Jamboree called austerity

We played ‘Follow the leader’ game in our childhood, its about following the actions of your leader…I guess some ‘elite’, ‘high maintenance’ politicians love it too, so at the age of 40-50 they are still at it… “Soniaji was travelling in Economy Class so how could I travel in Business” proudly said one leader…shame on you! You really need someone to tell you these things?

Simplicity is the new facade for these guys to seek public sympathy! Only after regular media reports on SM Krishna and Tharoor’s stay in 5-star Hotels for 3 months, running a bill of around 1.5crore each, did Congress wake up. But here is the question, I don’t give a damn about all this, because its 0.1% of their total expenditure. Who will account for their free food, electricity, telephone, petrol bills, free cars and plush bungalows, travel abroad and exotic hotels, traffic standing still when they pass by? What about their increasing incomes while their salaries remain constant? And their kids getting the best of everything…I think cost of each MP must be around 50-60crores anyway…so a difference of mere 8000-9000 in air tickets hardly make a difference to me. (As per TV report- Sonia Gandhi’s Economy flight was for Rs. 55,000 while the business class would have been for- Rs. 62,000!!). The chief only remembered to set an example after getting hit by the wrath of media. And why not it must have never occurred to them before, “My lifestyle is actually ostentatious? Ooooo I never realised.”

I have a problem with 3 cars --- swanky SUVs fleeting in and around Rahul Gandhi, a mere MP of the INC. I have a problem when he yelled during his visit to Ghaziabad and got impatient with the traffic jam. Welcome to reality, may I say. But sigh! How would you know of the ground reality, after all you have been treated like a special fella – a royal scion of the Gandhi family?

I hate to say that the tax I, we all pay goes into all the wrong things, if money is judiciously used, half the problems might get solved. The politicians are our employees—remember the Jagore ad?? So why are they treated like VIPs?

Its all song and dance that will soon get over…give it a week, I say. :)

It's a Child...after all!

I am your child, the eldest of the three

When you saw me the day I was born, you moved away in despair, in sorrow.

You shouted at my mother, "A girl!", she kept me close to her and simply wept.

"Daddy, its raining, can I go out and feel the drops on me?"

"No! no! " you said...

My mother conceived again, another girl...this time you heard the news over the phone and banged it on granny.

"Daddy can I go out and play?"

"Hell no! how many times I have to tell you to mind your own business!", you said.

"This time we get it checked if its a boy", mother looked down and nodded subserviently.

Meena asked you if we both could go to school and study, you grunted wryly and said "What's the bloody use? All you are going to do is wash dishes and give birth to babies! Yes, and I have to give dowries for you scroundels!"

The third child came about when I turned 13..."Its a boy! oh thank god its a boy!" A big party, sumptuous dinner and loads of gift, for us girls to see and sigh.

You never remembered our birthdays, our age...you ignored our wishes and dreams. You only focused on your son...a chocolate for him while my sister and I shared one.

Someday I will prove that you were wrong...that I could be like a son, earn enough money to pay my own dowry. Work in an office, to make you feel proud...till then I will struggle and wait for that day to come.