Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2

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Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 02-09-2007

Court rap for Husain probe delay
New Delhi, Feb. 7 (PTI): A court today pulled up Delhi police for dragging their feet on investigating a complaint against M.F. Husain for allegedly portraying Hindu gods and goddesses in an indecent manner and hurting religious feelings.
Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Kamini Lau, criticising the police for its failure to file the probe report, said: âDo you want the people to come on to the streets? Why are you dragging your feet?â
The police have been asked to conclude the investigation by February 12 and file the chargesheet.
The court was infuriated when a police officer sought more time to file the investigation report, which was to be submitted today.
The magistrate had given the directive on February 3 after Connaught Place assistant commissioner of police G.L. Mehta told the court that not only would the investigation be completed but he would personally ensure the filing of the final report before the court by February 7.
The court also summoned Husain and socialite Nafisa Ali for a March 6 hearing of a similar complaint registered in Indore. The case has been transferred here following a Supreme Court order.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 02-15-2007

Former Madhya Pradesh CM SC Shukla passes away

One who exploited people during Emergeny. Close to VP Singh and never missed chance to lick Indira Gandhi slippers.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 03-04-2007

Wanted to put the following in the California Textbook thread, since it is tangentially related to that, but don't know if this would break up the continuity of that thread.

Seems Europe Union wants to consolidate a European past (recent past, I'm not talking here about the Ur-Past of 'the Oryans')

3 articles concerning this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,,2019570,00.html
QUOTEGermany plans new EU-wide history book
Ian Traynor in Brussels
Friday February 23, 2007
The Guardian

Europe is more likely to be agonising about its future, but now it is the past that is proving contentious. Yesterday it emerged that Germany was hoping to exploit its EU presidency to promote a new school history book for the European Union.
At a meeting in Heidelberg next week of EU education ministers, Berlin is to push for the publication of the book on the history of the EU to be used as a standard text in all 27 member countries.

While the plan is likely to prove contentious, charges that Germany is bent on whitewashing its troubled history were abruptly dismissed in Berlin yesterday. Germany has spent decades exploring its Nazi past, using its education system, the media and public debate.
"It is not the idea at all to rewrite history," said a government spokesman, Rainer Rudolph, yesterday. "There would be no suggestion of leaving out anything which might be unpleasant or difficult for the Germans, or for anyone else. That would be ridiculous."

While Chancellor Angela Merkel is said to back the idea, the common EU history book is the brainchild of Annette Schavan, the education minister. European commission officials dealing with education issues in Brussels also support the plan for the book, which would be drawn up by international experts.

But the idea would be decided by national capitals, and in some the proposal is certain to encounter scepticism, not least in Britain. Poland has repeatedly accused Germany of seeking to rewrite history because of a campaign for a museum dedicated to the fate of Germans driven out of eastern Europe at the end of the war. The Czechs would also bridle at the idea of a common history book proposed by Germany. The Dutch and the Danes may also have reservations.This is christo influence in their behaviour: force fitting (often conflicting) narratives into one. What is wrong in unity in diversity? It is highly important to continue to let the different views of the same history be taught, as long as each of these are rooted in truth. For instance, WWII was a different experience for the Greeks than it was for the French, which was different again from the British or Polish experiences. If the Greeks will study only generic 'European' history, important aspects related to their nation's experiences during this war for instance will no longer have much (any) time devoted to them. Allied betrayal of Greece in WWII will be ignored then forgotten.

A 'common' history that avoids the difficult or extensive additional details of local countries will essentially negate the unique history (until the time of European unification) of each local country in favour of a single European history only briefly painting various perspectives.

In my view, the real issue is not so much Germany's Nazi past (or the 30 years war between christian denominations, or the 80 years war between NL and ES, or the 100 years war between FR and UK).
I think it is all the more recent nastyness and underhandedness that NATO has indulged in with the US that is spurring on this whole thing and which is the major problem.

And most importantly, will the Serbs (like us Hindus) have to learn a false history of hte last 100 years of their nation and their people? Will they learn the history NATO chooses for them? Is this one of the goals of this whole 'single history' program? It is significant that Germany - whose government even in recent times is not a Serbian ally to say the least - is the one to suggest it. The German suggestion for a history (one which will no doubt be dictated by NATO where it concerns the Balkan affair) will favour Croatia and the ethnic terrorist-Albanians and whitewash their abominable crimes.
A premonition I get is that in Serbia's case they're going to try pulling a Witzellian trick: get some distant government (EU govt) to determine what goes in Serbian textbooks so its children can be brainwashed about how their ancestors were evil and how their history is actually a 'composite culture' of islam, blablabla. Maybe Romila Thappar and her kind will like to sign up to author the history book (cheap Indian 'historians' labour, after all) for Europe. Or not - European governments might prefer that in some regional histories they'd like a semblance to truth, besides, amateurs like India's 'eminent' 'historians' are good enough to doctor Indian history, professionals are required to give the final blow to Serbian identity.

http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/europese_uni...n/ja/index.html has the original
QUOTEGermany wants a European history book
Friday 23 February 2007

Temporary EU-chairman Germany wants that a uniform European history book will come for all the member states. But critics fear a 'sanitised version' version of the history.

According to the British paper The Guardian, Germany wants to make use of the chairmanship this present half-year to launch a European history book.

Ridiculous
Next week, the European ministers of Education will gather together in the German university town of Heidelberg and the Germans would want to use this occasion to make their proposal. But the proposal to prescribe a uniform history will probably call up/give rise to much resistance .

Rainer Rudolph, spokesperson for the German government, stresses that it is certainly not the intention to rewrite European history: 'The suggestion that certain events will be omitted which will be uncomfortable for Germans or others, is ridiculous.'

Nazi past
Rudolph refers particularly to the German nazi past, and the recently growing attention for the German victims of World War II. Critics, especially in neighbouring Poland and the Czech Republic, are afraid of a 'sanitised' version, wherein the dark sides of European history will be softened or even omitted.

Graham Brady, spokesperson of the European conservatives, additionally calls the idea of a uniform history book a 'typically bureaucratic mission which gives him the creeps.'

Museum
Germany is putting all efforts in to make the half-year chairmanship a success and to get the European project moving (forward?) again. In this way, one of the goals of German chancellor Angela Merkel is to once again blow new life into the European Constitution.

And the new chairman of the European Parliament, the German Hans-Gert Poettering, pleaded at his swearing-in last week for a museum of the European Unification. That's where the memory of the 'unique story of the European Unification would have to be kept alive.' This museum would have to, just like the European history book, strengthen European identity.

By Robbert de Witt
http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/europese_uni...1591/index.html contains the original
QUOTEDivided reactions to European history book
Thursday 1 March 2007
The European Union (EU) is condering to write a European history book, but not everyone's been waiting for this.

That turned out to be the case today at an informal EU-meeting of ministers of Education in Germany's Heidelberg.

The German minister of Education, Annette Schavan, pleaded a short time ago for a EU-history book in all of the the EU-member states.

According to Schavan, a centrally-written history book can strengthen the cultural identity of Europeans and contribute to the growing-closer/coming-together of the inhabitants of the member states. But not all member states have the same views on this.

'Different points of view'
Poles turned down the idea. 'We do not believe in this possibility. Poles and Germans already have different points of view about central questions. Then it will become difficult to endorse European values and societal perspectives,' the Polish minister of Education Roman Giertych reacted.

Also the Netherlands is 'holding back greatly', according to top-official Gerard Maas of the ministry of Education. 'It does not fit in with the Dutch (ways of doing things?) that men make such a history book centrally.'

'Valuable contribution'
Austria and Belgium did react enthusiastically. 'The citizens know too little about European history. Thus far/for that a common history book will certainly be a valuable contribution,' said the Belgian minister Oliver Paasch.

There already exists a joint history book of Germany and France that is being used in different schools in those countries.

By Claudia van ZantenNow, if this were India and Nepal (and Thailand or SE Asia, say) planning a joint book on our shared history, you know that the usual suspects (FOSA, FOIL, Herr Commandant WitSSel, Schutz-Abteilung Farmer, Indian communists) will show up from nowhere and form an international board of 'scholars' to petition and protest at the UN about the Hypertutvas who 'plan to commit sacrilege' against history and 'are trying to be communalist' against the christoislamaniacs and India's composite culture.

Another question, from the back of my mind:
Is this another reason why Europe's been pushing so hard for the Oryan theories recently? A shared Ur-history would make all those massive genocidal wars after christianisation seem irrelevant when seen from this 'grander' perspective. If so, rewriting the facts by creating a 'historical European' identity (one that never existed) would make it seem like the formation of the EU was an inevitable joining up - a 'return to historical' oneness, if you will.
Or maybe the extra push for IE is but a coincidence.

[Irffanblog's brilliant 'Hypertutvas' used above without permission.]

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - acharya - 04-01-2007

`India's education system among the best'

`Schools should not become commercial ventures and the emphasis should be on spreading knowledge.'

Fr. Jose Akkara

Fr. Jose Akkara, who headed the educational institutions of St. Vincent De Paul Society in its South Indian province earlier and is currently the executive committee member of ICSE board, carries forward the tradition of Chrtistian missionaries who dedicated their lives for spreading education in Asia and Africa.

Talking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a convocation ceremony at Green Woods Public School, Bekal, Fr. Akkara, who has visited more than 20 countries and has held studies on education systems there, says the education system in the country is among the best in the world.

Our education system makes optimum use of the resources here, he said.

The U.S. and Europe follow a different education system in schools in the sense that they don't teach writing up to Class V, he said. But, they make the best use of technological advances in education. He added that the number of students in each classroom there was only around 15.

Fr. Akkara said he was not sure whether such a system would succeed in our country, as the entire education system here is based on a different concept.

Schools should not become full commercial ventures and the emphasis should be on spreading knowledge.

He noted that the schools of the society followed different fee structures considering the realties of the region where they were situated.

Fr. Akkara, who is also the all India secretary of the ICSE schools association in the country, said the notion that ICSE school syllabi was tough for the children had no basis. The emphasis on English language given by the ICSE would immensely benefit students aspiring to join foreign universities.

He said the system of internal assessment in schools was first introduced by the ICSE board in the country.

Answering questions on the examination system followed by the ICSE, Fr. Akkara said the system was impeccable, as incidents of question paper leakage had never been reported in the history of ICSE in the country.

The full responsibility of conducting the examination rests on the shoulder of the deputy secretary of ICSE and he would be held responsible in case of any incident of question paper leakage or instances of influencing examiners at any level.

The question papers for the public examination of ICSE would not be printed in the same printing press twice. Two sets of question papers would be prepared and the final selection would be made by the secretary himself. The State-level conveners would assist the deputy secretary in conducting examinations in each State, he said. The Principals of those schools selected as centres for public examinations would not have any role in the conduct of the examinations, he said. The superintendent and all invigilators would be from other schools.

Fr. Akkara said the ICSE board would cancel the centre at a school if any malpractise was detected.

A. Harikumar

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-02-2007

This is something I think we deeply need to think. Even Vir Sanghavi figured it out. I hope others notice too.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.hindustantimes.in/news/181_1957457,00300001.htm

Neither Fair Nor Stable
Vir Sanghvi
March 23, 2007
One of the perils of being a journalist is that people think you know everything. I am now used to being asked for my views on how UP will vote, how long the UPA government will last, whether inflation will be controlled and if a Cabinet reshuffle is imminent.

In fact, as anybody who has been around journalists will tell you, we are usually the most ignorant persons in the room. We have no real access to any special information and, most times, our judgments are wrong.

But because we make our living spinning tales, we are good at pretending otherwise. Years ago, when some misguided person first made me an editor, I resolved never to suffer from that dreaded affliction called âEditoritisâ. Those of you who know our breed will recognise the condition. Its symptoms includes an inability to say âI donât knowâ to any question we are asked and a tendency to hold forth at parties with opinions and anecdotes.

But, over the last few weeks, even as I have resisted Editoritis and told people the truth about the UP election â which is âI have no idea what will happen and anyone who says he does is a fool or a liarâ â I have wondered about the state of our electoral system.

The only thing any of us can say about UP with any degree of certainty is this: no party will get an overall majority.

That, in itself, is not particularly surprising. But in most electoral systems, a hung Parliament should allow us to draw certain conclusions. For instance, we thought it probable that no party would get an overall majority at the last parliamentary election. But we knew who the BJPâs allies and likely coalition partners were. Similarly, we knew that if the Congress crossed a certain number, it could count on the support of the Left and some regional parties.

But in the case of UP, nobody knows anything. Even if Mulayam Singh Yadavâs Samajwadi Party (SP) does emerge as the single-largest party, that by itself is no guarantee that it will be able to form a government.

Who will Mulayam align with? Given the things Amar Singh and he have been saying about the Congress, it is unlikely that they will ask Rahul Gandhi for support. Nor can the SP go with the BSP given the state of relations between the two parties. The logical alliance would be with the SPâs old pals, the BJP, but neither party can really legitimise this relationship. The BJP would find it difficult to explain to its cadres why it is supporting the man who opened fire on kar sevaks. And Mulayamâs image as the champion of Muslims would be forever dented.

That leaves us with only two real options: another kind of unprincipled alliance or a large-scale breaking of all par-ties thanks to liberal infusions of cash (which is how governments tend to be formed in UP these days).

Neither will be the democratic outcome that the framers of our Constitution had intended.

All of which got me thinking: isnât there something seriously wrong with our electoral system if it can guarantee neither stability nor fairness?

Students of electoral politics will tell you that the first-past-the-post system has many flaws. It mitigates against parties that have a widespread following and favours those whose support is narrowly concentrated. For instance, regional parties who get lots of votes in a small number of seats do extremely well while those who get many votes spread over many constituencies win fewer seats.

We borrowed our system from Britain where the first-past-the-post principle has seriously damaged the Liberal Party which has support throughout Britain but does not have enough concentrated votes to win in too many individual constituencies. The traditional British defence of the system is that though it may be unfair, it at least guarantees stability: Labour or the Conservatives usually win a majority.

But if you look at Indiaâs experience with the first-past-the-post system, the reality is that it does not even guarantee stability. No party has won a parliamentary majority for nearly two decades (since 1989). All the system does is to throw up hung Parliament after hung Parliament. Parties based on ideology which have widespread support are doomed. Those that are based on regionalism and caste do extremely well because their votes are concentrated in specific constituencies.

And eventually, when the time comes to form coalition governments, it is the regionalists and the casteists who call the shots because they have the numbers. UP is just one example of how logic and ideology play no role in government formation. But this principle holds true of central governments as well. Whether it is the UPA or the NDA, it is the regionalists and the casteists who wield the real power.

In the early 1990s, when the political system fragmented and hung Parliaments became the norm, commentators and editorialists told us not to worry about this phenomenon because it would lead to more democracy â smaller parties would get a greater say in governance.

I think the time has now come to admit that this view is arrant nonsense. The collapse of the majority-governments and the growth of coalitions of convenience has not advanced the cause of democracy one bit. Instead, it has promoted casteism, regionalism and communalism. Never before in the history of independent India have educated people been more turned off by the state of our political system than today.

So what can be done?
The first-past-the-post method is, by no means, the only electoral system available to a democracy. In much of Europe, they prefer elections by proportional representation (PR). PR has many variations but one common method is this: political parties provide lists of candidates in order of preference (say 300 candidates per party).

Voters are asked to vote for parties, and depending on the number of votes polled, each party gets to have a proportion of its candidates elected. A party with 40 per cent of the vote gets 40 per cent of its candidates into Parliament. One with 20 per cent only gets 20 per cent of its candidates elected, and so on. Parties with under 10 per cent of the vote get nothing.

The advantage of the system is that it is more genuinely representative and that it accurately captures the mood of the nation. Small parties with concentrated support no longer have an unfair advantage. Because a party must win a minimum of 10 per cent of the vote to get any candi-dates into Parliament, regional parties would have to strike pre-poll alliances with others and contest under a common symbol. There will be no room for horse-trading once Parliament convenes because the smaller parties will already have declared their alliances.

Of course there are dis-advantages. Independents would disappear â but then, they are a dying breed anyway. The relationship between an MP and his constituency would end. New parties would find it harder to break in.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Itâs not clear that they do. But thatâs not my point. My concern is that even though our political system is in decay and the first-past-the-post method has failed todayâs India, none of us bothers to look for alternative electoral systems.

This particular form of PR may not be the solution we are looking for. Perhaps another variation will work better. Or perhaps we need something entirely different â a US-style Presidential system, for instance.

My point is more basic: letâs admit that we have a problem and letâs look at the alternatives. Unless we have an informed national debate on the subject, we will never find a way out of this mess.

So, if you are as puzzled as I am by the complexities of the UP elections and as convinced that there has to be a better way, then letâs ask for a national debate.

Iâm not saying weâll find the right answer at once. But, if we donât start looking now, weâll never find it at all.

And if any suggestion that itâs time to consider junking this electoral system and finding an alternative thatâs more suited to todayâs India sounds like yet another case of Editoritis, of my lecturing you on what to do next, then what can I say? Except this: sorry, but somebody has to start this debate!

My thanks to Dorab Sopariwala for making me conscious of the need for electoral reform.

Mail your responses to:counterpoint@hindustantimes.com

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-09-2007

Govindacharya`s condition improves; not âout of dangerâQUOTENew Delhi, April 9: The condition of Swadeshi ideologue K Govindacharya, admitted to a private hospital here with suspected blood clot in his brain, has improved and he has been shifted from the Intensive Care Unit, hospital sources said Monday.
.............
Govindacharya was addressing a function of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch in Hissar when he fainted. Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitely and VHP leader Ashok Singhal have visited him at the hospital. 

No Uma Bharati

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-09-2007

<!--emo& Sad

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> MP govt accuses slain prof's son of blackmailing
Suchandana Gupta
[ 9 Apr, 2007 2130hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates

BHOPAL: In a sensational disclosure, the Madhya Pradesh government on Monday accused slain Ujjain professor H S Sabharwal's son Himangshu of trying to blackmail it for compensation for his father's murder during a college election on August 26 last year.

Sabharwal, a professor in Madhav College, Ujjain, was allegedly murdered by ABVP leaders. According to official sources, Himangshu in a recent letter to the Ujjain district collector has demanded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for his mother.

Himangshu had earlier accused the BJP-led state government of shielding the ABVP leaders who were involved in his father's murder. Prof Sabharwal had died soon after being beaten by a group of students allegedly led by ABVP leaders.

The letter written and signed by Himangshu on January 8, 2007 said, ``This is to remind you of my earlier applications to which I have no answer and action either, on the issues raised. They are: The appointment of a special prosecution in the trial of the murder case as I have no faith in the public prosecutor, his abilities and his intention; Creation of a bust/statue in the college premises; Declaration of an event in his memory and a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to his bereaved wife, my mother.'' The letter was issued by the state government on Monday.

PWD minister Kailash Vijayavargiya alleged Himangshu had earlier demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh through his friends close to BJP. Refuting the allegations, Hinamgshu said he had never asked for Rs 50 lakh through his friends. ``The shameless state government is trying to malign me. I know enough and more people in high offices... I don't need to go through friends,'' he said.

"Show me one phone record or evidence where I have approached BJP ministers asking for money. Rs 50 lakh is what I get for one project in my job." However, he said he wrote the letter to the Ujjain district collector, though according to him it was dated October 18, 2006.

"I have asked for a statue of my father in the college, a special prosecutor and compensation. Where is the question of a compromise? My father died on duty, the government should as rule pay compensation," Himangshu said.

Earlier, Vijayavargiya alleged, "He tried reaching the government through some of his friends attached to BJP and demanded Rs 50 lakh in exchange for a compromise on the case. That was in October last year. At the time we could not prove his real intention. But now we have the evidence," Vijayavargiya told TOI.

"When we did not pay-up, he went to Congress and campaigned against BJP during the Vidisha Lok Sabha by-polls. He has been marketing Prof Sabharwal's demise to start a career in politics with Congress. He had even approached Congress for an election ticket," Vijayavargiya alleged.

Reacting to this, Himanshu said, "Who can stop me from joining a political party? I campaigned against BJP because Congress gave me a platform."

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

Mandira Bedi in midst of Sikh religious stormQUOTEAnti-Mandira protests were held in Ludhiana and other cities in the state after she appeared on Tuesday on the ramp with a Sikh religious symbol tattooed on her bare back. 

Mandira sported the tattoo of Ekom Kar (God is one) in Gurmukhi. These are the first words of the holy Sikh scripture - the Granth Sahib.

...............
Mandira, who has mostly lived in Mumbai, is a Sikh.

She had generated controversy three years ago after she gave Sikh names to her two pet dogs saying they were her family members.

After protests from the Sikh community, she had tendered an apology.

Mandira, who is a successful TV personality, shot to fame after becoming a TV anchor during the 2003 Cricket world cup in South Africa.

<img src='http://www.radiosargam.com/gallery/albums/MANDIRA-BEDI/1mandira103710528_efdbb1011c.thumb.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blow.gif' /> I can't c it.
can u?
I am afraid u r just focussing on her bare back!

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

In 228:

QUOTEEkom Kar (God is one)

I dont know whether the IANS folks are ignorent or wilful. It is not 'Ekom Kar' but 'Ek Omkar'. And it does not mean 'God is one', but 'That one sound of Om'

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

QUOTEcan u?
I am afraid u r just focussing on her bare back! 
This is old picture.
Below her ear ring and and futher left, one can only see black character.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

Ek Onkar (also à©´, à¨à¨/à¨à¨ à¨à¨à©°à¨à¨¾à¨°, Äk Åaá¹kÄr, Ek Onkar, Ik Onkar and other variants)

Ek Onkar is from Sanskrit ekomkÄra, the sandhi of eka "one" and ''omkÄra, the name of the Aum syllable, literally meaning "the Single Aum", but translated as meaning "One God".

Ek Onkar in the GurmukhÄ« script is a combination of three letters: Ek Aum and Kar - which is a line drawn over the Om, signifying the continuity, timelessness and eternal presence of Aum (God)[1].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ek_Onkar

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='dry.gif' /> I still can't c it.
Are u making me c her back again and again.
That reminds me follwing 2:
1. This guy went to c a movie where heroine bared her back and thereafter, he was watching that movie everyday. Even manager became curious as to what is there in this movie and asked him so:
he said 'I am waiting for the day when she will bare her front.
2. Panditji was narrating raslila whereby Krishna disappears w/ Gopi's clothes. Panditji said that Krishna asked gopis to come a little fwd and like a parrot, he kept on saying 'tanik aur aage aane ke liya kaha
Thereupon, when of the 'jigayasu said 'panditji; r u narrating raslila or kokshasra'.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

232: Thanks Mudyji. But 'Ekom Kar' is still incorrect and misleading. no? Or is this right?

233: Capt Manmohanji. This was meant to be a joke?

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

QUOTE232: Thanks Mudyji. But 'Ekom Kar' is still incorrect and misleading. no? Or is this right?

It is misleading.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /> I don't think it's misleading.
It might be misinterpreted.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-12-2007

Capt Manmohan Kumar,
Here you can see, Its not very clear, just double click on image for higher resolution.

http://www.hamaraphotos.com/mandira_bedi_924_1.html
http://www.hamaraphotos.com/mandira_bedi_924_6.html
http://www.hamaraphotos.com/mandira_bedi_924_15.html

Here is her navel tatoo
double click on photo
http://www.hamaraphotos.com/displayfullimage_31580_1.html
<img src='http://www.ibnlive.com/pix/sitepix/04_2007/mandira_maxim_new.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

This is offensive.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-15-2007

QUOTEFORUM FOR SECULARISM & DEVELOPMENT ( USA )
3145 Gilbert Avenue , Roseburg OR

AN APPEAL TO INDIANS, INDIA âS FRIENDS AND WELL WISHERS
Want change of policy, change policy makers

Dear friends,

Â Â Take a look at India today both internally and externally and one comes to the inescapable conclusion that the country is at the âcross roadsâ and unless citizens exercise their power and correct the nationâs course things are bound to go from bad to worse.

Â Â Â Â Â Remember who said it a long time ago (Urdu couplets):
Â Â Â Â
Â Â Â Â Â Watan Ki Fikir Kar Nadaan Mushibat Aanay Wali Hai
Â Â Â Â Â Teri Barbaadiyon Kay Mashware Hain Aasmanon Main

Â Â Â Â Â Na Samjho gay to mit Javo gay aye Hindustan walo
Â Â Â Â Â Tumhari Daastan tuk bhi na hogi daastanon main
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Subject: The opportunity to transform India âs future course through the ongoing UP elections:

The desire to stay in power is understandable. But to abuse laws and appease and manipulate some sections of the electorate through divisive means for votes to hold on to power against the long term welfare of masses and strategic interests of the country, is immoral and therefore, unforgivable. More often than not politicians in a democratic setup can be served a stunning message through elections. The ongoing elections in UP present such an opportunity. If the goal of the electorate that is sick and tired of the âtyranny of the manipulated minoritiesâ in India is to have a âregime changeâ, now is the time to act.

It is a matter of serious national concern that some politicians and political parties don't seem to bother about the long term vision of a stable, prosperous and powerful country - their objective being perpetual governance even through devious means like unconstitutional religious based reservations for some patronized minorities. If the Supreme Court ruling goes against their plans, they get angry and engineer enacting laws to counteract the ruling or amend the Constitution. A bad precedent in this context was set by the Parliament by effectively nullifying the SC ruling in the Shah Bano case.

Here are some additional instances of Govt. actions at the Center and their willful neglect of events in states that has deeply anguished and frustrated citizens resulting in a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. At this point in time the lack of hope and faith must give rise to intense electoral activism for brining about the change that is desired:

1) Introduction of religious based reservations culminating in social fragmentism, polarization and abuse of Constitution;

2) Enforcing a communal quota system at the topmost technical and management institutions - IITs and IIMs, thus brushing aside talent and professional preparation;

3) Promoting suicides by farmers through utmost neglect of farming sector;

4) Religious persecution of Hindus as exemplified by politically motivated arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya on concocted charges;

5) virtual demolition and de- Hinduisation of Hindu religious infrastructure under Govt. control by taking away freedom to worship, temple revenues and endowment lands thus rendering them dysfunctional;

6) Issuance of the two rupee coin with a Christian Cross violating the mandate of the secular Constitution;

7) Demolition of Rama Sethu Bridge , one of the top most symbols of India âs cultural and religious heritage, for a shipping channel against the wishes of the Majority community;

8) Hush hush nuclear deal, which in its present form surrenders India âs national sovereignty and security, without open discussion in public and Parliament that could land India in renewed & perpetual subservience;

9) Encouragement of terrorism by negotiating with terrorists, scrapping POTA and appeasement policy leading to terrorist insurgency and Bangladeshi infiltration into India ;

10) Toothless policies towards India âs neighbors particularly Pakistan and Bangladesh who have proved to be a permanent threat to India âs security and sovereignty;

11) Fundamentally defeatist policy towards Nepal , thus jeopardizing India âs special relationship with the only Hindu Kingdom in the world;

12) Disintegrative policies towards J&K, Maoists and Naxalites with serious security and strategic implications;

For those in India and abroad wishing to send a message of disapproval to the Govt. there is an opportunity in the ongoing elections in UP with 5 more days of spread out polling till May 8.Â Such activism from outside the polling zones could take the form of contacting people directly and indirectly by phone and email amongst other means, explaining to them the serious problems, to urge them to forego caste issues and other allurements like sarees, cash and booze and vote for their future and Indiaâs cultural heritage.

Henceforth, this patriotic strategy should be applied to all levels of elected bodies may they be local, district, state or national.

In a democracy a Govt. that is respectful and sensitive towards the will of its citizens and is transparent and accountable can be brought about only through the active involvement and participation by its electors. It is our hope that all Indians and friends of India will activate themselves, use telephones, e-mails and other form of communication, emphasizing upon the real voters in UP that âif they want change of policy, do not flounder the opportunity to change the policy makers.â

With our best wishes,

Dr. Jagan Kaul
Krishan Bhatnagar
Forum for Secularism and Development ( USA )
email: krishan.kb@verizon. net
April 14, 2007

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-15-2007

Blocked romance
The romance between a senior Congress politician and a Pakistani TV anchor has run into a roadblock, after the politicianâs wife complained to Sonia Gandhi. The Indian high commission in Pakistan has been instructed not to issue a visa to the lady. To make doubly sure that the TV personality does not enter India a lookout circular has been issued at all airports against her.

Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2 - Guest - 04-15-2007

a senior Congress politician is Arminder Singh or Aiyar. <!--emo& Big Grin

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