2S
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Archive for politics
November 21, 2007 at 1:55 am · Filed under politics
The voters ought to be stumped.
On one hand, you have the likes of JD(S), people who have taken betrayal to another level. True, HD Kumarasamy showed promise when he first got to office, but subsequent events - especially in the last three months - have ruined the little good work done by his government.
On the other, is Yediyurrappa. Now, these days, when you think of the BJP leader, one word comes to mind - pity. But honestly, is a Yediyurrappa-BJP government going to help the state? For one, BSY has little or no vision to compliment his passion. And the BJP are far from secular, which explains the Hindtuva wave running in Karnataka post-formation. Umm, pray tell me, what does a ‘volunteer’ organization like the Sangh have to do with a government forming in a secular nation, in alliance with a secular party? Apparently, these issues irked Gowda, and let’s he honest, as far as secular values are concerned, it pains me to say this, but Devegowda has a point.
Does it mean you bring down the government? No. Well, not unless you’re a power-grabbing slut, which is exactly what HD is.
The BJP cited Gujarat as an example for Karnataka, and Narendra Modi’s presence only worsened the situation for the ‘coalition’, although I must agree with BSY on that account - the Gujarat mention was obviously made in the context of development and not communalism. It surprises me that people thought otherwise. I doubt if Yediyurrappa, yet to break his CM virginity, has the balls to suggest a Hindu initiative in Karnataka on similar lines to that of Gujarat. Highly unlikely.
And finally, the dormant Congress. Within the JD(S), senior leaders - the likes of MP Prakash, a man whom I respect - has shown inclination to tie up with the Congress. The JD(S) have shown an obvious intent to form a coalition with the Congress now, understandably, because if we head towards elections, you can be rest assured that there would be serious backlash from the voters.
The JD(S)-BJP coalition was never destined to work anyway. One party is slyly secular, the other is honestly communal. The Congress, in the past, has failed. Given these facts, who the heck to we vote for?
Irrespective of what happens in the state, from the way events are unfolding now, one thing is absolutely certain: as long as Devegowda breathes, Karnataka will never have a stable government. It shocks me to suggest this, and I might be hitting the depths of helplessness here, but there is no one, I repeat, no one in the state who can keep the Supremo quiet.
It disappoints me further to record that we, the voters, are now simply helpless. Catch-22. Of what use is a democracy when the people are left powerless?
It’s only appropriate that we pick the lesser of the two evils. And it sucks that we resort to such a choice for our leaders.
October 30, 2007 at 8:47 pm · Filed under politics, regional
I thought ‘JD(S)’ stands for ‘Janata Dal (Secular)’. Oops, it turns out - that’s the wrong expansion. The accurate one is: ‘Just Doing the State’.
Yes. They really are doing us all.
When H D Kumaraswamy took the hot-seat in February 2006, we were slightly surprised, weren’t we? I mean, here’s a son rising against the father, and while Gowda Sr. quietly mumbled his discomfort at the BJP alliance, the son makes a promise to the people of a state.
Only to break it, rather unsurprisingly, a year and a half later.
If the son is the icing, big-daddy Gowda is the cherry on the cake of cunning politics. They say looks are deceptive - in his case, they’re mindboggling. He comes across as a person who would struggle to rule an acre in Kanakhpura, and he actually went on to become the Prime Minister of the Nation. But beneath that expressionless face, beyond that plain-vanilla raagi-hittu diet, there is something about the man that stands out. And it’s quite evident.
Too bad for him it’s his lust for power, an omen of which is the recent influence on the son to halt the power-transfer, which left a power-erect Yediyurrappa who had to suddenly go limp, forced to retreat as a result of what the BJP famously overtitled ‘the betrayal’.
And just like your local Bangalore rickwaala would take a shocking U-turn from under your nose without any indication, the JD(S) have come back wanting to support the BJP. It’s like divorcing a woman, and when you realise you aren’t getting any action at night, and you go back to her, ‘will you marry me?’
But even the women would have better sense. However - The Brainless Janata Party (or the BJP) - who were actually in the middle of their election campaign, agreed immediately, as if they are a powerlust-starved entity and not a party responsible for the welfare of the people.
Had Yediyurappa really gotten this hard?
The trigger for the JD(S) thrusting into reverse gear, undeniably, ought to be the actions of a certain rebel JD(S) leader who goes by the name of M P Prakash. I’ll forgive you for going ‘M P who?’ as it’s usually the Gowda household that hogs all the limelight. Prakash - himself an accomplished and respected leader - who enjoys a following even within the Kumarasamy camp, went on spawning his own thread in alliance with the Congress. Prakash also enjoys more support from a dominant Lingayat community, and the window of opportunity to go on and become the CM in a Congress alliance would’ve sent Godwa’s panic-o-meter running.
And somehow, base-Gowda has come out tops again, with the majority.
When will the leaders realise that this a promise they make to their people, and not a game of musical-chairs?
Anyway, here we are back to square one.
- - -
It is no secret that the mean-supreme Gowda’s eyes remain shut more often than not. So, it seems appropriate that while the party is led by namma Kumbhakarna, typing JD(S) on MSN Messenger yields this:
October 6, 2007 at 1:02 pm · Filed under bangalore, politics
Or, abbreviated, KLPD in Karnataka. For Yediyurappa, atleast.
Read on carefully. This post reveals two startling facts, albeit digressive. The first, Ram isn’t fictional. The second, he exists among us.
For those of you who remember the epic (or atleast, the Amar Chitra Katha versions), they might remember Kumbhakarna, the demon rakshasa that slept for six months at a stretch, while the affairs of the state were looked after by others. When he did wake up, of course, he ended up being hungry as hell, eating anything possible in his vicinity.
Just to prove that the Ramayana ought to be classified under the genre we know as non-fiction, Kumbhakarna still exists today. Put the dots together - who do you know, who sleeps all the time when the state was managed by others? Who do you know just woke up hungry (or hungrier) for power - the same demon that wasn’t even in the picture when the previous leader was elected?
Why, H. D. Devegowda of course.
There you go - Valmiki didn’t make it all up, there is a Kumbhakarna after all - in flesh, blood and bone amongst us, so there must be a Ram somewhere too. What it also does prove, is that Karunanidhi is full of shit - although the last statement didn’t really require a testimonial.
On with affairs of the state, then?
We all know that, in the recent past, Vidhana Soudha’s inhabitants have been - er - substandard, to say the least. S. M. Krishna got his geography wrong - he simply mistook Bangalore for Karnataka. Dharam Singh never understood first-grade geography anyhow, so he decided to change it, rechristening the city, as Bengalooru was reborn. And when HD was elected, it was initially promising. First, big-daddy Gowda keeps away from limelight – the son wasn’t exactly following in the father’s footsteps. Soon, namma metro materialized (atleast, on paper, although they’ve been rummaging through the city as if it were a garage sale).
It did seem that Gowda Sr. was keeping away from the son’s rise. Not anymore, though. Looks like appa’s been batting for the maga as the supremo’s been calling all the shots.
Like the average Bangalorean who woke up today to this bit of disgusting news, I’m not too disappointed - I’m in splits. We all need to learn to laugh at ourselves anyway, especially when the government ends up getting into a mess like it has now. With Devegowda, I thought that politics can’t get dirtier, but here he is taking it to an all-time low.
I wonder what’s going to happen now. Certainly looks like the BJP have pulled out, the same way a participant would pull out of a threesome, considering that the existing setup is indeed screwing the state, almost literally. What next? Congress coalition? More polls?
In other news last night, Sadashivnagar (the bit of Bangalore where most ministers live, including the Gowda kin and kith) remained in the dark. Looks like BESCOM didn’t enjoy the JD(S) decision too much, and pulled out a plug or two.
Things that people do these days with power. As they would say in this city, kallaru nanna makkulu …
October 3, 2007 at 8:44 pm · Filed under politics, regional
Move over, Russell Peters. You have stiff competition from within India.
Meet Rajnath Singh - the president of the BJP - India’s latest addition to stand-up comedy. Because, of late, he’s been saying some funny-ass shit.
For instance, he has an absurd requirement - Sonia Gandhi should drop the surname. Why? Because Gandhi’s political vision was Ram Rajya, and while I wonder how ‘Ram’ can be drafted into ‘political’ ideology, Rajnath’s theory is straightforward: Gandhi believed in Ram, you don’t, so don’t use his surname.
It got me thinking. Rajnath who again? Oh, right - Singh. Now, going by that, Bhagat Singh believed in Atheism. Rajnath, obviously, doesn’t. But he still has the surname. Weird. Either Rajnath turns to Atheism - I know a few friends who’d be glad to show you the light - or you set an example for Sonia and drop the surname. Something more appropriate to your ideas and agenda. Like, er, Godse, perhaps?
Rajnath Godse.
Hmm. How does it sound to you?
But that isn’t where it all ends. He goes on to make this crappy statement.
If Lord Ram did not exist, then it means the preachings of Gandhiji were all wrong. The Congress president has Gandhi in her surname. Her children also carry Gandhi surnames. Then I think they should reconsider.
Reconsider? He thinks they picked the surname? Right, so the kids were born, and little Rahul and Priyanka, one fine day were left in awe of their History lesson, so they went up to mommy dearest and were like, ‘Mummy? We want Gandhi in our surname. Thank you.’
Mr. Singh, for the record - what Gandhi preached was what he believed. You and me are absolutely nobody to decide whether his belief was factual or fictional. And before I’m stabbed, Gandhi talked about non-violence. About Hindu-Muslim unity. Your ‘party’ - which is actually a ‘legitimate’ front for right-wing Hindus like the VHP and the RSS to slaughter the ‘minority’ - is far from establishing Hindu-Muslim unity. Another quick reality check - who assassinated Gandhi? The Congress or the RSS? And, Mr. Singh, can you honestly (or even dishonestly) deny that the RSS and the BJP aren’t pals?
In fact, just in case you claim to be ignorant about your own party’s doings, the RSS use the BJP for their political activities, the same way the Americans use their fake wars for the oil. So, seriously, just hush up.
Not that the Congress is India’s best party - they haven’t handled the Sethu Samudhram cleverly - but never mind.
Rajnath Singh also had this to say about the whole Lord Ram fiasco.
Neither British rulers nor Mughal emperors questioned the existence of Lord Ram. But this government is doing it. They are doing what even Aurangazeb and Clive had not done.
Naw, all ‘Clivey’ did was turn a whole nation and her people into slaves for the Brits. And all ‘Zeb did was reward anyone who converted to Islam, in a country that had prided itself on religious harmony and cultural diversity. No big shit, really, eh Rajnath?
Right, you do have some class leaders - Mr. Vajpayee comes to mind - but if you’re going to make personal attacks on random people (sorry, Sonia, but in the context, you are a random person) using the BJP’s name - you’re being silly.
To his credit, the bloke noted that the country cannot progress by ignoring its key agricultural sector. True. I’m not a big fan of those who lick the West’s rear, and Mr. Singh would do well to focus on issues of national importance than a mere surname of a woman.
Back to my initial point on comedy. There is, however, one key differentiator between Mr. Peters and Mr. Singh.
Russell occasionally does makes sense.
September 17, 2007 at 1:00 am · Filed under politics, religion
I detest it.
Not ‘a’ religion. Not the fact that one subscribes to a religion. But the very idea of blinding yourself in a belief if it comes in the way of others. It pulls people down, it pulls a nation down, it makes us incompatible with one another. It comes in the way of co-existence. It hampers development and growth.
And you know what? Every religion does it. The supernatural forces don’t - their disciples do. The books might not - the interpretation does. And how long are we going to keep consoling ourselves into believing that the root cause is not the religion, but the interpretation? Religion doesn’t mean harm - but it inflicts damage on us if it blinds us to extremism. Similarly, I didn’t wake up one day intending to despise the idea of religion, but if it leads us to destruction, then such a belief can be damned.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not asking people to give up their religious beliefs for the ’cause of the nation’ - that’s not it. Religious harmony is what we need. But, pray tell me, of what use are some religious beliefs when they come in the way of development? Or worse - when they come in the way of one another?
The Ram Setu issue has provoked many to write about it. More importantly, write and do little, and since I’m no different, here I am with my opinion - not on the project itself - but on my take on religion.
Before that, a quick reality check, if I may. Are we a secular nation, or are we pretending to be one? Secularism in India means we separate religious beliefs from national interests. It calls for the exclusion of religious considerations from civil affairs.
Those who agree that we are indeed secular, or those who want us to be secular, ought to oppose any force that denies the development. Yes, no one is asking for the cancellation of the project, but even a ‘realignment’ incurs a heavy cost on an already corrupt set of coffers. Do we want that?
I grew up on Amar Chitra Kathas, and I was in total awe of the epic Ramayana. Every single bit, including the construction of the bridge. But, pray tell me, what’s the big deal about it in today’s day and age? The place serves a purpose, a materialistic purpose - if you may - then why the big hulla over it?
Some people do claim that there is no documented proof if Ram ever existed. To me, Ram’s existence is not to be questioned. It’s simply irrelevant. Can we quantify the damage to Hindu heritage if indeed Sethu Samudram goes through? Does it amount to more than the benefits? Can’t we just live with the damage?
If we go on living in this cover-up of secularism, then we would have hit the brakes on our development - as a nation and as a race of people - while we allow religious extremists to hamper it. The Sethu Samudram project holds the same interest with me as the fact that Beyonce Knowles missed a kiss at an award ceremony. I don’t care about the project one bit.
What I do care about, is development.
In which case, religion and all other irrelevant matters must take the backseat, thank you very much. When I sit back and look at what our nation and our people have been through, it’s disheartening. The Bombay blasts. Godhra riots. Babri Masjid. Hyderabad blasts. Many more come to mind. Lives, wasted. Yes - they are political issues and not religious - but the fuel and they key lies with religious extremism. No one can deny that.
And, hey, India was supposed to be the spiritual answer to the world? We pride on co-existence and on religious harmony - and yes, there haven’t exactly been rivers of blood compared to what other nations might have gone through if they had a million beliefs bundled in one nation - but when it comes in the way of taking life, it sucks.
Hence, I detest religion - primarily because of the intensity it carries with it, and the brainwashing capabilities, notwithstanding the peace it brings to the heart. It’s the extremism that murders it. For me, it divides us at a very, very granular level. In our minds, our hearts, and our souls. Religious extremism makes a man kill his own kind. It’s what we would call the work of Satan.
I’ll hit the brakes here, with a few quotes from the Dalai Lama, an individual I respect above most mortals.
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. Whether you believe in God or not does not matter so much, whether you believe in Buddha or not does not matter so much. You must lead a good life.
My nation is now sprinting ahead, trying to break free from the iron leash that restricts it from reaching prosperity and communal harmony. We must all work towards taking it forward.
Call me agnostic, call me an atheist, but the Gods can sit this one out.
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