Security in the Hands of Headless Chickens?

There was an interesting debate being shown on TV today. Karan Thapar was holding a discussion with three (presumably) constitutional scholars/lawyers on whether the central government has the right to interfere in the states’ law and order duties when it comes to terrorism. Their argument revolved around the fact that the constitution places the right to control matters related to law and order within the purview of individual states.

Two things struck me about this debate. First, the debate was labeled ‘Does India needs tougher anti-terror laws?’. There is no doubt that anti-terror laws may help police forces, anti-terrorist teams, and intelligence agencies gather useful information. However, to me, this seemed to be jumping the gun just a bit. Because the first thing that occurred to me was where the hell are our police forces, anti-terrorist teams, and intelligence agencies? Some of them are doing good work to keep us safe, and I appreciate that very much. But for the most part, (a) the police is too busy making money through bribes to spend time on much else (according to a study by Transparency International India, the police is the most corrupt public service in India, and that’s saying a lot! And there’s no guarantee that they refuse take bribes from terrorists or terrorist-helpers), (b) it needs to be verified whether there really is an effective, coordinated and generally on-top-of-things anti-terror team apart from those shown in fictional hindi movies, and (c) our much touted CBI seems to spends way too much time prosecuting people at the government’s will, so we never really hear what they’ve done on the terror front. In fact, just a couple of days ago, we were regaled with news of how the state and national security teams are not even coordinated enough to get together for a team meeting. So to talk about whether we need tougher anti-terror laws when we don’t even have anyone to make use of them (and make sure they’re not misused) is kinda like trying to hit the bull’s eye on a dartboard without a dart. The fact that bombs are being strewn happily all over the place does not increase my confidence one teensy little bit.

Second, terror has been recognized as a worldwide phenomenon. Countries are forming partnerships to tackle this threat, and some are even speaking at how to strike at the root of terrorism by addressing what breeds extreme Islamism, which requires coordinated efforts by all countries. And we’re still stuck debating on whether this is a national-level or state-level concern? In fact, one panelist in the show was arguing heatedly that the constitution needs to be amended before the center can get involved. Red tape alert! This guy is actually suggesting that a bill be proposed, introduced, haggled over, and voted on (most probably, in several recurring cycles) before the center puts its might and resources behind keeping Indian citizens safe. With intellectuals like these, who needs politicians and enemies? Just the FACT that several dozen bombs have exploded or been found in three different states within the space of a week should be enough to convince anyone that this is an immediate threat that needs all the resources it can get.

Its not just this past week with all the bomb scares that this issue has arisen. Our country has been under near continuous terrorist attacks for the past several years. By now, there should be some viable force in full readiness to immediately tackle the recent threats. Instead, we have a bunch of headless chickens running around blaming everyone but themselves for this mess. All I know is that given the current circumstances, the last thing if I get is a feeling of protection from our government.

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Is Laloo smarter than a fifth grader?

Do we deserve the leaders we have? I think yes. 

We fret and fume about how corrupt our leaders are and at the same time get charmed by their antics, call them on game shows and ask them to give speeches in premier management institutes.

Yes, Lalu Prasad Yadav is the person I am talking of.

Lalu has been charged with multiple corruption cases, the most famous being the “Fodder scam”. In the Fodder Scam, the funds meant for cattle fodder were diverted from the animal husbandry department to Lalu’s personal coffers. The explanation that was given for the disappearing  funds was that the chicken were eating more fodder than usual. And just how much more did the birds eat? Eah wing flapping creature was eating about INR 5000 worth of fodder a day. That’s more than what an American eats in a day (ok maybe not). From 1997 to 2001, he has been in jail five times.  The case and many more like these are still pending in court.

Watching Lalu Prasad Yadav on Shah Rukh Khan’s rip off of “Are You smarter than a fifth grader” and going on to win INR 1 crore on the show, I looked at disbelief as the audience go wild, obviously amused and excited to see the guy show his antics. His answers drew numerous claps from the audience. Shah Rukh even went on to say there should be a “Lalu Encyclopedia”.

Lalu has been invited to speak of his revolutionary engineering of the financial turnaround of the Indian Railways at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. While the turnaround of the Indian Railways is admirable, truth of the matter is that at the heart of it, Lalu is a corrupt politician whose rule of Bihar has turned the state into a living hell. According to a study by Transparency International, Bihar has been rated as the most corrupt state in India. Corruption is a way of life in Bihar. The list of corrupt politicians would include Lalu himself, RJD MPs Mohd. Shahbuddin and Pappu Yadav, Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, union minister of state for water resources and Lalu’s MP brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav amongst others. Between them they have siphoned off thousands of crores of rupees. The crime condition in the state is beyond all control.

Extolling such a person by laughing at his jokes is nothing but a mockery of the entire democratic process.

In the US, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has been grilled by the FBI and the IRS for a bribery case and has been has been indicted for making false statements about receiving gifts, primarily from prominent businessmen. 

In India, irrespective of the cases against him, irrespective of the fact that he has been to jail on corruption charges on many an occasion, we invite him to game shows and IIMs. And India cheers on. What a shame.

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Political Morality and CPIM - Excuse me?

Funny, I always thought the words “politics” and “moralily” though not tangential, can definitely not be considered candidates for best buddies.

I gave a quick glance at all the sore-loser talk that the CPIM has given after losing the trust vote in the Indian parliament. Amongst expulsion of Somnath Chatterjee and criticism of the IAEA (I am not even sure they know what the abbreviation is for), something that stuck out was their statement made on “political morality”

A statement issued by the CPIM Polit Bureau:

While I definitely don’t extoll the election of these ruffians to power, hearing the CPIM talk about political morality and “goondaism” is nothing but amusing. For close to three decades the party has gone ahead with their “goondaism” in the state of West Bengal. I remember stories from my parents on how the CPIM used ingenious methods of rigging the elections in the state and practically beaten to death any voice of dissent. A very close family friend lost his ancestral home in the outskirts of Kolkata, to the CPIM whose workers made the place their “party office” while the family was vacationing in Delhi. Whatever they say, talk of goons getting to vote shouldn’t be one of the topics that come out of their mouth.

Sorry CPIM dudes, looks like you got beaten at your own game by bigger goons.

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The Aggressive Indian

There comes a time in all walks of life, in all situations, where people suddenly realise that the ways of the past, the ‘methods of our forefathers’, have to be retired. Perhaps it is the ever growing ‘western influence’ or the ‘changing cultural mindset’. Nonetheless, the time has now come for the Youth to show some action.

It should be kept in mind that brutal violence is not an option. It will only result in severe punishment such as jail time or separation from society. However, Controlled, calculated rigidity is what will reap results.

To illustrate which actions are useful and which useless, let us consider for example the case where a man shot his neighbour over a parking space in a ‘posh Delhi colony’. Instead of use of a gun, a number of alternate methods could have been put to use:

a) He could have gone on hunger strike.

b) Thrown away his keys, and refused to ever drive again.

c) Woven A LOT of cloth, and buried the car where it stood.

d) Convinced all his neighbours that they’re messengers from God, and stage an uprising.

e) Got women and children out of their homes to help him silently protest.

spectacular ways to make a big fool of himself.

In another case, consider the ’sealing drive’, when the Delhi Municipal Corporation went around closing shops in Delhi. Let us examine alternate ways shop owners could have acted:

1) Gone on hunger strike (which I think they did).

2) Weave a humungous sheet, and cover the mall… to pretend it was never really there.

3) Embark on a ‘Fancy Fashion’ March, and come up with a way to show that they don’t need lousy land from the government.

4) Get hold of the lock, cloth, and seal; seal everything, including their mouths- so as to confuse authorities about the main task at hand.

5) Boycott all the shops being sealed, to show that ‘we didn’t need them anywayyyy, ha!’

Wonderful ways to not achieve anything.

People need to see that Gandhian principles and Munnabhai methods no longer have any say in matters. The fault is not entirely of the means themselves, but because of the ever adapting aggressive society. Neither will banking on the other end of the spectrum- pick up a gun and let all hell loose achieve anything (though it may seem otherwise).

It is said that mimicking the behaviour of your opponent will lead any battle your way. Meeting aggression with aggression, passiveness with passiveness, etc. In the increasingly aggressive society today, the old notion does come back to being~ survival of the fittest.

Do you disagree with me? I’m six foot three, have learned tae-kwon-do, and have a whole lotta pent up frustration over my exams. Just thought I’d let you know.

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Will Lip Service save this country from terrorism?

11 July 2006, Mumbai blasts – over 200 killed, 700 injured.
13 May 2008, Jaipur blasts – 80 killed, 200 injured.
25 July 2008, Bangalore blasts – 2 dead, 25 injured
26 July 2008, Ahmedabad blasts – 45 dead and 160 injured


Ladies and Gentlemen, India has officially been under attack for the last two years. Terrorists have been attacking our major cities, blowing people up. Indians are dying, many more are crying over the loss of loved ones.

And what do our leaders do? Get into a debate over the Nuclear deal, rant about communist ideology, throw around crores of Rupees to buy out other politicians and finally bask in glory when the government wins the trust vote. While one eye looks at New Delhi and the other at the sensex, look what happens in the rest of the country.

According to Manmohan Singh’s speech during the trust vote on July 23rd:

Very commendable indeed Mr. Prime Minister. In less than a week after your big words, two serial blasts have rocked two cities. You have won the trust vote, but sadly have lost the trust of the nation.

Maybe we need more action and less lip service?

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The Blood sucker, Financial Ignorance.

Why wasn’t I taught about MONEY, how I should be spending it investing it or making any sense out of it. What annoys me is that I’ve been ignorant about it in school, my college life or even while I’ve been working for organizations. What kind of wisdom have I acquired on the salary that I’ve been earning and saving in my bank account? I am angry and frustrated; my education degree did not teach me how to manage my money. Ideally it is should have started from home, the primary source, my parents. But that hasn’t happened.

 All of a sudden the clock strikes noon, and it has come to my realisation, with my eyes swirling about and while getting lost into wonder asked my self a question. “Why do the rich get richer and why I am where I am?” I earn and spend and the cycle goes on. The attitude sucks overall in the society that I’ve been in, expenses mounting over. The difference between my best friend and I is that my parents asked me to find a good job to get into a good company while my friend was told by her parents to study well so that she could buy a company.

 A series of questions kept popping into my head, I kept answering them all, quick came the answers, all of which lead into sheer ignorance, Abra Kadabra and then next one popped up. Well have I spotted enough of opportunities to direct my monies or get into additional streams of income? I tire out working in the job that I am in and then there is my stinking attitude which comes out of the feeling of oppression, “I’ll never be rich”. The chains of bondage are here to squeeze me tighter until I can breathe no more.

 Next question,” What is my financial net worth?” Dishoom…Bang it hits…I am supposed to be a commerce graduate. I’m not aware, pops the answer.

 Next question,”What comes to mind, when I think of Finance?” Ahhhh…the monster, Income tax, and to be honest, I know scrap about it. The one thing I know about it is that it is sucking the blood out of me…I keep asking my self in regards to the same, “Is it necessary to pay tax at all? Darn it, some wise crack told me, Yeah it is.

 I need to get my money act right, is what I have decided. A choice is what I’ve had to make…Hmmm and I know the power of choice, it could now make or break, I.

 I dare to ask my self one last question “How many “I’s” are there in my treasured country?” hmmmm.

 I’m a commoner, here to spread light :) Sunshine.

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Take a walk on the wild side

Indians are not known for their risk-taking behavior. We are generally thought to be cautious, plodding and safe. But any foreigner (or Indian) has only to look to our streets to see the wild side of the true Indian.

In most other parts of the world, crossing a busy Indian street is considered a brave feat. And so it is. We dodge megaton buses and trucks, leap out of the way of speeding cars, smartly step around uncountable bikes and bicycles, and navigate our way through sundry animals (buffaloes, cows, goats, chickens, dogs, boars, etc…).

While it is a life-threatening exercise for pedestrians and bike riders, car owners have to be made of a different caliber, i.e., the alert marine. They have to constantly keep an eye out for darting children, animals and people, vehicles that suddenly cut across their path, vehicles that suddenly stop dead in front of them, vehicles that come out of invisible side streets, and pretty much any and all movement around them.

Perhaps the most courageous breed of us all is the bike rider. Formula one MotoGP riders could not compete with our fine fellows. A sidewalk? A puddle? A bus? These aren’t even obstacles worthy of their skills. They need at least a foot high road divider to consider it a challenge.

But the Indian is made of stern stuff. These things faze us not at all. Pedestrians don’t need to look both ways before crossing the street. They can easily outrun the vehicle bearing down on them at full speed. And if they don’t, then it’ll be the vehicle’s fault, not theirs. Drivers don’t need to slow down when someone is crossing the street. They can easily outrun the person or animal, they just need to step on the gas. In the mean time, why should that always important phone call go unanswered just because we’re driving a car or crossing the street?

Foreigners coming in from orderly city streets are at first bewildered. Other cities throughout the world are just as populated, and many have even more vehicles on the streets. They don’t know that they have rules, and we don’t. Apart from the recent crackdown on drunk drivers, our one and only law for cars is wearing a seatbelt on streets where going at the speed at which seatbelts are even required is but a fantasy. A license is only required because otherwise the police can charge more moolah. Our roads are so flexible that the right of way is on both sides of the street. Europeans, who occasionally struggle when required to switch between driving on the left-hand side and right-hand side, could learn a thing or two from us. As for traffic lights, they’re for wimps, which is why we don’t see many of them on our brave Indian streets. Stopping at the rare traffic light is just a waste of the extremely busy Indian’s time.

So, the next time you hear someone say that Indians are not aggressive enough or are too safe, please direct their attention to the daily heroic deeds that can be seen on any busy city street. They are truly unparalleled.

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Old Child labor in a New Bottle?

Such were the words of the reality show anchor, the show on which a 16 year old girl, Shinjini Sengupta was allegedly humiliated by the judges. The fear of failure and humiliation was something the girl could not take and went into a state of shock and subsequent paralysis.

Still in the same state as she was, doctors are desperately trying to figure out what is medically wrong with her. You know what’s wrong with her?

She made the mistake of being born into a family that without thinking of the consequences, shoved their child into what they thought was the path to “fame and fortune”. Oh they could see it all, their daughter a reality show winner, would probably go on to become an actress or a famous dancer.

She made the mistake of participating in a reality show, where participants are not made to go through a healthy competition, but rather humiliation has become a marketing gimmick, popularized by Simon Cowell of the American Idol fame and more recently by our own Anu Malik in the Indian Idol.

I remember as a kid, whenever I used to participate in a competition and if I lost, the lesson was: “You lost, but don’t worry, at least you tried”. The lesson has now changed o one of scrutiny and fierce judgement. One of the judges of the competition allegedly said:

Oh how noble. She’s a 16 year old kid for Christ’s sake. I suppose the days of mentoring are over and kids need to be rebuked on live TV for a better TRP (sic!)

And finally the mistake that Shinjini did was to be born in a society where our talents are considered to be merely skills that need to be cashed in. Not restricting themselves to adults, TV producers are now going after kids. In the highly unregulated entertainment industry that we have, does a minor have enough know-how to survive? Does she understand that the rebuke she got was not directed against her, but to invoke emotions of the millions of viewers watching, who would feel sorry for her and in some weird manner would be hooked to watching the show? Can’t we wait till a child turns 18 and starts understanding these things?

Is this not Old Child labor in New bottle?

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