F D I

FOREIGN  DIRECT  INTERVENTION



F D I is probably the most popular word in circulation today.
Foreign Direct Investment in retail trade saw our parliament
sitting idle for days together. It gave our MPs another
opportunity to exercise their vocal chords without taxing
their grey cells.

But it was the media that celebrated the most. while the print
media showcased analytical masterpieces on their edit page , our
broadcast friends brought the experts into our drawing rooms. the only
thing that probably lacked was the facility to link to the experts and
ask them questions during the discussions.

Social networking websites made up for this loss. any one could post
whatever they felt and thought they felt about the issue in these
sites. any one could respond to oppose or support any arguement.

In short the issue was discussed so thoroughly that the parliament
has now decided to restart normal function. which means that there is
no scope for another article on the issue. except maybe to highlight a
specific argument i came across during the celebrations.

The argument which first appeared in an expert article on the edit page
of a prominent newpaper said walmart and other international marts
never skip taxes . it is not in their blood. unlike our domestic maals
and wayside petty shops, these global traders bill every transaction.
and the government stands to gain on the tax account. the article went
on to argue that f d i in retial trade should be supported for this economic
reason if not for numerous other reasons both social and political.

It was indeed an eye opener to me. i never knew that tax compliance
could be ensured that easily. i could not also figure out what this meant
to our economy. and i confess that the scope of our own traders turning
honest billers and tax payers, taking a cue from these global brothers,
was not obvious to me until i read the article.

The very purpose of this article therefore is to support foreign direct
intervention in retail trade. thereafter we can slowly but steadily
invite FDI in other areas like law and order, judiciary , defence
matters and finally elections and other democratic entertainments.



m k mathai

what is happening to malayalam ?

മലയാളത്തിനു എന്താണ് പറ്റുന്നത്‌ ?


" തട്ടിയെടുക്കപ്പെട്ട ചരക്കുകപ്പല്‍ മോചിപ്പിച്ചു "

മോചിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ടു എന്ന് വേണ്ടേ ?

തട്ടിയെടുത്ത കപ്പല്‍ മോചിപ്പിച്ചു

എന്നതല്ലേ ശരിക്കും ഭംഗി ?

i am afraid

i am afraid to travel alone . in a bus .
in day light . in a town . in kerala.
any one could stand up and say
i picked his pocket.
no one would hear me.
they would start beating me.
if a police man is in the crowd
i might be laid on a bench
and hit on my vital parts.

i am afraid to travel alone .
i will not be allowed to talk
no one would help me.
no one would stand for reason.
every one would enjoy my plight.
i  might be killed.

i am afraid to travel .
i might be killed.
and nothing would happen to my killers.
they would say i looked like a thief.
they would say i moved suspiciously.
they would say i didnt look a like a person
who owned the cash i carried on my person.

i am afraid to travel  .
i might be killed.
and the society would forget and forgive.
they would say it was my fate.
they would say it was accidental .
they might say it is sad but a warning.
they might make me a martyr .
but nothing would ever change.

i am afraid
you could be killed
any one could be killed
just for no rhyme or reason
becoz not a soul cares
not a man dares
no one  airs any views any more.

sabarimala tragedy

sabarimala pilgrimage is unique in many ways. it is one place where equality is practised not only preached. every pilgrim is a an ayyappan. nothing to distinguish the welathy , the learned , the powerful from the rest. all wear the black robes and carry the the two bags. a rare sight of a million human beings moving with one mind chanting same mantras.

sabarimala pilgrimage is characterised by yet another great feature . during the pilgrimage and the preparatory days one is not supposed to feel negative emotions like anger or behave badly not only with fellow pilgrims but any one on the street. even if you try deliberately to pick a quarrel with a sabarimala pilgrim he will simply say he is an ayyappan and walk away.

sabarimala pilgrim is the embodiment of many other noble traits. compassion, empathy, concern are all hallmarks of an ayyappan. not to talk of restraint and sacrifice .

now read the reports of the tragedy on the makara vilakku eve. ayyappans vying with each other to catch an auto to go back in luxury. shop keepers beating ayyappans and some of the ayyappans retorting in the same coin. ayyappans trampling and walking over fellow ayyappans.

should we doubt that genuine faith is missing ? is sabarimala pilgrimage becoming another festival to show off and enjoy ?

is makaravilakku tragedy a failure of faith ? an omen of the decline and a divine invitation to mend our ways and avoid the fall ? a godsend ? ഒരു നിമിത്തം ?