Best of Michael Jackson- Heal the World

Is 'love-jihad' the new terror mantra?

I am increasingly excited to know more about this ‘love-jihad’- after a few reports emanating from the coastal belt of Kerala and Karnataka. Whether this is grounded on evidence or not, some HC (Hindu-Christian) groups, looks like the fundamentalist groups from either community, have joined hands to oppose it. In fact there is one report that even calls it the new mantra of terror! Now, it remains to be seen whether this is yet another attempt by the HC fundamentalists to further demonize the Muslim community or a genuine attempt to arrest a very dangerous trend.

Karnataka Ministers get ‘Modi lessons’?

Karnataka has been an exception in many ways. One is immediately reminded of the Loksabha election results that were quite different from the national trends. There is also this feeling that the BJP is growing ‘steady and strong’ in Karnataka though the party is in great disarray at the national level. Add to this list the latest ‘Modi lessons’ for the ministers, even amidst the large-scale opposition. That this government considers it appropriate to get lessons from a man who is accused of ‘riots and encounter deaths’ (and to have those lessons in a religious mutt!) itself speaks loudly of what this government is serious about. Anyways, as we have been told that these were ‘development lessons' one hopes that Modi’s lessons, which took place just a couple of days before the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations, would make this state more peaceful and non-violent.

Will the BJP rise from the ashes?

The ‘BJP will rise from the ashes’ declared the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, recently. Let us assume that the BJP will rise from the ashes. It should. But the more pertinent question, however, is ‘would this rise turn out to be more beneficial for the nation or would it turn out to be even more dangerous than before?’.

Now, with the RSS being the official boss, and given its too well-known hate ideology, would it be possible to imagine the rise of BJP to be essentially different? Would the leaders within the BJP be able to thwart this RSS wave of hatred and division?

Well, should the BJP call itself the ‘national party’, or the ‘party with a difference’, its rise from the ashes should entail a retreat from its usual anti-minority stand and a noticeable commitment to the pluralist ethos of this nation.

Drought of justice and flood of funds!

Here is a great article by P. Sainath which reviews the misplaced priorities and policies of the government. He brings to light the corporate -friendly policies of the government on the one hand and on the other the sheer neglect of the socially disadvantaged groups .
Well, what happened to the government's promise of inclusive growth?

Should Prohibition Go in Gujarat?

When the hooch tragedy in Gujarat killed over 130 people (several others are under treatment in different hospitals) the liquor baron Vijay Mallya thought he knew the reason behind the hooch tragedy. Mallya blamed prohibition for the tragedy and stated that it was a wake-up call for the political hypocrites. The question is whether Mallya stop hooch tragedies?

The fact is that he can’t because he has no answers for the hooch tragedies in states like Maharashtra, Tamilnadu and Karnataka where his business is thriving! The Gujarat government is right in asking Mallya to mind his own business. (Actually he was minding his ‘business’)

But as Anil Dharker notes in his interesting article there is no rational or moral reason for Gujarat to continue with its prohibition policy. The Father of the Nation would be happier if the State were to practice the ideals of satya and ahimsa (with no prohibition in place!) instead of the practice of prohibition without the ideals of satya and ahimsa!

Heard of Socialism with American Characteristics?

There is an interesting article by Joseph Stiglitz which speaks of American style of Socialism. Its unique features include

- Socialization of losses and privatization of profits

- Equating the bailing out of bankers and their shareholders with bailing out of banks

- Extension of corporate safety net- from commercial banks to investment banks, then insurance banks and automobiles while forgetting the ordinary citizens

- Bailing out the financial institutions which diverted the billions- intended to enable them to revive lending to payments of outsized bonuses and dividends.

As he states the ‘problem with America’s too-big-to-fail, too-big-to-be-restructured banks: they are too politically powerful. Their lobbying efforts worked well, first to deregulate, and then to have taxpayers pay for the cleanup. Their hope is that it will work once again to keep them free to do as they please, regardless of the risks for taxpayers and the economy.’

Is it time to redefine the rivalry of capitalists n socialists???

Monumental Wonder or Blunder?

Ms Mayawati, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), probably thought that erecting huge monuments in UP would bring her accolades and would also give visibility to her concern for ‘Dalit Cause’. But as noted by Amrit Dhillon in The Times of India, has Ms Mayawati squandered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Read the entire article here.

Surely, this appears to be more of a monumental blunder than a monumental wonder!!

Wondering who is really a Criminal?

The recent cabinet decision to withdraw the criminal cases against the supporters of the Reddy Brothers (RBs) has left the concerned citizens confused and shocked. If you are still asking questions, the home minister Mr Acharya has the answers. Here is what he said about the decision to drop criminal cases against the supporters of the RBs. This in a way sums up the law and order situation in Karnataka.

The Farmers and the Dalits in different parts of this State have been slapped with number of criminal cases. But the pity is that the arms of justice (read as the arms Home Minister and His team) do not reach them as easily as they have reached the RBs and their supporters. Look at the paradox- the farmers have no right to protest against the land acquisition (eg Bellary for Airport, Bangalore for NICE and SEZ, Mangalore for SEZ) or against the inadequate supply of agricultural inputs (eg farmers protests against inadequate supply of fertilizers Haveri) but the supporters of RBs can even destroy a two-century old temple because it came in the way of their mining business.

How can the needs of the Farmers and the Dalits take precedence over the greed of RBs? For the farmers it may be a question of physical survival but for the BJP it is a question of political survival!

Well, it depends who is a criminal in this State and who can get the criminal cases dropped against one’s name....

But Farmers, Dalits and Minorities beware!

Gaon Chodab Nahin- Lovely Satire on the Present Development Model