Saturday, March 25, 2023

 

Seize The day!
 
Congress is a political party with a long history. It is without argument that they have had the most number of illustrious and politically important  personalities in history. They have also held power several times after independence. Actually they have formed government for the longest time as compared to any other political party. 
 
Lately however they have lost one election after another and increasingly failed at the hustings in the last two  consecutive polls. There are several reasons for it , but we are not going into that analysis today. We will only focus on one area.

India is a parliamentary democracy , however all the recent elections have been about personalities rather than policies. Congress's illogical infatuation with the Gandhi family has ensured that a "Gandhi" enters the ring  on their behalf. Unfortunately for them their fighter has so far always flattered to deceive. He is under prepared, inexperienced, lacks intellect and suffers massive public perception issues. obviously the results for the hallowed party have been disastrous to say the least. As soon as you decide that they have finally bottomed out, they dive lower and then lower again!
 
Personally I do not consider their political marginalization a good thing. I would prefer an even contest where the voters have at least two good choices if not more. A potent opposition is as important as an empowered government. In an ideal world all elections would be about policies and governance records. You do not need me to tell you that we  live in an imperfect world and an election is round the corner too! What on earth can congress do ?

Congress has never found the courage to show a mirror to the Gandhi family. However the  election Gods are blessing them this time! I am serious! Thanks to the judiciary Rahul Gandhi is no longer a member of the parliament and if congress men sincerely pray very hard, he will not be able to contest elections for the next eight years. Heaven's be praised; that is exactly what the doctor ordered for a complete recovery. This is a windfall of gargantuan proportions! Congress can finally find a deserving candidate to take the field in '24. They are not short on talent either. They may still not breach the defences but if they seize the day they will live to fight again in a stronger and better position.

My nightmare is that a spineless congress will give in to their death wish; push Mrs. Vadra forward, destroying this God sent opportunity and finally burying the party forever. That will only make one Mr. Kejriwal very pleased. Now that is terribly terrifying indeed! Isn't it?
 

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Taliban- Old wine , New bottle!

 


Taliban are back! That is if you believe they had ever gone away in the first place. They are who they are and it is simply futile to expect them to have changed in the intervening years that American forces were keeping them in check. US policy of first creating and supporting Taliban against USSR to failing in delivering them a decisive defeat; is quite another discussion altogether.
 
For now we will focus on what we can expect now. Firstly let us look at some comforting thoughts.Back in the heydays of Taliban, they were supported by almost the entire 57 Islamic countries including the very powerful and rich Saudi Arab. They had access to funds, technology, communications and state of art military equipment. Who can forget their use of heavy field guns to destroy massive Bamiyan Buddha world heritage site. Things in the world politics are no longer same. 9/11 has changed American thinking forever. House of Saud is shaky and power has shifted to the crown prince MBS. He has his own compulsions and plans that will find accommodating Taliban very very difficult. Turkey  other Islamic nations also will find it tough to provide Taliban anything more than a sound bite hard to sustain.
 
Iran, the other theocracy has had an uneasy relationship with Taliban. They are happy at US exit from the area but wary of a resurgent Taliban. Iran is not looking for trouble but is not going to give Taliban a free pass either. China has major plans for its economic corridors that dot the areas impacted by these reemerging forces. Moreover China is worried sick about the fallout of Islamic extremist forces getting control right next door to its suppressed Muslim Uighur population. China is completely untrustworthy but unlikely to put all its eggs in the Taliban basket.
 
USSR is no more. Russia however is not exactly a lightweight pushover! She has a  permanent and continuing interest in  her former Asian republics. Under Putin Russia will aggressively defend her turf.They are big players in the area and Taliban are already trying to keep  them in good humour. It will have a calming influence. 
 
So what of the bad boy in the neighbourhood - Pakistan? They are in an unenviable bind if you ask me! On one hand they are licking their chops and salivating at their mouths at the very thoughts of their handpicked boys coming to power in Afghanistan; on the other hand they are shaking in their boots at what it means for their society in terms of drugs, crime and security. Pakistan has already a black mark against them in the bin laden case. Any more monkey business will land them in a very serious hot soup. Their neck is already under the FATF guillotine.Then there is India which has made deep inroads in the Afghan polity by providing extensive infrastructural  help by building  Hospitals, Dams, parliament etc.. They have rather bad history with Taliban but Taliban realizes the salubrious impact such altruistic projects have had on Afghan society. How much of this goodwill will hold is not very clear. Active diplomacy is needed to tell them of Indian Red lines and the fact that It is not the same India of Kandahar hijack days.
 
Afghanistan has a government that can justifiably be said to be broad based. Hamid karzai and now Ashraf Ghani has tried to include different sections in the governance that gives them local and international acceptability. The government also commands about 300000 trained troops. If and it is a big if, Taliban numbering between 50-75,000 do not get any external support and the Afghan national government does; how are they toppling the government?

That does not mean that they can not. It also means that Taliban has immense capacity to cause severe multi level stress on the governance and the security situation.What is important in this situation is to realize that Taliban are Afghan too. It is imperative to engage them across a table or you will be engaging them in a door to door battle. Secondly with Foreign forces leaving the Afghan soil, there is no 'enemy' left. Taliban have absolutely no reason to resort to violence and force their point of view. Let Afghans vote and decide what shape the nation's government will take. 

It is Taliban 2.0. Same Islamic supremacist, misogynistic , medieval ideology  albeit without access to stinger missiles and heavy artillery. They will have a different approach to grabbing power. it is up to us to ensure that Taliban are coaxed back into 21st century rather than they plunging the whole  world back to sixth!
 
 

Monday, April 26, 2021

पुश्तखार ! Back Scratcher !

Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne by Amedeo Modigliani, Oil on canvas,1919

collection of

Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA, US

 

जिंदगानी  जितनी भी पड़ी है;

बातें सारी खत्म हो गयीं । 

फ़सल इश्क़ की अब बोओगे;

जब बरसातें खत्म हो गयीं!

 

हसीं रात आयी कि न आयी; 

सब मुलाकातें खत्म हो गयीं। 

पंहुचे बेसब्रे मयख़ाने कि वो बोले;

अभी ही सारी खत्म हो गयी।

 

दवा मांगते उनसे क्योंकर;

 तीमारदारी ख़त्म हो गयी। 

दर्द अभी रह रह के उठेगा; 

कोई बीमारी ख़त्म हो गयी ?


हाथ झटक दे ऐसा कब था; 

 कुछ नेक दुआएँ ख़त्म हो गयीं। 

निकला सही हर इक अंदेशा; 

क्या रात  ए  क़यामत ख़त्म हो गयी ?

 

तूफां ए  तम्मना  में पर तो  तोले; 

 कुछ जल्दी बारी ख़त्म हो गयी। 

हुआ हैरां  अक्स देख के अपना;

 कब ये जवां पारी ख़त्म हो गयी ?

 

शान में उसकी क्या क्या पढ़ते;

नातें सारी खत्म हो गयीं।

मिन्नतें ज़ाया गयीं सो अलग ;

फिर खुद्दारी ख़त्म हो गयी। 

 

देखते यूँ थे कि जाने ही न देंगे;

मुड़े कि सदाएं खत्म हो गयीं!

पुश्तखार भी सीने से लगा रखेगा कोई ;

यूँ  पीठ दिखाई, वो हाज़त ख़त्म हो गयी! 

 

सदा दूर से आती है, वो सुन ;

इक बिनाई ख़त्म हो गयी। 

खट्टी,तीख़ी, फ़ीकी, खारी;

मीठी सारी ख़त्म हो गयी। 

Roman script follows:

Jindgani jitni bhi padi hai;

Baten sari khatm ho gayi.

Fasal ishq ki ab bovoge;

jb barsaten khatm ho gayi!

 

Hasin raat aayi ki n aayi; 

Sab mulakaten khatm ho gayi.

Pahunche besabre mykhane ki vo bole;

Abhi hi sari khatm ho gayi.

 

Dawa mangte unse kyonkar;

Teemardari khatm ho gayi.

Dard abhi reh freh ke uthega; 

Koi beemari khatm ho gayi?


Haath jhatak de aisa kab tha; 

Kuch nek duayen khatm ho gayi.

Nikla sahi her ik andesha; 

Kya raat e kayamat khatm ho gayi ?

 

Toofan e tamanna me pr to tole; 

Kuch jaldi bari khatm ho gayi.

Hua hairan  aks dekh ke apna;

Kab ye jawan pari khatm ho gayi ?

 

Shan me uski kya kya padte;

Naaten sari khatm ho gayi.

Minnate zaya gayi so alag ;

Fir khuddari khatm ho gayi.

 

Dekhte yoon the ki jane hi n denge;

Mude ki sadayen khatm ho gayi !

Pushtkhar bhi seene se laga rakhega koi ;

Yoon peeth dikhai,vo hajat khatm ho gayi! 

 

Sada door se aati hai vo sun;

Ik binai khatm ho gayi.

Khatti,Teekhi,Feeki, Khari;

Meethi sari khatm ho gayi.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 






Sunday, March 28, 2021

Deoxyribonucleic Acid !


Just the other day I saw my brother's picture. Nothing unusual, but suddenly I felt like I am looking at myself in a mirror! Now that is strange because my brother does not look like me. He is way  smarter, much taller, fairer, years younger,has different hairline and a different jawline with an immensely better fashion sense. I am afraid we are as different as it could be in other aspects as well. Personal habits; F&B choices; education; profession ; you name it, nothing matches. Even our names do not rhyme. Life has dealt us different set of cards to boot. Yet it is uncanny how I can see myself in him!

Science has an easy answer, DNA ! Without getting too technical; Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)is a molecule that contains the biological instructions that make each species unique. DNA, along with the instructions it contains, is passed from adult organisms to their offspring. Simply speaking we have the same set of parents and thus similar DNA. We also grew up in the same household  and have learned same  lessons that make us similar even when we are different.

 So why am I telling you this today? Well The reason is Suresh Kalmadi ! Yeah! The same disgraced out on bail politician who embezzled millions from the Commonwealth Games kitty and has been a state guest at Delhi's Tihar jail for 10 months. More than 50 cases amounting to INR 700 crore are still pending trial.

I was reminded of him because of another political luminary, Anil Deshmukh;the home minister of Maharashtra who was recently charged(not yet proven) by his own hand picked police chief  with shaking down INR100 Crore every month from Mumbai restaurant and bars. Deshmukh is treating this charge as flippantly and nonchalantly as  Kalmadi did before he was sent to Tihar; became the poster boy of Congress corruption and decimated his own UPA government.

Kalmadi of course belongs to congress and Deshmukh is from NCP of Sharad pawar. This 'defence attorney' for Deshmukh is an erstwhile congress stalwart who missed becoming the prime minister by a whisker.

Let us go  east for a little bit. Calcutta to be exact and Mamta Banerjee. She has her own party now but she earned her political chops in the congress. Where she was a cabinet ranked minister in the centre, no less. Does it come as a surprise that during her reign in the state of west Bengal several scams like coal scam have come to the fore. In the most brazen misuse of power, an organized grass roots extortion racket called 'tolabaazi' has been institutionalized ? This racket shakes down every body, period! You need a birth certificate- pay them; you need a death certificate- pay them; you need to paint your house- pay them and hire their chosen contractor... or else! O.K. you get the picture!

Lets stay east and look at a congress associate for a change - Lalu yadav! I know you are immediately reminded of the fodder scam. INR 4.5 billion corruption case for which he is behind bars. His wife and all of his children are facing multiple corruption cases too. I can go on and give more examples from all corners of the country but just listing all of them will need a 800 page report... and I am no kejriwal to wave blank papers at you!

What in the blazes is wrong with these guys? Actually the question is what is common among all of these corrupts? Simple answer is DNA - congress DNA! They all received their diploma in  politics and models of governance from the  University of Congress, 24 Akbar road, New Delhi 110001. A lot of them taught there too!

Congress got India on a platter! There was no political challenge to its power for a very long time. As some opposition started forming Congress realized it can easily hold on to its power by doling out  different sops to different groups. Which they did irrespective of costs to the exchequer or any smidgen of actual benefit accruing to the intended group. As long as they continued voting them in. It perfected minority appeasement to create voting blocks. It mainstreamed granting of business licences and permits for massive cash  considerations. It generated astronomical election funds by shaking down industry, land developers and government contractors. It invented the concept of "first family" of politics. Nothing was taboo if it strengthened their power base. Worst cut of all was that Congress criminally made all of these corrupt practices look like the standard operating procedure of governance. They never  ever paused to consider how perpetuating this massive scale corruption  at the top will corrode the very foundations of the society. Now that you see a similar pattern echoing across the entire political spectrum irrespective of the current party affiliations, you should also know who to thank!

This is where we are today. If  the beat  constable asks  for an INR 100 bribe from a pavement bangle seller, consider the fact that the police station he is attached to got sold to the highest bidding Sub Inspector for millions. it did not go to the most deserving.  He has to recover his costs and ROI; and same goes for the DSP he reports to ;and same for his boss and his boss's boss.... It keeps going up,up and getting bigger and bigger. Till all we  end up  with is Deshmukhs on our hand!

I am telling you, this Deoxyribonucleic Acid thing - it is revoltingly nauseous!

 

Sunday, March 21, 2021

तैराक! Tairak!

"DEEP END " by Ashutosh kaul,completed 2020, 80X100 cm,  Oil on Canvas,

तैराक 

उफ़नती नदिया,फटता बादल औ तूफां ही मंज़िल का पता दें !

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है। 

कब से क्या ढूंढ़ते हो, खबर मिली नही क्यों; "रुकावट के लिए खेद  है"!

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है। 

ऐसे किसी और जन्म  मिलेंगी फिर हसरतें; अब सम्बन्ध विच्छेद है!

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है।  

ख़ुदी से ख़ुद के बिछड़ने का ग़म कैसा; तो है मतभेद है,मनभेद है ! 

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है।  

गुज़रे वक़्तों की ख़ुमारी में हर वक़्त धुत; धत, हर नशा निषेध है !

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है।  

रातें तबाह हैं जिनसे;सपन गुलाबी स्याह सच. मेरी दुनिया में क्या रंगभेद है !

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है। 

 गल चुकी बर्फ़ बहार आयी बस, कलेजा चीर  रख; ख़ून फिर सफ़ेद है! 

तैरना सीखा जो नही, पुल जल चुका - नाव में छेद है।  

Roman script follows 

Tairak(Swimmer)

Ufante nadiya, Fattaa badal o toofan hee manzil ka pata de !

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai.

Kab se kya doondte ho,khabar mili nahi kyon; "rukawat ke liye khed hai"!

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai.

Aise kisi aur janam  milengi fir hasraten; ab sambandh vicched hai!

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai.

Khudi se khud ke bichadne ka gum kaisa; to hai matbhed hai,manbhed hai ! 

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai. 

Guzre waqton ki khoomari me har waqt dhut; dhat, her nasha nishedh hai !

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai.

Raten tabah hain jinse; sapan gulabi syah such. Meri duniya me kya rangbhed hai !

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai.

Gal chuki barf bahar aayi bus, kaleja cheer rakh; khoon fir safed hai! 

Tayirna seekha jo nahi, pull jal chuka - nav me cheed hai.

 

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Farmer's Market

 


Let us face the fact that "no farmer ,no food " is as true as "no mason, no home" or "no driver, no transport" or "no doctor, no healthcare"; or several other similar combinations. We need them all but more importantly we need all of them to work seamlessly together.  Idealism apart real life works out rather differently. So there are different interest groups looking after the interests of their own. Often times one group's interests run counter to another group. Mill owner's  association has a different perspective compared to mill workers association. Obviously! 
 
It is the reason we have laws. Laws govern the relationship between different constituents of the society. It is a system that strives to ensure that the big picture that emerges is congenial and takes every one's rights,plans and aspirations on board. Ideally! Let us now circle back to the farmer's again. 

 According to National Crime Records Bureau of India 10,281 farmer's committed suicide in 2019. Mental health is certainly is not a major factor. Greatest reason for world's  highest rate of farmer suicide is socioeconomic. Something we can and should take head on. According to the Journal of Epidemiology and Global health,"This has multiple manifestations, including a lack of agricultural investment and irrigation improvement, use of cash crops, the increased use of non institutional credit sources, and the reduction of trade barriers".
 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210600615300277
 
It is self evident that the Indian farming sector is in serious trouble. The question is what are we going to do about it?  Now here comes the old competing interest group factor in play. Who is this farmer we are talking about? Someone with a small piece of land in an arid remote area or someone with large canal fed farms with easy access to markets? Clearly their immediate needs and interests are not going to be same.
 
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/05/17/india-agriculture-issues-priorities
 
A frame work is required to be implemented on an urgent basis. Are the much maligned Farm bills an answer? On the face of it the laws are trying to provide an answer to the most dogged challenges to the farming sector. It addresses farm credit, technical inputs, storage and access to bigger markets. Everything that study after study has underlined as areas of immediate concern.

Why is there such violent opposition to these laws then? I have formed my own opinion after some due diligence and there is this feature from usually inimical and biased BBC which I think is well rounded. 
 
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-54233080
 
I believe the main issues here is the  fear of change! Change is hard and to top it off the laws are an unknown quantity. No knowing how they will fare in actual implementation. Secondly there is a lack of trust in the government. As  a number of previous aggressive reform and restructuring initiatives of the very same government has shown, there will be some collateral damage. Probably collateral costs can not be entirely avoided during a reform process. Thirdly there is the political reason. 100 million reasons actually! That is the estimated number of farmers in India. A massive voting block by any reckoning. If the opposition manages to turn it away from the ruling party .... it can realize instant nirvana!
 
There is a fourth reason and here I am on a sticky wicket ! I will go out on a limb and say it because it needs to be said! Three words,"Farming Interest Groups". Over the past decades some farming areas of the country have gotten used to free / cheap electricity; subsidized fertilizers; unfettered exploitation of water resources; mindless cash crop rotation; fearless burning of stubble closing eyes to the unfolding environmental disaster and  unkindest cut of all is that they have been handsomely rewarded  for it  ! Government after government has blindly bought their crop at a pre-determined floor price usually higher than the world price for the same commodity. It eats up 50% of India's annual expenditure. Per capita income in India is $1,640 US/ year; but  this group can afford to buy tractors costing around $10,000 US, they can afford to send their children to college in Canada and Australia and they move around in a luxury SUV. They are worried sick about upsetting their "bank rolled by the exchequer" life style. This group and wannabes form the backbone of the most violent opposition to farm reform laws.
 
So the government grain storage's are full to the rafters that forces massive tonnage to be left open to the elements; rotting and feeding rats. It can not be even exported because prices are lower in the world market and the quality of the procured crops vary dramatically.  No body has the guts to bell this cat. There are only 23 crops on this privileged list. Wheat, rice and sugar cane prominent among them. It benefits few farming communities but excludes millions and millions of other farmers.
 
I am not  a votary of the free market without social check and balances. However I do see its benefits too.I do not believe in making the rich poor but I also believe that poor should not remain poor. Is it too much of an ask? Why can't we provide easy credit, scientific guidance and easy market access to our farmers? Why can't we tell them what crops will keep their land's productivity at optimum and still sell well in the market? Why can't we allow them to choose how and who they will sell to? Why can't we place a fool proof system to protect their land rights and commercial interests? 
 
Having a law is only the beginning. Laws need other implementing and oversight system to be operating in tandem. It needs a sensitive and responsive administration that is quick to do a course correction if needed. I do not understand why we can not climb down from our rigid my way or the highway stand.I do not know if these bills will do the trick.  What I know is that doing nothing is not an option.10,281 dead farmers are shouting this my ear!  Let us shape the bill around poorest of the poor farmer's interests. As someone once told me ," do not tell me how this will not work; tell me how can we  make it work"!

"New Farm Laws Have the Potential to Raise the Income of Farmers" says Gita Gopinath. As  the Chief economist of IMF she should know a thing or two !

https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/india-s-agriculture-laws-have-potential-to-increase-farm-income-says-gita-gopinath-1763291-2021-01-27

What we must do is to stop marketing farmers for our petty interest and start cultivating the market in the interest of the farmer. Let us make a "farmer's Market"! Our job is cut out for us!

 
 
 
 

Monday, January 11, 2021

How to lose an election!

 

Politics is a complex beast. Specially in democracies where the fickle minded public can and often does vote in and vote out political parties and individuals in a mystical ritual that is yet not fully understood. Even by the subject experts; whose job it is in the first place.

Of course these are the professional organizations and maverick individuals that manage the whole process of an election campaign. They control what is said to the voting public; when it is said and who  says it. They decide what spots run on TV, radio and social media. They make herculean efforts to chart plans for billboards across the nation. They weaponize twitter and Facebook effectively. An army is deployed to run campaigns on telephone. All sorts of interviews, write ups and sympathetic stories are innocuously placed in media. Voting blocs are created and nurtured by these experts and they decide what statement or policy of the opponent is to be attacked so as to garner the maximum impact. 

Massive campaign funds are generated by fund raisers. Election rallies and meetings with influencers are organized meticulously. Debating points are extensively researched and drummed into the candidates.  Favours of all kind are sought and are called in. It is all part science, part psyops , part financial sledge hammering and a large dollop of voodoo! Rumour has it that candidate's policies and  election manifesto has something to do with it too! Although I am not quite so sure of that !

Whichever way you look at it the fact is that even for candidates with high winning probability an extensive  and well developed support system is deployed to coach and mentor. Their hand is held every step of the way to the finish line. Which of course is to win the optimum prize. Elections!

What happens if the election is lost!

Sadly there is no script for it currently. As is the ways of the world all the previous support system crumbles overnight for  a loser. They are naked under a spotlight and on their own. There is no one backing, no one providing help or guidance and they can not hide. There is a business opportunity going abegging for those  very same election experts; if you know what I mean.

Individuals and political parties in general mostly behave with acumen, foresight and introspection after the first shock waves have passed. Although the loser is not in a frame of mind to heed any advise but mostly saner heads prevail. Not so at other times. We have witnessed the losing party accuse the election authorities of bias; declare voting machines to be hacked and reprogrammed; blame police forces of threatening the voters; missing votes for self and fake votes for the opponent. They even lament the naivety of the voters. Everything but themselves is pointed fingers at in their frustration.  Mostly  society treats  these claims with the disdain they deserve, since the voters know who they actually voted for.

Democracies can deal with more serious charges  with aplomb and relative ease.   Courts exist and aggrieved parties are encouraged to approach them to redress their grievances. They are heard on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the constitution and laws of the land. There is a reason why the three branches of the government ; legislative, executive and judiciary are independent of each other and are meant to counter balance each other. 

Of all the people POTUS should comprehend the envelope democracies work within. To be absolutely transparent I personally trust his opponent  a lot less than him and had hoped for his win but I am not a voter in the US so he did not get my vote. Whatever knee jerk reactions and the verbal diarrhea his recent loss precipitated; he should have realized that  the final authority rests with the court of law. Once his petitions were found to be unsubstantiated, he should have bowed out gracefully. Alas!

He came totally unhinged instead. I honestly believe that due to the shock of the election loss he has suffered a sudden mental degradation not unlike a heart stroke where the heart is not fully functional. In this case his intellect is seriously impaired but I am not a doctor. I would certainly request  medical intervention and evaluation in this case. He may well be certifiable if he is lucky! He might escape the criminal proceedings being contemplated against him by entering an insanity plea.

At the very least send him immediately to the political boot camp to learn one thing and one thing only - how to lose an election! After all he is still the president for another ten days or so and you never know what other idiocy he is planning in his feverish mind .