Jammu & Kashmir – where snow-white mountains are immersed into deep meditation from pre-historic times
Jammu & Kashmir – where mountain streams are flowing with sweet sounds, as if little children are reciting their nursery rhymes.
Jammu & Kashmir – where green meadows, valleys of flowers and apple orchards are eagerly waiting to welcome you
Jammu & Kashmir – where you encounter experiences that are so unique and completely new.
Jammu & Kashmir – where you find colourful birds singing and chirping in dense green forests
Jammu & Kashmir – where you find local people to be always warm and smiling, looking gorgeous in their native dress.
Jammu & Kashmir – the place of magnificent Chinar trees, that stand so tall
Jammu & Kashmir – the land of Santoor (Indian musical instrument) and the world famous Pashmina shawl.
Jammu & Kashmir – the confluence of three great religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam
Visit the place at least once, and get enamoured by its beauty, splendour and charm.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Delhi Bloggers Meet # 31 – A fun-filled evening at Old Delhi
Yesterday (12th September, 2009) the “Delhi Bloggers Bloc” (DBB) had its 31st meet at the Jama Masjid of Old Delhi, followed by a solid meal at the “Al-Jawahar” restaurant in that area itself. And wow, what an experience it was!
We, the DBB members were also accompanied by the members of “Eating Out In Delhi” (EOID) – a group that visits or revisits various Delhi restaurants about twice a month, to “experience Delhi's offbeat eating joints, which are low on pretension and high on value for money and dining experience”.
Apart from the meet, last day’s evening will be memorable for me for other reasons, as well. Yesterday was the first day that I visited Jama Masjid. And yesterday was also the first day that I commuted Delhi Metro, after spending 8 years in Delhi.
I was picked up from a spot near “Prakash Hospital” – around 15 minutes walk from my home at Sector 22 of Noida – by my fellow DBB member Sachin Khosla, an energetic and lively Punjab da Puttar from Ludhiana (you talk to him for 2 minutes, and you will feel you know him for 2 years). Sachin, an IT professional, stays at Indirapuram at Ghaziabad, and said that he would pass that way, and could give me a lift. He was also having with him his friend Varun, another Punjab da Puttar (from Pathankot) and an IT professional as well.
We went to Yamuna Bank metro station, where we parked our car, and boarded the Delhi Metro (first time in my life) for the Rajiv Chowk (i.e. Connaught Place) station. The queue in front of the ticket counter, entering the platform, boarding the train, the electronic announcements, everything reminded me of the Metro Rail of my dear hometown Calcutta, and I realized that I was missing the Calcutta Metro Rail. However, the Delhi Metro is also great.
After reaching Rajiv Chowk station we had to change the train. As Sachin explained to me, we were changing from Blue Line to Yellow Line (I did not get it though). Now that train took us straight to Chawari Bazaar station, i.e. the station of Jama Masjid. We came out of the station to be welcomed by the unique ambience of Old Delhi, and stepped on the narrow lane that would take us to Jama Masjid. It was in front of the Jama Masjid that we were supposed to meet other members of our group.
God, I will never forget that short journey on that lane. It was so narrow, and yet so congested. There were two-wheelers, rickshaws, and of course people, and so on. I do not remember whether I noticed any car or auto, but the two-wheelers and rickshaws were enough to make that lane “jam-packed” and crowded. Only I know how “athletic” we had to be to move forward, without having any collision with anybody, whether rickshaws, two-wheelers or human beings.
Well, at last we reached the famous Jama Masjid, one of the landmarks of Old Delhi (rather Delhi as a whole). Our co-ordinator Priyanka Sachar (more famous as Twilight Fairy in the blogging circle) was already there, along with Sanjay, Manish, Sandip, etc. There were also two journalists from Indian Expres, including photojournalist Tashi Tobgyal, whom I later found to be a very interesting person with a bagful of interesting experiences. After some “Hello”/”High” we entered the Jama Masjid.
Entering into the Jama Masjid itself was a thrilling experience for me. It was the first time that I stepped inside a mosque, and at the very first time I entered India’s largest mosque, the one that I have read and heard so much about. And the thrill and pleasure got enhanced by the beautiful environment that I encountered there.
The first thing that impressed me was the beautifully constructed red-stone body of the shrine. If I am not wrong, I found some architectural similarity between Jama Masjid and Red Fort (I may be wrong). It was around 6 pm, and all the pious Muslim ladies and gentlemen had already assembled there for the evening prayer, which was to be followed by the meal to break the fast. There were nice lighting arrangements, which made the mosque look more beautiful and gorgeous. We all were chatting and relishing the grand architecture of the mosque – its dome, pillars, etc, while a few of us like Manish and Sanjay were constantly taking snaps.
I was chatting with Abdus Salam, a new DBB member whom I had just met, when we heard the sound of Azan. Immediately all the people sat down to offer prayers. Hitherto I had seen such scenes only in TV, movies, newspapers and magazines. It was the first time that I found so many Muslims offering prayers together (after all, it was my first visit to a mosque). And they were looking so nice. They were so disciplined. I loved the reflection of devotion on their faces.
After some time we left the mosque, and again set foot on the narrow lanes to go to “Al-Jawahar” restaurant in that locality, where the EOID gang members were waiting for us. We entered the restaurant that was filled up with the thrilling aroma of spicy Muslim dishes, and went upstairs to find the huge and sprightly EOID gang (led by Hemangshu) enjoying their meal.
Very soon we joined them, and were welcomed by a plethora of dishes, like Tanduri Chicken, Chicken Stew, Pakoda, soft drinks (Coke and Pepsi), etc. The ultra-enjoyable meal was spiced up by lively chats, with each of us making a new friend at every minute. In fact, it was probably the first time that I found myself with such a huge group, occupying such a huge portion of a restaurant.
I just do not know how 2 hrs passed. Then came the time to leave. However, there were many who accompanied us till the Metro Station, boarded the train, and came with us till the Rajiv Chowk station. And we made full utilization of the opportunity by retaining our chatting with full gusto, leaving all the co-passengers staring at us in the same manner the people at the restaurant did.
After reaching Rajiv Chowk we found that now it would be again only three of us – Sachin, Varun and myself, who would be going to Yamuna Bank station, while others who were accompanying us would take different routes. I was very busy in saying “bye” to Sandip and other people, only to realize that Sachin and Varun had already boarded the train to Yamuna bank (soooooooo bad!). Actually they did notice that I had not boarded the train with them. Anyways, I called up Sachin, and he said he would be waiting for me at the Yamuna Bank station. So I boarded the next train to Yamuna bank station, and went to Yamuna Bank, and that also became my first experience of traveling alone in Delhi Metro.
At Yamuna Bank Sachin and Varun were waiting for me. We boarded Sachin’s car, and he again dropped me near my home. And I came back home with a refreshed mind.
Thanks a lot for the fun-filled evening, DBB. I will always cherish the memory of this experience.
A special thanks to the EOID group, as well. The evening would not have been so much enjoyable but for their presence. And I liked them so much, and I found the concept of eating out at various Delhi restaurants to be so innovative. The concept of EOID exemplifies how small concepts can make our life much more enjoyable.
Photo Courtesy - Sachin Khosla (www.digimantra.com)
Friday, September 4, 2009
Aniruddha Gupta – The Best English Teacher That One Can Have
Circa 1987. A middle-aged businessman of Calcutta – Mr. Tapan Kumar Basu – was frantically looking for a good English teacher for his only son. The boy, a student at a reputed English medium school of Calcutta, was extremely weak in English. He would fail in the subject – with shocking numbers – in every terminal test, and could somehow barely achieve the pass marks in the annual exams. Any essay written by him – on any topic – would become very enjoyable for the class teacher and his classmates, as it was sure to display a genuinely funny species of English with scanty respect for grammar, accompanied by mind-boggling use of words. And he was so innovative and inventive, forming words like “bedalized” for “bed ridden”, which would leave people absolutely speechless.
Equally “impressive” was his spoken English. Despite being a student of a top English medium school of Calcutta, the boy would regularly find himself at a loss for words while communicating with somebody, leading to sentences with “errrr….”, “ummm….”, etc. And his fluency? Well, the lesser one talks about it, the better. No wonder that the boy would always try to escape any gathering where he was supposed to speak in English. He would even feel uncomfortable in the company of his cousin sisters, whom he was actually so fond of, as they would always converse in English.
Mr. Basu was sure that his son would never be good in the language, which was a must in today’s world. He just wanted the boy to be able to grab the pass marks. That’s all. And so he “launched” a “teacher hunting campaign” looking for a suitable person, who could ensure that the boy could develop the basic command of the English language, just the basic command.
Ultimately he got to know about one such teacher, through his brother-in-law (his wife’s cousin). So who was this gentleman? Was he a teacher of English at a reputed school, with a glossy “M.A. in English” degree under his belt? No, far from that. This 50-plus gentleman, Mr. Aniruddha Gupta, was just a government clerk, working for a crucial department of the West Bengal government. And his qualification? Well, B.A. in English. And that’s all. So what is his credential? Well, he has been in the field of private tuition for a long time, and is known for changing the lives of many a student.
So one fine morning Mr Basu went to Mr Gupta’s office, with his brother-in-law (whom Mr Gupta knew), shared his problem, and sought help.
- “You know, my son Raja is so weak in English….. In the last terminal test he has not only failed, but has scored such a low marks….. I am so worried, Sir, he is so bad in English…. I have heard a lot about you. You have changed the lives of so many students. Please ensure that Raja can secure at least the pass marks. That is all that I want……Please teach him the basic English, Sir.”
- “Mr. Basu, a teacher never teaches something to his students.” Came the calm reply. “In fact, no body can teach something to somebody. A person cannot be taught anything. He learns. I will never teach English to your son. I will just generate a love and passion for the language in his mind. The rest will fall in place.”
Within days Mr. Aniruddha Gupta took the charge of that boy. He started teaching him twice a week, and within days the boy realized the subtle difference in the teaching style of his tutor. Mr Aniruddha did not try to “thrust” the knowledge of the language on his student simply through dry and insipid discussions on grammar and sentence construction (though they were certainly a part of his teaching). His main objective was to generate in his student’s mind a genuine love and interest for English, by enabling the boy to realize the pleasure of writing and communicating in this rich and sweet language.
He introduced the boy to the world of world literatures – the beautiful world of Wodehouse, O’Henry, Mark Twain, Maupassant, and so on. He even encouraged him to read good comics, like Tintin, which is a fun-filled way to learn spoken English. He noticed the boy’s interest in global affairs, and got him to read superb coverage of the same in top English language newspapers and magazines. The boy used to read those editorials on topics that he would like, and would unknowingly get exposed to high quality English writing.
Mr. Aniruddha enthused (and not forced) the boy to consult the dictionary whenever he came across a new word, thus enriching his vocabulary by learning the meaning of the word. And the objective was not only to ensure that the boy could score marks by using that word during a class test. Rather, Mr. Aniruddha wanted his student to be always able to communicate – even in social gatherings – in a way that would be known not only for its content, but also for the quality of the language. Mr Aniruddha wanted his student to be a communicator par excellence, both in written as well as spoken English.
Very soon the boy fell in love with the language, the same language that had hitherto been his nightmare. Whenever he would get time he would explore the language. No, not out of any “determination” or “dedication” to strengthen the knowledge of English for academic reasons, but simply to enjoy the pleasure and thrill of hobnobbing with the mesmerizing language that he had misunderstood so far. He was now completely lost among all the gems based on this language - ranging from classic novels (Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Jules Verne, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Lous Stevenson) and short stories (O'Henry, Anton Chekov, Maupassant) to old and modern thrillers (Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Jeffrey Archer), old and modern racy works (ranging from Wodehouse to James Headley Chase), science fictions (like that of Issac Asimov), teenage thrillers (like Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew), comics (like Tintin), autobiographies and biographies (of statesmen, cricketers, entertainers, etc), motivational and relationship books (like How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie), management books, travelogues, and so on. The boy also completely discarded Bengali newspapers, and developed the use of reading only English newspapers and following the national and global affairs through the same.
Needless to say that all these habits resulted in an appreciable level of command of the English language, with the boy now being pretty confident in writing in English. And that certainly had a positive reflection in the English language tests, as well, with now his marks in those tests showing an upward trend. He also developed, again as per the suggestion of his beloved tutor, a habit of talking to himself in English, using all the new words that he would learn. He would also try to interact mainly with friends and cousins who were English speaking. And this eventually resulted in a fluency in his spoken English, as well. And this made him much more confident in social gatherings, where he could now find himself freely interacting with English speaking crowds without any nervousness or inferiority complex. And this helped him to have new friends as well, who were really smart and interaction with whom taught the boy several new things about this world.
In a nutshell, the boy simply experienced a complete transformation of his overall personality.
Today that boy is a 30 plus communications professional. He earns his livelihood by preparing communications materials that not only require to be in impeccable English, but also need to display in-depth understanding and use of the various nuances of the English language. In fact, while preparing a document, he needs to play with the language, that5 too in style. And the person, who was once so weak in English, is not doing very bad.
He is also pursuing a host of hobbies – such as discussing various current issues (political, economic, social, etc.) in his blog, writing poems for poetry web sites, making friends across the world through online chatting, and so on. But he would not have been able to pursue any of these hobbies, if he had not been able to develop the more-or-less good command of English that he enjoys today, the command that was once a distant dream for him.
Whether he is preparing communications materials at office, or preparing a blog posting or poem at home, or having an exciting discussion or debate on current issues with his English speaking friends, at every moment the person realizes how indebted he is to his former tutor. That tutor, who was called to enable him to just grab pass marks in English tests, and who ended up with enabling his student to have a satisfactory command of the English language, which eventually opened so many beautiful sides of life for that fortunate boy.
Sir, I am really so lucky that I had a teacher like you. I am grateful to you. And I am also so proud, that I have been your student. Whatever I am today, it is only because of you.
Equally “impressive” was his spoken English. Despite being a student of a top English medium school of Calcutta, the boy would regularly find himself at a loss for words while communicating with somebody, leading to sentences with “errrr….”, “ummm….”, etc. And his fluency? Well, the lesser one talks about it, the better. No wonder that the boy would always try to escape any gathering where he was supposed to speak in English. He would even feel uncomfortable in the company of his cousin sisters, whom he was actually so fond of, as they would always converse in English.
Mr. Basu was sure that his son would never be good in the language, which was a must in today’s world. He just wanted the boy to be able to grab the pass marks. That’s all. And so he “launched” a “teacher hunting campaign” looking for a suitable person, who could ensure that the boy could develop the basic command of the English language, just the basic command.
Ultimately he got to know about one such teacher, through his brother-in-law (his wife’s cousin). So who was this gentleman? Was he a teacher of English at a reputed school, with a glossy “M.A. in English” degree under his belt? No, far from that. This 50-plus gentleman, Mr. Aniruddha Gupta, was just a government clerk, working for a crucial department of the West Bengal government. And his qualification? Well, B.A. in English. And that’s all. So what is his credential? Well, he has been in the field of private tuition for a long time, and is known for changing the lives of many a student.
So one fine morning Mr Basu went to Mr Gupta’s office, with his brother-in-law (whom Mr Gupta knew), shared his problem, and sought help.
- “You know, my son Raja is so weak in English….. In the last terminal test he has not only failed, but has scored such a low marks….. I am so worried, Sir, he is so bad in English…. I have heard a lot about you. You have changed the lives of so many students. Please ensure that Raja can secure at least the pass marks. That is all that I want……Please teach him the basic English, Sir.”
- “Mr. Basu, a teacher never teaches something to his students.” Came the calm reply. “In fact, no body can teach something to somebody. A person cannot be taught anything. He learns. I will never teach English to your son. I will just generate a love and passion for the language in his mind. The rest will fall in place.”
Within days Mr. Aniruddha Gupta took the charge of that boy. He started teaching him twice a week, and within days the boy realized the subtle difference in the teaching style of his tutor. Mr Aniruddha did not try to “thrust” the knowledge of the language on his student simply through dry and insipid discussions on grammar and sentence construction (though they were certainly a part of his teaching). His main objective was to generate in his student’s mind a genuine love and interest for English, by enabling the boy to realize the pleasure of writing and communicating in this rich and sweet language.
He introduced the boy to the world of world literatures – the beautiful world of Wodehouse, O’Henry, Mark Twain, Maupassant, and so on. He even encouraged him to read good comics, like Tintin, which is a fun-filled way to learn spoken English. He noticed the boy’s interest in global affairs, and got him to read superb coverage of the same in top English language newspapers and magazines. The boy used to read those editorials on topics that he would like, and would unknowingly get exposed to high quality English writing.
Mr. Aniruddha enthused (and not forced) the boy to consult the dictionary whenever he came across a new word, thus enriching his vocabulary by learning the meaning of the word. And the objective was not only to ensure that the boy could score marks by using that word during a class test. Rather, Mr. Aniruddha wanted his student to be always able to communicate – even in social gatherings – in a way that would be known not only for its content, but also for the quality of the language. Mr Aniruddha wanted his student to be a communicator par excellence, both in written as well as spoken English.
Very soon the boy fell in love with the language, the same language that had hitherto been his nightmare. Whenever he would get time he would explore the language. No, not out of any “determination” or “dedication” to strengthen the knowledge of English for academic reasons, but simply to enjoy the pleasure and thrill of hobnobbing with the mesmerizing language that he had misunderstood so far. He was now completely lost among all the gems based on this language - ranging from classic novels (Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Jules Verne, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Lous Stevenson) and short stories (O'Henry, Anton Chekov, Maupassant) to old and modern thrillers (Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Jeffrey Archer), old and modern racy works (ranging from Wodehouse to James Headley Chase), science fictions (like that of Issac Asimov), teenage thrillers (like Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew), comics (like Tintin), autobiographies and biographies (of statesmen, cricketers, entertainers, etc), motivational and relationship books (like How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie), management books, travelogues, and so on. The boy also completely discarded Bengali newspapers, and developed the use of reading only English newspapers and following the national and global affairs through the same.
Needless to say that all these habits resulted in an appreciable level of command of the English language, with the boy now being pretty confident in writing in English. And that certainly had a positive reflection in the English language tests, as well, with now his marks in those tests showing an upward trend. He also developed, again as per the suggestion of his beloved tutor, a habit of talking to himself in English, using all the new words that he would learn. He would also try to interact mainly with friends and cousins who were English speaking. And this eventually resulted in a fluency in his spoken English, as well. And this made him much more confident in social gatherings, where he could now find himself freely interacting with English speaking crowds without any nervousness or inferiority complex. And this helped him to have new friends as well, who were really smart and interaction with whom taught the boy several new things about this world.
In a nutshell, the boy simply experienced a complete transformation of his overall personality.
Today that boy is a 30 plus communications professional. He earns his livelihood by preparing communications materials that not only require to be in impeccable English, but also need to display in-depth understanding and use of the various nuances of the English language. In fact, while preparing a document, he needs to play with the language, that5 too in style. And the person, who was once so weak in English, is not doing very bad.
He is also pursuing a host of hobbies – such as discussing various current issues (political, economic, social, etc.) in his blog, writing poems for poetry web sites, making friends across the world through online chatting, and so on. But he would not have been able to pursue any of these hobbies, if he had not been able to develop the more-or-less good command of English that he enjoys today, the command that was once a distant dream for him.
Whether he is preparing communications materials at office, or preparing a blog posting or poem at home, or having an exciting discussion or debate on current issues with his English speaking friends, at every moment the person realizes how indebted he is to his former tutor. That tutor, who was called to enable him to just grab pass marks in English tests, and who ended up with enabling his student to have a satisfactory command of the English language, which eventually opened so many beautiful sides of life for that fortunate boy.
Sir, I am really so lucky that I had a teacher like you. I am grateful to you. And I am also so proud, that I have been your student. Whatever I am today, it is only because of you.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Why Is Congress So Prone To Dynastic Politics?
Even before just 24 hours could pass after the formal announcement of the unfortunate death of Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), the Congress party had already been caught by an ugly wave of succession war. Though the state finance minister K Rosaiah has been made the acting CM, it is clearly just a stop-gap arrangement. The party High Command is soon to decide whether Mr. Rosaiah is to retain the position or is to be replaced by a more suitable candidate.
There have been quite a number of contenders, including three Union Ministers, who have been waiting for the High Command's decision with their fingers crossed.
However, there is nothing shocking about all this. These things are very natural developments and are bound to happen after the sudden demise of the CM of a state. But what leaves me (and I suppose many) very disturbed is the emergence of YSR's son Jagan Reddy as a contender.
Sorry if I sound rude. But isn't it utterly nonsense that a person with just 100 days of political experience is being considered for the position of CM, simply because he is the son of the late CM? Isn't it a terribly naked show of dynastic and feudal mindset, smacking of a shocking level of political immaturity simply not expected from the politicos of the world's largest democracy? Is the CM's position equivalent to that of a club president, that it can be filled up by anybody whose only credential is that he or she is the son or daughter of the past president?
Jagan Reddy is a smart and energetic person, and we all know that he will prove himself to be a great administrator, and an asset for this country. But he must be given due time to prepare himself, instead of leaving him crippled with such a tough responsibility when he is just a political greenhorn. Being the son of an astute politician does not establish that you have inherited your father's political acumen, and therefore you cannot straightway inherit his position. First prove yourself, and the position will spontaneously run after you.
Let Jagan first prove his mettle (which he will certainly be able to do), before making him the CM just to carry on the "legacy" of dynastic politics. The Congress party must look at those contenders who have the established credentials, and choose one from them as YSR's successor.
There have been quite a number of contenders, including three Union Ministers, who have been waiting for the High Command's decision with their fingers crossed.
However, there is nothing shocking about all this. These things are very natural developments and are bound to happen after the sudden demise of the CM of a state. But what leaves me (and I suppose many) very disturbed is the emergence of YSR's son Jagan Reddy as a contender.
Sorry if I sound rude. But isn't it utterly nonsense that a person with just 100 days of political experience is being considered for the position of CM, simply because he is the son of the late CM? Isn't it a terribly naked show of dynastic and feudal mindset, smacking of a shocking level of political immaturity simply not expected from the politicos of the world's largest democracy? Is the CM's position equivalent to that of a club president, that it can be filled up by anybody whose only credential is that he or she is the son or daughter of the past president?
Jagan Reddy is a smart and energetic person, and we all know that he will prove himself to be a great administrator, and an asset for this country. But he must be given due time to prepare himself, instead of leaving him crippled with such a tough responsibility when he is just a political greenhorn. Being the son of an astute politician does not establish that you have inherited your father's political acumen, and therefore you cannot straightway inherit his position. First prove yourself, and the position will spontaneously run after you.
Let Jagan first prove his mettle (which he will certainly be able to do), before making him the CM just to carry on the "legacy" of dynastic politics. The Congress party must look at those contenders who have the established credentials, and choose one from them as YSR's successor.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Media Freedom Thrashed in Sri Lanka
The picturesque Indian Ocean island of Sri Lanka witnessed a blatant attack on the freedom of media, when the Colombo High Court sentenced the country's noted journalist J.S. Tissainayagam to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
So what is his fault? Well, there are two. Firstly, this Tamil columnist has been found guilty of threatening country's ethnic harmony, as he has written two articles which the Court has found to be detrimental for the same. Secondly, (this is highly controversial) he has reportedly confessed to (in custody, to be precise) raising funds for supporting terrorist activities.
However, what the media fraternity feels (rather, it is sanguine) that all the charges brought against Tissainayagam are pure absurd. Actually he has highlighted the harassment of innocent Tamils of Sri Lanka in the hands of the government agencies, and has criticized the government for the same. And it is this "audacity" that the Sri Lankan government has been unable to digest.
The media fraternity also feels that by getting Tissainayagam imprisoned the Sri Lankan government has also tried to intimidate the other journalists, so that they do not dare to criticize the government on any issues.
We all appreciated the Rajapakshe government's ruthless campaign against LTTE terrorists, who had become a cancer for the beautiful island nation. However, the government is well advised not to show the same ruthlessness against the freedom of expression. The government must realize that it is responsible for providing the Sri Lankan people with a civilized society, and no society can be termed civilized if it lacks freedom of expression, which is one of the pillars of the same.
We all hope that better sense will prevail, and Tissainayagam will be freed as soon as possible. Let's hope for the best.
So what is his fault? Well, there are two. Firstly, this Tamil columnist has been found guilty of threatening country's ethnic harmony, as he has written two articles which the Court has found to be detrimental for the same. Secondly, (this is highly controversial) he has reportedly confessed to (in custody, to be precise) raising funds for supporting terrorist activities.
However, what the media fraternity feels (rather, it is sanguine) that all the charges brought against Tissainayagam are pure absurd. Actually he has highlighted the harassment of innocent Tamils of Sri Lanka in the hands of the government agencies, and has criticized the government for the same. And it is this "audacity" that the Sri Lankan government has been unable to digest.
The media fraternity also feels that by getting Tissainayagam imprisoned the Sri Lankan government has also tried to intimidate the other journalists, so that they do not dare to criticize the government on any issues.
We all appreciated the Rajapakshe government's ruthless campaign against LTTE terrorists, who had become a cancer for the beautiful island nation. However, the government is well advised not to show the same ruthlessness against the freedom of expression. The government must realize that it is responsible for providing the Sri Lankan people with a civilized society, and no society can be termed civilized if it lacks freedom of expression, which is one of the pillars of the same.
We all hope that better sense will prevail, and Tissainayagam will be freed as soon as possible. Let's hope for the best.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Pakistan - The Country That Cheats Her Own People
It had been suspected by the Indian intelligence agencies for a long time. And now their suspicion has been corroborated by the US government.
Pakistan has been preparing to use those weapons against India that she has received from the USA for fighting against Taliban activists on her own soil. This has come into light with Pakistan's alleged modification of Harpoon missile - received from the USA - on 23rd April this year. Harpoon is an anti-ship missile that the USA has given to Pakistan to help the latter in her fight against Taliban. However, through the alleged modification (that violates US Arms Control Exports Act) Pakistan has prepared the missile for use against land targets, for potential use against India.
The US government must have been upset that Pakistan has taken it for a ride. The Islamic Republic has taken so many high-powered weapons from the USA in the pretext of fighting against Taliban, and in reality she has used the same to strengthen her military potential vis-a-vis that of India. The Obama administration should seriously think that whether it would continue supplying the Pakistan government with high-powered weapons for fighting against Taliban, when there is no guarantee that those weapons will be used for the right purpose.
However, what I feel is that if the Pakistani government is actually cheating somebody, then it is her own people. The cultured and decent people of Pakistan (who must not be confused with their government) are terribly irritated with Taliban and other radical Islamic groups, and they want their beautiful country to get rid off those nuisance. The Pakistan government is trying to convince them that it is taking strong steps to wipe out those elements, but in reality it is doing pretty nothing to that effect.
Pakistan is probably the only country in the world that cheats her own people even in matters related to internal security. Really, what a country it is!
Pakistan has been preparing to use those weapons against India that she has received from the USA for fighting against Taliban activists on her own soil. This has come into light with Pakistan's alleged modification of Harpoon missile - received from the USA - on 23rd April this year. Harpoon is an anti-ship missile that the USA has given to Pakistan to help the latter in her fight against Taliban. However, through the alleged modification (that violates US Arms Control Exports Act) Pakistan has prepared the missile for use against land targets, for potential use against India.
The US government must have been upset that Pakistan has taken it for a ride. The Islamic Republic has taken so many high-powered weapons from the USA in the pretext of fighting against Taliban, and in reality she has used the same to strengthen her military potential vis-a-vis that of India. The Obama administration should seriously think that whether it would continue supplying the Pakistan government with high-powered weapons for fighting against Taliban, when there is no guarantee that those weapons will be used for the right purpose.
However, what I feel is that if the Pakistani government is actually cheating somebody, then it is her own people. The cultured and decent people of Pakistan (who must not be confused with their government) are terribly irritated with Taliban and other radical Islamic groups, and they want their beautiful country to get rid off those nuisance. The Pakistan government is trying to convince them that it is taking strong steps to wipe out those elements, but in reality it is doing pretty nothing to that effect.
Pakistan is probably the only country in the world that cheats her own people even in matters related to internal security. Really, what a country it is!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Change of Guard in Japan – After 50 Years
A historic political change took place in the Asian neighbourhood, when Japan’s main opposition party Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) overthrew the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the recent general election, after an almost unbroken rule by LDP for half a century.
For quite some time the Japanese voters had been highly displeased with the ruling party for the strong economic crisis that Japan has been going through for around 20 years, witnessing high level of unemployment and other unpleasant factors that accompany a struggling economy. Moreover, there was no sign of any improvement in the near future, which could encourage the common people to retain faith on LDP. Therefore there is nothing surprising that the Japanese voters got LDP ousted. Rather what may be surprising is how they could tolerate LDP for such a long time.
However, DPJ has no time to cherish the elusive victory that they have at last managed to grab. They are now responsible for bringing back the country’s failing economy back on its feet. They must realize that actually it was not their victory, but the loss of LDP. The actual objective of common people was not to bring DPJ to power, but to get LDP out of power. So, instead of patting their own back for the electoral results, they should swing into action immediately. At the same time they must remember that there should not be any over-enthusiasm, no desperation to bring a sudden improvement in the economy. Any hasty act can result in further worsening of the situation. Rather, they should first make a proper, all-round study of the scenario, identify the loopholes and draw backs, and chalk out a roadmap, and then proceed.
We all know about the resilience of our Japanese friends. The way they bounced back after being demolished by US atom bombs is almost like folklore. And we all believe that the Sun of economic prosperity will again rise in this “Land of the Rising Sun”.
Photo Courtesy - www.newsweek.com
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