My dear young men, Axe deodorant won't get you a girlfriend. Not just Axe, neither will Wild Stone deo, nor will Denver deo, nor will Very Very Sexy deo, nor will any other deo for that matter. What they show on the ads is too good, too easy to be true. If a deodorant could get you a girl or a woman, there would be no poetry, no war. Only if a deodorant could get you a girl, this world would be a different place altogether. So don't fall for the ads.
All the western marketers complain that deodorant usage is very low in India because Indians don't care much about personal hygiene. Whatever may be the reason, there is a huge untapped market for deodorants in India. Unfortunately the ads don't seem to promote deodorant as a product for personal hygiene, but as a product for something completely different. Surprisingly no social activist ever said a word against these ads.
Nevertheless these ads must have been a big success in promoting the sales of deodorants. Otherwise why would the ads of all deodorants follow the same theme, that is to make one irresistible to girls? I think the trick, though very cheap, struck a chord with many a young man in our country.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Enemy No 1 to Telangana
It is KCR. I know it sounds like a fancy guess. But I am afraid that is the truth, inconvenient to supporters of a separate Telangana state. Let me tell you how.
KCR stays relevant only as long as the movement for a separate Telangana state continues. It is from this relevance that he derives his clout and his money. Once Telangana state becomes a reality, KCR would lose his relevance and would become just one among many politicians. The chances of his becoming the chief minister of the new state are very few. A separate Telangana state is, in reality, against the interests of KCR and his family. It is the demand for a separate state that is good for him and his family. And he will do everything to keep this demand simmering as long as possible.
Carving out a separate state is not as simple as KCR makes it sound. In the recent past, three new states were carved out of larger states. All three of them were formed only after respective state assemblies gave their consent. Though the consent of the state assembly is not mandated by the constitution of India, it is a tradition which union government would normally not break away from. The state of AP was formed by merging the erstwhile Andhra and Hyderabad states only with the approval of both the state assemblies. The region of Andhra sends more legislators to the assembly of AP than the region of Telangana. The assembly of AP can give its consent for a separate state only if more than half of the legislators vote for it. It means at least some (28 to be precise) legislators from Andhra region should vote for a separate Telangana state, assuming all legislators from Telangana region vote for it. So the leaders demanding a separate Telangana state should ideally have convinced the people of Andhra region about the need for a separate Telangana state. They should also have tried to make the separation a win-win situation for both the regions. But KCR and his associates are doing the exact opposite of this. Instead of convincing the people of Andhra region, they have antagonized them by spreading hatred against them through their speeches. They have also made it a win-lose situation for the people of Andhra region by being adamant on making the city of Hyderabad an exclusive part of Telangana state. People of Andhra see Hyderabad as their own city and don't want to lose it to a new state. It is KCR and his associates who have, deliberately I guess, made this a deadlock situation. There is only one solution to deadlock situations in politics, that is delay. And delay is what we are seeing in this matter. As I told you, delay works best for KCR.
There is another possibility of the union government carving out a separate state without seeking the consent of the state assembly. This is what KCR and his associates are publicly demanding. Imagine why any party leading the union government would do this, be it Congress or the BJP. Whatever electoral gains that party makes in Telangana region will be more than offset by the losses it makes in Andhra region. Both Congress and the BJP would not risk it. Instead they would wait for things to cool down. That is why governments form commissions to look into such matters. Any solution to the Telangana deadlock will be possible only when it ceases to be an emotionally charged issue. Of course, KCR and his associates will do everything to keep the emotions of innocent people flared up.
KCR stays relevant only as long as the movement for a separate Telangana state continues. It is from this relevance that he derives his clout and his money. Once Telangana state becomes a reality, KCR would lose his relevance and would become just one among many politicians. The chances of his becoming the chief minister of the new state are very few. A separate Telangana state is, in reality, against the interests of KCR and his family. It is the demand for a separate state that is good for him and his family. And he will do everything to keep this demand simmering as long as possible.
Carving out a separate state is not as simple as KCR makes it sound. In the recent past, three new states were carved out of larger states. All three of them were formed only after respective state assemblies gave their consent. Though the consent of the state assembly is not mandated by the constitution of India, it is a tradition which union government would normally not break away from. The state of AP was formed by merging the erstwhile Andhra and Hyderabad states only with the approval of both the state assemblies. The region of Andhra sends more legislators to the assembly of AP than the region of Telangana. The assembly of AP can give its consent for a separate state only if more than half of the legislators vote for it. It means at least some (28 to be precise) legislators from Andhra region should vote for a separate Telangana state, assuming all legislators from Telangana region vote for it. So the leaders demanding a separate Telangana state should ideally have convinced the people of Andhra region about the need for a separate Telangana state. They should also have tried to make the separation a win-win situation for both the regions. But KCR and his associates are doing the exact opposite of this. Instead of convincing the people of Andhra region, they have antagonized them by spreading hatred against them through their speeches. They have also made it a win-lose situation for the people of Andhra region by being adamant on making the city of Hyderabad an exclusive part of Telangana state. People of Andhra see Hyderabad as their own city and don't want to lose it to a new state. It is KCR and his associates who have, deliberately I guess, made this a deadlock situation. There is only one solution to deadlock situations in politics, that is delay. And delay is what we are seeing in this matter. As I told you, delay works best for KCR.
There is another possibility of the union government carving out a separate state without seeking the consent of the state assembly. This is what KCR and his associates are publicly demanding. Imagine why any party leading the union government would do this, be it Congress or the BJP. Whatever electoral gains that party makes in Telangana region will be more than offset by the losses it makes in Andhra region. Both Congress and the BJP would not risk it. Instead they would wait for things to cool down. That is why governments form commissions to look into such matters. Any solution to the Telangana deadlock will be possible only when it ceases to be an emotionally charged issue. Of course, KCR and his associates will do everything to keep the emotions of innocent people flared up.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
More Noise - Less Logic
There are some catchy tag lines heard on Radio Mirchi Hyderabad. "Idi chala hot Guru" which means 'It is very hot Guru'. There is another one 'More music, less talk Guru". If I have to use a tag line to describe the ongoing movement for a separate Telangana state, it will be "More Noise - Less Logic". It is more of rhetoric than rationale that is powering the movement. Of course, it is very hot Guru.
The issue has become, is made into rather, an emotional one. Emotion blinds rationale and makes people biased in their judgement. Biased people can not see the other side of the story.
The two common demands heard all over Telangana are "Give us our jobs. Give us our water." Majority of the people of Telangana seem to believe that people from Andhra are taking away their jobs and their water. The comparisons are blown out of proportions. It is as if there is no unemployment in the rest of India, in Andhra particularly. They are made to believe that everyone will get a job, a government job in particular, in a separate Telangana state. Rationale says it is just not possible. They are also made to believe that every acre of land will be irrigated in a separate Telangana state. Rationale says it is also not possible. Unfortunately rationale has evaporated into thin air.
The movement for a separate state is ostensibly built on the relative underdevelopment of the Telangana region. But numbers don't say Telangana is so badly underdeveloped relative to Andhra. Also it is not strong enough a reason on which a movement can be sustained. So, the leaders have made it into a sentimental one. Underdevelopment is no longer the reason behind the demand for a separate state, but self-governance. Who can argue against self-governance?
Though it is not publicly admitted, the Telangana movement is fuelled by hatred towards the people of Andhra. People of Andhra are seen as exploiters. There is a law of power which says 'show an enemy to keep your flock together'. That is exactly what the leaders of the movement are doing, showing the people of Andhra as enemies. This enmity shows up at times, like boycotting examination evaluators from Andhra region, setting fire to the properties of Andhra people. Sentiments are whipped up so that people don't see the hollowness of their promise. Unfortunately the movement is led by a gifted orator, KCR, who is very effective at it.
I hope some realization dawns on our people.
The issue has become, is made into rather, an emotional one. Emotion blinds rationale and makes people biased in their judgement. Biased people can not see the other side of the story.
The two common demands heard all over Telangana are "Give us our jobs. Give us our water." Majority of the people of Telangana seem to believe that people from Andhra are taking away their jobs and their water. The comparisons are blown out of proportions. It is as if there is no unemployment in the rest of India, in Andhra particularly. They are made to believe that everyone will get a job, a government job in particular, in a separate Telangana state. Rationale says it is just not possible. They are also made to believe that every acre of land will be irrigated in a separate Telangana state. Rationale says it is also not possible. Unfortunately rationale has evaporated into thin air.
The movement for a separate state is ostensibly built on the relative underdevelopment of the Telangana region. But numbers don't say Telangana is so badly underdeveloped relative to Andhra. Also it is not strong enough a reason on which a movement can be sustained. So, the leaders have made it into a sentimental one. Underdevelopment is no longer the reason behind the demand for a separate state, but self-governance. Who can argue against self-governance?
Though it is not publicly admitted, the Telangana movement is fuelled by hatred towards the people of Andhra. People of Andhra are seen as exploiters. There is a law of power which says 'show an enemy to keep your flock together'. That is exactly what the leaders of the movement are doing, showing the people of Andhra as enemies. This enmity shows up at times, like boycotting examination evaluators from Andhra region, setting fire to the properties of Andhra people. Sentiments are whipped up so that people don't see the hollowness of their promise. Unfortunately the movement is led by a gifted orator, KCR, who is very effective at it.
I hope some realization dawns on our people.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Why is he mum?
The crown prince of India, prime minister in waiting (speculation is rife that he might replace Manmohan Singh in 2012), Rahul Gandhi seems to be tight-lipped on all the major issues facing the nation now. But he hogs disproportionately huge amount of publicity, just by travelling to various parts of the country.
Kashmir is literally burning. The chief minister, said to be favored by the crown prince, has lost control of the situation. Rahul Gandhi does not speak anything about it. The naxalite menace is spreading fast and the maoists run parallel government in a significant number of districts. He does not speak about it. But he attends public rallies alongside those very maoists. Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a fervent, divisive and sometimes violent, agitation demanding a separate state. He does not speak about it. He does not even visit AP on his tours, probably to avoid the local media. But he goes to colleges and universities across the nation urging students to join politics. He should make his presence felt, shouldn't he?
The nation expects its future prime minister to have a view on every major issue. Surprisingly the media also does not seem to ask for his opinion on any of the issues. How should the nation understand his silence? Is he trying to be politically correct by keeping quiet? Or is he simply clueless on issues?
Kashmir is literally burning. The chief minister, said to be favored by the crown prince, has lost control of the situation. Rahul Gandhi does not speak anything about it. The naxalite menace is spreading fast and the maoists run parallel government in a significant number of districts. He does not speak about it. But he attends public rallies alongside those very maoists. Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a fervent, divisive and sometimes violent, agitation demanding a separate state. He does not speak about it. He does not even visit AP on his tours, probably to avoid the local media. But he goes to colleges and universities across the nation urging students to join politics. He should make his presence felt, shouldn't he?
The nation expects its future prime minister to have a view on every major issue. Surprisingly the media also does not seem to ask for his opinion on any of the issues. How should the nation understand his silence? Is he trying to be politically correct by keeping quiet? Or is he simply clueless on issues?
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