Trial run

Checking out how this works

End of statue `fixing'

Published in Capital Notebook of The Times of India dated July 17, 2000
`Our leaders are not traffic constables'
The End of Statue Fixing
Statue fixing finally seems to be on its way out with the housing and urban development minister Lalji Tandon announcing that no statue shell henceforth be installed at traffic intersections. The minister made the announcement while unveiling a bust of Munshi Newal Kishore on Friday. This, he said, was being done as our great leaders were not traffic constables! City folks, however, have already been made traffic constables? After all, Bhimrao Ambedkar is there at Charbagh while Maharana Pratap `controls' Hussainganj. Likewise, there's Rabindranath Tagore at IT crossing, Suhel Dev Rajbhar at the Nur Manzil trisection and Uda Devi at the Sikanderbagh crossing.











Note:
Since 2000 we have seen a lot of change in Lucknow with statues, colossal ones at that crowding the city. Saying that our leaders are not traffic constables is true. What no one understands is that these same leaders who are being venerated `in stone of bronze' would have themselves been against the waste of money involved.

2,700 crore on memorials

While the Supreme Court will be taking up the issue of Lucknow's memorials that have crossed the Rs 2000 crore in costs not counting the demolition of a stadium to add to the memorial, what is surprising is that when this was being planned nobody took up the matter. What can be done now that the money has been spent? What can be done with 60 life-size elephants and the numerous other statues? They simply have to remain.

Elections are over

The little man goes back to work May 18, 2009
All the excitement is over and the UPA gets to form the government. Thankfully this is without having to work with a sword dangling over its head. The nation, rather the whole world, watched last year when the nuclear deal had to be passed, witnessing all the natak (drama) in Parliament. Now one can expect some smooth governance with the country progressing at a comfortable pace. The opposition, unlike in the past, should provide some balance to help keep the Union Government on track and not place boulders in the way to derail it. If anything this election has proved that the people cannot be fooled much longer. They will now be watching what the government does as well as what the opposition parties in Parliament are doing. A party that can recognise the good being done by the government is a party that will be respected and remembered in the next election. On the other hand the Congress Party should build upon the present success and get back to Uttar Pradesh where it had been all but forgotten.
Now, the little man who didn't really stop working during the election perion, as he cannot afford to, works harder.

This is something more I didn't know

10 May, 2009.
How can one get a blog without even starting one? Or does it mean that it's that easy now to start one?