Present Crisis snd apposition approach

 எரிபொருள் நெருக்கடி – அரசியலா? பொறுப்பா?

கடந்த சில நாட்களாக எரிபொருள் விநியோகத்தில் சிக்கல்கள், இடையூறுகள், அதிக விலை கொடுத்து வெளிநாடுகளில் வாங்க வேண்டிய சவால்கள் உருவாகியுள்ளன. 

இதற்கு மேலாக, யோசனையற்ற பேனிக் பையிங் காரணமாக சில இடங்களில் பெட்ரோல் பங்குகள் மூடப்ட்டன. தற்போது ஓகே.

இருப்பினும், சிரமங்களுடன் நிலைமை சமாளிக்கப்படுகிறது.

இந்த பிரச்சினை இந்தியாவுக்கு மட்டும் அல்ல — பாகிஸ்தான், இலங்கை, பங்களாதேஷ், வியட்நாம் போன்ற நாடுகளிலும் விலையேற்றம், ரேஷன், கட்டுப்பாடுகள் நடைமுறையில் உள்ளன.

அதாவது, இது ஒரு பெரிய பிராந்திய நெருக்கடி.

இந்நிலையில், இந்த சவால்கள் நீடிக்கலாம் என்று முன்னரே எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

ஆனால் இங்கு ஒரு கேள்வி:

இது போன்ற நேரத்தில் நமக்கு தேவையானது என்ன?

பொறுப்பான அணுகுமுறையா — இல்லையெனில் வழக்கமான அரசியல் கோஷங்களா? தேசீய எதிர்க்கட்சிகள் இரண்டாவதைத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்து விட்டன.

நெருக்கடி நேரத்தில் மக்களை அமைதியாக வழிநடத்த வேண்டியவர்கள்,

நிலைமையை விளக்காமல்,

பதற்றத்தை குறைக்காமல்,

தீர்வை பேசாமல்,

வெறும் கோஷங்கள், நடைமுறைக்கு ஒவ்வாத பேச்சுகள் — இவையிலேயே மாட்டிக்கொண்டால், அது யாருக்கு உதவும்?

மக்களுக்கா? நாட்டுக்கா? இல்லையெனில் அரசியல் லாபத்துக்கா?

இன்னொரு உண்மை:

நெருக்கடி நேரங்களில்,

பேனிக் பையிங், வதந்தி, அரசியல் சத்தம் — இவையே நிலைமையை மோசமாக்கும்.

அதே நேரத்தில்,

ஒழுங்கு, பொறுப்பு, புரிதல் — இவையே நிலைமையை காப்பாற்றும்.

அப்படியிருக்க,

மக்களை அமைதிப்படுத்த வேண்டிய குரல்கள்,

ஏன் சில நேரங்களில் குழப்பத்தை அதிகரிக்கின்றன?

இது தான் கவலை.

நாடு சவால்களை சந்திக்கும் போது,

அரசியல் போட்டி இரண்டாம் இடத்துக்கு போக வேண்டும்.

முதல் இடத்தில் இருக்க வேண்டியது — தேசிய பொறுப்பு.

மக்களுக்கு “யார் சரி, யார் தவறு” என்ற சண்டையை விட,

“நாம் எப்படி இந்த நிலையை சமாளிக்க வேண்டும்” என்ற புரிதலை கொடுக்க வேண்டும்.

அப்படிச் செய்தால் தான்,

மக்கள் யாரை நம்ப வேண்டும், யாரை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும் என்பதை தாங்களே தெளிவாக உணர்வார்கள்.

உள்ளுர் மேளங்கள்.  எப்போதும் போல இந்தியா ஒய்க; மோடி ஒய்க என ஆரப்பித்துவிட்டனர்.  பப்பு USA மீது படையெடுக்கலாம் என ஆலோசனை கொடுக்து விட்டு,  பட்டாயா போய்விடுவார். ஆல்பார்ட்டி மீட்டிங்கில் ஆப்சண்ட் ஆவவார்.

மக்களிடம் ,  உண்மையான நிலவரத்தை  சொல்லி, நாட்டிற்கு சிறந்ததை செய்யச்சொல்லி ஆலோசன் கூட செல்லமாட்டார்.

சானியாவுக்கும் இத்தாலி கட்சிக்கும், இந்திவை அமெரிக்காவிற்கு சண்டையிட வைக்க,  நாடு முழுவதும் கொரளி  வித்தை காண்பிக்கிறார்கள!  அப்பதானே இந்தியாவை  சீரழிக்க வைக்க முடியும்!

காங்கிரஸுக்கு  நாட்டில் கலவரம், ரகளை , அமைதியின்மை வர வேண்டும்! மக்கள் எரிபொருட்களுக்கு ஆலாய் பறக்கணும்; அன்றாட வாழ்க்கை சிரமமாக வேண்டும். போருளாதாரம் வீழ வேண்டும். பாக்கிஸ்தானைவிட கீழே போணால் கூட ப்புவிற்கு பரம திருப்தி.

ஒரே காரணம்! அவர்கள் இந்த நாட்டின் தேச அபிமாவிகள் அல்ல; அவர்களது தேசப்பற்று அக்மார்க் போலியோ என சந்தேகிக்க உள்ளது.

தேசம் நாசம் அடையணும்; இந்திய பொருளாதாரம் இறந்த பொருளாதார மாக வீழ்ந்துவிட்டால், பரம திருப்தி பப்புவிற்கு.

அதைவைத்தாவது அதிகாரத்தை பயன்படு்படு்த்தி பழையபடி  தங்களது லூட்களை தொடர லாம்.

அவலங்கள் முடிவுக்கு வரவேண்டும்! இத்தாலி பார்ட்டிக்கு புத்தி வர வேண்டும்.

LPG crisis

 India’s LPG 

India’s LPG system is not weak—but tightly balanced.

Every month, India consumes about 2.3–2.4 million tonnes of LPG—roughly 16–17 crore cylinders. Nearly 60–65% of this is imported, largely from the Middle East. That is the core vulnerability.

This is not new. During the Iraq war period, shortages were visible everywhere—petrol bunks ran dry, LPG cylinders took weeks, and even public transport was affected.

Back then, the system had another problem: poor control.

Waiting lists were maintained manually by local dealers

Booking lacked transparency

Allocation depended on local discretion

Mismanagement was common. Genuine users waited, while influence often decided priority

Today, this layer has improved significantly.

Digitisation has changed the system:

Refill requests are time-stamped and centrally recorded

Consumer data is cleaned and de-duplicated

Supply and delivery are tracked end-to-end

In simple terms, we have moved from a manual register to a controlled database system. Leakages are lower, and distribution is more disciplined.

But one thing has not changed: supply dependence.

In a severe disruption—say, Middle East supply drops—India could lose about 1.3 MMT per month. What remains would be around 1.0 MMT, or roughly 7 crore cylinders.

Even if commercial LPG is fully diverted to households, total supply remains the same.

Household demand: ~14–15 crore cylinders

Available supply: ~7 crore cylinders

Only about half the demand can be met.

This is the key point: redistribution cannot solve shortage—only supply can.

Today, shortages don’t appear as total collapse. Instead, they show up as:

Delayed refills

Longer waiting times

Controlled distribution

Earlier, crisis was loud. Today, it is managed and muted.

But if disruption is prolonged, even this system will come under stress.

The real issue is structural. India still lacks:

Large buffer reserves

Fully diversified imports

Scalable alternatives to LPG

So global shocks will continue to create local discomfEarlier, shortages used to shout from petrol bunks. Today, they whisper through delayed deliveries. The system has improved—but arithmetic has not changed.

Government & Temples

Temple Darshan — Devotion or an Endurance Test?

Last week, I happened to visit a few temples around Madurai.

Earlier, a temple visit meant peace of mind.

Now, it feels like a physical test—if you come out safely, consider it a blessing.

From the main road itself—iron barricades.

Not in dozens. In thousands.

One basic doubt:

Is this a temple… or a steel exhibition?

Crowd Management… or Cattle Handling?

Devotees are squeezed between iron grills

like paddy sacks packed inside a warehouse.

Breathing is difficult

Movement is forced

Exit? Almost impossible

If someone collapses, there is no system—only panic.

Is this how devotion should be treated?

 Ticket-Based Darshan — Pricing Faith

₹50, ₹100, ₹300…

Devotion has been neatly converted into slabs.

Pay less → stand longer, see less

Pay more → move faster, see better

And then come the “special passes”—

people walking across queues as if rules don’t apply to them.

This is not queue management. This is visible inequality.

 A Question That Cannot Be Ignored

In mosques and churches,

you don’t see this kind of paid, tier-based access to God.

People may gather in large numbers,

but entry to prayer is not sold in slabs.

So naturally, a question arises:

Why should Hindu temples alone turn darshan into a paid hierarchy?

Yes, temples have unique crowd patterns.

Yes, management is difficult.

But difficulty cannot become an excuse

to commercialise access to faith.

Artificial Delays, Real Frustration

Screens come down without warning.

Queues are halted. Crowd pressure builds.

Meanwhile, “special entry” keeps flowing smoothly.

This creates a dangerous perception:

delay for many, convenience for a few.

 The Hidden Problem — Too Few Functioning Temples

Here is a point rarely discussed.

Many temples today:

open only for limited hours

or remain closed for want of priests

Why?

Shortage of archakars (priests).

As a result:

Devotees are forced into a few major temples

Crowds explode

Management collapses

Commercial systems enter

 A Practical Solution — Expand the Priest Base

This is where reform is not just social—but essential.

Train archakars from all sections of society

Provide proper Agama education and certification

Appoint them across temples facing shortages

This is not about breaking tradition.

This is about keeping temples alive and functional.

More priests → more open temples → less crowd concentration.

 What Needs to Change Immediately

Extend temple timings, especially on peak days

Strictly limit or phase out paid darshan categories

Reserve special queues only for senior citizens and the differently abled

Reduce excessive barricading; improve open movement design

Introduce token / time-slot systems to avoid long physical queues

Bring transparency in VIP access

Improve basic safety and emergency exits

⚖️ Role of Government

Government is meant to regulate, not commercialise.

When administration becomes mechanical and revenue-focused,

devotion turns into frustration.

That is a dangerous shift.

 Final Word

Every ritual in a temple is man-made.

What is created by people can also be improved by people.

If Tirupati can evolve systems,

other temples can too.

Make temple visits peaceful again.

Because today, for many devotees,

Darshan is no longer spiritual…

it is becoming a test of patience, money, and survival.

“The current system is making temple worship unnecessarily difficult and undignified. If this continues, people may drift away—not by force, but by frustration.” Conversions.

Nationalism

Nationalism: The Emergency Medicine of Politics

Whenever governments run out of answers, they rarely run out of slogans.

The most reliable slogan in political history is nationalism.

When the economy falters, when policies fail, or when public anger rises, a familiar prescription appears: “The nation is in danger.” Immediately the debate changes. Prices, unemployment and governance quietly move to the background, while patriotic emotion takes centre stage.

The formula is ancient and remarkably effective. From dictatorships to democracies, leaders have discovered that nothing unites a restless public faster than the fear of an external enemy. Citizens who were arguing yesterday about taxes and fuel prices suddenly find themselves waving the same flag.

History shows that this instrument has been used by rulers of every ideology. The wording may differ — security, sovereignty, civilisation, national pride — but the political mathematics remains unchanged.

None of this means love for one's country is false. Nations cannot survive without a sense of shared identity. But when patriotism becomes a convenient shield against legitimate questions, citizens would do well to pause and ask a simple question:

Is the nation truly in danger, or is the government merely in difficulty?

When parties run out of Answers!

The Political Science Behind Nationalist Slogans

Throughout history, rulers have discovered a very effective formula to consolidate power: appeal to collective identity. The identity may be nation, religion, race, language, or culture. But the mechanism remains the same.

When people are made to feel that “our group is under threat,” they instinctively unite behind authority. This instinct is not accidental; it comes from the deep evolutionary past of human society.

1. Human beings evolved as group-defending communities

Early humans survived in tribes. Survival depended on protecting one’s group from other groups competing for food, territory, and security.

Because of this long history, human psychology still responds strongly to three emotional triggers:

Fear of an external enemy

Pride in belonging to a group

Desire for collective protection

Modern politics often activates these same instincts.

Today the “tribe” has simply become the nation.

2. The “Rally Around the Flag” phenomenon

Political scientists use a term called the “Rally Around the Flag Effect.”

When a country faces a real or perceived external threat, citizens temporarily set aside internal disagreements and support the government.

This phenomenon has been observed repeatedly:

United States after 9/11

Britain during the Falklands War

Many nations during World Wars

Several regimes facing external confrontation

Leaders know this psychological pattern very well. When crises arise, nationalist language becomes louder.

It is not necessarily unique to one ideology or one country.

3. Nationalism as a political instrument

Nationalism itself is not inherently negative. It played a constructive role in many historical movements:

India’s struggle for independence

Anti-colonial movements across Asia and Africa

Nation-building after colonial rule

However, the same emotion can also become a political instrument.

At such times nationalism may be used to:

divert attention from economic or political problems

silence internal criticism

unify fragmented political support

portray opposition voices as “anti-national”

This transformation of nationalism from collective pride into political strategy is what many scholars have warned about.

4. Leaders across the world have used it

History shows that very different leaders, ideologies, and regimes have relied on this mechanism.

Examples frequently discussed in political literature include:

Hitler in Germany, who mobilised national humiliation after World War I

military regimes in many regions, which used external threats to justify authority

democratic leaders, who during wars or geopolitical crises strongly invoke national unity

The method may vary.

The emotional appeal remains similar.

5. Modern media amplifies these emotions

In earlier centuries, nationalist mobilisation required speeches and newspapers.

Today, television, social media, and instant messaging can amplify emotional narratives extremely fast.

Within hours:

fear spreads

pride spreads

anger spreads

As a result, the emotional environment becomes intense, leaving little space for calm reasoning.

6. Geopolitical conflicts often ignore cultural unity

Your example about Iran affecting neighbouring Arab economies illustrates another reality of geopolitics.

In international relations, strategic interests usually outweigh cultural or regional solidarity.

Even nations sharing religion, language, or ethnicity may compete if their strategic interests differ.

History is full of such examples:

conflicts among European Christian nations

conflicts among Arab states themselves

ideological divisions within the same cultural regions

So the idea of a natural “civilisational unity” often collapses when power, security, and influence become the priority.

7. Economic issues quickly become political battles

In democracies, even everyday economic issues—fuel prices, cooking gas, food inflation—quickly turn into political narratives.

Opposition parties frame the issue as government failure.

Governments frame it as global circumstances or geopolitical pressure.

The public is then exposed to two competing explanations, both emotionally presented.

8. The responsibility of citizens

The health of a democracy ultimately depends on how citizens respond to these narratives.

A thoughtful citizen may ask:

Is the threat real or exaggerated?

Is nationalism being used to solve a problem or to hide one?

Are economic and social issues being honestly addressed?

When citizens ask such questions calmly, national pride and democratic accountability can coexist.

Final reflection

Human societies need some degree of national identity to function. Without it, collective institutions collapse.

But when nationalism becomes only a political slogan, detached from responsibility and policy, it risks turning into a tool of manipulation.

Understanding this distinction is part of political maturity.

People often hear patriotic language in politics, but the real test of patriotism is whether it improves the life of the people and strengthens the nation’s institutions.

South India

 Historically speaking, South Indians have had almost no direct experience of modern warfare. Except for the oft-repeated hearsay about the “Emden bombing of Madras” during World War II, everything else has mostly remained as interesting stories rather than lived reality.

Situations such as stretching out one’s hand for food, shortages of fuel, and endless queues for essential items are things many people here simply cannot imagine.

Many are not even aware that such possibilities could arise in India.

War, wherever it happens and between whomever it is fought, inevitably creates ripple effects across the world. No country can fully escape its consequences.

The biggest immediate concern at present is fuel.

Russian gas that goes to Europe is not used merely for cooking; it is equally vital for heating homes during their harsh winters. Putin believed that Europe would not antagonize Russia precisely because of this dependency.

Yet Europe took the bold step of blocking it and began importing gas from Qatar and other sources.

Now, due to the Iran war, Qatar has halted 50% of its production. This has already led to a global rise in gas prices and shortages.

Will this affect India? Yes, certainly.

This situation will have some impact across the world, especially on major economies like China and India.

India had anticipated such possibilities and made several preparations in advance. Even so, shortages of cooking gas may arise. Hoarding, of course, is another story altogether.

Although emergency reserves exist, the interruption of supplies from countries like Qatar means that when India shifts procurement to alternative sources, some delays are inevitable.

Modi did not travel across Africa, Arabia, Malaysia, Russia, and South America merely for ceremonial visits. He returned after signing multiple agreements with each of these countries.

This is no longer the old India that depended on a single nation. Today, India has arrangements with multiple partners so that if one country fails to supply, others can step in.

Therefore, a shortage of cooking gas may become a subject of debate for media houses, certain political parties, and YouTube commentators. But it is unlikely to push the nation into a major crisis. There may be inconveniences and delays.

Reports about oil tankers being sunk or strategic straits being blocked may appear as mere news items to us. Yet every time a tanker sinks or a sea route is disrupted, such delays and disruptions do occur.

Even though human beings draw borders between nations, each human being ultimately depends on another. That is the nature of human civilization. When one country faces trouble, it inevitably causes tremors elsewhere. In that sense, this war will certainly bring changes to the lifestyles and economic conditions of many nations.

It is often said that the first casualty of war is truth. But in rushing to kill it even faster, some Tamil media outlets seem to take a peculiar enthusiasm.

If people blindly believe everything they say, they may end up like Kamal Haasan’s confused character in Thenali. Indian Tamils would do well to remember that.

Ignorance — especially the kind that focuses only on regional or linguistic sentiments without understanding the nuances of global politics — is the real enemy.

Sri R N Ravi

The DMK’s ideological position has generally been opposed to the institution of the Governor. Only during the period of Surjit Singh Barnala was there an exception; he and Karunanidhi shared a cordial rapport, almost as admirers of each other. Perhaps it was the natural sympathy that arises between those who had once experienced the frustrations of separatist impulses.

Whether one likes it or not, the Constitution of India has created several institutional linkages that prevent states from breaking away into isolated corners and running entirely according to their own will.

One such constitutional restraint is the office of the Governor. When laws are brought forward driven excessively by regional sentiments—laws that run contrary to the broader spirit of national unity and reflect narrow political calculations—the Governor has the authority to intervene and withhold assent.

In today’s climate of sensational politics, where even trivial matters are blown out of proportion without thoughtful reflection, such constitutional safeguards are indeed necessary.

Therefore, the departure of Governor Shri R. N. Ravi from Tamil Nadu does evoke a certain sense of regret.

Like many Governors serving in states ruled by opposition parties, he had to confront numerous challenges. Yet, Shri R. N. Ravi handled them with considerable composure.

The experiences he had in Tamil Nadu might well have caused him personal discomfort. Nevertheless, he never allowed that bitterness to show in public and continued to discharge his duties with patience and dignity.

Except for a few controversial bills that he felt he could not in good conscience approve, he gave assent to most other bills without delay. Likewise, he chose not to read certain passages of the Governor’s Address when he believed they were inconsistent with facts, as doing so would have placed him in a moral dilemma.

For this, he faced severe criticism and even personal humiliation. From the gesture reportedly made by a minister when he walked out of the Assembly, to remarks such as “Who are you? You are only a postman,” he endured many such provocations. Yet he did not stoop to responding in the same manner. Instead, he conducted himself as a gentleman who preferred restraint over cheap retaliation, even when confronted with the pettiness of certain political actors.

He is perhaps one of the few Governors who received both praise and ridicule in equal measure.

And he accepted both with the equanimity of a sthithaprajna—a person of steady wisdom.

Even though he himself was treated in this manner within Tamil Nadu, he never failed, on public platforms outside the state, to speak with pride about Tamil Nadu and highlight its achievements.

Such maturity is rarely seen among those occupying high public office.

Shri R. N. Ravi possessed these qualities in abundance.

He is, truly, a gentleman.

He certainly has the stature and capability to hold even higher offices in the years to come.

“We wish him the very best in upholding the integrity of the nation while discharging his responsibilities as Governor of West Bengal, where the present state government often takes a politically hostile stance towards New Delhi, though the people of the state have long stood aligned with the integrity of the nation.”

Indian liberals & current war!

The Current War and the Dilemma of IndianLiberals.

Whenever international crises erupt, an interesting pattern will emerges in India’s left & liberal political circle. 

This time they fall into a peculiar silence. 

The reason is not lack of opinion, but the collapse of an old ideological templates. 

For decades, they used to oppose US & West; no reasoning or analysis required. 

It was simple and convenient for them to shout; "Down with USA!"  US representing imperialism & West means symbolized exploitation. So simple😂 . 

This template worked for them well during the Cold War era. But the neo geopolitical changes has become far too complex for them to understand. Simplified binaries didn't work .

The current tensions in the Middle East illustrate this perfectly. 

The region today is a map of competing interests. the USA, Iran, Israel, the Gulf states, Russia, and China all pursue overlapping and sometimes contradictory activities. 

They couldn’t persue the age old “West versus Islam” narrative .

Traditional slogans no longer fit comfortably with present realities.

India, maintains strategic relations with several nations simultaneously. The US for technology & Iran for energy & connectivity. Israel for critical defence .

In such a landscape, simplistic ideological positioning becomes difficult.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has adopted a pragmatic foreign policy based on balancing interests across power centres.

This approach requires careful diplomatic manoeuvring. 

International relations rarely operate on ideological purity. They operate on national & illuminati interest.

Thus a visible discomfort settled on them. A perfect collapse of outdated ideology .