In the land of a million mutinies, the middle class was always conspicuous by its absence.
In 64 years since Independence, we have often seen masses waving the flags of political parties with ardent devotion or transient, paid loyalty. When was the last time one saw thousands from the middle class waving the tri-colour with such fervour and heartfelt hope?
For decades now, the only connection that the middle class had with the Mahatma was through our currency notes. The same currency notes that were so difficult to come by a couple of decades back, now became the sign of unbridled corruption.
Growing guilt pangs:
The middle-class that was struggling to make ends meet and provide a better future for its children was soon making money faster than it could count. After a generation of single-minded capitalism, this section of the society could no longer ignore the growing guilt pangs. Guilt that is innate to a society that holds its morals dear. The guilt of a privileged life led in the midst of appalling poverty, decaying infrastructure, indifferent governance and monstrous corruption. This guilt was magnified by the realization that the middle-class had abrogated its responsibility when the country needed it most.
Loss of voice:
This middle-class and the entire nation was being held to ransom by the legislature, executive and the judiciary. What was intended to be the separation of powers between these 3 pillars became, in reality, the separation of the people from their powers. The middle-class was too fragmented and too self-absorbed that it ceased to be a vote bank. The top of the pyramid could take care of itself. The bottom of the pyramid was a vote bank that every politician had to pander to but not necessarily do good for. The middle-class had lost its voice.
Cornered:
A cornered middle-class watched in shock when their hard earned money was being sucked out by sky-rocketing prices, taxes that gave them nothing in return, having to fend for itself for essentials like roads, water, security and electricity. All this, while its public servants were making money and even eclipsing Brahmagupta in their passion for zeroes.
The middle-class effectively became the muddle-class.
Collective catharsis:
Technology and events moved so fast that no one saw this change coming. Internet and new media suddenly gave the middle class a voice that they had lost aeons ago. They were no longer talked at but could talk to the powers that be.
Corruption touched every single Indian irrespective of caste, creed, gender or geography. It touched a raw nerve and one could no longer tolerate the pain. Somewhere, this middle-class felt that they had co-created this frankenstein.The middle-class now found a cause close to its heart.
There were fleeting glimpses of icons of hope like Abdul Kalam but people like him were more often than not a part of the system and hence constrained by it. Out of nowhere emerged a man as uncontaminated as one could get and not fettered by the system. The middle-class wouldnt let go of this opportunity to align itself to Anna and was drawn to him like the magnet.
This middle class, led by the Mahatma's acolyte has now resurrected the Mahatma in a manner that no lip-service paying politician, NCERT text book or Munnabhai has been able to. The Mahatma is back in the nation's conscience!
Recent events in West Asia had a subliminal and catalystic effect on this section of the population. If millions could create a revolution in repressive regimes, why can't we?
The middle-class has finally erupted in collective catharsis.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Saturday, 8 May 2010
Facebook and privacy concerns
So, is Facebook to blame if we unabashedly share our thoughts, state of mind, pictures of our honeymoon, wild partying and everything else that earlier used to be accessible to just our close circle of friends? Fb is a god-send for social exhibitionists - people who want the world to know that they drank Ethiopian coffee at Starbucks or their newly found globe-trotter status. But what about those of us who like to lead a relatively mundane existence sharing our life's details with a select few?
This is where the issue becomes one of Facebook's notion of privacy versus yours. The raison d'etre of any venture is to make money. It would be naive of us to believe that we could get all these soc net goodies free for life. And definitely not when we visit websites and happily click that we "Like" the content. We leave a massive trail behind us on the internet that makes it far too tempting for soc net sites not to monetise.
An alternative for Facebook would have been to let you maintain your privacy by asking you to pay for it and becoming a "Premium member". But we users of the internet are notorious for our extreme dislike to pay for anything on the internet. This would have inspired a mass exodus from Facebook that would have crippled the website permanently. That leaves Facebook with little choice but to try various stunts and push the envelope till the law enforcing authorities wake up to rein it in.
So, what does one do if the soc net website constantly comes up with new and improved ideas to monetise your life by sharing your profile with all and sundry. And it does that surreptitiously by adding new settings that require you to be smarter than Vint Cerf to beat the system. And what should one do if it insists that the default privacy setting is "Everyone", rather than "Only Friends"?
The golden rule while putting up anything on a social networking site is to upload just those aspects of your life that you wouldnt be embarassed of 5 years down the line or in your next job interview or while catching up with your ex-spouse.
That is exercising user caution. Like all things in life, only what we choose to keep to ourselves remain private. Rest is for the world to consume.
This is where the issue becomes one of Facebook's notion of privacy versus yours. The raison d'etre of any venture is to make money. It would be naive of us to believe that we could get all these soc net goodies free for life. And definitely not when we visit websites and happily click that we "Like" the content. We leave a massive trail behind us on the internet that makes it far too tempting for soc net sites not to monetise.
An alternative for Facebook would have been to let you maintain your privacy by asking you to pay for it and becoming a "Premium member". But we users of the internet are notorious for our extreme dislike to pay for anything on the internet. This would have inspired a mass exodus from Facebook that would have crippled the website permanently. That leaves Facebook with little choice but to try various stunts and push the envelope till the law enforcing authorities wake up to rein it in.
So, what does one do if the soc net website constantly comes up with new and improved ideas to monetise your life by sharing your profile with all and sundry. And it does that surreptitiously by adding new settings that require you to be smarter than Vint Cerf to beat the system. And what should one do if it insists that the default privacy setting is "Everyone", rather than "Only Friends"?
The golden rule while putting up anything on a social networking site is to upload just those aspects of your life that you wouldnt be embarassed of 5 years down the line or in your next job interview or while catching up with your ex-spouse.
That is exercising user caution. Like all things in life, only what we choose to keep to ourselves remain private. Rest is for the world to consume.
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Aayirathil Oruvan: An essential reading
10 things you must know before watching Aayirathil Oruvan:
1. The best part of watching the movie was the popcorn.
2. Selvaraghavan is Kollywood’s answer to Ram Gopal Varma
3. Try to find out what Selvaraghavan was smoking when he made the movie.
4. Try and find out what I had inhaled to actually sit through the movie
5. After this, all Tamil movies will seem better than they actually are. Including Surya starrer “Aaru”
6. Do not ask the guy next to you to explain the movie. He will not know.
7. The last scene mentions “The Cholan journey continues”. There will be a sequel, starring Dhanush.
8. This movie was timed to take on Avatar on SFX
9. You might be tempted to see a link to the situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Resist crediting the director with more intelligence than he deserves.
10. Carry a strip of Saridon and donate generously to your fellow movie watchers. If you watch this movie in its 2nd week, there will be none. In fact this movie will not see its 2nd week.
11. You will appreciate Pratap Pothan's "thozhil dharmam"
These are the 10 things you must know. Or is it 11? No, must be 10. Sorry, my brain is addled.
1. The best part of watching the movie was the popcorn.
2. Selvaraghavan is Kollywood’s answer to Ram Gopal Varma
3. Try to find out what Selvaraghavan was smoking when he made the movie.
4. Try and find out what I had inhaled to actually sit through the movie
5. After this, all Tamil movies will seem better than they actually are. Including Surya starrer “Aaru”
6. Do not ask the guy next to you to explain the movie. He will not know.
7. The last scene mentions “The Cholan journey continues”. There will be a sequel, starring Dhanush.
8. This movie was timed to take on Avatar on SFX
9. You might be tempted to see a link to the situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Resist crediting the director with more intelligence than he deserves.
10. Carry a strip of Saridon and donate generously to your fellow movie watchers. If you watch this movie in its 2nd week, there will be none. In fact this movie will not see its 2nd week.
11. You will appreciate Pratap Pothan's "thozhil dharmam"
These are the 10 things you must know. Or is it 11? No, must be 10. Sorry, my brain is addled.
Thursday, 16 July 2009
From Yekaterinberg to Sharm-el-Sheikh
Yekaterinberg's claim to fame is being the place where Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family were assasinated at the Ipatiev Palace in 1918. Sharm-el-Sheikh is also called the City of Peace. This fishing village turned tourist resort has had the distinction of alternating between Egyptian and Israeli hands since 1957. One has a bloody past while the other is an oasis of peace despite troubled times.
Mr. Manmohan Singh visited both cites recently. His approach towards the Pakistanis has been strangely remniscent of the history of these places. In Yekaterinberg, Asif Ali Zardari had to take a blow on his nose and return to Pakistan with a bloodied nose, thanks to Singh's frontal attack in full presence of the media. At Sharm-el-Sheikh, one was struck by the new-found bonhomie between Singh and Pak PM Gilani. Not only was Singh unable to stop looking uncharacteristically gleeful, but seemed to go out of his way to make up for the perceived slight to Zardari.
Till a few weeks back, India insisted that unless Pakistan showed credible action against the 26/11 perpetrators, there would be no talks. Pakistan didnt care. They in fact had the nerve to let Hafiz Saeed walk out of court, a free man. And India went back to the dialogue table, meekly. Or is there more to this?
Manmohan's unabashed love for the US is no state secret. (Remember , "Mr. Bush, all of India loves you" ?) But he has also leveraged this to wrangle the Nuclear deal, against all odds. The Obama administration has not interfered in Kashmir. There are no special envoys for Kashmir. The administration rightly understands that Af-Pak is more critical and that India has enough maturity to handle its western borders. The US is also probably twisting Pakistan's ears to act on terror.
Recently, there have been other developments that might just help us join the dots. India has seemingly abjectly surrendered on the climate change discussions and has committed itself to emission cuts. India, suddenly has begun to act in synch with the developed nations. The last negotiating chip in India's hand is the NPT. France and UK have recently vocally supported India's ascent to the high table in the UNSC. Russia has always been a supporter. That leaves China and the US. And China will never support India's bid unless the other four act in unison.
China has been ultra-hawkish vis-a-vis India in the last few months. Tawang, mobilisation of its defence forces on the Indo-China border, arming the naxals and foul-mouthing India in its official mouthpiece have all happened quite quickly. The US' dependence on China has probably reached excruciating levels and its critical for the US to find a counter-balance to China in Asia. This is where India has come into the reckoning.
By agreeing to a dialogue and committing to emission cuts, India has avoided potential lecturing by Hillary Clinton when she is here on Jul 17th. Now Hillary will have to announce something significant when she is here. She will talk trade (especially nuclear trade) and on how thrilled the US is to see India and Pak talking. She could potentially announce that the US is exploring ways of making the UNSC more representative. The big announcement could come next winter when Obama visits India.
India looks quite silly today after what happened at Sharm-el-Sheikh. The optimist in me thinks that its just the opening gambit to gain some thing far more significant.
Mr. Manmohan Singh visited both cites recently. His approach towards the Pakistanis has been strangely remniscent of the history of these places. In Yekaterinberg, Asif Ali Zardari had to take a blow on his nose and return to Pakistan with a bloodied nose, thanks to Singh's frontal attack in full presence of the media. At Sharm-el-Sheikh, one was struck by the new-found bonhomie between Singh and Pak PM Gilani. Not only was Singh unable to stop looking uncharacteristically gleeful, but seemed to go out of his way to make up for the perceived slight to Zardari.
Till a few weeks back, India insisted that unless Pakistan showed credible action against the 26/11 perpetrators, there would be no talks. Pakistan didnt care. They in fact had the nerve to let Hafiz Saeed walk out of court, a free man. And India went back to the dialogue table, meekly. Or is there more to this?
Manmohan's unabashed love for the US is no state secret. (Remember , "Mr. Bush, all of India loves you" ?) But he has also leveraged this to wrangle the Nuclear deal, against all odds. The Obama administration has not interfered in Kashmir. There are no special envoys for Kashmir. The administration rightly understands that Af-Pak is more critical and that India has enough maturity to handle its western borders. The US is also probably twisting Pakistan's ears to act on terror.
Recently, there have been other developments that might just help us join the dots. India has seemingly abjectly surrendered on the climate change discussions and has committed itself to emission cuts. India, suddenly has begun to act in synch with the developed nations. The last negotiating chip in India's hand is the NPT. France and UK have recently vocally supported India's ascent to the high table in the UNSC. Russia has always been a supporter. That leaves China and the US. And China will never support India's bid unless the other four act in unison.
China has been ultra-hawkish vis-a-vis India in the last few months. Tawang, mobilisation of its defence forces on the Indo-China border, arming the naxals and foul-mouthing India in its official mouthpiece have all happened quite quickly. The US' dependence on China has probably reached excruciating levels and its critical for the US to find a counter-balance to China in Asia. This is where India has come into the reckoning.
By agreeing to a dialogue and committing to emission cuts, India has avoided potential lecturing by Hillary Clinton when she is here on Jul 17th. Now Hillary will have to announce something significant when she is here. She will talk trade (especially nuclear trade) and on how thrilled the US is to see India and Pak talking. She could potentially announce that the US is exploring ways of making the UNSC more representative. The big announcement could come next winter when Obama visits India.
India looks quite silly today after what happened at Sharm-el-Sheikh. The optimist in me thinks that its just the opening gambit to gain some thing far more significant.
Sunday, 5 July 2009
India 2009 Budget: a preview
Since everyone is on the "what will this year's budget be" bandwagon, i thought i should also join it or risk getting left out.
So, who will Pranabda try and please ? And who would end up displeased? The answers to these questions will have both political and fiscal underpinnings. The budget is as much a political statement as it is a fiscal one where the government tries to make 2 disparate ends meet.
Politically, this budget will be the Congress' thanksgiving to the rural voters who in turn seem to have thanked the Congress for the NREGA. Its time to take it to the next level and one can expect "marginal" additional support for the NREGA. But the implementation of NREGA is the prerogative of the individual States. Smart CMs like Nitish Kumar will continue to leverage it to their own benefit. In UP, which is the Congress' bug-bear, Mayawati will shy away from anything developmental and will not implement it in full. So, in either case, the Congress will not gain from non-Congress ruled states. Hence the "marginal" additional support, at least in Year 1 of UPA-II.
The 2 big areas where one can expect heavy investment (or at least promises) are Infrastructure and Education. Infrastructure is visible investment both in urban and rural areas. JNURRM will see increased funding. In conjunction with NREGS, the spends and job creation are localised and will put more money in rural hands. Infrastructure spending, if directed and managed well, can also put a lot of money back into the hands of the local MPs / MLAs. Afterall, a lot of hands will be greased by the contractors. Infrastructure spending, in its unique manner, is revenue generation for the political parties.
Education, on the other hand, is a potential game changer with long term impact. It operates at 2 levels - its a feel good sector for the Urban middle-class. For the urban middle-class, opening up of higher education to foreign universities is important. Its a psychological booster. No government spending required. In rural areas, this would require large scale funding for elementary education, linked to the expansion of Mid-day meal schemes. Again, the theme here would be rural spending to create visible changes and provide at least one good meal a day.
For the salaried classes in urban India, I wouldn't bet on tax slabs being reduced. The lowest slab could move from Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs 2,00,000. The interest benefit on housing loans could also move similarly. FBT might go. It has a low impact on tax inflows, but a disproportionate impact in putting more money in the consumers' wallets. There will be a minor reduction in the transaction charges for those dealing with the stock markets. The traders will not be ecstatic, but it will hold enough for the markets to go up by 350-400 points today and give the government pass marks. All these would be marginal moves, so that Pranabda can check the boxes.
Where would the funds come from? The likelyhood of bold disinvestment plans is high. The government can risk alienating sections of the middle-class in Year 1. They can always be mollified in Year 4 & 5 with Pay commission revisions. The government will also need to generate funds for budgetary largesse in the last 2 years. Apart from disinvestment, FDI inflow would be the second largest fund-raiser. Increased FDI in Retail can be expected in some form and shape. This is not just a FDI inflow lever but more organized retail implies better tax collections vis-a-vis the current retail sector and is highly inefficient tax collection. India will move towards creating a more efficient tax collection mechanism. The UID project will be a step in that direction, giving limited elbow room for tax evaders to continue with their misadventures.
So, overall, one cannot expect a big-bang budget as defined by top 5% of the population. What one can expect is to see a reasonably well balanced budget thats lives up to the Congress' pet theme of "inclusiveness". Its high time that happens. Budgets have been hijacked by the urban middle-class for a long time now.
So, who will Pranabda try and please ? And who would end up displeased? The answers to these questions will have both political and fiscal underpinnings. The budget is as much a political statement as it is a fiscal one where the government tries to make 2 disparate ends meet.
Politically, this budget will be the Congress' thanksgiving to the rural voters who in turn seem to have thanked the Congress for the NREGA. Its time to take it to the next level and one can expect "marginal" additional support for the NREGA. But the implementation of NREGA is the prerogative of the individual States. Smart CMs like Nitish Kumar will continue to leverage it to their own benefit. In UP, which is the Congress' bug-bear, Mayawati will shy away from anything developmental and will not implement it in full. So, in either case, the Congress will not gain from non-Congress ruled states. Hence the "marginal" additional support, at least in Year 1 of UPA-II.
The 2 big areas where one can expect heavy investment (or at least promises) are Infrastructure and Education. Infrastructure is visible investment both in urban and rural areas. JNURRM will see increased funding. In conjunction with NREGS, the spends and job creation are localised and will put more money in rural hands. Infrastructure spending, if directed and managed well, can also put a lot of money back into the hands of the local MPs / MLAs. Afterall, a lot of hands will be greased by the contractors. Infrastructure spending, in its unique manner, is revenue generation for the political parties.
Education, on the other hand, is a potential game changer with long term impact. It operates at 2 levels - its a feel good sector for the Urban middle-class. For the urban middle-class, opening up of higher education to foreign universities is important. Its a psychological booster. No government spending required. In rural areas, this would require large scale funding for elementary education, linked to the expansion of Mid-day meal schemes. Again, the theme here would be rural spending to create visible changes and provide at least one good meal a day.
For the salaried classes in urban India, I wouldn't bet on tax slabs being reduced. The lowest slab could move from Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs 2,00,000. The interest benefit on housing loans could also move similarly. FBT might go. It has a low impact on tax inflows, but a disproportionate impact in putting more money in the consumers' wallets. There will be a minor reduction in the transaction charges for those dealing with the stock markets. The traders will not be ecstatic, but it will hold enough for the markets to go up by 350-400 points today and give the government pass marks. All these would be marginal moves, so that Pranabda can check the boxes.
Where would the funds come from? The likelyhood of bold disinvestment plans is high. The government can risk alienating sections of the middle-class in Year 1. They can always be mollified in Year 4 & 5 with Pay commission revisions. The government will also need to generate funds for budgetary largesse in the last 2 years. Apart from disinvestment, FDI inflow would be the second largest fund-raiser. Increased FDI in Retail can be expected in some form and shape. This is not just a FDI inflow lever but more organized retail implies better tax collections vis-a-vis the current retail sector and is highly inefficient tax collection. India will move towards creating a more efficient tax collection mechanism. The UID project will be a step in that direction, giving limited elbow room for tax evaders to continue with their misadventures.
So, overall, one cannot expect a big-bang budget as defined by top 5% of the population. What one can expect is to see a reasonably well balanced budget thats lives up to the Congress' pet theme of "inclusiveness". Its high time that happens. Budgets have been hijacked by the urban middle-class for a long time now.
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Terrorist attacks in India: Pull up your socks Mr. Shivraj Patil
In the last 5 years, there have been 16 serious terrorist attacks that have killed more than 500 people. The Home Ministry, the investigative agencies and the State Police have failed to solve even one incident.
If ever there was any proof required that India lacked (a) a capable intelligence bereau, (b) political will to come to grips with the terrorist attacks launched with impunity and (c) an effective investigative arm, it came this weekend with the twin attacks in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. All that we have had in the 5 years have been pious statements condemning the dastardly acts by "cowards", appeals to the nation to maintain peace and communal harmony and the assertions that these are terrorist acts about which we have information which we cannot share.
Let me refresh your memory with some of the reactions from the PM Dr. Manmohan Singh , the Home Minister Mr. Shivraj Patil and his underlings. To make it simple, i have categorised the statements into 2 broad categories:
Statement A: "Terrorist attacks are a deep rooted conspiracy to drive a wedge between communities and we appeal to the public to maintain calm and communal harmony."
Statement B: "It is the handiwork of terrorists. We have an idea of who they are. (Or) We do not have any idea of who it is, but are investigating. We will extend all help to the State Government."
Starting with Statement A:
1. Mar 7th, 2006 : Varanasi, Sankat Mochan Temple - 28 Killed.
(Source : Indian Embassy, Washington DC)
The Union Home Minister, Shri Shivraj Patil has strongly condemned today’s bomb blasts in Varanasi in which innocent people were killed. He has described the incidents as an attempt by desperate elements to disturb communal harmony and peace.
2. Jul 11th, 2006: Mumbai Suburban trains – 200 Killed
Source: Rediff.com, Jul 12th 2006
PM Dr. Manmohan Singh - Urging people to remain calm, he said, "Do not be provoked by rumours. Do not let anyone divide us. Our strength lies in our unity. Let us stand together as one people, as one nation."
3. Sep 8th, 2006: Malegaon- 37 killed
Source: Indian Embassy, Washington DC
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who is rushing here tomorrow, said the "bigger design" of those behind the blasts in Malegaon of Maharashtra is to see that different sections of the society clash and create more turmoil.
4. May 18, 2007 : Hyderabad Mecca Masjid – 16 killed
Source: Hindustan Times, May 18th, 2007
Home minister Shivraj Patil cautioned people about the evil designs of the forces trying to foment communal trouble and emphasised the government's resolve to sternly deal with the perpetrators of such incidents.
5. Nov 23rd, 2007: Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad – 18 killed
Source: NDTV.com, Nov 23rd, 2007
The Home Ministry says it's a terrorist strike meant to disturb communal harmony. ''.....the motive could be to disturb communal harmony and to create fear and terror among the people. My appeal to the people of Uttar Pradesh is to remain united and defeat the motives of such terrorists,'' said Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister of State for Home.
6. May 13th, 2008 : Jaipur – 60 killed
Source: Rediff.com, May 14th, 2008
Patil appreciated the people of Rajasthan for showing restraint despite the provocation by the perpetrators of violence.
Source: Rediff.com, May 13th, 2008
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has strongly condemned the bomb blasts in Jaipur and appealed for calm
7. Jul 25th, 2008: Bangalore : 1 killed
Source: Indian Embassy, Washington DC, Jul 25th, 2008
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has condemned the Bangalore serial bomb blasts and urged people to remain calm and maintain communal harmony.
8. Jul 26th, 2008: Ahmedabad – 40 killed
Source: Indian Embassy, Washington DC, Jul 26th, 2008
Home Minister MR. SHivraj PAtil :A"nti-national elements have been trying to create panic among the people of our country. Today's blasts in Ahmedabad seem to be part of the same strategy. I condemn the blasts and appeal to people to maintain calm. I pray for speedy recovery of the injured. The Union Home Ministry is maintaining close touch with the Gujarat Government. I am confident that the culprits will soon be identified and brought to book"
You now get the drift, right? The least the Home Ministry and the Prime Minister could do is to show a bit of creativity rather than digging out the archives for responses to earlier terririst attacks and rehashing it. Do we not deserve at least that much respect?
Lets see Statement B now.
The Mumbai blasts:
Source: Rediff.com:Jul 12th, 2006
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the Mumbai blast sites and some hospitals, said that the Mumbai police is investigating Tuesday's attacks but have found no clues so far.
"We have lots of information on the incidents in Jammu and Kashmir [Images] and Mumbai blasts. In Mumbai's case, we have no clues so far. I spoke to the Maharashtra director general of police about the case. We have lots of information but we cannot share it," he said.
[Comment: This same comment has been repeated on TV in the aftermath of the blasts in Bangalore on Jul 25th. Mr Patil, when do you intend to share this precious information?]
Source: CNN.com : Jul 11th, 2006
Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the government had some advance knowledge that such an attack might take place. "What we didn't have was the place and the time," Patil said.
[Comment: Thank you Mr Patil. Even my apartment secutity guard can tell anyone that there would be a terrorist attack, with as much precision. And if this counts as "advance information" that the Home Ministry shares with the States, I would seriously recommend that the Ministry recruits the security guard I just mentioned.]
The Malegaon blasts:
Source : Indian Embassy, Washington DC
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil did not rule out the possibility of terrorist hand behind the blast. "Such incidents do not take place on their own. Someone triggers it. We all know who they are," he said in Delhi.
[Comment: Mr Patil, this is one of the most brilliant pieces of deduction that would put even the best investigative agency to shame. I developed goose pimples when i read this. I never knew that blasts do not take place on their own. On behalf of a billion fellow Indians, I thank you for telling us so. By the way, who are they, who trigger the blasts? We are still waiting to hear about it!]
The blasts at Lucknow & Varanasi:
Source: NDTV.com
''There were simultaneous blasts in three cities. This makes it clear these blasts are a result of a deep conspiracy. I can't say which organisation is behind the incident." said Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister of State for Home.
Hindustan Times, Nov 23rd, 2007
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, however, said in the Lok Sabha that no terrorist group had claimed responsibility for the attacks.
[Comment: This leaves me disappointed. Earlier the Home Ministry either had solid information that they didnt want to share. Or they had vague advance information sans time or location. Now its really turned from bad to worse. The Ministry cannot say who is behind these blasts. Last heard, Mr Patil is still waiting for some honest terror group to own up responsibility. Its a shame that these terror groups have started to shun publicity and are forcing the Home Ministry to work hard to resolve these cases. Sadists!]
The Jaipur blasts:
Source: Business Standard, May 14th, 2008
Sri Prakash Jaiswal, minister of state for home affairs, claimed that the Jaipur blasts appeared to be the handiwork of militants. He, however did not mention any organisation or suspected groups
[Comment: Mr Jaiswal's sharp intellect has gauged that these blasts are the handiwork of militants. Thankfully he disabused me of my mistaken notion that these were Diwali crackers going off randomly].
The Bangalore blasts:
ExpressIndia.com, Jul 25th,2008
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, while condemning the blasts, said, "such incidents will not deter the government from pursuing its policy of dealing with terrorists in an resolute manner
[Comment: Have i not heard this before?]
As a citizen of this country, I can assert that my fellow citizens have done their bit to maintain calm and restraint in spite of repeated provocations. Whether the PM or the Home Minister tell us to do so or not, we have the maturity not to let incidents like these drive a wedge betwen communities or react violently. My silent salute to the billion Indians. It is now time for the Government to ACT and translate their intent & words to action. Bring the culprits to book. Else they will have proved that the villains can carry on their work with least fear of being apprehended and punished.
A special word to PM Dr Manmohan Singh - Sir, I admire your determination and courage to stand by the nuclear deal against all odds and seeing the toughest part of the process through. I hope you demonstrate the same commitment and courage to end this scourge of terrorism.
If ever there was any proof required that India lacked (a) a capable intelligence bereau, (b) political will to come to grips with the terrorist attacks launched with impunity and (c) an effective investigative arm, it came this weekend with the twin attacks in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. All that we have had in the 5 years have been pious statements condemning the dastardly acts by "cowards", appeals to the nation to maintain peace and communal harmony and the assertions that these are terrorist acts about which we have information which we cannot share.
Let me refresh your memory with some of the reactions from the PM Dr. Manmohan Singh , the Home Minister Mr. Shivraj Patil and his underlings. To make it simple, i have categorised the statements into 2 broad categories:
Statement A: "Terrorist attacks are a deep rooted conspiracy to drive a wedge between communities and we appeal to the public to maintain calm and communal harmony."
Statement B: "It is the handiwork of terrorists. We have an idea of who they are. (Or) We do not have any idea of who it is, but are investigating. We will extend all help to the State Government."
Starting with Statement A:
1. Mar 7th, 2006 : Varanasi, Sankat Mochan Temple - 28 Killed.
(Source : Indian Embassy, Washington DC)
The Union Home Minister, Shri Shivraj Patil has strongly condemned today’s bomb blasts in Varanasi in which innocent people were killed. He has described the incidents as an attempt by desperate elements to disturb communal harmony and peace.
2. Jul 11th, 2006: Mumbai Suburban trains – 200 Killed
Source: Rediff.com, Jul 12th 2006
PM Dr. Manmohan Singh - Urging people to remain calm, he said, "Do not be provoked by rumours. Do not let anyone divide us. Our strength lies in our unity. Let us stand together as one people, as one nation."
3. Sep 8th, 2006: Malegaon- 37 killed
Source: Indian Embassy, Washington DC
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who is rushing here tomorrow, said the "bigger design" of those behind the blasts in Malegaon of Maharashtra is to see that different sections of the society clash and create more turmoil.
4. May 18, 2007 : Hyderabad Mecca Masjid – 16 killed
Source: Hindustan Times, May 18th, 2007
Home minister Shivraj Patil cautioned people about the evil designs of the forces trying to foment communal trouble and emphasised the government's resolve to sternly deal with the perpetrators of such incidents.
5. Nov 23rd, 2007: Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad – 18 killed
Source: NDTV.com, Nov 23rd, 2007
The Home Ministry says it's a terrorist strike meant to disturb communal harmony. ''.....the motive could be to disturb communal harmony and to create fear and terror among the people. My appeal to the people of Uttar Pradesh is to remain united and defeat the motives of such terrorists,'' said Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister of State for Home.
6. May 13th, 2008 : Jaipur – 60 killed
Source: Rediff.com, May 14th, 2008
Patil appreciated the people of Rajasthan for showing restraint despite the provocation by the perpetrators of violence.
Source: Rediff.com, May 13th, 2008
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has strongly condemned the bomb blasts in Jaipur and appealed for calm
7. Jul 25th, 2008: Bangalore : 1 killed
Source: Indian Embassy, Washington DC, Jul 25th, 2008
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has condemned the Bangalore serial bomb blasts and urged people to remain calm and maintain communal harmony.
8. Jul 26th, 2008: Ahmedabad – 40 killed
Source: Indian Embassy, Washington DC, Jul 26th, 2008
Home Minister MR. SHivraj PAtil :A"nti-national elements have been trying to create panic among the people of our country. Today's blasts in Ahmedabad seem to be part of the same strategy. I condemn the blasts and appeal to people to maintain calm. I pray for speedy recovery of the injured. The Union Home Ministry is maintaining close touch with the Gujarat Government. I am confident that the culprits will soon be identified and brought to book"
You now get the drift, right? The least the Home Ministry and the Prime Minister could do is to show a bit of creativity rather than digging out the archives for responses to earlier terririst attacks and rehashing it. Do we not deserve at least that much respect?
Lets see Statement B now.
The Mumbai blasts:
Source: Rediff.com:Jul 12th, 2006
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the Mumbai blast sites and some hospitals, said that the Mumbai police is investigating Tuesday's attacks but have found no clues so far.
"We have lots of information on the incidents in Jammu and Kashmir [Images] and Mumbai blasts. In Mumbai's case, we have no clues so far. I spoke to the Maharashtra director general of police about the case. We have lots of information but we cannot share it," he said.
[Comment: This same comment has been repeated on TV in the aftermath of the blasts in Bangalore on Jul 25th. Mr Patil, when do you intend to share this precious information?]
Source: CNN.com : Jul 11th, 2006
Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the government had some advance knowledge that such an attack might take place. "What we didn't have was the place and the time," Patil said.
[Comment: Thank you Mr Patil. Even my apartment secutity guard can tell anyone that there would be a terrorist attack, with as much precision. And if this counts as "advance information" that the Home Ministry shares with the States, I would seriously recommend that the Ministry recruits the security guard I just mentioned.]
The Malegaon blasts:
Source : Indian Embassy, Washington DC
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil did not rule out the possibility of terrorist hand behind the blast. "Such incidents do not take place on their own. Someone triggers it. We all know who they are," he said in Delhi.
[Comment: Mr Patil, this is one of the most brilliant pieces of deduction that would put even the best investigative agency to shame. I developed goose pimples when i read this. I never knew that blasts do not take place on their own. On behalf of a billion fellow Indians, I thank you for telling us so. By the way, who are they, who trigger the blasts? We are still waiting to hear about it!]
The blasts at Lucknow & Varanasi:
Source: NDTV.com
''There were simultaneous blasts in three cities. This makes it clear these blasts are a result of a deep conspiracy. I can't say which organisation is behind the incident." said Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister of State for Home.
Hindustan Times, Nov 23rd, 2007
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, however, said in the Lok Sabha that no terrorist group had claimed responsibility for the attacks.
[Comment: This leaves me disappointed. Earlier the Home Ministry either had solid information that they didnt want to share. Or they had vague advance information sans time or location. Now its really turned from bad to worse. The Ministry cannot say who is behind these blasts. Last heard, Mr Patil is still waiting for some honest terror group to own up responsibility. Its a shame that these terror groups have started to shun publicity and are forcing the Home Ministry to work hard to resolve these cases. Sadists!]
The Jaipur blasts:
Source: Business Standard, May 14th, 2008
Sri Prakash Jaiswal, minister of state for home affairs, claimed that the Jaipur blasts appeared to be the handiwork of militants. He, however did not mention any organisation or suspected groups
[Comment: Mr Jaiswal's sharp intellect has gauged that these blasts are the handiwork of militants. Thankfully he disabused me of my mistaken notion that these were Diwali crackers going off randomly].
The Bangalore blasts:
ExpressIndia.com, Jul 25th,2008
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, while condemning the blasts, said, "such incidents will not deter the government from pursuing its policy of dealing with terrorists in an resolute manner
[Comment: Have i not heard this before?]
As a citizen of this country, I can assert that my fellow citizens have done their bit to maintain calm and restraint in spite of repeated provocations. Whether the PM or the Home Minister tell us to do so or not, we have the maturity not to let incidents like these drive a wedge betwen communities or react violently. My silent salute to the billion Indians. It is now time for the Government to ACT and translate their intent & words to action. Bring the culprits to book. Else they will have proved that the villains can carry on their work with least fear of being apprehended and punished.
A special word to PM Dr Manmohan Singh - Sir, I admire your determination and courage to stand by the nuclear deal against all odds and seeing the toughest part of the process through. I hope you demonstrate the same commitment and courage to end this scourge of terrorism.
Saturday, 15 December 2007
Why Bangalore hates the IT culture
The last publication that i expected to come up with such a one-sided story on Bangalore's "IT Culture" was Outlook. I guess they figured that the cover pic of two smart looking women with cigarettes in hand and the word "IT " and "hate" would help them sell a few thousand copies more. Or did their marketing department figure out that they needed to reach out to "Males aged 45+ in Bangalore" to add a few hundreds more to their circulation in Bangalore? Or was it pandering to the invertibrae family in Karnataka's politics who could be expected to spout the same language in their political speeches to the impoverished rural cousins?
Since when did the government start expecting the private sector to build roads, maintain law and order andin general expect to provide basic infrastructure apart from obviously providing employment to a few hundred thousands and making profits? The very nature of the private sector is to generate profits. A few organisations fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in ways that they deem fit. It is fair that an organisation be judged not only by the profits that it generates but also by its contribution to society. Some perform better than the others in this weighted measure. The role of the private sector is to generate employment, create and share wealth, earn revenues, pay taxes and raise theoverall standard of living. The much reviled IT companies in Bangalore (or elsewhere) do all this and much more.
It is the responsibility of the government to provide basic infrastructure, facilitate the industry ( public sector or private) and provide good governance. Governments in the recent past have abdicated these basic responsibilities and this reflects in the abysmal quality of living in urban India. Since most of us do not experience living in rural India real-time, I am not even venturing into commenting on the quality of living there. As a citizen who pays taxes month on month, am I not entitled to motorable roads, getting from Point A to Point B with minimum of fuss? Am i not entitled to a decent public transport system instead of being at the mercy of auto-rickshaws? Am i not entitled to a steady supply of power rather than being treated to frequent power cuts? Am i not entitled to clean drinking water? Am i not entitled to being treated with respect when i visit Government offices? Am i not entitled to get my driver's license without waiting for a whole day in unsheltered RTOs? Am i not entitled to bus shelters, rather than being left at the mercy of nature? Wake up, my Government, wake up! Do your job and see how Corporate India responds.
Prominent denizens of the IT industry have attempted to participate in improvong civic conditions in Bangalore City. Remember the Nirmala Bangalore and its swank public toilets? Remember Janaagraha and the citizen's involvement in local municipality affairs and accounts? Remember one Mr. Narayana Moorthy's who participated in the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) project and how he was unceremoniously forced to resign? Interestingly the project is set to be completed on schedule (such a rarity!). But the Government has obviously been caught napping and did not expect the project to be completed without at least a year's delay like all other projects. So we now dont have roads to reach the airport! The icing on the cake is the plan to run a chopper service from the old airport to the new airport! This will probably create history of sorts. My government, do you similarly expect me to fly on a chopper from my home to office?
It is unfair on the majority of the population if the cost of living shoots up because a few thousands bring home dollars or earn in millions. Its good when you are a part of the party and not so great when you have to watch from outside. Visible disparities in income lead to uneven standards of living and can emotionally wreck the people outside the growth path and even lead to law and order problems ( as is evident by the rise of the mob culture). It is the equal responsibility of the employees of the IT industry to spend responsibly with due respect to those who are not as economically gifted as they are and the government that has to provide for the less priviliged.
This is also a clarion call for IT companies & its employees to fulfil their social responsibilities in a far more visible manner. Schools, maintenance of public spaces, start foundations like the Rockfeller foundation or the Bill Gates & Melinda Gates foundation, build museums & libraries. Our head is held high because of the IT industry. We will appreciate your work far more if we see visible and tangible proof of your CSR efforts.
Since when did the government start expecting the private sector to build roads, maintain law and order andin general expect to provide basic infrastructure apart from obviously providing employment to a few hundred thousands and making profits? The very nature of the private sector is to generate profits. A few organisations fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in ways that they deem fit. It is fair that an organisation be judged not only by the profits that it generates but also by its contribution to society. Some perform better than the others in this weighted measure. The role of the private sector is to generate employment, create and share wealth, earn revenues, pay taxes and raise theoverall standard of living. The much reviled IT companies in Bangalore (or elsewhere) do all this and much more.
It is the responsibility of the government to provide basic infrastructure, facilitate the industry ( public sector or private) and provide good governance. Governments in the recent past have abdicated these basic responsibilities and this reflects in the abysmal quality of living in urban India. Since most of us do not experience living in rural India real-time, I am not even venturing into commenting on the quality of living there. As a citizen who pays taxes month on month, am I not entitled to motorable roads, getting from Point A to Point B with minimum of fuss? Am i not entitled to a decent public transport system instead of being at the mercy of auto-rickshaws? Am i not entitled to a steady supply of power rather than being treated to frequent power cuts? Am i not entitled to clean drinking water? Am i not entitled to being treated with respect when i visit Government offices? Am i not entitled to get my driver's license without waiting for a whole day in unsheltered RTOs? Am i not entitled to bus shelters, rather than being left at the mercy of nature? Wake up, my Government, wake up! Do your job and see how Corporate India responds.
Prominent denizens of the IT industry have attempted to participate in improvong civic conditions in Bangalore City. Remember the Nirmala Bangalore and its swank public toilets? Remember Janaagraha and the citizen's involvement in local municipality affairs and accounts? Remember one Mr. Narayana Moorthy's who participated in the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) project and how he was unceremoniously forced to resign? Interestingly the project is set to be completed on schedule (such a rarity!). But the Government has obviously been caught napping and did not expect the project to be completed without at least a year's delay like all other projects. So we now dont have roads to reach the airport! The icing on the cake is the plan to run a chopper service from the old airport to the new airport! This will probably create history of sorts. My government, do you similarly expect me to fly on a chopper from my home to office?
It is unfair on the majority of the population if the cost of living shoots up because a few thousands bring home dollars or earn in millions. Its good when you are a part of the party and not so great when you have to watch from outside. Visible disparities in income lead to uneven standards of living and can emotionally wreck the people outside the growth path and even lead to law and order problems ( as is evident by the rise of the mob culture). It is the equal responsibility of the employees of the IT industry to spend responsibly with due respect to those who are not as economically gifted as they are and the government that has to provide for the less priviliged.
This is also a clarion call for IT companies & its employees to fulfil their social responsibilities in a far more visible manner. Schools, maintenance of public spaces, start foundations like the Rockfeller foundation or the Bill Gates & Melinda Gates foundation, build museums & libraries. Our head is held high because of the IT industry. We will appreciate your work far more if we see visible and tangible proof of your CSR efforts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)