Kangana Ranaut: "Queen Of Controversy"

Salute our bold daughter  Kangana Ranaut for venting her spleen on sensitive issues . She is often dictated by her impulsive emotions and never minces her words.  Its a rare element  in  convoluted tinsel worked where entry is so struggling . 

Kangana had no God father and wasn't spoon-fed. She is a daughter of a school teacher couple and worked hard to find a niche in Bollywood.Her grandfather was a regular coffee house visitor in Shimla where he worked for long in State Khadi Board. Her was a simple typical Himachali rural family.  Her is a story of a quintessential struggling actor. She has won hearts back to back with her performances in many films like Tanu Weds Manu, Queen, Simran and many others.

Kangana made her acting debut in 2006 with a leading role in "Gangster'. She was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.  Her portrayals of a character based on actress Parveen Babi in Woh Lamhe (2006) and a shrewd socialite in Life in a... Metro were highly lauded.The latter earned her a Stardust Award for Breakthrough Performance in Female category.Kangana has  won numerous awards, including the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Filmfare Award in the same category for her role as a substance abusing supermodel in the drama Fashion.She has featured as a village girl in Dhaam Dhoom, her first Tamil film.

All said and done, Kangna has often courted controversy by taking  head on some Bollywood bigwigs.  From taking digs to speaking her mind, the actress made it to the headlines.  Despite getting legal notices for her “silly ex” Hrithik Roshanm shut up Kjo (Karan Johar) on national television, she has never been unapologetic. On the Contrary, she has been  in one panga after another since her debut. 

When Kangana was still struggling, she got involved with the much older and married Aditya Pancholi. Their stormy affair ended on an ugly note after he physically assaulted the actress ad Kangana filing a police complaint against him.

The ink of this controversy had hardly dried when Kangana was involved with Shekhar Suman’s son. She accused Adhyayan accused Kangana of ruining his life and career.

Her row with actor Sonu Sood  in "Manikarnika" also hogged media headlines. Sonu made some revelations about Kangana in a distasteful back and forth. Kangana hit back at Sonu accusing him of backing out because he didn’t want to be directed by a woman. Kangana was the directing the film.Later Kangna accused Bollywood bigwigs not supporting her for "Manikarnika".

Kangana had an unsavoury tiff with  Award Winning filmmaker Apurva Asrani. He alleged introducing changes in the script without telling him and giving credit to Kangana for some ideas that were actually his. The row got so messy, with Apurva calling out Kangana every now and then. 

Kangana's claim over Paris Hilton’s line of cosmetics, didn't go well. She had to face legal battle.  Actress said she was approached by Paris Hilton. Kangana’s attempts to make amends didn't work.

In her latest panga,, Kangana has revealed that she was asked to dress in just a robe for a photo-shoot for Pahlaj Nihalani film "I Love You Boss". 

All in all, Kangana has tread ed a path in tinsel world which even a male actor would dare not to follow.She is, indeed, a queen of struggle and courage. Hats off to her boldness. 

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Stop Splurging National Exchequer

 Come elections and "Netas" of all hue and cry make Utopian promises.  In 2014 parliament elections, BJP made hollow promise of "bringing all black money stashed abroad to the country and deposit at least 15 lakhs in every citizen's account.Poor Indian, who did not see even Rs. ten thousand in bulk believed Modi and voted lock, stock and barrel for him. The countrymen, by then, were too angry over unveiling of scam after scam during UPA regime. Well, poll promises are never to be delivered. Its a harsh truth, Indian voters need to learn after voting  17th time for electing their representatives.

This time, BJP was awestruck by Congress president Rahul Gandhi's so called surgical strike on poverty or "garibi by promising depositing Rs. 6000 monthly (72,000 annually) in every poor family account. Whatever may be the merits of this poll promise but its a big.. big deal for a vast majority of poor families who hardly eke out their living. Congressmen including newly appointed general secretary are elated to core. The see a ray of hope in grabbing "power". To counter Rahul Gandhi's  most populist " poll promise", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced India shooting down satellite test and India joining as space power. Earlier, in the day, PM tweeted " मेरे प्यारे देशवासियों, 
आज सवेरे लगभग 11.45 - 12.00 बजे मैं एक महत्वपूर्ण संदेश लेकर आप के बीच आऊँगा"। I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media. 11:23 AM - Mar 27, 2019 

However, even hawkish element admit PM latest announcement is no math to Rahul Gandhi'surgical strike" on poverty. India's feat in space  missile is not something extra-ordinary.  The United States ran the first anti-satellite test in 1959, when satellites themselves were rare and new. Erstwhile Soviet Union tested a weapon to approach enemy satellites and destroy them with an explosive charge in In 60s and early 1970s. China did it in 2007.

For poor, India's space feat doesn't matter much, rather it will go over their head. For them , a permanent source of income is "blessing in disguise". And this time Congress promise of perennial income is not as as hollow as as BJP depositing black money in people's account. Economists say, It can be delivered though its nature ad scope are yet not clear. 

However, this massive poll promise needs at least 7 lakh crore (As per PC Chidrabaram) and such  an massive populist scheme needs more serious thoughts than mere election gimmicks.   If implemented,it is likely to have a massive impact on the country's exchequer. And the biggest disadvantage of this scheme s that runs the risk being counter-productive.  India's 240 million households living in informal urban settlements contribute more than 7.5 per cent to the country’s urban GDP. And Small and marginal farmer contribute 80% of Indian agriculture. 


The populist farmers' loan waiver has already emptied the state exchequer. State after sate is racing ahead to offer loan waivers.  The loan waiver scheme in total is likely to cost over 2.6% of GDP (US $40–50 billion or approximately 3500 billion rupee). According to  New Delhi-based Center for Environment and Food Security, the loan waiver was "an electoral sop that involves a lot of statistical jugglery and very little of real hope for Indian farmers." An important feature of the program which has been heavily criticized is that it covers only formal sources of credit and excludes any kind of informal loan. Thus, while it benefited wealthy and large-scale farmers who had access to institutional credit (about 23% of the total number of farmers), small and marginal farmers, who borrow the majority of their funds from private moneylenders,are not uplifted. This  scheme is also  crippling the agricultural credit system.

Now big question is? why should India allow political class to splurge national exchequer on populist measures to grab power? Shouldn't there be a constitutional check on making populist poll promises? There has to ne a limit. It can't go unabated. Otherwise, a day will come when. nothing will be left  in state exchequer, even to meet the day-to-day expenses. Indian politicians care too hoot for prudent policies ad programs. Their only am is to grab power, "by hook or by crook". People should rise to the occasions.  

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"Girgitting", The New Terminology For Defection

What is 'Mankading'.? The terminology was used on Monday during IPL match between Kings-XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Mankading is when the bowler brings his arm round and, instead of releasing the ball, runs out the non-striker by whipping off the bails. This type of dismissal is rare - and usually a warning is given to the batsman beforehand. Named after Vinoo Mankad, who twice dismissed the Australian Bill Brown this way.

Kings XI Punjab skipper, R Ashwin,'mankaded' Jos Buttler at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, on Monday night. Jos Buttler had given Rajasthan Royals a flying start in their run-chase and looked unstoppable after scoring his seventh half-century in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, Ashwin put an end to Buttler's stay at the crease with one of the most controversial dismissals ever seen in the history of the IPL.

Cricket fans would love to grasp this terminology. Please don't confusing it with "defecting'. The way our political leaders keep on defecting unashamedly, a new terminology is needed to explain the defection. I suggest it should be "Girgitting"

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Sukh Ram vs Dukh Ram

Not surprised, rather amused to learn the re-entry of  Pandit Sukh Ram into Congress fold. Its poll time and walking from one power platform to another is a  favourite pastime of  power- lusty contemporary politicians. Pandit Sukh Ram has been in  and out of Congress with quite ease. He is a smart politicians and  knows very well how to play cards close to his chest. 

All along his career spanning over five decades, he has been nurturing his political  interests better than his contemporaries. His elder son. Anil Sharma has been carrying his legacy to father's satisfaction and now grand old man  is back in grand old party (GOP) Congress to seek a space for his grandson's Aashray Sharma. The politically bankrupt GOP  can accommodate his grandson from Mandi parliamentary constituency as no party  leader  worth his standing is ready to take on chief minister Jairam Thakur. It is Jairam Thakur, who has fulfilled the ambitions of Mandi district  people to have the chief minister from this second largest district of the state.

Even Pandit Sukh Ram  couldn't accomplish this and narrowly missed the chair to rival Virbhadra Singh in early nineties (1993) despite full support of the then  Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao. For Pandit Sukh Ram. the entry his grandson Aashray into Electoral battle  from Mandi   parliamentary constituency will be more than enough even the young man loses.  He has set his eyes on wider canvas. And it won't be surprised if Anil Sharma also returns to Congress, sooner than latter. 

Pandit Sukh Ram and his family has no future in BJP but can fill the leadership void in Congress. All party leaders from Mandi district including Kaul Singh are considered rootless, more or less confined to their constituencies. It is only Pandit Sukh Ram who enjoys the larger mass base, at least in Mandi district. Mandi assembly seat has been his fiefdom, and family never lost from this seat even during Janata Party  wave in seventies (1977). He sees better future for his family members in Congress than in BJP. 

The re-entry of nonagenarian  Pandit Sukh Ram  into Congress underlines the  leadership crisis in the GOP. Except, Virbhadra Singh, no other party leader has large mass base. Age is not on the side of Virbhadra Singh. Congress in Himachal is in urgent need of a popular younger leader like Virbhadra Singh. Mukesh Agnihotri, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Sudhir Sharma  or even Asha Kumar don't fit te slot Party is so bankrupt in leadership stock  that it has to look elsewhere. Not only in Mandi, Congress is finding it difficult to put up a fighter in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency and is courting BJP ex-MP and involved in 'cash for question' scam Suresh Chandel. Party is so desperate that even tainted leaders (including Pandit Sukh Ram) are most welcome. 

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Consumers: The Least Protected In India

The hapless consumers in India is the least protected creature in this country. From Ambani, Tata to even state-run banks, all are out to fleece  the gullible 'memes'. Recently, our Tata Nexon was due for annual service. 

As per Tata manual the "break pads" are to be removed after 30,000 km of journey but it was replaced  during annual service even before 14,000 km, Many small parts have been replaced and charged on one pretext or  another despite "warranty period". Tata Motors claims"Nexon" is World's most safe and and reliable brand . 

One wonders if the World's  best car's  parts get  worn out within a year, the plight of Tata's other brands may turn out to be worst. most Its a  clear ploy to hoodwink the customers. Mukesh Ambani's owned Reliance JIo is no better. The Jio launched its Rs. 1500 smartphone and Rs. 49 28 days package with much fanfare. But, this phone works like a " toy" and this 'made in China' toy phone costs just Rs. 250 in market. 

 Ambani is selling the phone for Rs. 1500. The Rs. 49 monthly package is not worth of Rs. 20. Most of the time. the network remains dead. Its not only Ambani, Tata, even govt-run banks are all out to fleece its customers. I had availed a  housing loan from state-run IDBI  under floating rate of interest. 

But during 14 years repayment was not given a benefit of single Rs. whenever key interest rates were cut down. Bank was smart enough to raise the interest rate the moment it was hiked by RBI but never responded whenever I demanded to cut the interest rate. Instead, during 14 years period, I was overcharged more than Rs. 50,000. Complained to RBI, but didn't get any relief. This is the same bank which extended liberal loans to  ailing Kingfisher airline owned by Vijay Mallya. 

The corrupt system of state-run banks lend with open arms to arms-twisters like Vijay Mallaya and Nirav Modi. Govt of the days is in league with the system/ It nominates its men on the board of sate-run banks and these men work as conduits to favour the ruling politicians and their blued-eye men like Mallya and Nirav Modi. 

There are hundred of thousands of such cases. "Jago Graha Jago' sites are full of such complaints. Consumer is always at the receiving end. There plenty of are laws, consumer courts and a full fledged union ministry but the plight of the consumers continue to be miserable.   

(Chander Sharma)

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Have We Wasted The Initiative ?

The national frenzies and  whipping up  of  high emotions  over Indian Air Force targeted surgical strike deep into Pakistan were somewhat subdued after Indian Pilot was captured by Pakistan a day later. After this incident, India had to care for its captured pilot and ball was in Pakistan court. Probably, mandarins in New Delhi were least expecting this. All of sudden, an offensive India looked defensive, so much so that it had to request  Alphabet Inc’s (Google) YouTube to take down some videos showing Indian pilot captured by Pakistan. and  call upon Islamabad to release him. 

 We may now ponder, have we  lost the initiative ?  Do  India need to launch full-scale army and air attacks on Pakistan as being forcefully demanded by ex-defense personnel and "nationalists".  It was very obvious from the moment news broke out over India attacking Jaish terror camps deep inside Pakistan and in the home district  of Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan that Pakistan won't go for a full war. A economically and politically  bankrupt country can't fight a mighty and highly professional Indian Army. India is World's fourth military power, next only to US, China and  Russia (according to latest Global Firepower). Pakistan is a distant 17, that too because of its nuclear weapons. Fighting a long battle with India  will ruin Pakistan. Even. if Pakistan uses its nuclear weapons, the chances are, it will be wiped out. General Pervez Musharraf, Former President of Pakistan  has lately candidly admitted "If Pakistan attacks, India could finish us with 20 nuclear bombs". PM Imran Khan and his army men  seems to have read the writings on the walls. 

In fact. Pakistan is more at ease with "proxy war" than a full-fledged war. It has seen the catastrophic repercussions of  fighting a full war with India in 1971.  The Kargil war in 1999 was not a full-fledged war but an  armed conflict confined to Kargil and Pak army was badly defeated. Despite this, Islamabad has, to some extent, succeeded in hitting India at the part it hurt most. It has used terror as security doctrine. Pakistan has been pursuing this doctrine to pursue its military and geo-political interests  by cultivating and funding terror outfits (called as Mujahideen or Jihadis). ISI, has been. specifically, given the task, The ISI gained global recognition in 80s when it supported the Afghan Mujahideen against the mighty Soviet Union during the Afghan War. It worked  closely with  then notorious CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) of the United States to train and fund the Mujahideen.  Funds came freely from American  and Saudi Arabia. 

After fall of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan,  ISI provided strategic support and intelligence to the Afghan Taliban during the Afghan Civil War in the 1990s.  At the same time, it extended its operations to cultivate  Kashmiri separatists like Syed Mohammed Yusuf Shah, known as Syed Salahudeen and likes. Salahudeen  is the head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen,a Kashmiri separatist terrorist organization.  After being designated as a Global terrorist, he  is being protected by ISI . So is Masood Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed and blue-eyed boy of Pak army and ISI. 

There is no denying that Pakistan looks more comfortable with proxy war than fighting a full-fledged war with India. Even, if there is a war, Pakistan will never cease to prop up 'proxy war". India's biggest concern is how to make Pakistan kneel before it to stop Islamabad from  fighting "proxy war", it has been relentlessly fighting with India Since eighties.  It fought 'proxy war with India by funding and instigating "Khalistanis" in eighties,and  in Kashmir since nineties. There is an considered view across the board that war is not a solution. What is needed is a all-out war: Military, Diplomatically, Economically and Strategically. No nation can afford to support Pakistan on terror as  security doctrine. Not even China. Beijing may has its domestic compulsion to veto on Masood Azhar, but sooner than later, it has to support India even on Masood Azhar.  

China is facing growing criticism over  persecution of Muslim minority groups, huge numbers being held in internment camps.A  UN committee, in August 2018, reported that one million Uighur Muslims and other Muslim groups are  being detained in the western Xinjiang region, where they're said to be undergoing "re-education" programs. Though China denies the allegation, but it is afraid of  'Islamic uprising" and as such  keeps Pakistan and its terror groups in good humor. It can't be for long. Its the best time to act as entire world is with us. 

(Chander Sharma)

   

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