How Nehru died? A 'REVELATION' on youtube

The language used against the government online, in particular, is more vicious in India than it is in any other English-speaking nation.

That's columnist Aakar Patel telling us how educated and civilized we are online. People who regularly visit newspaper and news channel websites can't disagree with Patel. The situation is more pathetic on those websites which allow the netizens to post their comments in Hindi. One can learn choicest 'desi' expletives while reading Hindi comments. Many of these comments, if members of rival communities or political parties hurl on each other face to face, will cause communal riots or violent political clashes. 

I have noticed one disturbing development while posting comments on media websites. These websites don't allow many anti-BJP comments even if they are written in civilized language and supported by facts. On the contrary, they don't delete uncivilized and highly abusive comments that are apparently written by BJP supporters against the 'enemies' of India, which in most cases are Pt Nehru and the Gandhis. So, the netizens' comments are proving to be handy tools to further the partisan political goals of some media houses.

The situation is more worrisome on Facebook and Youtube. These are being used increasingly to present concocted information which the gullible young netizens are prone to accept as facts. For example, one person has loaded a video on youtube proclaiming that Pt Nehru died of STD. How sickening is it.

Waterlogged roads and DOLLAR FLYING out of India

We can't run Delhi Metro, touted to be world-class, smoothly. The govt of the day is identified more with the alleged 2G, CWG, coal and other scams than for its developmental actions. We can't design roads to drain off rainwater. Nor are we bothered to dispose our garbage in a systematic and eco-friendly way. 

So, what's wrong if foreign investors are flying out of India? Obviously, they don't want to wade through waterlogged roads stinking with piled-up garbage. Nor they want a scam to eat into their investments, particularly when greener investment pastures have started emerging elsewhere. 

However, in the meanwhile, the government  and the opposition are locking horns on the floors  of Parliament to decide 'guilty' or 'not guilty' of scams, turning Parliament sessions into a huge waste of time and money. Instead of paralyzing the Parliament better if the Opposition forcefully demands fast-track, time-bound investigation/trial of 2G, coal and other scams. 

Does anybody read about Kalmadi and Raja these days? Before they fade out from our memory, better to fast-track their trials to prove them guilty or not guilty. Simply hurling allegations on ministers and other big-wigs doesn't help in cleaning the governance machinery. But their remaining scot-free despite facing serious corruption charges abets other people to indulge in corruption.  

We'll look at India when you WILL GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER

Whichever country I go to attend investor conferences, people say 'We'll look at India when you will get your act together'.

That's how noted economist and former Divestment Minister Arun Shourie (in Vajpayee-led NDA government) described current perception of India among foreigners, in a TV programme (The State of the Economy on NDTV Aug 20). Alas, India's dream run of an attractive investment destination has ended with foreigners telling us to put our act together.This makes me hang my head in shame.

Shourie says the Indian political class doesn't realize the gravity of the financial crisis India has been pushed into. Of   course, for this crisis the UPA-2 government has to share the major blame. Because following the revelation of many scams over the last two years, it has allowed the opposition led by the vociferous BJP to set agenda for it in and out of Parliament.

By frequent disruptions of the Parliament and by blocking the passage of many important bills, the BJP has succeeded in its strategy of creating a perception in India and abroad that Manmohan Singh is a 'good for nothing' Prime Minister. Ironically, this very Manmohan Singh had brought out India successfully from a more grave economic crisis in 1991 as the hand-picked Finance Minister of the then PM Narasimha Rao.

I think both Sonia and Manmohan, not being hard-boiled politicians with past baggage, could have set an example of clean governance. There was nothing wrong in accepting the mistakes if the alleged scams happened due to their oversight. They should have fast-tracked the trial of tainted ministers. It would have gone a long way in cleaning the government machinery and in presenting them as honest leaders before the people. But perhaps politics is like koyle ki kothri jisme Manmohan jaisa imandaar aadmi bhi kala hi dikhai deta hai.

However, Manmohan-Sonia still can undo some damage caused to the Congress by high-voltage propaganda of BJP's social media army if they agree to effect the desired changes in  the Lokpal Bill and by expediting the scams investigation/trial.

Aakar Patel's prescription for YOU and ME to build OUR DREAM INDIA

Jai Hind on India's 67th Independence Day

Akar Patel is a former editor of a Gujarati newspaper, and is a regular columnist of the Hindustan Times. Patel in his article (August 15, HT) writes a prescription for you and me to present a powerful and corruption-free India to our future generations. If you are willing to put in a little effort for the cause of India, then read the article at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/independenceday2013/Its-time-to-be-the-change/Article1-1108122.aspx

Patel's article is based on a talk by Harvard University's Lant Pritchett, author of the thesis that 'India is flailing state'. The thesis gives three examples of corruption which are everyday experiences for the Indian people. However, what made me take note of Patel's article is his exhortation to PEOPLE TO THEMSELVES BE THE CHANGE. This is something to which I strongly subscribe and try my best to put into practice.

Patel explains why WE OURSELVES HAVE TO change:
"We cannot behave in traffic in any city or state of India... It is possible to say, like Arvind Kejriwal does: police Indians firmly. Watch over them and penalize them and they will behave, as they do abroad... . Are other nations functional only because their populations fear punishment? This is not the conclusion one would draw when observing the West."

Patel attributes Narendra Modi's rising popularity to the Indian people's unwillingness to understand their own responsibility in setting things right. According to him, Modi's promise to transform the state 'absolves the citizen' of his responsibility. I think this citizen could be you and me, or an engineer who is not discharging his responsibility of ensuring desired quality in road or bridge construction, or a householder who is stealing electricity for his domestic use, or the nurses, mentioned in Patel's article, who draw salaries for the work they haven't done.

However, Patel has good hopes for the future. He says, (In India) The large and the important things — the civilisational and indigenous idea of a secular and pluralist nation; the beautiful, world-class constitution (over which there is no dispute — are in place.

Patel's lesson for us is: "The major one (change) must come from within. India will change only when we change. Each of us must contribute to this, by being conscientious in our work... For that to happen no politician is needed..."