Delhi Elections 2013: Dissecting Manifestos From A Businessman’s Point Of View

Today is a historical day for Delhi, as India’s national capital is all set to decide the fate of politics by casting their votes. 66,11,362 males, 53,20,705 females, 4509 service professionals and 6 NRI voters from Delhi will use their electoral power and fundamental right to choose the next State Government.

For the past 15 years, Delhi has been ruled by Congress under Chief Minister Sheila Dixit. Last time Congress was defeated was in the year 1993, when BJP won a clear mandate. Ever since that, Congress has won the Delhi power seat viz. in the year 1998 then in 2003 and the trend repeated during last elections in 2008.

Will 2013 be different and bring along a revolution? Only the results can suggest that, when it is announced on December 8^th when the Election Commission will receive the mandate of 70 Delhi constituencies, spread across 186 polling booths.

We decided to scan the election manifesto of the top three political parties which are contesting Delhi’s election: Congress, BJP and AAP (Aam Aadmi Party), and here is our observations.

Congress

The manifesto of Congress party doesn’t promise much for a businessman, as they promote a more ‘socialistic’ propaganda.

There is nothing new or exciting about corruption as the party is itself smeared with corruption allegations on a national level.

But yes, they have laid an emphasis on e-governance, which can lead to less corruption as accountability would seep-in and the babus would be answerable to the public.

A safe and secured city is a must for any business to thrive and for that, Congress has promised to establish a special force to tackle crimes against women.

Regarding infrastructure, there is no mention by Congress related to topics such as electricity and power; but yes, if Congress comes to power, they will introduce Mono-Rail and expand existing Metro Rail to new areas.

For de-centralization of industries, Congress has promised setting up a “Partnership” program which can benefit entrepreneurs and businessmen. A new “Common Economic Zone” is a promise by Congress for promoting business and commerce.

BJP

BJP has always been a supported and admirer of the business community and their manifesto is clearly inclined towards them. Although they are mute of Lokpal issue; but they have promised to give “Lokayukta” sufficient powers to deal with corruption in every sphere of governance. Just like Congress, they are supported the formation of e-governance as well.

For women’s safety and Delhi a crimes-less city, they have promised to establish a “Women’s Security Force” but has no details as to how the force would be created or its powers.

Being in the opposition, BJP has assured 30% reduction in electricity prices, which can be a major boost to the business community.

For improving infrastructure and transport, BJP has also assured us Mono-Rail and plans to ‘modernize’ public transport for faster access and mobility. Futuristic planning such as under ground parking is also on BJP’s agenda.

For increasing business activities and to help commerce grow, BJP has announced that they will establish IT Parks and Special Economic Zones all over Delhi. This is a big advantage and feature for a businessman who will naturally benefit with these new plans.

Aam Aadmi Party

AAP would be fighting their first elections under the command of Arvind Kejriwal, who has fighting directly against Congress’s Sheila Dixit and BJP’s  Dr. Harsha Vardhan for CM’s post.

The party is functioning like a new startup, buoyed by a vision of revolution and promise of drastic changes. There is a strong under-current of AAP’s voice in every sphere of Delhi’s society.

Corruption has been the base of the formation of this party, and they have promised that if they are elected to power, they will create a Lokpal within 15 days of power formation and give huge sweeping powers to the Lokayukta so that corruption is rooted out of the corridors of power.

This is certainly a huge promise which can totally transform the way business, politics and power function in Delhi.

Besides e-governance, AAP has promises more usage of technology and communication channels to bring in more accountability in the overall functioning of government.

For better security for women and to establish a conductive atmosphere for businesses to flourish, AAP has promised to set up a special force of retired Army personals and soldiers, which will target urban criminals and put them to their place.

For better infrastructure, AAP has assured 50% reduction in electricity costs and free water as well!

In order to manage colonies and societies, AAP has promised to set up totally de-centralized governance called “Swaraj” model or Self-rule which will work just like a Panchayat in village.

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Arvind Kejriwal: The Aam Aadmi Who Destroyed India’s Oldest Political Party

Indian National Congress is India’s oldest political party, which came into existence in the year 1885. In the recently concluded Legislative assembly elections in New Delhi, this party suffered its most humiliating defeat at the hands of a Aam Aadmi: Arvind Kejriwal.

It is a historical win for Aam Aadmi Party, the echoes of which will haunt Congress for a long time to come.

Arvind Kejriwal beat Sheila Dixit, the three-time Chief Minister of New Delhi, right in her constituency by a margin of 25,000+ votes. The unthinkable has happened; a person with passion and zeal has literally overthrown the existing government.

Although BJP also won lot many seats compared to last elections, but the intensity with which AAP and Arvind Kejriwal has entered the political scene of New Delhi has left everyone with awe and shock.

How did it happen?

Didn’t the researchers and analysts of Congress saw it coming? How can one single person, with relatively no ‘political’ experience give such a devastating blow to the experienced political campaigners and that too in New Delhi, the heart of India?

To start with, Congress never took Arvind Kejriwal and his political party AAP seriously. Few months back, she told press that Congress is in direct fight with BJP; AAP doesn’t even qualify as her opponent!

During another TV interview, she thundered, “I would like to ask the AAP what’s your policy, what’s your ideology? What are you going to work for? And what is your record?”

In yet another magazine interview, she proclaimed “Kejriwal is not even on our Radar”

When countered on the charges of corruption, she told, “Both BJP and AAP have been defaming us by alleging that there has been corruption in our government. If you have come across cases of corruption, then please tell us where is the corruption.”

How ironical!

This year, when Arvind Kejriwal had openly challenged Sheila Dixit to reduce electricity rates or else refused to pay for electricity, she had chuckled, “In the last few years, the sale of generators has declined in Delhi and the sale of ACs (air-conditioners) has risen sharply. If you use an AC, you will have to pay its electricity bill. But Kejriwal does not talk about that,”

On one occasion, she said, “The common man doesn’t believe in what Kejriwal is talking about,”.

I am sure she will need to rethink on her speeches and interviews now; the logic she presented has broken all records of nonsense. She has finally admitted that her party has made a major mistake by not gauging the popularity of Arvind Kejriwal.

Not only Sheila Dixit, but other veteran party members too failed to realize that the country needs an alternative to Congress and BJP, and that the power now remains with the common man.

Digvijay Singh once wrote a letter to Arvind Kejriwal, where he described him as, “a self-serving ambitious megalomaniac with scant regard for democracy”.

On another occasion, he Tweeted, “Arvind Kejriwal is like Rakhi Sawant. They both try and expose but with no substance,”

Last year, during an event, he said, “Let Mr Kejriwal first get elected as an MP or MLA or even a municipal corporator,”.

I am glad that Digvijay Singh’s this wish has been granted!

I am sure lots of political writers and publications will now try to post-mortem this amazing win by AAP and Arvind Kejriwal; and lots of new theories may emerge in this aftermath of a major political shuffle. But the fact remains:

This is a win of the common man, who is now hell bent on changing the system.

See this Arvind Kejriwal interview on NDTV, and you will understand why AAP is all about Common Man!

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Delhi Court Frowns on Money-based Online Games: Where will the Gamers Head?

A startup internet firm built by IIT Delhi alumni has obtained from a Delhi court an interpretation of Article 19(1)(g) of the Indian constitution which allows every citizen the right to “practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business”.

The company is planning to offer six online games – Chess, Billiards, Rummy, Poker, Bridge and Snooker.

The court advised that online game sites which charge participants money to make up the winning prizes, even if the games require skill, can fall under the category of illegal gambling in some states.

Based on this ruling, gaming sites and web-hosting companies that allow them to exist could be tucked away in the shady corners of the internet. They will have a hard time getting protection from the Constitution if they need to take the legal recourse, and banks will be entitled to turn their backs away from such sites.

Cracking down on the Gamblers

It is not just the law that frowns upon gambling.

For long, internet services such as Google AdWords and AdSense have strictly prohibited the use of gambling in advertisements and website content.

India has been known to allow a good measure of freedom on the internet, but is also reputed to summarily wipe off websites that are deemed to be troublemakers, as is indicated by a report sent out by The OpenNet Initiative.

Websites are taken down for “security reasons”, but online gambling is known to continue mostly unchecked, in spite of repeated associations being made between this activity and security issues.

Officially, gambling is allowed at casinos in Goa and Sikkim, apart from betting at horse races that take place in parts of the country.

Away from the radar of the police, online gambling is rampant, contributing to the $60billion industry that thrives on mostly illegal activities. One of the laws restricting gambling and particularly targeting games that do not need skill, the archaic The Public Gambling Act of 1867,threatens that anyone found in a gaming house “shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred rupees” or a prison term “not exceeding one month”. As for persons found running the gaming houses, the punishment is a fine of up to two hundred rupees or imprisonment of up to three months.

In Conclusion

There have been no instances of major crackdowns on illegal online gambling, with calls being made to ponder over the complex and possibly outdated laws that attempt to control these actions.

Going by the recommendation of the Delhi court on this subject, will organizers of online games tend to be extra careful? Or, will they take advantage and call for their rivals to be taken down from the internet?

The most probable situation is that the intertia will continue until there is a major overhaul of gambling, foreign exchange and information technology laws that look into this subject.

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5 Facebook Games You Should Totally Check Out!

Ok, its weekend and what better time to post this one – If you are bored and want to have some fun read on…

I spent a lot of time deliberating between the above title and this one -“What To Do On Facebook When You Are Bored” – but the latter sounded a bit cocky, hence I decided to stick with the former. After playing dozens of Facebook games, I have compiled a list of those which are really worth your time. (If you are looking for the more famous games like Farmville, Café World, etc, you’ll be disappointed).

Top 5 Facebook Games you must check out !

5 ) Mafia Wars

Well, if you are a guy and you secretly fantasize about lording over a faction of vicious and ruthless mobsters in downtown Manhattan AND if The Godfather figures in your list of Top Five Favourite Movies, then this game is custom-made for you. Winner of the 2009 Webby Award, this hugely popular Zynga game gives you a glimpse of the real New York’s crime scene, dominated by shady Italian-American Mafia families.

In this game, you start by being a lowly Street Thug, but you can quickly climb up the criminal ladder by doing an assortment of jobs like extortions, bank heists, auto thefts, and illegal gambling and smuggling operations, to reach the upper echelons of the underworld. En route, you can fight rival gangs infringing on your territory, increase the size of your criminal empire (by recruiting other friends from Facebook), and travel to other Mafia hubs (namely Cuba, Italy and Moscow) to expand your business.

But, on the downside, it is wholly a text-based game; hence it is not nearly as convincing as the other games – but hey, where else do you get to be a crime lord? So get your coat and dive headfirst into the shady world of crime in New York City.

4) Mercenaries of War

Rated a whopping 4.9 out of 5 in Facebook, this game takes you to straight to “Dark City”, New Georgia where, after a “retina scan”, you are ordered by your commander (a mean looking guy with an eye-patch) to rescue a certain Jessica Anderson, the daughter of some bigwig, who has been kidnapped by other mercenaries.

So the point of the game is to wage a war against those mercenaries and rescue the girl. Pretty ordinary plot, I agree, but this game boasts of some great graphics – for instance, you shed loads of blood and slowly drop down to your knees when hit by rival mercenaries.

As you progress, you have to equip yourself with armors (various grades of Kevlar vests), assault weapons, gears and equipments (LED helmets, flashlights, duffel bags, C-4 Explosives and more) and you also get to hire mercenaries to officially “kick some ass”! Great game if you are into military-style combats.

3) Battle Stations (BS)

Set in the alternate world of Sios, this MMOG (Massive Multiplayer Online Game) lets you pilot your own vessel – a flying ship. Here, the continents are airborne (hence the need for flying ships) and are ruled by five kingdoms, chiefly, the Alexen Imperium, Al-Amraan Caliphate, Jade Archipelago, Corxas Cartel and the Floating City of Aeros – each possessing its own port where you can dock to buy stuff , check out the local scenery, etc.

There are four major character classes to choose from – Pirates, Scouts, Soldiers and Mechanics. As for the gaming part, you can explore Sios, venture into mining, or simply attack other people’s ships for fun (and experience). Combats are animated, but otherwise it is mostly a text-based game. As you level up, you can buy ship parts (hulls, stabilizers, sails, engines) and advanced weaponry, upgrade your ship, buy bigger and better ships, auction items, etc.

As with most multiplayer games, BS too allows you to join clans and swear allegiances. Clan Wars are pretty exciting (but you can join a clan only if you are level 25 or above). In other words, this is a highly addictive game.

2) Infinite Realms (IR)

I’m pretty sure you haven’t heard of this game before, no worries: before writing this article, I hadn’t either. The sole reason why this game makes it to the number two slot is that I haven’t encountered any other game with such great graphics on Facebook before.

This sci-fi MMORTS (Multiplayer Online Real-time Strategy) browser game, has the human race and the other aliens races of Psodrinar, S’uhrden (the most powerful race), Mhad’ul (possess psionic powers) and Xuleth (technically most advanced) competing for dominion in the Archeon Galaxy.

A new player starts from planet Belatucadros, where his Outpost is located. The Outposts contain Ration depots, Barracks, Refineries and Armories – which one has to upgrade at regular intervals, or risk getting defeated when attacked by other players. However, if you do get defeated and lose all your soldiers in the process, you can always ask your Mothership (located in outer space) to send you Relief Forces (but this feature is disabled once you lose Newbie Protection).

You can increase your level by taking down as many enemy camps as you possibly can. To do that, you’ll first have to equip your Hero (your entire army is commanded by him) with heavy armory like Tanks and infantry units (Shock Troopers, Wraiths, Titans), then search for enemy camps on the planet surface to attack. In my opinion, this is one game that all sci-fi aficionados will definitely look forward to playing.

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Top 4 Must-See Historical Places in India!

When vacationing in India, the land of spices, there are so many different things that one could see and do that the list could be seemingly endless. A country this big certainly has much to offer any person that chooses to visit here.

India happens to boast thousands of kilometres of shoreline and some of the most beautiful beaches of any nation; beaches that serve as the primary attraction for millions of vacationers annually.

But when you are not soaking up the sun on the beaches, or enjoying the luxury five star resorts that have been specially designed to accommodate foreigners, or shopping at one of the many bazaars, there are some historical places that you should really jot down on your list of things not to be missed when here. To better help you along the way, here are the top four.

India Gate

Located in Rajpath, New Delhi, India Gate is a prime attraction, and should also be at the top of your list. Also called the India War Memorial, this monument was created to honor the memory of the fallen soldiers – around 90,000 of them – who sacrificed their lives for world freedom during the First World War; it’s also a memorial to the second war in Afghanistan (1919). The gate, comprised almost entirely of sandstone, is approximately 42 meters in height and was first constructed in 1921 by the Duke of Connaught. It was officially dedicated to India by Viceroy, Lord Irwin in 1931. A popular recreational site, you will find a plethora of picnickers here during the warmer months, as people remember their history and freedom, the price of which can be seen in the thousands of names of the fallen that are inscribed on its sandy walls.

Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is a spiritual haven for religious Buddhists and attracts hundreds of thousands of the devoted to its sacred monument each year. Located just outside of Niranjana, this site is considered to be one of the holiest of pilgrimage centers, as history purports that this site is where Buddha attained his enlightenment. The world famous Bodhi tree grows in a garden here; the tree under which Buddha sat as he attained his enlightenment; a genetic descendant of the original tree grows here, and is available for tourists to visit. The Mahabodh temple is a prime attraction, and offers a rich taste of religious history and the undying message of peace that Buddhism represents.

Khimsar Fort

Originally constructed in 1523 AD by famed architect Rao Karamsiji, should be on your list of must-see places when on vacation in India. Situated on the Great Thar Desert, and still occupied by the 20^th descendent, it’s more like a palace than it is a hotel. Khimsar Fort has been entirely preserved and features authentic ramparts, turrets and the scars of many historical battles. Ranked as the most desirable Royal Retreat that you can stay at while visiting, the hotel features 50 ultra luxurious rooms outfitted with all of the amenities, from hot and cold water, to air conditioning and even 24-hour room service.

Konark Sun Temple

Positioned in Orissa just outside of the city of Puri, Konark Sun Temple is considered to be a “medieval masterpiece” that represents the rich architectural heritage of Indian culture from this time period. It’s estimated by historians that King Narashimhadev I had the temple built in AD 1238-64 to honor the Sun God and to appease him. Made mostly from intricately hand sculpted pieces and segments, the temple was constructed to represent the chariot of the Sun God, complete with 24 wheels (each one about 10 feet in diameter), and inclusive of elaborate details like the spokes. Two fearsome lions guard the temple’s entrance, there are seven horses pulling the chariot, and rearing elephants welcome visitors to the main steps that lead to this preserved temple in India.

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Tata Nano Gold: World’s first Gold Jewellery Car by GoldPlus!

Ratan Tata has unveiled world’s first gold jewellery car to mark the occasion of 5000 glorious years of jewellery making tradition in India, from its Group company Titan Industries.

Yesterday, the chairman of Tata Sons went public with its Nano studded with 80 kgs of purest 22 karat gold, 15 kgs of silver and other precious stones, created with devoted efforts of 30 premium artisans. In short, every effort has been made to make the world’s cheapest car as one of the most expensive one; with gold prices hovering around Rs.28,100 per 10 grams.

I leave the arithmetical calculations for you to arrive at the astronomical worth of this car, will you? Okay, let me tell you – the worth of this ‘bling’ version of the Nano is pegged at a whopping Rs.22-crore. And, forget not, you still have to fuel it with soaring petrol prices, which is highest in India from across the globe.

At one point of time, media was rife with speculation that Tata Nano could as well go topless, the convertible way. However, the Nano has emerged all the more covered by being wrapped with precious metals and stones all over it.

The car was presented by GoldPlus, a jewellery brand of Titan Industries, which is better known for its branded watches. Titan Industries’ GoldPlus caters to the jewellery preferences of the semi-urban and rural Indian customer; with a presence in 29 towns spread across 6 states.

The COO of Titan Industries’ Jewellery Division, C K Venkataram, said:

“Through this effort we wanted to showcase the expertise of diverse Indian Jewellery making proficiency. Nothing could have been better than a Tata Nano, as there is a perfect synergy between the two brands that cater to the common man”

The jewel encrusted GoldPlus Nano is a one-off showpiece that will make guest appearance at Tata-owned jewellery stores across the country.

This over-the-top marketing effort comes at a time when the Nano is still grappling with safety features. Yet again, the brand-new Tata Nano was claimed to have engulfed in flames in Sri Lanka by a taxi operator. Tata Motors had started exports to Sri Lanka in May this year.

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5 reasons the ‘make money online’ bubble needs to be busted!

Not in our wildest of dreams would we have imagined a decade back that the internet would be flooded with ‘make money online’ campaigns and advertisements. While making money online may be a reality for a few (infact, very very few) in India, it is still a distant dream for others who’ve pinned their hopes and savings into the idea of working from home and making money.

Here are 5 reasons why the make money online bubble needs to be busted and people need to get back to looking for real jobs.

The idea of making money online is often misleading

Whether it is earning through affiliate programs or advertisement revenue, the thought of making money is very over-rated. The advertisements promise the Indian IT savvy surfer that they would become rich and start earning thousands within the first few weeks. Unfortunately, these tall claims about making money online are far from true and are creating unnecessary hype.

People are quitting real jobs to jump into the unknown

The stories of engineers and doctors turning to the internet to make money online are not uncommon these days. And who can we blame for that except the make-money-online bubble?

These massive job switches happen due to the lure of quick and easy money without even acquiring any skills of Internet Marketing. This ignorance is only causing the bubble to inflate more.

Options of making money online do not make you rich overnight

Like any other profession, the business of making money online does not make anyone an overnight millionaire. In fact it is much worse, because unlike jobs in the real world where you get your salary or income no matter what, your business online will not pay you until it picks up.

If you’re relying on blogs and websites that show you how to make money online, go splash some water on your face!

Students are ignoring studies over this bubble

Are we really surprised that students are trying out their hands on this bubble of making money online? Many university students remain logged in from their computers all day and all night scouting forums and looking for that next big idea about making money online.

Unfortunately it is not until they’ve wasted a lot of time, effort and money that they realize that making money online is often a glorified ideology and requires the patient effort of many years, or months, if one is lucky.

Abuse of social media websites

Social media websites are also facing the wrath of the make money online bubble, especially in India. Fake IDs, misleading usernames, inappropriate pictures and false advertising are doing the rounds of virtually every social media and networking website. Little does the ‘real person’ on these social media website know that by clicking on such links, they are only promoting the cause of unscrupulous elements floating around on the internet.

Having said all this, we still stand with the fact that it is possible to make money online through various dedicated means, but it not a moolah churning machines that everyone is assuming it to be. There is a reason why only few marketers emerge successful out of the thousand who enter this business.

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