Saturday, August 28, 2010

UP Farmers Fight Against Mayajaal!


By Manuwant Choudhary

A few years ago I recall driving from New Delhi to Bihar and I surprisingly discovered farmers in western Uttar Pradesh to be more progressive than farmers in other parts of India and I had written how I hoped one day all farmers would be so innovative and contribute to the country's wealth inspite of the governments.

So it pains me to see their farms are being taken away by the government to build not just a super highway but also malls and cities. Mayawati wants all of Uttar Pradesh to become Noida!

And the farmers are angry.

The anger ferments.

Some violence and farmers march to Delhi's parliament.

Politicians grab the moment and shed crocodile tears and express empty words for the farmers votes.

Digvijay Singh says farmers want more money (compensation).

Wrong and misleading.

The farmers simply don't want their land to be taken by any government so that they can pursue their vocation for life. Farming.

These protests are about `Private Property'.

GET OFF OUR LANDS!

How much money (compensation) will Digvijay Singh take to take `sanyas' from politics?

Digvijay Singh is only a soldier of the Gandhi pariwaar.

Rahul Gandhi is only a soldier for himself.

Sonia Gandhi is only a soldier for Rahul.

And Priyanka is a soldier for her family.

Speaking at a rally in Kalahandi notice what Rahul Gandhi told the tribals, "You have succeeded in raising your voice here and in Delhi and `outside'..and I have only made it heard in Delhi....This mountain is your God!."

What has the environment ministry to do with respecting Gods?

Rahul Gandhi is an extra-constitutional authority.

The opposition party the BJP missed the issue when they spoke of a naxal sharing the dias with Rahul....it is not Naxals but Christian groups from London who have taken up cudgels against Vedanta and Rahul Gandhi has simply listened to those outside forces.

Besides, minerals will always be found on mountains.

Should all of our mines in Jharkhand and elsewhere be shut down?

Environment is not about closing down mines but afforestation.

When I visited South Korea I saw how entire mountains were covered with mud and a net to hold them, grass was planted on them to hold them there and finally millions of saplings planted.

In contrast travel by train or road across India and you will see forests without trees, barren land stretching hundreds of acres with nothing growing on them. Not even a blade of grass. Even goats starve.

And Kalahandhi has seen the most starvation deaths in India but note Rahul Gandhi spoke to them about their Gods and not about their food.

And farmers are looked upon by governments only for votes not as contributors to society.

Minoo Masani would often say how Australians turned a desert into a garden and we turned a garden into a desert.

Notice how the CPI (M)'s Brinda Karat also sits on a dharna with farmers against Mayawati's land aquisition. Where was she in Singur and Nandigram?

Farmers must unite and under a single banner reject all compensation.

If the netas and governments do not listen they must bring down such immoral and illegal governments in Luknow and in Delhi.

Dillo Chalo!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Laloo Prasad Yadav As Prime Minister Sings This Mukesh Number




The Indian media got it all wrong. Not `Mock Parliament' but `Mocking At Parliament' when Laloo Prasad Yadav became Prime Minister for a day and perhaps the reason why Speaker Meera Kumar chose not to issue privilege against Laloo is because her heart melted when Laloo sang this Mukesh song...`Main Aawara Hoon'.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sing this Mukesh Number for the CONgresswealth Games




Columnist Khushwant Singh dedicates this song to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the occasion of the CONgresswealth Games. Enjoy.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Case No.14 1995 - The Bombay High Court


By Manuwant Choudhary

India's courts have become technologically advanced so I searched the `official' website of the Bombay High Court to find the status of a 15 year old case - Case No. 14 1995 - thats not come up for hearing even once to see if they finally have a date listed and type the key words and you will draw a blank!

15 years and still no date!!!!

So I asked my source in the Bombay High Court to find out why this delay after all isn't there a saying `Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied.'

So after much persuasion my source gave me this critical information but on condition that I use the information only for `public interest'.

So what I write here is strictly in `public interest'...as I roughly remember in India `truth' is still no defence in contempt proceedings.

My source sneaked into the judges chamber and found three judges in a huddle.

Judge 1: "I am furious with that nasty Karan Thapar. I think we should file a contempt case against him."

Judge 2: "Contempt against Karan Thapar. But why? Karan Thapar is not Arundhati Roy and nor does that Vinod Mehta give him reams of paper in Outlook magazine. You mean to say he is a `Maoist' sympathiser."

Judge 1, ""He is worse. Karan is always nasty but I think you missed his CNBC - TV 18 show where he was at his nastiest best. But how dare he support capitalism."

Judge 3, "Yes, yes I saw that and he deserves to be sent to prison for saying that capitalism brings greater equality and social justice than socialism."

Judge 1, "Our judge A.P. Shah deserves a Bharat Ratna for defending socialism in front of the whole world and this Karan Thapar should be in prison with the Maoists and the Pappu Yadav's."

Judge 2: "But Karan hasn't killed a fly in his life."

Judge 1, "Anyone who is not a socialist should leave this country or he should live in prison. See how he had the guts to bring that old man Raju on his program. The Swatantra Party is dead. This Raju just like a ghost wants to disturb India."

Judge 2: "But Swatantra Party...isn't that the party founded by India's first Governor General C. Rajagopalahari..so how can they be now illegal?"

Judge 3: "Things have changed in India. Now we are all socialists after Mrs. Indira Gandhi changed India's preamble. And didn't you notice Praiyanka Gandhi's new hairstyle..She is the next Indira."

Judge 1: "You don't understand. See all our MPs are socialists so they have given themselves a pay rise and they have then asked the army jawans to work for free in the Congresswealth Games. Thats socialism."

Judge 3: "yes, yes, and shri. Kalmadi is still in charge of the Congresswealth Games!"

Judge 2: "But I think Karan has a point we should have heard the case in 15 years at least once."

Judge 1: "You dont understand. If we hear that case even once it will be a threat to the unity and integrity of India."

Judge 2: "You mean like Kashmir."

Judge 1: "Yes, see how they throw stones in Kashmir."

Judge 2: "But this Raju has not thrown a stone in his life."

Judge 1, "Ahh, I dont mean literal. Raju is more dangerous than the Kashmiri youth. And he has an office a stones throw away...next to the Bombay High Court. So we must be very careful."

Judge 2: "But surely, even the Supreme Court has said this is an important issue so we must hear it now at least."

Judge 3, "No, no...no,,,if it was important the Supreme Court should have heard it themselves. Even Fali Nariman could not convince them. And Raju's lawyer - no one knows him."

Judge 2: "You forget one of Raju's lawyers is now our collegaue judge in the Bombay High Court and he is respectful. I am sure the Supreme Court wants us to hear the case now."

Judge 1"The Supreme Court wanted everyone to read that book on Shivaji in Maharashtra but still the government has banned it so its not important we do everything what the Supreme Court wants."

Judge 3, "Yes, we can say that the Swatantra Party if allowed to register will create a `law and order' problem."

Judge 2: "We are not politicians. We cant say that."

Judge 1: "Then we can say we have too many other important cases to hear."

Judge 2: "Won't do..There are 60 judges in the High Court..."

Judge 1 " You dont comprehend. In American politics candidates run for elections, in India politicians stand for elections...but us we are called `Sitting' judges!"

Judge 2 "I agree but we not not supposed to just sit. We are supposed to work also."

Judge 3, "No. who says we are supposed to work. No where its written `working judges' of the High Court."

Judge 2 : "But surely we cant keep sitting over it...let us pass some judgement."

Judge 1: "Don't even think about it. Swatantra Party will bring in capitalism and we may all have to work."

Judge 2: "But then what can we tell the Supreme Court?"

Judge 1: "We can tell them the file is so old that we cant see whats written in them."

Judge 2: "No no, in Bihar recently a judge gave his order on a 40 year old property case even when the file was worm-eaten and ineligible."

Judge 1: "Ah thats Bihar. They give bail to Pappu Yadav also!"

Judge 2, "We need better excuses.."

Judge 1: "We can tell them we were watching cricket at Vengsarkars Academy in front so cricket is a national cause not democracy... See how work stops in all of India to watch IPL."

Judge 2, "Some watch only Preety Zinta."

Judge 1: "We can simply say the case has been `Disposed'."

Judge 2, "Disposed but how?"

Judge 1: "By the rats!"


(My source is a rat)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

bhopal gas tragedy

Arjun Singh's Gas on Bhopal Gas Tragedy 26 years Later!

By Manuwant Choudhary

The strongman former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Arjun Singh - 26 years after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy - tells India on what really happened and why the Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson was arrested and then let go in a State airplane...he blames the Home Ministry and not the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for the fiasco.

The last statement of Mr. Warren Anderson was `Bye, Bye India."

More than 700 people were killed at first count but later the total death toll is 22000 people while thousands continue to suffer from after effects to this very day without any compensation being given.

In the upper house of India's parliament the Rajya Sabha a considerably weak Arjun Singh spoke softly on what happened 26 years before in Bhopal. "On the night of the tragedy I called up the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi but he was away on tour."

"It was my decision to arrest Warren Anderson. When I heard that he was coming to Bhopal I could not imagine the audacity of the man who is responsible for so many deaths to come to the state so I gave written orders to the police to arrest him the minute he landed on Madhya Pradesh soil."

"The Superintendant of Police MR. Puri arrested him on arrival and as he was being taken to an old guest house for detention he asked the SP why the chief minister was not there to receive him!"

"After his arrest I met Rajiv Gandhi and told him about the days happenings and the arrest of Mr. Anderson but Rajivji did not say anything ..he did not approve or disapprove anything I did...and instead went on to the next meeting."

"Later my chief secretary called me that there were many phone calls from the Home Ministry in New Delhi asking him that bail be granted to Mr. Anderson. I told my chief secretary that do what you want but the fact that he was arrested should be recorded so that he can be brought to justice as and when he was required."

"I fully support the Group of Ministers recommendations to the Government of India to extradite Mr. Anderson so that justice is done. I take full responsibilty for his arrest and I was also responsible for his safety because I knew then that he would be lynched by the people from the nearest lampost."

"Some of the opposition members have said here that Union Carbide had taken over the administration of Madhya Pradesh. I would like to say it may be a case with others who cling to power but not with me. I offered to resign soon after the tragedy but it was not accepted by Rajivji. Later I was moved to Punjab. Had I stayed as chief minister I would have ensured justice. But I am ready to accept blame as an ordinary citizen of this country."

"I am sorry I am taking so much time to talk but sometimes time itself has no meaning."

Mr. Arjun Singh however did not name the persons from the Home Ministry who called up for the release of Mr. Anderson and the then Chief Secretary is also dead.

A clear case of deflecting the blame from India's Prime Minister and we all know that advice from just the Home Ministry official is not enough for the release of Warren Anderson or anyone.

Its a failed attempt by Arjun Singh to defend his leader Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi...and even if Rajiv Gandhi was not directly involved whatever happened to the principle of `collective responsibility'.

The Congress Party simply cannot be trusted to run India.

The victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy continue to suffer in silence and I have seen how every year they march to India's parliament seeking justice...

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Milking The National Emergency

I may be on milk when national emergency was imposed in 1975 and opposition leaders locked up but bbc hindi reports the prime ministers office has no documents related with this. This was being sought by a citizen through RTI...so how are bihar politicians getting pensions for saving our freedom...milking the emergency...and a Prime Minister who says cheese.

Friday, August 6, 2010

kalmadiwealth games

By Manuwant Choudhary.
Not Commonwealth but Kalmadiwealth Games...yes if there ever was race for corruption india would bag a gold. Mr. Suresh Kalmadi is a congressman from pune and he has not paid up for a stadium he built 20 years ago in pune.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

India My Love

"

By Manuwant Choudhary

Enjoy this Great Indian Journey - a drive from Bombay to Bihar - I did a few years ago..across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal (got lost) and Bihar....