BJP wins decisively in Indian elections

[Shadowy Man]

However what I am worried about is the extent religious creeds will be allowed to shape policy.
The last time BJP was in power they did introduce astrology as an university subject.

That is indeed silly.

This is only silly if it is introduced as a science. Indians use astrology a lot for determining auspicious dates for things like weddings and other events. In America you can study creative writing in college and that's not generally considered silly.

 

[aupmanyav]

A note on Kiran Bedi, whose name has cropped up for Chief Ministership of Delhi. It would be a scoop for BJP. She is one woman loved by all Delhiwallas:

She sailed through college and a masters degree and, in 1972, at the age of twenty-two, won the women's lawn tennis championship of Asia. That same year she entered the police academy and, in 1974, became the first woman to enter the elite Indian Police Service. Kiran Bedi is remembered as a strict up-right police officer, a terror to corrupt Delhi policemen and criminals, and also as a woman with a soft heart.

She redirected former bootleggers to honest livelihoods by arranging friendly loans and assistance. Women's peace committees, set up at her initiative, promoted neighborhood harmony. As community participation rose, crimes fell. Observing the link between drug addiction and chronic criminality, Bedi set up community-supported detoxification clinics, a model she later developed for wider application as deputy director of the Narcotics Control Bureau.

In 1993 Bedi became inspector general of prisons (Delhi) and took charge of Tihar, India's largest prison complex. In this brutally overcrowded purgatory dwelled more than 8,000 prisoners, 90 percent of whom were unconvicted and merely awaiting trial. Bedi rapidly transformed Tihar. Today its inmates follow a positive regimen of work, study, and play. Illiterate prisoners learn to read and write. Others earn higher degrees from cooperating colleges. In prison workshops, prisoners keep their skills tuned and earn wages to save in Tihar's new bank. Bedi is a recipient of the Magsaysay Award.

In 2007, in spite of being the senior most officer, she was not appointed as the Director General of Police in Delhi as she would not toe the line of her political masters. She was side-lined as the Director General of Bureau of Police Research and Development. Bedi opted for voluntary retirement. She was a part of Anna Hazare's 'India against Corruption' campaign but did not enter politics as Arvind Kejriwal did.
(Based partly on Wikipedia's page on Kiran Bedi)

'Himmat Hai' (I dare)

 

[aupmanyav]

This is only silly if it is introduced as a science. Indians use astrology a lot for determining auspicious dates for things like weddings and other events. In America you can study creative writing in college and that's not generally considered silly.

It is silly even if it is used to find auspicious times for events. There are no auspicious or inauspicious times. Creative writing is not silly. It helps one to explain what one means absolutely clearly. I have asked my 11-year old grandson to write four sentences each day in Hindi and English on any goddamned subject. Later, I am going to ask him to write four sentences with the same meaning but with different words.

Will Sharief be interested to come? There will be no chicken tikkas or kababs at Modi swearing-in ceremony. Pure vegetarian fare prepared with desi ghee (clarified butter) - Kachauris, Imartis, and of course, Khamman Dhokla. I would not go.

 

[aupmanyav]

Sharief asked for time for replying to the Indian invitation (He said he has to consult the army. Why?). ISI, in the meantime fomented an attack on Indian Consulate in Herat. All Indians safe, four attackers killed.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

However what I am worried about is the extent religious creeds will be allowed to shape policy.
The last time BJP was in power they did introduce astrology as an university subject.

That is indeed silly.

This is only silly if it is introduced as a science. Indians use astrology a lot for determining auspicious dates for things like weddings and other events. In America you can study creative writing in college and that's not generally considered silly.

One vote for considering creative writing silly

 

[aupmanyav]

Don't agree with Modiji. 4000 invited. Arrangements in open. No provision for cover. There could be rain. Sand bearing surface winds. If rain comes, all rush to Darbar Hall where only 500 can be accommodated, the weather being what it is. The rest would stand in the Rashtrapati Bhawan corridor. Who gets into Darbar Hall? Or it would be a rush like in Delhi buses - whoever first gets in. The rest will be served refreshments in the corridors. Is there a VVIP menu and a Common man's menu?

Menu: The menu for high tea on the North Court and the South Court will include sandwiches, dhokla, kebabs, patties, imarti, kachauri, wafers, biscuits, cold drinks and tea.

The menu for the general public at the forecourt, .. Their menu will be almost the same as the VVIP menu with the exception of kebabs, sandwiches and dhoklas. Arrangements are being made to cater to approximately 3,000 people which would also include protocol staff.

Can't India offer a common menu including dhoklas and kebabs? Why this difference. Very 'foolish Indianish' rather than 'wise-Indianish'. 'Atithi devo bhava' (A guest is no less than God). When we invoke Gods and Goddesses, is the menu for Shiva different from that of Ashwini Kumaras? I hope the event is concluded without any problem.

Hiraba (Modi's mother) and Jasodaben (Modi's abandoned wife) might attend. Happy about that.

 

[aupmanyav]

Well, there was no rain or storm. Everything went all right. Modi assumed the charge as the Prime Ministe of India. He inducted a 45 member cabinet. Now to business. Modi meets Nawaz Sharif tomorrow and the heads of the other neighboring countries as well. I hope the guests liked the Gujarati 'Khaman Dhokla'. But it must have been a torture for foreign dignitaries sitting for more than one and a half hour listening to the oaths repeated 45 times.