Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Getting Even ?




Of course , UPA will try to get even with NDA in the parliament , if NDA gets voted to power in next general elections


By not allowing the parliament to function  - as NDA has successfully managed in past one year


A tit for tat ?  You bet  !


Forthcoming winter session is unlikely to be any different with CBI expected to file many more FIR against high and mighty , in the coming months  , for the Coal-Gate scam


With BJP demanding resignations of SriPrakash Jaiswal / Man Mohan Singh etc ,  Lok Sabha will come to a stand-still


A kind of suspended animation ;  no better than the vegetative life of a person in comma !


In the meantime , neither the Ministers nor the Secretaries of various ministries will dispose-off any file by making any noting !


Decision-making will come to a Full Stop !


There will be no use to keep alive ( thru an artificial life-support system ) ,  a “  Brain-Dead  “ Lok Sabha  !


It is time to cut short people’s agony and announce early National Elections


Just as he did with the issue of the Ordinance , I hope Rahul Gandhi has the necessary moral courage to tell his mother and Man Mohan Singh :




“  Enough is enough ! Let us put an end to this charade

    
  There is no loss of face in recognizing the truth. No matter how unprepared we may be to face the people , let there be elections in Jan 2014  



Only this time , let him not announce his views publicly in a Press Conference !


·          hemen  parekh   (  17  Oct  2013  )


Tuesday 15 October 2013

The Debt Trap



In the next 24 hours , expect American Congress to raise the Debt-Ceiling , once again


As it has raised it 71 times in the past 40 years


Other alternatives before the American Congress are :


Ø  Raise taxes ( to increase State income  )


Ø  Reduce Expenses (  eg:  ObamaCare  )


Ø  Print more money (  and fuel inflation  )


But these are all , very unpopular measures with the American public . And no politician likes to be unpopular


So , the easy way out is :

  
Borrow more  –  let each American grandchild worry about repaying to the rest of the World , a measly sum of $ 52,000  !


We will not be around when the bubble bursts  !


Tomorrow will , somehow take care of itself  !


With annual revenue of $ 2.4 trillion and expenses of $ 3.5 trillion , how else can America make ends meet ?


No one in America seems to be asking :

  
·         Are we living beyond our means ?


·         How long can we sustain this high living standard on borrowed money ?


I hope , we in India do not fall into such a Debt-Trap


Fortunately ( ! ) , rich Indians have stashed away Rs 28 – 35 lakh crores  ( $ 462 – 572 billion ) in foreign banks ( as per Global Financial Integrity – GFI )


Offer them , a “ No Questions Asked “ , Voluntary Disclosure Scheme ( VDS ) to invest in tax-free Infrastructure Bonds


Then , we will not need to borrow from IMF to raise the standard of living of 400 million poor Indians , earning less than $ 1.2 per day


·          hemen  parekh  (  16  Oct  2013  )







Monday 14 October 2013

BJP agrees with Congress ?



First it was Jairam Ramesh who said ,


“ In India more people have access to a mobile phone than have access to a toilet “


Then along came Narendra Modi to declare ,


“ For me , development translates into , Toilets before Temples “


It is another matter that both may be eyeing the votes of 50 % of the Indian population which have no access to private toilets and must do their dirty work , out in the open !


But then why is UPA government in a tearing hurry to give away ( free ) , 22.5 million mobile phones to BPL ( Below the poverty Line ) families ?



Especially when they already have a mobile phone ?



Would it not make more sense – even electoral sense – to urgently build 22.5 million toilets , on the corners of each and every street ?


Just imagine the boost that will give to the economy !


Can some clever engineers / economists figure out the number of jobs that will get created in the Steel / Cement / Construction industries ?


And by converting thousands of existing dry toilets to flush toilets , 750,000 families will be relieved of carrying night-soil ( from dry toilets ) on their heads ! A nation's shame beyond words !


If this idea is properly packaged / sold to Bill Gates , he may even make an outright grant of  $ ONE BILLION  to Sulabh Sauchalaya to implement the project !


Among dozens of differences , it is refreshing to find BJP and Congress agreeing that toilets make a better “ Meeting Place “ for millions , than Temples !


Cleanliness is Godliness



·           hemen  parekh  (  15  Oct  2013  ) 

Sunday 13 October 2013

Some learn : Some just won’t !



Ø  Naveen Patnaik  - CM. Odisha ( Learner )


In 1999 , a Super-Cyclone killed 10,000 people in Odisha

Before  Phailin Cyclone struck Gopalpur(Odisha) 
 two days back , Patnaik’s government had managed to move  900,000 people into hundreds of storm shelters  which it had constructed since 1999

Result  ?

Only 23 deaths so far



Ø  Shivraj  Patil – CM , Madhya Pradesh ( Forgetful )



In 2006 , in a stampede at a temple in Datiya district , 40 persons had died.

In a repeat of history , at the same temple , 109 persons died  yesterday , in an identical stampede !


Why  ?


MP Government failed to ,


·         Construct separate / barricaded pathways ( even if temporary ) for coming and returning traffic of lakhs of devotees  

·         Ensure single-person movement within these pathways (ala Tirupati )

·         Depute just 500 policemen all along the path to regulate the surge of the crowd

·         Provide CCTV-control booths at intervals of 500 meters each
  

·         Provide CCTV based “ Darshan “ of the deity along the way ( ala Shirdi SaiBaba )

·         Continuously issue instructions over Public Announcement System

·         Patrol the entire stretch with Police Vans and Ambulances

·         Make provision for water along the way

·         Get NGOs to help regulate traffic by providing volunteers



       But of course , as always expected after such – entirely avoidable tragedies ,



·         CM  /  PM  / UPA Chairperson and sundry other publicity-seeking politicians , expressed their “ deep shock and anguish “

·         State Government promptly announced a Magisterial  Inquiry

·         CM announced payment of Rs 1.5 lakhs to families of the victims ( Blood Money ? )


For politicians of India , life is not merely cheap , it is worth “ Ridicule “ !


They don’t treat this as “ Murder “ ! May be waiting for the Supreme Court to say so  !


So , why learn a lesson from the past ?




·          Hemen  parekh   (  14  Oct  2013  )

Saturday 12 October 2013

AAP stands for Awake / Arise / People



Twelve hours back , cyclone Phailin struck the coasts of Andhra and Odisha


It is too early to predict the damage to property and human lives . It will take a few weeks to assess the full quantum of destruction


And , thereafter , it will take months to rebuild


What might help contain the damage is the early warning , coupled with timely preventive steps


On 4th December , another cyclone will strike Delhi – but a political , man-made cyclone !


It is called AAP  (  Aam  Aadmi  Party  )


But , unlike Phailin , AAP will be a “ Constructive “  cyclone !


Only thing it will destroy is  “ Corruption “


AAP was in the making for over 2 years now – except that it was continuously / contemptuously ignored by the ruling Congress


Now , Congress  is frantically running around for a  “ Storm Shelter “


Alas  !  there is none  !


And after  “  Re-constructing  “  Delhi , in the next few months , AAP will sweep the entire country


AAP stands for “ Awake , Arise , People  “



·         hemen  parekh  (  13  Oct  2013  )
   


Friday 11 October 2013

Confidence Vs Arrogance



Both , Sheila Dikshit ( Congress ) and Vijay Goel ( BJP ) , are loudly proclaiming that their party will win the forthcoming Delhi Assembly Elections , with a thumping majority


Even Arvind Kejriwal ( Aam Aadmi Party ) is saying the same


That is understandable , considering that the Commanders must enthuse their cadres


Such confidence on their part is a pre-requisite for winning


But what happens when Sheila Dikshit says ,



“ Aam Aadmi Party ? Who are they ? Nobody !

  They don’t scare us . They are insignificant .

  What is their agenda ?  What is their record  ?

  People of Delhi will ignore them ! “



Now , that is bravado


People of Delhi  !


For over a decade , you have suffered this insult


4th December is your time to teach a lesson to the arrogant rulers of Delhi


By voting / electing , at least 40 AAP candidates


Only you can give yourself a break  !




·          hemen  parekh  (  12  Oct  2013  )



Thursday 10 October 2013

Honest Cannot Win ?



Recently , a leading political leader is supposed to have said ,


“ Honest people cannot win elections “


A few weeks earlier , another leader publicly claimed ,


“ For winning my election , I had spent Rs 10 Crores by way of election expenses “

[  But when cornered by the Election Commission , he gave some  clever / imaginative ,  explanations and interpretations of his statement !  ]


Everyone – including the voters – know that the actual expenses to fight an election do run up from a few lakhs ( for a Municipal Election ) to a few crores ( for MP / MLA seat )


By prescribing a ridiculously low limit ( for such expenses ) , we ourselves are responsible to turn – otherwise honest politicians , into liars ! ( Not that there are many of them ! )


Unless Aam Aadmi Party (  AAP  ) candidates fighting Delhi State Assembly Elections prove that it IS possible to fight – and win – elections , within the expenses limit prescribed by the Law !


People of Delhi  !


You have a chance to prove that “ Honesty Pays “


By electing at least 40  AAP  candidates on 4th December



·          hemen  parekh  (  11  Oct  2013  )