A couple of days back, there was this news that our dear prime minister is being given a chartered plane just like that of the Air Force one that belongs to the US president. But it was to be a bit more advanced and luxurious than that of the US president. After all our prime minister is no less than that of the United Stated President. Isn't it?
We are the 2nd largest democracy in the world. That itself calls for an Air Force One like aeroplane for our Prime Minister. But I was wondering about the money that was to be involved in this. Where is it going to come from?
I as a good citizen of my country pay my income tax. Thanks to the tax-system in our country that I end up only getting 71% of what I earn every month. The big fishes in the country end up paying nominal amounts as taxes and we keep wondering as to how is it possible that they are assessed so small an amount. But our Income Tax department doesn't find anything fishy in it.
I travel on 3rd grade roads that get a gutter in it even before the Corporation decides to repair the already existing gutters. Ask them what the problem is and they would answer - it is lack of funds.
I pay 3 times the cost of fuel, just because the government feels that the oil companies in India are still not making any profit. So I have to pay that amount for the fuel that I use, because I am the financier for the oil companies in India.
So, then who is paying for our Prime Minister's chartered plane.
The answer was obvious - it is me. The common man.
As I was digesting this news, I read another news in the newspaper the other day. Another Prime Minister aspirant in my country - Mayawati (chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and the Bahujan Samaj Party Chief) is now planning to buy a chartered plane for herself. She was shown a few, but she wants one that is the best in luxury. Now ask her where the money is coming from and she would answer that it is her hard-earned money. If she as a minister, who gets a disclosed salary that is only 60% of what I am paid every month (and I have not been able to manage a house for myself) how is she able to buy a chartered plane.
Ask the Income Tax department and they think that Mayawati is a good citizen of India and should not be looked upon with suspicion.
The answer to all this is quite obvious and was something that I wrote about in one of my blogs earlier. Yes My Minister.

It was 'Barack Obama' all night long in India on the 4th of November. People were awake and were in front of their television sets listening to the news - wondering as to who is going to win the elections in the United States of America.
One would wonder at the thought of how much the US influences every other country in the world. These people who were awake to find out the result of the US presidential elections, had never shown such an interest in the Lok Sabha elections in India. So what was so interesting about the US elections. I and a financial enthusiast and am on top of everything that happens in the financial markets. Even for me, I couldn't yet find out what was the importance of that election and what was the impact of that election on India. Strange but, true.
When I saw a group of housekeeping staff in my office glued to the huge television set in the office lounge watching the news, I wondered what they were interested in. So I asked one of them, "What is happening out here?". He in a very polite tone replied, "Sir, Osama in contesting elections in America. We want to see if he wins". I just couldn't stop laughing.
So reasons known or, unknown, the US influences every country in the world. Be it the financial breakdown and crisis or, the Presidential elections.



The question still remains, if the Presidential elections has any influence on India. But one thing is for sure, Obama will have an influence. If not on India, at least on a few Indians. As I watched the victory speech of the President elect, not once did I blink my eyes. His speech was so enthralling. The way he kept using "America" and "Yes we can", throughout his speech made me think of the petty politicians like Raj Thackeray and Laloo Yadav, who have still not been able to come out of their Maharashtras and Bihars. Barack Obama's speech at least gave me a reason to respect him. Oh! India only if there was one politician in India who had even 10% of passion that Barack Obama showed, we would have been much better that "America". But alas!!
I should conclude saying, "Yes, Obama".

Since the past few days, the No-Confidence motion scheduled to happen in the Parliament on 22nd July was the hottest topic around. Political parties were busy getting their acts together to ensure that their numbers were in place. At the same time, media was also quite busy gathering information about which minister changed parties, who accepted a deal, what was the deal worth and what were the projections like.
So close was this numbers game that the ruling party and the opposition both forgot what ethics were all about and went to the extent of offering huge sum of money to minister to initiate them to vote for their party or, abstain from voting. This was not it. The next level to which these parties went was even worser and showed their real character.
These parties first went to minister who were convicted and were in jail promising them that the legal proceedings against them would be reconsidered and their crime would be forgiven in case they support these parties. In a few of my earlier posts I had written about Surajbhan, Pappu Yadav and other such ministers.
In addition to all this, these convicted ministers were even granted bail to let them participate in the voting to be done in the Lok Sabha. I wonder how the conscience of these parties allow them to do all this. Where is the judiciary? Isn't it the responsibility oft he judiciary to stop all this.

The Lok Sabha is going in for a No-Confidence motion in a few days. The fate of the ruling party and the government is to be decided in this. After a fall-off between the various parties in the ruling coalition government a few parties withdrew support to the ruling coalition and thus the government is now in an unstable state. But what use is this No-Confidence motion?
It is funny when you try to figure out all that is happening in the political circle these days. The ruling party is trying to gather as much support as possible and the opposition is trying to gather as many people as possible to ensure that the government does not win the No-Confidence vote. What could be the extent that these people could go to, to attain their objective? One would not even have imagined it.
The ruling coalition members and the opposition alike are these days very busy bribing Member of Parliaments to support them in the No-Confidence motion. And these members who were once not even considered as valuable ones are these days swinging their support to whichever side is offering them a better package. You should not be surprised when you hear the packages that are being offered as bribes - it could be anything starting from Rs. 25 Crore onwards.
What good is this No-Confidence motion? The very objective of it is defeated. But still our parties are not defying from going ahead and claiming that it is the people's verdict. What is a matter for even more pity is the fact that these politicians cry for cleaning up corruption and bribery from the system and the very constitution is being bribed in order to ensure that a few chair and power hungry idiots stay in power.
Hail Democracy. Yes My Minister