I have been writing these blogs (column – if you are reading Trust News) for nearly 3 months. I have had a handful of people responding to me; you could count them on your hands. They say they enjoy reading them; some violently disagree with what I say; some correct me where I have gone wrong. I am thankful to those who say nice things about the blogs and even more grateful to those who criticize me: but the kind of response that really hurts me is, “Man, you write so much. It’s really great!” They of course mean it as a compliment, but it hurts. It is saying, in other words, “You got all the time in the world; you don’t have better things to do than blog; and I am not going to waste my time reading the stuff.” But this quote keeps me going….
"Alas for those who never sing,
But die with all their music in them!" … Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
CM Unwell… Manmohan comes a visiting
The Chief Minister is once again unwell and stayed at home, keeping away from regular business. Mr Danam Nagender, who visited them, gave him a clean bill of health and stated that the CM would inaugurate the statue of the late CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy tomorrow. Let us hope that Mr K Rosaiah gets well sooner than later and makes himself available for tomorrow’s programme. However, how long can he continue in the CM’s gaddi is a big question, particularly now that the government is facing so many challenges – one from Jagan, and another from the separate Telangana forces.
In the meantime, Dr Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the Mannavaram project and said that it was a tribute to YSR a day before his first death anniversary. The Congress party owns up YSR but not his arrogant son.
Dr Geetha Reddy is summoned to Delhi
At this point, one could only speculate as to why Dr J Geetha Reddy is summoned to New Delhi. It is certain that she would meet the supremo and that she would be given a greater responsibility: it could be the CM’s job itself, given that Mr Rosaiah is not in the pink of his health and is not able to handle the Jagan issue. The high command is forced to take steps to checkmate Jagan, which 10 Janpath is loath to do on a daily basis. Madame Gandhi Jr wants Jagan to be taken care of locally, at the state level. There is a possibility of Dr J Geetha Reddy’s name being circulated as the successor, and putting pressure on Mr K Rosaiah to step down ‘voluntarily’ on account of bad health.
If that is not the case, then surely Dr Geetha Reddy will be the top runner for the Pradesh Congress Committee chief’s post. But the timing of Dr Geetha Reddy’s trip to Delhi makes one believe that it would be the CM-ship. There is no urgency to decide on a new PCC chief now – it is a month away. Bringing about a change in the government is of more urgency, in the light of Jagan’s confrontation in the coming few days. The high command is on game point (set point and match point) in Tennis lingo: making Dr J Geetha Reddy the new CM will be an ace that will settle the match in the high command’s favour. Remember, you have read it here first.
Krishnashtami and sundry Hindu festivals
It is interesting that Krishnashtami is celebrated with such great fanfare, and in public, in the north; it is celebrated at home quietly in the south (at least in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka). Ganesh Chaturthi is not much of a festival in the north, but it is such a big event in the Maha Rashtra and Andhra (and other southern states). In Hyderabad, of course the biggest festival is Bonalu (there is Ramzan too). Dasara is widely celebrated but it is a huge event in West Bengal. Diwali is a universal festival that is celebrated across the states, perhaps not so much in J & K. People down south haven’t heard of Karva Chauth; in the north, they don’t know what is Onam, which is of course is a big deal in Kerala. There is pongal in the south; rakhi and holi in the north. All kinds of festivals all around the place!
On the other hand, Muslims have their Id-ul-fitr and Ramzan – wherever they are in the world. So also Christians (Christmas and Easter). And so is the case with other religions. It is only among Hindus that we have so many ‘regional festivals’ a la regional parties. If it weren’t for Diwali – Hindus would not have a common thread running across various regions.
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