Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Terror regroups

The army might have uprooted many militant groups operating from Pakistani soil, but it has not deterred terror outfits from regrouping and striking back, writes Shahid Husain

The attack on Lahore's Jinnah Hospital on May 31 by the militants in an attempt to free their wounded fellow Moaz alias Amir Moavia, who was being treated there, amply demonstrates that malignant aggression has penetrated deep in Pakistan society. Moavia was injured during a recent attack on two worship places of the Ahmadis. The Ahmadis are considered religious outcasts of sorts by almost all the Muslim religious factions, though the Pakistan Constitution asserts they are equal citizens.

One of the Pakistan’s top defence analysts, Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi, explains the phenomenon and thinking behind the attacks in a conversation with TSI, “The attack on Ahmadis puts forth two things: First, it was a soft target that the militants used to assert their ability to challenge the Pakistan state and the provincial government; secondly, it also relates to the extremely negative sentiments the orthodox Muslims have about the Ahmadis,” He adds, “The militants must have thought that the people would sympathise with their action, which was actually the case.”

A large number of fundamentalist groups have cropped up in the impoverished Pakistan since 2001. Links between many of these new and existing groups have strengthened, say experts, giving rise to fresh concerns for stability. Successful army operations against the militants in Swat and South Waziristan under the leadership of General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani have forced militants to re-group themselves and co-ordinate with each other in more ways than one— be it in terms of logistics or collection of funds. Leadership elements of al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban, along with other terrorist groups, have made Pakistan's tribal areas their home and now work closely with a wide variety of Pakistani militant groups. They find many sympathisers amongst the educated middle and upper middle class.

Hassan Abbas, a fellow at the Asia Society, writes that Punjabi Taliban network is a loose conglomeration of members of banned militant groups of Punjabi origin that have developed strong connections with the Pakistani Taliban, Afghan Taliban, and other militant groups based in FATA and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The Punjabi Taliban provide logistical support for attacks on cities in Punjab province and include individuals or factions of groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and their various splinter groups, along with small cells unaffiliated with any large group. The Punjabi Taliban are distinct from the traditional Pashtun Taliban, experts say. They are usually more educated and more technologically savvy.

Since there is also greater coordination between all these groups, say experts, lines have blurred regarding which category a militant group fits in. For instance, the Pakistani Taliban, which were committed to fighting against the Pakistani state, are now increasingly joining insurgents fighting U.S. and international troops across the border in Afghanistan. U.S. Central Command Chief General David H. Petraeus, in a CFR interview, says the groups have long shared a symbiotic relationship. “They support each other, they coordinate with each other, sometimes they compete with each other, [and] sometimes they even fight each other.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Which colour do you 'need'

Ever wondered why the colour of money is usually green and workplaces are often painted blue and yellow? And why black is not a colour for an auspicious occasion while red is the choice of colour for most brides? Aakriti Bhardwaj sets out to find if interpreting colours correctly will indeed lead us to the pot of gold that lies at the end of the rainbow.

While driving back from work one day, I heard an RJ on a radio channel dishing out advice to people for various problems through the usage of colours. A caller rang in and said, “I’m in love with this girl, who is my boss. She is going to London in 10 days and I need to tell her that I love her and I don’t want her to go.” The on-air colour therapist cum RJ Rochie Rana advised him to use red, pink and purple in his office. The week after, I tuned in again to find out about the fate of Mr Romeo. He apparently had walked up to his girl and proposed. “I think even I love you,” was the reply the lucky man received! But how could mere colours make someone fall for a person? Desperate to figure out how colours can fix our problems, I fixed an appointment with Rochie Rana, a colour therapist, pranic healer and an ex-radio jockey.

“There are two ways to look at colour therapy,” said Rochie, my shepherd for the day, lounging on a chair in a café sporting a black attire and sipping on a yellow drink. “One is colour therapy that originated along with ayurveda. In India, the principle was really simple, they understood colours affect people. Brides always wore red, that was colour therapy because they understood that red is the colour of sexual desire. It is the colour of bonding sexually, as in ancient India there were arranged marriages, so it helped women to feel more comfortable. They wore henna on their hands, as yellow is the colour which stopped them from feeling tired and helped cool their nerves as they worked in the kitchen and in the field. This is the Indian version, which started with ayurveda and it became really big while colour therapy was left behind. Then came Pythagoras (the man behind the Pythagoras theorem), who understood that every colour has a wavelength and every wavelength of every colour was constantly hitting your mind and giving you certain messages, and it had an effect on your mind, body and soul. Green was a natural master healer. Colour therapy is very old but Pythagoras actually is the man who gave colours their vibrational modalities, and therefore made it very scientific.”

Colour therapy is often criticised, for the placebo effect alone may help heal some patients. “You can verify it” Rochie said with a defensive look that stemmed from her love for her art... sorry science! “It’s empirical. Pythagoras said there are vibrational modalities. It is certified by doctors across the world. There are psychological institutes that dwell upon colour therapy. The University of Massachusetts always stands by the effect of colours on marketing and sales. For instance, no restaurant will have insufficient red or orange because those are the colours that make you want to eat. We don’t work on placebo effect.
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Saturday, June 19, 2010

It Pays to Unbelong

West’s shifting of the goalpost on Iran and its disregard for the Turkey-Brazil brokered Nuclear Swap deal has jeopardised the legitimacy of the UNSC, says Saurabh Kumar Shahi

Just a week before the Turkey-Brazil brokered Nuclear Swap deal, I, like many other Iran watchers, was pretty optimistic about its outcome. We had info that the deal will cover all the aspects of the previous deal that the West offered last October. However, a European diplomat friend of mine pricked my confidence just a night prior to the announcement. Casually, he put forward a question which I was not prepared for. “What if we shift the goalpost?” he said, with a smirk on his face. I did not take it just as another bout of cynicism which many diplomats suffer from. I, at least, was sure what fate awaits the deal. As the week unfolded, both I, and over and above, my diplomat friend, were right.

As it happened, the US had yet again shifted the goalpost on Iran in order to warrant that the face-off wasn't resolved even with Iran’s concession on the Uranium swap deal. And also, by doing so, the US has abandoned its own Uranium swap deal bid. Now, this should come as no revelation since experts have long maintained that Uncle Sam's present stance, like its earlier stands, was purely intended to drag out the confrontation rather than resolve it. The matter is now pretty clear: the US still persists on zero enrichment in Iran, a presumably unattainable touchstone proposed to avert a resolution.

Several of the pro-western analysts decrying Turkey-Brazil Swap deal--popularly called Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) deal--are harping on the fact that Iran never stopped producing enriched uranium since the Americans put forward the first version in October last year. This, according to them, means that albeit some of the low enriched uranium goes to Turkey, “the residual would be adequate to produce a theoretical nuclear weapon if Iran ever wished to exercise Article X of the NPT and broke out of the NPT regime. This analysis, nonetheless, completely discounts the fact that the initial offer by the US never reflected that Iran should stop enrichment. So, discontinuing the enrichment was by no means a part of the bargain.


“Actually, this aspect was the real disclosure of the initial proposal, for it was broadly understood as an implicit US acceptance of Iran’s right to enrich Uranium. It was, in effect, LEU generated at Natanz that was to be swapped over for new fuel cells,” says noted Iranian watcher and proliferation expert Cyrus Safdari, while talking to TSI. Moreover, the alarm of Tehran achieving “breakout capacity” is hogwash and relies merely on pretexts as, technically speaking, any nation with a nuclear programme could hypothetically produce bombs. Going by the IAEA’s own assessment, presently 42 nations can swiftly make nukes if they so desired, which essentially means that it is not an Iran specific issue. On the posturing front, the regime in Washington has suffered a credibility setback of biblical proportions. Therefore, understandably, the US is acting swiftly to reclaim the initiative and summon up the impetus. And to do that, Washington will need not merely to unravel the deal, but essentially discredit the whole idea of parley and negotiations with Tehran. However, above all, the regime will do whatever possible to badly humiliate Turkey and Brazil and show them their “right place”.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Friday, June 18, 2010

Water woes intensify

When it was predicted about a decade back that the next World War would be fought for control of water, sceptics dismissed it as a mere hyperbole. Now, with killings over water being reported from across the country, the spectre of the past is becoming a scary reality. The TSI team of Anil Sharma, Raju Kumar and Nishant Bhadreshwar takes stock

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in want of a wife must be a good provider. However, what the word ‘provider’ encompasses has acquired a new meaning in Rajasthan. Here, a man must be able to provide water to the family apart from other things. Sounds like a leaf out of Ripley’s ‘Believe It or Not’, but the acute water scarcity in the state has made a lot of people wary of marrying off their daughters in villages where women would inevitably have to trudge for miles everyday to fetch some water. “Often, women have to walk for miles to collect water. Many people are reluctant to marry off their daughters into such communities,” says Rameshwar Chaudhari, a resident of village Chopra Dhotra in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. His village is facing severe water crisis.

Rajasthan, spread over 10.4 per cent of the country’s geographical area and sustaining more than 5.5 per cent of the human population and 18.70 per cent of the livestock, has only 1.16 per cent of the total surface water available in the country. This year, the ground water situation has turned alarming in the state with only 30 water blocks out of the total 237 left in the safe zone. With increase in the population and subsequently the demand for water for various purposes, the state is already in the middle of a terrible water crisis. The per capita annual water availability in the state is about 650 cubic meters against the minimum requirement of 1,000 cubic meters. “I am 60 years old and have never seen a situation like this. We get water only once or twice a month and even that comes with low pressure. It takes over half an hour to fill a bucket,” says Kamla, a resident of Naulakhi in Sri Ganganagar district. The crisis has also become so acute in Atru in Baran district that the water department—in spite of spending Rs 20,000 daily on the supply of water—is finding it difficult to meet the local demand through tankers.

The local administration in Akhlera in Jhalawar district, having a population of over 12,000, is now planning to engage 150 plus tankers to supply water. The only source of water in the town, Amalvada Deh dam, is drying up fast. Similar situation has emerged in Sojat Road in Pali district where the administration has demanded a special 65 wagon water train to overcome the crisis. Women in Bhilwara town of Rajasthan recently blocked the road in front of the municipality, demanding increased water supply. “We want more tube wells to be dug up so that we can get water,” says Kamla, a housewife. Water is being supplied once in every five days in the town famous for its textile industry.
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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Just for laughs

If laughter is the best medicine, then he is currently Bollywood’s resident pharmacist. In a conversation with Spriha Srivastava, the irrepressible Sajid Khan reveals the tricks of how he tickles everyone's funny bone…

You have a comical streak when it comes to facing the camera. Why haven’t you acted in your own films?

I don’t think I’m a good actor. Hats off to those who can do it all – write, direct, act. I don’t think I can do all this together. When I’m involved in a film, I totally lose myself in it. I’m involved with everything related to the film. In fact, my doses of cigarettes increase, I put on weight etc. I like to get involved with every detailing of the film because I want to make a film which I would want to watch as an audience and have fun. I don’t think doing more than direction in a film can work for me.

What is comedy according to you?

Comedy is action and reaction. When there’s an action, the reaction is what makes people laugh. For example, in "Housefull", all the actors are displaying some action and Arjun’s role is only to react. That reaction is what will make people laugh. So, comedy has to have a balance between action and reaction.

Was filmmaking your childhood dream?

Oh yes! Like most people in India, even I have grown up watching films only. I have made fun of films, criticised them, done spoofs of them on TV… and that’s because I love movies more than anyone else. In fact, I’d confess that I’m not a good director. I’m a very good audience. I know exactly what the audience wants to see.

How do you draw the cues of humour for your script?

I am little crazy! But it’s real life observation. For example, there was once a situation where my secretary was diagnosed with cancer. He got tests after tests done for that. It went on for six months and it was confirmed that he had pancreatic cancer. After six months he was told that he actually has diabetes and has to control consumption of sweets. Out of excitement and relief I said, "Ye to bahut khushi ki baat hai… ye le muh meetha kar le!" (This is great news. You must have some sweets). And this situation turned out to be so funny that I have used it in my film.


Tell us about “Housefull”.

This film is a romantic comedy entertainer. All the stars in the film – Akshay, Riteish, Deepika, Arjun, Jiah, Lara - have a unique role and I think this is going to be Akshay’s most defining role ever. Jiah will be seen as never before. Lara is doing what a Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi did in the eighties, from a comedy point of view. This is not a madcap cinema or leave-your brains-at-home kind of a movie. It took me two years along with two other writers to pen the script. In this movie all these stars come together in one house and each character go through different things in their life. I don’t expect any critical acclaim or any ‘Best Director’ award from this film. But I can guarantee that each and everyone will enjoy this film.

At the sets of “Housefull”, who made you laugh the most?

Oh everyone. But Randhir Kapoor was exceptional, offscreen! He is a very funny man. Also, Akshay and Riteish make me laugh a lot. And you have to meet Arjun after he’s two drinks down. He’s the funniest man on earth then.

Do you necessarily have to maintain a light atmosphere on the sets to get the best out of actors?

Yes, I guess so. I don’t think any film unit can be called a happy film unit if they don’t have a tear in their eye on the last day of shooting. According to me, this indicates that every person, right from the guy who does the lighting to the biggest of actors, have enjoyed and worked as a family. On my sets, we are always pulling each others’ leg.

Were there any pranks played on the sets of “Housefull”?

Sajid directs the question to Jiah, seated in the same room, to narrate the prank played on her in Italy. Jiah – “Akshay and Riteish had dumped all the cutlery of the hotel that we were in, in my bag. So while going out, all the knives, forks, butter, jam etc was discovered from my bag and I was highly embarrassed. Everyone was looking at me!”

What do you think is most important in a film?

I think the script is the most important part of a film. Only a good script can make a film work. Stars are only there to attract audience into the theatre to watch a film. But eventually, it’s the script that makes the stars work. Aamir Khan’s “3 Idiots” made billions at the box office. But I feel if Aamir Khan was replaced, the film would have done equally well because the script was very well laid out.

Which movie do you wish you had directed?

"Dostana". When I saw the film, the first thought that came to my mind was that wish I would have made this film. I could stop myself from laughing throughout the movie.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Legacy on its last leg?

Will the Shehnai have to reconcile to the fact that there may not be another Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan? The son who was his successor is dead; the others are struggling, and there’s little other than memorial concerts to keep the tradition going. Puja Awasthi reminisces of the time when there was hope…

Ustad Nayyar Hussain Khan “Bismillah” passed away following respiratory problems at a Varanasi hospital on December 17, 2009. To me, he had begun to fade away in July of that year itself, when, as I got up to leave that baithak plastered with photographs and awards (including the Bharat Ratna) of his father the late Bismillah Khan, he thrust a couple of brochures (titled Music Represents Soul) and visiting cards in my hand and said, “Kaam dilwao. Koi bhi kaam chalega. Shaadi aur party mein bhi bajayenge.” (Get me work. Any work will do. I will play at weddings and parties.) I did not fail to notice that the Ustad’s name was bolder than Nayyar’s on the card. And that here was a man aged 70, the second son of a legend who had put a simple wind instrument to his lips and coaxed such sweetness from it that it ceased to remain an accompaniment to flashier ones, begging for work. The Ustad would neither have understood nor approved.

But when like Nayyar Khan, you live with four brothers, one sister and 30 children and grandchildren, in a lane that’s named after your father in a narrow, white house with 10 rooms, you have responsibilities you cannot shrug. And Nayyar Khan, being the successor to his father had to bear them all.

Such is Varanasi’s association with the Ustad that when he had passed away in August 2006, there were many who lamented “Bharat Ratna chala gaya” (The Bharat Ratna has gone). To his own family it was as though life had been sucked out of all those who had been left behind.

“My Abba had a generous heart but a sharp tongue. Nobody who came to our home would leave without a meal. After a concert, the cooks would work overtime to cater to those who came to congratulate him. Some had even named our home Bismillah hotel. But after him, the staunchest of his well-wishers have disappeared. There is just the occasional phone call. Yes, there are problems,” Nayyar had said going on to detail how he even had to haggle about the number of musicians he could take in his group for a performance. No one would of course have dared to make such talk to the Ustad. Yet, Nayyar was looking forward to a tour of the USA this year. “Before every performance, I tell the audience that they should listen to me as Ustad Bismillah Khan’s son, not as the Ustad himself and grant me some grace,” he had said.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Russia, France for MRCA

With no-strings-attached access, complete transfer of technology and the IAF’s familiarity in operating Mirage and MiG 29 aircraft, the lethal and all-new combat platforms of MiG 35 and Rafale should be India’s choice, Tathagata Bhattacharya writes

It has been almost 10 years now that the Indian Air Force (IAF) projected a requirement for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA or MRCA). It was touted as the biggest defence aviation deal of the decade. We are virtually into another decade and the procrastinating Indian defence establishment still has not decided upon the procurement. As the six competitors near completion of the trials, it looks like the deal will finally materialise this decade. And it is likely the deal size will increase to about 200 aircraft, depending on requirements. The deal is valued between of $12 and $14 billion.

Any discussion on what aircraft suits India best has to factor in various parameters. And since the aircraft are going to be in service for at least 40 years and, thus, play a significant role in the transformation of IAF from a tactical air wing defending the country’s airspace into a strategic force capable of domination of far-away skies, the choice has to be in sync with IAF’s future procurement plans.

The IAF, in 2025-2030, should ideally have about 60 squadrons looking after the varied needs of air defence, air superiority, multi-role, deep penetration strike, reconnaissance and electronic warfare. While the Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (PAKFA) would constitute the higher end of the spectrum and will be the frontline stealth fighter for establishing air superiority, the indigenous LCA Tejas air defence warplanes will make up the lowest end of the rung. As many as 200 FGFA and at least 200 LCA are likely to be in service by 2030. Adding the 280 Sukhoi 30 MKIs to the list, India will have 34 squadrons of fourth and fifth generation Beyond Visual Range (BVR)- capable aerial combat platforms. The 120-odd upgraded MiG 29s and Mirage 2000s will be in the last leg of their service then. The indigenous stealth Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), which has already passed wind tunnel tests, should also be operational by then. Detractors will jump and point to the delays of the LCA project. LCA was India’s first attempt to build a world-class light combat aircraft from the scratch. Slowly but surely, India has been able to develop an R&D and building infrastructure which should be able to see MCA through. Ideally, this infrastructure should have followed the development of the HAL HF-24 Marut way back in the 1960s. And though IAF sources would hardly acknowledge it, the LCA goalposts were moved too often (thrice) to suit the changing requirements of the IAF, leading to its delay.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Monday, June 14, 2010

THE GREAT KHALI

Who needs a headline when you are The Great Khali?! Dalip Singh Rana, in a freewheeling chat with Neha Sarin, talks about his journey from being a cop in the Punjab police to becoming the most feared name in the WWE ring, to acting in Hollywood

How did you get into bodybuilding? Did you face any racism in the West?
In 1994, when I joined Punjab Police, I wanted to tone-up my physique as I was always interested in increasing my physical strength. I started bodybuilding and the results of progress were very good. Soon I became National Champion in 1997-98. Little bit of racism is always there, but due to my performances, I did not encounter much of it and the people here in the US showered a lot of affection on me.

What made people take note of Khali? Was it just the size, or his performances in wrestling?
I may have the liberty to say that spectators do feel attracted to my stature, but I would like to assert that it is my performance, and blessings of the Almighty on me.

How did the transition to WWE happen? What was your initial reaction to moving into the world of entertainment?
My desire to bring glory to myself and to my country took me to WWE, which enjoys universal popularity. Initially, I went to Japan and made relentless efforts to get proper training. It is a different matter that my performance was admired by the Japanese.

WWE is hugely popular in India, but the same can’t be said for traditional wrestling. We struggle in the sport even at an international level. Does India have the necessary talent in wrestling to make it big on the international stage?
I have mentioned that WWE is very popular all over the world, including India. I do agree that amateur wrestling is not that popular. The federations should take all requisite measures to make it popular. I assert that there is no dearth of wrestling talent in India.

Was it an easy and a natural progression from WWE to Hollywood? How was the experience working in “The Longest Yard” and “Get Smart”? Any more films in the pipeline?
While I was giving performances in the WWE ring, prominent producers and directors of Hollywood evinced interest in me and I got my first Hollywood break in “The Longest Yard” and after that “Get Smart”. By the grace of God both of them were quite successful. I enjoyed a lot working in them. My next movies “Tree of Life” and “A Team” are going to be released soon.

You’re a vegetarian, you don’t drink or smoke… Same holds true for most wrestlers in India. Is a vegetarian diet any less nutritious than what most of the West swears by?
I prefer vegetarian food, I don't enjoy drinking and smoking. Yes, I have learnt that many wrestlers in India are vegetarian. It’s not like vegetarian food carries any less nutrition than non-veg. Fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses, cheese are class one source of nutrition.

Your detractors say that your superhuman size is due to a disorder. There are also reports of wrestlers using steroids to gain mammoth proportions. Your comments.
I may assert that my so-called extraordinary physique is a god-given gift and there is no disorder whatsoever. I have learnt that several sports persons do take steroids to enhance their physical prowess but I don’t take any such thing. It is worth mentioning that there are routine dope tests in the WWE. However, all wrestlers do take food supplements.

What do you think about India’s bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics?
It is a matter of pride for us all that an Indian wrestler won bronze medal at the Olympics.

Do you think you missed out on Olympic glory for any reason whatsoever?
My sport is not in Olympics but I am very happy that I chose WWE. My countless fans all over the world would agree and I’m sure they are also happy with my decision of selecting WWE.

What do you think are India’s chances at the Commonwealth Games?
I am hopeful that talented athletes of India would perform well in forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

How can a child grow as huge as Khali?
I would again like to say that this hugeness of mine is a god given gift. I would also like to add that gifted children can make a mark in life through devoted and determined efforts.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010

BRAZIL'S SUCCESSION PLAN...

Who are the alternatives to carry forward the rich legacy of Lula

Is Brazil in search of a new leader? Fortunately or unfortunately, Lula’s formal political career is coming to an end as he is barred by law from contesting any Presidential election further after the consecutive two. But despite criticism, he remained one of the most popular leaders in the political fraternity of Brazil during his tenure. He undoubtedly has significant contributions in taking the country to the path of economic success. He is also perceived to be a pragmatic leader when it comes to foreign relations. During his rule, the foreign trade surplus has increased drastically to $47 billion in 2006. He has also been successful in maintaining good relation with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez as well as George Bush. Moreover, Brazil played a crucial role in negotiating the conflict between Venezuela and Colombia under Lula's leadership. Most importantly, Brazil gained a prestigious status at the international level under his leadership. His term is coming to an end as Brazil is scheduled to hold elections on October 3, 2010. This raises an important question. Is there any hope for Brazil to produce popular leaders like Lula? There are certain key names in the 2010 presidential race. Though they all carry similar opinions and policies in context to the economic stability of the nation, they widely differ in policies especially with regards to foreign policy, and role of the state in context to its interventionism.

To talk about them briefly, first is Dilma Rousseff, Lula’s chief of staff and his chosen candidate to represent his Workers’ party. Though she is not very influential and popular but if she is backed by the gigantic election campaigns of Lula, she may emerge beyond anyone's imagination. However, her policies would not differ much from that of Lula. Foreign policy would be indifferent to that of Lula if she wins boosting ties with developing countries and pushing for reforms for multilateral bodies and seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council where Lula failed. Second to name is Jose Serra of the social Democracy Party. As the Sao Paulo state governor, he has his biggest lessons with him. Lula lost thrice before he finally won the election in 2002. He just lost once to Lula in the 2002 Presidential election. With his past experience and with 20 per cent point lead over Rousseff in opinion polls, he has high popularity in Brazil. However, his victory may strengthen America's say over South American affairs and also over the Brazilian foreign policy. And apart from them, Marina Silva, the former environment minister is the other Presidential candidate. Well, she might be popular in the international arena for her contributions to protect Amazon rainforest, but she needs to reshape her image in the country as the opinion polls show a mere 7 per cent support. Ciro Gomes, former governor of the northeastern state of Ceara is the other one who also ties Rousseff for second place in polls at 14 per cent.

Though Brazil inherited free and fair electoral democracy, Lula’s leadership remains unique in the Brazilian history. Political rivalry is inevitable and understandable. Beyond everything, the most important task before his successors will be to carry forward the legacy they have inherited successfully! But the question is who can do that best?

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Friday, June 11, 2010

PEACE MAY GET ANOTHER CHANCE

A group wants the govt and ULFA to make a new start

A group of prominent citizens of Assam organised a state-level convention on April 24 with an aim to revive the peace process between ULFA and the Central government. More than 130 ethnic and state-level organisations participated in this event. The move has been welcomed by the self-styled commander in-chief of ULFA, Paresh Barua. Issuing a statement to the media through an e-mail, Barua said ULFA would never give up its demand of sovereignty.

He further added that all the participants were committed to the Constitution of India that had already taken away the legitimate rights of the people of the state. Moreover, Barua claimed that some 12, 000 people lost their lives in the fight between security forces and ULFA. He said the outfit would never compromise with its demand for the sake of holding talks. But on the other hand, member of the organising committee of the convention, Dilip Patgiri, said: “We are hopeful and I think this convention will help solve the problem of our state. The convention had formed a steering committee whose work is to suggest both the ulfa and the government to take the right decision in resolving the burning issue that has rocked the state for long.”

Meanwhile, ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and vice-chairman Raju Baruah, who are in jail, declined comment on the issue. This clearly indicates that there are growing differences of opinion amongst ULFA leaders. Analysts said there is no consensus in the party on the issue.

However, leader of the 28th battalion Jiten Dutta said: “Paresh Barua only dreams of a sovereign Assam. It is easy to declare war from a foreign country. He doesn’t understand the problem local people are faced with. We hope that the convention will have a positive impact on the discussion process.” He said those who are fighting for the outfit now want peace. They support the new move. But Jiten added: “The organisation is not divided on this issue. Of late, Paresh Barua’s popularity has been waning. Only a handful of cadres back him. Only 10 to 15 members are with him. It is easy to send an e-mail from a foreign country. He keeps himself away from reality.”

The day-long state-level convention called upon both the government and the ULFA to come forward for talks without any further delay and precondition. Now the ball is in the ULFA’s court. It would be interesting to see how the outfit reacts to the offer. Insiders say chances are that they may not let this opportunity go. With its top leadership behind bars and its chief on the run, the outfit has little option left than to resume peace talks with the Central government. If it happens then peace may finally return to Assam.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Thursday, June 10, 2010

BLUE FILM RACKET BUSTED

Youth fooled girl, captured intimate moments on camera

Educated, unemployed youths in Orissa are making quick money by filming obscene videos. The arrest of Ranjit Parida on April 19 from Cuttack for allegedly running a blue film racket has once again proved that how organised groups have been operating in different parts of the state. According to cops, they shoot pornographic videos of local girls and sell them in the local markets or to Websites.

Further investigation is on to find out more about the racket. One more person has been arrested. Cops also stumbled on a large number of locally made pornographic CDs and DVDs at the hideout. Parida, who hails from Jagatsinghpur, has been in the business for long, said the police. Sources said Parida developed physical relation with a girl on the pretext of marriage. During this period, he used to buy costly gifts for her. Gradually he won her confidence. And then, he captured acts of physical intimacy on the camera. He made CDs and circulated them in the market. Shockingly, he has confessed to his crime. He said: “I have prepared the CDs and circulated them in the local market.”

Some locals said that the racket had been operating for long in the area. Moreover, they caught hold of Parida and later handed him to the police. The victim girl’s family members also played an important role in Parida’s arrest. After coming to know about the incident, they trapped the accused.

It was in August 2008 that for the first time such a kind of racket was busted in the state. A girl in the city committed suicide after a pornographic CD featuring her was circulated in the market. The victim was a Mass Communication student. The 2008 incident is still fresh. In that incident, the main accused, Astaranga Sahoo, had captured his intimate moments with his lover with a hidden camera. He was helped by some of his friends. Later on they sold the video clip to vendors.

Since then, many youths have been arrested for their involvement in such crimes. One month later, the police busted another blue film racket. Some 24 minors were rescued from Bhubaneswar in September. Two persons were also arrested for filming nude pictures of a girl in Jajpur in October last year. Later, the same year, another obscene CD racket was busted in Niali of Cuttack district. The police had unearthed a pornographic CD racket and arrested the photo studio owner Sheikh Kamran, who was allegedly involved in making and marketing of obscene CDs.

Investigators said in this case too, a youth befriended a local girl. Then he promised to marry her. After winning her confidence, he recorded their private moments. After that, he approached Kamran to burn the CDs. Once it was ready, the video clippings were circulated by a code name “NialiXXX”. However, the cops busted the racket by arresting the youth and his accomplices.

Experts who have been following such incidents said that despite the cops taking action against such people, the incidence of crime has not come down. The worrying point is that more and more educated, unemployed youths are lured to commit this crime.

For these wayward youths, this is the easiest way to make quick money. Talking to TSI, police commissioner, Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Bijaya Sharma said: “Lack of stringent cyber law stops cops from taking adequate action against the culprits. Still we work overtime to bust such rackets in the state.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Size does matter

Around her 31st birthday, Hollywood actress Kate Hudson, it seems, got for herself a rather unusual gift. Hudson’s recent pictures have shown her looking fuller and have led to rumours that the “Raising Helen” star has gone in for breast implants. Well, insiders are believed to have let out that the “How to lose a guy in 10 days” actress has, in fact, gone through a ‘small boob job’ last month right after losing her guy, baseball player A-Rod. Not that this is a first of its kind incident in Hollywood, but it does raise eyebrows since she has often been heard endorsing small breasts for sheer comfort of ‘wearing plunging necklines’!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Tuesday, June 08, 2010

In a new light

As opposition to the move subsides, the bankrupt Punjab State Electricity Board is bifurcated, setting in motion a long-overdue process of power sector reforms, reports Jagtar Singh

“Which is the place where people feel happy for 15 minutes every four hours?” This was the question in an SMS circulated widely some time ago. The answer, of course, was: “Punjab”! This has been the state of power for the common man in the state and the ruling party used power subsidies as a pawn for gathering votes. Thus there was grave resistance for a long time to the unbundling of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). But now the state is finally moving towards progressive reform in the power sector.

Though the high tension wires emitted danger signals for months, sparks did not fly as the Punjab government finally went ahead to unplug the six-decade-old PSEB to set in motion the process of power reforms. It has set up two news bodies under the Electricity Act, 2003 replacing the monolith which was considered overstaffed, corrupt, inefficient and financially bankrupt.

The state had virtually turned into a garrison with the army on standby and central forces and police out in strength to maintain law and order. They kept the system running in the wake of the two-day strike call given by various PSEB employees' unions who had the support from 22 other organisations representing the farmers, landless labourers and other toiling sections.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, after 17 extensions from the Centre since the Electricity Act became effective, finally decided to go ahead with the much-needed power sector reforms and brought it on the agenda of the state cabinet, which met on April 15 morning to bifurcate the PSEB into Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (Powercom) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (Transco). Badal said after the meeting, “The bifurcation would make the power system more efficient, accountable and responsive to the consumer needs”.

Interestingly, only last month, power engineers had urged Badal to bail out the PSEB from the financial mess it was caught in. It was virtually on the verge of a collapse. Due to the financial crisis, ongoing works had been affected as payments to contractors and suppliers had been stopped.

Even the reimbursement of medical and other bills of the employees had been stopped and payments from the provident fund account too were not being made to those on the rolls. PSEB had been running up losses that amounted to Rs 1800 crore during 2006-07, Rs. 1611 crore in the succeeding year and the like. The losses were estimated to be Rs. 2300 crore during the last financial year.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Monday, June 07, 2010

A bureaucrat doctor…

That’s what Faisal Shah, the topper of this year’s civil services examinations wants to be. A qualified doctor, he wants to put soothing balm on the wounds of the Kashmiri people, albeit in the garb of a bureaucrat. So he tells Haroon Reshi

Eight years after his father was assassinated by militants, Faisal Shah, 26, has succeeded in transforming his traumatic past into a glittering achievement. His harrowing past experiences could not wane his passion and dedication to attain his objective.

Shah, a government school pass-out from a remote village of the border district of Kupwara, became the first Kashmiri and the third Indian Muslim to have topped the Union Public Service Commission examination in the 63-year history of independent India.

The Kashmir valley erupted in spontaneous celebration as soon as the news of Faisal’s success spread out. Soon, his Srinagar house was teeming with overjoyed relatives and friends. Neighbours and well-wishers made it a point to convey their happiness and best regards to the future IAS officer. Youngsters burst crackers, raised slogans and beat drums outside, though it was raining hard. Kashmiri traditional chefs were brought in to make the wazwan (customary feast) for the guests. That was on May 7.

A cheerful atmosphere still prevails at Faisal’s residence in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar.

“My son has made me proud. It was his father’s dream to make him an IAS officer,” says Mubeena Begum, Faisal’s mother, as she serves Kashmiri kehwa.

Mubeena, a school teacher, is obviously the happiest soul on earth these days. “I am grateful to Allah that He has shown me this day,” she adds, with tears of joy sparkling in her eyes. A total number of 875 candidates (680 men and 195 women) were recommended for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and other central services. Faisal is among the 21 Muslims (including three other Kashmiris) on the list of 875 successful candidates. “I have shattered the myth that Kashmiris cannot crack this prestigious examination,” says Faisal, who will be turning 27 on the 17th of this month.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Friday, June 04, 2010

One year after LTTE

One year after the Tigers were silenced, the victorious Mahinda Rajapakse is stronger than ever. But as the Tamil Diaspora nurtures the dream of a Tamil Eelam, N. Asokan finds that only a meaningful political solution can bring permanent peace

The Fourth Eelam War in Sri Lanka finally came to an end on May 17, 2009, with the LTTE international relations head, K.P. alias Selvarajha Padmanathan, announcing that “The LTTE have decided to silence the guns.” Over 25,000 Tamils died in the final three months of the Fourth Eelam War which started in 2006. LTTE had waged armed struggle against marginalisation of minority Tamils in the island nation for almost three decades. From a position of controlling over 15000 square kilometer, they were pushed to 2 square kilometer at the end of the War, with scores of Tamil civilians moving along with them. The end of LTTE came when its supremo Veluppilai Prabhakaran’s body was identified from the Nandhikadal lagoon. Selevaraja Padmanathan, who was trying to revive the struggle with support from the Tamil Diaspora, was also arrested in Malaysia and brought to Colombo. As the first anniversary of the end of the war passes, the island nation has witnessed a series of important events in the last one year. In the political front, riding over the euphoria of triumph, Mahinda Rajapakse secured a massive victory in the presidential elections, he arrested war hero-turned political opponent Sarath Fonseka. Rajapakse’s party also secured a massive victory in the parliamentary elections. Rajapakse and his brothers have brilliantly strengthened their individual positions in no time.

But what has happened to the Tamils battered by the war? As the war progressed, LTTE was continuously on the run in the northern areas. It had already withdrawn from the east as their renegade ‘Col Karuna’ teamed up with Colombo. As a strategic move, it took three lakh Tamils along with it when it withdrew from its operational headquarters at Kilinochi. For three months, all these men, women and children were continuously on the run. These civilians became sitting ducks for the Lankan forces’ heavy artillery and planes. Everyday, scores of people died. When it was all but obvious that the LTTE would be defeated, they escaped the clutches of the Tigers and came to the side of the Lankan army. The strategy of the Tigers had been to get international involvement to force a ceasefire and simultaneously trying to bring about a possible turnaround in the fate of the war. It did not follow the script. Even the emotions whipped up in the state of Tamil Nadu in the run-up to the parliamentary elections did not yield the desired results. The octogenerian leader, M. Karunanidhi, addressed Tamil sentiments by taking part in a three-hour fast.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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