Tuesday, November 24, 2009

26/11 - one year after mumbai terror attacks

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Today is eve of 26/11. Last year, 26/11/2008 as the drakness of night this beautiful city, Mumbai was attacked by 10 terrorists who killed at will. Some brave men came forward and put their lives on the line, without asking questions, pointing fingers or saying a word. They came forward for you and me. So that you and I can still fell the breeze in our face, enjoy a cup of coffee and laugh and sing as if there is no tomorrow. This blog, is a tribute to those brave souls and an attempt to keep the memory of that day alive. For a better tomorrow, so that we will not forget to our war. A war to clean this nation of the rot that is eating into the system. A rot that is making you and me complacent and most importantly a war to make this nation more and more prosperous one.

I have written a lot about a lot of things in my last one year, when I have posted every week in and out about a lot of things. Today I am gonna just talk about one or two articles Times of India and The Hindu , revolving around the 26/11 martyrs.


The first article is about what Kavita Karkare and Vinita Kamte have said in the last few days. The bullet proof jacket that Hemant Karkare was wearing went missing under unknown circumstances. Well, some (including me) believe that somebody is being protected here. Otherwise there is no need for it to go missing. Secondly, Home Minister Of India says "Sorry" to the martyr's wife for this. Just a sorry after he gave his life to save our asses! I believe, the state and Union home ministers should take it upon themselves to find the same and if they fail, then resign. If you can't find a jacket how will you find our security blanket?


Ashok Kamte's wife Vinita Kamte has gone to the extent of writing a book (Book's name is 'To The Last Bullet')about the unanswered questions surrounding her husband's murder. We know that Ashok Kamte was a man with iron balls. He once arrested a rowdy MLA on the street infront of glaring cameras and flash lights. This man has cleaned up a lot for us. A bold man's bold wife has put out some tough questions. Its a duty of you and me to help her find the answer. By the way, when somebody writes a book and asks some valid pointers can we investigate this? Can the courts take a suo-moto. The allegations are not simple, the event ain't simple and the person who is saying this is a martyr's wife. Don't we owe her at least that much respect?

As my strong support for her, I would be honoured to post some of the questions that she is asking.
1) Rakesh Maria (joint CP, crime) feign ignorance to then police chief Hasan Gafoor about ATS chief Hemant Karkare’s location at 00.56 am when the call log clearly indicated that he was at the Cama rear gate at 11.24 pm and the fact that he and Ashok were injured?’’

2) “Why did Maria deny calling Ashok to Cama despite the wireless log showing this?’’
3) “A police Jeep passed by the three vehicles with injured officers without stopping. They lay wounded for almost 40 minutes.”
4) “The control room did not send reinforcements despite Karkare’s orders.’’
5) “Where were the 200 cops that Mumbai police claimed to have sent to Cama hospital?’’

I would like you all to read this article from times of India about Tukaram Ombale's family

Daughter of slain assistant subinspector Tukaram Ombale, spoke at a school function on Tuesday.
She refused to accept the Rs 3 lakh cheque that students of the Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy Parsee Benevolent Institution had collected. “My father’s soul will not rest in peace if I accept this. He loved children, please use the money for their sake,’’ she said. Incidentally, the Ombales have never claimed any financial assistance, and have donated the money they get to poor and abandoned kids.


And a snippet from 'The Hindu' just prove a point that we still have Few Good Men Out There

For assistant police inspector Sanjay Govilkar, that was a night he does not wish to remember.

A bullet from Ajmal’s AK 47 grazed his waist and he was in hospital for a few days. It was Mr. Govilkar who stopped the policemen from beating up ‘Kasab’ as he lay there injured. All the adulation has not gone to his head.

“Success is the journey not the destination,” he says. “I did my duty that day and we all worked as a team.” He had just finished his duty when he went home and saw the breaking news on television.

“I was prepared for gangsters but I never imagined that we will confront terrorists directly one day,” recalls Mr. Govilkar, who was unarmed that night. “I always wanted to be a policeman and that day I was wearing my uniform, it gave me a unique courage.”

“I feel all this talk of ‘Kasab’ and our heroics is enough. We should go beyond this and learn to come together and live as Indians,” he concludes.



After
that last sentence he has left me with nothing to to say. I paid a bribe to a policeman once. I don't regret it now. I will never bribe a bureaucrat, but a policeman? Its a totally different thing. When duty calls, there will always be one of them to answer, and I will sleep through a good night.

I salute the brave men irrespective of whether they were from the NSG, Mumbai police or firemen. Who ever they were, they saved us. One word to the politicians and the bureaucrats and the lobbying IPS officers and intelligence teams. There is still time, change.

JAI HIND

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Intervew of R. R. Patil in Times of India

This is an interview of R. R. Patil from 'Times of India' , published last week. The Interviewer didn't have the balls to ask him questions in the face. I felt it was more of an interview to protect the Minister . I strongly believe that there was dereliction in executing his duties and it needs to be investigated. He was unable to keep the Police force ready, prepared and engaged for such a situation. Even now the police force cannot handle even a simple bomb blast, forget a fidayeen attack. The minister is answerable. So I have posted some in-line questions in blue. If some day somebody could ask the minister the same questions I would be really grateful.

‘There was no dereliction of duty on my part’

Prafulla Marpakwar | TNN



Fifty-three-year-old senior NCP leader R R Patil is not only back in the cabinet, but his political mentor, Sharad Pawar has again rewarded him with the home department. Post 26\11, with the Democratic Front government at the receiving end for inept handling of the situation, Patil, then deputy chief minister, quit the cabinet on moral grounds. In an exclusive interview to TOI, Patil spoke at length on his agenda, preparedness of the law enforcing agencies to tackle attacks and coordination between state and central intelligence agencies. Excerpts:
Q A month after the worst teror attack on the city, you quit the cabinet. What prompted the step?
A I resigned on moral grounds. My intention was to tell the people of Maharashtra we are accountable, we are alive to their feelings.
My Q. Where you not pushed out so that they have something to show to the people?
Q A year later, you are not only back in the cabinet, but you have been entrusted with the home portfolio. How you justify this gesture of NCP president Sharad Pawar? Is the period of accountability over? A There was no dereliction of duty on my part. Then no one visualised that terrorists will enter Mumbai from the sea, since so far, most terrorists had chosen Jammu-Kashmir to enter India. I think it’s a fresh opportunity for me to serve the people. We have learnt lessons from the past.

My Q. Did you show the same interest
in stopping terror attack as in shutting down those dance bars and pushing a lot of girls into prostitution ?
My Q. Did you get enough funds to get proper arms and armours for the police force, and ensure they got only quality check material?
My Q. Why did you not order an investigation on all the top cops in the role they did on that night?
My Q. Was there any dereliction of duty by brave men like Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar or Tukaram Ombale? Why are you getting rewarded and giving an 100 mm smile while their families are sobbing even today? Even before the first anniversay your are back as home misister, what happens to accountability?
Q What’s your agenda now ?
A We have modernised our police force. Now there is more manpower and weapons. Funds will not a problem. My top priority is to restore the confidence of the people and enhance the morale of the law-enforcing agencies. Intelligence reports received from the Centre are dealt with properly at higher levels. Senior IPS officials have been instructed to ensure even minor information is taken seriously.
My Q. Really, The SRPF men are making slums out of Gateway of India, they sleep on the road and have to wake up to bath at 4.00 am while you are fast snoring on your exchequer paid double bed, what about that? Those cops have to fear speeding cars more than bullets from terrorists. What say mate? You don't believe me, check out the same copy of Times of India that printed the interview.
Q Kavita Karkare, widow of Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the attack on November 26, has launched a frontal attack on the government...
A I have read her statements in a section of the media. From preliminary reports, it appears the bulletproof jacket used by Hemant Karkare is missing from the J J Hospital. It’s a serious matter. I have asked the crime branch to
probe the entire episode.
My Q. Missing? or was it made missing. Does it not become your responsibility to see justice is served as the state's home minister?
Q Was there a dereliction of duty at any level, in handling the terrorist attack ?

A I don’t think so. No one in the government, both at the Centre and state, visualised terrorists will attack via the sea route. But now, while the Coast Guard has been put on maximum alert, establishments on the sea shore have been asked to be more vigilant.
My Q. Actually I don't have any question. I just wanna say. Only dereliction of duty seems to be from the people who are electing you again and again. what a Shame
Q After the attack, you are back in home, then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is now a Union minister, officials dealing with the situation have been rewarded with plum posts. Is accountability over ?
A Prima facie, it appears we were unable to visualise the magnitude of the terror attack. Under such circumstances, it will be wrong to single out an individual for dereliction of duty.
My Q. Really . so two questions, Since a sea route attack has happened once can you assure that there will be no more sea route attacks? Secondly, now if somebody carries out an Ariel attack are you going to say, this is the first time and we could not visualise? Just a tip: If our ancestors thought the same way and lacked visualisation our civilization would not have reached here. So instead of taking Hindi lessons take some visualization lessons. for a better India.

Many people have told me that R. R. Patil is the cleanest man in the current government. May be yes. But he failed in his duty, and the cost we paid was dear. 58 lives, including some brave sons of this nation, who could have served this nation more and better. Not just R. R. Patil, but lots of politicians and policemen and officers of both state and national government. If Mumbai police or the CBI investigates this, we will never know the actual facts as they or their masters have a stake.

We need some other capable state or the judiciary itself to investigate and make people accountable. If there is another 26/11, I believe it will be the greatest sin we will be committing to our elder and future generations. Our politicians have a larger say in this. Will they for once love our country? Time will not tell, it will just record and it cannot be reversed.

Jai Hind

Marketing patriotism

I was just listening to one of our local FM stations on the way back home. The station was just about to play a very old patriotic song and i was really amazed at the way the RJ talked about the new generations remembering the nation in bits and pieces as if it was a piece of joke or as if an enemy is just rubbing it in. Also, the station had a contract with a Mobile company and was also trying to market that song to be set as the caller tone by referring to 26/11/2008. They have some award show on for 26/11 heroes, were the people are to nominate finalists (and what then? are we gonna have an SMS poll to choose the winner?)


Its really a shame how our corporate and media world treats the love for our nation and accuses us of not being patriotic enough. What respect are you giving to this nation? When Sachin Tendulkar made a very strong and patriotic comment there were some political leaders who tried to gain mileage from what Bal Thackery had to say. If you really care about this country why are you even giving these petty attentions seekers the bandwidth?

And after all this we complain about US asking China to play a role in Indo-Pak relations. When you are not united how can you face such a might?

I have just one thing to say. When you point finger remember that other four fingers are pointing at you.


Forget Patriotism, at-least lets do our job and make this country safe and prosperous.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Children on this day

[I was dumb enough to think that i clicked on publish button after clicking save on the 14th and was thinking that this got posted! lol ]

Hiya,


Another week is fast gone, and today is childrens day, and the first anniversary of 26/11 is very close too. This is a great time for introspection on what kind of world our next generations are coming into or growing up in. I am not talking about just the terror attacks, the torture and trafficking. Even in the day to day life, the kind of pressure the young minds are put into in their day today life is huge. The class works, the home works, projects , vivas, karate lessons, music lessons,etc, etc. It some times seems that they are busy than us. They argument is of course, getting them ready for the competitive world. Are we not making the world even more competitive by this.


Most of the time I have seen, the project works, the drawing works etc., being done by the parents. I just went through the Google's doodles on 'my India'. I was really amazed at the thoughtfulness of the young kids and the explanation they have given for their doodles. I was amazed to the extent that I could not believe that it was done by these kids alone. It seems in most cases that there were involvement of adults at some point. Especially by the reasons given for many of the doodles. From my experience of unholy involvement of adults in the kids interests

I am not really surprised at the good work done by the kids. My point is this, should this unholy involvement be made? Is it fare to the kids? Is it fare to make it so difficult for them first of All? Is the pressure that the previous generation has put on the next increased the intolerance in the society as a progression?



Monday, November 9, 2009

I cannot verify facts stated here, but still thought provoking

I got this as a fwd today. I cant comment on this, i cant verify the facts and I cant just believe this. So i will just keep quiet.

Politics is not a SERVICE anymore but a PROFESSION!!!

An Important Issue!

Salary & Govt. Concessions for a Member of Parliament (MP)

Monthly Salary :
Rs. 12,000/-
Expense for Constitution per month :
Rs. 10,000/-
Office expenditure per month :
Rs. 14,000/-
Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km) :
Rs. 48,000/-

(eg. For a visit from South India to Delhi & return : 6000 km)

Daily DA TA during parliament meets :
Rs. 500/day
Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train :
Free (For any number of times)
(All over India )
Charge for Business Class in flights :
Free for 40 trips / year (With wife or P...A.)
Rent for MP hostel at
Delhi : Free.
Electricity
costs at home : Free up to 50,000 units
.
Local phone call charge :
Free up to 1, 70,000 calls..
TOTAL expense for a MP
[having no qualification] per year : Rs.32, 00,000/-

[i.e.. 2.66 lakh/month]

TOTAL expense for 5 years :
Rs. 1, 60, 00,000/-

For 534 MPs, the expense for 5 years :

Rs. 8,54,40,00,000/-

(Nearly 855 crores)

AND THE PRIME MINISTER IS ASKING THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, OUT PERFORMING CEOs TO CUT DOWN THEIR SALARIES...... This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on our regular commodities.........
And this is the present condition of our country :
855 crores could make their lives livable!!
Think of the great democracy we have