A very large number of Indians use Facebook and other social media, are really startled to note the breach of personal data of 50 million people across the globe from Facebook through  Cambridge Analytica, a British firm that has employed dubious methods. I feel, this must be a wake-up call for The Indian Govt, as it is supposed to frame comprehensive and a robust data protection law.
Whenever we celebrate something, we generally post it on FB, so that the kith and kin would enjoy. But many people share a lot of personal information on the social media platform not knowing its implications. We don’t even know whether we are victims of this micro-targeting during elections but we should know that our information may not be safe in the hands of a foreign company.
In the last few days, we have seen how both Congress and BJP are busy in trading charges about the alleged links with Cambridge Analytica, and lakhs of social media users in our India are seriously worried that their personal data could have been stolen, misused or even compromised. Whatever explanation FB might be offering, about the data breach, can it conceal the fact that its data safety systems are weak? The fact of the matter is, it has failed to honor the deep trust reposed in it by millions of people, who use it. Now stringent action needs to be taken against the culprits if it is found that the data has been exploited.
And it's an irony that I'm posting grievance against FB on FB.

Today’s newspaper carries a report that for the banks ensuing 3/4days, they are closed due to holidays which in turn may cause a lot of inconvenience to the general public.In fact, the holiday culture is killing the Indian productivity. On an average, the government employees enjoy holidays for more than 72 days excluding sick leave, LTC leave. If we keep aside the forced holidays by politicians, what a criminal waste of time in the name of holidays? In my personal view, the government should declare only 3 national holidays Independence Day, Republic Day,and Gandhi Jayanthi. There should a separate list, of holidays for different religious people for their festivals should be declared and people belonging to a particular religion may be allowed to use the holiday meant for the festival while the other employees belonging to other religion may be allowed to work, which will enhance the productivity. I don’t understand what will Muslims or Christian’s do during Hindu festivals and vice-versus? Except for the father of the nation, the births and death anniversaries of all other national leaders,  the holidays should be cancelled forthwith. The officials should pay tributes standing silence for 2 minutes as a matter of respect, in their respective offices and I'm sure this is the only correct way of remembering the services, of such great people. If the vote bank politics are kept aside, a determined leader like Modi Ji, could certainly prune the unwanted holidays and cultivate the work culture among the employees, for the productivity of the nation.Another practical suggestion of mine is, that instead of a six-day week, all the government offices, should strictly work for 8 hours, in a day, for 5 days in a week, and 2 days weekends may be left for the family enjoyment after pruning unwanted holiday

The BJP led central government is now caught in catch 22 situation after Karnataka government decided to give an independent religion tag to Lingayats. This is definitely a shrewd move by SiddaRamaiah, to split BJP’s Lingayat base,The decision to recommend minority religion tag to the Lingayat community, might have surprised many, and definitely people will say that this was done fir political reasons, but it is quite natural, for party’s survival, and somebody else is in his place, also would have done it.Here the CM prodded some of his ministers to run a vigorous campaign, appointed a committee, got it recommended, to avoid political lapses.But here the the joke of the season is a BJP leader accusing CM of Karnataka, dividing people on communal lines, and this is called pot calling kettle black. Lingayats with Yeddyurappa as leader ,have been BJP’s presumed support base. Siddaramaiah has created a havoc, for BJP by formally approving its demand for a separate religious status. Of course Veerashaivas in Karnataka are opposing it.On the other hand CM has ordered display of portraits of Basavanna in all government offices across the state, as Lingayats follow him and his Vachanas.

Another smart action by CM was, playing the Kannada pride card.He got the signboards in Hindi removed which was welcomed by many .The government also promoted Kannada flag which there hitherto, in the pre-Independence day’s of the Samyukta Karnataka movement.In the last five years, I don’t know whether he did any outstanding work, but is a man of vision ,with no major scam caught up in tenure.It looks he has managed the budgets well ,and populist move of  Indira canteens have won lot appreciation, I believe.

In the circumstances a direct test of strength between Siddaramaiah and Yediyurappa’s BJP can well go in CM’s favour. But here again the main obstacle for him may be the vote-wasting capability of most frustrated politician Deve Gowda, and his JD(s) doesn’t have a hope in hell of getting anywhere near the power, but he could be an effective nuisance .

 We keep hearing TDP leaders right from Union Ministers (former), MPs, MLAs, and spokespersons in TV shows, say or still continue to harp on the same old story, that the AP’s bifurcation was, unscientific, hasty, and unjust. In my view it totally incorrect and far from the truth. The main grouse is no capital, and for this where is the necessity to blame Congress? Did Congress or UPA ask CBN to move immediately, 10 years time was given to construct the capital, but he only left at JET  speed overnight, for the reasons best known to all and sundry?
The root cause behind crying hoarse about the bifurcation was far from scientific traces. Its roots only lopsided development and misplaced priorities, and nothing else. Secondly, the then UPA’s decision, by no measure, could be termed as hasty, as the TRS with all the political parties, were fighting for it for 12 years, and all said and done KCR was on fast unto death, staking his life while all the parties from Andhra gave letters agreeing for it, CBN gave two letters. Let us understand that as a leader of the opposition for 10 years, does he not know how it was to be bifurcated? Why he didn’t attend an all-party meeting to suggest modalities. He was only harping on SAMANVYAYAM and what is that SAMANYAYAM, God only knows as it is BRAHMA PADARTHA, because he never spelled out, the definition of SAMANVYAYAM, fearing the wrath of Andhra people. Finally, I would say that it is not all unjust as the formation of the Integrated state at the time States Reorganisation itself on the basis of language, in1956, was infested enough with discordant voices, and dissenting notes.
Now it is time for AP, TDP to learn lessons of the adverse consequences of heavy centralisation, and initiate adequate preventive measures so as to ward off any separatist tendencies likely to raise their heads henceforth.Already Agitation started for a High Court for Rayalaseema and people, in general, have feeling that it is being neglected.

   

It's mind-boggling to see Pavan Kalyan take a U-turn on the burning issue of Special Status for AP,  after burning midnight oil, with many reputed bureaucrats and politicians, on this issue for the last few days. Either He must be inconsistent in his ideas or as Naidu says,  he is being dictated by some top guns. Whatever Maybe the case, people of Andhra will simply ignore him because he has the habit slipping away from the promises made in public. If you remember, he promised to lead the Agitation against land pooling done in AP for the capital Amaravati, by CBN. People of AP cannot be fooled by his occasional appearances and his vague promises. We have seen many big stars have faded into oblivion with the passage of time. If we recall, he said once that since his brother Chiranjeevi, had been ditched, by some people, after floating his PRAJARAJYAM party, and he wants to teach a lesson to them, but in my view, for settling personal scores, we need not enter public life, which does no good to the public in turn. As could be seen from his past record, he appears in public occasionally, with forceful well-scripted punch-dialogues followed by Zero action.His party’s 4th anniversary the tirade he made against CBN and his TDP must have definitely astonished many in TDP while the opposition must have enjoyed, the punches. Though it was lacking in clarity and accuracy, it was clear that it was against CBN, and TDP and also to some extent YSRCP. CBN might not have expected this unforeseen U-turn,by Pavan and consequences of it on the government’s vegetative nature on its poll promises and also the allegations against the corruption, must be bothering Naidu very much. Let us understand that every political outfit while entering, will only say that it is to start clean politics or rather corruption free, but after assuming office, it will be a different story. AAP government in Delhi is a clear example in this respect. But I am surprised to note that during his election campaign, he advised voters to accept money from political parties, which is against the stated objective of clean politics.Already he is under controversy with regards to the land he purchased, for the house and office, which itself is a bad start.Now it is for the people of AP to decide the future course of action, on many burning issues.

The defeat of BJP in all six Lok Sabha seats where by-elections were held this year has alarmed the party in UP ahead of 2019 Parliamentary polls. While stoking speculation about the opposition stitching an alliance together to take on the ruling, after tasting success in the recent bypolls. If the reverses in MP, Rajasthan bypolls has put the ruling dispensation on the back foot, the UP and Bihar by poll results must have come as a rude shock. In fact, both Gorakhpur and Phulpur were held by CM Yogi Adityanath and KP Maurya, DCM respectively. Now it is increasingly becoming evident that the NDA’s sheen is wearing off and voters have begun to see through the government’s boasts about its non-existent achievements. I'm unable to comprehend the result of Gorakhpur, especially, because, Yoginath is five-time MP and had tremendous influence. On our way to Muktinath, Nepal, I met him personally for half an hour in his Gorakhpur Ashram, this was just 4 days before he became CM of UP last year.  He was so kind, that he has arranged accommodation for us in his Guest House, on our return from Nepal. The loosing of the seat was a surprise for me, and now I can imagine the prevailing discontentment among the voters of that place.
NDA established its superiority in the last Lok Sabha elections and won more than 300 seats, while it got exclusively for BJP 282 seats and it was able to form the government on its own, but over the period its strength was dwindling. Now its strength has come down to 272, and even if it gets reduced by one, it will only be a minority government. When it had 282, numbers, its style was different as they didn't have to depend on alliance partners. In fact,  partners were at its mercy, which we have seen Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena, saying that he was being seen with suspicion but BJP just brushed aside all such utterances.
It looks like their friends were waiting to see this precarious situation for the party and expecting that they would be taken into confidence while Congress seems to be brimming with joy as it faced humiliating defeat with only 44 seats in 2014 and in this four years period another 4 got added when it won by-elections.
Normally, all by-elections, only ruling party will win. What is more surprising is even in Bihar J.D. and NDA combine lost to Lalu’s RJD.
Last LokSabha elections BJP had 46 regional /national parties, on its side with Amit Shah,  had enlisted good support, but subsequently, one after the other allies are leaving it. With Shivsena and TDP, major chunk went out while Akalidal is just waiting in the wings.  Now BJP looks to be isolated.
In view of the present situation, the party has to do real introspection and make amends as it has only one year time for next elections.

The English proverb which says, "the pot calling the kettle black” perfectly applies to Nirav Modi who defrauded PNB. He has the audacity to write to PNB in which he blames it for destroying his brand and our astonishment he adds that the bank has shut the doors on his ability to repay the debt. What a courage! But if we seriously go to the depth of the matter soon we will admit that it is only our easy going system in which criminals easily find a chance to commit such of these notorious crimes. It is also shocking that the political parties instead of addressing the situation objectively, are only indulging in mudslinging .

The funny thing about the banking fraud that is rocking the country is that no one is accountable. The FM remained silent at first and then blamed the auditors, for the PNB fraud, as if he was just an onlooker and thank god he didn’t blame RBI. I think, in India apart from the game of cricket another game that catches its fancy is blame game, which is a national pastime. His cabinet colleague Ravishankar Prasad blamed it on Congress which was the easiest way as he was seeing Indira’s BankNationalisation, as the reason for the mess. Nirmala Sita Raman Defence Minister, gave a different version. Let us admit that unforgettable scams marked the government’s of all Congress PMs from Indira’s time. Manmohansingh personally most respected for his  unquestionable integrity and incorruptibility, was a finance minister in 1992 when Harshad Mehta triggered a Rs 4000/crores banking scam siphoning of money from interbank transactions. Manmohan ji as PM allowed some abominably corrupt ministers to flourish. So, my point is, the Congress scams do they justify BJP’s Scams? I feel there is no way the government of the day can disassociate itself from the present scandal.

Those who have eyes to see can see that scandals of this kind cannot happen without the knowledge and cooperation or participation of politicians in power. Equally relevant is the question is could Nirav Modi  have escaped from India without official collusion! 

We have seen Nirav Modi has politely declined to cooperate with CBI in its enquiries against him. But why not? Is Vijay Mallya cooperating with CBI? Has any one in our great country dared to touch Lalith Modi? Irrespective of party in power, situation in our country doesn't seem to improve.