Mr. PM, Lead or Leave!!

Good players do not always make good captains. The chances of their becoming good managers is even less. It takes a different kind of personality to make a leader, a person who can take charge of it all and effectively deal with it.
Manmohan Singh was a good Finance Minister under PV Narsimha Rao. He did well because he was only taking care of the economy and PVN was dealing with the mundane problems. That worked well. Player: Manmohan Singh; Captain: PVN. However, we have all seen from the disastrous UPA-I and II, that Manmohan Singh the player, cannot captain the team. It is mostly because the captain has to be a fighter and a survivor. He has to be able to tackle many problems at the same time. Singh has never won an election and he is sitting at the top of the political hierarchy. Strange stuff! All his upward career moves fell into his lap. He was not even the first choice for FM under PVN Rao government. But that was all in the past. He has the position that he cannot use and a huge responsibility and he cannot shoulder. The next elections are over three years away and the business of governance cannot stop.
In an ideal world I would have liked a BJP government led by someone but Advaniji. But that was not to happen and due to a divided Indian votes, we were punished with an encore performance of the UPA. It is clear that the status quo in untenable. If there is not going to be another election then the UPA has to choose a better PM. The Rajkumar is never going to be ready. So the Gandhi family needs to take pity on the nation and anoint one of the more capable leaders in the Congress. I would love to see for once, someone do the right thing.
The author of the following article seems to be beholden to Nehru and the adjectives used for him could not be farther from the truth. However, the article does raise good points about the current PM.

Will Singh's Understatement Be His Undoing?
Singh has long been praised for his personal integrity, but leading by reputation alone hasn't been enough to change India's notoriously lax culture of public accountability. In the Prime Minister's New Year address to the nation, he promised to turn a new leaf toward better governance. But Singh has failed to push through any decisive action, like canceling the questionable telecom licenses, and the opposition has halted the functioning of Parliament until he does. "It's extremely serious," says Mahesh Rangarajan, a political analyst and professor at Delhi University. Next month's budget session hangs in the balance, as does Singh's image as a leader. "There is a fear that the sheen will wear off," Rangarajan says.
The article can be read at: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2044241,00.html

Tit For Tat Time

This is the state of affairs in J&K in the UPA raj. The Congress ally Omar Abdullah’s security forces are encouraging and giving morale boost to separatist forces in the Kashmir Valley while suppressing the voice of nationalistic forces. It’s time for a "tit for tat" response and reciprocate in the same way to Mohammad Yasin Malik, Gilani and other J&K terrorists when they tour other parts of India.

J&K cops ‘offered urine for water’ to Ekta yatris

When separatist leader Yasin Malik and others marched to Lal Chowk with black flags, the police offered them hot tea and cigarettes. But we were arrested for trying to hoist the National Flag… When we asked for water, the police offered us urine.”

“J&K Police personnel were carrying posters — ‘Indian dogs, go back’. The arrested BJP activists were forced to take off their clothes in sub-zero temperatures. Third degree torture was meted out. Does Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have any explanation for this kind of an action? He should apologise to the nation,” Anurag Thakur told The Pioneer on Friday.
Read the complete article at:http://www.dailypioneer.com/313950/JK-cops-%E2%80%98offered-urine-for-water%E2%80%99-to-Ekta-yatris.html

Less Credit & More Blame In Modi's Name

Many undeserving people and people with connections are being awarded with National medals of honor. Those people exemplify the old adage - "those who can, do. Those who can't, manage". Montek Ahluwalia has been given a lot of credit for the Indian economic turnaround. He definitely was there at the right place at the right time. However, by the same token, he must shoulder a lot of the blame for the current mess that we find ourselves in. Ignoring the second aspect, this close friend of Manmohan Singh has been given the second highest honor.

On the other extreme, we have another man who has been sincerely doing his Karma and working tirelessly towards the progress and betterment of his state and its people. He does not even try to hog the national limelight. While his achievements are too many to mention, the one thing that stands out is his initiative in finding alternative sources of energy. He is not doing it because it is "cool" these days to talk about environment. Bhai Narendra Modi is walking the talk with a firm foot. After leading the way in Solar Power, Gujarat will be the first in Asia to harness the tidal power. This by no means a mean feat. He does not get any help from the Central Government. In fact if anything, they try to scuttle his efforts by various dodgy methods. And it is not just the UPA. When the new Deobandi Chief, Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi came out with a statement that "all communities" are prospering in Narendra Modi's Gujarat and that there was "no discrimination against the minorities in the state as far as development was concerned", the pseudo-secular politicians of all parties, were quick to rake up the Godhra riots as a black spot on Modi. Even the Muslims want to talk about achievements, prosperity and looking towards the future. While the demagogues of the secular kind are unwilling to let go of the only stick with which they can beat Bhai Narendra. This shows the sickness in their minds that does not accept that, time and genuine inclusive development have healed the past wounds. It's such a shame that a country which has been the original source of Hinduism, the only religion that extols excellence as divine (Gita Ch. 10,41) is encouraging and promoting mediocrity and victimhood to project itself as a vibrant democracy to the world.

India plans Asian tidal power first
The Indian state of Gujarat is planning to host Asia's first commercial-scale tidal power station. The company Atlantis Resources is to install a 50MW tidal farm in the Gulf of Kutch on India's west coast, with construction starting early in 2012. The facility could be expanded to deliver more than 200MW. The biggest operating tidal station in the world, La Rance in France, generates 240MW, while South Korea is planning several large facilities
Read the complete article at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12215065

Gujarat takes the lead among states in solar power
A few years ago, the Gujarat chief minister was at an international summit. When a session on energy crisis cast light on solar power , Modi thought of the Rann of Kutch in his home state, where the land was endless and the sun’s heat relentless. He wondered: could countries blessed with sunlight form a solar alliance, led by India, to mainstream this promising source of power?
He wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with a broad concept of such an entity. He called it ‘Sun-Son’ — offspring of the sun. The Prime Minister’s Office acknowledged the proposal, but left it at that. So, Modi turned inwards. He asked his trusted lieutenants, energy minister Saurabh Patel and principal secretary S Jagdeesan, for a plan to turn the state into a hub in solar power.
Read the complete article at:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/sunday-et/special-feature/gujarat-takes-the-lead-among-states-in-solar-power/articleshow/6855821.cms

Taliban: Pakistani Monsters

Gen. Naseerullah Babar

Back in 1972, when it was obvious that the Pakistanis were going to lose once again, they moved all their fighter planes to the safe havens in Iran than lose them all to the might of the IAF. They then realized that they could not always depend on a Shia Iran. They needed a “strategic depth”. Of course this was all a result of the diseased imagination of Pakistani Army guys. These guys long with the ISI gave birth to the monster we now know as Taliban. The talibs were supposed to take over Afghanistan, giving the Pakistanis a pliable “ruler” there. They were also supposed to act as Pakistani proxies into killing India by a thousand cuts.
Of course as the Jews say: Mann traoch, Gott Lauch (man plans, God laughs), we all know how the Taliban experiment is working out for the Pakistanis. Serves them right, don’t you think?
Brig. Amir Sultan who was one of the key figures in this Frankensteinian experiment, was recently killed by his own creation. Ironic, isn’t it? Of course the other big name in this experiment, Gen Nasirullah Babar unfortunately died a natural death (like the butcher of Bangladesh, Gen Tikka Khan) recently.
It is the arrogance of man which leads him to ignore the lessons of history. Many inhistory have created monster but never could control it. That has never stopped anyone from taking that foolhardy step. Maybe that is why vanity is considered to be one of the deadly sins. Pakis are paying for theirs.

Onetime Taliban Handler Dies in Their Hands
A founding patron of the Taliban in Afghanistan died in the hands of a younger generation of militants in the tribal badlands of Pakistan in the last few days, a victim of the vicious forces he helped create, Pakistani officials said Monday.
The article can be read at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/world/asia/25pakistan.html?_r=3

National awards: Who Do They Really Represent?

What do you feel when you go through the list of all these “Padma Series” award winners? Do you feel pride? Do you feel happy for the winners? Do you feel that the winners are mostly party loyalists who have put in their time? Do you think that these people are getting these awards for the same reason they have everything else in their lives - connections? Or do you feel at a loss when you look at the names of the winners? Who are these people? Why have we not heard their names save a few? What has Kajol done other than work in cheesy tearjerkers? What is Brajesh Mishra known for other than the Kandahar Hijacking? What about Montek Ahluwalia who had his couple of days in the early 1990s but has not done anything in the last decade. Are these people getting felicitated for the sake of filling in some quota of winners?
Then we come to a report where a DIG from UP who was given President’s Police Medal. As it says in the following report: The officer was recently transferred from the city for showing laxity in supervising the investigation into September 27 rape and murder case of 11-year-old Kanpur student. Do these awards really mean anything to anyone except the winners?

R-Day award for UP cop who shielded minor's rapist draws ire
"DIG Prem Prakash was squarely responsible for shielding the owners of Gyansthali School, where the 11-year-old girl was raped and sodomised following which died," said Sonu Singh, the vicitm's mother.
The article can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/r-day-award-for-up-cop-who-shielded-minors-rapist-draws-ire/20110126.htm

Religious Coversion and Our Responsibility.

I have always considered Gandhi to be a left wing liberal. But he was not one in the sense of the current day anti Hindu, anti Indian leftist. He was, it seems, a Hindu to the core. Here are some of his quotes:

“If I had power and could legislate, the first thing I would ban is conversions”

“Surely conversion is a matter between man and his Maker who alone knows his creatures' hearts. A conversion without a clean heart is, in my opinion, a denial of God and Religion. Conversion without cleanliness of heart can only be a matter of sorrow, not joy, to a godly person.”

Gandhi was equally wary of the Church and its missionaries. Writing in Harijan (March 13, 1937) he said: "My fear is that, though Christian friends nowadays do not say or admit it that Hindu religion is untrue, they must harbour in their breast that Hinduism is an error and that Christianity, as they believe it, is the only true religion.

Mahatma Gandhi called religious conversions a fraud on humanity. He wrote: "If I had power and could legislate, I should certainly stop all proselytizing". "I resent the overtures made to Harijans." "Stop all conversion, it is the deadliest poison that ever sapped the fountain of
truth." Poverty doesn't justify conversion. (source: The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi Volume 46. p.110 and Volume 61, p. 46-47 volume 64, p. 37 and 400 New Delhi 1968).

He also considered Christian missionaries as "a clear libel on Indian humanity." (source: "A Repudiation," Young India, 4 March 1926, in Collected Works, vol. 30 (1968), 70).

It was Mahatma Gandhi who characterized religious conversions as "pure commerce".

Swami Vivekananda said the following about conversions:

Swami Vivekananda speaking about what damage Christian missionaries have done to India, he says in a lecture reported in the Detroit Free Press (February 21, 1894): "They come to my country and abuse my forefathers, my religion, and everything; they walk near a temple and say 'you idolators, you will go to hell', but they dare not do this to the Mohammedans of India, for the sword will be out but the Hindu is too mild."

He termed religious conversion as "religious perversion"

We therefore have two very different kinds of Indian leaders agreeing on the subject of conversion. To put in mildly, they were against it. My own feeling is that if the missionaries or the Islamic scholars present their case without threat, lies or enticements, then it is fine for them to try to convert Hindus. There are a lot of dalits in India who get brutally discriminated against. Their leaders badger them with quotes from Manu. Their detractors do nothing to keep them into the fold. The dalits should have the right to convert, if Hindus cannot help them. It will be our loss. That is what is known as freedom of choice.
However, in almost all the conversion cases, intimidation, lies and money are part of the process. I read that missionaries in either Orissa or Andhra, told the villagers that let us see whose god is stronger. They threw a stone idol of Hanuman ji and a wooden cross into water. They then told the villagers that the stronger god will float.
They are often on cahoots with local politicians. In Orissa, they were involved in murder of a Hindu leader who was involved with anti conversion movement. When attacked legally, they started to cry wolf and got the Indian government (UPA) and some international bodies involved. In the times of the Tsunami, some missionaries were telling the victims that they will get help only when they convert.
Of course Muslim leaders use money and threat for conversions. They often get creative and use concepts like “love Jihad” for this nefarious purpose.
Muslims and Christians are told that it is their religious duty to try to convert as many people or at least try. I have never met a Muslim or a Christian who has not tried that with me. At the very least they spend time extolling their religions. In that regard, if followers of the ancient religions like Hinduism or Judaism are responsible adults then the followers of Islam and Christianity are like insecure teenagers.
In my view, by converting, a person denies his heritage and essentially accepts that their forefathers were living a lie. It is like the suicide of the soul.
However, extreme conditions make people do extreme things. Mothers sell their children in poverty. If people can go against their animal instincts then what chance does religion have? It is the duty of all the Hindus in India to ensure that all their brother and sisters are treated equally irrespective of their caste or origins. We need to have a law like the American Civil Rights bill where any discrimination is a crime punishable by law. If we cannot ensure equitable treatment to our dalit brothers and sisters, we have not right to complain.
Disgusted by the lax attitude of our pseudo secular government, the Indian Supreme Court has taken it upon themselves to call the practice an “interference in someone’s belief” and have decried the forceful conversion.
Everyone in India needs to get on the same page on the matter. Remember, India is the only home for Hindus. We cannot let that disappear in the sea of pseudo-secularism.

SC decries forceful religious conversions
The bench of justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan observed that there cannot be any justification for interference in someone's belief while decrying forceful conversions. While delivering the verdict in the murder case on Friday the court observed that investigations reveal that Staines was involved in conversions and there are materials to suggest that the missionaries were indulging in forceful conversion in the area.
The article can be read at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sc-decries-forceful-religious-conversions/141078-3.html
An excellent article which was the source of many of the quotes is: http://www.cincinnatitemple.com/articles/SocialPoliticsofConversion.pdf

The image and a similar article: http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2008/03/orissa-clash-conversion/

Article 356: Law or a Stick?

Wikipedia says: President's rule is the term used in India when a state legislature is dissolved or suspended and the state is placed under direct federal rule. President's rule is enabled by article 356 of the Constitution of India, which gives the central government the authority to impose president's rule in any state if there has been failure of the constitutional machinery in the state. It is called President's rule as the President of India governs the state instead of a Council of Ministers who are answerable to the elected legislature. State governor is delegated executive authority on behalf of the central (federal) government. The governor normally appoints advisor(s), who are retired civil servants, to help in administration. Since governor is appointed by the President of India on the advice of the central government, in practice policies are controlled by the ruling party at the Centre.
Laws like article 356 are supposed to help maintain law and order. However in India, as we all know, laws often become a stick in the hands of the man in the seat to enforce his will. It becomes a tool to undermine Democracy rather than enforcing it. When a government assumes power, then appoint pliable babus and ex-politicos as governors of the state. These men are supposed to help the elected state government run the state. Mrs. Indira Gandhi became a master at this trick. Article 356 was used to topple non-Congress state governments.
The tradition seems to be continuing today. B S Yeddyurappa who is not the most competent BJP CM and seems to have been elected out of caste politics pressures, has been targeted by the Governor H R Bhardwaj. To give you a background, Wikipedia says the following about him:
A media shy minister, the old Gandhi family loyalist handled the most sensitive and controversial cases in the Manmohan Singh cabinet between 2004 and 2009. From Bofors to office of profit and the failed attempt to remove Navin Chawla as election commissioner, were all deftly handled by the Congress veteran to the satisfaction of the Prime Minister and party leadership. In March 2009, H R Bharadwaj was criticized for taking the initiative to de-freeze two bank accounts of Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors Scam case, who is seen as a close friend of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. In particular, it appears he did not consult the investigating agency CBI which had gotten the accounts frozen.
This Gandhi family loyalist (seems like the only qualification he has), has done everything in his power to bring down the Yeddy government. He is still trying to make a case for his recommendation for enforcement of article 356. I hope that various branches of judiciary get involved and thwart this brazen attempt to undermine the voters / aam aadmi of Karnataka.

Bhardwaj wants a Congress govt in Karnataka: Yeddy

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday took on Governor H R Bhardwaj alleging that he was trying to throw the Bharatiya Janata Party out of power and install a Congress government in the state.
The article can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-bhardwaj-wants-a-congress-govt-in-karnataka-yeddy/20110123.htm

Domestic Violence And Future Of Indian Society

In any marriage, there are going to be differences in opinion. Some of them may precipitate arguments. Some of those arguments may become heated. Some of those heated arguments may become fights. But that is where it SHOULD end. Violence in a household erodes the very foundation on which it stands.
Indian society has a very serious dichotomy in its psychology towards women. On one hand, we worship various goddesses. We take long treks without any footwear to go and bow to Vaishno Devi. We sing paeans in honor of Rani Jhansi. Our economic center is named after Mumba Devi. But then, we negotiate dowry for our daughters like they are cattle. We burn someone else’s daughter if she was not financially beneficial. We kill our own daughters in the name of honor. Our national capital has so many cases of rape that citizens have become numb to it. But all that is somewhat extreme. In most households, the daughters are discriminated with subtlety. They are taught to be docile and obedient. In essence they are told that they have lesser rights than boys. Most women in India live and die under those parameters. However, the disturbing aspect of it all is the following stat: Around two-third of married women in India were victims of domestic violence and one incident of violence translates into women losing seven working days in the country, a United Nations report said.

Now, this report cannot be completely true because if you read the report, it says that a lot of the cases are not reported. So the number of two-thirds sounds like a generated stat rather than a real one. However, in a culture such as ours, even one case is a case too many. Hinduism has no room for this kind of behavior (Manuwadi scriptures notwithstanding).
As women in India are become financially independent, it is only expected that they will not put up with abuse and that is contributing to increased divorce rates. A real abusive marriage must end but ego driven difference is the worst reason for a divorce. A strong family unit is India’s greatest advantage over other democratic nations. If we lose it, then we are going to be in a worse shape because the society does not have an in built system to care for broken homes. It is responsibility of all Indians, men and women, to realize the strengths of our society and take steps to nurture it for the future of our children and our country.
Domestic violence should not be condoned by anyone. It takes two to fight but violence has no room at home.
This post has been precipitated by the latest case of an Indian IAS officer beating his wife. While violence cannot be condoned, domestic disturbance is a grey area. That is why I am rambling. A man beating a woman is something that makes me angry but it is hard for me take portray these events in a black and white oeuvre. Having said that, I think it is the man's responsibility to ensure that violence is kept out of any domestic dispute. That is a Hindu thing to do.

Two-third married Indian women victims of domestic violence: UN
As many as 70 per cent of married women in India between the age of 15 and 49 are victims of beating, rape or coerced sex, the United Nation Population Fund report said.
The article can be read at: http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=56501

Why are we immune to wife beating?
According to the National Family Health Survey- III, over 40 per cent of the women surveyed reported being beaten by their husbands at some point of time. Over 51 per cent men didn’t find anything wrong with assaulting their wives. More shockingly, around 54 per cent of women and men surveyed thought that such violence was justified on some ground or the other.
The article can be read at: http://in.news.yahoo.com/why-are-we-immune-to-wife-beating-.html

The picture is from : http://www.sahayogindia.org/pages/programmes/violence-against-women/campaigns.php

Kashmiri Hindus: God's Own People

The tears of the literati, liberals and pseudo-secular crowds are reserved for religious minorities. If you happen to be a Hindu, no matter how down trodden, you are shit out of luck. If you are on fire and if you are lucky then someone may spit on you. That is the status of Hindus in the only land they can call their own. If you are a Hindu in most of India, you can still live peacefully to some extent. But if you are Hindu living in a state like Kerala where your population percentage is low, you are a target for mockery (as seen in the recent Sabrimala tragedy), ridicule and conversion. However, if you are a Hindu in J&K, then you are lowest priority of all the citizens of India.
What has happened to Kashmiri Hindus is a crying shame. I had such hopes from the BJP government with regards to the Kashmiri Hindus. They did not do anything for them. They probably did not want to upset the uneasy peace in J&K. Of course there is no hope from the current government. The J&K CM is not even amenable to the Indian flag in his state. What a mockery of all that our nation stands for!
Kashmiri Hindus are truly God’s own people. God IS looking out for them because no one else is.

Kashmir Hindus: Forsaken, forgotten for 21 years
Lalit Koul
January 19 is an insignificant day for most of the people around the world. It comes and goes and nobody notices. But for the last 21 years, for one community, it is the day that brings back frightening and dreadful memories. It is the day when 21 years ago final nail in the coffin of forsaken community of Kashmiri Hindus was hammered. It was the day when Islamic terrorists and their sympathisers gave 24 hours eviction notice to Kashmiri Hindus. It was the day when the threats of Raliv, Galiv Ya Chaliv (Convert, die or escape) replaced the sounds of evening Azaan (prayers) from majority of mosques in the valley of Kashmir.
The article can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/column/kashmir-hindus-forsaken-forgotten-for-21-years/20110119.htm

The picture is from: http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/hindu-genocide/gallery.php?level=picture&id=151

India Is Not Shining

Mayawati is the richest CM in India. Some of the richest government officials are from UP. There is not shortage of wealth in UP. In a celebration for SP in Mulayam Yadav’s village, they had dancers from Ukraine! UP has so much money that they can erect statues after statues of Mayawati and Elephants. What they do not have is way to feed their people or even keeping them warm for a couple of weeks. We all know that intense winters in India are no longer more than two weeks. If the government could somehow build shelters for people where they could be protected from the elements then a lot of these cold related deaths can be avoided. In the enclosed area, people's body heat itself will keep them safe if not warm. Out in the open, an already malnourished body has no prayer.
Dr. Gopal Singh has written the following article in a gut wrenching way which would make you very angry. And it should! As long as people are dying of cold and hunger, what good is it to host games and double-digit growth? The current day India is beginning to look more and more like the Czarist Russia. We know what happened to them.

India Shining!
by Dr. Gopal Singh
“I was cold and very tired” - Jaan had finally started answering my question. “I sat besides my mother (mother’s body) for a long time and then I fell asleep against the wall. When I got up it was dark inside. My mother was still lying next to me. I tried to wake her up and then realized that she was already dead (she started sobbing). I took off my Chaadar (a worn out cotton shawl) and tried to cover her body but it was too small for her”. She became quiet again but at least her eyes blinked. I stared back at her not knowing what to say.

"Kis abhaage ghar ki hum chaadar huye,
Tan dhakaa to haath muh baahar huye."

The article can be read at: http://cms.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=10423

Cabinet Reshuffle" Much Ado About Nothing.

Everyone who as looking forward to the cabinet reshuffle as the panacea of all our national problems is going to walk away with a familiar feeling of nothingness. The only major change is that A Raja is out. But in his case, one can say that the barn door was closed after the horse had already escaped. The damage had already been done. Removing his was symbolic. Even more symbolic was this much-touted reshuffle. None of the portfolios, which were held by the important people, was touched. How can we expect any real change? All we are seeing is the Congress insiders flexing their muscles. It is being said that the Rahul Gandhi camp prevailed in this exercise. We may even see Pranab Mukherjee become the deputy PM. But to what end?
This government was a mistake that all voters would like to rectify but can’t for another three years. What we can do is to make our voices heard in the forthcoming state elections. People of Bengal need to vote the Communists out. They also need to realize that the other option, which involves the Maoists, is no better than the communists. They really need to elect the BJP. In fact all the incumbents who are non-performing (i.e. everyone) need to be shown the door.

Reshuffle shows weakness of Congress leadership
"As a result, the government continues to show its lack of purpose to improve its credibility. There are not enough political moves that promise to tackle corruption and incompetence within the government. The Congress, it seems, doesn't have any fresh ideas for a holistic approach to solve the scores of problems it is facing in administration, in the Supreme Court and in Parliament. As expected, the imprint of Sonia Gandhi and fierce internal politics of the Congress was on display in the reshuffle."
The article can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/special/reshuffle-shows-weakness-of-congress-leadership/20110119.htm

Who Speaks For The Bengal Tiger?

I have always believed that the reason why we have so many animals in our mythology is that the ancient Hindu wise men thought that the animals would be preserved like that. From the mouse to the mighty elephant are all associated with our gods and goddesses. Those animals are not only important to us in a religious way but also for our ecosystem and as our national treasure. The Indian royalty and the British in their macho lifestyles, all but wiped out the big cats. Even today, the poachers kill these magnificent animals for skin our bones and other body parts to be smuggled to China. You see, the Chinese treasure the body parts of the tiger for their traditional medicine. They wiped out their own tiger population so they are now paying money to Indian criminals to do their dirty job. Now the Indian Forest Office people are no more honest than our office babus. How can we expect them to take care of our national treasure? Everyone is selling the country out, why not these guys?
As far as the aam aadmi is concerned, we have procreated so much that we are lucky if we can take care of our people let alone our animals. It is a sad commentary when our people derive such sadistic pleasure in killing these animals. Salman Khan and Nawab Pataudi were both accused of killing endangered animals. What happened to them? Salman Khan has gone from being a very rich film star to a richer film star. At leaset he spent couple of nights in jail. The Nawab, did not even do that.
I am glad that the UPA minister in charge for the environment, Jairam Ramesh is doing all he can. He seems to be the only guy in this malfunctioning government who is doing his job. Of course he comes through as a man possessed. But you HAVE to be a man possessed in India these days to talk about issues that absolutely no one does, save a few nationalists like Chandan Mitra who wrote this rather gut wrenching article

To save the tiger, save jungle
Chandan Mitra
Without a holistic approach nothing can protect India's wildlife from human greed and bestiality. If we don’t act now, the tiger, leopard, elephant, deer and even marine and avian species will face extinction
The article can be read at: http://dailypioneer.com/310887/To-save-the-tiger-save-jungle.html

Pseudo-seculars: More Muslim Than Muslims?

Deobandi and Barelvi versions of Islam are practiced openly in India. I am sure the Wahabi version is also creeping in thanks to the gulf money. Of the three, Wahabi version is the one which terrorists abide. Of the other two, Deobandi is the more virulent. Barelvi version is steeped in Sufi-ism.
Needless to say, most of Indian Muslims practice the Deobandi version and most leaders, political and otherwise are from that sect. The new Deobandi Chief has come out and said: "all communities" are prospering in Narendra Modi's Gujarat and there was "no discrimination against the minorities in the state as far as development was concerned."
Now stand back and think. This is a complete opposite of what the liberals and pseudo-secular politicians and media would have you believe. It is even more mindboggling when you consider who is saying it. While the likes of Seetalvad and various arms of the UPA are still trying all kinds of dirty tricks so something would stick on Bhai Narendra who has been absolved of any wrongdoings buy all kinds of courts and panels. He has been absolved because he is innocent and not because of any lack of efforts from his enemies.
Now why are the liberals trying to be more Muslim than Muslims? The answer is simple. Judging by sheer performance, credibility, integrity, patriotism, passion and honesty, he may be the most effective leader in the Indian history. Agreed that each of those criteria has been present in many leaders. But to find someone with ALL of them is an impossibility. The Congress shudders at the thought of having him in the PM's chair. They will never win an election if he can do for India what he has done for Gujarat. That is why, it is important for them that he is demonized to the rest of the Indian voters. Godhra is the only twig they can beat him with.

It is unfortunate for India and Indians that we have a leader of his capability but due to a concerted effort by the liberals and pseudo-secular traitors, Bhai Narendra Modi's potential and his true destiny will remain unfulfilled.

New Deoband chief lauds Modi's Gujarat

SURAT: The new Darul Uloom vice-chancellor, Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, said "all communities" are prospering in Narendra Modi's Gujarat and there was "no discrimination against the minorities in the state as far as development was concerned." He was talking to TOI here on Tuesday.
This is arguably the most significant endorsement of Modi. Darul Uloom, based in Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, is a leading Islamic seminary in India and the fount of the Deobandi thought, which has adherants well beyond the country's borders, especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/New-Deoband-chief-lauds-Modis-Gujarat/articleshow/7315607.cms

Is India A Democracy Or A Monarchy?

The ancient Indian system of division of labour, devolved into the evil, we now know as the caste system. It took some thousands of years to do that. Turning the Indian democracy into a monarchy has taken a lot less. Of course, people who were not beholden to the Congress either knew that or could see it coming that it was going to go that way. I don't know why they are surprised now. The culture of sycophancy was always very brazen. Even today, the sole purpose of the Congress is to ensure the coronation of Rahul Gandhi. Even he has spoken about the seat of the PM like it was his birthright. There is no internal democracy in Congress. Congressmen clamour and run over each other to kiss the ring of their leader. We all know about that.
Unfortunately, the regional parties which came up to bring the local issues to fore have taken a page from the Congress Bible. Internal democracy in those parties were not even an issue since everyone accepted that the leadership positions belonged to one family no matter how incompetent the scion.
The only parties with any internal democracy are the BJP and the Communists. These are the only two parties with any kind of ideology. Agreed that the Communist ideology is evil and anti national but still they follow some principals no matter how warped.
The advent of the family rule does not bode well for Indian democracy. In order to avoid condemning the Indian democracy to the same dustbin as Monarchy (which is where it belongs), the Indian voters need to stand up and reject the incompetent sons and daughters of marginal fathers and mothers. The fate of the nation depends on it.

Is India sliding into a monarchy?
Is India sliding into a monarchy? In his splendid new book, India: A Portrait, historian Patrick French dredges up some startling data on the stranglehold of family and lineage on Indian politics. The research finds that though less than a third of India's parliamentarians had a hereditary connection, things get worse with the younger MPs. Consider this:

• Every MP in the Lok Sabha or the lower house of the Indian parliament under the age of 30 had inherited a seat.

• More than two thirds of the 66 MPs aged 40 or under are hereditary MPs.

• Every Congress MP under the age of 35 was a hereditary MP.

• Nearly 40% of the 66 ministers who are members of the Lok Sabha were hereditary members.

• Nearly 70% of the women MPs have family connections.

Read the complete article at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2011/01/is_india_sliding_into_a.html

Ab BJP Ki Bari

1962 Martyrs Memorial dedicated the troops who died defending

Nathu La against the Chinese during the 1962 war and later skirmishes

After the Congress, now it’s the turn of the BJP, the supposed patriotic nationalist Hindu party, to cow down and bend before the Chinese. What is the need and compulsion to make a trip to China at a time when China has escalated border tensions and military incursions in J&K and assertively laying claim to Arunachal Pradesh by issuing stapled visas? The Congress has been soft and rewarding China with more trade in spite of the latter trying to block a $2.9 billion Asian Development Bank aid for Arunachal Pradesh by staking claim of that territory. The Indian Army has recorded 270 border violations and nearly 2,300 instances of 'aggressive border patrolling' by Chinese soldiers last year. China still occupies 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory in Ladakh and another 5,000 square kilometers, ceded to it by Pakistan in Kashmir. The Chinese friendship and the encouragement to our rabid neighbor is not hidden.

How can BJP a nationalist party be so complacent to take the Chinese threat lightly and be naïve enough to lead a delegation to impress upon the Chinese Communist party leaders against covertly supporting Pakistan?
Those who remember 1962 and know China would doubt their intentions and exercise caution. If not, then how is BJP different from the Congress?

While it is important to keep the diplomatic channels open, we certainly hope that The BJP are not in any illusion about the Chinese intentions towards India. We also hope that Bhai Nitin Gadkari, who is prone to speak his mind, does not open up as much as he does at home. The Chinese are experts at mind games and can do damage the BJP using the state run media especially because they know that the BJP is more likely to adopt an assertive posture against them.

Gadkari to lead first-ever BJP delegation to China
The BJP leader said since terrorism has become a global phenomenon, the delegation would discuss the need to combat terror with unity and would like to impress upon the Communist party leadership of the imperative, and isolating those nations, which covertly support terror.
Read the complete article at:http://www.rediff.com/news/report/gadkari-to-lead-first-ever-bjp-delegation-to-china/20110117.htm

Watching China Closely

Let us get rich first at any cost. Other problems will get solved automatically. That has been the Chinese motto for the last three decades. In total wealth terms they already have become the second biggest economy. But all the glitter of downtown Beijing and Shanghai cannot mask a lot of unpleasant facts. The get rich quick scheme aided and abetted by greedy American businessmen have created a corrupt and a metastable system in China which is unsustainable. The difference in rich and poor is enormous. The numbers of protests and riots have gone up tremendously. Arable land has shrunk. Eighty percent of water is polluted. The corrupt Chinese businessmen and politicians are keeping the economic numbers artificially inflated. Since rewards are related to performance, local governments lie and cheat to keep their numbers up. This has led to an un-sustainable system. Now even the greedy businessmen on the west are realizing that they have contributed to a bubble which will ruin the world economy.
Gordon Chang has written often on the subject. In one of his older articles he said that the state owned Chinese banks have given bad loans worth over $500 billion which they have no hope of remembering. In a newer article, he says that the Chinese investors are using a tax loophole to invest in real estate which has created a very big bubble. These guys are making and buying houses which are unoccupied. He says – “There were, a few months ago, 64.5 million urban flats that showed no electricity usage for six consecutive months. That’s one in four city apartments, enough housing for some 200 million people. The value of vacant apartments held by speculators is about 15% of gross domestic product. Beijing’s bank stress tests assume a 60% fall in property prices. In fact, official statistics show that property price increases slowed in July.
And there is more bad news for the residential market. Property developers, who are already building 20 million flats, have company. Local governments are constructing another 20-30 million, and other government agencies and companies are also building housing for employees”
So if the enemy i.e. the Chinese is in trouble why should the aam aadmi be worried? Well, one of the traits of the bullies (and cowards) is that they do not accept any blame and try to blame someone else and divert attention away from their mistakes. In India, the pseudo-secular crowd finds Hindu nationalists and the RSS to blame when they find themselves in a tight spot. The Pakistanis foment trouble with India when they are in trouble. We should expect the same from China. When the economic bubble bursts in China, then they will find someway to divert the attention of their populace. What better way than to whip up nationalistic hysteria by starting wars with neighbors? During the last earthquake in Sichuan province, the locals started to shout nationalistic slogans when Hu Jintao visited them instead of blaming the local governments for lack of help and faulty construction which ended up killing the only child they had. That is how brainwashed the Chinese populace is.
What can we do? As a population, nothing but we can hope that our government and the babus can foresee this and take steps to protect our nation. We can do this by fortifying our defenses and making the right friends by taking “the look east campaign” to the next level.

Hedge funds bet China is a bubble close to bursting
By Louise Armitstead
The manager, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “The Chinese delegation has said all week that there will be double-digit growth for years to come and the Brits have lapped it up. But the data doesn’t add up. We think we’ve experienced credit bubbles over the past few years, but China is the biggest. And yet the global economy is looking to China as not just a crutch but a springboard out of the recession. It’s crazy.”
The article can be read at:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8261740/Hedge-funds-bet-China-is-a-bubble-close-to-bursting.html

The Gordon Chang article can be read at:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/12/china-property-electricity-asia-opinions-columnists-gordon-g-chang.html

Amazing Satellite Images Of The Ghost Cities Of China
The hottest market in the hottest economy in the world is Chinese real estate. The big question is how vulnerable is this market to a crash.
One red flag is the vast number of vacant homes spread through China, by some estimates up to 64 million vacant homes.
We've tracked down satellite photos of these unnerving places, based on a report from Forensic Asia Limited. They call it a clear sign of a bubble: "There’s city after city full of empty streets and vast government buildings, some in the most inhospitable locations. It is the modern equivalent of building pyramids. With 20 new cities being built every year, we hope to be able to expand our list going forward."
See the Real Satellite Images: http://www.businessinsider.com/pictures-chinese-ghost-cities-2010-12?slop=1

Now Congress Blames Aam Aadmi

Unable to handle the heat of all the recent mega scams and the re-emerging Bofors, Digvijay Singh was armed with a blanket Congress power of attorney and let loose to do what he does best - Hindu bashing. This is an obvious ploy to divert attention of the aam aadmi. Now with the onion price crises, a staple of the Indian masses is fast becoming an exotic vegetable. Adding to the Congress woes, a steep inflation is forcing Congress out of viable options. So instead of real solutions, Congress is seeking to frame and blame Hindu organizations and put the blame on its favorite vote bank, the Aam Aadmi. The Congress would have never expected to finds itself facing such a paradox. An economist PM credited for turning the economy around who cannot control the spiraling inflation leads government. This government, which is in complete confusion, is now blaming the newfound prosperity and the middle class for the rising prices. The Congress disarray was evident when Rahul Gandhi was pointing fingers at his coalition partner Sharad Pawar for the food price rise.
On the other hand despite record inflation of essential items, Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar sought to ease the pressure on himself by saying that food items in India were still cheapest than any other country. It is astounding to hear those words. What parameters did he use to come up with this ridiculous assertion?
So as long as the Congress rules the Aam Aadmi will have no respite!!!!!!

Price rise failure of ‘economist’ PM: BJP
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday described spiraling prices in general as "failure of the economist Prime Minister" and the food and petrol price hike as a "Congress conspiracy" against common man, demanding action in both the areas.
"When the world is witnessing a stable price regime and food prices are actually going down in most parts, India is experiencing a turbulent price regime because of lack of cohesive policy on part of the UPA," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-POL-price-rise-failure-of-‘economist-pm-bjp-1760048.html

Price rise: 'Helpless' Centre to discuss steps with states
'India’s newfound prosperity behind inflation'
In a carefully worded statement, the Prime Minister laid the blame for rising prices on India’s newfound prosperity. Planning Commission deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia had taken the same line.
Prime Minister said, the government will try to fight the rising prices with the instruments at its disposal.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-price-rise-govt-takes-easy-way-out-blames-aam-admi-1754720.html

Pakistan Problem: Division As A Solution

The Sudanese are voting to divide the country along religious lines. Fair enough. But they are consulting the British to achieve a fair division. Now that is not a wise move. The British have always screwed up any country they left after dividing. At every current hot spot in the world, you can see British footprints. Sudanese can shoot themselves in the foot but that is their business. What we, as Indians have to worry about is the festering sore that our colonial master left for us. Pox on them!
We have India, which is growing despite of our politicians. We have Pakistan, which is failing despite of all the help in the world. Someone recently said that if Pakistan did not have nuclear weapons, they would be in the same class as Congo.
The raison d'etre of Pakistan was hate for India. Therefore the day the hate ends, Pakistan will cease to exist, as we know it. That would be bad for the Panjabi elites and the military. So there cannot be peace. We should not kid ourselves about it. Time travel has a higher probability. The “Aman ki Asha” brigade is the only ones who cannot see the obvious.
What can India do about this problem? Unfortunately, the answer is NOTHING? If the country is going to implode, it will. We just have to be prepared for the fallout. With 100 nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems (all thanks to the Chinese), Pakistan is a world problem. As an expert Harold Gould says: In my opinion, the best option is what I would call strategic consolidation. That is, India, the US and its allies, must "step aside", let the holocaust happen, and try to contain in every way possible its spread beyond Pakistan's borders and the Pashtun region now dominated by the Taliban.

I had written on the subject a long time ago. Division of Pakistan is the only viable solution. Sindh, Balochistan, Pakistani Punjab and Pashtunistan should become independent countries or join with whomever they want to. PoK should be reunited with J&K so the PoK citizens can also enjoy democracy and move forward. The whys and hows will make this post way too long. Suffice it to say, the Pakistani Punjabis have inflicted themselves for too long on the rest of the country (I am not even talking about the religious minorities). The fault lines cannot be more exposed.
An American expert, Ralph Peters also wrote on the topic in his excellent article "Blood Borders". It is a must read.
But for all this to happen, the world must be on the same page. For that to happen, a deft diplomacy has to be initiated by the parties concerned. Since India is the country at the biggest risk, we have to be at the forefront of this.

India and Pakistan on the brink
By David Ignatius
"And then, in the next breath, Indian officials insist that such positive steps won't make any difference. The Pakistani military doesn't want any reduction in tensions, they argue. The civilian government is crumbling and incapable of making a deal. Even Singh, long an advocate of better relations with Pakistan, is said to have concluded that hopes for better relations are "wishful thinking."

The article can be read at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011405282_pf.html

A disintegrating Pakistan: Choices for US and India
By Harold A. Gould:
"Viewed in historical perspective, what is gradually taking place before our eyes is the final consequences of flawed political choices which the emergent Pakistani elites made following the nation's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah's death in 1948, which were compounded by subsequent regimes, and further exacerbated by faulty US Cold War policies towards the South Asia region. In this sense, the story of Pakistan is one of "chickens coming home to roost!"
The article can be read at: http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-125115.html

India Deserves To Shine Like Gujarat

Bhai Narendra Modi was referred to as “Maut Ka Saudagar" by Sonia Gandhi in reference to the post Godhra Massacre riots. In those riots, one third killed were Hindus and rest Muslims. Really bad stuff! Only a homicidal maniac would take any satisfaction in any of that. However, in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi assassination, around 3000 Sikhs were massacred. It was all Sikhs who were killed. It was systematic. What does that make the Congress? I guess, “Maut Ka Wholesaler”.
After that, the liberals and English language media made it a personal crusade to demonize Bhai Narendra Modi and bring him down by any and all means. We have written a lot on the criminal methods used by Teesta Setalvad to achieve that. They have failed not because of trying but because Bhai Narendra is INNOCENT of any wrongdoings.
In the interim, like an elephant walking through a pack of yelping dogs, he has taken Gujarat from strength to strength. In the last local elections, over a hundred Muslims won on the BJP ticket. So even the Muslims have moved on. Prosperity, a bright future and hope have all trumped their hatred. They can tell a performer from a non-performer which seems to be a difficult task for liberals, pseudo-secular parties and the English language media because they seem to hate Bhai Narendra more.
Recently, Gujarat has attracted an immense amount of investment. It is going to become the driver of the Indian economy. That used to be the role of Maharashtra until successive Congress governments have bright it down to the same level as the BIMARU states.
As Mr. Kanchan Gupta points out and we have repeated said on this blog, when will the rest of the Indian states emulate the Gujarat model? MP and Bihar have done so and are benefitting from it. It will be nice if the Gujarat model could be used for the entire nation. But that will remain a pipe dream until the current government is voted out. Until then we can hope that individual states start to follow Bhai Narendra Modi’s way.

India awaits the NaMo Model
Kanchan Gupta
"The ‘Modi Model’ is working brilliantly for Gujarat; States like Madhya Pradesh and Bihar which have borrowed elements of that model are also reaping a rich harvest. India awaits the day when the ‘Modi Model’ will become the ‘Indian Model’ and propel the nation, not only Gujarat, to greater prosperity for all Indians. Ironically, our Left-liberal journalists, bogus intellectuals, pseudo-secularists and intellectually bankrupt commentariat will benefit from that too."
The article can be read at: http://dailypioneer.com/310885/India-awaits-the-NaMo-Model.html

The picture is from: http://www.eepcindia.org/eepc_photo_display.aspx?occid=242

Hindi Chini Why Why?

In an article right after the recent Chinese Premier's visit, B. Raman was modest while saying " India more assertive with China, but not enough". During the Premier Wen's visit to Delhi, contracts worth $16 billion were signed. Joint decisions were taken to increase the value of bilateral trade from $60 billion expected by the end of this year to $100 billion by 2015 but the current adverse balance of trade of $19 billion against India's favour continues to increase despite repeated Chinese assurances to redress it. Mammohan Singh the Congress ace has failed yet again in his calculations of thinking that ushering China with enormous benefits in bilateral trade would buy an amicable solution on the border dispute in Arunachal Pradesh and J&K. Some of our liberal media channels were glorifying Wen's visit by making statements like "It's Hindi Chini bhai bhai time" and were quick to call our PM bold and assertive after the Chinese delegation left. When will our leaders and the naive Indian media understand that the Chinese do not respect the weakness, they look down upon Indians and hate being compared with India as a growing power.

Raman further say: "Better relations with China on mutually and equally advantageous terms and not on terms which favor China alone, but not India should be our policy. A clear message in non-provocative language has to go to Beijing that India has been disillusioned by the self-centered policies of Beijing and its lack of reciprocity in respecting our core interests. Strategic relations have to be a two-way traffic and based on quid pro quo. For China, they are a one-way traffic benefiting only its core interests. We should no longer accept this."

It seems our leaders are unwilling to learn from the history and past mistakes, this apathy is utterly ridiculous. Till such time India has a clear defined foreign policy and take truly assertive measures, China will continue to issue stapled visas and eventually takeover those territory. Another alarming report claims that the Chinese Premier was as surprised as the visiting Secretary of Defense Robert Gates when the Chinese Stealth Bomber was unveiled. The implications are obvious. The PLA has become a government unto itself. Which may explain the hubristic and chauvinistic rhetoric coming out of China. It is foolish to expect that increasing trade (even when it benefits the Chinese more) will solve anything. The only solution is to continue with the “Look East” policy and encourage the US to re-establish the SEATO, which can counter China’s hegemonic policies. We surely cannot take on the Chinese ourselves. Hell, we cannot even take on their lapdogs, the Pakistanis!!

Beijing unlikely to back down on stapled visa row soon
India Thursday strongly protested against Chinese stapled visas for residents of Arunachal Pradesh saying it was "unacceptable". Beijing, however, refused to budge from its position.
"Stapled Chinese visas are unacceptable to India. It has been conveyed to China. We will not accept it," Defence Minister A.K. Antony told reporters here

The article can be read at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/310370/Beijing-unlikely-to-back-down-on-stapled-visa-row-soon.html

India more assertive with China, but not enough
While India was prepared to talk tough on some issues, crucial issues like disparity in trade and China's support to Pakistan and border issues have not been dealt with adequately during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit, says strategic expert B Raman

The article can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/slide-show-1-b-raman-india-more-assertive-with-china-but-not-enough/20101218.htm

The picture is from: http://www.zeenews.com/imagegallery1646.htm

UPA II: How Can It Perform?

UPA-1 was a real non-performer. Barring the nuclear deal they do not have much to show for. Even that deal happened because President Bush made it a major priority. Aside from the non-performance, hints of scams were always there. The 2G and the trillion dollars of Indian black money in off shore accounts were one of the two. There was inflation and suicide by farmers. There was terrorism (Islamic and Maoist). But the one thing that they had was a united front. They were united in their incompetence and corruption.
Thanks to regional parties (dividing votes), amnesic voters and a completely inept campaign by the BJP, UPA came back to power with larger number of seats. Imagine that!! One thought that with no Communists to impede, UPA-II would function better. However in slightly over a year, they have outdone themselves in all the negatives. Bigger scams, higher inflation, even more expensive food! Fortunately there has been only one terror attack. Maybe the Pakistanis are too tied up in terrorizing their own people that they have inadvertently given us a respite.
If recent reports are to be believed, the one thing that UPA-I had is missing this time i.e. unity. Apparently, Sonia and Rahul are having difficulty agreeing to the way the party should be run. This is not new. The coterie around them have repeated clashed in the past but since, the common goal of Rahul’s coronation has kept these differences under a boil. Not anymore. Rahul’s coterie led by Digvijay Singh wants to prevail. So the one reason why the Gandhi family was given the leadership role was because they could unite the party. That does not seem to be the case anymore. How is all this impacting the man in the PM’s seat? Understandably, not well! With so many problems facing our nation, the Congress is still struggling with an issue like cabinet reshuffle something, which will not benefit the nation at all!!
Moreover, there is another report which claims that Pranab Mukherjee has been offered the PM’s seat if he can dig the Congress out of the 2G hole.
Again, how can a government function with all these pressures, especially one that was not performing well to begin with? The next elections are in 2014. How can this government deliver till then? Indian voters are being punished but the punishment is not longer commensurate with the crime.
I hope that our luck changes and there are mid term elections. Otherwise, god save us all.

Differences in Cong top echelons tying PM's hands
The AICC reshuffle and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's [ Images ] desire to reshuffle his cabinet are inter-linked. Dr Singh has been waiting since long to get some new faces in the Cabinet. But the mother and son's team has not finalised the list for the reshuffle in the party, say sources. Sources say the government is fighting with its back to the wall on a number of crucial issues and so far the PM has been unsuccessful in resolving any of them.
The article can be read at: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/differences-in-cong-top-echelons-tying-pms-hands/20110112.htm

The turning worm
They say that Pranab Mukherjee is once again in the prime minister's race. He has been promised the top job if he can get the Congress leadership out of the 2G net. Given this development, it is perfectly understandable that Pranab Mukherjee should pounce on the PM for making the PAC offer.
The article can be read at: http://newsinsight.net/archivedebates/nat2.asp?recno=2089

Indian Media VS Internet Hindus

Internet is one of the greatest equalizers. The world has become smaller and more transparent. Events can be recorded and ideas written by anyone to be spread around for quick dissemination. Anyone with a cell phone can be a reporter. Anyone with a computer can be a writer.
I remember when India had Akashvaani to depend on for any news. Since it was controlled by state, we heard what the government wanted us to hear. In case of India, even the media liberalization did not do much good because the media was essentially toeing the pseudo-secular line drawn in the sand by the non-BJP establishment. The Daily Pioneer remains the only fair national newspaper.
As I said, people with cell phones and Internet connections have sent out to the world pictures and information that the Chinese or the Iranian government did not want anyone to hear about the goings on in Xinqiang or the post election protests (in Iran).
In the meetings with Indian students, Rahul Gandhi’s handlers have kept the media out lest the truth got out. Unfortunately for them, our cell-phone reporters were hard at work and showed the world what Rahul, the man is like. This happened in Bihar and Gujarat. Maybe that is why Congress won only four seats in Bihar.
The liberal establishment would love to silence people like us from expressing our anger but in the cyber world where anyone can express himself or herself, American styled first amendment right is now afforded to all the citizens of the world. There are answers to the likes of Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi all over the place. The advent of the new age of reporters and Twitter reporters has left the establishment shaken up. They tried to brand people like us “Internet Hindus” as if using the word Hindu would make it anything sound dirty.
The intrepid Rajeev Srinivasan has raised this point like only he can. In the article titled “India is finally seeing the birth of alternative journalism”, he says- And then the western media picked up what bloggers and Twitterati were saying. This hit the uppity journos where it hurt the most. They fulfilled their greatest ambition — getting their coveted fifteen minutes of fame in the New York Times or Washington Post; but, alas, it was via a commentary on their (lack of) journalistic ethics and on the harsh judgment of the Internet readers.
As a result, Vir Sanghvi, for all practical purposes, fell on his sword, shutting down his impugned column. Barkha Dutt tried the opposite tack: brazening it out and proclaiming innocence. This did not work; NDTV’s credibility is damaged and her ratings have plummeted (according to TAM data for December). An attempt at self-defense on TV boomeranged: she appeared shifty and guilty as charged, Nixon-like.
The article can be read at: http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/column_india-is-finally-seeing-the-birth-of-alternative-journalism_1493314
The image is from: http://worldcultures.wikispaces.com/

Hindus And Problems With Islam

A good Muslim friend of mine is the most vociferous critic of Islam I've ever met. However, he cannot listen to anyone else criticizing his religion. He goes on the defensive and then on the offensive. His behavior does not surprise me. I criticize my home state in an invective laden language but even a mild rebuke from anyone else, upsets me to no end. That is human nature for you.
With that in mind, let us examine the question at hand - What can Hindus do about problems facing Islam? My answer to that is NOTHING!!!! I will explain.
We can educate ourselves in the Sharia or the Quran or the life of Prophet Muhammad and then we can argue with any Muslim. With our knowledge, we can point out all the follies in their religion. We can point out the prevailing hypocrisy in their ways. We can point out embarrassing detail in the life of the Prophet and put the Muslims on the defensive. Criticizing Islam is easy especially the way it is being practiced these days. We can do all that but to what end?
The educated Muslims are well aware of the problems facing Islam. They will not come out and say it but they know it. They read the same papers and see the same news shows. However, like my friend, they will go on the defensive when faced with criticism. There is no point in talking to them. Talking to the uneducated Muslims makes even less sense because they do not even know the problem. If Islam has to come out of its medieval mindset, the movement will have to come from within. Non Muslim Islamic scholars can continue to do what they are doing but they will hit the wall each time. Muslims will need to get out of the current mindset and solve their own problems. No one else can least of all, the Hindus. Hindus need to get their own house in order.
However, almost 20% of Indian population is Muslim and the percentage is growing. So we cannot ignore the problem that Muslims are facing. What can the Indian establishment (Congress or BJP or whomever) do? We can do what parents of teenaged children do. You cannot force the children after a certain age. You can, however, give them options and let them make their own choices. In case of our country, the Hindus need to solve the problems facing Hinduism and our society. There is no need to point them out since we know what they are. We then elect a performing government who will try to function as honestly as they can. We seize every opportunity that comes our way and put India on the road to progress and prosperity. We should try to keep the country as safe as we can. We can then see if the Muslims want to join the mainstream Indian society or stay in their ghettos. If they join us in taking the country forward, then the problems facing Islam become a background noise. If they choose to stay in ghettos, then we treat the occasional bomb blasts as sins of our fathers (Improper division of India) and move on.
The status quo is unacceptable. Pandering to Muslims insults the able and weakens the weak. That is not the solution. The solution is what Bhai Narendra Modi has shown over the last decade. Creation of opportunities is the answer. When the state prospers EVERYONE prospers. That is why Bhai Narendra gets Muslims votes despite of his incessant demonization.

Let the Muslims decide what they want. Meanwhile India needs to roll ahead; we cannot wait for the Muslims to make up their mind. It is not about Hindus or Muslims. It is about Mother India!!