Congress, good riddance

“India has won.  Good days are coming again”, tweeted  a beaming and victorious Narendra Modi.

The Congress touched its lowest ever tally in the 16^th Lok Sabha election, raising  serious questions about its political future.  The party failed to open its account in some states and could not reach the double digit in any state.  The 128-year old party has been pulverised, the results corroborating it as a rejection of “dynastic politics”.  The last nail has been hammered on the coffin of the Congress party’s brand.  People showed that they can be ruthless in punishing erring parties.  The Congress party is synonymous with corruption.  On the poll day, the people dutifully discharged their electoral obligations, remembering  2G scam, coalgate, CWG scam, DLF-Vadra scam …. the list is long.

The BJP has finally become an all-India party, winning seats all over the country on its own, not in just a few states.

The Sonia Gandhi’s Congress fought this LS polls not to win, but attempted more on a negative agenda – to prevent Modi  from becoming the PM.  They also mistakenly believed that the Advani-Modi fraction will play to its political gain.  They did not show anything to convince about development, containing inflation and job creation. 

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination over two decades ago created sympathy wave for his widow Sonia Gandhi.  No such tragedy happened this LS polls.  The Nehru-Gandhi label has lost its sheen in India.  This election has recorded more of youth electorate, for many of whom Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi are mere historical figures, and for others also it becoming a distant memory. 

It is also not surprising that Rahul Gandhi, given his political IQ, is unable to bring any significant impact for the Party in the recent polls.

The anti-corruption movement initiated by Anna Hazare and subsequent emergence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) firmly generated the anti-Congress mood.  The 2G scam (2010) triggered the momentum for the impending disaster.  The think-tanks of the Party failed to foresee the writings, let alone take any corrective measures.  They sucked and looted India like parasites.

 A serious wake-up call

It calls for a forthright introspection.  If you think of internal reforms, this is the first reform: Self-critique.  The party is rudderless.  When you are routed in an election so badly as the Congress has been, you might not even see yourself in the Opposition. “Enough was enough” is the resounding message of the people.  A BJP victory can be synonymously dished out as Congress decimation.  Interestingly, the verdict says it loud and clear that no price is to be paid to any LS Member to help forming a government. 

If Modi, in the next  5 years, doesn’t commit any blunders, even if he doesn’t do anything good to the nation, it will be good enough to bury the “dynastic party” to its abysmal depth.

The political role of the Indian National Congress must have been long over.  Mahatma Gandhi demanded this soon after India attained independence.  The Congress today is only a fake avatar of the original Congress party of stalwarts and freedom fighters.  Sadly, the bankruptcy of Congress has seen to it that it had to rely on foreign origin, once led by Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and the likes.

Can new leaders be created?

Is “Charismatic Priyanka” , wife of the land baron who is the very definition of cronyism, the answer for the future  of the Party?  That opens up a bigger debate.  If yes, will it tantamount to undermining the Rahul’s role?    Rahul Gandhi, probably a boy was sent to do a man’s job?  The Gandhian appeal, name and dynasty suddenly and instantly crumbled.  Or, Congress sans dynasty can make a better equation?  Or does the equation opens up a choice of a defunct outfit?

Let the national party sit in the Opposition for a full term and contemplate on quality governance.  A tall ask, of course.  For the Congress, the task is to rediscover itself.  One way is the Party must cooperate in the House.  A rethink from the Party’s perspective is certainly warranted, urgently. 

If you see in a different perspective, the Congress party has no worries about its future.  If Congress tows the Nehru dynasty, the party has no future and has no worries.  Whereas, if it builds up a new party independent of the Nehru family, then it needs to worry about how to contest and win the elections in the future.

It was arrogance to the extreme when the Congress President and Vice-President showed no respect or appreciation of Indian voters for their democratic maturity.  The two have clearly demonstrated that they don’t belong to this land. If any self-respecting Congressmen from the original Indian National Congress  is still left in the Party, he should file a petition with the Election Commission to bar the trio (Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka) from using the Congress name any further. Those who offered tea-boy’s job will have to stand in queue to apply for sweeper’s job in Modi’s office.

Mahatma Gandhi saw its birth.  It will be Sonia Gandhi who will be overseeing its demise.

It is a fall which will be good for the country. Amen.

                                                      ========

Also read:

http://kmurthy608.blogspot.in/2014/01/mani-shankar-aiyar-hosts-tea-party.html

http://kmurthy608.blogspot.in/2014/01/congress-then-and-now.html

Abdul Kalam calls for employment generators, not employment seekers

Interaction with students

“What is the one lesson you learnt as a student, teacher, scientist and President of India?” asked a student, AMC Engineering College, Bangalore.  “I will, I have to do many tasks.  During the tasks, I may get some problems, but I will not  allow the problems to be my captain.  I become the captain of the problems, defeat the problems and succeed” said Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

Another student queried: “I have three role-models in life – Sankaracharya, Swami Vivekananda and the third one is obviously yourselves.  Sir, behind every successful man there is a woman.  The irony is that all the three are bachelors … .“  A power-packed reply from the 83-year old legend in two words amid thunderous applause: “My mother.”

Regarding the expensive proposition of desalination of water as a solution to solve water scarcity raised by yet another student, Dr. Kalam suggested the use of “solar power” to keep it cost-effective.

If there is one man who is respected across all socio-economic strata of society in India, it is our former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Among the many speeches he delivered in his tenure as the president of the country, this one at AMC Engineering College, Bangalore in particular is powerful and inspiring for the younger student community . While Dr. Kalam needs no introduction, it was refreshing of Dr. T.N. Sreenivasa, the Principal, AMC Engineering College, to title the former President, in his welcome address,  as “the Missile-Man of India”.  

When you listen to Dr. Kalam, it tantamounts to reading a book.  So much is the clarity, so much is the audience-friendly, nay youth-friendly rapport he instantly generates. No wonder, during his term as President, he was affectionately known as the People's President. 

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Dr. Kalam asked the students if they would  go out with confidence when they leave the campus and exhorted the gathering to be “employment generators, not employment seekers.”  Take a vow – ‘I can do it, We can do it, India can do it.’  Dr. Kalam ensured he had the rapt attention of the student-audience till the end of his motivational talk on “Role of Youth in National Building” recently organized by the AMC Engineering College, Bangalore.

Criteria for achievement

Initiating his thoughts on the “ignited minds of the youth is the most powerful resource”,  Dr. Abdul Kalam listed the criteria for achievement.  He recalled his school days in his home-town Rameshwaram about how his teacher, Sivasubramanya Iyer radiated knowledge and led an example of purity of life.  The teacher would make a sketch of birds on the blackboard  and injected the vision “What I should be in life ….  Rocket engineer …. I started flying…”

Dr. Kalam urged the students to  have a great aim in life (small aim is a 'crime', he said with a twinkle), continuously acquire knowledge with hard work and perseverance.   

“I will fly.  I am born with potential, goodness, ideas, dreams, greatness, wings ….. I am not meant for crawling, I will fly” - a deafening applause greeted his inspiring message.

“What worked yesterday, will not work today” he emphasised.  Referring to his favourite book “Empires of the Mind” by Denis Waitley , he sought to highlight the significance of the new world we lived in. The contents of the title is a combination of knowledge, society and leadership.

Role of leadership

Narrating the role of leadership in a knowledge society, Dr. Kalam said,“Yesterday, natural resources were power.  Today it is knowledge.  While hierarchy was the model, it is synergy today. Leaders commanded yesterday, but they empower and coach today. Shareholders were first, now it is customers. Employees are replaced by teams. Seniority is outsmarted by creativity.  Today value is everything, while it was extra yesterday.  Everyone was a competitor, and everyone is a customer. Institutions will value feedback and action based on that.   Institutions have to imbibe the concept of work with integrity and succeed with integrity.” 

He succinctly puts that economic development is powered by competitiveness, which is powered by knowledge, technology, innovation and resource investment, adding that innovation is born out of creativity.  Creativity, he goes on, “comes from beautiful minds.” It can be anywhere and any part of the world.  It is multi-dimensional, has ability to imagine.

Dr. Kalam beautifully summarises “excellence” by saying that “they are not in competition with anyone else, but with themselves.”  “Reflect on what you would like to be remembered for and write down send your ideas me and I shall reply”.

Dr. Kalam also released “Innovision”, the College magazine.

Dr. K.R.Paramahamsa, Chairman, AMC-CITY Group of Institutions explained the salient features of the AMC Engineering College, Bangalore.  Established in the year 1993, AMC has been imparting quality and value-based education.  The institution has state-of-the-art academic environment in engineering and technology discipline.  “We have 55 Doctorates with us and has an impeccable placement record at 95% from 75 companies.  We don’t make any tall claim, but we are growing.  Our fee-structure is reasonable.  We have not taken any donation, loans and manage with our resources” said a beaming Paramahamsa.

Major Mukund, another name for sacrifice

Sorry for the interruption.  You are probably busy with your routine chores.  Or entangled with the ongoing  Lok Sabha polls. Or may be wondering why Mumbai Indians are displaying a pathetic show in the current IPL 7^th Edition.  The endless tirades and counter-tirades between Modi and Rahul.   Actor-Politician Siranjeev bids to jump the polling queue……

Major Mukund, the true hero

Spare a moment.  You may be aware of the recent news of the death of Maj. Mukund Varadarajan.  On 27/04/2014, the nation bid adieu to the brave Major Mukund. The 31-year old was at the call of duty, when he was killed in a terrorist encounter at Kashmir.  Unmindful of the hardships and dangers, he pursued the path of duty. A martyr, a hero, Maj. Mukund will be remembered for his great sacrifice.  He is a great source of inspiration for a selfless generation to come.

We all experience loss of somebody extremely dear at different times in our lives.  It was a touching moment when the martyr’s three-year old daughter, Arshreya, was asked to say “Good night and Good bye” to her father as the cortege left the house for the final abode.  A family broken apart.  Parents lost their beloved son, wife lost her loving husband and daughter lost her father.  The parents must be saluted for gifting the nation a brave son. It is perfectly understandable about the predicaments of the family.

“He was crazy about being in the Army and fighting from when he was three.  I have lost my son but I am proud he lay down his life for the country” reportedly said a composed R. Varadarajan, father of Major Mukund.

I, like many of my fellow citizens, owe my peaceful breathe to great souls like the Major Mukund, and  often taken for granted by many of us. 

Mr. Abdul Ghani, a social activist, is initiating a five-minute film as a tribute to Major Mukund depicting his selfless contributions to the nation, followed by prayers and eminent people addressing the family. The event will be held on 20/05/2014 at Chinmaya Mission, Chennai.

Tamilnadu should name an important junction in Chennai in memory of this brave hero so that the future generations will come to know about him and his selfless sacrifice to the cause of this nation.

Salute to the great officer who laid his today for our tomorrow.

May his soul Rest in Peace!

A word of anguish

Media could have bestowed a better coverage and prominence.  Crimes and scams always grab the headlines.  Sensationalism is the divine clause of the media in reserving the space.  In  fact the front page, of late, doesn’t belong to the newspaper front page, rather the entire page is sold to the advertisers.

A Heartrending Poem by Indhu Rebecca Varghese W/o. Major Mukund Varadarajan

There lived a man who loved me with all his heart...
There lived a man who fathered my child....
There lived a man who believed in integrity....
There lived a man who loved his profession....
There lived a man who never feigned to be a hero....
There lived a man who was my soul....
There lived a man with a heart full of generosity...
There lived a man who revealed all to me....
There lived a man who loved me with his life.....

But .....now I wait.....
for he is with god..
I know this for sure..
One day I will meet him...
I know this for sure...
And he will give me that warm strong hug of his
I know this for sure...
And I will not complain that I can't breath
I know this for sure
You can hug me..hug me all you want....

Cricket: Where is the gentleman?

We all know Kieron  Pollard is an aggressive all-rounder, a big-hitting middle-order batsman.  What we also found on Tuesday (06/05/2014) was that Pollard can use the bat for purposes other than cricket.  Aussies are notorious for sledging.  What really transpired?  What were the words used by Mitchell Starc?  Was there any racial slant? Probably, one has to wait for an investigation.  Will it be fair? 

Whatever, the most ugly spectacle and Pollard’s reaction is censurable.  Match Referee Andy Pycroft’s decision to fine 75% and 50% of the match fee on Pollard and  Starc respectively makes a blatant mockery of punishment instead of slapping a match ban on the two, if not more, for their on-field misadventure, as it is only well known that there is always someone ready to sponsor any misdeed.  The fine is akin to “pay something and get away”, rather, get ready to commit the next one, nay a bigger one.  After all, money facilitates buying and selling.  And that’s what is IPL is all about. 

Cricketer was earlier known as gentleman.  Today, however, he is known by different synonyms like sledger, fixer, thug, bully, crook, cheat …… 

Although named the “Gentleman’s game”, cricket’s reputation is frequently tarnished by smaller and larger incidents, that seriously threatened the integrity of the game.  Even street cricket shows better sportsmanship.When you nick it, you wait for the umpire to give a decision.  But when you nick it to first slip and you still wait.  Stuart Broad nicked the ball and was caught by the Australian Michael Clarke, but not by the umpire.  Broad didn’t walk off since the umpire did not see, but the rest of the world did.

English stars after their victorious Ashes series celebrated their victory by getting drunk on the Oval pitch and urinated on the wicket.  The players include Kevin Pieterson, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson who reportedly relieved themselves amid their team-mates cheering them on.  Most uncivilised behaviour by the English cricketers, where other great cricketers used to kiss the earth after creating records.  The same ground that gives them the pride and privilege to earn , it is shameful of them to indulge in such acts. It is depressing that Englishmen known for their value to tradition and culture should stoop to this abysmal perversion.

Apology or "fine" does not take away the disgrace and shame inflicted on the fair game.  It shows what respect they have for the sport they have opted to play. 

The intimidating environment on the field is becoming the key component in unsettling the opponent.  Andrew Symonds vs. Harbhajan Singh in the “monkey-gate episode” provided the ultimate disgust.  Sreesanth has set an example of an Indian cricketer who has gone well beyond the spirit of cricket both in terms of attitude and integrity.  Closely observe,  in most commentators’ views, “sledging” is  just about okay.  At times, we have to believe that Australians don’t just play to win, but more to play to defeat the opposition.

There is no doubt that some of these cricketers are world-class, but their “win-at-all-costs”  attitude lets them, and the game down.

The integrity of the game is already blotted by various events like bodyline bowling, underarm bowling, match-fixing, spot-fixing,  ball-tampering  ….  to name a few unfair ingredients.  Cricket has become business, after IPL.  It has provided a platform for money-laundering. We are in serious doubt if the matches we watch are fake games.

The pity nowadays is that those we think are heroes have been reduced to players we may scorn, notwithstanding their records as there will always be an element of doubt how they achieved their feats.  The  ‘money’  factor has made most participants strive for “performance” at any cost.  How  the owners of the teams react to the ugly behavior of their team players?  If administration is in the hands of businessmen and politicians, what else can you expect to deliver?  Money, ego and power alone control the game.  Do you need a better example than the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)?

Why not umpires be empowered to insist that players who sledge are removed from close-fielding positions if they exceed the acceptable levels, in the same way as a bowler who runs down the pitch can be removed from the attack?  This reminds, why did the match-referee not bring a charge of unsporting behaviour when Andrew Symonds in a match against India in 2008 for not walking when he boasted that he was well aware that he edged the ball?  Again, Murali Karthick in one of the IPL editions confessed that he edged the ball, but did not walk.  Players of this sort have set disgraceful examples to all youngsters following them. 

There was also the occasional other side.  G.R. Vishwanath recalled an Australian batsman (I don’t remember the name) when he thought that the umpire made an incorrect decision.  Let us revive the names of Garfield Sobers, Frank Worrel, Don Broadman, Courtney Walsh ….

There is no place for abusing and bullying.  It is high time the ICC  come out of its spineless state and handout some bans.  Perhaps, time to have more technology involved and have more scrutiny on the players.  Time to show that cricket is not a sport for bullies, but for gentleman.  Wishful thinking?

We would love to watch good cricket – Bat vs. Ball.  Asking for a little too much?

Read:
http://kmurthy608.blogspot.in/2012/08/book-mark-rahul-dravid-timeless-steel.html

Oh, My God!

I am not an atheist. By the experience of events surrounding me, I am messed up if I am agnostic. 

A few years ago, probably during 2005/2006, after I had dharshan at the Balaji temple, Tirumala Hills, I was moving along with my family in the free prasadh queue. (Prasadh is generally referred to edible food first offered to the deity and then distributed to the devotees and others.) Puliyodharai (Tamarind rice) happened to be the free prasadh that day.  The man before me in the line, after receiving the free prasadh, asked for more. The bare-chested volunteer, after a quick negotiation, accepted a 100-rupee note with alacrity, swiftly left the counter, removed the towel that was draped around his dhothi, flung it on the camera which was fixed to monitor such unfair practices, returned quickly, stuffed the “divine rice” hurriedly packed in a palm leaf and pushed it into the hands of the “buyer” and completed the “transaction”. He retrieved the towel from the camera and continued his work as usual.

If this could happen in the biggest and the richest temple, elsewhere, the less said the better.

Some time ago, I accompanied a “person” to a hill-temple (this time, it is in Mysore).  It was a Sunday, a tourist spot, and the accompanying queue was obviously long.  The “person” flipped out a 500-rupee note and stuffed into the palms of the security staff at the temple.  The access and the treatment was instant and different.  After the dharshan, the staff ensured that the “person” was garlanded by the priest (who was taken care separately), given the fruits,  flowers, and sacred ash, vermillion …. My embarrassment to have accompanied this “person” is a different matter.

How does God react to something of these sorts happening in His/Her own premises?

Again, when VIPs visit for two or three hours, the general queues are in for a prolonged pause, much to the annoyance of the commoner, who at times even waits for a day or two.  We have 1.2 billion people. Everyone wants to get ahead in the queue and not waste any time.  People with more money ‘win’!  

When these types of 'special' dharshans are entertained, does God approve of George Orwell’s equality (All are equal, some are more equal)?  Who gets more of God’s grace?  Is it the “person” who jumped the order through nefarious means, or the one who followed “dharma dharshan” (general queue)?  There are many such experiences you and I would have undergone.

Let us , for once,  reflect on what we are doing.  We all know God is omnipotent and hence present everywhere. So, there is no need to bribe others in order to worship Him.  But we do!  We engage ourselves in blind competition forgetting the basic concept of God.  If God would have been something which could be achieved through money, people like  ……. (you may fill in the blank with your choicest name of the VIP/celebrity) would have relocated the deity and decorated Him in their living room instead of visiting the temple.

With an ardent devotion towards God, you go to Tirumala and end up having darshan for hardly a couple of seconds.  But what precedes this and follows after that  certainly leaves a disturbing impression.  You could experience corruption in every form.  Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD) has become a corrupt institution.  Devotees get a very raw deal.  The fence itself eating the crop is there for all to see.

Religion, once upon a time, did not differentiate between rich and poor and somehow our priests and volunteers have managed to corrupt that as well.  When the most sacred places are not spared, how do you expect fairness in other public spaces?

This also raises another point.  When, in the first place, people accept the need for middlemen to reach God and worshipping is an investment in the expectation of something in return, then why the hypocrisy of shouting against corruption?  Logically, we are bribing God through various means to get the desired result and when somebody is taking that opportunity to make themselves rich, we are feeling betrayed!

Is blind faith breeding ground for corruption?  We all know that God is not only in temples but is within. Temples are supposed to be nothing but  holy places, with peaceful environment so that devotees can sit and pray peacefully.

Whoever pays more gets more nearer to God.  What is this logic?  Is it happening only in India, where in the name of God one can make money?

One school of thought, however, argues that it is an ultimate test of faith, and visits yield fruits only if there is an element of pain involved.  Does it mean that the temple officials should be corrupt?

Until and unless awareness at the grass root level do not come, corruption and mismanagement cannot be averted.  Everybody in authority from temple administration to civil administration to politicians to vendors to brokers are cahoots in design.

Priests/ volunteers give prasadham as if they are giving from their pockets, literally that guy throws that into our hands with a serious and frowning face.  Even the laddus prasadh is sold in black market.  After that, does the prasadh retain its sanctity?

The touts flock in and around the temple and shrine, who are flourishing by unethical means, should be kicked out.

How can it escape from corruption when it is functioning like a large business house giving biased and preferential treatment to rich and resourceful people?

Is it wrong that we better stay confined to our homes or visit the temple down the lane and be true to ourselves?  Don’t you agree with me that God will praise my “bhakthi” (devotion) and shower His blessings rather than taking the questionable route? 

If the people working there take money through corrupt means, it means they are not scared of earning God’s wrath.  Right?  Or they don’t believe in God? Atheists? How, then, such people are appointed? Those who recruit them are also of doubtful characters?  Don’t they believe that corruption in the name of God  is irrevocable sin?

The same Lord Balaji resides in our neighborhood too.  Why hesitate?  Why discriminate?  Why not visit and also patronise our local shrines?  

Stay at home and pray God.  If you cannot find God at home and heart, where is the guarantee that you will find elsewhere?

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was wrong in saying “Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it.”  It should have been “Corruption is my birth right and I will do it.”

I don’t know if I am right or wrong to ask: Why should we go to any temple where darshan has to be bought or bribed?  The minute someone says that he/she controls access to God, and that too for money, you can understand you are being cheated.  Why not donate, instead, to poor friends or relatives, rather than bribing the middlemen?  Isn’t it true that service to humanity is service to God?  (Please don’t read me wrong!)

Who should find a solution? God or Human?  

Even at the risk of being redundant, I affirm I am not an atheist. 

One thing is clear. I am confused.

If you don't play, you can't win

Voting? It takes time to register and learn about the parties and the candidates. Often, if the candidate is good, the party is not, and vice-versa.  On the election day, stand in long queues or slog through scorching weather, knowing that the chances your individual vote will make a difference among the hundreds and thousands are pretty much negligible.

Is it irrational, then, to exercise your franchise?

Most people are disenchanted by politics.  Like many, I too regard most  politicians as confidence-tricksters and the political system is no more than a means for furthering the vested interests.  Voting has become an activity to some that is not worth the effort.  Certainly many voters take a nonchalant attitude. There are some optimists who think because they are voting, people similar to them who support the same candidate/party probably vote, too.

But, very importantly, bad politicians are sent to "New Delhi" by good people who don’t vote.  Isn't it?

Mandatory voting in other countries

Do you know that nearly 30 countries have compulsory voting?  In Greece and Brazil, for instance, voting is mandatory.  If you miss the election day, you will have to justify it, else you cannot open bank account, have a passport, driving license etc.  In Bolivia, they can be prevented from drawing their salaries from the bank account.

Belgium has the oldest existing compulsory system (since 1892).  There is fine for non-voting.  If you don’t vote for 10 elections, you can lose the right to vote. You also face difficulties of getting a job in public sector. Australia has a system of compulsory attendance.  Non-attendees face fines and possible imprisonment.  In many systems, “if you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”

India is a great country.  The greatness is at risk when significant number of people, nay citizens, don’t participate.  I don’t want other people making my choices for me.  I wish to have a voice in things that affect me.  Don’t become a victim of voter complacency.  Elections have consequences.  Basically people just think that their votes make a difference, even though statistically it may not be the case.  Voting does not guarantee that one's preferences will prevail, but choosing not to vote denies a person of having a say in a democracy. Voting, also, may be plain habit for some people.

Be heard

Regardless of your political ideologies or preferences, voting is a right that you are entitled to as an Indian citizen. Take your time to get educated on the politicians, the political parties and the options available.  The pessimistic view that your vote won’t count, is naive, to say the least.

The time has come to cast your vote and exercise your right-duty pack. We owe it, not to the politicians, but to ourselves. If you don't vote, you are in a state of ignorance. If you don’t vote, you are  giving scope to someone to fake your privilege. Unmindful of the gender, income, caste, religion….., they, on the poll day, come as one entity, the voters.

Every vote counts.  Make sure yours does, too.   Just do it! 

  

Can we be AAPtimistic?

"To endeavour to understand the India of today would be the task of a brave man.  To describe tomorrow's India would verge on madness" - so said Jawaharlal Nehru, in the Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture, 1959. What foresight! The first Prime Minister was able to predict his own party's realistic future.

Narendra Modi says, “Congress has destroyed the country.”  Manmohan Singh says, “If Modi were to become the next Prime Minister, it will be disastrous for the country.”  Arvind Kejriwal says, “Both Congress and BJP have robbed the nation.”

A moment about the AAP

The most visible Indian movement in 2013 was the anti-corruption movement.  The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) showed that “winnability” in politics can be redefined.  By their resignation in Delhi, AAP unequivocally displayed that they will not compromise in their fight against corruption.  AAP can more be identified as a cohesive anti-corruption movement, capable of commanding greater support from the aam aadmi, slowly but steadily.  The depth of corruption has made the common man to raise his head and look up at the emerging party, the AAP, beyond the usual considerations of religion, caste, money, and muscle power.  Corruption has become an overwhelming attitude and way of life and India definitely lacks grooming and character-building methods.

Clean politics and good governance appear impractical words for the two so-called national parties.  When a scam is exposed, Congress says, "It's rubbish…there is no loss to the government."  BJP says, "We won't let parliament function...Congress is corrupt...vote us in for a Congress-free India."  BJP keeps mum till the corruption is exposed; then it starts the blame game.  AAP says, "We have filed FIRs...investigation will follow…passing a strong Lok Pal bill... giving more power to the people...AAP is only for a corruption-free India."  All scams of the Congress are not possible if BJP does not extend its tacit support. We have consistently tolerated the Congress party for nearly six decades.

Arvind Kejriwal, an IIT-pass out, a pioneer of the Right To Information (RTI) Act, has the ability to identify himself as the common man next door, that someone every Indian seemed to have met in a bus or on a train – basically a reflection of you and me.


AAP, a fledgling party

AAP has a lot more jobs to do.  They have to face not only corrupt politicians, but they also have to handle criminal politicians; in which case, they must be prepared to face worse opposition. Gone are the days of perfume spray, they are now replaced with “pepper” spray.  One should be grateful to the “pepper” MP for not carrying a hand-gun.  To blow up parliament, we don’t need terrorists from across the border. We are ‘self-sufficient.’  The sanctity of the House has been routinely violated.

Poor show by the major parties on Black money

Over 70 lakh crore rupees (about US $ 1,500 billion) of unaccounted Indian money are lying in numbered accounts in Swiss banks.  This is the highest amount lying outside any country, from amongst the 180 countries of the world, as if India is the champion of Black Money.  Swiss government is willing to share the information if the Indian counterpart officially seeks the details.  Neither the ruling Congress nor the BJP (Opposition?) shown any serious interest as if the problems pertained to some other country, obviously because most of the amount is owned by the politicians of both Congress and BJP.  The interest on the stashed booty alone can take care of our annual budget, year after year.  India has more in Swiss banks than all the other countries put together.

What is transparent is that AAP is not desperate for power unlike other major political parties.  They are willing to be an effective AAPosition. They are in the process of changing the politics in the country purely based on the promise to remove corruption.

They are fighting the electoral battle without Black money and muscle power. Some small aberrations, part of the political process, will pale into insignificance when compared with the Himalayan blunders of the traditional parties, more so reported in recent years.

AAP has categorically demonstrated that it can cut into the votes of Congress & BJP.  AAP frankly admits that they cannot make a dramatic change at the national level overnight, but they certainly can decimate the Congress. Though new, untried, and untested, Kejriwal’s unconventional brand of politics has become a thorn in the flesh of both the Congress and the BJP.

Soon after its spectacular showing in Delhi elections, the evolving-AAP had made it clear that it had national ambitions and would contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Elections in India are won based on speeches, allegations, and counter allegations.  Government is run on experience, and it takes years to learn the niceties of governance.  Kejriwal may be honest, but in politics, dishonest people are usually more successful.

This is a new freedom struggle for India! 
Expectations are high.  And we have an interesting party to look out for!
AAP doesn’t have a magic wand, but definitely a broom which seems to scare the other mainstream political parties!

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Also Read:
http://kmurthy608.blogspot.in/2014/04/my-mission-is-to-make-politics-good_1.html
http://kmurthy608.blogspot.in/2014/03/nandan-nilekani-square-peg-in-round-hole.html