For
the fear of being left behind I thought it imperative to opine on my Prime
Minister for whom I voted and also wanted to write a non economic, easily
comprehensible, data-free article that anyone can understand especially my
international audience.
the fear of being left behind I thought it imperative to opine on my Prime
Minister for whom I voted and also wanted to write a non economic, easily
comprehensible, data-free article that anyone can understand especially my
international audience.
I
haven’t been as amused lately as I am now, looking at the various marketing
machineries for Modi who has been creating an aura of invincibility and
humbling the achievements of Mangalyaan in comparison of what the
Ironman has achieved in the last
1 year.
haven’t been as amused lately as I am now, looking at the various marketing
machineries for Modi who has been creating an aura of invincibility and
humbling the achievements of Mangalyaan in comparison of what the
Ironman has achieved in the last
1 year.
Let’s
ignore the following few things in the credit of Modi and imagine that aliens
from Mars are responsible for these and not the government:
ignore the following few things in the credit of Modi and imagine that aliens
from Mars are responsible for these and not the government:
- Rate
of increase of farmer suicides - Slowdown
in industrial production - Lack
of tolerance towards the Christian and Muslim communities that has exacerbated
in the last 1 year - Real
Interest rates still high because of a high spread retained by the banks and
government having no real control over anything - Unemployment
rates going up by a few hundred basis points - And
not a single big infrastructure project having taken off the ground with
hundreds of billions of dollars stuck in stalled projects
Now
let’s safely assume that a few of these amazing global tailwinds were all
because of Modi’s charm that he spread, during his global sojourns:
let’s safely assume that a few of these amazing global tailwinds were all
because of Modi’s charm that he spread, during his global sojourns:
- Crude
oil prices dropping from $110 to $55 - Inflation
is well within the comfort levels of the Central Bank - Dollar
inflows into India that took our forex reserves to USD 350 Billion - Easing
of tensions with Iran thereby making the Middle East a bit more stable.
While
the captains of the industry aren’t getting enough opportunity to praise Modi
for what he has done for the country or its economy, since no one dare
displease him, my report card for my Prime Minister is as follows.
the captains of the industry aren’t getting enough opportunity to praise Modi
for what he has done for the country or its economy, since no one dare
displease him, my report card for my Prime Minister is as follows.
I
am a common man – very middle class – simple
things matter to me.
am a common man – very middle class – simple
things matter to me.
Each
day, as I read about the plan for 100 smart cities in India, I only look towards
the skies and musingly ask God – “Are you kidding me?!”.
day, as I read about the plan for 100 smart cities in India, I only look towards
the skies and musingly ask God – “Are you kidding me?!”.
I
keep looking for the ‘acchhe din’ or
good days that were to come with Modi.
keep looking for the ‘acchhe din’ or
good days that were to come with Modi.
So
much talk about a corruption free country. But just recently a policeman in
Bangalore fined me in cash and even gave me a discount upon negotiation. Was
fined because I went on the wrong side of the road. A pertinent point to be
mentioned here – Bangalore is the only city where, on a few roads, one must
drive on the right side instead of left and those new to the city are supposed
to know this by birth!
much talk about a corruption free country. But just recently a policeman in
Bangalore fined me in cash and even gave me a discount upon negotiation. Was
fined because I went on the wrong side of the road. A pertinent point to be
mentioned here – Bangalore is the only city where, on a few roads, one must
drive on the right side instead of left and those new to the city are supposed
to know this by birth!
It’s
all a big sham!
all a big sham!
Governments
have only marginal utility.
have only marginal utility.
For
a commoner, it’s like selecting an outsourced security guard for your premises
at minimum wages with minimum expectations and hoping that when one day the
real need arises – this fellow isn’t sleeping.
Otherwise most of the time – he’s just half dead – although he’s still
there.
a commoner, it’s like selecting an outsourced security guard for your premises
at minimum wages with minimum expectations and hoping that when one day the
real need arises – this fellow isn’t sleeping.
Otherwise most of the time – he’s just half dead – although he’s still
there.
While
a lot of columnists and senior journalists are busy writing the government’s
scorecard, discussing his performance in incomprehensible semantics, I want to
give Modi a simple task –
a lot of columnists and senior journalists are busy writing the government’s
scorecard, discussing his performance in incomprehensible semantics, I want to
give Modi a simple task –
India
approximately has an area of 3.2 million sq kilometres. Mr. Modi, please pick
up any 100 only hundred sq kilometre (.03%) area of your choice anywhere across
the length or the breadth of this country and convert it into a place where:
approximately has an area of 3.2 million sq kilometres. Mr. Modi, please pick
up any 100 only hundred sq kilometre (.03%) area of your choice anywhere across
the length or the breadth of this country and convert it into a place where:
- An
hour of rain doesn’t inundate the area and choke it - Where
an innocent pedestrian can walk without tripping over - Where
a person on a wheelchair can roam about without cursing every single day of his
existence - Where
a tourist can drag his suitcase without a hassle, between roads and footpaths - Where
traffic lights work and roads have adequate lane markers - Where
a pedestrian has more respect (like everywhere else in the world) than the
speed defying typical Indian driver on wheels - Where
a lady can walk without feeling uneasy or being visually stripped naked by
passerbys - Where
someone who must be punished, is punished without blaming the 10 million
pending cases in Indian judicial system
Just
maintain it for one year for the world and your voter to see.
maintain it for one year for the world and your voter to see.
And
then we will do the swachh bharat and
talk of 100 smart cities – please.
then we will do the swachh bharat and
talk of 100 smart cities – please.
In
the meanwhile it would help to spend some time in your country rather than
making innumerable trips abroad unless
you want to cover it all before the oil prices start going up.
the meanwhile it would help to spend some time in your country rather than
making innumerable trips abroad unless
you want to cover it all before the oil prices start going up.
You
are a good man Mr. Modi – and I think you’ve got the vision right. But vision
must be followed by strategy, which must be followed by execution and metrics –
and my Report Card says – you still have a very very long way to go. In the
reportcard, at best, you get a Minus B.
are a good man Mr. Modi – and I think you’ve got the vision right. But vision
must be followed by strategy, which must be followed by execution and metrics –
and my Report Card says – you still have a very very long way to go. In the
reportcard, at best, you get a Minus B.
Well said! I'm in complete agreement about getting the basics right first. Swachh bharat is just another gimmick like "india shining "
This article is becoming more relevant with each passing day ! All the din about 'DIN' seems to be dying .