Free, Fearless Journalism ...

Free, Fearless Journalism ...: "So, after furious backpedaling for over two years by the Government (which according to rumors may be headed by the Congress party), finally some moves are being made to bring back black money home. Lo and behold, now everybody and their chachaji wants to bring back black money home! Funny thing is, when the black money issue came up just before last elections, everybody and their auntyji said - well, various things.

Anyway, we digress.

As a trailer for supposedly bigger things to come, a number of individuals with accounts in the LGT bank of Liechtenstein, Germany, are being pursued. Tehelka claims it has 'accessed' the list. Now, the original list had 18 names on it, Tehelka published only 15 with much fanfare and over the top triumphalism:

TEHELKA has accessed 16 of the 18 names, of which we are putting out 15 right now. These names include individuals as well as trusts. At this point, we are putting out 15 names without disclosing details like their addresses, the businesses they are involved in and the total money they have stored away in Liechtenstein. Abiding by the basic journalistic principle of proving the accused an opportunity to present their side of story, TEHELKA has approached each of these individuals involved and is awaiting their response. [link]

Now the intriguing question is, why 16? Why not all the 18? As such none of these individuals have been found guilty of any crime yet. So, like the Spectrum scam losses, their guilt is presumptuous. There are three possibilities as to why 16 and not 18:

(a) A metered leak from the Govt (allegedly headed by the Congress party)

(b) Leaked by a whistle-blower with only 16 names

(c) Leaked by a whistle blower, last two names too hot

These are situations which stretch your imagination and push their credibility or perhaps the other way around.

Anyway. Having gotten over that bit about 16/18, we are suddenly faced with a strange situation. If all 16 names had been accessed, why publish only 15? The question perhaps intrigued other individuals as well, Tehelka faced a barrage of queries.

• 16th name on 'The List' to be out in a few hours...
• More developments happening on the 16th name... Sorry to make you wait a little longer. Will keep you posted.
• Sincere apologies. Between developing stories and technological hiccups-- the two big stories planned for the day will have to wait :|
• No. 16 on the Swindlers List... Out in a few minutes... (This time for real)
• The 16th name on the Swindlers' List...

This is far more suspenseful than the Oscars and arguably about as entertaining.

These messages indicate the tremendous amount of emotional turmoil Tehelka folks must have been going through. In any case, Tehelka did indeed publish the 16th name on the list, more than 2 days after publishing the first 15.

The 16th name rated a full story of its own for some inexplicable reason, with loads of explanations. The 16th name happens to be a member of a large family run industrial house.

Now, Tehelka can not claim they were waiting for the individual to offer his side of the story, since the other 15 had not been given this opportunity. So, why was this name held up? The guy was too big? The fearless folks of Tehelka, supposedly crusaders for the small guys holds back the one big name on the list? Or is it perhaps religion? Or secularism? Or some other reason? Perhaps we will never know.

"

धर्मान्तरण के दलाल जोन दयाल को वनवासियों से तकलीफ !!

धर्मान्तरण के दलाल जोन दयाल को वनवासियों से तकलीफ !!: "

धार्मिक उन्माद फैला रहा है जॉन दयाल
जैसे-जैसे नर्मदा कुम्भ की तारीख नजदीक आ रही है, जबरन धर्मांतरण को उतारू मिशनरियो की घबराहट ब़ढ रही है। नर्मदा के किनारे आयोजित किए जा रहे इस मॉं नर्मदा सामाजिक कुंभ की व्यापक पैमाने पर तैयारियां चल रही हैं। यह आयोजन धर्म के प्रति आस्था व श्रद्धा पक्की करने, राष्ट्रीय एकात्मता और एकता का भाव जगाने तथा सामाजिक समरसता का अलख जगाने हेतु किया जा रहा है। फिर भी इन धर्मानातार्ण आतुर मिशनरियो को आपत्ति है. शायद उनको डर है कि करोडो रुपये खर्च करके ईसाई बनाए गए हिन्दू वापस अपना मूल धर्म ना अपना ले. इसलिए चर्च वनवासी बंधुओं में डर फैलाते रहते हैं. और वनवासियों के मन से यही डर निकालने, उनमे स्वाभिमान जगाने के लिए यह कुम्भ समर्पित है.

छत्तीसगढ़ की सीमाओं को छूने वाले मण्डला में नर्मदा सामाजिक कुंभ १०, ११ और १२ फरवरी को होना है और इसकी तैयारी एक साल से चल रही है। तीन दिन के इस कुंभ में 20 लाख वन वासियों के जुटने की उम्मीद की जा रही है।

जॉन दयाल की ओर से जारी एक प्रेस विज्ञप्ति में यह कहा गया है कि कुंभ मेले में ईसाइयों को हिंदू बनाने की तैयारी चल रही है। जॉन दयाल ऑल इंडिया कैथोलिक यूनियन” के राष्ट्रीय उपाध्यक्ष हैं। उन्होंने कुंभ के आयोजको पर बेबुनियाद
आरोप लगाया है कि कई ईसाई परिवारों में जाकर वनवासियों पर वापस हिंदू बनने के लिए दबाव डाल रहे है। ईसाई समाज की प्रार्थना सभाओं में बाधा डालने की कोशिश की जा रही है।

वास्तव में हकीकत यह है कि मण्डला में बीते वर्षो में ईसाई मिशनरियों ने धर्मातरण का जाल तेजी से फैलाया है। माँ नर्मदा सामाजिक कुंभ का उद्देश्य आदिवासियों की संस्कृति, उनकी पहचान और जीवन शैली ही नहीं बल्कि उनके आराध्य
बड़ा देव या बूढ़ा देव के प्रति उनकी आस्था पर होने वाले आघात से उन्हें सुरक्षित करना है।

एक ओर जहाँ मंडला के इसाई और मुस्लिम परिवारों ने इस कुंभ का स्वागत किया है, वहीँ जॉन दयाल का इस तरह का बयान देश कि एकता और अखंडता के लिए खतरा है। जॉन दयाल जैसे लोगो के खिलाफ शासन को कठोर कार्यवाही करनी चाहिए।
गौर तलब है कि, गोधरा के बाद गुजरात में भड़की हिंसा में भी जोन दयाल ने काफी बवाल मचाते हुए हिन्दू जन के खिलाफ अनर्गल दुष्प्रचार किया था. और वह सवर्ण-दलित-आदिवासी नाम से हिन्दू समाज में विभाजन की कोशिश भी आये दिन करता रहता है.
इधर जॉन के बयां से पल्ला झाड़ते हुए मंडला के स्थानीय इसाई संगठनों ने कुम्भ का स्वागत किया है. प्रमाण के तौर पर फोटोग्राफ्स संलग्न हैं.

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Don’t take tolerant Hindus for granted, SC tells Centre

Don’t take tolerant Hindus for granted, SC tells Centre

With only Hindu personal laws being codified to date, the Supreme Court on Tuesday doubted the “secular” commitment of the Centre for failing to codify other personal laws as well.

Drawing a possible link to explain, a Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and AK Ganguly went to the extent of suggesting, “The Hindu community has been tolerant to these statutory interventions from time to time. But it has not happened for others.” The Bench added, “It appears to be lack of secular commitment (on part of the Centre) as it (codification) has not happened for others.”

The observations formed part of a PIL filed by National Commission of Women where the dichotomy between various Central legislations on the marriageable age of women is under review.

Protest the labeling of peaceful Hindu protesters as 'thugs' in NY Times

Protest the labeling of peaceful Hindu protesters as 'thugs' in NY Times: "NY Times has called Hindu protesters protesting against Anti-Hindu painter M F Husain's paintings as 'thugs'. It is duty of all Hindus to protest lawfully against New York Times, so that it should render apology to all Hindus."

लेनिन के शव से हमें क्या लेना-देना यार…? (मानसिक गुलामी की इंतेहा…) …… Lenin Burial Russia Indian Communists

लेनिन के शव से हमें क्या लेना-देना यार…? (मानसिक गुलामी की इंतेहा…) …… Lenin Burial Russia Indian Communists: "

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बहरहाल, चलते-चलते यह भी जानते जाईये कि मुम्बई हमले के अमर शहीद संदीप उन्नीकृष्णन (Sandeep Unnikrishnan) की शवयात्रा में केरल की वामपंथी सरकार का एक भी नुमाइन्दा मौजूद नहीं था…(शायद संदीप के पिता द्वारा अच्युतानन्दन को घर से धकियाए जाने का बदला ले रहे होंगे…), और अब संदीप के चाचा ने कसाब (Ajmal Kasab) और अफ़ज़ल (Afzal Guru) को दामाद बनाये रखने के विरोध में आत्मदाह कर लिया, तब भी वामपंथियों ने कोई प्रदर्शन नहीं किया, ज़ाहिर है कि उन्हें लेनिन के शव की चिन्ता अधिक है…, ठीक उसी प्रकार जैसे छत्तीसगढ़ में एक "कथित मानवाधिकारवादी" के जेल जाने की चिन्ता अधिक है, लेकिन पिछले 10-12 दिनों से अपहृत पुलिस के जवानों की कोई चिन्ता नहीं…।

Thomas Jefferson on Democracy

Thomas Jefferson on Democracy: "

A few quotes from Thomas Jefferson, for the record, as they appear to refer to India’s present predicament.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.

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Raja was obeying Sonia, Karunanidhi: Swamy

Raja was obeying Sonia, Karunanidhi: Swamy: "

NEW DELHI: Describing Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi as the “big fish” in the 2G spectrum scam, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy says former communications minister A. Raja is just a “small actor” who took orders from the two leaders.”Raja is just a small actor. Sonia Gandhi and Karunanidhi (also DMK chief) are the big fish in the 2G spectrum scam. Raja did what Karunanidhi and Sonia ordered him (to do),” Swamy told IANS in an interview over telephone.Raja, a DMK MP who resigned as minister Nov 14 after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reported that the faulty auction process in the allocation of second-generation telephony had led to a notional loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore, is in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged role in the scam.Swamy said Raja’s arrest was just the tip of the iceberg. “The trail will lead to higher-ups.”The former union minister, 71, said he would expose all those involved in the scam. “That is why I have filed a case against Karunanidhi,” he added.It was Swamy’s public interest litigation in the Supreme Court, filed in his personal capacity, that brought the 2G spectrum allocation auction to the political centrestage.He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “as the head of the government, had responsibility for the scam during his regime”.”He (Manmohan Singh) is behaving like the Bhishmapita in the Hindu mythology. As Bhishma looked the other way when Draupadi was stripped.”The nation has been robbed of billions of rupees under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments, Swamy alleged.However, he felt that Manmohan Singh’s resignation would not solve the problem.”… the UPA government should step down and pave way for fresh elections. Otherwise, a more pliable, corrupt person may come in the place,” he said.”I have no doubts on the prime minister’s personal integrity. But he is indulging in moral corruption by his inaction under political compulsions.”Swamy also criticised new Communications Minister Kapil Sibal for his statement questioning the findings of the CAG.”He (Sibal) is a creation of Sonia Gandhi…Otherwise, he has no political base.”Sibal, he added, had been “put in the chair to see the 2G spectrum licenses are not cancelled”.”But the case is coming up in the Supreme Court on March 1. We will see the issues are taken to the logical conclusion,” Swamy told IANS.Swamy, a former professor at Harvard University and the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, is of the view that “auction is the best way for allocation of spectrum radiowaves for telecom companies”.”Spectrum is a scarce resource and in short supply. Any scarce material should be auctioned.”"It (2G spectrum allocation) was just the loot of the nation’s resources. If that was avoided, the country would not have faced such a budget deficit,” said Swamy, adding that there could have “been more funds for the developmental projects”.The latest spectrum scam on S-band, the high value band width of 70 MHz (megahertz, units of frequency) considered to be of enormous commercial value for high-speed, terrestrial mobile communications, was another instance “of loot of national resources”.However, Swamy tried to deflect criticism from Manmohan Singh on the controversy, over allocation of space spectrum using S-band in a deal between the Indian Space Research Organisation’s commercial arm and a private company.”It appears the PM came to know about the S-Band contract much later. It seems Suresh Pachouri, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), was handling the S-Band issue,” he added.He targeted Sibal again, saying the “Space Commission, of which Sibal was an important member, had approved the contracts”.The politician also attacked Sonia Gandhi on the controversial appointment of Central Vigilance Commission chief P.J. Thomas, an accused in the 2000 case of import of palm oil at prices higher than the international rate when he was food secretary in the Kerala government.Thomas, Swamy said, owes his current position to “Sonia Gandhi and a financial company from Kerala”.Swamy, a long-time Sonia Gandhi basher, said: “Sonia has not been even loyal to her husband Rajiv’s memory. Otherwise, how can she join hands with the DMK of the Rajas and Karunanidhis. Rajiv used to hate Karunanidhi”, he said.

http://expressbuzz.com/nation/raja-was-obeying-sonia-mk-swamy/246589.html

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potemkin nation: china's ghost cities

potemkin nation: china's ghost cities: "मकर: २६, कलियुग: ५११३

മകരം ൨൬, കൊല്ല വര്ഷം ൧൧൮൬

such lovely empty cities! i guess this could lead to the mother of all real estate bubbles!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1339536/Ghost-towns-China-Satellite-images-cities-lying-completely-deserted.html

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No pattern in Karnataka Church attacks: Some self-inflicted

No pattern in Karnataka Church attacks: Some self-inflicted: "

No pattern in Karnataka Church attacks: Some self-inflictedSomsekhara Commission 08 Feb 2011 [As soon as the Somsekhara Commission submitted its final report on alleged attacks on churches in Karnataka in 2008, which ruled out any organised Hindu hand in the same, Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily upped the ante by demanding a CBI probe into the church attack...