Fodder scam verdict

The judgement is a major blow for Lalu Prasad Yadav,the former Rail Minitster and CM of Bihar not only because of facing immediate disqualification as a Member of Parliament but also of the punishment he likely to get on October 3. The SC verdict has  great significance at a time when the ruling UPA Government and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are locked in a war of words pertaining the ordinance with regard to convicted politicians.

It is known to all political circles that the fodder scam involved the siphoning of funds from the Bihar Government treasury. The alleged theft spanned over several years, and many Bihar state government administrative and elected officials across multiple administrations were allegedly engaged in it. Additionally, there are also allegations that they were involved in the fabrication of "vast herds of fictitious livestock" for which fodder, medicines and animal husbandry equipment was supposedly procured. The land mark verdict sends strong warning to corrupt politicians of the entire country especially to those in  Kerala where culprits of Palmolien and Lavelin scams try to escape by hook or crook.

K A Solaman

Rajan panel report.

Raghuram Rajan too played politics with the panel headed by him ranking Goa and Kerala as the most advanced states. A person who travelled through the length and breadth of Gujarat would see the development in that State. The report is rather intended to belittle BJP as Gujarat is ruled by Narendra Modi. Modi is the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP.

If truth be told Goa and Kerala, the two states in the top chart, are merely tourism centres, and only the rich foreigners visit these places. If the tourist flow stops the income is only from liquor sale. And  there is acute price rise in Kerala and the power supply is always in doldrums. On the other hand in Gujarat under Modi's regime power production is surplus and neighbouring states are benefitted from it.

The expert committee criteria to find a state whether undeveloped or under developed, is beyond the comprehension of common man.

K A Solaman
The New Indian Express published on 28-9-2013

K A Solaman Blog: Futile Aadhar.

K A Solaman Blog: Futile Aadhar.: After spending a huge sum for Aadhar project, now the SC ruling has come as a big blow to the government. Most people have wasted their...

Futile Aadhar.

After spending a huge sum for Aadhar project, now the SC ruling has come as a big blow to the government. Most people have wasted their valuable time by standing in long queues to get the Aadhar. Then, what is the use in getting new one when its purpose itself is uncertain. Crores of Rupees wasted under Aadhar scheme without any valid purpose would have been utilized for providing drinking water in backward and tribal and areas where people and animals drink from the same dirty ponds.

When the citizens of this country are having Voter Identity Card, PAN Card , Ration card etc.,there was no purpose of  having another card . So, despite the expenditure already incurred in the Aadhar Project, the Central Government should scrap it forthwith, as it will not serve any specific purpose at all.  Seemingly Aadhar is nothing but another scam from the UPA. It looks like the SC has read the malafide intention of the government.  Issuing Aadhar to illegal migrants from Bangladesh is aimed at illegal vote bank.

The interesting point is, some have already started getting LPG subsidy via Aadhar linked bank account. What about, then, those who have not procured their Aadhar card? Will they get subsidy without Aadhar card and on what basis? Is it still advisable to get one?

K A Solaman

Heinous crime

The attack on All Saints church in the northwestern city of Peshawar killing eight one innocent people and  injuring many is a heinous crime. The Pakistani Taliban which is believed to be behind the crime is a  deadliest group to be wiped out from the globe. The whole episode indicates that minorities are not protected in a country like Pakistan. The Jihadis behind bomb blast are not actual Islamists and they choosing to enact their heinous carnage inside a Christian church, is really appalling.

 According to Islam, women and children should not be attacked at any cost. Islamism never recommends killings of innocent people and hence these Jihadis are real  threat to true Muslims. It is the testing time for Nawaz Sharif.  He should immediately deploy the Pakistan Army to wipe out terrorism within his country.

K A Solaman
The New Indian Express published on 24-9-2013

K A Solaman Blog: Dam fear

K A Solaman Blog: Dam fear: Dam fear is a hot topic of discussion in Kerala for quite long. The hallucinated Water Resorce Minister of Kerala added enough havoc in...

Dam fear

Dam fear is a hot topic of discussion in Kerala for quite long. The hallucinated Water Resorce Minister of Kerala added enough havoc in the matter of dam safety. The sudden fall of Mullapperiyar dam was the subject matter then. However, despite the heavy down fall the ‘dilapidated’ Mullapperiyar dam is still intact and  none even like to remember the issue now.

And  the focus is shifted to Idukki dam.   The officials of KSEB in connivance with the minister threaten the local people for an immediate evacuation. ‘Evacuate or die’ -that is the only message the officials could give.

It is a cruel feat for the Kerala ministers and officials to keep people to live  in fear and despair. What they gain from this drama is unknown They are doing little to relieve the pressure of the dam such as sandbagging the area and pumping water over the dam into the surrounding agricultural areas.

All people know the calamity if a dam collapses or water is released. But creating panic on this issue is unfounded. Let the people die happily and  peacefully and not feared.

K A Solaman
The Deccan Chronicle, Kerala published on 23-9-2013

Cherthala gas mess.

Lakshmi  gas  agency is a  Bharat Gas  distributor of Cherthala, Alappuzha district and their service is in utter doldrums. This I say because due to their poor service consumers have to spend more money and time to meet their gas requirement.

The previous gas agency of Cherthala was Prasanth gas agency and when they put their shutters down Lakshmi agency was started. Due to the meager service of the new agency, all the 35000 consumers now have to book their cylinder at the agency office by paying whole amount and have to collect the cylinder from a distant godown at Varanadu. The consumers have to travel all the distance to Varanadu  by spending another 200-300 rupees by way of auto-rickshaw charge. This along with two days job loss, one day for booking another day for collection of cylinder, brings immense hardships to consumers.  And hose who are aged and ailing are the most affected. The agency entertains no home service as there is some dispute between the new agency and the workers of the old agency.

Sadly the Labour officer, the local M L A, the Oil Company, the Supply officer and the District Administration remain as mute spectators. They simply watch and enjoy the plight of all the 35000 consumers under the agency. Interestingly, the rich and the influential also feel the heat of the pitiable service of the gas agency for the last month. Is there no solution for this gas imbroglio?

Declining to deliver cylinder to ones premise is a consumer rights violation and hence the gas agency and the oil company should be punished for their negligence. The workers who disrupt  home service should be prosecuted.


K A Solaman

Teachers retired from St Michael's College, Cherthala

NATIONAL TEACHERS' DAY

These are all  teachers retired from St Michael's College, Cherthala

 From top L to R I Row 1 P O Thomas, 2 Catherine Morris, 3 T C Koshy, 4 P J Paul 5 A C Joseph 6 K G Sudhakaran Nair, 7 S Peaceamma, 8 V R Haridas, 9 N Vasundara Kamath 

II Row 10 Glory Joseph Mathan 11 P A Jochan 12 P N Vishnu radhan Nampoothiri 13 A P Mathew 14 George Thomas 15 Thresiamma Eapen 16 K V Stella 17 K A Sen, 18 Gricy Peter 

III Row 19 Francis Zelma Queenie 20 K V Ummachan 21 M Shyla Medonna,22 W F Jayamohanan 23 Jose P kalloopparambil 24 R Narayana Pillai 25 P J Jose 26 V K George 27 V A Marykutty

 IV Row 28 K A Solaman 29 M A Mathew 30 Susheela Marshal 31 Angela Jean Thomas 32 M K Kurian, 33 K J John 34 K C Joseph Mathan 35 Margret Isaac 36 Pius Mathai. 

V Row 37 P V Nirmala, 38 Paul Prasadu 39 Anna Jose 40 V Sankaran Unni 41 V A Francis 42 A S Jacob 43 V K Rajani 44 A T Sen Pillai 45 P R Sreekumara Kurup.

-K A Solaman

Heartless men

 Hundreds of Indian cormorants, which had been nestling in a tree in front of the Alappuzha south police station, were left without a shelter when municipal workers chopped off branches of the tree two weeks ago. The chicks were thrown out of the nests and died as a result. Any act of cruelty to animals, birds or trees is akin to cruelty to our kith and kin. The municipal authority, which issued the order to prune the tree, must be an association of heartless men. The officials and the workers deserve no pardon.

K.A. Solaman, Alappuzha, Kerala

The Telegraph, Calcutta, dated 15-9-2013

NaMo as PM

Not only Advaniji, the Americans too do not think Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister of the country. That is why the US still keep pending Namo’s request for visa to visit that US. However in India, discussions are on the line that Narendra Modi would be the next PM. Does it mean that people’s mandate is not needed for the same? And when the incumbent PM is willing to serve under the new PM Rahul Gandhi how is it unchallenging for Namo to become the next PM?

So it would be better for the BJP and Congress not to name the future PM. Let these parties fight in the election and then decide the PM. When Advaniji expresses disappointment over BJP President’s style of functioning and Congress party is charged with numerous corruptions there is no possibility for Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi to become the PM.

And this does not mean that one from the Third Front, if exists one, would come as PM. The Left and other splinter parties are insignificant in the making of PM.

K A Solaman 

Published by the New Indian Express on 16-9-2013

Spirited move

Tamil Nadu and Kerala joining hands to ensure there is no flow of liquor across the border is a welcome step.

More officers should be posted to inspect toddy shops and bars to prevent liquor tragedies, especially during the festival season.

K. A. Solaman, e-mail 

The Hindu Business Line, dated 11-9-2013

Happy Onam Greetings !

Poor Indian health care system.

It would be profitable for Indian medical fraternity to shut up their ‘shops’ and better start more profit making business  like making curry powder or chappathi with chicken  as there are more takers for these bits and pieces than their medical care. From Kerala Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, all prefer US to India for medical assistance. Achuthanandan once said he was not ready for a lucky draw with Indian doctors and hence went to US. Likewise, the Indian doctors were not even disclosed of the ailment that Sonia Gandhi had.

The right to good health is of supreme importance but in fact, the world’s most populous democracy, cannot  guarantee that to our citizens. Our country is fast becoming the hub for medical tourism where people from other countries flock to get good quality treatment  nevertheless our nethas prefer US. A confidence building measure  is, therefore, imperative in Indian health care system.


K A Solaman

K A Solaman Blog: Multi-faceted Delhi Nair

K A Solaman Blog: Multi-faceted Delhi Nair:  Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor is a multi-faceted personality according to Vice President Hamid Ansari....

Multi-faceted Delhi Nair

 Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor is a multi-faceted personality according to Vice President Hamid Ansari. Presenting the first Sree Narayana Guru Global Secular and Peace Award to Tharoor, Ansari said: “Tharoor is a cerebral scholar, prolific writer, a brilliant orator and an international civil servant of repute”.

Perhaps Ansari may not be aware of Tharoor’s habit of recurrent marriage, his reluctance not to travel in cattle class, his preference to Taj International Hotel instead of Minister’s official residence and his share in the sweat equity in T20.  And of the most Tharoor is a not a true Kerala Nair according to NSS General Secretary Sukumaran Nair.

It is true that at a commemorative function no one will speak out frankly.

K A Solaman

Ridiculous survey result.

As a part of a UN study on men a British medical journal published a survey result  that in Asia Pacific region  over 1 in 10 men had raped a woman who was not their partner. The finding is ridiculous as it is  intended to lower the standing of  people of the area. If this non-sense study is extended to European countries the figure will be more astounding. There in those countries women are raped at gun point  and if  this survey was made in Britain the result would be that 100 percent men would have raped at least one woman and 100 percent women would had been raped at least once in life. In Asian countries the availability of gun is not that much high

In India the population is about 125 crores. If one accepts the published survey ratio of 1:10 for India, it means that more than 6 crore men are rapists in India alone.  This unbelievable rubbish has been occurred in the minds of some European fools especially the British as the survey result has been published by a London study team. Idiotic people could say anything, anywhere, nevertheless it is short of people’s acceptance.

K A Solaman

Against killer spirit

Tamil Nadu and Kerala joining hands to ensure no flow of spirit across the border is a welcome step.

 It is known to all that a huge quantity of spirit flows Kerala from TN through deceitful agents who supply it illegally to toddy shops and other outlets. The toddy mixed with spirit is a lethal liquor and is fatal to people who consume it.

At Onam days  legally functioning toddy shops too will sell adulterated toddy for making high profit and hence Excise-Police surveillance is needed to contain the illicit liquor sale.   More just officers should be posted to inspect the toddy shops and bars to avoid any liquor tragedy during Onam season. Measures should be taken to see that there is no illegal transport of spirit into Kerala from TN and Karanataka. The vehicles moving between Kerala and other states should be regularly checked and if found guilty stringent action should be taken against vehicle owners. Utmost care should be taken to see that smuggling of spirit should be story of  times of yore in this Onam days.

K A Solaman
Published by the Deccan Chronicle, Kerala on 11-9-2013 

K A Solaman Blog: Raghuram effect

K A Solaman Blog: Raghuram effect: How fragile is the Indian Economy?  With the appointment of Raghuram Rajan as Reserve Bank Governor the stock market has shown a recovery...

Raghuram effect

How fragile is the Indian Economy?  With the appointment of Raghuram Rajan as Reserve Bank Governor the stock market has shown a recovery sign. The rupee now  strengthened by hefty 138 paise to trade at 65.69 against the dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market after fresh measures by the RBI. It is said that dollar selling by exporters and banks and fresh measures announced by new RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to curb the rupee's slide helped domestic currency recover.

Where were these exporters and banks when rupee had nose-dived to bottom? Are the lessons of economics learned by former governor Subha Rao and present governor Raghuram Rajan different? And in a country where a single person viz., the Reserve Bank Governor could alone  control the country’s financial stability, what is the need for  former Reserve Bank Governor Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister of the country  and P Chidambaram as Finance Minister?

K A Solaman
Published by  Deccan Chronicle on 7 Sept 2013

Happy Teacher's day

On this teacher’s day.

September 5 is celebrated as Teacher's Day as it is Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birthday and he is regarded as one of the finest teachers.

Teacher is the quintessence of life and it is only through a teacher that we are what we are today. The first teacher in our life is our mother, and then comes the father. They teach us, take care of us and raise us to be good human beings prepared to face the world. The hands that raise the child a thousand times and the hands that rock the cradle  a thousand rules the world. Our parents teach us to follow discipline and to learn the importance of values and respect in life. Each parent has his or her role to play and ideas to contribute. We are students in every step of life. As children, we learn from parents and the parents are our very first teachers.

Then we go to school and there we  learn from our teachers. We learn the basics of every language from our teachers. They teach us science, mathematics, social studies and what else. In colleges too we are supplemented with our beloved teachers.   It is indeed a pleasure and privilege to be with such learned people who selflessly teach us the art of science, the beauty of the surroundings and the history of the world. Teachers are gems and we cherish them forever.

Our next stage is the world where we start a career. Our team manager is our teacher. There we realize the importance of all the values, and rules set down by our parents at that young age. Suddenly, the discipline of putting things back in place, of going to bed on time, of praying when we wake up, all begins to make sense. We realize that time is money and we stop wasting time.

As we move further on in life, we settle down to a happy family life. Our spouse becomes our teacher. We learn a lot from him or her. She or he comes from a different background and we learn the art of adjustment and compromise. We share, care and begin to learn to share our personality with another person gradually we become parents. Our learning does not end here. We begin to learn from children. Child is the father of man- this Wordsworth statement perhaps means that the qualities exhibited by a child will deepen and appear in a marked form when the child grows up into a man. By observing and studying the behaviour, the inclinations, the preferences, the prejudices and the tendencies of child we can form an idea as to what sort of man he will develop into. We begin to behave ourself, we stop swearing and we do not indulge in bad habits. We learn from children. They are our best teachers.

As we grow old, we look back rocking our experiences back and forth. We realize that Teachers are Gems, they are important and they are here to make us what we are today. We are all students of one common teacher – LIFE. Life is the biggest teacher.

So on this teacher’s day let us all salute our loved, respected and amazing teachers!

K A Solaman

K A Solaman Blog: FSB for corruption

K A Solaman Blog: FSB for corruption: The National Food Security Bill, which seeks to provide heavily-subsidized food to two-thirds of India's 1.23 billion people, was pas...

FSB for corruption

The National Food Security Bill, which seeks to provide heavily-subsidized food to two-thirds of India's 1.23 billion people, was passed by the Rajya Sabha. With this bill, the Congress party is all set to face the 2014 elections. However, it is apprehended that the bill would have adverse impact as the Centre neither have the finance nor the availability of food grains to meet the promise. The existing poverty-alleviation schemes like MGNREGA are in shambles and hence the food security scheme would also well end up hare-brained. The Food Security bill is a game that Congress party had planned for getting a political mileage.  Other parties are also trying to take credit of the same. .Nevertheless, the rupee will go down further and there would be inflation of the type never witnessed before.

 Food Security actually means the boosting of production and increase of purchase capacity of food consumers. But the UPA government think it as the selling of food grains at a subsidized rate. Could any nation supply food grains at low price to all its citizens forever? 

Food Security Bill, in fact, is a  worst piece of legislation and it is certain  to take the nation to the brink of economic crisis. It will also generate corruption at an unprecedented level.

K A Solaman

K A Solaman Blog: A new phenomenon

K A Solaman Blog: A new phenomenon:  May be the price rise is not a  new phenomenon as Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said but inaction on the par...

A new phenomenon

 May be the price rise is not a  new phenomenon as Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said but inaction on the part of Central and State ministers is, of course,  a new phenomenon. No effort has been made by the rulers to check inflation of the extra ordinary sort. The reaction of KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala wearing a farmer’s cap, is only an insincere criticism in the backdrop of his bitter experience with the Chief Minister. People never place any weight on the comment of Chennithala.

There are many ways for market intervention and thereby to check inflation.  Stream lining public distribution systems such as ration shops, Maveli stores, Supplyco outlets  and confiscating the property of black marketers are ways of controlling price..  Nevertheless the Government is sitting idle by diverting attention to filthy matters like Solar panel case and Left blockade of Chief Minister.  The wrong policies of the government,  both Central and state,   are responsible for the sky rocketing of prices of essential commodities. 

Remember, the new phenomenon of petroleum companies running a parallel government in India is yet another reason for market inflation, Mr Overseas Minister.

K A Solaman