rebuttal by an officer (army chief age issue)

Lot of nonsense is being spewed on the net about the controversy involving the Army Chief. Unfortunately, the gentlemanly, week, effete and our non functional figurehead prime minister is being dragged into all this. The entire Sikh community is being maligned. Some officers and others from the chief’s camp have made this a communal issue. This is a first for a proud and secular Indian Army. The fact of the matter is that neither JJ , VK or even Bikram are officers of any great stature or brilliant and no where near outstanding. Indian Army looks back with nostalgia and yearns for officers of the caliber of Thimmaya, Manekshaw, SSP Thorat, Chotu Sen, Inder Gill, Satinder Singh,Eric Vas, Prem Bhagat, Harbaksh ( this is by no means an exhaustive list, or anywhere near it, its only representative), to make a comparison. Present day generals are just careerists. Only expectation I would make is AK Singh( present Southern army commander).

Recently, “Outlook” magazine( C S Dogra’s article), and a mossufil vernacular paper called “Chauthi Duniya”, have been writing uninformed articles about the army , the Sikh community and the present controversy. One Maj Gen Sinha has been fwd the same to army officers. And there has been an angry, hard hitting, apt,and logically reasoned  rebuttal by an officer K J Singh who is a friend of mine . I am reproducing the rebuttal and the mail fwd. by Mag Gen Sinha which i strongly feel should be made public. Though its a long post but worth a read :) 
This is a guest post written for "Hold the thought Get the point"
To read more click on the link http://myrootsmywings.blogspot.in/2012/05/guestspeak-warriors.html

When Hillary meets Didi (guest post)

                  
 Today, the 6th of May, will be a date etched in Didi's memory. Not necessarily in Hillary's. Two women. One known for her mercurial temper and the other a survivor, a fighter. One known for how she alienated people and the other for how heroic personality. It's not going to end all well. The impending doom er.. interaction between the second most powerful woman in America and the Chief Minister of PoschimBongo is going to reverbarate for a while. Hillary will be here to discuss a host of things amongst FDI in retail and the Teesta water sharing deal, both of which is not exactly the best ways to break ice with Didi. In a world where American leaders have a long history of patronizing the powers behind the throne, this could be a huge leap for mankind. I doubt if Didi will ever be fully prepared for what will happen over the course of today. And for that one reason, Hillary should be prepared for Didi's tantrums. Diplomacy is a tightrope walk but if Hillary manages to get what her countrymen wants and still keep Didi smiling, then this could be the beginning of something beautiful. Either ways, the outcome of today's meeting is going to be interesting. We'll see if Hillary truly has what it takes to be a world leader. Cool, calm and in charge.




 'Emotional Politics"' by our Guest Blogger, Navin Mathew. More dope here: Blog (http://myrootsmywings.blogspot.in/), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MyRootsMyWings), Indiblogger (http://www.indiblogger.in/blogger/30749/) photo credit Margari Aziza

baba goes corporate

"We have decided to expand our footprints in the retail sector to counter the 'conspiracy of loot' being orchestrated by MNCs in India. Our initiative is aimed at economic empowerment and employment generation through promotion of Swadeshi goods," said the yoga guru.

                                    

Finally baba is in lime light again , an inspiring politician really knows how to gain media attention , he has been in news for some time for his revolution against corruption. Yoga guru  Ramdev,  formed a political party-Bharat Swabhiman, to purify the corrupt politicians and rich . He  challenged all corrupt politicians ,contesting all seats in Parliament of India, in the next election. What is purpose of his political party ,and how it intends to use the power of yoga to clean up the corrupt politicians and rich in India through the policy of yoga , i really need to understand.
Yesterday he,  formally launched the range of his products in the national capital region (NCR) . His aim is  to make an impact in the country's booming retail sector baba ramdev ,announced that his portfolio of 800 products of Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd will be available in the open market. According to baba "Patanjali Ayurveda has been selling its entire range of 800 products through its exclusive outlets, and the move will turn the group not only into a major retail player but will also pit it against corporate firms."

 According to Ramdev  Patanjali's products will be 30 per cent cheaper than the items being sold by the big multi-national companies (MNCs). "Our products are cheaper because we source the products directly from farmers. Also, our overhead costs are low," "Even US President Barack Obama has been propagating Swadeshi by appealing to the American companies not to outsource jobs. I don't see any reason why the Indian government should open up its retail sector to MNCs." Baba  said that earnings from the entire project would not be used by the organisation's stakeholders. "On the contrary, profits from the project will be used to empower rural economy and health. Patanjali is in the process of building model villages throughout India,"

Well makes sense , and i hope he succeeds and we do see some positive results in near future  ,but what doesn't make sense  -why does baba have to resort to various means to achieve his goal to enter  politics  . he could have simply started a revolution without  targetting the central govt , and playing" nautanki" in salwar kammez . As a yog guru with a following of 10 lakh people he could have tried to cleanse the system voluntarily . And one questions that i would love to ask him "baba you are worth few hundred crores ,and being a baba you have limited needs, why not become a role model and put  that money to reforms "  i totally agree , i have no business to suggest some one what to do with his wealth ,but at the same time i cant stand his gimmicks for gaining popularity to enter mainstream politics.

Shiv Sena and Dirty Politics

'I am a great admirer of Hitler, and I am not ashamed to say so! I do not say that I agree with all the methods he employed, but he was a wonderful organizer and orator, and I feel that he and I have several things in common.... What India really needs is a dictator who will rule benevolently, but with an iron hand.' Balasaheb Thackrey to Asiaweek

          
                         
 From Marathi Manush to shaking hands with North Indians , Shiv Sena has set an examle how politicians can actually play with emotions of the people to enrich their vote bank. Shiv Sena ( Army of Shiv), referring to Shivaji ,  a  right wing organization in  India founded on 19 June 1966 by Balasaheb Thackrey currently headed by Thackeray's son Uddhav Thackrey . If we go back to the history, the party originally emerged out of a movement in Mumbai,  broadly favouring increased influence of Maharashtrians  in Maharashtra It built a strong base amongst the Marathi community in the sixties based on its ideology that Maharashtra belonged to the Marathi community and that they be given preference over migrants from other Indian states
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 Shiv Sena known for vendalism Politically, the Sena was anti-communist, and wrested control of major trade unions in Mumbai from the Communist Party of India  and demanded protection money (extortion) from mainly Gujarati and marwari business leaders. It later allied itself with the BJP  over the common issue oF Hindu Nationalism  which both parties believed in.  During the tenure of the government from 1995 to 1999, Thackeray was nicknamed "remote control " since he played a major role in government policies and decisions from behind the scenes.

Thackeray a pro-Tamil Tiger. He says, "I am proud of the Tigers for the gallant manner in which they are fighting."
He also wanted a ban on the LTTE lifted by the center-wing government.A man who is anti North Indians , Muslim community which is quite evident from various statements and actions in the past ,

On March 6, 2008, Bal Thackeray issued an editorial titled Ek Bihari, Sau Bimari (One Bihari, Hundred maladies) in Saamna, Shiv Sena's political mouthpiece, saying Biharis were 'an unwanted lot' in the Maharashtra. In what was termed as an apparent bid to recapture his party's Marathi sons of soil plank, which was being hijacked by the MNS leader Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray wrote about Biharis,

'They [Biharis] are not wanted in southern India, Assam and also Punjab and Chandigarh. The Biharis have antagonised local population wherever they had settled. The UP-Bihari MPs have shown their ingratitude towards Mumbai and Maharashtra with an anti-Marathi tirade in Parliament.'

He also denounced Bihari MPs, saying they were 'spitting in the same plate from which they ate' by criticising Mumbaikars and Maharashtrians. He also wrote, 'They are trying to add fuel to the fire that has been extinguished, by saying that Mumbaikars have rotten brains'. Additionally, he criticized a major holiday celebrated by people from Bihar, and eastern UP which happens six days after the Hindu New Year (Diwali) known as Chath Pooja. He said that it wasn't a real holiday.The outburst was apparently in response to MPs from Bihar who had disrupted the proceedings of the Lok Sabhae in protest against the attacks on North Indians.


Thackeray known as very vocal in his controversial opposition to people who migrate to Mumbai, to non-Hindus (especially Muslims), and to illegal Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh. In the late 1960s to mid-1970s, as part of his 'Maharashtra is for Maharashtrians' campaign, Thackeray threatened migrants from South India with harm unless they left Mumbai.
In the 1960s he called South Indians Lungiwaale and Yanda Gandu and had slogans like Lungi Hatao Pungi bajao

'"They (Muslims) are spreading like a cancer and should be operated on like a cancer. The... country should be saved from the Muslims and the police should support them (Hindu Maha Sangh in their struggle just like the police in Punjab were sympathetic to the Khalistanis )

Balasaheb Thackeray  criticized and challenged Indian Muslims through his party newspaper, Sāmna, around the time the 16th century Babri Masjid was demolished by members of the Shiv Sena and the Bharat BJP in the northern town of  on December 6, 1992. Hindus believe that the Babri Mosque was built on the demolished ruins of a Hindu temple in the 16th century, and consider it to be the Ram Janmabhoomi (birthplace of the Hindu God Rama ). The communal riots that followed the demolition of the mosque led to nearly a 1000 deaths and many enquiry committees constituted by the government have accused Shiv Sena and Thackeray of being involved in and coordinating the riots. Thackeray however has shown no regret till date and feels that he is proud of what he and his partymen did back in those days because he feels that if it was not for the Shiv Sena then no one would have been able to control the Muslims after the demolition of the mosque.

When i look at the past , i wonder how dirty one can get in politics and for power.

photo credits   connect.in.com , bombay streets ,ibnlive,in,com

fatwa against Surya Namaskara(Sun salutation)

The huge furore of some people and a Fatwa against yoga came  as a shock to me and i am sure many more must have felt the same. The way some people have given Yoga a religious and political colour and branding it unislamic is totally unwarranted , nothing but intolerance .I watched the debate on National Television and to my surprise,according to one gentleman " Surya Nanmaskara" was worship of Sun,which  is not allowed in their religion,where as its a mere exercise to strengthen  the core .Wanted to tell him, Yoga is Indian and has got nothing to do with any religion .

Surya Namaskara, known in English as Sun Salutation , is a common sequence of Hatha yoga asanas. . This sequence of movements and poses can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles..
The physical base of the Practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series. These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.
Some proponents of the use of Surya namaskara as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which is considered to be the most  favorable  time of the day does not mean offering prayers to the Sun .

photo credit Kulkarni's Surya Namaskara

mayawati unveiled

Mayawati to be unveiled after elections has raised a lot of questions on election symbol of other political parties.Years back in 80s cong was forced to change cong symbol from a cow and a cub to a hand,at that time opposition had raised an objected to the cong party election symol . They considered it to be good enough to influence the  emotions of a voter. Now the opposition has objected to the elephants and king size statues of mayawati.Though the BSP has tried to prove their point and cited several examples and lambasted the opposition parties asking for justification of their own election symbols.

If we go point by point by her justification  aired yesterday on national television , that BJP also has a lotus as their election symbol would it also be asked it to remove it from the ponds , markets and temples, it was also suggested that bicycles which is an election symbol of samajwadi party, either be removed or veiled in that case . Attacking the Congress party and their  election symbol which is a hand  that each one of us have,that too not one but two of them so what does the election commisssion suggest in that case ?  where as her own statues are concerned BSP tried to defend by saying that several roads ,hospitals,roads also delhi airport have been named after the Gandhi family.

But little does she realise, that if we start veiling  the lotus and removing the bicycles from the markets and roads  ,we would also need to veil elephants in the wild  ,zoos and where as the hand is concerned we all will need to either chop off our hands or perhaps wear gloves but we shall still not be able to ignore the significance of our hands and keep staring at the hands under cover and curse her for having made us veil them and that would hit the emotions of a person even stronger.

I also wonder what does she have to say about the BSP engraved under the statues , and her comparison with Gandhis and other leaders is not quite convincing.if hospitals,roads or parks have been named after some leaders it has been either after they have been slain or  their death and that too were not made by their  ownselves in fact have been erected or named after , in their memory. it  needs to be conveyed to her that we certainly dont mind a couple of her statues or a hospital or a road  be named after her once she takes an exit from this world.right now her statues are coming heavely on us and some one needs to advise her to get rid of her bag that she holds in each of her statue or a poster ,it gives an impression that she probably seems to be clutching on to her bag which  has all the keys to her closet full of skeletons .