Rare move

Arvind Kejriwal's decision not to hold any portfolios as chief minister must have stunned India's greedy politicians. Perhaps Kejriwal is the only chief minister not to have a single portfolio. Usually, ministries are distributed among ministers who act like supreme commanders of the departments they head. Even the chief minister does not dare question them. A chief minister should only monitor other ministries and suggest changes. Kejriwal's act is thus quite remarkable.

- K A Solaman

The Telegraph, Culcutta, published on 21 Feb 2015

Disgraceful comment

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comment that “conversion to Christianity was the main objective behind Mother Teresa's service to the poor” is utterly disgraceful and disgusting.

It is an unquestionable fact that Mother Teresa helped the ailing and the poor. There are numerous pictures, reports, and papers relating her service to the downtrodden. She dedicated her life for the service of the poor in a country that was not her motherland. She founded an organization that worked with lepers, orphans, and destitute. She was absolutely a Christian and the Christian honesty was reflected in her life.  Because of her love and truthful service many poor people found contentment in living with her. And that was not like recent ‘ghar vappassi” experimented by Hindu outfits with money and might.

So, it is of course a shame on those people with the patronage of BJP government to disparage a saint woman after her death. Mother Teresa sacrificed her life to save the poor millions and such a life needs to be celebrated irrespective of one’s religion

K A Solaman

No anti-party activist

The only mass leader V S Achuthanandan who was true to the ideology he preached has been kicked out of the party. The hide and seek played in this connection by the party leadership has been identified by all the people.  It is not unwise on the part of veteran leader not to attend the state meet as secretariat resolution that termed him as an anti-party activist exists.

And with the imprudent decision of the party leadership to remove Achuthanandan from state secretariat the party had fallen in deep chaos. The new State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan would have to face tough time to spot on the blunder that created with Achuthanandan’s ouster.

The newly formed leadership of CPM consists even members, who were facing charges in the murder of rebel CPM leader T P Chandrasekheran. How could the new secretary to lead the party with these people?

K A Solaman

Patricide in CPM

Veteran leader V.S. Achuthanandan’s abrupt leaving of the venue of the CPI(M) State conference is sad. And for this he could not be blamed as such was the humiliation this connoisseur leader faced

In all the fourteen district meets of the CPM, the founder leader of the party was targeted by ill-advised leaders. This patricide continued and culminated at the State Conference. Achuthanandan has been at the receiving end of some intense harassment from the State leadership over the past few days. The low profile leader G Sudhakaran comparing Achuthanandan’s future to former Russian President Khrushchev’s exit is unwarranted. Tainted leaders like P Mohanan and others targeting founder leader is hateful.

One hopes that the comrades dining with ‘karimeen and Ampalappuzha palpayasam’ dishes would take wise decision to pacify the veteran, otherwise this would be their last dinner of the sort.

K A Solaman
The NIE published on 23-2-15

Clueless Congress

After return with duck in the Delhi election the Congress leaders have become a desperate lot. They are clueless about what to do and not do. That is why they protest against the auction of the pinstripe suit of PM Modi and related articles. The auction that received an overwhelming response with one of the textile traders quoting a whopping Rs. 1.21 crore for the suit has infuriated the Congress.  If the fund raised from the auction of Modi's gift items goes to the Clean Ganga Mission, it would be a good gesture.

Seemingly Congress workers do not want to clean Ganga. They just want to take advantage in troubled waters. Their role model is Oommen Chandy Government in Kerala, which is notorious for corruption and wastefulness.  If Modi decides to sell the gift he received   from a friend for a good cause what is wrong in it. The Congress would resort to some meaningful agitations.

K A Solaman

Is there any award for him?

I endorse ADGP TP Sen Kumar’s view on film awards. He said “nothing would happen if awards are not given to cinema or even if there is no cinema. Awards should be given to farmers who work on soil”.

It is a fact that a huge sum is siphoned out from state exchequer by way of film awards. Politicians, film stars and channels hoodwink people in the name of these awards. But in fact most the films give  wrong messages to the viewers. In new gen movies ganga-related violence are glorified and the themes of these movies are not questioned by any one. Mammootty or Mohanlal acting as serial killers in movies is horrifying. Notorious criminal-business man killing a security guard at Sobha city or youths beating to death a bus driver at Cherthala might be misguided by such films. Cinema style operation of quotation gangs are also the end result of bad films. People, of course, need leisure and entertainment after hard work but the sort given by present day cinema is unjustifiable.

So it is time to stop awards to film sorority. Instead awards must be given to farmers who melt their blood into water to feed the starving. Here in my place there is a man curved sharply to the left side because of making innumerable tea. Is there any award for him?

K A Solaman.

Remarkable gesture

It is stunning information to all power greedy ministers in the country that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal would not hold any portfolio in the Delhi Ministry. Probably Kejriwal will be the only chief minister of this sort in the history of India. His record is unbreakable.
What we see in Kerala and elsewhere is, CM is holding charge of one department and all others are distributed or rather sold to other ministers. These ministers then become supreme commanders of those departments and act as they like. They are unquestioned even by the chief minister. If tourism is allocated for one minister he may then demand Forest portfolio too, aiming to cut and sell a few trees at his will.

A chief minister need only surveillance He should watch over all ministries and suggest change if needed. Kejriwal’s gesture in this direction is remarkable.

K A Solaman.
The Hindu Business Line Published on 17-2-2015

Belittling Hridayakumari committee.

There is a planned attempt to belittle the recommendations made by the B. Hridayakumari committee on choice-based credit and semester system. The Committee had recommended mark system of evaluation instead of the defective grading system in colleges

The grading system was a farce with which even below average students get good grade without knowing the basics of the subject they study. This has been fully understood by the Hridayakumari committee and hence they favored evaluation by mark system. The mark system has brought good result and that is why those sluggish students lose their semester. A large number of students appearing for the semester improvement examinations is not a big issue. This allows students to take their lessons seriously.  In the grading system very bright students and the idle ones come under the same grade A. This should end. The hard work of bright students should be documented.

In most of the colleges the teaching-learning practice is not undertaken seriously. What the students attain from assignment work is unknown to their teachers too. Extracurricular works like organic farming, goat farming, milk marketing etc took upper hand over curricular activities in colleges.The teachers spend their time without any specific responsibility. They document everything in papers but no relation with the actual work undertaken.  If any institution had suspended the regular classes to accommodate the large number of students who appeared for the improvement examinations, it  is of  no harm. Teachers saying that many bright students got poor marks despite performing well in the examinations, is incomprehensible.  These teachers also say that students who do not expect good marks are in for a surprise after they receive better results. Then the fault is really with the teachers as they are the guides and at the same time evaluators.  

So it is ridiculous to disapprove the wise decisions of Prof Hridayakumari committee, which recommended  the mark system of evaluation instead of faulty grading method.

K A Solaman

Needed social boycott.

The Yogam secretary Vellappally Natesan and his strong adversary Gokulam Gopalan are powerful advocates of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalanam. Though appear publically attacking each other they unite for liquor and for opposing KPCC President V M Sudheeran. Sudheeran’s remark against Gopkulam has hit the target and can be considered as a strong campaign against liquor.

Liquor barons amass money and they are even able to control the government. These devil advocates spoil the life of the uneducated and the poor by the liquor they sell. The only way to escape from the clutches is a social boycott of these liquor barons. And in that direction  Sudheeran’s move is very bold.

K A Solaman

Poor taste

Ordinary Indians wear the humble dhoti but the prime minister, Narendra Modi, certainly has expensive taste when it comes to clothes. The suit he wore during his chat with Obama on the lawns of Hyderabad House reportedly cost Rs 10 lakh. Even though the price of the suit remains unconfirmed, according to a leading manufacturer, a nine-metre-long cloth of the same material would approximately cost 14 lakh. Modi may have a singular sense of style. But a suit with the name of the prime minister sewn over it is surely a mark of extravagance, even though there are no rigid rules dictating the dress code of heads of state on formal occasions. Modi, who speaks a lot about his humble roots, is unlikely to address the plight of India's poor people.

K.A. Solaman,  Kerala

Hartal’s own country

In 2013, the Supreme Court in a letter to the Union government and all State governments sought explanations about the extent to which action had been taken for implementing an order of the court banning all hartals and bandhs in the country. In 2009 the Supreme Court had banned hartals and bandhs and issued concrete directions asking for compensation from parties indulging in hartals. Whatever the clarification by the governments on this issue the hartal observance goes unabated. Today, in Kerala normal life was disrupted by the hartal called by the BJP demanding resignation of State Finance Minister KM Mani in the wake of the graft charges against him. The State government has declared a holiday for educational institutions. Thus Kerala has become ‘Hartal’s own country’ once again. But the more surprising reality is: Justice P Sadasivam, who issued orders against hartal, is the governor of the Sate at present. When will our court orders take a more redolent route?

KA Solaman

Published the Hindu Business Line on 27 Jan 2015

Historic zero for Congress

The people of Delhi have done a wonderful job by awarding a historic victory to the AAP, a stunning failure to the  BJP and a historic zero to the Congress. Whatever may be the interpretation in this respect one thing that is clear is; voters of Delhi want a corruption free government. They want to get rid of hollow speeches like women should give birth to four children or the non-sense campaign 'ghar wapsi'. Modi government doing little to check the price rise of essential commodities has infuriated the public.
No doubt, Delhi election is a turning point of present political situation. It shows mere rhetoric has no importance among general public. It is a wakeup call for BJP and strong warning for the Congress.

K A Solaman

Problem solving

It  is a matter of big dilemma for the Chief Minister and Sports Minister of Kerala what to do with the money that actor Mohanlal returned unclaimed in connection with the National games. The Government is waiting for Lal’s endorsement in this regard. And as a solution to the problem I would like to suggest as under.

Mohanlal has not less than three thousand women associates in and outside the film industry. So it would be better on the part of the Government to distribute the money equally among these women. Lal is unlikely to feel anything wrong in this decision and will be delighted much.

K A Solaman

AAP’s firm posture

The AAP rejecting Delhi Imam’s offer of support is marvellous as no other political party in India would refuse vote offer at election. And this is a lesson to those unprincipled political leaders who always seek votes even from dreaded criminals. Bukhari said “AAP is a secular party and Muslims for their betterment should vote for it."

Interestingly in the last Delhi assembly elections, Bukhari was against AAP and had then appealed people to vote for Congress. The Congress party lost then. Perhaps the AAP leaders remember this too for their repudiation to Bhukhari.

It is a fact that the so called secular parties seek alliance with communal outfits elsewhere in the country. The CPM alliance with Madani PDP or Congress alliance with Muslim League in Kerala  are straight examples of these parties not recalling their secular credentials. The ideology is often kept in safe locker by all political parties and in that case AAP stand is remarkable.  Imam playing communal politics has been well revealed by AAP by their firm posture.

K A Solaman

Writing on the wall

Opinion polls say Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to face his first state election defeat in Delhi. That is why the BJP has ordered scores of its top national and state leaders to campaign for election to the Delhi assembly where the AAP is threatening to stop its drive.

There are many reasons for BJP lacking its force. First, their CM candidate Kiran Bedi bears the tag of an opportunist. Second, many think Modi’s word and deed are not in concurrence. His suit of ₹10 lakh never reflects the true aspirations of the country where ‘a half- naked fakir’ struggled and became a martyr. Despite promises, the Modi government has taken no action to unearth the illegal foreign investment of top politicians and businessmen. So the writing on the wall is very clear.

KA Solaman

The Hindu Business Line on 5-2-15

Mohanlal is our pride, then Mammootty?

Though not concerned about the plight of aged and the ailing stars, the reigning film stars in Malayalam are a class and they stand together for their cause. This is more evident from the actor   Mammootty  requesting all country men to stop the witch-hunt against his colleague and actor Mohanlal over the controversy that erupted following the poor response to his ‘Lalism’ musical show at the inauguration of the 35th National Games. Extending his support to Mohanlal, Mammootty said “Mohanlal is our pride. We accept him for his acting talent. Let’s not put in him in further mental agony”. And of course as a reciprocation Mammootty can also expect such support from Mohanlal when he is in trouble.

Of late, cine stars in Malayalam are making much hue and cry over every aspect. They want to siphon out money from all sources. And when disparagement happens ask the people to stop it. Who are they to ask the people not to share their opinion when they make non-sense performance for looting public money. 

Mammootty’s alliance with CPM and Mohanlal’s association with Congress via NSS are known to all. They being the celebrities of Kerala should take some restraint when dealing with all matters relating  the State. May be Mohanlal and Mommootty are pride of Keralites and “Men of Age” for the Sports Minister. But it doesn't mean that people of Kerala should admit all their ruses.

K A Solaman  

National stability

I am a Christian by birth but I have no hesitation to condemn the attack on Hindu temples and Mosques. Likewise I condemn repeated attacks on various churches in Delhi. So it is very urgent on the part of central government to protect churches, temples and mosques. CCTVs should be installed at all worship places for gathering evidence and the attackers should be immediately booked. The BJP Government should be more vigilant on attacks on Muslims and Christians because such incidents are under-checked or unchecked at their regime.
It is the time now for all political parties not to fish in troubled waters. If everyone wants to break the law on religion the stability of the nation will be in peril. 

K A Solaman
Published  byNIE on7-2-15

Writing on the wall

Opinion polls tell that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to face his first state election defeat in Delhi. That is why  Bharatiya Janata Party has ordered scores of its top national and state leaders to campaign for election to the Delhi assembly where the Aam Aadmi Party is threatening to stop its drive.
There are many reasons for BJP lacking its force.  First one is: their CM candidate Kiren Bedi is ex-police chief whom the people often hate. Moreover she bears the tag of opportunist as she was a strong adversary of BJP for quite long.

 Secondly PM Narendra Modi’s word and deed are not in concurrence. Assurance given by him before election to the Parliament  has been swallowed without water. His suit of Rs. 10 lakh with his name sewed on it never reflects the true aspirations of the country where ‘a half naked fakir’ struggled and become martyr.  Despite its promise the Modi Government has taken no action to unearth the illegal foreign investment of top politicians and business men.
So the writing on wall is very clear.

K A Solaman

The Hindu Business Line published on 5-2-2015

Lalism flop

Cine Actor Mohanlal, who owns musical band Lalism returning the whole amount he received for the show at the inaugural of the 35th National Games.or Minister Thiruvanchoor politely asking Lal to not do so is not the actual issue. The matter is the wrongdoing of the officials in siphoning out the State money. Spending a sum of about Rs 2 crore for a vicious show is a colossal waste.
It is inTN people have the habit of worshiping cine stars. This custom has been now transported to Kerala. Even silly things like organic farming and cow dung disposal are inaugurated by cine stars for attracting crowd. This would end. The Lalism flop is good indicator.
The film stars can be given the respect they deserve. Any undue veneration for looting state revenue is unwarranted. Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan saying that Mohanlal would come up with reply to the criticism over Lalism is ridiculous as he is not the organizer of 35th National Games of India.
K A Solaman