Vasu Reddy
My primary interest is in working on topics of human interest based on India and my state of Andhra Pradesh. There is affinity to Chicago and its surroundings as my life is here. Politics, democracies and human interest make for great story telling and thus make topics for constant search for next story. These columns are published on the Internet Magazines and Newspapers. I have no political or any other affiliation, except interest in the topics I choose to write about.
Saturday, March 12, 2022
Cinema and its Magic
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
Friday, December 24, 2021
The Theory of Nothing
vasureddy@aol.com
Sunday, July 04, 2021
Independence Day 2021
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
I am along with just about everyone else in America look forward to Independence Day every year. In 2020 Corona Virus dominated the airwaves and the world, and everything about independence was muted, or shut down. There was only essential workers that were slogging and everyone else sidelined, laid-off, furloughed and on government support.
The rich really did not suffer as they were well placed to get richer, but common man was restricted and waiting for a shot in the arm. I really mean that literally. Having the resources was very important to survive the pandemic.
Even simple things such as Internet and a computer to be a part of online classes made a huge difference for children to simply attend school. Parents had no choice but to make a working computer and Internet be available to children to go to school. Food and medicine were also at a premium. Everything that people took for granted was simply out of bounds, and life had a clearly new set of guidelines.
After more than a year into it there was relief coming from the vaccinations, and government also intervened with providing assistance with unemployment and cash assistance. Weather the relief provided was enough or not, or it reached people who most needed it, weather politicians were thinking of people, so many questions but the government despite its political differences made many help line to assist people with the pandemic.
I am not sure if everyone agrees with how much is enough, but definitely 2 different people running the country in the time of the pandemic, both made efforts to send money and support to all people of the nation. My personal preferences on which party I support doesn’t make any impact on what is needed by the common man in the time of extreme need. I also am fully cognizant of the all people in bucket for help might not be the best case support structure.
We are seeing that some of the employment being ignored as people got so used to free money and benefits and coming back to work might be a bit difficult as the freebies might outweigh the paycheck. But as with anything good or bad, there is an end to it. People should be getting back to work, and tap of freebies is being shut down or going to run out of funds and essentially the personal need will bring most people back to work, and payroll.
Personally I worked more through the pandemic and did not want to stay home. I felt being essential was important despite my health concerns. I felt needed and I also felt good that I survived the pandemic and I also continued to show-up for work every day. I would have it no other way. As soon as the vaccine was available I got both my doses, as well as everyone in my family including the children did get the vaccine. It was more to protect ourselves and also everyone around us.
No one in my family complained about the lack of freedom, lack of interaction or lack of anything. We just followed the rules set by the government and work place. It was not difficult as we were doing exactly what the nation was suggesting we do. Nothing political about our behavior, it was logical be to be safe and keep people safe around us. In fact it made little difference to make the work and life adjustments as a family, and I am happy we survived it.
We truly hope the rest of the nation will quickly get vaccinated and get proper protection against the virus, and we all go back to what we were used to as normal. It’s fun to go to the beach without a mask. It’s fun to walk the mall without a mask. It’s fun to go to work without a mask. It’s fun to do everything without covering half of your face, but it’s necessary to survive so you can look forward to the land of the free again.
2021 Independence Day a bit less stressful as we can look at what we did in 2020. I am referring to just hind sight, but the reality of a global scare. There was no nuclear war, there was no economic war, and there was an enemy that we had no weapon to attack that was blasted across the globe. We found a way to tackle the virus quickly and as the vaccine becomes available we will get back to a more normal world as we know. It is perhaps best to think that we will live with the virus and we will also record that we survived another crisis.
Over the ages nothing in the human survival strategy has changed. It is age old to face a crisis and find a way to survive and thrive. We always look forward a better future, irrespective of circumstances. I too feel that kids and adults will look at their after pandemic life as a blessing. It will once again be a place of freedom, literally a face without a mask, and a handshake with a warm hand. I personally was happy to be working and while it was stressful to worry about contracting the virus, I was equally satisfying to be a part of support solution. While 2021 Independence Day has some relief compared to 2020, here is hoping 2022 will be back to the celebration of individual freedom and forward looking.
Monday, February 24, 2020
Inclusive India
The current political environment that is charged with for and against accepting persecuted people from nations surrounding India has been intensifying. The premise of the 2019 citizenship act "Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019" is to allow non-muslim minorities from nations where they are being persecuted into India as it citizens. One doesn't have to be a scholar to appreciate the basis for the law. We all might not agree with signalling only non-muslims to be welcome into India, as its new citizens but we have to appreciate the fact that we should welcome anyone who is being persecuted with open arms. The objection by Indian political parties and some Indians is based on the basis of prejudice against Muslims.
If in fact the religious groups that are being accepted as new Indian citizens from Muslim nations, what would be the objection by anyone in India?
For me a common man with no political interest and who lives in a nation of immigrants, the questions to those who oppose Indian government on this particular law are simple.
1. What will be the objection to accepting people of non-muslim faith into India if they are being persecuted. All are welcome to search the internet for information on all these countries listed in this law.
2. If there is a case of any other community to be welcome into India then why not the opposition parties propose such legislation. There is nothing stopping from new laws being proposed for any community to be invited into India on the basis of persecution.
3. Does anyone believe that people will leave their homeland just because India is passing a law that allows a certain religious group/s as citizens? If they are happy with the nation where they live and they have equal rights why would anyone leave? They might leave looking for work or a better life, but why would they seek another nations citizenship?
4. Whoever is opposing the new law within India should be welcoming those who are being persecuted, rather find ways to open their minds and places for helping.
5. Overall if any other community needs to be included in the same law, show the need and bring the public to embrace it.
People of a still developing nation welcoming people who are being persecuted because of their religious beliefs should be more welcoming rather than protesting. It will be a Hindustan of the ages where people always welcomed the needy. Politics are for inclusion but not for persecution. Help these people who want to escape persecution and find a place of inclusion.
Jai Hind.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Pulse of the People
Sunday, May 19, 2019
What next for India?
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
In about a week’s time India would have voted for the new 5 year government. This election has been similar in tone to the last one, except this time the BJP is the incumbent, and Congress still seems to struggle with its overall identity. A lot of regional political parties (and their leaders) making a lot more noise. You hear of the federalist system, and more power to the states, and a leader that the opposition wants who is not from congress, all this while congress itself trying to be relevant and project Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate.
Modi working to come back into the PM chair for the second term, and he has been the choice of BJP as its leader. He continues to pack powerful speeches and rallies, and outwardly seem to be confident of retaining the majority for the next 5 years.
It will be foolish to predict what the outcome is. The case and point of the US elections in 2016 is a great lesson to pollsters and predictors to keep their opinion/s to themselves. Nevertheless the supporting media for each party will predict landslide for their candidate/s. All politicians contesting and their supporters will obviously predict their candidate to come out victorious.
I have been partial to Modi (I don’t have a vote in India as an NRI) but the last time and for the last 5 years, I have been looking at what he said verses what he did. Without justification to what the last 5 years of BJP government’s delivery to their poll promises, one thing that I have always believed is that the head of the government stay scam free. I believe with what I read and watch, Modi has remained a man with little interest in stealing public money. I truly believe he has no reason to (as he did not have any 5 years ago) loot public coffers. I continue t believe that Modi is a career politician who doesn’t have the need for looting public coffers as he has always kept family and friends away from his politics and his life.
You get to see someone for 5 years as a nation’s leader; you will have little reason to guess. We have 100% access to the leader’s life, and his actions. Modi started very aggressively as a leader representing India to the world, and despite the criticism of his style, he represented India quite aggressively and positively to the world. Modi was equally at ease with USA or China, Japan or Germany, Pakistan or Bangladesh, and any other nation he visited ofr dealt with. Modi’s early reaching out to the global leaders continue to pay dividends for India, and have helped with the Industry and trade dealing for India, quite positively to the terms before his first term. He is a determined politician with also a single-minded focus on the nation. I truly believe Modi doesn’t have any personal interest in dollars and cents. The man is a representation of his party, the BJP and as all of its leaders has no personal profit motive.
While I preach of no predictions, I think Modi will be PM for another term. This prediction is solely based on looking at the opposition. INS and Rahul Gandhi have no chance of winning the elections by themselves, or with the many associations they have been trying to cultivate. The Indian political history after 1970’s and beyond is with regional and opposition parties began to challenge congress. So their leadership still in stage I, with many old men trying to hang on to power, and desperately trying to be relevant.
The old INC is no longer able to display a national agenda, doesn't have the footprint it did after India’s independence. It is not a competitor in politics or policy, and it might need several more 5 year terms, for it to become relevant (might never be what it was with Panditji or India Gandhi). For a non voter looking at Rahul, he seems to only cherish with his cartoonish jibes at Modi. The younger Gandhi has no political or philosophical experience to represent 1.3 billion people. He might never be able to fully appreciate and represent India as his family once did. I really don’t think INC has a chance of coming back into power in 2019. This column or any number of columns might not be sufficient to revisit the scams in congress, and people in their memory are still fresh in their recollection of the scale of misuse of public resources.
The regional parties even if all of them plan to combine as opposition to BJP lead government (including congress) it’s an unlikely alliance that can be successful. Simply agreeing to a PM candidate will dislodge much of the alliance. BJP has Modi as their leader, and with coming to power there is a clear leader to represent the party. The power of incumbency is always of high political value because of the power and infrastructure that it automatically provides. In 2019 it’s unlikely a unified opposition with a single leader can emerge to challenge the BJP and Modi.
The public opinion on Modi and his government is difficult to read, as we did with INC. There is no clear cut and nationwide anti-incumbency to Modi and BJP. Personally a little bit of less showmanship and a little more of education to people would have helped. In an opinion piece I can certainly write of the time Indian politicians spend in running each other can be spent more on people’s work to further the public’s agenda. I really don’t hear anything about positive news, only the bitter bickering of old men about each other, in very personal terms.
In a week from now, it is highly likely we will see BJP (and allies) come back in power. I sincerely hope Modi will work on his poll promises (this time) and also more focus on internal issues to India.
I am not going to forget the special category status to my state of Andhra Pradesh, and with a full hearted appeal for the people’s mandate.
Jai Hind.
Cinema and its Magic
Vasu Reddy from Chicago vasureddy@aol.com While in my college days in India, there was no internet, not much television except single chan...
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Vasu Reddy from Chicago vasureddy@aol.com While in my college days in India, there was no internet, not much television except single chan...
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Vasu Reddy from Chicago vasureddy@aol.com There are theories for everything. I have been trying to find some solace in working every holida...
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vasureddy@aol.com Vasu Reddy from Chicago I am along with just about everyone else in America look forward to Independence Day every yea...