Why are we not celebrating the Republic day in the official way ?

Why are we not celebrating the Republic day in the official way ?

After the failure of the Third Round Table Conference, the British government gave the Joint Select Committee the task of formulating the new Act for India.
They created and enforced it as the Government of India Act, 1935, in July 1935.
This act was rejected by the then Congress Party  consisting of Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Bose among other visionaries.  (http://storyofpakistan.com/government-of-india-act-1935/)

Finally, after the freedom of India, this same act, rejected by the then Congress Party was incorporated into the new Constitution of India.

Why was this done ?

Our question is : Why was the Constitution of India based on a barbarian act that was rejected by the Indian fighting for freedom of the country from slavery of the British ?
What have we done to come out of such a set of laws during the last 60+ years ?
What have we done to create new laws matching the changing scenario ?
For example Internet is governed by laws of 19th century, when the world did not have a clue to Internet.
The whole of Cr.PC of India is same that was created by the British (except for a few amendments). Why ? What have our law makers been doing ?

Why is it that we still do not have the Government responsible for providing Education, Jobs, Shelter, Food for a dignified life to all, as its constitutional commitment ? Why are these tasks under a provision that does not bind the government to fulfill these responsibilities ?

Like this, we have many questions and due to that, we are boycotting the celebrations of show today.

• We love our country;
• We love our people;
• We love our world;
• We wish to develop ourselves into a peaceful society that does not discriminate anyone whosoever; a society that considers each one as a human being first and a human being last;
• We treat human being as the highest value in life, instead of money, religion, race, language, gender or anything else;

For us the show on Rajpath has lost meaning, because :

• every 31 minutes a farmer commits suicide in the country ;
• every 30 minutes there is a rape in the country;
• every night millions of children and elders have to sleep on roads/footpaths without shelter, without food, without dignity;
• people still carry human-waste on their heads;
• poverty still exists and is considered normal;
• education is not available to all without conditions, but has become a business to make huge profits for a few rich people;
• health facilities are not available as a right;
• while governments advertises many schemes, people are dying for lack of basic needs of life;

we remember why Gandhi ji had shaved his head and kept it like that with a vow till India changes;

we remember it all and we are determined to change;

• We will change our thought-process, our feelings and our action and we will change our Politics, Our vitiated culture-social life style and everything that causes violence and discrimination in our country.
• We will regain the moral power of India to be the guide for the whole world, leading it to the new levels of Consciousness, towards a Universal Human Nation.
• We are powered by our passion to achieve this and not by the power of chair or of ego.
• We are humble people, supported by the billion hearts and this strength will see us through the bad times, towards the victory over negative actions, through non-violent valid actions.

--  Peace in the heart, light in the understanding... With an affectionate Hug,  Sudhir Gandotra "Working for a Violence-free World" Phone : +91-93124-65666 E-mail: sudhir@sudhirgandotra.org  Join me at : http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24631133774 Visit my blog : http://blog.sudhirgandotra.org/  Change your Life - Change the World - Be a ChangeMaker www.humanistparty.org   - for "Out-of-gutter Politics" www.humanistvoice.in - Voice of the 99% - express yourself www.silo.org.in   - Connect to all Humanist organizations www.silo.net  - Silo's works http://www.youtube.com/user/silosmessagedotnet   -  Silo's Videos "You go deep into yourself,  I go deep into myself and there we meet."

prediction: assassination, "fires", & disruption of production/distribution?

Nowhere is the this discussed as "worthy news" on the major (that is, the "owned, controlled, monopolized, and censoring) television/radio networks or or in their magazine/newspapers... no doubt, due to ongoing orders (aka "filters") by owners all the way through their corp of reality-"producers" to the mouths lip-synching on the "news" stage.

As proved by the manufacture of self-affirming spectacles for the maintaining and evolving of the hegemonious-dominant "social reality", their Spectacle apparatus also manufactures the negative, wherein it hides/cloaks reality which challenges its own[ED].

A hybrid, spectacle includes "suiciding" (appearance-inverted homicide) which stages the overtive-oversive to camouflage the subvertive-subversive.

Examples of the (affirming) former: the Gulf of Tonkin "incident", then swindle of using drones, energy weapons, holograms, media, and the "already-dead" in remote-controlled airplanes to pull off a massive land swindle, attack on the US Constitution, and fencing-in of the American citizenry via 9/11; the orchestrated Sandy Hook "attack" within a CIA-run town by "a kid" whose weapons were issued by the to his CIA-employed parents; the "yet another time-defying episode of the banal Star Wars"-challenging overuse by the CIA of their CIA agent-actor asset, Osama bin Laden, and his ever-"touring band", al-Qaida)....

Examples of the (negating) latter: the failed codependent US-Israeli attack on the USS Liberty as an excuse to invade Egypt during the Johnson-McNamara administration of the uppermost elite's ,"Capital needs"; the "absence" of 100% cancer treatments; the "absence" of hydrogen -powered transportation; the absence of anything remotely healthy in ANY State-run "public health" or "mental health" programs; the absence of "free", "zero-point", tritium-based nuclear; or cold fusion energy system production; the absence of ANY non-hierarchichized human presence in "the News"; the absence of subjectivity, self-consciousness, isocracy, imagination, and generalized self-management ANYwhere within "the Opposition" to the hegemonious-dominant "social reality"....

Okay, as the mileage goes up, so goes down the "overhead" of the petroleum cartel, in that they will merely up-price the 'cost' of a gallon of gas to match the mileage increase reciprocal, backed by the Peak Oil" spectacle in an abiotic universe.

The following is another example of the latter, aka "invisibilization, aka "disappearing", aka "cloaking":

http://www.indiatvnews.com/business/india/peugeot-citroen-unveils-new-hybrid-car-that-runs-on-air-4383.html

Peugeot Citroen unveils new hybrid car that runs on air

Inda TV Auto [ Updated 24 Jan 2013, 15:05:43 ]

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New Delhi, Jan 23: French car giant PSA Peugeot Citroen has  said it will put an air- powered vehicle on the road by 2016. Yes you heard it right – a vehicle that runs on air!

If the claims are to be believed then the car is sure to shave off 45 per cent of your fuel bills. While in towns and cities the amount could be as much as 80 per cent less since the car will be running on air for four-fifths of the time.

Here's how it works: the vehicle has a normal internal combustion engine, special hydraulics and an adapted gearbox along with compressed air cylinders that store and release energy. The system enables the car to run on petrol or air, or a mixture of both. 

The company believes the cars by 2020 could be achieving a mileage of 117 miles a gallon. It says while in a city the car will use the air power which gets automatically activated below 43mph and available for '60 to 80 per cent of the time in city driving'.

Farmers and Farm widows protest on R-Day

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Farmers and Farm widows protest on R-Day

TNN|Jan 26, 2013, 03.13 AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Farmers-protest-on-R-Day/articleshow/18190726.cms

NAGPUR: Even as six more cases ofsuicide by farmerswere reported in the last three days in Vidarbha, hundreds of farmers are expected to join a protest at Maregaon in Yavatmal, the worst-hit district in the state's cotton belt that has borne the brunt of the farm crisis.

The suicide toll has gone up to 20 in the first month of the New Year. According to theVidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti(VJAS) which has been monitoring the farm suicides crisis, the victims were identified as Dipak Awari of Vanojadevi village in Yavatmal, Baliram Bharsakale of Sirsoli in Akola, Namdeo Misar of Doksarandi in Bhandara, Jivan Kodape of Ramgoan and Vinay Kalpande of Masod in Amaravati and Santosh Ganphade of Dhindasi in Chandrapur district.

Maregoan was chosen as the venue for the protest because it was a year ago that a parliamentary committee headed by Basudeb Acharya visited this village to look into causes of the agrarian crisis. "But like many other official inquiry reports that studied the situation of farmers in distress in Vidarbha, the parliamentary report has also failed to move the government," said Kishore Tiwari of VJAS.

"The government has failed to provide food security, health care facility and educational help to distressed farmers and families of deceased farmers. The national commission for farmers (NCF) headed by M S Swaminathan and Narendra Jadhav has made several recommendations in this regard, but were ignored by the government," said Babytai Bais, president of Vidarbha farmer's widows association.

The protest is against the government policy which is completely apathetic to this region while concentrating all attention on the drought situation in five districts of western Maharashtra, she added.

BJP is Political TERMITE Damaging India – Plant FAKE NEWS Everyday

BJP is Political TERMITE Damaging India – Plant FAKE NEWS Everyday

Jauary26, 2013

I always tell my BJP friends that BJP will never Come To Power with 1975 Batch of Incompetent and Unqualified leaders, but instead of Kamraj Plan to retire 1975 batch dead wood as suggested by Yashwant Sinha in 2009 after suffering second defeat in General Elections, BJP Specialize in Planting Fake News, Sabotaging Progress and Creating Grounds for Some Agitation everyday.

Negative Politics creating trouble for People of India and Government shall advance the Fall of BJP. Reading Grocery Purchase List of Pandara Road Market in Lok Sabha or and making Rape Case a national issue shaming India will not result in any political gains when Narendra Modi is seen hugging Mukesh, Anil Ambani and others and refusing to go to see the plight of drought hit farmers.

People are not illiterate anymore – they know BJP Sabotaged Hydro Power, Thermal Power, Nuclear Power, Coal, Telecom, FDI, Aid to Farmers, Improve Earnings of Farmers – Reserve Agro Industries and Food Storage for Farmers, 50% credit to MSMEs, Housing  Finance & Personal Loans, Farmer’s Market, Favored Ambanis and Traders, Middlemen and Moneylenders and are most Corrupt and Incompetent.  In Rs.4 lakh crores RIL Turnover – Refining business accounts for Rs.3,00,000 crores Mostly Export Oriented – Don’t Benefit India all Approved By BJP that also Minimized Corporate Disclosures.

Farm Loan Waiver- A Complicated Scheme

Yesterday BJP Picked up CAG Report on Farm Loan Waivers – which is not yet out that says – 25% of Loan Waivers were given to Farmers who didn’t Qualify and some of the Waivers were given to Micro Finance Companies etc.

Unlike PDS system that has clear class division – Below Poverty Line, Extreme Poor and Above Poverty Line – there is no Defining of clear ownership class for Farmers,  Small, Medium, Large and Very Large Farmers and Land holdings are jointly held by more than one owner in most cases etc.

Scheme was Complicated hence there were ‘Difficulties in Perfect Implementation’ for example it was designed to Favor Poorer States where default rate in any case is very high anyway and this objective was fulfilled– Punjab where default rate is very low received just 1% of Loan Waiver though producing 12% Foodgrains and 8% of Milk in 2008.

BJP-CAG didn’t report any Loan Waiver Going to Non Farmer. So it was FAKE News – I can find 100 Faults in CAG reports as Technical Expert.

·       EASSAR Petroleum alone was given Tax Concessions Rs.9000 crore Illegally by Modi.

·       Essar Hutchh was $12b Loss to India – BJP allowed Hutchh such terms that it sold its holdings outside India and refused to pay Taxes on Income.

FAKE POLITICAL SURVEY

Earlier BJP Planted FAKE Political Survey of NDA returning with over 200 seats. 

BJP’s biggest bet Narendra Modi is in Trouble, some of its Key Allies, JDU alone has over 20 MPs out of 40 non BJP NDA members, who didn’t vote for NDA candidate in Presidential Elections and Contested against BJP in Gujarat State.

BJP is reduced to Three Large States (Two States Actually – BJP Split MP and Bihar in 2000) after split in Karnataka BJP Party – Gujarat, MP, and Chhatisgarh. (Annexure I)

Gujarat Hit By SEVERE Drought- Water Riots

There are very serious cases of Corruption in all these BJP States. Congress came up with Gujarat Manifesto just 15 days before Gujarat elections – and couldn’t Connect With Gujarat Voters.

But SEVERE drought that was not visible in Weak Monsoon months is Raising Is Ugly Head – Saurashtra and Kutchh are facing acute water shortage – water in some towns was not supplied for 20 days. 4000 villages are already SEVERELY AFFECTED. (Annexure – III)

There are already some Water Riots in Gujarat, there are Five Months of Summer Ahead when Modis False Claims and Total Failure of Narmada Projects would be fully exposed.

MP & Chhatisgarh Due for Elections

MP and Chhatisgarh are due for elections later this year along with Delhi. MP BJP government entered in PPA with Reliance at twice the rate than secured by Ministry of Power (Rs.2.45/unit to Rs.1.19/unit). This alone is Rs.4,00,000 crores Scam.

MP in ten years has Leased 6 Million Hectares of Land for Growing Soybean for American Cattle.

In 10 year rule BJP failed to Utilize 18 Million Acre Feet of Narmada Waters allocated to MP – this year alone over 10-20 maf overflowed SSP in to sea.

People in MP, Chhatisgarh, Gujarat are Malnourished – worst in the world

[Madhya Pradesh ranks very low on the Human Development Index value of 0.375 (2011), which is below the national average. According to the India State Hunger Index (2008) compiled by the International Food Policy Research Institute, the malnutrition situation in Madhya Pradesh was "extremely alarming", receiving a severity rating between Ethiopia and Chad. The state ranks is also the worst performer in India, when it comes to female foeticides.]

Gujarat, Chhatisgarh and Bihar are worst in the world on Human Development Index.

BJP is Political TERMITE Damaging India – Plant FAKE NEWS Everyday

BJP is on Verge of Extinction is already an Endangered Specie. 

India need a Well Qualified & Honest and People Friendly Opposition BJP doesn’t fit the criteria.

Ravinder Singh

Inventor and Consultant

Progressindia008@yahoo.com

ANNEXURE – I (NDA)

List of current NDA Chief Ministers

The chief ministers not in bold are not from BJP, but from parties who share power with the BJP in their states-

Raman Singh – Chhattisgarh

Manohar Parrikar – Goa

Narendra Modi – Gujarat

Jagadish Shettar – Karnataka (Lost Majority)

Shivraj Singh Chauhan – Madhya Pradesh

Nitish Kumar - Bihar

Parkash Singh Badal - Punjab

Neiphiu Rio - Nagaland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Alliance_%28India%29

Currently, the parties in and supporting the NDA are:

·       Bharatiya Janata Party (116 MPs)

·       Janata Dal (United) - Bihar (20 MPs)

·       Shiv Sena - Maharashtra (11 MPs)

·       Shiromani Akali Dal - Punjab (4 MPs)

·       Telangana Rashtra Samithi - Andhra Pradesh (2 MPs)

·       Asom Gana Parishad - Assam (1 MP)

·       Nagaland People's Front - Nagaland (1 MP)

·       Uttarakhand Kranti Dal – Uttarakhand

·       Janata Party - Tamil Nadu

·       Jharkhand Mukti Morcha - Jharkhand (Alliance in Jharkhand State with BJP)

·       All Jharkhand Students Union - Jharkhand (Alliance in Jharkhand State with BJP)

·       Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party - Goa (Alliance in Goa State with BJP)

·       Haryana Janhit Congress - Haryana (1 MP)

Parties to have left the NDA alliance:

·       Jammu & Kashmir National Conference - Withdrew in 2002, blaming the BJP for its loss in the Jammu and Kashmir state elections. Omar Abdullah, son of former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, served as a Minister of State for External Affairs.

·       Lok Jan Shakti Party - Withdrew following 2002 Gujarat religious riots, leader

Ram Vilas Paswan, served as the cabinet-level Communications, and later, Coal Minister.

·       Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Joined the Congress Party during 2004 elections.

·       Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Joined the Congress during 2004 elections.

·       All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Joined with Congress Party during 1999 elections; subsequently re-joined alliance during 2004 elections, but did not remain aligned post-defeat. Joined the Third Front before the 2009 elections.

·        Pattali Makkal Katchi - Joined with Congress Party for the 2004 elections.

·       Indian Federal Democratic Party - Its leader, P.C. Thomas, was a minister in the Vajpayee government and the only member of parliament in the alliance from Kerala. Following the 2004 election, he merged his party with the Kerala Congress, which is aligned with the Left.

·       Trinamool Congress - West Bengal - Withdrew from the alliance at the end of 2007. Joined the Congress party before the 2009 elections.

·       Biju Janata Dal - Orissa - Left the alliance just over a month before the 2009 elections.

·       Indian National Lok Dal-Left due to seat sharing disagreements during Haryana assembly elections 2009.

·       Rashtriya Lok Dal led by Ajit Singh - Uttar Pradesh has allied with Congress for 2012 UP assembly elections.

·       Telugu Desam Party - In the monsoon session of parliament of 2005, the TDP decided not to continue as part of an NDA boycott of parliament. Speculation of an end to the NDA-TDP relationship was confirmed in August of that year, when the BJP and TDP contested local elections in Andhra Pradesh on their own. The TDP was the founding member of the Third Front in 2009.

ANNEXURE – II (TERMITES)

http://insects.about.com/od/termites/a/10-Cool-Facts-About-Termites.htm

10 Cool Facts About Termites

Interesting Behaviors and Traits of Termites

Termites have been munching away on wood for millions of years. From the African termites that build mounds taller than men, to the subterranean species destroying people's homes, the social termites are fascinating creatures to study. Learn more about these decomposers with the 10 cool facts about termites.

1. While they can be pests to homeowners, termites are actually beneficial insects, ecologically speaking.

Termites are actually important decomposers. Termites break down tough plant fibers, recycling dead and decaying trees into new soil. These hungry insects are vital to the health of our forests. As they tunnel, termites also aerate and improve the soil. It just so happens that we build our homes from termite food – wood.

2. Termites digest cellulose with the help of microorganisms in their guts.
Termites feed on plants directly or on fungus growing on decaying plant material. In either case, they must be able to digest tough plant fibers, or cellulose. The termite gut is loaded with microorganisms capable of breaking down cellulose. This symbiosis benefits both the termites and the microorganisms living within their insect hosts. The termites house the bacteria and protozoa, and harvest the wood. In return, the microorganisms digest the cellulose for the termites.

3. Termites feed on each other's feces.
Termites aren't born with all that bacteria in their gut. Before they can start the hard work of eating trees, termites must obtain a supply of microorganisms for their digestive tracts. They engage in a practice known as trophallaxis, or, in less scientific terms, they eat each other's poop. Termites must also resupply themselves after they molt, so poop eating is a big part of life in the termite mound.

4. Termites lived 130 million years ago, and descended from a cockroach-like ancestor.
Termites, cockroaches, and mantids all share a common ancestor in an insect that crawled the Earth about 300 million years ago. The fossil record's earliest termite specimen dates back to the Cretaceous period. A termite holds the record for the oldest example of mutualism between organisms, too. A 100-million-year old termite with a ruptured abdomen was encased in amber, along with the protozoans that lived in its gut.

5. Termite fathers help raise their young.
You won't find deadbeat dads in the termite mound. Unlike in bee colonies, where males are short-lived and die soon after mating, the termite kings stick around. After their nuptial flight, the termite king stays with his queen, fertilizing her eggs as needed. He also shares parental duties with the queen, helping her feed their young predigested food.

6. Termite workers and soldiers are almost always blind.

In almost all species, both the workers and soldiers in a given termite colony are blind. Since these industrious individuals spend their lives in the confines of the dark, damp nest, they have no need to develop functional eyes. Reproductive termites are the only termites that require eyesight, since they must fly to find mates and new nest sites.

7. When termite soldiers detect a threat, they tap warning signals to the colony.
Termite soldiers form the world's tiniest heavy metal mosh pit when danger comes to the nest. To sound the alarm, soldiers bang their heads against the gallery walls to send warning vibrations throughout the colony.

8. Chemical cues guide most communication in the termite colony.
Termites use pheromones, special chemical scents, to talk to one another and control each other's behavior. Termites leave scent trails to guide other workers using special glands on their chests. Each colony produces a distinct scent, identified by a chemical on their cuticles. In some species, the queen can even control the growth and role of her young by feeding her pheromone-laden poop.

9. New kings and queens can fly.
New reproductive termites are winged, and able to fly. These young kings and queens, called alates, leave their home colony and fly out in search of a mate, often in large swarms. Each royal pair of king and queen emerges from the swarm together and finds a new place to found their own colony. They break their wings off and settle down in their new home to raise their offspring.

10. Termites are well-groomed.
You wouldn't think an insect that spends its time in the dirt would be so fastidious about its grooming, but termites make an effort to stay clean. Termites spend a great deal of time grooming each other. Their good hygiene is important to their survival, as it keeps parasites and harmful bacteria under control within the colony.

ANNEXURE – III (Drought in Gujarat)

1,000 villages may be declared drought affected

3,000 More May Get Partially-Hit Tag In Saurashtra

Ajay Umat TNN

Gandhinagar: On Wednesday morning, residents in Amreli left every other chore so that they could store water. The Saurashtra town received water supply after a gap of 20 days!

    Fearing that situation may get out of hands, the state government plans to declare about 1,000 villages as drought affected and an additional 3,000 villages as partially-affected. The move comes after MLAs from Saurashtra and Kutch —the two regions have received just 35% of the average rainfall — raised issues like drinking water scarcity, fodder shortage and migration on the sidelines of the two-day assembly session.

    The worst hit areas are Jamnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Amreli, Surendranagar and Bhavnagar and parts of Kutch region.

    Water crisis is testing the nerves of people, especially women, in Saurashtra. A group of women had ransacked the Jetpur municipality office a month ago after the town did not get water for 12 consecutive days. Recently, women had also jammed the Junagadh-Veraval highway in Keshod after going water-less for 20 days. The problem is serious in urban centres like Rajkot, Gondal, Dhoraji, Upleta, Jetpur and among others.

    The issue was discussed in the cabinet meeting chaired by CM Narendra Modi. Later, revenue minister Anandiben Patel called a meeting to review the situation and asked officials to gear up before the crisis escalate.

    Considering that the scarcity is so acute in winter months, the situation will get only worse during summer. With most dams in Saurashtra’s having dried up, a total ban on supplying water for irrigation has been imposed and water is being diverted for drinking purpose.

    “The irony is that Narmada, Ukai, Dharoi and Kadana dams have sufficient water but there is not adequate distribution system beyond Navda, near Dhandhuka from where water can be taken to four different regions,” asenior official said.

DRY RUN TO WATER RIOT?

    After going water-less for 12 consecutive days, a group of women in Jetpur ransacked the BJP-ruled municipality’s office a month ago.

    Women in Keshod jammed the Junagadh-Veraval highway for several hours after the town went without water 20 days

    In temple town Virpur, descendants of Saint Jalaram Bapa are distributing water on ration cards

    Hundreds of private water tankers have actually become a bane for the traffic in Rajkot city

    Residents of Bhatia town near Dwarka sat on a fast to demand water

    2,000 women carrying empty water pots took out a rally in Jamnagar

Syria's optimism for 2013

http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/25-01-2013/123579-syria_optimism-0/
Syria's optimism for 2013
25.01.2013 For Syria lovers, it is a pleasure to read SANA, the Syrian Arab News Agency, which brings good tidings, in spite of the nation's difficult situation, while western mainstream media prefer to spread doom and gloom.

The headline for Wednesday, the 23rd of January 2013: "Terrorists Killed and Injured in Several Areas." The terrorists, Mohammad and Ahmad Kanaan, Khaled Khaito, and others were liquidated in al-Zabadani, Damascus countryside. A vehicle with terrorists inside was also destroyed.

by Olivia Kroth

The Syrian Armed Forces killed the terrorists, Ahmad al-Abbar, Mohammad al-Dabbas, Abdul-Latif al-Ezz, and others in Darya, Damascus countryside. Their hideouts were destroyed, all weapons and ammunition confiscated.

Furthermore, terrorists were killed in al-Saida Zainah, Hayira, al-Dyabia, al-Housinia, Harasta and the al-Aiyb farms, Damascus countryside. Their arms and ammunition were taken. Among the dead terrorists are Wisam Bakour, Maher Kalamoun, Maher Touama and Bilal Arida.

Another terrorist group was liquidated around Damascus. Among those who lost their lives were Ahmad Younis, Ahmad al-Rifai, Omar al-Nymir, Midian al-Manzour and Andziad al-Boush. Furthermore a mortar, used by the gang, was destroyed.

In the town of Harasta, the Syrian Army destroyed two cars with terrorists inside, near the Salah al-Diyn Mosque. Among the liquidated terrorists were Anas al-Tourk and Ali Shala.

In the Aleppo countryside, a military unit killed several terrorists as well. Their dens were destroyed in al-Duyahi, al-Dahabia and al-Mansoun. In the city of Aleppo itself, the Syrian Armed Forces cleaned out the quarters of al-Hyloania, al-Layramoun, al-Shahadyn and al-Sheik Said, annihilating the terrorist "al-Amyria brigade."

Meanwhile, the Syrian ministries are keeping up their services, in spite of ongoing attacks. The Syrian Prime Minister, Wael al-Halqui, is speeding up the process of giving jobs to the families of Syrian martyrs.

Sa'ad al-Nayef, the Minister of Health, instructed the Syrian public hospitals to give the martyrs' families free medical treatment. He thanked the private hospitals, pharmaceutical factories and civilians for their help in providing free humanitarian aid.

Dr. Lubana Mashouh, the Minister of Culture, started preparations to document Syria's art on a new internet website which shall serve as a virtual gallery. The site's goal is allowing people to see Syrian artwork and spreading Syrian culture worldwide.

The Syrian artist, Rajaa al-Aridi, is showing her artwork in an exhibition at the Arab Cultural Centre in Sweida. According to the artist, her 44 showcased oil paintings embody "the beauty of nature and femininity." Her colourful modern pictures are very popular with the visitors. Bashar Sa'ab, a Syrian art teacher, praised her use of colours to express hope for a better future.

The Spanish edition of SANA carries an interesting article, entitled "Ganancias del Banco Immobiliario suben en un 2%." Dr. Abed Faddileh, General Manager of Syria's Real Estate Bank, informed that the bank's gains increased by two percent in 2012. The total value of the bank's deposits amount to 179.000 million Syrian pounds.

He also pointed out that new money distributing machines are being installed in populated areas of Damascus, while a service team is checking the functioning of all money distributing machines on a regular basis.

"Al-Assil: no hay ningún aumento en los precios de la gasolina," is another title of the Spanish edition. Syria's Vice-Minister of Interior Commerce and Consumer Protection, Imad al-Assil, said that there will be no price hikes for gasoline, in spite of rumours to the contrary. A litre of gasoline currently costs 55 Syrian pounds, and the price shall remain stable.

The French edition of SANA carried a piece about Syrian education, "Maalla: L'enseignement en Syrie reste toujours gratuit." Mohammad Yahya Maalla, Minister of Secondary Education, informed the public that his ministry's school plan 2012/2013 follows two main principles.

First, school education in the Socialist Arab Republic of Syria is free for all pupils and students. Second, the high level of quality is guaranteed. New universities and research centres are planned to open in 2013. The existing pedagogic infrastructure is being revised on a continuous basis, especially with the modernization of scientific laboratories.

Those readers who are familiar with the history of the Great Socialist Arab Libyan Jamahiriya, are reminded of the high quality of schools and universities under Muammar Gaddafi, who also offered free education to all of his citizens.

Helpful voices from outside are joining in. Prince Aga Khan, Head of the Imami Islamic Shiite Ismaili Council of Syria, reiterates his support for the Syrian nation, confronting foreign conspiracy.

On the occasion of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday anniversary, Prince Aga Khan said that he remains committed to the homeland and admires Syria's determination to defend its sovereignty.

In Prague, the Czech newspaper "Právo" carried an article written by the Czech political analyst, Peter Schnur, who stressed four facts that will finally bring peace to Syria. The first factor is that the foreign-paid terrorists have not been able to reach any lasting military success, although they have tried and still are trying hard to terrorize the Syrian nation.

The second factor is the absence of a united "opposition". There is infighting among various groups, and they cannot offer any specific plan of action. The third factor is the Russian Federation's firm stance to work through the diplomatic channel as a member of the Security Council.

Russia's respect for international law is cited as a guideline for those western barbarians, who think that by causing ever more bloodshed in Syria they will be able to achieve "regime change."

And - last but not least - Dr. Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian President, is alive and well. Viva Bashar al-Assad! Long life and best of luck!

Prepared for publication by:

Lisa Karpova
Pravda.Ru

Pak military conducting 'Saffron Bandit' exercise

Press Trust of India | Updated: January 25, 2013 18:49 IST

(Representational pic)

Islamabad: Against the backdrop of a spike in tensions with India, the Pakistani military is conducting a combat exercise involving fighter jets and ground troops with a top General saying the armed forces were "well prepared" to defend the country's sovereignty and integrity.

The Pakistan Air Force is conducting the 'Saffron Bandit' exercise with elements from the Army Aviation and Army Air Defence.

While visiting formations engaged in the wargame, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Gen Khalid Shamim Wynne said the armed forces were "well prepared to defend our sovereignty and  territorial integrity."

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"The prevailing complex global geo-political environment and regional threat situation are not only unique but also more challenging, since we face both internal and external threats," Wynne was quoted as saying in an official statement.

"Therefore, readiness and war preparedness have attained enhanced significance," said Wynne, Pakistan's second highest ranking military officer.

 The exercise is being conducted against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following a string of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Saffron Bandit exercise is held every three years.

PAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Butt, participated in the exercise to gauge the preparedness of combat squadrons.

Butt piloted a F-16 combat jet for a simulated strike mission.

Gen Wynne flew in an airborne early warning and control aircraft yesterday to observe the "employment of integrated air and ground combat elements" while army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani too visited the exercise areas.
Wynne said the exercise would help enhance Pakistan's "preparedness in the hi-tech scenario of aerial warfare."

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/pak-military-conducting-saffron-bandit-exercise-322309?pfrom=home-otherstories

Untouched by justice

"... A dalit who converts to Christianity can become a pastor or be an equal in the mosque or can touch the Guru Granth Sahib. But he can do none of this in Hinduism. He cannot become anything." ...

                            Untouched by justice

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/untouched-by-justice/article4340725.ece

Mahim Pratap Singh

Rate of atrocities against Dalits and adivasis is frighteningly high even 65 years after independence “Every day, four Dalit and adivasi women are raped while eleven Dalits and adivasis are beaten up in the country. Further, every week, 13 Dalits and adivasis are murdered, five Dalits and adivasi homes are set on fire and six Dalits and adivasis are kidnapped.”

These statistics came up during a national meeting convened by the Centre for Dalit Rights (CDR), a Jaipur-based think tank along with the National Coalition for strengthening the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Held just before the AICC chintan shivir, the meeting demanded a national action plan to end untouchability and manual scavenging.

The participants also proposed amendments to the SC&ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989. In the meeting, it was observed that in 2010, Rajasthan stood second in the list of top ten “Dalit atrocities prone states”.

“We are anguished that even after 63 years of Constitution and 23 years of the SC&ST (PoA) Act 1989, untouchability is rampant and manifests into various newly emerging forms of atrocities against SCs and STs,” says Satish Kumar, Director, CDR.

According to data available with the CDR, during the last 15 years (1995-2011), a total of only 5,58,103 cases of atrocities (4,71,717 against SCs and 86,386 against STs) were registered in police stations across the country.

During 2007 to 2009, there was a sharp increase in the crime rates against SCs and STs by 10.6 per cent.

In 2009, against the national average of 2.9 per cent, Rajasthan reported a 7.5 per cent rise in rate of crimes against Dalits and tribals. In 2010, this figure stood at 7.4 per cent for Rajasthan as against the national average of 2.8 per cent.

On the other hand, according to National Crime Records Bureau data (all India) for 2007 to 2010, 67 per cent of crimes against SCs and 81 per cent of crimes against STs were not registered under the SC&ST (PoA) Act.

In 2010, only 11,682 out of 34,127 atrocity cases were registered under the Act. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, over 95 per cent of the cases were not registered under the Act, but instead were registered under IPC and other legal provisions, according to CDR.

In 2001, the trial pendency rate of atrocity cases against SC/STs was 82.5 per cent. By 2010-end, Rajasthan had 86.6 per cent pending cases while many other states had more than 80 per cent pending cases.

Further, the CDR claims the conviction rate for SC/ST atrocity cases was abysmally low in many states, ranging from 0.5 per cent to 8 per cent, with Rajasthan recording a conviction rate of 4.8 per cent.

“While Rajasthan has the second highest number of registered atrocity cases against SC/STs (1995-2009), and has identified 17 districts as atrocity prone, it has not publicly declared even a single district/area as such,” says Kumar.

“Even after 65 years of independence, several concerns regarding the safety and equitability of Dalits and tribals linger on, including non-registration of cases, inordinate delay in investigation and trial leading to high rate of pendency, low conviction rate among others,” says SDJM Prasad of the National Coalition.

Over the past three years, the national coalition for strengthening the SC&ST (PoA) Act, comprising more than 500 Dalit and human rights organisations, activists and experts from various states, has critically reviewed the performance of the states and the realization of the objectives of the Act and has come out with measures and amendments required to further strengthen the Act.

“The coalition has submitted these proposed amendments to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and other bodies concerned,” says Dr Prasad.

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Of religions, castes and men: Kancha Ilaiahm Ajay Navaria, Nirupama Dutt debate at Jaipur Literature Festival

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130125/news-current-affairs/article/religions-castes-and-men-kancha-ilaiahm-ajay-navaria-nirupama

Jaipur: Coming down heavily on the caste structure in Hindu religion, author Kancha Ilaiah today advocated adopting the Buddha’s ideology as a way to achieve secularism in the country, generating a lively debate among the fellow panelists at the Jaipur Literature Festival here.

Religious conversion, caste structure within religions and position of dalits after conversion were the main talking points of the session titled “God as a Political Philospoher: Dalit Perspectives on Buddhism,” where Ilaiah engaged with author Ajay Navaria and poet Nirupama Dutt.

“A dalit who converts to Christianity can become a pastor or be an equal in the mosque or can touch the Guru Granth Sahib. But he can do none of this in Hinduism. He cannot become anything,” Ilaiah said.

“No dalit can become a priest in a Hindu temple,” said the author of “Why I am not a Hindu” who also pointed out that Buddhism has always advocated the ideas of equality, abolition of caste structure, notion of justice and women’s rights.

However, fellow author and panelist Ajay Navaria, whose collection of stories “Unclaimed Terrain” translated into English has recently been published, disagreed over the issue of the benefits accruing to dalits from conversion and the adoption of Buddhism as the main religion.

“Conversion does not solve any problem. In fact, there is a category in administration of a ‘New Buddhist’ where a person’s original caste is mentioned in brackets even after adopting another religion,” he argued, questioning then the purpose of going through conversion.

“I am not here to advocate Hinduism. But the dalits can go into any religion but their identity is that of an untouchable. They are not liberated even there,” Navaria said, adding, “Religion cannot solve the problem.”

Furthering his argument, poet Nirupama Dutt highlighted the problem of caste structures within religions.

Dutt, who hails from Punjab, drew attention to the phenomenon of Gurudwaras being based on caste. “Today one can find separate Gurudwaras for Sikh Jats, Kabir panthis and the tanners,” she said.

“While Sikhism does not recognize caste, just like in the case of Islam, the situation of the ground is very different from the one visualised in scriptures,” added Dutt.

Drawing attention to the ground realities in countries where religion forms the basis of law, Navaria said the country would not become secular and discrimination-free just by adopting Buddhism.

“I don’t like religion based systems because they end liberty...no religion is detached from caste,” he added.

Even as the panelists disagreed on various issues, they did agree on one thing – that the aim should be that of a caste-free society.

“I don’t agree that caste cannot be abolished or that equality cannot come to India,” Ilaiah said.

And while Navaria disagreed with him on how to achieve this goal, he did outline his vision for India. “What I want is neither a Ram Rajya or a Buddha Rajya, but in fact a Lok Rajya.”