The Indian Premier League security fiasco had me wondering if it is within the Indian constitution for a government to refuse security to a legal Indian citizen or enterprise. I am no constitution expert, but I would expect providing security of life and property to it’s citizens to be one of the founding principles of the constitution. It is the primary job of the government and there’s no way it can shirk the responsibility. If a government says that it lacks the ability to provide security to its citizens and enterprise, is it legal for the government to continue in power?
Democracy
Pune Voter List Search
As with every Indian election, the government sites for voter registration and search are again in a big mess. There is no site that provides an easy and functional search of the electoral lists. However there are a couple which come close.
Dekho Dekho Kaun Aya… Hindustan Ka Sher Aya!
India’s general elections are just a month away and pre-poll campaigning is now heating up. I certainly would be voting but along with that I also intend to attend all political rallies that might be held anywhere near my place. I want to hear what the leaders really stand for and sound like. Indian media today is in a mess as most TV channels either blatantly provide incorrect reports or distort statements to suit the story they wish to push. So just based on TV reports you can’t really form an opinion about a politician. So yesterday I attended a BJP’s Narendra Modi rally held at the river bed grounds near the Baba Bhide bridge in Pune. Read more
Terror Attacks – Why Ahmedabad? Why Bangalore? Why India?
India has again seen a painful chapter of bombings. Over 20 bombs targeted the Indian cities of Bangalore and Ahmadabad and killed 10s of innocent civilians and injured 100s.
While I feel very sad and rattled by the developments, I also fail to make sense of them. I only have questions for the militants on a killing spree and also questions for myself and all Indians.
Land Of The Young, Rich & Healthy – Welcome To Youngistan
A new Pepsi ad has coined the phrase ‘Youngistan’ by combining Young & Hindustan. The actor in the ad claims to be an alien from the planet Youngistan. However is Youngistan really a planet in outer space or is India and Youngistan one and the same? I say this as I can’t help but note that India is being totally customized for the young, rich and the healthy. I certainly don’t have anything against the Youngistanization of society. The young definitely should enjoy the prosperity and the growing disposable incomes of new India, but not by steadily ignoring other segments of society.
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Us vs Them – The Mantra Of Politics
After extensive research at Oak Labs, we believe we have discovered the secret of success in politics. It revolves around the simple concept of “Us vs Them”. The key to getting a mass following, winning elections and being a popular leader lies in the ability of the politician to clearly define an “Us vs Them” pattern.So throughout history and in all walks of life, the successful politician always has a clear understanding of who ‘Us’ is and who ‘Them’ are. It is the ability of the politician to convey this understanding that decides how successful he or she is. Here are some examples of Us vs Them. Rulers vs Natives, White vs Black, Democracy vs Dictators, Indian Cricket vs Aussie Cricket, Locals vs Migrants, Secular vs Communal, Believers in a Faith vs Non-believers, Underdeveloped vs Developed Countries and so on.
No VIPs – Time For An Equality Of Citizens Act
The chiefs of the 3 armed forces were recently exempted from security checks at airports. In the build up to this decision, you got quotes like “It is a shame that India cannot accord a small privilege for those who guard the country”. Since anything related to the forces always gets linked to patriotism and national pride, so naturally references to the same were made from all corners. Finally the government gave in and extended the privilege of exemptions from security checks. The minister added that it was “absolutely appropriate” that the people who defended the country’s borders should not go through the security check exercise. So ended the matter. The VIP list for exemptions got a little longer for another service. “No big deal. All’s well that ends well. Right?”
Not really. The basic premise for this or any VIP privilege is that a certain person’s time or pride is more important than that of ordinary citizens like you and me. This goes completely against my understanding of democracy and people’s rule. VIP privileges for a chosen few cannot be a part of a democracy. It’s understandable if a dictator is a VIP, but in democratic India, no minister, politician, military officer or even the Prime Minister can be a VIP. He is just another citizen of India chosen to lead and not to rule. Privileges to bypass the queue is just one aspect of the mammoth VIP baggage that the nation carries. In a supposed equitable society, the time and pride of my cook, driver, my boss or the Prime Minister of India should have the same value, at least on paper. There cannot be a government sanction for discrimination.
Modern Day Maharajas?
Post the T20 world cup, Dhoni is said to be making crores more and every other cricketer is making lakhs more. Good for them and best wishes to them. However something that isn’t good for us, is how our tax money was blown by every government in the country during the post world cup money distribution ceremonies. I have nothing against good old Ajit Agarkar or the promising Rohit Sharma, but I think it was not right of the State government to dole out 20 lakhs of tax payer’s money.
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Measuring Social Unrest – Revolutionary new OakTyre scale shows the true impact of protests
Everyday we read stories about protests in the country where buses are burnt, trains are stopped, public and private property is damaged and so on. However one often feels that the creators of these protests do not get due credit for their work. The government releases figures about the property damages in rupees. However these figures don’t quite convey the true impact that a protest had on the nation. How useful would it be if earthquakes were reported not in a Richter scale but just in terms of the monetary loss of property? Only when someone tells you the Richter scale reading of the quake, do you truly feel the power of the quake. Considering India’s need for a scale for protests, the researchers at Oak Labs have devised the ingenious “OakTyre” scale for measuring the impact of social unrests.
The basic unit of measurement in the OakTyre scale is a “Tyre”. Like we measure distances in meters, we measure protests in Tyres. So the measuring scale goes as follows
Using The Right To Information At The Pune City Corporation Office
For several years I have been planning to use the Right To Information (RTI) to get information and facts on things that bother me in the city. I read up on the subject, talked with friends, blogged about it, but never managed to take the most important step, that of using the right and asking for information. I even explored every possibility in which I could get information without having to visit the Pune Corporation office. Unfortunately that’s not possible. If you want information you have to work hard for it.
So I picked a Saturday when I did not have much else planned. Picked some RTI form samples from the net and filled up three forms asking for information from the PMC. The first form asked information about footpaths / pavements in Pune. The second about parking provisions that commercial buildings need to make as per corporation rules and the third asking for information about the PMC’s e-governance initiatives. I will write details of the information I sought and the response I got, when I do get the information. For the time being I will stick to the submitting the form part. A friend of mine who has been complaining for years about the stray pig menace in Shivteerth Nagar, Kothrud accompanied me hoping to submit his complaint to the relevant department and to finally rid his locality of the pigs.
(Cont…Click here for the entire article). Published as part of my fortnightly column for the Maharashtra Herald
Politicians and the government needs to catch up to 21st century presentation technology
What’s the difference between the prime minister’s speech on 15th Aug 1947 and 15th Aug 2007? What’s the difference between the president’s and chief minister’s TV addresses in the 80s and those in 2007? The content and the speakers sure have changed, but there have been no changes in the medium of delivery. While technology and presentation mediums have improved dramatically, government and political addresses are still consistently delivered in a dry boring format. In their current form, these speeches would be watched only if the nation is going through some crisis and people are looking for direction from the leader, a la Mussharaf in a troubled Pakistan. However at other times, I wonder how many countrymen would watch for more than a few minutes….
(Cont…Click the scanned article image on the left). Published as part of my column for the Maharashtra Herald that’s published on alternate Saturdays )
Unsafe Cities Or Paranoid Citizens
Security today is big business in Indian cities. It’s perhaps the profession that has undergone the most change over the past decade. Not just shopping malls and multiplexes but even small shops, restaurants and housing societies today have an abundance of security staff. A housing society might not have proper water supply but it will have a team of uniform clad and baton brandishing security staff. Makes one wonder if it’s a need of the times or if we are just getting increasingly paranoid.
Security guards in most cases seem to serve more to boost egos than to serve any real security function. Private security men have become a modern day city nuisance. Not only do they often abuse whatever authority they enjoy but they also regularly go beyond the limits of their allocated domain. Has anybody ever seen a security personnel busy performing security related work? Parking management or just opening doors ends up being their primary activity. They naturally get bored and therefore seem to entertain themselves by making people like me perform crazy car maneuvers before they let me secure a parking space…
(Cont…Click the scanned article image on the left). Published as part of my column for the Maharashtra Herald that’s published on alternate Saturdays. )
Searching For A City In CyberSpace
An article about how and why city administration should use new age mediums like the internet to communicate with citizens and manage the city.
Also a quick look at the recent PMC scheme about including citizen suggested projects in the city budget for 2007-08.
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The PMC recently invited development project proposals from the public. These projects were to be considered for inclusion in the PMC budget for the year 07-08. I checked the PMC website egovpmc.com for the necessary form, but the site was a disappointment. I later attended a meet on the topic organized by the Grahak Panchayat. The team of enthusiastic oldies volunteering work for the Panchayat provided more information and the requisite form.
Pune Corporation Budget 07-08 – Suggest development projects for your ward
A few days back I wrote about the the Pune Corporation’s announcement about the city budget for 2007-2008 being a participatory one. Citizens can suggest development activities in their ward for upto Rs. 20 lakhs.
Drive the development of your part of Pune city
Pune Municipal Commissioner Nitin Kareer has announced that citizens can give written applications suggesting developmental works in their wards to the extent of Rs 15 lakhs.
The application forms which include space for name, address and other details are available at all 14 ward offices. The form explains how citizens can make suggestions for development work, based on which they can give their own suggestions.
Congress NCP reject electoral verdict – Do a policy volte-face
The Congress led by Suresh Kalmadi and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar had both promised the electorate that they would not join hands with each other post elections, as they thought the other party was responsible for the ruin of Pune.
The electorate voted under the impression that they won’t come together post election. However like the stereotypical politicians in Hindi movies, both the Congress and NCP now seem keen on coming together in an attempt to grab power. The same leaders who had indulged in extensive name-calling are now on the verge of forming a coalition. You should soon see statements saying that they have come together “For the development of Pune” or “To keep communal forces at bay” or “Our high-command said so” or some such corny line.
While poiliticians continue to behave in this fashion, one can’t really blame the masses for losing faith in Indian democracy.
Law College and Deccan Gymkhana Ward Election Results
Law College Ward No 56
- Vikas Matkari/Mathkari [BJP] – 2810 votes
- Sham/Shyam Satpute [Independent] – 932 votes
- Vaijayanti Patwardhan [Congress] – 652 votes
- Audumbar Khune [NCP] – 420 votes
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Election Results
In the 144-member Pune Municipal Corporation, no party could muster absolute majority.
- Congress managed 35 seats down from 61 in the previous polls.
- The NCP got 42 seats,which is almost double the number last time.
- BJP bagged 25 seats
- Shiv Sena 20 seats
- Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Nirman Sena managed to get 8 seats
- Independents (14)
Q&A with Patwardhan – Congress Candidate from Law College Ward Pune
Had called up the number stated on Dr. Vaijayanti Patwardhan’s election leaflet.
Here’s the Q&A with Mr. Sanjiv Patwardhan as regards Congress candidate from Law College Ward, Dr. Vaijayanti Patwardhan’s stand on various local issues –
Election Voter List Internet Search
* Update Mar 2009 – The post below is from 2007. Please click here for 2009 voter list search links – Pune Voter List Search For India General Elections 2009
* Update Oct 2009 – Voter List Search For Maharashtra State Assembly Elections
BJP+Shiv Sena vs Congress vs NCP?
1st of Feb is poll day for the Pune civic elections. I have been going through manifestos, leaflets and other material provided by candidates in the Law College Ward Pune. However I am still very much a marginal voter.
Deccan Gymkhana (Ward No 67) and Law College (Ward No 56) Candidates – Open Debate and Discussion
Wards 56 & 67 mohalla committee has set up a platform for candidates contesting the pune corporation elections. Each candidate will be given 5 minutes to outline his/her development plans for his/her ward.
- place: kamala nehru park
- date: january 24, 2007
- time: 5:30 p.m
The mohalla committee has a google group at http://groups.google.com/group/5667mc
I wasn’t aware of the existence of such a mohalla committee, but this attempt at providing a common platform for candidates is surely a commendable undertaking.
I hope there’s a good turnout and no fist fights at the meet.
Using Right To Information Act To Get Better FootPaths for Pune
Anybody who has been to Pune would know that the Pune Municipal Corporation is not a very competent body. The city is going down rapidly and hardly anything is being done to stop the slide.
I have been reading up on the Right to Information for quite some time and now intend to use it to get some answers on an important issue, Footpaths. I have written about this before “Pune Corporation – The Art of Converting Public Parking Spaces Into Private Property” and “Footpaths are for pedestrians and not illegal chaat stalls”
All over the city, builders are converting footpaths into parking places or approach roads for their buildings. I intend to get the following info under the Right To Information Act
- Details of new footpaths created in the last 2 years
- Details of repairs done to existing footpaths in the last 2 years
- Want to know if it is legal for footpaths to be paved by the builder instead of the PMC
- Has any action been taken against any building / builder for paving a public footpath without PMC permission?
- What action has been taken against PMC staff for failure in stopping encroachment and misuse of footpaths?
- Are footpaths designed so as to prevent any vehicle parking or their use as approach roads to buildings / parking areas?
- Which roads will get new footpaths in 2007?
- Is PMC bound to develop and maintain footpaths for all new roads in the city?
I might rephrase things a bit. But this is more or less the info I would be ask for.
I went through Right To Information Info at –
- Consumer Forum Procedure for request of Information
- Parivartan – How To Apply
- PMC Egovpmc – RTI Officers
- Model application Format for obtaining information under “RTI Act, 2005”
- Right To Information Act
- Right To Information FAQ
- Right To Information Campaign Workbook
While most of my queries have been answered. I still could not find a satisfying answer to –
- How much to pay as RTI fees and what’s the easiest way to pay them?
- None of the docs state clearly what is the amount I need to pay. They state that I will have to pay Rs 25 + photocopying/ postage on actuals. If this amount is going to change from case to case, it means I have to personally go to the PMC office and ask the bureaucrat what amount I need to pay. I would then have to pay it by standing in queues and filling more forms.
- This I think is a big flaw as it eliminates the option of me getting things done by post and without having to suffer the irritations that inevitably follow a visit to a govt. office.
- There’s no provision for electronic money transfer. It might seems elitist to talk of electronic transfers in a poor country, but the act should provide for it.
Ideally I should be able to make an online payment for a flat fee of say Rs 100. Then fill up a form on a central RTI site. The site should be well aware of the Public Information officer (PIO) to contact. The PIO should get anemail and I should get a confirmation.
Looking at the government’s e-awareness record, e-Right to Information is unlikely to happen in the near future, so I guess I should start planning my visit to the PMC office.
Any suggestions on how I could simplify the process or make better use of my application, are most welcome.
Is resignation to circumstances inherent to Indian culture?
One of the most striking things about Indian culture is that we rarely resist. For hundreds of years we have been ruled by the Mughals and the British, but apart from the independence struggle early in the last century and in 1857, there’s not much record of resistance from the masses. A few rulers did resist foreign rule but those weren’t people’s movements.