"It Was Excellent!"

A new entrant to the bubbling news agency was sent on an errand by his boss. When the boy got back it was past lunch time and he was ravenously hungry.

He crossed over to his desk in the crowded newsroom and opened his bag.

To his horror the lunch box was missing! He was sure his mother gave him the box in the morning just like any other day. He went on searching desperately as his pangs grew louder and louder. How could it happen? Just disappeared into thin air? Just not possible. Or had his mother forgotten?

He was about to ring up his mother when his boss trudged up to him smiling benevolently.

'It was excellent!' the boss belched out contentedly handing over the lunch box.

He knew for sure the box was empty. His pangs of hunger now turned into seething anger spreading from the hair roots to his toes. How he wished hitting out at the big belly presented tantalizingly before him. But he had to break into a distorted grin. He is new and promising. How could he risk the editor's displeasure when he had everything to gain.

He looked down mournfully at the empty box which was not even cleaned.

Mature Verdict For Maharashtra

My 14 hour shift of duty on counting day yesterday proved to be a memorable one as the end result was decisive and good.

The ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Coalition came back to power for the third consecutive term. They captured exactly half of total assembly seats of 288--just one short of simple majority. Congress did better than earlier and NCP did okay despite a few hurdles.

In the backdrop of some serious problems like internal security post 26/11, farmers' suicides, long hours of load shedding, inflation and so on performance of the ruling coalitions was not quite outstanding, yet they have been voted back to power. Well, voters had no viable alternative with the main opposition parties failing to provide concrete strategies and mostly indulging in a mindless game of allegations and more allegations. Secondly, the near majority verdict effectively prevented horse trading which was looming large due to large number of dissidents and independents with the possibility of a hung assembly. Lastly, the master manipulators who prey on hung houses missed the bus completely. It was a vote for stability--giving another chance for better performance.

Yes, a mature verdict that speaks volumes for the Indian democratic tradition. The opposition leader lost his seat, some tainted ministers lost too and the younger generation voted Raj Thackray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena into serious political contention gaining the position of the second largest political party in Mumbai.

Now, inevitable politicking for the next Chief Minister. Our vote is indeed for the present CM Ashok Chavan who took charge amidst the turmoil of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and in just nine months brought his party back to power and initiated some revolutionary steps for effective security.

All the best for the new government of Maharashtra to take shape in the coming few days.

Grand Villains!

One colorful Indian entertainment channel has been endangering the lives of gullible viewers. Cozily sheltered in the garb of a social reformer the channel always gives a message that it's against all kinds of evil. Problem is it welcomes an evil in fond gratitude and treats it in immaculate elaboration, lingering monstrosity, all pervasive manifestations and never ending audacity. Such obsession with evil! It dwells on it for months and neutralizes all solutions though carrying on merrily with its sermonizing. It has also been doing god-damnable research in finding out evils from all corners of India in rich original colors.

The crucial part is all evildoers or villains shown in gory glory are invariably grandpas or grannies. They are shown to be selfless devotees of gods and goddesses and they are shown to be scheming while praying to cheat, kidnap, madden, sadden and even murder their dear ones. Such is the evil potency that the very credibility of granddads and grandmas is at stake.

Rise O' grand people! Get united to thwart all such devilish efforts to color your lives. Get back your affection and adoration. Act fast!

The colors of evil threaten to be the cultural Taliban! Hark!