Monday, July 22, 2013

Bread and Circuses : Congress strategy to stay in power

Have you seen the movie Gladiator? If yes, you remember the fights in Colosseum. Before every fight (Circus) starts, you must have observed food (Bread) being distributed to audience before the fights.
There is one more fact behind it which was not shown in the movie. This was organised for 10 days to appease the voters, and kept it just before the elections happened! Rome had done so great research on the Rome public that, after 10 days of Bread and Circuses, most public was brainwashed of past misrule. And when the election was held, they almost always voted for the same senate. This political strategy of the level of scoundrels, is described as Bread and Circuses by Roman Poet, Juvenal.

Congress has very well learnt this strategy and also achieved very high level of expertise in this strategy of Bread and Circuses.
NREGA started implementation in 2005, picked up speed in 2007, and peaked in 2008. Huge number of labor class was given money for doing almost no work. AND... Labor class, obviously, voted for Congress in 2009. (The horrendous consequences of this on labor force of India and how it ruined our manufacturing/agricultural sector is another serious issue as well)
Anecdote: I remember my father talking to one of the road contractors, here in my colony. He said 'we were told in 2003 by BJP leadership that work as fast as possible to complete the golden quadrilateral. If the government is changed in 2004, you never know if the project will be taken seriously by Congress and cannot guarantee your money'. That's the reason that about 3/4ths of the work of National Highways was completed in NDA rule. In last 10 years under UPA rule, this project is not yet complete. You know the reason why? because highway work was under NREGA. Remember? No work was done for money given to labor class. It was money given to voting class for free. And if this goes on for long, the Nehru Rate of Growth* of under 5% is not a distant reality.

Now, in the lines of treasury looting MNREGA, Food Security Bill (FSB) is being introduced. We can certainly expect lower class to Vote for Congress in coming elections; and also many poor souls, who will bear the brunt of FSB by paying higher taxes, but who are made to believe that Congress is the Secular Party (The very concept of Congress being secular cracks me up - people certainly do not know the meaning of Secular in India).
Please check this video which was aired in 2009 before elections and compare it with present scenario. Still have doubts as to Who to Vote For? I guess this should give you enough idea as to WHO NOT TO VOTE FOR?!?



* Congress called GDP growth of under 5% as Hindu rate of growth, but I prefer calling it Nehru rate of Growth. Because people of Hindustan under rule of an Idiot was what made us grow at such slow pace. 


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Skoda Auto India - Sub standard car manufacturer

I had bought a Skoda Fabia Classic 1.4 TDI* on 13th May 2010 from JMD dealer in Thane, Maharashtra. 

The AC had once stopped working after less than a year I had bought the Car. However, compressor was replaced by JMD Skoda Sakinaka (Andheri, Mumbai) workshop.# 

Since then, the AC was working fine. We have also done all the servicing and regular car check ups. However, recently the AC has again started malfunctioning. Its been only 2 years since the AC was replaced by your 
workshop. 
I had given my car for check up yesterday at Bhandup workshop of JMD and I just got a call from there that Compressor is not working and it needs replacement. It is OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Was it that already defective part was replaced. Or Skoda parts last at the most 2 years?! 

There have been various things that needed replacement, by the way. I have replaced the inner assembly of wiper. Not the wiper, the inner assembly of it. I own santro for last 9 years and I have not yet replaced that. We owned Maruti Zen for 6 years and never even heard of that. We also had to change the Aux-In of a car stereo. The  knob for setting of rear view mirror is also snapped from inside. The Plastic parts in interior are brittle and easy to break :). 
Trust me, Skoda (India) is a blot in the name of European standard. 

The biggest irony is that recently, I have been getting calls from Skoda dealer for buying their newly launched Car. It was sort of an LOL moment for me. Seriously, I am not buying Skoda car again. Not with the kind of indifference and customer care that they have.

*Details of my Car: 
Registration No: MH 04 EH 347
Chassis No: TMBAED5J6AG012449
Engine No: BNM403160

#
The invoice details of replaced compressor are as follows: 
Invoice No: JMD07-000620
Dt: 17- May-2011
Part Number: 6Q0820411K

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Science... Jainism...

Discovery of Neutrinos, in CERNs Large Hadron Collider, being faster than light by 20 parts per mn raises a lot of anxieties in mind. Over a 100 years, we strongly believed that light is the fastest traveller. That belief been shaken. The barrier has been broken - the barrier of our minds! And somehow this discovery brings out a lot of topics afresh, apart from various laws like e=mc^2. I would rather talk about Jainism rather than Physics as I have lost hang of Science after 2 years at Infosys, 2 at B-school, and more than 1 in Business - after my engineering.

Jainism* has mentions of 'અનંતા' and 'અસંખ્યાતા' (Infinity) in its scriptures as existing reality in nature, whereas Science describes it only as imaginary and meaningless. Neutrinos does point out the limitations of Humans when it comes Science knowledge. I would never say that Jainism beats Science, with discovery of Neutrinos. In fact, Jainism can help Science to progress. It can show the way, point to the right path, direct scientists to the right line of thought!

Discovery of neutrinos, as I said, breaks the barrier of mind and it tells us that Neutrinos may not be the limit. There could be something beyond Neutrinos- faster than that, may be infinite times faster, has infinite power, may neither be matter nor antimatter - a 'matterless omnipotent' , as described in Jainism as Soul!

*Jainism is just one representative of the Spiritual thoughts in my mind, and  there are various philosophies/religion that have mention of Soul and other theories that I mentioned above. 

Friday, August 26, 2011

Feel sad when JanLokPal will benefit Those…


Those who told Anna’s movement is holding government to ransom and Anna should take a more rational approach, without knowing how long is 42 years of time for a bill to pass. Most, who told so, were not even 42 years old.

Those who told Anna’s movement is undemocratic, without knowing the numbers that make up for a win or a lose in a democracy. Did they know that UPA hardly got a vote of 25% of the total voting population, whereas at least a 50% of whole India supported Anna?

Those who told that Anna’s JanLokPal is extreme without having any significant knowledge about What Government’s Lokpal is, What Jan LokPal is or the implications of both!? Or for that matter, did not even know what they wanted from a certain Anti-Corruption bill.

Those who told Anna’s movement will set a wrong precedent of going on Fast, without knowing that there are hundreds of Fast Protests all around India for different causes and hardly anyone got the strength that Anna got. Did they really think that everyone who wants something from country will go on a fast and will get that kind of support? If I’d go on a fast to abolish Income tax, did they think I will get a 2 lakh people supporting my cause? Did they even think twice before making such a statement?!

Those who told Anna is very rigid, without knowing that it was Anna team which compromised in April to a great extent. And what did Anna get – A Lokpal bill! (ohh, I am sorry, how would they get it. Hardly any of Those have actually read the Lokpal Bill). And it was Anna Team which was more than ready to get into Dialogue again in August and again what did they get – A typical Congress Hypocrisy: Promise on one day and a U-turn on the very next- twice in 4 days now.

Those who told that Anna’s Lokpal was 5 member bill, without knowing that Anna’s Team travelled the length and breadth of India meeting 3000 officers, scholars and experts on bureaucracy to gather the points on draft. Every effort was made to make the draft strong, feasible and foolproof (But wait, they have not even read the draft!)

Those who told that Anna’s being unreasonable and should give some more time to parliament to discuss the JLP without knowing that No Bill Ever passed in Parliament has taken more than 4 days of debate! Anna and Team gave them 14 days!

Those who told vehemently that Anna is not being fair, without even realizing that they were indirectly supporting the government in saying so. That government which was set out to ruin India. 

(And I feel sad because I am selfish, with a feeling of revenge, and that's what makes Anna different than all of us.. coz, he is fighting for future of  unknown Indians)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Support Anna Hazare-Powai Movement - 21st Aug '11

Rally in support of Anna Hazare's fast at Ramlila maidan demanding JanLokPal bill to be put up and passed in parliament. A procession was carried on 21st Aug 2011, in and around Hiranandani Gardens, Powai starting at Powai Plaza and taking a full circle to eventually end at Powai Plaza.


At the Beginning (Powai Plaza)

'Me Anna Hazare' :)

Reached Galleria (6.30 PM)

Galleria again

pass karo, pass karo.. Janlokpal Pass karo :)

VIDEOS




Saturday, August 20, 2011

Support Anna Hazare-Powai Movement Part 2


19th August was a little better than 16th Aug. Probably due to two reasons - weekend eve and Anna Hazare going strong even on the 4th day of his fast. It looks like Anna checkmates government on every move that the government takes and then gives the government one more life. Anna surely has some superb political advisers.

Getting back to the movement at Powai, we reached a little late at Galleria and the group had already gone ahead with the rally. There were 7 of us with a lot more candles. Still, we lit as many candles and shouted some slogans. Many passer by gave a look at us, acknowledging our effort by slowing down in their walking speed. However there was that shyness among people to join us, so I would like to let people know that this FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION is not Private or limited to any class or caste of people. It is For all Indians, By all Indians.

It took some effort from our side to invite people in our protest (slogans), and when we parted there were 40 people at the end. 

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Support Anna Hazare - Powai Movement.


We moved around Hiranandani holding banners today at 9AM. Starting from Lake Castle Stone fountain, we walked towards Dmart. We stood there for half an hour, shouting slogans in support of Anna Hazare-ji and against Corruption. We also burned the government's copy of Toothless Lokpal Bill (Jokepal).

Though the response was meek to begin with, a few people joined in as we moved around, including Job-goers, daily wage workers and auto drivers. We had started spreading the message only a night day before, so there was not enough strength in number of people. We are planning a more organised morcha in a couple of days. 


Visit this space for more info or contact me.
 



my twitter id - @malaylakhani