Thus it goes up again!

So, what is the big newz of the day? Its nothing new! The petrol prices went up again!  This is now going up faster than smoke! And the justification - there is no other option. We need to take some tough decisions.

But when it comes to cutting the freebies for parliamentarians, their free gas, free flights and free rides, hotels, entertainment, medical care, there is no option but to continue. Why?

If we check the amount spent in the up keep of the VIPs in India it will be more than what we need to spend on the food security bill. How come this is not being cut? They have no problem there.

when it comes to removing subsidies for household  earning more tha 50,000 , the got nothing to say.  Increasing diesel prices for private vehicles, we they go nothing to say.

How come increasing petrol prices help? In fact won't it increase the inflation? Will it not give reason for middlemen and businesses to hike their prices in its shadow, even if they are not loosing anything?

Is deregulation really the answer? How is that possible? The high taxes on local manufacturing and pro-import customs regime is not the cause of the problem?

If fall of rupee is the really the reason, what does it mean? We are bringing in too little dollars? If your markets are crashing profits are falling, is it not?

So what should you be doing? Well I am a layman, my guess would be, don't allow import to be too high than exports, because we are loosing rupee [ immediate step, increase quality standards, and high taxes for marginal quality]. Cut operations cost of manufacture in India [ read - cut the red tape, make it easy to set up business, cut taxes on employing people, acquisition of raw materials, buying of machinery and transportation].  Do that for 6 months and I think we should easily be out of this.  What say?

Any economy which is dependent on foreign investors and investments what ever be the percentage is like a castle of cards, waiting to fall. If you local investment is not strong there is not much that can be done. For that we need local employment and local manufacture.

Not making political statements, but our politicians across all party lines and our non political politicians are pretty petty to see the writing on the wall.

Times running out!

BJP and Madhya Pradesh Government insults Shaheed IPS Narendra Kumar's family

I am furious as I write this blog. The Madhya Pradesh government and  BJP is blatantly insulting the IPS officer Narendra Kumar and his family. The same officer who died in the line of duty in Madhya Pradesh stopping the illegal miners was not being afforded the basic courtesy of an investigation to reveal the facts behind his murder. Even when the Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced CBI probe his ministers are threatening the family that they will have to face the repercussion of the same.

I am right now watching the Newshour repeat telecast in Times Now. Meenakshi Lekhi of BJP is crying hoarse about how the state government has registered an FIR, arrested the driver and ordered judicial probe. Has the government done a huge favour to the people of India? Is this a matter to be proud about and needs to be congratulated?

Going ahead Meenakshi Lekhi is insisting that she is not sure if it was really a mining mafia kill or illegal mining that has resulted in the brave officer's untimely death.  She is claiming the same could be an accident. Why then order a judicial probe till you establish that it was not a case of accident? Why did the government show so much hurry?

IPS officer Narendra Kumar's valiant attempt to get onto a tractor carrying illegally mined stones is now a folklore know to every Indian. We all know how the tractor crushed him to death. His wife an IAS officer working in the same state, is carrying their first child. When she demands a CBI probe, when we the people demand a CBI probe along with the Judicial probe, how can a state minister of Madhya Pradesh threaten the family by saying you will have to face the repercussions?

This is another officer who died protecting his country and its natural resources. Meenakshi Lekhi and BJP are not even ready to accept that he is a Shaheed. This at the time, when there are reports that say that there is rampant illegal mining in the Cheif minister's constituency.

There is a report submitted by a senior officer of Madhya Pradesh government on October 2010 claiming rampant illegal mining. The government has done nothing other than claim that there is no mining mafia. When asked by Arnab Goswami what the government has done, today Meenakshi Lekhi says there are some legal difference between the state and central government and it went in a totally different direction. Shaina MC who came on the show the day the Officer Narendra Kumar died said the government is debating.

Is this a joke? So many young officers are dying for the nation's cause as they debate on things. They are sitting on reports for years and the RTI filed to know the government steps says the government does not keep records of the same.

On the day this 30 year old officer died the IG to whom the officer was reporting came on the News Hour show in Times now and when asked whether there is any political involvement, he said no. He did not even blink. He has already concluded that. On the day the officer was killed. So we know that no politician is gonna be screwed up this time too.

I pray to god that this young officer gets justice.  All people across the globe have to raise their voice. Even if you are not Indian. This officer tried to stop the illegal loot of stones, this is if nothing else then at least an environmental cause. This will encourage more young people inside and outside the system to fight for truth and justice.

Mark my words, if Congress's trade mark scams where 2G spectrum and CWG games. BJP is brewing one  even when it's in opposition. Their big ticked scam is Mining. Don't believe me? Ok, Uttrakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka. What is common between these states? BJP government. Even in the state of Andhra Pradesh where this scam is under scanner and Congress is ruling the sate, its the Reddy brothers of Karnataka's BJP unit who are involved. Only place where BJP came to power fighting against Mining is Goa. Let's see what happens there. But very difficult to ignore these dots and say nobody from BJP is involved.

Justice of Shaheed IPS Narendra Kumar.

IPS officer Narendra Kumar, Shaheed

One more young life has been ended abruptly serving our motherland. How many more young men and women will fight day in and out for our country?

I salute IPS officer Narendra Kumar for his relentless efforts to stop illegal mining and giving our nation the ultimate sacrifice. But in the same breath i need to ask what are we doing to end this. This endless need for our own citizens to die protecting our country, that too from itself. From its own citizens.

Today is Holi, the whole nation is celebrating. But pain and grief is all that his family has been offered on this day. Manjunath, Satyendra Dubey, Yashwant Sonawane and now Narendra Kumar, so many more knowns and unknowns.

We can't even come up with a proper land act, mining policy or even stop illegal mining. Across states, along the length and breadth of this country we are fighting this menace of illegal mining. Starting from Uttarakhand, where a Sadhu gave his life last year fasting unto death to save Ganga from  mining,  to Kerala where river bed mining is supposedly one of the biggest scams in the state.

In Goa just few days back, a Government lost elections which did not much against illegal mining. We have Andra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh all fighting against illegal mining. At same time out political bigwigs are backing the illegal miners. The law is also not helping. Its very slow or totally ineffective. Yedyurappa has come out of mining allegation in a matter of months without a scratch. Now he is claiming that he will become CM again. So much for our media activism or People power.

There  will be more young men and women, they will not blink or question, they will give the ultimate sacrifice when called upon. But is it necessary that such young lives are put to an end. For no reason. Just to satisfy the wimps, fantasies and vices of some people.

Will there be one day, when we will not have to protect our country from our own people? Lets hope and lets work towards it.

I Salute  Narendra Krumar.

Jai Hind.

Congress takes a beating in State elections across India

The news is on expected lines. Congress has taken a beating in many states where results of state elections was declared today. Except for Manipur and comparatively good performance in Uttarakhand  Congress  has lost face.

Statistics and history were both pro- Congress in Punjab and Uttarakhand. But they simply could not capitalize on it. In Punjab's case  this is the first time that an incumbent government has  won the election. In Uttarakhand BJP government was said to be so corrupt still congress could not capitalise on the same. Goa goverment paid dearly for the corruption in mining. BJP had put forth a person with very clean image.Also, the Congress family plan in all states  Punjab, Goa, U. P. were all rejected.Congress communal card also did not have its effect.

But one point that BJP has to take note is that, its not BJP's victory that has been staged today, It has been Congress's loss. Even Rahul Gandhi could not change that.  BJP has not been able to justify its claim to clean image. Akhilesh has spoken to people's heart in UP. Congress and BJP really need to take some lessons from this. SP and BJP's Goa unit needs to learn that if they do not back they clean words by clean deeds their future is also going be the same for them too.

Congratz to all winners. Better luck next time to others.

WIkiLeaks reveal that DOW pays for spying on Bhopal activits

DOW chemicals has been exposed today by WikiLeaks for spying on Bhopal Gas tragedy activists. In fact some of the emails show that they have been paying off huge sums of money to embassy people, journalists and many more to keep a tab on Bhopal activists. They are also shown to pay of some professional firms for spying.

I am really sad that  even after so much of evidence having emerged against DOW Chemicals London Olympics Committee is not dropping them from the official sponsors list. Some of their high profile members and volunteers have quit in protest already.

Today I heard in Times Now that India has sent an official protest to London Olympics committee. Some steps at last. I hope they follow this up and don't end it here.

Even beyond the Olympic sponsorship, DOW chemicals need to be taken to task. They have been accused of doing so much to undermine the legal steps. There is a rumour going around that even the Union Carbide, DOW chemical merger was done to undermine the Indian legal system by making it go through complicated iterations.WikiLeaks is even claiming a switzerland and Bhamas route pay-off to all these people involved in their network.

I dunno if what WikiLeaks or Julian Assange are claiming is really true. But its better we investigate what Wiki has revealed. Its better for us. Its better for the Bhopal gas victims.

With prayers that such a tragedy does not happen again. Signing off.

India Men Hockey Team burst into London Olympics

Yipeeeeeee. Indian Men have won the hockey final game against France 8-1. The game was literally stunning. The sudden bursts, interceptions were so awesome that the French team had no answer at all. They kept attacking the French goal relentlessly. At one point ball possession was 64-36 India-France.

I hope and pray that the Indian boyz play like this in the Olympics. If they play like this they would be unstoppable. But they should not rest in this glory. They had a very weak pool. They thrashed almost every other team in  their pool. But in Olympics they are gonna go  against some really good teams like Korea and Australia. I hope India practices hard, fights hard and wins the gold. They have the skill, I pray to lord almighty that they have the temperament and patience to  achieve this.


Congratz boyz! Good luck for the London Olympics.

Indian hockey girls go out fighting in Olympics qualifier finals

Indian Women hockey team go down fighting in the Olympic qualifier finals for London Olympics. I am really sad for the girls, they fought their heart out. Really really sad. Can't just see the tears of these girls. They fought their heart out. The girls are really skilled. They fought like anything. The only difference that between the south African team and the Indian team is the preparation.

 We could not win just because we were under prepared. The South African had their strategy set. They were never tiring out.

I am really sad for the girls because today its not the Hockey playing, hard fighting girls who lost. They came out winners. But its India that failed. We failed these girls. We failed to support them, we failed to provide for their preparation.

Really really sad day in my life. We lost even after we had talented players. Rani Rampal, Ritu Rani, Anuradha Tochkom. The  blocks we were doing in defence, the interceptions done by Joydeep. The runs of Vandana, Soundarya, Sushila. Really really sad to see these girls loose.  In fact I felt our girls were more talented than the South Africans. We were simply under trained, under prepared. Poor things. They are simply born in a male dominated that too cricket crazy country, that remembers them only once in 4 years. They are like 29th February.


We failed our girls. They still fought and got to the finals. South Africa had already qualified in the African pool and they came here only because their pool was not that tough, they believe. At the same time, we don't even think about our women's team.

Really really sad for these girls. Well done girls. You gave your best. We did not. We never gave you our best.

Congratz South Africa! Good Try Indian women hockey team.

Happy Birthday Sushila Chanu. Really sorry for you girl. You tried your best.

Better luck next time Indian gals. We know you will do it next time.

Lack of support for other sports in India, Hockey Olympic qualifiers are going on

It is a really sorry state for Indian sports. All that we think or worry about is cricket and Sachin's 100. We don't know other sports even exist. I might not know all the rules, but I at least try to watch and cheer our sports persons.

How many of us know that Olympic qualifiers for 2012 London Olympics is going on India for the sport of Hockey.  I missed today's game between Indian and South African girls today. We lost the game 5-2. Our first loss in this tournament. Forget supporting our girls and boys who are fighting it out for the nations pride. We are not even in the know how. At work during lunch or breaks when i try to bring up the topic of other sports i get this am' so bored' look, or somebody just steers the topic back to cricket. Just don't care if cricket match fixed, whether we are playing A team, B team. Somebody paid to get into the team. Nobody cares. Just a few this and that comments on other sports and off we go to cricket. We can even discuss the local leagues of other countries. What a sorry state.

I found that we lost to South Africa 5-2 after giving  a good fight. I wanted to know the chances of us getting through to Olympics. It took me about five minutes actually to land a page that has some information. Remember I used Google . Still!

I tried visiting the IBNlive.com website directly. They had an article on the game and in the first para say that now our Friday game against Italy is a virtual semi final. Why and How no explanation. Especially when another website says only one team can go through.

NDTV, the marks for sports campaigner had nothing to say.  They don't even have Hockey in their main sports menu. No analysis. Nothing about our chances. Just a simple write up.

Do you know South Africa has already qualified for the African tournament. They are here just because they found the African challenge too weak. Where as we have no idea we have a sport called hockey.  \

Times of India has reported the loss, but no information on our qualification chances. For Rediff our eves have played against Poland and won. Rediff, that is yesterday's news.

Our boys are winning and would go through it seems. The way they are playing. Today we had an almost scary situation while playing against Canada. We somehow scraped through.

I am really worried and pray to god that our girls and boys qualify.

I appeal to all of you to come out and support our team. Cricket is not the only sport.

I guess hockey is our national sport(or is it Kabaddi)? I dunno. We know only cricket.

If hockey is in this state just think of other sports like shooting, archery, volley ball, basketball. We even a have some state football teams for girls. At  least lets watch the guys play. May be I am expecting too much of us sexist Indians. Expecting us to come out and support our girls.

I just remember the Chak De comment. "kaha hamari ladkiya yeh chotte chotee kapdon me bhagenge". (something like that)

Just watch them. Against poland and Canada, I personally felt they some times played like some EPL football teams. Top table ones. Quick passing, tricks and trebles, speed. In one case we had 4 attackers against 2 Polish defenders in the India Vs Poland girls game.

Just get beyond cricket. There are other sports too. India can be good at them. All they need is some support.

Cheers!

Editing this post. Times of India has posted an interview of the Coach of girls team at 9.07 pm.  Here is the link. Kudos Times of India.

 

Disabled person forced out of plane in India

 A really sad news is on air. A disabled person was forced out of a Spicejet aircraft. I will not give it dignity by calling it de-boarded.

I am asking a simple question, why should that person be allowed to get on board if the air line has  a problem? If there was really a problem SpiceJet should have never allowed the person to board. How can a person who has got the boarding pass, gone through the security check all alone be asked to get off because the person is mentally challenged. This is totally ridiculous.

Right now I watching this discussion in CNN-IBN and this pilot on the show is saying that the Captain does not know the person and does not have the time to go and meet the person. So he had to take decision and he took it. That is not fair. Especially in a country like India. If he does not have the time he should rather trust the guess of his ground staff and airport security than chase his own imagination. How can he take a medically intelligent decision? Is he a doctor?Has the airline got doctors who can certify or help the pilot take the decision? Especially when there is  DGCA guideline regarding the same allowing such passengers to travel alone.

Also, the argument that the person might take a turn for the worse is not a great one. Especially when normal people who are mentally distraught or simply drunk get into these kind of situations very easily.  So why a discrimination here?

Also, is this not what the pilot and the cabin crew is trained to handle. I believe we are over glorifying the job of the pilot. The airlines are self assuming a lot of authority.  They are OK waiting for VIPs, serving them personally.  

There is a need for exemplary punishment and there should be a standard check

Totally totally shameful!