Chronicles of a Bhakt

A Collective of write-ups on efforts to bring some sense, logic to blind bhakti

By

Murali Murthy

Economy & Mismanagement

While our Man doesn't leave an opportunity to claim credit for everything that happens in India, what disturbed me the most is the credit taken for GDP recovery, Stock Market performance and 65 Cr Vaccination doses so far.

As to GDP recovery to 20%, GDP had grown from minus 24 BY 20.1 percent. It is not TO 20.1 percent. Which actually means that the GDP figures are still in the negative at MINUS 3.9 %

From 35 billion to 26 billion drop and now a rise from 26 billion to 32 billion. Decide if its a drop or a rise!!

It's common sense that you shut down Hotels, Malls, Transport, Industries the GDP slumped to -23% (which by the way Covid is to be blamed,.not him) and when things open up, GDP will obviously be back to near normalcy, and this man jumps to put his picture in that as well.

Stock Market goes up or down even if someone important sneezes and driven my emotions. It goes up during Diwali, will he start taking Credit for Diwali as well? Or take responsibility when the Stock market keeps crashing regularly?

Kudos to manufacturers, scientists, health workers and hospital staff, India has achieved 65 Cr doses so far. And this man is here again to take credit.

While we must understand 25% of the doses are taken via private channels, where people pay and buy from the Manufacturers directly, Govt has nothing to do with it.

So, to roughly achieve 50 Cr doses (in 8 months), forget him and Govt...do you all know at what cost?

- Petrol/Diesel prices hiked by Rs. 25 per liter

- LGP prices hiked by Rs. 200 per cylinder

- Commodity prices /retail inflation are all time high

Now just imagine where will this man leave us and the country's economy, if we have to reach 300 Cr doses (2 Doses for entire population), we all will survive from Covid, but the economy will bleed us to death.

Living by Rhetorics

So, it has been an interesting experience trying to put out the issues and sufferings in the present state of affairs and trying to ask questions.

I have been completely apolitical until recent years, had no interest in politics nor keen to vote, like 40% of India.

With my many conversations/encounters from past couple of years, what I see now is a clear division of remaining 60% population who either lean towards Right or Left and their thought process is also two extremes, there is no space or scope for someone to have a Centered view.

Unfortunately people are no more interested in performance based support, they like a party for their ideology and get orgasm by what each side offers them. While one offers freebies and appeasement, the other sells emotions and Saffron Goggles.

You criticise or raise concerns, an entire army pounces on you to vehemently argue, defend with all possible incomparable Rhetorics.

The term Andh Bhakt coined is indeed true, they are so obsessed and are seduced that I was accused of supporting RG/Congress, when I really don't care or have any romance with either of them.

They go all out to defend an indefensible decision to make the entire country suffer with steep hike in Fuel, Food and LPG rates, when people are already struggling to earn. These 3 affects basic livelihood!

The Rhetorics and rants used to defend the hikes included Building nation, build infrastructure, build monuments, provide free Vaccine, strengthen security, repay world bank loan. 

Seriously!! At what cost? All these are done by pushing more people to poverty. 50% of Indian population earns less than 30K per month, 5K increase will only make them that much poorer.

These supporters who have no impact by any economic situation, policies, lockdowns and are paid by private sector whatever be the situation.

These guys who crib and cry if they get 1% less hike during their  annual revision, if are so keen to build nation and do not mind paying obscene taxes, let them stop fooling the system by amassing assets just to show savings and pay less taxes!

There is a limit to believing and promoting rhetoric based views...I was appalled when one such guy said "Without such strong leadership, India would also become like Afghanistan". Didn't know if I had to laugh or cry, I mean, isn't Taliban also a Right winger with similarities in dictatorship, traditional mindset, living in the history,, oppressive approach? Probably the degree of extremism could be less, but both have similarities.

End of the day, all are just politicians. Politics is their life, career and business. They use every trick in the book to survive and be in power. Why should a common man have so much romance towards a Politician, that you lose empathy to hear a genuine complaint?

Bhakt Logic - Blame Taliban!

And this man just missed the berth of being the CM of a BJP ruled state by a whisker.

I really appreciate his devotion to his Master despite not being considered even for a Ministerial berth, forget his demand to become a CM.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rising-fuel-prices-a-bjp-mla-blames-taliban-takeover-of-afghanistan-101630824495249.html?fbclid=IwAR0ceKpaO3n3kF_E2gfvo1R9TZ5F-A06xwbQ5bDBP41VacoJfxcshtRQGzU

Oil Bond Politics

One of the favourite reason / justification claimed by Devotees to defend the never ending Fuel hikes, is to blame the previous Governments who are supposed to be the reason for the hikes.

Their excuse is that previous Govts kept the prices in check by raising Oil Bonds which only added to a huge pile of loans, which the present ruling seems to be forced to hike to refund the loan and clear Oil Bonds.

The incremental collections of Rs 32,492 crore in the first four months of the fiscal year 2021-22 (April 2021 to March 2022) is three-times the Rs 10,000 crore liability that the government has in the full year towards repayment of oil bonds that were issued by the previous Congress-led UPA government to subsidise fuel.

https://indianexpress.com/.../excise-mop-up-jumps-48-per.../

Who is really burdening the ordinary citizens is left to our good judgement.

Until the Govt comes up with the real reason for such steep and unceasing price hikes and explain the fund utilization and compulsion to choke the ordinary citizens, the Devotees keep coming up with such rhetorics and shameless defences.

On the contrary, why should an ordinary citizen be asking the Govt of the day to explain expenses and fund utilization, when they are elected to do the job of governing the country and running finances. It has come to this, due to lack of clarity, transparency, and deteriorating confidence.

It's high time our able PM step in, take measures. Else, his Devotees will take him further away from ordinary citizens.

https://indianexpress.com/article/business/excise-mop-up-jumps-48-per-cent-in-apr-july-at-3-times-of-full-fiscal-oil-bond-liability-7490938/?fbclid=IwAR1VZgRJmd4ilcFbJeIdfYGPj-8d1o08yt9V8rh9KREsoEZZGwpW5NG7_GU

Denying Covid Impact

While these devotees largely remained unaffected by Covid impact, Lockdowns, Price rise, they endured in Covid Paranoia living in the comfort zone, abusing those guys on the streets trying to earn a living.

I have come across devotees who got sadistic pleasure when Cops hit them in Lathis while the poor Veggie sellers and Push Cart vendors were only trying to sell their produce to earn a living.

Their deliberation was, it's a temporary phase and the poor have no choice but to undergo the sufferings, while they all received salaries as usual, and just couldn't connect with the sufferings of  a large population.

And now while the price hikes are also being defended and shielded, they continue to remain unaffected and audacity in thinking is, if they can afford everyone else can afford.

For those Devotees living in denial and busy posting articles on unwanted/inaffective achievements, The below article should give them some sense to real sufferings of people, with data and facts.

Let's ignore these Devotees for a moment, who will anyway clap for everything their Demi God does and are busy with their Hero Worshipping.

But the Govt of the day should atleast realize struggles of ordinary citizens, and give them some relief and not to strangle further.

Infact, no one is hoping or expecting any help from the Govt or Freebies, let them just leave us to earn our living and not trouble us any further.

If that small help can be done to the Nation to control price rise, anyway the devotees will be in awe with their Hero, he can continue with the chest thumping and we can also live in peace.

https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/insight/high-prices-magnify-woes-in-a-distressed-economy-1029474.html?fbclid=IwAR0k4MnAeJDkzLNvEA3zA7kqKtWamWaKBV-cKv3f--okelgEYnLZzddD9Rk

Fuel prices hits Century

As the Diesel also raised the bat, as it hits a Century as well, the Devotees continue to be in their own trip, busy praising the Demigod for supposedly his yet another achievement!

The achievement is supposed to be selling off a liability!

A 20 years of effort to sell, finally found a buyer.

The devotees are not bothered about insane taxes on fuel, it's dangerous impact on Economy and a majority population badly affected by the ripple effect of all prices, not only the direct travel but transport cost of everything shipped under the sun.

Now they are patting his back by claiming it's the taxpayer's money and they were "bleeding". Will the annual 55,000 Cr money saved be given back to us? Will the fuel price come down now??

Hero & Modesty

Now, that's Modesty and Humility, and what is expected from an icon, a hero.

People do make mistakes and take the path against what they once preached, out of obligation, out of compulsion,  momentary error of judgment. As long as they eventually realize the mistake, backtrack and take corrective measure, it's mark of a good human being and worth being idolized. 

Unlike another Hero who expressed utter shock and dismay that the then P.M was silent and unconcerned with price rise and fuel hikes, is today unapologetically silent and left his Devotees to defend, based on Emotions.

The Drama with ED

I was wondering why the slaves were so silent when the mother's turn came. Rewinding a month ago, when the son was called "just" for questioning, the drama on the streets had started days ago.

Once I returned back from office yesterday and saw the News, I was relieved to see the same screenplay for the mother as well!

And they themselves proved yesterday why they are mocked as Slaves, as one of their supposedly sensible leader uttered that they have made enough money in the name of one family, which is more than sufficient for 3 to 4 generations, and that it's time to show solidarity.

Seeing this statement, one Devotee started trolling how they have acknowledged that they are nothing without one family...when I started laughing how that same Devotee is nothing without one man/that one demigod!

The Emotional Connect

Anology: Me and my friend both are subscribers of Jio. My friend claims every success and every new idea, plan is because of it's Founder Mukesh Ambani.

When I said the Network is slow today, the service is deteriorating and Mukesh must explain, my friend jumped up with anger and asked me why am I blaming Mukesh, as he has done so many good things to India through Jio.

I told him I acknowledge he has done good things, but today my network is down, I have a problem with the Service.

My friend got furious and told me I am thankless and I only talk negative things.

I was like - Dude, he is a service provider, he is supposed to give good service as I pay for it. If there is a problem, it's ok to question, no need to get emotional!!

Off late, I see a paradigm shift in the list of things that people are getting emotional about.

Emotionally Supporting a movie to boycotting a movie, emotionally connected to loving politicians, actors to hating politicians, actors.

Emotionally supporting an ideology to opposing an ideology.

Emotional about religion, caste, nationalism, history, historic figures, historic names.

Being emotional is fine, but with some sense of rationality, logic and objectivity is the need of the hour.