Inky Pinky Ponky!

Phew!! What a so-called debate it was! Happy that it is over and happy that corruption has surfaced yet again in Parliament circles. Does anyone deny that Indian politics is beyond the reach of Gandhi's smiling rupee notes? Well - you need to consult a doctor for sure. Dont live in a mirage!!

Having followed the proceedings on this confidence motion and the frantic efforts taken to buy votes, one can clearly understand why the country aka India is in such a fantastic state of affairs. The people at the helm are so flexible when it comes to policies, that money factor is the real policy driving mantra. If this were the case, how would the common man benefit?

Firstly, I dont see how the two day proceedings can be termed as a debate. Most of the time, it was only one person speaking and there were either too many rebuttals that the session was adjourned or no one cared to respond back in a responsible manner. This was more of a waste of time. Most of India's politicians hardly know what is nuclear energy leave alone the need for it. In such a situation, people voting beyond party lines was only because of the sudden surge in their bank accounts or because of their perceived opportunism cometh the upcoming elections.

It resembled a desperate act in a reality show, with every parliamentarian aware of the 24/7 media following the debate. MPs who came out to take a break or to have some food, were hounded for some sound bites and they readily offered to speak whatever they wanted and "flash news" was the order of the day!!

The average intelligent indian - if ever did exist - will realise that no country has a clean democracy and hence one shouldnt expect too high standards from India's elite governing league as well. But then, is this how we are going to benchmark our MPs - who are supposed to represent individual constituencies of this country?! For example - how many of these MPs actually went to the constituency they represent and talked about this deal and reflected that in their vote? NONE.

Though the people of the country vote for politicians, it is the political party's dictum they have to adhere to. This is so ironic and leaves the people totally out of the loop on decisions which are going to impact them in every way! Ofcourse, I am not talking only about the nuclear deal, while placing this argument. Any decision which is to be taken by these MPs gets aligned on party lines, so what happens to the participation of people in the decision making process?

As long as channels like CNN-IBN are afraid to join hands with the people in highlighting corruption amongst the MPs and trying to pave the way for a cleaner society, the helpless lot of democracy - namely people - will only have to sit back and pray for their fate.

Private governance is much better than this public drama of 'Inky Pinky Ponky - I vote for a Nukey!' One thing that we have been assured of by this immoral display in the confidence motion, the country is not running because of these law makers. It is up and running despite them! So long as the wheels dont come off, no one wants to get out of the vehicle and check it upfront nor do they have a mechanism of doing it!!

I can safely tell myself, in my lifetime, I have also seen the day when politicians turned prostitutes! This unexpected day has also come and gone! You never know whats going to happen next. :((

The Birthday Wish!

'Mind the Gap'.
Three words familiar to anyone who has spent time in London. Words, in my current geographical location, have absolutely no meaning. Chennai is the epitome of 'Chaos theory' what with the vehicles on the road, each following their own rules. There is virtually no gap to mind or maybe the gap is so negligible that one just has to mind it else its an accident in the making!

Wimbledon to Velachery has been a transition marred by antonyms. Ofcourse the economic latitudes are different in both places and the 'quality' of life is where it all hits back, in effect.
Somehow, the switch has happened. Work parameters have changed, new team mates to work with, new things to learn and to top it all, new challenges.

Always believed that working in London was really tough, with the immediate deadlines and the delivery expectations - but having spent a quarter of an year in my role - lo behold, and there was the truth!!!

How my week starts and how it ends, can only be felt, if recorded live. In all this funfare, I have left behind a lot of things which I used to do regularly in London, one of them being blogging. The other being cricket. There is just about no time to think of those things in my current diary. All my appointments are full - if possible, should try for an exceptional approval with God to extend the duration of one day by atleast another 4 hours.

That way, 'yours sincerely' can deliver what one asketh for!

A few hi's and bye's to what used to be my normal friend circle - thats another area which is dying by the minute. Soon, it will be left to only reminiscing about the good old times and not much of sustaining it. How the world can change, how things can come to the opposite extreme, I really wonder. Surely knew that this day would come, but never did realise it would come soon and with what impact.

The sun is never the same I enjoyed while playing cricket. 'The British Summer' would never come again. On my trip to Scotland, some years ago, the guide remarked - 'In Scotland, one can see all four seasons in one day'.

To adapt it a bit - 'In Chennai, one can see summer all through the year'.

A quarter later, I can feel for all that I miss. One fact outclasses it all. Pondicherry, my birthplace, is just a couple of hours drive from here and with very similar climatic conditions. The Pilani connection brought with it, even tougher extremes. London probably was an exception in my Carbon footprint. Now that the correction has been implemented, its back to the basics, back to the future's past.

Having watched 'Dasavatharam' oflate, am mind-boggled with 10 roles, but needless to say, there are FOUR in mine. The office worker who has more to do in less time; the baby sitter who loves to take care of his daughter; the sportsman who has lost his cricketing lifestyle (but is still catching 'Chennai mosquitos' and keeping his fielding instincts intact) and the family man who is reviving his lost contact with relatives.

If role number FIVE will evolve, will become clearer soon. Hope the Script Writer is listening! On my birthday today, this truly is what I can best wish for!!!!!