Pray for brave Hanamanthappa's speedy recovery

Nation prays for its brave son Hanamanthappa's speedy recovery. It is his bravery that he snatched life from the claws of death. The guts, grit, determination, courage and zeal to fight against all odds in the service of the nation have helped Lance Naik Hanaman-thappa survive the Avalanche at 2000 ft high on Siachen glacier after being put under 35 ft of snow at the day temperature of minus 30 degrees Celsius and night below minus 55 degrees. He was under the 30-35ft snow for five days. It is miracle that he survived after being hit by avalanche of this magnitude. There were 10 army men along with Hanamanthappa who were hit by the avalanche and immediately put under 35 ft of snow at Siachen glacier. All but Hanamathappa died. Siachen is not only India's but also the world's most difficult terrain where the brave Jawans and officers of Indian army at the cost of their lives keep the national flying. In the most inclement weather condition where all around only the snow cover is seen, it is not possible for the general people to face the cold of this type as prevails on Siachen. The weather is so inclement and adverse for habitation that more than thousand Army personnel, including 33 officers have died on duty so far there due to the prevailing adverse weather condition. Siachen is a large tract of hilly terrain covered with snow at the height of 2000ft. It was lying unclaimed before 1984, but it was very important strategically for India from security point of view. First, Siachen attracted the attention of Pak Army General Zia-ur-Rahman of Pakistan. Realizing the bone melting cold condition at Siachen, he ordered for the purchase of uniform from European country to be worn by his soldiers. When India got scent of it, alarm bell rang in the government establishment and it was decided to depute the personnel of Indian army at Siachen to keep it under its control at all costs. Since then it is in India's possession and the Indian army keeps constant vigil on Siachen glacier to thwart any attempt of the hostile neighbours to grab it. Siachen is highly important for the security reasons for the nation. That is why despite the excessively cold environment on it, army personnel deputed their never distract their attention even for a second. They are deputed there at Siachen glacier in rotation. One regiment of the army is given three months of patrolling. The condition of Lance Naik Hanaman-thappa continues to remain very critical and he is still ventilator dependent. But the valiant effort that he made to defeat even the death is not only praise worthy but also memorable for others. The entire nation prays for the speedy recovery of its brave son. Hananmanthappa’s rigorous training strengthened him so much so that he acclimatized himself to the most adverse weather condition for five days under 35ft snow. It was the god sent air bag that kept him alive. Hanamanthappa was also a Yoga trainer for the jawans of his regiment. He had demonstrated and provided Yoga training at Siachen glacier on the international Yoga Day. It is the grace of almighty God that Hanamathappa was found alive even after being stuck under 35 ft of snow for days. He is undergoing treatment at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi. All of us wish him get well speedily.

Reservation is nothing, but a political weapon

Reservation has been used in our country as an instrument of politics by the political parties. They have supported caste-based reservation for nothing but to create a vote bank for themselves. They have no concern for their development. If they were concerned, they would have spoken of economic criterion as basis for reservation. The main motive of reservation is to strengthen the people economically. That is why whoever is economically weak must be given reservation in govt. job. Almost all political parties except the Left have used the issue of reservation as an instrument of politics whenever they got opportunity. Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had promised the Kapu community to include it in backward caste category, but he failed to deliver. That is why the people of Kapu community protested violently to demand for their inclusion in backward caste category. Before this, Jat and Gujjar castes have already launched agitation for their inclusion in backward caste category to avail the benefit of reservation in government job and admission in all educational institutions. No political party in the country has so far opposed the agitation for reservation by the people of any caste and community. Neither any political party has opposed it nor advocated for reservation to be based only on the weak economic position of the people. The caste has been accepted as the sole criterion of reservation in our Constitution since it was implemented. There is also a constitutional provision to make appraisal of reservation provided to weaker section (SC/ST), socially and educationally backward castes every ten years. But since it was brought into force, no appraisal has been made as yet. Reservation was granted originally to SC/ST to bring them on equal footing with the people of upper strata of society. They were considered for reservation because they were economically weak, socially and educationally backward. But it has never been known whether reservation has benefited them on the ground or not. The ground reality of reservation is that the people among the reserved category who really deserves did not get it because of poverty. They could not go to school, college or university because of poverty. Without having educational qualification, it was impossible for them to get reservation. Instead, the rich among the reserved categories have availed all its benefits. In this way the people for whom reservation was introduced remained deprived of its benefit in society. So, the poor among them became poorer and the rich became richer. The reservation did not serve any purpose. If the criterion of reservation had been economic, the rich among any section or caste of the society could be excluded automatically. Whoever is poor irrespective of caste, creed and community deserves reservation. It is not that only SC/STs or OBCs are economically weak, socially and educationally backward but also the majority of upper castes is economically weak. Economic backwardness is the biggest bane. And unemployment is its main cause. Weaker section among upper caste also needs reservation in govt. job and for admission in educational institutions as much as SC/ST or OBCs do. It is no matter whether the people are from upper or backward caste if they are economically weak, they must be granted reservation.

Don't crush opposition voice in democracy

The police brutality on JNU students, who had gathered outside the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) office in Delhi to demand justice for Rohith Vemula, caught on camera and played on all the TV news channels has shocked the nation. Rohith Vemula was a Dalit scholar of Hyderabad University, who committed suicide because of the alleged caste discrimination there. Delhi police personnel charged lathis on the innocent and unarmed students-boys and girls- mercilessly. It appears as if it were a police raj. All the norms of democracy have flouted openly. Govt. is bent on stifling the voice of student with their police force. Delhi police is under the direct control and command of the BJP-led Narendra Modi-led NDA govt. at the Centre. So, it may be possible that Delhi police would have acted one-sided against the protesting students at the behest of Central govt. But it is a matter of investigation to know what the truth is. It is necessary for the police to know that protesting, opposing and demonstrating are the most important ingredients of democracy. These are the essence of democracy. All have right to protest. To protest, oppose and demonstrate is the essence of democracy. Without the voice of opposition, the democracy is meaningless. It is in no way justifiable for the police to act in such an inhumanly way as they did with the protesting students in national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to intervene immediately to douse the fire that is smoldering against his government in the form of student agitation. Police personnel are there to ensure that no law and order problem could arise. The main duty of the police is to protect and serve the people. Police personnel deputed outside the RSS office to ensure that students' protest passes off peacefully. Central govt. is required to set up an enquiry commission to go into the details of the circumstances leading to brutal police lathi charge. The protesting students were not creating any law and order problem for the police that they became so enraged to beat them mercilessly. The video of lathi charge shared by students shows how mercilessly they were beaten by the police. No lady police was there; and even the girls students were beaten by the male police without any compunction. It was not only police personnel but there were some others in plain clothe who too beat the students along with police. As the students were protesting outside the RSS office, there may be the people from inside who would be there to beat them. It is duty of the police to investigate who these plain-clothed people were. Undoubtedly, the students were protesting against the alleged highhandedness and involvement of some BJP leaders and ministers in vitiating the atmosphere inside the Hyderabad University that led Rohith Vemula to commit suicide. RSS is also directly or indirectly has link with the ruling BJP at the Centre. BJP student wing ABVP had allegedly played a role in promoting caste bias and discrimination with full support from the University authorities on the campus. Delhi Police has received two summonses by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and another from the office of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung. While the women’s panel summoned police commissioner BS Bassi for not submitting data on crimes against women in the Capital, Jung’s office asked the department to explain the manhandling of students protesting the alleged suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula by its personnel.

Gloomy scenario all around us

The gloomy scenario prevails in every area of concern in the country. Whether it is economy, social, political, educational or terror issue, there is despondency everywhere. The mood of the people is not upbeat. Despondency and disillusionment prevail all around us. The economic slowdown prevails all over the world. Apart from American economy, China is passing from severe economic slowdown, which affects and contributes to the downturn in the economy of most of the countries. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, who is in Washington to take part in Davos Economic Forum meeting, has also said that India can not be untouched by the worldwide economic scenario. Due to the downturn in Chinese economy, export of several countries has been badly affected. The sharp fall in the price of crude oil may cause the economic slowdown world over. The value of rupee has fallen to an all time low 68 against a dollar. The countries, which were exporting to feed the industries in China, are faced economic crunch. Industrial output in India is also falling. Creation of job has come to a standstill. Farmers still continue to commit suicide because of the increasing burden of loans from the money lenders on them. The price of essential commodities, including food items, is sky-rocketing. It is breaking the back of the poor. Caste and community violence is growing without any check. Terrorist violence has also increased. In addition to all that, agricultural prospects in the country are also not very bright. So, we feel gloomy scenario all around us. Despite India being the fastest growing economy, its benefit is not filtered down to ground level. Because of this, the gulf between the rich and the poor has been widening day by day. People have not felt any relaxation in any field even after the Narendra Modi govt. came to power with strong majority. They are still disillusioned with the government in the same measure as they were during the previous regime. It has also been experienced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps silent on the burning issue or important incident of the day. The indifferent approach adopted by PM Modi to the day to day activities in the nation has also disillusioned the people with his govt. in a very short span of time. The people, especially, the youth of the country had high expectation from the Narendra Modi govt. The unemployment among youth is rising very sharply and no activity of job creating effort is being made by the govt. Foreign investment is not coming on large scale. Industries and factories are not set-up all over the country to bolster up our economy. There is no bright spot in the country. The poor are getting poorer and the rich are becoming richer.

Confusion over Masood's arrest and FS level talk

The confusion still persists on the foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan , which was scheduled to be held on Jan 15 in Islamabad and the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammad Chief Masood Azhar in Pak in the light of attack on Pathankot air base after the evidence was submitted by India about his being its mastermind . According to the Pak media report JeM Chief Masood Azhar, his brother Mohammad Rouf and ten other militants of the outfit apprehended for their involvement in Pathankot air base attack, though it is yet to be confirmed by Pak govt. Though the govt. of India spoke in different voices, the ministry of foreign affairs issued statement saying clearly that to start the foreign secretary level talks, Pakistan has to take decisive and prompt action against all those who are involved in the Pathankot attack and their handlers , who operated from its soil. It also appears altogether baffling that despite the arrest of Masood Azjhar and 10 others and sealing of his outfits in different cities of Pakistan, no confirmation has been given to India. Pakistan media are circulating the news of arrest, but govt. is silent on it. Now it appears clear that the foreign secretary level talk, where was to be held on Jan 15, is to be deferred and it would be rescheduled later. The prompt and sincere action shown by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif against India's most wanted terrorist based in Pakistan for masterminding the Pathankot air base attack itself reflects the working of international pressure on Pak to act against the perpetrators of Pathankot attack. It also goes to the credit of Sharif that he brought Army and ISI Chiefs on the same page against the militants involved in the attack. The developing atmosphere all around the world is against terrorism. The international pressure, especially of America, is on Pakistan to act against the militants and their handlers operating from its soil in the attack on Pathankot air base. This is also not for the first time that Masood Azhar has been detained. After the attack on Parliament in 2001, he was also taken into custody, though the case against him did not stand in law court and he was freed very quickly. Ajhar Masood was first arrested in 1994 in Jammu and Kashmir, but had to be released from jail in 1998 in exchange for the freedom of the passengers of IC 814, which was hijacked from Kathmandu and taken to Kandhar in Afghanistan. So, it is difficult for India to have faith in the Pak media report that Masood Azhar was arrested. And it is because of the confusion that India with mutual consent reportedly decided to reschedule the foreign secretary level talk. The foreign office has said that India and Pakistan are in contact to decide on the dates for the meeting of the two foreign secretaries. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the spokesperson of Pakistan's foreign ministry said this issue was discussed in a high level meet. Refusing to confirm the arrest of Maulana Masood Azhar, Pakistan Foreign office spokesperson also said that he was not aware of the arrest of the leader of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.A series of meetings were held between Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar in New Delhi late on Wednesday evening. These discussions will be taken forward, and official word is expected later today after National security advisor Ajit Doval and other senior officials brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the developments so far.The briefing is expected at around 4 pm.

Tighten noose around criminals' neck

With the third consecutive victory in assembly elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has established his stamp of approval of his good governance in the state. His JD (U) may not have emerged as the largest political party in state or among the Mahagathbandhan, but one thing was crystal clear that it was his face that the grand alliance romp home with massive mandate. Not among the grand alliance, but also in the state across the political party matched his stature and track record as the CM of Bihar especially so far as the development of the state is concerned. The people of Bihar reposed faith in him to provide good governance in the state. He is also known as providing good and clean govt. to the state. Although Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal may have emerged as the largest political party after the result of the assembly elections in the state, it was Nitish Kumar who was in forefront that people voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Nitish Kumar led Mahagathbandhan of JD(U), RJD and Congress in the state. But it was apprehended that if the grand alliance won with major share by Lalu's RJD, he would like to play a dominating role in the Nitish Kumar govt. It was also expected that in the scenario of Maha agathbandhan coming to power with dominating role of RJD, the Jungle Raj might revisit. With the spurt in crimes in the state in the new regime of Nitish Kumar, a fear is noticed among the people of criminals and extortionists. The way two engineers have been reportedly killed by gangsters in Darbhanga has sent shock waves throughout the state. The reports are also pouring in from all over the state that extortion rackets have resurfaced and started flourishing all around. Undoubtedly, CM Nitish Kumar is a man of action and he acted to bring the perpetrators of crime in the state to book. He must act against criminals, mafia and anti-social elements with heavy hands to give the message in the state that rule of law has to be in place immediately and at all costs. Law and order and all round development have been the hallmark of Nitish Govt. in the state. So, he must act tough against all those who break the law irrespective of their political affiliations to be up to his reputation. There was total collapse of law and order in the 15 years of Lalu-Rabri duo regime, and it is Nitish Kumar who had brought the state on track. So, CM Nitish Kumar must stand to his reputation. If law and order deteriorates, there would neither be any investment nor any development in the state. He must enforce law and order to carry forward the unfinished task for the development of Bihar. The people of Bihar have expectation from Nitish Kumar. And he has to deliver the promises made to the people. It is Nitish Kumar who has a brought about an awakening among the girls that they were in no way inferior to boys in any respect.

Challenge to peace

Talk and terror can not go together. But talk is inevitable to deal with terror. The attack on Pathankot air base by JeM militants after a week of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise landing in Lahore to wish his Pak counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday as overture of friendship has shocked India. The number of casualties on Indian side in Pathankot gun battle between Pak-sent militants and Indian security guards is yet to be finally known. It is not the first time that the Pak-based militants attacked Indian establishments before the beginning of a peace process. The Pathankot air base attack was also reportedly expected. But Indian security establishments failed to thwart it. The kidnapping of a high Punjab police official 24 hours before the attack on air base by the JeM militants in military uniform and their telephonic talks, which were intercepted by Indian intelligence agency, with handlers sitting in Pakistan and family were clear indications of what was going to take place. But Indian security and intelligence agencies failed to properly analyze the incident. Despite the alert all around Pathankot, it is very baffling how the extremists infiltrate from across the border and sneaked into the airbase compound, which houses Mig-21, MI-25, 35 and other several warplanes. Their target was to destroy all these war planes, which have capacity to attack deep in Pakistan. The telephonic conversation between the handlers and militants clearly reflected this. It was the valour, bravery, courage, guts and commitment to the nation by all those Indian air force personnel and officers that the militants failed in carrying out their nefarious design on India. We salute all Air Force personnel who sacrificed their lives for the nation. The time has come for India to first make its own preparedness full proof to thwart any attempt of Pak-based militants to attack it. Though it is well known that Pak army, its notorious Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) are opposed to any peace talk with India, our intelligence and security agencies need to be a little more tightened to ensure that no terror attack could be carried against us. The Pathankot air base attack also clearly shows that either the democratically elected Nawaz Sharif is helpless before Army or he himself is not interested in carrying forward any peace process with India. It is also well known that the elected government of Pakistan can not dare defy its Army's dictate as it has not been in favour of peace talks with India since its inception. Pak Army and ISI always promoted, aided and abetted militants to create mayhem in India with full knowledge of the elected govt. So, India should not stop talking with Pakistan but it must make clear to Pak govt. that if it wants peace and friendship with India, it has to act stringently against the militants operating from its soil against us.