The Yadavs could not prevent passing of Women’s Reservation Bill, however hard they tried to scuttle it

By O.J.George

It goes to the credit of the fledgling democracy of India that the main Opposition party and the main ruling party joined together to pass the historic women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday with two-thirds majority of the members present and voting as required for a Constitutional amendment.

Now it has to be passed by the Lok Sabha as well as more than half of the state legislatures for the law to become a reality.
There are a few capable women in various spheres of life in India, but now they would get one-third reservation as per law. No one can prevent them from contesting in seats allotted to them.

The chauvinistic menfolk were, it seems, against the rotational reservation to women , seatwise. The stalwarts who were guarding particular constituencies as their lifetime fiefdom will have to look to other places when their own constituencies get reserved for women. Maybe they will ask their spouses to contest from such seats.
Times are changing and the writing on the wall has to be respected. Women who are better finance managers at home can take over many functions in a responsible manner. Those who condemn them, taking stray cases of aberration, would be in for a surprise when women take up their legislative functions effectively.

Passing of this piece of legislation has not been easy, for there have been attempts during the last 14 years and all the time it got scuttled. Now there has been a concerted attempt and the players deserve kudos for seeing the bill through. If it can be passesd in the Rajya Sabha, it could very well be followed through in the Lok Sabha as well.

The male chauvinists are not prepared to give up; Women’s reservation bill passing an uphill task

By O.J.George

By now it is clear about one thing. No one can say it with precision whether the women’s reservation bill would be passed. A series of adjournments, uproar whenever the Houses reconvened, the unjustifiable act of desecrating the Rajya Sabha chairman and such sequences permeated in the seats of Indian democracy that is Parliament.

Monday’s proceedings would show democracy of the type we proclaim has not evolved to the desirable extent.

Physical obstruction of proceedings in a democratic set-up undermines the very credibility of the House. Snatching papers from the chair, damaging his microphone and the like occurred in the elders’ house.

Women deserve at least 50 per cent reservation, but the attempt to give them one-third representation has been hanging in limbo for the last one and a half decades. Various governments which attempted to provide reservation to women had become unsuccessful.

With the sort of conduct that prevailed in both Houses on Monday, one cannot hope to see the bill passed on Tuesday as well.

Those who oppose the bill flaunt the argument that there should be sub-quota for Muslims and Dalits within the one-third provision.

It was the raj of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav that prevailed on Monday. Would Tuesday be different?

Congress cannot be trapped on fuel prices hike, Sonia has said the final word

By O.J.George

The combined Opposition has been trying to corner the Congress Party and its UPA II allies on the issue of hike in prices of petrol and diesel.

The Left parties have been one with the stance of the BJP and allies in opposing the fuel prices increase.

It seemed the Opposition has been gaining an upper hand on the issue as the common man is also furious about the hike, which will cause a spurt in prices of essential commodities in a market which was already on a high on the front.

Someone thought Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was being cornered in the wake of stiff resistance from DMK of M.Karunanidhi and Trinamul Congress of Mamata Banerjee.

But lately, there were overtures from DMK and Trinamul that they were close-knit with the UPA II Government.

To cap the strategic position of the Congress party, its president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday addressed Congress MPs , after a gap of six months, driving the point home that food security and prices were a top priority.

But she was careful enough to defend Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee by saying he has done a deft balancing of the budget.Resources have to be found for implementing social welfare measures.

Sonia Gandhi also drew inspiration to cite the presentation of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament on the world women’s day on Monday. Reservation, when implemented, would be a gift to the women.

BJP leader L.K.Advani has always been keen to castigate Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, this time he picked on Dr Singh for resuming India-Pak talks at the nudge of the US.

Dr Singh has been quick to notify Advani about the importance of back-channel diplomacy. A lot of behind- the- curtain talks were held between the-then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and US Deputy Secretary Strobe Talbott during the BJP-led NDA regime.

Congress think-tank has been active, it seems, and its policy and administrative measures cannot be taken advantage of by rivals for political reasons.

Mind you, Sonia Gandhi has fallen in line to defend her flock.

Sun rays, sea water may be tax source in the future when fossil fuel becomes extinct

By O.J.George

For every government, getting some quick bucks by way of tax on the most consumed item is a priority.

It would dole out figures of mounting non-plan expenditure, escalation in standard of living caused by pay revision, pension and what not for cornering the levy.

No doubt, the non-plan expenditure is on the rise, but nobody takes cognizance of the losses on account of mismanagement in various spheres.

Fuel price hike in the form of enhancement of excise duty or sheer increase in administered prices directly (that is also on the way) affects everyone.

Even the poorest of the poor is hit on account of intrinsic escalation of prices of essential commodities fomented by huge transportation costs.

All the same, fuel is the easiest item on which the tax master wields his stick as it yields thousands of crores of rupees. There may be jugglery in figures as well. No one may know the exact amount realised.

An education cess can be levied, railway safety fund can be realised on every litre of petrol and diesel.

Nitish Kumar, when he was the railway minister, collected cess on fuel and rightly kept a separate fund for railway safety operations.

When Lalu Prasad Yadav became Railway Minister he simply cornered the amount for general expenses wiping out the separate account for safety. He was bandied about as the efficient railway minister on account of the bounty he got from the safety fund.

Now the future of fossil fuel on planet Earth is bleak. It may last for a couple of decades and become extinct.

By then, hydrogen fuel , solar energy etc may be the captains of the energy sector. Finance Ministers may charge tax on every Sun ray.

Sea water ( H2O) may be utilised for extracting hydrogen for fuelling vehicles.

Now we are scouting for some kind of fossil fuel from beneath the so-called ice sheets lying dormant in caves on the Moon. There the Sunrays cannot reach the ice sheets.

Otherwise, milling one tonne of Moon soil (not at all areas) may yield one litre of water, scientists now say.

We are hoping to bring back lithium and other rare elements to Earth to energise us. At the same time, it would be interesting to note that the scientists wait for an opportune moment when there would be no rain or storm to send out a rocket from the atmosphere of Earth. The elements cannot be tamed easily.

Next generation tax could therefore be on Sunrays and sea water, before the-then government imposes import duty on lithium and other rare elements from Moon.

Shashi Tharoor should learn the art of silence

O.J.George

It seems Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor should learn the art of maintaining diplomatic silence. His UN service hang-over of pleasing everyone could prove to be his undoing in the role of a minister in the External Affairs wing of India.

The latest gaffe is that he said Saudi Arabia could be the best interlocutor between India and Pakistan to sort out issues. Not even any one without a grounding in diplomacy about Indian position in this regard would speak in the same vein as Shashi Tharoor had done. Even if he had no experience in ministerial positions, no doubt he has had enough opportunities to interact with External Affairs people regarding India’s position.

A position as a minister in the Indian External Affairs wing does not condone loud mouthing. Perhaps he may get away with an explanation that he did not mean that Saudi Arabia would be a mediator.

Care and caution should be displayed in tricky diplomatic exercises. One word or a sentence could prove costly. Saying something in public is one thing and doing backdoor diplomacy is another mission.These things cannot be mixed up.
Outbursts like the one Shashi Tharoor made would divert the attention of the core issues.

Better be careful at least next time.

Is it curtains down the Thilakan controversy?

By O.J.George

Super- star Mammootty speaking in a calm and composed manner about the Thilakan issue and about Dr Sukumar Azhicode’s reaction to Super-star Mohanlal appears to be heralding a solution to the problem.

Mammootty would have consulted AMMA before making the announcement that the association is callig a halt to public controversy.

Thilakan issue would be sorted out by AMMA, and Thilakan would have the freedom to explain his position at his convenience.

Dr Sukumar Azhicode has also expressed his willingness to stop the wordy duels. No one can equal Azhicode in the war of words. Literary, cultural and artistic personalities should not show their weak points in public.

Their larger-than-life image would be tarnished on account of public spats. Already, the fans of various heroes have started war-like campaigns struggling to protect their semi-Gods. For them, the make-belief world is their real world. Nobody can deter them.

Therefore, it is in the fitness of things that the persons concerned bury their hatchets and offer a conducive atmosphere for fun and frolicking. The film field should be an entertainment to the people and not a forum for tension creation.
The people concerned are all veterans and they should behave most benevolently. All the best for them.

Brace yourself up for further hike in price

By O.J.George

The budget ghost has been let loose, and please brace yourself up for further hike in prices of various commodities and products.

The overwhelming effect on prices would be brought in by the hike in excise duty on petrol, diesel, crude oil and overall 10 per cent increase in excise duty of all products. Service tax has also been increased.

The whole exercise is to bridge the fiscal deficit wrought perhaps on the exchequer by last year’s economic stimulus programmes. Now we are paying a price for it.

Anyone can cut the deficit by going on increasing administered prices and removing subsidies. The efficiency of regimes is to put minimum pressure on common man’s living as his earnings are not increasing.

Not only petrol and diesel, but also cement, bikes, cars, mobile phones, jewellery items, air-conditioners, refrigerators, coal, liquor, cigarette, tobacco items would cost more. Let there be some tinkering with the luxury items, but common man’s consumption items costing more would have a tornado effect on their survival.

Already the markets are showing increasing inflationary tendencies. Today’s tax and excise duty proposals would worsen the situation.

There is also a hidden danger in the proposal given out in the economic survey for restructuring the public distribution system. The proposal is to make ration shops redundant by giving coupons to the consumers which can be produced before private vendors.

There would be no statutory strength to this proposal. Since it would be an administrative exercise, the facility can be withdrawn any time.
By that time , the ration shops would have vanished.

In Kerala, there is statutory rationing system. Replacement of this system with an administrative system would deprive the people of their food security. The coupon system, if at all implemented, should be provided with statutory protection.

Let M.A.Baby attempt to mediate between Thilakan and AMMA

By O.J.George

There is no harm in Education and Cultural Affairs Minister M.A.Baby attempting to mediate between actor Thilakan and AMMA over the issue which appears to be going out of hand.

Perhaps, all the players may not approach Baby for umpiring the issue. But being in government and holding charge of cultural affairs Baby can take the initiative to hold discussions.

If the players refuse to come round for a reconciliation, that is their problem. But leaving an issue in ether is not conducive to the film field and the people.
Already, bad blood has been created among Thilakan and many other actors. Lately, writer Dr Sukumar Azhicode is fretting and fuming over the Thilakan issue and it has become a new issue between Azhicode and actor Mohanlal and AMMA, the original alleged offender, according to Thilakan, was Mammootty.

Today the students wing of Kerala Congress (Pillai) group has obstructed Thilakan at Kottarakkara for speaking against Ganeshkumar, MLA, who is also an actor.

Why should there arise bad blood among versatile actors and artistes, when there are avenues for reconciliation? Discuss the issues and solve the problem. No one becomes small by reconciliation.

Seven new trains, coach factory, drinking water plant for Kerala

By O.J.George

New Delhi: Mamata Banerjee presented her second railway budget without enhancing freight and passenger fares. Kerala will have four new Express trains, one Memu service, and two passenger trains.

Kanchikode coach factory has been cleared and a commitment was made that this would be set up this year.

The long-standing demand of a peninsular zone was not accepted. Kerala was not included in the southern freight corridor linking Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai either.

Mumbai- Ernakulam Duronto, Kanyakumari-Bhopal Bharat Theerth special, Pune-Ernakulam super fast, Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram Jana Shatabdi Express are the long distance trains allowed.Memu service is between Kollam and Ernakulam.

Passenger trains are between Kozhikode and Kannur, and Nilambur and Shoranur.Mangalore-Kannur passenger has been extended to Kozhikode.

Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam inter-city has been extended to Guruvayur.Kochuveli-Yashwantpur has been extended to Hubli.

Survey would be held for six new lines. These are Kozhikode-Malappuram-Angadippuram, Dindigul-Kumali, Madurai-Kottayam, Punalur-Thiruvananthapuram, Chengannur-Thiruvananthapuram via Adur, and Thalasserry-Mysore are the routes for new survey.
A drinking water plant would be set up at Thiruvananthapuram.Railways will not be privatized. Social commitment would be the priority.

Hartal in Munnar against govt’s eviction move by ruling parties

By O.J.George

That Munnar evictions are not easy has been hawkishly pronounced by various ruling front parties by ordering a hartal in Munnar on Tuesday.

The hartal is called by CPM-influenced High Range Samrakshana Samithi (protection council) in taluks of Devicolam, Udumbanchola and Peermade and panchayats of Kanjikuzhy and Vathikudy in Idukki district.

The issue raised is the attitude of the LDF government with regard to evictions in Munnar. The ruling parties in Idukki district are deadly against any form of eviction in Munnar and other parts of Idukki district.

The latest U-turn has been made by CPI which held a high-level meeting in Thodupuzha on Monday. Its trade union leader C.A.Kurien has apparently threatened to walk off the party, if it supports eviction. His plea is that those supporting the move against eviction would cross over to the CPM, whose district secretary M.M.Mani is a hawk supporting settlers.
CPM, CPI and Kerala Congress(Joseph) are supporting the hartal. Reports doing the rounds in media are that there was a move to declare Munnar as Ecologically Fragile Land(EFL). The charge is that this has been pointed out in a report submitted to the High Court which is looking into the encroachment issue.

Moreover, the court was told on behalf of the government that various LDF people, including those of the CPM, are holding land unauthorisedly.

The Idukki district leaders of various LDF partners have thus been convinced that the government was making concerted efforts to evict encroachers.

Renvenue Minister K.P.Prabhakaran, Forest Minister Benoy Viswam and CPI state secretary Veliyam Bhargavan have made it clear that there was no move to declare Munnar as ecologically fragile land.

The Congress Party has been taking a guarded posture. Follow the legal procedure to take action against encroachers, according to its leaders. Eviction is easier said than done.

How can a sensible government deny itself of UGC benefits for college teachers?

By O.J.George

What is so special about the state of Kerala with regard to denying itself of the UGC benefits for college teachers? UGC will not give assistance for pay revision of college teachers unless superannuation age ceiling is revised. That has been made clear in its directives. Otherwise, state governments from time to time would have seized the opportunity to get assistance by now. It is simply not available.

Today, the Left Democratic Front appears to have discussed the issue and it seems a decision would be taken later. It cannot be delayed long, for the cut-off date for implementation is March 31 this year. By then, the modalities should be worked out.

It seems the youth wing of the CPI is particularly strong in its opposition to pension age hike. That is a pitable situation, for no additional post has been created during the past decade in colleges. Retirement vacancies have not been filled. No organization has taken up this issue so far. Now when the government is coming round to taking a decision, they are opposing a sane proposal. Except in Kerala, all other states have taken a decision and the pension age there is either 60, 62 or 65.

Now it has been estimated that about Rs 2,000 crore would be available to the government by way of arrears for the last five years, if the UGC pay revision is implemented with provision for pension age hike. You see, the amount of arrears is not paid out to the teachers. It goes directly to the provident fund account, which is government’s money. There is an accusation that the amount will be diverted. There need not be resort to diversion, it is government money.

The government should be able to design effective developmental projects using all the money. Moreover, the government does not have to pay all the money for the retiring teachers for five years. That amount will also be available for use for productive purposes. Why not use it for creating jobs in the Information Technology sector? Or any other sector which offers employment opportunities.

Talented actors squabbling among themselves is unseemly

By O.J.George

We have a strange situation in Kerala with regard to highly talented actors squabbling among themselves. Mammootty, Mohanlal, Thilakan, Innocent, Jagathy and all others have a pride of place in the minds of cine-goers. Now through AMMA and FEFKA the actors and technicians are fighting it out over alleged denial of opportunities for Thilakan and the resultant charges and counter-charges.

Thilakan has allegedly spoken against other mega stars who are peeved at the negative comments. Thilakan appears to be in no mood to apologise. AMMA has appointed a disciplinary committee to go into the allegations against Thilakan.Probably, Thilakan is on the way out from AMMA. Sad state of affairs, indeed.

It seems there are not many active associations on the lines of AMMA etc in Bollywood,Tollywood, Kollywood etc, in spite of wider influence wielded by super-stars and artistes in those spheres. Larger-than-life egoism, no doubt, is the problem with the performing artistes.

There are problems in the film field elsewhere, but chances of this squabbling are remote. Personal rivalry among super-stars in other languages could be worse than in Malayalam. Still they live with the criticism levelled against them.
Malayalam filmdom should be able to solve the problems without creating more rancor.

Rising prices would take away the sheen of other good things done by the government

By O J George

An over-populated country like India cannot suck in the tendency of rising prices thrown up perhaps by market forces and other vested interests.

These forces would always play their cards meticulously to reap windfall profits. But then , the government should step in and take steps to ameliorate the woes of the people.

Which people we mean? We may have scores of trillionaires, hundreds of billionaires and thousands of millionaires. They are not the core of the Indian populace.

A majority of the nearly 120 crore people are ordinary mortals of whom a substantial number of them are living below the poverty line.

You have divided them between below the poverty line and above the poverty line. The line is very thin and the so-called above the poverty line people are not much better off than the below the poverty line.

Of course, lakhs of people are given employment by the big-league private companies, most of them giving good salary to the staff. The government also gives employment to lakhs of people. And the lot of the government employees is not bad.

But there are scores of crores of people who have no gainful employment or regular work fetching them a monthly remuneration. They just live away their life over the crumbs they get by way of casual job, irregular daily wages and all. Mind you, we don’t have a system of payment by the hour for the work put in by anyone.

All tummies should be filled by food stuff. If the stuff costs them beyond their means, you cannot call it a welfare state. The mighty government can take various steps to rein in price rise tendency.

Edible items should be made available in plenty. Now that the import policy is liberalised, one can fill the gap of short supply through imports.

We hear about reports of proposals for export of sugar when it is ruling at over Rs 40 a kilo in the country!

It appears the Congress Party is seized of the matter and is thinking about advising the government to find ways to supply food items at fair price.

The APL-BPL conundrum should be solved. Afterall, what is the distinction between them in matters of food items? Let there be plenty of stuff available. Those who want the items would buy them.

The distinction would only provide opportunities for the officials to seek bribes. India is undoubtedly a corrupt country and generally nothing works without greasing the palm of the officials and agents concerned.

Once the BJP lost power in Delhi because the prices of onion had skryrocketed. The same is true of any government, for the people cannot afford to live in a society whose mores are determined by market forces alone.

Terrorists don’t want India-Pak talks, but engagement is better than war

By O.J.George

India had proposed talks with Pakistan at the Foreign Secretary level, which was accepted by that country raising a bogey for composite dialogue as well. Maybe, it was simply ignoring terrorism angle saying Pakistan was also a victim of terrorism.

Pakistan by its rhetorics wanted to please its captive audience there to drive the point home that it was winning on its own terms.

Recently, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah extended an olive branch to those jihadis who had crossed over to the Pak-Occupied Kashmir to come back and get rehabilitated. Gulam Nabi Azad, hailing from Kashmir, raised a hue and cry highlighting the chances of these people fomenting trouble once they returned to Kashmir.

However, Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram who is handling the portfolio as best as can be by anyone whole-heartedly welcomed the idea.
A few days ago, various terrorist groups gathered in Pak-Occupied Kashmir and spit fire and fury, calling for jihadi activities.

An overview of the jihadi activities would drive the point home that various outfits, known and sleeping, Indian Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamat-ud-Dawa, Jaish-e-Muhammad, David Headley or others, want murder and mayhem perpetrated in India, and elsewhere, to achieve their so-called religious motives.

When they have international network, terror infrastructure, training outlets, sleeper cells and a plethora of suicide squads, execution of blasts and other forms of attacks are likely, in spite of all possible forms of vigil. Mind you, they have help from elements in India as well. Otherwise, how is it possible to leave a bagpack of explosives in a restaurant with ease? P.Chidambaram had admitted to the fact that the Mumbai attack of 26/11 was facilitated by an Indian handler.

The moment India and Pakistan decided to engage themselves in some form of talks for normalisation of relations, jihadis apparently are outraged. They want to perpetuate terrorism, for which peace is unwanted by them.

Negotiations must go on, for one cannot expect Pakistan to be rid of terrorist elements any time in human history with the sort of outfits existing there and assistance plentily available to them. That country, keeping nuclear bombs and terrorists can never be peaceful.

Again the terrorists have struck, this time in Pune

By O.J.George

This was the second major terrorist attack in Pune, after the 26/11 in Mumbai.

Preliminary investigations point to use of RDX. Nine persons were killed and 57 injured, including foreigners at the blast in the German bakery. Some of the injured are critical.

An intense probe has been launched to pinpoint culprits. Initial reports speak about the hand of the Indian Mujahideen. It could be combined effort of many terrorist agencies. What about David Headley and associates? He had visited critical areas in India, including Pune.

Faith-based terrorist organization can intrude into peaceful societies, get help from the gullible and strike at their will. We can very well imagine a restaurant scenario where scores of people would be there at any given time.

Some of them may have bags and baggages and no one would be particularly inquisitive about a backpack lying somewhere.

How could one imagine that a backpack kept at a restaurant was full of explosives to kill people? What sort of faith was upheld by those who did it, by killing innocent human beings?

We have in Maharashtra the Shiv Sena and MNS lions roaring around raising parochial slogans. Once a terrorist attack takes place, they withdraw to their dens. Gentlemen, the country is facing serious security threat. The world over, terrorists are targeting places.

For faith-based terrorists, India is a hard as well as soft target. Death and devastations are lurking at any corner, for the terrorists never keep themselves idle.

We Indians should not be squabbling against each other when so many terrorist forces are out in the dark targeting us.

Long shots have been fired in different political persuasions

By O.J.George

Amar Singh is out in the cold, having been ousted from the Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Amar Singh himself had absolved himself of party positions earlier. The dismissal was only a party formality. What kind of politics he would be following from now would be amusing.Sometimes he cosies up to the Congress, and at other times to some other parties.

Sensing the precarious situation arising from the shadow of support having been lost in the Samajwadi Party or so Amitabh Bacchan, who is one of the closest confidantes of Amar Singh, has freshly been friendly with Gujarat’s Chief Minister Narendra Modi of the BJP.

Perhaps nothing need to be read into with regard to this overture. Maybe, Amitabh Bacchan’s branding as the brand ambassador of Modi’s Gujarat is mere coincidence. His wife, Jaya Bacchan, has already expressed her wish to continue as MP of Samajwadi Party.

Now a hue and cry has been going on in Maharashtra about who owns Mumbai and who all can live and work in Mumbai. Shiv Sena and MNS want to isolate the people claiming it is the fiefdom of the Maharashtrians. And in the bargain, they don’t mind charging against Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan or any other personality.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, who was smarting under criticism from various quarters, particularly from the Congress, called on Bal Thackeray to persuade him to allow Australian cricket men to play in IPL 3.
It seems he has left the meeting ground open.

One should understand the strongpoint of Narendra Modi for calling a spade a spade,whatever his convictions. He lavished encomiums on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P.Chidambaram during the Chief Ministers’ conference held in New Delhi.

He had also criticised the UPA government for causing price rise etc.

For the CPM, Assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala, due in 2011, are crucial. Kerala has panchayat elections in 2010, some sort of a curtain- raiser for the Assembly elections.

There may not be a parallel angle between panchayat and Assembly elections with regard to the outcome, as the parameters are different. But the fact that the CPM has postponed its Party Congress to January 2012 underscores the importance it attaches to the 2011 Assembly elections.

In Tamil Nadu, Congress appears to have doled out a squirming to the DMK by simply showing signals about a meeting point between Sonia Gandhi and DMK’s archrival Jayalalithaa.

Perhaps Congress is reading the predicament ahead, with an ailing Karunanidhi willing to hand over power most probably to his son Stalin, to the chagrin of another son Azhagiri. An internally squabbling DMK may not be considerably useful to the Congress in 2014, when the Gandhi scion, Rahul, is expected to take up the country’s reins.

In Andhra Pradesh, the scenario would be entirely different, with Telengana being carved out of it without much delay. What would be the fate of parties like Telugu Desam has to be watched carefully.

Long shots have already been fired in different political entities, but then it does not need much time for politics to take an entirely different path than the anticipated one on quick-jerk reactions.

Desk work balancing on prices of petrol, cooking gas would torment the life of common man

By O.J.George

Hiking the prices of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene, ignoring the ground realities on its impact on the life of the common man would be smooth desk work. But the people would, no doubt, be tormented by an otherwise inflationary market for essential commodities.

There has been an estimate in price assessment that the prices of petroleum products are the highest in India. Which means the prices are disproportionately high, compared to many developing and developed countries.

The prices are this high on account of levy of taxes and duties, which if removed, would render the availability cheaper.

People are on their tenterhooks on account of rising prices of essential commodities, including sugar. A welfare nation cannot ignore the travails of the people while fixing administered prices.

It would be wishful thinking, but some cognizance should be taken with regard to curtailment of all-embracing corruption, the highest manifestation of which is at the political level.

Crores and crores of rupees that should be available to the common man are being spirited out by various entities. If corruption can be managed at a reasonable level, the savings could be utilized for funding subsidies.

The Prime Minister appears to be keen on reining in corrupt practices, but people would be interested to know the extent of drawback on various underhand deals achieved on account of his efforts.

Freeing the pricing of petroleum products at one go and tormenting the people would be disastrous.

Mind you, the economically-hit US has come to take a decision scrapping the Moon mission to save money.

Some sort of engagement with Pakistan would be fine

By O.J.George

It is a good sign that some sort of engagement between India and Pakistan is in the offing. According to indications, Home Minister P.Chidambaram would take part in the SAARC conference in Islamabad during February 26-28,which could throw up opportunities for both the countries to exchange ideas.

Terrorism is the bane of Pakistan and it is reaping a whirlwind of its after-effects for the curse of encouraging terrorist elements. Terrorism is a phenomenon which would go on exploding, either outwards or inwards. When terrorist elements don’t have avenues to strike others, these would foment troubles within.

It is easy to create troubles on matters of faith, but bridling the elements would not be easy. Those who encouraged al-Qaeda, Taliban and other organizations cannot call off their activities at their will.

The US is doing its best to help Pakistan control terrorism perpetrated from Pakistan. But all attempts to curb the menace in Pakistan would have only marginal effect. For the very foundation of present-day Pakistan is built on agencies dealing with terrorist activities.

The faith-based terrorism is spread far and wide the world. Therefore, leaving Pakistan alone, asking it to finish off terrorism at one go and then come for discussions would not be all that good. Perhaps it would be better to engage them head-on for better results.


The Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan would meet at the SAARC conference in Thimphu in April and in between the Foreign Secretaries would exchange notes on relevant issues.

No opportunity should be wasted to expose the wrong-doings going on at the behest of Pakistan while dealing with terrorism.

Muraleedharan has to bide his time further

By O.J.George

People thought senior leader K.Karunakaran would create a scene at the KPCC executive meeting held at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday to discuss about the re-entry of his son K.Muraleedharan into the Congress.

Nothing of the sort happened. In fact, it was on the request of Karunakaran that the meeting was convened.

Karunakaran, in his characteristic style, argued out his case and departed from the meeting, for his health would not permit endearing long hours of discourse.

Karunakaran would only say that KPCC does not have the locus standi now to decide about Muraleedharan as organisational polls have been announced. But there is no harm in the KPCC making a decision requesting the high command to give him admission.

That used to be the Congress style of functioning. There would be umpteen rounds of discussions and threadbare analysis on candidates’ list during election time. Finally, a decision would be taken authorising the high command to choose the candidates.

In the present instance of Muraleedharan, Karunakaran’s wisdom is not clicking with the KPCC. One cannot fault the KPCC either, for Karunakaran’ daughter ,Padmaja, and her supporters would not like a comeback of Muraleedharan, until at least the next Assembly elections.

And there is a convenient argument available; Muraleedharan had been barred from the Congress for six years. And that deadline would come to a close in April next year. But by that time candidates’ selection would be over, in all probability.

V.M.Sudheeran, P.C.Chacko and K.K.Ramachandran Master argued in favour of Muraleedharan in the KPCC meeting.

Some relief for Muraleedharan. No doubt, Muraleedharan has nowhere else to go in politics, and he has to bide his time.

He was made the KPCC president, a Minister, MP etc by all the leaders. During those times, Karunakaran was fastidious on account of group strength.Now Karunakaran’s health is on the decline, and his daughter has crossed over to the other camp, or she is having her own coterie.

No doubt Muraleedharan had hit many leaders below the belt in the past. He has to be grateful that Congress people are considerate towards him for a favourable time to come for his entry. Better late than never.

Corruption can be rooted out, provided proper measures are taken

By O.J.George

There were reports about the Prime Minister’s Office looking into a proposal for incorporating service agreements for employees who take up jobs, making it incumbent upon them to discharge their duties.

Failure to respond to demands like issue of certificates, documents and other services would automatically invite punitive action, as per the provisions of the service agreements being contemplated.

I was radically tempted to be transformed from the inbuilt assumption that there would be no redemption for democratic India from the evil of corruption.

Don’t despise me, for I know an editor who took blood money for sacking journalists, but that was in the name of incentive.

Such evil beings would be there always, but then they should not be basking under the glory of righting the society and doing justice and fairness to all.

Coming to corruption, all laws have rules and regulations issued for implementation of the content of the pieces framed by the legislatures.

Years on, there have been umpteen number of legislations touching the day-today life of the people.

The citizen has to get sanction from panchayats, village and other revenue offices, RTO and all, for birth, school admission,for the very living and even death.

No certificate or service will come automatically within a timeframe. The citizen has to grease the palm of the officials, which is not that difficult, considering the fact that there are agents in all the premises concerned for the underhand dealings.

The situation would definitely take a turn for the better, if proper measures are taken . The Right to Information legislation was a revolutionary step, which has empowered the citizen.

It works only because punitive measures against those who refuse to divulge information are inbuilt in the legislation itself.

Like that all laws being framed by various legislatures should have an inbuilt provision incorporating punishment to those who do not act within a timeframe.

For laws already passed, there should be an additional blanket law to be passed by Parliament and various legislatures binding authorities and other officials to the services expected from them within a timeframe. Then, all blocks, demands for bribes , pecuniary and other fringe benefits would pop off.

The service agreements should be executed not only by the new entrants, but also by those in service.

Otherwise, the more laws the legislatures pass, the more would be opportunities for the authorities and officials to bully the public and get illegal gratification.

Will the governments headed by various political persuasions take steps to incorporate punitive measures in respect of all services detailed in various laws and obtain service agreements from the officials?

Fresh terror threat looming large?

By O.J.George

What a terrible situation we are living in when terrorists, disregarding their own lives, are hell-bent on destroying others’ lives? Attacking terrorists are made to believe that they would land up straight in heaven, pointblank.

The latest intelligence input is that Lashkar operatives are planning to strike at airports or hijack planes.

Or the attack could be using para-gliders. The para-gliders can go straight at flying planes or at airports in a suicide attempt.

Report speak about the Lashkar having secured 50 para-gliders from Europe. Training in para gliding and para-gliding attacks have also been imparted.

Now when US Defence Secretary Robert Gates visited Pakistan, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is reported to have said he cannot ensure stoppage of attacks against India.

A repeat of 26/11 Mumbai type attacks cannot be stopped for sure.

India’s External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna has retorted saying any attack launched from Pakistani soil will be retaliated. It would be the responsibility of Pakistan for all attacks.

Civilised society is in peril of being destroyed by the machinations of wayward faith-based terrorists.

Let all doubts be cleared in the Muthoot murder case

By O.J.George

Caesar’s wife ought to be above suspicion, and on that premise all tangible and intangible doubts should be cleared in the investigation regarding the murder of Muthoot Paul M George.

It seems better that another agency, this time the CBI, goes into the crime and brings out all aspects of the episode as there have been clips after clips of charges, counter-charges, alleged revelations, impressions of foul play permeating the minds of the public, particularly in the wake of incessant coverage given by the electronic media, not to mention the print world.

It had come to such a pass that even if the police spoke something truthful, the people would not believe it.

In such circumstances, in fact the High Court has come to the rescue and referred the matter to the CBI. The police had also expressed its willingness to hand over the case to any other agency, provided the court expressed any doubts in the present manner of investigation.

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has expressed satisfaction over the court’s decision.

Let the truth come out, and let the facts speak for themselves so that the people would believe the goings-on.

Brace yourself up for a time when there would not be this sort of reservation

By O.J.George

A division bench of Kerala has spoken up, there should be serious thoughts on the sort of reservation that is in place.

A lot of people would be surprised, aghast, and depressed about the clarity of the suggestions contained in the court verdict.But then there are others who agree with the court.

If people thought that the sort of reservation now enjoyed by certain people would go on like this till the end of the world, that is proved wrong by the obiter dictum of the court.

One day or the other there would be a rethinking into the quota system. The court had said reservation benefits were something enjoyed by the people for the first 50 years and then extended to another 10 years. This is not something that is Consitutionally devolved for eternity.

Reservation benefits-enjoyers and their families should make strenuous efforts to acquire abilities to compete with others in the world.

Those who don’t have the financial wherewithal should be given all helping hand by the government. Affirmative action that would make the standards go up should be the tool in future. But all should also compete.

Financial reservation, job reservation, promotion reservation, admission reservation and the like cannot go on for eternity.

The socially, educationally and economically backward should not wallow in a state of perfunctory bliss from the automatic benefits devolving on them. They should also put in some efforts to come up on their own.

Anyway, now there can be no going back on the reservation benefits bestowed by Parliament for 60 years.

The issue will definitely come up in the future when the economically backward among the forward castes would have to be considered for justice being dispensed to them.

Don’t tinker with the supply side of rice, wheat

By O.J.George

Kerala is reverberating with arguments and counter-arguments about lifting of rice and wheat from the Central pool and allegedly mismanaging the quota.

On the one hand there has been the charge that Kerala failed to lift the allotted quantities. Now,on the other, the allegation is that rice and wheat are being sold outside the ration outlets.

The charges and counter-charges are traded by Union Minister K.V.Thomas and State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac. It seems CPI’s Food Minister C.Divakaran is saved from climaxing arguments as Thomas Isaac has stepped in.

The common man wants the public distribution system filled with the grain and atta so that there won’t be artificial price hikes.

Demand and supply side economics cries for plenty of availability so that prices will not go up owing to scarcity as well as consequential speculative practices.

Conducive circumstances should be created under which Kerala, a scarcity state as far as the grain are concerned, or for that matter vegetables and much of other edible items, should not be smarting under non-availability.

Macro statistics considered, Kerala is better than most of the other states in distributing ration items. We don’t directly witness the hanky panky in the practices elsewhere. That is why we make a hue and cry about trade-offs, black marketeering etc of ration items.

There was a report earlier that ration rice and wheat supplied from the Food Corportion of India godowns are taken away to private parties in the north-eastern states handsdown.

Now there may be some reprieve. In many other states, underhand dealings are thriving. That means the hullabaloo created within the state should not be allowed to result in depletion of the state with regard to the supplies.

Ensure supplies by any means, the priceline can be held to a considerable extent.

Whether it is K.V.Thomas or Thomas Isaac, the people’s interests should not be traded for narrow gains.

The best news for all times: CJI’s office under purview of RTI

By O.J.George

Now no one can rue the Indian judiciary as an oligarchy, for the Delhi High Court has risen to the occasion and decided that the office of the Chief Justice of India comes under the purview of the Right to Information Act.

At one shot, one may not comprehend the implications of the decision of the High Court. The Chief Justice of India is a repository of prime information regarding appointment of judges, their assets, complaints and proceedings against judges and a whole lot of other sensitive pieces of information.

No doubt, the Supreme Court may not take it kindly and may go in for appeal against the verdict of the Delhi High Court. It is easy enough for the apex court to ask the registrar of the Supreme Court to file an appeal in its own court.

Let us see how the Supreme Court dispenses justice in this matter.

All the same, the terse argument put up by the apex court earlier that disclosure of information is not workable does not hold good any more.

The Delhi High Court has pointed out that the higher the authority, the greater is the accountability and responsibility that is bestowed on it.

Former Chief Justice of India SC Verma has said there is nothing for a judge to hide.

The one piece of legislation that has empowered the common, unrecognized citizen of the country is the Right to Information Act.

The heaven is not going to fall down, if the details of assets, the qualifications and antecedents of the judges under appointment etc are divulged to those who want to know them.

India is becoming a functional democracy by offering these pieces of information and everyone being made accountable to “ We, the people of India” who had framed the Constitution.

Conflicts galore, Amar Singh-Mulayam, Deve Gowda-Yeddyurappa, Hockey players, Telengana

By O J George

It is an amusing scenario, where in many corners of India, conflicts grab the headlines.And there is cause for concern.

The great Amar Singh, who can handle any tricky situation, has fallen foul in the Samajwadi Party, and has called it quits.

In one breath he says, it is for medical reasons. He has had a kidney replacement and his family members want him more in the non-political arena.

In another breath, he says Ram Gopal in SP and his people do not want him to continue in SP.

Naturally, there is something more to it than meets the eye.

It seems Sanjay Dutt and all would follow the Amar Singh line.No doubt, Amitabh Bacchan has always been with Amar Singh, who now says the SP should rise from the ashes, meaning, the party is dead and buried.

Often a politician’s no has to be taken as yes. Now he says he would not join the Congress Party.

Down in the South, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal leader Deve Gowda has called BJP Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa names.

Gowda was fuming before the media about the dubious role played by the BJP CM with regard to land acquisition for Bangalore-Mysore corridor project and other schemes.

He says the farmers have been duped, not a single rupee has been paid for their land. The company for which the land was acquired is looting the farmers.

Of late, Gowda has apologized for the derogatory word he used against the CM.

In Andhra Pradesh, the Telengana issue has been making the state a boiling cauldron.

Now TRS chief K.Chandrasekhara Rao, after meeting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Delhi, has admitted he would wait for more time.

The PM wanted time for peace to return in other areas of Andhra.

And elsewhere on the border, Pakistan has been resorting to firing and provocative acts.

Lately, a bSF jawan has been killed and a few others injured in the Pak firing in Poonch sector.

This is at a time when the Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is in Delhi to enter into many deals against terrorism and for security interests.

Happy birthday, Yesudas!

By O.J.George

Grace of God it is that we have a K.J.Yesudas amidst us to sing good things to us. The Almighty chooses one in a lifetime, perhaps, to transcend beyond the realm of hatred, injustice, violence, attacks for no reason and what not.

Music is the only medium which titillates people with the melody, the tenor, the cadence, the vibrations and emotions driving the elements to compassion and mercy.

Pure music is believed to have the Rain Gods pour copiously, listening to the lilting voices.

Yesudas has rendered his life to the world of singing and music and the people owe him dearly for the services rendered by him to lift them to the heights of ecstasy.

Classical music maestro he is, definitely, but film music might have provided him a wider reach among common folk.

Whatever he did with his voice turned into something sublime, leading the people to an ultra natural ambience.

Existence of the world , that is society, is dependent on such entities.

Let us bow before him on the occasion of his seventieth birthday and offer him all the best in life.

Total freedom is what the CPM should offer to the cadres

By O.J.George

It seems some of the corrective measures propounded by the CPM for improving the performance of the party are recoiling on it.

Former Alappuzha MP, Dr K.S.Manoj, has quit the party saying he is a God-believer and he cannot continue to be a member of the party which restricts the members from owing allegiance to any faith.

The integrity of the former MP should be acknowledged, for he could have continued in the party all the same by furtively attending religious functions and remaining in the same position.

It seems he also wanted to enlighten the fact that faith is above party ideology to him.

Anyone would concede the fact that there are many plus points in the Communist precepts, but what is lacking is an opportunity for total freedom.

An enlightened human being cannot thrive without total and unfettered freedom. Perhaps one may go without food for a day, but he should be able to be vocal to express his opinions.

Soviet¸ Chinese, Cuban models of Communism were objected to by even those who do not subscribe to the methods of rival parties because of the limitations on intellectual freedom and open expression.

Now DYFI, in its report, seems to rue the situation ruling among users of internet and other tools of the Information Technology. Ideas opposed to Communism are flooding the cyber world.

There should be discussions based on screening of films, but one should not miss the expressions in many films in which the comrades are set in the form of bad examples. Not only comrades, but politicians in general find opportunities of ridicule one way or the other.

So far as the party does not offer untrammeled opportunities to practise one’s religion, intellectual pursuits and the like, expansion of its base on the basis of discarded precepts would not be easy.

Open up fully, and there may be many takers.

The T Pyxidis impact; star burst, supernova and atmosphere loss?

By O.J.George

I am amused by the report of the possible blowing up of the star called T Pyxidis, resulting in blasts, burps or novas which will upset the cosmos.

The earth may be ripped of its ozone layer, causing the wiping out of the atmosphere.

All breathing beings on Planet Earth will gasp for breath and pop off.

The particular star used to have smaller bursts in turns of 20 years, but it has not been bursting since 1967.

Therefore, all the accumulated gas would result in an unprecedented level of burst.

In this connection, there are other revelations of doom like what is said in the Mayan calendar.I quote:

“The sacred Aztec calendar is properly called the Eagle Bowl. It represents the solar deity Tonatiuh. The amazingly accurate calendar has been in use in various forms for more than 2,000 years. A Zapotec prophecy, based on the Eagle Bowl, states:
“After Thirteen Heavens of Decreasing Choice, and Nine Hells of Increasing Doom, the Tree of Life shall blossom with a fruit never before known in the creation, and that fruit shall be the New Spirit of Men.”

The 13 Heavens and 9 Hells were each 52 years long (1,144 years total). Each of the 9 Hells were to be worse than the last. On the final day of the last Hell (August 17, 1987), Tezcatlipoca, god of death, would remove his mask of jade to reveal himself as Quetzelcoatl, god of peace.

In the mythology of the Aztecs, the first age of mankind ended with the animals devouring humans. The second age was finished by wind, the third by fire, and the fourth by water. The present fifth epoch is called Nahui-Olin (Sun of Earthquake), which began in 3113 BC and will end on December 24, 2011. It will be the last destruction of human existence on Earth. The date coincides closely with that determined by the brothers McKenna in The Invisible Landscape as “the end of history” indicated by their computer analysis of the ancient Chinese oracle-calendar, the I Ching.

The Mayan calendar is divided into Seven Ages of Man. The fourth epoch ended in August 1987. The Mayan calendar comes to an end on Sunday, December 23, 2012. Only a few people will survive the catastrophe that ensues. In the fifth age, humanity will realize its spiritual destiny. In the sixth age, we will realize God within ourselves, and in the seventh age we will become so spiritual that we will be telepathic”.

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
;And, by opposing, end them? Shakespeare asked.

People have turned ungrateful almost en masse. They would do anything, even for gaining nothing.
Wretchedness has engulfed the world. Do we see any light at the end of the tunnel?

No doubt, Planet Earth is a fragile thing compared to the unfathomable Cosmos. Even human judgement on the wrong-doings cannot forgive the misdeeds. Will the Gods forgive the evil world?

Intra-party problems the bane of Kerala and Karnataka Govts

By O.J.George

One should admire the Congress Party for its remaining as the main political entity capable of ruling the country even after enjoying the spoils of office since Independence, barring roughly ten years of rule altogether of various other dispensations at the Centre.

It should have disintegrated and degenerated into a non-entity considering the squabbles for pecuniary and other advantages of the political players, judging by the performance of the Opposition bandwagons from time to time when they got power.

There have been a lot of individuals in the Congress Party as well who had indulged in pleasures, grabbing, machinations and money making, but almost all of them emptied themselves out one or the other times.

There were a lot of expectations when the CPM-led V.S.Achuthanandan Government assumed office.

But the people have a feeling that the ruling machinery is working in fits and starts and nothing goes smoothly.

Even if there is a will for some people to deliver the goods, inbuilt opposition to good governance based on personal animosity is standing in the way of performance to the level it is capable of achieving otherwise. No doubt, it is limping forward.

Reports of Smart City woes, PDP ties, Munnar action, Lavalin involvement and the like would not help the common man to fill their tummies.

Prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing, even as the haves and the gullible go for a suicidal drinking binge.

Thieves, racketeers and the mafia are flourishing. No doubt, these illegal operators should be reined in, otherwise, normal life would not be possible.

One thought the BJP Government in Karnataka would be able to do exceedingly well considering the mandate BS Yeddyurappa had got.

Intra-party squabbles have stymied his functioning. Lately, the Chief Minister himself has come out in the open bemoaning that he should not have compromised his values for sustenance of his government. That appears to indicate that he has hit rock bottom in his survival bid.

The ranting and raving, be it in Kerala, Karnataka or anywhere else, will not help to serve the people at large.

LPG tanker disasters cry for better safety measures

By O.J.George

Around 4 am, when most people are fast asleep in December cosiness, an LPG tanker lorry collided against a car, overturned and caught fire, which further caused explosions, on the gas catching fire and continuing the conflagration for over seven hours.

By then over 20 people received burn injuries, at least ten of them 100 suffering critical injuries. At least four of them had suffered 100 per cent injuries. Two of them succumbed to the injuries after a few hours of treatment in the hospital.
There are others with 70 to 80 per cent burns whose lives hang in the balance.
A large number of shops, about 20 motor-cycles, a police van and other things were gutted.

More than all these devastations, think about the trauma of people who have been evacuated in the sleepy hours.

Our of abundant precaution, the electricity supply in the whole area was snapped. Mobile phones were immobilized, people were asked through loud speakers not to light anything, not even cause a spark.

Women, children and old people had to be taken to safe places, leaving everything back, in the unwholesome hours.

Tanker lorries have free access to our roads which are the pathways for people and passenger and transportation vehicles.

There were tanker lorry accidents in Thrissur district and Kollam district and a few other places this year. By sheer luck, the tragedy of today’s magnitude was averted. Every time, that cannot be expected.

There should be scientific way of dealing with transportation of gas and handling of these vehicles.

The fire force personnel were fighting the accident on the strength of will-power and water. Both are not sufficient to meet the challenge.

Let good sense prevail over decision makers and devise ways to ensure safety.

Various acts of terrorism, liquor addiction and sex rackets to flourish in Kerala

By O.J.George

Ink watching ritual is not necessary to know what would be happening in Kerala in matters of acts of terrorism, liquor addiction and sex rackets.
All these are going to be the bane of Kerala society at their height in the years to come.

People of Kerala have got drunk to the tune of nearly Rs 50 crore during the Christmas days. Availability is what counts about having a draught of the inebriating liquor.

Go to any place, liquor is the one item that is available in plenty. One can watch the neighbourhoods. A lot of menfolk are addicted to the drinks. A few years of survival with tremors, if not drunk, they vanish into thin air, leaving the dear ones, some of them heavily dependent, despondent.

Acts of terrorism have only begun. It seems Kerala has been home to many people who planned and helped terrorist acts elsewhere, incidents of extremism many notwithstanding.

Governments cannot haggle over the rights of investigation. Whoever probes should do it meticulously and save the people of the growing menace.

Sex rackets are flourishing in our society one way or other. We hear about raids and investigations into the flesh rackets.

A lot of such rackets are flourishing in all our neighbourhoods. A lot of unwary girls are hooked on into the racket after they fall prey to so-called love indications. They would not be able to come out of the trap, once they fall into it.
Traps apart, nowadays, the old fearsome social situation is no more there. A lot of women are definitely forward looking in sex matters, compared to the past. Exposure to social media is causing the itch.

They cannot be blamed, but they have to control themselves if dangers have to be averted. There cannot be innocuous one-night stands sans danger in our social milieu. Once involved, the protagonists cannot emerge unscathed.

Are we cowards or are we not just scared?

O.J.George

Congress leader M.M.Hassan has observed that people are fearful of hartal, forcing them to remain indoors, resulting in the success of the agitation.

What he said is quite correct, but not in the case of BSP hartal supported by the BJP alone as on Tuesday. Every hartal called by ABCD parties is scary. Shop-keepers down the shutters for fear that their wares would be ransacked. Vehicle owners do not take out the automobiles so that the machines and the man would not be harmed.

Court fiat notwithstanding, party animals can cause havoc to the people, simply because action against them is not easy. For every party is the butt of blame in this regard.

In the case of the ruling party, the people have to be more scared. Just because a person did not buy a door-mat in Alappuzha district, some party workers barged into the house in the dead of night and destroyed house and property and attacked the family members. The head of the family has succumbed to his injuries.

These days, even non-political occurrences are quite unsavoury. Thieves, looters, thugs have their free-for-all. For snatiching a hundred rupee note, they would do anything.

In olden days, a strong gate, thick locks and other protective gears were comfortable for the safety of the house-hold.

Now-a-days attackers come in droves, simply remove the gate per se, take off the door as such, barge in and attack the house-holders at gun or knife-point. Take off everything, no one is bothered.

House-breakers, thugs, looters and killers have their full freedom. Their rights are well protected. Ordinary mortals are a scared lot, Mr Hassan.

Why should our stuff be low-quality?

O.J.George

Now there is a hue and cry about the substandard pitch of the Feroze Shah Kotla which forced Indian and Sri Lanka cricket teams to abandon the fifth match.
As expected, no one takes responsibility and everyone is on the forefront of being in the blame game. Easy it is for that, for BJP’s Arun Jaitley is the Delhi Cricket Association chief and there are worthies of the UDF in the BCCI and other state boards.

Congress has already blamed Jaitley and wanted him to quit. Sports Minister M.S.Gill has found found it a matter of shame. ICCI is questioning the arrangement of amenities.

Money cannot be a problem in cricket matters, therefore, the reason could be only shoddy preparations. Why can’t we be a quality people, when we have the wherewithal to be so?

We are showing off as sub-standard stuff when we take one decision on visa restrictions and then a lot of haggling happens at the ministerial level.

Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has questioned the multiple- entry visa restrictions imposed on foreigners by the Indian Government. Of course, he has expressed his difference of opinion through twitter.

Was it not better on his part to have raised the matter before his own ministry to be taken up with the Home Ministry before coming up with the tweet?

These are episodes of pedestrianism which we are taunting. A little bit of caution would have improved the situation.

There can be no basis, but media speculated on Oommen Chandy being made Governor of AP

By O.J.George

Imagination staggers, for wild speculation could go this far. One portal in the Gulf has speculated the Centre was mulling over posting either Oommen Chandy or Digvijay Sing as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh in place of sex scandal tainted N.D.Tiwari.

Our own Oommen Chandy is deeply enmeshed in the politics of Kerala and there can be no replacement for him in the state, unless of course by any chance A.K.Antony, now Defence Minister, who could be any Minister or even President of India in future, condescends to return to state politics. And his return to Kerala scene being a remote possibility as Antony had asserted earlier that he would not contest from Kerala again.

And so there is a grain of truth in the common allegation that the media can go into wild imagination.

Coming to N.D.Tiwari, the 85-year-old Governor under exit, one wonders if an old man can indulge in all sorts of spooky affairs. Mind you, we are not living in any feudal set-up. Can some women go on sending girls to Tiwari, the Governor, with impunity, offering them jobs?

Tiwari’s case is a warning to other weaklings as well. Frolicking with women at all odd hours and spooky circumstances, particularly to those wielding power, would cost them dearly. Forget about Tiwari, he has reached his political Sun-set. The likes of Rajmohan Unnithan are not.

Ugly goings-on undergoing a churning process? No one knows.

Politician's secret discussions with a woman in secluded place, alone is a mean business

By O.J.George

Rajmohan Unnithan forcing the victory sign as he boarded the police jeep after getting bail for alleged sex offence, pushing aside a police man to do so, was amusing sight.

Whose victory, what victory?Honey trap is one of the common tools among intelligence agencies of rival countries. But this was self-inflicted honey trap.

It is a pity that some political figures find it convenient to hold discussions with women or women colleagues solitary at night in God-forsaken places.

Rajmohan Unnithan may be guilty or not guilty, he may have the support of medical certificate in respect of the woman concerned, no sex done.

But was it essential that he should hold discussions at night with the woman in question all alone?

Sometime ago, a Minister of the V S Achuthanandan ministry, of course, an LDF partner minister, was caught in likewise fashion, a few papers had reported.

The minister could cover up the incident in many of the mainstream newspapers and media.

He had also simplified the issue saying that was a night discussion. But a lot of people had gathered around the house in which the discussion was going on .

The minister had given up his state car while furtively featuring in discussions. When a huge crowd collected at the site, he called for the gun man and the car and escaped in the official car.

Afterwards, nothing is heard about it so far.There were rumours that the minister was trapped by a chota leader of his own party, of course in another group.
Suffice it to say, leaders holding secret discussions with women, alone at hidden places is a mean business.

Where is the distinguishing mark while dealing with deadly wild animals?

By O.J.George

Should we subject ourselves to deadly risk while dealing with intruding wild animals? This issue is haunting a lot of people, especially those living in areas bordering forests.

Scheduled animals like leopard, king cobra should not be touched even if they attack you. Please lie down in front of them like dead, after informing the forest people.
By the time they arrive, either the animals would be off to their havens hauled up somewhere readying for another attack.

Some people of Thodupuzha are facing the music now for catching an intruding leopard. Somehow they caught the deadly animal. It was alive when the forest department men arrived. It died while being in their custody.

The cause of death is assault by the people while it was caught. It should have been left where it was, hiding in the bushes. The people should not have provoked it to come out.

Now those who caught the animal face grave charge of offence inviting a jail term of up to seven years.

Why should wlld animals come out in the open, to the town, leaving its forest comfort? They have no food, no amenity in the wild. Will the forest department people be charged with an offence if the wild animal gives up its abode in the forest? Someone should take responsibility for the safe keeping of the animals in the wild. They should not be allowed to poach into human territory.

One can deal with an attacking human being in self-defence, but not an animal. Someone should draw the demarcating line. There should be no deliberate attempt to kill an endangered animal, but there should be a proviso regarding self-defence.

The beauty and paradox of Indian democracy; Ajmal Kasab can say anything

By O.J.George

Sometimes we speak lowly about our nation considering pervasive corruption, political wrong-doings, the rich becoming richer even as the poor were becoming poorer, windfall profits accruing to big MNCs on account of opening up but denying proper welfare measures to the have-nots and the like.

But there is the beauty of our democracy, its jurisprudential sequences and the basic dictum that no innocent should be punished.

Take the case of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist in the Mumbai attack.

He had pleaded guilty to the charges, which was a voluntary confession made on July 20. Now on Friday, he made a volte-face.He does not know anything about the attacks.

He had come to Mumbai in search of finding opportunities for acting in films. He was roaming around Juhu beach 20 days before the 26/11 attack.

He has close similarity to another terrorist who was killed in the encounter and so he was accosted by the police.

Unsolicitedly ,he made a reference to US terror-suspect David Headley as well. No doubt, he wants to mislead the prosecution and possibly delay the processes.

A number of eyewitnesses have identified Kasab and CCTV cameras at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus have captured him blazing away.

But Kasab made seemingly bizarre claims, contradicting his July 20 voluntary confession made before judge M.L. Tahilyani as well as the one recorded before a magistrate in February.

The 22-year-old said he was not a terrorist, had not fired at commuters at CST and had never ever seen an AK-47 before he was put on trial.

He said he travelled from Pakistan to New Delhi by the Samjhauta Express and came to Mumbai 20 days before 26/11 to find a house.

Kasab claimed he was falsely implicated because he resembles another gunman Abu Ali, who was shot dead.

Had he been in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or China, he would not have received so many opportunities to say something before a judge a few times and then retract the same and move in an entirely different direction.

Three cheers for Indian democracy which allows all sorts of viewpoints. Whether such averrments will have any sway in the final analysis is a different issue.

Advani adjudged ancestral head; BJP’s grandchildren take over

By O.J.George

No one can deny the ferocity of the tumultuous A.B.Vajpayee-L.K.Advani era in BJP, which had fetched the party the reins of power at the Centre.


No doubt, it could not nurture the progress made to greater fruition and could not ensure at least alternate governance at the Centre with the Congress Party.


There has been a great shortage of ideas to propel it beyond Rath Yatra and its off-shoots. At best what the party has done seems to be Sonia baiting and Manmohan bashing, bereft of other clear programmes and proclivities.

The BJP has been remaining stuck at some point, and no one knows whether there would be another jump-start.


Perhaps the RSS should suggest to its political outfit to keep off Sonia Gandhi and the family, for too much criticism would only generate a sympathy factor for them in the hearts of the people.

And what is the point in lecturing against a legitimate role for Rahul Gandhi in the political echelons of India? Or for that matter, Priyanka Gandhi in future.

It would be better to concentrate on plans and programmes and not personalities.

The single largest mistake made by the party was its propensity to launch an agitation against Sonia Gandhi, when she was about to take over as Prime Minister.

The people’s mandate was mauled by the defeated political rival, led by Sushma Swaraj at that time.

Naturally, one can expect the same strain of arguments as she takes over the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha from L.K.Advani. Which again prompts one to say that the future is not that good in the matter of recapturing power.

All the same, changes are better in the eyes of the people, for another era is opening up, with promises and promptings galore, the grandfathers providing patronage in ample measure.

Let no political party interfere in the investigation process and let there be no high-handedness in quizzing

By O.J.George

At last Soofiya Madani, wife of PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, has been arrested following denial of anticipatory bail to her by Kerala High Court.
The court has observed it cannot grant her bail as that would adversely affect the investigation proper.

The court wanted political parties not to interfere but help proper investigation. The court observed that extremist activities have been rampant in Kerala at least since 2005.

There may have been many in various political parties who entertain soft corner towards players of ultra activities on the basis of sheer ignorance or innocuous feeling about extremism. Terrorist activities are acts of treason which work their way to the disintegration of the country.

There may be global parameters for the extremist activities. Ordinary political folks may unknowingly consider these as just incidents which occur during a bandh or agitation. The lawyer of Soofiya Madani pointed out in the High Court that several buses were set ablaze during the Telengana stir.
No it is not like that, for acts of terrorism are anti-national and such incidents should be viewed seriously.

Youth should be motivated against movement towards extremism, everywhere in the country.

Let Kerala be freed of extremism of all sorts, for these acts would not help to achieve any aim.

It seems no one can save Madani, Soofiya et al for out- of- the way activities

By O.J.George

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan has made it clear the CPM would not have any truck with ultra-acts-suspect PDP led by Adbul Nasser Madani. The party had association with PDP earlier, but that could have been avoided. The CPM would never have links with any organization which has extremist connotations.

CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had also repeated the affirmations of the party’s central leadership, although he cannot completely ignore PDP. There was a rider in his comments about the electoral tactics in future. The tactics would be decided in accordance with the –then prevailing conditions.

Well, there should be a standing understanding that no party would hobnob with extremists, for ultra tactics would only land them in further troubles.
Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer, retired judge of the Supreme Court, has made it clear that he does not know anything about Madani being an extremist or not. He had championed the cause for his release simply on account of his incarceration in jail without findings.

The CPM has alleged that ultra Shafeek is a close relative of Union Minister E.Ahamed. Relationships cannot be undone, but the crucial issue is whether the kinship was misused. That can easily be found out by investigating agencies.

There can be a lot of justifications for the ultras, but even if the reasons for their hatred are addressed, they cannot and will not turn back, in the usual course. Because they are deeply embedded in the Satanic system which will not allow them to wriggle out.

The crown and glory of all creations should not perish on account of wanton acts of terrorism, as these would only worsen problems and not solve any.

Solution is the cause of further trouble with regard to Telengana

By O.J.George

The Telengana people have been outraged as they felt deprived of developments in the region at the cost of growth in the other regions of Andhra Pradesh.

After years of struggle, there has been a silver lining in the horizon, as Home Minister P.Chidambaram announced steps for the formation of the Telengana State, carved out from Andhra Pradesh.

Pat came the reaction, for 120 MLAs have submitted their resignation to the Speaker and as many as 22 Ministers belonging to the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions have offered to quit, in protest against the formation of Telengana.
Now things are not going to be smooth in AP, for the agitation would go on for some more time. But loss of lives and property is a sorrowful episode and such tragedies should be averted at any cost.

There is a lesson for all the big states like UP, Maharashtra, West Bengal etc, and for the whole nation the entire North-East, for if developments are not distributed equitably, there would be turmoil.

As the nation is progressing at different levels, people of all regions and persuasions should have the feeling that they have been taken on board.
I don’t think Telengana people, ultimately, can have the whole of the developed regions in Hyderabad-Secunderabad, for people who are antagonistic about Telengana formation should also have to be appeased.

Leaders like Dr Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy were able to see that the State remained united. Now his son Jaganmohan Reddy cannot also claim to be a tall leader of the whole of Andhra Pradesh.

Things have gone favourable for division, for splits in other states for formation of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Uttaranchal have turned beneficial for the people.
Let the wishes of the people be fulfilled.

Telengana issue: All will be happy at the end, with Hyderabad going to the Centre

By O.J.George

Andhra Pradesh is on the boil regarding bifurcation of the State into Andhra and Telangana, for which the Centre has given the green signal following the 11-day fast of TRS leader K.Chandrasekhara Rao.

Both ways there would be turmoil, either if it is kept a single entity or divided into two. Telangana has a grouse that the needs of the people in the region are not properly attended to. There is a grain of truth in it.

In Kerala, Pathanamthitta used to be in the erstwhile Quilon district for which at the developmental conferences two issues loomed large, fishermen’s and cashew workers’.

Pathanamthitta areas had neither of the two concerns. After years of neglect, Pathanamthitta district was carved out from major portions of Quilon and a little bit of Alleppey.

When a separate Telengana comes into being, the people of that area may get better attention.

But they cannot insist on retaining the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad with it. Neither can Andhra region people. The best way would be to retain this as a Union Territory like Chandigarh, Delhi etc.

When Haryana was formed, Chandigarh came into being as a Union Territory.

In the end, the problems of Andhra Pradesh would be solved like this only.

Now Telengana formation leaders and those against it are working out their own strategies. Let us hope there may not be blood-shed over this.

All others states accepted UGC norms for pension age and got huge amounts, Kerala is dilly dallying

By O.J.George

I was wondering, what is happening to the thought processes in Kerala with regard to education and improvement of quality?

'Extremists' say life begins at 70. Forget about it. Could the professional life end at 55? That is ridiculous. But that is what is happening in Kerala, God’s Own Country.

This is true of even professional people. For example, college teachers, they mature in proficiency and experience by about 50, but by 55 they have to call it a day.

That is nothing but big loss to the nation, the student community and the teachers themselves.

UGC wants all teachers to continue till 65. In fact, the UGC has a stipulation with regard to giving aid for salary revision.

Only if the government agrees to the superannuation limit of 65, will it give the aid.

Here in Kerala Education Minister M.A.Baby has been trying to get the huge amount of money from the UGC towards pay revision for teachers by hiking the pension age.

Reports appeared in the media to the effect that CPI initially objected to the proposal. It seems DYFI also has some reservations. Perhaps the Youth Congress and the KSU also may chip in.

There is something called macro economics on the supply side. You get a lot of money for your people in the state from the UGC.

The money is dispersed within Kerala. The money does not go to Switzerland or some God-forsaken Banana Republic in Africa or elsewhere.

There are politicians who stash their money abroad. If the money is splashed around within the country, the supply side would be activated and that would rejuvenate the economy.

Even the US is after dishing out the money stashed elsewhere.

Here our own leaders deny to our professionals the money that the UGC and the Central government are giving.

One knowledgeable person recounted to me once. We must receive all the money for developmental works available from World Ban, IMF, Asian Development Bank or otherwise.Let the work be done, repayment would ensue one way or other.

Like that let the money be received from the UGC, if the pension age has to be hiked, it should be hiked.

The quality of teaching in colleges is coming down, simply because the vacancies are not filled. Thousands of vacancies remain unfilled. There is stop-gap arrangement by engaging guest lecturers who are given Rs 3,000 a month.

In the circumstances, quality improvement can be ensured by enhancing the pension age to 60, 62 or 65.

Enhancement of pension age for other government staff can be considered in phases, if not done outright.

Muthoot murder case charge-sheet rejection a setback to the police

By O.J.George

Now the trial court has returned the charge-sheet filed by the police regarding the murder of Paul M George, scion of the Muthoot family citing various reasons, palpably pointing out that there are several lacunae.

The crucial point is that dreaded goons Om Prakash and Rajesh Puthenpalam were treated with kidgloves. They are charged with merely destruction of evidence without probing into their role in committing the murder.

Narco analysis test was ordered on them by the court, but the police did not do so, simply citing ill health for Om Prakash and language problem for Rajesh Puthenpalam.
The financial deals between Paul M George and Om Prakash and the deals between Om Prakash and Rajesh Puthenpalam were not probed.

The statements of the driver of Paul M George were contradictory.

The court had suggested that narco test be conducted with the help of an interpreter, but that was not attempted.

There were discrepancies in the statements of Manu, the friend of the goons. There was only one stab wound and that was from behind on the body of Paul M George.

Meanwhile, a petition is lying before Kerala High Court by M.G.George, father of Paul M George, seeking a CBI inquiry into the murder.

Things are going from bad to worse for the Kerala Police with regard to their investigation into the Muthoot murder.

It was a classic statement, the Government has not sent Thachankary

By O.J.George

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan made a classic statement on Tuesday about the assignment given to Inspector General of Police Tomin Thachankary to quiz LeT operatives Thadiyantavida Nazeer and associates in Bangalore.

The Government has not sent Thachankary to Bangalore. Then who sent him? You can investigate, the Chief Minister told the media.

Pat came the reaction from Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan asserting Thachankary went there with his knowledge.

Was it only because Tomin Thachankary was persona non grata for the Chief Minister? Or did it have ominous meanings about differences of opinion about nexus with PDP of Abdul Nazer Madani.

The Chief Minister was against hobnobbing with Madani, but during the Parliament elections, the party had taken on its dais Madani and campaigned with him.

The old issue of undesirable ties with Madani is again cropping up.

And now LeT operatives Thadiyantavida Nazeer and associates are in the custody of the Bangalore police. There are allegations that Nazeer had ties with Madani.

The Congress-led UDF has alleged that Nazeer, who was in the custody of Kerala police earlier, was allowed to slip off at the intervention of a person close to the ruling echelons.

Congress leader Aryadan Mohamed has given the crucial angle. The Chief Minister is not aware of the assignment given to Thachankary, but the party leader knows it.

CPM leader Sivadasa Menon has asserted it was not essential to inform the Chief Minister of all things.

It seems there would be more reactions and repercussions about the goings–on with regard to dealing with LeT operatives.

Terror has been at our door-step in Kerala, lucky to have been spared of a massive disaster so far

By O.J.George

Thadiyantavida Nazeer and Shahaz are hogging the headlines about their terrorist activities in many parts of India and possibly elsewhere.

For quite some time, Keralites were under the blind belief that the most literate State would not foment terror. Neither would it harbour terror.

Reports about the activities of some of its youth speak about heinous terrorist links.

We may have come across names like CAM Basheer, Thadiyantavida Nazeer, Shahaz etc in this connection. Perhaps there may be other players. Who knows?

Now Kerala Police is scrambling to get at Thadiyantavida Nazeer and Shahaz who are under the custody of Bangalore Police as they brought them from Meghalaya.

All these quizzings are possible only because the Bangladesh Government has been kind enough to hand them over to the Indian police. Thanks to Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Mujibur Rahman.

Pehaps some more advantages against terrorism are on the way with regard to ULFA, whose leaders are being handed over to India, albeit one leader fled to China.

Reports say Thadiyantavida Nazeer etc are protégés of PDP leader Abdul Nazer Madani during the ISS days. ISS had a quiet burial, but some of the activists seem to have strayed to worse forms of terrorism.

LeT, al-Qaeda varieties are working against the human race, too much of distaste for human existence, misanthropes.

Bus burning, Kozhikode market blasts, Ernakulam collectorate blast, personal killings, covert terrorism training in the border with Kottayam and Idukki districts and all speak about messy happenings in God’s own country.

One way or other, the deleterious ways have to be dealt with.

Some predict wars over water, in Mumbai protests have drawn blood

By O.J.George

Water demands have drawn blood, for in Mumbai a youngster among the protesters seeking sufficient amount of drinking water, has been killed during baton charge by the police. A few others were injured as well.

The ordinary folks do not understand why there should be a cut in water supply when there were heavy rainfalls and even largescale flooding.

Naturally they make a beeline to the supply authorities protesting against the 15 per cent cut in water supply. That was what happened in Mumbai.

The UN had identified soft threats emanating from environmental degradation, climate change, twist in patterns of rainfall etc to various nations in addition to direct threats like wars and terrorism.

We have seen largescale flooding in Saudi Arabia now, where desert conditions prevailed almost throughout the year.

Rains are pouring in regions transcending seasons, culminating in great devastations. For cultivations, there should be rains and summers, otherwise there can be no growth of shoots and proper harvesting.

Fisheries also demand seasons of rains and summers. Unsolicited bounty of anything would not contribute to proper amenities for fine living.

We have heard about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister saying he would not agree to a new dam at Mullapperiyar even if lakhs of lives are lost in the breach of a 113 year-old gravity masonry dam. People don’t care anything else than water, whatever is the cost.

There are heavy rains in Kerala, but there is not enough water in various dams to generate sufficien amount of hydro power.
Management of water is going to be a crucial aspect of human existence in the years to come.

China’s assertiveness to help Pakistan?

By O.J.George

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has admitted to the fact that China is a little more assertive than in the past about border matters and the intention is not decipherable.

Taking the close links China has with Pakistan into consideration, no doubt, it wants to put pressure on India in its dealings with Pakistan.

And Pakistan, where all forms of the worlds’ known and unknown terrorists find harbour, is in a churning process, particularly as it is coaxed by the US to deal with terrorists sternly. So far Pakistan has been thriving with the help of terrorists who were in turn given a free run.

It is apparent the US will deal a deadly blow to terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan as per the plans disclosed by President Obama.

There seems to be some intriguing things going on in Pakistan in the security set-up. The nuclear button has been handed over to Prime Minister Gilani by President Zardari.
India has already expressed its concern on the possibility of terrorists acquiring nuclear weapons. With the likes of A.Q.Khan and other elements functioning in Pakistan, it would be from that country that terrorists can lay their hands on nukes.

Pakistan appears to be scared that India might attack the country, for there are reasons like not taking action against terrorists who brought about the 26/11 attack in Mumbai.

China, which does not want India gaining an upper hand anyway, is trying to bully India one way or the other to put pressure on us so that we may not act against Pakistan.

China is building a lot of air-strips and strengthening military build-up close to the border with India. It knows that India has grown considerably since 1962 war with it.

Actually, it was in the best interest of Pakistan to keep good-neighbourly relations with India, but that country in receiving help from others mismanaged everything, providing safe haven for worlds’ terrorists. It is precisely this act which will go to its undoing one way or the other.

China’s diversionary tactics should not deflect the attention of India in dealing with Pakistan which lets loose terrorists against India.