I'm Kejriwal's baap, just that my home turf is not Delhi: Bacchu Kadu, independent MLA from Amravati

From dumping snakes in government offices to climbing atop a water tank in Sholay style to shake up authorities. A brash style of functioning separates Bacchu Kadu, independent MLA from Achalpur (Amravati), from others of his ilk.

From dumping snakes in government offices to climbing atop a water tank in Sholay style to shake up authorities. A brash style of functioning separates Bacchu Kadu, independent MLA from Achalpur (Amravati), from others of his ilk. A votary of equality of the disabled, the 44-year-old had organised a blood donation camp at St George's Hospital on February 20 where 600 physically challenged people turned up. Kanchan Srivastava spoke to Kadu in a medical van after he donated blood for the 83rd time. Edited excerpts:

You are a lawmaker, but you often take the law in your own hands. Why?

I can't keep quiet when I see that government officials are harassing the common man. To teach them a lesson, it is necessary to break the law at times. It attracts attention of everyone and they are forced to do their job.

Do you want to become Arvind Kejriwal of Achalpur?

I am Kejriwal's baap (much above him), for I am holding constructive movements for past two decades such as conducting blood donation drives of disabled people. I don't believe in wasting people's time and energy by holding road shows. I am not so popular because I don't live in Delhi where even a small work is noticed.

So, who is your inspiration?

I derive a little bit of inspiration from Anil Kapoor-starrer Nayak. My funda is – first Gandhigiri or else, Bhagat Singh.

You exchanged the Indian flag with your wife during your wedding and instead holding a feast, you gifted tricycles to disabled people. Was this a publicity stunt?

I and my wife just wanted to show respect to the nation. As regards the feast, I was part of Zilla Panchayat then and had requested district officials to provide 100 tricycles to the needy. After eight months of following up, I could get just one which left me disheartened. I thought why waste money on feeding guests who were not hungry. Instead, we helped the needy.

You are currently holding an agitation. Why?

Since years, I have been fighting for the rights of people with disabilities, but the government has nothing. Our demands include compulsory spending of 3% funds in civic bodies, speedy issuance of disability certificates, hike in disability support pension, filling up vacancies for them, expansion of housing scheme for APL disabled. We want government to set-up a separate commissionerate for differently abled people under social justice department.

Have you got any assurance from the government?

The social justice minister has assured us that all our demands would be met in three months. If that happens, we will collect blood equivalent to the CM's weight and treat ministers with laddoos. If not, we'll hold blood donation drives in front of their bungalows.

Why don't you join BJP or Shiv Sena?
My organization Prahar has helped over 20,000 people avail medical treatment and 25,000 people get their caste certificate. There is a lot need to be done in my constituency, especially for farmers and on education and health front. I don't think that I am doing any less compared to MLAs of Sena or BJP. Moreover, I don't want to lose my independence by joining any political party.

Source: dnaindia

Why did Winston Churchill call Gandhi a fakir?

This painting by artist Jacob Kramer was made when Gandhiji was at the Second Round Table Conference in 1931.

It now appears that Winston Churchill's "seditious fakir" comment during his wilderness years is linked to an occasion when Mahatma Gandhi posed for portraits at Kingsley Hall in London.

The painting, by Ukrainian-born artist Jacob Kramer who spent all his working life in England, was made when Gandhi was at the Second Round Table Conference in 1931.

During the London visit, Gandhi had invited Kramer to capture his likeness for posterity. The image, made with black and white chalk on buff paper, shows the icon of peaceful protests smiling mischievously, seemingly aware that he had the British Establishment on the run.

In London from September 12 to December 5, 1931, Gandhi stayed at Kingsley Hall and used an office at 88 Knightsbridge during this visit. Here, according to the Mahatma's grandson Gopal Gandhi, a day was allotted to artists and Kramer is said to have made three or four drawings of the Mahatma.

His impressions were published in the Yorkshire Post on January 31, 1948, after Gandhi's death: "I was with him from 10.30 am until 6 pm. It was one of his silent days and neither of us spoke a word. But one did not need to speak to Gandhi to be aware of his personality. A shrivelled little man though he was, he filled that room with an extraordinary spiritual force. He was the most impressive subject I have ever had." Gandhi had vowed to spend every Monday in silence.

Shockingly, around the same time, the United Kingdom's future prime minister Winston Churchill (1940-1945 and 1951-1955) unflatteringly described Gandhi thus: "It is alarming and also nauseating to see Mr Gandhi, a seditious middle temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the east, striding half-naked up the steps of the viceregal palace, while he is still organising and conducting a defiant campaign of civil disobedience, to parley on equal terms with the representative of the kingemperor."

Significantly, the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, the predecessor of the Arts Council, had exhibited this portrait during World War II in 1942-43.

A neighbour of Tony and Cherie Blair in Connaught Street, London, and art gallery owner Indar Pasricha recognised Gandhi's signature on this portrait after he found the Mahatma's name misspelled in an auction catalogue in South Kensington. The auction house had not indicated that Gandhi had signed the portrait and Pasricha managed to buy it for a fairly modest few thousand pounds.

Speaking about his latest find, Pasricha said: "I do hope that this remarkable work goes back to India where ideally it should find a home in the Prime Minister's Office as Narendra Modi has been greatly inspired by Gandhiji." He added: "The drawing shows Gandhiji laughing who, like the current Dalai Lama, was always smiling."

Source: indiatoday

శ్రీ కౌముది ఫిబ్రవరి 2015

Hindu Mahasabha's Valentine's Day threat is so lovely, couples must avail it

Hindu Mahasabha will force couples to marry on Valentine's Day. Couples who can't because their families don't agree, go ahead, get married and blame it on them.

Kamlesh Singh @kamleshksingh

There is good news and bad news. Since the Bajrang Dal is busy with its national meet scheduled on February 15, the onus of the Valentine's Day vandalism has shifted to the shaky shoulders of the Hindu Mahasabha. This Mahasabha has a national president who goes by the name of Chandra Prakash Kaushik. He wants all 365 days to be like Valentine's Day, but doesn't want a Valentine's Day. "India is a country where all 365 days are days for love, why then must couples observe only February 14 as Valentine's Day?" he told The Times of India, the newspaper that discovered him. "We are not against love; but if a couple is in love, then they must get married," he added. Welcome back to Licence Raj.

The Mahasabha has said that people caught celebrating the festival of love will invite the opposite of love, hatred and punishment. If the lovers turn out to be Hindus, they will be married off in a swift ceremony. If the boy holding hands turns out to be a Muslim, he will be purified into a Hindu before the on-the-spot Arya Samaj wedding ceremony. If the lovers turn out to be homosexuals, the Mahasabha would not know. Great success! They will be busy scouring cafes, restaurants and malls to spot people walking hand-in-hand, couples sitting in corners and anyone carrying a rose. This comprehensive list may or may not include public parks and parked cars.

The good news is that we have not seen much action from the Mahasabha men in the past. The bad news is that we may see them turning their words into deeds. In a country where it takes six people to enforce a highway hold up, Mahasabha's five or so members can enforce their anti-love campaign. Take this threat seriously. Since you also know how our policemen and our governments fear the rage-boys; the onus of our personal safety lies entirely on us.

But the best news is for the thousands of girls and boys who fall in love but cannot marry because their families wouldn't approve of the relationship. They sacrifice their love at the family's altar. This is a golden opportunity for them. Just walk hand in hand, ensure the rose is visible, then walk into a restaurant, take the corner table and wait for the loonies. Get through the short and sweet Arya Samaj wedding ceremony, and you are man and wife. To interfaith people, do not despair. This shuddhikaran is just a little ceremony. And boy, if you happen to be a Muslim, believe you are Shahrukh Khan, and this is a film where you play Rahul. Go through the motions. And emerge a winner. And if the boy is a Hindu and the girl happens to be a Muslim, remember all religions treat women so badly that women in fact have no religion at all. And it doesn't matter how you get married. All that matters is love.

And if you are a law enforcement officer, hang your head in shame that the Mahasabha boys don't believe that you have a spine, and hence take the law in their hands. If you are the government, Happy Valentine's Day to you too, sir, for we love you unconditionally, knowing that you cannot protect our lives and loves. If you can, then prove it. On the day of love.

Source: dailyo