An  Ode  to  Ruby

 

You came home a month old

To become part of our household

You remained someone very dear     

For all of us who were very near

 

Your mischief in your early years

Got us frowning and we wished to hold your ears

Getting up in the morning to see the flower beds dug up and soiled around

Only to find you in a corner realising your mischief and awaiting an angry command

 

Your walks were greeted by a 21 gun salute

From the  stray dogs who were otherwise mute

They barked, they scampered and they ran

At the sight of you walking down with a brown tan

 

Your childish  pranks  and I nfectious energy

Often pulled us out of lethargy

Your gloomy face when we retired for the night

Made up in the morning by a face that was very bright

 

You became very close

To the Children passing by our house

You were at the gate to greet them every day

And often got them wishing you back on their way

 

You were a constant presence in our garden

For us to leave our house open

You greeted us on our return with your wide expectant eyes

To see if we had brought you your dues

 

The sight of you curled with your head under the car

Or seeing you ready to get into the car

Whenever we opened the door

As if the car was truly yours

 

We will miss you wagging your tail

Which you did without fail

A sign of welcome without doubt

Every time we ventured out

 

We remember the morning we woke up to see a dead snake

Only to be reminded that we had a protector in our wake

Whether it was a cat or a mouse

You would never let anyone near the house

 

That fateful day when we bade you good bye in the morning

Little did we realize that you would not greet us in the evening

Even in your last hour of struggle, you made an attempt to stand

Trying your best to obey our command

 

For someone who was as cute as a baby

We fondly named you Ruby

We can still sense you come scampering

When we call out Ruby Ruby

 

You were our first pet and your memories will always abound

You were a joy for everyone around

We will miss you and your thoughts will remain with us

 

May you rest in peace

May you rest in  peace

Parachuting - The New Word in the Indian Political Dictionary

Parachuting - The New Word in the Indian Political Dictionary

With the temperature heating up in Delhi and parachutes landing in the Political Capital, I was reminded of my College days. One of the events in my Engineering that I always looked forward to, was the Annual cultural fest. What excited me the most was a competition called “Turncoat." The competition entailed picking up a topic through a draw and speaking on the topic for 90 seconds. At the end of 90 seconds, a bell would ring and we were expected to completely contradict what we spoke earlier. It called for quick thinking and adaptability. One of the topic that I had picked up in those days was “If I were the Prime Minister…..”

Well in today’s world, this is something a lot of people in the Public domain are getting adept at. It looks like Ms. Kiran Bedi too seems to have picked up a topic – “How would I serve the people of the Country”. Her debate would probably go something like this…..

I would like to root out corruption. I have come together with Anna, Kejriwal and the others to draw the public’s attention to the largest evil plaguing our society – that of corruption. Political Parties must come under the Right to Information Act. I will mock at politicians, be condemned by them and seek answers from the person dreaming of leading the Country for one of the worst Communal riots the Country witnessed post Independence. The Courts and the Special Investigation Team may have cleared him, but he needs to answer for the massacre of hundreds of innocents during the riots. I will dictate the Nations agenda on corruption and yes, I will never join politics. I disassociated with Kejriwal since he wanted power to change the politics landscape. I will never join politics.

 

Tring Tring.....time to turn over

 

I would like to serve the people by becoming the Chief Minister. Power intoxicates and I am human. I will use all equipment at my disposal including parachutes. How does it matter if I was at the fore front of the anti-corruption movement, how does it matter that I strongly criticised my former colleague who launched a political party. I have been admiring the leadership of the Prime Minister and am convinced that “ache din” has arrived. How does it matter that black money is still stashed abroad. RTI and political parties? Yes, corruption does figure in my agenda but only 7th in my list of priorities. I love parachutes and so parachuted myself into the party widely favoured to win. I am inspired by the leadership of the Prime Minister and would like to join him. Arvind invited me for a Public Debate, but I only participate in “Turncoats” and not on Debates.

Epilogue:

Aaya Ram Gaya Ram expression in politics of India means frequent floor-crossing by legislatures. The term was coined when Gaya Lal a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Haryana in 1967 changed party thrice in a fortnight first from the Indian National Congress to United Front, back to Congress and then within nine hours to United Front again. When Gaya Lal decided to quit the United Front and join the Congress, then Congress leader Rao Birendra Singh brought him to Chandigarh press and declared “Gaya Ram was now Aya Ram”. (Source wikipedia). Well, in modern day, opportunism has become more sophisticated. History will confirm if “parachuting” as a term will come to stay in politics. We just witnessed three people parachuting into the most favoured party to win the Delhi Polls....................

                                 .....................just as the troops on the ground were rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

 

First posted on Facebook on 21st January, 2015

Letter to the Prime Minister

A letter to the Prime Minister...Mere Man Ki Baat

Dear Mr Prime Minister,

It is time for you to start your next round of International Tour. This is what you do best. It is a great entertainment for all our NRIs and helps divert attention from your promises which you are finding difficult to deliver.

You had denounced the Aadhar Scheme and promised to junk it. Nice to see that you have realized the value of this and the efforts that has gone behind it - not to talk about the hours many of us stood in the queue to get our Aadhar Cards.

Your brothers in your Sangh Parivar have started a campaign proclaiming Godse as a Patriot. Considering that Gandhiji hails from your City and you used photo Ops with the Chinese PM on the Banks of Sabarmati, I would have expected you to speak up...

Your Finance Minster criticizes the RBI Governor for not lowering interest rates. This is an attack on an autonomous Institution, revered the world over as one of the strongest Banking Regulator with one of the best Governors. But you choose to remain mute. World over Crude prices have crashed. But the Petrol and Diesel prices have not been lowered commensurately. Rather excise duties have been hiked. Your Chief Ministers had opposed GST. Now that you are in power you realise the benefits of GST!

Your Sangh Family members are making a mockery of the law and order by targeting PK, a brilliant movie. Surprisingly the film OMG went through without a murmur. Is it because Aamir is a Muslim while Paresh Rawal in OMG is a Hindu and a member of your party? Well, I will not know till you speak.

Some of your ministers use abusive language and you still remain quiet!

You had promised to bring back black money within 100 days of coming to power and distribute 15 lacs each to the poor. My watchman asks me when is the money coming. I tell him, Please listen to "Man ki Baat" maybe the PM may still make an announcement!

Mr Prime Minister you had accused the previous Government of having Biriyani with the Pak PM while their soldiers kept targeting our people. You went one step further and invited the PAK PM for a Dawaat for your swearing in. What has changed now? Oh! You have to be silent. You decided to have a photo Op with the Chinese Premier on a Swing while the Chinese had entered Arunachal Pradesh! You continue to be silent.

Your HRD Minister does not know the difference between a Yale University Degree and her Leadership programme certificate that she obtained as part of the 11 MP Group that visited Yale. I did seriously expect you to speak up. But you will only speak at Election rallies and in the Cultural shows that you conduct abroad.

You are truly rewriting History. You almost made Christmas a working day and Government Offices did remain open. Will you have a similar view for Diwali considering it is considered the start of an auspicious year. And yes the Stock Market opens for Mahurat Trading. May we know your Man Ki Baat?

Your party has won seats only in Jammu, has a barely 2 per cent vow share in Kashmir, is not the single largest party in J & K, but still wants to lead the Govt. considering you led the campaign there, should we not hear from you?

There are reports that your Telecom Minister is being paid a retainer fee by one of the Reliance Group Companies. If this is true is it not a conflict of interest considering that Reliance has a large interest in Telecom? Your minister is silent, but maybe he is learning from you as well.

You forced little Children to sit through after School Hours to listen to you. Maybe you want to build yourself as the next Chacha Nehru. But frankly who is interested! We are more interested to hear on the many other promises you made to secure votes.

Lastly your avid followers on the Social Media take strong offence to your criticisms. Yes Criticism is welcome but needs to be civilised. Well given the statements by members of your Government, I guess they are only following their elected members.

Mr. Prime Minister, I wish you a successful new year, a year where I hope you have control over what your brothers and sisters from your extended Sangh Parivar speak that are at variance at a Secular, Integrated India. I hope that you are less vitriolic in your election rallies. I hope that you and your party stops dividing the Country on communal lines for vote Bank Politics.

 

And yes I do sincerely hope that my watchman gets the Rs 15 lacs from the Black Money.

 

Yours truly,

 

Indian Citizen

 

First posted on Face Book December 30, 2014

The Value of a Brand

The latest Brand that is drawing attention is Brand Anna - A group of individuals being driven by their self interests and coming under the umbrella brand of "Team Anna." The so called core committee has in its ranks a father son duo where the son seems to have doubts about the fact that Kashmir is an integral part of India, a former IPS officer who believes that fudging of travel bills is fine and acceptable since her hosts have allowed her to travel Business class (whther she travels Business class or catches a train is besides the fact for her) and an ex IRS officer who pays his Income Tax dues with a letter of protest to the PM (if he indeed believed that he owed no dues, why did he not contest the same)


The inconsistencies in their stand come out when they do not want the Lok Pal to cover NGOs (which most of them drive). The latest spectacle is of them turning pollsters - predicting which candidate/party will win in elections.


And forgotten in all this is the simple Anna who stoked an important and vital issue - that of corruption. The poor man was left with no choice but to go on a "Maun Vrat"

When the importance goes down, this team is left to level fresh threats and ultimatums so that they continue to be discussed in the news rooms.

Don't be surprised if they jump in the election bandwagon by fielding candidates/contesting on their own. Finally the thousands who truned up to support Anna Hazare are left wondering if they have been taken for a ride by this Core Committee!