North Korea's latest ICBM test against international sanctions,brings the World closer to the brink of war.This is not a fictional scenario Crisis, fast spinning out of control. Is the cynic Kim Jong not aware that his small , under-nourished and financially emaciated country will be the worst sufferer in case of a holocaust. Of course, with equal damage to South Korea.

China is not helpless in taming North Korea.It has a sinister motive.

Heavily dependent on its trade with the US, China is more interested in keeping the pot boiling between North Korea and the US.

Kim Jong must not forget that a surprise attack by him on South Korea would boomerang. His belligerent rhetoric with propaganda of triumph and total war, could leave its own leaders mistakenly convinced about winning such a conflict, just as the sloppy toughness of the White House might convince Kim that the US is about to strike.

High time for the to US exercise the sole option of carrying out pre-emptive strikes instead of getting bullied by Kim Jong on hourly basis. The US’s image is getting irreversibly dented anyway in the comity of nations.

Same advice to India against the twin threat from its immediate neighbours, both India’s permanent enemies.

I am confident, I articulate the views of  the fellow indians, across the country, in their day-to-day experiences.Sample my following experiences:

The  private  Chartered Accountants  charge hefty fee from clients for filing IT returns allegedly for "bribing" IT officers,retaining lion's share for themselves.

This is being openly admitted by the practising CAs.

Similarly, lawyers allegedly act as conduits in subordinate judiciary

All bribe their way through the dark alleys of court premises by greasing palms of petty court officials. Bails, adjournments, acquittals etc are readily available. But, all for a price. Recent expose/ sting operations by the Republic TV channel, should be an eye-opener  both for subordinate and top Judiciary. This has nothing to do with the shortage of judges. Simply put, it is all due to total lack of judicial accountability.

Consider Delhi. Ubiquitous touts  can be seen hovering around  public dealing offices like Police, local bodies, transport,Jal boards,Bijli boards and so on. Engineers of local bodies  and the Police  collude with each other with the blessings of local legislators ,by openly demanding  heavy cuts for permitting encroachments by the venders on public land.MCDs , DDA are the worst offenders.Their vigilance officers are incompetent, laidback .

This is the scenario in the National capital. Situation in States is incredibly horrifying.

All government departments are forced to observe Vigilance Week,year-after- year, wasting manhours, public exchequer.

Politicians get undeserved publicity  by the electronic and print media. The politicians enjoy their own speeches at the cost of public discomfiture. Event managers do roaring businesses,charging heavy cost. Their empanelment by  government organisations  based on  “ security consideration “ ,is an open secret.The only positive feature  is that they are security-vetted.  But ,not, competitive. A racket prevalent  all over the country.Can some one , for instance, guestimate the total expenditure  in organising an event in Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan? 

Phenomenal. We need to conserve our resources and utilise it in priority areas.

Similarly, foundation-stone  laying ceremony by celebrities is another atrocious practice dear to politicians. A drain on public exchequer that must be abolished. In Uttar Pradesh , the CM has reportedly, barred  his Ministers and Chief Secretary from performing such ceremonies. Achieving  “Amaratva “ (Immortality ) through  foundation-stone laying , is the sole prerogative of  the political class alone. Funny,but,true.

No one is aware of  the demoralising  impact such events have on the hapless  citizens who constitute the largest public interface and the worst victims. 

Lucknow Metro is facing continuous losses for not getting enough passengers.

Who is  the Villain ??

Paan and  Gutka masala. These are not permitted during security check . The passengers are forced to throw  the pouch into the dustbin and even spit it out if anyone is found chewing it.

Paan and gutka are considered more important than the Metro in Uttar Pradesh.

Media reports of Mumbai's Elphinstone footbridge being rebuilt by indian army,is disturbing.Who is firing the shot,one wonders?

Is the railway’s civil wing not considered professionally competent?

Are the Railway minister, CRB and engineers not confident to execute their mandated functions.?

Why not complete the promised investigations on a war footing , check culpability and punish the guilty? It does not take a rocket science.

But, don't belittle the indian army.Its contribution during the floods,earthquakes and other emergencies must be gratefully recognised. 

It should be left to prepare for a two-front war with China and Pakistan

Haryana has a penchant for cheap publicity. It has continuously been in the news, of late, all for the wrong reasons.The latest news about 100 Haryana government school teachers,doubling as ‘ Pandit jis’ or ‘ pujaris’ after they were officially assigned extra duties at hindu temples in Yamunanagar district in addition to teaching.

Over 100 teachers were roped into religious duties like tying the sacred thread, distributing prasad at the annual temple festival. They were also tasked by the district magistrate with the job of counting of cash offerings by the devotees at the four-day "Kapal Mochan" festival in Yamunanagar.

The news is not only ludicrous but bizarre,too. Worse, hell broke loose when a majority of teachers failed to show up for the Priest training sessions. All were issued show cause notices by the district education officer to explain why action should not be taken against them for non-compliance of orders.

School teachers were also recently ordered in Haryana to keep all night vigils on stubble-burning, a major environmental problen in the state and the adjoining Punjab . All after their day’ labour in schools.

The school teachers are also roped in for enumeration job in connection with Census besides election duties.The Kerala cops also perform temple duties without full uniform and bare footed at Sabarimala for months.  in a state where over 50 percent population are communism- believers.They controle the crowd of devotees. All these are fine in lieu of officially assigned  work.

But, deploying Haryana school teachers on priestly duties inside the sanctum sanctorum,is un-heard of . Reprehensible and illegal,too.One cannot be forced to enter any place of worship against his/her wish on religeous duties in a secular country. All at the cost of State’s exchequer.The protests by school teachers against DM seem justified.But,what else could the poor DM do against the wishes  of political masters and their VVIP style of functioning.

Schools are not Gurukul Ashrams or Madrassas.