<strong>Pipra </strong>
I wanted to know what Google in images, if I enter the name of my village, <a href="http://www.google.co.in/search?q=Indian+Tablets&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1680&bih=837#um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Pipra&pbx=1&oq=Pipra&aq=f&aqi=g5g-S2g-sS2g-S1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=42188l53755l0l54396l18l14l0l0l0l2l317l3472l0.2.11.1l14l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=4061744749158144&biw=1680&bih=837 ">'Pipra'</a>. I was surprised. You may also like it.

Treacherous Truce

Treacherous Truce

Why do the government and the Congress leadership consider the media, opposition and the people as pre-school kids?

Let us rewind what happened after so much of fuss about the ego war of two very senior ministers. Four ministers appeared on scene in procession, every one pretty tense. The way they entered showed many things that were not spoken in words. Pranab Mukherji was walking many steps ahead and faster than the rest of ministers. Once he stopped and looked back when he realized that he was not with his colleagues. Chidambaram and Sibal were together with law minister Salman Khurshid, a little behind following them alone. Did it exhibit the cohesiveness of purpose and truce?  The senior most minister whose note created the turmoil read a short written statement twice each sentence. A written note could have served the purpose. The accused minister then came forward and stated his agreement and satisfaction with whatever his senior colleague had stated. They walked back smartly and disappeared without taking any questions and answering them.  

Is it the end of spectrum saga? Is the truce genuine? Why the senior minister did then prepare another note that would implicate his colleague?x

Is it a win for Chidamabarm and has he extracted support for himself from PM and Sonia? Has Pranab who initiated the note had to eat his words by confessing that the inferences and interpretations in the note were not his own? Was Pranab mentally tortured and dissociating himself from his colleagues when he was walking faster ahead? Was Pranab forced to make the statement by Sonia to buy peace with Chidambaram? Media and opposition have already reacted against this drama. The people would soon do.   

The minister said the UPA followed the policy of the previous government on 2G. For all the good happening this government never fails to take the authorship and credit, but it never changed something knowing that very well that it would cause a lot of loss to national exchequer.   

As it appeared, the drama was enacted on advice of Sonia Gandhi and her advisors. I feel pity on Pranab who had to follow the order on the truce. Will it last?

Why are the leaders be-fooling the nation and making the people confused and warier?

And All Mothers Fast Today for Sons

Few years ago, one of my daughters-in-law expressed surprise that Jiutiya is a fast by mother exclusively for sons and asked me, ‘Why are the daughters excluded?’

It was a very pertinent question. It was all because the parents in those days considered their daughters as the Lakshmi of son-in-law’s home.

I came to know pretty late that real name of the fast is Jivitputrika Vrat or Jiutiya. It’s interesting that over the years, the Google search today provides all the stories behind this fast.

But one must appreciate the rigorous fast for more than 24 hours that the mothers undertake once every year to see that her sons get a long life without any trouble. Yamuna has been doing it without a miss for last 44 years.

Each of our three sons had troubled childhood, and every time the acquaintances stated that they came out of that because of the fast that Yamuna had undertaken for them. I remember my mother, pretty frail in old age continuing the fasting on this specific day, though I insisted on her to drop it. Even today I keep on appealing Yamuna to pass over the responsibly to her daughters-in-law, as can be done by the traditional practice and stop fasting herself. But she doesn’t agree. I don’t insist. It’s a matter of faith, a sacrifice for the next generation, perhaps with a hope.

Let god and goddesses give Yamuna strength and ability to carry on with the fast and all her sons and grandchildren great health and prosperityfor the whole of the life.

Digvijay-The Spoiler

Digvijay-The Spoiler

Digvijay has come on the political scene again, perhaps on instruction from Rahul Gandhi. Where was he during Ramlila days? Why did he disappear during the crisis Congress faced and had to yield? Why were Pranab and all the young Turks forced to take the main opposition with them? Has the Congress forgotten the cooperation it got from opposition? 

Why doesn’t the Congress declare openly the position of Digvijay once for all? How can he be tolerated by Arvind Kejriwal, Sushma Swaraj or Anna? I wish they ask the clarification from Congress and Rahul in clear words? Vilification is not politics.

My Writings

Once in a while, I get an email as one given below from a professor in far distant country, that makes me happy and I get a satisfaction of a sort: At least I did something different. The professor picked my paper from ‘my writings’ on my website, www.drishtikona,com. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. Sharma,

I was impressed about your professional career and knowledge, especially
in the field of gear manufacturing.

I am a full professor at University of Split, Croatia and writing a book
"Gears and gear drives". Would you like to allow me to insert some parts
of your paper "AN OVERVIEW OF GEAR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES" in my book. It is so good paper! I should be very grateful.

With best regards
Damir Jelaska 

राहुल गाँधी और उनके चमचे

राहुल गाँधी देश के भावी प्रधान मंत्री हैं| या तो वे बोलते नहीं, अच्छा रहता | पर वे बोले और जब बोले तो उनके कुछ खास लोगों को छोड़ देश के सभी लोग बहुत निराश हुए |क्या नया कहा उन्होंने जो देश के लोगों को मालूम नहीं था| उनसे ऐसी उमीद नहीं थी| समय की नाजुकता की पहचान नहीं उन्हें अभी भी| और उनके साथी, नवयुवक सांसद तो केवल चमचे बन कर रह गए हैं| राहुल की मंत्री सभा में यही तो बड़े मंत्री होंगे| क्या करेंगे देश के लिए ये लोग? कैसे दोस्त हैं ये लोग और क्या राय देते हैं? क्यों नहीं थोडा साहस कर अन्ना के पास आते और ब्याक्तिगत रूप में उनसे अनुरोध करते अनसन तोड़ने का और आश्वासन देते एक प्रभावी लोकपाल बनाने का| शायद अन्ना मान जाते अनसन ख़त्म करने के लिए|  आज अन्ना संसद की इज्जत से ऊपर उठ चुके हैं| ५१४ लोगों की आवाज कभी भी करोड़ों लोगों की मनसा से ऊपर नहीं हो सकते| 

Government Playing Smart

If the country believes the doctors attending on Anna, the situation is really becoming grim. But somehow it has become equally difficult to trust Manmohan or for that matter even the leadership of BJP. I don’t know why Manmohan is not taking a respectful exit and why Rahul and Sonia are not appreciating the need and agreeing for it. Why the other old man of BJP, LK Advani, is not hanging his boots and leaving the affairs to the leadership at the next levels, that doesn’t seem to relish his initiatives?

Manmohan has dropped his close aid Kapil Sibal and selected Pranab Mukharji to negotiate. And Pranab seems to be avoiding direct involvement and using Khurshid as intermediary that is causing misunderstanding and increasing the suspicion about the intention of the Party and the government.

Why are they negotiating in a way used for bargaining with the trade unionists?

One, who watched the proceedings of both houses of the parliament on August 24, the ninth day of Anna’s fast and read the opening statement made by the prime minister, can easily get confused. Why are the government and the prime minister playing smart with Anna?

On one hand it declared that it had sent the Jan Lokpal Bill to the standing committee. The other hand the prime minster statement says, it has requested the standing committee to consider Jan Lokpal Bill along with one from Aruna Ray.

“Accordingly, I wrote to him requesting him to end his fast and reiterated Government's intention to pass the best possible Lokpal legislation with inputs from civil society and on the basis of the broadest possible consensus. I said that the matter was with the Standing Committee and the Committee was entitled to consider not only the Bill introduced by the Government but the Jan Lokpal Bill and other versions like those prepared by Shrimati Aruna Roy as well.”

I don’t understand why Jan Lokpal Bill as such can’t be the lone base to come out with the final bill? I don’t know why it can’t be introduced straight in the parliament for debate. Is it because of no precedence or the constitution prohibits it?

Different headlines in media are just emphasizing the Prime minister’s wish phrase of a strong and effective Lokpal with no breakthrough move to show that it really means that.

All the parties are singing their own tunes and there is hardly anyone to evolve a common tune in the interest of the old man and the nation. Perhaps they all are waiting when the health of Anna goes critical.

Anna: Lessons for Gen Y

I pray that Anna doesn’t fast unto death against the insensitive and adamant leadership in the government. But the elite of the country and particularly younger generation must take some lessons from him, and vow to something more than only rocking to Anna’s beat. He is just one ordinary person with his root rural India intact. His honesty of purpose is weighing heavier than the intelligent and highly educated prime minister and ministers who are very good in the art of talking. Today, his call for making a corruption free India is resonating all over the world. I wish he succeeds. The battle for his version of Lokpal Bill is symbolic. If God provides a long life to him as all the people of India wish and must look for, he will go for eradicating many equally difficult bottlenecks to the country’s real development.

A lot of credit, if Anna succeeds, will certainly go to the overwhelming and exhilarating support of the Gen Next. And the older generation is looking for more from the Gen Next.

Fast is part of the Indian culture and the younger generation should appreciate that. It is not only for a cause but for self improvement too. It doesn’t weaken, it makes one stronger. It was interesting to learn that many students of IITs and IIMs have taken a vow of taking one meal a day till Anna fasts. Perhaps the whole country would have gone for that.

However, there is one more aspect from Anna’s life that one must learn. His contribution to make his small village, Ralegan Siddhi (Images), a model village to be followed by all coming from rural India and succeeding in life much more materialistically than what Anna achieved.

Anna after his army career came to his village. Anna’s first task was to uproot alcoholism. He could succeed in that and then went for establishing a Grain bank with the objective of providing food security to needful farmers during times of drought or crop failure. And his next target was the water management. With his various endeavours, he could completely transform the economy of the village. Why can’t this one aspect be emulated by all of us with successful careers in private or government sector or the entrepreneurs? Why do we forget about the villages where we were born? Why do we become one of those urbanites who look down upon the villagers?

As reported, “when Hazare came in Ralegan Siddhi in 1975 only 70 acres (28 ha) of land was irrigated, Hazare converted it into about 2,500 acres (1,000 ha). Earlier only 300 liters of milk was sold from the village. Now the milk production has gone up to 4000 liters. The per capita income of the villagers has increased from Rs. 225 to Rs. 2500.”

Even after 64 years of independence. 90% or more of Indian villages have neither the faculties of quality education for the children nor healthcare for the population. The same politician clan with different names in the system, be it village heads, MLA or MP are happy and content by enhancing the number of the people under poverty line, BPL and claiming for more doles from the government so that they and their men can become richer.

Can more and more of the countrymen and those who retire from defence forces follow the path of Anna to serve their village and help in transforming it?

Dissenting Voices and Worries

I got a funny idea last night. Would Manmohan Singh go for a fast for three days to appreciate what a fast means, if he really believes rationally that his Lokpal Bill will create an effective and strong Lokpal to fight the cancer of corruption or is better than one drafted by Anna’s team? After all, Manmohan and Anna are in the same age bracket, equally fit and equally emotional about their views.

Why could he call Anna on phone and talk with him? What is the ego? Alternatively, if Manmohan really means his readiness for ‘some give and take; and open discussion or negotiations, why can’t he depute someone who can sit with Anna and thrash out the differences?

Why does he or Congress try to test the sustainability of the movement including the number of days Anna can fast and the strength of Anna’s following by the number of people coming to Ramlila ground or parading or demonstrating in the streets and parks of the metros and towns?   

Why can’t Manmohan appreciate the risks involved in postponing his engagement for long enough to see some major mishaps to happen besides the long term consequential damages to the interests of the country?      

Is he not pained by seeing people putting a caste and community colour to issues of national importance such as corruption and black money?

While the media’s over involvement and the exuberance of the younger generation and middle class provides hope, its continuance for long makes me fearful. It must not affect the economy negatively.

Dynasty Promotion at People’s Cost

Dynasty Promotion at People’s Cost

32 pages of Times of India, August, 20 = 10 full pages as Tribute to Rajiv Gandhi+ News on Anna 9 pages + tenders and other ads, 8 pages + = Where are real news?

Every ministry and the states under Congress rule have gone out of the way to provide the material and money for the purpose. And these promotion materials would have gone to all the national newspapers. And it happens at least two times every year in name of just one person. I don’t know if it any way helps the cause. However, I appeal to Gandhi family to make their sycophants drop this extravaganza. I request to opposition to get this stopped. I request some like Anaa to raise the issue, as this is also a loot of the nation.

In the evening I saw another ad video on TV channels promoting SAIL, the steel making giant of India. I could not understand if that was designed for promoting Steel Authority of India or for promoting new Congress Cabinet Minister, Shri Beni Prasad Verma. It’s obvious it’s for Beni Prasad Verma, suggested and executed by one of his sycophants. How can the country go ahead with so much of corruption of wonderfully innovative types?  

I appeal to the living head of the dynasty use the whole money for the schools and healthcare centres in the rural India.