IS INDIA A SOFT NATION?

The term "soft state" was coined in 1960s by Gunnar Myrdal, who was a Swedish Nobel Laureate economist, sociologist & politician. The term was used to describe a society which was incapable of imposing the right development policies and is unwilling to act against corruption at all levels. Today, this phrase befits country like India. Historically, India has always been a soft nation; otherwise it would not have been at the receiving end of foreign invaders and colonies for over many centuries. This situation transpired because of India's lack of unity amongst its princely states. Today's independent India is a sovereign, secular and democratic republic, thus it is duty of government to safeguard these pillars of constitution for goodwill of our country.

In the recent past there have been innumerable instances where India has failed to give a fitting response on international issues. India's policy with Pakistan has been very embarrassing especially when it comes to persecution of 26/11 perpetrators, border infiltration, extra-judicial killing of Indian prisoners etc. We also witnessed another embarrassing moment when there was 20 km Chinese incursion into Indian territory with impunity, and brazenness to the extent of installing bivouacs and claiming it as their own land. Least one could do was to engage in a military skirmish that would have given very strong signal. Also Sri Lanka in down south continues to threaten our innocent fishermen by detaining them without any trial and we also saw how our government initially had gone soft on two Italian naval guards who were responsible death of our fishermen (mistaking them as pirates), later backtracked because of wide scale media & public furore. These instances are detrimental to sovereignty of our country. 

I fail to fathom out our government's stand with international affairs despite the credential that India possesses. India is the world's 7th largest country by size, 3rd largest army, 4th largest GDP and the 2nd most populous country. Yet India plays a negligible role in international affairs. Countries far smaller to India in size, population and economy exert a much larger influence on international affairs. The reason for this aforementioned crisis is leadership paralysis and lacunae in decision making. The super-powers of the world exert tremendous amount of powers essentially because they have strong leaders that hold tremendous decision making ability. We need a very strong and a decisive leadership that adheres to English idiom "when going gets tough, tough gets going", a leadership which uses its clout to exert powers and give out a very strong signal to the world that we are going stay silent over atrocities being committed upon our citizens. Thus I feel now the time has come to shed this image of "soft nation" because if this kind of inaction continues in spite of prevailing hostilities and enmity around our neighbourhood we'll soon be caught between rock and a hard place.

Is BJP handing out a rough treatment to its seniors this election and denting its image?

On March 24, Jaswant Singh filed his nomination from Barmer Lok Sabha constituency. He took this step after being denied of BJP ticket from Barmer. This case is not the first to be highlighted by the media. There have been on going rumors that the senior people in the party are not comfortable with the latest changes in the party. This is forcing people to question that Is BJP handing out a rough treatment to its seniors this election? Is it going to hurt the image of BJP?

Yes

• BJP is looking more like a divided house where each day new issues are coming on floor. The denial of ticket to Jaswant Singh is taken by many people as a humiliation of workers in the constituency. 

• Sushma Swaraj is not happy about the decision. She called it a decision which was not brought for discussion in the Central election Committee. 

• The stability of the party is getting weaker. A party failing to bring stability inside the group will be considered as a weak party which can fail to bring stability in the country.

• Top leadership is seen fighting openly on social media. And no one can deny the influence of social media in the present world. 

• The BJP filed Sonaram Chowdhry from Barmer who was a former Congress MLA. It opened the gates of new controversy internally as to why Modi needs people from the opposition party. • Ticket denial to Harin Pathak, controversy over L.K. Advani filing from Gandhinagar and not Bhopal, etc are the many examples of splits in the party.

• Rajnath Singh is the party president and many people are of view that he is settling scores with the old leaders. 

No

• In politics everyone is opportunistic. If the leaders have the rights to change the parties then parties also have the right to bring new leaders to connect with the local masses. 

• There has been no vertical division in BJP since its inception. It’s just the difference of opinion and not the splits in the party. 

• Everything is a part of churning and transformation process in the political parties. The newer generation has to come at some time in the party, then why not in this general election. 

• All the decisions were taken in the parliamentary board. It was mutually decided that the decision of the central election committee will be final. . 

• Decisions have to be taken in the interest of the party as whole. The churning of the seats is well accepted by the party members. Mr. Advani agreed the party's choice of Gandhinagar willingly. 

Conclusion

In the decision making process there are times when some people are happy and some people are not. It is all part of a long process. It is wise to consider all the elements of a situation and then take decision because any harm to the image of the party at this time can cost a lot to any party.

Shopping online is better than shopping in brick and cement stores

It won’t be a wrong thing to say that the present world is a digital world where the world is shrinking day by day on the screen of the Smartphones. People spend a lot more time on internet for fun and work and even now prefer to shop online. But there is a group which prefers to shop from the physical stores. 

What is your view? 

Is shopping online a better idea in today’s world? 

Yes

• It is a boon for working people who hardly find any time from the busy schedule to go out and visit the physical outlets for shopping.

• It is just not about buying the luxuries online but now it is a platform where people look to order for groceries and other essential products required in daily life. 

• There is a great flexibility to compare the prices when you shop online. You can visit the different websites and can then choose the best deal.

• There is no time restriction when it comes to shopping online. No matter where you are at the home or in office, you can buy from anywhere and anytime.

• When you shop online you can go through the customer reviews to get the idea about the utility and quality of the product. 

• There is no headache to deal with the sales people who stay after you and pressurize you to buy products in the physical stores. 

• With the help of online shopping it has becomes easier for the people to buy gifts and flowers and send them to their loved ones on special occasions. 

No 

• The first problem definitely is of quality. You cannot touch and see the products before you buy them.

• Online shopping always comes with the risk of insecure online payment and the fraudulent sites claiming to sell genuine products. 

• When you buy anything online then there is the compulsion to wait for the products for some days. You cannot get the delivery at the same time. 

• The greatest headache in online shopping is of return policies. The return policies are not at all buyer’s friendly. Moreover it is a long and complex procedure.

• People are getting addicted to internet for their each and every need. If they won’t step out of the home for the simple thing like shopping also then they are at a higher risk of confining themselves to the virtual world. 

• When you shop online then you have to pay extra as shipping costs. Sometimes the cost of the product is less than the shipping costs. 

Conclusion

The coin has two sides head and tail, life has two phases good and bad, everything has its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. The only thing is that be sensible in whatever mode of shopping you use. If you do then online or physical, all are fine.

Is our Political System the reason of our backwardness?

There is one thing in the system that never changes. And it is the habit of cribbing. People keep on cribbing about the problems that they are facing in the system. But no one wants to take an initiative to start the change. Now at this time when general elections are near, people are busy blaming the political system for all the problems going on in country. Do you also think that our political system is the reason for our backwardness? 

Yes

• The first problem that the people have witnessed in last few years is the increase in number of scams. Where do these scams come from? Where does all the money? These and other such question have raised a question on the credibility of the system.

• Political system is a group of different parties who should work together to improve the status of the country. But in the present system all the parties are busy in blaming each other. 

• The infrastructure of the country is lacking behind and it needs a lot more money to match the standards. But the money of people is spent on massive election campaigning. 

• Whenever something wrong happens in the society parties brings the matter to parliament, blame the ruling government and then the matter is closed. Can someone tell where the solution is?

• It is the political system that continuously gives place to the tainted politicians in the system. How can you always appoint such people who in any case are of no good to the local people? 

• If some party tries to give place to new generation then the old people of the parties oppose the decision. 

No

• You cannot mix political system and politicians with each other. They are connected with each other but you cannot ignore the good work done by the honest politicians.

• For the benefit of the people, the parties keep on discussing new policies and try everything to make them pass in the parliament. 

• People keep on blaming the political system, but actually they are the one who are responsible for all these problems. They refrain themselves from voting and later just keep on complaining about government.

• Lack of education, the attitude towards women and most importantly our social system are the main reasons for backwardness.

• Backwardness is a very relative subject. Our country is a developing country and is doing well on many fronts. So how could you even say that is a backward economy? 

• Youth are responsible for the backwardness. No one wants to join politics to develop the country. Everyone wants safe jobs and a happy secured life. 

• It is the attitude of the citizens of the country which is to be blamed. If the citizens do not take an initiative and work hard, how can they expect the government to meet all their requirements? A country progresses when its citizens innovate and work hard.

Conclusion

Political system is made by the politicians and is formed by the votes that are casted by local people. All of the elements are responsible for the good as well as bad. Just blaming the political system cannot lead our country to the path of development.

Religion should not be mixed with politics

Many people advocate the thought that religion should not be mixed with politics. But is that a practical thing? Is it

possible to keep religions and politics away from each other? There is no doubt that religion and politics are two most important elements in people’s lives. And when they both come together arguments are bound to happen. So what is your view on ‘Religions should not be mixed with Politics’? 

Yes

• Politics and religions should not mix as politics need to reflect a common opinion and have to make all decisions keeping in view the mutual benefit of all the people. 

• If you simply go by the laws in India which is a secular country then definitely as per it the two things should not mix with each other. 

• If both the elements are mixed then people will become more biased towards their own religion. 

• Whenever politics and religions are mixed then the voting decisions of people have been affected. 

• Politics is about power and a religion is about faith. Faith can influence power but when power influences faith it can become disaster. Faith always leads to principles and values. 

No

• Religion is all about following the right path and inculcating right values. If true religion is followed then it can definitely result in fair politics. 

• Religion and politics have always crossed their paths since years. Sometimes it has resulted in good results and sometimes in bad. But the fact is that they are inseparable.

• Mixing religion and politics can open up the gates to break some old shackles that were not a part of religion but society made it religion.

• It will help many people to do and follow what their religion preaches. Someone who understands and knows their values will make all efforts to respect it and save it. 

• Cow killing is not supported by politicians in India. Just because their religion doesn’t approve it. 

Conclusion

Politics is all about having a good time in present life and religion is about having faith for the future times. There are times when they both run like parallel banks of river which don’t meet but always run together.

Should smoking be banned Completely?

The world is changing and with it the people are changing. They have got different lifestyles, different expectations and different ways of style statement. Don’t be surprised to see when youngsters make Cigarette as their style statement. Seeing the present youth, it is a justified question- Should smoking be banned completely?

Yes

• Smoking and other addictions are undoubtedly dangerous to health. It results in serious health diseases like heart disease, bronchitis and many others.

• Sometimes one cigarette doesn’t kill an individual but kills the entire family. If the earning member is addicted to

cigarette then results are fatal. 

• There are much larger concerns linked with passive smoking. Why should other people suffer because of smokers?

• Youngsters are losing their way because of cigarettes. It is an easily available product which begins the way to drugs and other dangerous addictions. 

• It is just not about physical health problems, but also of psychological problems. People start smoking out of stress but then it ends up making them more dependent and frustrated. 

• It affects the environment and also forces government to spend a larger amount on importing medicines and other health machines. 

No

• It will hurt government revenues as they make good amount of money by levying taxes on cigarettes. 

• There are a large number of people who are employed in the tobacco industry. They will loose their source of earnings. 

• It is completely people’s choice to smoke or not. Cigarette is a kind of tobacco and not a kind of drug. So they can decide what is good for them and what is bad?

• If smoking is banned then it will result in the illicit cigarette trafficking. People will find illegal source to buy and have cigarettes. 

• It is just another way to relax. People consume junk foods, cold drinks and live in smoke filled polluted environment which affect their health negatively. With cigarette, all these things should also be banned. 

• It will force the smokers to find another deadly source of addiction which is nothing but drugs. 

Conclusion

Cigarette and smoking is surely not beneficial for health. But then it is a big industry in India and the revenues and jobs coming from the cigarette industry cannot be ignored. It is wise to let people decide that they want to smoke or not.

Should voters be given a NOTA (None of the above) choice?

The general elections are here and people are waiting for the day to vote. But then there are some people who are not at all interested in casting their votes. It is not that they don’t understand the importance of their vote but they are not ready to cast votes just because they understand the importance of their vote. There is a difference in both the cases. They want the choice of NOTA (None of the above). So is there demand right? Should voters be given a NOTA (None of the above) choice? 

Yes

• India is a democratic country and everyone has a right to liberty. So why there is a problem to give them the right of voting to no one?

• Before advent of electronic balloting if the voters didn’t wanted to vote any of the candidates then they simply wasted or spoiled the ballot paper. But now if an individual wants to back out then there is a complex procedure. They

have to fill the Form 49(A).

• It will allow the people to show their dissent against the people standing for the elections. And the parties would be forced to change their representatives. 

• Once the NOTA option is started then people can see a rise in the number of people coming out for vote.

• It is better not to choose anyone rather than selecting a lesser evil. It will encourage transparency in the system.

• In the objective paper if no answer is correct then the right answer is NOTA. The same principle stands true in voting. 

No

• NOTA option holds no importance for the local people. In the present time most of the people are so busy in their busy lives that they won’t prefer to stand in the long queues just to cast NOTA. 

• If NOTA option is introduced then it will result in the re-elections. It will only result in the extra costs of elections and more time will be wasted. 

• If again the candidate is not finalized in the re-election then what? To introduce NOTA is not a simple task. To implement it, a large number of changes will be require din the system. 

• NOTA option will be taken as a fun option by many people. They will cast their vote to NOTA just for their entertainment. It will lead to unfair voting process. 

• If you don’t support any candidate then it is better to cast no vote. People don’t come for vote even if they support a candidate. Then how will NOTA change anything? Its just waste of time, ink and of course human staff involve din the voting process. 

Conclusion

Every citizen of the country has a right to express his opinions, even if it no one. There are times when people want to vote and have to select the person just because there is no other choice. Opening the option of NOTA will allow people to reject the candidates and probably this could be a start of fair politics.

Women Reservation Bill should be passed in Lok Sabha

Women's Reservation Bill was passed in the Upper House Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010 but it still remains pending in the Lower House Lok Sabha. Many of the people think it as the way to women empowerment. Do you think that women reservation bill can help to change the women’s place in Indian constitution as well as in Indian society? What are the pros and cons of passing Women Reservation Bill? 

Pros

• If you look at the performance of women in Panchayat elections then you will find that they are doing well. 33.3 % seats reservation in Panchayat elections faired well and has encouraged mobilization of women in India. 

• If you want to bring in gender equality in society it should start right from the gender equality in parliament. 

• Increased political participation of women will bring the important issues related with women like sexual abuse, girls education and alike in focus. 

• Sex ratio in India stands at alarming rate of 1.06 males per female. Seeing women involvement politics can help to solve the female foeticide and issues related to women's health.

• The present involvement of women who head small regional parties shows their successful leadership in politics. 

• Don’t look at the percentage ratio of 33.3%. It is the first step towards equality which in future can turn into 50%. 

• If the bill is passed in the Lok Sabha then India will join the group of countries where women reservation is considered important. 

Cons

• Tainted politicians will get a golden opportunity to bring in their wives in power where at the back they will be in the ruling positions. 

• The probability of success of women reservation bill is dim. If you see the figures of the seats allotted by the two major parties to the women candidates then you will know that they just demand the seats but don’t implement the same. 

• When it comes to politics then there is nothing like a woman leader or a man leader. There exists just one term which is a political leader. So what is basically required is honest political leader. 

• Women reservation in Parliament cannot bring a real change in the status of women in the society. It in no way can be useful to fight the social evils. 

• If you talk about gender equality then why the women reservation at the first place is required? Both are equal and women have every right to have a seat in parliament without any reservation. 

• Women Reservation would act as just another tool to bring the women of the elitist groups in power. They can never become a representative of the poor and backward class.

Conclusion

Women Reservation in parliament talks about the gender equality and demands women reservation to encourage women empowerment. In India which is a male dominant society women reservation can certainly act as a catalyst to bring the change. It can start the change but momentum will come only when the society will change its mindset towards women.

Break ups are start ups

Break ups are startups. Well whenever we hear the term break up there's just a single interpretation and that is the relation between a girl and boy. But break ups hold more meanings than just one stupid equation. Look around and you will find that even you are a part of the breakups? Now that break up is a start up or end, lets see. 

Yes

• When we talk about the normal break up between two people who are in love then definitely it is not the end of world. It is said that life is there after death then how can it end when break up is just a passing phase of life. 

• Break up from the addictive habits is the way to start life anew. It requires courage to get out of the old habits and face the world by winning your fears. 

• Break up from the old conservative principles is a beginning of new life. Society started afresh by doing a permanent break up from the ill practices like sati and early marriages. 

• Break up from old routine jobs is an opportunity to start life as an entrepreneur. Dhirubhai Ambani is the leading example. 

• Break up from social media for some time is the trick to give way to real emotions in life. It will allow the people to meet real relations. 

• Break up from the failing government and taking a step ahead to vote right government is a start to the economic success. 

No

• Break up from honesty and the beginning of life which is full of corruption is like one step going back in life.

• Break up from parents and sending them to the old age homes is a complete failure. How can someone start their life by considering their parents as burden? 

• Break up with the respect for the woman is insulting like one’s own mother. No society can flourished where women is a product of sexual assault. 

• Break up from education is the end of road which leads to economic and social success. The future of country with high illiteracy rate will always stay in dark. 

• Break ups in a love marriage is a failure which shows that society is loosing the value of relationships and commitment. The present society is witnessing high rate of divorces especially in metros. 

Conclusion

Sometimes break ups are start ups and provides the people with an opportunity to start anew. If these break ups are from conservative thoughts, relations and habits then definitely it is a good start otherwise all break ups will end up in complete failure.

Mobile phone is a paralysis to youngster's minds

The present world is of Smartphone. Everything is getting digital. No one can imagine the life now without the mobile phones, laptops, internet and other latest gadgets. Technological advancement with time is considered as a boon but is it really a blessing for youngsters or a tool crippling their mind? 

Yes

• People of today are living a robotic lifestyle where they spend their valuable time doing time pass on social media. 

• The technology is affecting youngster’s mindsets. They are more restless than ever. It is becoming an addictive habit like alcohol and cigarette without which they start getting restless and aggressive. 

• Youngsters have started living in a virtual world where they make or break relations and love in unreal emotions. 

• There is no time for the youngsters to spend with family. Even if they are hanging out with friends or families they are still continuously using cell phones. Status updates have becomes more important than actually having a good

time in real life. 

• Mobile technology is making people impatient. They don’t have the time to wait for anything. In fact they have turned slaves to technology. 

No

• Mobile technology has made communication much easier. It comes real handy in communicating with the relatives who live outside the city or country.

• Banking and investment tracking has become real easy with the mobile phones. They can be done even when the person is on move. 

• During the shopping the youngsters can compare the products online and can check the best prices offered. Not online shopping, but all kinds of information is available on Smartphone. 

• With the upcoming of many new applications it has become real easy to stay in touch with the old friends. 

• One of the best advantages that mobile phone offers this day is the GPS system. It has made life quite simple for the travelers. 

Conclusion

Smartphone have become an inseparable part of human life. They have proved helpful in many situations. But the problem of addiction is getting worse day by day. This problem might appear quite small right now but definitely it is going to have worst repercussions on the youngsters in the coming time. If the technology is used wisely it is definitely advantageous but additction of anything can be harmful.

Should the retirement age of central government employees be raised to 62?

This year again, the Union cabinet was supposed to take the proposal of enhancement of Retirement age of Central government employees from 60 to 62 years on table. But again it failed to materialize and is not expected to be considered before General elections. With the matter delayed, people are back with their views on the matter. What is your perception? What are the pros and cons of changing the retirement age of central government employees from 60 to 62 years? 

Yes

• The increase in age of superannuation is certainly a benefit for employees to work more and to stand in a comfortable economic position for a longer period. 

• It will lead to a higher probability of getting an additional MACP by the central government employees.

• There is need to understand the core foundation of the constitution which encourages the youth

development but is strictly against the efforts hampering the benefits and rights of senior citizens. Preventing a citizen from working towards their ends is nothing but a forceful effort to obstruct their constitutional right to life, liberty and happiness. 

• An increase in retirement is appropriate because people can be productive workers longer helping the country to take the pressure off social security and the budget deficit. Burden of the pension that comes on economy gets reduced. 

• Experienced employees are always an asset for the company and increasing the retirement age can save the training costs done on new employees. 

No

• Increasing the retirement age will delay the job opportunities for youngsters. The extended two years may or may not yield benefits but definitely it can hurt the job opportunities for the youngsters. 

• There is a decreased productivity and lesser work efficiency delivered by the senior employees. The government has to still bear the higher costs. 

• It will have a negative impact in the promotion scales offered at different times. 

• It will lead to increased costs to the government as they are bound to pay health benefits to the elderly employees.

• Age is a relative factor and some people don’t find themselves fit to work even at 60. By Increasing the retirement age the government is denying the benefits to the people who don’t have the physical strength to carry out the job for another two years. 

Conclusion

If you go by the constitutional rights then yes every person has the right to work till the time he/she wants to and even can bring in the positive outcomes on the economic front for the country.

UPA’s dream of India Shining: A reality or a myth.

It is year 2014 and the time is here when the fate of India will be decided by the local masses. 15th Lok Sabha is over and now everyone have their eyes on the upcoming general elections. Before people actually go and cast their votes they are busy analyzing the good and bad of Gandhi-Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. What are your views? How much UPA has succeeded in its efforts in making India Shining? 

Reality

1. The success of any economy can be measured by its economic growth and UPA has managed to give an economic growth of above 7.5 % in its tenure. If you go by statistics it is the fastest in any decade in India's history and it will take real efforts to beat these numbers in the coming decades. 

2. The important point to note here is that India managed to get an annual average GDP growth number of 7.44% during the five year period which came after the financial crisis of 2008-09. 

3. A GDP growth which stood well above 7% mark resulted in highest decadal increase in average income in India’s history. AS per capita national income, the average income increased by nearly 75 per cent in real, inflation-adjusted rupees. 

4. The 10 years period witnessed the steepest decline in the poverty ratio from 37 per cent in 2004-05 to 22 per cent in 2011-12. 

5. Major fiscal consolidation achieved between 2004-05 and 2007-08. Even during the economic crisis after 2008 India was the second-fastest growing among all economies that are at least one-eighth of India's in size.

6. The gap between India's and China's growth rates has significantly reduced during these years. 

Myth

1. Most of the high growth occurred in the first seven years up to 2010-11 which was led by the global economic boom of 2002-2007. 

2. In the last two years that is, 2012-13 and 2013-14, official estimates show the miserable GDP growth numbers below five per cent. 

3. The CPI inflation has remained high (nine to 11 per cent a year) in the last five years. The period also witnessed a steep rise in food inflation and the reason were the large increases in food procurement prices and a failing public distribution system.

4. The poor economic policies led to the higher foreign trade and current account deficits. Rupee depreciated to the highest levels in the year 2011 and 2013.

5. Poor economic reforms like pre-election ramping up of major subsidies including oil and fertilizer, ill-conceived and inefficiently run entitlement programmes, government pay and other sops are part of UPA’s economic legacy.. Public education and health sectors have to suffer from these entitlement programmes. 

6. The jobs were not there for the young new entrants which made them to enter in the labour force to earn their living. 

7. The biggest flaw is the "crony-capitalist" policies in key sectors such as telecom mining and land allocation. The economy is till fighting with the aftermaths of 2G spectrum allocation scam. 

Conclusion

Seeing the good and bad of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, one can easily see that the government started well and had a good opportunity to strengthen India's long-term development potential offered by the years of high growth and investment but as the time passed the results did not remain that impressive.

Mr. Narendra Modi – Is he good enough to be the Prime Minister?

Narendra Modi is riding high and has managed to become a heartthrob politician of majority of people. There is no doubt that he is one of the most deserving candidates in the race of becoming prime minister. But still there are some people who are of different opinion and deny accepting him as their political idol. So let us analyze the pros and cons of Mr. Narendra Modi and have a look on both the sides of coin. 

Yes• Let us start with the qualification which obviously is one of the reasons behind an individual’s success. Mr. Modi has a master’s degree in Political Science. 

• He is named as a political idol as he has the strength to pull a crowd and can convert the dreams into reality. He has objectives above his personal interest and definitely that objective is to transform India into super power. 

• He knows how to turn the bad into good. You can see this positive attitude in the latest example when he converted the jibe of tea seller by Shankar Aiyer into his favor and started the new campaign named as Discussion over Tea. 

• He made significant efforts to transform his image from a Hindu Nationalist politician to an image of able administrator. One of such efforts supporting the image was order given for the knocking down of many Hindu temples that were built without proper government sanction.

• As per the report by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS), the time Gujarat has witnessed the most effective governance amongst all the states in India. And it happened during the tenure of Mr. Modi. 

• He is a pro business leader who focuses on overall urban development. Under his leadership Gujarat has excelled on many fronts whether it is about e-governance, waste management or then the enterprise resource planning.

• As per the report on Economic Freedom of the States of India (EFSI) by Cato Institute, Gujarat tops the list of states in terms of economic freedom. 

No

• Mr. Modi has failed to address the religious issues effectively. He definitely scores low on the parameter of secularism and is also from a party (BJP) considered responsible for Babri Masjid demolition. 

• Mr. Modi still has to face the allegations which state him responsible for Gujarat Riots 2002. And it is against Modi as it is said that Corpses are never buried in politics and are used for good or bad when the time comes. 

• There are signs of a weaker economic vision in the blue print presented by Mr. Modi. He lacks insight on the issue like FDI, taxation, manufacturing etc.

• He has used media and the extravagant campaigns to impress the people. He is more of a media propagated personality. 

• Growth in Gujarat is not the initiative started by Narendra Modi but is the continuation of the success base which was led by the leaders like Morarji Desai, Keshubhai Patel and others. 

• Mr. Modi is of view that All India needs is the Gujarat Model. But he has to take in the different factors affecting the different places. The one role model cannot bring success in all the states of India.

Conclusion

All the factors, good or bad, have to be analyzed as per the demand of time. And the present time seems to be

supporting Narendra Modi. The need of the hour is a stable central government in the country and the decision has to be taken by people bearing that in mind.

Kejriwal's Resignation: A planned strategy or the party’s Failure

In the last few months the one person who has constantly managed to garner attention of the media and the local masses is Arvind Kejriwal. He is called as a servant-leader who shares power and gives importance to the needs of common people. This is one of the reasons why his party is named as AAP (Aam Aadmi Party). He won the Delhi election last December but then resigned from the post of Delhi Chief Minister in just 49 days. This move of Kejriwal is the failure of its party or is another well planned step taken in the world of politics.

Strategy

• The resignation has paved the way for Arvind Kejriwal to contest in the national elections. The importance of AAP cannot be ignored by the two principal national parties. 

• Coming back to Delhi, now there is a need for another state election in which there is a high probability that AAP can win by majority. 

• The resignation has managed to bring the attention of media and local people back on Arvind Kejriwal and AAP. Even if some people call it negative publicity then too it is working and bringing results for AAP.

• Arvind Kejriwal has supported the Dharna (Protest) politics. By stepping down he has conveyed his message that in any case he is not going to be afraid of any rules. 

• Acting against the corrupt is true governance. And again it is a step taken in the aforesaid objective that they won’t allow corruption to rule over their heads. 

• The different ways of Arvind Kejriwal has managed to impress the urbane crowd and the same support is expected in the coming elections where the emergence of AAP can again lead to shared votes. 

Failure

• The floundering tenure of any party is the failure which is not practical at the national level. Anti-establishment politics is not acceptable at the national level.

• The party failed to prove the strength in it s party. The party’s term of 49 days witnessed successive scandals and marked a question on the longevity of the AAP as a political organization.

• The lack of predictability and order is considered to be the weak base of any structure. Even Kejriwal was named as a Chief Protestor. 

• Instead of resigning from the post of Chief Minister, Kejriwal should have made the efforts to take out some practical solutions to help the local masses. It is an altogether different step against the AAP’s message – of integrity, transparency and accountability promised before the state elections. 

Conclusion

Hardly there is any time left for the national elections. And Arvind Kejriwal is busy making noises in media sometimes for right and sometimes for wrong reasons. But this is what politics is all about. Although he failed to create a good image in short term tenure but still the fire is burning! And we have to wait and watch the impact it will bring in the coming elections.

Women are better managersRajani Sharma 01-2-2012 05:44 AM

Art of management is a gift to women by nature. Women are born to take responsibilities and perform them flawlessly. They can easily manage everything without a crease on their forehead.

For- Women are the ones who are expected to handle various responsibilities from the childhood which makes them a good multi-tasker. - Be it managers in the top companies or the ones who are managing their homes, women in all areas manage their work flawlessly.- Their inherent qualities make them good managers as they are more patient in the difficult situation and are able to manage situations with their positive attitude and calm mind compared to their counter partners.- They have the quality of managing their children and are simultaneously able to concentrate on their career.

Against- Women are very emotional and soft hearted which is considered as a weakness in managing things. They are not practical about the situations.- They might be good at managing things at home but this same strategy cannot be applied in the external environment where they have to work for an organization. - They might have all the qualities of managing like courage, patience, understanding etc but these are not the only key qualities required to manage a vast workforce or other difficult situations.- Today we have progressed a lot but there are many women who are not given a chance to prove themselves or are not given enough responsibilities to showcase their potential. - A woman alone won’t be able to manage things if she is not supported by her family members.

We all are born with some weakness and strengths. In the same way women also have some strengths and weakness. They have the power to change their weakness into their strengths. If she does that then there is no stopping for her.

Spice Jet entertaining its customers with HOLI performances on board – was it right?

This Holi was really special for the passengers flying in Spice Jet SG 876 Goa-Bangalore on 17th March. SpiceJet’s cabin crew danced on the rocking song, the famous Bollywood chartbuster “Balam Pichkari” at the time when the flight was 35000 feet up in the air. During this time the pilots were busy taking pictures of the show performance on their mobile phones. Well the motive of the performance was to entertain the guests on the occasion of Holi but has resulted in a debate - was it right for the crew members get into a dancing mood while in air?

Yes

• It was a good attempt by the Spice jet members to make the air travel less dreary. In hospitality industry such kind of events are required to entertain their guests. 

• There are many international airlines who keep certain events on board, like birthday parties and fashion shows. 

• It was a planned event and therefore had extra crew to look after the safety issues during the event time. 

• There was no problem if the pilot was not in the cockpit as the co-pilot was in the command of the flight at that time.

• On a Helsinki to New Delhi Finnair flight on January 17, 2012, cabin crew members performed on Om Shanti Om to

celebrate 63rd Republic day of India and to show the Indian passengers that they know and care about their culture. 

No

• It was against the rules and regulations led by DGCA and therefore SpiceJet has been issued a show cause notice for the dance performance.

• As per the DGCA it was not safe for the passengers. There was the probability of dance affecting negatively on the center of gravity of the aircraft. 

• The event witnessed the violation of technical rules. The use of mobiles is strictly prohibited inside the flight. 

• The involvement of the cockpit crew in such kind of events is not safe. Even if the co-pilot was in command of the flight then too there is a reason why every plane has two pilots at the same time. 

• There is another question whether the dance performance was done willingly by the air hostesses or was the compulsion to save their job in airline industry. 

• It was not a way to add value and in no way a part of customer service. All the passengers are different and you cannot make them bear anything just because you think it to be entertaining. Celebration or services should not be forced upon the passengers.

ConclusionThere is nothing wrong in organizing the planned events and celebrations in the Air flights to keep the passengers entertained but the thing is all factors like passenger’s preference, safety issues, rules and regulations etc should be given due importance before the events are planned and implemented in real time.

Maruti's backtrack on Gujarat plant will encourage shareholder activism in India.

In the last few years, India Inc has witnessed a steady rise in the shareholder activism, wherein investors actively participate in the corporate governance activities with an aim of improving corporate performance. The latest in the list is Maruti which has decided to seek minority shareholders' approval for the controversial Gujarat plant. The rising trend has forced the people to evaluate the good and bad of the shareholder activism in India. Is this the start of new era of shareholder activism or just a passing event with time? 

Yes

• It will act as base to enhance the power of minority shareholders in India where controlling shareholders, or promoters, dominate the corporate landscape.

• They can have the power to look into the details of the corporate governance. It will increase the shareholders say and will make executives more accountable. 

• Small time activists and the institutional investors together can push reform resolutions to

improve operations. 

• It has given a start to the proxy advisory firms. One of such firms is InGovern Research Services in Bangalore which is also the India’s first independent proxy advisory firm and is run by Shriram Subramanian.

• Coal India, Akzo Nobel and Vedanta are some of the companies which have to face the questions and protests from its shareholders. 

• It can have a positive impact on the share price as it happened in the case of Maruti which surged more than 7% in a single day.

No

• The corporate world gives least importance to the minority owners as a majority of the stake is hold by the promoters of company.

• In most of the cases the targets of shareholder activism are poor performers. They don’t have the courage to question the companies with significant power. 

• Shareholder activism can become a capitalist tool in the class struggle. 

• Shareholder activisms have to face the certain structural and institutional weaknesses embedded in the Indian markets. 

• The legal system and institutions in India are not at fall favorable in providing timely and cost-effective remedies to shareholders who adopt a litigation strategy to counter the management problems acting against the shareholder’s interests. 

• Instead of a tool for improving the corporate governance, there is a probability that it can become a maniac pursuit for short-term profits.

Conclusion

Shareholders activism can make a difference in the corporate governance and can force the company to answer the questions in the uncertain times. After all the objective is same and that is to boost the performance of company and maximize the returns on the investments. The factors like legislation, market liquidity, the competence within institutions, and the bargaining power of activists will play a crucial role in determining the fate of shareholders activists.

One-Stop Crisis Centres for Rape and Sexual Assault survivors will bring the change.

The second season of Satyamev Jayate has started and with it the focus is back again on the victims of rape who have to face the humiliating and harsh circumstances in their efforts to get the justice. The first episode has suggested setting up of one stop crisis centres for survivors of rape and sexual assault where they can be treated with dignity and will be given a safe and controlled environment to initiate their fight for justice. 

What do you think? Can the setting of one stop crisis centres can initiate a change or will it be another failed attempt in the corrupt system? Will it be able to provide the support to the survivors?

Yes

• It can bring the social change and can result in the cultural shift. It will give rise to culture of action that will work as a base to replace cultures of ‘silence’ and ‘skepticism and blame’.

• It will bring the focus of government on the rape cases as the past has showed that neither rape nor its victims are top priorities in most mainstream organizations.

• There are many survivors who chose not to report to the police because of the humiliation and harassment they have to face in the process. Dedicated rape crisis centres see a broader range of survivors reporting the case to get the justice. 

• Survivors of rape and sexual assault have different needs, wants and experiences which can be met by responsive services at the centre.

• It will follow a survivor-centred approach where women can talk about the incident without fear and can explore the options to seek justice. 

• It can provide a vital link across the various agencies which support survivors and help them to come out of the trauma in different ways. 

No

• The setting up of one stop crisis centres will require funding and again there exists a loophole where the funds can be used by the intermediaries for their own benefits. 

• The shortage of funds will give a weak base to structure which suggests that the staff at the centre might not follow an honest approach to solve the problems of survivors. 

• Rape crisis centres and the staff may lack power compared to the statutory services. It can limit the help that they can provide to the survivors. 

• It is the corrupt system which has denied the justice to the victims of rape and there is not surety that the similar thing won’t be repeated at the one stop crisis centres. 

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the survivors of rape and sexual assault needs special attention and reassurance so that they can have the courage to come out of the incident and can stand firm to fight for the justice. With one stop crisis centres they would be able to make informed choices but then all the things are possible only when the initiative is supported by the ample resources and have the guidance of people with strong character.

The bill supporting easy availability of narcotic drugs is a boon or a bane?

In February Indian Parliament passed the much awaited and important Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2011, which will make morphine, a strong painkiller easily available. The bill has simplified the regulations for procuring and possessing narcotic drugs when used for medicinal purposes. No doubt the step taken is to benefit the medical industry but is it worth taking the risk?

Boon

• India has at least one million people with moderate to severe cancer pain. The amendment in bill is a relief to these patients as they don’t have to suffer from excruciating pain anymore. 

• The effective pain medications will now be available at cheaper rates. It is a relief to the cancer patients as well the people suffering from pain of operations. 

• The central government will have the authority to regulate the narcotic drugs. 

• Before the amendments. It was compulsory for the hospitals and pharmacies to obtain four or five different licenses from several government agencies to be allowed to purchase morphine. But now they require a single license for the procurement of morphine and other strong opioid medications.

• India produces 90 percent of morphine in the world and with the passage of this bill the availability of the drug would go up by 40 per cent.

• Now when the process of procuring and possessing the narcotic drugs is simplified, many hospitals, including major cancer institutions, can stock it which was not possible before. Institutional procurement methods have become easy. 

• It will eliminate the high cost morphine available by different delivery route like transdermal route. It will stop the blackmailing of the high cost medicines by the retailers. 

Bane

• Narcotic drugs are used to heal the pain arising out of the cancer or other severe diseases. But again it is a kind of opium which has addictive property and can affect the user rational decision making process. Easy availability will make it tough for the users to disseminate themselves from drug taking.

• It will not only result in easy procurement methods for institutions but will also lead the ways for easy domestic procurement affecting the health of other people.

• It is not wise to involve a state in the distribution of substances that have the potential to harm the local people.

• Children don’t understand the difference between medicinal drugs and the other drugs. The easy availability can encourage them to try the narcotic drugs which in case is not beneficial for the society.

Conclusion

Narcotic drugs is an essential requirement for the treatment of strong pain from cancer and other illnesses and no doubt the people suffering from diseases and the medical institutions need the drugs but no one should forget that because it is legal doesn’t mean it becomes safer for everyone’s use.

Can too much sleep be harmful for health?

Sleep is the basic necessity of any human being. It provides necessary rest and relaxation to the body. But a new study has revealed that too much of sleep can be harmful for health. 

As per that study, 7 hours of sleep is sufficient for body and oversleeping can have its repercussions on the health. So, what is the truth behind the quantum of sleep, let’s find out:-

Yes

1. Everything in our daily regime has to be fixed and balanced including the time of sleeping. Crossing that limit can cause unnecessary harm to the body.

2. Oversleeping can create nausea and at times headache also.

3. Oversleeping is not a natural process. If one is sleeping for very long fours, it means that he is not having proper sleep. Such problems could create indigestion problems as well as diabetes. If someone is sleeping for longer than naturally required, they should consult a physician as there could be a medical condition like hypothyroid associated with it. 

4. For patients of migraine, regulated sleep is must. Oversleeping also creates a tendency of laziness and inactiveness.

5. Many a times oversleeping also results in obesity and back pain.

6. Doctors have advised a very fixed and regulated sleep to gain the real benefits of it. Over or under sleeping can create health issues.

No

1. Sleeping is a natural process and the quantum of sleep can’t be decided by any individual. In fact not having sufficient sleep can create health problems.

2. A lot of time, oversleeping is important because of the kind of fatigue that is caused and it does not harm the body but helps in rejuvenating.

3. For many people, who work late night, 6-7 hours of sleep is not sufficient and they need extended sleeping hours to recover their body energy.

4. Many times, while sleeping, we dream and as per doctors dreams are a reason of fatigue. In such cases, one needs to sleep more that the usual period to overcome his drowsiness.

5. Oversleeping is nothing but a state of mind. One sleeps according to his body requirements. And sleep does not have any impact on our health.

ConclusionThere is no doubt in the fact that sleep is very important for a healthy and energetic day. So, proper and required sleep can’t be compromised at all. 

But there has been sufficient evidence to prove that excess amount of it can create problems like diabetes, indigestion, headache, obesity, backpain etc. so, one needs to take full and proper sleep but should also keep in mind that excess of anything is harmful. 

Should petroleum subsidies go away?

Subsidies have stayed an integral part of the Indian System. They are a tool used to achieve economic, social and environmental objectives. The petroleum prices are subsidized to counter the international price volatility and provide affordable energy access to the citizens, especially the poor. There are many people who want subsidy policy to be assessed as they are puzzled with questions like is it really serving its cause and providing the benefits to the poorer section or is it another way to fulfill the private interest. So what is your say? Should petroleum subsidies go away? 

Yes

• Subsidies whether it is food or petroleum, together form a big percentage of GDP in India. They impede with market forces resulting an imbalance in the economics of the product. And, therefore day by day India is seeing a mounting fiscal deficit. 

• The OMC’s are eligible for the under-recoveries which are again paid by the government from the allocated fiscal budget. 

• Apart from the cash spent in the under-recoveries government issues cash and oil bonds to the OMCs. The interest burden comes on government. Moreover, at the time of repayment, it results in a huge expenditure. 

• Subsidies are responsible for the wrong utilization of selected petroleum products. It results in an increased demand of the petroleum products which had to be met through imports.

• The mounting fiscal deficit arising due to the subsidies is obstructing the major investments in oil exploration and refining industry. The industry is facing a continuous pressure to lure the private capital. 

• The subsidy system is ham-fisted due to the presence of corrupt people at every level. It is manipulated by the people in their favor. 

• Food, health and education are the sectors where subsidy can be considered as a requirement. But subsidizing oil is optional and not the requirement. The majority of the share is consumed by the economically well-off urban part of country. 

No

• If petroleum subsidies are removed it can result in an uptick in fuel prices which, in turn, will have an impact on the budgets of all households.

• It has an indirect impact on the goods and services. Any kind of subsidies withdrawal will have a negative impact on inflation rate. 

• Check out the percentage of India’s population living below the poverty line. Increase in the fuel prices and removal of subsidies is bound to affect these households adversely.

• Subsidies are considered as a part of reforms to help the poor section of society. Any attempt to reduce them can be politically hazardous. 

• Try to take away the petroleum subsidies and face the public backlash. To remove the subsidies the government has to bring in the compensatory policies to protect the poor. And it is never going to be quick and easy. 

• Removal of petroleum subsidies will directly open the gateways for international players to dictate the fuel prices. 

Conclusion

Subsidy system is nothing but a good tool which is now in the corrupt hands of system. The idea is right but the implementation is wrong. Although many fuel subsidies help the rich more than the poor, but still there is a larger section which will be affected drastically if the petroleum subsidies are removed from the system.

Making profits or addressing social and environmental Issues - Where should a business house focus?

Business, profits, sustainability and social responsibility all the fours words are hooked up with each other in today’s world. There is an ongoing debate on the subject that businesses have to reconnect company with social progress. Do you find social and environmental issues are more important than business or somewhere they are a part of profit making process? 

Yes

• Efforts and time spent in addressing social and environmental issues are a mere distraction from the core activities. The efforts spend in these causes can be utilized in making productive plans for the company or the money spend can be used to carry out the necessary research. 

• It is only by generating profit that companies can create more opportunities for employment. People like to get associated with the company who can offer them a secured job that is possible only when company is making profits. 

• Even if the company wants to make a big donation or want to solve the social issues it needs money. And the money comes only when company had just one task and that is to focus on growth and productivity.

• Investors and stock market don’t take decisions on the basis of how much effort a company makes to solve the social and environmental issues. They want the solid balance sheet to invest in any company. 

• Working for social causes is just a reputation management to get the clean chit of a productive and green company. The efforts can cover up negative impacts by saturating the media but the benefit is short lived. 

• Company cannot sustain in the competitive market without profitability but it can sustain without its focus on social and environmental issues. Profitable company can live the time when economy is in financial turmoil. Growth creates growth and creating profits is the key to driving growth in businesses. 

No

• Talk about the resources and you will see the private sector has ample resources. They are the one who can bring a difference in the society by contributing money, efforts and time to address the problems like poverty, climate change and other global challenges. Take the example of Reliance Industries. Its NGO is working in association with Satyamev Jayate to bring a change in society. 

• Profits come when companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts, as well as their relationships in all key spheres of influence. It is an intangible asset. Starbucks coffee prices are much higher but still it is a preferred choice and sells well as the part of sell is used to promote the people who grow the coffee for company. 

• It makes their brands more attractive to consumers. Consumers are concerned about the many factors like child-labor-free clothing, lower environmental impact, and absence of genetically-modified materials or ingredients. Procter and Gamble donates a part of their sales profit in the education of children.

• It makes it easy to recruit and retain employees, resulting in a reduction in turnover and associated recruitment and training costs. 

• Investors don’t want to put in the money which is not liked ad appreciated by the consumers. Image management is one of the tools to drive the growth.

• It is a form of risk mitigation as there is the obligation to comply with the well defined government and legal rules. Environmental issues if left untreated can create legal complexities for businesses. 

Conclusion

Do the social and environmental issues pave a way for profits or it is the profits that enable greater spending on social issues? The debate will go on. But seeing the recent developments in the industry there is near complete agreement that corporate citizenship is no longer an option, but a requirement in the present time.

nclusive development or forces - What's a better solution to Naxalism?

On 11th May 2014, 11 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men, four district police and one civilian were killed in Sukma Maoist attack. Maoists who are considered to be as a part of Naxalism, fighting for the oppressed people are behind this attack. This attack has again given rise to all the political drama and blame game. Admist all this, has anyone given a thought what can we do to stop these intense and brutal killings? What is the solution to this problem? Is it Inclusive development or the force that can change the scenario? 

Inclusive Development

• Naxalites cane into existence to support the peasants, against landlords and weaker section of the society against landlords and moneylenders. If the government makes efforts to invite Maoists to the dialogue table then things can take a turn for change. 

• Government should make efforts to help LWE States reap the benefits of social, political and economic growth. Socio-economic alienation with economic and political inequality will not be eliminated by force. 

• Force can result in temporary settlement but cannot bring long term stability in the troubled areas. Force is merely a tool for damage control. The basic needs for which Naxalites started their fight cannot be ignored. 

• The gap that exists between the rich and poor has not only resulted in the formation of Naxalites but has also given rise to the higher percentage of inequality in the entire country. Problem is with the system. We don’t think anyone wants to eliminate the whole system of India. 

• They want justice and that is why they have opened their own courts called Jan Adalat. What made them do so when they can solve the matters through judiciary system? Perhaps the denial of justice from the system end resulted in Jan Adalat. 

Force

• Naxalites are said to be the group who helps the weaker section of society. Well till this date what we have all read is about the harm that has been done to the local people. All these issues and the use of force only is a medium for the politicians to blame the ruling parties and create a drama to lure the vote bank in their favor. 

• Naxalites are nothing but are a tool which is used by the influential people for their own benefits. The timing of Sukma Maoist attack makes me curious why they attacked just before the Lok Sabha elections without being attacked by the CRPF men. This sort of humiliation has to stop in any case

• How can inclusive development change their intentions when they have taken the responsibility to destroy all the developments happening in country? Defensive and offensive action is the call of time. 

• Naxalites, the people favoring the poor, are really doing a great job now by suppressing, extorting and dominating the lives of the weaker section who they claim to represent in the name of providing justice.

• Today there are many common people who call Naxalites as terrorists. And they have a point. The Naxals have failed to distinguish between innocents and criminals. They have become deadly criminals involved in killing, extortion, kidnapping, taking hostages or disrupting railways or any other clandestine operation. 

• If they don’t want power then why do they want to extend the area they control popularly known as Red Corridor. 

ConclusionNaxalism is a major threat faced by our country today. It is harming the innocent people and the people at fault are roaming around. Fight for the right but if you make wrong your right then all actions are going to lose their meaning.

Are the huge expenses on election campaigns justified?

Elections are here and with the advent of the elections political parties are out on the field with their well designed advertising campaigns. Elections have always witnessed and supported the candidates’ election expenses rising, beating the inflation rate. This year elections are no exception. As per the estimate of Centre for Media Studies, this year the economy is going to witness the huge campaign expenditure which is estimated at Rs. 30,000 crore. And if we believe the statistics, it is going to be the second huge sum incurred, second only to the most expensive US presidential campaign of all time. 

Yes

1. The expenditure made on the political campaigns works as a boost to a country’s economy. This year the election spending is expected to show considerable growth in the Indian consumption expenditure in the second quarter of 2014. 

2. Election campaigns can be termed as the events organized which insures the political party against the rumored outlays of the rival. Especially the candidates who are new have to use the well –financed campaigns to reach the masses. 

3. The expenditure incurred during the elections benefits a wide range of businesses. The sectors which get the maximum advantage are media groups and advertisers generating good revenue out of the campaign ads. According to an outlook by the country's largest local agency, Madison Media, this year India's advertising industry expects to see an $800 million injection during the election season

4. Past performance of the parties is not sufficient to lure the vote bank. This is clearly proved by the high-octane campaign planned by pro-business BJP candidate for Prime Minister, Narendra Modi this year. 

5. The world runs on a simple rule of give and take. The campaigns are fair means to present your party in front of the masses. Even if the direct costs made on the campaign are stopped, it will lead the special interest groups to shift their resources from campaign contributions to lobbying.

No

1. Amid the euphoria of the political campaigns done to use the money power, the people and the parties may be losing sight of a very important message. The point is simple. Elections can be fought and won without spending

insane amount of money. The special campaigns where the candidates representing the party approaches the voters with sincerity, the votes arrive in the ballot box, almost for free.

2. If you look back at the Vidhan Sabha elections, AAP successfully used the low-cost budget campaign and even managed to get the required votes to win the election. 

3. The political campaigns generate an opportunity for the business people and other entities to en-cash their black money. Even the money is retained by the candidates, implying that the outflows on the political campaigns are far more than the normal requirement. 

4. It is the unfair way to win the elections where the people’s thoughts and perceptions are influenced by the money power. 

5. The use of black money in the political campaigns initiates a start of the ruling government which once comes in power will be ruled by the money-grabbing politicians. 

Conclusion

Money is power and it plays an important role to help the candidate to achieve his goals. It necessarily doesn’t support the idea that the person who raises and spends the most wins every time, but it's close. The proportionate allocation of funds along with the information and debates financed and presented by independent media and independent political groups should be the way to reach the local masses.

Food security bill - an attempt to make dependents further dependent

Food security bill first introduced in the year 2009 and was kept on hold until then and now it has been passed by the Lok Sabha. The food security bill aims at providing food to the poorest of the poor at subsidised rates.

For:

- The food security bill is presumed to guarantee pellucidity and liability in the PDS System- The food security bill will ensure that people get the passable quantity of food grains at affordable prices- If the food grains are not supplied in time and in the right quantity, the bill ensures certain amount of security allowance attached with it- In case if any shop dealer is seen to be faulty, then he would be penalised as well

Against:

- The cost of the food security bill to the government will amount to 1,30,000 crore which eventually would be recovered by the tax payers of the country hence increasing the financial burden over the middle class general public- The food security bill fails on two phases, one on the economic implications and the other on serving the poor and eradicating malnutrition by making food easily available for this purpose- In spite of investing so much money into this bill, there is no guarantee that it would help the poor, as unless corruption is not taken out of the country, no matter how many bills are passed none of them would work in the favour of the public- There is no feedback system ensured to know whether the poor are getting the food at the subsidised rates as promised- After the passing of this bill a number of taxes like VAT, sales tax etc. would be charged from the public and the general mass will have no option but to pay it. - The costs attached to storage of the food grains would be high and so will be the amount of losses also. 

Conclusion:

Because of the extensive costs attached with the bill, it’s going to be taxing for the taxpayers and the general middle class public adding to their financial burden. 

RE: Food security bill - an attempt to make dependents further dependentRajani Sharma 01-18-2014 05:49 AM

For• This scheme will make the life of dependents more secure as they will lose the motivation to work to improve their own livelihood after receiving benefits. In order to qualify for the transfer they will deliberately reduce their work efforts.

• The implementation of this bill will increase the number of unemployed in the country. Instead of providing food security, focus should be on creating more jobs for people and better infrastructure facilities in remote areas.

• This bill will reinforce a culture of handouts. It is true that very poorest in the country need help. But there are other better ways of helping them.

• There are chances that this programme could also blunt entrepreneurship and increase the dependency on the state. 

• Such bills will also increase corruption in India.

• Instead of curbing poverty this bill will increase it by a huge percentage.

Against• The amount of food aid which the people will receive through this bill will not be sufficient to cover the food gaps due to the corrupt PDS system. Therefore, they will not be further dependent on this bill to cover their food shortages. They will have to engage in other activities to be able to cover their food needs throughout the year.

• According to economists food security bill may put the development of the agriculture sector at risk.

• Our system is not efficient enough to get the grain to India’s most needy. There is no feedback system which can ensure whether the poor are getting the food at the subsidised rates as promised.

• The law includes higher allocations for vulnerable sections of society such as pregnant mothers and destitute children.

• The cost of the food security bill will increase the financial burden over the middle class people.

Youth in India are becoming greedy by the day

With the BPO Culture coming in, it has brought with itself the flow of easy money, which the youth have got used to it and want easy and quick money in life. 

For:

- The ‘neo-liberalisation’ in the country has resulted in ‘commodification’ of society making the younger generation greedy for money - Better and multiple opportunities in front of them has made them not only greedy but also they resent from doing hard work- Because of ample amount of money involved in jobs in international companies and locations, students want to settle down in abroad for quick flow of money

- In the western culture it has seen that, every product is made sellable, which is the culture quickly adopted by young Indians hence making them greedy

Against:

- A lot of young individuals aim at earning more money, some due to family and financial circumstances, and some just want to lead a luxurious life hence aim to earn more money, and to fulfil this aim they often lead to adopt ways in which they can earn more and easy money- With the BPO culture coming in, the companies hire people by giving huge remuneration and hence builds peer pressure and the other individuals are also often motivated to earn quick money- It gives the individual a luxurious life at a very early stage- People who are highly ambitious or extremely influenced by their peers often forget to discriminate between right and wrong to earn money and adopt to illegal ways as well

Conclusion:

The need for a luxurious life at an early stage has resulted the younger generation to become greedy and opt for measures that can make them earn more and more money quickly. 

Juvenile rapists should be treated same as adults in the court of law

A juvenile is a person who is below the age of 18 years. The recent Delhi gang rape accused was a minor and was the most ferocious out of all, has enticed everybody’s attention.

For:

- Individuals who are 15 years and above should be treated as adults and especially in cases where they are accountable for atrocious delinquencies like rapes and murder- The severity of the crime is dependent on the mental state of the individual rather than the age and hence should be punished according to the crime done- If leniency is observed while punishing a juvenile, it would motivate other juveniles to also do the same and get away, and this would result in increase in crimes- The punishment should be decided on the basis of the severity of the act and also taking his mental condition into consideration

Against:

- An individual who is below 18 years of age is still not capable of making right decisions and need constant support and hence they should be given a chance to rehabilitate and motivate them to take the right part- If they are treated as adults in punishment, it could have an adverse effect on their mind, in return making them all the more brutal and violent- A juvenile lacks the ability to decide what is right and what is wrong, and hence treating him like an adult would be wrong

Conclusion:

- The punishment should be decided on the basis of the severity of the crime. A psychological test of the juvenile could help the authorities in determining his current state of mind and thus helping in the decision making as to what punishment should be given- If the individual is just a few months younger before turning out to be an adult; should be treated as an adult, for example: if the individual is 17years and 6 months old, he should be treated as an adult.

Vote bank politics- Good or bad for the country?

'Vote bank' of a political party refers to that group/class/sect of the society that usually votes 'en masse' in favour of that party. Now each political party has this 'vote bank' that dedicatedly votes for them and is usually responsible for bringing them into power/making them politically powerful. Vote bank politics is often referred as voting on the basis of one’s cast or religion. In India, where diversity is one of the main feature, each party has its own vote bank- Hindus, Muslims, Dalits etc. but is this politics good or bad for the nation, let’s see:-

Good

1. Vote bank politics is very decisive is ensuring the rights and progress of a certain group. For ex: - In India, Mayawati became the face of backward classes and she made sure that her vote banks (Dalits) are given their due.

2. In a country as diverse as India, it is very important to have vote bank politics because any single party will not be able to represent the manifestations and expectations of such widely diverse population.

3. When there is politics and elections, voter appeasement is inevitable. So, there is no harm if any party which represents a certain group seeks vote from them because only if they become its vote bank, that the party would continue its support for them.

4. For the unity of a nation, it is important that every class, caste, creed or religion has its own space and liberty. Vote bank politics ensures this and helps in maintaining the unity of the country.

5. Even before independence, Congress was made only to represent the agitation of the common Indian against the British rule. Similarly, Muslim League was formed to ensure the representation of Muslims in Independent India. So, vote bank politics has always been fruitful for the nation.

6. Because of vote bank politics, the downtrodden population of India has gained the confidence to rise and stand against all kind of atrocities. If a party makes women as its vote bank, it is bound to work for the upliftment of women.

Bad

1. Vote bank politics lately has been used as a tool to invoke the regional and casteist prejudices among the people of this country.

2. In India, the vote banks are divided only on the basis of their religion, caste, language or place of living. In every manner, this criterion has damaged the unity and integrity of India.

3. Babri Masjid demolition, exploitation of U.P.ites and Biharis in Mumbai, decision of releasing the killers of Rajiv Gandhi or even the Gujarat riots- they are all a few examples of the bad consequences of vote bank politics.

4. Now a days, politicians are least concerned about the progress of their vote bank. When elections are near, they appease their group either by provoking them against others or by making false promises.

5. It is because of vote bank politics that corrupt leaders and bad administrators come to power again and again. 

6. In India, because of vote bank politics the real issues of the nation like Corruption, Inflation, and women security never get the required attention.

7. India is a much divided nation. Dalits vote for BSP, Hindus for BJP, and Tamils for AIADMK etc irrespective of the work done by those parties. This is because of vote bank appeasement politics.

Conclusion

Vote bank politics, initially was very good. It helped in the representation of one and all in the policies of the government. But in the current scenario, it has only become a method to exploit the prejudiced emotions of masses and cater more votes. But situation can improve only if the public of India is ready to rise above their religion or caste and vote for a candidate who is honest and hard working.

Should a CM protest on streets?

After Arvind Kejriwal, The CM of Delhi has started protest on the streets for suspension of three police officers because the Delhi police comes under central government which refused to act as per the CM. the police officers came under fire because of rape and domestic violence cases in the city.

For :

1. Every citizen has the right to protest on the streets to make their voice heard and CM is also a citizen of the country.

2. In a diarchy before independence, the elected Indians used to protest against the Britishers to raise their demands.(Delhi also has some sort of diarchy where power is divided between central and Delhi govt.)

3. In similar cases, Mamta Banerjee the CM of Kolkata has also protested on the streets while being the Chief Minister so this is not the first instance of a CM protesting.

4.No law restricts the CM or even Prime Minister of a country to protest on the roads.

5. Gandhiji also advocated the method of peaceful protest for the welfare of the nation.

Against:

1. When a CM sits on the street, it creates an anarchy like situation with a serious threat to security especially in a city like Delhi.

2. CM has many other constitutional ways to make his points in the government rather than a street protest.

3. If a CM sits on a protest the government’s function come to a halt and it disrupts the state machinery.

4. It represents the lack of faith in the democratic institutions and create chaos among the public and shows the inability of government.

5. Protest are for the common public not a CM isn’t as he has better ways to voice his demand which common people do not have.

Conclusion:

Protest by the CM on streets is not illegal and can be resorted to when no other option is left but it does not set a liable precedent and can create anarchy in the state. So any head of the state should try to practice all the available constitutional methods for raising their demands and only then take a call on street protest.

Is our economy a victim of policy paralysis or international market conditions?

The Finance Minister of India on 17 February 2014 presented the interim budget of India and he refuted the argument

of policy paralysis. 

In fact, he cried foul over the international market situations and held them responsible for the current situation of economy. He mentioned that his government took every step possible to recover the Indian economy. 

But whether these arguments hold truth or not, let’s find out:-

Economy a victim of policy paralysis1. Over the past 10 years the manufacturing sector of India has shown no signs of growth and all because of the lack of decision making and rampant corruption in the government.

2. The exports are very few as compared to the imports made and government has failed to handle the situation. This has led to a widening CAD and fiscal deficit which further weakens the rupee.

3. Food grains which are an asset to our production sector are not stored properly. Last year itself, tones of wheat and potato was wasted due to lack of storage facility. Such situations occur not because of global economic activities; but because of policy paralysis.

4. A very recent example will be of the set top boxes. After digitization all over the country, the set top boxes were required for cable connections and they were imported from china. Such boxes, if manufactured in India, could have increased revenue of government and also generated employment. But lack of policy making did not allow it.

5. Inflation and devaluation of rupee is also led by fishy economic agendas and corruption stricken economy.

6. Export of onions to gulf nations, further increasing the food inflation is other example of policy vacuum.

No, it is a victim of global scenario1. The devaluation of rupee was due to the U.S. quantitative easing tapering plan by Federal Reserve. All over the world, global economies suffered because of it.

2. Government introduced FDI, land acquisition bill, delayed GAAR, laid the founding stone of GST and did all it could to soothe the economy, but global economical conditions were not in its favour.

3. Heavy import of gold was a solid reason for widening CAD which was properly handled when govt. increased the excise duty to import gold. So, the argument of policy paralysis holds no metal.

4. Many economies like that of Greece or Spain were completely devastated with the global crisis. Ours faced it and was the least affected because of the strong credit policies of government.

5. This was a tumultuous face for global markets, and fast growing economies like China an Japan also witnessed a decline in growth rate.

ConclusionThe situation of Indian economy is very precarious and no one can deny that. There have been certain major faults on the level of policy making and implementation. 

But the other fact is that, seeing the state of global economy, the government does not have much scope to improve the troubling economics of India. And a healthy recovery of it is expected in the coming days.

Is the resignation of Delhi CM justified?

Yesterday, the chef minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal resigned over the non—passage of his very ambitious Jan

Lokpal bill in the legislative assembly. With only 28 seats of the AAP in the assembly, the fate of the bill was entirely dependent on both BJP and Congress who opposed the methods of presenting the bill citing it as unconstitutional. 

But whether the resignation of Delhi CM is on moral grounds or for the larger game of LokSabha elections; let’s find out:-

Yes, it is justified

1. Any CM of who lacks the power to legislate his agenda has no moral ground to retain his position. So, the resignation is completely moral and justified.

2. He had earlier made it clear that if the passage of the bill is blocked, he will resign. This was not unprecedented.

3. He said his steps didn’t revoke any law of the constitution, but he repealed the law of central government which he says he is not bound to follow. So his resignation gives fire to the debate that Delhi must be given the status of complete state.

4. Even if his steps are political, this kind of politics will set up a good precedent. We have seen big leaders sticking to their positions ever after being indicted of various charges. This step will give birth to the principle of moral liability.

5. This step is in the larger interest of Delhiites. If in re-election he comes in majority he would be able to fulfill his agenda without much chaos and ruckus. In the current situation he was facing opposition in his every decision due to not having essential numbers in assembly.

No. it isn’t justified

1. His resignation smells of the larger political game that he has played in the wake of Loksabha election.

2. If he wanted to pass the Janlokpal bill, he could have gone with the legal process and then presented the bill. It seems that he was in search of an escape route to resign.

3. Resigning for one thing that you can’t do is not justified. It is better to remain in power and do 100 other things that you can rather that sticking to just one agenda.

4. Resignation was not the only option. He could have negotiated with other parties and the central government. This resignation seems fishy and abrupt.

5. With his resignation, Delhi will be headed towards re-election, which will increase the economic burden on the exchequer.

6. This is a sort of cheating with the people of Delhi who voted him to power.

Conclusion

This is one of those rare moments in the politics of India where unlike others who prefer to remain in power either by hook or by crook; a CM has resigned on moral grounds for the sake of his principals and agenda. But what is important is that such action should not be taken without contemplation and for larger political benefits.