Benazir Bhutto's Liquidation

The extermination of Benazir Bhutto from the Pakistani political landscape, due to the successful accomplishment of a murderous commission by bigots, is a mortal blow to the aspiration of the Pakistani citizenry, which was to witness the birth of democratic practices again in their homeland. Benazir, despite being excoriated in the past for the culture of favouritism and bribery that proliferated during her two tenures as Pakistani PM, commendably represented the thirst for democracy in most Pakistanis. She was one of the significant constituents of the Pakistani polity. She was indubitably one of the more moderate and saner voices emerging from Pakistan, in spite of her previous track record of backing the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan for strategic reasons during her two stints as PM. Her egalitarian vision of the future of Pakistan had no space for terrorists and fanatics and this was made amply evident in her addresses to the Pakistani public. Her convictions had admirably changed during her years in exile. She was probably the only Pakistani politician who candidly acknowledged the presence of Dawood Ibrahim, Maulana Azhar,etc. on Pakistani soil to the Indian media and promised their deliverance to India if their existence was confirmed. She was a liberal and tolerant personality, who had understood the futility of the policy of mollifying extremist forces,during her period in exile. She unambiguously deemed that the eradication of fanaticism, which had become the bane of Pakistan, must take place and she would be the one to initiate it if elected to the post of PM.

Pakistan's Diversion Of U.S.' Monetary Aid

The report in the New York Times, which accuses Pakistan of misusing the monetary aid, worth billions of dollars, granted by the U.S. to combat the dreadfulness of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, is unsurprising. The Pakistani military's untrustworthiness and surreptitious association with terrorists for furtherance of its objectives in the region is a well-documented fact, replete with credible evidence. India 's rightful standpoint on this issue, which has remained intact for several years, is being ultimately acknowledged by the pivotal capitals of the Western world. The raison d'être for the unsuccessfulness of the war against terrorism on many counts so far is the Pakistani military's adroitly half-baked attitude and determination to eradicating terrorism from its own soil and from the areas bordering Afghanistan, especially in the North West Frontier. This unsettling development, which to many in the Indian defence sector, is an open secret, only serves to highlight the need for India to be cagey in its dealings with Musharraf's Pakistan . The utilisation of American financial help to purchase ultra-sophisticated weaponry is indicative of the predictable 'siege mentality' of the Pakistani defence establishment, which still views India as a severe threat that needs to be obliterated, notwithstanding almost four years of thaw in bilateral relations.

Gujarat's Association With Modi

The election of the Narendra Modi-led BJP to power in Gujarat,by an awe-inspiringly mammoth margin,is indicative of the effective dissemination of the BJP's ideology throughout most constituencies of the state.The triumph of the BJP symbolises the actuality that deliverance of substantial advantages and benefits to the residents of a state can culminate in the yield of the trust of the people being showered on a party in the form of enormous votes bequeathed to it.The majority of the residents of Gujarat have portrayed their gratefulness and indebtedness to Narendra Modi and his uncompromisingly proficient mode of governance through returning him back to the Chief Ministerial seat by casting votes in his favour.It is a reflection of the psyche of the Gujarati people and their adoration for an authoritarian but efficacious leader.The pseudo-secularism and falsehoods of the principal opposition parties have irked the Gujarati citizenry, who have witnessed the fallaciousness enshrined in these parties.They have conveyed their admiration for Modi's convictions and, by granting Modi another five-year term in office,have revealed the state of their minds,which feels secure under Modi's dynamic leadership. It is time for the media to acknowledge this reality.

Modi And His Critics

The incontrovertible charisma and the indubitable dynamism that has exuded from the functioning of the Narendra Modi-led Government in Gujarat,ever since the BJP's previous electoral triumph in November 2002,is found unpalatable by his fiercely prejudiced opponents,who are on the lookout for any ground, notwithstanding its authenticity,to castigate Modi's persona and governance on.These critics of Narendra Modi are not just confined to the political arena but go beyond it into the world of the mass media.The psyche of majority of the constituents of the Indian intellectual class and political school in general has been percolated by the concept of an execrably concocted version of secularism.This kind of an inexcusably prejudiced mindset towards a leader, in the name of (debauched) liberalism and egalitarianism,lends itself to the forces of partialness and destructive bias in the process of critiquing the largely undeniable efficaciousness of the Modi-led state Government over the past five years.The laudably unimpeachable accomplishments of the regime in executing economic enhancement thereby contributing to the state's vividness and in prohibiting the proliferation of terrorist recruits by virtue of preventing the successful implementation of any terroristic mayhem since the Akshardham carnage is testament to the praiseworthy administrative skills of the CM and his stewards.In comparison to the rest of the nation,the actuality of no terror attack in Gujarat after Akshardham is commendable.

Degeneracy Of India's Secularism

The politics over Taslima Nasreen's stay in India is reflective of the degeneration and degradation of the egalitarian notion of secularism in India.The execrable inconsistencies in the standpoints befriended by political outfits over the issue convey the hideous reality of the conquest of India's secularism by the practitioners of destructive appeasement politics,who deem ineffectually and cowardly,that communalism and extremism emanating from minority communities are less monstrous than that being championed by individuals belonging to the majority.This is a fallacious argument,and if rigidly and spinelessly adhered to by our politicians,and also by the media,then the envisioned intellectual advancement and the capacity of tolerance of our country's people to dissenting views is bound to be held hostage to the unjustified and contemptuous diktats of an unholy and ultra-zealous minority of hoodlums.We wouldn't be protecting secularist principles,rather inexcusably betraying them by succumbing to these fundamentalists' demands.Nasreen's condition is pitiable but all the sane members of the civil society should take up the cudgels for her.It would be an unpardonable tragedy of enormous shame if the Government fails in its obligation to defend Nasreen.An appropriate manner of doing that would be granting of permanent citizenship to her.

U.P. Blasts

The almost simultaneous blasts occurring in the vicinity of the courts located in Lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi remonstrate the intrepidness of the members of the sleeper cells based in India. The fanatically unsettling audaciousness of the functionaries of these sleeper cells are a mournful and frightening reminder of the fragility of India's preparedness to deal with security-related exigencies. The stark assessments provided by the Intelligence agencies on the subject of penetration of Indian society by recruits of these sleeper cells are a dreadful eye-opener to the ultimate aspiration of these terroristic elements.Their gruesomeness is witnessed frequently through the barbaric visage of terrorism and the subsequent catastrophe. The staff of these secret sleeper cells successfully strike Indian cities at will on receiving orders from their overseas masters. Our Government appears to be callously unaware of the gloominess of the scenario, which is assuming threatening proportions every day. The direness of the reality is the connivance of some indigenous elements with the perpetrators of these vicious crimes. This mountainous threat might seem insurmountable but an adequate dosage of perspicacious tough-mindedness and a candid acknowledgement of the danger will lead to an effective fight against it.

Kolkata Protests

The communal protests in Kolkata, championed by vandalistic elements, over the issue of the extension of Tasleema Nasreen's visa, that snowballed into violent anarchy, reflect unequivocally and unambiguously the colossal dangers associated with promoting and patronising destructive minority politics whose fountainhead is the culture of appeasement. Some of the elements that participated in the clashes were backed by the Left Front at some point in time in the past to solidify and buttress their minority vote bank. The encouragement of the bigoted ideologies espoused by these rabidly prejudiced and sectarian minority forums, all in the name of 'secularism', has only emboldened these outfits to capture the law into their own hands and create mayhem on the streets, thereby grievously fracturing the pace of normal civic life in Kolkata. The city has been held hostage to the whims and fancies of these narrow-minded people. Tasleema shouldn't be moved out of India in an act of mollification to soothe the despicably violent rage of these lumpen elements.

Karnataka's Misfortune

The pitifully consistent political developments in Karnataka that have snowballed into a embarrassing crisis for the imagery of the state reflect sickeningly on the malaise that has crept into our polity at large. The unhealthily unbridled motivation for acquiring the supreme political seat of the state has led to a severely shameful loss of reliability, believability and dependability of the all political parties in the state.Bengaluru, the showcase destination of I.T. of India, regrettably is a constituent of a state that is governed by unpredictability and the whims and fancies of the honchos of political outfits whose principal aspiration is to spinelessly ensconce themselves in the state's political structure completely dishonouring ethics and political decency. The nauseating reality is most of these politicians will triumphantly emerge back to power after the completion of the next Assembly election for the people are posed with no viably laudable alternative.

India's Federalism

The PM's remarks on the inefficacies posed by the multi-party model of Government at the centre, and the resultant detriments Indian federalism has had to endure, might initially appear to be a harsh rebuke of the true essence of democratic ethos and values. A fairer, holistic and neutral analysis of his comments made at an International Conference would reveal that there is merit and worth in the PM's misgivings and frustrations at the lack of progress being made in advancing and securing India's vital interests on all fronts, due to the parochialism of regional parties, which are solely bothered about furthering their local objectives, in complete disregard of the consequences of their rigidity and chauvinism to their country's wider wellbeing and credibility. It does risk the effectualness and the integrity of India's federalism and creates conducive conditions for the stagnation of India's growth, importance and prosperity. Indian citizenry must vote in a single national party to power with a decisive mandate to prevent the bickering that is an integral feature of fractious coalition governments.

Pakistan Emergency

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's decision to proclaim an emergency thereby suspending the country's constitution might, on the outset, seem like a route chosen by an archetypal dictator of a country accustomed to the iron-fisted grip of its military establishment on the country's political and judicial landscape.There are some compelling reasons though for the issuance of emergency in Pakistan.The hydra-headed monster of Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamist terrorism that has ravaged Pakistan over the past year is beginning to assume catastrophic proportions.Internal instability due to tardily indecisive judicial activism and the unabated proliferation of extremist ideologies through the demagoguery of puritanically revivalistic mullahs, zealously desirous of usurping the writ of the Pakistani Government, manifested amply during the Laal Masjid crisis, has created a dysfunctional country.Pakistan's primary function in the war on terror needs strong executive powers albeit with the tolerable snatching away of civil liberties.India needs to be heedful and adopt a diplomatically noninterventionist approach.

Needless Appeasement Of China's Reservations

The UPA Government's recommendation to all Cabinet ministers to refrain from attending a felicitation ceremony to honour the Dalai Lama for having received the highest civilian U.S. award recently is uncalled for and an act of unnecessary obsequiousness towards China's standpoint and reservations about the Dalai Lama's intentions. The function, being organised by the Gandhi Peace Foundation and the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum For Tibet, is to congratulate the Dalai Lama for having received the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal a few weeks back. Countries like Australia, Canada, the U.S., etc. have lately refused to entertain China's diktats and kowtow to its belligerence by welcoming the Dalai Lama on their soil and treating him as a guest of honour by making their senior Government officials interact with him. India, after having repeatedly expressed its opinion of Tibet being an integral constituent of China, should not go any further to mollify the Chinese, and more so, after China's incessant claims over Tawang.

Marriage Process Reform

The SC order urging the states to declare, through the implementation of a law within three months, that registration of marriages is compulsory irrespective of religion, is a laudable and progressive verdict. Not many Indians are known to register their marriages due to myriad reasons.One of them pertains to absence of religious sanction for marriage registration. This is a notoriously unhealthy habit, in spite of the fact that the process of marriage registration is an unambiguous one. Untrustworthy, criminal, chauvinistic and morally corrupted elements have taken advantage of the loopholes existing as a result of the presence of Personal Laws and Marriage Acts for various religious communities. The sufferers, who have to bear the brunt of these lacuna, are married women, who get exploited in the name of religion. This declaration by the SC is a welcome relief and a step in the direction of righteousness. India must have a law which unifies the conflicting processes related to the legality of the institution of marriage rather than have divergent practices, which don't portend well for the future of India by encouraging a ghettoised mindset characterised by an unwillingness to reform.

Indo-U.S. N-Deal Soap Opera

It is surely perplexing, to no definable extent, as to why the Left Front in India would want to oppose the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, which by all means, is a deal that will grant India a seat of honour in the international nuclear community, without infringing upon the status of her strategic nuclear programme and in the absence of India having to join the discriminatory Non-Proliferation Treaty. The fact that they don't possess valid, viable, concrete and infallible evidence to back up their vehemently irrational opposition to the agreement is self-evident. The only tangible ground for their outright denunciation of the Indo-U.S. nuclear pact is their unstinted and above-the-nation adherence to Communism and their deference in the direction of dictatorial China, which, after the inevitable dismantlement of the Soviet Union, has become the fountainhead of inspiration for Communists all over the world. Any agreement that will 'impinge' upon China's stature is anathema to Indian Communists, who will got to any length to display loyalty to their ideology and prevent India from embracing a deal very much in her favour.

Ideology Over National Interest

Rigid dedication to a particular ideology, even at the cost of frittering away vital strategic gains, has the potential of becoming a bane for the progressive political, economic and strategic integration of India into the global political pecking order. The Leftists, with their unstinting and unadulterated obeisance to a historically much discredited Communist ideology, are endangering India's legitimate rise in the ladder of relevant nations. The Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, which would have opened the gate of advanced civil nuclear co-operation with the international nuclear community and not just the U.S., was a route through which India could have asserted itself confidently as a responsible and influential regional and world player. The U.S. is the only country which has the diplomatic wherewithal to convince NSG nations to grant India a specific exemption from barriers to civil nuclear trade. The Leftists, whose Communist ideology deems any strategic co-operation with an infinite enemy like America a sin, and who conveniently express zealous admiration for our neighbouring Communist giant, are selfishly acting as creators of obstacles in India's path to development only to protect their 'subservient ideology' in spite of knowing fully well that China and Pakistan too have conveyed their displeasure over the nuclear deal.

Curse Of The Leftists

The Left parties with their objections to the Indo-US nuclear deal have unambiguously laid bare their credentials of being vassals of a foreign country. The deal, which is a golden opportunity to put forth India on the map of international nuclear commerce, is on the verge of collapsing due to the groundless objections raised by the Left Front for irrelevant and alarmist reasons. The nuclear agreement is a wonderful initiative of the current regime having the potential to fulfill India's electricity-related desires and also secure strategic gains for itself in the global political and economic order. The IAEA chief, Mohammad El-Baradei, with his unstinted backing for the deal, and a friendly U.S. administration, have granted India a fantastic opportunity to become a welcomed player in the nuclear commerce market. We shouldn't let go off this advantageous climate and play into the hands of enemies of the deal, both in India and our neighbourhood.

India's Credibility At Stake

The UPA Government, by succumbing to the pressure tactics of a minority of ideological vassals thereby putting the nuclear deal on the back-burner,has not only risked eroding India's credibility at the international level but also in the minds of the Indian citizens.The Indian citizenry,which was thus far highly impressed with the forthrightness,courageousness and spirit of initiative displayed by the Government in campaigning for the deal thereby steering India's strategic and energy policies down the path of pragmatism,has been shell-shocked by the Government's sudden turnabout just like the American administration officials.This breach of trust and confidence has the potential of blemishing India's strategic ties with the U.S. and the wider international community,who will deem the signing of landmark initiatives with India as being hostage to the whims and fancies of regional satraps and 'outside supporters' of coalition governments,which is a prevailing trend in the Indian political landscape.The Indian people are also left feeling embittered witnessing the Government's spineless kowtowing on the nuclear deal to the diktats of a minority.Time will tell whether the public will return this Government to power or vote in a party with a decisive mandate,finally ensuring that India's long-term interests are looked after rather than short-term ones.

Opportunism vs Pragmatism

The opportunistic, insane and anti-national opposition of the NDA and the Left Front to the Indo-US nuclear deal is another example of partisan politics drowning India in a pool of messy and humiliating complications. This strident disagreement threatens to block the passage of a favourable deal in our national interests, which will dismantle the nuclear apartheid prevailing against India for the last three decades and lay the foundation of the emergence of India as a globally relevant nation. Beijing's discomfiture at the prospect of the operationalisation of the deal is an unambiguous indication of China viewing the deal as one which grants India enviable concessions, which Beijing would never want to see the light of the day. The Left's sincere kowtowing to China's world view is an open secret, and the government would be committing a momentous blunder if it lets the deal slip by, thereby nullifying the painstakingly admirable efforts taken by our diplomats in the negotiating process, and also eroding India's credibility to such an extent from which she will find it excruciatingly difficult to recover.

Al-Qaeda Threat

The newly released Al-Qaeda CD stating that Indian and U.S. diplomatic missions are legitimate Al-Qaeda targets emphasises the fact that Al-Qaeda has always considered India to be its enemy and a 'conspirator along with the U.S. and Israel' in the global war on terror. The Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan also candidly admitted that the Al-Qaeda, through the Lashker-e-Tayyaba, has always been present in India, to further its nefarious goals and bigoted ideology. The Indian government must stop being cagey about admitting this reality and stop fooling themselves by expressing that Al-Qaeda will find it difficult to set foot in India and 'establish bases'. The harsh fact is that Islamist terror which wreaked havoc in India in the 90s has internationalised in the aftermath of 9/11. The rightful improvements in Indo-US/ Israeli strategic ties have only exacerbated the raison d'être for Al-Qaeda's ire against India, which always existed. India needs to stand firm and further strengthen her alliance with the West and Israel to combat the venomous menace of international terror.

Deepening Of Indo-U.S. Ties

The torturous but successful negotiations leading to the finalisation of the 123 agreement between the U.S.A. and India is a sign of the increasingly positive direction Indo-U.S. relations are headed toward. The personal intervention and determination of the Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Vice-President Dick Cheney and President Bush indicates America's strong desire to forge closer geopolitical, geostrategic and economic ties with India for reasons pertaining to national interest. Rice's recent invitation to India to join a potential U.S.-led club of democratic societies and the suggestion of the irrelevance of NAM also make it abundantly clear that the trust deficit on both sides is beginning to diminish and both sides realise the fruitfulness of cooperation between the world's largest and the oldest democracy in areas of trade, defence and globally relevant political issues. The concern of China wanting to establish its hegemony over Asia and considering India as a rival in its path makes it all the more imperative for India and the U.S. to form an alliance to safeguard each other's interests.

Global Terrorism's Indian Recruits

The involvement of two Indians in the UK terror plot plainly exposes the fact that Al-Qaeda and other international terrorist outfits possess Indian recruits too. Indians have, with a sense of pride, verbally brandished for long that international terrorist outfits like the Al-Qaeda have not been able to radicalise and recruit a single Indian Muslim. That certainly isn't the case any more. This was a catastrophe waiting to happen. India has to wake up to the fact that transnational terrorism no longer targets only the West for ideological reasons. India too, is considered by international terror gangs as one of the morally prime targets for destruction in order to further their goals.Meanwhile, it was heartening to note that there was co-operation between Indian and British intelligence agencies in regard to the UK terror plot. The negative consequence of all of this would be racial profiling, which has become a necessary evil.

Salman Rushdie Knighthood

The knighthood awarded to Salman Rushdie by the British government is indeed a very courageous decision irrespective of whether it estimated the reactions the awarding of the knighthood to Rushdie would generate in the Islamic world. Britain is now having to deal with violent reactions in the Islamic world and intimidation from Islamist groups. Without getting into the debate on the merits and demerits of Rushdie as a writer, I would like to say that it is the sovereign prerogative of the British government to decide whom to knight. The Islamic countries have no right to dictate to Britain to rescind the decision. Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister's ambiguous statements, in a way, justifying suicide attacks on Rushdie after this 'honour' being bestowed upon him, are appalling and highly condemnable. The issuing of death fatwas in India against him are totally against the law of the land and encourage violence.The Islamic world should not give undue publicity to Rushdie and his knighthood. Britain certainly shouldn't succumb to these kinds of despicable and violent pressure tactics practised by elements in the Islamic world.

Purdah Controversy

The UPA-Left Presidential nominee Pratibha Patil's statements on the origin of the 'purdah' system in India is historically correct. I can't fathom as to why such a huge hue and cry is being raised in the academic circles and the political arena about her statements. The Leftist historians' criticism about her statements is filled with hypocrisy. They always seem to find fault with historical facts that are even minutely critical of the minorities. This pseudo-secularist corruption and distortion of Indian history by leftist historians and the fact that, in the name of 'secularism', sections of the Indian media too have supported this warped view of theirs is symptomatic of the intellectual corruption and intolerance that exists in this country which states that, any fact, if deemed unacceptable to a fringe section of the society, should be opposed. The 'ghoonghat' symbolised respect for elders and there were practices like the 'swayamvar' in India back then. In all this hullabaloo regarding her speech, the essence of it, relating to social reform, which was very relevant and praiseworthy, has been sidelined, which is unfortunate.

Juvenile Criminals

The present age limit of 18 for juvenile offenders has to lowered to at least 15 in light of increasing number of grisly crimes being committed by individuals below 18 years of age. In spite of committing horrific crimes, they are not punished like the others are because of the fact that they are juveniles. With increasing exposure to the Internet, television and the various ' ills' associated with technological advancements, juveniles committing heinous crimes can no longer be treated with compassion and be let off scot-free without being made to serve time behind bars. Focusing only on the juvenile offenders responsible for the execution of despicable crimes and pleading for their sympathetic treatment is a huge mistake. What about the victims' of such crimes and the plight and mentally horrific state of their relatives? It is time that we focus more on their trauma as well rather than trying to act like Samaritans by demanding an 'understanding' treatment of these juvenile offenders. Tougher penalties will act as a deterrent. Reforming brutal criminals is a utopian idea not efficiently practicable. There needs to be a fear of the law in the minds of these offenders. It is sickening to see juveniles who commit ghastly crimes then turn around to say that they did not know what they were doing.

Celebrity Arrogance !!

It is shocking to see Sanjay Dutt giving interviews to the media flouting the directive applicable to all convicts out on bail. It is a very canny 'public relations' strategy garnered to extract public sympathy at a time when his sentencing is just a few days away. In spite of the judge stating to the convicts not to give interviews to the media, seeing Sanjay Dutt have the audacity to give interviews to the media in the recent past is extremely disappointing and displays the scant regard for court directives our 'celebrities' have and of the 'privileges' at their disposal.

Idi Amin's Legacy

It is imperative that the Indian community in East Africa establish strategic and pragmatic relationships with political parties of various hues belonging to that region. They must form a powerful lobby of their own which will speak about and strive to protect their interests and this is all the more necessary in Uganda because of unfortunate historical reasons. Follies committed in the past by the Indian community shouldn't be repeated and being isolated from politics was one of them. Also,Indians must treat the native Ugandans with dignity, ensure equitable wealth distribution and not treat them as 'second-class' citizens, which was the case, to a certain extent, in the past. There were some reasons for that, one of them being the 'colonial mentality' because of which Indians in Africa were given more rights and privileges by the colonial rulers than their native black counterparts which resulted in some instances of Africans ( Ugandans ) being mistreated by their Indian employers. Therefore, there was some support for Idi Amin's move. The spirit of co-operation and harmony must exist between Indians and Ugandans which can work wonders for the Ugandan society economically and culturally.

A Long Forgotten Community

The suggestion made by the PM's Working Group on J&K that the right of Kashmiri Pandits to return to the valley be made a part of state policy is a welcome but long overdue one. It is indeed a sad irony which reflects very poorly on our society that thousands of Pandits,whose ancestral homeland is Kashmir, have been living as refugees for so many years in their own country, having been forced to flee Kashmir due to the fear of terrorists who have killed so many Pandits. Their plight has almost been forgotten by the civil society, very many NGO's and 'human rights groups' who waste no time in talking about 'minority rights' in different parts of India,that of terror suspects and convicts, but who are conspicuously absent when it comes to talking about protecting the rights of Kashmiri Pundits. I fail to fathom this dichotomy. The government has clearly left them in the lurch and even those few Pundits living in the valley, instead of being provided adequate protection,are targets of terrorist 'ethnic cleansing'. Even while debating the peace process, Kashmiri Pundit representatives are rarely called in to express their views. It is about time that we took concrete steps in all fields to redress blunders of the past and help out the Pundits.

India And Israel- Partners

The visit of a top-level Israeli military delegation to India to discuss counter-terrorism and anti-infiltration strategies is welcome news.It is in India's geopolitical and strategic interest to establish a strong relationship with Israel. India and Israel have made rapid strides over the past few years in the defence arena and that has immensely benefited the Indian military.Israel has had years of experience countering terrorism and has done it remarkably well with dogged determination and resolve.This week is also, coincidentally, the 40th anniversary of the six-day war in which the 19 year old Israel crushed three Arab states led by Egypt, which was trying to threateningly corner the Jewish state.With infiltration attempts rising this year in J&K, the meeting with Israeli military officials will help in providing our military with greater insight in tackling this menace.India's association with Israel must not only be restricted to defence ties but should spread to the agricultural sector too since Israel has made admirable progress on that front and agriculture is in a state of crisis in certain parts of India.

Joint Indo-Pak Anti-Terror Mechanism Failure

The concept of a joint India-Pakistan anti-terror mechanism was never going to succeed and it comes as no surprise whatsoever that the mechanism appears to be fading away.Such mechanisms can prove to be successful only if both the parties who are a part of it are honest and sincerely desirous of peace.Pakistan can never turn off the 'terror tap' till the Kashmir issue is resolved to their satisfaction.India genuinely wants to establish a peaceful relationship but as long as Pakistan continues to use terror as a state policy to weaken India, such endeavours will fail miserably.Manmohan Singh's statement describing Pakistan as a 'victim of terrorism' was a bizarre and humiliating climbdown and another addition to a long list of foreign policy gaffes this government has been responsible for.The foreign policy mandarins in the Indian external affairs ministry who thought this concept would work must have surely been out of their minds.Vigilantly aggressive diplomacy is the need of the hour because the 'terror facts on the ground' in Pakistan and PoK still remain the same.

Border Trouble

The report stating that Pakistan is engaged in the construction of bunkers posts extremely close to the zero line in J & K enabling them to monitor every Indian move is an extremely worrying development. But what is more worrying and shocking is the public response of the Indian government or to put it appropriately, the lack of any effective public response. It looks as if Pakistan is taking advantage of the peace process to strengthen its positions on the international border, thereby helping terrorists infiltrate into J & K. Meanwhile, Manmohan Singh describing China as 'India's greatest neighbour' at the sidelines of the G8 summit in the backdrop of China's recent extremely aggressive diplomatic posturing on Arunachal Pradesh is appalling. With China showing no signs of softening its stand and with reports of alleged Chinese military incursions into Arunachal Pradesh, why is the Indian government bending over backwards to appease China. The Indian government's public response has always been very timid. It is almost as if the government has forgotten the art of vigilantly aggressive diplomacy. We mustn't get carried away hoping for peace like we did in the 50's with the 'Hindi Chini Bhaai Bhaai' sloganeering which only resulted in giving us humiliation.

Nuclear Deal Politics

It is obvious that the U.S.A. expects India to be on their side when it comes to the Iranian nuclear programme issue.It would have to be a very canny balancing act that the Indian government will have to employ.The U.S.A. wants to get as many countries as possible in their camp to squeeze and isolate the Iranians because that is in their national and geopolitical interest.Many U.S.A.senators and Congressmen, more from the Democrat side and some belonging to the Republican camp, are of the view that the nuclear deal can be used as a justifiable reason to exert pressure on India to vote against the Iranians.The awfully messed up Iraq war has only increased Iranian influence in the region making Iran a hugely relevant player in Iraq which has only worsened matters for the U.S.A. That wasn't the case during the secular rule of Saddam Hussain. Yes, for all his ills, Saddam was remarkably secular and a modernist. Now, with him gone, theocratic Iran will play an influential role in Iraq with Iraq being a Shia majority country, mirroring Iran in this case. So, if the U.S. expected Iraq to be a beacon of 'Western style liberal democracy', then that is definitely not going to materialise.The Indian government can't afford to be a fencesitter in the issue of the nuclear deal and will have to take some tough decisions pertaining to our national interests and not let domestic politics dictate Indian foreign policy.

Graham Ford As India's Coach

Graham Ford, if appointed India's next coach, would be an ideal candidate to replace the hard-nosed Australian Greg Chappell, whose term was marked by controversies. Ford's record as South Africa's coach speaks for itself, with South Africa winning 9 out of 11 test series and 63% of their ODI's during his tenure as coach. His calm and composed demeanour, keen technical eye, willingness to spend time with players to iron out their technical flaws, his reputation being that of someone who prefers to stay and work in the background and let the players do the talking had earned him the tag of being a 'players' coach' during his stint as Natal's and South Africa's coach. Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener all hold him in high regard since he worked with them in the early to mid 90's while coaching Natal. All this is what Team India desperately needs, after being bruised and battered by the Chappell experience of the last two years. The fact that he has the backing of captain Rahul Dravid and most other players and also since John Emburey,the other contender,doesn't have very impressive coaching credentials should ensure that Ford gets the coaching job.

Sri Lankan Conundrum

The Indian government has justifiable reasons to be concerned about China and Pakistan making substantial inroads into Sri Lanka by helping the Lankans out militarily in their fight against the LTTE. India is having to deal with the influx of so many Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, some of whom might be LTTE sympathisers.This is proving to be burdensome.It was only inevitable that India would be faced with this geopolitical and strategic conundrum. The emergence of coalition politics and various compulsions that are associated with it are just not conducive to India developing a comprehensive geopolitical vision designed to solely safeguard our enlightened national interests.Hence, the government appeases the DMK by not supplying Sri Lanka with offensive militarily capabilities, thereby forcing the Lankans to look elsewhere, consequently letting our neighbours gain a foothold in Sri Lanka.The diktats of regional parties and domestic issues influencing the foreign and strategic policy of India is a dangerous trend.

Double Decker Buses Rule !!!!!!

Double decker buses have been an integral part of Mumbai city's transport system and also of the lives of many Mumbaikars. These buses are simple yet elegant in their appearance. There is an 'old world charm' about these buses that makes it a delightful experience to travel in them which is why so many Mumbaikars have wonderful memories of double decker buses etched in their minds. These buses have also provided efficient service to Mumbaikars and continue to do so by accommodating more people than their 'single decker cousins'. Hence, the welcome decision to retain rather than discard double decker buses.

Stray Dog Menace

The BMC's proposal to set up dog homes on the outskirts of Mumbai is a very sensible and heartening one. All of us want Mumbai to be transformed into a modern and well developed city. Great cities all over the world do not have lakhs of stray dogs roaming around on their streets posing a constant threat to the lives of innocent citizens. Sterilisation policy has failed badly since the stray dog population has only increased and so have the number of dog bite incidents, resulting in the deaths of people. The animal rights groups also shouldn't have any problem with this idea since it doesn't involve culling, just a transfer of the stray dog population from the streets to dog homes where they will be taken care of and sterilised. It is 'early days' yet but I hope this proposal gets the 'green signal' and is implemented since it is in Mumbai's interest. Now, I know, the implementation of a particular proposal is an excruciatingly long process on most occasions in India, unfortunately. But from the look of it, this idea seems a good one. Strong willed state backing should help in a big way.

Revamping Of Mumbai's Railway Stations

The proposal to construct Western-style railway stations in Mumbai sounds very alluring.The state of infrastructure in some of our railway stations is absolutely pathetic.The citizens too need to shoulder some blame for this. Pragmatic commercial use of the rail land can go a long way in making the railways a financially self-sustaining unit.The thought of swanky malls and other commercial establishments in Mumbai's railway stations that will make the stations appear modern, developed and in sync with today's world is fascinating.It is a praiseworthy but ambitious proposal which needs strong-willed backing from the state political class and the railway authorities.If the proposal is accepted, it is Mumbai's image which will get a boost.

Bangladesh: The New Terror Hotspot

The emergence of Bangladesh as the new breeding ground of terrorism puts India in an extremely tight spot. India is caught between a rock and a hard place. The Indian government's focus must not remain only Pakistan centric when it comes to security matters, internal and external. With the world relentlessly putting pressure on Pakistan to crackdown on its terror infrastructure, Bangladesh, which was once a reasonably secular nation, has quietly become a haven for terrorist groups of all hues, ranging from ISI backed, anti-India Islamic extremist groups to the North-eastern terror outfits, which plan their strategies from safe houses in Bangladesh. It is indeed a pity that this is happening in a nation which we helped create. The proliferation of terror groups on the eastern front as well is a grave security concern. The only silver lining, probably, is that the current Bangladeshi regime seems more willing than the previous one to root out terror.

Arunachal Pradesh Is India's

China investing in communication technologies, increasing its asymmetric warfare capability, rapidly modernising their military and relying on high-tech information for cyber war signals that India must not go overboard and tread cautiously in its endeavour to establish friendly ties with China- 'Once bitten,twice shy'. The Chinese clearly have hegemonistic designs on Asia and India is a potential rival. With the Chinese having adopted an aggressive stance on Arunachal Pradesh by refusing to grant a visa to an Arunachal Pradesh IAS officer coupled with the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway and border roads,India must resolutely state its position 'loud and clear' of Arunachal Pradesh being an integral part of India, without compromising needlessly. In spite of knowing the Chinese position fully well, it is difficult to fathom why the Govt invited this embarrassment.

Kolpak Ruling.......A Threat to CSA !!!!!

Kevin Pietersen, Nic Pothas, Kruger van Wyk, Jonathan Trott, Jacques Rudolph, Ryan Mclaren, Craig Kieswetter....and some more........and who knows, could be Vaughn van Jaarsveld in the coming months..........hmmn.......got an idea of what I am talking about.....it is about the bitter and ever increasing exodus of cricketing talent from South Africa to countries such as England and Australia. It is not just restricted to Kevin Pietersen anymore, but is spreading and Cricket South Africa needs to put effective remedial measures in place before this exodus debilitates South African cricket.

It is all about some of these players taking advantage of the Kolpak ruling. The Kolpak ruling was the EU ruling in favour of Maros Kolpak, a Slovak handball player. In short, it stated that (when applied to cricket) cricketers from those nations which had an associate trading relationship with the EU could be hired by English county cricket clubs and play for them freely as professionals., subject to the Kolpak clause. A Kolpak player or Kolpak, is a term used in the United Kingdom for players in domestic cricket and rugby league from overseas, subject to the Kolpak clause. (The ruling, when applied to professional sports, meant that, if any sporting club chose a player who lived in the European Union,then no law could prevent that from happening. For example, a French baseball team could not be prevented from hiring a German player since both nations were members of the EU. However, since Kolpak was not from the EU, but from a nation that had an associate trading relationship,the decision meant that any player from any nation which had such a relationship with the EU could also freely play as a professional- Wikipedia).Now, the emotional reaction to all of this could be one of extreme hate and ultra-nationalism. Indeed, Kevin Pietersen hasn't been forgiven still, by some South Africans for his 'betrayal' of his birth country and he is someone not appreciated by very many South Africans, to put it mildly. The relevant question is, why are so many talented white cricketers leaving South Africa. One could 'sympathise' with Tony Greig, Allan Lamb, Robin Smith, Kepler Wessels and some others for opting to leave South Africa because South Africa in the 60's and 70's was a pariah nation. South Africa was criticised at many international conferences on political, economic and social issues for its apartheid policy (South Africa was probably the only 'officially' racist nation in the world then). South Africa was expelled from international cricket in the 1970 mainly because of the 'Basil D'Oliveira' affair. That left many supremely talented South African cricketers with no country to play for. Some of them were so passionate about cricket that they left their motherland to settle down in England with the aim of getting English citizenship, thereby qualifying to represent England. But many cricketing gems in the form of Barry Richards, Mike Procter, Eddie Barlow, Peter and Graeme Pollock chose to stay on in the Republic and not play for any country, displaying 'true' patriotism, though they must have felt 'gutted' to not be able to display their talents on the international arena. But the Republic was readmitted into the cricketing fold in 92 and everything seemed to be going well as far South African cricket was concerned. But since the beginning of 2000, when the quota policy(of including four non-white players in every match) was introduced and had to be strictly adhered to, South Africa has been witnessing white cricketers leaving the nation in droves. This is an absolutely worrying trend and one which doesn't look like stopping.

There are various reasons being attributed to this 'betrayal' (forgive my bias...........I am a loyal RSA supporter.......although I know I ought to be more balanced........will try)- better financial future in England, Australia and NZL; escaping from the 'high' crime rate in SA; inability to see themselves being part of a nation ruled by blacks; 'reverse racism' or 'positive discrimination' preventing them from getting an opportunity to represent SA. Let us try to dissect the points mentioned above in some more detail.Yes, it is true that professionals in the English county cricket circuit are paid more than those in South African domestic cricket. At times, life and securing your financial future does come above pride in playing for your country. England provides them with that luxury although I can't digest this reason completely because most white cricketers in South Africa are reasonably affluent....ahh........but even in South African domestic cricket, the quota system exists which again acts as an obstacle to the progress of the careers of these whites. As far as coming from reasonably affluent families is concerned, if you can earn more money by playing in some other country, then why not.........in this globalised world of ours today, nationality and identity does not figure as prominently in the minds of people and cricketers as it used to in the past. There are some cricketers, who say that, the spiralling crime rate in the Republic leaves them with no choice other than packing their bags and leaving, since the targets of crime in many cases are affluent whites. This is again, a predicament , which I tend to sympathise with, as much as I would like not to though. Andrew Hall(a white cricketer.......a bowling all-rounder) has been, what you could call, a 'famous victim' of mugging in the past. He survived since fate was on his side. And oh yes........the third reason, although despicable, is unfortunately, still, a bitter reality. 13 years after liberation, still, 'old-fashioned' racists and 'apartheid boeties' exist in South Africa, who fervently believe that South Africa was and will be be better off under white rule and blacks should be treated as 'third-class' citizens.....a pity....... if you visit some of the posh 'white localities' in SA, you will still get to see this disgusting mentality prevailing, not in the open, but behind closed doors. Some cricketers, I will take the liberty of including them in this category (Kevin Pietersen is one such example....while calling him a 'hardcore racist' would be unfair and incorrect....but somehow his dislike of the 'new' South Africa is evident.... I feel.......although he is a fabulous cricketer.....a star, undoubtedly). And I state that if racists do decide to leave South Africa, then the nation is better off without these 'dirt bags'. The Republic can do without them.

And now,the last and the most pertinent reason: the quota policy or as CSA would call it, the 'transformation' policy which desires to make cricket in SA a truly inclusive and popular sport and not just a game espoused by elite whites as was the case, generally speaking, in the apartheid and pre-1948 era. While this policy is very admirable and noble, a 'pragmatic' implementation of it is needed at the ground level, not a 'forcible' implementation, as has been the case, on certain occasions, in the past, which has only resulted in lowering SA's standard and competitiveness in international matches. It is this reason, that many whites say, is mainly responsible for leading them out of SA. They feel their abilities are being wasted and not utilised properly in South Africa and they will be able to serve other cricketing nations better.Also, these cricketers ( who leave SA for this reason) are very passionate about playing the game at the highest level and representing their country. They are not content just playing domestic cricket.......and hence they leave......and England, Australia are countries which they adjust in relatively easily because of cultural similarities they encounter in these nations. Look, my sympathies do lie with them, as much as I would like to castigate them. But then, again, it is not as if CSA is following in the footsteps of ZCU by discarding white players recklessly. If that was the case, Graeme Smith would not have been picked in the side, let alone be appointed captain. A B de Villiers, the 'blue-eyed boy' of South African cricket, for his amazing sporting skills, would not have been in the picture. Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Johan Botha.........would never have got any opportunity to represent their country..........but they have.......all these players have played for SA in the recent past and will be an integral part of the team in the near and distant future, for sure. All is not that gloomy and it is not as if, the situation is as dire, as it is in Zimbabwe, with regard to cricket. White South Africans need to have deep patriotic feelings in them and be proud of being a part of the 'new', 'non-racial', 'multi-coloured', 'unbiased' SA, for only that can motivate them to stay on. Smith has always said that he took pride in being a citizen of 'liberated' SA and it is that kind of sentiment that needs to prevail. But I know, the whites who decide to leave are human beings after all and human beings have their own 'moral frailties' and these white cricketers can't be stopped from leaving SA.......that would a ludicrous thing to do.

What needs to be done, however, is proper and practical implementation of the transformation policy, not picking non-whites just for the sake of picking to please political masters, for that would be detrimental to the health of CSA. Cricket infrastructure in the previously disadvantaged areas needs to be developed and improved relentlessly without a sense of complacency ever setting in. This process will take time, for cricket is not the No.1 sport in SA. Football is , followed by Rugby. No one should set unattainable and unreasonable deadlines for implementation. Patience is the need of the hour and if displayed continuously over the next, say, 10 years, fruitful results will be there for everyone to see and be proud of. For nothing can be a more genuinely pleasing and justice-delivering sight than to see a 'truly deserving' and 'meritorious' black majority South African cricket team stepping out onto the cricket field. But as is said, 'Rome was not built in a day'. All the genuine stakeholders in CSA will have to be patient and persevere. There will be many roadblocks on the way. But keep the final goal in mind without ever wavering..........

These are troubling times for CSA, undeniably. Astute, pragmatic and no-nonsense tolerating leadership is what will take South Africa into the territory of success ( I mean success in 'big' tournaments like the WC, etc) , both on and off the field, in terms of real transformation and popularising the game. My best wishes are always there with CSA as has been the case over the past 11 years and will be till the last breath of my life..........!!!!!!

APJ Abdul Kalam- A Fine President !!

I can say with a certain amount of confidence that APJ Abdul Kalam is liked by a majority of the 'knowledgeable' civilian population of India. His fairness, honesty, intelligence, achievements, integrity and refusal to dance to the tunes of political parties has endeared him to much of India. Although the Presidential post is a largely ceremonial one in India, it still holds some significance since the world's largest democracy wouldn't want to have a meek and spineless President. That would be an insult to India. However, in spite of him being quite popular, it is the politicians, sadly, who will get to call the shots while electing the next President. Most of them do not have any love for President Kalam because they obviously have difficulty dealing with a straightforward, forthright and frank President who has also recently suggested and rightly so, a stable two-party political system in India, to save India from, if I may take the liberty of saying so, the mess of 'insane' and 'paralysing' coalition politics.

Civic Sense Lacking

Apropos the survey carried out on behalf of the travel Web site Expedia, as much as I hate to admit this, it is not really a surprise that Indian tourists have, according to the respondents, been found to be loud, untidy and poorly behaved. As far as untidy and poor civic behaviour is concerned, it is a bitter fact that most Indians completely lack civic etiquette. Littering and spitting on the streets is a very common sight in most parts of India which can be nauseating. Tidiness and civic discipline are nonexistent in most Indians. I don't feel happy saying all this, but this needs to be admitted nonetheless. But I think such surveys will help in creating awareness about civic etiquette and civilised public behaviour which will eventually benefit us, and help Indians in creating a disciplined, clean and etiquette filled image of themselves. I sincerely hope that.

Need For Religious Reform ( Reflections Of A Non-Practicing Hindu)

The 'purification' ritual that was carried out by priests of the Lord Krishna temple at Guruvayur because of Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr. Vyalar Ravi's wife being a Christian is symptomatic of the deep malaise plaguing some Hindu temples in certain parts of India.Every religion needs to move forward with time, be flexible, adapt to ground realities and get rid of suffocating religious dogmas.Traditions and rituals are something to be respected, but they also need to evolve sensibly with changing times.Hinduism needs to do the same and adopt a more progressive and liberal face in this regard.It needs to reform itself from within to get rid of the ills present in it.It is here that the government needs to step in and play a sensible and pro-active role,not that of an imposer though, by urging a healthy dialogue between the traditionalists and the reformists.This process will take time, but has to begin sooner rather than later.It is ironic that in a supposedly 'progressive' and 'literate' state like Kerala, many incidents highlighting religious rigidity in temples have been brought to light.

A & N Islands Renaming

It is indeed perplexing as to why several islands scattered in an arc in the Bay of Bengal still continue to be referred to by the names of colonial British generals who played a role in the violent subjugation of certain parts of India. After all, 'indigenising' the Anglicized names given by our former colonial rulers is one very appropriate way of nation-building and reclaiming a nation's cultural heritage. It is an insult to the sacrifices given by many of our liberation fighters who were eliminated by these very same British generals in the struggle for India's freedom from British yoke. The indigenous peoples' histories and traditions should also be respected. There can be no better way of doing that than by naming some of the islands after what the indigenous people first named them and by finding out the significance behind those names. It would be a grave injustice to neglect and not acknowledge the histories, customs and traditions of various indigenous communities in the A & N Islands. after all, they lived here much before all of us i.e. the 'modern' world, so to speak.Most countries around the world have treated their indigenous peoples shabbily by regarding them as 'second class' citizens and by not looking at their societies with dignity and respect. India mustn't follow the example set by those nations. Mainland India also has an undeniable 'emotional' and 'patriotic' attachment with the A & N Islands and hence, it is absolutely necessary to name some of the islands after our freedom fighters, thereby satisfying and respecting the histories and contributions of both groups.

Reign Of Insanity !!!!!

The flip-flops of the Jamaican police investigating the Bob Woolmer murder case have been disgraceful.Stress, asphyxia, excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs, aconite, snake venom, weedkiller and now, natural death. I know this is a tough and thankless job. And I really would hate to be too critical of the Jamaican police. But I must say that they haven't covered themselves in glory. Their investigation has been a shoddy, ill-directed and aimless affair. The cricket world has lost a true gentleman in the form of Woolmer and this is the worst possible way he could have been treated after his death. A 'dignified farewell' is what Woolmer deserved and he hasn't got it as a result of this disastrous investigation which has lead us nowhere up to now. The media, especially the foreign media, has gone way 'over the top' while reporting on the case, for the purpose of 'sensationalising' the news, which will help in selling their newspapers.All kinds of reasons as to why Woolmer died have been splashed about by the media in an insensitive and insane manner. It pains me too see all this. Let us hope, for Woolmer's and his family's sake, that the case reaches its logical conclusion quickly.

Overdose Of Evil

Apropos Mr.Anil Thakraney's article 'Rape & Abuse' ( 'Ouch Potato', MM, May 22), positivity is not depicted for long in 'K' serials.The evil and senseless violence that is depicted in these serials makes me feel even the environment in 'hell' would be better.I, for one, start experiencing a 'splitting headache' on watching these soaps, for more than a minute or so.The musical reality shows are a case of 'too many cooks spoil the broth' with so much predictability in them and are extremely irritating.But there are wonderful exceptions to this 'disgusting' unwritten law (that of negativity, evil,rudeness and 'melodrama' being introduced in a show to increase TRP's) though.One of them is 'Baa Bahoo Aur Baby'.It is a refreshingly delightful and positively genuine serial where there is hardly any negativity depicted.It is also a popular serial which proves that negativity is not the only answer to increase TRP's.

Deal With The Menace 'Head On'

The current central govt repeals a stringent but necessary anti-terror law POTA since a certain community feels the law is against them,talks of giving safe passage to terrorists,procrastinates over the hanging of a convicted terrorist,conducts negotiations with the Naxals and ULFA before elections and does nothing to 'settle' the illegal immigrants' problem in spite of the SC verdict.These are just a few examples proving the feeble attitude adopted by the Indian govt while dealing with terrorism.The provisions in the existing IPC do not scare terrorists.America passed the 'controversial' Patriot Act after 9/11 and for all the vicious criticisms directed at Mr. Bush, there hasn't been a single terror attack on American soil after that.France has had stinging anti-terror laws for long now, and terrorists haven't been able to penetrate France.India must learn to toughen up and deal with the problem 'head on'.Otherwise, the same depressing story will repeat itself every 5-6 months.

Spinelessness and Impotence !!

The terror attack in Hyderabad (and in other parts of India over the past three years) has proved that the Indian government lacks a comprehensive national security strategy.Terrorism is a menace afflicting the world.It has hit India the hardest on so many occasions.Our leaders run the country in such a callous manner.In spite of so many terror attacks,the govt shows shocking impotence and spinelessness in dealing with terrorism.India is probably the only country in the world which has repealed a stringent anti-terror law which would have been effective in the long run.The moment someone talks of a stringent anti-terror law,they are branded 'communal' which is unfortunate.Appeasement politics is not going to take India forward.The govt and civil society must learn to be vigilant and take certain tough decisions in the interest of national security.The finger of suspicion,again, this time around,with good reason,is being pointed towards the usual suspect groups and yet we pursue peace with the nations sheltering them in a devout manner.It is time that we start aiming for 'dignified peace' rather than 'peace at any cost' with our neighbours.

Flagrant And Contemptous Hypocrisy

Pope Benedict's comments in a speech to Latin American and Caribbean bishops at the end of a visit to Brazil about the 'silent longing' of the indigenous peoples to be converted to Christianity is a brazen, racist and arrogant distortion of history.It is a well established historical fact that the native Indians did not welcome the violent colonisation of their land by the Europeans and majority of the indigenous peoples were forcibly converted to Christianity under horrific and brutal circumstances.The pillaging of indigenous peoples' wealth by the Europeans settlers strongly aided by the Church shouldn't be forgotten.The Pope's speech smacks of hypocrisy and is a slap on the souls of those many natives who were massacred by the colonisers and missionaries due to their refusal to convert.Gruesome crimes were perpetrated in Christianity's name.It is 'wishful thinking' on the part of the Pope to say that the natives welcomed the barbaric Christian invaders with open arms and benefited from their rule. The natives were at the receiving end of racism, bigotry, intolerance, and enslavement during Christian rule (Spanish and Portuguese rule) in South and Central America. A genuine, heartfelt apology to the indigenous peoples is required from the Pope. Surely, that can't be too much to ask for from a supposedly 'noble', 'peace loving' and 'forgiving' man like the Pope, is it ?

Maran's Resignation

Dayanidhi Maran's resignation as Communications and IT minister under tremendous pressure from the DMK,riddled with family feud, is indeed a very negative development.It speaks volumes about the 'supreme' power these regional leaders have in a coalition government, where they literally 'call the shots'.Maran's resignation just because an opinion poll conducted in a newspaper was found to be unfavourable to Karunanidhi's son's liking indicates that mobocracy and violence is rewarded in Indian politics( Tamil Nadu politics) and not merit. Maran was doing his job reasonably well.It is the prerogative of the PM to dismiss ministers and not of regional parties to call for their removal.Also, the pressure tactics being employed by the DMK to ensure that Maran's successor in the ministry is someone from the DMK itself is a real threat to the right of a PM, as enshrined in the constitution, to appoint 'suitable and deserving' ministers as per his wish. It also is a reminder of the fact that violence and Tamil Nadu politics are deeply enmeshed.

Threat From China

BJP MP Kiren Rijiju's startling claim of Chinese military incursions into Arunachal Pradesh and the concern expressed by the Defence Secretary on China investing in communication technologies, increasing asymmetric warfare capability and relying on high-tech information for cyber war signals that India must not go overboard and tread cautiously in its endeavour to establish friendly ties with China-'Once bitten,twice shy'. The Chinese clearly have hegemonistic designs on Asia and consider India as a rival. With the Chinese having adopted an extremely aggressive line on Taiwan,the rapid modernisation of Chinese military and the ugly story of Tibet and Xinjiang well known,India must resolutely state its position on the 'boundary problem', without compromising needlessly. I also wonder are the Communists( known for their subservience to China), who are outside supporters of the UPA, pressurising the Govt to go soft on China. The Govt must fasten the process of 'integration' of the three departments of the Indian military.

Pakistan Simmering

Protests that have erupted in Pakistan since the sacking of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry have only proven that the opposition to President Musharraf is growing and there is simmering discontent against his authoritarian rule.The clashes that took place in Karachi between pro-Mushrraf and opposition supporters and the brutal killings that followed have only discredited Musharraf in the eyes of many Pakistanis.Not many Pakistanis are willing to buy his argument that it was the politicisation of the Chief Justice's sacking that led to the violence.It is said that the hand that seizes power by force is often burnt. While it would be naive to predict Musharraf's downfall since he has been proven to be a canny and pragmatic leader in the past, the tide is slowly turning. India needs to be vigilant right now since all these developments could destabilise Pakistan which could spell deadly trouble for India since destablisation could put extremists in a position of power in Pakistan.

The End Of An Era!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tony Blair's announcement of his resignation as British PM signals the end of an era in British and global politics. It was a well choreographed exit. All of Britain and the world knew it was coming. His emotional,frank and conviction filled announcement just summed up the personality he was.Blair was the youngest PM Britain had elected to power since Lord Liverpool in 1812. He also was the first British PM to become a (legitimate) father while still in office in over 150 years,since Lord John Russell in 1849.

Blair was a wonderful,dynamic speaker responsible for transforming the Labour party fortunes and had the ability and zest to convince people about the efficacy of any 'cause' he believed in. He revived an almost dead Labour Party and transformed it in an amazing manner. His youthful exuberance,passion,dedication and determination was there for everyone to see. Great Britain had been under the grip of Conservative rule since 1979. Britain had grown weary of the 'Thatcherite' legacy by the mid 90's. But Blair always knew that 'Old Labour' had to make way for the new one. He believed that the Labour Party had to adopt and adjust to the new domestic and global realities, if it wanted to be a relevant force in British politics. He zestfully went about trying to convince the Labour Party workers about the need for change and reform. His persuasive oratory skills won the hearts and minds of majority of the Labour Party and he was appointed its leader in 1994. His landslide election triumph in 1997 proved that Britain also wanted change and in Tony Blair, they found a young,modern and energetic PM who was very committed to reform and abolition of the 'rigid, old' social, economic and political order in Britain.

The British economy did fairly well during his tenure in which he introduced controversial market based reforms.There was opposition from the 'old guard' within his own party who accused him of being more conservative than the Conservative Party itself. He was responsible for bringing Labour from the left to the centre of British politics. He believed that was an essential constituent of Labour's transformation and adjustment which he was trying to bring about. Old fashioned, rigid socialism was not the answer,Blair stated. Socialism which was in sync with modern times and which was flexible enough to adjust to global ground realities was what Britain and the Labour Party needed, according to Blair, and he went about trying to do that, with some success in the initial many months of his Prime Ministership.

Constitutional reforms such as devolution in Scotland and Wales were initiated by him.That was an absolutely dangerous political territory for any British PM to tread on,but he did with a sense of pragmatism and balance. He always believed in the oneness and unity of Great Britain. But he was also aware of the fact that many Scottish and Welsh people were desirous of freeing themselves from the shackles of London rule. So,he thought the best way of pacifying and assuaging their feelings would be by giving the Scots and the Welsh 'autonomy'. That was a very bold decision to take, but a decision which earned him praise from many quarters, including from pro-independence Scots, who said his clever and pragmatic manoeuvring had resulted in satisfying many Scots. He also took keen interest in establishing peace in strife-torn Northern Ireland. That was one of his pet-projects. Northern Ireland had been synonymous with conflict and violence since the late 60's and many innocent lives had been needlessly lost. Sectarian strife between the Catholics and Protestants was horribly high. Neither could stand the sight of each other. Most Catholics wanted separation from Great Britain and unification with Ireland. They cherished that dream. On the other hand,most Protestants favoured a continued association with Britain. It was perceived to be one of the most intractable conflicts,where neither side was willing to compromise in the interest of peace. The Unionists were as adamant as ever, demanding that the military wing of the Republicans be disbanded completely under adequate supervision. The Republicans continued to ask for compromises from the Unionists' side and were hesitant to disarm and disband under the supervision of any party. But Blair was adamant in his desire for peace and prosperity to return back to N Ireland and he worked tirelessly to promote that desire of his. He knew that the process would take a long time to succeed and hence, was patient. But he always stressed on the need for diplomacy to talk rather than guns. And after overcoming many pitfalls in the process, finally the peace process made headway and on May 8,2007, Reverend Ian Paisley of the Democratic Unionist Party took up office as the First Minister Of Northern Ireland as part of a devolved government(dyarchy).

Blair always advocated an assertive and pro-active Britain. He wanted Britain to become more of a player in international affairs.He contributed to peace in Kosovo by sending in British troops there to stabilise the strife-torn country. Civil war between the ethnic majority Albanians demanding independence and the minority Serbs had erupted in Kosovo and people on both sides were losing lives needlessly. Belgrade then stepped in by sending troops there which only worsened matters, hastening international intervention. Blair's pro-active role in resolving the Kosovo crisis earned him much praise from the international community and even in Britain. Blair always maintained that Britain had to be there in areas of conflict, to liberate the oppressed and the suffering. He stated that international intervention 'liberated' Kosovo.Then, the turning point in Blair's political career came when 9/11 happened. That changed the world in a big way. Blair before 9/11 was a very close ally of Clinton. He always stressed that Britain had to maintain close relations with the US. Their relationship was essential in spreading democracy and enlightenment in those parts of the world where 'darkness' existed. His loyalty to the Clinton administration was unflinching. Bush with his Texan swagger came to power and one expected British-US relations to cool off. 9/11 changed that. His visit to America in the wake of 9/11 and his support of American values won him the hearts and minds of many Americans. Again,when it came to supporting American foreign policy with regard to Afghanistan, he was there,on America's side.He sent British troops to liberate that war ravaged nation which was under the grip of terror supporting Taliban. It was a strategically accurate and morally noble war which resulted in success. His popularity was at an all time high. But all good things come to an end. The badly messed up Iraq war and 'incorrect intelligence' (sexing up of the intelligence) related to WMD's will always haunt him in the future. His valiant but unconvincing defence of himself really lowered his public image .British public started swinging against him. There were protests against the war.He was accused of being an American poodle. But his loyalty to American foreign policy and Bush remained unquestionable. He believed that Britain needed to work with America on various matters rather than criticise it from the outside. Still,in spite of all this, Labour won the 2005 general election albeit with a reduced mandate. He was elected for a third term as British PM,a record for a Labour politician. But controversies continued to hound him, most notably the 'Cash For Peerages' scandal. But in the midst of all this, he was involved in several notable projects. For example, his focus and admirable zeal on giving aid to help out Africa in poverty and disease reduction. But his resignation announcement was widely expected and it came on May 10,2006 when he stated that he would not be staying in office after June 27,2006.His unflinching conviction in any mission close to his heart, however, was an integral part of his personality. His firm belief that Britain's interests would be taken care of by maintaining a friendly relationship with the USA was a case in point. In spite of being at the receiving end of harsh and vicious criticism, he stood firmly on his belief. Under his tenure, Britain's relations with India also received a huge boost.

And finally,he has resigned at an age when most Indian politicians start undergoing political training...........He definitely will leave behind an interesting legacy that can be described as bitter-sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ideal Relationship !!!!

I took this test out of sheer boredom and this is the result it delivered................pretty much on expected lines!!!!

Your Ideal Relationship is Marriage

You've dated enough to know what you want.And that's marriage - with the right person.You're serious about settling down some time soon.Even if you haven't met the person you want to get hitched to!

What's" Your Ideal Relationship?

My Inner Hero- Paladin !!!!!

My Inner Hero - Paladin!


I strive to help others, and to bring truth and harmony to the world however I can. Whether times are good or bad, you can always count on me. I'm a shoulder to cry on, a champion for the helpless, and an all around nice person.

How about you? Click here to find your own inner hero.

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: A True Indian Hero!!!!

Gohar Khan's allegations against Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw just prove that Pakistan has not been able to get over the hammering and humiliation it had to endure from India in the 1971 war.Under Mr. Maneckshaw's admirable leadership, Indian forces masterminded the rout of the Pakistani military within a matter of days.His smart,canny and mature leadership skills during that war also lead to the dismemberment of Pakistan.His leadership also symbolised the genuine secularism prevailing in the Indian military.These unconfirmed, baseless and preposterous allegations just before the release of his book prove that Mr. Khan is more interested in selling his book to a wider market segment just like Musharraf did last year before the release of his book which contained non-sensical accusations levelled on India.It may also be Gohar's ploy to salvage the negative legacy of his father by bringing up such matters. These allegations are just absolutely ABSURD, nonsensical and deserve to be thrown in the dustbin.

A Theatre Of The Shocking And Brainless

The PM's panel's suggestion of giving safe passage to terrorists is really shocking.Healing touch is required to win over the hearts and minds of some Kashmiris,but this is an absolutely ludicrous way of going about trying to achieve that.This would only lead to more terrorism as the government would be indulging in a massacre of our national security interests.The morale of the Army would be shattered as they are not capturing terrorists to release them finally as per the whims and fancies of their political masters.They are doing a commendable job by defending our territorial sovereignty and they shouldn't be betrayed like this.Such terror appeasement policies just will not work, for terrorists need to be taught lessons the 'hard way'. Being soft while dealing with them will ensure that India is stripped of its pride and dignity as has happened in the past unfortunately.

Pakistan:The Epicentre Of Global Terrorism

The admission of the existence of terror camps in PoK by Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan is a vindication of the Indian government's position which has remained unchanged for years.The revelations also reflect a certain 'disconnect' between Islamabad and the PoK leadership which India needs to observe carefully.It is only a pity that the West has failed to heed Indian concerns regarding terror infrastructure in PoK and proves in no uncertain terms that Islamabad has failed to respect the promises it made to India to dismantle PoK's terror factories as per the January 6,2004 agreement.The Indian government must not let Pakistan off the hook this time around atleast by keeping silent.They must use these admissions to launch a diplomatic offensive to expose Pakistan's involvement in aiding and abetting anti-India terrorist groups as these 'dirty tricks' of Pakistan will act as a hindrance to 'peace initiatives' .

Mahakali Caves: An Architectural Wonder In A State Of Neglect

I had visited the Mahakali Caves in September 2005 with my group members as part of our History project. What we had to do was visit any monument in Mumbai and talk to the people who were responsible for its upkeep. We also had to find out about the history of the monument of our choice, analyse tourism prospects of the monument,etc. Our group decided to do a project on Mahakali Caves.

HISTORY

The Mahakali Caves (or formerly Kondivita Caves) are Buddhist Caves dating back almost 2000 years. The present day Mumbai city region is made up of seven small isles. The islands are Mahim, Bombay, Colaba, Mazagaon, Parel and Old Woman’s Island. Further north laid the large islands of Salsette and Trombay.Artefacts found near Kandivili in northern Mumbai indicate that these islands were inhabited since Stone Age. In the third Century B.C., they were part of the Magadha Empire ruled by Emperor Ashoka.The Elephanta Caves, Kanheri Caves, and the MAHAKALI CAVES date back to this era. After the decline of the Magadha Empire, Buddhist monks still remained on this island.

Kondivita was a Buddhist cave, as we know by now. But with the decline of the Magadha Empire, and the ascendancy of Hindu rule, there arose a dispute among the powers that be about the status of Kondivita.It was a very spiritual, holy and a deeply respected site. The Hindu rulers ruling the region realized the importance of the site. Therefore, without destroying the sanctity of the site by destroying it, they changed the name of the site to a Hindu ‘MAHAKALI CAVES’. Then rumors were spread that the site was actually an abode of Goddess Mahakali.This is one of the many theories offering an explanation for the name ‘MAHAKALI CAVES’.

MAHAKALI CAVES: A UNIQUELY PRECIOUS ARCHITECTURAL JEWEL

The architecture of the Mahakali Caves is, simply put it, breathtaking. It may not be a Taj Mahal or a Qutubminar if we go by the architecture. But the simple fact that the architecture of these Caves has lasted all these years, by and large, also proves that the quality of the material used for constructing it the first time must have been superb. Some portions of the Caves are in ruins, but the vast majority of it is intact. The Caves are carved out of a solid black basalt rock. This complex is fairly big, with around 20 cells and caves. But the stress here is on function, not norm.

Like Kanheri, Kondivita was also a center of Buddhism, so the modern name ‘MAHAKALI CAVES’ is misplaced. The Caves are carved into a long hillside, which immediately brings to mind, Kanheri.But the large-pillared chaitya and the bas-relief Buddhas of Kanheri are not to be found here. Instead, one small cave in the middle houses a stupa inside a capsule like chamber. The right wall of this Cave has a panel depicting a seated Buddha and a few Buddhist legends. Finally, the stupa has been appropriated by shaivites as a lingam.

Two other caves in Kondivita merit attention because of their distinct and unique features. One is the first cave, which has a multi-tiered look. It was probably used for meditation and rightly so. It is the perfect place for meditation. I also meditated there for a few minutes and wow, didn’t I feel as if I had been in another spiritual and holy world while I was meditating in that place. The other interesting Cave is towards the end of the row. It has a small-pillared hall with nine chambers opening into it. These are typical and characteristic features of Buddhism, which has been depicted very obviously, through the architecture of the Caves.

The architecture of the Caves is very real, in the sense, that it transports you back into the era in which it was built. At certain times, one almost feels surrounded by God. Atleast, I did feel so. The architecture clearly depicts the era in which it was formed and also the way of life of people in those times.

TOURISM PROSPECTS: PROS AND CONS

All these features make MAHAKALI CAVES a very ideal destination for all those people who are avid historical tourism buffs and also who are fascinated by the architectural beauty and wonder of various heritage sites. Frankly speaking, I would say that MAHAKALI CAVES is like a precious jewel amidst some of Mumbai’s trash. It provides a whiff of fresh air as compared to some of the other architectural wonders that we see in Mumbai.The Kondivita or the MAHAKALI CAVES are by far the cleanest of Mumbai’s lesser caves. One is quite familiar with Victorian style architecture. But one very rarely gets to see ancient pre-Christian heritage sites reasonably well-maintained and their architectural magnificence. The Caves are also reasonably tall which also provides people who like trekking with a good trekking experience on a smaller scale. The view of the area, which we get while standing atop the Caves, is awe-inspiring. One gets to see the lush greenery prevalent in the area surrounding the MAHAKALI CAVES .The sight is very picturesque. It is just a pity that it has not been given the adequate recognition it deserves. So come on people, take your digi-cameras, your pen and pencil, your trekking boots and pay a visit to the MAHAKALI CAVES. You are sure to enjoy the fabulous ancient architectural brilliance of the Caves and the surreal experience, which you will encounter.

But the fact that the Caves have not been given much prominence has also contributed to its downfall in many ways. It is not very clean, though it is still cleaner as compared to some of the other caves. But still, the entry to the Caves is filthy. There are not enough garbage disposal squads in the area. There are no proper guides inside the MAHAKALI CAVES to give us good precise information about the history, significance of the Caves. Lack of prominence has also meant not much care has been taken to replenish and refurbish the few extremely vulnerable parts of the Cave. Lack of funds has also severely hampered the development of the Caves as a picnic spot for parents, children. Lack of funding has dented the building of proper infrastructure in the area closely surrounding the Caves and also inside the Caves. The Caves have also become a haven for drug addicts, gamblers. Little wonder that not many people go and visit the Caves or take their relatives. The Caves are surrounded by shanties and have been encroached upon. There are not enough security personnel to ensure that people who do visit the Caves do not litter it with waste which, most of the time, they do considering the horrendous civic sense of we mumbaikars.

EPILOGUE: A GENUINE APPEAL TO CITIZENS

On the whole, I would still say that the ‘MAHAKALI CAVES’ is a place worth visiting. It is precious jewels like these that show and prove the architectural wonder and diversity of Mumbai.It is our duty to respect the various diverse architectural heritage sites, which we Mumbaikars have been gifted with. We must take adequate care of not just those heritage sites which are famous and have been given prominence all these years, but also of those sites which are unheard of and have not been given much publicity, but are still equally, if not, more praiseworthy. The MAHAKALI CAVES is certainly one of the many precious gifts, which Mumbaikars have been gifted with. The least we can do is pay a visit to this beautiful heritage site and give it the respect and dignity, which it duly commands. We, citizens must do our level best to properly maintain the cleanliness of the area surrounding the Caves and also by urging those visitors who dirty the area, not to do it. We, citizens can also start a ‘MAHAKALI CAVES’ fund from which the money will go to the development and proper maintenance of the Caves. This idea may sound a little far fetched, but with a little enthusiasm and public spirit, this may well go on to become a shining success and an example of what the participation of zestful local citizens can do. But the saying, “FORM IS TEMPORARY, CLASS IS PERMANENT” certainly applies to this heritage site and I will vouch for that.

We owe something to this fabulous heritage site which has stood its ground for so… so… so many years, don’t we?

A Sojourn To Goa!!!!!!!

Everyone likes to travel to different places around the world, different spots in their own country. Nature has gifted us with such lovely places that no one would not want to visit them. I am certainly a travel buff, who loves visiting different places, studying their culture, architecture, people and history. It is a pity that I have been able to go only to Himachal Pradesh,Tamil Nadu and Kerala. There is so much more of Bharat that I want to experience (incudes Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, ArunachalPradesh, Lakshadweep Islands, A and N Islands, Sikkim,................. and of course, Jammu and Kashmir). Too much to ask for.......well,what the heck? Nothing wrong in having desires.

In January 2006, I visited a province of Bharat that I always secretly desired to visit-Goa. I had been to Goa as a part of my college picnic-cum-industrial trip (there was nothing concretely industrial in it, to be honest!). I being a history buff, knew of how the Portuguese oppressed the Goan people and destroyed the social fabric of Goa. So, I was all the more excited. There were about 150 students from my college who were in the trip,45 from my class. We left for Goa on Jan 9, 2006 at about 11.00 pm by Matsyagandha Express, half hour late. In the train, it was fun with friends in company. We were chatting,playing till 2-2.30 am and then dozed off to sleep. On Jan 10,2006, we reached Madgaon which is in Goa at about 12.30 pm, two hours late (No surprise,considering the Bharat railway system!) To be honest, I was very tired , so instead of being energetic , I was 'relieved' that I had finally reached Goa. We boarded a bus to reach our hotel which we did in about 40 minutes time. On the way,my first distinct impression of Goa was observing symbols of 'Christianity' almost everywhere on the streets (The colonial Portuguese certainly did their 'job' well while ruling Goa). There would be small to medium sized churches almost everywhere in open lands which were plentiful (unlike Mumbai). There was a St.Sebastian, St.Franco, St.Francis,...chapel in very many areas. I also observed colonial-style mansions, settlement blocks, cottage houses, which to be honest , were beautiful and a visual pleasure. On reaching our hotel named 'OLD ANCHOR', what I first saw was a sizable statue of Vasco Da Gama. The hotel was a big one, surrounded by trees, a splendid beach. The settlement blocks (like PORTO FRANCO,ESTADA DA INDIANA PORTUGUESA) in the hotel where we were logded were just awesome. I along with 8 other friends was lodged at the 'BEIRAMAR' settlement block. The rooms were spacious, with good bathrooms and beds in it. Then, we left for Majorda beach which was a place worth visiting, had fun there. In the next two days, we visited CAVELOSSIM, CALANGUTE, BENAULIM beaches and had a blast there. Talk of Goa, and how can you forget white foreigners!They were there all over the places we visited and made their presence felt. It seems some of those white people were Indian citizens of Portuguese origin, holding dual nationality. The beaches were just so clean, putting to utter shame Mumbai's beaches. The sand was so soft, your feet were smooooothly sucked inside, to put it in simple terms. I went deep into the waters of the beaches and must say, it was some'experience' to see the waves rising above you,coming towards you, and then engulfing you. In the MAJORDA beach, I participated in the BANANABOAT RIDE, JET SKIING and NORMAL BOAT RIDE with friends. The JET SKIING was exhilarating and the BANANA BOAT RIDE was 'painful' fun. We also visited a Coca-Cola producing plant and saw how the drink we love so much is made right from scratch. We then made a visit to the 'BASILICA OF BOM JESUS' cathedral. The church was magnificient to say the least,statues were of pure gold (God alone knows where the Portuguese looted it from), clicked photos there, went to the art gallery where there were sermons preaching Christianity. In the art gallery,there were paintings on the various Christian Saints and their 'contributions'. We were taken on a cruise as well ,which was rather boring,for an hour, through the MANDAVI river. There was plenty to shop around, cheap clothes, cashews, antique pieces, although some of them were a wee bit expensive. Special mention must be made of the food which was served to us in the hotel. It was delicious. Why wouldn't it be delicious when you are served various types of paneers, tasty north Hindustani delicacies, soups, a single non-veg dish for all 'animal lovers' and top-quality desserts like BREAD PUDDING, MOONG DAL HALWA, SUJI HALWA, VERMICILLI KHEER, TRIFLE CUSTARD, JELLY CUSTARD, various ICE CREAMS, BANANA RUM PUDDING, etc. I am not exaggerating, mind you. I had to make mention of this (my mouth is watering while writing this). We left Goa on Jan 13, 2006 at around 10.00 pm and reached Mumbai at 8-8.30 am the following morning.

What a trip it was!!!! Loved almost all bits of it. There is so much evidence of 'Portuguese'ness in Goan culture that you have got to live with it,like it or not. It is not like other parts of India,atleast the places where I went. For all their ills, the Portuguese did a few good things for Goa as well. The happy-go-lucky, free-wheeling, liberal culture of the Goans is what makes it such a hotspot for tourists. That is the Goan identity and it must remain that way. It shows how liberal, diverse and accomodating India is!