I decided to begin a new series called 'Kerala This Week' to summarise the week that was in God's Own. Suggestions, "scoops" and comments are welcome.
A new Chief Minister, V.S.Achuthanandan, has been elected after a massive victory for the Left Democratic Front, and was sworn in today at the Central Stadium with a specially built "stand" to "seat" about 5000 comrades. There are concerns on whether his victory was a write-off to the pro-developmental policies of Oommen Chandy, but the neutralist's opine that it is not. The elections saw many a tainted and worthless leaders being shown the exit door. So I would like to hope that the "literate" population of Kerala wont suffer for the next 5 years or the state wont be rewound backwards for 5 years, and that the new government will be sensible enough to implement the good policies and decisions that truly means progress so that the people are not let down.
There has also been a release which cited "5 reasons why Oommen Chandy" lost:
1. Frogs
People in some parts of Kerala said they will not vote unless a solution to the increasing 'frogs nuisance' in their area is found. They said their villages are infested with frogs, which sometimes simply overrun the roads, making it difficult to walk. And their secretions cause itching.
2. IT
The (IT professionals) appeared to be unaffected by the raging debate over the Smart City pact and development issues raised by the rival fronts. A majority of the IT professionals, aged between 25 and 27, worked as usual and did not bother to cast their vote. These youths, feel that their right to vote is precious and it can be given only to the most deserving candidate. They were also proud, for some reason, that they didn't vote.
3. DICK and Dicks
There is a massive opinion that the vote was against the coalition politics of UDF with DICK. 17 out of 18 DICKs lost. It will be good to remember that OC was against a coalition with DICK but the deal went through thanks to some stal-"warts".
4. Suresh Gopi
Who openly proclaimed that he hated V.S at one time, but now they love eachother. "Orma undo ee mugham?" V.S asked Gopi.
5. ???
V.S was a leader successful in creating sensations by using "language" that related to the "mass". Perhaps, the LDF victory was made possible single-handedly by V.S. He has managed to sound righteous by latching onto seemingly populistic issues. Nonetheless, V.S is a leader who has become the CM after winning not just the general elections, but also the internal war with his rival. That he is a CM without a portfolio is another matter, but I wish him the very best.
That a person who has opposed the Smart City and Technocity projects, is the IT minister and prominent CITU and ex-trade union activists are heading the Industries ministry speaks volumes about what might happen, but lets just hope what will happen is something progressive.
But at the end of it all, I must admit that I am also feeling some bit of hope deep within that this Government will do something worthwhile. It is not a hope that has risen because of my faith in any of the ministers or leaders who will rule the coming years, but only from a deep desire for the good of Kerala. Perhaps as the winds of India's economic growth and might sweep the nation, Kerala will have no other option but to go with the wind, to some extent atleast.
Elsewhere in Kerala, away from its feverish politicking, this week, like the last few weeks, did not see the release of any new malaylam movie. "Sweet Rose - I want you" continued to run to a packed house for its 21st continuous week along with "Basic Instinct - II" which has been running successfully for the 4th week. BS II is expected to beat the previous box office record of "Lust for Love". I keep hearing people ask what Keralites do for entertainment. Little do they know about our eve-teasing malls, bottom-grabbing public transport buses and "cry-from-5pm-9pm" television serials.
As per the recent news clip, mid-day meals are being served daily to 12 crore children in 9.5 lakh schools all over the country. The meals will not be the usual rice gruel and beans that students in Kerala were getting til now, but will include milk, eggs and fish now on. Ah, something to cheer about.
Suzlon, a renewable energy company, found something new in Kerala this week. Wind. They realised it is something the people might not accuse them of plundering or looting, like they did to Coca Cola at Plachimada. But then you never know, Suzlon might be guilty of breaking wind soon.
The Census board meanwhile said that the population growth rate in Kerala has dipped further to 0.91 per cent, the lowest in the country and at par with developed nations.
And finally some good news to all the Keralites sweating in the heat and humidity, and yet, the very few who use deodorant. The southwest monsoon will hit the Kerala coast on May 30th according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Their release also added that the forecast is based on an indigenously developed technique that has an error margin of three days! Which, is pretty good!
THE 'SAVE KERALA' INITIATIVE
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Kerala This Week 2006, 1
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28 comments:
hahaha!! MC you are funny!:)
Kerala this week is a good way to get the info out to some of us who may have missed out on some vital info like the movies playing currently to packed crowds.
Jokes apart, it is a sad day indeed when the educated youth of our country (read technopark emps) feel voting is not a privelege and that they have better things to do. Irrespective of whom they choose or support, it is a certain right that we are all priveleged to have and I think we should all choose to use it wisely and well.
Hope MC you are right, and for the greater good of Kerala, VS Achudananthan does something positive for progressive growth of the state.
I am happy that people started accepting VS as their CM. Hope for the best men! LDF will do a good job for Kerala. Their young, energetic and dedicated ministry is the proof for LDF's pledge to improve our state.I strongly believe that Smart City, other IT projects and lots of new projects will be undertaken.CPM in Kerala has changed a lot, towards WB Style.They will do all good, because they want to retain the power for next term too.I also believe that soon there will be two or three more ministers like Dr.Jaleel and Alphonse Kannanthanam joining the LDF ministry.
I strongly object to call my home land "Dog's ..". This is too much I respect every one and words but it is too bad to call your home land in level worst! You can see my blog and how well I call my home land sweet. Logon to http://www.keralahome.blogspot.com/ That is my blog on Kerala.
The new CM of the most literate state in India has not completed 7th standard. What happened to people's sensibilities? Is this the man who will take the state through the new millennium.
@ quills - well its not me that is funny..our land and people are funny. yes lets all hope for the best.
@ pazhangalam - thats a very inspiring comment. i also sincerely hope they can do good.
@ SJ - welcome to our blog.
@ PC - yes, isnt that the irony of things? and he is the CM and IT minister. but as I said the "literate" Kerala has given its verdict, so lets trust their judgement and pray for the state.
MC..that is sweet of you.. atleast i would now know exactly what is happening in Kerala!!
This was so Dave Barryish and I mean that a compliment :) Damned funny and I am glad there is more to come LOL
17 out of 18 DICKs lost ROFLAO
I am so looking forward to the next edition.
@ IiC - thank you IiC. i hope you will find the future posts under this section interesting.
@ hari - haha..that was really funny hari. i laughed a lot..
Achuthanandan is like jagathy or jagadish
lol..he is so well imitated by some of the artistes that its too hilarious.
absolutely agree with you. as the CEO of infopark in kochi said being the opposition leader and the CM are two different things. you can talk anything when you are in the opposition, but when you are the CM there are so many issues to consider and think sensibly before speaking.
another thing that comes to mind is the sort of politics in TN. where karunanidhi has offered 2kg rice at Re.1 and free color tv.whatever our government offers, i hope they generate enough income for the state as well to fund such schemes and it is not by leaving a humungous debt for the state like they did last time.
@ silverine - lol..dave barry!! that sure is a compliment..but yeah, my idol is jay leno. thanks girl.
MC: I share your hope. At the same time, make sure that we keep a definite standard for what we write here. More people are listening and that is a good sign. Take that advice in the best spirits and as a word of caution only. Our roles, I presume, will always be that of opposition. A true, ideal opposition who won't remove their dress to make a point. Your weekly report is an innovative idea. Comments do not need to start with 'GREAT' or 'WONDERFUL' always.
About VS: I would like to rate him as a CM only at the end of his tenure as this is his first (and probably last). What he did previously or talked previously may not matter as long as he does his job properly. Let's wait and see. In six months or an year we would definitely get a picture. The decision to write off the loans of farmers who committed suicide is a good sign. Hope that farmers won't treat it as an encouragement to suicide. The literate Kerala often take many remarks literally.
There is one thing I would like to bring to notice here. That is the very short time in which left front could choose their candidates, before or after elections. I wonder what would have happened had UDF and DIC(K) won. This ministry definitely looks a better one considering the tainted ones we had. Whether it really is, well, we will see that in a short time.
Finally one last word to SJ: When Dogs change their loyalty from their masters to people, the name will be changed. Btw, what about "GOLD's Own Country?".
this is a good initiative from u...will look forward to this feature every week henceforth!!!
since i agree with almost everything u say it was real fun and entertaining to read this!!!
politics has ceased to irritate me...but what makes me grind my teeth in chagrin are the worthless malayalam biggies running at the theatres and the horde of tamil films which it seems has a wider audience than mal films now!!! Mohanlal's long-delayed Vadakkumnathan finally released today and there is also Pulijanman by National Award Winning running at Kairali theatre...need to watch atleast these 2 films b4 i leave kerala.
Good Job!!!
MC,
While going through ur blog I come across the comment of one SJ Nair. He has given his website also. First of all let me tell u my friend SJ Nair, your so called blog about Kerala is just a collection of some facts about Kerala. It is not a blog.
Through your so called blog profile, I went into the your another blog “NAIR CASTE AND THEIR RELEVANCE-ALL ABOUT NAIR CASTE AND THEIR RELEVANCE. THE FACTS ABOUT WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS WORRIER CASTE.” Let me tell you one thing. One of the most pathetc website/blog I have seen in my life. He has included Meera Nair and K Karunakaran in Nair category. He starts his blog with these words “NAIR A WORD WITH POWER: NAIR THE WORD OF A STRONGEST COMMUNITY FROM SOUTHERN INDIAN STATE KERALA. THE STRONGEST COMMUNITY THAT COULD PRODUCE LEGENDARILY FIGURES LIKE KRISHNA MENON TO KRISHNAN NAIR AND MEERA NAIR TO SYAM NAIR.” The last name is the author himself! In the description of Nair he has included all the Nair hair remover products also. A complete asshole I should say! Meera Nair is a Punjabi and I don’t think she has any connection with Nair!
Has anyone met the legendary figure “Syam Nair” in your life? He is the one of the biggest fool to born in Kerala who thinks that Nair is the strongest caste in Kerala. potta kenattille thavala ude katha annu enikku orma varunneee.
SJ Nair- understand one thing – there is nothing like stronger or strongest. All caste and religion have equal strength and me as a Nair feel really ashamed to see something like “STONGEST COMMUNITY FROM SOUTHERN INDIAN STATE” As long as idiotic people like this */#(* exist in Kerala, I don’t see any future for Kerala. This guy is the best example of people whose narrow-mindedness never changes even with good education. I pity u Mr SJ Nair.
Brijesh NAIR
@ myna - yes, lets hope :)
@ jiby - hey brother..whoa!! where are you off to? sad to know you are leaving..but i hope good comes to you.
yeah mallu movie land sucks now..and so does entertainment as such in kerala. people thrive on politics..and its not like any good comes out of it either.
@ brijesh - lol..yes i did come across the gentlemans site and comments..but didnt want to risk being branded anti-nair :) but you are safe brother.
MC;
There are enough channels and News Papers out there plus numerous blogs links to a capsulized format of weekly new analysis. I don't think you too fall for that.
This blog is noted for it's depth not for the olume of post. What I feel is in a capsule there are so many issues that no one debating the issues. Just remember how mnay days it took to get oer the debate on reservations? I rather prefer those things than a multi-news item capsule.
You can hae a post about each item. I don't feel like debating any of the issues gien aboe since it's just a peripheral aproach. Not going into deep. It's like a detatched narration of events. As of a journalist's view. I consider this platform much more than that. A forum to have a healthy discussion and where like-minded souls get together.
It's still your call, but think about it.
Damn it! The V on my KB was stuck. :)
Now that is a bunch of loony excuses for losing the election! Frogs and whole lotta crap… People have seen what OC was doing in Kerala, Now that you have deciphered the problems as the alliances in which the Kerala Congress had and so-forth, it’s better that OC float a new party on his own. If he is such a stupendous personality and the bunch around them are bozos, that is the only way out. As a congress person, he can do that very well as for any congress person, his thoughts are never constricted by any ideologies and can sing praise for what is the best of the moment. OC can do it very well.
Now, Smart City is the only issue in contention and it has been very clear that the Smart City Deal has been a very shady deal, and VS has told that, if it is a very lucid deal, he will very well support it.
And silly arguments like he is a 7th class drop is utterly despicable... When he spew out this argument, I hope he dint forget that Bill gates is also one. May be the next argument will be... He is a Harvard dropout and VS is from our local School... it will turn out to be an unending vicious strife!
@ shinu - you are right..there are plenty of sources for news. but i thought this is the only way i can bring in some exciting content and fun into this otherwise serious blog. we need some bit of entertainment to keep our spirits up.
i know debating about news items or comical stuff might not be possible, but i began it with the intention of bringing in some fun. and i think i have succeeded..see clash's comment.
@ clash - lol ..thanks man, i enjoyed your comment. and yes, as you said, there is a difference between dropping out from harvard and Grade 7 SSLC. big difference i mean :)
Simya-I think it is a long practise of Namboodhiri boy to marry a Nair girl. The other way is not allowed. It is going on for ages. In the recent marriage in Travancore palace also the same thing happened. the girl was from a nair family. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Guys,
In the last post regarding reservations, some one raised the religious card and a lot of ugly, I would say, discussions were on about that. May be this Syam guy was just trying to promote himself. Or it was just a trick to attract a few more hits. Anyway don't give much importance to such gimmicks.
Please don't indulge in abusing any caste, be it Nair, Nampoothiri or a Pulaya. We are all Keralites and when I last checked our blood is still red in color. :)
@ simya, brijesh and shinu - welcome here..i have no clue about these intercaste marriages and stuff and i really get bugged when people talk about superiority of one caste, religion or community. its all crap. and its one reason why there are sections of people talking about "inferiority" and then harping on reservations. but it is pleasing to know that the people who still think of such differences are few.
Was this last post of Mr. Mohan Kumar, deal in the rich linguistic expression that is found in the rural & urban part of Kerala? Was he that ignorant to overlook the fact that we are little more civilised? I plead with him to excersize more restrain. I request MC to delete the comment. It's not in good taste!
hello guys...i think we are losing track a bit here..and i am deleting few comments which i think is inappropriate and out of context.
ideally i would prefer not to delete comments and have never done it. but at this point i dont see any other option.
i am surprised to see pazhangalam supporting vs achu, the dirty illeterate politicaian
who infact cares only for the destruction of kerala in all possible ways, he is against anything devolopment, he is against employemnt and anything progressive for the state
his people's party(cpim) has not never really cared and done for the people, in any other state though the party might not be communist , they hav jobs in their on state and they dont need to beg for jobs elswere, its only in this part of the world where majority are unemployed bcoz of lack of job and as a result have to go out of kerala. what a disgrace and shame to all mallus, and i personally put all blame on the communists in kerala.
so one simple sugestion keep the left out of kerala for better devolopment, bcoz if they were'nt there kerala could have been one of the most industrialised states in india like maharashtra or tamil nadu where literacy and education is far below kerala.
and also just think why kerala has no industries and why they had shut down, and why no one wants to start a factory, because evryone knows the very next day it will have strike with a red flag in front......
the ldf always want people to remain poor because that is their support and thats the only way they can come to power.
and i am surprised to see educated mallus supporting the communists, who have made millions of mallus to emigrate for "joli thendal" because there is no emplyment in kerala.
and one last thing i am also from kerala ,but born n bred elsewer,if kerala was devoloped i along with millions wudnt have been elswere..
@ anonymous - well said..you have put things very very bluntly. that might a lot more difficult for a lot of people to digest..but nonetheless its the truth and it deserves to be told.
Hi this is Pranav,new to the forum. The left front won the election only because the voters were asked to choose between the BAD and the WORST. It was the same 5 years back when A K Anthony got selected and will be the same after 5 years unless we came across a minister or ministry who can create oppurtunities, who can manage a system effectively, who has the will power to initiate growth, who can atleast think or dream for the citizens... I don't know from where this CASTE FACTOR came up, after seeing it thought to air some thoughts. I never felt CASTE or RELIGION is a part of my identity. But it's really sorry and really hurting-frustrating that you have to be a NAIR,GARIJAN HINDU, CHRISTIAN, PROTESTAN, CATHOLIC, MUSLIM ... to get acceptance and consensus among your parents, relatives or even friends to get married. There are exceptional cases, but most of the cases it's the same. Ism dealing it with guys, when I spoke to my MOM about a girl whom I want to marry the first thing she want to know wheather she is a NAIR or not. When I told her I never asked her reply is then how can you take a decision to marry her. Guys for me being a NAIR or HINDU is not a quality for that matter any religon or any caste. If we live in a soceity where guys like "Shyam' thinks like being a NAIR is a superior value or quality, then we shouldn't even call it DOG'S OWN COUNTRY"...atleast why should we INSULT DOGS for no reasons.
I hope SP is not talking out me and my relation...I can relate to it 110% yea the only diff is here the guy is a NAIR and the girl is a GIRIJAN(sorry guys, i think it's a better word that too only to the context and referance otherwise HUMAN).
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