Turning a Dishonest Country to Honest takes time

The amount of hate messages one gets in Whatsapp targeted at Modi leaves me no doubt that it is an organized effort. What is interesting is that those who forward these messages are from two specific community, Christians and Muslims, especially the former. Apart from them, there is a section of middle class too who seem to be unhappy with the PM, despite the fact that he works tirelessly to bring a semblance of discipline and order in the Country. The root cause is simple. The two communities are scared that their nefarious agenda of expansionism wont work under Modi. They are watching with alarm the phenomenal growth of Modi. The Modi of 2017 is not the same as the one of the previous two years. He has pulled off the biggest policy decisions which were essentially destruction for reconstruction - Demonetization and GST. And he is mightily confident now.

 

Last year this time, I was worried that Modi was going the A B Vajpayee way by playing right into the Lutyens hands. He had indeed worked hard, tried to organize things but the real action expected of him were missing.

 

I was in a Super Market buying groceries at 7 pm when I got a SMS message from India asking 'Why was the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes were being demonetized".

 

I was stunned for a moment and forgot to make the payment at the Counter, who was waiting patiently for me to take the purse out.

 

"He wouldn't dare, would he?" was my initial reaction.

 

"Can he pull it off? Did he bite more than he can chew?" was the second.

 

But he did pull it off. Common People were fed up with corruption and black money, and across India they rallied around him. They suffered by having to stand in the queue, but were willing to do so when they saw those who had black money in the neighbourhood like the doctor, real estate broker, the shopwallah, the Government servants and even political parties running for cover trying every trick in the book to somehow convert their ill gotten wealth to white money. Most did not succeed, and their back was broken. Opposition, in cahoots with the vested interests, tried their best to run a misinformation campaign, but people soon saw through their game. 9 months down the line, our tax base has increased, unaccounted black money has been identified, lakhs of tax evaders are in the watch list and the Government is flush with money that will fund its developmental activities. But the biggest advantage is that people are getting the message "It doesn't pay to evade tax or amass black money. You will be caught one day or other".

 

It took Congress 30 years to convert a fairly honest nation to a thoroughly dishonest one. Prior to 1984, people were taking money under the table, but were always ashamed of it. Post Bofors, the Congress Government encouraged people to be dishonest. The reason being that if any person is compromised, he feels guilty and hence he feels he doesn't have the moral right to question the rulers. And you don't have to tell the Congress party how to exploit this. They compromised an entire generation and looted the country. The current generation is so used to tax evasion and black money, they are upset when asked to abide by law.

People are asking "Has Modi achieved the objective of making people honest post demonetization?"

 

Guys! It took Congress and its eco system 30 years to make Indians Corrupt without feeling guilty. And you expect Modi to turn them to honest citizens in 300 days? As you all know it is easy to corrupt someone than convert one to a honest citizen. Give the PM a break, for God's sake!

 

Having weathered the Demonetization disruption which led to a landslide Victory in UP Elections, Modi is a changed man.

 

The UP Election results have more far reaching impact than we think. It destroyed the Opposition, made Nitish Kumar break Mahagatbandhan, ensured Modi got his own men as President and Vice President with ease, and also sent a clear signal to the Regional parties that it pays to be on the right side of Modi than oppose him.

 

It is 45 days since GST was implemented and we haven't heard a peep from anyone. GST is already a fait accompli.

 

When I talk to some of my acquaintances who are, let us say, not too honest, I can sense their resignation and their eagerness to mend their ways. That is half the battle won.

 

Modi and Duval are on a mission to clean up terrorism in Kashmir. Terrorists are being hunted down and killed like the dogs they are. Article 35(A) will be abolished first, and followed hopefully by Article 370. Hurriyat who facilitated terror funding and stone throwing is running for cover. The Kashmir end game is only months away.

 

But this is not enough. We need to see some high profile arrests and convictions of those who have looted the Country - be it Sonia, Vadra, P Chidambaram, his son Karthi, Raja, Lalu or any other politician/businessman.

 

We also would like to see positive initiatives to ensure Hindus get their rights back - be it in managing their temples, establishing Educational Institutions or running their religious activities unhindered. Fake secularism, that has reduced it to minority appeasement, has to go. And it has to go today. Even that is too late.

 

And can we start by changing the name of India to BHARATH or HINDUSTAN?

The Plight of the Educated Fresh Professional Graduates

The Engineering College Seats (as also Medical Seats) were limited in late 80s and early 90s. During 1980s, Kerala had only 6 Engineering Colleges and admission was through merit, expect for 15% reservation of seats in two Private Colleges under Management Quota. You are assured of an Engineering Seat only if you score above 85% in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in Pre Degree Course (equal to the current +2). The Engineers who passed out of these Colleges were taken in as Graduate Engineer Trainees by Companies, and within an year of Probation, they were at Officer Cadre.

 

I had lot of apprehension when the Self Financing College boom happened in all the States except Kerala in 1990s, and Kerala too followed suit in 2000's as it was its students migrating to other States and wanted a share of the pie for itself.

 

Businessmen and Politicians, who knew nothing about education, made it a Business, and as on date Kerala alone has 167 Engineering Colleges. Tamilnadu has 527 Engineering Colleges, Karnataka 192 and Andhra Pradesh 328 and Telengana 284!. The Total number of students that get admission every  year in Engineering under graduate course is 15.53 lakhs. Hardly anyone fails in Engineering program as every college uses internal assessment to push the students through.

 

That most of these 15 lakhs passing out every year hardly knows anything about Engineering is another matter. I, personally know, couple of fresh engineers who didn't know what I meant when I said 'this is a half inch pipe and hence  you need to buy a half inch foucet to match'. And trust me I am not an Engineer. They didn't even know how to use a spanner.

 

Where do these 15 lakh Engineers find jobs?

 

Frankly, only 7% of these Engineers are employable. And half of them go for IT jobs, irrespective of the stream chosen by them.

 

Less than 5% get jobs that is related to their core specialization.

 

A few go for higher studies, not out of choice, but because they couldn't get any jobs.

 

Many Engineers are not preferred by Manufacturing Companies, because they carry a chip on the shoulder, and expect to be in Officer grade from Day 1. No College counsels them as to the need to start from scratch and fight their way up, as Colleges sell dreams of high Salaries, AC Cabins, Secretary etc. If they talk about reality at the Placement Counseling Sessions, there wont be any takers for their program for the next year.

 

Where do they end up? A few goes back to their family business, if they have one. Most idle searching for the ideal job. A few end up teaching. Many go for Marketing.

 

The Manufacturing Firms, who should be thrilled in taking these Engineers, are not keen because of Automation,the need to reduce cost and to a large extent the poor attitude / unemployability of these Engineers.

 

But they are smart. Having got fed up with labourers, and trade unionism, the Factories are not employing Engineers and Polytechnic pass outs in the Shop Floor and pay them Rs 300 per day, way below the Minimum Wages prescribed. The clause that anyone who has worked for 90 days has to be made permanent is thrown in the wind, as these guys are taken in as Trainees!. And they are promptly dismissed after 12 months.

 

The Average Salary of a fresh Engineer is around Rs 8000 per month with no benefits, except PF and ESI.

 

The same scenario is replicated in the Education Sector. A School Teacher who has done B Ed, has to pay a fortune to get a job in a Private School and is paid pittance.

 

Junior Lawyers don't earn anything for the first 7-8 years.

 

Nurses are revolting in Kerala, because they are paid Rs 6000-7000 per month.

 

The plight of a MBBS doctor is also bad.

 

Frankly, it is not worth to spend 18 years of your life struggling with studies, if you are not paid even minimum wages that an illegal Bangladeshi labourer in India earns!

 

No political party talks about this as these guys don't constitute a vote bank.

 

If India has to be a super power economically, and a manufacturing giant, it has to ensure its human capital has the right skills - both hard and soft, and are paid adequately.

 

The Government should prescribe a minimum wages for various qualification. For example they can start fixing the minimum wages for a Fresh Engineering Graduate at Rs 20,000. And action should be taken against those companies that misuse the trainee system, or those that keep the Certificates as a security or use underskilled persons in a job earmarked for a skilled person.

 

There is an urgent need to cull those Engineering Colleges that are substandard. We just cannot afford to have unskilled Engineers and Doctors working in our midst, as the consequences of their work can be long lasting.

 

With Modi, who stresses on Skill India, bite the bullet.

 

 

 

Cutting Political Opponents to Size

At the end of Kurukshetra war, only a handful of Kauravas were alive. The rest died.

 

Two years ago when Modi and BJP lost both Bihar and Delhi comprehensively, one of my pseudo secular friend was making fun of Modi. At least he was doing it openly, and in person, unlike lots of others, who hide behind silly and malicious forwarded Whatsapp Messages. He was viewing both Nitish and Kejriwal as an alternate to Modi, who was struggling to find his feet in Delhi during the first years of his Prime Ministerial tenure.

 

I allowed him to have his 5 seconds of fun, and gave a chill warning.

 

Never underestimate Modi. He has, in a decade, destroyed all his political opponents in Gujarat. Despite being not part of Delhi politics, he has sidelined his potential threats within BJP for the Prime Ministerial post, be it Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj or Rajnath Singh. And he has made up his mind to rule India for 10 years, and he will ensure he does.

 

My friend thought I was just being a blind Modi fan, and laughed me off.

 

During the past one year I was wondering why Modi has not taken out his ruthless self, but seemed to be swimming with the tide. He was tolerating too much nonsense. Also I was frankly disappointed at him for not pushing forward the Hindu Agenda.

 

My friend periodically poked fun at me, showing how Modis opponents were about to gang up to dethrone him in 2019.

 

Then they got hit in 2017. In fact the story started in November 2016, when he ensured political opponents were hit at where it hurts most - their ability to raise black money. Demonitization ensured Sonia, Mayawati, Mamta, Akhilesh Yadav, Kejriwal et al were left with limited liquid cash which adversely affected their Election plans.

 

First, he won a landslide victory in UP, and against conventional wisdom, appointed Yogi Adityanath as the CM. This came as a breath of fresh air for the Hindus. A no nonsense Yogi heading the largest State in India, which has become so much anti hindu under SP and BSP. And Yogi promptly got to work efficiently on all fronts and made a bold statement that Ram Temple in Ayodhya is back on track. Maywati is wiped out, and she had to enact a drama on resigning her Rajya Sabha seat to be in relevance (though no one cared) and the Yadav clan was royally split between the Father, Son and the Uncle.

 

Armed now with enough numbers to get his man elected as President and Vice President, Modi chose the quiet, hard working, low profile Ramnath Kovind as Presidential Candidate, whose Dalit credentials threw a spanner in the Grand Alliance plan of Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Nitish promptly broke ranks, as did Mulayam Singh Yadav - two chief architects of the Mahaghatbandhan. And BJP got votes from opposition members during the election (I wont call it cross voting, as there are no whips in Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections). The election split the Opposition wide open, and the seeds of mistrusts were sown.

 

Prior to that Amit Shah managed to cobble us Ministries in Goa and North East despite coming second in the elections. Goa debacle broke Congress's back.

 

The party troopers lost their morale after the UP, Goa Ministry formation, and the Presidential Election proved Sonia is not in control of Opposition Agenda any more.

 

The sickening defeat Kejriwal faced in Goa (All AAP Candidates lost deposits), and in the bye election in Delhi (Again his candidate lost Deposit in a sitting seat of AAP), and the poor performance in Punjab ensured Kejriwal was on the backfoot. BJP used Kumar Vishwas and Kapil Mishra to further mount pressure on Kejriwal, and the Arun Jaitleys defamation suit ensured he is tied up. AK has lost his face, his credibility and has been reduced to the status of begging to BJP to patch up with Modi. He was rebuffed royally.

 

Next Modi turned his eyes on Bihar, the other sore spot. Lalu Prasad Yadav has too many skeletons in his cup board. CBI and ED were unleashed on him and his children, and they came up with documents incriminating all of them. This gave Nitish the opportunity that he was waiting for, and with the gentle prod of Modi, he quit as CM of Bihar as head of Mahagatbandhan,  and immediately partnered with BJP to form the Government in Bihar. In one stroke, Modi and Amit Shah cut off the root of the Mahaghatbandhan and ensured it will never raise its head again. There is no other credible face to head the opposition in 2019.

 

Now Modi turned his eye on Sonia and her cronies. The defections engineered in Gujarat, with the backing of BJP, by Vaghela, an old friend of Modi, came as a shock to Ahmed Patel, virtually the second in command to Sonia, and the master fixer. Though Congress had 57 MLAs in Gujarat with potential support of 2 NCP MLAs, where they needed only 46 votes for Patel to win, the resignations shook Congress so much that, as this blog goes online, Ahmed Patel will struggle to get through, despite him cocooning his MLAs in Karnataka. Even if he wins, Congress has lost face, and the fact that Congress MLAs were enjoying 5 Star Resort facility while their Constituencies were under flood, will be enough to ensure BJP wins the Assembly Elections. Ahmed Patel was one of the key players who was instrumental in kicking up the Ishrat Jehan case against Modi, and try to implicate him in the past. Modi has a long memory. The other major player in cooking up cases against him is P Chidambaram. The noose is already tightening around the neck of his son Karthi Chidambaram, and it wont be long before PC is also in trouble for his financial mumbo jumbo.
 

This is only the beginning. I am sure at the right time Sonia, P Chidambaram, and even Mamta Banerjee will have to pay for their sins, once Modi turns his eyes on them. And make no mistake, Modi will cut Uddhav Thackeray to size at the right time, once and for all.

NDTV and Prannoy Roy were in the forefront in whipping up an anti Modi campaign in the Media. Now Prannoy is running for cover as he has been asked to pay Rs 900 plus crores as fine by the Appellate Tribunal.

 

By 2018 end, like the Kurukshetra war, only Rahul Gandhi and a couple of others will escape his wrath. For BJP, it pays to have Rahul Gandhi out free. Every time he opens his mouth, BJP is ensured of 1 lakh votes at least.