10,000 youngsters testing the art waters

By O J George

Asia’s biggest youngsters’ conclave of art competitions begins at Thiruvananthapuram today. About 10,000 youngsters from high schools, higher secondary schools, and vocational higher secondary schools are trying their hands for a prize in the competitions of tune, rhythm and festivities.

The schools youth festival of Kerala has entered the 49th year. Next year the mela would have its golden jubilee, even though there were breaks in 1972 and 1973.

The competitions would be held at 16 venues in 216 items.

This year the festival has uniqueness in combining the melas of high school, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary sections. Earlier, these were being held separately.

The district which fetches the highest number of points would fetch the gold cup.

The cultural pageant being taken out in the afternoon from University stadium to Putherikandam maidan would be a feast for the eyes.

The participants from northern districts like Kannur and Kasargod had reached last night itself.

Tactic everywhere will not work

By O J George

One can be master only when there are slaves or followers. One can indulge in tantra or tactics only when there are stupid people all around. The world has been thriving very well with a few people playing all the tricks on the masses and reaping benefits. The slaves were there to sweat it out and do the dirty work.

When people were armed with sticks and stones, somebody emerged with the gun, and the gunner was the leader. Later those who had more powerful weapons wielded more power and enslaved others. If more countries have nuclear bombs, there are more leaders. But what is the benefit of having a nuclear bomb, if the rival also has the same destructive weapon?

The futility of the weapons had been made clear by Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Love is the most powerful weapon over all other ammunitions. The armoury would destroy mankind, but if people’s minds can be deweaponised, that would be the greatest weapon.

But that requires an attitude of renunciation. God renounced everything. But those who espouse the cause of God hold materialistic things dear to their heart from which God has escaped.

Priests and prelates trying to save God do not understand the fact that God does not need any saviour. Man needs Him, but wants Him on man’s terms. God is just not available on someone else’s terms.

The cruelty, the hatred, gargantuan selfishness and propensity to destroy others to the benefit of the self are all far away from God’s realm.

Acquisitions and mergers and covetousness are all emphemeral. Let humanity work for the benefit of all, without employing tactics. For the other man has understood the nuances of the tactics being directed against him. When everyone has attained wisdom, there will be no ignoramuses. No one can fool around anymore.

The war of nerves should end

By O J George

I feel the war of words between Pakistan and India should end. Pakistan would not act on the demands made by India to hand over horrible terrorists and abettors and perpetrators of heinous crimes on humanity, not only India, but also to the whole world.

There is no harm in enlisting the support of all sections in the international community to get Pakistan declared as a terrorist nation.

President Zardari does not enjoy the support of the real powers-that-be in Pakistan. US, UK and other countries are releasing gigantic sums of money to Pakistan for ending terrorism-related activities in Pakistan, but most of the funds are misutilised and no one can corner them.

The present policy of side-tracking the main issue of terrorism fomenting from Pakistan will not be good for eternity. At one time or other in future, I feel, US, UK and other countries will have to wage a war against terrorist elements within Pakistan. India should support their move then.

It should be clearly assessed how a nuclear-powered Pakistan would behave, if there is a war.

Make our borders impenetrable

By O J George

Make our borders on land, air and sea impenetrable. Pakistan is a namesake democratic country, for its mainstay is military power. US President George Bush himself was believed to have had a private talk with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which Bush urged Singh not to take present Pak President seriously. Zardari may engage in loose talk, but don’t expect any cogent action from Pakistan on dismantling terrorist outfits there.

Instead of anticipating Pakistan to take action, we must insulate ourselves from terrorist acts. If there are traitors here, they would at least indirectly support these anti-national elements. We have to identify the traitors here first and destroy them.

If the borders can be insulated, terrorists flourishing in Pakistan will destroy Pakistan itself. For terrorists cannot sit idle. They want targets to strike. Let them strike targets there, not in India. For that we have to take stringent action here.

A hasty military strike against Pakistan will only weaken us. If we have to strike against Islamist terrorists, we have to accept assistance from those countries which can attack Pakistan. There is no harm in receiving assistance from US and Israel.

Every inch of land, sea and air should be scanned

By O.J.George

The latest is the boot President Bush got at the hands of a so-called journalist in Iraq. Terrorists masquerading as journalists is becoming a phenomenon. Killers of Rajiv Gandhi had used the camouflage of journalists. Sivarasan was watching the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, sitting among journalists in Sreeperumbudur.

Terrorists do not got the conventional way. Mumbai attacks, in the normal course, cannot be thought of. They have hoodwinked everyone and took the country to ransom.

It has become certain. Mere pronouncements would not do. Every inch of the land, sea, air should be scanned every moment. There are murderous people waiting outside to wreak havoc on mankind.

Whether laws, federal agency or what not are required, have no hesitation in going ahead.
There may be long talks about human rights, democratic principles and equality. These norms apply to human beings, not terrorists

Neethi and Nyaya should be ensured

By O J George

The 16-year-long investigations into the Sr Abhaya case seems to be heading to a conclusion. Even now there is allegation that the CBI is arriving at the wrong conclusion. Direct pieces of evidence have been destroyed, but the agency has been putting two and two together to get circumstantial evidence.

The church concerned is not happy with the goings-on. There is one way of appeasing them. The CBI should be handed over investigation into the controversial and suspicious deaths. The suicide of three school girls in Ambalapuzha, Kiliroor and Poovarany sex scandals etc should be probed with the same fervour as that shown in the Sr Abhaya case.


Sr Abhaya case investigation has climaxed only because of the court’s intervention. It must be noted that the CBI also had written off the case, but the court has not.

The situation in Kerala, or for that matter in India, that a media outcry is needed to undertake proper investigation of criminal cases is rather unencouraging about rule of law. In a civilised society, there should be automatic keen trial of criminal cases.

Let the church not feel that it is taken in isolation. Let all other cases be taken up urgently.

Technology can see through, but why infiltrations?

By O.J.George

The joy ride undertaken by Islamist terrorists into India, particularly Mumbai, and the ease with which they permeated the main centres and killed people ruthlessly defies comprehension.

Technology has grown to such proportions that if one eases himself in the toilet, that can be captured without his knowledge using satellite pictures, global positioning system, scanning, radar monitoring and what not.

Where were all the monitoring agencies in India when terrorists came as they pleased and did what they pleased? They struck all the strata of society. They killed billionaires cocooned in luxury hotels, they decimated Jews and they made mincemeant of ordinary people in the CST railway station and the streets. I have fond memories of my daily routine reporting work at Nariman Point, travelling from Thane to CST and from there to the reclamation area. The Gateway of India, the Taj, Trident/Oberoi, Nariman House, CST all present memories of my visits.

We speak about the brutality. But where is the protection? We make tall promises during all these calamities and then forget about the precautions. The policemen are generally engaged in making a pie from motorist and small-time traders, when they are supposed to guard the citizens.

Intelligence received by one agency would be put up as a file for information to others concerned. If at all other agencies see them, it would be after the attack.

Safety on land, sea and air should be ensured as the apple of the eye. Rhetorics or war cries would not be beneficial at all.

Unnecessary hullabaloo over condolence

By O.J.George

A little bit of caution, consideration and grace would have saved the situation arising from the controversy over the condolence expressed by Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at the residence of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the NSG commando who laid down his life in the Mumbai encounter against terrorists.

First of all a situation should not have been created for people to say that the state government did not condole the major’s death. I will not say that the Chief Minister was responsible. Someone in his office made a faux pas in not alerting him about what should be done. The Chief Minister was away in Delhi attending the politburo meeting. So was the Home Minister. Someone could have been sent to Bangalore to attend the solemn rituals. The district collector of a North Kerala district should have been entrusted with the task of taking necessary steps.

The furious retort of Sandeep’s father also should not be taken seriously. In Maharashtra, the wife of slain ATS chief flatly refused to receive any solatum from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Emotional outbursts should be avoided, but if things fly out of hand, others should not add fuel to fire.

Even now, all parties should strive to settle the dust.