[Reader-list] On Kafka and 'unintended benefits' of smart cards.

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear all

Having heard ourselves in many cases regarding the functioning of the Indian
police in various cases, and having had the personal experience in one
simple case with them myself, I believe that the Indian police will still go
on arresting people irrespective of their cards being there or not.

What I can't understand are the following:


1) The government is talking about MNIC or an identity card. What does an
Indian identity mean? Can somebody define that at least for discussion here
in this forum?


2) The article probably does not understand the major issues of slums. These
include power being stolen (though major power theft is thanks to
politicians, their kith/kin/acquaintances/friends/etc. and the industries),
sanitation and even livelihood issues. Most importantly, the issue is of
life with dignity, which is missing.


3) The government has not in the least (neither the UPA or the NDA or the
Third Front or the Fourth Front nor Others), have talked about the major
problems confronting people (except through manifestos, which we know how
important are). There are issues of livelihood (roti, kapda and makaan; all
that is there are populist schems : free power (which can only be used by
middle and rich farmers, and especially the rich must be made to pay), no
agricultural tax (most of the rich farmers should be taxed), and sometimes
these BPL schemes (when what is required is a proper PDS system coupled with
employment schemes like NREGS in the village, or even in urban areas,
especially for slum people).


Equally, neither of the fronts has talked about police reforms (those which
can improve the functioning of the police), the electoral reforms (as
suggested by the EC itself, regarding improvement of the electoral system),
the judicial reforms (to ensure the judiciary is also accountable to the
public like the legislature and the executive are), as well as governance
reforms (including the Sarkaria Commission report).


There is no understanding as to how any of the fronts wishes to tackle the
global economic crisis, at least its' effects in India. The BJP criticizes
the UPA for the fiscal deficit, and then says it will spend heavily from the
budget for India's growth. What is this crap? And both are competing on the
rates at which food will be provided to the poor. (Never mind that delivery
systems are also important and food quality must be good as well).


And as for health and education, the major fronts have nothing to say except
allocating money. What is most surprising is that, we all know corruption is
a major problem in the schemes, and yet just allocating money is considered
enough for the government at the centre. This is crap. The central govt. has
an added responsibility to ensure that the money they allocate is actually
well spent. The govt does have the CAG and some NGO's undertaking
ground-level work to look at this, but yet there is pilferage of money (some
on small scale, some on large). Sometimes, projects are not undertaken to
increase their value and then given to contractors.


And yet, all our parties can think of is who should be the PM? Does it
matter who is the PM, when the govt. (be it of any party) is going to be a
coalition arrangement, whose core agenda would be 'apni apni dafli, apna
apna raag', and the only thing they cling on to is power, otherwise there
are no values, no customs, and everything is accepted as they say 'in love,
war and elections (and power), everything is fair'.


4) What about chances of corruption in the MNIC? And remember, if corruption
here happens, the so-called Pakistani terrorists (as our state claims) will
have a field day attacking India's spots without any problems of being
branded as Pakistani as well. Then?

Hence, we need to have debates on questions like some of these. And as for
the PM debate, I am sure the Indian public will give a fitting reply to all
those who wish to become PM, so that none among them becomes the PM.


Regards

Rakesh