When does it stop ?

Oct 8, 2009 : Seventeen policemen killed in an ambush by Maoists at Laheri police station in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. 
Sep 30: Naxalites set ablaze Gram Panchayat offices at Korchi and Belgaon in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
Sep 26: Naxals kill BJP MP from Balaghat Baliram Kashyap’s sons at Pairaguda village in Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh).
Sep 4: Naxals kill four villagers in a forest in Aaded village in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.

and am sure, i can find tens and hundreds  of such Naxal attacks in the past year or so. Infact, it’s now become an Indian reality. Just like, the price rise, the corruption, the terrorism issues, naxalism has become a tragic reality.

Why is that our own people picked up arms against our own people  and now , now the government , again our own people are using arms against the naxals , again our own people ? 

Why ? Does the government really have no other option , do the naxalites have no other option but to pick up arms. If each one of them starts killing each other, no doubt casualties will include people on either side, but no doubt, casualties will also include kids, women, innocent men and women, because the arms  DONT discriminate.  So what’s so complicated that it can’t be discussed. Oh I remember, the government won’t have discussions with the Naxals unless they lay down their arms. They won’t negotiate with anti social elements, blah.. blah.. blah ..and the usual BS.

And why can’t the Naxals lay down their arms and come to the discussions. After all the naxals claim to be fighting for the rights of the common man and for this they have sacrificed everything and picked up the arms. Now for the sake of the same common man, can they not, lay down their arms and come to the discussions.

Now if either side won’t budge ,  the only way this fight will end is when one side is eliminated.

Do we want to go to this extreme ? Can the more sensible one not compromise and get the two sides to the table for some meaningful dialogue and discussions. And who is the more sensible or rather who should be the most sensible. The Government. So why can’t the government ask the Naxals to come to the discussions with out any pre-conditions and try and put an end to this meaning less killings of innocent people.   

The more isolated the Naxals the get from the society, the more dangerous they become to the society. 

I’m no expert on this subject matter. May be it’s not that easy, but it should not be that difficult either, especially when you see innocent people getting killed day in and day out. And infact the people who get killed in these situations are very fortunate, those who are left behind , are left behind to wait till they die. And these people will either sincerely wait for their death or pick up the arms and fight back .. So when does it stop …. ? Just when ???

The little giant called “Tendulkar”

From the first time when he walked into the cricket ground to play for India during the pakistan tour of 1989 – 90 as a 16 year old ; till the recent “Ind Vs Aus” when he scored 175 of 144 balls as a 36 year old , Tendulkar plays with one passion and only one passion i.e. the passion to play for India. He gets excited like a kid playing cricket for the first time.

To me , Tendulkar is not just about cricket. To me, Tendulkar is about his passion to play for India, Tendulkar is about discipline, his commitment, his love for the game, his modesty, his sincerity, his humbleness, his eagerness to learn , his willingness to experiment. To me he is beyond cricket.

I’m not saying he is a super hero with everything coming his way. He is talented no doubt, but talent only takes one so far and Tendulkar is no exception. He worked hard at his game, worked hard to improve his concentration, worked hard at his fitness and never took anything for granted. 

Having done so much for the country, brining so many laurels to the country, inspiring so many youngsters to belief in oneself and motivate them to work hard to achieve their goals, he still had to face criticisims of various kids, so much so that his home crowd boo’ed him. He once said, “Every stone thrown at him, he wanted to convert them to milestones”. This to me, was the mark of someone more than just the ordinary. All through his career, he played without a blemish. He is a human being par excellence.  

To me, he is beyond cricket.  And I only wish he will be remembered not just for his cricket, but also for being such a great inspiration and for being such a simple human being.

 

So what’s in it for me ???

The AP government completed 100 days in office.  While 100 days is not in any way meant to gauge the government, but at least would help give an indication of the initial tone and direction set by the government. The congress manifesto which was voted to power in 2009 had continued with some of the previously more succesful programs such as Araygoyasri, Indiramma etc and has also added a whole bunch of ambitious programs. It has also spent some huge sums of money in it’s previous term and also set aside huge crores for this term for some of the programs. While the government should be appreciated in coming up some very good proposals and programs, it needs to be seen how much of it will get done.

As we have seen quite often in the past, the government policies, programs and proposals are exteremly good on paper, but when it comes to implement them, most of the governments fail. So the onus is on you and me to make sure the policies are implemented , or if they are not impemented, we must atleast try and ensure that the money that was meant for these programs is not misused. 

• The continuation of welfare programmes such as INDIRAMMA , JALAYAGNAM, ARAYGOYASRI.
• Extend the 2 Rupees a kg rice scheme by giving 5 kgs instead of 3kgs to White Ration Card holders.
• The Weajer Section Housing Program
• The Land Distribution Scheme
• Complete reimbursement of tuition fee scheme.
• Weavers and the Tappers package.
• 4% reservation for Muslim minorities.
• The Kalyanamasthu programme.
• Paval Vaddi scheme.
• Dhobhi ghats with all modern facilities will be provided for all the localities to reduce the drudgery of washing and ironing.
• Encourage BC rural artisans like Goldsmiths, blacksmiths, Carpenters, Weavers, Tappers, Washermen etc to form into
• SHG’s for purchase of tools for commons use.
• Special initiaitives will be taken to step up literacy rate among the SC, ST girls.
• Overhauling of the State health care administration.
• Double the Capicity of power in the next five years.
• State to provide 9 hours per day to the farm sector from 1st June 2009.
• Every household to have a gas connection at the end of the fourth year.
• Every household to have an electrical connection and a sanitary tiolet at the end of the 5 year term.
• Cover all citizens with Biometric Identity Cards.
• Implementing the forest land rights act.
• Cooperative Movement: Select one or two villages for every Mandal in the State for the  Cooperative Momvement.
• Launch Mobile Agri and Livestock Clinics with consultation facilities on the lines of 108 and 104 for providing ready service to the farmers at their doorstep on matters like soil testing,  agricultural practices, animal health care, artificial insemination.
• All SC, ST, BC and Minority residential schools across the State wll be elevated to the standards
  of Navodaya schools by improving the infrastructure and number of teachers.
• University in every district.

I plan to soon start knocking on the doors of the administration and the government departments to seek answers and status updates on some if not all of the above.  It’s not going to be easy and i’m not even sure if it’s possible, but would I know it without trying, would I ?  

So what’s in it for me ?

it will be whatever I (We) can ensure

sources for the manifesto:

• http://www.apelections2009.in/2009/03/26/ap-congress-election-manifesto-highlights/
• http://66.28.216.162:8080/apcc/pdf/CongManifSlntPnts2403.pdf
• http://www.andhrarajakeeyam.com/2009/03/ap-congress-releases-manifesto-pledges-regular-power-supply/
• http://www.financialexpress.com/news/ap-congress-manifesto/105816/