I'm sure many of you readers must've seen the really nice film, 3 idiots. Now i loved the film, some good lyrics, dialogues not so great music. But all in all a fantastic movie, will rate it even better than Paa.
Now my problem is NOT about the fact that there is a puny skinny, sukdya man spoof on my hottest fav James Bond, but the fact that even Aamir Khan has NOT bothered to give attention to some fine 'detailing.' That is called jockeys, panties, chaddis. Now i am one woman of those types for whom the look of panties, socks, bras, banyans, briefs matters tremendously. Puhleeez it was an assault on my visual senses to see multi coloured typical 'Indian' chaddis on display. Dark brown, light brown, brown, grey, black, dark black, light grey, white. Then in-between one sky blue, electric blue, orange & hideous red was squeezed in. They all looked mass products picked up fm Mohammed Ali road, Hill road or Lokhandwala, where all inner, outer, all types of wears, wares are displayed brazenly in your face!
See, if they are spending crores on a film they can buy jockeys, more so Victoria's Secret or some such leading brand, where the male boxers, in this idiots case jocks, chaddis 'look' decent. I mean all the cast of whatever background were shown to wear modern clothes, so then why these mass produced chaddis with pathetic look & colours? Why were the crew, production people, director & main star Aamir stingy about it?
Then worst eye sore were unhealthy looking back sides, arses or bumbs. Dark i can deal with bcoz thankfully NONE of them are related to me, but hairy (ugghhh)flabby, fleshy shoved into my face as they stare from the screen?? i wanted to scream. If they can pull a fast one on James Bond, they owe themselves this one least qualification to show their back sides - toughen up guys. Their arses shook from side to side like spounges, urgggh...my eyes hurt even now...side splitting? No way, the sides hurt seeing how Indian men do NOT, i reiterate do NOT bother to give ample thought and care to their back sides.
There is NO point trying to look hot, with Six ab pack if you can't maintain a good 'butt.' Is it important you may ask...well It is most important to a woman. I talk openly about, because i believe in my likes, which by now you must've gathered are pretty strong. Stronger are the dislikes.
Few years ago when i was going out with a foreign photo-journalist our common firend colleague had asked us in a circle what attracted me to a man. I said the man's eyes, face & more so the butt. I told him i don't look at most Indian men, because they IGNORE their butts completely. They are not tough, tight which look as attractive as the face. The other men at the table laughed, thought I was insane, mean, tough benchmarks & Neeta has her own Idiosyncrasies. The women shyly, coyly half smiled, because they just have NEVER told what they like or not & i'm sure as a result their men presume on behalf of women. May be their spouses have never really cared to find out. They looked like 'no one asks us, but we agree with Neeta..' type of expression they wore.
Now coming back to idiots, that is exactly what i felt. Pitied the women spouses of the male star cast who openly displayed their back sides so frequently, which i thought was very very cool. But for some stickler, perfectionist like Aamir, this was such a gaffe it is unforgivable...hope he reads this & falls down laughing. I mean it's like seeing a shaky Pamela Anderson with half the size of her boobs shaking & sagging loosely...well yes that is exactly how the arses/butts of most men looked.
I am tremendously biased. I luvvvvv Daniel Craig, he is on my home page of twitter. Just see him rise out of the water, he beats Ursula Anderson man...!! He looks awesome, what tight butt, that John Abraham tried his best to show his wotever in Dostana, but sorry guys i wrote then...flopped badly..firstly wooden dead pan face...in marathi we say maashi he halat nahi naka varun, then that thin abso NO worked out butt, did NOT click...with me...i'm sure women of all age groups paid to see it..I saw the film free..
so kick the butts guys..
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
BORN ON 26/11 In the shadow of terror
Around the time Ajmal Kasab and Co were on their ruthless killing spree, little Goli opened her eyes to life. A year later, her parents write a thank you letter to the Cama Hospital staff for putting their own lives at risk to give them this precious gift
It was not without reason that one-year-old Goli Chavan was given a dramatic name. While most newborns arrive in the world to a warm welcome and swaddled sleep, she had to lie on the floor of Cama Hospital next to her mother as bullets flew around the labour ward.
Her mother, Viju Chavan, had gone into labour on the night of 26/11 around the time Ajmal Kasab and his terror team started firing randomly inside the hospital. The terrorists were aiming at slaughtering or grabbing as many hostages as they could. Had it not been for the immense courage and presence of mind shown by the hospital staff and the mother herself, we would not be getting set to celebrate Goli’s first birthday four days from now.
“Every day we send up a prayer thanking God for saving us that fateful night of 26/11 and giving us this gift, our daughter,” Viju Chavan tells The Mag, remembering that
horrific night.
Goli of course has another, more proper name: Tejaswini. But her parents say that they prefer to call her by a name that reminds them of the fact that she was born in the shadow of terror and is a symbol of human endurance.
SURVIVAL INSTINCT
The story of that night the Chavans lived through reads like an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Shyamu Laxman Chavan, a dock worker at Sassoon Docks, and his wife Viju have an older son who is now six years old. When Viju became pregnant for the second time, the family had rejoiced. Around 8pm on November 26 last year, Viju started feeling the contractions. Her husband and son rushed with her to Cama Hospital for the delivery.
“At 8.30pm we were inside the hospital. We waited for half an hour to complete the admission procedure. Everything was quiet. I took Viju to the labour ward when she complained of pain. They asked us to wait. In the meanwhile, the gynaecologist gave me a prescription and asked me to get some medicines,” recalls Shyamu.
On his way down to the pharmacy Shyamu saw people running in panic. He also saw a guard lying in a pool of blood. Even then, Shyamu and other visitors to the hospital had no clue that the hospital was under a terror attack.
“The liftman came and rounded us up with his baton. He gave us five minutes to clear out of the ward,” says Shyamu. But something told him they were all better off indoors.
Shyamu is blessed with a strong physique — he exercises in the morning and his work in the docks keeps him fit. Without any idea of what the crisis was about, he used his strength to herd people into the hospital interiors. He had a gut feeling this was different from anything he had experienced.
“We saw people running into the hospital from CST. I realised that this was not an underworld gun-battle because they fight it out on the streets,” he recalls.
WARDBOY’S COURAGE
In sheer panic, the relatives and those seeking shelter in the hospital began banging on the doors of the labour ward. Men are never allowed into hospital maternity wards but these were exceptional circumstances.
“We had learnt of the terror siege by then but we knew that most of the patients and relatives had no clue,” recalls Jayshree Kurdhunkar, who was a nurse on duty that night.
Viju went into labour amidst the firing and was moved to the delivery room. She knew by then that death was waiting outside the door, and bit back cries of agony as she delivered her child, so that the sound would not alert the
terrorists.
“No amount of resolve can alleviate labour pain but I did not shout or scream. I prayed that my baby be born soon and sure enough Goli’s birth was very smooth,” says Viju.
Shyamu has a special word of appreciation for the wardboy Dhondu Raghunath Parab. Parab inspired the people in the ward to face the worst and not panic.
“I will never forget Parab’s words. They still ring in my ears. He said that the firing was so intense that it could easily kill all of us, but instead of just waiting for sure death why not do something to protect our families. He got us to gather the heavy metal equipment lying around the ward and pile them at the door. We all stood behind the barricade, ready to jump at the terrorists if they pushed their way in,” recounts Shyamu.
Parab now gets misty-eyed when he is told by The Mag that Goli’s parents remember him fondly and in admiration. He is just a contract worker at the hospital, but that did not dull his sense of duty towards the patients.
“We were informed that there were terrorists on our premises. So I thought the best way to keep panic at bay was to involve the patients and relatives in some operation. I simply told them we were in a situation where death seemed probable, but that we should not die in vain. We should at least die saving the women and children,” says Parab.
BETTER THAN A MEDAL
The minute Goli was born, she was quickly cleaned and put down on the floor alongside her mother. “There was a window in the delivery room and bullets could easily fly in. So we all huddled under the bed,” says midwife Gohil.
The air finally cleared around 2.30am, almost four hours after Goli’s birth. The family went home with their newborn child, grateful for the exemplary courage shown by the hospital staff. Shyamu and Viju wrote a letter of appreciation to the hospital staff. The Chavans are Banjaras from Karnataka, and the letter is in Kannada, which is Greek to Parab. But it is still a prized article for him.
“I am touched that the parents wrote us a personal letter. We cannot read Kannada, so we got our friends to translate it for us. Their kind words mean more to us than any medal,” he says.
The staff bursts out laughing when they are told that the baby is named Goli. They cannot believe that the couple had taken so seriously a joke they had cracked during the delivery.
“Really? They have named her Goli? Aho, the doctors had told Viju jokingly ‘Tumhi ya mulila goli mhana karan te golyanchya varshav madhe janmala aleli (call her goli because she was born in the midst of gunshots),” says Kurdhunkar.
The Chavans meanwhile are looking forward to celebrating the first birthday of their daughter with a cake-and-chivda party for the neighbours. “We want to mark the day our jewel arrived in this world. We want to share this moment with all the children around us,”
says Viju.
It was not without reason that one-year-old Goli Chavan was given a dramatic name. While most newborns arrive in the world to a warm welcome and swaddled sleep, she had to lie on the floor of Cama Hospital next to her mother as bullets flew around the labour ward.
Her mother, Viju Chavan, had gone into labour on the night of 26/11 around the time Ajmal Kasab and his terror team started firing randomly inside the hospital. The terrorists were aiming at slaughtering or grabbing as many hostages as they could. Had it not been for the immense courage and presence of mind shown by the hospital staff and the mother herself, we would not be getting set to celebrate Goli’s first birthday four days from now.
“Every day we send up a prayer thanking God for saving us that fateful night of 26/11 and giving us this gift, our daughter,” Viju Chavan tells The Mag, remembering that
horrific night.
Goli of course has another, more proper name: Tejaswini. But her parents say that they prefer to call her by a name that reminds them of the fact that she was born in the shadow of terror and is a symbol of human endurance.
SURVIVAL INSTINCT
The story of that night the Chavans lived through reads like an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Shyamu Laxman Chavan, a dock worker at Sassoon Docks, and his wife Viju have an older son who is now six years old. When Viju became pregnant for the second time, the family had rejoiced. Around 8pm on November 26 last year, Viju started feeling the contractions. Her husband and son rushed with her to Cama Hospital for the delivery.
“At 8.30pm we were inside the hospital. We waited for half an hour to complete the admission procedure. Everything was quiet. I took Viju to the labour ward when she complained of pain. They asked us to wait. In the meanwhile, the gynaecologist gave me a prescription and asked me to get some medicines,” recalls Shyamu.
On his way down to the pharmacy Shyamu saw people running in panic. He also saw a guard lying in a pool of blood. Even then, Shyamu and other visitors to the hospital had no clue that the hospital was under a terror attack.
“The liftman came and rounded us up with his baton. He gave us five minutes to clear out of the ward,” says Shyamu. But something told him they were all better off indoors.
Shyamu is blessed with a strong physique — he exercises in the morning and his work in the docks keeps him fit. Without any idea of what the crisis was about, he used his strength to herd people into the hospital interiors. He had a gut feeling this was different from anything he had experienced.
“We saw people running into the hospital from CST. I realised that this was not an underworld gun-battle because they fight it out on the streets,” he recalls.
WARDBOY’S COURAGE
In sheer panic, the relatives and those seeking shelter in the hospital began banging on the doors of the labour ward. Men are never allowed into hospital maternity wards but these were exceptional circumstances.
“We had learnt of the terror siege by then but we knew that most of the patients and relatives had no clue,” recalls Jayshree Kurdhunkar, who was a nurse on duty that night.
Viju went into labour amidst the firing and was moved to the delivery room. She knew by then that death was waiting outside the door, and bit back cries of agony as she delivered her child, so that the sound would not alert the
terrorists.
“No amount of resolve can alleviate labour pain but I did not shout or scream. I prayed that my baby be born soon and sure enough Goli’s birth was very smooth,” says Viju.
Shyamu has a special word of appreciation for the wardboy Dhondu Raghunath Parab. Parab inspired the people in the ward to face the worst and not panic.
“I will never forget Parab’s words. They still ring in my ears. He said that the firing was so intense that it could easily kill all of us, but instead of just waiting for sure death why not do something to protect our families. He got us to gather the heavy metal equipment lying around the ward and pile them at the door. We all stood behind the barricade, ready to jump at the terrorists if they pushed their way in,” recounts Shyamu.
Parab now gets misty-eyed when he is told by The Mag that Goli’s parents remember him fondly and in admiration. He is just a contract worker at the hospital, but that did not dull his sense of duty towards the patients.
“We were informed that there were terrorists on our premises. So I thought the best way to keep panic at bay was to involve the patients and relatives in some operation. I simply told them we were in a situation where death seemed probable, but that we should not die in vain. We should at least die saving the women and children,” says Parab.
BETTER THAN A MEDAL
The minute Goli was born, she was quickly cleaned and put down on the floor alongside her mother. “There was a window in the delivery room and bullets could easily fly in. So we all huddled under the bed,” says midwife Gohil.
The air finally cleared around 2.30am, almost four hours after Goli’s birth. The family went home with their newborn child, grateful for the exemplary courage shown by the hospital staff. Shyamu and Viju wrote a letter of appreciation to the hospital staff. The Chavans are Banjaras from Karnataka, and the letter is in Kannada, which is Greek to Parab. But it is still a prized article for him.
“I am touched that the parents wrote us a personal letter. We cannot read Kannada, so we got our friends to translate it for us. Their kind words mean more to us than any medal,” he says.
The staff bursts out laughing when they are told that the baby is named Goli. They cannot believe that the couple had taken so seriously a joke they had cracked during the delivery.
“Really? They have named her Goli? Aho, the doctors had told Viju jokingly ‘Tumhi ya mulila goli mhana karan te golyanchya varshav madhe janmala aleli (call her goli because she was born in the midst of gunshots),” says Kurdhunkar.
The Chavans meanwhile are looking forward to celebrating the first birthday of their daughter with a cake-and-chivda party for the neighbours. “We want to mark the day our jewel arrived in this world. We want to share this moment with all the children around us,”
says Viju.
Thali dearer
Putting a decent thali on the table is now twice as expensive. And what is worse, there is no sign of the prices going down
For those who have been hoping that the late monsoon will ease food prices, here is a dampener: the government believes that it will be a while before the prices of grains, pulses, sugar and oil ease up.
“Over the next three months the prices of grain especially tur, sugar and oil will stay high. But through the PDS network we will be selling palm oil at Rs30 per litre, sugar at Rs20 a kg and tur dal at Rs55 a kg,” says Anil Deshmukh, food and civil supply minister.
The prices of dal particularly have been highly volatile. Tur dal has been the worst hit: the superior Latur type now stands at Rs90-92 a kg and the cheaper variety at Rs82. Wholesale dealers say they are hoping that the prices will fall but they also add that if it happens it will only be a short-term decline.
“The market has been volatile with a daily rise and fall primarily in the tur dal category. We are hoping that prices will fall a bit, but if they do then by December-end they will shoot up again,” said Ajay Shah, runs a wholesale store.
Inflation-hit consumers have now started cutting down on consumption of tur dal and replacing it with moong and masur. Moong dal at Rs82-83 per kg is not cheap either because it is mainly imported. “Our main dal sources, China and Burma, are selling at high prices. The market for pulses is very bullish right now,” said Shah.
Experts believe that the government dragged its feet over importing foodstuffs when it saw early signs of shortage caused by the drought. “By the time the central government decided to import in August, the prices had already begun going up. The government should have started importing stock much earlier. It was clear by July that we were headed for a drought,” says Madan Sabhnavis, economist with the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange.
Traders and retailers plead helplessness. Tur dal is the staple in most Gujarati and Mahrashtrian homes and families have drastically reduced their purchases to stabilise their budgets.
“Consumers who once bought two kg a month are now making do with 500gm. We are incurring a loss too. We also cannot stock more and pre-empt the price rise because the government will not tolerate that,” said Sampada Mukadam, proprietor of a grocery store.
For those who have been hoping that the late monsoon will ease food prices, here is a dampener: the government believes that it will be a while before the prices of grains, pulses, sugar and oil ease up.
“Over the next three months the prices of grain especially tur, sugar and oil will stay high. But through the PDS network we will be selling palm oil at Rs30 per litre, sugar at Rs20 a kg and tur dal at Rs55 a kg,” says Anil Deshmukh, food and civil supply minister.
The prices of dal particularly have been highly volatile. Tur dal has been the worst hit: the superior Latur type now stands at Rs90-92 a kg and the cheaper variety at Rs82. Wholesale dealers say they are hoping that the prices will fall but they also add that if it happens it will only be a short-term decline.
“The market has been volatile with a daily rise and fall primarily in the tur dal category. We are hoping that prices will fall a bit, but if they do then by December-end they will shoot up again,” said Ajay Shah, runs a wholesale store.
Inflation-hit consumers have now started cutting down on consumption of tur dal and replacing it with moong and masur. Moong dal at Rs82-83 per kg is not cheap either because it is mainly imported. “Our main dal sources, China and Burma, are selling at high prices. The market for pulses is very bullish right now,” said Shah.
Experts believe that the government dragged its feet over importing foodstuffs when it saw early signs of shortage caused by the drought. “By the time the central government decided to import in August, the prices had already begun going up. The government should have started importing stock much earlier. It was clear by July that we were headed for a drought,” says Madan Sabhnavis, economist with the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange.
Traders and retailers plead helplessness. Tur dal is the staple in most Gujarati and Mahrashtrian homes and families have drastically reduced their purchases to stabilise their budgets.
“Consumers who once bought two kg a month are now making do with 500gm. We are incurring a loss too. We also cannot stock more and pre-empt the price rise because the government will not tolerate that,” said Sampada Mukadam, proprietor of a grocery store.
Mystery of the disappearing amti
Tiffin catering services have been hit by the price rise in pulses, finds Neeta Kolhatkar
Have you wondered why your dabba caterer has been getting generous with the runny sambar, rasam and kadhi in your lunch?
Here’s why. Tur dal, which is the favourite of all rice eaters, now costs the earth. Moong is not cheap either. Your caterer cannot reduce the number of items or axe the protein element altogether from your meal. Hence the rasam and sambar, which take up much less dal than the thicker amti. And kadhi is even more convenient because it uses the less-expensive curds.
Using a cheaper brand of dal is ruled out because contract terms issued by companies cannot be bent or changed. (Brands are clearly specified in the contracts.) Inventive catering is then the only way out.
“We cater to over a dozen big companies and provide over 100 tiffins to every company. Over the last three months we have been serving sambar, rasam, and kadhi more often, because the cost of tur has nearly doubled,” said Shivram Shetty, head of Shiv Catering.
Caterers are also cleverly mixing their dals. Moong for instance can easily blend into other dal types. The Maharashtrian cannot altogether miss his varan and amti, so the cook cuts a few corners.
“What can we do? We are mixing tur with moong, and sometimes chana, to add volume. If we make only tur dal, we make it a little more watery. You must understand that the hike in food prices has also pushed up the prices of masalas,” says Vandana Navalkar, chairman of Kutumb Sakhi Sanstha. “Being a trust we cannot make our business profitable, so we cannot even increase the tiffin price either.”
It’s a double whammy for the catering business. On the one hand, they’re battling the high prices of foodgrains and vegetables. On the other, companies are in an austerity mode.
“I have stopped providing tiffins to three companies because when I suggested that they pay more per dabba, they said no. Some have agreed to pay Rs5 more per head. This is not really enough,” says Sudhakar Shetty, head of Sudhakar Caterers.
Shetty has a central kitchen from where he dispatches tiffins to his clients. Where he once made a profit of Rs5 lakh a month, he now just about breaks even.
“I need to pay salaries, pay for raw material. Catering to corporates is no longer a profitable business. They say they cannot get their staff to pay more,” he says.
Facility managers of companies say the quality of food they get from caterers has fallen. Dal is a scarce item and prices have gone up too. “Till 18 months ago, we were paying Rs 45 per head to the caterer. Three months ago he told us he is finding it difficult to manage and he wanted us to increase it to Rs65 per head. Our staff likes the food, so we negotiated it to Rs50 per head,” said Prasanna Porde, facility manager of a studio.
Have you wondered why your dabba caterer has been getting generous with the runny sambar, rasam and kadhi in your lunch?
Here’s why. Tur dal, which is the favourite of all rice eaters, now costs the earth. Moong is not cheap either. Your caterer cannot reduce the number of items or axe the protein element altogether from your meal. Hence the rasam and sambar, which take up much less dal than the thicker amti. And kadhi is even more convenient because it uses the less-expensive curds.
Using a cheaper brand of dal is ruled out because contract terms issued by companies cannot be bent or changed. (Brands are clearly specified in the contracts.) Inventive catering is then the only way out.
“We cater to over a dozen big companies and provide over 100 tiffins to every company. Over the last three months we have been serving sambar, rasam, and kadhi more often, because the cost of tur has nearly doubled,” said Shivram Shetty, head of Shiv Catering.
Caterers are also cleverly mixing their dals. Moong for instance can easily blend into other dal types. The Maharashtrian cannot altogether miss his varan and amti, so the cook cuts a few corners.
“What can we do? We are mixing tur with moong, and sometimes chana, to add volume. If we make only tur dal, we make it a little more watery. You must understand that the hike in food prices has also pushed up the prices of masalas,” says Vandana Navalkar, chairman of Kutumb Sakhi Sanstha. “Being a trust we cannot make our business profitable, so we cannot even increase the tiffin price either.”
It’s a double whammy for the catering business. On the one hand, they’re battling the high prices of foodgrains and vegetables. On the other, companies are in an austerity mode.
“I have stopped providing tiffins to three companies because when I suggested that they pay more per dabba, they said no. Some have agreed to pay Rs5 more per head. This is not really enough,” says Sudhakar Shetty, head of Sudhakar Caterers.
Shetty has a central kitchen from where he dispatches tiffins to his clients. Where he once made a profit of Rs5 lakh a month, he now just about breaks even.
“I need to pay salaries, pay for raw material. Catering to corporates is no longer a profitable business. They say they cannot get their staff to pay more,” he says.
Facility managers of companies say the quality of food they get from caterers has fallen. Dal is a scarce item and prices have gone up too. “Till 18 months ago, we were paying Rs 45 per head to the caterer. Three months ago he told us he is finding it difficult to manage and he wanted us to increase it to Rs65 per head. Our staff likes the food, so we negotiated it to Rs50 per head,” said Prasanna Porde, facility manager of a studio.
Women power in the Assembly
They are from different parties and backgrounds, but speak the same language: That of change and hard work. Neeta Kolhatkar meets four first-time women legislators
Praniti Shinde, Pankaja Munde, Meera Renge and Yashomati Thakur will be among the newcomers seen in the Assembly this time. But while Praniti and Pankaja are not strangers to politics — their fathers, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Gopinath Munde, are seasoned politicians — Meera Renge is a complete newcomer. Yashomati’s claim to fame, on the other hand, is that she was hand-picked by All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi to be a youth leader and made national general secretary of the Youth Congress.
The journey of these women into politics is interesting. They see politics only as a means to bring about change and strongly believe it’s an arena which requires more women.
For Meera Renge, coming from the most backward area of the state, Marathwada, her win is against all odds. Renge was denied a ticket three times before — sometimes even before she could present her case. This time, however, she came prepared with a presentation and a challenge to Shiv Sena officials. “Give me a ticket because I deserve it,” she told them. “If I don’t win, I will leave politics forever. But how can you deny me a ticket without giving me a chance?”
Renge feels this is the best time for women to enter politics. She attributes a change in the social and political atmosphere that has made women realise they can be vehicles of change. “Reservation for women at the gram panchayat level has made a tremendous difference to the mindset of people, particularly women. We realise women alone can handle issues like public health, education and sanitation. We have our own problems, but male legislators often ignore them,” Renge says.
Praniti, the youngest of the four, feels that Rahul Gandhi has ushered in a change, resulting in more youngsters seeking tickets. “A lot of the elected representatives are on Facebook and Twitter, and interacting with the public. Everybody wants change in society today, but people don’t know what to do about it. Networking with them, the youth will feel that the young leaders speak their language,” she says.
The four legislators feel they are more likely to be taken seriously because they are diligent. “As a woman, I think we can give a different shape to politics today. Politics has become less rowdy, and people definitely take women seriously because we work hard,” says Pankaja Munde.
Yashomati, however, says politics needs more educated women. She feels proud to have been chosen by that she was picked by Rahul Gandhi. “The confidence Rahulji showed in me has made me feel more confident as a woman.
“He said we needed more educated women to enter politics, and I understand that today. Politics itself is changing and moving away from the traditional. Women are no longer showpieces; we have been told we need to ask more questions in the Assembly floor, and I am confident we will do more justice to issues like health, education and women’s rights than our male counterparts,” says Yashomati.
The interesting factor is although many of the women legislators are from different parties and ideologies, they feel as women they will bond better.
Praniti Shinde, Pankaja Munde, Meera Renge and Yashomati Thakur will be among the newcomers seen in the Assembly this time. But while Praniti and Pankaja are not strangers to politics — their fathers, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Gopinath Munde, are seasoned politicians — Meera Renge is a complete newcomer. Yashomati’s claim to fame, on the other hand, is that she was hand-picked by All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi to be a youth leader and made national general secretary of the Youth Congress.
The journey of these women into politics is interesting. They see politics only as a means to bring about change and strongly believe it’s an arena which requires more women.
For Meera Renge, coming from the most backward area of the state, Marathwada, her win is against all odds. Renge was denied a ticket three times before — sometimes even before she could present her case. This time, however, she came prepared with a presentation and a challenge to Shiv Sena officials. “Give me a ticket because I deserve it,” she told them. “If I don’t win, I will leave politics forever. But how can you deny me a ticket without giving me a chance?”
Renge feels this is the best time for women to enter politics. She attributes a change in the social and political atmosphere that has made women realise they can be vehicles of change. “Reservation for women at the gram panchayat level has made a tremendous difference to the mindset of people, particularly women. We realise women alone can handle issues like public health, education and sanitation. We have our own problems, but male legislators often ignore them,” Renge says.
Praniti, the youngest of the four, feels that Rahul Gandhi has ushered in a change, resulting in more youngsters seeking tickets. “A lot of the elected representatives are on Facebook and Twitter, and interacting with the public. Everybody wants change in society today, but people don’t know what to do about it. Networking with them, the youth will feel that the young leaders speak their language,” she says.
The four legislators feel they are more likely to be taken seriously because they are diligent. “As a woman, I think we can give a different shape to politics today. Politics has become less rowdy, and people definitely take women seriously because we work hard,” says Pankaja Munde.
Yashomati, however, says politics needs more educated women. She feels proud to have been chosen by that she was picked by Rahul Gandhi. “The confidence Rahulji showed in me has made me feel more confident as a woman.
“He said we needed more educated women to enter politics, and I understand that today. Politics itself is changing and moving away from the traditional. Women are no longer showpieces; we have been told we need to ask more questions in the Assembly floor, and I am confident we will do more justice to issues like health, education and women’s rights than our male counterparts,” says Yashomati.
The interesting factor is although many of the women legislators are from different parties and ideologies, they feel as women they will bond better.
Islam Benefits all spheres of life
Islamic scholars feel that prejudices propagated by people, who don’t understand the religion in its entirety, need to stop
The popular notion is that Muslims who hold on to their identities are the ones who get isolated. However, Islamic scholars across the globe are trying to deal with this issue.
That a true Muslim needs to follow ideals set down by the Prophet is unquestionable, according to the scholars. “Islam is very clear about the identity of Muslims. We have been stopped at airports because of our identity, but that doesn’t mean I will shave off my beard. Let the world realise that there are truly good Muslims, even if they wear long beards, or carry the Muslim identity on them,” said Ather Khan.
Muslim scholars feel that the western and non-Islamic world needs to understand the true meaning of Islam. A few jihadis seem to have sent a wrong message and Islamophobic people are adding to the worry by propagating wrong perceptions, they said.
“Islam is a way of life and includes everything — eating, dressing, lifestyle — everything described by our prophet Mohammed,” said Mamdouh Mohamed from Egypt. He added, “The same ideology is applicable to Sikhs — they wear their turbans — and similarly all communities in the world hold on to their culture in different ways.”
The scholars said that people need to see that Islam has given a special status to women, which does not exist even in other societies. “The exposure women get in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia is far more when compared to other countries,” said Assim Al Hakeem from Saudi Arabia.
Islamic scholars said that the Islamic ideology is also extended to other sectors like economy and business. Islamic banking has saved their economies and also supported other forms of investment, like mutual funds. “When we say economies, we are talking about an amount which is close to three billion dollars. Anything that is within Islamic ideals, we are ready to adopt,” said Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy prime minister of Malaysia.
Ibrahim added, “In fact now we need to make sure that we use such business opportunities in a way that it helps the climate, involves and let mutual funding function according to the Islamic banking thought. I won’t be surprised if the Chinese government adopts this format soon. And they’ll make sure to not call it ‘Islamic.’”
The popular notion is that Muslims who hold on to their identities are the ones who get isolated. However, Islamic scholars across the globe are trying to deal with this issue.
That a true Muslim needs to follow ideals set down by the Prophet is unquestionable, according to the scholars. “Islam is very clear about the identity of Muslims. We have been stopped at airports because of our identity, but that doesn’t mean I will shave off my beard. Let the world realise that there are truly good Muslims, even if they wear long beards, or carry the Muslim identity on them,” said Ather Khan.
Muslim scholars feel that the western and non-Islamic world needs to understand the true meaning of Islam. A few jihadis seem to have sent a wrong message and Islamophobic people are adding to the worry by propagating wrong perceptions, they said.
“Islam is a way of life and includes everything — eating, dressing, lifestyle — everything described by our prophet Mohammed,” said Mamdouh Mohamed from Egypt. He added, “The same ideology is applicable to Sikhs — they wear their turbans — and similarly all communities in the world hold on to their culture in different ways.”
The scholars said that people need to see that Islam has given a special status to women, which does not exist even in other societies. “The exposure women get in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia is far more when compared to other countries,” said Assim Al Hakeem from Saudi Arabia.
Islamic scholars said that the Islamic ideology is also extended to other sectors like economy and business. Islamic banking has saved their economies and also supported other forms of investment, like mutual funds. “When we say economies, we are talking about an amount which is close to three billion dollars. Anything that is within Islamic ideals, we are ready to adopt,” said Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy prime minister of Malaysia.
Ibrahim added, “In fact now we need to make sure that we use such business opportunities in a way that it helps the climate, involves and let mutual funding function according to the Islamic banking thought. I won’t be surprised if the Chinese government adopts this format soon. And they’ll make sure to not call it ‘Islamic.’”
Renewal of ration cards
Renew your ration cards before year ends
The government is conducting a survey to weed out invalid card holders. But some of them are only wondering where the ration shops are
In an effort to weed out invalid and dormant ration card user, authorities have started a campaign asking citizens to renew their documents.
For most well-heeled Mumbaikars, a ration card only means a strong proof of identity and residence and little else. Many hardly know where their ration shop is or what they can get with it. The more generous ones allow their domestic help to draw rations on their cards.
Many residents of the city were surprised to see a notice signed by the chief controller of ration (CCR) on their society walls. This is being done by the ration shop-owners of their localities. Not all societies have been thus informed. But few can be bothered with the trouble of finding and filling up the requisite forms.
“I am the only one in my building to have got this form. Others said they are not interested,” said Chetan Kothari resident of Warden Road.
Entrepreneur Neeta Deshpande says she would not have heard of the scheme had a friend not texted her. “Nobody in our building seems to know where the local ration shop is located. I have to contact an old house help to locate it. The government could have made the form available over the Internet,” said Neeta Deshpande, an entrepreneur.
The chief controller of ration authority says the idea is to weed out negligible and invalid card holders. Those who want to transfer their cards, change names and other details on their cards can do so later. Says chief controller Yeshwant Kerure: “Citizens will be divided into three categories A, B and C. The ones who possess a live card with all the necessary evidence will be put into A category. Those who lack valid evidence will put into B category. Those who don't fill their forms or fulfil this responsibility will be put into C category: if they don't comply within a month, their cards will get cancelled."
The jurisdiction of the Mumbai rationing authority extends from Colaba and Churchgate to Badlapur, Bhyander, Navi Mumbai and CBD Belapur. Its union members have complained to the government and the CCR that they have only 1200 staff to cover the requirements of the entire region.
“We are catering to a population of 3 crore and 39,65,000 cardholders. There are over 600 vacancies. We had done an earlier survey too. What happened to the results? There are forms lying all around our offices,” said a ration officer requesting anonymity. (The 2005 scheme too was an initiative of the central government.)
But Kerure says that the previous exercise was not a complete washout. “I admit we do have 40% less staff but the last survey was not totally wasted,” said Kerure. “We cancelled 6,50,868 cards in 2005.”
The deadline for submission of the forms is December 31.
k_neeta@dnaindia.net
The government is conducting a survey to weed out invalid card holders. But some of them are only wondering where the ration shops are
In an effort to weed out invalid and dormant ration card user, authorities have started a campaign asking citizens to renew their documents.
For most well-heeled Mumbaikars, a ration card only means a strong proof of identity and residence and little else. Many hardly know where their ration shop is or what they can get with it. The more generous ones allow their domestic help to draw rations on their cards.
Many residents of the city were surprised to see a notice signed by the chief controller of ration (CCR) on their society walls. This is being done by the ration shop-owners of their localities. Not all societies have been thus informed. But few can be bothered with the trouble of finding and filling up the requisite forms.
“I am the only one in my building to have got this form. Others said they are not interested,” said Chetan Kothari resident of Warden Road.
Entrepreneur Neeta Deshpande says she would not have heard of the scheme had a friend not texted her. “Nobody in our building seems to know where the local ration shop is located. I have to contact an old house help to locate it. The government could have made the form available over the Internet,” said Neeta Deshpande, an entrepreneur.
The chief controller of ration authority says the idea is to weed out negligible and invalid card holders. Those who want to transfer their cards, change names and other details on their cards can do so later. Says chief controller Yeshwant Kerure: “Citizens will be divided into three categories A, B and C. The ones who possess a live card with all the necessary evidence will be put into A category. Those who lack valid evidence will put into B category. Those who don't fill their forms or fulfil this responsibility will be put into C category: if they don't comply within a month, their cards will get cancelled."
The jurisdiction of the Mumbai rationing authority extends from Colaba and Churchgate to Badlapur, Bhyander, Navi Mumbai and CBD Belapur. Its union members have complained to the government and the CCR that they have only 1200 staff to cover the requirements of the entire region.
“We are catering to a population of 3 crore and 39,65,000 cardholders. There are over 600 vacancies. We had done an earlier survey too. What happened to the results? There are forms lying all around our offices,” said a ration officer requesting anonymity. (The 2005 scheme too was an initiative of the central government.)
But Kerure says that the previous exercise was not a complete washout. “I admit we do have 40% less staff but the last survey was not totally wasted,” said Kerure. “We cancelled 6,50,868 cards in 2005.”
The deadline for submission of the forms is December 31.
k_neeta@dnaindia.net
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Connecting to the world
I hear your fingers type on the computer
It is not music, but words surely flow
Trying to connect to the world
Ring-ring-pick you’re your phone
It is on silent, let me hear the tone
I want to hear your voice
Trying to connect to the world
It’s twitter, face book, my space & orkut
All a network but still virtual
All this, while trying to connect to the world
It is not music, but words surely flow
Trying to connect to the world
Ring-ring-pick you’re your phone
It is on silent, let me hear the tone
I want to hear your voice
Trying to connect to the world
It’s twitter, face book, my space & orkut
All a network but still virtual
All this, while trying to connect to the world
Some luxuries I willingly spend on
I come from a family where the head, as in my father has always been devoted to public transport. I continue this tradition. It is getting harder you see. But ofcourse we in Girgaum –believe me it is still a village –gaum- more congested, more towers, more vehicles, more crowds, more noise & traffic. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get space to park a car, although I am getting tempted though my rational mind overtakes the temptation, thankfully.
I used to enjoy my driving lesson classes. I am mortified of driving on Mumbai’s streets. It is a trauma for those driving around the city, may be a gearless car I would have considered. However I have come to a conclusion for this one issue –I will spend on taxis, air condition buses and when I have more money cool cabs. This IS on my top priority for luxurious spending.
Actually on par with this is also massages. When I was for a short stint of nearly 4 months scholarship in Bangkok, I spent most of my money travelling to see new places, massages & good food. Ofcourse clean, non cream, non-Tiger balm and non-oily massages. Also definitely NOT non-veg massages. I have had the luck of getting massages even in the Himalayas. Everywhere I go I like to get the authentic massages. They are rejuvenating, reviving and really makes my skin soft. But yes there is one catch I take a massage at home on Saturdays after a hectic week & then have to get to work. I simply detest that. Because I get a lovely kick, I float after this massage for nearly half the day. The lovely oil, vigorous massage and hot water bath actually takes a person to seventh heaven, one is supposed to rest for a while. Here I go back into hectic activity.
Then I like to spend on is good food. Authentic food, value for money and obviously good. I don’t care much for the kind of place. As long as the food is of the best quality, really tasty, not oily not spicy & has other spices & flavours than just chilly, I relish it. I also am not much of a only rice-dal, person. I like variety, more vegetables I love more than other dishes, accompaniments.
I spend on fragrances – good oils, body shower gels, exfoliating creams, body creams & perfumes. Yes, I love them. I am clear that I need to smell & feel good. I need to invest a little in them & I do exactly that. May be this streak has come from my mother. She loves all this. Actually she loves to dress & wear real diamond & pearl jewellery. I am a total rebel. I do dress but not like her & not in such lavish sarees, with such expensive jewellery.
I love to go to vegetable and fruit markets. The open ones, where my eyes are satiated fully upon seeing dark green cabbages, red tomatoes, purple brinjals-well the only vegetable I do NOT eat. I hate it, but my father loves it. Like my father, I go to the open whole sale markets where all the vegetables you can see, feel & buy. I love the smells of coriander, garlics, spring onions, spinach.
I get completely turned on seeing jackfruits being cut, huge ones aligned along the road stall. Deep orange-yellow mangoes and it’s strong fragrance lingering in my lungs till I go far away from the market. Ofcourse I include the flea markets again open huge markets with all the wares laid out wc you can see, feel, bargain & buy.
Lastly, most important, I love to travel I invest money in some good holidays, because last few years I could afford it. I think more than storing wealth it is best to invest it in knowledge. Travel, I connote to world knowledge. I have become a better person, more enriched & more emancipated after travelling. I believe that I must work for my next holiday. And I do feel my life would dull, poor & uneducated if I didn’t travel.
I used to enjoy my driving lesson classes. I am mortified of driving on Mumbai’s streets. It is a trauma for those driving around the city, may be a gearless car I would have considered. However I have come to a conclusion for this one issue –I will spend on taxis, air condition buses and when I have more money cool cabs. This IS on my top priority for luxurious spending.
Actually on par with this is also massages. When I was for a short stint of nearly 4 months scholarship in Bangkok, I spent most of my money travelling to see new places, massages & good food. Ofcourse clean, non cream, non-Tiger balm and non-oily massages. Also definitely NOT non-veg massages. I have had the luck of getting massages even in the Himalayas. Everywhere I go I like to get the authentic massages. They are rejuvenating, reviving and really makes my skin soft. But yes there is one catch I take a massage at home on Saturdays after a hectic week & then have to get to work. I simply detest that. Because I get a lovely kick, I float after this massage for nearly half the day. The lovely oil, vigorous massage and hot water bath actually takes a person to seventh heaven, one is supposed to rest for a while. Here I go back into hectic activity.
Then I like to spend on is good food. Authentic food, value for money and obviously good. I don’t care much for the kind of place. As long as the food is of the best quality, really tasty, not oily not spicy & has other spices & flavours than just chilly, I relish it. I also am not much of a only rice-dal, person. I like variety, more vegetables I love more than other dishes, accompaniments.
I spend on fragrances – good oils, body shower gels, exfoliating creams, body creams & perfumes. Yes, I love them. I am clear that I need to smell & feel good. I need to invest a little in them & I do exactly that. May be this streak has come from my mother. She loves all this. Actually she loves to dress & wear real diamond & pearl jewellery. I am a total rebel. I do dress but not like her & not in such lavish sarees, with such expensive jewellery.
I love to go to vegetable and fruit markets. The open ones, where my eyes are satiated fully upon seeing dark green cabbages, red tomatoes, purple brinjals-well the only vegetable I do NOT eat. I hate it, but my father loves it. Like my father, I go to the open whole sale markets where all the vegetables you can see, feel & buy. I love the smells of coriander, garlics, spring onions, spinach.
I get completely turned on seeing jackfruits being cut, huge ones aligned along the road stall. Deep orange-yellow mangoes and it’s strong fragrance lingering in my lungs till I go far away from the market. Ofcourse I include the flea markets again open huge markets with all the wares laid out wc you can see, feel, bargain & buy.
Lastly, most important, I love to travel I invest money in some good holidays, because last few years I could afford it. I think more than storing wealth it is best to invest it in knowledge. Travel, I connote to world knowledge. I have become a better person, more enriched & more emancipated after travelling. I believe that I must work for my next holiday. And I do feel my life would dull, poor & uneducated if I didn’t travel.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Unanswered questions
Since one year anniversary of the insurgency attacks on Mumbai city I’ve had innumerable questions.
Why did IB not give inputs to Mumbai police?
The RAW sends alerts that are generic, who looks at them?
Who decides which of these alerts are generic, usual
Which of these alerts are specific & URGENT?
Why is it that all intelligence & security agencies worked in their own comfort zones?
It is said Karkare, Kamte & Salaskar were near the SBI office when they got a message on wireless saying 2 terrorists were in the bushes, yet they went ahead
They told the CP Gafoor do not send a back up team
However the wireless for Karkare & Kamte that Gafoor sent asking them to go to Taj & Trident was never sent…why?
The trio rejected a back up, despite knowing that encounters usually take place in staged managed environments. Yet they said NO back up? Why??
Thereafter when the officials knew that the back up is needed it wasn’t sent, why??
The Home minister said stupid things like “Such small things keep happening in large cities?” what was that? Why??
Why no one took the terror attack seriously??
Why was the CM slack about all handling of the things, instead of being on top them all?
Was it a zoo, the burning taj to take a sidey film maker with his actor son?
Most of all why was Gafoor removed?
Ram Pradhan headed a committee, till he met up wt Home Secy Narayan & Min P Chidambaram, he was fine
Then he began leaking information (allegedly) to the media.
Pradhan has said all is fine, Mumbai Police did a good job, But the leader wasn’t upto mark??
How is it that the team has performed well yet the head of the force should be removed? No where in the world do they do head hunting in this manner
Why did the Maharashtra govt not stand by him?
Just because they got 2 minority stat ministers of state for home, Nitin Raut (OBC) & Naseem Khan (Muslim) they made Hassan Gafoor a scape goat??
Why is it that all the police officers who died were Maharashtrians?
Because ONLY they were on the field.
Why is it that the 4 mentioned allegedly by Gafoor in an informal off-record talk – Prasad, Venkateshan, PB Singh and Deven Bharti were not even injured?
How could they? They were NOT on the field. They claimed to Pradhan committee they were waiting for Gafoor’s orders??
Who will hold them responsible??
Who will hold the majority culprits responsible??
I’m sure no one.
But just because one IPS officer from Maharashtra cadre, who happens to be a Muslim and has the guts to stand up to any pressure said, “Yes I’ve spoken everything off the record,” the spineless govt rejects his statement?
They are upset he spoke off the record?
Then Ashok Chavan, RR Patil, more so the foursome IPS cops should be first imprisoned for always talking to the press, off the record.
These and many more questions will remain unanswered, as usual.
Why did IB not give inputs to Mumbai police?
The RAW sends alerts that are generic, who looks at them?
Who decides which of these alerts are generic, usual
Which of these alerts are specific & URGENT?
Why is it that all intelligence & security agencies worked in their own comfort zones?
It is said Karkare, Kamte & Salaskar were near the SBI office when they got a message on wireless saying 2 terrorists were in the bushes, yet they went ahead
They told the CP Gafoor do not send a back up team
However the wireless for Karkare & Kamte that Gafoor sent asking them to go to Taj & Trident was never sent…why?
The trio rejected a back up, despite knowing that encounters usually take place in staged managed environments. Yet they said NO back up? Why??
Thereafter when the officials knew that the back up is needed it wasn’t sent, why??
The Home minister said stupid things like “Such small things keep happening in large cities?” what was that? Why??
Why no one took the terror attack seriously??
Why was the CM slack about all handling of the things, instead of being on top them all?
Was it a zoo, the burning taj to take a sidey film maker with his actor son?
Most of all why was Gafoor removed?
Ram Pradhan headed a committee, till he met up wt Home Secy Narayan & Min P Chidambaram, he was fine
Then he began leaking information (allegedly) to the media.
Pradhan has said all is fine, Mumbai Police did a good job, But the leader wasn’t upto mark??
How is it that the team has performed well yet the head of the force should be removed? No where in the world do they do head hunting in this manner
Why did the Maharashtra govt not stand by him?
Just because they got 2 minority stat ministers of state for home, Nitin Raut (OBC) & Naseem Khan (Muslim) they made Hassan Gafoor a scape goat??
Why is it that all the police officers who died were Maharashtrians?
Because ONLY they were on the field.
Why is it that the 4 mentioned allegedly by Gafoor in an informal off-record talk – Prasad, Venkateshan, PB Singh and Deven Bharti were not even injured?
How could they? They were NOT on the field. They claimed to Pradhan committee they were waiting for Gafoor’s orders??
Who will hold them responsible??
Who will hold the majority culprits responsible??
I’m sure no one.
But just because one IPS officer from Maharashtra cadre, who happens to be a Muslim and has the guts to stand up to any pressure said, “Yes I’ve spoken everything off the record,” the spineless govt rejects his statement?
They are upset he spoke off the record?
Then Ashok Chavan, RR Patil, more so the foursome IPS cops should be first imprisoned for always talking to the press, off the record.
These and many more questions will remain unanswered, as usual.
Mahajans, a family legacy finished
A lot has happened since 2006, when Pravin Mahajan allegedly killed his older brother Pramod. Pramod died after battling many hours in the hospital. Today, the man who killed is battling for life in a Thane hospital, since Pravin suffered a brain haemorrhage, & has slipped into a coma.
Reasons for Pramod’s killing are official & unofficial. Official being that there was some jealousy & animosity regarding the money that Pramod had amassed & not distributed among his brothers. The unofficial was alleged by cops & politicians was that the womanising of Pramod was such that he was said to have an affair with Pravin’s wife.
Now a lot will never be known. The third being (which I believe the most) that Pramod’s wife was fed up of his womanising ways, philandering and took the help of her brother-in-law to bump off the husband. Now we will never what transpired. But according to police chargesheet Pravin went holding a gun to Worli police station & told the cops “arrest me I have killed my brother Pramod Mahajan.”
Pramod was a legend created by the Brahmins of the BJP & RSS. The Mahajans were abso middle class Brahmin teacher family from Ambejogai, Marathwada. This region is the most backward & drought stricken of the country & our state Maharashtra. The young lad Pramod who was a teacher was groomed for bigger political picture. People projected him as the future prime minister. I would shudder that this person was someone who would be our PM??
His personal life was a joke by now. Young girls, their mothers, journalists, politicians, wives of police officers, galore, he did not spare a thought of the consequences of his actions. The young Brahmin leaders of BJP actually looked upon this man, they thought his over active sex drive & life was actually a reflection of his success. Problem with nouveau rich class of India is that they think materialism, money are symbols of success. Quick money doesn’t necessarily mean it is true success. I believe it is short lived which in this case happened.
Pravin shot his brother allegedly. The reason I don’t believe this part is that there are gaps in facts & evidence. His sister-in-law Rekha was in the house, apparently cleaning & cooking – which I absolutely do NOT believe..they had a dozen domestic help. Plus a middle class Maharashtrian housewife doesn’t wear gloves.
Plus Pravin always considered his vahini like a mother & gave her that status & support. He has written a lot about it in his book. Now according to the police she was busy in the kitchen wt gloves on (gloves would burn into her skin whilst cooking I thought), when she heard gunshots & saw her husband die. According to the book, which Pravin wrote in his book, Pramod-Rekha’s marriage was over. He was busy screwing every second woman, or girl. I still feel the wife who is now the widow too has a role to play in this whole mess. Not as what many believed.
In fact a BJP person told me Pravin wpould be out on parole in a year, except it happened in 2 yrs. The minute Pravin was out on parole he spoke to DNA & I don’t know why he seemed cool, mentally at peace. The slain brother has ensured Pravin’s family would get monthly income…so I do not believe finance was the issue. I also do not believe that Pravin’s wife Sarangi was ahaving an affair wt Pramod that is why out of jealousy he killed the brother…NO way…Pravin’s book actually indicates who & why.. Since the time I heard Pravin is battling for life, I don’t know why I strongly feel, we will NEVER ever learn the truth of what transpired that day, when Pramod died.
Reasons for Pramod’s killing are official & unofficial. Official being that there was some jealousy & animosity regarding the money that Pramod had amassed & not distributed among his brothers. The unofficial was alleged by cops & politicians was that the womanising of Pramod was such that he was said to have an affair with Pravin’s wife.
Now a lot will never be known. The third being (which I believe the most) that Pramod’s wife was fed up of his womanising ways, philandering and took the help of her brother-in-law to bump off the husband. Now we will never what transpired. But according to police chargesheet Pravin went holding a gun to Worli police station & told the cops “arrest me I have killed my brother Pramod Mahajan.”
Pramod was a legend created by the Brahmins of the BJP & RSS. The Mahajans were abso middle class Brahmin teacher family from Ambejogai, Marathwada. This region is the most backward & drought stricken of the country & our state Maharashtra. The young lad Pramod who was a teacher was groomed for bigger political picture. People projected him as the future prime minister. I would shudder that this person was someone who would be our PM??
His personal life was a joke by now. Young girls, their mothers, journalists, politicians, wives of police officers, galore, he did not spare a thought of the consequences of his actions. The young Brahmin leaders of BJP actually looked upon this man, they thought his over active sex drive & life was actually a reflection of his success. Problem with nouveau rich class of India is that they think materialism, money are symbols of success. Quick money doesn’t necessarily mean it is true success. I believe it is short lived which in this case happened.
Pravin shot his brother allegedly. The reason I don’t believe this part is that there are gaps in facts & evidence. His sister-in-law Rekha was in the house, apparently cleaning & cooking – which I absolutely do NOT believe..they had a dozen domestic help. Plus a middle class Maharashtrian housewife doesn’t wear gloves.
Plus Pravin always considered his vahini like a mother & gave her that status & support. He has written a lot about it in his book. Now according to the police she was busy in the kitchen wt gloves on (gloves would burn into her skin whilst cooking I thought), when she heard gunshots & saw her husband die. According to the book, which Pravin wrote in his book, Pramod-Rekha’s marriage was over. He was busy screwing every second woman, or girl. I still feel the wife who is now the widow too has a role to play in this whole mess. Not as what many believed.
In fact a BJP person told me Pravin wpould be out on parole in a year, except it happened in 2 yrs. The minute Pravin was out on parole he spoke to DNA & I don’t know why he seemed cool, mentally at peace. The slain brother has ensured Pravin’s family would get monthly income…so I do not believe finance was the issue. I also do not believe that Pravin’s wife Sarangi was ahaving an affair wt Pramod that is why out of jealousy he killed the brother…NO way…Pravin’s book actually indicates who & why.. Since the time I heard Pravin is battling for life, I don’t know why I strongly feel, we will NEVER ever learn the truth of what transpired that day, when Pramod died.
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