ISSUES AND CONCERNS ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಕ್ಷಕಿರಣ

Mulund residents want a cycling track Mumbai: After Khar, it was now the turn of Mulund residents to jump onto the green bandwagon and demand a cycling tra ck themselves. Students from 14 Mulund schools have kicked off a signature campaign to convince the BMC of the need for a cycling track for their children. In fact, Mulund Parents Association (MPA), an umbrella-body of parents of children from 35 schools, even met up with Additional Muncipal Commissioner R A Rajeev to press for more cycling tracks in the city, especially Mulund. Yogesh Katira, president of MPA said: "Only a mere seven per cent of the city’s population use cycles as compared to the six per cent that use cars. Isn’t it ironic that we spend crores on the latter while completely ignoring the former category of people." Revealing how the demand for a cycle track first came about, Katire said: "We have observed that school students use bicycles as a primary mode of transport. Almost every school has about 2...

Saudi man gets 1000 lashes, 5 years in jail for public sex talk Riyadh : A Saudi court convicted a man for publicly talking about sex after he bragged about his exploits on a talk show, sentencing him to five years in jail and 1,000 lashes, his lawyer said. Talking about sex publicly is a taboo in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia. Lawyer Sulaiaman al-Jumeii said he plans to appeal the court’s ruling and is confident the sentence against his client, which includes a ban on travel and talking to the media after his release, will be revoked. Al-Jumeii maintains that his client, Mazen Abdul-Jawad, was duped by the Lebanese LBC satellite channel which aired the talk show and was unaware in many cases he was being recorded. "I hope you will not consider the case closed," the lawyer said. "I will continue pursuing the TV channel, even if no one stands by me, until it gets the punishment it deserves." The program, which aired July 15 on LBC and was seen in Saudi Arabia, scand...

VANDE MATARAM OUR NATIONAL SONG IN Anand Math, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s classic novel, we learn of the Order of the Children formed to fight the British in Bengal. Its leader, Mahatma Satya, is the one who initiates freedom fighters into the Order. Hundreds get initiated. At one stage, prior to initiate two young men, one a Kshatriya and another a Brahmin, into the Order, he says: "Do you both renounce your castes? Yes? Splendid! For all children belong to the same caste. In our work we do not differentiate between Hindu or Muslim, Buddhist or Sikh, Parsee or pariah… all children of the same Mother India… Now sing Vande Mataram!". And the two young men sing it in unison with a passion symbolic of the times. Anand Math was based on the Sanyasi Rebellion in Bengal in the late 18th century. The Sanyasis fought the British against all odds. The British were regarded as arch enemies of the country responsible for the terrible famine of 1772. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee who has t...

Friends Among the joys of life is a sense of perspective looking back over the shoulder the labyrinth you journeyed to cover the distance. The completion of 9th year of our continuous publication is indeed a matter of great satisfaction to all of us here at ISSUES & CONCERNS. Yes, this month represents the beginning of 10th year of our journey in the world of print media. As one of our very supportive admirer had said some years ago "I do hope and pray ISSUES & CONCERNS will continue to march to its own sane and sensitive beat". That we shall live up to her hope and prayer is an unconditional promise to all our readers, patrons, friends and well wishers as we usher into the new year. Month began with the news of UPA government’s ‘operation quite burial’ of giving the notorious Bofors scandal an official death certificate. It is indeed shameful for any government worth its name to do what is patently unthinkable only because, ostensibly the CBI ‘managed’ to fail to fi...

NAXALS & FUTILITY OF VIOLENCE In the context of violence all around us, the importance of Mahatma’s principles of non-violence appears the only solution. Although violence is a global phenomena, in the Indian context it is the naxalite menace that is causing serious concern. Mahatma Gandhi objected to violence not only because an unarmed people had little chance of success in a situation of armed conflict, but also because he considered violence a clumsy weapon which created more problems than it solved and left as its legacy a trial of hatred and bitterness because of which harmony and reconciliation became almost impossible. The relevance of Mahatma, in an increasingly violent world, does not require to be repeated. But in the world of facts, probably it needs to be repeated every now and then to keep alive the legacy, which no other human being must have left behind for any future generation that followed. The Focus is basically on Naxals and the futility of use of violence in ...

GANG LEADER FOR A DAY A Book by : Sudhir Venkatesh First Days on Federal Street Autry knew I was on good terms with J.T., although I’d been cagey about the extent of our relationship. Many times he’d told me I needed to have the courage to ask J.T. more difficult questions about the gang, even if it would upset him. "At least you can ask one of these niggers the question," he said. "And he’ll be here tonight." Autry let out a loud laugh and went outside to smoke his cigarette. Shit. It would be the first time I’d seen J.T. in several weeks. I was usually craeful to ask his permission before attending any event involving gangs, both to show respect and because I needed a patron. Otherwise, as he always told me, my personal safety couldn’t be guaranteed. I decided to wait outside the club to talk to J.T. when he arrived. Autry offered to wait with me. We stood on the sidewalk and watched the busy, noisy traffic along Federal Street. The club sat in the shadow of a pro...