Click to view slideshow.The social networking is that w.m.d. that determines the reach and potenticity of any issue. Over a time it has gained immense acceptability as a media that enable public to share their thoughts and anguish. And everyone who posts has the best opinion on the issue. Everyone is expert on everything in the cyber universe!

But there seems quite a quite on the issue of FDI in retail at least in the social networking sphere! Let’s understand this. The average Facebook (social site with the largest penetration among internet users) user is a Youth.  76% is the age group from 18-34 years that indulge in it (source: socialbakers.com). This segment is the most independent, society-conscious, politically intolerant and convenience seeking brigade. So how come we see them going against FDI in Retail! After all entry of Wall Mart, Carrefour is bound to heighten the comfort and luxury of shopping. And that too at economic rates with loads of schemes and offers. Aren’t we doing it in Big Bazar or Easy Day or Vishal Mega Mart or Store 99 for a fairly long time now? And that too without any obvious side effects. These stores imply shopping convenience with loads of varieties and economies. The sector has created gainful employment for a whole genre of class be it sales, security or the supply chains. And we have not seen the shrinking of kirana and other mom & pop stores. On the other hand we have seen many of them turning their dukan into well managed professional enterprises with focus on customer service.

The reasons of them not going against foreign FDI are quite simple. But why are they not coming out in its support then?

The reason seems to be general lack of trust in governance over past some time. There are apprehensions. Why FDI in retail? This is the only sector that is recession free and ever booming in India and has largest density. Opening it shall mean allowing ‘them’ cream. Retail involves no such technology, its basically selling interaction. And when our Indian stores understand our sensibilities better why is to allow majority stake to foreigners. These International Chains are for profits and with their pockets these can create a cartel and after couple of years can push for better prices and profits for themselves and fleecing the poor middle class customer.

FDI in retail is not getting huge support it deserves because of the distrust with the current UPA2 regime. The public perceives that the matter seems to be hastened under US pressure a la Nuclear deal earlier. The government must dispel these doubts. The benefit of FDI in retail far outweighs it’s so called negatives. It will benefit the Nation in long run to organise its Retail sector. Perhaps the retailers that are presently protesting this move are the only segment that is exempted from any serious Tax scrutiny. For present government they neither pay taxes nor do they give votes (these are generally considered BJP/right wing voters). With elections round the corner these ‘down to earth’ retailers are getting the Opposition support. And the social network lends its support with its silence.

First the figures, as they say “figures speak…”…RA.ONE collected 18 cr on its opening Thursday and 25 cr the next day. Remember Thursday was a Diwali day and the Friday collections are the largest for any movie in a single day.

Now the movie. Ra.One is no ordinary run off the mill stuff. The content requires lot of Intelligent Quotient. The movie blends this IQ and EQ, the Emotional Quotient. This is a trademark SRK film. Its an intelligent film. SRK must get kudos for trying something that is out of the world. Imagine a film where the main protagonist, who also happens to be the Producer of the film, to die not one but two times in a movie. It is brave and shows how much thought and diligence have been gone into scripting of Ra.One.

RA.One collections at the box office are being compared with recent Salman Khan’s blockbusters Dabangg & Bodygaurd. These are totally unrelated scenario. These films were pure masala entertainment with almost zero IQ. They released on Eid which is time for a particular community to go out and celebrate and what better way than a Salman Matinee.

Ra.One has its share of demerits. And it is in fashion to discredit SRK, because so much is at stake for him. The film ends with the viewer yearning for more action and thrills. Also the climax is too simplistic. That’s it. Ra. One is for young, youth and those young at heart. It takes some brain to understand the story build-up. Its tech savvy. One may not understand the nuances but could relate to the happenings. One can relate to father-son, hubby-wife, friends /colleague emotions. Isn’t it that most of us use FaceBook without understanding the complex process that is behind it.

Lets reserve our kudos for SRK and his Team for giving us Ra. One. He has taken Bollywood Cinema to new height. Where we can say that we match the best in the world. There are critics who tend to have knack of going against the tide as that can bring them some notice. These are criticising the movie and its makers. Never the less Ra.One is a milestone for Indian Cinema. As far as SRK is concerned he can rest assure that the audience will keep loving him and like with Ra. One they are going to pour all their love for him in Don2. King shall remain the King. Till then Hail Ra. One !!!

THE ‘VIVEKANANDA’ AWAKENING FOR THE YOUTH

“A few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century…”says Swami Vivekananda. And he singularly change the way the world perceives us, the Indians.

India is at cross-roads and seeing some turbulent times… entrenched in the vortex of corruption and terrorism. Reign of anarchy is quite visible. Purpose of life and life of purpose is missing. One man today have mobilised the denizens of this Nation to start thinking for the Nation. The septuagenarian Anna Hazare is the chosen one to lead by example. Anna has unleashed a ‘youth’ rising to change the course the way the country functions. Thus making Swami Vivekananda’s vision and intellect all the more relevant today.

Swami Vivekananda had a short and cramped life of 39 years (1863-1902). But he made these years meaningful and served the humanity and the religion. He gracefully mixed religion with science. Accepting an opportunity to represent Hinduism at Chicago’s Parliament of Religions in 1893, Vivekananda won instant celebrity in America and a ready forum for his spiritual teaching. He tried to break the barriers across religions and societies. He had a vision to organise religion into a force of development, for upliftment of the society. “If the priests of China and India were organized, there is an enormous amount of potential energy that could be used for regeneration of society and humanity. I endeavoured to organize it in India but failed for lack of money. It may be I shall get the help I want in America. I came here to seek help for my impoverished people and I fully realized how difficult it was to get help for heathens from Christians in a Christian land. I have heard so much of this land of freedom, of liberty and freedom of thought, that I am not discouraged…” he exclaimed in that Conference of Religions in 1892.

Swami Vivekananda changed the way the world looked at India and Hinduism. An excerpt from his lecture specifies this point. In his oration Vivekananda highlights the role of Vedas in Hinduism- The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. They hold that the Vedas are without beginning and without end. It may sound ludicrous to this audience, how a book can be without beginning or end. But by the Vedas no books are meant. They mean the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times. Just as the law of gravitation existed before its discovery, and would exist if all humanity forgot it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual world. The moral, ethical, and spiritual relations between soul and soul and between individual spirits and the Father of all spirits, were there before their discovery, and would remain even if we forgot them-

God needs good people. He took Vivekananda away so young. Vivekananda symbolised the Youth Power. Vivekananda symbolised Humanity.

the so called ‘intellectual’ class (including politicos) , are mesmerized how they not get soooo much support as Anna…how come media started following Anna and no one is following them! How lacs have gathered around the movement throughout India.

Surely it might be claimed that they are on Anna-board because of ‘to-be in media craze’ but genuine love and support for Anna cannot be defied or defined by a logic… These intellectuals and politicians are seeing their fiefdom in trouble and would throw any logic around to distract and dilute the support for Anna…

I AM ANNA…YOU ARE ANNA

The government is waiting for opportunity to break the revolution. They are trying every combination. The movement is Anti Dalit then came it is Anti Muslim. Then came it is media-generated. They called Anna- army deserter. They said Anna is steep in corruption from head to toe. They brought some Aruna Roy who wants her share in the publicity.

The media has the duty to inform of the happenings which they are doing. They cannot abstain themselves from the mood of the Nation. Surely their are some TV channels which are toeing the govt. line in their coverage but its their perogative. But they also cannot ignore the REVOLUTION.

As the country drenches itself in the support to Anna, I was in a state of self-doubt. Do I have the right to protest against corruption ! I too am a part of a corrupt society. There are innumerable times where I have to bribe people to get my work done. There are innumerable instances where have managed to use influence to get unfair advantages. So I cannot come out openly to support the crusader, Anna…

Then I began search for my dilemma. Analysed various situations. Why Anna has manged to catch the country’s imagination? He is self less. He has stood by his people. Helped them improve their life. Has fearlessly fought against those who tread on the citizen’s ‘right to live a dignified life’.

And herein I got my answers. Corruption is not just bribing. In larger context corruption is deprivation to live peacefully. Corruption is lust for power. Corruption is not traeting every individual equal.

Corruption is and cannot be eradicated by the Civil Society proposed Jan Lok Pal. But surely such a strong law will instill fear of those in power. This fear will help those in power to think sympathetically to less fortunates. Corruption will reduce. Simple !!! Is it?

As Anurag Singh is laid to rest, he is free from the stress of expectations. He is free from being one of a bonded henchman of His enterprising BOSS. He is free because He is dead. He was 40.

Working hard to retain his position of Circle Head in Meerut office of Reliance Communications, Anurag always held his professional life over and above his family. On 13^th Aug’2011, Raksha-Bandhan, He was having a tele-conference reporting with His Boss. There were stinging arguments with regard to targets and planning and so on. Anurag was left aghast and out of breath. The meeting was over. Other executive got on with their life, going home to tie rakhis. Suddenly he collapsed. Those around thought that it’s some sort of gastric pain. He was rushed to the hospital. Within 2 hours His heart gave up of the distress. He is dead. He is survived by a 6 yr. old son and a wife. And an old mother!

I have not met Anurag before. But as I gather the happenings it is stirring me. It is stinging me. His wife wail seems to say that she was telling Him to leave this pressure cooker job. She was clear in her mind that Reliance Communications have left their son a destitute. It is hurting me and as I write, ‘am in abyss of chaotic mind’.

Are we not in the same pool, in the same situation? Are we not being victim of over-excercised expectations? Are we not being analysed on the basis of mathematic figures that seldom has ‘How to’ answers? We are being made victim of our own abilities. We work hard; we think hard, we manage to achieve milestones! Then this is made as part of our regular jobs and another round of ‘growth’ is expected. Somewhere things will come to grinding halt. Like for Anurag, it will be for us!

Corporates in their mission to make happy their investors & financial analysts are losing the ‘human’ angle and talents are becoming victims of their own expectations…leaving behind families & friends…and as my 2 colleagues resign from their services I am not in a position to pursue them to continue…!!! 

When Anna Hazare sat on Fast in support of Lok Pal Bill in India, we the citizens were overwhelmed with HOPE !!! The pressure on the ruling party led them to bow to the pressure, atleast pretend to do so!

But soon its intentions were visible. Civil Society members were specifically targeted. Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Justice Hegde were subjected to public trial by the govt. All efforts were to divide the Civil Society. But this govt. manipulations were thwarted by the vigilant media, members and the public.

Then Baba Ramdev sat on fast against black money issue majorly. An issue that he has been raising for past couple of years with Bharat Swabhimaan Trust. Things turned skeptical when Govt. courted the Baba. Some secret arrangements between both parties was visible. But the Nation was expecting that atleast some positive would come out. All hopes were belied when the ‘ruling goondas’ swooped on peaceful protesters.

And WE are subjected to regular humiliations thereon…

WE were subjected to brutal assault from the Police surely at behest of political masters. Some of US are still battling for life. Congress spokesperson calls Baba thug. This Baba has reduced pain and suffering of many of us. This spokesperson again humiliates when he comments on leader of opposition dancing at the satyagrah at Rajghat. Trivilising a lady when he himself ruled by a Lady.

Anna again sits on Fast today with solid support from a united country. Perhaps the countdown to doom for the govt has begin. We pray this to be the case. For we can no longer be embarrassed and humiliated.

The last time we felt agitated was 26/11 Mumbai attacks. When we were fighting handful of mercenaries, who stuck us up for 3 days.

That was an attack on Nation India. That was a repulsion moment. 

The next time mind was agitated by the Anna movement. Again the Nation was agitated. But this was an agitation of HOPE.

We saw that successful people have come forward to protect us from the barge of corruption in the form of Civil Society. No matter the hiccups we were in right direction.

Last night the mind agitated with SHAME. Our leaders have become so power-alcoholic, so lustful-impatient that they audaciously destroy the right to peaceful protest. This is the uneasiness.

humiliated in ONES' OWN LAND

We have no hope from Digvijay Singh/Kapil Sibbal type politicians. Manmohan Singh is again absent from the scene (will cry again when he appears!). So is Rahul Gandhi. Why he suddenly disappears at crucial moments!

Uneasiness is that we can allow Geelani type elements to stage their anti-India sentiments in Delhi. But we bar our ‘BABA’ from entering Delhi. We are polite with OSAMAji and aristocratically claim the Baba is thug! Congress is finding support in Lalu Yadav who gives further gimmickery to this ‘jokers in government’- chor chor mausere bhai !!!

Then the News Media. It started with reporting fact. And then suddenly the reporting angle changed. May be due to the strong arm of government. They began highlighting ‘Baba Breaking’, ‘ulte paaon lauta Baba’, ‘aurton mein chupe Baba’…This is the uneasiness.

Have not felt Emergency days. But now realise what would have happened. Sane voices would have been throttled. Citizens would have been humiliated. Showing off power would have been the norm. This is happening under  UPA II !!!

We adore Swami Ramdev. He is not a politician surely. We love him for he helped us get rid of our pains our ailments. We dont’ care of his political ambitions. In this democratic(sic!) country every one has the right to have political ambitions and inclinations. What issues he raised concerns us (not US, for if it has been concerning United States then Manmohan Singh would have agreed to it !).

Hope not to get rid of this uneasiness unless ray of HOPEis seen.. .. ..

our VOICE