Stat(u)e of the nation

 

As children, we used to play that game called statue. When the ‘IT’ yells ‘statue !’, everyone else had to hold their actions and not move a muscle. Blinking eyes was allowed, but nothing more. Who ever moved, was out.

I think this game is only played in India, and the country too loves statues. There are new coming every-year. Indian states find it easier to release funds to build huge stone and steel statues, than for actual governance and policy implementation. The other curious thing Indian politicians love to do is to rename things. Places, states, cities, towns, even roads and maybe even rivers.

 

Its pathetic. I think the reason is that people will die, but statues are going to stay.

Time to De-Link

 

The Supreme court of India yesterday ruled…well…50-50, on the validityvalidity of the Aadhaar act. Politicians are busy still discussing which side won, but one thing is clear: Private entities can no longer ask for Aadhaar related data of Indians. Aadhaar is now meant to be used for government benefits. So basically Aadhaar has now become one of the fifteen thousand other documents in India that are compulsorily optional.

 

 

So no need to provide aadhaar number for services like mobile phone connections, bank accounts and school admissions. All those private players who depended on the system for easy-KYC have been left in the open now. They will have to find a backup plan or go back to old school KYC. I am specially chuckling at how SBI mandated that a person can have only a single account via Aadhaar linking.

So now, its time to de-link. Coming to think of it, I have provided my own aadhaar number to about a dozen private companies for services. Time to follow up and get them all un-linked..

..if that is even possible now.

Welcome to the Mobocracy

 

If the current affairs are going to stay, we will have soon lose our status as the world’s largest democracy. It was subtle at first, but its definitely getting worser every day. There is a new form of government in force today, one which its citizens can threaten, and hold ransom. Doesn’t matter what the law says, or the constituion mandates, it is the mob which is control. More of a threatocracy or mobocracy.

On on the eve of republic day this year, the news which greets Indians is that of utter chaos.

 

So background. There is a terrible film-maker who has steadily made stupid , boring movies shot on elaborate soundstages. Having running our of original thought years ago, he now picks up historical stories from the country, and adds his own twist to them. I slept through his last 4 movies. Even when they were on DVD ! His movies should definitely be banned, but not for the reasons currently trending on news.

Even after the supreme court stated that states cannot interfere, there are now violent protests in those states. And the states are not doing anything to stop it. Theatre owners are scared shit to run the movie. Fearing mob backlash.

All this for what is actually a snorefest of a movie.

This is not the first time the mob has held the state ransom. This exact thing happened last year. On 25 August 2017, widespread rioting in northern India broke out after guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the religious leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, was convicted of rape. At least 41 people were killed,authorities had suspended internet services for 48 hours and Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code was imposed.

 

The world is watching us slowly destroying ourselves into chaos. What a time to live in.

Happy Republic day.