HARTHAL - PETROL 15/10

The very thought of harthal makes nausea. But there is another harthal imposed on Kerala on 5th July. Second in row in a weeks’ time. Both for the same reason- Petrol price hike. Success of harthal depends on 3 factors-Official sponsorship, Political patronage and third Publicity by media. A local harthal called for Thiruvananthapuram district on 1st July was a flop as none of these factors helped them and life was absolutely normal that day.

We cannot expect such luck in the next harthal on 5th July as all these three factors are very much active already. So it is now for the people to act and resist harthals. First thing is to change our mindset of celebrating harthals. Avoid thronging at the wineshops and chicken shops on harthal eve for distress purchase of wine and meat. Let there be no advance preparation for harthal. Let it be like any other day. If possible reach workplace. If the harthal supporters are so adamant in preventing you in reaching office,declare the next holiday as a wroking day and work to compensate the lost harthal day. Let the shops open immediately at the closing of harthal. Let us request media not to give wide publicity to harthal. Talk everywhere against harthal and create awareness among people about the evils of harthal and how it destroys our country.Things will definitely change in the near future.

A Name for Harthal

Harthals are quite frequent that one forgets when it was held and what for it was done. So let us start naming it like the latest trend in cyclones. First cyclone this year  was 'Laila' named by Pakistan  and second 'Phet' named by Myanmar. Similarly let this harthal be “PETROL 15/10” (15 denotes the number of harthal and 10 year 2010) and from next harthal onwards chance to be given to each party in rotation to suggest names.

THE RULE OF THE ROAD

Kerala High Court order banning wayside public meeting is quite laudable as it is for safeguarding the right of the citizens guaranteed by the Constitution of India. It is a great relief to the common man whose movements are restricted by road meetings and demonstrations.These meeting are virtually held encroaching the roads curtailing the free movement of the people thereby encroaching on their fundamental rights. But the poor people have no alternative other than suffer silently.

Whether this judgment infringe on the right of the people to assemble? NO. It does not in anyway. Why?

Remember A.G. Gardiner? One of the most popular essayists of 20th century. Most of the people, studied in school might have read his essay “RULE OF THE ROAD” ( from ‘Leaves in the Wind’). He presents a lady who was walking down the middle of a street to the great confusion of the traffic saying

‘I am going to walk where I like. It is my liberty.’

Is it correct? No. She simply forgets the basic thing that she has the liberty but her liberty should not touch anybody else’s liberty.

The situation is similar here. People have right to assemble on way- side but their right should not come in the way of the right of other people to walk freely on the road.

“A reasonable consideration for the rights or feelings of others is the foundation of social conduct”

TRIVANDRUM GOLF CLUB

Supreme Court verdict in Trivandrum Golf Club case proved once again, like Mullaperiyar, that even Government can win cases if it has a strong will. This case was by a group of wealthy and hence influential people for continuance of occupancy and possession of Government property of 25 acres of prime land in the heart of the city for their private use, to drink and make merry under the label of golf club. It is an elite club where ordinary citizens cannot afford to make entry due to exorbitant fees. The members are  rich that the club could have easily managed 6 or 60 crores collecting from its 600 members  and made their own golf club somewhere else leaving the encroached land. But they preferred to manipulate things to make false claims and unashamedly fought to wrest control of the public land to enjoy at the cost of the poor people, dragging the case up to the Supreme Court.

 

The determination on the part of the ministers was crucial here as it scared detractors, at the same time gave a fillip to the honest officials of the bureaucracy who enthusiastically initiated action and had put up a proper and systematic presentation of facts before the courts which paved way for the Golf Club coming into Government custody. Taking a cue from this success the Government should move forward confidently to evict legally all those who have encroached public land in the name of club, resort etc.

Golf is a lousy game invented by the westerners to get some sun in their cold climate. The poor Indians  imitated it and considered it as a status symbol. How many of the golfers from Trivandrum Golf club representated in any of the tournaments? Forget tournaments, how many know to play well?

BHOPAL TRAGEDY-II

Twenty thousand people died and thousands still suffering. That was the infamous Bhopal Gas Tragedy. And justice came after a long 25 years in the form of 2 years imprisonment to the culprits. They did not have to go behind bars even for one minute as they got bail for Rs. 25000/-. The main culprit Warren Anderson is enjoying life in US untouched, not even made accused in Bhopal killing.The whole world will be laughing at India. Had the incident been in US, the home of the company, Union Carbide would have been bankrupt and closed down by now paying billions of dollars compensation to the victims. But it is India and the victims were Indians. The life here is so cheap like that of pigs or dogs. So the company has thrown some peanuts to us, some paltry sum to the victims and escaped. It is a shame for us that we could not do anything to the company which has killed many of our people.

Hundreds of years of slavery, first under the Muslims and then under British made our rulers' mindset as that of a slave and still feel inferior to the white colored brutes.Union Carbide might have spent millions of dollars to manipulate things in their favour. Unless and untill we find pride in our tradition and rich heritage we would not be able to keep our head high. It is time for an introspection and discussion where we faltered in fighting the US company which killed our people with their callous acts and the contemptuous attitude still they keep towards us.

DR. RAVI PILLAI

Let us congratulate Dr. Ravi Pillai on getting the Padma and other prestigious awards and appreciate him for the charitable activities and social welfare measures he has undertaken. In the present day materialistic world where everybody is in a mad rush for amassing more wealth, the silver line for the downtrodden is philanthropists like Dr. Ravi Pillai. The mass marriage arranged for poor people, home for discarded parents, teaching of economically backward students etc. are exemplary acts deserved to be admired and appreciated.

It is learnt that he is toying with the idea of starting some industry and brooding over the nature of the industry. He is well experienced in the field of business and industry and it may be immature to make some suggestion in this regard. But since his social commitment overweighs the motive of profit it may not be out of place to make some suggestions.

Kerala is not fit for big industries due to the factors such as dense population, topography, fragile ecology etc. The land is ideal for small industries. Kerala is a consumer state and almost everything is brought from other states. It will be ideal if industry manufacturing the most- needed goods is started without disturbing the environment.

1. Soap, detergents, toothpaste, cosmetics, sanitary napkins. Considering the huge market potential it will be easy to capture the market monopolized by Hindusthan Unilver, Wipro, Johnson & Johnson etc. ITC are coming in a big way doing aggressive marketing.

2. Paint. Market is so big there is always room for new companies. Moreover, being a Kerala company it can easily make dents in the markets of the popular brands Asian, Nerolac, Berger,ICI, J&N.

3. Medicines. Big companies like Ranbaxy, Cipla, Glaxo Cadila etc. and a lot of small scale manufacturers of Indore and other cities, (fake and unscrupulous also take a huge share) rule the medicine market. A lot of scope for a local company to find out market in a big way.

By starting industry manufacturing these goods it can effectively  interfere in the local market in a big way. The label of Kerala industry and the credibility of the industrialist will play a big role in getting acceptance in the market. The advantage of marketing in the local area can bring down the prices much to the relief of the common man.

Let him locate the industry in his home district Kollam and the port at Kollam can be utilized to bring raw material from Gujarath, Maharashtra etc. which will bring down the cost as well as develop Kollam port.

KERALA SOAPS

The smooth and enchanting aroma of Kerala Sandal Soap might have conquered the hearts of generations but the ad fails to attract the new generation. It looks like an ad for some saree shops rather than of soap. The picture should have been of a bathing beauty clad in wet towel, drops of water about to drip down the cleavage and some sticking on the smooth and silky skin and airing a ravishing smile.

If an aristocratic look was intended in the Kerala saree style ad, it could be done with the style of bathing scene of ‘Unniyarcha’ in the movie “Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha” which will give a rich and traditional touch. Re work out the ad with a glamorous model to attract the present generation to the Kerala Sandal Soap. Bring in a good creative writer for some captivating captions.

Like

 "Chandanathinte manam mayakkum sugandham
Ningalude meniyil masmarika swapnam vidarthunnu.”

ചന്ദനത്തിന്റെ മനം മയക്കും സുഗന്ധം 
നിങ്ങളുടെ മേനിയിൽ മാസ്മരിക സ്വപ്നം വിടർത്തുന്നു 

“Chandana manamoorum
Mridula meni ennumennum”

ചന്ദന മണമൂറും 
മൃദുല മേനി എന്നുമെന്നും 

KHUSHBOO SPREADING

Supreme Court verdict on Khushboo is a direct slap on the face of hypocrisy. Pre-marital and extra marital affairs are rampant in the high echelons of the society and are part of their life style. Film stars, sports persons, celebrities, politicians and the like indulge in it freely. Their adventures in this field are enjoyed and admired secretly by the masses who are destined to suppress their feelings. Politicians make a hue and cry just to gain some mileage out of it and to cover up their own secrets.