Sachin Pilot disappointed

He was considered one of the brightest faces of Congress and many were certain that whenever there is expansion he would be the first to be inducted. He, in fact had excellent credentials. Son of Rajesh Pilot, he had pedigree and represented that new generation of Indians who are comfortable in the west as well as east. Being married to the daughter of Farook Abdullah he had perfect secular credentials, if that means anything. Moreover, he had grown in a short span of time into a leader of the masses. His hold among the Gujjars was to be seen to be believed. It is in this light that they are in a state of shock over the exclusion of Sachin Pilot from the recently expanded ministry. Probably the ticklish issue of reservation for the Gujjars worked against him. It might have put the onus on him to have the nod and nudging of the Congress and the UPA.

 Antony’s headache!

The Pay Commission’s report is turning out to be veritable headache for the Defense Minister Antony. Young officers by the scores are putting in their papers as they see greener pastures outside the uniform. It is indeed disturbing to note that the Commission did not realize what was happening in the forces and that it continued to think that there are enough people in this country of one billion to lay down their lives so that millions of others could get fat pay packets for doing very little work. The Defense Minister has a task on his hands now but one wonders that what were those people doing when it was time for them to make appropriate noise. One also now believes that the bureaucrats are the part of the problem that this country faces and unless they are cut to size there would be continued disaffection in the country.

Gored by bulls, mauled by bears

The small and ordinary investors have been once again delivered a message. Investment is not their cup of tea and that they should stop being greedy. This at least is the opinion of  those who have once again lost considerable amount of their surplus savings. However, these investors would like to know the role of the media in each of the knockings that the stock exchange and the investors have taken now and in the past. Each time the hype is built by a media that is only too obliging and the people who believe in the written word trusted it when Harshad Mehta was ruling the roost and the television now when investment had become a specialized subject for many. In future, who should these investors be trusting? The Babas and the astrologers perhaps!