Hopeful Thinking..

After independence, India has being shaped by politics and the power it yields.. yet, the most popular sentence about politics is 'Politics is the last resort of scoundrels'. This paradox, or irony is the reason why our standard of living in India is so pathetic, discriminatory, corrupt and hopeless.

AAP is a flicker of hope that might finally make the latter meaningless to an extent. Finally perhaps, good educated efficient simple people would join politics to serve the nation without the perks and addiction of power. It will be surely be very tough.

But there is a hope. With the kind of human resource that makes India, natural resources that builds India, and intellectual resource that ornates India, I can say with certainty that if politics become selfless, educated, benevolent and rewarding for goodness, India will be the best place to live our lives in this entire universe.

Explaining AAP online donation system..

We, as responsible global Indian citizens, need to understand how money travels in case of online payments. Aam Aadmi Party is the first political party in the world which have thought and designed an online donation module which is transparent and secure and regulated. We need to encourage such systems of funding elections to better our democracy, to reduce corruption.

To understand the supposed scam by AAP as alleged by the BJP, you have to read the following few paragraphs.

It is one of the top priorities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to regulate various modes of online payments; be it airtel money, paypal, mobile wallets and other online payment tools. That is the sole reason why Paypal was not allowed to do business in India for quite some time, as it had a risk of money laundering.

Let us understand how AAP gets funded through their online donation module.

1. People with credit cards, debit cards, INR saving accounts, INR current accounts, mobile wallets like Airtel Money only can donate to AAP. This practically negates the misconception that foreign funds are coming to AAP.
2. AAP has payment gateways that can only accepts payment instruments like the above mentioned list which are Indian Rupee based. AAP payment gateway cannot accept an American or European or a Saudi Arabian credit or debit card.
3. So, we should understand that AAP can receive money from Indian Bank Accounts only. Now India has one of the best KYC (know your customer) policies in the world. It is so foolproof that it even acts as a barrier to opening accounts in rural India because identity and address documents are sparsely kept in rural India. So when a customer or a company opens an account, both these identity and address documents have to be provided. It is the onus of the banks to check the veracity of these documents so that a criminal or a scam company does not get to enjoy banking facilities.
4. When a donor is making an online donation, there are three or more banks involved in the transaction. Let us take a case of 3 banks. The bank of the donor, the bank of the payment gateway like billdesk, CCAvenue etc and the bank of the receiver (AAP in this case). Money flows from the donor bank to the AAP bank account via the bank of the payment gateway. We need to note that the interbank money flow is via secure RBI RTGS servers. RBI RTGS servers can only be used by Indian Banks dealing in Indian Rupees.
5. RBI has fixed a maximum time limit of T+2 days for the settlement process of these online transactions. Two donations given in two consecutive days may come to the bank account of AAP in one single day. That is not a discrepancy. It is simply the settlement processes that banks have.
6. Important to note that when AAP receives money through the online module, it does not get to know any detail about the donor. At most, it may get the account number and the bank name in case of net-banking transactions. As for credit and debit card payments, AAP does not even get to know the card numbers. There are strict privacy laws against disclosure of such information to third parties. So, effectively, AAP has to depend on whatever the donor declares in the donation form just before going to the payment gateway webpage for payment. The donor provides his or her name, his or her mobile phone number, his or her email ID, and his or her state/city of domicile. The donor may give his name as 'BARACK OBAMA' and AAP has to accept it as such. There is no verification possible. As long as the money is coming from a legitimate bank account via a legitimate channel, AAP has absolutely nothing to worry or hide. 
7. AAP cannot ask for account numbers, card numbers and such details as that would violate privacy laws. These details are only filled in the webpage of the payment gateway service providers, which are registered with the Reserve Bank of India after due diligence and regular audit processes.
8. So AAP has minimum available data to do any cross verification of the donors. The primary responsibility of verifying the donors lies with the banks, as they are the customers of the banking system with strict KYC laws.

As for cheques, banks offer a cheque collection service for account holders with sizable number of incoming cheques. As part of their service, the bank provides an MIS (mostly excel) with all cleared cheque payments which can be uploaded into the AAP website by giving them transaction IDs.

I have tried to explain the AAP online payment of donation system to the best of my abilities. If there are any questions, please ask and I will answer each one of them.

Thank you.

Please vote for AAP.

Why to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party? (It is not about their election promises!)

We as responsible Indians residing in Delhi must vote for the Aam Aadmi Party. Mind you, this is not AAPtard speak. I would like appeal to our collective intelligence to think about the following points and then decide to place their vote of confidence on the 'broom'.

1. A Government is in power till it enjoys the vote of confidence in the Assembly. Even if AAP forms a majority Government, they will be in the Government only for 5 years. If they do not perform selflessly, do not stay honest, do not act efficiently, do not keep their promises, we can force them out of power.
2. We have to all agree that AAP started as a one-of-a-kind revolution that brought in the power of the common man; importantly the power of the educated youth. Indian democracy has not seen a mass movement such as 'India Against Corruption' and 'AAP' after Independence. AAP has increased the participation of the common public into the politics of the country. There are views that AAP is no more the AAP with the same ideals, and that it believes in anarchy. Whatever be the case, it was indeed a significant movement and it deserves at least a 5 year period to prove its efficiency and purpose of being in power.
3. There is a significant public opinion that Arvind Kejriwal should not have resigned in 49 days. The political opponents have taken advantage of the same and terms the act, 'Bhagoda'. I respect that opinion. AAP respects that opinion. However, we have to understand that AAP didn't have majority and the Congress support was based on a weak foundation from the very beginning. Outside support of Congress was destined for failure, as the philosophies of both the parties differ by miles. So I request all those people who are miffed with the resignation to forgive AAP and reconsider their decision. Investing 5 years for AAP is not a very risky proposition.
4. When Mr. Arvind Kejriwal was the Chief Minister, he made quite a few significant points. One of the points meant (not verbatim) that the Government has enough money to spend on public services, development and welfare. The barrier is 'Niyat' (intent). This is a significant point because our standard of living (happiness) depends critically on effective public expenditures. All previous Governments have not done a satisfactory job in spending public money. It is a commonplace knowledge that corruption eats up most of the public money sanctioned for expenditures. If AAP provides us the essential 'niyat' while spending public money, Delhi has indeed lot to gain in terms of happiness and development.
5. Similarly it is not correct to assume that the public companies (PSUs) are inherently lose-making. By design all PSU should be profitable although the primary motive is not profits. However, most of the PSUs have become sick units because of political interferences. I have spoken to an employee in one of the Navratnas in Assam, who has categorically told me that applications ('sefarish') for various jobs and other 'help' have increased in the BJP reign. He says, it used to happen earlier as well. Now, the applications with signatures of various BJP MPs are just too many. So, AAP is a party that is completely against such practices. Under AAP, PSUs may just get a new lease of life increasing the welfare and development that these companies were meant to do.
6. I cannot personally accept that India is bad at sports. We do not deserve so few medals at the Olympics and the Asian Games. We are ranked lower than 100 in football. This is not our destiny. One of the key reasons is simply political interferences and appointment of political people as heads of various sports bodies. AAP is a party that is completely against such political interferences. Arvind Kejriwal has categorically said that sports bodies should be headed by sportspersons of repute. An example to that effect is how All England Open Badminton Champion, Pullela Gopichand has taken India forward in Badminton. 
7. Lastly, the Aam Aadmi Party is perhaps the only political party in the history of politics, whose core philosophy is honesty and transparency. All political parties have these two ideals in their books, but AAP has it as their primary reason of existence. Miss Kiran Bedi, after accepting the Chief Ministerial candidate of BJP said that her primary agenda is 'Women's Safety' and categorically said that 'Corruption' is way below her priority. So, that makes AAP different and worthy of getting at least 5 years to prove its worth.

Else, we will lose a glimmer of hope for honesty in politics. Else, politics will always be the last resort of scoundrels. Else, we would never know if AAP could have actually made a difference.

We live in a democracy, and AAP must get a chance. We will boot them out if they don't perform. That is also a must.

My Happiest Investment.

In my life of 38 years, I have invested my time and effort to achieve many things at different points of my life. In some, I succeeded. In some I succeeded partially.

I read. I travelled. I helped riot victims.
I worked late nights and whole nights when the office time was 9 to 5.
I quit my corporate life to be with my parents.
I prayed.

My happiest investment so far, however, was one of my new year resolutions many moons back when I was penniless, jobless and directionless. It was after becoming a graduate with a prospect of becoming another educated unemployed youth in Assam.

I had thought that whatever be the case, I will try hard to be a good human being - truthful, helpful, honest and harmless. It was a lot of hard work and sacrifice not to be bad, not to lie, to be helpful before self, not to take shortcuts to earning money, not be revengeful, and be honest about your weaknesses.

From a monthly salary of Rs. 1500 in 1998, life conspired to enable me to study at the best communication institute - MICA which charged Rs. 750 for its prospectus (and another Rs. 700 for the CAT prospectus). It gave me the strength to resign as an AVP in Deutsche Bank 15 years later to come back to look after my parents. It has made me positive and courageous to tackle life.

Even believing in being truthful, helpful, honest, harmless and selfless gives you immense power, self belief and a sense of pride.

Today in this new year, I reaffirm my resolution that life is short and the happiest investment is to sacrifice everything to think good, do good and be good.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU, MY ELDERS, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

Politics of development is as narrow as the politics of secularism and communalism.

Modi is riding the development wave. He and BJP has successfully created this common perception over the past decade that politics now should be played on development and that BJP has the lone copyright on 'development'. The most common instance given are the roads of Gujarat to prove development, then the Tata Nano plant and then the opinion that most Gujarati (s) are rich.

I was convinced about the need for development, and the need for politics to be based on development and progress. I liked BJP for taking that plank. (However, I never liked Modi read this blog). In offices and in various dinner parties, development was the most discussed topic.

Over a lot of dinner table discussions, media reports and my own research, I realized that nobody has defined the measurement of development. For a Capitalist, development means something completely opposite to what it means to a Socialist, or a Leftist. Development means a certain thing for a salaried employee, and it means something else for a self-employed. Development carries a certain perception for urban population, and means something completely different for the rural population.

Today, Congress in Assam has released a full page advertisement on the most widely circulated Assamese daily - Pratidin. It says, "Reality of Gujarat in comparison to Assam". The ad signs off saying, "Action speaks louder than words". It gives various statistics to prove that indeed Gujarat is much lesser developed than Assam. One of the point says, "For every 100 sq. kms, Assam has 308.26 kms of road whereas Gujarat has 79.68 kms of road only".

This advertisement may fool the people of rest of India, but not the people living and suffering in Assam. This ad has clarified in my mind that 'development' politics is no different from 'secularism' politics. Both are shallow, mis-leading, corrupt in their meanings and mere vote led politics.

Some Statistics shown in the Ad

1. For every 100 sq. kms, Assam has 308.26 kms of road whereas Gujarat has 79.68 kms of roads only.
2. Women in reserved seats: Assam (33.3%) Vs Gujarat (14.7%)
3. Per 100 boys going to school: Assam (100 girls) Vs Gujarat (85 girls)
4. Farmers with loan debt: Assam (18.01%) Vs Gujarat (51.09%)
5. Hunger Index: Assam (4th) Vs Gujarat (13th)
6. Allotment for Rural development: Assam 3.13% vs Gujarat 2.80%
7. Allotment for Health and Medicine: Assam (4.8%) Vs Gujarat (4.6%)
8. Health Development Index: Assam (3rd) Vs Gujarat (13th)
9. Education Development Index: Assam (23.25%) Vs Gujarat (12.7%)
10. Loan NPA: Assam (29200 crs) Vs Gujarat (176500 crs)

Please note that this blog is NOT IN SUPPORT of CONGRESS. This is only to prove that we all can bluff on development. Even the most corrupt Congress Govt. in Assam can. It is primarily because development has no standard definition.

Corruption on the other hand has been given a definition by AAP. It is primarily segmented into two categories: Exploitative corruption and Mutual corruption. Exploitative corruption is the kind where the common public feels exploited, but is helpless to just accept it. So only one of the party benefits. Mutual corruption is the kind where both or all the parties involved are benefitting from the transaction. There is a third party or the country which is getting the hit.

Corruption not only takes away tax money meant for welfare, but also creates inefficiencies all across the economic and social value system. The most critical negative side effect of corruption is the effect it has on the character and morality of a society. It has a lot of indirect effects as well. For instance, the standard of driving and traffic skills is the poorest in the district where the department issuing licenses is most corrupt.

If we can reduce corruption either through fear or through awareness by 50%, Govt. expenditures will become 50% more effective and development will increase by over 50% automatically.

It is time that we understand what each of the political parties are saying in the real sense of the term. We should discuss, read and spread awareness. We have seen enough political promises and we have got cheated enough number of times by the ruling class.

It is time we vote for a party which is created by the Aam Aadmi with a clear focus on the common man. With Swaraj Bill and the Jan Lokpal Bill, it will bring power to the grassroots and thereby reduce mutual corruption in the ruling class. Jan Lokpal Bill will create necessary fear in the bureaucracy and the Govt offices and thereby reduce exploitative corruption.

Support AAP. Join AAP. Donate for a corruption free Assam, and India.

Confession of an AAPtard.

I was sort of a BJP supporter. They seemed like the better option as compared to the corrupt clue-less Congress. I loved Vajpayee Ji. I liked a lot of the BJP spokespersons on TV as well. They seemed smarter than the rest, and were more direct and clear in their interaction.

I was a salaried employee working in an MNC company then.

Yet, I was not very comfortable about my choice. The primary discomfort was because of the fact that I am more of an Assamese, than an Indian. To me, BJP is a very non-Assamese party and it does not understand the sentiments of the Assamese people. It may sound stupid, but that was how I felt. (Later I found out that lot of Assamese in Assam felt that way.)

Secondly, I could not get completely comfortable about Modi. I indeed tried to get comfortable by reading about him and his works, but he was just too much of an enigma. He seemed un-approachable, and far away for my conscience to get comfortable with him. He is an one-man army and his council of ministers in the Gujarat Government were too conspicuous by their absence and silence. This defeated the ethos of democracy.

Aam Aadmi Party in the meanwhile was being formed, and something or the other was happening in New Delhi. I didn't take much notice, perhaps because it was primarily a 'Delhi' thing, and I couldn't gauge the power behind the idea. It was only when AAP won 28 seats in the Delhi Assembly that I took notice and thought of reading about AAP and their anti-corruption drive.

One of the first videos that took my breath away - http://youtu.be/CvQ3_eOLdEA

I started following Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP website for a clearer understanding of the party. I found a strong anti-establishment sentiment primarily based on honesty and anti-corruption. I found a clear shift of focus from 'the ruling class sentiment' of a politician to the 'common man sentiment'. I found a lot of intelligence and ingenuity in the quickly evolving institution called AAP. The website and the various online services it offered were very innovative and user-friendly towards the single goal of forming a powerful institution. I loved the concept of 'Swaraj' where AAP is directing all its efforts and energies. I related to the concept of decentralization of power in terms of political, social and cultural administration of the country and the various varied states.

Two more videos to understand Arvind Kejriwal...

1. Facebook Talks Live Candidates 2014

2. India Today Conclave - Full Session

It was December 2013, when I had packed my bags and left Mumbai for good. Being in Assam for just a few days gave me a clear indication that corruption has entered even deeper in Assam, fueled by un-employment and lack of knowledge and awareness. I was surprised at the happy state of being corrupt, right from the top to the man on the streets. It was anarchy. To me, the wave of honesty and power to honest people seemed more critical for Assam than the rest of India.

BJP in the meantime had played its cards well and had become a formidable anti-incumbency option to the Indian citizens. From the last few elections, Indians were anyway fed up of coalition Governments and the 'concept per compromise' of NDA and UPA. It was not the party or its philosophy that had been creating a polarization of affection towards BJP. It was the univocal public sentiment of the well meaning citizens of the country towards a majority one-party Government, which was acting for the BJP. The in-efficient Congress, Modi effect with his team of spin doctors and the perception of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh being two of the most well-governed states of the country was adding fuel to the BJP fire.

At the same time, AAP, its leaders, its supporters including me were getting more and more confident of the alternative of honest politics, Swaraj and Jan Lok Pal bill. We were in a hurry. With the Delhi victory, we became doubly in hurry. Our objective of a corruption free country, where the power resides with the common people seemed possible. Quite obviously, BJP became our primary obstacle, as Congress ship was sinking on its own. We started attacking BJP and its policies more than those of the Congress. This created a huge confusion, debate and disillusionment among the well meaning citizens of India, who had already selected BJP as their saviour. BJP supporters, in no time labelled AAP as the agent of Congress to divide BJP vote bank for the Congress to win the elections.

We, the volunteers and supporters of AAP had got very upset about this new preposterous development. Labeling us with the Congress was an insult, hard to take. No amount of explanation and logic by the AAP supporters could convince the AAP haters to stop the tirade. The voice of the AAP critics and haters are so fierce that some time you get almost un-certain about the intentions of Arvind Kejriwal. I am confident about the constituency where I work, and the people that I work with. But sometimes I think 'who knows what is in the mind of the central think tank'. Politics is dirty.

Politics is dirty. This perception is the key reason why AAP is not believable for the un-initiated. 'Honesty is the best policy' has long lost its meaning and practicality. Honesty in politics is like a paradox. Honest politician is like a misnomer. AAP may have taken unconditional Congress support with honest intentions to form the Delhi Government, yet it is just not believable in the current context of politics in India. AAP and Congress just became allies for the common man of India. All the reasons and facts that had made people believe that AAP is an alternative to Congress in Delhi before the assembly elections, somehow faded into oblivion. After the elections when AAP took Congress support, all of those reasons and facts were all categorized as gimmicks with double meaning.

It is just unbelievable that AAP is an platform and a collection of honest people with the common intention of removing corruption from the political and administration system of our country. In Assam, there were a lot of people who joined AAP because it was easier to join, thinking that it will be just like any other political party - acceptably corrupt. It becomes very embarrassing for the party, as these people spoil the brand AAP. Although, they will get filtered out sooner than later, yet it is a problem that perhaps every state in the country has faced or is facing as I write.

Politics is also about power. There is a certain power addiction in becoming the ruling class, and remaining as one. AAP refutes that equation. AAP genuinely wants power to come to the masses. AAP genuinely wants the lowest unit of democracy to be the most powerful unit of democracy. This is again unbelievable, for it is a paradigm shift in terms of political thinking. It is about acting local facilitated by thinking global.

I have experienced this philosophy within the party. I was the campaign manager of the Jorhat Lok Sabha candidate - Mr. Manorom Gogoi. During the whole campaign process, there was no high command. Even the manifesto was made by us without any interference from the state committee and the central committee. It was all about the local needs best understood by the local people and by the people directly involved in the campaign process. The basis idea of honesty was omni-present but it got manifested in the most local way possible in our actions and speeches.

I have realized one thing for certain. AAP is not merely a political party. It is a revolution that have touched the length and breath of the country. It has polarized the country against corruption. Good intentions and actions will keep converting people in the fringe into hardcore supporters.  Arvind Kejriwal has started the revolution, and now it is all about what we do that will define this great phenomenon.

Till now, we have shown extreme intelligence, dedication, comradeship and perseverance. Just look at the huge IT infrastructure that the party is able to create in just over a year. It is no mean feat that AAP is fielding the highest number of candidates in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, among all parties. Arvind Kejriwal and Kumar Vishwas have shown extreme courage and commitment by deciding to stand against Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. It is quite likely that both Arvind Kejriwal and Kumar Vishwas will win their respective elections.

If that happens, we will not be very far from the miracle of really being able to restore honesty in the electoral politics of India.

Resignation of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP Government

First Post writes "Mr Kejriwal, next time make some friends, not just enemies"  Various other publication has written various other things. All these just make me think that whatever AAP and AK has been doing is beyond conventional logic of analysis and paralysis by intelligentsia and journalists. 

India has not seen this kind of politics and political will ever. Like no intelligentsia could predict the 28 assembly seats in Delhi, even this great gutsy act of AK and AAP is beyond any prediction or analysis. The common logic of friends, enemies and lobbying just does not apply when it comes to AAP and AK.

It is remarkable that AAP and AK has maintained their consistent intent and approach even after becoming a Government of power. The clarity of intent against corruption and the mindset regarding honesty is very apparent in whatever the party has done till date.

We all know that today the whole system and its people holding positions are either corrupt, or has accepted that corruption is the necessary evil, or has got defeated to corruption and its vicious grip. It would have been a completely normal and accepted behaviour if AAP had tried to make friends with some to win against some others, like this article tries hard to explain. Anybody in the political system today would have done so. 

AAP has defied that common logic and had refused to make friends with anybody with any record or intent of corruption, right from media, business houses to political parties. It is against choosing the lesser corrupt against the more corrupt.

Hail that thought and intent. My salute.

Like it won thousands of friends who voted them to power, it will continue to win friends in the existing system overtly and covertly, gradually. There are people frustrated with the level of corruption. There are people who have suffered and continues to suffer because of corruption. Nobody today can claim that they have not given bribe in their entire life. The system has compelled us to become corrupt, or suffer.

AAP just needs to keep the intent and will alive, friends will automatically come.  What AAP is doing is so unconventional that there are bound to be 'user resistance' after the initial momentum of support tapers down.

Secondly, BJP and Modi is riding the wave created by lack of options, and the public hatred for fragmented polity and Congress party. AAP is the new option and there are a lot of Indians waiting to see how AAP maintains itself for another few months. Like I became a recent convert from BJP, there will be many BJP supporters that will come and become friends with AAP in the coming months.

I just wish AAP and AK continue its hardline stance against corruption. I also wish that the other members of AAP gets the strength from AK to continue their hard struggle. This revolution will one day sweep every Indian household across the length and breath of the country.