YEAR AFTER

A year after the horrific siege of Mumbai by Pakistan based terrorists actively assisted by worldwide terror cells - has India as a nation learnt any lessons?
‘NO’ – is the answer if we consider:
1) Status of investigation and court proceedings despite having to feed ‘gost biryani’ to a captured terrorist from Pakistan.
2) Vinita Kamte widow of martyr Ashok Kamte of Mumbai Police alleges being stonewalled in her quest to find the truth leading to her husband’s death. She had to resort to RTI Act to get facts for her tribute to bravery contained in a biography of her husband titled ‘To The Last Bullet’.
3) Politician’s like Thakerays are stuck in their ghetto mentality for political space based on regionalism, violence and intolerance. Personal animosity spills on to public domain and thrust upon common citizens by invoking ‘Marathi Manoos’.
4) Naxalite terror tactics with threat to life and property is spreading while regional politicians indulge in ‘blame game’.
5) The sacked Home Minister of Maharashtra is reinstated on the eve of 26/11 first anniversary having displayed incompetence and insensitivity to the tragedy a year ago.
6) Soft peddling with Pakistan in spite of clinching evidence of ISI involvement in the well planned ruthless execution of the Mumbai terror plot.
7) The much promised Police and criminal justice reforms not initiated.
8) Home Ministry has been unable to introduce robust infrastructure and systems for gathering and sharing intelligence to pre-empt attacks. We still stumble upon vital information more by chance than by design since the left hand mostly does not know what the right hand does. State level politics takes precedence over national security.
9) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs lack basic co-ordination with a loose discretionary visa system being abused by terrorists around the world to gain multiple accesses with free unrestricted movement within India.
10) Corruption in procurement of equipment and accessories for law and order wings. The ‘failed’ inferior quality bulletproof jacket that killed police officers in Mumbai has disappeared along with records of their procurement.
11) Citizens have failed to exercise their franchise for seeking accountability and transparency from the government.
12) Last but not the least, a fractured opposition busy fire fighting to save their politics of irrelevant issues, has miserably failed to set aside partisan politics to make the nation more secure.

KAI JHALA BALA?

Thirty thousand plus runs - forty third century – the perfect ‘thappar’ to senile Bala’s ugly overgrown bushy bearded face by the Indian born Maharashtrian !!
What great timing and a perfect answer to the unwarranted tantrums from a cartoonist turned political pest turned editor of a C grade pulp publication with readership confined to goons representing fringe elements of society.
The ‘run out’ decision declared by an unqualified umpire imagining to be the self appointed captain of Marathi Manoos is out - ‘hit wicket’ !!
Keep it up Sachin!!

DEMON

Transparency International recently published the latest CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX (CPI) which rates nations on a scale of 1 to 10 for corruption.
Our Nation scored only 3.4!! compared to New Zealand’s 9.4, Denmark’s 9.3 and Singapore’s 9.2 ranked the first three ‘cleanest’ CPI scores. India’s rank in the list of nations is 84!!
This affirms the poor and disgusting state of affairs for a nation aspiring to become a super power seeking to direct and participate in world affairs.
We cannot progress to our rightful place on the high table unless drastic reforms are introduced to punish all those who give us a bad name. The ever increasing list of scams perpetuated by political patronage is the biggest drawback we encounter in our quest for 'inclusive growth'.
Majority of our billion plus population are honest and upright citizens but the scale and depth of corruption that has seeped in to our system of governance has the capacity and velocity to suck us in as reluctant participants.
Pathetic service and justice delivery are the two weakest links in governance which feeds the spiral of corruption perpetuated by antiquated systems. The BABU-POLICE-POLITICIAN Troika needs to be destroyed from its roots and replaced by user friendly transparent interface with minimal human contact.
A good beginning has been initiated by the project under Nandan Nilekani – but we need many more path breaking reforms to kill this demon.

INDIAN MAHARASHTRIAN

BAL VS SACHIN signifies the absurd levels to which the political landscape of India has degenerated. Long expired rotten product like Bal continues to be displayed on the shelf for gullible Marathi Manoos?
A cartoonist turned politician who manipulated the Marathi Manoos in the hope of governing Maharashtra is unable to accept defeat and political isolation. A beloved nephew's nasty slap has transformed the tiger into a lame dog. Hunting for soft targets to remain in public view the 'langda kutta' drifted into Sachin's territory.
A cartoonist has become the cartoon by misjudging the spirit of an icon's honest innocent statement displaying genuine national pride.
Dirty politics has no place in achievements attained by Sachin as an Indian by the grit of his skill and determined contribution to Indian cricket. It is a shame that we have to tolerate nonsense generated by notorious elements who have no respect for the country and individual achievers.
That ghetto mentality has no takers, escaped Bal's senile mental state, is more than evident from the collective outrage around the country if not the world which condemned Bal's rhetoric.
It is time for the Government of the day and its law and order agencies to put a stop to such blatant abuse of our rights by anti social elements like Bal & Raj.
Marathi pride is not so cheap that it needs propping up by the Thakeray mafia.
Sachin has proved that he is not only the best cricketer but also a good proud Indian born as a Maharashtrian.

MOTHER OF U.S. BLUNDERS

CIA PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ISI SINCE 9/11: REPORT.

Interesting Extracts from it:

1) The ISI collected "tens of millions of dollars through a classified CIA programme"...........

2) An intense debate has been triggered within the US government due to "long-standing suspicions that the ISI continues to help Taliban extremists who undermine US efforts in Afghanistan and provide sanctuary to al-Qaida members in Pakistan". But US officials have continued to make the payments as ISI's assistance is considered critical: "Almost every major terrorist plot this decade has originated in Pakistan's tribal belt, where ISI informant networks are a primary source of intelligence."

3) "The ISI has used the covert CIA money for a variety of purposes, including the construction of a new headquarters in Islamabad, the capital. That project pleased CIA officials because it replaced a structure considered vulnerable to attack; it also eased fears that the US money would end up in the private bank accounts of ISI officials."

4) The ISI is a highly compartmentalised intelligence service, with divisions that sometimes seem at odds with one another. Units that work closely with the CIA are walled off from a highly secretive branch that has directed insurgencies in Afghanistan and Kashmir. "There really are two ISIs," a former CIA operative said.

5) "On the counter-terrorism side, those guys were in lock-step with us," the former operative said. "And then there was the 'long-beard' side. Those are the ones who created the Taliban and are supporting groups like Haqqani." The network led by Jalaluddin Haqqani has been accused of carrying out a series of suicide attacks in Afghanistan, including the 2008 bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

The above reflects typical disoriented logic which only the US of A is capable of.

USA feeds the left hand to create terrorists with millions of dollars in US tax payer's money and at the same time feeds the right hand with more dollars from the same source to counter the very same terrorists.

Pakistani generals and a chosen few double crossing politicians 'window dress' the ISI to channel substantial portion of these funds into their personal coffers and bank rolling terror training camps, while playing games based on half truths, outright lies, conjectures and deceptions to feed the US administration with data they want to hear on the imaginary fight against terror which Pakistan appears to be fighting for and on behalf of USA.

By the time some one sensible in the US administration wakes up to the reality of Pakistan's bluff, enough terrorist infrastructure will have been built by the Pakistani terror factory, to strike at will and spread horrible acts of terror via the infamous ISI.

History will evaluate this self defeating US policy as the mother of all blunders by any US regime.

MANU'S P'UB'AROLE MENU

Manu Sharma the convicted killer is pub hopping courtesy a Chief Minister and her incompetent legal team in Delhi.
Parole is granted on flimsy grounds to a convict who abused the criminal justice system to escape punishment for many long years after killing an innocent lady.
Our political leaders have mastered the art of manipulation to such an extent that even the courts and justice system bow to them.
It is a national shame that a killer and his mother with no remorse have the audacity to seek parole and subsequently obtain it on the basis of obvious lies. This in itself indicates the massive failure of our justice system.
A powerful threat to the common man/victim has been effectively conveyed by the rich and famous.

KUTTA RAJ

The recent ugly incident witnessed in Maharashtra Assembly instigated by Raj the goon's MNS, is evidence of total failure of our political system. Assault of a fellow legislator in full public view is a slap on the face of the Government - which has the duty to protect and safeguard our Constitution.

The increasing audacity of a minority (13 out of 288 seats) representation in the Assembly to impose its strident view point on the majority has turned the concept of Indian democracy up side down.

Insulting the National language in the name of Regional language is the first disturbing sign of Balakanisation of the country. Threat to life and property should not be tolerated. Both the State and Central Governments have a duty to severely punish Raj and his party goondas. The MNS must be declared a terrorist outfit and banned forthwith.

It is indeed sad that non issues are used to raise passions to meet narrow political agendas. Taking the law in their dirty hands is ground enough for legal action against the MNS and its uncivilised leader. Most Marathi Manoos are not amused by the tactics adopted in their name. Raj and his wild animals are doing a disservice to Maharashtra and its people. A family fight between two cousins has become a threat to nationhood.