Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter WE THE DIVIDED PEOPLE

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

 WE THE DIVIDED PEOPLE

 I know, there are so many people angry on all these senas and all.. but in this, not many us thought beyond Marathi Manoos issue.. My thoughts are mainly roaming around the political angle of all these recent happenings and trying to understand the Congress is playing very very smart political game here.. obviously there is nothing bad in it, afterall, everything is fair in love and war.. So how does this whole thing work? 

If you have noticed in this general elections, the Congress acted very differently from the earlier elections.. earlier, the party had to take the support of others to remain as the central government but this time if you see, they have made sure that at almost all the places they have the strong hold and they do not have to go begging for the seats.. so basically, they want to make a point that, in the whole India, Congress should not be depending upon anyone.. they are reaching out to poor people to get the votes.. You must have seen how Rahul Gandhi was visiting the small villages throughout the year.. 

Now, the game plan is, the opponent should be crushed and should not be able to stand on it’s own feet.. on the larger scale the opponent is BJP and the last election they made sure that, BJP is almost crushed.. and now they have stronghold in very few places… (Gujarat, Bihar [With JDU], Karnataka etc..), they managed to crush BJP/ Shiv Sena in Maharashtra too.. But still in Maharashtra, Bal Thackeray’s word holds more importance than any other political leader and that’s the fact.. so now how to break that? 

Let’s start the divisional politics and bring in the personal wars in.. and then break the ice.. So what did they do.. In the first chapter, we saw MNS vs Shiv Sena.. they both started fighting to show the strength of each other, Congress watched the game quietly and laughed over it.. yeah, on the name of “taking action” they arrested MNS chief Raj Thackeray but we all know what happened to it.. so let’s keep that aside and stick to the main topic.. 

So, in the elections, you saw the votes getting divided, and it certainly helped Congress to win the seats very very comfortably.. 

But this did not affect the ties of BJP – Shiv Sena.. so now how to break that? But I think without pushing much, Congress just got what they were waiting for.. Marathi Manoos issue is back..infact, back in full swing.. 

Senas targeting icons like Sachin Tendular, superstars like Shahrukh Khan, business tycoons like Ambanis.. Sena even threatens to stop screening of SRK starrer film, My Name is Khan.. BJP makes some statements which are not so in favor of Shiv Sena.. RSS makes statements which are again not in favor of Shiv Sena.. but what government is doing in this? Silent spectator.. Rahul Gandhi in Bihar, to get votes, makes some silly statements.. Shiv Sena strikes back on them in their own way.. Congress calls Shiv Sena leaders mental.. Shiv Sena sends notices to all theatre owners not to screen the movie.. Maharashtra government (kind of) tries to assures that no one can take law in their hands etc.. (Now that’s the different story that their statements do not carry much weight).. but in the middle of this, the war game does not stop.. sometimes it’s Shiv Sena or sometimes it’s MNS.. But if you notice.. 

Congress is not making any firm statements here.. they are letting these guys make the things worst, so people get angry and never bother voting these parties.. I am sure in all these things, a common man is least interested coz they are not bothered about what a superstar or a businessman is saying.. but after seeing these kind of acts by Senas I am sure, it’s hurting a common man somewhere and this is what helps the other parties.. the vote bank slowly moves towards the other party.. because Senas are not interested in development of Maharashtra, they are only interested in the communal fights between religions and languages.. (That’s what is being projected..) 

So moral of the story.. 

At the cost of a common man’s sentiments, these political parties are playing games and dividing people.. I am sorry to say but we are divided.. we are moving backwards.. And yes, many people will say that, Congress is in power because it’s a good party and people have elected them.. my take is… people have elected them because they did not have any options..

Firoz.T.Totanawala Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. 

A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him. 

 Morals of the story: 

 (1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy. 

 (2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend. 

 (3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE EXPIRED CM

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA   

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

THE EXPIRED CM 

 The Ex Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr. H.D.Kumaraswamy was so hard working that he even sanctioned certain projects after the BJP MLA’ withdrew their support to JD-BJP Coalition Government. 

 THE SMART ALLEGATION-

 H.D Kumara Swamy, made a serious allegation on current Chief Minister B.S. Yedyurappa of receiving Rs. 50 Crores from Udaya Garudachar for awarding the Ejipura housing cum commercial projects to his Maverick Holdings. B.S Yedyurappa unable to digest the allegation entrusted the same to the Lokayukta for a probe. Many Ministers close to B.S Yedyurappa also threatened to file defamation case against H.D Kumaraswamy for having made this serious allegation. Further, to silence H.D Kumaraswamy, BSY exposed some last minute major decisions taken by H.D.K after the BJP withdrew support and entrusted those scams to CBI for a probe. 

THE EXPIRED DECISION- 

 However, neither BJP nor BSY tried to unravel the biggest scam committed by HDK of gifting away more than 90 acres of prime land in Banashankari 3rd Stage, worth more than 1000 Crores, to a fraudulent Housing Society owned by B. Krishna Bhatt. It may be recalled that the BJP Ministers boycotted the cabinet meeting on 3rd Oct 2007 and withdrew the support and HDK passed the bulk allotment orders on 04-10-2007. It is also on the same day that HDK had taken many major decisions like Township projects etc. It is not a secret that HDK is involved and it is also a fact that few BJP Leaders including the area MLA is also neck deep involved. As both HDK and BJP leaders are involved, nobody had tried to raise this scam. 

In fact, A.T Ramaswamy Committee had exposed the frauds committed in the society by a real estate agency run by the society’s owner B.Krishna Bhatt. But, a few months later, HDK counting hours as the CM made bulk allotment of these lands to B.K Bhat and what more, the BDA officials under Governor’s regime honored the orders of HDK. It should also be noted that when the Governor took over the State administration under President’s rule, he reversed many decisions taken by HDK during his last days. But here too, the Governor tacitly approved the bulk allotment. The then BDA commissioner Shankaralinge Gowda, a favourite of H.D Deve Gowda family bend the rules backwards to make bulk allotment of lands to B.K Bhat. The biggest scam is the culmination of B.K Bhat’s decades old saga of fraud. The land in Banashankri 3rd stage (Girinagar) measuring about 90 acres was under litigation between the landlords and the tenants. BK Bhat entered into an agreement with the tenants for sale of the lands for which they had no rights. In the mean while, the BDA acquired the lands and the landlords went up to the Supreme Court against the tenants, that is, their agreement holder BK Bhat. 

 MY SHIP MY COMMAND- 

 As BK Bhat had money, Muscle and political VIP Support, he carelessly went ahead to form the layout and sell the sites to the purchasers, not necessarily members. He started to register the sites on the basis of mere sale agreement and also put a condition in Sale Deed that, he can cancel the registration of the sale deed unilaterally and without intimating the purchasers, for any violation of the other conditions. When L.R Shivarame Gowda, was the BDA Chairman and V. Somanna, the BDA Minister, BK Bhat struck a deal for the bulk allotment of these lands. He collected more than 20 Crores from the purchasers towards payment of bribe to the politicians and BDA officials. He paid a part of this collection towards the “deal”. 

WHAT A PRICE! 

 As a result, L.R Shivarame Gowda forced a resolution on BDA for bulk allotment of about 90 acres of land in favor of BK Bhat owned society, for an astonishing amount of only Rs. 5 lakhs per acre. It should be noted that the BDA’S allotment at that time under bulk allotment was 65 lakhs per acre. Besides, the BDA levied a nominal rate to BK Bhat for gifting 90 acres of land encroached by him. 

GET OUT! 

 The then BDA Commissioner Laxmi Venkatachala refused to accept the resolution and a couple of days later he was removed from the Chairman post of BDA and V. Somanna was also forced to resign as the Minister. Later, when H.D K became the CM, BK Bhat renewed his efforts to get the land allotted. He held a grand function in Girinagar and felicitated a share in land. He had earlier gifted few big sites to family members of HDK and interestingly, even the BJP leaders remained soft on BK Bhat. However, the A.T Ramaswamy Report on BK Bhat’s frauds put a brake on the proposed bulk allotment order. It is now time for the Government to include this fraudulent allotment of 90 acres of prime land to BK Bhat, to the Lokayukta for a probe.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter HOW ABOUT PRIVATISING GOVERNMENT?

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA  

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

HOW ABOUT PRIVATISING GOVERNMENT? 

 Already the water supplies in many places have been privatized, the power supply is also undergoing privatization, and health services are privatized partly. The airport is privatized. The BWSSB was almost privatized but for the public protest. Infact the company which eyed the BWSSB, had engaged the services of a NGO Janagraha mould the public opinion for privatization of the BWSSB. The same is the case with KSRTC. It was also divided to form new companies. The registration dept was privatized by entrusting the registration works to private contractors. The Karnataka state tourist development’s many hotels and projects have already been privatized. The important works of revenue department too had been privatized. The KEB was divided into many corporations so that the corporation can be privatized in at a later stage. With the roads that is, rural roads too are going to privatized. What govt is running is liquor business and it is the monopoly because there is heavy money in it. 

The govt had kept the police, commercial tax, finance in it possession. Shobha karandlaje has announced that the Govt will privatize all the roads in rural areas and state highways. 

This is nothing but converting the roads in the state as toll roads. Why should one pay toll fee to use the roads? The govt collects road tax from the vehicle owners. It also collects a certain amount in percentage of surcharge towards infrastructure projects. After collecting all these taxes its govt duty to provide good roads without collecting any further charges. 

If privatization is logic, than why not privatize govt itself, and highly qualified, efficient & intelligent person can be made chief minister and other ministers. There is a limit to privatization. 

Of course, there are certain sets of rules and procedures, state govt cannot encroach on the rules, Sobha Karndlaje may be the powerful minister she cannot gift the rural roads to private contractors. Thousands of crores of tax money is paid and Govt must look after rural roads. 

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter The wonder fuel and other fluids

BY FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

The wonder fuel and other fluids 

It is beyond any doubt that the crude oil is by far the largest traded commodity and its bi-products petrol and diesel are the mostly consumed ones worldwide. Wars were fought over these commodities and a few countries have lost their geographical identities too. Debates held over these tantamount to tilt the economy of a country from better to worst and vice versa. Bitter scenes were witnessed in the past whenever the price of these commodities increased and the political parties never fail to take advantage of the price change to their benefit.

However, one fails to compare the prevailing price of these commodities with that of other consumable fluids, which are sold at the sky-rocketing rates, but still consumed by the public without exerting any hue and cry.

Cost comparison

A can of 330 ml Coca-Cola costs Rs. 20/- (a litre to cost around Rs. 60/-), a bottle of 100 ml Dettol Antiseptic Lotion costs Rs. 21 (Rs. 210/-), 500 ml of Radiator Coolant costs Rs. 170/- (Rs. 340/-), 400 ml Pantene Conditioner costs Rs. 165/- (Rs. 413/-), 100 ml Listerine Mouthwash costs Rs. 45/- (Rs. 450/-), 100 ml of Corex Cough Syrup costs Rs. 57/- (Rs. 570/-) and 150 ml cup of coffee at any decent outlet would cost Rs. 30/- (Rs. 200/-).

Some other liquids would even cost in terms of thousands of Rupees. For example, Kores brand whitener costs Rs. 15/- for 15 ml making a litre to cost Rs. 1000/-, 100 ml of Old Spice after shave lotion costs Rs. 175/- (Rs. 1750/-), 25 ml of branded almond oil costs Rs. 68/- (Rs. 2720/-) and a mere 21 ml of branded Colour Ink Cartridge costs astonishingly Rs. 1900/- making the most expensive one among the other liquids to cost Rs. 90476/- a litre. Surprisingly all these above are consumed by every section of the society without any protests whatsoever.

The pricing of the commodity

The price of gasoline never has crossed Rs. 55/- a litre any time during the past. One may be surprised to know that the wonder fuel could be made available to the end-users at less than half of its current selling rate, in case the additional taxes, which are added to are taken away from its basic cost.

As per the available statistics the basic rate works out to be at Rs. 21.93 per litre of gasoline when a barrel of crude is sold at USD 130 in the international markets. Adding taxes such as, [1] Rs. 14.35 (Excise Duty), [2] Re. 0.43 (Education-Cess), [3] Rs. 1.05 (Dealer Commission), [4] Rs. 5.50 (VAT), [6] Rs. 1.10 (Customs Duty on Crude), [7] Rs. 1.54 (Duty on Petrol) and [8] Rs. 6.00 (Transportation Charges) increases the cost of gasoline by Rs. 29.97 for every litre of petrol. The taxes and duties imposed on the gasoline are much more than its basic cost; otherwise it could be sold at less than Rs. 25/- per litre.

Petrol Politics

It is evident from the above, that the wonder fuel generates more revenue to both the central and state governments, and to the Oil Companies, as well.  But the Oil Companies shed crocodile tears, whenever there is an increase in the price of petrol and diesel is done. And the governments carry on their business undeterred as usual.    

Quotes of the commoners

“The price of petrol should be increased several folds making it ill-affordable by the commoner thereby discouraging buying of own vehicles.  The effect will obviously reduce the pollution and the presence of CO2 level in the atmosphere” – commented by a college student Juzer.

“Petrol is one such a commodity, which drives a nation and determines its economy.    It is not that we are addicted to it, but we cannot live without petrol, come what may it has to be bought at whatever may be its price” – quoted by Taher a businessman.

“Increasing the price of petrol need not necessarily trigger the inflation of the economy. It is true that to some extent that it will kindle the inflationary effect, but will remain dormant after a point of time” – quoted by a research scholar – Zainab S Kalangi.

The least expensive commodity

However, on our next visit to the petrol bunk for refilling, we shall bear in mind that the fuel, which is to be filled with, is the least expensive one amongst the other liquids consumed by anyone. We shall settle with that thought and consider fortunate enough to using this wonder fuel to run our vehicles and not any other liquids.