Stop the mindless violence

Someone please stop the mindless violence in Hyderabad.

May be, here's a solution:

State Govt. devolves all powers and responsibilities under the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution to the local bodies in Telangana and the rest of Andhra Pradesh.

When local bodies have sufficient powers, who can allege discrimination by another?

And when all are in the same state, Telugu people are not divided.

Telangana - not so underdeveloped

It seems an established fact among applied economists in India that there is no selective underdevelopment in Telangana region. Publication after publication have noted these two facts:

1. Among the top four most developed districts in Andhra Pradesh (not counting Hyd), two are in Telangana region.
2. Among the four least developed districts in Andhra Pradesh, two are NOT in the Telangana region.

So, if anyone tries to pull a fast one on you saying Telangana needs a new State as it is not developed, you can call their bluff.

http://isas.org.in/jisas/jsp/volume/vol63/3-Prem%20Narain.pdf

http://www.drpenna.com/2009/12/16/comparision-of-human-development-index-in-telangana-rayalaseema-and-costal-andhra/

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Resolution of the year :-

I'll turn thirty this year. I need to lose my gut before that. Not much time left. Run, Anand Run.

Food prices and fasts

Two things have caught my interest lately - the innumerable fasts in progress in Andhra Pradesh and the enormous rise in food prices.

Something odd about the demand and prices isn't it?

Back

Back again. Just to say am alive :)

Mujhse pehli si mohabbat na maang - Ode to my withering blog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9DxXRJPwE

I never knew so many of those wonderful one-liners were from this ghazal!

- "Mujhse pheli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang"
- "teri ankhon ke siva duniya me rakha kya hi"
-"aur bhi dukh hein zamane me mohabbat ke siwa"

ps: God, does she look gawdy or what

Jaya Prakash Narayan - the orator

Last Sunday, I was at a "Meet the professionals" organized by Lok Satta. And am completely floored by Jayaprakash Narayan's oratorical skills.

He held the whole audience of a jam-packed conference hall in thrall. Since the party symbol is a 'whistle', it became very much legitimate for us to whistle and cheer him as he gave his punch lines.

His magic has to do with his low baritone. And may be with the frail physical frame that contrasts and accentuates the strength of his voice.

The courage and conviction with which he spoke was contagious. One of the attendees offered to contest from Pulivendla soon after the speech. (Pulivendla is Y.S.Rajashekhar Reddy's factional murders ridden constituency in Rayalaseema). He often said that his courage comes from truth and honesty and that none of the big three (YSR, Naidu or Chiranjeevi) dare take on his truth in an open forum and challenged them to an open debate on TV on issues.

Jayaprakash spoke in Telugu to the audience. His choice of idioms and words appealed to the common-man and the connoisseur equally. He ridiculed Election Commission's nitpicking with the primarie his party conducted as 'gongura' (a Telugu delicacy) and left the audience in splits. He often quoted from poets of yester-century. I particularly liked 'veera kantham techinamu, veeru devvaro telupudi' (essentially, a call for more leaders on stage)

He created an atmosphere that was electrifying and optimism and hope for cleaner politics filled our hearts.