A letter to honorable Finance Minister of Government of India, Mr. Chidambaram,

Sir, I admit that I have scant respect for your person nevertheless; I want to give you some tips about some places I have noticed, those can yield our Finance Ministry sizable revenue, which is the need of the day. I know, you are constantly looking up for such places of revenue and I am sure if you are not sold to them you will be able to convert that into some good income for our government.

Your government has already begun to widen the net of Professional Tax and every year more professions are brought into that. I have a suggestion that you please think about these professionals I call “merchants of god”. Yes, you have guessed correctly. I am referring to those people who claim to be saints, spiritual leaders or sadhus and move around giving sermons after sermons on some or the other religious subject.

In early days, we had people giving sermons in temples they are called in my Marathi, kirtankar or hardas. They were respected as that but over the period these kirtankar have become regular professionals and now we see they hold big banner sermon programs in large pavilions drawing huge crowd. Many charge handsome fees for that occasion earning good money. Many of them like Asaram bapu, Shri shri some body, many carry such comic titles that I do not want to write them here. They have begun to claim that they are god men. Their income runs in many million rupees. I want to suggest that it is high time that these people are now caught in the Professional Tax net. If that is done in right earnestness many of them will come to their senses and learn to behave better. This I am particularly talking with reference to Asaram bapu. Actually they should be honest enough and openly admit to those people, who mistake them for God men, and tell, they are not what they think but only sermon preachers or Hardas and not saints or sadhus.

Our Hindu community is generally made of unintelligent people believing in whatever nonsense these smart guys preach. Here I do not want to miss of god men/women of other creeds. Whatever is the cult, they want to preach for, their modus operandi is identical and that is to draw maximum gullible guys and extract money from them under the guise of that creed or sell their creed. The money generally comes in the form of donations. Many are already millionaires. There is no harm in getting them in the net, after all tax money will be used for the betterment of people for whom they preach. Since their expenses are almost nil a good percentage of tax can be levied on them to get maximum revenue.

Recently, Asaram bapu committed foolishly by wasting water in the wake of acute water shortage in the State showing total disregard for peoples’ feeling. This type or arrogance is possible because public wrongfully treat him as if he is a great saint. The cheap publicity has gone in his little head. The way he justified his blatant act was entirely disgraceful. If they comes under taxation that will bring them to their senses and that may teach them to behave properly. Professional tax will bring these people to their senses and they will learn to behave with fellow men properly. This we have seen happening with Advocates and Doctors.

A letter to Sanju Datt our most popular cine artist,

I am sorry that you are now under court order and that you have to surrender to the jail authority to commence your imprisonment. This began because you were a foolish person then, I hope you have become sensible now; you purchased arms of such lethal power not really required for self protection as you put up in the court. Your father was not under any danger during that time and so you lost the case. After almost twenty years you are declared guilty by our law. This is expected as our law is indolent and their verdicts come so late that one cannot imagine better. Nevertheless, it is good that you have admitted that you honor court verdict, of course you have no other option but to relent to it.

Some say you may ask for pardon and since you are a congress man and having strong influence there is every likelihood that you may get the pardon but I would advice you that if you have really become sensible and not foolish as in olden days you will not request for pardons. Let me explain my point of view. Remember during your bail period you acted in a few good cinemas and you played Gandhigiri and gave good examples to people. Your Gandhigiri inspired many and now you do carry that image in your personality, whether you like it or not but the fact remains that people, your fans, look to you in that perspective. So if you ask for pardon you will be condemned by your fans. They will feel ashamed that you are not what you represented. Sanju, you know people are very emotional about these things and so it will be better you go and accept the jail term. If you do that honorably, your image will improve and people will feel really proud of you. As you know only 42 months are there for your jail term and out of that if you commit honorably and do good work to improve life of many in jail; there is every possibility that you will get exemption for good behavior and that you will be released within a year. Note for sure that you are not going on kalapani but just a simple imprisonment. You need not make fuzz over that. In between, you may get parole and you will be able to satisfy your commitments to your producers, everything will be alright provided you behave like a gentleman in repentance. I am sure, your wife, Namrata, is a strong woman and can manage well during your absence. I am sure she shall support you during your period in jail like a proud wife of a gentleman in repentance. That if happens; your position in the eyes of your fans like me will improve so much that after that all your cinemas will be hit for sure.

If you prefer advice of your producers, directors and callous friends or so called well-wishers you will be making a very big mistake. They are selfish in their interest, not bothered about your image in the eyes of your fans. You may feel better for a while that you got pardon but that will be a great disgrace for the great name of your father who never asked for any obligation from any body. You made mistake, you must pay for it and that was his ways. You should not do anything that will tarnish his name.

Some say you suffered a lot during these twenty years of bail period. Tell me honestly did you suffer any thing during this period? You did many films gained acclaims, made a lot of money, got married and had children, you actually enjoyed every bit of these 20 years, and that we, your fans, know very well. I see all Congress people support you because of your being one of them but you should not do anything that will disgrace your name and the name of your father. Sanju, you are under trial of a different type. A trial by your fans; they expect you to pass that test and prove to all your fans that you are a very responsible and proud person and not somebody who shall beg for pardons.

Instead of a pardon we want you to earn your freedom by your own meritable disposition in the jail, earn your freedom by merits and not by favor, please do not beg for anything. I hope you get my letter and help you in taking appropriate decision in this regards.

My letter to our Maharashtra MLAs –

Recently some members of our Assembly happened to do some really foolish things and for that they were shown law by a responsible and efficient police officer. Instead of simply saying sorry, the concerned MLA attacked the officer and to top on that other really unconcerned members of Assembly joined him and hammered the police officer at the Assembly. We all have read about this very sorry incidence. The worst part is that now these stupid members of our Assembly are planning to go on agitation against the police officer! What agitation? And how they expect to get it; is doubtful.

I am feeling very upset that the persons appointed to make laws are breaking them as if they are above law; while they now that as per democratic norms all must honor law and help law enforcing authority. I am ashamed that our MLAs are not respectable gentlemen but only some sort of hoodlums. I wonder why political parties send these hoodlums in House.

However, if they have decided to do something to teach some lessons to police officers, I suggest to them that instead of going on worthless and ineffective agitations they should take cudgels against many corrupt police personnel. If their party workers want to do, they can catch such officers and bring them to justice. That way, it will be two way service to people they represent. One, that corrupt officer is exposed and other, they got their retribution.

You may contact me on my Email ID given below,

ashokkothare@gmail.com

You are, invited to visit my other blogs if interested.

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