28 October, 2012

Rahul Gandhi's business partner running for cover!

According to documents released by Dr. Subramanian Swamy yesterday, Backops Services Pvt. Ltd was registered on May 27, 2002 by Rahul Gandhi. This company appointed a US citizen Ulrik R McKnight as its Director in 2005.

But Ulrik McKnight claims, in his profile at the bottom of a column he recently wrote on a website, that he “co-founded and ran BackOps Engineering”. (Screenshot 1 from Google cache). Strangely Ulrik R McKnight profile has now removed the claim “co-founded and ran BackOps Engineering”. (Screenshot 2 from today)


Above: Screenshot 1 / Right-click and 'save link as' for large size image


Above: Screenshot 2 / Right-click and 'save link as' for large size image

26 October, 2012

CNN-IBN, HT & NDTV involved in CWG Scam: CAG Audit Report



Above: The Common Wealth Games Audit Report Page. 200 & 201 mention in detail how a contract was awarded to HT-Hungama irregularly. Page. 221 of the report mentions how contracts were awarded to CNN-IBN & NDTV on ad hoc basis.

25 October, 2012

The day Sadhus demanding ban on cow-slaughter were killed outside Parliament


Promila Kalhan

Being a devout Hindu, Gulzarilal Nanda had strong views on cow slaughter. Some states had done away with it, but not all. Nanda raised the proposal to ban cow slaughter with various chief ministers. For the protection of the cow, Nanda felt that if the breed of cow could be improved and it gave larger quantities of milk, then the cow's owner should not mind giving it protection after it went dry during the last part of its life. There were quite a few people who felt strongly about banning cow slaughter. In a note some months after an agitation against cow slaughter started Nanda gave the following details:

'In Parliament there was keen interest which increased as the movement (against cow slaughter) developed. At one stage, more than 100 members of Parliament signed a statement in support of the agitation and the ban on cow slaughter and submitted it to the prime minister. A number of members of Parliament approached me frequently to expedite our action. They were all sympathetic to the purpose of the agitation. The matter came up for consideration in the executive committee of the parliamentary party more than once. At the meeting a resolution was adopted which favoured a complete ban throughout the country.

'Meanwhile, the matter was taken before the working committee. I was asked by the committee to deal with the matter in Parliament and make a statement. I told the committee that this was not my subject and therefore I was not prepared to make a statement. Moreover, I had certain strong views on the subject and therefore I was likely to go beyond what might be intended by the other. They insisted that I should handle it, but even then I refused. The decision was that whatever the Constitution permitted should be enforced in the other states also which has so far no legislation for the purpose.

'Knowing that some of the chief ministers had expressed their disinclination it was decided that these chief ministers might be called immediately by the prime minister and persuaded to accept the line adopted in the working committee. In terms of that decision I made a statement in Parliament on 4th November, 1966. There was a great deal of applause and general satisfaction expressed in relation to that statement.

'The period between the 4th and 7th of November, 1966, naturally is of crucial importance in this context. It was expected that the prime minister would call the chief ministers for consultation and secure their consent. I reminded her also once or twice but it appears that they failed to carry out this obligation. If this part of the assignment had been carried out on the lines recommended by the working committee, the incidents of 7th November might will have been avoided. In fact, the Goraksha Samiti people told me that if I were to succeed in the efforts I was making there need not be any procession but there would be a thanksgiving meeting.

'On the 6th November, I summoned the meeting of the officers concerned at my residence to discuss the whole situation and the arrangements to be made in connection with the procession which had been announced. At that meeting, the lieutenant governor was present. Also the home secretary, officers of the Delhi administration, the inspector general of police and top personnel of the Intelligence Bureau were also present. It took us two hours to go through the business of this meeting. I asked all sorts of questions in connection with the arrangements and enquired about the route, whether it was a safe route. The answer given was that those responsible for the procession had agreed to such changes of the route as asked for.

'I had asked whether there was adequate police. I enquired whether they had made effective arrangements to prevent any persons coming too close to Parliament's precincts; whether any additional barriers needed to be placed. I also enquired as to how much reserve police they had got after making arrangements for their disposition at the time of the procession and at the end I asked them whether there was any information from any source about any element of mischief, or any trouble that might be apprehended in connection with the procession. They told me repeatedly that everything was normal, that they had no information at all of any kind of trouble developing on that date.

'On the 7th, I was naturally anxious to be in touch with what was happening but I was not able to get any regular reports. There were occasional telephone calls here and there. It appeared that the communication system just did not work properly. When I came to know that some trouble had arisen. I was naturally very anxious to get more precise information but it came only in very small bits.

'When I went to Parliament in the early afternoon, I went up to the northern gate of Parliament House across which the procession was held up. Before that I had seen smoke rising in the sky. I was told that it was occasioned by tear gas shells. I had some information that earlier some persons from outside had started smashing some doors of business houses and shops and were creating mischief. I intended to go into the crowd myself, but I was prevented to do so. I peered into the scene through the iron gate. I saw some Naga Sadhus shouting and moving up and down but there was nothing very serious at that point.

I came back to my office in Parliament House and received reports about arson and some firing and some deaths. There was a hurried meeting of some members of the Cabinet and after consultations I prepared a statement for the Lok Sabha. I read this out at the end of the day's business. My mind was full of the situation as naturally other people had expressed their sense of sorrow about the happenings. At the end, the prime minister asked me whether I would like to say something. I declined.

'When she left, I followed her to her office and told her that in view of what had transpired in the committee, I did not think I would be able to carry on with my duties although I do not think that the home minister can be blamed for what had happened and there was no failure of responsibility on the part of the ministry. She then told me that I should not do anything in haste and that she would like to consider the matter the next day.'

Nanda was dropped as home minister. Being an honest man himself and keen on anti-corruption measures, he evidently made quite a few enemies in the Congress party and the government. Quite a few of them were worried how they would be able to fight any elections in the future if they were prevented from raising funds from various sources.

Some people evidently allowed mischief makers, even perhaps goonda elements to become part of the procession consisting mainly of sadhus. These elements forced their way into the precincts of Parliament House. The police naturally took action. Also, it appears, some of the mischievous elements even forced their way into the house of the Congress president. The whole matter appears to have been engineered. Nanda's enemies won the day.

It was in the guise of sadhus that some mischief-makers were able to bring about violence which ultimately created a problem for the home ministry which Nanda had to leave.

The question is sometimes asked why was he so enamored of sadhus?

Nanda believed that real sadhus could help put people on the right path. The corrupt, for instance, could be punished but what was required was that corruption should be prevented and that could only happen by reforming the wrongdoers. His own association with the godly gave him strength. He wrote in a letter to a friend 'I believe in the efficacy of prayers as in instrument of personal transformation and a source of help to others in the same terms. To be near Anandmai (Anandamayee Ma), ever for a short while is a privilege of a high order. Divine grace gave me the opportunity of living and breathing for a period of eleven days in the blessed atmosphere around her at Dehradun. I have come back enriched and fortified.' The letter is dated July 16, 1976, around ten years after he stepped out of the home ministry.

Extract from Gulzarilal Nanda: A Life in the Service of the People

23 October, 2012

OMG - Oh My God, a deeply biased film on Hinduism - select dialogues in chronology


OMG - Oh My God's key dialogues and story chronology by Anand Mathur

1. The hero Kanji Lal is an atheist and an old artifacts dealer. His dialogues when buying idols for his shop are:
- Ek bade pet wale Krishna dena
- 250 rupaiya wale Krishna dena
- Aath (8) body builder Hanuman dena

2. In the bus from a teerth Yatra
- Kanjilal pours and drinks Alcohol from a Kamandalu. He passes on the same to other people in the bus and most of the men in the bus enjoy it. Only the person hosting the journey gets upset.
- Kanji says “sharab ko Prasad ki tarah bant (distributing) rahe hai”
- When a woman tastes and asks what this is Kanji Lal tells her “Ganga Jal hai”

3. Kanjilal takes a Krishna moorti and says
- Jab tak log aise khilone mein bhagwan maante rahenge tab tak hamara dhanda chalta rahega!
- Yeh bhagwan phagwwan tum insano ka bharam hai.

4. His Muslim neighbor tells him he is going for Haj. Kanjilal says “are Haj ka Kharcha karne se acha hai dukan ki maramat kara. Saale do aadmi andar baith ke khasenge to bhi gir jayegi teri dukaan.”

5. He spreads false rumours in the name of a Maharaj stating that the Maharaj was told by God that he is happy with the Govinda celebrations and has to told the Siddheswar Maharaj  “aaj who apne bhakton ke haath se doodh aur makkhan khayenge.”

6. He is upset his son is Govinda in the handi game before his exam times. He drags him away after disrupting the event and tells the musician, “bund kar bund kar, makkhan chata ke aa..ja.” Earlier he says derogatorily that his son will not be a govinda. He will become a cricketer.

7. It is also interesting that school exams are usually held in missionary schools around major religious holidays.

8. This news spreads like wild fire and is covered on tv. They show a byte of a girl feeding Krishna, she says, Please kha lijiye na, main apke liye low cholesterol cheese layi hoon na”.

9. Kanjilal tells his wife and daughter on the event “pehle log thali mein dhak kar samne chod ke jaate the ab munh tak pahuncha rahe hain.. chatne de chatne de.

10. Kanji’s shop is the only building that is destroyed in a minor earthquake. When they reach the spot his employee and friend says,” ab yeh sab saaf karne ko kabadi ko paise dene padega. An unperturbed Kanji lal says, “kyun dene ka. Tooti footi murti nikal ke bolne ka ki Amarnath mein jameen phaad kar prakat hui hai.

11. Kanjilal says scolds his father in law who is telling him that its his atheism that has caused his downfall. Kanji says, “Ab hai na yeh Aastha channel shuru mat karna!” Will Aastha channel sue the film maker.

12. The insurane companies refuse to pay claim saying it is an act of God. He cannot sell his shop because the estate agent tells him that the land of his shop is “shapit bhoomi” because statues of God feel and broke there. Kanji says many years later when they dig this ground and the statues are found they will call it a divine land and build a temple over it.

13. He is upset and wants to sue Krishna as this is an “act of God”and uses a catapult to hit a statue of Radha Krishna but misses because the stone is deflected by the temple bell.

14. He tells lawyers that he wants to sue God. He says bahut naam hai uske, “Krishna, Ram, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Sai Baba, Ganpati, Balaji, Hanumanji , aur ladies bhi hai na, Durga Saraswati parvati santoshi.

15. In a scene he is shown chasing several lawyers who have rejected his case and shouts, “arre 33 crore to Hindu mein hai”.

16. He visits a leading lawyers house and sees Satyanarayan puja happening. The lawyer is standing with aarti. Kanjji blows out the aarti and says “dharmik”.(probably)

17. In the court he Hindu swamis are shown extremely temperamental and abusive. Swami Siddheshwar calls him, “moorkh kahin ka”. They show him shouting all the time.

18. Kanji lal mocks mantras in the court by making meaningless sounds that mimic mantras.

19. Jis tarah museum mein Mom (wax) ka putla dikhla kar paise liye jaate hai waise hi mandir mein patthar ki moorti dikhla kar paise le lete hain.”

20. He calls mandirs “dukaan” repeatedly.

21. Lawyer asks, “aap kehna kya chahte hain, what do you want to say,  yeh jo sadhu yahan hai panditji hai, yeh  yeh kya bhagwan ke officers hai? Kanji insinuates, “nahi nahi yeh log officers nahi hain, officers toh padhe likhe log hote hain… then he points to the maharaj and says “dekho dekho munh (face) dekho”, “salesmen hain, bhagwan ke collection agent ”

22. One more swami says, “yeh to nastic hai, jo yeh keh raha hai, ise swayam gyan nahi hai, hum toh sadhu hain hum ise kshama kar dete hain….”
23. A lady awamini threatens him with physical harm in court.

24. The body language of the Hindu sadhus is extremely derogatory.

25. Outside the court the group leader of the swami’s threatens Kanji with the crowd,”yahan se toh surakshit nikal jaoge, sarkari jagah hai, in logon se kaise bachoge.” The crowd is full of sadhus etc.

26. Kanji finds his life threatened by hindu fundamentalists. God (Akshay Kumar)appears in a suit and on a motorbike and save Kanji’s life and drops him home. Kanji’s wife and children desert him as they have been attacked. Kanji is alone when God comes to his house and tells him that he has purchased Kanji’s house papers from the lender and will let Kanji stay if Kanji allows him to use the things in the house. Kanji has no option and accepts.

27. They show Siddheshwar maharaj eating in the toilet, cheating on an Anshan he has been tricked into by other priests.

28. A person on a talk show where Kanji is the guest asks,
- "Kanji bhai waise toh main bhi manta hoon bhagwan hamare pita samaan hain, toh kya who mere samne aayenge?”
- Kanji asks back,” aap yeh mandir moorti wagerah mein maante hain?”
- The person responds,”haan manta hoon”
- Kanji replies back,” toh who tummhare saamne nahi aayenge.”
- Person,”Lekin Kyun”
- Kanji”Kyunki aap unko mandir moorti-yon mein dhoond rahe ho na. Phir unko ru-baru hone ki kya zaroorat hai .”
- Another bald person objects,”nahi nahi yeh toh galat hai bhagwaan toh hote hi hai. Do saal se mujhe achi naukri nahi mil rahi thi, maine mannat mangi ki mujhe achi naulri mil jaayegi toh main apne baal arpan kar ke aaunga. Aur dekho mujhe naukri mil gayi!”
- Kanji says,”oh ho! Baal poor eke poore arpan kar diye (crownd laughs). Acha aap jaraa sochiye, aap subah subah tayyar ho kar first class office ke liye nikalte, kaam ke liye nikalte hain aur jaise hi ghar ka darwaza kholte hain saamne baalon (hair) ka dher pada hua hai (crowd laughs) kale baal, safed baal, kuch dandruff wale baal, kuch aise joon (lice) waale baal, har kisam ke baalon ka buffet laga hua hai (they show the judge watching the show on television) toh mujhe batayi aapko kaisa lage ga?
- Bald person,”mujhe bilkul hi acha nahi lagega”
- Kanji,”toh socho bhagwan ko kitna bura lagta hoga yeh sab.” Bhagwan ne darwaza khola ki baal bal baal!
- His muslim lawyer watching the show says,”yeh kanji bhai logic toh sahi istemaal karte hain.”
- Kanji, “aapko pata hai in baalon ka kya hota hai…. Dhanda hota hai.” He goes on to explain how it is exported to foreign countries for making wigs.
- Kanji, “aapki shraddha ka dhanda hota hai.”
- Hostess comments that this money is used in running charitable projects like schools hospitals etc.
- Kanji,” yeh toh aisi baat ho gayi ki jo gutka bechta hai wohi cancer ka hospital kholta hai”! (Crowd laughs) aur madam yeh sab chalana hi padega kyonki yeh saara paise black ka aata hai. Iska agar white mein koi transaction nahi dikhaya toh Income Tax waale aapka gala daba ke jail mein daal dewe”.
- Kanji gives a speech on how the priests are like mafia except that they don’t show guns but instill fear in you. He names hindu practices like astrology next birth etc.
- Hostess,”too good. toh apke liye dharam ki paribhasha kya hai.
- Kanji,” mein samajhta hoon ki jahaan dharam hai wahan satya ke liye jagah nahi hai, aur jahan satya hai, truth hai, wahan dharam ki jaroorat hi nahi hai.
- Hostess asks “dharam ya mazhab ek insaan ki zindagi mein kya kaam karte hain”.
- Kanji bhai,” mere hisaab se toh ek hi kaam karta hai dharam ya to woh insan ko bebas banata hai ya phir aatankwadi.”
- The hostess lauds him.

29. They show a conspiratorial telephonic conversation between the two main swamis, Liladhar Swami who is shown as scheming and Swami Siddheswar. (including the fasting one who is desperate for a solution) However, the tone is as if the main swamis are representing the entire Swami community.

30. There is however, one Swami who repeatedly warns these Swamis to accept people’s grievances and to sort themselves out.

31. In the Court Scene, “SIddheshwar Swami is asked by Kanji as to how many acres is his land on. Siddheshwar says, “22 acre mein,  jisme 322 chote chote mandir hain bhagwan ke.” To this Kanji says,”oh ho! Maane bhagwaan ka poora shopping mall hi sajaa ke rakha hai.”
There is subtle use of laughter of the people in the court to justify Kanji’s anti-hindu retort.

32. Kanji continues that he was asked by a priest working in Siddheswar Maharajs temple to offer milk to god to win the case and that he goes to the temple with milk. He says,”sab ke sab lota le kar khade the (implying as if people are waiting to defecate), maine socha andar koi doodh peene waala hoga, log aise gadhe thodi hain aise lota pakad ke khade hain, mera number aaya, main andar gaya…. Andar koi nahi tha doodh peene wala, koi nahi….beech main wooooh kala patthar pada hua  tha…..”
Priest angrily shouts,” use Shiv Ling kehte hain moorkh.”
Kanji,”haan shiv ling ,shiv ling pada hua tha… aur who “pathar” my Lord, woh patthar doodh doodh tha…..aur who patthar ke bilkul bagal mein se ek choti si patli se naali mein se saara doodh bahar ki aur ja raha tha. Maine bola ki bahar koi na koi khada hi hoga doodh peene wala, dekha bahar bhi koi nahi tha. Woh sara doodh My Lord us naali se nikal kar bahar gutter mein ja raha tha. Total waste.” Etc……….Toh mandir mein aane wala ek ek insaan who woh patthar pe doodh dalne ke bajaye kisi garib ke pet mein dale na to sabse jyada punya milega.” Applaud “aur haan maulvi sahib kisi dargah par phoolon ki chaddar chadhane ke bajaye kisi nange fakir ke badan pe kapdo ki chadar chadhaiye jaaye to Allah ko bahut khushi milegi. Aur Jesus ke samne mombatti jalane se acha hai kisi garib ke jhonpde mein jalayi toh uske ghar mein kabhi andhera nahi hoga.”

33. The other Swami says, “dekho kanji doodh chaddar mombatti yeh sab chadhana ek pratha hai. Bhagwan ki pooja archana …In sab ka moolya tum nahi samjhoge kyon ki tum ek nastik ho!”
Kanji asks him to stop these ill practices. However, the Swami is shown to have no modern understanding despite being a leading Swami in the country.

34. Another priest from Sai Baba panth in the audience supports Kanji.

35. Kanji asks the Siddheshwar Swami, why devotees going to Amarnath and Vaishno Devi die in bus crashes. He also says that every car that has accidents has pictures of God. Then why do they suffer such consequences. However, the lawyer of the opposite side (serving the insurance companies) objects and changes the topic. The debate is never taken forward!!

36. The lawyer asks Kanji to prove that the act is of God and that the Insurance companies are not liable anyhow. The priests object stating that if anyone calls matters,”acts of God” it does not make the priests liable. Kanji is asked by the judge to present proof supporting his case.

37. There is a song in which idolatory is derided and a muslim fakir begging is asked by kanji to work.

38. Kanji is asked by Krishna God to read Bhagwad Gita and then Bible and Koran.

39. Siddeswar Maharaj gets upset and says to Kanji, “tujhe narak mein bhi jagah nahi milegi.” Kanji laughs it off saying you have already put your “kulle” there so how will I get a chance to get in.

40. Siddheshwar maharaj gets upset and manhandles Kanji.

41. Kanji says,” In logon ki IQ bhi room temperature se low hai”

42. He quotes Gita, Bible and Koran to state that God has claimed that nothing moves without will.

43. The Insurance company officer and Siddheswar Maharaj have a fight and Maharaj threatens him, “hamara sampraday tumhe chodega nahi”.

44. Kanji meanwhile gets a stroke that renders him paralytic on the entire left side of his body.

45. Kanji is in his hospital ICU God Krishna visits him and heals him by running his keychain on his body and tells him he is in hospital since one month and that the Swami’s have made a god of him. Kanji asks God for forgiveness.

46. God shows himself to kanji dressed in a white dhoti and jewelry and tells him,” arre main usi roop mein aaya hoon jo aap log hamesha dekhte ho tv pe calendar pe, filmo mein. Barso se yehi roop mera chalta aa raha hai. Usi roop mein main apke saamne khada hoon.Lekin kanji bhai main aisa hoon nahi!” Insult to Indian ethnic clothes!!

47. Krishna says,”…….. mujhe logon ke phool, Prasad ya chadhawe, candle, chaadar, in sab se dilchaspi nahi hai. Main toh chahta hoon ki, yeh sab cheezein who garibon mein baant de. Mujhe agar lagav (attachment) hai toh unki shraddha se, unke pyar se, unki aastha se.”

48. Krishna shows him what all has happened in the past month when he was incapacitated in hospital. His friend has become a Swami and the other Swamis and politician want to make money off his shrine to recover the settlement cost that they had paid out to the people that had participated in the class action suit against all religious. Liladhar Swami says,” Waise bhi kaafi saalon se market main naya Bhagwan nahi aaya hai”. They conspire to kill him.

49. Kanji decides to go to the temple venue and face the conspirators. He carries a rod on his shoulder. Kanji addresses the crowd there,”……………..ek baat mujhe bataiye, hamari duniya itni sundar hai toh phir bhagwaan sirf mandiron mein hi rahenge? Main kehta hoon sirf yahan se (heart) se maniye. Apne dil se mangiye toh bhagwaan milega……Insaaan mein milega. Aise pattharon mein nahi milega. Aise pattharon mein nahi milega.”…….. He breaks his own idol.

50. When the public wants to attack the Swami’s. Kanji asks the public to let them go back in their expensive cars. He says, among other things”……..aur aaj ke baad inke ashram mein, ya inke dar darwaze pekoi bhi kadam nahi rakhega, samajh gaye. Who hogi inki asli sajaa.”

51. Liladhar Swami while leaving says, “yeh aastha, shraddha afeem ke nashe ki tarah hai kanji. Ek baar lat lag gayi na, aasani se nahi choot-ti. Yeh jo aap log dekh rahe ho na they are not god loving people, they are god fearing people. Aaj nahi to kal yeh Kahin phir se ashram mein na dikh jaayen. Mere bhai baba…..”

52. Kanji tells his friend,”kya Swamiji inke saath nahi jayenge. Chal aaja tod abhi”.

53. Kanji tells the crowd,”tum sab pratigya lo ki koi bhi aadmi kisi bhi dharamsthal ki daan peti mein ek bhi paisa nahi dega”.  He breaks down the donation box.”ab dekh kya rahe ho todo in putlon ko”.

54. They crowd brings down his statue.

55. God disappears but his key chain is on the ground. Kanji picks it up and tries to keep it in his pocket. There is an aakashwani,”kya kar raha hai kanji. Ise tabeej bana ke gale mein mat pehen-na. Badi mushkil se tu-ne logon ko samjhaya hai ki yeh sa galat hai. Phenk ise. Phenk.” Kanji throws the ring away in the sky with a flourish towards the temple.

20 October, 2012

Manish Sisodia received US$ 197,000 from Ford Foundation


Above: Manish Sisodia's NGO Kabir has received US$ 197,000 from Ford Foundation. Right-click and 'save link as' for large size image. Source

18 October, 2012

Rahul Gandhi & Robert Vadra - Land Registry & Mutation papers



Above: Rahul Gandhi & Robert Vadra - Land Registry & Mutation copies. Source: Om Prakash Chautala, INLD

13 October, 2012

Sri Sri speaks on 'Innocence of Muslims', the Anti-Islam film


Varying Hues Of Human Perception

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Human race is diverse, so too its cultures and belief systems. Though religion is born in a particular race and nation, it has cut across boundaries of race and nationality. Although religion has maintained its own identity, it could not remain immune to the cultural influence of host countries. It is interesting to note that what is considered blasphemy in one religion is considered a matter of pride in another. For example, in Hinduism, playing the role of prophets and saints is considered a privilege. Every year Ram Lila and Krishna Lila are played across India and innumerable people dress themselves up to play the parts of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Hanuman and others. In the Christian tradition as well, Nativity tableaus are performed and watched as a respectful tribute to Jesus. Many actors abstain from personal bad habits for the period of these roles. People even carry big crosses and retrace the steps of Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem to relive the crucifixion themselves. The basic concept is that when you imitate somebody, you imbibe their qualities.

By contrast, in Islam, imitating or playing such a role is considered blasphemy and an insult to the Prophet. In fact, music, sculpture, dance and painting were banned in puritanical Islam.

“The Prophet said that Allah commanded him to destroy all the musical instruments, idols, crosses and all the trappings of ignorance.” Hadith Qudsi 19:5

“Allah Mighty and Majestic sent me as a guidance and mercy to believers and commanded me to do away with musical instruments, flutes, strings….” (Musnad Ahmad & Abu Dawud Tayalisi)

Man cannot be without these expressions of art. Slowly, the influence of Hinduism gave birth to Sufism. Although it was banned in strictly orthodox Islam, music slowly found it way back into society, though the puritans object to this even today.

Interestingly, a parallel of this can be found in the Bhagwad Gita as well.

buddhya visuddhaya yukto
dhrtyatmanam niyamya ca
sabdadin visayams tyaktva
raga-dvesau vyudasya ca
  [Chapter 18, verse 51]

In the above verse and the few following it, Lord Krishna says that a seeker of Divinity should transcend all sensory objects like sound and sight. However, this is a practice for yogis for a period of time and not a lifestyle as such. While Hinduism, on the one hand, encourages music by calling it Naada Brahmn, on the other hand, it says that one has to transcend sound to reach Para Brahmn, the Ultimate Reality. These opposite values in Hinduism gave it a broad spectrum and they bring in a lot of tolerance.

While criticising, mimicking or accusing a politician is legal in some countries, in some others, it is an offence. The west takes pride in freedom of speech and allows people to express extreme opinions. However, in other places, such expressions can be an emotional assault on the sentiments of people. The outrage and violence that we saw recently says it all. What is appalling is that in the protests against the film Innocence Of Muslims, a large number of innocent muslims were killed.

In the end, it is we who attach meaning to an expression. Somewhere those who are very sensitive seem to lack sensibility and somewhere else people who are very sensible seem to lack sensitivity. What is needed is the perfect balance between sensitivity and sensibility in today's globalised society.

07 October, 2012

Teesta Setalvad received funds from HIVOS, Netherlands


Dutch fund Gujarat slander mills

Daily Pioneer, October 7, 2012

NGOs belonging to Teesta Setalvad, Shabnam Hashmi among recipients of Netherlands’ fund.

A Netherlands-based nongovernmental organisation is pumping in huge money in Gujarat-based NGOs and those from outside the State engaged mostly in Gujarat riots-related propaganda and litigation activities.

Humanistic Institute for Co-Operation with the Developing Countries (HIVOS) has given more than 13 lakh Euros (approximately `9.25 crore) to various NGOs in Gujarat between April 2008 and August 2012. The prominent among them are: DISHA (2,24,000 Euros), GKVP (2,07,000 Euros), SAFAR (1,84,000 Euros), MAHITI (1,04,000 Euros), SWATI (85,000 Euros), and UTHAN (63,000 Euros). DISHA belongs to Congress MP Madhusudan Mistry from Gujarat.

HIVOS has also funded various NGOs in Mumbai and Delhi. Mumbai-based Citizens for Justice & Peace (CJP), run by Teesta Setalvad, has got 10,000 Euros, and Delhi-based ANHAD, run by Shabnam Hashmi, 4,000 Euros. Both these NGOs are vehemently against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Shabnam Hashmi’s ANHAD got the 4,000 Euros for propagating democratic Rights & Freedom of expressions through dance, poetry and musical evenings in Gujarat. HIVOS has claimed that it “does not fund individuals”. However, a payment of `54,000 has been given to Mihir Desai directly in his name. Desai is the counsel of Setalvad and represents her in various courts.

In fact, in its agreement (dated 16/11/09), signed with CJP for the project “Documentation & Dissemination”, HIVOS has categorically mentioned that “the name and logo of HIVOS should be mentioned in all printed material, websites and publicity related to the project”.

The agreement was signed by Javed Anand, Setalvad’s husband, on behalf of CJP. Interestingly, the agreement has a very strange clause which states: “In principle, HIVOS requires the account to be held in the name of organisation with which the contract has been concluded. With mutual consent an exception may be and a different payee agreed upon.”

Moreover, although the project was titled “Documentation & Dissemination”, in the budget summary, more than 50% amount was earmarked for “fortnightly meetings/workshops in Gujarat, travel expenses of CJP secretary and establishment expenses at Ahmedabad”. This, sources said, indicates to HIVOS funding CJP for Gujarat-riots related issues.

The HIVOS has also routed funds through a Bangalore based Centre for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS) for its pluralism programme focusing on two core themes: Human Rights, Pluralism and Rethinking the Secular State; and Faith and Diversity.

Under Human Rights, Pluralism and Rethinking the Secular State, the theme is “emerging challenges and dilemmas before human rights and secular interventions of civil society groups in countering the rapidly growing Hindutva majority fundamentalists and its various manifestations such as communalism and communal violence. Initiatives here include studies into the role of civil society in post-2002 Gujarat violence.”

Under Faith and Diversity, the theme is “(a) mapping of how questions of caste, class and gender are influencing transformation processes within Muslim identity formations in India. (b) What kind of civic spaces are emerging within the Muslim community in addressing the challenges posed by communal violence and demands of everyday peace and co-existence?”

The sustained interest shown by the HIVOS in Gujarat riots is evident from the fact that it has uploaded as many as 62 articles/reports on riot-related issues on its web portal.

The Netherlands-based NGO’s intentions in pumping in large funds in such NGOs and its interest in the various studies of Gujarat violence thus surely raise eyebrows.

Source: Daily Pioneer

Also View: Evidence Against Teesta Setalvad 

06 October, 2012

Priyanka Gandhi's close ties with Coal Scam beneficiaries

According to Tehelka, the promoters of Dainik Bhaskar have a mining lease for 91.6 million tonnes of coal reserves in Raigarh district. The company was allocated the block by the Coal ministry on the Chhattisgarh government’s recommendation.

Dainik Bhaskar also runs Sanskaar Valley School in Bhopal which was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi (Screenshot 1). Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is on its Governing board (Screenshot 2).


Above: Screenshot 1 / Right-click and 'save link as' for large size image


Above: Screenshot 2 / Right-click and 'save link as' for large size image