month-in-perspective
NEW DELHI:Showing no urgency in the disposal of various writs filed by different interested persons and groups, the apex court disposed some of the pleas it received after the 5th August 2019 abrogation of article 370 making J&K just another state of India without any special status.
The Supreme Court was acting on pleas against the imposition of curbs on internet usage and clamping of section 144 of CrPC. Internet was asked to be restored for essential services like hospital and educational activities, which is truly essential in any scenario of conflict. However the highest court of the land took its own time of over 150 days to dwell on the issue for the inherent possibility of its misuse by vested interest. Over a period things had improved in J&K post article 370 abrogation. The report in the press about the visit and consequent statement of Vietnamese Ambassador, that “Kashmiris are happy with the current situation. Can see happiness on their faces”, is a reflection of the change that apex court has noticed before they took the call on J&K.
Here it is to be noted that, while the Supreme Court has asked the administration in J&K to free the internet for two areas within 7 days, no such time frame was indicated for other sectors or people in the Valley. This clearly confirms the intention of the court in prioritizing the restoration of internet area wise depending on its essential nature under the changed circumstances and the history of J&K.
While, all marks should go to the Supreme Court for its measured response, the hyped reactions by the opposition led by Congress leader Kapil Sibal, spokesperson Sandeep Surjewala, Congress man from J&K Ghulam Nabi Azad as if, it was a shock treatment meted out to Modi led NDA, is a bit laughable. Surjewala called it ‘big jolt of 2020”, Sibal called it ‘historic’ with some noise on ‘freedom of expression’ etc, so also the press trying to highlight the report and reactions of Congress leaders disproportionately, as if press too is trying to join the opposition in ‘fixing’ the government in J&K and in turn the central government.
It is becoming increasingly clear that sense of proportion in the reporting and commenting by the media on happenings in governments are getting blurred in favour of sensation and partisanship. This is a sad development.
NEW DELHI:In the cacophony of misguided protest by a section of Indians with regard to CAA what is lost is the truth that in Pakistan, the minority which was about 20% in August 1947 is presently less than 2%. Where have they gone? What happened to them? In comparison Muslims in India, who were less than 9% in August 1947, are today 15%. So the truth which Muslims in India need to understand is that they have grown and thrived in an atmosphere of acceptance. The question therefore staring at those who are opposing CAA in general and Muslims of India in particular, is whether there's any moral responsibility for them to appreciate and understand the miserable helplessness of minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan? Do you hearken, Indian Muslim brethren?
NEW DELHI:Some weeks ago, before he was elevated as CDS or Chief of Defense Staff, General Bipin Rawat had reportedly remarked “A good leader ensures that there is no violence and destruction of public property”. For record, it did cause flutter in some sections of public space, especially the political class from opposition parties.
Of all the people, it was former finance minister, just out on bail, P.Chidambaram had reacted at a Congress rally that “Army Generals are not expected to wade into divisive politics”. After being in CBI custody for over 100days, the former FM was not expected to launch himself into politics, except to hit back at the government that detained him as a criminal.
Even in media, although it said there was nothing exceptionable in what General Rawat said, it was taken as contextual, due to the destruction that took place during anti-CAA protest rallies.
The question is, as a General does he not have a freedom to express his frank opinion on the general state of law and order? He did not take side of the government by praising CAA. He only commented on the violence that destroyed public property. It is eminently deserved to be commented upon by anybody who is a concerned citizen, so what he is an army man! He didn’t take side. It is those who were the cause of destruction who reacted to his remarks, since he was the top army officer, tipped to be the head of all three armed forces combined. What he says matters. If it was a mere officer at a junior level, may be neither the media nor the political class would have taken note of. His statement about a good leader has to be taken in right spirit without political colour and to think that, he was only currying favour for his promotion as CDS only classifies in poor light the accuser than the General himself.
NEW DELHI:There was this print media news datelined New Delhi “FDI or Swadeshi? India in contradicting position”. This appeared to be the stand of both, a section of the media and those representing industry.
But the truth is we want both - ‘FDI& Swadeshi’- and how industry and media should promote both; without making the life of government difficult. Unfortunately both, media and industry are driven by contradicting objectives. Both are in business. Both expect government to help them succeed in their respective domain, but will not help the government in delivering what government is trying to deliver.
We need FDI for varieties of socio-economic needs. The FDI should not only come in, to help improve infrastructure but also create employment opportunities. But all recognizes that a nation should have its own strength also. Therefore all should work towards strengthening the country for making it self-dependent.
Therefore, promoting the production and consumption of Swadeshi products is primary, whether FDI comes or not.
Hence, both FDI and Swadeshi should necessarily co-exist and certainly not become contradictory.
FDI should not come in areas where Swadeshi is active, is the name of the game. All items of consumption, especially those which can be locally made from local resources have to be in the domain of Swadeshi for obvious reasons. Every government worth its name should encourage Swadeshi for both social and economic empowerment of its people.
Similarly, to have international relations and also help realize the nation’s socio-economic goals, we have to invite FDI, because it fills the lack of investment by both indigenous industry and business so also shortage of investible fund from the government. So, FDI is a multi-pronged initiative, which is different from our domestic compulsions.
FDI should come in areas where Swadeshi is not active for both lack of fund and lack of expertise then there will be meaningful contribution and both FDI & Swadeshi can flourish side by side. However FDI cannot be there in a country to the detriment of Swadeshi like what China is doing with its BRI initiative and hurting the national interest of countries benefitting from this BRI initiative. Therefore both press and commerce and industry bodies within India must help the government by supporting the government rather than create doubt in the minds of citizens.
NEW DELHI:Infamous Nirbhaya Delhi rape case happened in 2012, and we are in 2019, and our legal machinery is still not coming to concluding terms with the situation.
It was shocking, inhumane and brutal to think when a sobbing mother of the young victim was told “we sympathize with you entirely. We know someone has died, but they (rape convicts) have their rights too”. Court has given them time to seek remedy, so is it surprising what happened in Hyderabad, where 4 accused was summarily gunned down in an ‘encounter’! Isn’t our criminal justice system asking for what happened in Hyderabad!
And comes the suggestion from Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising asking the parents of Nirbhaya to be ‘large hearted like Sonia Gandhi to pardon the accused’ to be hanged.
Question the parents of Nirbhaya asked was “would this lady lawyer suggest such pardon, if her own daughter was tortured to death while being sexually assaulted”.
People like Indira Jaising, who apparently is a responsible senior lawyer; do they realize the enormity of what she was asking, especially in an extremely charged atmosphere? She seems to ignore the circumstances involving the death sentence. One was a politically inspired murder; the other was a bestial, dastardly and animal act of physical violation and physical liquidation of the victim to satisfy an animal urge. How can both be compared! Has she lost her sense of proportion?!
The release of the cruelest among the six accused let out for being juvenile has to be seen in this context. A seventeen year old man, who is matured enough to understand the physical attack for his carnal hunger, how can he be treated as an immature juvenile, when the crime is clearly so adult and serious? In no country this exoneration could have taken place, except in India, where freedom has taken different & extreme interpretations, especially in the context of law of the land.
NEW DELHI:Adjudicating on the issue of anticipatory bail and the extent of protection granted, a five judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that the discretionary power of courts to grant anticipatory bail cannot be curtailed. ‘The unbridled power of the executive to arbitrarily arrest an alleged accused has to be curtailed’, appears to be the stand of the highest court of the land.
While it is absolutely true that executive, with the help of one of its arms-police-has often used the heavy hand of the law to arbitrarily arrest and humiliate men and women in position of worldly respect and honour, it is also true that granting of bail by courts across the judiciary has been controversial too, many a times.
Here, whether it is anticipatory bail or regular bail, post arrest, is not the issue. Courts, perforce, should apply itself fully before granting any bail, whether anticipatory or regular.
Of course anticipatory bail is generally sought by people who entertain a thought, that they are being wronged or seen suspiciously by the police or the authorities concerned, for whatever the alleged crime involved.
While legal protection is a fundamental right of every citizen, more often, it is misused by persons concerned due to their financial and social standing, which may or may not be supported by the truth or the relevance of the case in question.
In regular bail also, many a time, there are those on bail who have come back to take revenge on the victims and have even killed victims and their relatives. The instances are far too many to quote.
Therefore while it is OK to take the stand that the power of the court to grant anticipatory bail or regular bail cannot be curtailed for obvious reasons, for equally obvious reasons, courts too- from lowest to the highest- have to, suo moto, apply itself fully before granting bail, purely for the reason that “it does not lead to clear miscarriage of justice”.
UTTAR PRADESH: It was a sad spectacle to see former actor turned politician Shotgun Sinha and former bureaucrat turned politician Yashwant Sinha trying to muddy political waters by going for ‘anti-CAA nationwide yaatra’. This is the height of national betrayal, only because, both of them have a grudge against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
One can understand the situation, the actor politician Shotgun Sinha is in. Except political ambition he has nothing to offer. He had some ministerial position in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet. At least one of the medical educational institutions had complaints against him, for his delaying tactics in giving them permission for medical college. He had series of remarks against party leadership and his estrangement culminated with party denying him ticket during 2014 Loksabha election. Since then, nothing worked for him in his favour elsewhere too.
But for Yashwant Sinha, who is an intellectual and a successful babu and a former finance minister should not have taken a strident anti-national stand, just because he was denied ticket since he was over 75 in 2014. It is true that NaMo’s diktat about 75 years was not taken kindly for the brashness of his decision to impose 75 years as cut off for giving ticket to stand for Loksabha election in 2014. But what Yashwant Sinha should have considered was his son Jayant Sinha was given ticket and won so also became a minister under Arun Jaitley. Despite that, the completely avoidable barrage of criticism which Yashwant Sinha leveled against NDA II was atrocious, to say the least.
However commenting on the style of functioning of NaMo is one thing, but to take an anti-national stand on an important legislation like CAA, because he has been treated badly or perceived to have been treated badly is an unpardonable act. Wonder, who can prevail upon persons like Yashwant Sinha is a dicey one, while ignoring one’s like Shotgun Sinha’s outbursts.
RAJASTHAN: Managing health sector in a country like India certainly has its own multi-dimensional issues, and incompetence of authorities is certainly one of them. Incompetence combined with apathy is a double edged whammy for poor patients who are more often than not are at the receiving end of the systemic failures.
The death of over hundred infants in JK Lon Hospital in Kota, Rajasthan in just over a month, is a poor reflection of the state of affairs in the government hospitals all over India. The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, had dismissed the report stating ‘It is not abnormal. Children do die of serious sicknesses’, while blaming the earlier BJP led government in Rajasthan for the poor state of health infrastructure in the state.
Reportedly, these infants, some 107 to be exact in 35 days, had died of hypothermia, a medical emergency that occurs when the body temperature falls below 95 F, when normal body temperature should be 98.6 F. A government appointed panel had reported that ‘107 kids died due to cold shivering as the hospital lacked everything a normal medical facility should have.’
Confirming the sad state of affairs was the Deputy CM of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot, who was honest enough to admit that there’s no point of blaming the former government as the present government is already 13 months old in the saddle, while stating “our response to the entire episode could have been more sensitive and it is painful to watch little children die and it is not coming to an end”.
Its time politicians like Ashok Gehlot are shown their place.
MAHARASHTRA: This so-called unrest among students without any rhyme or reason is a new dimension in the increasing dirty politics of forces inimical to the interest of the country, a new low in the game of polarization. The latest to hit the headline is one Miss Nalini B, from Ramakrishnanagar in Mysore city.
She was found carrying a placard “FREE KASHMIR”, this Monday evening without knowing what was she holding, at a protest near Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Report from Mysore, where she managed bail from a local court; informs that she has finished a course in journalism. Not clear, if she is already involved in her qualified craft.
On facing rush of flak for the placard, she ran away to her base in Mysore to obtain an anticipatory bail. Reportedly she expressed her ignorance and apologized for the fiasco.
Except the ‘glory’ of appearing in TOI on both Wednesday and Saturday, she got nothing else. Look at the height of stupidity of students like this Nalini B! Living in Mysore, she rushed to far away Mumbai to take part in a protest, to condemn violence in JNU campus. First of all Kashmir was not the issue of protest. Then to say something as blasphemous as FREE KASHMIR was a complete anathema and on fearing possible date with the police, changed track to “free of restrictions in Kashmir” and apologized. Clearly something is wrong with students like Nalini B, and there are innumerable like her across the country, led by their stupid anti-social anti-national leaders.
They indulge in such ‘ignorant’ act with purpose, to both, come into undeserved limelight and to foment trouble in the society. In fact, they do enormous harm to the country in the name of freedom. They should be seriously and strictly dealt with by the law enforcing authorities all across the country. As if to prove it right is the latest on the internet “Kashmirs are happy with the current situation. Can see happiness on their faces” said Vietnamese envoy to India, Pham Sanh Chan visiting J&K yesterday.
MAHARASHTRA: All politicians or entire political class is same, always barking up the wrong tree.
Due to the freez on grants by the BMC, Municipal Wadia hospitals in Parel, in Central Mumbai looking after poor TB patients have no money to improve its facilities and to buy proper medicines for these patients. But strangely the government has enough and more for vote bank politics. Reportedly the Maharashtra government of MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) consisting of ShivSena, NCP of Sharad Pawar and Congress has increased the cost of B. R. Ambedkar’s statue by Rs.300 crores to a whopping Rs.1070/- crores. The BRA memorial project is being executed at the Indu Mills premises in the Mumbai’s central suburb of Dadar.
It is very unfortunate that the government at Sachivaalay, did not come to the rescue of Wadia TB hospitals, suffering from lack of facilities and medicines meant for poor patients, despite Bombay High Court coming out publicly asking the government in Mumbai to pay attention on the plight of patients at Wadia TB Hospital in Parel.
This Rs.300 crores has been sanctioned to increase the height of B. R. Ambedkar’s statue from 250 ft to 350ft, to compete with Sardar Patel statue in Gujarat. This is competition of a silly kind. When will our politicians understand that they are there to serve the people rather than indulge in one up manship.
MAHARASHTRA: ‘300 personalities issue statements against CAA’ was the print media report yesterday, the 27th January.
The report called them eminent, for whatever they were worth from ‘Creative and Scholarly Communities of India’. But fortunately they were not called intellectuals.
Or else, how could they question “Why minorities from neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, China and Myanmar have been excluded from CAA”.
What is the history of Tamils in Sri Lanka, what is the history of Uyghurs in China and what is the history of Rohingyas in Burma?
And believe it or not, in this crowd of 300, was the ‘celebrated’ historian Romila Thapar!
It was a very poor reflection on those 300 ‘eminent personalities’ that they do not have any idea of the problem of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Tamils’ was a political problem. They wanted ‘Tamil Ealaam’, an independent Tamil state within Sri Lanka and hence they were not the exploited ones. This shows the poor knowledge of history of these 300 ‘eminent personalities’. Come to China and Myanmar. Both have their own socio/political compulsions. At least Myanmar was uncomfortable with the uncontrolled growth of Rohingya population. Myanmarians mortally feared that they would become minorities in their own country in matter of decades.
As for China, they want to protect and promote Chinese ideology and their way of life. They are clearly not happy with Uyghurs’ Islamic moorings. They are not being exploited the way minorities were / are exploited, the way it is forced on minorities in Pakistan. What is happening in Bangladesh and Afghanistan to these unfortunate victims of time and circumstances? Media too has blindly gone along these ‘eminent personalities’ in their competitive hatred of NaMo and his government.
KARNATAKA: There was this Mangalooru datelined report in the print “KPCC Women’s cell (KPCCWC) will submit report to Kovind”. Reportedly this KPCCWC has conducted a ‘fact finding’ visit to collect information on the December 19 police firing in the city and they wanted to submit the report of findings to President Ramanath Kovind. Reportedly KPCCWC wanted a judicial probe into the firing that killed 2 persons and that they lashed out at local BJP MLA and Mangalooru MP for not visiting the family of the dead.
According to KPCCWC President Pushpa Amarnath “CAA amounts to internal terrorism” and therefore both central and state home ministers should resign. She also referred to former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswami’s video released to the public on the alleged police brutality in Mangalooru. Reportedly this KPCCWC president supported this Hindi film actor Deepika Padukone for her visit to JNU campus and appealed people to watch her film ‘Chapaak’.
Now starting with the last, the film ‘Chapaak’ is a distorted version of the reality on which it has been claimed to have been made. Therefore it has to be boycotted. Don’t sell untruth as truth. Deepika Padukone is a joke. She is only a good looking film actress, not necessarily endowed with brain to distinguish right from wrong.
Coming to HD Kumaraswami, former Karnatakas CM, can you trust a person who admitted to have sold the MLC seat for crores! The report in the press along with the report of KPCCWC states “HDK videos are cut &paste job”. Should we go beyond this!
Then this lady Pushpa Amarnath calls ‘CAA as interval terrorism’. She has simply no idea what is CAA and what is terrorism. She is not only ignorant she has not read the act itself. This is an attempt at fear mongering and misleading the citizenry. She has demanded the resignation of two home ministers, central and state, as if the resignation is a solution to the ‘problem’ raised by her.
Now, coming to the larger question of, so called ‘police brutality’, the first question to be asked is, why did the police come into the picture? Police came to protect the law and order disrupted by unruly and violent crowd who had gathered on the streets of Mangalooru after a former minister, UT Khader gave a call saying “Karnataka will burn, if CAA is implemented”. This is clear incitement and instigation by an irresponsible former minister. The question arises why this former minister not booked so far..?
KARNATAKA: After a long lull, the border skirmishes in and around Belgaum have been witnessed in recent times. May be because, there was BJP/ShivSena government in Mumbai, and in Karnataka too there were times when BJP was in and out of power, the so-called issues of Marathi Manoos in Belgaum were not overplayed. Now that BJP is no more in Maharashtra government, the Tiger has started to roar.
Shiv Sainiks have been making things difficult for people in border areas between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Clearly it is politically driven, since there is no case, really speaking, in the alleged harassment of Marathi speaking people in Belgaum. But the truth is ever since states were created on linguistic basis in 1956, political leaders from Maharashtra, especially ShivSena has created a non-existent issue and made it into a problem.
However what is required from the leadership of Karnataka, is to play it down or just ignore it. But the present Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa is not given to quieter diplomacy. He too is a politician in his own class, and he roared back “will not give even an inch of land”. That was completely and utterly uncalled for remark. When the matter come to that stage, you just do not give even an inch, but why say it with such hype in public and get sprayed all over the print media. In the past, the Shiv Sainik, and the present Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had called Yediyurappa as ‘Yeda’ which means ‘madman’ in Marathi.
With utterances of such verbose by BSY, Uddhav Thackeray, who can be called in Kannada, as ‘Uddhata’, meaning ‘rude & crude’, would surely repeat his barb. So why one has to reduce himself as a laughing stock by mere usage of inappropriate words and unnecessary reaction!
But politicians, who have tasted power, are not the type to learn lessons.
KERALA: Sometime in 1999, Christian community in Mangalooru had organized a felicitation function for the then Defence Minister George Fernandes. The priest, who was making the felicitation speech, among other remarks had stated “George, you are the Defence Minister of the country but we are defenseless here”. Responding to the felicitation Mr. Fernandes had said, among other statements, “in the past we have remained quiet when our neighbors were attacked, now how can we complain when similar things happen to us”. He is so damn right!
Reportedly, Syro-Malabar Church of Kerala (SMCK) has gone to town crying
“Love Jihad is not an illusion”. When non-Christian parents cried similarly, when their daughters and sisters were lured to get married to Muslim men with many ending up in Jihadi circuits, these churches had nothing to say and media too had dismissed it as some communal rant.
And comes this ‘wisdom’ filled editorial from the usual source Times of India. This joker of an editor, or whoever has written it, has titled it “Her Choice, Hers Alone” adding ‘Love Jihad is communal, patriarchal hoax’. (TOI, January 18, 2020)
According to SMCK, these Christian women are being lured abroad by Muslim men to become ‘sex slaves’. The TOI editorial says, “These Church elders have followed the Hindutva play book, where idea of Love Jihad is classic kindling for communal tension. At the core of this bug bear lies a refusal to accept that in our free republic, adult female citizens are at liberty to fall in love with anyone they want. The Syro-Malabar Church has made common cause with the Islamophobia rampant in India”.
This man who probably thinks himself as a champion of freedom, has not experienced such happening to his daughter, his wife or his sister, hence may not know the pain. As for running down Hindus, it is the only way he can call himself secular and besides, people like this are blind, deaf and dumb when it comes to the suffering of Muslim women, whether used by the father-in-law or brother-in-law. Of course more often they do not become news. And how conveniently Indian media Men and Women have failed to acknowledge the supply of sex slaves in Pakistan for their Chinese masters, and who are those sex-slaves? As for the alleged Islamophobia rampant in India, as this joker states, is he blind to the western media stories making its interminable rounds!
KERALA Highlighting a filmy effort by Meghna Gulzar, THE WEEK had put her picture and credited her with a remark “Chhapak is more realistic than all her previous films”, on the prominent ‘Contents’ page, with cover proclaiming ‘MEGHNA GULZAR ON WHY CHHAPAK IS HER MOST REAL FILM’. Clearly, THE WEEK was giving prominence to the film and its creator for whatever it is worth.
Probably this would have rested there. Unfortunately having become an issue, rightly or wrongly, it has snow-balled-into a completely avoidable controversy.
The protagonist in the film acted by bollywood queen Deepika Padukone, walked in flesh and blood to the controversy ridden JNU students’ supporters group ostensibly lending them support. This has irked, rightly or wrongly, those who do not have wholesome opinions on these JNU trouble making students group. Then the inevitable happened. When you do not like somebody you go into his/her ‘Jaathaka or Horoscope’. And it unravels.
The interested interlocutors go into the ‘Chhapak’ where, the story is supposedly based on the then teenage victim of ACID ATTACK, Laxmi Aggarwal attacked by one Nadeem Khan, but allegedly changed in the film as Rajesh Sharma with tilak. If true, this is a completely avoidable change with probably a sinister motive with other masaala thrown in like praying in Dargah etc. Clearly there appears to be some kind of an agenda, besides portrayal of a valiant fight of a girl victim.
It is certainly a commendable desire of the film maker but sadly leaves a bad taste in the mouth, if what is available in public space is to be believed. This is a polarization effort to say the least. The public space also mentions how Deepika Padukone’s ancestors fled from Goa to escape the Portuguese persecution and took shelter in Dakshina Kannada. As a ‘responsible’ periodical do you owe any explanation? Or as usual it is another crap under freedom of expression?
WORLD: World is privy to the escalating cold war between United States and Iran ever since Donald Trump took over as US President. Beginning with 2018 May, he jettisoned the ‘US- Iran Nuclear deal’, concluded by former US President Barrack Obama. This deal was a significant piece of agreement, where all five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with all members of European Union were signatories. This agreement did signal the cooling of ruffled tempers within the middle eastern nations. But the unilateral withdrawal by the US President Trump, again trigerred uncertainties.
In May 2019, US blamed Iran for damaging 4 oil tankers in the sea off UAE coast, which Iran denied. In June 2019, Iran shot down a US military surveillance drone. Angry President Trump somehow did not retaliate, saying, it is not worth hitting Iranian sites causing death of more than 100 over the loss of an unmanned drone. In September 2019, Iran backed militia in Yemen caused extensive damage to the Saudi Arabian oil fields. However US did not join the issue with Saudi to retaliate.
27th December Iran backed Hizbollah in Iraq attacked a US airbase in Kirkuk, Iraq killing a US civil contractor with some 6 US service personnel injured. US retaliated on 29th December killing 25 Hizbollah members. On 31st December Hizbollah attacked US Embassy in Baghdad and spray painted “Soleimani our leader’ and US followed it by drone attack on General Qasem Soleimani the 2nd most powerful Iranian, and liquidated him.
Screaming vengeance on January 8, 2020 Iran hit US targets with ballistic missiles but failed to kill any US personnel. Whether it was deliberate not to kill anybody or just to show the Iranian might, is still unclear.
Fortunately for the World, holding its breath for a possible full scale war between US and Iran, nothing serious has happened allowing wise counsel to prevail. America with President Trump being the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, have far superior fire power. But the calculation of international politics can draw Russia and even China to side with Iran, is a possibility that US cannot overlook. That can only be the precursor for III World War, which world can ill afford.
Hope the lull in the New Year continues with a hope that all will come to terms with the reality that a world war was simply not an option for anybody including the lone surviving super power, the US.
WORLD: Asia Bibi, a Christian in Pakistan was arrested by the Punjab police some years ago, on charges of blasphemy. In Pakistan it is very normal, non-Muslims being complained against and being arrested and even being convicted by court, since, it is very difficult for victims to prove themselves as innocents.
However, surprisingly, the court in Lahore, acquitted Asia Bibi. And not surprisingly Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) held a violent protest against the acquittal. In Pakistan, there are many who would support the protest from likes of TLP. But again surprisingly, authorities in Islamabad did not take this violent protest kindly. Police arrested whole lot of protesting TLP men. Again surprisingly too, a court in Islamabad came down heavily on these TLP men with a heavy hand.
Hearing the case under Anti-Terrorism Act, the anti-terrorism court sentenced 86 persons to 55 years in jail. Convicted included the brother and nephew of TLP Chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi. Court also imposed a hefty damage to the property as fine to the tune of Rs. 1,29,25,000/- and directed authorities to seize their movable and immovable properties.
That’s not just grand standing! It’s a testimony to their action! Imran Khan, surely has his negatives when it comes to India, but for his own countrymen he means business. It is a good sign for Pakistan.
WORLD: Anything white has a premium was proved by the media mogul Living Media India Ltd. (LMIL). Media group, LMIL had organized its annual marketing feature INDIA TO-DAY CONCLAVE 2019, in March last year. As usual they invited foreigners, especially white skinned speakers, on issues of ‘relevance’ with controversy in mind. How much the general public is wiser or made aware of things by these conclaves, is unknown. But the show has to go on, that’s the dictum.
This time round LMIL had invited the present prime minister of UK, Boris Johnson, when he was only a Member of Parliament, aspiring to be the PM of UK.
In a recently published statement of his financial interest, as a Member of British Parliament, he has disclosed the amount he charged and got paid for his 3 hours that he spent at the conclave.
According to the Register of Members Financial Interest of UK Parliament, Boris Johnson received 122,899.74 (equivalent to Indian Rs.1.13 crore) on March 22, 2019, from Living Media India Ltd, K-9 Connaught Circus, New Delhi- 110001, for a speech to India To-day conclave for 3 hours. Transport & Accommodation were also provided, he had declared.
According to sources in London, by any stretch of imagination, this was a huge payment for just 3 hours of interaction with an all paid trip.
Reportedly it has raised eyebrows in government circles in both countries.
Clearly LMIL had some implicit reason to get a mere parliamentarian then, who became the Prime Minister of UK, to speak to the crowd at its conclave. What it could be? Only time will tell. After all every media house is in the business of business, media activity is only an activity not the sole objective.
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The Supreme Court was acting on pleas against the imposition of curbs on internet usage and clamping of section 144 of CrPC. Internet was asked to be restored for essential services like hospital and educational activities, which is truly essential in any scenario of conflict. However the highest court of the land took its own time of over 150 days to dwell on the issue for the inherent possibility of its misuse by vested interest. Over a period things had improved in J&K post article 370 abrogation. The report in the press about the visit and consequent statement of Vietnamese Ambassador, that “Kashmiris are happy with the current situation. Can see happiness on their faces”, is a reflection of the change that apex court has noticed before they took the call on J&K.
Here it is to be noted that, while the Supreme Court has asked the administration in J&K to free the internet for two areas within 7 days, no such time frame was indicated for other sectors or people in the Valley. This clearly confirms the intention of the court in prioritizing the restoration of internet area wise depending on its essential nature under the changed circumstances and the history of J&K.
While, all marks should go to the Supreme Court for its measured response, the hyped reactions by the opposition led by Congress leader Kapil Sibal, spokesperson Sandeep Surjewala, Congress man from J&K Ghulam Nabi Azad as if, it was a shock treatment meted out to Modi led NDA, is a bit laughable. Surjewala called it ‘big jolt of 2020”, Sibal called it ‘historic’ with some noise on ‘freedom of expression’ etc, so also the press trying to highlight the report and reactions of Congress leaders disproportionately, as if press too is trying to join the opposition in ‘fixing’ the government in J&K and in turn the central government.
It is becoming increasingly clear that sense of proportion in the reporting and commenting by the media on happenings in governments are getting blurred in favour of sensation and partisanship. This is a sad development.
NEW DELHI:In the cacophony of misguided protest by a section of Indians with regard to CAA what is lost is the truth that in Pakistan, the minority which was about 20% in August 1947 is presently less than 2%. Where have they gone? What happened to them? In comparison Muslims in India, who were less than 9% in August 1947, are today 15%. So the truth which Muslims in India need to understand is that they have grown and thrived in an atmosphere of acceptance. The question therefore staring at those who are opposing CAA in general and Muslims of India in particular, is whether there's any moral responsibility for them to appreciate and understand the miserable helplessness of minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan? Do you hearken, Indian Muslim brethren?
NEW DELHI:Some weeks ago, before he was elevated as CDS or Chief of Defense Staff, General Bipin Rawat had reportedly remarked “A good leader ensures that there is no violence and destruction of public property”. For record, it did cause flutter in some sections of public space, especially the political class from opposition parties.
Of all the people, it was former finance minister, just out on bail, P.Chidambaram had reacted at a Congress rally that “Army Generals are not expected to wade into divisive politics”. After being in CBI custody for over 100days, the former FM was not expected to launch himself into politics, except to hit back at the government that detained him as a criminal.
Even in media, although it said there was nothing exceptionable in what General Rawat said, it was taken as contextual, due to the destruction that took place during anti-CAA protest rallies.
The question is, as a General does he not have a freedom to express his frank opinion on the general state of law and order? He did not take side of the government by praising CAA. He only commented on the violence that destroyed public property. It is eminently deserved to be commented upon by anybody who is a concerned citizen, so what he is an army man! He didn’t take side. It is those who were the cause of destruction who reacted to his remarks, since he was the top army officer, tipped to be the head of all three armed forces combined. What he says matters. If it was a mere officer at a junior level, may be neither the media nor the political class would have taken note of. His statement about a good leader has to be taken in right spirit without political colour and to think that, he was only currying favour for his promotion as CDS only classifies in poor light the accuser than the General himself.
NEW DELHI:There was this print media news datelined New Delhi “FDI or Swadeshi? India in contradicting position”. This appeared to be the stand of both, a section of the media and those representing industry.
But the truth is we want both - ‘FDI& Swadeshi’- and how industry and media should promote both; without making the life of government difficult. Unfortunately both, media and industry are driven by contradicting objectives. Both are in business. Both expect government to help them succeed in their respective domain, but will not help the government in delivering what government is trying to deliver.
We need FDI for varieties of socio-economic needs. The FDI should not only come in, to help improve infrastructure but also create employment opportunities. But all recognizes that a nation should have its own strength also. Therefore all should work towards strengthening the country for making it self-dependent.
Therefore, promoting the production and consumption of Swadeshi products is primary, whether FDI comes or not.
Hence, both FDI and Swadeshi should necessarily co-exist and certainly not become contradictory.
FDI should not come in areas where Swadeshi is active, is the name of the game. All items of consumption, especially those which can be locally made from local resources have to be in the domain of Swadeshi for obvious reasons. Every government worth its name should encourage Swadeshi for both social and economic empowerment of its people.
Similarly, to have international relations and also help realize the nation’s socio-economic goals, we have to invite FDI, because it fills the lack of investment by both indigenous industry and business so also shortage of investible fund from the government. So, FDI is a multi-pronged initiative, which is different from our domestic compulsions.
FDI should come in areas where Swadeshi is not active for both lack of fund and lack of expertise then there will be meaningful contribution and both FDI & Swadeshi can flourish side by side. However FDI cannot be there in a country to the detriment of Swadeshi like what China is doing with its BRI initiative and hurting the national interest of countries benefitting from this BRI initiative. Therefore both press and commerce and industry bodies within India must help the government by supporting the government rather than create doubt in the minds of citizens.
NEW DELHI:Infamous Nirbhaya Delhi rape case happened in 2012, and we are in 2019, and our legal machinery is still not coming to concluding terms with the situation.
It was shocking, inhumane and brutal to think when a sobbing mother of the young victim was told “we sympathize with you entirely. We know someone has died, but they (rape convicts) have their rights too”. Court has given them time to seek remedy, so is it surprising what happened in Hyderabad, where 4 accused was summarily gunned down in an ‘encounter’! Isn’t our criminal justice system asking for what happened in Hyderabad!
And comes the suggestion from Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising asking the parents of Nirbhaya to be ‘large hearted like Sonia Gandhi to pardon the accused’ to be hanged.
Question the parents of Nirbhaya asked was “would this lady lawyer suggest such pardon, if her own daughter was tortured to death while being sexually assaulted”.
People like Indira Jaising, who apparently is a responsible senior lawyer; do they realize the enormity of what she was asking, especially in an extremely charged atmosphere? She seems to ignore the circumstances involving the death sentence. One was a politically inspired murder; the other was a bestial, dastardly and animal act of physical violation and physical liquidation of the victim to satisfy an animal urge. How can both be compared! Has she lost her sense of proportion?!
The release of the cruelest among the six accused let out for being juvenile has to be seen in this context. A seventeen year old man, who is matured enough to understand the physical attack for his carnal hunger, how can he be treated as an immature juvenile, when the crime is clearly so adult and serious? In no country this exoneration could have taken place, except in India, where freedom has taken different & extreme interpretations, especially in the context of law of the land.
NEW DELHI:Adjudicating on the issue of anticipatory bail and the extent of protection granted, a five judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that the discretionary power of courts to grant anticipatory bail cannot be curtailed. ‘The unbridled power of the executive to arbitrarily arrest an alleged accused has to be curtailed’, appears to be the stand of the highest court of the land.
While it is absolutely true that executive, with the help of one of its arms-police-has often used the heavy hand of the law to arbitrarily arrest and humiliate men and women in position of worldly respect and honour, it is also true that granting of bail by courts across the judiciary has been controversial too, many a times.
Here, whether it is anticipatory bail or regular bail, post arrest, is not the issue. Courts, perforce, should apply itself fully before granting any bail, whether anticipatory or regular.
Of course anticipatory bail is generally sought by people who entertain a thought, that they are being wronged or seen suspiciously by the police or the authorities concerned, for whatever the alleged crime involved.
While legal protection is a fundamental right of every citizen, more often, it is misused by persons concerned due to their financial and social standing, which may or may not be supported by the truth or the relevance of the case in question.
In regular bail also, many a time, there are those on bail who have come back to take revenge on the victims and have even killed victims and their relatives. The instances are far too many to quote.
Therefore while it is OK to take the stand that the power of the court to grant anticipatory bail or regular bail cannot be curtailed for obvious reasons, for equally obvious reasons, courts too- from lowest to the highest- have to, suo moto, apply itself fully before granting bail, purely for the reason that “it does not lead to clear miscarriage of justice”.
UTTAR PRADESH: It was a sad spectacle to see former actor turned politician Shotgun Sinha and former bureaucrat turned politician Yashwant Sinha trying to muddy political waters by going for ‘anti-CAA nationwide yaatra’. This is the height of national betrayal, only because, both of them have a grudge against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
One can understand the situation, the actor politician Shotgun Sinha is in. Except political ambition he has nothing to offer. He had some ministerial position in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet. At least one of the medical educational institutions had complaints against him, for his delaying tactics in giving them permission for medical college. He had series of remarks against party leadership and his estrangement culminated with party denying him ticket during 2014 Loksabha election. Since then, nothing worked for him in his favour elsewhere too.
But for Yashwant Sinha, who is an intellectual and a successful babu and a former finance minister should not have taken a strident anti-national stand, just because he was denied ticket since he was over 75 in 2014. It is true that NaMo’s diktat about 75 years was not taken kindly for the brashness of his decision to impose 75 years as cut off for giving ticket to stand for Loksabha election in 2014. But what Yashwant Sinha should have considered was his son Jayant Sinha was given ticket and won so also became a minister under Arun Jaitley. Despite that, the completely avoidable barrage of criticism which Yashwant Sinha leveled against NDA II was atrocious, to say the least.
However commenting on the style of functioning of NaMo is one thing, but to take an anti-national stand on an important legislation like CAA, because he has been treated badly or perceived to have been treated badly is an unpardonable act. Wonder, who can prevail upon persons like Yashwant Sinha is a dicey one, while ignoring one’s like Shotgun Sinha’s outbursts.
RAJASTHAN: Managing health sector in a country like India certainly has its own multi-dimensional issues, and incompetence of authorities is certainly one of them. Incompetence combined with apathy is a double edged whammy for poor patients who are more often than not are at the receiving end of the systemic failures.
The death of over hundred infants in JK Lon Hospital in Kota, Rajasthan in just over a month, is a poor reflection of the state of affairs in the government hospitals all over India. The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, had dismissed the report stating ‘It is not abnormal. Children do die of serious sicknesses’, while blaming the earlier BJP led government in Rajasthan for the poor state of health infrastructure in the state.
Reportedly, these infants, some 107 to be exact in 35 days, had died of hypothermia, a medical emergency that occurs when the body temperature falls below 95 F, when normal body temperature should be 98.6 F. A government appointed panel had reported that ‘107 kids died due to cold shivering as the hospital lacked everything a normal medical facility should have.’
Confirming the sad state of affairs was the Deputy CM of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot, who was honest enough to admit that there’s no point of blaming the former government as the present government is already 13 months old in the saddle, while stating “our response to the entire episode could have been more sensitive and it is painful to watch little children die and it is not coming to an end”.
Its time politicians like Ashok Gehlot are shown their place.
MAHARASHTRA: This so-called unrest among students without any rhyme or reason is a new dimension in the increasing dirty politics of forces inimical to the interest of the country, a new low in the game of polarization. The latest to hit the headline is one Miss Nalini B, from Ramakrishnanagar in Mysore city.
She was found carrying a placard “FREE KASHMIR”, this Monday evening without knowing what was she holding, at a protest near Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Report from Mysore, where she managed bail from a local court; informs that she has finished a course in journalism. Not clear, if she is already involved in her qualified craft.
On facing rush of flak for the placard, she ran away to her base in Mysore to obtain an anticipatory bail. Reportedly she expressed her ignorance and apologized for the fiasco.
Except the ‘glory’ of appearing in TOI on both Wednesday and Saturday, she got nothing else. Look at the height of stupidity of students like this Nalini B! Living in Mysore, she rushed to far away Mumbai to take part in a protest, to condemn violence in JNU campus. First of all Kashmir was not the issue of protest. Then to say something as blasphemous as FREE KASHMIR was a complete anathema and on fearing possible date with the police, changed track to “free of restrictions in Kashmir” and apologized. Clearly something is wrong with students like Nalini B, and there are innumerable like her across the country, led by their stupid anti-social anti-national leaders.
They indulge in such ‘ignorant’ act with purpose, to both, come into undeserved limelight and to foment trouble in the society. In fact, they do enormous harm to the country in the name of freedom. They should be seriously and strictly dealt with by the law enforcing authorities all across the country. As if to prove it right is the latest on the internet “Kashmirs are happy with the current situation. Can see happiness on their faces” said Vietnamese envoy to India, Pham Sanh Chan visiting J&K yesterday.
MAHARASHTRA: All politicians or entire political class is same, always barking up the wrong tree.
Due to the freez on grants by the BMC, Municipal Wadia hospitals in Parel, in Central Mumbai looking after poor TB patients have no money to improve its facilities and to buy proper medicines for these patients. But strangely the government has enough and more for vote bank politics. Reportedly the Maharashtra government of MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) consisting of ShivSena, NCP of Sharad Pawar and Congress has increased the cost of B. R. Ambedkar’s statue by Rs.300 crores to a whopping Rs.1070/- crores. The BRA memorial project is being executed at the Indu Mills premises in the Mumbai’s central suburb of Dadar.
It is very unfortunate that the government at Sachivaalay, did not come to the rescue of Wadia TB hospitals, suffering from lack of facilities and medicines meant for poor patients, despite Bombay High Court coming out publicly asking the government in Mumbai to pay attention on the plight of patients at Wadia TB Hospital in Parel.
This Rs.300 crores has been sanctioned to increase the height of B. R. Ambedkar’s statue from 250 ft to 350ft, to compete with Sardar Patel statue in Gujarat. This is competition of a silly kind. When will our politicians understand that they are there to serve the people rather than indulge in one up manship.
MAHARASHTRA: ‘300 personalities issue statements against CAA’ was the print media report yesterday, the 27th January.
The report called them eminent, for whatever they were worth from ‘Creative and Scholarly Communities of India’. But fortunately they were not called intellectuals.
Or else, how could they question “Why minorities from neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, China and Myanmar have been excluded from CAA”.
What is the history of Tamils in Sri Lanka, what is the history of Uyghurs in China and what is the history of Rohingyas in Burma?
And believe it or not, in this crowd of 300, was the ‘celebrated’ historian Romila Thapar!
It was a very poor reflection on those 300 ‘eminent personalities’ that they do not have any idea of the problem of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Tamils’ was a political problem. They wanted ‘Tamil Ealaam’, an independent Tamil state within Sri Lanka and hence they were not the exploited ones. This shows the poor knowledge of history of these 300 ‘eminent personalities’. Come to China and Myanmar. Both have their own socio/political compulsions. At least Myanmar was uncomfortable with the uncontrolled growth of Rohingya population. Myanmarians mortally feared that they would become minorities in their own country in matter of decades.
As for China, they want to protect and promote Chinese ideology and their way of life. They are clearly not happy with Uyghurs’ Islamic moorings. They are not being exploited the way minorities were / are exploited, the way it is forced on minorities in Pakistan. What is happening in Bangladesh and Afghanistan to these unfortunate victims of time and circumstances? Media too has blindly gone along these ‘eminent personalities’ in their competitive hatred of NaMo and his government.
KARNATAKA: There was this Mangalooru datelined report in the print “KPCC Women’s cell (KPCCWC) will submit report to Kovind”. Reportedly this KPCCWC has conducted a ‘fact finding’ visit to collect information on the December 19 police firing in the city and they wanted to submit the report of findings to President Ramanath Kovind. Reportedly KPCCWC wanted a judicial probe into the firing that killed 2 persons and that they lashed out at local BJP MLA and Mangalooru MP for not visiting the family of the dead.
According to KPCCWC President Pushpa Amarnath “CAA amounts to internal terrorism” and therefore both central and state home ministers should resign. She also referred to former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswami’s video released to the public on the alleged police brutality in Mangalooru. Reportedly this KPCCWC president supported this Hindi film actor Deepika Padukone for her visit to JNU campus and appealed people to watch her film ‘Chapaak’.
Now starting with the last, the film ‘Chapaak’ is a distorted version of the reality on which it has been claimed to have been made. Therefore it has to be boycotted. Don’t sell untruth as truth. Deepika Padukone is a joke. She is only a good looking film actress, not necessarily endowed with brain to distinguish right from wrong.
Coming to HD Kumaraswami, former Karnatakas CM, can you trust a person who admitted to have sold the MLC seat for crores! The report in the press along with the report of KPCCWC states “HDK videos are cut &paste job”. Should we go beyond this!
Then this lady Pushpa Amarnath calls ‘CAA as interval terrorism’. She has simply no idea what is CAA and what is terrorism. She is not only ignorant she has not read the act itself. This is an attempt at fear mongering and misleading the citizenry. She has demanded the resignation of two home ministers, central and state, as if the resignation is a solution to the ‘problem’ raised by her.
Now, coming to the larger question of, so called ‘police brutality’, the first question to be asked is, why did the police come into the picture? Police came to protect the law and order disrupted by unruly and violent crowd who had gathered on the streets of Mangalooru after a former minister, UT Khader gave a call saying “Karnataka will burn, if CAA is implemented”. This is clear incitement and instigation by an irresponsible former minister. The question arises why this former minister not booked so far..?
KARNATAKA: After a long lull, the border skirmishes in and around Belgaum have been witnessed in recent times. May be because, there was BJP/ShivSena government in Mumbai, and in Karnataka too there were times when BJP was in and out of power, the so-called issues of Marathi Manoos in Belgaum were not overplayed. Now that BJP is no more in Maharashtra government, the Tiger has started to roar.
Shiv Sainiks have been making things difficult for people in border areas between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Clearly it is politically driven, since there is no case, really speaking, in the alleged harassment of Marathi speaking people in Belgaum. But the truth is ever since states were created on linguistic basis in 1956, political leaders from Maharashtra, especially ShivSena has created a non-existent issue and made it into a problem.
However what is required from the leadership of Karnataka, is to play it down or just ignore it. But the present Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa is not given to quieter diplomacy. He too is a politician in his own class, and he roared back “will not give even an inch of land”. That was completely and utterly uncalled for remark. When the matter come to that stage, you just do not give even an inch, but why say it with such hype in public and get sprayed all over the print media. In the past, the Shiv Sainik, and the present Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had called Yediyurappa as ‘Yeda’ which means ‘madman’ in Marathi.
With utterances of such verbose by BSY, Uddhav Thackeray, who can be called in Kannada, as ‘Uddhata’, meaning ‘rude & crude’, would surely repeat his barb. So why one has to reduce himself as a laughing stock by mere usage of inappropriate words and unnecessary reaction!
But politicians, who have tasted power, are not the type to learn lessons.
KERALA: Sometime in 1999, Christian community in Mangalooru had organized a felicitation function for the then Defence Minister George Fernandes. The priest, who was making the felicitation speech, among other remarks had stated “George, you are the Defence Minister of the country but we are defenseless here”. Responding to the felicitation Mr. Fernandes had said, among other statements, “in the past we have remained quiet when our neighbors were attacked, now how can we complain when similar things happen to us”. He is so damn right!
Reportedly, Syro-Malabar Church of Kerala (SMCK) has gone to town crying
“Love Jihad is not an illusion”. When non-Christian parents cried similarly, when their daughters and sisters were lured to get married to Muslim men with many ending up in Jihadi circuits, these churches had nothing to say and media too had dismissed it as some communal rant.
And comes this ‘wisdom’ filled editorial from the usual source Times of India. This joker of an editor, or whoever has written it, has titled it “Her Choice, Hers Alone” adding ‘Love Jihad is communal, patriarchal hoax’. (TOI, January 18, 2020)
According to SMCK, these Christian women are being lured abroad by Muslim men to become ‘sex slaves’. The TOI editorial says, “These Church elders have followed the Hindutva play book, where idea of Love Jihad is classic kindling for communal tension. At the core of this bug bear lies a refusal to accept that in our free republic, adult female citizens are at liberty to fall in love with anyone they want. The Syro-Malabar Church has made common cause with the Islamophobia rampant in India”.
This man who probably thinks himself as a champion of freedom, has not experienced such happening to his daughter, his wife or his sister, hence may not know the pain. As for running down Hindus, it is the only way he can call himself secular and besides, people like this are blind, deaf and dumb when it comes to the suffering of Muslim women, whether used by the father-in-law or brother-in-law. Of course more often they do not become news. And how conveniently Indian media Men and Women have failed to acknowledge the supply of sex slaves in Pakistan for their Chinese masters, and who are those sex-slaves? As for the alleged Islamophobia rampant in India, as this joker states, is he blind to the western media stories making its interminable rounds!
KERALA Highlighting a filmy effort by Meghna Gulzar, THE WEEK had put her picture and credited her with a remark “Chhapak is more realistic than all her previous films”, on the prominent ‘Contents’ page, with cover proclaiming ‘MEGHNA GULZAR ON WHY CHHAPAK IS HER MOST REAL FILM’. Clearly, THE WEEK was giving prominence to the film and its creator for whatever it is worth.
Probably this would have rested there. Unfortunately having become an issue, rightly or wrongly, it has snow-balled-into a completely avoidable controversy.
The protagonist in the film acted by bollywood queen Deepika Padukone, walked in flesh and blood to the controversy ridden JNU students’ supporters group ostensibly lending them support. This has irked, rightly or wrongly, those who do not have wholesome opinions on these JNU trouble making students group. Then the inevitable happened. When you do not like somebody you go into his/her ‘Jaathaka or Horoscope’. And it unravels.
The interested interlocutors go into the ‘Chhapak’ where, the story is supposedly based on the then teenage victim of ACID ATTACK, Laxmi Aggarwal attacked by one Nadeem Khan, but allegedly changed in the film as Rajesh Sharma with tilak. If true, this is a completely avoidable change with probably a sinister motive with other masaala thrown in like praying in Dargah etc. Clearly there appears to be some kind of an agenda, besides portrayal of a valiant fight of a girl victim.
It is certainly a commendable desire of the film maker but sadly leaves a bad taste in the mouth, if what is available in public space is to be believed. This is a polarization effort to say the least. The public space also mentions how Deepika Padukone’s ancestors fled from Goa to escape the Portuguese persecution and took shelter in Dakshina Kannada. As a ‘responsible’ periodical do you owe any explanation? Or as usual it is another crap under freedom of expression?
WORLD: World is privy to the escalating cold war between United States and Iran ever since Donald Trump took over as US President. Beginning with 2018 May, he jettisoned the ‘US- Iran Nuclear deal’, concluded by former US President Barrack Obama. This deal was a significant piece of agreement, where all five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with all members of European Union were signatories. This agreement did signal the cooling of ruffled tempers within the middle eastern nations. But the unilateral withdrawal by the US President Trump, again trigerred uncertainties.
In May 2019, US blamed Iran for damaging 4 oil tankers in the sea off UAE coast, which Iran denied. In June 2019, Iran shot down a US military surveillance drone. Angry President Trump somehow did not retaliate, saying, it is not worth hitting Iranian sites causing death of more than 100 over the loss of an unmanned drone. In September 2019, Iran backed militia in Yemen caused extensive damage to the Saudi Arabian oil fields. However US did not join the issue with Saudi to retaliate.
27th December Iran backed Hizbollah in Iraq attacked a US airbase in Kirkuk, Iraq killing a US civil contractor with some 6 US service personnel injured. US retaliated on 29th December killing 25 Hizbollah members. On 31st December Hizbollah attacked US Embassy in Baghdad and spray painted “Soleimani our leader’ and US followed it by drone attack on General Qasem Soleimani the 2nd most powerful Iranian, and liquidated him.
Screaming vengeance on January 8, 2020 Iran hit US targets with ballistic missiles but failed to kill any US personnel. Whether it was deliberate not to kill anybody or just to show the Iranian might, is still unclear.
Fortunately for the World, holding its breath for a possible full scale war between US and Iran, nothing serious has happened allowing wise counsel to prevail. America with President Trump being the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, have far superior fire power. But the calculation of international politics can draw Russia and even China to side with Iran, is a possibility that US cannot overlook. That can only be the precursor for III World War, which world can ill afford.
Hope the lull in the New Year continues with a hope that all will come to terms with the reality that a world war was simply not an option for anybody including the lone surviving super power, the US.
WORLD: Asia Bibi, a Christian in Pakistan was arrested by the Punjab police some years ago, on charges of blasphemy. In Pakistan it is very normal, non-Muslims being complained against and being arrested and even being convicted by court, since, it is very difficult for victims to prove themselves as innocents.
However, surprisingly, the court in Lahore, acquitted Asia Bibi. And not surprisingly Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) held a violent protest against the acquittal. In Pakistan, there are many who would support the protest from likes of TLP. But again surprisingly, authorities in Islamabad did not take this violent protest kindly. Police arrested whole lot of protesting TLP men. Again surprisingly too, a court in Islamabad came down heavily on these TLP men with a heavy hand.
Hearing the case under Anti-Terrorism Act, the anti-terrorism court sentenced 86 persons to 55 years in jail. Convicted included the brother and nephew of TLP Chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi. Court also imposed a hefty damage to the property as fine to the tune of Rs. 1,29,25,000/- and directed authorities to seize their movable and immovable properties.
That’s not just grand standing! It’s a testimony to their action! Imran Khan, surely has his negatives when it comes to India, but for his own countrymen he means business. It is a good sign for Pakistan.
WORLD: Anything white has a premium was proved by the media mogul Living Media India Ltd. (LMIL). Media group, LMIL had organized its annual marketing feature INDIA TO-DAY CONCLAVE 2019, in March last year. As usual they invited foreigners, especially white skinned speakers, on issues of ‘relevance’ with controversy in mind. How much the general public is wiser or made aware of things by these conclaves, is unknown. But the show has to go on, that’s the dictum.
This time round LMIL had invited the present prime minister of UK, Boris Johnson, when he was only a Member of Parliament, aspiring to be the PM of UK.
In a recently published statement of his financial interest, as a Member of British Parliament, he has disclosed the amount he charged and got paid for his 3 hours that he spent at the conclave.
According to the Register of Members Financial Interest of UK Parliament, Boris Johnson received 122,899.74 (equivalent to Indian Rs.1.13 crore) on March 22, 2019, from Living Media India Ltd, K-9 Connaught Circus, New Delhi- 110001, for a speech to India To-day conclave for 3 hours. Transport & Accommodation were also provided, he had declared.
According to sources in London, by any stretch of imagination, this was a huge payment for just 3 hours of interaction with an all paid trip.
Reportedly it has raised eyebrows in government circles in both countries.
Clearly LMIL had some implicit reason to get a mere parliamentarian then, who became the Prime Minister of UK, to speak to the crowd at its conclave. What it could be? Only time will tell. After all every media house is in the business of business, media activity is only an activity not the sole objective.
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