Dividing India!!!!

Home Minister P C Chidambaram's recent statement that a separate state of Telangana will be carved out from the existing state of Andhra Pradesh has opened up a can of worms for the ruling Congress Party. The reactions to this statement have been both swift and far reaching. Whole lot of MP's and MLA's many of them from Congress party itself resigned following this announcement. This indicates that the party did not take all its members into confidence before opting for this announcement. While this announcement bought a wave of relief to people from Telangana region, the rest of Andhra Pradesh and even India seems indignant and up in arms against such ridiculous decision.

First of all, the most contentious issue here is the fate of Hyderabad which is capital of Andhra Pradesh. If Telangana state is indeed formed as the Government states, then Hyderabad will fall deep within Telangana's regional boundaries. Which means that Hyderabad will either become capital of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh will need a new city as its capital. Vizag or Vishakapatnam comes in contention but it is simply not in the same league as Hyderabad. Alternatively, Hyderabad could be turned into a separate Union Territory and be allowed to serve as capital of both Andhra Pradesh as well as Telangana (similar to Chandigarh). Thus the fate of Hyderabad remains interesting.

Finally, while the Congress almost retracted on its earlier statement and said that the state of Telangana will not be carved out in a haste and it will follow proper judicial a well as constitutional procedures of the same, the impact has already come to bite it on its back. First of all, around a dozen other groups have put forward their demands for carving out separate states from current states. Congress has indeed set up a bad precedent.

The people from Telangana have long complained that they do not get their fair share of resources from the Andhra Pradesh Government and hence their region has remained backward and under developed and creating a separate state is necessary to ensure that Telangana gets its fair allocation of resources. But can this really work? Do small states improve Governance? Similar arguments were heard during creation of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Uttarakhand, and we still keep hearing similar demand from Vidharbha in Maharashtra and a lot of other small factions. Let us look at the three states that were already created a few years back - there seems to be little evidence to suggest that quality of governance or standard of living of general population has in anyways improved since the state were formed. On the other hand, crime and corruption in these states is definitely on a rise (Soren, Madhu Koda). Secondly states such as Jharkhand are rich in natural resources with a flourishing mining industry which provides some hope that these states will become self sufficient at some point in future.

The case of Telangana on the other hand is unique. It boasts of no industry, natural resources or any hint of development. It is as backward as people claim it is. Which means that it will need greater allocation of resources from National Budgets for quite some time, which naturally would be at expense of some other states. Telangana might also need to increase taxes to fund its development program which will further create a barrier for industries. If these happens, a lot of industries already in Hyderabad might consider shifting base which will hurt the state even more.

The bigger debate here is that does India need any more states? Smaller states, instead of improving Governance leads to duplication of lot of resources. More states means more tax codes, more segregates police force, more bureaucracy. India is a very diverse country with different customs and religions. Governing such a huge country with different cultures is a challenge in itself and it is commendable that we have managed to run smoothly till now. However if we give in to demands of all smaller factions and start carving out more states, the whole cause of United India will be lost. We might as well break up India in different pieces and have more countries instead of states.

What about people from areas such as Telangana then. Should they continue to live in poverty and economic backwardness? No. But the solution is not a separate state. They could instead fight for their share of resources, or refuse to pay taxes or some sort of civil disobedience acts till they are allotted the same. But asking for formation of a separate state - that would destroy the very fabric if India - its unity and inclusiveness.

Animal Farm!!

Few months ago, a friend recommended that I read George Orwell's Animal Farm. Much to her surprise, I had never heard of the book before. On further research, I found that this is one of the most famous books of all time and I decided to go ahead and read it - and I was not disappointed. It is a short yet powerful and a very compelling read.

The plot of the book revolves around a farm named "Animal Farm" named such because the farm has been taken over by animals after overthrowing the farmer. The animals collectively decide and attempt to run the farm and elect the pigs, who are their "comrades" as their leaders. The main lesson learnt from the book is that Power corrupts even the best of us. Everything at the farm seems hunky dory at first and all the animals are content and happy.

However things take a turn for the worst when the pigs slowly turn the running of the farm into a dictatorship and all the remaining animals start to suffer one by one as the pigs taking the other naive animals for a ride. The best part I liked about this book is that it is a very easy read and yet it compels you to think about the plight of farm animals and the circumstances that led to it. I would surely recommend this book to everyone.

Fell in love with Casablanca

I just finished watching Casablanca - the old Hollywood classic movie and just felt that I had to write about it. Like many other people in my generation, I have watched my fair share of love stories - starting with Titanic, and followed by Notting Hill, My Best Friend's Wedding, You have got Mail, When Harry met Sally, French Kiss, 50 First Dates and I loved them all. However Casablanca is a class apart.As far as love stories are concerned, it wins hands-down. It made me wonder as to why they have stopped making movies like that anymore.

Casablanca is a 1942 romantic film set during World War II in the uncontrolled Moroccan city of Casablanca. The film was directed by Michael Curtiz, and stars Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund. It focuses on Rick's conflict between, in the words of one character, love and virtue: he must choose between his love for Ilsa and his need to do the right thing by helping her husband, Resistance hero Victor Laszlo, escape from Casablanca and continue his fight against the Nazis.

The chemistry between Rick and Ilsa is nothing short of outstanding, and their on-screen presence together is stunning and the dialogues are memorable. The movie left me with no doubt as to why it is considered to be among the greatest movies ever made. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLdqKUkkM6w.Above is the snapshot of the movie, in form of a song - watch it, u'll enjoy it.

Attitudez!!

As I was walking on my way to work this morning, I heard a splash barely few feet from where I was. On looking I saw what is now a usual sight for everyone - some guy eating tobacco and spitting it on the middle of the street. I went ahead and gave that guy choicest of abuses as people nearby looked on. The man said that he was sorry but looked positively unrepentant. I just walked away. But as I look back, I realize how careless we as a society become. We are completely OK with people defacing, urinating and even spitting on the street. None of us seem to bother or as much as give this action a second thought.Even though we know that this whole thing is unhygienic, unsanitary as well as unhealthy, but we all take it in our stride. One could argue that we are a country of poor people and many of us do not have access to even basic of sanitation facilities. Further bulk of our population stays in slums that are unfit for human beings. Expecting them to bother about hygiene is too much.
Right, but what about people like us, the educated folk? Don't we owe something back to this city? Have we stopped caring at all? It is this apathy that is appalling then the action itself. How many times have we stopped our kids from littering on the streets. Or how many times have we loitered on the streets ourselves? Countless times. This needs to stop - we need to drastically change our attitudes and stop spitting and loitering on the streets ourselves before we can ask others to do the same.
Ideally I would have loved to have drawn comparisons with developed countries and comment on how people there are 'civilized' and do not even dream on loitering or spitting on the streets. They even clean up their pets' mess. But surely that comparison is flawed and akin to comparing apples and oranges. Our economic and social situation does not merit a comparison with any other country in the world.
However what we do need is a change in our attitudes - change that comes from within. Unless we do that - India - and especially Mumbai will continue to look like one big garbage dump.

To Kill a Mockingbird

I recently finished reading the book "To Kill A Mockingbird" written by Harper Lee. This book has been on my to-read list since a while now and I am glad I finished it. Revolving around the post civil rights period in the Southern USA, this book touches upon racial tension and prejudices that were a part and parcel of life in the South.

The story is told on behalf of a young girl named Jean Louis Finch, nicknamed Scout. Scout and her brother Jem, along with their friend Dill who comes from Mississippi to spend summers with them, go through many experiences on their way to growing up. Scout and Jem live in a small town along with their father, Atticus and their 'Coloured' housekeeper Calpumia. Scout and Jem have a normal childhood till their father, a lawyer by profession is assigned a case of defending a black man from a charge of raping a white girl. It is here when Scout and Jem get to experience the deep prejudice and hatred among their white villagers for the blacks. They have to face some tough time at the hands of their classmates and villagers in general because their father is involved in defense of a black man and they are deeply disappointed when the jury convicts the black man even though the kids can clearly see that he is innocent.

This is a very well written book and though the subject touched by the book is complex in nature, it comes across as surprisingly easy read. The author's attention to detail and descriptions of the surroundings is amazing and made e feel as if I was a part of the book. I would really recommend this book to all the lovers of classic fiction.

Sachin V/s Shiv Sena

It all started with a not so innocent answer to a media scribe's question. On being asked about what he felt about the current debate in Mumbai about Marathi Manoos, India's batting maestro replied that he felt that Mumbai was a part of India, and though he was proud of being a Maharastrian, he was an Indian first. This response irked Shiv Sena's supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and he verbally attacked Sachin in a editorial of Saamna, the Shiv Sena's Mouthpiece. He explicitly asked Sachin to mind his own business - i.e. playing cricket and leave the politics to politicians. He further went on to comment that Sachin had hurt the sentiments of Marathis.

In my opinion this is absolutely RIDICULOUS!!!. Sachin most probably just spoke out what was going on in his mind and his comments had no politics behind it. Shiv Sena's and Balasaheb's reaction is nothing but just a cheap gimmick to grab some eyeballs and we should not let them succeed. Who has given parties like MNS and Shiv Sena to take up the cause of Maharastrians. Shiv Sena claims to be the heart and mind of Maharastrians, but the results of recent elections held in Maharashtra show what everyone thinks of Shiv Sena. It is just a dying party who is struggling to survive. Instead of giving them any prominence whatsoever, media should probably just give them enough rope so that it may end up hanging itself.

One Night @ the Call Centre

I recently had the privilege to read One Night @ the Call Centre, written by Chetan Bhagat. The book has been brilliantly written and exceeded by expectations in a big way. (After reading Bhagat's Five Point Someone, I thought his second book would be a damp squib.) However the book is outstanding, and can be real and unreal, both at the same .CALL centres are all about people. About people being reduced to voices, of people losing their identities willingly for the lure of a good job, of people toiling into the night and doing what it takes to make a success of themselves.

The book contains perfect depiction of a life at the call centre. It is serious, thought-provoking, intriguing and at times down-right funny. I remember laughing like an idiot, all by myself, while reading some of the sections of the book. The story starts with the pick-up of the call centre staff and ends with a home drop - it is complete - it shows the complexities of working at the BPO's, its effect on the employees, and the daily problems of the employees in a beautiful way. Call centre employees reading this book, would easily identify themselves with one of the characters in the novel.

The "dark side" of call centre work is also evident. They have a monster of a boss. Many of the characters in the book are not too well fleshed out, but the story is such that it is a page-turner. People will probably rather read this unpretentious book than other highly rated literary works.Further, the book, in a very subtle way highlights some of the problems, that employees at the call centres usually face. It shows their frustration, smoking and drinking problems, their issues with each other and inter-office relationships in a delicate, but thought-provoking manner.

All in all, an amazing and a well written book, which can be enjoyed by every-one. Fans of Five Point Someone, shouldn't miss this one at any cost. If you are looking to read the technical details of Call Centre, you can give this book a miss. But if you are looking to read for fun, or are a first-time reader, give it a shot - my bet is you wont be disappointed.

Intro!!

After one previous (read unsuccessful) attempt at maintaining a blog, I finally decided to give it one more shot. Couple of reasons for this - first being I have too much free time on my hands, now that I graduated and am officially unemployed. I wanted to see if I really have it in me to become a serious blogger. Guess i will find out in a while.

In the mean time, I am just going to keep writing about anything I feel like - may be review a book or a movie I recently watched, or a topic I feel strongly about or just totally random crap that I might be thinking about - well it is my blog, and for once I am the boss.

Wish me luck - for now.