NSS Pontiff touches the new low.

 A friendly visit by KPCC President to Perunna turned into a farce. Though the KPCC President lost nothing that much gravely, the Pontiff of the NSS touched a new low.  Presumably the Nair Supremo has developed a gist against all Ezhavas after his spat with Yogam Secretary Vellappally Natesan. All the ill words of Sukumaran Nair reveal that he is dead against the appointment of Sudheeran as KPCC President. .

Nair knows Congress leaders like P J Kurian and Chennithala kneel before him and he expects such a drivel act from Sudheeran too. His calculation misfired and that is why all these hullaballoo from Nair. Nair’s latest revelation that Mannam statue is superior to Gandhi statue at Thirunakkara is a wacky comment and an insult to the nation. None thinks that the tribute of the sort offered to Gandhiji is needed to a communal leader like Mannam. It is high time for all political parties to show the place where Nair should sit.

K A Solaman 

Maadambi cult of Nair Secretary.

Though general secretary G Sukumaran Nair says KPCC chief V M Sudheeran has insulted the NSS, it is Nair who insulted V M Sudheeran.  Nair’s comment that, “Sudheeran tried to disrupt the function in Perunna.  NSS did not invite anybody here.  Sudheeran had earlier waited for hours at the NSS headquarters. He didn’t have the time now to wait for ten minutes”, is unwarranted.  Telling the history of Sudheeran is like telling Nair was once a ‘tea server’ to NSS leaders.

Mannam Samadhi may be a worshipful place, but not a private property as Sukumaran Nair thinks. It should not be used for political insult. Nair, who was at the Samadhi Mandapam, going to his office on Sudheeran’s arrival, is an insult recalling the ‘Maadambi cult’ of erstwhile Nair heads.

Nevertheless, it is a matter of relief to see that there is no Mandapam for floral tribute by Sudheeran and get insulted at Kanichukulangara where another incompatible general secretary dwells.

K A Solaman

Antony’s joke

Union Defence Minister A K Antony is presumably a cautious man and corruption less, even Kejriwal would admit. But there are two things which adversely affects Antony’s image. One is, he works with all corrupt ministers in the Union Cabinet. Secondly he jokes saying injudicious matters while in Kerala.  

For instance, just see his comment that there need not be any doubt for anyone that the UDF is going to improve its tally in the Lok Sabha polls in the state by at least one seat over and above the 16 scored in the last polls. In fact the solar eclipsed UDF is unlikely to get more than four seats in the next election.

If Antony has no doubt of UDF securing seventeen seats in the next election it means Antony lives in the fool’s paradise. The recent revamp in the party by placing Sudheeran in the KPCC chair would find only a scapegoat to bear the brunt of Congress debacle in the next election. And it is unreasonable to say that Marxist avant-garde Achuthanandan would save Antony’s party.

K A Solaman
The New Indian Express published on 25-2-2014

Horrendous ad by State Bank of India.

In separate channel advertisements by State Bank of India for their life insurance scheme, a son and a daughter ask their respective fathers that if their fathers die what would they do, continue studies or do some work to care for their mothers. I wonder there is none level-headed in the SBI to make a sensible advertisement other than this horrendous ad. The SBI Life scheme is like this advertisement; its growth is upside down. Have any doubt; seek the opinion of investors in SBI Life.

K A Solaman

From jail on bail.

Seasoned criminal Saritha Nair is out.  After spending about eight months in prison in connection with the solar panel scam case, the key accused Saritha S Nair has been released from jail on bail. It made media men a tough time for getting breaking news.  They are running after her for seeing her mouth opened.

She walked out of the Attakulagara sub-jail after she was granted bail in all the 33 cases registered and said to the reporters that she is in a hurry and would meet them soon. However media men are in confusion to meet her when and where. Some consider it will be at Alappuzha, others think at Thiruvnanathapuram  and for some others it will be Kollam. It is thus clear that all important towns in Kerala are her husband’s land. It is a matter of wonder the way in which she collected money for availing bail. In Attakkulangara jail too she had a beautician, otherwise, she would not have appeared before the lens men with such an allure.

 By giving prominence to a woman crook, the media men are hoodwinking the gullible people of the state.

K A Solaman 

Slow death

Stamp collection is no longer a meaningful hobby. The Indian postal services have deteriorated too. Letters and other articles are not delivered on time. Complaints sent to postal authorities remain unattended. It may be true that the internet has killed the habit of writing letters. But a postal service still has its many uses. After all, one cannot send a package via email. It is a pity that at a time when courier companies are making profits, the Indian postal department refuses to move with the times.

Yours faithfully,
K.A. Solaman,  Kerala

The Telegraph, Calcutta, Published on 22-2-2014

K A Solaman Blog: Mani Congress has no dignity.

K A Solaman Blog: Mani Congress has no dignity.: The invitation by V S Achuthanandan to Kerala Congress Supremo K M Mani to join the LDF is an act of throwing stone ahead a running dog...

Wily move (Mani Congress has no dignity).

The invitation by V S Achuthanandan to Kerala Congress Supremo K M Mani to join the LDF is an act of throwing stone ahead a running dog. The cool-clever octogenarian leader knows how to bring matters in his tune. K M Mani is a leader in the good book of the official faction of the Marxist party and often bows before them and not before Achuthanandan. It is K M Mani’s hither to stance to turn a deaf year to VS and in this case also as Achuthanandan invited him first, Mani has no choice other than to disobey VS. And that is what the veteran comrade needs.  VS has thus spoiled the insatiability of the official faction of his party..

It is not Congress but the Kerala Congress is insulting other parties in the UDF. If Marxist party join hand with Kerala Congress in the next election it will be an insult to the people of the state.

K A Solaman 
The New Indian Express published on 22-2-2014

K A Solaman Blog: Seemandhra-not a part of India?

K A Solaman Blog: Seemandhra-not a part of India?: It is a hurried action to take such a major decision of dividing Andhra Pradesh into two just before the Union election. No doubt that the...

Seemandhra-not a part of India?

It is a hurried action to take such a major decision of dividing Andhra Pradesh into two just before the Union election. No doubt that the Congress party is following the same divide and rule policy that the British adopted in India. Dividing states for petty political gains is unwarranted. The Andhra division should invoke such demand from other states and it would turn out to be permanent head-ache for the Central Government. Even from one of the smallest states like Kerala also demand in this direction will surface to divide it into Travancore and Malabar.

All states in India have some parts developed and some others undeveloped. The solution is not the bifurcation instead concerted effort to develop all areas by starting better educational institutions and infrastructure. No doubt injustice has done to Seemandhra, at least in financial terms. There is revenue deficit for Seemandhra and there are no guaranteed commitments from Central Government. Congress way of handling of Telangana issue was awful.

The present way of passing the bill without the consent of Andhra leaders is a corroboration that Seemandhra is not part of India.

K A Solaman

Like scheme, likeSBI ad.

In a recent channel advertisement by State Bank of India for their life insurance scheme, a son asks his father that if his daddy dies what he would do, continue studies or do some work to care for his mother. I wonder there is none in the SBI to make a sensible advertisement other than this. The SBI Life scheme is like this advertisement; its growth is upside down. Have any doubt; seek the opinion of investors in SBI Life.

K A Solaman

My stamp- a futile attempt

Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, MothereTeresa, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi etc  are among the greats whose portraits are used as stamps by India Post. The stamp collection was a meaningful hobby then.  Now, by permitting even a crook to picture him on Indian postal stamp for a price, stamp collection hobby has become a damp squib. The sanctity of Indian  postal stamp is lost.

Of late, the service of Indian postal department is unpromising. The letters and other articles are  not delivered in time. The efficiency of delivering letter on the very next day in any part of the country has become a past story. The complaints sent to postal authorities are unattended or little attended. The adalaths in this regard by postal department have become a hollow gesture as the turn out for these athalaths  is meagre. It is not because of the lack of complaints from consumers but of the wastage of time and money. No complaint is attended and rectified with client’s satisfaction.

The postal boxes installed here and there have disappeared one by one. There is no clearance of letters in the FN and AN.  Thus in all respects the postal department has distanced from the general public. The staff in this department alone could not be blamed for this. It is the wrong policy of the central government that lead the department to such a appalling state. So, in that context the personalised stamp system is a futile gesture as takers for this is only a little.

It is may be true that the internet has reduced the habit of writing letters. But it doesn’t mean that the number of postal articles are reduced. One cannot send a hard copy ofa  communication or a parcel through e-mail. It can be done only through post. In an era of  online trading couriers are making a huge profit by delivering articles in any part of the world whereas the Indian postal department, instead of attracting people with good service, resorts  to vain gesticulations like ‘my stamp’.

K A Solaman

Secretary knows how to make people laugh.

SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan always wanted to have an Ezhava as KPCC president and now claims that the Congress High Command has honoured his demand by making V M Sudheeran as KPCC President. This announcement makes not only others but Ezhava to laugh as he had always refused to express his preference for V.M. Sudheeran. His preference was prominent Ezhava like Mullappally or the vociferous K Sudhakaran

Truly,  if Vellappally revealed that he liked Sudheeran more, Sudheeran would have said he didn’t require his certificate. Any way it would be a tough time for Vellappally with the Congress as V M Sudheeran and K C Venugopal are two stalwarts in the party not to opt Kanichukulangara hospitality.

K A Solaman

Sudheeran to bear the disgrace.

Though a delayed move it is a welcome gesture from the Congress High Command to appoint V M Sudheeran as KPCC president. Sudheeran's setting up as President can be seen as an indication showing that the High Command thinks above petty group politics run by  both chief minister Oommen Chandy and home minister Ramesh Chennithala. With Sudheeran becoming the KPCC president, there will be a thorough discussion in the party forums before implementing any plan which directly affects the people.

Though Chandy and Chennithala keep a distance from  Sudheeran, his appointment is a matter of solace for them as there is a  person to bear all the disgrace which would likely to surface after the next Parliament election. With actions of Oommen Chandy government against the wishes of the common people, the UDF is unlikely to get any seat in the next election. Though not personally responsible, being the KPCC President Sudheeran has  to bear the humiliation.


K A Solaman

A government against youth

The major argument for pension age hike is, at 58 or 60 an employee is fully healthy and he/she is able to perform well for another ten years in service. As well, the unemployed youths have ample opportunities outside government service and that is why scores of people from Orissa and Bengal migrate to Kerala for job. My argument is, why the employees in government service could not take Orissa men’s job after retiring at 56 and give opportunity to educated youths with PG and professional degrees to serve as clerk or peon in government departments. 

It is time to trash the suggestions of Expenditure Review Committee who recommended pension age hike. A government that aims to put off the payment of retirement benefits to its employees is against the youth and against the civic.

K A Solaman

Kitchen securities of K M Mani.

The recommendation of the Kerala Public Expenditure Review Committee for 2011-'12  to raise the retirement age of state government employees from 56 years to 58 years is obnoxious. The committee has out rightly neglected the aspirations of the educated youth of the state. What is actually needed is the restoration of the previous retirement age of 55.  

If there is any water in the finding of the committee that the state government and autonomous bodies like KSRTC and universities are heading towards a pension payment crisis, it is due to the mismanagement of higher-ups of these bodies. The minister and directors in charge of these bodies should be held responsible for the dismal condition of these institutions. While KSRTC faces a pension payment crisis there is no dearth of fund for constructing new buildings and for buying worthless gadgets like ticket vending machines. For instance in Cherthala bus station a new building is under construction when the retirees of the corporation are in sit-in-strike for their monthly pension.

The committee’s suggestion to collect an amount equivalent to 10% of the basic pay of all pensionable staff every month for five years is utopian as none would care to payback this amount after five years or at the time of retirement. The present denial of paying pension in time, is an astute example of going back from the assurance given by previous governments. What the committee should have suggested is the action for immediate collection of money from defaulters There are a number public and private companies which are defaulters in tune with crores of rupees to the government.

.

And while receiving this report the finance minister K  M Mani said, before implementing the suggestion of the committee about pension age hike, he would take in faith and of course think of the fate of unemployed youths.  If one has no loss of memory this is an adequate gesture from Mani for an immediate laughter. Seemingly the Expenditure Review Committee members are kitchen securities of K M Mani.

K A Solaman
The New Indian Express published on 6-2-2014

Reliable notes.

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to withdraw from circulation all currency notes issued prior to 2005 is a welcome move. The decision would help to cleanse our currencies from the attack of Pakistan made counterfeit notes. For cash transactions, the giver and the receiver would take a little patience to verify the notes so that our money matter becomes more meaningful and trustworthy. The delay if any in transaction is not a serious matter as the benefits out of this decision outweighs the hitches.

K A Solaman