ALAS....! The year 2005 is coming to a close. It is less than 72 hours from now. Certain events happened during this year will remain forever or atleast for the coming years, on the minds of sensitive people.

The worst and most shameful event is "CASH FOR QUESTIONS" which was published in all national news papers on 13th December, 2005. Let me keep the names of the 11 MLAs/MPs on record, so that we can see them and remember these great persons.

WHAT THEY TOOK:

1. NARENDRA KUMAR KUSHWAHA (BSP), MIRZPUR (UP) Rs. 55,000
2. ANNA SAHEB M.K.PATIL (BJP), ERANDOL, MAHARASHTRA Rs. 45,000
3. MANOJ KUMAR (RJD), PALAMAU, JHARKAND Rs.1, 10,000
4. SURESH CHANDEL (BJP), HAMIRPUR, HIMACHAL PRADESH Rs. 30,000
5. LAL CHANDRA (BSP), ROBERTSGANJ, UP Rs. 35,000
6. RAMSEVAK SINGH (CONGRESS), GWALIOR, MADHYA PRADESH Rs. 50,000
7. Y.G.MAHAJAN (BJP), JALGAON, MAHARASHTRA Rs. 35,000
8. PRADEEP GANDHI (BJP), RAJNANDGAON, CHATTISGARH Rs. 55,000
9. RAJA RAM PAL (BSP), BILHAUR, UP Rs 35,000
10. CHANDRA PRATAP SINGH (BJP), SIDHI, UP Rs. 35,000
11. CHHATTRAPAUL SINGH LODHA (BJP), ORISSA, RAJYA SABHA Rs. 15000

Before the dust settles down, another scam took place on 19th December,2005, involving another 7 MPs, taking cash for awarding contracts and other favors.

Close on the heels of the cash-for-questions scam, seven MPs have now been Caught taking commissions for giving out contracts under the MP Local Area Development Scheme. The sting operation, called “OPERATION CHAKRAVYUH”, was carried out by the Star News Television channel.. Once again the BJP led the list with three of its MPs, including a former Union minister and Lok Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh. They are:

1. PHAGGAN SINGH KULESTE (BJP, LOK SABHA)
Promised contract Rs.10 Lakhs, commission sought Rs. 2 Lakhs.
Advance commission taken 2 lakhs.
2. CHANDRA PRATAP SINGH (BJP, LOK SABHA)
Promised contract Rs. 5 lakhs, commission sought 10-20 percent,
Advance commission taken 25,000.
3. RAM SWAROOP KOHLI (BJP, LOK SABHA)
Promised contract Rs. 5 lakhs, Advance commission taken by PA 25000
4. CHURCHILL ALAEMO (CONGRESS, LOK SABHA)
Promised contract 10 lakhs, commission sought 3 lakhs.
5. ISHAM SINGH (BSP, RAJYA SABHA)
Promised contract 10 lakhs.
6. SAKSHI MAHARAJ(SP, LOK SABHA)
Promised contract 10 lakhs, commission sought 20 percent.
7. PARASNATH YADAV (SP, LOK SABHA)
Promised contract 5-10 lakhs, commission sought 20 percent.

None of the 18 politicians, feel ashamed of their acts and we the public feel ashamed of their acts.
However, in the political history of India, for the first time a quick decision was taken and on 24th December, all the 11 members of the cash for questions scam were suspended and removed from the Parliament. Except BJP, the rest of the political parties rescinded their primary membership and kicked them out of the party.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'
-- Ronald Reagan
I don't know whether Politicians are included in 'Government' and we have to ask Mr. Reagan.

The other notable events, where lives and property lost, thousands are injured and equal numbers are missing and heavy damage was incurred are :
Earthquake, on 8th October,2005, at 7.6 magnitude, at Kashmir, that is India and Pakistan border. Heavy loss was on the other side of our border. NATURE'S FURY.
Another nature's fury is heavy down pour in Mumbai on 26th July,2005. 400 people died, unestimated loss of property. It's havoc.
Another, this is a man made fury, Delhi blasts, in the busy market area. 55 died, 155 injured. I don't know why this should be done.
Another fury by man's carelessness. A train accident, Delta Express was derailed on 29th October at a remote station, named Veligonda, south of Hyderabad. 100 people died.
Another, due to security lapse. Maoists attacked a jail in Jehanabad, Bihar and released 300 prisoners, most of them are supporters or participants of a private army called 'Ranvir Sena' and later killed them.
And three more incidents of Nature's Fury, rains & floods in Gujarat, Tamil Nad( Nov.26th). Ramanathapuram and Tanjavur Districts are worst effected. 80 people washed out in two buses and 247 people died, besides loss of livestock and property. Due to floods, in Gujarat 65000 became homeless and Indore and Gandhinagar Shanti Express was marooned.
Another political play. On 18th December, help for the victims of rains, was extended in Tamil Nad, against obtaining a coupon, which are limited in quantity, 1000 only. In the frenzy, 42 people killed on the spot.
Poor wages for rich duty. During the year about 100 soldiers and paramilitary troopers committed suicide, because of stressfull conditions, inadequate housing, paltry salaries, few promotioal avenues, strict leave restrictions, and early retirement.

OH...! MY GOD...! CAN U SAVE US?... WILL YOU PLEASE SAVE US.
PLEAE DONOT DISAPPOINT US.

GOOD BYE 2005.

CRICKET AND POLITICS

POLITICS...... POLITICS.......AND POLITICS.
Everywhere politics. Nothing else. We breathe politics, eat politics, see politics, sleep, laugh, cry and everything politics and everywhere. No merit, no efficiency, no nothing is counted. If you are efficient and skillfull, you will be shown the door. As is done to Sourav Ganguly, the deposed captain of the Indian Cricket Team.
The board of selectors, as is said, sometime back, " A bunch of Jokers".
justified their name with their actions, by throwing out Ganguly.
What is the justification? It is simple logic, any commoner will say, you replace the opener with a replacement. You want to take Wasim Jaffer, OK, throw out Gautam Gambhir. It is as simple as that. Where is the point to throw Ganguly. The Jokers have no explanation. Flimsy reasons or excuses, given by the Chairman of the Jokers club, will not hold water.
If you take performancewise. Ganguly performed well, one cannot compare Goutam Gambhir with Ganguly. Agewise, Ganguly still got a couple of years cricket in him and he proved it at Delhi against SriLanka.
What happened to the, much hyped slogan " we don't distrub the winning team". Why a sudden decision on Ganguly? He is not only a player, but a great Captain of the team, who brought laurels to the country. He was already given the title as the best and successful captain of Indian team. Are the members of the Jokers Club blind to the achievements brought by Ganguly? If yes, let the chairman of the selectors board, Mr. Kiran More, may be recommended for Dritharashtra Award, just on the lines of Arjuna Award, awarded by our Government.
All this hype may be ignored, it is common knowledge, that in our country and in Cricket, the POWER(PAWAR) politics are prevailed. Dalmiya's era is over and now Pawar era started. All, who were with Dalmiya, are to be shunted out. That is that, and Ganguly is one of them.
Let us see, what was the performance of Virendra Sehwag, against SriLanka, ODIs and tests. It is dismal, he is out of form and careless when he holds the bat. Is he indespensible to the team.
The equation goes like this to accommodate Sehwag:
Yuvaraj, Gautam Gambhir, and Ganguly. Who is to be axed ?
I pity Ganguly, the way he was humiliated by the selectors.
You know, what is the meaning of POLITICS.
POLY means many and Tics are small blood sucking parasites.
So, I need not explain what the POLITICS means.

CASH FOR QUESTIONS
What a sensational news. Entire print media in the country has covered the news. Everyone of you must have seen and read it. What a shame..! Are they really the representatives of the people. They all contested the elections for making money, not to serve the public or loving the country. Even they sell their mothers.
Most of the commoners of the country lost faith in the Indian Politicians and Politics. For mere paltry sum, these politicians have gone to so low level, that the country has to bow its head before the public and the governments of other Nations.
To a greater extant the voter is also to be blamed for electing such candidates. Because of Illetracy and poverty, which are the best investments of a POLITICIAN in India, they sell their right to choose the candidate, to these people. Even the educated never tried to Question the integrity of the candidate. We simply place our state/country in their hands, by casting the vote in their favor. If we give few minutes thought before casting the vote, at least to a great extant we can avoid this type of people.
Politics has become a farce in India. Indian politicians have given a new definition to politics. JOIN POLITICS AND MAKE MONEY. Politics in India, at least, requires no qualification, no age restriction, no caste certifiate, no retirement and no nothing.
Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.
-- Ronald Reagan
Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs, which properly concern them.
-- Paul Valery, Tel Quel 2 (1943
We have to think twice before we say "MERA BHARAT MAHAN " AND
" I AM PROUD OF BEING AN INDIAN", because of our POLITICIANS.

We have sooo... many holidays in India. Is this a happy situation or is it a situation to revise or reformulate the Government policy on holidays. Yes, the later is appropriate. In the wake of Globalisation and Global competition, we have to change the holiday policy to suit the present situation. The need is to reduce the number of holidays and the leave that is allowed to an employee. When compared to the countries of the western world, we, in India, have more holidays and work less number of hours in a year.
Brazil, England, Sweeden, Italy and Holland have only 8 holidays,
whereas in France and Phillippines 10, Finland 11, Belgium, Newzealand, America and Switzerland 12 and whereas we have, in India, 17 days.
In all these countries, employees work for 1700 to 1800 hours in a year, but we in India work for 1600 hrs( or even less).
It is high time that the government has to change/revise their holiday policy to suit the present day needs.
Now, let us come to the facts. And find out how many holidays and various kinds of leave accumulated to an employee, in India.
In a year:
Sundays 52
Saturdays 52
Declared holidays 17
Casual Leave 12
Earned leave or Privelege leave 30
T O T A L 163
Sick Leave ( this is on half pay) 30
Besides these days on which an employee may be absent from his duty, there are other unforseen days on which he can be absent also, they are politically motivated DHARNAS, BUNDS. Other oppertunities for absenteism are Natural calamities, death of a political leader, winning a world event (sports) by INDIA, and all sundry local disturbances. For all these, there is no punishment or the employer is compensated.
The above is the picture and is true.
Roughly, give or take one or two days, an employee can remain absent for 165 days and he attends his duties for 200 days in a year.
Let us come to the specific examples of our holidays and how wasteful they are :
Down the road there is branch of a nationalised bank. There are roughly 60 employees. There is no christian or muslim employees in the establishment, but it is closed on Xmas and Id. When I asked an employee he said we don't want a holiday and we are willing to workon these days.
If there are one or two christians or muslims, let them enjoy their festival by taking a special leave. There is no need for shutting down the office. For this, government has to increase the present level of CL from 12 days in a year to 15.
There are a number instances, where we can see holidays are wasted.
Those who read this blog, may suggest/ comment on holiday policy of the government. Government of India has displayed a questionnaire in their website www.persmin.nic.in and invited public opinion on holiday policy.

Shamefull........

When I read the news paper today(08/12/2005), I was so shocked to see, that Somanath Chatterjee, saying, " I am ashamed to be the speaker of this HOUSE". How much our PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVES are degraded. I have no words to address them. They are mean, dirty, rogues, and what not. No political party in India, is constructive. Every party is taking advantage of the other party. Country's interest, respect, health or well being is secondary. No political party bothered about the country. Tehelka exposure is the best example, how dare they are to sell the country. Entire system in the country is polluted. Unfortunately, in present scenario we have no alternative than to elect one of the rogues. Electoral reforms did't give any chance to the voter to move no confidence motion against the local elected candidate. How the voter can remove the nonperformers, corrupted representatives ?
Transperancy International ( Anti Graft) has released its report for 2005. And surprisingly POLITICAL PARTIES occupied the top position among the MOST CORRUPTED. Next comes the LEGISLATURE, POLICE, LEGAL SYSTEM, BUSINESS(PRIVATE), REVENUE AND TAX SYSTEM, CUSTOMS, MEDIA, MEDICAL PROFESSION & SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS, EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, DEFENCE, REGISTRATIONS AND OTHER SERVICES, INDEPENDENT ORGANISATIONS AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS.
I am worried where we are leading to........!