Bal Thackeray is probably the most senior of all active politicians in India today.
Though he has been around for over four decades, Thackeray has never once propounded a progressive agenda for Maharashtra or laid out his vision of how the state can flourish.
All his agenda has always been to rid Bombay of the communities that he claimed were oppressing the Maharashtrian people: South Indians and Gujaratis. Contrary to what he may claim, even Thackeray’s own family is not from Bombay, the Shiv Sena treated them as its natural constituency.
Since those early beginnings, Thackeray’s agenda has hardly wavered. It has been based on telling Maharashtrians that they are being discriminated against and that only the Shiv Sena will fight for their rights. All that changes are the targets of Thackeray’s ire. He forgave Gujaratis fairly early on but till the late-70s was still aggressively anti-South Indian. In the 80s, he sensed the makings of a Hindu backlash and promptly shifted to an anti-Muslim agenda. That drove the Sena closer to the BJP but in recent years as diminishing returns have set in on that agenda, Thackeray has decided to pick on people from UP and Bihar who, he claims, are stealing the jobs meant for Maharashtrians.
It is instructive that at the end of over four decades in existence, all of them with Thackeray as its supreme leader the Shiv Sena still has no positive agenda to inspire Maharashtrians.
Despite 40-plus years of presence, no matter how much Thackeray raves and rants, political power seems far away. Worse still, as his age catches up with him, his legacy (such as it is) also seems in danger of slipping away. When Thackeray does ultimately dies, the Sena will wither and die. Its place will be taken by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the breakaway organisation founded by Thackeray’s nephew Raj.
One reason why Raj succeeded in making a relatively strong showing at the last election was because he adopted his uncle’s old strategy. He appealed to unemployed Marathi youth and capitalised on the frustrations of the Maharashtrian middle class. Had Maharashtra been left behind? Were Maharashtrians being marginalised in Bombay? Had North Indians taken all the jobs? And so on.
Stung by his nephew’s success and dismayed by the failure of his son and heir apparent, the generally soft-spoken Uddhav, to mobilise the Marathi masses, Thackeray decided that the Shiv Sena needed to return to the intimidation of old.
The question is: can the Congress government in Maharashtra guarantee law and order in Bombay? Can he stand up to the sort of bullying that we have come to know so well over the last 40 years? History shows us that each time Thackeray has found an opponent who fights back, the Sena backs down. The only language Thackeray understands is strength.
Sadly, that is not a language that many speak. And Bombay pays the price.
Living Life in today's society.....
Monday, 8 February 2010
Lack of skilled workers - Social Impact
We keep seeing that the unemployment rates continue to rise, there are still over 2.5 million jobs unfilled in the US and well over 4 million in Europe because of a shortage of skilled workers.
These problems cannot be resolved without improving the mobility of skilled workers through international standardization of education and training is crucial to addressing this shortage. In the absence of international standards, companies are in a position to create programmes to qualify employees and their counterparts around the world, but fail to do so at it hits the lower strata of priorities while money is short.
Raising high school standards and graduation rates is equally important to addressing the skills gap at all levels in the organization, but we need to tighten the way schools are run and ocational training is provided to ensure that school leavers have jobs to go into.It is essential to clarify the lines between technical training and education.
This needs redressal at a political level by making sure that Immigration policies in the affected countries are transparent and takes into consideration the protection of the local working population while meeting the infrastructure and social necessities. Otherwise, progress will not happen.
These problems cannot be resolved without improving the mobility of skilled workers through international standardization of education and training is crucial to addressing this shortage. In the absence of international standards, companies are in a position to create programmes to qualify employees and their counterparts around the world, but fail to do so at it hits the lower strata of priorities while money is short.
Raising high school standards and graduation rates is equally important to addressing the skills gap at all levels in the organization, but we need to tighten the way schools are run and ocational training is provided to ensure that school leavers have jobs to go into.It is essential to clarify the lines between technical training and education.
This needs redressal at a political level by making sure that Immigration policies in the affected countries are transparent and takes into consideration the protection of the local working population while meeting the infrastructure and social necessities. Otherwise, progress will not happen.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
TIGER TRADE
Only 350 wild tigers remain in Asia's Mekong River region, according to a new report from the conservation nonprofit WWF, which says the loss is being driven by trade in tiger parts.
The violence and selfish Man has carried the myth of Tiger power in his physche and gone about killing such wonderful animals. It is essential that we leave them to roam in the wild and in the process destroyed one of the most majestic animals on Earth..
There is nothing more beautiful and magnificent than to see these big cats roaming wild and living their life in the natural environments. Seeing them hunt their prey and share a meal with the group.
The numbers of tigers in the wild in Southeast Asia have dropped by more than 70 percent in a little more than a decade.
WWF says there were an estimated 12-hundred tigers in the Greater Mekong region during the last “Year of the Tiger” in 1998. Today, WWF estimates there are only about 350 there.
Wild tigers have even been wiped out in several reserves set up to protect them.
The Greater Mekong region includes China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The reason for the drop? WWF says the tiger crisis has developed because of deliberate and large-scale illegal hunting of tigers for body parts, mostly for use in traditional medicine. Here, tiger parts are seen displayed for sale on a street in Bangkok.
Enforcement of poaching has had limited success, such as these scenes from Vietnam where illegally poached tigers and carcasses were confiscated by authorities. The WWF hopes to raise awareness and funds to stop the poaching.
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. And later this month, ministers from 13 tiger range countries will meet in Thailand for a conference on tiger conservation. It’s hoped the governments will agree on future needs in protecting this big cat from extinction.
The violence and selfish Man has carried the myth of Tiger power in his physche and gone about killing such wonderful animals. It is essential that we leave them to roam in the wild and in the process destroyed one of the most majestic animals on Earth..
There is nothing more beautiful and magnificent than to see these big cats roaming wild and living their life in the natural environments. Seeing them hunt their prey and share a meal with the group.
The numbers of tigers in the wild in Southeast Asia have dropped by more than 70 percent in a little more than a decade.
WWF says there were an estimated 12-hundred tigers in the Greater Mekong region during the last “Year of the Tiger” in 1998. Today, WWF estimates there are only about 350 there.
Wild tigers have even been wiped out in several reserves set up to protect them.
The Greater Mekong region includes China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The reason for the drop? WWF says the tiger crisis has developed because of deliberate and large-scale illegal hunting of tigers for body parts, mostly for use in traditional medicine. Here, tiger parts are seen displayed for sale on a street in Bangkok.
Enforcement of poaching has had limited success, such as these scenes from Vietnam where illegally poached tigers and carcasses were confiscated by authorities. The WWF hopes to raise awareness and funds to stop the poaching.
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. And later this month, ministers from 13 tiger range countries will meet in Thailand for a conference on tiger conservation. It’s hoped the governments will agree on future needs in protecting this big cat from extinction.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
AVATAR
Just got back home after watching the highly talked about film AVATAR. Wish I had sent my AVATAR to watch it.. Personally found it highly unimaginative and full of cliched fantasies.. More like the dreams of a young boy growing up with comics and not serious reading!
Having said that, I must admit that most Bollywood films are no different but made less professionaly and the special effects are not as good. I really freaked out on the effects of the background - Nature than the actual actions in the film.
I found splendour of the forests and the mountains far more inspiring than the juvenile releases of the testosterone pumped up war mongers.
But, the message that the film released in terms of "living in harmony with nature" should be remembered and not lost..
Having said that, I must admit that most Bollywood films are no different but made less professionaly and the special effects are not as good. I really freaked out on the effects of the background - Nature than the actual actions in the film.
I found splendour of the forests and the mountains far more inspiring than the juvenile releases of the testosterone pumped up war mongers.
But, the message that the film released in terms of "living in harmony with nature" should be remembered and not lost..
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
India is for Indians
This ridiculous controversy abouut Mumbai being for Maharashtrians is one of the worst regionalisms I have come across in India. This is quite alike saying that Bangalore is for Kannadigas and Calcutta is for Bengalis and Madras is for Tamilians etc.
If it were not for the fact that the matter is painful, I would laugh at such pathetic sentiments. Let people not forget that the Nation and Patriotism comes above any other consideration. To turn around and play politics with National Unity is worse than having criminals in the Indian Political arena. Or further criminalisation of the Indian Political agenda and shows a total lack of intellect..
People like the Thackerys deserve to be treated with contempt they deserve and any one who propogate narrow & regionally biased politics need to be banded together and tried for sedition and put behind bars.
Where is the sense of National Pride in a country which is seen world over as "Religiously Tolerant" and where "Diversity is bringing Unity"?
Let Shiv Sena and their cohorts not forget that the big metropolis in India have their nuts and bolts made up of the Biharis, Bhaiyas, Tamils, Gujaratis and so on so forth. If we were to move them to respective states, Mumbais, Chennais, Bangalores will cease to exist.
For God's sake see reason..
If it were not for the fact that the matter is painful, I would laugh at such pathetic sentiments. Let people not forget that the Nation and Patriotism comes above any other consideration. To turn around and play politics with National Unity is worse than having criminals in the Indian Political arena. Or further criminalisation of the Indian Political agenda and shows a total lack of intellect..
People like the Thackerys deserve to be treated with contempt they deserve and any one who propogate narrow & regionally biased politics need to be banded together and tried for sedition and put behind bars.
Where is the sense of National Pride in a country which is seen world over as "Religiously Tolerant" and where "Diversity is bringing Unity"?
Let Shiv Sena and their cohorts not forget that the big metropolis in India have their nuts and bolts made up of the Biharis, Bhaiyas, Tamils, Gujaratis and so on so forth. If we were to move them to respective states, Mumbais, Chennais, Bangalores will cease to exist.
For God's sake see reason..
Monday, 1 February 2010
Perfect and Imperfect
Is life really black and white? Do we really see a person as perfect or imperfect or do we have the ability to accept that there is always a blend of both..
I wish mankind had the ability to accept faults and live with that rather than make the mistake of putting people on pedestals and make the fall very painful to live through. No one is perfect and all of us carry the ability to work on our failings while building on our goodness. But critical for that to happen is the need for self realisation, more so by the others around you. And give you a lifting hand. I wish the world had more people lending a hand to lift and less to put hands on your head to keep you down..
Unfortunately the biggest culprits who fail in this are ones professing value systems drive by the "Gita" and hiding behind their own inabilty to be gracious in accepting apologies and showing compassion through forgiveness. These people tend to see only the blacks around them and not the whites and carry judgemental prejudices. They suffer and make others suffer along with them.
I pray to the whole world and mankind that we try and climb out of this morass and try to be more generous about sharing to the wider community and not just immediate circle, be more kind and forgiving in principle. Look to help people live life fully and not in hurtful remorse but enlightened from learning from earlier mistakes.. May we try and live life moving forward...
I wish mankind had the ability to accept faults and live with that rather than make the mistake of putting people on pedestals and make the fall very painful to live through. No one is perfect and all of us carry the ability to work on our failings while building on our goodness. But critical for that to happen is the need for self realisation, more so by the others around you. And give you a lifting hand. I wish the world had more people lending a hand to lift and less to put hands on your head to keep you down..
Unfortunately the biggest culprits who fail in this are ones professing value systems drive by the "Gita" and hiding behind their own inabilty to be gracious in accepting apologies and showing compassion through forgiveness. These people tend to see only the blacks around them and not the whites and carry judgemental prejudices. They suffer and make others suffer along with them.
I pray to the whole world and mankind that we try and climb out of this morass and try to be more generous about sharing to the wider community and not just immediate circle, be more kind and forgiving in principle. Look to help people live life fully and not in hurtful remorse but enlightened from learning from earlier mistakes.. May we try and live life moving forward...
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