Some days back we have experienced yet another ‘harthal’ in India. Kerala was one of the states which was observed ‘harthal’ as a  ‘Bandh’. In recent years there is one more wishes came as SMS, Greeting cards and even calls to say ‘Happy Harthal ‘, people learned to celebrate ‘harthal’. It is off course a holiday for many workers. But have anyone gone through the impact of such ‘harthal’?

What was the use of last ‘harthal’? The opposition parties called for a ‘harthal’ to protest against price hike.

We need to go in deep to understand some facts. As a farmer, they need higher price for their produce, sometimes it is reasonable. So when it comes to end user, the common man the price will be higher than what he was paying before. There is no short cut to avoid such price hike. But what is the price structure now in Indian market?

A farmer is selling items for Rs. 5 and it reach to common man for Rs. 25. Where does the Rs. 20 go? Everybody knows it. What the government should do? Government should strengthen Public Distribution System and should have control over retail sector too.

Today, I can see the wholesale and retail price of items for example vegetables. The  Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council, Keralam (VFPCK) collect the market rates daily and publishes in their website as well was in newspapers.  See and example here:  http://www.vfpck.org/docs/Mktprice.asp.  They publish the rates of main markets in a district. But the rates in rural area have huge difference.  Suppose an item costs Rs. 25 in the main markets the rate in the rural area will be somewhere 30-35% higher.  I used to buy items from Angamaly market, and compare the prices with the rates published in the newspapers. Some times the difference is more than 40%.

There is a law to publish a price list in every shop, I have noticed price lists but not for all items or not updated daily. If you ask why this item is priced so high than the newspaper rate, the shop keeper will have a simple word that, “if you want you buy, other wise leave”.

I believe, organized retailing is the answer to this problem. When Reliance and other companies came to retailing there were much opposition, but if someone checks the rates of these organized retailers, the rates are lesser than the street vendor. Because, they can buy items directly from the farmer which assure there is no middle man.

So, instead of going for some ‘harthal’ these political parties should think how they could solve this issue. What was the result after this ‘harthal’? Did common man gain anything? Nothing, working class lost a day, companies lost their business, travelers lost one day, many lost their precious time, many could not reach where they suppose to, and many could not get proper food. Ultimately common man was at looser end, and these political parties pretend that they are for common man.

So, oppose to such ‘harthal’, educated youth need to come out and fight against this menace.

Indian Parliament is all set pass the women reservation bill, as part of that, yesterday the upper house have passed the bill. But there were opposition to the bill from some parties, and some parties have supported it even they are not part of the government or ruling party. But one needs to think how effective would be this bill.

Since a long time, there were discussions about this bill, some have tried to introduce it in parliament, but they could not make it passed. When these political parties fight for reservation for women, is it really for the women?  I do not think. If they had a wish to entertain women participation in politics, they could do it without even reservation.

How may political parties those who support this bill have offered 33% seats to women in the last election? I do not think these parties have done it, which means they are not much enthusiastic to provide 33% but now they just think about the vote bank and make it a law.

One need to think the implications of the bill, when there was a reservation option in the local bodies; many ladies were pulled out from kitchen and made them members. If a woman is interested in politics, she should be given a chance, and entertain the youth to enter into politics and make them comfortable with politics. There are some limitations too when woman enter into politics.

Here with this bill, the quality of administration is not going to improve, but the quality will be down, since some woman those who do not understand basic politics will enter into. If they come to parliament or legislative assembly, what would be the quality? Normally people enter into politics, work for a long time and then they become member of legislative assembly and parliament. They at least understand the situation, taking action is different.

India had a woman prime minister, she did not have any reservation Mrs. Indira Gandhi became prime minister not because she was daughter of Pandit Nehru, but she had abilities. There are many examples in Indian politics, Ms. Mayawati, Ms. Jayalalitha, Ms. Karat, Ms. Sushama Swaraj and what more our president. Did they have reservation? No, they tried; they worked so they reached there. There are women power in business and many areas, take Ms. Kalpana Chawla, Ms. Kiran Bedi, Ms. Indira Nooyi they proved themselves. So to reach to some position a will power is required not a reservation.

What is basically a reservation?  Why don’t you take the term ‘equal opportunity’ there you will see equality, but on reservation you will not see equality but discrimination. For example take a job offer for 10 people. There are many applications; and there is reservation too. The chart can be like this;

General: 3, Women: 3 Cast based: 3 other: 1; after having a test, 30 people reached in final round from that, there is a selection process. 10 got 98% anther 10 got 97 % and rest got 96%. Now when you give equal opportunity people those who got 98% will be appointed. Now reservation comes to picture now. Some could not perform well that’s why they did not get 98%; if they had they could have. Ultimately, some, those who got 97%, 96% and less than that appointed.

This equation works everywhere, there you are denying the best, and taking average. So these types of reservation will definitely affect the general growth, the quality everything. So this is my request to all educated to avoid reservation and opt ‘equal opportunity’. Yes, there are some under privileged people I am not neglecting them. Government should provide opportunities and facilities to improve their strengths, by giving reservation you are not improving the quality but spreading discrimination.

सारे जहाँ से अच्छा हिन्दोस्तान हमारा
हम बुलबुले है इसकी ये गुलसिता हमारा ॥धृ॥

घुर्बत मे हो अगर हम रहता है दिल वतन मे
समझो वही हमे भी दिल है जहाँ हमारा ॥१॥

परबत वो सब से ऊंचा हमसाय आसमाँ का
वो संतरी हमारा वो पासबा हमारा ।२॥

गोदी मे खेलती है इसकी हजारो नदिया
गुलशन है जिनके दम से रश्क-ए-जना हमारा ।३॥

ए अब रौद गंगा वो दिन है याद तुझको
उतर तेरे किनारे जब कारवाँ हमारा ॥४॥

मझहब नही सिखाता आपस मे बैर रखना
हिन्दवी है हम वतन है हिन्दोस्तान हमारा ॥५॥

युनान-ओ-मिस्र-ओ-रोमा सब मिल गये जहाँ से
अब तक मगर है बांकी नामो-निशान हमारा ॥६॥

कुछ बात है की हस्ती मिटती नही हमारी
सदियो रहा है दुश्मन दौर-ए-जमान हमारा ॥७॥

इक़्बाल कोइ मेहरम अपना नही जहाँ मे
मालूम क्या किसी को दर्द-ए-निहा हमारा ॥८॥

Transliteration:

sāre jahān se acchā hindostān hamārā
ham bulbulain hai is ki, yeh gulsitān hamārā

ghurbat men hon agar ham, rahta hai dil vatan men
samjho vahīn hamen bhī, dil hain jahān hamārā

parbat voh sab se ūnchā, hamsāya āsmān ka
voh santari hamārā, voh pāsbān hamārā

godi men kheltī hain is ki hazāron nadiyā
gulshan hai jin ke dam se, rashk-e-janān hamārā

aye āb, raud, ganga, voh din hen yād tujhko
utarā tere kināre, jab kārvān hamārā

maz’hab nahīn sikhātā āpas men bayr rakhnā
hindvi hai ham, vatan hai hindostān hamārā

yūnān-o-misr-o-romā, sab miṭ gaye jahān se
ab tak magar hai bāqi, nām-o-nishān hamārā

kuch bāt hai keh hastī, miṭati nahīn hamārī
sadiyon rahā hai dushman, daur-e-zamān hamārā

iqbal ko’ī meharam, apnā nahīn jahān men
m’alūm kya kisī ko, dard-e-nihān hamārā

Translation

Better than the entire world, is our Hindustan;
we are its nightingales of mirth, and it is our garden abode

Though in foreign lands we may reside, with our homeland our hearts abide,
Regard us also to be there, where exist our hearts

That mountain most high, neighbor to the skies;
it is our sentinel; it is our protector

In the lap of whose, play thousands of rivers;
gardens they sustain; the envy-of-the-heavens of ours

O waters of the Ganga mighty, do you recall the day
when on your banks, did land the caravan of ours

Religion does not teach us to harbour grudges between us
Indians we all are; India, our motherland

While Greece, Egypt , Rome have all been wiped out
till now yet remains, this civilization of ours {it has stood the test of time}

Something there is that keeps us,our entity from being eroded
For ages has been our enemy, the way of the world

Iqbal! Is there no soul that could
understand the pain in thy heart?

गणतंत्र दिवस पर आप सभी को शुभकामनाएं

Happy Republic Day

This is the second day of private bus operators strike in Kerala demanding for fare hike. As private buses are the main Public Transport System in Kerala, it is a challenge to common man.

It is obviously a war between the organized and unorganized, common man cannot be organized that is why the organize always win. Most of the times, government agree the demands and strike ends.

There is ESMA (Essential Service Maintenance Act) in this country, transportation is an essential service and government should make it sure that public transport system function properly and take stringent action if any violates.

There is no justification on private bus operators strike, they should look at the neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, the minimum fare there, and they should have a comparison and ask for something.

They always talk about student concession, they should provide it for that they are permitted and government collecting lesser tax from them.

This is a state of strike, strike for everything, and we call it ‘Gods Own Country’.

Government should not increase fare at this stage, should provide alternatives, and impose ESMA.

Recently Gujarat Government came with a proposal to make voting mandatory in the local bodies, and Narendra Modi says it is available in 36 countries and it should be applicable for Legislative assembly polls and Parliament elections.

I have earlier written an article on feedback mechanism in government. Did Narendra Modi have an opportunity to find the reason in which common man is not interested in election process?

In our democracy common men have power when election comes, otherwise no.

Will Narendra Modi propose to have a law for a feedback mechanism and ‘call back’ option? If so, I agree with him. Other wise, he is challenging the common man.

Read a related post: http://chhayapath.blogspot.com/2010/01/elections-votes-are-these-all-to.html

Image: http://www.msnbc.msn.com

It happened to see an agitation, better called an awareness show done by Mumbai college students.

One among the participants was so keen to say in the media that one day they can put an end to corruption.

I do not know when corruption started in this universe, but I am sure, 2 among us started it.  As per experience shared by the people those who already entertained corruption by giving bribe, it is understood that they have given just because to save time.

A person known to me (He is a doctor) have shared an experience, Once he went to village office to get a certificate, the officer concerned said, he don’t have time to issue certificate for the day and asked him to come next day.  He have already taken a leave and does not wish to take another for the same matter. He searched for alternatives, he found a peon and explained the situation, so peon guided  him to the right way and given ‘something’ to officer and got his certificate.

I told him, this was not the right way, instead of giving money to that official, he could have taken one more leave and try to get it. Still the official says ‘busy, come tomorrow’ raise the issue, report to higher authorities, today the media have an important role to play, so inform media too.

To stop corruption, we need to go further, I have some points;

1)      Computerization

Whenever you go to any government office, all applications will be through computer and you will get a receipt mentioning a token number and time taken to complete proceedings. If you have such system, no officer can create unnecessary delays. So, no need to give bribe. If someone cannot wait till that time and offer bribe, he should be prosecuted and there will not be any result even if he give bribe, since the resolved issues are published with date, time etc. Once the transparency improved, corruption will be less.

2)      Money Transaction

I believe that Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has imposed some restriction on cash transactions, but not followed, there should be some mechanism to monitor transactions.

As per media reports a whopping $1.45 trillion is deposited in Swiss Bank. How did the money reached in Swiss Bank? We have law, but not followed. Not a single rupee should go out of India without the consent of Government.

Banks should restrict cash payment as per RBI’s directives. If no money is transacted easily, then there is no so called ‘black money’

RBI or Finance Ministry or Economists should think about alternatives like issuing debit cards and restrict cash payments. Bills, salary, other payments should be through check or online transfer only. (May be after some years, I will have only a debit card, wherever I go, I can use it.. imagine, go to a tea shop in a  remote village and pay your bill using debit card )

3)     It is most important to understand giving and taking bribe is a crime. We always have justifications “he asked, that’s why given” or “he have given  me, that’s why ”. So, don’t take and don’t give.

Now, India is ranked 85 out of a 179 countries in Transparency International‘s Corruption Perceptions Index (see details). We need to work together to eradicate this menace.

I congratulate the students for their commitment, enthusiasm  and effort taken, I wish them best wishes and I stand along with them… As a student pointed out “One day we will succeed”.

Image: http://indianzzz.blogspot.com/

3 constituencies of Kerala goes for bye-elections on 7^th November along with 11 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 10 in West Bengal and two each in Rajasthan, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh and one seat in Chhattisgarh. 1 parliamentary  constituency  from Utter Pradesh also go for bye-election.

In Kerala, it happened as 3 sitting MLAs won the recently concluded Lok Sabha election.

The other states also go for bye-election due to various reasons.

There are lots of bye-elections conducted in India since 1952, the details can be found in Election Commission’s website. In some cases the reason for bye-election was resignation and if you go through the details provided in the site in most of the cases reason for vacancy is empty.

If you take this bye-election in Kerala, I do not think it was required. The party may be having its own justifications but the money goes from common mans’ pocket.

There is no exact record of expenditure of each election. The Election commission website is updated up to 2004 elections; the approximate expenditure was 1300 Crores for the parliament election. (http://eci.nic.in/miscellaneous_statistics/expenditurel_loksabha.asp)

Some surveys suggested that a whopping 10,000 crore were spent, where does the money come from, it’s from our pocket.

The election commission or the people of this country should come with a law for banning such bye-elections. A sitting MP or MLA/MLC cannot contest any other elections till the end his/her term. Thus the bye-election only be necessitated once a sitting MP or MLA/MLC dies or resign on personal reasons.

Why create unnecessary expense, this money can be utilized for development. Don’t you think so?

It was great news that The American President Mr. Barak Obama won Nobel Peace price for year 2009 “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”. Nobel Prize Committee highlighted efforts to promote nuclear nonproliferation

President Obama have tried to have a nuclear weapon free world. I hope he is in the right direction. But I have a different view.

I envisage having a sophisticated weapon free world. Since most of the countries spend a major portion of their GDP for defense. This huge fund can be used for development. If there is no enmity or grudge then there is no need to accumulate huge volume of sophisticated weapons costing billions of Dollars.

President Obama, it’s recognition of your will, I hope you will have more courage and ability to make this world weapon free. Congrats once again

Image: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president_obama/

We have witnessed the most established Presidential election in US recently. Now we are in the process of electing our representatives in Lok Sabha. No party other than BJP projecting their Prime Ministerial candidate. Congress says current Prime Minister (PM) is the most suitable candidate for PM’s Office.

BJP says, “Determined leader Decisive Government”. Yes, we need to have a determined leader to have stable and decisive government. But is this going to happen in the coalition politics? I am uncertain on that.

A better leadership is vital for any government to perform better. Our PM Dr. Manmohan Singh is one of the best educated PM we have ever seen, not only in India but in the entire world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singh). As per my observation, he believes in action not in speech. But speech is required in Politics. I am uncertain about the popularity of Dr. Singh.

The idea of BJP is good; they give importance to their leader, the prime ministerial candidate.

Why don’t we have the power to elect a PM/CM? I would like to see a situation where party project their leader and we vote for them. When we go to cast our vote we should vote for PM/CM, not for an MP (Member of Parliament)/MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly). Think about it, do we really need it?

In the early 2005, Goldman Sachs conducted a study on BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) and they predicted India will be the 3^rd largest economy and China will be the largest economy in the world. (China will overtake US by 2040). Are we in that direction? (Certainly, recession has some impact on our economy, but I just want to neglect that for some times since it is affected across the globe). As per my observation and assessment this could not be a reality. The main reasons are 1) Political Instability, 2) Augmentation of Terrorism. 

I would like to elaborate on it,

 1) Political Instability.  

We are now in an election process; uncertainty is still there about the government formation. People talk about, Congress, BJP and 3^rd Front. We would see a political ‘Horse Trading’ here, since people have huge black money. (It was shocking to read an article in Hindu that 25 Trillion to 70 Trillion Indian rupees been deposited in foreign banks – http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/04/18/stories/2009041852000100.htm) 

If the current situation is so, what would be the situation in 2050? Can you imagine? I believe that by 2050 India will have 10 fold political parties as compared to the present situation. So how much money would be involved to get into power? Whatever they spend, they know they can get it back, will not elude a single opportunity. 

A party for each MP, may not be my illusion, It can happen. (Here I recall the view of our former President APJ Abdul Kalam, as per his envision, India should only have 2 political parties, which will ensure  no compromise decision making). In such a situation, those who are in power will have to compromise a lot with others.  It will certainly tilt our economy.

2)  Terrorism 

During the last few years we have seen a drastic change in this region as far as terrorism is concerned, the situation is deteriorating day by day. The major issue, which Pakistan says Kashmir, why can’t it be resolved? Kashmir might have majority of Muslim population, but one should understand that India having 3^rd largest Muslim population (13%) next to Indonesia (88.2%) and Pakistan (95%) in the world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_by_country) I do not understand why the conflict still there, why don’t we have an amicable solution? 

In the last 5 years (2003-2008) we have seen 20 major terrorist attacks in India, (http://www.breakingnewsonline.net/2008/11/list-of-major-terror-attacks-in-india.html). They targeted, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore etc. 

What is the impact of every terrorist attack; we see death of so many people but we are also loosing huge Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) & Foreign Institutional Investment (FII). This is what Terrorist want, or the financiers want. They want to give a message to these investors that India is not the safest country to invest. 

So the dream to become 3^rd largest economy may be only a dream. 

What we could do on this? India is having the largest working population (youth) in the world. (As per projections, population will overtake China by 2034). As a youth we can do two things to eradicate both the menace.

 1) Do not entertain any new party, raise voice to introduce a feedback mechanism (Read my blog: India – The Largest Democracy, is it? http://j-k.in/blog/?p=86)

2) We should be an alert and responsible citizen, anything seen as suspicious should be reported to Police. Spread awareness within your region, community, office etc. 

Together we can challenge these menace.