Vik Samvat 2067. Yugabda 5112: 16 December 2010

1.FESTIVALS: Makar Sankranti (Sanskrit: मकर संक्रान्ति, Assamese: মকৰ সংক্রান্তি, Telugu: మకర సంక్రాంతి, Marathi: मकर संक्रान्ति, Kannada: ಮಕರ ಸಂಕ್ರಾಂತಿ) or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path. Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days in Bharat.
Makar Sankranti, falling on January 14 each year, is celebrated in the Hindu calendar month of Magha. Makar Sankranti is regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Bharatiya culture. Hindus all over the globe, observe Makar Sankranti with great fanfare. Sankranti is celebrated all over South Asia with some regional variations. It is known by different names and celebrated with different customs in different parts of the country.
In Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, it is the sixth and the last festival of the year. Swayamsevaks celebrate it with til and gur. Khichari, the mix of new rice and new lentil, is favourite meal of the day.
Owing to the vast geography and diversity of culture in Bharat, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons and in innumerable ways depending on the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and location.
2. HANUMAT SHAKTI JAGARAN MAHAYAJNAS AND DHARMASABHAS: As per the decision of the “Sant Ucchadhikar Samity” (High-powered steering committee of Hindu Saints and Holy men) on 20th Oct’2010 at Karsevekpuram, Ayodhya, Mahayajnas were performed and Dharmasabhas were organized on 12th December 2010 along the length and breadth of Bharat under the aegis of Shri Hanumant Shakti Jagaran Samiti to launch a mass awareness & mobilization initiative for construction of the proposed Sri Ram Mandir at the Ram Janambhoomi site in Ayodhya.
Addressing a huge 'Virat Hindu Sammelen' at the Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat said, “The Rashtriya Swayayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has opposed any division of Ramjanma bhoomi as it never solves the issue but deepens the crisis according to the history. This (division) cannot be an option of division of Ramjanma bhoomi while reiterating the commitment to build Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on December 10, 2010 extended stay on the implementation of verdict in Babri Masjid-Ramjanma Bhoomi case up to February 15, 2011. The verdict was delivered in September 30, 2010 and the three-month deadline on the stay was to expire on December 30. While issuing order three-member special bench consisting of Justice SU Khan, Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice VK Dixit fixed January 28, 2011 as the next date of hearing in three review applications filed by advocate M Ismail Farooqui.
Farroqui had moved petitions seeking review in the judgement on the suits of Rajendra Singh, Nirmohi Akhara and Bhagwan Ram Lala Virajman.
"Bharat can be united and unanimous if the Ram temple is built at same place," Bhagwat said adding if a huge Ram temple is built it will create an environment of unity in the country. The division of Ramjanma bhoomi will also divide the society and the politics of anti-national forces will reign upper hand. "In order to attract Muslim votes some parties are pointing fingers at RSS which is serving the cause of Hindus in the country since last 85 years selflessly," Bhagwat said.
"One round of battle for Ram temple is already over and Lord Rama has given us a quite break for relaxation. Now we should resume our fight for the cause. The High Court decision has given us strength as a first step," he told the gathering.
As part of the campaign to organize 8,000 dharmasabhas across the country, both the Mahayajna and the Dharmasabha took place in Delhi at the Ramleela Maidan. Addressing the gathering, Ashok Singhal, President VHP, said that Ram Temple cannot be constructed in a room of 40X90fts area. Therefore the whole 70 acres land must be given to Lord Ram and all political parties of the countries should get united to solve this issue for ever and maintain peace in the country. The Muslims should leave their claim on one third of the land and present an example of communal harmony. Suresh Soni, the joint General secretary-RSS said that those who are in favour of constructing Mandir and Masjid side by side want the issue to remain alive and their vested interests be fulfilled for political gains. As lord Ram is the cultural identity of Bharat, the construction of glorious temple is the need of the country. Sadhvi Ritambhara said that all Hindus must get united to save the country from the clutches of sects and castes so that the movement can be taken to its last destination that is Ram Temple. Prominent saints from different sects and distinguished citizens participated in both the events.
In Kolkata, the program commenced with Vedic hymns and Hanuman Chalisa Path at the Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir. Dr. Pravin Togadia, General Secretary VHP, while echoing the sentiment of the Hindu nation, declared that the Hindu society will neither beg nor request for the temple, it demands the same by its determination and strength. He said that the temple should be grand and befitting of Sri Ram’s stature and grand standing. Saints of different Hindu missions and organizations were part of the gathering of about 10,000. Loud cheers of slogans like Jai Sri Ram, Har Har Mahadev etc echoed the entire temple complex throughout. Dr. Togadia also unveiled the unique VHP initiative to save cows and its progeny, where at present some 200 gaushaalas have undertaken the manufacturing of highly effective, eco-friendly and low cost soaps, shampoos, fairness creams, mosquito repellents etc from gau-mutra (cow’s urine) and gau-gobar (cow dung).
Similar programs were organized im many other parts of Bharat and will be organized in the ensuing weeks throughout the country.
3. KAVITA KARKARE NAILS DIGVIJAY SINGH’S LIE: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's bid to once again rake up the controversy over slain Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare's death by suggesting the involvement of Hindu extremists fell flat on December 11 with none other than Karkare's wife herself rubbishing his claims and asking him to stop playing vote-bank politics. She not only denied that Karkare ever spoke to Digvijay but also asserted that her husband was killed by Pakistani terrorists. Kavita Karkare slammed Digvijay for claiming that her husband feared for his safety from hardline Hindu groups, which were upset over his probe into the Malegaon bomb blast.
"When my husband was investigating the Malegaon blast and was looking for Hindu accused, there were reactions from Hindu organisations. Similarly, when earlier he was looking for Muslim accused, there was reaction from that community," she said, adding such reactions were natural.
4. WHO FORMS THE GOVERNMENT? ADVANI: Referring to the leaked conversations between lobbyist Nira Radia and senior journalists, senior BJP leader L K Advani said the nation had witnessed how business lobbyists played a role in government formation. Addressing a press conference on behalf of the NDA on December 15, a day after the winter session of Parliament ended without transacting any business, Advani said, "It appears that UPA government is not formed by the prime minister and, for long, we were under the wrong impression that it is not the PM but 10- Janpath (Congress president) which forms the Cabinet. But now, it has come forward that it's neither the Congress president nor the PM who forms the government.
5. FIRST ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY: US-based Bharat-origin researcher Shuvo Roy has created the world's first implantable artificial kidney. What's sensational about Roy's creation is that the organ, no larger than a coffee cup, will be able to mimic the kidney's most vital functions like filtering toxins out of the bloodstream, regulate blood pressure and produce the all-important vitamin D.
It will be a boon for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). At present in Bharat, of the 1.5 lakh new patients who suffer from end-stage renal failure annually, only 3,500 get kidney transplants and 6,000-10,000 undergo dialysis. The rest perish due to an acute shortage of dialysis centres and nephrologists to man them.
According to Roy, the device has a filtration section to remove toxins from the blood, alongside a compartment with renal cells to conduct other functions of a kidney. He believes the artificial kidney could last for decades and require no pumps or batteries. Patients wouldn't require anti-rejection drugs (as is required after transplants) either because there would be no exposed natural tissues for the immune system to attack.
“The payoff to the patient community is tremendous," said Roy. "It could have a transformative impact on their lives...With the right financial support; I think we could reach clinical trials in five years. But it's hard to say how long after that it becomes commercially available due to the uncertainties of the FDA and commercialization prospects.'' .
6. PROTECTING THE GIRL CHILD: Narendra Modi Shows the Way Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's 'Beti Bachao Andolan' campaign against female foeticide in the State has proved that when a mission is pursued with dogged determination and earnestness, it yields result. Even as the female to male sex ratio remains skewed in many States like Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, Gujarat's gender ratio has shown great improvement in the last few years, thanks to Mr Modi's prolonged campaign.
The female to male ratio in the State has gone up from 844 per 1,000 in 2002 to 898 per 1,000 in 2008, according to a survey by the Registrar General of Bharat. Though the figure for 2009 is still under computation, Gujarat's sex ratio is expected to go up to 905 females for every 1,000 males. The sex ratio in Bharat has altered consistently in favour of boys since the beginning of the 20th century due to socio-economic factors like dowry and poverty as many consider a girl child a liability. If in rural areas, the mothers and maternal grandmothers are pressurised to kill a girl child by feeding poisonous milk or by choking on paddy husk, in cities female foetuses are selectively aborted after pre-natal sex determination. To his credit, Mr Narendra Modi ordered the State machineries to conduct widespread raids on clinics misusing sonography machines for banned sex determination tests, got erring doctors arrested and their clinics sealed. The impact of the campaign was so pronounced that the Patel community in Surat has taken a pledge not to practice female foeticide or sex determination tests. His action, no doubt, is a lesson to be learnt by other States as sociologists predict that dwindling young girl population can spur 'great social unrest' in coming years as there might not be enough girls for boys to marry.
What is most disconcerting is that the sex ratio is under constant threat, despite laws like Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act are in place. Although no moral or ethical principle can support a procedure for gender identification, women are forced to undergo repeated abortions after prenatal sex determination, all because some doctors would stoop to any level for a fistful of silver. A lack of awareness of women's rights and the indifferent attitude of Governments worsens the situation further. It is high time the Union Health Ministry and the State Health departments strictly implement the available legislation for prevention of sex determination and launch a combination of monitoring and education campaigns. While compulsory registration of ultrasound machines and unannounced raids in private hospitals and maternity clinics could go a long a way, awareness programmes aimed at altering attitudes towards girl child can help change the rigid mindset of the society. Most important, to reverse the trend authorities should focus on empowerment of women and strengthening of women's rights to uplift the social status of women. Editorial, The Pioneer, December 4, 2010
7. NATIONAL GROUP SONG COMPETITION BY BVP: Thirty sixth national Group Song Competition of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) was organised at Hisar, Haryana, from November 13 to 14. The competition was inaugurated by BVP national president Shri RP Sharma. A total of 42 teams participated in Hindi patriotic songs and 34 teams in regional songs. Speaking at the concluding ceremony Swami Madhab Prapannacharya called upon the children and the youth to know and preserve the Bharatiya culture and heritage. Other dignitaries who graced the occasion included Shri Jaiprakash Agrawal, chairman of National Group Song Competition, Dr Prakashwati Sharma, vice president.
8. TWO DYFI MEN HELD FOR KILLING RSS WORKER: Kerala Police on 5th December at 1.30 am arrested Muriyampotta Ratheesh of Pudussery and Valiyapurakkal Satheesh of Neelikkad, the activists of the pro-CPI(M) DYFI for the murder of RSS worker Ratheesh (24) on December 1. RSS worker Ratheesh was hacked to death by a CPI (M) killer gang on a crowded bus at Puthussery in Palakkad. Three other RSS activists, who had suffered serious hack injuries in the attack, were still under treatment at two different hospitals. Pudussery in Palakkad district, known as a CPI (M) area, had been witnessing violent incidents frequently ever since the announcement of results of the civic polls on October 27. The BJP accused the CPI (M) of resorting to violence due to their frustration in losing the rule in Pudussery panchayat there the Marxists had been in power for a long time.
9. IN A FIRST, BHARAT GOES TO VENICE BIENNALE AS A NATION: For the first time in the history of the 115-year-old Venice Biennale, Bharat will take a showcase of contemporary art to the event as an official entrant. The 54th Venice Biennale will be held June 4-Nov 27 next year in the picturesque Italian town. Lalit Kala Akademi, the country's official arts promotion platform, will facilitate Bharat's participation at the Biennale and fund the move. The Venice showcase will host younger, lesser-known talented artists from around the country rather than the established names.
10. KASHMIR PROFESSOR HELD FOR PROVOCATIVE TEST PAPER: A Kashmir University professor was arrested on December 10 for framing a question paper for first year BSc students that included, 'Are stone pelters the real heroes?' - referring to the three-month agitation across the Valley this summer in which more than 110 people were killed. Another question sought translation of a provocative passage from Urdu to English, which read, "Kashmiri blood is being spilled like water, Kashmiri children are being killed by police, and Kashmiri women are being showered with bullets." Embarrassed authorities issued a show-cause notice to Professor Noor Mohammed Bhatt, who has taught at Kashmir University for the last 20 years.
11. IIT STUDENTS OFFERED Rs 75 LAKH/YEAR; MBA NO LONGER LUCRATIVE: In IIT Delhi this year, well-known finance companies have recruited graduates being offered up to `75 lakh per annum. The finance companies have come to IIT Delhi after three years. The top notch companies like Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), Gold Man Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Mc Kenzie, Credit Swiss, Indusland Bank, Ernst and Young etc., which usually recruit management students from institutes like Wharton Business School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA have chosen our desi IITians over MITians this time.
A company volunteer said, “Engineers have great logical ability. Some MIT students are products of IIT itself. MBA degree is not mandatory for a person to get a job in a finance company. It is the number crunching skill that matters. The volunteer added that we gave preference to IITians because their mathematics is very strong. He also said, “We are offering almost the same salary to the IITians and the MITians.” 12. KEOLADEO BEST ASIAN WETLAND: The Salim Ali Visitor Interpretation Centre, Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Bharat has been conferred Best Asian Setland Centre Award 2010 by Wetlands Links International (WLI). The network currently has over 100 members, and is an active committee of leading wetland professionals. The award was given in recognition of the role played by the Centre in conserving the national park, building awareness and stakeholder ship amongst local communities and visitors for its prevention.
13. SIKHS, HINDUS NOW PART OF MIDDLE-CLASS BRITAIN: "Long-established" Hindu and Sikh families in Britain are now being categorized as part of the country's middle-class, according to a survey that also revealed the changing societal lifestyles. The lifestyle of a typical middle-class Briton was revealed in a research by Experian that was published on December 13. The researchers examined nationwide data ranging from income and housing type to favourite internet sites and shopping habits. It identified over 400 social and economic factors to define middle-class Britain and produced a detailed ­picture of the country's largest group, accounting for 13.1 million people, or one in five of the population. The middle class has an average annual household income of 47,300 pounds, which is 10 percent higher than the national average.
14. YOGA TO THE RESCUE OF UK PRISONERS: A researcher at the University of Leicester is assessing the role of yoga in British prisons and the possibility of the ancient Bharatiya practice motivating the inmates to survive their incarceration. Former probation officer Rose Parkes, who is a British Wheel of Yoga teacher, is researching the ways in which spiritual activities can empower and motivate prisoners to survive their incarceration. She is investigating whether yoga enables individuals to adjust to the prison environment and post-prison life. She says: "I believe that prisoners can benefit from yoga because it is a practice which helps to foster understanding, self-acceptance, peace and wellbeing." In addition, the study aims to discover whether prisoner yoga practices can help prisons achieve the government's 'healthy prison' criteria set out in 2008 after concerns about prison conditions. These criteria are particularly concerned with eliminating suicide, self-harm and violence in prisons. While working as a part-time probation officer, Parkes witnessed the effectiveness of the technique at forming positive relationships with other offenders, prompting the study to ascertain whether yoga can help people cope with incarceration.
15. CONGRESS PARTY PLAYED RELIGIOUS POLITICS AFTER 26/11: LEAKED U.S. CABLES: Post 26/11, a section of the Congress leadership was seen playing religious politics after one of its leaders, A. R. Antulay, said that Hindutva forces may have been involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, according to a confidential memo by the then U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, released by WikiLeaks.
“The Congress party, after first distancing itself from the comments (of Antulay, the then Minority Affairs Minister), two days later issued a contradictory statement which implicitly endorsed the conspiracy. During this time, Mr. Antulay’s completely unsubstantiated claims gained support in ... Indian—Muslim community,” Mr. Mulford wrote in his secret cable to the State Department on December 23, 2008.
“Hoping to foster that support for upcoming national elections, the Congress Party cynically pulled back from its original dismissal and lent credence to the conspiracy,” Mr. Mulford wrote.
16. ‘I OWE IT TO MY WIFE’: They say behind every successful man is a woman. The saying holds true in the case of Loomba Foundation’s founder and chairman trustee Raj Loomba who has been elevated to the House of Lords in the United Kingdom. “I feel honoured and humbled after receiving such a prestigious recognition. I give all the credit to my wife who has always been with me and has been my strength at every step. I think with this recognition my responsibilities toward Loomba Foundation also go up,” he says. Loomba has worked tirelessly for decades to alleviate the plight of widows and their children around the world.
17. UTKAL PRADESHIK BHAKTA SAMMELAN IN FEB: Nilachal Sarawat Sangh in Puri which is established by Sadguru Srimat Swami Migamanad Saraswati Devji is celebrating the 60th Utkal Pradeshik Bhakta Sammelan in the national Capital between February 17-19. The sammelan will be attended by around 10,000 devotees from Bharat and abroad.
18. HOUSES HANDED OVER TO LANDSLIDE AFFECTED PEOPLE IN KARWAR, KARNATAKA: Return something to the society which has given us everything-Bhaiyaji Joshi : Sewa Bharati and the victims were not known to each other. But humanity and compassion of different donors who helped build the houses donating money and material brought Sewa Bharati and the displaced people together. Fifty houses were handed over to 50 families, who were displaced after a heavy landslide occurred on October 2, 2009 in Karwar, Karnataka. The keys of the houses were handed over to the victim families at a function held at Kadwad village on November 26. The houses have been built by Sewa Bharati for the families of Kadwar Zariwada village in Karwar Taluka.
Minister in Karnataka government Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri inaugurated Madhav Nagar, the rehabilitation centre consisting of 50 houses that were constructed for the victims of landslide. The handing over of keys ceremony was held in the presence of Vamanashrama Swamiji of Haldipur Mutt and Bhaveshanand Swamiji of Ramakrishna Mutt.
Each house has been built in 30’x50´ site consisting of a kitchen, toilet, bathroom and a hall at a cost of Rs 1.65 lakh. An asphalted road and drainage will also be built in the colony.
Handing over the keys RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi described it a "small gesture towards the society which has given us everything". He said Sewa Bharati and the victims were not known to each other. But humanity and compassion of different donors who helped build the houses donating money and material brought Sewa Bharati and the displaced people together. He said one should not think of it as help to the victims but only as a responsibility to help those who are in trouble.
19. MAHILA SAMMELAN OF SEWA BHARATI: A woman workers’ sammelan of the Sewa Bharati Delhi was organised at Sewa Dham on November 24. A total of 1,476 workers participated in the day long sammelan. Inaugurating the sammelan veteran Sangh Pracharak and Kshetra Parivar Prabodhan Pramukh Shri Prem Chand Goel underlined the role of woman activists in the growth of Sewa Bharati work in Delhi. Describing women as rashtra nirmatri (nation builders) he said sewa, sadhna and satsang are the foundation of a successful family.
Prant Sewa Pramukh Shri Ajay Kumar ji ,Vice president of Sewa Bharati Delhi Smt. Indira Mohan were also present.
20. VISHWA SANGH SHIBIR 2010: VSS 2010 will be inaugurated with havan on Dec 29th 2010 at Rani Lakshmibai Girl’s Military Highschool, Pirangut,Pune. It will be blessed by Poojya Kakamaharaj Dhekne ( Narayanrao ) in presence of RSS Sarkaryavaha Bhayya ji Joshi. The public function will be held in Balewadi on Jan 2nd 2011 in presence of RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan ji Bhagwat.A team of 30 delegates from Mauritius, on a tour to Haridwar, Amritsar, Rajasthan, visited Keshav Kunj on Dec 11th and had some interaction with Ma. Sudarshan ji and Suresh ji Soni. Over 550 delegates from 40 countries are expected to participate in the shibir which concludes on Jan 3 2011.
5th LBML Lecture: Vishwa Adhyayan Kendra is organizing 5th Lakshmanrao Bhide memorial lecture on Jan 7th 2010 at Alkesh Modi Auditorium, University of Mumbai Kalina campus.
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas:,Visitors: Smt. Asha & Shri Kulbhushan Joshi – UK, Smt & Shri L M Sabharwal – Canada, Shri Chetan Merani, Dr.Radheshyam Dwiwedi – USA, Ma. Raghunath Deeal with VSS delegates from Mauritius.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: "Sensitivity" and values in governance are required to curb the menace of corruption. "Why are we still floundering with our values? Why is it that the people are still helpless? The answer is simple, now it (corruption) has become a way of life... it has been accepted as a way of life." – Senior Supreme Court judge Altamas Kabir addressing a function organised for release of a book, 'Restoring Values', edited by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's Managing Director E Sreedharan and Tata group's Resident Director Bharat Wakhlu.


JAI SHRI RAM
MODI OPERANDI
Ashok Malik
Better intelligence and a purposeful Union home minister have contributed to India escaping a major terrorist assault since the horror of 26/11. Nevertheless, as the bombing of the Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi indicated, the threat is perennial. The Varanasi attack may have killed just one person tragically, a one-year-old child — but was calculated to cause panic and trigger a stampede that may have claimed many more lives. It was a reminder that Indian Mujahideen (IM), the organisation behind the bombing, is alive and kicking.
India's astonishingly poor record in terms of terrorist convictions remains a critical gap. Between the Parliament attack on December 13, 2001 and the trial of Ajmal Kasab for Mumbai 2008, there have been zero convictions for acts of terrorism in India. This is embarrassing for a country that is among the biggest victims of Islamist terror.
In this context, the history of IM is instructive. An offshoot of the Students' Islamic Movement of India (Simi), IM first came into the public gaze in 2008, after the Ahmedabad bombings. Subsequently, the Gujarat police busted the IM network, made crucial arrests and linked key IM cells and operatives to a series of hitherto unsolved terror bombings in Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur and other cities.
If the past two years have been relatively calm, the steps taken by the Union government after 26/11 deserve credit. Even so, the Gujarat police also merits special mention for a crippling blow to the IM matrix, one from which it's still only beginning to recover.
About 60 IM members — street troops, religious motivators, explosive technicians — were brought to trial in an Ahmedabad court. In February 2010, just as the case was gathering momentum, the accused filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking for their trial to be moved to another state, alleging they would not get justice in Gujarat. In an unorthodox decision, the apex court issued an ex parte order — without hearing the Gujarat government — and stayed the trial.
That is where the matter rests. The trial of terrorists who bombed a series of Indian cities between 2005 and 2008 is still frozen, in a legal and political limbo.
It's here that one needs to consider the congruence of political partisanship, civil society hyper-activism and terrorism. Nobody is suggesting that political parties or civil society activists are necessarily backing terror groups. Yet, by giving them ideas, by creating precedents and mechanisms for misuse, they are derailing the process of justice.
The IM accused have deftly exploited the demonisation of Narendra Modi and Gujarat in sections of the media and among so-called activists who have made an industry of Modi phobia. Despite being accused of perjury and manufacture of documents, these activists have sought to convey the impression that justice can't be done in Gujarat, that Muslims who seek fair play (or need to prove their innocence) require to have their cases moved outside the state, to have these monitored by the Supreme Court and, when all else fails, go to the United Nations (UN).
Unable to defeat Modi politically in Gujarat, the Congress has lent its shoulder to such dangerous practices. As long as they are affecting an individual politician, it is one thing. However, as is now apparent, the entire edifice of India's most robust challenge to IM has also been put at risk.
It is worth asking where this excessive and mind-numbing focus on Modi is headed. Whether one likes his politics or doesn't, believes he is India's best chief minister or isn't, considers him a future prime minister or too much of a hot potato for BJP allies, the fact remains that he needs to be viewed through a conventional political prism and not one of a fevered imagination.
Consider examples. One, it has been clear for a long time that there is no legal case against Modi for the 2002 violence and he is not guilty of acts of deliberate commission. With even the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigative Team (SIT) said to have to come to the same conclusion, Modi haters — who range from Mumbai-based celebrities to a retired police officer still settling bureaucratic scores — have begun to denounce the SIT and are approaching the UN Human Rights Commission.
Two, the WikiLeaks cables reveal that western intelligence agencies believe the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba threat to Modi is clear and present and did not die out with the elimination of Ishrat Jehan and her accomplices. Jehan, a Mumbai student who fell into Lashkar's grip, was killed in an encounter with the Gujarat police in 2004. Modi's opponents insist she was innocent and the Laskhar plot a concoction. Perhaps now they will argue Modi wrote the WikiLeaks cables.
How long can this continue? If any other Indian politician was found to be mentioned as a Lashkar target in the cables, it would have had the media engrossed. Not with Modi; it's almost as if he's fair game. As for the Union government, it wants to fight terrorists — but not terrorists whom the Gujarat police have found. It's so cynical; those 60 Indian Mujahideen men in Ahmedabad must be laughing.
( Ashok Malik is a Delhi-based political commentator. The views expressed by the author are personal ) – Hindusthan Times December 14, 2010


GIVING A NEW THRUST TO BIHAR’S ECONOMY
Shivaji Sarkar
The astounding results of the one-sided Bihar election have established the fact that if someone governs, stokes hopes and improves the socio-politico-economic quotient; he is assured of a massive dividend. What needs to be noted is that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s victory was not based on either majoritarianism, or fundamentalism or extreme populism. The mandate is an acceptance of the fact that he is rebuilding Bihar, socially and economically, and the people want the good work to continue. Nitish Kumar has earned the dividend not just for his political alliance, the NDA, but also for the people of the State, whose aspirations certainly has grown manifold with the State achieving a GDP growth of over 11 per cent – higher than the national average – during the last two years.The 2010 Bihar election has proved that political forces are crucial to economic growth. Nitish Kumar since his coming to power in 2005 has started turning around the state of affairs after a morass had set in 1990. The State has seen a phenomenal rise in Plan expenditure from a mere Rs 4,466 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 12,511 crore in 2010-11. The road network has grown from 415 km in 2005 to 2,417 km in 2010. Infant mortality rate has reduced from 61 to 56 per 1000, maternal mortality rate has gone down from 371 to 312 per 1000. Expenditure in healthcare sector has risen from Rs 607.47 crore to Rs 1,662.8 crore, while education outlay has gone up to Rs 8,344 crore. In crude economic terms all these State expenditure will be considered as subsidies, though in real terms these are investments without which no society can grow. What Bihar is doing is similar to UN’s development programme concepts, rather than the World Bank-IMF corporate economics.The development in Bihar has increased the corporate confidence. Industries for decades have been moving out of the State, but now a change is being foreseen. Investments in hotels and restaurants have grown by 17.71 per cent in 2008-09. This is an indicator that investors have at least started visiting the State and exploring the opportunities it has in store. According to Chandrajeet Banerjee, Director General of Confederation of Indian Industries, the CII is expecting closer ties with Nitish Kumar’s Government. Assocham president Ms Swati Piramal says that so far only 0.5 per cent of corporate investment has gone to Bihar, but it may increase if the Bihar Government improves the power situation. The Nitish Kumar Government has many challenges ahead. To keep pace with people’s aspirations, he has to ensure that the economy grows at least 10 per cent annually. The next five years would be very crucial for sectors like agriculture and power. Power generation, and warehousing and storage facilities have to improve to draw investments. With growing activities, stemming corruptions will be a tough task. Bihar’s progress and changing social dynamics is certain to impact some other States, which thrive on cheap Bihari labour such as Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi to name a few. The social aspiration has brought the Bihari pride back and many Bihari workers, working in other States, have returned home. Indirectly, it will help the labour force in getting better wages and treatment in other States.
( Daily Pioneer, December 8, 2010 )