DEMISE OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS

The news of the establishment of the Supreme Court of England and the consequent demise of the House of Lords will be welcomed by all those who believe in the cherished values of democracy and people friendly justice delivery system.

From the first of October2009 the Supreme Court of England will start functioning and most importantly all its judges will sit at level with the lawyers instead of on a high podium as has been the practice in several courts for several centuries.  This itself will make the court room atmosphere less formal and intimidating to the common man.  More importantly, all the proceedings of the Supreme Court of England will be televised.  This brings greater transparency to the judicial process.

The people of England have to be complimented for bringing about the above epoch making judicial changes.  While, England is doing away with all the ritual associated with the courts, India still clings to history.

It is high time for the Indian Parliament to make laws which will change the entire justice delivery system.  Laws must be made to telivise the proceedings of the Supreme Court of India, as well as the High Courts.   Lawyers should be penalised for addressing the Judges of the High Court as well as the Supreme Court as “My Lords”.  This colonial custom should be given an immediate burial, at least with the establishment of the Suprme Court of England and the abolition of the House of Lords.  The system to be followed in England should also be followed in India.  Only then, can the Justice delivery system be democratised.  One hopes necessary changes will take place in India soon.

LTTE END IN SIGHT

The Sri Lankan Forces are on the verge of liquidating the LTTE, the dreaded Terrorist organisation.  By all accounts its Chief V. Prabhakaran will be either captured or killed shortly after 13th May, 2009.  The date 13th May 2009, assumes significance, as it is the last day of the voting in Tamilnadu for the Parliamentary Elections in India.  The LTTE has got some support in certain areas in Tamilnadu.  Therefore, it is obvious that, the Governments of India and Sri Lanka appear to have entered into some tacit undertstanding that India would not object to the Lankan Army either capturing or killing V.Prabhakaran, provided it is done after 13th May 2009.

No doubt, the killing or capturing of Prabhakaran will lead to some unrest in Tamilnadu and there will be wanton destruction of public property, as the people of Tamilnadu are known to express their anger in an explicit manner.

But the Government should ensure that, such expressions of anger do not cross tolerable limits.  Today the papers reported that, an Indian Army Convoy was attacked in Coimbatore by mobs owing allegiance to the LTTE.  This is a dangerous development, as the attack in India of its own Army by its own citizens does not brood well for the future.  The Centre and the State Governments should come down heavily on those groups which are attacking the Indian Army.   The behaviour of all the political parties in Tamilnadu leaves a lot to be desired.  So far, not a single political party has condemned the attack of the Indian Army by the mobs in Coimbatore.   Moreover, all political parties in Tamilnadu are demanding a separate home land for the Tamils in Sri Lanka.  This is nothing but an interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign  country.   Supposing the Sri Lankan’s support the cause of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir and demand a separate home land for them, will the Government of India give up Jammu and Kashmir ?  Today there is large presence of Telugu Software Engineers in Seattle, USA.  Will the Government of Andhra Pradesh or Government of India be justified in demanding a separate home land for the Telugu speaking people in USA after 10 or 20 years ?

It is high time for the political parties in Tamil Nadu to behave in a rational manner and do nothing which will put the integrity and unity of the country in peril.   Every Tamilian must think that he is an Indian first, and a Tamilian next, and not vice versa.  Lets hope that good sense prevails in Tamilnadu.

YSR LEADS CONGRESS TO VICTORY IN A.P.

The polling to the 294 Assembly Seats and 42 Parliamentary constituencies ended to-day.  Even though the supporters of the so called Grand Alliance (Mahakutami)  consisting of Telugu Desam Party, T.R.S., CPI, CPI (M) started a whispering campaign that the Mahakutami would wrest power in Andhra Pradesh, by to-day evening, it was clear that, the Congress Party would be voted back to power, inspite of two leading Telugu Newspapers predicting victory for the Mahakutami.

The victory of the Congress Party will be on account of a division of the anti-establishment vote between the Lok Satta and the BJP.  The Lok Satta by all accounts is going to make a fairly decent debut by eating into the vote share of the Telugu Desam Party, while the BJP is likely to get the votes of the erstwhile TRS supporters.  Eventhough, both these parties are likely to get about 4 to 5 % of the vote share, they are unlikely to win more than 4 or 5 seats, as votes will be converted into seats only if the vote share exceeds 30%.  To make matters worse, the newly formed Praja Rajyam Party is also likely to take away some of the votes of the TDP, as a majority of the candidates of the Praja Rajyam Party are actually defectors from the Telugu Desam Party.  Looked at from any angle, the Congress Party is likely to win about 170 seats.

The break up of th seats of the Congress Party in the three different regions of Andhra Pradesh is as follows:

a) Telangana  45 seats

b) Rayalseema  35 seats

c) Andhra 90 seats.

The Telugu Desam Party is likely to get about 65 seats, while the TRS will get about 20 seats.  The Praja Rajayam Party will get 20 seats and the remaining seats will be shared by the Lok Satta, B.J.P.  the Communists, and the MIM.

The Congress Party will get about 30 Loksabha seats.  If this prediction is correct Dr.Y.S.Raja Sekhar Reddy will emerge as the unquestioned leader of the Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh and his detractors will surely be sent to political oblivion.  This will also result in the Telugu Desam Party getting disintegrated and Chandra Babu Naidu will no longer be politically relevant in Andhra Pradesh.  Simultaneously, the issue of separate Telangana will be buried once and for all.

DAY DREAMING INDIAN COMMUNISTS

Not a single day passes without the political bosses of the two Communist Parties in India i.e. CPI (M) and CPI proclaiming that they would be forming the Third Front in the next Parliamentary Elections.

One does not know whether to laugh or cry over the predictions made by the Communist Parties.  In the last general elections held in 2004, the CPI (M) could secure only 5.66% votes, while the CPI could manage only 1.41% votes.

Notwithstanding their pathetic performance over several decades, these communist parties go on dreaming about forming a government at the national level.  After being badly mauled by the Trinamul Congress in the local body elections held in Nandigram and Singur in West Bengal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) it appears has decided to join hands with any political party for the sake of increasing its vote share.

For this purpose it has openly declared that it would jettison all its professed principles.  In Andhra Pradesh, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had opposed the Chandra Babu Government in 2004, by calling him an agent of the World Bank and accused him of adopting anti-peoples policies.  In the year 2009 the very same Communists have embraced Chandra Babu Naidu, even though Naidu has not changed any of his ideas.

This is because the Communists know fully well that they will not even get their measly 5% odd votes if they contest on their own.  That is why they will align with any political party which may seek alliances with it.  If the Communists contest on their own they will not even get 4% votes, as was the case in the Assembly Elections of Andhra Pradesh held in 1999.  In the said Elections, the Communists together polled 3.32% votes and won only two  seats out of 294. Both the seats were won by the CPI(M) and the CPI could not even get a single seat.   So much for the popular support of the Communists!

Apart from aligning themselves with Chandra Babu Naidu, who supported the communal BJP / NDA rule, the Communists have now gone one step further and aligned themselves with a Muslim Extremist Party headed by Abdul Madhani, who was an accused in the Coimbatore Bomb Blast Case.  No doubt, he was acquitted, but in our country only 5% of the Criminals get convicted. At this rate, the Communists will not hesitate to align themselves with the Taliban for getting a few votes.  Such is the depravity and lust for power of the Indian Communists.

It appears that, the CPI(M)/CPI’s hunger for power is no less than that of the mainstream political parties like the Congress or the BJP. The tall talk of high and lofty principles by Sitaram Yechuri, Karat, and Bardhan is nothing but political hogwash.

It is not understood as to why our TV channels give so much of importance to the leaders of the Communist Parties.  It would be appropriate to call the Communist Parties, as Television Parties, as their leaders are found for ever in the TV studios and not with the masses.

Let us hope that the electorate would give a decesive verdict in 2009 to one or the other major political parties, so that, the country can be saved of the political black mail by the Communist parties and their so called Third Front.

VIRULENT VARUN

He is the new political kid on the block,

Truly the chip of the old block.

He is a young politician in a hurry,

Who has become BJP’s worry.

BJP thought that it had a prize scalp,

Only to realize that it was a dunce cap.

For the Muslim anatomy,

He prescribes vasectomy.

He thought he would go to jail,

And automatically get bail.

He thought that politics was a picnic,

But Mayawati made him panic.

He wanted to be a Hindu Hero,

But ended up as a big zero.

ELECTION TIME INDIA

It’s election time in India again,

But the people have little to gain.

Promises by dozen made casually,

Only to be forgotten usually.

If you do not know how to rig,

You won’t be doing the jig.

Yesterday’s law breakers,

Are today’s law makers.

Safe and secure for five years,

Leaving the people in tears.

Independence was a cruel joke,

Burdening the masses to the yoke.

What is palmed off as a democracy,

Is nothing short of a mobocracy.

It’s election time in India again,

And one must relive the pain again.

CONGRESS LED GOVERNMENT TO BE VOTED BACK TO POWER

Its Election time in India. The next general elections will be held in the months of April and May 2009, and the Election results declared on 16^th May 2009. Every Indian thinks that, he is an expert political commentator. Every Indian has a definite view of the shape of things to come. The television news channels have already come up with pre poll surveys. There are basically three political alliances in India. The present coalition government led by the Congress Party is known as the United Peoples Alliance (UPA). The previous coalition government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is known as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Communists and a few other parties call themselves the Third Front. The Indian Parliament consists of 544 parliamentary seats. Therefore, for the purpose of forming a government any formation must have atleast 272 seats.

According to Arun Nehru, who was former Minister in the Congress regime and who has joined the BJP now, the most likely result of the election would be as shown in the table below:

STATE	SEATS	CONGRESS	BJP	REGIONAL
ANDHRA PRADESH	42	19	NIL	13(TDP) 6 (TRS) 1(MIM) + 3 (PR)
ASSAM	14	6	3	4(AGP) +1
BIHAR	40	1	9	17 (JD-U) 8 (RJD) + 3 (LINS) +2
CHHATISGARH	11	4	7
GUJARAT	26	6	20
GOA	2	1	1
HARYANA	10	7	NIL	3 (INLD)
HIMACHAL	4	1	3
J&K	6	2	1	2(INC) 1 (PDP)
JHARKHAND	14	5	6	2(JMM) 1(JD(U))
KARNATAKA	28	7	19	2 (JD-S)
KERALA	20	11+Allies	NIL	6 (LEFT)(ML2)(KC1)
RAJASTHAN	25	14	11
MP	29	8	21
MAHARASHTRA	48	11	15	12(SS) 9(NCP)+1(RP)
NORTH-EAST	9	6	NIL	3 (NCP1SDF1/NPF1)
ORISSA	21	8	6	7 (BJD)
PUNJAB	13	6	2	5 (AD)
TAMIL NADU	39	4	NIL	16 (AIDMK) 2 LEFT 7(DMK) 6(PMK) 2 (MDMK)
TRIPURA	2	NIL	NIL	2(LEFT)
UP	80	7	8	36(BSP) 26 (SP) 3(RLD)
UTs	6	3	Nil	3(PMK1 JD(U)1 BNP 1)
WEST BENGAL	42	6	NIL	26 (LEFT) 10 (AITC)
		149	135

According to Arun Nehru, the Congress Party is only marginally ahead of the BJP. According to him, the congress is likely to get 149 seats, while the BJP is likely to get 135 seats and the rest of the seats will be bagged by different smaller parties, who align themselves either with the Congress or the BJP or even think of forming the so called Third Front.

I have a slightly different perspective. According to my reading the Congress party is likely to emerge as the single largest party in the next general elections and it would definitely lead the UPA coalition. Mr. Manmohan Singh appears to be a safe bet to lead the country during this difficult times of recession. He is quietly ushering in the necessary economic reforms. The pace of reforms could have been faster, but for the fact that he was held hostage for more than four years by the Communists, who opposed every move to bring in more foreign investment into the country. While the Communists in China are welcoming foreign capital the indigenous Communists of India are opposing the entry of multi national companies in India.

While the performance of Mr. Manmohan Singh may not be spectacular, it is steady and is therefore likely to be voted back with a greater majority. My poll predictions are as follows:

STATE	SEATS	CONGRESS	BJP	REGIONAL
ANDHRA PRADESH	42	32	NIL	5(TDP) 2 (TRS) 1(MIM) + 2 (PR)
ASSAM	14	6	3	4(AGP) +1
BIHAR	40	2	8	20 (JD-U) 6 (RJD) + 3 (LINS) +1
CHHATISGARH	11	5	6
GUJARAT	26	10	16
GOA	2	2	NIL
HARYANA	10	7	NIL	3 (INLD)
HIMACHAL	4	2	2
J&K	6	2	1	2(INC) 1 (PDP)
JHARKHAND	14	5	6	2(JMM) 1(JD(U))
KARNATAKA	28	10	16	2 (JD-S)
KERALA	20	11+Allies	NIL	6 (LEFT)(ML2)(KC1)
RAJASTHAN	25	18	7
MP	29	10	19
MAHARASHTRA	48	15	11	12(SS) 9(NCP)+1(RP)
NORTH-EAST	9	6	NIL	3 (NCP1SDF1/NPF1)
ORISSA	21	10	NIL	11 (BJD)
PUNJAB	13	6	2	5 (AD)
TAMIL NADU	39	4	NIL	14 (AIDMK) 2 LEFT 11(DMK) 6(PMK) 2 (MDMK)
TRIPURA	2	NIL	NIL	2(LEFT)
UP	80	10	8	33(BSP) 27 (SP) 2(RLD)
UTs	6	3	Nil	2(PMK1 JD(U)1 BNP 1)
WEST BENGAL	42	8	NIL	24 (LEFT) 10 (AITC)
		196	105

From the above it can be seen that, the Congress Party with about 190 seats would be in a position to form a coalition government with the help of its non-communist allies numbering about 90. The Communists would be reduced to half of their present tally and would become quite irrelevant and would not be in a position to black mail the Congress led government. This would be good news for the country.

One hopes that, the BJP will also shed its blind anti- Congressism and welcome the economic changes and also the new pro US foreign policy of the UPA. If this is done there will be scope for greater foreign investment in the country, and there by create more jobs. The recession in the West should be taken advantage of by India with its cheap labour and thereby compete with China. For competing with China there must be a broad understanding between the BJP and the Congress party about the economic and foreign policies. This is bound to happen very shortly, and the country will be able to get rid of the shackles of isolation imposed by the Communists for several decades. That would be the CHANGE, India is waiting for…….

Gandhi antiques auction

Mahatma Gandhi abhorred liquor. He fought for the imposition of prohibition in India. It is a supreme irony that a liquor baron Mr. Vijay Mallya, had to step in and bid for the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi, which were being auctioned in New York. Mr.Vijay Mallya, successfully won the bid and the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi are set to return to India shortly.

But the question is, how did the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi actually reach a private collector in America ? While it was easy for the Indians to blame the British Rule, for the loss of the Kohinoor Diamond and several other important sculptures like Natraja, they have no excuse for the loss of the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated after India’s Independence.

What did the Government of the day do to preserve the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi ? Why were his personal belongings neglected ? Who is responsible for this lapse ? The entire episode reflects the fact that Gandhi was only paid lip service by the nation and no body took him seriously after Independence, either during his life time or death.

Gandhi fought for truth, which is a rare commodity in contemporary India.  He fought for non-violence, whereas there is considerable violence in the country.  As none of the principles of Gandhi are followed, it is no surprise that his belongings were also neglected after his death.

The auction once again exposes the clumsy functioning of the Government. While Mr.Vijaya Mallya claims that, he has purchased the belongings of Mahatma Gandhi, with his own funds, the Government claims the credit.

While the Western Countries preserve their heritage, the Indian Government is neglecting it. It is no surprise, that all the major pieces of art are actually in some museums either in U.S.A. or U.K.. Perhaps, it is better to allow them to be there, as they will be well preserved for the posterity, whereas, in India there is no guarantee for their safety. Some years back, the noble prize medal which was given to Ravindranath Tagore was stolen from a museum and the medal is yet to be recovered.

Perhaps, after 50 years the medal may find its way into some auction in New York and let us hope that Vijay Mallya will be around to bid for it and bring it back to India.

IS THIS THE CHANGE OBAMA PROMISED ?

Barack Obama was swept to power on the slogan that he would bring about “CHANGE”. During the election campaign he stated that, US Troops will not hesitate to enter into Pakistan, to hunt down the Terrorists.

Soon after, assuming office, one of the first things which the US administration has done is to broker a deal between the Taliban forces in the Swat Valley and the Pakistan Government. According to the deal, which was struck recently the Pakistan Government has permitted the Taliban to rule the Swat Valley in accordance with the Shariat (The code of law based on the Koran.).

The Taliban promptly ordered the closure of schools meant for girls. They have now relaxed the ban, by allowing the schools to function but asking all the girls to wear veils. Punishments for offences will be according to Koranic Law i.e. Public Flogging, amputation of limbs or even execution.

While, girls can freely attend to schools in USA, they are subject to inhuman restrictions by the Taliban in the Swat Valley. Is this the change Obama promised ?

Not only did the US administration approve this abominable deal, but it has also now promised a massive aid to Pakistan. During the election campaign Barack Obama lamented that the aid given to Pakistan to fight terrorism was been diverted to build up arms against India. Is this how, you fight terrorism Mr. Obama?

Pakistan has been continuously fooling the Western Democracies about its commitment to fight terror. Instead of fighting terror, Pakistan is spreading terror, as evidenced by the recent 26/11 Mumbai attack.

Instead of asking Pakistan to close its terror camps, the US Administration is lauding Pakistan’s Swat valley deal. The Swat valley is a University of Terror, from which the would be Taliban graduate with honors. Is this your idea of spreading higher education Mr. Obama ?

It would be naïve on the part of Mr. Obama to believe that, Pakistan would actually help track down the Al Qaeda.  Pakistan will never do that, for it is in Pakistan’s interest to keep the ghost of Al Qaeda / Osama Bin Laden, alive in order to get funds from USA with the object of continuing its proxy war with India.

George Bush may not have been an inspiration leader, yet to his credit, he never shook hands with the Taliban, whereas, Obama with in one month has already done so. It is one thing to give great speeches in election campaigns and win an election, but, it is an other thing to lead the nation’s war of terror.  

Instead of swatting the Taliban, Obama is making Swat (Sweet) deals with the Taliban. Is this the change Obama promised?

CONFUSED BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

The sensation double murder case of Arushi and her servant Hemraj is getting intriguing day by day, thanks to the directionless investigation of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 14 year old Arushi Talwar and her servant Hemraj were murdered at the residence of Dr.Rajesh Talwar at Noida, New Delhi on the intervening night of 15th May and 16th 2008.

The case was investigated initially by the Uttar Pradesh police. Meerut IG Gurdarshan Singh, announced this at a press conference, that Dr. Rajesh Talwar had killed his daughter Arushi and domestic help Hemraj in their residence possibly because both of them knew about his extra-marital affairs and the two victims themselves shared a close relationship. As the remarks of the Meerut IG Gurdarshan Singh were perceived to be some what tasteless, Women’s groups and a Union Minister Smt. Renuka Chowdhary made hue and cry. Under the pressure from the media, the Uttar Pradesh Government handed over the investigation of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The Central Bureau of Investigation immediately pronounced that, Dr Rajesh Talwar was not guilty. It did not oppose his bail petition and consequently, he was soon released on bail. The Central Bureau of Investigation came up with the theory that, the murder was actually carried out by a paramedical helper / compounder of Dr. Rajesh Talwar by name Krishna and two others. The reason given by the Central Bureau of Investigation was that, Krishna was said to be upset with Dr. Rajesh Talwar for having chided him in the performance of his duties as a compounder.

The theory of murder being provoked on account of chiding by Dr. Rajesh Talwar, does not cut much ice. No servant will go to the extent of killing his master’s daughter merely because the master had scolded him for not doing some errand properly. At any rate, there was no reason for him or his accomplices to kill the domestic help Hemraj. That too in the house of Dr. Rajesh Talwar,when he himself was present in the room next to his daughter’s room, where her dead body was found. Krishna and his so called accomplices who were arrested were ultimately released on bail. The alleged murder weapon has not been discovered till date. The motive of the murder is also flimsy to say the least.

How could two Police Investigating Agencies viz. Uttar Pradesh Police, and Central Bureau of Investigation come to two different conclusions? The version of the Uttar Pradesh police appears to be more credible, as at least a concrete motive for the murder was established.

Now, for the most interesting part, the Central Bureau of Investigation has recently taken Dr. Rajesh Talwar and his wife Dr. Nupur Talwar for a brain mapping test. One is at a loss to understand as to why the Central Bureau of Investigation, which had hurriedly given a clean chit to Dr. Rajesh Talwar and charged his compounder Krishna and others with the murder, is now changing its stance? Why is the CBI now conducting the brain mapping test on Dr. Rajesh Talwar ? If there was a lingering suspicion in the mind of the Central Bureau of Investigation, why did it not conduct the brain mapping test earlier ?

The Central Bureau of Investigation seems to be groping in the dark directionlessly. Indeed many feel that, the Central Bureau of Investigation should be aptly renamed as the Confused Bureau of Investigation.