A future blocked by a ceiling...

Every time I listen to a panel discussion about 'Breaking the glass ceiling,' I get miffed by the stories that are told. Not because they are glorified, but more per-say, as they convey only a partial narrative of the privileged minority of the population.

And while it is okay that this makes my blood boil, it is time things need to be said exactly as the way they should be. So, here I am, ruffling the hornet's nest and opening the pandora's box. But before you start looking for me – to punch me in my face, hear me out.

Yes, I agree, acknowledge, and applaud all modern educated quintessential women within and outside the corporate world. And that is indeed a remarkable feat, considering our history of generations laden with patriarchy.

The premise of my disagreement begins here. All these women, whose remarkable achievement we are in awe about – were highly educated, acted on their own will, and powered by their own confidence and determination ventured into a world dominated by men to achieve something which we did not expect them to. At least that what we are happy to believe – 'That they were not capable of achieving it.' Though this belief is nothing but shameful,

I would still say, "To some extent, such a belief is fine, since it reflects centuries of 'stinking upbringing' – telling us men that we are born superior."

I am sure, by now, either you are raging with anger or are confused, as I have not hit home yet. So before either one of you hits the snooze button, let me hit the nail hard, and put things where they belong.

So, here is my first question. Are we looking at the complete picture? I would say, "No". That is not even one pixel. Forget being a portion of the image. Because no one is talking about the barely educated or probably the un-educated woman on the street, who might be working as a housemaid, unskilled laborer, or some other odd job.

Most of these women face all sorts of resistance, domestic violence, social rebuke and discrimination, and a lot of other unmentionable things – from all directions.

Trust me when I say this, "99% of these unprivileged women don't even know that in some corner of the city that they live, has a talk-show going on, were some 3 or 4 significantly well to do and educated ladies are narrating some story about their life, which goes like – "I had to convince my dad for a week to let me study marine engineering at IIT."

To that, my fuming response would be, "WTF. Grow up and clean the wax out of your ears. Be happy that you had a father who understood what IIT and an Engineering Degree from there means. Think about the one whose father comes home drunk every day, beats his wife and daughter black and blue. And probably even does things that no sane person would ever think of."

Alright, before I start pointing fingers, lets me present some realistic data which explains the educational and social background of a few of our role models who have 'broken the glass ceiling.'

1. The top boss of a global beverage company has two Masters' Degree in Management. One from the Indian Institute of Management and another from YALE University.
2. The CEO of a global digital learning organization has a Bachelors' Degree in Engineering from IIT and a Master's Degree in Management from IIT.
3. A renowned TEDx speaker and published author whom a popular social media website ranked as Top Voice for a recent year have done her college education from Harvard.
4. Another one with a similar resume went to study at the London School of Economics. Yes, the same one where one of the country's past Prime ministers and a well-published economist studied.

I hope you get the logic I am trying to put here. However righteous or ridiculous it might sound, it is equally important to point out that all these educational institutes where our role models studied have an intake rate of less than 2.5% and probably an equally competitive graduation statistic. And yes, the education there is expensive, but it takes much more than sheer good luck to be able to have studied there.

Let me dive a little deeper, here I am referring to the section of women in the society who do not even know that phrases like – Equal Pay Parity, Gender Diversity, Martial R* is really a crime, and 'Saying no' is an option, etc. exist. Being submissive, keeping a low profile, remaining silent about any sort of abuse is all these women know and understand. All of which is unacceptable. The real effort of abolishing the disparity must begin here itself.

I have seen many people going gaga about many achievers calling them icons of 'breaking the glass ceiling'.

These are the people who have spoken at world podiums, written books, led teams, climbed mountain peaks, or even ruled nations. Life in its true sense is not just about a handful of people. There are a majority of women whose entire life can be summarized in 3 words – Struggle for existence.

However, I am not here to belittle anyone's achievements. Like I said initially, "I agree, all the women CEOs and Start-up Wizards have worked hard to get wherever they are. And, obviously, their success stories must be known, shared, celebrated, and followed as role models. But let us divert our attention on those, who have a similar story, but probably their narrative does not involve words like – College Degree, MBA, Start-up, Boardroom, Awards etc."

In my humble and personal opinion, the 'REAL Glass Ceiling' issues can be summed up through either of the following narratives.

• For an average girl, the 'glass ceiling' is nothing more than – "Not being ogled upon, when she walks barely 300 meters from her home to buy a packet of potato chips."
• For the one traveling to her school or college in public transport, it ends at – "Returning home without having a man touch her or making an attempt to.
• For some, it is achieved every morning, if on the night before she was not beaten, was not forced upon, or the husband or a grown-up son did not snatch or steal money from her to buy booze or gamble.
• For another one waiting to be married, the same so-called ceiling comes crashing down – on the day, she does not have to don a saree, wear make-up, and do a shy walk, in front of a bunch of strangers, desperate to evaluate her and find fault in her; just so that some extra dowry can be bargained.

I could go on and on with a long list of stories of the kind for which a different definition of 'glass ceiling' needs to be coined, and that too pronto. But I alone taking a step forward in that direction will not suffice. I would need help.

Now, if you are thinking of saying, "a drop at a time fills the bucket,." I would say my thoughts above are not even the first drop. They are just an honest realization that an empty bucket exists, which should have been filled a long time back. As I write this piece, I am just trying to look for a place where this bucket can be kept to get filled. And this place is not marked on Google maps. We need to create it from scratch. Probably, if you too agree that the bucket needs to be filled, share your thoughts so that we all together can make this place.

- Candid Speaker

Stick No Posters

Let me be the first to call it - This is a modern tragedy of biblical proportions.

No, we aren't talking about the Coronavirus. I feel we are all talking about the virus a little too much while being distracted about the real pandemic in our lives - Corporate greed and Political apathy.

A year ago, as governments scrambled to contain the virus and contain us without our homes or in the case of India, throw millions of migrants out of their urban homes, we didn't flinch. 

If you haven't realized it, this is a Global War. Countries around the world have lost lakhs of citizens. If this were an armed conflict, people would have been outraged. We would have been on the streets campaigning and baying for the blood of our governments for their apathy. We would not have rested until the system changed. 

If this was a Hollywood movie, the American protagonist would have rolled out the big guns and then some to bring democracy and world peace. If this was a Bollywood movie, Salman Khan would have beaten the virus so badly the virus will need a vaccine. And he would have done all this while prancing around an actress 40 years younger. 

But what did we end up doing? 

We made tik-tok challenges and memes. 

We started having sports events with no spectators. 

We started making masks fashion statements.

And the enterprising amongst us made a yacht full of money. A few made their billions staking their millions on the coronavirus. As pharma, cryptocurrency, and IT stocks continue to make people rich, there is very little doubt there is money to be made out of misery, as long as you play your cards right.

When the dust began to settle down, our politicians did what mattered to them - Consolidate power.

A year ago, our PM shut down the country in the only way he knew - Primetime television with just 4 hours' notice. What ensued was a crisis the PM is still in denial about. 

Today, when we are losing 10000s of people a day, you'd think we've learned our lesson.

The short answer is - No.

The long answer is - We are so effing tired of the way our politicians have been governing us for the last many years. To be fair, it's been a very long time since any of our politicians had to deal with such shit. Barring Indira Gandhi, no other politician has had the cajones to handle a crisis like this. So Modi brought this upon himself. He never realized he could get effed over by nature. Or complacence, or even arrogance. 

We are so tired of the way our government doesn't make decisions based on science, facts, and rationality but instead based on how they perceive their ratings or a chance to remain in power will be. As politicians play roulette with our hope, we have lost the patience to listen. We don't want to clap our hands, turn off the lights, or clang vessels anymore. We don't want catchphrases, hashtags, and your bearded portraits in every government advertisement. 

We want our old normal back. We want our loved ones alive. We want you to vaccinate us, all of us soon.

We don't want to be discriminated against because of who we worship. We hated it when you targeted the few hundreds who attended the Tablighi Jamaat last year. It was a manhunt of epic proportions. The islamophobic amongst us refused to accept food when it was delivered by a Muslim man. We hate it when you allowed the Kumbh Mela to happen. We hate it that this led to 10000s of people getting infected and dying. We hate it that you restricted Muslims from celebrating iftaar during Ramzaan but had no qualms allowing 1000s on the Amarnath Yatra. 

We hated it when Manmohan Singh would speak so less. We hate it when you don't speak to us except when you need us. We hate it that you allowed rallies by the 1000s even when the second wave was well in. We hate that you'll probably not remember this tragedy and allow this to repeat in a few months.

We hate it that you are riled by posters (and people) that are critical of your governance. We hate it that you can't take criticism - even when it is entirely justified.

We hate it that you had several months to rebuild what was necessary and important but instead chose to sit back and do nothing. We hate it that you promised us and gloated to the world about how we are the Pharmacy to the world. We hate it that you didn't think of buying enough vaccines for all of us even as you launched the World's Largest Vaccination Drive. Sure, everyone loves a good hashtag. But not accounting for or even ordering for the number of vaccines makes it look like you didn't think this all the way through. I mean what kind of miracle did you think would happen when you innoculate just 3% of your country's population (as of 18th May 2021)? 

Come to think of it, our current administration is like an underachieving hormonal teenager. They love to dream big and fantasize about the mystical. Filled with untapped potential, they love to plan. But that's all they do. Once the fanfare and the applause die, and when they think about the hard work that lies ahead, they abandon ship to move on to the next big thing. Repeat cycle. But there is a glimmer of hope - if there is one thing that gets them to their knees, it is election time. Like a sex-craved teenager that can't think of anything else but satiating his own lust, politicians from our current administration will hug you, kiss you, court you, and make sweet sweet love to you. The rape begins once they've been voted to power. They will pit you against your neighbor and the neighbor's dog. All this to satiate their lust for unimaginable wealth that comes with power. Whoever thinks India is poor surely doesn't have a clue about the unaccounted wealth of our politicians and their sugar daddies. 

But that doesn't mean the opposition is any better. They just had it lucky. 

We hate it that we have to keep wondering about our government's strategy to govern. Motormouth politicians that live in denial want to say things are under control and that we can finally get to business. But we know that's not going to happen anytime soon. We are to blame too and we hate that too. We are too weak to get out to the streets and fight for a change and the easiest thing to do is to look the other way and continue mumbling under our breaths while living whatever subsistence of a life we can afford.       

We hate it that billions of dollars worth of aid and equipment from around the world lie at airports and seaports around the country just because our government banned foreign aid - in the middle of the pandemic last year. Surely, news of this apathy won't reach the ears and eyes of the millions of people and dozens of governments that donated generously to the Pharmacy of the World. We hate that you played vaccine diplomacy by shipping millions of vaccines to other countries while not ensuring we had enough for ourselves.
It's basic math, Mr. PM - 1.2 billion people need 2.4 billion vaccines. 

Today, as many countries in the West have figured out their strategy to fight, we are still floundering, badly. Our PM is MIA while we are dealing with a crisis of governance or the lack of it. 

As I read and hear about our government's reactive strategy that appears to mutate faster than the virus, I am sure there must be a Shakesperean play about this, or maybe we need to create one. Personally, I think the folktale of the Emperor's new clothes is the closest that fits. 

As our government stumbles from one grave milestone to another, my only hope is that months or years from now, we'll remember this - as the monumental fuckup that it is and hold the people accountable for this and make them pay. Not by jail terms. That's too mild. But by throwing them out of power and keeping them there. 

What about his silence!

What is that they say about silence? Silence is golden, right?

Probably, the reason our Honourable Prime Minister is silent. 

While people die outside of his privileged sanctum of calm and health, Mr. Modi is conspicuously silent. 

He probably doesn't have much to say. 

Or maybe he does, but he doesn't need to say it. 

Or maybe he does need to say but doesn't know how to say it. 

Or maybe he knows how to say it but doesn't know why he needs to say it now. 

The dead aren't helpful to him anymore anyway. 

The seriously ill will never live long enough to vote and is thus not helpful to him either.

The ones living in fear of getting sucked into the vortex of government apathy and corporate greed will forget in time for the next elections. One biriyani and liquor combo lunch with Rs 500/- will guarantee their votes.

The rich will flee to their cocooned fortresses and ride out the crest. 

The poor will rather die asphyxiated than of starvation.

This leaves 4% of taxpayers (aka the middle class) to bear the brunt. Like rats in a sinking ship, we scurry from hospitals to oxygen-filing centers in search of life. 

The dead will cremate themselves or be thrown into the Ganges.

Like sheep in a fold surrounded by ravenous wolves and vultures, we will continue to live in fear that jumps a notch every time we hear of another sheep who succumbed. 

The intellectual amongst will analyze the reason why the fellow sheep died. Maybe that sheep was careless. Two days later, all is forgotten until the next casualty. 

Repeat cycle of fear and paranoia.

As our reputation of having mediocre standards of excellence, our standards of governance lack as well. 

We can't elect the right leaders, and we can't hold them to account.

We love fiction. We love being the victim. Many of us still wear the colonial hangover like a thong of pride. Recently, a friend forwarded a message that pinned the coronavirus's blame on China and how they have weaponized the virus to 'take India down.' Really?! Anyone, just anyone, who's been to China will testify that China on its worse day is still a decade ahead of India in infrastructure and progress.

Too often, when people are in trouble, they look for scapegoats.

What the US lacks in credibility, they make up in brute force media-power. 

A recent article that said the US already knew of China's intention to weaponize the virus back in 2015 proved our conspiracy theories true.

If they knew about this ahead of time, it is a crime beyond belief that they didn't take the proper steps before millions of their own died a needless and completely avoidable tragedy. 
But then the US has a reputation of constructing 'evidence' when they want to prove their allegations. Case in point - Colin Powel and the Bush administration alleged Iraq had WMDs just to invade the country and stake claims on their oil fields and a consumer of their weapons industry. We all know how that went. The WMDs were just a smokescreen. 

Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring going, these are the features that constitute the endless repetition of history. 

The policies of our administration appear reactive instead of responsive. Our federal government can't figure out what needs to be done first and what needs to be done timely. Resigned to this fact, our country is now in the middle of what appears to be federal stubbornness and State confusion. The truth of the adage 'Better sooner than later' is lost on our administrator.

When the Prime Minister and his administration should have augmented our healthcare infrastructure, they sat on the sidelines watching other countries manage their second wave and did nothing. But it's not because we had nothing to do. Modi and his gang were busy fighting for elections in the 3 crucial States. They boasted of massive rallies as masses of their supporters (paid or otherwise) congregated - throwing all semblance of social distancing, often without masks. 

The Election Commission and the rest of India watched aghast. The EC because there is precious little they can do anymore. The people because they can't do anything but to survive and hope they aren't going to die in a few months.

When our Prime Minister and his administration should be building confidence and access to vaccination, they played the desi card - by prematurely announcing Covaxin. Even when we had the time to create an infrastructure to vaccinate and ensure our nation had enough supplies, we did nothing. We simply sat with our arms folded. I blame our government for its misguided priorities. 

It is the neglect of timely repair that makes rebuilding necessary. 

At a time when our country is in the news across the world for the fuck-fisted way our government is handling the pandemic and beating records of the dead, our administration is busy building its new parliament. Surely, development should not stop, and the government has a plan in place for the Central Vista project. Indeed, this is nothing but a pissing contest to prove we have a better house. But how can you raise a toast and pretend it's business as usual when there is a crisis in your own backyard. How can a government that couldn't afford to buy enough vaccines for its own citizens spend $6 billion to build a newer, swankier place for our esteemed and privileged class of citizens to live and work? If only the government spent more money to buy the vaccines, we could have ensured every resident would be inoculated twice at just $ 13 million. Alas, priorities!

Governments have a tendency not to solve problems, only to rearrange them. 

When our country is being ravaged by a virus, we are yet to hear Modi's Mann ki Baat. As the broad-chested leader of men, our bearded first citizen needs to talk to us. He needs to speak to each of us - tell us what he plans to do and how he'll do it and how soon he plans on doing it. 

The last time we heard him speak was at campaign rallies where he predicted electoral success. He appears to talk to us only when he wants us. Only when he wants us to vote for him and his party. 

Our prime minister appears to go into a maun vrat every time the country is in trouble. Like a petulant teenager giving his parents the silent treatment, he talks only through his administration—every minister echoing his flavor of governance with no apparent sense of direction or purpose. 

Blaming is so much easier than taking responsibility because if you take responsibility, then you might be to blame. 

What needs to be done quickly and first The present state of affairs as it stands is that of an economy nose-diving under the wake of a virus that our government neither understands nor is willing to tackle proactively. Our administration has resorted to 'what-aboutism' to camouflage its failure. As hundreds of myths and half-truths about the virus and infections circulate, our government appears to not want to do anything about the misinformation. Say something against the government, and you'll be taken down - swiftly.

It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one's acts.

When funeral pyres and crematoriums are working round the clock across the country, our official statistics say we are only losing 3000 people a day. If you're one of those millions who believe this number, you haven't visited your local crematorium yet. Not surprising because our government isn't wet behind the ears when it comes to fudging the truth and cooking books. Giving the actual numbers will alarm the world. Who really wants to do that?!

Everything was perfectly healthy and normal here in Denial Town.

As infections will begin to plateau in States, as the virus runs out of steam as it always does, our government will put its feet up and take a power nap and wake up just before they crank up their polls plans to win Uttar Pradesh in eight months. 

Chances are, we all know someone we have lost to Corona. Remember, this was an entirely avoidable loss. Undoubtedly, experts predicted we'd have another wave last year. Remember, we had the time to prepare, innoculate, and brace for impact. We didn't. 

Undoubtedly, the government can't be expected to do everything. But that's the reason why we elect them - so that they can counsel the brightest minds, best strategists, and policy-makers and guide us with wisdom born out of foresight.

Every ship in calm waters has an excellent captain.

Chances are, you may survive this wave. How about the next wave and one after that?

You may be one of the millions who is cocooned inside your cozy home, fans and aircon on, Netflixing and chilling, making babies, and creating tik-toks. 

You may be stocked up on ready-to-eat mixes, condoms, sanitary pads, and batteries for now.

Until the tragedy strikes closer to your heart, you'll feel lucky that you can work from home and not bother about the thousands of people dying.  

So until the second wave crashes out, our prime minister is going to give his vocal cords a well-deserved rest, nourish and prune his flawless flowing beard, and prepare his strategy to retain the last of the big States in Jan 2022. 

But when our Health Minister declares 'India is better prepared to beat Covid 19 compared to 2020', I just wish I had whatever the heck he is sniffing.

The End

The last few years have been tough.
But let's admit it - The last few days have been harder.

5 days ago, our PM did it again. He delivered a primetime speech, filled with enough anecdotes that included breaking Corona into an interesting acronym, to shut down our country. 
Yes, we had to shut down. Because let's face it. Our healthcare infrastructure is not prepared to handle an epidemic, let alone a pandemic.
Yes, we need to do what we need to do to prevent India from becoming a powder keg for the deadly virus.

My beef is with the way our PM does this. Sure, this virus much like black-money and corruption needs be to nipped and tough measures need to be taken. 
Like demonetization, he gave a country of 1.2 billion just 4 hours to shut down and stay home for 21 days. 
He had to be seen taking a tough and a much-needed stand. He had to be seen in control. 
But what ensued was utter chaos. Today, he came out with guns blazing defending his decision. Who else thinks our PM hasn't learned any lesson yet. 

Thousands of cities and towns across India has seen a crisis on the scale of what happened when Partition happened. Millions of people scrambled to stock up on essentials and more. Often stripping shelves bare. The early birds got the ready-to-eat packets and then more. The later birds were lathi-charged and if they were lucky, stood in lines 2 meters apart for hours to get milk and the bare necessities. I know because I stood in a line for 3 hours myself. 

And we're the lucky ones. 

The millions of migrants that build and run India heard half the first half, panicked, picked themselves, and ran. For their lives. It was either stay home and starve to death or flee and die in transit. For millions, this is still the prevailing truth. 

To the millions (in India, and billions across the world) who aren't quarantining themselves, declaring their travel history, or are otherwise continuing with their daily lives with a cavalier attitude I wonder- 
What will it take for them to take this outbreak seriously?

Where the politicians left, our media cued in with their own brand of paranoia and fed on the collective fear of apocalypse. Astrologers and your helpful chatty neighbor have been having a field day predicting all sorts of bullshit. 

But enough of the negativity.
As the world learns to stay, work, and play from home, I want this post to help you count your blessings. I know I do.

• Most importantly, I am thankful that I am healthy (at the time of writing this post). I ask that you join me in silent prayer for the lakhs who are fighting this virus.
• I am thankful millions like me can work from home. Unlike the tens of millions more who cannot. It would have been unimaginable to work from home even 15 years ago. Today, I don't even have to step out of my home to be productive. 
• I am thankful that we have a roof over our heads. A safe haven. Unlike the millions in countries like Syria and Iraq and the millions of refugees, the homeless, the disenfranchised, and the persecuted. Apart from making sure we stay safe and clean, we don't have to worry about a drone or a missile strike killing us when we least expect it.
• I am thankful, and this is for the millions who are actually taking this seriously, that we have the mental and emotional awareness of what we are going through and the gravity of the situation. Unlike those suffering from mental illness or are otherwise unable to understand why their worlds have suddenly changed.
• I am thankful that I have the intellect to discern information from propaganda. I am glad I question and like to verify the facts instead of consuming every piece of information we're fed now. Being able to separate the fake from the truth is such a valuable trait. 
• I am thankful that I have the money to buy what I'll need to ride this wave. I silently pray for the millions who aren't sure if they will be alive in 30 days from now.
• I am thankful that my family, friends, coworkers, and loved ones are safe. I can't imagine the grief of those who lost someone close to their hearts at a time like this.
• I am thankful that I am able to stay in touch with all my loved ones. I am thankful for all the love and prayers. I am alive only because of your prayers and I hope to be able to return all the love I've got.
• I am thankful that we have millions of people who are doing what they need to do so that I can write and you can read this post. I am thankful to all the millions who are keeping our cities and towns powered, sewage clear, and water running. Asians, unlike our western cousins, don't use TP.
• I am thankful that we have doctors and healthcare professionals working round the clock doing everything humanly possible to heal the sick, save the dying, and immunize the rest of us. 
• I am glad we still have millions of good Samaritans helping our communities stay afloat, at these times. Cooking, cleaning and doing everything else we cannot (or would not) do. 
• I am thankful that I am able to spend more time with my loved ones at home. I regret not spending enough time with my dad in his final years. I don't want to regret not spending time with family anymore. I am thankful for technology that enables us to be as connected as ever, even during an unprecedented crisis like this, to everyone and everything that matters. 
• I am thankful we have stopped polluting our skies and clogging our roads, even if it is for a brief moment. Can I say how wonderful it is to wake up to birds chirping rather than the horns blaring?
• I am thankful for this time of quiet introspection and solitude. Unlike the millions whose lives have changed forever.
• ...

This list is long.
But you get the drift right. I want our rally cry to be one where we are positively encouraging. We can't shut all the negativity out, but we sure can drown them.

Recently a client of my company said something that struck me as profound - She was relating how she likes to end every conversation, digital or otherwise, by saying 'Choose Joy'. I was inspired. 
Like a lowly candle tearing into the darkness, I want to raise my voice. This time for more goodness. I choose joy.

And beginning with this post, I've decided to not write politics and social satire anymore. 
My readers get more than their daily recommended dosage of that from other sources online and offline.

I'm retiring my brand of satire here because I've grown weary of readers sending me veiled threats. 

Starting as soon as next week, I'll be back. With the renewed focus of a little candle in the darkness. 

Until then, stay safe and be thankful for the little joys of life. 

When we fear...

They say age is just a number.

As I get to the big four O, I both agree and disagree.

I don't feel forty but I'm not as fearless as I was. 

It's all in the mind they say. But is the mind weary or are you willing to celebrate the glass half full?

The decade that just passed has been tumultuous. As someone who follows politics, regional and otherwise, I've been getting sicker.

Modi with his unique brand of statesmanship has done a fair enough sleight of hand tricks to retain the voting majority. 

We have morphed into a nation where freedom of speech has become a precious nonrenewable resource.
Like slow-cooked frogs, we neither have the muscle to rise up nor the money to keep our fight focused. 

As politicians openly campaign for violence against those who don't share their political enthusiasm, I lament.

I've stayed quiet for the better part of the past decade fearing frivolous lawsuits and death threats from people who don't believe in the basic tenets that made up our great country. 

Politicians will beat their chests with fervent patriotism and claim India has never invaded another country in history, but why invade when we can implode from within. 

To be fair, I like Modi's style of brute force statesmanship. 

I like how he is the hugging saint of politicians. 

I like how he has got people talking about India. 

I like how he can rally his troops just by using words. 

I like how he has the political will to get what he wants.

I like how he has the political majority to do what he wills.

I like how he is fiercely loyal to Gujarat.

I like how he is conscious of his image, political and otherwise.

I admire the Chanakya in him. 

But that's about it.

I don't like how he has dismantled our society, which was delicately held together by common complaints and joys of daily living. 

I don't like how he destroys his political opponents.

But that's not all...

I intensely hate how he can allow people to die. Yes, I have a strange sense of deja vu knowing how Modi feasted with Trump when barely a few km away, the city was burning. 

I am aghast at how he could allow people to kill each other and be silent about it. 

I am appalled at how he could allow politicians within his party to openly call for genocide and not flinch. 

I am surprised we haven't removed politicians who feed us with hate, while we arrest citizens who call them out.

As the country burns in pockets and patches of violence, our Premier is busy getting ready to win the next election, preparing for the next luncheon meeting with a foreign leader, or trying to schmooze another billionaire.

As Modi grooms his successor and India looks like it is doomed unless we rise in a way we haven't in 70 years, I am overcome with a sense of dread. 

The silver lining in the cloud is - Modi isn't the worst. We've got Shah coming in next. 

We've got golden girl Pragya Thakur.

We've got stud muffin Yogi Adityanath.

Can India survive the onslaught?

The irony in closing:

I am amused Modi had to build a wall to cover up slums from the sacrosanct gaze of the Don. After all, we were always told tall tales of his Gujarat model of progress. 

Well, atleast Don got his wall.

And I step into 40 with a sense of pending doom. With the way things are going, I may soon become the religious minority that our PM is trying to prosecute shield. 

“Where the mind is without fear
and the head is held high,
where knowledge is free.
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls.
Where words come out from the depth of truth,
where tireless striving stretches its arms toward perfection.
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost it's way
into the dreary desert sand of dead habit.
Where the mind is led forward by thee
into ever-widening thought and action.
In to that heaven of freedom, my father,
LET MY COUNTRY AWAKE!”

Why VW won't sell as much in India as it does in Europe

My dad was a fan of Volkswagen cars for as long as I can remember. And later when I had to buy my first car, Polo was a natural choice. 

I love the reassuring way my car glides over terrains good and bad until I turn the ignition off. 

On the 26th of April, while waiting at a traffic junction, a BMTC bus had a fender bender with me and another vehicle ahead of me. Though it wasn't a serious accident, my car suffered damage to the rear bumper, boot door, right quarter panel, and front bumper and bonnet. Despite the extent of the damage, it didn't ground my car. I still drove to work and later made an appointment with Volkswagen Palace Cross's Bangalore Motor's service center since that was the only service station that allowed me to use my insurance. I have a valid comprehensive auto insurance plan from Tata AIG that covers all damages to the car (bumper to bumper). 

This is where my nightmare begins -

On the 27th of April, I filed the first claim (0821416091A: For repair/replace of all the damage to the rear portion), and the surveyor was expected to inspect the car on the 29th April. The mechanic initially told me it would take them a maximum of 10 working days to get the insurance agent visit the car, inspect the damages, approve the repairs, and for the service station folks to repair/replace parts as necessary. 

Sure. 

On the 9th May, when I followed up on the status, I was told the insurance surveyor hadn't approved repairs to the front portion of the car and I had to call and raise a separate claim for the damages on the front portion of the car. I called my insurer, raised a new claim and emailed the bodyshop department of the second claim number (0821439668A: For repair/replace of all the damage to the front portion).

He acknowledged the receipt of the claim number the next morning, only after I called to check on him.

On the 14th of May, when I followed up, I was told the 2nd claim was not approved. I immediately called the surveyor to check on the status and he confirmed the claim was approved on the 13th of May. I tried calling the mechanic to let him know this and he didn't answer my call or return my call. I sent him a message informing him that the claim was approved and if he could let me know when the car would be ready. 

No response. Sure, he must be busy with other work.

On the 22nd of May, I tried calling the mechanic several times during working hours, he refused to answer or return my calls. I had to call the body shop supervisor for a status. The body shop supervisor tells me what is perhaps the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard - The quarter panel part has not arrived and that is the reason why they haven't been able to repair my car. 

This is after more than 20 days after the car was at the workshop and the claims were approved. When I highlighted this to the supervisor, he was speechless and did agree that it seemed like a very long time and promised to get back to me within a couple of hours. This was around 9:30 am. When I called him at 3 pm on the same day, he told me they are in the process of doing the necessary repairs and promised to have the car ready on the 25th of May.

On the 25th of May, I get a WhatsApp message from the mechanic apologizing for not being able to deliver my car because the insurance surveyor has not confirmed the assessment. This shows a lack of planning and execution.

It has now been 30 days since my car has been at the Bangalore Motors bodyshop.

While this isn't my first experience of poor service, this has been the worst. I am okay with a delay of a day or 2. But a delay of over 20 days is unacceptable. 

My grievance: 

- Lack of Communication/Timely updates: At no point was the body shop personnel proactive in informing me about the status. 

- No ownership for the issue: When I reached to Harish Varma (Head of Customer Care at Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt Ltd. on LinkedIn), his response doesn't sound like one that is sincere in fixing a customer's grievance. 

Indians are averse against the VW. 

It's not because of your cars. Your cars are amazing and are one of the reasons we love German engineering. 

Indians are averse towards VW because of your 'beyond pathetic' after-sales service in India. In this age of the internet, bad news travels far and fast. 

Your cars are expensive and rightly so. Because every one of us who buy your car knows exactly what we are buying. We know we are getting our money's worth. We bet our lives and the lives of our loved ones on road-worthy tanks called VW. 

After the manner I was treated, I am seriously reconsidering my decision to upgrading to the Tiguan. Imagine how many months they will take to get that repaired!

I may not be the owner of a luxury car from VW but I am an owner nonetheless. I know I haven't paid for this kind of aggravation.

At this point, I request your intervention to get my car back. Fixed and repaired to my complete satisfaction. I write to you only because I've tried contacting other people in your chain of command and none of them wanted to fix this and everyone has shown a general lack of willingness to deliver on time. 

Thanks

Figuring it out...

I don’t think people are meant to be by themselves

That's why if you actually find someone you care about, it’s important to let go of the little things, even if you can’t let go all the way. 

Because nothing sucks more than feeling all alone even when you are with someone.

We all see people bitch about relationships all day long,

Sometimes, people are so scared of what may or may not happen that they sabotage their relationship.

I am so sick and tired of being alone. I am sick and tired of staring at the ceiling, thinking about the one person I am crazy about and wondering if she feels the same way about me. 

I am tired of wishing I had someone that I could wake up to, eat a meal with, listen to, come home to and see before I close my eyes.

We don’t realize how lucky we are until we’ve lost it.

Somethings I do won’t please you.

Somethings I won’t do without you.

Because we have to find our paths - 

Paths of happiness, paths of anguish and pain.

Paths of togetherness, paths of aloneness. 

Paths of tears - both happy and sad.

Because these are things I have to figure out on my own.

Win!

The last 5 years swept by pretty fast. 

It feels fresh. It seems like I wrote about Modi just a few days ago. 

It seems like it was just yesterday we couldn't tolerate a PM who wouldn't speak and wouldn't be able to act decisively. We lamented about his puppet master and the scams of the Grand Old Party.

We just wanted to get him out. 

We thought it was the worst thing to happen to an economist. 

And we thought we had enough of scams and we deserved better.

And then we voted. 

We kicked out the Congress and brought in the butchers. er.. the BJP. The Hand gave way to the Lotus. Green turned Saffron. 

We cheered. Well, albeit cautiously. We weren't used to politicians who spoke with such gusto. 

Modi swept the quasi-literate off their feet by sheer technological brilliance and digital blitzkrieg. 

I personally know of bloggers who were offered close to 1 lakh per month (tax-free) to write up to 4 favorable posts a month about the BJP. 

I know bloggers who refused and then I know many who took the cash. I won't name them here for obvious reasons, but the lure of easy money was hard to resist. 

BJP mastered the art of PR and paid the Piper. 

Congress retreated to lick their wounds and for a while, it looked like the Saffron wave was all-powerful when it won one State after another across the country.

As Modi became the flavor of the nation, countries that avoided him like the Bubonic plague began to roll out of the red carpet and set the fine china. After a decade of seeing countries treat us and our PM with disdain, we were chuffed when we saw packed stadiums and world leaders fete our real First Citizen.

We couldn't thump our chest hard enough. Any prouder, and we would have wanted to adopt Modi as our son. 

We finally thought we got the leader we deserve. We finally thought we were the greatest nation on earth (Sorry Uncle Sam).

Sure, Modi is an amazing orator. By that token, every toastmaster should be a great politician. But not.
Sure, he did turn Gujarat around and we all wished, hoped and believed he would turn us around as well.

And like a diligent salesman going door-to-door, Modi spent a good number of his first year at office traveling, begging, cajoling, hugging, and fist-pumping for support. Mostly, he was still celebrating his party's 'hard-won' victory and rubbing salt into Congress's wounds. When he wasn't traveling on his on-site assignments, he was on 'Poll-mode' because his party was still fighting elections across the country and he was their star performer and pack leader. 

His penchant for erasing Congress would lead him to rename pan-Indian projects and schemes, repackaging welfare programmes, and clandestine dissemination of misinformation against his opposition. 

His campaign promised a lot. Not entirely his fault because like resumes, we've come to believe that manifestos are loaded with exaggerations, false claims, and dubious promises. Repeating them here again would be blasphemous and entirely inappropriate and unpalatable for my readers. 

Cut to the present.

Our economy is barely breathing.

More millionaires have fled our country in the last 5 years than any other country in the world.

We have millions of semi-literate graduates unemployed. 

Our farmers are distressed. And don't even get me started on our manufacturing sector.

Our Rupee has been sliding.

Every governmental institution has been rendered untenable.

Every citizen who dares utter anything against Modi or the BJP will be called 'Anti-national'.

Religious intolerance is all-pervasive.

And amidst all of this, our country has been split down in the middle. 

Yet, 'Bhakts' (the common botanical name given to Modi-maniacs) think Modi is the best and can't do anything wrong. 

They proudly ask and answer the question: "Has there been a single scam?"

Right after they answer this, they suddenly become expert political analysts who will tell you, in technicolor detail, about all the scams the Congress engineered. 

True. The Congress did loot and plunder for a very long time. But then, who elected them to power the second, the third, and the fourth time? Why didn't you challenge and change the government then?
Why didn't you revolt then?
Because you were too comfortable in your cushy lives.

Starting from when they won the General Elections in 2014, they antagonized the opposition so much that it was embarrassing to hear Modi thump his chest and proclaim victory. Fine Modi, we get it you won. Now get working for us. 

It is now apparent that the single-handed act of demonetization and unscientific implementation of GST shrunk the economy. I challenge Bhakts to prove me otherwise. What Modi did was the financial equivalent of an emergency. 

And scams?
Sure, how about the Rafale deal?
While there is no doubt that Rafale is a better aircraft for our skies, there is much more to the deal than meets the eye, and the desperation of our government to malign people who'd merely ask for more transparency is suspect. If I'd done no crime, I'd have nothing to hide and no need to malign anyone who accuses me of the crime. The truth will triumph. As we hear more of how the PMO circumvent protocol and intervened in the deal, Modi has realized we have cornered him and desperately wants to divert our uncomfortable gaze off him.

He and his cronies have polarized our society and allowed Hindus and Muslims to kill each other. Radicalized Hindus have found protection behind powerful Hindu politicians. Muslims have been left to defend themselves. 

The corrupt have been allowed to get more powerful under his rule. 

And terror? For someone who talks tough on terror, Modi didn't flinch when his party fielded the Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya (among other equally colorful convicts) in the current elections. 

Modi has perfected the art of etching the right memories into our minds. Like a trained parrot, he knows what he needs to repeat so that fiction becomes fact. After all, a lie often repeated becomes reality. 

Modi has conveniently glossed over unemployment statistics. 

His government has fudged inflation reports, among other reports about shrinking GDP. 

Modi has forgotten how he had promised to bring back black money from Swiss banks. The irony is not lost on how he has not only failed to bring back ill-gotten money but how billionaires have fled with more of our money.

Obviously, Modi can't remember OROP anymore, because nothing has really happened on that front.

Surely, Modi won't remember too many of his campaign promises because, hey, when you have been traveling and fighting elections non-stop for the last 5 years, you aren't going to remember every lie you've told, right?

Modi is, like most politicians, a very eloquent and accomplished Pakistan-basher. If you haven't heard of the term 'surgical strikes' before Modi made it a catch-phrase, I wouldn't blame you. He made it fashionable to taunt Pakistan. Something that only the BCCI did every 4 years.

Since the second airstrike, Modi has been doing the rounds trumpeting and proclaiming how he nipped terrorism in the bud. How 'his sena' has taught Pakistan a lesson. 

Can I ask you something, Mr. PM?

How is it that an ordinary citizen living in a 'proclaimed' war zone acquire the amount of RDX that killed 40 soldiers in Pulwama? Are you telling us that our Intelligence Agencies failed to flag such a purchase? Do you not know the suicide bomber was a radicalized Kashmiri and not a Pakistani? Do you know what that Kashmiri's family went through in the months and years until the bombing? Do you not know there are thousands of Kashmiri youngsters that our high-handed policies have systematically radicalized? If we really wanted to resolve the problem with Kashmir, we could in a matter of years. Starting with defining the International Border, we must begin to treat Kashmiris with the respect they deserve. But no. War-mongering is good business. Keeping us in a perennial state of fear makes great political sense.
Surely, none of our politicians will send their sons and daughters to the armed forces. Modi, like most politicians, have perfected the art of arm-chair activism and puppetry.

Modi, you are the elected representative of our democracy, but you aren't everyone's choice. In fact, you aren't even our first choice. You were but the lesser of the demons. The best amongst the worst. Unfortunately, you still are the lesser of the evil. 

But trumpeting yourself to be the voice of a billion people isn't fitting the stature of a true statesman.  By calling the armed forces 'yours' and belittling their sacrifices and taking credit for their prowess, you show the world how phony you are. How trivial you are!

By trashing your political opponents, and by claiming how insignificant your lapses and misses are compared to theirs, you are fooling no one but yourself.

Well, dear Bhakts,

Here are some facts for you:

• India under 5 years of Modi has lost more jobs than in the past 30 years. Worse still, your Modi has scrambled to hide statistics that show this fact.
• Demonetization and GST did nothing to curb black money. Instead, it helped the corrupt launder billions.
• Universal Health Insurance is still a pipe dream. 
• Farm Crisis. Enough said.
• Aadhaar. Once the favorite pinata (when the BJP were on the other side of the fence), BJP not only expanded it but created unnecessary intrusions into privacy. 
• Make In India. Again, a pipe dream.
• The RBI and the CBI. Handmaidens of the [insert name of the ruling party here].
• Lokpal, anyone?
• Financial markets have been on a free fall for over 2 years now and billions in wealth have been wiped off. 

I could talk about unsustainable Mudra loans, poorly built free housing for the poor, (expensive) subsidized cylinders for the poor, artificially inflated fuel prices (even when global oil prices are at their lowest), countless cesses, non-existent electoral reforms, banking reforms (that gave away money for poor policies) etc. but you get the drift, right?

I've spoken to countless 'Bhakts', of all age groups and sizes, and realized one thing - They love to thump their chest and proclaim 'Namo Again'. However, not one of them can stand to debate based on unbiased facts and figures. They take refuge at how Congress looted our country. Yes, they satisfy themselves with the firm yet lop-sided belief that whatever happened in the last 5 years was way better than whatever happened for 40 years. A crime is a crime.

Our democracy! 

We are now having to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. 

Many cherish the memory of Manmohan Singh. Those were simpler times. When our sons and daughters had a job, and our communities were truly cohesive and loved to co-exist. 

With the variety of politicians forming alliances to defeat BJP this year, in 10 years from now, we will remember Modi kindly as well. 

Most importantly, Modi has revealed the chink in our armor. 

He has revealed the blueprint to manipulate large sections of the country. 

His party has used the most basal instincts of fear, hatred, and ethnic divisibility to divide and rule us. 

Today, Modi and his bunch of cronies have shown how they want to win at any cost. They've tasted blood and boy, they love it!

Today, as Modi does the rounds dissing other politicians and selectively talking about how little India has gained, I want to remind him this - India isn't you, Modi. India has grown despite everything you have done to us.

The BJP realizes this - if they lose this round, they are going to be banished. Modi has created powerful enemies who are a lot more ruthless and less polished than him. 

So as we settle down and decide - 'Should I vote or not, because whether I vote or not, it won't matter, things don't appear to change.' 

Let me tell you this - There are people who didn't vote the last time and they thought it wouldn't get worse. But it did. And unless you've lived under a rock, it would have affected you adversely. 

So, please vote. Because we have the responsibility of saving whatever is left of India. 

But if you still believe you don't want to vote, I won't force you. Because in 10 years, when your lives have become truly miserable by the people you didn't vote for, then you will revolt. 

Because unless we put the fear of God in our politicians, what's happening in Paris and Spain will happen in India. The people will rise. 

Should we really wait until then?