Category Archives: India

Table Topics: Diwali dhamaka

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Table Topics prepared for 1st November, 2014: Diwali special at Bombay Toastmasters by yours truly.

  1. If life were a Rangoli, how would you design it and why?

  2. Diwali is all about noise and air pollution. I hate it. What about you?

  3. The sights and sounds of Diwali makes my heart sing and soar. Does it do the same for you?

  4. Diwali is not Diwali without ….

  5. Diwali is about new clothes, sweets and holidays. Nothing else. Argue for or against.

  6. Diwali is just another shopping festival. It’s just so crass and commercial. Argue for or against.

  7. What are your memories of your first ever Diwali? When and where? What was special or not?

  8. If you were to use one word to describe your Diwali, what would it be and why?

English: Rangoli, decorations made from colore...

English: Rangoli, decorations made from colored powder, is popular during Diwali. සිංහල: Rangoli, decorations made from colored powder, is popular during Diwali. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Right to Information (RTI) Bill 2005: Preamble

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THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION BILL, 2005: Preamble

A Bill to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

WHEREAS the Constitution of India has established democratic Republic;

AND WHEREAS democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed;

AND WHEREAS revelation of information in actual practice is likely to conflict with other public interests including efficient operations of the Governments, optimum use of limited fiscal resources and the preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information;

AND WHEREAS it is necessary to harmonise these conflicting interests while preserving the paramountcy of the democratic ideal;

NOW, THEREFORE, it is expedient to provide for furnishing certain information to citizens who desire to have it.

You can’t get drunk unless you’re 25

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A road sign attempts to discourage drivers fro...

The Maharashtra State government devised a novel solution for the menace of drunken driving.

Simple, let’s just raise the minimum age for alcohol consumption from 21 to 25. A youngster can purchase beer at the age of 21. Other hard liquors are to be consumed only at 25.

You can get a driving license at 16, marry at 21 but can’t drink until 25.

I guess, the state of Maharashtra won’t have any young drunk drivers any more.

PS: I’m mostly a teetotaller but some laws are truly absurd.