Letter to Kalavati

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Dear Kalavati, Did you vote? No? But, why? I don't understand why you people are so depressed nowadays. Actually, traditionally we Indians have all been ardent lovers of donating and voting is the holiest donation. Don't you remember having donated so many things in the last 60 years? Don't you remember? Let me help you recollect. Your family has been farmers for many generations. Crores of Indians have been doing it for ages. Now, all of you buy seeds, pesticides, fertilisers, electricity, ropes and what not. You buy all these at the prices decided by the respective manufacturers. Then you till the land with your sweat for days and months. Whatever you grow; whether it's cotton, onion, potato, vegetables or grains; tell me do you ever decide the price for that? No. Never. Not a single farmer in India has ever decided the price of his produce. Now,....

If I were the FM of India

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I aim to be the Prime Minister of India. Recent history, however, guides me to be the Finance Minister first and then only can I aspire to be the Prime Minister. Also, I have to offer something extraordinary to the people of India as a Finance Minister to gain a credible pro-poor, pro-development image which would impress my high command and select me for the coveted job. I met Mr. Anil Bokil one day and he told me a way to heaven. Yes, a path to heaven. But is it a practical idea? Frankly, I don't know. Is it possible? I don't know. Is it fiction? I don't know. Is it worth considering? Yes, why not? All other questions could be discussed and debated. I think India has plenty of intellectuals, experts and economists to debate on that and decide. Well, well, but let me tell you the....

Politics of convenience at work again

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I was recording vox pops of some young voters from Nasik during the recent Lok Sabha elections. A young MBA student in this Maharashtrian town told me that she will vote for the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as she found Raj Thackeray the most charismatic and fashion-savvy young leader. She also admitted to not having voted in any of the past elections although she was eligible. This is only an example of a few million first-time voters. With this, I was taken into flashback mode of my journey as a journalist to witness the state of the 12.5 crore people, nowadays regarded as nomadic or de-notified tribes but treated for the last 152 years as "notified criminal tribes". Not a single living soul of this population (which is equal to the population of the UK) has a right to have a birth certificate or a residence or domicile certificate....