Reservation for jobs. Reservation for education. Reservation for public service. All to ensure that our poor and downtrodden get to share the benefits of our growth. Contrary to what people may say, it is working. The results are for all to see. India is today one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The Indian elephant is a nimble machine stumbling along on all four legs. Two reserved and two normal ones.

Its beautiful. You go to a government office and its a picture of diversity. Everybody going about their jobs with the same resigned hopelessness. Colleges are no more the preserve of people who give up their childhoods to get through tough entrances. Thanks to the concerted efforts of our wonderful leaders, it is everywhere. The Parliament. IITs. Schools. Colleges. Bigg Boss. Ok, not the last one. Not yet at least.

It just sucks that Raja Ram Mohan Roy and BR Ambedkar are no more between us, or they could have done a chest-bump on seeing what we have managed to turn their vision into.

In this regard, the past week was a bit disappointing. We heard a few cases of irresponsible murmurs against this most wondrous policy.

In a decision that would surely benefit our Muslim brothers, the govt proposed a 4% quota for minorities within the current OBC quota. What was the result? Outrage by opposition parties who seem to have nothing better to do. Then they suggested that 50% of the members of the much debated Lokpal panel be reserved. More outrage.

The learned gentleman Sharad Yadav proposed raising the OBC reservation quota from 27% to 52%. This might have meant that there would be virtually no more positions left for people not covered by a reserved category, but a positive move nonetheless. Shot down again.

This is all so disappointing. How are we to take our country into the space age if we don’t reserve a bulk of available positions for lesser qualified, lesser capable candidates belonging to the right communities? I bet they don’t have any answer to that.

Very disheartening to see our political parties taking such matters of nation-building so irresponsibly by opposing sincere proposals meant for the betterment of our society.

Then there are the so-called political commentators who would say that our government is following a divide and rule policy by pitting different religions and communities against each other to fight for that elusive quota. The ones who say that the OBC certificate has today become more important than any other piece of paper. [They have obviously never bought tickets to a Metallica concert.]

Such comments are just uncalled for in a democratic setup. If the government offers UP Muslims a small quota in education and jobs ahead of assembly elections to mobilize the vote bank, how is that a problem? How else do you fight elections? Policy based debates? Haha. What are we, America?

Do such moves end up splitting up the country on the basis of religion? Nonsense. Why would petty politics played for a few votes affect national unity and integration? If they really want to do something, let them stop the Rediff messageboards. That will make half the north-south Indian hate go away in a jiffy.

India is, and will forever be, a nation of Unity in Diversity. No one can take that from us. Remember, we have a Sikh PM, a woman president, a former Muslim president, an Italian (unofficial) head of the nation, a bunch of old men reigning as super stars by Bollywood, even a Barbie as our top actress. The list is endless, but you get the drift.

We give everybody a chance.

Talent is overrated. Except in Bollywood, where only truly talented stars like Katrina can succeed. In lesser fields, with adequate opportunity, anyone can do well. Especially at trivial tasks like saving a dying man’s life, managing the country’s biggest development projects, constructing a public works project, running a state education department, or hurling microphones at opponents’ throats in one of our state legislatures.

Such mundane tasks are easy enough for anyone. Social welfare is the need of the hour. Let’s not get too hung up on competency. That can come later.

If anything we need more quotas. I have long held that reservation in the Indian cricket team is the only way to make them more consistent. Indian Idol winners. People run over by a speeding celebrity in the wee hours of a cold winter night. People who die of throat cancer every year. Recipients of JayPee groups SMSs campaign promoting the latest residential mini-city. Did someone say ‘the possibilities are endless’?

Let it all be equitable. Let the joy be spread around. Let’s make Gandhi proud.

Let’s show them we have no reservations on reservations.

Related posts:

1. VP Singh is Dead
2. How To Hire A Politician
3. Of Incompetence, Inability, and Incontinence

Having said that, i have been following some of the debates over the past many days, and have been left somewhat befuddled. It has been a widespread refrain of many of the intelligentsia who oppose Anna’s movement, calling it undemocratic, unnecessary, even an unconstitutional farce.

This happened during Anna’s first movement as well. I remember the cynical comments then, and had said at that time that we need a movement to get India rid of cynicism, before we can do anything about corruption. The cynicism turned to derision this time around, with taunts about Anna’s blackmail tactics.

Which makes me wonder what exactly is Democracy? What is Constitutional? How do you make your voice heard in a Democratic setup?

Abraham Lincoln once famously summarised it as “ Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for thepeople.” Let’s go with that.

Government of the people

Does the common Indian man identify with his voted representative anymore? Can he approach him to find out about the representative’s plans for his welfare? Do these representatives have to slug it out for basics everyday, ever? No.

Is it a government of the people if it isn’t coming out of the pool to which the common man belongs? The common man’s voice can no more enter the fancy bungalows inhabited by the people representing him in the seats of power.

Government for the people

Is the Indian government working for me? Can i hold it accountable for any of the scams that keep occurring with increasing regularity? Would it tell me why prices keep going up? Would it tell me why we let food grain rot while millions live in penury? Would it tell me why potbellied babus run sports federations like personal fiefdoms, while we continue to be an embarrassment in international events?

Government by the people?

Did we really elect this government? Did we ask for A Raja to be made telecom minister and create one of the biggest scams we have ever seen? Did we ask for Sharad Pawar to be made a union minister? Did we even vote for Manmohan Singh? Not quite. The current PM didnt even stand for election, but entered the Parliament via the Rajya Sabha and was made the head of state.

Our govt is not one we asked for. We vote for individual MPs, not for ministers. Certainly not for the PM. Was the current PM getting his post constitutional? Technically it was, you would say. But was it in keeping with the spirit of democracy? No?

So on all three counts from Abraham Lincoln’s criteria, our democracy would appear to be working only in name, but not in spirit. Farcical?

The pundits keep pointing to the power of the vote, and how it is the only instrument available to reform the country. But that’s not accurate. A vote should not be an event that happens once in five years and be forgotten till the next available chance. Even a DVD player comes with an exchange policy, then why not the government? In the absence of a continuous evaluation for our elected reps, what stops them from abusing their powers for 4.5 years, then come up with a few populist schemes in the last 6 months to get our vote again. The indian voter does have a short memory, as oft noted.

And then our elections seem to get settled by promised freebies such as mixer-grinders, rather than intelligent debates about policy and development. Where is the chance for reform if elections are settled by monetary muscle, often at the ultimate cost of the taxpayer?

To contribute to the mess, if a party gets an absolute majority it can be ruthless and get away with anything it wants. On the other hand, if it turns out to be a coalition such as the UPA, the ruling parties are tied by what are called the compulsions of coalition politics, and petty regional parties are able to blackmail the government for their benefit. Which evil do you choose?

Absolute power corrupts absolutely, as a wise man once said. Unless there is clear accountability and transparency of public officials, Democracy cannot work optimally. Which is where institutions such as the Lokpal can come in to play the role of that vital safeguard.

What is good for democracy is clearly not good for the ones abusing their powers. Obviously the government is scared.

If only the British had come up with the idea of thwarting the Indian freedom movement by declaring it unconstitutional and undemocratic, Prince William would have been OUR prince today. And Kate Middleton our bahu.

How a small mistake brings down a vast empire.

Related posts:

1. The Evolution of Democracy
2. Evolution of the Indian Democracy
3. Sonia Goes to Olympics

Here’s rounding up this weekend’s Raj Thackeray double bill. This time he is taking on the conspiracy of the vile gori dancers out there to take away the rozi roti of the struggling Bollywood extra.

Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a Mumbai nationalist street gang and political party which inspires terror throughout the city, has called on foreign white actresses to go home. [link]

You betcha! How dare they?

Raj is awesome. He seems to be the only leader in the country with a level head on his shoulders. After all, isn’t it time anyone gave a thought to welfare of the locals? We were all living happily, until one fine day some producer roped in some foreigner dancers for a song, and it just became a fad. What about all the struggling actors coming to Bombay (nee, Mumbai) via trains from far away states like UP and Bihar?

Justifiably, he has support from one of Bollywood’s top dancers.

Supported by one of Bollywood’s top dancers, Rakhi Sawant, who said: “Because of these foreigners, our Indian girls remain jobless. These white girls are like lollipops that only last for two days.”

Such pearls of wisdom from the woman who just had a joke of a swayamvar telecast on national television.

Leaders of the country awake. These foreigners are all going to take away all of our jobs. I personally know of WASP kids in Boston who go to sleep every night with a prayer on their lips to one day work in India, in all her grimy stinky messy glory.

India, the country those losers in the west dream of. May those dreams never come true.

Go Raj. You are our Savior.

Related posts:

1. The Great Indian Middle Finger
2. Indian Sports On The Up
3. A Middle Finger to Indian Hockey?

(This same Ram Kadam had been arrested by the police a month ago during the assembly elections for fighting with them. Serves us right for electing goons into our assemblies.)

Later, four of the 13 MNS MLAs including Kadam were suspended from the assembly for four years, a move that critics say should have been stricter in the form of an expulsion. Now essentially their constituencies are going to be unrepresented for four years. Even after the suspension these people remain unrepentant and look at themselves are heroes out to protect their Maratha motherland.

Now people are holding Raj Thackeray responsible for all the nationalistic chauvinism being propagated by his party. I get the feeling that Raj Thackeray is merely showing us a mirror.

Raj Thackeray is in a sense a projection of India’s worst case scenario. Of an India gone all wrong in narrow minded regional glory. Of an India divided by language, religion, region, caste, gender, and what have you.

Raj Thackeray is in a sense a projection of India’s worst case scenario.

Raj Thackeray isn’t the only one who thinks the way he does. Obviously he has support from the people, or he wouldn’t get their votes into the assembly. And therein lies the problem. He is merely giving form to a very dangerous form of nationalism. Already, there is the much talked about north south divide, where the people from the southern states aren’t particularly fond of north indians, and the north Indians reciprocate the feeling through typecast terms and expressions. madrasi, anyone? Message boards on news sites provide ample examples of this attitude.

Following the MNS incidents, go to any related news item and the comments sections are filled by Marathi-non Marathi jibes at each other. bhaiyya references abound. As do the counter examples of how NSG commandos from the north helped save Mumbai during the 26/11 drama. Examples  here, here, and here. The dislike for outsiders suddenly seems quite real. I have lived in Mumbai earlier and found it to be an amazing city, but I probably wouldn’t want to work in the current Mumbai.

What to speak of a rather disgusting  and very vile (and  very badly spelt. What’s with the haters always messing up the grammar?) piece of hate mail that i received following a recent piece on Raj Thackeray.

Deny as much as we wish to, the MNS movement seems to be gaining ground. Karan Johar. Jaya Bachchan. Hansal Mehta. Other lesser mortals before them who had to eat their words to gain favor with the Senapati are all cases in point.

The big problem is that this sort of nationalistic fervor may be good in the short term for these people’s jingoistic ambitions, but it will only break up the country. People from UP will pull out of Maharashtra, and find work elsewhere. MNS will ride on a public wave, win the next elections, and it will be Jai Maratha all over the place. Yesterday there was some sort of protest rally by the Samajwadi Party in Noida. I am pretty sure i heard slogans against Thackeray.  Jai Maratha is fine. But what about Jai Hind? Aren’t we supposed to be one nation? Can Maharashtra live in isolation? Can any state live in isolation?

Jai Maratha is fine. But what about Jai Hind?

This animosity would eventually spread to other states. Punjabis will start beating up people from Kerala. Tamils will beat up people from Orissa. And we complain about racist attacks in Australia? First let’s get our house in order.

Remember those reports about China proposing to split up India into numerous smaller states. Maybe they wont have to do anything there. We will take care of it ourselves.

Maybe THIS is the Chinese plan to split up India into little pieces.

Related posts:

1. Raj Thackeray
2. The Victoria Has Her Way
3. Bade Bhaiyya

The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh died in a helicopter crash this past week. Our heartfelt condolences to his family. It is a sad moment when life suddenly comes to such a tragic and untimely end.

Rest in Peace, Y S Rajashekhara Reddy.

As always, this event got converted into a huge national crisis, and the media went into overdrive with the frenzied zeal that has become synonymous with news coverage these days.

And then they took it up a notch.

At least 60 persons either committed suicide or died of shock after hearing the news of Chief Minister YSR Reddy’s death in a chopper crash.[link]

As much of a charismatic and visionary leader he may have been, it is hard to stomach the fact that grief stricken people are going around committing suicides because of his untimely demise.

We Indians sure are crazy, but this crazy? Somehow, in a state that has seen almost 3000 suicides in the past 5 years this claim rings hollow.

Sample these news reports from the time when YSR was alive and well.

Even as Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy admitted there had been 20 suicides by farmers in the state in the last 40 days, yet another case came to light on Saturday. [link] – 16 Aug 2009

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today admitted that 2,890 farmers committed suicide in the state since May 2004 when he took over reins for the first time.[link] – 10 June 2009

Why must we attempt to squeeze every ounce of marketing points out of even a tragic event like death? Why must death be made into a complete circus?

Is it a fair assumption that any deaths in the state following YSR’s are out of grief for the fallen leader, or is it just propoganda by overzealous party promoters?

Also read this piece by Sandeep, who points out that YSR may not quite be the god that he is being proclaimed to be.

(Image courtesy: indianexpress)

Related posts:

1. Who’s the Real Swine?
2. Kashmir (still) Burns
3. The Last Straw

“It is not a good reflection on the Indian legal system that we harass people while the world says we have no case”[link]

That’s pretty much a public apology from the great nation of India to a man who never was cleared of the corruption charges against him. Bend over Bow in subservience, India!

The thing is, the CBI hasn’t really done a great job with this case. Their attempts to get Quattrochi extradited to India were rejected in Malaysia and Argentina, with the judges noting that the CBI never presented its case properly.

Not saying anything, but this gives the impression that the CBI did a sham job at getting him extradited. Maybe someone didn’t want Quattrochi to come to India?

Let’s start with some history on the Bofors scandal, which remains till date one of the biggest scandals in Indian politics.

It all started when India decided to purchase 400 155mm Howitzers (fancy word for really-big-kickass-gun) from Swedish company Bofors AB for $1.4 billion in 1986.

In 1987 the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and several others were accused of receiving kickbacks for this deal.

Ottavio Quattrochi was a businessman close to the Gandhi family and a prominent man in the hallowed passages of Indian government. His name came up as the middleman in this deal.

The Bofors scandal was huge. Rajiv Gandhi lost the 1989 elections due to the backlash of these allegations.

Other accused included the Hinduja brothers and Win Chaddha, an agent of the Bofors company. (Hi! My name is win. I am here to win your contract!)

Chaddha died in 2001. Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, and was cleared of the corruption charges against him in 2004. In 2005, the charges against the Hinduja brothers were dismissed by the Delhi High court.

The Wikipedia page on Quattrochi throws up some interesting information about the amount of clout he used to enjoy.

From roughly 1980 to 1987 – Indira Gandhi’s final years and Rajiv Gandhi’s honeymoon years – Quattrocchi had the Midas touch. No deal was refused to him. “It was understood,” remembers a Congressman from the original Mrs G’s days, “that a fertiliser contract meant Snamprogetti. That was considered the favour to Sonia and Rajiv.” [link]

It is alleged Quattrocchi was so influential with the office of the prime minister — Rajiv Gandhi — that bureaucrats used to stand up when Quattrocchi visited them.[link]

In 2002 a Malaysian court refused extraditing Quattrochi to India, observing that the offenses alleged against him were open to doubt.

Dismissing India’s review petition for his extradition, Justice Augustine Paul of Kuala Lumpur High Court upheld the Sessions Court verdict earlier this month throwing out the extradition case on the ground that the descriptions of the offenses in the requisition papers were “insufficient, vague and ambiguous.” While discharging Quattrocchi unconditionally, the Sessions Court on December 2 had also ordered return of his passport and the bail. [link]

The CBI chief PC Sharma attributed the failure to the fact that they were in a foreign country and had to present the case through a foreign lawyer. Maybe they should start training multi-lingual Indian lawyers? Malaysian ones are apparently no good.

In December 2005 the Indian government de-froze Quattrochi’s bank accounts on grounds of insufficient evidence to link those accounts to the Bofors payoff. A month later the Supreme court directed the government to ensure that money was not withdrawn from those accounts. It was too late by then. Rs 21 crore ($4.6 mn) had already been withdrawn from the accounts.

Quattrochi was arrested in Argentina in February 2007. The CBI tried to get him extradited to India, but their plea was rejected by the Argentinian courts. The CBI had the option of appealing to a higher court, but  it failed to get a clearance from the center. We wonder why that would be.

The judge noted that the CBI did not even present proper legal documents for Quattrochi’s extradition, which led to their request getting rejected. Besides, the Indian government’s decision to de-freeze Quattrochi’s bank accounts did not really add credence to their request. Watch a video report here.

Over more than two decades the case has dragged on like an Energizer bunny, with no end in sight. For some involved parties the case ended with death, some were cleared of charges, but the scandal lives on.

Strangely enough, you can’t attribute it all to the Congress. The Congress may have had an interest in this case, but we have had some non-Congress governments  too during these past twenty years that have allowed this drama to carry on, culminating with Manmohan Singh’s government’s farewell gift to Mr Quattrochi.

Reminds us of that movie by the name of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. The last scene – where all the politicians (and media persons) get together to come up with a deal that gives them all a piece of the pie. The loser in the entire deal? The Common Man.

Our Prime Minister says that this case is an embarrassment to the government. We cant help wonder who the real embarrassment is.

Also see:

Blame it on Bofors
Bofors Scandal chronology – Feb 2007
Just who is Ottavio Quattrochi  – Jan 2006
PM Defends Quattrochi

(Image courtesy: indipepal.com)

Related posts:

1. The Quattrocchi Saga Winds Down
2. Questions for Mr Manmohan Singh
3. The Election Dance

The full interview on NDTV’s site is 25 minutes long, but an interesting watch. Priyanka comes across as a very smart and logical woman. She reiterates that she is never going to enter politics, and somehow we are reminded of her mother, the current head of Congress.

I know i am good (at politics). I am not a fool. But does that mean i want to be in politics? No.

She talks about her mother, her father, the Tamil movement, and of course her little brother Rahul.

The most memorable moment of the interview – Barkha asks Priyanka at the end if she can still read Hindi, and is quite amused with the affirmative answer! Her friends apparently ask Barkha why/how Priyanka Gandhi is so proficient at Hindi.

Go Barkha! You are the Best!

Related posts:

1. Rahul Gandhi is our Krishna
2. Gandhi – My Father
3. O Gandhi. Where Art Thou?

Here’s the possibilities:

1. Congress led UPA coalition
2. BJP led NDA coalition
3. The Third front

Now the sad part beauty of Indian politics is that we don’t even know for sure who is a part of which coalition.

Given the power hungry, opportunistic regional parties slugging it out for that elusive shot at being part of the government, we will see a lot of switched alliances, many convenient marriages, and a potful of the usual political opportunistic crap that keeps the blood pumping in Indian veins. It is fascinating to see sworn foes kiss and make up, and we will see a lot of that for sure.

Here’s a little attempt to track down who’s bitching grumbling against whom, and then eating their words with the shameless grace that only politicians are capable of.

Laloo Prasad Yadav’s JDU

Sonia Gandhi went on a rampage against Laloo Prasad Yadav after he parted ways with the UPA coalition.

“The less said the better about those dark days,” she said, blissfully skirting the fact that her party was part of the RJD government’s third term in the state.” [link]

Laloo Prasad has been attacking the Congress, in a bid to get more of the Muslim vote in Bihar. Congress seems to have severed all ties with him, and are now trying to woo Nitish Kumar to join their camp.

Janata Dal (U) leader Prabhunath Singh was to express his affection for Sonia Gandhi. The candidate from Maharajganj in Bihar says he does not like the face, voice and language of Sonia Gandhi. [link]

Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee allegedly claimed that Laloo’s chances of getting a cabinet berth were slim since he wasn’t a part of any coalition. He was soon to clear it up and said that it was his poor Hindi that led to a confusion. Apparently the Congress still wants Laloo in their camp. [link]

The ‘Left’ Parties

CPM ruled out supporting a Congress led government at the center.

“There is no question of our supporting a Congress-led government at the Centre,” CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said when asked to comment about indications that the Prime Minister was holding out an olive branch for them. [link]

West Bengal Chief Minister Budhadeb Bhattacharya on the other hand, did not eliminate the possibility of supporting the Congress, ostensibly to keep BJP away from power. The left sings multiple tunes.

Meanwhile, the Congress is willing to patch up with the left parties. The same left parties that pulled the rug from under the government’s feet over their opposition to the much needed nuclear deal with the US.

CPM chief Prakash Karat still insists that under no circumstances will the left form an alliance with the Congress. He was equally clear about the possibility of supporting a non Congress led coalition of secular parties. The left sings on.

Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee also ruled out the possibility of the Congress extending support to a third front government. [link]

Jayalalitha

Jayalalitha has declared that all she cares about is power. She indicated that she would be open to negotiations with whoever emerges as the front runner after the elections.

Thaali ka baingan, did you say?

Congress

Who is going to be the Congress PM nominee? The official stance is Manmohan Singh, though there’s lot of speculation that Rahul Gandhi might sneak in eventually.

The Prime Minister clarified saying that he is the one and only Congress nominee.

To a question whether he or Rahul Gandhi will be the prime minister if UPA came back to power, Singh said, “Well, you have heard the Congress President. You have heard Mr Rahul Gandhi. I think the answer is quite clear”. [link]

We will see about that.

BJP

BJP President Rajnath Singh categorically denied the possibility of any alliance with the BSP or SP, terming them as untouchables for his party. This is going to be very interesting, and we would be keenly following the relationship between the BJP and BSP in the post election melee for alliances.

Naveen Patnaik’s BJD

Naveen Patnaik recently broke his alliance with the BJP in Orissa. He has stated that there is no way his party is going to support either the BJP or Congress. Hmm.

Mayawati

The BSP supremo urges people to vote out BJP and Congress. “Vote out the Congress and the BJP for the betterment of your lives” [link]

We can’t wait to see which coalition she eventually becomes a part of. Obviously her party isn’t big enough to form a government on its own. It is divided verdicts such as what we are expecting that give regional leaders such as Mayawati and Jayalalitha so much power in determining who forms the government.

Despite all the official stands, it will not be surprising if we end up with, say,  a Third front government with Mayawati as Prime Minister, Prakash Karat as the Home Minister,  supported by the Congress from outside. Words don’t mean much in this business.

Eventually it is going to be a free for all once the results of the election are out. The various coalitions are just temporary – there are no values keeping them together. It’s all about opportunism.

Hold on, i’ll go sob in a corner and be right back.

Related posts:

1. Questions for Mr Manmohan Singh
2. Navin Chawla and the Great Indian Political Circus
3. What is Democracy?

He has a CV to die for. He has a clean record. He is cool and pleasant natured. He is respected by all.

It is April 2009, and the general elections are upon us. The Indian proletariat is going to the polls in one of the biggest logistical exercises of our times. Manmohan Singh is the Congress’ Prime Ministerial candidate.

But there’s some issues bothering us, and issues we would like addressed before we can decide who to vote for.

First is the fact that you are not even contesting the election.

You have never been elected to the Lok Sabha, and are currently a member of the Rajya Sabha. In 1999 you ran for South Delhi, but lost the election.

Yet you are the Prime Minister. And hoping for a second term.

Now here’s the thing – we the aam aadmi were told that we will go to the polling booth and vote for some people, and that will lead to the formation of a government. The leader of that government will be the Prime Minister of the country.

If you didn’t even come to us to get our vote, do you deserve to become the Prime Minister? The Constitution may allow a Rajya Sabha member to become PM, but that doesn’t mean that the leader of the (ostensibly) largest party shouldn’t even bother contesting the elections.

As citizens, do we at least deserve that little favor from you? Does public opinion mean anything in the world’s biggest democracy?

You say that you are not going to fight the elections because of your health. If you have health problems, then shouldn’t someone in better physical condition be given the responsibility of leading the country? God forbid. The pressures of being PM must be many.

Also, what’s going on with Advani? You are the leader of Congress, and he of BJP. These are the largest parties in India currently. Why would you refuse his offer of televised debates to ‘deny him the privilege of being the alternate PM‘ ? He is as much an alternate PM as you are. Doesn’t he deserve being acknowledged as such?

Terrorism has become the bane of our existence, and as expected it is one of the bigger issues in this election. You and the other Congress leaders have been attacking the BJP raising the unfortunate events from Kandahar. Makes us wonder what a Congress government might have done to save the 200 odd passengers on board that flight. After 11/26 we are not quite convinced that the Congress is any better equipped to handle terrorist events of such magnitude.

You have health problems. By your admission, you cannot match Advani in public speaking. You don’t want to contest the elections. It is widely claimed, and believed, that you are not even the true leader of the Congress.

Why then should you become Prime Minister of India?

Related posts:

1. Manmohan Singh Gets His I-Day Speech
2. VP Singh is Dead
3. Questions…

Often times these involved some sort of violence, a club or two, and a defeated man sprawled on the ground.

Gradually man become more sophisticated. He started this system of government known as Democracy where he would elect the leaders who would be responsible for the various policies that determined man’s life.

There would be a Judiciary. There would be a court and judges to whom he would go for resolution of disputes.

A great man once said – Democracy is government by the people, for the people.

History would erode the last few words of that definition. Democracy became government by the people, but not necessarily for them. Man being the eternal optimistic, kept his faith. He kept on voting year after hopeless year, in the belief that he was the one determining the direction of his life by electing his government.

Governments kept changing, but the common man became an inside joke.

We will just tell him that we are devoted to working for his benefit, and the silly guy will vote us to power. We will spin a web of deception. We will split up the society on the basis of caste and religion, and they will vote for us. If nothing else works, we will give money to these hungry wretched people. We will do whatever it takes to gain power.

Now as it happened, the government controlled the central investigating agency, commonly known as the Comical Bureau of Intelligence (CBI). The leaders kept doing their thing, and nothing would ever happen to them. They tore up the nation. They killed countless people in their quest for power. They were not bothered about the law. Nobody could touch them. They always had the CBI to give them a clean chit. After all, they ran the damn organization.

The common man waited patiently.
He voted hopefully.
He kept waiting.
He kept voting.
Things kept getting worse.
Eventually his patience ran out.

The water breached the dam. The camel’s back was broken. The last nail was driven into the coffin.

Common man finally lost hope. He gave up on the government. He gave up on his belief in justice.

And the Common man threw a shoe in the face of the Politician.

A big, smelly, unhappy, impatient, disillusioned shoe.

Related posts:

1. Evolution of the Indian Democracy
2. What is Democracy?
3. The Ticket to Fame