परेशानियों से मुक्ति का सरल उपाय

इस कविता कि खुराक दिन में तीन बार अच्छे मूड में चाय के सात लेने से ज़िन्दगी कि परेशानियां कभी नहीं सताएंगी।  ये कविता मुझे एक फेसबुक के डाक्टर ने दी है:  


जो पाया कभी सोचा नहीं,
जो सोचा कभी मिला नहीं,
जो मिला रास आया नहीं,
जो खोया वो याद आता है
पर, जो पाया संभाला जाता नहीं,
क्यों अजीब सी पहेली है ज़िन्दगी
जिसको कोई सुलझा पाता नहीं.

जीवन में कभी समझौता करना पड़े तो कोई बड़ी बात
नहीं है,
क्योंकि झुकता वही है जिसमें जान होती है,
अकड़ तो मुरदे की पहचान होती है।

ज़िन्दगी जीने के दो तरीके होते है!
पहला: जो पसंद है उसे हासिल करना सीख लो!
दूसरा: जो हासिल है उसे पसंद करना सीख लो!

जिंदगी जीना आसान नहीं होता; 
बिना संघर्ष कोई महान नहीं होता; 
जब तक न पड़े हथोड़े की चोट,
पत्थर भी भगवान नहीं होता।

जिंदगी बहुत कुछ सिखाती है;
कभी हंसती है तो कभी रुलाती है; 
पर जो हर हाल में खुश रहते हैं, 
जिंदगी उनके आगे सर झुकाती है।

चेहरे की हंसी से हर गम चुराओ; 
बहुत कुछ बोलो पर कुछ ना छुपाओ;
खुद ना रूठो कभी, पर सबको मनाओ;
राज़ है ये जिंदगी का बस जीते चले जाओ।

रामू चायवाला भी दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री के पद की दौड़ में है

शायद आपको याद हो नरेंद्र मोदी ने प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह को हाल में ही इस बात के लिए लताड़ा था कि उन्होंने अमेरिका जा कर ओबामा के सामने देश कि गरीबी का रोना रोया है। यानि कि गरीबी कि मार्केटिंग की है। परन्तु मोदी खुद भी अपने ज़्यादातर भाषणों में अपने भूतकाल  के चायवाले बैकग्राउंड की चर्चा करना नहीं भूलते। क्या इसे किसी तरह की मार्केटिंग कहा जा सकता है?

खैर मोदी के भाषणों का असर चायवालों कि बिरादरी पर हो गया है और उन्होंने एक नयी पार्टी, चायवाला पार्टी, बना ली है। इस पार्टी के अद्यक्ष रामू भी ४ दिसंबर को होने वाले दिल्ली विधान सभा के चुनावों में शीला दीक्षित, हर्षवर्धन एवं अरविन्द केजरीवाल की तरह मुख्यमंत्री के पद की दौड़ में हैं।  यह बात मुझे तब पता चली जब मैंने दिल्ली विश्विद्यालय के कैंपस में दो छात्रों को बात करते सुना। ये छात्र कुछ इस तरह बात कर रहे थे:

राहुल: चल नरेंद्र यार रामू की चाय पीने चलते हैं।

नरेंद्र: रामू की चाय अब नहीं मिलेगी।

राहुल: क्यों?

नरेंद्र: जब से रामू ने सुना है की मोदी जी कभी चाय बेचा करते थे तब से उसने अपनी दुकान बंद कर दी है। और एक नयी पार्टी, चायवाला पार्टी, बना ली है।

राहुल: अरे उसे तो बहुत समर्थन मिल सकता है। दिल्ली में जगह-जगह तो चायवाले हैं और लाखों लोग उनसे चाय  पीते हैं।

नरेंद्र: यार, जिस तरह से रामू भाषण देता फिर रहा है और लोगों को आकर्षित कर रहा है, वह मुख्यमंत्री बन सकता है।

राहुल:  क्या कहता है भाषण में?

नरेंद्र: कल कमला मार्केट में अच्छी-खासी भीड़ के सामने आग्रहपूर्वक कह रहा था: "भाइयों और बहनों, मैं भी चाय बेचता हूँ मुझे देश की न सही कम से कम दिल्ली की सेवा करने का मोका दीजिये।"

राहुल:  क्या रामू ने कोई चुनावी वायदे किये?

नरेंद्र: हाँ कह रहा था कि अगर मैं दिल्ली का मुख्यमंत्री बना तो हर दिल्ली वाले को रोज़ दो चाय मुफ्त मिलेगी। वह भी पानी की नहीं, दूध में पती वाली चाय मलाई मार के।

राहुल: उसने यह नहीं कहा कि साथ में फेन और मट्ठी भी देगा?

नरेंद्र: हाँ यही बात एक बन्दे ने भी रामू से पूछी थी।  

राहुल:  तो रामू क्या बोला?

नरेंद्र: रामू बोला चाय कि तो मेरी पक्की गारंटी है।  फेन-मट्ठी के लिए केंद्रीय सरकार से पूछना पड़ेगा।

राहुल: चलो यार, रामू को जिताओ। दूध पती वाली चाय मिलेगी मलाई मार के। 

नरेंद्र: रामू ने यह भी कहा कि आप प्लास्टिक के पिद्दी-पिद्दी कप में चाय पीना भूल जाओगे। स्टील का बड़ा गिलास मिलेगा आधा भर के। इस पर एक बन्दे ने कहा, "आप फेन-मट्ठी नहीं देंगे, कम से कम  चाय तो गिलास भर के दीजिये।"

राहुल: तो रामू क्या बोला? 

नरेंद्र: वह बोला इसके लिए मुझे केंद्रीय सरकार से पूछना पड़ेगा। देखिये आप मेरी मजबूरी समझिये। में केंद्रीय सरकार से सम्बन्ध ख़राब नहीं कर सकता। आखिर मुझे भी पांच साल सरकार चलानी है।

राहुल: यार बात तो समझदारी की कर रहा है।

नरेंद्र: अब रामू की बात बहुत हुई।  चल जल्दी से माल रोड चलते हैं। आज चाय सैंडविच खिलाने की तेरी बारी है।

राहुल: मैं कहाँ मना कर रहा हूँ। मेरा मन तो रामू की दूध पती मलाई वाली चाय पीने का कर रहा है।

नरेंद्र: रामू की चाय जब मिलेगी तब मिलेगी, आज तो तू जेब ढीली कर.

राहुल: चल तू भी पैसे खर्च करवा के ही मानेगा।


तो इस तरह नरेंद्र और राहुल एक दुसरे के कंधे पर हाथ रखे हुए माल रोड कि और बढ़ चलते हैं।

अगर आप भी रामू की दूध पती मलाई वाली चाय पीना चाह्ते हैं तो ४ दिसंबर रामू को वोट देना नो भूलें। 

JISKA DAR THA WAHI HUA... feeling sorry for AAP

I begin with the following excerpt taken from my email sent to India Against Corruption on August 6, 2012 (about 15 months ago) when some members of Team Anna had decided to form a political party but the formation of AAP was still 4-5 months away:

"I wish to draw Team Anna’s attention to the following famous quote: Power corrupts. Absolutely power corrupts absolutely. In the context of this quote, I think Team Anna’s decision to turn themselves into a political outfit is fraught with serious adverse consequences for their anti-corruption crusade… Anna ji and a bunch of his loyalists can remain honest all their life. But, can they guarantee that the candidates they would choose for fighting polls would also prove to be diehard anti-corruption crusaders?"

The above excerpt, if seen in the light of the clippings of some AAP candidates’ alleged corrupt behaviour which were shown on social media yesterday (Nov 21), proves my fears right. Actually, I believe if fighting corruption is a mission of a bunch of people being supported by a few lakhs Delhiites, it won’t succeed. Particularly if you are a new party trying to eradicate corruption by ‘sweeping’ established parties by your 'jhadu’ (broom) out of reckoning. After all, not all the leaders in the BJP and Congress are corrupt. And, those who are corrupt can go to any extent to harm you.

Politics is like a “koyle ki kothri jisme Manmohan Singh jaisa imandaar aadmi bhi kala nazar aata hai.” As far as corruption and chai-pani culture are concerned, I don’t think that even BJP’s star CMs Narendra Modi, Shiv Raj Singh Chohan and Raman Singh can claim that they have banished these evils from their states.

The most important requirement to fight corruption effectively is the political consensus at the national level on the ways to fight corruption. And, then the strong will of bureaucrats and you and me to ensure that the political consensus leads to desired results. 

If your heart really beats for anti-corruption crusade then please do not follow shortcuts to get your work done in govt offices. 

Anna is right in questioning Kejriwal

In the morning’s post (‘Corporate Bank Politics’), I had written, “Though I do not agree with certain aspects of the AAP poll campaign…” As today Anna Hazare has asked Arvind Kejriwal whether the donations (collected during Anna’s 16-day fast in August 2011 at Delhi’s Ram Lila Maidan) are being used for poll purposes, I also wish to state my reservations about the AAP poll campaign.

Please have a look at this excerpt from my letter emailed to India Against Corruption 18 months ago following the decision of some Team Anna members to form a political party to fight corruption. At that time formation of the Aam Aadmi Party was still 4-5 months away.

The excerpt: “I think we can effectively challenge a system from outside. Once we become part of the system, we become prone to do compromises on our stated principles or agenda for surviving in that system.  Needless to say, Team Anna as a political outfit would need a comfortable majority to enact laws, which, as things stand today, is a Himalayan task to muster. Obviously, to succeed in the numbers game, they would have to compromise with their anti-corruption agenda…” 

Now, after observing the behaviour of AAP over the last one year, I think the party has done compromises to survive in the political system. I won’t go into the AAP funding because going by the AAP claims in the media, I only know that they have collected about Rs 19 crore from common Indians and NRIs. My reservations on the AAP poll campaign are as follows:

1. Long ago Anna Hazare had clarified to Arvind Kejriwal that AAP would not use his name in the poll campaign. But Anna's name is the fulcrum of the AAP poll campaign. 
2. AAP has painted Delhi black and white, claiming that it would pass Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill on December 29 after coming to power in Delhi. Anna has rightly questioned AAP on this claim because Anna's Bill was meant to be passed by the Union govt not by a State govt. (I think AAP also wants to take advantage of people's emotions attached with Dec 29, the day Delhi Braveheart died last year.) 
3. In some AAP posters, the sentence "5 saal ki gudiya ko bachaya" (He saved a five-year-old innocent girl) is written below Kejriwal’s picture. Adjacent to his picture there is a picture of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who is blamed for the rising crimes against women. I found it in bad taste that Kejriwal, who claims to be a selfless leader, is asking votes in the name of a five-year-old innocent rape victim. 
4. No political party in Independent India has used huge posters to claim its victory on the basis of opinion polls commissioned by itself. But AAP has used autos and other strategic places to put big or small posters to claim that 41% Delhiites want Arvind Kejriwal to be Delhi CM and 46% Delhiites want AAP to form the govt. I think this is not an ethical way to mould people's opinion in your favour.  
5. Arvind Kejriwal hates the BJP and Congress in the same way as Narendra Modi hates the Congress. But in a democracy, particularly in the present times of coalition govts, you would need the Opposition's cooperation to complete legislative business. Otherwise House boycotts by the Opposition would paralyze your govt as has been happening with the minority Manmohan Singh govt for the past two years. 
6. Ironically, despite Kejriwal’s hate for BJP/Ccngress, AAP has fielded in Delhi polls about 10 candidates who in the past were associated with these parties. Interestingly, Kejriwal had gone on record in the media, saying AAP had asked its supporters’ views online about admitting BJP/Congress leaders. Then he told that AAP supporters had warned against admitting these leaders because ‘ye AAP ko kha jayenge.” Now, why this turnaround by AAP? Maybe, AAP will use these leaders as Vibhishanas to destroy the BJP/Congress Lankas!   
   
   

‘CORPORATE BANK POLITICS’

I’ve just coined this term. Let me clarify that it has nothing to do with the Corporate Bank. Actually, the context is the inquiry ordered by the Indian Government into the alleged foreign connection of Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) funds on the direction of the Delhi High Court given during a PIL hearing. Though I do not agree with certain aspects of the AAP poll campaign, I feel targeting only AAP is not proper. Wish the petitioner ML Sharma had broad-based his petition to know about the funding sources of big fishes like Congress and BJP. 

Now, I come to the term ‘corporate bank politics’. We are very much familiar with the ‘vote bank politics’ song of the Saffron brigade, which will  remain a chart buster till the 2014 battle is not over. But, we must also know that apart from votes, a candidate needs notes (money) for fighting and winning polls, which are taken care of by ‘corporate bank politics’.  

We have heard a lot about minority appeasement, but corporate appeasement is also a reality of our democracy. The simple reason is that there are no free lunches except those available in school mid-day meals. Saying it differently, no corporate would back a political party with its money just for charity. Any political investment from corporates materializes only when they had already been appeased or are sure of being appeased in future through favourable tweaking in govt policies.  

An ordinary voter, like you and me, may not get the benefits proclaimed in poll manifestoes in return for our votes, but corporates due to their sheer money power and in the name of development schemes always succeed in reaping huge gains from their money invested in political parties. 

It's fine for Narendra Modi to say that he wants to be the chowkidar (watchman) of India in Delhi. But here a million dollar question is: How would Modi say no to the corporates who are putting crores these days in organizing his hi-tech mega rallies? 

In contrast to BJP and Congress' banking on corporate money to fight polls, Arvind Kejriwal has collected money from the masses. This is a good step for cleansing politics. If he comes to power, this would enable him resist coporates pressuring govt for undue favours. In America also, political funding is quite transparent with special fund-raising dinners organized by political parties going to polls. We too can make political funding transparent and minimize indirect corporate influence on politics by exploring the idea of late Prime Minister VP Singh who had talked of govt financing poll expenses of candidates.

Once Advani called Manmohan ‘NIKAMMA’ and got a befitting reply, but now Manmohan’s silence and ‘inaction’ are hurting himself as well as AAM ADMI

In July 2008, BJP leader LK Advani as the Leader of Opposition had called Manmohan Singh as a ‘NIKAMMA’ (useless) Prime Minister during the debate on a no-trust a motion against the UPA-I govt. Then replying to the no-trust motion, Manmohan Singh had given a befitting reply (link given below) whose excerpts are as follows:

“The Leader of Opposition, Shri L.K. Advani has chosen to use all manner of abusive objectives to describe my performance. He has described me as the weakest Prime Minister, a nikamma PM, and of having devalued the office of PM. To fulfill his ambitions, he has made at least three attempts to topple our government. But on each occasion his astrologers have misled him…  All I can say is that before leveling charges of incompetence on others, Shri Advani should do some introspection. Can our nation forgive a Home Minister who slept when the terrorists were knocking at the doors of our Parliament? Can our nation forgive a person who single handedly provided the inspiration for the destruction of the Babri Masjid with all the terrible consequences that followed? To atone for his sins, he suddenly decided to visit Pakistan and there he discovered new virtues in Mr. Jinnah. Alas, his own party and his mentors in the RSS disowned him on this issue. Can our nation approve the conduct of a Home Minister who was sleeping while Gujarat was burning leading to the loss of thousands of innocent lives?...”

This strong reply presented Manmohan as an able PM and he received applause from the people as well as media. But for the last two years the country has seen a different Manmohan who has allowed himself to be painted by the vociferous Narendra Modi as a ‘man of no action’.  We all know that the scam charges, deserting political allies, rising prices of petroleum products, and gloomy world economic scenario have contributed to Manmohan’s woes. But when the poor and middle classes see the govt being unable to control even vegetable prices (which are not linked to dollar), they have no option but to consider the Manmohan govt as ineffective.

Media has time and again attributed the rise in onion prices to hoarding and black marketing of onions. Now I think hoarding and black marketing have also spread to other vegetables, like potato and tomato whose prices are also skyrocketing. It’s possible that many traders, having loyalty to the anti-Congress camp, may be resorting to these malpractices to paint the Manmohan govt in bad colours. But, to prove its sincerity for aam admi’s welfare, the Manmohan govt should have informed people regularly about its actions or its instructions given to state govts to check vegetables hoarding and black marketing.

I think Manmohan and  top Congress leaders very well know that the masses living with high inflation won’t care that UPA II is the first govt in Independent India, which acted against some of its own ministers and some members of high-profile political families, who were put behind bars for their alleged corrupt acts. They also know that people are facing hardships because of subsidy removal from petroleum products, which is a major factor of general price rise but is a good step to encourage judicious use of petroleum products and generate more resources for the exchequer.

But neither Manmohan nor top Congress leaders appear to be doing anything that would tell the aam admi that they understand his problems and want to help him. Have they already conceded defeat to Narendra Modi? 

Manmohan’s reply to no-trust motion: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-07-22/india/27927772_1_astrologers-home-minister-shri-advani

Intelligentsia’s ‘HISTORIC DECISION’ of Oct 2013, and ‘HONEST’ money making in politics

Noted columnist Vir Sanghvi has brought good news for Narendra Modi’s supporters in his article in today’s Hindustan Times (link given below). The very first para will make the hearts of Modi supporters dance with joy. The para reads: “When the history of this period of Indian politics is written, October 2013 will be remembered as the month when the intelligentsia and the commentariat decided that it was inevitable that Narendra Modi would become the next prime minister.”

Though Sanghvi has predicted Modi’s ascension to the PM chair, the latter’s supporters instead of thanking Sanghvi have criticized him left and right in the comments below his article on the HT website. The reason is they consider him and some other journalists as Congress spokesmen.  And, as usual the Ganhdis and poor Manmohan Singh also faced a lot of flak in these comments. Just comments of two bloggers as samples:

·         I have every doubt that Muck Mute Singh's brain transplantation has been secretly done to make him remote operated & programmable by his operators.

·         I'd vote Modi only if he promises to put Nehru-Gandhi clan, current UPA cabinet with PM in jail forever.

   

Now let me tell you about ‘honest’ money making in politics. According to an article in The Week (Nov 10, 2013), the assets of Chhatisgarh Chief Minister and some of his ministers have grown six fold since the last Assembly elections, that is, in just five years. Also, the ‘poorest’ candidate in the last elections with declared assets of Rs 20 lakh, today owns assets worth Rs 1 crore 4 lakh. I think Chhatisgarh ministers can help eradicate corruption from India if they come out with a ‘how to’ book on fast money making in politics ‘honestly’. I am sure after reading this book all Indian politicians as well as the masses will be able to make money fast without indulging in corruption.

Vir Sanghvi article link: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news-feed/viewsvirsanghvi/a-great-sense-of-betrayal-why-india-feels-let-down-by-manmohan/article1-1150835.aspx

Praising ‘Pappu’ means inviting the ire of the largely anti-Rahul social media, but I will take the risk

Actually, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has started something in Youth Congress and NSUI, which if followed by THE CONGRESS ITSELF and other political parties in the country would help weed out criminals from politics and give more political power to people.

Before getting to the point, let me introduce you to ‘Governance Now’ (a fortnightly magazine) and FAME (an organization), and remind you of former Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh. The three-year-old magazine ‘Governance Now’ was founded by Adhikari brothers (Gautam and Markand, who own the SAB channel) and Anurag Batra to focus on governance issues and problems in India. Former Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh now heads the Foundation for Advanced Management of Elections (FAME) whose one aim is to promote internal democracy in political parties.

I take yet another digression to remind you of Rahul’s beehive speech at the CII in April last. In that speech Rahul had said that we the masses elect about 5000 MPs and MLAs. And, who could get elected as MPs and MLAs is decided by ONLY 200 TO 300 PEOPLE (the combined strength of ticket distributors in all parties). Then Rahul’s poser was, “…How can we talk about anything if just 200 people are defining those Vidhan Sabhas and Parliament?”

Now, coming to the topic, I refer to an article (link given below) in ‘Governance Now’ (Oct 16-31 2013 issue) that links FAME with Rahul, Youth Congress, and NSUI. After its formation about four-five years ago, FAME had written to all political parties to take its help in bringing internal democracy in them. However, no party sought FAME help. In other words, NO PARTY CARES HOW DEMOCRATIC IT ITSELF IS. However, Rahul sought FAME help in conducting regular elections to Youth Congress and NSUI units in all the states. Before accepting Rahul's request, FAME put the condition that “it would have the last word on all matters". Rahul agreed. And, for the last three years, FAME has been supervising Youth Congress/NSUI elections. In some cases the kin of some top Congress leaders were disqualified for rules violation but Rahul kept his word and did not intervene.

FAME has strict rules regarding selection of candidates for internal party polls. Not only convicted persons but even the persons charged with offences punishable with imprisonment up to five years can’t stand for elections. Violation of campaigning rules can also nullify a person’s nomination.

Rahul’s aim is to start selecting party leaders from booth level to district level, state level and national level through a truly internal democratic process with no scope for para-dropping leaders boasting of family connections. To underline the significance of this exercise, the slogan 'Neta bano, neta chuno' has been coined. This way Rahul would make it sure that ONLY 200 TO 300 PEOPLE do not get to decide who could be our MPs or MLAs. 

Rahul has given himself ten years to bring complete internal democracy in Congress. When Prof Jagdeep Chhoker, founding member of Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) asked him about the possibility of his failure in this task, then Rahul replied, "I will walk away and somebody else will have to do it." 

I wish Rahul success because it would help him shake off the dynasty baggage and make Congressmen look beyond a Gandhi.

‘Governance Now’ article link: http://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/how-rahul-our-insider-system