Category: Personal Reflections

Everyone is talking about how Dinesh Karthik stole the thunder and left the Bangladesh Team exasperated by thwarting their quest to “win” a tournament. I must say that every Sportsman has a flashy day if he/she is playing and given an opportunity. I don’t follow Cricket so ardently now after the match-fixing scam, not knowing whether what I am watching is just wasting my time watching what has already been “fixed”. Dhoni is and has proven himself time and again that he is a “super cool” finisher, whereas Dinesh fails to match up by any yardstick. There have been more than one instance (the matches that I have watched) in the past when this Karthik fellow did have the opportunity but squandered it away by not grabbing it. Yes, I strongly believe that he is no match to MSD and it would not be correct to compare him. A great player exemplifies himself by taking the bull by its horn especially in pressure situations and MSD has done it on numerous occasions. Dinesh is just an ordinary cricketer who had a good day.

All said and done, the “action” that Cricket Australia has decided to take against Steve Smith & David Warner (their career is almost sealed as the Cricket would have moved on in one years time) should be a lesson for us; for whom such a drastic action would most certainly be unthinkable. Imagine if Virat is at any point of time is found to be guilty of any such misadventure, would he be banned for this long…or would we have banned the God of Cricket, even though his name did figure in one of the incidents where it was later clarified that he was merely cleaning the seam and not tampering the ball…we just would not have the balls to do it…the personalities over-shadow the game here in India. Both Steve and Warner are the backbone of the present Australian Team, but what the hell…sportsmanship to the fore. The way to go…

Rahul Gandhi desperately wants to be the PM and he is leaving no stone unturned in trying to achieve this quest, like a adamant child who is creating a ruckus for a toy…Mamta Banerjee is in Delhi to forge an alliance which is supposedly to be bereft of the Congress, intended to keep BJP & Congress out of power and maybe make her the contender for the coveted chair. The only agenda that these politicians have today is to “play politics”. And, if they somehow succeed in their agenda, then what? Infighting for the seat of the Prime Minister. It is absolutely ridiculous. Everyone wants to fight for the trophy-the power to the PM’s Chair. But does anyone deserve it. Are we the voters – the choosers or the beggars. At the mercy of how the politicians try to carve a niche for themselves. I am sure no one has the good of the Country in their hearts. It is all vendetta and pride and AMBITION.

The Government is never held accountable in the true sense for its “performance”. The Ruling Party can levy “extra” cess and additional taxes at will, but the expenditure book of Accounts is never shared. For instance an education cess has been levied for a long time and all the “tax payers” have been religiously paying it (no choice), but whether the money has been put to its end use. The other day the Punjab Finance Minister, proposed the implementation of a monthly tax of ₹200. Where does this “crowd Funding” go? If any Venture Capital Fund invests in a business, they keep a close watch in ensuring that the money they have lent is put to the right use and in turn the VC also has a clear, well defined “exit” strategy/plan. In the case of the state it is always a one way ticket. A tax is mooted and the two tier House of Representatives approve it and the Funding begins. Where is the end use accountability? Five years get over and each one of them is out on the streets garnering “votes” to continue their “good work”. In fact the manifesto should have the balance sheets and the Profit & Loss Account. How much money was collected in the name of Development and what has come out of it. I wonder why as in the case of Businesses, should we not have the Balance Sheets and Annual Returns filed and uploaded on Registrar of Government for all to see. Why is the Government not asked to prepare a Profit & Loss Account? Budget is just a one way communication on which the opposition will make some noise or even create a ruckus and not participate in the discussion by boycotting parliament and the Incumbent Government will somehow pass the Budget and implement. It does not matter what the citizen wants, it is what the politicians want and the rising decibels is becoming quite deafening and incomprehensible…

Why did the Communism lose its relevance in India? It is rather pitiable to see how Karat & Yechury are trying to “flap and struggle” so as to keep themselves afloat and be of some relevance. Is anyone hearing? Karat want to hang on and tug on to the dhoti tail of Congress. Where does that leave their so called “communist ideology”. If only the Left had learned to move with the times and emulated what China or Russia did. Modernise the theory of Karl Marx & Lenin. When I visit Kerala, I see how the left is still trying to wage a losing battle. What is the meaning of “Inquilab”, I simply have no idea. Will it lay food on the table. If only the leadership of the Left had modernised their ideology to stay relevant. Like so many objective things like the Cassette Player, VCR, even CD’s/DVD’d the ideologies of the Left have been left rotting and their proponents have not bothered to refurbish it. Till competition started breathing down the back of the Indian Industry, we had to contend with Different Marks of the yesteryear “Ambassador” where the only significant change used to be the Mark I or Mark 2 etc with everything else remaining the same. Ambassador was finally laid to rest a couple of years back. I am sure there must me more to it that what I can in my own feeble mind see…

I WONDER…

Jayalalitha died may her soul RIP, V. K. Sasikala is in Jail, albeit for a short duration, her Husband Natarajan has recently died…I wonder what will happen to the billions that the trio had amassed over the period when they had the wherewithal to make it so happen. All this after their now seemingly futile attempt to appease the Gods in Guruvayoor, Tirupati etc etc. What of the millions that were “donated”, alas seems to have been all in vain!!! Does God ever listen to the cries of the people…or is it like Nietzsche professed that God is Dead…I didn’t say it, Nietzsche did so blame him. And if that were true, then why didn’t someone warn these poor fellas. They could surely have saved a substantial part of their fortune which is now depleted from their stock. Whoever it might be who would use it eventually…I wonder.

I wonder, how all of a sudden the Political parties have started becoming so vociferous just about everything. As soon as the dates for the exams draw near, you start looking for the books to start preparing. Where did they vanish for the last three years? Merry making in the true Roman spirit…all this seems so very disgustingly hypocritical. But then that is the way we are made, enjoy it nevertheless because of the inevitability…