Shiban Khaibri
Experts in economics , of course a few of them only, presently must be contemplating on the efficacy of the new model of promoting exports within the country and outside of that hot yummy sweet spiralled circled Bharti snack from the sweets family called “Jaleebi” , also known in English as funnel cake . However, Oxford dictionary describes the Jaleebi , the sweet fried dough snack as , “Indian sweet ; deep fried spirals of dough served with syrup “. Who in our country, Pakistan, Bangladesh , Nepal etc is not in know of and having tasted this sweet — sometime, somewhere , rarely, frequently and generally in the form of a mini nutritious diet by mixing it with hot milk and taking it ? Generally , whenever this sweet is taken, it is always in its steaming hot form. We also know that in our country, hardly can there be any state, UT, city, village , locality , housing colony etc where Jaleebi is not made, sold and also served right on spot, in parties, get together(s), marriage ceremonies, social gatherings , festivals and in celebrations . It is also a fact that our confectionery and sweet shops are constantly in healthy competition to make (not produce in a factory) the best stuff to attract more jaleebi lovers. Hence, Jaleebi of Haryana is as delectably sweet as that made in our Jammu, of Amritsar is superbly tasty as it is that of Lucknow , of Patna as that of Park Avenue Kolkata, of Varanasi equally that of Old Delhi , of Jaipur , of Ahmedabad , of Pune as well as that of Nagpur . The list is endless as every village of this country knows , eats and makes Jaleebi. You do not need much of a paraphernalia or an inventory for making the Jaleebi or the funnel cake nor much of any labour is required as it is made even in ordinary homes.
However, many of the present day politicians are special in making wonderful finds and even projecting an ordinary thing in such a way that creates sensation, suspense, entertainment and at the same time paradoxical cynicism coupled with generating of a sense of awe in those who are diehard followers of such politicians. It , however, generates two types of feelings among the ones who shelve, prune and appraise many statements and ”finds” by these type of politicians. One – what is this all and what are we supposed to see, watch and believe too. Second– how many hundreds of thousands in the audience – direct and indirect- were going to believe such statements and consequently vote for them and their parties as that was the real “game” for which such stunts short of antics, were played. Gullibility, a bit of ignorance, blind belief , admiring to the point of believing as correct and perfect and the like, are the characteristics of those who listen to and are ”made” to believe that whatever was told to them was a gospel truth . Here, a large amount of Joseph Goebbels’ teachings work . Speak anything to the extent of looking it to be a fact . However, that is always short lived.
Elections in this country have assumed such an importance that it can be told to be believed that had our great selfless freedom fighters any sort of prevision about how politics and most of the political leaders would in the name of “Jan Sewa” behave and busy themselves in hovering around how to fight and win elections only to grab power, how principles and even moral values would be compromised, with exceptions indeed, they probably would have not offered the supreme sacrifice for getting independence. Employ any means but only ensure elections are won – has become an accepted norm . When we see what is “promised” in the election manifestoes , we are aghast and dumb found as to on what basis is something promised connected with economics and finances without doing the elementary work on wherefrom to get resources to fund such promises but promises are made because votes are desperately needed and because cosiness and the luxuries of power are the ambitions intense. . During addressing the voters or the citizens of this country, wonderful and interesting stories are woven around trifles or just ordinary things and with such an impression that the government in power in that state or in the country itself “deliberately ” are rather ignoring and thus denying the accruable benefits to the people from such things.
One such interesting thing about Jaleebi was told by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during election campaigning in Haryana . Needless to remind , he, while displaying a box of sweets ( empty or full , not known) shared with the audience the jaleebi made in Haryana and ”more importantly” having been tasted by him personally , thus prompting him to gift a packet to his sister as well, wondered as to why the Haryanvi Jaleebi is not being “exported” to all parts of the country and even abroad . Clarifying further, he not only tried to help those present, in mouth watering process just on thinking how luscious and delicious the Haryanvi jaleebi was, having certified himself to be superb and due to their “Khoon aur Paseena” invested in making jaleebis but how in the “Jaleebi factory”, 5000, 10000, and even 50000 people could work and get employment. In other words, in each “Factory”, provision of up to 50000 people getting livelihood was mooted out by the Congress leader indirectly showing displeasure over this aspect of Jaleebi having been forgotten so far. An economic model worth implementing especially when it touches the most important issue of unemployment, has, therefore, missed the attention of the successive governments in Haryana. He , however, did not castigate Congress Governments in Haryana for not having thought over such an important matter all these years that concerned people directly and connected them with the prospects of employment through “manufacturing ” Jaleebis and see , now, he had to take up the issue and remind all concerned in the Haryana government to act upon his valuable advice.
Earlier, Rahul Ji had floated in 2013 , a year ahead of start of BJP led NDA rule, an economic development model of something like ”Jupiter escape velocity” but neither the central government nor any of the state governments did anything in that matter thus ”missing the bus”.. Agreed, economic thinkers and theorists are believed to generally viewing the economy as a bundle of concepts and thus render the great science of economics as pseudoscience but taking liberties mercilessly with it like ”Khatta Khatta Payment” of Rs. one lakh to the millions of the needy ones and now “jaleebinomics” , is tantamount to spreading all-round confusion and chaos . Only an expert can shed authoritative light on this topic but series of assumptions and hypothesis are looking nice in lecture rooms of teaching institutions but not in practical life. In other words, in the instant case of exporting Jaleebis of Haryana to other states and foreign countries , the assumption is total stoppage of making the stuff across the country in hundreds of thousands of shops to be replaced only by Haryanvi jaleebis which besides rendering thousands of people jobless would mean to thrusting a particular brand , a particular make on millions of consumers to benefit only a few sweet shopkeepers and confectioners in Haryana state. After Haryana , elections to the Maharashtra Assembly are due , what tastes Rahul Ji better there to be exported within and outside the country remains to be seen.
We saw in Kashmir too , Rahul Ji exhibiting a Kashmiri apple and ” lamenting” for its poor price like in Himachal Pradesh too as he put it because in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir also, he was addressing an election rally . The reasons of the so called famous Kashmiri apple fetching not enough as also that of the HP was , according to him, due to Adani – Ambani factor. He forgot that in HP , it was Congress government which could establish benchmarks and standards of price fixation of apples to be emulated by other states producing apples. So whom he tries to blame ? Students of basic elementary tit bits of economics like this writer, are eager to know how something like Adani- Ambani are responsible for low earning from the sale of apples. We would also like to know as to how many times during the last ten years of NDA rule , if not during his party led UPA rule, Rahul Ji visited Kashmir – the places where the fruit is grown — to assess and voice concern for the ”low” returns.
It is not an irony but a thing to be rued over that elections are sought to be won by floating amusing stories like the one under reference or playing castes card and thus dividing the societies , by constantly defaming and attacking the Prime Minister , by lavishly promising freebies and largesse ( now aped by the ruling party as well, say under impulsive compulsion) and indulging in sheer appeasement and vote bank strengths. It may pay like it marginally did in 2024 LS elections , but not always. Haryana assembly election results have amply proven that and thus no more of Jaleebinomics .
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