Claiming glory

As electioneering is going on, we can see that all the leaders want part of the glory of our freedom fighters. Some try to show how they are themselves like the leaders of the past. Some want to claim that they are proud to be in the same party of those heroes of the past. It is a show of shallow vision and arrogant behavior. We do not know how to select a leader now. All have exhibited their lack of knowledge of history. If they claim anything, it is their stupidity which they rightfully deserve. With television and internet, we can clearly see that we have no good leaders for the future. Thank God, bureaucrats do not have to take orders from politicians any more. Our supreme court has said that bureaucrats do not have to take oral orders  from our politicians. Our goal should be "to make the politicians less powerful" Now we have an option,NOTA which means that we need not vote for any candidate or party.

Women in festive India

The festivals of 'Dushera' and 'Karvachauth' were celebrated in October. The spirit of festivals arouse the women; and the fasting was strictly followed by the women folks. Most festivals in India are 'women-centric' Women decorate themselves with 'mehendi' and colourful clothes. Consumerism has made festivals a costly affair. There is more and more commercialization of festivals like "Dushera sale" or "Diwali sale" (which is going on now). Gold is an important part of festive mood, so there is more buying of gold. With women becoming a major part of work-force, they have more power to spend than ever before. On normal months, women may spend Rupees.4000, but on festival months it would be more than double like about Rupees. 9000. Indian women derive great contentment in spending on festivals as it renews their bonds with the family and the community. Such social spending becomes a necessity for the continuation of the Indian culture and lifestyle. Modernism has not made psyche of Indian women to forget their cultural moorings.This kind of adherence to culture has become more and more costly given the bad state of the economy. What this shows is that women's income has increased, and they have become more powerful--power to spend. That is a positive sign. In future India, women will become more powerful.

Industrial migrants

Plight of the industrial migrants is most appalling in India. They work as servant or they work as construction workers and they live in the streets. Exploitation of the migrants makes their condition the most deplorable. Contractors take advantage of their vulnerable position. Once India used to live in villages. But the insecurity of livelihood in agriculture has changed all that. Now Indian population is moving to the towns and cities of India. In the urban India, we have no space for them, but we require their labour. In 2004 there were 1362 towns and in 2012 there are 3864 towns. In the year 2001, 27.8% of Indian population lived in urban areas. In 2011, 31.16% of Indian population lives in urban India. And the percentage moving to urban India is growing constantly. Those who are moving to urban India are non-skilled persons. Since they have no way of making a living in rural India, they are migrating in large numbers. Previously they were living in the fringes, taking fire wood from forests, living as land less labourers in rural area. We are now protecting the forests, so they cannot have any firewood. They are now forced to migrate. We can protect the forests, but we cannot protect the people of India?
Now persons from Odissa and Bihar move to far away states like, Kerala or Maharastra. If the migration was within a state or within a region, we can try to protect them. State migration Act 1979 tries to stop un-protected migration for livelihood. But nothing can stop poor people. They move into cities, live in the pavements and try to find work. What do we offer them? little money to buy food, no room to stay, their condition is most appalling....
Some shelter must be provided immediately to these people, as soon as they arrive. At the least tents can be allotted. Rehabilitation must be started as soon as they arrive too. They must be taught some skill or other. A job which would be give a good source of income should be given. More financial allocations for the poor by the government can solve this crisis. More than that, effective use of the allocated funds must be made. When a given group is rehabilitated, new groups arrive and this goes on. Migration is not stopping (even with MGNREGA)  We are urbanizing very fast. Decorating the city with beautiful tiles in pavements, with gardens and with fancy street lights are useless when we allow the poor to perish in the streets. 

Indian brains and the IT boom

When the computer revolution came transforming the world, Indians were at the fore front. They took to it like fish to water. Realizing this, IT firms took their Industry to India. And this gave a further boost to Indian people---they can stay in their home country while working in the industry( they did not have to migrate to work) This inspired the Indian government to step up their technology to match the prevalent trends. So despite Indian  bureaucracy's complexities, we are trying hard to upgrade ourselves. There are of course many reasons why there is some slow down in the IT industry in India; there are faulty land policies, there are tax norms and red-tapism which act as hindrances. Making of infrastructures should be given top priority; and this should take place fast so that we can make hay while sun shines. If do not allow the industry to boom here, it will bloom else where in the world and Indians would not get golden chance to rise with it.

Coal allocations questioned

Coal blocks were allocated to those industrialists who had made favours to the political parties. This has now come out in the open when CBI(Central Bureau of Investigations) questioned these industrialists. Now it is a matter of time that these industrialists must answer in the court of law. What is amazing is that the elected elite are saying "you cannot  question the prime minister" even before we have asked anything. Already measures for "cover-up" are going on. Not only that action are being taken to curb the powers of CBI. The fact is industrialists who have taken undue advantage have acquired our national resources by unfair means. And we will question it, whoever has made these allocations will be questioned too. This exploitation cannot go on for ever.  

Tainted leaders

The ordinance which would get rid of criminals among political elite was trashed just when three of the elected elite were sentenced to jail. That is, criminal behaviour in political life will not be tolerated. The convicted got jail sentence. After serving jail for 4-5 years and paying about 25 lakhs as fine, these elected leaders will not be able to contest elections for eleven years. Already these elite have decided to make their wives stand in elections on their behalf. There is no stopping for these criminals. Only when we stop electing these wolves to rule over the masses(sheep like people), we may have democracy. We have to stop dominant aggressive criminal persons from entering politics. How to do that? Because those who are aggressive enter politics and they are criminals who have nothing else to do. Good people have entered other professions and do not like dirty games of politics.