I'm very sure that many of my friends feel that PM Narendra Modi is a great orator and communicator. He avails every available channel of communication, whether it’s Radio, Twitter, or public speech. He fires on all cylinders and he even uses PMO’s Twitter account very regularly to propagate his political agenda( not sure if it's ethical).
But it’s a fact that this strategy has worked well for the party in the last five years and this communication strategy could definitely win elections, but I doubt whether it can win people’s hearts. The recent bye-Elections and Assembly Elections are best examples.
Yesterday, PM addressed few election rallies in AP &TS. While addressing in Mahboobnagar, votes have been sought in the name of NAYABHARAT. In 2014 we have heard him saying “ACHE DIN”.  Have they arrived? I don’t know. In this address, I expected him to explain what he meant by NAYABHARAT and what should a voter expect if he votes for his party? 
I feel its high time leaders realise that the days of attracting voters with slogans are over. Now it’s time to talk about performance and future vision. In many places, many leaders from ruling dispensation raised about surgical strikes which have taken political colors, unfortunately. Our Defence Forces go across the border, to annihilate the hotbeds of terrorists, which gives a lot of energy to our forces, and India as well. Is this something new? Not at all. Earlier it was never politicised. Yesterday, a stern enemy of Congress,  Mr. KCR also confirmed this, while addressing a public a meeting, that while he was a Union Cabinet Minister in Central Cabinet, 11 times such surgical strikes, have been conducted, but without any fanfare. Is that not the responsibility of the Government of the day to protect our borders? Why should it be politicised?
It is said that AP has put its sticker on his scheme of Cash Transfer. But the truth is that in AP this scheme was started much ahead of Centre. If you really look at this, the entire credit for the scheme should go to KCR, who was the first CM to announce Rythu Bandhu and the same has been picked up by AP and Centre. PM was critical of both AP &TS and there is nothing wrong in criticising, but his comments “son rise & Sonset" were low brow in my opinion. My personal view is, that the PM should have shown some restraint. We regard our PM in very high esteem. A PM should be an example of what a leader should be? I expected from him a tremendous amount of statesmanship like quality and leave the job of taking jibes at opponents to the lower rung of leaders. The statement that 11th April will see the “Sunrise” for NewIndia and “Son set” for AP was not in good taste.
There was a repeated criticism about the entry of children of politicians as successors as “son rise” but I don’t know whether there is anything wrong in it. Does our constitution say anywhere that the politicians' sons shouldn't be given an opportunity to become a politician?
BJP is not devoid of politicians who are sons of politicians, ss BJP denying tickets to them on that basis?
Coming to the issue of the recent announcement by our PM regarding successful test firing of anti-satellite missiles. One wonders the credit for the same could have been shared live with those who conceptualised and started the Mission. In fact, whether the announcement is the violation of election code or not, is a matter of dispute and of course, our present election commission will not object for it but I feel, it could’ve been announced in the form of a departmental press release. Being the Head of the Government, the least the PM can Do is to follow the code of conduct and set an example for others to emulate. 

Govinda Govinda ..Just finished reading a divine book titled "WHEN I SAW TIRUPATI BALAJI” written by Mr. PVRK PRASAD(late) IAS, an ex-Executive Officer TTD. Prasad 1966 batch IAS from the then AP cadre, served as, Collector Khammam, Private Secretary to PV Narasimha Rao ji when he was CM of AP, Chairman Vizag PortTrust, Media Advisor to Former PM PV etc. He won many honors and Awards as EO TTD he rendered yeoman service to it. He was a thorough upright officer with the highest level of integrity. He literally transformed Tirumala, launched many new programs to meet the diverse needs of devotees.

This book is compact, with enthralling narration, was originally conceived in Telugu, as NAHAM KARTHA, (I'm not the doer) and it was one the best sellers in not only Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi also and now again brought out in English with that name.

According to Mr.Prasad, his views and experiences and Lord’s powers highlighted in scriptures could be witnessed by people in their day to day lives. He has narrated how SRIHARI has used him as an instrument for getting certain things done. Prasad also says "some people inquisitively ask is there God? If there is, how does he look? Have you seen Him?”
This book perhaps provides answers to all such type of queries.

Sri PV Ji, while writing his forward mentioned that every episode whetted his curiosity to go to the next episode, they are exciting, with full of devotion.  There is no spiritual message as such, yet the miracles through which he narrated the visible effect of the invisible power, keeps the reader enthralled.

It’s an excellent book, which all God lovers, must read it once.

"The scope of Happiness,” a personal memoir of Smt Vijayalaxmi Pandit.
It is a narrative of the woman, who was the sister and confidante and a life -long political associate of Jawaharlal Nehru. As the world’s first woman ambassador, serving in the then USSR, US and UK. She was India's voice abroad, representing India’s non-alignment, anti-colonialism, and anti-apartheid. She was the first woman to lead the delegation, to the UN and she was also first to be elected President of its General Assembly.  During general elections in 1977, she campaigned vigorously to bring down Mrs. Gandhi’s government, as Mrs. Gandhi, being her niece had betrayed the tradition of freedom and the democratic values. Indira Gandhi went against the principles envisioned by Nehru for independent India, by imposing Emergency. I was really surprised to note and find that the”memoir” had been written by her at the age of 78, in her house in Dehra-Dun.
Her father Motilal Nehru, was having fabulous practice in Allahabad  High-Court. His palatial bungalow, Anand Bhawan, was very opulent and one of the most westernised in those days. High English officials including the Governors of UP, used to admire the handsome Kashmiri Brahmin, who dressed, lived, and even looked like an Englishman. People used to envy the elegant luxury in which that family lived. His only son Jawaharlal, was sent to Harrow and Cambridge, at the age 15, for studies, while one European Governess was employed for the two daughters at home. The advent of Mahatma Gandhi on Indian political scene had changed the course of their lives, otherwise, Motilal wanted to take retirement from the profession, and young Nehru would have inherited his father’s enormous legal practice. Having been influenced by Gandhi Ji, the duo father and son renounced their fabulous legal practice and joined non-cooperation movement and complied with Gandhiji’s call to boycott British courts. The entire their ostentatious life got transformed overnight. They disposed the fleet of cars and carriages, the servants number got drastically reduced, the women of the family gave up foreign finery and took to wearing home-spun Khadi, while AnandBhavan ceased to be the select club of Elite of Allahabad and it became like Sarai frequented by humble Party workers, which was made central party office of Congress . Motilal had sloughed off the luxuries of life to cast in his lot with Mahatma and went to jail number of times, during the freedom movement. Some of the present leadership and its cronies would never agree. I want all those who criticise them, to read such books to understand reality. Even Vijaya Laxmi Pandit, took a very active part in the freedom movement, in 30s, had her full share of trials and tribulations. Her account of the struggle for freedom during which she was imprisoned 3 times, is also a story of a woman ‘s vital pioneering roles in her political life starting as first woman cabinet minister in1937. There are penetrating and entertaining anecdotes about world figures of her time, including Churchill, Tito, etc. She reveals in the telling, a woman with an intense capacity to enjoy life’s challenges, and one who faced grievous personal loss with great courage when her husband Mr. Pandit, died during his last imprisonment, under the British. It is very interesting to read as it is the first-hand account of her life from which went luxury to struggles to responsibilities and her world view.

Priyanka’s entry has generated a lot of heat, in political circles, and we see a lot of discussions and debates in TVs and press, some supporting and some opposing. She has been made General Secretary, and made in-charge of Eastern UP, at a time when Lok Sabha elections are around the corner. I feel it’s a good decision to put her in charge of a region where it’s party is in poor state, while SP -BSP are in alliance and it’s a Herculean task to take on BJP in UP and if you see the initial responses from Sambit Patra etc, her entry must have rattled the ruling party. The inevitable has happened. Priyanka has taken the plunge into the cesspool in what could be a  defining moment in the run-up to the general elections. But if we see the reality, her entry didn’t happen overnight. The party brass had been discussing the subject of a party position for her for quite a while, even though she had been known for more than a decade, as the star campaigner for her mother and brother.

While many political analysts say that it’s a big master-stroke and give a fillip to the party’s prospects in the ensuing elections. The news had made the ruling dispensation uneasy as can be seen from a somewhat crude response from their top leader. Instead of displaying some gravitas, a familiar and worn out bogey of the dynasty has been raised. Dynasty has no meaning in democracy. We have KCRs, CBNs, Rajanath Singh, Vasundhara Raje, Menaka, and I can quote 100 names from BJP alone, but they are all contesting elections and winning as nobody can be imposed as King because he or she belongs to a royal lineage. The so-called dynasty doesn’t ensure any guaranteed success. One has to go through the election process and prove one’s worth. Otherwise, one would be mercilessly thrown out. The party will see the win ability and also the mass-appeal. The way the BJP is trying to woo cine -stars and other public figures, though they are bereft of any experience. Priyanka is a well-known face with a lot of charisma and vote-catching ability. She doesn’t deserve the derision of top leadership and people like Sabit Patra. In fact, it’s their internal matter, and Shivsena has reacted gracefully.

Priyanka has as much right as anybody else to enter politics. As a matter fact, her background of having two martyrs in the family makes her all the more eligible and nothing to sneer about.

Now with her entry, the prospects of the party returning to power in 2019 have brightened and the nation in all likelihood may witness a “New Women’s Era”

Whether Congress wins or looses and no matter how the “dynasty rule “ debate pans out, this latest political entry by Priyanka is a key event in Indian politics.Circumstances and her own performance will determine how the career of the political debutante unfolds but for the moment her arrival has shaken up national politics.

After watching lakhs of Naga sadhus and crores of people taking a dip in the holy Ganga at Kumbh Mela, made me wonder about the cleanliness of the sacred river. 

I was very happy when one of my friends wrote that the cleaning process is on and that most of the job has already been done, as our honourable PM represents Kashi. But my own research has shown me a pathetic story

Swamy Sanand who recently passed away after his 111 day fast to save the Ganga wrote to PM "In the last 4years of your government there is not even a single action that can be said to be a fruitful one in the direction of saving Ganga” The recent CAG review of Namami Gange corroborates with Swamiji, it says that only 1%of the river has been cleaned in the last 4 years and around 50,000 crores more is needed to complete the project, due to administrative delays, poor contract management. As per the report Rs20,000 crores for a period of 5 years, was allocated for this mission that was flagged off amidst much fanfare in 2014. It is Therefore really deeply shocking that nearly half of that budget has been spent only to achieve 1%progress. Earlier too dismissing the claims of respective state governments about the measures taken, the NGT had expressed its bitter disappointment.

A year ago, we all (family with few relatives) went to Varanasi on pilgrimage and noticed that there is a good development in the city but the Ganga river is still in bad condition.

Mr. AK Biswas a distinguished visiting professor at the LEE KUAN YEW school for public policy in Singapore, is a globally most respected Water Expert says, ”the entire Ganga pollution control plan is fundamentally flawed. If by a miracle the current plan could be implemented, it will still not be effective even over the medium term, let alone the long term, because it is mostly past-oriented and does not take into account the future conditions.” Biswas, who has authored and edited over 80 books, mainly on water resources and management said: “political rhetoric will never clean up Ganga —-it’s theoretically impossible to clean entire Ganga by 2020.”

The fundamental issue is “Development Vs Environment ”. The Uttarakhand government maintains that Mining is essential for their State’s Growth while the environmental activists hold that successive governments have been colluding with the mining mafia in their unlawful and unsustainable mining. This apart tannery effluents, municipal sewerage etc are also the reasons.

It’s only the people of this Punyabhoomi who have been blessed with few unique and outstanding things—Ganga, Gau, Gita, and Gayatri. Its high time we Indians rise above all divisions collectively resurrect at least this divine aquatic gift called Ganga otherwise there will be no Ganga remaining, leaving us with the only option of a mental dip in it. 

"Modi’s decision to buy 36 Rafales shot the price of each jet up by 41%” screamed the headline of an article carried out by The Hindu.  And had a detailed investigative report by N Ram. 
This exclusive report of N Ram on the Rafale fighter aircraft deal has nailed several lies.
This report establishes and validates the argument of the opposition that there is something fishy about the whole deal, and therefore it’s a fit case to go before JPC, as it is interspersed with facts and figures. This article proved beyond doubt that distorted facts must have been presented before the courts.
The government is in direct confrontation with opposition on this issue while its strange that our honorable PM who has been closely involved in the deal, maintains stoic silence while the Ministers of his cabinet some of whom have had no role in the deal have been left to defend it. In its defense of the Rafale deal the government can not make the excuse of saying that previous governments too indulged in such activities. The point of national security cannot be used when convenient if asked about transparency in government dealings.
The government has to accept the fact that the configuration and capabilities of the JETs negotiated by earlier UPA and those renegotiated and procured by NDA were practically same, while the terms such as “ design and development of India specific enhancements" were needed to make the aircraft battle ready is still open to contestation. Dassault Aviation would not have been allowed to make a windfall out of the deal without some quid-pro-quo. There is nothing called free lunch in the business world. Further, the report has made it amply clear that the confidentiality clause was applied to technical details. Instead Of clinging on to Supreme Court’s inexplicable clean chit, the government should agree to have JPC probe as transparency and accountability are vitally important for a democracy. And also there is a strong feeling that the required procedures were avoided, while the silence by the government will be seen as cowardly in absence of proper answers.

At the fag end of the Winter Session of Parliament, the Govt has introduced a bill to reserve 10 percent seats in Educational Institutions and in government employment for the poorer sections of the unreserved category. This is clearly an undisguised election move to woo the communities, high-caste Hindus, like Patels, Marathas and Kapus in AP etc., who have missed the bus of reservations as the upper castes have recently punished BJP in the Assembly Elections. Originally, if you look back it was Mr. PV Narasimha Rao who had brought an identical 10 percent reservation for the upper castes in the wake of the backlash of Mandal Commission. But it was struck down by the Supreme Court.
Now if you see, this move,  at the last lap of its tenure to give reservations to upper castes on the basis of economic condition goes against the very purpose for which reservation was introduced and constitutionally validated, in order to correct the historical wrongs and injustices.The fear of losing votes drives the government to try every trick in the book.

If one recalls, Indian Railways called applications for 63,000 vacancies and drew a response of 1.9 crore people for jobs like helpers, porters, cleaners, gatemen etc. In India, the paradox is that though it’s one of the fast-growing economies, it’s unable to generate a sufficient number of jobs for the youth. On the other hands, we have seen Demonetisation had played havoc, created endless problems and it’s important that these problems are addressed. Especially when more educated young people enter the workforce. Therefore, I fail to understand how will quotas for the backward or forward classes will help? Growth has proved elusive with unemployment, inflation etc, however much we may wish to sanitise the facts. Quotas may not be the answer, but it’s clear that NDA is desperate to retain power at any cost, as it has failed to fulfill poll promises of 2014, which is why it’s resorting to such gimmicks and it's trying to manage the perceptions. The criterion is that only people with 8 lakhs income will be excluded, thus 96 percent will now become eligible for reservations, but the moot question here is where are the jobs?