tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13987685684675585812024-03-08T15:29:30.457-08:00ULTRACURRENTSUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-46604543462116711232010-07-07T06:23:00.000-07:002010-07-07T06:27:57.376-07:00** Charges Against Sajjan Kumar<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bodyDrftID" class=""><tbody><tr><td id="drftMsgContent" style="font: inherit; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial, Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">1984 Riots: Charges Framed Against Sajjan Kumar</span></span></span></div><div><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?686872"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000FF;">http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?686872</span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#007F40;">July 7, 2010</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;">A Delhi court today framed charges of murder and rioting against senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which six persons were killed in Sultanpuri here.<br /><br />Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta, after finding prima facie evidence against the Congress leader and others, decided to record statements of witnesses from August 23.<br /><br />The court had on July one had ordered framing of charges in the case.<br /><br />The framing of charges paves the way for initiation of trial in a criminal case.<br /><br />Besides murder and rioting, the court also framed charges against Kumar, Brahmanand Gupta, Peru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash for the offence of spreading enmity between two communities.<br /><br />CBI had filed two chargesheets against Kumar and others on January 13 in the riots cases registered in 2005 on the recommendation of Justice G T Nanavati Commission which inquired into the sequence of events leading to the riots.<br /><br />The present case relates to killing of six persons in Sultanpuri in north-west Delhi in the aftermath of the assassination of the then prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.<br /><br />The court has already started recording of statements of the witnesses in an another case involving Kumar and his nephew Balwant Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the court recorded the statement of a witness, Lal Chand Khemani, who was said to have bought a house owned by the victim, Jagdish Kaur, in a locality here in 1993.<br /><br />The witness was declared hostile by the prosecution following which he was cross-examined by the CBI.<br /><br />Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in the Delhi cantonment case, could not appear before the court because of her illness.<br /><br />She had lost five family members, including her husband, in the riots.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><u><b>RELATED STORY:</b></u></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Unpardonable Mistakes</span>@ <a href="http://ultracurrents.blogspot.com/2009/11/unpardonable-mistakes.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000FF;">http://ultracurrents.blogspot.com/2009/11/unpardonable-mistakes.html</span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-53397903935449911562010-06-05T18:03:00.000-07:002010-06-05T18:04:41.695-07:00** Taslima wants Visa Extension<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; "><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bodyDrftID" class=""><tbody><tr><td id="drftMsgContent" style="font: inherit; "><div id="yiv1992865671"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bodyDrftID" class=""><tbody><tr><td id="drftMsgContent" style="font: inherit; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Taslima in Delhi, wants extension of her Indian visa</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Taslima-in-Delhi-wants-extension-of-her-Indian-visa/articleshow/5998691.cms"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000FF;">Times of India</span></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#800000;">PTI - June 1, 2010</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; ">NEW DELHI: Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin is now in the Capital to get her Indian visa extended since the validity of the travel document expires in August.<br /><br />Taslima, who has been in and out of the country after she was dramatically bundled out of West Bengal in November 2007 in the wake of protests by radical Muslim groups, came from London in the wee hours of Sunday and was immediately whisked away to a safe location.<br /><br />The 47-year-old doctor-turned writer is also trying for a permanent residency in the country. Her visa is valid till August 16.<br /><br />The future plans of the writer who shot to fame with her controversial book 'Lajja' were not immediately known.<br /><br />The government has already made it clear that Taslima's visa cannot be extended beyond August 16 prompting her to take the help of some of the country's prominent writers.<br /><br />At the time when her visa was extended before, Taslima was told this would be the last extension under the category (miscellaneous) she had applied the visa, official sources said on Tuesday.<br /><br />Taslima, a Swedish passport-holder, had sought visa under the miscellaneous category in 2005 and it has since been extended initially for a year and later for six months. The visa under this category cannot be extended beyond five years.<br /><br />The writer has been told that she could stay in some other country for a few days and later apply afresh for the visa under the same category, pending her request for a permanent residency in the country, the sources said.<br /><br />The writer had earlier expressed her desire to visit Kolkata but it has been turned down on the ground that radical elements may try and harm her, the sources said.<br /><br />Taslima had earlier left India on March 18, 2008, for Sweden after she was kept at an undisclosed house here for more than four months. She had not been allowed to see any visitor during the period and described her confinement as "a chamber of death".<br /><br />Recipient of various awards, she was shifted from her Kolkata residence after violent protests in the eastern metropolis over her controversial book "Dwikhondito" (divided into two).<br /><br />Certain references in the book had stirred a storm with some Muslim organisations demanding that she be asked to leave the Left-ruled state.<br /><br />She was bundled out of West Bengal in November 2007 in the wake of violent protests by radical Muslim groups there against her.<br /><br />Taslima has lived in exile in many countries including France, Sweden, the US and India since leaving her home in Dhaka in a cloak of secrecy in 1994. During her stay in India in the last five years, she has periodically travelled abroad with the last trip being in August 2009. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">ALSO READ </span>:</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000FF;"><b> 1) </b><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/wherere-human-rights-advocates/"><b>Where're Human Rights??</b></a></span> @</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#7F007F;"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/wherere-human-rights-advocates/">http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/wherere-human-rights-advocates/</a></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><b>2) </b><a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/has-india-let-down-taslima-nasreen/61531-3-p2.html"><b>Did India let Taslima Down??</b></a><b> </b>@</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; "><a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/has-india-let-down-taslima-nasreen/61531-3-p2.html">http://ibnlive.in.com/news/has-india-let-down-taslima-nasreen/61531-3-p2.html</a></span></span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-52710665677310119722010-06-01T08:19:00.000-07:002010-06-01T08:45:14.718-07:00** Don’t block the Hindus<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Don’t block the ‘Internet Hindus’</span></strong><br /><a href="http://www.dailypioneer.com/241956/Don’t-block-the-‘Internet-Hindus’.html"><span style="color:#000099;">The Daily Pioneer</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#660000;">Kanchan Gupta</span></span><span style="color:#660000;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><br />Hindus who are proud to assert their identity and fly the Tricolour high have now found a new platform to have their say, the way they want it, without fear of being shouted down. Tired of being derided by pseudo-secularists in media who see nothing wrong with Muslim communalism and Christian fundamentalism but are swift to pounce upon Hindus for being ‘intolerant’, their cultural ethos crudely denigrated by the Left-liberal intelligentsia as antediluvian, Hindus have begun to harness technology to strike back with deadly effect.<br /><br />They are bright, they are well-educated, they are not burdened with regional and caste biases, they are amazingly well-informed on national issues and world affairs, they are rooted in Indian culture, and they are politically alert. They hate being told they are wrong when they know they are right. They have a mind of their own and refuse to be led like sheep. Not surprisingly, they hold the Congress, the Left and regional parties in contempt, as they do journalists who cravenly ingratiate themselves with the establishment. For them, India matters — and matters more than anything else. Meet the ‘Internet Hindus’.<br /><br />In recent days there has been a spate of articles disparaging the ‘Internet Hindus’, variously describing them as “loonies”, “fanatics”, “irrational”, “Hindu Taliban” and, by an enraged news channel anchor, “gutter snipes”. Much of the criticism has come from left-of-centre journalists who believe they have unfettered monopoly over media as their inalienable birth right. Exalted members of Delhi’s commentariat, who are indistinguishable from the city’s la-di-dah socialites, tend to turn up their noses every time they hear the phrase ‘Internet Hindus’ as they would at the suggestion of travelling by public transport. Others are given to contemptuously brushing aside ‘Internet Hindus’ as being irrelevant and describing their views as inconsequential. All this and more has neither dampened the spirit of ‘Internet Hindus’ nor blunted their assertive attitude.<br /><br />Here are some statistics, culled from an ongoing online survey, which would help create a generic profile of ‘Internet Hindus’. The survey is open to all Hindus who use the Internet; the response has been overwhelming. Of those who have responded, 88.9 per cent have identified themselves as ‘Internet Hindus’, indicating they attach no shame to the term though their critics would want them to feel ashamed. Of the respondents, four per cent are aged 20 years and below; 55 per cent are aged 30 and below; 31 per cent are 40 and below; and, only 10 per cent are aged above 40. In brief, 90 per cent of them are young Indians.<br /><br />The educational profile of the respondents is awesome: 43 per cent are graduates (most of them from top-notch engineering, science and medical colleges); 46 per cent are post-graduates (a large number of them have MBA degrees from the best B-schools); and, 11 per cent have PhDs. It is understandable that none of them is unemployed. Those without jobs are still studying (17.3 per cent) and can be found in labs and classrooms of the best universities here and abroad. Of the 82.7 per cent who are employed, 3.1 per cent earn up to Rs 2 lakh a year; 18.4 per cent earn up to Rs 6 lakh a year; 34.7 per cent earn up to Rs 12 lakh a year; and, 26.5 per cent earn more than Rs 24 lakh a year. Nearly 60 per cent of them frequently travel abroad on work and holiday. Some 11 per cent have travelled abroad at least once.<br /><br />Contrary to the impression that is being sought to be created by their critics, ‘Internet Hindus’ are open to ideas, believe in a plural, law-abiding society and swear by the Constitution. They are often appalled by the shenanigans of our politicians, including those of the BJP, and are ruthless in decrying politics of identity and cynical vote-bank policies. They have no gender prejudices and most of them think banning FTV is downright silly in this day and age. The ‘Internet Hindus’ will not countenance denigration of their faith or biased media coverage of events, but 91.9 per cent of them respect and accept other religions. Asked if India is meant only for Hindus, an overwhelming majority of them, responding to the survey, said, ‘Hell, no!’<br /><br />So why do they infuriate pseudo-secularists in media and make Delhi’s commentariat see red? There are three possible explanations. First, the Net is beyond the control of those who control newspapers and news channels. While the print and audiovisual media have for long excluded contrarian opinion and denied space to those who disagree with absurd notions of ‘secularism’ or question the quality of reportage, the Net has provided space to the ‘other’ voice. Real time blog posts now record the ‘other side’ of the day’s story (“The Prince was shouted down in Bihar, not feted by students!”), Twitter affords instant micro-blogging even as prime time news is being telecast (“That’s not true. I live in Bareilly. This is not how the riots began!”), and YouTube allows unedited amateur videos of events (the Meraj riots, the Islamist violence in Kashmir Valley) to be uploaded, giving the lie to edited and doctored versions shown by news channels.<br /><br />Second, unlike carefully selected ‘Letters to the Editor’ in newspapers and ‘Feedback’ posted on news channel websites, the reactions of ‘Internet Hindus’, often savage and unflattering, cannot be thrown into the dustbin or deleted with a click of the mouse. English language media journalists, long used to fawning praise from readers and viewers, are horrified that someone can actually call them ‘dumb’ in public space and there’s nothing they can do about it. Third, the established elite, most of them middle-aged, are beginning to feel threatened. Here’s a new breed of Indians who have used merit and not ‘connections’ to make a mark in professional excellence, young men and women who are educated and articulate, and are willing to challenge conventional wisdom as preached by media ‘stars’ who have rarely, if ever, been questioned. The elite who dominate newspapers and news channels are seen by ‘Internet Hindus’ as part of India’s past, not future. As one ‘Internet Hindu’ writes in his blog, “A large number of ex-elite can’t stomach fact that children of bankruptcy are better travelled, better read and dominate the Internet!” Harsh, but true.<br /><br />We can describe the ‘Internet Hindus’ as the “lunatic fringe”, but that won’t change the fact that their tribe is growing by the day. Soon, those on the fringe will move to the centre and their critics will find themselves precariously perched on the fringe. The Right is gaining ground as is the access and reach of the Net; newspapers and news channels, the Left’s last refuge, no longer command absolute control over information flow. It would be unwise to ‘block’ the voice of ‘Internet Hindus’, as then their clamour to be heard will further increase and there is nothing we can do to silence them. The times they are a-changin’.<br /><br /><strong>Related Topics:</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/politics-of-corruption/"><span style="color:#000099;">Politics of Corruption</span></a><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6161525532715981859#docid=1712243349323343484"><span style="color:#000099;">Dr. Swamy on Hinduism</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-74734696193455352222010-05-23T18:26:00.000-07:002010-05-23T18:28:02.911-07:00** Follies of Hindu Denial<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; "><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bodyDrftID" class=""><tbody><tr><td id="drftMsgContent" style="font: inherit; "><div id="yiv359794527"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bodyDrftID" class=""><tbody><tr><td id="drftMsgContent" style="font: inherit; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; "><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; display: table; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; "><td valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; font: inherit; "><div id="yiv191840086" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><a href="http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2010/05/the_follies_of_hindu_denial.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com</span></a></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; font-size: x-large; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Follies of Hindu Denial</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#00BF60;">Vamsee Juluri</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px; font-size: x-large; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; ">I wonder if the followers of any other faith in America have to live with the absurdity of hearing constantly that their religion does not exist. Add to that an irony: you see images from the religion that supposedly does not exist showing up everywhere, as ornaments, as New Age paraphernalia, and, insultingly, even on toilet seats. Worse, there's an exception to the general denial of your religion: when it does get talked about, it is only to get blamed as the sole cause of every evil in the land of your birth.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; ">That is how it feels as a Hindu in America today, and that is the right context to see the debate between <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2010/04/shukla_and_chopra_the_great_yoga_debate.html" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><strong style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; color:#0c4790;">Dr. Aseem Shukla and Dr. Deepak Chopra</span></strong></a>.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; ">The issue is not whether Hindus "own" Yoga as much as the growing denial of Hinduism in American media and intellectual culture. This denial exists in many forms; in bookstores, where we find shelves for Islam and Christianity but not for Hinduism, in academic writing, where the word Hindu is quote-marked into high degrees of concerned irony to imply that it is nothing more than a fabrication of fascist fundamentalists, and of course, in the booming new age culture of America where <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; color:#ff0000;">"Namastes"</span> are heard but never the word <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; color:#ff0000;">"Hindu."</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; color:#ff0000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; ">Thus <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; ">,, like many Hindus, I believe in the plurality of Hinduism and its basic belief that all faiths lead to God. But as an academic who studies the causes and consequences of media misrepresentation, I feel that there is a growing culture of Hindu denial. Curiously, this culture has found its sustenance from opposite ends of the American political-intellectual spectrum. Religious conservatives condemn Hinduism as paganism, much as the first colonizers did when they set forth to save us. But what is new is that enlightened New Age liberals, American and South Asian, shun its mention as if every person who identifies as Hindu is a fundamentalist.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; ">The reasons for this response lie partly in recent Indian politics. For many Hindus, identifying as such was once unimportant and perhaps even un-Hindu. I grew up in India in the 1970s in a devout family and being Hindu was not a subject of conscious discussion. That began to change in the late 1980s. Hindu identity became important in daily life (in large part because of television) and in politics (it was a time of identity politics in general and religious identity, just like caste and regional or linguistic identity, entered the political mainstream). The ideas of Hindu nationalism spread through the Hindu middle-class imagination in India and abroad by the 1990s, and so did opposition to it. On American campuses too, students were often divided, calling themselves either "Hindu" student groups or "South Asian" groups. This polarization has become so widespread now that any debate about Hinduism turns into a single-issue fight about fundamentalism.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; ">What these debates often forget is the American context. America sees the world sharply in terms of religious identity (unlike in India where other identities also matter). It saw more Hinduness in Indian immigrants than even we ever did, and not always kindly. Over the decades Hollywood and Washington had made Hindus synonymous in the American mind with Indiana Jones-style depravity. Hindu children faced this contempt in school, and in time took it upon themselves as Hindu Americans to set things right, the civil way at that. Unfortunately, they now face a misplaced backlash against fundamentalism that dismisses even legitimate efforts to address concerns about Hinduism as a misrepresented faith in America.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; ">Many great Hindu spiritual leaders have, in the best spirit of their faith, rarely enjoined the use of the term "Hindu." However, we must also not unwittingly de-Hinduize them. It has become fashionable to "borrow" from one of Hinduism's many traditions and then disavow it altogether, as if Hinduism only refers to the residue of undesirable stuff that got added onto some pristine preexisting spiritual condition like the practice of Yoga. If one does not like Hindu politicization, commercialism, or superstition, by all means one may and indeed one must reject those specifically, for these are all undesirable features that can sully any faith. But it is neither accurate nor ethical to speak of Hinduism as a reality only when criticizing it while denying its existence altogether when enjoying or exploiting, as the case may be, its gifts of wisdom to the world.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 13px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px; font-size: 14px; "><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Vamsee Juluri </span>is Professor of Media Studies at the University of San Francisco and the author of three books, "Becoming a Global Audience: Longing and Belonging in Indian Music Television" (Peter Lang, 2003), "The Mythologist: A Novel" (Penguin India, 2010) and "The Ideals of Indian Cinema" (Penguin India, 2011). He has written previously about Hindus and Hinduism in America for Hinduism Today and the Huffington Post. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 57px; border-collapse: collapse; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2010/05/the_follies_of_hindu_denial.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#737373;">http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2010/05/the_follies_of_hindu_denial.html</span></span></a></span></em></span></span></span></span></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-31272237676446452892010-05-06T10:39:00.000-07:002010-05-06T10:46:40.327-07:00** Surrendering to America<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Surrendering to America</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(0, 102, 0); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Shobori Ganguli</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><a href="http://www.dailypioneer.com/253946/Surrendering-to-America.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Daily Pioneer</span></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When a Pakistani official lauds an Indian Prime Minister (in this case Mr Manmohan Singh) for his “vision” and welcomes the “legacy” he wants to leave behind, it is cause for grave worry. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Ahead of the meeting between Mr Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Thimpu last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Indian Prime Minister is “a well-meaning individual, he has a vision, he wants to leave a legacy behind”. Surely, a vision that pleases a visibly and audibly intransigent Pakistan cannot be one that will particularly benefit India. Nevertheless, Mr Singh seems to be acquiring quite a fan-club across the border.<br /><br />Apart from calling India’s dossiers of evidence against the 26/11 terror perpetrators pieces of fiction and refusing to display any meaningful action against terrorism emanating from its soil, Pakistan now says India’s linkage of talks and action against terror has “dragged too long” and that “nobody is buying that anymore”. Mr Qureshi is right. Apart from the Pakistanis themselves, now the Americans are not buying it. Hence the eminently avoidable Prime Ministerial-level meet in Thimpu.<br /><br />One is perhaps unable to understand the logic underlying the current exchange between India and Pakistan but the subcontinent’s history says Pakistan’s intentions are not exactly well-meaning. Therefore, when senior Indian officials talk about a certain “chemistry” between Mr Singh and Mr Gilani or speak of how the latter “batted” for Mr Singh after the ignominious Sharm el-Sheikh meeting last July, citizens of this country need to know whether all that bonhomie is not actually compromising our national interest and security. Are all those virtues in our Prime Minister, so suddenly visible to the Pakistanis, or the mere chemistry between two individuals, on which Indian officials are pinning all their hopes, really geared to address India’s genuine concerns vis-à-vis Pakistan? Perhaps, Mr Singh is indeed on his way to creating a legacy: That of India’s abject surrender to those who bleed and terrorise its innocent civilians. Little else explains the Manmohan Singh Government’s inexplicable moves to keep the veneer of diplomacy with Pakistan on despite the latter emerging more recalcitrant after each dialogue initiative.<br /><br />From the arrest of a Pakistani-origin man in the Times Square bombing attempt to a Pakistani who will be sentenced — hopefully, to death — in Mumbai today for the 26/11 attack, Pakistan’s footprints indeed span from Mumbai to Manhattan. While the United States may have its own set of reasons to humour such a Pakistan, there is no rationale whatsoever for India to repeatedly expose itself to Pakistani bluster. Incidentally, only two days after the Times Square incident, seven people are arrested in Pakistan; nearly two years after Mumbai, we are still sending across dossiers. From Yekaterinburg and Sharm el-Sheikh to New Delhi and now Thimpu, India is desperately trying to open a channel of dialogue with Pakistan that remains invisible to the other side. In fact, each attempt has seen the emergence of a more arrogant Pakistan. In theory, India’s approach cannot be faulted. It is seeking to adopt a step-by-step approach to get Pakistan to first deliver on the more specific cases relating to the Mumbai terror attack and then move on to the larger question of that country eliminating all terror camps operating from its soil. Fair enough. Had this approach borne even the minutest of results, one had reason to hope and be patient.<br /><br />However, after officially stating that India has resumed dialogue only under intense American pressure, Pakistan has made it annoyingly clear after each interaction since 26/11 that the talks are a part of the composite dialogue process, that the two sides have decided to discuss Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and water-sharing, issues that “concern both Pakistan and India”. After each official interaction, the Pakistanis have made their irritation with India’s repeated “harping” on Mumbai quite apparent. This, even as India continues to flood Pakistan with 26/11 dossiers; it now intends to send across a copy of Ajmal Kasab’s judgement along with fresh sets of evidence against the 20 others implicated, including masterminds Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and seek their extradition — all a pointless exercise. While New Delhi has everything neatly figured out on paper, it is unable to read the complexities of the minds working in Islamabad. Miles away from worries of extradition, therefore, Saeed and Lakhvi brazenly continue their anti-India operations under the very nose — and active patronage — of Pakistani authorities.<br /><br />What could possibly explain Pakistan’s continuing defiance, including its repeated posturing on the dialogue issue, its insistence that India, more than Pakistan, was desperate to resume talks, a charge New Delhi has sought to ignore rather than forcefully counter? Why is India remaining a mute spectator to the changing goalposts of its engagement with Pakistan that are being unilaterally shifted by the latter, particularly the recent clamour about India’s “water terrorism” that could become a “nuclear flashpoint”, a subject that has been appended to the Kashmir issue at various international fora by Pakistan in recent months? Is there even an iota of shift in Pakistan’s position, on Mumbai specifically and on terror in general, since Yekaterinburg last June which propels the hope that eventually Islamabad will fall in line?<br /><br />Clearly, Pakistan’s nuisance value is what is fetching it international attention: It is a nuclear power that could press the button under the least of provocations from India. In the aftermath of 26/11 world capitals went into a spin, anticipating a military reply from India that could critically shift Pakistan’s focus from Afghanistan, apart from increasing the chances of a nuclear war. Given Mr Singh’s disposition no one need have worried. However, the spectre itself was enough to get the hotlines between Washington and New Delhi working. Talk to Pakistan, was the suggestion, even if the terms of engagement bring little benefit to India. Not one to displease, Mr Singh obliged, alternately shaking hands with the Pakistani President and Prime Minister in various corners of the world, Kodak moments that have suitably reassured US President Barack Obama.<br /><br />Engagement is a sound principle in diplomacy and international strategy. However, such an exercise must visibly augment a country’s strategic worth and clout, particularly so in India’s case as it seeks its rightful place on the global stage. Unfortunately, this ongoing engagement with Pakistan, apart from exposing the Manmohan Singh Government’s helplessness against a petty neighbour, has also led to legitimate questions on whether, on its way to becoming a major world power, India has woefully surrendered to the American game in South Asia instead.</span></span><br /></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-80223150657174669682010-03-07T12:12:00.000-08:002010-03-07T12:22:20.239-08:00** News or propaganda?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b>Make a distinction between news and propaganda</b></span><div><a href="http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=334&page=3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Editorial-Weekly</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#006600;">March 7, 2010</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The media can both be the poodle and the watchdog. But of late, it is becoming more of the poodle than the watchdog. The Government of India in a recent advisory to TV channels directed them to avoid giving undue coverage to terrorists and terror groups and cover such events with great responsibility and sensitivity. The advisory, in fact, was long overdue.<br /><br />Every terror attack has, of late, unfortunately become a kind of veritable celebration and overkill for most channels. So much so that the other day when some news channels telecast the CCTV footage of the German Bakery blast, a special court for the Maharashtra ATS ordered: "No electronic media should publish, display or telecast any footage or coverage of the incident dated February 13, 2010 or those before the incident that has come on the CCTV of German Bakery and Hotel ‘O’, which would lead to the disclosure of identity of witnesses in the case." The media, especially the electronic, has been indiscriminately featuring terrorists, with their family history, interviews and the so-called Karachi plot to destroy India with unbelievable fan-fare and a persistent obstinacy. Of equal concern is the obsessed regularity with which soft stories on the D-Company are telecast on certain channels. All that the terrorists want is publicity and speculation about their motives, missions and methods. That is the way these underground outlaws operate and try to advance their agenda, if they have one.<br /><br />It is easy to guess the provocation for the channels to devote so much of their news time to those trivia which most reputed media persons have often denounced. The fact however remains that the institutions headed by these personalities do not even make a pretence of playing by the rule.<br /><br />This brings us to the subject of the business of selling news space. After liberalisation, the corporate interest has come to dominate politics, policy format and media coverage. As a consequence, matter that once used to come to us as press notes, now get splashed on the front pages as exclusive. It is a propaganda that often comes as a breaking news. The adage that news is that somewhere somebody wants to hide, is no more a dictum for the post-globalisation media. In this context, the advice of the Editors Guild of India to the Election Commissioner of India to take a strong action against both politicians and media persons who violate the disclosure norms of election expenditure and publicity failed to generate the desired public interest. Such issues are often buried somewhere inside between advertisements in a single column and go unnoticed. A travesty of profitability becoming the primary concern of information dissemination. The media honchos lose the propriety and restraint and become willing tools in the hands of business lobbies.<br /><br />The latest example of the controversy over the Environment Minister’s denial of permission to Bt. brinjal illustrates this point very well. A section of the media has gone overboard criticising the decision and denouncing the minister who was so far hailed as a crusader for reform. Overnight, Jairam Ramesh has become anti-reform, anti-science and standing in the way of genetic research and promotion of biotechnology. Conversely, lo and behold, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is being projected a man of great vision, modern mind and who is agitated so much about the damage the non-introduction of GM seeds would do to Indian agriculture.<br /><br />Pawar is a past master in taking up such MNC causes. Remember Enron? It is not a secret how sometime in the mid-1990s Rebecca Mark, a striking 30-something honey blonde Enron Lady took our politicians for a royal ride. Then Pawar had argued for Enron with the same vehemence as he is now pleading the case of Bt. brinjal. And a section of the Indian media lapped up every word the Enron Lady said to make a grand entry into the Indian power sector. The tax-payer had to shell out billions of dollars for the sovereign guarantee for the so-called fast track power project that he promoted in Maharashtra as Chief Minister.<br /><br />Now, Pawar, according to reports, wrote to the Prime Minister, "the off-the-cuff nature of the Bt. brinjal decision" threatened to "set the clock back" on agricultural growth by disheartening scientists and companies investing in research and resources in GM technology. What moral indignation! The devil perhaps is in the detail. And a section of the media has taken up this fight. We have been open about our resistance to GM food. And it was the result of persistent and informed campaign by the activists and scientists that the Environment Minister was forced to take a second, hard look at the propaganda and pressure by the Bt. brinjal lobby. The problem is how to separate news from propaganda and create an enlightened public opinion.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Related stories:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">1) </span><a href="http://indowave.tripod.com/AntiHinduMedia.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Details about Media</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> 2) </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCEO4Rw9Zd8&feature=related"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Who owns Media ?</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">3)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;"><a href="http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/looking-at-christianitys-handshake-with-media-in-india-book-review_10074366.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"> Media's Handshake</span></a></span></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-56702463581389331272010-03-07T09:15:00.000-08:002010-03-07T12:20:17.352-08:00** The forgotten 59<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 16px; font-family:'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin-top: 0.6em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.3em; font-family:'Times New Roman', Times, serif;font-size:22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://tarun-vijay.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">The Times Of India</span></a></span></h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="margin-top: -10px; "><span style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">27 February 2010</span></span><br /><br /><span style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:29px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">The forgotten fifty-nine</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#006600;">Tarun Vijay</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I stood alone. In that crowd at the railway station. Sabarmati Express, the Indian train connecting Ayodhya, a Hindu pilgrimage centre in UP, with the cosmopolitan urban centre Ahmedabad, passes through it. It had passed that year also and became a horrifying reminder of intolerance, butchery and politics over the dead.<br /><br />I am least interested in the cases, the lies, the scandalous twists, the influencing of the case makers, the politics and the horrendous behaviour of those who become members of India’s central law-making body, Parliament, by virtue of an adult franchise.<br /><br />My eyes were searching for an indicator, some information to know what happened to those families whose bread earners, parents, sole supporters and dearest relatives were suddenly brought dead in body bags.<br /><br />There were little kids like Gayatri Panchal, who lost her two sisters, mother and father in that inferno. Sudha Rawal, an 82-year-old granny, Neelima, Lakhu Bhai, Bhimji Bhai……<br />Why they have to die a torturous death? And why the stalwarts, the leaders, the conscious keepers of the land never ever tried to approach them to know, how February 27 changed their world view and lives?<br /><br />The next carnage, equally condemnable and horrifying, never included the dead of February 27. Both were Indians. I thought dead bodies do not have any religious prejudices. But here we saw, dead too can be made victims of the coloured attitudes.<br /><br />Is there any answer to the question why Godhra is always, necessarily excluded from Gujarat? Why ‘Gujarat’ is simply and essentially a Muslim tragedy? Though one third of the killed were Hindus?<br /><br />Why can’t we wail and lament for the Indian, whatever the religion, who dies whether in Godhra or ‘Gujarat’? The mental subjugation, the coercive secularism, the aggressive NGO-funded shrill voices, none of them takes into account the human side of the tragedies. Flags, headbands, the famous picture of the tailor with folded hands, half truths and pure lies in the courtyards of justice, nothing could demystify why Godhra occurred. Rather it has been pushed into the blind well of a secular Talibanistic edit that prohibits even an analytical, objective discussion on the February 27 carnage. Which occurred just eight years ago?<br /><br />When the perpetrators of 1984 still roam free and the protectors are decorated, an Indian analysis and an Indian inference of Godhra may take decades. But it also throws up the same issue of a self-denial, our leaders in media and politics are delving into. Deny that it ever happened. Deny that the hurt was universal.<br /><br />Indians are targeted today for various reasons — in Kashmir, Jammu, Bastar, Dantewada, Kohima, Pune, Mumbai. The list is growing by the day. Still the missing identity is Indian.<br /><br />Recently I was in a discussion in Bangalore and the participants, all noble elitist drum beaters of freedom of expression and objectivity, simply focused on communally oriented themes of persecution, backwardness and atrocities. None of them even once spoke of the Indian pain — they would have been forced to talk of inconvenient truths like Kashmiri Hindus’ exile. And of course Godhra.<br /><br />The exclusion is as painful as was the massacre. An activist, who works among tribals, showed the gathering pictures of dead bodies of people who he claimed were killed by the security forces . He din't show a single picture of the policemen killed by Naxalites or of those more than 10,000 common citizens brutally murdered by the red marauders.<br /><br />Aren’t the policemen Indians? And those who were targeted by the Naxalites? Why romanticize the brutal murderers and exclude the agony of others? This dishonesty on part of the "secular, peace-loving" tribe is killing and shows off Stalinist traits.<br /><br />The burning alive of Graham Staines was horrendous. But so was the killing of the octogenarian Swami Lakshmananand. Why exclude Lakshmananand and refuse to look dispassionately at the other side?<br /><br />Nothing will be discussed and allowed to be printed till the Shahs of the secular Mecca deem it fit to be approved. Why?<br />Accept Valentine’s day, as if the day is the new constitutional order of the republic, a new national anthem. Otherwise be prepared to be lampooned and declared an uncivilized moron.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />The end of dissent and inclusion is also the end of civility.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Related Story: </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><a href="http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/godhrathe-true-story/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">GODHRA :by Nicole Elfi</span></span></b></span></a></span></div></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-34958259948855306462010-02-02T15:16:00.000-08:002010-02-02T15:23:57.833-08:00** Indira Gandhi Legacy<div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">The Indira Gandhi Legacy</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Asia Sentinel</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#006600;">John Elliott</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Twenty-five years ago on October 31, I was in Mussorie listening at lunchtime with other British journalists and diplomats to Tibetan refugee children singing to Princess Anne, who was visiting from the UK. The car drivers turned their radios on and heard the news – on Pakistan Radio – that Indira Gandhi, India's prime minister, had been assassinated.<br /><br />We wondered if it was true, or did Pakistan Radio put such disinformation out every day? No phone or other communication links were available, but we all eventually decided it must be true and started a seven hour (or more, I forget) drive back to Delhi, our cars being plastered with newssheets mourning her death in towns on the way south.<br /><br />An era had ended. One of India's most notable politicians was dead, shot by her Sikh security guards, leaving a legacy that will long be debated but is generally regarded more negatively than positively.<br /><br />Mrs Gandhi increased socialist economic controls started by her father Jawaharlal Nehru, opened the doors to widespread corruption that leading politicians and bureaucrats now routinely practice day by day by, and sowed the seeds for both her own death and that of her son, </span></span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?Itemid=31&id=585&option=com_content&task=view" class=" lingo_link" style="text-decoration: none; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: initial; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Rajiv Gandhi,</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> by encouraging a militant Sikh leader in Punjab and separatist Tamil activity in Sri Lanka. She also increased separatist sentiments in Kashmir.<br /><br />If Nehru was greater than his deeds, as many people say, Indira was not as great as she should have been, and her deeds were more damaging than she probably intended.<br /><br />Nehru's controversial post-independence policies of economic centralism and peaceful relations with China are now generally regarded as well-meaning but misguided. Mrs Gandhi's mistakes however are generally seen less charitably as the actions of an insecure woman, desperate to build power and relying too much on her malevolent power-hungry younger son, Sanjay Gandhi, who encouraged her to declare a two-year State of Emergency in 1975.<br /><br />Strangely, Mrs Gandhi is seen much more favorably abroad as a great though flawed leader who did her best to manage a massive poverty-stricken fractured country.<br /><br />It is easy to catalogue her failings and the damage that she did to the country that she undoubtedly loved. Maybe she did not realize the long-term impact of actions that she took for short-term political reasons – more often than not stemming from her paranoia and concern about her power base.<br /><br />But there was more to her than that. She tried more than any government before or since to protect India's environment, which has been progressively plundered since independence in 1947, most recently by a series of corrupt environment ministers (until the current minister, Jairam Ramesh, was appointed in May).<br /><br />She is also remembered for strengthening the confidence of Indian women, and for her ability to reach out to people and to care – a gift that her daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi, and her grandchildren Rahul and Priyanka, now display.<br /><br />In her final years, she started tentative reforms to open up the economy and unravel the central controls that Nehru and she had put in place. These reforms were continued by hesitatingly by Rajiv, who succeeded her as prime minister and was killed in 1991, and then by the 1991-96 Congress government led by Narasimha Rao (with Manmohan Singh as finance minister), and by subsequent administrations.<br /><br />She also initiated (after a disastrous false start by Sanjay Gandhi) a very successful joint venture, Maruti, with Suzuki of Japan, which triggered a gradual modernization of India's engineering industry that is paying dividends now with the country's internationally competitive auto companies.<br /><br />Her legacy also lives on in other ways, 25 years after her assassination.<br /><br />Internal and regional problems of the sort that Mrs Gandhi dabbled in for short-term political gain have expanded enormously and, judging by recent Naxalite developments in West Bengal, some politicians still play her dangerous game of trying to capitalize on the ambitions of rebel movements.<br /><br />In foreign relations, India has moved on from its reliance on the old Soviet Union, which Mrs Gandhi described as a friend that had never let the country down. As was illustrated by a speech made in Delhi this morning by former US President George W Bush, India now straddles wider international relationships, especially with the US that has recognized its nuclear weapon status. Bush described that agreement, perhaps a little euphorically, as India's "passport to the world".<br /><br />But India's regional relationships have not grown out of the hegemony practiced by Mrs Gandhi in </span></span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1713&Itemid=367" class=" lingo_link" style="text-decoration: none; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: initial; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">South Asia.</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Here it is being outgunned by China, which is raising the specter of its defeat of India under Nehru's watch in 1962 by exacerbating border disputes between the two countries.<br /><br />Finally, the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is firmly entrenched, with Sonia Gandhi controlling both the Congress Party and the current government, and Rahul preparing to take over.<br /><br />Such dynastic succession brings a form of political stability to India's turbulent and fractured politics, but it also blocks the emergence of other leaders at the top.<br /><br />Even worse, it has now spawned a cascade of dynasties across the country involving families that rarely have the Nehru-Gandhi family's sense of service, but instead are primarily aimed at maintaining wealth that comes from prestige, patronage and corruption.<br /><br />This dynastic surge is both the cause and effect of a sharp decline in the standards of Indian politics that began in Mrs Gandhi's time and has worsened enormously in recent years as personal greed has replaced politicians' concern for the country.<br /><br /></span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">John Elliott is a former Financial Times correspondent based in </span></span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2259&Itemid=34" class=" lingo_link" style="text-decoration: none; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: initial; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">New Delhi</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and is the author of the blog ‘</span></span><a href="http://ridingtheelephant.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Riding the Elephant</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">,' which appears elsewhere in Asia Sentinel.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; "><a href="http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2126&Itemid=255">Asia Sentinel</a></span></span></span></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/bigger-than-dynasty/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Bigger Than Dynasty @</span></a></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; "><a href="http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/bigger-than-dynasty/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/bigger-than-dynasty/</span></a></span></span></span></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></em></span></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-66442943318884121922010-01-23T18:15:00.000-08:002010-01-23T18:18:49.828-08:00** Stakeholders of Kashmir?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; "><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table; "><tbody style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><tr style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; "><td valign="top" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font: inherit; "><div id="yiv537388565" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="bodyDrftID" class="" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table; "><tbody style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><tr style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; "><td id="drftMsgContent" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font: inherit; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#FF0000;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-family:'times New Roman', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><b style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; "><table border="0px" cellpadding="0px" cellspacing="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 736px; "><tbody style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tr align="center" valign="top" class="b14" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 14px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_LabelArticleHeadLine" class="heading" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'times New Roman', Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: large; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#C00000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#FF0000;">Are Muslims the sole stakeholders of Kashmir?</span> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: large; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#C00000;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#C00000;"> </span> </span></td></tr><tr align="center" valign="top" class="t11" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 738px; height: 19px; text-align: left; "><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_LabelProvider" class="heading" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'times New Roman', Helvetica, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#007F40;">Nancy Kaul </span></span></span></td></tr><tr align="center" valign="top" class="t11" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 738px; height: 19px; text-align: left; "><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_LabelDate" class="h11" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline-block; width: 142px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#007F40;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#800000;">14 Jan 2010</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><a href="http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayArticle.aspx?id=1036"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">VijayVaani</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr><tr align="center" valign="middle" class="t11" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td colspan="2" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "></td></tr><tr align="center" class="t11" valign="top" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 738px; height: 16px; "></td></tr><tr align="center" class="t11" valign="top" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 738px; height: 14px; "></td></tr><tr align="center" class="t11" valign="top" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 738px; "><table width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tbody style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tr align="center" class="t11" valign="top" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-row; vertical-align: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; "><td style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; height: 30px; "></td><td rowspan="2" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: table-cell; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_LabelContents" class="t13WB" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 13px; "><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Muslims of the Kashmir Valley have long been portraying themselves as the sole inhabitants not only of the Valley, but of the entire Jammu and Kashmir State, including Ladakh. It is almost as if the Hindus of the Kashmir Valley who were forcibly driven out of their homes two decades ago had never existed, and as if the Hindus of Jammu and Buddhists of Ladakh also do not exist.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Such is the stranglehold of Muslims in the State that they have succeeded in propagating the myth that the only people who live and count in the State of J&K are Muslims, and they are the sole stakeholders of the place, which is far from the truth.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">And now, with the so-called liberal brigade which includes inter alia some self-styled and internationally-funded individuals, a far more sinister design is emerging. In fact, it is giving a helping hand to terrorists and Islamic Jihadis to slowly seep deeper; this is the success of Islamic terrorism and its methods of which Jammu & Kashmir is facing a frontal attack.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Much more is the tragedy emerging out of the so-called dialogues, debates, discussions and Track II’s, etc., where the sole casualty is the ‘integrity’ and ‘sovereignty’ of India.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The fundamental ethos and civilisational moorings of the nation are being eroded and undermined by harebrained formulas and lunatic solutions. Many a times the agenda is pre-decided, as are the final reports and resolutions. The participants by and large, and the organizers of these dubious seminars, tend to take a line of allowing terrorists and separatists a free rein and free speech, which starts in venom-spitting against India and compromise on the vital and strategic issues of integrity and sovereignty, and ends at ways and means of Balkanizing the nation.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">One such seminar organised jointly on Nov. 7, 2009, jointly by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies and the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, Teen Murti Bhavan, and conducted by CSDS Faculty member, Madhu Kishwar. It turned to be an ill-disguised platform for blatant India-bashing by separatists, terrorists and so-called Indian liberals.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The writer was also invited to speak in her capacity as a known Kashmiri Internally Displaced Person. Yet in her zeal to appease Muslims, particularly those belonging to the Valley, Ms Kishwar appeared to be miles ahead in the quest to dismantle the territorial integrity of the country.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The writer was not allowed to read her paper, and in fact suffered the most humiliating behaviour at the hands of Kishwar and her fellow traveller, the eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The organizers need to understand that they cannot force the rest of us to kow-tow to the Sunni Muslim line in Kashmir. Although the seminar (as suggested by the invitation) was organized by the CSDS and Nehru Memorial Museum, the official report of the seminar proceedings and some letters of ‘sought support’ in the great endeavour of Muslim appeasement and Balkanizing India appeared rather inexplicably on a website called </span></span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><em style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Manushi</span></span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">, which is managed by neither of these two bodies. It is possibly owned personally by Kishwar, who once edited a magazine by that name, though it has been defunct for some years now, and even the website appears dated.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Facts are blatantly disfigured in Kishwar’s report, which is an open support to separatists and the so-called autonomy or self-rule envisaging politicians who are more or less acting in tandem with the separatists. Kishwar should realize that by doing this, the </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">horrendous</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> behaviour particularly of Ram Jethmalani, can neither be forgiven nor forgotten, and she was an equal partner in the crime.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It was she who had invited the writer to the seminar or so-called dialogue. The viewpoint of neither the separatists nor the secessionists nor others can be treated as binding or agreeable to me. If hours and hours had been allotted to the Hurriyat, People’s Democratic Party and such, why could ten minutes not be given to the speaker with a different perspective?</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">During the course of long hourly speeches of Gani Bhat of the Hurriyat, Mohammed Shafi Uri of the National Conference, and Muzzaffar Beg of the PDP, I neither objected nor interrupted anyone even though I do not subscribe to either autonomy, self-rule or separatism and devolution of sovereignty.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Yet one may ask why Mehbooba Mufti was invited to speak at length in the second session when Muzzaffar Beg had already taken more than enough potshots at the basis of Indian unity – Article 1 of the Constitution.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">An important question that has to be answered by the organizers and those who not only stopped me from reading my paper but also humiliated and misbehaved with me, is WHY, after I had read just one page of my prepared speech, Kishwar announced that I can read no further? Why did Ram Jethmalani behave in a derogatory and humiliating manner? Where was the necessary dignity of the organizers when he got up and said he will not allow the paper to be read and will ask me to leave the place?</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Jethmalani, Kishwar, and the others who shouted and did not allow the paper to be read forgot in their appeasement of Muslims of the Valley that I had been called by them. Why should a learned lawyer misbehave and gag the voice of a law-abiding citizen who is internally displaced in her own country because of the violence and terrorism unleashed in the Valley? His conduct in fact mauled the freedom of speech and in turn Articles 16, 19 and 21 which are guaranteed under the Constitution of India.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Why should it be taken for granted that only the likes of Hurriyat, PDP and separatists have a right to speak? Why are the other equal stakeholders in the valley not entitled to articulate their viewpoint</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">? Is asking for the free flow of the Indian Constitution a crime?</span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It is rather unfortunate and in fact demeaning of Kishwar to lie in her report about the seminar. Where were the representatives from Jammu region and Ladakh? Where were the Buddhists, Dogras, Sikhs, Christians from the State? What is the motto behind giving incorrect information to Indians by her? How could they then not allow even ten minutes to listen to the other viewpoint?</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Why in Kishwar’s Final Report is there no mention of the demand put forward by Ramesh Manvati of Panun Kashmir?</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Is it because Kishwar’s personal agenda also seems to further the cause of the PDP, and Muslims in particular? In this regard it may be pertinent to mention that Madhu Kishwar has been enjoying the hospitality of PDP now and again; in fact she visited Rajouri along with Mufti Mohammed Syed in second half of December 2009. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In a bid to clothe her pre-fabricated design of furthering the Kashmiri Muslim agenda she has unashamedly and blatantly given an incorrect picture to the country.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The factual details are not only missing, but also incorrect:-</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">For instance, the claim that </span></span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><em style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Swaraj</span></span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> was Gandhi’s vision is the biggest untruth for any self-respecting Indian. It was Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak who envisaged the vision of </span></span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><em style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Swaraj</span></span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> and gave the famous slogan: “Swaraj is my birthright”. Although this was in the context of the British Raj and not Indians, yet Kishwar in her appeasement of the PDP termed its self-rule document which envisages devolution of Indian sovereignty on the same level, and even called it more creative than even the European Union!</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This is both flawed and questionable, as EU is a Union of several countries and nationalities, while India is one country and nationality. Yet Kishwar has made the very basics of nation-state existence, geo-political, cultural and civilisational aspects, and thousands of years of history and existence redundant in her zeal for Muslim appeasement! There are reams and reams of kudos to the insane ideas which include having two currencies in the State and joint management of the State.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Apart from an apology for her shoddy behaviour, Kishwar should explain what all support she was giving to separatists in the 1990s, as Yasin Malik himself mentioned at Teen Murti that she supported his ideas in 1994, at a meeting in his house in Srinagar.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Kishwar and her ilk are no better than the separatists, and for all their so-called liberal tags, a few foreign jaunts and funds are enough to make them cut at the very roots of the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. I pray to Ma Durga to stand by truth and let it prevail and Ma MahaKali to deliver justice.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Tailpiece: what is RSS up to?</span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">As I was concluding this piece, a friend sent me an email of a discussion organised in Delhi on 19 Jan. 2010 to observe the Kashmir Exodus of 19 January 1990, the day loudspeakers from mosques in the Valley blared open and grim threats to the Hindus: Pandits get out of the Valley, leave your women behind.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I had received the email information before – it was a discussion organised by the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, and the main speakers were listed as the new BJP President Nitin Gadkari, former J&K Governor Jagmohan, and Ladakh Union Territory Front president Thupstan Chhewang, among others.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Thus it was with a sense of shock that I realized that my informant was drawing my attention to the fact that the impugned Madhu Kishwar, Editor, Manushi, was suddenly listed as one of the main speakers at the functions, sharing equal honours with the new BJP president!</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Now, the provincial Gadkari may or may not be familiar with Kishwar and her professional history, but the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation is an RSS think tank, and someone very powerful in the RSS or the BJP must have been behind her sudden elevation in a place where she has no business to be at all.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Rao Bhagwat has more than once categorically stated the position of the RSS on Jammu & Kashmir, both in Jammu and in New Delhi. And if the public positions of the Sarsanghachalak can be upturned in such a daring fashion in the capital itself (powerful BJP leaders visit Jammu and say concessions ‘must be given’ to Muslims, without telling the Nation at large and Hindus in particular why), RSS needs to do a serious audit about the Hindutva commitment of its cadres and the BJP which seeks its advice and support.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">If a foundation dedicated to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who is widely believed to have been martyred for the cause of Jammu & Kashmir’s full and final integration into India, for one constitution and one flag (</span></span><em style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">ek nishan, ek pradhan</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">), can provide a platform for a fellow traveller of terrorists, secessionists, separatists and outright criminals, then what is the RSS’ stand?</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The issue is too critical to be brushed under the carpet and demands a clarification and an answer.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: medium; "><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; color:#FF0000;">Delhi Yielding </span>@ <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-family: 'times New Roman'; font-style: normal; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayArticle.aspx?id=1035" style="line-height: 1.2em; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayArticle.aspx?id=1035</a></span></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayArticle.aspx?id=1036</span></span></span></p></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></span></b></span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-41968072100854821102009-11-21T19:06:00.000-08:002009-11-21T19:10:08.355-08:00** Unpardonable mistakes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The unpardonable mistakes of Indira Gandhi</span></span></b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; white-space: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">By Dr Jay Dubashi</span></span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><a href="http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=318&page=6">ORGANISER</a></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="100%" align="left" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 9pt; "><p align="justify"><span class="spl_lines" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(16, 152, 5); text-decoration: none; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Smt. Indira Gandhi not only brought violence but also corruption. Twenty-five years after her death, we are still trying to cope with both. The Naxalites are a direct end-product of the Emergency. If it is not wrong to use violence to put down your political enemies-which is what the Emergency was all about-why is it wrong to use violence against those who have stolen your lands and your livelihood and are now busy stealing your homes in the name of progress?</span></span></p><p align="Justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Had she lived on, she would have been 92 years old this year," wrote an old colleague of Indira Gandhi on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of her violent death. He was wrong. Had she not been killed by her bodyguards, she would have been killed by someone else. She was destined for violent death, like Charles I of Britain and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan.<br /><br />Mrs Gandhi was not a nice person to know or work for. I doubt if she had any friends. There was a twist in her temperament that kept her away from the rest of the society. I once watched her at a public ceremony over which she presided. A man, a foreigner, wanted to speak to her; so he sent her a note. Mrs Gandhi nodded and the man approached her and was with her for three or four minutes. But not once did Mrs Gandhi look at him, let alone shake hands with him. He left a note on the chair next to her and walked away.<br /><br />Mrs Gandhi was at odds with every one, or almost every one, in her circle-her husband, her aunts, her cousins and almost her entire cabinet. She was not on speaking terms with any of them. She walked out on her husband, or maybe her husband walked out on her, within five years of getting married. She hated her aunt, Vijayalakshmi Pandit so much that she would have sent her to jail to keep company with two other women she disliked, Rajmata of Gwalior and Maharani of Jaipur, had some friends not intervened. These two ladies were sent to Tihar Jail out of personal pique. If they were maharanis, Mrs Gandhi was an empress in her own right. And the only way to show them their place was to put them behind bars.<br /><br />She had no friends, only hangers-on, and she made sure they knew their place. One of the toadies was Khushwant Singh, who went out of his way to defend the Emergency-he was not the only one; there were other toadies too-hoping to earn her favours, but he fell foul of her when he started boosting her daughter-in-law, a Sardarni.<br /><br />Another toady was PN Haksar, a communist, who had managed to get into the foreign service with postings around the world, but not in the US. Haksar was related to the Kauls of old Delhi, whose daughter had married Jawaharlal Nehru. The Kauls and the Haksars were also neighbours. Haksar later became Mrs Gandhi's principal secretary-so did another Kashmiri, PN Dhar-and as a good communist, did whatever the commies wanted him to do, including abolishing private purses and nationalising banks.<br /><br />But as happens to toadies everywhere, Haksar fell foul of the empress and was shifted to the Planning Commission, a useless posting meant for pensioners. One day, I went to see him at his house on Race Course Road, Haksar sat alone in his vast dark drawing room with curtains drawn at the height of winter, wondering what he had done to draw Mrs Gandhi's ire.<br /><br />Haksar's uncle had a big showroom in Connaught Place, known to every shopper as Pandit Brothers. It is, I think, still there. There was also another showroom in Chandni Chowk. One day, Mrs Gandhi's police or may be Sanjay Gandhi's goons descended on the two showrooms and sealed them. For good effect, they hauled Haksar's uncle to jail to keep company with other traders. Haksar had nowhere to turn to, for all his relations-which means Mrs Gandhi's relations-were either in jail or had decamped to places far from Delhi to escape the clutches of Mrs Gandhi's favourite son. I do not know what Haksar did to escape the net, but he died a broken man.<br /><br />There was also a strong streak of violence in Mrs Gandhi's character. In fact, I should say that she injected violence into the Indian political system. We shall always remember her for the dismemberment of East Pakistan-her and India's finest hour-for I doubt if any other Prime Minister would have done what she did. She never believed in the nonsense about non-violence--and also about truth-and absolutely had no compunction about using force where force was necessary. Nehru would have dilly-dallied and talked about Hindi-Paki bhai bhai. For Mrs Gandhi, there were no bhais. Violence had to be answered by violence, gun by gun, for at stake was the very existence of a nation under her charge.<br /><br />It was perhaps her exaggerated faith in violence that undid her. She asked the army to enter the Golden Temple and that very day signed her own death warrant. But she did it with her eyes open.<br /><br />What I do not forgive her are the ranks of riff-raff she gathered around her, men and women of no substance, whose only job was to feather their own nests and draw a veil over the dark goings-on at the heart of the administration. Mrs Gandhi not only brought violence but also corruption. Twenty-five years after her death, we are still trying to cope with both.<br /><br />The Naxalites are a direct end-product of the Emergency. If it is not wrong to use violence to put down your political enemies-which is what the Emergency was all about-why is it wrong to use violence against those who have stolen your lands and your livelihood and are now busy stealing your homes in the name of progress? The Emergency too was supposed to have been imposed in the name of progress and growth. Didn't the Emergency-wallas claim that the trains ran on time? So, what is wrong in using force in clearing your lands and your homes of marauders who are arriving from thousands of miles away in search of your minerals, your water, in fact, your very life itself? And it was Mrs Gandhi who started the rot in the name of the Emergency, with her friends in the media egging her on, the same friends who are asking to put down the Naxalites and the others, also in the name of law and order-and, of course, discipline with capital 'D'.<br /><br />Why did she do it? As I said, there was a kink in her character which ultimately took hold of her and those around her and perverted the very foundation of the republic. This is why we shall never forgive her. For all that she did in Bangladesh, there is a big black mark in her copybook, which time cannot erase. The legacy of violence, which is her special gift to the nation, has wiped out all the good she did or tried to do. This is a pity, but the riff-raff she surrounded herself with are partly responsible for it. Some of them are still active, now singing a new tune of secularism under a new conductor, who now speaks with a foreign accent!</span></p><p align="Justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">url: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><a href="http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=318&page=6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=318&page=6</span></a></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-4816001770207012492009-11-04T08:06:00.000-08:002009-11-04T08:19:39.341-08:00** Sikhs remember 1984<!-- Main Section --> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><strong>Sikhs take stock of 1984</strong></span> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Sudha Ramachandran</span><br /><a href="http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KK03Df05.html">Asia Times</a><br /><br />BANGALORE - The 25th anniversaries of two events, both defining moments in India's recent history, have been observed over the past few days. One is the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards on October 31, 1984. The other is the violence targeting Sikhs that began within hours of that assassination and engulfed Delhi and other cities for at least three days. <br /> <br /> The two events are closely connected. The assassination led to the massacres. What sets them apart is the way the Indian state responded to them. <br /> <br /> It was swift in delivering justice in the case of Indira's assassination. Satwant Singh, the lone surviving assassin (Beant Singh, the other assassin, was shot dead soon after the assassination while he was allegedly trying to escape) and Kehar Singh, a conspirator, were tried and hanged within four years. <br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> But those who orchestrated the killing of around 2,733 Sikhs in Delhi - the Citizens Justice Committee submitted 3,870 names to an enquiry commission - still roam free. A quarter of a century later, justice is yet to be done. </span><br /> <br /> <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">The year</span> <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD9">1984</span> is one that few Indians will forget. It was the year when a gas leak in a factory owned by Union <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD12">Carbide</span> in Bhopal killed over 2,000 people and maimed several others for life. It was also the year India's secular foundations were shaken <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">like never before</span>. <br /> <br /> In June 1984, <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">the Indian</span> army stormed the Sikhs' holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, to flush out Sikh militants holed in there. They had turned it into a fortress and were waging war against the Indian state. "Operation Bluestar" was a military success in that it eliminated hundreds of militants including the dreaded Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. But at a very heavy cost. It was a political disaster. The Akal Takht was reduced to rubble and hundreds of Sikh pilgrims were killed in the course of the <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">operations</span>. Bluestar wounded the Sikh psyche, deeply alienating the community from the Indian state. It fueled the Sikh militancy and kept it alive for another decade at least. <br /> <br /> Revenge came swiftly. Barely five months later, Indira was assassinated. Her assassins were Sikhs. <br /> <br /> The response to her killing came even more swiftly. Within hours of her death, stray incidents of violence targeting Sikhs began trickling in from various parts of Delhi. <br /> <br /> The violence peaked on November 1. Mobs carrying iron rods, knives and kerosene went on a rampage, killing Sikhs, looting and setting alight their homes, business establishments and places of worship. Sikh cab drivers were lynched or burned alive in their cabs. Those fleeing Delhi were dragged out of <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">trains</span> and buses and slaughtered. <br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The orgy of violence unleashed on Sikhs following Indira's assassination is often referred to as a riot as though it was a spontaneous outpouring of anger. It was not. It was an <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">organized massacre</span>, a pogrom. </span><br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">There is a mountain of evidence to prove that politicians belonging to the ruling Congress Party incited and directed the pogrom in collusion with the police. Even as mobs led by Congressmen burned, looted, raped and murdered </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD8">the government</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> did nothing to quell the violence. </span><br /> <br /> Police made some arrests during the violence; ironically most of the arrests were of Sikhs defending their families against the killers. <br /> <br /> Days after the pogrom, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira's son and successor, indirectly justified the violence. "When a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little," he said. <br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> As shocking as the state's involvement in the violence was its failure to ensure justice thereafter. </span><br /> <br /> Ten commissions and committees have probed the pogrom so far with little impact on bringing the guilty to book. One commission of inquiry headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge, Ranganath Mishra, found no lapses on the part of the government and assigned no culpability to the ruling establishment. For his whitewashing of the Congress' role, Mishra was rewarded. He went on to head the National <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">Human Rights Commission</span> and also became a member of India's upper <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">house of parliament</span>. <br /> <br /> During and after the massacres, police refused to register complaints. Of those which were registered, only a few made it to the courts. <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">“Of the ones that reached the courts, the majority resulted in acquittal of the accused as the police never made an attempt to find evidence against them. As a result, the conviction rate has been extremely poor," </span>says <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Harvinder Singh Phoolka</span>, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court who has been fighting for justice on behalf of the victims. <br /> <br /> "<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Out of 2,733 officially admitted murders, only nine cases led to convictions. Just over 20 accused have been convicted in 25 years - a conviction rate of less than 1%,</span>” he says. <br /> <br /> The massacre of the Sikhs took place in front of thousands of witnesses. The identity of those who carried out the violence was evident from the start. A report brought out by civil rights groups in November 1984 carried an annexure listing the names of people alleged to have carried out the violence<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">. It included 198 local Congress activists and others, 15 Congress leaders and 143 police officials. </span><br /> <br /> Of the top Congress politicians who were known to have orchestrated the violence, Sikh militants assassinated two within months of the massacres. <br /><br />Others like <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Jagdish Tytler and H K L Bhagat went on to have successful political careers, even holding cabinet posts. </span><br /> <br /> In 2005, the Nanavati Commission said it found “credible evidence” against Tytler, Bhagat and another Congress leader Sajjan Kumar saying they "very probably" had a hand in organizing the attacks. While <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Bhagat died</span> in 2005, the <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Central Bureau of Investigation gave <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Tytler</span> a clean chit earlier this year </span>and the court is yet to decide whether or not to initiate a fresh probe. <br /> <br /> Sikh alienation from the Indian state and their anger with the Congress has subsided significantly over the years. The movement for a separate Sikh state is dead. And Punjab has voted the Congress to power twice since the 1984 riots. <br /> <br /> Some have suggested that the Congress' efforts to reach out to the Sikhs has helped in building bridges. In 1998 Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her "anguish" over the 1984 riots. "I feel your pain," she said. That she is a victim of terrorist violence herself and the daughter-in-law of Indira and widow of Rajiv Gandhi, who was prime minister when the riots took place helped to heal wounds to some extent. That was taken further by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India's first Sikh prime minister who apologized to the Sikhs in parliament. <br /> <br /> That and the fact that the Congress made a Sikh a premier, say Congress leaders, has won the party the hearts of Sikhs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">But not all Sikhs have been appeased by the conciliatory words. They want justice. </span><br /> <br /> While admitting that the Congress' conciliatory gestures have "been like a balm on the community", <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Phoolka </span>says, "<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Congress wants us to forget it; view it as an aberration. When they made Manmohan Singh prime minister, they stepped up this rhetoric; saying, 'forget it now, at least we have apologized and now made your man the prime minister. Our answer has been that the apology came 21 years late and under the Indian </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD11">legal system</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> an apology is not a substitute for punishment for murder. We want justice</span>." <span style="font-size:78%;">More at > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:78%;" >Asia Times<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >Related story Below:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Besieged Sikhs</span> @ <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://ultracurrents.blogspot.com/2009/04/congress-and-besieged-sikhs.html"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">http://ultracurrents.blogspot.com/2009/04/congress-and-besieged-sikhs.html</span></a></span><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-89662345069805160482009-11-04T08:03:00.000-08:002009-11-04T08:05:54.707-08:00** Love Jihad in India?<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-size: 100%;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">India lost in 'love jihad'</span></strong></span> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Sudha Ramachandran</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Oct.28, 2009</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KJ28Df05.html">AsiaTimes</a><br /><br />BANGALORE - As part of an organized campaign, young Muslim men are deliberately luring women from different faiths into marriage so they will convert to Islam, say radical Indian Hindu and Christian groups in south India.<br /> <br /> The alleged plot has been dubbed <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"love jihad". </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">It first surfaced in September, when two Muslim men from Pathanamthitta town in the southwestern state of Kerala reportedly enticed two women - a <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hindu and a Christian</span> - into marriage and forced them to convert to Islam. </span><br /> <br />The women first claimed to have became Muslims voluntarily, but after being allowed back to their parents' houses said they had been abducted and coerced to convert. The men were reportedly members of Campus Front, a student wing of radical Muslim group the Popular Front of India (PFI).<br /> <br /> The Pathanamthitta incident was followed by an avalanche of media reports on "<span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">love</span> jihad". Some described it as a movement, others claimed that forced conversions through marriage were actually being run by an organization called Love Jihad, or Romeo Jihad.<br /> <br /> <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">Hindu</span> and <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">Christian groups</span> have weighed in with their own "facts" on the "love jihad". <br /> <br />The Sri Ram Sene, a fundamentalist Hindu group, now claims thousands of girls were forcibly converted to Islam in the past few years after marrying Muslim men. It says that after conversion the women were "trained in anti-national activities". India's main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has said "love jihadis" have receiving foreign aid - from the Middle East - for the campaign.<br /> <br /> Senior Christian leaders are now campaigning against the alleged threat. <br /> <br />"Around 4,000 girls have been subjected to religious conversion since 2005 after they fell in love," Father Johny Kochuparambil, <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">secretary</span> of Kerala <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">Catholic Bishops</span> Council's Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance, wrote in an article in <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD9">the church</span> council's newsletter. <br /> <br />The article lists 2,868 girls who fell into the "love jihad" net between 2006 to 2009. Kochuparambil has not clarified where the statistics came from, citing only "highly reliable sources".<br /> <br /> The phenomenon has spread to Kerala's neighboring state, Karnataka. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD8">This month</span>, the father of a woman who converted to Islam to marry a Muslim filed a <i>habeas corpus</i> petition in a Karnataka court, alleging his daughter was a victim of "love jihad". The woman told the court that her conversion was voluntary.<br /> <br />The court, however, said it has "serious suspicions" regarding the statement of the petitioner's daughter and that the case "has ramifications for national security". "It has raised questions of unlawful trafficking of girls and women in the state. So it has to be investigated by the police," the court said.<br /> <br />On the orders of the court, police in Kerala and Karnataka launched an investigation into whether an organization called Love Jihad or Romeo Jihad actually exists. They concluded that it doesn't.<br /> <br />Kerala's director general of police said no such organization had been identified in the state, but there were reasons to suspect there had been "concentrated attempts" by Muslim boys to persuade non-Muslim girls to convert to Islam after they fell in love.<br /> <br /> The PFI, meanwhile, has denied it is waging a "love jihad". <br /> <br />"Religious conversion is not a crime; conversion takes place to Hinduism and Christianity also ... One cannot paint all love affairs as cases of forced conversions meant for extremist activity," said PFI spokesman Naseerudheen Elamaram.<br /> <br />In India, religious conversion is not a crime - article 25 of the constitution recognizes the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. However, the issue of conversion is extremely sensitive. In recent years, Hindu groups have opposed, sometimes violently, the conversion of Hindus to <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">Islam and Christianity</span>. <br /> <br />For centuries, Hindus converted to Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity, some out of conviction, others to escape the tyranny of the Hindu caste system or to benefit from professing the religion of the ruling class. However, Hindu groups maintain that it was through the use of the sword that Islam spread in India. They also accuse Christians of using economic incentives to attract Hindus to the faith.<br /> <br />Ironically, "love jihad" is now the bringing the sworn enemies together. Christian and Hindu groups that had been at each other's throat over religious conversions have now vowed to join forces to combat the alleged campaign.<br /> <br />"Both Hindu and Christian girls are falling prey to this. So we are cooperating with the VHP [Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a fundamentalist Hindu group] on this," K S Samson, from the Kochi-based Christian Association for Social Action (CASA), told <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">the Times of India</span>. <br /> <br />When CASA got to know of a Hindu schoolgirl who had become a victim of "love jihad", it "immediately referred the case to the VHP", he said.<br /> <br />The "love jihad" phenomenon - which may just be linked to a few religious-minded Romeos - could have been comical had it not deepened domestic hostility towards India's Muslim minority. There are fears that the use of the word "jihad", often interpreted as meaning holy war, may give extremist Hindu and Christian groups an excuse to justify attacks on Muslims.<br /> <br />"Certain fundamentalist groups that have been carrying out vigilante attacks against inter-community couples for several years have now started using the 'love jihad' theory to justify their attacks," a police official told The Hindu newspaper. He did not name the groups, but was probably referring to the Sri Ram Sene and the Bajrang Dal, which target women and religious minorities.<br />Sri Ram Sene is now preparing for a nationwide campaign on the issue. Its leader, Pramod Mutalik, has said 150 party activists have been deployed in public places to keep an eye on "suspicious activities". When a "love jihad" activity is identified, "it will be stopped then and there", he said.<br /> <br />Meanwhile, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council has issued "love jihad" guidelines, calling on parents and schools to monitor children's activities and discourage them from using mobile phones or spend long hours on the Internet. "Bringing up children the spiritual way is the best means to fight the love jihad," said the Christian group. <span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-size: 100%;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KJ28Df05.html</span></strong></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-42922008166416612152009-10-27T12:21:00.000-07:002009-10-27T12:25:05.677-07:00** Love Jihad in India<!-- Main Section --> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KJ28Df05.html</span><br />India lost in 'love jihad'</strong></span> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Sudha Ramachandran</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Oct.28, 2009</span><br /><br />BANGALORE - As part of an organized campaign, young Muslim men are deliberately luring women from different faiths into marriage so they will convert to Islam, say radical Indian Hindu and Christian groups in south India. <br /> <br /> The alleged plot has been dubbed <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"love jihad". </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">It first surfaced in September, when two Muslim men from Pathanamthitta town in the southwestern state of Kerala reportedly enticed two women - a <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hindu and a Christian</span> - into marriage and forced them to convert to Islam. </span><br /> <br /> The women first claimed to have became Muslims voluntarily, but after being allowed back to their parents' houses said they had been abducted and coerced to convert. The men were reportedly members of Campus Front, a student wing of radical Muslim group the Popular Front of India (PFI). <br /> <br /> The Pathanamthitta incident was followed by an avalanche of media reports on "<span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">love</span> jihad". Some described it as a movement, others claimed that forced conversions through marriage were actually being run by an organization called Love Jihad, or Romeo Jihad. <br /> <br /> <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">Hindu</span> and <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">Christian groups</span> have weighed in with their own "facts" on the "love jihad". <br /> <br /> The Sri Ram Sene, a fundamentalist Hindu group, now claims thousands of girls were forcibly converted to Islam in the past few years after marrying Muslim men. It says that after conversion the women were "trained in anti-national activities". India's main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has said "love jihadis" have receiving foreign aid - from the Middle East - for the campaign. <br /> <br /> Senior Christian leaders are now campaigning against the alleged threat. <br /> <br /> "Around 4,000 girls have been subjected to religious conversion since 2005 after they fell in love," Father Johny Kochuparambil, <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">secretary</span> of Kerala <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">Catholic Bishops</span> Council's Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance, wrote in an article in <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD9">the church</span> council's newsletter. <br /> <br /> The article lists 2,868 girls who fell into the "love jihad" net between 2006 to 2009. Kochuparambil has not clarified where the statistics came from, citing only "highly reliable sources". <br /> <br /> The phenomenon has spread to Kerala's neighboring state, Karnataka. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD8">This month</span>, the father of a woman who converted to Islam to marry a Muslim filed a <i>habeas corpus</i> petition in a Karnataka court, alleging his daughter was a victim of "love jihad". The woman told the court that her conversion was voluntary. <br /> <br /> The court, however, said it has "serious suspicions" regarding the statement of the petitioner's daughter and that the case "has ramifications for national security". "It has raised questions of unlawful trafficking of girls and women in the state. So it has to be investigated by the police," the court said. <br /> <br /> On the orders of the court, police in Kerala and Karnataka launched an investigation into whether an organization called Love Jihad or Romeo Jihad actually exists. They concluded that it doesn't. <br /> <br /> Kerala's director general of police said no such organization had been identified in the state, but there were reasons to suspect there had been "concentrated attempts" by Muslim boys to persuade non-Muslim girls to convert to Islam after they fell in love. <br /> <br /> The PFI, meanwhile, has denied it is waging a "love jihad". <br /> <br /> "Religious conversion is not a crime; conversion takes place to Hinduism and Christianity also ... One cannot paint all love affairs as cases of forced conversions meant for extremist activity," said PFI spokesman Naseerudheen Elamaram. <br /> <br /> In India, religious conversion is not a crime - article 25 of the constitution recognizes the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. However, the issue of conversion is extremely sensitive. In recent years, Hindu groups have opposed, sometimes violently, the conversion of Hindus to <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">Islam and Christianity</span>. <br /> <br /> For centuries, Hindus converted to Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity, some out of conviction, others to escape the tyranny of the Hindu caste system or to benefit from professing the religion of the ruling class. However, Hindu groups maintain that it was through the use of the sword that Islam spread in India. They also accuse Christians of using economic incentives to attract Hindus to the faith. <br /> <br /> Ironically, "love jihad" is now the bringing the sworn enemies together. Christian and Hindu groups that had been at each other's throat over religious conversions have now vowed to join forces to combat the alleged campaign. <br /> <br /> "Both Hindu and Christian girls are falling prey to this. So we are cooperating with the VHP [Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a fundamentalist Hindu group] on this," K S Samson, from the Kochi-based Christian Association for Social Action (CASA), told <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">the Times of India</span>. <br /> <br /> When CASA got to know of a Hindu schoolgirl who had become a victim of "love jihad", it "immediately referred the case to the VHP", he said. <br /> <br /> The "love jihad" phenomenon - which may just be linked to a few religious-minded Romeos - could have been comical had it not deepened domestic hostility towards India's Muslim minority. There are fears that the use of the word "jihad", often interpreted as meaning holy war, may give extremist Hindu and Christian groups an excuse to justify attacks on Muslims. <br /> <br /> "Certain fundamentalist groups that have been carrying out vigilante attacks against inter-community couples for several years have now started using the 'love jihad' theory to justify their attacks," a police official told The Hindu newspaper. He did not name the groups, but was probably referring to the Sri Ram Sene and the Bajrang Dal, which target women and religious minorities. <br /> Sri Ram Sene is now preparing for a nationwide campaign on the issue. Its leader, Pramod Mutalik, has said 150 party activists have been deployed in public places to keep an eye on "suspicious activities". When a "love jihad" activity is identified, "it will be stopped then and there", he said. <br /> <br /> Meanwhile, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council has issued "love jihad" guidelines, calling on parents and schools to monitor children's activities and discourage them from using mobile phones or spend long hours on the Internet. "Bringing up children the spiritual way is the best means to fight the love jihad," said the Christian group.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-17022069999103513092009-10-08T20:46:00.000-07:002009-10-08T20:48:43.982-07:00** Racial Profiling: Good & Bad<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">http://www.blogs.ivarta.com/The-Good-Bad-Racial-Profiling/blog-315.htm</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Good and Bad of Racial Profiling</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Dr. Gopal Alankar</span><br /><br /><span id="_ctl0_Contentpage1_lb_article_text" style="color: Black;">Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a black Harvard University professor, went to Southern China to film a documentary. When he returned home in Cambridge, Mass, on July 16, 2009, he found his front door lock inoperable. Unable to open the front door, he took the help of his driver to force open the back door to enter the house. A good intentioned lady, Ms. Lucia Whalen, while passing by saw the forced entry. She dialed 911 to report the incident. When asked by the 911 operator about the ethnicity of the intruders, she indicated that one of the two men looked Hispanic and she was not sure of the other.<br /><br />Cambridge Police officer, Sgt. James Crowley was sent to investigate the burglary. There were exchanges between the professor and the cop, and the professor was arrested for disorderly conduct. The incident aroused a national debate on racial profiling.<br /><br />Against the above backdrop, in a Presidential press conference on Health Care Reform held on July 22, 2009, a journalist from the audience asked President Obama as to what he thought of the arrest of Henry. Henry is a good friend of President Obama, and the question unquestionably was very appropriate.<br /><br />Obama"s uncanny answer that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting Henry was seized by media to liken it to an instance of presidential naiveté and a case of erred statesmanship. Intellectuals alike would have viewed it no differently. Men of diplomatic prowess would have preferred that the President took a noncommittal stance or waited until the law took its full course.<br /><br />Rules of good diplomacy call for a President to refrain from taking sides especially in matters that instigate religious or racial divide. A good president needs to be a good diplomat. A good diplomat will have all the skills necessary to turn an unfriendly encounter into a pleasant outcome. In Crowley"s case it is highly unlikely that racial profiling played any part at all because he was unaware of the ethnicity of Prof. Gates before he arrived at the site of the incident. Therefore, it seems that the President was way off the mark in what he said.<br /><br />Nevertheless, President Obama is a sharp intellect and a sincere crusader for the welfare of the downtrodden. However, he suffers from one glaring weakness in that he tends to stick his foot in his mouth and say the most undiplomatic thing. Leaving aside the diplomacy, what he said perhaps would be emotionally correct. But emotions must rest outside the periphery of good diplomacy and as a President he should have been a thought more careful in what he said.<br /><br />Tellingly, the Beer Summit turned out to be a brilliant stroke of President"s corrective diplomacy and it undid the damage done to him in the aftermath of the Press Conference. The plentiful chilled beer did have the cooling effect on the cop and the professor. The two seemed to have cooled a lot faster than the hot tempers radiated in the professor"s Cambridge house. Of course, the presence of the President and the Vice-President at the table certainly contributed to the desired result. But did the Summit really succeed in easing the debate on racial profiling? I think not.<br /><br />Racial profiling has two sides to it - bright and dark. Peoples" outcry that Prof. Gates" arrest smacked of the dark side of racial profiling is difficult to substantiate in the context of what happened. Would we call it dark, if the professor were white?<br /><br />What is exactly racial profiling? Wikipedia defines it as a method that uses racial or ethnic characteristics of a person to determine whether he or she is likely to commit a crime or an illegal act. It is in a way an extension of statistical inference, which, by the way, is as good as the data collected. Granting that the data are good and the statistical analysis of the data indicates that within a confidence level a terrorist is likely to be an Islamic fundamentalist, then it pays to use an adequate sample size to thoroughly security check the travelers from Islamic nations to identify probable terrorists. Bear in mind that a 100% check on all passengers is costly and time consuming and if enforced the planes would never leave or arrive on time.<br /><br />Much of what we hear, read and see in the media on racial profiling is of the dark side. In some parts of the world bias and prejudices are willfully built into racial profiling to influence the outcome. This, I say, is manipulative profiling. Notorious are the European and Islamic countries against other races. Racial profiling, if misapplied, can bring humiliation and suffering to the countless hapless minority communities residing in unscrupulous countries. This is the crux of our current problem.<br /><br />This is not to say that racial profiling is nonexistent in America. It is deeply entrenched as is in other countries in the world. Virginity tests on Indian brides at the airports in England were despicable acts and they sure had racial undertones. US Government in WW-II rounded up the US citizens of Japanese descent and put them in internment camps. The lengthy security checks on Khans of Bollywood at Newark airport did smell of racial profiling. Profiling of Chinese and Indians by Air France is a well known practice of mala fide intention. A news item published on June 29, 2009 in New York Times reveals that French police stop Blacks and Arabs for identity checks more than they stop others. Racial profiling in Germany goes back to the days of Adolf Hitler. Arab countries profile foreign workers on a regular basis in order to perpetrate false accusations in the name of undocumented labor.<br /><br />Therefore, racial profiling does not specifically target Blacks. It includes all ethnicity. White profiling is also common. Profiling of Indians is widespread across the globe. In these days plagued with terrorism and suicide bombers, the brighter side of racial profiling can play a pivotal role in apprehending likely criminals. My experience with a foreign travel in the winter that followed 9/11 tragedy made me a believer in racial profiling out of a recalcitrant nonbeliever. Here is my story.<br /><br />My family patiently waited in the security line at the Newark Airport, NJ to begin our meticulously planned vacation to Aruba. We were five and were all excited to see the journey begin, more so my children. When our turn came we were surprised to find that none of our pilot suite cases passed the security screening. For each one of us the walk-through scanner was a bad news. The officer checked us from toe to head. The suitcases were opened and screened thoroughly. Although nothing incriminating was found, it was a nightmarish episode. It took a long time for us to repack and put the things back in order in the suitcases. Make no mistake few others also went through the same trauma.<br /><br />Finally we made a dash to the gate and waited for the boarding call. When the announcement was made, we made a beeline for the line. We paced slowly to the airline rep who politely signaled us to step aside for a fresh security check. At a minimum our pride was hurt; our children"s feelings were mortified; we could not stomach the fact that we became the objects of curiosity to all the passengers walking by. When it was all done, we were in no mood for any good words for the airline. We were the last to board.<br /><br />As we entered the plane all eyes were turned to us. The atmosphere was somber. My children were puffing with fury. I pleaded with them to remain calm until we reached our destination for the fear of unwanted evidence that might get planted into our suitcases. Every two hours I would nervously ask the air-hostess if I could walk up and down the isle to stretch my sagging old legs.<br /><br />Calm prevailed as the plane prepared for landing. As soon as it touched the runway there was a thunder of clapping and applause. Shouts of "Bravo pilot!" rent the air. Some thanked God for terror-free flight. We also joined the applause and cheers with a gusto of enthusiasm. It was a rare moment of ecstasy and joy for all passengers who were in a state of anxiety and fear all along the flight. When all said and done, the journey turned out to be one of our most memorable incidents of all time.<br /><br />I realized then and there the importance of racial profiling. I would rather go through the tedious screening than let the plane take off without it. Mental peace of passengers outweighs the bitter inconvenience that a few of us suffer as a result of profiling.<br /><br />The experience taught me a valuable lesson "The good of all must prevail over the comfort of a few."</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-41829984529811296892009-09-27T19:13:00.000-07:002009-09-27T19:15:51.089-07:00** Temple water 'miracle cure'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20090923/812/tnl-hindus-muslims-line-up-for-miracle-c.html</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hindus, Muslims line up for 'miracle cure' temple water</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Asit Srivastava</span><br /><br /><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0pt;">Lucknow, Sep 23 (IANS) A hand pump located inside the premises of an ancient Hanuman temple in Uttar Pradesh is visited by hundreds of people irrespective of their religion every day. Reason: its water is said to have miraculous healing powers.</p><p>Hindus, Muslims and people from other religions have been lining up before the hand pump, installed within the gate of the Hanuman temple in Jagnewa village of Jalaun district, for the past seven days. Jalaun is located 200 km from here.</p><p>People first take a 'parikrama' (round) of the hand pump and offer prayers before partaking of the water.</p><p>'Around 1,000 people from different parts of Jalaun and nearby villagers are visiting the temple every day to drink the water, which can cure chronic ailments,' Chhoti Dulaiya, head of Jagnewa village, told IANS over telephone.</p><p>'You can sight Muslim women clad in burqas lining up before the hand pump, waiting for their turn to offer prayers and conduct parikrama,' said Dulaiya. He added that one of his relatives who was suffering from eczema all over his body got cured after drinking the water.</p><p>According to locals, the hand pump's water recently turned miraculous after a saint from Madhya Pradesh 'infused it with therapeutic properties'.</p><p>'An elderly saint named Geeta Nandji Maharaj, who visited the temple around 10 days ago and took shelter in the temple, has made all this happen,' said Sanjeev Gurjar, a resident of the area.</p><p>'Initially, after the saint's arrival, some villagers whose relatives or family members were suffering from chronic diseases went to seek his blessings. To their surprise, they found that soon after the blessings, their relatives and family members became healthy,' he added.</p><p>According to locals, when people started arriving in large numbers to meet the saint, he told them that he would provide a permanent solution to their problems.</p><p>'After this, the saint performed some puja in front of the hand pump, and told the villagers that its water would henceforth treat all their health problems,' said another local Devesh Kashyap.</p><p>Raees Ahmed, a native of the adjacent Kathaunda village, told IANS that his 10-year-old daughter, who was anaemic and was not able to walk and eat properly, was cured with the hand pump water.</p><p>'After partaking of the hand pump water in just two days she was able to stand on her feet and do all her normal work,' Ahmed said with relief.</p><p>Subdivisional Magistrate of Jalaun, Indra Pal Uttam told IANS: 'Yes, it's true that people irrespective of their religion are lining up before the hand pump to drink its water that, according to them, will treat their health disorders.'</p><p>'The therapeutic properties of the hand pump's water are still to be confirmed. However, if people continue to pour in such huge numbers it will become a challenge for the district administration to control them,'' he added.</p><p>(Asit Srivastava can be contacted at asit.s@ians.in)</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-25552366225578948312009-09-22T21:55:00.000-07:002009-09-22T22:00:56.507-07:00** India: Insecure & Unsafe<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Emerging India: Insecure & Unsafe</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >Colonel Anil Athale</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >Rediff.Com</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A </span><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >student of military history would be justified in feeling a sense of <em>deja vu</em> at recent happenings. Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf [ <a href="http://search.rediff.com/imgsrch/default.php?MT=pervez+musharraf" target="_blank"><span class="sm1">Images</span></a> ] disclosed that he used American aid not against terrorists but to bolster Pakistani capabilities against India. Our leaders then go ballistic and beseech the Americans!</span> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Cut to April/May 1965 -- Pakistan used the Patton tanks against India in the Rann of Kutch -- we spend time and energy in taking photographs and again go to the Americans. </span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >As in 1962, we seem to downplay Chinese intrusions -- not unlike the famous Nehruvian jibe about Aksai Chin that not a blade of grass grows there!</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >To cap it all is the recent disclosure by nuclear scientist Dr K Santhanam, that the May 1998 thermonuclear test was less than 100 percent successful has fuelled a much needed debate on our security and defence preparedness. Dr Santhanam is a scientist connected with India's nuclear programme and his views have to be taken seriously. Since 1998, India has openly shifted from 'defence' to 'deterrence' as cornerstone of its security policies.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >India did not have much choice in the matter. In the decade of 1980s a reckless US supplied weapon systems to Pakistan (the F-16s) which in turn for the first time gave that country reach and bomb weight to pose a direct threat to Indian cities. Our nuclear reactors came under threat. Thus should Pakistan have so chosen it could target these and virtually 'nuke' India? </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >The critics of 1998 Pokhran II and an overt Indian nuclear posture to 'deter' this attack, ignore this reality. All that the 'Shakti' tests did was to go for overt in place of 'covert deterrence', itself a contradiction in terms. Ten years have passed and during this time these theories were severely tested and a comprehensive debate ought to be welcome.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >While the attention of Indians and the world is focussed on the economic progress of our country, the age-old weakness of our civilisation -- the neglect of the security dimension, casts a long dark shadow on our future. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >India is unique in several ways -- unlike other countries, in India ardent and idealist 'peace lobbies' are part of mainstream politics and not on the fringes as in all other countries of the world. In its 5,000-year-old history, India has produced treatises on virtually every subject on the earth, from astronomy, medicine to even sex, but we do not have a single major work on warfare or the art of war. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Time and again our use of war elephants was shown to be ineffective, yet we persisted in it. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >We were the first to use war rockets in the 18th century, but never developed them to make them bigger, longer or more effective. Intellectuals stayed away from the war strategy and weapons. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >We refused to change with the times.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >In the nuclear age as well we seem to be repeating our dismal history. The new 'mantra' is minimum deterrence and second strike capability as panacea solution to face all threats. India went wrong in Kargil [ <a href="http://search.rediff.com/imgsrch/default.php?MT=kargil" target="_blank"><span class="sm1">Images</span></a> ] in 1999 when we realised that the proxy aggression 'used 'the nuclear umbrella while we lulled ourselves. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >The 2002 Operation Parakaram in the wake of the attack on Parliament as well as our inability to react to the Mumbai [ <a href="http://search.rediff.com/imgsrch/default.php?MT=mumbai" target="_blank"><span class="sm1">Images</span></a> ] attacks on 26/11 showed the limits of our retaliatory capability. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Through successful use of rhetoric and threats, Pakistan neutralised our conventional response. </span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Now over the last 10 years it has become an established pattern of behaviour on our part. Our strategy of retaliation with surgical strikes or the new strategy of 'cold start' remains moribund and ineffective for the enemy believes and rightly so, that we lack the will and wherewithal to implement it. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Our conventional retaliation strategy lacks 'credibility' and therefore is no deterrent. The issue is not of mere 'will' either. India lacks the overwhelming technological/numerical superiority to implement this. For instance, Israel has been successfully employing 'threat of retaliation' as a deterrent to proxy or terrorist threats. Israeli technical prowess makes it a credible threat and its past behaviour has established its will to act.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >In 1773, the small kingdom of Thanjavur was threatened by the combined forces of the Karnataka nawab and the British. As enemy troops massed outside the city, the high priests of the famed Thanjavur temple assured the king that their 'mantra' was powerful enough to defeat the invaders, and went on to sprinkle the water sanctified by the 'mantra' to stop the invasion! Of course the 'mantra' failed and the kingdom was annexed by the British. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Today we have the high priests of nuclear strategy in Delhi [ <a href="http://search.rediff.com/imgsrch/default.php?MT=delhi" target="_blank"><span class="sm1">Images</span></a> ] similarly chanting the 'mantra' of no first use and minimum deterrence! Will the result be any different than at Thanjavur in the 18th century?</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >An analysis of why 'we are like that only' is necessary so that we can rectify this fatal flaw in our national psyche.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" ><b>The Diagnosis: What ails Indian thinking on defence?</b></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >We are a peculiar nation that is obsessed with the 'eternal truth' while we ignore the 'practical' or the realistic world. Carl Jung, the Swedish psychologist visiting India about a century ago, had remarked about this and felt (as a Westerner) as if the whole country lived in a trance or <em>maya</em> or illusion. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >Let me illustrate. It is a fundamental belief of Indians that there are no evil beings only evil deeds and fundamentally the <em>atman</em> or the soul is universal and part of the divine in all of us. </span></p><p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >While this is so, yet there are evil individuals, for instance the terrorists who mercilessly killed hundreds in Mumbai or have been planting bombs in busy trains and markets. We have to deal with this evil ruthlessly. But what do the Indians do? We question every action of the police/armed forces, we have <em>karuna</em> or pity for the Mumbai terrorists.</span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:130%;" >The list of our foundational weaknesses is a long one. Here I would just mention it and leave the rest to the reader's imagination.</span></p> <ul><span style=";font-family:ARIAL;font-size:85%;" ><li><span style="font-size:130%;">We tend to think that security is the sole prerogative of the armed forces and police.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:130%;">Divorce between theorists and practitioners -- it is politically incorrect to think of national security in academia -- the British implanted a colonial mindset whereby Indians were kept out of this vital area. Even 62 years after independence this persists. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size:130%;">The lack of strategic culture -- in case of nuclear strategy we have scientists as strategists -- like asking chemist to prescribe medicines (as many Indians do).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:130%;">Segmented approach to security -- armed forces kept away from decision making on the nuclear issue.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:130%;">Treating low intensity, conventional and nuclear conflicts in isolation and denying the linkages between them.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:130%;">Isolating defence industry/research from mainstream and colossal inefficiency of the bureaucratic structure of the Defence Research and Development Organisation empire.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">Source : <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://news.rediff.com/column/2009/sep/22/colonel-athale-bemoans-the-absence-of-an-indian-military-strategy.htm">Rediff</a></span><br /></li></span></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-3135170854480031012009-08-14T09:57:00.000-07:002009-08-15T09:04:24.503-07:00** FOREIGN POLICY DISTORTIONS: India<span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY DISTORTIONS<br /></strong></span><span style="color:#006600;">Dr. Subhash Kapila<br /></span><span style="color:#660000;">Aug. 13, -S.A.A.G.</span><br /><span style="color:#660000;"></span><br /><strong>Introductory Observations<br /></strong><br />The Indian Republic in the first fifty years of its existence maintained a strategic autonomy in the conduct of its foreign policy despite a much more limited national power profile and economic profile than that exists today.<br />Today, when India is economically vibrant and strong and India has been able to amass sizeable conventional and strategic assets, India to its citizens seems strategically tied down in adding muscle to the conduct of its foreign policy.<br /><br />Adding muscle to India’s foreign policy does not imply war mongering or military adventurism. Adding muscle to India’s foreign policy implies that India’s national security interests are accorded a paramountcy in the conduct of foreign policies to the exclusion of the personal predictions of the Indian Prime Minister and his proximate foreign policy advisors. It also implies the existence of political will to secure India’s national security interests.<br /><br />The period 2004-2009 has witnessed a bartering away of India’s national security interests. This trend stands examined in the Author’s SAAG Paper No.3210 dated 22 May 2009 entitled “India’s Foreign Policy 2004-2009: The Wasted Years:<br /><br />The major part of India’s foreign policy failures in this time span and the distortions that willingly or unwillingly have seeped into India’s foreign policy (2004 – 2009) have resulted from policies or lack of policies generated by the predominance given by India’s current Prime Minister to the “United States Factor” in our policy formulations.<br />Co-attendant with the primacy given to the “United States Factor” in India’s foreign policy formulations during 2004-2009 has been the “parallel track” of “Pakistan-appeasement policies” out of deference to United States Pak-centric strategic sensitivities.<br /><br />In the process, India can be said to have abdicated its much prized “strategic autonomy” (not to be confused with non-alignment) in its foreign policy formulations. In another sense, it can also be said that India has diluted its aspirations to become a global power.<br /><br />The center of gravity of the global balance of power has shifted to Asia. India along with China are the two prominent stakeholders and determinants of this shift in the balance of power.<br /><br />While China has leveraged this shift to her advantage, India’s foreign policies has not leveraged this shift in India’s favor. On the contrary, India’s current foreign policy has led it to seemingly emerge as more of a United States satellite or camp follower.<br /><br />Rhetorical flourishes by United States political leaders and officials will not impart global power status on India. India has to earn its global power status by standing firmly on its own legs, build its strengths and demonstrate its strategic autonomy globally and regionally, and firmly demonstrate fortified by Indian nationalism, that it has the will to use power to secure India’s national interests.<br /><br />This point is contextually relevant to the examination of the impact on India’s foreign policy formulations of the “United States Factor”.<br /><br />This Paper intends to examine the main theme under the following heads:<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">The “United States Factor” in India’s Foreign Policy (2004-2009): No End Gains </span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#ff0000;">Indian Prime Minister’s “Foreign Policy Romanticism” with United States Reminiscent of Nehru’s Romanticism with China.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Peace with Pakistan: An Elusive Mythical Obsession of India’s Prime Minister </span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#ff0000;">China’s Containment was Implicit in Evolution of US-India Strategic Relationship: United States Now Shirks from it<br /></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#663300;">1) The “United States Factor” in India’s Foreign Policy (2004-2009): No End Gains</span></strong><br /><br />The US-India Strategic Partnership much hyped in 2000-2001, including by this Author, now stands reduced to a “strategic relationship” only. That too is alive only in South Block corridors.<br /><br />India’s expectant hopes attending the advent of evolving a US-India Strategic Partnership focused on multiple aims. At the core of these aims were (1) India’s rise to global power status with a US impetus (2) Strategic downsizing of Pakistan and limiting its “spoiler-state” role in South Asia (3) Joint US-India convergence in coping and managing of the growing military rise of China.<br /><br />Post 9/11 and now Post Af-Pak Policy unveiling it should be clear to all right thinking Indians that the United States global and regional agenda in South Asia is not in consonance with India’s strategic expectations from the United States. The United States agenda is in contradiction to India’s national security interests and India’s national aspirations.<br /><br />India’s supine foreign policies during 2004-2009 in accommodating United States strategic sensitivities “at all costs” has landed India in a position where there are “no end-gains” for India by according a primacy to the “US Factor” in India foreign policy formulation.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">The above assertions stand fortified by the following manifestations:</span><br /><br />Proximity to United States has not contributed to lessening of India’s threat perceptions emanating from Pakistan and China. United States has not contributed at all in this direction.<br />United States strangulating hold over Pakistan has not been exercised to prevent Pakistan’s proxy war and terrorism against India nor has the United States diluted the Pakistan-China strategic nexus<br />United States till today has not supported India’s candidature for the United Nations Security Council as a Permanent Member. It indicates US reservations on the emergence of India as a global power.<br /><br />United States has revived or shortly will revive pressures that indirectly aim at capping/rolling back India’s nuclear weapons arsenal.<br />Strategically, the United States has only conceded the vast empty expanse of the Indian Ocean to India to extend its influence. The United States has not conceded that India is the predominant regional power in South Asia and that Pakistan must adjust its delusionary strategic mindsets accordingly.<br /><br />Increased Indo-US military-to-military contacts are no index of a thriving US-India Strategic Partnership. One is now constrained to term it as a US-India Strategic Relationship. The United States has held itself back from adding enhanced strategic and political contours to the US-India relationship.<br />The most striking deduction from the above analysis is that India’s foreign policy (2004-2009) has been strategically misconceived and ill-advised in making the “United States as the “Central Pillar” of India’s foreign policy.”<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#663300;">2) Indian Prime Minister’s “Foreign Policy Romanticism” with United States Reminiscent of Nehru’s Romanticism with China<br /></span></strong><br />One would not be far wrong to term the Indian Prime Minister’s “Foreign Policy Romanticism” with the United States as reminiscent of Nehru’s similar romanticism with China. The results of the later were a great military setback for India.<br /><br />It is not to suggest that the United States will attack India like China did. But an Indian monochromatic foreign policy focused on United States has brought distortions in India’s present foreign policies, foreclosing many of its wider options afield, particularly India foreign policy towards Pakistan.<br /><br />Military setbacks can accrue to India by United States continued military build-up of Pakistan and thereby affecting the India-Pakistan Military Balance. It is strategically strange that while the United States increasingly harps on the strengths of its Strategic Partnership with India, it concurrently keeps building Pakistan’s conventional military capabilities. Even a non-commissioned officer of the Indian Army would point out that it is a puerile US argument that it’s provision of combat fighter aircraft and long range maritime surveillance aircraft fitted with anti-submarine weapons to Pakistan are intended for augmenting Pakistan’s anti-terrorism warfare capability.<br /><br />The Indian Prime Minister has failed in his foreign policy approaches to the United States to demand strategic ‘quid-pro-quos’ from the United States in relation to the adjustments and compromises he has made in Indian foreign policies to accommodate US strategic interests on Pakistan.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#663300;">3) Peace with Pakistan: An Elusive Mythical Obsession of India’s Prime Minister<br /></span></strong><br />Peace with Pakistan is a desirable objective for India’s foreign policy. But the timing of peace and resumption of composite dialogue with Pakistan has to be decided by India’s assessments and readings of the contextual security environment and India’s national security interests.<br />The timings of such a process cannot be dictated by the United States to synchronize with the timings of its strategic overtures to Pakistan to serve US strategic interests. It does not require much imagination for anyone to assert that the United States and India have serious strategic divergences over Pakistan.<br /><br />Additionally, has the Indian Prime Minister and his advisory team ever asked themselves the question as to why the United States constantly preaches to India on peace with Pakistan?<br /><br />India despite repetitive Pakistani acts of terrorism against India has exercised restraint. Even today India stands aloof and strategically not taken advantage of the growing civil war within Pakistan. Then why does the United States resort to peace sermons to India on India-Pak peace knowing fully well that these need to be given to Pakistan only.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Further, in the past, and even now, Kashmir- mention is used as a strategic pressure point against India by US political leaders.<br />Sharm-al- Sheikh was a direct manifestation of the “distortions” that the “United States Factor” has induced in India’s current foreign policy formulation. The Havana Agreement 2006 was the earlier manifestation.</span><br /><br />In both cases the “Indian foreign policy troika” of the Prime Minister, the National Security Adviser and the Foreign Secretary were the moving spirits behind these infamous appeasement concessions on terrorism to Pakistan, acting in duress under US pressures.<br /><br />Does it behave a country of India’s size and potential to succumb to external pressures?<br /><br />Fortunately, the force of Indian public opinion pressured the Congress President to make the Indian Prime Minister to retract from Sharm-al-Sheikh concessions to Pakistan. That does not lessen the gravity of the Indian policy establishment succumbing to external pressures especially over Pakistan.<br /><br />Peace with Pakistan will continue to be an elusive myth till such time some Indian political leader emerges who can recognize that the only way to restrain Pakistan is to follow the US model against Russia in the Cold War.<br /><br />Further peace with Pakistan will accrue when Indian Prime Ministers ensure that India’s war preparedness at all times is so high that coupled with Indian Prime Ministers demonstrating the will to use power, these two realities existentially deter Pakistan from provoking India and indulging in military adventurism against it..<br /><br />Indian Prime Ministers down the line have not grasped the fundamentals of why peace with Pakistan will remain an elusive myth. The onus of bringing about India- Pakistan peace lies squarely on United States shoulders and not on India's shoulders.<br /><br />The United States has consistently invented and re-invented Pakistan’s strategic utility for US national security interests. Pursuant to this fixation it has armed and re-armed Pakistan substantially and encouraged it to box much above its strategic weight.<br />Peace with Pakistan will therefore continue to be elusive till such time United States re-calibrates its South Asia policies with Pakistan removed from the centrality it occupies in US strategy.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#663300;">4) China’s Containment was Implicit in Evolution of US-India Strategic Relationship: United States Now Shirks from It<br /></span></strong><br />Democracy and shared values were not the bed-rock of the advent of US-India’s Strategic Partnership. The bedrock of this evolving strategic relationship was an implicit understanding and strategic convergence that China’s rising military power needed to be contained for mutual strategic benefits.<br /><br />American strategic literature of the preceding decade and even in this decade is alive with discussions to this end.<br />The American stress on joint exercises and enter-operability with the Indian Armed Forces was surely not for disaster management purposes. The underlying intent has surely been a possible China contingency.<br /><br />Recent and latest United States foreign policy trends indicate that the United States is no longer imbued with a China containment strategy. Nothing could be more blasphemous for Indian ears than the latest US proposal of a G-2 (US and China) combine to control global affairs. The underlying content is not only economic but also a strategic compromise that the United States seems to be making with China.<br /><br />Further, India’s Prime Minister and his team are seemingly unaware that it is a cardinal tenet of United States strategic policies that no single Asian nation emerges as the predominant power. To that end United States would continue to play more of a role of a “balancer” rather than side with India to offset China’s military rise.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">India’s Foreign Policy Options (2004-2009) Foreclosed by “United States Factor” Primacy</span><br /><br />India will now begin to strategically pay for its foreign policies or lack of foreign policies during the period 2001-2009 arising from giving a misplaced primacy to the “United States Factor” in its foreign policy formulations.<br /><br />In respect of India’s main threat adversaries, namely Pakistan and China, India’s foreign policy options stand foreclosed because of the “US Factor”.<br /><br />The Indian Prime Minister with all his proximity to the United State has failed to prevail and convince the United States to restrain Pakistan’s proxy war and terrorism against India.<br /><br />Contrarily, the Indian Prime Minister is being pressurized to suffer Pakistan’s intransigence for the cause of greater American strategic good.<br /><br />The United States constantly changing priorities in its foreign policy stances towards China makes it an unreliable partner of India to deal with its China threat.<br /><br />In relation to Pakistan, the close relations of India with Iran were a counter weight. In relation to China, the longstanding Russia-India Strategic Partnership was an effective counter-balance and restraint.<br /><br />According primacy to the “United States Factor” in India’s foreign policies during the period 2004-2009 led to a strategic downgrading of India’s foreign policy priorities towards Iran and Russia. Earnest hard work would be required now to resurrect these relationships.<br />With aspirations to emerge as a global power, India’s foreign policy cannot be converted into a US-centric mode. If the United States resorts to “balancing” India by use of Pakistan and/or China then Indian political leaders must learn to ‘balance’ the United States with an equally strong strategic partnership with Russia.<br /><br />Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for years did not attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit meetings. It sent wrong signals to Russia.<br />In the same vein it needs to be pointed out that this Government should desist from making India’s military inventories totally reliant on the United States. There is a danger that this Government for political reasons may place the multi-billion dollar order for 126 combat fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force on the United States. By such a decision, in one single stroke, India would be mortgaging the cutting edge of India’s offensive capabilities to the mercy of a Pak-centric United States.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#663300;">5) Concluding Observations</span> </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span></strong>In earlier Papers of this Author a point that repeatedly stands made is that India cannot afford to emerge as a global player despite the United States or in opposition to it.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">The opposite is also true that no global power has ever helped another aspiring power to emerge as a global power. This stands true for the United States and India too.<br /></span><br />The United States may, and one repeats may, assist India to emerge as a “global player” but it will never assist India to emerge as a “global power” on equal terms with USA.<br />The years 2004-2009 have been “wasted years” in terms of India’s foreign policy formulations and its conduct. The overwhelming reason was that India’s foreign policy troika” comprising the PM, NSA and the Foreign Secretary made the United States as the “Central Pillar” of India’s foreign policy.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">The resultant effect was that India stood disconnected from its proven traditional friendly partners.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">It is high time, that with no end- gains having accrued from such foreign policy fixations, India’s foreign policy is re-calibrated and strong connectivities re-established with India’s proven friends.<br /></span><br />An aspiring global power like India needs to have multiple foreign policy connectivities to provide flexibility of options.<br /><br />India’s Prime Ministers need to emulate China. If the United States today talks of a global G-2 combine of USA and China to manage global affairs, it is because China has followed the dictum of a “mailed fist in a velvet glove.” and leveraged its national strengths to propel its rise on the global stage.<br /><br />(The author is an International Relations and Strategic Affairs analyst. He is the Consultant, Strategic Affairs with South Asia Analysis Group. Email: <a style="COLOR: maroon; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; text-underline: single" href="mailto:drsubhashkapila.007@gmail.com"><span style="color:#000099;">drsubhashkapila.007@gmail.com</span></a>)<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">US Perfidy & Singh</span> @ <a href="http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=301&page=14"><span style="color:#000099;">http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=301&page=14</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers34/paper3355.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers34/paper3355.html</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-35184925040308938012009-07-23T08:58:00.000-07:002009-07-23T09:46:40.921-07:00** Indias Nuke Drama<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Indias New Nuclear Drama</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Dr. Dipak Basu</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">Ivarta</span><br /><br />The recent drama in the G-8 declaration that, unless India signs the NPT( Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) it will not get any nuclear enrichment and reprocessing plants meeting regarding the Indo-US nuclear treaty, has demonstrated the unrealistic approach adopted by India. The unrealistic expectation of India was that by signing the treaty India can somehow avoid the restriction imposed by the IAEA and NSG against proliferations of nuclear weapons. However, both IAEA( International Atomic Energy Agency) and NSG( Nuclear Suppliers Group) do not recognize India as a legitimate nuclear weapons state, as they made it clear to India in the treaty India has signed already as a non-nuclear weapons state.<br /><br />Another unrealistic expectation was that USA wants to set up India as a bulwark against China and in future it would protect India against possible invasion from China. USA now being financially bankrupt depends on China to revive its economy and the new President Obama, guided by arch-enemies of India like Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Carter, and Madeline Albright, foreign secretary to President Clinton, has already declared the strategic partnership between USA and China.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">The Reality Regarding Nuclear Drama:<br /></span></strong><br />Indian media or the government cannot blame USA now because India knew all along what was on the cards. The Vienna Treaty with NSG has clearly pointed out the following that would cripple India"s nuclear weapons programme. The Treaty says:<br /><br />(1) "Participating Governments may transfer trigger list items and/or related technology to India for peaceful purposes and for use in IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguarded civil nuclear facilities."<br /><br />(2) "Participating Governments may transfer nuclear-related dual-use equipment, materials, software, and related technology to India for peaceful purposes and for use in civil nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards."<br /><br />(3) "At each Plenary, Participating Governments shall notify each other of approved transfers to India. Participating Governments are also invited to exchange information, including about their own bilateral agreements with India."<br /><br />Thus, only for the facilities under the control of IAEA India can import fuel, materials and technology. It cannot import even from Russia, as Russia is a member of NSG and has to consult NSG to export any nuclear materials or technology to India particularly anything related to India"s Nuclear Weapons Programme; this was made clear in a recent Senate bill presented when the discussion on the 123 treaty with USA is in progress.. That would practically mean Fast Breeder Reactors and Reprocessing plants, being built by Russia, would be under the IAEA controls, otherwise Russia can not supply any materials or technology for these from now on. Thus, India"s nuclear weapons programme or the reactors in the military sector will be lame ducks for the foreseeable future unless and until Russia will come out of NSG.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">123 Deal puts further restrictions.</span> The Bush administration"s January 2008 letter to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made public recently, brings out the following.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">USA has given no legally binding fuel-supply assurance of any kind and there is no US consent to stockpiling of fuel reserves. India will not be allowed to build such stocks to avoid if US re-impose sanctions. US civil nuclear cooperation is explicitly prohibiting further nuclear tests by India even if warranted by Indian national security concerns. All cooperation will cease immediately if India conducts a test.<br /></span><br />The US has retained the right to suspend or terminate supplies at its own discretion.<br />The 123 Agreement has granted India no right to take corrective measures in case of any fuel-supply disruption. Rather, India"s obligations are legally irrevocable and perpetual.<br />The Bush administration"s letter states that the 123 Agreement fully conforms to the Hyde Act provisions. "US government will not assist India in the design, construction or operation of sensitive nuclear technologies." Under the 123 Agreement, India has agreed to forego reprocessing until it has, in future, won a separate agreement.<br /><br />123 Agreement Article 5(2) that, "Sensitive nuclear technology, heavy water production technology, sensitive nuclear facilities, heavy water production facilities and major critical components of such facilities may be transferred under this Agreement pursuant to an amendment to this Agreement." The Bush administration"s letter to Congress states that the US government had no plan to seek to amend the deal to allow any sensitive transfers.<br /><br />Already the US senate has imposed a new clause in the Hyde Act that in future national security organizations of USA, which means CIA and FBI, would now collaborate with India regarding nuclear non-proliferation. This in effect would imply that US organizations would make sure India will not be able to gain any advantage to use its nuclear facilities to create nuclear weapons.<br />Section 104(d) (2) of the Hyde Act is related to the supply of nuclear fuel to the plants in India, which would be used to produce nuclear weapons, by using end-use monitoring of spent fuel by the IAEA and the US organizations. There are provisions in the legislation, which would putt a cap on fissile material production. These would end India"s nuclear weapons programme.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Alternative was available:<br /></span></strong><br />India was not a "Pariah" in the world of nuclear energy since 1974, as the media is suggesting, but India has become nearly self sufficient due to the help from the USSR and Russia. Russia, after India"s nuclear tests in 1974, was practically the only country for India as a source of materials for the nuclear energy industry including both nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants. Russia along with the former Soviet Union so far has supplied India heavy water plants, reprocessing plants, Fast Breeder Reactors and two fresh nuclear power plants with the excuse that the contracts for these were signed between India and the Soviet Union in 1985, which Russia needs to oblige.<br /><br />USSR has started for India the construction of the first FBTR (Fast Breeder Test Reactor) of capacity of 40 MWt (million watts thermal) in Kalapakkan in 1985. In 2008 Russia has started the construction of a Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor( FBR) of capacity 500 MWE (million watts electrical) in Kalapakkan. Associated Reprocessing plants in Kalapakkan were first built by USSR in 1985 and then in 1998 by Russia.<br /><br />Without the nuclear deal with NSG and USA India could be able to maintain its nuclear plants by using reprocessed plutonium as a fuel in the FBRs and using its own uranium in the conventional plants. India could continue to get both onshore and offshore nuclear plants from Russia, as it would honour the Indo-Soviet Treaty of 1985. This is exactly what former President Putin and former Prime Minister Fradkov have suggested during their last visits to India, but India was not interested. In that case India would be at liberty to test and develop nuclear weapons any time it likes without any restrictions using plutonium from its FBRs and enriched Uranium from other nuclear plants. Indo-US Nuclear Deal and the Vienna Treaty with NSG on the other hand will increase both real and perceived restrictions on India that would in reality destroy any credible nuclear deterrent for India against possible attacks from either China or Pakistan.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Conclusion:</span></strong><br /><br />Section 103 of the Hyde Act suggests that the US would oppose development of a capability to produce nuclear weapons by any non-nuclear weapon state within or outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime. The section requires the US to work with the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group to further restrict transfers of equipment and technologies related to uranium enrichment, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and production of heavy water to all countries, including India. The legislation also requires the US government to seek to prevent transfer of these equipment and technologies from other members of NSG or from any other source. Section 104(d) (2) stipulates that transfers to India cannot begin without the NSG guidelines. Also, there are provisions in the legislation, which would putt a cap on fissile material production. The Senate Bill presented now will apply Hyde Act worldwide against India even when India will buy anything nuclear from any other countries within NSG.<br /><br />International situation is rapidly changing. A new cold war has already started when USA wants to expand NATO to the doorsteps of Russia by including Georgia and Ukraine. USA is setting up missile launching stations in Poland and Czech Republic; in response Russia is setting up retaliatory missile stations in Kaliningrad, in the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania. Russia has already taken over South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia. USA already has cancelled its 123 Deal with Russia, imposed sanctions against Russian scientific establishment and will not allow Russia to do any nuclear trade with USA. It is quite possible that in retaliation Russia very soon will withdraw itself from the NSG, as the current President Medvedev has ruled out Russia"s obligation towards any further reduction of its nuclear forces under the SALT treaty. Russia is already supplying sensitive nuclear technology to Iran, Venezuela and Syria. India could just certainly wait for a few months rather than signing its surrender to USA in a great hurry.<br /><br />By accepting the Vienna Treaty with NSG and the Indo-US 123 Deal, India is accepting a subordinate position in relation to USA and the Western countries, which is not needed for the future development of nuclear energy in India. Iran, Venezuela and Syria has not signed any 123 Deal with USA to receive nuclear plants from Russia. Pakistan is going to receive 6 nuclear plants from China without signing any 123 Deal with USA or any treaty with NSG or IAEA. India forgot the fact that NSG was created by the United States immediately after 1974 to punish India for its first atomic test. It was never directed towards Pakistan, who was allowed to accept whatever it wants from China.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">China in 1985 has signed a very different 123 Treaty with USA as a recognized nuclear weapons state, whereas India in practice has given up its nuclear weapons by signing 123 Treaty with USA and IAEA as a non-nuclear weapons state.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">The result will make Pakistan, which receives every nuclear weapons and missiles from China, much stronger than India in very near future.</span><br /><br />Pakistan"s M-11 missiles obtained from China are mobile missiles although these have short ranges of 300km. "No-Dong" missiles obtained from North Korea with the approval of China has 1500km range. This can cover most important parts of India. Pakistan has no need, unlike that of India, to conduct any tests to maintain its nuclear weapons, as it can obtain these ready-made whenever it requires from China.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">China has a formidable nuclear force located in Tibet directed against India.</span> It has deployed some 125 long range (1700km or more) nuclear armed ballistic missiles, It has developed DF-31 ballistic missiles with a range of 8000 km, which can hit any parts of India from anywhere in China. Other missiles in the armory of China include CSS-2, CSS-3, and CSS-5 of 1700km range, which also can hit India from Tibet. China has decided to use Pakistan against India, by supplying whatever China has. Thus, Pakistan is now more powerful in nuclear weapons delivery system than India can be in near future.<br /><br />That serves the geo-political interest of the United States with Pakistan as the bridge to the Islamic world. Gradual acceptance of Taliban by USA as recommended by Pakistan is already happening. The unfolding scenario will ruin India in the process when India will be forced to surrender also to the demands of Pakistan, a NATO ally of USA, and China, the most important business partner of the U.S corporations and on whom the fate of the US Dollar and the world economy depends. The possible appointment of the Richrd Holbrooke, the destroyer of Yugoslavia, a staunch anti-Indian and pro-Pakistani, as the negotiator between Afghanistan, India and Pakistan by the newly elected President Obama is the clear danger signal, which Indian political establishment is ignoring.<br /><br />Due to the objections raised by USA, Russia is disinterested to continue to supply nuclear materials or power plants to India anymore. The sudden shift of Russia"s position is the result of India"s decision to ignore Russia since the days of Jaswant Singh first when he was the Foreign Minister of India and to buy weapons systems, aircrafts, submarines from Israel, Britain and France and India"s growing interest to purchase aircrafts from USA.<br /><br />The nuclear offer of the US was never a friendly gesture to India as the Indian media had tried to to portray but a process of surrender for India regarding its nuclear energy and weapons programme. That process was indicated by President Clinton in 1998 when he declared openly that he loathed to even think that India-Pakistan can have nuclear weapons and the objective of the United States will be to roll back, curtail and eliminate India"s nuclear weapons programme. George Bush has followed that up using his charm and sweet talks, but the purpose was the same.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>The media in India is giving the impression that USA is trying to make India as a bulwark against China. It was not true during the presidency of george Bush. It is absurd to even think about during the pro-Chinese presidency of Obama.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">In fact, USA since 1972 has made China as a bulwark against the Soviet Union by supplying indirectly every type of weapons technology via Israel, France, Pakistan, and Turkey. USA also made China as the permanent member of the UN Security Council as a counterweight against the Soviet Union.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">If USA wants to destroy China as a power, it can do so without firing a single bullet, but by just not importing from China and asking its allies not to import from China. USA had followed that policy in 1934 against Japan, but it has no intension to follow it against China, because that would undermine investments of large number of American companies and their profit.</span><br /><br />China can also retaliate against USA just by selling its Dollar reserve, which would mean a massive devaluation of the US Dollar and destruction of the special status of the US Dollar as the international reserve currency - a fiat money by which USA can buy anything from the rest of the world just by printing its own currency. There is no need for the US to earn foreign exchange to pay for its imports or to pay for the American military bases all over the world in any other currency but in US Dollar.<br /><br />This unique position would be diminished if China suddenly exchanges its Dollar holdings into Euro. That can destroy the American economy, as USA would not be able to use Dollar to get its imports. USA would be unable to pay for the expenses of the American military bases as well thus, reducing the US to a regional power, not a world power. Close bilateral relationship through trade and investments has made USA and China indispensable to each other.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Because of these threats to the American Dollar and the America"s special status as a super-power, USA is reluctant even to recognize Taiwan as a separate country, but still insisting upon the "one-China" policy which, basically approves Chinese colonialism over Taiwan. USA also has no policy towards Tibet or East Turkistan, which were colonized by China in 1949.</span><br /><br />President Clinton has declared China as the strategic partner of USA. President Bush recently joined hands with China to oppose India"s possible membership of the UN Security Council. However, in 1972, President Nixon had no objection against China"s membership of the UN Security Council. USA even had forced the expulsion of Taiwan from the U.N to make room for China. President Obama just like President Clinton before him went to China and declared China, India"s enemy No 1, as the strategic partner of USA.<br /><br />When India has declared after the nuclear tests in 1998 President Clinton has imposed sanctions against India and India was isolated in the world temporarily. President Bush has forced India to start the peace-process with Pakistan, who has already killed more than 50,000 people in the Jammu & Kashmir and has managed to spread terrorism throughout India, as the recent attack on Mumbai demonstrated. USA also forced India to abandon its development of long-range missiles and any further nuclear testing. As a result, India has no credible nuclear forces and is in no match for China. This situation will not change in future in favour of India, as USA does not want India to have either nuclear weapons or missiles.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">USA is not offering India any advanced weapons system or aircrafts. The F-16 or F-18 aircraft, which USA has offered India is equivalent to Russian Mig-29, which India already got about ten years ago and is under production in HAL factories in India.</span> <span style="color:#3333ff;">USA is delivering same aircrafts to Pakistan for free as its aid programme against terrorism although Pakistan is the source of international terrorism. </span><br /><br />A pure business deal from which USA not India will gain substantially is repackaged by the media as the friendly gesture of the United States to India.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">The reality is that by accepting American pseudo-friendship India has become weaker than even Pakistan, who has long-range missiles fitted with nuclear weapons imported from China and can be used against India at any time.</span><br /><br />As Pakistan has the policy of "first strike" with nuclear weapons, as obvious from the preparations of General Musharaf during the Kargil invasion of 1999, it is doubtful whether India, without the support of the Soviet Union as it had during both 1965 and 1971 wars, can withstand the first nuclear strike by Pakistan. The most likely scenario is that India will collapse, which would open the door for invasions by Pakistan, China, and Nepal.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">India"s policy makers mainly diplomats from the Indian Foreign Service are excellent to surrender easily as they did in Simla Conference in 1972 and subsequently in every international gatherings.</span></strong> <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">They, particularly the India"s ambassador to USA Mr.Ronen Sen and the national security adviser Narayanan, had advised the government to surrender to the American demand and to accept the control of the IAEA on the nuclear facilities in India.</span></strong><br /><br />They have failed to understand and still do not understand, as obvious from the statement made by Pranab Mukherjee that G-8 Declaration against India does not matter. The nuclear co-operation with USA would start the second phase of surrender to abolish nuclear weapons in India, but Pakistan, as an ally of both NATO and China, would still have nuclear weapons. It is unfortunate that the India"s so-called experts of foreign policy cannot see the reality but have decided to live in a fool"s paradise.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Warnings About China</span> @<br /><a href="http://ultracurrents.blogspot.com/2009/07/warning-about-china.html"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://ultracurrents.blogspot.com/2009/07/warning-about-china.html</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;"> </span><br /><p><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Bartering Kashmir ???</span> <span style="color:#000000;">@</span> <a href="http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/23/is-pm-bartering-kashmir-with-balochistan.htm"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/23/is-pm-bartering-kashmir-with-balochistan.htm</span></a></span><span style="color:#3333ff;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></p><a href="http://www.blogs.ivarta.com/Indias-New-Nuclear-Drama/blog-293.htm"><span style="color:#cccccc;">http://www.blogs.ivarta.com/Indias-New-Nuclear-Drama/blog-293.htm</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-62787548824084312872009-07-20T05:30:00.000-07:002009-07-20T05:39:08.492-07:00** US perfidy & Singh<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">US perfidy and Manmohan</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">By M.V. Kamath</span><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Organiser</span><br /><br />If the Prime Minister who is so supportive of the US does not know it, only God and a powerful public opinion can save the country from imminent disaster. India should have its own foreign policy and it should implement it with determination.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">We don’t have to be carried away by sweet talk. If the US wants any help, it must uphold India’s right to be a Permanent Member of the Security Council with veto power. It is time Britain and France are shown the door.<br /></span><br />How much trust can we place in the United States? And who speaks authoritatively for the country? From what one notices, the Obama Government speaks in many voices. US Under Secretary of State William Burns who was in India early in June, told a press conference that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute should take into account the “wishes” of the people of the state, an impertinence that deserves to be strongly condemned.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">The question of holding a plebiscite is totally irrelevant and under no circumstances will India agree to it. But there has hardly been any correction of Shri Burns’ faux pas from Washington, leaving one guessing what the Obama Government is upto.</span><br /><br />Or consider this: Addressing a meeting of the top American and Indian Corporate Executives in Washington on June 10, US Secretary of State Clinton said that she saw India as “<span style="color:#3333ff;">one of a few key partners worldwide who will help us shape the 21st Century</span>” adding that “<span style="color:#3333ff;">India is already a major player on the world stage and we look to cooperate with New Delhi as it shoulders responsibilities in its new position of global leadership</span>”.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">But will the US support India’s claim to Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council? It certainly wouldn’t, of what Acting Assistant Secretary for International Organisations, James Warlick, is to be believed.<br /></span><br />According to him “<span style="color:#3333ff;">We (the US) do not support extension of the veto in the UN Security Council</span>”. <span style="color:#ff0000;">So what kind of responsibilities can India shoulder without veto power as a Permanent Member of the Security Council?</span><br /><br />And may one also ask: In what sense are England and France superior to India? They should be asked voluntarily to retire from the Security Council or debarred from membership by a majority vote in the General Assembly. And if China can have the veto, why shouldn’t India? If it is to play a role that Secretary of State Clinton assigns to it? Does Hillary Clinton want India to play second fiddle to the US, a larger replica of Pakistan?<br /><br />Shri Burns was even more brash. He asked India to close down the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad in Afghanistan because of Pakistani complaint that India is “fomenting trouble” through that Consulate in the North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan? <span style="color:#3333ff;">Can India ask the US to tell Pakistan to shift its capital from Islamabad to Karachi because Islamabad is causing trouble in Jammu & Kashmir?</span> Who is Shri Burns to advise us where we should set up our Consulates?<br /><br />The US does not want Iran to equip itself with nuclear weapons, but it is turning a blind eye to what is happening in Pakistan which is expanding its nuclear arsenal by leaps and bounds? <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>And yet America is pouring billions of dollars into Islamabad’s kitty.</strong></span> Pakistan already has 60 nuclear weapons in its arsenal and is working hard to produce more. There is not a word of protest from Washington on the subject.<br /><br />According to US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, the United States will look to India to be “a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean and beyond”. That is nice of him to say so, but has Shri Gates given any thought to India’s internal security problem?<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">According to the latest findings, Pakistan is hosting 42 terror camps where over 2,000 terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taibe, Jaish-e-Mohammad and HuJi are getting training.</span><br /><br />Has Shri Gates given the matter any thought? Washington speaks with a forked tongue. It has promised to give $ 7.5 billion to Pakistan over the course of the next five years, forgetting that Pakistan has used a substantial amount of aid given to it in the past to fight terrorism only to build up its own arms with modern weapons and equipment for conventional war against India. And who has revealed this truth? A Pentagon document, that’s who.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">According to revelations by the Pentagon documents, all this was done with the full knowledge of the Bush Administration. It would seem that a major 9/11 American defence supply to Pakistan under Foreign Military Financing (FMF) had nothing to do with its fight against terrorism.</span><br /><br />While the Taliban and Al-Qaeda gained ground in the tribal areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, Islamabad bought eight P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and their refurbishment worth $ 474 million. It also placed orders for 5,250 TOW anti-armour missiles worth $ 186 million. Besides buying more than, 5,600 military radio sets worth $ 163 million, Pakistan bought six AN/TPS surveillance radars worth $ 76 million. It is a long list of purchases which includes 500 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, 1,450 bombs of 2,000 lbs each, 500 JDM tail kits for gravity bombs and 100 Harpoon anti-ship missiles worth $ 95 million, not to mention six Phalanx close-in naval guns worth $ 80 million. Does the Taliban or for that matter, Al-Qaeda run ships as well? Who is fooling whom?<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Then we have reports that the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Government of India has marked more than 200 transactions in the country as ‘terror-financed’ under circumstances of “unusual complexity and lack of bona fide purpose”.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Will Smt Hillary Clinton kindly ask her friends in Pakistan how they spend the money given to them as aid by the US? At every stage of the game the United States is proving itself to highly unreliable.</span><br /><br />On May 20, 2009 The Times of India reported from Washington that the “US has again given what virtually amounts to a free pass to Pakistan’s India-specific nuclear weapons programme, washing its hands of reports by its own military and intelligence that Islamabad is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal while insisting it will ensure US aid is not spent on the country’s nuclear programme”. And who was supporting Pakistan’s perfidy?<br /><br />Writes The Times of India: “Most of the batting for Pakistan was done by the State Department, but the Director of the CIS, Leon Panetta and America’s highest ranking military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen also stepped up during their day’s engagements to certify the security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons”. The New York Times in a front page story quoted Bruce Riedel, a former White House official as saying that Pakistan <span style="color:#ff0000;">“has more terrorists per square mile than any place on earth and it has a nuclear weapons programme that is growing faster than any other place on earth”.</span> India is being taken for a ride; all the smooth talk of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hogwash.<br /><br />If the Prime Minister who is so supportive of the US does not know it, only God and a powerful public opinion can save the country from imminent disaster.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>India should have its own foreign policy and it should implement it with determination. We don’t have to be carried away by sweet talk. If the US wants any help, it must uphold India’s right to be a Permanent Member of the Security Council with veto power.</strong></span><br /><br />It is time Britain and France are shown the door. They have been in Security Council for far too long and they are no longer the powers they once where with their Imperial pretensions.<br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=301&page=14<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-69588192962241494882009-07-13T08:19:00.000-07:002009-07-13T08:27:54.711-07:00** Warning about China<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">'Nervous' China may attack India by 2012?<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">July 12, 2009 - Rediff.com<br /></span><br />A leading defence expert has projected that China will attack India by 2012 to divert the attention of its own people from "unprecedented" internal dissent, growing unemployment and financial problems that are threatening the hold of Communists in that country.<br /><br />"China will launch an attack on India before 2012. There are multiple reasons for a desperate Beijing to teach India the final lesson, thereby ensuring Chinese supremacy in Asia in this century," Bharat Verma, Editor of the Indian Defence Review, has said.<br /><br />Verma said the recession has "<span style="color:#3333ff;">shut the Chinese exports shop</span>", creating an "<span style="color:#3366ff;">unprecedented internal social unrest</span>" which in turn, was severely threatening the grip of the Communists over the society. Among other reasons for this assessment were rising unemployment, flight of capital worth billions of dollars, depletion of its foreign exchange reserves and growing internal dissent, Verma said in an editorial in the forthcoming issue of the premier defence journal.<br /><br />In addition to this, "<span style="color:#ff0000;">The growing irrelevance of Pakistan, their right hand that operates against India on their behest, is increasing the Chinese nervousness</span>," he said, adding that US President Barak Obama's Af-Pak policy was primarily Pak-Af policy that has "<span style="color:#ff0000;">intelligently set the thief to catch the thief</span>".<br /><br />Verma said Beijing was "already rattled, with its proxy Pakistan now literally embroiled in a civil war, losing its sheen against India." "Above all, it is worried over the growing alliance of India with the US and the West, because the alliance has the potential to create a technologically superior counterpoise. "<span style="color:#990000;"><strong>All these three concerns of Chinese Communists are best addressed by waging a war against pacifist India to achieve multiple strategic objectives</strong></span>," he said.<br /><br />While China "covertly allowed" North Korea to test underground nuclear explosion and carry out missile trials, it was also "increasing its naval presence in South China Sea to coerce into submission those opposing its claim on the Sprately Islands," the defence expert said. He said it would be "unwise" at this point of time for a recession-hit China to move against the Western interests, including Japan. "Therefore, the most attractive option is to attack a soft target like India and forcibly occupy its territory in the Northeast," Verma said.<br /><br />But India is "<span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>least prepared</strong></span>" on ground to face the Chinese threat, he says and asks a series of questions on how will India respond to repulse the Chinese game plan or whether Indian leadership would be able to "take the heat of war".<br /><br />"Is Indian military equipped to face the two-front wars by Beijing and Islamabad? Is the Indian civil administration geared to meet the internal security challenges that the external actors will sponsor simultaneously through their doctrine of unrestricted warfare? "The answers are an unequivocal 'no'.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Pacifist </span></strong>India is not ready by a long shot either on the internal or the external front," the defence journal editor says.</span><br /><br />In view of the "imminent threat" posed by China, "the quickest way to swing out of pacifism to a state of assertion is by injecting military thinking in the civil administration to build the sinews. That will enormously increase the deliverables on ground -- from Lalgarh to Tawang," he says.<br /><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">http://www.rediff.com///news/2009/jul/12nervous-china-may-attack-india-in-2012-defence-expert.htm</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-14548701733585690822009-05-26T22:01:00.000-07:002009-05-26T22:07:35.788-07:00** Punjab Burnt for a day<span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Punjab Burnt for a Day</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">May 26, Sulekha Blog</span><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Manmohan Singh</span><br /><br />Every citizen including those belonged to Sikh faith at first instance surprised that how attack inside Gurdwara in Vienna ( Austria) is related to the instantaneous unrest in Punjab. People irrespective whether Sikh or Hindu came on the streets and expressed their anger.<br /><br />First of all, the incidence of Gurdwara in which a saint belonging to Ravidasia faith lost his life and few others were wounded.<br /><br />Here in Punjab. Agitating people were hailing from Ravidasia faith. Saint Ravidas hailing from south has got following amongst the backward class people of Punjab. Saint Ravidas holy work has got respectable place in holy book of Sikh faith Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Thus he stands amongst the others saints and gurus whose work is included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.<br /><br />This was not Sikhs versus Hindus. As it was not even when Punjab was burning in post Blue Star era ( 1984-1992 ) . Though at that time it was tried to divide the two main communities. They remained united. The reason being both communities believe in the teachings of Sikh gurus and bow against Sri Guru Granth Sahib , as this holy book contains the works of all Sikh , Hindu and Muslim saints. Not only that the common language bind them. Inter caste marriages are common in Punjab.<br /><br />Ravidasis are backward, not accepted socially by high cast Sikhs (Jats agrarian class). These Ravidasis are landless laborers and workers though some of them have non agricultural industries like leather processing units.<br /><br />These so called backward class people as generally feel rejected and dejected and whenever they find some reason to revolt they do it. Once their Saint is killed in Vienna they have valid reason to revolt.<br /><br />Punjab government allowed the situation to worsen to be en cashed for the coming bye-election. Punjab policemen , who are otherwise considered very hard and public generally avoid and afraid of them , were found silently watching. Even not acting when they could easily in some pockets. May be not willing to invite the wrath of public against them also obeying their masters.<br /><br />Properties worth of crores was destroyed not looted. To whom they are showing their anger. Destroying their own properties which are created by the government by using the contributed income of public in the form of taxes. Badly destroyed was the Maruti showroom at one place. All the high end models were damaged.<br /><br />Whenever depressed class people get the chance to revolt, first they target the village Bania and his grain shop and loot it. They settle the score over Banias who they think loot the public silently since ages. Here the most damaged was the Maruti Showroom (definitely owned by some high caste businessman).<br /><br />Agitators were from the section of youth, with no work, from the group of unemployed numbering 18 lacs in Punjab.<br /><br />It is time to rethink, Gudwaras are meant for all, and in the same spirit Gurus include all the then religious saints irrespective of cast and creeds. Better upper class Jats they show equality to all as their gurus showed.<br /><br />Some social orientation is needed. On the government part youth of the Punjab need work and employment. This is to be started now unless the things take ugly turn and politicians utilize the situation for their ends, with fresh wounds to be healed for the decades to come.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Caste Dividing Sikhs</span> @ <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/caste-cutting-clash-of-identities-dividing-sikhs/93465-3.html"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://ibnlive.in.com/news/caste-cutting-clash-of-identities-dividing-sikhs/93465-3.html</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://newshopper.sulekha.com/blogs/post/2009/05/punjab-burnt-for-a-day.htm"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">http://newshopper.sulekha.com/blogs/post/2009/05/punjab-burnt-for-a-day.htm</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-35451103387971991712009-05-18T21:05:00.000-07:002009-05-18T21:12:41.797-07:00** Verdict 2009<strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Verdict 2009: Happy and Unhappy</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Undercurrents.ca</span><br /><br />We are happy & also have reasons to be unhappy<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Why we are happy:</span></strong><br /><br />The verdict was in clear numbers. The nation has been spared the trauma of horse-trading; it was agonizing to see constant bickering and jostling for power during the last regime. Now Governance however bad it could be is still possible. It must be a relief to operate the government without the black mail of the communist parties of India.<br /><br />It also reflects on the maturity of the Indian voter that they have rejected regional parties overwhelmingly. It was quite scary the way they were threatening to tear the fabric apart. We are equally happy for AIIMS. They must be expecting with happiness a new health minister. We are happy for the minorities & “secularists” at the relief they are experiencing that NDA hasn’t come to power. We are happy that the temperate lady Ms.Jayalalitha hasn’t been given any grip on power. The nation has been spared another Tea party.<br /><br />With this clear majority Mr.Man Mohan Singh may wean himself away from the title of weak prime minister. We are happy for him and congratulations on his “style”. He has made the Sikh community proud by negotiating himself to the position of the prime minister of India again.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Reasons why we are not happy:</span></strong><br /><br />Our primary grouse against congress government & its friends is that they have demonstrated on more then multiple occasion that it has an Anti-Hindu agenda.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Some examples:</span> The free run it has given to evangelical forces who operate with such scant respect to Hindu religious sentiments, the persecution of people who defend Hinduism, the act of embossing national currency with a deceptive cross, the act of tampering with the “Ram Sethu”, the act of inviting Mr. Benny Hinn to Bangalore, the act of appointing Christian heads to Hindu institutions like the Kalashektra dance school & The Venkateswara university in Tirupati, the act of silently enabling the break down of Hindu rule in Nepal, the act of replacing the census chief just because he gave the right numbers on Muslim population explosion.<br /><br /><span style="color:#660000;">Their acts point to one direction, that the sentiments, aspirations of the Majority Hindus can be brushed under the carpet while at the same time excessive importance is given even to the mildest whim of the minorities.</span><br /><br />That mindset gives us reason for apprehension. The re-election of congress government would mean a renewal of attacks on Hindu religious practices & institutions by a combination of forces. This would also mean opening the doors fully for evangelists to operate with government patron.<br /><br />The Indian voter has seen the election purely from an Indian stability point of view, which is quite mature. The Indian voter either due to or in spite of his illiteracy and poverty has done which no voter in any other part of the world would do. The Indian voter has “voted” for an outsider to rule them. That is a characteristic so peculiar to the Indian sub-continent. They seem to have an affinity to things foreign. The Indian cricket team has a foreign coach; the Indian congress has a foreigner as its chief.<br /><br />The congress chief is not a Hindu. Her daughter and son in law is not a Hindu. Her son may not marry a Hindu. Will any European or American nation ever vote a Non Christian and most importantly a Hindu as their party chief? Mr. Bobby Jindal had to convert to Christianity to be where he is now. It is a cause of worry that power in India is now in the hands of a person who professes a faith that is surely not Hindu friendly. We now worry that our religious instititutions would be wearied and torn down systematically. Any act of defending against such government action would be dealt as a law and order issue.<br /><br />Why are we pro BJP? Is it because they have great governance? No because they fare equally good or bad as the congress in governance and administration. (With the exception of Gujarat) With BJP in power we are ensured that Hinduism is safe.<br /><br />If the congress government can demonstrate that it can be a truly secular party, then we would support it totally. <span style="color:#ff0000;">But they have a strong Christian agenda which is threatening to a Hindu. They would do anti-Hindu things in India what right wing Christians can only dream to do in the west.</span><br /><br />Because unlike India there is a strong commitment to public civility in the west.<br /><br />For centuries Hindus were ruled by sword and deceit. They had a brief respite from foreign rule when the great Mahatma under exceptional circumstances produced exceptional leadership qualities and won freedom from the British. Now the same Hindus are giving away their freedom by democratic means.<br /><br />In spite of their rhetoric, and numbers the BJP isn’t yet a party that has a passion and hunger for power the way the congress does. Elections are not just about ideologies, but most importantly the art of gaining and retaining power. BJP seems to be on a learning curve in the art of holding and retaining power. That was also the principal point of difference between Mr. Paul Martin & Jean Chrétien of the Liberal party of Canada.<br /><br />We hope that the BJP would come out with a good plan to open accounts in states they haven’t so far. However BJP is a young party. The majority of India are Hindus, and a <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>young new Vajpayee is waiting to emerge from the millions of Hindus to take the country in the right direction.</strong></span><br /><br />With this verdict we don’t foresee any big changes in the day to day life of the Indian voter. Corruption shall flourish, infrastructure shall remain what it is, defense will languish, the appeasement of minorities will continue, terrorism shall be tolerated, and the poor man shall be kept in waiting…the way things were for the past 50 years.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;"><strong>We congratulate the majority Hindu population of India who were more open hearted then their western counterparts and welcomed <span style="color:#ff0000;">Ms.Sonia, an Italian,</span> as their party chief. It now remains to be seen how she reciprocates.</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;"></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#999999;">source: </span><a href="http://theundercurrent.ca/ind_pol_11.htm?id=8522"><span style="color:#999999;">http://theundercurrent.ca/ind_pol_11.htm?id=8522</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-21791865704593867902009-04-23T15:39:00.000-07:002009-04-23T15:44:43.063-07:00** India's 'Red Corridor'<span style="color:#ff0000;">Maoists rule India's 'Red Corridor'</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">By Sudha Ramachandran</span><br />Asia Times - April 24<br /><br />BANGALORE - Indian Maoists hijacked a train with 800 passengers in the eastern state of Jharkhand on Wednesday morning. Although the crisis was defused within five hours, when the Maoists released the train and its passengers, the incident has sparked grave concern throughout the <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink0" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,0);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,0);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,0);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new">security</a> establishment.<br /><br />The ease with which the Maoists were able to stage an operation of this magnitude - and at a time when security has been tightened for general elections - has laid bare yet again that it is the Maoists' writ, not that of the government that runs through this part of the country. The train was on its way from Barkakana in Jharkhand to Mugalsarai in the neighboring state of <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink1" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new">Uttar Pradesh</a> when it was hijacked near Hehegarha railway station in Latehar district.<br /><br />Around 200 Maoists are said to have carried out the operation. A railway station in Palamu was bombed as well. In March 2006, a train was hijacked in the same district. Passengers were set free after 12 hours. The <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink2" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,2);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,2);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,2);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new">Indian Railways</a> have been targeted repeatedly by the Maoists.<br /><br />Besides holding-up trains, they have blasted railway tracks, burned railway stations, looted weapons from railway police and abducted personnel. No passengers were hurt in Wednesday's hijacking and hostage drama. The operation, which took place on the eve of the second part of India's month-long five-phase general election, was aimed at scaring voters into staying away from polling booths.<br /><br />Maoists have called for a boycott of the polls in the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Bihar. In a bid to disrupt polling during the first phase of voting last week, they detonated landmines, raided polling booths and torched electronic voting machines.<br /><br />Around 20 people were killed and scores injured on polling day alone. Analysts have sought to downplay the impact of the Maoist's poll violence. Bibhu Prasad Routray, research fellow at the Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management has written that "Maoist violence on April 16 affected a meager 0.09% (71) of the 76,000 polling stations that were identified as vulnerable in the first phase."<br /><br />He argues that Maoists suffered damage in the violence they sought to inflict on the security forces in the run-up to voting. While the Maoists have carried out spectacular attacks and did disrupt polls to some extent, they were not fully successful in effecting a boycott.<br /><br />Voter turnout in the constituencies worst hit by Maoist violence was a respectable 50%.<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Maoist influence runs through a stretch of territory referred to as the "Red Corridor". This extends from the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh through </strong></span><a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink3" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,3);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,3);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,3);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Maharashtra</strong></span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand up to Bihar. Areas in western Orissa and eastern Uttar Pradesh are also under Maoist influence. And they have some presence in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well.</strong></span><br /><br />The area where the Maoists operate has grown dramatically in recent years. In the early 1990s the number of districts affected by varying degrees of Maoist violence stood at just 15 in four states. This rose to 55 districts in nine states by the end of 2003 and to 156 districts in 13 states in 2004. Maoists are believed to be operating now in around 200 districts (of a total of 602 districts in the country) in 17 states.<br /><br />Government officials point out that these statistics and the name Red Corridor have conjured up images of Maoists being in control of a large swathe of land and posing a threat to the Indian state. An official in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region told Asia Times Online that while the Maoists do control "some area" in Dantewada district and are able to carry out big attacks in several states, in most areas of the Red Corridor they operate as a hit-and-run force. "They do not threaten the government, either at the state or the federal level and they are nowhere near sparking off a general uprising," he said, drawing attention to the diminishing public support for the Maoists and increasing resistance to their diktats.<br /><br />Human-rights activists argue that while the Maoist threat might "not have Delhi on its knees, it is a fact that the problem has laid bare India's failure to deliver good governance, to respond to the plight of the poorest and most marginalized sections of its population".<br /><br />Unlike jihadi violence that comes from across the border in Pakistan, Maoist violence has its roots firmly in India. Indeed, the Maoist problem has left India red-faced. Districts that fall in the Red Corridor are rich in minerals like iron ore and bauxite. But the people living there, who are largely Adivasi or tribal are desperately poor.<br /><br />Exploited by forest officials, contractors, mining companies and middlemen and neglected by the state, villagers in the Red Corridor are among the worst off in the country. And it is to liberate them from their oppressors and the Indian state that the Maoists claim to be waging their armed struggle. It is true the Maoists have improved life for the Adivasis by forcing local officials to dig wells or pay better wages to the villagers. But over time, the liberators have turned oppressors themselves.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Villagers who don't obey the Maoists have been killed and Maoist violence stands in the way of development projects. The scale of Maoist operations has grown dramatically over the years</span>.<br /><br />In November 2005, more than 1,000 Maoists stormed a jail in Jehanabad in Bihar and freed about 350 of their jailed comrades. Armories and camps of the police and paramilitary forces have been raided. A week ago, they signaled capacity to stand and fight the security forces.<br /><br />Around 200 Maoists stormed a state-owned bauxite mining company in the eastern state of Orissa, taking around 100 employees hostage. They battled for more than nine hours with members of India's Special Operations Group and its Central Industrial Security Force before they finally retreated. Analysts have drawn attention to increasing Maoist attacks on infrastructure.<br /><br />P Ramana, research fellow at the Delhi-based Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, has pointed out that 62 telecommunication <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink4" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,4);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,4);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,4);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new">towers</a> were damaged by the Maoists in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Orissa in from 2005 to 2008, with 43 of these occurring in 2008.<br /><br />These attacks are aimed at disrupting "<a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink5" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,5);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,5);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,5);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new">communication</a> amongst the security forces, as well as between 'police informants' - who have been provided cellular telephones - and the security forces, in order that operations against the rebels get impaired," he writes.<br /><br />The Maoists have also been blowing up power lines and service towers. In May 2007, they blew up three 132 KVA high-tension towers in the Bastar region, plunging six districts into darkness for a week and disrupting normal power distribution for a fortnight. "Functioning of hospitals, <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink6" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,6);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,6);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,6);" href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html#" target="_new">communication systems</a> and rail traffic, besides iron ore mines was badly affected," Ramana points out. In June of last year, two 220 KVA towers were blasted depriving 15,000 villages of electricity.<br /><br />Maoists have displayed their military capability through their high-profile attacks on railways and other infrastructure. They have been able to inflict losses running into millions of dollars on the state they are seeking to overthrow. But simultaneously they are inflicting heavy losses on the people they claim they are going to liberate. They have worsened the daily lives of some of India's most exploited people.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html"><span style="color:#999999;">http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KD24Df05.html</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-24146073285994231352009-04-20T09:50:00.000-07:002009-04-20T10:08:38.281-07:00** Crores in Secret Banks<a href="http://election.rediff.com/inter/2009/apr/20/loksabhapolls-in-five-years-indians-stashed-rs-688000-cr-illegally.htm"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://election.rediff.com/inter/2009/apr/20/loksabhapolls-in-five-years-indians-stashed-rs-688000-cr-illegally.htm</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">'In 5 years, Indians stashed Rs 688,000 cr illegally'</span><br /><span style="color:#660000;">April 20, 2009</span><br /><br />S. Gurumurthy the leading chartered accountant who is also the convener of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, is a member of the taskforce created by the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani to bring back the black money stashed away in various banks outside India if the National Democratic Alliance is voted back to power.<br /><br />The first report by the taskforce was released a few days ago. Other than Gurumurthy, those involved in the preparation of the report was former Intelligence Bureau director Ajit Kumar Doval, Dr R Vaidyanathan from the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore, and lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, the BJP candidate from the Mumbai North-Central constituency.<br /><br />In this exclusive interview with Shobha Warrier, Gurumurthy discusses tax havens, secret bank accounts and what the taskforce's plans are.<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>You are part of the taskforce created to bring black money back from secret bank accounts abroad. The BJP has made it an election issue. Were you instrumental in getting Mr Advani to take up the issue?</strong></span><br /><br />This is a subject I have been working on since 1986. In fact, I was even arrested because I was trying to dig into the secret accounts of the Gandhi family. I have always been talking to many politicians on this subject; I had also spoken to the BJP.<br /><br />At that time, it was more ideal to work on it than anything practical. It is not that India on its own can prevent global black money being generated, because there are countries which help the generation of black money by their laws, and Switzerland is the most important of them.<br /><br />These countries provide secrecy, and anybody can go and deposit money incognito. Their laws prohibit the disclosure of names. Only rarely, where you can link the money to corruption or drugs, is it possible to trace the flight of capital. For that, they have treaties with different countries, including with India. But you need to know the name of the criminal and his account number to ask for the details.<br /><br />It has always been a question on the minds of the Indian people and also those keen on establishing the amount of money that has gone there, but there was no proper estimate. But this has always been a topic of debate in the minds of those who are interested in the country.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Why did the BJP decide to take it up as an issue now?</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">It is essentially because of the turn in the Western nations' approach to secret banking due to the economic crisis in the West. The West began feeling the pinch of secret banking. They felt that the financial system is getting destabilised because of the generation of black money.</span><br /><br />Black money in the West is not as much flight of capital as it is evasion of taxes. <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>In India, it is both black money and flight of capital.</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Were the recent developments in Germany, with its authorities asking for the secret names, the turning point?</span></strong><br /><br />The Germans took the step of bribing a bank official of the LGT Bank in Liechtenstein by paying $6 million. They got a secret CD containing 1,500 names of people who have stashed away money, and nearly 500, 600 of these were Germans. They acted against them, which included the head of the German postal system.<br /><br />Then they told the entire world that anyone could ask for the names and if the names of those countries' nationals were there, they would part with it free of cost. All the countries made a request, but not India. So, Advaniji wrote a letter in April last year, but an evasive reply was given.<br /><br />Three other things also happened. One, after Germany acted very powerfully, there was a big diplomatic row between Liechtenstein and Germany. Liechtenstein is a place from where secret trusts are created and monies are deposited into Switzerland. It is a principality.<br /><br />Then, Germany took up the issue in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's 17-nation platform (Switzerland is one of them) and asked for blacklisting and sanctions against Switzerland. France also joined Germany. This happened some time in October last year.<br />Switzerland did not know what to do then and they began lobbying. France and Germany then took it to the G-20 preparatory meeting. They said at the G-20 meeting on April 2 that they were asking for blacklisting of and sanctions against Switzerland and all those countries that were not cooperating.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">So that was why Mr Advani wanted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to raise the issue at the G20 meet?</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">At that time Advaniji felt as the PM was attending the April 2 meeting, he should take up this issue. But our people remained silent at the G-20 preparatory meet.</span><br /><br />See what India did. We didn't forcefully ask the Germans to give us the particulars. When Germany and France took up the matter in the OECD, we didn't welcome it. When they took up the matter in G-20 we did not support them or join them.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">So, from all this arose a big question, whether the government was at all interested in working against illicit Indian monies abroad. That is why Advaniji took up the matter. As the government did not take it up, the BJP had to take it up as an electoral issue.</span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">The Congress said Mr Advani was lying...?</span></strong><br /><br />It is like this: A theft has taken place, and you are arguing about how much has been stolen. Nobody denies the theft! <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Nobody denies the loot!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">How much black money from India must be there in the secret Swiss accounts?</span></strong><br /><br />A global study was conducted by an expert, Raymond W Baker, which we have quoted in the report. He published a book in 2005, Capitalism's Achilles Heel: Dirty Money And How To Renew The Free Market System.<br />After 2001, secret money became an issue of security. So America became worried about terror funding which takes place only through secret banking channels.<br /><br />His book estimated the black money to be $11.5 trillion which is increasing at the rate of $1 trillion every year, out of which $500 billion is stolen from developing countries.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Is the report one of the reasons why the BJP decided to raise the issue?</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;"><br /></span></strong>That alone would not have helped. The change in the economic situation made the Western countries try to break banking secrecy. That was the most important point. US President Obama has proposed a law to break the secrecy.<br /><br />Like I said earlier, you have to join forces at the global level as the battle needs to be fought at the global level. That is the reason why the BJP decided to take it up.<br />The GFI study only indicated the magnitude of the problem.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>It says between 2002 and 2006, the amount of money stashed away from India would be on an average <span style="color:#000099;">$27 billion a year</span> and totally about $137.5 billion which is equal to <span style="color:#000099;">Rs 688,000 crores</span> in just five years. So, the fact of the loot can never be disputed.</strong></span><br /><br />What the Congress is trying to do is to dispute the maths of the issue. The fact is, whatever be the amount, it is very big.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Why do you think the Congress is not taking up the issue?</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Obviously, a large part of it must be Congressmen's money, they have ruled the country for 50 years.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Why did <span style="color:#ff0000;">Sonia Gandhi</span> not speak on this subject? She is said to be a close friend of Ottavio Quattrocchi and it has been established that he had received bribe money from Bofors through secret banking systems and tax havens. The Central Bureau of Investigation successfully traced the money and kept it frozen. He was allowed to leave India first and then take the money back. </span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"><br /></span>I believe the lead family of the Congress party is a suspect in the matter of foreign money and that is why the family doesn't want the banks' secrecy to be unveiled.<br /></span><br />Their friends are the only people who have been caught so far. No other Indian has been caught except the people associated with the Gandhi family in the Bofors scandal.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">What are the taskforce's plans?</span></strong><br /><br />First, he (Advani) wanted us to find out what the global position was. That is the first report we gave. We have said it is doable if we work on an appropriate strategy. We have to also generate a national consensus and arouse a high level of consciousness among the people about the issue.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Is that the reason why a survey was conducted in Gujarat on black money in secret bank accounts?</span></strong><br /><br />Yes, the BJP wants to make people to proactively think and participate in the campaign.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">You are talking about huge sums of money. If at all we manage to bring it back to India, what do you say India should do with it?</span></strong><br /><br />Even if 25 per cent of what they are talking about comes back, India's rating will go up because it's our own money and not borrowed money. It can transform the economic personality of the nation.<br /><br />The BJP manifesto says if the money comes back, it will be used for fundamental purposes like rural roads, schools, poverty alleviation and things like that. It will be used for social causes and not building airports.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">Will the current global recession make people look at globalisation from a different perspective?</span></strong><br /><br />Capitalism will undergo a lot of changes because today's capitalism is not what Adam Smith conceived or Karl Marx opposed. Today, capitalists are not the people who handle capital; it's the professionals. It's somebody else's money that the professionals are handling. So, it is not capitalist's capitalism; it's professionals' capitalism.<br /><br />Now, a further change that has taken place is, it is not actual money, but virtual money that is being used. Imaginary money has been created by brain power and that is put to use as real power. That is the crisis today.<br />This kind of capitalism will be gone and the original capitalism where 'I look after my wealth' will come back again. That is good for the world. This other man's money I handle which has promoted the expenditure-driven market mechanism is a product of neo-capitalism.<br /><br />Banking secrecy was considered one of the virtues of capitalism. Now, they call it an evil! This is the U-turn in one year!<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">In one of your earlier interviews, you told rediff.com that globalisation was not sustainable.</span></strong><br /><br />Who is talking about globalisation today? Today, it's just not environmentally, ecologically and culturally sustainable. I have always maintained that it was not economically sustainable, because it is contrary to the very meaning and definition of economics which is associated with frugality.<br /><br />It is an executive class economics different from the economy class which brings out the difference between economics and excessiveness.<br /><br />Moreover, globalisation disregards the existence of countries; they talk about a global society, global rule, global citizens, global villages, etc. It was an absolutely idealistic idiosyncrasy. That is gone.<br /><br />Who is talking about the WTO? I told you long ago that the WTO will not last. If you create an artificial structure, it will not stand. People in different parts of the world have their own models of living; you cannot homogenise them, make them wear the same dress, eat the same food, or see the same cinema or have the same goals. This is what West-centric globalisation attempted, and got the first taste of it in the last four, five years.<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Will people start thinking in terms of swadeshi?</span><br /><br />People will be more conscious of their surroundings, their people, their family and their society first, and not the distant world.<br />The distant world is good for a visit, but not for domicile.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1398768568467558581.post-91493529733003384582009-04-18T09:04:00.000-07:002009-04-18T09:16:52.497-07:00** Neo-nationalismNeo-nationalism: The last stage of globalisation?<br />By R. Balashankar - Organiser<br />April 19, 2009<br /><br />China cannot stop swearing by Communism though it has adopted western capitalism in its entirety. Similarly, the G-20 proclaimed that globalisation is still the most dominant economic idea though countries are increasingly turning protectionist and state ownership, in factors of production, has never been so critical as it is today. The synchronised macroeconomic stimulus package repeated over the last few months have not stopped the world from falling deeper into recession.<br /><br />Socialism for the rich brought about by the zealots of globalisation is under attack with jobless rates in developed countries being pushed to double digit. So what has happened to capitalism and what is going to be the fate of globalisation?<br /><br />Ten days before the world leaders assembled to rescue capitalism, the US administration insisted on a change of guard in the bankrupt Detroit automobile industry as a precondition for the bailout package. Similar was the fate of American International Group (AIG), when its executives were forced to pay up 90 per cent of the $165 million in bonuses, as tax after the finance company was helped survive on tax-payers’ money.<br /><br />This is the unit whose manipulations came perilously close to bringing the world financial system to its knees. What has not yet been adequately addressed is the sea-change in social attitudes towards amassing wealth by a few for a few and its impact on politics in the coming years. The parties in India are becoming competitively populist in their election manifesto. The votaries of third generation reform and neo-liberalism have been silenced by the parties for fear of public wrath.<br /><br />Indian politicians are turning pro-poor though a cursory glance at the declaration of assets at the time of filing of nominations show that Indian politicians have become filthy rich during the period of globalisation. Only that this is the season of “free lunch”, subsidy buttered with offers of free rice, electricity and loan.<br /><br />Poverty has again become fashionable in India’s political discourse. Globalisation has not been an unmixed blessing. It increased poverty while it created millions of neo-rich politicians and business class.<br /><br />The G-20 heads of state meet last week in London was the second major global effort in the last six months after the September 2008 meltdown. Globalisation in its present format is a tool to perpetuate Western, especially American hegemony.<br /><br />The G-20 summit did not give any hope to the developing countries that this format will change to their advantage. Apart from the plan to restructure the IMF there was not a single positive suggestion to liberalise the construct of world economic order. The rules are framed in such a way as to exploit the market and resources of the world to the economic and strategic interest of the developed countries. Our leaders, plead ceaselessly for better deal for the developing countries and reform in the structure of IMF and World Bank.<br /><br />In the nineties the nationalist forces in the country opposed the WTO. We had serious doubts about the IMF, and globalisation regulations which systematically corroded the country’s economic sovereignty. The critique on capitalism is not to discourage private enterprise. Indian economic thinking has traditionally encouraged free trade and individual enterprises. Private property was at the core of our economic philosophy. The sentiments in support of the creation of a developed egalitarian society is not to suggest Socialism as a viable model.<br /><br />Our economic agenda has to be uncompromisingly nation-centric and that is the value every great nation tries to promote even as it tries to cloak its real interest in the jargon of globalisation. The great recession has offset the sheen of globalisation as envisaged by the Washington Consensus which emerged out of the ashes of the Cold War and the fall of Communism. India has immensely gained as a result of the economic liberalisation and we are today the second fastest-growing economy in the world. But is this growth sustainable? Is the model of globalisation the panacea for our problems of underdevelopment and poverty? The big growth stories of the services and IT sector would suggest that globalisation has indeed changed the way India thinks and lives. We are adopting a new idiom, a new lifestyle, a new dress code and a new culture which are essentially western. We have a world view which is essentially money centric and we have replaced humanism with wealth creation. Profit justified the concept of gambling and gambling, greed and extravaganza replaced traditional business based on ethical regulations, manufacturing, agriculture and investment on value-added products.<br /><br />One of the celebrated books on globalisation, The World Is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman vividly describes the impact of globalisation on a typical Indian company office. “…you see that all the computers are running Microsoft Windows. The chips are designed by Intel. The phones are from Lucent. The air-conditioning is by Carrier, and even the bottled water is by Coke. In addition, 90 per cent of the shares in 24/7(Call Centers) are owned by US investors.<br /><br />This explains why, although the United States has lost some service jobs to India in recent years, <span style="color:#ff0000;">total exports from America-based companies—merchandise and services—to India have grown from $2.5 billion in 1990 to $5 billion in 2003</span>.<br /><br />So even with the outsourcing of some service jobs from the United States to India, India’s growing economy is creating a demand for many more American goods and services.” (Page 29). (Import from US to India by 2006-07 increased substantially to $ 12.6 billion.)<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">That is not the entire story. The jobs being outsourced are mostly such no American is willing to do or they consider them below their dignity and low paying.</span> <span style="color:#000099;">Indians are paid one-fifth of the salary that an American will get because India is poor and the unemployment high with people willing to do any job for a smaller pay. This way, American companies save hugely on their labour bill.</span><br /><br />For call centres immediately after recruitment the Indians are sent to an “accent neutralisation class” to make them speak like Americans. Their lifestyle and dress code undergo similar changes. See how globalisation is changing India. Indian units of US companies file thousands of patent applications on indigenous products they develop and market as theirs. The standards are set by them.<br /><br />There are reasons to believe that the present crisis in the financial market of western economy is a great opportunity for the developing world, particularly India.<br /><br />Now we have the leisure to think afresh on the direction of our economic growth. The world order seems distinctly moving towards multi-polarity. This possibility was discounted for long. The wave of protectionism, the antithesis of globalisation, has become a core philosophy with the West.<br /><br />As a result, US which was the main destination of international migration has begun to repel migration. Reports talk of at least six million job losses in that country in the last four months. India will soon elect its next government.<br /><br />The UPA government has unfortunately created a clientele mindset in the Indian establishment, vis-à-vis the US. The Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon during his recent visit to the US was so beholden to the big power that he justified not taking up the issue of denying Indians HI-B visa with the US authorities.<br /><br />His plea was that it was a “sovereign function” of the US. After the mega bailout to stimulate its economy, the US does not want its own money leaking to other economies. So the government is enforcing “Buy American” clauses and restrictions on job outsourcing on companies availing the bailout benefits.<br /><br />The US administration, recently cleared a $2 billion sale of maritime jets to the Indian Navy—something that was needed to keep the troubled airplane giant Boeing’s books looking good. It is not only the Indian money, market and services that America needs. American transnational companies like Boeing, General Electric, McDonnell-Douglas and General Dynamics will soon need to renew Indian contracts. Indian government has levers to apply on all these deals.<br /><br />But it will need political will. And India has to apply them because globalisation is not a one-way street.<br /><br />The writer can be contacted at <a href="mailto:editor@organiserweekly.com">editor@organiserweekly.com</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=286&page=4"><span style="color:#999999;">http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=286&page=4</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com