Pakistani military bleeding through ‘someone else’s war’
By Rahul Bedi and Brigadier (retd) Arun Sahgal, IANS
The series of strikes on Pakistan's military battling Al Qaeda fighters and tribesmen aligned to the Taliban and its recurring operational setbacks are a pointer to the forces' declining morale and the overall will to fight.
Nearly 1,000 Pakistani soldiers have died fighting insurgents over the past year. And the army, under pressure from the US and other Western powers, appears increasingly unwilling to engage the well armed, battle hardened and cunning insurgents waging civil war against the state.
A case for marriage registration
By Abdul Hafiz Gandhi
Religion has come to be used for pursuing personal agenda. This is not a new phenomenon. In the past also many divisive forces have used religion for their ulterior motives. The irony of the matter is that those who claim to be torch-bearer of faith are misusing it for monetary gains.
Bush visits the good and bad guys in the Middle East
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Maria Appakova) - President George W. Bush is going to visit the Holy Land - Israel and the territory controlled by the Palestinian National Authority - for the first time since becoming president.
Iran nuclear impasse likely to persist despite new UN resolution
By Wu Zhiqiang, Xinhua
United Nations : The stalemate surrounding Iran's nuclear program looks set to persist despite a new resolution adopted by the UN Security Council slapping additional sanctions aimed at pressing Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, analysts say.
Dual-Track approach
Will the oil price hike help or hinder the government?
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
For a party and government which seem to have become temperamentally averse to taking risks and offending allies, the Congress and the Manmohan Singh government have taken an uncommonly bold step in hiking the fuel prices.
In taking this controversial decision at a time of inflation and electoral setbacks, what are the factors which may have influenced them ?
For one, the government must have realised that it could not go on swimming indefinitely against the rising tide of world oil prices without driving the oil companies towards bankruptcy.
Interview with Sari Nusseibeh
By Mohanan Hamed and Adham Manasreh, CGNews,
Israel is currently celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of its independence. How do you respond to that as a Palestinian?Sari Nusseibeh: I don't think it makes a lot of difference how many years Israel has existed. It's quite normal to celebrate anniversaries, and that applies to Israel too. On the other hand, the Nakba is for us the other side of what Israel celebrates as its independence. This contradiction will remain until we have reached a settlement and we have new relations between the two sides.
Oil pool account can redress petrol price burden
By Nandakumar J and A. Vinod Kumar, IANS,
Just before inflicting a burdening oil price hike on his countrymen, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had hinted that no solution exists for this tangle, supposedly created by a global surge in oil prices.
The situation was worsened by the precarious financial health of oil marketing companies (OMCs), which had to bear the brunt of escalating global prices by subsidising the final product to the consumer.
Scandinavia’s scarred Mr Dialogue
By Roger Cohen, CGNews,
Scandinavia does reasonableness well, even when faced with unreason. The Oslo Accords of 1993 were as close as Israelis and Palestinians have come to looking each other in the eye, admitting neither side is going away, and jettisoning a bitter past for a better future.
The mediation habit stayed with Norway, despite Oslo's collapse. Jonas Gahr Store, the Norwegian foreign minister, is a battle-hardened Mr. Dialogue. He took a personal terrorism course earlier this year while on a diplomatic mission to Afghanistan.
Cussedness, underhand dealings mark countdown to trust vote
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The prelude to the July 22 trust vote in parliament on the nuclear deal on which the fate of the Manmohan Singh government depends has added yet another dark chapter of opportunism and horse-trading to Indian politics.
Doha trade talks fail, but developing South wins
By Sushma Ramachandran
Headlines can be misleading! The media stories on the recent trade negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva had banners saying "Talks fail" or "Doha Round Collapses". These gave the impression that calamity had struck the prolonged negotiations among its 153 members. But the ground reality was quite different. The talks did fail, but it also had a great outcome, at least for India and all the other developing countries, given the state of play.
The curious case of India’s oil policy
By Sushma Ramachandran, IANS,
India's petroleum policies are getting curiouser and curiouser. The latest report on the oil sector by former petroleum secretary B.K. Chaturvedi has proposed a phased raise in oil product prices so that eventually, domestic retail prices are brought on a par with international levels. This is surely an Alice in Wonderland proposal.
NSG waiver means India has arrived as a power
By K. Subrahmanyam, IANS,
India had always strongly supported the nuclear nonproliferation regime. In 1965, India with Ireland and other nations sponsored Resolution 2025 which laid down the balance of obligations between the five nuclear weapon powers and the rest of the international community. The nuclear weapon powers were to enter into negotiations in good faith to stop the arms race and reduce their nuclear arsenals.
Thackerays strike again – and tolerant India bends a little more
By Minu Jain, IANS,
It went from being Bombay to Mumbai, from being a vaunted melting pot of cultures to a place where non-Maharashtrians, even its biggest icons, are being forced to reassess their lives and loyalties after decades in a much loved city. With Amitabh Bachchan apologising profusely for wife Jaya's "anti-Marathi" comments, and Delhi born Shah Rukh Khan being targeted because he says he is a "Dilliwala", alarm bells toll again.
Indian hockey is drifting rudderless
By K. Datta, IANS,
Things were never so bad, even during the dark days of the power struggle in Indian hockey in the 1970s when the country's participation in the 1975 Kuala Lumpur world cup itself was in danger. There was no set-up as the Sports Authority of India then; so on a request by Raja Bhalindra Singh, the then president of the Indian Hockey Federation, Giani Zail Singh, the then Punjab chief minister, took the responsibility of preparing the World Cup team in Chandigarh. The rest, as they say, is history.
For fresh thinking, two cheers for Rahul Gandhi
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Since honesty is not generally associated with Indian politicians, it is always a matter of surprise and admiration when someone deviates from the usual cynical norms to acknowledge a widely accepted truth.
Rahul Gandhi's description, therefore, of the anti-Sikh violence of 1984 as "wrong" is bound to earn him a round of applause. Yet, so pervasive is the prevailing scepticism about political calculations that the comment has been interpreted by some as an attempt to influence Sikhs before the elections to the Delhi and other assemblies.
Growing demand among NRIs to become overseas citizens of India
By Kul Bhushan, IANS,
Regular NRI visitors to India are increasingly switching from a five-year visa to either a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) Card that allows them visa-free entry for 15 years or an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status that allows them a life time entry and stay in India. This is the Indian version of the much sought after American 'Green Card'.
Considering the current depression in the West, OCI status has become more attractive to overseas Indians, many of who are seriously thinking of resettling in India.
Anand Model should be replicated for inclusive growth
By Animesh Banerjee, IANS,
Traditional growth models are the legacy of the industrialization era that started a couple of centuries ago. The approach meant leveraging lowest cost resources with an aim of maximizing benefits to the owners of the enterprise. It is apparent now that pursuing a growth model that brings prosperity to a few while leaving the majority out of the ambit of its benefits is only furthering the gap between the haves and have not. There is a need to change that for inclusive growth, and the 'Anand experience' provides an excellent model.
Of the freedom to revel and to abstain
By Shobha Shukla, CNS,
The Supreme Court of India has ordered a closure of all slaughter houses and eateries serving non vegetarian food for nine days, starting 15th August, all over the country. This has been done in deference to the wishes of the Jain community during the holy period of their Paryushan Parva.
Obama’s jobs policy will hurt US MNCs most
By Bala Rajaraman, IANS,
Politics, like fashion, is all about the "here" and the "now". In Washington, the current spotlight is on American jobs or the lack thereof and rightfully so. But what will be its impact -- on Indian companies and US multinationals?
During the recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama fired a few shots across the bows of American companies that he felt were hiring people overseas to the detriment of job-seekers in the US.
India too moulded in old style to learn power play
By Anand Philar, IANS,
That sinking feeling is all too familiar and it speaks for the depths Indian hockey has descended to over the past two decades. Now that India is all but out of contention for the semi-final at the ongoing Hockey World Cup, perhaps the hosts would be better off introspecting.
Mathematically, India's chances hinge on the results of matches involving the top three teams in the pool. At the same time, India would have to win their remaining two outings, against England (Saturday) and South Africa (Monday) to remain in contention.
Reservation bill will be beacon for emancipation of women
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha is a momentous, heartwarming step not only for India, but is likely to be an inspirational trendsetter for women's empowerment in the entire region.
Although it is only the first step, the ripples from the smashing of a glass barrier are bound to be felt in virtually all areas of traditional male dominance. Like its democracy, therefore, India will also be a beacon in the matter of women's emancipation.
Quote, unquote, misquote… travails of Digambar Kamat
By Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, IANS,
Panaji : Chief Minister Digambar Kamat is fast gaining a reputation in Goa and outside for putting his foot in his mouth with unerring precision, and with remarkable consistency.
Kamat, who leads the Congress-led coalition, said in a speech Saturday on women oriented issues that if women started pursuing politics, it would have a negative impact on society.
The Gaza blockade and the flotilla: fighting violence with non-violence
By Michael N. Nagler
When organisers from the International Solidarity Movement, which aims to support and strengthen Palestinian popular resistance to the Israeli occupation, consulted us at the California-based Metta Center for Nonviolence about attempting to break the naval blockade of Gaza in 2007, its first year, we advised them not to bring both humanitarian aid and people whom Israel had declared persona non grata on the same voyage.
Discriminating “others”
By Adnan Alavi,
Noted journalist and columnist Shobaa De recently found how several colleges in Mumbai were not giving admission to meritorious Muslim students though they fulfill all criteria.
‘Education is the key to community emancipation’
A Year-long Series on Education, Sponsored by The Aligarh Forum : - A Mirror on our Efforts, our Successes & our Shortcomings ; Stories...
Rajesh has got the rest he wanted
(A tribute from friend and neighbour Salim Khan)
By Salim Khan, IANS,
Open Letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on her visit to AMU
By Nazir Ahmad,
To,
Mrs. Sonia Gandhi
President, Indian National Congress
How to make our parliament more accountable
By M.R. Madhavan, IANS,
The last session of the 15th Lok Sabha brings to an end one of the most disappointing...
Of indigenising military hardware and conspiracy theories
By Vishnu Makhijani,
For a country that produces just a handful of domestically-developed cars, SUVs and trucks -- two and three-wheelers are deliberately left out...
Afghanistan faces a make or break polls
By Monish Gulati ,
Afghanistan will go to polls April 5 to bring about the first democratic transition of power in the South Asian nation's...
Fall in US unemployment rate fails to enthuse markets
By Vatsal Srivastava,
Headline economic data releases point out that a gradual and sustained recovery in the US economy is underway. But it is quite...
“Leaders” should learn from the people
Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam,
Quite often an occasion arises in public life when even good leaders lose contact with public mood and do things that drive them further away from the people. At the time of partition of India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was so exasperated that he said a point had reached in his political career where he had to decide whether he wanted to lead the people or be led by them. The third course, that of ignoring the people, would further isolate him.
Slavery a disturbing truth in India
By Amit Kapoor,
The Global Slavery Index 2013, compiled by non-profit Walk Free Foundation, presents quite a dismal picture about a reality in India: Modern slavery. It estimates that 13.3 million to 14.7 million people are enslaved in India, exhibiting the full spectrum of such rights violations. It is scary, heart-rending, exposes our underbelly and gives a peep into our minds and the exploitative tendencies we have. Most of all, it depicts the feudalistic mindset we suffer from.
Is Japan in bubble territory again?
By Vatsal Srivastava,
With another round of a massive bond buying program unleashed by the Bank of Japan (BoJ), Nikkei bulls are most likely having the best time of their lives since the late 1980s. It is easy to ride in a sea of liquidity. Although, Currency Corner fears that the BoJ exit from its quantitative easing program will be a more complex scenario than the US Fed’s exit, the current upward bias towards Japan is likely to remain for the coming few quarters at least.
‘Decision makers need not balance science versus nonsense on GM crops’
By Vivian Fernandes,
The moment you say GM food, you see a phalanx of activists lining up to shoot down any discussion on allowing it in India. But many scientists and some ecologists point to the benefits available from adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops. Several of them are now getting heard, their voices rising above the din.
Muslims look in from the outside
By Mir Hasan Ali, TwoCircles.net Four years, three months, and counting. The Iraq War’s place in...
Shame on you hoodlums!
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed
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I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to death, your right to say it — Voltaire
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A look back at the Turkish elections
By Saad Eddin Ibrahim and Mensur Akgun, C G News Service
We were both in Turkey before and after Sunday, 22 July, the day of the intensely debated parliamentary elections. Given the large-scale, contentious demonstrations and the post-modernist military intervention - via the internet - over the issue of secularism, there were hundreds of eager international observers expecting something spectacular to happen. But to their dismay, and to the dismay of many others, balloting was calm and orderly.
No to appeasement politics
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Taslima Nasrin has nothing to do with Nandigram, but for some illogical reason she was moved out of Kolkata as an answer to months of protest against the Nandigram violence in West Bengal. This is the latest in a long list of examples of politics of appeasement practiced in India since its independence.
Bhutto death augurs unrest, lawlessness in N-armed nation
By Rahul Bedi, IANS
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination could not have come at a worse time for turbulent Pakistan and threatens to conflagrate a highly volatile security situation in a largely lawless country armed with nuclear weapons.
Other than the prevailing political chaos ahead of next month's proposed general elections - exacerbated by Bhutto's killing - Pakistan is under siege by Islamists and suicide bombers who have the army in retreat.
UN seeks $261 million to help 4 million displaced Iraqis
By TwoCircles.net news desk
The United Nations refugee agency is seeking $261 million this year to help some of the 4 million people uprooted by the conflict in Iraq, covering many of the 2.2 million Iraqis displaced within the country and the 2 million who have fled beyond its borders.
Should India also develop satellite-killing capability?
By Sreeram Chaulia, IANS
Former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's contention that India has the capability to intercept objects in space and destroy them within a radius of 200 km has ignited a strategic dilemma. The issue has gained significance after the US successfully shot down one of its own collapsing satellites at a height of 233 km. The fear that India will be left lagging in one more global arms race and pay a heavy ex-post price looms on the minds of the country's strategic elites.
India: Future of Congress and Sonia Gandhi
By Tanveer Jafri
Indian National Congress is known as the oldest political party of India. This political party that has completed its 122 years was established in 1885. This great and the oldest organization, at the time of its establishment, had a great challenge to free India; after independence i.e. after August 15, 1947, this organization had to bear the responsibility to run the democratic government of free India.
High oil prices could hit India’s growth
By Sushma Ramachandran, IANS
India's hopes of reaching a 10 percent growth rate on a sustained basis may be dashed if oil prices continue to rule at over $100 per barrel. Even the Planning Commission in its approach to the Eleventh Five Year Plan has estimated that high oil prices could affect the growth rate by up to 0.5 percent.
India must market for global satellite contracts
By R. Ramaseshan, IANS,
The success of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Monday in putting into orbit 10 satellites with a single launch is certainly a commendable achievement marking as it does the second largest number of satellites launched at one go. Now it needs to push aggressively for more contracts in this niche market.
Besides ISRO's own two primary satellites, Cartosat-2A (690 kg) and IMS-1 (83 kg), Monday's payload included seven nanosatellites (1-10 kg class) and one microsatellite (10-100 kg class) from foreign customers, which together weighed about 50 kg.
Discontents of democracy
By Asghar Ali Engineer,
Democracy is supposed to be the best form of governance but experience both of western and eastern countries show a wide gap between theory and practice. Nothing that pertains to human beings can approximate, let alone be equal to ideals. Philosophers also say real is not ideal and ideal is not real. Democracy is no exception. Democracy is an ideal but its practice within a given society makes it operation extremely complex.
Middle East rhetoric obstructing US interests
By Richard Murphy and Ethan Chorin, CGNews,
It would be naive to assume that Undersecretary of State William Burns' presence at the recent EU-Iran nuclear talks has opened the door to a rapid improvement in US-Iranian relations, or that the US administration has abandoned its military option. But this recent tilt towards diplomacy offers a pause in which to take note of the unsung economic and political costs of hyped-up rhetoric.
Indian Muslims: Spiritualise the radicals
By M. Rajaque Rahman, IANS,
The toll in the serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad needs to be counted beyond the numbers of deaths and injured. If the bombings are the handiwork of the Indian Mujaheeden as claimed by the outfit, then the biggest casualty of the latest episodes of fanatical madness is India's ability to tackle terrorism.
Sale of party tickets in Indian democracy
By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
The allegation by the senior Congress leaders Margaret Alva and Yogendra Makwana regarding the sale of party tickets have brought the functional dynamics of the Indian democracy into open, purportedly touted as the largest in the world.
Each ticket was supposedly sold at a premium of 80 lakh to 1 crore rupees. A cheap bargain described a witty scribe when he heard the rates and said in actual practice the price tag are much higher.
Team Manmohan has a settled look, despite faltering start
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
If the Manmohan Singh government appears to have made a faltering start, the blame falls on the unavoidable exigencies of coalition politics. However, of all its partners, it is the regional ally from Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which must be held responsible for creating most of the problems.
Its antics started with its ailing leader, M. Karunanidhi, leaving Delhi in a huff and returning to Chennai with his band of relatives and party members because he was unhappy with the ministerial berths being offered to the party.
Bengal verdict: Left has only itself to blame
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The West Bengal poll results may well mark the beginning of the end for the Left. Even the most optimistic among its supporters can no longer expect the Communists to win next year's assembly elections.
The series of setbacks for the comrades - from the panchayat polls of 2008 through last year's parliamentary elections and the subsequent assembly by-elections to the latest municipal polls - have highlighted the deep popular disenchantment with the Communists.
India-China trade blooms, but trust deficit festers
(50 years after 1962)
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Domestic violence – most destructive war within us
By Shahnoor Rahman,
I remember, on 26th June 2011 when I was in second year MBBS in Gauhati Medical College, while passing through the postmortem ward, I had fainted when I saw the corpse of a woman slaughtered by her husband as he suspected her of adultery.
‘अच्छे दिन’ – सच या शिगूफ़ा
By सिद्धान्त मोहन.
एक लंबा समय बीत चुका है. जिस समय अरविन्द केजरीवाल ने दिल्ली में सरकार बनायी थी, सरकार बनने के अगले दिन से ही भाजपा ने केजरीवाल से एक-एक दिनों का हिसाब मांगना शुरू कर दिया था. तब तत्कालीन दिल्ली सरकार के लगभग हरेक फैसलों पर भाजपा ने आलोचनात्मक रवैया अपनाया था. थोड़ी कूटनीतिक चूक और ज़्यादा जोश की ज़द में आकर जब अरविन्द केजरीवाल ने खुद की सरकार को 49 दिनों में गिरा दिया, भाजपा ने भी मौके को भिन्न-भिन्न तरीकों से भुनाने में कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ी. यह भी एक कारण था कि बनारस की इस साल की लोकसभा सीट पर हुए चुनाव में अरविन्द केजरीवाल को हार का सामना करना पड़ा. इन बातों को यहां गिनाने का आशय साफ़ है, यदि भाजपा किसी एक सरकार की आलोचना करने का अधिकार रखती है तो इतने स्पष्ट और विराट बहुमत से आई केन्द्र सरकार के प्रति भी सराहना और हौसलाफ़जाही के साथ-साथ जनता को प्रश्नांकन और आलोचना का अधिकार प्राप्त है. कुछेक महीनों पहले मोदी सरकार ने कांग्रेस के दस सालों के शासनकाल का हवाला देते हुए जनता से अपनी सरकार को ‘हनीमून पीरियड’ देने की गुज़ारिश की थी. लेकिन जनता, जो लगभग पिछले एक साल से वादों, घोषणाओं और भर्त्सनाओं के ज़रिए ‘रामराज्य’ के सपने देख रही थी, द्वारा देश की केन्द्रीय सत्ता से सवाल करना गलत तो नहीं है. चूंकि नरेन्द्र मोदी बनारस से चुनकर प्रधानमंत्री की कुर्सी पर बैठाए गए हैं और उन्होंने बार-बार ‘माँ गंगा’, ‘बनारस के बुनकरों’ और बहुलतावादी संस्कृति का हवाला दिया है, इसलिए TCN ने बनारस के भिन्न-भिन्न तबकों – जिनमें मतदाता, चुनाव प्रत्याशी, सामाजिक विचारक और राजनेता शामिल हैं – से मिलकर मोदी सरकार के इन लगभग शुरुआती तीन महीनों का हिसाब माँगा.
A hard look at Javed Akhtar’s farewell speech
By Ubaidur Rahman for TwoCircles.net,
Javed Akhtar, a poet and writer, did not speak anything noticeable in Parliament in last 6 years but his farewell...
Presidential polls – more about politics than the candidate
By Gilles Verniers
One does not remember a presidential election in India where the role of political parties has been so blatantly exposed to the public eye. The scrutiny of a candidate's credentials by the media is unprecedented. Public interest has also been fuelled by the hurdles faced by the Congress in carrying out an election process announced as having been won in advance.
India should take seismic protection more seriously
 By Sandeep Donald Shah, IANS
India's growing economic might is making many countries look at it with a sense of envy. This newfound economic prosperity has also left India more vulnerable and susceptible to natural calamities. It is imperative that we start following the global best practices and stop living in a sense of denial.
India's growing economic might is making many countries look at it with a sense of envy. This newfound economic prosperity has also left India more vulnerable and susceptible to natural calamities. It is imperative that we start following the global best practices and stop living in a sense of denial.
Gujarat: towards vibrancy or abolition of democracy?
By Ram Puniyani
There is a widespread impression amongst different sections of society and media that Narendra Modi is leading Gujarat towards the path of development. Also a section of patidras are happy with his policies which are giving them a fertile ground for social and economic enhancement. Another section of Hindus eulogize him for being the emperor of Hindu hearts, Hindu Hridaya Samrat, in the aftermath Gujarat anti Muslim pogrom, which took place when he was the Chief Minster. He had called this shameful carnage as the Gaurav (honor) of Hindus. Where do matters stand today?
Pakistan’s third transition: Will it succeed?
By K. Subrahmanyam, IANS
In the 60 years of its existence, Pakistan has been under military rule for 32 years in three spells under four generals - Gen. Ayub Khan, who made himself a Field Marshal, Gen. Yahya Khan, Gen. Zia-ul Haq and Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Each spell of military rule had its distinct flavour and characteristics.
Ayub Khan experimented with basic democracy. Zia-ul Haq Islamised Pakistan. Musharraf coexisted with the assemblies elected in rigged polls and till he imposed emergency Nov 3, his military rule allowed full freedom to the media.
The unspoken truth in Iran’s nuclear report
By K. Subrahmanyam, IANS
The publication of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on the Iranian nuclear weapons programme by the US intelligence community has taken the world by storm since that estimate contradicts the views of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons programme in the fall of 2003 and has not resumed it.
$1.5 trillion in foreign investment for 2007
By TwoCircles.net news desk
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) grew to an estimated $1.5 trillion in 2007, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said today, attributing the record high to the growth of transnational corporations and strong economic performance in many parts of the world.
Pakistan’s new PM will have to dodge many minefields
By Wilson John, IANS
The charade of democracy is now complete in Pakistan with the selection of a Punjabi feudal politician with a suitable religiosity (his family runs a Sufi mausoleum in Sindh) and a prison term on unproven charges of corruption as the new prime minister.
The problem is not with the new prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani. He is, by all accounts, a suitable candidate for perhaps one of the most challenging political positions in South Asia -- to lead a civilian government in a country overshadowed by men in uniform.
UN Security Council seat: China outsmarts India
By Sreeram Chaulia, IANS,
The symphony of South-South cooperation at the recent conclave of foreign ministers of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) at Yekaterinburg was jarred by China's refusal to endorse India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC). In the joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, Chinese delegates scotched Russian proposals of supporting India's cause of entering the elite league at the UNSC.
Hiding injustice behind smoke screens of economic growth
By Sadia Dehlvi
The Amnesty International Report 2008 was jointly released by Professor Mushir ul Hasan, activist writer Sadia Dehlvi and journalist Vinod Vershney at a function held on 28th May in New Delhi. The report was released simultaneously in a hundred and fifty countries. Text of the speech by Sadia Dehalvi on this occasion
Minutes away but worlds apart
By Noa Epstein and Abed Eriqat, CGNews,
When you live ten minutes away – but worlds apart – from one another, you can still learn essential things about each other, even after five years of friendship and countless hours spent together.
Congress has its nose ahead in the political race
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Having won the trust vote in parliament, even if by dubious means, the Manmohan Singh government and the ruling Congress can be said to be in a more comfortable position at present than their opponents.
The latest terrorist outrages and the high rate of inflation may have soured the taste of their success in parliament, but if they have still managed to remain ahead of the pack, the reason is that their adversaries haven't yet been able to get their wits together after the defeat.
Failure of Indian intelligence: The buck stops nowhere
By Wilson John, IANS,
Almost a dozen state police units and intelligence agencies were tracking down terrorist groups across India for the past two years but missed to detect the activities of the men who were involved in the Mumbai terror attack.
Though there were reports, based mainly on the interrogation of terrorists arrested in the recent past, about Mumbai being the next target, there were no specific leads about how the terrorists will strike.
India will be big technology innovator in next decade
By Pradeep Gupta, IANS,
Economists have been predicting it, stargazers have been forecasting it, and now the technology trend watchers are saying it - the coming decade is surely going to belong to India.
Jason Pontin, the charismatic editor and publisher of MIT's "Technology Review" - the publication of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - confidently proclaims that India is going to dominate the innovation space.
Draconian laws, delete them
By Dr. Mookhi Amir Ali
Dr. Binayak Sen will now be out on bail but not without celebrating the second anniversary of his needless detention. He was detained under Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Under these laws a person can be detained for flimsy reasons with no provision of bail. This is not the only law in our book which can be used by the government to harass a citizen who is inconvenient to them.
Pakistan’s army: living in a state of strategic denial
By C. Uday Bhaskar, IANS,
A two-day international conference on genocide that concluded in Dhaka July 31 exhorted the UN to recognise the mass killings and rape that the Pakistan Army had unleashed in the torturous and tumultuous events that preceded the birth of Bangladesh in December 1971.
By-poll shocks for ruling parties, except in Gujarat
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Within four months of the Congress's success in the parliamentary polls, the party has been rudely jolted in the latest round of assembly by-elections.
After a severe drubbing in Gujarat, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrested five seats from the Congress along with one in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress lost two seats - Okhla and Dwarka - in its supposed stronghold of Delhi to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the BJP.
Rahul Gandhi: post-caste politician succumbs to caste politics
By Mayank Chhaya, IANS,
Indian politicians have mastered the art of perpetuating and mining the politics of sordid caste consciousness even while simultaneously pretending to reject it.
Legacy of US Iraq’s Invasion : Near extinction of Christian population?
By Navaid Hamid
With the withdrawal of the US led forces from Iraq, Operation Iraqi freedom turns into Operation Iraqi Christians decimation.
Kerala Govt’s silence over Togadia’s hate speech mysterious: Social activists
Saffroning Kerala: Part 10
By Abdul Basith MA, TwoCircles.net,
Afzal Guru: ‘Conscious’ travesty of justice
Soft on saffron terror, Muslims figure top on government’s to do lists
Dr. M Waseem Raja,
UT Austin discussion: Is intolerance on the rise in India?
By TCN News
Austin: Past Tuesday, University of Texas at Austin held a panel discussion on the topic of "Is intolerance on the rise in...
Effective utilization of Zakat can transform the “Zakat-takers” into “Zakat-givers”
By Faisal Thakur,
How many times do you come across a group of young, dynamic individuals driven by a dream, noble but yet so radical that you wonder with awe at the sheer effort that may be required to achieve it? Seldom.. But that’s precisely what we came across in a small room in Khar (Mumbai) where we met Mr. Javed Syed, who many know as an entrepreneur running a Graphics and Printing Business in Khar. However very few people know that he is also the Finance Secretary of the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) - an organization of socially and intellectually progressive Muslims. Mr Syed said “This room, right here has been the hub of all our administrative and promotional activities since the past 7 years. This is where most of the brainstorming happens whether it is for starting a new project or upgrading the existing ones. It all happens right here….”. Many will be deceived by this humble place in the midst of a busy suburb, however when you are introduced to AMP’s body of work that’s when you are truly surprised and intimidated.
Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza is a promotional advertisement of its arms
By A. Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
It goes without saying that devoid of an advertisement your products can not be sold in the market and to trade your products you first have to make people know about it. Promotion of the product in the world’s eye is as much important in trading as its quality and effectiveness. It is also the well understood phenomenon of the business that people opt for the things which are already tested and found to be effective in operation.
Modi again shows his word is law
By Amulya Ganguli,
But for the drama of the Shiv Sena’s boycott of the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi’s expanded council of ministers, the occasion - the first expansion of his five-month-old government - passed off as a routine event.
In defense Of pluralism
By Ram Puniyani
A debate has been raging in the society about secularists being anti Hindu. Numerous examples are cited, their stance on the culprits of Godhra train burning, culprits of Bane family burning in Radhabai chawl, and to cap it all their insensivity to the plight of Kashmiri Pundits and security of Hindus in Kashmir. What is the truth? Why the perception sustains in this direction, not only by RSS combine communalists but in milder form by other sections of society also.
To Muslims, Ram is their Imam-e-Hind
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed, IANS
On behalf of all Muslims who believe in reason and sanity, I declare that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) affidavit (since withdrawn) questioning the existence of Hindu god Ram was vitriolic, scathing, unfortunate and blasphemous -not just to Hindus but to all those who cherish our pluralistic cultural heritage. How can a government decide the veracity of a figure like Ram?
He Ram ke wajood pe Hindostan ko naaz/Ahl-e-nazar samajhtey hein usko Imam-e-Hind!
Thus spake Benazir…
By IANS
"Life is very precious and gift of Allah. It should not and cannot be wasted. But when my country is in danger, when my countrymen are in danger, when there is no rule of law, when extremists are gaining ground, I am ready to risk my life."
"I was asked not to come to the country as I may face murder attempts. Why don't they arrest these people? Why are they moving freely in the country? If they cannot arrest the extremists, if they do not have ability to curb the extremism, they should resign and go home."
Let Kashmiris decide their destiny: Safvi
Once described as Paradise on Earth, Kashmir has now become a synonym for violence. Caught in the crossfires between the two neighbours of the Indian sub-continent, Kashmiris are living a life that is devoid of peace. What is the solution to the Kashmir issue? TwoCircles.net's Kashif-ul-Huda catches up with Syed Ali Safvi, Associate Editor of the newly-launched newspaper Etalaat. An AMU post-graduate in Mass Communication, Safvi talks about the solution to the Kashmir issue.
India’s FDI liberalisation – is it enough and in time?
By Sushma Ramachandran, IANS
With just a year left for the existing Indian government to run its course, it seems to have decided to forge ahead and further liberalise the foreign direct investment (FDI) policies despite the reservations of the ruling United Progressive Alliance's Left partners.
The aim is to cash in on the current interest of foreign investors in emerging markets like India rather than let them move on to greener pastures like China and the tiger economies of East Asia.
Is Tibet reaching a decisive phase?
By Mayank Chhaya, IANS
Fractures in Lhasa and elsewhere in Tibet run far deeper than not just what China would have the world believe but had probably convinced itself about. It is more than likely that Beijing would stamp out the spiralling protests with urgency mixed with ruthlessness, especially because it is desperate to ensure a smooth conduct of the impending Olympic games. However, what it is unlikely to accomplish is put a firm lid on the searing heat generated by the uprising.
‘Moderate’ Advani vs ‘hardliner’ Rajnath Singh
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has convinced itself of its excellent prospects in the next general election, it is not surprising that its two top leaders have spelt out their visions for the future. The enterprise would have been enlightening but for the fact that their prescriptions cancel out each other.
Analysis: Iraq-U.S. pact talks in deadlock, but not dead
By Jamal Hashim, Shaalan Ahmed, Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's harsh words on "deadlock" over Iraq-U.S. pact talks may not prevent Baghdad and Washington from hammering out a long-term relationship pact, analysts said Saturday.
Maliki could have made the pointed remarks under growing pressure at home and abroad, added the analysts.
Mayawati is letting down Dalits and Uttar Pradesh
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
With each passing episode, Mayawati is doing a disservice to herself. Her latest decision to have Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi arrested for badmouthing her is another controversy which will highlight her impetuousness.
Yet, perhaps for the first time, Mayawati had some reason on her side. The Congress chief's allegations about the role played by money in covering up rape cases were outrageous enough to shock several members of her own party. But the chief minister spoilt her own case with her penchant for overreaction.
Honour killings: Need for a stop to this barbaric practice
By Babu Joseph, IANS,
The media has rightly exposed the heinous crime of killing people under the guise of protecting the 'honour' of the caste or community. This monstrous practice reported from some states of India goes to show that there is something seriously amiss in our socio-cultural ethos.
Suicide attack kills seven policemen in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : A suicide car bomb targeted a convoy of Afghan and NATO forces in the northern province of Kunduz Thursday, killing seven policemen and injuring 13 other people, a district governor said.
The bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into one of the vehicles in the province's Emam Saheb district, Mohammad Ayoub Haqyar told DPA.
"Seven policemen were killed in the attack and six other police and seven civilians were injured," he said, adding that a police unit commander was among those killed.
An enabling street vendors’ livelihood legislature
By Ranjit Abhigyan and Anurag Shanker,
The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act passed by the Indian Parliament on 19 February, 2014 is no doubt an enabling legislative instrument aimed at empowering the lives of more than 12 million urban street vendors and hawkers of India.
An Indian hand in Saudi Arabia-Iran reconciliation?
By Saroj Mohanty,
Are regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia heading for a rapprochement? Is there an Indian hand in this? Talk on the possible development in the Gulf swirled in the diplomatic and strategic circles as India played host to Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during the same week last month.
The other Pakistan – that is different, yet like us!
By Shilpa Raina,
For anyone living either in India or Pakistan, even the faint prospect of travelling to the other side is no less than a lifetime's opportunity. The strained sub-continental relations have however resulted in strict visa procedures, turning dreams into distant desires.
Sachar report has become an albatross for Narendra Modi’s BJP
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has the knack to mess up his own case by quoting data without applying his mind. Whether his speech-writer is to be blamed or he himself nobody can say with certainty but the truth is that by quoting the Sachar Committee report in a rally in the minority- concentrated Purnea district of Bihar he, instead of wooing the Muslims, ended up confusing himself and his own supporters.
‘Since I was nine years old, I wanted to make a movie on Jinn’
By Ras Siddiqui, TwoCircles.net,
“In the Beginning, three were created. Man made of clay. Angels made of light. And a Third made of fire.” These form the elemental core of Jinn, a movie written and directed by Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad, an American of South-Asian origin with a passion for imagery. Jinn is slated to hit the screens on the first Friday of April, 2014 when it will attempt to capture viewer our imagination and the attention of a worldwide audience. Starring Dominic Rains, Serinda Swan, Ray Park, William Atherton and Faran Tahir, the movie highlights man’s meeting with that elusive third race “born of smokeless fire”, a rare encounter. “Similar to humans in many ways, the Jinn lived invisibly among us and only under dire or unusual circumstances were our paths ever meant to cross.”
Burning Sands of International Relations
By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
International relation is gravitating towards chaotic world order. The forces of conflict seem to be dominating over those supposedly mandated to maintain global peace. There seems to be conspiracy of silence by the guarantors of peace, as the perpetrators of violence are masquerading like free booters on rampage all over the world.
Manmohan Singh held his ground on nuclear deal
By Amulya Ganguli
Considering that the Manmohan Singh government has generally been seen to be bullied by the Left into retreating on various issues such as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, economic reforms and so on, it is worth noting that the prime minister has been able to consistently hold his ground on the India-US nuclear deal.
A Global Satyagraha against Imperialism
By Rohini Hensman
Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2 provides a fitting occasion to launch a global satyagraha — defined by him as ‘truth-force’, a non-violent struggle using the power of the truth — against imperialism. Such a struggle is urgently needed today, given the carnage being inflicted by imperialism in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, and the threat of even greater carnage in Iran. Support for the people of these countries needs to be stepped up to a higher level globally if the continuing holocaust is to be halted.
India salutes NRIs at annual conference
By Kul Bhushan, IANS
If you were visiting India in early January, you had the chance to attend a number of major NRI events. You could listen to and probably meet top Indian leaders and rub shoulders with fellow NRIs who are leaders in their own countries or achievers in their professions and businesses. It was a great chance to hobnob with fellow overseas Indians and to make new contacts, especially if you are in business.
Budget sidelined NRIs, but still something to cheer about
By Kul Bhushan, IANS
Have NRIs been sidelined in the latest Indian budget? Since the government is all out to get votes for the general election next year, special concessions for NRIs were perhaps not a priority. The focus was clearly on farmers and the common man. Another factor could be the high inflows of foreign funds invested in stocks and India's foreign exchange reserves crossing the $300 billion watermark.
Mall revolution back home blows away visiting NRIs
By Kul Bhushan, IANS,
"Mind blowing," said my Indian friend from Dubai after visiting a shopping mall. No, he was not commenting on a shopping mall in Dubai but one in New Delhi. He said it was one of the biggest and most modern shopping complexes he had seen. Plus, it had lots of shoppers with bags.
Abortion laws must be urgently amended
By Puneet Bedi, IANS,
Every time I look at the ultrasound monitor to see the foetus from various angles, mothers read my face to see a twitch or a smile to suggest the baby is normal. Unfortunately their simple question "Is my baby alright?" can only be answered in maybes. Diagnosis of foetal abnormality is not easy and is not always accurate.
A man’s battle for women’s rights
Feeling lost amidst academics spewing jargon at a recent seminar on Muslim women, I was relieved to meet Nasiruddin Haider Khan, ...
Cooperation is the key to success: Bihar Anjuman’s founder Shakeel Ahmad
Bihar Anjuman is the TwoCircles.net Organization of the Year 2010
By Mohammed Mudassir Alam,