Sarah Palin Zardari affair : Holy shit

I've been using up a lot of my bandwidth on youtube and this post is also inspired by one of the youtube videos.
Asif Ali Zardari managed to embarrass the whole of Pakistan by his flirting the vice presidential republican candidate , Sarah Palin.Hey whats wrong in appreciating a pretty girl. She a woman first and then a leader. If he acknowledged it, whats wrong. You might say he was flirting, and yes he was. Have you never flirted or is it that leaders should not flirt. Never mind but the Americans, Pakisatnis and people all over theworld have managed to make him a laughing stock. He deserves it, since its been just a few months since his wife was killed in the bomb and now the playboy from Pakistan is on the prowl. But Maulavis issuing fatwa in his name is stupid. Lets be free to express ourselves.

If they are not ashamed of spreading terror in India, this is also nothing to be ashamed of.

But this CNN video beautifully captured Sarah and Zardari, both on the sharp ends of the media sword.

Kabhi Kabhi : Old vs New

Since few days the song " Kabhi Kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai " ( कभी कभी मेरे दिल में ख्याल आता है...) was playing in my head and finally I got some time to log on to youtube and listen to the song.
what an awesome song, one of my favourites.
And when I searched for Kabhi Kabhi I found out the recent Kabh Kabhi Aditi Zindagi mein...(Jaane Tu Ya jaane Na) and what a contrasting difference. Both are good but nothing as compared to the original one.
Another shocker was Nelly Furtardo singing Kabhi Kabhi, but a fabulous effort.I would've loved had she sung the whole song.
The Bally Sagoo remix was also good, but messed up. I've embedded a few of them below.

कभी कभी मेरे दिल मैं ख्याल आता हैं
की ज़िन्दगी तेरी जुल्फों की नर्म छाओं मैं गुजरने पति
तो शादाब हो भी सकती थी.

यह रंज-ओ-ग़म की सियाही जो दिल पे छाई हैं
तेरी नज़र की शुओं मैं खो भी सकती थी.

मगर यह हो न सका और अब ये आलम हैं
की तू नहीं, तेरा ग़म तेरी जुस्तजू भी नहीं.

गुज़र रही हैं कुछ इस तरह ज़िन्दगी जैसे,
इससे किसी के सहारे की आरजू भी नहीं.

न कोई राह, न मंजिल, न रौशनी का सुराग
भटक रहीं है अंधेरों मैं ज़िन्दगी मेरी.

इन्ही अंधेरों मैं रह जाऊँगा कभी खो कर
मैं जनता हूँ मेरी हम-नफस, मगर यूंही
कभी कभी मेरे दिल मैं ख्याल आता है.

The Original Classic

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The remixed mess

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The Shocker

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Sex Education : An Indian formality

Sex Education course material says it all. After the furore over the course material last year the National Aids Control Organization(NACO) is up with a tamed course material this year. The course material shows that sex education is mere formality in India.

The explicit pictures in the teachers handbooks are out, and so are the words like intercourse, condoms, and masturbation.

So cagey is the text about offending sensibilities that the chapter on conception doesn't even mention intercourse, this when 15 per cent of all pregnancies in the country are teenage pregnancies.

Source : IBN Live

The big question is that why are money and resources being spent on a thing that is not taken seriously. The issue is serious and sensitive and over cautious and conservative approach will lead to an even more repressive society. I would like to question the authorities by asking, whats wrong in this ?

Sarah Palin : Woes of a female leader

Sarah Louise Heath Palin, the governor of Alaska and the Republican vice-presidential nominee in the 2008 United States presidential election has caught a lot of attention. The problems of a female leader can be seen in her case in a more pronounced way. Flipping through the pages of the newspaper you can see the kind of scandals and allegations that have been associated with her.
Yesterday in the Times of India I read that Hugh Hefner the playboy founder (one of my idols) wanted Sarah to pose naked for the magazine. Another talked of her having a sexual affair with her husband's business partner. She has been more taken as sexual symbol and the female stick to support the weak and old John McCain (As compared to a more aggressive Obama). I have no favorites as such but I feel Barack Obama has an edge. Female leaders of India although have a completely different story. It could be the age factor, but I feel female leaders of India are less known for the sexual vibes and more for their grace and personalities. Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandi, Mayawati (No grace but lot of power) are a few. Below is an image published in the Sunday TOI, which I think shows the disparity between Indian and western female leaders.

Politicians don't connect with Internet

Politicians don’t connect well with the internet. The reasons I found out in today’s mint newspaper were interesting, but simple. To begin with I’d like to ask a question. How many people are satisfied with politicians, their actions or the government? You might go on thinking and might find very few, rather nobody happy with the government. The number of people unhappy with the politicians would run into millions. So what happens when that politician begins to blog and speak about himself, his party and future plans. People find an easy way of putting their problems to the politicians by commenting in his blog. What happens next? This starts a mad rush. Some unhappy people comment in a decent way and the angry ones simply abuse. The end result is that the politician stops blogging. This is precisely what happened with Omar Abdullah and Laloo Prasad Yadav, who had a very short stint with blogging.

What do we infer from the misplaced blog adventures of our politicians : They simple don't connect well with people. It might sound cynical, but our leader has to be a common man, not a celebrity.

Laloo Prasad's Blog

Omar Abdullah's Blog

Anatomy of the financial crisis

Anatomy of the financial crisis - Views - livemint.com

This is a very well written article that shows how some key policy decisions taken around 3 decades ago in the US have lead to the current financial crisis. The first was to deregulate the fixed commissions for stock trading in the 1970s and the second was of eliminating Glass-Steagall restrictions on mixig commercial and investment banking. A fixed commission meant that the investment banks made a comfortable living. deregulating of commission meant greater competition and thinner margins. The latter led to eating up of investment bank's share by commercial banks. Another key factor was the policies that gave rise to global imbalance. The federal reserve cut interest rase in response to the 2001 recession.

5 ways to get fame in India

I was inspired to write this post after I found out that there are many people like me who didn't want to lead a normal life. This revelation came after I told my friends and relatives that I had a software, Kundli, and it gave very accurate results on personality and future. To my amazement, I was shocked at the same time happy that almost all, asked me the same question; Fame Hai ? (Will I be famous).

After watching the first episode of Indian Idol 4 , I realized that probably getting fame now is easy. So I have come with a five point theory that will lead you to fame. (Caution : Fame could be injurious)

I cannot guarantee the results, but these are tried and tested methods by few Indians who became famous.

I'll start with the easiest.

5. Do something crazy/ weird/different

Crazy stuff could attract a lot of media attention. I can say that because once when I was on my way to college, at the bus stop I saw a man running naked (Actually naked) with a couple of other people, including women. In the evening I saw him on the local news channel making some big statements. This is not the best thing to do. To yourself and others. Imagine,morning 7 o clock, watching a man naked, your day does not go too well. You can try out some other crazy stuff. You can also do something different, something good, like help the less privileged. It would be wrong to club crazy and social work under the same, but both are doing something different. It depends on you to choose a way.


4. Get into a reality Show

The show which is there on your television sets almost 12 months of a year are the reality TV show. You can't miss them. The top channels have their own set of such shows. Be it Star, Zee or Sony. And yes, if you wanna go for something different , MTV is there. The requirements for fame through this media are as follows

Talent 10%
Personality (crazy) 50%
Daring (40%)

And you are there.
Remember, talent only 10%. If you want some more airtime make it 20%

3. Online Maniac

There are some crazy people (Not me) on the internet who post crazy/sensible videos/posts on the internet and become instant online celebs. Let me tell you, the audience is huge and the monetary aspects are very good.

2. Crime

This is the worst way. Don't follow it. It is just there to make the count of my list 5.
If you seen the movie "Kya Kool Hai Hum" , the tushar kapoor movie, you will know what I am trying to say. If you haven't ask someone.

1. Work Hard

Apart from crime, all of the above mentioned factors if done in a good and positive way will give you what you want. Remember to follow your dreams. Sincere and honest efforts will give you success and there are innumerable examples from various spheres to prove this.

My best wishes to all of you who want their name to last through ages.

Why did Lehman Brother's go Bankrupt

The giant investment bank succumbed to the sub-prime mortgage crisis that has rocked the United States and the global economy. Lehman was strangled by a massive credit crisis and fast plummeting real estate prices.

The gargantuan $60 billion loss in bad real estate loans forced the bank to file for bankruptcy.

However, the fall of the 158-year-year institution that started cotton trade in US before the American Civil War and financed the railroad that built a nation, got hit by a large dose of bad luck, pride, arrogance and greed. Primarily, the pride of its chief executive office Richard Fuld .

Muslims supporting terrorists or humans

I hate to say this, but there is a significant part of the Muslim population in the Jamia Nagar area of South Delhi who are anti police, pro terrorists. They don't believe in the encounter carried out at Jamia Nagar. This was quite evident as the Shahi Imam came at the funeral of Atif, a suspect who was killed in the encounter.I totally agree that the encounter till now has been a jigsaw puzzle, where the pieces don't fit.

But do you still think that two cops killed in an encounter could be fake ?
Will innocents fire bullets at cops ? (If at all they are innocent)


I might have an element of doubt (a very small rather negligible) , but these home grown terrorists are proving to be tougher than the Al qaeda operatives. Firstly, they are like us, secondly they are young and educated. They have left us Indians divided.

One thing that is frustrating is that the people they are supporting today could be linked to killing their own tommorow. Maybe in the form of a suicide bomber, or maybe just a human living his normal life.

And should suppoters of terrorim be jailed or banned, like the shahi imam.

What is the big pictue ?

Where does terror lead to ?

The Big Picture

Do the terrorists want India, if they want we are ready for a fight. Do they want kashmir / What if they get all, what next, will they mend ways. The answer is no.
They will again fight, because they have nothing else to do. The reason might be different.
Ultimately, days of humanity will be gone. Earth will be left with a couple of immoral, bearded criminals. And what next, they future generations will again fight and then life will cease to exist.

Lehman Brothers : Before and After

America's fourth-largest investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc has filed the biggest bankruptcy petition known to mankind.

The 158-year-old firm was founded by brothers Henry, Emanuel and Mayer Lehman, Jewish immigrants to the US from Germany, in 1850. Henry set up a general store in Alabama in 1844 and was later joined by his brothers. In 1850 they set up the merchant bank in New York after having made money in railway bonds. So what went wrong?

L ehman Bros, which till June 2008 had not reported a quarterly loss even once, had earlier survived many an economic crises, like railroad bankruptcies of the 1800s, the Great Depression in the 1930s, and the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management in the 1990s.

Thus the collapse of the giant investment bank came as a major shock for the entire world markets that plunged after Lehman filed a Chapter 11 petition with US Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan.

The $613 billion (some estimates put the size at $639 billion) bankruptcy thus throws up the question: why did the Wall Street giant go bust? Speak India discusses why

Condom @ Callcenter

Yesterday, I read an article in the Times of India titled condom @ Call Center Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) is asking the call centers companies to place condom vending machines in their offices.That sounds like a great idea, since there are stats, which suggest that 90% of the call center employees are sexually active. Hence the possibility of AIDS is high. So whats the issue all about ?
Then comes the height of stupidity. The governement is not reeady to disclose the details of the IT companies installing condom vending machines. Why ?
Because condoms are associated with "immoral sex" Whoops!!!
Immoral Sex or Safe Sex
This is what Indian leaders of 21st century think. Cmmon guys, what world are you living in.Is this the stone age or the medieval age. It seems to me that the age has changed but not the minds of our "Respected" leaders.
If world's largest democracy chooses such leaders, its a pity.
Think about the call center employees. What wrong are they dping to suffer this humiliation. Directly associating them with immoral sex. What will the family think if they read such news. Their son/daughter going to an immoral place, because the governemnt thinks so. Bizzare!!!
Our leaders need some counselling.

Delhi Blasts :Young techies planned it

Delhi blasts are a handiwork of nobody else, but an Indian who belongs to a good family and managed to get good education. I feel stabbed at the back. How can an Indian, moreover a human think this way. While I was listening to the Daily news on Times News, they showed the list of all suspects involved in the planning and implementation of bombs. All guys proved to be net savvy individuals, techies and all have a good educational background. One was preparing for an MBA, another had appeared for I.A.S , and the rest with good soft skills. The disturbing part was that why did they have to such a thing and how did they come under such influence.

Was it because of SIMI or were they influenced, was money a motive or were the simply unemployed ?

A time when the world markets are under stress, Indo-Pak relations under stress and life and livelihood under stress, life becomes distressing.

Why can't we live our lives peacefully and happily ? Why can't we serve the under-priviledged ?
And why do we feel happy by hurting someone ? and Why at all are we living ??

The answers may be too tough for our brain to decode, but doing good and staying positive ain't that tough. I am trying follow this way. Hope to meet you soon, on the way. Chao!!!

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CEO responsible for Lehman's fall

Wall Street analysts believe that it was the 'hubris' of Richard Fuld, the 62-year-old CEO of Lehman, who did not take the telltale signs of impending doom very seriously. Fuld, nicknamed The Gorilla for his foul temper, intimidating presence and tough talk, rejected many bids to save Lehman because he thought that the sinking giant was much bigger than Wall Street was giving it credit for, and wanted to get more price for the sale of the company .

Analysts say if the bank was sold just a week before it went kaput, it could have been saved the ignominy of a bankruptcy, but Fuld was far too adamant to see reason.
Result: the end of a 158-year-old financial giant.

Bomb blast at Marriott in Pakistan : Terror leaves nobody

Terror spares nobody, is what the blasts in Islamabad at the J W Marriott have shown to the world. It does not depend whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim, an Indian or a Pakistan national, till the time someone supports it, it’ll stay. It was India first, now it is Pakistan. There were a lot of Pakistani bloggers who said, “Long live Indian Mujahideen”, now at-least they know; there is no glory to it. It is only an agonizing pain, which will last for a last time. The bomb that has claimed lives of over 40 people till now is believed to have made a 20 feet crater. My commiserations to the families of all those who’ve lost a member and to those who’ve been injured by the explosion. The pain and agony is like that felt by king Lear in Shakespeare‘s play, when he is shown the door by his two daughters. Similar is the story of two nations, who are alike, still enemies, still fighting, lost causes, lost in the storm of ego, power and arrogance. There is a greater enemy, destroying both of us from within, weakening the spirit of both that once fought a single cause, that of freedom from the British Raj.
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Speak Video Player

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M C Sharma's death won't go in vain

M C Sharma, a cop died in the encounter in Jamia Nagar in South delhi, days after the blasts that took lives of over 22 people in Delhi. His efforts I feel have gone in vain as redients of Jamia Nagar shouted slogsns against the police, claiming that the encounter was fake. What the Fk!
A cop gives his life for something fake.
Muslims of that area say their religious place was targetted. In this war against India, why do we always divide ourseleves on the basis of religion. Why don't peole realize that the person dying is an Indian, a human. He can be Hindu or a Muslim. This is an attempt by the people of those countries who don't want to see us prosper. We have to unite in this troubled time, salute those who have given their lives for the cause, a stand firm against the conspirators.

Indian Idol 4

The most glamorous talent hunt show is here again, after a long break, back to what it is best at; the clash of the judges. The talent hunt has been more popular for the clash of the judges (Javed Akhtar ji and Anu Malik), it maybe a selling tactic, but surely works. I have nothing against it, except for the way the winner is selected. There should be a more judicious way of finding out the winner, since the winners of Indian Idol 2 and 3 both were less deserving ones. The good thing this year is that the contestants of previous year are anchoring the show. Chang is playing the perfect host. Deepali and others are also doing a great job. The revelation is Monali, with her two hit songs she sung this year for Race. Keeping looking for for more on the official website of Indian Idol.

The Last Lear

The Last Lear has been a movie leaps ahead of its time, in terms of contemporary Indian Cinema. I was awestruck by the finesse in the movie in terms of the performance of actors and almost everybody has managed to deliver a power-packed performance. Beginning with the entry of shabnam, a model turned actress, played by preity Zinta, to the director, played by Arjun Rampal, everybody was living their role. The central character of the story, Harish a theatre actor, portrayed by the actor of the millennium ( Amitabh Bachchan)is what the story rests on. The character of Harish has been beautifully sketched, which helps the mega star deliver his best performance in terms of intellectual cinema till date. The negative part of the story is the blurred character sketches of Arjun Rampal and Preity Zinta. Their characters are defined to a large extent but overall there is blur which can be seen in their character sketches.The movie also looses pace in between. Overall, The Lat Lear is a brilliant movie, a movie that makes you laugh, cry and think, something, which is a rarity these days.

Jamia Nagar encounter fake ?

A team of the Special Cell of Delhi Police killed two suspected terrorists in an encounter on Friday in Jamia Nagar area of South District in New Delhi. Tensions ran high in the Jamia Nagar locality of South Delhi as news of one religious place being transgressed reportedly by police, during the encounter with militants today.
The house where militants were holed up lies very close to a religious place. Once firing stopped, large number of people thronged the narrow lanes of the area and shouted religious slogans. "We are all against terrorism, then why was our religious places places targeted," said one of the residents.
source:IBNlive,PTI

Sex and the City of India

Cultural shock is what some might get, when there’ll be Sex and the City of India. But for most the people it would be the entertaining daily soap of the day.

India is going through a transformation. I live in a metro, so I can say that confidently. Although I don’t belong to a very liberal family, I very well know that my future generation will have a great deal of freedom.

The concept of our very own sex and the city will probably show the reality of issues related to today. But there is a great deal of responsibility of everyone in making our repressed culture (as my friend says it) an open and free culture. We are moving forward and the minds of the youth are open, but immature. In such a transformational phase it is an important responsibility the older generations to handle this issue carefully and make India a more live-able place.

Saas Bahu saga, one of the most popular television dramas lost its steam after a few years. But why?

I think I have an answer to this. Just flip a few channels and there it is, MTV. Roadies has been a hit show. Looking deeply into the concept of the show, you’ll find it to be open, precisely what people want to see and hear. Although I know a few people who thought the show to be bad and plainly called it “Ganda”. Yes the older generations will get a cultural shock. But I liked it and so did many others. Then came another one, “Splits villa”, the mother of all. These kinds of TV shows are stepping ahead and taking the world of Television/Entertainment to new level.

The final and the most important angle of the SEX and the City show of India is the political in nature. There will be people looking to gain political mileage out of it. There will be strikes, Bandhs and they will even get out to the streets burn buildings, offices and even kill people. That’s the nature of India’s top brass. They don’t make me proud; I am just ashamed of having such people.

In the final note I’d just say, getting up and revolting is a better option, although not the best. I would have liked if Amitabh Bachchan would have stood up and confronted Raj Thackeray. These people are nothing more than goons, who’ll get out to the streets, burn houses of poor people making a living just because they are not maharashtriyan. They forget the fact that everybody is human and at the end of the day everybody is earning bread and butter for the family. SPoilng their life, to better their own is simply pathetic. To down such people, we’ll have to rise and revolt, to get what we want and to get what India wants.
Also try reading Times of SEX.

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Strong anti terror laws

UPA government finally realizes that Anti terror laws need to be strengthened.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday hit out at the role of Pakistan-based terrorist groups in the recent serial bomb blasts, but said the involvement of local elements added a new dimension to the terrorist threat.

“We have reports that certain Pakistan-based terrorists outfits are constantly seeking to set up new terrorist modules within our country. This is a matter of the utmost concern. We have increased vigilance on our borders … But in view of the growing involvement of local elements, this is not enough,” he said.

India deploys top fighter jets in Kashmir

India has deployed its top fighter jets in Kashmir, officials and a report said on Wednesday.

At least six Russian-built Sukhoi-30MKI jets, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, have been deployed at Avantipura air force base near Srinagar.

The Kashmir deployment comes amid strains in the India-Pakistan peace process, with New Delhi accusing Islamabad of renewed support for cross-border militancy and ceasefire violations along the Line of Control.

The base is equipped with crash-prone MiG-21 jets, which India first imported in the 1960s.
Finally India has retaliated. We have to be aggressive in our moves, else terrorists and countries with wrong motives will keep harming us. source : Times of India

Tauqeer's Mother : Hang my son

A distraught Zubeida Qureishi, mother of Abdus Subhan Qureishi alias Tauqeer, who is wanted in connection with the terror e-mails, appealed to her son on Wednesday to come out in public and clear his name.

“I am a Hindustani and my son cannot do anything that is so terrible,” she told a packed press conference. “However if he is guilty, hang my son in front of me,” she said, breaking down.

“We are from a good family and we have brought him up well. In 1999, he was separated from us after he got married and lived in a rented house. He later went to stay in Mira Road with his wife in 2001. If my son is hearing this, let him come out from wherever he is. If he is guilty, let him be punished. But first let his guilt be proved.”

This is precisely what I had pointed out in my previous post. The parents of the terrorists are also not interested in violence. They also want to be proud parents and not shamed ones. Lets hope justice is given to everybody, those suffering and those guilty.

Source:The Hindu

Delhi Blasts : Should we depend on OLD politicians ?

After the Delhi serial blasts, the impotency of the Delhi police, the government has come into picture. Shivraj patil, Shiela Dixit have virtually screwed up Delhi. First they played with the transport and virtually all transport projects started by congress have been big flop shows. They have only made the life of a common man miserable. The BRT corridor project has been the worst of all. First they make structures and then break them, wasting our money,payed to them as taxes. And yes of course don't forget that all their projects have added to our misery. Metro was a BJP initiative. Its time we go for somebody young, with a vision, mission and a dynamic personality. At least I am fed up of these people. They make a potent state look impotent.

IIM jobs hit after Lehman, Merill crack

With America's fourth largest investment bank Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy protection and Merrill Lynch being bought over by the Bank of America, placements at the Indian Institutes of Management will be affected.

These financial giants have so far been the biggest recruiters from the IIMs especially from the institutes at Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta.These have been among the day zero firms on IIM campuses and have made plum job offers. Read

Delhi Bomb Blasts: The complete story

The 2008 Delhi bombings were a series of five synchronized bomb blasts that took place within a span of few minutes on September 13, 2008 at various locations in Delhi, India. The first bomb exploded at 6:10 pm IST (1240 UTC), and four other blasts followed in succession,1 with at least 30 people killed and over 100 injured.

Three bomb attacks had already occurred the same year in India. The first of these was on 13 May in Jaipur. The series of nine blasts over a span of 15 minutes claimed 63 lives, and injured 216. The second series of nine bomb blasts took place on 25 July in Bangalore, and claimed 2 lives, while injuring 20.5 The next day, on 26 July in Ahmedabad, a spurt of 21 blasts killed 56 people and injured over 200.

The Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the Jaipur bombings through an email sent to Indian media6 and declared "open war" against India in retaliation for what it said were 60 years of Muslim persecution and the country's support of United States' policies, most notably the war in Afghanistan.7 The Times of India has reported that either the banned organization Students Islamic Movement of India or the militant organization Lashkar-e-Toiba could be behind the blasts in Bangalore.8 Similar to the Jaipur case, after the Ahmedabad blasts, several TV channels reported that they received e-mails from the Indian Mujahideen claiming responsibility for the terror attacks.9

Police say the Indian Mujahideen is an offshoot of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, but allege that local Muslims are given training and backing from militant groups in neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh.10

Five blasts took place within a span of 31 minutes from 18:07 to 18:38 IST12 (12:37 to 13:08 UTC) in busy markets or commercial localities. Four bombs were defused.

The first blast took place at 18:07 at Ghaffar market (a municipal market along a stretch of Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh) in which at least 20 people were injured. They were rushed to nearby RML hospital. The explosive was kept near a car, and resulted in a cylinder blast in an auto rickshaw, which was subsequently thrown up several feet into the air.13

Immediately after, two explosions took place in Connaught Place in which at least 10 people were injured. Police and witnesses said that the bombs went off in dustbins in and around Connaught Place, a shopping and dining area popular with tourists and locals in the centre of the city. The first of these blasts occurred on Barakhamba Road, near Nirmal Tower and Gopal Das Bhavan at 18:34. A minute later, the second bomb exploded in the newly constructed Central Park in the centre of the Connaught Place roundabout, built above one of the main stations of the Delhi Metro. An eyewitness reportedly saw two men place the bomb in a dustbin at Central Park.14

Subsequently, two explosions rocked M-Block market in Greater Kailash-I at 18:37 and 18:38 – the first near the popular Prince Paan Corner, and the other near a Levi's store. The latter damaged 10 shops.1

Preliminary examination of the blast site said that low intensity ammonium nitrate tied to integrated circuits with timer devices had been used in almost all the serial blasts. 1

Four bombs were also defused - the first one at India Gate, the second outside Regal Cinema in Connaught Place, the third in Connaught Place, and the fourth on Parliament Street. 15

On the evening of 13 September 2008, IBN reported at least 30 deaths and over 100 injured.3 AFP reported that "Indian police (New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat) said Sunday that 20 people were killed and close to 100 injured."16

Police and security

Security was tightened across the national capital, with police personnel fanning out to railway and Metro stations, hospitals, bus terminals, the airport and other sensitive points like cinema halls, shopping malls and religious places. Barricades were put up on most city roads to check traffic. Several major markets, including the Sarojini Nagar market, which was targeted in the previous Diwali-eve blasts in 2005, were shut down and evacuated. Cyber-café owners were asked to keep a tab on customers.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) spokesperson state that "security has already been strengthened and frisking and checking of the commuters have been stepped up. The Metro is under constant vigil". He added that extra personnel had been pressed into service to keep an eye on commuters. 1

The confusion in the aftermath of the blasts was evident in the press reports immediately following. The general consensus was that the blasts had claimed 18 lives.141015 However, there was some disparity, with CNN claiming as low as 15,7 to NDTV claiming as high as 30.17.

There was also some controversy over blast sites and the sites where bombs were defused, most notably that where Zee News reported a bomb being defused at Central Park,15 The magazine Outlook stated that the park was a bomb site.14

Responsibility

The "Indian Mujahideen" sent an e-mail to all major TV channels, informing them of the blasts just after the first one occurred.18 In the case of the bomb blasts in Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, e-mails were sent before the blasts.

“ Indian Mujahideen strikes back once more. Within 5 minutes from now... This time with the Message of Death, dreadfully terrorising you for your sins. And thus our promise will be fulfilled. Inshallah...Do whatever you want and stop us if you can14 ”

The email was sent from Arbi Hindi (al_arbi_delhi@yahoo.com). The email threatened nine blasts.118 A 13-page attached document depicts photographs of the previous blasts under the caption "our jihad". The Delhi blasts are, according to the email, a direct reaction to the raids carried on and after the Ahmedabad blasts, and "harassments imposed by your (Indian) ATS and the police on the innocent Muslims". The document also mentions Amarnath dispute, violence against Christians in Orissa, Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat riots.18

Reports claim that the Indian Mujahideen called this operation "Operation B-A-D", encompassing the Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi Bombings.14 Intelligence officials had intercepted a call made "from the across the border" claiming "Operation BAD is successful", after the Ahmedabad blasts, which the Gujarat police that interpreted as Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, though the dates and specific places were not known.19

Investigation

Two persons were detained from Connaught Place area soon after the blasts. Delhi Police said a 11 year old boy had claimed to have seen the terrorists; he informed the police that terrorists clad in black kurta-pyjama were seen placing bags in a dustbin.1 The Delhi Police soon, within three hours of the blast, arrested another person who the police suspect to be the mastermind of the blast.citation needed

Preliminary investigation by police reveal Indian Mujahideen-SIMI cell led by Abdul Subhan Quereshi alias Tauqir, having information technology background from Mumbai, to be involved. Another person named Qayamuddin is also under investigation. Four more people have also been detained and questioned. Source(Image & Content) : Wikipedia

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Delhi Bomb Blasts

A fine sunny saturday afternoon, people rushing to stores to get a good bargain, some out for a date, some catching up the latest flick and some eagerly awaiting for sunday. Behind all this normal activity is something bad, like the calmness of still water, a snake lies beneath ready to pounce on its prey. There are a group of terrorists planning the finer details of an attack that would kill somebody, handicap somebody and orphan somebody, all in the name of Allah. The time in history then comes when few unlucky people are caught in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to be executed by the so called messiahs of allah. They finally succeded. A series of bombs going off at the busiest hour of the day. The result - 25 dead, a hundred injured and a million terririfed. They've achieved what they wanted or what their Allah wanted. Every time they use the name of Allah to carry out such dastardly acts, I feel that, is Allah against peace, or is he against humanity or is he against hindus or, is he simply against Indians. My thoughts may be impulsive and I wish that Allah, if he is truly god and I know he is, gives these inhuman people with their evil interests neither hell nor heaven and they lie somewhere between, feeling the pain of each one of those killed, handicapped and orphaned not once but a million times.I feel for the families of the terrorists, whose parents thoght they'd be proud of their sons, whose sisters wished that one day they'll get earn, get them gifts and love. And what they do. Take the shield of Allah and harm people they don't even know, kill peole who want to serve humanity, kill those who wish to make their parents proud and kill those who are the only source of bread for their familes, leaving people with a pain that'll take a lifetime to cure and will serve no good to anybody because it is against humanity and they sould also realize that their families are also among those who wish to lead a normal peaceful life. 

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Kosi flood audit

A state of people and their dreams under floods of nature and of contribution by empathetic citizens; a kettle of vultures watching the scene, waiting to pounce on anything that comes their way. This is what the Kosi flood scenario is, as of now. We may ignore it, but some of the best managed funds in India are funds raised in times of calamity. They are in surplus and the managers know exactly what to do. I might sound like a cynic criticizing people, but there is nothing wrong in what I've said. Its just that it does not appeal to the part of the people "satisfied" with this government, compromising, exactly what we've been doing till now. The nuclear deal's been great, but there is no explanation for this and the government should publish the accounts and reports of the funds and also conduct an audit for the same. This may allow them to plug an loop holes in the present scenario. Rajiv Gandhi once said that out of every rupee that is contributed, 16 paise reach the actual victim. There have been cases of milk being sold in black at sky high prices, rapes by scavengers dressed like saviors with a demoniacal core. These are issues of national interest and also national pride. The country's pride should feel hurt when we (incl. me) talk of such things and our esteemed ministers should

Related Posts :

• Kosi river migration tendency
• Nepal adds more water to Kosi
• Kosi river flood : The complete story
• Kosi river flood

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Times of Sex

The raunch culture recently caught my attention as I was reading this weeks “WEEK” magazine. The story talks about the liberalization of women in the 21^st century. The article is into the inside of what women feel and what the today’s woman wants. A 21 year old college student of second year says she wants to turn heads in every room she walks into. Wow! That’s great for an ego boost. She is not wrong in saying, that for years Indian women have been pushed behind the veil. There are women openly talking about silicon implants treating sexuality as a way of liberalization. This new century has brought the raunch culture and the trend of multiple sex partners into spotlight especially in India. But looking at it from a different angle we must realize that reveling in femininity is great, but don’t go too far and overdo it. There are girls who can’t do it and hence become a victim of frustration and depression, thus plunging themselves in turmoil. Some can deal with and the rest are unfortunate. The sad part of the liberalization story is that, why only sex? Why not success in areas of male dominance ?

That’s where the new fever has taken its toll. Although their pulchritude may make a lot of heads turn, but are casual flings all what we are looking for, or is it the teenage phobia, which makes them get into the raunch culture.

Do big cities intimidate you? Highs and lows of life

Puneet Rajhans : Do big cities intimidate you? Not for the sheer fact that you are one among many; not for the simple reason that your loyalty is not under constant scanner howsoever diabolical and demonical you have turned in the recent past; and definitely not for the means employed to rake in big bucks so that your associates (and counting) cheer you up. A Big No to these forces and the prime positioning of the cities is enough to turn you a wild streak.

A break away from a metropolis for close to a month, taking one to territories like Dwarka, Somnath, Ahmedabad, Nathdwara, Ajmer and Hampi, the debate appropriately leans towards the increasing ability of high centres of growth running you down or you standing to lose a lot if you don’t get attuned to the mutating mindset of these centres.

Enamoured by the opportunities offered by big centres of development, the people made a mad rush to cities/towns since 70s/80s. The rush which began from a trickle turned to a flood as the home theatre hardly had any promises tied to them. Among others, including cowbelt states, underwent pangs of separation as labour-cum-lettered class made exit for good. Not bewildered by these stories of estrangement, as the states consistently believed that they were overflowing with mass and mass of people.

Cut to 2008. As states like Punjab and Haryana face a severe crunch of hands available to till their land, this dip has been brought through a relocation of a good numbers to their parent state. Employment opportunities haven’t considerably improved overnight but the sheer fact that a majority can stay tied to 100 days of employment in a year is enough to secure their tryst with their homeland. Some call it a revolutionary step and some call it a scam loaded one but the gains are not difficult to trace. This is one among emerging tales. What about those who have relocated with lock stock and barrel to a metropolis? The big city conundrum hasn’t diluted their intrasingent nature to fix and brim. The undercurrents of resentment are too visible to be ignored. First the credentials take centrestage. As big cities are bedevilled by big appetite to take mass for a ride, there are other leaks/shortcomings that would frustrate your attempt to bat straight. The continued push towards!
madness (the overwhelming scramble to seek a slice of misadventure here and there leaves you high and dry). The enormity of challenges that visit you day after day are enough to set you on a rethink course. But the hope developing/mutating by the hour that something would favourably turn the tide keeps you tied to the territory.

Big cities have often been accused of misgovernance - and primarily the blame has been laid at the doorsteps of all those who have stayed put (migrants). A friction here or a factionalism there is bound to be there. Since the numbers are large , there are bound to be dissent and divisions down the middle. The overbearing image is of one where the mass is on a short fuse ( definitely not a miniscule proportion). Since the sea of humanity converges on roads everyday, is it mandatory for them to do so? The back and forth commute they undertake everyday bringing the creaking infrastructure talk look nonsensical when people haven’t learnt the nuances of moderation. The indulgences of a city freak are phenomenal- h/she aspires for more, more and more ( we are not just talking about gastronomical delight here). Want to splurge as the plastic money enables you to do so ; want to build another dwelling because “my moolah my dream” is the reigning mantra. Want to cut loose becaus!
e the sizeable options are there. All these add to the convulsions which few are ready to take as a smooth sail.

Long on the road of being polite and modest aren’t considered prudent here because the brazeness with which one can tend to scale past the contemporaries, cars and customs are enough to get you some cheerleaders, though shortlived.

As the day isn’t enough for roads to see bumper to bumper traffic, as the night sets in , the big cars share space with a large fleet of trucks who make these cities their transit point - and their growing numbers each day seem to suggest as if there is no tomorrow. It seems every second person is willing to fleece anyone by hook or crook. Say a query here or a transaction there, the element of brutality is rampant. Nothing on paper seems to suggest that anything is in order. All said and done the conscience seekers are a dwindling tribe as they are continuosly up against a wall. This necessarily doesn’t shower the exclusivity tag of appropriateness on subdued centres of growth; those willing and having temerity to bypass norms would be fairly less vis -a-vis high centres of growth.

On a broader scale, these small centres of growth are infused with a fabric of fostering camaraderie. Tales of progression need not be at the cost of other constituents. Mind you, these centres may not be entirely aloof from the influence of commercialisation but still the aberrations are few and far. A long spell of notoriety that big cities are witness to is almost absent here. Rents are low , rantings are less and a regime that works close to your heart. Though on the last count there may be some divisions down the middle but manageable to a good extent. As one soul told me that an accommodation could be secured in Nathdwara (where i was based from Aug 24th-30th) for as low as Rs 600 a month. As against this a city bred has to shell out a lot to secure an accommodation; rantings are all visible on issues of no import as denizens have lost the drift - skirmishes breaking out every other day has become a ritual.

Almost on most of the occasions in these sudued centres every query put forward or a favour sought is promptly attended (nothing to suggest of quid pro quo). For a commute the tribe that takes to walking for miles together is a growing one and if a ride in a rickshaw is undertaken it is primarily a shared one unlike a soul doing the rounds of a city in a limo.

No doubt these centres are besieged with their set of problems in their background, beginning with a depleted infrastructure, poor public health service and an attempt to stay intransigent on certain issues. But the discourse has it that with limited means they are able to live a life of their own not guided by extraneous considerations. Imitation is the best form of defence that doesn’t apply here.

Primarily these centres are meant to maintain sanity against all odds and not let the the devil get better of you. Camaraderie is easily visible at every stage of movement. Three cheers for that sentiment.

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Puneet Rajhans (prajhans2000@yahoo.co.in)
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Jammu and Kashmir struggle

shahzad hamdani: The resistance movement by the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the illegal and unjust Indian occupation, is a struggle for the birth fight of self-determination as introduced by the modern age after long sacrifices of people on earth and recognised by the United Nations Organization in its Universal Charter for human rights. Similarly the international covenant on civil and political rights adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec. 16, 1996 in the article 1 and in the declaration in principle of international law adopted through resolution No. 2625 by UN General Assembly on Oct. 24, 1970, recognises the right of self determination for all peoples and says that" by virtue of the principle of equal rights and self determination of people enshrined in the charter of the UNO all peoples have the right to determine without external interference, their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development and every state have the duty to respe!
ct this right in accordance with the provisions of the charter". The First and the formost thing is to understand the real problem in kashmir for past many years. Indian army Occupied Srinagar, many parts in the state had already fallen to the freedom fighters and AJ&K Govt. found on Oct. 1947. And yet India accepted the accession of the fugitive ruler. In the beginning, India claimed that she sent her troops to Kashmir on the request of Maharaja with the approval of Sheikh Abdullah, in order to help the state to drive out raiders from the soil of Kashmir, but India also claimed that she saw a ray of secularism in Kashmir and thus linked safety of Indian Muslims with the accession of Kashmir to India. Now India claims that Kashmir is important for her territorial integrity and national solidarity. In other words the fabric of country's unity and sovereignty is so weak that if the people of Kashmir are given their right of self-determination, India will dismember, Muslims wi!
ll be wiped out and secularism will be buried for good. All such talk
is fallacious, and ridiculous pretext and runs contrary to the charter of UNO and the Indian constitution. Under both these documents, the Indian Govt. is responsible for life, honour and property of her citizens irrespective of their caste, creed and language. No people can be kept hostages or under bondage against moral, political and international legal dictums of the present day human societies and civilizations. India annexed Kashmir without any rightful cause and fabricated the so-called document of accession against the wishes of the People of J&K. In 1947 the people of Kashmir were more eager to join Pakistan and see fulfilment of their dream of a prosperous Islamic state on the foot steps of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The people of Kashmir had access to Central Asian region in the bygone days. The occupation of Kashmir by India Severed ties between different parts of our unfortunate state. The occupied Kashmir lost-its ties with the central Asia,. which had already go!
ne in the ferocious grip of communist Russia. On the contrary Jammu came socially and economically closer to the neighbouring state of India and 'Hindu Chauvinism and fanaticism penetrated deep into the area under the cover of secularism and national integration. After the Jammu holocaust of 1947 the Muslims-found themselves at the mercy of Congress and National conference and at every time lived an insecure and horrible life under the sword of Indian occupation forces. The 1965 episode brought about more tragedies and horrors for Muslims needless to say that the Jammu Muslims had already lost their identity as a political force after 1947. Later in the era of 90's allainces like the Tehreek-e-Hurriyet-e-Kashmir and APHC Another Kashmiri alliance of 34 political, religious and social organizations and groups was formed in 1993. Finally let us come to the core and urgent demand of the people, the solution of Kashmir problem. Kashmiris because of their long sacrifices, subjug!
ation and oppression under Indian occupation forces need/deserve a jus
t, honourable and urgent solution. They are the real sufferers and target of the present savage war/brutality inflicted on them by India.The problem before the people of Kashmir is that while they face unlimited and unparalleled animal brutality by India the United Nations Organization being responsible for protecting different nations and people of the world, is not initiating quick steps to implement its resolutions and stop India from further annihilation of Kashmir. The Present mass revolt by the people is turning back the state in the early 90's but with the arms of Non-violence. Thus it should be cleary mentioned that We do not hate the late comers in the movement of freedom, people or politicians who joined our ranks when they lost all hopes to gain power, and elections became irrelevant in Kashmir. But, we should not make fun of the history of freedom by seating such people at the top of those sons whose commitment and faith in the ideology of freedom remained unshak!
eable in the dark decades of our history. The late comers should not trespass on the rights of earliest and committed sons of our movement for freedom and right of self- determination. "Hum kya chahate Azadi" This was the first slogan which erupted on the streets of Kashmir in the 90's when the people of Kashmir announced to begin an era of sacrifices and the era to revolt against the armed forces. It was in that era when Pakistani president general Zia-Ul-Haq died in an air crash on August 17, 1988. That was the time when the streets of Kashmir were witnessed by anti-Indian slogans. The long seven years of protest and non-violence which lead to innocent killings of youths in Kashmir was a hard thing for the people to forget, and the era of 90's was the declaration of armed rebel against the indian deployed forces. The people of Kashmir became the violent target of Indian army, assaulting, manhandling the innocent people. The Bomb Explosion which hit The CTO, spread all ove!
r the valley and forced the international organisation to divert there
attention towards the ill treatment of the people by the Indian deployed Army. The Maisuma Massacre which left hundreds of people dead and thousands of injured was a open declaration of a war against the humanity and against the people of Kashmir. Since the year 1931 the people of Kashmir have been the target of armed forces from Dogra Soldiers to the Indian deployed Army.
After 20 years of struggle the clock is turning back to the 90's. So unfortunate that the government still answer slogans with bullets. Human rights violation is on the cards in Kashmir. The prime minister of India delivered the declaration of Zero-tolerance but so unfortunate that the government failed to tolerate the slogans and proved that Guns speak more loud than slogans. Calling for peace in the state seems to be a late reaction, as the people have now turned back to the unfinished struggle left by the martyrs. The attitude of the army and other law enforcing agencieshad taken all preventive measures to ensure not to use force in jammu, which was all together opposite in kashmir. Those people who speak of discrimination in jammu, should understand that discrimination on the part of kashmir and on the basis of a muslim region has always been the policy of India, where muslims are treated as anti-nationals. The recent arm training in Jammu by the VHP was picturised as a !
arm training festival, but if such a training session will be taken by a muslim, he will be targetted as a anti-nationalist. It is of much serious note that the people of kashmir realised that they got nothing but custodian death, bloodshed with arms in the hands and this made the people to express there freedom by non-violence, but still The slogans for "Azadi" are now getting bullets by the Indian Army even as the protests goes non-violent. After all this thing it is sad that still their are some who are counting votes with the blood Of the Innocents Kashmiries.
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shahzad hamdani(flashback.kashmir@gmail.com)

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