Chanakya Niti: Shlok 4

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मूर्खशिष्योपदेशेन दुष्टस्त्रीभरणेन च।
दुःखितैः सम्प्रयोगेण पण्डितोऽप्यवसीवति।।४।।

चाणक्य इस श्लोक में कहते हैं कि मूर्ख शिष्य को उपदेश देना, दुष्ट और कुलटा स्त्री के भरण-पोषण करने तथा दुःखी व्यक्तियों के संग में रहने से बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति को भी कष्ट हो सकता है। यहां चाणक्य ने यह स्पष्ट किया है कि मूर्ख शिष्य को भली बात के लिए प्रेरित नहीं करना चाहिए। इसी प्रकार दुष्ट आचरण वाली स्त्री का संग करना भी अनुचित है और दुःखी व्यक्तियों के पास बैठने-उठने और समागम से ज्ञानवान् पुरुषों को भी दुःख उठाना पड़ सकता है।
सम्भवतः देखने में ये बातें कुछ व्यक्तियों को साधारण प्रतीत होती हों, परन्तु यदि इन बातों को थोड़ा गम्भीरतापूर्वक विचार किया जाए तो यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि चाणक्य ने बड़ी गम्भीर बात कही है। वस्तुतः सीख, उपदेश अथवा परामर्श उसी व्यक्ति को देना चाहिए जो उसके योग्य हो अथवा सीख लेने की जिसकी इच्छा हो। बन्दर और बया के घोंसले की कथा बड़ी प्रसिद्ध है। वर्षा से भीगते हुए बन्दर को देखकर अपने घर में बैठी बया ने बन्दर को घर बना लेने की सीख दी, परन्तु बन्दर उस सीख के योग्य न था। इसलिए उसने सीख देने वाली बया को भी बेचर कर दिया। इसी प्रकार मूर्ख शिष्यों के अपने गुरु की सेवा से सम्बन्धित अनेक कहानियां भी ग्रन्थों में जहां-तहां बिखरी पड़ी हैं। संस्कृत में एक श्लोक है –

अज्ञसुखमाराध्य सुखतरमाराध्यते विशेषज्ञः।
ज्ञानलब्धबिन्दुगं ब्रह्मापि तं नरं न रंजयति।।

इसका अर्थ है कि जिस व्यक्ति को किसी भी बात का कोई ज्ञान नहीं है, उसे कोई बात आसानी से समझाई जा सकती है। और जो व्यक्ति सब कुछ जानता है, चारों ही कोई भी बात बहुत ही सरलतापूर्वक समझाई जा सकती है, परन्तु जिस व्यक्ति को बहुत थोड़ा-सा ज्ञान होता है, उसे तो ब्रह्मा भी नहीं समझा सकता। क्योंकि यह बात बिल्कुल उसी तरह होती है जैसे एक कहावत के अनुसार चूहा हल्दी की एक गांठ लेकर पंसारी बन बैठा।
चाणक्य ने यह भी कहा है कि दुष्ट स्त्री का संग करना अथवा उसका पालन-पोषण करना भी दुःख का कारण बन सकता है। स्पष्ट है कि जो स्त्री अपने पति के प्रति ही सच्ची न हो, वह दूसरे प्रेमी का क्या भला करेगी! इसी प्रकार दुःखी व्यक्ति के साथ संग करने का परिणाम यही होगा कि उस व्यक्ति की निराशा, उस व्यक्ति के जीवन में व्याप्त तनाव और बुरी बातों का असर उसके साथ रहने वाले व्यक्ति पर भी अवश्य होगा। जो व्यक्ति इस प्रकार के दुःखों से घिरे होंगे, उनका विवेक तो नष्ट ही हो जाता है। इसके साथ-साथ उनमें अन्य अनेक बुराइयां भी आ जाती हैं—वे लालची, कठोर, निर्दयी भी जाते हैं। इसलिए यह स्पष्ट है कि यदि कोई समझदार व्यक्ति भी ऐसे काम करेगा तो उसे निश्चय ही कष्ट उठाना पड़ेगा। यह बात बिल्कुल वैसी ही है जैसे जानबूझ कर सांप के बिल में हाथ देना अथवा आस्तीन में सांप पालना।
चाणक्य ने यहां समझदार लोगों को दुःखी व्यक्तियों से अलग रहने के लिए जो परामर्श दिया है, वह बहुत ही महत्त्वपूर्ण है। चाणक्य के ही एक दूसरे ग्रन्थ में कहा गया है कि –

एकस्य दुःखस्य न यावदन्तं गच्छाम्यहं पारमिवाणवंस्य।
तावद्वितीयै समुपस्थिते मे छिद्रेष्वनर्था बहुलीभवन्ति।।

चाणक्य का यह कथन सर्वथा सत्य है कि दुःखी व्यक्ति का संसर्ग नहीं करना चाहिए क्योंकि दुःख कभी अकेला नहीं आता। जिस प्रकार कोई व्यक्ति यदि फटा हुआ कपड़ा ओढ़ कर सोता है तो पैर अथवा हाथ लगने से वह कपड़ा और भी फटता जाता है। इसी प्रकार दुःखों के सागर में फंसा हुआ व्यक्ति आसानी से उनसे पार नहीं निकलता। इसलिए चाणक्य का यह कथन सही है कि बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति को इन तीनों के संसर्ग से बचना चाहिए।

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Here is the English translation of the Sanskrit verses and the accompanying Hindi explanation:

Verse 4:

“By instructing a foolish student, by maintaining a wicked woman,
and by associating with unhappy people, even a wise person suffers.”

(Chanakya Niti, Shloka 4)

Explanation:

Chanakya says in this verse that giving advice to a foolish student, supporting an immoral or ill-behaved woman, and keeping company with unhappy people can bring suffering even to an intelligent person. He makes it clear that one should not try to motivate or teach a foolish student toward good conduct. Similarly, associating with a person of bad character is improper, and spending excessive time with deeply unhappy individuals can bring distress even to wise and knowledgeable people.

At first glance, these ideas may seem ordinary to some people, but if considered seriously, Chanakya’s point becomes profound. Advice, instruction, or guidance should be given only to those who are worthy of it or genuinely wish to learn.

A famous story illustrates this: A monkey was getting drenched in the rain while a weaver bird sat safely in its nest. The bird advised the monkey to build a shelter for itself. But the monkey was not capable of appreciating the advice and, instead of learning, destroyed the bird’s nest. Similarly, many stories exist about foolish students causing trouble for their teachers.

There is also a Sanskrit verse:

“A completely ignorant person is easy to teach;
an expert is even easier to satisfy.
But a person with only a little knowledge—
even Brahma cannot convince such a person.”

Its meaning is that someone who knows nothing can often be taught easily, and a truly knowledgeable person can also understand things readily. But a person with a little knowledge is often the hardest to teach, because partial knowledge creates arrogance and resistance.

Chanakya also says that keeping company with a wicked or immoral woman, or supporting such a person, can become a source of suffering. The argument is that if someone is not loyal or truthful in close relationships, they are unlikely to act sincerely elsewhere.

Similarly, constant association with unhappy people may affect one’s own mental state. Their despair, stress, and negativity may gradually influence those around them. People overwhelmed by suffering may lose judgment and sometimes develop undesirable traits such as greed, harshness, or bitterness. Therefore, even a wise person may suffer if they continuously remain in such environments.

This is compared to knowingly putting one’s hand into a snake’s hole or nurturing a snake in one’s sleeve.

Chanakya’s advice to stay away from deeply unhappy company is emphasized further in another verse:

“Before I can cross the ocean of one sorrow,
another arrives;
through the cracks in life, misfortunes multiply.”

Chanakya argues that sorrow rarely comes alone. Just as a torn cloth becomes more torn with use, a person trapped in suffering often finds it difficult to escape quickly. Therefore, according to him, a wise person should avoid close association with these three sources of trouble.

A modern interpretation note:

Some parts of this teaching reflect the social attitudes of ancient times, especially regarding women and avoiding unhappy people. A modern reading may interpret the core principle more broadly: be careful about investing energy where learning is rejected, avoid persistently toxic relationships, and protect yourself from environments that continuously drain your emotional well-being.

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In One Line

English:

Even a wise person suffers by wasting effort on foolish people, maintaining toxic relationships, and constantly associating with negativity.

Hindi:

मूर्खों को समझाने, दुष्ट लोगों का साथ निभाने और दुःखी लोगों की नकारात्मक संगति करने से बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति भी कष्ट पाता है।

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Chanakya Niti: Shlok 3

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तदहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि लोकानां हितकाम्यया।
येन विज्ञानमात्रेण सर्वज्ञत्वं प्रपद्यते।।३।।

इस श्लोक का अर्थ यह है कि मैं लोगों की भलाई की इच्छा से राजनीति के उन गूढ़ रहस्यों का वर्णन कर रहा हूँ जिन्हें केवल जान लेने से ही व्यक्ति अपने-आपको सर्वज्ञ समझ सकता है। चाणक्य ने यहाँ अत्यन्त महत्त्वपूर्ण बात कही है कि मनुष्य को यदि राजनीति के सूक्ष्म रहस्यों का ज्ञान हो जाए, तो केवल उन राजनैतिक सिद्धान्तों को अपनाने से मनुष्य सर्वज्ञ होने का प्रशस्त कर सकता है। चाणक्य ने यहाँ उल्लेख नहीं किया, जिन्हें अपनाने

या क्रियारूप में परीक्षण करने से मनुष्य कहां से कहां पहुंच सकता है।
संस्कृत में ही नहीं, अन्य अनेक भाषाओं में भी ऐसी उक्तियां प्रसिद्ध हैं कि कोई व्यक्ति सारी बातें नहीं जान सकता, अर्थात् उससे सभी बातों का ज्ञान नहीं होता। अनेक बातों के सम्बन्ध में अथवा अनेक विषयों की उसके उपरी जानकारी ही हो सकती है। परन्तु वह उसके कारण उन विषयों के सम्बन्ध में सूक्ष्म अथवा सर्वज्ञ होने का दावा नहीं कर सकता। चाणक्य ने यह स्पष्ट किया है कि जो उनके ग्रंथ को अथवा राजनीति में सम्बद्ध उनकी बातों को जान लेगा, वह राजनीतिशास्त्र का पंडित हो जायेगा। इससे यह स्पष्ट है कि चाणक्य अपने विषय के महान ज्ञाता और पूर्ण पारंगत थे। यह बात बिल्कुल स्पष्ट है कि जिस व्यक्ति को किसी विषय के मूल सिद्धान्तों का ज्ञान होता है वह उससे सम्बन्धित सभी विषयों को भली प्रकार जान सकता है। इससे स्पष्ट है कि जो भी व्यक्ति चाहे चाणक्य के इस ग्रंथ को पढ़ कर अपने जीवन में सफलता प्राप्त करने के साथ-साथ आत्मगौरवपूर्वक सर्वज्ञ होने का दावा भी कर सकता है। अतः अपने कल्याण के लिए प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को इस ग्रंथ का अध्ययन करना चाहिए।

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In English

Here is the English translation of the Sanskrit verse and the accompanying explanation:

“Therefore, I shall now explain, with the desire for the welfare of the people, those principles by knowing which alone one may attain omniscience.”

Explanation

The meaning of this verse is that, motivated by the welfare of society, the author is explaining the profound secrets of politics and statecraft, knowledge of which can make a person feel as though they possess complete understanding.

Here, Chanakya emphasizes an important idea: if a person gains insight into the subtle principles of politics and governance, then merely adopting and understanding these political doctrines can help them become highly knowledgeable and wise. Chanakya suggests that understanding fundamental political principles allows a person to grasp many related subjects deeply.

The text further explains that many languages and traditions recognize the idea that no individual can know everything. People may possess only superficial knowledge in many areas, and such partial understanding does not make them truly knowledgeable. However, Chanakya argues that anyone who studies his teachings and understands his political philosophy can become a scholar of political science.

This demonstrates Chanakya’s confidence in his mastery of the subject. It also highlights an important principle: a person who understands the foundational concepts of any field can more easily understand all related areas.

Therefore, the passage concludes that anyone who studies this text can achieve success in life and develop intellectual confidence and self-respect. For one’s own welfare and growth, every individual should study this work.

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In One Line

हिंदी / Hindi
        
लोककल्याण के लिए मैं ऐसा ज्ञान बता रहा हूँ, जिसे जानकर व्यक्ति गहन समझ और व्यापक ज्ञान प्राप्त कर सकता है।

English

For the welfare of society, I am explaining knowledge that can give a person deep understanding and broad wisdom simply through learning it.

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Chanakya Niti: Shlok 2

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अधीत्येदं यथा शास्त्रं नरो जानाति सत्प्रतः।
धर्मोपदेशशिख्यातं कार्याकार्यं शुभाशुभम्।।२।।

इस श्लोक का अर्थ यह है कि समझदार व्यक्ति इस नीतिशास्त्र को पढ़कर यह जान लेता है कि कौन-सा कार्य उसके योग्य है अथवा कौन-सा न करने योग्य। उन कार्यों के अच्छे और बुरे परिणाम के सम्बन्ध में जान हो जाता है, दूसरों से वह अपने व्यवहार में कुशल हो सकता है। इन करने योग्य अथवा न करने योग्य कार्यों को धर्मोपदेश भी माना जा सकता है।

यह समझने की बात है कि मनुष्य को यह ज्ञात होना चाहिए कि कार्य के सम्बन्ध में उसका धर्म क्या है अर्थात् उसके मन में यह बात स्पष्ट होनी चाहिए कि कौन-सा कार्य करने योग्य है अथवा कौन-सा कार्य धर्मविरुद्ध हो सकता है। धर्म का अर्थ मनुष्य अथवा किसी वस्तु के गुण और स्वभाव को माना जाता है जिस प्रकार आग का धर्म जलाना और पानी का धर्म शान्त करना है, उसी प्रकार हम यह कह सकते हैं कि राजनीति में कुछ बातें ऐसी भी होती हैं जिन्हें सामान्य रूप से देखने पर धर्मविरुद्ध कहा जा सकता है। परन्तु यहाँ राजनीति उस धर्म में सहायक होती है जिस कार्य को करने से किसी श्रेष्ठ ध्येय की पूर्ति होती है। इस प्रकार हम यह भी कह सकते हैं कि धर्मशास्त्र, अर्थशास्त्र और राजनीतिशास्त्र में एक प्रकार का सम्बन्ध है। उदाहरण के लिए घाव से पीड़ित एक बछड़े को गाँधी जी ने गोली मार देने का आदेश दिया था। उनके इस कार्य को किसी ने अधर्म नहीं माना क्योंकि उस तड़पते हुए बछड़े को, जिसका कोई इलाज सम्भव न था, उस समय उसकी जीवन-लीला समाप्त कर देना ही धर्म था। इसी प्रकार महाभारत के युद्ध में 'अश्वत्थामा हतो नरो वा कंजरो वा' महावाक्य छल-बल के बीच कहे गये शब्द द्रोणाचार्य द्वारा किए जा रहे संहार से बचने के लिए उपयुक्त थे। भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण जैसे योगिराज ने उन्हें उपयुक्त माना। इस प्रकार यह स्पष्ट है कि चाणक्य का कथन सच है कि अर्थशास्त्र के ज्ञान से आदमी को शुभ अथवा अशुभ कर्मों को जानने का ज्ञान होने से उसका कल्याण होता है। उनका मत है कि यह ज्ञान धर्मसम्मत है।

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In English

The meaning of this verse is that a wise person, by reading this ethical treatise, comes to know which action is worthy of him or which is not worthy of being done. He gains knowledge regarding the good and bad consequences of those actions, and can become skilled in his conduct with others. These actions that are worthy or unworthy of being done can also be considered religious teachings.

It is important to understand that a person must know what his 'Dharma' (righteous duty/essential nature) is concerning an action, meaning it should be clear in his mind which action is worthy of being done or which action could be contrary to Dharma. 'Dharma' is considered to be the quality and nature of a person or an object. Just as the 'Dharma' of fire is to burn and the 'Dharma' of water is to pacify/extinguish, similarly, we can say that in politics, there are some things which, when viewed generally, might be called contrary to Dharma.

However, here, politics assists that 'Dharma' by performing which a noble goal is achieved. Thus, we can also say that there is a kind of relationship between Dharmashastra (Scriptures of Ethics/Duty), Arthashastra (Science of Wealth/Politics), and Rajnitishastra (Science of Politics). For example, Gandhiji had ordered the shooting of a calf that was suffering from a wound. No one considered this action to be adharma (unrighteous) because, for that suffering calf, for which no treatment was possible, ending its life at that time was indeed 'Dharma'.

Similarly, in the war of Mahabharata, the statement "Ashwatthama hato naro va kanjaro va" (Ashwatthama is dead, whether it be a man or an elephant) spoken amidst deception, was appropriate to save the army from the slaughter being carried out by Acharya Dronacharya. The Lord of Yogis, Shri Krishna, considered them appropriate. Thus, it is clear that Chanakya's statement is true that through the knowledge of Arthashastra, a person gains the knowledge of auspicious or inauspicious actions, leading to his welfare. Chanakya holds the view that this knowledge is consistent with Dharma.

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In One Line

English: By studying this scripture properly, a person gains knowledge of what is to be done and what is not to be done, and what is auspicious and inauspicious, as taught through the instructions of Dharma.

Hindi: इस शास्त्र का ठीक से अध्ययन करने पर, धर्म के उपदेशों द्वारा सिखाए गए करने योग्य और न करने योग्य कार्यों तथा शुभ और अशुभ परिणामों का मनुष्य को ज्ञान हो जाता है।

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Chanakya Niti (Book Index)

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1. Shlok 1
2. Shlok 2
3. Shlok 3
4. Shlok 4

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Chanakya Niti: Shlok 1

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प्रथम अध्याय

प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं प्रभुम्।
नानाशास्त्रोद्धृतं वक्ष्ये राजनीतिसमुच्चयम्।।१।।

मैं तीनों लोकों (स्वर्ग, पृथ्वी और पाताल) के स्वामी भगवान् के चरणों में सिर झुकाकर नमस्कार करता हूँ। इसके बाद मैं राजनीति के उन सिद्धान्तों का वर्णन करता हूँ जिन्हें मैंने अनेक शास्त्रों से एकत्रित किए गए हैं।

राजनीति में कौटिल्य की महत्ता को कोई इन्कार नहीं कर सकता। अनेक स्थानों पर उन्हें विष्णु शर्मा अथवा चाणक्य के नाम से भी पुकारा गया है। चाणक्य को अर्थशास्त्र से सम्बन्धित होने के कारण कौटिल्य भी कहा गया है। कौटिल्य का अर्थ है जो कूटनीति में प्रवीण हो। चाणक्य की कूटनीति से राजा और प्रजा दोनों को ही लाभ होता है। चाणक्य के राजनीति-शास्त्र से सभी वर्गों ने अब तक लाभ उठाया है और प्राचीन काल से उठाते आ रहे हैं।

चाणक्य ने विष्णुगुप्त नाम से पंचतन्त्र नामक एक और ग्रन्थ की भी रचना की है। वह पुस्तक भी राजनीति से सम्बन्धित है और उसको पढ़कर विद्यार्थियों को अनेक ऐसी बातों का ज्ञान होता है जिन्हें वह सामान्य ढंग से नहीं जान सकते। चाणक्य ने अनेक उदाहरण देकर गूढ़ विषयों को इतना स्पष्ट कर दिया है कि जो उसकी अपनी ही विशेषता है।

भारतीय ग्रन्थ-रचनाकार प्राचीन काल से अपने कार्य की निर्विघ्नतापूर्वक समाप्ति के लिए सदैव अपने इष्टदेव का ध्यान लगाकर उसकी स्तुति किया करते थे। प्रायः सभी प्राचीन ग्रन्थों में इस बात का उदाहरण स्पष्ट देखने को मिल जायेगा। चाणक्य ने भी यहाँ तीनों लोकों के स्वामी विष्णु का आह्वान किया है और उन्हें नम्रतापूर्वक प्रणाम करके ही अपने ग्रन्थ की रचना प्रारम्भ की है।

---

In English

I bow my head in salutation at the feet of the Lord, the master of the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the netherworld). After that, I describe those principles of politics that I have gathered from many scriptures.

No one can deny the importance of Kautilya in politics. In many places, he has also been called by the name Vishnu Sharma or Chanakya. Chanakya is also called Kautilya because he is associated with 'Arthashastra'. 'Kautilya' means one who is proficient in diplomacy. Both the king and the subjects benefit from Chanakya's diplomacy. All classes have benefited from Chanakya's treatise on politics up to now, and they have been benefiting from it since ancient times.

Chanakya has also composed another book called 'Panchatantra' under the name Vishnugupta. That book is also related to politics, and by reading it, students gain knowledge of many such things which they cannot know in an ordinary manner. Chanakya has made complex subjects so clear by giving many examples, which is his own speciality.

Since ancient times, Indian authors of scriptures have always meditated upon their chosen deity and praised them for the uninterrupted completion of their work. In almost all ancient texts, one can clearly see an example of this. Chanakya has also invoked Vishnu, the master of the three worlds, here and only after humbly bowing down to him has he begun the composition of his text.

---

In One Line

English: 
Bowing my head to Lord Vishnu, the master of the three worlds, I will now describe the 'Compendium of Politics' (Rajaneetisamuchchaya) extracted from various scriptures.

Hindi / हिंदी: 
तीनों लोकों के स्वामी भगवान विष्णु को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम कर, मैं अनेक शास्त्रों से एकत्रित 'राजनीतिसमुच्चय' (राजनीति का संग्रह) का वर्णन करूंगा।

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Taiwan’s Markets Surge Ahead While India Watches Ram Rahim’s 16th Parole

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The Parole Paradox: How India Outdoes the World in Forgiving a Rapist-Murderer While Taiwan Builds the Future

News arrived that Taiwan’s total market capitalisation has left India behind – all because of a single company. If someone wants to rub salt into your wounds with that fact, tell them this: India has already set a world record by granting 435 days of parole in eight years to a convict serving a life sentence for rape and murder. Taiwan may have a global semiconductor giant, but it does not have a Ram Rahim. And that, dear reader, is a uniquely Indian achievement.

Wherever you look, the system is punctured. Leaks pour in from every seam. Forget competing with Taiwan; it feels like a monumental task just to hold a fair examination. Many are saying that by repeatedly freeing Ram Rahim, India’s administrative and judicial machinery has turned itself into a laughing stock. But is anyone really laughing? I do not think so. If the system believed it was being mocked, would it hand out parole again and again with such nonchalance? The real joke is not on the judiciary – it is on the very idea that anyone expects accountability anymore.

The Mathematics of Parole: How a Murderer-Rapist Spent 435 Days 'Out'

Ram Rahim, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, was convicted in 2017 for rape and murder. Since October 2020, he has been stepping out of jail as if on a scheduled vacation. He came out for 21 days of furlough, then 40 days of parole, then again and again. By August 2023, he had been granted parole 14 times, accumulating 366 days of freedom. He celebrated his 58th birthday on 15 August – India’s Independence Day – on a 40-day parole, sanctifying the date with his presence. This year, after returning from a 40-day parole in February, he is back on a 30-day parole in May. Total: 435 days outside prison in just eight years.

Period	Duration	Occasion / Remark
Oct 2020 – mid 2023 (multiple spells)	366 days (cumulative)	Furlough and parole; 14 episodes
15 Aug 2023	40 days	58th birthday celebration
Feb 2025	40 days	Parole (returned to jail afterwards)
May 2025	30 days	Fresh parole; ongoing
Total parole/furlough days in 8 years		435 days

Days outside (parole + furlough)435 days (14.9%)

435

Days in custody (approx. 8 years)~2,485 days (85.1%)

2485

A life sentence for rape and murder turns into a part-time arrangement.

On 7 March this year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Ram Rahim in the murder case of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, setting aside his life imprisonment. Chhatrapati, who ran a newspaper called ‘Poora Sach’, was shot five times outside his home in 2002. India’s media remains silent on the killing of a fellow journalist – that is the bonus of being a ‘godi media’ (lapdog media), you never have to burden yourself with speaking the truth.

Bail Denied, Parole Granted: The Two Faces of Indian Justice

While a convicted rapist-murderer roams with sirens blaring, students and activists rot in jail for years without bail. Look at the cases of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam – their bail hearings dragged on as if the republic faced a constitutional emergency. The Bhima Koregaon accused, from professors to lawyers, spent years fighting for bail in high courts and the Supreme Court; some got relief only after prolonged torment. For Umar Khalid, even bail remains elusive. But when Ram Rahim steps out, the judiciary appears guilt-free, lighter, as if its credibility does not matter at all.

Petrol Bachao, Convoy Badao: The Prime Minister’s Appeals vs. the Reality of Power

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeals to citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption. Soon after, a video from Lucknow shows judicial officers cycling to court to save fuel. Yet Ram Rahim exits jail in a 10-car convoy, horns blaring, luxury vehicles reportedly costing Rs 2 crore each. His conviction for heinous crimes has done nothing to dent his swagger. He drives like an uncrowned king, and the government that preaches fuel conservation watches in silence.

The Taiwan Lesson: Chips, Not Paroles, Build Nations

Taiwan, with a population equal to Delhi’s, has pushed India out of the world’s top five stock markets. India fell from fifth to sixth, just as it slipped in the largest economy rankings. We are no longer among Asia’s top three markets either. The engine behind Taiwan’s leap is TSMC – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company – the world’s largest chipmaker, whose stock surged nearly 49% in a year. Meanwhile, India’s headlines call it ‘Tiny Taiwan’, ignoring that the semiconductor king resides in that tiny nation.

Now compare this with Samsung Electronics of South Korea. Samsung alone commands a market cap of around $1 trillion – more than the combined market cap of India’s top 10 companies (Reliance, HDFC Bank, Airtel, SBI, etc.).

Samsung Electronics~$1 trillion

100%

India's Top 10 Combined< $1 trillion

88%

One company outweighs an entire country’s corporate elite.

Samsung’s semiconductor division alone is paying a $26.6 billion bonus to 78,000 employees this year because of the AI boom. And how was that bonus secured? Through a union. South Korean workers threatened an 18-day strike, and the company rushed to negotiate. After the deal, Samsung’s shares jumped 8.5%. In India, unions are treated as sinful, and workers are told to be grateful for gig-delivery jobs under the scorching sun. Prime Minister Modi has been talking about a semiconductor mission for years, promising that by 2047 India will have ten major chip units. But in 2026, we are nowhere to be seen in AI or semiconductor manufacturing – only the 2047 dream is shown while exam papers leak and paroles pile up.

The Indian Innovation: Exam Leaks and the Rise of ‘Screen-Sharing Scientists’

Taiwan and Korea create global tech giants; India produces solver gangs that guarantee exam success through screen-sharing. In the SSC GD examination conducted by the central government, candidates were caught with cheating devices in Ranchi and Uttar Pradesh. A Bihar-based gang charged Rs 13 lakh per candidate, promising that the computer would answer everything remotely. Police arrested six aspirants and seized the centre’s computers. In Noida, the Special Task Force nabbed seven men with laptops, mobile phones, and exam documents. They didn’t hack papers – they used screen-sharing technology to solve papers for failing students. Call them scientists, because their innovation has solved the problem of failure for those who refuse to study.

At the same time, examination centres were overbooked: a Kanpur centre with a capacity of 399 issued admit cards to 819 candidates. In Lucknow, the server crashed and students were turned away. Videos of vandalism at centres went viral. And at Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam University, a B.Tech semester paper leaked – students were caught with chits containing exact answers to that day’s questions. The exam was cancelled. Investigations are on, as they always are in India – that is the only good thing, the perpetual investigation that changes nothing.

Whose Sentiments Matter? The Arrest of a Food Vlogger and a Dead Animal Near a Temple

In Muzaffarnagar, a YouTuber named Anas Ahmad was arrested because his food vlog accidentally showed a temple. He was reviewing a hotel’s non-vegetarian dishes; while walking through the streets, a shot of a Shiv temple appeared. A Hindutva organisation complained, and the police jailed him. The police themselves posted his forced apology on social media, where he said he was captivated by the beauty of the tricolour on the temple. The next day, they arrested him anyway. Religious sentiments were hurt, they said. What about the sentiments of a young man who now has a criminal record for making a food video?

In Bhilwara, Rajasthan, remains of a dead animal were found outside a temple. Tension flared, Hindu organisations protested, and the police scanned CCTV to find Lokesh Khatik and Hemant Kohli, meat traders whose sack had accidentally dropped some pieces. They had not done it deliberately. If they hadn’t been identified, an innocent person – likely from a minority community – would have been picked up and thrown into jail. How easy it has become to fling something in front of a place of worship and set a locality on fire. The whole country seems busy stoking tension.

A Father’s Scream in Patna: The Collapse of Safety

A father from Begusarai came to Patna with his daughter for her polytechnic exam. At night, the hotel door opened; a drunk staff member entered and tried to drag the girl out. The father woke up, screamed, and later filed a complaint. The CCTV was not working at the time – an investigation is on, of course. Satyendra Kumar, one accused, has been arrested. The father’s sobbing interviews on social media reveal a nation where safety is a myth, and the only thing guaranteed is an investigation that leads nowhere.

Conclusion: A Country Where Ram Rahim’s Future Is Secure, Yours Is Not

Taiwan’s TSMC, South Korea’s Samsung, Norway’s trillion-dollar pension fund – these are built on skill, innovation, and labour rights. India’s headlines are built on paroles, paper leaks, and the arrest of food vloggers. The Prime Minister should formally declare a festival every time Ram Rahim steps out; the nation should cook kheer-puri and celebrate the freedom of a convicted rapist-murderer. After all, what remains to be destroyed? The youth’s dreams are scattered on the streets, young men turn into cockroaches or disciples of babas, and the media ticks off a ready-made graphic chart every time the parole counter updates. A person’s ability to make the entire system bend is the real story of Ram Rahim. Taiwan may have chips, but we have perfected the art of surrender.

Criticisms

• The Modi government’s ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ is a cruel joke when it cannot ensure a single fair, leak-free examination in 2026.
• The Prime Minister remains silent on Ram Rahim’s repeated paroles, exposing a tacit partnership with criminal godmen for electoral arithmetic.
• The judiciary has become a turnstile for the powerful: it acquits Ram Rahim in a journalist’s murder while keeping students and activists in jail without bail for years.
• The ‘godi media’ has abandoned its duty, reducing journalism to a propaganda tool that ignores the killing of a fellow journalist and turns parole data into lifeless graphics.
• Police forces across states act as the enforcement wing of Hindutva sentiments, arresting food vloggers and meat traders while a rapist’s convoy speeds past with sirens.
• Central exam agencies like SSC and CBSE are so rotten that every exam season brings a new leak, yet no minister resigns and no systemic reform arrives.
• The BJP’s politics of religious polarisation has turned every temple, mosque, and street corner into a potential riot site, while the youth survive on delivery gigs and broken ambitions.
• The government boasts of semiconductor missions and AI dreams, but its industrialists are better known for capturing companies with state help than for building globally competitive products.

— Ravish Kumar

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Why Has Discussion and Protest Over Inflation Disappeared?

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The Oil Price Surge and the Silence of the ‘Expert’ Public

Good news for those who once declared they would happily pay Rs 500 a litre and still vote for Modi ji. That Rs 500-a-litre petrol may still be some distance away, but Delhi has already served up a delicious starter: petrol crossed Rs 100, and on 25 May alone it jumped by Rs 2.61 per litre, diesel by Rs 2.71. In just 11 days, petrol has shot up by Rs 7.94 and diesel by Rs 7.57. In Patna, petrol is now Rs 113 a litre; CNG in Delhi has sailed past Rs 81. The people, however, are not jumping up and down – at least not in protest. Their bouncing is happening on news channels, where they have miraculously transformed into global energy experts.

1. The Public’s Newfound Expertise: A Crash Course in Geopolitics

Switch on any news channel and you will find reporters thrusting microphones at people on petrol pumps. The responses are a masterclass in strategic patience. “The government’s hands are tied,” says one. “Until the war ends, the situation won’t normalize,” explains another. “We know crude has touched $100 a barrel, so prices will rise – but if the war ends, the government should reduce them quickly,” a third adds, suddenly sounding like a finance ministry spokesperson. The public has stopped wailing about inflation and started giving PowerPoint-worthy presentations on global supply chains.

This is a remarkable transformation. Before 2014, when the UPA was in power, the same public would take to the streets at the mere whisper of a price rise. The BJP’s leaders would dance to the song “Mehngai dayan khaye jaat hai” (the witch of inflation is devouring us). Today, that witch has been retired, and the public has enrolled in a crash course titled “Why the Government is Helpless”. They have internalized the global narrative so thoroughly that they now sound like spokespersons for the Ministry of External Affairs. The real breaking news is not the price hike – it’s the public’s newfound “understanding”.

2. Fear, Not Wisdom, Is the Real Reason

But let’s not mistake fear for wisdom. The same public that patiently explains crude oil futures is also learning a harsher lesson: the cost of protesting has become far higher than the cost of petrol. When Aamir Khan, a man seen in photo frames with chief ministers and the powerful, tweeted a song from his own film and then deleted it within hours, the question echoed – what was he afraid of? If a superstar cannot muster the courage, why should an ordinary employee filling petrol at a pump dare to show anger?

Consider Vedant Srivastava, a student who simply asked CBSE to recheck his physics paper. His tweet was seen by 2 million people, and the digital mob immediately branded him a “Pakistani”. His brother had to step in and publicly plead: “How can my brother be called a Pakistani?” A child, a student, labeled an anti-national for questioning an exam board. This is the atmosphere in which fuel prices are rising. When speaking out can get you investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, or turned into a “deshdrohi” overnight, silence becomes a survival strategy. Inflation may be burning holes in pockets, but the fear of the state’s machinery burns far deeper.

3. The Hidden Distress: Gold Loans and Default Warnings

Behind the smiling “expert” faces on TV, the ground reality is grim. On 28 April 2026, the Reserve Bank of India quietly asked banks to prepare for a spike in loan defaults by FY2027 and to set aside separate funds. A few weeks later, on 16 May, The Hindu Business Line carried an interview with George Alexander Muthoot, MD of Muthoot Finance. The headline said it all: “More people than ever are pledging gold for loans.” Muthoot Finance recorded a 48% jump in its gold loan business in FY2026. Mr Muthoot candidly admitted, “People’s purchasing power is declining; their incomes have been hit. But our business hasn’t been affected – in fact, more and more people are coming to us.” When gold loans surge 48% in a year, it means families are pawning their last assets to put food on the table, to pay school fees, to buy medicines. The smiling face on the petrol pump is the same person quietly removing his wife’s bangles from the locker.

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) wrote to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, pleading for an emergency meeting of state finance ministers to cut VAT on fuel to 5% for three months – a move that could slash prices by Rs 10-15 per litre. Yet, the government, which can arrange a photo-op in minutes, cannot seem to arrange that meeting.

4. Oil Company Profits vs. People’s Burden: The Great Transfer of Losses

The narrative fed to us is that oil marketing companies are bleeding. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri once claimed they were losing Rs 1,000 crore every day. But the numbers tell a very different story. In the fourth quarter of FY2025 (January-March 2025), the combined profit of IOC, BPCL, and HPCL jumped 41% to Rs 19,470 crore. For the full year 2024-25, profits surged by 130% compared to the previous year. In FY2024 alone, these three companies raked in Rs 81,000 crore in profit. Where did that money go? The losses, it seems, are always socialized; the profits are privatized.

Combined Profits of IOC, BPCL, HPCL (Rs crore)

FY2024

81,000

Q4 FY2025

19,470

Source: Company quarterly reports, various media compilations (The Hindu Business Line, 25 May 2026)

The table below exposes the brutal math of crude prices versus what the Indian citizen paid. When crude crashed, the government gobbled up the gains through excise hikes. When crude soared, the bill was instantly transferred to the public.

Year	Crude Price ($/barrel)	Petrol in Delhi (Rs/litre)	Central Excise (approx Rs/litre)	What Happened
2014	114	72	9.48	UPA era; excise moderate
2016	27	64	21.48	BJP raised excise 11 times; price barely fell
2020 (Covid)	20	~70	32.98	Record low crude, record high excise
March 2025	~75	94	9.98*	Pre-election excise cut of Rs 10
April 2025	~78	96	11.98	Government quietly added Rs 2 excise
May 2026	~97	103	11.98	Iran tensions; daily hikes; people pay more

*Estimates based on reported excise adjustments; data collated from Manik Tagore’s analysis and CAG reports.

When crude plunged from $114 to $27 between 2014 and 2016, petrol prices dropped by a mere Rs 8, while the government silently filled its coffers with over Rs 12 in additional excise. In 2026, when crude jumped to $97, the retail price was jacked up within days. This is the government’s definition of “citizens’ interest first”.

5. The Government’s Tax Game: Centre, States, and the Never-Ending Excuse

On 27 March 2025, with elections around the corner, the Modi government cut central excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal thumped his chest and declared, “Despite the global challenges, the Modi government has taken the loss upon itself to make citizens’ lives easier. Whatever the global challenge, the interest of Indian citizens comes first.” A grand narrative of sacrifice. But as soon as the elections were over, the government quietly added back Rs 2 per litre in April 2025, and by May 2026, daily price hikes became the norm. The “loss” they took upon themselves lasted just long enough for the polling booths to close.

States, too, have feasted on fuel taxes. After GST implementation squeezed their revenue, almost all states – except Kerala, as per CAG reports – made up the shortfall by increasing VAT and sales tax on petrol, diesel, and jet fuel. Today, in many states, nearly 40-50% of the retail price of fuel is tax. The central and state governments together have turned petrol pumps into tax collection machines. And when global crude prices rise, nobody talks about reducing that tax burden; instead, the public is lectured on “global challenges”.

6. What Other Countries Did: Tax Cuts, Not Excuses

While India’s public was being trained in geopolitical patience, governments around the world took real steps to cushion their citizens. In the past month alone:

• Pakistan cut petrol prices by Rs 6 per litre and diesel by Rs 6.80.
• Germany’s Finance Minister ordered oil companies to pass on discounts and slashed the energy tax by 17 cents a litre, along with a relief package of over $1.4 billion.
• Thailand saw oil companies reduce pump prices by 85 satang.
• Australia halved its fuel excise duty for three months starting 30 March.
• South Africa reduced its fuel tax for one month from 31 March.

India’s response? A pre-election cut that was reversed, followed by daily price hikes and a wall of “expert” public opinion manufactured on television. If Germany, Australia, and South Africa can absorb fiscal pain to protect their people, why can’t a government that claims to have made India the fifth-largest economy do the same?

7. Pre-2014 Modi vs. Post-2014 Modi: The Hypocrisy Laid Bare

Before 2014, Narendra Modi and the BJP turned every fuel price rise into a weapon against the UPA. Modi himself would thunder about the “mehngai dayan”, and his supporters would sing, dance, and demand the government’s resignation. Today, those same leaders cannot even hum that tune. The Enforcement Directorate and a barrage of investigative agencies ensure that the song remains buried. Opposition leaders, activists, and even film stars know that if they raise their voice, their next few years might be spent in legal battles rather than on the streets. The BJP’s pre-2014 “public interest” was nothing but a ladder to power. Once on the throne, they pulled the ladder up and set the dogs on anyone who dares to ask for it back.

8. Conclusion: When the People Sing Songs of Joy Amid Ruin

The public may have been conditioned to rationalize every price hike, but the market data, the gold loan queues, and the RBI’s quiet warnings tell the real story. Indians are burning their savings to survive, while the government and its oil companies burnish their balance sheets. The tragedy is not just that petrol is Rs 113 a litre; the tragedy is that the public has been so systematically terrorized that it now explains its own exploitation in the language of its exploiters.

So, the next time you visit a petrol pump, pay Rs 500, fill exactly one litre, smile at the attendant and say, “I am very, very happy. Please keep the change.” That, dear viewers, is the true state of our democracy.

Criticisms

• The Modi government has turned fear into a state policy, ensuring that economic hardship is met with silence, not protest.
• BJP leaders who built their careers attacking UPA over fuel prices now cower behind “global factors” and use agencies to crush dissent.
• Oil PSUs are allowed to pocket record profits in good times and instantly pass on every loss to citizens, with the government’s full backing.
• The media behaves as a propaganda arm, airing staged “expert” vox pops while burying real stories of distress and state intimidation.
• Excise duty and VAT on fuel are regressive taxes that the poor pay, while the government pretends to be pro-poor.
• The selective tax cuts before elections and immediate rollback afterwards are a textbook betrayal of public trust.
• Despite ruling 21 states, the BJP refuses to coordinate a VAT reduction, exposing its complete disregard for citizens’ suffering.
• Calling a student a “Pakistani” for questioning an exam board is a direct outcome of the toxic nationalism this government has fostered.
• The narrative of “global helplessness” is a lie when other nations with fewer resources have cut taxes and cushioned their people.
• People have been reduced to smiling victims who dare not complain – and that is the greatest failure of Indian democracy under this regime.

AI generated, for reference only.

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