1000 Ton Gold Treasure Hunt at Daundiya Kheda, Unnao - ASI Begins Excavation for Buried Treasure

- Harish Jharia

An unknown sadhu Swami Shobhan Sarkar of Sri Shobhan Ashram, Daundiya Kheda, Unnao, reportedly had a dream that the ex-local ruler Raja Rao Ram Baksh Singh talked to him. The raja told Shobhan Sarkar in his dream, about a huge golden treasure buried under a mound in the premises of the royal fort situated at Daundiya Kheda, Unnao, now in ruins.

This information about sadhu’s dream has not been disclosed by Swami Shobhan Sarkar himself, who has not come in front of cameras or spoken to the media as yet. Instead, his disciple Swami Om ji Awasthi is speaking on his behalf. The spokesperson has informed that the highly respected local seer Shobhan Sarkar had told the Union minister Charan Das Mahant that the country’s financial troubles will be eradicated if the gold was excavated and deposited in the government treasury. 

It is further reported that consequently, the central government directed the district magistrate of Unnao on September 3 to for making arrangements for the excavation. On the directives of the district administration and the government, a team of the ASI officials surveyed the area indicated by the saint. The ASI spokespersons subsequently said that they had found signs of the presence of the nonmagnetic / nonconductive material / metal at 15-20 metre depth. Some TV channels reported the depth as 15 – 20 feet.

Eventually, Shobhan Sarkar performed a pooja at the spot before the sunrise and excavation started by ASI personnel on 19 October 2013. By that time the unknown village Daundiya Kheda of Unnao district, captured a prominent place on the world map. TV crews journalists of print media from all over the world, converged at this hamlet inhabited by poor farmers and farm laborers. 

What are dreams:

The sadhu says that he has seen a dream and talked to Raja Rao Ram Baksh Singh. Firstly you cannot see anybody without light and without your eyes open. You cannot see the king if he is not present in front of your eyes and thoroughly illuminated for the human eyes to form an image on the retina. In fact dreams are sensations of the thoughts that human brain keeps thinking in deep sleeps. If the sadhu has dreamt about a treasure-trove, that means he must be thinking about some treasure buried underground. It has nothing to do with any real treasure. 

Read more about dreams: Do we really see and watch dreams while sleeping…? 

Is the story of treasure-trove dream true or fake:

This is the first question that flashes in our mind when we come across this medieval theory of a sadhu dreaming about a treasure-trove of a king who lived 160 years back. The king appears in person in the year 2013 and tells the sadhu about the exact location as precise as the area of a small room ie 10’ x 10’. 

The most unbelievable part of the episode is the unit of weight declared by the sadhu and that is in ‘Tons’. The sadhu claims that the treasure has 1000 Ton gold. In other reports TV news bulletins were also talking of 2500 Tons of gold. It looks as if all of these people are making fool of we Indians and the Indian government has acted in yet more thoughtless way by ordering the excavation.

Now, it is left to the readers to decide whether the treasure-trove story is true or fake.

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Super cyclone Phailin (फाईलीन समुद्री तूफ़ान) blows down Indian northeast coast of Bay of Bengal

In emergency Call at:

1. Phailin Srikakulam control room number: 08942 240557 
2. Phailin Emergency toll free number:  180042500002  

- Harish Jharia

12 October 22013

The super cyclone Phailine*** (फाईलीन समुद्री तूफ़ान / चक्रवात / बवंडर) has formed somewhere in the Bay of Bengal and moving at 20 kmph speed towards Indian coast. The deadly cyclone is expected to hit Gopalpur of Orissa, India at about 8pm India time today, 12 October 2013 at a speed of 220 kmph. The Phailine Cyclone is going to sustain for about 6 hours minimum.  

In addition to Orissa, where Phailine is going to devastate the most, this cyclone will also hit Andhra Pradesh coast and West Bengal seashores severely.  Today on 12 October 2013 at noon rain and wind lashed India's east coast and forced about 4,50,000 people to flee their habitats and take shelter in government camps. 

Spreading over most of the waters of Bay of Bengal, the cyclone Phailin was about 200 km (124 miles) offshore at noon on Saturday and was expected to hit the land by late evening. As per the estimates of the weather forecast authorities, It expected to be a "super cyclone", and is expected to affect 12 million people.

It is for the first time that the government has taken advance evacuation of people as disaster management process in India. Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have been pressed in attending to rescue operations. The weather forecast department is keeping content vigil on the progress of the super cyclone. Sources from the National Disaster Management Authority NDMA and National Disaster Response Force NDRF have said that more than 440,000 people have been evacuated, as disaster management action and this is one of the largest evacuations ever undertaken in India.

People are advised not to panic and better keep cool and move to safer places as and when advised by the rescuing personnel. The advance preparations made by the authorities will definitely minimize losses of lives to the super cyclone Phailine.

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*** The super cyclone ‘Phailin’ has been named so by Thailand. The meaning of Phailin is sapphire (नीलम), a precious stone.   
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Illegal sand mining - UP sand-mining mafia forces government to suspend IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal

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Have you ever wondered what all problems are faced by bureaucrats like IAS and IPS officers when they are posted in the states of India? How they have to face the local mafias head-on, while enforcing law? Here are the answers in this article, for few of your questions about the nexus between mafias and politicians and the consequences faced by the bureaucrats.  

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- Harish Jharia

It looks as if democracy in India has completely faded out and the politicians, occupying powerful government posts, keep sticking to their chairs by ‘hook and crook’.  They capture power, at the time of elections, with the help of business houses, and various extra constitutional powerful entities like builders,  sand-miners, automobile parking companies, bus / truck transporters and many other rural goons who impose and collect ‘rangdaari’ (ransom) against letting the individuals survive and operate business in their areas.  These politicians who get elected by such means are naturally indebted to these financiers and associates and are obliged to them to accomplish tasks assigned by them  to the politicians in power. 

India cannot be proudly called the largest democracy on planet earth, if the suspension of the IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal is any indication. I have concluded the following story out of the telecasts I watched on TV news channels and reading newspaper reports. 

One fine morning on July 27 we came to know that a SDM Durga Shakti Nagpal was suspended by the UP government. Nagpal was served the suspension order apparently for demolishing the wall of a proposed mosque on a public land. The UP Chief Minister subsequently, defended Nagpal's suspension, claiming that her action to demolish the wall of a religious place had vitiated communal harmony in that area.

While no details of the suspension order were available to the media, Durga Nagpal, 28, has recently stated that she had never issued any orders to demolish the wall which could have fueled communal tensions. The IAS officer further explained that on July 27, villagers had themselves, razed the wall after she told them that as per Supreme Court rules, religious structures can't be built on government land and also require special clearances.

Meanwhile, a ruling party politician, believed to be connected to sand mining, publically announced in a gathering of some villagers that he got the officer suspended within 41 minutes (not 41 hours).  It appears to be true, because Durga was suspended abruptly without following any official protocols like issuing warning letter, calling for explanation and asking for comments and recommendations from her senior IAS officer- Collector / DM. The Collector / DM subsequently stated that Durga did not demolish the wall. Moreover, the daily diary of the local police station did not have any entries of suspected communal tension in their jurisdiction.

The media has claimed that some ruling party politicians were running sand mining business and owing hundreds of dumpers and excavation heavy machinery. It is reported in the media that Durga Nagpal stopped illegal mining activities in that area and confiscated hundreds of dumpers and other heavy machinery  Experts have estimated losses of hundreds of crores of Rupees because of Durga’s crackdown on the illegal sand mining activities in that area. The media claims that Durga Nagpal has been punished for disrupting the send mining business rather than for any suspected communal disturbance.  

Indian TV news channels have aired views of Indian experts, statesmen, senior politicians and ex bureaucrats who have condemned the UP government’s action of punishing an IAS officer for no fault of her.  They have called for revocation of the suspension order and reinstatement of the officer on her existing post. 

Meanwhile, the ruling party spokespersons and UP ministers are sticking to their controversial action against the dutiful, honest and sincere IAS officers. They have even gone to the extent of asking the Central Government to call back Durga Nagpal from her job in UP. They have also demanded punishment for Durga Nagpal’s senior Collector / DM, because, he made positive comments and recommendations in support of his subordinate IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal. 

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Uttarakhand floods - Indian politicians reaping political advantages out of Kedarnath cloudbursts catastrphe

 

- Harish Jharia

Indian state Uttarakhand witnessed a nightmarish catastrophe on 16th and 17th June that started with heavy rains on Kedarnath Mountains, followed by cloudbursts, killing a thousand plus people and devastating billions of Rupees of properties of the holy shrine Kedarnath Dham and hundreds of villages in its vicinity. 

The Uttarakhand state government, the district administration and other self-governing bodies miserably failed to evacuate the stranded pilgrims from the devastated pilgrimage township. The authorities also ignored the widespread devastation across the hundred odd villages and the starving people of those villages of Gadhwal Hills. 

Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and the ruling alliance UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi went on an aerial survey of the devastated area of Kedarnath Mountains. Their aerial surveillance of the leaders resulted in huge deployment of army personnel including Indian Army, Indian Air force, ITBP, and other paramilitary forces. These armed forces and paramilitary personnel did exemplary services to the stranded people and saving lives of thousands of pilgrims in Kedarnath and elsewhere in the flood affected Himalayan valley. 

At the same time, the Indian politicians, especially from the ruling party in Uttarakhand and in the center, were busy in reaping political advantages by showing off their efforts in serving and helping the flood affected pilgrims. The most visible and widely publicized act was supplying food and relief material to the marooned people in the Himalayan pilgrimage. 

TV news channels beamed clips of trucks carrying relief material for the stranded pilgrims at Kedarnath hilly areas. It was declared that the relief material was sent by the government; at the same time, the trucks loaded with food and basic necessities were wrapped with huge banners displaying imaged of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. The banners also were carried captions of ‘Youth Congress’.  Some snaps of Sonia Gandhi flagging off truck fleets loaded with relief material along with her son Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders were also releases to the media. 

The chief minister of Uttarakhand refused permission to other state governments of Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh etc, when they offered to join the evacuation and relief operations in the Himalayan devastated hills. They even refused entry for trucks that were proposed to be sent by other state governments. The obvious reason for this arrogant refusal of humanitarian help was that the other chief ministers were heading non-congress governments. 

A couple of Congress spokespersons kept justifying Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s refusal of permission to other Indian states governments for the evacuation and rehabilitation mission. Nevertheless, the Uttarakhand government has accepted that they failed in saving the lives of thousands of pilgrims and billions of Rupees of properties. 

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16th June Uttarakhand floods and cloudburst on Kedarnath Hills: how could the disaster be minimized?

- Harish Jharia

How and why did the devastation occur:

16 June 2013 was the worst day in the history of Kedarnath shrine that turned into a real hell for the next 24 hours until 17th June 2013, stranding 50,000 plus pilgrims, leaving more than 19,000 people missing and 5000 feared dead in the catastrophe.    

The nightmarish deadly episode is believed to have been initiated with incessant heavy rains followed by a massive cloudburst that resulted in fragmentation and landslides of Kedar Dome Mountain due to enormous accumulation of water in the valley.  Huge masses of mud silt and rocks along with heavy floods of rainwater swept down the mountains engulfing the Kedarnath Shrine and the township around the holy pilgrimage. 

The weather conditions in the valley started deteriorating on Saturday the 16th June and turned into a mammoth devastating machine after Mandakini River began to swell and enormous floodwater swept down the mountains. Subsequently, in the early hours of Sunday the 17th June, the deadly cloudburst took place and a huge volume of rainwater flooded down the hills with massive deadly force. 

Huge rocks broke away from Kedar Dome Mountain and rolled down towards the Kedarnath Shrine. These mammoth rocks got stuck at some distance from the temple, thereby forming an obstruction for the flooding water, mud silt and debris to strike the Kedarnath Temple. These rocks diverted the direction of the flow of mud and sludge, away from the main temple and prevented its destruction. Nevertheless, the ‘Himalayan Tsunami’ devastated everything else in the Kedarnath Township that came in its way.

Where the Government failed in protecting Kedarnath Shrine and pilgrims:

1. The cloudburst, fragmentation of mountain and floods were natural disasters that could not be stopped or averted by human efforts. Nevertheless, proper advanced precautions, weather forecasting arrangements and hi-altitude civic management (town planning) could have reduced the devastation and deaths of thousands of innocent pilgrims. 
2. Weather / Cloudburst forecast and precautions:
3. There is a misconception in the minds of people and the government that ‘cloudbursts’ cannot be predicted. Experts say that tailor-made cloudburst forecast equipments are available in the world that could be installed at places like Kedarnath, Badrinath etc where thousands of pilgrims use to visit round the year. Such infrastructures may also be installed at the tourists’ places at hi-altitudes where possibilities of cloudbursts are there.
4. The authorities should also take precautionary measures for reducing the probable devastation and deaths. They could be something like the following:
5. Hi-tech weather and cloudburst forecasting infrastructure should be installed at these vulnerable places. 
6. Huge and strong concrete walls should be constructed around the shrines and localities at the bases of the hills, in order to divert the flow of flood waters. 
7. Deep rooted trees and thick shrubs should be grown on the hills and mountains for avoiding landslides and fragmentation of the hills and mountains.
8. All the hilly roads should have extra strong reinforcement done along the slopes beside them. 
9. Extra strong reinforcement is also required to be provided at the banks of rivers like Mandakini where residential buildings, hotels and commercial structures are constructed alongside. Many buildings were uprooted and catapulted when the flood-waters swept away the earth at riverbanks during the Kedarnath catastrophe. 

Disaster management:

Disaster Management, an essential requirement in modern-day civic life is practically nonexistent in India. India will have to work on something like the following lines:

1. We should have an effective Disaster Management infrastructure and a dedicated workforce to implement its activities. 
2. There should be a laid-down drill specified for the Disaster Management Authorities without any confusion, bias or prejudice. 
3. The State Government as well as the Central Government should be equally responsible for addressing the emergency crisis.
4. The concerned Collector, state and central Ministers and other civic officials should reach the affected place or at the nearest possible locations for managing the activities of Disaster Management. 
5. There should be a time limit for attending to each action viz- initialization; food & water supply; rescue operation; recovery of essential commodities, currency and treasures; medical assistance and escorting people to the nearest location or facilities to their destinations etc.  

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LK Advani’s resignation following Narendra Modi’s elevation and its effects on BJP’s 2014 election strategy

Harish Jharia

Lal Krishna Advani, the 85-year-old BJP veteran, resigned from all BJP posts on 4 June 2013. This is for the third time in last eight years, when BJP leader LK Advani has resigned from the top BJP posts. The three occasions of his resignations are as follows:

1. LK Advani, one of the founder members of BJP, had first resigned as party president on June 7, 2005, following stern objections from the RSS and right wing outwits against his praise for Pakistan founder Md Ali Jinnah. Advani described Jinnah as a "secular" leader during his six-day Pakistan visit. He had described Jinnah as one of the "very few who actually create history". Nevertheless, Advani, withdrew his resignation from the party chief's post after extensive negotiations, ending a emergent leadership crisis in the main opposition party of India.
2. However, after about six months he again stepped down as party president on December 31, 2005, in order to bring down the Jinna controversy to an end. He was then succeeded by the current party President Rajnath Singh.
   Note: The BJP veteran, who was appointed President in October 2004 for his 3rd inning, stood by his comments while submitting his resignation letter. Advani wrote in his resignation letter that "I have not said or done anything in Pakistan which I need to retract or review".
3. It was the third time when Advani resigned from all BJP posts, on June 4, 2013 following the elevation of Narendra Modi, on the occasion of BJP’s National Executive Meet in Goa, to the status of the Chairman of BJP's Election Campaign Committee for 2014 elections.  

Advani’s resignation was not a surprise to the people, as his dissatisfaction was obviously visible for the last many months, when BJP party organization was successively elevating Narendra Modi in Indian politics. Modi’s appointment to the coveted post of the Chairman of BJP's Election Campaign Committee for 2014 elections brought the final turmoil in the national politics of India. Nevertheless, people never expected a resignation from the BJP founder at a crucial time when the party was preparing for the historical election of 2014.  

The first negative reaction of Advani’s resignation was a horrifying scare of more resignations by other BJP leaders. BJP supporters were in fact waiting in shock for suspected resignations of other senior politicians from Advani group.  But, not a single BJP leader came forward to resign in support of Advani. On the other hand people at many places, rejoiced and celebrated the elevation of Narendra Modi and media gave extensive coverage to those celebrations.

Secondly, Advani’s resignation had sparked off the fuse of explosives blazing within the politicians and parties who opposed Narendra Modi from day one. These were a couple of NDA allies who watched with fear and envy, the dedicated projection of Narendra Modi as the future PM of India. Immediately after the Advani resignation episode, the main NDA ally Nitish Kumar led JDU, came forward to express their intentions of withdrawing as ally from NDA. JDU in fact, won the election in Bihar, with the support of BJP and formed government in alliance with BJP.  Nevertheless, now playing the pro-minority card, JDU is now dreaming of survival with support of new ‘secular’ allies, after the resignation episode.

In view of these fallouts, it is felt that Advani’s resignation was a mistake that has harmed the main Indian opposition party BJP. It is yet to be seen as to how much damage the resignation drama has done to the 2014 election strategy of BJP. However, this resignation episode has definitely reduced the weight of Advani’s persona. Advani, being one of the founder fathers of BJP was expected to take much more careful steps to express his displeasure about the states of affairs in BJP. A leader of his stature should have given priority to the interests of the party rather than putting them at stake.

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Overambitious Indian Rail Budget proposes Super Luxury ‘Anubhuti’ Class in Indian trains For Free Rides to Ministers and Senior Officers

India needs more trains rather than super luxury classes...

© Harish Jharia

In the recent railway budget 2013, the Indian railway minister has introduced a super luxury class titled ‘Anubhuti’ class for Indian trains. ‘Anubhuti’ class will have the ambiance and luxuries like any 5 star hotels. Its ticket / fare are proposed to be one-and-a-half times that of the AC 1st class in Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains. The current AC 1st class fare is already more than the ticket / fare of airlines flights. Therefore, the fare of this super luxury class is going to be far more than the charges required to be paid for flights on airlines. 

This unbelievably overambitious budget proposal has raised many doubts about the intentions of the government. Let us discuss them point by point as follows:

1. It is not understood why this project has been added with the budget proposals. In fact, decision has already been taken to install manufacturing facilities in Rae Bareli. A prototype has also been made and displayed. Budget proposal is only eyewash. 
2. Delhi to Mumbai Airline’s flight fare and Train’s AC 1st Class fare is about Rs 4000/- and the proposed fare of the Indian Railway’s super luxury class ‘Anubhuti’ is expected to cost about Rs 6000/-. How very funny…! This is a train fare in a country like India that has been listed as one of the poorest countries in the world. How the government is going to help the more than 80% of the Indian poor population with ‘Anubhuti’.  
3. The manufacturing facilities and infrastructure is proposed to be developed in Rae Bareli, the most favorite place for Congress party. It would be relevant to mention here that Rae Bareli is the constituency represented by Sonia Gandhi. Rae Barely is being promoted as It has been the constituency for Feroze Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi also. 
4. Introduction of ‘Anubhuti’ class has proved that class discrimination is obviously present in India. Where the Trains in British India had four classes: first class, second class, intermediate class and third class; the Indian government has introduced six classes in Indian trains. They are Anubhooti (Super Luxury) class, AC First Class, AC Second Class, AC Third Class, Sleeper Class and General Class. Is India a democracy or apartheid? 
5. Even the upper middle class Indians will not be able to afford the super luxury class Anubhuti. This extravagant luxury will be enjoyed by the ministers, MPs. MLAs and senior bureaucrats who are provided with free passes. Therefore,  the introduction of the super luxury Anubhuti class is going to increase government’s expenditure manifold. 
6. The Indian government and the Indian Railways should improve upon the quality, facilities and services in the existing classes in the trains rather than introducing the 6th class in the trains. 
7. India needs additional 100 odd new trains for addressing the ongoing problems faced by the Indian passengers, rather than going for super luxury class in a super starving country like India. 

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Indian Railway Minister’s Rail Budget 2013: Main Highlights and common people’s comments on the same

© Harish Jharia

Here are the main highlights of the Rail Budget 2013 as presented by the Indian Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. There are common people’s comments alongside of each point:

1. No hike in passenger fares: How very funny? This is an utter lie. The fairs have been hiked in a deceiving manner. 
2. Tatkal charges imposed on emergency booking of tickets: Imposing extra charges on Tatkal booking of ticket is an open exploitation of the needy passengers who need to book tickets in emergency situations, for example emergency treatment of patients in serious condition, death of near and dear ones, attending interviews for jobs and admission to educational institutes etc. 
3. Eight more companies of women RPF personnel to be raised:  Why not male RPF companies be raised and making them more accountable. Who will protect the women RPF personnel on-board the running trains?  
4. 67 new Express, 26 new passenger trains, 8 DEMU services, 5 MEMU services to be introduced: 57 trains to be extended; frequency of 24 trains to increase: This is the most important point that has not been almost ignored. The railway minister should have increased frequency of all the trains to 7 days per week that are running less than 7 days a week.  Introducing 93 new trains in the second most populous country in the world, is a very poor proposition, where each train runs full capacity every day, leaving behind hundreds of wait-list passengers and thousands those who even do not figure in wait-lists   
5. 72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
6. Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class passes: Oh! Really? Minister Sir, why to Rajeev Gandhi award winners and why not to all the national award winners? Has the budget has anything to do with a particular Congress leader.
7. Complementary first class passes for parents of unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra: That is really good proposition. 
8. Complementary passes of freedom fighters to be renewed every three years instead of annually: Oh! Really? Minister Sir, what is so great in it to figure in the annual budget?
9. New forged wheel factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd: Why at Rae Barely and why not somewhere else in starving Bundelkhand or Kalahandi where starving poor use to eat grass seeds and burnt rodents. 
10. Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at Bhilwara along with Rajasthan government and BHEL: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
11. Coach making unit at Sonepat in collaboration with Haryana government: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
12. 1.51 lakh vacancies to be filled up: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
13. Azadi Express for travel to places associated with freedom struggle: Minister Sir, please do not play with the feelings of patriots “places associated with freedom struggle” cannot be singled out as the struggle was fought in the entire British India including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma… so on and so forth.  
14. Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains: How is it going to benefit the rest of the 95% passengers who do not travel with laptops and do not use smartphones? 
15. 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A 1 and other select stations: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
16. E-ticketing through mobile phones: Oh! Really? Minister Sir, does this facility not already in practice for online reservations?
17. SMS alerts for passengers on reservation status: Oh! Really? Minister Sir, this facility is already there for online reservations.
18. Next generation e-ticketing system by end of 2013: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
19. Introduction of Train Protection Warning System on Automatic Signalling Systems: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
20. Rigorous trials of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
21. Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay.  
22. Elimination of 10,797 level crossings during the 12th Plan and no addition of such crossings: This is a welcome step that should be implemented without any delay. 
23. Six more Rail Neer purified water bottling plants to be setup: This is a welcome step; moreover, cost of the bottle should be kept Rs 10/- or less. 

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Death Sentence for Rape + Murder: Cabinet clears ordinance to curb crimes against women based on the recommendations of Justice Verma Committee

- Harish Jharia

In an attempt to defuse public anger against Indian government over the Delhi gang rape incident, the Union Cabinet on Friday passed an Ordinance providing death sentence to rapists who kill their victims or render them to vegetative state.

The government has overstepped Justice Verma Committee’s recommendations that advised life sentence until natural death. The Union cabinet took this historic action just 20 days ahead of the Parliament session.

The Union Cabinet categorically replaced the name of the crime ‘rape’ with a more meaningful terminology of ‘sexual assault’ to make the legislation gender-neutral. 

A maximum penalty of imprisonment for the remainder of natural life has been prescribed in aggravated cases of rape. Stiffer sentences for crimes like stalking, voyeurism and disrobing a woman have also been incorporated as suggested by the committee.

A woman can also claim her right to private defense in case she kills the accused who attempted to throw acid on her. 

Following are the most noticeable provisions in the in the Ordinance accepted by the Union Cabinet:

Main provisions present in the ordinance:

1. Death sentence to rapists who kill their victims or render them to vegetative state (मृत तुल्य स्तिथि).
2. Replaced the name of the crime from ‘rape’ with a more meaningful terminology of "sexual assault" to ensure the legislation must be gender-neutral.
3. Maximum penalty of remainder of natural life behind bars for other aggravated cases of rape
4. Sentence of 1-3 years for stalking (यौन प्रेरित पीछा करना) or voyeurism (यौन प्रेरित तांक-झाँक), 
5. Sentence of 3-7 years for disrobing (कपड़े उतारना) woman
6. Sentence of maximum 5 years for any inappropriate touch of a sexual nature
7. Sentence of 10 years to life term for acid attacks; 
8. Rape victim can claim her right to self-defense if she kills the attacker in the scuffle. 

Main Provisions Recommended By Justice Verma Committee But Missing From the Ordinance:

1. Making marital rape (विवाहित जीवन में बलात्कार) an offence
2. Fixing vicarious criminal responsibility on superior of a force in case his junior commits a sexual offence
3. Removing need for sanction in cases of sexual offences in areas under the armed forces special powers act
4. Banning politicians from contesting polls against whom a court has taken cognizance of a criminal case

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Delhi Gang Rape: The Entity of ‘Minor’ and ‘Juvenile’ Should Be Defined Differently

© Harish Jharia

The Juvenile Justice Board has declared the sixth rogue rapist as a juvenile / minor. Eventually, the rapist who took active part in the gang rape and attempt to murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in Delhi will be tried as a juvenile. As a result of this verdict the hardcore pervert rapist who brutally mutilated the victim’s body during the gang rape and actively participated in attempt to murder would face a maximum of three years sentence in prison if at all convicted.

The shocked victim's father said when he watched the television news "A sudden current ran through my body in disbelief. I can't believe this," he told reporters... "How can they declare him a minor? Do they not see what they did?"

It is reported that the Juvenile Justice Board has reached to this conclusion after checking the date of birth of the rapist in his 10th class certificate. They also called the current and the erstwhile Principals of the school, where the rapist studied, and asked about the genuineness of the date of birth and the 10th class certificate. 

The following points come to our mind on watching the procedure followed by the Juvenile Justice Board to conform / counter check the genuinely of the date of birth in 10th class certificate:

1. If the 10th class certificate was the legal testimony for date of birth; then, what was the necessity and justification of calling the current and the erstwhile Principals of the rapist’s school?
2. The 10th class certificate is issued by the Board of Secondary Education in the State capital. Therefore, the school Principal’s statements do not carry any validity.
3. If any school authorities were to be consulted; then, that should have been the school where the rapist was first admitted in class one. 
4. In addition, the hospital should have been consulted, where the rapist was born. 
5. If the rapist was born at his home in any village, then, the village watchman / Patwari should have been called to conform the correct date of birth along with their books. 

The following points come to our mind on observing the success progress of this case regarding involvement of a minor / juvenile in a gang murder: 

1. Why at all a minor should be considered a juvenile?
2. Why not the entity of a ‘minor’ and a ‘juvenile’ should be differently defined?
3. A minor should have adequate protection in his civic life and for that he / she could be qualified as a ‘minor’ up to the age of 18 years.
4. The minors who have become threat to the society because of their heinous crimes, perverted sex assaults , rapes, gang rapes, murders etc cannot be considered ‘minors’.
5. Humans who reach their puberty at the age of 12 cannot be considered children for another 6 years after their puberty. 

In view of the above there should be an amendment in the constitution for defining two categories of teenagers as follows:

1. Juvenile / Child: A new category of children that is ‘Juvenile / Child’ should be defined for providing protection and specifying rights for them. The specified age of ‘Juvenile / Child’ should be up to 15 years.
2. Minor: The existing category of minor should not enjoy the rights and protection provided for the ‘Juvenile / Child’. The minors should be in the age group between 16 years to 18 years. 
3. The rights and protection for ‘Minor’ and ‘Juvenile / Child’ should be freshly drafted by a committee consisting of jurists, criminologists, psychologists, sociologists and doctors (Physiology, Anatomy). 
4. The recommendations of this committee would go through the established official procedure in order to make required amendment in the constitution or / and in criminal law.  

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Justice Verma Panel Recommends Many Tougher Penalties for Sex Crimes in India: A Review

© Harish Jharia 

Justice Verma Committee’s recommendations about Comprehensive changes in criminal laws as published in the press:

New offences have been specified and stiffer punishments have been suggested for rapists who rape and render the victim to a vegetative state. These crimes include disrobing a woman स्त्री को नग्न करना, voyeurism छिप कर देखना, stalking पीछा करना and trafficking नारी तस्करी. Sexual misconduct also includes intentional touching, spoken words and gestures made as sexual advances. The present law provides for punishment to rapists’ imprisonment ranging from seven years to life in jail. For the first time, the minimum punishment as recommended by the committee is raised to 20 years in some cases. 

Our comment: The recommendation is welcome.

The demand for reducing the age bar for juvenile offenders has not found favor with the Justice J S Verma panel, which has cited the Convention on Rights of Child that disagrees with capital punishment or life sentence for those below 18 years, as well as the "neurological state of the adolescent brain" to support its view. "We are of the view that the material before us is sufficient to reach the conclusion that the age of juveniles ought not to be reduced to 16 years.

"Our comment: We do not agree with the recommendation. Men and women of 17 years cannot be called ‘children’ because, biologically, they attain puberty around 12 to 13 years. Eventually, they become capable of sexual reproduction at around 17 years of age. Therefore, the men and women of 17 years of age do not deserve protection specified for children, because they themselves are capable of reproducing children. There are millions of 17 year old parents in the world having children reproduced by them. 

"Neurological state of the adolescent brain" is a vague argument and needs fresh and thorough study by physiologists and medical scientists. The committee also negotiated various areas, seeking disqualification of MPs and MLAs charged with heinous crimes like rape. They also suggested measures to check Khap Panchayats and trial security forces personnel under general criminal laws rather than trying them under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Our comment: The recommendation is welcome.

Addressing a press conference, Justice Verma came down heavily on Union home secretary RK Singh for appreciating the role of  Delhi Police commissioner after the Delhi gang rape, instead of coming out with an apology. The committee also condemned Delhi Police for the lathicharge on young demonstrators in the capital after the heinous crime, which it said had scarred the image of Indian democracy.

Our comment: The recommendation is welcome.

Releasing the report, Justice Verma told a news conference that the committee has not suggested death penalty for rapist because there was overwhelming suggestions from the women organizations against it. The committee did not recommend death penalty for rape because it was a "regressive step" and it "may not have a deterrent effect"."We have not recommended death penalty as we had overwhelming suggestions against it. The women groups unanimously were against death penalty and that is why we thought that is a strong reason to respect that view particularly in view of the modern trend also," Justice Verma said.

Our comment: We do not agree with the recommendation. The suggestions from women organizations and human rights activists appear to be biased and prejudiced with the age-old cultural intolerance and humanitarian diktats. There should have been strong recommendations from Verma committee for death sentence in case of rape followed by the death / murder of the victim. 

The committee recommended various amendments to various laws and enhancement of punishments to the offenders. Nevertheless, it is concluded that the existing laws, if faithfully and effectively implemented by trustworthy law enforcement agencies, would be adequate to protect the well-being and dignity of people particularly the modesty of women.The committee also said speedy justice was necessary for right to life with dignity and recommended that systemic changes would reduce the burden of pending cases in courts. The vacancies of judges should be filled by new recruitment or by ad-hock appointments. In addition to that, new vacancies of judges should be created, in order to increase number of courts for hearing pending cases. 

Our comment: The recommendation is welcome.

Taking note of the brutality committed in the Delhi gang-rape incident, the committee suggested replacement of Section 375 defining rape by defining specific unnatural acts.
Our comment: No comment offered, as the recommendation is not understood in absence of details. 

Deliberate touching the body of women will constitute the offence of sexual assault for which punishment will be a maximum of five years rigorous imprisonment or fine or both. 

Our comment: The recommendation is welcome.

Use of words, gestures against women, which create unwelcome threats of sexual nature or advances, would invite a maximum punishment of one year imprisonment or fine or both. Our comment: The recommendation is welcome. Causing grievous hurt through throwing acid on women shall also be punished with rigorous imprisonment for not less than 10 years but could go up-to life.Our comment: The recommendation is welcome.

The following points appear to be missing in the recommendations published in the press?

What specific punishments are recommended for the rapists who sexually molest innocent children and mentally retarded girls and women who do not know as to what all goes on with them during molestation? Recommendation about this aspect has not been published in the press.

What punishments are recommended for sexual molestation of small boys and mentally retarded male victims? Recommendation about this aspect has not been published in the press.

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Click Here for the original full Report:
Justice Verma’s report on recommendations for amendments to criminal law against sexual molestation of women
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Indian Home Minister Shinde downplays terrorist infiltration across LOC and alleges RSS, BJP camps promoting 'Hindu terror'

© Harish Jharia

Indian Congress Party has recently organized a grand political convention called Chintan Shivir चिंतन शिविर in Jaipur, Rajasthan state of India. The meaning of ‘Chintan Shivir’ is ‘meditation camp’.  As such, it was expected that hundreds of politicians of the main ruling party- Congress had converged from all around India for serious introspection and contemplation of achievements and failure of the party.  They were expected to analyze their shortcomings in the past, discover remedies for failures and eventually evolve effective policies in order to achieve success in the time to come.  

Nevertheless, Congress’s Chintan Shivir emerged to be more speculative when Rahul Gandhi was declared the Congress Vice President, elevating him to the second most powerful office-bearer post in the political alliance of ruling parties.  Rahul Gandhi’s appointment as the second-in-command in Congress is being observed by political pundits as passport to the highest seat of Indian Prime Minster.  

The latest speculative salvo lobbed by the Indian Home Minister is of course a bit hastier and quite irresponsible. The Union (Federal) Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde went to the extent of arbitrary allegations of escalating Hindu terrorism in the camps run by the main opposition party BJP and the nationalist organization RSS. His controversial statement goes as follows:

"They (BJP) are talking about infiltration (of terrorists from Pakistan across the LOC) but we have this report that whether it is BJP or RSS, their training camps are promoting Hindu terrorism," Shinde said at the Congress meeting (Chintan Shivir) in Jaipur.

"We (Indian government) are keeping a strict eye on it (BJP and RSS training camps). The Samjhauta Express blast, Mecca Masjid (blast), Malegaon blast — they are planting bombs and blaming minorities for it. We need to be careful for safety of our country," the minister added.

This is for the first time that an Indian Home Minister publicly linked terrorism to Hindu religion, whereas the government deliberately avoided using the globally established terms ‘Islamic terrorism’. Shinde directly linked BJP and RSS with groups like Abhinav Bharat, which has been charged with allegations of terrorist activities in Malegaon and Samjhauta Express blasts. 

These statements have come right from the Indian Home Minister in the backdrop of the recent cross-border gunfire by Pakistan Army, violation of ceasefire by the Pakistani Rangers, their intrusion into the Indian Territory,  killing Indian soldiers by attacking from their back, mutilating a body and carrying back the head of another Indian soldier.

Reactions on Shinde’s anti BJP, RSS comments:

1. Hafiz Saeed seeks to exploit Shinde's 'Hindu terror' remarks, BJP launches all-out attack
2. RSS: Shinde's Hindu terror remark has made him darling of LeT, JuD 
3. Sack Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for insulting terror remarks, says BJP 

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Pakistan creats warlike situation on Indian borders LOC: Diverting attention of people from political turmoil and domestic terrorism

 Tahir ul Qadri leading a 'Million Man March' 

© Harish Jharia

Pakistan always used a shortcut to divert attention of Pakistani people by infiltrating terrorists in Indian Territory under the shadow of cross border firing by their troops. The 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008, followed by 13/7 serial bomb blasts in 2011 were still fresh in our minds when Pakistan did another heinous international cowardice crime by letting loose their rangers for invading Indian territory and killing two Indian soldiers by attacking at them from back. 

The Pakistani rangers could not dare attack at Indian warriors from front and instead, they backstabbed and beheaded one of them, mutilated his body and carried back his head to Pakistan. 

Pakistan’s cowardice melodrama was obviously a dedicated act of provocation that was designed to infuriate the people of India, the Indian government and the Indian Armed Forces. Pakistan eventually succeeded in their evil plans in inflicting injuries to the self-respect of the Indian republic. 

As a reaction to that, the Indian people ventured out on roads appealing to the Indian government and the Armed Forces for retaliating the cowardice and barbaric international crime committed by Pakistan. 

Pakistan added fuel to the fire by continuing intermittent firing across the LOC and lobbing mortar shells at fixed intervals. Pakistan’s foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, the only active and vocal office-bearer in their government kept issuing irrelevant and contradictory statements for shifting attention of the people from LOC to the UNO. 

Hina Rabbani Khar advised the Indian government to knock at the doors of UNO rather than ordering her own armed forces to stop violating Indo-Pakistan ceasefire regime. Pakistan’s provocative tactics and plans of diverting attention of people were exposed when Pakistan Supreme Court ordered arrest of the Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf in a historic judgment. 

Hina Rabbani Khar in her yet another contradictory statement proposed to have bilateral talks between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan. She again avoided advising the Pakistan Army to stop cross border gunfire. 

Nevertheless, the Directors General (Military Operations) DGMOs of India and Pakistan have talked on hotline for defusing the cross-border explosive situation on LOC. Hina Rabbani Khar’s proposal for foreign minister’s talks and the hotline talks between the DGMOS of both the countries clearly exposes the communication breakdown between the Pakistan Government and their Armed Forces. 

Shortly, it was revealed to the world that Pakistan was, in fact, passing through diverse political turmoil, few examples of which are as follows: 

1. Pakistan Supreme Court ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf and 16 others, in connection with corruption cases linked to power projects and television channels. The Supreme Court’s judgment has plunged the country in a fresh political turmoil.
2. A religious leader Tahir ul Qadri has lead a 'Million Man March' against terrorism and corruption prevailing in Pakistan, completely paralyzing the Pakistani capital.  His bold pronouncement has projected Qadri in the global headlines. His emergence eventually led to an invitation for addressing the World Economic Forum and the United States Institute for Peace.
3. On January 10, nearly 130 people were killed and as many others injured in a wave of bombings by terrorists targeting Shia Muslims, and Pakistani security guards. The outlawed terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who call ‘Shias’ non-Muslim, have claimed responsibility for these attacks. 

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Click here for more posts on Pakistan:

• Pakistan troops attack Indian army’s patrol party, kill two soldiers and mutilate a dead body: Pro Pakistan Indian lobby keeps extending hands for friendship

• Wagah - Attari Border Closing ceremony by India & Pakistan Video
• Editor’s Page: Visitors from Pakistan Welcome to ‘Discover Life’
• Pakistan: National Flag and Basic Data:
• Terrorism and Instability: The artistic and poetic people of Pakistan deserve a better peaceful and democratic life
• Osama bin Laden killed by US SEAL Commandos in Pakistan at midnight between 2-3 May 2011:

• Indian Films, TV and NGOs are the unilateral friends of Pakistan:

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Addicted Rapist-Killer Rapes and Kills another 9 Year Girl In Shirdi After Having Released From Jail

India Today Report: 7-year-old girl raped in school toilet in Goa 

 © Harish Jharia 

Sunil alias Pappu Suresh Salve, 32 kidnapped a 9 year old girl on December 28 2012. He raped and killed the girl near Sainagar railway station in Shirdi and subsequently buried her body in earth. The police unearthed the girl's body after his arrest on 4 January 2013 for conducting postmortem and and initiating criminal case against Salve. 

The 32-year-old rapist and killer was acquitted last year by a higher court from charges of rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl at Sinnar in Nashik district in 2003. He was again arrested on Friday for committing a similar crime.  The rapist and killer, Sunil alias Pappu Suresh Salve, was arrested in 2002 for committing three more similar crimes. 

In the 2003 Sinnar case, Salve, who is from Nashik, was awarded death sentence by Nashik district court. Nevertheless , he was subsequently acquitted of his alleged crimes by a higher court. After completing his sentence in earlier cases he was released from Nashik central jail on May 28, 2012 after which he committed the latest similar crime.

After the gruesome gang rape and heinous massacre of a 23 year girl in Delhi, many rape and murder cases are coming to light every day. It appears as if Indian cities, town and villages are apparently unsafe for girls and women.  The most shameful aspect of this scenario is that little girls in the age group between 3 years to 13 years are most affected.

The following points come to our mind on giving serious thinking to this inhuman, cruel and barbaric attitude of us Indians towards our children:

1. A 30 year married man, who lives in the holy city of Shirdi, selling religious pictures in the shrine, cannot be trusted against child abuses, rapes and murders of small girls.  
2. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS’s allegation that immigrants from northern states like Bihar are indulged in such sex-crimes is absolutely wrong, because, Sunil alias Pappu Suresh Salve is initially a native of Maharashtra. 
3. Such sex crimes are more likely to be committed by natives of the particular place. 
4. Migrants from other villages, towns, cities, metros or states cannot dare to commit such sex crimes in strange places.  
5. Usually joint-family members, relatives, family-friends and neighbors are more likely to commit such sex crimes. 
6. 3 to 13 year girls are the main victims of the rapists cum killers because these girls are soft targets that are easily accessible.
7. Small girls obviously do not know anything about whatever is done to them by the rapist until they feel hurt and pained physically.
8. Small girls can be easily lured by offering eatables or with emotional blackmail. 

The following precautionary measure may be taken to avoid cases of child-abuse and such sex-crimes against small children: 

1. Keep your children in front of your eyes as long as possible.
2. Do not let any outsider develop proximity with your children especially girls.
3. Never leave your children unattended or alone in your house or out there on the streets.
4. Instruct your children not to let anybody touch their body. 
5. Children should know that the most forbidden portion of their bodies is between their knees and shoulders. 
6. The children should shout in their highest pitch if someone attempts to touch or fiddle with the above forbidden portion of their bodies.
7. Children should never hide anything abnormal, happened in their day-to-day lives from their parents,.
8. Children should not develop friendship with anybody older than them in age or built.   
9. Children should inform their parents immediately if someone starts taking extra interest in them. 
10. Parents should never leave their children under the care of servants, neighbors, relatives or babysitters. 
11. Parents should be careful in selecting dresses for their small girls. 
12. Children should not wear dresses designed like film stars, models and stage performers. 
13. Women activists should not make hue-and-cry if social thinkers advise girls to dress up in decent outfits. 
14. Women activists should stop unilateral onslaughts against men and society and at the same time rubbishing every single reformatory advice suggested for girls and women.  
15. We will have to bring overall reformatory changes in civic life and governance with an open mine and without any bias and prejudice in order to stop child-abuse, rapes and killings of girls. 

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