Congress vs BJP ... Election Manifesto...a study !!!

As a Lead India ambassador, over the last few days, I have had discussions in groups as well as one-on-one with people from diverse backgrounds, & I get a sense that while almost everyone is quite eager to vote this time, they are strangely caught up in a dilemma……whom to vote?? In some cases, people want to vote for an individual, but are not sure about the representative party, & in some cases it’s the opposite……the representative party looks good, but the contesting candidate comes up with questionable background……so wht to do???

I had some time back read the comment of a very learned man on this subject, & he had mentioned that as a thumb rule, when it is time to chose the Central Govt/ Parliament, look at the credentials of the party, & when it is time to chose State Govt/ Assembly, look at the credentials of the individuals. Come to think of it, this actually makes a lot of sense.

Since this is General Elections for the Parliament, let us examine the two leading contesting parties & their manifestos, before casting our precious votes :

Congress manifesto : http://aicc.org.in/new/manifesto09-eng.pdf (please read in details)
Salient features ->
The Slogan for this election : “Aam Aadmi ke Badhte Kadam, Har Kadam Par Bharat Buland”
The manifesto starts with a ‘Preface’ & then ‘Why Congress?’….. speaking of Congress vs BJP as Secular vs Communal, with also a significant mention of the Third Front as ‘a recipe for chaos’.
In the later part of the manifesto, there is a brief on the ‘Achievements of the Congress led UPA Govt’. Here there are mention of achievements which are certainly questionable, especially in terms of education drives, economic growth, deployment of funds, Law & Order etc. At the end is ‘The Way Forward’, which again seems to make promises, which are very generic in nature….almost the same repetitive statements, we have been hearing since our Independence, & for more than 50 years, without much success.
Can we therefore have any confidence in Congress to give us a safer, growth oriented future???? Can we still have a “Chatla hai” attitude???? Can we still allow this colossal decay to continue????
Since Congress has always harped on being Secular, let us also quickly examine what this stands for.
The word 'Secular' was coined by a British writer, George Holyoake, in 1846. He invented the term to describe his views of ‘promoting a social order which is separate from religion, without actively dismissing or criticizing any religious belief’. In other words, it is the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, and freedom from the government imposition of religion upon the people, within a state that is neutral on matters of belief, and gives no state privileges or subsidies to religions. Simplistically, it means, equal rights to all, without any bias !!!
In my previous blogs I have been quite candid & informative on how Secular the Congress Govt has been over the years. Do we still want to believe in them & their policies ????

Let us now examine the manifesto of the other National party…..the BJP.
BJP manifesto : http://www.bjp.org/images/pdf/election_manifesto_english.pdf (please read in details)
Salient features ->
The slogan for this election : “Good Governance; Development; Security …. To build a Prosperous, Powerful Nation, Recall India’s Past”
The manifesto starts with an insight to India’s historical capabilities & achievements over the centuries, by Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, Chairman, Manifesto committee.
After that it moves to the need of a decisive Leader with specific focus on National issues starting with National Security, engagement with the world, where ‘India’s voice shall be heard’…..which means better international diplomatic ties, with specific attention to neighboring countries. It then speaks of Defending India, with specific focus on Nuclear Program, Food Security & Energy Security. There is clear mandate on reviving the Economy, building a strong Urban India, Agriculture, Farmer’s interests in terms of Land, Trade Agreements & Labour. Then it moves to Youth & Empowerment, Education at all levels with better policies, Science & Technology, IT, Sports, Women Empowerment, their progress & their rights, focus on the Backward Classes, Tribal Development, focus on Senior Citizens, Disabled & their benefits, Minorities & their Protections, General Health improvement measures for all, Environment, focus on states like J&K, NE, small States which need attention, Panchayati Raj etc.
In the end it speaks of preserving our National Heritage at all fronts.

Clearly, the BJP, at least in their manifesto have put down clear road map for India ahead. At least the vision speaks of National interests & focus. It speaks of better Secular policies & strong Governance. In short, it inspires confidence.
BJP has had only one proper stint under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee. Though, plagued by the pressures of coalition, the NDA Govt had still managed to bring about “India Shining”. They had implemented a lot of progressive policies which resulted in India emerging as a global Super Power, & I believe, that if they had won the next elections(2004 elections), they would have been able to enjoy the fruits of their efforts & consolidated India on a clear growth path.
We are a Hindu country through centuries & I see no reason why we can’t take pride in saying that. India is a secular democratic, where people from all religions & faith can co exist, happily & prosperously. BJP & their Hindutva ideologies are not communal in nature, as is mostly made out by the Congress, their allies & media. In fact, their policies according to me sound more Secular & universal than Congress. It is not a divide & rule policy, but strong governance based on our rich & ancient heritage. We have never given them a fair chance to prove themselves…………let us do it this time.

These are my views, & I have attempted to compare notes of the two largest parties in their manifesto. I am sure, both the parties boast of good & capable Leaders, but like I said at the beginning, this is an election for the Centre…..the Parliament. This demands that we look at the party & its objectives more closely.
We need to exercise our Voting rights intelligently. We need to choose a strong Government at the Centre.....

Jai Hind

Secular Congress!!!

The Congress Govt has done it again.......proved how magnanimous & generous they are....so very secular......& how!!!!!!
The Congress Govt now is allowing the mother of Kasab to visit him in the jail at Mumbai!!!!...External Affairs Minister, Mr Pronob Mukherjee has said this during his election campaign somewhere in West Bengal...... Breaking news on TV channels today at 10.oopm!!!!! Superb gesture of generosity, so very humane, so very dramatic!!!!!
While the Pakistan Govt continues in either denial or evasive response to the 26/11 terror attack, our Congress Govt continues to whine, squeak, & look for excuses to extend dialogues.....& keep on putting up dossiers after dossiers, on the case.
Its been almost 5 months since the attack, & we are yet to start legal trial on Kasab.......we are yet to establish his identity as a Pakistani...........shows how strong & committed our Govt is!!!! Do we still need to prove the identity of Kasab???? & till when???? Mr Mukherjee's interview sounds so hollow, in fact is a reflection of how poor our diplomatic control is with the outside world.
Its all looks so similar to Afzal Guru's trial & verdict & yet living in the "confined bliss" of a jail. As an Indian, I am worried, that both Kasab & Afzal Guru, may just walk away, out of our controls, thru another terror attack ot hostage attack, while our Secular Govt is still groping in dark on what should be our stand or action on them.

We are so generous to allow the mother of such a cold blooded killer to come & visit Kasab, & yet in our own country, Pragya Sadhvi is not even given support of a female attendant for her to attend to her nature's call!!!!....Pragya Sadhvi is undergoing trial, non of which have yet been confirmed. But she is made to languish in jail, in deplorable conditions, while, we ensure that someone like Kasab is provided with all that he asks for????

We call all of this SECULAR??????
We are not here to stir up any debate on this !!!!!...... For what will the debate achieve????...... No more talks please.....some action & quick action is all we ask for. We are just too tired with this diplomatic ping -pong being played......just about at the end of our patience.
We Indians have been too tolerant for too long.
Its now time to rise up & realise the incompetency of this Congress led UPA Govt?????

Jai Hind !!!!!

Life in a Metro

Watched “Life in a Metro” on TV today……had been wanting to watch this movie for a long time now, & I was quite impressed by the storyline & the performances of the actors.
A movie about relationships & their challenges in an urban backdrop(Mumbai city), where everyone is running…….running for love, for money, for success, for fame, for security, for solace…..for a home…..each one chasing a dream of his/her own. And there are opportunist Shylocks, on the prowl, looking for unsuspecting simpletons, almost everywhere, ready to pounce at the slightest chance. Suddenly the stark reality of the current generation life in a metro city comes alive with its complications & conceit. The complicated lives of people working in Call Centres, their challenges & pressures seems to sum up the modern day urban life. One line hits so hard, where Shilpa says, “We worked endless hours to earn to buy a dream house(a two BHK flat)…..but we could never make it our dream home”. Everyone seems to be running the rat race, not realizing that in this race, even the winner would be a rat….only a rat!!!!! How Sharman Joshi says, “Its not a morning walk Sir, it’s a race, & you have to keep up to the pace”. In quest of the all this, we are moving away from being what we are…..Human Beings. Another heart rendering scene, where Dharmendra is rushing Nafisa Ali to the hospital & is caught in a traffic snarl. His frustrations, his attempts to get her medical help by screaming, by fighting & finally by pleading, all falling to deaf ears of the people around & Nafisa dies for want of medical attention. A love story of two people who are desperately trying to seek & experience Love at the fag end of their lives. Sharman Joshi lets out his flat to his seniors for them to fulfil their carnal desires, & all this because he wants to grow up the ladder, earn quick money, start his dream project, fulfill his father's incomplete dream. And his dreams coming crashing down, when he comes to know that his lady love, Kangana Ranaut is being taken to bed, the same flat, by his own Boss, KK Menon. Endless circles of an urban life.....full of cheat, full of hollow promises.....full of dreams getting shattered every single moment. Of course there are moments between Irfan Khan & Konkona Sen, which bring about comic relief. However, at large, Life seems stifling & choked. Everyone is desperately seeking air….fresh air.
The movie revolves around 5-6 relationships……..KK Menon & Shilpa Shetty; Shiney Ahuja & Shilpa Shetty; Konkona Sen & some new actor(I could not figure out the name); Konkona & Irfan Khan; Kangana Ranaut & KK Menon; Kangana Ranaut & Sharman Joshi; Dharmendra & Nafisa Ali…….people from early 20s to late 60s…….all running around for one elusive need….the need to Love & be Loved!!!!.....How strange life is…….when the simplest thing is to love, our basic nature is Love, & yet we all are running around searching for it……
The storyline is very well handled & I think the characters have all given their heart for the movies…each character looks & feels real….the pain…the anguish….the quest….the frustrations…..the heartaches……all wonderfully captured…..the little moments of joy, the final retributions, the relief at finally tasting Love & moving forward, all has been wonderfully exhibited. The music by Preetam is just brilliant…each song seems to capture the exact mood & emotion of the moment…….am sure the songs would last the memory for some time to come.

Come, let us Love & give Love….lets make the world a better place to live in ……. Lets make life simple & Loving……. "In dinon, dil mera, mujhse yeh, keh raha, tuuuu jeele jaraa, hai tujhe bhi izzajat, karle tuuu bhi mohabbat......" the song sums it all.