STATE OF AFFAIRS: Bring Order; Rein in cow vigilantes ; Stay in Secundarabad

STATE OF AFFAIRS:  Bring Order; Rein in cow vigilantes
Stay in Secundarabad in Telangana State

Before i begin to write on my stay in the city of Secundarabad, it would be better to write a word on two on cow vigilantes who are on a rampage across country. Cow vigilantes need to be reined in before they dish out another lynching story. Not a word has been spoken by those in power and all they have alluded to ( observed by one party leader) is that as the leader's popularity would rise in the coming days lynching incidents would continue to pour in. Who is this leader and how popular or purple he is? The country is witness to enough of globetrotting by this mentor; now the time has come to chase a blueprint that at least guarantees peace.

Lynching as the mob suspects one to be a child lifter to suspecting someone indulging in bovine trade. A set of guidelines has been issued by Supreme Court and all states need to get on with it before a new law is put into action. A state of affairs which we all detest and a new law needs to be framed by lower house to stop mobocracy which tends to leave a dark imprint as the day goes by.

Technology affiliated rumours need to be checked, collection of people turning to a mob needs to be discouraged, advertisements across print and electronic media and to top it all District Magistrates across states need to appoint nodal officers in dozens in each district to see to it that no situation comes to a breaking point. Multiplexes, malls and SUVs making more than a maiden entry against unparalleled existence where there are no jobs and no source of livelihood have all let up to release of pent up anger. Liquor vends spread across country ( the number of liquor vends that were sanctioned in the city of Delhi between 2000 and 2013 is unparallel) and people addicted to the same, Print Moguls, real estate emperors and business honchos travelling in SUVs sharing space on road with buses loaded with passengers, all this add up to a situation where pent up anger is bound to reflect. It is collection of upmarket colony car chasers/drivers pushed to the brink by khaki men and those in plain clothes and the filthy abuse generated by them shows the clout of neighbouring house and sums up the intensity of exasperation/frustration. Because of department people of neighbouring house the water supply has been erratic/disrupted for the past seven years and this shows the hold they have over water and power supply and they lose no opportunity to create trouble every passing hour. You will crave for water if you disrupt water supply to simple households. They are frustrated and would continue to be frustrated. The minority man who was thrashed in (Alwar) Rajasthan State it took four hours for law enforcers to take him to a health centre which was just three kms away as reported in the media.

Need to take a break from 7 star feasts

These leadership and ladder summits by round the year ringing media czars are enough to cock a snook at those vast majority of men who struggle to eke out a living by sheer hardwork. The country needs to take a break from these 7 star feasts as there are enough countrymen who don't have a source of livelihood and here you have participants lining up for summit that should have not been organised in the first place.  No one is going to cheer for these participants and globetrotting leaders. Men of all political hues crisscrossing country on taxpayer money; the debate about the same consuming prime time in news channels; plethora of soap operas set in a construct where luxury is the byword, good times are least conceivable even for an incorrigible optimist.

Stay in Secundarabad

Having spent the entire night at Hyderabad airport, decide to leave at 6 in the morning. I am told Secundarabad the city is quite far from the airport. Take a bus from Hyderabad airport to Jubilee Bus Station. From Jubilee Bus Station take auto to Padmaja Lodge which is located near Secundarabad Ganesh temple and Secundarabad Railway Station. Stayed put in Padmaja lodge from Sunday to Tuesday. I had the opportunity to visit Ganesh Temple on Sunday and Tuesday. During my stay in Secundarabad had the opportunity to take a metro ride which was yet to touch the old city area. Had the metro been introduced in old city area of Hyderabad it would have eased travelling. In Secundarabad visited Divya Sai internet/cyber cafe for doing stories. In Padmaja Hotel the tea served was great and so was the food. Take meals from Padmaja veg restaurant and Hotel Swathi Lodge veg restaurant. Met Mr Mohammad Salauddin who is into selling of socks, Met Mr Rajesh automan who was very helpful

Sightings in Secundarabad

- Mahadev Prasad Kirana General store
- Jio Digital Life
- TSRTC bus station
- Hotel Nirmal Grand
- Blue point hotel
- Sri Rami Reddy Pure Ghee sweets
- K. N. travelling goods
- Samsung Galaxy
- Style Plus
- Shakti Clinic
- Champa Jewellers
- Milan Pan Shop
- New Mathura lassi. Available here
- Gokul Medical and General store
- Gokul Residency
- Jawahar tea mart
- Renuka AC bar
- M.P. Enterprises
- Mustafa restaurant
- Kings mobiles
- Cost to cost footworld
- Ganesh lodge
- Golden China Bazar
- Golden Bakery
- Hotel Santosh Mess
- Sri Ganesh Temple
- Moiz Watch Co
- Amruth stores
- Manappuram Gold Loan
- Bhavani pan shop
- Golden restaurant and bakery
- Hotel Indian
- Sai Chandana footwear
- Asoka restaurant tea and bakers
- Swathi sweets/bakery and meals
- Sandarshini pure veg
- airtel 4G
- Medical Hall
- Devi Deluxe Mess
- Hotel Swathi Lodge veg
- Hotel Balaji
- Everest Lodge
- Hotel Padmaja restaurant lodge
- National Lodge
- Royal travels
- Secundarabad railway station
- Hotel Tulip Deluxe Lodge
- Andhra Bank ATM
- Navodaya Lodge
- VIVO
- Asian tea co
- Devaki lodge
- Hotel Lotus Grand
- Alpha Hotel and stores
-
Outside station
- Orange VRL Travels: Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Tirupathi, Goa, Shirdi, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Ernakulam, Trivandrum (Thiruvanthapuram), Vizag, Cochin , Nagercoil, Dundigal, Calicut, Kannur

On Monday take metro from Secundrabad East to Ameerpet and from Ameerpet to Miyapur. Start from Secundarabad East at 12.15 pm, reach Miyapur at 1 pm. In the metro meet a family from Mangalore. They are taking a ride in Hyderabad metro for the first time. The Mangalore family boarded a bus at 4.30 pm from Mangalore reached Hyderabad at 11 am the next day. Meet another man from Godhra in Gujarat state. Took train from Mumbai (9.30pm) reached Hyderabad at 11.30 am the next day. Meet Mr Babu alias Mr Raghuraman from Madurai.
While taking a metro ride near Bharatnagar metro station the Majestic Garden is great. Come across Sheesh Mahal cinema hall (Single Screen Theatre) next to Ameerpet. This cinema hall is perhaps not functioning. It should start again and there is a need to give impetus to single screen theatres. After Begumpet metro station there is Sai Ganpati temple. Later the Parade Ground that we come across is massive.

Metro stations on the way
Ameerpet, Begumpet, Prakash Nagar, Rasoolpura, Paradise, Parade Ground, Secundarabad East, Mettuguda, Tarnaka, Habsiguda, NGRI Stadium, Uppal, Nagole. Aradhana theatre near Tarnaka station should start functioning again. Near stadium station there is a huge pond the like of which you won't be able to find in Delhi. Perhaps this pond could hold some reserves. At Nagole station there is an outlet which goes like this Get your pulse report, proteins, water, height, fat, bone minerals. At Nagole Station meet Mr Srinivasan a security man. There are more people looking after security hailing from Orissa, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra. There is Gated Community @ uppal depot billboard.
In Secundarabad railway station there is Mr D Venu Gopal dispensing platform tickets. In Secundarabad railway station announcements are being made for Shatabadi express and Padmavathi express 12764 and Faluknama to Nizamuddin Delhi station train. Secundarabad Tirupati Express is on Platform 1
- A.H. Wheeler and co Pvt Ltd
- Bhimavaram
  Sri Someshwara temple
  Discover God
  In the vibrant colours
  goandhrapradesh.com
Another hoarding
Book the 5 steps to success by Yandamoori Veerendrantu

Green initiatives adopted in Secundarabad station
- 100 LED lights are installed.
- Three lakh litres of water are being recycled per day - around 10 per cent of water requirement is         met from recycled water. Perhaps the city of Delhi could take a cue from that.
-  Four hundred + trees and 100 sqm of landscaping add to the greenery.

In Secunderabad station
- general waiting hall, prepaid AC waiting hall
- Book this space before your competitor does

In Padmaja lodge where i stayed meet Mr Aakash, Mr Manjunath, Mr Thilak. Mr Thilak talks about Jagannath Rath Yatra and by God's grace this time it passed off peacefully.

- Telangana State Police
  Duty, Honour, Compassion

- Gowtham Model School
   Learn from your child

On Tuesday reach Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) by auto. There a bus waiting for people who wish to go to Srisailam. The bus for airport leaves at 9.20. Mr Ravi is at the wheels who is very humble.
Fares from pickup point to airport
Secundarabad JBS 250 rs
Tarnaka 250 rs
Uppal Road 200 rs
A hoarding says traffic rules are made for our safety. Hence do not violate.
Going past
- Panjagutta Bakers
- Classic Tiffin Centre
- J V Rao Park
- Agra Sweets
- Sardharshini restaurant
- Mehdipatna
- Telangana State Khadi and Village Industries Board
At 10.08 we are on P V Narasimha Rao Expressway. Go past Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University. We reach Shamshabad 10.28, Airport 10.41. From outskirts of Airport the city of Bengaluru is shown to be 547 km. At the airport meet Mr Subhachandra hailing from Manipur working in CISF. There is a billboard: From the charm of Charminar to the calm of Hussain Sagar.

Sightings in Airport

- Hyderabad Tiffin Express
  Mysore Bhaji 4 piece 100 rs
  Filter coffee 100 rs
- self check-in
- meet a man from East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh
- International Departure is on right
- Domestic departure is on left
- Krishna Pearls and Jewellers
- fabindia
- William Penn
- flights to Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Shirdi, New Delhi, Bengaluru.
- W H Smith
- Indian Savouries
- Parle
- A section on Fiction chart, non fiction chart, Indian writing chart, magazines

The flight takes off from Hyderabad at 3.17 pm, lands in Delhi at 5.13 pm. Hello 6E inflight magazine has an ad. The sky needs stars. Looking for young women to join its cabin crew. Age between 18 and 27 years. It should be between 18 and 42 as that would keep them(women) employed for long. Take taxi from Airport. Mr Kranti Kumar is the taximan hailing from Bhagalpur.

I stayed in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana and days spent had its share of flourish and charm.

VIEWS on break darshan in Tirumala; In Udhgai Visiting Coonoor, Visiting Doddabetta Peak; leaving for Coimbatore

Views on break darshan in Tirumala; In Udhgai Visiting Coonoor, Visiting  Doddabetta Peak; leaving for Coimbatore, reaching Hyderabad on a Sunday

The VIP break darshan in  Tirumala should be through draw of lots and that too for just two days in a week and that too for one hour each day Mon Tues between 6 am to 7 am. Lord Venkateswara is for everyone and not just for break darshan people.

The Lord Venkateswara temple is managed by TTD. The TTD should see to it that pilgrims including common pilgrims are not pushed around repeatedly just to ensure that enough time is made available for VIPs to troop in. The tag line in SVBC channel shows those who have donated a lump sum  amount (over Rs 10 lakh) can opt for break darshan. The Lord Venkateswara Temple is for everyone. L1 L2 L3 lines should be discontinued for all times to come. Make arrangements for elderly people and those who need help. If TTD can't manage things the temple should be looked after by an independent institution like ASI.

All is well in Tirumala except for break darshan and giving freebies to so-called politicos and other VIPs like CM of this state or that province. Keeping people in compartments for long hours to let this VIP get inside the temple won't do. Then SVBC channel showing this VIP visited the temple during such and such date and taking his or her views has become a reigning practice and this needs to be stopped immediately. SVBC should devote its resources towards productive things instead of covering the so-called VIP and his troop members.

There was a time when seva tickets like Thomala, Archana were given to those who joined the queue at 2 in the morning or before that and counters would open at eight. Those who were first in the queue would be given the seva tickets. Such practice has been discontinued and pilgrims find it hard to avail Archana, Thomala Seva. A sort of correction needs to be introduced here.

In Udhagai, Visiting Coonoor, Doddabetta Peak

It would require steady rigour on a consistent basis to map out the areas i visited in and around Udhagai (Udhagamandalam) and the sightings i made note of. Intermittent rains defined the proceedings with a word out that exploring Udhagai would be incomplete without visiting  Mudumalai, Coonoor and Doddabetta Peak. A summary of assumptions constructed and summary of events recalled  the visits to these places spread between Tuesday and Saturday were marked by a hospitality that normally one comes across in States of South India. The sightings of different places is primarily done with the objective of noting the people i come across and their hospitable nature with no intention to show who is the boss.

Sightings in Udhagai

- Hotel Mughal. Here i Meet Mr Karthik
- Hotel Landmark
- Meet Mr Govindraj from Mysore
- SBI ATM
- Narendar mobiles and textiles
- Madhima coffee, tea and spices
- Green Apple residency
- Silly talks (Kuniyar mobiles)
- Narendar electricals co
- Tasty Kitchen
- Indian electricals
- Ubaid Coffee and tea co
- Bismillah hotel
- Sri Selva Vinaygar stores
- Nilgiri super coffee
- Jyothi tea and coffee
- Ayesha cafe and cool bar
- Sri Ranga Vilas restaurant
- P. V. Ragavan National tea restaurant
- Taj Bakers
- Blue star cottage. Room available
- Meet Mr Aseem
- Deluxe bakery. The coffee shop and snacks
- Star Cafe
- Tamil Nadu paints and hardware
- Thunder world
- Experience real snow in Ooty
   snow world
- Udhagai railway station
- Ticket counter only four tickets per passenger
- Southern railway computerised reservation centre
   retiring rooms, booking office
- Meet Mr Halgor
- Nilgiri Railway Co constructed the railway from 1886 to 1899 between Mettupalayam and                  Coonoor  using 'Alternate Biting Teeth' technology. In January 1903 the railway was purchased by      the govt and construction between Coonoor and Udagamandalam was completed in 1908.                    UNESCO conferred World Heritage to Nilgiri Mountain Railway in 2005.

 Going to Coonoor

Take Nilgiri train. Leave Udhagai at 12.43. Lovedale comes at 12.54. Three tunnels come on the   way. To gauge the surroundings and surfeit of challenges, a window seat would have been desirable.
 1.07 Ketti
 1.42 Aravankadu station. The message here is water is precious. Please don't waste water
 1.54 Wellington. Year of construction 1808
 1.58 Coonoor

 Sightings in Coonoor

- In  Coonoor meet Mr Sudaram, Mr Murugan , Mr Radhakrishnan of New Classic Foods Bakery          and Sweets. From here i have veg puff.
- Hyderabad Biryani
- Venkateswara lodge
- S.A P. Hotel veg and non veg
- Y S Men's Club of Coonoor
- From Coonoor Kotagiri is 22kms, Lambi's rock 9 km, Dolphin's Nose 12 km
- Eldee Complex Lodge
- Hotel Ragavendra
- May I Help You Coonoor Traffic Police
- V. K G. Mobiles
- Chamraj finest Nilgiri tea
- Hotel Sri Lakshmi for meals
- Variety Handloom Exclusive Silk Sarees
- K Fashion Vimal Textiles
- BKC Biryani and Kabab corner
- Hotel Vinayaga
- Hotel Haathira
- Star mess
- Blue Mountain Tea traders
- Nagaraja Medicals
- Sri Manikandan Medicals
- Indian Bakery

 Meet Mr Kurup of Venky's restaurant in Cash Bazar Coonoor. I am meeting him after seven years. Since i can't get the ticket for Nilgiri train i settle for bus. The bus for Ooty from Coonoor  leaves at 4.05 pm. Mr Rajesh is bus conductor, Mr Vijay Anand is bus driver. Both are very humble. We are on Ettines road at 4.55. Reach Ooty at 5.07. Meet Mr Ravi Vijaydurai of Bharat Scouts and Guides in the bus.
 In Udhagai bus stand
- Tamil Nadu Tourism Welcomes You
- Places of interest in and around Udhagai
   Ooty lake, Rose Garden, Botanical Garden, Doddabetta Peak, Kalhatty Falls, Avalanche, Pykara
   In Kotagiri, Kodanadu view point
   In Gudalur,  Mudumalai  which is 18 kms from Gudalur
 Distance from Ooty
 Mettupalayam 51km
 Coimbatore 89km
 Chennai 585 km

 In Udhagai bus stand
 Filter coffee, filter tea, black coffee, black tea, lemon tea, milk all for rs 15.

  Arafa Bakes
  Hot tea, coffee, lemon tea, soup available
- Iyangar cake shop near SBI ATM
- In Marriamman Temple there are two statues One is Kali other is Marria
- Meet Mr Silvaraj. Meet Mr Srinivas. Meet Mr Dakshnav a class 10 student

 Leave for Doddabetta Peak at 10.26

 Going past The Nilgiris Hotel Pure Vegetarian restaurant attached, Race Course Lodge
 Directions Market Left, Charring Cross Straight, Coonoor Straight, Kotagiri Straight
- Benchmark chocolate factory
- High Hill tea
A message. Find a bin put it in.
Deboard at 10.59
Take another bus at 11 am. Reach Doddabetta Peak at 11.45 after walking for a considerable time as there is traffic jam.

Doddabetta Peak Menu

Lemon Tea 15 rs, Green tea 15, Veg noodles 70, Veg biryani 70, Tomato rice 60. Here there is no receipt given.
The Telescope House is designed and constructed by Engineering Wing T.T.D.C. Ltd.
Mr Patrick hands over my picture clicked by a woman photographer.
Meet Mr Dinesh Yeole from Nashik in Maharashtra State. He came in a group by tempo traveller. As for 2019 battleground he is of the firm view that one man is up against a plethora of leaders. The basic fact is all political leaders travel on taxpayer money. Is it fair?

It is raining without a break in Doddabetta Peak. Take shelter in a tea shop in Doddabetta Peak Junction. Meet Ms Aruna who is very helpful. Even his brother Mr Arun studying in a college in Avinashi Main Road in Coimbatore is helpful. Here i meet Mr Pradeep from Trichy, meet Mr Antony, a teacher in maths and science. Mr Antony tells me about Fruit show in Sim's Park in Coonoor on May 26 and 27.
Reach udhagai bus stand by 1 pm. There is a need to redevelop Udhagai bus stand. There are not enough seats for passengers.
In Southern Railway Pure Veg restaurant what is on offer is Tea, coffee and meals. In Kutti's bakery for tea and biscuits meet Ms Raagri and Ms Priya.
Meet Mr Deepan and Mr Satyan in City Palace restaurant. Meet Mr Satyanarayan priest in Marriamman Temple. Meet Mr Ismail running a general store who hands over tongue cleaners
Meet Mr Senthil.

More Sightings in Udhagai

- Venkat tea stall tea, coffee and snacks
- Shree Manjunath Computer typing
- Ooty print park
- Bharathiar University study centre
- Fiat car TN 43 A 8188
- Mr T. K. Devaraj B. A. LLB Govt pleader
- Rakshit and Harshini enterprises paper cup manufacturer
- National restaurant
- Shivanna Beauty Parlour
  10 am to 7.30 pm
- R K Mobiles
- Umesh Nahar Jewellers
- National tea and coffee bar. Meet Mr Praveen at the counter. This tea centre i have repeatedly visited in 2011.
- REPCO Bank
- Global computers computer sales and service
- S.S. Holiday Inn
- Meet Mr Harry who has come with family members from Chennai. They visit Udhagai three to          four times in a year.
- Infant Jesus Church
- Best Furniture
  Hi sleep. Dreams hug you naturally
- We are in Willow Bound Road
- Meet Mr Syed Abdul Razaq
- Muthu store
- Shree Navodhya stores
- Meet Ms Sharow. Born in Udhagai. He says in Nov Dec the temperature dips below zero.
  While going towards Boat House come across a hoarding Tamil Nadu Forest Dept Goal of Life           Living in harmony with nature.
- F.M.J. Supermarket opposite Boat house.
- Hotel Tamil Nadu
  Instant room booking done here for all TTDC hotels
  Meet three men from Ernakulam. Meet two girls from Tiruchirapalli. Meet Mr Joseph and Mr              Sukumar.
  BRU outlet in Ooty (Udhagai) bus stand.  Here the staff is very humble.

Leaving Udhagai for Coimbatore

Get in bus at 1.30. Bus leaves at 1.51
Going past
- Sri Shanti Vijay Girls Higher Secondary School
- Hoarding of National Model School Nilgiris
- Hotel PNR
- Tata Motors
- Hotel Sabari.  Kerala rice available
At 2.10 Coimbatore is 83 km. Later Ketti Town Panchayat welcomes you
2.18 Kethi. Kovai shown to be 80 kms away
2.20 Ellanalli
2.27 Erode shown to be 136 kms
- Cordite factory Aruvankadu
At 2.32 Wellington Cantonment Limit Begins
At 2.37 Wellington
At 2.40 Madurai 285 km
At 2.41 Coonoor.  Say no to plastic litter
At 3.05 Marapalan. The bus stops at 3.25, resumes journey at 3.37
At 4.07 Mettupalayam
At 4.34 Mettupalayam road. Later come across Billboard of Kanjivarams and silk sarees, R S Puram Coimbatore
At 5.30 we reach Coimbatore Ooty bus stand 
Take another bus to Gandhipuram bus stand.  The conductor of bus number TN 58 N 1579 very cooperative. Take bus no 36 from Gandhipuram for airport. Mr Ramesh in bus no 36 guides me to Chitra airport in Coimbatore.

Near Coimbatore Airport visit Aroma Bakery and have repeated dose of vada and black tea. The Aroma Bakery needs to be appreciated by one and all. Visit Sree Lakshmi Medicals and take plastic u shaped tongue cleaners. Walk all the way from Aroma Bakery to Airport. Inside airport the display board shows flights to Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Singapore. This is a silent airport. There will be no flight announcement.
A board shows SSVM institutions wishes you a pleasant flight
Shree Sarasswathi Vidhyaah Mandheer Mettupalayam
SSVM World School Coimbatore
SSVM School of Excellence Coimbatore

In Coimbatore Airport
- Buddies cafe
- KR Bakes which has a story on how sandwich originated
- Sri Krishna sweets
- In K R Bakes Veg puff, Egg puff, chicken puff, chicken cutlet and veg roll
- It's the best of TIMES in Coimbatore hoarding
- Meet Mr Chandrashekhar working in Udulamet, 10 kms from Coimbatore as service engineer.            Hails from Madurai. Talks about Madurai temple and there is no two opinion about the fact that       economy of the city is based on temple.
- MCR Dhothies Shirts, vests and briefs

Leave Coimbatore a little after 11 pm  and reach Hyderabad after 12 am. Stay put in Hyderabad airport till six in the morning. These department people in Delhi in a nearby house giving trouble the less said about them the better it would be.

Landfill sites in Delhi on the brink of collapse; Need to introduce electric buses

There are three landfill sites in Delhi. They are Okhla, Ghazipur and Bhalswa. They are on the brink of collapse. Baby steps or to be more appropriate no steps have been taken for the past twenty years to look into the issue of waste that is generated in Delhi everyday. Can't part of this waste or in toto be recycled so that these landfill sites have something to fall back on. Both the Central and State Governments need to take urgent steps and that too not spread over months so that things don't go out of hand. A sorry state of affairs in the state of Delhi. It is important L-G (Especially, Central Government) and the Delhi government show some seriousness on this issue.
The time has come for electric vehicles to be introduced in Delhi and other parts of the country. Begin with electric buses in Delhi. All tenders floated for fuel guzzling vehicles should be cancelled and electric buses should be introduced.
There is a need to decongest the  roads of Delhi. A surcharge on any household having second car would be desirable. Only through these measures the air pollution can be checked.
In Tirumala E-Rickshaws, the ones plying in Delhi, should be introduced so that the pilgrims are not at the receiving end of vehicles that continuously overcharge. Tirumala is a great place with great people. In Ahmednagar they should discontinue with the practice of throwing garlands from Sai's platform with full force. They should keep garlands quietly at the back instead of ruthlessly throwing.

Saying No to FRDI Bill In India

The Indian Govt's move to bring in FRDI  (Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance) Bill is highly unfortunate. It can't play with honest deposits of a large number of countrymen. The FRDI Bill is fraught with grave consequences. The clause that in case of insolvency in a bank, the depositors would have to bear a part of the cost shows how insensitive the govt could be on occasions not realising the wide travels across country and world by politicos on taxpayer money. Don't play with deposits of countrymen. A report in a section of Press indicate the Govt is toying with the idea to withdraw the FRDI Bill.

As for lateral induction in Central Government this trend needs to be encouraged irrespective of which party is at the helm.
New Delhi should continue to import oil from Tehran despite threat of sanctions by US. Who is bothered about the threat and the path that it will trek. We desire for peace in the Middle East and other places.

Winds of change or winds of pain- Is TV one among many culprit?

Winds of change or winds of pain- Seething with anger: In India Are TV channels one among many culprit?


As the political class chews on elections, impending by no stretch, still 10 and a half month away polls has led many to dissolve themselves senselessly (as seen in some TV channel debates) into something that is inevitable after every five years. What has been lost in the hullabaloo is concern over a range of issues that bedevil the nation state. Anarchy of sorts is playing out across states with some people losing the will to control their anger and taking it out on those who are by no means known to them or having antagonised them. The basic premise is we need to show respect to everyone irrespective of religion or background he or she comes from.

Mob violence can't be seen in isolation in the task of nation building. Taking law into their hands some continuously poach into a territory where not-to-cease thrashing and throwing abuse turn imaginative souls into lifeless objects on the ground of suspicion. If suspicion has travelled by word of mouth they add fuel to the fire by prodding bystanders to turn into a mob and mete out a treatment with whatever force that is available to them. Lynching is fast forwarded on the suspicion of cow slaughter here or child lifter there and sets in a process where anyone on a routine work or whoever dodge or assumes to do so would be dealt with same sickening mindset.

Lynching is by no means just an aberration, the conduct of so called guardian of faith neither collective, qualitative imagination, it is a resemblance of a banana republic in making where it is up to each individual to decide when to trespass and whom to assault. A lawmaker in Jharkhand decided to pay for legal expenses of a large number of accused who had lynched a man just on a mere suspicion. A CM taking offence on why there is no Dalit reservation in institutions like Aligarh Muslim University is like giving an open invitation for trouble to erupt. A Hindu man being thrashed by right wing groups for adopting a child hailing from minority section.

As TV sets / smartphones belt out images of a princely wedding here and astonishing, plush  hamlets/homes as featured in different soap operas there to newsrooms/editorial tutors in the lap of luxury, a sense of being left out gets to find foothold among those who make up the republic (read public). This gives way to distaste for the nation state with a large number of under unemployed giving vent to their frustration. Those news channels which binge on tabloid journalism (teetering on the brink of kitsch)  like next surgical strike would be on Islamabad (just two to three days ago on a Hindi news channel) should at least show some maturity. A politico from opposition ranks repeatedly taking jibe at ruling dispensation and ruling party returning the honours should instead ask their cadres spread across country to deliver the homily about the need to show patience. Instead of showing clashes the news channels should report on efforts underway to bring sanity to the ground.

Reams of newsprint would have gone into giants falling wayside in football world cup , a CM on a sit-in to civil servants refusing to take up work, all these catching the imaginative minds of a newspaper man, there is no secrecy code to be unraveled on why mob violence and efforts underway to contain the same doesn't make headlines. The party in power need to put out ads in vernacular press that lynching/mob violence would be dealt with a heavy hand and a law should be in place- if it has not been so far - that stringent punishment would be handed out to those who indulge in mob violence. The speech from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 should broach on this issue with enough hints of law enforcers leaving no stone unturned to deal with defaulters.

For some indulgences of this nature one need not lose sleep for a nation as vast as India with enough dialects and enough delusions a stray incident here and a stray incident there need not be magnified.  That is nothing but turning a blind eye to such acts of irrefutable evidence. Acts of lynching have to be derailed from the word go and law machinery and Press need to get into their respective acts to see a broad sense of camaraderie is brought to the proceedings. As for news channels who take comfort in tabloid journalism, the lab from where they took lessons in journalism they need to revisit and work with a mindset that doesn't rob the nation of much cherished peace and patience.

  Kadhal Rojave - A R Rahman - Arvind Swamy, Madhoo - Roja and Pudhu Vellai Mazhai - Roja Tamil Songs have a charm of its own. This reminds me of my visit to Tirumala in 1995 and 1996.