When does the cost become too high, When does the end stop justifying the means, When does it become al right to sacrifice lives on the alter of high minded ideals. If you can answer that question friend then you are definitely smarter than I am.
There are many an ideal that I have held dear to my heart over the years but none more so than the fact the there is no greater happiness than the happiness one gains from serving others. I have spent nearly my whole life exploring various avenue of doing just that. from politics to
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
2G Scam Myths, Realities and Recent Controversies
This article is in reaction to a recent post in
Growing INDIA, Growing Ourselves & making INDIA a better place to live in's -
A face book community with 4Lakh members which called for resignation of the PM and blamed him for the scam.... As a proud Indian and a great admirer of Dr.Manmohan Singh I could not sit quite.
Dr.Manmohan Singh is most definitely one of the greatest PM India has known in its history..... his achievements so numerous that they are too many to count.... to name a few imp ones
He is the architect of India's Financial revival from a country about to go bankrupt in the 1990's to the economic powerhouse of today India's resurgence was sculpted by Dr.Manmohan Singh... countries world over recognize his achievements.
He is one who was able to remove India's nuclear paraiah status and thus getting India recognized as de-facto Nuclear state by the major world.. Now all the nations are falling over each other to do nuclear trade with when compared to the days when sanctions were levied against us by these very same countries... it is a huge achievement..
His government is one brought into MNREGS, RTI e.t.c which have been hailed world over as model legislation. RTI empowered the ordinary man to challenge the corrupt in a way never before seen in our country. MNREGS now brings hope 100s of millions of India's rural poor... brings food to their plate
His government gave 50,000 Crore farm loan waiver scheme for the Indian farmer which is an initiative unique in the world... something we would not have been able to If it was not for India's economic growth.
yet the so many of the people who are the direct beneficiaries of his brilliance... people who have jobs because he modernised our economy.... people who are able to be here chatting because of him... have so easily forgotten all that he has done for them.
As for this scam... The calculated loss is basis of money which was gained from 3G auction... considering that it is the same telecom minister and the same PM who made so much money for the country with 3G auction one has to ask if they are all so corrupt why didn't they just do it they way did it earlier for 3G as well....Also this loss of 1.7 lak crores is based on a hypothetical calculation by the CAG which says that it would have been better to auction of the 2G spectrum rather than give it on a first cum first serve basis... But one thing you forget is that, that decision was taken not by Raja or even the PM... it was a policy decision passed by the entire Parliament of which every opposition party that is making a fuss today is a part... Nobody had a problem with that decision then now everybody knows its would have been better to auction every body is all blame the other person... hind sight is always 20/20 my dear friends...Raja did some irregularities about that there is no doubt he advanced the dates of approval with out prior notice, he gave licences in non-transparent manner but these are not things with which PM has anything to do... If PM spent all his time looking at individual files from each department under him then even a 72hr day would not be enough for him. PM takes policy decision he appoints people to manage ministries it is not his job to micromanage.
And for this scam... The calculated loss is basis of money which was gained from 3G auction... considering that it is the same telecom minister and the same PM who made so much money for the country with 3G auction one has to ask if they are all so corrupt why didn't they just do it they way did it earlier for 3G as well....
Also this loss of 1.7 lak crores is based on a hypothetical calculation by the CAG which says that it would have been better to auction of the 2G spectrum rather than give it on a first cum first serve basis... But one thing you forget is that, that decision was taken not by Raja or even the PM... it was a policy decision passed by the entire Parliament of which every opposition party that is making a fuss today is a part... Nobody had a problem with that decision then now everybody knows its would have been better to auction every body is all blame the other person... hind sight is always 20/20 my dear friends...
Raja did some irregularities about that there is no doubt he advanced the dates of approval with out prior notice, he gave licences in non-transparent manner but these are not things with which PM has anything to do... If PM spent all his time looking at individual files from each department under him then even a 72hr day would not be enough for him. PM takes policy decision he appoints people to manage ministries it is not his job to micromanage.
And as for P.M.O not replying to Mr.Swamy's request for a 11 months... while I cannot categorically state why such a thing happened.... what I can categorically say is that most things in India do not happen fast... cases take time... a long time... In any Indian court or bureaucratic procedure takes time... any body who has any experience with government offices or courts will be able to attest to that fact.... Everything takes years to come through there are many reasons for such things...
Also this request was not a run of the mill request it was for initiating criminal procedures against sitting central minister... undoubtedly such an issue requires serious investigation and consideration before any decision is taken... and even a decision to set off an internal investigation would be a big decision to take something no PM, Manmohan Singh or not could have easily or own his own for that matter... may be 11 months is a long time but to blame individuals known for their integrity is counter-productive to the Nation....
I will accept that it should have been processed sooner at least with in 6-8 months but to say that P.M is culpable.... for a scam that happened nearly 2 years earlier to the filling of the complaint simply does not add up.
Growing INDIA, Growing Ourselves & making INDIA a better place to live in's -
A face book community with 4Lakh members which called for resignation of the PM and blamed him for the scam.... As a proud Indian and a great admirer of Dr.Manmohan Singh I could not sit quite.
Dr.Manmohan Singh is most definitely one of the greatest PM India has known in its history..... his achievements so numerous that they are too many to count.... to name a few imp ones
He is the architect of India's Financial revival from a country about to go bankrupt in the 1990's to the economic powerhouse of today India's resurgence was sculpted by Dr.Manmohan Singh... countries world over recognize his achievements.
He is one who was able to remove India's nuclear paraiah status and thus getting India recognized as de-facto Nuclear state by the major world.. Now all the nations are falling over each other to do nuclear trade with when compared to the days when sanctions were levied against us by these very same countries... it is a huge achievement..
His government is one brought into MNREGS, RTI e.t.c which have been hailed world over as model legislation. RTI empowered the ordinary man to challenge the corrupt in a way never before seen in our country. MNREGS now brings hope 100s of millions of India's rural poor... brings food to their plate
His government gave 50,000 Crore farm loan waiver scheme for the Indian farmer which is an initiative unique in the world... something we would not have been able to If it was not for India's economic growth.
yet the so many of the people who are the direct beneficiaries of his brilliance... people who have jobs because he modernised our economy.... people who are able to be here chatting because of him... have so easily forgotten all that he has done for them.
As for this scam... The calculated loss is basis of money which was gained from 3G auction... considering that it is the same telecom minister and the same PM who made so much money for the country with 3G auction one has to ask if they are all so corrupt why didn't they just do it they way did it earlier for 3G as well....Also this loss of 1.7 lak crores is based on a hypothetical calculation by the CAG which says that it would have been better to auction of the 2G spectrum rather than give it on a first cum first serve basis... But one thing you forget is that, that decision was taken not by Raja or even the PM... it was a policy decision passed by the entire Parliament of which every opposition party that is making a fuss today is a part... Nobody had a problem with that decision then now everybody knows its would have been better to auction every body is all blame the other person... hind sight is always 20/20 my dear friends...Raja did some irregularities about that there is no doubt he advanced the dates of approval with out prior notice, he gave licences in non-transparent manner but these are not things with which PM has anything to do... If PM spent all his time looking at individual files from each department under him then even a 72hr day would not be enough for him. PM takes policy decision he appoints people to manage ministries it is not his job to micromanage.
And for this scam... The calculated loss is basis of money which was gained from 3G auction... considering that it is the same telecom minister and the same PM who made so much money for the country with 3G auction one has to ask if they are all so corrupt why didn't they just do it they way did it earlier for 3G as well....
Also this loss of 1.7 lak crores is based on a hypothetical calculation by the CAG which says that it would have been better to auction of the 2G spectrum rather than give it on a first cum first serve basis... But one thing you forget is that, that decision was taken not by Raja or even the PM... it was a policy decision passed by the entire Parliament of which every opposition party that is making a fuss today is a part... Nobody had a problem with that decision then now everybody knows its would have been better to auction every body is all blame the other person... hind sight is always 20/20 my dear friends...
Raja did some irregularities about that there is no doubt he advanced the dates of approval with out prior notice, he gave licences in non-transparent manner but these are not things with which PM has anything to do... If PM spent all his time looking at individual files from each department under him then even a 72hr day would not be enough for him. PM takes policy decision he appoints people to manage ministries it is not his job to micromanage.
And as for P.M.O not replying to Mr.Swamy's request for a 11 months... while I cannot categorically state why such a thing happened.... what I can categorically say is that most things in India do not happen fast... cases take time... a long time... In any Indian court or bureaucratic procedure takes time... any body who has any experience with government offices or courts will be able to attest to that fact.... Everything takes years to come through there are many reasons for such things...
Also this request was not a run of the mill request it was for initiating criminal procedures against sitting central minister... undoubtedly such an issue requires serious investigation and consideration before any decision is taken... and even a decision to set off an internal investigation would be a big decision to take something no PM, Manmohan Singh or not could have easily or own his own for that matter... may be 11 months is a long time but to blame individuals known for their integrity is counter-productive to the Nation....
I will accept that it should have been processed sooner at least with in 6-8 months but to say that P.M is culpable.... for a scam that happened nearly 2 years earlier to the filling of the complaint simply does not add up.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
In the service of a nation
This post is in response to a status message on of my friends on the verge of passing out from college wrote about his future options and his contradicting desires.
My Friend, there is nothing that says that these ambitions cannot go together...
If u become an industrialist you can give employment to a large number of people which is also serving the nation.... if want to help India's defence industry then u can do set up a company that supplies materials to the Indian defence forces... there are many private companies that do the same in collaboration with DRDO...if u were luking more along the lines of something else like enviornment or edcucation then there are things there too... u can set up company that specialises in renewable energy or low cost methods of producing clean drinking water.....
It is an old and flawed logic that says that to have money you have lie, cheat and climb on the backs of ordinary man... that kind of backward thinking is something that held our country back nearly 40yrs after independence and resulted in what was known as the "license raj".If we had opened up our economy in the 70's like China did... then we would also be where China is today....It is only cos Dr.Manmaohan Singh and Narasimha Rao and all had the foresight to liberalise our economy that we have gotten where we are today.... tht is why almost everyone is assured of a job somewhere when they get out of college very much unlike the times of parents :)...
So in summation my dear friend making money is serving the country... Make as much money as you can and pay your taxes thats more than enough service.... If you want to do more then thats gud too but if u can be another ambani that is a lot bigger service than even dying for the country.
As someone wise once said " Dying for your country is a great sacrifice but living for your country is a even greater sacrifice"
My Friend, there is nothing that says that these ambitions cannot go together...
If u become an industrialist you can give employment to a large number of people which is also serving the nation.... if want to help India's defence industry then u can do set up a company that supplies materials to the Indian defence forces... there are many private companies that do the same in collaboration with DRDO...if u were luking more along the lines of something else like enviornment or edcucation then there are things there too... u can set up company that specialises in renewable energy or low cost methods of producing clean drinking water.....
It is an old and flawed logic that says that to have money you have lie, cheat and climb on the backs of ordinary man... that kind of backward thinking is something that held our country back nearly 40yrs after independence and resulted in what was known as the "license raj".If we had opened up our economy in the 70's like China did... then we would also be where China is today....It is only cos Dr.Manmaohan Singh and Narasimha Rao and all had the foresight to liberalise our economy that we have gotten where we are today.... tht is why almost everyone is assured of a job somewhere when they get out of college very much unlike the times of parents :)...
So in summation my dear friend making money is serving the country... Make as much money as you can and pay your taxes thats more than enough service.... If you want to do more then thats gud too but if u can be another ambani that is a lot bigger service than even dying for the country.
As someone wise once said " Dying for your country is a great sacrifice but living for your country is a even greater sacrifice"
Musings at 5:00 in the morning
As my life unfolds before and I see more and more both of myself and others and I am compelled to face reality, the reality that we are what we are... the leaders and the followers, the rebels and the traditionalist, the saint and the sinner all part of the same thread. Cause and effect so numerous, so intricate and so interwoven that it blends into the background giving us or to be precise those limited among us the illusion of choice. We have long since made the choices that we lie in, it is only a matter of living them now... but don't let causality fool you action is still important, it is important because it must be taken for the sake of tomorrow not because you chose it but because you are it.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
The ayodhya verdict -- Legally Flawed but in the interest of peace
Anyone who knows anything about the legal justice system of India would be able to tell you that this verdict is more a tight rope walk of balancing various vested interests than an actual court verdict which is made evident by the answer to the question who won and who lost with the answer being nobody. This decision is rooted in a panchayati style logic rather than the Indian constitution.
Having said all this one must realise if the objective of law is to give justice to the people under its jurisdiction then perhaps this is one of those rare moments when a creation of man was able to do right by him. Everybody got something and nobody is killing anybody which is a huge improvement I guess so thats good at least.
Now I must make my personal views about this issue clear, personally I could not care less who build what over there personally I say build a nuclear dumping site, a large pond(kolam ;) ), A water theme park... all would be more useful than the other two options the last thing India needs is another temple or another mosque for that matter. It is often difficult for me to understand how such a pathetically clueless species as we humans can be so adamant about our views on god. I mean think about it we have a difficult time thinking what the person sitting next to us is thinking or how to cheer up our near and dear one's when they are sad.... I mean we are not even able to communicate with other species on earth like monkeys or dolphins or dogs or cats or whales... all of whom show intelligence so much so that according to modern science whales have the most complex language spoken on earth... Even with all these obvious limitations we are soooo arrogant that we not only believe we know who or what god is but also what he wants and how to please him.... and in what can perhaps be considered the crowning achievement of our arogance we believe that our beliefs and our beliefs alone are right and everyone else's is wrong.... so wrong that we have the right to well...... u know.
The only question that keeps coming back to me is... Is there still time left to change???? because lets be clear if we don't change soon there will be no one and I mean absolutely no one left to carry our names into the future.
Having said all this one must realise if the objective of law is to give justice to the people under its jurisdiction then perhaps this is one of those rare moments when a creation of man was able to do right by him. Everybody got something and nobody is killing anybody which is a huge improvement I guess so thats good at least.
Now I must make my personal views about this issue clear, personally I could not care less who build what over there personally I say build a nuclear dumping site, a large pond(kolam ;) ), A water theme park... all would be more useful than the other two options the last thing India needs is another temple or another mosque for that matter. It is often difficult for me to understand how such a pathetically clueless species as we humans can be so adamant about our views on god. I mean think about it we have a difficult time thinking what the person sitting next to us is thinking or how to cheer up our near and dear one's when they are sad.... I mean we are not even able to communicate with other species on earth like monkeys or dolphins or dogs or cats or whales... all of whom show intelligence so much so that according to modern science whales have the most complex language spoken on earth... Even with all these obvious limitations we are soooo arrogant that we not only believe we know who or what god is but also what he wants and how to please him.... and in what can perhaps be considered the crowning achievement of our arogance we believe that our beliefs and our beliefs alone are right and everyone else's is wrong.... so wrong that we have the right to well...... u know.
The only question that keeps coming back to me is... Is there still time left to change???? because lets be clear if we don't change soon there will be no one and I mean absolutely no one left to carry our names into the future.
Friday, October 12, 2007
From Me For Me, A Window Into My Mind
How Can I tell you what I am
I am an ocean and this is but a drop.
But if I must then I will say this
Though I am but of 23
I have lived many a life time.
I have seen more than most men will ever
some good some bad...... some very Good some very Bad
For many years I was adrift and floating
with no purpose no aim
But with one very certain rendezvous
those days are long gone now
I know now what I must
I know now my destiny
I know now why it happened
My past is behind me and my future ahead
I follow the path he has laid before me
I know not where it leads or even if it is mine
But I know that I must and
I promise Up On Him,
That Come Heaven or Hell
I will Do That which I must
I am an ocean and this is but a drop.
But if I must then I will say this
Though I am but of 23
I have lived many a life time.
I have seen more than most men will ever
some good some bad...... some very Good some very Bad
For many years I was adrift and floating
with no purpose no aim
But with one very certain rendezvous
those days are long gone now
I know now what I must
I know now my destiny
I know now why it happened
My past is behind me and my future ahead
I follow the path he has laid before me
I know not where it leads or even if it is mine
But I know that I must and
I promise Up On Him,
That Come Heaven or Hell
I will Do That which I must
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Tagged For The First Time
Hmmm My most difficult blog yet....Nasia you have given me a very difficult job to do. saying thanks I wrote in that comment that this was going to be a rather short list and also a some what diffirrent list than yours(for details refer Tagged With Gratitude By Nasia)
To Begin With I have to start with
1.God,
He/She has been my truest Friend and guide in this rather difficult journey that I call Life. There have been times when I have wondered what my life would be without his blessing. He/She has been my courage and my strength. In my deepest hours of despair I have always found Him/Her and I believe that it was his voice that guided me through those times. At this juncture I feel compelled to say that My God is mine alone that is to say that I believe it certain aspects of many religions, Though I am proud to be a Hindu mostly because I believe that more aspects of it hold true when compared to other religions but on the whole I do not believe in any religion as they exist currently or in other words my god is my own. Now what exactly are my believes will be the topic for many blog to come but as of now let me continue with my thanking duties.
My Friends,
2.Rahul.R.Kaimal,Vinod.B,Kaashif.M.Ahmed:
I thank them very simple reason that they put up with me for a very long time and listened to my rambling(Usually about the same topic) for years and years with a degree of patience that is in a league of its own.
3.Shamjith Nair, Sachin S:
I Thank you guys for standing by me through many difficult times when many others left. I also thank you guys for seeing the better parts of me when even I had difficulty seeing them. Thank you.
4. Kutty(Reshmi Devan) My one and only sister:
For being there for me when I was almost completely lost and for sticking with me even when I tried my level best to push her away.
5.Nasia:
For introducing me to the world of blogging.
6.To All Women Who came into my life:
From you I have learned a lot,without you I would not be the Man I am today.
Now Some non personal references:
7.I thank all those faceless nameless Men and Women who fought and died so that I could have my freedom. I salute you and your many sacrifices.
8.To Mahatma Gandhi:
For being my one true guide all these years, Whenever I have doubted my path I have looked to your words for inspiration.
Once again Thank you to everyone for everything.
To Begin With I have to start with
1.God,
He/She has been my truest Friend and guide in this rather difficult journey that I call Life. There have been times when I have wondered what my life would be without his blessing. He/She has been my courage and my strength. In my deepest hours of despair I have always found Him/Her and I believe that it was his voice that guided me through those times. At this juncture I feel compelled to say that My God is mine alone that is to say that I believe it certain aspects of many religions, Though I am proud to be a Hindu mostly because I believe that more aspects of it hold true when compared to other religions but on the whole I do not believe in any religion as they exist currently or in other words my god is my own. Now what exactly are my believes will be the topic for many blog to come but as of now let me continue with my thanking duties.
My Friends,
2.Rahul.R.Kaimal,Vinod.B,Kaashif.M.Ahmed:
I thank them very simple reason that they put up with me for a very long time and listened to my rambling(Usually about the same topic) for years and years with a degree of patience that is in a league of its own.
3.Shamjith Nair, Sachin S:
I Thank you guys for standing by me through many difficult times when many others left. I also thank you guys for seeing the better parts of me when even I had difficulty seeing them. Thank you.
4. Kutty(Reshmi Devan) My one and only sister:
For being there for me when I was almost completely lost and for sticking with me even when I tried my level best to push her away.
5.Nasia:
For introducing me to the world of blogging.
6.To All Women Who came into my life:
From you I have learned a lot,without you I would not be the Man I am today.
Now Some non personal references:
7.I thank all those faceless nameless Men and Women who fought and died so that I could have my freedom. I salute you and your many sacrifices.
8.To Mahatma Gandhi:
For being my one true guide all these years, Whenever I have doubted my path I have looked to your words for inspiration.
Once again Thank you to everyone for everything.
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