Act

What and which are the greater threats to future India? How do we categorize this? How do we itemize these? Do we try to identify on the basis of importance to the general populace or national threat or divisiveness?

Anyone would reel off inflation and price rise, corruption, governance, Maoists, terrorists, religion, china in the pecking order.

Is the present price rise the cause of supply shortage or excessive demand? MGNREGA and increased remunerative prices to farmers are also listed as reasons by the ‘experts’. While there is a small case for the increase in buying capacity, inflation and price rise should not have be more than 7% in the ultimate analysis. The real inflation of 10%+ is not in the calculations of ‘experts’ but on the street. So even if MGNREGA has given the poor some purchasing power on paper, I doubt if they actually get what they are supposed to get.  Even if we take the price for produce to farmers that has increased, with the year to year bumper crop in essential crops or cash crops, the market prices should not be more than an addition of 2%. Now, we need to add the issue of unacceptable quality of products under the PDS, pilferages at godowns, middle men, rotting of food grains and all perishables at FCI and other godowns.

No farmer or grocer or vegetable vendor wants to see unsold perishables rot. The difference between wholesale perishables at the market yard and the local seller is a huge 20%. With the PDS in a shambles and the quality unfit for human consumption, it is but natural for people to go to the local seller.

The periodic increase in fuel prices is another case. But here although there is merit in de-regulation of fuel prices, it is not carried out the way it should be.

Petrol should be de-regulated. Diesel should be de-regulated in various methods, ie: regulated for mass transportation of people and goods, but totally at higher than market prices for expensive four wheelers as they can well afford this and to prevent misuse it is not difficult to have a proper mechanism in place in this electronic age.

LPG, CNG, PPG for higher income groups should be at market price. Pilferages-One can also see instances where multiple CNG cylinders are available at any eateries, various other shops and so on, which is not meant to be while the actual beneficiaries are deprived.

Why are the oil producing and marketing companies allowed to get away with huge expenditures and perks? How much fuel is wasted by the Government on a daily basis ferrying the officials and ministers? Why are duties so high?Why are state taxes so high? The actual fuel prices will be affordable if (1) Excise and other Duties are reduced by 10% (2) State Taxes are reduced by 2% (3) If the basic price actually moves with international prices of crude. One can also remove the ad-valorem aspect on the Excise and duties, but fix it at Rs.X for 3 years and not change it. 

The unnecessary increase in interest rates by RBI, standard tactics to stem flow of money, is not the practical way for containing inflation across the board though the theories say so. It should have been calibrated to target excessive flow into real estate, market speculation, acquisition of expensive assets and hoarding activities. Instead it is harming the various loan EMI’s and prospective applications for home loans. It is affecting manufacturing and expansion. With increased demand for higher wages it affects the WC requirements. It increases prices of all goods across the board, and for no reason. Added to this is the Re fall and the loan portfolio of corporate shoot up. They will have to pass it on the consumers and if the consumers do not buy, the corporate lose. So who the heck has benefitted? RBI should have instead of raising interests every time one spells its name concentrated on Mauritius.

I am not going to go bombastic into corruption. It is there to read everywhere, has been around and will continue to be omnipresent. Consider this. If one happens to go to an Excise office or a sales tax office or get some work done at the sub-registrar’s office, or the RTO, it’s massive and the turnover would put even a successful jeweler to shame. All other Government offices, offices of the oil companies, private corporations, law and justice, come on, these are huge! It is a huge issue and envelopes in its embrace all other activities that get an F.

Armed Maoists are the illogically self anointed custodians of justice and deliverance. The activists came in to cash in on the funding boom. In reality they are products of corruption, misgovernance and apathy. Today they are the very symbol of ingrown terror, destruction, takeover of democracy. I feel 50% of Maoists can be brought back to the sane world by counseling, good governance and developmental activities, livelihood. The rest are a troublesome lot and have to severely dealt with as terrorists in a swift and concerted strike and here we need to be deaf to the NGO’s and activists.  

 Terrorists are a totally mad. They have nothing else to do as they know nothing else. We, the government and public on the other hand do nothing. So unless we act, finish these guys, there is no use running into someone else’s arms for succor.

Religion, especially the fundamentalist type of VHP, SRS, BD, etc are along-with the Deobandi types an ingenious and serious lot who harvest on the uneducated and educated illiterates. If we can just book some of these for even instigative utterances, we can have AlQ, Saeed on a platter.

  Last comes China. Well these slit eyes are what they actually are and you can’t see them see. If you need to hear them, then, see their actions. They only know the language of commerce and that is the way to deal. They have no political ideology except territory and commerce. We can go on for another 50 years about 1962. They could have run over us then but did not. They would be pleased to do it now if they want and Pak is waiting and hoping for that to happen. And we will also not have any nannies no more. Diplomacy is not known to them, they only respect those with power: commercial muscle.

Therefore we have a smaller pecking order which will be Governance, Terrorists, and not allow religion to go overboard. Today Chanakya, Ashoka, Sankaracharya, Vivekananda, and Gandhi are forgotten.

Anna...and fast and the others.

Anna... Anna... Annaa... the chant goes on and on. Kejriwal who has done some wonderful work and whose achievements have eased the burden of  all Indians was smart to rope in a politician- Bhushan, a smart and daring lawyer- Prashant., a daring, scrupulously honest ex police officer- Kiran.  Now he wanted a person who has been rainmaker and practically changed things the right way.- Kisan Baburao Hazare.  His achievements are such and his record blemish-less that he had to be part of a movement that had to bring teeth to the existing laws, legal forums.Actually if not for Anna Hazare the whole idea would have flopped at the intial stage itself. Such is his reputation, record. He is patient but impatient for results. This has worked in Sidhi,  and about a 100 villages nearby. The State saw two changes because of his crusade.But at the National level, especially with the wily congress and the hawkish main opposition, one needs to mix Gandhi's methods, Rajaji's thoughts, Vivekananda's clarity along-with Sardar's timing.


The Government of the day on the other hand got caught with its hands in the cookie jar. Shameful that the highest judiciary had to order the inquiries and so on to find out the fingers, hands, and head that's been emptying the people's jar.

The Government shamelessly takes credit for whatever action( read arrests) it's agency has taken, when it did nothing since 2007-2008. I will not go into all those details here as it is now well documented and in the public domain.

The team headed by Hazare- called fondly Anna, in my view made a mistake by threatening to go on fast unto death the first time around when the government was not responsive to changes in certain law, and bring in a new Lokpal Bill. Baba Ramdev's drama is irrelevant here.

It is true that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi the Mahatma, and Baba Amte, had taken the route of fasting demanding certain changes and end to many discriminations and atrocities. But these were issues that had to be done in that manner due to the circumstances prevailing at the time. They had to do it to awaken the people and to bring people together as a single potent, peaceful force.

Today in a democracy, when one needs a change at a policy level or that which encompasses the entire populace, I believe that extensive dialogues should be held first. The first dialogue should have been to reach out to the citizens with different sets of proposed changes and then whittle them down to the changeable. By then public opinion and education would have been somewhat reached. The approach to the Government should have followed simultaneously or thereafter. Upping the ante- should have been if the Parliament rejects or makes drastic changes.

Obviously any Government caught in the act would reject outright any change or challenge to their authority and right and might. Further cajoling, discussions, demands and raising public opinion would have put pressure and the right pressure.

It is here that I opine that the first fast was a mistake. Fasting by the forefathers was a method to force the authorities to stop certain atrocities and communal clashes. It is a peaceful weapon, but a weapon to be used as a last resort.

Meanwhile as the congress is an expert at this there started malignment, shabby language from the Government. There were unnecessary letters from the civil panel as well

Now having scored the first round and two different drafts are emerging and the issue has a process, merely the reason for certain points being either rejected or redefined does not call for something like this or nothing or else I go on fast. Surely the people could have been mobilised to demand the government to discuss again about the 6 changes that are in disagreement.  Thus I believe that the present fast has become a political pressure tactic. Anna's first fast should have been reserved if the Parliament makes drastic changes to the proposed Lokpal bill.



This proposed fast on the day we enter our 65th anniversary of independence, to me seems more as a pressure tactic . I has become spontaneous only today as it was announced well in advance. But the we come to a law and order issue as well. And why the hell should an old man of 74+ years fast when there are much younger guys along with him? They say that.."we are fasting with him". I say...." Why should he fast. You fast and he should guide you".

India is facing innumerable security concerns and we are well aware of the gross inadequacies of our vigilance and intelligence. Any of these instances could take place during the fast where at least 10,000 or more people will converge. ( We don't know how many will fast or how many will remain for the duration unless it's a relay fast).... 1.Anti-social elements wait for such an opportunity. 2. Miltant organizations wait for such a chance.
3. Some chap may lose his head and start off with throwing an object around. 4. Anyone can slip into the crowd and blow himself up. Now this will be the concern of the police.
What do the police do? They are charged to maintain law and order. Anna Hazare should have agreed to
1.. Limit people into the park.All others could have been asked to sit on fast elsewhere or all over Delhi.
2. Stop use of Loudspeakers after 8.p.m. 3. No car parking near the park. Surely these are reasonable demands. Of course asking for limiting the duration of the fast is high-handedness of the Police.

Having granted that the police had some demands, arresting people who are protesting peacefully? May be the police and the government have a different take that if there was no arrest there would have been a stampede later or something like that. Surely this action of the police and the government both centre and state: terming it as a preventive measure is nonsense.

And why does not anybody highlight the issue of Irom sharmila who has been fasting for 11 years, and half of them in and out of  jails. and all this for repeal of AFSPA? There should be modifications in the provision considering the sensitive and security concerns of Manipur. Will the Govt bend if a very very strong  movement of similar demand is raised in J&K. Sure, it should modify if not repeal. But why is Irom not even highlighted.  Manipur is a distant faraway state of no consequence except during elections,right? Not only that AFSPA does not affect the mainland mainstream citizen or media, corruption is all encompassing.What is the so called human rights commission doing? The so called NGO's and activists. Because of the AFSPA, Irom's struggle is without support of hordes of people, but 11 years? The NDA and UPAI,II  have not even a fig leaf to stand on this.

Where do I differ in my opinion on the provisions of the proposed Lokpal Bill?

1. Bringing the Prime Minister during his/her tenure- This is not correct unless there are complaints directly attributed to the PM's office. Otherwise, after the PM demits office.
2. Conduct of the MP's in Parliament. This is the job of the speaker. this conduct should not be under lokpal.

Some additions
1. Definition of Government servant. The existing definition is insufficient. Every government servant from the level of HOD upwards.
 2. MLC's ,Corporators, MLA's should come under the Lokayukta. which should be set up in every state.
3. There should be adequate provisions to cover Private business and all the PSU's.











. 

Crucial left outs

First and foremost, the argument of the government of the day and all other political parties that the members of civil society are out to usurp the power of law making needs to be debunked.

Where did this so called political class emanate from? N’aavi?

Were not Mahatma Gandhi, Mandela, Tilak, Gohkale, Sriramulu, Malavya, Vivekananda, Bhagat Singh, Besant, Tagore, from the civil society in the first place?

And what is so sacrosanct about the cry that “elected representatives” alone have the right to raise issues and demand implementation. The whole thing came about because these  

“Elected representatives” have failed in their duties and obligations and accountabilities.

It is sad that a 74 year old man has taken upon himself this task and is fasting. Probably were it not for him, no one would have taken the issue seriously. But the likes of Agnivesh, and Ramdev are not welcome.

Now, what is this Lokpal bill aiming to change?

They seem to have taken only, ..” anything made punishable under Chapter IX of the IPC or under the PCA 1988..” That does not encompass everything. And is nothing new.

Will it have the power to charge officials from the level of clerks and section officers and upwards of all government departments and bodies if they are complained about? Will it have the power to inquire, charge NGO’s of which at least 25% are charged with the purpose of getting funding form undisclosed and dubious sources? Will those NGO’s who are solely formed to create a nuisance and raise issues, file cases solely for the sake of doing so shut down? Inquire into vast cost over runs and delays in public projects? Waste public money on statues? Antecedents of coporator and upwards. Exemptions granted by politicians. Forget the PM being under the Lokpal, it is not correct. Bring the entire fabric of a department under the purview, rest will follow.

Will it have the power to inquire and take legal action against private parties?

A few examples:- Private business engaged in varied sectors is conducted with some assistance or the other from the government departments, whether it is the roads, buildings, public works, raw material supplies, defense supplies, movement of goods and services, petrol pumps, transportation, registrations, RTO, public health supplies, land grabbing, education supplies, hospital supplies, dams, IT and related industries, electrical appliances, semi conductors, street lights, laying of drainage, civic support systems…the banks, loan and overdraft disbursing; the list is endless.

What of cases like Harshad, Pillai’s, Parekh, Telgi, FII coming through Mauritius.

We also have private activities like the stock market, diamond and gold trading and ornaments, transport, retail and wholesale trading, services, the private companies are notorious in getting bills inflated. Govt sections officers are blamed more as the volume is very high here and another list that goes on.

Will the Lokpal have the power to take up these? Corruption happens most at these levels. Individually taken it is small change compared to the big ones that we have been reading about since 1990’s. But collectively it matches up.

How much can a Lokpal aim to achieve? Surely it has to cover all activities under the IPC 410 to 424, sadly it is excluded. One can argue that it can be revised. But which political class will agree? This inclusion should be at the initial stage.

It is saddening to see that corruption starts as early as the school level. School children give gifts to teachers so that they remain in good books. Students of professional colleges are asked for gifts or something else in return for favorable grades. Office staff asked for something for their promotion or favorable transfer. You need a driving license fast or a passport fast, you give something. This, the society has to tackle.

I am 65

On the 65^th Independence Day we are at the threshold of One, a revolution that has just demands but an poorly thought out dimensions, Two, comatose governance, Three, all encompassing greed, Four, a dispirited polity, Five, a directionless security strategy, Six, a totally destroyed food security system. We also have a vast and fast growing consumer, we have a population more than the land can bear to carry, we have a vast horde of directionless youngster unemployed but utilized by the politicians, underworld and religious heads for their activities disturbing activities at will at regular intervals. The public health system is in a shambles, The education sector is a mass of corruption.

 But we still have the courage and hope that things will change.

Was this not the case 65 years ago and every year over these six and a half decades?

Why does this catch the attention now more than it did two decades ago?

Over the past two decades the concentration was on economic growth and fattening of the already well heeled with the middle rung joining in. The destitute have always been left to their karma, then and now and will be so. The growth story is mistakenly credited to the then finance minister when the courage to go ahead was given by the then prime minister who everyone maligns. And the then finance minister is the present prime minister, so where did that growth story vanish? Growth in numbers or growth in real terms? The past reform brought growth in real terms. Now it is on paper for economic survey and justifications and platitudes.

Growth inevitably brings in inflation as there is more consumer demand goes one argument. But is it not contradictory? When there is growth it means there is supply growth and demand growth. Just because demand outstrips supply one can not call this demand pull inflation. If there continues to be growth and there is supply shortage you can not have both arguments that it is cost push and demand pull at the same time. With food rotting away how can one claim that there is growth? Others point that raising the MSP and the MGNREG is also a factor. If all facts were as per official hand outs the 50% odd population will not be poor and unemployment will not be in double digits.

The film on Gandhi has been hailed. It is also said that only an Englishman could have made such a film. The dialogues come through echoing the present day. The images of the country side have not changed except for a wee bit.

People who despite having worked hard, toiled, sweated and shed blood are dismayed that they are no better off than they were a decade ago. Even a computer game will fail the player.

Is the emphasis on number backed growth breeding limitless corruption?

There we go now

.... When Art Kller says wilful blindness is a survival mechanism in Pakistaaaan it is taken serious note. While we have been screaming over the decades about this.

This is the time when there will be extreme efforts for infiltration and so long as our guys manning the borders are vigilant and the forces in the valley do their snooping right: unless there are many buyable guys eft there:- we should be able to knock the stuffing out of these fanatics.

It goes much to see as stated in my earlier blog that we have to get our soceital act right.

Think..

......With energy prices on the rise and natural resources receding, it has become more important to conserve power for the brighter life of our future generation. Small steps at the individual level can really change the way we utilize electricity at homes or even outside. A good supply of light does not necessarily mean the consumption of a great deal of electricity. If the right lamp is selected for the right type of function, it is possible to save electricity.
Till date, we have been used to five basic types of lighting: incandescent, fluorescent, high intensity discharge, low pressure sodium and compact fluorescent lamp (CFL).
Incandescent lamps are the least expensive to buy but are the most expensive to operate. They have the shortest lives and are inefficient compared with other lighting types. Fluorescent lighting is used mainly indoors and is about three to four times as efficient as incandescent lighting. They last about ten times longer than the incandescent types.
High intensity discharge lamps or the HID provide the longest service life and the highest quality of any lighting type. They are extensively used for outdoor lighting and in large indoor applications. The three most common types of HID lamps are the mercury vapour, metal halide, and high-pressure sodium lamps.
Low pressure sodium lamps are the artificial lighting. They work in some ways like fluorescent lights and are used where colour is not so important. Its typical applications include highways and security lighting.
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were considered till date to be the most significant lighting devices for homes but these lights are sensitive to the fluctuation and inconsistent power supply in India. On the other hand, Solid-state lighting or light emitting diodes (LED) are rugged, sustains power surges, shocks and vibrations. LEDs are easy to install and have long span of life - 50,000+ hrs (10+ years). The advantages of LED lighting, besides lower power consumption, reduces the worlds carbon footprint and are easily recyclable - thus considerate to be absolute green technology.
There are no starting problems in cold environments because LED’s are “Instant on” with no warm up time needed as seen in conventional CFL lighting. In addition, LED lighting solutions do not contain environmentally hazardous metals such as mercury or sodium and do not emit potentially harmful Ultraviolet radiation or Infrared radiation like Halogen lamps. Another benefit is the extremely long life cycle lowers maintenance costs in the long term.

Unlike the CFLs, LEDs can illuminate your houses as well as streets and even the outdoors replacing the HIDs, at a fraction of cost. Until recently, LEDs were limited to single-bulb use in applications such as instrument panels, electronics, pen lights and, more recently, strings of indoor and outdoor Christmas lights, but now these small bulbs are ready to take the place of the established technologies for the better of the human beings.
In many green conscious states, government is enforcing LED bulbs for street lighting and other public areas to bring savings to bloated energy bills. LED is surely a drive towards green earth.

Think...

.... like the Brits say The King is dead Long live the Kingdom.. OBL is dead and long live our needling.
It really irks me when the media, especially the electronic and visual media go on and on and on bombarding the airspaces about Pakistaaaaan and it's failures and go on whether their relationship with the US will nose dive and if so what are the repurcussions and if not what? Why can't we learn to leave the jakal alone to lick its' wounds? Are we in any position to do anything as drastic as this? We can't even dream of crossing the LOC leave alone superdive into "White House- Karachi" or the mansions in POK! Then why do we pretend to dare? We let them off the hook in '65 and '71 and even did not capitulate during the last skirmish. Why do we continue to ignore that China is rock solid behind them and we will be squished if we do attempt an adventure On Our Own?
So far on the corruption front the media has done a very good job.. but then that does not mean that the media is omnipotent. Some sense is required as in this case and what we need to actually do.

It would be better if we concentrate on our growth and uplift the lower middle class and those below that level. It would be worthwhile to improve on our infrastructure and basic amenities and power, foodgrain shortages. It would do a world of good if the Kashmir Pandits and Muslims are brought along to live together devoid of people like Geelani. It would help us reddeem our pledge when we learn to have constructive agruments as a democratic society and stop petty accusations; when we stop politicians and babus from wieilding their power for their own pelf. So there lies the roles of the media, the civic society and the government.
In short.. we would be better off looking after ourselves and improving our society than worry about the wolf in the sheep's clothes( what is worn is either borrowed or begged!) or may be the emperor across the border who is without any clothes !

Great!

Binayak Sen gets arrested and then there is a trial and he gets sentenced by the courts for sedition, all for having some papers on his person supporting the maoists and his past irrefutable record is ignored. Right so he had a soft corner for these murderers who threaten to overtake everything, but he did not actively participate!

On the Other hand today we see that a known separatist who has been living off the lands and on pension granted by my country and still has been actively harbouring murderers and challenging India for the past 50 years and has been in the forefront of supporting militants and their well being calls for a prayer in memory of OBL!

Now will the police arrest him for anti India activites at least now? Or is this just a religious ceremony and does not come under seditious activities?

Dare you?!

Many have read the story of how a lady in a burqa was noticed moving suspiciously outside Osama’s tent settled amidst rocks and hills and wilderness on a bright afternoon. Her movements raised suspicions and one minion alerted the sheikh. She was searched and a sat phone was found on her, which apparently she was using at that time as it was very warm. The sheikh and all his men along-with a journalist from Pakistaaaan who was a visitor left immediately. Within fifteen minutes, the fortified tent was blown into the Afghan wilderness by a mortar attack.

Another story that is just as popular, is that the Americans pointed to a few guys to Pakistaaaaan  and asked them to track these guys and let them know. One such guy was around 52, 6’5” and a bit frail, wearing the trademark turban and robes and shawl walking with the help of a staff. He had a companion who had a few AK 47’s slung around his fat shoulders and one ready in his hands, ready to fire. He also held a strong rope at the end of which a horse, an ass and a fat goat following. The tall guy would walk at times and at other times he would ride the horse.

Over steep terrain he would use the ass. The Pakistaaaanis were tracking him and found his gait and frame and visage very familiar. They had heard of a sheikh who had shaken America and wondered if this was the guy who they were looking for. The tall guy would stop at times for a rest and the fat Friday would milk the goat and they would break bread before resting a while.  They would converse at times, otherwise they continued on their way diligently, silently. At some time the followers felt that he threw a knowing smile across to them and waved. Wow they thought!

Now this routine went on for long miles, vales, valleys hills before they reached the Karakoram pass. The twosome stopped had some goat milk and and this time the tall guy got on to the ass to cross the pass.

The alert Pakistaaaaaan got a fit. What if they crossed over? Who are these guys, and if this guy was he, then They should be told this was he. The ISI chief asked Saeed  who checked with Zawahiri who replied in the affirmative that this was indeed the sheikh.

The stalkers alerted the Them who in turn alerted the other Them who confirmed that they were on the way. What took days to cover was covered in a few minutes and a chopper landed with seals coming out of the metal work. They let go a blast at the feet of the ISI chief who was following the tall guy.

 “What? How dare you?” screamed the chief who was usually used to feeding on freely available imported goodies. “You lucky guys” growled one seal, “you should have been finished by your eastern neighbors in’1965 and 1971, but they were dumb to let you go and they have dumber guys like Digvijay and Singhal  and despite all these acts of kindness and our charity on which you survive you can’t live an honorable life! We knew you could do nothing right and were testing your integrity”

“Ya a a ah Khudaa mujhe baksh de! Main, Main Babar ka pota hun.Main tera khoon pee jaonga!!” ‘You, you,you infidelity personifications! You dare to insult me?” screamed the ISI.

The seal let go a shrill whistle and the tall guy jumped onto his horse and came galloping at haste. He took off his turban and under it shone the bald pate and the smiling visage of Tony Greig, Maradona following, ready to fire! "You cant even solve a fixed match" growled the seal.

MOVE NOW

True..
To expectations, the response in the local elections in J&K has been overwhelming and heartening: That would be the official tepid response to the history unfolding there. It is now time to take up local issues to their collective logical and really visible conclusions.
It’s all ok to have a feel good attitude and try to sleep for a while, but therein lies the danger of the feel good factor. Complacency sets in and the next round of madness waits for such a response. The move to integrate the local bodies into the mainstream and the speeding up the deliverables will set the time line for a positive societal response towards ‘alienated’ “mainland”. Geelani must have felt that he’s getting left out and so now- though he eats out of India’s soil, he still feels he’s not part of it- he lets out a feather towards the pundits. It is also the time to acknowledge that the groundswell is not in favour of guns now and talk tomorrow for awhile before the next load of ammunition arrives. People want to live and love like everyone does and reap and enjoy the fruits of hard, honest labour. The army has no role: more so now than before: in the streets of the entire state but only at the borders and ensure that the multifaceted nuts do not cross over. The police and para forces have to learn that after Egypt there is also awareness and readiness to respond to their high handedness and that is to be avoided for it will engulf the entire sub-continent given the complacent governance.
But it is not only complacency but a deficit that we are facing on all fronts especially when we show our willingness to talk to the guys from across the border without involving the control button: the army: and all the gestures and so called soft diplomacy will remain eyewash. Sir Creek can be solved overnight as all indications suggest. Trade can grow multi fold levels as reality indicates. Deliver at the local levels and see the response to the next democratic process. We need no more CBM’s. J&K will integrate itself and say we are not alienated; we are part of the “mainland”; nay we are the start of the great sub continent called Bharath-India.