EDUCATION AND POLITICS - POLES APART

It has been a queer enigma every time I have sat down to think about it. I am certain that its not only me, but almost every educated individual who has thought about it, felt strongly about it, wanted to take action about it and then gradually forgotten about it; ofcourse barring a few who have taken steps to change the situation, but have either miserably failed to create an impact or have just lost thier significance in works which are never highlighted in the media and fail to grab public attention. The crux is that, we as "educated" individuals, have got all the time to crib about situations, but have rarely found ways to change them.



I tend to remember a very intriguing line somewhere a long time back. It said that "All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that really bring peace". So true as it is, I find myself in a very similar state right now. The question I raise here is that "Why Politics and Education always seem to be running a race in completely opposite directions?"



Why the hell do we, I again quote, "educated" individuals, always run away from politics? We always want the government to behave the way we want it to, but if we just introspect a bit, what have we at all done to make sure that the governmets atleast hear what we need and want out of them. Do we really expect them to come to our doorsteps and ask things? I know they make promises which they never fulfill, but how many times have we punished them for not doing so?



Are we so helpless that we cant do anything? Or is it just our lethargy that has created so much of inertia that we fail to move a bit - even when the cities are taken hostage and the girls are raped under open sun? Are we all really waiting for things to happen to us before we realize that it is our onus to take action and set things right.



Why are the educated individuals so averse of even touching politics and taking the reins in our own hands? Most of the times you question an "educated" citizen about his involvement in politics, you would perhaps hear, "Main seedha saadha aadmi hoon, politics ke khel mein mera kya kaam?" ... Yeah?... So true, I know damn too much to enter politics, it is meant for criminals and illiterates. It really pinches me when I compare the backgrounds of our politicans with those of America or UK. Our politicians have histories of crimes, and an education they cant even prove they have. And at the same time, countries are being run by law scholars from Harvard and Rhodes scholars - the real intellectual lot. And then we crib of all the problems. Shame on us, shame on India's educated, who knows only rights, not duties; who knows only how to demand, not give. Let's rise together, let's pledge to be a part of the system - take your first step, Come together on a common platform..

NEED YOUNG LEADERS FOR YOUNG INDIA

What has happened to our politicians? Why are they - be it Ashoj Gehlot of Congress from Rajathan or Yeddiyurappa of BJP in Karnataka - so out of touch with the Indian people? It's so evident now that there is a huge divide between these old bunch of politicians and the new India.

When the whole country was demanding the blood of spineless politicians in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks, several questions were asked about our politicians. We finally agreed these breed have come from amongst us and so they should be given a chance. The nation went ahead and cast votes in the state elections and voted to power the same old breed. And now,instead of focusing on serious issues such as providing food, health and education support to the economically weaker class or building infrastructure or routing out corruption from the system (or atleast they themselves pledge to be less corrupt) or increasing the security of common people, these bunch have set out to moral police the Indian youth. No these politicians have come from a different generation and it's high time the nation routes out these outdated politicians.

Today all these politicians are unfit to rule, making personal attacks on each other.
They have no development plans for poor or any development agenda for our country. We are so unfortunate and our hands are tied. There is not even a single party, which has national character, values and love for their country. Their only love is power grabbing,by hook or crook'

Pre-poll and post-poll alliances is a mockery of the so called “ Democracy “ in India. Parties choose candidates on the basis of caste, religion and money power. Where are we heading to ? We certainly did not want this kind of democracy which gives blanket permission to make hate speeches and targeting each other on personal grounds. Do we have to import leaders from abroad or take an Obama franchise to rule India ? These politicians are certainly not fit to vote. It is a disgrace to vote for such thugs, power brokers ( Alliances ) and I feel deeply depressed to see them live on TV with no agenda and issues to solve the problems of our country. Today our country is a hotch-potch country, a KICHRI rather. Whom should we vote for ? Which party or candidate deserves our vote ? NONE


We are a nation of youngsters as majority of Indian population is below the age of 28 or so. In this 'Youngistan' (as some advt calls it), we need politicians who understand that generation. We need polticians who can contribute to that generation. We need polticians who can make a strong India out of these youngsters. The right, left or centre - all parties still strive on some 100 year old ideologies and beliefs. Political parties in developed have adopted new strategies to deal with new generation. In UK Labour party called itself New Labour to usher in a new administration. Barack Obama presented change and hope as keywords to bring in youth to electoral politics.

We still have 70+ year old people running most of the parties. These power hungry people from Nehruvian era still think India just attained independence. Most of them do not know the underlying power the new generation holds. Instead of supporting and developing new generations, these bunch of political weeds try and suppress their freedom. Wake up Young India, wake up. Ask these political parties to give us youthful leaders who can lead us to take on the world and become an economic super power and a proud nation.

CRIMINAL AND TAINTED CANDIDATES

This week’s shoe-chucking incident has, albeit in an unseemly fashion, highlighted the issue of political parties fielding candidates linked to communal riots, as well as the inability to deliver justice to the victims of such riots.

In this case, it was sheer political cynicism on the part of the Congress to renominate Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, accused of involvement in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, as Lok Sabha candidates in Delhi. The party should, legal technicalities notwithstanding, drop the duo. Such a move would help in defining the necessary exclusion of communally-tainted persons from mainstream political life.

By the time of writing this article, both Tytler and Sajjan Kumar have been removed by Madame Sonia Gandhi, out of sheer vote bank compulsion but not out of sincerity to give punishment to the above guilty. Both will still remain unpunished for ever.


But then, the nomination itself underscores the ritualised acceptance of communalisation in India. And indeed, for some, the very means of political mobilisation. Communal riots, thus, are often seen as periodic, and expected, consequences of such a polity, and consequently, despite extant pertinent laws, the perpetrators almost always manage to go scot free. And it is this political acceptance, even encouragement, of such violence that has translated into official apathy towards punishing the guilty. The dismal record of our investigative and legal apparatus on that count is, therefore, hardly a surprise.

This institutional failure can hardly be remedied except by envisioning law-enforcement agencies as truly independent of political influence, which in turn can only be firmly established if political practice moves away from competitive identity management. Given some form of such independence, as the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigative Team probing the Gujarat riots of 2002 is displaying, the law can catch up with even high-level leaders behind such massacres.

In fact, the arrest of Maya Kodnani, BJP leader and former minister in Narendra Modi’s regime, for her role in a riot, is the first time a minister-level person has been arrested for communal violence. And perhaps of even greater import was the remark of Justice D H Waghela of the Gujarat High Court on the case, who compared religious fanatics involved in mass murders to terrorists. That, given the horrors of a communal riot, is a description that should define the legal consequences, and be a step towards prevention and justice.

WHY A GOOD HINDU IS POLITICALLY INCORRECT IN SECULAR INDIA ?

American Presidents while taking oath of office, always refer to God, the Bible and Christian values in their opening speech to the nation. Their no address is complete without referring to their religion.

They sound almost like a scripture teachers in one of our convent schools. The American media notices it, even comments upon it. But no one ever suggests that the President sounds like a fundamentalist. A good Christian, perhaps. But a fundamentalist, heavens no!

Now imagine if someone like Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were to talk so much about Ram or Hindutva in his inaugural address, or flaunt his Hindu education and background the way American Presidents do about their Christian upbringing, can you think of the outrage it would have provoked?

Everyone, including our media, would have flayed him for stoking the fires of Hindu fundamentalism. As it is, the world press keeps referring to the BJP-led NDA as spearheading Hindu fundamentalism.

In other words, being a good Christian is politically correct in free America but being a good Hindu is politically incorrect in secular India. Why? Why is the American President not slandered as a bigot when he speaks about God, the Bible and Christian values while the Indian prime minister is called a Hindu zealot when he refers to Ram or Hindutva?

After all, what are we looking for in our leaders? Denial of religion? Atheism? Is atheism synonymous with secularism? Or is secularism the ability to pursue your own faith with conviction and respect the right of others to do the same?

We are back to semantics here and this is the real difference between secularism as propagated by Mahatma Gandhi and secularism as it has been practised by his political heirs led by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Gandhi saw it as the co-existence of all religions and urged everyone to follow his own faith with even greater conviction while Nehru, a self-professed agnostic, saw it as the gradual erosion of the role of religion in a modern society.

So, while Gandhi pleaded for more faith, better understanding and a bigger role for religion in creating a truly secular state, Nehru idolised the blossoming of the scientific temper, which he believed would eventually diminish if not entirely wipe out the role of religion in our political culture. It achieved precisely the opposite.

American Presidents are not in the least embarrassed by their faith. In fact, they see it as their strength. They see it as the strength of their nation. So they drop all pretences, all hypocrisy and speak out openly for what they think is the solution to most of America's problems, as well as the world's. Faith. Religious faith, in their case, Christianity. But, for others, whatever their faith is.

It is not religion that exacerbates conflict; it is the absence of religion. When we stop being good Hindus or good Muslims or good Christians, that is when we pick up weapons against each other to fight wars in the name of religion.

All conflict is actually secular. People may raise the banner of faith but they are actually covering up the real reasons for the conflict which are sometimes political and, more often, plain criminal.

American conferences are a unique experience and what impresses most is political America's fierce commitment to its faith. Of course Christianity is there, centrestage. But it was there as a symbol of America's faith in all religions and their right to coexist.

In one of conferences, the other side were the prime ministers of the Slovak Republic, Albania and Greenland. On the next table, the presidents of Croatia and Serbia and the governor of the Cayman Islands. Next to him, the home minister of the Tibetan government in exile, and his wife, the Dalai Lama's sister were on the adjoining table. It was a sangam of all faiths. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists. They were all there, praying for a better, stronger, more compassionate world.

Luckily we, in India, have a strong judiciary that refuses to yield ground to over-ambitious political leaders. We have a democracy that is stubborn, brave, uncompromising.

Maybe it is time to reject cant and hypocrisy, shed this sham of political correctness. Let us, as a nation, admit to ourselves that there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when we speak of our religion, our faith.

A good Hindu is no less than a good Christian or a good Muslim and it is time we acknowledged this simple, inescapable fact in a nation that has been the crucible of faith for centuries.

In this acknowledgement lies our future. As Hindus, as Indians. As a nation on the move.

There is, there can be nothing endearing about faithlessness.

SOMETHING WRONG WITH DEMOCRACY IN INDIA !

"Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse."

-Jawaharlal Nehru

The list of casualties of India’s enviable democratic system include, ironically some “non negotiable” cornerstones of democracy: idealism, integrity, egalitarianism, justice and, of course, governance. However, even more vexing is the widely prevalent lack of common sense; very often, we hear (with a hint of derision) that common sense is not so common in ‘common’ people! Will this continue to be the mantra for the upwardly mobile Generation X in India?

The root of all that is wrong with our democracy, however, appears to be the negative approach of citizens towards voting – “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote”. Voting has today become a trade and the “VOTE” a highly tradable commodity. Very often elections are reduced to a sham wherein the highest bidder (those who offer the most rewarding inducements and rewards) emerges victorious, sans merit, competency or interest. Indeed, most voters are simply apathetic because the factor that tilts the fate of elections is the ubiquitous “vote banks”, which is explicitly manipulated by the political parties. For example, Party X secures the votes of minorities, while Party Y’s support base comes from the urban middle class – this preference is often made for short-term contentment and lacks any larger vision or commitment.


Present day politics in India is so overtly besmirched by our netas that the thinking man or most educated citizens in India do not want to risk applying his or her mind in an effort to vote, let alone establishing changes in the society, because he believes it is a dead cause and any attempt is but an exercise in futility.

Such is the bane of our existence in this country, prisoner or warden, leftist or rightist, owner or slave, man or superman; we have resigned our fate as guinea pigs in this experiment in democracy and self-rule. What happened to the belief that we could right what was wrong, that as individuals we were capable of heroic thoughts and actions?

But this could all change - if you decide to change it. It is really quite simple; people look at wine differently after spending quality time in France. All good changes start when we revolutionize our perception. We urge every Indian to control the disparagement of the system, exercise their denigrating attitude, and view India as their new canvas. Realize and celebrate the true potential of your dream for this country for there is definitely hope.

The populace is now entitled to review valuable details on the candidates standing for elections; information can now be accessed from the Election Commission websites. This right to information will enable us to make a deliberate choice while voting, and to appraise the candidates based on the information such as their criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities and educational qualifications – this will resuscitate the dogma of “determined votes”. The parties can no more obfuscate their agenda.

The initiative that PAC started in 1996, to inspire educated choices for local elections, has been an aid for citizenry to make deliberate decisions. It was to be trampled by cynicism at its inception, but today it is a force with which people can device their nationwide dream. Along with this the new initiative “Vote Bengaluru” is once again the vehicle on which people can practice their power of choice, use their voice. Vote Bengaluru – an agenda to improve the voting system, to cleanse the voters’ list, motivate voters, encourage independent candidates, is a platform from which we can only soar up high.

Awake from your indolence, the fate of the future generation and “India Tomorrow” rests on your shoulders. Dispense of your frivolous blame game and pull up your socks, because if you believe that politics does not affect you or your family, you are WRONG. It does! The truth is it decides the taxes you pay, your entitlements, even the price of the rations you pick up from the market,because it is the politicians who decide on the policies, they who represent your cause for concerns, they who process your criticisms and comments and decide whether it needs to see the light of day or not. Because the decisions taken decades ago by our politicians still affect us, therefore, your actions today decide your tomorrow. The problem that exists in our electoral system, the corruption in our society, and child labour will continue to exist unless you do something about it. Make a choice, read the newspapers, use the Internet, educate the others, make the right decision for your future - this is your story – make it matter!

The difference between thoughtful participation and apathy is that of the living and the dead.

UPDATE: I have received an update from my friend, who notified me about the issue of "Negative Vote or Right Not to Vote"

Below is the email he sent to me :

Dear Vaneet,

I would like you to be aware of section 49-O of the electoral rules which is nothing but the voters right to REJECT ALL CANDIDATES IF NECESSARY. I am copy-pasting the relevant portions of the above said rules, that is, section 49-O for your perusal and needful. I suggest that the mass media should be involved and newspaper and T.V. advertisements and coverage must be given to the right which we electors have to REJECT ALL CANDIDATES.
Kindly go through the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/49-O

http://lawmin.nic.in/ld/subord/cer1.htm

http://ndtv.com/mb/messagethread.asp?TopicId=19973&tablename=Custom

49-O is one of the sections of The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which governs elections in India. It covers the procedures to be followed when a valid voter decides not to cast his vote, and decides to record this fact. In recent times, the urban educated electorate has not turned out in large numbers in Indian elections. This has been attributed to disillusionment with the system, and a perceived paucity of good candidates. In some cases, voters with valid identification documents have been turned away because impersonators had already cast their votes. Recording one's vote under Section 49-O is a choice that a voter can exercise to prevent electoral fraud, and misuse of his vote.

Since the ballot paper/EVM contains only the list of candidates, a voter cannot record his vote under Section 49-O directly. He must inform the presiding officer at the election booth. This violates the secrecy of the ballot.

Some recent articles suggest that in case the number of votes recorded under Section 49-O is greater than the maximum number of votes polled in favour of any of the candidates, a repoll is held. This is not explicitly mentioned in any of the sections of The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.

CONGRESS-BJP GRAND ALLIANCE- WHY NOT ?

The formation of a third front is gaining momentum, given the current state of political affairs in the country. In fact, the very idea of a third front was put forward when the CPI(M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat announced and is gaining strength every day. Though there is no doubt that both the big national parties – Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – cannot form a government on their own, as it has been quite evident over the past few years, for both these parties have seen a sustained erosion of their national appeal and those are the regional parties which have been eating into their share of the pie! The erosion has been so severe that in some states, some regional parties have literally overgrown to challenge the erstwhile supremacy of the big two.

In fact, of all the regional parties, it is Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which has done the maximum damage for them. Historically, it has often been observed that the party which rules Uttar Pradesh invariably makes Delhi as their next destination; and Mayawati has been successful in routing both the BJP and the Congress from a state which earlier used to be their bastion. Her party has not only marginalised both the Congress and the BJP in UP, but also has started making inroads into other states of critical importance from the perspective of national elections.

Looking at the way things are shaping up, there are three possible outcomes of the forthcoming Parliamentary elections – first, that of Congress forming a government with outside support from Mayawati and CPI(M)and other allies, second, being that of BJP forming a government with support from regional parties: and third, the third front also becoming a formidable alliance to form a government of their own. Now, in both the first and second cases, on account of the nuisance value of BSP, CPI (M), RJD, SP and other regional parties, both Congress and BJP would abstain from partnering a coalition with them, until and unless there is a dying compulsion. This leaves us with the third option, and that is, Prakash Karat’s third front coming together and forming a government. In fact, the very idea of a third front has already been formed including BJD, by BJP’s former ally, Chandrababu Naidu, who would do anything to make good his loss vis-a-vis the Congress in the last state elections. Moreover, other political parties who are partners in the current UPA coalition, like the NCP and RJD, have formed their own alliance and would not mind joining the third front as well, as there has been a clear conflict of interest in their respective states – Maharashtra and Goa for the former and Bihar and Jharkhand for the latter.

The same holds true for JD(S) in Karnataka as well. But irrespective of such a high probability, the biggest challenge that Prakash Karat would face would be in holding them all together to form a viable third front. And an even bigger challenge would be in terms of deciding who would finally lead the front. Looking at the way things are going, Mayawati stands a bigger chance for the same, but this is something that the CPI(M) leadership and NCP would not be able to accept. And this is exactly the point on which the very idea of a probable third front would die a premature death.

Now the question is: What is the solution to this impending imbroglio? Since i was in Delhi recently and happen to meet lot of friends who had deep interest in politics, incidentally, most of them had the same point of view. Though going by convention, it is almost impossible to even imagine that both BJP and Congress can come together and jointly form a government. But then, why not? This is any day a much better alternative than having the aforementioned third front, which would do nothing other than adding nuisance value at the Centre. Moreover, if one closely analyses the NDA and the UPA regimes, it becomes evident that on most policy matters, they have taken an almost identical stance during their respective tenures. Both the parties have been reform oriented with a strong focus on economic growth. Starting from the Golden Quadrilateral to the nuclear deal, both the parties have been maintaining almost a uniform stance. And the economic performance of the country has also seen almost similar trends in their respective tenures. In the given scenario, with so much in common, why can’t the two parties come together to form a government? If they can do so for the larger cause, burying their respective ideological differences, only then can we have a workable coalition, which would then sustain itself for the full five-year tenure. And then who knows, the political chemistry between the two parties could work in such a manner that then why just five years, they could move ahead to more terms.

A few days back, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani were seen sharing a hearty laugh at the Rashtrapati Bhavan – only if they extended the same laughter to the next election and forged a grand alliance!!!

A National Govt. of both Congress and BJP is the need of the hour and they should bury their hatred for the sake of the country. Both have good leaders like Dr Manmohan Singh, P. Chidabaram etc. in Congress and Arun Jaitley, L.K. Advani, Narendra Modi in BJP. All the above leaders have the capacity and the capability to run a nation as they are leaders who do not seem to be corrupt and still have some national values as compared to the loose canon like a third front, which is a hotch-potch combination, only bound together to grab power and ultimately collapse under its own personal interests of their respective leaders.

ELECTIONS- MOCKERY OF A DEMOCRACY

Did we ask for this kind of Nation ? A voting bazar, trading of seats called seat adjustments. All the tainted and corrupt trading in the open market for seats ? It is a mockery of democracy.

The problem is in our vision in trying to see things as what they should be rather than what they currently are. Unless we acknowledge that the current democratic system is not achieving the desired results, we will not think about how to change it. We are still waiting for a future date when the system will give the desired results, and not conceding that the system has been ineffective for the past 60 years. The case is not so much for a dictatorial form of government, as it is for any form of government or leadership that will achieve the desired economic and social progress in the country on a continuous basis. A few pertinent questions are: -

What is the use of giving a mass of people acepower in the form of voting when freedom in the more basic sense does not exist, where daily life is a fight?

What is the sense in having a system that changes its philosophy and track every 5 years and does not ensure uninterrupted progress, with no room for mid course corrections? We all know, we have 2 Indias. One extremely rich. Ambanis etc. and the other, a majority living below poverty line, striving for one meal a day ?

Where is the clarity in tackling real issues by any of our ace elected representatives? Where are the deliverables?

In India, the democratic system has given birth to a band of people who have no national interest in mind and the opportunists have cashed in. It is clear that democracy in the real sense has not existed, unless you consider only the system of voting once in every 5 years as democracy.

When Emperor Asoka ruled India 2500 years ago, every person lived a contented life during his rule. Did that system of dictatorship (called dynastic rule) not work better than our idea of democracy? It is obvious that only the front end is working, but the back end is incomplete.

The past 60 years are proof of the little progress we have made on various fronts. It is mainly because the average Indian still considers himself distant from the entire nation building process, except at election time. Is this the democratic process we are adamantly supporting? Democracy as a system will not work in nation of people with no national interest, unless we admit responsibility for our fate. It also seems that Indian politicians are afraid to progress and become efficient, because as time progresses one may find that they are redundant.

It seems like freedom wars of some sort will continue to happen in India ad infinitum, ad nauseum, whether it was freedom from the Mughals, the British and now, our politicians like Laloo Prasad Yadavs, Mayawatis etc. who are someday aspiring to be PM. There is a saying that goes, If doing a particular thing, does not give the desired result, then stop doing it. The same goes for a system that just does not work. Reinvention is the name of the game.

It is an example of the cargo cult metaphor which is the institution called democracy. Voting every so often to elect representatives that sit in a great big hall to decide matters of national importance is the front end. The deep backend requires an informed public at a minimum. Even under the best of circumstances, aggregating individual preferences is a risky venture as students of public choice theory will appreciate. (See Ken Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem.)

In the case of India, we have a cargo cult democracy. It looks like one with electronic voting machines and election speeches and manifestos, with pollsters and pundits, with election commissioners and voting stations. Only the deep backend is missing. There is no understanding of issues of substance among the people who vote. Put up a name which is recognizable, and they would vote for or against that name. Promise enough freebies (free electricity, for instance) and they will vote for you, never mind that it may bankrupt the state and that eventually it will impoverish the same voting public.

For democracy to work, you need accountability — both among those who vote and those who are elected. In an area where the government is seen as a source for endless handouts by the people, and the leaders look upon their stint in the driving seat as an excellent opportunity to steal from the public, democracy is not likely to work. All the talk about the smart voter is so much hogwash that the mind boggles.

Do we want this kind of democracy ? When I see images of political leaders on TV everyday, I feel disgusted. They have no ideology, values. Ethos or national character which an Indian asks for. Maulayam Singh Yadavs, Amar Singhs, Sharad Pawars, Lallus, Mayawatis, Jayalalitas and many more like them are traders in the garb of political parties. Congress and BJP, two main parties trying to make seat adjustments with regional parties, just to grab power, nothing else ? Each one of them want their pound of flesh. We the citizens like dummies watch, listen and read about these wheeler-dealers everyday and do nothing about it ? A full platform of vote trading happens in front of us and we like impotents cant do a thing about it !

I shun this kind of democracy and I want change. It is a mockery of democracy and trading going on, like we see in the stock market or while you are buying your daily vegetables or fruits. Trying to bargain with a vegetable vendor.

I want to change this forever…. This is not my India, I wanted.

ELECTION AFTER 2 YEARS ? WHY NOT ?

In the interest of giving a fillip to the economy, the government should consider the idea of holding general elections every two years. This will serve a dual purpose. Accountibility and implementation of various public welfare programmes will get faster and all the reigning govts. will fast forward to complete the programmes in a time bound manner. If not, they will thrown out after 2 years and the people wont have to crib and wait for long 5 years to get accountibility. Public memory will remain short and economy will get boosters after every 2 years.


Besides countering the anti-incumbency factor by making each term barely longer than the usual honeymoon period, they could also think of the entire election process and campaign as a variant of NREG scheme, guaranteeing a minimum of 90 days of employment to people across India.

There is the poster and banner making industry, not to mention election merchandise like pennants, badges, caps, anga-vastrams. There are tentwallahs and microphone-wallahs, all manner of car and taxi owners, not to mention private jet and helicopter owners who see a spurt in business during that time.

Print and electronic media get a fresh flush of election-related advertising to tide over lean times, advertising professionals make a killing by helping out with election campaign films and ditties, and even out-of-work stand up comedians find employment as “crowd warmers” at election meetings.

Security guards, bulk food suppliers, cooks and cleaners to rustle up meals at rallies for restive crowds and ‘seasonal’ party workers all benefit from the hubbub.

The need for rooms for campaign offices in various parts of every constituency, the staff to man them, furniture and communication equipment also spells opportunity for landlords, furniturewallahs and electronics store owners.

With the Election Commission getting more and more vigilant about violations of the code of conduct, there is plenty of opportunity for videographers and photographers to loan their services as cameras-on-hire, either for government agencies or for pernickety rivals.

Naturally all the various types of technicians who process such tapes, not to mention the CD makers will also see a rise in demand.

Around Rs 10,000 crore is said to be up for grabs to be injected into the economy for the elections. That may be just about half of the NREGA outlay, but surely still enough to be considered as a bi-annual booster-shot?

WE THE FEARFUL, CAN NEVER HAVE GOOD LEADERS

Abraham Lincoln – For his remarkable role in transformation of American mindset and society.

Obama- sold hope and change. Yet to prove himself.

I do not find someone else who has been as effective however good they may have been. So, I will just offer my take on some of the great personalities who have been hailed as leaders.

Napolaon – Partially yes. But he did not have most of the good qualities of a good leader like good behavior, emotional maturity. Probably his Prime Minister Talleyrand was a much better Leader but due to a combination of factors that included his own handicapped status, he could not overtake Napoleon.

Hitler – Not by any stretch of Imagination. He was a possessed individual who can never be classified as a leader.

Lenin – Not even when I stretch my imagination beyond the breaking point. Lenin was a puppet of the Capitalist US to overthrow Tsar rule in USSR. He was financed by Wall Street. He did not have any credentials to be a good leader.

Stalin – Again only partially yes (And by partial I mean only a very small %age).

Most Important behavior-patterns/characteristics of the leader.

A Good Sense of Humor, level headedness, single minded zeal with vision. Yes, in my opinion, these are the first and the foremost qualities. Everything else will fail to materialize if a leader does not have these qualities. No matter how good an orator he is, No Matter how much proud he is of his country, and No matter how much educated he is.

The kind of transformation that a leader can drive.

A leader is as good as his followers. All said and done, still someone needs to channelize the efforts of masses. So, if a leader gets able support of his people he Can derive unrealistic transformations. But all other factors need to fall in place.

Does anyone among the current crop of Indians (somewhat well-known) have the potential to be a great leader (off course no one has the demonstrated but has someone got the inherent potential or has someone shown flashes of brilliance).

APJ Abdul Kalam Azad – Yes, he has what it takes to be a good leader, but then after his retirement from Presidential Bhawan, got lost because no one supported him. Just cutting ribbons here and there.

Tatas, Birla – No way.

Ambanis – Are you crazy. They will sell the nation in stock market.

Narayanmurty – I will prefer not to comment.

Nilekeni – Yes, he has the qualities, but then needs to prove himself at a bigger stage.

Narendra Modi- Yes, the best bet so far..

The Most Important factor that prevents the emergence of good leaders other than the outlined ones like genetics, etc.

Fear Factor:

It is this factor that we need to change. We need to change our thinking patterns. We need to be honest and fearless in voicing opinions as well as arguments. Unless, we can change these aspects, we would not get good leaders. Because, the good leaders won’t emerge unless there is support for their ideology. And in current India, I do not see there will be any support for it.

We Indians basically by nature are a scared lot, may be genitically. Perhaps, thousands of years of slavery by Sultans, Mongolians, Mughals and Britishers had impacted our fore-fathers a lot.

Natives of India were trained to obey orders from the rulers from time to time. That in-depth fear factor has seeped in and gone down to many generations, event the present ones. We love to discuss and criticize our politicians, bureaucrats and the rulers, the people who govern us in the confines of our drawing rooms. But when it comes to real brasstacks, by supporting a cause openly which is in the interest of the people, our nation, we shirk to participate and don’t endorse the cause due to fear factor, backlash and various other reasons. If this is the case, how can we expect to get good leaders ? After all good leaders have to come from the society, which never endorses a good cause.

It results in Mafia, goondas, corrupt and people who want to make politics as a profession to enter politics and they become our representatives in Assembly and the Parliament. These people are familiar with our phyche and they rule over us, breaking all the rules and making a mockery of a so called democracy in India. We create the vaccume and they fill to govern us.

If we want good leaders, we will have to come out openly to support a worthy cause which is in the interest of our nation. We must stand up firmly and listen to our heart to support a cause which demands numbers. Otherwise we are destined to live as we live today. But for God’s sake, stop criticizing the current lot of public servants as they are the people who are ruling over us, whom we never try to question openly.


All Kinds of Comments and Criticism Welcome.

Narendra Modi as Prime Minister? Why Not? PART - I

I am reproducing an article by Bandyopadhyay Arindham on Narendra Modi. I understand that many people have lot of misconceptions about the man. This is the best article i could find On Modi. L.K. Advani is too old to handle things. Congress means Dynastic Rule. Without Sonia Gandhi or may be, without Rahul Gandhi, Congress is a big zero. Rahul Gandhi is yet to prove himself. We want tried and tested leader at the Centre. Regional Parties create chaos and are misfit for Centre. What is the option ? Certainly not, L.K. Advani but for good goverance, we need Narendra Modi. He is the need of the hour. Many of you may not agree with me. This is my personal opinion and the feedback i get from lot of sources in India.

The recent drama that evolved when Anil Ambani, Sunil Mittal, Ratan Tata and other industrialists lauded Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at the investors" summit in Gujarat, claiming his leadership as "national level material" and wishing that "person like him should be the next leader of the country", was quite interesting and deserves an honest appraisal.


The unsuspecting media was totally unprepared for such accolades from the stalwarts of India Incorporate for the alleged "merchant of death". The next few days saw numerous news and articles popping up as to why Modi cannot be the Prime Minister of this country. Congress spokesperson called him a fascist and compared with Hitler. There were attempts to develop a rift between Modi and the BJP"s Prime Minister Candidate, Mr. L. K. Advani that lasted till Modi himself declared, much to the disappointment of the media, that he is not in the race for PM. An editorial in Times of India went to the extent of disqualifying him on the ridiculous ground that he was denied visa to the USA and thought that to be considered for the Indian PM post, Modi has to be acceptable to foreign countries. Coming from an editor of a national newspaper, it is intriguing how far one can lower one"s self and national esteem.

Narendra Modi and Gujrat Riot 2002

No discussion can happen on Mr. Narendra Modi, without talking about the Gujarat riot of 2002. Communal riots are not new in India or for that matter, in the state of Gujarat itself - it has happened since medieval times. Neither was the Gujarat riot of 2002 the largest in the history of the state - more extensive and more prolonged violence with much higher death tolls had happened in 1969 and 1985, under the rule of Congress governments.

Those who vilify Modi as a representative of Hindutva politicis of the BJP or RSS kind, fail to remember that Hindu - Muslim riots happened even before the RSS was founded in 1925 or the BJP in 1980. Hindus, known for their tolerance and faith in religious pluralism, are never known to be in conflict anywhere else in the world, but the same cannot be said of the followers of the extremist Muslims, not the Muslim community as a whole, involved in religious (against Hindus, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, etc) and sectarian (Shia, Sunnis, Ahmedhias, Kurds, Baloch etc) violence, not only in the subcontinent of India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, but also in Afghanistan, Middle east, Russia, China, Indonesia, Bosnia, Nigeria and other places.

They also conveniently downplay or misrepresent the cause of the 2002 riot, not a few stones thrown on a procession or a petty quarrel or a temple bell interrupting the tranquility of the namaj, but the systematically carried out Godhra Carnage where three bogies of the Ahmedabad bound Sabarmati Express were set on fire by a Muslim mob, on 27th February, 2002, killing over 50 people, mostly women and children, mostly karsevaks, returning from Ayodhya.

Modi has been accused of permitting, if not directly and deliberately commandeering the portrayed selective massacre and genocide of Muslims, ordering his police force to turn a blind eye, delaying Army help and in the process causing the death of anywhere between 1000 to 5000 Muslims.

It is hard to get true accounts of events that erupted on 28th Feb 2002 and beyond, from reported news and stories, almost all of them tainted with a bias against the Hindus and the Gujrat Chief Minister. However certain facts do stand out, even from accounts in the English media, not particularly known to be generous to Narendra Modi.

1. The Congress Union Minister of State for Home, Shriprakash Jaiswal, in Parliament on 11 May 2005, said 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed in the riots. This is hardly consistent with a Muslim genocide.

2. The entire police force of 70,000 was deployed in Gujarat on 27 February itself in apprehension of riots. (The Hindustan Times Feb 28, 2002). Gujarat police fired more than 4,000 rounds in the first three days alone. Altogether the police arrested more than 27,000 people. National Minorities Commission Chairman John Joseph noted, "As on April 6, 126 persons were killed in police firing, of which 77 were Hindus." (The Telegraph, April 21, 2002.). This does not tally with the accusation of a deliberately inactive police force.

3. "Shoot-at-sight" orders had been given in Godhra on February 27 itself. (Times Of India, Feb 27, 2002). 827 preventive arrests were made on the evening of February 27 itself, on Chief Minister Narendra Modi"s order. The State Government deployed the Rapid Action Force in Ahmedabad and other sensitive areas and the Centre sent in CRPF personnel, on February 27 itself even before a single riot had taken place. (The Indian Express, Feb 28, 2002)

4. Narendra Modi, frantically called the Army units to Ahmedabad on February 28th (The Hindu, March 1, 2002). Army units started arriving in Ahmedabad on the night of February 28th. On 1st and 2nd March 2002, riots took place even in places where the Indian Army was present, i.e. Ahmedabad and Vadodara, and close to 100 people each were killed, despite the presence of the Indian Army.

5. Only 2 deaths were reported on 3rd March in the entire state, and the main violence ended on 3rd March 2002. After 3rd March 2002, riots took place almost entirely in those places where the Army was posted. Subsequently there were 157 riots and all of them were started by Muslim groups (India Today, June 24, 2002).

6. As early as 5 March 2002, out of the 98 relief / refugee camps set up in the state, 85 were for the Muslims and 13 were for the Hindus. As on 17 March 2002, as per The Times of India, 10,000 Hindus were rendered homeless in Ahmedabad alone. As on 25 April 2002, out of the 1 lakh 40 thousand refugees, some 1 lakh were Muslims and 40 thousand were Hindus. Again this is not consistent with the unilateral Muslim sufferings that have been portrayed.

7. India Today weekly in its issue dated 20 May 2002 clearly admits that, far from being anti-Muslim, the Gujarat police did not act speedily against Muslim fanatics and rioters, for fear of being called anti-Muslim by the biased and partisan media

As for the issue of deployment of army, this is what India Today reported on its 18 March 2002 issue .

FEB 27, 2002

8.03 AM: Incident at Godhra claims lives of 57 kar sevaks.
8.30 AM: Modi is informed of the carnage.
4.30 PM: Modi gives shoot-at-sight orders to the police.
10.30 PM: CM orders curfew in sensitive places and pre-emptive arrests.

FEB 28, 2002

8.00 AM: Special control room set up in CM"s house.
12.00 PM: Modi informally contacts Centre for calling in army.
4.00 PM: Modi requests army deployment following consultations with Advani.
7.00 PM: The Gujarat Government"s formal request for army deployment is received in Delhi.
11.30 PM: Airlifting of troops begins

MARCH 1, 2002

2.30 AM: A brigade reaches Ahmedabad.
9.00 AM: Discussions between representatives of the army and the state take place, followed by troop flag march in Ahmedabad."

Thus, contrary to the accusation of the "fiddling Nero", Mr. Modi did act timely, spontaneously and with due importance to the seriousness of the matter. The National Human Rights Commission and the Minorities Commission "accepted the Gujarat government"s contention that it did foresee trouble and took precautionary steps to check it, but was caught by surprise and overwhelmed by the mob fury erupting on February 28."

That the retaliation of the Godhra train carnage was overwhelming for the available resources at his disposal was obvious, but to blame the Chief Minister or his administration for that would be as unjustified as to blame the Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh, for the recent obvious sloppiness and intelligence failure that one saw during the recent Mumbai terrorist attack of Nov 2008. Yet that has been and is still being done in such vigor that even most Hindus feel that it is the truth and are probably shameful about Mr. Narendra Modi.

Contrast this with the largest riot that happened in recent times, the anti Sikh riot in Delhi in 1984, in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi"s assassination. In that incidence, officially 3,000 Sikhs were killed and may be 10,000 in actual number. Not a single Congressman was killed, not even one person was killed in police firing, and not even a single government relief camp was organized for the Sikhs in 1984. The joint report on the riots, by the People"s Union of Civil Liberties and the People"s Union of Democratic Rights, mentioned the names of 16 important Congressmen and 13 police officers among those accused by survivors and witnesses.

The Army was deployed but was not allowed to act without permission of senior police officers and hence was ineffective. And this was the justification of the then Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, "Some riots took place in the country following the murder of Indiraji ... it seemed that India had been shaken. But, when a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little."

So, can one accuse that there was deliberate failure of administration in the anti-Sikh riots? Can one be justified to call it a Congress-sponsored genocide and pogrom? Did anybody dare to challenge or disqualify Mr. Rajiv Gandhi as the Prime Minister then?

Narendra Modi - the person

Mr. Modi has been described as a phenomenon of a kind India has not seen for a long time. Born on 17 September 1950 to a middle class OBC family in northern Gujarat, he has a Masters graduate degree in Political Science from Gujarat University. Having an RSS background, he was a student leader of Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad and played a prominent role in the anticorruption movement in 1974 in Gujarat. He later joined the BJP in 1987 and became a National secretary of the party in 1995. Later in 2001, he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The biggest challenge which Narendra Modi had to face when he took over as the chief minister was the reconstruction of the earthquake affected areas. Bhuj was a city of rubble. People were living in temporary shelters without basic infrastructure. Earthquake recovery became his first priority. His dynamic vision and quick decisions have put Gujarat Reconstruction Program as one of the best reconstruction programs on the global map and set a benchmark for reconstruction and disaster recovery, not only in India, but also in the entire Asia, for which he achieved global recognition.

He is perceived as an honest, capable man who has taken Gujarat to greater heights of prosperity, since then. He was reelected for the third time in 2007 after a hard fought battle of ballots, in which he single handedly fought not only the Congress lead opposition but also the biased and prejudiced media and his own disgruntled party members.

With a reputation revolving around his incorruptible image and ascetic style of living, he is a workaholic, with a no-nonsense attitude who is unafraid to call a spade a spade. A person who cares less for political correctness and social connections, he is a patriotic karmayogi, whose vision is to make Gujarat at par with developed nations. A proud nationalist, on being asked whether it hurt him that he couldn"t get a US visa, he responded, "I take this as an opportunity. I want my India to be so strong and prosperous that Americans will queue up to come to India. A day will come when Americans will yearn to come to Gujarat."

It is this passion that makes Modi different - a passion for developing Gujarat, a passion to uplift the living standards of its people, a passion to place his Bharatmata back to her days of glory again. And this he tries to do with action and not false promises or gimmicks.

After the Gujarat riot, he has been the target of pathological hatred of the leftist, pseudo-secular, sociopolitical crowd and specially the English media and has been ornamented with numerous chosen abuses like a mass murderer, a dictator, a fascist, a Hitler, an ugly Indian, a maut ka saudagar, but all that has increased his resolve and his determination that he took back to his voters, who returned him stronger and triumphant with their love and respect.

He remained untouched by all the filth and unfazed by all the accusation and lies thrown at him. "Do you think the Centre would have left me like this if they had any proof against me? I have a government that is unfavourable at the Centre and their quietness says it all", He once shot back to an interviewer.

"We have a vibrant media, an active judiciary and global human rights groups working in the country. If there was even the slightest evidence that I had committed a crime, I would have been hanged long since", he said to another.

The Gujarati people have probably found in him what they like to see in any Indian politician - leadership, transparency, accountability, incorruptibility. He is unshakable in his commitments, to the extent of being arrogant, yet humble and down to earth. "I didn"t become CM on 07-10-2001. I have always been CM, I am CM today and shall be CM forever. For me CM means not Chief Minister but Common Man." Many can say but not many can act that way.


There are not many leaders in our country that spends his New Years Day with BSF forces at the border and feels and acts for the simple rights of the soldiers to have access to basic amenities like drinking water, electricity and telecommunications services to talk to their families

It is been hitherto a rare combination in the current Indian sociopolitical scene where one denounce a crime but not the powerful criminal, condemns a terror act but delays punishment of the terrorist, criticizes corruption but fails to indict the corrupt, where a politician is selected because of his popularity, even if it is for a wrong cause or because of his families and contacts and where a significant percentage of politician have pending cases against them on charges as varied as briberies, extortions, rapes and even murders.

No doubt he is endorsed by his party senior, Mr. Advani, "I can think of no other example in Indian politics of a leader who, after being subjected to a malicious and prolonged campaign of vilification, has been able to impress even his critics with his determination, single-minded focus, integrity and a wide array of achievements in a relatively short time"

(Contiuned..)

ELECTION FESTIVAL IN THE OFFING

Like death, elections are inevitable in any parliamentary democracy. Only the timing is a matter of suspense. Just like an ordinary mortal with healthy habits & family history of longevity is likely to live for 70-80 years similarly election come every five years (with occasional mid term polls) & are no less colorful than the famous “Kumbh Fair” where sinners & saints gather to better their fortunes by taking a dip in the confluence of holy rivers.

People try their best to get a party ticket to contest elections a stepping stones to riches, fame & power. Those who are left in the race but are influential or stupid or gamblers try their luck as independents.

Months of noise, hustle & bustle is followed by an eerie silence & then the climax is unfolded the victors celebrate like there is no tomorrow & the vanquished vanish like rats just before storm. Graffiti, festoons & placards make the whole country look like a carnival with occasional gun shots & booth rigging.

Money, muscle & mistress are pressed in to service with liquor & sumptuous meal for the foot soldiers depending on the strength of the party. Star campaigners hop across the country like poets in the festival of colors called Holi.

The story does not end after elections there is jockeying for ministerial birth the license to mint money & pay back dividends to the stake holders called supporters. Then follows a game of musical chairs by reshuffling & transfer of civil servants loyal to the person in the seat of power.

The power equation changes over night. The suspense continues in case the ruling party has slim majority & lots of horse trading takes place with sting operation galore duly televised. I feel irritated to see the whole city swimming in a sea of graffiti & traffic jams everywhere.

Frankly, I do not find any one worthy of my vote but dutifully stand in the queue to have the false sense of being god for a moment. Or may be I do not want to be called an idiot.
Would like to know your reaction!

GIVE POWER TO THE PEDESTRIAN

Power to the people, is a slogan now rarely heard. To many, all it means is electrification of homes! Yet, these four words have the force of history behind them.

They connote a philosophy, a system of governance, which has swept across the globe, laying low many a king, feudal lord and dictator. Not all autocrats and despots have disappeared yet, but the idea of people’s power has certainly shaken them.

Democracy is a necessary means of empowering people; however, to the extent it is restricted to voting, it is far from sufficient. Electoral democracy has many limitations — even drawbacks — especially when it degenerates into majoritarianism or unregulated licence. Oppression of the few by the many is, unfortunately, not an unknown by-product of democracy. Ironically, the reverse — small organised groups of hoodlums holding the majority to ransom (as in many bandhs and strikes) — is also facilitated by “democratic freedom” and encouraged by vote-bank politics. If empowerment of every individual is the goal, it is necessary to go beyond mere elections and ensure: participatory democracy; tolerance and encouragement of diversity in life-style and thought; decentralisation of political and economic power; and equitable access to information, communication and education.

Decentralisation — through the creation of a third level of formal governance by constitutional amendments empowering panchayats and urban local bodies —and the Right to Information Act have, together, given a huge boost to grass-roots democracy and accountability. Potentially, these are revolutionary steps in truly transferring power to the people. Yet, the actual realisation of this is stymied by many obstacles and sometimes contradicted by other measures. The rich and powerful continue to enjoy special privileges and wield influence completely disproportionate to their numbers; they also appropriate a far bigger share of public expenditure than is justified. The plight of the pedestrian is a good metaphor for this.

Political netas and corporate leaders are hardly ever seen walking in the streets of our cities (though a few do run on them during marathons). Therefore, pedestrians — mostly the ubiquitous but indefinable “common man” — get short shrift. Over the last few years, the motor car has been getting ever greater precedence over the pedestrian and the cyclist.

Footpaths have been shrinking in a flurry of road-widening projects, and even existing cycle-lanes have disappeared. An attempt in Delhi to give precedence to cycles and buses through dedicated lanes (as part of a bus rapid transit system) has met tremendous resistance from motorists. Fortunately, following its success in Delhi, a “metro” (train) system is now being put in place in major cities. However, one is not sure if this is a genuine recognition of the dire need to create mass public transportation systems, or is merely the flavour of the day.

The doubt about decision-makers’ serious commitment to efficient public mobility arises from the contrast between the hundreds of crores being spent on fly-overs and road-expansion in cities, and the distinct miserliness and lethargy with regard to procurement of buses and facilities for pedestrians. The priority for cars at the cost of pedestrians is evidenced by the “free left turn” at traffic signals. While this facilitates the movement of vehicular traffic, the resulting continuous flow means that a pedestrian wanting to cross the road must either be capable of out-running Usain Bolt, or be a great believer in re-incarnation! Pedestrian over-bridges and sky-walks would be solutions but these, unlike the proliferation of fly-overs, are a rarity. Escalators and lifts to help the aged or differently-abled to use overbridges — where they exist — are, of course, unaffordable, unlike fly-overs! Pedestrian subways are but few; in Delhi, the aspiring world-class city, they are so filthy and unsafe that no one uses them. This, but naturally, does not bother decision-makers.

In contrast, in many cities around the world, the pedestrian is getting increasing importance — and space. In London — a second home to many of India’s rich and powerful — the width of the foot-paths on Oxford Street, for example, is probably double that of the road. Despite the very heavy traffic and constant congestion, no one even thinks of widening the road at the cost of the foot-path. In many other cities, particularly in Europe, large areas are “pedestrian-only” zones. The result, despite adverse weather for many months in the year, is far more walkers. Most people there walk to and from the nearest station or bus-stop. In contrast, our shrinking, uneven and often non-existent footpaths discourage walking. Those who do walk are often left with no option but to use the road — disrupting traffic and risking injury. Little wonder that Indians prefer to use a car even for short distances. On the other hand, London and Singapore, amongst other cities, levy steep congestion charges on cars entering designated parts of the city, thereby discouraging use of private transport while reducing pollution and traffic density.

In most countries, public authorities and vehicle drivers respect pedestrian rights, giving walkers the right-of-way in many situations. In India, cars run on fuel power, but also on feudal power: they assume almost divine right-of-way everywhere. Government’s actions — through its investment policy, priorities and its disdain for pedestrians — reinforce this sense of superiority. Even in Mumbai, a city in which the offspring of the upper-classes too used to travel to school or college by bus or the “local” (train), the change is perceptible; driven, doubtless, by the neglect and decay of a public transport system trying hard to retain its legendary efficiency.

To make “power to the people” beyond mere cliché, what better way than by empowering pedestrians? Here is an opportunity for the central and state governments to work closely with the third tier, the urban body, and initiate a major exercise in pedestrianisation; to put this in the same class, and with similar priority and resources, as building fly-overs or modernising airport terminals. Industry and civil society must play a major role in shaping this new societal architecture and life-style, one that is environment-friendly and empowering.

The article is written by kiran Karnik. I am sharing it with you

PROPER SYSTEMS CAN REDUCE CORRUPTION

We have come to accept with equanimity — and therein lies the danger — that we are among the most corrupt countries in the world.

If you have had anything to do with any of our government institutions, whether central, state, regional or provincial, the one unremitting common denominator you find is corruption.

But have you ever wondered why and how institutions like IIMs, IITs and a few other institutions of excellence have remained 100% corruption-free, despite being government institutions? Before you contradict me saying a few years ago there was a leak in the Common Admission Test of IIMs, I may say that the leak, following a HRD ministry-IIMs stand-off, was from a government press and no IIM was involved in the unfortunate leak.

In any case, here, when I say these institutions are ‘corruption-free’ what I is mean that the probability that a student gains admission by means other than the admission criteria laid down is zero — not virtually zero, but zero. It is important to understand how these islands of integrity survive in this ocean of corruption, because that may be our only route to pulling our other institutions from the morass of corruption.

The systems and processes of admissions in these institutions are such that even a corrupt head of the institution wanting to oblige a political heavyweight, cannot influence the process of selection of the students. No one individual, or even a clique of powerful individuals can make a dent in the processes that govern the selection of students in these institutions. Not that undue pressures are not applied from the highest offices in the land to favour the son or daughter of so and so!

Fortunately, even a pliant head of institution, most keen to oblige the powers that be, cannot do so for the simple reason that he is in fact powerless. So when this head of institution tells the powers that be that, sorry, he cannot do anything to ensure the admission of the latter’s ward, he is not just taking a moral posture. He is telling the truth.

Of course, the nice thing is, when you belong to such an institution, the moral posturing comes automatically. Everybody believes in fairness. Everyone knows that his statement of inability to influence is also backed by the system. And that helps enormously.

The systems in these institutions ensure rigid compliance. What is interesting is that these systems are not rigid in the sense that they stymie individual initiatives or do not allow for situational exigencies. They do. And yet, the systems are such that the basic integrity is in no way ever compromised.


For the same reason, we must push for electoral reforms in the form of transparent and tax deductible contributions to political parties.

The ad-hoc system of underhand collections in the name of the party can help politicians line their own nests liberally before their party’s. The parties virtually set ‘targets’ of collections in return for party tickets and positions.

The politicos in turn set targets for those serving under them, they in turn set further targets down the line and the system cascades down all the way to a point where the police sub-inspector or even the constable may have ‘targets’ based on where he is posted. That is the reason politicos stoutly resist electoral reforms.

That is also the reason they resist giving the option “None of the above” to the electorate, so that if enough number of people vote for that option, all the candidates stand disqualified. And these are all the more reasons why, as a people, we must fight for such systemic improvements.

We have seen many other instances where introduction of proper and transparent systems have minimised corruption. For example, introduction of radio cabs with their electronic meters in cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore have eliminated much of the harassment of the passengers by cab drivers. Introduction of e-reservations eliminated much of the corruption on the Railway booking counters.


There is an interesting system of compliance in Israel. In some of the one-way passages, embedded on the road are these steel spikes, curved in one direction, such that a vehicle could move on it in the correct direction; but a vehicle trying to go in the opposite direction will get its tyres punctured — a system we could use in this country!

As the world’s largest democracy, we owe it to ourselves to recognise corruption for the rot that it is, eating away our innards. We need systemic solutions.

The above aricle is inspired by V Raghunathan.

LET US GET INDIAN SWISS MONEY BACK TO INDIA

Lok Sabha elections are round the corner and can be declared any time by Election Commission. It is a golden opportunity for us to get illegal swiss money back to india.

Dishonest industrialists, scandalous politicians and corrupt bureacrats have deposited in their swiss personal accounts a huge sum of about US$ 1456 Billion which has been misappropriated by them creating scandals, scams and by corruption.

This amount is about 13 times larger than foreign debt. This amount is such a big amount that 45 crores of poor people can get Rs. 100000/- each. This huge amount has been collected from the people of India by exploiting their funds, and by betraying people of India. So in reality this entire amount belongs to the people of India. All such money kept in to Foreign Banks must be declared as National property and it should be brought back to India. And for keeping such money in foreign banks illegally, all dishonest industrialists , scandalous politicians and corrupt officers must be punished at least for 10 years of mandatory imprisonment or punishment.

The function of delcaring such money lying in foreign banks illegally as the national property can be done in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha only by making law. Government will not enact such law until there is heavy pressure on the Government from every corner of the country to make such a law because those who have collected such illegal money and kept into foreign banks are themselves sitting in the parliament and in the Government.

However, any Government has to yield to the heavy pressure of public opinion. Azadi Bachao Andolan is actively endeavouring to create such heavy pressure of public opinion to make such law. In this forthcoming election, we all have a golden opportunity to talk tough with the political parties and candidates, before elections on this issue.

People should declare not to vote for any candidate who does not promise in writing to make such law if elected in the parliament. If atmosphere is created, every political party and every candidate of every political party will have to promise to enact such law. Once all the candidates commit to enact such a law after they are elected in the parliament to get swiss money back to India, there is no one who can stop, swiss money coming back to India. All political parties should furnish an affidavit, before going to the elections, that they will enact this law within one year of being elected. If they are not able to enact such a law, people will have the right to recall such political parties and candidates. It should be binding on the political parties and no appeals to the court will be entertained by the judiciary. Reason being, we have a past experience of parties backing out from their promise, once elected.

Once this huge amount of illegal money comes back to India, entire foreign debt can be repaid immediately in 24 hours. After paying entire foreign debt, we will have surplus amount almost 12 times larger than the foreign debts. If this surplus amount is invested in earning interest, the amount of interest will be more than the annual budget of the Central Government. So even though all the taxes are totally abolished, then also Central Government will be able to maintain their extravagant expenses and huge wastages of money as being done since last 50 years.

THE INDO-PAK PEACE WINDOW, THAT NEVER OPENED

The Indo-Pak peace initiative has always generated a wide range of excitement and enthusiasm among the cross section of people. One can understand the natural response of the peace loving people, who are deeply concerned with the gradual deepening dent of fear, suspicion and hatred between the two countries since partition.

I also tried a peace initiative after the Mumbai terrorist attack. I was writing my comments on a Pakistanti blog called “ Teeth Maestro “ which is a popular blog in Pakistan. My comments related to an article called “ Is India behaving like LET ? “. I was putting my comments from the Indian point of view and was trying to remove, many misconceptions, which Pakistanis have about India. The article was a guest blog by some hardcore Pakistani writer against India. While writing my comments, I came across the owner of the blog Dr. Awab who is the webmaster also of the blog. I showed my interest to write a guest blog, to which he agreed happily. My motive of writing the guest blog was to remove the misconceptions of aam admi of Pakistan, about India. I wrote an article “ Partition of Territory, not hearts “http://teeth.com.pk/blog/2009/02/03/the-partition-of-territory-not-hearts.
You can read the article as per link also given in my email to you.

The comments I was receiving from Pakistanis was of utter hatred towards India and hindus. The comments were full of foul language, abuses and deep anger against India, specially hindus. The retaliation was natural from indians. They also blasted them like anything. I was all the time doing a role of a peace-maker between the two.I was trying to pacify both the sides, but to my utter dismay, Indians restrained themselves, but Pakistanis never stopped abusing. There were hardly any sane voices from across the border, except Farrah. K. Raja, who created a special blog of friendship, saying “ Vaneet, this is your page. “ The Webmaster played an obliging host but restrained himself from making comments, for reasons best known to him. When the abuses and foul language shifted to me personally by pakistanis, I called it a day. That was the end of peace initiative. Although Dr Awab, has sent me an email citing reasons for not participating in the discussions and apologised also for the misbehavior of Pakistanis, he also offered once again to restart the peace blog, which he has created once again. I have all the praise and regard for Dr Awab and Ms Farrah, who tried their best and sincerely tried to hold on to the peace initiative, but fanatic voices in Pakistan destroyed everything, overriding their sincere efforts. These fanatic voices called Mumbai terrorists as warriors and fighters. Their views reflected victory over India. " If 10 warriors can lay seige in Mumbai for 60 hours, just imagine few thousand would create havoc in India ".


But past experience of such exercise always proved to be a part of the military strategy of the successive rulers of Pakistan against India. No Indian leader had tried as hard as the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee to establish friendly relations with Pakistan, but in stead of responding, the Pakistani leadership has spurned every move of his.

The purpose of this discussion does not mean to oppose the peace move but only to participate in a debate on viability of peace between the two countries. Historically, Bhakti movement was the first peace initiative for union of hearts between Hindus and Muslims in medieval India by diluting their conflict since the advent of Islam in India. But the Muslim rulers and thinkers after Great Mogul Akbar thwarted it. Even in 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, when an environment was created for unity of Hindus and Muslims, Sir Sayed Ahmad Khan polluted it. He launched the Aligarh movement to achieve Muslim supremacy over the Hindus and propounded the two-nation theory as a separatist ideology, which subsequently formed the ideological base for Pakistan Movement. Islamic warriors of Pakistan had hardly made any positive contribution during freedom struggle. They were scared of the concept of democracy, which meant end of Muslim domination over Hindus. They carried the ideological banner of the Two-Nation theory while supporting Pakistan Movement without realising that Partition was an unnatural division of a natural geo-political entity. The self-seeking rulers of Pakistan merged the politics of opportunisms and deception with emotive religious passion. Pakistan is in danger became synonym to the slogan of Islam is in danger.

Islamists were happy with creation of Pakistan but it did not satisfy them fully. They therefore, accelerated their protracted movement for Islamisation of whole of South Asia to fulfil their unfinished agenda. Responding to the design of Islamic clerics, the politically ambitious top echelons in Pak army, who mostly belonged to the elite class overthrew the successive elected Governments and became rulers of Pakistan. Under the unholy alliance between Islamists and Pak army, which emerged as a commanding force in controlling the political affairs the successive military rulers, gave a free hand to the Ulema to carry forward the centuries old legacy of hatred, mistrust and deep suspicion against the Hindus of Indian sub-continent.

In stead of involving their citizens in national re-construction programmes for economic development, the Pakistani leadership believed in re-construction of the history of Pakistan for a new national identity based on the philosophy of anti-Indianism. Accordingly, with a view to inculcating the concept of patriotism among their citizens, they deeply linked the origin of the national identity of Pakistan with the centuries old hate-Hindu voices and contemptuous acts of Muslim invaders, rulers and the leaders of Pakistan movement. In the process they never allowed any democratically elected government to survive for long.

The ideology of Pakistan as defined to students at every school and college in the country is nothing except anti-Indianism. In every walk of Pakistan from academia to journalism, from sports to bureaucracy a vast majority of people have been inculcated with fantastic anti India notions. [ Phrases like the Hindu mentality and devious Indian psyche are part of the daily military talk. Anti-Indianism, in short, runs deep in Pakistani state and society. It is a state of mind that cannot be switched off.

The broad expanse of South Asian history is a tabula rasa upon which Pakistani historians and policy makers have created the story of a new nation replete with cultural roots and ancient socio-religious trajectories.The story of Pakistans past is internationally written to be distinct from and often in direct contrast with interpretations of history found in India .

Depiction of Jinnah as a man of orthodox religious views, who sought the creation of a theocratic state and a move to establish ulama as genuine heroes of Pakistan Movement became a part of hate-India campaign. In short, anti-Indianism is synonymous to Pakistani Nationalism.With new national identity, Pakistan army fought four major wars against India. Promotion of terrorism since nineteen eighties including terrorist attacks on Indian Parliament, Kashmir Assembly, Mumbai terror attack and many has been a part of their military strategy. They are still pursuing the philosophy of two-nation theory on Kashmir issue.

After humiliating defeat during 1971 war, the subsequent Military ruler Zia-ul- Haq (1977-1988) accelerated the process of hate-Hindu campaign and turned it into a movement to develop a fervent patriotism on the basis of anti-Indianism among his countrymen. The text books of history and social studies were radically distorted by glorifying the villainous role of Muslim invaders and rulers. They were projected as liberators of Hindus from the so called torturous misrule of Hindu kings. From Muhammad bin - Qasims mass killing of Hindus of Sindh in 712 AD onward, the role of all the Muslim marauders, were glorified.

Muhammad bin Qasim, who assassinated all the young males of Sindh and sent thousands of Sindhi women to the harem of Abbassid Dynesty, Muhammad Ghaznavi, the villain of multiple iconoclastic incursions and Muhammad Ghori, whose betrayal with Prithviraj Chauhan is known to every Indian overnight became the prominent heroes in the history text book of Pakistan. They are placed on pedestals used as stepping-stones towards the inevitable unfolding of the ideology of Pakistan coming to closure with the near deification of the father of the nation Mohammad Ali Jinnah .

Contrary to the personification of Great Mogul Akbar as Pan- Indian liberal ruler by secular historians of India, the Pakistani historians regarded Akbars religious theory as apostasy. On the other hand the Pakistan text books glorified Aurangzeb and overlooked the killing his own brother and keeping his father in jail.
Can anyone expect that with the political ideology of Pakistani nationalism discussed above, the present generation will be ready for a long lasting peace with India? A number of Muslim scholars of repute in India consider partition a terrible blunder.

Ironically the Indian leadership too got trapped in Musharraf strategy by introducing Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus, which will facilitate the forces operating cross-border terrorism. It is in fact a success of Musharraf, who kept India confused about his military design to score some points for his Kargil fiasco.

Even against the known designs of the military rulers discussed above, the successive leadership of India always ignored the history and kept the real issues in back burner. They never took any lesson from the past in handling the foreign affairs. They repeatedly committed mistakes like historic Prithviraj Chauhan while dealing with Mohammad Ghori. Four major invasions after partition followed by peace exercises like Tashkand Agreement, Shimla Accord, and former Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayees Lahore bus journey proved futile. Maharaj Shivaji was perhaps the only Indian hero, who was extra alert against the peace initiative of Saista Khan.

One can understand the problem of Pakistani citizens to overcome the hatred and suspicion against India from their mental frame due to chauvinistic discourse in their text books. Without unloading the hate-India mental burden, the present generation may not like to participate whole heartedly in any meaningful peace talk. Besides, it is an irony of fate that the Ulama and the elite section of Muslims, who had no positive legacy for freedom from colonial rule have still not freed the masses of Pakistan from their seize.

Indian Independence act 1947 under which both India and Pakistan was founded as Independent States also provided liberty to 562 pre-partition independent kingdoms under indirect British rule to sign instrument of accession with either of the two countries if they desired so. But there was no provision in the Act for any review or revocation of the instrument of accession once signed. The then ruler of Kashmir signed the instrument of accession in favour of India and Indian army intervened Pak army only after instrument of accession was signed by the ruler of Kashmir and his kingdom became an integral part of India but a part of it remained under the occupation of Pakistan, which is known as Pak occupied Kashmir. Even against this sound legal status of Kashmirs complete and final integration of India, Pakistani leadership is continuing Machiavellian propaganda campaign for its illegal claim.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in response to the letter of Former Prime Minister Vajpayee assured that vital interests are fully safeguarded in peace talk with Pakistan. He was quite categorical saying, There can be no room in our discussions or in our actions for ambiguity regarding our position on Jammu and Kashmir. I have reiterated on every possible occasion that there can be no redrawing of boundaries. We have also ruled out any role for a third party either through interventions or as guarantor or as mediators in any form. Against the known stand of both India and Pakistan how people to people contact would remove the growing suspicion and mistrust between the two countries since partition until the boundary dispute and Kashmir issue are resolved remains a mystery.

Our past experience shows that Pakistan leadership always let us down after the peace initiative.

Against the historical background of Pakistan Movement, hate-India as national identity and political ideology of anti-Indianism any Indo-Pak peace initiative, which has created laudatory euphoria, excitement and enthusiasm among a cross section of people of the two countries may be meaningless. It has only provided an opportunity to the academicians, journalists and political observers to exchange their views like the aspirant orators expound in speakers corner in the world famous eighteenth century park in central London, any fruitful outcome is just like chasing a mirage.

One may wonder if there could be a solution for lasting peace in the region. Where there is a will there is a way is a popular saying. Let opinion makers in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh initiate a debate and create an environment for a movement against the separatist two-nation theory to unload this mental burden of the illiterate and uneducated Muslim masses of the three countries and reinvent their future political set up by forgetting the past. Except Israel, Pakistan is the only country in the world, which came to existence on the basis of religion. If European countries that too had fought among themselves presently have peaceful relation why not we?

It may apparently be a difficult proposition due to the bitter experience of situational ups and downs but may not be impossible. The only obstruction will be the unholy alliance of army, radical Islamists and the ruling elite of Pakistan. This ruling clique of Pakistan leadership may ridicule the idea and reincarnate Jinnahs ghost of Hindu domination over Muslims and use it as a tool to misguide their people. The opinions makers are to be watchful against such nefarious design.
Union of Hearts, which was the cherished dream of Mahatma Gandhi is the only solution for lasting peace in the region. Muslims. Alas! Jinnah had fought for Indians as a whole without separating his co-religionists from united India. Partition was an unnatural division of historically integrated and geographically compact India. Any viable solution for peace in the region needs natural union of the three unnaturally divided nations.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THACKERYES BY RAMAKANT TIWARI

My Dear Chaachaa & Bhatijaa Thakerays,

Namaste.

I hope, my missive finds you in a sombre mood, brooding over as to why you all did not come out in the open with your ( un !! )licenced arms, storm into the Taj Gateway/Nariman House or the CST Railway Station in the historical Chhattrapati spirit to kill the Afjal/Shaista Khans who came from the ocean on the fateful night of Nov.26, 2008.

You and your teeming lakhs of Chhattrapatis turned out to be cowering rabbits, brought shame on the great soul and patriot that Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj was, under whose glories you all have been basking all these years...and minting crores too !!! Did your hearts cry out in anguish when a number of widows who lost their husbands and a great mother who sacrificed her young son, walked up the stairs one by one to accept the medals, scroll of honour on the Republic Day from a Congress MARATHI MAANUSH President ? Did your hearts bleed then ??

Your hearts bled when very poor, weak, mal-nourished/under-nourished boys from Bihar/UP came over to Mumbai in search of jobs, then hundreds of petty, hefty and paid Chhattrapatis swooped down and thrashed them in public, in full view of the international media. And the boys did not retaliate at all !!! What laurels did you earn for the Marathi Manush, for Maharashtra, and India for that matter, if India really matters to you ??? The boys innocently thought, Mumbai is their country...and also that UP/Bihar equally belongs to all Maharashtrians as well !! And the reasons proffered by you to justify the assault are simply too pathetic, too flimsy to merit any serious discussion. Any genuine introspection shall leave you utterly self-humiliated and acutely embarrassed.

While you were holed-up in five-star comforts of your mansions like cowering rabbits, young boys from Bihar, UP, Haryana and Keral were defending Mumbai on that fateful night, without giving even an iota of selfish considerations to their families and their own lives. Did you behold that with tears in your eyes ???

Innumerable non-Maharashtrians have been sentimentally attached to Mumbai for long and I happen to be one of them, because I was born and brought up there. This association with Mumbai started when the British-Indian Army retired my grandfather in Mumbai. Don't say, my family went to Mumbai with a begging bowl.

When the nation was constituted, it was implicit, every corner of the country is accessible to everybody. Non-Maharashtrian businessmen established their production bases there...the journey of economic development moved on...Mumbai/Maharashtra became completely cosmopolitan, rather a mini-India within India. Every Indian has the right to be proud of Mumbai/Maharashtra and every Indian has equal right to ownership of Mumbai/Maharashtra just as you have the same equal right to ownership of Mumbai/Maharashtra as well entire India ( if you are inclined so !!!). No Chhattrapati including you both individually, has any right to question this ownership right of non-Maharashtrians to Mumbai/Maharashtra under any circumstance, whatsoever. Otherwise, there are several tough-nuts all over the country today who are waiting in their wings to strike a deadly blow to your mule-headed regionalism.

Since you both never move out of Maharashtra owing to your narrowed attitude and stunted intellect, I shall limit myself to Mumbai & Maharashtra alone for this 'With Warm Regards Mail'

Let me call out a few spades, a spade.


When General Vaidya was assassinated, so many non-Maharashtrians felt so miserable that they did not eat even a morsel on that day...I am too, one of them !!! It was very agonising to see a General being derogated in this manner by the anti-national forces. It just did not matter whether he was a Maharashtrian.

You too, suffer from the 'Ghetto mentality'.

Heal yourself and inspire all Chhattrapatis to heal themselves.

Tell them to spread out of Maharashtra all over India, settle down all around and merge into the larger Indian society.

Maharashtrians are very much my own people and I do not allow anyone to derogate them or offend their culture under any circumstance.

Every nook & corner of the country is rightfully owned by every Chhattrapati Maharashtrian and every nook & corner of Maharashtra is rightfully owned by every Indian.

VANDE MAATARAM


RAMAKANT TIWARI

SALARY OF MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN INDIA- OUR JAWAIS

Monthly Salary : 12,000

Expense for Constitution per month :10,000

Office expenditure per month :14,000

Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km) :48,000 ( eg.For a visit from kerala to Delhi & return: 6000 km)

Daily DA TA during parliament meets :500/day

Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train:Free (For any number oftimes)
(All over India )

Charge for Business Class in flights :Free for 40 trips / year (With wife or P.A.)

Rent for MP hostel at Delhi :Free

Electricity costs at home : Freeup to 50,000 units

Local phone call charge :Free up to 1 ,70,000 calls.

TOTAL expense for a MP [having no qualification] per year : 32,00,000 [i.e. 2.66 lakh/month]

TOTAL expense for 5 years :1,60,00,000

For 534 MPs, the expense for 5 years :
8,54,40,00,000 (nearly 855 crores)

This is legal money from govt. treasury. Think of the illegal money
they have. It is unimaginable....

Certainly our public servants are the real Jamais." Raja amir, Janta Fakir. "

AND THE PRIME MINISTER IS ASKING THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, OUT PERFORMING CEOs TO CUT DOWN THEIR SALARIES.....

This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on our regular commodities.......
And this is the present condition of our country:

855 crores could make their life livable !!
Think of the great democracy we have.......

Still proud to be an Indian !!!!

DYNASTIC RULE DAYS NUMBERED ?

The following article is inspired by an eminent historian and writer Ramchandra Guha.

In 1960, Frank Moraes wrote that " there is no question of ( Jawaharlal Nehru's attempting to create a dynasty rule of his own, it would be inconsistent with his character and career ". Two things are significant about this statement: the year, and the writer. For Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi, had just finished a term as President Of Indian National Congress. And by 1960, Moraes had become a sharp critic of Nehru's policies.

Indira Gandhi brought Sanjay Gandhi into public life. During the Emergency of 1975-77, he was the second most powerful person in India, despite not being a minister or even an MP. He was now appointed general secretary, a clear sign that his mother hoped him to succeed her as Prime Minister.

6 months later, Sanjay died in a plane crash. Now Rajiv Gandhi was drafted into politics by his mother, and made general secretary of the Congress. This latter induction showed even more clearly than the 1st that the creation of a dynasty of her own was wholly consistent with the character and career of Indira Gandhi.

In a weak moment, Jawaharlal Nehru allowed Mrs. Gandhi one term as Congress President. His fellow Congressmen, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad, steadfastly refused to bring their own progeny into politics. In passing of her mantle to Sanjay and Rajiv, Mrs Gandhi thus acted in violation of Congress tradition. To quite an extent BJP too, does not have much sons and daughters in politics.

Once the oldest and greatest of Indian parties had decided that ideology took second place to genetics, why should the lesser parties stay loyal to their own past creeds ? Consider the career of DMK. This was the 1st successful party in India, whose idelogy embraced far more than opposition to the centre. Apart of dignity of the Tamils, the DMK also promoted caste reform and gender equality. Now all that it worries about is which son of Karunanidhi will succeed him as CM of Tamil Nadu. Or Mulayam Singh Yadav is more committed to socialism than to his son Akhilesh becoming a minister at the Centre or CM of Uttar Pradesh ?

By now, perhaps a dozen parties have become family firms, their rather grandnames notwithstanding. RJD shoud really be known as Lalu, Mrs Lalu & Co, H.D. Dev Gowda And Sons, The NCP as Sharad Pawar and Daughter Inc., Badal & Family ( pvt ) Ltd in Punjab. 6 ministers in Badal's cabinet are from Badal Family out of 18 ministers. When Sukhbir Badal was recently made Deputy CM of Punjab, there was no power cut, which in winters run to approx- 6-7 hours daily. You can imagine, what will happen in summers. But there seems to be one exception to the rule. Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah, current CM of J&K seems to be energetic and a man with a vision. But only time will answer that.

That so many parties have followed in the path of Indira Gandhi's Congress has had a negative impact on democracy in India. The Aam Admi asks, is it what democracy all about ? The old idiom " Baap Raja, Beta Vazir, Janta fakir " is proved right in this kind of democracy.

Thus, it may be that the allure and significance of dynastic politics has peaked. It may be that indian voters are disenchanted with the placement of a family's interests above those of the state or country. This might be one conclusion that one can tentatively draw from electrol successes of Mayawati in UP and of Narendra Modi in Gujarat who, despite their ideological differences are yet united in the public eye by the perception that they cant forever be thinking of the interests of their sons or daughters or husbands or wives. Modi's sister is employed in a ordinary school earning Rs.ten thousand monthly.

The hypothesis will be put to the test in the coming Lok Sabha elections and years. Will Stalin be humbled at the polls by a woman who is not a wife or mother, namely, Jayalalitha ? Will Udhav Thackery come to be CM of Maharashtra or even the remote control behind him ? Above all, will Rahul Gandhi ever lead his party to a majority in Parliament, as his father, grandmother and great-grandfather had done before him ? If the answer to these questions are Yes, No and No respectively, one might may definately conclude that the heyday of dynastic politics is behind us.

FORCED CORPORATE FUNDING TO POLITICAL PARTIES ?

The following article is inspired by T.K. Arun.

The Satyam swindle is outrageous, no doubt. The facile outrage over this outrage, however, is even more outrageous. Politics in the world's largest
democracy is an expensive affair, running to several hundred thousand crore rupees every year. The bulk of this money comes from companies, generated off the books. Indians have collectively been closing their eyes to this malaise. Can the Satyam episode serve to shake off this sickly pretence? The Satyam culprits should, of course, be prosecuted. Even more germane is the need to overhaul the entire system of political funding that makes cooked books not only possible, but mandatory.

It was widely reported in the media recently that several crore rupees went missing from the BJP's central office in the Capital. No police complaint was filed. Assume this was a mere story. But does anyone have any doubt that not just the BJP, but every major political party in the country, funds itself out of the goodwill, forced or voluntary, of corporate India?

When we see our political leaders whizzing around in hired helicopters and chartered planes, let us be clear that some substantial contribution has been made by some industrial house or the other. Do all industrial houses disclose every paisa of what they contribute? Do they reveal even 10% of what they donate? Will those who receive these donations permit them to reveal that money has changed hands? After all, a significant portion of political contributions end up with individual leaders rather than with their parties.

And it is not just politicians and political parties that require to be propitiated to get things moving in our system. Bureaucrats too are important players in their own right who have to be taken care of. Civil servants who wear suits that cost more than their pay commission arrears and lead flamboyant lives symbolise money being generated off the books no less than high-flying politicians.

Nor is the problem limited to officials at the top. The petty bureaucracy is even more demanding, with more frequent, insistent and multifarious demands for permitting business in India to occupy buildings, make transactions, create jobs and incomes, indeed, to breathe. An automobile major dropped its plans to run company-owned showrooms in the country after pilot experiments came up with a shortage of grease - they could either service the cars on sale or lubricate the palms that suddenly proliferated all around.

Nor is this all. Protection rackets, some of them with a thin political disguise, also demand their cut. In the northeast, companies have shown, in the past, money paid as ransom to liberate kidnapped officials as deductible expense. This led to disputes. So such expenses all over India are now paid without being shown on the books at all.

And let us be clear. All these companies making these payments have employed internal and external auditors, to comply with regulatory requirement.

Reputed audit firms routinely sign off on books they perfectly know to be cooked in assorted ways. They have no choice but to collude. After all, they have to work in this country and with its business as it is. The blame lies with the system as a whole, not selectively with those who are forced to play a role in the system.

And the very creation of funds off the books generates further points of vulnerability and corruption that politicians and the bureaucracy can use to extort funds. Over-invoicing of supplies is a routine method. This calls for the collusion of a series of players along upward linkages. Most of them would insist on their take.

In the absence of an institutional method of funding politics, we have the present, alternate method of financing: loot of the exchequer, extortion from the public, corruption of the entire system. The rot runs deep and breaks to the surface occasionally as toxic pistules that may take the shape of a Satyam here or an engineer beaten to death for not coughing up money for a birthday bash, somewhere else.

This must change. But who will take the initiative? Political parties? Why should they, on their own, change a system that has been yielding riches on a grand scale to parties and partymen, at least the leaders? Some reform-minded politicians might emerge from the woodwork, however. But they will need a constituency of strong support. Who will provide that? The public at large should. But the lead should be taken by corporate India and large investors.

Market capitalisation on the stock market has emerged as the most vital source of riches for businessmen. Money off the books lowers the market cap. This is incentive enough for business leaders to take up the fight. In the increasingly globalising market for capital, clean books become even more vital. Historically, capitalists have played a revolutionary role in building democracy. Indian capitalists have their chance now to make history. Will they be content to just do more Satyams?

As far as i can understand supporting Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat by all the top corporates at recent Vibrant Gujarat Summit at the same time is no coincidence. It was not because of sudden love For Modi, which prompted all the big corporates to support him in one voice, as the next Prime Minister. They seem to have learnt their lessons from the Satyam scam. We all know that Satyam was a conduit for the politicians to get their illegal money stashed abroad, to get back to India. The modus operndi was that Satyam used to make fictious billings to bogus companies abroad. The bogus companies abroad used to make payments against Satyam's billings. After receiving the illegal money in the shape of payments, it used to be transferred to hundreds of benami accounts in shape of FD's. At an opportune time, these politicians used to encash these FD's. Thus Satyam was playing a role of a middleman to get ill gotten wealth of the politicians, back into India.

But once, one of the investors broke the news and the nexus, the entire blame came on Raju, the founding chairman of Satyam. Within 48 hours, he was arrested, before he could spill the beans to media. Till today, SEBI has tried its best to lay its hands on Raju, but nothing has happened till now. And truth will never be known.

Big corporate houses are now scared to cook up books for the sake of politicians, as they have known from the Satyam scam, that politicians do not take a second to disown them, if such kind of a scandal breaks out again. They found In Modi, an honest man, who is only concerned for the development of his state, without any kickbacks. They are sick of corrupt politicians, who can break their companies, face humiliation and thus imprisonment like Raju, if any such scandal erupts in future. Satyam case may be a blessing in disguise.

INDIAN CORPORATES PUT INDIA ON THE MOON

I hope Satyam episode is only one isolated case which shows the darkest side of indian corporates and puts question mark on corporate governance in India but there are plenty of corporates from whom the west is learning. This is the most postive side of indian corporates of whom we are proud of.

The West is smitten by the idea of India, And its about the rags to riches story of " Slumdog millionare ". The west is also learning from this country about the way to go in the future.

It is now seen as a country that has moved up the value chain. India has the ability to produce engineering marvels as well as the most cost-efficient cars by itself. The country provides engineering support to multinationals, can write software and hardware in the IT space which helps global giants and can launch a Moon mission all by itself.

Almost a year ago, as Ratan Tata unveiled the cheapest car in the world, against many speculations, it was not an autorickshaw on 4 wheels. The Nano has already created several opportunties and given a boost to auto-engineering.

Only 2 decades ago, India could not think beyond Fiat and the Ambassador. Besides, there were very few component mfrs in the country. Enter the 1990's and the situation changes manifold with component-makers jostling for space and partnering with foreign players.

The Nano is already the cheapest car in the world. However, it is not just about the price. The Tata Nano, which boasts of supreme engineering, has about 100 vendors, most of them based in India. Tata Motors has reportedly filed 34 patents related to innovations in the design of Nano. India is moving up the value chain and that is not just true in the case of stalwarts like Tata, but also for several emerging companies. A Pune based company has seen a spectacular growth. The company makes industrial robots and also boasts to be one of the largest automation firms in the world. The company provides robots to industries, especially for hazardous work, like its robots are installed in Tata Motors for welding and pressing when Indica was launched.

It is also one of the several companies involved in Chandrayan-1, India's 1st mission to the moon launched by ISRO. All the companies involved in the project were indian which not only made the mission a success but also a less expensive affair. The mission is beleived to have cost one-third of other such moon missions cost. The main reason for this is the lower weight of the vehicle, and secondly, the innovativeness of the indian companies in maintaining costs. ISRO, apart from the 40 players involved in the mission, is looking for more business. ISRO expects a business of around $60 million from manufacturing satellites for 3rd parties elsewhere.

Several companies, like L&T which were also involved in Chandrayan, are expanding their horizons towards defence sector too. They are also looking forward when indian govt. trusts indian companies not only for small projects but also for building aircraft and submarines.

BRAVO. INDIAN COMPANIES HAVE ARRIVED.

MORAL POLICING- NOT ALLOWED

On 25th January a pub in Mangalore was attacked by members of Sri Ram Sena in the name of Moral policing. Girls were being hit brutally by these men who called themselves the crusaders of the Hindu faith.

I feel so much pain and helplessness when I see acts of rage against women being flaunted right on my face.

Moral policing! Or goondaism in the name of it.…

They are goondas, who are giving bad name to hindus. Hindu philosophy does not teach violence, specially against women.

This world has advanced a lot. Maybe a lot more and a lot faster for some to even comprehend. But just because we do not understand it or cannot catch upto it does not give us any right to condemn it. And certainly not in this manner. When will the men of this nation understand that the traditional sanctity of our country is as much a man’s responsibility as a woman’s.

Women in this country have faced a lot. And it gives me chillers to see that it would take us generations to give women their due respect in this society.

The so called Sri ram sena members are outright hooligans, whose agenda is nothing but gaining political presence. Be it rioting in the name of Islam or forced conversions or mere goondaism in the name of moral policing. These disoriented youth do not realise that they are being played upon as pawns by hard core political pimps who want to gain attention. They are the people who defeat the Hindu cause, which stands for peace and non-violence.

And as per the survey by a leading German Magazine, Hindus have not waged war against any other country for last 1000 years. How can they can be called hindus ?

Its such a forbidden crime to even hit a cow in hindu religion and even shoo away a cow. But when I saw these guys hitting and beating up women today, I was ashamed to be called a hindu.

Its such a pleasure for some to see their wife, mother, sister and daughters to be oppressed. To be mum and never express. To be alive and only procreate. Such hooligans are nothing but Talibans without the turbans!!!

Its such a shame that we are in the times of India having its first even woman president and the women in the country still have to face such attrocities!

HINDU TERROR- MYTHS & TRUTHS- POLITICIZATION

Mumbai Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Tuesday filed the charge sheet in the Sep 29, 2008 Malegaon blast case before the Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Court Judge Y.D. Shinde.


The ATS lodged the charge sheet running into more than 4,250 pages and the accused face charges under various sections of the stringent MCOCA and the Arms and Explosives Act.

The prosecution and all the defence lawyers argued at length over whether the provisions of the stringent MCOCA were applicable to the accused.

Ganesh Sovani, one of the defence lawyers, told IANS that the prosecution's contentions on invoking the MCOCA against the accused were flawed and some points raised were as an "afterthought.

Hindu terror and Islamic terror are two sides of the same coin, is the new ‘secularist’ slogan. This is the saffron variety of terror, we are told. Meanwhile, the Sangh Parivar while retaining faith in their “Hindu cannot be terrorist” axiom, has strangely again succumbed to these ‘secularist’ tactics by publicly disowning use of the term ‘Islamic terror’ in the vain hope that the former would take pity and eschew from the newly created Hindu counterpart. But the din of Hindu terror has become louder with every passing day. It is almost inexplicable the manner in which the Malegaon blasts has shared media space despite its minimal magnitude. In contrast, a succeeding Assam blast which killed almost 15 times more people vanished despite proof emerging of a Muslim Congress member’s complicity in the blast.

The ‘secular’ media has charged the ‘saffron’ party of having politicized the terror debate by defending the accused or more precisely the linkage of Hindutva with terrorism. For instance, the Statesman, in a scathing editorial accuses Rajnath Singh of being responsible for giving currency to what is called “Islamic Terrorism.” But this gives rise explicitly to the question, that why has the mainstream English media including the TOI and the HT which have never dared used the term “Muslim Terror” consistently been using unproven associations of Hinduism with terror? It almost seems that the same sanctimonious media is carefully grooming Hindu terror in their aura of false consciousness, as a balancing act against future Muslim terror episodes. But as we shall soon see, the politicization of debate on the Hindu terror has little to do with the BJP and more to do with the ‘secularist’ camp.

Initially, it is imperative that we understand that reason why ‘Muslim terror’ is a legitimate association. Contrary to the general misunderstanding, it does not connote that all Muslims are terrorists and neither attempts in any way to associate the entire Muslim community with terror. Instead, it largely signifies that the driving ideological force behind terrorism of this variety is Islam. I will not go into the debate on the violent verses of the Quran promoting Islamicization of the whole world and whether those verses are read out of context by Islamists, as very often scriptures can be interpreted in diverse ways. But the ‘secular’ compromise in deriving a counterpart of Islamic terror is illogical since Hinduism and Islam are poles apart in their belief structures, secondly there have been no Hindus who have been ready to blow themselves up in the service of their religion which is a global phenomenon with Jihadi warriors, thirdly the accused in the Malegaon blast cases were at most reactionaries against Islamic terror but never have they have claimed to derive inspiration from Hindu theology.

Coming to the politicization of the Malegaon blasts, it is not to be forgotten that soon after the arrest, the initial statement by the BJP was the law should take its own course, although there was a general feeling of disbelief which was natural since previously no Hindu had been implicated in any bomb blasts. It were only the ‘secularists’ and the Islamic apologists who adopted “we always told you so!” attitudes. For the Congress, it was a godsent opportunity to win back the confidence of the Muslim community after the Batla House encounter in which suspected Muslim terrorists shot dead a police officer in cold blood. In a brazen act of minority appeasement, Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari issued an insinuation wondering whether Delhi, Varanasi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Ahmedabad terror strikes were outsourced by Sangh parivar affiliates to the SIMI/IM. It is foolish to expect that the BJP would have remained silent in the face of such unfair ‘secular’ aggression.

Under the circumstances, one could not help notice the absolutely unprofessional and biased manner in which the ATS operated. Daily new masterminds moving from periphery to center, selective leakage of rumours to the ‘secular’ media, character assassination of the accused, RDX in today and out the next day, RSS involved yesterday- RSS the target tomorrow; all theories which are ample testimony to the nature of its functioning. As Kanchan Gupta writes, “If the ATS were really serious about its job and under “zero political pressure”, it would have steered clear of media publicity, put together the evidence, presented it in a court of law and secured convictions”

A Sadhvi was arrested on the charge that her own bike was used in the blasts which B Raman, the anti terror expert reasoned was absolutely improbable. When a three tier Narco test came out negative, it was blamed on her yogic powers of evasion! A telephonic conversion which was not recorded but overheard by a witness is also doubtful at best, since one cannot envisage how a telephonic conversion can be heard both ways except through a speaker phone which is not used for private conversations! Rediff.com accused her of being a woman of loose character, who masterminded the blast to avenge the murder of her boyfriend Sunil Joshi who was eliminated by suspected SIMI activists this year. In spite of such depraved conspiracy theories besotted with the idea of casting aspersions on her chastity, even if proven true would actually reduce the current case to nothing more than personal vendetta, certainly not religion based terror!

It is astonishing that the horrifying affidavit filed by the Sadhvi Pragya, accusing ATS of torture both physical and mental was conveniently ignored by every human right group substantiating the suspicion that they operate primarily as minority terrorism right groups. Worse, the journalist turned cartoonist Jug Suraiya caricatured the tortured Sadhvi through a sickly ‘secular’ joke in the Times of India. Those, who shed copious tears for suspected jihadis tortured in police cells lose track of the fact, that men (and women) who are ready to blow themselves in the service of their religion will never confess their crimes under ordinary circumstances. Even when innocent as in Hyderabad, it is part of the collateral damage a community experiences which refuses to take accountability for their deviant children and the ideology which moulds them. All in all, collateral damage needs to be distinguished from political witch-hunts.

Then, a serving colonel of the army was arrested and immediately made the kingpin of the Samjhauta blasts. Less than 24 hours later, a red faced ATS retracted their claim when a forensic lab confirmed that it was not RDX which was used in the blasts. The Army also dismissed claims that 60 kg of RDX could be amiss from their stores, even as the ATS considered the missing RDX to have been dumped in the Jhelum. Meanwhile, the ATS keeps exploring possibilities for abuse of this waterproof, undiscovered yet missing RDX.

When a Hindu seer was arrested, the apprehension of Hindu leaders was considered communal tactics. But could a sincere Hindu help recalling the infamous, Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati conspiracy case in which the ‘secular’ media played such an egregious role in defaming both him, and the Math that the Andhra High Court was compelled to intervene and issue a stern warning to all these agencies of ‘secular’ terror, for “the amount of disrepute and sacrilege inflicted upon Sri Jayendra Saraswati, as of now, is so enormous that it has hardly any comparables". It seems the ‘secular’ media derives some perverse pleasure in slandering Hindu godmen. Or else what can explain several reporters calling this Shankacharya as an imposter with an alias in Dayanand Pandey, oblivious of the Hindu sanyasa tradition in which one renounces his previous identity while taking up a life of renunciation. This also points to the disconnect between Macualay’s children and the real India. Another channel dug up porn in his laptop, as if they had private access to it. More pertinently, even if true how does watching porn make a terrorist of a man, even if a deviant seer?

The ATS web keeps expanding every day, through the fallacious accusation of ‘guilt by association.’ Everyone in contact with such important public figures like the colonel, the shankacharya and the sadhvi are now considered a threat and suspect. An endocrinologist was publicly defamed; then attempts were made to malign Sri Sri Ravi Shankara of the prestigious Art of living foundation. The enlightened Swami calmly took on the ‘secularist’ media and informed that it was his solemn duty to transform the lives of all including terrorists, and he rightly explained the radicalization of certain Hindu groups as a consequence of the shadow of Islamic fundamentalism looming large over the nation.

To Mr Vir Sanghvi’s sophistical allegory in the Hindustan Times, someone posted the counter question - What happens if the police suspected an imam and tried to arrest him. Immediately thousands of Muslim men, women and children would have rushed to the streets with the cry of “Islam in Danger.” The police fearing a riot would avoid arresting the accused – this is exactly what happened when recently the Jaipur Police tried to arrest Abdul Matin, a fanatical cleric of Benares! Even if arrested, the terrorist sympathizers in the media and in the civil rights and the human right groups would have rushed to his defense, while supposedly secular politicians would hurry to his home to console his family and promise that they would leave no stone unturned in getting him released. There are several such crypto Muslim terrorists including a prominent Delhi based cleric who have been left untouched. Moreover, how much loyalty some Muslims have for India can be comprehended by Mr Sanghvi when he notices how much respect they shared for M C Sharma who died defending the cause of his motherland.



The politicization of Malegaon by the ‘secular’ forces is also suggested by the fact that MCOCA has been applied on the accused through exploitation of loopholes in the law. The two main suspects Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt-Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit had no crime history while to invoke the MCOCA, the prosecuting agency needs to ascertain that the suspects have at least two major criminal involvements registered with the police anywhere in the country, and so the ATS invoked a 4 yr old case against a minor accused Rakesh Dhawade and consequently charged all the 11 accused with conspiracy to wage war against the nation. But in stark contrast, the god fearing Muslim students who are said to have murdered M C Sharma and are also accused in the Delhi blast case were never charged under MCOCA, possibly to appease Muslim voters before the Delhi Assembly poles where Congress fortunes hung in the balance. Is it not hideous hypocrisy, that while a terror law like POTA is repealed, and GUJCOCA denied, an exactly similar law like MCOCA is considered essential for law enforcement in Maharashtra run by the same Congress government!

All in all there is a conscious attempt by some political parties to divert attention from the failures of the current government to tackle Islamic terror, which has killed thousands of innocent Hindus since it came to power. Such myopic vision which does not extend beyond the next election may provide some immediate electoral gain but in the long run will only spell doom for the nation.

PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN

I am reproducing the article, sent to me by my niece, Minna, ( Ritu Juneja ). Hope you will like it.

Q. Who is the GM of Hewlett Packard (hp) ?
A. Rajiv Gupta


Q. Who is the creator of Pentium chip (needs no introduction as 90% of
the today's computers run on it)?
A. Vinod Dahm


Q. Who is the third richest man on the world?
A. According to the latest report on Fortune Magazine, it is Azim
Premji, who is the CEO of Wipro Industries. The Sultan of Brunei is at
6 th position now.

Q. Who is the founder and creator of Hotmail (Hotmail is world's No.1
web based email program)?
A. Sabeer Bhatia

Q. Who is the president of AT & T-Bell Labs (AT & T-Bell Labs is the
creator of program languages such as C, C++, Unix to name a few)?
A. Arun Netravalli

Q. Who is the new MTD (Microsoft Testing Director) of Windows 2000,
responsible to iron out all initial problems?
A. Sanjay Tejwrika




Q. Who are the Chief Executives of CitiBank, Mckensey & Stanchart?
A. Victor Menezes, Rajat Gupta, and Rana Talwar.

Q. We Indians are the wealthiest among all ethnic groups in America ,
even faring better than the whites and the natives.
There are 3.22 millions of Indians in USA (15% of population). YET,
38% of doctors in USA are Indians.
12% scientists in USA are Indians.
36% of NASA scientists are Indians.
34% of Microsoft employees are Indians.
28% of IBM employees are Indians.
17% of INTEL scientists are Indians.
13% of XEROX employees are! Indians.


Some of the following facts may be known to you. These facts were
recently published in a German magazine, which deals with WORLD
HISTORY FACTS ABOUT INDIA .

1. India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.
2. India invented the Number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
3. The world's first University was established in Takshila in 700BC.
More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60
subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4 th century BC was
one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of
education.
4. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable
language for computer software.

5. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.
6. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty
striken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was
once the richest empire on earth.

7. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 5000 years ago.
The very word "Navigation" is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH.
8. The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained
the concept of what is now k! nown as the Pythagorean Theorem. British
scholars have last year (1999) officially published that Budhayan's
works dates to the 6 th Century which is long before the European
mathematicians.

9. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India . Quadratic
equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11 th Century; the largest
numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Indians used
numbers as big as 10 53
10. According to the Gemmological Institute of America , up until
1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.

11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion
amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Pr!
ofessor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.

13. Chess was invented in India .
14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health
scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract,
fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in
ancient India .
15. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers
over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu
Valley ( Indus ValleyIndia in 100 BC.


Quotes about India .
We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which
no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.
Albert Einstein.




India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech,
the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand
mother of tradition.
Mark Twain.

If there is one place on the face of earth where all dreams of living
men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the
dream of existence, it is India .
French scholar Romain Rolland.

India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries
without ever having to send a single soldier across her border.
Hu Shih
(former Chinese ambassador to USA )


ALL OF THE ABOVE IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG, THE LIST COULD BE ENDLESS.
BUT, if we don't see even a glimpse of that great India in the India
that we see today, it clearly means that we are not working up to our
potential; and that if we do, we could once again be an evershining
and inspiring country setting a bright path for rest of the world to
follow.
I hope you enjoyed it and work towards the welfare of INDIA .


Say proudly, I AM AN INDIAN.

ASKING THE KILLER TO CONFESS ?

Pakistan has played a mastersroke and Indian diplomacy has failed miserably. Pakistan has been able to convince the western world of free and fair trial in Pakistan on people responsible for Mumbai terror.

Imagine a killer, setting up its own court, own prosecution, own defence, own judge and coming out with a free and fair trial ? The verdict is already out. Some small jehadis will be blamed for the Mumbai terror attack and all evidence will be cooked up to link them up and they will be put to jail for sometime, till everyone in the world, including India cools down and thus releasing the same jehadis from the jail. Business will be as usual, preparing for another attack on India. A complete eyewash.


Let us not even assume that Zardari is in control. Poor man-- he did not trust his own investigators to probe his wife's assassination--- he wanted Scotland Yard to do the job. Now he blabbers that if his investgators are satisfied, then he will initiate action against terrorists, sitting inside Pakistan. What a double-faced nation ?

India and the whole world knows, it is going be an eyewash. Has the world opinion and diplomacy gone disssray due to blackmail of nuclear Pakistan ? I think it has. Even a child in this world can tell you that Pakistan is the epicentre of terror in the globe. The worst commodity exported from Pakistan is terror. Have western nations been crippled by nuclear Pakistan ? The answer is yes. Every country on this earth knows what Pakistan is all about, but they seemed to be too scared to take any action, including India, which suffers humiliation and terror attacks repeatedly from Pakistan.

I can very well imagine the anger and frustration Of Asma Jehangir, human rights activist in Pakistan. She and her friends have to live with a double sword. While visiting India, the accusations of indian media and the torture of Pakistani authorities on them. The view of a common man in Pakistan is entirely different to Pakistani govt. They all want peace and trade with India and visa-versa.

A stable Pakistan is not in the interest of world peace,
leave alone India. Army controls the country and owns its
economy.

A significant portion of its GDP is due to army-controlled
entities (See: Military Inc - Inside Pakistan's Military
Economy, by Ayesha Siddiqa; OUP; 2007). One can easily say
that Pakistan economy and its Army/ISI are synonymous.

Unless this elementary fact is internalised, we are not
going anywhere. This implies we should stop talking of a
stable Pakistan since a stable Pakistan means multiple
attacks on many more cities of India by that rogue
organisation ISI, which is the core of the Pakistan Army
and the heart of Pakistan's economy.

Periodically, the Pakistan Army likes to present some
useful idiots (as Lenin would have called them) as elected
representatives and we swoon over such events.
India should take the following steps to destabilise the
economy of Pakistan:

1. Identify the major export items of Pakistan (like
Basmati rice, carpets, etc) and provide zero export tax or
even subsidise them for export from India. Hurt Pakistan on
the export front.

2. Identify the major countries providing arms to Pakistan
and arm twist them. Tell Brazil and Germany (currently
planning to supply massive defense items to Pakistan) that
it will impact their ability to invest in India. Tell
Germany that retail license to Metro will be off and other
existing projects will be in jeopardy.

3. Incidentally, after the arrival of Coke and Pepsi in
China, the human rights violations of China are not talked
about much by US government organs. Think it is a
coincidence? Unless we use our markets to arm-twist arms
exporters to Pakistan, we will not achieve our objectives.

4. Tell American companies that for every 5% increase in
FDI limit for them, their government needs to reduce
equipping Pakistan by $5 billion. That is real politics,
not whining. Let us remember that funds are in desperate
search of emerging markets and not the other way about. Let
us also remember that international economics is politics
by another name.

5. Create assets to print/distribute their currency widely
inside their country. To some extent, Telgi types can be
used to outsource this activity. Or just drop their notes
in remote areas.

6. Pressurise IMF to add additional conditionality to the
loans given to them or at least do not vote for their
loans.

7. Create assets within Pakistan to destabilise Karachi
stock market - it is already in a shambles.

8. Cricket and Bollywood are the opium of the Indian middle
classes. Both have been adequately manipulated/ controlled
by the D-company since the eighties. Chase the D-company
money in cricket/ Bollywood and punish by burning D-assets
in India instead of trying to have them auctioned by the IT
department when nobody comes to bid for it.

9. Provide for capital punishment to those who fund terror
and help in that. We have the division in the finance
ministry to monitor money laundering, etc. It is important
that terror financing is taken seriously and fully
integrated into money laundering monitoring systems and
this division is provided with much larger budget and human
resources. And it should coordinate with RAW.

10. Encourage and allow scientists/ academicians/ elites of
Pakistan to opt for Indian passport and widely publicise
that fact since it will hurt their self-respect and
dignity. There will be a long queue to get Indian passports
-- many will jump to get our passport -- since they will
not be stopped at international airports. It is rumoured
that Adnan Sami wants one. Do not give passports to all --
make it a prized possession. Let it hurt the army- and ISI-
controlled country. This one step will destroy their
identity and self-confidence.

11. Discourage companies from India from investing in
Pakistan, particularly IT companies, till Pakistan stops
exporting its own IT (international terrorism).

12. In all these, it is important that we do not bring in
the domestic religious issues. The target is the terror
central, namely Pakistan, and if there are elements helping
them here then they also should be punished -- irrespective
of religious labels. If Pakistan is dismantled and the idea
of Pakistan is gone, many of our domestic issues will also
be sorted out.

13. There should be " Military Encirclement " by India and America
through a rising presence in Afghanistan on western borders and
India on the eastern border. " Sandwitch " Pakistan should be
the strategy.

Will the Indian elite go for the jugular or just light more
candles and organise peace marathons and scream at the formless/
nameless political class before TV cameras ?

It is going to be a long haul and may be in a decade or so,
we can find a solution to our existential crisis of being
attacked by barbarians from the West.

MY DREAM FOR INDIA IN 2009

The following article is inspired by Kiran Karnik, who is the new board member of Satyam. I happened to listen to his speech at FRNV summit in Oct, 2008 in Delhi.

We end one year and enter another. It is but appropriate that the first month of the year is named after Janus, the two-faced Greek God who looks simultaneously forward and backward, appropriate, for what better time to review the past and plan for the future ? The year gone by has been momentous one, and will be remembered by many in India as the year of an unprecented global economic crisis and the horrific terror in Mumbai. For a moment, though, ignore the rear-view mirror. Instead, eyes shut, let us dream of a year that may be, of a future that is desirable and yet possible. Unhibited by present constraints, let us dream big, for " man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's heaven for ".

With Lok Sabha elections round the corner--- may the turnout be massive, the full process peaceful, without intimidation, coercion or corruption, and the electorate make an informed choice. May parties select honest candidates with no criminal history, and solicit votes on the basis of their ideology, candidate and leadership. May the electorate reject parties and candidates who appeal to caste, religion, region or other sectarian identities.

May we have a cabinet of competent, upright individuals who focus on strengthening and building institutions, and of creating a happy, prosperous, just and compassionate society. May they have the resolve to protect us from enemies and the wisdom to recognise that the threats are not only to our life, but equally to our way of life. May they recognise that we need no new laws, but better implementation of present ones, that major reform of the law enforcement and judicial systems is more important than ever-more stringet laws, that corruption is as powerful a destructive weapon as an AK-47.

After the good fortune pf prime minister who is experienced, wise, honest and a true gentleman, may the country get one who is young, dynamic, inspirational and can bring about radical change. We have a well-known one waiting in the wings whom the corporates have also endorsed recently, but let your dreams include choice. Here is an alternative: an articulate, next-generation leader with a clean and outstanding image.

May good sense prevails upon Pakistan and it stops being double-faced and in mode of denial in terror attacks on India. May international community stops its self-interest motive, and prevails upon Pakistan to wind up terror. May this year be the final and last year when India firmly resolves to end terror with iron hand and adamant Pakistan be taught a strong lesson, not to fiddle again with a sleeping LION. May this year indian politicians learn to give less speeches and believe more in action. May this year most of Indians holiday in UK ( United Kashmir ).

The country hungers for a similar Obama-esque combination of hope, change, youth and optimism. May one such competent and young person takes up the reins of the new govt. May those who rant against politicians-- and, indeed, all others--- stop seeking favours from them. May the captains of Industry stop socialising with all those who are known to be corrupt, may they, and other influentials, support an Honest India Campaign. May Satyam be a The first and last company who led highest scam in corporate history and corporates resort to ehical standards.

May politicians and othe rich and powerful people teach their children that the laws of the land are applicable to them too, may the media teach them that " money cant buy you love ". May the TV audience stop viewing sensationlist trash news, may the anchors and producers of such shows be required to watch them 24x7. May the media stop planting stories for vested interests and come out with truth and only truth.

May policies foster more equitable growth, with economic stimuli coming from investment in irrigation, rural roads, decentralised power production, low-cost housing and publc transport. Only then we can be stop, being blackmailed by oil rich countries who enthrust indirect terrorism on India. May educaion be top-priority and higher education be liberalised, with special education zones serving as nuclei to make India the hub for global education. May R&D get the importance it deserves.

May govt tap corporate-talent and technological capabilities to ensure effectiveness of key programmes, particularly those in the social sector. May companies be generous in philanthropy, but also go beyond cheque-book charity by committing their expertise and talent to programmes of development and social change.

May dreams and dreamers ride forever high.

ARE WE HEADING TO BEING A FAILED STATE ?

The article below really impressed me and i am putting it in my post. Hope you will share the views of the writer.

The invasion of Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists is but a replay of times past: The periodic and predictable arrival of barbarians over the Khyber Pass, laying waste to the countryside, and wreaking untold damage on a long-suffering populace. The only crime that the average Indian committed was to focus on the creation of wealth; of course, the barbarians came because of the wealth.

Today, once again, India is generating capital, and the intention is to thwart its economic rise. Then, as now, the rulers failed the populace. There is an implicit contract between the rulers and the ruled: You pay the taxes, obey the rules, and we ensure that your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are unhindered. India’s ruling class failed signally to honour this contract -- they never did figure out that the simple expedient of defending the Khyber and Bolan passes would be enough to save the plains, because nature had been kind enough to build the impregnable Himalayas all around India. You pay the taxes, obey the rules, and we ensure that your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are unhindered I have never got a satisfactory answer to the question as to why we didn’t build the Great Wall of India.

The Chinese built a 1,500-mile wall; Indians could surely have built a 15-mile wall and kept the marauders out. But there was clearly a failure in leadership and in strategic thinking. Time after time, the barbarians would pour in through the passes, march to Panipat or Tarain, and there, in a desperate last-ditch battle, the Indians would lose, again and again. The result: Disaster. Furthermore, there were traitors in-house, too. They would collude with the invaders to the detriment of their fellow Indians. Jaichand, during the second battle of Tarain in 1192, turned the tide of the battle by allying with Mahmud of Ghori against Prithviraj Chauhan, with the result that northern India suffered 700 years of tyranny -- it was a clear tipping point. Or take the battle of Talikota that ended the magnificent Vijayanagar empire: it was their own troops that betrayed them. Fast forward to today. India is under withering attack on all fronts. To the east, there is the demographic invasion by Bangladeshis, including unhindered infiltration by terrorist elements.

The entire north-east is in danger of secession, given both the narrow and hard- to-defend ‘chicken’s neck’ that connects the area to the Gangetic plain, as well as the Christian fundamentalism and terrorism that is on the verge of turning into a move to secede on religious and ethnic grounds, a la East Timor. The northern frontier is restive, with Nepal, a former ally and buffer State transformed into hostile territory, with its porous borders turned into a way of infiltrating terrorists into India, with the declared intent of capturing the ‘Pasupati-to-Tirupati corridor’, in other words, most of the eastern half of the country. China is making increasingly belligerent noises about Tawang and all of Arunachal Pradesh. They are gambling that, despite the summit that just took place in Dharamsala, the steam has gone out of the Tibetan resistance movement. They have been emboldened by the fact that Tibetans were not able to disrupt the Olympics, and the more immediate betrayal by the British (see the International Herald Tribune’s Did Britain Just Sell Tibet?), who declared, contrary to all the historical evidence, that Tibet was always a part of China. Besides, the Chinese fully intend to move forward with the diversion of the Brahmaputra, which is in effect a declaration of war against the lower riparian State, India. It is likely that the Chinese will march into Tawang -- there is a lot of chatter in Chinese circles (see, an analysis by D S Rajan at the Chennai Centre for China Studies) about a ‘limited India-China war’, a replay of 1962. The Chinese have, in addition to pure geopolitics, another reason to do this, as was pointed out by strategy expert Brahma Chellaney -- as in the years preceding 1962, the world is now once again hyphenating India and China. By handing India a sharp conventional military defeat, China would like that hyphenation to be removed decisively, as it surely would be. India will once again be seen as the loser it has been during the entire 1947 to 2000 period. In the northwest, Kashmir burns. The population clearly views India as a colony -- they want Indian money, but they are not willing to make the slightest concessions to majority community sentiments. It is very convenient for them to have the cake and eat it too -- there is the little-known fact that J&K has practically nobody under the poverty line (2 percent and falling), as compared to the average of some 20 percent in the country as a whole.

Kashmiris have prospered mightily despite -- or is it because of? -- the brutal ethnic cleansing of 400,000 Pandits now languishing in refugee camps. In the traditionally quiet peninsula, there is evidence of tremendous terrorist activity. In Kerala, it has been reported widely in the Malayalam media that 300 youth have been hired, trained and dispatched to Kashmir with explicit instructions -- kill Indian soldiers and support Pakistani intrusions. Terrorism is just another job. Sleeper cells exist in every town. The Konkan and Malabar coasts are dotted with safe harbours, where weapons, counterfeit currency and contraband are cached.

The preferred mechanism -- bomb blasts to inflict maximum damage. Logistics, safe houses, surveillance, forged documents, etc. are provided by a wide network. The fact is that all these threats are overwhelming the security apparatus in the country, such as it is. It is quite likely that the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing and the Anti- Terrorism Squad had some inkling of something big being planned, including the movement of small arms on the Ratnagiri coastline, and the logistics-related activities of known suspects.

It is unclear why they didn’t take preventive action. There is a terrifying possibility -- that they in fact had no idea this was going on. There is an aphorism that you cannot stop all terrorist activity, but in India the situation is such that no terrorist activity is stopped -- they strike at will, and the populace is left to pick up the pieces of broken lives. This is no way to run a country. The frightening possibility is that the Jaichands have in fact taken over the State. In which case, we can anticipate the total dismemberment of India -- possibly preceded by an interregnum where it is a failed State -- in the near future. There is one other possibility -- that the army will have to take over. It is a remote possibility, for two reasons -- the Indian Army has been determinedly apolitical; and the State has continually striven to weaken it. Someone once made the ridiculous statement that India really didn’t need an army, only a police force, and it appears the entire political class and bureaucracy have internalised this slogan.

From 1962 -- as always, on November 18 I silently saluted the martyrs of the Battle of Rezang-La, where C Company, 13th Kumaon died heroically to the last man -- when the ill-equipped troops froze to death on the Himalayan heights, to the refusal to increase military salaries when the bureaucrats awarded themselves 300 percent increases recently, the State has told the military that it doesn’t value them.

All the services are starved of funds. One possible outcome is that the Indian military forces will gradually wither away and die, thus making the statement about India not needing an army a self-fulfilling prophecy.

There is another possibility -- that of a military coup d’etat. Normally, the prospect of a military takeover -- given that they all end up badly -- from a democracy is not something one would welcome. But then India is not a democracy -- it is a kakistocracy, rule by the very worst possible people -- which has the trappings of a democracy but not the substance, so I wonder if military rule could possibly be any worse.

But the chances are getting increasingly good that the Indian State will collapse, just like Pakistan already has. A recent risk assessment by the World Economic Forum and CII considers the economic, energy, food/agriculture and national security that face India. The report is more concerned about the first three items, assuming that India is secure enough as a nation. I hope they are right, but this invasion of Mumbai -- so daring and audacious -- makes me wonder. I have considered a nightmare scenario of Chinese battleships arriving in triumph at the Gateway of India, to be welcomed with marigold garlands by the Jaichands, but I have to admit I never thought a motley crew of Pakistani terrorists would invade.

The very future of the Indian State, suddenly, is in question. And it is mostly from self-inflicted, avoidable wounds. The failure of leadership is causing India to cease to exist.

Rajeev Srinivasan

GOOD PEOPLE, BAD GOVTS.- INDIA & PAKISTAN

We have 2 main similaraties in India and Pakistan. Corrupt, tainted and merciless politicians in India and All powerful and merciless Army in Pakistan. The second similarity is compassionate people on both sides.

I have been writing quite harsh articles on terrorism exported from Pakistan and how we should deal with it firmly. I still hold this view. I always thought that war was the only solution to the problem. But yesterday, everything in my mind changed. Sanity came to my rescue, that war was not the solution. If we go to war with Pakistan, innocent, common people from both the sides will die and our politicians and army in Pakistan will go to safe havens in underground bunkers, to leave their people die for their misdeeds. The culprits will still be alive. Why should innocent people from both the sides die, for which they are not responsible ?

Yesterday, 11th january, 09, I was invited by Nikko as we call her, I mean Mrs Jasmeet Nayyar, Principal, S.R. Govt. College for Women on a discussion by eminent people " Challenges of terrorism, Role of the religion ". Nikko and her family are old friends of mine. She knew, i would be interested to attend such a seminar, as I keep on writing about such topics. Mrs. Bhattal Of Congress and Capt. Kanwaljit Singh of Akali Dal were part of the speakers, in whom i was hardly interested.

Swami Aginivesh, spoke of his experience, when he went to Pakistan. As the swamiji is always dressed in saffron clothes, his friends in India discouraged him, not to go In unfamiliar teritory, where saffron is most hated. They told him he was going to Pakistan to commit a suicide, specially when he had saffron signature all the time. But he took the risk and still went ahead to visit Pakistan 3 times later. The hosts used to prepare special vegetarian food for him and whenever he went to the market in Lahore to buy fruits and juice, nobody took any money from him, saying that he was their guest. This shows how compassonate people are on both the sides.

What impressed me most, was a touching speech by Asma Jehangir, Chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. I wondered, If Pakistani administration knew the meaning of humans and rights, both, but that is true. She was candid in admitting the failure of Pakistan to deal with state actors and non-state actors, a new terminology which Pakistan uses, these days. She admitted the failure of Pakistan in failing to arrest perpetrators of terrorism in Pakistan. She told the audience that Indian Govt. has been dealing with military dictators for many years but nothing came out of it. She admitted the current civilian govt. in Pakistan is " Lulli- Langri " and was nascent to deal with terrorism as they have no control over the terrorist outfits and ISI in Pakistan. She said that India must give some time to this " Lulli langri " civilian govt, so that it can set its house in order, before it starts delivering.. If India goes to war with Pakistan, it will benefit the Pakistani army the most, who will take centre-stage again, thus dismissing the elected govt. in Pakistan. I think, she had a point and we must look into this aspect, being a democracy.

Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General of SAFMA, admitted openly that lone terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, captured was a Pakistani national. He could find it out in 2 hours, after the attack, from his sources in Faridkot in pakistan, where he belonged to. He reteriated that Pakistan must cooperate with India to get the guilty punished. He was of the view that SAARC nations form a joint investigating agency and have a common court to try such terrorists. These sane voices coming from Pakistan was a refreshing change and are quite different from the denial statements coming from Pakistani govt.

Today i feel that every country has sane and insane people. Pakistan and India are no exception. Asma Jehangir, reteriated that there is a need to keep up the composite dialogue, as that that is what the common man in both the nations want. Terrorism can be discouraged if people continue with exchange programme and dialogue. She advocated relaxed visa norms to improve bilateral relations.

I was quite convinced that war is no solution to the problem. Let people from both the countries interact more and more and isolate the war mongering politicians from both the sides. If this exchange programme continues, common people can do a lot to presssurize both the govts. to deliver on many fronts.

I am of the opinion that let sane voices from both the countries, stage dharanas, encircle their respective Parliaments and establish pressure groups, who can change the mindset of both the govts. If people to people exchange builds up on a large scale, the terrorists who want to divide both the countries can become irrelevant and joint mechanisms can be put into action sincerely, to catch these terror outfits in Pakistan. Remember, there is no greater voice, than the voice of the common people of both the countries.

But punishing the ISI, army and terror outfits, should still remain the top agenda of our govt. Diplomatically or by covert operations or by surgical strikes. Pakistan must deliver.

WHAT WE MUST LEARN FROM SATYAM SCAM

In some ways, the tax-free status of IT companies may have allowed the Satyam promoter to cook up numbers in the company balance sheet. Had the company being paying tax at the regular rate, inflating revenues and profits would have been that much more difficult, as tax payments mean real cash outgo. Indeed, when corporate accounts come under a cloud, investors should look at at tax payments and dividends, both of which entail cash outflow from the company, as a source of comfort about the sanctity of accounts. The IT sector was given a 10 year tax holiday. The benefit was to end in March, 2009, but the govt. has extended it by one year.

However, in 2007-08, they were brought under Mininimum Alternate Tax ( MAT ) and now have to pay a minimum 12% tax on their book profits. Before MAT was imposed, Satyam paid a tax only about Rs 650 crore in the 5 years to 2006-07 on cumulative pre-tax profits of over Rs. 5,000 crore. Over the same period it distributed cumulative dividends, including dividend distribution tax, of about Rs. 950 crore. These cash payments are small given the company's profits. Seeing these low visible payments, the promoters may have been tempted to fudge accounts.

The Satyam episode shows even cash balances can be manipulated. It is easier to verify these than revenues and profits. There is a need for greater attention to, and detailing of, cash-flow statements of companies. It would perhaps be better to simlify the way the cash-flow statements is presented and made part of of the quarterly disclosures. This would atleast make investors aware that cash-flow of companies also needs to be appreciated while making investment decisions. The govt. may also want to reconsider its decision to give tax exemptions under the SEZ scheme. A MAT imposition on units located in SEZ's may act as some detterent to those tempted to manipulate accounts. Of course, a trail of cash payments in no way rules out a fraud totally, but it should provide some additional comfort to stakeholders. In fact, it is for this reason that, other things being equal, dividend paying companies tend to command a premium in mature stock markets.

It should also be mandatory that minimum 2 auditors should check the companies accounts, to safeguard the interests of the stakeholders.

A punishment for such a fraud, should be a life sentence for the promoters, which will be a big detterent for other companies, if they want to follow Raju.

I am sure, lot of things are waiting to be unfolded in coming times and we shall know of many such companies who fudge accounts to cheat the investors. In these kind of frauds, besides life imprisonment, their houses and personal movable and immovable propereties also need to be attached, to give a lesson to these corporates, not to take innocent investors for a ride.

TAKE THE WAR TO THE ENEMY

The following article has been sent to me by my friend K.R.S. Sobti, which is very interesting. I am reproducing the article below. Hope you will find it good and logical.

New Delhi continues to fumble while India burns.
Pakistan's superior psychological warfare machinery further tied down the already overstretched Indian security forces in knots. Airports and railway stations are the new fortresses that are heavily guarded. Next will be Metro stations or shopping malls. The list is endless. This is what the enemy wants -- tire and dull the edges of the security forces of India by making them run hither and thither.
This remains the single important reason why intelligence and police machinery of the Union and the states have collapsed. Perpetual red alerts, 24x7 for the past three decades have reduced them to dysfunctional entities with no declared objectives to achieve. The ease with which Parliament orMumbai were attacked stands witness to the fact. Worse, our leadership's response to the threat posed was too shameful to comment upon.

New Delhi is walking into the trap by superficially trying to guard every inch. Neither feasible nor a method recommended. The Indian leadership that inducted them in a marshy land of insurgency and terrorism for more than two decades without any clarity in political or military objectives is adding to the confusion of the security forces.

Forces that are inducted into battles always need clarity of purpose, military objectives spelled out and swiftness in conduct of operations to avoid demoralisation. Otherwise, battles cannot be won and there is the likelihood of the forces landing in disarray. It appears to be now happening to the Indian security apparatus on the ground.

Imagine if ten trained terrorists from Karachi can hold the financial capital of India to ransom for days, what will happen if 500 pour in from different points in to the country? They can literally bring the entire nation to its knees.

To say that the threat from radical Islam was not known despite the collapse of the intelligence machinery is not true. The very fact that the prime minister and his colleagues for many years are forced to move under heavy security blanket within their own capital city with roads lined up with policemen is a shameful declaration of the existing threat to the Union. Couple this fact with the increasing frequency of attacks by the Islamic terrorists in recent times and the entire threat perception becomes crystal clear.

To tie up security forces in knots internally to deal with the externally sponsored, trained, and petro-dollar financed terrorism exported by the Pakistan army [Images] and the Inter Services Intelligence will deaden their morale and will to fight. While there is definitely an internal dimension to security, to put the forces within on a self-destructive directionless path is exactly what the enemy wants!
Either the political set up in New Delhi has not understood this raw truth in war fighting or is too scared to take the war back to enemy territory. This war must be fought decisively in Pakistan before it engulfs the Union of India in its entirety.

Pakistan is in cahoots with other dictatorial regimes on our borders. China wants to tie down India to retain its top dog status in Asia. Maoist Nepal favours China. Bangladesh, another laboratory of radical Islam, is in connivance with these dictatorial regimes. The subtle alliance of China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal Maoists pose a combined threat to the territorial integrity of India. Of course, overtly these regimes pretend to work in isolation of each other so as not to alarm New Delhi.

To avoid destruction of our forces by deployment in unending internal circuses and before war fatigue sets in, we need to take the war imposed by radical Islam to the enemy territory. Unless the source of supply is disabled, this war cannot be won. The core group orchestrating this drama is the Pakistan army and the ISI. These external links are required to be put in disarray. This can only happen if the war is re-exported to Pakistan.

If the poisonous flow from the external links is not stopped, Indian Muslims will be radicalised, which is the primary aim of Pakistan. Similarly, a backlash from the majority that is responsible for the liberal philosophy of India can wreck the democratic set-up. Non-governance is not really an option available to the prime minister. Mumbai and other attacks mounted by terrorists on Indian cities, could not have taken place without local support. For the police or intelligence agencies to profess otherwise is untruthful.

Another falsehood perpetuated by the eternally helpless breed of Indians is that a stable Pakistan is in India's interest. It is not, stable or otherwise. Pakistan is a failed State. It is on the brink of disintegration. It simply needs to be helped to remove itself and the map redrawn. Otherwise, the cost to India will keep increasing disproportionately.

To take this war to the enemy, New Delhi needs a deliberate, graded and escalating response with a clear political and military objective to help Islamabad [Images] disintegrate:

Snap diplomatic relations immediately. Declare Pakistan a terrorist State. Discontinue all trains and bus services as well as trade and business transactions. Announce renegotiations of the Indus Water Treaty as the terms unduly favour Pakistan. Begin a process to regulate the water supplies and build new mechanisms to activate water flow controls. Cancel permissions for over flights. Seal the Nepal and Bangladesh borders on a priority basis.. Build a grand alliance of democracies by increasing their stakes in the burgeoning economic pie of India, to leverage their support against authoritarian regimes on our border including Pakistan. Increase immediately FDI in the defence sector from 26 percent to 49 percent. This will help India to emerge as the most modern technology driven defence industry hub in Asia while making it profitable for Western companies to invest.

Instead of fighting at cross-purposes with Asia's largest media, harness its resources to conduct unprecedented psychological warfare. In times of war, the media is a weapon, a platform to be used intelligently to secure the national interests without attempting to hinder its freedom.

Equip the intelligence agencies with clear directives and resources to conduct deniable acts in enemy land similar to Islamabad's terrorist acts. Thus raise the cost to the enemy and make it prohibitive for Pakistan. This will also fuel the disintegration of this tottering State. The game can be played by equal finesse by us.

To defend the taxpayer's millions of dollars invested in Afghanistan's reconstruction programme, move two integrated divisions with substantial air element in the area, in consultation with Kabul. Let Indian pressures build up from the east and west on Pakistan so that our embassy or similar establishments are not targeted in the future.
The Bush administration's strategy that Western forces without India's support will win in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region is misguided and counter-productive. They cannot win without New Delhi's direct involvement. The incoming Obama [Images]administration urgently needs to change this policy in Washington's interest. Similarly, New Delhi should learn to fight its own war instead of expecting others do its dirty work.

Simultaneously equip and marshal the military forces on a war footing, removing all deficiencies including the human resources as war at an appropriate time of our choosing remains an open option.

We should stop tying up our forces internally in an endless mind-boggling game. This will result in disintegration and ineffective security instruments available to the State. The helplessness of the under-trained and under-equipped police was on display during the attack in Mumbai. Therefore, instead of permitting our forces to disintegrate in the long term, it is sensible to take this war to Pakistan and make them pay the price.

It is time, India woke from its slumber.

Bharat Verma is editor, Indian Defence Review

INDIA MUST DECLARE PAKISTAN AS A TERRORIST STATE !

There is no army , military, ISI or Air force in Pakistan. There are only group that is terrorist groups in uniform, some are in civil clothes, some are in uniform.

It is surprise to note USA and even many world leaders and our spineless leaders use term Pakistan military and ISI very loosely. It is in fact that the all so called terms Pakistan army / airforce/ ISI/ Political parties are part of terrorist groups , the Terrorist State Pakistan get many form of support from Saudi Arab, China , Iran and North Korea being a natural anti democracy ideology and evil design to keep India to bleed.

They are there to black mail the free world in the name of Kashmir or Islam or Jihad or Nuclear war etc. They are always in search of reason and cause for violence all over the world. It is pity and feel sorry that USA is funding Pakistan uniformed terrorists to fight against civil clothes terrorisms.

At many places there are dramas of Pakistan uniformed terrorist fighting with un-uniformed terrorists!!! Sam uncle pays for that and calls other countries to join for the foolish acts and for the drama of terrorists fights—designed / directed and produced by Pakistan.

Since one month , our leaders and media is openly saying that we ( India) may carry out surgical military operation like UKG Kids. The terrorists got sufficient time to escape from respective places. It is also surprising that the Government requesting other Nations to declare Pakistan as a terrorist Nation, Why our government is not declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state ? India should declare first that Pakistan is a terrorist state !! There is no need of bus/ train/ trade and tradition for vote bank !!

The entire world will follow to declare Pakistan a " Terrorist State ".

The terrorist of Pakistan is the most cheapest commodity in the world, any one can buy them from a terrorist Pakistani shop. Even the top so called chief of atomic head of pak is also available for money, Any one can use them to destroy Pakistan and its supports with out any war. Few million dollars is sufficient to destroy Pakistan for ever and even able to divide Pakistan in to 2 to 3 Nations.. Once the objective is full filled, the Kashmir issue may go with the wind, and China and others will be a tamed partners of India. To destroy terrorism, act and think like terrorists. Do not allow them to think , create fear. Let the death too fear India !!

REDEFINING DEMOCRACY- ROLE OF THE EC- PART-2

In a democracy like India, where 70% of the people live in rural areas and there exists a large majority of voters who are uneducated, living in metros, small towns, it becomes imperative to inform people about their voting rights. After racking my brains for a long time, I have come to the following conclusion :

Election Commission's ( EC ) role becomes very important to relate to this problem. Today we are living in a world, where media is playing a very important role. Even the poorest of the poor has access to radio. I see radio and TV channel as the most effective media tool to reach out to these people, even in the remotest parts of India. I think even TV has entered the villages in panchayats, where villagers get together to see the programmes which interests them.

It is the duty of EC, not only to conduct free and fair elections, but also educate the voters, how to vote and whom to vote for. Since people are uneducated, they cant read newspapers, but they can definately understand the local language, thru which EC must guide them thru radio and TV, how to exercise their right to vote.

A radio on the lines of All India Radio and TV channel on the lines of Doordarshan must be launched by the EC which should have a large reach throughout India and the the uneducated voters. As EC is an autonomous body, where executive interference is not allowed, radio and TV channel will also become autonomous.

This media should educate the voters about its their role in the democracy and how they can benefit by selecting a right candidate for them. It will enlighten the people how they can vote without fear and pressure and how they can change the face of India and their particular village in true sense. The basic thing this media should inform the rural voter should be :

1) Choose a candidate who can put up street lights, construction and repair of roads in the villages and also the village markets. How to link their village thru a proper road which can link to the national highway, so that they can have access to sell their agricultural produce in the main markets on market value and not thru a broker ( Artiya ) who exploits them by giving less rates as compared to the market rates.

2 ) keep a record of birth, deaths and marriages in the village and register it with the local panchayat.

3) Elect a candidate who can provide them public health thru govt. bodies and hygiene by providing facilities for sanitation and drinking water.

4 ) Elect a candidate who can ensure to set up schools for education for them and their children.

5 ) Elect a candidate who can implement development schemes for agriculture and animal husbandry.

6 ) Who are eligible to vote. Age limit

7 ) Local post offices in the village should be allowed to make voter ID cards.

8 ) Manifesto of all political parties, fighting elections.

9 ) List of candidates, their names, addresses, photo, their profile and track record of development in the village.

10 ) If the candidate standing for the election, has any criminal record ?

11 ) The assets of the candidates should be told to the villagers.

12 ) Whether a candidate is a new entrant. If old, then his achievements and failures.

13 ) If the candidate is elected, his time frame to provide basic facilities to the village and their people. If as per the promise, the candidate is not able to deliver, the right to recall the candidate.

14 ) MUST inform the villagers that they must not vote on the basis of religion, caste and region, but only vote for such candidates who can deliver development to the village.

I am sure if this kind of media is launched, the villages, the uneducated voters will select the right candidates, who will reach the state assembly and the parliament and thus a vibrant democracy can be established. It will benefit all the voters, rural, uneducated, slum people and the educated too. As on today, i am doubtful, if an educated voter also knows much about the candidate, standing from his area.

Educated and rich voters do not tend to go to the polling booths because of time restraints, laziness, lethargy, fear of queue and many other factors. A specific technology and software ( full proof ) must be developed on the lines of mobile banking, which the pvt. banks has started for banking operations, so that such kind of candidates can vote, sitting at home or their office. Secret pin numbers like credit card should be provided to these lazy voters, so that they can too vote, without going to the polling booth. I am sure, if this technology driven access is granted for this class, there would be 100% voting from them too. Internet can also play a very important role for these kind of people. These are the people who crib the most when wrong candidates are elected and besides doing drawing room politics, they can do nothing except to criticise the politicians and the elected representatives. After all, when they dont vote, wrong candidates do reach the assembly and the Parliament.

REDEFINING DEMOCRACY- ROLE OF THE EC- PART-1

First i would like to discuss what democracy should be, and what our politicians have made a mess out of it, and how it is being misused by all the political parties in India for their vested interests, dividing people on the lines of caste, religion an regions and claiming it, to be the biggest democracy in the world. I am not discussing something new. You all are aware about it. Part-1 of this article is inspired by Mr. B.S. Raghavan of The Hindu, newspaper.

Deploring the chaos and disorder with which the Lok Sabha is smitten and the loss of 40 per cent of the time earmarked for parliamentary business, the Speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, while adjourning the House sine die, exclaimed: “It is extremely disturbing that the highest public forum in this country has almost come to a standstill, which raises many questions about the utility of our system of parliamentary democracy and about its future.” This relates to a session held in 2007.


Winston Churchill, of course, had characterised democracy as ‘the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time’! But that was said in jest by one who was qualified to speak about it, being one of the best practitioners of all that parliamentary democracy stood for.

Abraham Lincoln was profound when he postulated his oft-quoted definition of democracy being ‘the government of the people, by the people and for the people.’ Some wag has since updated it by calling it the government off the people, (to) buy the people and far (from) the people!

At the time India’s founding fathers were framing the Constitution, the models they studied with a great deal of thoroughness were essentially those of Britain (Westminster pattern, with members elected to the legislatures based on adult franchise under the first-past-the-post system) and the US (Presidential form, with strict separation of powers among the co-equal executive, legislative and judicial branches).

They also gave due consideration to electoral systems, such as proportional and list, prevalent in some countries, but after a very exhaustive debate, opted for the Westminster model. What weighed with them in making this choice was the fact that it was already incorporated in the Government of India Act, 1935, and the people had some familiarity with it since it was the basis of the elections held in 1937.

The experience of the last 60 years in working the model in India certainly raises doubts and fears of the kind expressed by Mr Chatterjee.

Shell and Sham

The props and superstructures, and the rites and rituals, making for a simulacrum of democracy, are no doubt in place, but the soul and spirit have long since flown. Indeed, there is evident a deliberate attempt to subvert and pervert the system from top to bottom so that what is left is nothing more than a shell and a sham.

People cannot be blamed if they call into question the utility and future of a democracy in which politics has become the plaything of moneybags, musclemen and mafias, law-breakers are elected as law-makers and occupy Cabinet berths and high Constitutional positions, political and governing classes ride the high horse trampling upon the masses, corruption has become an eagerly embraced mode of life, and accountability and responsiveness are mere words in a dictionary.

How else does one explain the topsy-turvydom by which, year after year, India is ranked high in corruption by the Transparency International and low in human development index by the United Nations Development Programme? Rajiv Gandhi said that our of every rupee of taxpayers’ money allocated for development, only 20 paise worth of benefits actually reached the people. Breathes there the person who is daring enough to say that the situation has changed?

But for the safety valves provided by the judiciary and EC which still commands respect for independence and integrity, and the media which is ferreting out misdeeds and misdemeanours with gusto, and but for the staunch and strict professionalism of the military keeping itself above politics, India perhaps would have gone the same way as Bangladesh, Burma or Pakistan.

In part-2, i shall be discussing what role EC can play to make India an Inclusive democracy, suited for all, educated, uneducated and the rural class. The true democracy, which it should be, suited for Indian conditions.

EC WINS, J&K DELIVERS, PAKISTAN LOSES

Let me congratulate our Election Commission ( which to my mind, is one of the few institutions left in India which is corruption free ), for conducting free and fair elections in Jammu & Kashmir.

I personally congratulated T.S. Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner Of India in Chennai, today morning on his cell. I met him at FRNV summit in october in New Delhi. He was too humble by saying that he is no longer in the EC but he promised that my message of congratulations will be sent by him to the current Chief Election Commissioner. For your information, he has written a book published by Harper & Collins " Miracles Of Democracy-- India's Amazing Journey ". The book is not available at the local bookshop, but i have requested a copy of it.

I shared my views with him about my blog, the copy of which goes to him regularly. I admitted that some people say, i use harsh language and i am aggressive in my writing to which he replied " This is the miracle of democracy. I should express my views without any fear and as i wish to ". These words coming from him reassured me that i am on right track.

The Election Commission ( EC ) left no stone unturned to ensure that poll in J & K was as free and fair, free of any rigging and there was no coercion whatsoever of the voter by the army or other security forces. It is beleived that the EC had even spoken to the military brass in Jammu & Kashmir in this regard. The 3 member EC mostly worked from behind the scenes, leaving the deputy election commissioners to interact with the chief electrol officer on the conduct of poll. By deploying micro-observers, the EC ensured that each and every act of the poll-related officials and police personnel was subject to close scrutiny, leaving little scope for any poll irregularities of mischief.

The state administration and security forces fully cooperated with the EC is obvious from the conducive atmosphere in which the campaigning took place. Due to the secure environment provided by security forces and police, as many as 4,277 election meetings were held by various political parties across the state, up from a total of 2,031 poll rallies held during the 2002 election.

The 2002 assembly poll was held in the background of fairly serious militancy, leading to the killing of 220 civilians and 148 security personnel during the poll period. The comparative casualty figures for 2008 polls are 12 civilian and 5 security personnel. The impressive 86% fall in militancy-related incidents between the assembly polls in 2002 and 2008 may never have been anticipated in the pre-poll scenario, which was marred by the Amarnath agitation and its apparent fallout in the Kashmir region. The agitation was milked by the separatist forces to renew their " azadi " rhetoric. So much so, at one point of time, all the parties in J & K including PDP and NC were doubtful of holding assembly in the first place. But the EC stood its ground and decided to call the separatists bluff by going ahead with the poll, even at the risk of logging a low turnout, Ofcourse,in the end, the people rejected the separatists call for a poll boycott with an overwhelming response during polling spread over an unprecedented 7 phases.

Also, the high voter interest in these J&K polls is seen to be linked with the low levels of militancy and infiltration seen over the last couple of years, thanks to Pakistan's pre-occupation with other domestic matters--- be it restoration of democracy or dealing with the Taliban on its western borders--- and fencing of border stretches in J&K. The reduced interest of Pakistan-backed terror groups like Hizbul Mujahadeen ensured that no candidate was killed this time compared to 2002 when 50 political activists, including 2 candidates, were killed.

Since i have my trade links with Srinagar, i am getting a feedback, that since the bus service has started to Muzzarafabad, in POK, the Indian Kashmiris have gone there and have seen the poverty and misery in POK, they feel they are much richer and better off in India as their co-brothers in POK.

ARE MY ARTICLES AGGRESSIVE ?

Few of my friend have told me that i am writing very aggressive articles which are quite harsh in language also. I am not too sure about it. If calling spade a spade is wrong, then i certainly agree with my friends. Its true that my language is agressive in nature, as i write from my heart. If politicians and bureucrats are tainted, corruption has become a mass religion and we accept it as a part of life, then writing against it, is certaily harsh and aggressivenes.

If writing of swiss accounts of our politicians, bureacrats and businessmaen is wrong, then certaily i should stop writing about it. If media houses are sold out to vested interests, and write biased articles, then i think i am going too far.

If i write about communal card, used by our policians to divide us, am i wrong ? If i write something pro-hindu / Sikh which is the majority of India, do I become anti-muslim ? Its natural law of justice all over the world, that majority view be respected.

If our system has failed to provide security for all of us from terror and i write against it, then i am certainly be called harsh in nature. I really don't know how to be diplomatic. I think i must learn the art to be diplomatic in my writings.

If i write about 2 India's, one super rich and other ultra poor, which our system has failed to bridge the gap, then writing about it and pinpointing the govt for its failure, then truly i am aggressive.

I have written many anti-establishment articles, which are not taken in good taste by many, Should we all keep quiet about it ? never to discuss and criticise.

I would request you to please give your opinion about it in true sense, so that i can tone down my future articles.
Your comments and suggestions will really help me in introspecting myself and my articles.

CAN PAKISTAN " AFFORD " A WAR ?

Pakistan seems to create war hysteria for its public consumption, just to divert public mind from financial problems faced by it. The idiom " Ulta chor kotwal ko dante " fits quite aptly.

Pakistan is smack in the middle of serious economic meltdown. Its list of woes are tortuously long and varied : purchasing power is being strangulated by 25% inflation rate. The govt. has borrowed a whopping Rs. 1.4 trillion from the Central Bank to fund its spending. The rupee has devalued by 25% in just 3 months and the nuclear state's reserves of foreign exchange has dwindled to less than $ 6.9 billion--- barely enough to buy 9 weeks of imports. For the last two-and-half months, the stock market in Karachi has remained practically closed.

A lot of it has to do with the political situation in the country. In the past decade, Pakistan has frequently suffered bouts of insecurity, but the last year has been extraordinarily wrenching. Fighting extremists in NWFP, Baluchistan and the tribal areas has sapped the country considerably. The brutal assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the scary regularity of suicide bombings and the see-saw battles for power have scared much of the world away from the country. Not surprisingly, foreign direct investment ( FDI ) has plummeted from $ 8 billion to $ 3.5 billion for the current fiscal year. Even wealthy locals have taken much of their money out and stashed it in Dubai, as they do everytime things go awry in Pakistan.

However, insecurity aside, one of the big mistakes the govt. made was the decision to not pass on price increases, linked to big rises in global commodity prices, to its public. This sent the country's fiscal and external current account deficits to breaking point. Then, when the burden on state coffers became unbearable, Pakistan passed on the price effect to its people. This has had a devastating effect on many ordinary Pakistanis. Food prices for instance, rose by 34% in august this year, forcing Pakistan to station paramilitary forces at flour mills in Baluchistan. The salaried and the poor are the worst hit. Social scientist Mr Akbar Zaidi adds " that there are reports of mothers left with little option but to put up their children for adoption ".

Here's another fact that explains Pakistan's current mess : the country is practically broke. It spent $ 3.6 billion on imports in Sept, including a $ 1.9 billion from its exports. The Pakistani Rupee has fallen 33% in just a year. Its external debts are are many and mounting : Pakistan has $ 3 billon in commercial foreign debts and $ 38 billion in IMF concessionary loans that have to be serviced with money that it does'nt have.

If this was not already enough to send an economy into tailspin, along came the subprime-related global credit crunch. Exorbitant inputs and credit costs coupled with low demand have hobbled key industries. Chinese bike makers in Pakistan have shut down 14 production units and chopped up to 30% of their worforce. Pakistan Airlines has announced 5000 jobs cut, 28% of the workforce, after failing to get funds from the cash-strapped govt.

None of Pakistan's buddies seems to want to help it out. Zardari made fund-raising trips to old allies Saudi Arabia and America, which have refused to help, and he had to come back empty handed. Ditto with China. After stalling for a while, the country has finally swallowed the bitter pill of seeking out another IMF loan totalling $ 7.6 billion--- but these borrowings come with strigent reqirements, like the slashing of fiscal deficit and import tariffs.

Pakistan's rich elite, a recession-proof class, played recovery agents, quickly reversing their capital's flight back into evergreen industries such as opticals and surgical instruments. This time around, Pakistan's misery has been compounded by several crisis all kicking in at the same time. Problems are compounded by an inept Zardari-led administration, which has'nt been able to get things right when Pakistan most needs it to.

The country needs to get its debt in order and resolve the the abysmal credit rating ( CCC, which suggests likely default ) that S&P and Moody's have given it.

But let's not forget frustrated Pakistan is more dangerous to India than a stable one.

ON THE WRONG ROAD, AS USUAL

One of the problems of those blessed with pseudo-secular mindset is the belief that they have a monoply on compassion. At regular intervals, they spring to the defence of imagined grievances or deliberate ploys of the easy-to-defend types and attempt to guild trip the average citizen.

At this hour of crisis, when the whole nation is looking upto the govt. to act strongly against terror, govt. is totally confused as how to react to this problem. Govt. is sending wrong signals to Pakistan. One day Foreign Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee warns Pakistan of dire consequences and asks them to hand over the terrorists to India, the next day our Prime Minister says we don't want to go to a war with Pakistan. Suddenly, out of the blue, one Minister Mr Antulay, who seems to have lost his mind, plays a communal card to appease muslims on the grounds that ATS chief's killing needs to be probed. What is the govt. upto ? It is in total dissray and does not know how to handle this situation. It's time to realise that our approach to terror has been repeatedly failing.

On the other hand, Pakistan's stand is very clear from day one. It completely disowns the terrorists, inspite of seeing and given proofs by our govt, FBI , Nawaz Sharif himself admitting and its own TV channel showing the footage, that terrorists are Pakistani nationals. Look at the contrast ! Till today Pakistan is in denial mode and playing its cards very well.

The international community has got the proofs from India and endorses the Indian stand. But they cant fight India's war. India has to fight its own war. Our govt, has created a mess out of a win-win situation with different voices coming each day. Pakistan's defiance is understandable and it is taking full advantage and benefit from these confusing statements coming from New Delhi every day. I am a layman and no expert on terror. But as a citizen of India, I am frustrated. Even a child who reads newspaper can suggest the following measures :

1) Get the international community on a common platform thru UN and declare Pakistan a " terror state ". i am
sure after seeing all the evidence, the international community will have no hesitance in doing so, except China,
as they are themselves are a the victims of terror, which comes from Pakistan. They are also looking for such
kind of measures, but India has to initiate as it is the latest victiom of terror in Mumbai.

2) Tell America in clear words that in case it cant rein in Pakistan, india is going to war with Pakistan. America
would never allow this kind of a situation to happen as it is tied up with the Pakistan's army on Afghan border
and wants Pakistan's support to crush Taliban. It would never want that Pakistan's army be relocated on the
eastern side of the border with India, otherwise the whole gameplan of America fails.

3 ) Set deadlines for America and Pakistan to deliver.

4 ) Warn China, that if it supports Pakistan any longer, all trade ties with them will be finished, as China as on
today is the biggest trade partner with India.

5 ) Launch covert operations in Pakistan. Pay them back in the same coin. Start supporting the Sindhi cause and
NWFP movement.

6 ) Form an Anti-Terror pact with America and Israel to put pressure on Pakistan.

7 ) Stop all trade with Pakistan wIth immediate effect and rein in America and the west not to give any kind of
military or monetary aid to Pakistan. First Pakistan has to disband its notorios ISI and other jehadi groups.
Only then the aid will start. Cripple Pakistan economically. America and the west will be too willing, being
victims of terror themselves. But again, India has to initiate.

8 ) Send a strong signal to Arab kingdoms in the Middle East to stop financing Pakistan based terror groups.
India should look towards Russia and other middle eastern states who are oil rich. India consumes a large
chunk of world's oil. Arabs will become alert. In the meantime develop alternate energy like biofuels,
electric vehicles and mass transport system like Metro. Spending on infrastructure will doubly benefit.
Dependence on oil will be reduced and economy will get a booster too and employment opportunities will
increase.

9 ) India should offer its airfields on temporary basis to America and Israel. Strong message will go to pakistan.

10 ) Tell the west in plain words, that India would not buy nuclear reacters or equipment, nor would it buy arms
and ammunition from them, if they dont support India. India is a billion plus population with a huge middle
class, even larger than any European country. Every country in the west wants to have an Indian pie and
foothold in India, be it cars, FMCG products, fast foods etc.

I would like to state once again, that i am no expert on terror. There are many experienced and knowledgeable
people who can suggest better ways. Please check me if i am wrong somewhere and add your comments to awaken us atleast, what more needs to be done. I have put my suggestions of whatever little knowledge i have.

INDIA MUST TALK IN A HARD WAY AS IT IS AN EMERGING SUPER POWER. NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD CAN AFFORD TO TAKE INDIA LIGHTLY.

CORPORATES: NATION NEEDS YOU

If an ordinary man like me and millions of other ordinary citizens of India can have the anger against frequent terror attacks, specially Mumbai terror attack, on our nation, i am sure you must also be equally anguished like all of us. Just imagine, if one of your dear ones would have been killed in The Taj Hotel, Trident Hotel or CST Railway station in Mumbai, how would you have reacted ? Just put yourself in the shoes of those families, whose nearest and dearest have died, without any fault of theirs. Their only fault was that they happened to be at the above places, when terror struck

You have seen the impotence and apathy of the Govt. in front of you. Just a lip talk and saying harsh words, which have no meaning for all of us as there is no concrete action against terror. This will keep on happening, every now and then and innocent people will keep on getting maimed without any fault of theirs. The Govt has shown that it is a soft state and can do nothing about it. The reason is that these politicians have commandos around them to protect them, which we dont have, as we are just cockroaches. I am sure, if one or two politicians would have been killed in a terror strike, strigent measures would have been taken by them overnite. But nothing of this sort has happened so far and never will, as they all have a security cordon around them at the cost of your and our tax money.

It becomes imperative for all of us to think how we citizens can protect ourselves and each one of us from these terror attacks. Asking and requesting security from the govt, is like living in a fool's paradise. Govt. is just buying time as they know that our memory is very short and with time, we shall forget everything, which is true.

Since we ordinary citizens do not have the resources to protect ourselves, your moral role starts from here.. You are big houses and business leaders in your respective fields and employ millions of people who work for your companies. Is it not your duty to protect their lives ? Are your lives more precious than them ? Please dont forget that if our nation's security is in danger, then your security is automatically is threatened too. How can you run business in this country where people are full of fear and anger ?

Since you have the power, money and resources, it becomes your prime duty to give back to the nation at this time, in this hour of crisis. If you can change the policies of the govt. as per your requirement because of your political clout, you can certainly prevail upon the govt. to strengthen nation's security and the security of its citizens. If the govt. does not act, stop paying taxes and twist the govt's arm to deliver on security.

Even on your own, you can contribute a lot, independent of the govt, for the security of the nation, where you are born. If your companies can spend billions of dollars for foreign acquisitions and assests all over the world, if you can buy a 250 crore jet for your wife and another 400 crore for a yacht, again for your wife as a gift, if you can build a skyscraper costing 8000 crores as a house, i am sure you can buy cheap bullet proof jackets, modern weapons for our police, who can fight effectively with the terrorists. You can set up a corpus fund dedicated to the police for their modernisation and training for modern warfare, which is the need of the day to fight tech-savvy terrorists.. To monitor, learning from the govt's track record, you can set up a regulatory body to ensure that the funds are properly utilised and not misused. To be more a safer side, if you feel the right and tranparent way to approach this, would be to buy modern weapons and equipment directly would be the right way, you can do so and deliver directly to the police. You can create a " Security Club " thru which you can transfer funds to train the police in 4th generation warfare.

I am sure, you will listen to the call of your heart and the nation at this hour of crisis, where we do not find any answers. You will secure yourself, ordinary citizens and the police. Above all your nation. If you can do this, nobody can stop you for going to the parliament and thus govern the country proffessionly as you run your companies.

COME AND JOIN. NATION NEEDS YOU. KUCCH KARO

CAN AMERICA AND INDIA FIGHT TERROR TOGETHER ?

President-elect Obama’s historic statement on the further consolidation of Indo-US relations in certain common areas like tackling international terrorism has gained increased relevance with the latest terrorist attack on India’s financial capital, Mumbai. It is now confirmed that the original plan of the terrorists was to attack the Indian Prime Minister in Mumbai in that particular hotel. The audacity and brazen act of terrorism has taken a new serious form with this recent incident.

At this critical juncture President-elect Obama has to carve out a ‘new deal’ in terms of international joint mechanism to counter international terrorism as both the thriving democracies have been facing the scourge of extremism.

In earlier occasions and in this recent attack, Pakistan’s hand is evident from the very nature of terrorist strategies adopted.

This fact has indeed reflected in the policy of US that has recently recognised that equating an emerging India with a growingly dysfunctional Pakistan does not serve American interests.

This led to the commencement of what is called as a policy of “decoupling” US relations with India and Pakistan.

The close proximity between USA and India in various forms including recent two incidences such as signing historic Indo-US nuclear deal and President-elect Barack Obama’s pro-India stand in reference to terrorism and other related issues of fighting poverty have become unacceptable to these anti-India-USA elements and trying to show their frustration to destabilise these two most vibrant democracies of the world. In his letter in September to the Indian Prime Minister, Obama pointed out that “the recent bombings in Kabul remind us that we are both victims of terrorist attacks on our soil, and we share a common goal of defeating these forces of extremism”.

In fact a Democratic Party document entitled “Renewing America’s Promise” adopted at its convention in Denver eschews using the phrase “Global War on Terror” and focuses on “combating violent extremism”. The new US administration will have to re-craft its relations with India and Pakistan based on an objective assessment of the intrinsic value of each country to US interests. While the US will have to recognise that India is on the way to becoming a major Asian power, and Pakistan as a country in “serious crisis” and has become the heaven for producing militancy. This approach will definitely make the Obama regime being more responsive than in the past on Indian concerns on terrorism, by acting to ban groups like the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed. Obama has, in fact, accused Pakistan of misusing funds for the war against terror and allegedly using it to fund militancy against India in one of his campaign speech. The past experiences on affairs in Indian neighbourhood the US have generally backed what India did in the interests of regional stability. There have been ample examples; like Reagan’s backing for the 1987 Indo- Sri Lanka Agreement and for our 1988 military intervention in the Maldives. This present hour of crisis also requires similar actions in Indian neighbourhood on breeding points of terrorism. Pakistan’s constant claim of being serious in clamping down terrorism activities from its soil has remained a hollow statement and it looks like Pakistan’s inability to handle these types of fundamentalist groups. As India has become the worst suffer of extremism in the region, it needs to convince Pakistan to help India in attacking terrorist camps in the Pakistan soil with international consensus.

Barack Obama even talked of launching unilateral strikes or hot pursuit across the Afghan border to hit al- Qaeda. That is the question quite a few in the region started asking. Even the next probable Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a sensational statement few days ago about Pakistan’s dangerous instability and its nuclear dimension. She even went to the extent of promising a drastic solution, just short of the demented idea of a forcible takeover of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

The attack on Mumbai has also reinforced the urgency of taking some non-conventional steps to eliminate terrorism without any trace.

India has to reach out all responsible nations towards crafting a pro-active anti-terrorist drive without delay. This shocking and most atrocious form of terrorism after 9/11 will also have policy ramifications for president-elect Barack Obama’s future foreign policy. The new US President will have to take an extra mile in enacting an Indo-US joint strategy to fight extremism. The policy has to be shifted to fighting terrorism in a new and concerted way with the active help of country like India in a leading position.

The authors are with Bangalore Based National Law School of India University and Institute for Social and Economic Change respectively sujitpruseth@nls.ac.in, sachisatpathy@isec.ac.in

PAKISTANI NUKES ALREADY UNDER AMERICAN CONTROL- REPORTS

I would like to draw your attention in Pakistan defence forums and an article in Times Of India dt.20 nov, 2007 which says as follows: Though the article is almost one year old, the authencity can not be given.


Pakistan's nuclear weapons are already under American control even as analysts are working themselves into a lather on the subject, a well- regarded intelligence journal has said.

In a stunning disclosure certain to stir up things in Washington's (and in Islamabad and New Delhi's) strategic community, the journal Stratfor reported on Monday that the "United States delivered a very clear ultimatum to Musharraf in the wake of 9/11: Unless Pakistan allowed US forces to take control of Pakistani nuclear facilities, the United States would be left with no choice but to destroy those facilities, possibly with India's help.

"This was a fait accompli that Musharraf, for credibility reasons, had every reason to cover up and pretend never happened, and Washington was fully willing to keep things quiet," the journal, which is widely read among the intelligence community, said.

The Stratfor commentary came in response to an earlier New York Times story that reported that the Bush administration had spent around $100 million to help Pakistan safeguard its nuclear weapons, but left it unclear if Washington has a handle on the arsenal.

Over the past fortnight, even since the crisis in Pakistan broke and eclipsed every other geopolitical story, including Iraq, US officials and analysts have been speaking in different voices on the subject of a jihadi takeover of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

Some officials have expressed deep concern at the possibility and suggested US is ready with contingency plans to defang Pakistan of its nuclear weapons, while others have tried to assuage Islamabad by saying they believe the country's military rulers have good custodial control over their crown jewels.

On Monday, a State Department official once again addressed the issue and hinted that Washington was in control of the situation. "...

ultimately, the major responsibility for that falls with the Pakistani government. They have made public comments to the effect that the arsenal is secure, that they have taken a number of different steps to ensure that," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"We ourselves see no indication to indicate to the contrary. It is secure. We obviously have an interest in seeing that it is secure," McCormack added.

Stratfor , too, appears confident that the Bush administration has a handle on Pak's nukes.

Not everyone is so sanguine. In a separate commentary over the weekend that had some US and Pakistani analysts blowing their gasket, two prominent Washington commentators detailed a US military action plan inside Pakistan, possibly with the cooperation of moderate Pakistani forces, to seize the nuclear arsenal if there was imminent danger of an extremist takeover.

"As the government of Pakistan totters, we must face a fact: the United States simply could not stand by as a nuclear-armed Pakistan descended into the abyss," proposed Frederick Kagan and Michael O'Hanlon, analysts at two Washington DC
think-tanks. "One possible plan would be a Special Forces operation with the limited goal of preventing Pakistan's nuclear materials and warheads from getting into the wrong hands.

" Pakistan's own leaders have spoken about the subject -- of nuclear weapons falling into extremist hands --with different emphasis and objectives.

General Pervez Musharraf has suggested continued Western support to his military regime is the best way to prevent the nukes from falling into extremist hands, an "after-me-the-deluge" argument that some analysts see as unabashed blackmail.

The country's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has also invoked the loose nukes scenario to urge US to abandon the military regime, which she says has given rise to growing extremism and fissiparous tendencies that increase the danger of the nuclear arsenal going awry.

Officially though, Islamabad is touchy about any commentary on its nuclear arsenal, and goes into transports of hysteria to assert that it is a responsible country with good command and control over its crown jewels.

In the latest outburst, the country's out-going foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri asserted that Pakistan is fully capable of securing its nuclear assets and some Western lobbies are busy in creating confusion taking the advantage of ongoing conditions in Pakistan.

The multi-layer security structure of the nuclear assets has a strong command and control system in place and there is no need for anyone at home or abroad to worry about the security of these assets, he insisted.

But judging by the volume of worried commentary and analysis the subject is now getting, there aren't many takers for such assurances and the last word on the matter hasn't been said or written.

TO : CITIZENS DEMANDING ACTION AGAINST TERROR ATTACKS

I would like to share a petition with you from petitiononline.com

Goals of this petition:
----------------------- -
Force the Indian government to untie the military's hands to allow them to engage Pakistan in a limited/full scale war.
- Keep the issue of a lack of response to terror alive during this election season. This time we cannot allow these politicians to back down.

What's working for us: ---------------------- -

Elections in 6 months. Both parties will vie for our votes. We can set up a contest. Whoever is more aggressive on security gets our support. The best option at this stage is to put pressure on the Congress because they will be desperate to retain power. Of course if the congress doesn’t deliver, we can vote for BJP.

- Worldwide sympathy. The worldwide media coverage ensures that Govt. of India doesn't have to do any PR management in support of the war.

- The elite in India. This time the targets were the elite. They will not fund election campaigns if Pakistan is not forced to pay for this.

What’s working against us:
--------------------------- -

The Americans and British who want the Pakistanis to fight their war on terror... and want us to be just happy with superficial meetings and committees. We can’t blame them. They are doing it in their best interest. We have to take care of ours

. - The US media. They are trying to project this as an internal/Kashmir issue precisely to fulfill their agenda mentioned above.
- The Indian media. The left wing/secular/communist media doesn’t want India to retaliate. Recent media shops are MNC controlled (hence will promote western interests). So we the people, have very few friends in the media.
- The Pakis, of course. They have done their job. All that’s remaining is to somehow placate the Indians and avoid any retaliation (they are probably very confident of this since they have done this very effectively in the past).
- The Political parties in India. Congress does not want to have to deal with this during this election season. They are hoping that we forget this like we usually do. Communist parties in India are openly critical of attacking Pakistan but that’s hardly surprising… the communists work for their Chinese masters. BJP, probably wants the issue to keep boiling for 6 months so it gains electorally... without actually solving it.

Let's analyze some of the alternatives besides partial/full war:
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Can we negotiate with Pakistani Army/ISI. That’s not an option. Their only objective is to keep India down like their own under-developed nation. If you need a reminder, just read the article about how Captain Kalia was tortured: http://www.petitiononline.com/LtKalia/petition.html

- Can we ask Pakistan to hand over Dawood /Chota shakeel/Massod Azhar. We can..but it will drag on for ever and never actually happen based on past experience. Besides they are just the low level guys. The handlers are the ISI.
- Can we ask the US/British lobby to put pressure on Pakistanis to deliver eliminate terror and deliver Dawood/LET chief. They have been largely unsuccessful at getting anything from Pakistanis even after paying them, threatening them and bombing them.
- Can we ask our current Govt. to send troops across the border. Bomb key camps across the border. Cause pain to the handlers (who are obviously rejoicing at the carnage they have caused in Mumbai). We can. But from all indications, Congress is looking to drag this on by talking to everyone until the issue becomes stale. The Americans and the British are looking to actively help the congress in its quest for inaction. They need the Pakistanis to concentrate on the Afghan border and a conflict in the east is bad for them.
- Is electing the BJP a better option. Yes, slightly better option. Their track record is not exactly stellar. To be fair, Dr. Manmohan Singh has handled this attack way more sternly (No negotiation and heads rolled after assessment). Is BJP’s anti-terror stand just perception, maybe? Or is there something more concrete? They are making noises about security. But they are not coming out clearly saying they will cross the border and teach the Pakis a good lesson, if there are any attacks during their tenure. They are talking about security but it’s deliberately fuzzy. The actual action that would be taken is not clear. If the BJP clarifies their plan, clearly, categorically, yes, we could vote for them.
- We secure every major building in all the major cities. Any temporary let up in security could still cause a Mumbai kind incident. It's possible. But very expensive, not very practical, not error proof either, we will be spreading ourselves too thin. Any concentrated attack on one location with enough force to go over the threshold can cause a Mumbai like situation again. So theoretically possible, but don't think, very practical.

Consequences of inaction:
----------------------------

We remain a soft target. The next attack will be more audacious (possibly a dirty nuclear bomb in a city center).

- You or your loved once will fall victims to a Paki bomb at some point. It's a question of probability. It's like you are walking blindfolded thru a mine-field.

- The Paki terrorists laugh at you because they think you are impotent. This is pretty much how our ancient kingdoms were repeatedly attacked, pillaged and raped by the barbarian hordes until they finally took over. Obviously, they know that we haven’t learnt much from our history. Are they wrong?

- The investments dry up. The world loses confidence in India's security climate and stops investing. All that we have worked for is being destroyed by these barbarians. Repeat of history...don’t you think?

Consequences of action (a partial / full war)
--------------------------------------------- -
The unknown. We don't know the outcome. But without the risk, there is no reward. Besides what do we have to lose now. They have already attacked all the economic centers of India in the past few attacks. They are in severe economic distress. They will beg for peace after a week's battle.

- Nuclear war. With a partial war, this won't be triggered.

- Opposition from other countries like US/UK/China.

All the publicity in the western media means that they understand what we have gone thru. They cannot now turn against us and support Pakistan. China might but it’s not going to join in an overt battle. The most China will do is supply it weapons.

- Economic loss. The economic loss of not acting is actually more than going for a partial war.

- The world will respect us for taking care of this menace called Pakistan. They are the world’s problem... not just ours. The objective of the war might be to create smaller enclaves within Pakistan so they have local enemies to fight against! That solves the problem for ever.

Action plan:
-------------

1) Send copies of this petition to the political parties (already sent them to PMO/AICC), media, Bharat-Rakshak.com.
2) Collecting names of authors who favor tougher action and getting them onboard. eg: Analysts like : B Raman, Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi (retired), Tarun Vijay, Swapan Dasgupta, Santosh Desai, Shankkar Aiyar

3) Coordinating with other efforts that are being suggested in websites like Bharat-Rakshak like peaceful demonstrations across the country demanding action.
4) Posting paid advertisements in websites like Sulekha/Rediff etc asking for support.
5) Coordinating with other petitioners/bloggers like Pushkar Bhat (http://pushkarbhat.com/blogs/2008/11/we-are-angry-indians-want-answers-and-actions/)
6) Keep exposing the approach of the current govt of:
- Distracting/appeasing the public by making a few heads roll.

- Getting Bush/Obama to diffuse the crisis by suggesting Indians are resilient.
-
Distracting public attention by focusing on efforts at preventing future terror attacks (while commendable, do not include retaliation which is a must for Pakistanis to feel the pain).
7) We have plans to contact the BJP party office to check if they have clear concrete plans. If they do, we will strongly promote them as the better candidate. Hope someone from Congress party office is reading this! But as we have mentioned earlier, Dr. Manmohan Singh has been comparatively sterner that the previous BJP administration. So unless there is something concrete in the BJP proposal, its just talk.
8) We have plans to contact the victims of terror and get their feedback (any help in getting contact details, preferably email addresses, will be helpful).
9) Faxing copies of the petition and reports of signatories to PMO/AICC/BJP offices on weekly basis.

The most important thing we need to show the politicians is that we will not forget this carnage. And that we will be consistently apply pressure over the next few months. We should not get cynical. That’s what the politicians are hoping. They are scared of the resolve we are showing currently. Let’s believe this will work. Let’s send it to all our friends. We have to beat the politicians this time. Let’s not think emotionally. We have to be as smart as the politicians in achieving our goals. We have to promote this like there was no tomorrow. The next major terror attack will take years and Pakistanis would have learnt from their mistakes and will cover their tracks (and most likely the attack would be dirty bombs). So let’s not lose this opportunity.

ONLY NATIONAL CHARACTER CAN FIGHT TERROR

Much has been said, aired and written in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks about the spontaneous anger of the populace. It is obvious that we have to be better prepared for terror strikes, like Israel and US, for example. The question is: " Can we ? ". I wish i could answer that with a resounding " Yes ! ". The fact is we cannot.

Another hoax, establishing a National Investigative Agency, bill passed in the parliament is befooling people again. Has any Anti-terror law in the world stopped terrorism ? Never. It is the political will and the national character of the politicians, which is more important. If you have love for your country, you are patriotic and not corrupt, terrorism can be controlled in one day. Melerly enacting anti-terror laws is fooling the country. If a politician, bureaucrat, policemen, intelligence etc. knows that they will be heavily punished, if they dont do justice to their duties, that is sufficient enough an act to make these people, control terror. This is the kind of legislation, which is required. Not National Investigative Agency. From where the people will come from in this agency ? Will they be imported or aliens ? It will be the same people, who are a part of our corrupt society. And corrupt societies cannot be patriotic.

One reason is that there is a close connection between corruption, National character, patriotism and security. A corrupt society, where corruption has seeped deep into the veins of every segment, can never be patriotic and secure. Politicians are only as good as the society. It's not only our politicians who are corrupt. A large majority of our bureacracy, govt. depts. police or judiciary are no less corrupt. In fact, we have accepted corruption as a part of life and have stopped addressing it as a cancer that it is.

Take our regional passport offices, regional transport offices, property registration offices and customs for example. All these 4 departments ( among a host of others ) touch our security in different ways.

Out side all the regional passport offices flourishes an industry of touts favoured by the deep rooted corruption of its officials. Even our ministers advice the pvt. sector for greater service orientation, the staff of the passport offices are not even required to wear their name tags, so that you cannot even complain about a corrupt employee who gives you the hardest time over trivia, even when he is willing to oblige a tout who may be producing a fake residential certificate.

What about regional transport offices ? Thanks to this serious rival of the previous department, we can get our licences without ever taking a driving test. The local driving school ( often an organisation of touts themselves ) and those passing for RTO officers can ensure that one does not have to be a real person to own a vehicle. So even if we had the best intelligence agencies, they cant ever trace that truck that expolded in the busy street or the car that was left behind by some terrorists.

Land or property registration offices can, of course, give a run of the sleaze money to any. This incidentally is the only office in the country where you pay a bribe to pay your registration taxes, These are also the institutions where if you are big enough crook, you can manage to register the same property in several different names and collect your sales proceeds from all of them, leaving those poor souls to fight legal battles for rest of their lives in another corrupt institution----namely, the judiciary. Thus, even a Dawood Ibrahim can acquire property in his own name, in our devil-maycare land, at will and also make those papers disappear at will, because his offerings to the priests can be substantial.

And lastly our customs. Relatively speaking, one might have had less opportunity to experience the full power of corruption here, unless ofcourse you have ever undertaken a transfer of residence from the west. The big ticket here involves a nexus between arms dealers and customs officials.

Hundreds of senior politicians, even senior defence personnel, judges and hordes of others have been caught on the videos from time to time with their hands in the till. As a society, we are incapable of acting upon such cases because our investigating agencies, our police and our judiciary together make a huge corrupt and ineffective nexus. Even our routine appointments in govt. services, down to appointments and even transfers of teachers and police constables, are not immune to corruption. If a constable or a teacher has paid a bribe for a position, what commitment can we expect of them on the job ?

What we fail to realise is that any corruption is inherently unpatriotic. And those who are unpatriotic cannot have the moral fibre to guard their society. And if we are unable to address this huge problem of corruption, there is no point blaming our intelligence wings alone.

Israel and US have an upper hand against terror, because they have an upper hand on rank corruption. As a people, we all need a night vigil not against terror attacks, but a day and night vigil against corruption. Corruption erodes patriotism and opens the gate for terrorism.

CAN WE COMBAT TERROR ? ANNAYLISTS DOUBT...

Modern technology and communications are every day making teerrorists stronger and states less able to combat the problem. Nothing looks like altering that ominous change in the balance of power.

Anybody can today look up the internet to learn how to make a lethal bomb from easily accessible materials like fertiliser and fuel oil. Automatic weapons are easily available in many countries. Satellite phones, GPS and wireless internet have given individuals better communications than were once available to super-power armies. Militants can keep govt. forces at bay for decades without any foreign support ( as Sri Lanka ).

The indian media are chock full of suggestions of how the Mumbai attack could have been prevented. We all agree with the proposed solutions--- better intelligence, training and equipment---- but still doubt if they will stop all attacks by motivated terrorists willing to die. Not even the most sophisticated super-efficient intelligence systems can stop determined terrorists. Israeli experience proves that conclusively.

Israel, with all its high technology and formidable intelligence and counter-terrorist agencies, has been unable to stop suicide attacks, and is now building a wall along its entire border to limit the incidence of attacks. This is not an option for India, which has porous borders thru which lakhs of migrants come both legally from Nepal and illegally from ( Bangladesh and may be Pakistan ). It is not like US, which is lucky enough to be separated from terrorist hotspots by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

India is bang inside the pan-islamic terrorist zone, and some of its own citizens are part of that pan-islamic network. So, like it or not, we are condemned to live with terrorism till such time as Islamic terrorism ceases to attract adherents.

Really, if you have a wide intelligence network, you will get hundred warnings every day of terrorist plots, suspicious behaviour and possible attacks. Some will be fantasies of thousands of ports of possible attack. In the event of any attack, the first line of defence, even in super-efficient states, is the police. Indian police is woefully under-equipped and under-trained. But can the even the best armed police stop suicidal fanatics with AK-47s, willing to die rather than surrender ?

If indeed the govt. rushes out commandos and troops after every intelligence alert, real terrorists will soon amuse themselves by sending a thousand false alarms. Al Queda says that its strategy is to exhaust the west financially while deploying very few of its own resources. It can easily exhaust India's resources too.

Even if a country develops good intelligence and early warning systems, these can easily be combated by terrorists. Pan-islamic groups can easily send alarms via the internet and telephone about a dozen false landing sites to confuse the authorities.

Can nothing be done ? Well, improved intelligence and security systems, improved training and equipment, will certainly be a help. Some people point to the US as a good example. But, unlike the US , India is bang inside the pan-islamic zone, rather like Israel. So, like Israel, India can at best diminish but not stop all attacks.

In sum, the future looks grim. Theorists will say the solution is to change the mind-set of potential terrorists. Alas, that is beyond the control of India. Pan-islamism has international roots. Besides, the march of technology relentlessly increases the power of non-state actors to inflict ever-more damage. But even the best efforts, annaylists doubt, if we can stop deteremined suicidal fanatics.

MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK- A WARNING TO THE WEST

Contrary to President Zardari's claims, the LET is no "stateless actor." In fact, the LET is and always was a creature of the ISI.

Throughout the war against Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the United States, as well as other states, all sponsored the Afghan resistance fighters or mujahedeen. But Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were principally responsible for creating and sponsoring the most radical Islamic terrorist groups within the mujahedeen's ranks. This nexus is what first gave us Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda and, later, Mullah Omar's Taliban..

As the war in Afghanistan came to an end, the ISI began to reallocate its resources. The jihadists had proven their merit as guerrilla fighters, and the ISI found it convenient to use them elsewhere. Veterans of the Afghan conflict formed the LET's first cadres, and, using Saudi cash, the ISI quickly expanded the LET's operations. By the early 1990s, the LET emerged as one of the ISI's primary instruments for waging its proxy war against Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ISI launched the full-scale jihad in Jammu and Kashmir, but it did not stop there. The LET and several sister organizations also backed by the ISI began attacking India proper long ago. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM), another ISI creation focused on Kashmir, has often been the LET's partner in crime. So has the Hizb-ul-Mujahedeen (HM), which was founded with the ISI's help in the late 1980s. And an Indian-based organization called the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which is sponsored by the ISI and deeply connected to its Pakistani brethren, has been instrumental in launching attacks inside India. These four organizations have killed hundreds. According to the website satp.org (South Asia Terrorist Portal), these groups, along with other smaller allied jihadist organizations, are responsible for dozens of attacks inside India between September 2001 and October 2008.


Even so, Zardari's comments are not altogether meaningless. They touch upon a central fault line in this war on terror. The president of Pakistan has essentially admitted what we should all know by now: There is currently no political force inside Pakistan capable of reining in the ISI and its many jihadist allies. Zardari had hoped for improved relations with India, but he was powerless to stop the Mumbai attacks. The jihadist forces have become entrenched within Pakistani society, which is home to dozens of extremist and terrorist organizations.

Indeed, the extent of the radicalization of Pakistani society is deeply troubling. It is the direct result of decisions made by Pakistani administrations decades ago..

One result is that today the president himself is not safe. The jihadist hydra nearly killed Zardari on September 20, when a truck bomb leveled the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. Zardari had stopped off to chat with an old friend, narrowly avoiding death. The assassins were more successful with Zardari's wife, Benazir Bhutto, who was killed by jihadists in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on December 27, 2007.

All of this has important ramifications not only for India and Pakistan, but also for the United States and the rest of the free world. There is no question that Pakistan has played an instrumental role in the war on terror. President Musharraf's regime, including friendly elements within the ISI, killed or captured hundreds of al Qaeda operatives in the wake of September 11. But it is now clear that the ISI's long-term strategy for seizing power throughout South and Central Asia by sponsoring jihadist proxies remains undeterred.

Moreover, this strategy conflicts directly with American interests. Just as the ISI created the LET and its sister organizations, the ISI has also been the primary benefactor of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Even as Pakistan gave the United States vital assistance in the war on terror, the ISI continued to sponsor America's enemies behind her back. There are numerous examples that can be cited..

Afghan president Hamid Karzai went so far as to say he knew the exact location of Taliban chieftain Mullah Omar and had passed on this information to the Pakistani government, only to have it ignored. "Mullah Omar is for sure in Quetta in Pakistan. And he knows that and I know that," Karzai told the Council on Foreign Relations in September 2006. "And we have given [President Musharraf] information. We have even given him the GPS numbers of his house, of Mullah Omar's house, and the telephone numbers."

Despite these warnings, the Taliban's leadership has remained free. The ISI has ensured their safety. But the ISI's complicity in the Taliban's and al Qaeda's terrorism goes far beyond the provision of safe haven..

A slide in the presentation claimed the ISI was supporting U.S. enemies fighting in Afghanistan. The slide read: "ISI involved in direct support to many enemy operations .??.??. classification prevents further discussion of this point." The support included "training, funding, [and] logistics."

Nash, American Commander, said multiple U.S. and Afghan intelligence reports indicated that the ISI "flew repeated helicopter missions into Afghanistan to resupply the Taliban during a fierce battle in June 2007," according to the Army Times. The ISI helicopters resupplied a "base camp" in the Tora Bora region in Nangarhar, where Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda fought pitched battles with the U.S. military and Afghan militias before retreating into Pakistan.

The ISI officers involved in the Kabul bombings were not "renegades," the New York Times reported, and the intercepts indicated that "their actions might have been authorized by superiors." U.S. intelligence officials also said "elements of Pakistan's government seemed to be directly aiding violence in Afghanistan that had included attacks on American troops" and were providing intelligence to Taliban and al Qaeda operatives on the U.S. covert air campaign targeting terror leaders in Pakistan's tribal areas. The Haqqani Network has been a prime target of these attacks; almost 60 percent of U.S. airstrikes this year have occurred in North Waziristan.

Decades ago the ISI made a pact with the devil. There is no evidence that it can be redeemed any time soon. Given the ISI's deep roots within Pakistan's culture and its capacity to drive policy even against the wishes of the elected officials, curtailing the power of this rogue agency will be difficult at best. Indeed, the ISI is now one of the principal backers of radical Islam in the world.

The allure of Islamist extremism runs deep in Pakistan's officer corps. For many, this is an ideological war. Consider what "retired" ISI general Hamid Gul, who still exerts much influence in Pakistan, said in 2003:

God will destroy the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan and wherever it will try to go from there. The Muslim world must stand united to confront the United States in its so-called War on Terrorism, which is in reality a war against Muslims. Let's destroy America wherever its troops are trapped.

The same mentality compels the ISI and its surrogates to claim territory in the name of Islam. Pakistan's jihad in India and Kashmir is not just the product of a decades-old geopolitical rivalry. For the ISI, it is part of a Manichaean struggle between the forces of Islam and the rest of the world. As Praveen Swami notes in his book, the LET's leadership has openly talked of conquering large swaths of India on behalf of Muslims. After the Kargil war of 1999, LET chieftain Hafiz Muhammad Saeed threatened, "The real war will be inside [India]." He swore his forces would "unfurl the Islamic flag on the Red Fort." As Swami explains, the Red Fort in New Delhi "has been a long-standing motif in Islamist Discourse, as old as Partition itself." It is no wonder that in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, the Indians have demanded that the Pakistanis turn Saeed over. But it is doubtful that the Pakistani military will comply.

In the current crisis, the military shows signs of closing ranks with extremist elements as fears of a conflict with India increase. Just days after the Mumbai attacks, an army corps commander described Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud as a "patriot" and said the conflict with the Taliban in the northwest was merely due to "misunderstandings." In turn, the Taliban-dominated tribes pledged to send three million fighters to the Indian frontier in the event of a conflict.

The United States is now faced with an awful truth. Pakistan is both an ally and an enemy. The attacks in Mumbai are only the latest demonstration of the tactics the ISI is willing to sponsor in its quest for power in the subcontinent and beyond. We should be mindful that ISI-sponsored terrorism is a central component of our enemies' worldwide designs. It should not come as a surprise if someday we find ISI-backed terrorists laying siege to New York or Washington, just as they lately brought carnage to Mumbai.

The above article is in abriged form.

Bill Roggio is managing editor of the website Long War Journal and adjunct fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Thomas Joscelyn is the senior editor of the Long War Journal.

IS INDIA A POOR COUNTRY ? WHO SAYS...

I have already published an article on Swiss Bank accounts of Indians dt. Oct. 22, 2008 under heading " Patriots ? Get your money back from swiss banks ". My friend Salil has sent me some more informaion, which i would like to share with you.

Revelation of Swiss bank accounts. This is so shocking.......If black money deposits was an Olympics event.... India would have won a gold medal hands down. The second best Russia has 4 times lesser deposit. U.S. is not even there in the counting in top five! India has more money in Swiss banks than all the other countries combined!

Recently, due to international pressure, the Swiss government agreed to disclose the names of the account holders only if the respective governments formally asked for it. Indian government is not asking for the details.......no marks for guessing why?

We need to start a movement to pressurise the government to do so! This is perhaps the only way, and a golden opportunity, to expose the high and mighty and weed out corruption!

Please read on......and forward to all the honest Indians to.....like somebody is forwarding to you.......and build a ground-swell of support for action!

Is India poor, who says? Ask the Swiss banks. With personal account deposit bank of $1,500 billion in foreign reserve which have been misappropriated, an amount 13 times larger than the country's foreign debt, one needs to rethink if India is a poor country?

DISHONEST INDUSTRIALISTS, scandalous politicians and corrupt IAS, IRS, IPS officers have deposited in foreign banks in their illegal personal accounts a sum of about $1500 billion, which have been misappropriated by them. This amount is about 13 times larger than the country's foreign debt. With this amount 45 crore poor people can get Rs 1,00,000 each. This huge amount has been appropriated from the people of India by exploiting and betraying them. Once this huge amount of black money and property comes back to India , the entire foreign debt can be repaid in 24 hours. After paying the entire foreign debt, we will have surplus amount, almost 12 times larger than the foreign debt. If this surplus amount is invested in earning interest, the amount of interest will be more than the annual budget of the Central government. So even if all the taxes are abolished, then also the Central government will be able to maintain the country very comfortably.

Some 80,000 people travel to Switzerland every year, of whom 25,000 travel very frequently. 'Obviously, these people won't be tourists. They must be travelling there for some other reason,' believes an official involved in tracking illegal money. And, clearly, he isn't referring to the commerce ministry bureaucrats who've been flitting in and out of Geneva ever since the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations went into a tailspin!

Just read the following details and note how these dishonest industrialists, scandalous politicians, corrupt officers, cricketers, film actors, illegal sex trade and protected wildlife operators, to name just a few, sucked this country's wealth and prosperity. This may be the picture of deposits in Swiss banks only. What about other international banks?

Black money in Swiss banks -- Swiss Banking Association report, 2006 details bank deposits in the territory of Switzerland by nationals of following countries:

TOP FIVE INDIA $1,456 BILLION, RUSSIA $470, BILLION U.K. $390 BILLION, UKRAINE $100 BILLION, CHINA $96 BILLION,

Now do the math's - India with $1,456 billion or $1.4 trillion has more money in Swiss banks than rest of the world combined. Public loot since 1947:

Can we bring back our money? It is one of the biggest loots witnessed by mankind -- the loot of the Aam Aadmi (common man) since 1947, by his brethren occupying public office. It has been orchestrated by politicians, bureaucrats and some businessmen.

The list is almost all-encompassing. No wonder, everyone in India loots with impunity and without any fear. What is even more depressing in that this ill-gotten wealth of ours has been stashed away abroad into secret bank accounts located in some of the world's best known tax havens. And to that extent the Indian economy has been stripped of its wealth. Ordinary Indians may not be exactly aware of how such secret accounts operate and what are the rules and regulations that go on to govern such tax havens. However, one may well be aware of 'Swiss bank accounts,' the shorthand for murky dealings, secrecy and of course pilferage from developing countries into rich developed ones.

In fact, some finance experts and economists believe tax havens to be a conspiracy of the western world against the poor countries. By allowing the proliferation of tax havens in the twentieth century, the western world explicitly encourages the movement of scarce capital from the developing countries to the rich. In March 2005, the Tax Justice Network (TJN) published a research finding demonstrating that $11.5 trillion of personal wealth was held offshore by rich individuals across the globe.

The findings estimated that a large proportion of this wealth was managed from some 70 tax havens. Further, augmenting these studies of TJN, Raymond Baker -- in his widely celebrated book titled 'Capitalism's Achilles Heel: Dirty Money and How to Renew the Free Market System' -- estimates that at least $5 trillion have been shifted out of poorer countries to the West since the mid-1970.

It is further estimated by experts that one per cent of the world's population holds more than 57 per cent of total global wealth, routing it invariably through these tax havens. How much of this is from India is anybody's guess.

What is to be noted here is that most of the wealth of Indians parked in these tax havens is illegitimate money acquired through corrupt means. Naturally, the secrecy associated with the bank accounts in such places is central to the issue, not their low tax rates as the term 'tax havens' suggests. Remember Bofors and how India could not trace the ultimate beneficiary of those transactions because of the secrecy associated with these bank accounts?

IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN SAVE INDIA?

WAR ON TERROR: LESSONS TO BE LEARNT, BY GEN. MEHTA

Since the time i have started writing the blog, I have made lot of new friends who write their comments and old friends who call up to get updated. I have been exchaning lot of emails with various eminent personalities, who give their suggestions and guide me, which helps me in writing the blog. I would not have been writing almost every day without their support and inputs. Writing a blog needs lot of research and one has to find new topics, almost everday, which is quite demanding and takes lot of time and effort. I am greatly thankful to all my friends, old and new for their whole hearted support.

Major General Mehta, AVSM, VSM writes for many newspapers like The Hindustan Times, Indian Express etc. When i wrote an artcicle " Follow Israel to combat terror ", he sent his comments, which were an eyeopener for me. I requested him to suggest concrete measures in fighting terror in India and he was most forthcoming in doing so. He has sent me an article, already printed in The Hindustan Times, which i am reproducing today.

SECURITY FORCES involved in the November 26 to 29 terror strike should take a bow: their major strike element, the NSG, moved from Delhi to take out terrorists involved the carnage after a 60- hour operation under global scrutiny. In doing so, they went through 1,407 five-star hotel rooms as well as Nariman House, taking care to minimise collateral and personal loss. The Russian/ Israeli tactics used were refreshingly proactive and mandated. The murderous terror strike at Mumbai was carried out by Blackberry -enabled, "twitter" savvy, 4th Generation Warriors (4GW).

America took a call on combating terror after 9/11 and enacted the Department of Homeland Defence (DHS) legislation in 2002, which, notwithstanding its warts, has delivered. 4th Generation Warfare is characterised by a blurring of lines between war and politics, soldier and civilian, peace and conflict. In this war, one of the major participants is not a state but rather a violent ideological network. 4GW uses the strategy of "scorched earth", which was amply demonstrated at Mumbai. While the uniformed fraternity makes do with arcane tools of warfare and the NSG does not have finances to provide snipers with proper spotter scopes. Fourth Generation warfare terrorists are flush with modern war fighting means. There is much that went wrong in our approach and build-up for the terror strike at Mumbai till the NSG arrived.

The review of the operation will also throw up fresh lessons. What is certain is that there was abysmal lack of coordination, security lapses in following-up on intelligence leads and Perpetual blame game between the Centre and state over law and order culpability. Is there a way out of this intractable morass? Some positive snap shots have emerged. When asked for his fuelings post the NSG operation, a soldier answered: "I did my duty." When the DG, NSG, J.K. Dutt was asked whether the deceased brave heart, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, was from the Army, he pointedly said, "No, he was from the NSG." Dutt is to be commended for placing the NSG above the Armed Forces. individual service identity, as also the Army though it provides 100 per cent of one of the fighting key components of the NSG- the elite Special Action Group (SAG), which actually combats terror, and the other component being the Special Rangers Group(SRG), which is staffed only by paramilitary/ police forces- it has allowed the NSG to take full credit. Even as we await detailed reports on the terror strike, we need to be proactive:

raise a dedicated Anti-Terror Ministry, removing it from the charter of the Home Ministry and ensure that legislation is enacted soonest.

we should ensure that our Intelligence agencies and the NSG shift to the new ministry; ensure that the NSG is provided all the equipment,expansion in strength and satellite bases, including dedicated aircraft it needs to combat 4G terrorism.

we should place the Coast Guard and protection of India's 12 major and 180 minor ports as also its 8,OOO kilometre coastline under the Navy.

the Supreme Court judgment of September 22, 2006 instructing the Centre and state so achieve functional autonomy for the police and enhanced police accountability must be executed.

we need to educate Indians across the board; citizens, students, corporates, establishments on the dynamics of terror and how they can minimise personal and collateral loss. The public is willing and united. All that is needed is a mandate, using serving, retired servicemen as teachers.

there is need to position security as a social and industry obligation; make it constitutionally binding to have a minimum, accountable standard of security infrastructure and quality. This will include the need for hotels to have "hardened, terror strike proof rooms" that guests and staff can be herded into; national id cards; Blackberry communications (these cannot be intercepted) in designated security zones, security rehearsals, registration of all sea craft with the Harbour Police instead of just the Port Authority; using "spotters" and networking with global security agencies.

with the Anti- Terror Ministry in place, there should be no need for states to create "Black Cat" equivalents.

the Government must not only come out with a White paper on the terror strike but also honour the soldier by enhancing his emoluments with grace, generosity and promptitude.

Maj Gen Raj Mehta (Retd)The writer is a military and security analyst
Posted by SIGNAL on Friday, December 05, 2008 Links to this post
Labels: 4GW, Counter Terrorism, Police Reforms, Terrorists, War on Terror

DEMOCRACY- A FAILED MODEL, ELECTION RESULTS

The recent Assembly election results are a big surprise to all of us. The Congress has won 3 out of 5 states and that too decisively.

Right from the very start, when i started writing my blog, i was of the firm opinion that democracy is not suitable for India, where there are many religions, multi-caste system and languages. People in all parts of India think and act differently, limited to their regions and on the basis of vote bank politics, created by the politicians for their vested interests. We don't think like an Indian as we are Punjabis, Marathis, Gujaraties etc. first. The politicians have successfully rooted in our mindset about which religion or caste we belong to. They have successfully divided the country on " Divide and Rule " policy learnt accurately from the British Raj and have perfected the art.

We adopted democracy immediately after independence and copied British system of working, e.g. bureacracy, judiciary and the executive, ditto on the same lines as theirs. But there the similarity ends. Britishers are an educated lot and know the real meaning of vibrant democracy, but in India our politicians use democracy as a tool to govern people on the lines of religion, caste and region. After more than 60 years of independence, majority of our people are still poor and uneducated. They tend to vote en- masse as directed by the local sarpanch or for the reasons mentioned above.

Every state has to provide security to its people from whom taxes are collected in various forms. Corruption, red-tapism, development come later. It's only when you survive, you talk of corruption and other issues. A dead man has no meaning for the above. After Mumbai terror attack, i was quite convinced that people will reject Congress and throw it away to bring change, ( not that i am a BJP sympathiser. They are equal partners in vote bank politics ). In this context rural-urban divide comes in the open. Whereas urban areas are quite prone to terror attacks, rural areas are quite safer as far as terror strikes are concerned. What holds good for the rural areas, may not necessarily be good for urban areas and visa-versa.

The uneducated people are the real voters who swing the tide towards a particular party. They still remain isolated and ill informed what happens in the urban areas. I am sure, they dont even know about terror strikes, specially Mumbai terror attack, which was a watershed. Most of them have no access to newspapers, as they are uneducated and if there is a TV also, it is only the govt. controlled Doordarshan, to whom they have access to. Even if they are well informed about terror, then it becomes more confusing, as it leads to 2 Indias which are disconnected.

The Congress will emerge emboldended and would be happy that their founding fathers have gifted them with democracy, which is irrrelevant today, in the true sense. I am sure the intelligence and the police force, which was on the verge of being overhauled by the Congress govt. will remain on paper and nothing concrete will emerge to change the system. Congress is aware that people's memory is short ( we forgot Mumbai terror attack in 10 days ) and nothing can stop them from getting votes from their loyal vote banks. People of our country will be again taken for a ride and Congress will take them for granted and many more terror attacks will keep on happening and thousands of them will keep on getting maimed.

If the right signal would have been sent to the Congress by our voters by rejecting them in elections, our politicians surely would have learnt their lessons.

It is time to introspect, what system can replace democracy, which has become a dirty word in India, suited for all sections of the society, suited for Indian conditions which should be inclusive. But who will bell the cat as democracy as it stands today, suits both Congress, BJP and other parties.

ARE WE HEADING TO BEING A FAILED STATE ?

The invasion of Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists is but a replay of times past: The periodic and predictable arrival of barbarians over the Khyber Pass, laying waste to the countryside, and wreaking untold damage on a long-suffering populace. The only crime that the average Indian committed was to focus on the creation of wealth; of course, the barbarians came because of the wealth. Today, once again, India is generating capital, and the intention is to thwart its economic rise.

Then, as now, the rulers failed the populace. There is an implicit contract between the rulers and the ruled: You pay the taxes, obey the rules, and we ensure that your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are unhindered. India's ruling class failed signally to honour this contract -- they never did figure out that the simple expedient of defending the Khyber and Bolan passes would be enough to save the plains, because nature had been kind enough to build the impregnable Himalayas all around India.

I have never got a satisfactory answer to the question as to why we didn't build the Great Wall of India. The Chinese built a 1,500-mile wall; Indians could surely have built a 15-mile wall and kept the marauders out. But there was clearly a failure in leadership and in strategic thinking. Time after time, the barbarians would pour in through the passes, march to Panipat or Tarain, and there, in a desperate last-ditch battle, the Indians would lose, again and again. The result: Disaster.

Furthermore, there were traitors in-house, too. They would collude with the invaders to the detriment of their fellow Indians. Jaichand, during the second battle of Tarain in 1192, turned the tide of the battle by allying with Mahmud of Ghori against Prithviraj Chauhan, with the result that northern India suffered 700 years of tyranny -- it was a clear tipping point. Or take the battle of Talikota that ended the magnificent Vijayanagar empire: it was their own troops that betrayed them.

Fast forward to today. India is under withering attack on all fronts. To the east, there is the demographic invasion by Bangladeshis, including unhindered infiltration by terrorist elements. The entire north-east is in danger of secession, given both the narrow and hard-to-defend 'chicken's neck' that connects the area to the Gangetic plain, as well as the Christian fundamentalism and terrorism that is on the verge of turning into a move to secede on religious and ethnic grounds, a la East Timor.

The northern frontier is restive, with Nepal, a former ally and buffer State transformed into hostile territory, with its porous borders turned into a way of infiltrating terrorists into India, with the declared intent of capturing the 'Pasupati-to-Tirupati corridor', in other words, most of the eastern half of the country.

China is making increasingly belligerent noises about Tawang and all of Arunachal Pradesh. They are gambling that, despite the summit that just took place in Dharamsala, the steam has gone out of the Tibetan resistance movement. They have been emboldened by the fact that Tibetans were not able to disrupt the Olympics [Images], and the more immediate betrayal by the British (see the International Herald Tribune's Did Britain Just Sell Tibet?), who declared, contrary to all the historical evidence, that Tibet [Images] was always a part of China. Besides, the Chinese fully intend to move forward with the diversion of the Brahmaputra, which is in effect a declaration of war against the lower riparian State, India.

It is likely that the Chinese will march into Tawang -- there is a lot of chatter in Chinese circles (see, an analysis by D S Rajan at the Chennai Centre for China Studies) about a 'limited India-China war', a replay of 1962. The Chinese have, in addition to pure geopolitics, another reason to do this, as was pointed out by strategy expert Brahma Chellaney -- as in the years preceding 1962, the world is now once again hyphenating India and China. By handing India a sharp conventional military defeat, China would like that hyphenation to be removed decisively, as it surely would be. India will once again be seen as the loser it has been during the entire 1947 to 2000 period.

In the northwest, Kashmir burns. The population clearly views India as a colony -- they want Indian money, but they are not willing to make the slightest concessions to Hindu sentiments. It is very convenient for them to have the cake and eat it too -- there is the little-known fact that J&K has practically nobody under the poverty line (2 percent and falling), as compared to the average of some 20 percent in the country as a whole. Kashmiris have prospered mightily despite -- or is it because of? -- the brutal ethnic cleansing of 400,000 Pandits now languishing in refugee camps.

In the traditionally quiet peninsula, there is evidence of tremendous terrorist activity. In Kerala [Images], it has been reported widely in the Malayalam media that 300 youth have been hired, trained and dispatched to Kashmir with explicit instructions -- kill Indian soldiers and support Pakistani intrusions. Terrorism [Images] is just another job. Sleeper cells exist in every town. The Konkan and Malabar coasts are dotted with safe harbours, where weapons, counterfeit currency and contraband are cached. The preferred mechanism -- bomb blasts to inflict maximum damage. Logistics, safe houses, surveillance, forged documents, etc. are provided by a wide network.

The fact is that all these threats are overwhelming the security apparatus in the country, such as it is. It is quite likely that the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing and the Anti-Terrorism Squad had some inkling of something big being planned, including the movement of small arms on the Ratnagiri coastline, and the logistics-related activities of known suspects. It is unclear why they didn't take preventive action.

There is a terrifying possibility -- that they in fact had no idea this was going on. There is an aphorism that you cannot stop all terrorist activity, but in India the situation is such that no terrorist activity is stopped -- they strike at will, and the populace is left to pick up the pieces of broken lives. This is no way to run a country.
The frightening possibility is that the Jaichands have in fact taken over the State. In which case, we can anticipate the total dismemberment of India -- possibly preceded by an interregnum where it is a failed State -- in the near future.

There is one other possibility -- that the army will have to take over. It is a remote possibility, for two reasons -- the Indian Army [Images] has been determinedly apolitical; and the State has continually striven to weaken it. Someone once made the ridiculous statement that India really didn't need an army, only a police force, and it appears the entire political class and bureaucracy have internalised this slogan.

From 1962 -- as always, on November 18 I silently saluted the martyrs of the Battle of Rezang-La, where C Company, 13th Kumaon died heroically to the last man -- when the ill-equipped troops froze to death on the Himalayan heights, to the refusal to increase military salaries when the bureaucrats awarded themselves 300 percent increases recently, the State has told the military that it doesn't value them. All the services are starved of funds.

One possible outcome is that the Indian military forces will gradually wither away and die, thus making the statement about India not needing an army a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is another possibility -- that of a military coup d'etat. Normally, the prospect of a military takeover -- given that they all end up badly -- from a democracy is not something one would welcome. But then India is not a democracy -- it is a kakistocracy, rule by the very worst possible people -- which has the trappings of a democracy but not the substance, so I wonder if military rule could possibly be any worse.

But the chances are getting increasingly good that the Indian State will collapse, just like Pakistan already has. A recent risk assessment by the World Economic Forum and CII considers the economic, energy, food/agriculture and national security that face India. The report is more concerned about the first three items, assuming that India is secure enough as a nation.

I hope they are right, but this invasion of Mumbai -- so daring and audacious -- makes me wonder. I have considered a nightmare scenario of Chinese battleships arriving in triumph at the Gateway of India [Images], to be welcomed with marigold garlands by the Jaichands, but I have to admit I never thought a motley crew of Pakistani terrorists would invade. The very future of the Indian State, suddenly, is in question. And it is mostly from self-inflicted, avoidable wounds. The failure of leadership is causing India to cease to exist.

Rajeev Srinivasan can be reached at http://rajeev2007.wordpress.com

LETTER TO PRIME MINISITER- FROM A MUMBAIKAR

I am a typical mouse from Mumbai. In the local train compartment which has capacity of 100 persons, I travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at leasts queak but we don't even do that.

Today I heard your speech. In which you said 'NO BODY WOULD BE SPARED'. I would like to remind you that fourteen years has passed since serial bomb blast in Mumbai took place. Dawood was the main conspirator. Till today he is not caught. All our bolywood actors, our builders, our Gutka king meet him but your Government can not catch him. Reason is simple; all your ministers are hand in glove with him. If any attempt is made to catch him, everybody will be exposed. Your statement 'NOBODY WOULD BE SPARED' is nothing but a cruel joke on this unfortunate people of India. Enough is enough. As such after seeing terrorist attack carried out by about a dozen young boys I realize that if same thing continues days are not away when terrorist will attack by air, destroy our nuclear reactor and there will be one more Hiroshima.

We the people are left with only one mantra. Womb to Bomb to Tomb. You promised Mumbaikar Shanghai what you have given us is Jalianwala Baug. Today only your home minister resigned. What took you so long to kick out this joker? Only reason was that he was loyal to Gandhi family. Loyalty to Gandhi family is more important than blood of innocent people, isn't it? I am born and bought up in Mumbai for last fifty eight years. Believe me corruption in Maharashtra is worse than that in Bihar. Look at all the politicians, Sharad Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Bal Thackray ,Gopinath Munde, Raj Thackray, Vilasrao Deshmukh all are rolling in money. Vilasrao Deshmukh is one of the worst Chief minister I have seen. His only business is to increase the FSI every other day, make money and send it to Delhi so Congress can fight next election. Now the clown has found new way and will increase FSI for fisherman so they can build concrete house right on sea shore. Next time terrorist can comfortably live in those house ,enjoy the beauty of sea and then attack the Mumbai at their will.

Recently I had to purchase house in Mumbai. I met about two dozen builders.Everybody wanted about 30% in black. A common person like me knows this and with all your intelligent agency & CBI you and your finance minister are not aware of it. Where all the black money goes? To the underworld isn'tit? Our politicians take help of these goondas to vacate people by force. I myself was victim of it. If you have time please come to me, I will tell you everything. If this has been land of fools, idiots then I would not have ever cared to write you this letter.

Just see the tragedy, on one side we are reaching moon, people are so intelligent and on other side you politicians have converted nectar into deadly poison. I am everything Hindu, Muslim,Christian, Schedule caste, OBC, Muslim OBC, Christian Schedule caste,Creamy Schedule caste only what I am not is INDIAN. You politicians have raped every part of mother India by your policy of divide and rule.Take example of former president Abdul Kalam. Such a intelligent person,such a fine human being. You politician didn't even spare him. Your party along with opposition joined the hands, because politician feels they are supreme and there is no place for good person.

Dear Mr Prime minister you are one of the most intelligent person, most learned person. Just wake up, be a real SARDAR. First and foremost expose all selfish politicians. Ask Swiss bank to give name of all Indian account holders. Give reins of CBI to independent agency. Let them find wolf among us. There will be political upheaval but that will better than dance of death which we are witnessing every day. Just give us ambient where we can work honestly and without fear. Let there be rule of law. Everything else will be taken care of. Choice is yours Mr. Prime Minister. Do you want to be lead by one person or you want to lead the nation of 100 Crore people?


Prakash Bajaj, staying at Napean Sea Road, Mumbai is the writer of this article. Article forwarded to me by my son Sandeep.

" LET'S LEARN FROM ISRAEL "- MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK

The way terrorists have once again been successful in inflicting tyranny of terror at the heart of India's financial capital-Mumbai on November 26 onwards for over more than 60 hours, with impunity has once again shows the moribund state of our intelligence networks that fails again and again in predicting such premeditated terror attacks, yes once again and three cheers for it!! These phrases of "once again" as either prefix or suffix have become an endless affair.

After every such terror attacks also comes volleys of condemnations, sympathy, calling for maintaining communal harmony and above all once again trumpeting the resilience of Mumbaikars and then happily going to their respective safe cocoons for a deep slumber till another spate of terror attacks rocks some other parts of India. This lame duck UPA Government suffers from a strange Chamberlainian paradox whose appeasement policy towards Hitler's Nazi Germany was severely criticized by Churchill thus, "The Government cannot make up their minds and go on in strange paradox, and so they decide only to be undecided, resolve only to be irresolute, are adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful only to be impotent!" This has become an unbreakable vicious cycle. Once again the talk of having a Federal Investigating Agency and talk of strengthening intelligence agencies will do the rounds and the terror stricken nation will have another "100 days of finishing terrorism" as lollypop while the Government will sing all those rhetorical tones as sweet lullaby to put the Nation to sleep. Nation must sleep; otherwise another common man will rise to take law into his or her hand to eliminate these terrorists as he or she-I or you will naturally do when dirty cockroaches sneak into our kitchens. Terrorists and their terrorism have become like these endless breed of cockroaches, challenging our freedom in our kitchens as these mindless armed breeds do, challenging the might of the Indian State . They, the anonymous terrorists, are relishing their joy of reducing the omnipotence of the Indian State into sheer impotence, once again , by now. What are we waiting for or are we waiting for a "Wednesday" (as syndrome) to descend upon from reel life to real life with thousands of still potent aam admis armed with hit sprays to finish these bloody cockroaches once for all-for their security's sake, for the sake of freedom of their families, children's et al will hit the streets across India. Anarchy will engulf India , because if the Government blinded by its political expediencies fails to protect its citizens, then citizens-the aam janta will decide to protect themselves and the State will be compelled to show the same knee-jerk reaction to it as it has been doing so since time immemorial in fighting terrorism-the enemy of our freedom.


Let's learn from Israel , how they have managed to not just survive but flourished even with inheriting a rocky barren terrain as homeland and at the top of it being surrounded by hostile neighbours who pose as existential threat to this tiny Jewish Nation. They can, because they know how to deal with scores of enemies of Israel across the world. Their formula is simple- not an eye for an eye but both eyes for losing one eye, not tooth for tooth but the whole jaw for it. Israeli counter-terrorism responses have always created its desired results, which is to terrorize the very terrorists. Instead of the bloody hordes of terrorists, it is the Israeli retaliation that let loose a reign of terror in the hearts and minds of the terrorists. The terrorists, no matter how strong they are, always get the right message from Israel- "Don't mess with the Jews". The way they manage their borders and internal security is highly commendable and one can write a hundreds of pages, if not books or articles, on it. Every Jew is proud of their Nation, because they know like them it also cares about its brave citizens, not through tough talk but through tough action and that's why it invites awe, not pity, from others-even from its staunchest critics. In this hour of crisis, just one single statement from David Ben Gurion, Founding Father and first PM of Israel can act magic in raising the morale of all the nationalistic Indians of this great Nation soar high. He said to Ariel Sharon, former Defence Minister and later PM of Israel just before his death which has gone on records as the greatest Jewish anecdote ever- "Let me first tell you one thing: it doesn't matter what the world says about Israel, it doesn't matter what they say about us anywhere else. The only thing that matters is that we can exist here on the land of our forefathers. And unless we show the Arabs that there is a high price to pay for murdering Jews, we won't survive." The message for all of patriotic Indian citizens and its Government, irrespective of its political colour, is clear- mere words as platitudes won't do; only tough actions will do the talking. If we still fail to act, in spite of these entire bloodbaths as our own 9/11, we are heading for becoming another failed state worst than even cancerous Pakistan , i.e. Somalia , for sure. Posterity will, then, surely mark all of us as impotent Indians of a sterile Nation- India . That will be our worst nightmare becoming reality. Let's show the world that the potency of this 1billion plus great Nation can never be relegated to a pitiable dysfunctional impotency because the almighty Indian State will remain omnipotent. Its writ will ultimately prevail as good over evil, always as ever.

Article by Vineet Chaturvedi

RAHUL IN A PARTY MOOD SOON AFTER MUMBAI ATTACK

Even before the tears of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s mother could dry up, Congress general secretary and heir apparent Rahul Gandhi went partying with his pals at a farmhouse on Delhi’s outskirts.

The Prince partied hard, till 5 in the morning, on Sunday at the ‘sangeet’ for the forthcoming wedding of Samir Sharma, his childhood friend. They were at a sprawling farmhouse at Radhey Mohan Chowk, the haven of people who lead charmed lives beyond Chhatarpur.

Just a day earlier, his sister Priyanka Vadra had caused a flutter by saying the late Indira Gandhi would have “made us very proud” by the way she would have reacted to the Mumbai terror strikes. Mumbai appeared to be far from her brother’s mind as he boogied at the farmhouse with Samir Sharma, US-based furniture designer son of Captain Satish Sharma, the late Rajiv Gandhi’s flying partner who nursed the First Family’s pocketborough, Rae Bareli, till Sonia Gandhi chose to contest from there in 2004.

The Prince seemed to be completely out of sync with the mood of the nation post-26/11. Since Wednesday night, officials have been cancelling parties they were meant to host and even restaurants called off special events.

Saturday night’s ‘sangeet’ was a lavish affair. It was hosted by Leena Musafir, sister of the woman with whom Samir is getting married, and her husband Inder. The party was attended by over 800 guests, including regulars at Page 3 dos. “When everyone is cancelling parties or just keeping them low-key, Rahul Gandhi had no business to be celebrating. His action makes us lose faith in future leaders,” said Ajay Bahl, a leading corporate lawyer who was trapped in the thick of the action on 26/11 at The Oberoi, Mumbai, but managed to escape with the help of the hotel staff.

The Gandhis, including Sonia Gandhi’s mother Paola Maino, were present in strength at the 2004 wedding of Samir’s sister, Sarika, who is married to actorturned- TV producer Rahul Bhatt. Sarika and Rahul now manage a television production house.

The two families may be very close — Captain Sharma and his wife, Sterre, were present throughout the very private wedding of Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra — but the circumstances now are very different.

As a guest at the ‘sangeet’ remarked on the condition of anonymity, “We were all partying, but none of us is a public person. Rahul Gandhi, however, is. He must be more responsible in his social appearances.Courtesy: Mail Today

FIRE FROM THE PEN OF PATRIOTIC INDIAN AMERICAN

These are his own views but forces us to think… rethink and introspect ourselves. This article has been sent to me by a good friend Mr. Vivek Sondhi.

This is a very sad day. There are many reasons why it happened. Following are the most important.

Irresponsible Political Parties, Poor goverance and Corruption:

Tons of ammunition can come to India and we don't even know that it is coming inside. Why? Corrupt customs and excise officials, are to be blamed. No matter which political party comes to power there is no cure for corruption in India. People are so corrupt that they will allow ammunition to come inside the country. Why not investigate the properties of Customs and Excise officers and compare it to their wages? What about illegal immigrants in India? There are large number of illegal immigrants in India, and government does not want to deal with it. India is a "dharmashala" ! The country is getting eaten from inside and now only a handful group of people, about 10 can inflict city's blood. What would have happened if there were say 200 terrorists instead of 10?

This is WAR! Mr. CM and Dy. CM DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? When are we going to understand that this is a WAR? If there had been about 200 terrorists instead of 10, they could have controlled the whole city for at least a week. Mr. Deshmukh, Mr. Patil DO YOU REALLY GET THIS OR ARE YOU BLIND AND DEAF?

Incompetent Security Infrastructure:

Police are neither trained nor are they prepared for such attacks. Given the circumstances, and equipments they have, they DO THEIR BEST! But, here there are terrorists with AK47 and AK57, and here are our cops with service revolver or a Hawaldar with a stump!! To all the political parties: With the amount you spend on election, I am sure we can buy enough automatic weapons for at least Mumbai police. The cops even don't have proper helmets and body armor to deal with this! So when they are going in, death is a certainty!

Unreasonable Judicial Procedures:

1993 Bomb blast case is still not finished. Sanjay Dutt was found guilty in that case and he is still making crores in films, and contemplating to run for an office. Is our JUDICIAL SYSTEM A JOKE? If people are not scared of the punishment, how could you deter them? Afzal Guru was found guilty but the punishment is still not carried out! WHY? What message are we sending to the terrorists?

Life is a Commodity in India:

Life is cheap and a commodity in India! Lets face it. Neither our politicians nor we ourselves view life as a precious thing. We have so many of them! Right? I am confident that nothing will change. In couple of years we will have another, and more bolder attack perhaps, and the things won't be different! At that time the difference will be number of innocent lives taken. May be thousands will die. WHO CARES? Certainly neither Congress, nor BJP. This is a fact.

US was attacked only once on the mainland after World War II. They taught the lesson of a lifetime to the attackers. There has not been a single attack on the mainland in last 7 years. "Ek parinda bhi par nahi mar sakata"! is a fact in US. There is a reason why it is a super power. US is called as the land of the free and home of the braves! What should I call my country? Land of the corrupt politicians and home of the gutless leaders? Is this the same country of Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak and Sardar Patel? As an Indian I dare to say, that we are light years away from being a Superpower! Only 10 kids between the ages of 20-25 can shatter a country like never before. It takes more than 24 hours to flush out these kids from our own homeland, and we dream of superpower! What kind of Super power? BPO or Software Export Super Power? This day has made a scar on my mind which will never heal!

Solution:

Punish the political parties in the elections! Ask the leaders tough questions! Let them know enough is enough! Now is the time not to follow these gutless leaders but to lead from the front. Finally, my salute to the police force and soldires who are not afraid to die for us. They are not worried about their families! On this Thanks giving Day, I cannot say in Words, what your sacrifice means to all of us! Many Thanks, and WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU AND YOUR SACRIFICE!

HOW " NEW HOME MINISTER " CAN FIGHT " NEW TERROR "

The terrorist attacks in Mumbai have shattered the confidence of the people in govt. and state institutions to provide safety and security as enshrined in the constitution. The moral and the phsychological blow is even more devastating as it reveals the fragility of the country commonly described as a soft state. This is the most lethal and highly sophisticated attack next only to 9/11 anywhere in the world, exposing India's ineffective intelligence, policing and response systems. It is therefore a systematic failure and India's helplessness to rectify it has become a joke among western diplomats who marvel at our high tolerance, threshold while feigning zero tolerance of terrorism. It is hightime for govt. to emulate the IBM advertisement: " Stop talking, start doing ".

The Mumbai carnage makes our country the 4th theatre of this war after Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The jihadis have now declared an open war against our country. They mean to attack India as a nation and not just one section of it. If India has to win this war, it must give united response with all its strength and resources---- diplomaic,, military, political in a calculated manner. With so little in the diplomatic kitty, more forceful options should be considered. A full scale war is pointless in a nuclear environment. New Delhi needs to look harder at the idea of limited military action, perhaps striking only LeT camps in POK. Islamabad may well srike back. But, to be hard-nosed about things, the body-count is less important than the need to send a strong message.

For obvious reasons, the security front should be the top prority, though at the same time action needs to be taken on social and political fronts as well. A complete overhaul of the security apparatus is the 1st most important requirement. Its various branches should be headed by experienced professionals and not by " Yes Men ". Time for treating security postings as political patronage is over.

The terrorists are experts in the use of modern technology, but our police are still trained and equipped in traditional style. The terrorists are able to violate our borders by sea, air and land with impunity. The Mumbai carnage has the hallmark of an extremely well planned ISI- Lashkar operation, but we have failed to learn from our past experience.

Divisive and vote-bank politics are one of the main causes for the rapid growth of religious terrorism in India. The police forces at all levels should be trained for counter-terrorism operations. Their investigative and technical skills are badly in need of up-gradation. We need Special Forces, like the NSG, in all the states. To be successful, they must be an integral part of the state police as the " Grey Hounds " in Andhra Pradesh. The NSG in Delhi should function more as a back-up force and a training facility. The intelligence agencies should be revamped. They need better technical and human resources. We need a full time anti-terror agency manned by specially selected, well-informed officers to study and analyse all intelligence reports on the subject. It should be the responsibility of the agency to ensure that follow-up action is taken on these reports by the concerned state or central departments. The agency should assist the states in planning a comprehensive strategy. It should keep track of all terrorist incidents not only in India but in all other terror-affected countries to draw the right lessons.

Effective anti-terror legislation with legal safeguards like National Security Act or Patriot Act ( like in USA ) is needed alongwith dedicated fast track anti-terror courts. Periodic mock exercises to check response drills and procedures. Crisis Control Centres with clear command and control measures, a unified force commander is vital for dealing with emergency situations. Accountibility is a must. Heads must roll.

But there is one aspect of the attack that has not received the attention it deserves, it's financing. Yet it goes without saying that an attack on this scale would not have been possible without a well-oiled machine to channel money into terrorist hands. Sadly, this is something, we are just not focussed on so far. Speaking at the recently concluded India Economic Summit in the capital, Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, cautioned the cental govt. of the dangers of lowering its guard against suspect inflows of funds from overseas. An institution called FATF ( Financial Action Task Force ) was set up at the G 7 summit in Paris in 1989, specifically to deal with growing anxiety about money laundering and indreasing evidence of its links with international terrorism.

As the landmark FATF, Feb, 2008 declaration elaborates, financing is required not just to fund specific terrorist operations, but to meet the broader organisational costs of developing and maintaing a terrorist organisation and to create an enabling environment necessary to sustain their activities. These organisations require large funds to create and maintain an infrastructure of organisational support, sustain an ideology of terrorism thru propoganda, and to finance the a big body of terrorist groups. US secret service's primary investigative function is to safeguard the US payment and financial systems to preserve the integrity of the country's financial obligations. The fight against terror has to be fought on many fronts-- blocking access to finance is too important a front to be ignored.

A special anti-terror law would greatly help. While an anti-terror law is no guarantee against acts of terrorism, it is certain that its absence seriously weakens the counter-terrorism strategy.

JUST A COSMETIC SURGERY !

I don't feel like watching the TV. The last 4 days have been a nigtmare for Mumbaikars and all of us in India too. The innocent lives lost, for no fault of theirs.... The pain on the faces of their loved ones is devastating for all of us watching---- a pain that seems to come all, too frequently nowadays. While television stations are going up the learning curve with each such episode, the govt. seems to have not learnt at all. Not even learnt that we need a entirely a different home minister, may be a army General, someone better equipped to do such a big, important and complex job. A home minister, who believes in action, not only words.

These past few days, as we weep with the victim's families, and listen in horror to friends tell of watching people being killed in front of their eyes, my mind has been screaming, " It is not the economy, stupid ". Who cares where the sensex is, when we have senselessness all around us. Who cares what kind of economy we will be, if we are a battered nation, run my inept politicians or those obsessed with dynastic succession and / or vote bank politics ?

The commonly offered excuse for our Prime Minister's slow responses---- that he does not call the shots--- is no longer acceptable any more. He can no longer choose to be like a weak professional CEO in a strong family-managed business, where the owner calls all the shots on everything important, and the CEO shrugs and says, " Well, it's his company, beyond a point, I can not push ". By virtue of being the proffessional CEO with very little stakes to lose, he should have insisted that NSG be despatched a long time earlier than they were, he should have insisted a long time ago that the home minister be changed, and finally, he should have had something more substantive to say to all of us about his govt.'s further strategy and action plan to combat terror, instead of looking in the rear view mirror and saying " I condemn the attack, they did it "

IS IT NOT HIGHTIME, ARMED FORCES TAKE OVER INDIA ?

We have the Russian bear, the Chinese dragon and the Asian tigers. But there is one country that's not a tiger, not even an elephant, but a big fat sitting duck. This is one of the favourite places of terrorists where thay are free to take pot shots at the people whenever they like. That's why when a terrorist wants to become trigger happy, out of boredom, the first choice is India, a siiting duck. It is a great place for target practice.

India lays out the red carpet for terrorists. It's almost like they joke, " Want to try some of your bombs, why don't you pick up Jaipur ? Is Jaipur too dusty, why don't you give Bangalore a try ? Or do you prefer the national capital ? " India really welcomes foreigners into theit midst. Our borders with Bangladesh are so porous that you now have more Bangladeshis in Mumbai than people from West Bengal. Indian intelligence, would not know that terrorists are going to hit them, even if terrorists send them the information in advance to come and see the fireworks. Our pot-bellied cops would not be able to spot a terrorist even if he walked about under their noses wearing T-shirts that said " T " for " Terrorist ". Best of all, our police is armed with weapons they probably used in World War- 1.

Our leaders are Chief Sitting Ducks, who hold the world record for ineptitude. It takes them 12 long hours to get their crack commandos in place for assault. That's a blessing for terrorists, so that they can go around killing a lot of people while they find out where they have misplaced their sharp shooters. No wonder these terrorists are hitting once a month now, like going for a holiday !

In Kashmir, govt. is too scared to send the people from the plains to settle in the valley, which would have solved the Kashmir issue the way Chinese solved their Tibetian problem. On the other hand they are too scared to give the Kashmiris independence. In the north east of the country even a rag-tag outfit like the ULFA can strike terror at will.

What makes me laugh, is the notion these guys in Siting Duck Land have, that they are about to become a Superpower. What can be more ridiculous that a country which cant even ensure security for its people having these dreams of glory ?

Are we secured in the hands of these " Jokers ? " When 60% of the police is kept for these public servants for their VVIP security, which is paid by taxpayers, how do you expect security for a common man like us ? I want these jokers out of the system, out of the govt. and they can be reemployed, if they have some kind of degree. Let them knock at the doors of head hunters for new jobs.

Now let's talk brasstacks. Today India is a fit case to be taken over by the Armed forces to bring some discipline and to make feel, an ordinary citizen like me, " I am secured in the hands of military ". Let NSG do to politicians what NSG did to terrorists.

WHY DON'T WE LEARN FROM HONGKONG ? ANTI CORRUPTION DRIVE !

International business executives rank Hong Kong as one of least corrupt cities in the world. That reputation has become one of the secrets of its economic success. But some 40 years ago, the city suffered from endemic corruption.


Vendors in this Hong Kong wet market call out to shoppers to buy fresh fish, meat and vegetables. Business is brisk.


But some 40 years ago, gangs - known as triads - their police protectors and corrupt government officials terrorized markets like these, extorting money from hawkers in exchange for letting their stalls stay open.


Hong Kong people call it the "bad old days," when blatant bribery took place in nearly all aspects of life in the then-British colony - in getting driver's licenses, school placement, public housing and even medical help.


"The triads harassed hawkers especially during the Chinese New Year when vendors want to have a better location for their stalls. So they have to pay a few dollars," she recalled.


Professor King Tsao, a corruption expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, witnessed blatant police corruption.

Professor King Tsao"I remember when I was a kid and I went to the wet market with my mom and I remember vividly there were some policemen - just passed by to patrol - and they collected cash, $10, from each hawker," he said. "They were not worried that someone would witness it, report it. They thought that was part of their life, part of their jobs to do everyday to collect money."


Yet the police department was supposed to investigate corruption and the public seemingly had no recourse. But that changed when mass protests erupted in 1973 after a police superintendent, then under a graft investigation, escaped from Hong Kong.

The British colonial government was forced to take radical steps, enacting strong anti-bribery laws, and creating an independent anti-corruption body, the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption).

Today, Hong Kong is a clean and prosperous city. Many here credit this success to the ICAC.

Armed with unprecedented police-like powers to investigate, arrest suspects and seize assets, the ICAC quickly broke up police protection rackets and pursued corrupt government officials.

By the late 1970s, the ICAC says reports of corruption dropped by more than half.

Rebecca LiRebecca Li, the assistant director for operations of the ICAC, explains the commission's strategy.

"The ICAC from the outset adopted a comprehensive strategy in combating corruption through the three-pronged approach - strict law enforcement, corruption prevention and community education," she said. "The government has been giving the ICAC sufficient resources to enable us to carry out our work effectively. We also have the necessary legal muscle in place."

She adds that public support has also been key in stamping out corruption.

"I think it's very clear that what made Hong Kong transform is the strong desire of the community to finally do something about the problem of corruption," she added. "Corruption is a highly secretive crime. Without the support and cooperation of the public in reporting corruption, then the ICAC wouldn't have been successful."

Initially, people were wary to report corruption to the ICAC but today, about three fourth of complaints are no longer anonymous.

The commission airs commercials like these regularly to keep public vigilance.

"And corruption won't vanish on its own. Report corruption to the ICAC and together we can build a fairer, better world."

Professor Tsao and other experts say Hong Kong's clean reputation has been one of the secrets of its economic success.

"Businessmen have the certainty to invest," he explained. "They know that their money will not go into the pockets of the government officials, just like some other Asian countries."

Tsao says other countries in the region facing endemic corruption could learn from Hong Kong. He, however, notes that having the legal muscle, government and public support are not enough. He says Hong Kong also improved vital social services such as public housing and free education - something so scarce in the 1960s that people had to resort to bribery to get them.

Despite the city's success, Hong Kong authorities forge on with their battle against corruption. A recent challenge comes from rising complaints of private sector corruption and transnational crime.

Still, many here say they remain confident in the ICAC.'s ability to crackdown on new sources of corruption and to safeguard Hong Kong's hard-earned economic success

THE ATS FLIP FLOP- SADHVI CASE

Due to wedding season and guests over, i could not compile up my experience at FRNV. I shall be witing about it shortly.

Today media ( both print and electronic ) is full of half-truth and half-lies. Stories are being planted by vested interest groups to malign impeccable people like Lt. Col. Purohit. As you are aware that he has won many gallantary medals in the army and was regarded a no nonsense and a straight officer.

During the Media Session in the FRNV summit also, the eminent speakers from the media admitted, that they have to work under lot of constraints. Coverage and preference is given to the people who put up regular and big advertisements in the media. The media barons give diktats, what to write and what not to write. If i start opening the house of worms, you shall be shocked to learn, how these media houses operate. If the truth comes out, who actually controls big media houses, it will be the biggest scandal of all times. So it is better, not to touch this topic. All, i can say is that the " actual " ownership of big media houses both in print and electronic is not in safe hands today and the truth behind many of the planted stories, mostly never comes out. All of us take the media on face value and consider it as full truth, whereas the the story is entirely in contrast. We are informed, what media choses to inform us. A leading magazine has come out with a report, which i would like to share with you. You may have read this article, which i am reproducing.

Its probably a textbook case into how not to conduct an investigation. Seeking to link the arrested army officer, Lt. Col. Srikant Purohit, to not just the Malegaon bombing which killed 6 people, but the feb. 2007 Samjhauta train bombings that killed 68 persons, The Maharashtra public prosecutor told the Nasik court that Purohit may have pilferred nearly 60 kg of RDX from a military depot to use in the train blast. Purohit gave a portion of the explosives to one of the suspects and threw the rest into Jhelum rive, the prosecutor said. A day later, the ATS retracted the statement.

For the army which tracks even a spent cartridge during practice firing sessions, even the thought that the accused officer could have obtained such an absurdly vast quantity of explosives is simply unthinkable. For starters, the army does not use RDX but plastic explosive Kirkee or PEK. Besides, there is no way so much explosive could have gone missing, without triggering off an enquiry, says the army. " We are shocked at the conduct of the investigaions. ", says a senior army official. Even a cursory reading of the tragic train bombing would have told the ATS that firebombs were with gasoline, and not RDX, was used in the blasts.

The damage had already been done. In trying to link the accused to other blasts, The ATS may have ended up contradicting the Intelligence Bureau assessments that the Samjhauta bombings were planned and executed by Pakistani nationals. In March last year, India also handed over A suspect's photo to Pakistani Authorities. The question is whether the ATS has enough evidence against the Abhinav Bharat group accused of planting the bomb in Malegaon or is simply buying time by linking them up with the other blasts.

Do you expect the " Real " story to come out ? I have my doubts.

FOUNDATION FOR RESTORATION OF NATIONAL VALUES

I would request you to please check the website http://www.valuefoundation.in/ to check the details of the summit. Please open the above website. Go to" Events" section on the Home Page and click for " National Summit " to know the complete details of the 2 day summit. It will demonstrate the full programme in detail with the name of the eminent speakers, who spoke in the summit. The summit consisted of 10 sessions with a different Chairman and different set of eminent panelists, which you will find on the above website.

If i start writing it in by blog the full details, it will become a kind of a book. So i thought it prudent to put the name of the website, where all the details are available, so that you can go thru it easily.

Tomorrow i shall be writing about my personal experience of the summit, in detail.

A NEW BEGINNING, FOUNDATION FOR RESTORATION OF NATIONAL VALUES

While India's economic growth is appreciated the world over, the country is trailing behind as the 85th amongst 180 world countries, in the Corruption Index ( CPI ). From the 72nd position 2 years ago, we have now fallen to the 85th. Should not the plight afflict and activate every citizen of India with greater concern and nationalism ?

At the same time, when we look at our cultural history, it tells us in unmistakable terms how righteous and devout we were in character, values and behavioural elegance. As late as 1835 Lord Macaulay told the British Parliament that throughout his extensive travel in India, he had not found a thief or a beggar.

Now, everywhere value decline is being talked about. The crisis has admittedly become a widespread epidemic. It is for every citizen to feel greatly concerned about the plight and strive to do something, so that at least from now on and for the coming generations, there will be a better society, with more sound way of life and administration, saving individual and national downfall.

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, founder of Narayanashrama Tapovan happened to discuss the value decline in the country last November. He was clear that what we need is to restore the Nation's time-tested values, and not seek to instill anything new. In so restoring, everyone will find greater persuasion, hope and confidence.

But in propounding the values, Swamiji was particular that these should not have any religious bearing overtone. India's national values, based on human mind and intelligence, are universal and eternal. Under the right inspiration and empowerment by these values, our people can become faithful to the nation and be imbued with sufficient strength and cohesion, bringing the country back to its characteral and cultural magnifence.

True to this heritage, FOUNDATION FOR RESTORATION OF NATIONAL VALUES ( FRNV ) was registered. It functions under the close guidance and inspiraton of Poojya Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, who has been disseminating the spiritual wisdom and lasting values of the nation for the past 5 decades.

FRNV intends to bring in some seminal or germinal changes, whereby the abysmal decline of value will be arrested, and the citizens will feel the impulsion to desist from doing anything detrimental to the country and its progress.

With prudence, application and earnestness, what is there not possible in this field ? We hope thinkers, opinion makers and loyal citizens of the country wll find appeal in what FRNV aims at, and come forward with readiness to participate in the much needed National endevour.

India is poised to become a global power. Dynamism and energy are pronounced in all spheres of our economy. But any such economic growth is bound to be shallow, even destrutive, unless anchored to a stable foundation on inner values, ensyring the welfare of all beings as well as our planet.

FRNV has embarked upon a value inculcation movement in an effort to rekindle the love and respect in the people for their country by awakening them to their National and Cultural Values.

Established as an independent society with Dr. E. Sreedharan as the President, FRNV has an advisory board constituted by Delhi Metro Managing Director, Dr. E. Sreedharan, Tata Group Chairman, Sri Ratan Tata, former Chief Justice Of India, Sri MN Venkatachaliah, former Central Vigilance Commissioner, Sri Vittal, Former Chairperson for Women and Education Consulatant, Smt. Vibha Parthasarathi, and Former Chief Election Commissioner, Sri TS Krisnamurthy.

FRNV's first step was to stimulate a discussion on National Values with 2 day Summit, on 18 and 19 November, 2008 in New Delhi. Participation in the summit by invitation only. Distinguished Leaders and thinkers from various branches of National Life articulated their observations on the subject and the measures to be effected forthwith.
The objective was to have a " National thinking and Perception " on Value Decline And Redressal to be pursued by FRNV. Further steps will be determined subsequent to the Summit.

Tomorrow i would be writing about the aims of the Foundation, eminent speakers, who spoke and a wonderful experience i had at the Summit.

INDIA'S FUTURE AT STAKE ?

It's fashionable to say that India's evolving democracy has emerged out of its chaos and thrives on it as well. May be so, but the fissures pulling at our faultlines these days go well beyond benign confusion. But for now, there is a simmering anger just beneath the surface that could crack us open. If we don't watch it, India could implode.

Today the Samajwadi Party ( SP ) has announced Rs. 10 lakh for providing legal assistance to the Delhi terror accused. SP general secretary made this announcement at a meeting of the Jamia Old Boys Association. Mohammed Shakeel, a 2nd year MA student, and Zia-Ur-Rehman, a 3rd year BA student, of Jamia Milia University were arrested for New Delhi blasts on Sept, 21.

We are being told, that a sadhvi collaborated with a serving Army Officer and possibly a Mahant from Jammu, to set off serial blasts in Maharashtra. Not just that, the police now say that they may have had a role to play in the bombs that went off on the Samjhauta Express and killed 66 indians and pakistanis on the Lahore-bound train. In 2007, when the peace train was attacked, security analysts had blamed Lashkar-e-Tayyeba.

Perhaps more disturbing is the implication of a soldier in the case. We can beleive that the Army is capable of excesses, even brutality and violations, especially while serving in conflict zones. But never before has there even been a hint of shadow on its innate secularism. The word itself--secularism--may have become disputed, politicised, ambiguos and impossible to define. But in its most common sense and simple application, the fauj is secular. It's the reason why when communal clashes go out of control, India often turns to the Army to restore sanity. The charges against Lt. Col. Purohit go against the very grain of what the Army stands for. So, if the Army beleives he is innocent, it should be aggressive and unbashed in his defence.

In this case, it's tough to understand the Army's silence and it's unwillingness to go beyond public assurances of cooperating with the investigations. While privately seething, if the Army has a point of view, it needs to express it without fear or favour. Or is it, that political interference is too much on the Army to speak out the truth ? The question arises, that why did the Army handover its own serving officer to the police, when it has it's own mechanisms at place to investigate things of such magnitude ? Was it because of too much political pressure ?
Knowing very well that the integrity of our police has always been under question, the truth will never come out !
Throwing an impeccable serving officer in the sea, full of sharks, is one question, which all of us want to know.
The police's integrity is at its lowest ebb. They are the humble servants of their masters ( politicians ) and do what their masters ask them to do.

It's time to rethink if democracy is fit for India. Democracy in India means, just vote bank politics, nothing else. On the name of democracy, politicians are dividing people on the basis of religion, caste and region.

A big school called " India " now needs a new strict Principal with a baton in his hand to bring some kind of sanity and discipline which is badly required today. Otherwise the " students " e.g. these politicians will sell India in the open market.

SPEECH OF BRYAN DYSON ( CEO OF COCA COLA )

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, Friends and spirit and you're keeping all of these in the Air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four Balls - Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.

LIVE FOR TODAY

Some of us may think that we have no bad habits because we do not smoke or drink. We may think that we do everything perfectly right. But we all have a secret mental addiction. That addiction leads us into doing all kinds of things. In fact, it prevents us from doing many things.

We are addicted to postponing every action. We have acquired the taste of postponing every task. We have created a mindset which allows us to put off everything. Yes, that is our secret addiction.

There are many things which we say, we shall do that tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes another tomorrow, continues to grow. Today never comes.

The present moment is not a reality to many of us. The speculative future seems to be our reality.

This addiction has a simple cure. Live this moment now. Live in the here and now. Our future is in the present moment. What we can not do now, we shall never be able to do anytime.

10 POINTS TO MAINTAIN FRIENDSHIP

1. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN GIVE TO A FRIEND, NOT WHAT YOU CAN GET OUT OF A FRIENDSHIP.- If being happy is your only motive for wanting someone to be your friend, then you are not being a real friend. Don't get caught up in keeping tabs on who has given most in the friendship. Give to your friends regardless of how much they give to you

2. ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIEND. - Real friends inspire and push each other to be the best that they can be, rather than drag each other down. They are happy when other people achieve their goals.

3. BE WILLING TO FORGIVE.- Don't let hurt turn to grudge. This is one sure way to destroy a friendship. Forgive your friend and move on.

4. TACTFULLY POINT OUT THEIR MISTAKES.- This is one way to show concern for others. If you really care, you will tactfully point out a specific example for his own good. But once you've brought the problem to your friend's attention, don't harp on it all the time. Don't walk away from a friendship when you see some of your friend's faults. Be patient with a friend as he or she tries to change. Realize that nobody is perfect.

5. BE RELIABLE.- When you say you are going to be there, be there.

6. DON'T TRY TO CONTROL YOUR FRIENDS. - Real friendship does not mean you always have to be together. It may be tempting to have a fun person all to yourself, and feel threatened when your friend spends time with others. If you are afraid to let your friends out of your sight, you are probably afraid of losing them. Good friendship will endure time spent apart. You and your friends may learn to appreciate each other even more.

7. BE THERE FOR THE GOOD AND THE BAD TIMES. - Celebrate with them if your friends are excited about something. But don't be there just for the good times. When your friend is upset about something, give them your full attention. Most of the time, what friends really need is a sympathetic ear, someone who understand their feelings.

8. LEARN TO ACCEPT PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES IN YOUR FRIENDS. - Be careful not to evaluate other people by how you react in a particular situation. Do not automatically take your friends' behaviour personally.

9. DON'T BE A BLABBERMOUTH. - Learn and be willing to keep each other's secrets.

10 .DON'T LET ARGUMENTS DESTROY YOUR FRIENDSHIP. - Suppose you're having a discussion with a friend and after you've said what you think is true, they still disagree. Don't keep arguing until you get mad with each other. Just drop it. Your desire to win the argument may ruin your friendship.

SADHVI ARREST-- VOTE BANK POLITICS OF CONGRESS

Unbashed admirers of the Congress are jumping in glee, certain that the party has turned the corner on its " soft-on-terror " problem. They beleive that the alleged involvement of a Hindu outfit, a sadhvi with links to the Sangh Parivar and an army official in the recent revenge attacks is enough to put all those who have been attacking the Manmohan Singh govt's inability to handle islamic terrorists on the defensive.

The propagandists on the Left-liberal brigade have done a masterful job in creating the perception that the threat from the Hindu groups and people like Lt. Col Srikant Purohit are graver than the threat from radical islamic groups with their yearning and hero-worshipping of Osama Bin Laden. They are feverishly capitalising on every word from the Maharashtra ATS about Purohit and his friends. It's another matter that statements from the very same ATS officials were treated as xenophobic reflexes of an oppressive state machinery when jehadi groups were the objects of their scrutiny.

The Congress and the UPA think that the latest revealations by the ATS are deliciously ripe for the kind of politics that they play. Its leaders are focussing all their attention on the issues in the belief that if they carp often and loudly enough about " Hindu Terror " their critics will not be in a position to seek answers on the govt's handling of islamic terrorism. They are not off the mark as terror outrages by jehadis do not even find small mention in newspaper columns these days.

The perception that aggressive steps against jehadi terror would lead to Muslim alienation has been prompting the govt. not to recognise the enemy. The political ambience created by Digvijay Singh's, Lalu Yadav's and Ram Vilas Paswan's--- this much celebrated of politicians are known for not uttering a clear word against jehadi terror.

The political parties so singularly driven by votebank politics that they seem to be incapable of recognising the dangers posed by this propoganda. The police-loathing crowd's backing for the Maharastra ATS is not borne out of conviction. In Batla House, Azamgarh and Malegaon itself, the same mob did everything to undercut police, it's morale and mission.

In conclusion, the Congress and its allies are playing a dangerous game of alienating Hindus from the mainstream. The sympathy of hindus is at all time high for Sadhvi and Lt. Col. Purohit. By playing a dangerous game, Congress is dividing Hindus and Muslims like never before. Govt. must not forget, that it should never play with the emotions of the majority community as it leads to more destruction and backlash.

DON'T QUIT !

I have gone through lots of ups and downs, while writing the blog, but i persisted. When i started initially, friends use to laugh at me, telling me, i am wasting my time. Now the same people, call me up to ask, what are you going to write today ? They have been sending me lot of inputs and material, without which, i could not have been writing today. But you come across, small section of friends, who instead of lauding the effort one puts, start behaving differently, the reason of which, I have not been able to understand. I think, it is human nature, when you cant do anything, you try to pull down the other.

I am very grateful to the defence personnel ( retd. ) who have the biggest contribution to carry this blog further. The inputs, I receive from them are commendable. That is why, i am sitting on a chair and writing with full spirits.

A seeking aspirant would, in the enthused progress towards his chosen objective, also obtain nature's support for coping with, and even bypassing, various impediments and discouraging factors from within and without. He could also obtain the needed strength and guidance, where necessary, from great pieces of writings and literature, depending upon his own mental make up and requirements.

Even with the best of efforts and intentions, the aspirant is bound to feel that his progress has been stonewalled. He could, in such a situation, do well to remember that in pursuit of all forms of excellence, a plateau is often reached and that the needed changes and progress could be taking place within, for all these to flower forth at the appropriate time. He could then take heart from Swami Krishna Prem's message that it's only when we climb upwards that the " strain begins to tell on us, when the breath comes short ". One who finds things easy could merely be drifting " just freewheeling easily along a level road ", making no real progress to the top.

Indeed, these concluding lines of the poem Don't Quit are also highly relevant, " And you can never tell how close you are / it may be near when it seems afar / so stick to the fight when you are hardest hit / it's when things seem worst that you musn't quit "

The concept of Bhagwat Gita on work without motive would thus naturally be translated into practice, by the true seeker, who would find that the very work and attempt are a kind of fun, rewarding by themselves. He would simply be amused by apparent impediments, in the spirit of these lines of Ella Wheeler Wilcox " It is easy enough to be pleasant / when life flows along like a song / But the man worthwhile is the one who will smile / When everything goes dead wrong ".

This, therefore, is the process od perseverance, persistence and patience ( the 3 P's necessary for all progress ), done with a willing, truly joyful smile, as if inspired by HW Longfellow's lines " Let us, then, be up and doing - with a heart for any fate / still achieving, still pursuing / learn to labour and to wait ".

Never intimadated or strooping to conform or compromise, the audacious adventurer would naturally have translated these lines of this great poet also into real practice : " In the world's broad field of battle / in the bivouac of life / be not like dumb, driven cattle / Be a hero in a strife ".

NARENDRA MODI FOR PRIME MINISTER

Since 2002, when the Gujarat riots broke out, a lot of things have happened. Modi was a villain in my eyes as well at that time. But over the years, pragmatism and realism has taken over.


I have had this firm realization now that words like Secularism and Communalism have NO meaning. They are bastardized words which people simply use for their self interest.. nothing more.


Here is why:

The Massacres

In Gujarat riots the break up of the killed was: Muslims - 790; Hindus: 254. 2548 people were injured and 223 are missing. This is as per figures given by the Union Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal (Congress Party) in Parliament on 11 May 2005. Some NGOs put the figure close to 2000 but I have as much faith in Indian activist NGOs as I have in the used car salesman in my city.


The figures in Delhi massacres in 1984 were: Sikhs: 2733 killed in Delhi alone. as per Ahuja Committee, which submitted the report in August 1987.


The barbarity that one saw in both the areas was the same in the ways people killed each other. So, I am taking a common factor to understand the scale and spread of the madness.


It is quite obvious, that the 1984 killings were the biggest in scale and intensity that one has seen in a long time. Mind you, the numbers given were ONLY from Delhi!

Dr. Manmohan Singh who found a new whipping boy in LK Advani in his last speech to Indian parliament, had installed JD Tytler, one of the masterminds of the Delhi massacre, as a Cabinet Minister. It finally took protests after Nanavati Commission had pointed fingers at him to ease him out of the Government.

Of course there is Nandigram, where Muslims and lower caste people were specifically targetted and killed in a genocide as well. There is no number of how many were killed but the killings continue in trickles EVEN today!

Questions

So, obviously one wants to ask a few questions - How do you define "Religious Fundamentalism" and Secularism?

Is religious genocide when any ONE section of the society is targetted? Or is it when ONLY minorities are targetted?

Or is it when ONLY one minority is targetted? Or is it when THAT ONE minority is targetted by ONLY one party??

When does violence enter the realm of a religious fundamentalism??

These are important questions. But they have been rendered useless. The very Congress which targets BJP was the culprit in the worst killings of any minority! The CPM which points fingers at any one they can find in the 20 mile radius have been even worse at Nandigram!! So, WHO should throw the stones? And WHY?

When Best Bakery case victims change their statements its a BIG deal. At the SAME time when the 1984 victims change their statements in Delhi, no one even cares for them!

When Rajiv Gandhi justifies the Sikh killings (Jab bada per girta hai.. ), that is a person laden with sorrow and a case of miscommunication. But when anyone who is remotely related to a particular party talks about the Godhra incident ALONG with the Gujarat killings, he is termed a saffronite and a fundamentalist!

Political Currency - Self Interest

So, I am sick and tired of this utter hypocrisy. I find anyone mouthing words like Secularism and Communalism a Hypocrite and a Scoundrel!

So, let's get these useless terms like Secularism, Communalism, Fundamentalism, Tolerance OUT OF THE WAY! Politics only works on Self Interest and I want to treat that as the only major currency of political interaction. Those who want to pretend otherwise, I dont want to join them in their "wonderland"... they are more than welcome to dance away the rest of their lives with Alice and her friends!

NOW, knowing there is only self interest - what would be the best way to choose the bad among the worse?

Terrorism and Economy

I believe those who at the very least take care of their administrative duties in the best possible manner, should be pushed up.

Today, India's biggest threat is Terrorism. Even bigger than the economy! And no, I am not a mere "Nationalist". I am more interested in economic development than anything else. But if anyone has cared to look, the terrorists have made it their goal to target India's economy and science & Technology strength!

If you remember the December 2005 attack in Indian Institute of Science - where in a failed attack, one died and 4 got injured. It was an attack callibrated against the scientific establishment of India.

In the current attacks, techies were used very effectively. These techies not only distributed the material and helped planned, but also used the computer of a US employee of a MNC to hack and then send emails through it to the Indian agencies!!

Hence, even if economy is one's PRIMARY concern, it will be torn by terrorists. So, to preserve the economy, taking care of terrorism is the first task!

Gujarat Case

In the last two years many bomb blasts have occured in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Jaipur. None of the cases were solved. Why? because there was NO political will to do so. The Chief Ministers were either busy in horse trading or filling up their coffers. They were not concerned of their state.

The only case that was solved is that of Gujarat. Why? Because Modi and his establishment took it up as a major endeavor and a challenge. They made sure no riots occured, and even if they would have, the order to the 11 or so investigation teams was to ignore it and keep working. He gave to the investigating teams complete authority and full support - they had money, resources, people and also a chartered plane to pursue whatever they wanted.
For almost 3 weeks the team members did not sleep. They worked round the clock to get to the bottom of the case.

More than 11 teams were formed within the first few hours of the blasts. One team was asked to handle the investigations into the material used in the bombs. Another team was asked to investigate the use of bicycles. Another team was formed to thoroughly check all the phone calls made in Ahmedabad from certain areas just before and after the blasts. Another team was set up to reach out to all the police informers and gather their opinions on and information of the blasts. One team followed the cyber crime aspect of the case. The overall investigation of the case was assigned to the crime branch of Ahmedabad where more than 100 people started following whatever little leads that were available, from the midnight of July 26

What has happened and what was uncovered is nothing short of amazing given those three weeks.

Yes, the administration failed the residents in not preventing the attacks, but thankfully this administration did not wallow and start finger-pointing in its aftermath. It went into action from get go. Also, and importantly, it prevented any reactions and went about their work professionally.

My Vote

In my view, this is what I expect from my country's administration!

Leaving the hypocrisy of such lofty words and "principles" as secularism and communalism aside and not indulging in make-believe.. let me state what I would NOT have some years back. My candidate for the Prime Minister of India would be Narendra Singh Modi.

There are many people in India who say with an air of self constructed self-righteousness that "I am ashamed" of Modi.

Well, I am at a point where I am ashamed of the shamelessness of those have made a career in being ashamed!!

And its not that they are any better than these politicians - they THEMSELVES function ONLY on self interest!

A NATIONAL SHAME !

With the arrest of Lt.Col.Srikant Purohit a new chapter has started in the history of India.A serving military intelligence officer is being treated in the same way and rather more harshly in his own country as he would have been treated in the enemy states of China, Pakistan or Bangaldesh. I am sorry to say that our
media is now being controlled by vested political interest groups and they have a story to tell, which is planted thru them by these vested political interest groups only to corrupt the minds of common people.

The fundamental issues of intelligence and national security is being compromised by the anti-national politicians. Finally,we have in this country what was overdue for long, branding peace loving nationals as terrorists.

Torturing, killing, or jailing innocent nationals was not an uncommon act before,or neither punishing them for the crime which has been actually perpetrated on them.

We have witnessed numerous of such instances,from Bangladesh to Kashmir.But, the difference between the recent arrest of Sadhvi Pragya,the retired and serving army officers and the continuous battering and persecution of nationals that goes on in the minute level of cities and villages mainly in the states ruled by the so-called secularist forces, is that , the anti-national forces, politicians,corrupt police and buearacrats for the first time have shown the audacity to stigmatize the nationals, with terrorism and thus completely compromise and destroy the last nationalistic force that is protecting our security interests inside and outside the country ,even in her enemy states.

May be that the king of the first devastating bomb blasts of 1993 Mumbai, his Excellency Dawood Ibrahim, is sitting 400 miles from Delhi and planning everyday to smuggle in more RDX and Jehadis, may be all the taxpayers money in the last two decades have not been enough to even bring back a clear photograph of him, although he moves around the world attending marriages,throwing parties on the dead bodies of thousands of people.

The Indian intelligence agencies which have been almost completely destroyed by the anti-national Indian politicians in the last two, three decades has remained good for only one work,collecting body parts of people after bomb blasts perpetrated by the islamic terrorists born and bred in this country.

Yes, I know what you are thinking.What was the BJP doing when it was in power? They did nothing , as they never spoke a word when the perpetrator of the largest financial stamp paper scam in India's history ABDUL KARIM TELGI took the name of leading politician in the narco-anallysis test. The only way to confuse the public is to frame these nationals with these bombs ,attack the Heartland and with them, add some patriotic army officers ,the only nationalistic ,uncorrupted force left in the country.

Mumbai Police now coming with the special feather for their record illegal cash collection from lorries amounting to Rs. 100 crores a year (Guiness book due) went through a major change in the last few years. All the shiny officers, Daya Nayak, Pradeep Sharma and others who stood up against Dawood and cleared Mumbai of the dirty days of gang wars and parallel tax collection system of Dawood, stronger than Govt. of India , have been sacked or removed by the Dawoods scumbug, politicians.A new group of pro- dawood police officers have come up, ready to do anything to earn a few crores of cheap bucks in a short time and ready to go to any extent for that.

Even if it means for Hemant Karkare the ATS chief to tell lies left and right against the sadhvi . Like in 2006 Malegaon blasts ATS said SIMI is responsible for the blast. In 2008 Malegaon blasts this same ATS takes a 180 degree turn and feels a few small cultural nationalistic groups responsible . In the beginning ATS said traces of RDX have been found in the Malegaon blasts, then they came up with, that this RDX have come from Kanpur ordinance, then suddenly they went a 1000 kms down and arrested the principal of Bhosla army school from Nasik for allegedly holding a meeting in his school premises with Sadhvi Pragya and then released him without saying sorry.

Though It has been established already that Sunil Joshi to whom Sadhvi Pragya have sold her bike have been killed by SIMI in Devas last year. Well the ATS have to do something very special to own the license of undaunted love for these, so called secular politicians and they gifted them by illegaly detaining and then arresting a serving Army Intelligence core officer Lt. Col. Srikant Purohit.

Almost all the nationalistic leaders of Congress have been eliminated –sorry they all died of accidents or brain strokes, Madhav Rao Scindhia died of Plane crash, Rajesh Pilot died of lorry accident, Pranab almost came back from his heavenly abode made on West Bengal. It was almost a bulls eye. Now we have Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi on ventilator almost ready to go up with almost no chance of returning..

Sadhvi Pragya went through the lie detector test and brain mapping, narco analysis test and all the physical and psychological investigation system possible in universe and the ATS could find nothing. What we want is, that these so called secular politicians should go thru the following: .

1.Their role in the stamp paper scam should be investigated, after ABDUL KARIM TELGI taking their names in Narco annalysis how could they escape a fair probe and their connections with Dawood Ibrahim should be examined. Why shouldn't they face the Lie Detector,Brain Mapping and Narco Annalysis tests too.


2.Dawood should be brought back immediately to India and his and ISI links with the Indian politicians should be examined.

3.With the stories of leading political family’s infamous common tactics of eliminating political opponents by accidents, still rumbling in the air, will it be very unjust to demand that the sudden deaths of a legion of nationalistic Congress leaders and the accidents should be again re-investigated thoroughly?

INDIA'S OBAMA ! WHERE ARE YOU ?

Barack Obama's victory is truly a victory of hope over experience. The question for us in India is if and when, we will produce our own Obama. This Article has been inspired and reproduced by me from a leading newspaper.

It is natural for people to point to Mayawati, in this context. Natural, but wrong, entirely. They are similar, Obama and Mayawati, in that both bear the identity of the subaltern, of the oppressed, in their respective societies. And Mayawati also has a reasonable chance of becoming India's prime minister, even if only for a truncated term. But there the similarity ends.

However, Obama's electoral victory inspires hope in a way Mayawati's rise does not. And this is because of the promise of change and redemption that Obama stands for, a promise that most Americans have bought into, as have the majority of Europeans, too, it would appear. Mayawati does not hold out any such promise. Hers is the grudged victory of realpolitik in a fractured polity. Americans have chosen Omama in an act of positive endoresement, Mayawati's rise to office rests on assorted groups negative preference for the lesser evil and opportunistic coalition building in the pursuit of power and pelf.

Mayawati has forged ties, some time or the other, with all major political parties in her part of the country. Her politics is no different from that of other parties, in that patronage is its active principle. A part of her identity as a dalit, there is little to differentiate her brand of politics from that of her opponents, all of whom pursue power to enrich themselves by looting the exchequer and preying on the public.

Obama's victory, is the victory of Americans over their own weakness, a step forward in mankind's slow march to that distant state of grace in which humans see, amongst the multitude of humans who come in different shapes, sizes and shades, sameness rather than difference. This is a source of hope.

An indian Obama, too, would stand for change, for the collective and for its oppressed segments. We do not know what name India's Obama would bear !

As we see around us, I dont find any politician even 1% closer to Obama. Yes, if Narendra Modi sheds his image of anti-muslim stance, ( the calmness which he showed during Ahmedabad bomb blasts ), he is quite close a candidate for being another Obama of India. But only time will answer it.

A NEW AMERICA

Obama's victory creates the prospect of a new "real" America. We can't possibly know its contours yet, although I suspect the headline is that it is no longer homogeneous. It is no longer a "white" country, even though whites remain the majority. It is a place where the primacy of racial identity — and this includes the old, Jesse Jackson version of black racial identity — has been replaced by the celebration of pluralism, of cross-racial synergy. After eight years of misgovernance, it has lost some of its global swagger ... but also some of its arrogance. It may no longer be as dominant, economically or diplomatically, as it once was. But it is younger, more optimistic, less cynical. It is a country that retains its ability to startle the world — and in a good way, with new freedom. It is a place, finally, where the content of President's character is more important than the color of his skin.

HEALTH AT HIGH ALTITUDE- BABU'S

Ever wondered why India achieves so little after spending so much on social sector programmes ? Here's a clue. Any project needs a review, sometime after it begins to be implemented. What if the review exercise becomes a fiscally onerous one ? The tendency becomes pronounced when a programme is funded by external agency. Reviews of mundane health programmes takes place in 5 star resorts in Shimla or some northeast hill station. And don't be in a hurry to blame it on foreign experts, who fly into India to review programmes and don't mind mixing business with pleasure.

India's own joint secretaries are no less keen on as elevated a view as possible of the health programmes under their charge---the higher the hill resort, the happier they are to attend the review. So what if the expenditure on their 5 star luxury comes from the same funds intended to fight poverty, ignorance, and disease at the bottom of the social hierarchy !

Jai Hind to our Indian bureacrats ! They really work very hard on govt's social programmes.

BECOME A TERROR-IST TO KILL A TERRORIST ! PART-2

In the pioneering case of pseudo-operations in Kenya (1954), unconventional tactics were adopted to locate terrorists due to the fact that the intelligence units assigned to gather terrorism-related information could only provide strategic intelligence. Real time contact information needed by the military units to pinpoint the location of terrorist cadres was hard to obtain. The gap between strategic intelligence and contact information was effectively bridged by using pseudo-gangs. They would infiltrate an area that strategic intelligence had identified as live, operating there until they touched base with real terrorists. The key to the whole endeavour, however, was having a fairly detailed strategic intelligence picture in the first place. Thus the term " cats " originated.

Within the spectrum of counter-terrorist concepts, the ‘cat’ system falls squarely in the range of activities covered by the term ‘pseudo-terrorist operations’. Pseudo-terrorist operations essentially involve dispatching security force (SF) personnel masquerading as terrorists into areas of high terrorist activity, to make contact with real terrorist cadres. The SF personnel need to be schooled in terrorist terminology and armed with terrorist weaponry in order to masquerade convincingly as terrorists and so learn the latter’s whereabouts from their supporters in the local population. Once the real terrorists are situated accurately in terms of time and space, they can be surgically neutralized with minimal disruption to the local populace; this would not be possible if large, indiscriminate sweeps were used to locate them. Such pseudo-terrorist gangs would ideally include former terrorists who, upon capture, have been turned against their colleagues by a combined offer of reward and escape from punishment, should they co-operate. These ‘turned terrorists’ are different from those who are turned while still within a terrorist group, and who thus become clandestinely recruited informers-in-place.

The pseudo-gang’s turned terrorists mainly help the masquerading SF personnel bluff their way into making contact with the real terrorists. They function not as informers, since they no longer occupy a place in their original gang’s ranks from which they can secretly feed information, but as established members of the pseudo-gangs. Priority was given to individuals with a strong knowledge of the workings of the local underworld. These individuals were instructed to activate sources in the common link – the mafia, and collect information, which would allow the Police to apprehend the main leaders. By 1987, the experiment had been replicated across Punjab with considerable success. The authorities thus acquired a means to challenge the terrorists’ monopoly over the underworld as an operational logistics and recruitment arm. In late 1986, the term ‘cat’ made its appearance in reference to Police undercover operations intended to identify and neutralize hardcore terrorists.


Conceptually, the decision to infiltrate terrorist gangs through criminal connections already known to the Police was sound and methodical


In a bid to correct deviant behaviour, the Police introduced a screening programme for potential ‘cats’. Remuneration scales were also increased so as to establish a better control over their activities and ‘internalize’ pseudo-operations. It became increasingly clear that these operations were too essential

Money power was the key to turning terrorists, especially as their motives grew more mercenary over the years. The ‘cat’ system was only as effective as its capability to purchase loyalty and to punish lethargy. The strengths and weaknesses of the system lay in the freedom of initiative it accorded to Police operational officers on the ground, who would actually be handling the ‘cats’. Generally, those ‘cats’, who were heavily compromised by involvement in murders and threatened into co-operating rather than being simply bought off, seem to have been the most reliable. This might have been because the handling officer could always brandish the stick of punishment for past activity if the ‘cat’ faltered, and offered carrots in the form of bonuses only sparingly. The more desperate the ‘cat’ to buy his peace with the Police, the more he could be pressured to run risks while gathering information.
It is the context, the success of the ‘cat’ system was due to the strength of the pseudo-terrorist concept. The comprehensive use of ‘cats’ played an important, if not decisive, role in controlling and ultimately defeating the terrorist movement in Punjab. Punjab goes to show that more, not less pseudo-terrorist operations are necessary to rapidly build on transient tactical advantages, so that success may flow from success.

I fail to understand, why the above methodology is not being adopted by the central govt. to defeat the menace of terrorism, throughout the country.

Does anyone has any answers ?

BECOME A TERROR-IST TO KILL A TERRORIST ! PART-1

63 bomb blasts in 7 states over 7 months. Thursday's bombs were the the most powerful this year in Assam.
This will deepen the fear phychosis that has grippled people following the frequency of terror attacks across the country. In the past few years, we have seen Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur devastated by attacks of growing intensity. It would seem that no sooner are the fires put out at one terror attack site, that the next one is upon us. Irrespective of who is behind these outrages that have taken the lives of so many innocent people and maimed so many others, the chilling fact is that they are increasingly polarising society. Communities have become suspicious of each other, ethnic groups are pitted against eah other and political parties are at each other's throats.

The so called resilience with which people would pick themselves up and get on with the business as usual is being stretched to breaking point. But there is no excuse for our political leadership to exploit each tragedy as an opportunity for one-upmanship. Those perpetrating these terror attacks seem to understand how divided our polity is on this issue and are taking advantage of this.

At a time when the very social fabric of the nation is under threat, political parties have to put aside differences and send out a signal that those who have taken innocent lives will be hunted down and brought to book.

Tomorrow i will write about the efficacy of the " Cat " system of Police, counter- terrorist operations, which can to a large extent, eradicate the terrorism in our country. These are unconventional tactics to locate terrorists and neutralise them. Unusual circumstances, demand unusual methods. These tactics have been successfully deployed by a few countries, where terrorism was rampant, and they have been able to neautralise terrorists to quite an extent.

CORRUPTION IN INDIA, WHY ???

I am reproducing a text printed in Free Press Release website, by an ordinary citizen like me. You can see the anger of a common man. We people put our views in a more decent manner, but the crux is the same.

On this subject I’m sure every body will support me except those who accept bribe and do corruption.

Why can’t we work sincerely without corruption?

Why we want money from other for performing our own duty??

Why Police want bribe for investigating crime and criminals?

Why we have to pay bribe to get documents from collector offices?

Why Service Tax / Sales Tax officer’s threat to penalize businessman for want of bribe?

Why only Middleclass and service class only pay higher tax and not others?


Why traffic police take bribe and leave the traffic breaker free without action?

I’m totally sorry for our India which once upon a time was land of honesty, satya, piousness, cultural, land where great Mahatma Gandhi borne.

Has our ancestors fought freedom to produce this generation which is so corrupt that they can not do anything without taking bribe.

I really feel that there should be some body like character in movie Indian of Kamla hasan who will kill these corrupt officers one by one.

Public should beat up corrupt people on open streets.

If 10 corrupt people will be killed, then 1000 will stop taking bribe and be corrupt.

Punish these corrupt people i appeal you my reader friends. Think and decide that we will not do any corruption, wont bribe anybody and will not take or accept any bribe.

Make a group , make a clubs; send a dummy client to sales tax, service tax, corporation, collector office, police station and identify corrupt officers and punish him in public place by humiliating him in front of public and declare publicly by announcement that this officer is corrupt officer.

few of these kind of incidents will stop 100 others to committee this thing again and again.

I want your support my reader friends.

HEAVEN IS NOW, DON'T LOSE IT !

As we go thru our daily life, we expect better things to come our way. We dream that when that better thing, or person, or event comes along, we will renounce all our old habits and possessions and move on.

Some people take this foolishness to great heights. Let us say, one is tempted to consume alcoholic drinks. That person may suppress that desire feeling that drinking alcohol is a sin and that it would lead him to hell. He believes, if he stops alcohol on earth, he will ascend into heaven. He will then be entitled to his share of the divine nectar of gods. Based on what we have been led to beleive, will happen after our death, many of us lead our lives today.

Even as we lead our life on earth, facing its everyday challenges, we are constantly worrying about what will happen after we die. We think, by suppressing our desires, through some form of penance, we shall get a better after life. I say to such people: "don't be foolish. Who can tell us if the drink in heaven is better than on earth ? Who knows that ? Who knows, if we will get a drink in heaven at all ? And who can say if it is of the same quality or quantity ? Please understand that i am not encouraging you to drink. I am asking you to examine your intentions.

This is the state of our life. We lead our lives expecting something better to come from somewhere, sometime, and thru someone. The simplest and more profound problem this habit brings is, that it stops us from living in the present. It completely obliterates our living here, now, upon earth. We are setting ourselves up for a life of disappointment and stress. We think that we are going to get somthing better elsewhere. We keep hoping that an event of great significance will happen in a place far removed from where we are.

Drop these thoughts. Dont suppress what you wish to do now with the anticipation of getting something better, something more, elsewhere. If we beleive that we are giving up something for a better thing, or exchange it for more than what we had, we are merely speculating.

Instead, let us enjoy that we have now, without worrying about what may happen in the distant future. Let us cultivate the practice of living in the here and now. Let us remain in the present. When we are totally in the present moment, it expands filling itself with endless possibilities. Living in the present keeps us in Bliss.

REMEMBER, WE ARE BORN FAIR AND JUST

These days, in our country, its so much easier to see the swarms of flies in the hate and pain, we inflict on one another, yet the knowledge of Buddha-nature potential in each one of us has to sustain us. A contemporary teacher of Buddhism, has said: " I think as a species, we are innately friendly. Our natural bent, our natural inclination when we are not threatened or frightened is to befriend and to console and to appreciate other people ". She defines happiness as...a feeling oneself in warm relationship in that way, in friendliness, with other people, with one's self,, with people that we know, and with people that we dont know, with people that we hear about in different parts of the world in different situations and we feel that our heart goes out to them ".

Happenings of the last few years place before us the worst of human nature, and also the very best. But we read, view and hear more of the former than the latter. We need to share more stories of those who would not give in to misused power, those who offered compassion to others in the midst of of personal horror, those who placed their humanity before their religious differences. We are hungry for these reports because at times when its so easy to forget, they remind us of what it means to be fully human.

May be we are making a mistake in striiving to become good, become compassionate, become fair, just to become anything. Because all we need to do is to remember that the gift of humanity we are born with, our true human nature is that innately, we are good, we are compassionate, we are fair and just.

Only when we get past the forgetting of this and the numbing fear that allows hate-mongers to influence us, can we be what deep down we truly are from the start.

DIWALI- SINGLE LIGHT ENOUGH TO BANISH DARKNESS

Diwali has'nt been hit. You can see the lights from your window as your flight comes in to land at night. They say a single light is all it takes to banish darkness. Why zillions strung together at festive times, the monster blackness beneath the plane glows like a giant bill-board, lots of dots, burning orange on black.

As your plane gets nearer to ground, you notice lots of well-lit windows and doors---all open--- meant to welcome the Goddess of Wealth, who supposedly loves to travel at night on her owl. But is'nt that bird inauspicious ? Not really. How can anything blessed by the Goddess be unlucky ? The owl is not just an economically correct bird. It is ecologically correct as well. Just think of the savings it creates for the farmer by feeding on rats.

As for the festival of lights being celebrated in Maximum city, there is more to Diwali than just praying, for auspicious gain ( shubh labh ): where there is light and right action, can other virtues like health, wealth, daring, and exhilarating happiness lag behind ? For achieving all that, good means are as important as great ends. That may explain why Sri Lakshmi, the presiding goddess of the festival, is also the reigning deity of good goals ( lakshya ) and prosperity in its eight-fold aspects called Astha Lakshmi or 8 incarnations. These other seven are Dhanya Lakshmi, wealth of granaries, that of arms ( Dhariya Lakshmi ) and of royal elephants ( Gaja Lakshmi ), not to forget wealth begotten ( Santana Lakshmi ) and prosperity thru battlefield victory ( Vijaya Lakshmi ) or due to knowledge ( Vidya Lakshmi ). The 8th is the goddess of good fortune ( Dhan Lakshmi ).

Nor does the worship of the Wealth Goddess on the day of Dhanteras preclude the quest for other aspirations. The 4 arms of Mahalakshmi, for example are said to represent the 4 main goals ( human life, namely, desire ( kama ), commerce ( Artha ) and ethics ( Dharma ) Leading to LIBERATION ( Moksha ).

The mother Goddess and her 8 manifestations represent the harmony of charity balanced with acqusition as well as desire tempered with liberation. So go out and have a blast on Diwali.

Let each one of us, pledge that from this Diwali, we shall light one " Diya " each, of liberation and freedom and get rid of this corrupt system, choking us, until the next Diwali, when it arrives with a new Dawn of enlightened India with a New Face.

REAL BENEFITS FROM GREAT WRITINGS

Doubtless, there exists, in this great world, in abundant measure, great and inspiring writings besides specific injunctions on worth-while living. The question however arises, " Are these truly and practically applicable ? " The answer to this is yes or no, depending on how these are put to use and applied.

When such resources are read merely fot titllating the intellect or plain entertainment, the result could, at best, be a temporary motivation. Sooner or later, the person concerned could slip back, thereby limiting the scope of these resources to mere theory or just pleasant literature.

However, when the seeking aspirant, after identifying those pieces of writing or exposures, which would suit him best, integrates these in his personality, these could transform his very nature. He would thus obtain immense practical benefits, from within and without. By harmonising the different aspects within and thus being " in touch " with his real self, he commences to touch the lives of others too, radiating clarity, cheer and warmth all over, obtaining also for himself effectiveness, harmony and clarity in his prorities.

This also is the process of knowledge being translated into experience, in line with the biblical concept of " faith and works "

In fact, inspiring writings and great books assume newer and greater dimensions, especially when these are savoured more than once. Exchanging ideas and discussions in the earnest company of those, who are spurred with that urge for creative and effective living ( satsang ), is also a powerful aid in this regard.

These indeed abound all over for the benefit of the aspiring individual !

THE RAJ FRANCHISEE- RAJ THACKERAY IS JUST A HOODLUM

Raj Thackeray is the latest Raj to achieve some degree of notoriety / fame in India. Despite what his supporters claim, though he is rather insignificant when it comes all things Raj. the biggest and the baddest of the Raj franchise is undoubtedly the British Raj. No Raj, even Thackeray, can hope to command the same amount of loathing and fear that was commanded by this all powerful RAJ. Then there is goonda Raj--- the rule of criminal gangsters in slum dwellings.

Next there is this idiomatic usage baap ka Raj---father's rule. This is probably the most used Raj of them all, since any fight you witness whether it is bus station or a parking lot is likely to have the idiom thrown in. Then there is Ram raj, which alludes to an ideal indian state, an anti-thesis of the baap ka Raj, which politicians refer to in the hope of getting votes to have the right to do Raj in the parliament. Plenty more in the Raj franchise stand head and shoulders above Raj Thackeray. To name but a few there's panchayat Raj, Raj bhavans ( large palatial bungalows, where famous political stooges are housed ), Yash Raj Films, which has more fan following among the youth than any other Raj. Given the head-start and the brand equity that many of these Raj franchisees have on him, it will take a lot more than beating up a few north indians for this Thackeray to become a force in the world of Raj. That Raj Thackeray is no more than a wannabe is best summed up in the words of another famous Raj, Raj Kumar who once drawled " Jaani, kauva jitna bhi uper ude, hans nahi ban sakta hai "

" PATRIOTS ? " GET YOUR MONEY BACK FROM SWISS BANKS !

While the entire world is facing financial turmoil, it is important that black money stashed away by prominent indians e.g. politicians, big corporates and bureacrats should come back to india to get relief from liquidity crisis facing our country. Most of the black money is stashed away in the Swiss banks.

It is said, that this money is not in millions but trillions, which has been created by corrupt indians and lying dead in swiss bank accounts.At this moment, we need not discuss the source of the money lying there because it will start another debate. Today India needs cash and liquidity to get over financial crunch. If there is a miniscule of patriotism left in these indians ( which i doubt ), they should get that money back to ride over financial crunch facing the country today. The Swiss banking laws keep these accounts secret, so if at all the indian investigating agencies try to probe into it, is a futile activity. Who will order a probe otherwise too? Hire a thief to catch a thief ! Not possible.


The indian swiss account holders should hence come forward voluntarily with this illegal money, keeping in mind their personal interest too. If country collapases financially, their future means to earn black money are also stopped. If there is no money left in the system, black or white, does not make any sense. The window to earn constant black money also dries up, with financial collapse.

It is estimated that approx. 1500 billion dollars are lying in Swiss banks, owned by indians, which means 675 thousand crore ( at the rate of Rs. 45/- p. dollar ), calculated. It is mind-boggling. In its report, the Swiss Banking Association has put 5 countries at the top, who have put their black money in their banks. People from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri lankans. As per report, India tops the list with 1456 billion dollars. Russia 470 billion, UK 390 billion, Ukraine 100 billion and China, poorest of them all, only 96 billion dollars is stashed away in safe havens ( banks ) in Switzerland. If you combine 1500 billion dollars of indian black money lying in Swiss banks, then 45 crore indians will get Rs. one lakh each.

According to Mr. Kuldip Nayyar, an eminent personality, journalist and ex-MP claims to have met one of the leading swiss bank manager in London, while he was ambassador to UK. As per the swiss bank manager, the money of indians lying in swiss banks is so much that 10, Five Year Plans of India can run on that money. That means, that indian govt. does not need taxpayers money for another 50 years.. I would like to enlighten you further, this incident relates to times, when India was facing acute foreign exchange crunch and Indian govt. was forced to put its gold as guarantee to borrow money, from Bank Of England to meet its foreign exchange needs.

How to coax these politicians, bureacrats and big houses to bring back that much desired money, back to india ?
Threatening them, would not work because nobody knows or has a clue about it, except Swiss banks. It is time for the dynamic Finance Minister to act, if he wishes to. If Finance Minister declares that most of the money, these indians can keep with them, the majority of the money can come back into the indian financial system. It is time to declare VDS ( voluntary disclosure scheme ). Finance Minister can further give a boost to this cause that no questions will be asked about the source of that money, which comes back to India.

If one third of that money is given to the govt and two third they are allowed to keep with them, these " Patriots " will listen to the call of their" Motherland " and will also be left off cheaply without any questions asked. Obviously, all the money left with these patriots will become white too.

INDIA DOES A AMERICA- JOBS

Indian govt. and politicians may have failed the country but Indian Entrepreneurship is today regarded as one of the best in the world. Indian companies have taken over many foreign companies, which were ailing, and turned them around. Lakshmi Mittal, is one such living example. The list is endless like Tatas, Mahindras, Suzlon and many others, have left their mark in the international business. These indian companies are truly global companies today.

America Inc. seems to be loosing ite brand equity--- and not just on Wall Sreet, local subsidiaries of US , MNC's, once at the top of the aspiration-heap in the indian job market, are suddenly the least --preferred lot. Headhunters are having a tough time convincing potential candidates that even perfectly solvent and profitable American subsidiaries will be able to survive the financial turmoil back home.

Consider some instances, When a Mumbai based head-hunter approached a candidate to join as business head in an established American pharma co, he met with great reluctance. Similarly, when a candidate was approached for a medical director's position in another American pharma co. with a smart sign-on bonus, he flatly refused to join.

The current financial ferment in America has taken the sheen off its corporate invincibility. Just a few years back, this kind of decision would have been unthinkable. So far, the American turmoil was restricted to financial service companies alone, but as the liquidity squeeze starts to hurt globally, the scare is spreading to others sectors as well. Headhunters say, increasingly candidates are either displaying hesitation or are just saying no to such offers.

For American companies, this fortune flip is a 180 degree change from their usual gilt-edged reputation in the job mart. Earlier most people would jump at the opportunity to work for one of them. But these days, one spends more time trying to convince the candidate that the co. is financially stable.

Many American subsidaries, which are established names in India, may be seriously affected by the health of their parents and their exposure to the financial crisis, back home. Since the extent of that exposure is often not very clear, candidates are apprehensive about signing on. The recession in the US is making people reluctant to join American firms.

In fact,, executives are either sticking to their jobs or are more willing to join indian firms rather than western ones. Candidates are getting attracted towards large indian groups instead of MNC's in india. Also traditional brick-and-mortars sectors like manufacturing and engineering are back in vogue.

After Asian firms took over a couple of American companies, candidates do not mind compromising on salary just a wee bit if they get a job security in return. In this topsy turvy world, a salary in hand is worth more any amount of than unpaid bonuses.

VISUALISATION AND IMAGINATION- A BREATHER

A Great man has said, spend some time with yourself every day listening to the inner voices and those sublime promptings in the form of writings, speeches, incidents, persons, relationships or experiences, which have made profound impact upon you. Gradually allow the analytical capacity within, to synthesise itself into a meaningful and tangible course of action and living for yourself. Consistency and clarity, which would naturally result, could set the process for the next logical step of living out a truly fulfilling life.

People are often confused between visualisation and imagination. Imagination and visualisation are not the same, they are 2 different things or states of mind. Visualisation is creating your own future. It is about creating that which is possible, not merely thinking about, but also starting to work for it, towards it.

To visualise, you need to have a systematic method, a solid process to follow. What does this mean ? Look at it this way. If you can visualise yourself 10 kms ahead of the path in which you are travelling, it is absolutely certain that you can reach there. This is what many sports persons use these days to achieve the near impossible. They keep visualising step by step what they need to do sitting in a chair, and later they replicate in the field.

On the other hand, if you imagine, you are floating in the sky or flying, its just a dream. Imagining that, which can not happen, just fantasising, is no way going to help you. It is merely dreaming about your future. Just dreaming and fantasising is no way going to make your wishes a reality in future.

Visualisation is reproducing the reality of the future now and here, without self-contradiction. In the last phase of his life, a great Master was asked by doctors to eat only a certain type of rice and grains. His cook was bored out of her wits. She told the Master. " It is boring to cook the same food. Are you not bored by eating the same food ? "

Master r