Indian Interests

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 29 Jul 2012 07:34

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 31 Jul 2012 09:36

http://techpresident.com/blog?22648#ind ... ite-launch

Last Saturday, Andhra Pradesh, an Indian state more populated than Germany, launched a new state legislature website designed to make information more accessible to the public and improve communication between legislators and their constituents.The new website, www.aplegislature.org , includes an e-petition feature that “establishes a direct link between the people and the Legislature,” as well as information on the assets and liabilities of individual parliamentary members. Those are posted deep on the site in .pdf format.According to new regulations, members of the House will be required to file yearly reports of their assets that will then be made available to the public. Additional features include up-to-date information on section housing, ration cards, and welfare pensions, historical archives of assembly proceedings dating back to 1952, and a platform for submitting questions to the Legislature Secretariat. There is no provision for bulk access to legislative data, however.The project was launched by Speaker of the House Nadendla Manohar and developed by the Centre for Good Governance in Hyderabad. Speaker Manohar was quoted by Business Standard, an Indian daily, as saying the website was “unique…for any legislature in the country” and was created “to empower legislators and improve their performance as expectations from the public are growing.” While the goal of improving communication between legislators and their constituents is laudable, getting citizens to actively use these resources will likely prove the greatest challenge.According to the 2011 Indian Census , Andhra Pradesh has a literacy rate of approximately 68%. And though Internet use is soaring as a result of affordable, web-equipped mobile phones, it is still estimated that just 10% of the population has Internet access according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 02 Aug 2012 05:37

Flaws of the accord

Views from the Right

Violence in Assam

The violence in Kokrajhar and neighbouring districts in Assam has got both Sangh Parivar journals, the Organiser and Panchjanya, describing the violence as a “Hindu (Bodo)-Muslim communal clash” and faulting illegal immigration from across the border for the flare-up. While both have displayed the Assam violence on their cover pages, the Organiser has detailed reports and news analysis in its inside pages.

While it underlines that the “mistrust” between the two communities is based on the scarcity of land, the Organiser report faults Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for having “miserably failed” to check “the Muslim influx” in order to develop a “votebank”. The report traces the origins of the current violence and faults the state government for mishandling it, saying that “Gogoi of Congress acts like a modern-day Nero”.

The analysis accompanying the coverage puts to Indian Muslims that they too are losing from the infiltration. “The irony is that Indian Muslims in Assam, for all their religious affinity with the illegal Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators, lose just as much from the influx as the other native people of Assam,” the Organiser argues, stating that peace must be restored immediately while stressing the need to resolve the “underlying problem” of illegal Bangladeshis migrants.

Pawar Play

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar-led NCP’s stand-off with the ruling Congress has once again given Panchjanya an opportunity to declare the UPA an “opportunistic alliance”. In an editorial, Panchjanya stresses that it is the vested interests of the alliance partners and the ruling Congress that is holding them together, despite all the tussles between them.

However, the editorial expresses surprise over the thaw between Pawar and the Congress, despite his decision to skip a cabinet meeting. The editorial alleges that some sort of deal must have been struck between the two to resolve the issue. “Obviously some deal has been struck. The entire tussle is about sharing the spoils of power, after all, everybody wants equal share in it,” it says.

Anna Footnote

Team Anna’s efforts to shed even the impression of being linked with the RSS or its affiliate organisations appears to have got the Sangh Parivar to move on as well. Both weeklies have ignored the ongoing fast by the Team Anna members, with an editorial in Organiser only cursorily mentioning the fast as a prop that has once again brought the issue of corruption into the spotlight.

The editorial offers advice to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying that this is his “last chance” to act against corruption. It laments the release of politicians like Suresh Kalmadi and A. Raja on bail after the public outcry had subsided and the issue had fallen off the radar. “The Congress strategy was to pretend to be responsive to the public outcry. After tempers cooled off, the scamsters were released on various grounds,” the editorial charges.

The editorial underlines the PM’s lack of “political baggage” and his “good image in the public” and urges him to act against graft.

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari

Prasanna · Post by **Prasanna** » 02 Aug 2012 08:41

AbhiJ wrote:How Dangerous is the Joshua Project?

http://www.christianaggression.org/item ... 1118207870
http://centreright.in/2011/12/andhra-jy ... unlimited/

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 03 Aug 2012 06:21

From the Urdu Press

'PM’ as president

Siasat, published from Hyderabad and Bangalore, in its editorial on July 19, writes: “Being the last student of the Indira Gandhi school of politics, Pranab Mukherjee, while fulfilling presidential responsibility, would have to demonstrate political loyalties as well. He has always been a strong soldier of the Congress high command. When Sonia Gandhi was faced with the problem of her foreign origin in the context of prime ministership, Pranab Mukherjee was to be chosen for the high office. But when Sonia Gandhi nominated Dr Manmohan Singh... Pranab Mukherjee bowed before the choice of his boss... the Congress has to face many challenges for success in the general election of 2014. Therefore, it was necessary to have a loyal incumbent in the office of president...”

The daily Sahafat, published from Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow and Dehradun, in its editorial on July 15, writes: “an assessment of Pranab Mukherjee’s role presently is related to the fact that he has had a long association with the Congress, and the Central government is dominated by this party. He can put the brakes on any waywardness on the part of the government without any action in this regard being in the public domain.”

Regarding the new president’s likely attitude to the death sentence, the paper writes: “it is thought that following a policy of liberal reconciliation (sulah-e-kul), he too would follow the policy of pardon adopted by former President Pratibha Patil. But, then, the question would arise whether the provision of death sentence in the Indian Penal Code would have, somehow, to be dispensed with.”

Assam’s cauldron

Describing the recent killings in Assam as a repeat of the Nellie massacre, Jamaat-e-Islami’s bi-weekly, Daawat, in an editorial dated August 1 writes: “The manner in which this game of killings and destruction has been played clearly proves this was an organised and planned action, which could not have been possible without elaborate preparation... The reports and... recent surveys make it clear that the fire of hatred had been simmering for some time, and it was nothing new. The problem of illegal migrants that had come up years ago, leading to a powerful movement, still persists. A view has been spread against Muslims, in an organised manner, that a large section of their population in the affected area had illegally migrated, especially Bangladesh, and settled there in the 1960s and 1970s. It should be remembered that in 11 of 27 districts of Assam there are large populations of Muslims, and it is being said if this matter is not taken seriously these would become Muslim majority districts... It is said that a vast number of them had run away to Assam during the India-Pakistan war of 1971. But it should be remembered that the Indian government had given shelter to these “oppressed” people at that time. And it is also a fact that almost all of them had returned... after the formation of Bangladesh.”

Rashtriya Sahara, in its editorial on July 27, points out: “Bodo tribals have been demanding a separate state... and a section of the Assamese people does not want a new state to be carved out at any cost.” The paper says that, as a result of the communal colour given to the separatist demand in Assam and the subsequent Bodo movement, Muslims who had not migrated from Bangladesh but were settled there for centuries became victims of oppression.

Anna and his movement

Rashtriya Sahara, in an editorial on July 31, writes: “The common people find substance in the issues raised by Anna Hazare but consider the methods adopted by Anna and his team, by converting these into demands and pressuring the government for their solution, quite unreasonable... Unlike Mahatma Gandhi’s method in his fasts... although the Central government has on many occasions assured Anna and his team about considering their demands, they have all along insisted on the acceptance of their demands in toto. This is a non-democratic attitude.”

The daily Inquilab, in an editorial on the same day, “Anna’s movement, then and now”, writes that last year the electronic media played a major role in highlighting the impact of the movement in a cavalier manner, resulting in exaggerated publicity for it. “Anna’s team took it as its own popularity, which enhanced its superiority complex. This gave rise to their contempt for one and all... visible now are differences among members of Anna’s team. Moreover, there are also indications of political motives.” Delhi-based daily, Hamara Samaj, in its editorial on July 31 is very critical of Anna for “ignoring the problems of the Muslim community” and “not making any sincere effort” to involve Muslims in his movement.

Compiled by Seema Chishti

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 04 Aug 2012 11:34

The Ayatollahs of secularism–part 1
The Ayatollahs of secularism–part 2

Couple of excellent posts by Minhaz Merchant, who blogs at the TOI.

A handful of writers who have the ability to think and articulate - are taking on the intellectually-challenged stink-pit that has become the norm for Indian journalism. Minhaz Merchant, Venky Vembu, R Jagannathan would figure at the top of this list.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 04 Aug 2012 15:36

Such articles show who profited from the Gujarat riots notwithstanding why out of the blue 59 people should be burnt to death at a time when Operation Parakram was on and UP elections were over the previous day

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 05 Aug 2012 03:12

Mathura’s well-kept secret

Braj Foundation has restored Kolie ghat, the spot from where Vasudev crossed Yamuna carrying baby Krishna on his head.

Venkarl · Post by **Venkarl** » 05 Aug 2012 16:36

If I choose to write down "Motorcycle Diaries" based on my recent road trip from Hyderabad-Piduguralla-Narsaroapet-Chikaluripet-Ponnur-Cherukupalli-Nadimaplli and back to Hyd via Chebrolu-Guntur-Mangalagiri-Hyd, every page will have a paragraph dedicated to YSR statues in every village adjacent to Hosanna Mandirs and Big time celebrations of Ramzan festival. As a kid traveling to these places, I don't recollect seeing such visions. I didn't see a single burra kadha/hari kadha/women clad in sarees celebrating Sravana Maasam. Not a single temple in villages I've passed was in a festive mood of Sravana Maasam.

Infact on Nalgonda side, I was pleased to see Jaataras and women walking bare feet with Neyvedyam on their heads as Bonalu is still being celebrated with loud mics chanting sanskrit mantras near temples.

Coastal Andhra (Guntur,Krishna Dists) is GONE. Interestingly, Telangana side is not yet touched by Hosannas.

Regards,

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 05 Aug 2012 21:04

Venkarl ji,

you shouldn't pander to such base communalism and regionalism. i think you've forgotten the cardinal principle here: profits are everything. as long as you can leverage off your indigenous core in the name of "international networking", all is justified under the guise of profits and the whole thing is given the twist of caste rivalry to keep the population sufficiently sedated.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 06 Aug 2012 00:45

http://myfox8.com/2012/08/05/shooting-a ... -one-dead/
Its all over on TV
Gunman, six others dead at Wisconsin Sikh temple

OAK CREEK, Wis. — At least seven people, including a gunman shot by a police officer, have been killed in an attack on worshippers at a Sikh temple in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, on Sunday, police said.The officer was wounded but “returned fire, and that shooter was put down,” said Bradley Wentlandt, the police chief in nearby Greenfield, who briefed reporters. Investigators who picked through the building afterward found four bodies inside the temple and two other victims outside, plus the gunman, Wentlandt said.Though early reports had suggested there may have been more than one attacker, he said officers had not identified any other gunmenThe wounded officer, a 20-year veteran, was in surgery Sunday afternoon after being shot multiple times, but was expected to survive, Wentlandt said. He was sent to the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, south of Milwaukee, after a 911 call about 10:25 a.m. (11:25 a.m. ET).Carolyn Bellin, a spokeswoman for Milwaukee’s Froedtert Hospital, said one of three men brought there from the incident was in surgery early Sunday morning, while another was in the surgical intensive care unit. The third was being evaluated in the emergency room. All three were in critical condition.The temple has a congregation of 250 to 400, according to its website.“I just want to say this temple was built a number of years ago and there have never been any problems with this temple,” Oak Creek Alderman Dan Jakubczyk said. “They’ve been a plus to this city and to my district.”

AbhiJ · Post by **AbhiJ** » 06 Aug 2012 14:59

Indian Oil Project on the Verge of Nationalization in Venezuela

What makes the threat ominous is that the Indian consortium bid as part of the Repsol-led group. The Spanish oil major, which holds 11% in Carabobo-I, saw its Argentinian subsidiary YPF being nationalized by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in April when it tried to sell the debt-ridden company to a Chinese firm.

"Chavez is facing presidential elections in October. Argentina's takeover of YPF must have emboldened him. Nationalization always hits a chord with people in a socialist/nationalist milieu, especially if you think in terms of Chavez's huge vote bank in the favelas (shanty towns). Chavez has done such things before with the cement industry," an executive with one of the consortium partners told TOI.

A Couple of Shivaliks should be sent in the Pretext of Exercise to give a Signal that We can reach their Shores. Don't try to Dupe us.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 06 Aug 2012 15:04

Isn't ironical that "INDIANOIL" a PSU is going to Nationalised

Venkarl · Post by **Venkarl** » 06 Aug 2012 22:38

devesh wrote:Venkarl ji,

you shouldn't pander to such base communalism and regionalism. i think you've forgotten the cardinal principle here: profits are everything. as long as you can leverage off your indigenous core in the name of "international networking", all is justified under the guise of profits and the whole thing is given the twist of caste rivalry to keep the population sufficiently sedated.

Devesh Garu,

That was my opinion. We dream of bringing our neighboring nations under Dharmic Umbrella. I don't know how to feel after this recent experience

. Sorry if I've sounded communal & regional. I just want to see whatever is left now to be preserved in which I have least faith.

Regards.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 07 Aug 2012 07:12

Where Streets Are Thronged With Strays Baring Fangs

A 2001 law forbade the killing of dogs, and the stray population has increased so much that officials across the country have expressed alarm.

AbhiJ · Post by **AbhiJ** » 07 Aug 2012 20:49

Mohammedian Headline in Allah-Jaljeera.

Big Time PsyOps from Beards:

Mob molestations bring Outrage in India

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Aug 2012 01:08

Fake reports and media funded by India's enemies.
Target those media group and those countries.

Action Item
Boycott those media and products from those countries

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Aug 2012 11:08

Speaker: Patrick French
Chair: Professor Stuart Corbridge
This event was recorded on 3 February 2011 in Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Award-winning historian Patrick French looks at the cultural roots of India's transformation: how a stagnant planned economy has become an entrepreneurial powerhouse, who gets super-rich and who remains super-poor - and why. Patrick French is the author of The World Is What It Is, Liberty or Death and Tibet, Tibet. This event marks the publication of his new book, India: A Portrait.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 08 Aug 2012 20:40

http://in.news.yahoo.com/pm-calls-advan ... 22002.html

PM calls Advani's remark disgraceful, Sonia agitated

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) BJP leader L.K. Advani sparked a major row in the Lok Sabha Wednesday with his description of the UPA-II government as "illegitimate", a remark he later clarified as referring to the 2008 parliament trust vote. It got the ruling benches, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, highly agitated and and moved Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to term it "disgraceful".
Advani, who opened the debate on the adjournment motion on the Assam violence, said the United Progressive Alliance (IPA)-I government was legitimate, but UPA-II was not, adding that crores of rupees had been involved. He later clarified that he was referring to the 2008 parliament trust vote and not the 2009 general election, but it had the Congress members on their feet, demanding that the remark be taken back.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh termed Advani's remark "disgraceful" and "unfortunate".

Gandhi, wearing a light green sari, gesticulated angrily and was seen and heard asking Advani to take back his remarks.
Gandhi, usually a calm participator of Lok Sabha proceedings, was also seen egging on her party MPs to protest Advani's comments.
When Advani tried to clarify that it referred to the 2008 trust vote, Gandhi was also heard shouting "No, no" and asking that he withdraw his comments.

Advani's remark that came towards the end of his speech, drowned the portent of what he had said on the Assam violence.
Asked to withdraw the words by the speaker, Advani said he had withdrawn the words but not with reference to the 2008 trust vote.
The Congress, hitting back, said that Advani was still "fighting" the 2008 no-confidence motion "in his mind".
"Advani ji continues to fight the no-confidence motion of 2008 in his mind," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters outside parliament.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) -1 (2004-09) survived the trust vote, but not before three BJP MPs flashed money in the Lok Sabha, saying the government had tried to bribe them to vote in favour of them.
The protests led to the house being adjourned till 2 p.m.

Advani termed the violence in Assam as "unprecedented" and said the central government was to blame for it over the influx of Bangladeshi nationals across the porous border.

The BJP leader, who had visited relief camps in Kokrajhar, said it had displaced 3-4 lakh people and made the people of Assam "refugees in their own state".

He said the violence should not be taken as an ethnic or communal issue, but it was due to the influx of refugees from Bangladesh.
"..The root of the problem is the infiltration taking place from Bangladesh for many years .. It is a problem not just for Assam, but for the whole of India, this should be recognized," he said.

Advani said if steps are not taken to discern between the voters who are Indian citizens and the "doubtful voters" then the situation can explode again.

"The infiltration from Bangladesh is a very serious issue and the centre has to answer for it," he added.
He referred to the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983 to say that the apex court had struck down the act in 2005 terming illegal migration as "foreign aggression".

By not adhering to the Supreme Court direction the government is doing great harm to the country, he said.

"You are allowing this kind of foreign aggression. It is the duty of the government to stop this foreign aggression, and infiltration is foreign aggression. It is a failure of the central government," Advani said, addressing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the house.

Over 70 people were killed and over two lakh people displaced in Assam following violence between Bodo tribals and Bengali speaking Muslims, said to be Bangladeshis.

for once, Advani is bringing out relevant issues and holding the Congies responsible. by openly raising them, he is also forcing them to make their stance clear. a necessary devil in modern politics.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 09 Aug 2012 03:35

From Rajiv Malhotra Discussion Group:

www.goodnewsforindia.org

Good News For India is a Christian Evangelical Organization, pioneered by a Keralite, George Kuruvila Chavanikamannil. Chavanikamannil joined the Fuller Theological Seminary in California in 1974 and World Vision in 1977 (serving till 1986). In 1989, he established the Luther W. New Theological College in Uttar Pradesh and trained students to preach the Gospel in India.

Good News For India's aim is to train, send out and support Indian national Christians to convert people in the Indian subcontinent and "serve the poor and needy in the Name of Jesus".

Why Indian national Christians? GNFI lays out its reasons openly (paraphrased):

1. Because foreign career missionaries are no longer permitted in India
2. National Christians are more effective in communicating with the locals and are also cheaper labor
3. Hindu "militancy" is increasingly making it difficult for westerners to preach the Gospel in India
4. Well trained national will make the church stronger in India

So, while the strings of this organization are fully controlled from USA; to circumvent Indian laws and take advantage of poor people (who are bought for cheap); US missionaries have devised this clever tactic which employs Indian stooges to do their dirty work.

To achieve its objectives, GNI established a first class training center in 1989 inaugurated by Dr. Ted Engstrom, the deceased president of World Vision. It now has over 250 students and has trained over 1000 youth. This center is fully accredited by two accrediting agencies in India. In addition, the organization supports various primary and secondary schools.

The Western Connection -

Their western connections and strings are boldly displayed -

1. The Indian founder was trained by Fuller Theological Seminary and World Vision
2. The first college was inaugurated by the former president of World Vision. He was also on the "Board of Reference" (I wonder if the words Board of Trustees were not used to avoid legal problems) of GNFI
3. Their "Board of Reference" includes professors, senior pastors and presidents from small and large Christian organizations and seminaries in the US
4. Dr. Timothy Tennent, President of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY has even written a book titled "Building Christianity on Indian Foundations". His daughter is a missionary in Tanzania
4. Even though this organization's work is focused on India and is run by Indians in India, the Contact Address is PO BOX 7576, La Verne, California. Combined with the make up of their board, it is clear that the shots are called from the US.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 09 Aug 2012 06:07

Views from the Right

Cabinet Reshuffle

The minor Cabinet reshuffle ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament was discussed in the Sangh Parivar weeklies, with both carrying editorials on it while Organiser also carried a full page news report.

Given that P. Chidambaram has come in for criticism from the Sangh Parivar for investigating right-wing Hindu terrorism, his move away from the home ministry appears to have been welcomed. The editorials — “Celebrating failures” in Organiser and “Congress’ caste politics” in Panchjanya — were critical of Sushilkumar Shinde’s elevation from power minister to home minister, with Chidambaram’s appointment as finance minister questioned on the grounds of his alleged abuse of position.

“He [Shinde] was shifted out of [the] power ministry, in the peak of [the] crisis to hold charge of an even more important portfolio — the internal security of the nation,” the editorial in Organiser said, rejecting Shinde’s claim that he was a good power minister. On Chidambaram, the editorial only says that he remains “suspect” for his role in 2G spectrum case.

Panchjanya’s editorial alleges that the government rewarded Shinde for his caste credentials and not for his competence, using the recent power grid failure to highlight his perceived incompetence as power minister.

“Since under Manmohan Singh nobody is accountable for anything that is happening in the country, the culprits, bad managers and underachievers go unpunished,” writes Organiser.

Recruiting youth

The Sangh Parivar seems to have started to try to dispel the notion of not being able to attract young volunteers to its fold, or so a full-page special interview of RSS general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi in Organiser suggests. The interview headline asserts his demand to “detect, delete and dep-ort all Bangladeshi infiltrators” against the backdrop of the recent violence in Assam. The interview highlights the purported efforts and achievements of the RSS in attracting young people and IT professionals to its training camps.

“About 70 Sangh Shiksha Vargas were organised all over the country. About 16,000 swayamsevaks underwent training in all the first, second and third year Vargas. Majority of the participants, i.e. about 14,000 of the 16000, were youth,” Joshi claimed in the interview, which that also highlights efforts to attract IT professionals in Karnataka. “We are trying to make this experiment more effective in other Prants also,” he said.

Mamata, not Akhilesh

Separate reports in Organiser and Panchjanya indicate that the Sangh Parivar is disillusioned with Akhilesh Yadav’s government in Uttar Pradesh while maintaining great expectations from Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as chief minister in West Bengal.

While an article in Panchjanya comes down against Yadav’s governance in UP, arguing that it “lost the track from very beginning”, another article in Organiser praises Banerjee’s rule in West Bengal for making unions backed by the Left parties “beat a retreat” over a strike that was called off under Banerjee’s deft political handling.

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari

JwalaMukhi · Post by **JwalaMukhi** » 09 Aug 2012 06:56

Acharya wrote: Speaker: Patrick French
Chair: Professor Stuart Corbridge
This event was recorded on 3 February 2011 in Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Award-winning historian Patrick French looks at the cultural roots of India's transformation: how a stagnant planned economy has become an entrepreneurial powerhouse, who gets super-rich and who remains super-poor - and why. Patrick French is the author of The World Is What It Is, Liberty or Death and Tibet, Tibet. This event marks the publication of his new book, India: A Portrait.

Isn't he the same guy who wrote about dynasty politics in India. Some of us didn't like the fact that a firangi is talking about indian politics then.
http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?269931

The Princely State Of India
Analyse Parliament, and a disturbing fact emerges: India is going back to monarchy
Patrick French
It had first become apparent to me during the 2004 election campaign, and it niggled again now. The problem was the first-time MPs. With their spanking faces and sense of bland entitlement, these young men and women were treated with reverence by the Indian media, although their achievement was usually to have shared genes with an earlier leader. I watched one of these new MPs on television as he drove through the dust of his inherited family constituency in an enormous Pajero, turning now and then to a waiting camera with a purposeful frown and saying things like “I want to help these people, like my father did” or “We are going to make India No. 1.”

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 09 Aug 2012 10:01

On Aug 31st 2012, Narendra Modi will get into a conversation with you face-to-face in a special 'Google+ Hangout' session. It's the 1st time in India that any politician has taken such an initiative. To participate, visit http://www.youtube.com/narendramodi and submit your question. Questions you submit will be used to select the questioners who will join a live Google+ Hangout with the Honble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi. The deadline to submit is 27th August midnight.

Vasu · Post by **Vasu** » 09 Aug 2012 11:32

Compare that with the fact that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have never ever communicated with the people of this country other than standing at a podium with a prepared speech or in planned media and PR interactions. And yet so many are eager to see them succeed. Shame on our ignorance.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 10 Aug 2012 04:43

From twitter:

>>@tavleen_singh
Great news: 4139 Indian NGOs lost their foreign funding. Nearly 20 percent protesting nuclear power in Tamil Nadu. Most NGOs very dodgy.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 15 Aug 2012 06:10

Down reservation road

The unhidden persuaders: Inder Malhotra

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 16 Aug 2012 06:17

Views from the Right

Swamy’s Message

The new entrant to the BJP-led NDA, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, who played a crucial role in formulating the BJP’s strategy during the presidential and vice-presidential elections recently, has begun advising the saffron party regarding the next Lok Sabha elections.

The Janata Party chief appears to have decided to use the Sangh Parivar’s journals to send his message to the BJP. In an article in Organiser, the Janata Party chief first pays his respects to the Sangh Parivar and quotes Jayaprakash Narayan to describe “the organisational network of the RSS” as a “bulwark” against the Congress.

He suggests that the BJP discard the notion of playing down Hindutva to gain wider acceptability. “The BJP is regularly advised by its enemies to purge out Hindutva from its poll plank to become more ‘acceptable’. This fatuous advice from enemies, however, deserves to be thrown into the dustbin where it belongs,” Swamy argues.

The article recommends that the BJP remain steadfast on its position regarding Article 370 and a common civil code, both of which were sidelined to make way for an NDA regime, and indirectly cautions NDA partner JD(U) against its demands regarding them. Given Nitish Kumar’s reservations about the NDA’s approach to these issues, the article wants the BJP to only have “seat adjustments” with the JD(U) during the elections, without compromising its positions. At best, it suggests, the likes of Nitish Kumar should be roped in through a common governance programme.

“I would suggest in my individual capacity, that the next election be fought by the NDA by seat adjustments and not by ideological compromise,” Swamy says.

Credible alternative?

The latest issue of Organiser is an Independence Day special, with the cover page message, “Throw Out UPA for Nation’s Sake”. Rumblings over the BJP’s capacity to stake a claim to being a national party has been voiced in many articles.

The editorial expressed apprehensions over the BJP’s ability to take on the Congress-led UPA. Referring to the BJP’s position on the Anna Hazare-led agitation, the editorial chastised the saffron party as “full of apologists for the system” who appear to be “on the same page as the ruling clique”. It alleges that the ruling establishment is trying to tarnish the image of the leaders of the anti-corruption agitations, as it will “help [the] UPA get away”.

“People are sick and tired of the UPA. But the opposition is full of apologists for the system. A Lokpal is a no-no. Anna Hazare is above board, so he is unwelcome. Jayaprakash Narayan, even V.P. Singh, did not face this isolation, because the opposition was vibrant, not on the same page as the ruling clique,” it says.

Similarly, another article raises doubts over the BJP’s claims to be an alternative to the ruling establishment in its headline itself — “UPA is in doldrums, are the others ready” — to voice apprehensions over the BJP’s commitment to its core issues. The article contends that “the main opposition party has convinced itself, perhaps rightly so, that Hindu consolidation is a theoretical impossibility and is therefore not even in a mood to try it out”. Likewise, another article reflects the lack of preparedness in the BJP in its headline: “Let the opposition do its homework, UPA is out on its own misdeeds”. Another article highlights the BJP’s need to gather strength ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections: “Tainted UPA rapidly going downhill, NDA needs to arouse public opinion, gather allies.”

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari

Vasu · Post by **Vasu** » 16 Aug 2012 12:24

Jhujar wrote:http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... y-big.html
Professor Lofgren explains why Big Pharma hates Indian pharma

Pharmaceutical companies putting health of world's poor at riskIndia is often called the pharmacy of the developing world, which is no great surprise as more than 50% of its $10bn annual generic medicine production is exported.
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Tit for tat: Big Pharma tightens grip as India bats for cheaper drugs

India is likely to open a new front in its likely loosing battle against unaffordable patented drugs.

An inter-ministerial panel has suggested linking the prices of medicines to per capita income, a report in The Economic Times said today.

And this pricing mechanism will make important medicines cheaper by a third, the report said.

The step has to be read along with the government’s earlier reported moves like giving free medicines to the poor and starting SMS service to give cheaper alternative to patented drugs prescribed by doctors.

Earlier, taking on the so-called “Big Pharma” head on, India had given a compulsory licence to Natco Pharma to produce Bayer AG’s cancer drug Nexavar.

Compulsory licence allows a generic drug maker to manufacture and sell a copy of the innovator’s drug after paying a royalty. Multi-national pharma companies had objected to this as they feared the move will set a bad precedent if other developing countries follow in the footsteps of India. But while India is trying its level best to champion the cause of cheaper drugs, the developed economies are also tightening laws to squeeze low-cost copy-cat medicines.

A report in The Times of India says the multinational companies are lobbying hard with their respective governments to curb export of generics from India and Brazil. “Not only has the US devised new treaties to challenge generic drugs being shipped from India, the EU has also upped the ante,” according to the report.

Aimed at curbing Indian exports, the US has initiated plurilateral treaties, including Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) seeking to create an additional framework for IPR protection (going beyond the TRIPS Agreement), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) which aims at extra judicial enforcement, over the last few months, the report said.

The innovator companies are bargaining with the US to take a hard line against countries like India and Brazil.

The Big Pharma’s tactics against cheaper versions of their products have become more aggressive of late. They have been dragging generics firms into long court battles and seeking huge damages, rendering generics business almost nonviable. They have also tried buying out generic firms as a containment strategy.

The Big Pharma is clearly devising a tit-for-tat strategy. If they are being eased out of the developing markets, the Small Pharma will also face the same fate in the developed market, seems to be the message.

Not just Indian interests, but interests of the Third World!

AbhiJ · Post by **AbhiJ** » 16 Aug 2012 12:31

Another Support for Paki Munnah from the Unkil Baap. Attempt to show How India tried to show Pure NaPaks even Darker than Burka after 1947.

Bollywood’s Views on Pakistan Evolved

If one looks at India’s national trajectory through the lens of the Hindi film industry, in hundred years of its existence, there will be one major gap: India’s troubled relationship with Pakistan was conveniently ignored by the industry for decades.

The Hindi film industry, usually a proactive observer of social issues, chose to keep mum about the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, and, interestingly, made no references to Pakistan in any of the films in the initial years of India’s independence. “Partition was a personal embarrassment for various people in the industry,” said Professor Nirmal Kumar, co-author of “Filming the Line of Control.” “Therefore, one never saw any films that referred to Pakistan, even diagonally, in the initial years of India’s formation.”

Over the next few decades, though, the need for patriotic films arose as the newly formed nation was looking for a reason to remain united. Pakistan became a convenient excuse. {Look at the Words of this Bitch} As India’s national identity began to strengthen in the 1960s, jingoistic films began to emerge.

Manoj Kumar’s 1967 classic, “Upkar,” for instance, had covert references to Pakistan, but never named the country outright. The protagonist in the film is suggestively called Bharat (Hindi for India), who takes a moral high ground when his younger brother asks for the family property to be divided between them.

The younger brother (Pakistan is metaphorically called the younger brother of India) is the evil one, who exploits the older one’s tolerance. “Such family metaphors were used by the industry until much, much later,” said Namrata Joshi, associate editor of Outlook magazine.

Professor Kumar said it wasn’t until 1973, in Chetan Anand’s “Hindustan Ki Kasam,” which was based on the 1971 war between the two countries, that a movie made unambiguous references to Pakistan. “But Pakistan still remained an unnamed malevolent power on Indian screens,” he said.

A decade earlier, Mr. Anand had directed a groundbreaking war film, “Haqeeqat,” based on the Sino-Indian war of 1962, where the Chinese were shown as being brutal and insensitive. “With China, you could be blatant,” Professor Kumar said. “Pakistan is perceived as a brother that used to be. You can’t be blatant where emotions are involved.”

Subtle but antagonistic positioning against Pakistan continued in Bollywood until the 1980s, when India was characterized by internal turmoil. Early in the decade, the Khalistan secessionist movement picked up pace in Punjab, and Pakistan’s alleged clandestine support for such a movement became a common subject in Indian media.

The decade progressed with tensions increasing in Kashmir and reaching its peak, with Pakistan’s involvement in supporting the secessionist movement becoming common knowledge.

“Added to it was the fact that the Hindi film industry had a new set of filmmakers who did not directly connect with Partition,” Professor Kumar said. This gave a further impetus for filmmakers to make films where Pakistan was clearly the villain.

“In such a scenario, Raj Kapoor’s ‘Henna’ was an exception,” said Shubhra Gupta, columnist at The Indian Express. “Henna,” a 1991 release, was a love story between an Indian man and a Pakistani woman, which did well despite the markedly anti-Pakistan mood in India.

The 1990s saw a sudden spurt in Hindi films talking about the tensions with Pakistan. “The problem was that Indian filmmakers chose to see Pakistan in only military terms. No one tried to portray or even find out what Pakistani society looked like,” Professor Kumar said. “They began to equate Pakistan to its ‘evil’ military.”

Films like “Border,” based on the 1971 war with Pakistan, were released, where patriotism took on a new definition. “You loved India only if you hated Pakistan ,” said Ms. Joshi of Outlook.

A typical modern-day Hindi film on the tension between the two countries would have morally upright Indians and sinful Pakistanis. “However, they always distinguished Indian Muslims and Pakistani Muslims. The former were always the good guys,” said the journalist and film critic Aseem Chhabra.

The cross-border tensions on screens portrayed a rather subtle gender politics as well. “I don’t remember a film where the girl is from India and the boy from Pakistan,” said Ms. Joshi. “India had to have an upper hand sexually as well.”

The Hindi film industry witnessed some high-octane nationalism in the early 2000s with films like “Gadar” and “Maa Tujhe Salaam” having blatant Pakistan-bashing scenes. Pakistan was the evil enemy, much like what the former Soviet Union was to the United States during the Cold War.

Ms. Joshi said that it was an embarrassing phase in Hindi cinema but that the audience accepted these films and made them huge successes as the mood of the nation was clearly anti-Pakistan after the 1999 Kargil conflict. And the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament by the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In 2004, a series of confidence-building measures began between the two countries, which included the demilitarizing of the Siachen Glacier and the demarcation of the international boundary in the Sir Creek area. Against such a backdrop, films like “Main Hoon Na,” which centered on a peace plan between India and Pakistan, did very well in both countries.

Now, for the first time in 100 years of its existence, the Hindi film industry’s outlook toward Indian-Pakistani tensions might be significantly changing. Ms. Joshi said that post-9/11, when the popular Western media was portraying Muslims in a negative light, Bollywood was sensitive to their problems with films like “My Name Is Khan.” “This brought India and Pakistan together,” she added.

The way the Hindi film industry has looked at Pakistan has always been dependent on the mood of the nation and government policies. “But now, filmmakers keep in mind the mood of the market as well,” Professor Kumar said, “because Pakistan is emerging as a huge market for Bollywood films.” As Pakistani diaspora increases in number, this market would further expand.

Another big development is the rebirth of the Pakistani film industry. After the “Islamization” phase of the Pakistani society, when the film industry perished, only now are there are small attempts to revive Pakistani-made movies. “This enables India to see the developments in the Pakistani society as opposed to seeing just the military aspect of it,” Professor Kumar said. “This gives the human angle of the ‘enemy.’ ”

A small-budget but significant release in recent times was “Harud,” an Indian film that doesn’t mince words while talking about the militancy in Kashmir. A decade ago, a commercial release for such a film would have been unthinkable.

Despite these changes in sentiment, films featuring cross-border espionage like “Agent Vinod” and Salman Khan’s “Ek Tha Tiger,” which released Wednesday, still face problems with the censors on both sides of the borders.

“With Indo-Pak films, as with Indo-Pak relations, it is always one step forward and two steps back,” said Professor Kumar.

Author: RAKSHA KUMAR

Obvious with Paki Connection:

The author is a Bangalore based video journalist freelancing for the New York Times and the BBC. She graduated from the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University in May 2011 where she majored in TV news. She is a Fulbright Scholar and has worked in various media outlets in India. She tweets @Raksha_Kumar.

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/author/961/raksha-kumar/

AbhiJ · Post by **AbhiJ** » 16 Aug 2012 12:47

Now comes the Fun. Let's Connect some Dots:

From the Above Article:

Look at the Wordings,

“Partition was a personal embarrassment for various people in the industry,” said Professor Nirmal Kumar, co-author of “Filming the Line of Control.” “Therefore, one never saw any films that referred to Pakistan, even diagonally, in the initial years of India’s formation.”

About Nirmal Kumar

Nirmal Kumar is an Associate Professor of History at
Sri Venkateshwara College, New Delhi - one of CISCA's partner
institutions. Also, Professor Kumar is a board member of the
Contemporary India Study Centre Aarhus, CISCA. He lives in Delhi
with his wife and two children.

CISCA is another Danish EJ Organization with Support from EU:

The Institute of History and Area Studies (IHO) of Aarhus University (AU) has been awarded an EU-grant (EuropeAid)

It will advance the study of contemporary Indian society, history and language (Hindi) by jointly developing curricula with our partners

Carefully Chosen:

Our joint consortium will include Aarhus Universitet and the following partners:

University of Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh)
Sambalpur University (Orissa)
Sri Venkateshwar College, affiliated to Delhi University (National Capital Delhi)

and associated institutions:

North-Eastern Hill University (Meghalaya)
Dept. of Sociology, Delhi University
IIT Madras (Tamil Nadu).
CASA Documentation Centre
Akhra

All the above Kumar and Co. are pushers of AIT Theory.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 16 Aug 2012 20:30

Jinnah hoped that retaining a significant Hindu population inside TSP would enable them to exercise 'moderating' influence on India. I am grateful to the many who fled the rat hole of TSP and gave India operating space despite the delusions of the psec-INC leadership of that time.
If South India doesn't crackdown on this show of anti Indian behavior by locals we will see the much feared centrifugal fragmentation take place.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 16 Aug 2012 20:33

^ AWMTA

There is more to it.

RamaY wrote: At one point in history the so-called SECULARISTS reasoned that the minorities in respective countries act as the insurance for majority of people in Hindustan and Pakistan.

The SECULAR India stood silent when millions of minorities are oppressed in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Now the minorities of India are playing Havoc and the same Secularists are protecting them.

Ashwin B · Post by **Ashwin B** » 20 Aug 2012 06:51

Here's a little more about this "Raksha Kumar".

Her Resume

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 20 Aug 2012 14:56

Modi's statement on beef exports inflammatory: Sharma

http://newindianexpress.com/nation/article591919.ece

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has hit out at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of giving a "political slant" by making "inflammatory" statement on beef exports.

"My attention has been drawn to your public statement regarding the meat export policy alleging that the Central Government is promoting slaughter of cows and export of beef, which is inaccurate, inflammatory and misleading," Sharma said in his letter to Modi.

"It is unfortunate that in spite of the factual position, you have chosen to give a political slant to Government's stand on meat export policy. Public discourse on policy matters must never be allowed to be trapped in partisan political agenda," Sharma added.

In his Janamashtami message through his blog, Modi appealed to the people to reject 'pink revolution'. He said the UPA Government led by Congress is "promoting slaughtering of cows"

Sharma said, "You are well aware that slaughter of cows is prohibited in India in harmony with principles enshrined in our Constitution".

He said meat is largely a by-product of livestock, utilising spent animals at the end of their productive life.

"Cattle and buffaloes which account for over 60 per cent of meat production, are primarily reared for milk and towards the end of their productive life, are utilised for meat production. A ban on meat production or export would lead to an abnormal rise of unproductive animals which is inconsistent with sound animal husbandry practices," Sharma said.

He said it would also cause loss of employment to millions of people belonging to the weaker sections of society, engaged in meat production and export.

ShauryaT · Post by **ShauryaT** » 20 Aug 2012 20:10

Fathers, who art in heaven

Mohandas, Subhas, Jawaharlal, Bhimrao chat about India at 65

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 21 Aug 2012 00:26

Was asked to post it here.....

ramana wrote: Devesh, Its like in olden times when dynasties ruled for less then 100 years. The big mistake we are doing is to not see the Nehru dynasty rule for what it is. It has changed names along the way but it is the Nehru dynasty after all.

Its not a republic with all the modern social changes that sustain it.

One reason for the shortness of the dynasty is the leader was quite old when he came to power and didn't have any other children.

As I said elsewhere the consensus in the dilli billi circles is this dynasty will be allowed to run its course.
it lost too many of them: Indira,Sanjay, & Rajiv already.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 21 Aug 2012 02:31

ramana wrote:Was asked to post it here.....

ramana wrote: Devesh, Its like in olden times when dynasties ruled for less then 100 years. The big mistake we are doing is to not see the Nehru dynasty rule for what it is. It has changed names along the way but it is the Nehru dynasty after all.

Its not a republic with all the modern social changes that sustain it.

One reason for the shortness of the dynasty is the leader was quite old when he came to power and didn't have any other children.

As I said elsewhere the consensus in the dilli billi circles is this dynasty will be allowed to run its course.
it lost too many of them: Indira,Sanjay, & Rajiv already.

Yes! the reason I clamour for PG to come and deliver us from evil. I am mesmerized and charmed out of wits. Just the vision of the completion of the cycle and the circle gives me the shakes.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 21 Aug 2012 04:55

I am ok with the cycles and circles. But I don't want a Nanda (referring to the method of Mahapadma nanda's ascetion) dye-nasty after this Nehru dye-nasty. Current jaamata-Nanda is young and can establish a long and painful cycle.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 21 Aug 2012 10:30

Dynasty is also very important to the INC as all 2nd rung leaders like Salman Khurshid, RPN Singh, Divajaya SIngh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot etc etc. come from so called Royal Backgrounds, removing the INC with a Genuine opposition like most of the BJP is rankles too many Indian and foreign elites, a 3rd front with INC B teams with CPI (M) etc would be more comfortable

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 22 Aug 2012 00:01

The Wisdom in India
http://casnocha.com/2012/08/the-wisdom-in-india.html

If I were asked under what sky the human mind…has most deeply pondered over the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions to some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant — I should point to India. And if I were to ask myself from what literature we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thoughts of Greeks and Romans, and of one Semitic race, the Jewish, may draw the corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly human a life…again I should point to India.”

– Max Müller, via the opening chapter on Hinduism in The World’s Religions