LOKSATTA FOR ASSEMBLY

Having decided on the vote for Parliament elections it is time now to turn to the state assembly elections. This time we have a three-way fight among the main contenders. Let us go--one by one......

1) The Congress party :
There are a hundred reasons why i will not vote for Congress. But, a few vital ones--

• YSR government is the most corrupt government AP has ever had
• His son Jagan made thousands of crores under the benovalent protection of his father and madame.
• MIM legislators and goons get away with thrashing writers, doctors, public servants and even police under YSR's protection.
• The government became a real estate agent for YSR family selling off Government lands through them for a pittance.
• Terrorists have a sanctuary in Hyderabad under YSR, and, even if police catch someone they are allowed to escape.
• There is neither law nor order.
• All the good work done by Babu earlier on making Hyderabad a clean city with good roads has been undone by YSR.

2) TDP and Maha kootami (grand alliance):

Reasons for not voting for TDP.........

• Chandrababu has gone off the rocker. The sops he has offered make me dizzy. Has someone calculated how much it is going to cost and how it is going to be funded.
• His MONTHLY REMITTANCE SCHEME is sheer madness . How can any government fund such a scheme? Does it make sense to give a monthly dole to the not so poor and middle class? We can imagine the amount of mis-use that is going to take place under this scheme.
• His alliance with TRS is real pits in political morality, even by Indian standards. For years they had diagonally opposite positions on Telangana. For the sake of power, Babu did an about turn and alligned, of all the people, with KCR.
• He offered a free colour TV to all those who can not afford it. He even promised free power to watch the colour TV ( all you guys closing your industries for three days due to lack of power, please note). This was the last straw.

3) Prajarajyam :

When this party was formed i had some hopes that he would allign with some reformers like JP and try to bring in real change. But it is evident that he is just another politician in the same mould. Myreasons for not voting for this party......

• It is another family run party and playing cast based politics.
• Chiru was second to none in terms of sops offered , never bothering to clarify how they would be funded.
• He is matching YSR and Babu in name calling and personal attacks.
• Has absolutely no experience--administrative or otherwise, nor has the NTR type fire in the belly.
• Wants to be (and mostl likely will be) a king maker.

4) Loksatta :

This party is like a breath of fresh air. For those of you reading this piece, you already know about JP and his party. My reasons for voting fo Loksatta..............

• Clean as a whistle ( no pun intended) (for the un-initiated, whistle is their party symbol).
• Clear vision of what governance should be and what it should not be.
• Can be a good change agent by example and acts--- not just words.
• Overwhelming choice of my IITgroups.

I am going to vote for Lok satta at the state level. I know they would not come to power. i know they would not even win enough seats to become king makers. It is ok with me even if only JP gets elected and even if they get only 5% votes today. My vote for Loksatta would make it twice as hard for others. My vote for Loksatta is for the welfare of my children and grand children. May be they will come to power in 2020--- but this is the begining. Even the lone voice of JP in assembly would be a welcome check/ balance on the party in power.

Kisko doon, vote kisko doon?????

It is election time and i have to make up my mind whom to vote ( or whom not to vote). So many conflicting thoughts pass through my mind that i thought it is best put them down in one place, and, which better place than my blog. Let me first take up the Parliament.

Parliament:

1) Congress / UPA :

Reasons for not voting for them--------

• They don't hang Afzal Guru who is sentenced to death by the Supreme court for attacking Parliament, a symbol of our democracy
• They are largely responsible for the monumental corruption in the country.
• Their concept of secularism is hurting the country more and dividing it forever on religious lines
  
• They have made this country a soft state and a fair game for every terrorist across the border as can be seen from the number of attacks and lives lost in the past few years. Shivraj Patil, undoubtedly, the worst Home Minister, india ever had.
  
• They have failed to take any deterrent action after 24/11 against pakistan despite irrefutable proof of pak's involvement.
• They perpetuate dynastic rule, the congress party is forever the personal property of Nehru/ Gandhi family.
• Their Inflation computation is ridiculous and irrelevant when you consider that 'aam admi' are concerned about the high cost of foodstuff and essentials.
• They always talk of law taking it's own course, but, seldom allow it to do so.

2) Third Front :
Reasons for not voting for them

• They have a single point agenda-- to be a king or kingmaker.
• There are as many aspirants to the throne as there are parties.
• If voted to power they will do much more damage to the country than any other combination, either by action or by inaction.
• They will make country bankrupt (remember Chandrasekhar selling family gold)

3) BJP / NDA :

Negatives :

• The Hidutva brigade is a cause for concern.
  
• Their handling of Kandahar was bad. Parliament was attacked when Advani was the home minister.
• The Gujarat holocaust is a big blot on india.

Positives :

• Promised to bring back POTA
• there has been communal peace in Gujarat since then along with spectacular economic development.
  
• Hidutva forces will be balanced, hopefully, by other constituents of NDA.
• Nitish Kumar did a much better job in Bihar than lalu/Rabri
• can be expected to be more firm on terrorism and dealings with Pak.
• On economy, can't do anything worse than congress.
• Undoubtedly much less corrupt than congress.

So, for the Parliament, i will vote for BJP / NDA

INDIA'S OWN SHOEGATE

On 7th april'09, India's home minister Chidambaram was participating in a press conference. A journalist named Jarnail Singh of Dainik Jagaran threw a shoe at chidambaram narrowly missing him (but making his point). With the memories of an Iraqi Journalist throwing a shoe at George Bush still fresh in one's mind, the electronic media has gone to town with umpteen number of replays from various angles. The media also gave a wide publicity to the statement of Jaranail Singh.
But, why did this happen? What made a senior and responsible Journalist from an equally responsible publication do this petty, un-civilized act? We need to go a little deep into history and recall certain facts.
In 1984, Indira Gandhi was assasinated by her own mis-guided Sikh bodyguards , who sought a revenge for Operation Bluestar which resulted in an assault on their most sacred Golden Temple that was also a sanctuary to sant jarnail singh Bhindranwala and who was killed in that operation.
Soon after Indira's assassination Delhi went into flames, and, mobs incited and led by congress leaders like Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan kumar killed 3000 Sikhs and destroyed their property. The rampage went for three days unchecked and the Sikhs of delhi were left unprotected and at the mercy of the mobs.
This happened 25 years ago, but the memories , the pain and the anguish are still fresh in my mind. So, what happened to those criminals ? Three thousand deaths--- so how many criminals caught, how many prosecuted, how many sentenced, how many in jail????????
NONE.......... NOT EVEN ONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The congress party shielded, protected and rewarded tytler and sajjan for their role.
After 25 years, last week, CBI GAVE A CLEAN CHIT TO TYTLER AND WITHDREW CHARGES ( SO THAT HE CAN CONTEST AS AN MP).
Now let me say something clearly and unambiguously---- EXCEPT FOR THE CONGRESS PARTY AND CBI, THE WHOLE COUNTRY BELIEVES THAT TYTLER WAS GUILTY.

IT IS A SHAME REALLY AND WHEN I LEARNED THAT CBI GAVE TYTLER A CLEAN CHIT MY BLOOD BOILED.
IF MY BLOOD BOILED AT THIS INJUSTICE, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT DOES TO JARNAIL SINGH AND OTHER SIKHS.
NOW YOU KNOW WHY HE THREW THE SHOE.
The shoe was thrown not at chidambaram the individual, but chidambaram the home minister of India and chidambaram who represents congress party. The incident reveals the FRUSTRATION OVER GROSS INJUSTICE.
BY SUCH GROSS INJUSTICE ,THE CONGRESS PARTY IS DOING A HUGE DAMAGE TO THE COUNTRY BY ALIENATING ONE OF OUR MOST PATRIOTIC COMMUNITIES--- THE SIKHS.
There are quite a few Indian politicians who deserve the shoe-treatment. I believe the trend started and we will see (hopefully) more such incidents. I only hope they would be more on target than Jaranial singh.

Chidambaram said that he forgives Jarnail singh ( for throwing the shoe).
Good of you Mr. Chidambaram, but, HISTORY WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU OR YOUR PARTY FOR PROTECTING TYTLER.

CLEAN CHIT TO JAGDISH TYTLER----------MY FOOT....OR, SHOULD I SAY, MY SHOE?????????