Lokpal Bill Fiasco

It is a defeat of an arrogant govt, says BJP

Charging the government with “orchestrating” the events yesterday to avoid voting on the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said, “Government created disturbance with the help of a friendly party to run away from vote…If government shies away from voting on amendments it does not want, it is a sad day for Parliamentary democracy.”

BJP choreographed fiasco on Lokpal Bill in RS, says Govt

Government today projected the BJP as the villain in Rajya Sabha’s failure to pass the Lokpal Bill yesterday and accused it of choreographing the fiasco but refrained from blaming key UPA constituent Trinamool Congress which had moved several amendments.

Source: www.firstpost.com, December 30, 2011

“A politician is a man who will double cross that bridge when he comes to it.”~Oscar Levant

After the Loksabha passed the Lokpal bill, we actually believed that not all politicians were bad, not everything was as bleak as we thought, and that this country still had hope. But the charade of the Loksabha debate and the subsequent passing of the bill, awaiting ratification in the Rajyasabha, was just a ruse to fool the common man.

Why would politicians want to get off the gravy train? Plundering national wealth is a guaranteed privilege to our elected representatives. Our parliamentarians may wax eloquent, denigrating corruption in their debates, but they will fight tooth and nail any law that takes away that privilege.

The government, riddled with controversy over controversy, and having a large number of corruption charges against its ministers, certainly did not want the Lokpal. It, quite clearly, had a pre-conceived plan to create a stalemate. Projecting an image of a party committed to the anti-graft bill, its floor management in the Loksabha was impeccable. Yet, it used its allies like Trinamool Congress and outside supporters like RJD to create chaos in the Rajyasabha to stall the crucial legislation.

The opposition had a two pronged strategy. They took a stand that the Lokpal, as proposed by the government, was weak, and asked for 180 amendments. The obvious ruse was to stall the bill from being passed. And if it did get passed, well, they could get political mileage by supporting the Anna Hazare movement with full fervour, blaming the government.

It is one of the greatest blunders of belief that any political party ever wants the Lokpal. Over the years, every ruling party made sure that this Bill did not see the light of the day, whether it was the government of VP Singh, HD Deve Gowda, IK Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and now, Manmohan Singh.

Once more, the bill was methodically scuttled. Each party shrewdly put an independent spanner in the wheel, creating its own alibis to sincerity while blaming the others. The political class failed the people once again.

© Sujata Khanna. All rights reserved.

Returning Calls

"Not returning phone calls is the severest form of torture in the civilized world." Marisha Pessl.

How often is it that you find people not returning your calls? How often is it that you do not return calls or emails?

Not returning calls is one of the most ungracious social acts you can commit. Mind you, I am not talking here of business relationships, where it is perfectly alright to not reply to unsolicited communication. In the personal realm, not returning calls can cause you fractured long-term relationships.

For example, there could be an occasion in the offing to get together socially, with friends or with a common interest group. One of the friends goes the extra mile, co-ordinating the availabilities of group members, setting the most agreeable time and location in order to meet within a short time period, and expecting quick confirmation for the rendezvous.

Yet, you do not call or email back!

Maybe you had other commitments, and you assumed that your not calling back would be sufficient indicator of your unavailability. However, what you have ended up is being personally offensive to your friend, and have sent completely wrong signals. He/she will wonder what they have done to deserve this cold shoulder, and the next time you meet, the interaction will definitely be lukewarm. A quick email/ text message stating your unavailability on that day would definitely have had been a better alternative.

Returning calls and emails is the polite thing to do. Never let people feel rejected. Whether you like it or not, people do obsess about un-returned calls. You would feel the same too. So whatever your reasons, even if the response is a little delayed, make the effort! If the response required is long, or needs considerable thought, at least drop a one-liner message acknowledging the call.

Bottom-line, do unto others as you would have others do unto you!

© Sujata Khanna. All rights reserved.

Proverbial Contradictions!

Proverbs are popularly defined as short expressions of popular wisdom. The wisdom is in the form of a bit of advice, sometimes, to adopt an attitude toward a situation. However, proverbs often run in pairs, reminding us that for every argument for rationalising our stand in a situation, there is an equally rational opposite stand!

If you agree with me that "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

Then "Out of sight, out of mind" should also make you ponder!

Here is a list of 20 cases where ‘words of popular wisdom’ end up conflicting with each other!

1.       A silent man is a wise one.

          A man without words is a man without thoughts.

2.       Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

          Out of sight, out of mind.

3.       Actions speak louder than words.

          The pen is mightier than the sword.

4.       Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

          Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

5.       Birds of a feather flock together.

          Opposites attract.

6.       Clothes make the man.

          Don't judge a book by its cover.

7.       Cross your bridges when you come to them.

          Forewarned is forearmed.

8.       Great minds think alike.

          Fools seldom differ.

9.       Knowledge is power.

          Ignorance is bliss.

10.     Look before you leap.

          He who hesitates is lost.

11.     Many hands make light work.

          Too many cooks spoil the broth.

12.     Money talks.

          Talk is cheap.

13.     Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

          Better safe than sorry.

14.     The bigger, the better.

          The best things come in small packages.

15.     The more, the merrier.

          Two's company; three's a crowd.

16.     The only thing constant is change.

          The more things change, the more they stay the same.

17.     Two heads are better than one.

          If you want something done right, do it yourself.

18.     What will be, will be.

          Life is what you make it.

19.     What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

          One man's meat is another man's poison.

20.     With age comes wisdom.

          Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings come all wise sayings.