Life on Two Wheels: Nostalgic

Search in your porch, backyard, godown, you will find a piece of machine in this fashion. Talk to your father, they’ll be nostalgic with the first scooter of their life. The iconic brand to put Indians on the running machine is stopping scooter production. We had spoken about Maruti and how it changed the car market of India. But the real change was brought by Bajaj.

In late 1970’s or early 1980’s as Indian society was getting educated and looking to make life in urban districts. Though today’s rural are better off than 1980’s urbans. But still our parents and grandparents will be nostalgic with the above logo and the tagline Hamara Bajaj.

Buland Bharat ki buland tasveer,

Hamara Bajaj, Hamara Bajaj.

Some of our uncle’s may talk about the Lambretta, the Italian two wheeler, which was taken to fancy. Of course, Lambretta was not as sexy as seen in picture, especially because of the noise it created. Skeleton of Labretta (picture below).

I had my first ride on Lambretta. It has its special place but I have more fond memories with Bajaj. It was Bajaj scooter which changed the landscape of two-wheeler market of India.

People thumped their chests with pride whenever they showed their shining Bajaj Scooter to people/neighborhood standing in porch or the street. They would spend hours cleaning and shining (though there were no shiny metallic shades in those times) their Bajaj scooter. Nowadays we don’t even bother or feel half the excitement as our parents, even after buying a sedan car.

Owning a Bajaj scooter was their biggest achievement in life. Especially when the manufacturer had license to manufacture limited number of scooters and every upper class/middle class Indian wanted one in their porch/drawing room. You need to book a Bajaj scooter for months in advance, call influential people to ensure the scooter is delivered on time.

As a kid, I would fight with my brother to allow me to stand in front of the scooter holding the handle. It was pure fun. Oops for the next generation, it means standing on a running scooter between the driver and the handle. No doubt, I’d lose to my brother in the beginning as he was taller and I ran the risk of banging my face on the handle. Later when he got taller to distract diver with his height, I had chance to stand with my father but then my father bought his first car by that time. But then I’d pursue my parents not to take my brother.

Riding on scooter was fun. Playing and imitating the ridiculous boring scooter sounds/noises with themovement of the hands was another activity for recreation. Playing all the innocent child indoor games perched on the scooter instead of sitting at home. If father noticed, he would scold, remove your shoes or get down from the scooter; you are scratching my baby with your shoes.

One of the ultra compressed fusion version of scooter and moped, SUNNY was launched by Bajaj in mid 1990’s. Sachin Tendulkar was the Brand Ambassador. Sunny was amongst the first few gearless scooter in India. It was like a small genset engine fitted in a bigger toy.

Sunny was made from plastic and would shout and cry even if two people exceeding 40 kgs would sit on it. I can bet on it, it’d move if a 60 kg person sat on Sunny. It was more of a sport for kids and teens for parents who were cautious in handing over their kids a gear scooter. The first machined vehicle that I ever drove in my life.

The scooter in the picture above is amongst the latest model of scooter launched by Bajaj under Bajaj Chetak trademark. School and college life was fun because of the Bajaj scooter. Especially in school, after cycle, Bajaj scooter was single biggest elevation step in life. You progress and move ahead. When all your fellow cyclist classmates are holding your shoulder with one hand and another hand on bicycle and first shoulder by second hand and so on and you are practically helping half a dozen friends to ride on their own bicycles without peddling.

Then came the college life, when your scooter becomes a car. You don’t even remember how many times only you or two had taken ride on it. At least three or at times four and stealing petrol from others scooter to feed the gas guzzling two wheeler. Actually Bajaj was amongst the most efficient but unfortunately in comparison to bikes, scooters couldn’t match the efficiency of bikes. You approach your first love with Bajaj scooter by your side. Standing at the other end of the narrow bylane of the girl’s house and waiting for the girl you wish to propose or your girlfriend, only Bajaj scooter was my partner in my tryst of destiny.

For impressing girls, LML Vespa was significantly helpful as it was stylish and more associated with youth. So I would borrow my friend’s LML at times to chase the girls.

Besides making love stories successful, Bajaj helped and contributed immensely towards building homes. It helped people move across their daily needs on this scooter. Carrying and dropping their loved ones from one part to other part of the city. Driving Bajaj was fun and everybody who owned a scooter had a smile on his/her face.

Riding with the family on scooter. Man, wife and their two/three kids. This inspired Mr. Ratan Tata to develop One Lac Rupee car for the middle class population of India. It was a truly Indian scooter designed for use for an Indian family unlike Vespa or Lambretta. Bajaj had a carriage in the front, storage side on the left rear, a stepny on the back for holding the family onto the scooter.

As a mode of transportation, shopkeepers, SME owners ferried and marketed their goods on Bajaj scooter. Bikes are incapable to perform such onerous tasks of carrying goods. Bajaj ruled the roost with the carriages and boxes can be piled on any side of this scooter, front, back, side, between the legs. At times, the driver would be seen driving with his leg dangling in the air, folded and piled on top of the box, stretching the leg on top of the boxes with the little space to apply brakes on the right side.

Now the world has moved and so have the expectations of the people. Even Bollywood makes use of the Bajaj scooter to indicate the bechara (pitiable) condition of their protagonist. I have not reference, but still notice the brilliant colours of Bajaj Scooter. Nobody can think of driving anything if presented in these colours. It was also another striking feature of Bajaj scooter.

Later Bajaj introduced heavy and more macho scooter like Bajaj Legend. But people still have memories with the original Bajaj or their longest running range of Chetak scooters. The word Chetak is symbolic as it is derived from the name of horse of Maharana Pratap, who was thought to be the fastest and most efficient horse of Indian history.

Times change, motives change, a new world order emerges. Now the Bajaj’s logo has gone for complete overhaul with the younger generation taking charge of the company and the market. The scooters portfolio has been replicated by the bikes. In future, even bikes will be replaced by cars.

Mr. Rahul Bajaj, the Chairman of Bajaj Auto Ltd., the man who put India on wheels is not happy (we should be mentioning sad here) with the MD’s decision to completely stop the production of scooters. Rajeev Bajaj, the elder son of Mr. Rahul Bajaj is the Managing Director of Bajaj Auto Ltd.

Rajeev Bajaj is clear, businesses are not built on emotions but rational business decisions. Rahul Bajaj says it is not about emotions, “I care less for the solution from emotions, I believe more in the magic of logic”. Its OK, Mr Bajaj, there’s no logic, we are also emotional and nostalgic about our Bajaj scooter. The press note should not mean much. As practically two or three years back, Bajaj had stopped production of scooters. In future, one or two rare Bajaj scooters one may find will be as seen under:

P.S.: You can watch the commercials of Bajaj on www.vido4veit.com, which will take us through the journey of emotions, India of 1980’s and 1990’s, how our society has evolved. The stories and characters we lived through our childhood.

Legalization

Legalise prostitution if you can't curb it, SC tells Govt.

The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Centre whether it can legalise prostitution if it is not possible to curb it with punitive measures.

"When you say it is the world's oldest profession and when you are not able to curb it by laws, why don't you legalise it? You can then monitor the trade, rehabilitate and provide of medical aid to those involved in the trade," a bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice A K Patnaik told Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam.

Prostitution is the oldest profession of this world, even SC has reiterated it. Why is it called a profession? One of my friends had said, “If Ved Vatsyayna is referred to as Ved then prostitution can be called as a profession”. It’s difficult to parallel the two. Traditionally it maybe a profession, but within the confines of the law and the society, it is an illegal business. Slavery was first criticized and then abolished as they said you cannot trade human beings. Prostitution is illegal and punishable under IPC (Indian Penal Code) for the one who pays and the one who receives money.

It is not that the Law is not capable to curb this activity. Exploitation of human being is one of the gravest crimes on earth and that too, because of their SEX, demands our urgent attention to the issue. The Law Enforcers are not willing to curb this activity. There is no woman on this Earth who would like to enter this profession by choice. Perhaps there may be few who have no option or may be a convenient way for survival. Add to that the extreme poverty conditions of India. In certain tribal/rural areas, parents are forced to sell one of their daughters to ensure the other children do not die due to hunger. Of course, we cannot justify/argue destroying a person’s life, it is simply unacceptable. Govt. needs to attack the hunger of the poor or maybe the parents. The list of poverty and its consequences are dire in this country.

(A prostitute lifts her skirt)

But then it is an equally popular trade in developed nations, where Govt. even takes the responsibility of the unemployed. Various developed countries have tried to curb this activity by different means, wherein they have worked on the premise that women are victims and we need to show compassion towards their plight. In one of the European country, the legislation says anybody found paying for receiving any favours in sexual activity shall be held punishable, on the same hand it does not talks about wrong doing in the hands of the receiver. It is one of the positive aspects of this Law. But then does this help us in finding the solution? Not really, it may have exacerbated the problems of the sex workers in some other manner.

For every woman engaged/forced into profession, she is supporting more than two human beings on her earnings. Two (human beings) is a conservative figure, it may be her family or the pimp who represents her or police officer who demand bribes from them. Scan through the classifieds of any Mumbai local newspaper, one will know how easy it is to run this business. It is this casualness, which is harming the society. My cab driver took me through the Kamatipura area, the red-light district conditions of Mumbai. Not to mention, the whole area of Grant Road running till Kamatipura is such poverty stricken and it runs a chill in your spine, when you contrast it to Colaba, Nariman Point which are just stone throw away (by Bombay standards) from this area. A child walks upto my window in a moving cab albeit at snail pace and asks, “saab maal chahiye”. I wanted to tell him, you are talking about a human being. Show some respect to your existence, if not them. Within seconds, he markets all types of girls, by their origin, colour, age. I was shouting to my cabdriver, move fast and we are stuck in traffic. Politely I tell him NO, coz there was no point preaching. I was clutching fast to the window handle and rotating it with both hands to push the glass up. Imagine what that child will become when he grows up? I don’t know, if he was pushing for his mother or on behalf of his father (who may be a pimp) or born like that, that even his mother had absolutely no idea what his father might look like.

Supreme Court gave their comments on the PIL filed by an NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan and the intervention application moved by Childline complaining about large scale child trafficking in the country. We need to save these children and give them their childhood back. SC questions, Why don’t you legalize it?

One of our law faculty had said, “Society exists because of Law”.
Legalizing prostitution will help the society. It is difficult to say, when we should be trying to help the sex workers and flee away from this menace and try to make our society a better place to live, where everybody is respected and not sleeps for few pieces of green paper. Legalizing means we have presumed and submitted that prostitution cannot be eradicated from our society.

But then legalization does have its benefits for the sex workers. They can call themselves as sex workers and not always abused at. It will stop the exploitation. They will be given few rights in their hands which they are now deprived of.

(A street of Kamathipura)

Perhaps the present legal structure needs to be restructured to give them equal rights of a human being or as a citizen of India. The structure at the same time, should probably throw an idea or a path to help the victims who have been forced into this activity to leave this profession and lead a life where sex is not an object or means to earn livelihood. It remains just as an expression of love.

PAA – Movie and Thoughts

Everybody is talking about how fantastic the film is. Amitabh Bachchan crosses yet another milestone of his life, experiments and shows his brilliance and knowledge in the field of acting and wants to say, whichever few honorary and felicitation awards are left in few countries he has not visited should gift him one. Some of them are dejected to know that they didn’t find Amitabh Bachchan in the movie. It was the character ‘AURO’, who got all the space. An actor wins the brownie points, only if he allows the character to supersede his persona and image. I’d say Amitabh Bachchan has given one stellar performance. You don’t talk about Amitabh Bachchan after leaving the halls but about the wittiness of the AURO. While I was entering the hall, I told my friend, the name of Amitabh Bachchan helps in creating hype. They could have put on the make-up on any other actor. But the makers had to show the hands and arms of an old man. Of course, you could have applied old skin patches on hands and arms too. AURO had to maim the behavior of a child and the body language of a child and an old man. It is extremely difficult to project for an actor. Probably somebody as experienced as Amitabh Bachchan could have handled it with elan. If we keenly observe the designing of character ‘AURO’, he acts and behaves with a child’s mind and yet he is mature as he is shown physically. AURO makes Vidya Balan and Abhishiek Bachchan seem like a supporting cast. The poster of the PAA features only the character, AURO. Abhishiek Bachchan has a bigger role in terms of his importance in the film. AURO’s maturity came in handling and making his parents come together. He does not say Abhishiek, father since he met him inspite of knowing the fact. A child longs to say MA and PAA. AURO gets to say ma but not PAA. What a moment they have captured to justify the brilliant title? Without revealing further details, I would like you to go explore the same in the movie.

Balki has cracked a whacker with his second film. We should not forget he is an adman and he delivers stories in less than a minute’s time. It is difficult as a writer to get into the child’s mind. And at the same time, he has touched upon an upcoming issue in Indian society. In 1980’s and 1990’s, there was huge movement against anti-abortion and people marched through streets to tell the Govt in USA. about passing anti-abortion laws. The slogan ran, “It’s not a CHOICE, it’s a CHILD”. Going forward, when Indian economy and society is opening up by breaking the shackles of the past, these issues will gain more importance. To abort a child is equivalent to murder. I read a quote around at SV Road, Bandra, “A child gives birth to a mother”. Had this movie been made, fifteen years back, people would have rejected it.

Balki has dealt with some other issues in the movie. They make us lose the plot of the movie. Some of the issues handled are the development of Mumbai’s slums, a foreign educated politician wanting to transform India, giving one hand to media. It is neither effective nor consequential. Probably the whole sequence should have been tightened.

Many people forsake lives of children who are born abnormal. It would not try to be figurative on this topic. Its personal choice because at later stages, it becomes extremely painful for parents and the child. Vidya Balan had to raise this child. It was not the question of the child, it was the question of her existence for which she has struggled, fought and left her love. Vidya is sensational in the movie, she performs her role effortlessly. Middle-aged ravaged roles suit her. She should not try to look young and sexy. Keep it Simple Vidya.

Should we watch the movie or not? Go and explore for yourself the brilliance of Balki, the cinematography, music, the look, feel and the appeal of the movie.

Love him, Hail him, Adore him…. No HATE him

Well the topic is very controversial and I can be badly beaten by the Cricket fans/lovers in India. Everybody must be wondering why, Sehwag has even brought the trophy home. Sehwag made the 4th December afternoon so interesting that stock brokers in my office switched from CNBC to Neo Sports, which is lethal for their profession. Sehwag missed the World record by a whisker. First batsman in the world to score three triple centuries in Test Matches. I always used to think, how an Indian player can create glory under the shadow of Sachin Tendulkar. Sehwag has clearly taught us the way to be different.

Sehwag is born with sheer wit and determination to hit every ball offered to him. If he is not able too, he will be resting in the dressing room after scoring a quickie of 30-40. On 4th December, Sehwag forgot he was playing in a Test Match. His batting style seemed as if he is playing in an extended T20 match. Do you think this is healthy for the game in the long run? People idolized Sachin Tendulkar and wanted to become one now if they start wishing and playing Sehwag style, it will kill the game. Nobody would want to become bowler.

I felt pity for the Sri Lankan bowlers besides the joy of watching Sehwag. It was like you are struggling, stumbling at the work, after putting days and nights together for a presentation and all you are getting is a volley of abusing and screaming from your boss from morning till evening without any fault of yours’. The person says I don’t wish to work, I am off for the day. I don’t wish to be respected, it’s ok if you yell at me but don’t abuse me, just show a little amount of courtesy.

T20 is great, esp. IPL. It has created an entertainment format of Cricket. It is offering more first class players to showcase their talent and earn a livelihood. But on the hindsight, it is going to hurt the sporting format. English County players say early start in T20 by Indians has taken their game to a different level. But may need to bring one more format favouring the bowlers. We need bowlers. Practically iconic bowlers have ceased to exist, esp. the likes of Courtney Walsh, Glenn Mcgrath, Curtly Ambrose, Shane Warne. Of course, there were great’s like marshalls, richard’s, merchants, engineers and vishwanath’s in earlier times of cricket. We may not find any in future with the present level of progession of the game.

26/11

Today is the 26/11 and the year is 2009, exactly one year since one of the deadliest terror attacks on India, where the coup lasted for 60 hours. 11 has become one of the most significant digits in the number system of this universe and a synonym for terror. There are very few numbers which represent a term. Ever since 9/11, which took place in America on September 11th, 2001, all the terror attacks are named after their date and every possible and impossible attempt is made to bring the number 11 in the date. In 9/11, the MM-DD pattern is followed, in 26/11, DD-MM pattern is followed, same was the case with blasts in Indonesia or Spain. Americans define the standards in terms of terrorists even.

I was lucky to reach my office at Nariman Point uninterruptedly today. There was huge mela of the mediapersons all through the Marine Drive. They were talking to people, telling people where the attacks took place, how, what, when and how do feel type questions. In the background, they are playing all the patriotic songs. It’s really a nice thing to commemorate the victims and remember the martyrs.

Media has made a hullaballoo of the whole issue. You give them only raw rice and they’ll serve you “biryani”. No terror attack has been handled by media in such detailed and provocative manner. Bomb blasts in 1993, the train blasts in 2006, Parliament attack, no terror incident has been reported like 26/11. Does India need to have its own 9/11 to boast about? Now we have one. The World fancies all the things American. Our media must have missed a commemoration monument like Ground Zero. So the army marched with the launch of new special task force named “FORCE ONE” from Hotel Oberoi to Chaupati, popularly known as Marine Drive. Mallya may claim his ownership rights and title on the name, FORCE ONE. I really don’t understand, why you need to build a memorial for a terror attack. Cover that space up, build bigger and better towers than Trade Centre. Allow people to leave and live past their wounds. It’s not a healthy sign to live with our wounds. Only person who will remember 26/11 forever is Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh. He lost his CM status because of his stupidity after attacks.

Coming back on the importance of 26/11 over other terror attacks. All others were bomb blasts, but this was a hostage situation and ill-equipped security forces took a day to gather and develop a strategy, that’s why it was stretched to 60 hours. Sorry to say, it was not 60 hours of terror. My office is situated on the back of Hotel Oberoi and some of my colleagues were working in office when terrorists struck and were working the next day even which was Saturday. The tension existed at the spots, but the whole country was not held hostage to terrorists but to media panic.

Every other person who came on TV, newspaper, last year and this year, got their two minutes of fame because of 26/11. Media people, they keep on pondering on the same boring questions, how do you feel, what do you have to say, right now and after one year and so on and so forth. The only problem or situation arrived due to 26/11 is they have created fortresses of Business Hotels. People in Mumbai do not have so much time to lament for weeks, months or a year. They move on, that’s why this city has been still building inspite of all the horrific attacks for the last two decades. But the big man who took all the limelight was Ajmal Kasab. Kasab has become a living legend, for those who may dream or are forced to take up terrorism as the profession. I just hope the cost of keeping a terrorist alive, pays. At times, I believe, he was too small a mole in this whole piece to divulge any details and should have been drugged and killed and his body handed over to his parents in Pakistan. On the other hand, we are just waiting to hear and know that he gives some strong points and atrocious version of the Pakistani approach against India. Our PM lately made very applauding points during his visit to USA.

A terror attack will not be one, if it is not able to spread terror. LeT, Lashkar and all their brotherhood should be rest assured that their one act will be played thousand times over several years by Indian media to keep the feelings and fear alive in the minds of Indian public. I empathize with our media, in our job, we are looking for thrill and out of box/context ideas to scale the ladder and enliven our lives. It’s not everyday, they get to cover a live attack. It was THE MOMENT of the media industry. But still they need to show a little amount of responsibility and the same reason why they are not welcomed at most of the places.

On the first completion of a no-terror attack on India from fundamentalists across the country, we should come together and pray for the lost souls of 26/11.

Spare Sachin, Save Balasaheb

Sachin didn’t hit a Six on completing twenty years of his Career in International Cricket but clean bowled from a dead ball by Mr. Bal Thackeray. 20 years is a long time? I am already bored after two years in my job. Completing 20 years in International cricket is the biggest feat even above his scoring records. There have been fewer than few gentlemen in cricket to complete 20 years in International cricket. A sportsperson has a short span of career. That too at the age of 37 with flying colours with records which few complete cricket teams cannot even boast. Everybody, no matter how big or small that person is in International Cricket has oodles to write about Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar offers enough to everybody to read and write and that too, sans controversy in a country where Cricket is RELIGION and Sachin is GOD. Clearly do Indians think that their GOD said something which hurt their feelings? I don’t think so, anybody will say that, even my Marathi friends will agree with him.

Everybody agreed and bowed to their GOD except Bal Thackeray. Bal Thackeray is acting like a YAMRAJ, he may be for few Marathi’s. A cartoonist, who used to make others tickle with his black lines cannot allow himself to be mocked at. Sachin clearly, did tread the path which leapt straight into the path of Mr. Thackeray. Udhav Thackeray (son of Bal Thackeray) said, Mumbai meri baap ke hai (Mumbai belongs to my father). I don’t have anything bad to mouth about Sachin Tendulkar (even if I do as if it matters). Rather I admire him the most in the world; I would like to be Sachin Tendulkar of whichever field I dedicate myself too. He gave a perfect answer, Mumbai belongs to the Indians, a geographically, politically, historically, mentally and emotionally correct answer.

But then on the flipside, we should not cold shoulder Mr. Bal Thackeray, he has built his self-ego, the false issues to further deteriorate the lives of his Marathi manoos as he calls them, over a period of thirty years or probably equivalent to Sachin Tendulkar’s age. Balasaheb has to do few things before his nephew raised by Balasaheb, will take up all the dead issues of Shiv Sena under the new banner of MANSE (popularized version of MNS) with the fresh appeal. Back in my neighbourland, manoos might be read as ma-noos, which means manhoos (one who brings unfortunate to others) in Hindi. Nobody can allow a messiah of Marathi pride, to be over-ruled by GOD of cricket, who himself is Marathi. My appeal to media is, it does not matter whatever you write about Balasaheb or Sach, it is not going to undo what they have said and done in their career.

I don’t understand why, politicians are most sensitive and insecure people on this Earth. They, themselves, don’t believe in themselves or their ideologies. They want people to have faith in them. It cannot be true. Sachin didn’t bad mouth anybody, he expressed his thoughts. Balasaheb debunked the deeds of 20 years of one of the finest gentleman in India in 20 seconds. Media in India, probably needs to unlearn and then learn the process of feeding and processing news or to build a story. They should try to look at positive perspective of things. India as a developing nation with 1.05 billion population requires that positivity. If they find it difficult, probably Sachin can give them a piece.

Kurt Cobain's Death Confession

Just wanted share Kurt Cobain's Death Confession on why he committed suicide after he was proclaimed as one of the best Rock sensations. It is worth read and a soul searching letter for everybody.

To Boddah

Speaking from the tongue of an experienced simpleton who obviously would rather be an emasculated, infantile complain-ee. This note should be pretty easy to understand.

All the warnings from the punk rock 101 courses over the years, since my first introduction to the, shall we say, ethics involved with independence and the embracement of your community has proven to be very true. I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now. I feel guity beyond words about these things.

For example when we're back stage and the lights go out and the manic roar of the crowds begins., it doesn't affect me the way in which it did for Freddie Mercury, who seemed to love, relish in the love and adoration from the crowd which is something I totally admire and envy. The fact is, I can't fool you, any one of you. It simply isn't fair to you or me. The worst crime I can think of would be to rip people off by faking it and pretending as if I'm having 100% fun. Sometimes I feel as if I should have a punch-in time clock before I walk out on stage. I've tried everything within my power to appreciate it (and I do, God, believe me I do, but it's not enough). I appreciate the fact that I and we have affected and entertained a lot of people. It must be one of those narcissists who only appreciate things when they're gone. I'm too sensitive. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasms I once had as a child.

On our last 3 tours, I've had a much better appreciation for all the people I've known personally, and as fans of our music, but I still can't get over the frustration, the guilt and empathy I have for everyone. There's good in all of us and I think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too fucking sad. The sad little, sensitive, unappreciative, Pisces, Jesus man. Why don't you just enjoy it? I don't know!

I have a goddess of a wife who sweats ambition and empathy and a daughter who reminds me too much of what i used to be, full of love and joy, kissing every person she meets because everyone is good and will do her no harm. And that terrifies me to the point to where I can barely function. I can't stand the thought of Frances becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I've become.

I have it good, very good, and I'm grateful, but since the age of seven, I've become hateful towards all humans in general. Only because it seems so easy for people to get along that have empathy. Only because I love and feel sorry for people too much I guess.

Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern during the past years. I'm too much of an erratic, moody baby! I don't have the passion anymore, and so remember, it's better to burn out than to fade away.

Peace, love, empathy.
Kurt Cobain
Frances and Courtney, I'll be at your alter.
Please keep going Courtney, for Frances.
For her life, which will be so much happier without me.

I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!

Did you get it: Sex increases Performance

After winning the match against Pakistan, the sports expert asks, ‘So tell us Yuvraj, you had an amazing day, what is the secret behind scoring double century in a limited overs’ cricket game’. Yuvraj replies, ‘well our Coach gave us an advice couple of months back and now I got a chance to capitalize on it. The expert asks another one, ‘can you share that piece with cricket lovers’ and your fans’. Yuvraj replies, ‘I would like to thank my fans for their love and support’.

If it happens after few months, don’t be surprised as Indian Cricket Team Coach has urged Indian Cricket Stars to have SEX in order to improve their performance on field.

Our tabloids will report in future, Yuvraj had a threesome with African ad Russian chick for three hours prior to the match. He did not pump any iron on/off the field. All the hard work went into fielding on the bed side. All cricket rookies and experts will be seen carrying Kama Sutra, term it their Bible for success on and off the field.

BCCI’s office will be turned into a Playboy Mansion with the caption, “Indulgence for performance”. Don’t be surprised if you read this, entire Indian Cricket Team Coach has advised our team to have more sex to indulge (oh-sorry it’s not indulge but improve) on-field performance.

I don’t wish to comment on the fact of improvement of performance. But I do believe sex is very important element of our life and happiness, which is a social taboo in India. India is clearly a sex starved nation. But still Gary Kirsten has come out with interesting observations and also tried to justify the same. Cristiano Ronaldo, the man who produces dollars and that too lots of them with his shoes (yeah it’s millions and millions), has sex before he enters the football field. You can imagine, but in India, it is perceived over-indulgence makes a man weak. Don’t question in front of whom, whether it a woman or his body or may be both.

"From a physiological perspective, having sex increases testosterone levels, which cause an increase in strength, energy, aggression and competitiveness," the document said.

"Conversely, not having sex for a period of a few months causes a significant drop in testosterone levels in both males and females, with the corresponding passiveness and decrease in aggression."

"If you want sex but do not have someone to share it with, one option is to go solo whilst imagining you have a partner, or a few partners, who are as beautiful as you wish to imagine," the document said.

"No pillow talk and no hugging required. Just roll over and go to sleep."

Enforced celibacy may also affect performance, the advice said.

"You may experience that your mind spends more time focusing on the fire in your groin than on good sport practice, preparation and sleep," the document said.

One of my professors in college said Indians are the biggest frustrated lechers in the world. Firangi people seem happier than Indians and have contentment and commitment to whatever they undertake. Because when they set off from home, they either drink beer/whisky or indulge in a quickie sex-bite. A man cannot ask anything more than that, if he gets one of them, he does not ask anything beyond that.

I guess this may be the theme/theory for advising an un-religious (as some may say), ostracized activity by society (esp. to talk if not in performance). I was expecting Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal, RSS or some political outfit to come out remind us of our Indian-ness.

Nevertheless, whether Indian cricket players indulge or not, their fans just want to see them hitting sixes, breaking the stumps and diving to drop catches. Last but not the least, they must win matches.

Calling hubby names not cruel, says HC

Calling the husband ‘bhondu’, ‘pagal’, ‘bewakoof’ and making fun of his low educational qualifications does not amount to cruelty and is not a ground for divorce, the Bombay high court has ruled.

Imagine Bombay HC saying this thing, it has hit the last nail in the coffin. The dividing gap amongst the power in the household in the hands of a female has been evident since ages. The female was always an in-charge of the household and the man posed as the head of the family. Now in these modern times of Fundamental Rights, I believe men need to assert for their rights to equality. We are losing ground fast, really fast.

Couple of months back, SC said, ‘biwi jo kehti hai woh sunoh’ (listen to your wife and do as she says). Now Bombay HC gives the woman more rights to even rebuke and insult a man. I don’t know if it allows in front of other people.

A division bench of Justice P B Majumdar and Justice R V More dismissed an application filed by a 33-year-old Pune resident seeking to end his 2003 marriage with his wife, with whom he has lived for barely 20 months.

“The husband should not have been so sensitive even if a few words were uttered by the wife,” the judges said. “In family life, between a husband and wife, occasionally there may be some exchange of wit, anger, jokes or satire; that itself may not be treated as an act of cruelty,” the judges remarked, saying this could not be grounds for dissolution of the marriage.

I know women have better understanding of society, people and managing household and in turn lives. God has blessed women with their dynamic nature. But still that does not mean, that men should be frowned upon. They need their share of respect from the society.

Please My Lord (an appeal to our Hon’ble Judges), Kindly look at the plight of men than pity. Rather they should advise and say, KISS and make up.

Private vs Public Interest

This piece is written by Sucheta Dalal on the fued amongst Ambani brothers.

Anil Ambani talking about public interest is funny. But it seems only family feuds can throw light on a lot of murky deals. Few people in India understand the complex business of oil & gas pricing. So long as everything was a sarkari monopoly, there wasn’t any need to, especially because most utilities were subsidised for the ordinary person. Privatisation has meant deal-making, allegations of corruption and a sharp increase in prices. How does an ordinary person cut through the allegations, untruths and rhetoric between the Ambani brothers to figure out whether our utilities are priced right and the country’s natural resources are exploited for private benefit?

Unfortunately, most people do not care and see the battle between the Ambani brothers as a modern-day Mahabharat with all its trappings of wealth, power and glamour. But can we afford to ignore the core issues? If we do, we will have another Enron-like situation, where an unscrupulous US company worked a dubious deal with our netas and babus and silenced most of the media through pressure or incentives. A decade later, Enron’s plant (at three times the original capacity) remains shut and unviable in a power-starved country.

In its previous term, the UPA government remained a mute spectator to the brazen partisanship of the then telecom minister, D Raja, on issues of spectrum allocation and pricing. Even the Prime Minister’s Office pleaded helplessness over reining in the minister. Anil Ambani was then the happy beneficiary of the system. Much earlier, when Mukesh Ambani controlled Reliance Telecom, it was Anil Ambani who exposed the allocation of a whopping one crore shares to the late Pramod Mahajan’s kin to facilitate Reliance’s backdoor entry into the mobile telecom space by flouting all existing rules.

What is the connection between Enron, telecom and the war for gas between the Ambani brothers? In the 1990s, Enron’s arrogant muscle-flexing and inducements caused long-term damage to India’s power sector liberalisation. It is we, the people, who have paid the price.

The telecom industry spends huge money on advertising which gives it significant clout. That is why the media, barring occasional exceptions, is at pains to remain neutral while reporting the wrangling and twisting of policy that ensured huge profits to the industry. Both the Ambani brothers have benefited from this fact when they controlled Reliance Telecom at different times.

Now again, editors don’t want to be in the awkward position of having to take a stand on the gas issue. It would mean choosing between the warring brothers, who are both extremely powerful. So one celebrity editor, briefed and fed on an exclusive basis by PR persons on both sides, is none the wiser and wants the Supreme Court to decide the issue. That will, indeed, be the ultimate solution, but shouldn’t the media do its job of discussing issues, gathering expert views and presenting facts? The media will be aggressively intrusive on something like the Aarushi murder case and even destroy lives. But when two industry giants, with huge media budgets, fight a bloody war, we would rather take the issues out of the public domain, advice everybody to do the same and allow the Supreme Court to decide.

Interestingly, nobody knows this better than Anil Ambani himself. And, luckily, he has the power to buy himself a voice by spending crores of rupees to plant one blistering question a day on the front pages of every national newspaper. At the time of going to the press, four questions had been asked and six more are apparently in the pipeline. The questions he has posed are certainly of interest to the public and irrespective of issues that the brothers may have over sharing their stupendous wealth, we the ordinary people, need some answers.

Let’s paraphrase the questions so far. Anil Ambani is suggesting through his questions and other statements that Mukesh Ambani is using the support of petroleum minister Murli Deora to tweak policy and give Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) ‘super normal profit’ at the cost of public sector entities. In all this, the government would earn only Rs 500 crore. He says:

# The Petroleum Ministry wants NTPC to pay 80% more for gas, than what RIL had voluntarily offered it earlier, causing a Rs 30,000 crore loss to NTPC.
# The Petroleum Ministry has approved “a shockingly disproportionate 400% hike in the project cost” of RIL’s KG D6 gas field, from Rs 12,000 crore to Rs 45,000 crore. This will cause a loss of Rs 30,000 crore to the government and increase retail power tariffs by 50% or more.
# While global gas prices have dropped 80%, the Petroleum Ministry wants power and fertiliser companies to pay 20% more for gas from RIL.
# RIL’s KG D6 gas field is operating at only 40% capacity and can treble its production, creating an artificial scarcity and demanding a higher price.

These and other such questions that Anil Ambani has posed need to be answered. They are not about a property battle. So far, RIL has issued a single statement saying, “We emphatically refute and outrightly reject the baseless, tendentious and motivated allegations and insinuations…” It also calls itself a mere contractor for the government excavating gas from the KG basin. This is hard to swallow.

RIL must put facts on the table. And if it has its own stories about how Anil Ambani twists policy for his benefit, let’s hear those, too. For instance, we would all like to know why ADAG’s tariffs in Mumbai are soaring while the Tatas are able to supply power at more reasonable rates.

When it comes to mega-infrastructure projects, utilities (including telecom) and natural resources (land, water, mines), the lack of information has allowed a tiny elite to manipulate policy by agreeing to share the loot with our venal politicians. A few more family feuds and corporate wars are just the cleanser that we need.

Understanding aam aadmi

Must have seen the images of Jaya Prada on Monday on television and in Tuesday’s newspapers. She did a heroic act by ploughing herself on the flooded reins of Rampur and that too on a bullock cart when most of the ministers, Parliamentarains survey the area via helicopter. She may not have imagined the hardships that people in village have to undergo for meeting the everyday commitment of living. To further exacerbate the misery, the floods puts them on the edge of extinction. It’s a pity for India, that our MPs claim to know their people and regions well enough and yet are not aware whether there are roads in the constituency or not. Jaya Prada is indeed one of the hard working MPs in Uttar Pradesh. She had really worked for her constituency. At least the same was said in Union Elections, 2009. You can imagine the areas in UP (Uttar Pradesh)where there has been no development.

She started crying and wailing when the bullock cart got stuck in waist deep waters. Yes….. like a true Indian Parliamentarian, she was moved by the plight of the people due to flooding of the region. She was moved and retracted from her emotional state and promised that a proper pucca road will be built connecting the village to the city. The best she could offer to the people struggling to keep themselves afloat against the flood.

She can perhaps learn something from people of her constituency. Not to lose confidence and try to stay afloat as long as possible.

The photograph beneath shows a barly clothes man making his way through the floods carrying his livelihood on his shoulders.

Flying on the dusk or Landing into the dawn

Last few month newspapers were flooded with the news of poorly managed Air India and questioned everything for the existence of airports, airplanes, Air India, Indian Airline, the merger, the airline industry globally and in India, the low cost model, full service carrier, babudom, Naresh Goyal, Vijay Mallya, pilots, stewards, airhostesses, the tax structure, regulatory structure, fare structure, running of airline.

Why the airline industry is in such a bad shape? We cannot blame the Indian carriers for this, globally it has been the case of airline industry. Except for Virgin Airlines, which has been profitable since its inception barring post 9/11 period. But can anybody figure out the elimination of airplanes from our lives. The world is trying to assimilate across geographies because of information, communication and logistics. Logistics is featuring because of the airline industry. Why Government’s globally are not trying to focus their attention on airline industry is a question unto itself?

Pilots, one of the elitist lots of the industry have formed an association and guild to protect their interests because of the wavering health of the giant airline companies. They have grounded their demands and doomed the airline company on 8th September 2009. This is seriously a terrorism as Mr. Naresh Goyal puts it. Although he is one of the most cunning and shrewd businessman in India, who pocketed (in his personal accounts) all the proceeds of the IPO and that too legally. Two colleagues are fired and we go on strike. Oops, its not strike but it’s a mass leave. Although if we dig into the story and then the tide may turn on the other side. I don’t why, but Mr, Naresh Goyal lands himself up in such precarious and teething issues. Earlier one fine day he gets up and fires 800 employees and then in 48 hours, he realizes he was wrong. Why because mother advised in dreams not to do so? Whose mother came to dreams to cover up on the bomb you have fired, only Allah can tell. Again the manner in which employees were fired was a recipe of disaster.

(Should he turn his back and then performing the gesture)

I don’t know, if you call that a good and smart business-man. Certain business decisions are required and are harsh and not everybody likes them. But then there’s a way to approach things. I am afraid, no mother or father came to Mr. Goyal’s dream to tell how to do things in a business. He can definitely author a book, “Seven Habits of Highly Successful Foolish People”.

Other airlines are also treading the same path. Our own sarkari airlines company needs to do few of such foolish things so as to not suck people’s money from Govt’s coffers. But then they say God exists, that is why India is healthy and growing.

Govt. is struggling to juggle and break the coterie of the Union of Indian Airlines. The Union has held hostage the company’s operations and coffers. Some of the employees have the highest level of salaries and perquisites paid by Govt. of India to any officer in any rank in its departments, ministries and even the chief executives of its Navratna.

(Govt. is representing the mascot of Air India by bowing to employees dacoity skills)

Reading the above piece, one feels that employees are the biggest concern of the airline companies in India. But that is not the case except for Indian Airlines, who employee per airplane is more than 500 compared to global standards of 200. But the industry’s concern is the tax structure applicable to the industry.

On August 18, the entire industry wanted to ground the airplanes for a day and the loss of the same to the economy and business would have been in few hundred crores. But luckily IndiGo pulled out of it and hence the attempt failed.

Should Govt wait for such act to be implemented to take further actions? Why is it that when we push ourselves and others to extreme we can expect some result?

A typical Delhi – Mumbai flight ticket structure is:
Fare breakup
Base fare Rs. 599 (18%)
Fuel surcharge Rs. 2,400 (71%)
Psgr. Svc. Fee Rs. 229 (7%)
Airport Dev. Fee Rs. 100 (3%)
Service tax Rs. 7
Service fee Rs. 30
Discount Rs. 4
Total Rs. 3,361

Base Fare is the money earned by the airline company.
Fuel Surcharge ideally should go to the petroleum company.
Airport Development Fee goes to the Airport Authorities of India (the owner of Airport).
Passenger Service Fee (for providing security) and few taxes left at the end land with the Govt. of India.

However indirectly a major chunk of the Fuel Surcharge goes to the Govt. via the petroleum companies.

The Govt. is trying different measures to keep Indian Airlines afloat. They are planning to inject Rs. 5,000 Crore of debt securities, equity securities to keep the airline afloat. Does it make sense to run an airline company by way of subsidies in the name of financial restructuring when we are not able to provide on-ground solutions for Indian junta? The urban class will say we pay taxes, Rs. 5,000 Crore is not a big deal against Rs. 60,000 Crore farm loan waiver, Rs. 30,000 Crore for NREGA and Rs. 10,000 for JNNURM.

A better idea that Govt. can look at – is not to expect any revenue from Aviation sector in India. It’s a huge subsidy burden that the Govt. is carrying on its shoulders. The cost of running and upkeep of airport infrastructure is huge and I am sure, the Govt. wouldn’t be recovering the operational costs for the same.

Add to the fact, the debtors that state oil companies (HP, BP, IOC) are carrying for ferrying passengers in the sky. Airline companies are supposed to pay the Fuel Surcharge to the Oil companies but the payments have been delayed in the past by over six months and oil companies carrying debtors to the tune of thousands of crores and had threatened Kingfisher in the past to pay or else the fuel supplies will be suspended. One can imagine the loot the airline companies are running on the exchequer. On the other side, the high taxes that Govt. has collected from aviation space will be shot as Oil bonds to petroleum companies and as restructuring for our very won Maharaja.

Does it make sense for Govt. to nip private airlines to keep Indian Airlines employees in happy spirit? The mess in the airline industry is in a way wrests on the high-headed Indian Airlines employees. The Govt. and the ministry needs to take the responsibility of the mess that they have created in the airline industry and Indian Airlines. The top management shake up, bottom management twirl up, top-down or down-top business model, no approach will work unless the attitude of the Indian Airlines employees goes through a massive shake-up. A stimulus package may be worked out for the industry in the interim phase till complete reform of the industry in terms of regulation and the working is defined. We should not be smoking bidis when we are talking about Cigars.

377: Is it about Legality or Societal issue?

The abolition of Article 377 in IPC was seen as the next step towards India’s modernisation in terms of culture and economic. Though we are a little late in adopting the latest sexual communities/taboos of the world but finally yes we are ready for it. I have a doubt, if the tradition of sati was still practiced in India then who will run to fire for whom. Do we really feel that a change in legal constraint has meant that they are liberated? Personally I don’t have anything against homosexuals/heterosexuals/bisexual/bestiality. It is a personal choice of every person. Besides they say Love knows no boundaries, no expressions. Its just a feeling. At times, I really wish to feel such kind of feeling from a guy. But sorry, females are very lovely creatures, I don’t wish to ditch them.

Our Constitution says all men and women are equal, irrespective of their name, sex, caste, colour, creed, etc. The reason for introduction of this Fundamental Right was to eliminate the differences prevalent in Indian society against women. But this is probably the first time, men were asking for their right in India. Lesbian was/is less vulnerable than gay. The expressions of feelings and love in gayhood were/are illegal.

At times, I feel Indian society is more open than westerners. If two men are going arm in arm in streets, nobody in India would look at them with suspicion. But in western world, it is symbolic for the liberation of lovers from the same sex. One of my friends, who visited Australia around 2000 had put an arm around his friends’ shoulder. His friend shouted and instructed him to walk five feet from him. They were not gays’. My friend was not able to interpret him at that time. As the saying goes, Ignorance is Bliss.

Nobody in India has really big concerns about being homosexual. There are many who don’t understand it. One of my colleagues was extremely flustered at the abolition of Article 377 and said, they should not be allowed to be in open. They should remain in their closet. But he forget that you cannot hide your identity in your closet. Similarly they also wish to be recognized as normal people but have tendency and likeness to love the person of same sex.

We have August Kranti Parade on 16th August for gay pride and acceptability of their culture. The only issue in India is that men are very frustrated. I know a lot of my friends aged 20 to 25, who have never touched a female or felt a female. They wish too, but they are not able too and there are too many if’s and but’s for no reason. They are not ready to play with prostitutes. Given their mindset and conditions, they have more tendencies to become gay (if provoked) out of frustration.

I would like to know the reasons for people opposing against the rules of the game. The Jagao and Sulayo Organizations are always motivated by the some regional, state and central political parties/organizations.

We need not change the mindset of the people opposing to homosexuals. We need a complete overhaul of the system. In 1947, Hindustan revolted against British. So many stories and theories exist of liberation, separation and freedom for a country, be it America even. But the societal boundaries that are creeping up in our system, I really wonder who is going to rescue us from the same.

Still there is light at the end of the tunnel, there are people like this woman who are trying to do something different for the society than revolting to change legal guidelines on how to love and make love.


A website for transwomen.

After numerous matrimonial websites, here comes a marriage portal for transwomen (transgenders who have successfully undergone sex reassignment surgery - SRS). The website http://www.thirunangai.net was recently launched by Sahodari Foundation of Chennai.

Sahodari Foundation is founded and headed by Kalki Subramanian, who recently underwent SRS. The idea came about when many transwomen friends of Kalki tried to put up their profiles in popular matrimonial websites. The portals promptly threw out the profiles. The portals were not comfortable with the gender orientation of the applicant that clearly stated that the applicant had "successfully become a woman through surgery".

This prompted Kalki to launch an exclusive site for transwoman.
The website has been launched to find a perfect, trustworthy husband who will treat the transwoman with love, affection care and above all treat the transwoman with dignity, equality as well as respect. The site also encourages couples to have a family through adoption with the total support of the husband.

Is it about the book or nationalism?

BC Khanduri writes to Rajnath over his ouster
Now, BJP hit by ‘Sudarshan chakra’
Vasundhara Raje given three days to quit her post
Nervous BJP hesitates to act against rebel Shourie
Jaswant’s Jinnah: Dividing India To Save It
I supported Advani when he praised Jinnah: Jaswant
Modi’s ‘budhiya’ remarks, Varun speeches caused defeat: BJP

It was quite disheartening to read such kind of news in newspaper. BJP is the only Hope of an ordinary Indian. They were the first organization to demonstrate running a coalition in India. It is the only party which can play the role of an opposition. There should always be an intelligent and healthy opposition in India to avoid the country running into autocracy. Moreover we know and understand that Congress is an autocracy only. Govt. is Congress. BJP definitely has to behave a little responsibly.

They are fighting cats and dogs out of the issue which is not going to affect India or even the prospects of their party whatsoever. They themselves are responsible for creating an issue out of a mole hill. Launch of the book on Jinnah by Jaswant Singh. I have not read the book. I do not understand what is so bad about hailing Jinnah as a nationalist, secular. Praising Jinnah over Gandhi is not a crime. I am quite sure it is not going to affect their vote bank either. Everybody knows all the important tasks that Mr. Nehru had undertaken in those times of which even his family feels ashamed.

As a true Indian concerned about their best interests, they should raise the voice if anybody bad is said about Gandhi. Though personally I don’t feel anything is wrong in that even. Its been sixty years since we have suppressed the reality behind the partition and creation of India, Pakistan and the roots of Bangladesh.

But the bull shit that BJP is running after. It is bringing their frustration onto the streets. They are throwing all the skeletons out of their closet. It is not a healthy stuff in the democracy. On number of occasions, politicians stage such fights themselves but this time it is leading to the direction of self-destruction.

BJP knows and understand the reasons for its debacle in elections. Keeping all things aside, they don’t have a national ace to project. After Mr. Vajpayee, everybody wanted something better from BJP. No party in India has a reverend statesman like Mr. Vajpayee.

Some of the quotes from newspapers after release of Mr. Jinnah’s book, which makes me feel sad. Our only hope of freeing ourselves from the clutches of INC. I believe more in Congress theories but still something new and different needs to be brought on the table. BJP possessed the capability for the same. But now it seems we were just dreaming.

Former union minister Jaswant Singh on Thursday said he had supported LK Advani, who nearly resigned as BJP president in the wake of internal criticism for praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah during his visit to Pakistan in 2005. “I had stood up against the treatment that was meted out to Advaniji because I believed that he had not said anything that was contrary to facts,” Singh told reporters on returning to Delhi from Shimla after his expulsion from the party. “I had stood up for the right of Advaniji to say what he had said,” he said.

“Various reasons for the defeat like personalised attacks on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, lopsided campaigning, projection of weak and shady candidates, and in-fighting among top leaders were discussed in detail,” the leader said. “Failure of the party to motivate the youth, debacle in the Delhi assembly elections and Varun’s hate speech were also the reasons for the party’s defeat,” the leader added.

An internal report of BJP has reportedly blamed senior party leader L. K. Advani, Modi and Jaitely, besides other top leaders for the BJP’s debacle in this year’s general elections. According to a report, there was a perceived lack of unity among the party leadership and the BJP squarely failed to advertise its agenda among the general public.

The report also says the projection of Modi as the prime ministerial candidate by certain members of the party and the personal attack on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (which did not go down well with the people), were key factors in contributing to the BJP’s electoral loss.

The other factors responsible were: (1) The highlighting of the Varun Gandhi issue, which pushed aside the other main issues; (2) The party failed to assess the public mood in Haryana and conceded a virtual walkover to the Congress; (3) Elections were lost in Delhi even before campaigning began; (4) the BJP failed to corner the Congress on 26/11 and (5) Allowing the Congress and the media to corner the BJP on the Kandahar hijack issue.

A section of the BJP feels that the dilution of Hindutva had led to confusion in the party cadres and cost the BJP dearly in the recent Lok Sabha polls. It contended that Hindutva was “inclusive, representing the finest imprints of our cultural and civilisational ideas. This profound concept is the real inspiration for a resurgent India with which the BJP is proud to be associated.”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked senior Rajasthan leader Vasundhara Raje to quit as leader of opposition in the state assembly within the next three days.

“She wants a respectable exit. She has made three conditions to resign -- that she be given a plum organisational post, the suspension of the two MLAs should be revoked and the new leader of opposition be of her choice.”

Javadekar said, “This is not a show cause. Nor has he been sent a notice for explanation.” The exceptional caution in dealing with Shourie, who on Monday had fired a barrage of charges at the BJP leadership calling them a “humpty-dumpty” and an “Alice in blunderland” while making a strong pitch for an RSS takeover, came from a concern that he could well churn out a steady stream of embarrassing “truths”.

The former editor has provided more than a glimpse of this when he criticised party chief Rajnath Singh for sacking B C Khanduri as Uttarakhand CM and acting against Raje.

The world of books requires some chintan, but fortunately no chintan baithak. Who or what, then, is the story: Jinnah or the BJP? The two are not entirely unrelated, for the BJP was formed as a direct consequence of the creation of Pakistan. The umbilical cord still sends spasms up its central nerve.

Two questions frame the Jaswant-Jinnah controversy. Was Jinnah secular? Do Nehru and Patel share the “guilt” for Partition?

It does affect any Indian whether Jinnah or Nehru was responsible for partition? It is like asking who is WORST.