January Month Articles
- Reports of Communist Maoists
Turning To Cannibalism In Orissa, India
- by News Post India
Maoists are turning cannibals. They eat human flesh to terrorize villagers.
This was revealed by the residents of Bandiguda, 45 km from the district
headquarters town of Malkangiri. The district police, under the leadership
of daredevil SP Satish Kumar Gajbhiye, risked in organizing a community
policing programme in a far-flung area, known as the Red Terror Zone of
the district. .....
- Rights groups blame Indian
state for land violence
- by Reuters
The communist government of an eastern Indian state conspired with party
workers accused of killing and raping villagers opposed to selling land
for an industrial project, global human rights groups said on Tuesday.
.....
- Motorcycle thief could
help expose HuJI network
- by Vicky Nanjappa
Mohammed Raziuddin Nasir, a resident of Hyderabad, arrested in Karnataka
for his alleged terror links, has turned out to be a prize catch for the
police and Intelligence Bureau. .....
- Putting Jodha Akbar on
trial
- by IBOSNetwork.com
There might be many issues in the coming months, for which Ashutosh Gowarikar,
Hrithik Roshan and crew will be taken to task for in making their Jodha
Akbar. Let's get right down to it and address some of them here. .....
- Hizbul's south Kashmir
commander killed in encounter
- by Mukhtar Ahmad
With the killing of the group's district commander and three other militants
in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday, the Kashmir police claim
to have eliminated an entire group of the Hizbul Muzahideen operating
in the district. .....
- Buddhadeb a greater fundamentalist:
Mahasweta Devi
- by Rediff.com
Eminent writer Mahasweta Devi has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee of being a 'greater fundamentalist' who 'had conspired to
throw Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen [Images] out of the state' and
demanded his resignation. .....
- Australia to Apologize
to Aborigines
- by Rohan Sullivan
As a girl, Mari Melito Russell felt out of place. She was darker than
the other kids at school, she felt more comfortable in the forest than
her suburban home and she had vivid dreams of an Aboriginal woman beckoning
her. .....
- This leader has no followers
- by Swapan Dasgupta
The mushrooming of non-official awards resembles a competitive theatre
of the absurd. Last Thursday, many Indians must have been as puzzled as
me on seeing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being honoured with a Leader
of the Year award by a leading media house. .....
- India worried about Al-Qaida
hold on Pak
- by Indrani Bagchi
As Pakistan continues to wallow in instability, India's internal assessment
about the internal situation in Pakistan is looking more and more grim.
Despite all the protestations from Pakistan's leadership, India has concluded
that the Al-Qaida is now in virtual control of Pakistan's tribal areas,
and Islamabad and the Pakistan army are making little headway. .....
- Mahatma Gandhi, Dr B R
Ambedkar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Christian Missionary Work
- by Dr T Hanuman Chowdary
Sri John Dayal and other strident spokespersons of Christian Church and
missionaries have faulted Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister,
for the public expression of his opinion that the humanitarian services
that the Christian missionaries are rendering through their schools and
hospital have a conversion motive. .....
- Family pension for jihadis
- by Chandan Mitra
This chat was downloaded from the web. It is a conversation that took
place between the commander of a jihadi outfit and a middle-rung functionary
operating somewhere in Jammu and Kashmir. To mask their personalities,
we decided to call them jihadi 1(J1) and jihadi 2 (J2) respectively. .....
- Cop's lover runs to police
for cover
- by Mumbai Mirror
He had turned down marriage proposal from RPF constable girlfriend after
their affair turned sour; she and her family are after his life now .....
- I was administered wrong
drugs: Taslima
- by Sify.com
Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was admitted to the All India
Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for "suspected
drug effect" on January 26, said Wednesday that she had been administered
wrong medicines by government deputed doctors leading to the hospitalisation.
.....
- Of SIMI, Jehad and the
NE Reach
- by Bikash Sarmah
In India, the genesis of Islamist fundamentalism, which has now transformed
into a full-fledged jehad, can be traced back to the early forties of
the 20th century. It was the Jamaat-e-Islami, founded by the influential
Islamist ideologue Syed Abu Ala Maududi in 1941, that first sowed the
seeds of a proposed Islamist dominion in pre-Independent India, to be
governed by the Sharia. .....
- Heaven is A Place On Earth
- by Lisa Miller
Reincarnation, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is "rebirth
in new bodies or forms of life; especially: a rebirth of a soul in a new
human body." This ancient belief, a core belief of more than 800
million Hindus, has been in the news, most recently because of allegations
in Andrew Morton's new book, "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography."
.....
- Forgive but never forget
history - Rewriting Indian History
- by Francois Gautier
Rewriting Indian History is a provocative new book by the French writer
Francois Gautier, who currently serves as the political correspondent
in India for France's top newspaper, Le Figaro, and for Switzerland's
leading daily, Le Nouveau Quotidien. .....
- Indian musician goes back
toroots
- by OneIndia.in
For Ustad Aashish Khan tracing his roots and recognising it has made him
adopt the ancestral title Debsharma. From now he will be known as Ustad
Aashish K Debsharma. Talking to the reporters during his sojourn to the
city, he said, "This is an attempt to recoginse the roots or going
back to the roots. Present generation of our country are more Westerners
than the Westerners themselves. This is my personal choice of using the
title Debsharma." .....
- Life in danger for stepping
into male domain
- by Shiv Charan Singh
Nazia Tabassum, a history (honours) student from Maulana Azad College,
who shot to limelight after her election to Joint Secretary's post of
the Ranchi University Students' Union (RUSU) in December 2007, now fears
for her life, at the hands of the Anjuman Islamia, a social educational
body of the Muslims. .....
- Where did T R Baalu get
engineering degree from?
- by V Sundaram
If Lord Rama's credentials as an engineer can be questioned by Dravidian
leaders with impunity, then the common people of India would like to put
these questions to T R Baalu taking note of his recent letter to A K Antony,
Union Defence Minister .....
- India blocks French move
to honour Taslima
- by Rediff.com
India has poured cold water on a French government move to present a prestigious
award to controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen in New Delhi
during the upcoming visit of President Nicholas Sarkozy. .....
- Now, dole for jihadis'
kin
- by The Pioneer
The Centre has decided to provide a relief package to the dependents of
militants killed in encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
.....
- Sri Sri inaugurates Exhibition
on Sikhism
- by ArtofLiving.org
Renowned spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living, His Holiness
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inaugurated an exhibition on Sikhism titled 'Sikhs,
the Defenders of Indian Dharma' at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, New Delhi.
.....
- Groom locked for no to
nikaah
- by Subhasish Chaudhuri
Mayapur, Jan. 27: Sometimes a groom has to pay a price for marrying a
girl. Shafiq Ali (25) of Nakashipara in Nadia district was made to pay
Rs 20,000 for not marrying a girl. He was "detained" for 72
hours and was "released" only after his family paid a compensation
of Rs 20,000. .....
- 'Software shakhas' draw
IT pros to RSS
- by Gautam Siddharth
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is adding colour to India's booming IT
sector: saffron. Efforts to induct young, upwardly mobile IT professionals
into its fold have gained momentum in "cybercities" across the
country: from Pune to Hyderabad, and from Chennai to Noida. .....
- The myth of Mahatma Gandhi
- by Arvind Lavakare
Sixty years ago, today, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi of the Indian National
Congress was shot dead. The ensuing flood of tributes hailed the dead
man as a martyr, as an apostle of peace, as a version of Jesus Christ,
as the deliverer of India's Independence, as the Father of the nation
and much else besides such eulogies. .....
- Why am I proud of India?
- by Ramananda Sengupta
Before my posture stiffens and my heart fills with martial pride, as it
does every Republic Day when I watch the parade on Delhi's Rajpath, I
thought I would take a quick stock of what it means for me to be an Indian.
.....
- ISI hires Dawood to kill
Advani, Modi
- by Rediff.com
Security around senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani and Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi was reviewed on Tuesday following intelligence
inputs that global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim has been asked by Pakistan's
Inter Services Intelligence to assassinate them. .....
- Briton admits plot to
behead soldier
- by Mark Trevelyan
A man has pleaded guilty to a plot to kidnap and kill a Muslim soldier
in the army by cutting off his head "like a pig", a court was
told on Tuesday. .....
- Monitor 'red corridor'
in NE: Centre
- by Rituraj Borthakur
Worried over the gradual extension of the 'red corridor' to the Northeast,
the Centre has asked the intelligence agencies to closely monitor the
growing network of the Maoists and their nexus with the militant outfits
of the region. .....
- 'I am 27, my life is destroyed'
- by Dionne Bunsha
I was around 12 years old when the naxalites started coming to our village.
During the meetings [they had with the village residents], they used to
say young boys and girls should come forward so that we can bring about
the rule of poor people. .....
- The Forgotten Bangladeshi
Genocide
- by by The Pioneer
I am always curious about one historical anomaly. Why is the Bangladeshi
Genocide never considered in the same light as that of Rwanda, Darfur,
Southern Sudan, Congo, Cambodia or other genocides? Why does it not even
get a fraction of the attention paid to the Palestinian Question, the
Kosovo Question, the Lebanese Question or a host of other minority based
problems? I can only point to four reasons why this never hit the headlines.
.....
- Huff and puff
- by The Pioneer
Within months of Mr Tony Blair's departure from 10, Downing Street, the
British establishment under Labour tutelage has once again begun to flounder
on the issue of multiculturalism. .....
- ISI agents held in Howrah
- by The Statesman
Two suspected agents of the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
were arrested from Shalimar near Shibpur in Howrah last night. .....
- India pays for Nehru's
folly
- by A Surya Prakash
Republic Day is a day of celebration, but it also has its poignant moments,
especially when the President confers gallantry awards on brave soldiers
who lay down their lives in the line of duty. Often those who are honoured
are young men in uniform who make the supreme sacrifice while pushing
back militants trained in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and sent into Jammu
& Kashmir to indulge in murder and mayhem. .....
- Jihadis switching to hitech
methods
- by Rajesh Kumar
Chief Ministers and VVIPs are now on the hit list of Jihadis operating
across the country. According to an advisory sent out by National Security
Advisor MK Narayanan to Chief Ministers and DGPs, a fresh review of security
has been sought as inputs have been received which point to Jihadis using
"new wave tactics" to eliminate targets. .....
- I won't go to France:
Taslima
- by The Times of India
Noted author Taslima Nasreen has said that she does not intend to travel
to Paris to receive the Simone de Beauvoir award. Even though the French
government, on the Indian government's suggestion, has extended an invitation
to Taslima, the writer feels that if she cannot receive the award certificate
in India, she was not keen on going to Paris. .....
- We are not prepared for
May poll: K'taka Cong
- by The Times of India
The Congress in Karnataka is not prepared to face the election heat in
May and has favoured holding it in October under the new assembly constituencies
map stipulated by the Delimitation Commission. This was the consensus
reached at a meeting of Union ministers, AICC and CWC members from Karnataka
in New Delhi on Friday. .....
- Attack on Hindu Seer by
Evangelical Criminals in Orrisa; 3 arrested
- by HinduUnity.org
Tension gripped Orissa's Kandhamal district on Monday after four people
were injured in a clash between two communities and an attack on An Aged
Saint in two separate incidents, prompting heavy force deployment in sensitive
areas, police said. .....
- Northeast in the ISI net
- by Nava Thakuria
The Land of armed movements sustained by the anti-New Delhi separatists'
militias has woken up to a new threat from religious fundamentalists fuelled
by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to make Northeast India
a volatile region in the continent. .....
- 'Bangladesh is Supporting
Insurgents: Buddhadeb'
- by Bartaman
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya complained that Bangladesh
was assisting members of terrorist organizations in various places across
India & West Bengal. Speaking at a public meeting organized by the
Jadavpur Zonal Committee on Saturday evening, he said, 'Bangladesh is
becoming a grave problem. Along the long border somewhere religious fundamentalists
& elsewhere insurgents are active. .....
- Islamic school closure
a warning to others
- by The West Australian
The closure of a Muslim school by the West Australian government was a
warning to other Islamic schools, the former head of Australia's peak
muslim body says. .....
- Vigilantes Kill 40 Women
in Iraq's South
- by Sinan Salaheddin
Religious vigilantes have killed at least 40 women this year in the southern
Iraqi city of Basra because of how they dressed, their mutilated bodies
found with notes warning against ``violating Islamic teachings,'' the
police chief said Sunday. .....
- SikhGiving's experience
with Christian missionaries in Punjab
- by
SikhGiving, a small sikh charitable organization was helping a Sikh Patient
Jaswinder Singh and his family to cope with their medical costs of approx.
$500 a month. "At first we didn't take up the case as we could not
afford to support the case for a long period of 3 years", said Vicky
Singh, a volunteer of the California based non profit organization. .....
- CM had asked Mhada chief
to explain SRA policy changes
- by Prafulla Marpakwar and Nauzer Bharucha
As CEO of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), for which he held additional
charge, T Chandrashekhar had withdrawn permissions granted to builders
for redeveloping 120 slum pockets without seeking the permission of the
government, and in particular the chief minister. .....
- IIT lecture gets biblical
tinge, students upset
- by Hemali Chhapia
Drawing parallels between the Bible and the Big Bang theory, stating that
Christianity is true and Jesus is the way to God, would sound like Benny
Hinn speaking on channel God. But this was said in a lecture delivered
by Prof H F Schaefer, director of the Center for Computational Chemistry,
University of Georgia, at the Techfest of the Indian Institute of Technology
on Friday. .....
- Govt's blue-eyed boy won't
'dive in muck' anymore
- by Nauzer Bharucha
He is known to be abrasive, brusque and has a reputation for pushing through
infrastructure projects in a tearing hurry. His detractors-many of them
in the bureaucracy itself-whisper about his closeness to a certain builder
and how he bypasses his superiors and reports directly to the chief minister.
.....
- Slum rehab builders a
front for city's politicians
- by Nauzer Bharucha
What do the son of a leading state minister, an MLA-turned-builder from
the western suburbs, a former housing minister, the son-in-law of a deceased
politician, and a senior party leader from Chembur have in common? Each
of them has financial stakes in slum redevelopment schemes on public land
in Mumbai. .....
- Angry Mhada chief puts
in his papers
- by Prafulla Marpakwar & Nauzer
Bharucha
Seated in his spacious chamber on the fourth floor of Mhada headquarters
in Bandra (east) on Friday afternoon, feisty bureaucrat T Chandrashekhar
is busy preparing his biodata and arranging his passport-sized pictures.
.....
- Gujarat Riots- Ignored
facts
- by Manmath Deshpande
The media- biased against the Sangh Parivar and the BJP- has written horribly
about the Gujarat riots. Innocent well-meaning people have fallen prey
to the media's evil designs. The Gujarat riots were plain riots- not pogrom'
or 'massacre'. .....
- Assam: Indian National
Army, Assam formed to safeguard Assamese
- by Navajit Bhagawati
In Insurgency prone Assam, a new outfit has been formed to serve the interest
of the local people. The new organisation called, the 'Indian National
Army, Assam' (INAA) had been formed to safeguard the state from the grasp
of immigrant Bangladeshis as published in the local media recently. .....
- Who is a secularist?
- by Free Press Journal
A leading Mumbai lawyer, Mahesh Jethmalani, has posed the question: Who
is a secularist? Writing in a contemporary, Jethmalani prefaced the above
by taking note of the desperation of the so-called secularists to deny
Narendra Modi credit for the BJP victory in the recent Gujarat Assembly
poll. Indeed, he laments the fact that, ostrich-like, the professional
Modi-baiters seem to be blaming the people for the outcome in Gujarat.
.....
- Unfazed Cong needles Maya
- by The Pioneer
Unfazed by BSP supremo Mayawati's open threat to withdraw support, the
Congress has again accused her of misgovernance and demanded a separate
State for drought-hit Bundelkhand carved out of Uttar Pradesh. .....
- What makes SC play Jallikattu
with Hindus
- by V Sundaram
The Supreme Court of India has been consistently inconsistent on vital
issues affecting the long cherished hopes, emotions, feelings, sentiments
and sensibilities of the common people of India. Yesterday the Supreme
Court reversed the ban it had imposed on Jallikattu in the Southern Districts
of Tamil Nadu which it had imposed through an order on 11 January, 2008.
This has been widely welcomed by the people of Tamil Nadu. .....
- How US helps fund jihad
- by Kanchan Gupta
American Government and military officials have told The New York Times
that much of the aid provided by the Bush Administration to Pakistan to
fight Al Qaeda and the Taliban has been diverted for Islamabad's jihad
against New Delhi. According to The New York Times report, funds have
been "diverted to help finance weapons systems designed to counter
India" and pay "tens of millions of dollars in inflated Pakistani
reimbursement claims for fuel, ammunition and other costs". .....
- Unholy ways of Holy Missionaries
- by U. Mahesh Prabhu
On December 25th when the whole world was celebrating the birth of the
Jesus Christ, churches were burning in Gujarat. As per confirmed estimates
11 churches had been burnt. On December 27th Religious leaders in the
national capital expressed their anguish over the continuing attacks on
the churches in Orissa, saying violence in any form in unacceptable. .....
- The Secular Road to Hell
- by Ramananda Sengupta
I have always wondered how such a seemingly innocuous word has turned
into such a politically loaded noun in India. .....
- ISI spies held at Howrah
station
- by The Times of India
Tipped off by a retired army jawan, CID sleuths arrested two Bangla-deshi
ISI agents from Howrah station on Wednesday. Secret defence documents,
videos of fidayeen attacks and two gelatin sticks were found on them.
.....
- Setupatis the royal family
who guarded the Rama Setu
- by Dhananjaya Bhat
Today when the description of Rama and creation of the Rama Sethu as a
myth is creating a furore, it is interesting to note that for thousands
of years, there was a royal family in South India with its headquarters
at Ramanathapuram near Rameshwaram, known as the Sethupati Rajas or the
guardians of the Sethu. .....
- Nandigram - Lull before
another storm?
- by Sify.com
Blood-red banners naming "martyrs" and proclaiming "shame
on Buddha", walls painted with war cries, trees tied with black and
red flags, burnt houses and a broken pathway lead to Nandigram, an ordinary
village that turned into an unlikely battleground between communists and
local residents protecting their land and livelihood. .....
- Femme fatales: ISI's new
weapon is no fake
- by Brijesh Pandey
The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's dreaded espionage agency,
has unleashed a new terror on India: women who courier counterfeit currency.
.....
- Bihar govt to develop
country's 'oldest' temple
- by Deccan Herald
Referring to the inscriptions found around the temple and different official
records, Kunal, who enjoys the rank of a minister of state, said the "temple
was constructed in 108 AD and the practice of worship and sacrifice was
continuing ever since". .....
- Girls got property rights
in 1800s
- by Prashant Dayal
This was one of Ahmedabad's grandest portals of the Muhammedan period,
but few know that the Teen Darwaza, known as the finest gates of the ancient
Walled city of Ahmedabad, also bears testimony to the liberation that
the Maratha rulers gave to the girl child. Indeed an eyeopener to an era,
which calls itself modern, but kills daughters in the womb. .....
- Allah, Jihad and Martyrdom
- by Emir Reza
As a very quiet child I seldom harmed myself seriously in playground.
Being an only child, my childhood at home was uneventful. My mother used
to cook and sometimes do some needle works while I played in my own room.
The worst I suffered was a fracture in my arm. This incident happened
when I was engaged in my favorite sport of climbing on top of a cabinet.
.....
- Lessons from Pakistan
- by Sri Sri Ravishankar
When we retrace our steps in history perhaps we can learn some lessons
from the unfortunate situation Pakistan is in today. .....
- 'We want to offer sharia
law to Britain'
- by Clare Dwyer Hogg and Jonathan Wynne-Jones
Islamic courts meet every week in the UK to rule on divorces and financial
disputes. Clare Dwyer Hogg and Jonathan Wynne-Jones report on demands
by senior Muslims that sharia be given legal authority .....
- Brave, Chief Minister
Modi
- by Kanti B. Patel
Congratulations to Gujarat BJP Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his spectacular
victory in the Gujarat assembly elections (I-W, Dec. 28). He not only
defeated Sonia Gandhi's Congress party but also Gujarat's number one enemy,
the biased media, which worked very hard for the last five years to paint
a negative picture of Modi by blaming the 2002 Gujarat riots on him while
ignoring the Godhra train where 60 Hindus were burned alive .....
- Get rid of communal budget:
Modi
- by Shubhangi Khapre
BJP's Sunday rally at Shivaji Park set the stage for 2009 elections by
projecting Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the political role
model capable of stoking passion through acerbic speeches on matters ranging
from good governance to communalism. .....
- An all-Christian village
in Gujarat
- by Nayan Dave
You can't help raise an eyebrow when residents of Wallacepur introduce
themselves. "Cecil Patel," says one as he shakes your hand,
"Walter Dilojan Patel," another introduces himself. Wallacepur
is the only Christian village in Gujarat. All of its 500-odd residents
are Protestants. .....
- Lanka banks on Ramayana
to woo tourists
- by Ashish Sinha
Politicians may spar in India over whether Ram Setu was more than a figment
of Valmiki's imagination but for neighbouring Sri Lanka, the Ramayana
legends are an article of faith. .....
- 'Conversions not out of
choice'
- by The Pioneer
Appearing before the team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on
Friday, Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati said that not a single person was
converted to Christianity out of his choice. "They always adopt a
means of allurement and fear to force and persuade innocent people to
change religion," he said, adding that he was prepared for an open
debate on this issue with any one. .....
- Antiquity of Ramayan verified
- by Sri Nandanandana Das
As of late, in the year 2007, the idea of whether Lord Rama exists or
not has been called into question, by no less than some of the politicians
in India. So it is a wonder how such persons can be accepted as leaders
of the people of India who should be concerned with preserving and protecting
the culture of the country. .....
- Jaish founder Azhar now
fights Pak forces as ISI loses control
- by The Indian Express
Jaish-e-Muhammad founder Maulana Masood Azhar has broken free from ISI
control and joined hands with other militants to fight Pakistani forces
in the tribal area of Bajaur or nearby Dir where he is believed to be
hiding, The New York Times reported today, quoting a former Pakistani
intelligence official. .....
- Putting value to values
- by Anuj Kumar
The serial that used to bring India to a halt in the late '80s is back
in a new avatar. Yes, Ramayan is back two decades after it revolutionised
television viewing in the country to woo the new generation. Again produced
by Sagar Arts, it is going to be the flagship show of the new general
entertainment channel NDTV Imagine to be launched on January 21. .....
- State minorities panel
wants ban on entry of Rushdie, Taslima
- by The Indian Express
The Maharashtra State Minorities Commission has demanded a ban on the
entry of controversial writers Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen into
the country on the ground that they are hurting the religious sentiments
of Muslims. .....
- Swiping Reforms
- by Amarnath K. Menon
Tokala Rajita, 20, is challenged. But the deaf and dumb daughter of Kondal
Reddy, a farm worker of Dharmasagar, needs no help in collecting her social
security payout. All she has to do is turn up with a plastic card at the
home of customer service provider (CSP) G. Vijayalakshmi, in this dusty
village in Warangal district. .....
- Rampur at the centre
- by Abhinav Kumar
The brave men, and increasingly women, who serve in the CRPF have begun
to read the acronym as the 'Chalte Raho Pyare Force'. It expresses their
exasperation and fatigue at the heavy and persistent burden of internal
security that the CRPF bears, rushing its companies across the country
from one flash point to another. .....
- Tamil Nadu police bust
LTTE cell, murder plot in India
- by Jaya Menon
The Tamil Nadu police have claimed to have thwarted an assassination bid
on Indian soil, arresting eight Sri Lankan nationals, including a key
member of the LTTE's intelligence wing, from suburban Madipakkam. Their
target, according to the police, was the rival group member and Eelam
People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) leader, Varadaraja Perumal,
who has been living incognito in India since the Tigers put him high on
the hitlist. .....
- Can't go to Kolkata, Centre
tells Taslima
- by Arindam Sarkar
The External Affairs Ministry has informed Bangladeshi writer Taslima
Nasreen that she cannot return to Kolkata because of security reasons.
.....
- Is 'socialist' still valid
in preamble, asks plea
- by Malathi Nayak
Thirty-one years after India rewrote its Constitution to call itself a
"sovereign, socialist, secular democratic republic", this amendment
has been challenged in the Supreme Court by a not for-profit organisation
that is questioning the validity of introducing the word 'socialist'.
.....
- India's govenrment pledges
help for Christian dalits
- by Catholic World News
In India the National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians-- a
joint program of the Catholic bishops' conference of India and other Church
groups-- has hailed the government's assurance to end the discrimination
against Christian dalits. .....
- 7 Manipuri militants held
- by The Times of India
Two cadres of the banned People's Revolutionary Party for Kangleipak (PREPAK)'s
Shanti group and their five accomplices were arrested from Jadavpur's
Bapujinagar area early on Thursday. .....
- End to Tribalism
- by The Pioneer
Despite the rhetorical cries of "betrayal" by the leaders of
the Gujjar protesters in Rajasthan, it is difficult to disagree with the
logic of the Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee, which has just submitted
its report on the community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The Chopra
panel has contended that, given current socio-economic realities, the
very notion of according Gujjars ST status is open to question. .....
- The aid curse
- by Deven Kapur
Democracy suffered a string of setbacks in 2007, many thanks to oil. Gushing
oil revenues helped Vladimir Putin consolidate authoritarian rule in Russia,
Hugo Chávez expand populism in Venezuela and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
confront the West. All the while, an analogous force was at work in Pakistan.
For more than 50 years, Pakistan has reaped its own unearned manna, which
has filled its coffers and kept its fragile state afloat. .....
- Ulema angry with Godrejs
for hosting Rushdie
- by The Indian Express
The All India Ulema Council on Thursday asked Parmeshwar Godrej to apologise
to Muslims for hosting controversial author Salman Rushdie, failing which
it would ask community members to boycott the company's products. .....
- Games from ancient India
on display at Xavier's
- by Hindustan Times
Vikram Jaiswal was goggle-eyed when he discovered that one of his favourite
cyber games had roots way back in the 6th century BCE (Before Common Era).
The second-year commerce student was one of the 200-odd visitors who came
to know about the ancient games exhibit put up by St Xavier College's
department of the Ancient Indian Culture in the campus on Thursday. .....
- UPA guaranteed 100 days
of work to poor, over 96% didn't get it, says first audit
- by Ravish Tiwari & Ganesh Pandey
Building a "Republic of Work," that's how the UPA government's
latest advertisement showcases its most ambitious Rs 12,000-crore flagship
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Under this, households in
200 of the poorest districts in the country are promised, by law, to a
maximum of 100 days employment at wages not below Rs 60 per day. .....
- A dangerous mix
- by Soumyajit Pattnaik
What does it take to create a communal flashpoint? Some answers are obvious:
a precipitating incident, simmering tensions be tween two religious communities
and initial administrative failure to cope with the flare-up. .....
- The Oracles Of Devi
- by Madhavi Tata
The family purohit, the medium of communication with the Almighty for
most Hindus, conforms to a stereotyped image-dhoti-clad, sacred thread
across the chest, a smear of turmeric/sandalwood paste/ash on the forehead,
and a tongue that unleashes an avalanche of shlokas and mantras. He is
also usually defined by two crucial words: Brahmin; Male. .....
- The circle of creativity
- by Amitabh Srivastava
Did you know tikuli or bindi, as it is popularly called, takes an expert
to make it? An ancient craft of the Mughal times, it involved melting
glass, adding colours, tracing patterns out of it and thereafter embellishing
it with gold-leaves to create the dot that defines the Indian woman even
today. .....
- The 'Q' factor
- by The Asian Age
Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi must be a happy man. For no government
in the world could have spent as much money and time to defend a foreign
national wanted for questioning in a defence scandal, in this case the
Bofors howitzer case, that brought down a government in India. The Central
Bureau of Investigation spent lakhs of rupees to chase Mr Quattrocchi
across the world, and returned each time without the gentleman in question.
.....
- 'Secular' Muslims want
Taslima back in Kolkata
- by Sify.com
A section of secular Muslims on Monday spearheaded a move to bring controversial
Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen back to the city from where she was
shunted out by West Bengal's ruling communists following street riots
late last year. .....
- The ISI connection, magnified
- by Anil Bhat
If the Ulfa began 2007 by giving the ISI a macabre New Year's gift by
way of killing Biharis and Hindi-speaking people in Assam, then at the
end of that year it presented a "bonus" by adding at least two
more groups - Karbis and Adivasis - to Assam's terror network. .....
- Crass minorityism
- by The Pioneer
That's what the UPA is up toThe Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States have
done well to oppose the sinister proposal of allocating 15 per cent of
funds during the 11th Plan period for 'minority welfare'. Decoded into
politically incorrect parlance, this means squandering public funds on
crass minorityism and facilitating the Congress's obnoxious vote-bank
politics at the expense of tax-payers. .....
- Belgium Arrests 14 in Plan
to Free Bomb Plotter
- by Stephen Castle
The Belgian authorities detained 14 people they described as Islamic extremists
on Friday, saying they planned to use explosives to free a Qaeda sympathizer
jailed for plotting an attack on an American air base. They said raids
in 15 locations, mostly in Brussels, had turned up explosives and arms.
.....
- Obnoxious pandering
- by Tarun Vijay
Threat to part, communalise the most secular aspects of life, inflame
and see the results resting on a couch till the final hour arrives. That's
the Jinnah theory, propounded by the non-practising Muslim, who created
and led a frenzy resulting in our motherland's Partition. .....
- Why do they hate her so?
- by Saswat Panigrahi
Driven out of West Bengal after Left Front chairman Biman Bose indirectly
declared her as persona non grata -- "if Ms Taslima Nasreen's stay
disturbs the atmosphere of peace in the State, she must leave," Mr
Bose had said -- the dissident Bangladeshi writer has already spent three
weeks in virtual house arrest in an undisclosed place in Delhi. .....
- Cleanse Kerala's temples
of politics
- by The New Indian Express
The Justice Paripoornan Commission report on all that is wrong at Sabarimala,
Kerala's famed hill shrine, can indeed make a difference if even 50 per
cent of its 79 recommendations are imbibed in letter and spirit. But we
prefer to stay on a realistic plane, at least until the first 10 suggestions
are adopted and implemented; the rest can follow soon after. .....
- Pastor Kent Brandenburg
Attacks Sikh Religion
- by Mygurdwara.com
It is a general fact that the story of Jesus as presented in the four
gospels of the New Testament is essentially a piece of fiction because
there are not authentic references to such a figure in the works of any
historians of the early 1st century. The pre-gospel writings of the early
Christians also make no reference to the life and teachings of a recent
historical Jesus. .....
- A flat promise for Muslims
- by The Statesman
Chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said that the state government
was contemplating a policy to ensure reservation of flats for Muslims
in the various townships that were coming up in the state. Details of
the policy were being worked out, he said. .....
- Banished Within & Without
- by Taslima Nasreen
Although I was not born an Indian, there is very little about my appearance,
my tastes, my habits and my traditions to distinguish me from a daughter
of the soil. Had I been born some years earlier than I was, I would have
been an Indian in every sense of the term. .....
- Unlike poll surveys, RBI
statistics favour Modi
- by Harit Mehta
The verdict on who will rule Gujarat for the next five years will be out
on Sunday. Most surveys suggest the going could be tough for the current
chief minister Narendra Modi, but statistics suggest the state has done
well under him on a number of parameters. .....
- Rally demands return of
Taslima to Kolkata
- by Mahasweta Devi
Demanding the return of the exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen
to Kolkata, several civil society organisations took out a rally here
on Saturday. .....
- 'Focus on big picture was
Modi's brief'
- by Sushil Pandit
Narendra Modi brie-fed me sometime in May, just before he was leaving
for South Korea. Then, he was in the middle of his campaign, crisscrossing
the state with scores of mahila sammelans, van-bandhu sammelans, sagar-khedu
sammelans. .....
- UPA trying to divide India
- by Sandhya Jain
If the British used communal electorates to secure Partition in barely
four decades, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance may succeed
faster in eating the fruit of its desire to allocate 15 per cent of the
funds for development and welfare schemes exclusively for minorities.
.....
- 975 die at Catholic healing
centre
- by Naveen Nair
The Divine Retreat Centre in Kerala's Muringoor's claim to fame is that
it is the largest Catholic healing centre in the world. It's catch line:
come away by yourself to a lonely place and rest a while. .....
- Babudom brings war hero
to tears
- by The Telegraph
An elderly and ailing war hero whose pension had been stopped because
he had no bank account was thrown out of a government office in Nadia
when he went for a certificate of his being alive. .....
- 'Dawood funded Hyderabad
blasts'
- by Vicky Nanjappa
The investigation into the three bomb blasts at Hyderabad has taken a
new turn with the narco analysis test of an accused revealing that fugitive
gangster Dawood Ibrahim [Images] funded both the Mecca Masjid and twin
blasts in Hyderabad earlier this year. The revelation that Dawood spent
crores of rupees on the blasts was made by Majid, the youngest brother
of Shahid Bilal, the HuJI operative, who is a prime suspect in the blasts.
.....
- The Color of Law On the
Pope, Paternalism and Purifying the Savages
- by David A. Love
During his recent trip to Latin America, Pope Benedict XVI offended millions
when he arrogantly suggested that Catholicism had purified indigenous
populations, and called the resurgence of indigenous religions a step
backward. He also said the native populations were longing for Christianity,
and had welcomed the Catholic priests at the time of European conquest.
.....
- Orissa probes Maoist hand
in violence
- by Himansu S. Sahoo
After evidence of Maoist involvement in certain incidents of violence
in Kandhamal district, the Orissa government has started enquiring the
activities of several foreign-funded NGOs in the district and their alleged
links with the Maoist groups. .....
- Rama Setu: Govt. affidavit
will be delayed, Ambika Soni's advice to DMK MPs
- by Maalai Murasu
In Supreme Court… Rama Setu: Govt. affidavit will be delayed, Central
Govt. hesitant because of coming Karnataka elections Since assembly elections
are due to be held in Karnataka state, Central Government is likely to
delay the submission of their affidavits on Rama Setu case pending in
Supreme Court. .....
- Yoga made part of school
syllabus
- by Suchandana Gupta
BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh will introduce yoga in the school curriculum
from the next academic session beginning April. This was announced by
chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Saturday at a surya namaskar yoga
programme for students in Bhopal. .....
- Vasundhara was wise on Taslima
- by Lokpal Sethi
If Vasundhara Raje led BJP government in Rajasthan had not acted timely
and wisely, Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was literally thrown
out from Kolkata by CPM led Left Front Government in West Bengal, would
have faced enormous hardships. .....
- Critics of Saudi Academy
Say Textbooks Promote Intolerance
- by The Washington Post
Some textbooks used by an Islamic school in Fairfax County contain language
intolerant of Jews and other groups as well as passages that could be
construed as advocating violence, according to two reviews of the materials.
.....
- Hindu up against Sharia
- by The Statesman
Malaysia's highest court today rejected on technicalgrounds an appeal
by an ethnic Indian Hindu woman to stop her Muslim convert husband from
seeking a divorce in the Islamic Sharia court, while upholding the man's
right to change the religion of their youngest son. The petition of Ms
R Subashini(29) was rejected by the Federal Court as she had filed it
within three months of the conversion of her husband, Mr Saravanan Thangathoray
alias Mohammed Shafi Abdullah(32). .....
- Seer defends Naveen govt
- by Lalmohan Patnaik
Describing the spate of violence in Kandhamal as a "natural reaction",
Swami Laxmananda Saraswati today gave a clean chit to the Naveen Patnaik
administration, saying that no government could have controlled such a
"backlash". .....
- Boy's dying declaration
alleges torture by Christian missionaries
- by Omer Farooq
The Hyderabad Police has booked a case of mysterious death after a missing
boy was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition by three unknown
people who later disappeared from the scene. The 12-year-old boy Mohammed
Arshad later died in the Osmania Hospital. .....
- On this Winter Solstice,
I am a Gujarati
- by Rajeev Srinivasan
The Gujarat election results were announced on a very appropriate day:
the day after Winter Solstice, the beginning of the movement of the Sun
towards the north. Uttarayanam is auspicious, a time of new beginnings;
this is the time for which the aged Bhishma waited, in excruciating pain
on the sara-sayya, bed of arrows. If we are lucky, we will be seeing a
new beginning in the Indian political scenario as well. .....
- Antidote to all formulas
- by Balbir K Punj
It seems the issue of development is a greater devil for the Congress
to fear than Mr Narendra Modi or the BJP. Well, that is the lesson the
Congress is repeatedly underlining in its post-election breast-beating.
If the people of Gujarat have voted for development, the Congress should
welcome it. .....
- Muslim leader threatens
street protests if Taslima returns
- by DNA (Daily News & Analysis)
An influential Muslim leader on Friday threatened violent street protests
if Bangladesh writer Taslima Nasreen returns to this metropolis and demanded
an apology from her for her allegedly derogatory comments against Islam.
.....
- Benazir Bhutto Killed by
the real Pakistan
- by Andrew C. McCarthy
Aspirants to the American presidency should hope to score so highly in
the United States. In Pakistan, though, the al-Qaeda emir easily beat
out that country's current president, Pervez Musharraf, who polled at
38 percent. .....
- Indefensible delay
- by Coomi Kapoor
A governor has written to Defence Minister A.K. Antony protesting that
the Indian Army has not renewed the contract of some 30 lecturers who
give discourses on various aspects of the Hindu religion to army jawans
in different parts of the country. .....
- Investigate Western, Christian
charities
- by Sandhya Jain
Teresa betrayed those who generously supported her work because they did
not realize how her twisted premises chocked all efforts to alleviate
misery. Most donations simply remained in her bank accounts. The world
now needs to know through a multi-nation enquiry. .....
- Houston's Kusum Vyas takes
"Save Ram Sethu Campaign" to Bali
- by India Herald
"As world leaders contemplate upon the ways to save the earth's environment,
all responsible citizens of the global community must recognize that dredging
and destroying Ram Sethu to create a ship channel in the region of the
Gulf of Mannar translates into an ecological disaster" is the concern
expressed by Dr. Kusum Vyas, the founder of "Save Ram Sethu Campaign"
at Bali in Indonesia on Dec.15. .....
- 'Let us all salute Narendra
Modi'
- by Arvind Lavakare
Arvind Lavakare may be 71, but the fire in his belly burns stronger than
in many people half his age. The economics post-graduate worked with the
Reserve Bank of India and several private and public sector companies
before retiring in 1997. His first love, however, remains sports. .....
- Kerala CM first Marxist
leader to visit Sabarimala
- by The Times of India
Creating history by becoming the first Marxist leader to visit the famed
Sabarimala temple, 84-year-old Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan
trekked an eight-km-long dense forest route to have a first hand knowledge
of the problems faced by the devotees. .....
- Farmers hook on to the net
to reap a rich harvest
- by Deborah Grey
Standing in the middle of his vineyard with a laptop in hand, 30-year-old
Sandeep Khode is perhaps the face of the new techno-savvy Indian farmer,
who gets expert agricultural advice by posting queries online at www.aaqua.org.
.....
- Silent Jindal jolts university
- by K.P. Nayar
The bodies of the two Indian students murdered on the Louisiana State
University (LSU) campus last week are expected to be repatriated to Hyderabad
on Tuesday or Wednesday, notwithstanding a complete lack of support in
the case by the incoming state administration headed by Indian-American
Bobby Jindal. .....
- Lakhs of sadhus in capital;
demand Setusamduram scalp
- by The New Indian Express
Buoyed by the saffron surge in Gujarat, the Sangh Parivar on Sunday stepped
up pressure on the Ram Setu issue with a huge VHP rally demanding scrapping
of the controversial Setusamduram project. .....
- Modi, a hero
- by NotanOserver.rediffiland.com
Though I also operate within the realms of Indian English media, though
I am aware of its "pseudo-secular" credentials, I was baffled
by the kind of lop-sided, anti-Modi coverage of the Gujarat elections,
especially in the electronic media. .....
- She resorted to anti-Indianism
to please voters
- by Francois Gautier
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Benzair Bhutto as 'one of the
outstanding leaders of our sub-continent, who always looked for reconciliation
between India and Pakistan'. .....
- Gujarat polls: The assertion
of entrepreneurs
- by R Vaidyanathan
The election results of Gujarat have been analysed by the losers, namely
the poll forecasters and other assorted media experts, most of whom had
egg on their face. The real loser, namely the Congress Party, as usual
declared victory for Sonia and Rahul. Then there was a cacophony of voices
regarding inane things like Hindutva/ Moditva, etc. .....
- A wake-up call to Hindus
Oppression in Malaysia
- by Prakash Singh
In Malaysia, persons of Indian origin-Hindus, to be precise-have been
economically marginalised. They are mostly at the bottom of the ladder.
Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution provides special privileges
for Malayans only. Politically, they hardly count. They wanted to organise
a rally to ventilate their grievances, but were denied permission by the
police. .....
- Message from Gujarat
- by Prafull Goradia
The return of Mr Narendra Modi as Chief Minister of Gujarat has a historic
significance far beyond the debates about his election. Go back to Japan
at the end of World War II in 1945, China on the morrow of Mao Zedong's
successful revolution in 1949 and India's independence in 1947. .....
- Nanotechnology not new to
India, says Nobel laureate
- by The Hindu
Nanotechnology might be of raging interest to scientists world-over now.
But Indians had used nano materials in the 16th century "unwittingly"
and enabled Arab blacksmiths in making "Damascus steel sword"
which was stronger and sharper. .....
- 'Gospel of Wealth' Facing
Scrutiny
- by Eric Gorski
The message flickered into Cindy Fleenor's living room each night: Be
faithful in how you live and how you give, the television preachers said,
and God will shower you with material riches. .....
- Islamists in the other Europe
- by Praveen Swami
As radical Islam gathers momentum in western Europe, concerns grow in
east and central Europe. .....
- Kashmiri Pandits to intensify
struggle for separate homeland
- by Neeraj Santoshi
This year end, Kashmiri Pandits from various parts of the country will
meet in New Delhi to intensify their struggle for a separate homeland
in the Valley, according to Panun Kashmir, an organisation of the exiled
community. .....
- Can Pakistan survive?
- by Sushant Sareen
Lt Gen Asad Durrani, the former ISI chief, dismisses these conspiracy
theories as nonsense. He argues that no military commander will ever get
hundreds of his troops killed and allow a situation to develop where large
parts of the country go out of control of the state. He also defended
his former organisation, ISI, by saying that it is silly to talk of the
ISI as a state within a state. .....
- Pakistan's lost frontier
- by Sushant Sareen
Nearly half a dozen of my cousins who are officers in the Army have quit
in the last year", revealed a Pashtun journalist friend. According
to another Pashtun journalist, who has been reporting the Islamist insurgency
from ground-zero, there have been many desertions from the paramilitary
forces (the Frontier Corp and Tribal Levies). .....
- Let there be shari'ah!
- by Sushant Sareen
Education Minister and former ISI chief Gen Javed Ashraf Qazi is convinced
that using the Army in a half-hearted manner will be counterproductive,
and if the Army has to be deployed against the extremists and jihadis,
then it must use all the force under its command to end the menace of
extremism once and for all. .....
- Islamists taking over Pakistan
- by Sushant Sareen
If Pakistan is an Islamic country, what is your objection to imposing
shari'ah as is being demanded by the mullahs? As a believer, why are you
afraid of shari'ah law?" I asked a former editor of an Urdu daily
and currently the host of a TV programme. His answer: "As an Indian,
you obviously would like to see Pakistan go into the Stone Age".
.....
- Study points to 500 BC Kerala
maritime activity
- by C. Gouridasan Nair
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala, or what later came to comprise it, may have
had maritime contacts with far off lands as far back in time as 500 BC
or even earlier, archaeological studies now suggest. .....
- Local factors led to Kandhamal
violence
- by Ram Madhav
For days, one TV Channel ran visuals of how Christians have been targeted
for violence in Orissa's Kandhamal district. Several other so-called national
channels too joined the chorus sufficient enough for Mombattiwalas (candlelight
activists) to plunge into the ring and declare that 'entire Orissa', if
not 'entire India', is in the grip of violence unleashed against 'innocent
minorities' by 'Hindu nationalists'. .....
- Throw Taslima out, Muslim
leaders tell govt
- by Nagendar Sharma
Seven top Muslim religious organisations have asked the central government
not to extend the visa of controversial Bangladeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen,
and have decided to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking strict
action against her for hurting the religious sentiments of Indians. .....
- Dredging projects remain
on paper despite plan support
- by The Economic Times
Dredging sector seems to have received the least attention during the
10th Five Year Plan period as none of the major port deepening projects
envisaged for the time frame has taken off. Quite oblivious of the reality,
the present 11th 5-Year Plan (2007-12) plan document talks eloquently
of the need for 'substantial capacity augmentation at major and minor
ports'. .....
- Return to the raaga
- by Jaya Menon
Every winter, as the clammy air turns into a wispy breeze, Chennai, a
city often troubled by the torrent of change, loses itself in the comfort
of an 80-year-old tradition. In music halls (sabhas) scattered across
the city, techies from Silicon Valley and maamis in glittering temple
jewellery, settle down in chairs. The chatter subsides, all eyes turn
to the stage-and in the touch of the bow on the strings of a violin, the
silence scatters. .....
- After Ballia debacle, Maya
turns heat on Brahmins
- by The Times of India
Dropping the bonhomie rhetoric that saw BSP drawing in Brahmin votes and
leaders in last year's election, UP chief minister Mayawati has trained
her guns on Brahmins, holding them responsible for the party's debacle
in Ballia by-election. In a huff, she announced the dissolution of all
the Vaishya and Brahmin bhaichara samitis, which were formed to bring
the trading community and Brahmins close to BSP. .....
- 23 surgeries, then yoga
- by T Surendar
Usha Devi walks with a noticeable limp but it is her pleasant smile that
is distracting. You will find no outward evidence of the two road accidents
that nearly destroyed her. She can now squat on her haunches, something
her doctors told her would never be possible. She can even do the headstand,
with a little help. You suggest miracle, she quickly corrects you. "Hard
work and yoga.'' .....
- Shukla guilty of flouting
Guj poll code: EC
- by The Times of India
The Election Commission has held Congress MP Rajeev Shukla guilty of violation
of the model code of conduct for his remarks against Gujarat chief minister
Narendra Modi during the assembly polls in the state and advised him to
be more cautious in the future. .....
- Good News From Bihar
- by Ramesh Thakur
For the past decade, annual visits to family in Bihar, including this
December, have served as a solid reality check against the glitter and
glamour of Tokyo, London and New York. No matter how dismal the situation
in the state and sophisticated our lifestyle overseas, Bihar is home and
continues to pull at the heart strings. .....
- Cong sees red at Maya's
I-T relief, FM mum
- by The Times of India
The order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) that could legitimise
UP chief minister Mayawati's valuable properties including bungalows in
Delhi and crores in lockers has drawn flak from diverse quarters, with
many expressing apprehension that it could dent the very basis of the
Anti-Corruption Act. .....
- Maha idea 'outrages' V-Cs
- by Hemali Chhapia
The state plan to ask universities to plough back their reserves into
the state kitty surfaced in a closeddoor interaction held by governor
S M Krishna in which he met vice-chancellors of all state universities.
CM V Deshmukh, higher and technical education minister Dilip Walse-Patil
and minister of state for higher education Suresh Shetty were also present.
.....
- In an antique land
- by Dilip Patel
An ancient township, nearly 2,200 years old, has been located buried under
the Mahadev Mandir's dry jungles on the Bhuj-Nakhatrana road, 35 km from
Bhuj in north-west Gujarat. .....
- I am a victim of politics,
says Taslima
- by The Indian Express
Comparing her stay in Delhi to house arrest, Bangladeshi writer Taslima
Nasreen has alleged that even visits by her friends and relatives are
monitored by the authorities. "This existence cannot be called living,"
she has said in an e-mail titled "how I am surviving" sent to
her friends here. .....
- Husband of dead Malaysian
woman fights for her faith
- by The Mumbai Mirror
The Christian husband of a dead Malaysian woman sought to stop Islamic
authorities on Thursday from giving her a Muslim funeral amid a dispute
over whether she converted to Islam before her death. .....
- Offensive proselytisation
is the problem
- by Sandhya Jain
Orissa alone received Rs. 128.95 crores of foreign funds for the activities
of 1005 mainly missionary organisations there in the year 2005, according
to Home Ministry figures. Mr. Graham Staines and his wife Gladys were
among these missionaries whose dubious activities in the state were funded
by foreign governments to serve a larger agenda. .....
- Caliphate of Pakistan
- by Sandhya Jain
The assassination of a charismatic but flawed leader has disguised the
reality of a Pakistan that is emerging as a critical geo-political hub
in an increasingly multi-polar world. So far unrecognised, the 'Caliphate
of Pakistan' is adroitly positioning itself in an uncomprehending world.
Mercifully, India has recognised the security implications for itself.
.....
- Shiv Sena leader killed
in Jawhar
- by Ram Parmar
A senior Shiv Sena leader was brutally beaten to death by a group of people
after he tried to prevent them from teasing a girl during a circus show
at Jawhar on the New Year night. .....
- Lalu's sons thrashed for
alleged eve-teasing
- by The Times of India
Two sons of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad got into trouble for allegedly
indulging in eve-teasing on New Year's eve and were beaten up by unidentified
youths in south Delhi. .....
- Don't embrace China blindly
- by G. Pathasarathy
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh commences his diplomatic calendar for 2008
with a mid-January visit to China. The Chinese are perfect hosts. Meetings
and banquets in the Great Hall of the People, sumptuous meals of 'Peking
Duck' and visits to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City leave Indian
leaders breathless, enthralled and prone to making tall claims of the
'breakthroughs' and 'successes' they have achieved. .....
- The reader is beginning
to count
- by The Hoot
And the Hindu's Reader's Editor finally took note of the murmurings about
the newspaper's coverage of Nandigram. A Hoot editorial on small victories
in the battle for media accountability. .....
- Gujaratis in Kenya: Modi
writes 2nd letter to PM
- by NDTV.com
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday shot off a second letter
to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting him to take immediate action
for safety of people of Gujarati origin living in strife-torn African
country of Kenya, official sources said. .....
- We aren't that different
- by Ajoy Bose
India can seek pride from its progress when viewed in contrast to the
slump of our western neighbour. Yet, instead of gloating over it, let
the country be sobered by the fact that the fundamental catalysts that
have caused Pakistan its misery are present in India as well .....
- Bangla, Myanmar aiding ultras
of NE: AR
- by Sanjoy Ray
Asserting that a host of militant outfits active in the North East region,
including the proscribed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have taken
refuge in the neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh, Director
General of Assam Rifles Paramjit Singh today said that Assam Rifles has
urged the respective Governments of the neighbouring countries to deal
with the matter effectively before the scenario aggravates. .....
- B'deshis carrying on businesses,
working illegally: BSF
- by The Assam Tribune
The arrest of two Bangladeshi nationals at Lantilla in Jaintia Hills district
of Meghalaya has opened a new window on how Bangladeshis have been carrying
on businesses and working in the major towns of the State. .....
- What is erotic and what
is art?
- by Dr. Srinivasan Kalyanaraman
What is erotic and what is art? If s'ivalinga is seen as an erotic representation
of a human male reproductory organ, it will look erotic to the so-called
purveyor of freedom of _expression who has a perverted notion of sex and
sexuality. And, there are thousands of temples (devalaya) where s'ivalinga
is worshipped by millions of Hindu. .....
- UPA dips into SC, OBC funds
to pay for 'Muslims first' policy
- by Rajeev Ranjan Roy
In a blatant discrimination, the Centre has reduced the fund allocation
for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes by Rs 3,000
crore in the 11th Five-Year Plan, but trebled the allocation for the minorities
to Rs 1,400 crore per annum against Rs 500 crore. .....
- Rampur attack inside job,
claim UP cops
- by Preetam Srivastava/Rakesh K. Singh
Logistical support to the terror module that carried out the 1/1 early
morning raid at the Group Centre of CRPF in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, was
allegedly provided by an insider within the force, according to the initial
investigation of the State police. .....
- The Muslim rule of Spain
- by Christopher Howse
But I must say I was annoyed by another claim she made in her review of
Spencer's book. This is something one hears all the time. "In Muslim
Spain," she wrote, "relations between the three religions of
Abraham were uniquely harmonious in medieval Europe." .....
- Is 'socialist' still valid
in preamble, asks plea
- by Malathi Nayak
Thirty-one years after India rewrote its Constitution to call itself a
"sovereign, socialist, secular democratic republic", this amendment
has been challenged in the Supreme Court by a not for-profit organisation
that is questioning the validity of introducing the word 'socialist'.
.....
- 150 producers wait for release
of their one movie this Friday
- by Nitin Patil
This Friday, an unusual movie will hit the screens. As many as 150 people-among
them students, doctors and engineers from all over Maharashtra-have pooled
in money to make the full-length feature film in Hindi, Humne Jeena Seekha
Liya. .....
- Programmes initiated, not
implemented
- by J.S. Rajput
The educational initiatives taken in 2007 generated more controversies
than confidence. Educational planning and programme implementation over
the last couple of years have received far more criticism for their failures
than appreciation for their achievements. .....
- Rise of the religious amusement
park
- by Priyanka P. Narain
When twilight descends, the voice of Bollywood actor Amrish Puri rises
over the waves from the nearby sea, and the show begins. Tracing back
several millenia, Puri narrates the story of Somnath, the temple that
houses the oldest Shiva lingam in India. .....
- Fears not unfounded (Letter
to Editor)
- by M Krishnamachary
Narendra Modi's election victory is a positive sign for India's future.
A few months back, I went to Gujarat to make a presentation to the board
of directors of a large state-owned public sector company for a project
proposal. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they spent a lot of
time and had come prepared with a thorough background study. .....
- Modism does work (Letter
to Editor)
- by N S Venkataraman
Narendra Modi's election victory is a positive sign for India's future.
A few months back, I went to Gujarat to make a presentation to the board
of directors of a large state-owned public sector company for a project
proposal. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they spent a lot of
time and had come prepared with a thorough background study. .....
- Pakistan turmoil raises
security fears in Gujarat
- by The Times of India
There is no point chest-thumping that Gujarat has been successful in its
war against terror. If terrorists did not damage Gujarat to the extent
feared after the 2002 riots, they targeted Gujaratis in Mumbai. .....
- Blinking in terror radar
- by Haidar Naqvi
The Fidayeen (suicide) attack at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
camp in Rampur on marks a paradigm shift in strategy and tactics of the
jehadi groups, hell bent on making Uttar Pradesh their major theatre of
operation. .....
- What more is needed to stoke
reaction?
- by Arun Shourie
The Task Force on Border Management, one of the four that were set up
in the wake of the Kargil War, reported with alarm about the way madrassas
had mushroomed along India's borders. On the basis of information it received
from intelligence agencies, it expressed grave concern at the amount of
money these madrassas were receiving from foreign sources. .....
- Taslima frets in 'house
arrest'
- by The Times of India
The Centre has told controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen that
she will have to stay put where she is and would not be allowed to return
to Kolkata under any circumstances. .....
- Niazi's book mocks Jamaat's
claim
- by Zayadul Ahsan and Shakhawat Liton
An account of events chronicled by the commander of Pakistani occupying
forces in 1971 renders rather untrue Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh's vehement
claim that they were not involved in anti-liberation activities, by categorically
saying that the Army of Razakars was formed by the erstwhile Pakistan
government itself to fight against the liberation forces of Bangladesh.
.....
- CPM's web of deceit
- by The Pioneer
It is unfortunate that the investigations into the violence of March 14,
2007 at Nandigram in West Bengal have now been brought under a cloud of
controversy. The report on the March massacre at Nandigram submitted by
the CBI to the Calcutta High Court is disturbing for it has put a question
mark on the fairness of the police investigation, such as it was, ordered
by the Left Front Government, as also on the establishment of peace --
as claimed by the Marxist regime -- in this district. .....
- Ex-rebel spills Dhaka beans
- by E.M. Jose
The surrendered chairman of a separatist group has revealed that he lived
in Dhaka for several years, possibly the first time a militant leader
has publicly contested Bangladesh's claim that it does not host rebels.
.....
- Now, a fatwa on viewing
television
- by Rediff.com
Television is a tool of enjoyment and most widely used for 'prohibited'
things and impossible to use 'without a sin,' says a fatwa by Islamic
seminary Darul Uloom Deoband, a view brushed aside by three influential
Muslim organisations. .....