Nothin New............

I must be wishing on someone else's star, cause it seems that someone else is always getting what I wished for.....!

Times change. Situations change. People change. But I don't.

The road to heaven is less treaded, just like the road to my life...I am the only one that walks on it, I am the only one who decides...Hold my hand and keep me close, for the phases of moon move with time...Find me for I am waiting for you, find me before its the end of time...As I wait to be heard in heaven and to be found...with blood on my hands...blood that once flowed in my viens to my heart...heart that once used to beat with your beat...I wish it stayed that way for I am numb now...I move down the road to redeem myself...only to find that redemption is no longer a choice I have...So I look back to see if you are calling me...again...but all I can see is the sun setting in your palms...I turn around and walk, hoping there will be a sunrise that I will face...I walk on...knowing it is going to be a never ending journey...because the sun can only rise once in day and I have already lived mine...

Today's SHASTRI ji.

Metro Man’s Resignation is a lofty example for today's cult... It's to be interpreted and accepted not only by our political leaders but by everyone who wants to lead an organisation.Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan has proved beyond doubt that people of exemplary character are still around.He has displayed the highest level of courage in owning moral responsibility and offering to resign after the recent accident.He brings to mind Lal Bahadur Shastri who had resigned as railway minister owning moral responsibility for a train accident.

Stop Exporting Ore to China....!!!

We export iron ore to China. We need to review this and de-emphasise trade with China.Recently, China tried to block Asian Development Bank aid for one of our projects in Arunachal Pradesh on the ground that the location is disputed territory. This is completely irresponsible since development in any case should not be hindered. In view of the Chinese attitude,by providing it with raw material,we only end up strengthening it.Thus stopping export of iron ore to China is in national interest and no argument of exporters should be considered.

Corruption Synopsis..!

The collapse of a bridge at a Delhi Metro construction site once again underlines the bitter truth that India is deeply entrenched in corruption.Innocent lives have been claimed as the contractors compromised on quality.Despite the recurrence of many such accidents,the authorities remain silent.The Delhi Metro Railway Corporation authorities must hang their head in shame for not maintaining standards.

Help Other States...!!

Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar claims there has been a record procurement of rice this year.But with global warming and the late monsoon it is essential that adequate steps be taken to assist the states that experienced less than normal rainfall.Agriculture is the means of livelihood of about two-thirds of the work force in the country.Also,growing certain crops like oilseeds is a problem in rain-fed areas.

Mixed Bag.....!!!

Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's Budget rightly puts emphasis on the agriculture and infrastucture sectors, which alone can generate large-scale employment. Indirect taxes have been rationalised and income-tax slabs have been raised. Also, the 10 per cent surchage on individuals has been dropped, giving some relief to middle class taxpayers. This is an "inclusive Budget", giving some relief to every segment without losing much revenue.

Babri.....A forgotten Chapter....!!!

Most inquiry commissions that have been set up in India, usually to defuse crisis situations or to settle political scores, have been a total waste of public money. What use is the Liberhan Commission report, coming as it does 17 years later? The nation has moved far ahead. Why not make a temple of learning of religion, arts, science, engineering and medicine at the disputed site in Ayodhya in the spirit of conciliation instead of further dividing our already divided polity?

Chk Fuel Price hike........!!!

After assuming power the UPA government has given a rude shock to the aam aadmi by substantially raising the price of fuel.This was totally unwarranted. Such a steep hike will have adverse effects and common man will have to bear the brunt of it.A regulatory body must be set to check price increase.

Respect the privacy of Dead.......!!!

I am referring to a report in a British tabloid which says that Michael Jackson, who passed away recently, was bald and hence wore a wig, that he had many scars on his face caused be cosmetic surgeries, and that his nose had almost disappeared. The world had a certain image of the world's greatest pop artist. In my view it is absolutely cruel to bring to light facts which only destroy the agreeable image of a person. If Michael Jackson wanted the world to know about his baldness he would not have hidden it under a wig. I take this opportunity to implore the media to have a heart and refrain from hurting sentiments and reporting aspects which are of no real consequence.

THOUGHTLESS ACT by Kumari Mayawati...!

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has spent nearly Rs 2,000 crores for installing useless statues of herself.Such senseless wastage of public money must be criticised.She could have used this money for the cleaning the Ganges and the Yamuna. Through her thoughtless act,Ms Mayawati has devastated a big area that was a fully green zone.People are rightly angry with the Mayawati government for building memorials and statues with public money.However,it should be remembered that the United Progressive Alliance government spent an estimated Rs 400 crores of public money for advertising its achievements.The government has once again started a blatant campaign spree.The print media is understandably silent as they are the beneficiaries of this huge advertisement expenditure by government departments.And Ms Mayawati has justified her statue spree by saying that the installation of monuments erected in honour of men symbolising Dalit empowerment was done without cut in budget of educational,health or employment schemes.The courts should step in and order the recovery of money from those who authorised the advertisements.

UID........A welcome Step.

The government of India has approved the proposal to use multi-application smart cards with unique identities (UIDs) for citizens to facilitate easy verification,availing of government or private services,help welfare programmes reach intended beneficiaries and for serving as basis for e-governance.This proposal is welcome but it also raises some questions.On what basis the UID Card will be issued? Also,the unique identity (UID) project should assign a UID number to each individual in the country that would remain a permanent identifier right from birth to death of the individual.With the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh,Sri Lanka and even Pakistan,will vested interests allow this project to succeed?

Same Sex Love........Not natural.

The decision to make same-sex alliances legal appears to be over enthusiastic and a fallout of so-called globalisation.It is an undeniable social requirement that all healthcare facilities must be legally made available to gay persons without any prejudice,on a "no questions asked" basis.Yet the claim that love between members of the same-sex is legitimate in nature seems far-fetched.We may witness a rise in the incidence of attacks on gays

B Serious.....!!!

Global warming will not just make sea levels rise,it will also affect sea life. Corals "are intolerant of temperatures just a few degrees warmer than usual".Small temperature increases can kill corals. Patterns of circulation of sea water are also disturbed by global warming.Controlling the emission of fossil fuels by humans is one of the first of many steps that we must take to combat global warming.If it is not controlled, human life will be disrupted.

Plz cut Education Fee instead of Political Gimmicks..!

For those,who read Kothari Commission’s report on education more than 60 years ago, Union human resourse development minister Kapil Sibal’s plan is old wine.Mr Sibal himself doesn’t seem too serious and that’s, perhaps, why he has not commited to any time schedule.But he should have consulted the states before announcing his agenda. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ally, will not countenance any encroachment on state powers.What happened to the three language formula is well-known.Copies of the Constitution were burnt in protest against the imposition of Hindi.The Kothari Commission has many valuable suggestions on revamping education in India.Mr Sibal would serve the country better if he has a plan to reduce and regulate fees in educational institutions.

Kashmir....A closed Chapter......!

It is time we made it understood globally that Kashmir is a closed chapter of history, the state having acceded to India in the dispensation then prevailing. A former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir is now a minister in the Cabinet and a former minister of the Cabinet is the chief minister in Srinagar after being duly elected in state elections.

Introspect.........!!!

A month after the elections results were announced, a debate fuelled by the sadistic taunts of BJP’s detractors continues to rage.Why did the BJP stumble at the hustings in a political milieu that appeared to be so heavily inclined in its favour? Has the appeal of Hindutva dissipated? Political pundits indulge in pharisaic pontification and television anchors deliver endless bytes on this burning issue.It is time to hit the pause button, rewind and review in entirety the BJP’s election campaign,the verdict and its post-mortem,with a degree of objectivity.Instant reactions are often too emotion-driven to be able to provide a concrete and correct appraisal.

Teerorist seek Political Power

Terrorism has become a world-wide phenomenon these days.Terrorist acts can hardly help their perpetrators realise political plans and programmes.Unless,of course,the terrorists are funded by outside powers who have no consideration or sympathy for their cause but are only interested in destablilising the victim nation.Terrorist groups have usually sought to justify their cowardly attacks by claiming that what they do is for the "patriotic purpose of freedom and sovereignty".The fact is that political terrorism seeks political power by spreading panic and fear in the hearts of people on a large scale.

B kind to Animals.......!!!

I think that everyone should have the decency to treat animals with kindness and not make them suffer in any way. I believe that animals deserve to live according to their own nature, without harm or exploitation. It has been shown that animals are capable of feeling pain, hunger, thirst, loneliness and kinship. It breaks my heart when I see people wearing fur. Some fur comes from animals caught in horrific traps called leg holds. Animals are stuck in these traps for hours and even days before the trapper comes to pick them up. Think twice before you buy a fur coat.

Push the Offenders

In a rare case of affirmative action in Jammu and Kashmir,a judicial commission is taking steps against officials for failing to discharge their duty in bringing the Shopian rape case culprits to justice.Shopian superintendent of police Javaid Iqbal Muttu,quoting doctors who were neither competent nor authorised to perform the post-mortem,had shockingly covered up the rape and murder of two women on May 30 by declaring it as "death due to drowning".While the Omar Abdullah government has already suspended five officials,including Mr Muttu,in relation to this case,an independent judicial commission promises more dismissals of other senior police,civil administration and medical officials in the near future.It is heartening to see that such instances of gross misconduct are finally starting to get noticed by authorities,and that wrongdoers are being punished accordingly.

Goverment Ruined AIR INDIA.............!

Air India is reportedly incurring huge losses per day.Its present dismal state is a fine example of how a professionally and efficiently managed company could be ruined by the government by bringing it under its control.No doubt,there may be other extraneous factors that have contributed to Air India nose-diving to this precarious level.However,it has certainly laid bare the government’s incapability to run an international airline with the kind of business acumen essential in one of the most competitive fields.A glance at how its founder J.R.D. Tata assiduously nurtured Air India’s growth to make it one of the world’s highly rated airlines would suffice. Since its nationalisation, the government,with its apparent sluggishness over the years, has made Air India an albatross around its neck.If by this the government believes it will regain Air India’s lost glory,it is only a delusion for its work culture is the same.

Clear women’s bill quickly

Please Clear the Women’s Reservation Bill ASAP.The arguments raised against the bill are frail and do not hold water.To be fair,the decisions of women in critical situations in life have been perceived as more matured and tempered.The tendency to amass wealth will become less.The Americans are not fools to have consecutively elected two ladies in the second most important position in the United States,namely the secretary of state in the present era.

Congress,BJP Worse than Left

I wish to point out that compared to the colossal failures of the "infallible" Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),both of which have been in power at the Centre,the mistakes of the Communists pale into insignificance.The Congress, which was formed in 1885,took 62 years to gain Independence.Then they failed to prevent Partition.During the last 62 years, they have failed to solve the border problems that have been eating away the country’s vital resources.The vast majority of India’s population is poor,illiterate and exploited.The plight of women and children is pathetic. Corruption,casteism and communalism are rampant.There is no violation of constitutional,democratic or moral principles that the Congress and the BJP have not resorted to. While I hold no brief for the Communists,I wish to say that but for their existence,things would have been worse for the downtrodden.

Winning is not all that matters.....!!!

I am ashamed of the Indian cricket team fans for being fair-weather friends.One win and the fans build temples and perform pujas.But one loss and effigies get burnt. No team has a 100 per cent win record,nor is that possible.It is not very easy to play strategically and take all right decisions in the gruelling,noisy environment of the stadium.A recent example of this is the French Open.Rafael Nadal was crashed out early.Roger Federer survived two sets down in two matches on the way to the title.It is not necessary to win every time.
India’s failure in T-20 is no big deal.After all,it is only a game.People watch sports for entertainment.Winning or losing is not everything.Why are we so keen to show our patriotism only in the cricket arena?Many key areas exist that remain untouched.

Lalgarh 2 B solved Soon....!!!

Union home minister P.Chidambaram’s advice to the West Bengal government to deploy its own paramilitary forces is uncalled for.Maoists should not be treated as the Taliban.The Centre and the state government should exercise full restraint in the Lalgarh incident.The Maoists are not hijacking Lalgarh to China.The issues at stake here are very serious.That’s why it’s high time that the Communists,the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Samajwadi Party,the Bahujan Samajwadi Party and others sit together and chalk out a common strategy to deal with Maoists.The Congress and Marxist governments must also introspect on their mode of governance. Otherwise this problem will not be solved,it’ll only get more complicated.

Dalai Lama From a free world.......!!!

The exiled 74-year-old Dalai Lama is currently in India pondering his successor.Since he announced a referendum that will deny China the right to approve incarnations in Tibet while it is under Chinese control,there is the provocative possibility of a China-sponsored Dalai Lama.China seeks to control the selection of senior religious leaders in Tibet because it fears their political power.Beijing says Tibet has been a part of China since the mid-13th century.But eight centuries on there are many who dispute the claim.The Dalai Lama has said that he expects his successor to be found in a "free country" so that he can carry on the Dalai Lama’s "unfulfilled" mission.

Does Parliament Really desrves Respect ?

When a derogatory remark is made about the Indian Parliament, the person concerned is hauled up before the House to face contempt proceedings. Around 150 persons with criminal backgrounds are reported to be in the 15th Lok Sabha. Is it fair to compel an honest member of the public to respect such persons just because they have been elected?

Coffee as a breath mint.....!!!

A coffee extract can inhibit the growth of bacteria that leads to bad breath, according to a new research from Tel Aviv University. New tests have shown that the extract prevents malodorous bacteria from making their presence felt."Everybody thinks that coffee causes bad breath and it’s often true, because coffee, which has a dehydrating effect in the mouth, becomes potent when mixed with milk, and can ferment into smelly substances,"Contrary to the expectations,It was found some components in coffee that actually inhibit bad breath,"

Eating less boosts Lifespan.

Scientists have long known that a restricted diet extends life.Now,researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified two enzymes that provide a new molecular explanation for how eating less leads to living longer.when researchers removed the two enzymes from the test animals,the benefits of a restricted diet disappeared.And when those enzymes were enhanced,longevity and disease resistance increased.understanding how these molecules influence longevity could have implications for developing new treatments for age-related diseases.

Smoking Priests..!

It is extraordinary to see that the Indian government went so far as to cut scenes of Catholic priests smoking in the film Angels and Demons.I can remember some landmark films where Hinduism was shown to be corrupt and vile — such as in Satyajit Ray’s Sadgati.We want more such films.It is ironic to see Indian Catholics getting all worked up about cigarettes at a time when the Catholic Church is being rocked with scandal after scandal.Last month yet another catalogue of systematic child abuse by priests and nuns was published in Ireland.

Let's not B selective about History.....!!!

To most Chinese,the 1989 Tiananmen massacre is no more than a fading memory. In India too only a few remember June 26,1975,when citizens’freedom and right to protest was taken away in utter violation of the Constitution.However,the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and the Gujarat riots of 2002 are raised vehemently on their anniversaries.The difference is not just between a party dictatorship and parliamentary democracy, but also between a nation on the march and one hindered by its dire past.

Delhi or Dilli

So what’s in a name? Lots, if you ask our sports minister M.S. Gill, who it seems is in a mood to change the name of Delhi to Dilli before the Commonwealth Games 2010. This recommendation was made by Gill to chief minister Sheila Dikshit at a conference recently. He was quoted as saying, "I always feel that Dilli, as the national capital is known locally, it is more close to the hearts of people than New Delhi. It also better describes the vibrant and cosmopolitan culture of the capital. After all it is sadi Dilli or hamari Dilli (our Delhi)," said Gill.
It all started with Bombay becoming Mumbai in 1996, soon Madras became Chennai and Calcutta became Kolkata. Silicon city Bangalore was renamed Bengaluru. So, will Delhi follow suit and change to Dehli or Dilli? We caught up with celebrities to gauge their response over re-naming of the capital.
Internationally acclaimed writer and historian William Darlymple says, "I don’t think it should be changed, but if it is to happen it should be changed to Dehli — its name during its greatest period of history. If it was changed to Dilli everyone would confuse it with the capital of East Timor."
"I think it makes a lot of sense to change Delhi to Dilli. Delhi was coined by the Britishers and Dilli sounds good. Though we write it as Delhi, most of us refer to our city as Dilli itself. Why shouldn’t Delhi join the bandwagon too, after other cities have changed their names? Dilli is a part of our history, it is closer to people’s heart. After all, Dilli dilwalon ki hai, the city is about its people and people will certainly connect to Dilli more than Delhi."

SATYAM Takeover...........!!!

The Satyam takeover by the Mahindras is ill-conceived.They will have their hands full with procedural matters to do with the scam rather than operational matters.Have the Mahindras taken a guarantee from the government that they would be protected from any lawsuits in India and elsewhere and be absolved of any liability arising from these?Satyam should really have been allowed to fail instead of being propped up artificially.

No more King/Queen maker's......!!!

The election results are beneficial on all counts.Firstly,the Third and Fourth Fronts cannot form the government and have to go either with the UPA or the NDA. Secondly,Mayawati,J. Jayalalithaa,Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav,Sharad Pawar,Naveen Patnaik,Chandrababu Naidu,Prakash Karat and Nitish Kumar are no more king or queen makers.From innumerable prime ministerial candidates people voted for only one.

Credit to Voters n not the UPA.......!

Sonia’s triumph,rightly pointed out that the public voted for stability.But the United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) victory came as a surprise not only to the electorate but also to the Congress.The Congress was not very confident of winning and it kept wooing all parties.It contemplated dumping the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to get support from All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and even tried to net the National Democratic Alliance ally, Nitish Kumar, by promising "special status" for Bihar.Credit for the UPA’s victory goes to the unpredictable,intelligent,mature voters who decisively voted the UPA back to power.

Modi shd have been the PM candidate.!!!

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fared miserably in these general elections because it kept harping on Ram Mandir and even included it in its manifesto.Nobody can blame Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.Mr Modi rightly focused on terrorism and Gujarat-like development all over India.He did not even once mention Ram Mandir during his rallies.Nobody can repeatedly fool crores of people in the name of Lord Ram.If Mr Modi’s campaign was not right, how was he able to win one more term as the chief minister of Gujarat?The BJP should have named a dynamic leader like Mr Modi as its prime ministerial candidate in place of 81-year-old L.K. Advani.

Kudos

India is comparable only with India,a democratic and secular country,the likes of which don’t exist.The Congress proved its mettle by releasing a secular manifesto and making people realise that it stands for unity and integrity of the country.It did well to project Dr Manmohan Singh as its next Prime Minister.All the Congress leaders,particularly Dr Singh,Pranab Mukherjee and Sonia Gandhi,focussed on policies and programmes.But the BJP behaved irresponsibly by dividing people on communal lines and giving importance to politicians like Narendra Modi and Varun Gandhi.Leaders like Rahul Gandhi exhibited maturity and behaved in a dignified way. The BJP should learn from the outcome of this election: People like Mr Modi and Mr Varun Gandhi are a liability and not an asset.

Stable Govt.

The relevance of national parties is the main message people of India have given.Between them, the Congress and the BJP have won around 325 seats,i.e.60 per cent.This proves that people want stability,good governance and that local issues do not matter in national elections.The Left needs to seriously rethink their policies —they fight the Congress in West Bengal and Kerala but supported a Congress-led government at the Centre.The BJP too must consolidate and reorient their policies. They should not go back to the aggressive Hindutva policy but concentrate on pan-India presence.The Congress should realise they have only 37 per cent of the total seats and must work with the rest 67 per cent to give a clean, stable,effective government.

Mulayam Vs Democracy

After displaying his contempt for computers and English, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is in the news for saying that he will support the party that will dismiss the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh. This betrays a shocking lack of political morality and marks a new low in public life. How can any party at the Centre dismiss a democratically-elected government? A party even considering this will be digging its own grave.

NSA

If accusing Varun Gandhi under the NSA was deemed wrong by the advisory board of the Allahabad high court,the officials who were involved in this episode should be punished harshly so that in future, other officials do not dare to resort to such action.It is the duty of the civil servants to advise politicians sincerely,and not act according to the whims and fancies of politicians.Unless stringent action is taken against the bureaucrats involved in the Varun Gandhi episode,others of their tribe will not learn a lesson.

Outsourcing can help U.S

This is with reference to US President Barack Obama’s policy of discouraging outsourcing jobs to India and other countries.Mr Obama should,in fact,encourage outsourcing.This means Indian workers will be in contact with the US economy by remaining in India.Perhaps what he could think to do is not to promote the hiring of employees from India to work in America.Outsourcing jobs like medical transcription, call centres and other software-related activity indeed benefits the US economy as well because it cuts costs for the US firms.

AF-PAK policy

There is no evidence to suggest that American military and financial aid to Pakistan is actually working.I believe that billions of dollars that were supposed to go towards poverty alleviation,reconstruction and combating extremism have been siphoned off by Pakistani officials and middlemen.Similarly,there are reports that US military aid to Pakistan, instead of being used to combat the jihadis,has been used by Islamabad to arm itself against India.In spite of this,the Obama administration persists with the old strategy.There is very little that distinguishes the Obama approach to the Zardari regime from former US President George W. Bush. Clearly,Mr Obama’s AfPak policy lacks balance and fairplay.It is bound to fail.