Kashmir, Corona & MVA Government!
Yes, my entire family, except my parents & 2 house staff’s, tested positive 13 days ago. Yes, it included my sons (14 & 10) my nephew (2 years old) and us 4 adults (me & brother & our respective wives). Many of us who saw us enjoying just 20 days ago in Kashmir on social media have blamed me (including my father and Uday Nirgudkar kaka) for being ‘casual & careless’ in these times. But it was not Kashmir, friends. The virus caught us up in Mumbai. After landing from Kashmir, I was on the road the very next day in this heat to change Tyre of my friend’s car. But God’s grace and have been counting my blessings every single minute and with the help of able doctors, we all are fine. Asymptomatic is what we had been labelled! All of us!! We were able to come out of this only because of the confidence BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, AMC Suresh Kakani & LOP Devendra Fadnavis gave us, as that’s what was needed on the day, we tested positive as were scared and had panicked. Confidence and assuredly of ‘everything & anything’ if something goes wrong, did make us feel comfortable. I knew we all will scrape through this. Thank you, all 3 of you and my numerous friends who called & messaged me and kept a tab on us every single day. The only regret of these last 12 days–was to sit at home when my city, state and country was burning. Yet I will have to sit home for 2 more weeks, as prescribed by our doctors, but I have my plans in place now.
But friends, Kashmir…what do I say…You will be surprised to hear that this was the first time I ‘was allowed’ by my father to travel (with a grin on his face even when he dropped me to the airport) outside Maharashtra in my entire life. Leave the travel from aged 3 to 8…No one remembers and don’t count Goa. It is second home! Yes, outside my state it was for the first time for the 4 of us. We were 4 couples with 7 kid’s and to tell you in short, it is unbelievable. It is not a joke when they say it is better than Switzerland. The only hitch I had in the entire trip was that of the people there. Yes, there is poverty, yes there was nothing post Act 370, then came the lock-down and then the weather— which has made Kashmiri people jobless & hungry for good 1.5 years. Now the people there have become smart. This year was ‘kaboom’ for them…They have made it. But friends, the way they speak to you emotionally, don’t get fooled is what I have learnt. Every taxi driver to a horse carrier to a Hotel Manager they have the same story. 370 and lock-down and no money. In this name they loot you in form of tips and super expensive things. Imagine a ruffle lays costed us Rs.100 a packet at Gulmarg! By the way Kashmir trip is as expensive as going to any foreign location with your family. The hotels, services everything is too good, but not good are the people who play the victim card and all the time take money and advantage of you being ’emotional’…. Be careful, but rest it is a dream destination. Those who plan Kashmir, let me know…. have contacts there too now…
Anyways, what is wrong with our country? Has Corona decided to attack everywhere except Bengal and where ever there are elections? I was so angry and frustrated when I saw people in lakhs at Kumbh. No, not done…To top our frustration the way this second wave is attacking us, it has really caught us off guard. And yes, no slums and all, it is attacking us, the middle class, the higher middle class and the rich ones…. then there are fires in Nashik & Virar hospitals. People are getting killed… I mean is there any value left or no for human lives? Clearly, Uddhav Thackeray as a CM has failed this time to control anything and everything. Yes, he has failed… Efforts of the BMC and administration of Maharashtra are clearly showing signs of unpreparedness and helplessness. Nothing can be done…And what ‘curfew’ is this? How come Diamond bourse is open at the BKC? People there are saying ’20 ka packet (khoka)’ has reached Bandra residence to be able to put diamond market in import/export and essential services. And guess who did the dalaali? It is a Gujarati office bearer of city BJP unit, as they say
I clearly messaged Ajoy Mehta yesterday, since this CM listens only to him, to come and take charge again in any capacity. Clearly team of Kunte & Chahal need Mehta or even a Pravin Pardeshi to tackle this situation as a team now. Why aren’t expert services of Manisha Mhaiskar, Milind Mhaiskar, Ashwini Bhide, Sanjeev Jaiswal, Deepak Kapoor, Sharavan Hardikar, Ashwini Joshi, P. Anbalgan, Dr Nitin Kareer, Dr Sudhakar Shinde or retired IAS Mahesh Zagade and so many like them not utilized? I’m sure just empower them and give each of them one region and see what management is and how control is brought. These above-mentioned bureaucrats are doers…But yes, none of these Thackeray’s, Tope’s and Deshmukh’s and Raut’s should interfere. Give them one month…See how Mumbai & Maharashtra will have oxygen & ventilators and they will bring everything under control. But who will tell this CM? Whom he listened; he is not there. Hence, I wrote to Ajoy Mehta to come back. Many of the non-Maharashtrian or other group IAS & IPS don’t listen to the hard-working Kunte. He is all alone with Chahal fighting the battle. That Abhimanyu Kale who was shunted from the FDA did not lift anyone’s calls, forget common people not even MLA’s. That Vipin Sharma has failed in Thane. Vasai-Virar bureaucrats, Nashik, Nagpur, all need special attention now as situation there is extremely bad. Public Health Department & FDA should have had 3 IAS officers manning it like a fort. Even now Mr. Uddhav, get all these officers distribute each district to them and give them unlimited powers. They will talk to the Corporate or builders or anyone but they will get Oxygen, ventilators and everything. Uddhav ji, please listen before it gets out of control.
In these times, there is no sign of CM Uddhav Thackeray nor his high-profile Minister son. Where on earth is veteran Sharad Pawar? He has dealt with such crucial situations before be it the earthquakes or bomb blasts. He knows the pulse. Yes, he has been operated but can’t he take control of the situation sitting at home? He is very much and the only capable & experienced person right now in MVA Government to handle such situation. He can in fact handle the politics of Center too, that is happening in case of Oxygen cylinders and Remedesvir. Boss, believe me those who are doing this and letting people die, believe me they will rot in hell. I’m told that even this MVA Government has not left any stone un-turned to make money even in these times. Majority blame is coming on Tope. Let me come out of my isolation, and if I come out of this safely, believe me as my father was responsible for Minister Sanjay Rathod’s & Anil Deshmukh’s ‘wicket’, I promise to ball only bouncers to all of these Ministers who have wronged. Till then, wish me and my family luck and see you all real soon!
Vikrant Hemant Joshi
