I AND MY WORDS

Experts scratching their heads, said one 'expert' from Singapore on Times Now, when asked about the Annual Union Financial Budget 2011 and what one should make out of it. This perhaps was a good way to sum up what was going on in the ramble of a speech that Pranabda (my favorite politician by far) dished out for three hours on a stretch, where he barely drank a drop of water, and bravely marched on, reading out page after page of absolute garbles (not to be mistaken with garbage, for Pranabda's accent makes it difficult to understand what he really means to say). Social spending remains nearly the same, especially for NREGA, but taxing hospitals restaurants with AC? Seriously? What are you trying to achieve? Rob the poor people further? Naina Lal Kidwai pointed out that the budget sends a green signal. The only green that I saw was the green of money that is being robbed from my pockets all the time. SO many taxes, and yet there is no improvement on services. In fact, India...

I must admit - I am not a big fan of the UPA or of Manmohan Singh as others are. And so the tone may seem biased here. But the issue was such that I could not refrain from commenting upon it. http://www.indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130549/india/food-security-govt-plans-to-limit-food-served-at-weddings.html Today's news story carries the following article on the UPA government 'seriously' considering an Act that prohibits the number of people that can be invited for a function or social gathering. This is in support of the argument that food wastage can be reduced this way. Please read the story for more of this. This is another way of the government trying to act Big Brother over us. It seems that personal liberty is not only going for a toss, so is common sense with it. Won't people simply bribe policemen to lie about this? Moreover, I do agree that the crass manner of wedding celebration needs to be controlled, but seriously people, is this any way to stop food wa...

Well this is perhaps an apt title. There are no heated debates on it anymore, neither are there front page covers on trying to understand what really happened in 2008. A Raja has been arrested; blood has been bayed; we can all go rest in peace now. Or can we? Mr. Kapil Sibal has brought out a report under Former Justice Shivraj Patil (not to be confused with former Home Minister Shivraj Patil, that suit changing man), that states that the rot began with 2003 under the NDA. Also, he has been loud and upbeat in disrespecting the Comprtoller and Auditor General (CAG, the Indian government's accountant) report on the perceived loss due to allocation of 2G spectrum by trashing it on the grounds of 'accounting procedures adopted'. I don't know why people do not bring the following points to light: 1. Be it any government under whom the scam had begun, the truth is that there has been a scandal. Start investigating and stop hiding behind the curtains of allegation-counter-alle...

For those who do not know about Sri Lanka, it is one of the world's most endangered biodiversity hotspots. Some of the greatest specie richness in the world is located in this beautiful paradise, that was ravaged by war for over three decades, till it was finally ended (worth a thought though). Efforts on reconciliation and restoration of the environment in the North of Sri Lanka are now being undertaken on a war footing. What role does biodiversity play in it? David Without Borders is a brilliant initiative started by two guys in recording efforts on biodiversity conservation, and their recent episode on Sri Lanka reconciliating through biodiversity conservation is certainly worth a watch. 07 Sri Lanka - Building peace for Sri Lanka, the power of biodiversity from David Without Borders on Vimeo . Dr. Sarath Kotagama came as a pleasant surprise. An ornithologist by profession, he is a delightful person to know. He certainly deserves an award for this initiative of his. Try and se...

Indian culture has a wonderful relationship with Bamboo. Most prominent among them must be the fact that the flute is made out of it, and the flute was played by none other than the revered Lord Krishna. However, among other things, it is a material of great commercial importance across the world. What surprises me is the way in which the media tends to ignore such critical issues of development and internal security, and how these issues are so critically interlinked. So it was great surprise for me to read that the Times of India (more appropriately the Trash of India *nudge nudge wink wink*) came out with this article that discussed in great detail the great fraud we did till recently with the marginalized people in our country over the past fifty years. What is bamboo? Most people, including scientists, say its grass. But according to the Indian Forest Department, it was a tree! Why? Here's the answer. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/its-a-grass-not-a-tree-bambo...

It is interesting to see the kind of issues that gain coverage in the Indian media, as I have often stated. What makes it interesting though is the selective screening of certain kinds of news items that could be of potential national interest. There is never a debate conducted over matters of national importance in an objective manner. One such area is the privatization of water supply systems in India. It is of no surprise to me that very few papers in India dare to discuss the issue of water supply systems being privatized in the name of reforms. The side usually taken is the one that is often quoted by proponents; it will be a panacea for all the ills that plague the current systems. Thus it is rare to come across articles on opposition to it in Karnataka, especially in cities like Mysore and Bengaluru. Moreover, the issue is being discussed about the inclusion of the private sector in Delhi as well, with the electricity distribution privatization being quoted a 'success'. ...

A scan of the media coverage of issues poses an insight into what are the hot topics of today's media. It is easy to list these issues, for they number only a few. Be it the Hindutva terror, Karnataka land deals, the CWG scam or the 2G spectrum allocation, these issues are still a rage with our media. Though it is shameful to see shameless politicians scream their lungs out saying "My corruption is less than your corruption", it is fascinating to note why issues of grave importance are either dropped quickly or are not even picked up by the Indian media. A lot of them, which I believe are the real issues India faces, are never covered by our so called 'senior' journalists, which is shameful because their voice might lend credence to the efforts of the activists, workers and government servants who are struggling on this issue for decades now. Ms. Teresa Rehman has been a revelation in that sense. An award winning journalist from Assam, she has been a strong insigh...