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Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-07-2005 <b>Labour Party evicts Hindus from temple</b> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-08-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Denied frisk-free entry, irate Somnath cancels Australia visit </b> Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has cancelled his visit to Australia for a meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary executives, scheduled to be held next week, after Melbourne refused to accept the Centre's request of exempting him from being physically frisked at the airport. Mr Chatterjee, currently in Manila attending the Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, is said to have taken strong exception to the Australian Govern-ment's refusal to grant him passage without the personal search. An aide of the Speaker told The Pioneer over telephone from the Phillipines capital on Thursday that Mr Chatterjee viewed this as an insult to the world's largest democracy and that he was shocked that one of the country's chief parliamentary presiding officers should be snubbed in this fashion. Quoting Mr Chatterjee as saying <b>"My country's prestige is at stake and I do not want to compromise on it. I would prefer not to go", </b>the aide said: "The Speaker's contention is that when parliamentary delegates of other countries are allowed frisk-free entry through Indian airports why should he be subjected to such an exercise." After taking over as the Speaker of the Lower House, Mr Chatterjee had asked the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure that whenever he is invited by the Government of another country, the Indian mission there should request an exemption from physical frisking for him. <b>So far, Singapore, Phillipines, Malaysia, the United States and Canada have granted Mr Chatterjee the privilege of frisk-free airport passage.</b> "If the US could consider our request even after 9/11, why can't Australia do the same?" his aide asked. The Speaker had travelled to the US and Canada in September last year. "Unless we respect each other, how can we have good relations? It is all the more painful when a fellow Commonwealth country does this. It is very unfortunate. It is really an affront to India that some country insists on rigorous checks on its Speaker in the name of security," he quoted Mr Chatterjee as saying. Earlier, during the former NDA Government's tenure, the then Defence Minister George Fernandes had complained of being strip-searched at airport in the US. Mr Chatterjee, who is in Manila since March 31, will be back here on April 11. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-08-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->On 12 January 2005, about a quarter of a million Marathas and Kunbis renounced the Vaidic Hindu religion and embraced a new faith called "Shiv Dharm." <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Is this really true? Or is the mullah newspaper blowing its trumpet? Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-08-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Is this really true? Or is the mullah newspaper blowing its trumpet?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Mullah journalist and mullah newspaper <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - utepian - 04-15-2005 For your kitschy pleasure: âIndian God.â A music vid of Ganesh as petulant recording artist. <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->   Iâm a fuckinâ Indian god, baby thatâs a fact   Iâm a fuckinâ Indian god, girl I want you baaack   How can you leave an Indian god, baby thatâs fucked up⦠  Fuckinâ Indian god, man, you canât leave that.   Itâs too good, mmm! <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <img src='http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/GaneshMusicVideo.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> He said heâs an Indian god, baby, not a fuckinâ songwriter. Watch the video. âHandy Hindusâ finger puppets. Theyâre Hindu gods done up Elmo / Sesame Street style in cheap plastic. <img src='http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/HinduFingerPuppets.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> âHindi Bendyâ toy. Hereâs a quick way to make money: take a boring old toy, slap on a bindi and add some extra arms. <img src='http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/HindiBendy.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> Here's their entire section of Hindu products; Archie McPhee sells novelty products by mail-order: <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->âI study customerâs actual orders. I see 100 voodoo dolls going to a software firm in Palo Alto. What does this mean? A Manhattan buyer wants every nun and Catholic religious item we carry and wants them by air. Whatâs the rush? And hereâs yet another order to Japan. What are they doing over there with all this glow-in-the-dark string they order?â <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Lest you think they specifically tweak Hindus, you should see the rabbi punching puppet and the bobble-headed Jesus. They donât sell Islamic novelties, canât imagine why. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rolleyes.gif' /><!--endemo--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-15-2005 Can Laloo the secularist buffoon explain this before barking against Modi http://headlines.sify.com/news/fullstory.p...~hours~in~Bihar! A murder every couple of hours in Bihar! Friday, 15 April , 2005, 11:11 Patna: A murder almost every two hours, a riot in an hour and eight kidnappings and three rapes a day. The crime scenario is truly alarming even by Bihar standards in 2004. Of the 1,15,216 cognizable offences recorded between January and December, 2004, there were 3861 cases of murder, 1297 dacoities, 9199 riots, 2977 kidnappings, including 411 kidnappings for ransom, 1063 rapes, 2162 robberies on the road and dacoities and 57 cases of bank dacoities and robberies, an official report said. Notwithstanding the daunting task faced by the law enforcing machinery, the police-public ratio is 0.65 per 1000 people, meaning there was not even one policeman per thousand population and only 6.5 policemen for a population of every 10,000 - one of the lowest in the country, state police headquarters sources said. They said the figures compiled by the police department may not present the full picture as many cases go unrecorded with victims not reporting all cases to the police. Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-16-2005 Egyptian paper: Israel-India nuke test caused tsunami < Really? then why didnt CNN/BBC/PTV report it ? http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pag...d=1104981578311 <!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1--> Egyptian paper: Israel-India nuke test caused tsunami By JOSEPH NASR The earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean on December 26, triggering a series of huge waves called tsunami, "was possibly" caused by an Indian nuclear experiment in which "Israeli and American nuclear experts participated," an Egyptian weekly magazine reported Thursday. According to Al-Osboa', India, in its heated nuclear race with Pakistan, has lately received sophisticated nuclear know-how from the United States and Israel, both of which "showed readiness to cooperate with India in experiments to exterminate humankind." Since 1992, the magazine argued, leading geological centers in Britain, Turkey and other countries, warned of the need "not to hold nuclear experiments in the region of the Indian Ocean known as 'the Fire Belt,' in which the epicenter of the earthquake lies. Geologists labeled that region 'The Fire Belt' for being "a dangerous terrain that can move at anytime, without human intervention," Al-Osboa' wrote. Despite warnings not to carry out nuclear experiments in and around the 'Fire Belt', "Israel and India continue to conduct nuclear tests in the Indian Ocean, and the United States has recently decided to carry out similar tests in the Australian deserts, which is included in the 'Fire Belt', the Egyptian weekly magazine wrote. "Last year only, Arab and Islamic states have asked the United States to stop its nuclear activities in that region, and to urge Israel and India to follow suite," Al-Osboa' reported. Although Al-Osboa' does not rule out the possibility that the tsunami could have been caused by a natural earthquake it speculates however that, "while it has not been proved yet, there has been a joint Israeli-Indian secret nuclear experiment [conducted on December 26] that caused the earthquake." The Egyptian weekly magazine concludes in its report that "the exchange of nuclear experts between Israel and India, and US pressure on Pakistan which is exerted by supplying India with state-of-the-art nuclear technology and preventing Islamabad from cooperating with Asian and Islamic states in the nuclear field, pose a big question mark on the causes behind the violent Asian earthquake." Incitement against Israel and Jews in Egyptian media is usually limited to the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict yet exceptions are known to occur. In August 2002, the Paris Supreme Court summoned Ibrahim Naafi', editor of the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, for having authorized the publication of a controversial article entitled 'Jewish matza is made from Arab blood' in the October 28, 2000 edition of the paper. Naafi' was charged with incitement to anti-Semitism and racist violence.<!--c2--><!--ec2--> Another full fledged read on that topic here http://www.vialls.com/subliminalsuggestion/tsunami.html Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-23-2005 India has a strange way to deal with it's problems. We badly need a bill in parliament to give direct command, control and authority to the central govt. to overide state government's over issues like terrorism/immigration/deportation/militancy/naxalism/fake currency racket/jailing terrorists/securing borders/corruption etc... These are the issues that is bothering India so much. Using the pretext of federalism, state govt.'s are encouraging terrorism/illegal immigration in India. Even USA has a federal scructure but it has central agencies like FBI, Homeland security, INS to deal with security issues. They do not let state governors handle such national security matters. Instead the UPA govt. in India not only dilutes POTA but comes up with this bill now to encouarge minority aggression over Hindus. There is nothing wrong in over riding the pathetic state leadership's authority in all states but why on communal issues rather than on security issues? http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=68990 UPA answer to communal violence: Army rule, Delhi rule Controversy Communal Violence (Suppression) Bill 2005 lets Centre over-ride states, virtually enforce Armed Forces Act, even extern suspects NAVIKA KUMAR Posted online: Saturday, April 23, 2005 at 0157 hours IST NEW DELHI, APRIL 22: In the name of ââsuppressingââ communal violence, the UPA Government has drafted a controversial Bill that not only gives the Centre unprecedented powers over states but also equips the armed forces with draconian powers of arrest, search and seizure. It calls for special courts to try cases and arms them with the power to order externment of people ââlikely to commit a scheduled offence.ââ The draft Bill, finalised by the Home Ministry is being studied by the Prime Ministerâs Office and the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Sonia Gandhi. According to the preamble to the Communal Violence (Suppression) Bill 2005âa promise made by the UPA in its Common Minimum Programmeâthe Bill is in exercise of the constitutional ââduty of the Union to protect States against external aggression and internal disturbance.ââ However, it turns established constitutional principle on its head by allowing the Centre to ââprevailââ over the state in declaring any area as ââcommunally disturbed.ââ Once the area is declared ââcommunally disturbed,ââ as per the Bill, the Centre can deploy armed forces and nominate one or more Central officersânot below the rank of Additional Secretaryâto ââcoordinate steps taken for dealing with the situation.ââ But itâs Clause 7 to Clause 10 that reads like a virtual reprint of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, an act which, ironically, the Centreâafter the Manipur protestsâhas committed to reviewing. Under the Bill, ââany commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or any person of equivalent rank in the armed forcesââ can: ⢠Fire, even cause death, after ââgiving such due warning as he may consider necessary.ââ ⢠Arrest, without warrantâand use ââsuch force as may be necessaryâââany one who has committed a cognizable offence or ââagainst whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed or is about to commit a cognizable offence.ââ ⢠ââEnter and search without warrant any premisesââ to make any such arrest or to recover property ââreasonably suspectedââ to be stolen property ⢠Stop, search, seize any vehicle suspected of carrying any person who is believed to have or has committed or is ââabout to commitââ a non-cognizable offence. ⢠Power to break open any ââdoor, almirah, safe, cupboard, drawer or other thing, if the key thereof is withheld.ââ ⢠No legal action, unless the Centre sanctions it, against any person in respect of anything done under the Act. The Bill also provides for setting up special courts either in ââthe judicial zoneââ within the state or outside to try riot cases. This court shall be presided over by a judge appointed by the government with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court. Clause 21 of the Bill gives the special court an extraordinary power to directâon being satisfied with a complaint or a police reportâthose likely to commit an offence to ââremove himself beyond the limit of such area not exceeding six months, as may be specified in that order.ââ Failing which, the people may be ââremoved in police custody.ââ Under Clause 28 of the Bill, if it is proved that an accused has given any money to a person accused or ââreasonably suspectedââ of a scheduled offence, the ââspecial court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved, that such person has abetted the offence.ââ Similarly, the next clause says that if fingerprints of the accused were found at the site of the offence, the special court ââshall draw adverse inference against the accused.ââ On the issue of relief and rehabiliation as well, a subject that has so far been the responsibility of a state government, the Centre, under the Bill, will nominate six of the 10 members of a Relief and Rehabilitation Council. Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-24-2005 Please watch this movie at the following link. Pick the file that says "The Human Tragedy" http://www.radiokashmir.org/Video/AshokPandit/ Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-24-2005 Thanks venkat for the wonderful share .. It's so sad though <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-01-2005 Students Politics in India - 1969 Dissertation Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-02-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-Venkat_A+Apr 23 2005, 03:28 AM-->QUOTE(Venkat_A @ Apr 23 2005, 03:28 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> India has a strange way to deal with it's problems. We badly need a bill in parliament to give direct command, control and authority to the central govt. to overide state government's over issues like terrorism/immigration/deportation/militancy/naxalism/fake currency racket/jailing terrorists/securing borders/corruption etc... These are the issues that is bothering India so much. Using the pretext of federalism, state govt.'s are encouraging terrorism/illegal immigration in India. Even USA has a federal scructure but it has central agencies like FBI, Homeland security, INS to deal with security issues. They do not let state governors handle such national security matters. Instead the UPA govt. in India not only dilutes POTA but comes up with this bill now to encouarge minority aggression over Hindus. There is nothing wrong in over riding the pathetic state leadership's authority in all states but why on communal issues rather than on security issues? http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=68990 <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> I think if this law passes, this would be a good lesson to VHP and RSS. They are the primary target of the Bill. Sonia's plan is to isolate, torture and put Hindus in their place i.e. at the feet of the minorties and DIE-NASTY. I sat it is a good lesson for VHP and RSS because, instead of negotiating and set an agenda for a common platform with BJP while the NDA is in power, VHP/RSS wanted to interfere in every decision of the NDA especially economic affair and criticizing BJP in public. They are even continuing this pattern after the shocking defeat of NDA. They have not learnt any lessons from the defeat. They have this penchant for getting into the front line news. 1. RSS/VHP better understand the coaliation politics. It is not BJP. It is NDA. BJP has to build a consensus on any issue. If BJP takes a unilateral approach, that Govt. will be history. If the Govt. falls bacause of that, then people will not bring them back ever. 2. BJP/RSS should understand that they are not the experts in economy. The swadeshi mantra from RSS only weakened NDA/BJP. RSS is a socio/cultual organisation. They can always present their feedback on issues such as economic policies and discuss with BJP on how to imrpove the condition of millions of rural population. This better be done behind the scenes. BJP should also seek a middle ground if they want RSS support. The arrogance of power in portraying economic successes as "India Shining" without realizing how some poor/lower middle class are suffering has cost them many votes. They are many issues BJP and RSS can work together that every Indian would support except COMMIES and CONmen such as illegal immigration fron B'Desh, demographic changes, Identity cards for all, trasparent policies to check illegal conversions, building consensus towards a Unform Civil Code, national integration by reducing inter-state conflicts for river waters using agreeable river-linking project. 3. BJP should also listen and explain to RSS/VHP and value the feedback they receive from their cadre. 4. Finally, RSS/VHP should understand that NDA/BJP rule will not promote christianization of the country, blatant appeasement of minorties, blatant and intentional plan to undermine hindu cause but these are main goals of COMMIEs, LALUS and SONIA. Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-04-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Appeal on Parliament attack case: Order reserved </b> New Delhi, May 4 (PTI): The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on appeals filed by two accused in the Parliament attack case challenging award of death penalty to them by the trial court that was upheld by the Delhi High Court. The Court also reserved its verdict yesterday on two appeals filed by the Delhi Police challenging the High Court order acquitting S A R Geelani and Navjot Sandhu alias Afshan Guru of all charges in the case. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-04-2005 Looted Indian treasure to go under hammer <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Looted Indian treasure to go under hammer NT Bureau Chennai, May 4:  Field cannon from Tipu's palace with barrels in the form of roaring tigers. An exotic gem-set trophy sword is among the auction pieces.     The Britishers, when they ruled India, virtually walked away with many rare artefacts and treasures from the various kings and empires. It was literally a royal loot and scoot.     The items which symbolise the rich cultural heritage of India had somehow found their way to many homes and are now with Sotheby's, the well-known British auction house.     And sadly, Sothebys London has deemed it fit to put under the hammer rich treasures from India. It is holding a special series of auctions on the 25 and 26 May. Sotheby's has proudly announced its auction as 'Tipu Takes The Throne At Sotheby's'.     The series of four auctions planned by Sotheby's has angered many of the local Indians in London. The NRI community, it is learnt, is planning to stage some kind of protest against the auction. What has got their goat is Sotheby's has given a spin to its auction as 'a cultural interplay of East and West'.     Sotheby's has said that is offering 'collectors an exciting and rare opportunity to acquire a range of works of art, weaponry, textiles, books and photographs relating to India and the Far East, in a series of four auctions which will focus on the cultural interplay between East and West.' The pride of the treasures that is to be auctioned off is the 'Tipu Sultan Collection'. It will include an outstanding group of weaponry and other rarities captured after the British stormed Tipu Sultan's palace at Seringapatam in May 1799.     NRIs are unhappy that the treasures that were once looted from India are now being auctioned with fanfare. Just as they are planning to rise in protest they want Indians to join in support. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Added later: By posting this story, I am not in anyway feeling proud of Tipu's legacy. He is no less a pirate as compared to the mughals. He killed a lot of hindus and forced conversions to islam in south india. Still, the Tipu legacy is ours to denounce, and not be sold by some avaricious auctioneer. And what about the other Indian treasures looted by the British? Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-06-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A true nationalist, warrior for Naga culture N.C. Zeliang passes away FOC Known as Naga Hindu leader, Haipau N.C. Zelian, passed away in Guwahati on April 23. He was 69. He is survived by his wife and six sons. Zeliang had been undergoing treatment at down town hospital in Guwahati since April 4. According to doctors, he had been attacked with diabetic nephropathy and diabetic cardio-myopathy. It was later followed by cardiac arrest. His body was taken to Dimapur on the night of April 23 and then to Jalukie. Born on March 23, 1936, at Ntuma village of Nagaland, N.C. Zeliang was the voice of all nationalist forces in the north-east region. He was a choir leader as a theologian during the visit of British missionary, Billy Graham, in 1972 at Kohima. He was an undisputed leader and pioneer of Zeliangrong Heraka AssociationâAssam, Manipur and Nagaland. He was elected president of the association since its formation in the year 1974 and fulfilled the responsibility till he breathed his last. He was also the recipient of Vivekananda Sewa Samman, Kolkata, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram Swarna Jayanti Samman-2004 and Zeliang Unity Award, which added to his eminence. As far as his political career is concerned, N.C. Zeliang was first Congress-I MLA from Tanlung constituency, founder president of BJP, national executive member of BJP and member of CAPART. N.C. Zeliang had been closely associated with Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram for the last 25 years. He was also the founder-member of Janjati Vikas Samiti, Nagaland. He was well known to the VHP leaders, the Rama Krishan Mission, the Bharat Sevasharam Sangh and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He played a key role in the growth and development of Zeliangrong Heraka Assocation. His recent speech, delivered on the occasion of the annual conference on February 12 at Jalukie, inspired the masses and created a sensation in the Naga society. He was also an ardent supporter, promoter, preserver and patron of the North-East India Faith and Cultural Protection Forum. He led Naga cultural troupes even to foreign countries like Damascus, France, Syria, Holland and Poland. His demise is a big loss to Naga society.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-06-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Nagas can never be a part of India: Muivah & Nagaland for Christ: Muivah http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_...me=story5\ %2Etxt&counter_img=5 The General Secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) has told the BBC that the Nagas "can come as close as possible but it's not possible for the Nagas to come within the Indian Union or within the framework of the Indian Constitution". In his first comments to the international media since intense dialogue with the Indian government resumed last December, Mr. Thuingaleng Muivah told the BBC that "Nagaland was never a part of India either by conquest by India or by consent of the Nagas. This is very clear." Speaking to HARDtalk India about the position reached at the end of 41 rounds of dialogue with the Indian government, which started in 1997 when the NSCN (I-M), the biggest and best known outfit fighting for Naga independence, declared a ceasefire, he said: "We can come as close as possible but it's not possible for the Nagas to come within the Indian Union or within the framework of the Indian Constitution. Why? Because it amounts to dismissing the whole history of the Nagas and the Nagas cannot do that ... Nagaland was never a part of India either by conquest by India or by consent of the Nagas." Speaking about sovereignty, which he said belongs "to the Naga people and to the Naga people alone", Mr. Muivah went on to speak about "a special federal relationship" with India but not within India: "Sovereignty of the Naga people belongs to the Naga people and to the Naga people alone. There cannot be otherwise. So long as that is there adjustments can be made... When we say a special federal relationship it has to be on the terms of the agreement that can be arrived at ... It should be a federation of India and Nagalim (Greater Nagaland). Within the Indian Constitution is not possible." Asked if Delhi would have control over defence, external affairs, communication and currency he replied: "In some aspect you are right... Yes, you are right but we haven't (as yet) settled those kind of questions... It's in the process of being worked out. It may be a little bit too early on my part to make pronouncements on that." The General Secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) confirmed that all other powers would rest with the government in Kohima and his proposed state would have its own constitution to determine how these powers are exercised. He also confirmed that these powers would exceed those presently granted by New Delhi to other Indian states because Nagaland would wish to have its own state control over subjects such as wildlife, forests, environment, education and culture. At the moment these subjects are on the concurrent list of the Indian Constitution. Mr. Muivah also confirmed that his proposed state wished to have its own flag, stamps and the right to set up tourist and trade offices abroad. When asked if the Indian leadership agreed to make all of this possible within the ambit of the Indian Constitution whether he would be prepared to accept the Constitution, Mr. Muivah answered with an emphatic no and explained that he could not trust future generations of politicians not to amend the Constitution. However, Mr. Muivah told the BBC that whatever agreement was reached with the Indian Government would need constitutional backing: "The agreement which is going to be arrived at should be incorporated in the Indian constitution (and) equally it should be incorporated in the Naga constitution." Mr Muivah maintained that his position on the Indian constitution was not contradicted by the fact that he is presently travelling on an Indian passport: "In filling up the forms I specifically mentioned that loyalty or allegiance to the Indian Constitution is not applicable. It's not acceptable." In the interview Mr Muivah also confirmed that with regard to his second demand for the integration of all Naga areas outside the present boundaries of Nagaland with Nagaland what he was today asking for is "recognition of the legitimacy of the people's aspirations for Naga integration and a reasonable time frame for its implementation." Under specific questioning Mr Muivah twice confirmed that what he was asking for was an in-principle agreement recognising Naga aspirations for integration and thereafter was willing to grant the Indian Government reasonable time to implement it. Asked if given the emotional nature and intractable quality of the whole land integration issue Mr. Muivah would accept referral to a states reorganisation commission or a states boundary commission, he was at first skeptical: "That is up to the Indians if they can do that. The problem is that Nagas are skeptical. Why? Because whenever any issue arose in the past Government of India took sides with the others not with the Nagas. Always that happened." However, in further questioning Mr. Muivah seemed to indicate that if such a referral would produce the desired result and if all Naga areas were considered he would be prepared to accept it. In the interview, Mr Muivah said that the slogan 'Nagaland for Christ' did not mean that he intended to set up a theocratic state : "Because more than 95 per cent of the population is Christian naturally they have to profess that way .... It (Nagalim or Greater Nagaland) has to be secular. If it is not secular then we will be betraying ourselves." Asked if he had a deadline in mind or if the talks with the Indian government could go on indefinitely Mr. Muivah replied: "It's too early to talk about it (a deadline)." Asked if this meant that he was prepared to give the Indian Government more time, he replied: "Yes, but we should not be too presumptuous. Things can go wrong any time." However, Mr. Muivah did say that progress is being made : "Slowly, slowly but not on big issues."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-08-2005 <b>Donât give us sermons, BJP tells UPA</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Flaying the Congress for being critical of NDA's boycott of Parliament, Naidu said non-cooperation was a "powerful weapon" in a democracy and the NDA was pursuing it for a limited period of time. "Don't give us sermons," the BJP vice-president said. "How many times he (Singh) had boycotted Parliament?" Congress leaders should "reopen old accounts" and see for themselves as to how many times they resorted to such a kind of protest. The Congress boycotted the then Defence Minister George Fernandes for 22 months, the former BJP president recalled, as he spoke at a meeting of BJP's district presidents and office-bearers in Karnataka. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-10-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Religion binds Cong, NC, BJP in J&K Mohit Kandhari/ Jammu Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing a rare convergence of three political parties - Congress, National Conference and Bhartiya Janta Party - for the first time in the history of the state politics. The motive behind sharing the same political space is apolitical and religious but many in the winter capital say there is an element of politics involved in it. On their part, all these political parties want to teach their common enemy - PDP leader and Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed - a bitter lesson and have already joined hands to check his growing influence over day-to-day working of the Shri Amarnath Shrine board in the run- up to the annual pilgrimage in South Kashmir starting from June 21. Last year too, Mufti created a piquant situation for the Raj Bhawan by saying the annual pilgrimage would not be extended beyond a month. Now this year, as preparations for the yatra get underway, the state government has resorted to legal recourse challenging the autonomy of the Shrine board, while arguing that its jurisdiction is limited to the area of the cave and surroundings. The ongoing war of words between the two coalition partners - the Congress and the PDP - over the issue of exercising undue control over Shrine board has already attracted adverse media attention and Mufti has been showcased as the villain behind the scene. Sources in the state government admit that Chief Minister has been hurt by the manner in which he has been portrayed by his chief ally - Congress - as the bad boy. On Monday, Mufti's woes were further compounded when former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah alleged that Mufti Mohd Sayeed's stand on the issue may not be enough to convince the majority community that the state government is restricting the duration of the yatra because of security concers. "I sincerely advise you do not interfere in the working of Shri Amarnath Shrine board. Let them decide the duration of the yatra and facitilities to the extended to the pilgrims, restrict your role to that of the facilitator," Farooq had said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-11-2005 RSS Cadet take out a rally in tirupathi for me it's a rare picture of RSS cadets out in the Indian MEDIA. Please check the image. <!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1--> TIRUPATI: As part of their ongoing three-week training programme, RSS cadres numbering over 200 drawn from the Chittoor, Nellore, Prakasam and Guntur districts took out an impressive rally through the main streets of Tirupati on Tuesday. As the rallyists, clad in their traditional khakhi and white uniform sporting the trademark RSS cap, marched along the route with a stick each on their shoulders, the residents and passers-bye watched them with interest. The rally was led by an RSS band party and was flagged-off from the TTD's Govindarajaswamy School before it returned to its base after a march lasting an hour and a half. Similar training camps are currently underway in Hyderabad and Rajahmundry and they will simultaneously conclude on May 20. Important among those participating in the Tirupati camp are P. Sukumar, State organising secretary (Pracharak), and Somayajula Nageswara Rao, State pracharak. Go RSS go  <!--c2--><!--ec2--> <!--emo&:rocker--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rocker.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rocker.gif' /><!--endemo--> http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/11/stories/2005051110370300.htm Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 05-18-2005 <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>When Lalu berated Congress </b> Kanchan Gupta It is the Congress that has engineered most of the riots... Rajiv Gandhi failed to protect Harijans and Muslims... Geographical boundaries of the country were jeopardised by the Congress and Rajiv Gandhi..." On reading such harsh accusation, such pitiless pillorying of the Congress and its supreme leader, the last direct descendent of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to sit on the masnad of Delhi, the image that comes to mind is that of an irascible foot soldier of the BJP or a malevolent journalist doing what foot soldiers and malevolent journalists do best: Shoot from the hip. Think again, but it is unlikely that you will be able to guess the identity of the person who tore into the Congress so mercilessly while participating in a debate on the "Situation in the Country" in the Lok Sabha on December 29, 1989. The immediate backdrop to this debate was the series of communal riots in Congress-ruled Bihar - Hazaribagh, Darbhanga, and the horrendous bloodletting in Bhagalpur during the twilight days of Rajiv Gandhi's government in the autumn of that year. <b>The official death count in Bhagalpur was 1,891, with thousands scarred for the rest of their lives. In Logain village, an entire Muslim mohalla was wiped out: the bodies of 120 Muslim men, women and children were dumped in a shallow pond</b>; when the stench became unbearable, the rotting corpses were fished out, buried in a field and planted over with cauliflower saplings. <b>In Chanderi, another Muslim mohalla, 61 people were massacred</b>. Mallika, a 14-year-old girl, tried to flee the mob that had killed her parents and relatives. She stumbled and fell; the mob chopped off her legs and left her to bleed to death in a hyacinth covered pond. An army officer found her the next day, drawn by her pitiful sobs, and Mallika survived to live a traumatic life. But we digress. From December 18 to 29, the newly elected Lok Sabha, with Prime Minister V P Singh and the Janata Dal occupying the Treasury benches and Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress sitting in the Opposition benches, witnessed a spirited debate over the customary address by the President. Either by design or by default, the President had failed to mention the riots in Bhagalpur. Congress MPs seized on this omission to berate the government, alleging that the riots were not mentioned to spare embarrassment to its ally, the BJP, which was accused of fomenting the violence in Bhagalpur and elsewhere. As the debate became increasingly accusatory and the tone and tenor of the attack on the BJP sharpened, the Janata Dal MP from Chapra waded in to battle the Congress. Responding to the allegation that BJP and VHP activists had provoked the violence, he said, "I would like to tell you that there are two groups of Muslims in Bhagalpur, ie, Ansaris and Sallans, who had started riots in the city. A bomb was thrown on the SP (of) Bhagalpur and 11 police personnel were injured. They had thrown that bomb on the occasion of Ram Shila Pujan but these people have not been yet rounded up." That MP was Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, now Minister for Railways in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government and an ardent supporter of Ms Sonia Gandhi. Such is his admiration for Ms Gandhi, that even after losing his rule through conjugal proxy over Bihar thanks to Congress' dalliance with his arch enemy Ram Vilas Paswan, he is the first to jump to her defence every time the Opposition becomes particularly vituperative in its attack on the chairperson of the UPA. But we digress again. On December 29, 1989, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav was relentless in his assault on the Congress, more so on Rajiv Gandhi, and took vicarious pleasure by slyly mentioning Ms Sonia Gandhi by name now and then, in total disregard of House rules. "It is the Congress party which (has) engineered most of the riots, particularly in Bihar," he thundered to the thumping of tables. "We shall expose their role in inciting communal riots," he promised on behalf of the Mr VP Singh's Government. Listing the failures of the previous regime, he said, "Rajiv Gandhi failed to fulfil the promises which he made in regard to the development, unity and security of the country and protection of the Harijans and Muslims. This resulted in creating a gloomy situation in the country...". And, hence, the people voted for change. "Change had become necessary because the responsibility of protecting the geographical boundaries of the country (sic)... was jeopardised by the Congress and Rajiv Gandhi," Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav explained, adding with a rhetorical flourish, "If we fail to safeguard the unity, integrity and the principle of secularism of our country, we cannot save the country from disintegration...". And then came the full assault. "Satyendra Narain Sinha became chief minister of Bihar, he failed to quell the riots in Hazaribagh... the procession of Ram Navami had passed off peacefully in front of the Jama Masjid of Hazaribagh. No Muslim had opposed the procession," Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav said, recalling the sequence of event, "Ram shila procession and Ram Navami procession passed off from there, but neither there was any riot nor anybody raised provocative slogans on that day. But later on an incident took place in Hazaribagh which triggered off disturbances in the entire State." So who or what was to blame? Read on. "Rajiv Gandhi, accompanied by his wife Sonia Gandhi, went to participate in the Vaishali festival. <b>They had put on bulletproof vests... Shri Rajiv Gandhi told Sonia Gandhi that he himself would drive the jeep to see the celebrations," </b>Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav explained with dramatic flourish, before coming to the consequences of that drive from Patna to Vaishali by the former Prime Minister and his wife. "An announcement was made in regard to their security... Full security force was required all along the 60 km route from Patna to the place of celebrations. Wireless message was sent to the DM of Hazaribagh, wireless message was sent to the collector also to send all the forces to Vaishali as Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were coming to attend the celebrations," he recounted, "Forces were picked up from Hazaribagh and sent to Vaishali. <b>After three days riots took place between Hindus and Muslims. But no security forces were there to control the situation</b>." And what about Darbhanga? <b>"They (the Congress) have spared no effort to put Bhagalpur, BJP, RSS and Janata Dal to disrepute," Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav said, charging the Congress, whose MPs were by then on their feet, with criminal subterfuge, "One thousand workers belonging to the Congress Party were called to Bahera (an assembly constituency in Darbhanga) by Maithili Brahmins (a snide reference to Jagannath Mishra and what was then the Congress' core constituency in Bihar) and were asked to wear caps bearing slogans 'Garv say kaho hum Hindu hain' and 'Radhe Shyam Baba ki Jai'."</b> After a pause, he added with a condescending flourish, "You try to understand the actual position in Bhagalpur... Shiv Chander Jha, who was the speaker, was deadly against Bhagwat Jha Azad (another Congress leader). It was due to them and a few of their men that these riots... (interruptions)... they were behind these riots." Such illuminating discourse by Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav becomes relevant not only to expose turncoat politicians who adorn our Parliament and occupy India's political space, but also to highlight how some riots are conveniently forgotten because political expediency demands so. And to highlight the absurdity that only 10 persons have been punished so far for the deaths of more than 1,000 people. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> |