The Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare, and Baba Ramdev

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 18 Aug 2011 03:01

SwamyG, 2 1/2 years in politics is a hundred lifetimes.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 18 Aug 2011 03:05

Surya wrote:I cringe everytime I see MMS -

Same same. When Rajiv became the PM, as a youngistan it made me so happy. When he came in it was breath of fresh air, before him getting involved in controversies. Bofors knocked some sheen off him. VP Singh roaming around with a resignation letter in his pocket made me cringe. Later PVNR rose and MMS and PC were thrust into focus. It was nice to get the reforms initiated. We had great reformers/leaders in TN Seshan, Vajpayee, Abdul Kalam etc. We will feel proud again.....someday.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 18 Aug 2011 03:08

The very likely scenario in next election is congress losing with a khichdi sarkar coming in (most ductile, malleable and flexible) which may or may not last full term, this would be followed by a mid term poll or 2019 election in which Rahul baba will enter with a big bang (i.e. as PM). The ideal solution at this moment for congress is to remove MMS and replace him by Pranab da if he agrees to be a fall guy.

shivajisisodia · Post by **shivajisisodia** » 18 Aug 2011 03:16

SwamyG wrote:
Surya wrote:I cringe everytime I see MMS -
Same same. When Rajiv became the PM, as a youngistan it made me so happy. When he came in it was breath of fresh air, before him getting involved in controversies. Bofors knocked some sheen off him. VP Singh roaming around with a resignation letter in his pocket made me cringe. Later PVNR rose and MMS and PC were thrust into focus. It was nice to get the reforms initiated. We had great reformers/leaders in TN Seshan, Vajpayee, Abdul Kalam etc. We will feel proud again.....someday.

Excuse me, sir. Vajpayee was not a reformer. He showed a lot of promise, but when he actually was in a position to do something, he did nothing, except make his son-in-law rich and accomodate all the anti-national and regressive forces in India. Please do not put him in the same category as Abdul Kalam, who is a giant.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 18 Aug 2011 03:18

Some one correct me if I am wrong, after the agitation during the Mandal reservations, this is the next biggest agitation that has captured the imagination of masses across the country. There has been many dharnas, bandhs and agitations. I can't think of anything as big as these two in the last few decades.

shivajisisodia: Okay. I categorized him as a leader or someone who captured my imagination. If you disagree, no problem. Those are some of them I remember off the top of my head. I probably missed several more. You probably have your own list too.

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 18 Aug 2011 03:26

Deadlock ends, Anna Hazare accepts Delhi Police offer, to fast for 14 days

In a late night breakthrough in the deadlock between Anna Hazare and Delhi police over the duration of his anti-corruption protest, the Gandhian accepted the offer for 14 days of hunger strike beginning on Thursday at the Ramlila Maidan.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 18 Aug 2011 03:29

shivajisisodia wrote: Vajpayee was not a reformer.

ABV was the best reformer of India, just by taking India nuclear and providing the future vision to an entire generation of the young people.

jagga · Post by **jagga** » 18 Aug 2011 04:13

IndraD wrote:Any way this pic must have given heart burn to Chidu - BR stealing a thunder outside Tihar

Exactly, I can't see any video of Baba Ramdev's visit to tihar jail today on any of the main news websites. Below video clip is from the astha channel. Look at the thundering welcome BR recieved.

ShauryaT · Post by **ShauryaT** » 18 Aug 2011 04:46

Rudradev wrote: Behind closed doors, in private, MMS directly says that he has no power to make decisions (whether this is a true admission or a false one on MMS' part, I cannot conclude.)

Be very safe to conclude that. I have confirmation of his incapability and inability to make decisions or provide any meaningful leadership to his cabinet or government from first hand sources. I mean as first hand as first hand can get! The man who holds it together is Pranab Mukherjee.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 18 Aug 2011 04:55

jagga wrote: Any way this pic must have given heart burn to Chidu - BR stealing a thunder outside Tihar

Exactly, I can't see any video of Baba Ramdev's visit to tihar jail today on any of the main news websites. Below video clip is from the astha channel. Look at the thundering welcome BR recieved.

The national media not projecting any people movement from the religious leader is a new one which shows that

the media is under the secular group control
Anti Hindu groups such as Indian EJ groups control the media
The media is paid money to show only what these groups want

------------------
Key to understand is the effort they take to make sure that nationalism is not rising and also 'Hindu' nationalism is completely suppressed. There is extraordinary effort to show a diluted protest movement.
Any Hindu religious based movement is monitored and suppressed in the media and reduce the awareness. The knowledge that by suppressing the information from one region to the another they can control the outcome of the movement is extremely crucial. The measurement of the social awareness of the public office and the govt is accurate and well monitored.

The social awareness of the people are being controlled and channeled to only those area they want it to.
This is one massive social control using the media and they have been able to do it is really brilliant.

The entire extra constitutional power which includes - media, govt machinery, lobby groups, industry groups is massive and has been able to get support in the name of 'secular' politics, protection of their assets and power.

I met few secular Indians who in March itself were afraid that RB will push for a movement and they wanted him arrested. They knew long before that the crime would be found. Criminal groups are now controlling the powers behind the scene

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 18 Aug 2011 05:08

ShauryaT wrote:
Rudradev wrote: Behind closed doors, in private, MMS directly says that he has no power to make decisions (whether this is a true admission or a false one on MMS' part, I cannot conclude.)
Be very safe to conclude that. I have confirmation of his incapability and inability to make decisions or provide any meaningful leadership to his cabinet or government from first hand sources. I mean as first hand as first hand can get! The man who holds it together is Pranab Mukherjee.

With due respect to both of you, I just can't believe that MMS is that dummy. In that how in the world he has too much of "zid" on (1) Nuke deal (he threatened to resign) (2) Talks with Pakistan - He went all the way to criticise armed forces for giving tangential statements.

ShauryaT · Post by **ShauryaT** » 18 Aug 2011 05:42

Muppalla wrote:
With due respect to both of you, I just can't believe that MMS is that dummy. In that how in the world he has too much of "zid" on (1) Nuke deal (he threatened to resign) (2) Talks with Pakistan - He went all the way to criticise armed forces for giving tangential statements.

Mupalla ji: I will not go into details on this thread on the IUNCA and how its decisions have come about. My sources on MMS decision making power are high and reliable. His modus operandi is of a "Babu" not a PM/Leader, not my words but someone who interacts with him regularly. so, FWIW.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 18 Aug 2011 06:00

How do they explain the rani and her NAC??

MGNREGA? Food bill?, Communal violence bill??

Parliament must stay supreme: PM

Code: Select all

“When some sections of society deliberately challenge the authority of the government and the prerogative of Parliament, it is the bounden duty of the government to maintain peace and tranquillity,” Singh said. 

Home minister P Chidambaram told Lok Sabha in reply to the discussion on PM’s statement: “Everybody has the right to protest... right to vote us into office; right to vote us out... but they do not have the right to make a law. That right is only with Parliament.”

asdharia · Post by **asdharia** » 18 Aug 2011 06:10

I hope this is not a repetition, but the article was worth reading:
http://vickynanjapa.wordpress.com/2011/ ... situation/

shivajisisodia · Post by **shivajisisodia** » 18 Aug 2011 06:12

BRFites,

Here are some of my observations on this Anna Sab imbroglio.

1. Until recently (last year or so), corruption was not considered such a big problem in India by the elites, the masses and even a majority of the middle class, who were all flying high on the back of 10% economic growth over the past decade. The poor didnt care, because they had the freedom to assemble "flash mob" at will, without regard to police permissions or government permissions. These flash mobs could assemble and demonstrate anyplace and at will, mostly with political support or one party or another. These mobs, because they were sponsored by a political party or another, even if it was the opposition party, were coddled by the government and no action was taken against such mobs, even if traffic was disrupted for hours or government or private property was destroyed by these mobs in some cases. In many cases these mobs called for "bandhs", which resulted in entire towns being practically shut down and those shop keepers who did not adhere to these calls, were brutally vandalized. The elite, of course, in India dont have a care in the world, as their wealth and power completely insulates them from anything that happens on the street. The middle classes, suprisingly, werent particularly concerned, because they were busy tasting all the "goodies" that 10% growth provided, for the first time, such as cars, houses, fancy furniture, shopping in malls, designer clothes, multiplexes, pubs, rave parties, extra-marital affairs and a lot of the middle class burgeouse themselves partaking liberally in this corruption.

2. None of the institutions, whether it be politicians or bureaucrats or even the press took the corruption problem seriously, even though it had completely taken over all our personal and national life over the years. In fact, there was a great deal of arrogance and even outright hostility demonstrated by these insititutions whenever they were confronted by the corruption issue by either individuals or groups. Others had a very nonchalant attitude, saying, "all this to chalta hai".

3. Over the last year, this has changed a little bit. The massive scandals ranging in hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars that have been embezzled by politicians finally hit the headlines in the press and the middle class for the first time started feeling that they are being robbed, while they are only being thrown crumbs in the form of multiplexes, pubs and extra-marital affairs. Now they have come out on the streets in favor of first Babaji and now Anna Sab.

4. However, as big as the crowds look, all the political parties are well aware that these people are just a drop in the bucket and are all middle class and the middle class still with all the hype of being 250 million in number, is not big enough to make any electoral impact in India, not the least of which because most of the middle class doesnt even go and vote. Therefore, when Digvijay Singh and others on the orders of the Italian and her son heap scorn and ridicule against the dissenters, they are not totally cuckoo. The Italian and her son's calculation is that these people dont matter electorally and they being middle class cannot even sustain a public demonstration over any significant length of time and this middle class certainly cannot withstand any kind of police action, even relatively minor, and will easily disburse, unlike the lower class flash mobs which has demonstrated ability to be far more hardy and having the ability to take far more punishment from the police.

5. Since it is quite possible, that this middle class demonstration is constituted of people who are too scattered geographically to make an impact in individual electoral constituency, I am not sure that this sort of dissent will endure and have a long term impact, as much as I would like to see it. It is true that neither Babaji nor particularly Anna Sb will make any impact on any elections, the leaders of both parties keep parroting the "making laws is within the exlcusive domain of elected representatives", no matter how lame it sounds.

6. The one thing that may be possible, in terms of a long term impact, is that at least the national TV news channels will now cover corruption far more, as their market is all middle class, and they would perhaps realize that the corruption issue strikes a chord with the middle class and thus their financial bottom line will be impacted positively, if they cover corruption far more.

7. I hope there is also another lasting impact. The middle class, I hope, now clearly sees that they are being looted while being thrown crumbs, and continues to be angry and against corruption over the long haul, and not be bribed any more with fancy cars and shopping malls.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 18 Aug 2011 06:30

Relevant tweets from Sswamy - his is not as unidimensional as one thinks

Cure for corruption has three dimensions.First, sufficient effective laws, second, enforcement,and third, value system for sustainability.

Annaji is exclusively concentrating on the first, while I am on the other two dimensions. That is the difference between the approaches

Anna is a good man and has mental clarity, but he is dependent on Naxalites and the westernised. At the right moment we should rescue him.

When his Naxalites and covert Sonia chamchas show their hand and snarl at him. Not far away. (on when to rescue Anna)

No. Nor the present BJP for the same reason. But wait. In India the future is determined by events and not by our actions. (my favourite)

It is a one dimensional model of materialism. It creates greed and soon corruption. (on westernisation)

Read my chapter in Prof. Hrishkesh Vinod's edited book on "Hindu School of Economics" [Oxford Univ Press Publication]

If the independent prosecutor proposal is implemented, that is sufficient. Rest of the Bill can be thrown out.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 18 Aug 2011 06:42

Speech in Rajya Sabha on PM Statement: Shri Arun Jaitely: 17.08.2011

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 18 Aug 2011 06:51

Acharya wrote:
shivajisisodia wrote: Vajpayee was not a reformer.
ABV was the best reformer of India, just by taking India nuclear and providing the future vision to an entire generation of the young people.

Forgotten PVN saar?

History will well remember him.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 18 Aug 2011 07:21

^^

Those SS tweets echo my thoughts...

Please check my post on difference between AH and BR.

The current agitation is eerily similar to Indian freedom movement. Why do they compare AH with MKG and INC with British Raj?

The way they treated BR is how British treated the nationalists. And allocation of Ramlila is also interesting.

Why 7/14/21/30 day limits on fasting? What happens after that?

If AH is new Gandhi we need to worry about the next partition (EJs already raised their voice). Is this the scary outcome SS is predicting?

No wonder SS is saying, we need to save AH from his own supporting environment. Before that we need to protect our mother land.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 18 Aug 2011 08:05

Acharya wrote: ABV was the best reformer of India, just by taking India nuclear and providing the future vision to an entire generation of the young people.

A relatively recent story about looting linked to relatives of Vajpayee:

IAS couple's greed their undoing? - The Times of India - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 368887.cms

Don't forget that Vajpayee was perfectly happy with characters like Pramod Mahajan. This was the mindset that made Vajpayee's advisor Brajesh Mishra bail out Rahul Baba when he was arrested at Boston, with money that was, in all likelihood, stolen from the poor.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 18 Aug 2011 08:10

Singha wrote:the key thing is - INC came to power both terms using the strength of allies - DMK in TN, a clean sweep of AP by YSR (who was INC anyway), the haramkhor commies.

now relations with DMK are down - with friends and family of the big guy himself as a official 'guests' in tihar, and JJ is on a mission to clean and uproot the octopus - her future depends on it.

YSR is gone and his son has split, taking away a section of INC base. ofcourse the TDP is pretty weak too.

commies have been wiped out and unlikely to be able to crawl back anytime soon.

the key states for INC are likely to be Maharashtra, kerala (big recent gains at expense of commies) and west bengal (Didi - will she stick around or bolt from the camp ?) .. INC will get trounced in UP as usual - yuvaraj keeping up his 100% record of adject failure wherever he campaigns.

if INC is to be kicked out, the opposition has to deftly start cementing and sewing up alliances and weaning away important state level leaders who do not want mud hurled on them in the nuremberg style anti-people crime n corruption tribunals that a successor regime will need to setup to cool public anger.

none of the big fish should be deemed off limits. every mattress and rock must be turned over to see what comes up.

As per latest Nielsen survey published in India Today, here is the breakup in terms of seats (roughly translated from percentages). It is only avaialble for subscribers and the analysis is very very detailed. Those in India should grab a copy.

Code: Select all

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State              INC      INC Allies    INC(new)     BJP      BJP Allies    BJP(new)    Others    Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andaman             1             0             0       0            0              0          0       1
Andhra Pradesh     12       (MIM) 1     (Jagan)12       0            0        (TRS) 8    (TDP) 9      42
Arunachal Pradesh   2             0             0       0            0              0          0       2
Assam              10             0             0       2      (AGP) 2              0          0      14
Bihar               0             0     (Laloo) 5      17   (Nitish)18              0          0      40
Chandigargh         0             0             0       1            0              0          0       1
Chattisgarh         1             0             0      10            0              0          0      11
Dadra               0             0             0       1            0              0          0       1
Daman               0             0             0       1            0              0          0       1
Goa                 1             0             0       1            0              0          0       2
Gujarat             6             0             0      20            0              0          0      26
Haryana             9             0             0       0            1              0          0      10
Himachal            2             0             0       2            0              0          0       4
Jammu and Kashmir   3        (NC) 2             0       0            0              0    (PDP) 1       6
Jharkhand           2             0   (Marandi) 1       7      (JMM) 3       (Koda) 1          0      14
Karnataka           3     (Gowda) 3             0      22            0              0          0      28
Kerala              7             0             0       0            0              0   (Left)13      20
Lakshadweep         1             0             0       0            0              0          0       1
Madhya Pradesh      4             0             0      25            0              0          0      29
Maharashtra        18       (NCP)10             0      10       (SS) 8        (MNS) 2          0      48
Manipur             2             0             0       0            0              0          0       2
Meghalaya           2             0             0       0            0              0          0       2
Mizoram             1             0             0       0            0              0          0       1
Nagaland            1             0             0       0            0              0          0       1
Delhi               1             0             0       6            0              0          0       7
Orissa              4    (Naveen)14             0       3            0              0          0      21
Pondy               0             0             0       0            0       (ADMK) 1          0       1
Punjab             11             0             0       0            0      (Akali) 2          0      13
Rajasthan           5             0             0      20            0              0          0      25
Sikkim              1             0             0       0            0              0          0       1
Tamil Nadu          0       (DMK) 5             0       0            0       (ADMK)34          0      39
Tripura             0             0             0       0            0              0   (Left) 2       2
Uttar Pradesh      10      (Maya)25        (SP)20      25            0              0          0      80
Uttaranchal         3             0             0       2            0              0          0       5
West Bengal         5       (TMC)25             0       0            0              0   (Left)12      42
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total             128            85            38     175           32             48         37     543
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2011 08:22

looks like Mayawati and Didi hold the keys to the puzzle - durbar hall or tihar jail.

both are polished and seasoned opportunists, ideally both must defect from current camp

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 18 Aug 2011 08:27

Again BJP needs support of tri-maatas

let's see

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 18 Aug 2011 08:37

Why is JJ in the BJP camp?

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 18 Aug 2011 08:39

SwamyG wrote:Why is JJ in the BJP camp?

that is not BJP. Potential BJP. Anyone can move anywhere in a musical chair based coalitions.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 18 Aug 2011 08:45

Potential or new or whatever. It is listed under BJP camp. And it must have been put for a reason. Why not put JJ with INC, then?

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 18 Aug 2011 08:48

Anna Hazare arrest: Global bank VP on 'fasting leave' from Hong Kong - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 641386.cms

"When I was in India, I used to evade taxes. I don't even try that in Hong Kong. Here, I used to jump signals, I don't do that there," he confesses. "What I'm getting at is that I am the same person-I still want to reach my office quickly, still make more money. But there is a system I must follow. India needs to have a better system in place ..."

SandeepA · Post by **SandeepA** » 18 Aug 2011 08:50

JJ is probably with BJP since DMK is listed with INC and there is no way both can be in the same camp. From what we know if the INC skills it can easily be the other way round soon. Having said that its really the tri-matas that hold the key..JJ, Maya and Mamta

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 18 Aug 2011 09:02

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c226c572 ... z1VLlNMWpL
Inviting a million mutinies

Today, the 74-year-old is leading what he calls India’s “second revolution” from Delhi, the capital. Supporters across India are hailing him as a Gandhi-like figure, trying to rid one of the world’s fastest growing economies of endemic corruption and rising crony capitalism.
This week New Delhi made the kind of colossal mistake the former British imperial power might have committed in earlier times. Having negotiated with him in past weeks, it jailed Mr Hazare when he tried to stage a fast in the capital. His “crime” was refusal to obey rules limiting his fast to three days and his band of protesters to 5,000.Please respect India’s media tiptoe around the Gandhis’ desire for privacy. But impatience to know more is showing. The Economic Times, a national daily, this month ran a near-heretical headline on its front page: “The woman who runs India is unwell and India doesn’t know”. Others are frustrated with what they view as the Gandhis’ corrosive strategy of controlling politics from afar without speaking to the people. Shekhar Gupta, the editor of the Indian Express, warns the Congress party against aping China’s Communist party of old, where a lifted eyebrow by Mao and Deng denoted a policy shift. Time for a “reboot” of Gandhi Inc, he says

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 18 Aug 2011 09:14

This is ridiculous, over the last 7 years , the US, EU, Saudi and pakistan have cleared showed preference for UPA.

Infact NDTV even boasted how relations with Pakistan and China went down south with NDA in power.

Congress hints at US hand in Anna Hazare protest

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 18 Aug 2011 09:15

Another thing to note is INC is losing almost all large states. Reason why they want smaller states.

Dhiman · Post by **Dhiman** » 18 Aug 2011 09:40

Virupaksha wrote:
Dhiman wrote:I see the following points to pursue and take away from this fiasco:

1. Each city in the country must have a large central preassigned place where people can exercise their fundamental right to protest without seeking any permission from ANYONE in any way. Right of protest should be unrestricted, with the government only stepping in to ensure that adequate facilities are made available at all times to facilitate such protests.

What if two different groups want to protest at the same time, what if there is expected to be a big rally and the police is busy due to a cricket match, some dignitary or some other event. What if some group completes monopolizes it everyday to the detriment of others.

Let us not go overboard with rhetoric

Please sir, never get hung up on logistics when discussing matters related to fundamental rights I can give you examples after examples where such thinking will backfire massively. Many countries have assigned places where protestors can gather and protest against or speak for or against anything without permission. This still does not mean that you don't have the right to protest outside these assigned areas - you still do, except that the government makes pre-assigned areas available to facilitate you as a protestor and a citizen of the country to make your legitimate voice heard.

Any government which wishes to operate on behalf of the people will develop mechanisms to make it easy for people to voice their opinions and concerns. There are many ways to do this, one common way to do it is to form and solicit citizen advisory comittee at each level of the government, i.e commonwealth games citizen advisory comitteee, Delhi development authority (DDA) citizen advisory comittee, Ganga Cleanup plan citizen advisory comittee, etc, etc, etc.

A good government which wishes to operates on behalf of people will facilitate people who want to protest and make their voice heard since that is another way to solicit public opinion.

But rest assured a government that tries to stifle the voice of people is NOT operating on behalf of people and hence must resign. The problem won't go away by stifling protests, it will only get bigger and I can assure you if this government still does not get it, wait six more months. If you haven't noticed, the size and scope of protests regarding the corruption issue have been progressively getting bigger in size and scope over the last year or so.

So far I have been arguing for complete civil unrest (although a peaceful one). Now I am truly scared. Because if this government still doesn't get it, I can assure you there will be a full blown revolution in a years time. The protestors have been giving the government a lot of space over the last one year or so. There is an implicit message in this for the government to get its act together.

If the government doesn't get it act together, then I suggest that they resign voluntarily and leave the country within the next one year, for their own safety. That is the time they have to get their act together, because rest assured if they don't the next set of protests will be even more massive with perhaps a new leader who will have even less faith in government.

The biggest mistake that this government can do is to take these "peaceful" protests as granted.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2011 10:00

between this rashid alvi foreign handullah, one tiwari who saw crypto-fascist conspiracy behind AH and diggy raja would I be mistaken in thinking the INC spokespersons are a repository for the bottom 5% of intellectuals within the hallowed walls?
and all three seem to be unaware of what the other is saying, like a three headed dog Cerberus each with its own brain.

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 18 Aug 2011 10:10

RamaY wrote: 2. If he is even 1% indian, he should step out in the interests of the nation. By allowing this charade for 8+ years, he became a traitor in this nation. He should face the consequences.

If anyone wants to believe these sobbing stories of MMS thinking that the alternatives are worse than MMS then I can only pity them.

Ramagaru, I disagrees with your assessment. Seeing the fate of his political guru PVNR, MMS is on a kamikazi mission. If not, why there is so much stupidity in handling of AH. PC and MMS are thinking that they have reached zenith of their political career, and they know their fate once RG comes to power (the mess in the name of youth participation), so they are planning to take Congress down with them or to leave a strong legacy. Do not surprise, if any of them switch side and sings AH's tune in the name of national interest portraying INC and its lead clan in bad light forever.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2011 10:30

all the three of the Tri-Matas have a few dark secrets to hide. none will be comfortable with a hostile central govt.

being seasoned players at the high table, they will hedge their bets until they are sure which of the two formations have a better chance of gaining the 272 mark and run with them in the end. ideology or history counts for little in the great game - its all about survival & prosperity (for self and associates onlee)

if YSRs son can get 20 MPs in the bag, he will emerge as a big power broker too - so far he looks open to any side which will propell him into the CM's office.

tarun gogoi in assam with 12-15 MPs will stay loyal to his creed....unfortunately neither the splintered AGP nor the BJP (except in barak valley) have any org or credibility to challenge his regime.

Murugan · Post by **Murugan** » 18 Aug 2011 10:35

Also possible that all the oldies are on kamikazi mission including poor MT and DVS who will have no chance once RB is annointed

sugriva · Post by **sugriva** » 18 Aug 2011 10:44

Pranav wrote:When I was in India, I used to evade taxes. I don't even try that in Hong Kong. Here, I used to jump signals, I don't do that there

It is precisely the above that gives me the shivers about the doofusses who are supporting the AH movement. So this guy doesn't jump signals and bothers to pay all his taxes not because he is a conscientious citizen but because he is afraid of the assorted Pandus in Hong Kong. Were Hong Kong to be less vigorous in its pursuit of the tax evaders our man would be gladly doing what he did in India.

So in effect he is asking for a police state in India.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 18 Aug 2011 10:45

US blames wrong reporting for tiff over Hazare

"We support the principle of freedom of assembly, right of non-violent protest in democracies around the world, and in countries around the world the universal principle," she added when asked if the US statement was specific to Hazare movement.

The US explanation makes sense, & wouldn't fault it in the least for standing upto principles in this case. The only issue is that the same principle should have been applied equally vocally to other instances where the Maino government has suppressed this fundamental right - the Baba Ramdev incident & the BJP unfurling flag in Kashmir are two that come to mind.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 18 Aug 2011 10:47

kmkraonid ji,

the above analysis effectively defangs any possible retaliation against vested interests. when players like PC and MMS are "allowed" to switch sides, it means that the old dirt will seep into the "opposition" too. and more importantly, stuff like that makes the people cynical and distrusting of the leadership. any "opposition" which seeks to redefine India, cannot risk the toxicity of ppl like PC and MMS. at first chance, these elements should be swiftly served healthy doses of the justice that they richly deserve. doing anything else, in some misguided and supposedly "chaanakyan" thinking, would be to jeopardize the integrity of any new movement or future path.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 18 Aug 2011 10:51

are we forgetting the definition of kamikaze?

suicide missions undertaken to bolster and defend one's organization. not to destroy them...