I am preparing to get back on the blog :)

So, finally I logged in to this....I guess my writing instinct got the better of me....
Lots and lots of interesting things to write about....
But, I will start with the Varun Gandhi episode in India....

Now, as we all know...just the mention of that last name can give rise to a lot of emotions in India. But, as I have researched, Varun Feroze Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi (his mom) are more like outsiders, sharing nothing more than that last name with the more prosperous rest of the family. The funny thing is that he has been labeled the BJP's "Gandhi". Now, I have no intentions of projecting myself as a right wing activist or a left wing conservative or for that matter any political stereotype. I am just an ordinary observer with no loyalties to either the Congress or the BJP.

Ok, so what did the guy do? He used his "freedom of speech" - which is still a citizen's right as stated by the Indian Constitution, to insult and ridicule a minority community. So then obviously the minority has the right to be upset - but as we observe, more and more of the mainstream political community is showing to be more upset than those that were insulted in the first place! A typical opportunistic trait of the Indian politician or for that matter any politician ;)

I am not sure if the Election Commission rules state that one cannot use derogatory language in public speeches, but even if they do, the penalties can be dealt with under the great Indian "understandability" system - isn't that how we usually have a government last for 5 years in power? Again, this will be the same election commission that was itself embroiled in a controversy not too long ago over its leadership and corruption until the Supreme court intervened. All the horse trading, all the power politics, all the corruption is forgiven then (cuz its in favor of the ruling coalition a.k.a. UPA or United Progressive Alliancce - I truly don't see anything progressive about it)....but if someone truly expresses his feelings and emotions to his electorate - ohh thats a crime!

Then there is the issue of how a Gandhi family person can be so right wing and bashful? the answer is simple...he is not supposed to be the flag bearer of the Gandhi family....that privilege belongs to Mr. Rahul, who apparently has only been seen folk dancing with his constituents, as the highlight of his campaign.

Now I don't know whatever happened to that "secularism" ideal we were harping on after 26/11, but suddenly that seems like a farce too. Considering that the IPL security situation and the re-scheduling have shown to the world that a rising "super-power" like India neither has the spine nor the resources to manage two security objectives at the same time. It has once again proven the unwillingness of the Indian politician to put country and national pride before internal squabbling.

Another important thing I want to mention is the issue of cash distribution during the recent holi festival, as adopted by some political parties for a cheap publicity stunt. Ok, first its a shame. But secondly, the justification given by Mr. Amar Singh (the bane & burden of Indian politics) is that its a traditional offering made to performers for holi. The man couldn't justify it but still tried to show himself as the purest of the pure! This was followed by reports of many other politicians using the same tactics in order to gain some cheap points with the public.

Anyway, I don't think it should be a punishable crime cuz few months ago there was TV footage of bundles of cash and suitcases full of cash being exchanged in the Parliament (yes, the holiest of places in any government - ours is now converted into a bazaar), during a crucial vote. That was politicians paying politicians. At least in this holi episode, it was politicians paying the public - how often do we get that ehh? :)