Along with providing basic facilities, the schools tend to provide high end technology and innovative techniques to improvise the methods of both teaching and learning, informs the report. Teachers are being trained by the civic education department to include creative methods like videos, graphics, animation, charts and designs. With an emphasis on the use of English language skills, attempts are made to encourage students to take part in national and international events, to encourage rounded growth, hither to available only in well funded private schools.
These developments are sure to auger well for days to come for these children, who cannot afford highly priced private schools. Hope the momentum generated is kept alive and taken further to benefit the coming generation for their all round growth. Only then India would have answered the question of making our youth employable as they leave their Alma Mater.
MAHARASHTRA: There was this news “Law needed to bar PM from canvassing”, attributing to a statement from Rajya Sabha M.P Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena.
Now who is this Sanjay Raut, except that he is a Rajya Sabha member. An MP from Rajya Sabha is a person who cannot win Loksabha election. To win Loksabha election one needs to have grass root leadership rooted on the ground. A Loksabha constituency can be anywhere near 100 Sq. kms and more. And a candidate for Loksabha has to travel this area for close to 2 to 3 months on almost every day and once having won they have to keep in touch with the area and its people regularly.
This Sanjay Raut is a third term Rajya Sabha MP, which means clearly he is not a right candidate for Loksabha.
But PM Narendra Modi is a grass root leader with deep contacts with the ground and its people. His capacity and capability are beyond the reach of likes of Sanjay Raut and his boss Uddhav Thackeray.
Of course all through the 70 years of India’s many elections, all PMs and CMs have campaigned for party candidates all over India. PM Modi cannot be any different. But it is true that PM Modi’s involvement in Gujarat was rather deep and with the new vigour of Congress and the forces within Gujarat having taken an opposite plank, PM Modi felt threatened that Gujarat may after all slip from his hands. In the event, he reportedly addressed close to 50 rallies all over Gujarat.
Certainly there is an element of sense in the proposal of Shiv Sena MP. But also, because it was Modi, that Shiv Sena felt constrained to attack him. As a campaigner in election, PM Modi has few parallels, whose presence in last Maharashtra election has greatly helped BJP to score more seats than Shiv Sena. That has hurt Shiv Sena and hence they are preparing the ground to deny PM Modi a role in electioneering. While the idea may be worth debating, it will take long for any government or political parties to agree. Until then Shiv Sena may have to lick its wound.
KARNATAKA: Karnataka MP from Uttara Kannada, Anant Kumar Hegde was made the Union Minister for Skill Development in the recent reshuffle at the centre. For all these years, Hegde had no serious job, except as Member of Parliament. Not that as MP there is no job, but as a Minister job is certainly onerous. Besides Skill Development is a very serious business with tremendous scope for imaginative initiatives. He could call a meeting of industry captains, professionals, academicians, Presidents of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and even agrarian experts to know firsthand, which are the areas to prioritize in developing skill for a skilled man-power planning for each state, centre and for private enterprise. There is enough to keep him busy, productive and to win the confidence of his leader who made him the minister, for all of the remaining 16/17 months of the government.
But nothing appears to be on the table of minister Hegde. Instead he is in the news for all wrong reasons. Controversy and Anant Kumar Hegde have generally walked together, if past is any indication. And comes this news about deriding secularists as individuals who cannot identify their own parents and that constitution would be changed to remove the word secular therefrom. Firstly, it is eminently possible that he has not read the constitution fully to understand all that is included therein. His background is neither legal nor academic. He is not professional in terms of any qualification, except he is a professional politician, and that do not need qualification. He must realize, ministership given to him is to prove his capability to perform and to deliver the promises made by the government before their term is completed.
Smriti Irani was given an all important ministry of HRD, and she messed it up with her haughtiness and was shifted to innocuous Textiles. Anant Kumar many lose the job before we even realized it, if he does not control his uncontrolled verbose. Hope somebody whispers in his ears to mend his ways so that he doesn’t lose the opportunity to prove his worth as a minister. Hope that happen.
TAMILNADU: Acting in haste and repenting at leisure is a general approach of most humans all over the world. Even the national psyche is formulated on lines akin to this. Mostly we are curative in our attitude rather than preventive. At least in India, lack of planning is a national malaise.
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd is a Power Ministry sponsored Joint Venture Company. Recently they have decided to buy 10,000 electric vehicles. As an environment related and saving in the usage of polluting hydro carbons, this buying of electric vehicles, is a good initiative. But there does not seem to be a comprehensive policy framework in promoting these electric vehicles since beginning. For a country like India with huge hydro carbon import bill, the manufacture of Electric Vehicles should have been a priority. Government also did not have a considered policy of encouraging its sale by giving incentive to buyers and manufacturers as well.
Now that many Europeans and Japanese companies are coming up with newer models of electric vehicles, we are deciding to buy 10,000 such vehicles.
And comes Roland Folger, the top executive of Mercedes Benz India. Interacting with media in Chennai, he stated that Government of India should draw up a recycling policy on batteries before going in full speed on electric vehicles. According to him any failure of the authorities to formulate policies on disposing batteries after it has become useless as scrap, can seriously affect the ground water table if batteries are not disposed scientifically.
There is a huge risk of contaminating water sources, if these useless batteries are thrown all over the place.
While the initiative in introducing electric vehicles in a big way is a positive development, there has to be considered and well laid policies for both encouraging the usage of these vehicles so also on the management of battery scrap that would increase with the increased usage of electric vehicles. Hope responsible persons in the ministries concerned develop a conclusive enactment to address the twin issues.
TAMILNADU: What is common between Lalu Prasad’s Bihar and TTV Dhinakaran’s Tamil Nadu? Isn’t it a strange question? Not really. The last election in Bihar, Mahaghatbhandan won majority, with JD(U) of Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad of RJD and Congress managed to keep BJP out of power in Bihar. And Lalu’s RJD had won surprisingly more seats than JD(U) of Nitish. RJD is a private limited company of Lalu & family. Lalu and most of his family members are embroiled in corruption scandals, and presently Lalu is in prison, and yet Bihar electorate voted RJD to power. Corruption scandal had no effect. People just did not bother, if Lalu is in jail or not, will vote for ‘Hamka Lalu’ (our Lalu).
With the death of Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, a vacancy in the Tamil Nadu Assembly constituency of RT Nagar had to be filled up. In a triangular contest, DMK, AIADMK and TTV Dhinakaran as independent, the last one won with a big majority. DMK had ruled Tamil Nadu in the past, AIADMK had also ruled in the past and the current incumbent ruler and who is this TTV Dhinakaran to challenge these established parties and to win the prestigious election! It’s funny! He is the nephew of Sasikala, a former confidant of Jayalalitha, presently in Parappana Agrahara central jail for huge financial misconduct. This man Dhinakaran has all kinds of cases of corruption, money laundering etc, and yet he won the election. Reportedly he has distributed money and cookers in the constituency. So it’s ‘Paisa Pheko Tamaasha Dekho’. Corrupt men win in Bihar, corrupt man wins in Tamil Nadu. Therefore because of deductive/ inductive logic Bihar (is equal to)=Tamil Nadu!
WORLD: Isn’t it a matter of satisfaction for Indians to feel elated when declared as most skilled? A report, date lined London, has carried this title “Indians highest skilled among UK minorities”.
‘Race Disparity Audit’ report released some weeks ago has mentioned Britain’s Indian origin population tends to be among the most highly skilled in comparison to the country’s other ethnic minority categories.
Reportedly this audit was commissioned by British Prime Minister Theresa May, to tackle racial discrimination within the UK’s public services. According to the audit, students from an Indian background showed high performance rates compared to other communities.
The survey further notes that in highest skilled occupational groups over 1 in 10 were in manager, director and senior official roles and over 3 in 10 in professional occupations are Indians. It adds further “Pupils from Chinese and Indian background showed high attainment and progress throughout their school careers and high rates of entry to university. Indian pupils were much more likely to meet expected standards and more progress than Pakistani pupils”.
On record this Race Disparity Audit report has established the long held view that wherever they went Indians have contributed to the respective national growth of the country of their choice. Kudos to, Anivaasi Bharathiyas, or Non Resident Indians for keeping the flag of the country flying high without acrimony, with the law of the chosen land.
WORLD: So, is the ‘chicken coming home to roost’ after all! So it seems. Of all the members of the United Nations Organization, Peoples Republic of China, or simply China, is reportedly coming round the bend. China, in recent past, had steadfastly refused to accuse Pakistan of harboring terrorist or to declare Pakistan as terrorist even after those who were condemned by United Nations Organisation as terrorists.
And comes this news, “China fears life of envoy in Pakistan is in danger”. Reportedly Chinese embassy has made a request to the Interior Ministry of Pakistan to provide additional security for its newly appointed ambassador in Islamabad. Suddenly China’s ‘All weather friend’ Pakistan is an unsafe place for China. But then Pakistan has always been an unsafe place not only for foreigners but for its own people. It has close to a dozen terror outfits with all kinds of commanders. Just the other day Asif Zardari has accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif -the Punjab Chief Minister,- have planned twice to kill him. So, even a former President of Pakistan feels unsafe in Pakistan, then how others can feel safe! But then this is how Pakistan has always been. But China refused to see the writings on the wall, and went ahead with its multibillion dollar CPEC- connecting Xinjiang in China and Gwadar port in southern most Pakistan. Every political move of China to befriend Pakistan was to antagonize India. But China was forewarned of the risks. Now they are learning it the hard way. Terrorist are friends across the globe. Chinese terror group East Turkistan Islamic Movement has reportedly sneaked in to Pakistan and are baying for Chinese blood. At long last China is feeling the heat. The stakes are very high. Situation is clearly dicey.
WORLD: Have you heard of any Indian corporate going public with its unethical practice, away from the prying eyes of government and asking the government to stop giving tax breaks!?
In an unprecedented move, Mr. Mueller, the head of the world’s biggest car maker-VW- Volkswagen, has given a public call to end all tax benefits the government is extending to carmakers. Reportedly last year European Union had given tax benefits on fuel amounting to some 7.8 billion Euros.
This benefit was available for all diesel vehicles manufactured in Europe with upgraded combustion control measure to dilute pollutants emitting from these vehicles. Certainly these measures would have entailed infrastructure investment by carmakers.
Hence to encourage carmakers to invest more and more towards attainting less and less carbon monoxide pollution before vehicle is put on the road, such incentives are quite normal.
However what Volkswagen boss had admitted was that his company cheated both the government as also the car buyer. Volkswagen was not truly upgrading their diesel vehicles with less pollution emission. Reportedly these diesel vehicles were only programmed to put out certain pollution results only in test conditions.
Media informed that some months ago, Volkswagen pleaded guilty as a corporation and agreed to pay US $ 4.3 billion in criminal and civil penalties on top of huge ‘buy back’ of those vehicles which were not according to the agreed norms. Yes, ethics should remain the corner stone of any business. Hope Indian corporate leaders learn from this experience of Volkswagen.
J. Shriyan
Chastened by negative happenings Kejriwal appeared more amenable to bring both Bhushan /Yadav duo back into the AAP fold. And there have been some moves to bring back into the party fold, likes of Prashanth Bhushan & Yogendra Yadav and others who left the party in the past. But nothing concrete happened.
And comes this latest report from New Delhi, “ No chances of returning to AAP says Bhushan/ Yadav”. According to the news datelined New Delhi, Kumar Biswas had expressed displeasure over the AAP functioning and had said that party needed to go back to basics, while expressing that talks are going on with the duo and others, to bring them back.
Reacting to the report on their possible return to AAP, Prashant Bhushan sounded very curt in saying that it is not only absurd but there is no such possibility. However Yogendra Yadav while expressing surprise had also said that there is no possibility of this happening.
After their dismissal from AAP, the duo had hit out at Kejriwal’s ‘Supremo’ style of functioning and lack of transparency in the party.
While it is true that both Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were treated rather badly, they should not close the door of their return if they are brought in with due dignity and of course with it the change in the AAP top has to happen. Kejriwal has to step down as convener and Yogendra Yadav shoulb be made the party president and Kejriwal should remain C.M of Delhi.
Also, both Yadav & Bhushan should not make it a prestige issue and say that they will not come back to AAP. Except the ‘Supremo’ trait of Kejriwal, AAP appears to be a functioning government and trying to deliver honestly.
Given this record in Delhi, return of Yadav & Bhushan can truly auger well for value based politics and AAP. Hope it happens.
UTTAR PRADESH: As a subject of public discourse INTOLERANCE in India is of recent origin. In fact it is only after AMIR KHAN mentioned about his wife KIRAN RAO wanting to leave the country due to this newer dimension of intolerance. But truly speaking intolerance as a social/political response is as old as birth of Homo sapiens and is universal in nature. There is nothing particular about the Indian dimension of being intolerant. But there is a section of Indians who routinely suffer from this malaise, so also there is this section of Indians who suffer from selective mental poverty.
While it is nobody’s case that intolerance is not there in India, it is also true that there are cases of large heartedness prevalent among a large section of Indians. Then there are those, professional Nit Pickers whose only past time is to inspect the drain. That is how they lampoon, insult and criticize only one section, then it gives them a self worn hallow of secularism and our friends in the media bask in their false glory.
There is this story from P.T.I reporting from Agra. There is one Gulchaman Sherwani, a shoe parts maker in Azampur in the outskirts of Agra. Husband wife team is making shoes for big companies. The couple has a boy and a girl. The girl being elder was attending a school run by local Muslim community. Interestingly this family of four are fond of Indian tricolor and hence they wear dresses made of all 3 colours of the Indian national flag and since Sherwani is fond of singing Vande Maatharam , the entire family sings it with pleasure. But reportedly, PTA informs, that this family of four has been boycotted by the local Muslim Community. Yes, the Muslim majority Agra, did not want this Sherwani family to either wear dresses made of tricolor nor they want the family to sing Vande Maatharam. But where are our sentinels of individual personal freedom! Nobody has raised any hackles for this boycott. If it had happened because of some Hindu bigots, sky would have fallen and it could as well be a national disaster in their words. But no, if it is non Hindus, who are intolerant, then these secular gangs are deaf and dumb and see the other way.
Crazily even Shahi Imam Maulana Ahmed Bukhari of Delhi Jama Masjid has issued a fatwa declaring this Sherwani family as Kafirs. Among other crazy outfits are All India Majlis-e- Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM), who too have boycotted the family and the school has rusticated the daughter of Sherwani for same reasons.
And the good thing, undeterred by this boycott and fatwa, Sherwani family is keeping the tradition alive by singing Vande Maatharam and wearing clothes with 3 colors, of orange, white and green. Yes, 3 salutes to this family for their love of our motherland. Do you hearken Mr.CM Adityanath!
JHARKHAND: Rafia Naaz, as her name suggests is a Muslim. She is young and clearly aspiring to better herself. She is doing her M.Com in a local college in Ranchi. These details in the media tells that she could be a self starter wanting to empower herself, which by itself is a worthy example for any girl, especially a Muslim girl.
Now she is in the news, because, she has been provided security by the police in Ranchi.
According to the report from Ranchi she is facing a ‘threat to her life from members of her own community’, so informs police sources. Reportedly, as per instruction from Ranchi SP Kuldeep Dwivedi, a male and a female security guards were provided to Rafia Naaz.
The question is, why a young Muslim girl, doing her M.Com is fearing for her life? What is the problem for the community from her to threaten her?
Media informs she is an instructor and is earning livelihood for her family. But the issue is she is an instructor in Yoga. Rafia Naaz ekes out a living for her family by teaching Yoga. Is it bad? Is it wrong? So why has she been targeted by the community? Believe it or not nobody asked this question in our social media. Isn’t it a height of double standard?!
Gujarat: IFS Senior and seasoned Congress leader, is a motor-mouth by his own degree, or else he wouldn’t have called the Prime Minister of the country as ‘NEECH’, which means despicable in English. But somehow word NEECH con notes more than just despicable in the normal course of Indian conversation. Mani Shankar is a politician across the national spectrum known for his foul mouth especially against anything BJP or Sangh Pariwar. But someday, somebody had to call the bluff. That it came with the change in the guard at the Congress Bhawan is indeed very telling.
Certainly it is to the credit of Rahul Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi alone for having put Mani Shankar Aiyar in his place. And to have been suspended from the primary membership of the Congress Party is something Aiyar may never have expected at all. Clearly Rahul Gandhi was disturbed at the vile diatribe from the whisky drinking Aiyar from Palghat. This act of Rahul Gandhi, would certainly get him some more votes from those who are looking for responsible opposition in politics.
Of course it is another matter that PM Modi has latched on to Aiyar’s intemperate barb in his politics of hitting back, he has to read little more in the considered response of Rahul Gandhi. There is clearly a lesson from Rahul Gandhi to PM Narendra Modi, how to act fast, where action is needed.
Motor-mouths in BJP and Sangh affiliates are fairly routine, but there is no routine action from the top BJP hierarchy. It would be gentlemanly to recognize that Rahul Gandhi always spoke respectfully of PM Modi as Modiji. He may not be as articulate as the PM, but he is certainly decent in public posturing.
So, clearly it is an occasion for PM Modi to introspect and probably even congratulate Rahul Gandhi for his impromptu response as an opposition leader to an attack on the Prime Minister of the country. That can also add to his luster, if he cares to do it.
However what is most intriguing is the studied silence of those interlocutors in the social media. There has been hardly any response on Aiyar’s barb so also the instant response from Rahul Gandhi to almost ask Aiyar to ‘shut up’. Probably if Rahul had allowed the ‘Thus Spake Aiyar ’to simmer then probably the ‘hit & run’ brigade in the social media would have been active. But Rahul’s statesmanship in recognizing the attack on Narendra Modi as an attack on the Prime Minister of the country has clearly put paid on the over enthusiasm of ‘drain inspectors’ in the social media.
Two cheers to Rahul Gandhi. He has certainly created a bar higher for any politician to respond with responsibility.
Gujarat: Modi alleges ‘Pakistani conspiracy in Gujarat polls’ or ‘sees Pak hand in Gujarat polls’, are innuendos that will not win him friends and influence people. Of course there is always a section that buys anything their leaders mouth. That’s apart. But there is something as truth in the public space that should not be killed, especially by someone as high as Prime Minister of a country.
It is true that ever controversial face of Congress, Mani Shankar Aiyar, had no business to invite former PM Manmohan Singh, former Vice President Hamid Ansari and other Congress leaders to a dinner hosted for some Pakistani political dignitaries. It would have been a private event, as Mani Shankar Aiyar is another La Shah Rukh Khan. These gentlemen want to be nice to both Pak and India. India for its freedom, and Pakistan for its, ‘Mehman Nawazi’, the hospitality. It is good to be friendly with all for its own sake, but there is a fine balance one needs to maintain when there are larger issues of national concerns. There is a ‘Laxman Rekha’ which all must observe. But Congress in its eagerness to be seen as different from the ruling party compromised and attended the dinner and remained silent, until ‘grapevine’ spilled over on the public space. That was being a bit of Smart Alec. In the event PM Modi latched on to it, to take the attack to the Congress camp. He, in his over enthusiasm, over stepped the diplomatic barrier and went ballistic.
And comes ‘Mauni Baaba’ of 2004/2014 ruling clique to come back with vengeance as if, he is a freeman without the reins of party president. He goes overboard and demands an apology from PM Modi over his comments on Pakistan.
It could be eminently possible, that diners at Aiyar’s residence did not discuss Gujarat poll. But the very fact, such a meeting took place in the nation’s capital, over dine and wine, with an adversary is enough to ignite the likes of PM Modi.
Yes, both have come out with an entirely avoidable muck on their face, leading to equally avoidable heat in the public space. But will we ever learn our lessons!
MAHARASHTRA: Small children continue to be vulnerable at the hands of adults, be in school or at home or other place. Unfortunately it was the human bestiality which prevailed over innocent vulnerable victims. In less than a fortnight, there were four stories of sexual assault on these delicate victims.
A five year old girl child was allegedly sexually assaulted repeatedly by a teacher inside a Madrasa in Mumbra, in North east Mumbai. Reportedly the perpetrator was an Arabic teacher from Bihar, joined only 2 weeks earlier. Reportedly he was arrested by the Thane police and is in jail.
A five year old was allegedly sodomized by his neighbour Suhel in Begampur in West Bengal. The child was reportedly admitted to the district hospital and accused arrested.
G. D Birla Centre for Education runs a school in south Kolkata, supposedly, a school for the haves of the society. Here too children being children are equally vulnerable. Believe it or not, a 4 year old nursery school child was allegedly sexually assaulted by two physical training instructors of the school. Reportedly both PT instructors have been arrested after a 16 hours gherao of the school by agitating parents. Report also informed about the insensitivity of a teacher who described the accused as ‘naughty boys’ before the media. West Bengal government so also WB Board of Secondary Education appears to be seized of the matter.
A sex maniac father in Rajasthan has reportedly sexually assaulted repeatedly his own 7 years old daughter, in the absence of his wife, who died some months ago. She was an Anganwadi student. The incident came to light only when Anganwadi worker visited child’s home, noticing the absence of the child.
Childs father, a laborer, was reportedly arrested under POCSO. It is so sad, that a country claiming and wanting to be a teacher to the world is so poorly caught in the wrong foot.
MAHARASHTRA: Ever since Arvind Kejriwal started making noises of upgrading government primary and secondary schools in Delhi Capital Region and its outskirts, it was widely recognized that it is indeed the need which is eminently possible to do. Most state governments have started to think on those lines. Ever since independence, for sheer lack of vision by our leadership, education was never treated as a top priority, despite knowing that education is the primary requirement of empowerment of any society or individual.
There have been continuous debates on spending more in a planned way in creating better teachers and infrastructure in all our development plans. But somehow, there lacked a political will from all state governments and even central governments of different political combinations.
Better late than never, it is slowly being realized and implemented at least by some state governments.
Print media reports from Mumbai, that facilitating education in a conducive environment is the objective of Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, informs officials. Along with providing basic facilities, the schools tend to provide high end technology and innovative techniques to improvise the methods of both teaching and learning, informs the report. Teachers are being trained by the civic education department to include creative methods like videos, graphics, animation, charts and designs. With an emphasis on the use of English language skills, attempts are made to encourage students to take part in national and international events, to encourage rounded growth, hither to available only in well funded private schools.
These developments are sure to auger well for days to come for these children, who cannot afford highly priced private schools. Hope the momentum generated is kept alive and taken further to benefit the coming generation for their all round growth. Only then India would have answered the question of making our youth employable as they leave their Alma Mater.
MAHARASHTRA: There was this news “Law needed to bar PM from canvassing”, attributing to a statement from Rajya Sabha M.P Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena.
Now who is this Sanjay Raut, except that he is a Rajya Sabha member. An MP from Rajya Sabha is a person who cannot win Loksabha election. To win Loksabha election one needs to have grass root leadership rooted on the ground. A Loksabha constituency can be anywhere near 100 Sq. kms and more. And a candidate for Loksabha has to travel this area for close to 2 to 3 months on almost every day and once having won they have to keep in touch with the area and its people regularly.
This Sanjay Raut is a third term Rajya Sabha MP, which means clearly he is not a right candidate for Loksabha.
But PM Narendra Modi is a grass root leader with deep contacts with the ground and its people. His capacity and capability are beyond the reach of likes of Sanjay Raut and his boss Uddhav Thackeray.
Of course all through the 70 years of India’s many elections, all PMs and CMs have campaigned for party candidates all over India. PM Modi cannot be any different. But it is true that PM Modi’s involvement in Gujarat was rather deep and with the new vigour of Congress and the forces within Gujarat having taken an opposite plank, PM Modi felt threatened that Gujarat may after all slip from his hands. In the event, he reportedly addressed close to 50 rallies all over Gujarat.
Certainly there is an element of sense in the proposal of Shiv Sena MP. But also, because it was Modi, that Shiv Sena felt constrained to attack him. As a campaigner in election, PM Modi has few parallels, whose presence in last Maharashtra election has greatly helped BJP to score more seats than Shiv Sena. That has hurt Shiv Sena and hence they are preparing the ground to deny PM Modi a role in electioneering. While the idea may be worth debating, it will take long for any government or political parties to agree. Until then Shiv Sena may have to lick its wound.
KARNATAKA: Karnataka MP from Uttara Kannada, Anant Kumar Hegde was made the Union Minister for Skill Development in the recent reshuffle at the centre. For all these years, Hegde had no serious job, except as Member of Parliament. Not that as MP there is no job, but as a Minister job is certainly onerous. Besides Skill Development is a very serious business with tremendous scope for imaginative initiatives. He could call a meeting of industry captains, professionals, academicians, Presidents of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and even agrarian experts to know firsthand, which are the areas to prioritize in developing skill for a skilled man-power planning for each state, centre and for private enterprise. There is enough to keep him busy, productive and to win the confidence of his leader who made him the minister, for all of the remaining 16/17 months of the government.
But nothing appears to be on the table of minister Hegde. Instead he is in the news for all wrong reasons. Controversy and Anant Kumar Hegde have generally walked together, if past is any indication. And comes this news about deriding secularists as individuals who cannot identify their own parents and that constitution would be changed to remove the word secular therefrom. Firstly, it is eminently possible that he has not read the constitution fully to understand all that is included therein. His background is neither legal nor academic. He is not professional in terms of any qualification, except he is a professional politician, and that do not need qualification. He must realize, ministership given to him is to prove his capability to perform and to deliver the promises made by the government before their term is completed.
Smriti Irani was given an all important ministry of HRD, and she messed it up with her haughtiness and was shifted to innocuous Textiles. Anant Kumar many lose the job before we even realized it, if he does not control his uncontrolled verbose. Hope somebody whispers in his ears to mend his ways so that he doesn’t lose the opportunity to prove his worth as a minister. Hope that happen.
TAMILNADU: Acting in haste and repenting at leisure is a general approach of most humans all over the world. Even the national psyche is formulated on lines akin to this. Mostly we are curative in our attitude rather than preventive. At least in India, lack of planning is a national malaise.
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd is a Power Ministry sponsored Joint Venture Company. Recently they have decided to buy 10,000 electric vehicles. As an environment related and saving in the usage of polluting hydro carbons, this buying of electric vehicles, is a good initiative. But there does not seem to be a comprehensive policy framework in promoting these electric vehicles since beginning. For a country like India with huge hydro carbon import bill, the manufacture of Electric Vehicles should have been a priority. Government also did not have a considered policy of encouraging its sale by giving incentive to buyers and manufacturers as well.
Now that many Europeans and Japanese companies are coming up with newer models of electric vehicles, we are deciding to buy 10,000 such vehicles.
And comes Roland Folger, the top executive of Mercedes Benz India. Interacting with media in Chennai, he stated that Government of India should draw up a recycling policy on batteries before going in full speed on electric vehicles. According to him any failure of the authorities to formulate policies on disposing batteries after it has become useless as scrap, can seriously affect the ground water table if batteries are not disposed scientifically.
There is a huge risk of contaminating water sources, if these useless batteries are thrown all over the place.
While the initiative in introducing electric vehicles in a big way is a positive development, there has to be considered and well laid policies for both encouraging the usage of these vehicles so also on the management of battery scrap that would increase with the increased usage of electric vehicles. Hope responsible persons in the ministries concerned develop a conclusive enactment to address the twin issues.
TAMILNADU: What is common between Lalu Prasad’s Bihar and TTV Dhinakaran’s Tamil Nadu? Isn’t it a strange question? Not really. The last election in Bihar, Mahaghatbhandan won majority, with JD(U) of Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad of RJD and Congress managed to keep BJP out of power in Bihar. And Lalu’s RJD had won surprisingly more seats than JD(U) of Nitish. RJD is a private limited company of Lalu & family. Lalu and most of his family members are embroiled in corruption scandals, and presently Lalu is in prison, and yet Bihar electorate voted RJD to power. Corruption scandal had no effect. People just did not bother, if Lalu is in jail or not, will vote for ‘Hamka Lalu’ (our Lalu).
With the death of Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, a vacancy in the Tamil Nadu Assembly constituency of RT Nagar had to be filled up. In a triangular contest, DMK, AIADMK and TTV Dhinakaran as independent, the last one won with a big majority. DMK had ruled Tamil Nadu in the past, AIADMK had also ruled in the past and the current incumbent ruler and who is this TTV Dhinakaran to challenge these established parties and to win the prestigious election! It’s funny! He is the nephew of Sasikala, a former confidant of Jayalalitha, presently in Parappana Agrahara central jail for huge financial misconduct. This man Dhinakaran has all kinds of cases of corruption, money laundering etc, and yet he won the election. Reportedly he has distributed money and cookers in the constituency. So it’s ‘Paisa Pheko Tamaasha Dekho’. Corrupt men win in Bihar, corrupt man wins in Tamil Nadu. Therefore because of deductive/ inductive logic Bihar (is equal to)=Tamil Nadu!
WORLD: Isn’t it a matter of satisfaction for Indians to feel elated when declared as most skilled? A report, date lined London, has carried this title “Indians highest skilled among UK minorities”.
‘Race Disparity Audit’ report released some weeks ago has mentioned Britain’s Indian origin population tends to be among the most highly skilled in comparison to the country’s other ethnic minority categories.
Reportedly this audit was commissioned by British Prime Minister Theresa May, to tackle racial discrimination within the UK’s public services. According to the audit, students from an Indian background showed high performance rates compared to other communities.
The survey further notes that in highest skilled occupational groups over 1 in 10 were in manager, director and senior official roles and over 3 in 10 in professional occupations are Indians. It adds further “Pupils from Chinese and Indian background showed high attainment and progress throughout their school careers and high rates of entry to university. Indian pupils were much more likely to meet expected standards and more progress than Pakistani pupils”.
On record this Race Disparity Audit report has established the long held view that wherever they went Indians have contributed to the respective national growth of the country of their choice. Kudos to, Anivaasi Bharathiyas, or Non Resident Indians for keeping the flag of the country flying high without acrimony, with the law of the chosen land.
WORLD: So, is the ‘chicken coming home to roost’ after all! So it seems. Of all the members of the United Nations Organization, Peoples Republic of China, or simply China, is reportedly coming round the bend. China, in recent past, had steadfastly refused to accuse Pakistan of harboring terrorist or to declare Pakistan as terrorist even after those who were condemned by United Nations Organisation as terrorists.
And comes this news, “China fears life of envoy in Pakistan is in danger”. Reportedly Chinese embassy has made a request to the Interior Ministry of Pakistan to provide additional security for its newly appointed ambassador in Islamabad. Suddenly China’s ‘All weather friend’ Pakistan is an unsafe place for China. But then Pakistan has always been an unsafe place not only for foreigners but for its own people. It has close to a dozen terror outfits with all kinds of commanders. Just the other day Asif Zardari has accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif -the Punjab Chief Minister,- have planned twice to kill him. So, even a former President of Pakistan feels unsafe in Pakistan, then how others can feel safe! But then this is how Pakistan has always been. But China refused to see the writings on the wall, and went ahead with its multibillion dollar CPEC- connecting Xinjiang in China and Gwadar port in southern most Pakistan. Every political move of China to befriend Pakistan was to antagonize India. But China was forewarned of the risks. Now they are learning it the hard way. Terrorist are friends across the globe. Chinese terror group East Turkistan Islamic Movement has reportedly sneaked in to Pakistan and are baying for Chinese blood. At long last China is feeling the heat. The stakes are very high. Situation is clearly dicey.
WORLD: Have you heard of any Indian corporate going public with its unethical practice, away from the prying eyes of government and asking the government to stop giving tax breaks!?
In an unprecedented move, Mr. Mueller, the head of the world’s biggest car maker-VW- Volkswagen, has given a public call to end all tax benefits the government is extending to carmakers. Reportedly last year European Union had given tax benefits on fuel amounting to some 7.8 billion Euros.
This benefit was available for all diesel vehicles manufactured in Europe with upgraded combustion control measure to dilute pollutants emitting from these vehicles. Certainly these measures would have entailed infrastructure investment by carmakers.
Hence to encourage carmakers to invest more and more towards attainting less and less carbon monoxide pollution before vehicle is put on the road, such incentives are quite normal.
However what Volkswagen boss had admitted was that his company cheated both the government as also the car buyer. Volkswagen was not truly upgrading their diesel vehicles with less pollution emission. Reportedly these diesel vehicles were only programmed to put out certain pollution results only in test conditions.
Media informed that some months ago, Volkswagen pleaded guilty as a corporation and agreed to pay US $ 4.3 billion in criminal and civil penalties on top of huge ‘buy back’ of those vehicles which were not according to the agreed norms. Yes, ethics should remain the corner stone of any business. Hope Indian corporate leaders learn from this experience of Volkswagen.
J. Shriyan
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