Birthday Wishes from Narendra Bhai!!

Arguments against CAA and NRC: Are they valid?

A section in India is protesting against CAA and the 'yet to be drafted' NRC. In the past couple of weeks, I have had discussions with some people, who are against CAA and NRC. I have made an attempt to understand their reasons and reservations. Following are some key reasons that have been expressed during such discussions;

Reason # 1: CAA is against Indian Muslims and it would take away their citizenship

Fact: CAA is not about taking anyone's citizenship. Instead, it is about granting citizenship to minorities (not limited to Hindus) from certain countries in our neighborhood. There is no way that CAA would take away citizenship of existing Indians.

Reason # 2: Thousands of people would come to India due to CAA. In present economic environment, it is not advisable to bring in more people

Fact: CAA will not grant fast-tracked citizenship to anyone who comes to India today or in future. It is about giving citizenship to people who are already in India since 2014 or before. 

Reason # 3: It is derogatory towards other religions (for example Muslims) staying in those countries

Fact: There are documented proofs that the minorities under the scope of CAA have faced discrimination and religious persecution. Yes, others may also be facing issues in their countries. However, have they come to India? (Remember, India is not inviting people but fast tracking citizenship to certain people who are ALREADY in India). People who did come - e.g. Adnan Sami - receive citizenship after undergoing certain formalities. Some may even be fast -tracked, depending on the case. India is not saying that people from other faiths will not be given citizenship. However, they would have to follow the 'regular' process i.e., the process that has been defined by statutes and have been followed by all past governments. Now some of the those political parties are questioning it!! If they have an issue, why did they not change the law earlier? And even if the point that 'Why not Muslims' is considered, why are people *OPPOSING* CAA. Why are they not requesting for inclusion of Muslims? Consider this example. Suppose 100 people from different religions/faiths came to India from Pakistan in 2012. Out of that, 60 were Hindus/Sikhs/Parsis/Jains/Buddist/Christian and 40 were Muslims. CAA says that India would grant fast-tracked citizenship to 60 and would consider the request of remaining 40 in due course. Those 40 would go through the *usual (nothing additional)* documentation/formalities and depending on the case, they will either get citizenship or would be denied citizenship. That is the process. It is similar to getting a visa. Some people get visa, some do not. The first 60 would become citizens of India and would have documents to prove it. They can lead a normal life and also pay taxes. Now, if nothing is changing for 40 but you are making a positive impact in the lives of 60, why should anyone have a problem with that? If people want CAA to be rolled back then essentially means that they do not want positive changes in the lives of 60. If people want 'everyone' to be included in CAA then they should demand exactly that. But my question to them is *where were they earlier?* Were they talking about the remaining 40 before this? No, they never talked about them. They never protested or signed petitions to grant citizenship to those 40. Why is it an issue only NOW? Is it because non-Muslims are going to be benefited? If yes, then those protesters are the ones who are dividing India. But I do not think that is the reason for MOST. Most people are protesting against CAA because they have fallen for the false narrative that has been created by leftists, commies, Muslim fundamentalists, opposition parties and their sponsored media. And it is going on and on because (a) of recent decisions on 370, Ram Mandir, Triple Talaq and proposed Uniform Civil Code and (b) Delhi elections are round the corner. AAP will almost certainly win Delhi elections - most people know that. It is thanks to the freebies given by them. But now, when they do win, the narrative would be that Delhi has said no to divisive politics of BJP. One must understand that BJP is not the party in power in Delhi. It last formed a government in Delhi more than 20 years ago. So, they are not 'losing' the elections. However, that is the picture that the media and opposition parties want to paint for next elections and beyond.

Reason # 4: If not CAA, NRC would take away the citizenship of Muslims

Fact: Nationwide NRC has not even been drafted yet. Assam NRC is a different matter altogether. The need was different over there. Nationwide NRC would be nothing like Assam NRC. So, if people are protesting against NRC, they are protesting on the basis of speculation and fear-mongering. Someone even said "people are not scared of what would be there in NRC but they are scared about who (BJP) is proposing it"!!! That is absurd. If I see 10 Muslims sitting and talking in a corner and I attack them on the basis of a speculation that they must be planning a terrorist attack then people would say (and rightly so) that I am insane and bigoted. The argument that nationwide NRC, whenever it is drafted, would be against Muslim - just because BJP government would be proposing it - is equally absurd.

Reason # 5: Present government is fascist and is trying to silence the voice of students. The violence against students is uncalled for and is not acceptable

Fact/Response. Firstly, it is not a reason for opposing CAA/NRC but is a response to what happened afterwards. Police beat protesters in Jamia but they were burning buses and pelting stones. They pretty much invited the wrath of police. Reports suggest that the group of protesters included several non-students from nearby areas. So it was not an action against students. It was an action against vandals. Yes, may be some innocent bystanders may have got hurt but in such cases, we can not blame the cops. They cannot ask for student ids while lathi-charging vandals. And they have no way of figuring out who pelted stone or burnt the buses and who did not. If you be near a violent mob, there are high chances that you would become a collateral damage through one of the parties involved. What happened in JNU had nothing to do with CAA/NRC. It was a university fight and something which must not have happened

We Vote for Good Future, We Vote for India, We Vote for Modi

Is there an Ace up your sleeve?

In the last 3+ years, Modi government has taken several steps in the right direction. Some have started to pay dividends, some are in WIP stage (will pay dividends in future) and some probably missed the target. I am happy about even those steps that failed to achieve all the desired objectives because (a) they did not fail completely and did deliver on some counts and (b) they were steps in the right direction and were backed by all the right intentions.

Let us discuss the positives first. Following are some of the key achievements of Modi government (note: these include achievements as well as steps/plans);

1. Strategic relationships with several nations
2. Make in India initiative
3. Swachh Bharat Mission
4. Jan Dhan Yojana 
5. River linking project
6. Fast tracking of defence purchases
7. Smart Cities (100) project
8. Surgical strike
9. Demonetization*
10. Implementation of GST*
11. Program for divestment of public sector companies
12. Direct Cash Benefit Transfer Scheme 
13. Initiative to link Aadhar Card with other systems

* Have been discussed under positives as well as negatives

Now let us discuss the negatives;

1. Alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir: (Though there is no place for emotional decisions in politics and it is a fact that politics is game of numbers, this alliance either should not have happened or BJP should have better handled the alliance with clearly laid out terms and conditions)
2. Demonetization*: Though I firmly believe that demonetization delivered several benefits (e.g. reduction in terror/naxal funding, increase in number of tax payers, even winning the UP elections), it is being argued that 'black money' did not 'go out' of the system. It is being said that 99% of the money found the way back. Having said that, the argument from the government also sounds valid. If the expectation was that the black money that was stored in cash would disappear as the culprits would not find a way to legalize that money then probably it was a failure. However, the government argues that though it is probably true that most of the money came back into the system, that is also a major positive. As per the government, the money moved from "No. 2 economy" (i.e., the black market) to the "No.1 economy". If that is true, it means that the money is no longer black money and has come back in regular circulation. It has become legal money and would help in strengthening the economy. Hence, technically the 'black money' did 'go-out'. Having said that, since demonetization failed to catch the culprits, it did miss the mark as it failed to deliver ALL the desired benefits. Hence, it has (also) been discussed under the negatives
3. Implementation of GST*: Though it is certainly a move in the right direction, the Finance Minister and GST Council could not have done anything more to complicate  matters. In most countries where GST has been implemented, there has been a single tax for everything. India has separate taxes for various good and services and the tax rate depends on the type of goods or service. To make the matter worse, VAT continues to exist on fuel!!! There is a significant and urgent need to simplify GST.

So, where do we stand? While I feel that Modi government could have done better, I am not unhappy at all. I see, acknowledge and appreciate the right intentions. And I do understand that 'Rome was not built in a day'. I am prepared to show patience. In any case, I do not see an alternative. Modi, by far, is the best bet for 2019 and for India.

But am I concerned? Little bit. While I hope that most people would make a rational decision in 2019, I do feel that people are losing patience. Though the steps are indeed in the right direction, the fact that the steps are yet to deliver quantifiable results worries me. Some voters may be tempted to try something new.

It must also be noted that the judiciary has done everything possible to step on the cake. Every decision/bill/policy/move has been questioned by the SC. They are pissed with the government as the government wanted a say in appointment of judges. However, this is also something that people would not consider in 2019. 

Hence, I believe that Modi government needs an impactful 2018. It should have something for everyone.

Do I mean that the government should distribute freebies? Certainly NOT!!!

There is a need for a thorough cost benefit analysis. In my opinion, the government can consider the following;

1. Changes in Income Tax laws. While Dr. Swamy says income tax should be abolished in India, I am not sure if that is feasible. Though only about 1% of Indian population pays income tax, it is still a high source of revenues for the government. With all the infrastructure projects planned, I am not sure if government can really afford abolishment of income tax. However, the threshold can be changed. For example, if the bar is raised to something like 1 crore per annum, it would give a relief to a large chunk of people in middle class. It would definitely have a negative impact on the revenues. It should also be noted that it is unlikely to have a major impact on sentiments as only about 1% of Indian population would be benefitted. Hence a cost-benefit analysis is required.
2. Lowering the fuel prices. High fuel prices impact a large chunk of Indian population and if the government manages to lower fuel prices by removing state taxes, it would do wonders to the sentiments. Again, it should not be a freebie and a thorough analysis of the pros and cons is required.
3. Scrapping of Article 370
4. Removal of MFN status given to Pakistan
5. Strong actions and retaliations on Pakistan border

There are several other actions that come to mind and are really important. However, the idea for 2018 should be 'Maximum Impact, Minimum Controversies'.

Modi and Shah are smart and they must have planned for some quantifiable actions for 2018. 

I just hope they have a real Ace up their sleeves!!!

Bahut Yaraana Lagta Hai!!!

There is this girl in the office. She started in a different team but - owing to insufficient work in that team - she was transferred to our team. Not sure if the move was purely due to insufficient work or it performance issue also played a part. In our team, she started with another reporting manager and continued for ~1 year. Later, I was asked to manage her efforts. I could detect some performance issues but more importantly, I spotted serious issues with attitude, behavior and discipline. I let the concerned people know about the issues. I was feeling that - after already trying to  accommodate her in multiple teams  - they would probably outcounsel her. However, to my surprise, they are prepared to try her in another team! I asked a colleague why such a long rope is being extended in this case. As per the colleague, there are other - unofficial & unprofessional - reasons involved.

From now on, I'll call her Arun Jaitley!!

Was Demonetization Successful?

I have been asked that question on several occasions. It amuses me. I am no expert in economics and people know that. Yet, they ask me that question because as per them, I am a "Bhakt". Well.....I do not deny that. I am a Desh Bhakt and so I am also a Modi Bhakt. They ask me this question as they feel here is an opportunity to pin me down.

Though I have already put a disclaimer that I am no expert in such matters, I do feel that Demonetization missed the target. When the move was announced, I was really excited and there were several reasons behind that excitement.

Firstly, I was proud that "my leader" has the balls to take such a step. It was not easy but Narendra Bhai had it in him to go for it. That's what I like about the man and it gave me an immense sense of pride that my country has such a bold leader.

And there were other reasons. The move was targeted at stopping/curbing black money, terror financing, funding the stone pelters in Kashmir and so on. I must say that, with my limited knowledge of the facts, my perception is that black money was indeed impacted but it has found its way back. And same goes for terror financing and other targets.

Could it have been planned and rolled-out better? No, I firmly believe that such a move required an element of surprise and hence, it was announced suddenly.

Then why did it fail?

Well....I believe that one of the main reasons that it failed was because several of us made it fail. I personally know at least couple of people who told me that their clients wanted help in converting black money stacked in their house. I am not sure whether they were just making stories or did it actually happen...and I do not know whether they did help their clients in converting the money or not...but several people did that. Now, these very people are questioning the success of the move!!! That is like insult to injury. First you do your bit in making the initiative fail and then you question the initiative!!! Well done!!!And there were several others. Politicians, bank employees, administrators, agents....they did their bit in making the initiative fail. Certainly not generalising the whole thing and pointing fingers at everyone but you know who you are and you know the others around you who played a part.

Having said that, I don't think that it is fair to put the blame entirely elsewhere. I do wish that the initiative was handled better by EVERYONE. It could have paid rich dividends.

Does this put a question mark in my mind regarding the effectiveness of Modi? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I still firmly believe in Narendra Bhai. My first and foremost reason behind getting excited about Demonetization is still intact. I am still pretty much proud of my PM. It would require a major screw-up for that belief and trust to go away. I firmly believe that the move had the right intentions. It just did not achieve all that it was set to achieve. That happens.

I believe that any initiative towards an all encompassing growth in India requires NaMo at the top. And for that BJP (though I do not like the party) needs to have an absolutely majority in both houses. So even if the only good thing about demonetization was that it helped BJP in winning the election in UP, I can live with that....happily!!!

I am prepared to be patient. Change would not come in a day. It does not matter whether things have completely improved or not. What matters is whether we are heading in the right direction or not. And we are indeed heading in the right direction. There are some speed breakers/bumps/turbulence that we are encountering but did we expect the journey to be absolutely smooth. A democracy with over 1.2 billion is moving.....ground is bound to shake.

And to everyone who is criticizing Modi....I know that you would continue to do so. No amount of reasoning or facts are going to change that. Some of you have religious reasons to criticize him and some of you do it just for the heck of it. Modi is the popular opinion and some people like to irritate others. So do continue with it....whatever is your reason. But do answer, one question. If not Modi, you would you rather have at the top? Rahul, Kejriwal, Mamta, Lalu, Sharad Pawar, Owaisi, Uddhav, Raj Thackeray, KCR, Mulayam, Akhilesh, Mayawati...whats your alternative? Answer that honestly - not to me but to your yourself.

Haha

Best Birthday Wish......EVER!!!!!!!!!

I Have Got Mail!!!

A Case of Wrong Information & Premature Ejaculation

This the post and picture that AAPtards were sharing a couple of days back. They were suggesting that, while Modi is busy with foreign trips, Yugpurush and his men have already taken action against Sheila Dikshit and have filed a FIR.

Till then, their law minister had only made a recommendation to his bosses to file a FIR against Dikshit and no FIR had been filed yet. But AAP, like always, started giving a wrong picture to the public and AAPtards started to have premature ejaculation.

Anyways....since then I have been eagerly and anxiously waiting for an action by AAP and today they did take an action. They removed their law minister!!! :P

They may still file a FIR later against Dikshit to avoid further bashing but they prioritized the action against their Minister!!! After all, how dare he suggest an action against the real bosses in Congress!!!!

AAPtards bhaiyon, maan gaye....aapke yugpurush aur aapki mand-buddhi....donon ko!!!

'One Rank One Pension (OROP)': The Rights and Wrongs

Someone asked me what is my take on the demand for 'One Rank One Pension (OROP)' by retired defense personnel in India. I am son of a retired Indian Army officer and thus OROP, if and when implemented, is going to directly benefit my family. My father gets a pension and naturally his pension would also increase if OROP is implemented. So, one may think that I am fully supporting the demand as well as protests/agitations by the veteran defense personnel in New Delhi. 

Right and Wrong.

I do and firmly believe that defense personnel, serving as well retired, should be the best paid men in the country. Unlike everyone else in the country, the soldiers stay away from their families for long periods, serve in remote and inhospitable areas and face dangers on regular basis. Paying them what they deserve is the least we can do for them. Some people argue that defense personnel already get a lot of perks in forms of rations, subsidized products in CSD canteens, rebates on flight tickets and so on. Indeed they get all that but they do not get enough money to give their families the comfort that they and their families deserve. The life of an army officer may look very glamorous from outside but it typically is not as glamorous as it looks. Defense personnel and their families give a lot to the country and they definitely deserve better financial benefits. I do know that I am deviating from the topic as the current demand is not related to salaries at all; it focuses on pensions.

Coming to the demand regarding pensions, veterans are asking for same and standardized pension for every retired defense personnel at each designation. As per some sources, a Lieutenant Colonel retiring in 2010 gets higher pension that a Major General who retired in late 90s. It is definitely unfair and should change. The year of retirement should not decide the pension. If salaries are increased on the basis of increasing cost of living and inflation, pensions should also increase to match the current levels. I am completely with the veterans on this point. And so is the government. Government has already announced that it is committed to implementing OROP after ironing out some administrative challenges.

Now, lets talk about areas where I disagree with the veterans;

1. Veterans are demanding a 'Rolling Adjustment Plan' under which they want the pensions to be adjusted every year. There are around 22 lakh defense pensioners and the number would keep growing. A 'Rolling Adjustment Plan' would be quite difficult to implement. Plus, it would create a huge financial issue (do not want to use the word 'burden' due to my immense respect for the armed forces)
2. One should note that the usual norm is of a 10-year adjustment for all the other government pensioners (source: Times of India; as shown in the picture below). Hence, the demand is to make extremely drastic changes, which would have a long-term impact 
3. 
4. Veterans need to understand that the armed forces is not the only organization, which is eligible for such a system and benefits. Once this is implemented for the armed forces, other departments (e.g. BSF, CRPF, railways etc) would also ask for similar changes. The request would not be unjustified as others should also get better benefits. Keeping this in mind, the veterans must understand and appreciate the fact that the decision and calculation is not a straight-forward one for the government. Government has to ensure that they do not make a hasty decision, which is impractical. Else, they would face similar requests, agitations and protests from others
5. Another point (small one) is that I, personally believe that personnel from the armed forces, serving or retired, should not indulge in such agitations and protests. I do agree that it may have been difficult to make others hear their voices without such means yet I feel that defense personnel should not indulge in such protests and agitations. It is uncharacteristic for the defense personnel (even if they are retired) to adopt such measures. The government has already communicated that they are committed to implementing OROP. I think the veterans should now show some patience. Else, this would start to look more like 'arm-twisting' than anything else. This is also giving a lot of cannon-fodder to presstitutes, who do not even need a reason to target the government

Overall, the overall demand is justified and there are no two-ways about it. Veterans deserve better pensions and more. However, the adjustment plan is unreasonable and impractical, which would lead to an administrative and financial nightmare. And the approach is uncharacteristic. 

On a side note, majority of the people in India respect the armed forces and anything related to the armed forces becomes a popular topic. Several civilians are showing their support to the demand of the veterans, which is heart-warming. 

However, more than anything else, I am extremely pleased and proud that the government is making cautious moves instead of opting for hasty populist measures in order to earn quick brownie points. Approving the demand and implementing OROP without putting enough thought would have been and still is an easy option. But the government is choosing to weigh the impact from all angles before implementing OROP. This government does not seem to be interested in gaining short-term political mileage at the cost of long-term negative financial impact. 

That is why, I trust this government and leadership. 

Narendra Modi's performance: Where does the issue lie?

All my friends, family members, colleagues know that I am big supporter of Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India. I like to call myself a 'believer' than a 'supporter'. It is funny that sometimes people come to me and ask me about Modi's policies and stances, as if Modi is my uncle who discusses such matters with me!!!

I am regularly pulled into discussions and arguments with people who do not like Narendra Modi. More often than not, such people do not have any preferred leader and criticizing Modi has become their favorite passtime. It is the latest fashion. Anyways, I do not really pay any attention to the opinion of such people.

In the past few days, I have also had discussions with few 'mild' to 'moderate' Modi supporters. I would be wrong if I say that I have not been alarmed by their questioning of Modi's policies and strategies. I have noticed that several Modi-supporters have now started doubting his abilities. They argue that nothing is happening on the ground. To get more weightage, they throw in statements like "Corporates have also been questioning Modi", "My clients, who are significant players, have been quite unhappy" and "I am in India, I know the situation at the ground level". More often than not, I respond with a 'Gautam Buddha-like' spiritual smile.

Yesterday, I spoke to a good friend, who I would categorize as a 'Strong' supporter of Modi. I asked him if he is also witnessing this new trend where Modi-supporters have started questioning his plans and policies. He responded in affirmative, which led to my follow-up question - "How do you respond?". His answer was quite interesting.

So, whenever people come to him and ask him about his views on Modi and why there is no development at the ground level, he says, "I agree that Modi is a failure. The previous Prime Minister was better. At least there used to be a new development every week in the form of a corruption scandal. We should bring him back"!!! He told me that shuts the people up in most cases!!! I found it an interesting response and I am going to try that!!!

But I want to ask all the so-called supporters of Modi who have now started questioning him that who are they comparing Modi with? When they say that Modi has so far been a failure, what is the benchmark that they are using? Do they know of any other former Prime Minister who was able to perform better than Modi in little over 1 year? Do they know of any other current leader who they believe can do better than this? I doubt that answer would be 'Yes'. 

Currently, they are comparing 'Modi' with 'their own expectations from Modi'. Narendra Modi never said that he would be able to turn things around in one year. More importantly, anyone with sane mind should know that it is not possible. India is a big country and is facing all kinds of issues, which are deep-rooted. Turning things around would take time. And it would require investments. 

I would give another example. On several occasions, I have felt disappointment after watching a movie that I was eagerly and anxiously waiting for. However, when I have watched the same movie later (after a few months), I have enjoyed it. The issue was not with the movie. The issue was with the expectations. My expectations used to be so high that the movie was not able to match up to it.

I believe the same is applicable in the case of Narendra Modi and that is where the issue lies. Some of us were probably expecting that the man would come and turn India into a developed nation and an economic superpower within a few months. No one would be poor. Prices would fall down. Everyone would have jobs. Cities would be clean. Roads would be perfect. They may not agree that they had such expectations but they surely are behaving in this manner. I any case, there are no issues with expecting such things but one must be realistic about the timelines. As they say, Rome was not built in a day.

I urge people to be more patient. Modi government has been trying to attract investments. Without investments NOTHING is going to get better. Once the investments are in, things would 'slowly' and 'steadily' improve.

One more thing. If you are unhappy with Modi, think of an alternative. Do you really think Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, Laloo Prasad Yadav or Sharad Pawar would be better? If yes, then I really do not have anything to say to you. If no, then please stop questioning Modi's abilities. He is not only the best bet, he is the only bet!!! Please note that I am not discouraging discussions/arguments over new policies, priorities, stances etc. That should always happen. After all, we may or may not agree with everything that Modi does. I, myself, have some complaints from him!!! If Modi starts to falter, all of us need to start looking for an alternative. However, please do not question what has he achieved in 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years and so on. Please do not look for short-terms gains. Such short-sightedness has already harmed us in past several decades. 

India needs to improve on multiple parameters (if not all) and that would require a long-term all-encompassing growth strategy. I firmly believe that Modi has the vision to take us there. As I said, I am a 'Believer'. 

Case Study

This is a case study of a business unit which had been continuously failing to meet its objectives. The employees were quite unhappy. The employees strongly believed that the management was not capable of reviving the situation. They demanded a change and forced the board to bring in a new management. 

The new management did a thorough analysis and found out that the existing resources are not sufficient to turnaround the situation. Instead of focusing entirely on 'managing' the existing resources and 'surviving', the new management gave high importance to improving the confidence of investors and in attracting the much needed investments. At the same time, they ensured that the internal situation does not get neglected and worsen.

The new management took several quick actions intended towards a long-term and all encompassing growth. With lot of efforts, they managed to improve the perception of investors and struck several deals with potential investors. It was decided that the funding would come in phases and would help in growing the business and in ensuring the welfare of the employees.

In the next AGM, they announced the plans and provided the details of the deals to the board as well as employees. But certain section of employees started questioning that if so many deals have been struck then how come the situation has not 'already' improved. It was explained to them that the investments would pour in steadily and it is a 'process'. It made complete business sense as that is the way businesses as well as economies work. Yet a certain section of the employees was not ready to understand and appreciate it. On top of it, some of them demanded instant results, freebies, bonuses, incentives. It was again explained to them by the management as well as some of the employees that the company cannot afford freebies. Also that the revival cannot happen overnight. Yet, some employees refused to buy that. 

Question (select all that are applicable):

1. Those employees are dumb. They should be given a dunce cap
2. Those employees are close to the earlier management and are intentionally creating unrest
3. Those employees should be completely ignored
4. Those employees had an overdose of 'Panchtantra' and 'Dada Dadi ki Kahaniyaan' in their childhood

Rome was not built in a day

Till an hour back, you had no food and no hope of food. Your cook was not making anything. In fact he and his assistants were eating away the supplies that you were giving to them. This was going on for days. There was no menu, no plan, no ingredients and no hope. You were depressed. 

Half an hour back, your fired the cook and his assistants. You brought in a new cook, who was popular and in his last job, he successfully served a smaller household. You became hopeful. 

At present, the new cook is taking stock of the situation, making plans and preparing the ingredients. It takes a little time as it is not a magic. And since the last cook and his assistants did not leave behind any supplies, it would take little more time to arrange the ingredients. The cook is not only thinking about your next meal but is also trying to ensure that you do not go hungry ever. 

However, some of the members in your household are skeptical. I can understand that all of you are hungry. I am hungry as well as I am also a member of this household. However, we should be patient. We should provide the required supplies to the cook instead of only enquiring about the food. Try to help (or at least try not to interrupt) the cook if you want things to expedite. 

The ingredients look right. The kitchen smells good. The food will be exceptional. Just have a little bit more patience.

Is the fare hike by Indian Railways justified?

Indian railways recently announced price hike, which was (of course) followed by hue and cry, stone-pelting, the usual dharnas and all. The hike would definitely pinch the pockets of the Indian middle class and lower-middle class (as they are ones who travel by train). They are already braving inflation and this hike would make their lives even more difficult. So, is this hike justified? 

Following are some fun facts that one should be aware of;

1. Indian railways is among the world's largest railways network
2. It is also among the top 10 employers (by the number of workforce)
3. It carries ~24 million passengers and ~2.8 million tons of freight......DAILY 
4. About 70% of its revenues are paid-out as salaries!!!
5. Indian Railways is going through a financial stress. It is cash-strapped, which is not a good sign for an organization that is heavily dependent on infrastructure
6. Passengers are not paying what they should be paying as government subsidizes the fare. The consumer subsidy is around INR 26,000 crores!!!
7. Railways need INR 4.5 lakh crores to complete 586 pending and ongoing projects
8. No investment for safety and investment as there is not enough money left

(Source: Wikipedia & Times of India)

So now, the facts are in front of us. The next thing that we need to do is to ask a few questions to ourselves. Is there a need to change anything? Does Indian Railways require better infrastructure so that it can give the passengers their money's worth? The answer is YES.

Indian Railways must improve its infrastructure. It needs to expand its reach. It may be among the world's highest railways network but India is a BIG country. There are several places that are not yet connected. Railways need to deploy faster trains. Railways needs to make the trains and platforms cleaner. Railways need to serve hygienic food. Railways need to improve the safety of its infrastructure and passengers. Railways need to create a self-sustaining and profitable model. We all want that, isn't it? That is not the issue. The issue is that we want it to be free. Things must improve without us making any contribution. That happens in Panchtantra and Dada-Dadi ki Kahaaniyaan. Probably, not even there.

We cannot ask for better governance, standard of living etc on one hand and freebies on the other. Governments have been subsidizing several essentials but Indian economy can no longer sustain that much burden. Central and State governments of the past have been giving away freebies. Free rice, idlis, television etc. and probably we have become a little used to of all the freebies. One has to understand that when they give freebies, the economy takes a hit and then we start paying higher for other essentials. Nothing and no one develops in this process. 

It is high time that we start believing in the reform measures. These measures are neither short-sighted nor aimed at gaining instant popularity. It would make our lives more difficult in the short run. However, we all will win in the long run. Have faith and patience.

100% FDI in Defence

As per an article in Times of India, the Narendra Modi government is planning to allow up to 100% foreign investment in defence production, in a bid to send a strong signal to global investors as well as to try and move the production base of some equipment into the country. 

This must be allowed. India needs to improve its defence infrastructure and bring efficiency in current defence production. The return on per dollar spent would increase. In the long run, the defence expenditure can be reduced without compromising on quantity and quality.

Also Read: Indian Defense Sector: 10,000 Feet View.html

Disgusting

"Upper castes rule Cabinet, backwards MoS" - Shame on you Times of India

Its neither sensational nor journalism. It is just DISGUSTING

 #PradhanMantriNarendraBhaiModi

Kejri has filed his nominations for...Bigg Boss!!!

What a success rate

Kudos to AAP for winning 2-4 seats out of the total 5 seats it contested from....no wait!!!....KYA, sahi mein!!! 434 candidates khade kiye thhe!!!???...hmmm...ab kya bolein phir?....Tab to phir doob maro saalo