It’s worthwhile to note that the constitution had provision for reservations for a period of ten years and till date it remains the same . So, every ten years the Government extends this period for ten more years . I don’t recall a single instance when the Parliament might have debated the sagacity of having quotas . This is in contrast to the thinking that went into extending the reservations for a period of ten years . The provision of extension wasn’t  intended to be used the way it’s been used . It must have surely been intended to allow the Government to not be limited by the time frame and at the same time assert that reservations were a booster shot and not a tonic . Reservations were supposed to give the required push to the backward sections and reduce the great chasm in the society with greater urgency ,but this was subject to an egalitarian educational set up . Reservations would’ve worked much better had we managed to provide equal educational opportunities to all sections of society . This would’ve reduced the disparities to a great extent and then reservations would’ve done the rest . Let me illustrate ,  if the backward sections enjoyed equal primary education , reservations would’ve ensured they get equal opportunities for higher education and then get suitable employment . The next generation would be on an even keel and could have done without reservations . Not only would’ve such a set up ensured meritocracy but it would’ve also ensured help where it was needed . This was how it was supposed to be .

We’ve strayed big time from the vision . Reservations have become a means for the acquisition of political power instead of social upliftment . Even today if the Government seriously wants the upliftment of backward sections of society , it has to address the great disparity in the education system in the country . Sub-standard education not only ensures that merit takes a back seat , it also undermines the aim of reservations as the majority are still unable to compete with the so-called ‘creamy sections’ due to their inadequate education  . Denying the creamy layer reservations is necessary but it will also have an adverse effect – undeserving individuals who just happened to have a quota ! To have the desirable outcome it is essential that the Government ensures quality education to all sections of society .

Related posts:

1. PRO RESERVATION VIEWS ! ! ! i dont really understand how u guys see this….. but...
2. The Other Side Osama bin Laden: He sucks and we hate him. But...
3. Mandal and Mosque… The early 1990s were politically significant in mainly two respects...

The protests which were supposed to be non-violent turned vicious and clashes erupted between the agitating masses and the police. The result was that three people till date have died and numerous farmers and policemen have been injured. Other than the human casualties, public and private property was damaged and vehicles torched. What struck me most about the ensuing media coverage was their cliched ‘public life disturbed’ line. Are the agitating farmers not public ? Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and the farmers have every right to hold demonstrations in their capital. If that causes a traffic jam, then too bad. That in no way condones the agitators of the mayhem they were responsible for. If the police used water cannons and lathi-charged them, then they were doing their duty. A policeman can’t be expected to witness silently as the miscreants rampage across the city torching everything they can lay their hands on. If people get killed, then it is as much the responsibility of the BKU and it’s leadership as it is of the police. If 25,000 farmers come out on the streets peacefully, it gets their displeasure across to the government. If 25,000 farmers torch vehicles, it mean they’re holding the Government to ransom.

The urban middle class too has played it’s part as the aggrieved victims. In Chandigarh, their cars were torched. In Punjab, their voices are unheard. The farmers in Punjab get free power supply. The cost incurred is subsidised by the Government. How does the Government do it ? They charge the urbanites. A few days back the Government hiked the price of power by close to 20% even as the state is reeling under 6-7 hour power cuts. True, the farmers need power because of the drought. But, are the denizens of cities step children of the state that it applies balm on the wounded farmers and gives bruises to the rest ? If the citizens don’t trample over law and order, will they forever be relegated to this state of victim hood ?

Related posts:

1. We are where we were… Yesterday on Facebook I proposed civil disobedience in protest of...
2. A letter to the CM Mr CM, I’m not entirely sure you’re aware of the...
3. The “Bada Sahib” Farmaan So the Rajasthan Government has issued an Order under its...

Who better to lead the country than Mohammad Ali Jinnah ? A man who is best placed to be India’s Prime Minister must be a strong personality, secular, efficient, astute, visionary and courageous. A man who can call a spade a spade. A man who can fight India’s diplomatic battles at the world stage. A man who has only national interest in mind.

M.A Jinnah would have been the ideal PM for India at this point. He was undoubtedly a visionary – a man who had the vision and the conviction to pursue it. He was also quite a patriot – he opposed Gandhi’s decision to withdraw the freedom struggle during World War 1 and instead advocated more vigour in order to arm twist the British when they’re vulnerable, he opposed Gandhi’s backing of the Khilafat Movement which he considered insidious and termed it ‘religious frenzy’. He was courageous enough to admit that India had also gained substantially from British rule. Jinnah was an astute politician who would be well placed to fight India’s battles at the world stage and also ward off unruly politicos in Parliament. As for his secular credentials, the man was too indifferent towards religion which makes him perfect to manage the kaleidoscope of India’s religions.

Of course, Jinnah had his shortcomings as well. He was too western, he would have been a god send for the upper and middle classes but I doubt if he would have striven hard enough to make life better for the poor. He was egoistic too, something that would have surely lead to a continued stalemate on Kashmir. It is also to be observed that most of Jinnah’s battles were fought in the drawing rooms of Viceroy’s residence, wonder how he would have handled the rough and tumble of India’s political landscape.

You know what, this might make a really great movie !

Related posts:

1. Good fences make good neighbors ? The Jinnah djinn is out to hound the BJP again....
2. How the BJP lost the plot and the elections… The results are out and as expected the BJP has...
3. A man and his people… In my last post I mentioned Gandhi and non violence....

There was a huge debate on Times Now, an open fight (I daresay) between Mr. Arnab Goswami, the host  who ridiculed the order and Mr. Manish Tiwari, Member of Parliament who was called for defence. Now all the while they were arguing (cross-firing, is more like it), the thought that kept on crossing my mind was that isn’t this a democracy? Isn’t India a democracy? And moreover, aren’t we the country who would climb the tallest mountain to declare our ‘Sanskriti’? Our roots.. “Shishtachaar”, “Namaskar” and all that..

So why the need of such an order? And may I kindly highlight that it has been clearly enumerated in the order, the method of offering proper respect to the MLAs and MPs too! You got to stand up whenever the MP/MLA enters the room. You have to greet him/her in the proper manner. You have to stand up and pay respects whenever he/she leaves…. Blah blah blah.. I was unable to read the rest as I was ROFTLMAO.

Next they’ll want is a twenty-one gun salute as they walk by! Okay, I’m gonna be serious now. Let’s have a debate over this. *muffled laughter*

Okay, I’m serious now. Like, serious serious.

First of all, who are they to demand respect? Most MLAs in India can’t even converse in more than two lines in English. They have criminal records (look up the percentage). They don’t look smart, they don’t talk smart. Okay, fine. So they are special?! Yes, they are the public representatives. Public representatives. They are the persons who are elected by the public of India. They serve the people of India. They are Public Servants. I repeat, Public SERVANTS.

Secondly, I have never come across any incident where an MLA/MP has been outrightly disrespected by the common public, let alone the Govt. Employees. Whenever they enter any place, be it an official gathering or even a mall – their presence never goes unnoticed. People stand, people cheer, people chant! And even if they don’t, it is absurd to issue an order for this! I mean, if I become an MLA tomorrow, would I want to issue a written and authorised public order to make people stand and open doors for me? Greet me properly? And who is not doing that? Isn’t this childish?!

Thirdly, there is a difference between civility and servility. Need I say more?

Fourthly (lastly), it has come to this. After 62 years of flaunting their power (tum jaante ho hum kaun hain!!), travelling in laal-batti Innovas and wearing the standard white dhotis, if they still have to issue an order to demand respect (“in the proper manner!!” I sound like a broken record but I simply can’t get over this sentence), they really think people will respect them?

Politicians should command respect. A public order should be issued to the MLAs and MPs asking (make that ordering) them to conduct themselves in such a manner that people automatically stand for them when they make an entrance or exit. Because the bottom line is that you can command respect, but never demand it. Even the ignorant lot of pre-independence India followed Gandhiji half-way through Gujarat for the Dandi march, and blindly followed Lala Lajpat Rai on a single call. We know how to respect, and whom to respect.

Related posts:

1. Victims forever ? Two days ago, farmers associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union...

Laying the blame squarely at Nehru’s doorstep is entirely false. Nehru had his own ideas for the nation. He was probably too much of an idealist who believed that religion wouldn’t matter in national politics. He wasn’t in favor of sharing power in the name of religion because he saw all as equal. You really can’t blame the man for what he believed in. Nehru was probably weary of the divisions such reservations would create in the society. Nehru saw the world the way he wanted it to be. He wanted to bring change in the world around him. He was a visionary. Jinnah and Nehru were two great men who had their own ideas. In the end, both fulfilled their own desires and executed their designs on India and Pakistan respectively.

So, what did the subcontinent gained from Partition ? Nothing really. Partition was supposed to solve the Hindu-Muslim animosity but it failed to do so. Indians and Pakistanis are still deeply resentful. And the Indian Muslims have to bear the brunt of this hatred regularly. This must act as a lesson to secessionists of India who believe that secession would solve their problems and they’ll still be able to live peacefully as neighbours. India and Pakistan haven’t been able to overcome the partition even after six decades and this hatred has held both the nations hostage.

Related posts:

1. Double standards ? For the last few days, I have been engrossed in...
2. Jinnah for PM ? India is at a precarious position in it’s history. It...
3. Domino effect… For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction....

Take a look at the advertisment in The Tribune, dated 17/08/2009 :

I’ll type down the entire text in case you’re not in a mood to zoom in and read the ad.

The Petroleum Ministry says the government ‘navaratna’ NTPC must pay an 80% higher gas price to Reliance Industries compared to what Reliance Industries had itself voluntarily offered to NTPC.
As a result, NTPC will suffer a loss of up to Rs 30,000 crore, while Reliance Industries makes a super-normal profit of nearly Rs 50,000 crore, with the government getting only Rs 500 crore. Is this in public or national interest?

Issued in the public and national interest on behalf of 8 million shareholders of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, the largest shareholder family in the world. Please send us your comments at FixGas@gmail.com, or SMS ‘GAS’ your comments, to 55454.

I won’t comment on who is right or wrong here but what I do know is that ADAG had no public or national interest in mind when it sent out this advertisement. The only thing the two Ambani brothers are interested in is getting richer and more powerful than the other. Does Anil Ambani really care about the loss which the government or NTPC suffers? I don’t think so! He is more bothered about the profits which his brother’s company will earn. The legal battle, which ADAG has already won was about getting the gas supply from RIL at a lower price. After the court ruling came, the government ‘mysteriously’ decided to intervene in the matter, dragging along with it the NTPC into the mess.

The private battle between the two brothers is out in the open; dirty linen is being washed in full public view. Star News, India TV & Aaj Tak are a happy bunch, showing the battle to the entire nation leading to a dramatic increase in their TRPs and advertisement revenue. The advertisement reminds of the ads political parties send out against their rivals during election times. Now, lets see what the Mukesh camp comes up with in response to this. Both the Ambani brothers want money. With money comes power and with that power comes glory. What good is this power and glory if you decide to stoop to this level? Beats me. What are your thoughts?

Just one more thing, does not the “largest shareholder family in the world” have enough funds to buy a domain and host their own email? Once again, beats me!

UPDATE:
Mahesh at mahesh.com echoes similar views about the use of gmail.

You can see all the four advertisements released till now in high quality here :

Thanks @dominickerala for the uploads.

Related posts:

1. A letter to the CM Mr CM, I’m not entirely sure you’re aware of the...
2. Victims forever ? Two days ago, farmers associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union...

1. the emergence of caste politics.

2. the emergence of the BJP.

Theoretically speaking, the emergence of one should have been the end of the other. After all, one seeks to construct a solid block of voters who vote solely in the name of religious hooliganism while the others seek to profit off the fractured social structure. One seeks to unify, the other’s strength lies in the division. But as is the case with almost everything in India, these too had managed to co-exist and even flourish, at least until the Congress tsunami in 2009. The BJP emerged as the strongest alternative to the Congress since Independence, formed the Government three times in less than two decades. The main beneficiaries of casteist politics – Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav and Mayawati too have enjoyed frequent stints as Chief Ministers of their respective states and even conjured up clout at the national level.

These political trends owe their emergence to two significant events in the 1990s. The Mandal Commission advocating reservations of jobs in the public sector fractured the society into upper castes and the lower castes, the latter making up the dedicated vote banks of the triumvirate of Mayawati, Lalu and Mulayam. The second event was the assertion of the Hindu right wing which would eventually lead to the destruction of the Babri Masjid.

One would imagine that these two events were responsible for the emergence of caste and religion on the political landscape respectively. In my opinion, these two events actually complimented one another. The implementation of Mandal Commission’s recommendations by VP Singh’s government alienated the upper caste Hindus. So what was before an extremely caste driven society became less casteist, it was divided into upper castes and lower castes or the one who’ll get the reservations and those who wouldn’t. Somehow nobody sees the irony in this. The uniting factor of this coalition of upper castes became religion. With the rampant appeasement of Muslims by the Congress reaching the tipping point with the Shah Bano case, the upper castes rallied around their common Hindu faith which would lead to the meteoric rise of the BJP. The rise of the BJP stoked the Muslim apprehensions and they lent their support en masse to the caste politics of Lalu and co. To this day, the upper caste middle class Hindus form the core strength of the BJP and the backward classes + Muslims are the backbone of Lalu and Co.

Related posts:

1. Reverse Discrimination Here’s an interesting piece of news. Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh...
2. How the BJP lost the plot and the elections… The results are out and as expected the BJP has...
3. Good fences make good neighbors ? The Jinnah djinn is out to hound the BJP again....

Mehbooba Mufti, walks up defiantly to the speaker and throws away his microphone forcing him to chuck her out of the room. She later appeared on Times Now and said that she had no qualms about repeating the same thing again. The next day, we could see her blabbering “C.B.I Cover Up” repeatedly like a 4 year old kid. I now have serious doubts about whether she is even mentally fit to be within any social gathering.

How can such a topic be complete without the mention of the past, present and in all probability the future champion of such controversies – Behan Kumari Mayawati !!? We’ve heard stories of her party workers threatening (or should it be murdering) people while collecting funds for her birthday bash, burn down houses and even heard her call Mahatma Gandhi a “natakbaaz”. Madam Mayawati transfers public servants and officers if she loses elections and one day aims to be the Prime Minister of India. Good luck to you, Ma’am.

Next up is the newest kid on the block, Rita Bahuguna Joshi. I must congratulate you ma’am for the explosive entry you’ve made into this league of extraordinary women. Even though you basically said something similar to what Mayawati had said a few years back, the way you threw around the word “rape” just got you extra credit.

Sushma Swaraj. How dignified you look madam. By the way, lovely hair! Oh, aren’t those the same locks you were going to get shaved had Sonia Gandhi become the Prime Minister? Thank God she didn’t otherwise it would have been a shame to see you go back on your words.

Uma Bharti ji!! Are you and Mayawati sisters by any chance? You both have a striking resemblance but perform different actions – she builds statues and you are charged with demolishing mosques. Nevertheless, you two belong to the same league of women with distorted personalities.

Last but not the least, this article would remain incomplete without the mention of Bibi Jagir Kaur. Some of you may now ask, is she even worthy enough of being included in this list? Well, lets see… she was charged with murdering her own daughter. Extraordinary, indeed.

There you have it people, the League of Extraordinary Women in Indian politics. I am very much aware of the fact that if this article is seen by any supporter of these women, I could very well be threatened, prosecuted, imprisoned or even murdered. This is not because of the content of this article (there is no defamation or accusation) but because in the world’s largest democracy, the Freedom of Speech is only for those who are in positions of power. May God be with me.

Related posts:

1. The REAL Indian rockstars! So, you just finished watching an episode of your favourite...
2. Things women do! Imagine a world in which all females just got up...
3. Gandhi and his ‘Spiritual Wife’ Well I read this piece of article in The Tribune, dated Saturday, June 2, 2007 (Saturday Extra supplement). The...

But I really don’t give a fuck about what Vinod Kambli thinks of Sachin and the BCCI. I hardly care if a random person confesses to being unfaithful to his partner. I care about the people in this nation who are dying due to the draconian ways of Khap Panchayats. There are student leaders who are being set free after murdering their professors. Women are being molested publicly in urban areas. There are even some Chief Ministers who are squandering public money to erect statues of themselves. If you, Sir, have forgotten the issues that are relevant to this country, I’ll just take a few moments to remind you of the problems India faces and what issues are worthy enough of being raised in the Parliament because I only see you debating soap operas and reality shows.

Cultural and Education Rights:
Even after more than 60 years of independence and the promise of Right to Education, the country has a literacy rate of only 61%. Where is the promised free and compulsory education for all children upto the age of 14 years? I can still see a large number of kids not studying but instead begging at the traffic signals or washing utensils at some dhaba.

Right to Equality:
Even after 60 years, equality is yet to be established in this nation of a billion people. A woman from north east is still considered an outsider in the capital of the nation. A man from bihar is beaten up by rouges affiliated to a political party because they do not belong to that state. Someone is a scheduled caste and someone else belongs to the fairer sex. There are a hundred and one excuses for discrimination in this nation.

Right against Exploitation:
Even after 60 years, women and children are being exploited in this country. The elderly are being swindled by their own flesh and blood. The poor are still poor. They are not being provided even the basic necessities. The worth is just for their vote for which they are bribed during the elections. Children are still on the streets, working, begging and being robbed of their childhood. The police and the politicians are the biggest promoters of prostitution in this nation. Men, women and children are being sold in different parts of the nations like invaluable commodities. All this is going unchecked.

Right to Freedom of Religion:
I shall not even talk about religion in a nation where mosques are demolished by those very people who now contest for the Prime Minister’s office.

Right to Freedom:
Have we lost the right to move within India? Cannot a man from Bihar settle in Maharashtra? What about the freedom of speech? A boy who creates a community on a social network against a political figure gets arrested for it. This seems like we’re a part of the movie Matrix – everything is make-believe. This sense of freedom is false. Are we really free? I do not know about the common man but yes, you politicians definitely enjoy the freedom and rights. You do what you want, you get what you want and you forget what you want.

You say the reality shows are weakening the moral fiber of the nation, destroying our culture and they must be banned. You see Mr. ‘Member of Parliament’, the biggest reality show of this nation is our political system! We see you slander each other, wishing the other got raped. Our children see you taking bribes, molesting and exploiting women on national television. How can I forget you throwing microphones, chairs and fists at each other! The entire nation watches all of you as you rape this country. We watched when you incited violence in Gujrat. We saw what you did to the Babri Masjid. We even watched when one of you literally spat on our martyrs by saying the victory in Kargil is only for the N.D.A to celebrate. Now, should be ban you all as well?

Are these reality shows of ‘NATIONAL IMPORTANCE’? Is this issue even serious enough to be raised in the Parliament? Hmmm… maybe you’re jealous because these reality stars are beating you in your own game of buffoonery and hogging the limelight. The only way you can get back some attention and expect people to take you seriously is by performing the ‘tasks’ that are given to you and quit clowning around.

Yours sincerely.

Related posts:

1. A cycle of failure. Not too long back , the fraction of the population...
2. The REAL Indian rockstars! So, you just finished watching an episode of your favourite...
3. Was Gandhi a Traitor? Note : I AM NOT A GANDHI FAN MYSELF. Does...

Anyways, the last part of the book is about Tibet. I’m sure many of you are well aware of the recent history of Tibet – the Chinese invasion and occupation, Dalai Lama in India and the sporadic protests in Tibet and India. It’s also well established that the Chinese use brutal and violent measures to quell the brewing resentment and uprising in Tibet. After reading the book, I was brimming with support for these ‘forgotten freedom fighters’, while the Muslims fighting for ‘freedom’ get ample attention throughout the world and get bankrolled by oil money, the Tibetans seldom get an earful.

As soon as I’d thought of a free Tibet, Kashmir propped up in my mind.What about the ‘freedom fighters’ in Kashmir ? Why was I so moved by the Tibetan’s plight and not perturbed by the Kashmiris’ ? Was I, a Hindu unsympathetic towards the Kashmiris only because they were Muslims ? Am I a hypocrite who sees wrong only in others ? I reasoned with myself, I searched within and I came up with the conclusion that I was resentful of the situation in Kashmir but Kashmir was no Tibet, not for me. The reasons why I say this are -

1. Tibet was invaded by the Chinese with a singularly imperialistic motive. The most hardcore of Kashmiri advocates would agree that India only reacted to the invasion by Pakistan.

2. At the time of accession, the most popular democratic representative of the Kashmiri muslims – National Conference led by Sheikh Abdullah was pro-India.

3. The Kashmiri ‘freedom struggle/terrorism’ is largely a religious war unlike the Tibetans’ struggle. Also, the situation in Kashmir is a proxy war being fought by Pakistan.

4. India hasn’t tried to impose a foreign culture on Kashmir unlike the Chinese. There haven’t been mass settlements into Kashmir either. In Lhasa for instance the Han Chinese outnumber the Tibetans 2 to 1. Kashmir in comparison is still Muslim majority and it were the Kashmiri Pandits that were hounded out of their homes.

Related posts:

1. Domino effect… For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction....
2. Good fences make good neighbors ? The Jinnah djinn is out to hound the BJP again....
3. Jinnah for PM ? India is at a precarious position in it’s history. It...