Our MPs forget they are representatives of people and not their lords and masters. They demand privileges they do not deserve. Their demand for red beacons atop their cars in Delhi was rejected by Sonia Gandhi. Now comes the news that demand for special treatment of MPs made through House Committee of Lok Sabha is accepted by Air India and Airports Authority of India. A committee member said MPs are not even provided minimum basic facilities.
Parsi fertility
Minority Ministry wanted to provide financial assistance for infertility treatment of Parsi women. Planning Commission had rejected the proposal. Now Minority Ministry has approached Planning Commission again.
Petrol price hike
On 22/5/2012 Budget Session of Parliament ended and UPA 2 celebrated its third anniversary. Till 1998 there was no tradition of a government celebrating its anniversary. Governments headed by Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao did not celebrate their anniversaries. Other governments lasted less than a year. The tradition began in 1999 when NDA government headed by BJP’s Atal Behari Vajpayee celebrated its first anniversary. For BJP it was a great achievement. Their government in 1996 had fallen within 15 days.
Indian lootocracy
India, besides being a mobocracy and quotocracy, is a lootocracy. People in power and those who can influence people in power through bribes and other means loot the country. Politicians want to loot the country even after they lose power. When there is criticism of politicians some say “Don’t criticize politicians. All are not bad. There are some good politicians.†After some demands for privileges by former speakers Purno Albert Sangma and Somnath Chatterjee it seems no good politician is left.
Excise on gold
On 7/5/2012 Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced rollback of excise on gold. Nobody spoke against rollback. Jewellers had opposed it. Sriprakash Jaiswal, a minister, had talked against it. Being coal minister he had nothing to do with gold. Delegations of jewellers had met Sonia Gandhi. There were no discussions on TV channels against rollback.
Rajya Sabha nominations
Rajya Sabha nomination is not an award or a prize or a title. Article 80 of the constitution prescribes that a person to be nominated to Rajya Sabha should have special knowledge or practical experience in respect of literature, science, art and social service.
Over the years many people have been nominated to Rajya Sabha in violation of the constitution. Mani Shankar Aiyar lost Lok Sabha election, he was nominated. Kuldip Nayyar was a journalist. Fali Nariman was a lawyer. Chandan Mitra, Shobhana Bhartia and Cho Ramaswamy were journalists.
Burkha ban in college
St. Aloysius’ College is in news for its rule that students should show their faces in class rooms. Students who come wearing burkha have to show their faces. The rule is in prospectus. Some have called it Burkha ban. Muslim clergy is said to be opposed to the rule. St. Aloysius’ College has come to…
Return of Bofors
Bofors returned to news on 25/4/2012. TV channels reported former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom’s interview to Chitra Subramaniam on thehoot.org.
In April 1987 Swedish Radio reported that kickbacks were paid in Bofors deal. After that some newspapers had reported on it. Chitra Subramaniam worked for Indian Express. Sten Lindstrom had leaked many documents to her. Sten Lindstrom revealed himself as the source.
Why did Sten Lindstrom go public now? Perhaps he thinks he will not live long. He reminds me of W. Mark Felt who was informant in Watergate scandal.
RSS on BJP President
It seems RSS wants Nitin Gadkari to be president of BJP again. It does not find anyone else suitable. Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are too old. Sushma Swaraj has to give up Lok Sabha leadership. Arun Jaitley has to give up Rajya Sabha leadership. Venkaiah Naidu was once president. Manohar Parrikar is Goa chief minister.
Indians and fools
Markandey Katju said 90% of Indians are fools. He clarified that by 90% he means an overwhelming number; it can be 85% or 95%.
Markandey Katju gave 10 reasons why majority of Indians are fools.
First, Tamilians follow rahukalam. They consider it inauspicious. They are fools. Katju has shown courage to single out Tamilians as more foolish than other foolish Indians.
Second, many ministers and chief justices of high courts take oath during “auspicious†times.
Third, Supreme Court judges considered 7, Tughlak Lane as inauspicious residence due to some mishaps there.