Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Trump,Modi and Indian national interest.

  The visit of Defence secretary of USA Gen Mattis to India and the visit of Indian Foreign secretary Vedham Jaishankar tell the importance each country  attach to their own national interest. The Americans want to sell to India American made arms even if they are of inferior quality and aged weapon systems like F 16s. They also want to sell Harley Davidsons, Apple I phones and may be other items without competition  from local or other manufacturers from the world like Samsung or Korean, Japanese manufacturers. The Indians on the other hand are worried about the HIBI visas ,China and most importantly Kashmir insurgency and Pakistan.
     The  India ruling elite accustomed  to the dole dished out by liberal media like CNN and BBC and other aligned India media correspondents like Chidanand Rajgatta  from Washington, they have to face the facts of Trump presidency. He is a businessman and also a clever businessman who knows which side the butter lies. His list of seven Islamic countries in the original list who were banned from entry are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Sudan. Whenever Trump talked about attacks in United states he always mentioned, 9/11, San Borodino  which were carried about by Saudis, Pakistani immigrants etc. But why the seven nations were selected whose nationals never attacked mainland USA.? Though Trump knows in his heart of heart it is the Radical Islamic wahabism which is the root of all attacks and sustains ISIS ; his business and American arm's lobby's connection to the Saudi kingdom and nuclear armed Pakistan , aligned closely with China cannot be taken head on by him.
       Suddenly Chinese leader is welcomed in Trump's private abode but the Chinese are clever and know how to play the erratic Trump to their advantage. They want very badly defanging of North Korean nukes which is much more a threat to them than Japan and USA but at the same time they know the North Korean leader is no pushover and who has understood the importance of nukes for the security of his country as well as his regime. The Chinese were using the sanctions of world body to help themselves of high grade coal of North Korea and other minerals at cheap rate . What can India do here when we have Japan and South Korea as our close economic partners as well as in security matters. North Koreans are not going to step down their nuke and missile programme. The American armada is not threatening them and they are fanatic fighters. But India can play peace maker by initiating  dialogue with North Koreans with Japanese and Korean support...
       Nick Haley has fired the opening Salvo on Kashmir. We may not have the protection of Russian veto anymore and we have to fend for ourselves. Already the Americans have protected their workers in HIBI visa issue through the congress bills and an executive order.. So they have only the Kashmir issue to pressurize India and I think Modi has unnecessarily boxed himself in a corner by harping about Pakistan endlessly. Macmaster the NSA was given audience by Modi degrading himself and Indian nation. The self interest of Americans of Indian origin and Indian national interest are not identical.
     Modi's servile attitude to USA has emboldened even countries  like Nepal who held its first joint military exercise with China. We cannot count on Bangladesh as long Teesta remains on table.     Lankans kill Indian fishermen indiscriminately (which even Pakistan does not do) .By impoting American F 16s if Modi thinks he can win Trump, then he is mistaken. He will be seen as person who can be pushed to do American bidding by using  Pakistan and Kashmiri insurrection which is out of control now..
     His trip in May to USA will be a sell out of Indian national interest.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Modi and Re-hyphenating Bharath with Pakistan

      Suddenly all those channels which used to be critical of fundamentalism and  favouring Aman ki Asha started hailing Modi and his brand of foreign policy.Any body frothing expletives against Pakistan becomes darling of the Media. Why this sudden change after LEMOA signing with USA?
India has been trying to dehyphenate itself from a failed state Pakistan for a long time while the US government was bent upon keeping the two countries in one orbit  in every aspect while at one stage the US government  even wanted to make a triangle   of India,Pakistan and Afghanistan.
   
       Now all these efforts of somany years have gone waste with every channel in India foul mouthing Pakistan, cross border terrorism and lauding surgical strikes.One can see the trolls in Whatsup, Twitter facebook etc finding our PM as the best PM as decided by UN!!! Suddenly we find Nawaz sheriff occupying lime light in Indian media  along with General Shareef the villain of the piece. Anyone voicing contrary opinion is forced to shut shop as they are being branded as anti-national. While all this is happening the Pakistani establishment which controls their state must be smirking with satisfaction as this free re  hyphenating occurring without any effort on their part.

     The real villain of the piece, one can easily see is the US Government with little help from Modi whom they clearly understood is gullible for flattery if only praise him as the leader who thinks out of Box solutions to complex issues. The following are some of the out box decisions taken by Modi sacrificing vital national interest to please western MNC interests
    1. Signing the climate deal
    2.Signing LEMOA with USA
    3,Signing Rafale deal discarding years of negotiations to get best terms bypassing Defence Finance experts
    4.Going to Nawaz. birthday party and not following up on that and giving the GHQ of Pakistani army to sabotage the initiative which should have been expected.
    5.Almost complete alienation of  PDP and national conference leadership in Kashmir
    6.  Allowing chest thumping by Defence Minister
    7.  Politicising of Defence forces
    8.Gifting $1 billion to Afghanistan's Ghani who was elected with Pakistan help while the world's richest 35 nations at Brussels pledged only $ 3 billion which may fructify or not. As the Kunduz operation shows the emerging power may be Taliban.
    9. Pushing Russians to do business with Pakistan by disregarding FGFA deal and other aviation deals which are vital for IAF.
   10.  The withdrawal of petition by American government regarding declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state is a clear sign of Modis NRI friends stupidity. as most of the signatures came from India.
   11.Alienating China By talking against CPEC. Media highlighting diversion of some small river which will not affect the flow in Brahmaputhra, while talking about Indus water treaty. Venturing into South China sea without getting ASEAN concurrence. USA will not fight China even on behalf of Taiwan and Japan as it can never send  soldiers into countries with WMDs.
 
        There may be many more. But what one finds is Media fatigue with Pakistan occupying disproportionate space. The re hyphenation of Pakistan was complete at BRICS SUMMIT which also had heads of Government from BIMSTEC Countries. In his single minded attack on Pakistan at these august conclaves Modi was isolated except may be support from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh which were also qualified  But Modi was lectured in open by Myanmar Premier about not clubbing a nation with terrorism as only a few indulge in it. Modi lost an important opportunity to high light BRICS BANK achievements, talk to China about balance of payments, currency reform, inter  BRICS trade and ofcourse terrorism which should not have fixated on Pakistan and Mullah Azhar alone but could have been done  in a clever way BIMSTEC  was the worst case scenario  where trade was uppermost in their minds.
   
       Whether this chest thumping is going to win elections in UP has to be seen .Defence Minister Parrikar who seems to have unlimited kitty to splurge on weapons and not on make in India weapon systems like Tejas fighters or Indian DRDO  missile defence systems. Surgical strikes could have been milked in a sophisticated way.Just because Congress has Rahul, does not mean  BJP can take things granted with Mayawathi is expected  show strong results.

       Now one can see Indian foreign policy is dictated by NRI interests and how these will affect in the long run is to be seen as American boots come calling in Indian bases and Indian neighbours loose respect for India. If only instead on harping on CPEC Modi looks at the map of India and allows Chinese to construct an Eight lane high way linking China's west to Gujarat coast thus killing CPEC relevance to China. We are actually playing the game for US arms lobby instead of thinking about self reliance
 

Saturday, March 07, 2015

Islam,Science,Ijtihad

I found this letter in a Pakistani paper as very illuminating. This applies equally to Indian science. I am reposting this blogpost from my 2007 post in my sister blog as I found this to be relevant now


" WHY is it that for the last three hundred years, the Muslim world has been so deficient in producing scientists and philosophers? Why is it that even now when the Muslim world commands such immense resources, we lag so far behind the West in scholarship and technology?
The answer is clear: for three hundred years, the door of Ijtihad that is creative thinking has been closed. Almost oneninth of the verses of the Quran stress ‘tafakkur’ and ‘tadabbur’.
Yet, by and large, the Muslim world pays no heed to them, that is, they turn their back on critical thinking.
Instead, we are fond of platitudes.
We love clichés. We bask in the glory of the past. We dread the new, the original, and the novel. We revel in interpretations, but we flinch from creativity. We are good at repeating moth-eaten, time worn thoughts, views and traditions. Using Toynbee’s terminology, we are in the stranglehold of the ‘nemesis of mimesis’. Intellectual stagnation and spiritual degeneration are our dismal lot.
It is ingrained in our psychology that correct answers already exist, and are to be found in books or from authorities, religious or secular. Teachers disperse truth, parents are always right and leaders are omniscient. They act like philosopher kings, often uttering unchallenged banalities. Questioning authority is disrespectful and un-Islamic.
It is time to deconstruct, following the true Quranic spirit of iconoclasm
.
Scholars may differ about problems concerning science, but they are unanimous as regards the need for a particular weltanschauung (world view) for the birth, growth and blossoming of science. Science cannot develop in an atmosphere vitiated by obscurantism, dogmatism, fanaticism, intolerance and irrationalism. Science needs an intellectual environment whose keynote is enlightenment with rationalism, pluralism and humanism as its driving forces.
Historically it was the renaissance which prepared the ground for the emergence of modern science. The Dark Age which preceded the renaissance in Europe was dominated by scholasticism with philosophy as the handmaiden of theology. D’Alembert called scholasticism “the so called science of the centuries of ignorance”. The scholastics used to discuss such ‘profound’ problems as the number of angels who could dance on the tip of a needle. Bacon compared the scholastics to the spiders, content to weave cobwebs, ignoring the universe and what was happening around them.
Scholasticism suffered from (i) indifference to facts (ii) arguments from authority (iii) undue emphasis on verbal subtleties (iv) reasoning in matters which observation alone could decide (v) blind faith.
Modern science had to make way by routing scholasticism. It was Descartes (1596-1650) who performed this task. He was not only the founder of modern philosophy, but also, along with Galileo and Newton, one of the creators of modern science. He started off on his philosophical odyssey by the dictum: “In order to reach the truth, it is necessary, once in one’s life, to put everything in doubt.” Modern science has flourished in an atmosphere marked by philosophical skepticism. It does not take anything for granted. It puts to doubt all dogmas, all certainties. The beliefs of a scientist are tentative, not final. They are not based on authority, but on evidence. Modern science is iconoclastic in dealing with convictions based on tradition or authority. As opposed to scholasticism which believed in order to understand, modern science understands in order to believe. As such there is no dichotomy between modern science and the Quranic spirit, with its constant appeal to reasoning, thinking, knowing and deliberating: afala takaloon, afala tadabburoon, afala tafakkaroon.
Science demands immense patience in observation and great boldness in framing hypotheses. The test of scientific truth is patient collection of facts combined with bold guessing as to the law binding facts together.
Science demands an inquisitive spirit, a pioneering zeal and an enterprising élan. Science advances when there is unity between theory and practice. Any dichotomy between theory and practice spells disaster for scientific progress. The Greek science withered away, because it wholly and solely depended on deduction. Though the Greeks scaled the most sublime heights of speculative thought, their aversion to experimentation and manual work, closed the door for further scientific advancement.
Induction was a great gift of Islam to humanity. “Neither Roger Bacon nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having introduced the experimental method,” says Briffault in his book Making of Humanity, and adds, “The experimental method of Arabs was by Bacon’s time widespread and ea gerly cultivated throughout Europe.” According to Iqbal, “For purposes of knowledge, the Muslim culture fixes its gaze on the concrete and the finite.” He exalts the scientific spirit at the expense of speculative flights into metaphysics. By giving examples of Ibn-i-Khaldun’s view of history, Ibn-i-Maskwaih’s theory of life as evolutionary movement and Musa al-Khwarazmi’s shift from arithmetic to algebra, Iqbal concludes: “All lines of Muslim thought converge on a dynamic concept of the universe.” Thus Islam rejects a static view of the universe and regards it as always changing and evolving. According to the Quran, change is one of the greatest signs of God, and is explicitly implied in the verse: “Every day has its own glory.” The Islamic principle to keep pace with the changing world and an evolving universe is Ijtihad (exertion to form an independent opinion). Creativity is the essence of Ijtihad. The driving force of the scientific technological revolution (STR) is creativity, developing new ideas and sailing in uncharted seas.
Science must precede technology, because science is the tree and technology is the fruit. Today, as never before, the political stability of a country depends on its economic prowess, which is determined by the STR.
In order to usher in STR, we have to take the following steps:
Firstly, our educational system must be geared to strengthen mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology and computer science in our curriculum.
Secondly, our method of teaching must change, emphasising the intelligent grasp of the subject rather than memorising formulas and theorems.
Thirdly, our mass media must be mobilised to popularise science, and scientific thinking i.e. rational, critical and creative thinking.
Fourthly, our scientists must be made to feel that the country stands in need of their leadership.
Fifthly, there is an urgent need of structural change in our scientific institutions.
Every genuine scientist must be encouraged by rapid promotions and handsome rewards. Our scientists serving abroad must be brought back home by offering them handsome salaries. The rotten concept of ‘seniority’ must be done away with to be replaced by the contribution made by a scientist, which is universally acknowledged. Lastly, what is most needed is the political will on the part of the government to regard literacy, education (in particular) and research as its first priority, and involve all scientists, educationists and the entire intelligentsia in carrying out this urgent task.

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Monday, January 19, 2015

Bails for accused without resposibility













   Recently a Mysore realtor was threatened by a local don that he will be killed unless he paid his demand. The realtor went to police and the goon was arrested. But the local court released the goon who engaged a lawyer who knows.The goon with his accomplices killed the realtor next day itself. the court is not responsible for this death. 
There are bailable and non bailable offenses in IPC and Police Inspector incharge will be hauled up even for giving bail for bailable offenses. So they pass the buck to courts who without any responsibility release these terrorists with knowing lawyers arguments..Recently Pakistan has enacted an amendment to its constitution to have Military courts to try the terror accused as civilian courts are influenced by threats bribery etc. POTA, TADA all are allowed to lapse due to socalled Human rights lawyers whose only concern is Human rights of criminals and not their victims.It is time we have also a law like POTA as terrorists and naxalites do not want democracy to succeed. They believe in anarchy and terrorizing the citizens..
The saga of bail application by a terrorist accused Shri Madani in the High court as well as Supreme court of India will be revealing as one goes through the following llinks. When sessions court denies bail, he gets it in High court if not the Supremo court is always there with the battery of Human rights lawyers. Now this terror accused was one of the 33 Terrorists whose release was demanded by Kandhahar hijackers of Indian airlines flight which was later trimmed down. This has no relevance to Coimbatore blast case,Chinnaswamy stadium ,Bangalore case nor was the BJP Bangalore office blast case etc etc because as per IPC, prosecution cannot link these cases. this may be OK for ordinary cases of IPC but terror cases have to be different and evidence in those cases will not be straight forward as in other cases due to the fear which the terror accused causes through his organisation amongst the witnesses and also Judiciary. This can be seen in the case of Prof Hafeez Saeed of LET/JUD whose conviction cannot be obtained in Pakistan court due to lack of witnesses and the very fear his organisation brings upon the prosecution and even state of Pakistan. Now the Pakistan state has to resort to Military courts to try those accused in terror cases by amending their constitution. The Supreme court released him on bail with some funny condition that the State of Karnataka must ensure Madani does not influence witnesses!!!!His wife who is facing trial in the killing of two college girls of Tamilnadu bus who was not allowed to go out of Kerala is now allowed to meet her husband. The recent Church road blast in Bangalore, Patna blast and Pune blast are all getting connected to Al Uma of Coimbatore blast fame , Bhatkal module of Indian Mujahadeen , one can see the sophistication of terror perpetrators. But then to prove in court of law how they are connected cannot be done through normal Indian law which is based on Indian evidence act. Most of these guys will soon get released on bail and Supreme court justices can have their clear conscience because they followed the law to the T. and they are not responsible when the next terror strike occurs by the same terrorists.
Normally one finds the Human rights lawyers all try to follow one common agenda which is akin to EU/ US agenda with regard to LGBT community Climate change , rights of terror accused, smugglers,hawala traders etc and ofcourse Nuclear non proliferation They are also members of SCBA the powerful lawyer club which boasts of members like Kapil sibal, Singhvi, Chidhambaram, Arun Jaitley, Shiv shankar prasad etc etc.
Soon India will find the same dilemma which USA faces with regard to Gitmo or EU with its own terror accused. If India wants democracy to survive they have to deal with this problem soon.The daring way a mafia accused being taken for treatment was killed in broad day when he had 10 police escort vehicles shows how the killers are getting bold and have scant regard for the slow Indian Criminal justice system.
 
 



http://www.rediff.com/news/special/madani-is-more-than-a-terror-suspect-for-kerala-cm-chandy/20140731.htm


http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/18madani.htm      (cooimbatore blast denied bail)

http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20140711/2422837.html  (Bail granted 2014)





Thursday, October 02, 2014

Goddess Saraswathi, My Grandmother's story


            Today they are celebrating Saraswathi Pooja in Tamilnadu  while Karnataka celebrated the  pooja yesterday. This brought to my mind the story my grand mother told when I was studying 2nd  or 3rd class about the Goddess. I was asked to mug up mathematical tables from 1 to 12 by my teacher. I found ti very difficult but some how managed. Then when I wanted my Grandma to check, she said I must mug up tables upto 16. I found this a tall order and I asked her will it ever end? Then she recounted the following story about an arrogant Brahmin and the Goddess.
        There was this Brahmin who could recite all the four Vedas and all the Upanishads by heart and all written things available at that time. This proud Brahmin asked every one and all the elders what more he has to learn and they could not answer and finally an aged Yogi asked him to do Taps to Goddess of Learning Saraswathi who could guide him.Accordingly he did the tapas and Goddess appeared and the Brahmin put the same question to Her. The Goddess then took the Brahmin to the sea shore and took a handful of sand and said to him that though  She is the Goddess of learning, her  knowledge is only this handful and the whole seashore is there to learn which I am trying to do constantly. Then the Goddess told the Brahmin that he has only mugged up the texts while not LEARNT the first thing which comes out of learning which is humility. Then the Goddess asked the shamed Brahmin to Learn and not read the texts without learning.
          

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

ISIS/ISIL/IS a creation of ???

    There was this dictator Saddam Hussein who was ruling Shia majority Iraq with iron hand.  He was covertly helping US interests by fighting Iran but overstepped his limits when he invaded Kuwait.But still he was kept in place as 9/11 has not happened. Then after decimating the Taliban and allowing Pakistani instructors to escape in Kunduz, USA wanted change of regime in Iraq. They brought out a tale called WMD and invaded Iraq. Soon Saddam was ousted and executed. A shia majority regime of Maliki was put in place.
    Then we had a dictator called Gaddafi  of Libya who was also following US orders after the Reagan bombs killed his children.But USA decided to remove him and it did.To day Tripoli is a play ground for all Jihadi elements from Alqueada, Al Nusrah front to some supported by Quatar, etc etc.
   Then there was Assad, another benevolent dictator who was ruling Syria . Then suddenly there was clamor to remove him by Saudies . A redline called chemical weapons was woven but suddenly USA decided not to intervene itself.thus disappointing Saudies and Israel. It is here ISIL was formed by Turkey and covert Israeli support with Qatari money. The man power was coming from early release of Pakistani army regulars who were being recruited in Bahrain and other south asians. The Sunni Iraqi army regulars disbanded by USA and not given honourable rehab formed the local lifeline.The socalled Free Syrian army was also part of the recruitment process along with gifted American arms.
    One thing common about Saddam,Gaddafi and Assad are that  they are without beards!!
    A cursory look at the map of the area will show that IS as it is called now cannot exist even for a day without Turkey's help. the oil it produces in Iraq's captured areas are sold by tankers through Turkish ports.Turkey created a covert action story in which nearly 50 of its diplomats in area bordering Iraq and Turkey were captured by ISIS and held as hostage. and so Turkey will not join US coalition to fight the IS a very laughable story. But then the beheading of US/UK citizens was carried out under whose orders.This is the crux of the question if IS is functioning under Turkey/Quatari control. Is IS turning out to be just like Alqueada created by CIA but turning rogue and carried out 9/11.
    Then there is the curious case of Un peace keepers in Golan heights being captured by Al Nusrah front and was released only now. The Philippine soldiers disobeyed orders of Indian General and faught their way out while the Fijians stayed as hostages..What is curious is the attitude of Israel which has not raised a finger against this capture of Golan heights by a terrorist group.
       I  feel  There is some redrawing of MAPs is going on in which Golan heights will be annexed by Israel while the present Area conquered by ISIL/IS will become a new buffer state between Turkey and Iraq/Syria while Kurds will get their freedom. The new buffer state will become part of Turkey to compensate for Kurdish loss.
     The innocents from India and other nations flocking to middle east to save Muslim Umma  as usual are the suckers in this great game big powers play.










http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/irish-officer-to-take-deputy-lead-of-un-golan-heights-mission-1.1916908.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

COMMONALITY in terrorist attacks emanating from Pakistan.

 The recent terrorist attack aimed at Karachi airport,  The Indian parliament attack, The 26/11 attack against Taj hotel  in Mumbai, PNS Mehran attack in Karachi, Bagran base attack etc have one thing in common.
   1. The  attackers numbered always TEN.
   2. They always wanted to take hostages and negotiate
   3. They try to setup a mini control room once they have the hostages in their control.
   4. During the attack they split into small teams of  two each or five each depending upon the operational needs and try to occupy the high point in the area and set up a small attack post so that they command the access points of  opposing the Government  security forces from a  vantage point. The high point can be one or two or more depending on the needs of the situation of the attackers.Basically this gives them time and also Media exposure which they always try to have.
   5.Invariably the JUD chief Prof Hafeez saeed  comes out with dissemination of false propaganda blaming  India for attacks inside Pakistan . But the recent Karachi attack which was blamed on India is now accepted by Uzbek front while even the TTP accepting it has become diversionary. Prof Saeed stands discredited even before his own diehard supporters. In India  there are Seminarists  who blame Pakistan for attacks inside India.. This is invariably picked up by so called security experts in both countries who spew venom against the other without any logic or proof. For this  normally proofs sited or some Indian or Pakistani ID cards or uniform or grenade markings etc which is available to each other in plenty. In recent Karachi attack, some Indian Army medicines and syringes were cited as proof of Indian involvement!!!
    6.  The identity of the attackers is never revealed and invariably all are from Pakistan once meticulous  investigation is done as in the case of 26/11.
      India must be on guard for similar type of attacks taking place. But this may not be directed against   Airports only. This can be against Nuclear or other power projects, Air or naval bases or other security related bases of DRDO,ISRO etc etc.This also can be any soft target like schools, Government buildings etc etc. The recent discovery of Sri Lankan Muslim nationals whose mother tongue is Tamil is being infiltrated by Pakistan' embassy in colombo should be an eye opener.That They ried to infiltrate through Malayasia shows the sophistication of the ISI of Colombo. But now that it is exposed also is a good sign for Malaysia also is now very careful aboutISI operations from its soil. Sri Lanka media students are given $2 million by Pakistan embassy as scholarship shows the importance Pakistan attached to this relationship.
     Now once we read the press statement of PIB and the decision taken by the honourable Home minister is what a typical bureaucrat will do to save his skin. when the attack actually happens. I hope the new Minister of home applies his mind more.  The number of QRTs is increased  to serve what purpose? I remember the last Mmubai attack and the  Commando team from Navy called MARCOS was called in to help neutralise the terrorists holed up in Taj. The MARCOS numbered nearly 200 but their training was so poor that they gave the number of terrorists holed ups as minimum of 30 while it could be even 50 while actually it was only 4!!!. But the MARCOS team just did not know what to do except to come in front of Media covered with black handkerchiefs and give their account.
    Finally it was Maj Unnikrishnan led NSG team from Delhi which neutralised the terrorists.In Mumbai itself we have the ATS of State police, MARCOS OF Indian navy, QRTs of Indian airforce and now QRTs of Airport security of CISF. Do these guys trained on par with NSG commandoes just like cobra force of Hyderabad police? Do they have bullet proof vests of heigher quality? do they have better quality NVGs as the recent attack in Karachi has shown that the terrorists are equiped with NVGs of very good quality. So do the  CISF QRTs trained to fight at night and practise constantly? It is the training which finally gives the force the self confidence to fight.



  

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Home Affairs
09-June-2014 18:55 IST

Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister held a meeting here today to review the security arrangements for airports in the country, especially in the light of the terrorist attack on Karachi airport, Pakistan on June 08, 2014.

The meeting was attended by heads of all concerned security agencies, including National Security Advisor (NSA), Director Intelligence Bureau, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Security Guard (NSG), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, as well as the Secretary, Civil Aviation, the Union Home Secretary and other senior officers.

Government of India has put all airports on heightened alert to guard against any terrorist attack on any Indian airport. The number of CISF Quick Reaction Teams has been increased and all security personnel have instructed to enhance their level of alertness. Steps to tighten access control at the airports and to strengthen perimeter security have been taken. Anti hijacking units at the airports are carrying out mock exercises. It was also decided to complete the security audits at all airports with a view to strengthen the security at the airports.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Exit polls and SENSEX

     After 12th evening the Media has been going hyper about Modi becoming PM and BJP getting
comfortable majority on its own etc .All sort of exit polls are being compared by experts and they all predict BJP will get near 300 atleast. My prediction is BJP may just get about 200 though I am a BJP supporter.
Then why this hullaboo in the Media. I think this is generated by interested FII and their lackeys in India who want to make a quick killing.With Sensex reaching 24000, I think the whole country is going gaga over Modi.
    I will advise all those Indians who dabble in stocks to exit now when the going is good and make a killing. I expect the Sensex to fall well below 22,000 after the counting will start. So SELL SELL your stocks and book profits now.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Indian Democracy and Briyani Gang

    I was watching one of those 50 or odd Tamil news and entertainment channels which have sprung up recently due to elections and saw a group of Briyani Gang in 4 buses who have come with full family including children asking for Rupees 800/-  per head which was promised to them for attending the Election meeting as part of the crowd. They were not allowed to get in and so they missed the Briyani being served there. These guys were also going to another meeting soon for another political party and so were agitated for not getting their money and Briyani.
    In Karnataka I donot see much of election meetings as one sees in Tamilnadu or even in Andhra. May be spoiler is the Election commission of India. A funny rule is that if the candidate just stands with folded hands not on the dais but below the speaking Leader and then cash spent is not counted for his electoral expenses otherwise if he stands next to the leader it will be added to his electoral expenses. What a silly rule? The EC has done so many whimsical rulings which had no logic except to show its power once in 5 years over the bureaucracy.These election expenses are another farce and seasoned parties know how to get over it and also placing their favorite babus well before the code of conduct is invoked. The colour of Indian Democracy by festoons, giant cut outs, caps, masks and ofcourse the Briyani crowd is very badly curtailed by the socalled rules of election commission. It is the election time the ordinary people get their pounds of worth from the elected Reps who splurge the money. But the Indian Election commission has been a spoiler and they just do not know how Indian mind works nor how they are very clever when they vote.
     Recently there was this visit by Shri Ananth Kumar who is standing from our area along with BJP MLA Mr. Satish Reddy of this area and also BJP Corp-orator Mrs. Latha. and of course the main point man of nearby village of Iblur Mr. Muniraju..Our condominium have 1700 votes and they were bargaining with us for the Main road construction ( not done for the last 5 years) if only we voted for Mr. Kumar. Mr.Ananth Kumar was talking about Vajpayee era and not about Modi and I know he will be a dissident when elected on behalf of Advani. Soon enough we had a visit from Mrs. Rohini Nilekenni. She talked about Mr.Nilekenni's  role in INFY and creating lakhs of jobs in Bangalorre and also about AADHAR. She also talked about his honesty  and how he is going to work for inner party democracy in Congress. When she found that the mood is pro Modi, she even talked about a credible opposition and Nilekenni will be one in the parliament.. She just did not understand politics of the streets as finally people vote not for lofty ideals but for roads etc which Ananth kumar and his team was knowing well. When I suggested to her as the local Government is from Congress, she should appoint a points-man to whom we can go for our roads, Kathas and ration cards as we find the local BJP MLA is the only one available for any job. She said MR.Nilekenni is planning to appoint one local man for every one of 7 Assembly constituencies after the election !!!!Well I could see Mr.Ananth Kumar had his ears and within next day came to our office and after talking to our association office bearers got the main  road made within  same night in flat 2 hours , the election commission ban not withstanding. That is street politics and sadly Nilekenni just did not have it in him. By this act Mr. Ananth Kumar not only got our votes but also surrounding 7 or 8 odd blocks in the area which might be having a combined vote bank of nearly 5 to 6 thousand. The goodwill will actually continue during the next local election also. I talked to a village elder of Iblur village and he said that Mrs.Rohini Nilekenni only gave lecture and did not understand their needs which is 2 streets in their village not getting Cauvery water while 4 streets get it. It requires a special valve which might cost about rupees 5000/-. I Donot think Mrs Nilekenni even talked to the local villagers about this..

It is all good to hold debates about voting rights and  make people aware etc.. but how many of IT people from layouts and apartments come out and vote?? As long as we do not vote nothing will ever change. Some of us vote because we can read the manifesto and feel happy about it...But poor people are better off  in that they take money,booze, briyani from ALL the candidates and then do their ground work and then vote for the guy who gives the most in goodies and services and they ensure that  elected MLA/MP continues to give these  throughout his term.They do not  read manifestos but   talk to the guys and drive a hard bargain for all  including their family and village which may include illegal electric connections,  Cauvery water connection and admit cards in state run schools for children who skip classes, Yeshvashni scheme for health , bail for thier drunkard husbands  etc etc.
This is what i read in a newspaper about one of the voter/candidates interactive seminars. As long as the talk stayed within the old boundaries -- roads, drains, toilets, parks, and other civic stuff - all candidates uniformly promised the same things. They, and they alone, could and would fix it. Then when a participant threw in the question about Akrama Sakrama, and suddenly they were all on edge. Basically the candidates donot want to talk about illegal mining to some cases or benami farm holdings or gifting of sarkari lands to some religious trusts,boards or burial grounds which may later turn out to be used for some other commercial purposes.
   In a recent seminar at a local college some sprightly kids said that they do not vote because they do not find a suitable candidate or most of the        candidates are corrupt or just everyday politics bored them except when they tend to criticize Mayawathi's elephants,laloo's fodder scam or Kumaraswamy's espousal of fielding ex convicts . Generals Zia-ul-Haq,Musharaff etc are all ramrod straight, uncorrupted in the normal sense of the way and one looks at Shasthriji, Indira Gandhi, Vajpayee etc and you see these dhothi/saree clad leaders will not win a pageant but Democracy wins in India and every country is jealous of us..But these IT kids will not ponder.They will use the NOTA button not knowing they are actually defranchising themselves. I am sure they would not have braved the sun even if Narayana Murthy has contested from this seat. They will not vote for Nilekenni because that will make Rahul the PM as if they would have voted for him in case he stood as independent. They celebrate International woman's day and they send emails in support of pink jaddi campaign but ask them about pending legislations in parliament, they just have no clue.Infact I do not  think they have ever posted their comments in various legislation s which are in public domain especially affecting women's rights, children rights or rights and welfare of senior citizens and of the disabled.
But this time our folks have tasted blood with a road and our voting may be better compared to last time when only 73 voted out of 760 voters. I feel sorry for Nilekenni because I think he will loose along with Mr.Balakrishnan. But I hope they learn to become good politicians along with being honest,educated and good persons.