England cricket team beat an Aussie team whose main batsmen,their captain and vice-captain are woefully out of form,with no proper openers,inconsistent middle-order,no proper spinner,inconsistent fast bowlers.
And people like Gough think they can beat any team every day.
Good luck to him,hope he gets well soon.
God knows what he will say,if by chance Eng becomes No.1 :)
Also hope Gough did watch the previous game.The game at Perth where even this poor Aussie team beat England by an innings.
Don't make tall,rash claims.Those who are in such habits had to eat their words,sooner than later..
History will tell you...
Friday, December 31, 2010
Time to dislodge CBI as an investigating agency ?
The Central Bureau of Investigation,India's premier investigating agency,which was once a pride of India is now in shambles,to say the least.
This is especially so,after its decision to close the murder case of thirteen-year-old Aarushi Talwar.They are saying that the case has been damaged beyond repair and that crucial evidence has been handled badly.
So what was needed?The murderer should make a courtesy call and tell them 'I am the murderer and here is the evidence???"
Is it not the job of CBI to find out who murdered and the evidence to nail the culprit??
The CBI took over the investigation into the murders of Aarushi and Hemraj on June 1, 2008, forming a 25-member team in a resolute attempt to crack the case.
The fact that they are now trying to wash their hands-off the case indicates a total failure of the agency.
Another recent failure of them is in the Ruchika molestation case which involved a senior police officer.
Their record in almost all other recent investigations they are handling also leaves much to be desired.
It's reported in the media that Indian Olympic Association president and the CWG chief Suresh Kalmaid had prior knowledge about raids by CBI on his premises..!!
As Mr.Arun Jaitley said ,the capacity of CBI to resolve even normal cases has been completely demolished.
The agency's sole purpose, it seems, is for doing the dirty work for whoever is ruling at the centre..!!
It's time to ponder whether India needs such an inefficient,incapable agency...
Also read below an article that appeared in rediff (by B.Raman) :
This is especially so,after its decision to close the murder case of thirteen-year-old Aarushi Talwar.They are saying that the case has been damaged beyond repair and that crucial evidence has been handled badly.
So what was needed?The murderer should make a courtesy call and tell them 'I am the murderer and here is the evidence???"
Is it not the job of CBI to find out who murdered and the evidence to nail the culprit??
The CBI took over the investigation into the murders of Aarushi and Hemraj on June 1, 2008, forming a 25-member team in a resolute attempt to crack the case.
The fact that they are now trying to wash their hands-off the case indicates a total failure of the agency.
Another recent failure of them is in the Ruchika molestation case which involved a senior police officer.
Their record in almost all other recent investigations they are handling also leaves much to be desired.
It's reported in the media that Indian Olympic Association president and the CWG chief Suresh Kalmaid had prior knowledge about raids by CBI on his premises..!!
As Mr.Arun Jaitley said ,the capacity of CBI to resolve even normal cases has been completely demolished.
The agency's sole purpose, it seems, is for doing the dirty work for whoever is ruling at the centre..!!
It's time to ponder whether India needs such an inefficient,incapable agency...
Also read below an article that appeared in rediff (by B.Raman) :
Public confidence in the Central Bureau of Investigation, which had gone up in the wake of the successful investigation and prosecution of the cases relating to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 and the Mumbai blasts of March 1993, has taken a series of beatings during 2010.
The government of Dr Manmohan Singh has been watching helplessly as the CBI is coming to be viewed increasingly by growing sections of public opinion as a highly unprofessional and politicised agency with neither the will nor the capability to improve the quality of the investigation and prosecution of the cases entrusted to it.
The intriguingly belated response of the CBI to the investigation of the major corruption cases of 2010 entrusted to it has rightly or wrongly created an impression in the minds of the public that instead of guarding its reputation as the leading investigation agency of the country, it has let itself become the leading cover-up agency.
Neither the senior officials of the agency nor the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Secretariat have come out with a convincing explanation as to why the CBI moved and continues to move with disturbing slowness in taking the necessary investigative steps such as raids of the houses and offices of the suspects, freezing of their bank accounts and their interrogation in the cases relating to alleged corruption in the conduct of the Commonwealth Games and the handling of the 2G spectrum by A Raja, former minister for telecommunications.
The public cannot be blamed if it concludes that the CBI's objective seems to be not to find out the truth, but to cover up the truth for a sufficiently long time till public memory and outrage over the extent of corruption dissipates.
One saw during 2010 surprising instance of selective leaks to certain sections of the media of some of the tapped telephone conversations of Niira Radia , the lobbyist.
Those sections of the tapes which would have contained evidence of criminal wrong-doing have been carefully protected from leakage to the media, but certain sections which had no evidence of criminal wrong-doing, but merely contained material tending to damage the personal reputation of certain eminent persons were leaked to the media by unidentified elements with a suspect motive.
Though the tapping was reportedly authorised at the request of agencies dealing with tax evasion and money-laundering, the CBI most probably had an interest in the tapping in connection with its investigations.
It had an obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the intercepts in order to protect the right to privacy of innocent persons. By failing to meet this obligation, the CBI and other agencies involved have let their reputation for professionalism be damaged.
The end of the year saw yet another blow to the reputation of the CBI when it moved the Ghaziabad Special Court on December 29 for permission to close the case relating to the alleged murder, under mysterious circumstances, of Aarushi, the 14-year-old daughter of Rajesh Talwar and Nupur, a dentist couple living in Noida near Delhi on May 16, 2008.
The case was initially mishandled by the Uttar Pradesh police. It was handed over to the CBI on June 1, 2008. Public expectation that the CBI, being a reputed professional agency with better capabilities and investigating skills than the UP police, would unravel the mystery behind the murder and identify, arrest and prosecute the culprits has been belied.
The CBI has moved for the closure of the investigation on the ground that it has not been able to make any headway in the investigation and there are no prospects of its making any headway in the future even if it continued with the investigation.
The murder of Aarushi and the subsequent death under mysterious circumstances of a domestic assistant of her parents had shocked the public.
The public was equally shocked by the wildly contradictory accounts of the investigation by the police and the CBI that were leaked out to the media without any regard to the reputation of Aarushi.
The allegations, if true, made by her parents that they were not kept informed by the CBI of its decision to move for the closure of the investigation has shown shocking insensitivity on the part of the CBI.
The lethargic handling of the cases relating to corruption has created strong suspicions in the minds of the public that the CBI's investigation has been influenced by political considerations.
If true, this indicates a politicisation of the agency to a degree unsuspected till now. The CBI's apparent cluelessness in the Aarushi case speak of a worrisome deterioration in the investigation skills of the agency and in the quality of the supervision over its work.
What is even more disturbing is the seeming indifference of the government to public criticism of the functioning of the CBI in relation to these and other cases.
There has been no attempt on the part of the government to take the CBI to task for the way it has handled these cases and to convince the public that it has tightened up the monitoring of the work of the CBI.
The CBI has come under criticism from time to time since the days of the State of Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975.
The enquiries ordered by the Morarji Desai government after it came to office in 1977 brought out many instances of serious misdeeds by the CBI during the emergency.
The CBI's performance again came in for strong criticism during the enquiry into the Bofors scandal in the 1980s. There were allegations even then as there are now that the CBI acts not as an investigating agency, but as a cover-up agency doing the bidding of the party in power.
These criticisms have not led to a comprehensive enquiry into the functioning of the CBI either by a group of eminent professionals with untarnished reputation or by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
The CBI reportedly submits every year a report on its work during the year. These reports hardly figure in debates either in the public or in the Parliament.
The Chinese government has issued a White Paper -- the first of its kind -- on December 29 on corruption in China and how the government has been dealing with the problem. Even in an authoritarian country like China, the government has felt the need for convincing the public that it is aware of their concerns over corruption and that it is alive to the need for dealing with the problem in a manner that brings satisfaction to the people.
Despite India being a democracy with its government supposedly being accountable to the people, the government has shown a shocking lack of concern over public criticism of the functioning of the CBI and over evidence of a general institutional decay which has permitted corruption to thrive.
Public opinion should force the government to institute a comprehensive enquiry into the functioning of the CBI and initiate measures to restore its image in the eyes of the public. The indifference of the government to the institutional decay should not be tolerated by the public.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Ponting on the verge of being history ?
Australian Captain Ricky Ponting is on the verge of being the first Australian captain to loose an ashes series in Australia in 24 years..!!
With 2 days still remaining Australia has only 4 wickets standing and is still in deficit of 246 runs.So an innings defeat seems likely.
His own personal form this series is nothing much to write about.Averaging less than 20 for a world class player like him,suggests he either needs to retire gracefully or relinquish captaincy and concentrate more on his batting,so that he can contribute to Australian cricket for a couple more years.
The problem is ,the choice may not be his.The public outcry and the media frenzy for his head has been over the top.His own bad behaviour on the field against umpire Aleem Dar certainly has not helped him one bit..
Let's hope Cricket Australia gives Ponting the option to choose for himself what he wants to do.He deserves it,he has been a great player.But one thing is sure,if Ponting is given the option to choose the way ahead,the outcome of his decision cannot be 'status quo'...
Another thing that needs particular mention is the mood swing of the Australian media.They have gone from one extreme to the other extreme,like a violent swing,an ugly one at that..!!
When England had early success in the series,the media was hammering the team and Ponting in particular.
Then came the test win for Australia at Perth,which the media hailed as if they are back to greatness.Even some of the arrogance of the past came back in the media and in some of the players.
With the imminent loss of the ongoing test,each and every one who is nobody is attacking Ponting ..!!
Guess that's what life is,he was once the leader of a seemingly invincible,all-conquering Australian team..
But then which team can withstand the loss of players like Mathew Hayden,Glenn McGrath,Adam Gilchirst,Shane Warne..
In the final analysis,SUCCESS is everything...
With 2 days still remaining Australia has only 4 wickets standing and is still in deficit of 246 runs.So an innings defeat seems likely.
His own personal form this series is nothing much to write about.Averaging less than 20 for a world class player like him,suggests he either needs to retire gracefully or relinquish captaincy and concentrate more on his batting,so that he can contribute to Australian cricket for a couple more years.
The problem is ,the choice may not be his.The public outcry and the media frenzy for his head has been over the top.His own bad behaviour on the field against umpire Aleem Dar certainly has not helped him one bit..
Let's hope Cricket Australia gives Ponting the option to choose for himself what he wants to do.He deserves it,he has been a great player.But one thing is sure,if Ponting is given the option to choose the way ahead,the outcome of his decision cannot be 'status quo'...
Another thing that needs particular mention is the mood swing of the Australian media.They have gone from one extreme to the other extreme,like a violent swing,an ugly one at that..!!
When England had early success in the series,the media was hammering the team and Ponting in particular.
Then came the test win for Australia at Perth,which the media hailed as if they are back to greatness.Even some of the arrogance of the past came back in the media and in some of the players.
With the imminent loss of the ongoing test,each and every one who is nobody is attacking Ponting ..!!
Guess that's what life is,he was once the leader of a seemingly invincible,all-conquering Australian team..
But then which team can withstand the loss of players like Mathew Hayden,Glenn McGrath,Adam Gilchirst,Shane Warne..
In the final analysis,SUCCESS is everything...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Classic Double standards
BJP leader L K Advani said the UPA government was "indifferent" to corruption.
Well said Sir.And you are correct if we look at the number of scams unearthed recently be it in CWG,Adarsh or in spectrum allocation.
Fine.So the opposition led by the BJP is blocking proceedings in parliament,demanding a JPC probe,which the government is unwilling to relent.Till today only a 'negligible' 95 crores is the loss due to non-functioning of parliament...only 95 crores..
If you look at the big scam amounts recently,this is minute indeed..!!
So we do need to fight corruption tooth and nail,by stalling parliament..!
no other way..
But Sir,the doubt is :why don't you show how corruption can be eradicated by giving an example in Karnataka?
You cannot force Congress to change.But you and your party can very well do some thing about the corruption and noptism indulgded-in by Karnataka CM Yedyurappa,who is of the BJP..
One thing to note is : Please look around.You are also sitting in a glasshouse.Throw stones,sure.But don't throw stones or claim moral highground when you yourself is sitting ina glasshouse..!!
You have lost a big oppurtunity to corner the UPA in the eyes of Indian public.Atleast Congress was forced to make the tainted members resign (CVC Thomas is still pending though).
You have not done even that.You have surrendered meekly to the threats given to the central BJP leadership by Yedyurappa.
Or is it that BJP leaders indulging in corruption is ok???
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Moments with Sachin Tendulkar
(Coutesy :The Guardian : url : http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/oct/30/sachin-tendulkar)
On a rainy afternoon in London, with wintry gloom creeping across the city, it does not take long for Sachin Tendulkar to light up a drab hotel room. Tendulkar is shy and quietly-spoken but he soon turns a routine encounter into an illuminating experience. His balance and patience at the crease are again evident as he offers insight into the attributes which make him not only the world's best batsman but, after an epic year, arguably the greatest in cricket history.
Tendulkar steps away from these sweeping generalisations and deals, instead, in the specifics of his voracious mentality at 37. Amid widespread belief that he is the only batsman who could transcend Don Bradman in any dreamy comparison of cricket across the centuries, Tendulkar makes a remarkable statement: "I'm really focusing now on how I can get to the next level as a batsman. How can I get even more competitive? How can I get even more consistent? How can I get better?"
He could be an earnest young cricketer aspiring to improve himself – rather than the little master who, after 21 years of Tests, has completed another monumental achievement. Less than three weeks ago, against Australia in Bangalore, he cracked a ball from Nathan Hauritz through the covers. It would have been an ordinary boundary but for the fact it meant Tendulkar became the first man to score 14,000 Test runs.
"It was a big moment," Tendulkar says, "but I was most aware of the match situation." He had arrived at the wicket with India 38 for two in answer to Australia's first innings of 478. He and Murali Vijay added 64: "And then it flashed on the big screen that I needed eight runs to reach 14,000. Every run I scored was cheered. But when I needed two I hit a boundary. I was happy but I thought, 'right, now we can get back to focusing on cricket', because everyone had become too worried about those eight runs. It had taken away my focus."
That same restraint shaped his low-key acknowledgment of the milestone. As bedlam broke out, Tendulkar finally looked skywards and thought of his late father and his Test debut in November 1989 against a Pakistan attack led by Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. He pauses when asked if he felt more emotional than he had done in 2008, when becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket. "Yes. Obviously, going past Brian Lara was something special. But I'm even happier now and hopefully it continues."
That steadiness of ambition was obvious in Bangalore as Tendulkar compiled an unforgettable double hundred. He followed his 214 with an unbeaten 53 in the second innings to complete India's 2-0 victory. Tendulkar scored 403 runs in the two-match series, at an average of 134.5. Now, stressing his desire to become more "consistent" and "competitive", should that be possible, Tendulkar sounds briefly poetic. "Life would be flat without dreams. It's really important to dream – and then to chase those dreams. I really believe it's this dreaming that makes me work so hard. I want to continue doing that because I've worked very hard the last couple of years on my batting. Gary Kirsten [the former South Africa batsman who now coaches India] has been instrumental in this. He's given me the freedom to express myself, and to pace my innings as I see fit. Gary is more a friend than a coach."
He laughs when it is pointed out that Kirsten's empathy is different to India's former abrasive coach, Greg Chappell, whose brother, Ian, suggested a few years ago that Tendulkar was ready only for retirement. "There was a little dip for me, around 2005 and 2006. I had a lot of injuries – finger and elbow injuries and then a back injury. All these upper-body injuries may have altered my back-swing a little. But that is behind me now and I've been able to put in the hours of practice I need."
Lara might have been a more sublime batsman, and Viv Richards more majestic, but Tendulkar surpasses them both. It now seems appropriate to celebrate him alongside Bradman. In February he scored successive Test centuries against South Africa before, against the same opponents, becoming the first man to reach 200 in a one-day international. He then hit a double-hundred against Sri Lanka, and two half-centuries, before his performance against Australia confirmed his return to the top of the world batting ratings for the first time since 2002. Tendulkar won the ICC's Player of the Year, and earlier this week he was feted at London's inaugural Asian Awards. In front of a mix of celebrities defined by a surreal trio of Didier Drogba, Christian Louboutin and Nick Clegg, Tendulkar received awards for Outstanding Sporting Achievement and as the Lebara People's Choice.
"It's been the sweetest year. If you look at the one-day double-hundred, being the highest run-getter in the IPL and the series against Sri Lanka and Australia, it's been very good. We now play New Zealand [the first Test starts on Thursday] and I'm looking forward to the series in South Africa in December."
He argues that beating South Africa, away, is India's toughest assignment; as a clash between the two top teams in the world should produce better cricket than the eagerly-anticipated Ashes. England, after all, are ranked fourth while Australia are a lowly fifth. Are Australia in serious decline? "Yes. To not have [Matthew] Hayden, [Justin] Langer, [Adam] Gilchrist, [Glenn] McGrath, [Shane] Warne – it's a big loss. They still have some world-class players but their batting revolves around Ponting. When you want to create a vacuum in their batting you need to get Ponting."
Tendulkar expects a more balanced England to edge the Ashes. "I think England have a better chance. I favour them slightly. I would say [Eoin] Morgan could be the key performer in the Ashes. Morgan and [Graeme] Swann." Suggesting that Kevin Pietersen's poor form lies in his head, Tendulkar pinpoints Morgan as England's best batsman. "He's a very solid player who can control the pace of his innings. He can become a really good Test batsman even though he has only played a few Tests so far. After Morgan you've got the experience of [Andrew] Strauss, [Paul] Collingwood and Pietersen. They're a really well-balanced side and this is a great opportunity for England."
Australia, especially at home, remain cussed opponents. Surely they inspired Tendulkar to his greatest feats? "No, I think it's just a coincidence that many of my milestones happened against them." Yet Merv Hughes typified Australia's blunt admiration when he said to Allan Border, after Tendulkar had spoilt Shane Warne's debut in 1992: "This little prick's going to end up with more runs than you, AB."
Tendulkar attributes his poise to his father, Ramesh, a poet and novelist rather than a cricket fan: "I grew up looking at my father as to how to behave. In watching him I grasped so many things. His own temperament was of a calm person. He was very composed and I never saw anger in him. To me, that was fascinating."
His brother, Ajit, now influences him most. "If there is any problem in my batting I always speak to him. Ajit is absolutely the person I trust most when it comes to batting. Our understanding at home was always that we focus on the next game – let everyone else talk about the last game. I scored a triple hundred when I was 14 in the semi-final of a tournament. But there was a school match at the same time and my team only played with 10 fielders because I was batting in this other game. I still batted for my school and scored 178 not out. I then went to the final of the tournament and hit 346 not out. I have this same mentality now."
Tendulkar first played for India at 16. In the intervening 21 years he has become an idol in a country of over a billion people. There has been little peace for an essentially private man and a rare crack emerges in Tendulkar's grateful persona when he mentions the need to sometimes drive around Mumbai on his own at five in the morning: "I do that sometimes because I need the privacy. I drive around at 30 mph and I listen to music or the sound of the engine. I don't think about cricket. I am just myself."
India will co-host the 2011 World Cup – with the final to be played on 2 April in Mumbai. The pressure on Tendulkar will be immense. "It's going to be massive. Everyone in India is looking forward to a mega tournament and although people haven't started talking yet about 1983 [the last time India won the World Cup] it will happen soon. But, given our recent form, people have a right to be excited and have extremely high hopes."
Already, as his eyes glitter with anticipation, Tendulkar is moving forward. But he is most engaging when looking back. "As a kid I loved John McEnroe. They called me Mac because, while everyone else liked [Bjorn] Borg, I was crazy about McEnroe. I tried wearing headbands and sweatbands, and whooping at people. It didn't quite work."
Asked to name the bowler who tested him most, Tendulkar smiles at a bizarre selection: "Hansie Cronje. Honestly. I got out to Hansie more than anyone. When we played South Africa he always got me out more than Allan Donald or Shaun Pollock. It wasn't that I couldn't pick him – it's just that the ball seemed to go straight to a fielder. I was going great guns in Durban one year and played some big shots against Donald and Pollock. Hansie came on and I flicked his first ball straight to leg-slip. I never knew what to do with him."
Tendulkar shrugs in amusement before naming McGrath as the best fast bowler he faced. Warne has admitted to nightmares about bowling to Tendulkar – a feeling that was never reciprocated. "I did OK against him. But, among the spinners, Warne at his best was still something special."
Finally, to lighten his Bradman-esque aura, Tendulkar tells a lovely story about him and Warne visiting the old master. He neglects to mention he was the only modern player Bradman included in his best-ever XI and chooses, instead, to highlight the warmth of their meeting. "We went to see him on his 90th birthday. It was very special. We were talking about averages and I said, 'Sir Don, if you were playing today, what would you have averaged?' And he said, '70 – probably.' I asked, 'Why 70 and not your actual average of 99?' Bradman said, 'Come on, an average of 70 is not bad for a 90-year-old man.'"
Tendulkar rocks back in his chair and laughs. In this humorous moment, as one cricketing giant thinks of another, it's easy to admire the same qualities in Tendulkar. "This is what I tell my son. Whether you're an 11-year-old boy or Don Bradman we should never forget it's just a game we can all enjoy."
On a rainy afternoon in London, with wintry gloom creeping across the city, it does not take long for Sachin Tendulkar to light up a drab hotel room. Tendulkar is shy and quietly-spoken but he soon turns a routine encounter into an illuminating experience. His balance and patience at the crease are again evident as he offers insight into the attributes which make him not only the world's best batsman but, after an epic year, arguably the greatest in cricket history.
Tendulkar steps away from these sweeping generalisations and deals, instead, in the specifics of his voracious mentality at 37. Amid widespread belief that he is the only batsman who could transcend Don Bradman in any dreamy comparison of cricket across the centuries, Tendulkar makes a remarkable statement: "I'm really focusing now on how I can get to the next level as a batsman. How can I get even more competitive? How can I get even more consistent? How can I get better?"
He could be an earnest young cricketer aspiring to improve himself – rather than the little master who, after 21 years of Tests, has completed another monumental achievement. Less than three weeks ago, against Australia in Bangalore, he cracked a ball from Nathan Hauritz through the covers. It would have been an ordinary boundary but for the fact it meant Tendulkar became the first man to score 14,000 Test runs.
"It was a big moment," Tendulkar says, "but I was most aware of the match situation." He had arrived at the wicket with India 38 for two in answer to Australia's first innings of 478. He and Murali Vijay added 64: "And then it flashed on the big screen that I needed eight runs to reach 14,000. Every run I scored was cheered. But when I needed two I hit a boundary. I was happy but I thought, 'right, now we can get back to focusing on cricket', because everyone had become too worried about those eight runs. It had taken away my focus."
That same restraint shaped his low-key acknowledgment of the milestone. As bedlam broke out, Tendulkar finally looked skywards and thought of his late father and his Test debut in November 1989 against a Pakistan attack led by Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. He pauses when asked if he felt more emotional than he had done in 2008, when becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket. "Yes. Obviously, going past Brian Lara was something special. But I'm even happier now and hopefully it continues."
That steadiness of ambition was obvious in Bangalore as Tendulkar compiled an unforgettable double hundred. He followed his 214 with an unbeaten 53 in the second innings to complete India's 2-0 victory. Tendulkar scored 403 runs in the two-match series, at an average of 134.5. Now, stressing his desire to become more "consistent" and "competitive", should that be possible, Tendulkar sounds briefly poetic. "Life would be flat without dreams. It's really important to dream – and then to chase those dreams. I really believe it's this dreaming that makes me work so hard. I want to continue doing that because I've worked very hard the last couple of years on my batting. Gary Kirsten [the former South Africa batsman who now coaches India] has been instrumental in this. He's given me the freedom to express myself, and to pace my innings as I see fit. Gary is more a friend than a coach."
He laughs when it is pointed out that Kirsten's empathy is different to India's former abrasive coach, Greg Chappell, whose brother, Ian, suggested a few years ago that Tendulkar was ready only for retirement. "There was a little dip for me, around 2005 and 2006. I had a lot of injuries – finger and elbow injuries and then a back injury. All these upper-body injuries may have altered my back-swing a little. But that is behind me now and I've been able to put in the hours of practice I need."
Lara might have been a more sublime batsman, and Viv Richards more majestic, but Tendulkar surpasses them both. It now seems appropriate to celebrate him alongside Bradman. In February he scored successive Test centuries against South Africa before, against the same opponents, becoming the first man to reach 200 in a one-day international. He then hit a double-hundred against Sri Lanka, and two half-centuries, before his performance against Australia confirmed his return to the top of the world batting ratings for the first time since 2002. Tendulkar won the ICC's Player of the Year, and earlier this week he was feted at London's inaugural Asian Awards. In front of a mix of celebrities defined by a surreal trio of Didier Drogba, Christian Louboutin and Nick Clegg, Tendulkar received awards for Outstanding Sporting Achievement and as the Lebara People's Choice.
"It's been the sweetest year. If you look at the one-day double-hundred, being the highest run-getter in the IPL and the series against Sri Lanka and Australia, it's been very good. We now play New Zealand [the first Test starts on Thursday] and I'm looking forward to the series in South Africa in December."
He argues that beating South Africa, away, is India's toughest assignment; as a clash between the two top teams in the world should produce better cricket than the eagerly-anticipated Ashes. England, after all, are ranked fourth while Australia are a lowly fifth. Are Australia in serious decline? "Yes. To not have [Matthew] Hayden, [Justin] Langer, [Adam] Gilchrist, [Glenn] McGrath, [Shane] Warne – it's a big loss. They still have some world-class players but their batting revolves around Ponting. When you want to create a vacuum in their batting you need to get Ponting."
Tendulkar expects a more balanced England to edge the Ashes. "I think England have a better chance. I favour them slightly. I would say [Eoin] Morgan could be the key performer in the Ashes. Morgan and [Graeme] Swann." Suggesting that Kevin Pietersen's poor form lies in his head, Tendulkar pinpoints Morgan as England's best batsman. "He's a very solid player who can control the pace of his innings. He can become a really good Test batsman even though he has only played a few Tests so far. After Morgan you've got the experience of [Andrew] Strauss, [Paul] Collingwood and Pietersen. They're a really well-balanced side and this is a great opportunity for England."
Australia, especially at home, remain cussed opponents. Surely they inspired Tendulkar to his greatest feats? "No, I think it's just a coincidence that many of my milestones happened against them." Yet Merv Hughes typified Australia's blunt admiration when he said to Allan Border, after Tendulkar had spoilt Shane Warne's debut in 1992: "This little prick's going to end up with more runs than you, AB."
Tendulkar attributes his poise to his father, Ramesh, a poet and novelist rather than a cricket fan: "I grew up looking at my father as to how to behave. In watching him I grasped so many things. His own temperament was of a calm person. He was very composed and I never saw anger in him. To me, that was fascinating."
His brother, Ajit, now influences him most. "If there is any problem in my batting I always speak to him. Ajit is absolutely the person I trust most when it comes to batting. Our understanding at home was always that we focus on the next game – let everyone else talk about the last game. I scored a triple hundred when I was 14 in the semi-final of a tournament. But there was a school match at the same time and my team only played with 10 fielders because I was batting in this other game. I still batted for my school and scored 178 not out. I then went to the final of the tournament and hit 346 not out. I have this same mentality now."
Tendulkar first played for India at 16. In the intervening 21 years he has become an idol in a country of over a billion people. There has been little peace for an essentially private man and a rare crack emerges in Tendulkar's grateful persona when he mentions the need to sometimes drive around Mumbai on his own at five in the morning: "I do that sometimes because I need the privacy. I drive around at 30 mph and I listen to music or the sound of the engine. I don't think about cricket. I am just myself."
India will co-host the 2011 World Cup – with the final to be played on 2 April in Mumbai. The pressure on Tendulkar will be immense. "It's going to be massive. Everyone in India is looking forward to a mega tournament and although people haven't started talking yet about 1983 [the last time India won the World Cup] it will happen soon. But, given our recent form, people have a right to be excited and have extremely high hopes."
Already, as his eyes glitter with anticipation, Tendulkar is moving forward. But he is most engaging when looking back. "As a kid I loved John McEnroe. They called me Mac because, while everyone else liked [Bjorn] Borg, I was crazy about McEnroe. I tried wearing headbands and sweatbands, and whooping at people. It didn't quite work."
Asked to name the bowler who tested him most, Tendulkar smiles at a bizarre selection: "Hansie Cronje. Honestly. I got out to Hansie more than anyone. When we played South Africa he always got me out more than Allan Donald or Shaun Pollock. It wasn't that I couldn't pick him – it's just that the ball seemed to go straight to a fielder. I was going great guns in Durban one year and played some big shots against Donald and Pollock. Hansie came on and I flicked his first ball straight to leg-slip. I never knew what to do with him."
Tendulkar shrugs in amusement before naming McGrath as the best fast bowler he faced. Warne has admitted to nightmares about bowling to Tendulkar – a feeling that was never reciprocated. "I did OK against him. But, among the spinners, Warne at his best was still something special."
Finally, to lighten his Bradman-esque aura, Tendulkar tells a lovely story about him and Warne visiting the old master. He neglects to mention he was the only modern player Bradman included in his best-ever XI and chooses, instead, to highlight the warmth of their meeting. "We went to see him on his 90th birthday. It was very special. We were talking about averages and I said, 'Sir Don, if you were playing today, what would you have averaged?' And he said, '70 – probably.' I asked, 'Why 70 and not your actual average of 99?' Bradman said, 'Come on, an average of 70 is not bad for a 90-year-old man.'"
Tendulkar rocks back in his chair and laughs. In this humorous moment, as one cricketing giant thinks of another, it's easy to admire the same qualities in Tendulkar. "This is what I tell my son. Whether you're an 11-year-old boy or Don Bradman we should never forget it's just a game we can all enjoy."
Now it's the turn of Andhra Pradesh to be denied chinese visa
timesofIndia reports :
In a surprising move, China has denied visa to a top-level team from Andhra Pradesh led by industries minister Kanna Lakshminarayana. The delegation was aiming to promote Andhra Pradesh as an investment destination in that country. "No specific reason was given for the visa denial," a top AP government source told TOI. "We're aghast. We're taking up the matter with the Centre," he added.
The Chinese have consistently refused visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh, claiming the state is part of China. The team comprising minister Lakshminarayana; principal secretary (food processing) JC Sharma; industries commissioner Karikal Valaven; and, MD of AP State Financial corporation Vikas Raj, finally left for Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore for exploring investment.
According to an MEA source, the AP government officials were in touch with Indian embassy in Beijing which must have completed the paperwork. "Since a minister was involved, the Chinese government should not have rejected the visas," the source added. As per original schedule, the AP team was to visit Beijing and Hong Kong once Chinese visas were given. After the denial of the visa, the team left Hyderabad on October 24 and is scheduled to return on November 4. "They're now in Bali and will arrive in Singapore on Saturday," said a source.
State officials were surprised. "There's simply no reason for Beijing to deny the visas," said an official. The Chinese government had denied visa to Indian Army General B S Jaswal, posted in Jammu & Kashmir, to visit Beijing in August this year. Jaswal is the general officer, commanding-in-chief, of the Indian Army's northern area command. India has also protested the Chinese government's practice of issuing stapled visas to people of J&K. "But none of this should have come in the way of AP government team led by a minister being denied visa," said a senior official.
Not sure why we keep trying for chinese visa.
Going by china's track-record against India,it should be India's enemy no:1.
They occupies vast areas of Indian territory.They claim our own Arunachal Pradesh as theirs.They don't recognise Jammu & Kashmir,Sikkim as part of India.They continuously arm pak with the sole intention of keeping India in check.
Fail to understand why we compete among ourselves to "promote us as an investment destination" in such an enemy nation...!!
To hell with that 'country'.
In a surprising move, China has denied visa to a top-level team from Andhra Pradesh led by industries minister Kanna Lakshminarayana. The delegation was aiming to promote Andhra Pradesh as an investment destination in that country. "No specific reason was given for the visa denial," a top AP government source told TOI. "We're aghast. We're taking up the matter with the Centre," he added.
The Chinese have consistently refused visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh, claiming the state is part of China. The team comprising minister Lakshminarayana; principal secretary (food processing) JC Sharma; industries commissioner Karikal Valaven; and, MD of AP State Financial corporation Vikas Raj, finally left for Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore for exploring investment.
According to an MEA source, the AP government officials were in touch with Indian embassy in Beijing which must have completed the paperwork. "Since a minister was involved, the Chinese government should not have rejected the visas," the source added. As per original schedule, the AP team was to visit Beijing and Hong Kong once Chinese visas were given. After the denial of the visa, the team left Hyderabad on October 24 and is scheduled to return on November 4. "They're now in Bali and will arrive in Singapore on Saturday," said a source.
State officials were surprised. "There's simply no reason for Beijing to deny the visas," said an official. The Chinese government had denied visa to Indian Army General B S Jaswal, posted in Jammu & Kashmir, to visit Beijing in August this year. Jaswal is the general officer, commanding-in-chief, of the Indian Army's northern area command. India has also protested the Chinese government's practice of issuing stapled visas to people of J&K. "But none of this should have come in the way of AP government team led by a minister being denied visa," said a senior official.
Not sure why we keep trying for chinese visa.
Going by china's track-record against India,it should be India's enemy no:1.
They occupies vast areas of Indian territory.They claim our own Arunachal Pradesh as theirs.They don't recognise Jammu & Kashmir,Sikkim as part of India.They continuously arm pak with the sole intention of keeping India in check.
Fail to understand why we compete among ourselves to "promote us as an investment destination" in such an enemy nation...!!
To hell with that 'country'.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
arundhati roy - The biggest self-promoting,media hungry traitor
Really painful to see some Indians themselves talk very badly about India.
Whatever may be the so-called shortcomings,this is still our dear Motherland.
You don't abuse your Mother day-in day-out.......you really don't.......
Uninvited self-promotionalist arundhati roy says Kashmir was never a part of India!
Just because she accidentally won a so-called booker prize,she thinks she has license to say any crap on India.
Ever since she won the booker,she has found a new job : India bashing..
What ever platform she forces herself on,she hurls blatantly abusive,insulting and foul language against India.
She has lost all credibility,if she ever had one.Continuously insulting Indians has become a way of life for her..
I have some friends of mine,who admired her book 'the God of small things',even they are deeply disappointed with this constant vitriol against our Motherland.One such friend of mine even burned down his copy of that book.
A stray dog barks,but we seldom pays attention...Let's give the same status to this traitor.....
Just ignore her.what she wants is attention..
She says India is not a democracy,the very fact that she can stay here and utter all these non-sense itself is proof otherwise.
Don't need to elaborate more..
She says India is an expansionist power!
Is that a cruel joke???
It's India's land that is occupied by china and pak.India is not occupying even an inch of any other country's territory.
arundhati is an unwanted self-promoter.She thrives on lies.Her place is in the dustbin..
If she thinks love for India among Indians will go down because of what she says,well admiration for a tolerant India only increases...
Whatever may be the so-called shortcomings,this is still our dear Motherland.
You don't abuse your Mother day-in day-out.......you really don't.......
Uninvited self-promotionalist arundhati roy says Kashmir was never a part of India!
Just because she accidentally won a so-called booker prize,she thinks she has license to say any crap on India.
Ever since she won the booker,she has found a new job : India bashing..
What ever platform she forces herself on,she hurls blatantly abusive,insulting and foul language against India.
She has lost all credibility,if she ever had one.Continuously insulting Indians has become a way of life for her..
I have some friends of mine,who admired her book 'the God of small things',even they are deeply disappointed with this constant vitriol against our Motherland.One such friend of mine even burned down his copy of that book.
A stray dog barks,but we seldom pays attention...Let's give the same status to this traitor.....
Just ignore her.what she wants is attention..
She says India is not a democracy,the very fact that she can stay here and utter all these non-sense itself is proof otherwise.
Don't need to elaborate more..
She says India is an expansionist power!
Is that a cruel joke???
It's India's land that is occupied by china and pak.India is not occupying even an inch of any other country's territory.
arundhati is an unwanted self-promoter.She thrives on lies.Her place is in the dustbin..
If she thinks love for India among Indians will go down because of what she says,well admiration for a tolerant India only increases...
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Indian involvement in pakistani players caught cheating
A pakistani newspaper's take on the spot fixing allegation where 3 of it's players mohammed asif,salman bhatt,mohammed amir were caught red-handed.
The link for the news can be found at http://dailymailnews.com/0910/01/FrontPage/index1.php
The complete 'story' (yes,story..Look at the way the brains of these pakistani reporters are working.Please don't laugh at them.Have some pity.Have admiration at their imagination.),is pasted below.
"
International Cricket Council President Sharad Pawar, an Indian national and Scotland Yard are making futile efforts to involve Pakistanis players in spot-fixing with the yearn desire of 2-3 years ban on Pakistan for taking part in International cricket events; reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail.
These investigations indicate that pre-set drama reveals that ICC chief and its members, The News of the World and notorious Indian intelligence agency RAW were the mastermind behind all this planned mess with special focus on putting the career of new teenage pace sensation of Pakistan Muhammad Aamir at stake who emerging as main threat to the batsmen across the world in the coming years.
The Daily Mail’s investigations reveal that picture of Salman Butt along with bookie and some reporter is clearly fabricated and created in photoshop computer programme that is installed at every newspaper office for sure. Furthermore the video of the bookie, Majeed giving Pounds to Wahab Riaz is also a creation.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that the bookie Mazhar Majeed is a RAW front man and holds a key position in RAW’s illicit fund generation programme that includes running Mafia wings, running brothel houses, prostitution syndicates gambling dens, and betting on matches of Cricket, soccer and even tennis. He was merely a ticket blacker at movie theatres in Mumbai till a few years back when was hand picked by RAW like they did it in Chhota Rajan Case and was put under the command of RAW’s Special Operations Division SOD, headed by Chhota Rajan where he was trained for sports betting.
The Daily Mail’s findings further indicate that Majeed was introduced to different bookies at Mumbai, Delhi, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Dubai by RAW official. These findings reveal that in 2007, RAW arranged Majeed’s meeting with Indian Cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, Harbajjan Singh and Rahul Dravid so that so that they can further introduce Majeed to different players of Cricket teams of different countries, specially Pakistan and world cricketers like Shane Watson do confirm the same. These finding further indicate that in September 2009, an Indian businessman Vijay Aaloowalia, based in Cape Town, South Africa hosted a dinner for Pakistani and Indian cricketers on the sidelines of Champions Trophy. Bookie Majeed was also invited to that dinner where some Pakistani players were introduced to him for the first time. Though the trick didn’t work and Pakistan team defeated India easily in that tournament but Majeed remained sniffing Pak players then onwards.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that RAW’s under cover officials at Indian High Commission at London along with Indian London-based Indian diplomats held meetings with some British journalists after which they finally succeed in getting nod from one particular journalist to organize a fake sting operation with connivance of Majeed, who was already operating under the instruction of his agency officials. The reporter also convinced his newspaper that his sting operation was going to be a genuine one. In the meanwhile the Indian High Commission managed to put it in the ears of the officials of the British police that Pakistani players would get indulged into illegal activities while the ICC Chief was already taken on board by Indian High Commission and RAW officials.
These investigations further reveal that the quick bail of Mazhar Majeed was also sponsored by Indian High Commission and RAW as Indian diplomats at London were seen extraordinarily active after the arrest of Majeed. The Daily Mail’s investigations further reveal that some undercover RAW had approach a Lahore-based a female showbiz artists at Dubai last year. She was told that she should be given leading role in an upcoming multi-star Bollywood thriller. Later she was asked to fix a Pakistani fast bowler as he had promised to work in an advertisement of the company of same film maker and later refused while he was already paid. She was launched for the first time in this direction and she has been re-activated now too to add colours to the drama that has been staged in England.
The Daily Mail’s investigations conclude that the basic aim of RAW was to play havoc with the careers of Aamir like young lot of Pak cricketers but when Sharad Pawar was taken on board, he expanded the plan to get the entry of the Pakistan team banned in international cricket for three to five years.
Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that there might be a conspiracy behind the match-fixing scam adding that initial report has been sought from the Scotland Yard. “We will believe only when we have concrete evidence with us,” Malik told media after attending a high level meeting at the National Crisis Management Cell and meeting with Sports Minister Ijaz Jhakrani.
Malik said a preliminary report on the matter had been sought and that the Pakistan government had written to Scotland Yard through Interpol to get more facts. Rehman Malik said that stern action would be taken if any cricketer is found guilty in the match fixing allegations.
He said that investigations have commenced regarding the involvement of cricketers in a match fixing allegation made by British media; an investigative team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would visit the United Kingdom to probe the matter after the report of the Scotland Yard. The probe team would search whether or not the match was fixed, or team players were fixed for spot. If any of the players are involved, we will make an example of it and strict action will be taken,” he added.
He said it has been decided to form a 3 member investigative committee consisting of FIA officers and an officer of Ministry of Sports. The ream would consist of Director FIA Admin Headquarter Inam Ghani and Assistant Director FIA Karachi Agha Ishrat while the third member would be nominated by the Sports Minister.
Rehman Malik said that this team would leave for UK after permission from UK. He said that however if the Scotland Yard and Interpol does not provide us the initial report than this team would proceed to UK with or without permission. Meanwhile, Sports Minister Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani said that no charges had been framed against the team so far and until they are charged with something they would continue to play.
Jakhrani stated that alternate team of Pakistan wouldn’t be send to UK for One-day series. He said we would not bring back any player until charges against them are proven. He said that he would meet with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after which he would be in the position to say whether PCB chairman should be removed or not
Earlier in the day, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said, “There is a case going on over here with Scotland Yard. This is only an allegation. There is still no charge or proof on the account. So at this stage, no action will be taken.”
The ICC’s anti-corruption unit has been asked to submit a report on its investigations within the next three days.
"
Well,only one question remains then.Why did the pakistani bowlers bowl big,intentional no-balls,if all these are India's plans to get pakistan banned from international cricket??
Any way even Indians would not have known that Sharad Pawar has so much natural talent :)
Also since according to the pakistani daily,Sharad Pawar's aim is to get pak banned for 3 to 5 years,hope Pawar speeds up this activity.There doesn't seem to be any movement on the part of Pawar as yet on this.This obviously will get the pak daily worried.They have done proper and thorough investigation,you know !!
May be the maveric Pawar had another master plan up his sleeve.
That is to make an ASS out of this great pak daily and he and his ICC won't ban pak,after-all :)) hihi...
Expecting another rocket science kind of investigative journalism master peace from the pak daily,dailymailnews.
The link for the news can be found at http://dailymailnews.com/0910/01/FrontPage/index1.php
The complete 'story' (yes,story..Look at the way the brains of these pakistani reporters are working.Please don't laugh at them.Have some pity.Have admiration at their imagination.),is pasted below.
"
International Cricket Council President Sharad Pawar, an Indian national and Scotland Yard are making futile efforts to involve Pakistanis players in spot-fixing with the yearn desire of 2-3 years ban on Pakistan for taking part in International cricket events; reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail.
These investigations indicate that pre-set drama reveals that ICC chief and its members, The News of the World and notorious Indian intelligence agency RAW were the mastermind behind all this planned mess with special focus on putting the career of new teenage pace sensation of Pakistan Muhammad Aamir at stake who emerging as main threat to the batsmen across the world in the coming years.
The Daily Mail’s investigations reveal that picture of Salman Butt along with bookie and some reporter is clearly fabricated and created in photoshop computer programme that is installed at every newspaper office for sure. Furthermore the video of the bookie, Majeed giving Pounds to Wahab Riaz is also a creation.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that the bookie Mazhar Majeed is a RAW front man and holds a key position in RAW’s illicit fund generation programme that includes running Mafia wings, running brothel houses, prostitution syndicates gambling dens, and betting on matches of Cricket, soccer and even tennis. He was merely a ticket blacker at movie theatres in Mumbai till a few years back when was hand picked by RAW like they did it in Chhota Rajan Case and was put under the command of RAW’s Special Operations Division SOD, headed by Chhota Rajan where he was trained for sports betting.
The Daily Mail’s findings further indicate that Majeed was introduced to different bookies at Mumbai, Delhi, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Dubai by RAW official. These findings reveal that in 2007, RAW arranged Majeed’s meeting with Indian Cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, Harbajjan Singh and Rahul Dravid so that so that they can further introduce Majeed to different players of Cricket teams of different countries, specially Pakistan and world cricketers like Shane Watson do confirm the same. These finding further indicate that in September 2009, an Indian businessman Vijay Aaloowalia, based in Cape Town, South Africa hosted a dinner for Pakistani and Indian cricketers on the sidelines of Champions Trophy. Bookie Majeed was also invited to that dinner where some Pakistani players were introduced to him for the first time. Though the trick didn’t work and Pakistan team defeated India easily in that tournament but Majeed remained sniffing Pak players then onwards.
The Daily Mail’s investigations indicate that RAW’s under cover officials at Indian High Commission at London along with Indian London-based Indian diplomats held meetings with some British journalists after which they finally succeed in getting nod from one particular journalist to organize a fake sting operation with connivance of Majeed, who was already operating under the instruction of his agency officials. The reporter also convinced his newspaper that his sting operation was going to be a genuine one. In the meanwhile the Indian High Commission managed to put it in the ears of the officials of the British police that Pakistani players would get indulged into illegal activities while the ICC Chief was already taken on board by Indian High Commission and RAW officials.
These investigations further reveal that the quick bail of Mazhar Majeed was also sponsored by Indian High Commission and RAW as Indian diplomats at London were seen extraordinarily active after the arrest of Majeed. The Daily Mail’s investigations further reveal that some undercover RAW had approach a Lahore-based a female showbiz artists at Dubai last year. She was told that she should be given leading role in an upcoming multi-star Bollywood thriller. Later she was asked to fix a Pakistani fast bowler as he had promised to work in an advertisement of the company of same film maker and later refused while he was already paid. She was launched for the first time in this direction and she has been re-activated now too to add colours to the drama that has been staged in England.
The Daily Mail’s investigations conclude that the basic aim of RAW was to play havoc with the careers of Aamir like young lot of Pak cricketers but when Sharad Pawar was taken on board, he expanded the plan to get the entry of the Pakistan team banned in international cricket for three to five years.
Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that there might be a conspiracy behind the match-fixing scam adding that initial report has been sought from the Scotland Yard. “We will believe only when we have concrete evidence with us,” Malik told media after attending a high level meeting at the National Crisis Management Cell and meeting with Sports Minister Ijaz Jhakrani.
Malik said a preliminary report on the matter had been sought and that the Pakistan government had written to Scotland Yard through Interpol to get more facts. Rehman Malik said that stern action would be taken if any cricketer is found guilty in the match fixing allegations.
He said that investigations have commenced regarding the involvement of cricketers in a match fixing allegation made by British media; an investigative team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would visit the United Kingdom to probe the matter after the report of the Scotland Yard. The probe team would search whether or not the match was fixed, or team players were fixed for spot. If any of the players are involved, we will make an example of it and strict action will be taken,” he added.
He said it has been decided to form a 3 member investigative committee consisting of FIA officers and an officer of Ministry of Sports. The ream would consist of Director FIA Admin Headquarter Inam Ghani and Assistant Director FIA Karachi Agha Ishrat while the third member would be nominated by the Sports Minister.
Rehman Malik said that this team would leave for UK after permission from UK. He said that however if the Scotland Yard and Interpol does not provide us the initial report than this team would proceed to UK with or without permission. Meanwhile, Sports Minister Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani said that no charges had been framed against the team so far and until they are charged with something they would continue to play.
Jakhrani stated that alternate team of Pakistan wouldn’t be send to UK for One-day series. He said we would not bring back any player until charges against them are proven. He said that he would meet with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after which he would be in the position to say whether PCB chairman should be removed or not
Earlier in the day, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said, “There is a case going on over here with Scotland Yard. This is only an allegation. There is still no charge or proof on the account. So at this stage, no action will be taken.”
The ICC’s anti-corruption unit has been asked to submit a report on its investigations within the next three days.
"
Well,only one question remains then.Why did the pakistani bowlers bowl big,intentional no-balls,if all these are India's plans to get pakistan banned from international cricket??
Any way even Indians would not have known that Sharad Pawar has so much natural talent :)
Also since according to the pakistani daily,Sharad Pawar's aim is to get pak banned for 3 to 5 years,hope Pawar speeds up this activity.There doesn't seem to be any movement on the part of Pawar as yet on this.This obviously will get the pak daily worried.They have done proper and thorough investigation,you know !!
May be the maveric Pawar had another master plan up his sleeve.
That is to make an ASS out of this great pak daily and he and his ICC won't ban pak,after-all :)) hihi...
Expecting another rocket science kind of investigative journalism master peace from the pak daily,dailymailnews.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
A R Rahman Insulted by blatantly corrupt CWG Committee
A news report in yahoo "
A R Rahman''s Commonwealth Games theme song has failed to impress the CWG Organising Committee''s Executive Board member V K Malhotra, who feels the composition has "fallen short of expectations". "Oh yaaro, yeh India bula liya", which was launched amid much fanfare by the Oscar-winning composer yesterday has been given a thumbs down by Malhotra, who has suggested that the song be reworked.
"This song has fallen short of expectations. We had a expected a better anthem for the Games from a composer of Rahman''s status," Malhotra, also the vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association, told PTI. "He has given some very good songs like ''Maa Tujhe Salaam'' but this song is not that impressive.
We hope that the song is made better because there is still some time for the Games," he added. Rahman sang it in front of a gathering which included Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda and CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi yesterday.
"I feel honoured to get the opportunity to compose the theme song for the mega-event. It was not an easy task.
I had started composing it six months ago and finished just last night," Rahman said after the launch. The launch of the theme song had been delayed after the Group of Ministers overseeing the quadrennial sporting extravaganza asked Rahman to change it a little bit.
"
After this A R Rahman should stop taking offers from these kinds of corrupt organising committees.
Has the CWG(Common Wealth Games) Organising Committee''s Executive Board member V K Malhotra and his colleagues and Mr.Suresh Kalmadi finished looting the 'Common Wealth'??
May be yes,that's why they have started defaming the Great A R Rahman.
Let there be a proper investigation so that the people of India will get to know how many crores people like Malhotra has looted.He and his so-called committee has no face left to sit on judgement on any thing after the blatant corruption charges they are facing.It reflects on this committee's inefficiency and it's single minded purpose of looting public money,that the Prime Minister has to step-in and take direct control to see that the games venues and infrastructure are ready.
And let sundry people like Malhotra stop tarnishing the image of one of India's great Legends.Rahman is a musician who has done wonders to Indian music.He has made India proud the world over.
It's not necessary that every body likes all songs composed by Rahman or for that matter by any other composer.Mr.Malhotra is perfectly within his right to say he did not like the song.Fine.
But to ask Rahman to again (this will be the 2nd time) change the song is a blatant insult.
Rahman should tell the CWG Organising Committee to get lost.
A R Rahman''s Commonwealth Games theme song has failed to impress the CWG Organising Committee''s Executive Board member V K Malhotra, who feels the composition has "fallen short of expectations". "Oh yaaro, yeh India bula liya", which was launched amid much fanfare by the Oscar-winning composer yesterday has been given a thumbs down by Malhotra, who has suggested that the song be reworked.
"This song has fallen short of expectations. We had a expected a better anthem for the Games from a composer of Rahman''s status," Malhotra, also the vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association, told PTI. "He has given some very good songs like ''Maa Tujhe Salaam'' but this song is not that impressive.
We hope that the song is made better because there is still some time for the Games," he added. Rahman sang it in front of a gathering which included Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda and CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi yesterday.
"I feel honoured to get the opportunity to compose the theme song for the mega-event. It was not an easy task.
I had started composing it six months ago and finished just last night," Rahman said after the launch. The launch of the theme song had been delayed after the Group of Ministers overseeing the quadrennial sporting extravaganza asked Rahman to change it a little bit.
"
After this A R Rahman should stop taking offers from these kinds of corrupt organising committees.
Has the CWG(Common Wealth Games) Organising Committee''s Executive Board member V K Malhotra and his colleagues and Mr.Suresh Kalmadi finished looting the 'Common Wealth'??
May be yes,that's why they have started defaming the Great A R Rahman.
Let there be a proper investigation so that the people of India will get to know how many crores people like Malhotra has looted.He and his so-called committee has no face left to sit on judgement on any thing after the blatant corruption charges they are facing.It reflects on this committee's inefficiency and it's single minded purpose of looting public money,that the Prime Minister has to step-in and take direct control to see that the games venues and infrastructure are ready.
And let sundry people like Malhotra stop tarnishing the image of one of India's great Legends.Rahman is a musician who has done wonders to Indian music.He has made India proud the world over.
It's not necessary that every body likes all songs composed by Rahman or for that matter by any other composer.Mr.Malhotra is perfectly within his right to say he did not like the song.Fine.
But to ask Rahman to again (this will be the 2nd time) change the song is a blatant insult.
Rahman should tell the CWG Organising Committee to get lost.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Our cup of woes
Problems at price front.Prices of essential commodities and fuel prices going up frequently.
God knows what happened to the ruling Congress party's pre-poll slogan of 'Congress ka Hath ,aam aadmi ke saath' .
Problems in Kashmir.Governments both at the center and state doesn't seem to have a clue on how to handle it.
Problems with naxal/maoist terrorism.A Union Minister (Mamta Banerjee) openly supporting naxals.
Massive corruption changes against the Commonwealth Games Committee headed by Suresh Kalmadi.
Pathetic preparation and inadequate infrastructure for the games,with only weeks remaining for the start of the games.
Over and above an invisible Prime Minister...!
As a comic relief for us,our government engages pak in 'meaningful talks for everlasting peace'.
1+1=2
You know 2 will be the answer when you do a 1+1 math.
Similarly you know the output even before you start a dialogue with pak,so what's the point???
What ever other things are,let's hope,the Indian Government takes some measures to make sure that,we as a Nation is not made a laughing stock,infront of the world,once the commonwealth games starts.
It's the corruption charges,lack of facilities and sanity that's making the news world over at the moment ..
God knows what happened to the ruling Congress party's pre-poll slogan of 'Congress ka Hath ,aam aadmi ke saath' .
Problems in Kashmir.Governments both at the center and state doesn't seem to have a clue on how to handle it.
Problems with naxal/maoist terrorism.A Union Minister (Mamta Banerjee) openly supporting naxals.
Massive corruption changes against the Commonwealth Games Committee headed by Suresh Kalmadi.
Pathetic preparation and inadequate infrastructure for the games,with only weeks remaining for the start of the games.
Over and above an invisible Prime Minister...!
As a comic relief for us,our government engages pak in 'meaningful talks for everlasting peace'.
1+1=2
You know 2 will be the answer when you do a 1+1 math.
Similarly you know the output even before you start a dialogue with pak,so what's the point???
What ever other things are,let's hope,the Indian Government takes some measures to make sure that,we as a Nation is not made a laughing stock,infront of the world,once the commonwealth games starts.
It's the corruption charges,lack of facilities and sanity that's making the news world over at the moment ..
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Suicides for Telengana
It's being reported that
"
A day after celebrating the victory of the TRS-BJP combine in the just-concluded byelections, Osmania University woke up to the shocking death of an engineering graduate on its campus on Saturday.
A B.Tech (electronics and communications) graduate from Scient college at Ibrahimpatnam, P Eshan Reddy, (21) allegedly “sacrificed” himself for the cause of a separate Telangana near the OU library in the wee hours. In a suicide note, purportedly written by him, he said: “I promised to Maisamma Talli (a local deity in Telangana) that if DS (PCC chief D Srinivas) loses (the election), I will sacrifice myself to the Talli. I am proud to do this.’’ Eshan Reddy’s charred body was found on a bushy path adjacent to the library around 6 a.m. In the note, nine Congress and TDP leaders were branded as cheats and the Joint Action Committee of the OU students was asked to either kill or ostracise them.
The note further carried a wish that his body be taken in a procession to the martyrs’ memorial.
Eshan Reddy was a native of Basanthpur village in Nylakal mandal, Medak district.
TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, BJP senior leader Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Telangana Political JAC convenor Prof Kodandaram visited the campus and took part in the procession. Chandrasekhara Rao and Vidyasagar Rao broke down upon seeing the dead body.
"
Well,this is not the first suicide by a student for the 'separate state of Telengana' agitation and I am afraid,this might not be the last.I have lost count of the number of times I have read about Telengana related suicides.
Has Mr.Chandrasekhara Rao,who is the self-styled champion and the visible face of the 'separate state of Telengana' agitation,made any appeal till now to the student community to avoid taking such drastic measures??
It's just an utter wastage of a valuable human life.Atleast they could have utilised their life for some thing meaningful,say,some service for the Nation.Even taking up the cause of Telengana is perfectly fine,but in a more dignified manner.Not by taking own life,come on...!!!!
Not seen any politician making any such appeal.
May be Mr.Rao, and people like him who are fighting for the seperate state cause,are having the sadistic joy of having more and more martyrs,in whose memorials they can pay tributes annually!!!
Every political party seems obsessed with creating martyrs for their cause..!
What else explains the inexplicable silence of atleast making an appeal to stop this madness.
Let the agitations continue,but why commit suicide??
Does it achieve any purpose??
Will Mr.Rao and others take care of the parents of these students who are trigger happy in taking out lives..
Why don't they look at more meaningful,peaceful options...
Why don't these students who commit suicide,think about their parents?
why do they let their parents endure life-long agony!!
...Fail to Understand...
"
A day after celebrating the victory of the TRS-BJP combine in the just-concluded byelections, Osmania University woke up to the shocking death of an engineering graduate on its campus on Saturday.
A B.Tech (electronics and communications) graduate from Scient college at Ibrahimpatnam, P Eshan Reddy, (21) allegedly “sacrificed” himself for the cause of a separate Telangana near the OU library in the wee hours. In a suicide note, purportedly written by him, he said: “I promised to Maisamma Talli (a local deity in Telangana) that if DS (PCC chief D Srinivas) loses (the election), I will sacrifice myself to the Talli. I am proud to do this.’’ Eshan Reddy’s charred body was found on a bushy path adjacent to the library around 6 a.m. In the note, nine Congress and TDP leaders were branded as cheats and the Joint Action Committee of the OU students was asked to either kill or ostracise them.
The note further carried a wish that his body be taken in a procession to the martyrs’ memorial.
Eshan Reddy was a native of Basanthpur village in Nylakal mandal, Medak district.
TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, BJP senior leader Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Telangana Political JAC convenor Prof Kodandaram visited the campus and took part in the procession. Chandrasekhara Rao and Vidyasagar Rao broke down upon seeing the dead body.
"
Well,this is not the first suicide by a student for the 'separate state of Telengana' agitation and I am afraid,this might not be the last.I have lost count of the number of times I have read about Telengana related suicides.
Has Mr.Chandrasekhara Rao,who is the self-styled champion and the visible face of the 'separate state of Telengana' agitation,made any appeal till now to the student community to avoid taking such drastic measures??
It's just an utter wastage of a valuable human life.Atleast they could have utilised their life for some thing meaningful,say,some service for the Nation.Even taking up the cause of Telengana is perfectly fine,but in a more dignified manner.Not by taking own life,come on...!!!!
Not seen any politician making any such appeal.
May be Mr.Rao, and people like him who are fighting for the seperate state cause,are having the sadistic joy of having more and more martyrs,in whose memorials they can pay tributes annually!!!
Every political party seems obsessed with creating martyrs for their cause..!
What else explains the inexplicable silence of atleast making an appeal to stop this madness.
Let the agitations continue,but why commit suicide??
Does it achieve any purpose??
Will Mr.Rao and others take care of the parents of these students who are trigger happy in taking out lives..
Why don't they look at more meaningful,peaceful options...
Why don't these students who commit suicide,think about their parents?
why do they let their parents endure life-long agony!!
...Fail to Understand...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Taking American Public for a ride
'A huge cache of secret US military files today provides a devastating portrait of the failing war in Afghanistan, revealing how coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, Taliban attacks have soared and Nato commanders fear neighbouring Pakistan and Iran are fuelling the insurgency.
The disclosures come from more than 90,000 records of incidents and intelligence reports about the conflict obtained by the whistleblowers' website Wikileaks in one of the biggest leaks in US military history. The files, which were made available to the Guardian, the New York Times and the German weekly Der Spiegel, give a blow-by-blow account of the fighting over the last six years, which has so far cost the lives of more than 320 British and more than 1,000 US troops.' - The Guardian.
The White House response to the leaks has been stunning.'Irresponsible leak','risk to National security'..!!
''These irresponsible leaks will not impact our ongoing commitment to deepen our partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan,'' President Barack Obama's National Security Advisor Jim Jones said in a statement.
It's time the American public decide,what is risky to America.Continuing to live in a fools paradise and providing massive aid to a country (pakistan),which is directly involved in the killing of American soldiers in Afghanistan or a leak which provides the public an opportunity to understand the truth.
The truth of the blatant double game being played by America's trusted 'War on Terror' ally.Other things in the leak are peripheral.The most important factor to consider here is why on earth a rouge nation is being rewarded for it's back-stabbings..'
Deccan Herald reports :
"
A massive cache of leaked Pentagon documents on the Afghan war highlights the role that Pakistan's intelligence service plays in destabilising Afghanistan, Afghan president's spokesman said Monday.
Kabul has long accused Islamabad of providing support and sanctuary for militant groups that plan, fund and carry out attacks in Afghanistan.
The whistleblowing website Wikileaks made public 92,000 Pentagon files and field reports about deaths of innocent civilians, Pakistani agents meeting the Taliban and Iran secretly furnished it with money, arms and training.
The Kabul government welcomed the leaks, saying the documents on Pakistan's activities in Afghanistan could help "raise awareness on the sanctuaries" Islamabad provides for militant groups.
"Since 2006, since the first suicide bombing, we have talked about the role of (Pakistan's) intelligence services," Waheed Omar, President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, told reporters.
"We need more understanding and awareness on the sanctuaries and I hope the leaked documents can raise the level of awareness on that question," he said.
"We hope they (Pakistan) will take practical steps that convince everyone they don't support them," he said, referring to militant groups that include the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network.
Omar said the Kabul government had been "shocked" at the volume of documents but had found nothing new in their content.
Afghanistan's national security adviser this month called on the Pakistani government to "take serious measures" against Islamist groups launching attacks on Afghan targets from secure havens inside Pakistan.
Rangin Dadfar Spanta said that throughout nine years of Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan, Pakistani authorities had failed to take action against the groups taking refuge on their side of the porous border.
Afghan officials have blamed a number of major attacks on Pakistani-based groups whom they say are supported by Pakistan's intelligence and military.
Such militants were blamed for blowing up the Serena Hotel in Kabul in 2008, attacking the Indian embassy, other Indian targets and a UN guesthouse in October that led to a mass withdrawal from Afghanistan of UN staff.
"
The Guardian reports :
"
Hamid Karzai is said to be shocked by the massive leak of classified military documents, but to be hoping further allegations of links between Pakistan and the Taliban will support his claim that Islamabad is directly supporting the insurgency.
Waheed Omar, the Afghan president's spokesman, told journalists the Afghan government would not seek to exploit revelations of previously unknown incidents in which Nato troops have killed Afghan civilians, even though in the past Karzai has publicly berated the US and its allies after high-profile tragedies.
Omar said: "As far as the substance of these leaked documents, the president's reaction was that most of this is not new and has been discussed in the past, and has often been raised in the past with our international partners."
Omar praised the "good progress" made over the last 18 months to lower the number of civilians accidentally killed.
General Stanley McChrystal, the recently sacked US commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan, took the issue particularly seriously and introduced tough rules of engagement restricting the use of force by foreign soldiers.
Meanwhile, William Hague, the foreign secretary, speaking in Brussels, said the leaks would not harm international efforts in Afghanistan. "A good deal of progress is being made, in building up the capacity of the Afghan state and in Afghanistan working together with so many nations in the world," he said.
"So I hope any such leaks will not poison that atmosphere, and I don't think they will."
But observers in Kabul warned that allegations of Pakistani involvement – while not new – could heighten tensions with Afghanistan's neighbour. .
Haroun Mir, a political analyst, Karzai critic and parliamentary candidate, predicted that the intelligence documents alleging skulduggery by Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence agency (ISI) would make it harder for the coalition to tolerate anything less than full Pakistani support in fighting the Taliban.
"For us, this is no secret – it is something we have been talking about since day one. But now there is no secret left. These are no longer allegations; these are facts," he said.
"It is up to the US and the UK to do something about it. Every day we see Nato soldiers die and Pakistan is very clearly linked to these killings, but there is no reaction. The west just rewards bad behaviour by the Pakistanis."
He said that when the details are re-reported by Afghan media, they will fuel popular conspiracy theories that the western powers are not serious about beating the Taliban and instead are looking for excuses for the permanent occupation of Afghanistan.
Any anti-Pakistani uproar will probably disrupt the detente between Karzai and Pakistan's leadership.
For months now Karzai has pointedly dropped his old anti-Pakistani rhetoric, and has held a series of meetings with Pakistan's army chief, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, and Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the head of the ISI – the very organisation cited in the documents as being part of an alleged plot to assassinate the Afghan president.
Mir said: "We have all been trying to warn President Karzai that you cannot trust the Pakistanis. They are not co-operating with the US and the UK, so why should they co-operate with Afghanistan?"
"
The disclosures come from more than 90,000 records of incidents and intelligence reports about the conflict obtained by the whistleblowers' website Wikileaks in one of the biggest leaks in US military history. The files, which were made available to the Guardian, the New York Times and the German weekly Der Spiegel, give a blow-by-blow account of the fighting over the last six years, which has so far cost the lives of more than 320 British and more than 1,000 US troops.' - The Guardian.
The White House response to the leaks has been stunning.'Irresponsible leak','risk to National security'..!!
''These irresponsible leaks will not impact our ongoing commitment to deepen our partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan,'' President Barack Obama's National Security Advisor Jim Jones said in a statement.
It's time the American public decide,what is risky to America.Continuing to live in a fools paradise and providing massive aid to a country (pakistan),which is directly involved in the killing of American soldiers in Afghanistan or a leak which provides the public an opportunity to understand the truth.
The truth of the blatant double game being played by America's trusted 'War on Terror' ally.Other things in the leak are peripheral.The most important factor to consider here is why on earth a rouge nation is being rewarded for it's back-stabbings..'
Deccan Herald reports :
"
A massive cache of leaked Pentagon documents on the Afghan war highlights the role that Pakistan's intelligence service plays in destabilising Afghanistan, Afghan president's spokesman said Monday.
Kabul has long accused Islamabad of providing support and sanctuary for militant groups that plan, fund and carry out attacks in Afghanistan.
The whistleblowing website Wikileaks made public 92,000 Pentagon files and field reports about deaths of innocent civilians, Pakistani agents meeting the Taliban and Iran secretly furnished it with money, arms and training.
The Kabul government welcomed the leaks, saying the documents on Pakistan's activities in Afghanistan could help "raise awareness on the sanctuaries" Islamabad provides for militant groups.
"Since 2006, since the first suicide bombing, we have talked about the role of (Pakistan's) intelligence services," Waheed Omar, President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, told reporters.
"We need more understanding and awareness on the sanctuaries and I hope the leaked documents can raise the level of awareness on that question," he said.
"We hope they (Pakistan) will take practical steps that convince everyone they don't support them," he said, referring to militant groups that include the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network.
Omar said the Kabul government had been "shocked" at the volume of documents but had found nothing new in their content.
Afghanistan's national security adviser this month called on the Pakistani government to "take serious measures" against Islamist groups launching attacks on Afghan targets from secure havens inside Pakistan.
Rangin Dadfar Spanta said that throughout nine years of Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan, Pakistani authorities had failed to take action against the groups taking refuge on their side of the porous border.
Afghan officials have blamed a number of major attacks on Pakistani-based groups whom they say are supported by Pakistan's intelligence and military.
Such militants were blamed for blowing up the Serena Hotel in Kabul in 2008, attacking the Indian embassy, other Indian targets and a UN guesthouse in October that led to a mass withdrawal from Afghanistan of UN staff.
"
The Guardian reports :
"
Hamid Karzai is said to be shocked by the massive leak of classified military documents, but to be hoping further allegations of links between Pakistan and the Taliban will support his claim that Islamabad is directly supporting the insurgency.
Waheed Omar, the Afghan president's spokesman, told journalists the Afghan government would not seek to exploit revelations of previously unknown incidents in which Nato troops have killed Afghan civilians, even though in the past Karzai has publicly berated the US and its allies after high-profile tragedies.
Omar said: "As far as the substance of these leaked documents, the president's reaction was that most of this is not new and has been discussed in the past, and has often been raised in the past with our international partners."
Omar praised the "good progress" made over the last 18 months to lower the number of civilians accidentally killed.
General Stanley McChrystal, the recently sacked US commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan, took the issue particularly seriously and introduced tough rules of engagement restricting the use of force by foreign soldiers.
Meanwhile, William Hague, the foreign secretary, speaking in Brussels, said the leaks would not harm international efforts in Afghanistan. "A good deal of progress is being made, in building up the capacity of the Afghan state and in Afghanistan working together with so many nations in the world," he said.
"So I hope any such leaks will not poison that atmosphere, and I don't think they will."
But observers in Kabul warned that allegations of Pakistani involvement – while not new – could heighten tensions with Afghanistan's neighbour. .
Haroun Mir, a political analyst, Karzai critic and parliamentary candidate, predicted that the intelligence documents alleging skulduggery by Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence agency (ISI) would make it harder for the coalition to tolerate anything less than full Pakistani support in fighting the Taliban.
"For us, this is no secret – it is something we have been talking about since day one. But now there is no secret left. These are no longer allegations; these are facts," he said.
"It is up to the US and the UK to do something about it. Every day we see Nato soldiers die and Pakistan is very clearly linked to these killings, but there is no reaction. The west just rewards bad behaviour by the Pakistanis."
He said that when the details are re-reported by Afghan media, they will fuel popular conspiracy theories that the western powers are not serious about beating the Taliban and instead are looking for excuses for the permanent occupation of Afghanistan.
Any anti-Pakistani uproar will probably disrupt the detente between Karzai and Pakistan's leadership.
For months now Karzai has pointedly dropped his old anti-Pakistani rhetoric, and has held a series of meetings with Pakistan's army chief, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, and Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the head of the ISI – the very organisation cited in the documents as being part of an alleged plot to assassinate the Afghan president.
Mir said: "We have all been trying to warn President Karzai that you cannot trust the Pakistanis. They are not co-operating with the US and the UK, so why should they co-operate with Afghanistan?"
"
Sunday, July 18, 2010
No India visit for leisure trip
"I do not want to visit India for a leisure trip. I want to go for meaningful, constructive and result-oriented talks if the right atmosphere prevails and if they are fully prepared (for talks)".
These are words of the Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a news conference.He is very much in the news these days.[Read my preceeding post.]
Hope India answers qureshi's wishes not by doing any thing else,but by simply not inviting this fellow.May be he is upset that he is not invited to visit The Taj.[Remember musharaff visited Taj when he made his 'leisure trip' to India earlier].
Any way qureshi should rethink and should some how visit India,other wise the whole of India will be disappointed.Political parties might even declare a 'Bharat Bandh'.For making the visit,how about using the infiltration routes used by your terrorists to India,Mr.qureshi??
Do some thing like that,some thing refreshingly different,so that the talks could succeed.
As for the Indian Government,as an alternative to not inviting,they should conduct research studies and symposiums and make sure that the 'right atmosphere prevails',which qureshi wants for coming.
Or is it possible for qureshi to bring some 'right atmosphere' from pak itself??
That could be a good idea..
Well,these are my thoughts,there could always be other innovative ways for bringing in this legend to India.
Believe it or not,he is also reported to have said that,"If you (India) are answerable to your people on terrorism, we too are a democracy and have to satisfy our people".
pakistan is missing some thing here.Here is a person capable of being a very good education minister for them.Did any body in pak knew,or for that matter any body the world over knew that this
country,pakistan is a democracy????
These are words of the Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a news conference.He is very much in the news these days.[Read my preceeding post.]
Hope India answers qureshi's wishes not by doing any thing else,but by simply not inviting this fellow.May be he is upset that he is not invited to visit The Taj.[Remember musharaff visited Taj when he made his 'leisure trip' to India earlier].
Any way qureshi should rethink and should some how visit India,other wise the whole of India will be disappointed.Political parties might even declare a 'Bharat Bandh'.For making the visit,how about using the infiltration routes used by your terrorists to India,Mr.qureshi??
Do some thing like that,some thing refreshingly different,so that the talks could succeed.
As for the Indian Government,as an alternative to not inviting,they should conduct research studies and symposiums and make sure that the 'right atmosphere prevails',which qureshi wants for coming.
Or is it possible for qureshi to bring some 'right atmosphere' from pak itself??
That could be a good idea..
Well,these are my thoughts,there could always be other innovative ways for bringing in this legend to India.
Believe it or not,he is also reported to have said that,"If you (India) are answerable to your people on terrorism, we too are a democracy and have to satisfy our people".
pakistan is missing some thing here.Here is a person capable of being a very good education minister for them.Did any body in pak knew,or for that matter any body the world over knew that this
country,pakistan is a democracy????
The dreamworld of India pakistan peace talks
Those who are stunned,astonished,surprised,amazed at the pak foreign minister shah mehmood qureshi's personal insult of India's Foreign Minister S M Krishna should understand that this was normal.
India's Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said, "qureshi must learn the basic lesson of diplomacy."
Perhaps India's Opposition Leader is talking like this because of her lack of International affairs.She should understand that Mr.qureshi is an expert in diplomatic affairs;diplomacy pak-style.
Nobody should have any doubt about pakistan's ability of playing a perfect host.After all they have been more than a perfect host to world dignitaries like osama bin laden,mulla omar etc.
Not to speak of their own international stars like hafeez saeed,syed salauddin etc and sundry.In fact osama and mulla omar are so impressed with pak's 'infrastructure and facilities' that they have made pak their homeland.
And we have seen that when ever America gets irritated with pak's increasingly open support for terror groups,pak produces some low class terrorists or the other, like pulling a rat out of the hat.It's like the script of one of those flop Hollywood movies.When the monster comes,people of the remote town try and assuage it by sacrificing a human to keep the monster away for the time being :)
Classic stuff.
Now coming back to what qureshi said :
He said he did not step out of the talks to "attend any phone calls", but the "Indian foreign minister received foreign policy directions from New Delhi repeatedly during our meeting".
"I led Pakistan's team and I didn't need to make even a single phone call (to Pakistan leaders) during the day-long talks. Krishna is the principal for giving direction to foreign policy (but) why were directions being sent repeatedly from Delhi?".
"Who is the top foreign policy adviser for India?", Qureshi asked.
For your information mr.qureshi,Indian foreign ministry is not as lucky as yours,because we don't have individuals like what you have in ISI and in your army to advice our FM.Very sorry.[Any help from you on this is welcome,I hope ?].
A few words about current India pakistan talks :
Well,nothing new.same very old story.India is back again to talk to pak.Even after repeatedly getting stabbed in the back,front,and in the sides,be it with the Kargil treachery or with the Mumbai terror attacks or the other numerous attacks in India actively sponsored by the pak government,we will try and talk them out of this.That's our determination.
Remember the old nursery song? 'Hum Honge Kamyab,Hum Honge Kayab,ek din'..
[Means :One day we will succeed..]
Let's try some thing different during the next peace talks,like giving them lolly-pops and beg them to switch-off the terror tap.May be some Bollywood song and dance as well in between.Ideally pak should agree :|
Few days before the talks, pak occupied Kashmir's so-called prime minister is reported to have said in a terror rally attended by pak assets like syed salauddin,that every Kashmiri house will become a bunker against India.!! salauddin said India will be brought to it's knees.
It's funny to note that pak was putting the mask of being extremely upset at Indian Home Secretary's comments that pakistan's terror intelligence agency ISI planned and executed the Mumbai terror attack end-to-end.Well,the Home Secretary Mr.Pillai also said that he was quoting the confessional statements of the pak based LeT terrorist Headly (who is currently in US custody).And after all what he said is nothing new.
As a humble citizen of India,I would like to know what prompts Indian governments,be it led by right-wing BJP or the Congress or the Third Fronts,to continue to seek talks with pak,even when it's absolutely clear as day light that there will be ZERO progress.And that pakis will continue to do what ever it takes to continue the terror attacks in India and to bleed India by a 1000 cuts..
Is it American pressure?
Is it to create an impression world over that we are reasonable and that we continue to try to talk peace,even after grave provocations??
Trying to occupy the moral high ground?? [Doesn't make any sense when we are repeatedly being attacked and our fellow Countrymen are being martyred for nothing.The funny thing is,in the recent terror attacks ,be it in Mumbai or against the attacks against India in Afghanistan,the evil hands of pak's ISI is out in the open and they are not even trying to hide their trails.Evidences are all out there in the open,even other Nations acknowledge this.It's bizarre]
So if some body could explain why we are ever willing to take body blows,[more apt word is back-stabs] and still indulge in farce peace talks,I will be very grateful.It could only be a case of understanding issue with me.
I guess,even pakis themselves know that the world now knows that the comical eagerness they show for peace talks with India is only for a cover-up for their evil deeds.And this winning policy of theirs will continue as long as India continue to do absolutely nothing against pak.Even if an open war is ruled out,'come on' there are still lot of options available for an astute,proud,patriotic,caring Indian Government.
The problem is Indian Governments till date lacked the four adjectives I mentioned above...!!!!!
And,yes,a solid backbone is missing some where..
As a parting comment,few words of appreciation for pak :
It's amazing how they continue to churn out such beautifully arrogant,stubborn,foolish,'specialists-in-eating-own-words' kind of individuals as their foreign ministers like qureshi,kasuri etc.
Of course the icing on the cake is their ability to tell blatant lies in front of the media with an absolutely straight face.But then they had such veteran lie-masters like parvez musharaff as their president,who incidentally is living like a fugitive in UK at present!
India's Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said, "qureshi must learn the basic lesson of diplomacy."
Perhaps India's Opposition Leader is talking like this because of her lack of International affairs.She should understand that Mr.qureshi is an expert in diplomatic affairs;diplomacy pak-style.
Nobody should have any doubt about pakistan's ability of playing a perfect host.After all they have been more than a perfect host to world dignitaries like osama bin laden,mulla omar etc.
Not to speak of their own international stars like hafeez saeed,syed salauddin etc and sundry.In fact osama and mulla omar are so impressed with pak's 'infrastructure and facilities' that they have made pak their homeland.
And we have seen that when ever America gets irritated with pak's increasingly open support for terror groups,pak produces some low class terrorists or the other, like pulling a rat out of the hat.It's like the script of one of those flop Hollywood movies.When the monster comes,people of the remote town try and assuage it by sacrificing a human to keep the monster away for the time being :)
Classic stuff.
Now coming back to what qureshi said :
He said he did not step out of the talks to "attend any phone calls", but the "Indian foreign minister received foreign policy directions from New Delhi repeatedly during our meeting".
"I led Pakistan's team and I didn't need to make even a single phone call (to Pakistan leaders) during the day-long talks. Krishna is the principal for giving direction to foreign policy (but) why were directions being sent repeatedly from Delhi?".
"Who is the top foreign policy adviser for India?", Qureshi asked.
For your information mr.qureshi,Indian foreign ministry is not as lucky as yours,because we don't have individuals like what you have in ISI and in your army to advice our FM.Very sorry.[Any help from you on this is welcome,I hope ?].
A few words about current India pakistan talks :
Well,nothing new.same very old story.India is back again to talk to pak.Even after repeatedly getting stabbed in the back,front,and in the sides,be it with the Kargil treachery or with the Mumbai terror attacks or the other numerous attacks in India actively sponsored by the pak government,we will try and talk them out of this.That's our determination.
Remember the old nursery song? 'Hum Honge Kamyab,Hum Honge Kayab,ek din'..
[Means :One day we will succeed..]
Let's try some thing different during the next peace talks,like giving them lolly-pops and beg them to switch-off the terror tap.May be some Bollywood song and dance as well in between.Ideally pak should agree :|
Few days before the talks, pak occupied Kashmir's so-called prime minister is reported to have said in a terror rally attended by pak assets like syed salauddin,that every Kashmiri house will become a bunker against India.!! salauddin said India will be brought to it's knees.
It's funny to note that pak was putting the mask of being extremely upset at Indian Home Secretary's comments that pakistan's terror intelligence agency ISI planned and executed the Mumbai terror attack end-to-end.Well,the Home Secretary Mr.Pillai also said that he was quoting the confessional statements of the pak based LeT terrorist Headly (who is currently in US custody).And after all what he said is nothing new.
As a humble citizen of India,I would like to know what prompts Indian governments,be it led by right-wing BJP or the Congress or the Third Fronts,to continue to seek talks with pak,even when it's absolutely clear as day light that there will be ZERO progress.And that pakis will continue to do what ever it takes to continue the terror attacks in India and to bleed India by a 1000 cuts..
Is it American pressure?
Is it to create an impression world over that we are reasonable and that we continue to try to talk peace,even after grave provocations??
Trying to occupy the moral high ground?? [Doesn't make any sense when we are repeatedly being attacked and our fellow Countrymen are being martyred for nothing.The funny thing is,in the recent terror attacks ,be it in Mumbai or against the attacks against India in Afghanistan,the evil hands of pak's ISI is out in the open and they are not even trying to hide their trails.Evidences are all out there in the open,even other Nations acknowledge this.It's bizarre]
So if some body could explain why we are ever willing to take body blows,[more apt word is back-stabs] and still indulge in farce peace talks,I will be very grateful.It could only be a case of understanding issue with me.
I guess,even pakis themselves know that the world now knows that the comical eagerness they show for peace talks with India is only for a cover-up for their evil deeds.And this winning policy of theirs will continue as long as India continue to do absolutely nothing against pak.Even if an open war is ruled out,'come on' there are still lot of options available for an astute,proud,patriotic,caring Indian Government.
The problem is Indian Governments till date lacked the four adjectives I mentioned above...!!!!!
And,yes,a solid backbone is missing some where..
As a parting comment,few words of appreciation for pak :
It's amazing how they continue to churn out such beautifully arrogant,stubborn,foolish,'specialists-in-eating-own-words' kind of individuals as their foreign ministers like qureshi,kasuri etc.
Of course the icing on the cake is their ability to tell blatant lies in front of the media with an absolutely straight face.But then they had such veteran lie-masters like parvez musharaff as their president,who incidentally is living like a fugitive in UK at present!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Army not needed,will defeat naxals in seven years !!
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, who is on a visit to review the situation in Chhattisgarh, said there was no need to deploy army personnel at present in the Maoist-hit regions.
Speaking to reporters at the district headquarters at Kanker, Pillai said that it could take between three and seven years to get rid of the Naxal menace in the country.
Sorry,as a humble citizen of this Country,I fail to understand this strategy?
By the way,is there any 'strategy' at all in tackling the naxal menace??
Doesn't look like,we are having one.
Mr.Pillai says Army is not needed.Fair enough.But what's the plan to prevent poor CRPF men from being butchered like chickens,in large numbers??
Is the government and the CRPF taking care of the poor families of those jawans who are getting killed??
And finally what's the funda about this 'between 3 to 7 years' ??
Is it exactly 7 years or 7 years and one month or 6 years and 11 months which he rounded-off to 7 or some thing else??
Will be really interesting to know the formula used to arrive at the number "7".
Speaking to reporters at the district headquarters at Kanker, Pillai said that it could take between three and seven years to get rid of the Naxal menace in the country.
Sorry,as a humble citizen of this Country,I fail to understand this strategy?
By the way,is there any 'strategy' at all in tackling the naxal menace??
Doesn't look like,we are having one.
Mr.Pillai says Army is not needed.Fair enough.But what's the plan to prevent poor CRPF men from being butchered like chickens,in large numbers??
Is the government and the CRPF taking care of the poor families of those jawans who are getting killed??
And finally what's the funda about this 'between 3 to 7 years' ??
Is it exactly 7 years or 7 years and one month or 6 years and 11 months which he rounded-off to 7 or some thing else??
Will be really interesting to know the formula used to arrive at the number "7".
Time China had a hard look at it's pak policy
Against all international opposition,China is going ahead with its own version of a nuclear deal with pakistan.If one day all this nuclear tech reaches any of the numerous terror group in pak,hope pak and china will be the only sufferers.
pakistan from the 80's onwards has been using terrorism as an instrument of state policy against India.Now the Frankenstein monster they have created has started eating the hands of it's creator itself,what with all the terror attacks these groups are conducting in pak itself.
Below is a report from rediff.If even after knowing details like what's mentioned in the report,if china continue to view pak as an all-weather friend,well good luck to them.
The report in rediff is pasted below :
An increasing number of militants of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement fighting for the separation of China's Muslim majority Xinjiang province were "fleeing to Pakistan and settling down there for future plots," a state-run newspaper reported on Monday.
According to latest reports, the ETIM has been in close collaboration with the Taliban and Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden ," the China Daily said in its lead story on the first anniversary of the bloody riots in Xinjiang capital Urumqi, in which an estimated 200 people were killed.
It said an ETIM leader is also reported to be hiding in Pakistan and there are also reports of a 'Chinese battalion' comprising nearly 320 ETIM members in the Taliban forces. It said a number of ETIM fighters were "fleeing to Pakistan and settling down there for future plots".
"It is not hard for them (ETIM members) to hide in Pakistan. They have similar religious beliefs, appearances and languages as the locals," the report said.
The report about ETIM militants settling down in Pakistan came a day before the visit of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari , who during his week-long stay is expected to firm up the deal with China to finance and build two 650 mw nuclear reactors.
Xinjiang Autonomous province, the home of ethnic Uyghur Muslims of Turkish origin, observed the first anniversary of last year's riots, in which over 200 people were killed and hundreds injured.
Chinese troops virtually converted the province into a veritable fortress, deploying hundreds of soldiers and over 40,000 surveillance cameras to prevent any recurrence of violence coinciding with the first anniversary. The same daily earlier carried a report that the Chinese and Pakistani armies are holding anti-terrorism exercises in China and may conduct joint operations in the future against the ETIM militants.
The newspaper speculated that the recent arrest of 10 members of the ETIM was accomplished with the help of the Pakistan army . Uyghurs of Turkish-origin went on a rampage, protesting the increasing settlement of Hans, who constituted over 90 per cent of the majority in mainland Chinese provinces.
The protests were also attributed to some hard-line policies pursued by the provincial government including mandatory learning of Chinese. The Chinese government subsequently introduced the two language policy to give a lift to the local Turkic language.
pakistan from the 80's onwards has been using terrorism as an instrument of state policy against India.Now the Frankenstein monster they have created has started eating the hands of it's creator itself,what with all the terror attacks these groups are conducting in pak itself.
Below is a report from rediff.If even after knowing details like what's mentioned in the report,if china continue to view pak as an all-weather friend,well good luck to them.
The report in rediff is pasted below :
An increasing number of militants of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement fighting for the separation of China's Muslim majority Xinjiang province were "fleeing to Pakistan and settling down there for future plots," a state-run newspaper reported on Monday.
According to latest reports, the ETIM has been in close collaboration with the Taliban and Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden ," the China Daily said in its lead story on the first anniversary of the bloody riots in Xinjiang capital Urumqi, in which an estimated 200 people were killed.
It said an ETIM leader is also reported to be hiding in Pakistan and there are also reports of a 'Chinese battalion' comprising nearly 320 ETIM members in the Taliban forces. It said a number of ETIM fighters were "fleeing to Pakistan and settling down there for future plots".
"It is not hard for them (ETIM members) to hide in Pakistan. They have similar religious beliefs, appearances and languages as the locals," the report said.
The report about ETIM militants settling down in Pakistan came a day before the visit of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari , who during his week-long stay is expected to firm up the deal with China to finance and build two 650 mw nuclear reactors.
Xinjiang Autonomous province, the home of ethnic Uyghur Muslims of Turkish origin, observed the first anniversary of last year's riots, in which over 200 people were killed and hundreds injured.
Chinese troops virtually converted the province into a veritable fortress, deploying hundreds of soldiers and over 40,000 surveillance cameras to prevent any recurrence of violence coinciding with the first anniversary. The same daily earlier carried a report that the Chinese and Pakistani armies are holding anti-terrorism exercises in China and may conduct joint operations in the future against the ETIM militants.
The newspaper speculated that the recent arrest of 10 members of the ETIM was accomplished with the help of the Pakistan army . Uyghurs of Turkish-origin went on a rampage, protesting the increasing settlement of Hans, who constituted over 90 per cent of the majority in mainland Chinese provinces.
The protests were also attributed to some hard-line policies pursued by the provincial government including mandatory learning of Chinese. The Chinese government subsequently introduced the two language policy to give a lift to the local Turkic language.
Two Strikes Within Two Week for One Reason
Back with my Harthal wishes.
Harthal wishes to all my Countrymen.Many many happy returns of the day.
For the kind information of those from outside Kerala,my home state :
This is our second harthal in roughly 10 days in Kerala.The earlier one,which we celebrated last saturday was called by the ruling Left-front of Kerala against the Central Government's decision to hike fuel prices.As usual,as part of the festivities associated with it,violent incidents were reported from parts of the state.
This time around,I mean today;today's strike is :
A Nation-wide Bharat Bandh by the main opposition party,the BJP.
And surprise,surprise,an all India harthal by Left-front.
The reason given by the BJP,Left for the strike?
Fuel price hike.
So effectively,as far as the state of Kerala is concerned,Left parties had 2 harthals,one on 26th June 2010 and the other today,5th july 2010,protesting against the same issue,THE FUEL PRICE HIKE.Howzzaatt...
1 issue = 2 strikes.
Only sour thing about today's strike is that the BJP and Left chose the same day for their strike.They could had a mutual discussion and could have arrived at two different dates.This is a wastage of a strike !!
If one of the parties agreed for a different date,we could have had another strike quickly..hmm.
Just watched a News report,where-in it's reported that 72 buses in Mumbai are damaged by striking shiv sainiks.Well,not only BJP,the whole NDA + SP + other sundries in Indian politics are also striking,in-addition to the glorious Left,ofcourse.
By the time today's strike ends,hope more buses will be damaged,more public property will be destroyed.
Hope,atleast after this strike,all the sky-rocketed prices will come down,latest by tomorrow (6th july 2010) evening.This is not to say that the Left Harthal of 26th June 2010 had no effect on Kerala.It had the desired impact.Public property was destroyed in many places,you know :|
Harthal wishes to all my Countrymen.Many many happy returns of the day.
For the kind information of those from outside Kerala,my home state :
This is our second harthal in roughly 10 days in Kerala.The earlier one,which we celebrated last saturday was called by the ruling Left-front of Kerala against the Central Government's decision to hike fuel prices.As usual,as part of the festivities associated with it,violent incidents were reported from parts of the state.
This time around,I mean today;today's strike is :
A Nation-wide Bharat Bandh by the main opposition party,the BJP.
And surprise,surprise,an all India harthal by Left-front.
The reason given by the BJP,Left for the strike?
Fuel price hike.
So effectively,as far as the state of Kerala is concerned,Left parties had 2 harthals,one on 26th June 2010 and the other today,5th july 2010,protesting against the same issue,THE FUEL PRICE HIKE.Howzzaatt...
1 issue = 2 strikes.
Only sour thing about today's strike is that the BJP and Left chose the same day for their strike.They could had a mutual discussion and could have arrived at two different dates.This is a wastage of a strike !!
If one of the parties agreed for a different date,we could have had another strike quickly..hmm.
Just watched a News report,where-in it's reported that 72 buses in Mumbai are damaged by striking shiv sainiks.Well,not only BJP,the whole NDA + SP + other sundries in Indian politics are also striking,in-addition to the glorious Left,ofcourse.
By the time today's strike ends,hope more buses will be damaged,more public property will be destroyed.
Hope,atleast after this strike,all the sky-rocketed prices will come down,latest by tomorrow (6th july 2010) evening.This is not to say that the Left Harthal of 26th June 2010 had no effect on Kerala.It had the desired impact.Public property was destroyed in many places,you know :|
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Hope the next big terror attack in India is not around the corner
India again talking to pak.Home Minister Chidambaram in pak.Indian news channels are once again excited.Prime time discussions in news studios on the possible outcome of the talks.
Well,things look bright,isn't it??
Chidambaram was received in the airport by pak interior minister rehman malik.The same malik who sees an India hand in pak's troubles in baluchistan and elsewhere in pak.
In the past,it always happened that when India-pak talks,a major terror attack or betrayal of the sort seen in Kargil happens.
Hoping and praying that this time,it will be different.Let there be ZERO progress made in talks,but for God's sake,we don't need another major terror attack on Indian soil in the aftermath of a bilateral 'dialogue'.
Well,things look bright,isn't it??
Chidambaram was received in the airport by pak interior minister rehman malik.The same malik who sees an India hand in pak's troubles in baluchistan and elsewhere in pak.
In the past,it always happened that when India-pak talks,a major terror attack or betrayal of the sort seen in Kargil happens.
Hoping and praying that this time,it will be different.Let there be ZERO progress made in talks,but for God's sake,we don't need another major terror attack on Indian soil in the aftermath of a bilateral 'dialogue'.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Without me there will be anarchy
Facing a stiff challenge to stem the decline of the Left Front in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today asserted that the alternative to the Front rule was anarchy and asked supporters not to be demoralised by the success of the opposition. "Change for what? Anarchy? West Bengal is in no mood to fall behind.
We want to move ahead in agriculture, industry, education, health, human development. Is there any substitute to it?" Bhattacharjee told a Left Front rally to mark the completion of 33 years of uninterrupted rule in the state.
Ohhh...reallyyy???
Alternative to the Left-front government is ANARCHY??
But excuse me.....After 33 long and straight years of Left rule,is West Bengal any better or far away from anarchy??
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee says "We want to move ahead in agriculture, industry, education, health, human development."
Sir,why were you static all these years??
Mr.Chief Minister,you should think,think hard and sound,why the people of Bengal has finally started thinking of an alternative,even if that alternative could be a even worse Mamata Banerjee.
Personally I am not a great fan of Mamata Banerjee.She is not the kind of person one wants as the head of a state government.She is reasonably good only when in opposition,with her gimmicks and cheap tricks.But then,if she is the only alternative available for the 33 years of utter chaos,that is the Left-front governance,well,it seems people of Bengal is ready and they have no choice,but to have a go at it and try and see how Mamata manages Bengal!
God help them!
But then life goes on.
33 years they suffered the ordeal of a Left rule.
Now over to Mamata..
We want to move ahead in agriculture, industry, education, health, human development. Is there any substitute to it?" Bhattacharjee told a Left Front rally to mark the completion of 33 years of uninterrupted rule in the state.
Ohhh...reallyyy???
Alternative to the Left-front government is ANARCHY??
But excuse me.....After 33 long and straight years of Left rule,is West Bengal any better or far away from anarchy??
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee says "We want to move ahead in agriculture, industry, education, health, human development."
Sir,why were you static all these years??
Mr.Chief Minister,you should think,think hard and sound,why the people of Bengal has finally started thinking of an alternative,even if that alternative could be a even worse Mamata Banerjee.
Personally I am not a great fan of Mamata Banerjee.She is not the kind of person one wants as the head of a state government.She is reasonably good only when in opposition,with her gimmicks and cheap tricks.But then,if she is the only alternative available for the 33 years of utter chaos,that is the Left-front governance,well,it seems people of Bengal is ready and they have no choice,but to have a go at it and try and see how Mamata manages Bengal!
God help them!
But then life goes on.
33 years they suffered the ordeal of a Left rule.
Now over to Mamata..
The game of Football and we Indians - A small thought!
Football world cup going on.All over the world,football fans are having a great time,even though some are complaining about the quality of matches and the quality of the ball,even.
As an Indian and as a passionate supporter of Argentina and Brazil,in that order,my feelings are mixed.Delighted that the world cup is here.But sad to digest the fact that India as a football team is nowhere in the picture.
The passion,the craze for the game here in India,especially in places like Kerala is amazing.
I remember going for a drive,2 weeks before the world cup.It was astonishing to see huge Argentine and Brazil flags fluttering in many places.Huge cutouts of players like Messi,Kaka adorned the street sides.
Make no mistake,football is huge in India.People love the game.May be it's the second most loved game in India after Cricket.
Now for the game of football to grow as a sport where an Indian team can compete in a world cup,the following things might be needed :
1.I don't know.
2.I don't.
3.I really don't know.
Seriously I don't know what is required.My own personal belief is that we Indians,our physique is not yet,atleast for the time being,not tailor-made for the game,when it comes to competing on a world stage.
:(
As an Indian and as a passionate supporter of Argentina and Brazil,in that order,my feelings are mixed.Delighted that the world cup is here.But sad to digest the fact that India as a football team is nowhere in the picture.
The passion,the craze for the game here in India,especially in places like Kerala is amazing.
I remember going for a drive,2 weeks before the world cup.It was astonishing to see huge Argentine and Brazil flags fluttering in many places.Huge cutouts of players like Messi,Kaka adorned the street sides.
Make no mistake,football is huge in India.People love the game.May be it's the second most loved game in India after Cricket.
Now for the game of football to grow as a sport where an Indian team can compete in a world cup,the following things might be needed :
1.I don't know.
2.I don't.
3.I really don't know.
Seriously I don't know what is required.My own personal belief is that we Indians,our physique is not yet,atleast for the time being,not tailor-made for the game,when it comes to competing on a world stage.
:(
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Criminal negligence : 158 dead in Air crash
"It was known and generally understood that the Mangalore airport and the runway is a very tricky runway and the skills of pilot would be put to maximum test while landing in Mangalore."
This is what External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said about the Mangalore airport.He was reacting to the Air India Express crash which resulted in the death of 158 passengers.Earlier today an Air India Express plane from Dubai with 166 people on board crashed after it overshot the runway while landing at Mangalore airport.
He was also quoted as saying that "Our worst fears have come true"..!!
I am not sure that the 166 passengers on-board that aircraft which was to land safely in Mangalore knew that 'Mangalore airport and the runway is a very tricky runway and the skills of pilot would be put to maximum test while landing in Mangalore'..!!
Atleast I never heard any thing like this before..
If landing in Mangalore Airport was such risky,I am damn sure that many of those passengers and indeed many who had used the Mangalore Airport till today,would have avoided it and used alternative options.
The blame for the crash may be ultimately laid on the Pilot,but the authorities cannot escape the fact that an Airport which was such risky was made operational and what's more people were not informed of the risk.
About Mangalore Airport (courtesy a news item in rediff today ) :
The Mangalore airport is considered to be one of the toughest to land since it is located on top of a hill and the runway landing approaches extreme edges on the sides of the hill and hence it is called table-top. The edges of the hill drop into the valley from a height of 300 feet with a short distance of 500 metres on the east side of the runway and 83 metres to 25 metres on the western side. A big disadvantage here is that the runway is not level and the height varies between 90 metres to 83 metres from eastern to western side.
The Mangalore International Airport formerly known as the Bajpe airport was inaugurated in the year 1951. Situated at a distance of 20 kilometres from the city, this airport handles 700 flights at an average every year.
International operations at this airport commenced in the year 2006 and the Air-India Express was the first to commence operations here.
Hope with this tragic accident people are adequately warned and hopefully those who are careful could opt out using this Airport till the authorities does some thing to make it a risk-free Airport..
This is what External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said about the Mangalore airport.He was reacting to the Air India Express crash which resulted in the death of 158 passengers.Earlier today an Air India Express plane from Dubai with 166 people on board crashed after it overshot the runway while landing at Mangalore airport.
He was also quoted as saying that "Our worst fears have come true"..!!
I am not sure that the 166 passengers on-board that aircraft which was to land safely in Mangalore knew that 'Mangalore airport and the runway is a very tricky runway and the skills of pilot would be put to maximum test while landing in Mangalore'..!!
Atleast I never heard any thing like this before..
If landing in Mangalore Airport was such risky,I am damn sure that many of those passengers and indeed many who had used the Mangalore Airport till today,would have avoided it and used alternative options.
The blame for the crash may be ultimately laid on the Pilot,but the authorities cannot escape the fact that an Airport which was such risky was made operational and what's more people were not informed of the risk.
About Mangalore Airport (courtesy a news item in rediff today ) :
The Mangalore airport is considered to be one of the toughest to land since it is located on top of a hill and the runway landing approaches extreme edges on the sides of the hill and hence it is called table-top. The edges of the hill drop into the valley from a height of 300 feet with a short distance of 500 metres on the east side of the runway and 83 metres to 25 metres on the western side. A big disadvantage here is that the runway is not level and the height varies between 90 metres to 83 metres from eastern to western side.
The Mangalore International Airport formerly known as the Bajpe airport was inaugurated in the year 1951. Situated at a distance of 20 kilometres from the city, this airport handles 700 flights at an average every year.
International operations at this airport commenced in the year 2006 and the Air-India Express was the first to commence operations here.
Hope with this tragic accident people are adequately warned and hopefully those who are careful could opt out using this Airport till the authorities does some thing to make it a risk-free Airport..
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Unfortunate and perhaps unavoidable victimisation
Below is a report from telegraphindia.com.
Unfortunate incidents these may be,but as one of the police officer said we cannot ignore alerts because the current international situation is like that.Muslims need to be careful on one hand and on the other side officials need to make sure that innocent passengers are not humiliated.It's ofcourse a difficult balancing act,but one which is absolutely necessary.
It's very unfortunate that an entire community is suffering because of the criminal terror acts of some members of the community.
Three Muslims have been offloaded from flights in the past two weeks over terror suspicion stemming from an alleged religious bias.
In all such cases, the suspicion turned out to be incorrect. Community leaders say it is a terrible feeling being “constantly under the scanner”, but terror-sniffing security officials suggest they can’t help it.
The latest in the series of such incidents occurred on Wednesday at Delhi airport. A cleric was taken off an Emirates plane to London, questioned all night and reportedly taken into custody before being released because his phone conversation with his wife had alarmed a fellow passenger.
“Jahaz udne wala hai aur hum udne wale hain (the plane will take off and we will fly),” Maulana Noor-ul-Huda was heard saying.
The co-passenger, a woman, thought his words meant the plane would be “blown up” and complained to the captain.
Soon, the 50-year-old, who runs madrasah Darul Uloom in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, was detained.
Delhi police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal today dubbed the scare “a case of miscommunication”.
But another officer said: “We are sorry for the mistake, but we cannot ignore alerts like these given the security concerns. Also, there is a general state of panic among passengers.”
It isn’t known if passengers would react the same way if they saw someone different from Noor-ul-Huda — who was dressed in traditional Islamic attire and was sporting a beard —use similar words in a plane.
On May 5, a SpiceJet flight from Delhi had to make a “priority landing” in Calcutta after two Russians, including a woman in a burqa, behaved “suspiciously”, claimed some co-passengers who alerted the crew.
The burqa-clad passenger turned out to be a woman. Her large physique had given some the impression she was a man.
Community leaders are not amused.
“These incidents reveal the vulnerability of a Muslim. He is under the scanner wherever he goes and everyone views him with suspicion. It is terrible,’’ said Tanwir Ahammed of the Milli Council.
Abdul Noomani of the Jamiat Ulema put it bluntly. “To many, a conservative Muslim and an Islamic terrorist are the same. For them, a bearded Muslim and Osama bin Laden are one and the same.”
But some take a different line, saying Muslims, too, have to be more mindful of their actions.
“These incidents hurt us. But one should be sensitive towards the environment one lives in and be more careful,’’ said Ahmmed Illyasi of the Imam Sangh. Ghulam Muhammed of Muslim India echoed the sentiment.
Ismail Jaleel of Khilafat said: “There is a general suspicion in the minds of people about Muslims, thanks to the role played by Islamic terrorists across the world. Muslims will be able to overcome this phobia only by denouncing terrorism louder and louder.”
Unfortunate incidents these may be,but as one of the police officer said we cannot ignore alerts because the current international situation is like that.Muslims need to be careful on one hand and on the other side officials need to make sure that innocent passengers are not humiliated.It's ofcourse a difficult balancing act,but one which is absolutely necessary.
It's very unfortunate that an entire community is suffering because of the criminal terror acts of some members of the community.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Harthal Wishes
Many many happy returns of the day for all Indians who are enjoying the Nationwide Harthal called by the Left parties today against Centre Government's policies that resulted in price hike.
You see the price of essential commodities have gone up.Only way to push the price down is by making this harthal a real success.
From tomorrow ,that is from 28-April-2010 onwards,prices of all essential items will come down for sure.
So let's all join hands..
The harthal festivities are reported to be stronger in Kerala and West Bengal.Reports of empty roads,blocking of trains,forcible closure of offices,shops;there is excitement all around.
The only sour note is :as yet there is no report of any noticeable violent incidents from any corner of the Country.Don't know what happened.But a harthal without atleast a minimal level of violence is inexplicable.
Atleast one bus should have been burned down.It would have acted as a catalyst in reduction of prices of essential commodities!
Hope any foreign tourists,who might have arrived in India,unaware of the harthal,also are getting to enjoy one of our truly remarkable National Festivals.
It's a package idealism they can take back to their country.Not sure whether they have the intellectual adeptness in imbibing this challenging concept :) hoo
You see the price of essential commodities have gone up.Only way to push the price down is by making this harthal a real success.
From tomorrow ,that is from 28-April-2010 onwards,prices of all essential items will come down for sure.
So let's all join hands..
The harthal festivities are reported to be stronger in Kerala and West Bengal.Reports of empty roads,blocking of trains,forcible closure of offices,shops;there is excitement all around.
The only sour note is :as yet there is no report of any noticeable violent incidents from any corner of the Country.Don't know what happened.But a harthal without atleast a minimal level of violence is inexplicable.
Atleast one bus should have been burned down.It would have acted as a catalyst in reduction of prices of essential commodities!
Hope any foreign tourists,who might have arrived in India,unaware of the harthal,also are getting to enjoy one of our truly remarkable National Festivals.
It's a package idealism they can take back to their country.Not sure whether they have the intellectual adeptness in imbibing this challenging concept :) hoo
Maoists blew up yet another railway track
It's being reported that Maoists blew up a railway track near Midnapore town in West Midnapore district today, disrupting train services in the Kharagpur division, as the bandh called by them in three states entered the second day.
'That particular track in that particular region was a bit old and needed repairing.That's why it was removed'.
This could as well be the explanation of the overground maoists sympathisers like arundhati roy's defense for the blatant destruction of public infrastructure.
It's ironic to note that people like her continue to defend the blatant violence unleashed by maoists as a desperate act by groups of adivasis against lack of development and displacement!!
"Lack of development"..!!
And you blowup whatever is already available..!!
Like schools,bridges,railway tracks..
I have not seen or heard a more blatant instance of 'DOUBLE-STANDARDS'.
'That particular track in that particular region was a bit old and needed repairing.That's why it was removed'.
This could as well be the explanation of the overground maoists sympathisers like arundhati roy's defense for the blatant destruction of public infrastructure.
It's ironic to note that people like her continue to defend the blatant violence unleashed by maoists as a desperate act by groups of adivasis against lack of development and displacement!!
"Lack of development"..!!
And you blowup whatever is already available..!!
Like schools,bridges,railway tracks..
I have not seen or heard a more blatant instance of 'DOUBLE-STANDARDS'.
IPL BCCI Shenanigans
BCCI president Shashank Manohar says the IPL governing council was not aware of most decisions taken by IPL Chief Lalit Kumar Modi.
What the hell they were doing then??
The members of the Governing Council are Punjab Cricket Association chief Inderjit Singh Bindra, BCCI treasurer M.P. Pandove, vice presidents Chirayu Amin, Rajeev Shukla, Arjun Jaitley, board secretary N. Srinivasan, joint secretary Sanjay Jagdale, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association chief Farooq Abdullah, IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah and former India captains Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
All reputed men!
Why they have not resigned yet??
It's shame on them.
BCCI has rightly suspended Modi,but they should also have dissolved the IPL GC.
The charges against IPL chief Modi ranges from financial irregularities to rigging bids proxy holdings and kickbacks in broadcast deal.It's difficult to believe that none of the above mentioned great dignitaries were aware of what was going on.
Funny that one of the IPL GC member Chirayu Amin is now made the interim IPL chief!
He may be a man of integrity and a financial wizard as new channels are reporting,but that is secondary.
What the hell they were doing then??
The members of the Governing Council are Punjab Cricket Association chief Inderjit Singh Bindra, BCCI treasurer M.P. Pandove, vice presidents Chirayu Amin, Rajeev Shukla, Arjun Jaitley, board secretary N. Srinivasan, joint secretary Sanjay Jagdale, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association chief Farooq Abdullah, IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah and former India captains Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
All reputed men!
Why they have not resigned yet??
It's shame on them.
BCCI has rightly suspended Modi,but they should also have dissolved the IPL GC.
The charges against IPL chief Modi ranges from financial irregularities to rigging bids proxy holdings and kickbacks in broadcast deal.It's difficult to believe that none of the above mentioned great dignitaries were aware of what was going on.
Funny that one of the IPL GC member Chirayu Amin is now made the interim IPL chief!
He may be a man of integrity and a financial wizard as new channels are reporting,but that is secondary.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
One of India's most wanted terrorist to address a seminar in Srinagar
United Jihad Council chairman and supreme commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin Syed Salah-ud-Din will address a seminar in Srinagar via telephone from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on Wednesday.
A day-long seminar on the 'role of pro-freedom leader's vis-a-vis Kashmir issue' is being organised in Srinagar by the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights.
Ahsan Untoo, chairman of the human rights group, said the seminar will be attended by several senior separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik.
But the highlight of the seminar will be a tele-address by Muzaffarabad-based United Jihad Council chairman and supreme commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin Syed Salah-ud-Din.
UJC general secretary Akil-ur-Rahman is also scheduled to address the conference.
"I have invited all the top separatist leadership to attend the conference, and seven leaders have confirmed their participation in the conference," Untoo told rediff.com.
This will be the first time that a senior militant commander from across the Line of Control will directly address a seminar.
Earlier Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference, and hard-line APHC chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other separatist leaders have addressed conferences in Muzaffarabad via the telephone.
Courtesy :rediff.
Well,well,well,one of India's most wanted terrorist is going to address a seminar in Srinagar via telephone from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on Wednesday.
Is the Indian Government even aware of this??
If yes,hope they will take care of it and make this new attempt null and void.
If the Indian government is not aware of this or if they allow this to go ahead,then,well,God save our Country.
The joke here is that the seminar is organised by a so-called 'International Forum for Justice and Human Rights'.
And whom they invite??
A terrorist whose organisation is responsible for the death of scores of innocents.
A day-long seminar on the 'role of pro-freedom leader's vis-a-vis Kashmir issue' is being organised in Srinagar by the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights.
Ahsan Untoo, chairman of the human rights group, said the seminar will be attended by several senior separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik.
But the highlight of the seminar will be a tele-address by Muzaffarabad-based United Jihad Council chairman and supreme commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin Syed Salah-ud-Din.
UJC general secretary Akil-ur-Rahman is also scheduled to address the conference.
"I have invited all the top separatist leadership to attend the conference, and seven leaders have confirmed their participation in the conference," Untoo told rediff.com.
This will be the first time that a senior militant commander from across the Line of Control will directly address a seminar.
Earlier Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference, and hard-line APHC chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other separatist leaders have addressed conferences in Muzaffarabad via the telephone.
Courtesy :rediff.
Well,well,well,one of India's most wanted terrorist is going to address a seminar in Srinagar via telephone from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on Wednesday.
Is the Indian Government even aware of this??
If yes,hope they will take care of it and make this new attempt null and void.
If the Indian government is not aware of this or if they allow this to go ahead,then,well,God save our Country.
The joke here is that the seminar is organised by a so-called 'International Forum for Justice and Human Rights'.
And whom they invite??
A terrorist whose organisation is responsible for the death of scores of innocents.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Reputed Journalist Vir Sanghvi on Maoist Terrorism
If there is one thing we are all agreed on, it is this: last week’s ambush of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) party by the Maoists which left around 76 soldiers dead must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. No matter which side of the political divide you are on — right-wing hardliner or radical jholawallah — the violence is indefensible.
But I wonder if we fully recognise the consequences that will inevitably flow from the ambush. Whatever happens next will not be very pleasant.
In every complicated political situation, there is usually a turning point, a stage when people say ‘enough is enough’. I suspect we have now reached that point. Till now, many educated Indians have been ambivalent about the government’s offensive against the Maoists for a variety of reasons. Many believe that there must be a better way of handling the revolt.
Now, even those who have been reluctant to whole-heartedly endorse the military offensive will concede that there is no alternative.
Of course, it is a tragic and terrible thing for a government to use force against its own people. But there comes a time when a government has to assert itself. Otherwise, its authority simply fades away.
Public pressure can force a State to be more reasonable or flexible. But we cannot expect it to voluntarily abdicate its authority. If the violence reaches an unacceptable level, if the State’s own forces are being massacred with impunity, then the government has no choice: it has to assert its authority with all the might at its command.
Because we depend on the State’s authority for the maintenance of law and order and our own security, we react badly when this authority is flouted. Our insecurity leads to rage and anger.
That accounts for the intolerance we have witnessed over the last few days. This explains why people like Ravi Shankar Prasad (speaking presumably in his capacity as BJP’s chief spokesman) demand action against anyone who sympathises with the Maoist cause. Prasad is not alone. The public anger is now palpable.
Ironically, Maoist sympathisers have lost out because of the actions of the Maoists themselves. Activists frequently make the point that the issue is one of mining rights. In their view, adivasis are being chased away from their homes only so that corporate fat-cats can get at the minerals beneath the soil.
This may or may not be a valid point of view but nobody is listening any longer. By murdering soldiers in cold blood, the Maoists have settled the argument. India is now ranged on the other side and in this battle between us (the State and its citizens) and them (the Maoists) the complexities of the larger problem have been forgotten.
Though terrorism and insurgencies often inflict serious damage on the State and its agencies in the early years of the conflict, history has taught us that in the long-run, the Indian State always wins. No matter whether it is Nagaland, Naxalbari or anywhere else, it is impossible for revolutionaries/ insurgents/terrorists (pick the one you like) to match the immense resources of the State.
Until the battle is resolved, however, the ones who suffer the most are the very people the revolution/insurgency is supposed to benefit. Because the State knows no other way of fighting insurgencies, security forces routinely raid villages, arrest innocent men, kill bystanders and unleash a reign of terror.
Initially, the insurgents argue that all this will work in their favour: “The army is ensuring that the ordinary people turn against it.” But in the long-run — whether in Punjab or in Mizoram — ordinary people tire of being trapped in an endless conflict and public sentiment inevitably turns against the militants.
The State knows this. And it is prepared to wait.
In recent years, Indian policy makers have been strengthened in their resolve to fight violent revolutionaries by the example of Nepal. When the Maoists started mobilising in the Nepali hinterland, the regular police fled and closed down their police stations.
The Indian government tried to persuade the Nepali authorities to use the army to crush the Maoists. The Nepalis were reluctant. So, India helped Nepal raise a paramilitary force called the Armed Police. When this force proved inadequate, India urged Nepal to reconsider using the army before it was too late.
The Nepalis lacked the political will to reach a decision and eventually the Maoists came to virtually dominate that country.
India is not Nepal. But we have learnt the lesson of that experience. Our policy makers will not make the same mistakes. Our Maoists will be crushed no matter how long it takes the Indian State to do this.
But there are deeper questions surrounding the Maoist revolt that need to be answered. It is fashionable now to say that the adivasis have gained nothing since Independence. And to some extent, the figures speak for themselves.
The scheduled tribes number 85 million people in India (though that figure includes those in the North-east, where the situation is entirely different). Some estimates suggest that adivasi lands constitute up to 20 per cent of India’s entire territory. But something like 2/3rds or more of all adivasis are still illiterate.
Hence, say some activists, the poor adivasis have no choice but to turn to the Maoists because the Indian State has failed them.
Actually, it is not that simple. Take the case of the Harijans (Dalits, if you like), who have been at the bottom of the social pyramid for centuries. Post-Independence, we offered Harijans and adivasis the same sorts of things: affirmative action, seats reserved in Parliament, etc. Because they were concentrated in certain areas, adivasis could swing elections in a way that Harijans could hardly ever do. Two new states — Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh — are adivasi-dominated.
So why is it that the Harijans have accessed the political system, have thrown up the likes of Mayawati and have successfully demanded the attention of the Indian State while the adivasis are still seen as helpless victims?
Put it another way: why is the same system that empowers Harijans regarded as so useless by so many activists that they claim that the adivasis have no choice but to support those who commit murder in their names?
It is an important question and I have still to hear a convincing answer.
So, as I said at the beginning, the future is not bright. The State will retaliate and it will do so with the full support of the Indian people. There will be massive collateral damage and blood will be shed. Innocents will die and the conflict will escalate.
Sadly, I do not see an alternative. There may be ways of reaching out to the tribals, bypassing the Naxalites. But all that will have to wait. First, the State must reassert the rule of law. Then, it will finish off the Maoists. And only then, will we tackle the serious issue of social justice. As regrettable as this is, the Maoists have left us with no choice.
But I wonder if we fully recognise the consequences that will inevitably flow from the ambush. Whatever happens next will not be very pleasant.
In every complicated political situation, there is usually a turning point, a stage when people say ‘enough is enough’. I suspect we have now reached that point. Till now, many educated Indians have been ambivalent about the government’s offensive against the Maoists for a variety of reasons. Many believe that there must be a better way of handling the revolt.
Now, even those who have been reluctant to whole-heartedly endorse the military offensive will concede that there is no alternative.
Of course, it is a tragic and terrible thing for a government to use force against its own people. But there comes a time when a government has to assert itself. Otherwise, its authority simply fades away.
Public pressure can force a State to be more reasonable or flexible. But we cannot expect it to voluntarily abdicate its authority. If the violence reaches an unacceptable level, if the State’s own forces are being massacred with impunity, then the government has no choice: it has to assert its authority with all the might at its command.
Because we depend on the State’s authority for the maintenance of law and order and our own security, we react badly when this authority is flouted. Our insecurity leads to rage and anger.
That accounts for the intolerance we have witnessed over the last few days. This explains why people like Ravi Shankar Prasad (speaking presumably in his capacity as BJP’s chief spokesman) demand action against anyone who sympathises with the Maoist cause. Prasad is not alone. The public anger is now palpable.
Ironically, Maoist sympathisers have lost out because of the actions of the Maoists themselves. Activists frequently make the point that the issue is one of mining rights. In their view, adivasis are being chased away from their homes only so that corporate fat-cats can get at the minerals beneath the soil.
This may or may not be a valid point of view but nobody is listening any longer. By murdering soldiers in cold blood, the Maoists have settled the argument. India is now ranged on the other side and in this battle between us (the State and its citizens) and them (the Maoists) the complexities of the larger problem have been forgotten.
Though terrorism and insurgencies often inflict serious damage on the State and its agencies in the early years of the conflict, history has taught us that in the long-run, the Indian State always wins. No matter whether it is Nagaland, Naxalbari or anywhere else, it is impossible for revolutionaries/ insurgents/terrorists (pick the one you like) to match the immense resources of the State.
Until the battle is resolved, however, the ones who suffer the most are the very people the revolution/insurgency is supposed to benefit. Because the State knows no other way of fighting insurgencies, security forces routinely raid villages, arrest innocent men, kill bystanders and unleash a reign of terror.
Initially, the insurgents argue that all this will work in their favour: “The army is ensuring that the ordinary people turn against it.” But in the long-run — whether in Punjab or in Mizoram — ordinary people tire of being trapped in an endless conflict and public sentiment inevitably turns against the militants.
The State knows this. And it is prepared to wait.
In recent years, Indian policy makers have been strengthened in their resolve to fight violent revolutionaries by the example of Nepal. When the Maoists started mobilising in the Nepali hinterland, the regular police fled and closed down their police stations.
The Indian government tried to persuade the Nepali authorities to use the army to crush the Maoists. The Nepalis were reluctant. So, India helped Nepal raise a paramilitary force called the Armed Police. When this force proved inadequate, India urged Nepal to reconsider using the army before it was too late.
The Nepalis lacked the political will to reach a decision and eventually the Maoists came to virtually dominate that country.
India is not Nepal. But we have learnt the lesson of that experience. Our policy makers will not make the same mistakes. Our Maoists will be crushed no matter how long it takes the Indian State to do this.
But there are deeper questions surrounding the Maoist revolt that need to be answered. It is fashionable now to say that the adivasis have gained nothing since Independence. And to some extent, the figures speak for themselves.
The scheduled tribes number 85 million people in India (though that figure includes those in the North-east, where the situation is entirely different). Some estimates suggest that adivasi lands constitute up to 20 per cent of India’s entire territory. But something like 2/3rds or more of all adivasis are still illiterate.
Hence, say some activists, the poor adivasis have no choice but to turn to the Maoists because the Indian State has failed them.
Actually, it is not that simple. Take the case of the Harijans (Dalits, if you like), who have been at the bottom of the social pyramid for centuries. Post-Independence, we offered Harijans and adivasis the same sorts of things: affirmative action, seats reserved in Parliament, etc. Because they were concentrated in certain areas, adivasis could swing elections in a way that Harijans could hardly ever do. Two new states — Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh — are adivasi-dominated.
So why is it that the Harijans have accessed the political system, have thrown up the likes of Mayawati and have successfully demanded the attention of the Indian State while the adivasis are still seen as helpless victims?
Put it another way: why is the same system that empowers Harijans regarded as so useless by so many activists that they claim that the adivasis have no choice but to support those who commit murder in their names?
It is an important question and I have still to hear a convincing answer.
So, as I said at the beginning, the future is not bright. The State will retaliate and it will do so with the full support of the Indian people. There will be massive collateral damage and blood will be shed. Innocents will die and the conflict will escalate.
Sadly, I do not see an alternative. There may be ways of reaching out to the tribals, bypassing the Naxalites. But all that will have to wait. First, the State must reassert the rule of law. Then, it will finish off the Maoists. And only then, will we tackle the serious issue of social justice. As regrettable as this is, the Maoists have left us with no choice.
Article in India Today on Maoist Terrorism
Denial was decimated at Dantewada last week. The massacre of 76 lives demands Indians face the harsh truth. Maoism is terrorism. By definition, terrorism is the use of force or violence to intimidate. Maoism is terrorism draped in a fig leaf of virtuous intent, in Marxist-Leninist ideology. It was in November 2004 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh first declared Maoism as the biggest threat to India. For six years Maoists have been "enemy number one" and grown without fear of retribution. The Maoists are thriving because India has been hostage to romantic notions of a band of do-gooders chased by evil in uniform.
Make no mistake, Maoists are extortionists and terrorists masquerading as modern day Robin Hoods aided by a thick fog of sentiments. Yes. Every third person in India, or nearly 400 million people live below the poverty line. It is deplorable and a reflection of failed politics and stalled governance. Maoism has flourished because the vote has become a four-letter word that impales decisions, a disincentive for political parties from doing the right thing. Poor road connectivity, the fading writ of law, abject poverty are all allies of Maoism. Circumstance of poverty though cannot be an alibi for violence, nor a justification for terror. Not in a democracy which affords citizens many avenues to seek justice. Like fashion victims some commentators find reason to sympathise with the cause of Maoists, to condone criminality and intellectualise the indefensible. Let's not forget the goal of Maoists is to overthrow the Government through an armed struggle. Eloquence is not a substitute for rationale. Those presenting poverty and oppression as justification for stoking terror are ideologically in the company of Osama bin Laden.
Dantewada is just another milestone on the Maoist agenda. Since 2004, India has suffered over 7,000 incidents involving Maoists in which over 5,000 have been killed. In 2009, Maoism claimed a life every eight hours. Apologists for Maoism cite lack of development even as Maoists wrecked over 1,700 schools in just two years-in 2008 and 2009. More lives have been claimed by Naxal violence than Jihadi terror in the past decade. Maoist guerrillas have described the state as the "enemy" and the conflict as a "war". A war is being waged against India in 220 of its 600 districts, or one in three districts.
Home to the argumentative billion, India also seems to be the emerging refuge of the banal babel. Every Maoist attack triggers in its wake a tedious tide of rhetoric on the need for a political approach to tackling Naxalism. A day after 76 jawans bled to death, the Government is trapped in a debate on whether it will deploy the army or not, whether it will use air power or not. How can we use force on "our own" ask the pacifists in the system, forgetting that never has India been so bloodied by its "own". This is not the occasion for semantics-military or paramilitary, air power or air force. And the war can't be won with just 7,000 trained men. It calls for a new strike force and drafting of trained ex-servicemen. The operative phrase should be "fitting response".
Every inch of India is ruled by the states and war will essentially have to be waged by states. The Centre can at best be a catalyst, the evangelist. If state governments are not delivering, they should be named and shamed. Yes, the war will not be won by bullets alone. If India truly aspires to be a superpower then it needs to reclaim both the landscape and the mindspace. It could be a public private partnership. Corporates could be invited to adopt the 100 worst districts under the social responsibility banner to help deliver social infrastructure. On its part, the Government could create a special mechanism to ensure implementation of programmes like nrega and Bharat Nirman under the supervision of senior bureaucrats and young ministers of state. As Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said: "We need a strong head, a stronger heart and staying power to win." The massacre has forged a political consensus across the political spectrum. It is a rare moment that must be leveraged. India must respond. India must declare a war, on the conditions which foment Maoism and Maoists.
Article reproduced from indiatoday.Written by :Shankkar Aiyar
Make no mistake, Maoists are extortionists and terrorists masquerading as modern day Robin Hoods aided by a thick fog of sentiments. Yes. Every third person in India, or nearly 400 million people live below the poverty line. It is deplorable and a reflection of failed politics and stalled governance. Maoism has flourished because the vote has become a four-letter word that impales decisions, a disincentive for political parties from doing the right thing. Poor road connectivity, the fading writ of law, abject poverty are all allies of Maoism. Circumstance of poverty though cannot be an alibi for violence, nor a justification for terror. Not in a democracy which affords citizens many avenues to seek justice. Like fashion victims some commentators find reason to sympathise with the cause of Maoists, to condone criminality and intellectualise the indefensible. Let's not forget the goal of Maoists is to overthrow the Government through an armed struggle. Eloquence is not a substitute for rationale. Those presenting poverty and oppression as justification for stoking terror are ideologically in the company of Osama bin Laden.
Dantewada is just another milestone on the Maoist agenda. Since 2004, India has suffered over 7,000 incidents involving Maoists in which over 5,000 have been killed. In 2009, Maoism claimed a life every eight hours. Apologists for Maoism cite lack of development even as Maoists wrecked over 1,700 schools in just two years-in 2008 and 2009. More lives have been claimed by Naxal violence than Jihadi terror in the past decade. Maoist guerrillas have described the state as the "enemy" and the conflict as a "war". A war is being waged against India in 220 of its 600 districts, or one in three districts.
Home to the argumentative billion, India also seems to be the emerging refuge of the banal babel. Every Maoist attack triggers in its wake a tedious tide of rhetoric on the need for a political approach to tackling Naxalism. A day after 76 jawans bled to death, the Government is trapped in a debate on whether it will deploy the army or not, whether it will use air power or not. How can we use force on "our own" ask the pacifists in the system, forgetting that never has India been so bloodied by its "own". This is not the occasion for semantics-military or paramilitary, air power or air force. And the war can't be won with just 7,000 trained men. It calls for a new strike force and drafting of trained ex-servicemen. The operative phrase should be "fitting response".
Every inch of India is ruled by the states and war will essentially have to be waged by states. The Centre can at best be a catalyst, the evangelist. If state governments are not delivering, they should be named and shamed. Yes, the war will not be won by bullets alone. If India truly aspires to be a superpower then it needs to reclaim both the landscape and the mindspace. It could be a public private partnership. Corporates could be invited to adopt the 100 worst districts under the social responsibility banner to help deliver social infrastructure. On its part, the Government could create a special mechanism to ensure implementation of programmes like nrega and Bharat Nirman under the supervision of senior bureaucrats and young ministers of state. As Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said: "We need a strong head, a stronger heart and staying power to win." The massacre has forged a political consensus across the political spectrum. It is a rare moment that must be leveraged. India must respond. India must declare a war, on the conditions which foment Maoism and Maoists.
Article reproduced from indiatoday.Written by :Shankkar Aiyar
Arundhati Roy on Outlook Magazine with her naxal romance
"Walking With The Comrades",that's the title of the cover story of Outlook on it's March edition.If the purpose of outlook and arundhati was to get the people of India to start loving the maoists,well,it seems to be a miserable failure.
'Walking With The Comrades' is a piece of literature by an attention seeking, self-glorified, booker prize winner.That's it.
About the cover story;"story",yes,that is what it is;arundhati is narrating a colorful story,showing of her vocabulary,with some facts packed-in here and there to give the story a touch of reality.It's an outright glorification of a group of people who believes violence is the answer to the woes of Adivasis and villages of India.
The adivasis,tribals do have genuine concerns,all agree.What maoists have done by meddling in these affairs is to make the life of these poor people even worse,not any better for sure.
Now these people are the unfortunate victims of the attacks by maoists,in the name of killing police informers.Ofcourse,there is no denying that there are instances of police brutalities as well.
These tribals are being brain-washed by naxal terrorists.
The fact that some of the tribals and adivasis are believing the naxals instead of keeping faith in Indian democracy reflects poorly on the failure of successive central and state governments.
Now coming back to arundhati,she seems to have reached a mental condition,where one can only wish she 'gets well soon'.
She calls P.Chidambaram,India's Home Minister as CEO of war..!!
Which war? Where is the war?
Is flushing out terrorists going by the romantic name "maoists"/"naxals",an act of war??
If she thinks it is,then what is wrong in trying to liquidate a group which blows up schools,kills innocent villagers,beheads people,blowsup bridges,attacks police stations??
It's absurd that a respected Magazine like Outlook is giving this much importance to an out and out TRAITOR like Arundhati Roy,who hates every thing Indian;be it Indian democracy or be it India's stand on Kashmir or whatever subject you take of National importance dear to we Indians.
She is a vehement critic of Indian democracy,ironically not realising that it's because of the strength of India's democracy that she is able to come on National television and national dailies/magazines,mouthing absolutely anti-Indian stands.Does she think that in the land of the Mao,she could have done some thing like this??
As a citizen of this Country,I just cannot understand the importance she is given by channels,newspapers in India.Once she stops receiving this attention,my gut feeling is that she will stop these and will look at other areas to seek attention.
She is some one who has ZERO credibility amongst Indians,except ofcourse among some who knows her only as the author of 'The God of Small Things' and does not know her perverted views on all other things Indian.
arundhati roy is a lady who represents two very contrasting feelings.
One is her blind LOVE for naxal violence and the other is her HATRED for India.
'Walking With The Comrades' is a piece of literature by an attention seeking, self-glorified, booker prize winner.That's it.
About the cover story;"story",yes,that is what it is;arundhati is narrating a colorful story,showing of her vocabulary,with some facts packed-in here and there to give the story a touch of reality.It's an outright glorification of a group of people who believes violence is the answer to the woes of Adivasis and villages of India.
The adivasis,tribals do have genuine concerns,all agree.What maoists have done by meddling in these affairs is to make the life of these poor people even worse,not any better for sure.
Now these people are the unfortunate victims of the attacks by maoists,in the name of killing police informers.Ofcourse,there is no denying that there are instances of police brutalities as well.
These tribals are being brain-washed by naxal terrorists.
The fact that some of the tribals and adivasis are believing the naxals instead of keeping faith in Indian democracy reflects poorly on the failure of successive central and state governments.
Now coming back to arundhati,she seems to have reached a mental condition,where one can only wish she 'gets well soon'.
She calls P.Chidambaram,India's Home Minister as CEO of war..!!
Which war? Where is the war?
Is flushing out terrorists going by the romantic name "maoists"/"naxals",an act of war??
If she thinks it is,then what is wrong in trying to liquidate a group which blows up schools,kills innocent villagers,beheads people,blowsup bridges,attacks police stations??
It's absurd that a respected Magazine like Outlook is giving this much importance to an out and out TRAITOR like Arundhati Roy,who hates every thing Indian;be it Indian democracy or be it India's stand on Kashmir or whatever subject you take of National importance dear to we Indians.
She is a vehement critic of Indian democracy,ironically not realising that it's because of the strength of India's democracy that she is able to come on National television and national dailies/magazines,mouthing absolutely anti-Indian stands.Does she think that in the land of the Mao,she could have done some thing like this??
As a citizen of this Country,I just cannot understand the importance she is given by channels,newspapers in India.Once she stops receiving this attention,my gut feeling is that she will stop these and will look at other areas to seek attention.
She is some one who has ZERO credibility amongst Indians,except ofcourse among some who knows her only as the author of 'The God of Small Things' and does not know her perverted views on all other things Indian.
arundhati roy is a lady who represents two very contrasting feelings.
One is her blind LOVE for naxal violence and the other is her HATRED for India.
Low salaries and abysmal living condition of Brave Soldiers
The Union Home Minister may have said that the buck stops with him and offered to resign, but that has not helped the morale of security forces fighting Maoists.
The jawans are feeling more neglected and isolated than ever before.Even before the coffins of the slain jawans left Chattisgarh, discontent among the CRPF jawans had come out in the open. Low salaries,abysmal living conditions, yet more and more CRPF boots are being set on the ground to tackle the Maoists.
CNN-IBN: After this recent Maoist attack is your morale low?
CRPF JAWAN: The jawan is fighting on the ground, but are getting only Rs 300 allowance, the ones commanding are getting Rs 5000 - Rs 10000, the ones sitting in A/C offices are getting Rs 10000 - 15000 but what about the guys who are fighting with death everyday. Even after asking the government, we don't get anything.
CNN-IBN: Are there proper camps?
CRPF JAWAN: There are no proper camps, headquarters in Bastar are better, but we never go there. There are no proper schedules, officers tell us to go anywhere at anytime, sometimes till midnight or 1 am we are on the ground.
CNN-IBN: What if 76 IPS officers died today? Do you think the reaction of the government will be different?
CRPF JAWAN: Not 76, only two is enough.
CNN-IBN: Have you raised this issue ever?
CRPF JAWAN: We can only request but only for our personal problems, if we raise any force level issues then we will be rebuked. The British have gone but left the babus behind. The Officers act like British babus with us. The condition will always remain like this, nothing will change. Even when Central government will declare some package in Parliament, the big bosses will fatten their pockets further. They are buying crores of machinery and getting commissions. We don't even get a deserving pay.
Is the government listening. Because if they are not, expect more demoralisation and casualties.
Courtesy:IBNLIVE.
There will be more bloodshed.More families will suffer.One has to remember that a sizeable,if not most of them, of India's foot soldiers come from very poor families,for whom they are the sole source of income. Central and state governments should keep this in mind and ensure the safety and security of these men by providing them better equipments,pay package and logistics.
The jawans are feeling more neglected and isolated than ever before.Even before the coffins of the slain jawans left Chattisgarh, discontent among the CRPF jawans had come out in the open. Low salaries,abysmal living conditions, yet more and more CRPF boots are being set on the ground to tackle the Maoists.
CNN-IBN: After this recent Maoist attack is your morale low?
CRPF JAWAN: The jawan is fighting on the ground, but are getting only Rs 300 allowance, the ones commanding are getting Rs 5000 - Rs 10000, the ones sitting in A/C offices are getting Rs 10000 - 15000 but what about the guys who are fighting with death everyday. Even after asking the government, we don't get anything.
CNN-IBN: Are there proper camps?
CRPF JAWAN: There are no proper camps, headquarters in Bastar are better, but we never go there. There are no proper schedules, officers tell us to go anywhere at anytime, sometimes till midnight or 1 am we are on the ground.
CNN-IBN: What if 76 IPS officers died today? Do you think the reaction of the government will be different?
CRPF JAWAN: Not 76, only two is enough.
CNN-IBN: Have you raised this issue ever?
CRPF JAWAN: We can only request but only for our personal problems, if we raise any force level issues then we will be rebuked. The British have gone but left the babus behind. The Officers act like British babus with us. The condition will always remain like this, nothing will change. Even when Central government will declare some package in Parliament, the big bosses will fatten their pockets further. They are buying crores of machinery and getting commissions. We don't even get a deserving pay.
Is the government listening. Because if they are not, expect more demoralisation and casualties.
Courtesy:IBNLIVE.
There will be more bloodshed.More families will suffer.One has to remember that a sizeable,if not most of them, of India's foot soldiers come from very poor families,for whom they are the sole source of income. Central and state governments should keep this in mind and ensure the safety and security of these men by providing them better equipments,pay package and logistics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)