Politics: Women Safety Vs Cop Safety!

In the revolutionary follow-up to the horrific Delhi gangrape women safety has been dominating the think-tank of the nation with brainstorming, measures, judiciary commissions, ordinances and laws-in-making coming up in quick time thanks to the concern finally shown even by politicians towards this societal issue. The police have come up as the immediate authority who could practically contribute immensely towards this cause with interactive or proactive or cooperative efforts. But as a total jerk and a terrible contrast the safety of the police itself has suddenly confronted this clueless nation called India or rather the largest democracy of the world.

Recently a cop had been killed in broad daylight in a town of the famously feudal Uttar Pradesh—beaten up badly first and then shot. A notorious politician, currently a minister in the state government led by a most ‘promising’ young educated Chief Minister, had been implicated in the murder. A FIR had been filed against him, but no arrest till date. This is only to show how indispensable that minister or political leader is to any political party in power thanks to his ‘proven’ powers and ‘muscular’ politics. Suddenly then, the national outrage in media circles turned to ‘how safe are cops in India’! Pray, what about women safety?

Cut to the financial capital, cinema capital, richest capital and spirited capital of India, Mumbai. The Budget session of the Legislature of Maharashtra had been going on since March 11, 2013 in Mumbai and it was yesterday on the eve of presenting the state Budget that cop safety issue had taken another atrocious turn. An inspector of Mumbai Police was asked to attend the Legislative Assembly session yesterday, because a breach of privilege notice against him was going to be discussed. The inspector allegedly misbehaved with a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA­) when the latter was stopped for over speeding on a sea-link bridge—a must sightseeing for tourists in Mumbai. While the discussion was going on a group of MLAs suddenly marched towards the visitors’ gallery and beat up the inspector unawares. The MLAs belonged to various rival political parties meaning they could always unite for ‘just’ reasons!  The poor cop had to be taken to a hospital later. This unprecedented incident in an august constitutional body outraged the nation again and brought the focus fully on cop safety. Normally, citizens complain against the highhandedness of policemen and condemn their proximity to politicians. In fact, Delhi police was severely criticized for its inept handling of crimes against women in the aftermath of the Delhi gangrape. Now, the equation has been changed irrevocably. Pray, what about women safety?

Incidentally, the anti-rape Bill got passed by Lok Sabha—the lower house of the Indian Parliament—last evening as planned and now it has to be passed by the upper house to make it a law, preferably by 22^nd March when the Parliament goes into recess a month and the Ordinance on anti-rape lapses on 4^thApril. Ironically, attendance was visibly poor in Lok Sabha, maybe because while no political party member could afford to oppose the much-needed law their ‘maleness’ did not allow them to do it in public! The only bone of contention got resolved nicely—the age for consensual sex remains at 18.

Meanwhile, the coalition government plunged into a crisis following the withdrawal of support by a key and an outstandingly unreliable ally on the fateful day of 19^th March, 2013. Five ministers of that party resigned today. Their demands over the conditions of Tamils of Sri Lanka wanted the Government of India to officially interfere in the internal matters or the sovereignty of Sri Lanka—the kind that Pakistan has been used to doing to India. But the pangs of survival are unfortunately making the government find ways of succumbing to it respectfully. Saner minds of the country want mid-term elections rather than going on with survival and blackmail politics. The situation is pathetic as from now on the coalition government will have to cater to the likes of two most lethally feudal forces of Uttar Pradesh—Mayawati and Mulayam for utter survival.

Pray, what about women safety? Who will ensure safety for whom? Answer is INDIA!

India Win The FDI Test, Kolkata Test In English Grip!

India have won the multi-brand Retail FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) Test fought vehemently in the most happening playground of the Indian Parliament since the beginning of the winter session on November 22, 2012. With Rajya Sabha, the upper house, defeating the opposition motion by 14 votes in the second innings today the Government of India has finally cleared the way for 51% FDI in the $500 Billion Indian multi-brand retail market and the much required further economic reforms. Lok Sabha, the lower house, had already defeated the voting motion convincingly in the first innings played on December 5, 2012. Though it was an executive decision of the Government the opposition wanted a debate with voting in Parliament. How the final victory came about…well…ours not to reason why, ours but to wait and watch!

In this unique Test Team India always knew what was right for the country. Team Opposition could hardly differentiate ‘right’ from ‘left’ or from ‘centre’ and yet succeeded in making an alliance of ‘right’ and ‘left’ in a classic resistance to change or reforms. Neither here nor there entity called Mamata—the first ingredient of the deadly M3—put all her might to push the bus against reforms and change. But the other two ingredients of M3—Mulayam and Mayawati—became the match winners in both the innings. Because, they knew exactly what is right or left or centre, and fortunately they knew more politics and less economics. How the ruling coalition UPA managed the playground rules…well again…our job is to wait for the benefits of FDI for the struggling Indian economy. The Scorecard:

As the frustrated opposition leaders still cry for the ‘common’ man forced to become salesmen or salesgirls the farmers’ organization of Maharashtra today celebrated the success of the Government. The UPA missed one vote though, that of their MP in Rajya Sabha Sachin Tendulkar due to his work in the cricket playground in Kolkata, and this brings us to the other Test. 

Alistair Cook On A Song!

In the third cricket Test between India and England played in Kolkata from December 5, 2012 Team India has again demonstrated its inability to differentiate right from the wrong, very much like the opposition political parties and allowed its ‘foreign’ opposition to go on crushing them for the second consecutive time at home. Skipper MS Dhoni’s pitch battle finally did not get him a rank turner at Eden Gardens, but in a placid and slow pitch where the ball hardly did anything his class batsmen fell in heaps again to reach a precarious total of 316 runs.

England pacers and spinners both excelled in the lifeless pitch and their batsmen played magnificently looking determined to conquer the last frontier this time. English captain Alistair Cook seems to be on a song picking up his third successive Test hundred against India and missing the second double hundred of the Series thanks to a freak run out for 190. He also beat Sachin Tendulkar’s world record by becoming the youngest player ever to cross 7000 Test runs; became the first English cricketer to score four successive centuries in four Tests and the highest number of centuries (23) for England. Like their batting pals Indian bowlers failed to extract anything out of the pitch. The Scorecard:

At 509 for 6 at stumps on the third day today England enjoys a lead of 193 runs so far.  Assuming the ‘pitch’ mentality of the Indian cricketers as a given Team India is looking at another humiliating defeat in Kolkata. England set to go up 2-1 in the four-Test Series.

Politics: Dial M for Music of the M3 Kind!

Article first published as The M3 Riddle Of Indian Politics on Technorati.

This one is the farthest removed from the musical Mp3s! Yet, there is a striking similarity between the two if you want to behold at all. Concentrating on the ‘music’ commonality the whole nation and the people of India have been facing the music thanks to M3.

While many of the states of India, the economists, the industrialists, the farmers, the sensible leaders within insane groups, the opposition parties that can sense a good thing and the ‘uncommon’ people within the ‘common people’ syndrome have all hailed the new steps of the Government of India as very necessary for a stagnating economy and to avoid a crisis in the long term, the M3 and its like-minded followers had been splitting the hapless ears of the unwilling listeners with its draconian music.

M3 is consisted of naturally three basic political ingredients...



                                                                                              Read the Full Article... 
 

Indian Politics: More Cartoons Out Of The Cupboard!

The cartoon was first published in 1949. It was aesthetically done and genuinely humorous. Therefore, it was included in Indian textbooks meant for eleventh standard school students in 2006 to make education informative as well as enjoyable. After 63 years from first publication and 6 years from inclusion in textbooks the ‘issue’ of the cartoon rocked and disrupted the Indian Parliament on May 11, 2012. The reason or motivation seemed to be obvious—to embarrass the tottering ruling coalition further in light of impending General Elections of 2014.

The cartoon involved two all-time greats in Indian history. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb, donned the role of a real father of the Indian Constitution and fought tirelessly for the Dalits or the Untouchables or the oppressed all his life. Belonging to a backward caste of Maharashtra he struggled at every stage of his life to rise to eminence as a sociopolitical reformer, scholar-philosopher, writer-editor and a leader-politician. His immense contribution to the liberation of the Dalit communities from social discrimination made him almost a God or an Avatar (incarnation of God) for them particularly after his demise. His birth anniversary on April 14 and death anniversary on December 6 are huge events in Mumbai and other places of Maharashtra with millions offering prayers and respects. Dr. Ambedkar has also been posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1990—the highest civilian honor in India. 

The second personality involved in the cartoon was Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru—the first Prime Minister of India and one of the path-breakers for the emergence of India as a modern developing nation. 

And not the least, the cartoonist Shankar Pillai has also been recognized as the father of political cartooning in India and he was the recipient of the second highest civilian honor of India. 

Now, the said cartoon draws a picture of Dr. Ambedkar—the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution-- sitting on a lump named ‘Constitution’ kept on the back of a snail brandishing a whip. Behind him stands Jawaharlal Nehru—the then Prime Minister—in action with a whip too. Apparently, both are trying to speed up the process of drafting that for a country like India was the most challenging job, because it had to satisfy all ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse states and people of independent India.  The humor was pulsating as the helplessness was vivid. Both Ambedkar and Nehru must have enjoyed it a lot at that time. 

But at the present time all interpretations had to go political. ‘Nehru whipping Ambedkar!’, ‘Insult to Babasaheb!’, ‘Babasaheb cannot sit in front of a whipping Nehru!’, ‘Insult to all Dalits of India!’ and so on cutting across all opposition political parties of India. The panicky government had to announce the immediate withdrawal of the concerned textbooks from markets and removal of the cartoon next.

Basic questions never got answered. Why opposition now and not in 1949 or after 2006? What were the ‘affected’ or ‘insulted’ parties doing all the while? Was it a reaction to the ouster of Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh? A dress rehearsal for General Elections 2014?  Or taking on a cue from the merciless Mamata’s tirade against creative intellectuals and cartoonists?  As for the larger Dalitmasses political leadership and influence had been the mainstay of their existence in recent years and basically, maybe, they could never accept the spectacle of their God sitting in front of a whipping ‘master’.

The oft repeated zero tolerance for terror or corruption has been increasingly infiltrating creative fields in India which is ominous!

Taking intolerance to a shocking level one breakaway group of the Republican Party of India today attacked and vandalized the office of Suhas Palshikar in Pune, Maharashtra. Palshikar was one of the two advisers to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) who resigned yesterday over the controversy. NCERT is the apex body of school education in India and these two advisers were in the Textbook Developing Committee. Palshikar and his colleague maintained that the controversy was totally unnecessary and that there was no insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar. There should have been a nationwide debate on this issue concerning a legendary personality for whom they themselves had the highest respect, they added.

State Elections of India 2012: Sidelights!

Yesterday was a hectic day for all in the Indian media including this writer as counting for assembly election results of the five states of India started at 8am sharp. This was rated as the semi-final for India’s General Elections of 2014 and so the media hyperactivity and expectations were at the peak.  All news channels were live the whole day and late into the night debating, analyzing, assessing, speculating and of course reporting the trends, results and possible government formations with permutations and combinations. Not possible to give you everything here and so we have selected a few observations for you on calculations based on various exit polls going terribly or pleasantly wrong from the media point of view.

• The first state of interest was Uttar Pradesh—the biggest and politically the most important state of India. Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi campaigned extensively here to oust feudalistic and corrupt Mayawati and bring in a rejuvenated Congress. Mayawati was ousted alright, but Congress fared only marginally better than last time. Since his campaign itself was hyped his apparent defeat was hyped even more.
• Representing the young generation Rahul succeeded in only throwing out Mayawati while another young leader of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav—son of the former chief minister—brought his Samajwadi Party (SP) back to power. That too a landslide victory with a stunning majority when all in media were speculating about a hung assembly with immense possibilities, who can ally with whom and even imposition of President’s rule there.
• SP back in power with resounding success gave way to more speculation, because SP is considered as a party of goons and as another feudalistic force replacing the other. In fact, some journalists were attacked and taken hostage last night by SP workers. But young Akhilesh is well-educated, down-to-earth and relatively liberated. So the question is how he is going to rule the state! With his dad around live and kicking he cannot possibly become the next chief minister! And comically, the first question he faced from the media was ‘Will you destroy all the statues of Mayawati now?’ The young man said ‘No!’ Before political campaigning the Election Commission of India had ordered all statues to be veiled immediately!
• Recording an all time voting record of 81% Goa gave a clear verdict. The ruling Congress alliance was beset with problems of the illegal land mining scam and tourist security, but nobody could predict its unceremonious ousting. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance got rewarded with nearly two-third majority in the 40-member Assembly.
• In Punjab it was cut-throat between Congress and Akali Dal-BJP alliance, but actually the latter secured a record number of seats coming back for the second term.
• Scam-corruption-inflation infested India’s ruling coalition is under tremendous pressure from opposition parties and the media due to poor performance of Congress. ‘What will happen to you in 2014?’ The answer is ‘No impact!’ And yes, who knows! The other question being would the newly elected parties be able to function free of the same vices!

In a true democracy you are not at all supposed to predict the citizens’ verdict. It’s because of creation of vote banks, politics of compartmentalization and polarization and the like that prediction is often accurate. If more than 80% of India decides someday to vote the result is bound to be most democratically unpredictable. 

Political Comics!

Article first published as India's Comical Political Antics on Technorati.

The struggle for votes becomes acute at the time of elections. Pursuing this severe urge for amassing maximum possible votes political parties are pushed to the extremes of antics. The common onlooker gets maximum entertainment in the bargain.

India’s Election Commission recently ordered covering up of the statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in light of the forthcoming assembly elections in this most politically strategic state of India. There were around ten statues of Mayawati and more than hundred statues of her party symbol—the elephant--in the state capital of Lucknow apart from numerous ones in other parts of the state. The logic for this order was fully justified since the statues might indeed impact the voters who could either be motivated or irritated to vote or not to vote for her. With a set deadline the work began in great haste and the statues began to be draped in tarpaulin sheets of the pink color. Pink was said to be Mayawati’s favorite, but it was okay since it did not represent any other political party. One regional party from the state reportedly demanded the cost of covering up be borne by the ruling party only. It was tantamount to saying;’ If you are spendthrift megalomaniacs you must bear the cost of undoing your aspirations too!’ To give a more jocular twist to the episode someone filed a public interest litigation contesting the Election Commission’s decision since the elephant represented one Indian deity Lord Ganesha!

The main national opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that had been reeling under tremendous pressure from both within and outside due to its recent decision to induct a tainted and expelled ex-minister of the Uttar Pradesh government finally decided to put the decision on hold. Why and how? Because in the first place, it never wanted to reverse its decision maybe due to the unavoidable interplay of big egos or maybe fearing a possible loss of votes. The tainted member himself turned magnanimous! He wrote a letter to the party high command requesting to put his membership on hold till he was cleared of all charges and allegations. In a classic case of clutching for a straw in time of emergency the BJP accepted his request!

And, at the time of too much preoccupied politicking the time could have been just right to push in some economics. So, the government of India, on January 10, 2012, notified rules to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Indian single-brand retail sector paving the way for big international brands like IKEA to enter Asia’s third largest market and also allowing tie-up players like Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Gucci to have full ownership. To give a boost to Indian industry a condition was kept for the players to source 30% of the goods from Indian small and village industry.

This FDI move was said to be less controversial and maybe due to this the preoccupied opposition parties were yet to give their reactions. This was interesting in light of the tremendous political opposition to the Government’s earlier decision to allow 51% FDI in Indian multi-brand or supermarket sector. The opposition forced the Government to put the put the decision on hold. Though there were genuine concerns regarding the roles of supermarket giants like Wal-Mart farmers’ communities from different parts of India had in fact welcomed the policy.

Political comics are set to entertain you more till the counting takes place on March 6, 2012. Meanwhile the cover-up was completed by 5pm today--the deadline set by the Election Commission. The public interest litigation was also dismissed as 'withdrawn' due to technical faults. 

Politics of the Beg Word!

Article first published as Politics of the Beg Word on Technorati.

Politics has  myriad shades and colors. Just now in India it has achieved another unique dimension—the politics of begging!

Rahul Gandhi, the youthful general secretary of the Congress party who has commanded tremendous youth following all over the country of late, was in Uttar Pradesh to kickstart the party’s campaign for the forthcoming assembly elections of the state. He lambasted the ruling party there for total lack of economic development and for resembling almost a mafia rule. He went on with his diatribe by saying that had there been some developmental progress the people there would not have been forced to migrate to other states and beg for work.

There was an inherent truth in what he said about the state and it had to be analyzed in the context of an opposition party leader addressing an election rally. But all hell broke loose because of just one word ‘beg’! Rahul Gandhi must have said it with bitter sarcasm and sentiments, but ‘beg’ created a chain effect of self-righteous protests and self-dignified ejaculations. Just how dare he call the people of the biggest state of India beggars!
Now, the word ‘beg’ has a deeper significance too. Maharashtra, a state in western India, was prominently included as the other ‘states’ due to the fact that regional parties there made it very clear that north Indian migrants were not at all welcome there. There had been disturbances, arguments, mini riots and running court cases over the issue in the last two years.

Because of the political significance of the ‘beg’ word the Congress party had been caught in a dilemma how to go about defending its leader while at the same time getting concerned for its north Indian votes. The main opposition party of the country held protests and effigy burnings in many parts defending the dignity of the north Indians. Even the regional leaders in Maharashtra who oppose north Indian migrants advised Rahul to take home all such beggars and feed them well so that they did not have to come to their state to ‘beg’ for work.

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, cried hoarse for her hard working and self respecting people while on the very next day announcing a proposal for dividing the state into four parts or states to be placed in the coming assembly session. If this latest politicking is linked to the ‘beg’ and how one only time will tell.
Meanwhile rejoice O’ Indian beggars! Politics has finally caught up with you too!

The Crispy Maya Of Mayawati!

It's all maya, you know! Maya meaning 'illusion'. Since ancient times Indian sages have been telling us that the visual materialistic world is all maya, reality lies beyond that.

Mayawati--lady politician from north India--seems to have taken all pains to reaffirm this ultimate truth. She decided to wear a garland worth 50 million rupees and made entirely of hard currency notes of 1000 denomination. By this unique unprecedented lunatic act Mayawati intended telling you the simple truth 'Forget about money! What hard cash can give you after all! Live in reality and continue to do so! Like this garland shows, it's all meaningless! Have a peaceful and meaningful life, trust me!'

But the moot point in Mayawati's maya is what happens to the currency notes finally. Maya would definitely not discard them due to maya. She would definitely like to convert them into reality--sweet hardy cashy reality. For reality's sake, the income tax department is already inquiring about the source of this money.

What? Going over your head? You see this is Camus-Koestler-Naipaul kind of stuff. Not for commoners like you and me. We can only say if Mayawati is supposed to represent the backward poor classes then why not just distribute the hard cash to them?

Have more and more garlands, wear it in all splendor and then throw them away to the poor. Reality bytes!