Ihe Indo -Pak Joint Declaration---outfoxed, outplayed and thrashed !!!!

 

Reading the Indo-Pak Joint Declaration was a revelation. Do we really have a Foreign Department? Were they mass drugged , stuporous, befuddled when they allowed the Prime Minister to sign this document?  Was Manmohan Singh suffering from a bout of Hypoxia when he approved of this? Was  he suffering from Anoxia when he consciously tried to defend this document in Parliament?

Read the full text first.

 

Text of Joint Statement between India and Pakistan.

The two prime ministers had a cordial and constructive meeting. They considered the entire gamut of bilateral relations with a view to charting the way forward in India-Pakistan relations.

Both leaders agreed that terrorism is the main threat to both countries. Both leaders affirmed their resolve to fight terrorism and to cooperate with each other to this end.

Prime Minister Singh reiterated the need to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice. Prime Minister Gilani assured that Pakistan will do everything in its power in this regard. He said that Pakistan has provided an updated status dossier on the investigations of the Mumbai attacks and had sought additional information/evidence. Prime Minister Singh said that the dossier is being reviewed.

Both leaders agreed that the two countries will share real time credible and actionable information on any future terrorist threats.

Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas.

Both prime ministers recognised that dialogue is the only way forward. Action on terrorism should not be linked to the Composite Dialogue process and these should not be bracketed.

Prime Minister Singh said that India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan, including all outstanding issues.

Prime Minister Singh reiterated India’s interest in a stable, democratic Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Both leaders agreed that the real challenge is development and the elimination of poverty. Both leaders are resolved to eliminate those factors which prevent our countries from realising their full potential. Both agreed to work to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence.

Both leaders reaffirmed their intention to promote regional cooperation.

Both foreign secretaries should meet as often as necessary and report to the two foreign ministers, who will be meeting on the sidelines of the forthcoming U.N. General Assembly.

Now analysing :-

1) "Both leaders agreed that terrorism is the main threat to both countries". 

So one country initiates terrorism, allows and actively supports groups like Lashkar -e- Toiba to garner memberships approaching one and a half lakhs, supports Taliban and allows it to occupy Pakistani Territory, gives safe haven for persons like Osama Bin Laden and Dawood Ibrahim and yet has the qualification to assume same status as one in which bomb blasts have taken thousands of innocent lives, temples, trains and even its Parliament has been attacked, where a systematic false currency racket has been funded, propagated and made to flourish. What an upliftment for a criminal state to be equated with one which is said to be in the right.... Charles Sobhraj being equated with Jawaharlal Nehru!!!!!

2) "Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas."

Why mention this in a Joint Declaration? India allows it to be mentioned. The obvious conclusion is that India is involved, or otherwise why mention it at all?? So on every public forum from now on, India will have to defend herself and assume a protective attitude. A glib talking, smug faced,  smirking Shashi Tharoor explains that they(Pakistanis) wanted to put it in, and we have nothing to hide, and this is not a legal document only a diplomatic one, so we allowed it.

So you can issue an official joint statement and it is not binding on any one. So why have this exercise in nothingness? So why then try and justify it in Parliament? And then a spluttering Pranab Mukherjee says that it is written that Prime Minister Gilani put in the reference about Pakistan. Therefore it is an unilateral statement and it is not of any value. So why does an unilateral statement appear in a Joint Statement duly ratified by BOTH Prime Ministers? It is so much easier to be aggressive and righteous in your own house rather than on the battlefields of the negotiation table. How much can a government really wriggle? This government is setting the standards!!!!

3)"Action on terrorism should not be linked to the Composite Dialogue process and these should not be bracketed."

So Pakistan can unleash terrorist strikes and ask India for talks, all in the same breath. So our PM says Trust and then verify. So a girl can go on a blind date , on trust, and then when she tries to verify, she has been compromised. Is not it far better to verify first and then to trust? Would Shri Manmohan Singh allow his daughters to trust first and then to verify? It seems he has forgotten parenting in A Big Way....

By bracketing, we will have very good dialogue, lots of statements and no action.. So even if Victoria Memorial is blasted we will still follow the dialogue trail......

4) Pakistan's ambassador to the UN can now comfortably say that there is no evidence linking Saeed to 26/11 while our Home Minister can cry from the rooftops that there is sufficient evidence to convict him. The worst aspect of this deal is that it is not time bound. So there will be terrorist attacks on Indian soil by Pakistani based  agents, and then we can wait for a lifetime before Pakistan can complete a case against them, leaving the families of the innocent victims of these cowardly attacks, bereft of any hope of seeing the killers of their loved ones ever brought to justice.

5) The Prime Minister is still in Election mode. The Congress Party has diluted his undoubted intellect. He is actually, actually proud that Pakistan has admitted that Kasab is their national and that feat has never been achieved by any other government. In fact, Pakistan, by admitting to this (they had no other choice considering Kasab's confession), was merely counterbalancing with Baluchistan and the delinking of Terror dismantling and Engagement in Dialogue. The Indian team in their euphoria, overwhelmed by Pakistan's admission , signed everything that  Pakistan sidled in.

6) "Prime Minister Singh said that India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan, including all outstanding issues." The Indian team were patting themselves on their back having thought that they had prevented a mention of Kashmir. Then the penny dropped!!! All outstanding issues would  obviously contain Kashmir.... So Pakistan really executed a brilliant deal. They have nothing to lose.

This Indo-Pak joint statement reiterates the fact that India lacks teeth in foreign policy negotiations, is easily cowed down, and generally subservient to even minnows like Pakistan.

Those of you who were unable to get a look at the videos in my last post, please note that they have been surreptitiously taken off by unknown people. These videos were a factual record of 26/11 by Channel Four. A thought provoking story of what really happened..... And yet it was censored....

The truth can really hurt some people!!!!!. 

Mumbai 26/11

In view of the Joint Declaration by our Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh and the Pakistani Prime Minister Mr Gilani, it is necessary to see this chilling video made by Channel 4. I make no accusations, no finger pointing, no recriminations. Let you, dear viewer look at these and then read the Indo-Pak joint declaration, which is on my next post, and make up your mind as to what our government did when they were put to the first test in upholding India's prestige......

 

 

The third part of this video has been taken out of circulation. God knows why....

 

 

This will not be seen in any of our hot shot TV channels, nor in any cinema hall, nor in any video parlour. It will not be reviewed in any newspaper, no full page advertisements will be taken out in glossy magazine and journals. Yet it will remain imprinted in our minds and souls forever. It will be the greatest crime ever committed by us if we forget it....

Novel H1N1 virus--the facts .....

This is the novel H1N1 virus which has caused a sweeping pandemic throughout the world. Originating in Mexico. it travelled to the United States (where the highest number of cases have been reported from), and subsequently spread via international travellers to Europe, Australia and the Asian countries. A majority of Indians affected are those who have travelled abroad and have got infected. As there is a high proportion of professionals who travel abroad from Hyderabad, this city has recorded the highest number of cases. Pune , being the educational capital of India, had a high proportion of students coming back from summer holidays abroad, and is now registering an increasing number of cases, necessitating closure of many upmarket schools.

27th July

475 cases have been identified in India of which 353 have been discharged from hospital.( up to 28th July). Kolkata has 5 cases so far.

We have to face it. With the Influenza season fast approaching, the crowded conditions we live in, the lack of basic hygiene in many of us, the lack of disposable tissues, poor and slow diagnostic facilities, poor quarantine rules and wards, and expensive treatment options necessitating non treatment and drop outs, India remains a fertile substrate for a massive spread of this disease.

Structure:- This virus (previously reported to be swine flu) was first detected in April 2009 in the United States. It actually differs from swine flu virus, i.e, the ones affecting pigs in North America. It is called a quadruple reassortant virus because it has 4 genes of which 2 are from flu viruses in Europe and Asia, one from avian flu virus and another from human flu virus.

This virus has two proteins of different sizes:

• A Type 1 Hemagglutinin --H1
• a Neuraminidase type 1.---N1

Spread:- It mainly spreads via droplet infection from infected patients sneezing or coughing into the general atmosphere. It may also spread via hands touching places where it has been deposited and then the hand touching noses or mouths. Persons are infective one day before the actual symptoms start to one week after the abatement of the disease.

PLEASE DON"T DO THIS!!!

The virus can stay alive on wood and table surfaces for 2--8 hours. It is killed by heat (75--100 degrees Centigrade), chlorine levels in water either in treated tap water or swimming pools, hydrogen peroxide, dilute iodine solutions like Betadine, detergents like soap and alcohol based sanitizers.

Whom does it affect:- Unusually, adults above the age of 64 seem to be more immune. The proportion of persons having antibodies to this virus is highest in that group. No child and very few persons under the age of 60 years have such antibodies. One third of persons above that age seem to have natural antibodies to this.

Highest affections are in the age group of 5--24 years.

Signs and Symptoms:- Pretty much like any other flu. Fever ,headache, runny nose, coughing and sneezing, sore throat, bodyache are common. Many infected persons are getting diarrhoea and vomiting. In progressive cases, there is shortness of breath, cyanosis, drowsiness, confusion, irritability, persistent vomiting, and recurrence of symptoms.

Persons at risk of severe disease are those with pregnancy, children under 5 and those with previous respiratory diseases, diabetes etc.

Swine flu has been linked to 700 human deaths worldwide since April - and nations could consider closing schools to slow its spread (WHO--21st July 2009) 

 

Prevention:- Washing of hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol based gels (to be rubbed till dry between hands). Do not put your finger and hands to your eyes, mouth and nose.

Stay at least 6 feet away from infected persons. Always cover your face and nose with a tissue while coughing and sneezing and insist on everyone following the same practice. Dispose of the tissue in covered trash cans.

Treatment :- There is no vaccine yet which can prevent the disease. Antiviral Drugs like oseltamivir or tamimivir  are recommended. Thankfully, the complication rates are still low. In India cases are rising at the rate of 20 per day.

So remember to wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  Carry soap paper or liquid sanitizers with you, and wash hands after a bus or an auto ride.

Do not touch your nose, eyes and mouth without washing your hands.

Report yourself or anyone else with persisting symptoms of Flu for a test.

So far, the disease may be spreading, but we have some medicines to control it.

Australia and the attacks on Indian students

Recently in mid May, I was in Sydney to attend a fantastic course. I wandered round in railway stations at midnight, went for walks  beside the Harbour Bridge, and went shopping along the streets. I found the local citizens as friendly, courteous and helpful as they were during my last visit to the Gold Coast and Brisbane 6 years ago. The only problem was that except for Fridays, shops closed at 6 PM. so we could not shop except for that one day.

However Newspapers and Television channels were telling a different story. Indian students were being attacked and brutalized. They were lying in hospitals fighting for their lives. I could not equate the horrific pictures with my own experience. Though there was quite a high percentage of immigrants from Middle East and Asian countries, and they were present in most shop stores as employees, there seemed to be a particular animosities towards Indian subcontinent origin dwellers.

 

How did this happen?

There are ,I think many reasons for this and Social scientists should have seen this coming.

Firstly the immigrants huddle amongst themselves, converse mostly in their own languages and mostly listen to news and music of their countries. They often are loud, lack the simple courtesies that are prevalent in these countries, and are slow integrators. However, this is true of most immigrant communities and cannot be a cause or justification of such violent, antisocial behaviour of resident gangs.

Secondly the great hullaballoo created by the Media in India, Amitabh Bacchan's refusal to receive an University Award and statements by various political leaders --all contributed to resentment and increased targeting of the hapless Indian students. Australian officials in an attempt to save their massive Education Industry, refused to accept the racial causes and insisted that it was a simple law and order problem. This encouraged the teenage gangs to continue their lumpen activities with greater energy.

Thirdly, Australian society has changed. The newspapers and Television news are very tabloid like--almost like their British counterparts. The papers are filled with players hurling abuses, fighting, getting involved with prostitutes, drinking and drugs. A football coach invited a stripper to do her act in front of the players before a big match to "rejuvenate" them!!! A large picture showed a player urinating in a public place!!! Scandals, risque stories and pictures were everywhere. It seems that the Aussies are following the Brits in the crumbling of social values.

A bar room brawl, a few punches, grappling and fighting are the standard ways in which Australians are venting their anger and frustration as they struggle to adjust to the new realities.This cannot be blamed to alcohol consumption alone as WHO statistics showed that that level had remained steady for the last decade. See the picture above of an Australian family.

Sequelae of a bar room brawl 

Fourthly, the Economic Recession has meant many workers losing their jobs leaving immigrant workers to fill those positions with their higher level of education and propensity to work more for less money. This has left a huge number of teenagers and their families with increasing resentment against the "invaders".

Already Australians are feeling the pinch. Many Indians are turning away from them , deciding to pursue their studies in Europe, USA, and South East Asia and China.

Action has to come from the Australian Government and their social leaders if they have to salvage the situation. So far,  actions have not matched the actual needs.

The breach will take a long time to heal, unless the ordinary ,courteous, helpful, tolerant Australian citizen, the real silent majority, come forward with energy and purpose.

Why did Kasab confess??

It's difficult to believe that the confession is due to remorse, change of heart or an inability to go through the distressing, prolonged trial.

Let us no mistake. Kasab is a highly trained, motivated terrorist. Terrorists , specially terrorist killers have no  shame, no sensitivity, no regrets. Any human being who has killed without a reason, on instructions, has no conscience or soul anymore. No matter what human rights activists may say, there is no place for them in civilised society. They have to be executed but it has to be shown that they have been punished not on the spur of the moment, but by deliberate judgment because they have broken all norms of social behaviour, because they have taken the most precious possession of a human being--his life--and without any warning, notice or  provocation.

So why did he confess, knowing fully well that he has merely hastened his own death?

There are two reasons.

By doing it, he wants to take the slight chance that he may just get a Life imprisonment. Though this possibility is practically nonexistent, there was no harm in trying. If he could escape with such a judgment, there is a possibility he could just escape by an exchange with hijacked hostages or some Indian agent.

The more plausible reason is that he was instructed to do so by the Pakistan Government. there is a great battle waging in that country between civilised society which has a majority support and the power seeker nexus between terrorist groups like the ISI, Taliban, Lashkar etc.

This struggle changes hourly or daily. Kasab has implicated the Lashkar group. This will make it easier for the present government to go after the terrorist groups by arresting them and probably convicting them . However, these groups will use all their influence to stop this pathway. That is why, the trials will be delayed, there will be backpedalling, releases, withdrawals. Kasab's confession gives the government some cards to play in this ongoing battle. That is why immediately after the Joint Declaration at Egypt and the discussions before that, a gameplan has been activated between the two governments. This gameplan includes Kasab's confession as the first pawn move.

With Sarabjit being used as a counterpoint to Afzal, there is an effective delay to the execution of both of them. One wonders whether some other counterpoint is being prepared for Kasab and thereby causing a delay in  his execution ?? For execution is the only verdict possible for Kasab....

The Bengali films of yesteryear...

Recently, I had the pleasure of viewing an old Bengali film of yesteryear Deya Neya. Made in Black and White and starring Uttam Kumar and Tanuja with music by  Shyamal Mitra(his first effort as music director!!!), it reminded me of all that was best in commercial Bengali films. Here was the great romantic hero, who brought in so much of ease and panache to his role. No one could match his impeccable timing and presence.

Tanuja was so cute and lovely to look at. The mildly exaggerated responses, the pouts and the glorious smile which lit up the screen like a rainbow--all made her a vivacious heroine.

The side actors were so splendid reflecting an era which was so safe and reliable and familiar. Pahari Sanyal was the benign, indulgent father--a role which had died with him, a character which has disappeared from Bengali  films forever. Tarun Kumar was the essential friend. Where nowadays would you find one like this persona now?? Can you really go and stay unannounced and stay with a friend suddenly for days on end ? An instant camaraderie over a cup of tea?

 

Lily Chakravarty's role as a friend's wife was tailiormade. A beautiful housewife who was musically inclined, tolerant and with a sense of humour rarely seen nowadays. Kamal Mitra was the rigid patriarch with a booming voice and a presence which generated awe . There can never be another like him.

Though comparisons are odious, I just looked at some recent commercial Bengali films and was aghast. They were portraying a society which never exists.Cavorting dances in Malaysia, dresses of the heroines which were so unreal. the vacant faced heroes who cannot walk straight without twisting their hips, the rank bad comedians, the absence of timing and the absence of silence ,an inane script --all contributed to a cacophony of instruments and a confusion of ideas. Technologically crisp, and fast paced, they cover up their dearth of sensitivity by slang dialogues, titillation and visual slickness. The short statured , self professed saviour of the Bengali film industry, better than Uttam Kumar(his own proclamation) hero has not been able to generate a film presence or any facial expression or a decent dialogue delivery after two decades of exposure--surviving due to lack of any competition. Where, oh where, is the hero who commands a presence, who generates attention,who whisks you away to a world of reality and the plausible, where the scripts and dialogues are  meaningful and identifiable in our own middle class society?

Even though ,I saw the film with a sparse audience---this was the 6th time I was watching the film, I came out relaxed and content, humming a song. Kolkata looked sepia tinted, more likeable, more familiar, and for a while, I was in tune with the countless scurrying figures at the bus stops and stations and on the roads. There was ,I felt, some things still right in the world....

In this video, just see his style, his little glances at the paper, the smile and above all, that unforgettable presence.......

SIKKIM 6

We started on our sightseeing round Ravangla next day at 9Am. The driver of our Maruti van was 26 years old and constantly talking on his mobile so much so that we had to narrate some of our stories regarding what happened to such people who walked and talked, or those who drove and talked. Fortunately his talktime finished and he had to concentrate on his driving.

We first went to the Teri Tea garden, where tea bushes stretched to the horizon, interspersed with narrow curving pathways.

 

Our next stop was the nearby Biodiversity Park.

A sprawling place with little waterpools ,bridges and winding paths, contains numerous rare trees and flowers. Bluebells, forget-me-nots and unknown wildflowers were everywhere.

From the park we made our way on the Namchi Road to the massive statue of  Guru Padmasambhava (unveiled in 2004) placed on a strategic hilltop. The statue is about 150 feet tall and is wonderfully constructed. Unfortunateley it was being touched up so the pictures do show the bamboo platforms. As we descended along the flag lined road, the breeze brought along with it a brisk shower and gurgling brooks started to flow beside us.

Next day . we made our way down to Siliguri. Heavy overnight rain had rendered the roads slippery.The fog brought the visibility down to a metre only as we slithered our way down to Namchi. The road from Namchi to Melli was a wonderful drive. We reached Siliguri and then Bagdogra airport, before taking the Kingfisher flight back to Kolkata in the evening.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain