The day of coronation appears to be coming closer…The machinery seems to be working full-time to establish the dynasty in the “hearts and minds” of the people of India.
First you had the “celebrations” around the Prince’s coming of age. Last week we witnessed the pleasing face of the late patriarch beaming from hoardings, posters and advertisements in newspapers…Today, I was alerted to this painstakingly compiled photo album, courtesy NDTV that talks of (emphasis added):
“Priyanka’s aura…that definitely cannot be ignored

Wait there is more…
Her poise and elegance coupled with her settled attitude, …

…or how some news is best left out of the main pages. Courtesy Ashok-ji,  my attention was drawn to this brief news-item about a Dutch missionary who was asked to leave Jammu & Kashmir within weeks  – just after his visa was renewed for four years. Read on:
A Dutch missionary of the Institute Mill Hill working in the Kashmir region of India has been asked by authorities to leave the country by the end of July.
His expulsion came as a surprise since the government had just renewed his visa until …

I woke up yesterday morning to pictures of a beaming Rajiv Gandhi from the pages of various newspapers*, extolling his “greatness” and remembering his “quotes”. ToI had a full page ad, no less, sponsored by the Ministry for Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) (don’t ask me what connection MoFPI has with Rajiv Gandhi).
Does no one remember his tenure? or are we collectively choosing amnesia over hard reality?
As a Prime Minister, he lacked vision, came to power completely by accident, was more of a “reluctant leader” than anyone I can think …

Thanks to Sanjay for alerting me to this article in gfiles.com. It is shocking to say the least. Pl read the excerpts and share widely. Excerpts from The daylight rape of the public interest:
*** Excerpts begin ***
gfiles prayerfully brings to the Supreme Court’s attention..the inside story of how a national resource…has been systematically emasculated..(and) how, as part of a larger conspiracy, prime land worth Rs 98,000 crore belonging to the Government of India was gifted for profit to a consortium of vested interests in the name of “airport development”.
This …

Thanks to Anjali for sharing this:

Hell, there are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something.

- Thomas A. Edison

Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
Past quotes are here

On the ocassion of our Indepdence Day, I would like each one of you to just spend two minutes and think: What can you do today to make sure that 15th August 2011 is better for you, for our society and for our nation?
What can you do about your responsibilities towards the society that has made you what you are – and the nation that gives you your identity?
What can you do to help us break the paradigm of poor governance and ineffective leadership that is slowly eating away at …