Anna for PM

When Anna Hazare becomes P Minister,

One knows how he will deal with the public and the sinister;

With lashings and banning of all public musical score.

Tis the easiest way for India to transform into Singapore.

When Anna Hazare India lead's,

We will blame the others for all misdeeds.

Hunger will no longer be a national shame,

It will become corruption's bane.

All national ills will have an easy solution,

Cos Anna will pass a national resolution.

Everything be painted in a black monotone,

The others are guilty and shall not be condoned.

Anna says 'Will join politics if others desire',

A low turn out at Jantar Mantar – has it dimmed the fire?

Keeping a fast with nothing much to do,

Maybe it's time Anna and his ilk sang the blues.

Arvind Kejriwal is a - - - - - - - - - - -

Arvind Kejriwal is a 'thief',

Wanting others to turn into a new leaf.

Corruption, he says is a democratic disgrace,

With such noise he steals my mind space.

Does Kejriwal keep a promise?

Accepting cash and not cheques he was not averse.

For a hunger strike he does keep his word,

Has he returned that money he swore he would?

Kejriwal is a little 'coward'.

He has no problem with the violence of the word.

Hiding behind some aspects of Gandhism he is an expert.

From where he cast's aspersions and doubts on others for what it is worth.

Kejriwal is a 'misguided bloke',

With Anna and other 'brigands' a fire he tries to stoke.

Pointing fingers at others who he says are to blame,

Choosing to ignore he and his band are just the same.

We are a major missile power!

‘We are a major missile power',

Help! There is no water in the shower.

We are a rich country, on weapons we spend billions,

We grow food, but it doesn't reach our millions.

Our heroes are those who subvert the law,

But our moral accounting system has no flaw.

With enthusiasm and devotion to our god's we pray,

But it takes very little for us to stray.

'Recognise us' to the world we whine,

Building castles in the air is our national past time.

Religions and weapons keep us safe from harm,

But we ignore our participation in the rapacious swarm.

Problem

A problem rose, unhindered by a solution,

Mental calisthenics, now nobody’s bastard.

Was it concern for an unknown brother?

Cos, in this world who is the other?

What is said is what is believed and seen,

The question, not a form of protest?

There is a solution; maybe it’s with you,

No answer! Atleast a similar point of view?

What a luxury being a frog in a well,

A finger pointed out, ignore the other three.

Under the sun, big and small cast shadows,

Is there green? Has the land turned fallow?

Never taught to question but answer,

Now older, hear the coherent and logical hold stage.

From the pedestal, see the souls to harvest,

This war of world’s, it turns grotesque.

Me a capitalist!

Gandhi said 'be the change you wish to see',

That is for others but not for me.

I live in a big house with more than one loo,

But I aint going to say 'and so should you'.

I preach austerity that's what I do well,

I have an AC, washing machine; aint that swell?

I talk about equality, justice and opportunity lost,

The pay I give is lower than my laptop cost.

I talk about SEZ and acquisition of land,

A car manufactured in such a plot is my brand.

I think I live frugally and its for all to see,

I bought some land, I cant wait to be a retiree.

I zip across the world holding forth in foreign halls,

I make my money plotting capitalism's downfall.

Transmogrification

There is a new kid on the block,

It's doing its stuff and strutting its walk.

Everybody from the government and people in the know,

Speak about it as if it had a humongous halo.

It’s a lil chappie called inclusive growth,

Answer’s to all, this is Indian economy’s bespoke.

Of sustainable development no one does hear

Was it anyone’s loss? There ain’t no tear.

Sustainable development truth be told,

Would have made the Indian economy collapse and fold.

Now with provisions for industry, coal and nuke,

Survival of the displaced; depend on serendipity or a fluke.

Conferences held and many speak,

In rooms floored with marble and teak.

Equity, justice have no place in these confines,

The topic being inclusive growth has left all these far behind.

If they don’t have bread let them eat cake.

Is our government’s new funda and take.

A share of the plunder to them is given

Though a crumb, Tata’s, Agarwal’s sins are (ahem) forgiven.

Inclusive growth is a cloning machine,

More Ambani’s is a way to help the economic scene.

Clean air and water don’t accrue interest,

Nor do notions of equality, equity and justice.

So there has been a transmogrification,

Inclusive growth a way to instant gratification.

In capitalism’s gated commune just give them a bed,

Cause as Keynes’s said in the long run we are all dead.

A story to be told

There's a new movie in town – and what a Kahaani,

Not the usual Bollywood 'ek tha raja ek thi rani'.

A story seamlessly woven,

Vidya has once again proven - -

But its not only she who has acted well,

The others have done better and make us dwell

On the fact that histrionics ain't required

Its time to move from the tested and tried.

But one cannot take out a Bollywood gene,

There are indeed some hard to explain scenes.

'Honorary CM Mamta' is thanked at the start

Actually, the term is 'honorable' when you get elected for a part.

Commonsense is given a berth that is wide,

When a land-line can listen to a mobile conversation happening at the side.

But nothing can take away from this flick

Where the acting and story tick.

I want more FB, you now have an IPO

FB, you promised me connectivity

With friends and things of myriad variety.

A platform virtual you gave to me

To tell the world what I like, look and see.

I wake to logon, log-off to sleep

You are my virtual diary I share and keep.

What I shared had value because of me

It wasn’t data or information; ne’er a possibility.

But now it seems there is value to my voice

An FB IPO of $ 5 billion; ain’t that nice?

Ad’tisers, mark’ters can now hit me with their product

On FB I have become a sitting duck.

What I say, share and post

Has now come to haunt me like a Dickensian ghost.

FB like Christ has turned water into wine

Let FB users partake in this feast divine.

If FB gains from my info and time

Shouldn’t FB pay to use what is mine?

Leave them kids alone

Kids are cute, kids are nice
Kids are anything that advertisers wish to symbolise.

Kids are cheap, kids are many
Kids act out anything from serious to funny.

Kids are innocent. Some parents a tad greedy?
Put their kids in adverts which are morally seedy.

You ain't doing enough kids tell their ma and pa
Just so that companies can rake in the moolah.

For the company it is not always about da money
It's about looking good in front of many.

Take for example two companies that mine
Who use kids to burnish their shine.

Well known for their exploits; one in sugared drinks da other in bauxite
These co's use kids to divert from what they exploit.

Urban kids singing peace, rural kids learning
What pay's for these ads looses it's meaning.

And so through the TV another world is created
Leaving demands for justice, environment, health unsatiated

How is it that something so small and innocent,
Manufacture's hope for the one percent?

And in Jaipur - - - - - -

And in Jaipur, where the fest is lit

Talk was about an Indian who is a Brit

He wrote a book, much unseen and unread

Resulted in a price on his head.



And in India where this book is banned

It raised the hackles of the 'Deoband'

They posed a question which was a shocker

If the book is banned why aint the author?



So this guy in Jaipur did not appear

Instead, few brave hearts read excerpts without a fear

When the inviting rooms of Indian prisons were promised as their due

They claimed ignorance of laws and fled without an adieu.



The chap who made mediocrity a household ambition

Spouted his views with élan and gumption

Those who hurt sentiments, shouldn’t be heroes made

As this is the manner they will get repaid.



‘Who is a liberal?’ is the question being written and spread

For certain, it is the green and saffron who tell us what should be seen and read

Unsure of the past and insecure of the future we seem to be

A different view be damned, all hail to conformity.

And mediocrity.