Anna, Ramdev’s Political Fasting

I have learnt, observed and experienced that religion and politics are closely associated. Now I am learning that politics and fasting has got into some kind of relationship.

The recent agitation campaign led by Anna against corruption and now Baba Ramdev are turning out to be a national talk. While I appreciate and fully endorse the momentum that Anna Hazare and Yoga guru Ramdev has initiated against corruption – but this according to me is a disturbing trend. I see it differently.

As a country we have faced with the illness of corruption for ages. No doubt that we have been exposed to too many of them openly in recent times. But I have set of following questions when we are trying to fight corruption

a) Who is the originator / supporter of the corruption –

WE - the very same people who are fighting against corruption. Are we not responsible for promoting and give life to corruption. So should not the fight for this first begin with us.

On one end people like Anna and Ramdev have torched the fight, but just by changing certain laws will we be able to stop corruption. Using this very law we (I say WE because on one end we are the one who give bribe and on the other we are the one who takes it) the receivers of corruption benefits will makes our way to once again live with it.

I am not against bringing about changes in laws or getting it enforced – but it’s said – “Prevention is Better Than Cure”. And in this case it starts with us and ends with us.

Can we simply not promote - Just don’t vote such candidate who has been locked in such controversies – this is the biggest punishment – but we are good at forgetting and we don’t even know the right medium to fight.

I have a question -- I am sure the day laws are drafted according to Anna and Ramdev, who among us who has participated in their rally or support this agitation is going to monitor and keep a check. Our demand is to have better laws – OK Done – but are we ourselves willing to stop our self from giving bribe. If the answer is NO – then it’s of no use investing so much on all this. Neither Anna or Ramdev has ever in their agitation made a point or a statement to take an oath from people who participated that “We promise not to give bribe”.

b) Do we need Anna and Ramdev to fight corruption –

Not really. I firmly thinks so, not at least for Corruption. While in case of Anna the colour of a social activist was the theme, what is it in case of Ramdev. Is it something that all of a sudden people having large followers got nothing but “Corruption” to fight for. An article by a leading writer in the English Daily argues Ramdev is good at promoting health so let him concentrate and strengthen his fight with system – political or any other to promote and bring about changes in mass health system, free hospital, free medicine, etc. Why corruption?

I am sure we will soon have few other faces carrying regional followings standing up against corruption. When you attain a mass image like Anna and Ramdev you need to open communication dialogue with the system, create awareness among “WE” on how it can be stopped or what can be done to change it – this is not just for corruption but any agitation or change in system that we need. Changing the political system or laws will not change the Politicians

c) Don’t we have any other issues to fight on –

The cases of corruption has indeed come up in open like never before – National Games, 2 G Telecom and many others. But no single large personality has come upon and fought for cases of scams at Orphanage – we have already seen many of them. Delhi is plagued with sexual abuse on females, thousands of legal cases lying pending with no idea when they will see the day light and people like Kasab enjoying extended life. These are issues that need our participation, attention and change.

Moral of the story --

My feeling is that it is “Fasting” that has caught the popularity bug. All our religion has been promoting fasting as a religious ritual though benefiting health. Fasting is now turning out to be good weapon for leading agitations.

And sometimes I feel the way politics made religion a tool to achieve their means, now they have turned their heads to fasting. It is possible that political parties are promoting fasting so that they can come and agree to terms and conditions, get publicity (our media any which way don’t have any standing of their own but to keep splashing “TOP HEADLINES”) and the math is even if they are able to win a fraction of masses – it is still a cheap vote acquisition cost – What Say!!

I come from a software background and the calculation is in man hours so I say if 100 people are participating for 1 day for any agitation = 800 hours of man hours lost – could we have used this in a better way. Could this very same people helped in making / cleaning our system in a way that is measurable and output deliverable?

Multi Level Marketing OR Snakes And Ladder

Multi Level Marketing (MLM) is once again a hot news and this time it’s not just with the participants but media is also involved – investigation, print report, interview and so much of exposure. I feel Multi Level Marketing should now be rechristened as Snakes And Ladder Marketing

Soon after my college one of my friend was joining Amway around 1993 and I use to attend some of these session with him. I was never ever convinced with the idea. No doubt Amway was wrongly sold then (that’s the way I look at it) – no idea whether is it still the same case. Between 1993 and 2000 odd, I came across many Amway guys who use to literary chew my brain out. The best part was starting the conversation as to how would I like to retire or what if I had my own business.

After my close association with my friend and few third degree torture I was well educated and use to have select questions which none of these aspirant were able to revert on.

Are you selling me the product or asking me to join? Why when I don’t like their products? What is the revenue percentage of re-sales volume in India V/s percentage of new joinee and so on. I have due respect for Amway as a company but no idea why the company doesn't push and encouraging more re-sales.

I use to work at Lower Parel, Mumbai and visit a hotel in the nearby area – the young son of the said hotelier was the latest abuser that I encountered last year. Around 1995-97 I recollect of even coming across Japan Life – Wow – magnetic bed worth around one lakh during those days and I don’t know how people use to sell it – or should I say buy it.

The concept of MLM has been around in India for quite some time largely with local / regional presence in form of chit funds, cosmetic products, real estate schemes, investment schemes and what not. However in the last couple of years the trend has increased and we have seen many such scheme getting launched. The best part is in spite previous personal experiences or ample awareness, people overwhelmingly participate.

I feel the key reason is we have more than 100 crores of population to cheat or fool. And the concept is very simple even if you are able to make 100 Rs after distributing the down line from even 0.05 percent of the population we are talking about making not less than 50 crores !! That’s a big money and worth a bet.

And see the other side, if you are a participant, you can be either the one who had made money last time and want to join again, or are lured (it may be wrong when I say majority of us would be quite aware about the high risk) or are genuinely IMPRESSED OR you really don’t mind taking that small risk!!

What I liked about the recent trend is the use of technology by these operators. Isn’t it great that after Super Lotto (online lottery – though it’s official as I understand) we are now having MLM getting tech savvy. The newer schemes are getting floated on web – Speak Asia, Ram Survey and many others which I may not know. We should not be surprised if the next scheme is available on mobile and SMS!!

But one thing is sure MLM is nothing but a Snakes And Ladder game wherein we try to maximize money and the operator is a snake who take away every time you try to reach on top – what say!!