India Trends

Congress has an interest to protect their legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:56:00 +0000

"Problems cannot be solved by the same set of institutions and organizations that created it - Albert Einstein"

Atanu Dey, author of Deesha.org, a blog on India's development, invokes the above Einstein in his latest post "Why the Congress must go". Mr. Dey delves into what has been the problem of the Congress' establishments over the years, includig the current one, to deviate from the policies that have been in place from the much revered-albeit undeservedly- Nehruvian era.

He sets out his argument that the Congress has a familial interest in protecting the legacy of its first family's ancestors and hence is reluctant to disown policies that do not work thereby severely affect the 'growth needs' of the country.

The blog is a must read for anyone wanting to get a glimpse of what India needs to do to achieve all round growth and uplift the poorest of the poor sections of its society that have been subjected to perennial neglect over the decades owing to failed policies and mindsets of the Congress. And Mr. Dey, over the years, has built quite a reputation for himself for being a vociferous advocate of the necessity to throw out such mindsets in view of the welfare of the nation.

read the full post here: http://www.deeshaa.org/2010/04/15/why-the-congress-must-go/

What a Civil Aviation (disaster!) Minister!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 04:40:00 +0000

Lately, when I was missing from the website IndiaTrends I had been preparing for applying to the post of the Minister for Civil Aviation.

In the course of my preparations I found out that the most likely question I could be asked is this:

WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS TO BE THE CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER?

I could find just one qualification as my answer:

I did/do not sell 'BEEDIS'.

Because the guy who did/does that is the minister now for ages and he sure doesn't know how to sell air tickets.

p.s this post is in response to this

Madhu koda money politics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:56:00 +0000

Madhu Koda, former chief minister of Jharkhand, now an MP, according to this report, could be prosecuted soon under the Prevention of Money laundering act.

The ED and IT authorities apparently raided some 60 premises (what????) 'owned by him' and it was estimated that his worth was Rs. 300-400 crore.

I mean, lets be serious. This guy really has it. To be an independent MLA and become a chief minister requires some stuff and I think he's got it. If the figures of 300 crores is right then seriously he meant business everyday of his chief ministership.

Here is a lesson or two for politicians who take 15,000 to ask a question in the parliament.

TN bus corporations owe Rs.324 crores in compensation.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:44:00 +0000

Lets talk some figures here. Some real startling ones.

Tamilnadu state transport corporations owe mishap victims a staggering Rs. 324 crore. Some of them, apparently have not been compensated for more than two decades.

There is two possible reasons.

1. the corporations do not care the tribunals that order them to pay compensation to the victims.
2. they just do not have enough money.

The first is too far from being possible although not impossible. The second is true of most public transport corporations of the country. Yet they are shameful enough to vehemently oppose privatisation.

Actually by now the victims family may have become huge vote banks. And the truth is, no political party in Tamilnadu realised this fact. Else there would have been instant justice or movements demanding the same.

Taliban alleges Pakistan government is behind Peshawar attacks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:08:00 +0000

Well this is where it is supposed to come, right. I mean if a government has been sponsoring one sort of terrorism or the other to gain an upper hand over a foreign power or to create unrest in a foreign territory then it is very likely that such fingers of suspicion would be pointed at it.

After all Pakistan's ISI is one of the most gone rogue organisations of the world and let me say, its the best example of an instrument of terror that is sponsored by the state anywhere.

The taliban may have made this allegation to put the blame on the Americans to try and polarise the public opinion further against the American presence in the country. But their fingers are not pointing at any innocents either.

India Please fund Pakistan Peoples party

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:33:00 +0000

Pakistan has found a way to come around the issue of terrorism emanating from within its soil that is targeted at India. It has started a counter campaign accusing India, day in and day out, of supporting terrorists in Balochistan.

Its interior minister, Rehman Malik, now quite infamous among Indians for his rhetoric and non-action against terrorist of 26/11, has gone 10 steps ahead and accused India of funding taliban during an interview.

Seems like he was disappointed that we are not funding his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) along with the taliban. I think its now the responsibility of the Indian government to not make such a distinction between the taliban and the PPP. They are both Paki after all. Hence I propose to the Indian govt. to fund the PPP as well.

Sachin Tendulkar's genius by Harsha Bhogle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:54:00 +0000

Here is a video of Harsha Bhogle describing the genius of Sachin Tendulkar to an audience. His observations and revelations provide some insight into that side of cricket that can only be better seen by someone who watches it as close.

Its a must watch for you'd get to know more about Sachin's approach to an innings and to the game in general. Its a must watch. (LINK)

Blame none but youself dear 'Thackerays'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:11:00 +0000

The Thackeray father-son duo of Bal and Uddhav Thackeray are now putting the blame on the people of the state for their poll defeat. Bal thackeray started it saying the 'Marathi manoos' stabbed in in the back and Uddhav has backed it today in style.

It is so utterly disgusting that they are turning the blame on the people of the state when it was their incompetence and lack of thoughtfulness that had caused the rout in the first place. They are both talking like if the people of the state were obliged to vote them into power despite their shortcomings. I think I have something to tell the Thackerays. Please let me address them.

Uddhav thackeray says he owns moral responsibility for the defeat. No, you don't Mr. Not because you are not responsible but because that means nothing to your party, the people and the country. Your owning of the responsibility of the party and the campaign was indeed the reason behind this drubbing. And people could care less of what you think. They have made it known and clear through their mandate. All the votes you could manage to get were because of that old man dressed in saffron robes in your home.

As a matter of fact I do not see a reason for you to be upset. Because we all saw this coming. MNS did not suddenly fall from the skies onto the SS and BJP to damage your prospects. You knew it was bound to happen and yet did nothing about it before the elections. What more proof did you want than the Loksabha elections in the summer when Raj Thackeray dealt his first blow to the alliance?

You willfully ignored him and prayed for miracles to happen and hand the alliance a majority. Its a shame that the best non-performing government of the country had been reinstalled the third time in a row. Its telling tales, people. So, stop blaming the people. If at all you could do something just get out of the way and let people find and alternative themselves when you couldn't show them one.

Pakistan's tryst with truth and its existence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:41:00 +0000

Pakistan's foreign office has released a statement 'denouncing' Indian foreign secretary's remarks on pakistan's nuclear assets.

"Such remarks are evidently self-serving and integral to India’s efforts to seek unilateral advantage at the cost of regional strategic stability by its feverish militarisation and working on dangerous military doctrines", it said. It also said Islamabad had refrained from commenting on New Delhi’s own record of nuclear safety and security and its overt and covert endeavours to build weapons of mass destruction.(LINK)

They are quite right when they say it. In fact India would not have had to pursue efforts to seek such unilateral advantage if only Pakistan had not, for decades, sent masked men into India every now and then to create trouble in the country. Nor would we have the need for WMDs but for the masked men.

And mind you Pakistan, the man who ran a covert operation, the largest such in the world ever, to help radical states around the world acquire weapons of mass destruction, AQ Khan wasn't an Indian but a Pak national.

Haryana Janhit or Bhajanhit congress

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Haryana Janhit Congress (Bhajan lal) or HJCBL, formed by Bhajan Lal who had a fallout with the congress after was overlooked for the post of Haryana chief minister by the Congress high command in favor of Bhoopinder Singh Hooda has dented quite a hole into the votes of the ruling congress.

This should explain the congress' falling short of expectation and majority in the assembly elections. Nobody, not even the self-proclaimed pundits on television, expected the HJCBL to gain so many seats- 6 seats to be precise.

Now that the results are out and the congress is getting ready to install a government with the help of independents, Kuldeep Bishnoi, head of HJC and Bhajan lal's son, is sending feelers to the congress saying he has forgotten the past for the sake of 'haryana janhit'. True. As a matter of fact the name of the party should have been 'bhajanhit congress' as infact it was formed to satisfy one person's agenda.

Congress party though, for its part is staying silent on his latest comments.

Police forces' deaths in India 2008-09

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:43:00 +0000

Now here is a shame list for the country. India has lost 841 policemen over the last year. It remain to be seen though as to how many of them are a result of lack of proper strike back weapons when under attack like we see in the case of maoist attacks on rural police stations.

The casulalties include state police units, the CRPF, BSF and CISF on various duties. The list includes 249 police casulaties in naxal affected areas.

In what can be called a scathing testimony of lawlessness in the Uttar Pradesh, the state tops the list in state with 107 police casualties. That is quite a shocking fact to know considering that UP is not a naxal infested area as opposed to, lets say, Chattisgarh or Jharkhand.

Pakistan trying to infiltrate terrorists into India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:58:00 +0000

Indian intelligence reports that Pakistan based LeT, JeM and the Hizbul are trying to push terrorists into India. Union home minister P.Chidambaram said they are trying to infiltrate to create mayhem and that India is prepared to face the threat.

This comes after intelligence reports from earlier in the month of the ISI's attempts to force about 60 talibans into Jammu and Kashmir to create trouble. These talibans were said to be surrendered 'fighters' from Pakistan's troubled provinces who were asked to choose between languishing in jails in Pakistan or fighting Indian forces in Kashmir. The blood thirsty talibans have apparently reluctantly chose the latter option.

Being affected by terrorism that emanates from inside their prisons, Pakistan is finding easier solutions to wash itself off the trouble and rub it against India. Also it seems crowded prisons across their country is giving them more reason to send more people to India.

India has nothing to fear because we have Ruksana.

Inaugural Champions League T20 Cricket tournament

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:05:00 +0000

The inaugural edition of the Champions league T20 tournament has come to an end with Australian New South Wales team winning the finals. Some thoughts on the tournament.

The hype surrounding the IPL and its franchise teams has been unfounded as not one of the three Indian teams could get into the semi-finals.

Foreign teams that we Indians may not have known of until before this tournament have shown how professional they are even at the shorter version of the game. Indian teams will take a few more years before they can claim to match such standards.

The West Indies team of Trinidad and Tobago has been the surprise package, at least to me. (I do not follow much of their cricket anyways). They have lifted the spirit of the tournament, in my opinion, through their splendid performances. The way they batted, fielded and bowled- I really liked the team and in fact rooted for them to win in the finals. As a matter of fact they did not expect to perform this well either.

I am eager to know the figures to see how profitable the tournament has been. With no Indian team in the final legs of the tournament I suspect if there had been many viewers to the Star Cricket channel.

Its only the first year but I think I have become a big fan of this format. For the format to catch up faster with the peoples of other countries I think there ought to exhibition matches between the various teams in each other's countries. This will introduce foreign teams to the local audiences during off-season.

All in all a very good concept with great potential to reach more and more people.

CBI raid DOT offices; PMO silent

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:37:00 +0000

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has raided the headquarters of the Department of Telecommunications after the vigilance commission referred to it the case of alleged irregularities in the process of 3G spectrum allocation.

This is not an issue that has suddenly come to light and I am quite baffled at the silence of the PMO and the PM on the issue. As a matter of fact the PMO never made any efforts to lend an ear to the allegations and the UPA retained Raja despite having a chance to drop him in the allocation of the ministries.

We do know that there are bound to be political compulsions in a coalition government but closing the eyes and the ears to the what could be biggest scam in the country is abdication of responsibility by the government. I wonder what the prime minister is waiting for: perhaps he will take action when the CBI would one day drag A. Raja physically out of the ministry's office.

Officer abduction affair: bad precedent set by government

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:24:00 +0000

The West Bengal government buckled under pressure and blackmail from maoists and did not contest the bail applications of the tribal women arrested earlier by the police on suspected links to maoists. The court had to release the women on bail following which the maoists released the abducted police officer Mr. Dutta.

First Maoists attacked a police station in west Midnapore district, killed a policeman, looted weapons and abducted two police officers from the station, one of who was later found dead before they looted a bank of Rs. 10 lakh. Then they had blackmailed that Mr. Dutta would be killed if the government would not release the women on bail.

This is a strategic blunder committed by the WB government which gives the cue to the maoists who might opt to similar tactics in the future to ensure release of their captured cadres. I wish the government had shown more balls in trying to tackle the issue. This precedent is something that should never have been set and now that it has been maoists have an upper hand.

Maharashtra is 'gone' to Congress again

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:10:00 +0000

The results of the Maharashtra state elections are not officially out yet but the trends have clearly emerged.

The Congress-NCP combine is leading in around 135 seats out of a total 288 seats. The Shiv Sena-BJP combine is hovering around the 100 seats mark.

This victory would be the third in the row for the ruling combine. Another Congress led government means that the people of the state have to put up with bad or no governance for the next five years.

I had genuinely hoped otherwise for a miracle to happen only to be disappointed by the lack of guts of the Shiv Sena-BJP combine to effectively take up the issues of the people.

I think they now not even deserve to sit in opposition.

US to impose conditions on military aid to Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:32:00 +0000

The United States is all set to put in place a new set of conditions attached to its military aid to Pakistan in order ensure that it is all used to fight the terror threats that it is meant to.

These conditions are attachments in the form of an amendment to the US Defence Department's spending budget for the year 2010. The bill is most likely to be passed by the senate soon.

While it is a development that is to be welcomed by India and the world at large what is to be seen is how far the Americans would succeed in making it work and how war it would really prevent Pakistan from using military for purposes other than tackling terror threats like augmenting its defences against India. Particularly interesting when Pakistan is an avowed violator of conditions attached to such aid extended to the country by using them to strengthen its defences against India.

Maoists call themselves 'Democratic movement'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:40:00 +0000

After having started a movement in defiance of the consitution of the country and after decades of disregard to established norms of a constitutional democracy Maoists still fancy calling themselves a 'democratic movement'.

To test how democratic the maoists have been all one needs to do is type in the words 'Maoists kill civilians' on Google and one would see numerous news results of maoist atrocities against civilians. How could a movement that commits heinous atrocities against innocent civilians claim to be democratic?

As recently as a few weeks ago they had resorted to Taliban style execution of a captured police officer: the most gruesome form of murder, beheading. It is estimated that 2,600 lives have been lost to maoist violence in 3 years.

Notwithstanding this, Maoist leader made this fancy democratic claims after claiming responsibility for an attack on a police station killing 3 police officers on duty and then looting the police station of its weapons and a nearby bank of Rs. 10 Lakh. Shameless cowards.

The size and influence of the Jewish lobby

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:22:00 +0000

The Jewish lobby in the United States and across the world is perhaps the most powerful there could ever be of such lobbies. A reading of the book "Gideon's spies: The secret history of the Mossad" will give one a clear idea of and the scope of the influence this lobby wields with governments around the world.

The latest incident where the Jewish lobby has pressurised a country into dealing with a matter is that of the UK's conservative party's. The Conservative party of the UK has links with a Polish and a Latvian parties considered to be anti-semitic. This not only infuriated the Jewish lobby but also made them pressurise the Americans into having a discussion with the Conservative party which is also the main opposition dreaming of getting elected into government next year.

The shadow foreign secretary of the Conservative party is rushing to the US to have a discussion with Clinton on this issue on Wednesday.

Nitish Kumar expresses reservations on changes to IIT admissions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:09:00 +0000

One day after reports that the IITs admission process is up for radical change and that the eligibility marks for the Class XII would be raised to 80 or 85%, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has expressed reservations about the plan.

He had written to the HRD ministry that such a move would put students from poor socio-economic status to a disadvantage and called the move as favorable to more fortunate students.

It is a true and valid point that has to be factored in while incorporating such radical changes to the system.

China calls Kashmir separate country

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:16:00 +0000

After trying to snub India by issuing separate visas to Kashmiris and making loud claims on Arunachal Pradesh and crying loud at the latest missile in development by India Agni-5, China is back to its ways.

In its signature style of sinister campaign being conducted against India questioning India's right over its territorial areas, China now treats Kashmir as a separate country in its information flyers to guest journalists of foreign countries.

In media kits provided by the Chinese authorities to journalists on a visit to Lhasa, Tibet, it was mentioned that Tibet "borders India, Nepal, Myanmar and the Kashmir area", thereby not recognising the status of Kashmir as part of the Indian union. (LINK)

I am waiting for the Indian government to respond in like. India ought to be more proactive in dealing with such excesses committed by China from time to time.

Longest Elevated Expressway inaugurated in Hyderabad

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0000

India's longest fly-over, an elevated expressway 11.6 km in length, has been inaugurated in Hyderabad on Monday.

The expressway has been in construction for over 3 years and was commissioned by the late Chief Minister of AP Y.S.R. The expressway connects Mehdipatnam area in the city to the new international airport at Shamshabad.

The expressway would operate as an ordinary fly-over until the construction of the ramps at a few places is finished. The current speed limit is 60 kmph and would be 100 kmph after the completion.

The expressway is named 'PV Narasimha Rao Expressway', after the late prime minister from Andhra Pradesh.

As in the case with the Outer ring road under construction around the city, the expressway is off-bounds to two-wheelers, autos and other slow moving vehicles. Also there is no entry or exit points along the expressway.

pic courtesy: rediff.com

pic courtesy: eenadu.net

pic courtesy: Indian Express

More beautiful pictures of the latest jewel in Hyderabad's crown here: The Hindu Slideshow

Home series with Australia: reality check.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:45:00 +0000

6 days left before the home series against Australia kicks off. There is 7 ODIs to be played. Is the Indian team ready and geared up to face an Australian team that has been in splendid form this season in the one-dayers ?

I have my doubts. Looking at the recent performances I guess anybody would have a doubt. The confidence with which the team had been playing for the most part of the last two years is nowhere to be seen. Particularly the batting. It has been worst. In more ways than one Dhoni, the guy who seemed like he would steer the team around from any situation, is out done by his opponents more than countable number of times in the recent past.

It hasn't started recently. Perhaps it started sometime during the IPL when Dhoni looked like he cannot play cricket anymore or so said his demeanour. Gambhir, the magician of the previous two seasons, is all but in good form. His batting debacles are endless. Middle order has become so predictable that one might even wonder if they are watching a repeat of the previous match. Its being absolutely pathetic.

And the selection process doesn't help either. Nobody in the world knows why Rahul Dravid was brought back into the one day team and now dropped. Virat Kohli doesn't probably know why he is being given chances after chances.

I do not know how much does this drop in morale of the team has to do with the pre-T20 world cup saga of Veeru suddenly dropping out on injury and all kinds of stories emanating about a rift between him and Dhoni etc.

I hope the team would come over its short comings in the recent past and be the team that it had been when it had beaten Australia at home the last season.

Click here for the match schedules

Government mulls reform to IIT admissions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:28:00 +0000

In a major change proposed to be brought into the system of admissions to IITs, the government plans to raise the qualifying marks in Class XII from 60% to 80 or 85%. This is being done with an intention to check the 'mushrooming' of coaching centres and also to encourage students to take Class XII exams seriously.

Under the current system students join coaching centres many years in advance to writing their IIT-JEE entrance and toil at the coaching centres, taking the Class XII exams easy. The government wants to change that system and wants to give more weightage to the Class XII marks as well. A committee has been formed to examine the possibilities. (LINK)

Lanka senses trouble, apprises India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa had apparently sounded the Indian government on a possibility of efforts to destabilise the democratic establishment of the country, according to a report in the SundayTimes, Lanka.

Upon learning of this the Indian government was said to have assured full co-operation and assistance to the democratic government.

There had been reports in the Lankan media of a rift between the President and the Army Commander Fonseka which had even triggered the government to arrest the said media person in want of information on the source of such information.