India- US Should Support Musharraf

Musharraf Best Bet Against Terror: India & US Should Support

By MOHAN SAHAY

For once Washington has wrongly assessed the situation in Pakistan. For, it is the radical Islamic organizations, terror outfits like Al Qaida, JeM and LeT who are hell bent upon to upstage the beleaguered President of Pakistan Gen. Parvez Musharraff.

All forces hostile to India have joined hands to throw Musharraf out of power. Little has been said or commented upon the role of the Pakistan Media in fueling the campaign against Musharraf. The media in Pakistan are anti- Indian and hostile to any peace negotiation and friendship with New Delhi.

Back in India, majority of the Indian Media in their myopic perception of the situation go all out to praise anything that comes from Pakistan even if that means harming out national interest.

One must give the devil his due. Musharraf though the usurper of power in Pakistan by coup has not resorted to crushing the opposition against him with an iron hand. On the contrary, he has allowed leaders like Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, both being former Prime Minister to meddle in the current turmoil. The leaders – Bhutto and Shariff carries little credibility if one goes through their tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan. Both are corrupt politicians.

Although Musharraf did not do much to contain cross border terror against India, nonetheless, he never failed to continue and extend the process of dialogue with New Delhi on sending terrorists to Jammu & Kashmir and to other parts of India to strike violence.

Any change of guard in Islamabad would not necessarily bring peace to the valley or for that matter terrorists striking at will on the Indian soil. The new incumbent, in the event of Musharraf demitting office in Pakistan, would depend on the hardcore Islamic fundamentalists for consolidation of power – this would not augur well for India.

If Musharraf is suspect of giving shelter to Al Quaida head Bin Laden ( if he is alive ) then the US has every reason to desert the President and help either Benazir or Nawaz to head the new government. But it is naïve to expect the new ruler if that happens at all to take any firm action against the terror groups let alone confronting Al Quaida.

It was no easy decision for the Pakistani President to align with the forces against terror led by the US. He is paying the price for his attempts even if they were half hearted to contain terror in his own land.

Now that Musharraf himself faces threat of his life from the terror group, he must be realizing his mistake of not going whole hog against the terrorists and radical forces in Pakistan.

Should he continue to be at helms of Pakistan affairs, Musharraf in his new avatar would prove a real crusader against terrorists operating from Pakistan.
ends

Nandigram: Mamata follows Jyaoti Basu's Legacy of Violence

Nandigram: CPM's Waterloo

By MOHAN SAHAY

The Indian communists would never learn from the past. So it seems. After what happened in Nandigram, an obscure village of West Bengal is a crude instance of single track vision of the Communist Party of India - Marxists known better as CPM.

Budhadev Bhattarcharya, the chief minister of the state is a well intentioned man, but a gentleman politician that he is earns demerit for him in the present day Indian politics.

Bhattarya wanted to give impetus to the stagnating economy of the state that witnessed decades of misrule under Jyoti Basu, former chief minister and the aged leader of the CPM. The cirmson field of Nandigram carries the stamp of Basu who should be held responsible for demeaning the human dignity.

Bengal witnessed worse violence and bloodshed of innocent people during Basu’s tenure than what happened in Nangigram.

That politicians like Mamata Banerjee played with fire in Nandigram is another matter of grave concern. She is obsessed with the Communists and is ready to go to any extent to beat the ruling party in the state without caring for the consequences of her misguided fire.

What was wrong if the House of the Tatas agreed to put up a factory to manufacture small car in West Bengal where industrialists fear to tread. What was wrong in Budhadeb Bhattarcharya’s attempt to allay fears from entrepreneurs and industrialists to put money in the state so that there are more employment opportunities and generation of wealth? Nothing, I believe.

However, it was not acceptable to leaders like Mamata Banerjee who ignited the fire of protest knowing well the consequences. The sparks of protest turned into flames that burnt lives and property there.

People of Bengal like other states in the eastern part of India including Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand need faster industrial growth.
Both Naveen Patnaik of Orissa and Nitish Kumar of Bihar who are heading the state governments in their respective states are trying their best to bring capital into their states and encourage industrialization. But story in West Bengal and the neighboring Jharkhand is different. Jharkhand is an apology of governance where Madhu Koda, the chief minister dances to the tune of the Indian Railway Minister Lalu Yadav charged with corruption cases.
ends

Indian Prime Minister to resign if Nuclear Deal with US is Off

India To Go Ahead with Nuclear Deal : Left to Withdraw support:

Manmohan Singh ready to resign as Prime Minister if the Congress forces him to back out of the deal with Washington.

By MOHAN SAHAY

The swords of the Left (the Communists) handing over the Congress led coalition government in India would not deter the government from proceeding ahead to make the Indo- US nuclear deal operational. In the process if the government falls, the government would call for a snap poll of Indian Parliament.

The thaw between the Indian Communist Parties and the Congress is nothing more than posturing.
Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has made it clear to the Congress leadership that he would prefer to resign as Prime Minister rather than giving in to the Communists pressure on the Nuclear deal which is vital and beneficial for India in the long run.

Why Elections?

No political party is prepared for the elections. Ask any individual Member of Parliament including those belonging to the CPI (M) they would hurl mouthful of abuses to the leadership of their Party. But those who understand the dynamics of politics would agree that a snap poll is inevitable in the given situation.

The government on its part can’t go back on the nuclear deal that it has signed with the United States. The Left Parties are demanding total freeze of the nuclear agreement till drastic changes are made in the Hyde Act. Hypothetically, even if one assumes that the government would risk the deal by insisting for changes in the 123 Hyde Act, there is no guarantee that the Left would honour the government giving in to their demand. On the contrary, the Left would find some other alibi to pull down the government for the Communists would not like to be seen going to the polls as a supporting ally of the Congress led coalition government at the Centre,

The Congress knows it well.

The Congress would like the Manmohan Singh government to take some pro- people decisions, if possible present a regular budget in February 2008 that would be packed with measures to benefit common man, farmers , weaker sections and the Muslims in particular.

It is highly unlikely that the Left would give the government this desired wish to present financial bill for the year 2008 –2009.

The government has other means to announce and implement measures even without presenting the next year’s budget. The government is likely to take decisions in the coming month or two on financial fronts. More sops to the farmers, more concessions to the middle income group of people, better deals to the scheduled castes, the scheduled tribes and the minorities of the country in employment opportunity and education etc. etc.

The Sixth Pay Commission recommendations are at the final stages of presentation to the government. The Pay Commission’s recommendations would benefit hundreds of thousands of Central Government Employees whose pay packets would increase substantially. Besides, the Commission has special packages for the Indian Defence Forces – the Army, the Air Force and the Navy. The officers and jawans of the forces who are disenchanted and deserting the services by opting for early retirement and resignations would benefit from the new pay package.

These measures would earn the Congress the goodwill of the people at the polls.

Oh JESUS

The path to God is no easy; it’s tortuous and painful. Jesus Christ before attaining Godhood went through the agonizing moments. He was crucified this day more than 2000 years ago before His resurrection.

The message of love and humanity to the mankind that emerged from Jesus Christ was divine and it became the Gospel truth.

There is no parallel in Hindu religion to the Jesus Christ, yet there are a few legends that only go on to prove that anyone who tried to spread the message of God, the message of love and compassion had to go through tortuous and painful path.

I just give the example of Meera, the queen who abandoned her royalty in search of Lord Sri Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu the God. She was forced to drink poison, she was thrown out of the palace by her husmand, the king. Meera set out bare footed in search of God chanting devotional songs for Lord Sri Krishna. It is said that she finally attained the moksha or salvation.

Today being Good Friday, we all remember and pay our reverence to Jesus Christ for showing the path of love to the mankind. But how many followers of God adhere to the teachings and follow the path shown by Him, few, isn’t it. But even the few who have faith in God are enough to trounce the forces of evils, so I believe.

A random thought – MOHAN SAHAY

Pakistan Cricket Team Off The Hook: Woolmer Murder

Connivance At The Top

By MOHAN SAHAY

My fears have come true. What I wrote on March 24 on the gruesom murder of Bob Woolmer as my worst fears and suspicion that there is pressure at the top and big money playing role to take the investigation team of the Jamaica Police away from the killers.

Now the Jamaican Police say that the Pakistani Cricket Team is not under the ambit of suspicion and that the team members are not involved in the murder of their coach Bob Woolmer.

What cover up!

To say that the match fixers are responsible for the murder and there is no evidence of any accomplishment or connivance of Pakistani Cricketers is a clear case of cover up. The reasons:

First, International Cricket Council - the ICC has loosened its purse strings to protect the Pakistani cricketers lest Pakistan is barred from playing international cricket as punishment for few years. Besides, there is pressure from Pakistan Government and its diplomatic agents to spare Pakistan cricket team.

West Indies does not want to create any situation that would upset the smooth going of the world cup match. Better it would have been for the hosts of the World Cup to call off the match till investigation in the murder of Woolmer is complete and the murderers are booked. But money is the only consideration for the ICC of which West Indies is a member country.


WHY BOOKIES WOULD MURDER WOOLMER ?

It is foolhardy and misleading to talk of involvement of bookies and match fixers as the possible murderers of the former cricketer and the Pakistan coach. Why the bookies and the syndicate of cricket match fixing would fear Woolmer? A few references or even names being printed in the book that Woolmer was writing does not effect the match fixers - the bookies are not bothered about it, albeit some cricketers should worry if their names were dragged. The match fixing syndicate world over including in India keep the Police in their pocket. Mere being named or identified by a writer in his book - as it was the possiblity in the Woolmer's case does not proof the guild of the fixers. On the contrary, any name of Pakistani cricketer being mentioned in the book would have finished the career of the cricketer.

That Woolmer was writing or was about to write about involvement of some Pakistani cricketers in throwing away matches including the one played against Ireland is of supreme concern of the Pakistani cricketers and the Pakistani team as a whole. If somebody who was worried most it was cricketer of Pakistani or a group of cricketers of Pakistan. Hence, the motive to kill Woolmer.

The ICC does not want that Cricket which has been termed as a gentleman's sport should bear the scar of murder of a former cricketer by the cricketers.

It is a pity that even the agents of the Scotland Yard are silent in the investigation. Will the champions of the game rise to the occasion and help hang the guilty of the murderer of Woolmer and the murderer of cricket game?

Alas, as I suspected, the Pakistani cricket team now back home in Pakistan are rejoicing over the murder of their coach and getting off the hook of the investigation.

Cricket is a shame now.

Bob Woolmer Murdered - Is Pakistan a Rogue State ?

Death of Cricket at the hands of Big Money

By MOHAN SAHAY

Last week ( Sunday March 18 2007 ), when I heard the news that Bob Woolmer – a gentleman cricketer and coach of Pakistan Cricket Team was found unconscious in his hotel room in Kingston and was declared ‘dead’ when taken to the local hospital, my first reaction was “ Woolmer did not die a natural death but must have been killed by the Pakistanis”.

I told myself that there was foul play in the sudden death of Woolmer after the two consecutive crushing defeats of the Pakistan team in the World Cup tie. That sports fans world over are fanatics is true but it is more diabolical when it comes to Pakistan.
I was tempted to post article in my blog but refrained from doing so lest people criticise me for jumping the gun.

My hunch or suspicion proved right. Bob was murdered.

I told some of my friends in India that to me it looked Pakistanis killed Woolmer. In next few days it was confirmed by the Jamaican Police that Woomer was indeed ‘ murdered and died of asphyxia’.

It could be some members of the Pakistani cricket team who might have suffered and not been included in the playing first eleven of the team not only in the two matches of the World Cup but in some earlier matches due to the coach’s opinion who killed Woolmer. Connivance of some team managers accompanying the Pak team in the murder is also a strong possibility. The role of cricket gambling syndicate in the murder as being written and commented by the media is to mislead the investigation and blur the strong perception of Pakistani team members’ involvement in the crime.

There is strong lobby of the ICC – the world cricket body- working overtime to save the Pakistani team and retrieve the image of Pakistan. Big money is at play to confuse, mislead and even bribe the investigating team looking for the murderers. The delay in making public the fact that Woolmer was murdered is a pointer to big money being pumped into to defend Pakistan.

I shall not be surprised that despite the media hype, the investigation would lead into blind alley and the murderers of Woolmer and the murderer of cricket would be moving freely in Pakistani which is acquiring the image of a rogue state. Be it cricket, drugs smuggling and terror Pakistan is the breeding ground.

The way some Indian television news channels highlighted a few former Pakistani cricketers rising in defence of the Pak team or for that matter any role of any Pakistani is shameful. Some private news channels in English brought Imran Khan, the former Pakistani skipper who first dismissed the reports of possible murder of Woolmer and latter ruled out any role of the Pakistani cricketers and the managers of cricket team in killing Woolmer. Cricket and the lure of big money would blunt the investigation into the murder of Woolmer.

I wish I am proved wrong and the investigators get the killer by neck.

INDIA

India itself is now a victim of big money factor involved in the game of cricket. Else, it is difficult to justify the presence of Sharad Pawar, a cabinet minister of the Indian Government devoting his major part of energy and time to cricket and the funds that it generates. Pawar heads the Board of Control of Cricket in India and carries along with him some tainted politicians like Lalu Prasad Yadav also a minister of the Govt. of India and some Members of Parliament like Rajiv Shukla who is an office bearer of the BCCI.

The Indian players too are guilty of promoting their respective financial interests by endorsing products rather than promoting the game that they play!

Terrorists Strike Again: Congress Party & Govt.Looks Other Way: Goes For Political Safari

By MOHAN SAHAY

Hardly 100 kilometers from India’s capital New Delhi, terrorists struck at will on the night of Sunday, February 18, 2007 near Panipat detonating explosives on the running train that ferries people of India and Pakistan as a confidence building measure between the two nations currently at ‘diplomatic war’ with each other.

Next morning, that was Monday, February 19, 2007, the highest decision making body of the ruling Congress Party at the Centre ignored the terrorists strike that killed 70 people and injured many.

On the contrary, the Congress Working Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi settled down to discuss politics involving a state chief minister – Mulayam Singh Yadav of Uttar Pradesh and find ways to dismiss Mulayam’s Government. No concern for the growing terror network that is going stronger and stronger by the day thanks to the cavalier attitude of governance. The meeting attended among others by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi directed the government to strike at Mulayam.

No concern about the major security lapse of the Railways under Lalu Yadav, an ally of the Congress facing criminal cases in Indian courts.

Two days after the bomb (Tuesday, February 20, 2007) blast that charred two coaches of the train running between Delhi and Attari (Pakistan), the Congress leaders were busy convincing its alliance partner to support its move to dismiss the Mualayam Governemnt and impose Central Rule in Lucknow – capital of Uttar Pradesh.

It is a measure of anarchical rule of the coalition government headed by the Congress in India that has repeatedly ignored issues of national importance and gone for things that are mundane and petty. Clash of ego and wish of leaders prevail over security of India.

Can Lalu Yadav, Railway Minister explain why no close circuit television was installed at old Delhi Railway Station’s Platform no. 18 from where the train to Pakistan originates. Despite after several written requests by the authorities of the old Delhi Railway Station to install CCTV at Platform No. 18 no action was taken by the Railway Ministry.

India’s Home Minister Shivraj Patil was busy preparing ground to put up a case before the Union Cabinet against Mulayam Singh Yadav to justify and demand dismissal of the state government.

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