Dead girl’s parents give minister’s wife ‘clean chit’ after kangaroo trial

TAMLUK: The parents of a 16-year-old girl, who was found dead at state water resources minister Soumen Mahapatra's home on September 25, withdrew their police complaint against the minister's wife under "political pressure" on Saturday after they were summoned before a kangaroo court and threatened with a social boycott.

Police claim Mithu Bera, who worked as a domestic help at the house in Panskura, committed suicide. But her parents accused Sumana Mahapatra, the minister's wife, of torturing and sexually abusing the girl in a complaint filed a couple of days ago at East Midnapore SP Sukesh Jain's office. They also insisted on a probe into Mithu's "unnatural death". The minister was away in Nadia the day the girl died. But Sumana, their son and daughter were at home.

Since then, however, Khokon Chandra and Saraswati Bera claimed they were under intense pressure to take back the complaint. Saraswati said her husband was tortured, too. "We have to live here. So, we decided to withdraw the complaint," Saraswati told TOI. "My family members and I were put under pressure. We were physically abused. My husband and my brother-in-law were tortured," she added.

The above is a good example of how the rich and powerful force the poor to withdraw FIRs by either threats of incentives.

The High Court/Supreme Court should interfere and prevent the FIR from being withdrawn and the case handed over to the CBI for with Mamta Banerjee's party in power, the local police will not find anything wrong with the politician.

Remember, how the CBI was prevented from taking action on the many murders committed by the left front cadres during the left front rule in Bengal. Action was taken only after Mamta Banerjee came to power.

Now, Mamta Banerjee is doing the same thing.

She is allowing her party cadres and her ministers to run amok.

Old World Charms

When we were at school, we were taught some basic etiquette like

1. Standing in a queue and walking without talking

2. Shutting any running taps.

3. Shutting off lights and fans before leaving a room

4. Opening doors for ladies

5. Paying the proper fare to the conductor even before he asks it.

6. Allowing ladies, children and old men to sit in buses and trams.

The above are all forgotten In the curricula of all government schools with the result that we see their products sit shamelessly on ”ladies” and “senior citizen” marked seats while the ladies and senior citizens keep standing.

So it comes as a surprise when young men and even young girls offer their seats to senior citizens even though those are general seats. I have been offered such graciousness on a number of occasions and had often wanted to record my appreciation. On Friday, I was again offered a seat by a polite young man although he was standing in front of the seat. I thanked him profusely for his offer both while sitting down and also while getting off the bus.

What is it that makes these few exceptions stand out like beacons in this gloom of darkness? Has it got something to do with their education or their bringing up? I exchanged mail ID’s with the young man and asked him to let me know something about himself.

The following is the mail I received from him and I will let you judge whether it makes a difference in the way you brought up. He is presently working in Siemens, that also explains it.

Dear Sir,

I would first like to apologize for delaying in writing this email to you. When you sent the link to your blog on Friday, I started reading it right then. Quite informative and openly spoken, I would say. Usually people start writing blogs and then discontinue (like me - one of my blogs is - http://royrahul11.blogspot.in). It is very inspirational to see that you have patiently continued writing.

It was nice meeting you last Friday on my way to work. I find such meetings very interesting - a way to know more people. And I talked about you at home.

You had asked me for a photograph and a brief write-up about myself. I completed a degree in Engineering (majoring in Information Technology) in 2004 and started working for a Information Technology MNC after that. I made 2 changes in my job after that, and now I work for Siemens. I love writing and reading. Although I love writing, I have almost stopped it. I got married this year and living a happy life, as I wish to consider it every time. I am a wanderer - love traveling and photography. Hope you would remember that I asked you if you would like to go and see places now that you are retired. I like seeing new places, meeting new people. That's briefly about myself. Oh yes, I have a vivid interest about movies, and I am writing this email after watching the movie "The Last King of Scotland".

I am attaching a photograph taken couple of years back at Madame Tussauds museum at New York with Mr. Louis Armstrong's wax figure - I like very much his song "What a wonderful world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2VCwBzGdPM)".

Hope we will meet again,

Warm regards,

Rahul Roy

Bro. M G Shannon

Bro.M.G.Shannon, who was in school from 1989 to about seven or eight years ago, passed away in Dublin, Ireland, last night. May he rest in peace.

The above message has been received from Jitendra Agarwal

Some comments have been sent by some of his past pupils. The photograph has been sent by Sumit Agarwal Sumit Agarwal Good to see the school website up and running.

We have a very sad news though ,

Rev Br. Shannon, one of the greatest teachers Goethals has had passed away on the 24th.

He was in Ireland , Dublin for the last 6 to 7 years with bad health .

Its unfortunate that i could not meet up with him while i was there in January.

The legend served the school in ways that can't be expressed in words.

Most of us who had the privileged of knowing him , have had a new perspective on life.

He did all he could with his mind , body and soul for the School , for all of us. May his soul rest in Peace. He will always live in our memories and inspire us .

For the tremendous love with the the school boys and the school garden. I also feel the school garden could be called "Shannon Gardens" .

Ashraya Ranjitkar may his sould rest in peace "our dearest appa" Tuesday at 9:54pm •

Vivek Chachan tats really sad.. For me he would always be the best teacher i have come across after my parents.. A hearty salute to him his personality and his class.. Ul always be among my best memories.. Love u always.. May your soul rest in peace sir..

Abhijit Prasad One of the most hard working teacher to have taught me. His child like enthusiasm to teach. His four sum homework daily which he would correct ultra meticulously like a ritual everyday is stil afresh in my mind. He was no doubt a great teacher selfless devotion towards his work. We've lost a grest soul who has been responsible fot imparting knowlegdge 2 countless no. Of pupil. May his soul rest in peace. We all loved him a lot..

Santosh Prasad We will all miss you Sir, you made a difference to all whose lives you touched.You form the best of memories we had in Goethals.You made maths interesting and the class was so jovial with you.We will remember how much you toiled for us correcting each of our homework everyday,your comments in our exercise registers will always bring smiles. It was because of your effort towards gardening that we had such a lovely campus. Your absence shows in school and will always be felt in our lives.Goethals will miss your energy and enthusiasm.We were blessed with the company of a God like teacher and pray your soul rest in peace!. Brother replied to each of the letters I wrote to him after school.

Trilok Pradhan It is really sad to have lost such a teacher and its also nice to know that you guys do have info abput all your teachers. Lets all remember him and thank him for his contribution in our life, through our prayers. Sumit Agarwal an extraordinary individual... lost for words .. !

Nitin Gupta I remember him walking around the front of the school garden when our games used to get over... with the spade... his dark blue half pullover... i was always interested in math

Why did the economy go back to the 1991 position?

As the heat over foreign direct investment in retail rises, not only the opposition parties but people like Swaminathan Gurumurthy, Convenor of Swadeshi Jaagran Manch, are also fiercely against the government's proposal. Shobha Warrier talks to the 'swadeshi' man on what his views are on FDI in retail and the politics behind it. It is from the mail I received from Rediffmail

The prime minister has told the nation that the Indian economy is as bad as it was in 1991. How do you react to this statement from the same person who has brought in the change and has been in charge of the nation for so many years?

There are two aspects which have to be examined first. The prime minister has to answer first, why did the economy go back to the 1991 position? After having developed, and grown - India was seen as a rising global economic power from 2005-08 - how, in the last couple of years has the economy nosedived? He has to explain this to the people.

That the prime minister himself has to warn the country that it is as bad as 1991, means it's a serious situation. So, he is answerable to the country how he took the country back to the 1991 days.

In 1991, you could say the policies that were pursued were restrictive and that was why the country underperformed. Now, in the last 20 years, you have liberalised, you have brought in so many changes. Why is it under performing today?

What, according to you, are the reasons why the economy was under performing?

Problems are of five kinds according to me; that is, the balance sheet of the government, the balance sheet of the corporates, the balance sheet of the banks, the external balance sheet of India and the balance sheet of the households. The household balance sheet is fairly alright. Our corporate balance sheet is not poor. They are not running in huge losses.

The bank balance sheet is okay. It's the government balance sheet and the external balance sheet of India that are in problem. Why has the government balance sheet got into problem? The government gave encouragement to the industry in 2008 and 2009 by giving a lot of tax concessions to ride out of the so-called recession.

The amount of benefit was almost Rs 100,000 crores (Rs 1 trillion). The amount foregone by the government through concessions is over Rs 7 lakh crores (Rs 7 trillion)

Now, the government has no courage to withdraw the benefits because the corporates put pressure on them. This country is being run by "pink" mindset and the pink newspapers.

Next is the way they have maladjusted the expenditure side. For example, the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is just to fetch votes; indirectly a bribery. It is a cesspool of corruption and is consuming Rs 100,000 crores (Rs 1 trillion). You are not only disfiguring the balance sheet of the country but also spoiling the work force of the rural areas.

For the last six-seven years, the game has been going on but no political party wants to talk about it because it will affect the vote bank. Who disfigured the balance sheet like this? This government. This has resulted in a huge budget deficit and that is one of the reasons why the rupee weakened. You also mismanaged the external front by liberalising your imports based on your stock market money.

You have no reason to run a trade deficit of $120 billion with China and starve the local industries. Because the external front weakened, the cost of the economy went up by at least 25 per cent. You brought in inflation. When inflation went up, savings went down, and when savings went down, there was a capital shortage and pressure on interest rates. It was all brought in by this government by its actions.

Like the prime minister says, is FDI in retail and other sectors the answer to solve all these problems? When the government says FDI in retail can create millions of jobs, a study says even if it were to take 20 per cent of the retail market, eight million jobs will be lost.

If Walmart is killing three jobs to create two jobs in the US, the proportion cannot be more in India. It will kill more jobs in India. The very day India announced that FDI in retail would have no impact on small retailers, Atlantic City, the web cousin of Foreign Affairs magazine, carried a headline news that 'Radiating death - Walmart spells doom for small business.'

They have said that the closure rate of small shops near Walmart is 35-60 per cent. For every mile from the Walmart super markets, the closure rate is 15-20 per cent. It radiates this closure. At the same time, you are claiming that there will be more employment opportunities and small business will not be affected.

But it is not Walmart alone that is going to enter the Indian market...

You must look at what the biggest player will do. That there are other players also means, more competitors will be doing the same job. Whatever Walmart does, the other players have to do worse. Otherwise, they will not survive.

What is the difference between what the big Indian retailers have been doing and what the MNCs will do?

There is a difference. Their pockets are not as deep as the foreign players. For example, players like Walmart can establish their malls everywhere without looking at profits for the next, say five years or 10 years. They can undersell and finish off all the local retailers. I don't think the Indian corporates can have this kind of an approach.

Because they are not big enough?

They don't have the equity or capacity to pose this kind of danger. Another worry of mine, other than losing employment and destruction of small shops is the impact it will have on rural food security. Sixty per cent of the food grains produced in India is distributed within villages and only 40 per cent enters the commercial arena. Most farmers produce food for only themselves.

If this is so, how can you establish a farmgate to retailgate link? If you draw two per cent out of the 60 per cent, it is going to be disastrous.

What is the guarantee that they will outsource from Indian farmers, like the government expects? If they get cheaper food products from elsewhere, won't they bring them to Indian market, like you see Fiji and Californian apples even today in Indian market?

They can outsource 70 per cent of their products. Let us assume they pay a higher price here and lower price outside, they can make their margin. My worry is taking even five per cent food grains from the Indian rural market. If that is so, what will happen to the food security of those people?

Thirty-five crore small farmers and about 25 crore farm labour are dependant on what is produced in the rural market.

Supporters of FDI in retail talk about FDI in countries like China, Indonesia, etc., and say no economic crisis has happened there because of FDI in retail. What do you say on this?

Can you manage your economy like China? You can manage only if you can manage your politics or media or police or army like China. Only if you can manage foreign countries like China.

China has limited the entire globalisation process only to coastal China. There is no free movement of people, there is no free exchange of information. It is juts impossible to follow China.

Another thing is, the number of retail shops in India is at least three times higher than that of China. Retail penetration is very high in this country. China destroyed traders and substituted them with ration shops for over 40 years.

Similarly, they had wiped out the Chinese trading class and farmers. So, when they opened up, Chinese business class had to come from outside. They needed the business class from outside when they opened which is not the case in India. Traders, farmers and business class are in existence in India. It is not a comparable situation.

Will FDI in retail create a buoyancy in the Indian economy like the government expects?

I don't think so. It can only manage the sentiments. The idea of managing the economy through managing the sentiments is only a short term measure. The prime minister says 50 per cent of the FDI will go into developing the infrastructure. Do you expect them to do so when they are here to do business?

Why should they develop the infrastructure here? They may probably set up cold storages but why should they develop roads here? But basic infrastructure, you have to develop for them to put up their storage facilities. They may start the axillary infrastructure if you put up the main infrastructure. How foolish it is to expect them to develop infrastructure in the country! I don't know how it goes uncontested.

The criticism against the Marxist party (CPM) is that they are against capitalism, and the criticism against the BJP is that it is a baniya party...

I am very happy if the BJP supports the baniyas. I am very happy if Marxists support the small traders because they are anti-capitalists. I don't see anything wrong in this.

Do you call bringing FDI in retail or any other sector, reform?

I don't think reform has never been defined. Today, anything that the western countries want is "reforms". If you oppose what they want, you are against reforms. The entire retail development in the US can be attributed to the destruction of society there by promoting crass consumerism. Retail investment is a product of consumerism.

FDI in retail, FDI in insurance, FDI in pension fund... which is going to be the most dangerous, according to you?

According to me, FDI in retail will immediately affect the economy. Making pension fund dependant on the stock market will be very dangerous.

In fact, the US economy has become dependant on the stock market. When the stock market falls, the economy falls. Instead, you should follow the German model where pension funds are banked. The social security system of Germany is based on banking model and not on stock model while American social security model is based on equity model.

Germans seem to be far more successful because Germany is the only country that is running surplus budgets. It has also surplus trade balance. And, we are basically a bank based country. Only two per cent of the savings gets into the stock market. That is why the government is able to meet its deficits.

This year, we will be depositing Rs eight lakh crores (Rs 8 trillion) in the banking system and the government will be borrowing Rs six lakh crores (Rs 6 trillion). If the people put money in the stock market, the government will become insolvent in this country.

And, the prime minister of this country said four years ago, if I recollect, don't go to banks, go to the stock market. But the country didn't listen. Our culture is aligned to the banking system.

The government says subsidies must go as it is eating the economy...

There is subsidy in every country. America is giving $20 billion annually as subsidy for agriculture, European Union also. Subsidies is the only way you can equalise.

The subsidies that are eating into the Indian economy is the petroleum subsidy. Seventy-five per cent of it can be attributed to the depreciation of the value of the rupee.

Our prices are sufficient to recover the international prices up to $100 per barrel provided the value of the rupee is 45 or 46. But the rupee value has depreciated by 25 per cent, and that is because of the mismanagement of the economy. So, don't blame subsidies, blame the fall in the value of the rupee.

Onion - Food or Poison

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu... Many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser. She said that several

years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmer's story...but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia, and, needless to say, I was very ill... I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an empty jar, and place the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion wo uld be black in the morning from the germs...sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better. Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is the other note. Lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

Ed, who was our tour guide, is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially-made mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the summer picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table, and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that, when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the ONIONS, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!). Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning.

Sent by Arun Shroff.

I had probably posted a similar article many moons ago.

But I suppose it is worth repeating by me since I do not eat onions.

Why Germany is the Power House it is

MONEY IS YOURS BUT RESOURCES BELONG TO THE SOCIETY.

Germany is a highly industrialised country. It produces top brands like Benz, BMW, Siemens etc. The nuclear reactor pump is made in a small town in this country. In such a country, many will think its people lead a luxurious life. At least that was my impression before my study trip.

When I arrived at Hamburg , my colleagues who work in Hamburg arranged a welcome party for me in a restaurant. As we walked into the restaurant, we noticed that a lot of tables were empty. There was a table where a young couple was having their meal. There were only two dishes and two cans of beer on the table. I wondered if such simple meal could be romantic, and whether the girl will leave this stingy guy.

There were a few old ladies on another table. When a dish is served, the waiter would distribute the food for them, and they would finish every bit of the food on their plates.

We did not pay much attention to them, as we were looking forward to the dishes we ordered. As we were hungry, our local colleague ordered more food for us.

As the restaurant was quiet, the food came quite fast. Since there were other activities arranged for us, we did not spend much time dining. When we left, there was still about one third of unconsumed food on the table.

When we were leaving the restaurant, we heard someone calling us. We noticed the old ladies in the restaurant were talking about us to the restaurant owner. When they spoke to us in English, we understood that they were unhappy about us wasting so much food. We immediately felt that they were really being too busybody. "We paid for our food, it is none of your business how much food we left behind," my colleague Guy told the old ladies.

The old ladies were furious. One of them immediately took her hand phone out and made a call to someone. After a while, a man in uniform claimed to be an officer from the Social Security Organisation arrived. Upon knowing what the dispute was, he issued us a 50 Mark fine. We all kept quiet. The local colleague took out a 50 Mark note and repeatedly apologised to the officer.

The officer told us in a stern voice, "ORDER WHAT YOU CAN CONSUME, MONEY IS YOURS BUT RESOURCES BELONG TO THE SOCIETY. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS IN THE WORLD WHO ARE FACING SHORTAGE OF RESOURCES. YOU HAVE NO REASON TO WASTE RESOURCES."

Our face turned red. We all agreed with him in our hearts. The Mindset of people of this rich country put all of us to shame. WE REALLY NEED TO REFLECT ON THIS. We are from country which is not very rich in resources. To save face, we order large quantity and also waste food when we give others a treat. THIS LESSON TAUGHT US A LESSON TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT CHANGING OUR BAD HABITS.

My colleague photo copied the fine ticket and gave a copy to each of us as a souvenir. All of us kept it and pasted on our wall to remind us that we shall never be wasteful.

Sent by Arun Shroff

Muslim Rage - How Justified -A western View

Seven things you may have missed in the 'Rage'

Like everyone else, many Muslims find the 13 minute Islamophobic video "Innocence of Muslims" trashy and offensive. Protests have spread quickly, tapping into understandable and lasting grievances about neo-colonialist US and western foreign policy in the Middle East, as well as religious sensitivities about depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. But the news coverage often obscures some important points: 1. Early estimates put participation in anti-film protests at between 0.001 and 0.007% of the world's 1.5 billion Muslims – a tiny fraction of those who marched for democracy in the Arab spring. 2. The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful. The breaches of foreign embassies were almost all organised or fuelled by elements of the Salafist movement, a radical Islamist group that is most concerned with undermining more popular moderate Islamist groups.

3. Top Libyan and US officials are divided over whether the killing of the US ambassador to Libya was likely pre-planned to coincide with 9/11, and therefore not connected to the film.

4. Apart from attacks by radical militant groups in Libya and Afghanistan, a survey of news reports on 20 September suggested that actual protesters had killed a total of zero people. The deaths cited by media were largely protesters killed by police.

5. Pretty much every major leader, Muslim and western, has condemned the film, and pretty much every leader, Muslim and western, has condemned any violence that might be committed in response.

6. The pope visited Lebanon at the height of the tension, and Hezbollah leaders attended his sermon, refrained from protesting the film until he left, and called for religious tolerance. Yes, this happened.

7. After the attack in Benghazi, ordinary people turned out on the streets in Benghazi and Tripoli with signs, many of them in English, apologising and saying the violence did not represent them or their religion.

Add to that the number of really big news stories that were buried last week to make room for front page, angry Muslim "Clash" coverage. In Russia tens of thousands of protesters marched through Moscow to oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hundreds of thousands of Portuguese and Spaniards turned out for anti-austerity protests; and more than a million Catalans marched for independence.

Muslim rage or Salafist strategy?

The "Innocence of Muslims" was picked up and peddled with subtitles by far-right Salafists – radical followers of an Islamic movement long supported by Saudi Arabia. The film was a cheaply made, YouTube failure until an Egyptian Salafist TV host, Sheikh Khaled Abdullah (right) began promoting it to viewers on 8 September. Most insulted Muslims ignored the film or protested peacefully, but the Salafists, with their signature black flags, were leading instigators of the more aggressive protests that breached embassies. Leaders of the Egyptian Salafist party attended the Cairo protest that broke into the US embassy.

Like the far-right in the US or Europe, the Salafist strategy is to drag public opinion rightwards by seizing on opportunities to fan radical anger and demonise ideological opponents. This approach resembles that of anti-Muslim US pastor Terry Jones (who first promoted the film in the west) and other western extremists. In both societies, however, the moderates far (far!) outnumber the extremists. A leading figure in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood (the more powerful and popular political opponent of Egypt’s Salafists) wrote to the New York Times saying: "We do not hold the American government or its citizens responsible for acts of the few that abuse the laws protecting freedom of expression".

Good reporting

A lonely band of journalists and scholars have approached the protests with an intent to truly understand the forces behind them. Among them, Hisham Matar, who powerfully describes the sadness in Benghazi after J Christopher Stevens' killing, and Barnaby Phillips, who explores how Islamic conservatives manipulated the film to their advantage. Anthropologist Sarah Kendzior cautions against treating the Muslim world as a homogenous unit. And Professor Stanley Fish tackles a tough question: why many Muslims are so sensitive to unflattering depictions of Islam.

The above came in my mailbox from Awaaz.com.

The population of the world as on date is around 7.25 billions and is increasing every second. To get the latest figure you can go to the site. http://www.ibiblio.org/lunarbin/worldpop

God has made every person unique but this unique person is molded by his surroundings and the persons he comes in contact with to follow certain religion, caste, sect with certain beliefs.

These beliefs vary between different people and it is impossible to get a person to change his views unless we use force or give incentives.

The human race is spread out all over the earth and it is impossible to subjugate the whole race and impose your views.

It is best for everyone if they care for each others feelings and work within those limits

Statistics may be very misleading.0.001 and 0.007% quoted above may seem miniscule.These are the figures given above, who actually participated in the demonstrations but what about the silent mass who may have supported the demonstrators but did not care to participate in those demonstrations.

We had the Congress government at the centre giving similar figures of the crowds supporting Anna's cause.They too missed the anger of the masses behind the cause.

We had our own demonstrations in India against M F Hussain who took his artistic licence too far in denigrating Hindu gods. The man had to spend the rest of his life in a foreign country.

Freedom of information is good but if it creates enmity between mankind, it should be controlled.

The USA is lucky that it is separated from the rest of the old world by two big oceans on both flanks otherwise there would have been many more 9/11 accidents. Its policy of trying to impose its will on countries for its own benefit does not go down well with right thinking masses.

The USA supports dictators where it suits them and tom-toms the value of democracy where it suits them.

Loot in the Share Market

I have been in the share market for more than 30 years.

I have seen many ups and downs right from the Harshad Mehta scam, Ketan Parekh scam, Lehmann Brothers scam.

I was fortunate to have entered the share markets when new issues were still available at fave value or at a slight premium to the face value.

I bought many dud shares and one or two very good shares which has given me returns many times over the investments which I made.

Over time, I have found that if you want to make money in shares, you must know the art of selling.

Buying is not important for when the share market goes up, all types of shares start rising. However, if you know when to sell, then only can you make profit in shares.

Nowadays, hardly any issues are made at face value or near face values. All issues are made at a very high premium to face value and so the person applying for these issues stands very little chance of making any profits for at least 10 years. The merchant bankers and the companies’ promoters skim off all the cream from new issues. SEBI and the Indian government is making all efforts to seduce new investors to subscribe to new issues but unless the premiums to new issues are drastically reduced the retail investor will keep away for IPOs. For that the merchant banker who connives with the promoter to charge high premiums should be punished by banning them from new issues for at least one year. Then only will merchant bankers become more vigilant in not promoting dud issues.

It should be the duty of SEBI to locate and pin point dud issues and the promoters associated with them. A record should be kept of such promoters and they should be prevented new issues under some other names. Their complete bio-data should be posted on the SEBI website so that people avoid any issues made by them.

However SEBI has failed miserably in performing this duty with the result that the IPO scams continue.

In the coming issues, I shall mention some of the dud issues I had subscribed and the promoters associated with those issues. I hall also invite our readers also to write of the dud issues they got into and high light iny bad experiences they had with any of the promoters.

I shall start this week with a company by the name of PATDAR BUIDLCON LIMITED,

Its registered Office is at Lati Bazar, Joravarnagar 363020, Dist Surendranagar, Gujarat.

The Directors of this company are 1. Rajnikant Patel, 2. Ramjibhai Patel, 3.Dhirajlal Patel and 4. Pravinkumar Patel.

I have just received the AGM booklet for their Twenty Sixth AGM.

I find no record of this company in the shares I have which means the company has changed its name without informing me.

Now, I have looked up the trading pattern of this company.

It has traded on the following dates with the number of shares traded.

29.8.2011 – 100 shares

31.10.2011 – 200 shares

24.11.2011 – 200 shares

25.11.2012 – 300 shares

28.11.2011 – 300 shares

14.12.2011 – 200 shares,

16th, 20th and 21st Dec, 2011 – 100 shares each

22.12.2011 – 200 shares

23rd, 26th and 27th Dec, 2011 – 100 shares each

28th and 29th Dec, 2011 – 200 shares each,

30.12.2011 – 100 shares

3rd and 4th Jan, 2012 – 200 shares each

5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 18th Jan, 2012 – 100 shares each,

19.12.2012 – 200 shares

20th, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 27th, 30th, 31st – 100 share each,

02.02.2012 – 500 shares.

Since 2nd February,2012, the company has stopped trading in the share market.

I will ask my readers to draw their own conclusion of this company and is it

worthwhile trusting any other company in which are 1. Rajnikant Patel, 2. Ramjibhai Patel, 3.Dhirajlal Patel and 4. Pravinkumar Patel are involved.

This is my first dissection of the companies in our share market. Many more such dissections follow.

Baba Ramdev to launch nation-wide agitation in favour of domestic companies on Oct.2

Haridwar, Sep 23 (ANI): Accusing the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government of behaving like an agent of overseas companies by allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, yoga guru Baba Ramdev has threatened to launch a nation-wide agitation in favour of domestic companies on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"We will launch a Swadeshi Movement to promote and consume indigenous domestic products in 650 districts across the country on October 2, because this government is acting like an agent of foreign companies," said Baba Ramdev.

He further claimed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was under the influence and pressure of America and foreign companies but with no concern for the people of his own nation.

"The pressure of America and foreign companies is evident on him (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh). He doesn't care about people of this country," added Baba Ramdev. Earlier, The Prime Minister supported the government's move to allow FDI in retail, saying it would not hurt small traders and that the apprehensions that small retailers would be destroyed were unfounded.

The government made the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail market of the country on September 14, paving the way for multinational companies such as Wal-Mart and Carrefour to enter domestic market.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Dr. Manmohan Singh, decided to allow up to 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retailers and aviation.

Despite the backlash, the government pressed ahead with more reforms, slashing a tax on overseas borrowing by Indian firms and implementing a scheme to encourage individuals to invest in the stock market.

The cabinet may also approve measures next week to allow greater foreign investment in the insurance sector. (ANI)

I would suggest all those political parties who do not support FDI in retail to warn any foreign companies who enter India that if they came to power , they would reverse this unilateral action of the UPA.

They would nationalize all their assets.

I think, this should be a stopper to the mad rush they are making.

A Fairy Tale with a difference

A beautiful fairy appeared one day to an immigrant claimant outside the Social Security Offices.

'My good man,' the fairy said,

'I've been told to grant you three wishes,

since you’ve just arrived in England with your wife and seven children.'

The man told the fairy:

'Well, where I come from we don't have good teeth, so I want new teeth, maybe a lot of gold in them.'

The fairy looked at the man's almost toothless grin and --PING!!!

He had a brand new shining set of gold teeth in his mouth!

'What else?' asked the fairy, 'two, more wishes, to go'.

The refugee claimant now got bolder.

'I need a big house with a three car garage in Birmingham with eight bedrooms for my family and the rest of my refugee relatives who still live in my country. I want to bring them all over here.

PING! - In the distance there could be seen a beautiful mansion with a three car garage, a long driveway, a walkout patio with a BBQ, and a sparkling swimming pool and a BMW, full of his nephews playing their music.

'One, more wish, left for you', said the fairy, waving her wand.

I want to be English with English clothes instead of rags, and shawl and I want to have white skin like the English.'

PING! - The man was transformed, wearing worn out jeans from ASDA, a dirty Primark T-shirt and a greasy baseball cap.

He had his bad teeth back and the mansion had disappeared from the horizon.

'What happened to my new teeth?' he wailed.

'Where is my new house? Where’s my Visa Gold Card?'

The fairy said 'Tough luck. Now that you are English,

you're entitled to sweet f*** all like the rest of us”.

And she disappeared

An Arab walks into a bar and is about to order a drink when he sees a guy close by wearing a Jewish cap, a prayer shawl, tzitzis and traditional locks of hair. He doesn't have to be an Einstein to know that this guy is Jewish.

So, he shouts over to the bartender so loudly that everyone can hear, "Drinks for everyone in here, bartender, but not for that Jew over there."

Soon after the drinks have been handed out, the Jew gives him a big smile, waves at him, then says, "Thank you!" in an equally loud voice. This infuriates the Arab. He once again loudly orders drinks for everyone except the Jew.

As before, this does not seem to bother the Jewish guy. He continues to smile, and again yells, "Thank you!"

The Arab asks the bartender,

"What's the hell is the matter with that Jew? I've ordered two rounds of drinks for everyone in the bar but him, and all the silly bugger does is smile and thank me. Is he nuts?

"Nope," replies the bartender. "He owns the place."

Both the above sent by Prakash Bhartia

FDI - How good?

The UPA Government announced its policy last week, of inviting big multinational retailers to come and take over the Indian market. Predictably, the pro-lobby that has worked behind the scenes has expressed delight.

Oddly, the words and concerns of the masses who are about to be displaced and adversely impacted have found but a small voice in the media. Remarkably, never before has such a massively disruptive policy been pushed through with such grandstanding deception.

States’ hands are tied

A principal argument of the Government is that this is only an enabling policy and the States can determine if they will issue licences under the Shops and Establishments Act to the multinational retailers to operate within their areas. This is in direct conflict with something called “National Treatment” that the Government has committed to investing countries.

As of July, the Government of India has entered into Bilateral Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement (BIPAs) in order to promote and protect, on reciprocal basis, the investment of the investors. Such agreements have been signed with 82 countries, out of which 72 BIPAs have already come into force and the remaining agreements are in the process of being enforced.

This information is available on the Ministry of Finance Web site (http://goo.gl/nAL7Y).

The relevant clause defining “National Treatment” under this agreement reads as follows: “Each Contracting Party shall accord to investments of investors of the other Contracting Party, including their operation, management, maintenance, use, enjoyment or disposal by such investors, treatment which shall not be less favourable than that accorded either to investments of its own investors or to investments of investors of any third State.”

In effect, what this means is that if a Nilgiris can operate in Chennai, a Big Bazaar in Kolkata or an Easyday in UP, the governments of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal or UP cannot prevent a Walmart or Tesco from opening shop.

If the licence is denied under the Shop and Establishment Act, this can be legally challenged under the BIPA agreements. The entire country, including all State governments, is obligated under the BIPA agreements.

Numbers don’t add up

The government has argued repeatedly that seeking a consensus does not mean seeking full agreement. While this is so, the essence of democracy is that a minority cannot determine policy for the majority. This is what has happened in this case.

Table 1 lists the States, as cited by the Commerce Ministry, which have agreed to open up to foreign retailers. These States represent only 30 per cent of the total population of the country.

The Government clearly does not have the numbers to impose this policy. While the former Finance Minister, now the President, promised in Parliament -- and in effect to the people at large -- that consensus will drive this decision, the action of the government is quite the opposite.

Destroying Markets

Many economists have argued in favour of FDI in retail, citing investment flows and need for deficit reduction, among other issues. All these are short-term considerations at best, and there are many ways to address these.

The fundamental point has been missed. To borrow, and slightly modify, a famous phrase from an American president, “It is the markets, stupid!” The incontrovertible truth is that markets are the principal source of wealth generation and livelihood.

It is precisely for this reason that big global capital will put a major stake on the ground here with a singular focus – to control the markets and eventually dominate it, so that returns can flow copiously and in perpetuity. When this happens, as it has surely happened in country after country, the markets end up serving the interests of a few multinationals.

The opposite is true in India today. Tens of millions of retailers, traders and vendors of all hues make a living off the markets. On the supply side, the markets are serving crores of farmers and other producers by providing ready access. The wealth generation is massively spread out, keeping people employed.

On the consumption side, crores of Indians enjoy ready access to merchandise made available through the most frugal of wholesale and retail channels found anywhere in world. The markets in India serve the people of India.

The global experience is that multinational corporatisation of retail chokes market access on the one hand, and dictates pricing to the consumers on the other.

The locus of market control in the West rests with big retailers. This is the model of Western retail, riddled with problems, that is being unleashed in India.

Anti-young at the core

While the debate rages on with a lot of irrelevant smoke and mirrors, the demographic bulge in India is all but ignored by economists. See Table 2. A massive 300 million people are in the age group of between 16 to 29 years, representing a third of the population above 12 years.

Nearly 100 million are in the age group 16 to 19. Assuming that only one in four of them seeks employment, close to 25 million new jobs will need to be added over the next five years -- that is 5 million new jobs to be created annually.

According to the Survey on Employment and Unemployment by the National Sample Survey Office 2009-10, the Indian economy’s job creation record in the past two years is abysmal.

It is incredible that Retail, one of the prime sources of employment in the country, is being handed out on a platter out to multinationals with their proven record of poor employment generation.

Cure worse than disease

FDI in retail is being brought in supposedly to address issues of infrastructure and to reduce wastage of perishables. In reality, the investments will come to take over the market.

When that is done, the farmers and suppliers can forget easy market access, countless retailers and traders would have been displaced, and the consumers will be paying a higher price. Sadly, the markets will no longer be serving the people.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A system that generates wealth and jobs for millions will be replaced by retail giants with the pricing power to squeeze farmers and consumers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (This article was published in the Business Line print edition dated September 19, 2012)

Oil Ministry ad misrepresents facts on LPG cap, says MP

There was no unanimity in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on capping the number of domestic LPG cylinders, as declared by the Oil Ministry’s recent advertisement published in leading newspapers, according to Rajya Sabha MP Tapan Sen, a member of the committee.

In a letter to Jaipal Reddy, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, on Monday, the CPI (M) MP drew the Minister’s attention to “misrepresentation of facts” with regard to capping of LPG cylinders in the advertisement titled “Was the increase in price of diesel & capping of Domestic LPG avoidable? No, for the following reasons”.

The letter says the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Petroleum & Natural Gas (8th Report on Demands for Grants-2011-12) on this particular issue was not at all unanimous, as claimed in the Ministry’s advertised statement.

“I, as a member of the Standing Committee, had submitted my ‘note of dissent’ on the recommendation on this particular issue which was published along with the Report and tabled in Parliament on August 3, 2011.”

Also, the decision of the Government to cap domestic LPG cylinders’ availability to six annually is at “wide variance with what the Standing Committee actually recommended on that issue”, Sen alleged.

The Standing Committee recommended, though not unanimously, the restriction on domestic LPG availability at subsidised rate for “people having an income of more than Rs 6 lakh per annum including those holding constitutional posts, public representatives like MPs, MLAs/MLCs,” the letter added

The government is past masters in misusing the CBI and all other investigating arms of the government is harassing the public who are opposed to the goverenment policies. The seem to have acquired the Masters in also misrepresenting facts loke Goebbels.

Anna's decision is shocking, says Kejriwal

Noida, Sep 20 (ANI): India Against Corruption (IAC) member Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that veteran social activist Anna Hazare's decision to part ways with his erstwhile close aides is shocking and regretful.

"We respect Annaji very much. He is like a father figure. His decision to part ways has come as a big surprise. It was shocking, painful, unexpected and regretful," he said. "It was Anna who asked us to conduct a survey on whether to form a political party or not. He chose SMS, internet and social media. Everything is being sold out in the country; coal, shops, retail business etc. So there is a sense of urgency in us to change the system," he added.

He further said: "I think we will always try to be associated with Anna Hazare. His five thoughts will be the foundation of our party. His picture and his name will always be with us."

Hazare, who was the face of the India Against Corruption (IAC) campaign, had yesterday said he would not be a part of the political arm of the movement, spearheaded by Kejriwal.

"I will not join any party or any group. I will not go for their campaign. I have told them not to use my photo or my name in their campaign. You fight on your own," he said. Hazare refused to accept the survey done by India Against Corruption which overwhelmingly favoured a political path, saying he does not agree with the exercise done through social networking sites.

"My best wishes are with them (those taking political path). There is no harm in it. If they think that they can get majority in Parliament, it is good...The paths have been separated. Both of us have chosen our separate paths," he said.ejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and others want to form a political party and contest elections to usher in fundamental changes in the country's democratic structure.

Hazare had staged a hunger strike against corruption that roused public ire against the government. Thousands took to the streets at his call, demanding for an anti-graft Lokpal (ombudsman) to tackle rampant graft. (ANI)

History has a uncanny knack of repeating itself. I give below, the differences which occurred between Gandhiji and Subhash Chandra Bose.

Gandhi had a clash with Subhas Chandra Bose, who had been elected president in 1938, and who had previously expressed a lack of faith in non-violence as a means of protest.Despite Gandhi's opposition, Bose won a second term as Congress President, against Gandhi's nominee, Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya; but left the Congress when the All-India leaders resigned en masse in protest of his abandonment of the principles introduced by Gandhi. Gandhi declared that Sitaramayya's defeat was his defeat.

So you see, the young generation wants faster movement and the way the existing politicians jettisoned the demand for a strong Lok pal Bill, made the young brigade realize that to defeat these corrupt politicians at their own game, they have to win elections.

I fully support them and was one who voted for their resolution to enter politics. If you note, Anna, has said he will not support all their candidates blindly. The candidates will have to stand his scrutiny.

Thats good. For that will make them choose only honest, hardworking candidates. So, it will be a two pronged attack.

One arm of Anna,s movement will be apolitical and the other half will be political. I wish bth of them well and want both of them to succeed.

Anna Hazare to meet India Against Corruption members today

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): Veteran anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare is expected to meet key members of the India Against Corruption (IAC) and his erstwhile close associates including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kiran Bedi here today amid indications of a spilt in his team.

In today's meeting, Hazare will seek the opinion of his close aides about the future course of action in his fight against corruption and make his stand clear about giving an alternative to voters during the 2014 Parliament Elections.

Hazare on Tuesday made his stand absolutely clear that he was not in favour of forming a political party, saying if Kejriwal decides to float a political party, it would mean taking a different path with the same goal of corruption free India.

"I have decided for myself not to form a political party or fight elections. But if Arvind floats one, it would mean taking a different path with the same goal of a corruption free India," he said.

"If Arvind's party fields a proper candidate, we will support that particular person and not all of them," he added.

Hazare further said he would undertake a nationwide tour to seek direction to his movement.

"The exercise has begun with the Pune meeting and it will continue in Delhi where I am expecting to meet around 100 to 125 activists and hold discussions with them," he added.

Asserting that it was time to fight a joint movement against corruption, Hazare had earlier rubbished reports of a rift between him and Kejriwal, saying this was all hype created by the media.

"There is no reality behind these reports. We have a meeting tomorrow and all these speculations are all by the media," Hazare said

"Be it Arvind Kejriwal or anyone else who is fighting against corruption, the time has come to be united and fight this war. If we all fight against graft separately, then the same policy of divide and rule applied by the British will be used again," he added.

Denying his foray into politics, Hazare had said that the people of this country would have the discretion to decide whether he should form a political party or not.

Hazare and his aides have been at loggerheads with the Congress led-United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government for the enactment of a strong Lokpal Bill. (ANI)

Whatever God does is for the best.

We should never question His decision.

This differences in view also may be best for the movement.

For people like me who would like Anna and his group to fight the elections and defeat these corrupt parties.

For others who do not want them to go into politics, Anna remains apolitical. He can support those unde Kejriwal fight the elections.

In the long run, they will have to stand for elections as these corrupt politicians will just not corect themselves. They just cannot afford it.

We saw how these MPs jettisoned the Lok Pal Bill the last time it went to Parliament.

Behold the unraveling of Sonia Gandhi's leadership.

In the last eight years, under her leadership, her Congress party has not been able to influence its own government to change the template to govern this difficult country.

From 2004 to 2008, during the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance government's first term, she wielded authority while her nominated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh carried the burden of accountability.

The government's wrongs didn't touch her, and its strengths were duly credited to her.

She seemed to have a halo around her -- much to the chagrin of her critics -- and it perfectly suited the Congress party, which has an infatuation for dynastic rule embedded in its DNA.

The idea of dual power centres, which worked till 2009, has now become the cause of political crises. As one senior editor of a political weekly put it, the arrangement of dual power centre has collapsed and is giving diminishing returns to Sonia and the government.

The flood of scams threatening to drown her party prove that the Congress party has again turned into a gigantic, pan-Indian machinery to make money from crony capitalists, their agents and fixers -- who are ready to loot and plunder resources that are the property of the Indian people.

To be fair to Sonia, this malady is not new to the Congress party. Since the days of Indira Gandhi's post-Emergency rule, the Congress party -- and in turn India -- has been in the grip of shady operators who have been using politicians to pursue their own economic goals. Now, the disease has become cancerous, and has spread to most parties and most states.

Sonia's steady rise since 1998 and her two successive election victories gave enormous strength to the Congress party, brought it back in power in New Delhi, gave India political stability.

There is no doubt that May 18, 2004, Sonia touched millions of Indian hearts by refusing to become prime minister. In a supremely clever move, she stepped back to leave the highest post to her trusted lieutenant, Manmohan Singh. It wowed political pundits not just in India, but across the world. Sonia's leadership is slipping. Her party-led government is drifting. Her party spokesmen struggle for words. She has not been able to control factionalism in many important states, which has made it impossible for the party to nominate strong and deserving state party presidents. She has not been able to replace the 'nomination culture' with intra-party democracy.

There are many reasons for India's economy being in bad shape, but the blame for the rampant corruption goes squarely and largely to her party. Its cupboard is filled with skeletons, and they are tumbling out one after the other.

It began with the Commonwealth Games scam and continued with the 2G scam, for which the government -- after acting in a bizarre manner that benefitted only large corporations making money off it -- tried to shift the blame only on the minister, A Raja, who belonged to a coalition ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The Comptroller and Auditor General's report revealed allegations of mishandling of budgets of many airports that have been built recently. And in recent weeks, the serious allegation of complete mishandling of India's coal policy has further tarred the Congress party and the government's reputation.

Coal is crucial for power-starved, global-influence-aspirant India. And this government was giving it away for free. Its fig leaf of an excuse is that previous governments were also doing the same. Yes, there were genuine power producers who needed cheap or free coal to produce cheap power.

But Sonia's government allotted free coal blocks to many fixers, shady operators and doubtful political characters who just wanted to make money by selling at hefty rates the right to mine coal -- a right that was given to them for free.

The Central Bureau of Investigation -- which will not win an award for impartial investigations into people in power -- is investigating some of these beneficiaries of the government's coal largesse. Some of them are directly related or closely linked to the Congress party, or its ministers in government.

The shouts on the streets and the whispers in the power corridors are that these coal blocks must have been given as quid pro quo for fattening up the Congress party's coffers. Unlike the 2G scam, there remains no doubt that the coal scam's trail leads largely to the doorstep of Congress party leaders.

Recently announced statistics reveal the Congress party has Rs 2000 crore ($363.3 million) in its party funds. The main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has half that amount.

But more than corruption, what has weakened this government most is price rise.

To quote Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, 'Whenever the Congress (party) comes to power, it brings price rise with it.'

September 13, the UPA government hiked diesel prices by Rs 5.62 per litre, a steep hike, and restricted the supply of subsidised cooking gas to six cylinders per household in a year. It is like a massive blow to the face for the common Indian. Because fuel price hike -- especially diesel, used in trucks that ferry goods -- translates to hike in prices of all essential commodities. And cooking gas is probably the most essential commodity for any Indian family.

With Opposition parties demanding a rollback of the hike, Congress party spokespersons' argument -- that a hike is a must to save the economy -- rings hollow.

Sonia wove her public image with great care. She had nursed the pain of the taint of the Bofors scandal of the 1980s on her family long after her husband Rajiv Gandhi's death and long before she stepped into public life.

Now, with the party reins in her hands, the party is facing much, much more serious corruption charges. And that halo and enigma attached to her personality, which added to her charisma once, is now sending different signals. Many analysts point out that being distant and enigmatic is not the need of the hour. "Sonia Gandhi has not used her credibility to build the legacy of good governance," says Pratap Bhanu Mehta, president, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, a think tank.

He agrees that "it is time to assess the family role and her leadership role in the current crisis."

Many in New Delhi believe Mehta when he says, "Recent scams have taken a lot of sheen off her public image."

Inder Malhotra, veteran journalist and author of a book on Indira Gandhi, tells rediff.com: "The idea of dual power centre was an invitation to disaster."

The disconnect from the masses began, Malhotra says, when Prime Minister Singh didn't get a free hand and Sonia and her son Rahul hardly spoke to people.

Malhotra points out: "See, the diesel price was increased by their government, but neither mother nor son has spoken a word."

Rasheed Kidwai, author of a book on Sonia Gandhi, puts it bluntly: "The arrangement of dual centres of power has turned Singh into a tragic figure." Many analysts point out that being distant and enigmatic is not the need of the hour. "Sonia Gandhi has not used her credibility to build the legacy of good governance," says Pratap Bhanu Mehta, president, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, a think tank.

He agrees that "it is time to assess the family role and her leadership role in the current crisis."

Many in New Delhi believe Mehta when he says, "Recent scams have taken a lot of sheen off her public image."

Inder Malhotra, veteran journalist and author of a book on Indira Gandhi, tells rediff.com: "The idea of dual power centre was an invitation to disaster."

The disconnect from the masses began, Malhotra says, when Prime Minister Singh didn't get a free hand and Sonia and her son Rahul hardly spoke to people.

Malhotra points out: "See, the diesel price was increased by their government, but neither mother nor son has spoken a word."

Rasheed Kidwai, author of a book on Sonia Gandhi, puts it bluntly: "The arrangement of dual centres of power has turned Singh into a tragic figure." Also, even though her party's credentials are suspect now and then, in taking on communal forces Sonia has never shown a weak nerve on this issue.

As India heads to its next election, her strength of being an "uncompromising secularist" will help the party, says a Congress party leader, speaking to rediff.com on condition of anonymity.

If Narendra Modi emerges as the strongest BJP leader after the Gujarat state election, the Congress party leader from Kerala argues, Sonia will become indispensable once again for India's secular forces.

The next six months will test Sonia's mettle. Two crucial pieces of proposed legislation, the food security bill and the land acquisition bill, enter into their final stages. The government is eager to push the economic-growth agenda -- and that doesn't suit the Sonia-backed, Left-leaning National Advisory Council.

After beating cervical cancer, Sonia is showing signs of getting into assertive mode. But a strong grip on the political situation is missing. The charged political situation is overpowering her.

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, an important supporter of the UPA government, has recently spoken bitterly about the scam-tainted government and questioned Rahul Gandhi's credentials. Compare this to 2004-2009, when what Sonia said was gospel for allies and Congress leaders alike.

And the Congress party campaign question -- that beat the BJP's India Shining propaganda in 2004 -- will be asked to Sonia's own party in the next election: Aam aadmi ko kya mila (What did the common man get)?

Sonia will find it difficult to answer. And she cannot even say, 'Ask the prime minister.' Because she never gave the prime minister much authority.

The above is from the mails I receive from Rediffmail.com

Mamata withdraws support to UPA government TMC ministers will submit their resignation to the PM on Friday.

Kolkata: The wait to know whether Trinamool Congress, the second largest constituent of the 40-month old UPA government would remain a part of the government is finally over. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announced that the party will withdraw its support to the UPA government. She said TMC ministers, one cabinet and five ministers of state, will submit their resignations to the Prime Minister on Friday.

In a press conference in Kolkata, Mamata said she tried her best to make things work with the UPA govt but finally came to a decision leave because "the way they function is not acceptable". She said the Congress does not consult allies and that they function on their own.

The TMC is protesting against the FDI in retail, diesel price rise and a cap on cylinder that the govt announced last week. She rules out outside support to the government. "We gave the Congress enough time to rethink their decision", she said.

With the UPA in minority, all eyes are on Mulayam's SP and Mayawati's BSP. Upon being asked if the Samajwadi Party will take their place in the govt, she said the SP's leadership will be the ones to take the call. As far as she is concerned, she will fight alone. She said, "we will fight our battle alone".

However, Mamata didn't give a clear answer as to what their future plan of action is. She said she may rethink her decision if there is a partial rollback.

Soon after her press conference, Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi spoke to the media very briefly and said the party is ready to reach out to her and discuss the issues she's raised.

Meanwhile, the BJP is unwilling to comment on her decision to quit. Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said they will wait till Friday to see how the situation unfolds.

After the TMC's withdrawal, the UPA now stands at 254 from 273 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The meeting was attended by all Trinamool members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha along with senior party leaders and ministers of the state cabinet, is being held at the historic Town Hall auditorium.

Mamata on Saturday warned that her party planned to take a "hard decision" if the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government did not roll back the twin decisions of FDI in retail and diesel price hike within 72 hours. The deadline ended Monday without any rollback.

The government Monday ruled out a roll back of its decisions to open up the retail industry and hike diesel prices even as some of its allies and an united opposition tested its resolve and promised more policy initiatives in the coming days.

"To my knowledge there is no question of any rollback (of diesel price hike)," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said

Asked whether the government has risked its stability, he said, "I do not think government faces any threat. Government is stable. Our allies in the government and outside will understand and continue their support to the government. We will be able to convince our allies."

Last week, the government allowed FDI in multi-brand retail, raised diesel prices by Rs. 5 a litre and capped the number of subsidised LPG cylinders at six a year.

At last Mamta has belled the cat.

Whatever, Mamta may be accused of, she cannot be accused of inconsistency.

She has always been pro-poor and the Congress government was aware of her views and the fact that they did not care to take her on board shows that they probably has the SP and BSP under their sleeves to bail them out like the way they did during the nuclear debate.

However, things are slightly different now.

Mulayam is raring to have the Lok Sabha elections as soon as possible and the BSP would like to delay it as much as possible. If the government, both Mamta and Mulayam would gain.

Top cop who took on Gurgaon toll plaza transferred

Gurgaon, Sep 18 (IANS) Police officer Bharti Arora, whose initiative led to the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway becoming toll free for a fortnight, was transferred ahead of a crucial hearing in the case Thursday, an official said Tuesday.

The deputy commissioner of police heading the traffic wing took on the contractor for not managing traffic on the 32-lane expressway, forcing the judiciary to order a temporary halt in toll collection.

The case will be heard Thursday in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. While the Haryana government termed the transfer of the 1998 batch IPS officer a routine exercise, as 15 others too have been shunted out, Bhatri Arora did not quit her charge Tuesday.

She had put up a foolproof case against the Expressway concessionaire Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity Ltd (DGSCL), backed with evidence which eventually led the court to stay toll collection for 15 days.

It was a team set up by her which ensured smooth ride on the expressway all these days, a miracle for NCR residents for whom long queues at the Sirhol toll plaza had become a daily pain.

According to police sources, Bharti Arora had put together a proposal highlighting how resumption of toll collection would bring back the chaos at the toll plaza. Her department had also compiled videos, photographs and other evidence of smooth traffic flow in the absence of toll collection.

The department planned to submit the same to the court at the Thursday hearing. "The transfer is a huge shock for all of us. We had conducted systematic investigation and got enough evidence to prove that it is just because of toll collection that there is chaos at plaza," said a official of traffic police who did not wished to be named. "We also had visual evidences. If they were to be produced in court, the toll would have been permanently revoked," the source added.

"For years traffic police were blamed for chaos but it was Bharti Arora who highlighted the real cause and even brought to fore the miscalculated loss by the expressway company," said another official.

In recent meetings between the local administration, the contractor and National Highway Authority of India, it was Bharti Arora who refused to let a 'cosmetic decongestion plan' get a go ahead.

Gurgaon's residents are up in arms against the officer's transfer. Many have lauded her work on Facebook.

Several Resident Welfare Associations have demanded that her transfer be cancelled. Bharti Arora did not respond to requests from IANS for a reaction to this story.

Time and again we have the same story.

Where some honest officers want to do something good for the nation/society politicians at the instigation of criminals and businessmen have them transferred. Every time the politicians say the same thing, it is routine transfer but the public know it is not routine. It is just to help the criminal/businessmen/politician nexus.

That is why we want Anna for none of the present pack of politicians are interested in improving things.

Subsidizing Diesel - one solutin

The auto industry in India has been facing quite a few headwinds in the form of higher interest rates, fuel prices and fall in demand. Thus, most companies have seen volume growth slowdown in the past several months. The silver lining in the cloud has been the furious demand for diesel vehicles, which has lent some form of a cushion to the companies. As petrol prices have been freed, the recent hikes had led to an increasing gap between the prices of the fuel and diesel. This saw car buyers make a beeline for diesel cars. Diesel vehicles accounted for 40% of car sales in FY12, twice their share in the previous year.

Now that the diesel price has also been hiked, is the car industry worried? Not really. In fact, the industry has heaved a sigh of relief. This is because the government earlier was contemplating taxing diesel cars, a proposition that the industry was totally against. Thus, as far as auto companies are concerned, this is the lesser of the two evils. Also, even though diesel prices have been hiked, there is still substantial difference between the prices of the two fuels. This means that there will not be much of an adverse impact on the demand side unless the gap narrows considerably sometime in the future.

The only solution as I see it is to have a differential pricing system for Diesel used for private cars and that used for commercial vehicles used for public purposes.

We are already having this differential pricing system for LPG cylinders.Commercially used LPG cylinders are available at around Rs 1400.00 whiles the domestically used ones cost about Rs 400.00 and the government is proposing to increase the price of these to around Rs 750/-.

But first of all, is the price increase necessary?

Over 60% of the cost is because of different taxes and duties imposed on these items from the time they are imported to the time they reach your house.

Besides excise duty, sales tax, service tax, customs duty, addl customs duty, cess, Edu cess, income tax, dividend tax and a myriad of other taxes we are asked to pay as they are charged on the companies, importers, transporters.

Of course, there is the inefficiency tax which we pay for wrong decisions or delayed decisions of the company and the government, like a ship coming to the port and lying there for days on end as the cargo cannot be unloaded.

Taxing Diesel cars is not a solution.

It gives the government windfall gains which it eats up in its corrupt ways.

Having a differential pricing system is much better.

Each diesel using vehicle should be given a unique number, according to its category.

All Diesel/Petrol pumps should be asked to keep computerized records which should be connected through net with central marketing who would keep a record of the lifting of diesel by each type of vehicle with kilometers covered to check there is no leakage by selling the diesel to unauthorized vehicles.

I know setting up this infrastructure would be expensive but it would be worth it. This would be a one time expense unlike the subsidy which the government claims is a perpetual drain. Of course, I don't believe them.

Diesel would be available to the required group cheap and would be expensive for private cars who are jumping on the bandwagon.

I know that car companies would not like it but they have to swallow it.

Congress downplays Mamata's threat to unseat UPA Govt. over FDI in retail, diesel price hike

New Delhi, Sep 16 (ANI): The Congress Party on Sunday downplayed West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee's threat to withdraw her ministers from the Central Government over the issue of Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail and the hike in diesel prices.

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi described Banerjee as an important ally of the UPA Government, and added that any problem pertaining to any issue, will be solved through dialogue.

"It would not be appropriate to comment further on this. We don't discuss our internal matters before the media. It is our internal matter; we will solve it out within ourselves," he added.

Banerjee took to the streets in Kolkata yesterday warning that the TMC would take 'hard' decisions at the end of her 72-hour deadline set by her party if the UPA Government did not scrap FDI in retail, withdraw the diesel price hike and the limit on subsidised LPG.

"We have called a party meeting on Tuesday to discuss these issues. If the Centre does not roll back the hike in diesel price and withdraw decisions on FDI in multi-brand retail and curbs on LPG, we will take decisions, however hard they may be. I hope the people will not misunderstand," she told a rally.

Expressing astonishment over the government's sudden big-ticket reforms, Banerjee said: "I don't know what happened. So many decisions were taken on a single day. We want economic reforms that reach the grassroots, not something that benefits a section. These are anti-people decisions."

"We are not in favour of quitting the government. We are always in favour of not breaking the alliance. But we are committed to the people." Banerjee said "we are the second largest ally of UPA and we could have got more cabinet berths. We have now only the Railway ministry but that hardly matters to us. What matters to us are the people," she added.

Banerjee further said that she could not betray the trust of the people, who have instilled confidence in her.

When asked that the BJP has alleged that the UPA Government was misusing the CBI for its personal gains, Alvi said it has become the attitude of the main opposition party to impose inept allegations against the government.

"The CBI is an independent body, which does its work with full responsibility. The Bharatiya Janata Party has never presented any evidence in this regard either before the media or before the courts. So, these all are baseless," he added. (ANI)

In our childhood, we have all heard of the boy who cried wolf and know what befell him when he cried once too often.

Mamta has threatened so frequently without carrying out her threat that the Congress now believes she is a gas bag, full of gas but no matter.

She will huff and she puff but she will not bring the down.

Hence, the new found courage in the Congress.

Further they may have been given assurance by both the SP and BSP to bail them out if the need arises and Mamta withdraws support.

That is one of the reasons why Mamta does not bring the house down since she know she is not indispensable.

The BSP depends on the Congress not to put the CBI hounds behind its leader, Mayawati.

Parsley - Dhania Leaves

CLEAN YOUR KIDNEYS FOR LESS THAN Rs 1.00

Years pass by and our kidneys are filtering the blood by removing salt, poison and any unwanted entering our body. With time, the salt accumulates and this needs to undergo cleaning treatments and how are we going to overcome this?

It is very easy, first take a bunch of parsley (MALLI Leaves) (DHANIYA)and wash it clean

Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then filter it and pour in a clean bottle and keep it inside refrigerator to cool.

Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination also you will be able to notice the difference which you never felt before.

Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural!

How little we know?

There is at least one thing you should learn each day.

I never knew of this property of Dhania.

The above was posted more than two years ago from a mail sent by sir, Mr. Lobo. I am repeating it here since nowadays we have started taking quite a lot of Dhania with our daily vegetable juice

Swapping Jobs

A man was sick and tired
of going to work every day
while his wife stayed home.

He wanted her to see

what he went through so he prayed:

'Dear Lord:

I go to work every day and put

in 8 hours while my wife

merely stays at home.

I want her to know what

I go through.

So, please allow her body to

switch with mine for a day.
'
God, in his infinite wisdom,

granted the man's wish.

The next morning, sure enough,

the man awoke as a woman...

He arose, cooked breakfast

for his mate,

Awakened the kids,

Set out their school clothes,

Fed them breakfast,

Packed their lunches,

Drove them to school,

Came home and picked

up the dry cleaning,

Took it to the cleaners

And stopped at the bank

to make a deposit,

Went grocery shopping,

Then drove home to put

away the groceries,

Paid the bills and balanced

the check book.

He cleaned the cat's litter box

and bathed the dog..

Then, it was already 1 P.M.

And he hurried to make the beds,

Do the laundry, vacuum,

Dust, And sweep and mop

the kitchen floor.

Ran to the school to pick up

the kids and got into an argument

with them on the way home.

Set out milk and cookies and

got the kids organized to do

their homework.

Then, set up the ironing board

and watched TV while he

did the ironing.

At 4:30 he began peeling

potatoes and washing

vegetables for salad,

breaded the pork chops

and snapped

fresh beans for supper.

After supper,

He cleaned the kitchen,

Ran the dishwasher,

Folded laundry,

Bathed the kids, And put

them to bed.

At 9 P.M. He was exhausted

and, though his daily chores

weren't finished, he went to

bed where he was expected to

make love, which he managed

to get through without complaint.

The next morning, he awoke

and immediately knelt by the

bed and said: -

Lord, I don't know what

I was thinking.

I was so wrong to envy my

wife's being able to stay

home all day.

Please, Oh! Please,

let us trade back.. Amen!'

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied:

"My son, I feel you have

learned your lesson and

I will be happy to change

things back to the way

they were.

But you'll have to wait

nine months, though.

You got pregnant last night"

Some humorous and some very creative sign-ages !!

Advertisement In A Long Island Shop: Guitar, for sale....... Cheap....... ....no strings attached .


Ad.. In Hospital Waiting Room: Smoking Helps You Lose Weight ... One Lung At A Time!


Seen on a bulletin board: Success Is Relative. More The Success, More The Relatives.



When I Read About The Evils Of Drinking...I Gave Up Reading.


My Grandfather Is Eighty And Still Doesn't Need Glasses... He Drinks Straight Out Of The Bottle.


You Know Your kids Have Grown Up When: Your Daughter Begins To Put On Lipstick..
Or Your Son Starts To Wipe It Off .


Sign In A Bar: "Those Of You Who Are Drinking To Forget, Please Pay In Advance."


Sign In Driving School: If Your Wife Wants To Learn To Drive, Don't Stand In Her Way.


Behind Every Great Man, There Is A Surprised Woman.


The Reason Men Lie Is Because Women Ask So Many Questions .


Getting Caught Is The Mother Of Invention.


Laugh And The World Laughs With You, Snore And You sleep Alone.


The Surest Sign That Intelligent Life Exists Elsewhere In The Universe Is The Fact That It Has Never Tried To Contact Us.


Sign At A Barber's Saloon In Detroit: We Need Your Heads To Run Our Business .


A Traffic Slogan: Don't Let Your Kids Drive If They are Not Old Enough Or Else They Will Never Be.


Sign In A Restaurant: All Drinking Water In This Establishment Has Been Personally Passed By The Manager.

And this final cracker of a creative advert ....

Sign On A Famous Beauty Parlor Window: Don't Whistle At The Girls Going Out From Here. She May Be Your Grandmother !

Sent by Arun Shroff

Diabetes - Causes and Cures

This was a piece which I had posted in 2009, before I myself had got diabetes. As an old Red Indian saying goes, only the wearer knows where the shoes pinches. Since October 20120 when I discovered I had diabetes through a routine health check-up for heart, I have tried successfully to control it. By God's grace and control of my tongue, I have kept it within 80 to ninety with only 1 tablet of VoliboM 0.3 Diabetes or madhumeh as per ayurveda,is a disease in which there is improper functioning of insulin and as a result sugar level in the blood increases. Diabetes may cause heart problem, kidney failure, blurred vision if not treated timely.

1. Causes for Diabetes 2. Symptoms for Diabetes 3. Do & Don't for Diabetes 4. Home Remedies for Diabetes

Diabetes Causes

Hereditary and genetics leads to diabetes, it is also caused due to increase production of glucose level in the blood vessels and less production of glucose in the body, and also caused due to infections caused by viruses.Stress, obesity, increased cholesterol level, excess intake of oil and sugar, and no physical exercise are some other causes of diabetes.According to ayurveda it is caused by vitiation of all the three dosha but vata is to most vitiated out of the three.

Diabetes Symptoms

Loss of weight indicates that there is a problem in the blood sugar level and functioning of insulin.Blurred visionFrequent urination is one of major symptom that indicates diabetes.Severe hunger pain or emptiness, stress and irritation also give sign of diabetes.

Does and Don’ts for Diabetes

You can take a good care on what you eat because controlling diet and eating right is very important for diabetic patients and their health. Eat low-fat diet and eat vegetables like spinach, cucumber. They are good for controlling diabetes.Eat fruits and milk products like cheese.Avoid eating starchy food products as they are not easily digestible.Diabetic patient should not be scared of eating sugar-rich fruits. These are safe and do not increase insulin production.Take less amount of oil and avoid coffee, sugar, refined flour, alcohol.Avoid eating heavy meals; eat small meals as the foods are easily digestible and are good for the health of diabetics.Onion, sprouts, beans, garlic, tomatoes in the diet of diabetics low down the sugar level in the blood.Avoid taking stress as it worsens the conditions.Avoid eating mutton, excess salt in your meal as this will help in controlling your body weight and diabetes.Avoid junk food and oily food as this will control your level of cholesterol, lowers your blood pressure level, and diabetes.Avoid white bread, rice, and potatoes.Eat tomatoes and vegetable salad.

Home Remedies for Diabetes - Treatment for Diabetes

Gooseberry is a natural herb that has huge benefits. It cures diabetes and brings the blood sugar level to normal, it cures lung problems, good for hair, it keeps body cool, it cures urinary diseases and many others diseases.Ispaghula husk is natural safe for treatment of diabetes, constipations, and many others diseases.Mango leaves are very helpful in controlling diabetes. Take mango leaves, soak them in water, and keep it overnight then in an empty stomach take this liquid. You can also take them in powder form. Dry the leaves of mango tree and make its powder in a grinder. Mix the dry powder (1 teaspoon) of mango leaves in a glass of water and drink it everyday. This is one of the useful home remedies for diabetes and good natural cure for diabetes .Leaves of sweet potato when taken with ash gourd or when taken with any herbal tea are effective in curing diabetes. Mix 4-5 leaves of sweet potato and 1 tablespoon ash gourd in a glass of water and then allow it to boil. Strain the mixture and take this herbal tea anytime of the day.Curry patta (Curry leaves) controls body weight and also controls diabetes. Hereditary diabetic patients also get the best benefit from its intake. Chewing (8-10) curry leaves in an empty stomach is very effective for bringing sugar level in urine and blood to normal. This is one of the important home remedies for diabetes.Blueberry leaves are very effective in controlling diabetes and very effective in the cure of various eyes diseases.Eating Gular (gymnema) cures diabetes. It lowers down high sugar level in the blood and also leads to proper functioning of insulin, and also minimizes the urge of taking sweets in the diabetic patients. Bilberry and ginkobiloba are some of the effective herbs that cure diabetes. Fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) are a very effective herb that provides effective treatment for many diseases. It is helpful in bringing the blood sugar level to normal, helpful in treating various digestive diseases like appetite loss, also helps in curing wounds, relieving skin problems, and inflammations.Neem leaves also called margosa leaves provides effective natural cure for diabetes. Taking neem juice everyday in an empty stomach controls the blood sugar level. It provides effecting treatment to various other diseases like, heart diseases, malaria, skin diseases, and cholera. This is one of the best home remedies for diabetes.Malabar kino herb is old and one of the most effective herbs for curing diabetes.Karela (Bitter gourd) is natural and safe cure for diabetes. They are good for controlling insulin level in the blood. Patient suffering from diabetescan take them in the boiled form or in powder form. Seeds or dry powder of bitter gourd can also be taken in diet. One of the useful home remedies for diabetes.Cinnamon is very effective herb which not only increases the flavor of food, but also is very effective in bringing the blood sugar level to normal, helpful in curing appetite loss, and acidity.

Yoga and various physical exercises keep blood sugar level normal in the body

Increased sugar level in the blood leads to diabetes. This is due to many reasons like, obesity, improper diet, and stress. diabetes disease can be controlled by doing yoga and various other physical exercises.Exercise helps in keeping sugar level to normal in the blood cells. It helps in controlling stress level which is the primary cause of diabetes. By doing regular exercises various diseases like, heart diseases, kidney disorder, diabetes, constipation are effectively cured, and give much energy to do everyday work.Walking controls stress level and helps in controlling body weight and in turn diabetes.Regularly doing pranayam and various other yogic exercises keeps sugar level in the blood under control and gives much strength to perform the daily activities. Stay stress free by doing meditation and try the above remedies it will definitely bring good result.

Sent by Indranil Aich.

Why I do not favour FDI in retail.

If you expect FDI in retail is going to benefit consumers, you are living in a fool's paradise. FDI in retail is just going to benefit the moneyed class who are going into this business. People who are already in this business, people like Adi Godrej, Sunil Mittal and others.

I’ll tell you why.

In our area we have a big Reliance Fresh Mall, a JK Lifestore and a New Bachhu store which is a Mommy-papa store. There are at least another 50 or so Mummy-Papa stores in our locality.

This morning, I went to buy Oats which I normally buy from Reliance.

Reliance sells three brands of Oats. Quakers, Kellogg’s and Bagarrys. Up to last month I used to find competition between them and their prices used to vary. Today, I found that they had the same MRP of RS 129/-. I asked Reliance whether there was any discount. They denied any discount. I did not buy and went to JK Lifestore. I will be complaining to the Competition Commission of India regarding the above Cartel formed by these three companies.

At JK, I found that they had only one brand, Quakers which too had a MRP of Rs 129/- but they gave a discount of 3% which brought my price down to Rs 125/-. I bought it and also 50 gm packet of Nescafe with a marked MRP of RS 98/-. Here too I got a 3% discount which brought my price down to Rs 95/-. Reliance would not have given this discount. Then, although, I did not require another packet of oats, I went to New Bachhu Store to find out their price. When they mentioned the price as Rs 125/- I bought one packet from them also.

The above just shows that the Central government is just hoodwinking the people when it says FDI will benefit the consumers and farmers. It will benefit none of these. It will benefit only the multinationals and make lakhs of small household businesses lose their source of income and generate unemployment instead of creating employment.

Teaching Manners

During one of her daily classes a teacher trying to teach good manners asked her Students the following . . .

Teacher : "Michael, if you were on a date having dinner with a nice young lady, how would you tell her that you have to go to the bathroom?"

Michael : "Just a minute I have to go pee."

Teacher : "That would be rude and impolite."

Teacher : "What about you Peter, how would you say it?"

Peter : "I truly am sorry, but I really need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Teacher : "That's better, but it's still not very nice to say the word bathroom at the Dinner table."

Teacher : "And you, Little Johnny, can you use your brains for once and show us your Good manners?"

Little Johnny : "Darling, may I please be excused for a brief moment? I have to shake Hands with a very dear friend of mine, whom I am hoping you will get to meet after Dinner . . ."

The teacher fainted . . . . .

This was posted on FB by Ratnankur Roychowdhury. I thought it would be good if you all learned some manners since you don't seem to have learnt it in school.