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India: Forget Elections, Concentrate On National Security Now!



Almost every Indian political party hopes to rule one whole nation called India and in the process of doing so through elections leaves the ‘whole’ polarized, divided, seething and disillusioned. The much cherished theme of ‘unity amidst diversity’ has always proved to be a blessing in disguise for all unscrupulous parties or politicians who never stopped exploiting  this by dividing up the ‘diversity’ just to garner votes. Politics of polarization, politics of vote banks, politics based on caste-language-religion-you know what, politics of corruption and even politics of terror have compromised National Security again and again. But the power-obsessed politicians have been totally unmindful of the seriousness of the situation, particularly now with the General Elections-2014 just round the corner. Divisive politics and a perpetually stalemated Parliament have made the country directionless and weak. A weak country is always vulnerable for any kind of attacks or calamities.

Such was the mindless politicking that even a blatantly brazen Pakistan attack violating the Line of Control (L0C) in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir on August 6, 2013 leaving five Indian soldiers dead failed to move them. Some of them tried openly to dissociate Pakistan from this calling this only a terror attack while knowing fully well that in the present times in Pakistan one cannot draw a line between the Army and the Terrorists. With the new ‘democratic’ Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief launched recently in Pakistan the ruling coalition in India considered this a right opportunity for resuming talks with their neighbor and chase the elusive peace. Right, people of both countries really want peace and harmony established as soon as possible, but that does not give anyone the excuse for glossing over a brazen, unprovoked and utterly condemnable attack. The derisive politics over the attack refuses to die down even now.


This is only logical to presume that the anti-Indian forces of Pakistan in partnership with the terrorists nourished over the years have decided this is the right time to strike lethal blows to an election-obsessed and corruption-ridden India. Starting with the dastardly attack in January this year when Pak troops beheaded Indian soldiers there have been more than fifty LoC violations and the August 6 attack is not the culmination point either with Pak unprovoked firings continuing across the border yesterday and today. We must not call it coincidental that the dreaded terrorist of 26/11 Mumbai attack Hafiz Saeed who is allowed to roam free in Pakistan has accepted this opportunity too and has issued threats of terror attacks to India. Indian intelligence alert was issued two days before about a possible terror strike in the national capital around the Independence Day. The Pak flip-flops over the issue of sheltering the Mumbai underworld Don and the mastermind of the horrific Mumbai Serial Blasts in 1993, Dawood Ibrahim, in Karachi is one more factor to be concerned about.

O’ Politicians of India! Forget elections for the moment and concentrate on National Security that is coming under increasing danger. You must be hoping to win the elections to rule a strong and united India. You ensure that first.

O’ Politicians! First try winning the confidence of your country folks before aiming to get away with their votes. We will vote only for a Strong India.

Cricket: India Clean Sweep Zimbabwe 5-0, Complete Hattrick Of Tournament Wins!

First, the ICC Champions Trophy-2013 with Team India remaining unbeaten throughout, second being the Celkon Mobile Cup Triangular Series in West Indies where Team India fought back from the brink of elimination to win the title and now the bilateral five-match ODI Series in Zimbabwe with Team India white washing the hosts 5-0 most emphatically and convincingly and winning the second Celkon Mobile Cup within a month. The latest Indian sweep and the completion of a hattrick assumes some significance considering the fact it was almost a junior Team India that basically and later most effectively tested India’s bench strength. There is not much to write home about the hapless Zimbabwe team with the Indian media mostly discussing the utter lack of cricket funds in that country and the contrast between Indian and Zimbabwean cricketers in terms of money. In the absence of Indian captain MS Dhoni vice-captain Virat Kohli did a commendable job leading from the front and never failing to inspire the young players—particularly the bowlers. Amit Mishra—after almost two months of exile—came back strongly to capture 18 wickets in 5 matches and achieving a six-wicket haul in the last ODI played yesterday. Pervaz Rasool, spinner from the state of Jammu and Kashmir, could have become the first ever cricketer from the state to play for the Indian eleven, but he could not get a chance which attracted political comments. Skipper Kohli defended the decision saying that Rasool did not fit the team’s bowling plans and that he would soon get to play lot of cricket as he figures in India A team visiting South Africa in near future.
 
Ravindra Jadeja
New updates of the ICC ODI Rankings were announced last evening after the Indian sweep. Team India continues to dominate as the number one ODI team although just one point was gained after the latest triumph. More significantly, flourishing all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja became the number one ODI bowler with 38 wickets from the last 22 matches. He thus becomes the first Indian bowler to have this honor after Anil Kumble in 1996, and the fourth ever Indian bowler to do so.


Team India thoroughly deserves about two months rest after its triumphant return home. Australia is scheduled to visit India for seven one-day matches in October-November. Of course, in between there will be a Champions League T20 Tournament to be played in India in September where some IPL teams would be participating. Take a break from cricket for the moment! 

BCCI In Shackles: N Srinivasan Comeback Bid Fails!



Coming as one more refreshing victory against pervasive Indian corruption the defiantly greedy N Srinivasan failed to come back as the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) President after he had to call off the Working Group meeting in New Delhi today. There had been widespread rumors of a revolt within the BCCI in the last three days following the Bombay High Court stricture against the dubious goings-on in the richest cricket Board of the world. Reports today confirmed that at least 6 BCCI members revolted against Srini, and if he happened to chair the meeting today two vice presidents and at least two members would have resigned. Visuals on a national television news channel even showed how the IPL Commissioner cum a Union Minister Rajiv Shukla brushed aside a Srini greeting in the meeting lounge. The wily fox sensed all this and called off the meeting apparently to avoid an open confrontation.

In a press statement issued last evening N Srinivasan was set to defy even the Judiciary by announcing that he would indeed chair the meeting as President of BCCI who stepped aside recently following the uproar over the IPL Spot Fixing Scandal. Maybe such colossal callousness could not be digested by many though as money-rich and powerful as him. Reports reveal that Srini has no chance of coming back in the near future. The status quo with Jagmohan Dalmiya as the interim president will continue till all issues get resolved. This effectively means that the BCCI would either constitute a new probe panel or wait for the Mumbai Police investigations to get over or would contest the Bombay High Court order in the Supreme Court. This would also open up persisting issues like transparency in the BCCI accounts and bringing the Board under the RTI. Much better that way for BCCI rather losing total credibility.

Victories against corruption must continue. The corrupt ruffians mess up and pollute every organization, every office and the government in India. They hardly want to work hard, but desperately need power so as to intimidate and harass the honest, the upright and the most vulnerable. Even in the elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) the corruption mafia hounds, hunts and even punishes them on the slightest pretext. We observe as of now the national outrage over the suspension of an honest lady IAS officer, Durga Shakti (remember Goddess Durga?) Nagpal in the feudal den of the country called Uttar Pradesh. The madness must stop before the ‘crime and punishment’ phrase gets replaced by ‘honesty and punishment’. Fight Corruption.

Commotion at a Durga Puja!

  The Durga Puja pandal was quiet in the morning hours, except for the occasional bursts of incantations from the priests, amplified by th...