It's free lunches in Tamil Nadu

    "Free mixie or Grinder for families. Free laptops for senior school and engineering students. Rice at Re.1 per kg. 4 grams of gold for brides from poor families." This is how the manifesto of political parties looked like in the recent Tamil Nadu elections. Elections in Tamil Nadu are fought differently these days, in fact from the 2006 election. Its all about throwing freebies. The more freebies you have in your manifesto, the better are your chances. The concept of freebies started in the last term when the ruling government started giving Free color television for the people of Tamil Nadu. And guess what, it worked wonderfully well until the 2G scam came and spoiled the party. By the way, is it a government's job to buy things for the people?

And they say, we are a developing country

  15th August, my country got its Independence. 26th January, which passed a few weeks back, my country became Republic. With Independence, India became a country which can be ruled by its own people, whether you like it or not. Republic, gave a constitution to us, formulated with it the fundamental rights for every citizen. Today, a simple question I ask myself: Are we democratic?  Do we still enjoy our fundamental rights?

Waiting for "The Modi's India"

  On my way back from office, and just got down from the office bus. Headed straight to a small tea shop by the road side. Had a tea, and picked up a Kurkure packet. The packet was so dusty, asked the guy to give me a different one. "All packets are like this", said the guy. I told him you could have at least cleaned it once before keeping for selling to which he replied angrily: " These bastards are relaying the platforms for the last 2 years. Things become dusty in just a matter of minutes". He went on adding "You are talking as if you are coming straight from America. The road projects only starts, never gets over. These politicians are all for money. Nobody cares a shit for the people using these platforms". Typical words heard from an Indian. I said in  a jest, wait for sometime, looks like this Karnataka government can fall anytime. "So what? Nothing changes." he said, and added something more which took me by surprise: "There is only one good politician in the country and it is Narendra Modi".

I may not remember Sachin for his 50 centuries but....

  No Indian can deny the fact he had a small tear at the corner of his eye when Sachin raised his bat after scoring the 50th century against South Africa. I don't think any other player would have invoked such a kind of feeling in us. The same man had raised his bat so many times and looked at the sky to thank his dad, yet this moment will remain with us for at least quite sometime. 

Anna, aap Hindi nahi boltey ho kya...

It was one fine evening. I was sipping a cup of coffee. A call from one of my old roommates who had left for Chennai a month back on a new job offer. As I received the call, these are the exact words he said to me: “ Tumaare Chennai ke log aisa kyun hai yaar. Mein Hindi mein kuch pooch raha tha, wo English mein jawab de raha hai..bohoth gussa aaya muje. ……………………………..Waise, Idar Hindi kyun nahi boltey ? In logonko hindi se kya problem hai?”.

Perhaps he vented his entire frustration on me J . I had a tough time