Finally the UPA government realized that it also needs to do some cost cutting. This is something which should have been ages ago, but better be late than never. But this show of austerity will yield results only if done properly. Else this will go down as one of the many cards, which politicians play to garner votes.
The leader of the UPA setting an example is definitely the right step in this direction. But the whole implementation was completely a lost cause. One can and should travel by economy, but if you have two seats next to you on either sides and behind you empty and blocked, then, madam is better off travelling by business class, where she can get her own so-called space to work on important matters, which are a matter of life and death for citizens of the country. Plus, if she really wanted to show austerity, she should be sitting in any seat between 15 to 25 and not the first row, which provides extra leg space. That is how the cattle class travels. It is understandable that she would not know this as she seldom steps out of 10 Jan-path in anything other than an air conditioned, bullet proof convoy. Who paid for the additional empty seats? We did. And how do the airlines recover the cost? Simple, just increase the price for others. So we, the taxpayers foot the bill for those additional seats plus pay more for our travel. We'd rather be better off paying for a business class seat. We are in the situation of the devil and the deep sea. Whichever way, we are screwed.
She even got the support of her son. He travelled by Shatabdi express. Since when did the air conditioned coaches of Shatabdi become a show of austerity? More than half of the travelling public cannot afford the Shatabdi in our country. If he was so keen on garnering support from the common man, by showing austerity, then he should have been sitting in one of the normal trains, using his own handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his forehead and buying a ‘Kinley’ or ‘Aquafina’ at more than the MRP price. Thats what the common man does. But our man chose to sit in the comforts of an air conditioned coach and having made-to-order breakfast.
Well, if the UPA government really wants to be in sync with the common man, then they need to do more than just talk. Actions speak louder than words. This cannot be an exercise to garner votes. This is something which should be inculcated into every politician in India right from the day he joins a political industry. If you cannot provide a certain standard of service to the public, then you have no right to enjoy the same service with our money. The government should remember that they are not doing a social service by being the government. It is a job, for which they report to the public. We pay their salaries and benefits. And our money is not meant to be wasted on frivolous stuff.
Something for our Indian TV channels and newspapers. You mentioned that Rahul Gandhi had for breakfast on the train. He enjoyed the bread omelette and the parantha. But how come no one told me what Sonia Gandhi had during her flight? Was it a parantha or was it the south Indian idly-sambar or the maharashtrian poha? Did she drink lime juice or orange juice? And did she whack 25 sweets from the air-hostess like a child would do? I just cannot wait to know. Please please someone tell me. And if you cannot, don’t bother. It will not be the end of the world for sure.
Friday 18 September 2009
Thursday 10 September 2009
Unions, strikes and lockout
Last couple of days, I have been reading about the strike by pilots of Jet airways, which has caused nothing but inconvenience to the common man. Do such people who fuel such agitation, even realize the repercussions? How much of inconvenience it would have caused to travellers? People would have missed official meetings. There would be some who would have been travelling to catch international connections. There would be people travelling on emergencies. Last month, all airlines wanted to strike, if the government did not bail them out. Such is the sad state of affairs in our country, that a small group of people can hold the entire country to ransom, for their own selfish motive.
A strike is never a solution to any problem? A strike takes away more than what it attempts to give. It affects the people who pay for a service through their hard earned money. The airlines will refund the cost of the ticket. But can it refund the time; effort and tension passengers go through, to get themselves on another flight? It goes way beyond monetary compensation. All other airlines, whose pilots were not as coordinated enough to induce such a preposterous action, would be running to the bank. They are no less selfish in cashing in on the already stressed out passengers. Can someone please explain the reason for ticket prices increasing manifold? I do not buy the thought that it is a demand-supply situation. The number of people flying in India was always minuscule and supply was always more. Shrewdly putting, other airlines have resorted to a practice which is as close to hoarding and black marketing as it can get.
No one would agree, but the coming together of Kingfisher and Jet, to share maintenance facilities, ground handling facilities etc. was the biggest cartelization of the airline industry in India and no one could nor did do anything about it. According to what the media reported, majority of the passengers who had to cancel their Jet tickets went to KF. The result of the so-called cartelization is clearly evident and we as common people can do nothing about it but pay the sky high prices and travel.
What will it take for us to realize that when we stop doing our work, it not only affects us but trickles down to other parts of society? When will we ever get over the communist tendencies? Have we not lost enough in the past, due to communist leadership? We are a democracy, where everyone has a right to speak their mind and to do what they want, but only to the extent it does not become inconvenient to others. With rights come responsibility and it is high time we realize it and move on and away from communist ideologies.
By the way, all the striking pilots should be fired and new ones hired. As it is due to the recession, there aren’t enough worthwhile jobs to go around. Atleast this way, people who want to work will get work and those who want to create a nuisance can continue to do so. Fortunately in India, the government does not provide a ‘dole’ for unemployed people. Instead of striking, let us get on with our jobs and talk it out to sort out issues. There are no issues which cannot be solved through a mutual dialogue. And let us not trouble anyone for our personal interests.
High time we have some regulation controlling strikes and lockouts not only in essential services but in each and every sphere of the economy. The government on its part needs to provide better compensation and benefits to all PSU staff, else what is applicable to majority of the PSU staff, should be made applicable to the ministers. After all isn’t the government also a public sector undertaking?
A strike is never a solution to any problem? A strike takes away more than what it attempts to give. It affects the people who pay for a service through their hard earned money. The airlines will refund the cost of the ticket. But can it refund the time; effort and tension passengers go through, to get themselves on another flight? It goes way beyond monetary compensation. All other airlines, whose pilots were not as coordinated enough to induce such a preposterous action, would be running to the bank. They are no less selfish in cashing in on the already stressed out passengers. Can someone please explain the reason for ticket prices increasing manifold? I do not buy the thought that it is a demand-supply situation. The number of people flying in India was always minuscule and supply was always more. Shrewdly putting, other airlines have resorted to a practice which is as close to hoarding and black marketing as it can get.
No one would agree, but the coming together of Kingfisher and Jet, to share maintenance facilities, ground handling facilities etc. was the biggest cartelization of the airline industry in India and no one could nor did do anything about it. According to what the media reported, majority of the passengers who had to cancel their Jet tickets went to KF. The result of the so-called cartelization is clearly evident and we as common people can do nothing about it but pay the sky high prices and travel.
What will it take for us to realize that when we stop doing our work, it not only affects us but trickles down to other parts of society? When will we ever get over the communist tendencies? Have we not lost enough in the past, due to communist leadership? We are a democracy, where everyone has a right to speak their mind and to do what they want, but only to the extent it does not become inconvenient to others. With rights come responsibility and it is high time we realize it and move on and away from communist ideologies.
By the way, all the striking pilots should be fired and new ones hired. As it is due to the recession, there aren’t enough worthwhile jobs to go around. Atleast this way, people who want to work will get work and those who want to create a nuisance can continue to do so. Fortunately in India, the government does not provide a ‘dole’ for unemployed people. Instead of striking, let us get on with our jobs and talk it out to sort out issues. There are no issues which cannot be solved through a mutual dialogue. And let us not trouble anyone for our personal interests.
High time we have some regulation controlling strikes and lockouts not only in essential services but in each and every sphere of the economy. The government on its part needs to provide better compensation and benefits to all PSU staff, else what is applicable to majority of the PSU staff, should be made applicable to the ministers. After all isn’t the government also a public sector undertaking?
Saturday 5 September 2009
When I gave up a Kingfisher beer !!!!!
Over the last bank holiday weekend, we took a trip to Sandown, on the Isle of Wight. Overall, the trip was excellent, but thats not the point here. During this trip, I gave up a KF beer for something else. For the first time I said 'no' to beer and I did not repent one bit.
Well, the highlight of each of my trips has always been the food. And not one trip goes without having one Indian meal. There is a strong bond between Indian food and myself. Wherever I go it follows me or wherever Indian food is available, I reach that place. On the way from the station to the hotel, we spotted an Indian placed called 'Swad'. It had a sunday buffet and we thought that we should go there the next day.
So next day lunch time, we entered the place. It was a decent sized restaurant, with a fair number of people. As went in, we were greeted with a "namaste and aiye, aiye'. We took a table in a corner. I fail to understand why I Indian restaurants outside India think that they attract an audience in the name of bollywood (read Himesh's nose), instead of concentrating on good quality food alone. Anyway, we had a look at the buffet, which had veg samosa, rice, naan/roti, matar subzi (green peas) and Masala alu (potato) for the veggies. For the non-veggies there was lamb samosa and chicken curry. The chicken looked amazing and something in me told me that we were upto something here. So I just took rice and some chicken curry. I came back to my table, completely slaushed in the aromas of the chicken curry. The first mouthful was absolute bliss and I realized that I was right and we were upto something brilliant. The small pieces of chicken was succulent and just about well done. The spices had hit every nook and corner of each chicken piece and the curry was spicy, a bit on the higher side for UK standards. As I was about to go for a second helping, the waiter/owner asked me if I wanted any beer or any drinks to go with it. He said he had KF. Now for beer lovers like me, a KF in the UK is nothing else than India having non-corrupt politicians. But I was so mesimerized by the chicken and wanted more of it, that I had "no, thanks" for the beer. I rushed for a second helping of the chicken curry and rice. It was followed by a third and then a fourth helping. I was cautious of the beer filling me up, so that I would then be able to have less of the chicken curry.
This has to be the best chicken curry that I have ever eaten in the UK. It reminded me of 'Delhi Darbar' or the other restaurants in Delhi that serve chicken curry. My best half asked me how the chicken curry was, as I hadn't spoken to her in the last 15-20 minutes, sitting on the same table, I said 'this chicken curry was so Delhi'. That was enough for her to understand how I felt. I told the guy serving our table that the chicken curry was just too good and absolutely brilliant and that it reminded me of Delhi. Tad came the reply, "saab, hum Malviya Nagar mein khana banathe the aur ab yahan. Lekin hain dilli waale aur sab masala bhi dilli se laathe hain (sir, we use to cook in Delhi and then now here and spices come from Delhi). And by the way, this chicken curry experience cost us only 5.99 GBP per head.
I was so so so so thrilled and happy and satisfied. I knew the chicken curry was something familiar. I felt like I was eating in 'Saddi Dilli' and I was so right. The chicken curry rocked as much as Delhi does........... Anyone going to the Isle of Wight and wanting to try this place, give me a shout for directions...................... and I let out a big burp (sorry) - that was the chicken and not beer for a change !!!!!!!!!!! cheers.....
Well, the highlight of each of my trips has always been the food. And not one trip goes without having one Indian meal. There is a strong bond between Indian food and myself. Wherever I go it follows me or wherever Indian food is available, I reach that place. On the way from the station to the hotel, we spotted an Indian placed called 'Swad'. It had a sunday buffet and we thought that we should go there the next day.
So next day lunch time, we entered the place. It was a decent sized restaurant, with a fair number of people. As went in, we were greeted with a "namaste and aiye, aiye'. We took a table in a corner. I fail to understand why I Indian restaurants outside India think that they attract an audience in the name of bollywood (read Himesh's nose), instead of concentrating on good quality food alone. Anyway, we had a look at the buffet, which had veg samosa, rice, naan/roti, matar subzi (green peas) and Masala alu (potato) for the veggies. For the non-veggies there was lamb samosa and chicken curry. The chicken looked amazing and something in me told me that we were upto something here. So I just took rice and some chicken curry. I came back to my table, completely slaushed in the aromas of the chicken curry. The first mouthful was absolute bliss and I realized that I was right and we were upto something brilliant. The small pieces of chicken was succulent and just about well done. The spices had hit every nook and corner of each chicken piece and the curry was spicy, a bit on the higher side for UK standards. As I was about to go for a second helping, the waiter/owner asked me if I wanted any beer or any drinks to go with it. He said he had KF. Now for beer lovers like me, a KF in the UK is nothing else than India having non-corrupt politicians. But I was so mesimerized by the chicken and wanted more of it, that I had "no, thanks" for the beer. I rushed for a second helping of the chicken curry and rice. It was followed by a third and then a fourth helping. I was cautious of the beer filling me up, so that I would then be able to have less of the chicken curry.
This has to be the best chicken curry that I have ever eaten in the UK. It reminded me of 'Delhi Darbar' or the other restaurants in Delhi that serve chicken curry. My best half asked me how the chicken curry was, as I hadn't spoken to her in the last 15-20 minutes, sitting on the same table, I said 'this chicken curry was so Delhi'. That was enough for her to understand how I felt. I told the guy serving our table that the chicken curry was just too good and absolutely brilliant and that it reminded me of Delhi. Tad came the reply, "saab, hum Malviya Nagar mein khana banathe the aur ab yahan. Lekin hain dilli waale aur sab masala bhi dilli se laathe hain (sir, we use to cook in Delhi and then now here and spices come from Delhi). And by the way, this chicken curry experience cost us only 5.99 GBP per head.
I was so so so so thrilled and happy and satisfied. I knew the chicken curry was something familiar. I felt like I was eating in 'Saddi Dilli' and I was so right. The chicken curry rocked as much as Delhi does........... Anyone going to the Isle of Wight and wanting to try this place, give me a shout for directions...................... and I let out a big burp (sorry) - that was the chicken and not beer for a change !!!!!!!!!!! cheers.....
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