Acquisition or Wapsi - The battle of perception

Numerous bills are tabled, which are either passed and become law or are else jettisoned till they are repackaged and brought back after decades. What makes the Land Acquisition Act so special? Well, it is flagging off yet another movement in the country due to the gravity of impact it will create along with a fierce ego battle between two formidable for and against national parties. It is a battle of perceptions, a battle of proving who cares more for the welfare of the poor, a battle to change the national discourse forever. Hence, the country can embrace itself for series of well crafted communications to swing it either way. 

Land acquisition vests the power in the hands of the central or state government to acquire land for infrastructure development and carrying economic growth initiatives. What makes this a subject of controversy is the fact that, whether or not the original owners of the land are adequately compensated. Currently this law is governed by The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. This law came to effect from 1st January 2014. The Modi government passed an ordinance with an idea to ensure the developmental needs of the country along with the welfare of the farmers. According to the ordinance the consent clause is not required for acquisitions for industrial corridors, PPP projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and defense. The amendment bill was passed in Lok Sabha on 10th March 2015. Since, the government in power does not have a large mandate in Rajya Sabha, it has become an insurmountable hindrance first to convince allies, second to get support from the opposition and thirdly to win over minds of people who feel that the new bill is crony capitalist. 

What is Congress parties reasoning to the changed amendments being a step backward?

• No consent required-  Earlier the law had provisioning for 80 percent consent of people affected. Now to cut the long story short, ' Your land is being acquired and you cannot say No'

• Social Impact Assessment not required- Earlier a social audit was required after 6 months and opinion of Graham Sabha before the acquisition. This is to be completely done away with now. Also, fertile irrigated multi-cropped land can now be acquired easily 

• Unused land to be returned- Land which was not used even after 5 years of acquisition was to be returned to the original owner. The clause of timeline is completely eliminated

• Industrial Corridors- Builders and real estate firms can now be given land along 1 km of both sides of the corridor

• 'Private Company' replaced with 'Private Entity'- This means that the land can be acquired for any sole proprietorship, partnership, not for profit organization, company, corporation or any other entity

• Offense Prosecution Sanction- If any offense is carried out by any government official then he/she cannot be prosecuted unless the government sanction is in place prior to prosecution 

This is how BJP is justifying- 

• "Nation of incomplete projects"- This is how Mr Jaitely likes to put the consequences of law brought in by the UPA government

• Exempted Laws into the purview-v As many as 13 acts which were not under this act have been included to ensure an even higher compensation and better rehabilitation and resettlement 

• Longer gestation periods- Creation of infrastructure projects takes time and does have longer gestation periods, so the land cannot be returned

• Social Impact assessment is rigorous- The process in itself it very tedious and covering the impact on all affected parties is too broad

• Benefits to Rural India-  The ordinance will benefit the rural India ultimately with better social infrastructure, employment opportunities and appreciated value of land

• Compensation Package remains the same- Two times the market price for urban areas and four times for rural areas

• Boost Manufacturing & Investor Confidence- This will give a message to the investors that the procedural bottlenecks for investment are more investor friendly

Most importantly, it is being done to make the government's 'Make in India' ambition a reality

Clearly, there are points of view upheld by both sides which need to be articulately communicated to all stakeholders. Hence, the BJP is planning & executing a major public opinion building campaign. Similarly, the Congress to is stepping up to build reverse opinion and gain political mileage. 

Glimpse of what both the parties are doing....

BJP

• Mobilizing Party Workers- To flow down information top-down and strengthen internal communications BJP convened the National Executive Meet on 3rd April attended by top political brass of BJP. Similarly, BJP Parliamentary Party meeting was held today as on 19th April, before the budget session commences in order to counter the misinformation being spread by the Congress BJP Parliamentary Meet as on 19th April

• Media Relations- BJP is issuing press releases to the media and all the national party spokespersons are countering Congress's allegations  Press Release as on 19th April 2015

• Twitter & Facebook Activation- A series of Tweets are being posted by the BJP and Prime Minister Modi to bring out their point of view and attack the opposition, specially Rahul Gandhi. Similar efforts are being made on Facebook Page. 

• Educating Farmers- On ground activation to educate farmers

• Mega Rallies- BJP is planning nationwide mega rallies to address the issues concerning the amendments in the newly defined act

CONGRESS is going out!!

• Dedicated Website- Congress's www.zameenwapsi.com was launched in a press conference as on 18th April 2015. As soon as one enters the website, an extremely jazzy website opens up with 'Jai Ho' track playing the background to arouse the national sentiment. The website clearly mentions the Vision for the country, comparison of three laws, supporting arguments, questions for BJP, opportunity for NGO's, extensive media gallery and an option to become a part of the revolution by signing up/giving a missed call. The latter one is quite similar to the BJP's way of inviting for membership

• Mega Rally at Ram Leela Maidan- For show of strength or as some media stalwarts call it- The Relaunch of Rahul Gandhi, the mega rally was organized. Rahul Gandhi in a completely new avatar addressed the crowd and looked extremely fortifying against the anti-farmer bill. Manmohan Singh was also present to demonstrate support and addressed the crowd. Sonia Gandhi also reiterated Rahul Gandhi's key messages Rahul Gandhi address at Kissan Mazdoor Rally

• Dedicated Twitter and Facebook Pages- Congress is trying to make 'Zameen Wapsi' a national movement and using the aid of social media for the same, by having created dedicated social media pages for it. However, the major point of posting the content still remains the official Twitter and Facebook page of INC. Zameen Wapsi Twitter Page   Facebook Community 

Both the parties are leaving no stone unturned to change the political discourse in their favor. Just by analyzing the scale of operations being carried, it is clear that this is only set to grow from hereon. Time ahead will only tell who will win this perception battle and whether or not the controversial land bill is passed or not. Although, this is a good opportunity for political and communication fanatics to keep their eyes and ears wide open. Moreover, it'll be interesting to see the discourse being taken by other political parties. After all, they are one of the most important stakeholders to decide Acquisition or Wapsi! 

Ten ways to become the Prime Minister

Here are the ten different tactics that were used in 2014 General Elections for you to infer from- 

1. The way people perceive an individual becomes their Brand. This is resonated with Consistency and Communication. One of the fundamentals of building reputation is Communicating what has been done already and not talking about what will be done in the future. Hence, Vibrant Gujarat became the biggest testimony to base the entire campaign on. After all, NaMo intended to replicate what had already been done on a comparatively smaller scale.

2. 'Bhajapa' had lost its relevance among the youth. 'Hindutva' was gradually becoming defunct and lost relatability, except for with the independence era generation. To be able to rule a nation where 65 percent of population is below 35 years of age was a task in itself. The best way to reach out to the target audience is to speak their language, at their platforms. Hence, concepts such as 'Development', 'Governance', 'Employment', 'Inflation' etc. were being propagated. Of course, this had to be done where the targeted audience is present, hence forums such as SRCC, India Today Conclave etc. were intelligently chosen. Social media where youngsters spend most of their time was used in a highly effective and timing efficient manner.

3. Integrated Marketing Communications is the future. It is one message across various platforms. Modi amalgamated the lethal combination of traditional and new media and used all possible tools to communicate what he stands for. To change the way Political Communications have ever happened in this country, he ran the campaign under the gigantic shoulders of the biggest names such as Piyush Pandey, Prasoon Joshi, Sam Balsara and many more formidable faces in the industry. 

4. No other party in Political history had ever though of connecting with the NRI's.  Modi adroitly did so by engaging with NRI's, especially from the USA and Great Britain via Google Hangout. This became a phenomenal success in extending Brand Modi beyond the national boundaries. 

5. None of this would have been possible if the enormous amount of money was not available to spend in such a lavish fashion. Hence, Modi emerged as someone who is pro-business and industrialists. Time and again with cases such as of Nano factory's ouster from Bengal to setting up in Gujarat with great incentives being provided, to linkages with industrialists such as Ambani and Adani did greater good than harm. While other parties were sweating due to lack of funds, it never came up as an issue for BJP considering its huge support base and likelihood of victory.

6. To run a truly 360 degree campaign and to reach out to the remotest nook and corners, decades old on ground activation continued. Oratory being Narendra Modi's forte, he addresses enumerate rallies across the nation. And where he could't physically reach, technology took him there. 3D Modi hangouts, to consumer touch points at tea stalls, to Modi's messages recorded vans were used to create a Modi buzz.

7. As a ardent Swayamsevak, he found it difficult to become a Mass Leader. So, he kept it on the backseat and emerged as a man in a completely new avatar. Nightmare of 2002 riots till date haunt him. The best way to deal with it was talk factually and minimum and focus on the future. This is exactly what he did and was victoriously able to overcome his past reputation. 

8. India was looking for a strong leader and time and again Modi did not shy away from display of power. Be it his Varanasi extravagant road show, to his candid television appearances, to daring to post a Selfie with Lotus Symbol on the voting day. India knew, he is the right man to represent this nation not just internally but started seeing him as someone who would represent India internationally.

9.  Modi's merchandise and his fashion sense became a phenomenon. His customized Modi kurtas became a youth frenzy. Moreover, his energy and his ability to energize the crowds got him a million eyeballs. He was made to look like a child hero with Bal Modi comics and a resilient youngster with humble beginning. Suddenly, he became a hero and an inspiration for thousands of youngsters who wanted to become just like Modi. 

10. Moreover, his personality was impeccable. Modi was promoted as a leader who is Passionate about India, is highly decisive and a change agent. Modi, being someone who is naturally a Leader was shown as extremely original, never reluctant to sit across the table with the greatest intellectuals of the country and had a foresight. Modi is a visionary. He showed the country his vision for the future and one hundred and fifty crore people followed. Now, that's what real leaders are made up of. 

Most importantly, Modi adapted to the change himself to portray that he can lead by example. He continues to do so, executing a successful campaign still. He created a revolution in the way communications had ever been done in this country and in the manner he is doing so at the moment is all about Modi's long term stay. 

Lord Krishna's 'Seekh' In My Words

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

• What is truth?- All of us meet a circumstance in our life, where the situation demands us to speak the truth but we are unable to muster courage to let it out. A fear engulfs us. Whether it about speaking about an experience or an incident or taking onus of a mistake is not truth, it is mere simple retelling. Sometimes even while retelling the fear of hurting another persons sentiments becomes a hindrance. Then what is truth? Despite of being ensnared by fear, stating the facts is truth. Truth is fearlessness. Fearlessness is the nature of soul. Isn't every moment the right time to speak the truth?

• Wishes, desires, expectations and cravings are the vehicles that drive society- If someone asks you, who are you? Then what would your answer be? You will soon realize that your desires define your life. Your success and failures become your identity. Despite of dying a million deaths, we do not forego our desires. What is important here is ray of wisdom. Failures and defeats are nothing but knowledge and power to rise above all and achieve your ambitions.

• An advice can change your life- Different people offer varied advice in a particular situation, which we accept on the basis of what suits our mind. So it is that other people control our lives on the basis of their opinion? 'Dharma' states accept only that advice which signifies righteousness. As a pilgrim's advice is to make offers to god but a burglars advice is to steal by any means. Accept an advice that confirms righteousness, since it could have ramifications for your entire life. 

• Making an incident the center point in life- A mountaineer decides to climb a peak and makes a strategy to reach the top. Most often, all his plans shatter and he needs to improvise to avoid falling in the pit. Similarly, we tend to make a situation, one hurdle a center point of our life which hinders the pace of our life. Such a person cannot attain success, happiness or peace. So make yourself worthy of life and adapt to change. 

• Why we should live in the moment- Either we are dwelling in the past or busy making plans for tomorrow. In the thought process, we forget today. We forget to live and experience life as it slips by every moments. It is a universal truth that we cannot foresee the future. We can only be courageous and embrace the future as it comes along. This will make this very moment full of life. 

• Danger of preconceived notions- Man against Man, Culture against Culture and Nation against Nation is nothing but a preconceived notion derived from others. Murders, deaths and bloodshed are born out of these preconceived notions. Sometimes parents along with blessings bestow upon their children the venom of hatred, which signifies death. Darkness creates fear so it is important to think with a rational mind and leave behind all preconceived notions. 

• Fear that resides within us- Fear is an anticipation of future sorrows. It has nothing to do with present. It is a figment of our imagination. Hence, the sooner we liberate ourselves from fear the better it is. 

• Human Weaknesses- All of us have a weakness. Do you know of any such person who has it all? Often we make that one weakness a center point of our life and remain dissatisfied all our lives. But there are some people who with their hard work and persistence subdue that weakness.Weaknesses are bestowed by god but limitations are created by man himself. 

• Human Expectations- Human relations are based upon expectations. We only love those who fulfill our expectations. They are often broken since they are formed in ones head. The other person fails to know them, leave behind fulfilling them. This is where struggle is born, all relationships become struggle.

• How decisions affect our lives- Can we eat while running? No. We have to take decisions throughout our life which have life altering ramifications. In such situations, mind becomes a battleground. So can we take wise decisions with a warring mind? No. 

• We blame others for unfulfilled desires- We hold others guilty for our failures based upon anger and arrogance turning into vengeance. Punishing someone for this is injustice. Basis of justice is mercy and compassion. 

• Worrying about future is unnecessary- Problem is the reason for the birth of a solution. After emerging out of a problem you move a step ahead in life. Individual will be wiser and high on confidence. A problem is an opportunity to change yourself. 

• Basis of decision making- Reflect your own life and see was future the basis of most of decisions in your life? Before every decision one must ask his heart if the decision is born out of selfishness or righteousness? 

• Benefits of past experience- Parents having borne all experiences in life, they often try and formulate a life path for their children. They claim to foresee all hurdles. However, don't situations change over a period of time? Are they not doing them more harm than any good? The focus should be on building character and not security. One must provide their children the motivation to struggle because that is what makes a person rock solid from within. Joy and security are a by product of one's actions. Virtue and learning builds character which leads to a better future. 

And I continue to learn....

Individualism vs Collectivism - A Perspective

    This world is an amalgamation of individuals, being the truest minorities who together formulate larger cultural spaces. Their inclination towards a particular 'way of thinking'  makes them either an individualist or a collectivist. Hence, the reason being for a way a society behaves at large. Exposure and upbringing are two attributes that effect the mental make up of a person who thrives among a set of people. Non-conformists more often than not, break the stereo types. Generalizations suggest African and Asian countries being collectivists as compared to the individualistic dominance in their western counterparts. 

    Collectivism is based upon the principle of 'greater good'. This is highly subjective since it is a by product of human perceptions and rationalization. It's foundations are based upon ethics, which is nothing but cultural conformity on what is right and wrong or good and bad. For instance, Indians weigh relationships and emotional chords higher than personal ambitions. This is an outcome of a naturally intrinsic unquestionable loyalty which has been incepted into our minds. Being or not being selfish is a choice and it does not determine if one is not a collectivist. Similarly, a marriage means 'it needs to be worked out' which is a collective effort. It is togetherness and functioning as a cohesive group in order to take everybody along rather than turning a blind eye and deaf ear to the environment. 

     'Racism' is collectivist in nature since it involves ostracization and alienation of those who are not similar in any which way. United States of America is ranked as a number 1 Individualistic society and at the same time number 1 for being the most racist country, India being number 10. This clearly is a dichotomy between the two which implies that our thinking is somewhere bound by our ecosphere. 

    Individualism on the other hand is driven by the concept of 'Self-Interest'. Individualists are rational optimists who don't reiterate conventions and want to jump to greater echelons in life. At the same time they believe is societal prosperity and growth which is imperative for their personal growth. After all, an individual can't grow in isolation when the industry is static. When society at large is maverick, self-centrist and highly independent,it is individualistic. A young European boy becomes independent at an early age as compared to his eastern counterpart. But again this is highly circumstantial and conditional. Although, given a choice someone living in an individualistic society is most likely to be accepting for the same.

    Quality of life is denigrating in a society as it moves towards individualism.Since people are regarded as having smaller social support networks, lower emotional competence and poorer mental health. Yet, Britain and States are ranked much higher in quality of life indexes.

     In most of the cultures both kinds of being co-exist. Even in a highly collectivist society, individualistic people can be found who are attributed as innovators. But at the same time might be moral perpetrators. The most developed nations such as the United States, United Kingdom are regarded as individualistic societies. Developing nations like India, Brazil and Russia are collectivists. These upsurging resurgent nations are emerging super powers. So is collectivism the future or are we gradually moving towards individualism? Food for thought.

    

Are we chasing popularity?

    Being aware and connected had never been so much fun. Acute addiction and ever increasing usage of internet has transformed into a really cool term called 'Netizens'. We're living in a virtually globalized world, which seems closer. Just imagine! A no internet day. Suddenly, people will understand the meaning of being 'Free'. Time and social media never wait for anyone. Constant posts tick along. As active users, we're highly selective about the content that we post and absorb. With a plethora of mediums to chose from, the manner in which each person utilizes his or her time on social media speaks volumes. But are we jeopardizing our long-term interests subconsciously?

    For instance, a girl boasts about her number of Facebook friends, which makes her more popular than her female counterparts. A celebrity is judged on the basis of number of followers on Twitter. You tend to follow someone by the number of followers they have i.e. directly proportional to the plausibility. An active Instagram user is excessively worried about constant returns to scale of followers. A sudden increase in twenty followers a day could lead to exultation. A follower is traditionally someone who follows your ideas, beliefs and thoughts. The new followers or  ghost followers are a mere addition to socially acceptable numbers. Quantitative rat race has overcome qualitative aspects such as academic proficiency, intellectual capabilities and so on. 2014 elections brought a new perspective to the table, Are tweeters voters too? Will Facebook fans be opinion leaders in the real world? We'll never know till we chose to let the cat out of the bag. Nowadays, anything is possible, even buying followers. You can judge the credibility for yourself.

    It is absolutely an individuals volition to spend their social media time as per their discretion. But do give these series of questions a thought. Do you often think about how bad a picture was because it did not get as many likes as expected? Are you more comfortable in approaching virtually than in real life? and Do you form perceptions about people on the basis of numbers they have? If yes, then there isn't anything alarming about it but a little bit of change in perspective won't harm either. The tendency to become more inclined to acceptance by people and more self conscious about yourself rises. Spend quality time in whichever way you like and just jettison the number game. Focus on better and useful pursuits in life.

    Nevertheless, the world is more compact and closely knitted than ever before. Fame is a by-product of accomplishments be it real or online space. Chasing popularity can make one fall into the deeper pit of social acceptance. Just think about what your life what look like without social media and take some time out to do that instead. Too much or too little of anything can be harmful. Just be yourself, be candid and be complacent, paparazzi will follow your way.

 Now you may like or tweet this!! :-p

                                

    

A CAUSE THAT IS CLOSE TO MY HEART

   

    

    Having born and brought up in resurgent India, I have been really fortunate to be born in a family, where I feel protected, loved and empowered. Life has been a blessing and dreams seem to be attainable. When I sit and contemplate about life hearing every heart beat, a rush of a powerful feeling flows across my body. So what is it that many girls like me have, which others don't? Just by being born to a particular family and in a certain place is fate, but education beholds the strength to change what has been bestowed by god. It is a potent weapon that is mightier than any sword or other impasse in life. India is a land of rich heritage, which her many young girls don't even know about.

    65.46% females can read and write, as per Census 2011. However, education is beyond the basics. It is the intellectual capacity and the power to form their own opinions. Hence, data cuts out a really sorry figure. Enumerate times the Indian education system has been rightfully pointed fingers at. Then what is it that we really need? Communication. The communication network in India, has been highly ineffective in selling the idea of female education. The targets have been incorrectly identified as the parents, who are circumscribed in the vicious circle of poverty and fail to comprehend the essence of the message. Undoubtedly, government has taken initiatives to counter this via personal gains. But it hasn't worked well in terms of real education. The young nascent minds need to be given the strength to dream. DREAM is the first step towards achieving. Power of dreams will create a thirst for knowledge which will break all shackles fettered upon young women.

    Another thing that is very close to my heart is, financial independence. Folded palms giving is much more respected than those ever ready to receive. With an intent to protect, laws have granted women right over her husbands wealth. But they fail to grant her the status she rightfully deserves. Living with dignity and head up high is only possible with financial independence. We often speak about equality, but it cannot be selectively pro women. They too need to practice what they preach. If you want something get it.

    One man, one woman, one government cannot change the state overnight. It would be a struggle for decades to come to change the iconoclastic conventions. 50% of India's population is it's path to  its development. There is no to do list to make a change. Contribute in whichever way you can because every drop fills an ocean.

Know Your Version- Are you black, white or grey?

    More often than not, we are bewildered about ourselves. The way we think about us is a ramification of other peoples perceptions. We tend to rationalize on the basis of what others think or simply as a result of incorrect self-identification. Personality is soul-deep and generalizing on the basis of few odd incidents could be catastrophic in the longer run. If you're vivacious and effervescent, you are an extrovert. To the contrary, if you are mild and quiet, you're an introvert. And if you are neither one of them, then you're a nobody. These are iconoclastic conventions, which no longer hold true. Human energy can be referred to in terms of level of extroversion, introversion and ambiversion.

Black Extroversion:- The connotation 'Black' is a symbolism of depth. It is depth of the unknown and imagination of a different World around themselves. 'People' are their biggest strengths. Just as the solar objects derive its energy from the sun, being around people is a source of energy for these people. So if an extrovert is the last man alive, he is most likely to die of desolation. Conversations are their food. They are blood-sucking vampires, who will drain your energies but are unlikely to feel effete. The weapon for dealing with these people are mega-extroverts, who are most likely to surpass their energy levels. They are great starters, who'll fill up your tummy leaving no room for more communication. They are so busy talking and entertaining , there is no full stop! Their biggest weakness indeed, confining themselves. Some self-discipline and self-control can be their sole life saviors from this state of being. Nevertheless, they are larger than life and soul of any gathering. World would be a Zombieland without these people. 

White Introversion:-White is White, self explanatory. The World is full of introverts in disguise who are often not shy, but refrain from engaging in unnecessary conversations. They are not bashful but highly selective about their word count, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Their recharge voucher is the least expensive of all i.e. revitalizing by being alone or with very few trusted people. Best part about it being independence from the constant dependence to make you happy. Infact, they are likely to be the most complacent about themselves and least likely to be depressed. Extroverts are improbable to enjoy with these people and deprecating towards them. Simply, because their is a dichotomy of energies. However, a perfect exemplification of 'Opposites Extract' as they strike the best balance as couples. Nevertheless, the smartest beings who listen and think more than talk incessantly, without any analytics. 

Grey Ambiversion:- Grey's are a paradox of life. For instance, Ms Grey has a huge set of friends who she likes to socialize with and is equally content doing nothing. They are drained of being around people too much and being alone too much. Whether reading a book alone or hanging out in the mall, the level of pleasure is the same. If they are put on the weighing scale with half an introvert and half an extrovert, it should balance nineteen-twenty. Non-ambi's find it the hardest to understand these people and keep at par with their balance. At one moment, you'll find these people to be chatterboxes and at the other lost in their own world. The source of energy for these people is balance in life, which is their biggest strength. 

 Now that you have identified these three distinct personality types, this is how you should deal with them:-

EXTROVERTS-

• Understand their need for plenty of social engagements and outings in their daily schedule.
• Try and engage into a lot of conversation with these people to know about what their World is all about. This is their need, so cater to it.
• Simple, let them be around lots of people.

INTROVERTS-

• Please give them lots of space to recycle themselves.
• Their daily schedules should not be very eventful.
• Respect their silence and do not pressurize them to talk when they want to be lost into their World of imagination.

AMBIVERTS-

• Balance, balance and some more balance. Allow them to rejuvenate via social engagements and also respect their private time when they need to restore.
• Accommodate with their needs and identify signals. Accept it when they need to return home after a wholesome time and when they are counting minutes to meet up with their friends.
• Variety is the spice of life- knowledge, party, interesting, couch, experiences, television and so on.

People are born with these personality types. Neither is their success a result of or failure a detriment of who they are, if at all, substance lies in what they do.Whether you're an extrovert, introvert or an ambivert, play along what you have. Make your strengths your USP and weaknesses into opportunities. Meanwhile, draw out the empathy card and vicariously experience the feelings, thoughts and attitudes of others. After all, the World is a potpourri of diverse people who neutralize the harmful radiations of A-Particular beings.

Live and let live.