The Sunday Pioneer – Dilli Billi – 23rd December 2012 – “Daily buzz of entertainment”

Daily buzz of entertainment

Watching shows on small screen gives a break from mundane activities. Unfortunately, it is also making people forget traditions and values.

Last week, I called my aunt. I was shocked when she took the call but disconnected it immediately. I was a little put off but let it go. I then called my mother and mother-in-law. Both told me that they would call me later. This is the standard answer that I get whenever I call them in the afternoon or evening. It was then that I realised that it is prime time for soap on satellite channels.

Ever since the introduction of saas-bahu serials and reality crime shows like Crime Patrol, Sansani and Savdhaan India, housewives in India can never get bored now. The serials have entertainment quotient and the reality shows are diverting. They help to bust the stress of everyday life.

I understand that the shows on the telly help people forget their hassles for the number of hours spent in front of it. Watching women in their fancy saris, bindis and perfect make-up go about their daily chores with a lot of drama thrown in for good measure gives the woman at home necessary break from household work. Television shows are definitely a source of entertainment for the middle class families.

I remember when we were young and only had options like Krishi Darshan, Chitrahaar and a movie on Sunday on Doordarashan. Today, things are different. There is entertainment for all ages 24X7.

The news channels, that on most occasions sensationalise the news, are also entertaining in their own way. Then there are shows for children. It is sad that they are more interested in watching TV than reading books.

Gone are the days when there was emphasis on good handwriting, vocabulary and reading. Texting or keeping in touch with friends on social network sites, it appears, is the favourite pastime of teenagers. Today, every child over the age of eight has a mobile.

Though soaps and reality shows are doing their bit, one wonders whether they are doing more good than harm. Crime shows are a way to educate the people to be on guard at all times. One only hopes they are not making people taking to crime in real life.

There was a time when girls where taught needle work, knitting and how to cook. I don’t know a single girl of this generation who knows any of this craft. In their free time they are busy watching shows on the small screen. It’s alarming to see mothers switch on the cartoon channel whenever it is time to feed their child or putting them to sleep. The days of telling a story are gone.

The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-16th Dec 2012- “Media needs to put checks on itself”

Media needs to put checks on itself

Journalists should stop sensationalizing news. It needs to rethink its strategy and apply the unwritten code of ethics

The whole nation watched with interest the war between two big industry giants. One is Member of Parliament and chairperson of the Jindal industrial empire Naveen jindal. He has money, influence and power. The other is Subhash Chandra, a media king. He belongs to the industry that is powerful and feared. Therefore, it is natural that the extortion case against the two reporters of Zee TV is being talked about in Hushed tones. No one can dare to publicly take sides as both are extremely powerful.

The aam aadmi has praised the role of media in bringing to public knowledge issues of corruption, violence and crime by the people in power and positions of influence. The media has played a major role in educating the ordinary man, the value of his vote and showing the real face of the leaders. The media has made many heroes, who it picked up from the streets and many heroes lost their place. The law and order situation has improved because of media intervention. Many criminal cases have reached the right end only because the media took the cause.

Journalists became kings and the public looked at them as their heroes. Many big names lost their seat of power due to the media. But this meant that the media was becoming aggressive and arrogant. The news started to be sensationalized. The channels created news where there was none to increase their TRPs. Many a reputations were ruined due to wrong reporting or because not much effort was put in while chasing a story.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. A few people in the media felt that since they were lords, nobody would dare to point a finger at them. Unlike the modern-day journalists, the old-timers still have ethics in place. They know the parameters and work within that with respect. People, who toyed with the media, didn’t realise that they were playing with fire. Today, the media with its newbie reporters are in taken by the glamour and power. They have lost their ethical code of journalism.

It is sad to see fresh-out of college graduates make a fool of themselves on new channels. I have seen a young anchor insensitively ask a mother who had just lost her child, as to how she was feeling. Is that a question to ask? There is no depth in there journalists and the questions they ask appear to be meaningless.

Journalism today has lost its sheen. No one knows the true picture anymore. Media houses have become centers of making money. The reputation media had is lost forever. Media houses don’t have many friends. Wherever they go, they are looked at with suspicion. People are always on their guard while talking to a media person. They fear that their statement may be used in some context and be distorted. The fight between a business house and a media house has brought to the light a whole new game that is being played out.

We all know that media carriers paid news and planted new which is bad enough. Now, the public has to contend with news being aired on the amount of money that has been paid.

But there is always a silver lining to everything. This whole episode has united the politicians and businessmen alike. The media really needs to rethink on its strategy and apply the unwritten ethical code. Otherwise, the common man would soon start treating them with contempt.

The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-9th Dec 2012- " Cong in a state of disarray”

Cong in a state of disarray

It is sad that the oldest and largest national party in the country doesn’t have its house in order. The conflicting signals given by its leaders are not in national interest

The countdown for the 2014 General Election has begun. It is more or less clear that the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate would be none other than Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. As for the Congress, it is still not decided who its prime ministerial candidate would be. Though there is speculation that Rahul Gandhi may don the role, it is said that he has still not decided whether he wants to head the oldest and largest political party in the country. There are rumors that he would prefer to rule from behind the curtains like his mother. Why be the king when one can be king-maker and there is someone else to take the rap for every wrong.

It’s a shame that one of the biggest national parties in the country doesn’t have its house in order. It is the party worker who suffers. He can’t decide who the real head is – is it the person who is ruling or is it the person who controls from behind the real power centre.

In the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, after crossing many hurdles and giving into pressure at the last minute, the congress had fielded Himachal Congress chief Virbhadra Singh. Though it was the right thing to do, it came a little late in the day. In Gujarat, Modi wants to know who will lead the Congress, but as usual the party is in disarray. Its partymen are becoming masters of goof-ups.

One doesn’t understand how the people in the advertising campaign could make such major blunder? Nothing could have hit the party more than the fact that the picture they used for the poster was picked up from Sri Lanka and UNICEF. Why did the company not take fresh photographs would probably remain a mystery. Every news channel splashed the pictures of the advertisement. If this was not enough, the news that the BJP had amassed wealth meant for the poor Gujarat took centre stage.

It is unfortunate that the money meant for the upliftment of the poor has been diverted into useless schemes and projects by Modi. One hopes that the locals in Gujarat watched the news and are aware of the ground reality. It is time the people saw the true picture of their leaders.

Meanwhile, the Congress would be in a dilemma if Rahul Gandhi says no to be the Prime Minister and lead UPA-3. The question is – who would become the Prime Minister? One hopes that whoever sits on the chair has people’s interest at heart. In fact, I wish the person would have certain traits of a dictator. The country needs a head who can rule with an iron hand, who can take spot decisions, who can lead the nation by setting an example himself and take the youth in confidence and move forward. We need a person who can take a leaf out from the experience of the senior leaders and combine it with energy of the young Ministers at the Centre.

When one talks to the aam aadmi on the streets of Gujarat there is a startling revelation – the people may have forgiven but not forgotten Modi’s role ion Godhra riots even though his name has been cleared. They have forgiven him because of the developmental work that has been undertaken in the State. His authority over administration and the confidence has impress many. The business houses who have invested in his State are happy with how smoothly things move in the State. Unlike other States where there are many leaders and hence there are conflicting signals, in Gujarat Modi’s word is final. This makes it easy for things to move. The projects undertaken are passed with a single nod from Modi.

Many say that Modi is like a lion who has smelt the power of success even though there is a hint of arrogance in his stance. This is because, for now, he is the undisputed king in Gujarat. One will have to wait and watch how much time it takes him to reach the power corridors of Delhi and who are the people who would act as roadblocks I his journey. Let’s see how many hurdles he would have to cross since he is man who is in a hurry to reach the top.

Would Rahul Gandhi challenge him or will the regional parties, who have their own agenda, be able to stop him? This is an era of collision politics; the real heroes are the regional parties who will have the last laugh.

Sadly the Congress appears to have become more of a regional party than a national one. Count the number of States it is in power. In Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh the party is in a mess. No Congress Chief Minister today has confidence in the High Command that even if he is elected he would be Chief Minister again. The High Command is capable of doing another Bhajan Lal or repeat what they did in Uttrakhand.

Punjab Kesari Jalandhar Article 13th December, 2012

The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-2nd Dec 2012- " Politics is about vested interest”

Politics is about vested interest

The nexus between politics and corporate always existed but, today, it has become a norm. So much so that politicians can’t see anything beyond their selfish needs.

The preparations for the Lok Sabha elections are underway. The UPA-2 Government has also started gearing up for the elections. And those who had expected a lot of excitement around the Cabinet reshuffle are disappointed. Many had thought that the elections would be held in 2013 and not in 2014. It is said that the Budget session of March 2013 would be a people-friendly budget. The message from the Finance Ministry would be clear for all to read – it would be the aam aadmi who would benefit the most.

One waits for the day when the prices of essential commodities would be slashed and the benefits of various schemes started by the Centre manage to reach the common man easily. As is common, many wannabes join the political bandwagon just before elections. This is because today, there is no better business than being a politician. Joining politics is rather tempting; it is an easy route to making money and having a lot of power. We know that politics today is dirty but it has its advantageous.

It is impossible to stand for an election without a strong financial backing whether it is national parties, regional parties or even Independents who are backed by business houses who have their own agenda. Many demand and push for policy changes to suit their purpose. Recently, many businessmen have started to openly associate themselves with politicians and political parties so that they can be nominated to the Upper house. Rajya Sabha, at one point of time, was reserved for the elderly statesmen today, unfortunately has many businessmen as its members. A lot of their time is spent dining and wining with policy-makers. As a member, they can easily meet the people who matter. This is one of the reasons that the kind of people entering into politics has gone down leaving a bad taste in the mouth of the ordinary man. It is difficult for the common man to be able to identify with the leader who travels in a private jet without a care for the public who voted him to power. Such leaders can’t see beyond their own selfish needs.

The media and some activists have exposed the nexus that exists between politicians and businessmen. In this era of coalition Governments, it is known fact that the Capital has its share of people who liaisons with different Ministries get the maximum benefit for their business house. Lobbying is a reality today. In fact, in countries like the US, it is legal and is political parties openly made use of it. I believe that as long as the Government protects the interest of the aam aadmi and works for the betterment of the nation, it is okay to lobby. The public is not so innocent to believe that the Congress is the only party which can deliver. It is no doubt the oldest party in the country but regional parties, which work only in a selective area, are gaining ground.

The Congress really needs to get its act together. It is a difficult task but with hard work and commitment it can change its image.

The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-25th Nov 2012- "Cong, BJP losing ground"

Cong, BJP losing ground

Regional parties are gaining ground because the two national parties – the Congress and the BSP – are losing touch with grassroots workers & the common man

Most political leaders wonder what annoys the aam aadmi. The sad part is that even though these leaders claim to have caught the pulse of the public, they are yet to fathom the reason for anger. While regional party leaders who have grassroots connection appear to have some sort of understanding, the two national parties – the Congress and the BSP – are at sea.

Probably, the fault lies with the fact that leaders at the centre have never been in touch with ground reality. They prefer to stay in New Delhi and become advisors to their High Command. When State leaders who are the main workers, come to New Delhi to meet senior leaders, they have to wait for days on end to get an audience. And, often, they return disappointed. It is then that one gets to see the difference in thinking.

The Grassroots leader talks with conviction and authority and the problems he faces when he goes asking for votes. It’s easy to sit in Delhi and give out orders. There is no understanding on any side. People who come from the States don’t understand the reason for the arrogance that central leaders have. It leaves the worker disillusioned.

It is unfortunate that the top leaders in the BJP and the Congress are unable to put a stop to the infighting. One has to remember that strong leadership is able to do way with any negativity as soon as it starts. Time and again we have seen that problems are created for a strong State leader by leaders in New Delhi. Whether it is created by a few men who vested interests, on doesn’t know.

For such people it is always self before the party welfare. The wrong information given by such people only irritates the real leader because he has a strong base and doesn’t need to ask for any favours from anyone. This is because he brings substance to the table which no baseless person can ever bring. Begging for a meeting with the top brass is humiliating and demeaning for a strong State leader. They get tired of the decisions that are forced upon him and then snubbed in full public view. Under such a situation, many self respecting leaders break away from the party and float their own.

If the Congress and the BJP wants to survive they need to start respecting their State leader.  It is because of these grassroots level people that others are able to rule at the Centre. It is sad when senior leaders like Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Vir Bahadur who can deliver are put to test time and again.

It is here that regional parties gain. They don’t have to report to anyone. They are responsible for their actions. It is their decision that means a win or loss for them. They are their own bosses. Hence, it is not surprising that many congress and BJP leaders would love to change places with them.

Many leaders are of the opinion that time is fast approaching when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would win the Gujarat Assembly elections and change the number game for the 2014 General Election.

The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-18th Nov 2012- "Festivals have lost meaning"

Festivals have lost meaning

Gone are the days when festivals like Diwali were celebrated with simplicity. Spending time with the family has been replaced with getting drunk and gambling away lakhs of rupees.
 

Diwali is one festival that I look forward to. And for one reason – the entire family comes together and for the next three days, it is celebrations all around. The festival is so simple yet there is much to rejoice. Days are spent eating alu puris and lots of mithai. In our family, it is a tradition to play teen patti. Of course, since every family member plays, the stakes are not too high – it is limited to ₨10 board.  It’s bonding time for my family and my husband’s too.

Strangely, these kind of celebrations are seen as old fashioned and boring now. Today, for most, Diwali means getting drunk and playing cards where stakes are in lakhs. I am told, sometimes, it goes as high as a crore. I have some friends who chartered a plane and took their card playing friends to a resort so that they would not be disturbed. The question of spending time with family was zero.

Their life is so different. I feel sorry for these parents and their children. For me, festivals like these are family time. Those who don’t bond on these occasions usually find themselves at a loose end. If parents are busy elsewhere, who will teach the children importance of bonding with each other? Who will teach them the meaning of giving, patience and tolerance towards each other?

For me, the biggest gift an elder can give to the younger generation is values. Unfortunately, over the years, the meaning of Diwali has undergone a change. For many, especially in the Government, it has become a means to bribe officials and politicians by giving them expensive gifts. Love is weighed not by affection and hugs and cares but how much the Diwali present cost.

Therefore, our generation is confused. Studying in foreign universities and exposure to the western culture means that these children have not been able to fully adopt a single culture. Being modern, to them, means freedom which in turn means that all their demands must be met – a Mercedes or a BMW and pocket money to spend at pubs with no questions asked. And if a parent does ask for an explanation, the usual retort is ‘stay out of my personal life’.

Till date, I have not understood what is personal between a parent and a child, especially if the child is financially dependent on the parents for everything. I wonder why a parent allows a child to bully or emotionally blackmail them. Parents who give in to their child’s demands every time usually end up ruining their ward’s future.

When I was a child, I was never given a choice of missing prayer times, meal times, and any festival or birthdays. Today, some parents ask their teenage kids if it would suit them to attend a particular family function.

Most of the children today, don’t’ know why some of the festivals are celebrated. Our rich heritage and traditions has been lost to them. The west wants to learn our culture, values and traditions. Our own children are running away from it.

I felt ashamed when my friend’s son said that he didn’t know why Diwali is celebrated. What is sadder still is that he knew why Christmas is celebrated but ignorant about festivals in India. Faulty upbringing and giving wrong values is the cause of many problems in the society today.

It is time we took pride in celebrating our festivals.

The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-11th Nov 2012- "Make Accusations if they can be proved"

Make Accusations if they can be proved

Today, politics has become a game where leaders make personal attacks without thinking of the repercussions. It is time that elections are fought on more concrete grounds

One watched the campaigning for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh with a lot of interest. What was shocking was, of course, the bad and foul language used at Press conferences where the leaders had nothing to say but make personal attacks. This kind of behavior is shameful. The politicians need to understand that the youth are major voters. They are educated and are aware of ground realities.

Meanwhile, the news channels have become channels of entertainment especially when they discuss politics and politicians. One can see which side a particular channel is inclined towards. Candidates always complaint that news channels play favourites. The personal equation that many channels have with a particular media house, obviously with gains forming a major part of it, affects the coverage of the news. It is sad that the media has sunk to such low levels that people are doing sting operations on the media heads. Nothing can be more shameful than this. With so much bias shown on news channels, many prefer to watch a serial than watch the news. These people rely on Doordarshan for the news of substance.

The other day at a dinner party, I attended, people were discussing that there was a time when a whistleblower would address the media, people would want to know what he had to say. Today, People are tired of self-proclaimed heroes who have taken it upon themselves to be conscious keepers. There is no doubt that they are doing the nation a service, but people are not interested in accusations. The public is not concerned with whether the person involved is good or bad in personal life. As long as he is working for the betterment, what he does in his private life doesn’t concern the common man.

It takes years to make a name for oneself. We are humans and make mistakes. This doesn’t mean that a wrong should not be highlighted. But to tarnish somebody’s image with frivolous charges is not in good taste. Ours is a democratic set up which the whole world respects. So unless there is concrete proof, one must resist the temptation to speak ill of the person. And if the charges are proved the Government must take strong action against them. As for the people who blow the cover, they too have a duty towards the society- to put portray the correct and true picture if the corrupt politicians, businessman and or the official involved.

At the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat election campaign, personal attacks were made. A Senior State leader was insulted by a young MP. The young leader said that the senior leader was mentally unstable and resembled a monkey. Who appreciates this kind of talk? It just shows bad upbringing and the voter is completely put off by the party which gave the young MP courage to say something like. After all, a person who has been in politics for 50 years demands more respect than shown by the first-timer MP.

It is sad that allegations are carelessly made and it is left to the accused to prove his innocence, in my opinion, if the accuser is proved wrong he should be punished and the media that was instrumental in carrying such fallacious news needs to apologise to the person concerned on the TV.

I is high time that elections are fought on issue based grounds rather than hurling insults and making personal attacks just to score points on a new channel.

Punjab Kesari Jalandhar Article 30th November, 2012

Punjab Kesari Jalandhar Article 22nd November, 2012

The Pioneer-Dilli Billi-4th.Nov.2012- "WORK,NOT PERSONAL ATTACKS,GETS VOTES"

 "WORK,NOT PERSONAL ATTACKS,GETS VOTES"

The common man is not concerned with what politicians do in personal life. They just want the leaders to deliver what they had promised during the campaign.

The much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle of the UPA Government didn’t make everyone happy. Many had been anxiously waiting for the reshuffle. It had to be postponed many times over due to various complications and compulsions of running a Government on crutches.

But in the end, the hype about the reshuffle was whether the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was given a free hand for this exercise or it was the Congress’ general secretary Rahul Gandhi who had taken charge of the re-vamp before the 2014 Lok Sabha election. One thing was clear, the reshuffle showed the party allies where their stood.

To be honest, the end result of the reshuffle was a mix of both what the Prime Minister wanted with leaders like Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Bansal given responsibilities with promotions and Rahuil’s young brigade when the High Command placed faith in Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot. They have been given new responsibilities which they are very capable of handling. MM Pallam Raju, the new Human Resource Development Minister was supported by his godfather, Defence Minister AK Antony. And then there is Manish Tiwari. Nobody in the Cabinet knows better than him on how to deal with the media. Hence giving him the I&B Ministry was a master stroke.

Meanwhile, the preparation for the 2014 General Elections are underway. The BJP and the Congress along with their allies have already started to point fingers at each other. With charges of corruption being levied, the leaders have lost control over their language. It is impossible for somebody with integrity and honesty to try and make a place for themselves in today’s politics. It is remarkable that politicians have not realised yet that the public is not interested in listening to derogative remarks made about opponents. They don’t cast their vote because a leader is targeting another on the personal front. The public may have got used to corrupt politicians but not the ones who do not deliver on what has been promised. The common man wants results. It doesn’t matter to him what the leader does in his personal life.

Coming back to the reshuffle. The new list of Ministers in the Manmohan Singh Government are young, educated, bright and honest. None of them are likely to use abusive language, unlike the senior leaders whom we see on TV fighting, rushing into the well of the House and sometimes even throwing chappals at each other.

What the public wants today is development. Development in the name of progress. He wants that the Government should have a fullproof system which makes it possible for him to be able to provide his family basic needs.

Any leader who is able to deliver what he promised would win hands down. For the aam aadmi nothing else matters. Even the uneducated youth who forms a major votebank today, are aware of what is happening around them.

In Himachal Pradesh, the statement made by Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi have not gone down well with the locals. The people in State respect their womenfolk and live with dignity. The politicians would have to change their way of thinking and think twice before they open their mouth.

The leaders today need to live by example for the youth of tomorrow.

The Pioneer-Dilli Billi-28th.Oct.2012-"PARENTS TO BLAME FOR AGGRESSION IN KIDS"

Siblings fighting on petty issues has become common place. The language used and the physical fights shows that being offensive has become a way of life for them.

Last week, I visited my cousin who has two sons aged five and nine. Looking at them, I realised that children today are so different from the children of yesteryear. My first impression of the two boys — there was no shyness or awkwardness and they knew what they wanted. The two were fighting with each other over a video game. The fight was aggressive and the words they were using were not very kind to anyone’s ears. I was a bit taken a back with this kind of bad behaviour.

At the end of the evening, I realised that this generation is being brought up in an environment where there is terror, violence and aggression. It is possible that they are picking up the vibes from around them. After all terrorism and violence is so much in our face. We switch on the TV and all one hears is news about rapes, murders, thefts and acts of terror. Pick up magazines and newspapers, the headlines scream of killings and violence. One watches movies for entertainment but they, too, are so full of violence.

In such a situation, how can we blame our children for being aggressive? In schools, they have to fight in sports; competition is at its peak when it comes to marks and on top of that they have to compete on who has the best of things. The children today want all the luxuries and comforts. Not that there is any harm but they need to understand that whatever comfort they are getting is because of their parents’ hard work. The children can’t demand things as if the world owes it to them. But they are impatient and in a hurry. They don’t want to work for the comforts they want. They prefer if it was provided to them.

But my generation struggled and we are at this stage because we worked hard for it. Today’s generation wants everything ‘now’. And it is this ‘now’ that is channelised into aggression and sometimes makes them take to crime. It is sad that teenagers today are taking to a life of crime so that they can ‘enjoy life now’. It is not about roti-kapda but motorcycles, latest mobiles and money to spend in night clubs to relax and chill.

Alcohol and drugs are a common phenomenon. They bully their parents into giving them expensive things and make it sound as if they are doing a favour by taking the gifts from the parents.

The abduction and murder of a five-year-old by a 19-year-old in Pune is a case in point. The toddler was kidnapped because the 19-year-old had wanted money to buy a bike.

And a majority of the blame lies with the parents. There is lack of communication and no understanding between the child and the parent. And this different is due to values given, the way a child is brought up and exposure.

It is unfortunate that our surroundings and exposure have made our new generation irresponsible and frustrated. It is impossible to reason with them. Teenagers want to wear designer clothes and drive swanky superfast cars. All this can’t be just due to peer pressure. A lot, in my opinion, has got to do with showing off. It’s a shame how they insult their parents by calling ‘values’ old fashioned and not giving in to their demands as ‘stingy’ and ‘selfish’.

It’s high time we did an introspection and made changes in how we are bringing up our children. We need to be strict and less giving however guilty we may feel that we are not providing for our children.

Punjab Kesari - October.17th.2012

Punjab Kesari - 3rd.October.2012

The Pioneer-Dilli Billi-21st.Oct,2012-"CLEAN ELECTIONS & IN-YOUR-FACE-ATTACKS"

"CLEAN ELECTIONS & IN-YOUR-FACE-ATTACKS"

It is sad that political parties today are more interested in attacking the personal lives of leaders rather than talking about their political non-performance.

As the election campaign in two States — Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh — gain momentum, the nation watches in silence on how clean or dirty the campaign is going to be. What is astonishing are the vicious remarks made on personal lives of the politicians. It is impossible today to expect a campaign that is free of personal attacks and what a political party would do for the common man once it is in power.

However, for now, the Congress appears to be keeping away from making personal attacks. Instead, it is concentrating on its various achievements in the last two years. The party is busy undoing the negative propaganda spread by the BJP on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In fact, it is the Congress’ top priority.

Even though the Congress is doing its best to explain the economic reforms, including the FDI, which is the easiest to sell, it is finding it difficult to explain to the public why there is price rise in everything. The Opposition is united when it comes to attacking the Government on inflation even though the Government defended its reforms and price rise.

Today, politics has become a mudslinging match. It is sad when leaders like Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh fight on trivial matters like travel expenses and health bills. Using bad language and attacking each other has never benefitted anyone, it always boomerangs. But these issues make no difference to the aam janta.

What makes a difference is the kind of candidate a political party fields, how it tackles corruption and controls price rise. It is unfortunate that even after 65 years of Independence, the Government can’t create enough jobs so that a man on the street can feed his family, provide shelter and educate his children. Why would a political party think that the public is interested in a leader’s personal life when he has too many problems of his own boggles the mind.

But what the common man wants to know how a man who entered politics only a decade back has managed to amass millions in such a short period. Those who enter politics are living in the lap of luxury. And it is not just them who are enjoying the benefits, their children too enjoy all the luxuries. It is interesting to see how power goes to their head. The huge bungalows, swanky cars and a lifestyle these people are leading is unbelievable. The common man is left wide-eyed. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening.

There is no concept of men being equal. It is more like the lord and his slave now. This attitude is pathetic. What is worse is that just before elections, the lord stands with folded hands in front of the slave begging him to vote for him. Of course, the latest and fastest way to lose weight and gain votes is to go on a padyatra. Once back in the drive’s seat, empty promises that were made are easily forgotten because they have a foreign trip to go on.

The elections in the two States are a precursor to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The stakes for Modi and Singh are high. For Modi it may be a step closer to the power corridors in New Delhi. For Singh, it is his last chance to prove himself. But let’s hope that despite personal agenda’s the leaders would also think about the aam aadmi’s survival.

The Pioneer-Dilli Billi-14th.Oct.2012-"WHEN WILL THE WOMEN IN INDIA RISE?"

It is unfortunate that women in politics prefer to take a back seat despite the fact that they are more talented and let the men in the family dominate them.

Crime against women is rising by the day. Gangrapes have become a daily affair. Delhi is one of the most unsafe cities in the world for women. Haryana is another story. Politicians getting involved in dubious land deals, affairs with women and rapes are not looked upon as anything unusual. Last month, two educated young women like Fiza and Geetika involved with two Ministers (now former) in the Haryana Government met with a brutal end.

What is sadder still is that the society is not blaming the men. What leaves me even more confused is how the rich and the powerful manage to get away with heinous crime. I have heard many horror stories about what the poor or even the middle class women have to endure even today.

I have a friend who comes from a fairly influential background but her husband beats her up regularly. Her in-laws side with their son who is living off his father’s money. The fact that he gets away with wife bashing is an example of his father’s influence. My friend’s parents don’t want their daughter to return to them. The reason — what will the neighbours and relatives say? The fact that they don’t want to antogonise the influential in-laws is an added woe. Her two children always side with the father. He is the one who provides for their luxuries. She is smart, educated and yet hapless. There is a perpetual look of fear and sadness on her face. I see her wilting in front of my eyes and all I can do is lend her a shoulder to cry on when she visits me.

Many times, she has talked of ending her life. But the love for her children, the heavy responsibility of not maligning her father’s or in-laws’ names stops her from taking the ultimate step. I feel helpless for my friend. But then she is not the only one who finds herself in such a situation. Every third woman in India faces a similar situation.

Of course, one doesn’t get everything in life but this kind of life, where one dies a little bit everyday is not really worth living.

Today, we talk about Women’s Reservation Bill and rights for women. Until we change the mindset of our society, nothing will change. Women are taken for granted and actually treated as doormats. If a woman takes the bold step of leaving her husband, she is labeled as easy prey. It is sad that in a country where we have powerful women like Sonia Gandhi, Kiran Mazumdar, Pratibha Patil and Meira Kumar, we are still unable to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill. Elections have come and gone but women of this country are still waiting for the Bill to be passed as promised by the UPA Government many times.

Forget the Bill, even the tickets distributed by political parties, including the Congress, are not in accordance to the percentage set for the women.

Whether it is the BJP or the Congress, the Women’s Reservation Bill is not something that the leaders are interested in pushing. Men are insecure about losing their seats and, may be, the women also have a lackadaisical approach. If women do not get rights when a leader like Sonia Gandhi is at the helm, it is unlikely to ever happen.

Even women who are in politics today are wives, sisters and daughters of established political leaders. But they prefer to take a back seat even though they are more talented.

The Pioneer-Dilli Billi-Oct.7th.2012-TIME TO TAKE A TOUGH STAND"

It is time for the Congress to make tough decisions. In order to win, the party would have to keep its personal relationships aside and work for the betterment of the common man.

The Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi comes into his own by taking up the Kashmir issue. He contradicted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s statement on the death of sarpanches and panches much to the everyone’s astonishment. It has been taken for granted over the years that Rahul lets his personal friendship with Omar come in the way of how things run in the Valley. The J&K Congressmen are not happy with the party leadership at the Centre for not ticking off the National Conference over their lapses in running the Government.

It is very difficult for the State party leaders to keep the party floating when one has a Chief Minister who is an ally and to top it all, a good friend. Rahul and Omar are both young, educated and of course, have many common interests other than just politics.

Politics for them is something that the family is involved in. Their fathers, late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Energy Minister and former Chief Minister of J&K Farooq Abdullah both shared a good rapport and as did Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru. But in politics nothing is forever. Hence, political ambitions and welfare of the partymen creates tension in friendship. As of now, the grassroots Congressmen in the Valley are praying that Rahul realises that the elections are fast approaching. If he doesn’t encourage his people and dissuade his ally from taking harsh decisions they will sit in Opposition. The Peoples Democratic Party is watching every move.

As it is if ‘a’ party is not in command in the State for six years their workers at the grassroots level get disappointed and frustrated as their work is never done by any official. If one wants to keep the party alive, it is a must to even stand up to your allies whose agenda may be self-centered. The State is an extremely sensitive and each death is blamed on the militants. It is a terrible signal to send to the outside world when they have just started to visit the Valley thinking it is safe. Tourism has boomed and improved the economic situation. But the Chief Minister can’t take anything for granted. The NC and the Congress are two parties who would fight the elections individually.

According to the Congressmen in the State it was a wrong decision by the Centre to make Omar the Chief Minister for so long. It was very discouraging for the workers. Under such circumstances keeping the flock together for six years is a big achievement. Omar needs seasoned and experienced leaders for better results even when he has full support of the Center.

With the elections approaching fast, if the Congress wants to gain more seats it must forget that they are an ally in the Government and must behave as a responsible party in the State that takes up every issue that is not for the welfare. It must start make a noise it the party’s agenda is not being fulfilled. Give the running of the State to local leaders who understand the problems. The Congress always gives in to its allies. If this continues it would be very difficult for it to win. The fact that the Prime Minister is going ahead with the reforms despite West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s tantrums is a good signal for the Congress and a has sent a tough message to the allies. For elections the Congress has to take more harsh decisions.

The Pioneer-September.23rd.2012

The Pioneer-September.16th.2012

The Pioneer-September.9th.2012