Happy New Year!

Gone was the tumultuous year blemished by sadness. Terrorist attacks,  Ebola outbreaks and a dreadful series of airline disasters are the dismal footprints of last year. However, there were a few instances of cheerfulness. 

On this New Year eve let us cherish Neil Gaiman. He said: “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something”.

A New Year day is day of fresh start. A new chapter in life is waiting to be written. New questions are to be asked and answer to be discovered. Freshers  would come  and incumbents go. Happy New Year!

K A Solaman

Happy 2015 !

Surrender to liquor lobby

It is absolutely true that the UDF government of Kerala had surrendered to "liquor lobby" and charges  made by KPCC President in this direction is correct.  What CM and his coterie saying about ‘practical changes’ in the liquor policy is incomprehensible. The story, of plight of bar workers who lost jobs due to closure of bars and adverse impact on tourism sector, is fabricated and is intended to hide the bribe they collected from abkari contractors. The ministers and MLAs keeping deep concern over bar workers are out rightly ignoring the innumerable families lost in despair due to liquor hazards.  Permitting bars to function on all days and saying the government would succeed in creating awareness among people on the policy is ridiculous.

It is to be stated that the credit the nine percent fall in recent liquor consumption in Kerala goes to V M Sudheeran alone. The government sponsored practicability is undoubtedly a virtual sabotage of the policy of gradual reduction of liquor sale.

K A Solaman 

Sad Congress party

V M Sudheeran said that the new liquor policy decided by the UDF had been subverted by the government. This statement is absolutely right. The deviation in the liquor policy is shocking. The UDF government has backtracked from their earlier stand. The interests of bar lobbies thus have been protected.

Sudheeran with his ‘Janapaksha yatra' has made an impact in the society and made awareness especially among women about the  evils of liquor. A wide section of people whole heartedly supported him. There was a fall in road accidents, crimes and domestic violence but with the present practical approach government toppled all his efforts. The stand of Oommen Chandy and his faithful K  Babu saying that Kerala tourism sector was affected with partial liquor ban is not standing.

The Congress spokesman M M Hassan saying that Sudheeran’s stand is sorrowful to Congress party, is unwarranted. If Hassan is so sad he can make happy himself by taking 2-3 pegs from the nearby bar.

K A Solaman

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Mani should resign

Corruption case now registered against, Kerala’s Finance Minister K.M. Mani  is a sufficient reason for him to resign  from the Cabinet. The case is registered after an  inquiry into the allegation that Mani had accepted Rs.1 crore as bribe from the Kerala Bar Hotel Owners’ Association. When there are leaders in Kerala Congress other than Mani it would be better for him to abstain from the present position and come clean after the verdict,

In Kerala almost all the politicians are corrupt and Mani is not an exception. The wealth the leaders amassed till now is not by legitimate methods but by hook or crook. In bars there is no governmental  audit regarding the money they collected by selling liquor. It is quite evident that in many bars most of the liquors sold are seconds and for this there are ministerial blessings. The bar owners pay heavily for this help. Mani, the most crafty fellow in the Kerala cabinet saying that he has not accepted bribe is unbelievable.

If Mani is unwilling to resign he should be removed from the post by the Chief Minister. If  UDF is reluctant to keep away Mani for some time it should become detrimental for them in the coming elections.

K A Solaman

Pinarayi speak

I endorse what CPM State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said about Kiss of Love protest. He said” it is quite inappropriate to enact what a husband and wife do inside their bedroom in a public place.” And with this statement the DYFI comrades in Alappuzha are in a perplexed state as they are the sponsors of the next edition of the protest there.

As kiss protest is a public annoyance it is the duty of the police force to control it. The incidence of general public dealing with the protestors is because of the inaction of the police in checking down public nuisance. The act of protestors, equating their kiss event with those of Pope kissing a child or Mata Amritanandamayi hugging a disciple, is of ignorance.

K A Solaman
The Hindu Business Line on 11-12-2014

Public kiss threat

The people of Kerala have been again warned by miscreants that the next edition of the ‘kiss of love’ will be conducted in Alappuzha. It is high time for the police to take preventive measures against such illegal activities. The minister in charge of police Ramesh Chennithala saying that he is least concerned about the incident is unjustifiable.

If public kiss protest is against what is called moral policing, will activist can engage in public liquor consumption? Is it possible for anyone to walk without dress if it is beyond the concern of passersby? The Home Minister should be a little for practical and those public kissers disobeying law or police direction should be severely dealt with.

Presumably the forces behind kiss protesters are drug mafia and prostitute outfits. A group of transgenders, known for their unruly life, are also behind the kiss protest. Immoral activities Kerala streets should not be permitted at any cost.

K A Solaman

Celebrities courting trouble.

The incidents of celebrities courting trouble in Kerala are rampant. Of late, first of its kind came from noted cine singer K J Jesudas coming heavily on women wearing jeans. Then came veteran actor Mammootty asking women folk to not give birth to children if they are unable give them home-made food. Finally it is the turn of another veteran actor Mohanlal asking  pardon for Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who is convicted under TADA for his involvement in Mumbai serial blasts case of 1993. Mohanlal commented that an actor like Sanjay Dutt, who has been a part of the cinema industry from last 2 decades, should be treated with compassion. The implication is: he too be forgiven for mistakes of the sort. The actor, who has been nominated for the civilian award Padma Bhushan, is also facing troubles for the possessing ivory without license. He at present serves the post of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army .A person holding such a position should never come in favour of a person involved in terrorist acts.

This is not for the first time the actor is falling in trouble. He earlier received huge criticisms for appearing in the commercial of a popular jewellery brand in military uniform. His latest blog, in which he criticizes moral policing and advocating man–woman public kiss is also controversial.

The writer-orator late Dr Sukumar Azhikode once called the actor as “Kankalam”( epitome of wickedness). And with the recent comments the actor has not proved it otherwise.

K A Solaman   

Stop the looting

It is welcome to see that the NDA government has started filing charges against individuals with illicit accounts in Swiss banks. The move has set off speculation that some prominent politicians may figure on the list. Politicians, both ruling and opposition, want to block the release of the names. It means our legal system is flawed. Politicians looting the country are more treacherous than underworld dons. If the Modi government, sticking to its election promise, releases the names, it will be doing a great favour. All those blacklisted should be debarred from politics and sent to jail. The loot money should be declared a national treasure. Parliament should propound strict laws so no politician can loot the nation anymore.

KA Solaman

Alappuzha The Hindu business Line on Oct 23, 2014t

Bird flu outbreak

The outbreak of bird flu in Kuttanadu, Kerala is a matter of serious concern. Several thousands of birds are dead. There is also an official work out to cull as many 1.5 lakh birds, including poultry, in the three affected districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. The loss of the farmers is terrific. So in this context quick action should be by the government to avert any untoward situation. The farmers should be given adequate compensation.

Since there is a chance of human beings getting infected with the virus, utmost care should be taken to protect the people and their belongings.

K A Solaman

Mullaperiyar fear.

One hundred and eighteen year old Mullaperiyar dam has undoubtedly become a matter of great havoc to people living on the banks of River Periyar. Not only the heavy water height the dam, heated exchange by the political heads has made the situation highly tense. People on the bank of river Periyar are panic. The permitted maximum water level of the reservoir is 136 feet and but with court order it is now 142 ft. As this was a rare phenomenon for past many years, people realized about the vast amount of water in the dam and that also made them more panic.

 Actually, the new leaks and the escalation of the old leaks could be very risky allowing for the age of the masonry dam built of surki, a technology available at the time of construction of the dam. The flaw of the dam is a matter of unending concern to people of Kerala as any danger to it could affect about 40 lakh people living in five districts of Kerala.

It is to be stressed that normal life time of any dam or atomic power plant is about 50 years. And in that case Mullaperiyar dam is a doubly expired one. So, the concern about safety of this dam is not mislaid. It should be abandoned on war-footing basis and new dam should be constructed. But Tamil Nadu is seen neglecting this aspect and not thinking about the dam safety. They are interested only with water they get from the dam and keeps scant regard to lives of million people of Kerala.

So it is time for Paneerselvam and his colleagues to stand favorably for the construction of new dam as there are all chances for the breaking of existing one causing huge human causality. If dam breaks and that too due to the negligence of the TN leaders no human endeavor could be able to repair the damage. So Paneer Selvam and Ommen Chandy, the two chief ministers of the states come together for an immediate discussion to reach a settlement over the Mullaperiyar imbroglio. TN should abandon its stance of strengthening of the dam. Instead the dam should be decommissioned first. Any disaster in the worst would certainly make political bosses of the states redundant and more worse is the loss of innocent human lives

K A Solaman

Iyer’s revelations.

The city of Kochi has become a pilgrim spot as former Supreme Court judge V.R. Krishna Iyer turned 100. Political leaders, legal luminaries, and well-wishers met Mr. Iyer at his residence to wish him. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Myanmar, wished Mr. Krishna Iyer through Twitter. But, he once again entered into  controversy with the once rejected claim regarding the conception of land reforms in the State. It was Iyer’s claim that it was he who wrote the agriculture land reforms law of 1957 and that Ms. Gouri Amma had no role in the law at all.

What Iyer has repeated now is a matter that veteran politician K.R. Gouri had outrightly rejected..
According to her Iyer’s statement was totally wrong and misleading. Gouri Amma had repeated several times that it was on April 11, 1957,  the government issued an ordinance on integrated land reforms, after which the Communist Party of India and the government began discussions on the same. Mr. Krishna Iyer, who had introduced a similar law when he was earlier a legislator with the Madras Assembly, came up with the same law. However, this was rejected by the government since it was restricted only to tenants in the Malabar region and was not comprehensive. Following this, a committee, comprising Ms. Gouri Amma from the Travancore region, C.H. Kanaran from the Malabar region and Gopalakrishnan from the Cochin region, was constituted. The land reforms draft Bill was shaped by this committee, with references to several other existing laws. Though it was first drafted as three laws, it was later integrated into one. This was released for public opinion. Relevant ones from around 2,500 suggestions that came up were incorporated and the final law was passed by the Assembly on June 30, 1959.

However, the Union government did not approve this Bill and sent it back, recommending more amendments, Ms. Gouri said. Mr. Krishna Iyer, she alleged, was not a member of the committee and had no major role in the conception of the law.

So what now Iyer, at the age of100, is doing is rewriting history and most probably there would be no takers for the same..

The learned Ex-Justice V R Krishna Iyer  had taken many  unacceptable stands like this. Another one was  the dragging in the name of Pope by referring to  incident of fishermen’s killing by Italian marines and saying Italy is the land of Pope.  Iyer had forgotten  the fact  that Pope is the legal head of Vatican and not of Italy. Yet another incident  is the  draconian bill drafted by the 12-member committee headed by him recommending provisions for imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for fathering a third child by Indian nationals.

K A Solaman

Mullaperiyar level

The tussle over the age-old Mullaperiyar dam row has again reignited . Tamil Nadu has been operating the dam. Apart from providing drinking water to a number of districts, the dam is also the lifeline of irrigation. The question now is about dam safety and not about water sharing. In a quake-prone area, an old dam is a potential threat. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister must immediately start talks with his counterpart in Kerala and allay fears.

K.A. Solaman, Alappuzha

The Hindu published on 18 Nov, 2014

Dam fire again.

The fire over the age-old Mullaperiyar dam row has once again ignited. This time the Government of Kerala is approaching the court for relief to its people living near dam-river site.

The Tamil Nadu government has been operating the dam, produces hydro-electric power and distributes it in state. Apart from providing drinking water to the people of Madurai, Theni, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram, the diverted water is used to irrigate about 80,000 hectares of dry land in these districts.

Originated in Kerala and fully flowing through Kerala, Periyar is a rich source of water. For more than 100 years Tamil Nadu is irrigating and making power. Now the question is not water sharing but safety of the Dam. In an earth quake area, a 120 year old dam constructed without cement is a potential threat to 40 lakhs of people in Kerala. All reliable studies suggest a possible Mullapperiyar-dam collapse would collapse Idukki dam and eight others. And then the damage would be colossal.

As such it is the responsibility of TN Chief Minister to have a talk with his Kerala counterpart to alleviate the fear of several lakhs people living in the shores of Periyar.

K A Solaman

State honour for segregation

Educationist, critic, writer and orator professor B Hridayakumari has been cremated with full state honour, on the other hand bureaucrat and ace writer P C Sanal Kumar IAS has been denied it at his burial. This is seemingly obnoxious and needs a satisfactory explanation from those in charges of the affair.

If Hridayakumari was known for her proficiency in and understanding of both English and Malayalam intelligent Sanal Kumar was not below her in any aspect. He was a popular figure in literature and bureaucracy and deserves all state respects. State honour should not become a tool to segregate the dead based on influence and communal facet.

In fact the life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living and it has no tie up with state honour.

K A Solaman

Hats off the Principal

The Principal of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam should be congratulated for suspending 10 students for organizing a Hug of Love to express solidarity with the recently held Kiss of Love non-sense campaign. It is the duty of the principal to teach the students of his College that there are some lessons pertaining discipline. Ignoring warnings from authorities and teachers the Hug of Love students have openly stood against the code of conduct. And it is laughable to see that the students, who were suspended for 10 days, are planning to approach the court challenging the principal's decision. Most possibly the huggers will be awarded another reprimand from the court for wasting its precious time. The action of section of comrades endorsing the kiss-hug events is interesting as they have become insolvent of ideas.

Inter-caste marriage is not a big-event in this country. Nevertheless dragging girls in love and later tormenting them would result in more cases relating sexual abuse. The state, of late, is witnessing a lot of cases where girls have been fraught and have undergone mental stress due to this undesired independence. Let the colleges remain disciplined and be a place for learning rather than ruin.

It is questioning on the part of channels to promote kiss-hug events for attracting more edgy viewers who once found pleasure in the gimmicks of solar con-woman.  

K A Solaman  

Mani should resign

In the backdrop of the allegation by liquor bar owners that a bribe of Rs 1-crore has been given to Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, he should resign immediately from the post. At the same time penal action must be taken against Kerala Bar Hotels president Biju Ramesh for bribing the minister. CPM State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan’s call for a court-supervised investigation into the accusation that Mani had taken the bribe, is pointless as the court could not interfere in this matter without any petition before it.

It is a matter pity on the minister who speaks volumes for the working class, to take bribe for exhilarating them and thereby ruining thousands of poor families. Mani’s channel plea asking Keralites to take a Karunya lottery seems ironical when most people are diseased by Government sponsored public intoxication

K A Solaman  

Kiss of chaos.

Mark Twain said: “Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humour itself is not joy but sorrow. There is no humour in heaven”. Yes it is true in the case “kiss of love” protest in Kochi. The agitators have turned city into a hell of chaos with sorrow and humour. Some faces seen in kissing are not that much good for the act. In fact the kiss-chaos guys need some crude publicity. Next these people would argue that they would engage in more public nonsense. Their public kiss would move from cheek to lip to neck to where else and they tint that everyone opposing them as cavemen.

The kiss of love sponsors have close parallelism with Hippies of the 60s.  Hippies, by their dress, and lifestyle had seriously offended and outraged the society. They were dispensed with boring middle class customs such as bathing, neat dressing, and family discipline and outraged the conservative members of society. Nevertheless, the Hippism was finally wiped out from the globe.

If a person and his friend are in love and kissing, why should passersby is forced to witness personal act? The kiss-of-lovers are holding their rally without permission. It means they do believe in societal anarchy for negative publicity.

K A Solaman

Wise decision by Governor

Congress party of Kerala launching a political war against Governor P Sathasivam, over his intervention as Chancellor in the issues relating the universities in the State is unwarranted. Congress vice-president MM Hassan saying that Governor’s act is against law is surprising. Does it mean that Hassan knows laws and Governor doesn’t? Sathasivam’s intervention is never an infringement upon the powers of the Government instead it is a well-thought decision to save the universities. There should be some measures for the smooth functioning of the institutions and unperturbed conduct of examinations.

Hassan is known for his rhetoric against hartals but when one occurs with the sponsorship of Congress outfits Hassan leaves out. It is a curse that when someone tries to do good for the state the daft politicians place all sort of ruckus.

This discretion of the Governor as Chancellor to intervene in varsity affairs has always been there. Then what is wrong if a governor takes a wise decision?

K A Solaman

Dead rat has no place in Swacha Bharat

It was a hopeful act by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to emulate all India sweepers to take up a scheme to clean the country. And with this the market has witnessed a huge price surge for broom! Nevertheless, one could not see any sincerity in the act of former minister and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor joining Modi by holding a dead rat at a cleaning program in Vishinjam. The ex-minister who opts to stay in luxury hotels and ridicules cattle-class flight travellers never will do such common man’s act honestly. Tharoor holding a dead rat in his hand can be viewed as his indirect protest against KPCC which has made a complaint against him for endorsing Modi's 'Swachh Bharat' campaign. 

Tharoor has some hitches with the mysterious death of his third wife and any help out from Modi would be advantageous to him. The Congress, by holding this UN returnee in their wagon for quite long, was doing a foolish act.

K A Solaman 

It is loot money in Swiss banks

It is welcome to see that the NDA government has started filing charges against individuals having illicit accounts in Swiss banks. The move has set off speculation that some prominent politicians may figure on the much-awaited list.  Nevertheless, no disclosure to the sort would likely to happen because black money holders are not belonging to a single party.

In fact the politicians, both ruling and opposition want to block the release of the names. It means our legal system is very poor and flawed. The country for quite long is a property for politicians to loot and keep the loot else where. The better place to keep the loot money  is Switzerland as they keep safely and it is the way of their income.

 The politicians looting the country are more treacherous than underworld dons. If the Modi government, sticking to its election promise, releases the names, it will be a great deed for the nation. All those black listed should be debarred from politics for ever and send to jail, like in the case of former Tamil Nadu CM J  Jayalalithaa. The loot money should be confiscated and declared as national treasure. The Parliament should propound strict laws where no politician could loot the nation any more.

K A Solaman
The New Indian Express published on 25-10-2014

Clean India campaign.

It is promising to see the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi taking up the scheme to clean the country. Modi has absolutely kept a tally over his predecessors by initiating this campaign and making many celebrities join his drive for a noble cause. Though politically in opposite pole, the CPM leaders in Kerala like T M Thomas Isaac MLA has followed the footprints of Modi by starting his clean campaign in a school toilet in Alappuzha.

We often are pleased about western countries for their hygiene and of course leaders returning after a visit to Singapore and similar places have mouthful to say about cleanliness, but often  they do not bother to realise the people to keep the streets clean . It is our primary duty to maintain a clean atmosphere not only in our homes but also in streets.

We should also have neat toilets on the road side and see that people are actually using them. Our children should also made to understand the value of a clean surroundings.

K A Solaman

Notable work by Thomas Isaac MLA

Whatever   be the kick-back  by his fellow comrade G Sudhakaran it was a noble work by  T M Thomas Isaac MLA to clean the toilets of a nearby school in Alappuzha.The MLA was inaugurating a cleanliness project, which was about to be undertaken by the Aryad Block Panchayath staff. The MLA’s initiative persuaded the onlookers to join in and all the toilets of both boys and girls of Kalavoor school were cleaned up.

Though there are sweepers and scavengers in schools, none is cared to keep toilets clean. The heads of the institution are often reluctant to ask the sweepers to keep the school clean because of the union might of the latter. The immediate visit and attempt to clean the school premises by MLAs place much responsibility on the l employees to keep the school clean. Along with this our politicians including Panchayat-Municipal members should take action to keep the streets  also clean. The useless E- toilets should be replaced by manually operated pay and use toilets. The fish venders polluting the entire street should be shifted to fish markets. The people working under RGWGP should be deputed to clean the streets instead of asking  them to do job in privately owned properties.  

 The MLA’s work was  notable and he should be congratulated for the same.

K A Solaman

Unnecessary remark

Cine  singer K J Yesudas’ remark that women should not cause trouble to others by wearing jeans is unwarranted . Yesudas is now at 74 and this jarring comment is an old age hue. Wearing jeans is  better than wearing a skirt, or sari.

In fact  the celebrity like Yesudas could speak more on subjects which boost the development of the state rather than  petty issues like wearing jeans by women or bermuda by men. Let the celebrities focus on matters which really need attention rather than ensnaring ourselves on hollow subjects and interfering in someone's personal life.

K A Solaman

In TN, leader’s popularity is a measure of deaths.

It is a further setback for the TN former CM Jayalaltihaa to stay in prison as the vacation bench of the Karnataka high court adjourned plea for bail to October 7. The counsels favoring Jayalaithaa staging dharna in front of the court is unwarranted. 

My concern is about the killing of people after the special court in Bangalore convicted Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case. It is reported that at least 16 people committed suicide or died of cardiac arrest across Tamil Nadu. Two people have been hospitalized with severe burns. A thorough enquiry should be conducted to find the exact reason for these deaths. There are stories of planned killings as self immolation. 
  
The people of TN, in fact, are emotionally charged by politicians and they are usually instigated by fellow citizens that prompt them to go for suicide. Moreover the leader’s popularity is measured by the number of deaths and the intensity of agitations over the arrest. Had the common people any sense, they should enquire any higher-ups have resorted to this kind of extreme step. The role of leaders and the media are also found responsible for not taking any defensive steps to prevent these stoppable deaths.
There should be a law to further penalize the convict in prison to compensate the loss of lives caused by the poignant electrification by the politicians.

K A Solaman  

Wrong move by the government

The Kerala Government move  for disinvestment of 26 per cent shares of State-owned public sector undertakings (PSUs)  for mobilising Rs.1,000 crore to rein in the revenue deficit,  is in the wrong direction. The proposal if implemented would have far-reaching consequences and set a mistaken example.
The Finance Department of Kerala is a poorly run one.  The very instance is, their deploying of police, excise, and sale tax staff on highways to extract money from passengers. In order to protect the government interests, there are better ways other than selling earnings made by our ancestors. If not checked, this government would sell land and other properties owned by government colleges and other public sector institutions.

The government could not sell loss making establishments as there are little takers for them, It can sell only profit making ones. Absence of a professional management in public sector establishments is the fault of the government. The unaccountability of the staff there may be another factor.
The ministry which is in power for a short span of time has no right to sell the public properties. The move should be out rightly opposed.

K A Solaman

New government college

It is a welcome step on the part of the Kerala Government to start a Government college at Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta district. The college will provide opportunity to poor students who are unable pay hefty sum as fee in the neighbouring self financing colleges.  Now there are only three courses B.Com, BSc (Zoology), and BA (Malayalam) courses with a strength of 132 student. Classes are handled by guest lecturers.
Guest lecturers are a handicap of all educational institutions where the students are denied better educational facilities. So the faculty should be furnished with permanent teachers and more courses.
The UDF government at the time of  inception has promised  a government college in each taluk and presumably the Elanthoor college is the first of its kind. It is, therefore, the accountability of the government to start government colleges in every taluk and that too with full pledged facilities.  What we need a complete college and not a namesake college.

K A Solaman

Total ban or abstinence?

In Kerala there is no liquor ban. Liquor is available in beverages outlets and in bars. Another intoxicant toddy is also available in every nook and corner of the Kerala What will be now in Kerala to happen is a bar ban and not liquor ban. The term ‘liquor ban’ is thus a misnomer.

A few political and communal leaders consider that total liquor ban is impractical in Kerala. According to them what we need is not a total ban but abstinence from alcohol which should be achieved through planned awareness programmes. This observation about abstinence is rather illogical because awareness programmes that started from the time of Sree Narayana Guru reached nowhere. The most laughing matter is, the Guru founded organisations are now headed by advocates of liquor.

I endorse the comment of KPCC President V M Sudheeran that “Sree Narayana Guru’s followers should work towards the success of the new liquor policy”.

It is the common people to understand the hazard of liquor consumption and to work for the success of the bar ban. The financial crisis now experienced in the State is not of liquor policy as it is yet to be implemented.

K A Solaman

By-election results

It might be no exaggeration to say that after the Lok Sabha election, most BJP leaders have become intoxicated with power. Right-wing elements seem to be calling the shots. The Lok Sabha result was for Mr. Modi as Prime Minister as India wanted a strong leader. The issues that formed the core of past BJP governments at the Centre should not be brought up again. India has changed.

K.A. Solaman, Alappuzha

The Hindu Published on 19-9-2014

Bleak financial management

The Kerala government hiking taxes on liquor and tobacco products, water charges, land registration and stamp duty in a bid to tide over a financial crunch is deadly against the interest of common people of Kerala. Any hike in tax would definitely affect all people and not alone the rich as the CM  claimed. A company chairman staying in a  VIP suit of a luxury hotel or travelling in VIP class, meets the expense by selling the company product mostly to common people. This means a learned minister saying that ‘hiking plane ticket will not affect common man’ is absurd 

The new tax burden of over Rs.2,000 crore now placed on Kerala people has no justification as it is outside the budgetary provisions. The many time Finance Minister K M Mani has proved once again that his financial management is utterly hopeless.

It is learnt that the CPM planned launch a massive protest against the present tax hike. This would mean that Mani’s last wish to become the CM of Kerala has met with an abrupt end.

K A Solaman

Bypoll reverse

Bypoll reverse is a warning signal to BJP Government. After Lok Sabha Elections most of the BJP leaders have gone into snooze and some have became power intoxicated. Many of them have become tools under the communal dictates of RSS. Being in power at Centre, the BJP workers have changed their attitude towards voters. They rather started to think as masters than servants of people.

It is a fact that the Lok Sabha election was for Modi as PM because India needed a strong PM, who is able to air views on various world problems. Modi has proved his ability by his style of governance. The financial inflow from Japan and China is truly the hand pick of Modi. People need a brawny centre and in any case Ram Temple at Ayodhya should not be the pressing issue.

K A Solaman

Ground-breaking soubriquet!

Kerala Governor Justice P Sathasivam suggesting that there is no need to use epithets like 'His Excellency' while addressing him is not a revolutionary idea. He suggests that the soubriquet ‘Honourable’ can be used instead of ‘His Excellency'. And when the demarcation between the two is very narrow one could not comprehend the need for such a 'radical'change.

Further, the successor of Justice Sathasivam need not adhere to this new ground-breaking brand! 

K A Solaman

Kerala Liquor prohibition, an absurd drama.

The CM of Kerala Oommen Chandy has ordered a ban on the sale of alcohol in all non-5 star outlets in the state and a liquor prohibition in stages completing after ten years. On hearing this there on the go fierce discussion drill in channels about a total ban. Is there any total ban? Nothing of the sort.

This episode somewhat resembles the story of yet another Chandy of Cherthala suburb. Much before Christian clergies started to preach laity to procreate more Chandy of Cherthala recognised the importance of more children. He and his wife Sosamma have 12 children. When all the children were studying in school and colleges on every morning there was a big quarrel among children to get the only iron in the house to press their uniform. On seeing this Chandy would come forward and throw the iron to their pond to keep it safe. The quarrel of the children would thus come to an end. Here the liquor ban is the iron and all ministers and leaders are the children. The CM by imposing a total liquor ban has stopped the quarrel among ministers.  

I don’t think that there would be any loss of revenue due to liquor ban. If only 20 percent of the revenue is obtained from bars this could be compensated from the additional sale of liquor in Beverages outlets. And if 7500 bar tenders lose their job another 15000 thousand would get job as bystander before Beverages outlet queue. Many clients of the closed bars would employ people on daily wages to get their quota from outlets. The tourists coming to Kerala are for seeing lakes and lagoons and not to remain inebriated all the time.

The claim of government that a strict ban will reduce crime rates and make the streets safer for women is wrong as there is no liquor ban in the state. What the government should do is to come down heavily on the drug and illicit liquor mafia that are exploiting the younger generation. Implementation of complete liquor ban, as many vociferously converse, is never could be seen in any part of Kerala in immediate future. A period of 10 years is not a short span of time.

K A Solaman

PM’s speech on Teachers day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s live television address on the occasion of Teachers’ Day was impressive. However, students and teachers in many schools in Kerala lost the opportunity to watch the speech because it was not telecast in the official ViCTERS channel of IT@School. Victers channel is in fact is a poorly viewed channel and it lost an opportunity to reach a wider section of the society.

It was an accusation by some political parties in Kerala against Modi to use Teachers day to play politics to air saffron ideology, but in fact, by denying telecast through Victers, the Kerala UDF played tricky politics.  Actually Modi inspired students and teachers by effectively mixing interesting anecdotes from his childhood and issues such as environment protection and teachers’ responsibility.

Once a person becomes a Prime Minister, he is the PM of all and not of a section of the people and this fact has been forgotten by the Kerala rulers.

K A Solaman

Happy teachers' day

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

Post-retirement job

The news about former Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam being listed to be the Kerala governor  has evoked mixed  responses from various corners. I value the one that is expressed  by KPCC Predident V M Sudheeran in this respect. The person who occupied a supreme post should not be demoted to a lower post. Of late the governor’s post is  tool for ruling parties to humiliate leaders who were once in other parties before becoming  governor.

It is the responsibility of Government to ensure the highest standards of judicial independence and to defend against even the faintest trace of governmental influence on the judiciary.  As judicial independence of Judges remains entirely on maintaining an incorruptible detachment from the government of the day it cannot be allowed t for lobbying for comfortable post-retirement postings. Sathasivam’s posting will create “post retirement job ” syndrome among judges and it could place judges potentially open to governmental influence leaving scope for biased pre-retirement  judgments.

The judges can be considered for governor post if this post has privileges akin to that of the President of India.

K A Solaman 

Absurd idea

 C. Rangarajan, the former chairman of the prime minister’s economic advisory council, should be castigated for his idea that those spending below Rs 47 a day in cities and Rs 32 in rural areas should be considered poor (“Debate over poverty estimates”, July 8). The Indian Coffee House in Kerala — popular with the masses — charges Rs 45 for a masala dosa and a tea without sugar. According to Rangarajan, those who can afford the luxury of such a meal should not be accommodated in the BPL category. Rangarajan’s proposition brings to mind Sheila Dikshit’s observation that Rs 600 is enough to feed a family of five for a month in Delhi.

Poverty classifications are absurd. No one can survive on such paltry sums. The actual purchasing power of citizens and several other technical aspects should be taken into consideration to strengthen research projects meant to draw the poverty line. Usually, such committees comprise the rich and the powerful. Without representation from the deprived sections, none can find out who India’s poor are.

Yours faithfully,
K.A. Solaman,  Kerala

The Telegraph, Calcutta published on July 12, 2014

Writing and reading!

Cine director Renjith has said that those were writing abuses on public latrine walls are now writing on Face Book to insult people like him. It might have have been more apt had he said those who were reading latrine walls are now reading Face Book. As a film director he has insulted many with his worst directed films like Spirit. The cine goers have not crossed that limit with their comments on FB

K A Solaman

Margdarshak Mandal.

All the three founding dignitaries of BJP  Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are now out from the top decision making bodies of the party. Atal is out because of his illness but Advani and Joshi, who were permanent fixtures on the party top panels, have been kicked out and accommodated in a newly created body called 'Margdarshak Mandal'. The nomenclature of this body is supercilious, but decision must be taken by Modi and his coterie.

It is damaging for the party to ignore Advani's contribution to the party in the 1990s and his ability to attract Hindu voters. Joshi was a prominent face of the Ayodhya movement and was known for his proximity to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the party’s ideological parent.  By placing them in Margdarshak Mandal BJP has belittled them and put them below the level of leaders like Ananth Kumar, Thawarchand Gehlot, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and JP Nadda. This is not good for the party as any disrespect to most revered elder leaders would turn party’s “ good days” into bad days.   It is utterly false and cruelly arbitrary to put all the work into middle age, and all the regrets into old age.

K A Solaman

Hussain’s fate

National animal of india-Tiger

Sheila Dikshit has resigned as Kerala Governor amid indications that she might be shunted out of the southern stat. This indicates BJP has decided that UPA appointed governors should go. BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain saying that, "Good that Sheila Dikshit resigned on her own, now she can work for her party" is an insult to person occupying a constitutional post. The fate in the making for persons like Hussain is nothing other than this sort.

Interesting it is to see that BJP is to decide what resigned governors should do after quitting the post and they will also decide what everyone in this country should do. They will change the national animal Tiger to Cow as the latter gives milk and dung!

It is now the turn of NDA government to humiliate the governors and remove them. And after 5 years it would be the turn of UPA to reciprocate.  Who said Governor's post is non-partisan.

K A Solaman