THe come-on-board Cong tally in Bihar polls stands at four. They have equalled the feat achieved by Antarrashtriya Janata Dal (ARJD) in Lok Sabha in 2009 which incidentally stands at four. The ARJD has repeatedly said that since the results came and stayed for long there is a big mystery behind the results and the decimation that followed. The punchline taken by Fodder Frontrunner repeatedly is: "How could this be the tally?" Essentially the ARJD was expecting the inevitable, given the not so visible turnout of their followers to the polling booths. The tally to be in single digit was the sum and substance of their expectations. Having notched up double two two (22) they are mystified and mesmerised by their large number of untraced followers. Twenty-two is no small feat given 3,5 or 6 as the tally they would have desired to be. Skyrocketing to 22 shows the depth of emotions and the assimilation of the Bihar Public with ARJD's Aspirational Agenda.
The Fodder Frontrunner thundered: "You can't write us off. The Bihar public is yet to break all links with us. We are yet to attain endangered status. To hail the double digit feat we have grand designs up our sleeves. In the first act the Bihar strongman-turned-showman along with Paswan and his two lost and traced brothers disappeared to an undisclosed location where a movie was being shot. THough the shooting had begun much before the polls had set in and the Nitish Nuggets had yet to be factored in, the immediate task before the annihilated tribe was to meet its deadline as no overcosts could be afforded. Before polls it was titled Lalu Ki Wapsi Se Purane Industry Ki Asha Jagi and now starring Lalu, Gowda and Paswan it was retitled Kidnapping Ke Side Effects where it would detail the mystery that defined the outcome and suggest innovative ways to give the Kidnapping Industry the life support it deserved. Perhaps a change of base to a State like Karnataka could be the beginning.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Letters before us: Most DEsirable, DEsirable and Least DEsirable by Puneet Rajhans
Letters before us: Most DEsirable, DEsirable and Least DEsirable
Last week a newspaper had this report on a letter received by judges hearing the 2G case. The letter stating that judges hearing the sensitive now and sensitive then 2G case have been managed leaves much to be desired. Apart from not putting his name and the place from where he has posted the letter, the letter-writing exercise doesn't come up to expected standards. In the elaborate days we live in, the elaborate sleep and meals we have, this piece of document dismissed as anonymous effort is not elaborate by any standards. It just states that A Raja has put in all efforts to put his case before the relations of judges hearing the 2G case. The letter tries to imply that speedy justice is the need of the hour and any contact whatsoever with the relatives who are in touch with A Raja would be detrimental.
How to deal with the antics of an unnamed player who has repeatedly refused to reform himself/herself to secure sound mental health need not be debated here. What essentially comes out is his view of seeking speedy justice is in fact a direct attempt to derail justice.
The options before judiciary in dealing with such matters are not much. Bunch of letters come to judges each day. They could begin by classifying letters in three categories: Most Desirable, Desirable and Least Desirable. Some are requests/applications from their juniors and peers that they need to put in a word for them as far as moving up the professional ladder is concerned. Some may be from old acquaintances and friends on the need to catch up. And some suggesting clear cut instructions to be followed as far as hearing of cases were concerned. The third lot being the least desirable,they would be in the best frame of mind if they skip them and take comfort in letters that seek association with old pals.
This habit of letter writing to judges has its roots from the letters written to editors and publishers since ages. These letters which never find mention in the letters to editors column try to enlighten the editors/publishers on their continuous nature of employees working in their offices to come home late at night and create ruckus when the Big Colony Gates have been closed. Or take a walk in the park beyond permissible limit and permissible hours with a dog over which no force on earth has control.
The letters are essentially requests to editors and employers to give such employees a break with pay so that they could disappear to far off places providing the much-needed reprieve to compatriots at work and neighbours at place of residence. To clear the air that could creep in from such form of suggestions, the letter sender would even suggest to work for that extra hours when the employee was given a break and if this isn't acceptable the colony residents would put their heart and soul in the NGOs supported by the company. This would be a durable arrangement with long-lasting desirable consequences.
Given the snooping times we live in and the phone conversations open to all forms of intrusion and debates again open to threats and destruction, the letter writing is the best way to pen your thoughts on who all you adore and abhor and even going as far as suggesting the way to break the impasse in Parliament and Parking lots. Both places seem to suggest a similarity in pattern with the same network of people creating mayhem with one seeking ticket for entry and exit and one ensuring the never ending run of ticker on the collaboration and coexistence the members seek by disrupting House. When Mulayam Singh staged a protest outside the House and in the Parliament building demanding JPC or a large opposition workforce walked to Rashtrapati Bhawan to talk to President, the parking lots in the vicinity were in the clear and present danger of being overtaken by these very forces. Probably a sit-in at a big unoccupied parking lot would be the next thing on their agenda to get the desirable eyeballs. And to save the parking lots from their intrusion and to save Parliament from undesired disruption, a spate of letters from aam janata would be handy. Neither intimidating nor invasion into someone's privacy this letter-writing exercise would clear the cobwebs that no debates and no phone conversations can break.
Last week a newspaper had this report on a letter received by judges hearing the 2G case. The letter stating that judges hearing the sensitive now and sensitive then 2G case have been managed leaves much to be desired. Apart from not putting his name and the place from where he has posted the letter, the letter-writing exercise doesn't come up to expected standards. In the elaborate days we live in, the elaborate sleep and meals we have, this piece of document dismissed as anonymous effort is not elaborate by any standards. It just states that A Raja has put in all efforts to put his case before the relations of judges hearing the 2G case. The letter tries to imply that speedy justice is the need of the hour and any contact whatsoever with the relatives who are in touch with A Raja would be detrimental.
How to deal with the antics of an unnamed player who has repeatedly refused to reform himself/herself to secure sound mental health need not be debated here. What essentially comes out is his view of seeking speedy justice is in fact a direct attempt to derail justice.
The options before judiciary in dealing with such matters are not much. Bunch of letters come to judges each day. They could begin by classifying letters in three categories: Most Desirable, Desirable and Least Desirable. Some are requests/applications from their juniors and peers that they need to put in a word for them as far as moving up the professional ladder is concerned. Some may be from old acquaintances and friends on the need to catch up. And some suggesting clear cut instructions to be followed as far as hearing of cases were concerned. The third lot being the least desirable,they would be in the best frame of mind if they skip them and take comfort in letters that seek association with old pals.
This habit of letter writing to judges has its roots from the letters written to editors and publishers since ages. These letters which never find mention in the letters to editors column try to enlighten the editors/publishers on their continuous nature of employees working in their offices to come home late at night and create ruckus when the Big Colony Gates have been closed. Or take a walk in the park beyond permissible limit and permissible hours with a dog over which no force on earth has control.
The letters are essentially requests to editors and employers to give such employees a break with pay so that they could disappear to far off places providing the much-needed reprieve to compatriots at work and neighbours at place of residence. To clear the air that could creep in from such form of suggestions, the letter sender would even suggest to work for that extra hours when the employee was given a break and if this isn't acceptable the colony residents would put their heart and soul in the NGOs supported by the company. This would be a durable arrangement with long-lasting desirable consequences.
Given the snooping times we live in and the phone conversations open to all forms of intrusion and debates again open to threats and destruction, the letter writing is the best way to pen your thoughts on who all you adore and abhor and even going as far as suggesting the way to break the impasse in Parliament and Parking lots. Both places seem to suggest a similarity in pattern with the same network of people creating mayhem with one seeking ticket for entry and exit and one ensuring the never ending run of ticker on the collaboration and coexistence the members seek by disrupting House. When Mulayam Singh staged a protest outside the House and in the Parliament building demanding JPC or a large opposition workforce walked to Rashtrapati Bhawan to talk to President, the parking lots in the vicinity were in the clear and present danger of being overtaken by these very forces. Probably a sit-in at a big unoccupied parking lot would be the next thing on their agenda to get the desirable eyeballs. And to save the parking lots from their intrusion and to save Parliament from undesired disruption, a spate of letters from aam janata would be handy. Neither intimidating nor invasion into someone's privacy this letter-writing exercise would clear the cobwebs that no debates and no phone conversations can break.
The Rabri-Radia Tapes Part 1 by Puneet Rajhans
The Rabri-Radia Tapes Part 1
Tapping the unimaginable potential the Indian polity offered, one Rabri and other Radia rose in the corridors of power in close proximity to each other and had their dramatic exit coincidentally at the same time. The much awaited Rabri-Radia tapes are not out in the public domain. What is out is the full text of the conversation between Radia at one end and Uchi Udan Ka Fakir and Bak Bak Bakra at the other. Though she has attempted to open up to a large number of other speakers (the list grows wider as dates of this Parliament session coming to an end approaches) but the prominent one is the tête-à-tête with one Fakir and other Bakra. What they are exchanging are the greetings they exchanged with others and the response these greetings generated.
A quick fix solution to the dilemmas they face in their less probed life and a man reverentially adored as Aaj Ka Raja about whom they were extremely confident that he could size up to the big responsibility that lay ahead in the telecom minefield. Well the tone of the conversation do convey the actors other than this Raja to be no less than Kings and Queens for their audacity to determine the strength of PM's Cabinet and who all would make the cut. THe Aaj Ka Raja was the man they were absolutely sure to be the best cure for the fledgling ailing Telecom Ministry by the more than available record to keep his Ministry clean and tidy by offering first come first seize opportunity rather than going through the cumbersome process of tendering and bickering. As the conversations suggest the all important office of Lobbyist Out To Litter that Radia presides over, the journos have been told to dispel the myth that they are mere column writers and debate moderators. There is this Radia prodding the journos to come out of their shell and show their expertise that they silently and swiftly developed to be appropriately applied in the corridors of power. THe expertise to secure one's comeback and ensure the exit of others.
When this Radia came out after long questioning by ED, she looked as fresh as in the morning given the rounds of questioning that she had been subjected to ever since she declared her fascination for the role of a Lobbyist. Image in tatters was the least she cared for as she was bent on raising the image of the Houses she represented including the one occupied by her and extended members. Calling out the likes of Fakir and Bakra to step beyond their line of duty and they knowingly doing it in exchange for what that is yet to be established, the image of the duo lies in tatters but not tottering enough for their employers to take note of.
As this Radia had been divested of all portfolios, the first to be divested was A Raja followed by B Chavan and C Rosaiah, her complete interest lay in seeing the duo journos to be divested of their overburdened responsibility. But since that was not happening she issued a one line statement. "Mind you these journos would continue with column writing and debate hosting but this exercise would lack punch and strong conviction of the past."
Some days later post questioning and press briefing, Radia reached out to Rabri and spoke her heart. This round of conversation between this Radia and that Rabri was again tapped indicating the strong bond the two shared. Both spoke in chaste Hindi on how from nowhere they were pole vaulted to be in the thick of business and political action and agitation. The number of times they had sacrificed their personal commitments to work for their fodder and fanatically raised bosses who had set fantastic goals for themselves. So has been the dramatic fall one triggered by poll surveys and other triggered by in-house surveys on her probability to exist when the conversation was out in the open.
The tapped conversation had its high point with Radia blaming the Bibani and Bata for trying to play big resulting in her downfall and Rabri out and out blaming Bihar neglected Lalu for her sudden ascent and dramatic descent. The two agreed to meet again and exchange notes. But the dilemma of the Home Ministry was far from over. It still had to figure out the codes Rabri and Radia had exchanged during conversation that went beyond agreed time. And they called for officials from Bhalu and Bata headquarters to break the codes lest this conversation too finds mention in the public domain.
As for the journo duo they were apprehensive that repeated attempts were being made to get new shows and columns on board titled "We the slaves" "The bullet is fired from here" and "Counter Attack". The duo squarely blamed "The Last Sword" and "Neat Advocate" shows for their attempt to bring on board One Ram and One Arun and their expressed intent to clear the mess. The mess they saw it coming given the failing nature of the duo who had been engaging in these acts of overdue commitment for ages and it was now only that light could be shed on their expertise.
As for the aam janata, the feeling was the blame should be on those who employed them. More precisely the HR department which never gave them the brief to strictly stick to their job and take monthly incentives rather turning themselves to become message carrier boys and girls. This act of carrying messages could not be condoned howsoever important the recipient was. For the Moment, Dill Walo Ki Dilli had given them reprieve but for how long it would last would be difficult to spell out given the intransigent nature of their occupations and their untamed nature to stray and sing. They would again stray was the consensus.
Tapping the unimaginable potential the Indian polity offered, one Rabri and other Radia rose in the corridors of power in close proximity to each other and had their dramatic exit coincidentally at the same time. The much awaited Rabri-Radia tapes are not out in the public domain. What is out is the full text of the conversation between Radia at one end and Uchi Udan Ka Fakir and Bak Bak Bakra at the other. Though she has attempted to open up to a large number of other speakers (the list grows wider as dates of this Parliament session coming to an end approaches) but the prominent one is the tête-à-tête with one Fakir and other Bakra. What they are exchanging are the greetings they exchanged with others and the response these greetings generated.
A quick fix solution to the dilemmas they face in their less probed life and a man reverentially adored as Aaj Ka Raja about whom they were extremely confident that he could size up to the big responsibility that lay ahead in the telecom minefield. Well the tone of the conversation do convey the actors other than this Raja to be no less than Kings and Queens for their audacity to determine the strength of PM's Cabinet and who all would make the cut. THe Aaj Ka Raja was the man they were absolutely sure to be the best cure for the fledgling ailing Telecom Ministry by the more than available record to keep his Ministry clean and tidy by offering first come first seize opportunity rather than going through the cumbersome process of tendering and bickering. As the conversations suggest the all important office of Lobbyist Out To Litter that Radia presides over, the journos have been told to dispel the myth that they are mere column writers and debate moderators. There is this Radia prodding the journos to come out of their shell and show their expertise that they silently and swiftly developed to be appropriately applied in the corridors of power. THe expertise to secure one's comeback and ensure the exit of others.
When this Radia came out after long questioning by ED, she looked as fresh as in the morning given the rounds of questioning that she had been subjected to ever since she declared her fascination for the role of a Lobbyist. Image in tatters was the least she cared for as she was bent on raising the image of the Houses she represented including the one occupied by her and extended members. Calling out the likes of Fakir and Bakra to step beyond their line of duty and they knowingly doing it in exchange for what that is yet to be established, the image of the duo lies in tatters but not tottering enough for their employers to take note of.
As this Radia had been divested of all portfolios, the first to be divested was A Raja followed by B Chavan and C Rosaiah, her complete interest lay in seeing the duo journos to be divested of their overburdened responsibility. But since that was not happening she issued a one line statement. "Mind you these journos would continue with column writing and debate hosting but this exercise would lack punch and strong conviction of the past."
Some days later post questioning and press briefing, Radia reached out to Rabri and spoke her heart. This round of conversation between this Radia and that Rabri was again tapped indicating the strong bond the two shared. Both spoke in chaste Hindi on how from nowhere they were pole vaulted to be in the thick of business and political action and agitation. The number of times they had sacrificed their personal commitments to work for their fodder and fanatically raised bosses who had set fantastic goals for themselves. So has been the dramatic fall one triggered by poll surveys and other triggered by in-house surveys on her probability to exist when the conversation was out in the open.
The tapped conversation had its high point with Radia blaming the Bibani and Bata for trying to play big resulting in her downfall and Rabri out and out blaming Bihar neglected Lalu for her sudden ascent and dramatic descent. The two agreed to meet again and exchange notes. But the dilemma of the Home Ministry was far from over. It still had to figure out the codes Rabri and Radia had exchanged during conversation that went beyond agreed time. And they called for officials from Bhalu and Bata headquarters to break the codes lest this conversation too finds mention in the public domain.
As for the journo duo they were apprehensive that repeated attempts were being made to get new shows and columns on board titled "We the slaves" "The bullet is fired from here" and "Counter Attack". The duo squarely blamed "The Last Sword" and "Neat Advocate" shows for their attempt to bring on board One Ram and One Arun and their expressed intent to clear the mess. The mess they saw it coming given the failing nature of the duo who had been engaging in these acts of overdue commitment for ages and it was now only that light could be shed on their expertise.
As for the aam janata, the feeling was the blame should be on those who employed them. More precisely the HR department which never gave them the brief to strictly stick to their job and take monthly incentives rather turning themselves to become message carrier boys and girls. This act of carrying messages could not be condoned howsoever important the recipient was. For the Moment, Dill Walo Ki Dilli had given them reprieve but for how long it would last would be difficult to spell out given the intransigent nature of their occupations and their untamed nature to stray and sing. They would again stray was the consensus.
Andhra: Resignation was long overdue
Andhra: Resignation was long overdue
The Jagan's resignation was long overdue. It should have come much earlier. By parting ways, the Cong unit in the state gets the much-needed breather and the govt the sharpest mandate to govern which even the Assembly polls had not not delivered.
The Jagan's tirade against the Cong that it is trying to split the family of which he is the sole spokesman isn't entirely true. It is not an attempt to split Jagan and his followers. THey have been marking their presence on his yatras across the state. And this yatra has had the sole mandate of splitting the party down middle. The letter he writes to Cong chief on the humiliation he has suffered for the past 14 months doesn't clearly state the pain and suffering he has inflicted on the likes of Rosaiah and others when they were at the helm. The attempt by the party to have a change of guard and bring new faces to the cabinet is to stem the tide and set in motion the process of governance. It is an attempt to bring governance back on track, fractured by Jagan's so-called public yatras when there was no need for the same and the tirade the TV channel Sakshi had launched against the party high command.
In fact the process of revolt he had set in first through Sakshi paper followed by yatra and logically taking it to the TV channel that owes its allegiance to him and his shrinking band of supporters. At least for now, the State Government can focus on areas on which it got the new mandate at last freed from the captivity of Jagan and Jagan Ki Na Jagi Janata.
The Jagan's resignation was long overdue. It should have come much earlier. By parting ways, the Cong unit in the state gets the much-needed breather and the govt the sharpest mandate to govern which even the Assembly polls had not not delivered.
The Jagan's tirade against the Cong that it is trying to split the family of which he is the sole spokesman isn't entirely true. It is not an attempt to split Jagan and his followers. THey have been marking their presence on his yatras across the state. And this yatra has had the sole mandate of splitting the party down middle. The letter he writes to Cong chief on the humiliation he has suffered for the past 14 months doesn't clearly state the pain and suffering he has inflicted on the likes of Rosaiah and others when they were at the helm. The attempt by the party to have a change of guard and bring new faces to the cabinet is to stem the tide and set in motion the process of governance. It is an attempt to bring governance back on track, fractured by Jagan's so-called public yatras when there was no need for the same and the tirade the TV channel Sakshi had launched against the party high command.
In fact the process of revolt he had set in first through Sakshi paper followed by yatra and logically taking it to the TV channel that owes its allegiance to him and his shrinking band of supporters. At least for now, the State Government can focus on areas on which it got the new mandate at last freed from the captivity of Jagan and Jagan Ki Na Jagi Janata.
Clear and present danger
Clear and present danger
There is a clear and more than crystal clear attempt to get the 5000-odd recordings relating to Radia and conversations of others buried under the mammoth weight of Wikileaks attempt to publish 251287 leaked US embassy cables.
THe new revelations from Wikileaks which it says is the largest to date to come out in the public domain is a fresh attempt to push Radia tapes to history. The focus is bound to shift and so are the revelations coming from Radia bound to disappear. Wikileaks showed appropriate concern over unforeseen cyber attack as it was about to publish the confidential communication which would no longer remain confidential if it succeeded in publishing them. The exercise is supposedly to last for a week. So for a week in the face of Wikileaks reports the Radia controversy and the mayhem resulting from it and other extraneous factors in Parliament would take a backseat. That is the belief of those whose fates are tied in the tapes and the testimony they gave to the authorities.
For others the mammoth reports from Wikileaks do pose a clear and present danger but not of the quantum where one Radia could be forgotten for her tete-a-tete with other self declared seer and saint. Times of saint and sinner are over. The time has come to act and act from scratch to reach pinnacle of purity. That is the sense that one got from One Manu One Ram and One Arun appearing on shows "The Last Sword" and "Neat Advocate".
There is a clear and more than crystal clear attempt to get the 5000-odd recordings relating to Radia and conversations of others buried under the mammoth weight of Wikileaks attempt to publish 251287 leaked US embassy cables.
THe new revelations from Wikileaks which it says is the largest to date to come out in the public domain is a fresh attempt to push Radia tapes to history. The focus is bound to shift and so are the revelations coming from Radia bound to disappear. Wikileaks showed appropriate concern over unforeseen cyber attack as it was about to publish the confidential communication which would no longer remain confidential if it succeeded in publishing them. The exercise is supposedly to last for a week. So for a week in the face of Wikileaks reports the Radia controversy and the mayhem resulting from it and other extraneous factors in Parliament would take a backseat. That is the belief of those whose fates are tied in the tapes and the testimony they gave to the authorities.
For others the mammoth reports from Wikileaks do pose a clear and present danger but not of the quantum where one Radia could be forgotten for her tete-a-tete with other self declared seer and saint. Times of saint and sinner are over. The time has come to act and act from scratch to reach pinnacle of purity. That is the sense that one got from One Manu One Ram and One Arun appearing on shows "The Last Sword" and "Neat Advocate".
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Garlanding the leader
Garlanding the leader
As B S Yeddyurappa reached the Bangalore HAL airport, there were band of supporters to greet him. Those who garlanded him after he refused to stay in the aircraft beyond permissible hours were those whom he had groomed and they eventually leading to gunning for him. Post gargantuan scale garlanding he moved forward to notice Kumaraswamy loitering around with a garland in his hand. Having been again garlanded, Yeddy wanted to hear K'swamy's side of the story filled with pain and fever.
Kumar to Yeddy: " After releasing these set of documents detailing the land you grabbed and land you handed back, the party high command failed to release you from its stable?"
Yeddy to Kumar: " The set of documents that i released to the high command highlighting the acts of transgressions by Gowda and company overshot the nature. mandate and scale of documents released by you to the media. For every land transaction engaged in and withdrawn by me, there were multiple land transaction from your side. There were not only land transactions by you and your family members; it percolated right down to the assistants in office, sanitary workers, chowkidaars and peon. It was entirely a family affair of Gowda and Company while mine was a one man show."
As the party high command is convinced and given him the opportunity to sail and reclaim the political land given to the opponents, Yeddy took this opportunity to tell K'swamy that his government would be releasing a series of ads in print highlighting the deeds and dangers that came from Gowdas. Hearing this K'swamy left the airport even before Yeddy could disappear without taking away the garland he had thrust on Yeddy.
Reaching office, Yeddy asked for all files relating to land transaction dating to the period when the first elected government took office in the State. The enquiry has to be comprehensive, with no biases towards none. As he retired for the day with the belief that the next time he is asked to put in his papers, the paper of support on land transactions that he would bring on table would be so huge that no force on earth would be able to handle the weight and ever make an attempt to comprehend it.
The next day Yeddy reached office only to be told that K'swamy has decided to take a rath yatra around the state. Yeddy spoke to K'swamy on his imminent rath yatra and his imminent fall suggesting that he should cover each and every district of the state and this process of his enlightening the public should take at least two-and-a- half year. By that time i would have kept my promise to the party high command of completing the tenure and urging the state public for giving me another five years to ensure the neat passage of opposition to history.
Post tete-a-tete with Yeddy another dilemma confronted K'swamy on the need for taking a yatra when Yeddy has no immediate plans of vacating the chair for him. He tried to get in touch with Gowda. But Gowda was busy elsewhere. The series of ads in print highlighting the deeds of Gowda and his son had left him speechless. To counter this attack, he tried to get in touch with a lobbyist. The ransom amount demanded by the lobbyist made him give a rethink to engage some other lobbyist or a journo; some who don't charge huge down payment, preferably monthly installments is the route to their lives and heart. And also the success mantra for staying afloat.
As B S Yeddyurappa reached the Bangalore HAL airport, there were band of supporters to greet him. Those who garlanded him after he refused to stay in the aircraft beyond permissible hours were those whom he had groomed and they eventually leading to gunning for him. Post gargantuan scale garlanding he moved forward to notice Kumaraswamy loitering around with a garland in his hand. Having been again garlanded, Yeddy wanted to hear K'swamy's side of the story filled with pain and fever.
Kumar to Yeddy: " After releasing these set of documents detailing the land you grabbed and land you handed back, the party high command failed to release you from its stable?"
Yeddy to Kumar: " The set of documents that i released to the high command highlighting the acts of transgressions by Gowda and company overshot the nature. mandate and scale of documents released by you to the media. For every land transaction engaged in and withdrawn by me, there were multiple land transaction from your side. There were not only land transactions by you and your family members; it percolated right down to the assistants in office, sanitary workers, chowkidaars and peon. It was entirely a family affair of Gowda and Company while mine was a one man show."
As the party high command is convinced and given him the opportunity to sail and reclaim the political land given to the opponents, Yeddy took this opportunity to tell K'swamy that his government would be releasing a series of ads in print highlighting the deeds and dangers that came from Gowdas. Hearing this K'swamy left the airport even before Yeddy could disappear without taking away the garland he had thrust on Yeddy.
Reaching office, Yeddy asked for all files relating to land transaction dating to the period when the first elected government took office in the State. The enquiry has to be comprehensive, with no biases towards none. As he retired for the day with the belief that the next time he is asked to put in his papers, the paper of support on land transactions that he would bring on table would be so huge that no force on earth would be able to handle the weight and ever make an attempt to comprehend it.
The next day Yeddy reached office only to be told that K'swamy has decided to take a rath yatra around the state. Yeddy spoke to K'swamy on his imminent rath yatra and his imminent fall suggesting that he should cover each and every district of the state and this process of his enlightening the public should take at least two-and-a- half year. By that time i would have kept my promise to the party high command of completing the tenure and urging the state public for giving me another five years to ensure the neat passage of opposition to history.
Post tete-a-tete with Yeddy another dilemma confronted K'swamy on the need for taking a yatra when Yeddy has no immediate plans of vacating the chair for him. He tried to get in touch with Gowda. But Gowda was busy elsewhere. The series of ads in print highlighting the deeds of Gowda and his son had left him speechless. To counter this attack, he tried to get in touch with a lobbyist. The ransom amount demanded by the lobbyist made him give a rethink to engage some other lobbyist or a journo; some who don't charge huge down payment, preferably monthly installments is the route to their lives and heart. And also the success mantra for staying afloat.
Hindi Heartland and Polls in Karnataka by Puneet Rajhans
Hindi Heartland and Polls in Karnataka
Post poll upheaval and swift change of guard in Andhra and yet no change in Karnataka, the big politicos went to sleep burdened with the possibilities that lay ahead. Post conversation with the media bunch in the vicinity of Janpath, which was longest to date, the Big G wanted to set the record straight by suggesting that she wanted to secure a record number of resignations in her record tenure as Congress Chief. Besides change of guard in Maharashtra and Andhra, she has suggested change of guard in Tamil Nadu and if possible Karnataka before this term comes to an end.
The Hindi Heartland, both mother and son having lost hope for the time being, the start-from-scratch is all they could hope to build their base from. With the twin posts on start-from-scratch and a full blown assault on corruption minus JPC, the Cong Chief went to sleep with the belief that though the Hindi Heartland hadn't effected change, the Southern States would do the same in keeping with the mantra of change she had set for her party and government.
As for Chief MInister Nitish Kumar, he went to sleep with the huge agenda that awaited his government - and the peaceful press conference followed by more than peaceful swearing in indicated he needn't skip sleep for the time being.
The press conference of Lalu and Lalu-befriended-Paswan saw release of air and heat. The mysterious results of Bihar polls need to be probed and so was the need to probe why they threw up such expected results. THe mystery over the party getting into double digit was the sharpest mystery to date with the ARJD (Antarrashtriya Janata Dal)expecting the tally to hover somewhere between 4 and 9; perhaps not opening the account would have lent credence to their argument that they too need to start from scratch.
The press conference over and the marching orders received for the accommodation to be vacated, the fodder frontrunner was making all efforts to skip the sleep for the consequences it stored for him. Every time he went to sleep, the Rabri factor continued to haunt him. She used to berate and batter him for the decline she had been subjected to. Reminding him that she began her innings as her better half, thrown into the cesspool of politics again by her better half.
The transformation to a Chief Minister without member of either Bihar House to CM with membership to one House was dramatic. So was dramatic the transformation from CM's chair to Opposition leader when the party was truly but not effectively routed in 2005. The Opposition stint was comforting for her as for a better part it aligned with the man holding-and-reducing the railway portfolio. The railway portfolio snatched away, the possibility of her being robbed of Opposition portfolio was truly there as ARJD had sensed a strong chance of staging a true comeback. Though her party crossed single digit roadblock, she lost the polls from whichever seats she contested and thereby losing the Opposition crown. With no constitutional post coming her way, she has exhausted all options of retaining her accommodation as well.
THe rout she could barely envisage and the complete decimation from all possible public arenas she could hardly foresee has led to a chorus of agitation for her inability to attend to household chores which she avoided all these years. She blames Lalu for her spate of reverses. Not entirely stopping at that her ire is directed at her wisdom to enter a household where the fall has been dramatic and deadly. THe most dreadful part of her taunt to Lalu has been her opening line of communication with Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurapa on her immediate need to hold a constitutional post. In the ensuing zaluka/taluka polls in Karnataka she truly sees her chance to stage a comeback. This assault on his ideology he isn't prepared to take in his stride resulting in his skipping sleep for over a week now which truly has a chance of carrying beyond a month.
Post poll upheaval and swift change of guard in Andhra and yet no change in Karnataka, the big politicos went to sleep burdened with the possibilities that lay ahead. Post conversation with the media bunch in the vicinity of Janpath, which was longest to date, the Big G wanted to set the record straight by suggesting that she wanted to secure a record number of resignations in her record tenure as Congress Chief. Besides change of guard in Maharashtra and Andhra, she has suggested change of guard in Tamil Nadu and if possible Karnataka before this term comes to an end.
The Hindi Heartland, both mother and son having lost hope for the time being, the start-from-scratch is all they could hope to build their base from. With the twin posts on start-from-scratch and a full blown assault on corruption minus JPC, the Cong Chief went to sleep with the belief that though the Hindi Heartland hadn't effected change, the Southern States would do the same in keeping with the mantra of change she had set for her party and government.
As for Chief MInister Nitish Kumar, he went to sleep with the huge agenda that awaited his government - and the peaceful press conference followed by more than peaceful swearing in indicated he needn't skip sleep for the time being.
The press conference of Lalu and Lalu-befriended-Paswan saw release of air and heat. The mysterious results of Bihar polls need to be probed and so was the need to probe why they threw up such expected results. THe mystery over the party getting into double digit was the sharpest mystery to date with the ARJD (Antarrashtriya Janata Dal)expecting the tally to hover somewhere between 4 and 9; perhaps not opening the account would have lent credence to their argument that they too need to start from scratch.
The press conference over and the marching orders received for the accommodation to be vacated, the fodder frontrunner was making all efforts to skip the sleep for the consequences it stored for him. Every time he went to sleep, the Rabri factor continued to haunt him. She used to berate and batter him for the decline she had been subjected to. Reminding him that she began her innings as her better half, thrown into the cesspool of politics again by her better half.
The transformation to a Chief Minister without member of either Bihar House to CM with membership to one House was dramatic. So was dramatic the transformation from CM's chair to Opposition leader when the party was truly but not effectively routed in 2005. The Opposition stint was comforting for her as for a better part it aligned with the man holding-and-reducing the railway portfolio. The railway portfolio snatched away, the possibility of her being robbed of Opposition portfolio was truly there as ARJD had sensed a strong chance of staging a true comeback. Though her party crossed single digit roadblock, she lost the polls from whichever seats she contested and thereby losing the Opposition crown. With no constitutional post coming her way, she has exhausted all options of retaining her accommodation as well.
THe rout she could barely envisage and the complete decimation from all possible public arenas she could hardly foresee has led to a chorus of agitation for her inability to attend to household chores which she avoided all these years. She blames Lalu for her spate of reverses. Not entirely stopping at that her ire is directed at her wisdom to enter a household where the fall has been dramatic and deadly. THe most dreadful part of her taunt to Lalu has been her opening line of communication with Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurapa on her immediate need to hold a constitutional post. In the ensuing zaluka/taluka polls in Karnataka she truly sees her chance to stage a comeback. This assault on his ideology he isn't prepared to take in his stride resulting in his skipping sleep for over a week now which truly has a chance of carrying beyond a month.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Of Sariska and Political Relocation by Puneet Rajhans
Of Sariska and Political Relocation
Details haven't come out on how Jairam Ramesh reached Sariska. Before his arrival to Sariska, the story doing the rounds was that the tiger who had fallen to death was due to the scuffle that broke out with another male tiger for the territory the two shared.
Once Ramesh reached the venue he gave a new spiel to the Sariska tragedy, citing from credible reports which he and only he had access to that the dead tiger was poisoned. Not necessarily here to find out what was the quantum of poison that was administered to the tiger he reached Sariska with some other plans on his agenda. After reaching the conclusion that tiger indeed had been poisoned, he declared that efforts on translocation of tiger would continue without a break. Sariska still has enough potential to accept tigers from other reserves. This one isolated incident can't break my resolve to relocate tigers to Sariska.
As he made these obsevations he went deep inside the Sariska reserve and sougth certain clarifications. He wasn't just looking at relocation of tigers. Relocation of the political class was very much on his agenda. Seeing his tribe deplete in strength and enter the stage of oblivion, the brief for him from the political establishments across country was how best the political class could adjust itself to the reality that it had not just been shunned by the media-cum-minning lobby; their fall from the pedestal as far as the party machinery went was entirely unexpected. THe disheartened lot wanted a safe sanctuary for them as the place they would be asked to relocate in the city where they were Kings and Commanders once would be no safe one. So repeated reminders were sent to Ramesh that he needs to look for space for them where they could park themselves for a period till their services were not sougth by the party high command.
In line with this brief and attempts to get the requisite support the Minister has started visiting different tiger reserves and the adjoining areas. Because Ramesh too believes that given the times we live in and unsubstantiated allegations that tail us the days may not be far off when the sizeable number of cabinet colleagues at the Centre may be asked to make way for the new lot whose taint is yet to be confirmed. He does not rule out himself from this process of churning and is looking for space for himself.
The Minister's logic is simple: "You never know from which side the storm would erupt and blow you away. Look at the case of Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddy. He did so much for his party. The party high command is not prepared to wait for the judicial probe and is eager to see his back. Once he is gone the state would be in entire mess with polls the only way out. Like him there are others who need safe sanctuary."
And Minister Ramesh left the venue with the belief that the political class of today is up against insurmountable odds much bigger than the odds faced by the tiger community. If he has to take steps to protect the tiger community he also has to take steps to see the political class gets safe sanctuary given the clarion call from an alarming lot to declare them an endangered specie. As a way out, he has suggested a Political Tiger Summit in the badlands that went beyond UP and Bihar.
Details haven't come out on how Jairam Ramesh reached Sariska. Before his arrival to Sariska, the story doing the rounds was that the tiger who had fallen to death was due to the scuffle that broke out with another male tiger for the territory the two shared.
Once Ramesh reached the venue he gave a new spiel to the Sariska tragedy, citing from credible reports which he and only he had access to that the dead tiger was poisoned. Not necessarily here to find out what was the quantum of poison that was administered to the tiger he reached Sariska with some other plans on his agenda. After reaching the conclusion that tiger indeed had been poisoned, he declared that efforts on translocation of tiger would continue without a break. Sariska still has enough potential to accept tigers from other reserves. This one isolated incident can't break my resolve to relocate tigers to Sariska.
As he made these obsevations he went deep inside the Sariska reserve and sougth certain clarifications. He wasn't just looking at relocation of tigers. Relocation of the political class was very much on his agenda. Seeing his tribe deplete in strength and enter the stage of oblivion, the brief for him from the political establishments across country was how best the political class could adjust itself to the reality that it had not just been shunned by the media-cum-minning lobby; their fall from the pedestal as far as the party machinery went was entirely unexpected. THe disheartened lot wanted a safe sanctuary for them as the place they would be asked to relocate in the city where they were Kings and Commanders once would be no safe one. So repeated reminders were sent to Ramesh that he needs to look for space for them where they could park themselves for a period till their services were not sougth by the party high command.
In line with this brief and attempts to get the requisite support the Minister has started visiting different tiger reserves and the adjoining areas. Because Ramesh too believes that given the times we live in and unsubstantiated allegations that tail us the days may not be far off when the sizeable number of cabinet colleagues at the Centre may be asked to make way for the new lot whose taint is yet to be confirmed. He does not rule out himself from this process of churning and is looking for space for himself.
The Minister's logic is simple: "You never know from which side the storm would erupt and blow you away. Look at the case of Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddy. He did so much for his party. The party high command is not prepared to wait for the judicial probe and is eager to see his back. Once he is gone the state would be in entire mess with polls the only way out. Like him there are others who need safe sanctuary."
And Minister Ramesh left the venue with the belief that the political class of today is up against insurmountable odds much bigger than the odds faced by the tiger community. If he has to take steps to protect the tiger community he also has to take steps to see the political class gets safe sanctuary given the clarion call from an alarming lot to declare them an endangered specie. As a way out, he has suggested a Political Tiger Summit in the badlands that went beyond UP and Bihar.
Sleepless for days by Puneet Rajhans
Sleepless for days
THere is an entire community that is quite agitated on the way things have panned out in environment and political sphere. Some of them haven't secured adequate sleep despit best efforts to not view 12am feed and 2am sleaze. As adequate sleep eludes most of us, the sleepless trail has been compounded by the events of the past two to three weeks. The sizeable blame cannot be fixed at the address of House by a man from the US (much heard and celebrated then and lost now in the Parliament din), the sleepless moments began to seep in the moment one Jairam Ramesh decided to head towards Sariska. Details are yet to emerge on how he reached Sariska (on foot by road or on a chopper)and the pow wow he had to secure safe sanctuary for tigers and political tigers. Precisely because the second lot are on the verge of second extinction as those who have been told to put in papers are much bigger than those whose resume has been verified and accepted for them to begin their political tryst.
Somewhere in that vicinity were the so-called scoops by time now and time then theatre against one Chavan who had been told to hand over the reigns to another Chavan. The muddle over another Pawar and another Chavan hadn't settled yet came this piece that Yeddyruppa was facing another protest; this time the party high command had raised the banner of revolt against him for his failure to check the muck that had gathered in his backyard. The time now and time then had two-and-a-half-years ago ran stories from Mangalore, Hubli, Bangalore and other places in Karnataka hailing the arrival of the first BJP government in the South. The stories effectively said that effective efforts had been made to clear the long lasting debris left by Gowda and co to make way for an effective stint by Yeddy. But this time round the way time now time then and other English medium of information/instructions handled the Yeddy Yell slide made the likes of those who had rooted for him slide further in a state of sleeplessness.
Series of revolts and schisms in the Yeddy government has been unprecedented and so has been unprecedented his inability to step down from the aircraft with which he reached delhi and his more-than-visible failure to step down from the chair he is holding. As for the other unprecedented event, the unprecedented outcome from Tiger Summit where unprecedented efforts were made to seek views from unprecedented-turned- not-so-pretty zanta (having lost the zing long time back) made others take the unprecedented step of skipping sleep and eating meals.
The Dominant Desai and Yogurt Yo Yo of SeeNoneNone EyeBeeNone Theatre tore into the claims of husband wife duo of Bihar that they and only they had the right to inflict pain and misery on the State given the swift massbase support that had come their way. Desai and Yo Yo told them that polls had the potential to throw them to new scale of extinction. Hearing all these vital inputs gave me one season of hope that i could catch my share of sleep howsoever unprecedented it may look as the fires had yet to be brougth down in the Yeddy Yell turf.
THere is an entire community that is quite agitated on the way things have panned out in environment and political sphere. Some of them haven't secured adequate sleep despit best efforts to not view 12am feed and 2am sleaze. As adequate sleep eludes most of us, the sleepless trail has been compounded by the events of the past two to three weeks. The sizeable blame cannot be fixed at the address of House by a man from the US (much heard and celebrated then and lost now in the Parliament din), the sleepless moments began to seep in the moment one Jairam Ramesh decided to head towards Sariska. Details are yet to emerge on how he reached Sariska (on foot by road or on a chopper)and the pow wow he had to secure safe sanctuary for tigers and political tigers. Precisely because the second lot are on the verge of second extinction as those who have been told to put in papers are much bigger than those whose resume has been verified and accepted for them to begin their political tryst.
Somewhere in that vicinity were the so-called scoops by time now and time then theatre against one Chavan who had been told to hand over the reigns to another Chavan. The muddle over another Pawar and another Chavan hadn't settled yet came this piece that Yeddyruppa was facing another protest; this time the party high command had raised the banner of revolt against him for his failure to check the muck that had gathered in his backyard. The time now and time then had two-and-a-half-years ago ran stories from Mangalore, Hubli, Bangalore and other places in Karnataka hailing the arrival of the first BJP government in the South. The stories effectively said that effective efforts had been made to clear the long lasting debris left by Gowda and co to make way for an effective stint by Yeddy. But this time round the way time now time then and other English medium of information/instructions handled the Yeddy Yell slide made the likes of those who had rooted for him slide further in a state of sleeplessness.
Series of revolts and schisms in the Yeddy government has been unprecedented and so has been unprecedented his inability to step down from the aircraft with which he reached delhi and his more-than-visible failure to step down from the chair he is holding. As for the other unprecedented event, the unprecedented outcome from Tiger Summit where unprecedented efforts were made to seek views from unprecedented-turned- not-so-pretty zanta (having lost the zing long time back) made others take the unprecedented step of skipping sleep and eating meals.
The Dominant Desai and Yogurt Yo Yo of SeeNoneNone EyeBeeNone Theatre tore into the claims of husband wife duo of Bihar that they and only they had the right to inflict pain and misery on the State given the swift massbase support that had come their way. Desai and Yo Yo told them that polls had the potential to throw them to new scale of extinction. Hearing all these vital inputs gave me one season of hope that i could catch my share of sleep howsoever unprecedented it may look as the fires had yet to be brougth down in the Yeddy Yell turf.
Of Poll Surveys and Probable Decimation by Puneet Rajhans
Of Poll Surveys and Probable Decimation
On the panel in the theatre of SeeNoneNone EyeBeeNone were Definitive Desai, Yogurt Yo Yo, Dream Dasgupta and Strong-and-Week Murthy. Having seen PM speak and reach out to a large filtered audience, the four were in total command of the debate and the demolition that was to visit the couple of the Hindi Heartland.
The panelists waged a no holds barred war on those who believed that Bihar had swiftly slipped out of Nitish's grip and was in the kissing distance of falling in the lap of husband wife duo despite the strained ties the two shared. In all there were five panelists but those engaging the interest of the audience were just four. Through comprehensive presentation and persuasion they broke the myth that Bihar was abysmally short of fodder. "All those who had held the fodder fort for long in the past and possibly seeing a dream date with the State need to align with the ground reality. The considered consensus view was the state had ceased to exist and run as long as it was in their grip."
The four thundered that never in the history of Bihar, Manmohan, Rahul and Singh had visited the State at such short intervals and going to far off places and largely engaging the interest of those who hadn't reached the voting age. They proferred the belief that had Antarrashtriya Janata Dal (ARJD) aligned with come-on-board Cong, they would have at least arrested their entire decimation process. Secured in the belief that a complete wipeout is about to happen (most in ARJD camp swear by surveys and superhighways that Nitish has built)the ARJD folks seek a working session on how best they could exit from Bihar.
The exit ARJD had been seeking for long and having got the LJWeep on board, the exercise could be carried in unison. That didn't entirely mean that they were leaving the ground for Nitish unchallenged. What was up their sleeves was a strategy thrashed out at a place where Gowda once lived and wiped out his foes. This was the period when Gowda had not even made it to the CM's chair in Karnataka.
Having seen Gowda decline from a place of more than visible obscurity, the ARJD camp wanted to trade places with the Gowda camp. The surging invite to Gowda to pitch his tent in Bihar and in return they would pitch their tent and baggage in Karnataka. Gowda was not averse to the idea given the love and bite association he shared with Nitish. And the ARJD camp upbeat on its translocation to a State that had bountiful fodder in its backyard. So the panelists deliberated at length on the imminent exit of ARJD from Bihar and imminent arrival of JD(Bus)in the State.
As for the vote percentage between JD (You and Me) and ARJD, the panelists concurred that Muslims, Kurmis, Bhumihars and Brahmins had voted in strength for JD(You and Me) to wipe out the remaining strength of ARJD and its associates. Besides the panelists agreed that big voter turnout, big family awakening (where all family members visited the polling booth and voted enbloc) and the sense from the securitywallahs suggested that it was time for Nitish to roar and ARJD to soar in a scam tarred territory where no one is booked for offences of impropriety and active culpability.
With this considered view the panelists retired for the day followed by a spate of calls from Nitish opponents to their offices that why they had to precipitate the decimation process which they had already seen it coming once Nitish had begun the process of governance. Seeing this as a vindication of their efforts on surveys the panelists got on to the next big task of declaring the probable winner on the probable elections that are to take place in the State of Karnataka once Yeddy goes and uncertainty floats.
On the panel in the theatre of SeeNoneNone EyeBeeNone were Definitive Desai, Yogurt Yo Yo, Dream Dasgupta and Strong-and-Week Murthy. Having seen PM speak and reach out to a large filtered audience, the four were in total command of the debate and the demolition that was to visit the couple of the Hindi Heartland.
The panelists waged a no holds barred war on those who believed that Bihar had swiftly slipped out of Nitish's grip and was in the kissing distance of falling in the lap of husband wife duo despite the strained ties the two shared. In all there were five panelists but those engaging the interest of the audience were just four. Through comprehensive presentation and persuasion they broke the myth that Bihar was abysmally short of fodder. "All those who had held the fodder fort for long in the past and possibly seeing a dream date with the State need to align with the ground reality. The considered consensus view was the state had ceased to exist and run as long as it was in their grip."
The four thundered that never in the history of Bihar, Manmohan, Rahul and Singh had visited the State at such short intervals and going to far off places and largely engaging the interest of those who hadn't reached the voting age. They proferred the belief that had Antarrashtriya Janata Dal (ARJD) aligned with come-on-board Cong, they would have at least arrested their entire decimation process. Secured in the belief that a complete wipeout is about to happen (most in ARJD camp swear by surveys and superhighways that Nitish has built)the ARJD folks seek a working session on how best they could exit from Bihar.
The exit ARJD had been seeking for long and having got the LJWeep on board, the exercise could be carried in unison. That didn't entirely mean that they were leaving the ground for Nitish unchallenged. What was up their sleeves was a strategy thrashed out at a place where Gowda once lived and wiped out his foes. This was the period when Gowda had not even made it to the CM's chair in Karnataka.
Having seen Gowda decline from a place of more than visible obscurity, the ARJD camp wanted to trade places with the Gowda camp. The surging invite to Gowda to pitch his tent in Bihar and in return they would pitch their tent and baggage in Karnataka. Gowda was not averse to the idea given the love and bite association he shared with Nitish. And the ARJD camp upbeat on its translocation to a State that had bountiful fodder in its backyard. So the panelists deliberated at length on the imminent exit of ARJD from Bihar and imminent arrival of JD(Bus)in the State.
As for the vote percentage between JD (You and Me) and ARJD, the panelists concurred that Muslims, Kurmis, Bhumihars and Brahmins had voted in strength for JD(You and Me) to wipe out the remaining strength of ARJD and its associates. Besides the panelists agreed that big voter turnout, big family awakening (where all family members visited the polling booth and voted enbloc) and the sense from the securitywallahs suggested that it was time for Nitish to roar and ARJD to soar in a scam tarred territory where no one is booked for offences of impropriety and active culpability.
With this considered view the panelists retired for the day followed by a spate of calls from Nitish opponents to their offices that why they had to precipitate the decimation process which they had already seen it coming once Nitish had begun the process of governance. Seeing this as a vindication of their efforts on surveys the panelists got on to the next big task of declaring the probable winner on the probable elections that are to take place in the State of Karnataka once Yeddy goes and uncertainty floats.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
PM broke his silence; those in attendance broke their fast by Puneet Rajhans
PM broke his silence; those in attendance broke their fast
The readership summit was supposed to see gathering of forces who would be converging to converse and reach a common ground on issues that never bothered them. Necessarily a session where leaders and their followers were supposed to recite rhymes and poems which they had rehearsed for nights together, the summit had a new take on all those who had gathered under single unbreakable roof.
All the invites had been handed to those who hadn't had meals for days and promised to never have the same as long as Prime Minister maintained his more than desired silence. The PM had already stated that this silence was overdue given no dearth of speakers to babble on in and outside Parliament and in and outside SC on an issue that had the entire world interconnected. So as PM broke his silence and departed after having spoken, those having taken recourse to fast-unto-death too strayed outside the hall to have the food they relished and the liquid their aspired for. How their tummy responsed is still a debate that has yet to take wings.
The PM during the course of his speech prepared well after Raja had left his stable and the Supreme Court had intervened beyond anticipated limit, spoke about the testing times we live in and the test grind that we have been subjected too ever since we gained freedom to attend to schools and colleges. "The villages from where we attended the schools and colleges were bereft of water and power connection and yet the youth in us had the fire to turn things around. The occasions when we have turned a crisis into an opportunity i have lost count of but i am confident that the crisis brougth to our doorsteps from some elements straying too far in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka would be successfully addressed."
Noting that the composition of the crowd he was addressing was miles away from being viewed and hailed as youth, the PM was concerned at the attempt of those young at heart and young at mind keeping away from the polity for long resulting in the alarming increase in intrusion into the public space from leaders who had gone past their stage of performance in different quarters.
"Ladies and Gentleman, i take this occasion to declare that 2010-2020 would be a decade of innovation where the polity and the political system would be purged of the following : Tainted, coming close to being tainted, and those who had the aptitude of getting taint. Suggestive remedies suggest that all Karuna sheltered Rajas and Gowdas raised Kumaraswamys would be deprived of life support system they operate with. Though the youth gives me hope in these testing times, the other malfunctioning lot existing beyond their permissible stay on earth gives me sleepless nights and long days which refused to go away whenever the court is supposed to make observations and seek clarifications.
Coming to his pet theme of rate of growth, he spoke about the need to accelerate the same but the acceleration to make the most of the limited spectrum opportunity and resources by some has led to acceleration of demand for me to break the silence. Thus i am here and the simple truth is we are a nation of over one billion people capable enough to realise destiny but the gowdas and rajas want to determine the destiny of my government.
"We are becoming more connected society. The spread of Internet and mobile technology has truly transferred the human potential. But this spread of mobile technology has also led to the court stepping in and as a result we are transferring the Solicitor General and Attorney General every other season."
" Ladies and Gentlemen, the world is interconnected and integrated as never before and this can be truly seen in the way the indian establishment reacted to the midterm results in the US and in return the US showing the same degree of concern and anxiety at the rumblings in the indian establishment over 2G and Karnataka G."
The collective fight against hunger, poverty, terrorism would be supplemented with the collective fight to erase the imprints of the likes of gowdas, rajas and fodder fakirs. "Let my countrymen know that the doors we tend to open for the youth and doors we intend to shut for those having gone beyond possibility of repairs is the call i give from this platform and let the 2010-2020 decade of innovation be the prime focus."
AS for Parliament not functioning, he urged the opposition to lift the blanket ban on Parliament and the adjoining loos as a breakthrough here would not only enable passage of motions but also release of other emotions that have failed to show up in view of the logjam in the House. He also promised that Pranab would be providing elaborate lunch for logjam sponsored opposition as the last time they had the meals at his behest was too little and too late.
As the PM left, the much-coveted greying crowd rushed to the adjacent hall that had meals stored for them. As the PM broke silence, they broke their yet to be publicised fast. Half way through meals they began to give bytes on how long they had been on fast, fuming and fretting over Manmohan's desire to keep mum as long as this fasting janata hadn't become history. They left the venue with the hope that the next time they are asked to mark their presence, they would strictly come on the basis that no leader of any scale would be present on the podium who hasn't spoken for ages despite Supreme Court And Supreme Amma egging him to do so.
The readership summit was supposed to see gathering of forces who would be converging to converse and reach a common ground on issues that never bothered them. Necessarily a session where leaders and their followers were supposed to recite rhymes and poems which they had rehearsed for nights together, the summit had a new take on all those who had gathered under single unbreakable roof.
All the invites had been handed to those who hadn't had meals for days and promised to never have the same as long as Prime Minister maintained his more than desired silence. The PM had already stated that this silence was overdue given no dearth of speakers to babble on in and outside Parliament and in and outside SC on an issue that had the entire world interconnected. So as PM broke his silence and departed after having spoken, those having taken recourse to fast-unto-death too strayed outside the hall to have the food they relished and the liquid their aspired for. How their tummy responsed is still a debate that has yet to take wings.
The PM during the course of his speech prepared well after Raja had left his stable and the Supreme Court had intervened beyond anticipated limit, spoke about the testing times we live in and the test grind that we have been subjected too ever since we gained freedom to attend to schools and colleges. "The villages from where we attended the schools and colleges were bereft of water and power connection and yet the youth in us had the fire to turn things around. The occasions when we have turned a crisis into an opportunity i have lost count of but i am confident that the crisis brougth to our doorsteps from some elements straying too far in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka would be successfully addressed."
Noting that the composition of the crowd he was addressing was miles away from being viewed and hailed as youth, the PM was concerned at the attempt of those young at heart and young at mind keeping away from the polity for long resulting in the alarming increase in intrusion into the public space from leaders who had gone past their stage of performance in different quarters.
"Ladies and Gentleman, i take this occasion to declare that 2010-2020 would be a decade of innovation where the polity and the political system would be purged of the following : Tainted, coming close to being tainted, and those who had the aptitude of getting taint. Suggestive remedies suggest that all Karuna sheltered Rajas and Gowdas raised Kumaraswamys would be deprived of life support system they operate with. Though the youth gives me hope in these testing times, the other malfunctioning lot existing beyond their permissible stay on earth gives me sleepless nights and long days which refused to go away whenever the court is supposed to make observations and seek clarifications.
Coming to his pet theme of rate of growth, he spoke about the need to accelerate the same but the acceleration to make the most of the limited spectrum opportunity and resources by some has led to acceleration of demand for me to break the silence. Thus i am here and the simple truth is we are a nation of over one billion people capable enough to realise destiny but the gowdas and rajas want to determine the destiny of my government.
"We are becoming more connected society. The spread of Internet and mobile technology has truly transferred the human potential. But this spread of mobile technology has also led to the court stepping in and as a result we are transferring the Solicitor General and Attorney General every other season."
" Ladies and Gentlemen, the world is interconnected and integrated as never before and this can be truly seen in the way the indian establishment reacted to the midterm results in the US and in return the US showing the same degree of concern and anxiety at the rumblings in the indian establishment over 2G and Karnataka G."
The collective fight against hunger, poverty, terrorism would be supplemented with the collective fight to erase the imprints of the likes of gowdas, rajas and fodder fakirs. "Let my countrymen know that the doors we tend to open for the youth and doors we intend to shut for those having gone beyond possibility of repairs is the call i give from this platform and let the 2010-2020 decade of innovation be the prime focus."
AS for Parliament not functioning, he urged the opposition to lift the blanket ban on Parliament and the adjoining loos as a breakthrough here would not only enable passage of motions but also release of other emotions that have failed to show up in view of the logjam in the House. He also promised that Pranab would be providing elaborate lunch for logjam sponsored opposition as the last time they had the meals at his behest was too little and too late.
As the PM left, the much-coveted greying crowd rushed to the adjacent hall that had meals stored for them. As the PM broke silence, they broke their yet to be publicised fast. Half way through meals they began to give bytes on how long they had been on fast, fuming and fretting over Manmohan's desire to keep mum as long as this fasting janata hadn't become history. They left the venue with the hope that the next time they are asked to mark their presence, they would strictly come on the basis that no leader of any scale would be present on the podium who hasn't spoken for ages despite Supreme Court And Supreme Amma egging him to do so.
Yeddyurappa under pressure since time immemorial
Yeddyurappa under pressure since time immemorial
AS Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddyurappa secures a breather (it is still not clear whether it is for a week or a month) for his acts of straying too far for gains too little to work with, it is time to look back on the occasions when he has been under pressure and the pressure the high command has eventually come under.
One has lost count of number of occasions when Yeddyurappa has come under pressure and visited adjacent states and loos to ease the same and return to his fort. And here he comes under same degree of pressure with the same level of comfort he finds himself in pointing at the hands of Gowda to upstage his kingdom. Further the pressure gets multiplied as and when his convoy or the convoy of his family members are in the vicinity of Gowdas and their henchmen.
The lethal blow that he and his men have been subjected to ever since they started addressing the press conference on how much land was procured and given back to the state to make the state look the most friendly one for seeking investments and disbursing the same. Yeddy thundered at the press conference. "You presswallahs (working from your theatres most of which are underground and not traceable) don't realise how much pressure you work with. You talk about my pressure. Shun thoughts on me and focus on the plight and pressure of common man. In the mornings s/he are under pressure or trying to get the required pressure to keep his date with loo. He tries to bring enough pressure to get required water for the shower he deserves given his daily grind that has prevented him from taking bath. The commute he takes from his place of residence to his place of annihilation. Look at the commute and the transport he has to take to the place where he has waged innumerable battles on succession and coexistence. The severe pressure the company is under to not let him get his monthly emoluments given his desire to be in the repeated company of men and women whom the company's CEO/PBO has set his sights on.
The pressure on me has been brougth by a large number of identified and well fed forces. Whom i not only fed for ages (meals and milk included) and taugth them the nuances of governance with the rider that they should not stray too far from where their return to the party fold would be highly impossible. Though i try to stick to the script handed to them but this act of opposition leaders to make me convenve press conference every alternate morning when all calls of nature are yet to be attended to is bringing unjustified pressure on me. I take a pledge that no press briefings would be done in the morning and also take a pledge that insurmountable amount of pressure would be brougth on the opposition so that they don't lose the status of opposition for the next 10 years. So don't bother about my pressure; train your thougths on those who are under constant pressure and watch for the moisturiser they use and late night agendas they have.
As the chief minister left, those in attendance were in consensus that Yeddyurappa is under pressure to deliver baby; governance baby to be precise. This baby would be out in the open once he stops convening press conferences and starts addressing the issues of the state.
As Yeddy left the Capital he renewed his threat to expose the Gowdas and gatekeepers to their territory. In this battle of supremacy, how much pressure the two sides would face would be linked to the immunity of the public to keep themselves away from their so-called battle to gain freedom. THe freedom that the public seeks from them and the freedom Yeddy and Gowdas seek from their high command.
AS Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddyurappa secures a breather (it is still not clear whether it is for a week or a month) for his acts of straying too far for gains too little to work with, it is time to look back on the occasions when he has been under pressure and the pressure the high command has eventually come under.
One has lost count of number of occasions when Yeddyurappa has come under pressure and visited adjacent states and loos to ease the same and return to his fort. And here he comes under same degree of pressure with the same level of comfort he finds himself in pointing at the hands of Gowda to upstage his kingdom. Further the pressure gets multiplied as and when his convoy or the convoy of his family members are in the vicinity of Gowdas and their henchmen.
The lethal blow that he and his men have been subjected to ever since they started addressing the press conference on how much land was procured and given back to the state to make the state look the most friendly one for seeking investments and disbursing the same. Yeddy thundered at the press conference. "You presswallahs (working from your theatres most of which are underground and not traceable) don't realise how much pressure you work with. You talk about my pressure. Shun thoughts on me and focus on the plight and pressure of common man. In the mornings s/he are under pressure or trying to get the required pressure to keep his date with loo. He tries to bring enough pressure to get required water for the shower he deserves given his daily grind that has prevented him from taking bath. The commute he takes from his place of residence to his place of annihilation. Look at the commute and the transport he has to take to the place where he has waged innumerable battles on succession and coexistence. The severe pressure the company is under to not let him get his monthly emoluments given his desire to be in the repeated company of men and women whom the company's CEO/PBO has set his sights on.
The pressure on me has been brougth by a large number of identified and well fed forces. Whom i not only fed for ages (meals and milk included) and taugth them the nuances of governance with the rider that they should not stray too far from where their return to the party fold would be highly impossible. Though i try to stick to the script handed to them but this act of opposition leaders to make me convenve press conference every alternate morning when all calls of nature are yet to be attended to is bringing unjustified pressure on me. I take a pledge that no press briefings would be done in the morning and also take a pledge that insurmountable amount of pressure would be brougth on the opposition so that they don't lose the status of opposition for the next 10 years. So don't bother about my pressure; train your thougths on those who are under constant pressure and watch for the moisturiser they use and late night agendas they have.
As the chief minister left, those in attendance were in consensus that Yeddyurappa is under pressure to deliver baby; governance baby to be precise. This baby would be out in the open once he stops convening press conferences and starts addressing the issues of the state.
As Yeddy left the Capital he renewed his threat to expose the Gowdas and gatekeepers to their territory. In this battle of supremacy, how much pressure the two sides would face would be linked to the immunity of the public to keep themselves away from their so-called battle to gain freedom. THe freedom that the public seeks from them and the freedom Yeddy and Gowdas seek from their high command.
Madurai Junction better than New Delhi Junction
Madurai Junction better than New Delhi Junction
Securing a peaceful entry to a station that has been publicised as a model one is as impossible as leaving its premises without witnessing a scuffle or two breaking out in its backyard. I, for one, made an attempt to secure a peaceful entry to the N Delhi station the other day with the hope that platform ticket would be procured with ease and there would just be a handful to greet me at the entrance. Entirely opposite of this happened as it took not less than half an hour to secure the ticket as the lady who was dispensing it stuck to her menu of counting the entire collections after every 15 tickets were dispensed with. More than half an hour at the counter which few would relish to put up with the next battle was to reach the platform that wasn't that far but looked entirely impossible to access as men and the material posessions they were seized with had taken the entire walking space.
Once inside the platform there were other odds to be grappled with and they began to diminish the moment i decided to exit. The entry was painful but the exit was smooth but not that strong enough to entice you to visit again given the floating population the city has and the floating mindset the railways work with given their inability to make it look less disorganised.
Against this the Madurai Junction looks to be a theatre of peace and tranquility. Even Madurai has a fairly large floating number but the authorities are careful enough to not fiddle with floating thougths. The approach is neat, clean and not cluttered by any standards. Try the Madurai one and skip the Delhi one for the amount of anxiety and pain that visits you once you decide to visit it.
As i write this with the belief that things may not improve in the near future, the man adjacent to me is seeking details on the journey he wishes to take and the mode of transport he should try. The cell talk is elaborate and the conversation goes beyond the near and dear ones. THe content suggests that he has visited one of the local stations in the Capital and the rough experience he has had. He wants to send a message to a large audience on the need to do a rethink as far as travelling by train from the Capital is concerned. Perhaps a walk on foot to a station in the neighbouring state won't be bad. In fact a large number of them have started taking recourse to this option on table.
But my concern for now is who is going to inherit (the inheritance value of station is getting diminished with each passing year)the stations like New Delhi for the sheer number of problems it brings on table for passengers and daily commuters. Perhaps the railway ministry withdrawal from some shape of activities would lessen the commotion and the convulsion that visit us now and then.
Securing a peaceful entry to a station that has been publicised as a model one is as impossible as leaving its premises without witnessing a scuffle or two breaking out in its backyard. I, for one, made an attempt to secure a peaceful entry to the N Delhi station the other day with the hope that platform ticket would be procured with ease and there would just be a handful to greet me at the entrance. Entirely opposite of this happened as it took not less than half an hour to secure the ticket as the lady who was dispensing it stuck to her menu of counting the entire collections after every 15 tickets were dispensed with. More than half an hour at the counter which few would relish to put up with the next battle was to reach the platform that wasn't that far but looked entirely impossible to access as men and the material posessions they were seized with had taken the entire walking space.
Once inside the platform there were other odds to be grappled with and they began to diminish the moment i decided to exit. The entry was painful but the exit was smooth but not that strong enough to entice you to visit again given the floating population the city has and the floating mindset the railways work with given their inability to make it look less disorganised.
Against this the Madurai Junction looks to be a theatre of peace and tranquility. Even Madurai has a fairly large floating number but the authorities are careful enough to not fiddle with floating thougths. The approach is neat, clean and not cluttered by any standards. Try the Madurai one and skip the Delhi one for the amount of anxiety and pain that visits you once you decide to visit it.
As i write this with the belief that things may not improve in the near future, the man adjacent to me is seeking details on the journey he wishes to take and the mode of transport he should try. The cell talk is elaborate and the conversation goes beyond the near and dear ones. THe content suggests that he has visited one of the local stations in the Capital and the rough experience he has had. He wants to send a message to a large audience on the need to do a rethink as far as travelling by train from the Capital is concerned. Perhaps a walk on foot to a station in the neighbouring state won't be bad. In fact a large number of them have started taking recourse to this option on table.
But my concern for now is who is going to inherit (the inheritance value of station is getting diminished with each passing year)the stations like New Delhi for the sheer number of problems it brings on table for passengers and daily commuters. Perhaps the railway ministry withdrawal from some shape of activities would lessen the commotion and the convulsion that visit us now and then.
Chennai: Tambaram and Trisulam by Puneet Rajhans
Of Chennai's Tambaram and parking space
Having secured a ticket from Chennai Airport for taking a mode of travel that was 14 hours away, i needed a place to park myself for at least 10 hours. Staying inside locked up with nowhere to go as loos and laboratories shut their doors on those who dare to stay beyond permissible hours, i sougth a way out. In came a Tamil family, eager to listen to my plight and offer suggestive remedies. They told me i could park myself at Tambaram, 5kms from airport. Despite the insurmountable prodding from them i wasn't convinced that Tambaram would be the right place to park myself, i sougth more clarifications and commitments. Another gentleman appeared from a subway and headed towards airport subway,he disclosed the rates at which the rooms/halls could be seized. My query to him was simple and safe: "Was it possible in keeping with our state of mental and physical health to spend such a long time at airport? He suggested one can stretch beyond 12 hours and rates begin from 2000 revising every hour as night approaches. About the rates and the stretch going beyond 12 hours he talked about, the dilemma i found myself in seem to get broadened every passing hour.
After much interventions and intrusions from onlookers and vendors, the dilemma began to lose its intensity. The rates he was quoting for and the duration he favoured were for hotel rooms - and that too a good 20kms away from the place i was exercising the right to live and listen. His disappearing act was preceded by his observation that he never meant the waiting halls of airport where privately how hard you may try to seize some private space, the intrusion from prospective bidders looking for groom, goon and gatekeepers is too overwhelming. As i made it a point to not try the subway from which he emerged, i walked to TRISULAM, the local railway station adjacent to the airport.
Tambaram was on my mind and so was the scuffle at the railway ticket counter where a Sri Lankan national had to dish out a series of documents to give a ring of respectability to his roots which had been questioned by the counter guy. I approached the SL guy and the party following him to clear my doubts on Tambaram. Failing to get any response i decided to go to Chennai Egmore, the territory that looked familiar and faithful. The local train commute was comforting reminding some of the comforting rides i had taken in Mumbai local. Reached Chennai Park in less than an hour with the urgency to occupy the room as the tummy had begun to send warning signals for the sheer amount of luggage i was struggling around with. Post tummy stabilising phase i retired for the day as Siddhivinayak was next on my itinerary.
Having secured a ticket from Chennai Airport for taking a mode of travel that was 14 hours away, i needed a place to park myself for at least 10 hours. Staying inside locked up with nowhere to go as loos and laboratories shut their doors on those who dare to stay beyond permissible hours, i sougth a way out. In came a Tamil family, eager to listen to my plight and offer suggestive remedies. They told me i could park myself at Tambaram, 5kms from airport. Despite the insurmountable prodding from them i wasn't convinced that Tambaram would be the right place to park myself, i sougth more clarifications and commitments. Another gentleman appeared from a subway and headed towards airport subway,he disclosed the rates at which the rooms/halls could be seized. My query to him was simple and safe: "Was it possible in keeping with our state of mental and physical health to spend such a long time at airport? He suggested one can stretch beyond 12 hours and rates begin from 2000 revising every hour as night approaches. About the rates and the stretch going beyond 12 hours he talked about, the dilemma i found myself in seem to get broadened every passing hour.
After much interventions and intrusions from onlookers and vendors, the dilemma began to lose its intensity. The rates he was quoting for and the duration he favoured were for hotel rooms - and that too a good 20kms away from the place i was exercising the right to live and listen. His disappearing act was preceded by his observation that he never meant the waiting halls of airport where privately how hard you may try to seize some private space, the intrusion from prospective bidders looking for groom, goon and gatekeepers is too overwhelming. As i made it a point to not try the subway from which he emerged, i walked to TRISULAM, the local railway station adjacent to the airport.
Tambaram was on my mind and so was the scuffle at the railway ticket counter where a Sri Lankan national had to dish out a series of documents to give a ring of respectability to his roots which had been questioned by the counter guy. I approached the SL guy and the party following him to clear my doubts on Tambaram. Failing to get any response i decided to go to Chennai Egmore, the territory that looked familiar and faithful. The local train commute was comforting reminding some of the comforting rides i had taken in Mumbai local. Reached Chennai Park in less than an hour with the urgency to occupy the room as the tummy had begun to send warning signals for the sheer amount of luggage i was struggling around with. Post tummy stabilising phase i retired for the day as Siddhivinayak was next on my itinerary.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The muck starts here
The muck starts here
I am just being told that responses have to be incredibly heartening and positive to hear. What is this bullshit? One talks about incredibility when their theatre is savaged with the muck not most theatres would be associated with.
How far we are supposed to be incredible in our existence? Given the times we live in and the battles we wage, there is no such thing as incredible. Incredible are the fisticuffs that break out in the theatres of existence. Incredible is the backbiting that goes untamed. And incredible it looks that scam tainted journos who had a real hand in getting people into the cabinet are still cruising. The lot that has been identified with the muck of ensuring smooth passage of new entrants to the cabinet need to be shunned. They need to be axed.
And this is the sense the group that travelled with me shared. Never hail the leader who is talking about muck begins here when inside out everyone knows how tainted and hotel lobbyist they are. In fact select journos have built their base and hotelhopping just by engaging in all acts of impropriety. They have cruised and transported themselves from one hotel to another because they are in the know of the things that once out in the open the empire would crumble. The empire of print and the empire of theatre.
Here we need to pray to the allmigthy that we are saved from this tribe and their sermons that are as foolish as their attempt to fool the public.
Let honesty prevail and honest tribe sail.
I am just being told that responses have to be incredibly heartening and positive to hear. What is this bullshit? One talks about incredibility when their theatre is savaged with the muck not most theatres would be associated with.
How far we are supposed to be incredible in our existence? Given the times we live in and the battles we wage, there is no such thing as incredible. Incredible are the fisticuffs that break out in the theatres of existence. Incredible is the backbiting that goes untamed. And incredible it looks that scam tainted journos who had a real hand in getting people into the cabinet are still cruising. The lot that has been identified with the muck of ensuring smooth passage of new entrants to the cabinet need to be shunned. They need to be axed.
And this is the sense the group that travelled with me shared. Never hail the leader who is talking about muck begins here when inside out everyone knows how tainted and hotel lobbyist they are. In fact select journos have built their base and hotelhopping just by engaging in all acts of impropriety. They have cruised and transported themselves from one hotel to another because they are in the know of the things that once out in the open the empire would crumble. The empire of print and the empire of theatre.
Here we need to pray to the allmigthy that we are saved from this tribe and their sermons that are as foolish as their attempt to fool the public.
Let honesty prevail and honest tribe sail.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Karnataka: The rath yatra that we have been waiting for ages
Karnataka: The rath yatra that we have been waiting for ages
The Ad blitz from Yeddyurappa against Gowda and co. suggests that he is in perfect control of a situation perfectly made possible after the untimely exit from the perfect scene made imperfect by the likes of Gowda and sons. The ad blitz would be one of its kind as it would perfectly play out the deeds and dangers of having a gowda amidst them when other destructive dons are yet to be identified and dispatched to the numerically reducing jails of the state.
The Gowdas are on to their last ditch effort to place/throw themselves at the pedestal that accidentally slipped from their grip when Yeddy revolted as one K'swamy shut the door on him three years ago. The rath yatra is supposed to begin once Yeddy has in his perfect control all land related documents dating to the period as far as when the state had not come into existence and when it came into existence it had the freedom to have the first elected government that had the temerity to complete the tenure.
Yeddy wants to dissect and divulge the secrets of longevity of the governments of the past. With no Gowdas at the helm and no land records to be chased and filtered, the occupants of the chair not only lengthened their stay in office; they lengthened their stay on earth as well. It was a time when there was no summoning high command and no probing court farman.
The times have changed and so has been the impeccable character of politicos. As ad blitz has been promised so has been promised the yatra that would cover each and every district, taluka of Karnataka, giving exactly more than two and a half years to the BJP dispensation to set its house in order and seek a resurgent mandate in the new House. As for the other lot the yatra would continue despite the fuel hike the govt at centre would take recourse at short intervals and inclusive in its agenda would be to feed journos here and there on the the documents they have to wrap the Yeddy regime.
This is the sum and substance of one Yeddy who has truly and deservedly reached Bangalore, taken the all-important decision to release ads and release his near and dear ones from his captivity.
The last winding week had a different tale to tell with no one one sure which way the pendulum would swing. Here is the tale written against the apprehension that Yeddy would give in and wither away.
Karnataka Chief Minister stormed out of the meeting when a divided and divisive BJP told him to pave way for another person which the party high command had failed to locate and identify. The search was on for the past two days and who was helping in their search was Kumaraswamy, the man billed with the maximum taint and yet bringing out one charge after another suggesting he had all documents to back his claim. Probably this Gowda son has forgotten the scam trail that he and his associates are identified with and yet he wants Yeddy to step down.
Some in the party establishment are upset over the way things have panned out for Yeddy. One observed: " Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddy did so much for his party. Even in the face of the Reddy brothers open defiance he made it a point to buy peace with them. When allegations tailed Reddy brothers he stood by them. He gave the State the first BJP government. The party high command is trying to stage a mutiny sort of action against him. And leading this piece of action in the state is Kumaraswamy who ditched him when his turn came to govern. You are talking about corruption against Yeddy and family. Look at the corruption that Gowdas are enmeshed in and Reddy brothers are saddled with. Of the entire political lot that includes gowdas and reddys his acts of ommission and commission are comparatively less. But the party high command is not prepared to wait for the judicial probe and is eager to see his back. Once he is gone the state would be in entire mess with polls the only way out."
As the observation looked appropriate by some, the feeling in the party is Yeddy is being made a scapegoat on account of the high moral ground the Cong has taken. Once Yeddy goes, the state would be in for a long stint of instability. And in that spell of instability the likes of Kumaraswamy would flourish.
As Yeddy left the capital he was at pains to know that some journos were enlisting the support of gowdas to see him go. Probably the agenda they have will never come out in the open.
Before departing Yeddy told the BJP gathering that though he is being ousted a time will come when they too would be ousted. The BJP leaders were in a dilemma. Already in the Opposition for a period they would least desire, they thought how low they could hit. Is he suggesting the second largest party in LS would be relegated to third spot with the third front taking more seats than them? Or to be precise one party in that grouping overtaking them as far as winning LS seats were concerned? Gadkari and Advani had batted for Yeddy and yet their submissions were dismissed as Reddy brothers had already declared the Bellary lady as their preference for the top post if and when the BJP led coalition came to power.
AS Yeddy left Kumaraswamy tried to establish contact with the Cong. But the Cong was in no mood to listen to him given the drubbing the party was going to face in Bihar. Before giving him an audience they had set a condition. They wanted Kumaraswamy to open a line of revolt against Nitish in Bihar once he assumes office. Seeing his success in Karnataka, they wanted him to repeat his feat in Bihar. But K'swamy had a poser: "Are you congressmen sure you are going down as the other opposition grouping looks like? Probably you were on the fringe. So no question of saying you would be decimated. AS K'swamy put this poser, the Cong got a whiff of the ailments that gowdas suffer from. Once they are able to or on the verge of upstaging any combine that rules the state other than them, they visit Hassan and thank the public for putting faith in them. It is the Hassan public that distributes the propaganda material in the entire state that good times are about to come once the Hassan Kings are taken on board. And these Hassan Kings make it a point that any new coalition that aims to take office can't be minus them as stability is never guaranteed without Kumaraswamys and Gowdas at the helm.
The Ad blitz from Yeddyurappa against Gowda and co. suggests that he is in perfect control of a situation perfectly made possible after the untimely exit from the perfect scene made imperfect by the likes of Gowda and sons. The ad blitz would be one of its kind as it would perfectly play out the deeds and dangers of having a gowda amidst them when other destructive dons are yet to be identified and dispatched to the numerically reducing jails of the state.
The Gowdas are on to their last ditch effort to place/throw themselves at the pedestal that accidentally slipped from their grip when Yeddy revolted as one K'swamy shut the door on him three years ago. The rath yatra is supposed to begin once Yeddy has in his perfect control all land related documents dating to the period as far as when the state had not come into existence and when it came into existence it had the freedom to have the first elected government that had the temerity to complete the tenure.
Yeddy wants to dissect and divulge the secrets of longevity of the governments of the past. With no Gowdas at the helm and no land records to be chased and filtered, the occupants of the chair not only lengthened their stay in office; they lengthened their stay on earth as well. It was a time when there was no summoning high command and no probing court farman.
The times have changed and so has been the impeccable character of politicos. As ad blitz has been promised so has been promised the yatra that would cover each and every district, taluka of Karnataka, giving exactly more than two and a half years to the BJP dispensation to set its house in order and seek a resurgent mandate in the new House. As for the other lot the yatra would continue despite the fuel hike the govt at centre would take recourse at short intervals and inclusive in its agenda would be to feed journos here and there on the the documents they have to wrap the Yeddy regime.
This is the sum and substance of one Yeddy who has truly and deservedly reached Bangalore, taken the all-important decision to release ads and release his near and dear ones from his captivity.
The last winding week had a different tale to tell with no one one sure which way the pendulum would swing. Here is the tale written against the apprehension that Yeddy would give in and wither away.
Karnataka Chief Minister stormed out of the meeting when a divided and divisive BJP told him to pave way for another person which the party high command had failed to locate and identify. The search was on for the past two days and who was helping in their search was Kumaraswamy, the man billed with the maximum taint and yet bringing out one charge after another suggesting he had all documents to back his claim. Probably this Gowda son has forgotten the scam trail that he and his associates are identified with and yet he wants Yeddy to step down.
Some in the party establishment are upset over the way things have panned out for Yeddy. One observed: " Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddy did so much for his party. Even in the face of the Reddy brothers open defiance he made it a point to buy peace with them. When allegations tailed Reddy brothers he stood by them. He gave the State the first BJP government. The party high command is trying to stage a mutiny sort of action against him. And leading this piece of action in the state is Kumaraswamy who ditched him when his turn came to govern. You are talking about corruption against Yeddy and family. Look at the corruption that Gowdas are enmeshed in and Reddy brothers are saddled with. Of the entire political lot that includes gowdas and reddys his acts of ommission and commission are comparatively less. But the party high command is not prepared to wait for the judicial probe and is eager to see his back. Once he is gone the state would be in entire mess with polls the only way out."
As the observation looked appropriate by some, the feeling in the party is Yeddy is being made a scapegoat on account of the high moral ground the Cong has taken. Once Yeddy goes, the state would be in for a long stint of instability. And in that spell of instability the likes of Kumaraswamy would flourish.
As Yeddy left the capital he was at pains to know that some journos were enlisting the support of gowdas to see him go. Probably the agenda they have will never come out in the open.
Before departing Yeddy told the BJP gathering that though he is being ousted a time will come when they too would be ousted. The BJP leaders were in a dilemma. Already in the Opposition for a period they would least desire, they thought how low they could hit. Is he suggesting the second largest party in LS would be relegated to third spot with the third front taking more seats than them? Or to be precise one party in that grouping overtaking them as far as winning LS seats were concerned? Gadkari and Advani had batted for Yeddy and yet their submissions were dismissed as Reddy brothers had already declared the Bellary lady as their preference for the top post if and when the BJP led coalition came to power.
AS Yeddy left Kumaraswamy tried to establish contact with the Cong. But the Cong was in no mood to listen to him given the drubbing the party was going to face in Bihar. Before giving him an audience they had set a condition. They wanted Kumaraswamy to open a line of revolt against Nitish in Bihar once he assumes office. Seeing his success in Karnataka, they wanted him to repeat his feat in Bihar. But K'swamy had a poser: "Are you congressmen sure you are going down as the other opposition grouping looks like? Probably you were on the fringe. So no question of saying you would be decimated. AS K'swamy put this poser, the Cong got a whiff of the ailments that gowdas suffer from. Once they are able to or on the verge of upstaging any combine that rules the state other than them, they visit Hassan and thank the public for putting faith in them. It is the Hassan public that distributes the propaganda material in the entire state that good times are about to come once the Hassan Kings are taken on board. And these Hassan Kings make it a point that any new coalition that aims to take office can't be minus them as stability is never guaranteed without Kumaraswamys and Gowdas at the helm.
Drafting mails at Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport,Mumbai by Puneet Rajhans
Mails at Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport,Mumbai
As i take a seat at Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport,Mumbai, the man sitting next to me places a machine at top of his lap. He starts drafting mails which he should have sent the previous month, and the urgent need to do the same follows the threat to snap his water and power connections as bills haven't been cleared for long and he not having appeared in person to share his side of his story on how limited has been his stay at home.
Following the series of mails and meeting of mind he seeks services of those lying in the vicinity including me to help him draft a mail to a person he has never met, spoken or kissed. Nod or no nod from me he hits the accelerator.
His mail to the woman he wants to woo and weep with depending as the ground situation develops goes like this.
As luck would have it, the government would suggest it, the dissemination of information within permissible limit is sougth on the following.
- The place you were born and all those who were there to cheer your arrival on earth.
- The time and date of arrival (year and date can rotate according to your convenience).
- The school you went to and the college you progressed towards including the extra year you had to spend for a class which you could not go through in the stipulated time despite the best efforts of yours and peers.
- The days in a month when you never returned from school at the appointed time and went beyond the call of duty to explore the unexplored world.
- The number of crushes you had, including the durable ones and how you got out of them.
- The number of relationships you got in and walked out as the man/boy wasn't responsible enough to handle adult content.
- The charges of nepotism, favouritism that came your way while taking the first assignment followed by charges of abdication of duty post first year of survival.
- The overwhelming urge to succeed in a world marked by skirmishes and scuffle. Does the possibility of not earning the livelihood for a duration yet to be spelled out doesn't uplift your sentiments.
- And finally, the number of times you have stepped out of home for long duration and what efforts you make (including the food and milk you have)to keep your tummy in shape and the mind from getting baked despite attempts by others to intrude into you personal space. Others like the number of hours you sleep and the number of hours you pretend to sleep. Similar divisions as far as working and pretending to work at home and office were the other queries from his side.
As the man drafted the mail and sought suggestions from the tribe sitting next to him (the composition had changed as the old lot had been replaced by a new one; some had taken the flight and some had been blessed with the determination to skip the flight and take country roads), they suggested that once he gets the response on the mail, he can hope to take the next big step of seeking compatability and entrapment.
I,for one, was not that keen to get into the details as i had other preoccupation of keeping my tummy in order given the long journey i had taken from Chennai and was supposed to proceed to a city where the 400-odd rooms of Rashtrapati Bhawan were yet to be occupied by aam janata.
As i take a seat at Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport,Mumbai, the man sitting next to me places a machine at top of his lap. He starts drafting mails which he should have sent the previous month, and the urgent need to do the same follows the threat to snap his water and power connections as bills haven't been cleared for long and he not having appeared in person to share his side of his story on how limited has been his stay at home.
Following the series of mails and meeting of mind he seeks services of those lying in the vicinity including me to help him draft a mail to a person he has never met, spoken or kissed. Nod or no nod from me he hits the accelerator.
His mail to the woman he wants to woo and weep with depending as the ground situation develops goes like this.
As luck would have it, the government would suggest it, the dissemination of information within permissible limit is sougth on the following.
- The place you were born and all those who were there to cheer your arrival on earth.
- The time and date of arrival (year and date can rotate according to your convenience).
- The school you went to and the college you progressed towards including the extra year you had to spend for a class which you could not go through in the stipulated time despite the best efforts of yours and peers.
- The days in a month when you never returned from school at the appointed time and went beyond the call of duty to explore the unexplored world.
- The number of crushes you had, including the durable ones and how you got out of them.
- The number of relationships you got in and walked out as the man/boy wasn't responsible enough to handle adult content.
- The charges of nepotism, favouritism that came your way while taking the first assignment followed by charges of abdication of duty post first year of survival.
- The overwhelming urge to succeed in a world marked by skirmishes and scuffle. Does the possibility of not earning the livelihood for a duration yet to be spelled out doesn't uplift your sentiments.
- And finally, the number of times you have stepped out of home for long duration and what efforts you make (including the food and milk you have)to keep your tummy in shape and the mind from getting baked despite attempts by others to intrude into you personal space. Others like the number of hours you sleep and the number of hours you pretend to sleep. Similar divisions as far as working and pretending to work at home and office were the other queries from his side.
As the man drafted the mail and sought suggestions from the tribe sitting next to him (the composition had changed as the old lot had been replaced by a new one; some had taken the flight and some had been blessed with the determination to skip the flight and take country roads), they suggested that once he gets the response on the mail, he can hope to take the next big step of seeking compatability and entrapment.
I,for one, was not that keen to get into the details as i had other preoccupation of keeping my tummy in order given the long journey i had taken from Chennai and was supposed to proceed to a city where the 400-odd rooms of Rashtrapati Bhawan were yet to be occupied by aam janata.
The Bhagalpur Blockbuster by Puneet Rajhans
The Bhagalpur Blockbuster
THere was pragmatic-and-not-pessimistic proy, stable-and-not sermonising Sheikh and not down-and-not out Dohrab on a panel of Naya Daur Theatre. They deliberated and dissected the polls in the Hindi heartland which never had the habit of throwing surprises when wife-husband ruled the roost. They traced the new trend in 2005 to the strained ties between the two whose lolipops and freebies had failed to enthuse the audience. As the trio sat on the banks of Ganges, to gauge the level of comfort the ruling benches were in, the trio declared in unison that verdict of 2005 would be repeated in 2010.
Their claim was based on all those who had attended the gathering of Big G and Big N. The number who came barefooted and those who lost their sleepers on the way was clinically recorded and so was recorded the venom they spewed at each other.
The trio believed that the days of queens and kings being history the duo should register themselves at employment exchanges across the country as the seats they would secure and the support they would eventually get would lead to a growing call from depleting followers that they need to seek a new profession.
The trio even looked at the demands the public at large had placed before the political class. Apart from 50 per cent concession on public transport if any other member of the family took the same transport, the public wanted free meals and lodging at all the unutilised godowns and community halls of the state. As a multipurpose card was sougth to seek these benefits, subsidised meals to all approaches of momuments of historical and archaeological importance were demanded. Precisely for the benefits it would usher for the state exchequer. This one act of the state would increase the footfalls to these sites and also increase the brisk sales of vendors.
Though the trio didn't attempt to cover the entire gamut of demands the public wanted to put before the political class, what was of concern for the aam janata was what food they had and what water they took and the room they shared during their stay in Bhagalpur and beyond. The series of assaults that visits the stomach and the series of revolt that the body parts are witness to are hazards of modern ways of earning your livelihood. The other regret being the trio didn't issue a joint statement post Bhagalpur tryst. Perhaps one expects the same from another trio of K,A and G who would at some point of time gather under single unbreakable roof to dissect and divulge the details of the candidates contesting in Timbaktu. Post this tryst the Timbaktu Tormentors can hope for a break from all forms of earning and swindling activities.
THere was pragmatic-and-not-pessimistic proy, stable-and-not sermonising Sheikh and not down-and-not out Dohrab on a panel of Naya Daur Theatre. They deliberated and dissected the polls in the Hindi heartland which never had the habit of throwing surprises when wife-husband ruled the roost. They traced the new trend in 2005 to the strained ties between the two whose lolipops and freebies had failed to enthuse the audience. As the trio sat on the banks of Ganges, to gauge the level of comfort the ruling benches were in, the trio declared in unison that verdict of 2005 would be repeated in 2010.
Their claim was based on all those who had attended the gathering of Big G and Big N. The number who came barefooted and those who lost their sleepers on the way was clinically recorded and so was recorded the venom they spewed at each other.
The trio believed that the days of queens and kings being history the duo should register themselves at employment exchanges across the country as the seats they would secure and the support they would eventually get would lead to a growing call from depleting followers that they need to seek a new profession.
The trio even looked at the demands the public at large had placed before the political class. Apart from 50 per cent concession on public transport if any other member of the family took the same transport, the public wanted free meals and lodging at all the unutilised godowns and community halls of the state. As a multipurpose card was sougth to seek these benefits, subsidised meals to all approaches of momuments of historical and archaeological importance were demanded. Precisely for the benefits it would usher for the state exchequer. This one act of the state would increase the footfalls to these sites and also increase the brisk sales of vendors.
Though the trio didn't attempt to cover the entire gamut of demands the public wanted to put before the political class, what was of concern for the aam janata was what food they had and what water they took and the room they shared during their stay in Bhagalpur and beyond. The series of assaults that visits the stomach and the series of revolt that the body parts are witness to are hazards of modern ways of earning your livelihood. The other regret being the trio didn't issue a joint statement post Bhagalpur tryst. Perhaps one expects the same from another trio of K,A and G who would at some point of time gather under single unbreakable roof to dissect and divulge the details of the candidates contesting in Timbaktu. Post this tryst the Timbaktu Tormentors can hope for a break from all forms of earning and swindling activities.
Wheatish complexion
The Wheatish complexion and how we are supposed to suppress it. The story on those blessed with wheatish mandate has been doing the rounds for long. Perhaps the pressure they face to shake off this complexion is much more than the pressure brougth on the Yeddy govt in K'taka. The story could be tried once the goons are stopped from being covered in K'taka.
i have lost the will to pen thougths as insurmountable pressure is being brougth on me to take a mopping job before sun sets in. I won't take any assignment as long as the yamuna gets cleared and rashtrapati bhawan opens its doors for new occupants to settle in the 400 odd rooms.
As for wheatish and its aftereffects, the man was sailing towards N America and sent the message to the person who reaches out to the audience at select hours. The man headed for n America lost his cool and environment friendly friends ever since he asked the message reader to take less recourse to moisturiser and read out her thougths slowly and appropriately. My thoughts were on how much offence the message reader would have taken and how much would be her susceptibility to engage in crimes of passion and persuasion. Mind you as i write this i have attempted to send the mail but it is bouncing back. i hope to do some other day as the decks have been cleared to mop the floor. And i would surely send the mail to the tigress come what may.
i have lost the will to pen thougths as insurmountable pressure is being brougth on me to take a mopping job before sun sets in. I won't take any assignment as long as the yamuna gets cleared and rashtrapati bhawan opens its doors for new occupants to settle in the 400 odd rooms.
As for wheatish and its aftereffects, the man was sailing towards N America and sent the message to the person who reaches out to the audience at select hours. The man headed for n America lost his cool and environment friendly friends ever since he asked the message reader to take less recourse to moisturiser and read out her thougths slowly and appropriately. My thoughts were on how much offence the message reader would have taken and how much would be her susceptibility to engage in crimes of passion and persuasion. Mind you as i write this i have attempted to send the mail but it is bouncing back. i hope to do some other day as the decks have been cleared to mop the floor. And i would surely send the mail to the tigress come what may.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Of discounts, railway-cum- labour pass by Puneet Rajhans
Of discounts, railway-cum- labour pass
As the train pulled inside the platform, the train staff wasn't willing to open the doors for a long time. They argued that the moment the doors would open the first thing the excessive load of passengers would do is to charge their cells and laptops with the plea that they never got a chance to charge it in the past few days. Not limited to that they would use the charging point for radio, electric shaver and any electric kettle they brought with them to boil the water and take the bath in the adjacent bathrooms. It is precisely for these range of activities the railways put a caution notice in every coach and yet they are fiddled with on every possible occasion. So to tame them the doors are opened to the passengers a few minutes before its departure - and doors remain open for the entire journey for the keeness of the staff to see passengers deboard even before the designated station comes. This leads to a whole tribe remaining stranded and strangulation marks that become visible following the fights and arguments that break out.
Things were no different this time as well in the junction in the vicinity of Tirunelveli. Men, women and babies were stranded on platform 1 on account of inordinate delay in the arrival of train.
The stranded nature of folks in station could be traced to non availability of seats. Imprints of strandedness was visible on platform 1, 2 and 3 as the platform 4 was under reconstruction. Reconstruction for the very reason that it could not withstand the heavy pressure of human explosion who used to frequent it. In fact a large host of train drivers had expressed their willingness to park trains on platform 4, resulting in the huge rush. The huge rush led to its huge decimation. To save the onslaugth and the tragedy that visited Platform 4, the platforms 1,2 and 3 witness a large stranded population - all passengers and co-passengers - as all the chairs that were meant to seat them have been uprooted. Further the places of chairs have been taken by dustbins and signboards that clearly convey other places in the town where a better crowd could be expected. So the pressure not big enough has been equally split among the three visible and standing platforms.
With no visitors accompanying the departure and arrival lots, the surging crowd has stopped and these platforms have become an oasis of peace and tranquility. Where porters won't be able to charge according to his preference and the passenger won't thrust on him a load he can barely manage himself. But that load is proportionate to his agenda of shuttling between cities and towns as peace is yet to return from the place s/he departed.
As i took my seat in the coach with the same state of preparedness that the crowd would follow soon and there would be a mayhem all around, the sense that i was getting was with no immediate neighbour in the immediate vicinity i faced no immediate threat. The immediate threats were from the co-passengers who occupied the seats of their choice and put queries to you. The queries were of this nature: "Are there any papers, documents and jewellery in your luggage that could be pledged to the bank as the co-passenger is in dire need of loan. Or who all touts you were in touch with to get the train tickets.
I tell them point blank that i don't have meddlesome nature and so no need for me to get in touch with middlemen of all shapes sizes and colour. Given the experience i had when i secured a ticket from this tribe and the company i had in the train and the food i had to share i have shut my doors on them even though these middlemen may be hailing from middlesex with middle bent of mind. "Let my countrymen know that howsoever alarming the serpentine queue may look; how taxing it may be to face the heat and humid, i would be part of the queue and secure the ticket from the counter of the reservation centre at the actual fare with no discounts whatsoever.
The discounts as the Government Order states comes for those having clocked close to 4000kms in indian railways in a month would get 40 per cent discount for the next travel; for those having clocked between 4000 and 10,000 would get 75 per cent. As for those having clocked anything over 2 lakh kms over a period of two to three years they would be recurrent guests of Indian Railways where they would be provided railway-cum-labour pass. For the first six months they would be be given free lodging, meals and travelling by railways. For the next six months they would be asked to do a job quite laborious in nature in order to keep their feet to the ground. As for the labour pains their better half ; the live-ins; the ones who should have better got into live-in mode lest made to live out for long; and those torn between live-ins and live outs (the court has yet to step in these cases and give its ruling) would be taken care of in all railway hospitals across the country. To put an end to these series of threats from co-passengers I assert that these discounts don't suit a sizeable segment of the travelling population and they skip it for others to try.
As for air travel the threats that i face relate to queries from co-passengers like at what proportion of height you begin to throw fits and weight and is your air travel proportionate to revealed sources of income and teaching? Since most have abandoned the J Class given the disapportionate assets to proportionate income case brings them close to the authorities looking into them, they mingle with the economy class passengers who are never economical with truth. Probably the seats next to me go unoccupied and unnoticed for the entire journey given the fear the co-traveller faces from the likes of us by our audacity to put such queries to them.
As the train pulled inside the platform, the train staff wasn't willing to open the doors for a long time. They argued that the moment the doors would open the first thing the excessive load of passengers would do is to charge their cells and laptops with the plea that they never got a chance to charge it in the past few days. Not limited to that they would use the charging point for radio, electric shaver and any electric kettle they brought with them to boil the water and take the bath in the adjacent bathrooms. It is precisely for these range of activities the railways put a caution notice in every coach and yet they are fiddled with on every possible occasion. So to tame them the doors are opened to the passengers a few minutes before its departure - and doors remain open for the entire journey for the keeness of the staff to see passengers deboard even before the designated station comes. This leads to a whole tribe remaining stranded and strangulation marks that become visible following the fights and arguments that break out.
Things were no different this time as well in the junction in the vicinity of Tirunelveli. Men, women and babies were stranded on platform 1 on account of inordinate delay in the arrival of train.
The stranded nature of folks in station could be traced to non availability of seats. Imprints of strandedness was visible on platform 1, 2 and 3 as the platform 4 was under reconstruction. Reconstruction for the very reason that it could not withstand the heavy pressure of human explosion who used to frequent it. In fact a large host of train drivers had expressed their willingness to park trains on platform 4, resulting in the huge rush. The huge rush led to its huge decimation. To save the onslaugth and the tragedy that visited Platform 4, the platforms 1,2 and 3 witness a large stranded population - all passengers and co-passengers - as all the chairs that were meant to seat them have been uprooted. Further the places of chairs have been taken by dustbins and signboards that clearly convey other places in the town where a better crowd could be expected. So the pressure not big enough has been equally split among the three visible and standing platforms.
With no visitors accompanying the departure and arrival lots, the surging crowd has stopped and these platforms have become an oasis of peace and tranquility. Where porters won't be able to charge according to his preference and the passenger won't thrust on him a load he can barely manage himself. But that load is proportionate to his agenda of shuttling between cities and towns as peace is yet to return from the place s/he departed.
As i took my seat in the coach with the same state of preparedness that the crowd would follow soon and there would be a mayhem all around, the sense that i was getting was with no immediate neighbour in the immediate vicinity i faced no immediate threat. The immediate threats were from the co-passengers who occupied the seats of their choice and put queries to you. The queries were of this nature: "Are there any papers, documents and jewellery in your luggage that could be pledged to the bank as the co-passenger is in dire need of loan. Or who all touts you were in touch with to get the train tickets.
I tell them point blank that i don't have meddlesome nature and so no need for me to get in touch with middlemen of all shapes sizes and colour. Given the experience i had when i secured a ticket from this tribe and the company i had in the train and the food i had to share i have shut my doors on them even though these middlemen may be hailing from middlesex with middle bent of mind. "Let my countrymen know that howsoever alarming the serpentine queue may look; how taxing it may be to face the heat and humid, i would be part of the queue and secure the ticket from the counter of the reservation centre at the actual fare with no discounts whatsoever.
The discounts as the Government Order states comes for those having clocked close to 4000kms in indian railways in a month would get 40 per cent discount for the next travel; for those having clocked between 4000 and 10,000 would get 75 per cent. As for those having clocked anything over 2 lakh kms over a period of two to three years they would be recurrent guests of Indian Railways where they would be provided railway-cum-labour pass. For the first six months they would be be given free lodging, meals and travelling by railways. For the next six months they would be asked to do a job quite laborious in nature in order to keep their feet to the ground. As for the labour pains their better half ; the live-ins; the ones who should have better got into live-in mode lest made to live out for long; and those torn between live-ins and live outs (the court has yet to step in these cases and give its ruling) would be taken care of in all railway hospitals across the country. To put an end to these series of threats from co-passengers I assert that these discounts don't suit a sizeable segment of the travelling population and they skip it for others to try.
As for air travel the threats that i face relate to queries from co-passengers like at what proportion of height you begin to throw fits and weight and is your air travel proportionate to revealed sources of income and teaching? Since most have abandoned the J Class given the disapportionate assets to proportionate income case brings them close to the authorities looking into them, they mingle with the economy class passengers who are never economical with truth. Probably the seats next to me go unoccupied and unnoticed for the entire journey given the fear the co-traveller faces from the likes of us by our audacity to put such queries to them.
The four days of Big Barack Obama by Puneet Rajhans
As Barack Obama left for Japan, he penned his thoughts on the momentum set in and pain and suffering unleashed following his departure from India
I can't forget the four days i spent in India for the sheer amount of pressure brought on me to deliver; the exercise i had failed to stick to at home.
I can't forget the four days for the food i took and the water i had to sustain the dialogue which refused to abate given the sustained nature of pressure brought on me by Indian leadership to engage leaders of all hues to hear their side of the story and the pain and suffering they had been subjected to ever since my arrival dates were announced.
The four days i had at my disposal to praise a country which had refused to slide and urge my countrymen to stem the slide at home. THe four days of long spell of stability that my stomach and those of my peers were witness to and the same that could not be said for those who had been strictly told to stay outdoors as my convoy passed through. The four days when i reached the destinations in Mumbai and Delhi well before schedule so that my security agents could check the state of toilets and gutters.
The four days when at Mumbai airport the besieged leader of a besieged Democratic Party had a one on one with the besieged Maharashtra leader who had been summoned to Delhi and told to pave the way for another Maratha. The four days when the chopper took me from one end of Mumbai to another and my belief that chopper service would be handy and provide me enough cover if and when i try to visit the city again and have to save myself from the wrath of the aam janata who would be stranded for hours for my audacity to kiss the city again.
The four days when i was told to have one on one with the likes of Big G Big M and Big A where they elaborated on the need for reforming UNSC even if it called for a truncated one where China could be displaced for India to be placed at the high rotating table.
I can't forget the four days in India for abysmal state of tv and print reporting where they covered me and my entourage on the time we spent in the hotel room, loo and the moisturiser and soap we applied to defeat the heat and dust of Delhi and Mumbai.
Here as i bid goodbye to my short and constructive stays in Indonesia and South Korea, i long for such select and simple coverage that media in these two nation states have accomplished. What all happened in the different provinces of these nation states during my stay were adequately covered by the media and giving me much breathing space. As for the electronic media in the subcontinent shame on them for giving a story on the presidential convoy movement from one part of the city to another as a news that has just come in. Learn from your counterparts in Indonesia and South korea.
The four days that finally led to the High Command of Cong axing a spate of leaders to make the plate appear clean. Can my stay for the same duration help cleanse the machinery in China? Probably my stint in Pakistan next year would clear the air. As for Pakistan establishment, i don't expect any reshuffle in their establishment given the breathing space they need ever since proposed-but-to-be-postponed reforms of UNSC was spelled out by me.
God forbid if my party receives another drubbing of the scale witnessed in midterm polls i would prefer to spend another four days in Timbaktu. That's the place i long to be given their strong distaste for media and their blanket ban on frenzy coverage. As for my itinerary they would be putting hoardings at diferent vantage points of the cities i would be visiting.
I can't forget the four days i spent in India for the sheer amount of pressure brought on me to deliver; the exercise i had failed to stick to at home.
I can't forget the four days for the food i took and the water i had to sustain the dialogue which refused to abate given the sustained nature of pressure brought on me by Indian leadership to engage leaders of all hues to hear their side of the story and the pain and suffering they had been subjected to ever since my arrival dates were announced.
The four days i had at my disposal to praise a country which had refused to slide and urge my countrymen to stem the slide at home. THe four days of long spell of stability that my stomach and those of my peers were witness to and the same that could not be said for those who had been strictly told to stay outdoors as my convoy passed through. The four days when i reached the destinations in Mumbai and Delhi well before schedule so that my security agents could check the state of toilets and gutters.
The four days when at Mumbai airport the besieged leader of a besieged Democratic Party had a one on one with the besieged Maharashtra leader who had been summoned to Delhi and told to pave the way for another Maratha. The four days when the chopper took me from one end of Mumbai to another and my belief that chopper service would be handy and provide me enough cover if and when i try to visit the city again and have to save myself from the wrath of the aam janata who would be stranded for hours for my audacity to kiss the city again.
The four days when i was told to have one on one with the likes of Big G Big M and Big A where they elaborated on the need for reforming UNSC even if it called for a truncated one where China could be displaced for India to be placed at the high rotating table.
I can't forget the four days in India for abysmal state of tv and print reporting where they covered me and my entourage on the time we spent in the hotel room, loo and the moisturiser and soap we applied to defeat the heat and dust of Delhi and Mumbai.
Here as i bid goodbye to my short and constructive stays in Indonesia and South Korea, i long for such select and simple coverage that media in these two nation states have accomplished. What all happened in the different provinces of these nation states during my stay were adequately covered by the media and giving me much breathing space. As for the electronic media in the subcontinent shame on them for giving a story on the presidential convoy movement from one part of the city to another as a news that has just come in. Learn from your counterparts in Indonesia and South korea.
The four days that finally led to the High Command of Cong axing a spate of leaders to make the plate appear clean. Can my stay for the same duration help cleanse the machinery in China? Probably my stint in Pakistan next year would clear the air. As for Pakistan establishment, i don't expect any reshuffle in their establishment given the breathing space they need ever since proposed-but-to-be-postponed reforms of UNSC was spelled out by me.
God forbid if my party receives another drubbing of the scale witnessed in midterm polls i would prefer to spend another four days in Timbaktu. That's the place i long to be given their strong distaste for media and their blanket ban on frenzy coverage. As for my itinerary they would be putting hoardings at diferent vantage points of the cities i would be visiting.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Of Raja and bouncy tracks by Puneet Rajhans
Of Raja and bouncy tracks
Chief Minister Karunanidhi had this to say to set the record straight: "We are not guilty. Guilty are A Raja's predecessors and the prospective ministers who would be holding the telecom portfolio if ever Raja decides to demit ofice to attend to household chores. "
Karuna thundered given Raja's stature and his royal status Raja was never short of money/cash of different denominations (Rs, Pound and Dollar), the charge that has been levelled against him as his bank balance was healthy and his state of mental and physical health strong enough to not let him swindle the entire amount in one go. Even after he had stopped visiting a host of nations to take telecom deals to a new level, the invites from these nations never stopped coming to him given the invincibility tag he carried.
Raja won't go even if the entire council of ministers resign as the limited stationery he has at his disposal and the explanation he is being asked to furnish on his minimal role to the 2G episode, which is yet to be identified as far as the quantum goes. Try to understand the months and years it would take for Raja to put his side of the story on the scam that never existed when he came and is alleged to be at its peak when he is being asked to demit office. Provide him the necessary stationery and adequate workforce to help him draft an elaborate explanation to the scamsters who visited his ofice prior to his taking oath and the numbers that dwindled as he started visiting office regularly.
As Karuna tried to put an end to the spate of speculations on Raja's fate and Queen's elevation to the Manmohan Cabinet, he used the press conference to elaborate on the amount of work that needed to be done for his grandson's wedding. "I can't let my celebrations be any less than that took place at Rajnikant's place. I have yet to get in touch with tentwallahs, the meal provider is yet to be traced since the number of guests he was told to cater to at Rajni's place went beyond his wild expectations. Following his tryst at Rajni's place he disappeared in the wilds of the State to escape the possibility of being again asked to prepare meals for men women and babies whose numbers may never dwindle the entire wedding celebration night. THe wedding card is ready but is yet to be distributed since the entire party workers are camping in delhi to provide the muscular and moral support to Raja. So you presswallahas i seek your support in distributing the wedding cards and selling this line to Sultanat of Delhi that Raja won't demit office before 2014.
A little while later seeing the unrelenting stand of the Opposition, Karuna called another press conference and handed out an invitation to opposition leaders to join in his grandson's wedding celebrations by coming to Chennai. "Once the opposition leaders are here i would explain to them how much Raja could have made from the 2G episode and yet he settled for a measly cut/compensation. I would explain to the opposition leaders that this 2G can't be dismissed as a scam and let it retain its episode aura as the amount that has circulated around Raja is fairly and disappearing low."
The elaborate food followed by elaborate stay for these opposition leaders and their followers would be enough to clear the air and pave the way for Raja's elevation. Given the desire of Raja to play big and that too on the bouncy tracks, as the amount of coverage he has been showered from print and electronic media, the grandson's wedding would also be used as an occasion to reach a consensus as far as Presidential polls of 2012 are concerned. "We will see to it that from Mum Manmohan to Big G to Advantage Advani all give their consent to Raja's elevation to president's office."
Hearing this the press people disaapeared from Karuna's place fearing the structural changes that Rashtrapati Bhawan would be subjected to probably beginning with rooms being offered on rent on first come first seize basis.
Chief Minister Karunanidhi had this to say to set the record straight: "We are not guilty. Guilty are A Raja's predecessors and the prospective ministers who would be holding the telecom portfolio if ever Raja decides to demit ofice to attend to household chores. "
Karuna thundered given Raja's stature and his royal status Raja was never short of money/cash of different denominations (Rs, Pound and Dollar), the charge that has been levelled against him as his bank balance was healthy and his state of mental and physical health strong enough to not let him swindle the entire amount in one go. Even after he had stopped visiting a host of nations to take telecom deals to a new level, the invites from these nations never stopped coming to him given the invincibility tag he carried.
Raja won't go even if the entire council of ministers resign as the limited stationery he has at his disposal and the explanation he is being asked to furnish on his minimal role to the 2G episode, which is yet to be identified as far as the quantum goes. Try to understand the months and years it would take for Raja to put his side of the story on the scam that never existed when he came and is alleged to be at its peak when he is being asked to demit office. Provide him the necessary stationery and adequate workforce to help him draft an elaborate explanation to the scamsters who visited his ofice prior to his taking oath and the numbers that dwindled as he started visiting office regularly.
As Karuna tried to put an end to the spate of speculations on Raja's fate and Queen's elevation to the Manmohan Cabinet, he used the press conference to elaborate on the amount of work that needed to be done for his grandson's wedding. "I can't let my celebrations be any less than that took place at Rajnikant's place. I have yet to get in touch with tentwallahs, the meal provider is yet to be traced since the number of guests he was told to cater to at Rajni's place went beyond his wild expectations. Following his tryst at Rajni's place he disappeared in the wilds of the State to escape the possibility of being again asked to prepare meals for men women and babies whose numbers may never dwindle the entire wedding celebration night. THe wedding card is ready but is yet to be distributed since the entire party workers are camping in delhi to provide the muscular and moral support to Raja. So you presswallahas i seek your support in distributing the wedding cards and selling this line to Sultanat of Delhi that Raja won't demit office before 2014.
A little while later seeing the unrelenting stand of the Opposition, Karuna called another press conference and handed out an invitation to opposition leaders to join in his grandson's wedding celebrations by coming to Chennai. "Once the opposition leaders are here i would explain to them how much Raja could have made from the 2G episode and yet he settled for a measly cut/compensation. I would explain to the opposition leaders that this 2G can't be dismissed as a scam and let it retain its episode aura as the amount that has circulated around Raja is fairly and disappearing low."
The elaborate food followed by elaborate stay for these opposition leaders and their followers would be enough to clear the air and pave the way for Raja's elevation. Given the desire of Raja to play big and that too on the bouncy tracks, as the amount of coverage he has been showered from print and electronic media, the grandson's wedding would also be used as an occasion to reach a consensus as far as Presidential polls of 2012 are concerned. "We will see to it that from Mum Manmohan to Big G to Advantage Advani all give their consent to Raja's elevation to president's office."
Hearing this the press people disaapeared from Karuna's place fearing the structural changes that Rashtrapati Bhawan would be subjected to probably beginning with rooms being offered on rent on first come first seize basis.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Weeping and wetting by Puneet Rajhans
Weeping and wetting
As the threats that one face while travelling get reduced with the passage of time, travelling becomes more soothing and one vows to take note of exchange that takes place in the train coach. Two staff members were debating the harassment the cells in their homes were causing to them and the bills they had to foot. One member elaborated the pain and agony he was subjected to at home when his son went on cell arguments and his daughter went wild with the laptop she had secured. The laptop to the daughter had been gifted by her foe-turned-friend who had tried all wild games that laptop could offer.
As the daughter had just stepped in the college the first wild posession being the laptop she went wild and expressed her desire to come good by getting into live-in mode which so many of her seniors and peers had got in and got out at will. This desire of her to take immediate steps to realise her dream has got us in a state of periodic shocks, the staff member maintained. He went on to elaborate further.
The boy takes no less than 15 to 20 calls on cell each day giving traffic instructions on the route to be taken and the mode to be tried to reach their prized destinations to seek peaceful private moments. Later i realised that he had been booked for a traffic offence and his inability to pay the penalty led the traffic inspector seek his cell number and told him to dutifully guide people who sougth directions to a particular place and how best to reach them. Though the reprimand was for 15 days, he put his skills on the internet and as a result he gets calls at night and day where he provides his instructions for free with the rider that his skills should be advertised to their near and dear ones. As this has led to a lot of commotion in the family with unwanted visitors visiting and urging us to clear his cell bills failing which they won't terminate the cell connection but would easily terminate the power and water connection.
Earlier i had to settle for food, laundry, water and power bills. The landline instrument i had surrendered to the government long time back given the calls i got from the station to report for duty at unmanly hours. That threat i was able to take care of but this new threat of snapping water and power connection has led me to my inordinate delay in reaching home when my duty hours are over.
His tale on cell and its ripple effect wasn't the only one i was witness to
There was another guy speaking on cell on the need for him to be on the cell to tell the company vendors that the company intends to launch a new product. The cell duration that lasted for over an hour and could easily go beyond two hours made the other boy sitting in other party cry foul. For the duration the man was on the cell with company vendors, the boy would ask his father any call came on his cell. This act he repeated for unlimited times. Even after the man had stopped speaking to the company vendors, the boy was putting the same query to his father. As a result, the father rushed to attend to nature's call as no call came on his cell but his son's persistent nagging made him sweat out in the cool surroundings and gave the stomach the upset it didn't deserve. Seeing the repeated intrusion of his father to the train loo and the state of affairs in the train led the company man weep for hours as he entirely held himself responsible for this mess. His urge to speak on cell for long and the temerity of the boy to ask his father whether he received any call well after he had stopped conversing could have been avoided had he not spoken for that long. After sessions of weeping he followed this by wetting the bedrest he had slept on and the boy going one step further answered all forms of nature's call on the coach bedrest. Seeing all this the train driver brougth the train to a standstill and sougth immediate explanation from the boy and the company man.
As for me who had no immediate neighbours in the coach till then this inadvertent adventures of the boy and company man made me do a rethink whether i should check the mental and physical health of the co-passengers before boarding the train? Well such amenities are not there before one takes a decision to board the train.
As for the train staff member who had been mauled enough by his son and daugther, he could not make out where he should park himself: in the train which had become inhospitable for long or the house where the son/daughter whom he had asked to vacate had threatened to take him to court for the meals he was not providing. So caught between hard and more hard surface, he decided to bide his time and seek solace in the company of his train staff followed by a long session in the loo when the train had deposited itself in the yard. Here the freedom to weep and wet was there.
As the threats that one face while travelling get reduced with the passage of time, travelling becomes more soothing and one vows to take note of exchange that takes place in the train coach. Two staff members were debating the harassment the cells in their homes were causing to them and the bills they had to foot. One member elaborated the pain and agony he was subjected to at home when his son went on cell arguments and his daughter went wild with the laptop she had secured. The laptop to the daughter had been gifted by her foe-turned-friend who had tried all wild games that laptop could offer.
As the daughter had just stepped in the college the first wild posession being the laptop she went wild and expressed her desire to come good by getting into live-in mode which so many of her seniors and peers had got in and got out at will. This desire of her to take immediate steps to realise her dream has got us in a state of periodic shocks, the staff member maintained. He went on to elaborate further.
The boy takes no less than 15 to 20 calls on cell each day giving traffic instructions on the route to be taken and the mode to be tried to reach their prized destinations to seek peaceful private moments. Later i realised that he had been booked for a traffic offence and his inability to pay the penalty led the traffic inspector seek his cell number and told him to dutifully guide people who sougth directions to a particular place and how best to reach them. Though the reprimand was for 15 days, he put his skills on the internet and as a result he gets calls at night and day where he provides his instructions for free with the rider that his skills should be advertised to their near and dear ones. As this has led to a lot of commotion in the family with unwanted visitors visiting and urging us to clear his cell bills failing which they won't terminate the cell connection but would easily terminate the power and water connection.
Earlier i had to settle for food, laundry, water and power bills. The landline instrument i had surrendered to the government long time back given the calls i got from the station to report for duty at unmanly hours. That threat i was able to take care of but this new threat of snapping water and power connection has led me to my inordinate delay in reaching home when my duty hours are over.
His tale on cell and its ripple effect wasn't the only one i was witness to
There was another guy speaking on cell on the need for him to be on the cell to tell the company vendors that the company intends to launch a new product. The cell duration that lasted for over an hour and could easily go beyond two hours made the other boy sitting in other party cry foul. For the duration the man was on the cell with company vendors, the boy would ask his father any call came on his cell. This act he repeated for unlimited times. Even after the man had stopped speaking to the company vendors, the boy was putting the same query to his father. As a result, the father rushed to attend to nature's call as no call came on his cell but his son's persistent nagging made him sweat out in the cool surroundings and gave the stomach the upset it didn't deserve. Seeing the repeated intrusion of his father to the train loo and the state of affairs in the train led the company man weep for hours as he entirely held himself responsible for this mess. His urge to speak on cell for long and the temerity of the boy to ask his father whether he received any call well after he had stopped conversing could have been avoided had he not spoken for that long. After sessions of weeping he followed this by wetting the bedrest he had slept on and the boy going one step further answered all forms of nature's call on the coach bedrest. Seeing all this the train driver brougth the train to a standstill and sougth immediate explanation from the boy and the company man.
As for me who had no immediate neighbours in the coach till then this inadvertent adventures of the boy and company man made me do a rethink whether i should check the mental and physical health of the co-passengers before boarding the train? Well such amenities are not there before one takes a decision to board the train.
As for the train staff member who had been mauled enough by his son and daugther, he could not make out where he should park himself: in the train which had become inhospitable for long or the house where the son/daughter whom he had asked to vacate had threatened to take him to court for the meals he was not providing. So caught between hard and more hard surface, he decided to bide his time and seek solace in the company of his train staff followed by a long session in the loo when the train had deposited itself in the yard. Here the freedom to weep and wet was there.
Amma rally and Tamil script by Puneet Rajhans
Hotel International Madurai has a signboard at its entrance. It says: "Hotel International Madurai was inaugurated in 1973." Doing the honours were K Rajaram (B.A. degree under his belt) Minister of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu and S Mutthu (occupant of the Mayor Chair), MLC. Underneath the signboard are enough signs to grapple with. First the year 1973 when very few of us in the North would have given into the temptation of visiting Madurai. Second the Madurai of that period hadn't had the potential to unleash turbulence in the political landscape of the state. Not to be outdone these days it has the capacity to hold a capacity crowd for a rally addressed by Jayalalitha (Amma) about two weeks ago.
The rally saw Amma break/tear her opponent (DMK supremo Alagiri) into pieces (the number one has lost count of) for his temerity to run from Parliament even when there is no session. She castigated him by observing that one can understand his unpreparedness to Parliament questions during question hour or his underperformance during Parliament debates. But what prevents him to show up when there is no session.Though the rally was organised on the outskirts of the city adjacent to the ring road and this brougth me back to the commute i took from Town Hall Road to main bus stand. The old man sitting next to me guided me on the places of historical and political import on the way. "Sir, this is city's busiest local market; this is Madurai court and this is Madurai corporation." He seemed to have fallen for the building that housed Madurai corporation as he repeatedly suggested how important this institution was, perhaps also guided by the fact that he had had to make innumerable rounds to this place for settling his tax arrears which he found to be of unbearble proportion given his meek existence in this place.
Next on his radar to shift my gaze towards was the Madurai Ground where all big and small personalities step in to address the gathering. Sensing my sense of dejection at the size of the Ground, he emphasised its import by recalling the PMs and CMs who have stepped in there to keep their boat sailing. All along likes of me have been brought up with the idea that Ramlila Ground and Boat Club in Delhi have benchmarked themselves as the venues to give a clarion call to bring a change in the govt or having ushered in a new regime spell out the strategies the new regime would sway to annihilate the regimes of the past. Perhaps the Madurai Ground had begun to position itself as the nervecentre for political activism for leaders across nation; perhaps looking appropriate given the low attendance that rallies of leaders in the north have. For leaders and soon-to-be-crowned leaders the Madurai setting would be an appropriate one to have the real feel of the masses as Hindi hearland leaders rarely get to have the pulse of the aam janata.
While the aftereffects of the Amma's rally led to huge chunk of a transport (bullock carts, men, women and babies on foot included) to be diverted to another end of the city, the thoughts on billboards and cutouts refused to go away. Though fairly less than the Nagercoil adventure (the DMK rally here was the biggest to date given their intent to declare the nemesis of their opponents by draping the entire town with billboards and cutouts). These billboards and cutouts coast the leaders to cast aspersion on others - their declaration as misfits for the professional world and the right material for the political theatre is the first step to adorn the big boards - have messages beneath them that comes for a bill that runs into soon-and-not-yet-declared figures that are normally settled in out of court settlement as figures and fittings bloat beyond imagination.
AS leaders shot to fame courtesy boards and cutouts, it is highly unlikely that these prized posessions would disappear in the next 10 years given the depleting audience to other tools of projection like TV and print media. As Amma looked to be blessed in most of these cutouts, her thundering that she won't be cowed down by Alagiri was the one that could not be taken lightly. The weight she brings to the chair she presides over and the weightage her partymen carry in and out of power is enough for the Central Govt to take stock of the arsenal and the space she occupies. As Alagiri was nowhere to be unearthed and discovered for miles in and around the rally there was one cutout of his that conveyed a lot. Here in a cutout he is captured on speaking on a mobile outside the BSNL building. Is he endorsing the BSNL product or conveying that he is touching base with his party workers day in and day out, not to be cowed down by Amma's increasing threats to blast her way to Madurai? Perhaps the mobile he is speaking on and the place he is operating from on the Madurai rally day could be the Central Hall of Parliament when there is no session and all the watch and ward staff are glued to TV sets which they fail to catch on when the session is on.
In the safe environs of Central Hall, Alagiri is writing a speech in Tamil (still the level of comfort in English and Hindi is abysmally low) where he would blast Amma as well as his pa led state govt for letting Amma hold fort in his fortress. The speech would have an all india release targeted at Tamil, Telugu, Kannad and Hindi audience - cautioning the aam janata on attempts of his opponents to sweep him under the carpet by holding a rally in Majestic Madurai where only Kings have the audacity to roar.
As Amma concluded her speech and Alagiri finished his writing effort (speech to be distributed to the audience for the next one year to negate the ill effects of a Queen to roar in Madurai), the crowd at the rally looked to be somewhat dispossessed disoriented and dismembered. As a result quite a handful of them boarded buses that were not supposed to ply in the city and this led to another session of chaos and mayhem. Another cop with a liquor bottle in his hand waved at a bus coming from RMM . The plight and the power of the cop was enough for the driver to oblige him. Once inside the cop slipped to a corner for a duration not known to anyone.
The crowd besieged with the power of Amma to spew venom and threats at her opponents desired for a proportionate rally in future - and the Amma backers promised to hold another one in another DMK bastion provided they ensured Alagiri stayed in Parliament on the designated day, session or no session.
The rally saw Amma break/tear her opponent (DMK supremo Alagiri) into pieces (the number one has lost count of) for his temerity to run from Parliament even when there is no session. She castigated him by observing that one can understand his unpreparedness to Parliament questions during question hour or his underperformance during Parliament debates. But what prevents him to show up when there is no session.Though the rally was organised on the outskirts of the city adjacent to the ring road and this brougth me back to the commute i took from Town Hall Road to main bus stand. The old man sitting next to me guided me on the places of historical and political import on the way. "Sir, this is city's busiest local market; this is Madurai court and this is Madurai corporation." He seemed to have fallen for the building that housed Madurai corporation as he repeatedly suggested how important this institution was, perhaps also guided by the fact that he had had to make innumerable rounds to this place for settling his tax arrears which he found to be of unbearble proportion given his meek existence in this place.
Next on his radar to shift my gaze towards was the Madurai Ground where all big and small personalities step in to address the gathering. Sensing my sense of dejection at the size of the Ground, he emphasised its import by recalling the PMs and CMs who have stepped in there to keep their boat sailing. All along likes of me have been brought up with the idea that Ramlila Ground and Boat Club in Delhi have benchmarked themselves as the venues to give a clarion call to bring a change in the govt or having ushered in a new regime spell out the strategies the new regime would sway to annihilate the regimes of the past. Perhaps the Madurai Ground had begun to position itself as the nervecentre for political activism for leaders across nation; perhaps looking appropriate given the low attendance that rallies of leaders in the north have. For leaders and soon-to-be-crowned leaders the Madurai setting would be an appropriate one to have the real feel of the masses as Hindi hearland leaders rarely get to have the pulse of the aam janata.
While the aftereffects of the Amma's rally led to huge chunk of a transport (bullock carts, men, women and babies on foot included) to be diverted to another end of the city, the thoughts on billboards and cutouts refused to go away. Though fairly less than the Nagercoil adventure (the DMK rally here was the biggest to date given their intent to declare the nemesis of their opponents by draping the entire town with billboards and cutouts). These billboards and cutouts coast the leaders to cast aspersion on others - their declaration as misfits for the professional world and the right material for the political theatre is the first step to adorn the big boards - have messages beneath them that comes for a bill that runs into soon-and-not-yet-declared figures that are normally settled in out of court settlement as figures and fittings bloat beyond imagination.
AS leaders shot to fame courtesy boards and cutouts, it is highly unlikely that these prized posessions would disappear in the next 10 years given the depleting audience to other tools of projection like TV and print media. As Amma looked to be blessed in most of these cutouts, her thundering that she won't be cowed down by Alagiri was the one that could not be taken lightly. The weight she brings to the chair she presides over and the weightage her partymen carry in and out of power is enough for the Central Govt to take stock of the arsenal and the space she occupies. As Alagiri was nowhere to be unearthed and discovered for miles in and around the rally there was one cutout of his that conveyed a lot. Here in a cutout he is captured on speaking on a mobile outside the BSNL building. Is he endorsing the BSNL product or conveying that he is touching base with his party workers day in and day out, not to be cowed down by Amma's increasing threats to blast her way to Madurai? Perhaps the mobile he is speaking on and the place he is operating from on the Madurai rally day could be the Central Hall of Parliament when there is no session and all the watch and ward staff are glued to TV sets which they fail to catch on when the session is on.
In the safe environs of Central Hall, Alagiri is writing a speech in Tamil (still the level of comfort in English and Hindi is abysmally low) where he would blast Amma as well as his pa led state govt for letting Amma hold fort in his fortress. The speech would have an all india release targeted at Tamil, Telugu, Kannad and Hindi audience - cautioning the aam janata on attempts of his opponents to sweep him under the carpet by holding a rally in Majestic Madurai where only Kings have the audacity to roar.
As Amma concluded her speech and Alagiri finished his writing effort (speech to be distributed to the audience for the next one year to negate the ill effects of a Queen to roar in Madurai), the crowd at the rally looked to be somewhat dispossessed disoriented and dismembered. As a result quite a handful of them boarded buses that were not supposed to ply in the city and this led to another session of chaos and mayhem. Another cop with a liquor bottle in his hand waved at a bus coming from RMM . The plight and the power of the cop was enough for the driver to oblige him. Once inside the cop slipped to a corner for a duration not known to anyone.
The crowd besieged with the power of Amma to spew venom and threats at her opponents desired for a proportionate rally in future - and the Amma backers promised to hold another one in another DMK bastion provided they ensured Alagiri stayed in Parliament on the designated day, session or no session.
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