Speak for yourself, Mr. Prime Minister
Mr. Clean Manmohan Singh,
Dear Sir,
Admittedly you owe your present designation to the lady who repeatedly insists on reminding the nation, rather dramatically, that she is in fact a saint. And a little bit of gratitude is definitely good manners, no it is even moral and ethical. Being the Mr. Nice you were bound to make a statement extolling the virtues of the Saint "tallest leader and has a rare commitment to moral values which you do not find in plenty in our country".
Considering your debt to her the reference to your patron saint Sonia Gandhi as "tallest leader" is understandable and one who has "a rare commitment to moral values..." is also tolerable. But what is NOT tolerable is your ingratitude to the citizens of your nation when you uttered "...moral values which you do not find in plenty in our country".
This Country , my motherland, (well you dont seem to think know much about India) has enough moral values and more than all of the Congress Party put together several times over. If your remark were in the context of the Congress Party make that clear or if your remarks were in the context of the political class make that clear.
Whichever context you have made the remark, it does not do India any proud and I am ashamed of your remark, Prime Minister.
http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/23pm.htm
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006
Openers and Rahul
Atlast official cricketing wisdom backs me and my Guru Rahul Dravid.
Geoff Boycott, in his felicitation to Rahul Dravid, on the eve of his 100th Test wonders why Rahul does not consider himself to be good enough to be a regular opener.
Because, Geoff, the cricketing critics will not let him. Every time Rahul opens the batting critics will say that he can, at best, be a stop-gap opener. The critics seem to believe that the opening batsmen can only belong to a different species than ordinary cricketers. So, much that when an ODI opener Saurav is not even considered to open Test games.
“Openers are born, not made” the critics seem to believe. There is a constant look. Tons of performance does not seem to convince critics that Rahul Dravid can possibly open the innings.
One childhood-mate of an Ex-captain who was regular No.3 opened for India once and failed. The ostensible excuse was that he was not used to the ‘opener’ slot. Pray, what role would he be handling if the first wicket fell of the first ball ?
Traditionally, thanks to this critic-viewpoint, India has constantly looking to recruit openers for it national team from the regional openers caste.
Admittedly, Opening an innings can be a specialist task. But consider the fairness of pulling out First-class cricketers to meet the like of international speedsters on their debut. Thus went Vikram Rathore, Sujith Somasundar and several others whom history may not even remember to meet Allan Donald, Wasim Akram and Courtney Walsh on their debut.
The story will go on…
… Unless RD decides …
Psst : Speculation is that RD asked Saurav to open in Pakistan and ( am not making comments here) Ganguly mouthed “Why me” and Dear RD led by example.
PS: When Irfan Pathan opened in the second innings of the third Test at Wankhede the commentators heaped criticism on Rahul claiming that he was sending bowlers to do a batsman's job and that he must have come in himself. Poor Rahul !!
Geoff Boycott, in his felicitation to Rahul Dravid, on the eve of his 100th Test wonders why Rahul does not consider himself to be good enough to be a regular opener.
Because, Geoff, the cricketing critics will not let him. Every time Rahul opens the batting critics will say that he can, at best, be a stop-gap opener. The critics seem to believe that the opening batsmen can only belong to a different species than ordinary cricketers. So, much that when an ODI opener Saurav is not even considered to open Test games.
“Openers are born, not made” the critics seem to believe. There is a constant look. Tons of performance does not seem to convince critics that Rahul Dravid can possibly open the innings.
One childhood-mate of an Ex-captain who was regular No.3 opened for India once and failed. The ostensible excuse was that he was not used to the ‘opener’ slot. Pray, what role would he be handling if the first wicket fell of the first ball ?
Traditionally, thanks to this critic-viewpoint, India has constantly looking to recruit openers for it national team from the regional openers caste.
Admittedly, Opening an innings can be a specialist task. But consider the fairness of pulling out First-class cricketers to meet the like of international speedsters on their debut. Thus went Vikram Rathore, Sujith Somasundar and several others whom history may not even remember to meet Allan Donald, Wasim Akram and Courtney Walsh on their debut.
The story will go on…
… Unless RD decides …
Psst : Speculation is that RD asked Saurav to open in Pakistan and ( am not making comments here) Ganguly mouthed “Why me” and Dear RD led by example.
PS: When Irfan Pathan opened in the second innings of the third Test at Wankhede the commentators heaped criticism on Rahul claiming that he was sending bowlers to do a batsman's job and that he must have come in himself. Poor Rahul !!
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
The Next President of India
I beleive, like most young people, I have spoken to that APJ Abdul Kalam was the best thign to have happened to Indian Politics in a long time.Old-timers like my Grandad rate him next to Dr. Rajendra Prasad And Radhakrishnan amongst Indian Presidents.Admittedly, I am amongst his innumerable fans and will drop whatever I am doing to listen to his speeches.
Listing out his credentials is not neccasary. Listing out how different President he ahs been is also pointless. . The purpose of this blog is to urge him to have a second term in office. Our dear President has already claimed to get back to teaching after his term. Let su impress upon him that by teaching he will be of use tot eh Science student community but as President he can inspire an entire nation.
A hunch tells me that he will not agree. Maybe a fair decision considering his age and even maybe a personal policy of single-terms.
So, what do we do next. We, teh ppl of India have been truly inspired by a worthy President. Should we risk the arrival of Gadha-Ghoda as our President. The spoof that Indiatimes has created http://people.indiatimes.com/holiarticleshow/msid-1448674.cms is a SUper-suggestion. Lets push for N Narayana Murthy as the next President of India. Why him ? Because he is honest, intelligent, intellectual, International Public Face of Indian Industry and yet earthy in his stands and care for community.
He is already THE ambassador of the most-admired Indian company that he heads. The President of India will be a natural extension of his role.
Remember. A right President can move the nation, the wrong one can stall it.
Listing out his credentials is not neccasary. Listing out how different President he ahs been is also pointless. . The purpose of this blog is to urge him to have a second term in office. Our dear President has already claimed to get back to teaching after his term. Let su impress upon him that by teaching he will be of use tot eh Science student community but as President he can inspire an entire nation.
A hunch tells me that he will not agree. Maybe a fair decision considering his age and even maybe a personal policy of single-terms.
So, what do we do next. We, teh ppl of India have been truly inspired by a worthy President. Should we risk the arrival of Gadha-Ghoda as our President. The spoof that Indiatimes has created http://people.indiatimes.com/holiarticleshow/msid-1448674.cms is a SUper-suggestion. Lets push for N Narayana Murthy as the next President of India. Why him ? Because he is honest, intelligent, intellectual, International Public Face of Indian Industry and yet earthy in his stands and care for community.
He is already THE ambassador of the most-admired Indian company that he heads. The President of India will be a natural extension of his role.
Remember. A right President can move the nation, the wrong one can stall it.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Questions that I want to ask but dunno whom to ask ?
Questions that I want to ask but dunno whom to ask ?
The Justice U C Banerjee report claims that ‘of the 250 passengers in the (S -6) coach , 59 died and the rest escaped: “ How could it happen if the entry doors were locked?” (Hindu Edit 7 Mar 2006)
I have travelled by the Indian Railways, predominantly by sleeper class. The Letter ‘S’ is in Railway parlance, I suppose, used as a prefix to denote the 3 tier sleeper. That , I suppose further, makes the ill-fated S-6 a three-tier sleeper coach.
The coaches that I have travelled in South India (Nope, I have not travelled much in North India and not at all in Gujarat) could carry 72 passengers in 3 tier sleepers and much less in higher classes.
The second class sitting coaches, I am told can carry a maximum of 108 ppassengers.
This gyaan begs me to know as to why the coaches that can carry 250 persons in compartment not been introduced in South India. Why Southern Railways must be given such step-motherly treatment. Should not more South Indians travel?
That’s enough of me being selfish. Now, that an “accident” has taken place (Nobody seems to know what accident took place much less how) should not the Railways reprimand itself for building unsafe coached that can carry 250. I forthwith demand the withdrawal of all coaches built and being used that can carry 250 passengers. If that is not done, such coaches must be used all over India so that all Indians can benefit from them.
I demand to know, through, the Right to Information Act the number of three-tier coaches that exist of such capacity.
If the honourable Mr. Banerjee and armchair (air-conditioned, I may add) Editors of newspaper ever travel in a fully occupied compartment meant for 72, and then imagine 250 on board the same compartment…
The Justice U C Banerjee report claims that ‘of the 250 passengers in the (S -6) coach , 59 died and the rest escaped: “ How could it happen if the entry doors were locked?” (Hindu Edit 7 Mar 2006)
I have travelled by the Indian Railways, predominantly by sleeper class. The Letter ‘S’ is in Railway parlance, I suppose, used as a prefix to denote the 3 tier sleeper. That , I suppose further, makes the ill-fated S-6 a three-tier sleeper coach.
The coaches that I have travelled in South India (Nope, I have not travelled much in North India and not at all in Gujarat) could carry 72 passengers in 3 tier sleepers and much less in higher classes.
The second class sitting coaches, I am told can carry a maximum of 108 ppassengers.
This gyaan begs me to know as to why the coaches that can carry 250 persons in compartment not been introduced in South India. Why Southern Railways must be given such step-motherly treatment. Should not more South Indians travel?
That’s enough of me being selfish. Now, that an “accident” has taken place (Nobody seems to know what accident took place much less how) should not the Railways reprimand itself for building unsafe coached that can carry 250. I forthwith demand the withdrawal of all coaches built and being used that can carry 250 passengers. If that is not done, such coaches must be used all over India so that all Indians can benefit from them.
I demand to know, through, the Right to Information Act the number of three-tier coaches that exist of such capacity.
If the honourable Mr. Banerjee and armchair (air-conditioned, I may add) Editors of newspaper ever travel in a fully occupied compartment meant for 72, and then imagine 250 on board the same compartment…
Thanmaana Singam – Hahaha
Thanmaana Singam – Hahaha
(literally, Self-respecting Lion or man of Honour)
The MDMK Chief V. Gopalasamy (now called Vaiko) recently broke off his alliance with the DPA in Tamil Nadu and joined hands with “Anbu Sahodari Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Amma avargal” one wonder how one can be Anbu Sahodari and Amma at the same time.. but I am digressing.
Of course, in politics , (to quote Jayalalithaa who quoted some great thinker) “ there are no permanent friends or foes”. Fair Enough, except if one bothers to remember, not so long ago, Vaiko had been incarcerated by the Jayalalithaa government for nearly 18 months on POTA charges.
One view ( to which I subcribe too)is that Jayalalithaa needed to break the DPA alliance more than she needed Vaiko herself. The strategy aside, it is hilarious to find a politician make a U-turn. More so when the turn is from Vaiko who had been personally humiliated by the Jaya govt. for being an LTTE Tigers sympathiser.
The most hilarious part comes here. The cries that accompanied Vaiko when he met the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was “Thanmaana Singam vaiko Vaazhga (Hail Self-respecting Lion, Vaiko)”
The tiger has apparently changed species.
(literally, Self-respecting Lion or man of Honour)
The MDMK Chief V. Gopalasamy (now called Vaiko) recently broke off his alliance with the DPA in Tamil Nadu and joined hands with “Anbu Sahodari Dr. Puratchi Thalaivi Amma avargal” one wonder how one can be Anbu Sahodari and Amma at the same time.. but I am digressing.
Of course, in politics , (to quote Jayalalithaa who quoted some great thinker) “ there are no permanent friends or foes”. Fair Enough, except if one bothers to remember, not so long ago, Vaiko had been incarcerated by the Jayalalithaa government for nearly 18 months on POTA charges.
One view ( to which I subcribe too)is that Jayalalithaa needed to break the DPA alliance more than she needed Vaiko herself. The strategy aside, it is hilarious to find a politician make a U-turn. More so when the turn is from Vaiko who had been personally humiliated by the Jaya govt. for being an LTTE Tigers sympathiser.
The most hilarious part comes here. The cries that accompanied Vaiko when he met the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was “Thanmaana Singam vaiko Vaazhga (Hail Self-respecting Lion, Vaiko)”
The tiger has apparently changed species.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Tch tch Sachin-Laxman
If I am not mistaken natural light conditions, in sub continental India during the afternoon can only deteriorate over time. So ,when light was offered to Sachin and Laxman did they have to take it. Could they not, have played a few more overs and who knows a 20:20 like game could have made this Nagpur Test historic.
In case the wickets fell, the batsman could then have taken the “bad light” route. Was it the decision of the duo on the field or had Dravid-Chappel instructed Laxman. Surely, the team management are better tacticians than that.
I am sure no other Indian Captain but for Rahul Dravid would have taken the bold decision to press for victory inspite of the conditions. So, I am flummoxed by the “bad light” choice.
Or am I totally mistaken with the light rule. Is it like if you donot take it if offered you can’t choose the excuse at your convenience.
Psst : In a match in Dhaka, Md. Azhauddin had played on despite pathetic light conditions to win the OD match.
In case the wickets fell, the batsman could then have taken the “bad light” route. Was it the decision of the duo on the field or had Dravid-Chappel instructed Laxman. Surely, the team management are better tacticians than that.
I am sure no other Indian Captain but for Rahul Dravid would have taken the bold decision to press for victory inspite of the conditions. So, I am flummoxed by the “bad light” choice.
Or am I totally mistaken with the light rule. Is it like if you donot take it if offered you can’t choose the excuse at your convenience.
Psst : In a match in Dhaka, Md. Azhauddin had played on despite pathetic light conditions to win the OD match.
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