Black spot on Gentleman game

Spot fixing scandal involving six top Pakistani cricket players, including the captain as revealed by a British Tabloid is not only the black spot on Pak Cricket but also on the gentleman game of cricket. It must be washed off as soon as possible because this misdeed of match-fixing first broke in late 99s.Though the match fixing incident is not new in Pakistan cricket since this black deed took place at the end of nineties in 1999 and has been recurring time again as players accused of it let off charges or the trial process becomes very lengthy by the accused players are on the edge of retirement, spot fixing scandal must be dealt with immediately and during it probe the accused should be banned from the game of cricket.In late nineties, when the match-fixing scandal first broke out, the government’s accountability had investigated into the allegations of some of its players being involved in match fixing after Pakistan lost the 1999 World Cup final to Australia also at Lords. But, after a lengthy investigation the government did not take any action against any player. Action was also only taken against a few players after an 18-months judicial inquiry into the allegations between 1998 and 2000 by a former Lahore High Court judge on the recommendations of the board. Cash exceeding their daily allowance was recovered from the hotel rooms of the Pakistani cricketers implicated in the “spot fixing” scandal during a raid conducted by the Scotland Yard in London. Pakistan Cricket Spot fixing scandal has downed the nation's head in shame because of the black acts of their cricket players. Sending immediately to London FIA (Federal Investigation Agency), Pak shows its seriousness to probe the charges of spot fixing independently. Primarily, to probe the spot fixing charges against Pakistani players is the responsibility of International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption cell and Pakistan Cricket Board. BCCI has rightly washed its hands off the scandal involving top six Pakistani players. But the ICC and Pakistan Cricket Board must take stringent action against the guilty players of spot fixing whose misdeeds have blackened the image of the game of gentlement. And the process of inquiry into charges of match-fixing must be fast and if they were proved true all accused players must be banned from the international and domestic matches for life -time. As the alleged bookied named Mazhar Majid has disclosed that Pakistan cricket players have a little interest in the game of cricket and more in money, food and women, they must be immediately banned. The question here arises what step Pakistani Cricket Board has been doing all these 11 years that there occured fixing scandal time and again. Why did it not take any stringent measures against corruption in the gentleman game and left grow it continuously. If National and international sports persons irrespective of any nation indulge in this type of corruption, they must be treated as anti-national and they should be trialed as such immediately after imposing life-time ban on their participation in any international and domestic matches.

China’s aggressive acts

Aggressive posturings of China is should not be new to us. It only requires befitting reply from Indian side as it has refused permission to one of the senior Nothern Commander Lt. General B S Jashwal to visit China for talks regarding defence exchanges between the two countries. China has denied visa to General Jashwal on the ground that he was the Commander General of Nothern Command under which the state of Jammu and Kashmir existed, which it considers a disputed territory. This reason behind denying the visa to Jashwal has hurt deeply the sensitivity of India. China must respect the sensivity of India because only then the bilateral relations between the two Asian Giants can continue smoothly. Both must consider mutual concerns.The visit by a General rank officer to China is part of defence exchanges that was agreed upon between the two countries during the annual defence dialogue.The visit was fixed for July, but it was not decided at that time as to who will be sent by India.According to Ministry sources, New Delhi has kept in abeyance permission to two Chinese defence officials to come to India for undertaking a course at the National Defence College.China also denies visa to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and if ever gives, it gives the stampled visa. Because it considers the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir as no man’s land and a disputed one. Now enough is enough. If China considers Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir as disputed territory, India too should raise the forcible occupation of Tibet by China. If China does not know how to respect the sensivity of India, there is nothing wrong on the part of India to treat it in the same way.China speaks in the language of Pakistan. While the world has already recognised Jammu and Kashmir as the inalienable part of India, only Pakistan claims the territory as desputed one and it gets Chinese support. That is why China must be replied in the same coin, though bilateral relations between the two countries must not be disturbed in haste. Not only this time, all the hostile neighbours and countries of India are good friends of China. What does this reflects?. This only reflects that China considers India as its only formidable rival in emerging as another super power equal to the US in the world. That is why it always tries to entangle in Asia.Union Defence Minister has rightly said that it is not the question of breaking defence ties with China. We have close ties with China though there could be some problems occasionally. But, Mr. Minister, that does not mean that we always suffer humilation at the hands of China and sit silent over China's aggressive behaviours. China always supports and eggs Pakistan to create trouble in India by sponsoring cross border terrorism and it itself always tries to create disturbances on Indian border adjacent to it. China has also great hand in making Pakistan equipped with nuclear weapons and also main culprit of proliferation of nuclear weapons through Pakistan. And it must be taken seriously by the world powers.

India must stand up to US pressure

Though India has made its stand clear on Dow Chemicals, the reported E-mail by US Deputy Nation Security Advisor to the planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia that India go slow on Dow Chemicals or handle the noise over the issue, otherwise it would have implications on investment relationship. It is nothing but US bullying tactics and its discriminatory behaviors towards Asian countries under the influence US Multi-National Corporations. India must stand to US bullying act and make it understand that India is the largest democracy of more than 1 billion people and emerging global economic power. India under any circumstances would establish relationship be being subservient.Neither it is dependent on US nor is it at its mercy. After the nuclear explosion in 1998, several western powers slapped sanctions against India and it faced them bodly and continued to go forward on the path of progress without any hindrance. How dared the rank of US Deputy National Security Advisor, the rank of minister state , emailed to the rank of Union Minister of India Deputy Planning Commission Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwaliamade filled with veiled threat of economic implications if it dealt with Dow Chemicals tough, which purchased Union Carbide Bhopal involed in one of the worst induatrial disasters the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. India must make its stand clear before the nation as well the world, including the US that it will act according to the law of its stand. Whoever whether it is US Multi- National Dow Chemicals on behalf of the Union Cabide Bhopal or any other persons or organisations would not be spared. India also made its stand clear on Dow Chemicals in the Lower House after news reports said that the government was facing pressure from the US to go soft on the US multinational. The reports had it that US Deputy National Security Advisor Micheal Froman sought to link US investment in India to the latter’s stand on Dow Chemicals. According to the Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals, India has no plan to ban Dow Chemicals in the country while the due process of law will be followed in fixing civil and criminal liabilities of the firm in the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster. The tragic night on Dec 2-3, 1984, at least 3,500 people died instantly and many hundreds later after a deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal. Union Carbide was subsequently acquired by Dow Chemicals. The government of India must seek expeditious fixation of Dow Chemicals’ liabilities in the disaster from the Jabalpur bench of the MP HC , which is hearing since 2004 a public interest lawsuit on the issue of environmental remediation of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant site. The cruelty of the US is reflected in its action that when British Oil Giant BP spilled in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the loss of lives and property and pollution, it straight made it to pay for compesation. But when its own Multi-National Corporation caused one of the worst industrial disaster, it pleads for it. India stand up to US bullying tactics and tell it the guilty will be sternlu punished, no matter it is US Multi-National or citizen.

Train robbery- A routine affair in Bihar

The train robbery is not new in Bihar. It takes place there on a routine basis and mostly go unreported. The Ministry of Railways and Bihar Government are well aware of it. In the given situation, the safety of rail passengers is a great cause of concern. To give safety to the rail passengers is the primary responsibility of Railway Ministry. But at the same time, the state through which the train passes and if the robbery takes place within the periphery of that state, the government in place there can also not escape the responsibility of protecting the passengers. Train dacoity is a matter of law and order that comes under the state subject. On protecting rail passengers, the Bihar government has also completely failed. What more ridiculous can there be on the part of Railways than providing the unarmed Railway Protection Force, numbering only five in the train Lal Quila in which the dacaoity was committed at the station infested with naxalites? A large group of armed robbers struck the Sealdah-New Delhi Lal Quila Express , fired at GRP personnel, assaulted passengers and looted them a halt in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district, leaving 21 people, including a jawan, injured. To become enraged over the incident is natural. Passengers, mostly kanwarias (devotees of Lord Shiva), shouted slogans and ransacked the office of the station master in Kiul.Around 35 robbers had boarded the train at Jamui station and walked into AC and sleeper coaches of the train and started looting cash and valuables, including jewellery and mobile phones worth Rs 2.50 lakh, from the passengers.As the unarmed GRP personnel resisted them, they opened fire critically wounding one of them.Passengers travelling on the reserved berths, besides the kanwariyas were assaulted by the robbers with butts of pistols and rifles when they refused to part with their belongings. Four robbers had earlier boarded the train at Jamui railway station, but passengers and the jawans overpowered them and caught two of them.The other two who managed to escape, alerted their accomplices and the robbery took place at the next halt. This is the sheer negligence of the Railway ministry. There are 275 trains that need security in Bihar, only 15 per cent are patrolled by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the rest by the Bihar Police.Railway ministry must wake-up

Reach out to Kashmiris

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah must reach out to the common Kashmiris to know about the ground reality. Kashmir Valley has been in the throes of violence for weeks. It is burning and violent street protests have become the order of the day. The situation in the Valley is vicious and CM's lack of experience , his hesitation to mix with the common Kashmiris have made it worse.CM must take hardline and moderate Hurriyat leaders and all the political parties of all hues on board for the benefit of common Kashmiris. Kashmiri youths are on the streets and their protests have become so violent that the security forces had to resort to firing in recent weeks several times, resulting in the death of 47 innocent Kashmiris. CM's reaching out to the jailed hardline Hurriyat faction leader Syed Ali Shah Gilani has yielded good result. Gilani was released from the jail and in the press conference that he addressed at his residence in Srinagar, he has disapproved violence in the Valley for the first time. Though he is considered to be the key leader in misguiding and misleading Kashmiri youths and instigating them to adopt the path of violence against the Indian state, his sudden change of heart is heartening. Because for the first time, he has asked his followers not to stage violent protests as violence hurts the interest of Kashmiri movement only. J & K CM must also reach out to other separatist and secessionist leaders to persuade them to shun violence and sit at the table to solve the problems facing the Kashmiri youths through talks. Both the Centre and state mobilise all shades of opinion in Kashmir and discuss with them to solve the problems whatever they are facing. It is good that in the time of crisis in Kashmir, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has discussed Kashmir situation with BJP Parliamentary Party Chairman and the senior most leader L K Advani.By sending out a message to protestors in Kashmir, Home Minister P Chidambaram has rightly asserted that mindless violence would not lead to any solution and promised to reactivate a dialogue to address grievances once normalcy is restored in the Valley.First and foremost task before the state and Central government is to stop violence immediately through whatever means it is possible. The situation is getting worse and worse with the exodus of non-Kashmiris has reportedly started from the Valley. There may be serious ramifications of the development evolving in other parts of the nation. After normalising the situation and bringing back the strife-torn state on track, political leadership both in the state and at the Centre must take all political entities whether they are separatists or secessionists into confidence to move forward on the path of peace and development in the state. Alongwith actively considering a number of political and administrative measures to help restore normalcy in J & K, CM Omar Abdullah immediately starts dialogue with all section of political parties as problems in the Valley will only be solved politically where every political entity could feel that it is also the part and parcel of Indian Union.Centre only requires to give full support in every areas to the state government to bring back normalcy in the Valley without any loss of time.

Kashmir violence must stop

Strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing disturbance and violence since the Shopian rape and murder incident. Disappreance and murder of teen-aged boys make the situation more serious, that give the secessionist and separatist elements under the tutelege of Pakistan a free hand to fish in troubled water. The number of deaths has risen to 15 in the last three month. This number is the biggest in the last decades. Valley boils and requires immediate attention of national and state leadership to evolve political unanimity to abhor violence. The state political parties are vertically divided on the issue how to restore peace and development. Omar-led state government appears to be helpless. There is complete lack of political activities to lessen the prevailing tension. Only using force to throttle the voice of dissent can not solve the problem. Hurriyat, its various factions and the other separatist elements have got a golden opportunity with total backing of Pakistan to create disturbances and anarchy in the Valley. In the prevailing situation, the Centre and the state governments immediately act together to put a stop to any more killings and start vigorously political initiatives, taking all shades opinions in confidence in the state and make out a concrete plan of action to create jobs for the unemployed and frustrated youths. As Kashmir Valley witnesses a fresh spurt in violence, the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken stock of the situation. This is the second time in less than a month the CCS has met to discuss the situation in Kashmir where a renewed wave of unrest, and when violence appeared to be ebbing—has led to death of nine people in three days in alleged police firing.The CCS, while taking stock of the situation, also rightly discussed the proposal of state Chief Minister Omar Abduallah for beginning an internal dialogue with all shades of opinion.The state Government had also sent a request for a policy to rehabilitate former militants who had served their jail sentence and were unemployed besides a comprehensive policy for those youths who were willing to return from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.It may be mentioned that intelligence agencies had been reporting that the majority of stone pelters have been those who have been former militants at present unemployed.Jammu &Kashmir Chief Minister has met and discussed with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and CCS members on the deteriorating situation in the state. CM has demanded political package and more security personnel to restore normalcy in the state. Both Centre state governments must act together to restore normalcy in J & K immediately. After that they must show strong political will to talk with all shades of opinion in the state.