The aftereffects of the wave

Abusing others with ostentatious remarks has gone fishing from the media. The outbound language is tracing the path like a boomerang and unable to hold the Boomerang, or, not knowing how to handle it, is playing havoc, and the reacting leaders are either shown the door, or, are being reined in, or, reprimanded sternly.

Some call it retrospect, some introspection, some review, and yet some reinventing and rejuvenating the party; but, I call it the aftereffects of a severe storm that pervaded India for more than a year. As the new small plants are uprooted in a thunderous hailstorm so have been several parties in the just concluded elections. Some are sulking; some are frowning; some are licking their wounds; some are calling meetings after meetings to give solace to each other; but, everyone of them is dying for an issue which will bring all the decimated and severely wounded parties back to the media glare.

The HRD minister's qualification issue, article 370 and several other issues may be seen as an effort to divert the new government's attention from the core issues India is facing now--by the bruised leaders. After all, such behavior is expected from those who have lost their ground--devoid of their lifesaving bread and butter.

Those whose space in the political arena have been snatched, or those who have been maimed, or those who have been bundled to single digit number of seats in the Lower House in the Parliament should understand it clearly that the new generation is now sizable and are conscious enough to differentiate between the opportunists and the deliverables, and the faster they will mend their ways of a constructive politics, the quicker will their recovery; otherwise they may start counting their days for an unceremonious egress from the Indian politics; or, the only option left to them will be--coalesce--which has already made its presence felt in Bihar: but, until when such blending will sustain is to be seen. The ephemeral 'Third Front' is still fresh in our mind and what happened to it is not a rocket science.

Thankfully, the new PM has been a ground worker, and is well aware of the designs the opportunists and the silver spooned play. So, let's treat the hiccups in opposition camp as mere entertainment material for the news media; and hope that Mr Modi and his team will certainly deliver at a brisk pace, because he knows that the timely delivery on all fronts will not only erase some regional parties from the national scene,but will give his party a decisive edge over others and a possibility of faring well in the states also, which will go to the hustings shortly; and no doubt Uttar Pradesh needs an urgent and decisive attention.

Careful steps are the need of the hour

So, the change has occurred at last in Indian politics; NDA government is back with a bang. The record breaking performance of the BJP in the general election--first time full majority by any non-congress party--was welcomed by much awe from all quarters; and its performance has left it dumbfounded itself.

But, the real test for the new government has started from the day one. Given full mandate by the people,  great expectations now lies on its shoulders. The new government will have to deliver timely on several issues--the issues which has given it such a landslide victory; inflation, graft and apathy--despite a lot of edge giving Bills by the previous government[sic]. The new government will have to deliver on several fronts simultaneously and with a sublime pace.

Prioritising the government's intentions should be taken care of carefully. Those parties which were decimated in the general elections are licking their wounds and are sulking. So, they will be vying for any slackness of the new government very eagerly; for, it will give them new grounds to reinvent themselves. But, cleaning the government of the ills remains the Augean stable for the new government.

The eternal cougher, the arrogant politicians, the feigning secularists, the opportunists and the thugs, all have been maimed this time; and there will be no leg pulling. The triumvirate of the dames have their role cut this time; and only mustering the majority in the Upper House(the Rajya Sabha) in case of policy making remains an Achilles heels for the new government; but, the NDA does have some astute strategists who can and will muster the majority as and when the need demands.

Thankfully, the new premiere has a proven record of delivering in governance; and neglecting the disruptions and brouhaha by the opposition parties--which is none in the parliament this time--the new government should pace its steps on pussyfooting but with a great pace. Then only the motif of change will be meaningfully and effectually materialised. The economy, foreign policy, relations with the neighbours, job creation, and inflation; all have set their hopeful eyes on the new government. Let's hope that everything will have its good times ahead barring the cougher and the blabber.

BSNL-disconnecting India

Do you own a BSNL landline in India ? Then you must have gone through the nasty and irritating  unwanted commercial calls. BSNL; once a leader in telecommunication saw a nosedive slump in its customer base in the first decade of the twenty first century; and after the invasion and penetration of mobile technology it is on a ventilator waiting for its certain death.

Thanks to INTERNET, which gave it a new life; and BSNL again is on a path of recovery. The cheap tariffs and impeccable pace, along with the customer care system is giving this 'Navratna' company a face-lift again.

But, there enters the commercial calls segment. This segment is so frustrating that if you will say no to the caller, or request him not to call you again they will threaten you of dire consequences. The BSNL database system is so easily accessible that they know your address and they threaten with your address and you are left only to fume on the BSNL data theft.

Although the government has enacted few laws to save the BSNL customers from these unwanted calls; but, untill the BSNl will stand to safeguard its database, it is nearly impossible. The BSNL telephone numbers are available at 3000 numbers per hundred rupees. Untill the moles in the BSNL--who indulge in selling the numbers for petty gains--are brought to book, BSNL can't give its customers a safe environment and peace of mind. Let's hope that this blog reaches to the persons in charge of decision making process of BSNL; and they take appropriate steps to lengthen the life, not shorten the death of BSNL landlines in India.

And the tranquility prevails

With the end of the campaigning for the last phase of the on-going election process; the long and tedious electioneering for the sixteenth Lok Sabha come to its fag end. The barbs, the miscues, the jabs, the interpretations and the misinterpretations all took a semicolon in all forms of media. And the  media specially TV seems imbued and exhausted in covering such a huge election process: the full stop being reserved for sixteenth May scenario.

All involved, barring the officials entrusted with carrying the last phase successfully, will be cooling their heels now. The political class will soon see infusion of fresh camaraderie all over India. But, the scene of serenity may take an ugly turn if no one gets a clear majority. And the hue and cry will again resurface with the jibes.

But, for the time being let's celebrate the peaceful and successful completion of the election process, and enjoy the tranquility and peace in and around ourselves. The government making process will begin after sixteenth of May, but the Sensex has announced something favorable by kissing the 23000 mark. Let's hope that the Sensex will quit its serial kisser image and move on to continuously moving path without vacillations; and Indian economy will follow suit.

The corroding pillar

The secret love affair of a senior leader ate up all the time and space in the media last week; the bomb blast in Chennai, Tamilnadu or the pogrom in Kokrajhar, Assam although found a minuscule mention in the fourth page of newspapers; the selfies and the barbs got ample time and space, news like the blast got little or no coverage on news networks; because there were no sponsors for these news, I think. The Center sponsored channels did their ritual routine job, and the devastating incidents came into light as a not-so-important event. Isn't it a live example and testimony to the fact that the fourth pillar of democracy has corroded up to a devastating degree in India? and is in need of a overhaul?

After the TV channels mushroomed in 1990s; it was feared then that in order to survive and do business, few will choose the sensationalizing route, few will squander from their path of proper and authentic information, few will mean only business, and few will commercialize this fourth and important pillar of democracy by degrees; but, few will stick to the basic fabric of news and broadcasting design. Today, this pillar of democracy is in dire situation, needing an essential and life-saving overhaul.

The breaking news scenario, where an incident of a little value is sensationalized like a hot cake; the scandals are given a fair treatment--a TRP raising legerdemain--but, a news of national importance finds no mention. Who is to blame for this paradigm-shift? The policy makers, the regulators, the viewers, or the owners? Isn't it a time to think about their proper regulation? where every channels are compelled to comply with the minimum decorum required to be categorized as a news channels?--failing which, they will be devalued or thrown out of the news broadcasters domain?

Ironically, for most of the players in this field, their prerogative and protocol runs supreme, and making profit is their primary goal. Regulation of these channels was taken few years back by the central agency, but the guild of News and Broadcasting Association is so strong that it thrashes every effort of taming them. Today, they make and destroy a personality, party and even a government instantly by the simple trick of character assassination. After every news, they take a commercial breaks. Who will tell these actors, saviour and guards of democracy that they are corroding at a much greater pace; and its time now to think of their role in society seriously. Then only the necessary protection from corrosion will be taken, and those who have fallen astray will come back to their defined routes. But, for this to happen and materialize a stern policy is the need of the hour and those showing non-adherence to it, face severe penalties. Thank God! there are few players in this field, due to whom this important pillar of democracy survives, and are respite for the viewers.