Saturday, May 30, 2015

Realisation in the Morning

In our lifetime we gather many life experiences. By the time we finish school, we learn that life is beautiful and such life should not be wasted in keeping negative thoughts and disappointments in mind..

Some of us can implement this practice in life fully, some partially and some just can't. With time many forget the good habit.

And then one day you are suddenly reminded of this important facet of life, This experience also came to me recently. Few days ago I was at Goa and staying at Bagmalo Beach Resort. On the day of my return flight I did not have time to swim in the morning. I decided to take a stroll on Bagmalo beach.

Walking on the beach on the cusp where the beach and the wave meet, it was fascinating to watch own foot prints on the wet sand when I looked back. It was kind of cute. As I saw my foot prints, the next wave came, submerged the foot prints and wiped them off from the sand. I felt angry on the waves.

But suddenly the life lesson dawned on me. Let us consider the wet beach be our mind. The foot print being the imprint or impact of an event, good or bad, on it. What do the waves then become for our mind? Waves are like the next moment in our life, bringing in fresh thoughts, drenching our minds and wiping out the imprint of the previous event, good or bad, but definitely the bad.

For some of us, next moment may feel little too much of analogy but that is not important, This thought  teaches us an important thing in life, to let go of disappointments as early as possible. In fact that is the key to happiness, 'let go'.

Naysayers (who do not agree with me) may say, well, good thought, but if the imprint is deep and if it is not on the wet area of the beach, it does not get wiped out with each wave. A human being also may have such deep imprint of an event, in an area that can not be wiped out by next wave.

Do I have an answer to that? yes. When the High tide comes on the beach twice in 24 hrs, most of the beach is washed by the waves and the imprints go. The deeper imprints must also go from our minds at a fixed interval by the process of sleep every night like the high tide. In any case, every thing in life has an expiry date, why not imprints of the events particularly bad one have an expiry date. Why let them keep in the mind  to rot and stink our mind.

Such a simple life lesson was reinforced by a glorious morning on a beach in Goa by beautiful waves awash on the beach. No doubt the saying that all good things in life is free is an absolute truth,

Friday, May 22, 2015

Delhi Problem, A Mountain out of Mole Hill

Delhi is NCT of the nation and a UT. The administration structure is akin to any other UT. The Legislative Assembly in Delhi is very different from a regular state of Indian Union (remember it is a UT). Delhi is governed by LG through a elected assembly in accordance with The Government Of National Capital Territory Of Delhi Act, 1991 (see the act here http://indiankanoon.org/doc/978436/). A very interesting thing that I found in the act is the council of ministers including chief minister belongs to LG as mentioned in this act, extract of the act is posted below:-

(Clause)  49. Relation of Lieutenant Governor and his Ministers to President. Notwithstanding anything in this Act, the Lieutenant Governor and his Council of Ministers shall be under the general control of, and comply with such particular directions, if any, as may from time to time be given by, the President.

The administrator of NCT of Delhi is LG assisted by a elected assembly as per constitutional provisions. That is the fact on ground. Does that mean the elected government has no say? Yes and no. There are three matters that have been kept out of the preview of the  elected government where they are exclusively under center through LG (I think Land, Law and Order and Police). In other matters LG has to act on advise of the elected government BUT with a difference that in Delhi (unlike a full state), LGs decision is final (but not discretionary). Hence in the matter of transfers and appointments of Delhi Government employs the state recommends and LG accepts or rejects (as it happened in case of regular CS of Delhi (whose 10 days leave has created this storm) where one or two recommendations of Delhi Govt were rejected before bringing in the present man on recommendation of same Delhi Govt.

With this backdrop, let me shift to present story. The CS is to go on 10 days leave and hence an acting CS needs to be nominated for that period. The state government (DY CM) sends two names to LG with preference to a officer junior in recommended list. It is clear that LG can not spring up any new name out side the list and appoint that person though he can reject both names and seek fresh recommendations.

In this case LG approves the name of Senior among the  names recommended by the very AAP govt. Mr Right raises  hue and cry on that appointment as if LG has appointed some one who was not in the recommended list. A very twisted and factually incorrect act to do. Soon they realize their folly and gulp that appointment.

Now comes the poor Principle secretary who has to issue formal order based on the approval of LG. He issues the order as per regular office procedure for appointing the senior among the two officers approved by LG from among two recommended by AAP govt as acting CS.

Mr Right gets angry and removes that Principle secretary, who issued the order from his post. Can he do it? Actually NO, he can only recommend to LG for removal but our man thinks that he has thumping mandate so he is law unto himself (remember one seat above half way mark up to winning all seats have the same meaning called majority, thumping majority does not bring in additional rights).

Since the CM does not have independent powers in this matter and LGs approval on file for any such removal, appointment or transfer is mandatory, the removal is cancelled. Further hue and cry is made. Suddenly it is discovered that Delhi had a transfer industry before Mr Right was elected etc.

A simple issue with no scope of escalation is being blown out of proportion with a objective of garnering sound and visual eyeballs as there is nothing much to achieve this objective.

I just feel sad about how common man is being fooled to think that injustice is being done to an elected govt of a UT (and not a state) where none exists.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

In the name of Kisan

UPA government passed Land Acquisition Act in 2013 with support from BJP. It was hailed by UPA to be savior of the Kisans (farmers). It had many provisions like compensation 4 times of land price, getting consent form some 70 or 80 % of farmers and social impact assessment.

At that time also many people were of the view that it may be pro farmers! but it is anti development (As if Farming and development are two ends of a spectrum and they can not really coexist). It looked pro farmers, was  it anti development? That would have been known if the bill was made operational by state governments. They did not.

In any case there are few buzz words of Indian politics.  Despite every one in Indian polity claiming that they have been working for farmers for last 70 years (67 to be precise) the poor Kisan is where he has been. Other similar words are minorities, Scheduled Casts, Backward class (and OBCs), women, etc. While his well wishers? across political spectrum are fighting for Kisan Pie, the poor farmers has been crying for water, electricity, seeds, easy low cost loans, etc

Well, if the work was really been done for all these sections (some work does get done though) for last 67 years (as the people in politics make us believe) the face of India would have been different. It is no denying that these sections of Indian society deserved special provisions and schemes including farmers and there are schemes no doubt. But has any impact assessment of these schemes, some of which may be running from independence, been done? Has the schemes been enhanced or curtailed based on these studies? not really, they are just being perpetuated or new schemes are being launched with these sections remaining be 'जैसे थे' (as is where is). Some small groups among these politicians' ''milking cow'' sections did benefit though.

Coming back to land acquisition business. The act had some 13 eventualities where the compensation stayed at 4 times but there was no consent or social impact assessment (as garnered by me through various TV debates and news paper items). Remember UPA did it for the sake of farmers! Next government added five more eventualities to the bill making it a total of 18 such requirements. Now the fun started. Suddenly they became anti farmer for all other parties. And the government said, these provisions will bring development to villages and its population hence the amendment bill being brought is pro farmer.

Farmer  is definitely interested in retaining land of his forefathers but on the other hand, he also wants development, access to markets, education and employment for his children (as all of them can not do farming with marginal land pieces that are left with most farmers due to division of land over the generations).  A small piece of land can give his family sustenance provided it is irrigated, he has access to good seeds, finances and above all the Crop Insurance and extra source of income by way of some children being in some other vocation.

I am sure with each passing day the Kisan is getting tired of waiting to get basics from the rulers that be. There are irrigation schemes where a Asst Engg has become Chief Engg and retired but the scheme is still not complete. In this world where every thing including some singers voice can be ensured (and some times deliberately destroyed to garner insurance money) but farmer's crops seem beyond it. The farm loans, which are generally paid diligently by the farmer if crops gives him  income is costlier then the loan given to big industry houses (which  become bad loans by the dozen). Industry houses are getting their Crores worth loans rescheduled or restructured but a poor farmer is facing auction of his Bulls and lands for a loan of way smaller than the industrial loans.

He is still where he was. As for politicians, it seems that there is a real desire to put poor farmer on a pedestal to use him for the vote bank politics. If that has to be done, it is very important that the lot of the farmers (and minorities and women and ------- the list goes on) never ever improves, remains poor and marginalized so that he remains a issue, elections after elections.

Is there a solution? May be or may be the farmer has to find it himself. All the best.


Monday, May 4, 2015

Margarita with a Straw, A worth Watch Movie



For some time, I realized that my blog is becoming a muddle. I had current affairs, travel, movie review, drama review and what not on this single blog. Trying to learn if I can have dedicated areas in this blog itself rather than creating multiple blogs. Hence the pause.

I had to let go of this pause after watching ‘Margarita with a Straw’. I will keep this post very crisp and short so that I don’t give out too much about the movie.

For one, it is a little slow movie and it just lasts for 120 minutes or so. It brings out beautifully, the agony of a agile but caged  soul in a cerebral palsy affected body. The aspirations, the dreams and the never say die spirit of such a person has been depicted in the movie. The caged soul of he actress touches a cord in your soul too. It makes you feel the emotions of that soul.

It brings to the fore topics that are taboo to discuss for normal people, from  the perspective of a caged soul. The depiction is explicate but there is no vulgarity. As for acting, all of them have acted par excellence.

This is one movie we all must watch and see how well the director has brought on screen the unnoticed facets of a cerebral palsy affected (for that matter any person challenged with some kind) very sensitivity and in a soft manner.

Go and watch this journey of self discovery and fulfillment of this girl called ‘Laila’, beautifully played by Kalki Koechlin. Delightful if you watch it without being judgmental about aspects brought out in the movie.