In this day of ready made MTR Rice Sevai - it was most refreshing to see my granny's choma machine (choma is rice sevai in Sankethi)
I enjoyed working this machine to generate lumps of hot and fresh rice sevai early Sunday morning :) Bliss!
Monday, January 27, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Dude, are you mental?
(Just read about Sunanda Pushkar - most shocking!)
This morning Subhash was listening to some Prime Time News from last night about Somnath Bharti and his raid on a building suspecting prostitution.
Eventually someone asked about how there was full media presence if the raid was so spontaneous and if it was all actually staged. To which the AAP supporter's answer was stunning
"How can people who are responsible for Gujarat riots in 2002 even ask us this question?"
Dude, are you mental? How is that related to this in any way? Are you remotely suggesting that the entire Godhra riot episode was "stage-managed"?? And for what god-forsaken reason would anyone do that.
Really, I do not get people's love for Godhra 2002. And how ridiculously they infer that Modi ignores minorities based on that. My belief (which the SIT and the SC and the HC and myriad other courts and judges have ruled and ruled over and over again) is that at best Modi was caught unsuspecting as a fledgling administrator. And in spite of that he has done remarkably well bringing everyone to book, in the entire history of India, Godhra 2002 stands out as the only riot where a very high number of people have been nabbed and been given judgement for the atrocity. And in the past 12 years, it is the only state which has been riot-free (?). So what is the problem? I have seen well-read educated people make really dumb statements about the riots and him. I just don't understand.
Forget everything for a moment. If the Congress, with all its money power and muscle power and media power, and in spite of relentlessly chasing this man for 12 years, has still not been able to lay its hands on him, I think that should be proof enough that there is really nothing he is hiding. Even if there was a small iota of error, I am sure, he would have been finished by now with so much hounding.
And then we read about how Zakia Jafri was "chosen" second after Teesta's first choice refused to file the petition :) And then we figure out how deep the conspiracy runs. The riots have been like an industry for many living off it and feeding off it.
This morning Subhash was listening to some Prime Time News from last night about Somnath Bharti and his raid on a building suspecting prostitution.
Eventually someone asked about how there was full media presence if the raid was so spontaneous and if it was all actually staged. To which the AAP supporter's answer was stunning
"How can people who are responsible for Gujarat riots in 2002 even ask us this question?"
Dude, are you mental? How is that related to this in any way? Are you remotely suggesting that the entire Godhra riot episode was "stage-managed"?? And for what god-forsaken reason would anyone do that.
Really, I do not get people's love for Godhra 2002. And how ridiculously they infer that Modi ignores minorities based on that. My belief (which the SIT and the SC and the HC and myriad other courts and judges have ruled and ruled over and over again) is that at best Modi was caught unsuspecting as a fledgling administrator. And in spite of that he has done remarkably well bringing everyone to book, in the entire history of India, Godhra 2002 stands out as the only riot where a very high number of people have been nabbed and been given judgement for the atrocity. And in the past 12 years, it is the only state which has been riot-free (?). So what is the problem? I have seen well-read educated people make really dumb statements about the riots and him. I just don't understand.
Forget everything for a moment. If the Congress, with all its money power and muscle power and media power, and in spite of relentlessly chasing this man for 12 years, has still not been able to lay its hands on him, I think that should be proof enough that there is really nothing he is hiding. Even if there was a small iota of error, I am sure, he would have been finished by now with so much hounding.
And then we read about how Zakia Jafri was "chosen" second after Teesta's first choice refused to file the petition :) And then we figure out how deep the conspiracy runs. The riots have been like an industry for many living off it and feeding off it.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Happy Sankranti!
Thanks to mom being around both last year and this, I get to devour my favourite - YeLLu. Yes, thanks to my Dad's Sankethi origins and my mom's willing adaptation into her in-laws customs as well as upholding hers, we got to enjoy both cuisines right from when we were kids!
So I leave you to drool, while I finish it off -
So I leave you to drool, while I finish it off -
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Why I don't trust the AAP
One of my friends wrote "don't waste your vote in 2014" and it could not have been said any better! I see an exact repeat of what happened to Telugu Desam in 2009 because of Chiranjeevi and how that benefited the Congress, at the centre. Not to mention, how sad it was when the guy went and joined Congress!
The media of course has found the newest darling, now that Rahul Gandhi has proven beyond doubt that he cannot stop NaMo. Reluctantly they were beginning to follow NaMo and forced to cover him, when lo and behold! the Delhi electorate threw a nice alternative at them. AK, much better, much more educated, more "relate-able" arrived. And AAP was always the "flirting-with-media" types, giving them more than enough sound bytes. Every day a new story, every day a new controversy, every day a new referendum, what else can the media ask for!
But, I do not trust the AAP at all. Here is why. This post has been long in coming, more because I wanted to wait and watch and watch some more, but every further day is convincing me that my instinct might just be right. And also just to add, this distrust of Kejriwal has been even in pre-AAP days.
1) Anti-corruption plank - it has always been a) "one size fits all" solution, b) let's add one more power layer(Lokpal) to control all the existing layers, c) all politicians are corrupt, we're out to save the day kind of moral high-ground and many other unrealistic, even fanatic stands. Not practical, not workable.
2) Austerity - The UPA-2 also tried to be austere in 2009 - which resulted in a lot of "cattle class" guffaws. I read somewhere that forcing austerity upon oneself is like riding a tiger which you don't know how to dismount, you will be forced to ride on or risk being wiped out. I don't think as an ordinary citizen, I'd be bothered so much if AK lived in palatial mansions meant for the Chief Minister. They anyways have to be maintained, and won't be used for anything else. Rather than wasting many weeks looking for a new accommodation which will make everyone happy (which is not possible BTW), just get into the identified accommodation and move on, get on with the real work! But hey, how can you do that when you cursed every single person who did that before you, now you are forced to eat crow!
3) Populism - Almost all AAP's policies and promises are not just socialistic but very unrealistically so. I don't see any development based talk in any of their communication. It is all about adjusting money here and there. Save here, spend there, curb corruption here, divert funds somewhere else and in the worst case scenarios - which I think we are yet to "discover" - tax here, subsidize there. But at some point you have to start "creating" wealth and this seems to have completely missed the core think-tank of the party!
4) Penchant for drama - the less said about this the better. Too much tokeneism, drama and more theatrics in front of the media. I take an instant distrust to any public personality who courts the media so much. Anyone who does real work, justt does it and gets on. Does not go to the media every single evening with some drama or another.
5) Frequent flip-flops on everything - the biggest example does not even have to be spelt out - taking Congress support to form Delhi government and now being forced to lie low on chasing their corruption cases.
6) Referendum for everything - I firmly believe all of us should do what we are good at. I am good at my job, so I do that. I expect the leaders I vote to power to know basic governance and not come back to me to ask my advice about everything. How should we use these municipal funds, should we form a government with Congress, should we do this, should we do that, my foot! If the people have to tell you everything, what good are you getting paid for? Plus if you ask 1000 people, you will get at least 100 different opinions, and then how do you go about sorting that mess? And did you even see the latest mess - the Janata Darbar - total fiasco and ruin. That is what will happen, the sooner this party wakes up the better. And the sooner people remove those rose-tinted glasses, the better too!
7) Media projected "image" - Of course, many things are distorted in favour of AAP by the ever willing paid media so that NaMo is side-lined in the news. Anything to keep him at bay! Even if NaMo wins three successive elections in Gujarat, he is just good enough for Gujarat, not yet "evolved" to the national level. But AK just wins one election (that too did not "win" mind you, just turned up as "second largest" party, by what was a clearly undecided electorate) and he is automatically the saviour who has come to rescue India! Experience in governance can go to hell, who needs that?
Of course everyone also says, he is being scrutinized too harshly, he's just been in power for a few hours, few weeks, etc. But hey, he is the guy who set that expectation right? I will do everything in 48 hours, I will clean up everything with a broom in no time. They are all evil, I am the messiah!
All in all, I fear the worst - that Congress will gain a lucky hand in 2014, thanks to AAP. And that would be such an unmitigated disaster for the country. I do not understand how anyone can vote Congress or any party joining hands with the Congress (like the AAP did for the Delhi power) into power in 2014. But many of my educated and knowledgeable friends seem to be more than willing to throw their weight behind this party. Maybe I am missing something big-time, I am not sure.
But, I think, the 2014 victory will be all the more deserved for BJP if they manage to garner it in-spite of all of these. So more power to them and more support from me for sure!
The media of course has found the newest darling, now that Rahul Gandhi has proven beyond doubt that he cannot stop NaMo. Reluctantly they were beginning to follow NaMo and forced to cover him, when lo and behold! the Delhi electorate threw a nice alternative at them. AK, much better, much more educated, more "relate-able" arrived. And AAP was always the "flirting-with-media" types, giving them more than enough sound bytes. Every day a new story, every day a new controversy, every day a new referendum, what else can the media ask for!
But, I do not trust the AAP at all. Here is why. This post has been long in coming, more because I wanted to wait and watch and watch some more, but every further day is convincing me that my instinct might just be right. And also just to add, this distrust of Kejriwal has been even in pre-AAP days.
1) Anti-corruption plank - it has always been a) "one size fits all" solution, b) let's add one more power layer(Lokpal) to control all the existing layers, c) all politicians are corrupt, we're out to save the day kind of moral high-ground and many other unrealistic, even fanatic stands. Not practical, not workable.
2) Austerity - The UPA-2 also tried to be austere in 2009 - which resulted in a lot of "cattle class" guffaws. I read somewhere that forcing austerity upon oneself is like riding a tiger which you don't know how to dismount, you will be forced to ride on or risk being wiped out. I don't think as an ordinary citizen, I'd be bothered so much if AK lived in palatial mansions meant for the Chief Minister. They anyways have to be maintained, and won't be used for anything else. Rather than wasting many weeks looking for a new accommodation which will make everyone happy (which is not possible BTW), just get into the identified accommodation and move on, get on with the real work! But hey, how can you do that when you cursed every single person who did that before you, now you are forced to eat crow!
3) Populism - Almost all AAP's policies and promises are not just socialistic but very unrealistically so. I don't see any development based talk in any of their communication. It is all about adjusting money here and there. Save here, spend there, curb corruption here, divert funds somewhere else and in the worst case scenarios - which I think we are yet to "discover" - tax here, subsidize there. But at some point you have to start "creating" wealth and this seems to have completely missed the core think-tank of the party!
4) Penchant for drama - the less said about this the better. Too much tokeneism, drama and more theatrics in front of the media. I take an instant distrust to any public personality who courts the media so much. Anyone who does real work, justt does it and gets on. Does not go to the media every single evening with some drama or another.
5) Frequent flip-flops on everything - the biggest example does not even have to be spelt out - taking Congress support to form Delhi government and now being forced to lie low on chasing their corruption cases.
6) Referendum for everything - I firmly believe all of us should do what we are good at. I am good at my job, so I do that. I expect the leaders I vote to power to know basic governance and not come back to me to ask my advice about everything. How should we use these municipal funds, should we form a government with Congress, should we do this, should we do that, my foot! If the people have to tell you everything, what good are you getting paid for? Plus if you ask 1000 people, you will get at least 100 different opinions, and then how do you go about sorting that mess? And did you even see the latest mess - the Janata Darbar - total fiasco and ruin. That is what will happen, the sooner this party wakes up the better. And the sooner people remove those rose-tinted glasses, the better too!
7) Media projected "image" - Of course, many things are distorted in favour of AAP by the ever willing paid media so that NaMo is side-lined in the news. Anything to keep him at bay! Even if NaMo wins three successive elections in Gujarat, he is just good enough for Gujarat, not yet "evolved" to the national level. But AK just wins one election (that too did not "win" mind you, just turned up as "second largest" party, by what was a clearly undecided electorate) and he is automatically the saviour who has come to rescue India! Experience in governance can go to hell, who needs that?
Of course everyone also says, he is being scrutinized too harshly, he's just been in power for a few hours, few weeks, etc. But hey, he is the guy who set that expectation right? I will do everything in 48 hours, I will clean up everything with a broom in no time. They are all evil, I am the messiah!
All in all, I fear the worst - that Congress will gain a lucky hand in 2014, thanks to AAP. And that would be such an unmitigated disaster for the country. I do not understand how anyone can vote Congress or any party joining hands with the Congress (like the AAP did for the Delhi power) into power in 2014. But many of my educated and knowledgeable friends seem to be more than willing to throw their weight behind this party. Maybe I am missing something big-time, I am not sure.
But, I think, the 2014 victory will be all the more deserved for BJP if they manage to garner it in-spite of all of these. So more power to them and more support from me for sure!
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