Bharat Bandh.. Minds closed and Faith Lost - An Open letter to BJP and Shiv Seva

Dear BhagwaBandhus ( read BJP Shivsena  - the ground staff, its high bastions and maybe the ivory tower if my voice reaches there due to some miracle)

As an average Mumbaikar, belonging to the increasingly minority category of citizens called open category (medium creamy layer hindu brahmin), i must confess my inclination towards the saffron combine.  

However, the political bandh called today and the media chest-thumping of its "nationwide success" is an act worth condemning as the terror attacks. While the statement may sound strong, abrupt and irresponsible, just think... was the final motive of both dastardly acts not the same - to stop life as usual? 

I must congratulate you all for the "bloodless" ways though, which makes you ineligible for the privilege of Kasabniwas (A more Indian subcontinentized name for Arthur road jail)

 For the common man -- really?
Back to the bandh that happened today, a forced political act disguised as protest on behalf of the common man, Can at least one of the BJP Karyakartas or Shiv Sainik, worth his salt explain, How has it helped make life easier?

Going by pure economics, haven't the mounting losses due to shut business and of course the acts of non-violence (non conventional violence that is) by your workers, contributed to the rising costs... and multiply that... to the rising prices? After all this acts of yours will it be fair to ask for a miracle from the magic sadhus, trishuls and the other saffron delights that we have? Will you be answerable to them and to their Gods, and yes the People?

A dog trying to bite its own tail? 
To all of you, from BJP Shiv Sena, specially whom we voted to the Mumbai Municipality, to save ourselves from the Naturally Corrupt Party - Here is a question:

The Mehengai that you are all protesting against, aren't you a major contributor to it in the following ways in Mumbai (your majority municipality enacted these immediately upon getting elected) :

1. Increased BEST Bus fare citing Electricity losses -  by as high as 70 - 80% . A ticket from colaba to churchgate, barely 7 kms costs Rs.12!! the ticket cost used to be Rs. 6 not even a year ago... through two hikes the cost has been doubled citing losses in the Electricity business. You have fooled the BEST commuter by making him pay for the Electricity losses . The cost does compensate your unions conducting strikes, and yes the buses you damage during the bandhs.. But hey ... who is creating this mehengai?

2. Increase in Electricity Tariff citing Transport losses - This time the tail wags the dog... Your elected municipality fools the Bus commuters, and then the Electricity users, make money from both and jack up prices...

Besides this the latest Tax policies enacted by the Municipal corporation led by you, my dear Bhagwabandhus, is an institutionalized way to extort the already squeezed Mumbaikar.

After all of this do you have any answers? Or is it just yet another Bandh?

The country is shifting its gaze towards alternatives for the next government.. and you are only warning them against voting for you through your actions.

Yours Truly,
A Saffron Loyalist... and changing..

Face of America (or the lac of it)

Many citizens in the US may wonder, why do so many people in the world dislike them? why is their innocent presence at the crosshairs of terror attacks? Inspite of being a great icon of freedom and democracy, what's the problem with people around the world?

When you look at the US as a lay outsider with some facts from history, you would come across a behavioral pattern of fear - of losing the superpower status, fear - of inability to feed the gluttonous US consumption, someday.  It is this fear that makes US today:

1. The country with the maximum weapons of mass destruction, which is on a desperate hunt to disarm the rest of the world

2. The only country that used a weapon of mass destruction

3. The country that aided creation of Taliban, to counter the soviet "threat"  - Was silent during its conquest of afghanistan. And today the militia is the biggest threat to the US and the good world. 

4. The country with a greed to keep its citizens consuming, invaded Iraq with a mask of fighting terror, only to gain control on oil and to boost its war-driven economy.

Here's an example of a country that showed itself to its citizen as a great idol of freedom and democracy. While to the rest of the world it pressed upon its tyranny.

Will change arrive in the US with Obama at its helm? At least the first hundred days of the charismatic leader indicate otherwise.

Obama ka Kaarnama - please pay exact change!

When Barack Hussein Obama succeeded George W Bush, the entire world celebrated with hope that sanity would return to white house, after two five-year terms of what i would call - The planet of the Ape.

So there we were -  an  "New and Improved"(american marketers favorite chant) President of the United States surfing high on a hawaiian wave of hope with a very promising punchline - The change we need is here. ( applause... encores...fireworks around the world.... hopes and promises)

An amazing punchline which no hyped advertisement in the debt ridden nation of the United States would ever like to miss.

As a foreign layman observer sitting at a point which wakes when US sleeps, i agree with Obama-Saheb. The change that US needs, but perhaps doesn't want  is surely going to arrive... 

The change is nothing but the sound of the last few coins (the change) in the american pocket, after they are done with printing dollars indiscriminately without any underlying national productivity/ wealth, just to feed those who are spending without earning as much....  After they have realized that the gluttony of debt in the country is leading them nowhere and ... they wouldn't have the rest of the world bail them out.... The music of 'change' chinking in the american pocket would arrive indeed!

The change is nothing but the coppers and nickels that would eventually remain clinking in the american coffers after funding its own enemies (and that of humanity) - militarily and humanitarian. You may not guess too hard who these enemies are. For all you know the blood thirsty, sheep-skinned 'allies' of the american war against terrorism will bring the situation of 'change' faster?