How dare Gen VK Singh Leak his Letter?

He lost his case in the Supreme court, and hence he is hitting back at the government. Since his term as Chief is coming to an end, he is raking up controversies. His motives are suspect, as he remained silent for 2 years and is whistle blowing only now.

How the hell could a letter leak? Did the general leak it himself? Should he be dismissed? The entire political landscape is not only rife with speculation, but also deeply intrigued not by the all pervasive corruption but by the leak.

In hours there will be an enquiry on how the letter leaked, but none on how the corruption continues in the most sensitive departments and most sensitive deals.

These are typical reactions that you would see to the This is the typical Indian psyche. Growing up in a maze of corruption, we find excuses to dismiss any action that could be challenging it. Challenging corruption is like challenging a way of life or fait accompli.

No politician or news channel is saying that even for whatever reason, if the conscience of a retiring general has finally awakened, let it be a golden opportunity to cleanse a system that has been festering for so long.

Cleansing is the last thing on the mind of all people. It is the infrastructure of corruption on which the rich and powerful thrive. If you are able curb or at least cap corruption, how will the various political parties fund their respective election campaigns? If by buying some in-appropriate or substandard equipment, some soldiers die due malfuntioning of equipment or the nations' fighting machine operates sub-optimally little does it matter. We proudly say, India trudges on.

Madrasas in the SP Raj

When I was a young lad, I would wait eagerly for the then fortnightly India Today, and would lap it up cover to cover, new sooner the newspaper man would fling it into the house, slicked into the newspaper of the day.

The same news magazine today is like a cheap tabloid that would at all costs avoid to read.

I remember reading a report on Islamic fundamentalism. The article had to a large extent taken the routes of this to the madrasas. There were about 75,000 then, nondescript, hidden in the womb of populous gullies of muslim dominated geographies. These have been imparting colloquial Islamic education to poor muslims who donot have access to modern education. The medium is Urdu and Persian, which are the national languages of Pakistan and Iran. Products of this system are misfits in the modern world. They cannot seek any mainstream employment and sitting ducks and recruitment pools for extremist organisations.

Hindu organisations also run schools, colleges and universities. But they are imparting the mostly modern of education. An RSS college merely implies, starting the day with Saraswati Vandana. Rest of the curriculum is just like any modern school. A record number of their students enter IITs and IIMs and the still so coveted civil services. Just imagine what would happen to Hindus, should Hindu colleges teach only the Vedas and no science. Or education be imparted in Sanskrit, which is hardly spoken anywhere in India, saving stray courses in academic institutions. Akin to madrassas imparting education in Urdu or Persian. To top this all, politicians like Mulayam Singh are going to encourage madrassas just to gain cheap popularity amongst muslims. How are these madrassas going to help muslims. They will but help the Samajawadi party for sure.

That Islam is intolerant I always knew. I had personal experience on the fate of the coptic christians when I was visiting Egypt and a story about Iran. During a trip to Tehran, my agents played a lovely host. While trying to make polite conversation at dinner time, I mentioned, India has a population of Irani origin people ( read parsis ) who are doing exceedingly well in the country. Pat came the answer - if they were to come back, we would kill them. I was aghast to here this.

The American Tips culture

Believe you me. When our PM MMS went on a state trip to US, Barak Obama served him masala chai. While MMS savored the Chai, oblivious of the written in blood, American tradition, he forgot to tip Obama. The latter was so upset at this faux pas, that he decided to not support India on the nuclear deal.

What corruption is to some emerging geographies, tips are to the United States of America. Ingrained and institutionalized. In America they demand tips as though, they work for tips and not for the consideration / salary and tips are not really a form of gratuity, but right.

The idea of service is also extremely warped. An average American believes, service is all about yapping. Fellows waiting tables want to stand by your side and yap while I am sure you want to savor the food with folks. You pay for the food, but the yapper comes along. They may forget parts of the order, may not remember to bring the salt and pepper with the complimentary bread, but would like to stand by your side and discuss your day, weather and your clothes may be.

This time, at the Radisson Manhattan, on room service, the messed up my order, added 3 times the charges and having done all this, of their own, added a tip on the bill, and booked it on my room. Disgusting is all that I can say. But interestingly, I noticed it and got it reversed.

Taxi drivers also want to chat with you, and would like to be tipped for all the yapping that you could very well do without. Having done so, they believe - they have delivered a great deal of service - and deserve the extras which if you deny, they may get indignant. The all prevalent and ubiquitous tip culture becomes even more obvious when in the movie Tower Heist, the cast so presumptuously declares the Towers policy of no tips.

Landing back home from the great USA, sitting in the Meru cab, you get a shock when the guy returns rupee 1 to you should he be owing you.

UP Elections

Sections of media and psephologists, self- proclaimed protagonists of people’s rights, and corner room political commentators. All seem to be in subdued tones debating, the Rahul phenomenon clearly proven to being devoid of charisma or popular connect, would the Matron and queen bee (Sonia), ailing with some serious medical condition, role her daughter out to spew life in a party which has time and again showed fatigue in a state (UP) that decides who wields the baton at the centre.

There are many ways to stay in power. Deliver to or beyond expectation, ensure a weak tier II of leadership, perpetuate and reinforce sycophancy, preside on factionalism. The congress high command practices all this individually and severally.

I am actually intrigued by the Nehru families almost 80 – 90 years of prominence on India’s political scene. Neither despots like the perverted Dhana Nanda could perpetuate their dynasty, nor benevolent kings like Chandragupta, Vikramaditya and Harsha perpetuate theirs’. How is the congress’ top family then defying such a telling truth or neglecting this learning from history. UP election result could well augur the downfall of the dynasty, and it goes without saying, I wish - at the cost of being presumptuous - it were imminent sooner than anyone’s guess is.

The political panorama is buzz with the success of Akhilesh. It is to be seen, if it is the enchantment for Akhilesh or the dislike for Mayawati. The people when straddled with lack of choice, often choose a lesser evil of the two. The sincerity of the congress was dubious, regardless of the credulous political posturing of the crown Prince – Rahul.

SP rakes in good numbers, 225 is tall, but of them, only 90 are without criminal record. Woefully, in this country, politics is truly the last refuge of the scoundrels.

While all else will continue to pettifog about what happened during the elections and what went wrong, Akhilesh will get into the driving seat.

Chamki Pedestrian Chameli

Hideously pedestrian! That is how I would describe the Chamki Chameli number that Katreena has done in one of the lately released films. Which those who know me, would not be surprised to know, I have not seen as yet, and I don’t plan to either, but I have seen the promos of the number and the gyrations are clearly crass and distinctly distasteful. But of course many may whistle. Nay, most will whistle. And that being the case, perhaps the objective is fulfilled. Today, pandering to baser instincts of an audience in a society where practicing repression in some measure, is normal, as it provides a legitimate outlet.