India Shining - Is it really shining?

Democracy in our country is becoming more of a lip service. As long as you keep quiet and work hard, pay the taxes whatever and whenever Govt demands for its needs and expenses without any accountability, ask for no returns in the form of infrastructure, healthcare and education, we are the largest democracy of the World. The minute common man raises his voice for anything as above, our country becomes one of the most autocratic and cruel form of governance in the world.
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Govt is hell-bent to prove itself spineless and biased. Take this instance - Just after a fortnight of Yoga Guru Ramdev drama against corruption, Govt. is all set out to probe all the deals of his companies and Yoga centres, transactions and companies of the said baba. Remember, it’s the same baba for which five of the senior most cabinet ministers were laying out red carpet at the airport before his fast against corruption to begin, to pacify him. Also, please recall that it took the same Govt. few months to reach Mr. Suresh Kalmadi whose misdeeds along with his team were wide galore in front of everyone. Also, we were yet to see any substantiated progress on Adarsh scam, where many of the case related files have gone missing. Why the same urgency and promptness not shown in other cases?
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While we have hundreds and thousands of cases of suspicious conducts and misdeeds at high places (CBI has 300 cases pending for approval for prosecution of babus), any common citizen raising his voice against the Govt for any legitimate fight has to go though these arm twisting tactics of Govt. What Govt. is doing now is just vindication of Govt. being autocratic and biased and in no way builds any confidence with the voters.
The fate of Lokpal bill is just obvious to anyone. While the common man found Anna as a crusader for fighting for his cause, Govt has tactfully killed the whole idea of a strong Lokpal. With its tactics of split and divide, no prizes for guessing what we would have as Lokpal if at all the bill gets passed in both the houses of the Parliament.
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Most of the citizens in this country are hurt and are again turning back to the same belief that nothing can work out in this country without palm greasing and bribes. Remember that 90% of our GDP is from service sector and services provided by the FDIs. Our agriculture and industry is still limping as they were a decade ago.
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Politicians, a handful of them again are set to defer a revolution, a chance to turn India out of the mess of corruption in next few decades but it seems like we the people, as usual, will lose out this time as well.
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Mera Bharat Mahaan!!!

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The making of a Politician

Manmohan Singh - The name is almost synonymous with the liberalization of Indian State in 1991. Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was then the Finance Minister of India, was the key in starting breakthrough reforms in India, who other wise was following the socialists policies largely since Independence in 1947. The policies were tended towards protectionism, large public sector, state interference in business, labour and financial markets, etc. These were largely influenced by colonial rule and many believed were exploitive in nature.
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Dr. Manmohan Singh has a very distinguished career and is always regarded as one of few economists of world stature. After completing his Bachelors and Masters degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh, he studied economics at Cambridge in St Johns College. His major appointments include as deputy chairman of Planning Commission of India (1985-1987), Governor of RBI (1982-1985), Secretary General of the South Commission in Geneva (1987-1990). Dr. Singh is largely regarded as a leader with clean image with no taint throughout his career running though many administrations.

During he 1990-91 economic crisis, Singh, who had been thus far the most influential architects of India’s socialist economy, reluctantly and slowly opened up the Indian economy to FDI and business competition. The Balance of Payment crisis in 1991 pushed the Indian Govt to near bankruptcy. Many would recall the gold sell-off to IMF and the subsequent reforms India was forced to embrace. Dr. Singh, who was then the Finance Minister of Indian Republic, transformed the economy through badly needed reforms to unshackle the economy. The opening of markets and liberalization saw India opening up for International trade and investment, deregulation, partially doing away with Inspector/Licence Raj, privatization, etc. Much of the middle class remembers that era when the salaries shot up, at some instances almost 10 times for many of the private jobs holders.

In 1993, Singh offered his resignation from the post of Finance Minister after a parliamentary investigation report criticised his ministry for not being able to anticipate a USD$1.8 billion securities scandal. Prime Minister Rao refused Singh's resignation, instead promising to punish the individuals directly accused in the report. The report would be dusting somewhere as no visible action was taken ever. However, it enforced some confidence in the general public on the man who took the moral responsibility in the country wherein politicians are known to blatantly denying on opposition propaganda even when caught red handed for some offence.

Dr. Singh took over as the Prime Minister of Indian Republic for the 14th Lok Sabha in May, 2004. He has been instrumental in cementing ties with many world leaders and enjoys excellent relationship with some of the most powerful political world figures, biggest achievement being the nuclear civil energy deal for India, largely known as 123 deal.
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However, Singh has always been considered as a weak Prime Minister, a one who takes orders from 6, race course. He has always been considered as the one who would not take decisions independently. During the first five years tenure of Dr. Singh as Prime Minister, the Govt. largely put the failures on the compulsion of having ‘Left’ as an alliance partner, who would not let them take decisions of global importance and growth. The Indian people voted Congress back only face of Dr. Manmohan Singh in 2009 whom they see as a hope to curb widespread corruption, red tapism, quick action on subject of national importance e.g. inflation, etc. However, today, the common man feels cheated and disgruntled as lacklustre attitude of Dr. Singh has left many of us astonished. The scams of like Telecom Spectrum allocation to dubious companies wherein he was well aware of the facts and deeds of Minister A. Raja but chose to kept quiet over the alliance compulsion of DMK; the laidback attitude in CWG scam wherein crores of taxpayers money were paid in bribes or stowed away by the office bearers and good for nothing action like a eye wash raid by CBI on likes of Kalamadi or the in-different attitude in Adarsh scam wherein no major action against any politician was taken other than moving a CM (The ex-CM of Maharashtra who was at helm of affairs during this period was recently made Union Cabinet Minister). These are just few but important incidents which would definitely shatter the trust and hope of common man on the Govt. (read Congress party) in general and Dr. Singh in particular. People are feeling more dejected after hearing the famous ‘radiagate’ tapes which actually shows the nexus of politicians, corporates and journalists. No action is taken here also on anyone.

So is it fair to say that Dr. Manmohan Singh whom the nation of one billion entrusted to draw a change to their lives, largely failed? Is it fair to say that the agenda of curbing corruption, red tape, nepotism, a true Lokpal/Lokayukta Bill, which the nation entrusted to Dr. Singh to at least kick start the process failed to take off? Or putting it more simply, Is Dr. Manmohan Singh a politician now?

Only time and history would judge that.

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Six-wheel supercar?

An Italian company called Covini has revealed a peculiar six-wheeled supercar. The company plans to offer this to interested (and wealthy) customer through a partnership with industrial digger builder PMI.

Looking at the details, it's an impressive effort - powered by a 440bhp 4.2-litre V8 taken from the Audi R8, which is mounted behind the driver and sends power to the rear wheels only.Covini claims that the extra pair of wheels at the front make the CV6 handle and stop more effectively than a normal four-wheeled car. As you'd have guessed by now, it won't come cheap as the technical complexity of managing six wheels has always made such a car very tricky to produce. As per the information, this would cost around €300,000 (approx. 400,000 USD)

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Hurt Liz Hurley begs for forgiveness from Nayar

LONDON: After finding that Shane Warne, who Elizabeth Hurley had begun dating was two-timing her, a humiliated Hurley is begging estranged Indian husband, Arun Nayar, not to divorce her. The 45-year-old Liz appears to have changed her mind on the Indian textile tycoon after a disastrous fling with Warne, the famed Aussie cricketer known for his weakness for women. “Liz knows she's been a fool and has phoned Arun to say sorry and beg forgiveness. But Arun wants no part of it, and is still going for quickie divorce,” thesun.co.uk quoted a source as saying. — IANS

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Liz Hurley leaves Shane Warne?

It looks like Liz Hurley has hit the road to relationships dead end, yet again and that too in just few days after news of her separation from her Indian husband Arun Nayar came in. The relationship between Elizabeth Hurley and former Australian cricketer Shane Warne was last night said to be over after he was accused of sending another woman more than 100 sexually-charged texts.

Warne, 45, is said to be very upset that Ms Hurley has left him after news of him sending a millionaire’s wife with the messages while also romancing the actress and model.

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Bollywood Diary - Morphed pictures of Sonakshi Sinha

Bollywood’s latest sensation Sonakshi Sinha has shot to fame again, for wrong reasons this time. She is one of the most-talked-about actresses in town today, not only for her movie Dabangg but also for the fake bikini photo of her circulating in a section of the media.

The bikini photo is morphed – no doubt about it. The fake photo has Sonakshi’s face taken from the still of her debut film Dabangg and the body of another person in a bikini. The photo is revealing enough, as the actress’ looks in both the photos are identical. However, this has given her fan following a new insight of how Sonakshi could look in a 2 piece bikini. It is reported that her bollywood mentor, Salman Khan, is not happy over these developments.

Sonakshi had earlier expressed her shock over the fake bikini photo on her Twitter page. She came down heavily on a reputed publication house for publishing a photo of her in a bikini, claiming that it was meant for the cover page of Maxim but changed later.

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Crime File - Gang Rape, Yet again in New Delhi

It’s yet again. We heard the news of another girl gang raped in the city, the fourth incident in a month. Delhi is fast climbing the charts for being the worst policed and notorious city in India for crimes and harassment against women. According to NationMaster, India is at the tenth position for crimes globally and fifth in crime against women, mostly rapes and molestation. But note that these are the unofficial statistics and thousands of others go unreported and unnoticed.

According to Wikigender, a total of 1,85,312 incidents of crime against women (both under IPC and other laws) were reported in the country during 2007 as compared to 1,64,765 during 2006 recording an increase of 12.5% during 2007. These crimes have continuously increased during 2003-2007 with 1,40,601 cases in 2003, 1,54,333 cases in 2004, 1,55,553 in 2005, 1,64,765 cases in 2006 and 1,85,312 cases in 2007.

What the law says in our country against such crimes? According to IPC 1806, Section 376, the maximum punishment prescribed for this heinous crime is ten years. But is this adequate? Certainly Not. And that could be one reason why we see the crime against women on constant rise. Everyone would agree that the lengthy process of justice and inadequate laws to deal with the crime are hardly any deterrent so that the perpetuators are almost certain to do away with the crime barring few exceptional incidents.

All political parties would cry foul over law and order situation when incident like this happens but none of them would come forward to do anything concrete about the same. Women NGO's and liberation fronts would tear off bollywood posters at the slight nudity and fashion shows but would not put any pressure or go on hunger strikes to make the laws favourable to victims. The only noticeable act GOI did in last so many years was to prepare a bill to widen the ambit of 'sexual harassment' and include rape within it. But what we need more action rather than paper work. That too is pending for discussion in Parliament.

So what do we need? Obviously we can't summarize such a serious issue over a blog thereby reaching any conclusion. But few points which came to one's mind are as below:

1. Pass the bill prepared to widen the scope of 'sexual harassment' in the Parliament as quickly as possible so that it can be enacted as a law quickly.

2. Re-address the prerogative of voluminous definitions of IPC for rape punishment to a simple, comprehendible law so that the miscreants can't use or twist the law to their favour.

3. Raise the maximum punishment for this crime to capital punishment and carry out the punishments without delays to send the message clear across all sections.

4. Fast track courts, headed by lady magistrates and lawyers and if possible, lady police so that the victim can express herself without prejudice and fear.

5. Introducing 'sexual offence register' for offenders so that they be under constant vigil of local police.

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Journalists or Political Brokers

For the last so many days, there has been a news doing rounds about some journalists being involved in portfolio distribution of ministries during UPA 2 or atleast were a privy to certain information which they should not be. There were tapes on the websites doing rounds involving lobbyists, journalists and coroporate barons which people can listen and easily comprehend what's going on.

However, what is more disturbing and shameful is that media (none of the news channels ) has not at all covered this story. One would expect Arnab Goswami of Times Now or Rajdeep Sirdesai from CNN IBN to come back in full force, just like they do for the smallest of any political or social activity, But Alas! none came forward and showed guts to take on fellow biraderein. The media houses showed even more guts and not at all shameful when they didn't move the journalists in question off air for even few days, whom now everyone would think of doing yellow journalism.

Is this bcoz of the old saying that 'dog-does-not-eat-dog' and that exposing or probing the journalists in question would actually open up a pandora box wherein every other journalists is going to be exposed? Had it been some western country where true 'freedom of speech' exists, the journalists in question would be put out of channel in 2 mins and on road facing public outrage. But in India, their fellow journalists and news channels are just quite and mum, burying the whole issue what looks like a tip of the icerberg.

It hurts to see that most of the channels would make big stories out of nothing but something as grave as hijacking the whole country for benefit of few is not making sense to these news channels. Indian Media has indeed proven the proverb in true sense that 'those who live in glass houses wouldn't throw stones at others'.

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