For Petty Gain

Letter to Congress President: OROP BillboardDesignation of Maj TC Rao is President Ex Servicemen Cell (DPCC)Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSMChairman262, Sector-17A, Gurgaon – 122 001IESM/OROP/2009, July 2009Dear Madam,I draw your kind attention to the publicity bill boards that have appeared recently at many public places in Delhi. In these one Major TC Rao (retd) has expressed gratitude for the grant of ‘one rank one pension’. Photos of a few political leaders, including yourself, appear on top of the advertisement. A copy of the advertisement is attached for your perusal.Major Rao uses the honorific of President Ex Servicemen Cell (DPCC). It is not known whether he is using the medium of propaganda for furtherance of his personal ambitions or whether the effort has the official backing of the Congress party or the government; his being a Congress functionary prima facie suggests the latter. Whatever it is, my aim in addressing this to you is to point out that the claim made in the advertisement if false. The fact is – and is well known to the environment – that the government is not implementing ‘one rank one pension’. If the government is indeed granting ‘one rank one pension’, all pensioners have to be brought at par, rank-to-rank and service-to-service. Merely removing the differences between the pensions of distant past and recent past cannot be construed as ‘one rank one pension’.The false propaganda has caused great anguish among the Ex Servicemen community. It is also hurting the image of the Congress Party. I would request that the bill boards be taken off from public places.With best regardsYours sincerely,Sd xxxx(Raj Kadyan)Smt Sonia GandhiPresident Indian National Congress10, Janpath, New Delhi

Kargil Heroes

http://reportmysignal.blogspot.com/2009/07/kargil-war-heros-tribute.html

OPEN YOUR EYES SOLDIERS

AN ARMY OF OCCUPATION: A BUREAUCRATIC VIEW OF THE MILITARY Many defence analysts are of the view that had the Kashmir war not started in 1947, in less than a decade the Indian army would have been reduced to a constabulary. When the subject of modernization of the army was raised with Nehru, it is believed that he responded by saying that, if need be, the army should be prepared to fight with 'lathies..' Kashmir operations not withstanding, the plan to systematically and persistently downgrade the military was put into operation and by 1962 much had been achieved. The political class had come to believe that they had ascended an era of peace, free of international power politics, strategic power play and the role of military power to protect national interests had become minimal. It was a utopian world where reason and dialogue were believed to be the ultimate tools for the resolution of clash of interests and conflict situations. Though the Chinese did give a severe jolt and tried to shake our leadership out of their world of make belief, it succeeded only partially, because when 1965 came we found ourselves, militarily inferior to Pakistan in many key areas. There was a pathological dislike of the Indian military by the congress party which came to power at the centre on attaining independence. Herein rests the answer to the military's down-gradation in so systematic and persistent a manner soon after independence! The Bureaucracy exploited this bias of the congress to the hilt and added to it the fear and the possibility of a military take over as had occurred in some of the neighbhouring countries. It also managed to restructure the higher defence set-up to the nation's overall strategic disadvantage. Gen O P Malhotra as Chief of Defence Staff, in a note to the RM in 1981 raised the issue of down grading of service officers in the warrant of precedence (which bears on pay etc as well ) and that these down-gradations coincided with the termination of every war ( 1948,62,65, and 71. ) and this had seriously effected the morale of armed forces. A committee of three secretaries periodically revise the warrant of precedence, which is rubber stamped by the supreme commander of the armed forces, who is not known to have even once raised a query on this regular assault on the officers of his forces. In response to Gen OP Malhotra's objection, the committee of secretaries recorded, "military officers were placed unduly high in the old warrant of precedence, presumably as it was considered essential for officers of army of occupation to be given special status and authority." While it appeared to be an independent perception of a few babus, the political class, either had a similar view or were indifferent to bureaucratic machinations. Of all the people of this world, we Indians, who have been under the heels of armies of occupation for more than two thousand years, should know what such armies are like. To call Indian army of the 20th century (1900 to1947) an army of occupation was blasphemous. Congress resolution of 1942 stated "The present Indian Army is an off-shoot of the British Army and has been maintained to mainly hold India in subjugation. It has been completely segregated from the general population." These were the very years in which the British used police and not the army to ruthlessly crush the 'Quit India movement' and that Lala Lajpat Rai fell to police 'lathies' and not an army bullet. Yet the Congress heaped this ignominy on the military. From end 1939, the Indian army was out of India and nearer home involved in a desperate fight to keep the Japanese at bay. The congress leadership in 1942 had no experience of state craft or state power and could only accuse, agitate and was scared to name the police and found army a distant and easy target. Segregation of military from the local population was nothing new. It was an essential requirement for maintaining discipline and professionalism. Even within Indian forts, the soldiers quarters were segregated from the rest. The concept of 'Chawanies' ( cantonments ) in India was first introduced by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Residences and offices of senior civil servants too were located in British cantonments established well away from civil population. Gen Malhotra pointed out that on the other hand, this committee of babus while expounding the theory of 'army of occupation " failed to realize that a high place was accorded to the civil servants in the colonial bureaucracy, because they were the trusted paladins of the imperial power.. It was the British P.M, Lloyd George, who referred to the ICS as the steel frame of the British to control India. It was the civil services and the police who were the instruments of oppression and were the willing and enthusiastic tools employed to crush the nationalist upsurge, fervour and the freedom movement. Recall that incident in Lahore where the police arrested a 'Tongawala' whose only crime was that he urged his lazy horse to move faster: at Hitler's speed. (chal Hitler di chaley). Police and civil services were more loyal than the king. The Indian Army held NW frontier for a hundred years and prevented those wild tribes from across the Hindu Kush Mountains from making periodic forays into the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Later it fought a savage war in the jungles of Burma and finally stemmed, at Imphal and Kohima, the Japanese assault on India. The Japanese army was barbaric in the extreme and our people in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and POWs, had a taste of its brutality. It is the mutinies in the Army and Navy which threw a clear signal to the British that it was time to leave. So it is highly malicious for anyone to term Indian Army as army of occupation. Consider this. The Indian government, in the first 50 years of independence, has deployed the Indian army to quell riots, maintain order etc 10 times more than the British did in their last 50 years of their rule in India. So much for the poor governance we have had all these years. A soldier is under oath and fealty to the constitution/ government of the day. There can be no grounds for him to break his oath. That is why the INA troops, and those of the Navy and Army who mutinied, could not be taken back into service after independence. However, the suspicion injected deep into the political mind of a military take over lingers. Moreover the political class continues to be in the grip of the bureaucracy or as Nirad C Chaudhury puts it so succinctly, "the political leadership is helplessly flapping its wings against the bars of the cage in which the bureaucracy has placed it." This down gradation of the military officers was even taken into armed forces headquarters, where a civilian officer in the appointment of Director equated with a Lt-Col / Col, was suddenly equated with a brigadier. This completely distorted the working equations at armed forces headquarters and had adverse impact on the working at Sercive Headquarters. Gen Rodriques, as Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee lodged a strong protest with the RM, against this chicanery of the bureaucracy, but the protests fell on deaf ears and political class appeared helpless against continued assault on the military. Since the down-gradation of the military is continuing to this day: 6th CPC being the latest manifestation of this six decade old policy, presumably the Indian military is still being perceived as an army of occupation. Military service has become so unattractive that few want to join it and those inside want to quit. 15 of the brightest colonels of the army have declined to sign up for the Higher Command Course, which is an essential stepping stone for promotions to higher ranks. In the last two years over 2000 officers have sought release from service, which includes brigs and generals. Is there similar leakage of talent in the civil services! Indian army has been in, 'no war no peace,' state since independence. Wars apart, army has lost 569 officers and over 9000 JCOs and other ranks in counter insurgency operation during the last ten years. While there is little value for human life in India, the value of soldier's life count for nothing in this country. Therefore, one wonders whose army it is anyway and who will soldier for India! We have the ambition to be a world economic power, but the vision and will of a third world country when it comes to creating strategic capabilities. Given the geo-strategic environments of the region and India's unwillingness to rise to meet the emerging challenges, the picture is getting fairly grim by the day. To complete that picture one may add the factor of de-motivation of country's armed forces.

OROP

OROP is not in sight(mailto:reportmysignalblogspot@gmail.com )but some exservieman has thanked congress in advance.Blowing ones own trumpet.CONGRESS EXSERVICEMEN CELL.

THROUGH THICK AND THIN - The government must revive the morale of the armed forces
BRIJESH D. JAYAL

Unsung lives
Through this column I would like to congratulate Manmohan Singh and his party for having provided this nation with what was most needed at this critical juncture — a stable government. While doing so I must confess that I am guilty of not being one of those who have made this possible. I chose not to exercise my franchise since the denial of the right to exercise the option of ‘none of the above’ is to my mind not being fair to the spirit of our democracy.
The subject of this article, however, is not electoral reform, but the one institution that has served the nation through thick and thin at the cost of tremendous human hardship and sacrifice — the armed forces of the republic of India. While the public still holds the armed forces in some esteem, the same cannot be said of those who govern the country. Had it been otherwise, there would not have been a progressive decline in the status of the armed forces in the national scheme of things. To quote the Kargil review committee report, “India is perhaps the only democracy where the armed forces headquarters are outside the apex governmental structure.” It would be fair to say that every government since Independence has contributed to the decline of the status of the armed forces and its veterans, either by design or by neglect.
But one needs to make an exception. There was one minister of state for defence under the Rajiv Gandhi government, whose understanding of matters military and the ethos of the armed forces was profound. He later chaired a committee on defence expenditure set up by the V.P. Singh government, and the task force on management of defence set up as a consequence of the Kargil review committee report. Both these exercises had the stamp of his understanding of the issues involved and their national implications. Had the recommendations of these committees been implemented in the spirit in which they were made, the need for this article may well not have arisen.
The nation today is faced with stark choices. The national security environment is the most demanding since Independence and deteriorating by the day. The spectrum of warfare now spans the nuclear at one end to urban and internal at the other. Decades of insurgency in the East and years of proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir are taking a heavy toll on a professional army. Incidents of fratricide and suicides are increasing alarmingly. Hostile interests are taking advantage by spreading disinformation about the armed forces — ‘psychological warfare’ in today’s parlance. We are losing dozens of lives on active duty even during peace. Our borders with both Pakistan and China are underprepared. Revolutions in military affairs demand much greater levels of technological and training skills than at present, but the pool of volunteers is fast shrinking. Yet opportunities in civil life are expanding with generous salaries and stable lives.
That over the years the status of the armed forces has progressively declined is no secret. What is less evident is that the morale of this fine institution is being sapped bit by bit. Because service ethos demands cheerful acceptance of orders, this decline has been taken as meek acceptance. As internal security challenges rise, the polity becomes more competitive, and for the 24-hour electronic media hungry for breaking news, there is a temptation to make a scapegoat of the military. It happened in Manipur some years ago, it occurs frequently in Jammu and Kashmir, and happened recently in Tamil Nadu where an army convoy was needlessly attacked. Successive service leaderships have failed to convince the government of the adverse implications of this state of affairs. The sixth pay commission has merely added another insult to the already wounded psyche of the armed forces.
For the first time in the nation’s history, veterans — from soldiers to three-star ranks — have been driven to express their anguish publicly by holding rallies across many cities, sitting in dharna at Jantar Mantar and, in a regrettable gesture, surrendering their prized medals to the supreme commander in their thousands. These unheard of incidents would have evoked instant response from the government in any democratic country. Our silence is both pregnant and deafening.
The nation needs to introspect. Why, for instance, are we the only democracy where civilian control of the armed forces has come to mean bureaucratic control? Why has there been a systematic and progressive decline in the standing of the armed forces over these last six decades? Why is it that the only living five-star rank-holder should feature in the warrant of precedence below the cabinet secretary? And why was it thought fit not to give a state funeral to a field marshal, who contributed to our 1971 war victory? One could go on; suffice it to say that slowly but surely we are robbing our armed forces of the oxygen of izzat and iqbal, shorn of which they will become mere mercenaries.
The nation under the leadership of Manmohan Singh needs to decide whether it needs professional and combat-worthy armed forces or is content with forces that will be runners-up. Military morale is a strange phenomenon. You can neither define it easily nor see it. While perceptive commanders can feel it in their bones, once it begins to evaporate, even the finest of them need godly qualities to revive it. Too much is at stake for it to be left to the very institutions that have brought us to this pass — and every arm of governance must accept the blame. The legislature for taking little interest in matters relating to the forces, unless there was some political mileage. The government for remaining a mute spectator and resisting bringing the military into the decision- and policymaking process. The bureaucracy for having converted the dictum of civilian control over the military to bureaucratic control. And finally, the armed forces leadership for sometimes failing to protect the ‘safety, honour and welfare of the men they command’ in the face of this onslaught.
The Mumbai attacks tell us how fragile the security environment is and the newer threats that are emerging. Pakistan has kept even the sharpest strategic minds guessing, but the prognosis is far from good. The West sees its war on terror as somewhat different from ours. A senior American navy commander’s recent revelation of Chinese maritime intentions in the Indian Ocean should cause us no surprise. The situations in Nepal and Sri Lanka are still evolving. In every area, without sounding pessimistic, we need to be prepared for far greater security challenges.
The nation can not afford to sit idle while our armed forces continue down a slippery slope. The time has come to opt for innovative solutions — something for which Singh is best known. Let the nation respond by setting up a ‘Blue Ribbon commission’ to look at all aspects of our armed forces. This would encompass every sphere, from the changing nature of warfare to what sort of armed forces are needed in the future, to inter-service working, to the way the forces are organized and integrated within the national decision-making process, to their place within the hierarchy and that of veterans in society, to the creating of a war memorial as well as other issues that contribute to making the armed forces of any nation a unique institution.
The ‘Blue Ribbon commission’ would include citizens known for their experience and non-partisan interests, and will give the beleaguered armed forces some level of comfort. Its recommendations must be debated in Parliament, which should then legislate on major issues determining the role and place of the armed forces in our country.
Legislative direction is the surest way to ensure that decisions that become law are implemented. Otherwise they are open to administrative sleight-of-hand. Even in the United States of America it was the Goldwater-Nichols Act that mandated the joint chiefs of staff institution, scrutinized professional military education and mandated strengthening of focus on joint matters.
It is possible that our precedent-driven administrative system will resist this as a Blue Ribbon commission approach is a departure from the norm. But Singh must have faced similar hurdles when he embarked on the bold economic reforms in 1991. The institution of the armed forces now looks up to him for similar salvation.

Shadow Cabinet

BJP must appoint one for (its own and) India’s sake.
Inspired by the way things happen at the Westminster, a Shadow Cabinet has been a long-standing demand of many well-meaning political commentators in this country. Now that most commentators are predicting the end of coalition politics in this country of last two decades, it is perhaps time for the BJP to step up and grab the space of the principal opposition party, which is willing to put forth an alternative agenda for governance. Rather than staging walk-outs from the Parliament over petty political issues and launching inelegant personal attacks, the BJP should focus on shaping the debate in parliament and influencing policy making.
A prerequisite for achieving this noble goal is for the BJP to not only privately anoint a loose group but publicly declare a Shadow Cabinet. Let Jaswant Singh take on AK Antony on issues related to national security. Let Mr. Antony answer to the nation [through Jaswant Singh] why the major recommendations of the GoM report submitted after the Kargil Review Committee haven’t been implemented so far. The parliamentary committee on defence has made many recommendations to the defence ministry and defence services in the last five years but they haven’t also been seriously considered by the government, forget about them being implemented.
Let the defence minister also explain his ministry’s pathetic record on defence spending under his watch. What, to his mind, is the optimum capital to revenue expenditure ratio for national defence? How can it be achieved, if capital spending is either being reappropriated into revenue expenditure or being returned unutilised? Should the defence spending be related to the national GDP or should there be a quadrennial defence review conducted by the government to determine the budget for the defence LTIPP?
A discussion on defence spending can only occur if the the government’s view on the geopolitical situation in South Asia is known to the nation. Where do the defence services fit in that scheme of things? Is it merely about more weaponry and more numbers — against China or whomsoever he perceives the enemy to be? What are the Indian armed forces readying themselves for? And how will they get there? Can the defence minister and the shadow defence minister agree upon a bipartisan committee or bipartisan studies to recommend the future course of action for India’s national security setup?
There are numerous other issues pertaining to national defence and security — from civil-military relations to Indian contribution to UN peacekeeping missions — that must be debated and publicly scrutinised via means of an informed debate in the Parliament. A shadow defence minister, dedicated to the subject — with a younger MP as his understudy — is sine qua non for improving the functioning of Indian democracy and holding the government accountable on serious issues of national importance. The shadow defence minister and his understudy have to be automatically nominated to the parliamentary committee on defence by the BJP, so that they can influence debate and policy making through a parliamentary fora available to the elected representatives of the country.
Such a measure will not only allow the BJP to reinvent itself as a center-right party focused on substantive issues of governance — rather than frittering its energies on frivolous emotive issues — but also act as a check on the political executive running amok. It will re-establish the primacy of the Parliament — as an institution of public debate and policy making — something which seems to have been appropriated by TV studios in this country to the chagrin of all well-meaning Indians. If the BJP can implement this, it would be doing itself and the nation a huge favour which many generations to come (and this nation’s voters) will express their gratitude for. Can the BJP rise to the occassion

Are we reading correctly ???

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Are we reading correctly ???

Times of India reports here that faced with a query from the Election Commission, cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar has now denied that the government has constituted any special committee for the purpose of examining ‘parity in pensions’ of defence personnel. TOI further adds that the government obviously has backtracked in face of the danger of being pulled up for violating the model code of conduct by announcing the decision bang in the middle of elections.

But here is a Congress Advertisement issued by the party on Page 12 of Punjab Kesari today and as we can all see here, it clearly talks of setting up of the ibid committee. Kindly also note that the said advertisement also directly talks not of any vague concept of ‘parity in pensions’ but unambiguously of ‘One Rank – One Pension’ in no uncertain terms.

TOI and Congress, please reconcile. Is there a catch somewhere, or is there something we are missing here ??? :-)

Is Modi Untouchable?-Facts for Media and Public

Narendra Modi and Gujrat Riot 2002
AND FOR THE SAKE OF INNOCENT HINDUS WHO ARE BLAMED FOR EVERYTHING FORWARD TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE
No discussion can happen on Mr. Narendra Modi, without talking about the Gujarat riot of 2002. Communal riots are not new in India or for that matter, in the state of Gujarat itself - it has happened since medieval times. Neither was the Gujarat riot of 2002 the largest in the history of the state - more extensive and more prolonged violence with much higher death tolls had happened in 1969 and 1985, under the rule of Congress governments.Those who vilify Modi as a representative of Hindutva politicis of the BJP or RSS kind, fail to remember that Hindu - Muslim riots happened even before the RSS was founded in 1925 or the BJP in 1980. Hindus, known for their tolerance and faith in religious pluralism, are never known to be in conflict anywhere else in the world, but the same cannot be said of the followers of the Muslim religion, involved in religious (against Hindus, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, etc) and sectarian (Shia, Sunnis, Ahmedhias, Kurds, Baloch etc) violence, not only in the subcontinent of India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, but also in Afghanistan, Middle east, Russia, China, Indonesia, Bosnia, Nigeria and other places.They also conveniently downplay or misrepresent the cause of the 2002 riot, not a few stones thrown on a procession or a petty quarrel or a temple bell interrupting the tranquility of the namaj, but the systematically carried out Godhra Carnage where three bogies of the Ahmedabad bound Sabarmati Express were set on fire by a Muslim mob, on 27th February, 2002, killing over 50 people, mostly women and children, mostly karsevaks, returning from Ayodhya.Modi has been accused of permitting, if not directly and deliberately commandeering the portrayed selective massacre and genocide of Muslims, ordering his police force to turn a blind eye, delaying Army help and in the process causing the death of anywhere between 1000 to 5000 Muslims.It is hard to get true accounts of events that erupted on 28th Feb 2002 and beyond, from reported news and stories, almost all of them tainted with a bias against the Hindus and the Gujrat Chief Minister. However certain facts do stand out, even from accounts in the English media, not particularly known to be generous to Narendra Modi.1. The Congress Union Minister of State for Home, Shriprakash Jaiswal, in Parliament on 11 May 2005, said 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed in the riots. This is hardly consistent with a Muslim genocide.2. The entire police force of 70,000 was deployed in Gujarat on 27 February itself in apprehension of riots. (The Hindustan Times Feb 28, 2002). Gujarat police fired more than 4,000 rounds in the first three days alone. Altogether the police arrested more than 27,000 people. National Minorities Commission Chairman John Joseph noted, "As on April 6, 126 persons were killed in police firing, of which 77 were Hindus." (The Telegraph, April 21, 2002.). This does not tally with the accusation of a deliberately inactive police force.3. "Shoot-at-sight" orders had been given in Godhra on February 27 itself. (Times Of India, Feb 27, 2002). 827 preventive arrests were made on the evening of February 27 itself, on Chief Minister Narendra Modi"s order. The State Government deployed the Rapid Action Force in Ahmedabad and other sensitive areas and the Centre sent in CRPF personnel, on February 27 itself even before a single riot had taken place. (The Indian Express, Feb 28, 2002)4. Narendra Modi, frantically called the Army units to Ahmedabad on February 28th (The Hindu, March 1, 2002). Army units started arriving in Ahmedabad on the night of February 28th. On 1st and 2nd March 2002, riots took place even in places where the Indian Army was present, i.e. Ahmedabad and Vadodara, and close to 100 people each were killed, despite the presence of the Indian Army.5. Only 2 deaths were reported on 3rd March in the entire state, and the main violence ended on 3rd March 2002. After 3rd March 2002, riots took place almost entirely in those places where the Army was posted. Subsequently there were 157 riots and all of them were started by Muslim groups (India Today, June 24, 2002).6. As early as 5 March 2002, out of the 98 relief / refugee camps set up in the state, 85 were for the Muslims and 13 were for the Hindus. As on 17 March 2002, as per The Times of India, 10,000 Hindus were rendered homeless in Ahmedabad alone. As on 25 April 2002, out of the 1 lakh 40 thousand refugees, some 1 lakh were Muslims and 40 thousand were Hindus. Again this is not consistent with the unilateral Muslim sufferings that have been portrayed.7. India Today weekly in its issue dated 20 May 2002 clearly admits that, far from being anti-Muslim, the Gujarat police did not act speedily against Muslim fanatics and rioters, for fear of being called anti-Muslim by the biased and partisan mediaAs for the issue of deployment of army, this is what India Today reported on its 18 March 2002 issue .FEB 27, 20028.03 AM: Incident at Godhra claims lives of 57 kar sevaks.8.30 AM: Modi is informed of the carnage.4.30 PM: Modi gives shoot-at-sight orders to the police.10.30 PM: CM orders curfew in sensitive places and pre-emptive arrests.FEB 28, 20028.00 AM: Special control room set up in CM"s house.12.00 PM: Modi informally contacts Centre for calling in army.4.00 PM: Modi requests army deployment following consultations with Advani.7.00 PM: The Gujarat Government"s formal request for army deployment is received in Delhi.11.30 PM: Airlifting of troops beginsMARCH 1, 20022.30 AM: A brigade reaches Ahmedabad.9.00 AM: Discussions between representatives of the army and the state take place, followed by troop flag march in Ahmedabad."Thus, contrary to the accusation of the "fiddling Nero", Mr. Modi did act timely, spontaneously and with due importance to the seriousness of the matter. The National Human Rights Commission and the Minorities Commission "accepted the Gujarat government"s contention that it did foresee trouble and took precautionary steps to check it, but was caught by surprise and overwhelmed by the mob fury erupting on February 28."That the retaliation of the Godhra train carnage was overwhelming for the available resources at his disposal was obvious, but to blame the Chief Minister or his administration for that would be as unjustified as to blame the Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh, for the recent obvious sloppiness and intelligence failure that one saw during the recent Mumbai terrorist attack of Nov 2008. Yet that has been and is still being done in such vigor that even most Hindus feel that it is the truth and are probably shameful about Mr. Narendra Modi.Contrast this with the largest riot that happened in recent times, the anti Sikh riot in Delhi in 1984, in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi"s assassination. In that incidence, officially 3,000 Sikhs were killed and may be 10,000 in actual number. Not a single Congressman was killed, not even one person was killed in police firing, and not even a single government relief camp was organized for the Sikhs in 1984. The joint report on the riots, by the People"s Union of Civil Liberties and the People"s Union of Democratic Rights, mentioned the names of 16 important Congressmen and 13 police officers among those accused by survivors and witnesses.The Army was deployed but was not allowed to act without permission of senior police officers and hence was ineffective. And this was the justification of the then Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, "Some riots took place in the country following the murder of Indiraji ... it seemed that India had been shaken. But, when a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little."So, can one accuse that there was deliberate failure of administration in the anti-Sikh riots? Can one be justified to call it a Congress-sponsored genocide and pogrom? Did anybody dare to challenge or disqualify Mr. Rajiv Gandhi as the Prime Minister then?

Attack on Indian Army-Enemy Within

Tamil Secessionists' attack on Army Convoy - Beginning of AnarchyB R Haran7 May 2009In a shocking incident on the evening of Saturday, 2 May, several hundred hooligans belonging to the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) attacked an Army convoy on the Nilambur Bypass Road near Coimbatore . Around 300 army personnel were returning from Hyderabad after completing a three-month training camp, to their headquarters at Madukkarai in Coimbatore via Salem . Early in the morning, when the convoy of over fifty trucks was passing through Salem, the MDMK and PDK cadres along with goons of Tamil-chauvinist and pro-LTTE outfits like Tamil Desiya Iyakkam and Thamizhaga Ilaignar Iyakkam, attempted to block the bypass, charging that the tanks, weapons, arms and ammunition were being transported to Sri Lanka to aid the Sri Lankan army in its war against the LTTE. Only the timely intervention of the Salem police thwarted attempts to attack the convoy; the police convinced the PDK and MDMK hooligans that the army personnel were returning with only their personal belongings after completing training in Hyderabad . The unruly mob then spread the word about the travelling army convoy to their cadre in Coimbatore , who now lay in wait for the convoy to reach Coimbatore . In this well-planned plot to attack the army, hundreds of cadres belonging to these parties assembled on the Nilambur bypass road pretending to stage a demonstration. The media, with prior information about the impending clash, gathered to cover the so-called protest demonstration, but did not bother to caution the police. Despite an alert from the Salem police, the Coimbatore police were not adequately prepared to deal with what followed. The first five trucks were stopped, attacked, tyres deflated, personal belongings like bedrolls, trunk boxes, tents and clothing thrown on the ground and set on fire in wanton destruction. One driver was grievously assaulted. The army personnel ran away to inform the trucks following behind. Other army personnel, who came rushing on hearing about the attack, took safe custody of the weapons, according per eye-witnesses. The witnesses reported retaliation in defense by the army personnel.Senior police officers arrived with the Rapid Action Force and Armed Reserve Police to control the situation and pacify the army personnel. Some media persons and civilians were allegedly hurt in the melee. Coimbatore police arrested 18 cadres belonging to MDMK, PDK and PUCL and registered cases against them under Sections 147 (unlawful assembly), 148 (unlawful assembly with deadly weapons), 324 (causing grievous hurt) and 294 (b) (using obscene language) of IPC. Members of various media organisations demonstrated against the army personnel for allegedly attacking some of them. They demanded the case be investigated by local police and not referred to Army authorities; hence police registered cases against twenty army personnel as well. Clearly, as in the case of the lawyers’ attack against the police, a section of the media is allied with Tamil secessionists and has positioned itself against our men in uniform - the Army and the Police. A scrutiny of the events clearly indicates a pre-conceived and well-executed attack. As the convoy was allowed to continue its journey through Salem and Erode without incident, the police did not expect trouble in Coimbatore . Anticipating lowered defenses of the Coimbatore police, the anti-national forces came well-prepared to attack the convoy in the guise of a protest demonstration. They clearly outnumbered the police and by the time additional forces were summoned, enough damage had been done. There are reports that the mob even attempted to set fire to the fuel tanks of the army trucks. Initial investigations and interrogation of the apprehended hooligans have confirmed a huge conspiracy behind this daring act. The Sulur Police have registered cases against 250 persons and 19 persons, including Ramakrishnan, general secretary of PDK, Ponchandran of PUCL, and Sivapriyan of Tamil Nationalist Movement. Many hooligans have allegedly escaped to Chennai and Madurai and crossed over to Kerala. The police were able to identify the culprits and gather evidence against them from complete video recordings collected from media personnel. The police strongly suspect that many culprits could have crossed over to Kerala as pro-LTTE elements have a safe refuge there in the coastal areas. PDK leader Ramakrishnan reputedly has close connections with LTTE boss Prabhakaran, and according to police records, even visited North Lanka to meet him in the 1980s; he reportedly conducted photo-exhibitions on the war-front and sufferings of Lankan Tamils. Besides the pro-LTTE and Tamil-chauvinist elements, the involvement of PUCL members gives a different dimension to the issue. The Chennai edition of The Times of India (4 May 2009) reported that PUCL members were involved in the attack. In the past two decades, PUCL is known to have become a front for Naxalites, Maoists and Jihadis, and its sustained campaign against the army in Kashmir and in support of secessionists and militants in the name of human rights, is characteristic of its anti-establishment functioning. It has acted against the governments in Gujarat and Orissa (Kandhamal) in the aftermath of communal riots. It must be noted that Binayak Sen, PUCL vice president, has been incarcerated in Chattisgarh for allegedly helping Maoists. It has been reported that Kavita Srivastava, secretary PUCL and Rajasthan unit’s general secretary, attended the ‘National Political Conference’ in February 2009 in Calicut, organized by the ‘Popular Front of India,’ an amalgamation of Islamic fundamentalist outfits. Most PUCL office-bearers are involved in activities helping militant and separatist forces in the name of ‘human rights;’ a majority are ‘advocates.’ K.G. Kannabiran, President PUCL, and celebrities like Suzanne Arundhati Roy, have advocated ‘clemency’ for terrorists like Afzal Guru. The organization gave a tough time to the government and men in uniform in support of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins and sandalwood brigand Veerappan’s aides. Maoists and Naxalites have a typical style of executing operations. They normally storm police stations, prisons, attack CRPF vehicles and police camps; of late they have started to hijack trains. The recent incident of hijacking a suburban train in Chennai, resulting in the death of four people and injuries to over a dozen, must be seen in this context. Within days, the attack on the army convoy followed. This is a clear indication of increasing infiltration by Maoists into Tamil Nadu and their sprouting new fronts in pro-LTTE parties and Tamil-chauvinist outfits. Initial investigations in Coimbatore reveal a clandestine connection between the arrested persons and the LTTE. Some have been involved in smuggling arms, ammunition and spare parts for land mines to the LTTE during the 1980s. The Maoist-Naxal menace is not new to Tamil Nadu, and in fact it has a history spanning more than three decades. The districts of Salem , Dharmapuri, Theni, Dindigul and Madurai were notorious for Maoist activities and the Maoist-LTTE nexus is known. The LTTE has been training Maoist and Tamil separatist elements and their nexus with sandalwood brigand Veerappan is a violent chapter in Tamil Nadu’s history of ‘Law and Order’. The ‘Communist Party of India (Maoist)’ was actually formed in September 2004 with the merger of two banned Naxalite parties, namely the ‘Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist)’ and ‘Maoist Communist Centre of India’. As this new formation was given to violent anti-national and anti-social activities, the Tamil Nadu government banned it in July 2005. With the advent of the DMK government in 2006, there has been an alarming increase in LTTE and Maoist activities, and the Chief Minister had to appoint the immensely popular ADGP K. Vijayakumar, former chief of the STF who finally nabbed and killed Veerappan, once again as the Chief of STF, this time to neutralise the Maoists. ADGP Vijayakumar, considered Jayalalithaa’s blue-eyed boy, was relegated to an insignificant department earlier. As expected, Vijayakumar’s STF and the ‘Q’ branch swung into action and results started to show almost immediately. A dozen Maoists, clandestinely engaged in recruitment of cadres, were captured along with some of their more notorious leaders who had managed to escape police dragnet for years. Among the captured, one was an engineering student (Muthuselvam) and the other a law student (Velmurugan). When questioned by the police, all those apprehended confessed that they had been recruited by the PWG (People’s War Group) to create a ‘liberated zone’ in the Western Ghats and that they had links with Maoists in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal . Maps of Chennai and Madurai , along with blueprints of vital civilian installations, were seized from them. As the Tamil Nadu police tightened its grip, LTTE sought safe refuge in north Andhra Pradesh. Both LTTE and Maoists have been covertly using many industrial units without the knowledge of the proprietors to make key components for rockets, grenades and mortars and many such consignments have been seized by police in both states. Maoist and LTTE activities, which rose in 2006 and 2007, started to slump in 2008.But with the imminent decimation of the LTTE in Sri Lanka , the politics of Tamil Eelam, combining dangerously with Lok Sabha elections in India , gathered momentum and the DMK government, caught in a dilemma, could not employ demonstrable force against pro-LTTE groups and their violent acts. Church backing for pro-LTTE activities was also a reason for the DMK’s weak response. This emboldened the pro-LTTE elements to flaunt their affiliations and indulge in blatantly treacherous activities, starting from the lawyers’ unrest, which prevailed for over five months from November 2008 to March 2009. Indeed, the disorder caused by a section of the legal fraternity started with the celebration of LTTE chief Prabhakaran’s birthday in November 2008 inside the Court premises, and culminated with the physical assault on Janata Party president Dr. Subramanian Swamy on 27 February and violent clash between lawyers and police on 29 February 2009. The lawyers’ unrest exposed the deep infiltration of Maoist and pro-LTTE elements into the legal fraternity of the state and the clandestine support they get from the Church. As the pro-LTTE parties failed to induce the student community to rise in support of the LTTE, and as they could not create a massive uprising in support of the LTTE even after stage-managing the self-immolation of a dozen individuals and the lawyers’ unrest, they are frustrated and desperate. The hijacking of the suburban train in Chennai and the attack on the army convoy in Coimbatore is a sign of that desperation. The extraordinary restraint shown by the Army in the face of this outrageous provocation has averted what may have turned into yet another opportunity for the human rights industry, which by definition is fast acquiring the nomenclature of a front for terrorists to castigate our armed forces.The Army agreed to treat the attack on its convoy as an ‘aberration,’ but warned that troops would retaliate in self-defence as per law if such incidents recurred. Maj-Gen. E.J. Kochekkan, General Officer in Commanding, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala area, said the troops had “practiced restraint” when the pro-LTTE elements attacked the convoy on May 2. He warned, “The incident is an aberration and not a threat per se. It should not be repeated. If such incidents became a pattern, active measures will have to be adopted and when it gets adopted, then the results could be much worse and catastrophic. It must be avoided at all costs. If it continues, troops will take action in self-defence as the law permits.”Barring State Congress leaders, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, and Hindu Munnani president Ramagopalan, no political leader, even from the BJP, condemned the attack on the army convoy. MDMK President Vaiko, whose cadres were behind these dastardly acts, was conspicuously silent, as was his leader Jayalalithaa, who waxed eloquent about her patriotism in response to Kapil Sibal’s barb against her seditious demand for Tamil Eelam. Jayalalithaa spoke of an unrealistic Indian military operation against Sri Lanka . Adding insult to injury, their alliance partner and CPI leader Thomas Pandian condemned the arrest of MDMK/ PDK/ PUCL goons! While Dr. Swamy sought the immediate attention of the Election Commission, Coimbatore-based Congress leader S.R. Balasubramaniam lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police West Zone, demanding that the arrested culprits belonging to MDMK/PDK/PUCL be charged for attempted murder. He rightly felt that the incident exposed a deep-rooted conspiracy of several organisations known for their secessionist ideology and reflected a clear intention to cause hatred against the Indian State and the Tamil Nadu government. It may be noted that the PDK has been clandestinely distributing CD materials in support of LTTE throughout the state; the Congress has objected to the Election Commission. PDK president Kolathur Mani was recently imprisoned under NSA for seditious speech. It is high time the government banned this anti-national organization. Though TNCC President Thangkabalu and Union Minister G K Vasan condemned the incident, the Congress high command preferred silence so as not to embarrass ally DMK. Hence the Prime Minister also kept quiet and the Defence Minister remained mute. The mainstream electronic media, which repeatedly aired and debated the inconsequential attack on a third-rate pub for more than 72 hours, preferred silence on the attack on the army convoy. This speaks volumes about the Medias’ understanding of national security. That this violent attack on an Army convoy is not receiving the attention it deserves is cause for great misgiving. Yet what else can one expect of a government and a media which is essentially run on an NGO agenda. This agenda does not respect national soldiers and shamelessly accepts with equanimity the medals which our soldiers returned a few months ago in anger and frustration.

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The "Untouchable" BJP
By: Mahipal

As the nation is in the process of choosing its government, I see a clear tendency of media against BJP. Anything debatable is uttered by BJP gets immediate negative attention as if BJP/NDA is the greatest threat to this nation. It is to be remembered that when you talk about something negative it reflects the fear within your psycho. Talking negative about BJP will make this organisation more powerful because any publicity is a good publicity these days. Remember the journey from Jansangh to BJP which has been remarkable if not astonishing? A story of struggles of few of the individuals with a commitment; I think they themselves would have not realised what they were going to achieve. Today it is the second single largest party of the country. Not all came easily but something came from the source they would have never thought. Then print and later visual media who made sure that BJP must be defeated with all possible means. But the fact has been clear that, this kind of negative publicity by media worked in favour of BJP because it gave the strength BJP to go against all the odds. Till date. PeriodToday singing secularism has become a fashion. Discussions in AC rooms of these media channel slamming BJP on how much damage has the party done reflects the frustration of those people who can not stand for something called “majority rights”. When you are talking about the benefits and freedom of Muslims, Christians you are fine but when you touch a subject of rights of Hindus, you are communal. Who will make them understand that being majority means not just behaving responsible and sacrifices but it means few rights too?So what if BJP talks about Hindu rights? As a diehard Hindu, I understand the meaning of Hinduism. Hinduism can never become a danger to any society or group of people practicing other faith.On remark of Varun Gandhi when Jammu Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah said that “Such remarks by individual like Varun Gandhi can not disturb the peace of our country it was not just for a secular india, it was equally applicable to Hindu community. Religion has never been a word in Hinduism it is just a way of life in which the individual has to decide what is right and hat is wrong. It can never go against the nation. Or had it been so all the Hindu organisations would have been active in killing of our own people happening like in Pakistan, Afghanistan,Iraq.When NSA was imposed on Varun Gandhi by Mayawati, none responded despite knowing that this law has not been imposed even on the deadliest terrorists. Think this law is applicable to BJP only or Vaiko, Bafoon from Bihar Lalu Yadav, one telugu leader also had been in by this time!If I am a supporter of BJP it is not because of Hindutva. It is about ideology. A clear vision, an urge to go beyond family politics and capacity to take the decisions and stand for that.In past NDA has done so many wrong decisions including BJP no doubt in that but then treating BJP like "untouchable" by media is strongly unjustified. Which single government has taken all the right decisions by the way?

The "Untouchable" BJP
By: Mahipal
As the nation is in the process of choosing its government, I see a clear tendency of media against BJP. Anything debatable is uttered by BJP gets immediate negative attention as if BJP/NDA is the greatest threat to this nation. It is to be remembered that when you talk about something negative it reflects the fear within your psycho. Talking negative about BJP will make this organisation more powerful because any publicity is a good publicity these days. Remember the journey from Jansangh to BJP which has been remarkable if not astonishing? A story of struggles of few of the individuals with a commitment; I think they themselves would have not realised what they were going to achieve. Today it is the second single largest party of the country. Not all came easily but something came from the source they would have never thought. Then print and later visual media who made sure that BJP must be defeated with all possible means. But the fact has been clear that, this kind of negative publicity by media worked in favour of BJP because it gave the strength BJP to go against all the odds. Till date. PeriodToday singing secularism has become a fashion. Discussions in AC rooms of these media channel slamming BJP on how much damage has the party done reflects the frustration of those people who can not stand for something called “majority rights”. When you are talking about the benefits and freedom of Muslims, Christians you are fine but when you touch a subject of rights of Hindus, you are communal. Who will make them understand that being majority means not just behaving responsible and sacrifices but it means few rights too?So what if BJP talks about Hindu rights? As a diehard Hindu, I understand the meaning of Hinduism. Hinduism can never become a danger to any society or group of people practicing other faith.On remark of Varun Gandhi when Jammu Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah said that “Such remarks by individual like Varun Gandhi can not disturb the peace of our country it was not just for a secular india, it was equally applicable to Hindu community. Religion has never been a word in Hinduism it is just a way of life in which the individual has to decide what is right and hat is wrong. It can never go against the nation. Or had it been so all the Hindu organisations would have been active in killing of our own people happening like in Pakistan, Afghanistan,Iraq.When NSA was imposed on Varun Gandhi by Mayawati, none responded despite knowing that this law has not been imposed even on the deadliest terrorists. Think this law is applicable to BJP only or Vaiko, Bafoon from Bihar Lalu Yadav, one telugu leader also had been in by this time!If I am a supporter of BJP it is not because of Hindutva. It is about ideology. A clear vision, an urge to go beyond family politics and capacity to take the decisions and stand for that.In past NDA has done so many wrong decisions including BJP no doubt in that but then treating BJP like "untouchable" by media is strongly unjustified. Which single government has taken all the right decisions by the way?

SC Activism

Supreme Court's decision to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and order fast track hearing of Gujarat riot cases should be welcomed. However, it was appalling to read about a recent ruling by SC on a similar PIL, which sought to fast track hearing of criminal cases against mafias that are active in politics. It may be recalled that SC has ruled against any fast track processing of criminal cases against such individuals. Criminals in politics have done greater harm (and will continue to do so) to the country than Gujarat riots. Scums like Sahabuddin, Pappu Yadav, Mukhtar Ansari, Ateek Ahmed, DP Yadav (and the list goes on) might have been responsible for many more killings than those in Gujarat riots. Still the Supreme Court did not consider it to be important enough to to set up special courts and expedite hearing of cases against them.As BJP supporters, we must do our part to form public opinion on this very important issue and request SC to reconsider its previous ruling. Supreme Court's Gujarat ruling may serve as a good precedent. It would only help the BJP if the criminal empire of these thugs are destroyed and they get the justice they deserve. These are the people who get elected on SP, BSP, RJD, LJP ticket. Given the clout that these people have, we certainly need fully empowered SITs (10-20 Raghvans) and several dozens fast track courts to brings them to justice.
bkrai

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Are Brahmins the Dalits of today ?
by abhimishra.91 on Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:52 am
Are Brahmins the Dalits of today?At a time when the Congress government wants to raise the quota for Other Backward Classes to 49.5 per cent in private and public sectors, nobody talks about the plight of the upper castes. The public image of the Brahmins, for instance, is that of an affluent, pampered class. But is it so today? Doctors in armsThere are 50 Sulabh Shauchalayas (public toilets) in Delhi; all of them are cleaned and looked after by Brahmins (this very welcome public institution was started by a Brahmin). A far cry from the elitist image that Brahmins have!There are five to six Brahmins manning each Shauchalaya. They came to Delhi eight to ten years back looking for a source of income, as they were a minority in most of their villages, where Dalits are in majority (60 per cent to 65 per cent). In most villages in UP and Bihar, Dalits have a union which helps them secure jobs in villages.At Ground Zero of the quota protestsDid you know that you also stumble upon a number of Brahmins working as coolies at Delhi's railway stations? One of them, Kripa Shankar Sharma, says while his daughter is doing her Bachelors in Science he is not sure if she will secure a job."Dalits often have five to six kids, but they are confident of placing them easily and well," he says. As a result, the Dalit population is increasing in villages. He adds: "Dalits are provided with housing, even their pigs have spaces; whereas there is no provision for gaushalas (cowsheds) for the cows of the Brahmins."The middle class deserves what it is gettingYou also find Brahmin rickshaw pullers in Delhi. 50 per cent of Patel Nagar's rickshaw pullers are Brahmins who like their brethren have moved to the city looking for jobs for lack of employment opportunities and poor education in their villages.Even after toiling the whole day, Vijay Pratap and Sidharth Tiwari, two Brahmin rickshaw pullers, say they are hardly able to make ends meet. These men make about Rs 100 to Rs 150 on an average every day from which they pay a daily rent of Rs 25 for their rickshaws and Rs 500 to Rs 600 towards the rent of their rooms which is shared by 3 to 4 people or their families.Did you also know that most rickshaw pullers in Banaras are Brahmins?Do our institutes connect with the real India?This reverse discrimination is also found in bureaucracy and politics. Most of the intellectual Brahmin Tamil class has emigrated outside Tamil Nadu. Only 5 seats out of 600 in the combined UP and Bihar assembly are held by Brahmins -- the rest are in the hands of the Yadavs.400,000 Brahmins of the Kashmir valley, the once respected Kashmiri Pandits, now live as refugees in their own country, sometimes in refugee camps in Jammu and Delhi in appalling conditions. But who gives a damn about them? Their vote bank is negligible.And this is not limited to the North alone. 75 per cent of domestic help and cooks in Andhra Pradesh are Brahmins. A study of the Brahmin community in a district in Andhra Pradesh (Brahmins of India by J Radhakrishna, published by Chugh Publications) reveals that today all purohits live below the poverty line.Eighty per cent of those surveyed stated that their poverty and traditional style of dress and hair (tuft) had made them the butt of ridicule. Financial constraints coupled with the existing system of reservations for the 'backward classes' prevented them from providing secular education to their children.Who are the real Dalits of India?In fact, according to this study there has been an overall decline in the number of Brahmin students. With the average income of Brahmins being less than that of non-Brahmins, a high percentage of Brahmin students drop out at the intermediate level. In the 5 to 18 year age group, 44 per cent Brahmin students stopped education at the primary level and 36 per cent at the pre-matriculation level.The study also found that 55 per cent of all Brahmins lived below the poverty line -- below a per capita income of Rs 650 a month. Since 45 per cent of the total population of India is officially stated to be below the poverty line it follows that the percentage of destitute Brahmins is 10 per cent higher than the all-India figure.There is no reason to believe that the condition of Brahmins in other parts of the country is different. In this connection it would be revealing to quote the per capita income of various communities as stated by the Karnataka finance minister in the state assembly: Christians Rs 1,562, Vokkaligas Rs 914, Muslims Rs 794, Scheduled castes Rs 680, Scheduled Tribes Rs 577 and Brahmins Rs 537.Appalling poverty compels many Brahmins to migrate to towns leading to spatial dispersal and consequent decline in their local influence and institutions. Brahmins initially turned to government jobs and modern occupations such as law and medicine. But preferential policies for the non-Brahmins have forced Brahmins to retreat in these spheres as well.Caste shouldn't overwrite meritAccording to the Andhra Pradesh study, the largest percentage of Brahmins today are employed as domestic servants. The unemployment rate among them is as high as 75 per cent. Seventy percent of Brahmins are still relying on their hereditary vocation. There are hundreds of families that are surviving on just Rs 500 per month as priests in various temples (Department of Endowments statistics).Priests are under tremendous difficulty today, sometimes even forced to beg for alms for survival. There are innumerable instances in which Brahmin priests who spent a lifetime studying Vedas are being ridiculed and disrespected.At Tamil Nadu's Ranganathaswamy Temple, a priest's monthly salary is Rs 300 (Census Department studies) and a daily allowance of one measure of rice. The government staff at the same temple receive Rs 2,500 plus per month. But these facts have not modified the priests' reputation as 'haves' and as 'exploiters.' The destitution of Hindu priests has moved none, not even the parties known for Hindu sympathy.The tragedy of modern India is that the combined votes of Dalits/OBC and Muslims are enough for any government to be elected. The Congress quickly cashed in on it after Independence, but probably no other government than Sonia Gandhi's has gone so far in shamelessly dividing Indian society for garnering votes.From the Indian Express: 'These measures will not achieve social justice'The Indian government gives Rs 1,000 crores (Rs 10 billion) for salaries of imams in mosques and Rs 200 crores (Rs 2 billion) as Haj subsidies. But no such help is available to Brahmins and upper castes. As a result, not only the Brahmins, but also some of the other upper castes in the lower middle class are suffering in silence today, seeing the minorities slowly taking control of their majority.How reservations fracture Hindu societyAnti-Brahminism originated in, and still prospers in anti-Hindu circles. It is particularly welcome among Marxists, missionaries, Muslims, separatists and Christian-backed Dalit movements of different hues. When they attack Brahmins, their target is unmistakably Hinduism.So the question has to be asked: are the Brahmins (and other upper castes) of yesterday becoming the Dalits of today?
abhimishra.91

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THE BIG FIGHT IS FOR ‘IZZAT’
Maj Gen Surjit Singh, AVSM VSM (surjiteme@gmail.com)
“If the leash on military leaders gets too tight, they will not be able to bite; nor even bark, when the balloon goes up”
A Dark Chapter in Indian Military History
The only thing common between 16th Dec 1971 and 16th Dec 2008 is the date and the month on the calendar. For the rest, these two days are poles apart. On the first of these historical dates, the Indian soldier was on cloud nine. He was the cynosure of all eyes. But on the 37th anniversary of the “Vijay Diwas” the same soldiers who had done the nation proud, were biting dust; breathing polluted Delhi air and reduced to begging for equitable pensions. A brave heart, who was once a 3-star general slept on a bug infected mattress to fight for justice. This demonstration was initially planned for six days, because no one believed that they could muster enough volunteers for a period longer than that. Events tell a different story today:
On 19 Dec, one old soldier decided to go on ‘fast unto death’ He was soon joined by a few more. They had to be cajoled to break their fasts.
Similar rallies were held in many other cities, including Mumbai.
More than 10,000 medals including gallantry awards have since been surrendered to the President of India in three installments.
Why are Old Soldiers Seething with Anger?
The immediate trigger for these unprecedented demonstrations of anger is the denial of “One Rank One Pension” which has been the battle cry of veterans for the last 25 years. This hurts more, this time because the Congress party had made a specific promise to rationalize pensions if voted to power, in Oct 2003. The figures finally promulgated tell the following bizarre tale:
A Havildar with 24 years service who retired in Dec 2005 has been granted Rs 5,239 while a Sepoy who had rendered only 17 years of service but went home a month later, in Feb 2006 gets Rs 6,800
A Lt Gen with 40 years service who had commanded a Corps, with more than 50,000 troops under his command, but retired in Dec 2005 gets Rs 27,700 while a post-2006 retiree Col (TS) who had put in only 26 years service and led nothing more than a company with less than 100 soldiers gets Rs 30,375 merely because he retired a month later.
The past pensioners find it hard to digest that while most of them have been only granted a multiplicand of 2.26 over their ‘base’ pensions, the improvement factor is 3.07 for several apex posts. That this is because those fortunate ranks are on ‘fixed’ salaries or are covered by the ‘protection clause’ does not convince them, since it is not a sufficiently cogent justification.
Root Cause Analysis of the Current Stir
Make no mistake. While these devastatingly vile pension disparities hurt the rank and file, the loss of izzat and élan is an equally disturbing factor. Over the years, the status of soldiers has been eroded in a systematic manner.
Despite a very earnest request by the service chiefs, the government refused to appoint a soldier, serving or retired, as a member of the 6th Pay Panel.
The report left the services seething with anger. An anomalies commission comprising eleven Secretaries was constituted, to remedy the situation. Once again no service member was considered either necessary or desirable. The report of this committee has not been made public, but the government issued implementation instructions based on its recommendations. The service chiefs then identified four core issues in their dissent to the revised dispensation: (i) status of Lt Gen; (ii) Grade Pay of middle piece officers (iii) Pay Band of Lt Col and (iv) Pension of PBOR. Of these four, the financial effect of the first two was virtually nix while the latter two entailed substantial burden on the exchequer. Ironically, the government accepted the latter two demands, but only offered to constitute a ‘high level committee’ to examine the first two. Obviously, money is not a consideration.
After the 5th CPC, the pension of the pre-1996 Maj Gens was fixed at a level lower than that of Brigs on the pretext that they were ‘functionally equal to Joint Secretaries’ They contested this in the courts of law. After a ten year long legal battle, the soldiers won the case in the Supreme Court in Sep 2008. The government is still dragging its feet on payment of a mere Rs 900 per month to less than 500 retired Maj Gens!
Do you notice a pattern in the above decisions? The polity of our nation has an obsessive fear that the military will take over this country, the way it has in our neighboring countries. From that unfounded fear, they are willing to go any length to keep the soldiers out of the decision making chains. And so, they are willing to grant money, but deny them the status which they deserve. It is because of this fixation that the military officers have been lowered in the table of precedence in a systematic manner over the years, slowly but surely. A Corps Commander who commands more than 50,000 troops has been placed lower than a DG Police, of whom there are dozens in all large States. A similar situation obtains at all other levels. In the South Block, a Maj Gen with 34 years service is equated with a Joint Secretary who may have just 20 years service and no ‘hands on’ experience of soldiering. The slogan which guides the civil servants is, “Put the Generals in their Place; and Keep Them There”
Is it the Ministry of Defense (MoD) or Ministry of ‘Delays’?
During my 13 years service in the South Block, I observed that the “MoD” never ‘rejected’ a case projected by us. They always found a ‘committee’ to ‘resolve’ the issue, and kept referring them to different officers until they were able to identify a pliable officer who toed their line. Having put the service officers on a tight leash, the civil servants rule the roost. The pay case is just one manifestation of this mess, with the MoD having to issue so many amendments. Equipment procurement and logistics are even worse. It is generally believed that you can sell junk to the military at fancy prices. The industry looks upon the military as its worst customer, and only those entrepreneurs choose to deal with the South Block who know how to wade through the antiquated procedures and vested interests. The root cause of the present stir is that the soldiers want to regain the position as it obtained fifty years ago, and the civil servants are unwilling to give up their powers. They have managed to convince the political bosses that status quo must not be disturbed. The overwhelming response which this movement has received for the present stir actually derives from the anger which has accumulated in the sinew of veterans who have been slighted by bureaucrats, and prevented from doing the job that was assigned to them. One of my esteemed friends once observed,
“Serving in the South Block is like having to fight with the hands tied behind your back. You can save your nose by ducking, but can never hit back ”
The Danger of Letting the Pot Boil Over
It is evident this problem is not going to blow over in a hurry. Those who are trying to brush it under the carpet are leading the nation to grave risk. At the moment, the situation is confined to an untidy looking tent in Jantar Mantar, but if the splinters of this fire fly out, any of the following can happen:
Attractiveness of military service may plummet from its already abysmally low level. Who would like to become an officer or strive to rise in the system where generals and colonels are treated in this shabby manner?
If, the sympathy wave travels to the South Block, the civil military relations may reach a flash point, and the consequences can be disastrous.
And indeed, if a few hot heads boil over, the nation may have to pay a very heavy price. Soldiers are trained to handle weapons and destroy infrastructure. I shudder to think beyond this point.
A moot Question, ”Do the Rulers of India Trust the Soldiers?”
If the answer is yes, then there is only one way, involve their leaders; empower them, mobilize them and let them co-create a resurgent nation with you. The generals and the colonels have stood behind the peoples of this land like a rock in war and peace. Do not treat them like pariahs and distrust their loyalties. Take it from me, they neither have the desire nor the gumption to rule this country. If you tighten the leash of your pet beyond a point, there is danger that it may choke and not be able to bark and bite when you need its help. Similarly, if you over rule the considered advice of a service chief, you lower his moral authority. When the day of reckoning arrives, their legitimate command may be treated as frivolously by his soldiers as the contempt with which his recommendations were dismissed by the rulers of the land. . Would a soldier like to be prepared to make the supreme sacrifice for a general who could not fight for his rights?
A Tail Piece
To improve the lot of veterans, a ‘Department for Ex-servicemen’s Welfare’ was established by the government in 2004. Logically, this outfit should have been headed by a soldier, serving or retired. But on ground, the privilege of leading this outfit has gone to a civil servant, who has never worn uniform. Among other things, our pensions are a part of his responsibility. What veterans can expect from this new creation is portrayed by an Urdu couplet,
“Mera qaatil hi mera munsif hai. Kya mere haq mein faisla dega?”
(My slayer is the judge. Can I expect him to give a verdict in my favor?
Maj Gen Surjit Singh, AVSM VSM was member of the Army’s Pay Cell constituted for the Fourth Pay Commission during 1983-87. Later he was the Chairman of the Cell for the 5th P ay Commission in 1996-97. He has published a book “Wages Down the Ages” on the subject.

Infrastructure vision- Best of allby Omkar S. Tiwari on Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:03 pm Friends, I downloaded the BJP's infrastructure vision yesterday and read it. According to me this vision is an excellent piece of work by the BJP. Earlier, I had criticized the manifesto as it had lacked accurate figures and possible steps in a particular direction. This infrastructure vision is highly detailed and gives information on how the BJP will proceed. I am a science student and teachers always told us- Be specific, don't beat about the bush. Be ready with points and exact figures. I find that this infrastructure vision is highly specific.I liked the following points very much:-Increase in power output by 1,20,000 MW.-Comparison between china and India is also good with best figures.-1,00,000 crore investment in power sector.-20% power from non-conventional resources.-Eliminating theft of Power. Indian electicity boards are suffering losses only because of two reasons- line loss and power theft. BJP will eliminate power theft. This is very good.-Open access system for power distribution.-6Kg cooking gas for poor. I liked this very much that BJP provided exact figure rather than just saying -give gas to poor !- BJP pointed a big error in distribution system. Government is taxing and subsiding the fuel- both together !- Promotion of clean coal technology. - Golden quadrilateral. Again accurate figures of BJP and congress rules have been provided. Good.- Modernization of 100 railway stations. This time no figures and list of railway stations ! Atleast 10 should have been listed. BJP would have cleared those 10 cities ! -National digital development project for creation of robust Internet backbone.- Unlimited broadband connectivity at 2 MBps at cable costs. This is an excellent shot. Sir, today India has problem of connectivity. We have only 75-100 Kbps connections for unlimited connectivity. 2 Mbps connections are available but only for 1GB and 2GB volume connections. This is the best thing BJP will implement.- Unrestricted VoiP service.- Development of IT hardware industry in India. Sir, if Public-private enterprise is established in this field, the cost of hardware will automatically come down. BJP's aim of computers at 10,000 Rs. will come true.- Providing 24*7 electricity to farmers.- Setting up of NIFMA.- JNURM project and all its objectives.Suggestions to Advaniji:Sir, this Infrastructure mission is par excellence. If printing costs permit, BJP should distribute the copies of this mission in all states where voting is still left along with the manifesto. The graphics are also well chosen and the cover page should be the picture of aeroplane and satellite. The last graph showing how development suffered during UPA rule should also be emphasized.Thank you sir for this vision,The nation is with you,Best of luck.Omkar S. Tiwari
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BJP'S FINAL ASSAULT - Let's Pitch in !
by Rita Pandey on Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:26 pm
Dear Bloggers/Forum members & all of us who are true Indians,Election 2009 is very important for us and it has reached nearly halfway mark. Now BJP and its leaders should harp on basics. Party agenda is very attractive to all section of society as there is some sops /concession to them. So leaders of BJP may devote almost 70% of election speech on highlighting the party manifesto for the welfare of the people, 20% time to the local issues/problems faced by the people and assurance to the people for solution of problems and 10% time for attacking the policies of opponents. In urban area, where middleclass is facing rising inflation,youth is facing retrenchment in employment and unemployment. Retired govt servant is getting meagre pension and lower range of incometax limit means, a portion of this meage amount is being taken away as incometax.Education is made costly. Bijli,pani and sadak are not in good conditon. Retired armed forces personnel are fighting for one rank one pension. Bjp manifesto has taken care of them. Now voters has started taking interest in this election. So. it is the time to tell these voters ,the offers of party in case they vote for its govt..In rural area, farmers are ending their lives after falling in debt traps. who is benefitting by UPA govt loan waiver scheme, no body knows. Bijli, pani,sadak, health facilities and good education are not available to them. Irriagation to agriculture land and good suport price to the crops are not available, causing farmers misery.UPA govt has paid penny to our farmer for their wheat and doller to imported wheat. Poor farmer can react only by suiside.Manmohan singh is shouting alone that"singh is king". Where as Laloo is daring him to sack. Alas! he cannot do that. Fine current example of his stongness, expose of him in the voters. Again Laloo and Paswan telling that in the congress reign communal roits occurred, whereas congress is blaming Laloo for Bhagalpur roits. EXpose of these leaders. Mr singh is not accepted leader of his congress party. Party caders are shouting Soniya jai ho and Rahul jai ho. He is not of the face of the party, then how he can be the face of the country. Country want a leader to lead us not a follower of someone. Expose it. Further, Robert Wadra has told that both Rahul and Priyanka are primeminister materials person and hinted that he may also fight an election from Moradabad. Robert thinks that indian still lives in his/her highness era. Expose of these guys.Dear fellow countryperson if these guys are prime minister materials then why not you and me, think over it for a moment.Vande-MataramRita
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Key Points BJP Manifesto

Dear Friends,Following are the Key Points of BJP's Manifesto for the ongoing General Elections to make India a Prosperous, Developed & a Stronger Nation.PUTTING POOR FIRST:1. All BPL families to get 35kg of rice or wheat every month at Rs 2 per kg.2. Ensure farm loans at a maximum interest rate of 4 percent.3. Initiate special schemes for the urban poor, such as loans at 4 percent interest to poor vendors.
ECONOMY GROWS, INDIA PROSPERS:1. Generate employment through massive public spending on infrastructure projects. Complete the implementation of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream projects: National Highway Development Project by building 15-20 km of new highways every day; and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, to link all villages with over 500 people by all-weather road.2. Exempt personal Income Tax for those earning up to Rs 3 lakh per annum. For women and Senior Citizens, the exemption will be Rs 3.5 lakh per annum. This will benefit over 3.5 crore people.3. Take firm steps to identify and retrieve Indian money stashed away in foreign banks. Estimated at Rs. 25 lakh crore- getting this amount back through international cooperation will be enough to complete road and power connectivity throughout the country; ensure setting up of quality schools in all villages.
WAR AGAINST ENEMIES WITHIN AND WITHOUT:1.BJP commits to introduce improved POTA type law to counter Terrorism & Insurgency. India’s 4000-km long coastline will be fully protected by enhanced naval security.2. We will systematically detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants who have emerged as a major source of homegrown terror. Fencing of the India-Bangladesh border, deliberately neglected by the UPA in pursuit of vote bank politics, will be speedily completed.3. Introduce a comprehensive Multi Purpose National Identity Card for all citizens of India. JAI JAWAN IN ACTION:1. All members of the armed forces and the para-military shall be exempted from payment of Income Tax. This will benefit nearly 20 lakh Jawans who guard our Nation.2. Implement one-rank-one-pension.
ENERGY SAVED, ENERGY GAINED:1. Generate an additional 120,000 MW of electricity in 5 years through speedy conclusion of ongoing projects while sanctioning new power plants. 20% of this will be through harnessing non-conventional energy sources.
WOMEN EMPOWERED, NATION STRENGTHENED:1. Introduce the Madhya Pradesh BJP Government’s highly successful ‘Ladli Lakshmi’ Scheme throughout India to directly transfer funds to the school going girl child to encourage education and secure economic self-sufficiency for young women. Rs. 1.18 lakh after completion of 12th standard.2. Pave the way for nationwide implementation of the Bhamashah Scheme proposed by the erstwhile BJP Government in Rajasthan to directly pay Rs 1,500 to open a bank account for every adult woman.3. Provide bicycles to every school going girl child from BPL families throughout India.4. Salaries of 28 lakh Anganwadi workers and helpers, who are the backbone of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) will be doubled.5. BJP believes all sections of Indian women cannot be fully empowered without the enactment of a Uniform Civil Code d emphasized repeatedly by the Supreme Court..YOUNG INDIA, NATION’S PILLAR:1. A network of National Knowledge Incubation Centres will be set up throughout the country to identify and groom young talent for every sector of the economy.2. Study loans will be made cheaper and more accessible by fixing student loan interest at 4%.3. BJP will create 12 million IT-enabled jobs in rural areas. Computer prices will be drastically cut to make it affordable to every section. All educational institutions will have internet facilities within 5 years. Broadband connectivity to every village.4. Launch an aggressive project to groom young sporting talent by allocating Rs 5,000 crore for creation of sports infrastructure especially in educational institutions Appoint trained coaches; secure employment for international medal winners. Sport will be a compulsory subject in school curricula.
NATION’S WEALTH, PEOPLE’S HEALTH:1.BJP is committed to making the right to clean water a fundamental right. A massive programme will be launched to provide clean, drinking water to every citizen.2. A regulatory authority to be set up for private hospitals and nursing homes to monitor unfair practices.3. A comprehensive project to bring health-for-all by 2014.4. Introduce a mandatory ‘Dial 108 for ambulance at your doorstep’ scheme throughout the country.5. Revive the creation of new AIIMS, originally initiated by the NDA Government but neglected by UPA. All six state-of-the-art hospitals will be rapidly constructed over the next 5 years.6. Janani Suraksha Yojana to care for delivering mothers and infants will be strengthened.
SENIOR CITIZENS: 1. Recognising the importance of Senior Citizens in nation-building and inculcating civilisational values, BJP commits itself to reducing the age for receiving travel benefits from 65 to 60 years. 2. Complete tax exemption to senior citizens in respect of pension income.CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT:1. Combating climate change and global warming through non-polluting technologies will be prioritized.2. Importance given to programmes to arrest the melting of Himalayan glaciers from which most major rivers in North India originate.3. Take all appropriate steps to save Tiger, the National Animal, and safeguard critical habitants of all wildlife. Emphasis to be laid on protecting India’s resplendent but endangered bio-diversity.DEFENDING THE CIVILISATION:1. The BJP remains committed to the construction of a grand Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.2. BJP will not allow anybody to touch the revered Ram Setu. We will evolve a new route for Sethu Samudram bypassing Ram Setu.3. Cleaning the revered Ganga and other major rivers will be a priority. Local communities will be enrolled in this gigantic task.4. Cow protection is an article of faith with BJP. This will be pursued relentlessly.5. Full integration of the nation is not possible as long as Article 370 stays on the statute books. BJP remains steadfast in its belief that the provision must be removed to ensure Indian unity.

Muslims and Christians should Vote for BJP

Muslims and Christians should Vote for NDA
by RSBAHETI on Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:56 pm
I feel it is high time now that all minorities should vote for NDA if they want to see their over all development along with others,As congress and now upa had done nothing but a vote bank politics in the name of secularism.All indian muslims and christians should understand , what they got in the 60 years of congress rule,they kept on voting congress party in the hope, of there development and upliftment, but that has not happened,all hollow promises made by congress year an after year to minorities for vote bank politics,
RSBAHETI

Muslims and Christians should Vote for BJP

Muslims and Christians should Vote for NDA
by RSBAHETI on Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:56 pm
I feel it is high time now that all minorities should vote for NDA if they want to see their over all development along with others,As congress and now upa had done nothing but a vote bank politics in the name of secularism.All indian muslims and christians should understand , what they got in the 60 years of congress rule,they kept on voting congress party in the hope, of there development and upliftment, but that has not happened,all hollow promises made by congress year an after year to minorities for vote bank politics,
RSBAHETI

CPOs have No Answer to Naxals

Josy Joseph
Saturday, April 18, 2009 3:38 IST
.New Delhi: While security forces and intelligence agencies perceived a threat to the poll process from Islamist terrorist groups based outside India, it is the home-grown naxalite violence that threatens to disrupt the general election. And the establishment says it can't do much to contain the menace.

At least 48 security force personnel have been killed in 100 naxalite attacks since the election was announced on March 2, 12 of them during the first phase of polling on Thursday. Of the 48, 30 are from the Central Reserve Police Force, 11 from the Central Industrial Security Force, and the rest from the Border Security Force. This figure is higher than the number of security force personnel killed in the corresponding period in Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast put together.
With four more phases of polling still to go over the next month, the reach and scale of the naxalite attacks suggest that this general election will go down as India's bloodiest, officials in the security establishment have admitted.
"The reach and intensity of attacks is unprecedented, but there is little we can do now," a senior intelligence officer said. Central forces have been stretched thin for election duty and state police forces are not up to the task.
State police forces for years neglected and let the naxal menace grow. Now they are throwing up their hands and demanding the deployment of paramilitary forces. But central forces are also not qualified for the task, what with new terrain, strange topography, and no local sources.
While the CISF is trained to protect industrial complexes, the BSF guards peaceful international borders.
If the regularity and intensity of the present wave of naxal attacks is any indication, the day is not far when the state may have to deploy the armed forces, at least in some areas. India's response to all insurgencies has followed the same pattern: for years states ignore the problem or treat it as a mere law-and-order issue. Then, as it becomes unmanageable, they seek central paramilitary assistance. Eventually, the army is called in.
The naxal threat is far bigger in this general election as compared 2004.
When the first wave of naxalism struck India, it was contained by state police forces and through political efforts. But the new-generation naxalism is stronger, more widespread and cohesive, and has safe hideouts in central and eastern India. Many within the establishment are clearly worried.
"The money the Centre has given to these (naxal-affected) states for police modernisation is mostly unspent, and now they are shifting the responsibility to central forces," said a senior member of the security establishment. "There is very little we can do for the coming phases of polls. Already our paramilitary forces are very stretched," he said, admitting candidly that violence could continue at this level over the next phases, too.
In 2004, the naxalite calls for election boycott and violence were not so successful. "But this time, they are making a very strong statement," the official said.

Nexus- Media,Politics and Entertainment

This was posted on http://broadbandforum.in/politics/45052-nexus-media-politics-and-entertainment/picture courtesy - bharat-rakshak.com (indian military think tanks discussing open source int since 1997)-----------------------------Here are the associations between individuals and organizations that influence Indian politics and discussions in Indian public space.____________________________________________________________________Suzanna Arundhati Roy is niece of Prannoy Roy (CEO of NDTV)Prannoy Roy married to Radhika RoyRadhika Roy is sister of Brinda Karat (CPI(M))Brinda Karat married to Prakash Karat (CPI(M) - General Secretary)CPI(M)'s senior member of Politburo and Parliamentary Group Leader is Sitaram Yechury.Sitaram Yechury is married to Seema Chisthi.Seema Chisthi is the Resident Editor of Indian ExpressBurkha Dutt works at NDTVRajdeep Sardesai was Managing Editor at NDTVRajdeep Sardesai married to Sagrika GhoseSagarika Ghose is daughter of Bhaskar Ghose.Bhaskar Ghose was Director General of Doordarshan.Sagarika Ghose's aunt is Ruma Pal.Ruma Pal is former justice of Supreme Court.Sagarika Ghose's another aunt is Arundhati Ghose.Arundhati Ghose was India's permanent representative/ambassador to United Nations.Dilip D'Souza was member of PIPFDDilip D'Souza's father was Joseph Bain D'Souza.J.B.D'Souza was former Maharastra Chief Seccretary and activist.Teesta Setalva member of PIPFDTeesta Setalvad married to Javed AnandTeesta and Javed run Sabrang Communications.Javed Anand is General Secretary of Muslims for Secular Democracy { ?? }Javed Akhtar is spokesperson for Muslims for Secular DemocracyJaved Akhtar married to Shabana AzmiKaran Thapar owns ITVITV produces shows for BBCKaran Thapar's father was General Pran Nath Thapar COAS during 1962 war, when India lost under his watch.Karan Thapar was very good friend of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari.Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's Prime Minister.Benazir Bhutto's father was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.Z.A.Bhutto served as Pakistan's President.A.A.Zardar is the current Pakistani's President.Karan Thapar's Mama was married to Nayantara Sahgal.Nayantar Sahgal is daughter of Vijayalakshmi Pandit.Vijayalakshmi Pandit was sister of Jawharlal Nehru.Medha Patkar is a leading spokesperson for Narmada Bacho Andolan.NBA was helped by Patrick McCully of International Rivers (formerly Internal Rivers Network.)Angana Chatterjee was on the board of IRNDipti Bhatnagar was an Intern/Volunteer at IRN.Dipti Bhatnagar is an activist at NBA.Dr. Angana Chatterjee part of PROXSAPROXSA mother-ship of FOILASHA endorsed by FOILSandeep Pandey co-founder of Asha for education (ASHA)Dr. Angana Chatterjee is married to Richard ShapiroRichard Shapiro is Director and Associate Professor of the Grad. Anthropology Prgm at CIISShubh Mathur co-wrote a letter with Angana on 'Humanitarian Crisis in J&K'Biju Matthew is co-founder of FOIL.Vijay Prasad is co-founder of FOIL.Vijay Prasa co-authored with Angana Chatterjee and wrote against IDRF.ASHA has association with AIDAID works with FOSAFOSA started by a Pakistani - Ali Hasan Cemendtaur.Amitava Kumar associated with FOILFOIL & FOSA opposed California Text Book Edits.California Text Book Edits was opposed by Michael Witzel.M.Witzel is Wales Professor of Sanskrit at Harvard University.Rahul Bose is brother-in-law of Khalid Ansari.Khalid Ansari is the Chairman of Mid-Day Group of Publication based in Mumbai.Khalid Ansari is Chairman of M.C.Media Ltd.M.C.Media Ltd. has a join-venture with BBC for FM radio brodcasting.Khalid Ansari's father was Abdul Hameed Ansari.A.H.Ansari was a freedom fighter and active Congressman.Dr.John Dayal worked as a journalist with the N.Delhi edition of Mid-Day.Narasimhan Ram is the Editor-in-Chief of 'The Hindu'.N.Ram's first wife was Susan.Susan, an Irish, was in charge of Oxford University Press publications in India.N.Ram and Susan's daughter is Vidya Ram.Vidya Ram is a journalist.N.Ram is now married to Mariam.N.Ram, Jennifer Arul and K.M.Roy participated in closed door Catholic Bishops Conference of India in Thrissur, Kerala.Jennifer Arul is the Resident Editor and Bureau Chief in South India for NDTV.Jennifer Arul is Chief Operating Office for Astro Awani - Indonesian news and information channel.K.M.Roy was a reporter in ‘The Hindu’K.M.Roy is the General Editor of the group of the ‘Mangalam’ Publications.Mangalam Group of Publications was started by M.C.VargheseK.M.Roy received the ‘All India Catholic Union Lifetime Award’All India Catholic Union’s National Vice President is Dr.John Dayal.Dr.John Dayal is also Secretary General of All India Christian Council (AICC)AICC’s President is Dr. Joseph D’souzaDr. Joseph D’souza founded Dalit Freedom Network (USA)Dr.Joseph D’Souza participated in the inaugural Religious Freedom DayThe Religious Freedom Day was attended by former Republican Sentor Rick SantorumAICC claims Confederation of SC/ST Organizations (India) as a sister organization.AICC claims Christian Solidarity Worldwide (UK) as a sister organization.AICC claims Release International (UK) as a sister organization.Release International states it supplies bibles and literature to meet the need of growth and evangelism.Dalit Freedom Network’s partner’s with Operation Mobilization India.OM India’s South India Regional Director is Kumar SwamyKumar Swamy is the State President of Communal Harmony Committee.Kumar Swamy serves with Karnataka State Human Rights Commission.OM India’s North India Regional Director is Moses Parmar.Moses Parmar serves as North India Public Relations officer of the All India Christian Council (AICC)OM seeks to plant and strengthen churches in areas of the world where Christ is least known.OM ministries work with Dalit-Bahujan people in India.Operation Mercy Charitable Company (OMCC) grew out of OM IndiaOMCC works with Dalit Freedom Network.DFN has Dr. Kancha Illaiah on its Advisory Board.Dr. Kancha Illaiah is a Professor in Osmania University, Hyderbad.DFN has William Armstrong on its Advisory Board.William Armstrong is a former US Senator from Colarado (Republican).William Armstrong is currently the President of Colorado Christian University.Colorado Christian University’s one of the strategic objective is to share the love of Christ around the World.DFN has Udit Raj on its Advisory Board.Udit Raj claims Joseph Pitts as a great friend of India.Joseph Pitts is a Republican US Congressman from Pennsylvannia.Joseph Pitts sent a letter to Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State –USA, requesting USA to deny visa to N.Modi.Joseph Pitts has led a Congressional delegation to Pakistan & India.Joseph Pitts is Founder and Co-Chairman of the ‘Kashmir Forum’.Joseph Pitts along with Congressman John Conyers introduced legislation condemning actions of N.Modi.John Conyers is Congressman from Michigan’s 14th congressional district.The 14th district contains Dearbon, a major city.Dearbon has the largest Arab Americans for a city of its size.Udit Raj is member of National Integration Council, Government of India.Udit Raj is National Chairman of Buddha Education Foundation.Udit Raj is National Chairman of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations.Udit Raj leads Dalit International FoundationUdit Raj leads Lord Buddha Club.Udit Raj was part of an international Steering Committee on KashmirMajid Tramboo promoted the Steering Committee.DFN has Baroness Caroline Cox on its Advisory Board.Baroness Caroline Cox is Deputy Speaker, House of Lords, England.Suhasini Haidar is daughter of Subramanian SwamySuhasini Haidar is daughter-in-law of Salman HaidarNadira Alvi married V S NaipaulNadira Alvi, a journalist, is sister of recently assassinated Maj Gen Amir Faisal Alvi, the ex-chief of Pakistan's elite SSG“Resalat” is a Tehran-based Persian daily.“Ettela’at” is another Tehran-based Persian daily.“Resallat” and “Ettela’at”signed MoU with “Siyasat” and “Munif”Siyasat and Munif are Hyderbad, Andhra Pradesh based dailies.Toseeh is another Persian daily.Toseeh has tied up with Vaarta.Vaarta is one of the dailies from A.G.A.Publications Pvt Ltd.A.G.A Publications Pvt Ltd is one of the companies in Sanghi GroupSanghi Group was co-promoted by Gireesh Sanghi with his brothers.Gireesh Sanghi is Congress M.P, Rajaya SabhaGireesh Sanghi is All India Vaish Federation National President.Mahendra Mohan Gupta is on the Advisory Board of AIVFMahendra Mohan Gupta is Chairman of Dainik Jagran GroupRamoji Group is headed by Ramoji RaoRamoji Rao is Founder & Chairman of EenaduEenadu is the largest Telugu news daily in Andhra Pradesh.Ramoji Group also owns ETV Network.ETV Network produces content in Telugu, Bangla, Marathi, Kannada, Oriya, Gujarati, Urdu & Hindi.Ramoji is reported to be close to Chandra Babu Naidu and supported of Telugu Desam Party.Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd’s parent company is Ramoji Group.Blackstone Group is reported to have invested Rs600 crore in UEL.Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd brings out The Deccan Chronicle newspaper.DCHL also brings out “Andhra Bhoomi” a telugu newspaper.DCHL also brings out “Asian Age”.DCHL became a publishing parter of ‘The New York Times’.DCHL began publishing ‘The International Herald Tribune’T.Venkatram Reddy is the Chairman of DCHL.T.Venkatram Reddy is fromer MP, Rajhya Sabha from Congress.M.J.Akbar was Editor-in-Chief of Deccan Chronicle and Asian Age.M.J.Akbar is Founder and Chairman of the fortnightly the Covert.M.J. Akbar worked at ‘Times of India’, ‘Sunday’ & ‘The Telegraph’M.J.Akbar was an Congress MLA from 1989 to 1991.M.J.Akbar joined The Brookings Institution, Washington in 2006, as a Visiting Fellow on U.S. Policy Towards the Islamic World.M.J.Akbar was a member of the ‘Forum of Islamic Scholars and Intellectual’ held in Makkha al-Mukaramma in 2005.M.J.Akbar’s wife is Mallika Joseph.Mallika Joseph worked at Times of India.Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.YSR Reddy is from the Congress party (INC).YSR Reddy’s father, Raja Reddy, setup a degree college and a Polytechnic in Pulivendula.YSR Reddy has said that his one year study at Andhra Loyola College (ALC), a Jesuit institution, influenced him so much that he handed over the Pulivendula colleges to the Loyola Group.The YS family has established several educational institutions in Andhra Pradesh.YSR Reddy’s daughter is Sharmila.Sharmila married Anil Kumar, Anil Kumar converted to Christianity after the marriage.Anil Kumar set up “Anil World Evangelism” and is an active Evangelist.YSR Reddy’s son is YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.YS Jagan is a youth Congress Leader.YS Jagan is Chairman of Jagati Publications Pvt. Ltd.Bhumna Karunakara Reddy is close to YSR Reddy.Karunakara Reddy is the Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.JPPL publishes the newspaper Sakshi.Chandra Babu Naidu has claimed that Lanco group was forced to invest in JPPL.L. Sridhar is alleged to have made the investment from Lanco Group.L Sridhar is Lanco Infratech’s Vice ChairmanL Sridhar’s brother is L.Rajagopal.L.Rajagopal joined Congress in 2003.L Rajagopal is the son-in-law of P.Upendra.P.Upendra is a former Minister from Congress.Lanco Group’s Chairman is L. RajagopalAndhra Prabha is a telugu newspaper started in 1938.Andhra Prabha is owned by The New Indian Express Group.Andhra Jyothi is a telugu newspaper.Andhra Jyothi’s Managing Director is Vemuri Radhakrishna.SUN TV Network is owned by Kalanidhi Maran.Kalanidhi Maran is the Chairman & Managing Director of SUN TV Network.SUN TV network owns: Sun TV, Gemini TV, Teja TV, Surya TV, Kiran TV, Udaya TV, Surjo TV among other channels.Kalanidhi Maran owns the tamil daily ‘Dinakaran’.Dinakaran was started by a former DMK Minister K.P.Kandasamy.Kalanidhi Maran’s brother is Dayanidhi Maran.Dayanidhi Maran was Minister of Communications and IT in the UPA government.Kalanidhi Maran’s father was Murasoli Maran.Murasoli Maran was a Union Minister from the DMK party.Murasoli Maran edited a tamil daily ‘Murasoli’.Murasoli Maran was an editor to ‘The Rising Sun’ a English weekly.Murasoli Maran as a publisher published the following tamil magazines: Kungumam, Muththaram, Vannathirai & Sumangali.Murasoli Maran’s uncle is M.Karunanidhi.M.Karunanidhi is Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, from the DMK party.M.Karunanidhi launched Kalaignar TV in 2007.M.K.Azhagiri owns Kalaignar TV.M.K.Azhagiri is M.Karunanidhi’s son.M.K.Stalin is another son of the M.Karunanidhi..M.K.Stalin was named after Joseph Stalin.Joseph Stalin was the authoritarian leader of the Soviet Union.M.K.Stalin is the Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration in Tamil Nadu.Kanimozhi is one of the daughters of M.Karunanidhi.Kanimozhi was a sub-editor for the ‘The Hindu’.Kanimohi was Editor in Charge of ‘Kungumam’ a tamil weekly.Kanimozhi became a Rajya Sabha member in 2007.Kanimozhi conducted programs in SUN TV and Vijay TV.Kanimozhi’s second husband G.Aravindan is Singapore based Tamil literary figure.Dina Thanthi a tamil daily was founded bu Si.Pa.Aditanar.Aditanar’s second son is Sivanthi Athithan.Sivanthi Athithan owns Dina Thanthi.Aditanar had launced the tamil evening daily ‘Malai Murasu’.Aditanar set up Malar Publications Ltd.Malar Publications Ltd. Brings out the tamil evening newspaper Malai Malar.Balasubramanian Adityan son of Sivanthi Athithan managers Malar Publications Ltd.B.Adityan set up ‘Air Media Network Pvt Ltd’ (AMN)AMN is into cable distribution, content productions and broadcasting.AMN owns AMN TVAMN has produced content for FM radio, All India Radio, Doordarshan, Vijay TV.Dina Mani is a tamil newspaper.Dina Mani is owned by The New Indian Express Group. (NIEG)NIEG owns Kannadaprabha, Andhraprabha, Malaylamvarikha, Indiavarta and Expressbuzz.NIEG also owns Cinemaexpress & TamilanexpressSTAR Vijay TV is a tamil TV channel.Vijay TV is owned by STAR TVSTAR TV is owned by News Corporation based in Hong Kong.News Corporation is owned by Rupert Murdoch.Fox Entertainment Group is a subsidiary of News Corporation.FEG owns Fox News Channel, in USA.Fox News is a conservative, pro-church Republican Party channel in USNews Corporation owns the The Wall Street JournalJaya TV is a tamil TV channel.Jaya TV is owned by Jaya Network.Jaya Network is owned by J.JayalalithaJayalalitha was the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (AIADMK party)Makkal TV is owned by Makkal TholaikatchiAct Now for Harmony and Democracy’s (ANHAD) Founding and Managing Trustee is Shabnam HashmiShabnam’s father was a freedom fighter.Shabnam went to USSR on a cultural exchange scholarship for six years.Shabham is married to Gauhar Raza.KN Panikkar is a Founding trustee of ANHADPanikkar is an Indian Marxist Historian.Panikkar was the Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankarcharya Sanskrit University, Kalady, Kerala.Panikkar received Homi Bhabha Senior Fellowship.Panikkar was awarded Padma Bhushan.Harsh Mander is a Founding trustee of ANHADHarsh Mander is a Human Rights activist, author and was in the IAS.Harsh Mander was close to Ajit JogiHarsh Mander, born into Sikh faith, was in-charge of the relief camps in Indore during the 1984 riots.Harsh Mander served as Managing Director of SC/ST Finance Corporation.Harsh Mander was the Director of ActionAid India.Ajit Jogi was the Chief Minister of Chhatisgarh.Ajit Jogi is from the Congress party (INC).It is claimed that after Ajit Jogi, a tribal Christian became the CM the rate of Christian conversions has gone up.Harsh Mander received the 2002 “Rev. M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award”Rev M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award was awarded by “Vigil India Movement.Shubha Mudgal is a trustee of ANHADShubha’s parents Skand and Jaya Gupta were professors of English literature at Allahabad University.Shubha’s grand-father Prof. P.C.Gupta was also a professor at Allahabad University.Shubha’s first husband was Justice Mukul Mudgal of Delhi High Court.Shubha is currently married to Aneesh Pradan, a tabla player.Shubha received Padma Shri.Shubha has received several awards in the field of music.Kamla Bhasin is a trustee of ANHADKamla is an Indian feminist.Kamla was a lecturer in the Orientation Centre of the German Foundation for Developing Countries, Bad Honnef, West Germany.Kamla was the Development Secretary of Seva Mandir, Udaipur.Saeed Akhtar Mirza is a trustee of ANHADSaeed Mirza is a writer and director in Hindi films and television.Saeed Mirza’s father is Akhtar MirzaAkhtar Mirza was a noted film script writer.Asianet Communications Limited (ACL) has a majority stake in Asianet TV.ACL is owned by Jupiter Entertainment Ventures Limited (JEVL).JEVL is a subsidiary of Jupiter Capitals Ltd.The other media outlets of ACL are: Asianet News, Asianet Plus, Best FM 95, Asianet Suvarana, Suvarna News, Asianet Sitara and Sitara News.Rajeev Chandrasekhar is the Chairman & Editor-in-chief.Rajeev Chandrasekar entered Rajya Sabha in 2006.Rajeev Chandrasekar’s uncle is M.K.NarayananM.K.Narayanan is National Security AdvisorM.K.Narayanan headed the Intelligence Bureau from 1987 to 1990.Malayalam daily, Mathrubhumi, is owned by M P VirendrakumarVirendrakumar is a MP through Janata Dal (Secular), from KeralaIn Kerala, Deva Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) party is a constituent of Left Democratic FrontLatest Editor of Mathrubhumi is Kesava MenonKesava Menon was the Associate Editor of The Hindu before taking up this positionShashi Tharoor is an Indian Diplomat.Shashi is the son of late Chandran Tharoor.Chandran was a journalist working for Amrita Bazar Patrika of Calcutta.Chandran headed "The Statesman" in 1959.Shashi Tharoor is going to contest as INC (Congress) candidate in 2009.Ishaan and Kanishk are twin sons of Shashi.Ishaan lives in Hong Kong and works for "Time" magazine.Kanishk lives in London and works for "OpenDemocracy".Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan is a sister of Shashi.Smita Tharoor is another sister of Shashi.Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is daughter of Shobha.Ragini is the editor of "India Currents".Shobha writes in "India Currents"India Currents is an Indian American monthly.Shashi's first wife was Tilottama Mukherji from Kolkata.Tilottama was/is a journalist and scholar.Sahshi's second wife is Christ Giles, a Canadian.Christa is Deputy Secretary of the United Nations Disarmament Commission.Mukundan Unni was Shashi's maternal uncle.Tharoor Parameswar was Chandran Tharoor's elder brother.Parameswar was the founder publisher of the Indian edition of "Reader's Digest".Param resurrected & presided the Advertising Club of Bombay.Param was also the Advertising Manager of Amrita Bazar Patrika.Shobhana Bhartia is the Chairperson and Editorial Director of Hindustan Times groupShobhana is the daughter of KK Birla; grand daughter of GD Birla.KK Birla joined INC (Congress) party in 1984.KK Birla was later elected Rajya Sabha member in 1984.Shobhana is married to Shyam Sunder BhartiaShyam is the Chariman of Jubliant Organosys Ltd, a Pharma companyShyam is the son of late Mohan Lal Bhartia.Shamit Bhartia and Priyavrat Bhartia are their sonsShamit is a Director at the Hindustan Times group.Shobhana was nominated for Rajya Sabha in 2006.Shobhana is politically affiliated to INC (Congress).She was nominated by UPA headed by Sonia Gandhi.Shobhana was a 2005 Padma Shree award. This was after UPA formed the government in 2004.Priyavrat is a Director at the Hindustan Times group.Shamit heads franchises of Dominoes Pizza and Hot Breads.Shamit also looks after the chain store ‘Monday to Sunday’Shobhana is a close family friend of Scindias.Late Madhavrao Scindia was a Minister from the INC (Congress) party.Jyotiraditya Scindia is Madhavrao’s son.Jyotiraditya is a MP from the INC (Congress) party.Karan Thapar writes a weekly column in Hindustan Times.Vir Sanghvi writes two columns ‘Counter Point’ and ‘Rude Food’Barkha Dutt writes the column ‘Third Eye’Sonal Kalra is a editor of HT City a supplement of Hindustan Times and writes a column.-------------------------------------- Joseph Bain D'Souza was CEO of a housing project in which Mrinal Gore, PB Samant and Suresh Narvekar were trustees.- N. Ram was a founder of Students Federation of India, CPI(M)'s student wing.- N. Ram's niece is married to Dayanidhi Maran.- Joseph D'Souza is the head of All India Christian Council.- Dalit Freedom Network operates out of a church in Colorado. Melody Divine is part of DFN and Melody Divine works for Arizona Congressman Trent Franks.- Joseph D'Souza is listed in Pat Robertson's 700 club, a group for fundamentalist Christians.- Dalit Freedom Network is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.------------All credits to Swamy G of http://www.india-forum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2209
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