Army HQ’s telephone cables stolen

Army HQ’s telephone cables stolen, high security phones left dead
by FP Staff Oct 12, 2012
The civilian government experienced a communication gap with the military on Thursday, when over 1,000 phones in the Army headquarters in the national capital went dead, after thieves made off with copper wiring used for telephone lines.
Over 1,000 phones including Remote Access Terminal phones that are used by army officials to communicate with ministers and government officials went dead, initially prompting fears of a security breach. However the incident was later verified to be the result of the theft of several tonnes of copper wires used in a junction box inside the guarded army headquarters, according to an Indian Express report.
“It is not possible to carry away such a massive quantity of heavy copper wire on foot. The thieves seem to have used a vehicle, probably a mini truck. It is suspected that they came in the guise of MTNL staff,”a police official who is investigating the theft was quoted as saying.
Since the rise in prices of copper, theft of telephone wires for extraction or reselling of copper is hardly uncommon. In a recent incident, over 10,000 phones in a Mumbai suburb went dead due to thieves stealing over 100 metres worth of wiring in order to resell it. And in Hyderabad, thieves made off with thousands of kilos of metals from industrial units.
However, in this case the choice of target in this case is more bold than most cases reported earlier.
Army HQ’s telephone cables stolen, high security phones left dead

Remembering Father of our Nation Mahatma Gandhi

Throughout his life, Mahatma Gandhi inspired countless Indians to lead a simple and principled life free of vices and desires. His message of non-violence that he practiced against the British rule in India has inspired many important world personalities. On Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Guylife presents a few important people who have been inspired by the Mahatma.

Aung San Suu Kyi
Prominent Burmese freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi has been heavily influenced by Gandhi’s life and teachings apart from Buddhist philosophy. Suu Kyi has been credited with ushering in reforms in Burma (now Myanmar) that is helping the country reach out to the world by removing sanctions placed against the country that is ruled by military junta. Suu Kyi has said she read works by Gandhi to keep herself disciplined when she was placed under house arrest by her country's military dictators.
Last week, addressing a packed hall of students at Columbia University where she got a standing ovation, the 67-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner said she has been very inspired by Gandhi's writings and strongly urged the students to read his works. "Gandhi is somebody really phenomenal. I think you must all read his works, the more you read Gandhi, the more impressed you are by who he was and what he was. You must remember that change through non-violent means was not ever thought of before Gandhi. He was the one who started it, he was the one who decided that it is possible to bring about revolutionary change without violence," Suu Kyi said.
Leaders Inspired By Mahatma Gandhi by Priyanko Sarkar|Posted on Oct 1st 2012|
Comment: So sad to see our MP's living a lavishous life style at the expense of the tax payer. Their performance can be seen on daily basis through the Parliament session...

President Patil’s granddaughter fails to identify United States on world map

President Patil’s granddaughter fails to identify United States on world map Published On: Fri, Jun 22nd, 2012
New Delhi. In a shocking development, outgoing President Mrs. Pratibha Patil’s granddaughter Divya failed to identify the United States of America on the world map. Her failure has shocked her teachers and the Presidential staff alike.
Her Geography teacher Mrs. Sonia Gupta was unable to control her surprise and disappointment, “Divya has been brilliant in Geography. She could otherwise identify even a rice grain-sized country on the world map and give complete description of its beautiful beaches geographical features having accompanied her grandmother President Patil to every known place on the world map. I don’t know what happened this time.”
Faking News spoke to some of her friends to get their reaction. “Divya often shared the taxpayers’ money souvenirs which she used to get from the countries she used to visit while accompanying her grandmother. She even gifted me exotic wines from France on my birthday! Seems like this time she lost her American goodies which could have reminded her of her visit to that country,” said Reeta, her bench-mate.
A pal of gloom descended inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan as soon as the news spread inside. Mr. Sifarishi Lal, Divya’s personal tutor was more candid in his views, “Whenever we accompanied Pratibha madam to her foreign vacations overseas diplomatic missions, I always made sure that I explained every detail of that country to Divya. She, in return was always eager to go on sightseeing expeditions learn more about the country’s geography. As a result she has always been a topper in Geography in her class. So it is beyond reason to my why she should fail to spot a particular country on the map.”
Similar views were echoed by other officials of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“Divya could even point to a country while blindfolded which was yet to feature on the world map. For instance we accompanied madam President to this island which was inhabited by only 100 people. It was a diplomatic mission where she signed the ‘hijack treaty’ to deny a safe haven to airplane hijackers on that island. We even got an airport constructed over there for madam’s jet to land as they did not have one! Ask Divya and she can provide you with every detail of that island’s geography be it the beaches or snow covered mountains,” said one of the officials.
President Patil could not be reached for her views as she was reportedly busy watching MasterChef India on TV, which is said to be her favorite show.
Unconfirmed reports say that Madam Patil is even preparing to file for a re-nomination to the President’s post as she is keen to go on space missions this time and teach Divya the intricacies of the outer space, as Divya wants to become a scientist like APJ Abdul Kalam when she grows up.
President Patil’s granddaughter fails to identify United States on world map

2G Scam: Presidential Reference for clarity on scams?

Click Link: 2G case: Government files presidential reference in Supreme Court
Reported by Sunil Prabhu | Updated: April 12, 2012 16:59 IST
Comments

Chellappa Narayanan
Govt is to be blamed for not following transparent policy by inviting open bids/ tenders in selling scarce national resources. Now the Govt is referring through President to Supreme Court seeking clarifications. Supreme Court has given a landmark judgement in 2G scam which has instilled more confidence to public about judiciary. Political class must realise that they are to serve the people and not themselves. Will the Govt now realise and take corrective action?

Amit Srivastava 2 hours ago
Money talks , look at the high speed with which the government machinery is moving to bring relief to big players, faster then 4G :)

Shilpa Manocha 4 hours ago
What govt is doing is correct but why does such a process take such less time to complete than any other bill or case. This gives rise to other questions as to whether the pressure is being built up by the politicians who had were involved in this scam or not.

Adarsh Housing: Military Land Title gets obscured

PAC questions top defence officials in Adarsh housing scam
Published: Monday, Oct 10, 2011, 22:23 IST | Updated: Monday, Oct 10, 2011, 22:25 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI
Top defence officials today faced tough questions from Parliament's Public Accounts Committee when they appeared before it in connection with the CAG report on the Adarsh Housing society scam.
The PAC demanded answers from them on how the society was formed with defence officials as part of it and why no objection was raised by the ministry concerned or the army top brass when the proposal was moved.
The defence officials were also asked as to why no alarm bells rang during construction of the 31-storey building, which was now being dubbed as a security threat.
Congress members including Sanjay Nirupam also questioned them on the ownership of the land on which the skyscraper had been built.
Nirupam asked the defence officials to present the ownership documents of the land on which the building had been constructed.
Defence Secretary SK Sharma, Vice-Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen AS Lamba, Vice-Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm RK Dhowan and several other senior officials appeared before the PAC.
The PAC asked the defence ministry to submit all affidavits it has filed before competent courts in connection with the Adarsh Society case.
They have also been given a week's time to produce the documents as also the title deeds of the controversial piece of land.
A top army officer told the PAC that if CBI is able to establish criminality in the case, action will be taken against the guilty under Army Act and related provisions.
PAC questions top defence officials in Adarsh housing scam

Recruitment Scam dupes many aspirants

Ex-armyman arrested in recruitment scam
A retired Indian Army personnel and a woman from Assam have been arrested in New Delhi for duping thousand of people across the country on the pretext of providing jobs in the Indian Army, police said Wednesday.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police received a complaint that Ravinder Chauhan claiming to be a Major of Indian Army has duped 38 job seekers to the tune of Rs.1 crore on the promise of getting them jobs in Assam Rifles.

Chauhan told police that he used to impersonate as a Major in Indian Army duped crores of rupees from job seekers and Archana Singha of Assam was the mastermind of the racket.

A raid was conducted at Jorhat and Singha was also arrested. Singha told police that she was behind the racket.

Chauhan joined Rastriya Rifles in 2003 and in 2007, while he was posted at Baramula in Jammu an Kashmir, he got injured and was declared unfit for further service. He got in touch with Singha and collected money from more than 400 people to the tune of more than Rs.3 crore.

In 2007-2008, recruitment of Assam Rifles was held in Jorhat where she came in contact with a doctor who was Major in Assam Rifles and succeeded in getting three to four people appointed.

She earned Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 from candidate in the recruitment.

Similarly, in 2008-2009 she got a few candidates appointed of Assam Rifles held at Cooch in Bihar, however, she collected money from several candidates.

She began to appoint agents in different parts of India. Agents were made in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, MP, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Meghalya, Manipur, Nagaland and Hyderabad.

The agents used to allure students by promising them jobs and used to collect Rs.25,000 to Rs.1 lakh per candidate as advance.

Thereafter, Singha would ask her agents to bring all the candidates to Assam and would ask them to stay in some hotel.

She would manage some fake doctors and officers and would get candidates of Assam Rifles medically examined in the hotel.

She would also get signed a blank answer sheet from them. Thereafter, she would send them back and would ask them to wait for the result and appointment letters.

After some time, she would send a photocopy of provisional appointment letters to her agents and would ask them to deposit rest of the money before giving them original appointment letters.

She used to earn Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per candidate from the agents. After collecting rest of the money she and her agents would not take their calls.

Till now, they have cheated around more than 1000 job seekers and have collected money to the tune of more than Rs.10 crore.

‘More than 90 Bank accounts of different banks were freezed,’ said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Chand.

Ravinder Chauhan was nabbed from the railway station in his Honda City car following a on tip-off. ‘He was carrying a pistol along-with 15 live cartridges and an arm licence purportedly issued from Jammu and Kashmir,’ said Chand adding that the license was found be to be fake
Ex-armyman arrested in recruitment scam

Why Veterans want a strong Lokpal Bill

Dear Friends,
A strong Lokpal Bill will ensure that the corrupt political leaders and the corrupt Babus are removed from the scene of Governance of India soon.
Due to misinformation campaign by persons with vested interest, some of us have started believing that a Strong Lokpal Bill will destabilise the country and will be against the Constitution of India.
Do not be misled by these thugs. Read some more articles appended below. Let us all whole heartedly support the Jan Lokpal Bill and support Veteran Anna Hazare.
While in Service we sacrificed best part of our life to protect the nation from external threats – it is now time for us to protect the nation from these dishonest politicians and Babus, who are looting the national wealth and blocking progress of the country. Those of you who do not agree with the above statement, are probably justified in your own way, we respect your views.
Vande Matram
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.

Related Reading

Padayatra, burning of bill copies mark protests

India Against Corruption: Kejriwal seeks support for Hazare's stir

'August 15 could be India's Tahrir moment'

Appeal to All: Anti- Corruption Campaign

My dear friend, It is more than evident that our Government and all the political parties are unwilling to enact a strong law against corruption. Because if they did so, many of them would face imprisonment. There is a serious conflict of interest. None of the large scams like the Adarsh Housing scam, the Commonwealth Games scam, the Reddy brothers scam, Fodder scam, Health mission scam of UP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha scam, Cash for vote scam are covered by government.s Lokpal. What use is such a Lokpal Bill? It is weak and ineffective. It has a very narrow jurisdiction. None of the corruption faced by a common man is covered under it either. Please refer to my recent article click here on this issue for more specifics on why we think the government draft is not serious about tackling corruption.
Anna's fast from 16th August is our last hope. We can't afford to fail this time. For if we fail, we may never get another chance. Its now or never.
A number of people across the country are planning various protest activities. You can organize your own or or you can participate in any manner possible.
1st August to 9th August: Many people across the country are forming small teams and undertaking short and long padyatras. They would talk to people on their way, hold meetings, distribute pamphlets download pamphlet from download pamphlet- click here and show Jan Lokpal film. Would you like to plan a Yatra with your friends?
From 9th August: Mass burning/tearing of government's Bill as a mark of non-violent protest. Anna will start it most likely from Delhi or Mumbai.
From 9th August to 15th August: People in villages, towns and mohallas will form teams and go for prabhat pheri in mornings singing patriotic songs and educating people about corruption and Jan Lokpal Bill. In the evening, there would be candle light and mashal marches.
15th August: Switch off lights from 8 pm to 9 pm on independence day as a mark of support for the anti-corruption movement.
Fast starts from 16th August: Government says they would crush Anna's fast the way they crushed Baba Ramdev's movement. We are ready for that. We will offer ourselves for arrest if the government decides to arrest us. We are ready to face their batons and bullets. But we will not move from there. We will not retaliate. It will be a completely non-violent movement.
But if the people take a week off from their work from 16th August and take to the streets- in front of their house, on the crossings, in parks, everywhere, with a tricolor in their hands, raise slogans against corruption - Government can crush one Anna, but it won't be able to crush 120 crore Annas. Government could impose section 144 on one Jantar mantar. But will it impose curfew on the whole country?
If the whole country takes to streets for a week from 16th August, WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, can force the government to enact a strong Jan Lokpal Bill.
Will you be there? Can we count on your support and active participation?
Jai Hind!
Arvind Kejriwal
Veteran Major P M Ravindran

Kalmadi's team to study Beijing Olympics cost the exchequer Rs 8 Crore

CWG Scam: India Today Maneesh Pandey New Delhi, February 17, 2011 Updated 09:40 IST •Kalmadi, Bhanot sacked from CWG OC• Shunglu panel slams Kalmadi, Lalli• OC paid for Mrs Kalmadi's trip: CAG
The mystery of controversial Beijing trip of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) - labelled the jumbo junket of Suresh Kalmadi - has been solved.

If the official reply to an RTI filed by Subhash Agrawal is to be believed, Kalmadi and his friends spent Rs 8.15 crore to take 166 people on board for this "study group and observer programme" to Beijing to learn "first-hand about the technical and logistics details of Olympics in August 2008".

MAIL TODAY was the first to report about the CWG junketeers, including those who made it to the Beijing Olympics as the observer group, and had pointed out that there were many in the trip who, sooner or later, had little role to play in the CWG preparations.

The RTI reply endorses this and hints further - " some of the names in the list were purely out of obligation".

For instance, Chhattisgarh governor Shekhar Dutt, then the deputy national security adviser.

What was his role in the OC? Sources in the government said that Dutt was on leave from office to enjoy Kalmadi's party.

He was, in fact, present at the sports presentation event at Hotel Guo Yi in Beijing on August 19. He had signed in the visitors' register as deputy NSA and member OC, CWG.

There were others like National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and his son-inlaw and Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who had little connection with the sporting event.

Even the name of Nafisa Ali among the 166 Beijing junketeers raises question. There were some like Vijay Goel, who was later shown the door by Kalmadi.

The team also included four persons from Pune whose contributions to the OC are hard to assess.

However, they are being probed by the investigators. The trip, nevertheless, came at a cost of `8.15 crore, says the official reply.

It is anybody's guess what the group learnt in Beijing and how effectively it implemented the lessons back home.

The trip was meant to be a "learning experience to understand the physical environments of the Games being conducted there".

Also, the observer group was required to keep a record of processes, operational needs and policies which would have supported the organisation of the Games.

Interestingly, one of the key sessions, which the OC claimed to have been attended by the group, was related to ticketing, workforce and technology. The ticket distribution mess during the CWG, the accreditation and other technical glitches only explain what the group had actually learnt from the trip.
Suresh Kalmadi spent Rs 8 cr on his Beijing junket

Comment: Suresh Kalmadi's largesse to his Cronies and Sycophants down the drain. Had he only taken professional help from the Indian Armed Forces Kalmadi could have saved the Nation 8 Core Rupees!

International Anti-Corruption Day: India scores highest marks

By resolution 58/4 of 31 October 2003, the UN General Assembly designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day. This decision was taken in order to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it. The Assembly urged all States and competent regional economic integration organizations to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption as soon as possible in order to ensure its rapid entry into force.

Are we racing towards a Failed State?
India 87th on corruption list – Will we ever improve? by Viral Dholakia
Have you noticed how a bunch of ants surround a cube of sugar? Similarly, where there is big money involved – the corruption will most likely find its roots dug deep into the system. It is literally under every stone you turn. And, by now, most of us in India have learned to live with corruption as a part and parcel of our life.

In India, the tentacles of corruption are spread far and wide in all horizons of life and not just limited to government organizations. Recent instances of IPL scam and the Commonwealth Games fiasco underscores as to how a big moolah can attract corruption even in a Gentleman’s game. (The 2G Spectrum Scam has drained the national wealth- increasing the nation's poverty Index/ levels and making the poor poorer)

Moreover, corruption is not just limited to India. It is a massive phenomena and a real cancer destroying the benefits of globalization in many poor countries.

The 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index shows that three quarters of the 178 countries in the index have fared miserably in terms of corruption problem.

Specifically, India has slipped three places in global rankings of most corrupt countries, from 84 in 2009 to 87 this year.

On the ranking based on the scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 10 (low level of corruption), India scored 3.3 to grab 87th position in sharing with Jamaica and Liberia. It is understood that the CWG has to take blame for India’s poor show – on account of large-scale corruption in preparation to hosting the grand event.

On a positive note, only 5 countries – Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore, Finland and Sweden – managed to score higher than 9 points which indicates the list of least corrupted nations. The countries that ranked as most corrupt nations were Somalia, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The report released by Transparency International, which is based on input from 13 different experts and business surveys, further indicates that the global financial crisis took a toll on people’s views of corruption in government.

Notable among decliners over the past one year are some of the countries most affected by the financial crisis precipitated by transparency and integrity deficits. The survey highlighted the fact that few of the improvers were from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Download complete PDF report

India ranks 87th- the most corrupt nation of the subcontinent
Are we racing towards a failed state?
PM says he is worried about future of Parliamentary system

Setting up of Commission for Judicial Reforms

PIB Sunday, December 05, 2010 15:37 IST
The government has, in principle, decided to set u a “National Mission for Delivery of Justice and Legal Reforms”, which inter-alia, propose to undertake strategic initiatives to reduce the period of pendency in the courts from an average of 15 years to an average of three years by 2012. The detailed action plan is to be formulated under various strategies by the National Mission when set up, taking into account also ongoing activities. For speedy disposal of cases Government have already implemented initiatives likes increase in strength of Judges in Supreme Court and High Courts, amendment in Cr. P.C. to limit the number of adjournments to three, enactment of Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, Computerisation of Courts, release of funds as per Thirteenth Finance Commission recommendations for setting up of morning/ evening/ shift courts, strengthening alternative dispute Resolution system, Lok Adalats etc.

This information was given by the Law and Justice Minister, Dr. M. Veerappa Moily in Lok Sabha recently. vlk
Setting up of Commission for Judicial Reforms

Asian Games Medal Tally: India moves up to 6th position

26/11/2010
Medals Tally
Country/ Gold/ Silver/ Bronze/ Total

China 181 104 95 376

South Korea 72 61 85 218

Japan 39 68 86 193

Iran 19 11 23 53

Kazakhstan 15 18 32 65

India 14 17 33 64

Chinese Taipe 12 12 33 57

Uzbekistan 10 17 20 47

Malaysia 9 17 13 39

Thailand 9 7 31 47

Hong Kong 8 15 15 38

Citizens Voice
Friday, 26 November 2010 17:02:23
Three cheers to all the Indians who have medals for our country. If our sports persons who excelled in CWG did well here, our medal tally would have been much better. Hope we do well in future events. We all should encourage our children to take part in sports and games. All the schools should be granted recognition only if they have playground and other sports facilities. Should make sports compulsory from school itself. At the same time the corrupt and incapable so called sports heads should keep away from the games. Jai Hind.

Indian Army officer's daughter is Nepal's new global hero

22/11/2010
Kathmandu: The daughter of a former Indian Army colonel has become Nepal's new global hero, receiving a prestigious American award for her relentless work to prevent the trafficking of women and children from Nepal and rescuing over 12,000 victims.

Anuradha Koirala, daughter of Col Pratap Singh Gurung of the Indian Army, and former student of St Joseph's Convent in eastern India's hill town of Kalimpong, gave a politically volatile Nepal a worthy cause to rejoice when she was declared the CNN Hero of the year 2010 at a gala in Los Angeles late Saturday. The event was also attended by Hollywood stars Demi Moore, Halle Berry and Jessica Alba.

There were fireworks at Maiti Nepal in celebration, the anti-trafficking NGO founded by the frail, 61-year-old former school teacher on the premises of her own house in 1993 with eight others and that made her win the $100,000 award after eight weeks of online voting.

Koirala, known by her trademark huge dot on the forehead and spartan sari, beat nine other shortlisted nominees, including India's chef with a conscience, Narayanan Krishnan, whose Akshaya Trust has become a byword for feeding the homeless in India's Madurai city.

Maiti Nepal, which means mother's home in Nepali, is the best-known anti-trafficking organisation in Nepal, running transit homes on the India-Nepal border to prevent women and children from being sold to India's brothels, rescuing them by conducting raids with peer groups in India and since 1999, also running a hospice in Jhapa in eastern Nepal for trafficking survivors diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

The victims rescued by Maiti Nepal include girls as young as 14 who were sold into sex slavery in India at the age of nine.

In Kathmandu, Maiti Nepal also runs the Teresa Academy, a 10th-grade school to provide education to the rescued children and children of trafficked women living in its shelter. The rehabilitation work is bolstered by the legal unit of the NGO that seeks legal action against traffickers.

Last week, before the award was announced, Koirala had told a local weekly in Kathmandu that her aim was to see Maiti Nepal close down one day - when trafficking would be eradicated.

According to a report by the US State Department, about 12,000-15,000 women and children are trafficked to India across the porous border every year.

On the day Koirala won her award, Nepal police arrested a woman in the southern Saptari district, Nirmala Bhujel, for trying to sell a 14-year-old girl in India's Mumbai city, under the guise of getting her a well-paid job in Kuwait.

"I never thought I would get this international recognition when I started Maiti Nepal," a tearful Koirala told Nepali daily Republica from New York after being declared the CNN winner.

"Looking back at the struggle during those formative years, I can now say that anything can be achieved with perseverance and hard work."

The award also carries an additional $25,000, which goes out to all the shortlisted 10 nominees. Source: IANS
Indian Army officer's daughter is Nepal's new global hero

Disgracefully India is among the least peaceful places in the world

Thursday, Jun 10, 2010 The Hindu by Narayan Lakshman

Washington: India is among the least peaceful of major countries in the world and is getting even less peaceful year on year. This was the major finding of the Global Peace Index Report (GPI), an annual publication by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a think tank focused on researching the relationship between economics, business and peace.

According to the 2010 report, which considered a range of peace-related variables among 149 countries, India's rank was 128, six ranks lower than its 2009 position.

Some of India's key neighbours in South Asia ranked in the bottom 20 per cent along with India — Sri Lanka was ranked 133rd, Pakistan 145th and Afghanistan 147th. However, Nepal did much better, ranked in 82nd place and Bangladesh in 87th. Bhutan, ranked at 36th, narrowly missed being in the top 20 per cent of nations.

Commenting on the results the IEP said, “South Asia saw the greatest decrease in peacefulness, as a result of increased involvement in conflicts, a rise in deaths from internal conflict and human rights abuses. It added, “The main countries experiencing decreases in peacefulness were India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.”

The report's authors also observed that, overall, the world became “slightly less peaceful in the past year,” adding that in some nations, an intensification of conflicts and growing instability appears to be linked to the global economic downturn in late 2008 and early 2009.

While most developed countries including those of Western Europe and Canada, ranked in the top 20 per cent of peaceful nations, the United States was an anomaly, ranking at 85th, outranked by countries such as Rwanda, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

India also ranked 19th out of 25 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The leader in the region, New Zealand, was also the most peaceful nation globally. Close on its heels were Iceland and Japan. Iraq was estimated to be the least peaceful, accompanied at the bottom of the table by Somalia, Afghanistan and Sudan.

The identification and weighting of indicators in the GPI, which is compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, was undertaken by an international panel of experts in the study of peace.

“How peaceful a country is depends on the internal structures, institutions, and attitudes that sustain and promote peace as well as on external factors,” said Clyde McConaghy, board director of the IEP.
India among least peaceful places in world

Moderator Comment
Citizens in India are not safe including the tourists. This is obvious from media reports of rape, kidnap, murder, criminals let loose, criminal councillors/ politicians, fakes right from medicines to currency, corrupt bureaucracy, money laundering, black money and criminalisation of citizens by the state. The list of atrocities on citizens by the bureaucracy and criminals is endless!
Only Politicians are safe because they are protected by NSG like security personnel. Common citizens have no protection at all as it is illegal to own guns for self defence. The Nation urgently requires Police and Judicial reforms if we need to redeem our status in the comity of civilised Nations. The bureaucracy has made mockery of our Democracy for the last 63 years. The GDP and economic growth are no indicators of our sordid decline in human values and glaring and squalid poverty of the large majority of our citizens.

Naxalism remains the biggest internal security challenge: PM

DD News: Monday 24 May, 2010.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said Naxalism remains the biggest internal security challenge and it is imperative to control left-wing extremism for the country's growth.
His government has not underestimated the problem of Naxalism, Singh said at a national press conference in New Delhi on Monday to mark the completion of one year of UPA-II in office.
"I have been saying for the last three years that Naxalism remains the biggest internal security challenge facing our country," he said.
Asked if his government had underestimated the Naxals, he said, "We have not underestimated the problem of Naxalism."
He said there was no difference of opinion between the Central and the state governments on the issue of left-wing extremism.
"I have spoken to the Chief Ministers of the states many times on the Naxal issue. The Chief Ministers understand that it is imperative to control Naxalism for the country's growth," the Prime Minister said.
Singh said to exploit full benefit of economic reforms, it is important to control Naxalism and terrorist elements. "If we don't, it can affect our growth," he said.
On the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister said the government is determined to squarely tackle the threat of terrorism and ideological extremism of various kinds.
He said that terrorism is a major national security issue and it has no religion.
Terrorism, he said, is being sponsored by particular religious elements and has to be dealt with "effectively" and "purposefully".
Naxalism remains the biggest internal security challenge: PM

How to combat Naxals
The only way is by reducing impact of corrupt bureaucrats posted in the Naxal Areas and ensure developmental funds are not eaten away by contractors and criminal Politicians.
UPA's first year Progress Report
Manmohan sings the G tune: Gandhi, Gursharan and 2G airwave

Scams and Naxalite Terror: The Tribune India

Silence over scams
The intelligentsia avoids risks by Kuldip Nayar
THE Indian democratic system, however wanting, has come to have enough openness to ensure that scams and scandals tumble out of the cupboard sooner or later. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s purchase of Bofors guns, the manipulations in the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket or the sale by central minister A Raja of 2G spectrum, the mobile band, are some recent stories of corruption.
The public is aghast over the disclosures. The media has criticised them endlessly. Parliament has registered its protest through walkouts or long debates. Yet no head has rolled. No minister has ever been prosecuted. It is business as usual after a scam has hit the headlines.

Two main reasons for lack of action are the absence of morality in politics and the government’s control over the investigating and prosecuting agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The shame for having been caught with the hand in tiller is no more deterring. The truth is the casualty. The guilty goes scot-free.
Read more: Silence over Scams

Medical Council Of India Scam
Ketan Desai was exposed the second time over and his deputy was seen as a protégé of his who had kept the President’s chair warm for him when Dr Desai was first arrested in 2001 on corruption charges and later acquitted for lack of evidence. That Dr Desai returned to head the MCI again is a telling commentary on how the vast body of medical doctors surrendered their right to be governed by a person of the right moral standards apparently through sheer apathy.

Dr Ketan Desai has indeed brought the whole medical profession under disrepute. The criminal cases registered against him must be pursued with vigour and he must be brought to book. As for the Medical Council of India, the Government must nurse it back to health and then restore to it a measure of autonomy that is the need of every professional body. The doctors on their part must draw the right lessons — never to let the council be hijacked by unscrupulous elements.
Read more: A new medical council- Nurse it back to health

Dangers of Dantewada
Groping in the dark proving costly by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (retd)
THE massacre at Dantewada was not only a great tragedy but possibly an event of far-reaching consequences. The scale of the tragedy is dismaying. The fact that the police party was ill trained, lacked coordination with local police and poorly led is an issue which needs no elaboration, but the larger issue is the state of Central Police Organisations (CPOs).
Read more: Dangers of Dantewada: Groping in the Dark

Murderous Assault on Maj GS Benipal (Retd)

Dear All,
1. All ESM organisation and members are requested to give wide publicity of these News items publised in Tribune & HT to your dear and near in India and abroad to expose the atrocities on ESM in Punjab and to all the media in all the states.
2. Write to the MPs & MLA of the central and state Govt if you are close to them, so that this becomes a feeler to all, that ESM are united throughout INDIA. At least this much can be contributed to convey our solidarity to Major GS Benipal.
3. The SSP and DC have become impotent in Punjab as Dy CM directly controls SHO's.
Regards,
Col CJS Khera (Retd)

Dear Veterans,
Consolidated and sincere efforts made by ex-services community in Punjab has brought the good results in the above case. One of the main accused, Simarjit Singh Bains has surrendered to Police after the police detained his elder brother Balwinder Singh Bains.
Governor Punjab, Gen (Retd) SF Rodrigues has also sought a detailed report on the above case from the State Govt. It is, reliably, learnt that the Governor has been asked to submit his report on this episode by the Home Deptt. Government of India on the instance of this organization's communiqué submitted to Secy Home Deptt with copy to Governor Punjab along with others.
But the battle is neither won nor over as yet. Veterans have to keep their guns ready and powder dry till the justice is delivered to our brother veteran, Maj GS Benipal.
With best regards,
Sgt Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS (Retd)
President.
Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh

Protesting revenue officials march towards the Mini-Secretariat to offer bangles to the Ludhiana DC and SSP on Monday
LUDHIANA: The entire act of defending the SAD councillor, Simarjeet Singh Bains received a major setback on Monday, following the supplementary statement of the victim, Gurinder Singh Benipal, who accused the leader of a murderous attempt on his life.

Earlier, Bains was booked under Section 120b for criminal conspiracy in the attack on the sub-registrar in his office in Gill village on June 19. Now, in wake of the recent statement of the victim, grievous sections are expected to be slapped against the leader.

"In my supplementary statement given to the police, I have informed the police as to how Bains, who was accompanying Karwal had attacked me with a big lathi on my eye, repeatedly saying that he would kill me," informed Benipal, while talking to TOI, expressions of anger and pain writ large on his face.

Benipal, who has still not been able to come out of the shock in wake of the brutal attack on him, said, "I will not be relieved until justice is done and the perpetrators, Bains and Karwal are punished for their act. I am not concerned with over dozen other names in the FIR, as the real accused are only Karwal and Bains."

In the meanwhile, SHO Sadar Mandeep Singh was suspended on Monday and in a way, the entire responsibility of the failure of police machinery was thrusted upon him. Though, confirming the move, DIG SS Chauhan gave an entirely different reason for his suspension. He said, "The SHO has been removed following complaints that he was giving VIP treatment to the accused in the case. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against him, so as to verify the facts."

On being asked about the statement of Benipal and the action taken on it by the police, the DIG said, "As the statement has been made now, and not at the time of the incident, we will verify facts and then take a suitable action on the same."

It would be pertinent to mention here that in a widely criticised, ghastly incident of violence, sub-registrar Gurinder Singh Benipal was attacked by SAD councillors including Kamaljeet Singh Karwal and certain other accomplices in his office on Friday.

Despite booking some two-dozen persons, including Karwal and Simarjeet Singh Bains, it was only Karwal, who had surrendered, whereas Bains was moving scott-free much to the chagrin of the victim and other officials of the department.

DGP visit
Injured sub-registrar Gurinder Singh Benipal on Friday got an assurance of justice by DGP KPS Gill, who dropped at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital to see him on Sunday evening. Terming the attack as an unfortunate incident, Gill said there were democratic ways of getting complaints against any officer redressed and no one had right to attack any officer and his dignity, like this.
Benipal accuses Bains of murderous assault on life

Media Bares the Stamp Paper Scam
Akalis expel councillor involved in attack on Tehsildar
Ludhiana tehsildar Major Gurjinder Singh Benipal’s honesty costs him badly
Attack on tehsildar Benipal condemned
Revenue officers to proceed on leave en mass
Attack on tehsildar: state govt invites flak from all corners
Attack on tehsildar: Officials seek justice

ESM: Letter to Dr Manmohan Singh- Plea for Reforms

Dr Manmohan Singh
Honourable Prime Minister of India,
Prime Minister’s Office
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi -110 011.

Honourable Prime Minister,
I wish you fast recovery from your recent surgery and many years and decades of great health to lead India through peace and prosperity. We adore you as the most highly qualified and competent Prime Minister we have ever had. Nevertheless, there are significant issues that deserve your serious attention.

1. It is no secret that there has been a steady degeneration in the quality of our politicians. What a dichotomy that if India has the world’s most qualified man as its Prime Minister, it also has the most maligned politicians. Who would know it better than you about the disturbingly large number of Lok Sabha MPs with criminal background? As per media reports there are 133 in the current Lok Sabha.

2. Here terrorists can sneak in, hit Parliament House, 5 Star hotels, installations and yet not be punished despite Supreme Court’s repeated judgements. To contrast this there has not been a single repeat of a terror attack in the US after 2001 WTC attack. Thankfully, life in today’s India is a shade better than living in Somalia, Iraq or Afghanistan.

3. Advantages that could have been ours in view of our highly skilled manpower, high-tech brains and daring entrepreneurs are nullified partly by the global economic meltdown but mostly by the self serving class of politicians who remain preoccupied with their ‘divide and rule’ game by fueling caste, communal and regional hatred.

4. Our Police – throughout the country – have lost trust and confidence of the people who consider policemen no different from street goons and extortionists. Frustrated by police apathy, people are taking law in their own hands and crudely dispensing their own justice by summarily lynching petty criminals on the street. ‘Senas’ are mushrooming and usurping local administration in a free-for-all.

5. Our bureaucrats, especially at public contact level, seem to have abdicated and gone. How else do we explain gangs of hundreds of armed Naxalites/ Maoists organising, camping, training and launching raids on police stations in Bihar, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh without getting noticed by the local administration? The Red Corridor from Pashupati Nath to Tirupathi with ‘liberated territories’ is already a reality. No wonder, Indian Bureaucracy has earned the dubious distinction of being the one of the most inefficient and corrupt outfits in the world.

6. Basic amenities like health care are in no less pitiable state. While patients are left to languish and die in pathetically unhygienic conditions in government hospitals, there are doctors who are butchering people to sell kidneys, eyes and other human organs.

7. The option of judicial remedies is riddled with murkier complexities. We have it here straight from the horse’s mouth. Recording their own helplessness at the ‘collapse of criminal justice in the country’ during hearing of a high profile hit-and-run case of Delhi on 5th February 2009, the honourable Supreme Court went on to say, “What happened in the current case is the tip of the iceberg. This is a case of accident. We have seen cases involving smuggling of arms, RDX, narcotics where the accused get away. But we are helpless.” (TOI, 06 Feb 09).click here

A Prime Minister of your calibre and character surely did not dream of an India in such a mess despite its high potential and opportunities to emerge as a world leader. It can still be rescued and put on your promised highway. While political malady will take time to be rinsed clean, two speed corrections can be put in action immediately and results will be instant and astounding:

(a) Redeem Bureaucracy from Corruption and Unaccountability: Even during British Raj, local administration was accessible to common man. Today, this access is at a price and that too through ‘contacts’. A huge number of IAS officers are blamed and indicted; action – if ever taken – ends at suspension or transfer which also is reversed in due course. Sadly, bureaucratic delinquency and inefficiency go on proliferating unchecked because exemplary punishments are unheard of. The tendency among bureaucrats to create unnecessary departments and posts for themselves and usurp domains of experts promotes inefficiency and subdues professional excellence. It is learnt that Administrative Reforms Commission under the chairmanship of Mr Veerapa Moily has recommended a number of changes. Let us hope the Indian Administration will be cured of the terminal disease. Of course, there are bureaucrats who deserve to be rewarded and honoured too – but sadly, this breed is diminishing fast because of the virus within.

(b) Build up Military Might, foster Soldiers’ Self-Esteem and Harness their Potential in Nation Building: The internal Security Scenario as well as geo-political situation in the sub-continent makes it incumbent upon us to build up our Military Might to such a level that it will effectively deter and destroy any threat to our national security. However, no weapon systems, equipment or technology, howsoever advanced, can be a substitute to a motivated soldier imbued with high self esteem ready to die for his country. Unique conditions of service are such that those who have not been soldiers cannot fully understand the complexities of their work culture. It is sad that lately ex-soldiers have had to come to the streets demanding justice. Even serving soldiers are feeling short-changed and humiliated by gradual lowering of their extant equivalence and status vis-à-vis other Services. When civil administration fails, we turn to military. Yet no Indian General has ever nurtured political ambitions. In fact, trying to preserve their ‘apolitical’ credentials, they find themselves so excluded from the affairs of the State that their opinion is hardly sought despite the Civil Administration’s dependence on them to retrieve all things gone wrong. Military men dare and face exceptional dangers and difficulties routinely and have much more at stake than any other Service in the country. They deserve to be looked upon as nation’s pride. They are nation’s last resort and their failure – God forbid, if ever – will be a national disaster.

Sir, kindly allow me to share with you how it recently happened in a country that wields maximum influence on the Indian psyche. At a time when state of the US economy is far more serious a problem than terrorism, President Barack Obama did not miss out eulogising the role of the US Military in his inaugural speech. In fact, soon after his inauguration, he made it a point to personally speak with the US troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. A meeting with military top brass at Pentagon was one of his first day’s appointments. And here’s an excerpt from an article by Michelle Obama, the US First Lady (USA Week End):-
“………My husband and I are deeply grateful for the sacrifices that these (military) families make to protect all American families. …… They don't ask a lot in return, just a Washington that understands the challenges they face as part of their extraordinary commitment to our country. ………. As military families join us on Tuesday, in person and in spirit, I want each and every one of them to know that for as long as I have the tremendous honor of being your First Lady, your voices will be heard, you will have an advocate in the White House, and the American promise you preserve always will extend to you, too……..”

The Indian Armed Forces have always risen and will rise in future too to nation’s expectations. Will the nation too rise to their expectations? I and my tiny national spirit within pin our hopes on you.
With great hopes and regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Karan Kharb
(Col Karan Kharb)
Sarva Bharat Serve India

Corruption is the greatest stumbling block to infrastructure development in India

Corruption Knows No Ends...
No state in India is free from corruption and the small list of projects all over the country which are riddled with corruption. The list covers some of the recent charge-sheets or recent revelations and not all states/projects are listed. In this sense the list is not comprehensive. Also, older cases are not listed. The corrupt deals listed here in any case are just the tip of the iceberg as no government-run project anywhere in India is squeaky clean, whether it’s infrastructure building, dispersal of aid or giving permissions for any works. And as the nexus between the politicians, the criminals and the police tends to cover up a lot of scams, the public will never really what is the real extent of the rot. This list just gives an idea of some of the corrupt projects in the country and reminds us why the infrastructure/health in our country is not up to the mark, despite money being earmarked for it.
Nita J. Kulkarni
Freelance Journalist and Writer
Blog: A wide angle view of India
Corruption is the greatest stumbling block to infrastructure development in India

End the VIP status symbols, ensure security for all

New Delhi
One of the reasons for huge public anger erupting like a volcano almost every week is the manner in which many politicians throw their weight to gain importance and impress upon the people. Almost every day we read reports of some politician delaying flights or trains. Why? The common man wants to know how worthy the worthies are or have they become leeches on India's society.

Having had the privilege of covering as a newsman New Delhi's political scenario from the days of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the author is a witness to the decline in values and the kind of arrogance that the so called leaders of today display.

India''s first Prime Minister mixed freely with the common people. Every year the Holi festival in the front lawns of Teen Murti House was great fun for one and all.

There used to be adequate security for Jawaharlal Nehru. Let's not forget that India's first Prime Minister was as much under threat, after having annoyed the world's leading powers like the US and the USSR by refusing to take sides during the Cold War era.

There were elements hostile to Pandit Nehru at home as well. Yet, the police then were trained to be discreet and manage the situation without causing any inconvenience to the public.

In today's India, even at the official receptions held at the President's House the dignitaries sit under a shamiana expecting the guests to come there in a queue and greet them. Gone are days when Pandit Nehru, with guests like Marshal Tito and Gamal Abdel Nasser would mix with the vast crowd of invitees at the Presidents House. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi always loved to walk around the gardens admiring flowers and meeting people.

Gone also are the days when President Eisenhower was cheered by the surging crowds in Connaught Place in New Delhi. The convoy of Bulganin and Khruschev passed through milling crowd from Palam to President's house and was almost held up by the enthusiastic crowds in Calcutta. The police managed the security concerns well, worried like hell as they were at that moment.

Those events seem a distant dream! However in another country -- the United Kingdom - even today the Queen travels around without a huge cavalcade, causing inconvenience to the public. So does the Prime Minister of that country. I have not seen any British politician making himself a nuisance to ordinary citizens during my stay in London for a while. And please don't forget that Britain faces as much of a jehadi threat today as it earlier faced insurgents from Northern Ireland.

Indian police and security agencies managed VIP security in a discreet manner for many years after Independence. If they are not able to do so, it is not because of their inefficiency. The reason is the rise of the new class of politicians - the 'fixers' who want to make a show of their power, by displaying gun toting security personnel around them. Some of these worthies are never tired of shouting "Don't you know who I am?"

The story does not end merely with the misuse of police and commandos, but the public nuisance that most of the so-called VIPs create today. To seek their special right of the way, no one can tell you for sure as to how many cars today have red light globes atop their roofs.

They are such a nuisance that the man in the street makes derisive remarks by saying that those displaying red lights belong to the red light district!

Rahul Gandhi has described this as ‘laal batti’ (red beacon light) culture. Time and moment has come when this must end. You can be sure that policemen who are put on such security duties with the ‘paper-tiger’ politicos hate their job.

Imagine a constable cooling his heels outside a school waiting for the child of the so-called VIP or the poor constable who is forced to carry bags of vegetables and groceries of the VIP ‘memsahib’ as part of his duty to protect the 'who is who'.

If India is to survive as a democracy, it is time that these new feudal lords are brought under check. No one is going to grudge security provided to those holding constitutional positions. But even that must not cause undue inconvenience to the people.

Everyone must stand in a queue with other passengers while boarding a flight and go through normal security drills. Why have special lounges for VIPs at the airports.

The only way to end this ‘laal batti’ culture is to order its removal altogether from all the cars including that of real VIPs.

The leaders of earlier days were known for their simplicity and accessibility. We can revert to those days and learn from their simplicity.

The present security cover smacks of a show of power. These agencies can have a close look at the manner at the way the problem is handled in the United Kingdom and some other countries.

In the final analysis it is the duty of the government to ensure the security of all citizens. If each and every citizen is secure, you can be sure of the safety of politicians too.
End the VIP status symbols, ensure security for all
Political Ploy: Private Vehicles with Party Flags and Red Lights tout and Violate all traffic rules. Even criminals baltantly scout and use the Party flags and symbol in private vehicles to ward of any Police scrutiny or checks! A mobile Nation of Political terrorists let loose on the streets!