The Big Oil Game

“Oh Indians, Wake Up….Wake Up and Conserve the OIL
Or You would find it difficult to live on this soil
So, Toil Toil and Toil
To Conserve the OIL!”

The above is a quotation I had written to start my speech while participating in a declamation in an Oil Conservation Week in the school.
It got refreshed in my mind with the recent news regarding how an embargo by US on Iran can disturb India with regards to its oil import. Also, I have had a few discussions with my friends on the same.

India is one of the main importers of Oil and our over-dependence on the same is a problem for our economy. With tensions rising between America and Iran, it does not bode well for us. Iran has said that they would block the Strait of Hormuz in case the USA continues with its sanctions. EU has already said that they would put a ban to oil import on Iran. The interesting point is that one fifth of world’s oil flows through this passage of which India is a major part.
This brings to fore a big game that US is construed to be playing with regards to its policy for countries like Iraq and Libya. This meddling in affairs of other countries some times on the pretext of biological weapons or human rights violations or dictatorships, has led to many unanswered questions and intentions of west comes under the scrutiny. Although we cannot change their policy, but we can definitely try to strategize and be prepared for any drastic situations.

In India, we have faced around 11 Oil price hikes since June 2010. For how long can we hide behind the excuse that “global forces play a big role in this”. Maybe we need a more aggressive approach to finding new sources of oil in our country or pursue good relationships with more and more countries.Energy is a big need and our move towards Nuclear energy is a step in the right direction.

We need to keep on looking for alternatives as in one way of the other we might get affected by the world politics.

Also, it becomes incumbent on each one of us to save each drop that we can. Each drop matters then !

Indian Political League

Its Election time.Clearly the Indian political league has taken over the Indian Premier League as Cricket has to move to South Africa now.Though it’s a bit disappointing but better safe than sorry.(The concerns are genuine when we don’t even have enough security forces to guard elections with looming threat of terrorism)

Now talking about the Elections,as a voter we have three choices broadly in front of us,namely :
United Progressive Alliance(UPA,Congress the leader)
National Democratic Alliance(NDA,BJP the leader)
Third Front(Left parties are the mainstay)

The following factors can influence voters when they cast their votes for the 543 seats of the 15th Lok Sabha,from 16 April to 13 May:

1.The win on the Diplomacy front of the UPA(Pak accepting its soil used for terror).When NDA was in power and attack on parliament happened,all it did was to mobilise forces in operation Parakaram,which resulted in nothing but waste of money.

2.The strong will of Congress led to Indo-US Nuclear Deal coming into effect.Though the foundation of this deal was laid by the NDA.

3.The unemployment is an issue with 5 Lakh jobs lost in India.Mostly it can be blamed on world recession,but people need solutions from our leaders.

4.The prices of food commodities have remained high for most part of the rule of UPA and they are still high though we are staring at Deflation.(Some say its just Disinflation).My mother says price rise was mostly never an issue when NDA ruled.

5.The BJP has raised its communal head again with Varun Gandhi's hate speech and Hindutva being an issue.Now,it may work in their favour but on the moral grounds BJP has lost already in my point of view.On the other hand Congress works all out to introduce caste base quotas and minority appeasement!

6.Everyday the semantics of politics is changing in India.BJD has left NDA.Laloo and Ram Vilas Paswan are virtually fighting against congress in Bihar.So,is Samajwadi Party in UP.PMK has also left UPA.The old partners of NDA like Jayalalita and TDP are moving towards the Third Front!!!!

7.There are too many candidates for the post of Prime Minister.Advani and Manmohan Singh are the front runners.But you never know with Mayawati,Sharad Pawar,Prakash Karat and even Deve Gowda lining up for the post.Now the voters have to keep in mind that who is most trust worthy and able among them.

8.Development is a key issue as we have already seen how Sheila dixit came to power in Delhi and Shiv Raj Chauhan in MP purely on the development plank.The voters are waking up to the performance of the government.

9.Lastly,a stable Govt at the centre is a must.Because if it’s a khichdi Govt then no one can take a stand.The regional aspirations should not over rule the National agenda.This is the key.So,even if a regional party candidate has done well,you may want to vote for a national party x because you want to see it in power and making national policies.

Above were the issues that randomly came to my mind.If you have some more then do tell me as I may cast my precious vote this time.I hope you do the same :)

The Quota Conundrum

Are we moving forward or back? The days of ‘Divide and Rule’ are back or what? Has quality been compromised for votebank politics? Would Equality be achieved? Would my country gain from this? Would the youth rise? Is reservation the right tool? What is the future? Would we be able to solve this conundrum ever???????

All these questions have come to my mind and I am sure to many minds in recent days over the Quota Muddle.

The much awaited Supreme Court judgement on OBC reservation has arrived.
Keypoints---> 27% reservation upheld and ‘Creamy Layer’ to be kept out.This makes it 49.5% reservation after including SC/ST’s .

At first look it seems to be a judgement that has taken the middle path.Nice word…nice word…Creamy Layer……nice……so the Court (with due respect) thinks that Economically forward people among OBC’s don’t deserve this reservation thing….really appreciated....BUT!!!!….If that is the case then why bring caste to it.Does being from a particular caste or religion mean that the person is poor or rich??? If economic status is the criterion then what is the need to bring in the caste.Give reservation to the poor and no one complains.BUT!!!…again this but……when would this nation realize???.(Note the definition of Creamy Layer might be changed soon as per the wishes of political parties from 2.5 lakh limit right now to……)

When I went with my friends as part of ‘Youth For Equality’ in a rally and later to PGI where doctors were on hunger strike last year…I had seen hope….hope in the eyes of my friends that at least the Judiciary in this country cares….BUT!!! I must say there is disappointment now.I have nothing against anyone but how can a census done in 1931 be the basis of judging such an important issue.If the government really wants to do something for the people of this country then it should invest its energy and resources on the primary education.If resevation was a solution then the list of OBCs and other categories that need to be given reservation would have shrunk now instead of remaining the same.

This thing has given only a fillip to the parties like MNS which has demanded reservations for Maharashtrians in the jobs,dividing Indians into North and South.Tomorrow you would see Quotas on the basis of caste in private sector jobs as well and a day would arrive when the cricket team of this country would have a quota too!!!!

When would this word 'Reservation' go.Its hurting this country big time….