Monday, June 25, 2012

The Pioneer - Dilli Billi -June.24.2012 -A LIFESTYLE DISEASE CALLED DIVORCE"

The young generation today lacks patience and tolerance. Even the slightest excuse is enough for them to leave their spouse and start afresh In the last six months I have come across at least six families who are in the middle of divorces. As far as I know, there doesn’t appear to be any reason for the same. It is extremely sad and worrisome to see families break-up. After all, divorce doesn’t just affect the couple involved, it involves all the members in the family — be it the girl’s side or the boy’s family. Since they are friends, I was a part of the tales they had to narrate about their spouses and the reason for the divorce. What shocked me was how the couples had no patience or the tolerance towards each other.During our time, the young girls were taught to have patience and have the ability to forget and forgive. We were taught to be generous and make adjustments. Today, the younger generation lacks these qualities. There is so much pressure and rush for everything that patience is no longer a virtue. When I was younger my parents never encouraged any complaints that I had against my in-laws. I was told firmly that I had to do whatever it took to adjust with them and make a place for myself. I was told that I had to work hard to win the trust, faith and love of my new family. It was only under the worst possible situation that young girls were allowed to complain against the in-laws. Then also it was supposed to be understated. After marriage we had to do whatever possible to be a part of the new family.Though we were not financially independent as the girl’s today, we had more patience. Life moved at a much slower pace and the word divorce was a taboo. Wife-beating was the only reason for divorce. Many women of my age stuck through extremely bad marriages even though there was no compatibility, security and bad behaviour from the in-laws. The love for the children was enough to compromise and honour the marriage bond. Many couples I have known lived in separate rooms for years just for the sake of the children.Today, the girls want more from a marriage. Men need to know that women are no longer doormats. Hence, divorces on frivolous and trivial matters. One hears how a couple divorced over an argument on whether to cook in a pressure cooker or not. Stingy behaviour of the husband is also a reason for divorce today.Recently, a couple in Mumbai divorced each other on the grounds that they didn’t speak the same language. Wonder why they didn’t think of it before they got married. Some men seek divorce on the grounds that the wife can’t cook as well as his mother. Stress and fast paced lifestyle is making couples intolerant towards each other. Intolerance and selfishness are the main reason for divorce today.The couples are unable to take the ups and downs that come in a marriage. The attitude of giving has vanished. The vows couple take during the ceremony have become meaningless. Moral values have taken a beating. It is sad that nobody wants to live a simple life. For such people, a marriage followed by a divorce is like a career change. It didn’t work, so they looked for an alternative. The sad part is it is the children who end up paying a price.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

The Pioneer - Dilli Billi -June.17.2012 - "CONGRESS NEEDS TO DO MORE WORK"

"CONGRESS NEEDS TO DO MORE WORK"

India is going through a bad patch economically. Politicians need to pull up their socks and start working. A single vote can change the equation .

The UPA-II report released by its allies on completion of three years is an interesting read for all. The three-year reign of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been very controversial. Achievements have been steadily swallowed by scandals. This is a sad scenario, at home and abroad.

Last week, at a dinner party, our host told us that he is in a bit of a financial mess. His son studies in the US. With the rupee being devalued and touching Rs 56 for a dollar, the expenditure towards his son’s education has increased. He now has to re-examine his financial standing as his daughter is also ready to go to college in the US. His main fear is if the rupee slides further, his daughter may just have to study in India.

And it is not as if getting admission in India, especially Delhi is any easier. To get admission in the top colleges in the city, one needs to have scored at least a 95 per cent.

It is rather unfortunate that even though the income of the people has remained the same, the expenditure has doubled in the last couple of years due to rise in prices of almost everything — be it vegetables, petrol or even luxury goods. There are families who have had to cancel their vacations abroad this summer. For the middle class, things are far worse. It is extremely difficult for him to survive in this state of economy that has gripped the country. One wonders, where the country is heading to?

Scams that come to light put the figure in thousands of crores. Just the other day, a television channel was showing how Nirmal baba has become a billionaire in less than a year. It is rather strange that the Government doesn’t scrutinise the accounts of such people who have amassed huge wealth in such a short period. The common man wants to know how much tax such people have paid? And if they have not paid, what is the Government doing about it.

I am sure that if all the wealth that people shower on babas and the money they spend on weddings is accumulated and given to the Government, the country’s economic situation would be much better. Daily needs like water, electricity and healthcare is in shambles. So much so that the aam aadmi is frustrated. What adds to his woes is the fact that he finds no solution to his plight. One gets very angry when our MPs demand more perks while the poor man is forced to commit suicide because he is unable to sustain himself any longer.

With no solution in sight, people take to crime. Therefore, the crime graph in the country is on the rise. Frustration leads to roadrage, thefts, murders and rapes. What the ordinary man can’t fathom is how the rich is becoming richer and they are becoming poorer.

The UPA-II Government is lucky that the Opposition is not doing any better. The public has no option but to probably vote them back to power.

What the country needs is a party which will ease the burden which the people of this country are carrying. What they find, instead, is a Government being ruled by a weak Prime Minister. And though the Prime Minister is honest, there is only so much he can do.

Strangely, the UPA-II’s policies are not aam aadmi friendly. The administrative work has virtually come to a standstill, bureaucrats are having fun and our leaders are busy fighting. They are not interested in working in the interest of the country. They appear to have taken their positions for granted. The young leaders are no better. They should not treat politics as a business and take the post as their birthright. One never knows when a single vote can dash a dream and an easy lifestyle.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

The Pioneer - Dilli Billi -June.10.2012 - "SPECIAL PRIVILEGES ON RED ALERT"

"SPECIAL PRIVILEGES ON RED ALERT"

The aam aadmi is amazed how the MPs want more facilities and yet when it comes to working in the interest of the public, they fail to deliver.

With coverage of Parliament on Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha TV, the aam aadmi knows how our representatives behave. In the last session, one was shocked to see empty seats in both the Houses. One day, there was only one Cabinet Minister present. Another day, there were only seven MPs. One wonders how Parliament is working.

The common man is saddened by how MPs continue to want more facilities. They want red beacons on their cars but don’t want to work in the interest of the people who have voted for them. In my opinion, it would be better if these people travelled incognito because the minute they are identified, I am sure the public will stone their car.

Awareness that aam aadmi’s vote counts need to spread. After all, it is his most powerful weapon, even though he gets to exercise it once every five years. People need to realise that crores of rupees are spent each day when Parliament is in session. Therefore, the onus of choosing the right representative lies with the public.

Unfortunately, the public is tired of the political games that politicians play. So much so that now he doesn’t want to vote at all. Those who do want to vote are so confused that they don’t know for whom to vote. But one thing is clear, whoever he votes for needs to work in the interest of the public — provide clean drinking water, build roads, provide electricity and good healthcare facilities, build schools, keep prices rise under check and contain the crime graph.

The common man also expects the elected representative to raise questions on the problems he faces in Parliament so that policies can be formulated to solve them. It is a frustrating that errant MPs are not pulled up for not attending the sessions and non-performance. Performance of each member should be judged. All the political parties should see how much money has been spent by the MPs in their constituency. Follow-up of the work done should be monitored regularly.

Interestingly, it is the lifestyle of these MPs which undergoes a drastic change. Foreign trips become frequent and electricity, water and phone bills go up. Even the whims and fancies of the MPs’ children are taken care of courtesy tax payers money. The Government needs to step in to check extravagant spending.

In a recent faux pas by Government managers, Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee missed the MPs photo opportunity to commemorate 60 years of Parliament because he was not informed. This is extremely shameful. It is strange that a senior Cabinet Minister like Pranab Mukherjee was not informed. This goes to prove the inefficiency and irresponsible attitude of the Speaker’s office. This indifferent attitude travels down the line. In other words, the rot starts from the top.

What is stranger is that despite such a major slip-up no enquiry has been set up. If a person of Pranab Mukherjee’s stature can be ignored one can only imagine what will happen to the common man.

In such a situation one can only pray to God to save the country from such leaders.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Pioneer - Dilli Billi -June. 3rd.2012 - "CONGRESS LOVES THE BLIND EYE"

"CONGRESS LOVES THE BLIND EYE"
Despite the fact that the Congress has taken a beating in most of the recent elections, its Central leaders refuse to admit that their party is in the throes of a recurring crisis.

The million-dollar question doing the rounds is whether the Congress is, indeed, in a serious crisis. As far as the grassroots workers are concerned, the party is in turbulence. What is sadder is the fact that senior leaders, both at the Centre and the State, are convinced that their party is not going through any bad patch.

Obviously, the Congress has a very positive outlook. The same can’t be said for the common man though. Every time one travels abroad, there is only one question people ask: What is happening in your country? This bothers us. The party has lost almost everywhere, be it Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab or even the municipal elections in Maharashtra. Yet, there are smiling faces at the Congress party’s headquarters in Delhi.

The Congress in Himachal Pradesh took a beating in the local elections, losing their bastion to CPM for the first time in 25 years. The BJP stood at No 2, the Congress at No 3. Congress’ defeat has been blamed on infighting among its leaders.

When a leader capable of delivering is humiliated and is asked to step aside for opportunists, the message is loud and clear — infighting is being encouraged and fuelled by Central leaders. State leaders who are hardworking and have faith in their voters usually don’t come to Delhi for chamchagiri. They don’t need to give in to the pressures of the High Command or show their loyalty by giving expensive gifts.

It is the duty of AICC general secretaries and top office-bearers to ensure that sycophancy is ignored. There is an urgent need for them to find people who can perform and deliver what they promise. A true leader is a person who will work in the interest of the people.

It is not in good taste that Central leaders give orders sitting in New Delhi and appoint controversial people as leaders, ignoring workers who have been working hard for years. The Congress can’t make a mockery of the voter and the worker and expect them to abide by wrong decisions. In this day and age, nobody takes any wrong decisions lying down.

The aam admi gave ample proof of his anger, frustration and irritation against the arrogance of decision-makers (in this case the Congress) — they didn’t vote the party. The party needs to understand that such decisions don’t help anyone — not the party, not the common man.

Unfortunately, the public doesn’t have a choice. There are two major national parties — the BJP and the Congress. On the face of it, there is lot of infighting in the BJP as well. The Congress is facing one crisis after the other. The regional parties are taking advantage of the mess. The municipal elections in Shimla are a good example of how other parties gain ground when main ones fight within themselves.

One thing is clear. The Congress is demoralised. The grassroots and the State level leaders feel that the party is on a suicide mission. It is time the Centre went beyond caste politics. It needs to appoint people who are honest. It cannot experiment anymore. This is not the time to be merry-making but for boosting the morale of the party workers and delivering what is expected from the Congress. The party’s brand image is zero. In order to take corrective steps, the party needs to turn to its experienced leaders and build on lost glory. The young leaders can wait. This is not the time to gamble.

The public is angry and it has shown this time and again by rejecting the Congress. This is one wake-up call for the party which no one is, sadly, listening to or heeding!

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