Voting is not only a right but also a Responsibility

The recently concluded BBMP (Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) elections witnessed a poor turnout of around 44 to 45%. Bengaluru being the most educated city – this is a shame on the city’s part. This has been the trend in the last Assembly and Loksabha elections also. The so-called IT capital is becoming in-different day-by day to the democratic systems and values. In the early decades of our Independence (up to 70s and 80s) – the poor and un-educated used to not vote because of various reasons such as 1. Not knowing the value of the vote. 2. Landlords – preventing the poor and peasants voting, with a fear that they may change the fate of their preferred candidates 3. Women not coming out of the houses. 4. Rigging by muscle power being the main force in terrifying the voters from going to booths (especially states like UP, Bihar…) 5. The process was simpler within a week, though there were questions on the powers of election commission. But in 90s and in the new century – educated developed a fashion not to vote very clearly. 1. Least bothered to register their vote themselves 2. They feel better to enjoy the holiday. 3. Feel shame to go and stand in the queue to vote for. 4. But these are the intellectuals who criticize for everything happening in the country, state and city – cursing the politicians. 5. They will not have any right to criticize the politicians any more. 6. The software professionals of Bengaluru will be ready to vote for US presidential elections but not for Indian elections. 7. The poor, villagers and uneducated are now turning out in a big number – may be to some extent the candidates are also focusing more on these segments rather on rich community. They are providing some freebies for these sections with a hope to grab their votes. 8. Over these 2 decades – the election commission became powerful, electronic voting came into existence, but the process became very lengthier – taking lot of cycle time. 9. While voting cannot be made a MUST – the government should make easy steps to ensure that all the citizens have registered easily for the voters list. 10. Also there could be a choice of “none of the above candidates” in the ballot to indicate how the voters are feeling about the contestants.

Note that Voting is not only a right but also a Responsibility

BRUHATH BENGALURU MAHANAGARA PALIKE ELECTIONS

All the 3 leading political parties BJP, Congress and JD(S) are contesting in the BBMP elections. Every one of them wants to test their luck. There are 195 wards and to get Mayoral seat one needs to muster 98 seats.
Every party is thinking that – the triangular contest will help them, the opposition votes will be divided and the rest of the two will suffer and.
The MPs are at central level and will not be reachable by common public, and MLAs are mini-MPs and are not very nearer to the public for day to day sufferings.
Hence the corporators are very much needed by the public to address the day-to-day issues.
What are the main issues of Bengaluru?
The population is now more than 6 million and it is increasing day by day. It is the 5th largest city in India. The abnormal population growth (mostly migrating from neighboring states) is the root cause for many of the problems for this true cosmopolitan metro city.
· Scarcity of water is a day-to-day affair for almost the entire city. Hardly 50% of the area is covered with Kaveri water connection. Remaining areas depend upon bore-well and other means.
o Even this Kaveri water is not available daily. It comes hardly thrice a week in winter and in summer it is even once in a week some times.
o While rich people can afford to buy – the middle class people suffer a lot and the poor have to walk a lot to fetch water.
o Water became a commercial commodity as per Government and became on affordable basis.
o This attitude should be changed. All the closed pipe connections at slums should be re-opened up and provided with water connection.
o Thus the most important focus for all the 195 corporators should be water.
§ Get Kaveri works completed in the incomplete and yet to be started areas.
§ Open up the water pipe connections in all areas – where they were closed earlier.
§ If needed increase the water costs according to the layout (income groups)
§ Charge more for the high consumption.
§ Ensure that the Water Trucks are completely eliminated.
§ Water is not a commodity and it is a right like air.
· Roads and pot holes: Bengaluru is very famous for the ugly roads, pot holes, and narrow and irregular pavements.
o The corporators should ensure that the encroachments are addressed on priority – specially the inner lanes.
o Many of the areas do not have lights glowing in late hours. These need to be addressed in 100% - in the absence of which there is a dangerous by accident and intentionally by the anti-social elements.
· Third point to be focused is - Traffic normalization. This is a never ending woe for Bengaluru. The fly-over’s completion is taking lot of time – in other metro cities the completion is being done relatively quickly.
o The traffic police also are not in a proactive mode – they are in reactive mode and fully corrupt.
o A regular vigil on the key traffic areas of each ward can make each corporator to plan and address the issues to evolve a strategy, work with RTO and solve the core problems.
o Strict traffic violation rules should be put in place especially for IT and BPO vehicles as they are the main root cause for the nuisance.
· Few other miscellaneous points to address
o Proper Good Government schools, with staff in all areas.
o Parks and Lakes development. Wherever those were abandoned – need to be rehabilitated.
o BMTC is improving a lot for the last couple of years, may be the best – continue the same and cover more new routes, increase frequency. That makes private traffic also reduced. Work with the Transport departments to take care of each ward’s requests.
o Conduct Janatha Darbars once a week.
· Last but not the least is - to be away from corruption and make Bengaluru corruption free not only by self-practice – but also enforcing in all the BBMP departments.

HOLD ON FOR THE REAL CELEBRATIONS FOR WOMEN RESERVATION.

Women Reservation bill was approved by Rajya Sabha on 9th March 2010. It was a historic moment. This bill is for 15 years. Who knows it can be forever as it is being existing for SC/STs, being added for new sections such as Minorities, OBCs, etc …
Like few under-privileged sections such as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Backward Class/Minorities – the women are also not at par with Men in many areas.
There is little progress since Independence except for the last 2 decades. Few Urban areas have shown progress. WE see working women, having equal rights along with men. But otherwise the rural areas are still like in the age-old system only.
What is this reservation all about?
It reserves 33 and 1/3% of Parliament and State Assmebly seats for women.
AS per the new act – out of every 3 seats 1 seat will be reserved for women – thus out of 542 seats of Lok Sabha – 180 seats will be reserved for Women.
Out of 250 seats of Rajya Sabha – 83 seats will be reserved for women.
The 180 seats of Women will be equally distributed among the existing 3 categories like SC/ST/General seats.
That means one third of ST seats will be reserved for Women and rest (i.e. two – third) will be for men. So there will not be any impact for SC/ST categories.
But then why Yadav-Trio (Mulayam, Lalu and Sharad) is against these
1. Genuinely speaking it is difficult to get women within general category leave alone from SC/ST community to contest the elections – from these 3 parties. These parties base is OM (OBCs and Muslims) and always difficult to get women candidates.
2. Quota within Quota: In addition to the demand of asking the reservation for OMs in General category – the Trio wants to Quota within Women Quota as well – so as to consolidate their vote base.
3. The proposed rotation of seats reservation – also is a difficult one for them. With great difficulty if they find a woman candidate– in next general election – the seat will be no more reserved and they have to identify a new woman candidate at new constituency.
4. That’s why these parties are arguing that – let each party take its own decision to nominate one third women of their choice of seats rather being enforced by constitution.
But then Why Congress, BJP and Communists want the Reservations?
1. They sense that they can get more mileage by winning the hearts of 50% of the Voters.
2. They can get Woman candidate relatively easier than the above Trio.
3. The Quota within Quota will be a major disadvantage for them and hence are against tooth and nail. Because they do not have OM basis. This will be a major disadvantage to BJP, may be a neutral one for Communists and a bit advantage to Congress among these 3.
4. Infact the rotation is also a worrying factor for BJP and Communists as they are in opposition and do not have stability like Congress at present.
a. This rotation concept may be extended to the existing SC/ST seats also – as the same SC/ST families are ruling the constituencies for decades.
b. The rotation of constituencies can be applied to SC/ST Category. New Candidates can contest from new reserved seats. Already existing SC/ST MPs can contest from the same seat – even if it is converted to general – as they have the advantage of being the current MP. If they have done really good for the constituency – they can win again. Thus more number of SC/STs can be representing the Parliament and Assemblies.
General Public Questions For:
1. In some of the states women have reservations in Educational institutions
2. Women have reservations in Local Bodies already
3. Even Muslim countries (Pak, Bangladesh, Afghanistan) and in total 40 nations have reservations for women
4. If SC/ST reservations are Parliament has helped them to uplift – then why cannot these new reservations for women will uplift them?
General Public Questions Against :
1. Women do not have any reservations in Jobs till now - then what is the advantage of having in Parliament and Assemblies?
2. These women reservations will help only those families who are already ruling the nation as MPs - their wives, daughters , daughters-in-law and sisters will be substituted for these constituencies.
3. Let the Government first ensure that – women need not
a. Walk for miles for a pot of water
b. Suffer dowry deaths
c. Depend financially on men
d. fear to walk in mid-night in Indian streets.
e. run for medical assistance
Future Questions:
1. Will the Bill be passed by Loksabha? Or UPA wants to save the Government?
2. Congress has got great mileage now – will BJP can keep quite or want to spoil the whole movement in some form or the other?
3. Will the MUSCLE power of Yadav Trio with OM Vote bank idea – disrupt the proceedings?
4. There are two arguments that – no need of Assemblies approval or 50% of States approval is needed. Will this happen?
5. Identification of seats again an issue :
• Population –wise?
• Alphabet-wise?
• Lottery-wise?
6. What about Maternity Leave cases of women MPs? This also should be taken care like that in Government and private companies.
Political pundits, sociologists, political scientists, feminists and historians and almost everybody has said that if the bill becomes an act then it will be the biggest socio-political news since independence.

MEMORANDUM TO SRIKRISHNA COMISSION SUPORT FOR UNITED ANDHRA PRADESH

Dear V K Duggal,
I am an Indian citizen representing on individual capacity for presenting my arguments before Sri Krishna commission on the current scenario of AP.
I am a Telugu person working in Bnagalore – but having lot of responsibility in taking care of the best interests of AP. My arguments will not be based on the data or emotions. I am sure the Government officials will provide the correct data and also equally am sure that politicians will provide the “E-motions”.
I did my M.Tech from IIT (Madras) and MBA (Marketing) . I worked in 3 different states, worked in Public sector, worked in small and large private companies. I also Travelled extensively across India and world. Have fair idea of logic and facts , how a State should be divided or not to be divided.
I am going to respond in line to the announcement you have published in News papers dated: 18th Feb 2010.
Point1: We are happy that Indian Government has appointed the commission to look into the current AP situation.
Point2: But we have objections to the composition of the members of the commission. We are not clear of the capacity of the each of the member, their eligibility, suitability. How few members - not at all related to AP can look into the issues of such a sensitive one, provide the recommendations to the central government? Just because they are not from AP – it does not mean they can be impartial. For that matter they may not take it serious and can lead to a decision which jeopardizes the progress of AP and thus making it lesser significance in the current Indian states. Thus AP can lose its identity, financial power, education power, political power and thus the whole bargaining power on all fronts.
Point3
1. United Andhra Vs Telangana: These smaller states demand have negative impact on rest of India. While Chidambaram wanted to divide AP – so that TN can become No:1 Big state in South India – he will face soon South TN issue. Similarly Moily’s silent support and patient listening to Telangana leaders with a hope that Karnataka can become No:2 state – will soon lead to Belgaum, Coorg state issues.

Other state demands like Ghorka, Vidarbha, Uttharanchal – will lead to agitations. Finally we will move to the old concepts of Princely states and the integrity of India will be at stake. So let us stop this at least in this stage itself.
2. Development that has happened from 1956 till today across AP: As I said already there is no physical data available with the individuals though we can ask through Right to Information act – but will be difficult to consolidate the same. Since the 1956 formation – Hyderabad has been the Capital of Andhra Pradesh. Till such time Kurnool was the Capital. Below table shows how each district has been progressed overall. The growth has been Categorized as Very High, High, Medium High, Normal , Low, Abnormal Low Growth on a relative position of what are they in 1956
1) Telangana - Adilabad - Normal
2 ) Telangana - Nizamabad - High
3) Telangana - Karim Nagar - High
4) Telangana - Hyderabad - Very high
5) Telangana - Rangareddy - High
6) Telangana - Warangal - Very high
7) Telangana - Nalgonda - High
8) Telangana - Mahaboob Nagar - Normal
9) Telangana - Medak - Normal
10) Telangana - Khammam - High
11) Anadhra - Srikakulam - Medium
12) Anadhra - Visakhapatnam - Very High
13) Anadhra - Vizianagaram - Normal
14) Anadhra - East Godavari - High
15) Anadhra - West Godavari - High
16) Anadhra - Krishna - Very High
17) Anadhra - Guntur - High
18) Anadhra - Prakasam - Normal
19) Anadhra - Nellore - High
20) Rayalaseema - Kurnool - High
21) Rayalaseema - Ananthapur - Medium
22) Rayalaseema - Chittur - Medium
23) Rayalaseema - Cuddapah - Normal

If you look in the above table 3 districts of Telangana (out of 10), 2 districts of Andhra (Out of 9), 1 District of Rayalaseema (out of 4) have not progressed much. Thus backwardness is not limited to one area.

Hyderabad was developed at the cost of other areas. Andhra and Rayalaseema were denied the progress, Investments and all state Governments, Public sector, central units were established in Hyderabad. That was the reason why the United Andhra is saying that Hyderabad is a common city and Telangana agitators cannot talk of that as their sole right. If Telangana agitators plea that the agitation is for getting independent state for the Backward region of Telangana – then inclusion of Hyderabad does not give that meaning.

In Nutshell – Telangana is a backward region – but it has been developed over a period of time at the cost of rest of the regions. In that process – Rayalaseema became further backward. So now Telangana cannot separate. It is like a younger brother in a family leaving the rest of the elder ones – taking their financial help for his growth and later ditching them for his own selfish reasons.

Also in this case they are throwing away Andhra – rather they leaving. In all other state formations – the small states have been separated leaving their capital and forming their own capital. Let Telangana also have their own Capital like Warangal/Karimnagar.

The Greater Hyderabad demand is thus formed by Hyderabad metro people along with the core Andhras – who moved over to Hyderabad quite many decades back.
3. Impact on different sections
a. Women: Women need reservation/quota in all sectors and not separate state.. First let the Government address the same.
b. Children: Why to drag them in the agitation. These should be kept outside of the opinion/agitation. Peace is what they need. Leave them peacefully with their mother (Telugu Thalli) and not make them divide between Andhra Thalli and Telangana Thalli.
c. Students; Stop the mad agitations across the entire state. Already Telangana has lost the studies for around 2 months and the students will have tough time ahead in getting admissions in national institutions. The cases registered against violent sections – will hurt their future job career. They should stop the agitations immediately. In any case they have now local and non-local admission categories for Universities and colleges. For Job they should know the Government is for all and not just for one region.
d. Minorities: The MIM which has got 7 MLA seats in Hyderabad has opposed the Telangana formation. Different Muslim groups took advantage of this are trying to support the separate formation. But there is no unanimity in this. In any case this should not be taken a s a parameter to divide the state. Along with Muslim minorities – then need to be considered Christian, Jains, and Budhists. If that is the case then Hindu’s opinions also need to be taken. That’s why the whole religion based approach should be stopped.
e. OBCs/SC/ST: AS long as the reservations are maintained in tact – these sections will not have any issue either-way.
4. Main problems while looking into the above 3 points: Telangana has been developed for the last many years, at the cost of rest of AP. Even Andhra or Rayalaseema did not bother for this as they felt that their own brothers are being developed and not an issue. Now after being developed – Telangana politicians want to move away.
The whole issue is created by pure politicians. They want power. Everyone wants to become CM. Infact by dividing the state the public will be burdened with too much expenditure, taxes. The Andhraites are being terrorized and threatened by the Telanagana rioters. Even before the formation of the state itself if these Andhraites are being considered as secondary citizens – then what could be the fate after state formation.
If the Telangana point of view is being forced – then Rayalaseema will be agitated and they will demand separate state.
5. Road map and action plans: There should be only one action plan and Road map to keep the status quo as is. Those who still fight for a separate state should be punished accordingly.
a. Students should be ordered to stop any more agitations and not cause damage to the career of the community.
b. Parents should be advised to restrain their children or to face the consequences.
c. Lawyers should be de-barred from practicing.
d. Other Government organization unions - if not adhered – should be dismissed from services.
e. The so-called artists / professors should be warned.
f. The politicians should be arrested.
g. Any one causing damage to the life, property, peace – should be penalized by asking them to pay the compensation to a double standards.
6. Industries, Trade, Trade Unions Farmers union, Women Organizations, Student unions, Public organizations: Out of all these Farmers and Students organizations only involved right now. Rests are not involved yet now. Farmers are least impacted in the current issue – but still in some places he politicians are instigating them to participate in Telangana separate movement. Infact the Government can assure the water share percentage between districts to assure that there is no partiality. The students any how already have local and non-local reservations. Hence there should not be any more demands for separation.
7. Suggestions and recommendations: The preferred one is to abandon the commission and wind-up the proceedings or to adhere to the rest of the document’s demands.
Point4: We are dead against the dead line of 31st December 2010. How can such a vast exercise can be completed by that time? That itself indicates how biased this commission is. It should be at least up to 31st Dec 2011. Just to pacify few groups the time line should not be reduced to an un-realistic one.
Point5: You are expecting people to send the memorandums by 18th March – which is not feasible. It takes at least 3 months to present with the data. How can we collect, organize, arrange and present the data within such a short span. Hence the period should be allowed up to 31st May 2010 at least.
Point6: While you are allowing the discussions with Political parties, Associations, Students,… It is not giving any hope of discussion with Individuals ( Intellectual, Common man, Homemaker,…). This has to be planned. You need to pick up at least 10 such cases from each district of AP from the individuals who presented the memorandum to the commission.
Piont7: You have mentioned only New Delhi and Hyderabad as the places of visit for commission. What about other places? You need to visit all the district headquarters at least. The places must be visited are Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal, Khammam, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali, Ongole, Nellore, Kurnool, Chittor, Cuddapah, Tirupathi, Anantpur – these are the places where the agitations took on large scale and the commission need to visit – to understand the ground reality.
If needed – the commission may have to visit other state capitals / nearby cities to cover up the temporary Telugu Settlers. Places like Bangalore, Chennai, Berhampur, and Bellary are proffered to be visited.
Regards
Chandra
(0)98452 08490
chchandra@yahoo.com

Bangalore Traffic and Traffic Police

On 27th Feb I was coming from Ramanagar side (Mysore Road) in the evening. It took 30 min for 35 KM to enter into the city limits.
Then it took 1 hr (for 5 KM) to reach City Market Flyover. That stretch is completely chaotic. No Traffic control. Too many inner intersections. No road sense.
Main blame for all the chaos in the city should go to the public who drive the vehicles.
· Traffic cops conveniently standing somewhere (of course 90% of the intersections no cop at all)
· Cris -cross movement of 2 wheelers and Autos at intersections.
· Trucks and Lorries – from extreme left taking U Turn towards right side.
· City Buses not standing at Bus stops – but stopping in the middle of the road.
· The Cars honking like mad fellows. Even trying to go above 60 KM speed crossing the limits and terrorizing the rest.
Then the market flyover and Town-hall junction of 2 KM took another 1 hour because of a Religious procession.
· That was a peak hour of Saturday.
· On a Flyover Traffic Jam is dangerous.
· I saw at least 4 cars having back bumpers damaged.
· Few cars have got damaged right or left front sides.
· BMTC buses taking ride as if the roads are theirs only.
· Cars – mostly driven by soft-ware professionals or Taxis/Cabs are chaotic in the roads.
o Feeling as if they are in Formulae 1 race
o Forgetting to see the vehicles ahead – whether the left or right blinker is on
o Shouting or cursing each other.
o Thus spoiling the already horrible traffic.
The most inefficient group in this whole is the Traffic Police.
· They just leave the traffic to its fate and enjoy seeing the fun.
· Most of the places in Bangalore Traffic Junctions – the Traffic polices stand after the signal to catch the jumpers – rather standing exactly at the junction and to prevent the jumping itself.
o Thus they want to earn as much money as in the unofficial penalties form.
· At most of the manned Junctions also – they do not have the clarity or assessment of Traffic. All of a sudden they stop the left or right turns which were otherwise were existing normally.
· AS long as cops do not put sincere and honest attempt on the duty – the traffic do not improve.
The next agency to be blamed is the Government
· There are many narrow roads in Bangalore than any other Metro City in India– and Govt do not bother to widen/Tar them.
· Many flyovers started at a time and the completion takes years together. Meanwhile Public suffers a lot.
· Giving permission to processions like what has been given on 27th Feb between 3 and 10 PM on a Saturday evening at Town-hall junction – shows how irresponsible this Govt to the common man. Even Courts also support the Govt – on the pre-text “Freedom of Expression”
· All processions should be stopped at once and any one violates should be penalized with severest punishments both in terms of jail and financially.
In the whole episode and chaos it is the common and below-middle class who suffer like in any other Government action.
Every educated is satisfied with the recent Budget – but is any one bothered to look into the poorest of the poor’s issues? The middle class is happy that IT limits have been relaxed. The poor are going to get more penalties as the basic fuel prices have been increased ,which leads to increase in transportation and thus increasing all the essentials like Grocery, Vegetables, Daily commutation. As is these rates are up to sky level and now they reach to hell.