Yesterday, I was watching news on the Sahara Samay National channel. The news broadcast had the usual advertisement breaks in between. Nothing out of the normal thus far. What was different was that during the ad breaks during this entire news bulletin there were only two advertisement clips, which were repeated ad nauseam. Both had only one actor - the CM of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal. What he tried to convey to the people at large was shocking to me.
He was trying to highlight his achievements - AAP is Kejriwal, and Kejriwal is AAP. He stated that he had promised 'free water, and half electricity bills and that he had fulfilled his promise. He also went on to give you a breakup of what that electricity would have cost, if you lived in another state. He also bragged about providing free water.
In the second clip he spoke about Mohalla clinics - air conditioned with free medicines for all. The Delhi government hospitals have been upgraded, and again free medicines. Government schools being brought up and that teachers are being sent abroad with an aim to providing quality education to all in government schools. A very noble thought indeed.
In essence, his justifications were only the 'free' that he had provided the people of Delhi.
I have been thinking on this issue of 'free'. How can some one give any thing free in this age, in India at least. Every system costs money in terms of capital costs involved in setting up the infrastructure for the system; the normal wear and tear, and consequent replacement costs; employees to run the system, and their salaries; day to day running expenses, including office and other space; transportation costs, etc. How can some one setup, run and maintain all this without charging at least the actual cost to the consumer. Instead of educating the consumer, it is politically expedient to provide free stuff but how long can this continue. Every system needs to be maintained and replaced someday. Where will the money come from then. I thought a person who has worked with the IRS would at least understand all this. However, his advertisements have convinced me that he is hood winking himself and the people of Delhi. How can rational people be so gullible, as voters? There are indications, from the punter community, that he is likely to form a government in Punjab.
Taking the case of water. In case one is permitted to go to the Yamuna and tap the water directly for himself, then no costs are involved. However simplistically speaking, if you collect the water in a reservoir through pipes and pumps, treat it, and then supply it through pipelines laid on the ground and finally dispose off an equal amount of the same, now as waste water after duly treating it, THEN surely large capital and running costs are involved. Who is paying for those costs? Where are you subsidising these costs from? Some revenue has to be generated to offset these costs. How are you going to generate that revenue or you once again going to agitate that the Central government is not covering your irrational expenses, without caring to balance the books of your own state.
I cannot forget his image of climbing up on a electricity pole and fiddling with the electric wires. Those images have now all been acquired by Gettys Images and are not downloadable. This one is on a similar pattern - a person aspiring to lead is asking and showing people how to sabotage systems. Beyond me!
He is an anarchist, and he himself confesses to it. Is he fit enough to lead as an unconventional person and an anarchist?
I would love to hear the views of the people of Delhi.
He was trying to highlight his achievements - AAP is Kejriwal, and Kejriwal is AAP. He stated that he had promised 'free water, and half electricity bills and that he had fulfilled his promise. He also went on to give you a breakup of what that electricity would have cost, if you lived in another state. He also bragged about providing free water.
In the second clip he spoke about Mohalla clinics - air conditioned with free medicines for all. The Delhi government hospitals have been upgraded, and again free medicines. Government schools being brought up and that teachers are being sent abroad with an aim to providing quality education to all in government schools. A very noble thought indeed.
In essence, his justifications were only the 'free' that he had provided the people of Delhi.
I have been thinking on this issue of 'free'. How can some one give any thing free in this age, in India at least. Every system costs money in terms of capital costs involved in setting up the infrastructure for the system; the normal wear and tear, and consequent replacement costs; employees to run the system, and their salaries; day to day running expenses, including office and other space; transportation costs, etc. How can some one setup, run and maintain all this without charging at least the actual cost to the consumer. Instead of educating the consumer, it is politically expedient to provide free stuff but how long can this continue. Every system needs to be maintained and replaced someday. Where will the money come from then. I thought a person who has worked with the IRS would at least understand all this. However, his advertisements have convinced me that he is hood winking himself and the people of Delhi. How can rational people be so gullible, as voters? There are indications, from the punter community, that he is likely to form a government in Punjab.
Taking the case of water. In case one is permitted to go to the Yamuna and tap the water directly for himself, then no costs are involved. However simplistically speaking, if you collect the water in a reservoir through pipes and pumps, treat it, and then supply it through pipelines laid on the ground and finally dispose off an equal amount of the same, now as waste water after duly treating it, THEN surely large capital and running costs are involved. Who is paying for those costs? Where are you subsidising these costs from? Some revenue has to be generated to offset these costs. How are you going to generate that revenue or you once again going to agitate that the Central government is not covering your irrational expenses, without caring to balance the books of your own state.
Courtesy: Google Images
He is an anarchist, and he himself confesses to it. Is he fit enough to lead as an unconventional person and an anarchist?
I would love to hear the views of the people of Delhi.
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