I remember this joke we used to have when we spoke to Pakistanis in the Middle East, as usual the debates and talks would veer to Kashmir. We would tell them you can have Kashmir but it is a package deal it comes with UP and Bihar. Of course I have heard this joke take various forms but the common denominator was Kashmir along with Bihar and or UP.

The nation has progressed a long away in the 60 years from its independence but I for one feel this two states have if anything gone more backward. These two states combined contribute more than 20% of our respected MPs while other states with declining population had their share of representatives go down. Educated states have declining population while these two states there seems to be no end to the growth of population. Look at the stature of MPs coming from these two states compared to representatives from rest of India you will see what I am saying. Look at the number of criminals elected from these states. Even after dividing the states into smaller units the problem still continues.

I for one feel if India has to progress substantial changes have to happen in these two states. Education, status of women, religious prejudices, caste divisions play such a huge part in UP and Bihar compared to any other place in India. Even the biggest problem we had in many years Shah Bano case and Babri masjid are both from here. The biggest scandals look up and you will see it involves leaders from these two states.

The recent UP elections tells you a sad story that is of choices the people of these state have between Mulayam, Kalyan and Mayawati. If these are choices you have what future does it hold for the poor people here. The less spoken about Rahul Gandhi the better even though the honorable PM feels he is the future of UP. If he is the future for UP then even GOD RAM himself cannot save the state.

Thanks to the election commission we had a fair and free pool after so many years. But what can bunch of bureaucrat's do if the parties still put criminals as the representatives. Here the criminals are not economic criminals but people who killed, raped or have dacoity charges against them. Did we not have Phoolan Devi as a MP some time ago? The sad part of the tale is every party was competing to field her as their candidate. Here is what Hindustan Times had to say about the ongoing election in up “As the staggered Uttar Pradesh assembly elections heads for the sixth and penultimate phase May 3, the number of contestants with criminal background is going up. Against 115 alleged outlaws in the fifth phase April 28, the next phase on Thursday has 138 such people. The ruling samajwadi party again tops the list with 19 ‘shady’ characters, followed by BSP with 16, congress 14 and BJP with 12.”  According to a study by election watch, an NGO the last assembly election of 2002 had a total of 506 contestants with criminal antecedents of which surprisingly 206 won.

Our honorable national icon Amitabh and family feel samajwadi party is the answer to the problem the state faces. The state if anything has gone more backward and than forward in these 5 years. Amar Singh the favorite lackey of the family is nothing but a fixer and broker. He reminds me of Shakuni from Mahabharata. The CM himself has two wives and how can someone like that be responsible for the upliftment of women in the state. It is just like Shabana crowing about woman’s right when she has married an already married man. Well that is topic for another day.

The CM’s brother had recently told the media small incidents like the killing and brutalization of kids in Nithari is not something to make a big hue and cry about. In all these reported crime rates have gone down as the police hand in glove with criminals and the political masters don’t register cases. It is frightening to realize this all happens in the happening country India. How are happening when more than 20% of the country’s population has the same social settings which would make many African regimes feel proud of their affairs.

This volcano i.e. UP and Bihar will soon consume the whole country if things are not set right. How can we assure next PM of the country will not be a murdered or dacoit?