terror strike the innocents again

yesterday,night while browsing through the channels,i suddenly got shocked by the news in pune.3 youngsters from our city had fallen a victim of terror again.obviously for no fault of them,or their forefathers.i really dont know what is the issue with this guys.what enemity does this terrosits have with us?what do they really want?time and again innocent people from various states,countries are being targetted again and again!its not that today 3 young citizens of our state has died,and suddenly i am aroused by this fact.but its enough.right from the innumerable blasts in kashmir,to the 26/11 attacks in mumbai,to the endless attempts in various states.doesn't these terrosits get tired?i mean for god's sake,or whoever u believe to be your almighty,just think what have these people done to you?whom do you all target?and what do you'all gain from these? i really dont have these answers.but to everyone who read this blog,today is 15th feb 2010.just open any newspaper,and the front page will make you feel worse.that guy "ankik's" photo seems looking at us and asking for an answer for his death.i really dont hav any answer,neither do i have any words for his mother who seems fighting to live after the death of both of her children.don't know whether one day i will come in politics,or any power.but i want an end to all of these.violence will encourage violence time and again.but all we want is a bit of peace.im no "RANCHORDAS" neither im someone great to say all these.but its enough,lets try and settle this issue once and for all.to those people who have power in their hands, how long will this injustice continue?do you have any answer?

OPERATION GREEN HUNT.

The massacre of policemen in Shilda ,West Midnapore is a great set back for the operation Green Hunt.It killed 24 policemen on the spot giving them almost no chance to fight back.Now this left no option for our goverment, but to move ahead with the operation.This is not the first time when Maoists have attacked the cops but the magnitude of this attack undoubtedly sent a very strong message to our rulers..The Maoists have been deliberately killing and targeting the cops for the last few years because the cops represent the ruling goverment to them..

The naxal movement that was born out of deprivation has become a game or a license to kill people without any justification.Now we don't expect the Maoists to be decent with the goverment and co-operate with them for operation Green Hunt.But can we atleast now expect our senior officers to be serious on this kind of sensitive and alarming issues??After the massacre in Shilda investigations have been started and what we have come to know is shocking and shameful too..

It is indeed very surprising that in day time such an attack could be launched on a police camp..But the most surprising thing is that intelligence sources had warned West Bengal Police and goverment about the attack.But they just ignored that because they thought that this kind of alert is just like weather forecasts,it never rains when it is forecasted.But this time the intelligence branch report was very specific than usual.But unfortunately a very casual approach to this alert has led to such huge causalties..

Now as usual,the blame game has stared.Oppositions and some of our intellectuals(they think they are) will take this opportunity to show their concern about the victims and the maoists too.They will condemn the act of our government for operation green hunt.Even some of the celebs are so concerned about poor,deprived people in the remote araes like Lalgarh that they choose to go there just the day before the Lalgarh operation began.They are celebs after all ( how can they miss a single chance to come on the spot light??).

Now as the aftermath of this attack the goverment will definately ask for more forces.But what is the use of sending more goats to the butcher until and unless they are not well equipped and well trained ??Goverment officials said that the attack was not expected..but when West Bengal intelligence branch had repeatedly warned them how could they have ignored that???just because they were too casual.

So are they the right person for their own posts??An efficient employer can't do this i guess..this trigers the questions that who is sitting at the top of the administration??efficient or obedient???when lack of work efficiency causes bloodshed,deaths of people then we can only hear the top official's excuses..
Digusting??ridiculous????irritating???to us only,who watch it on tv,read it in the news papers..but what about those who lost their loved ones???

Arjun thakuri,Chandra Chhetri,Mikmar Tamang who lost their lives in the attack,all of them joined force to serve for the state,for the country..their families are proud of them.But at the same time their lives came to a halt also..if their loved ones would have a hint of what was going to happen then they must have not been talking over phones with families,not have been cooking dinner or relaxing keeping their rifles away..we will discuss this issue for next couple of days and then we will forget them..but those who have lost someone will never be able to forget..any amount of compensations,sympathy cannot make their lives like before.

We request our administration to hear the cries and expect a humanlike behaviour..enough games have been played with common men's lives..now it is high time for them to talk less and work more..because actions always speak more than words and we certainly dont want to hear any excuse next time..

Let's make a difference...

"A tiger is a large-hearted gentleman with boundless courage, and when he is exterminated - as exterminated he will be unless public opinion rallies to his support - India will be the poorer by having lost the finest of her fauna."- Jim Corbett

Yesterday an advertisement caught my eyes with a Royal Bengal Tiger in the background and it says, "Only 1411 of them are left…you can make a difference.” Then I realized how correct Corbett was about his prophecy! Moreover this was a figureaccording to the National Tiger Census 2008 and more than 130 tigers died since. Which means the remaining tiger in the wild of India has come down to an alarming number of nearly 1300! But what has caused such a serious situation for the big cat family?

According to the experts, various reasons are there for which our national animal is on the verge of extinction. The first and foremost of which is poaching of tigers. More than 35% of the death of tiger every year is caused by poaching. The tiger parts are being exported to china through Nepal border where it is used for traditional medicines, aphrodisiac, piece of dress or talisman. A local poacher gets Rs. 7000 to 15,000 for a tiger and in foreign market a tiger costs as high as $20,000. So high market value is reason behind poaching.

Secondly, the unprotected areas of the forests all over the India don't have much tigers left, not just because poachers are killing them, but because their prey species are being hunted out. So lack of food is causing a great deal of harm towards the survival of the tigers...not times even in the protected areas.

But is that all? Can't we do really anything regarding the problem? Have we tried enough to save our tiger? If we look at the way govt. handled the situation, we see an unfortunate story.

At the inception of the Project Tiger (presently known as National Tiger Conservation Authority or NTCA) it did a good job and it showed result. And they were very happy at themselves. But the time changed, political scenario changed, our population increased, demand for tiger parts increased, modus operandi for poachers developed, technologies advanced, but what didn't change was the defensive attitude of forest dept. and their mode of working. They are reluctant about any external expertise or advanced technologies and information. In 2002,a Wildlife Protection Act amendment made it mandatory for the state governments to create advisory committees for all sanctuaries; these were to include Panchavati Raj institutions, NGOs and wildlife expert members. But none have been created yet. What was more surprising that NTCA had many experts but not a single tiger expert!! When supreme court warned in 2005,that tiger condition in Madhya Pradesh is critical no one paid attention to it and in 2008 department reluctantly accepted that only 1 or 2 male tiger is left in Panna forest and they are thinking of introducing females!! And these are just few instances of govt. inefficiency.

So coming back to the point we started with, we can make a difference. But for that we will have to start afresh. Wildlife science is much more developed now a days. With the help of this advanced information and technology, involvement of experts both inside and outside the government it can be done effectively. A Tiger Conservation Committee, free from autocratic and outdated systems, taking care of the tigers all over the nations is what we need today. So let's roar to save our tiger…let's make a difference...

Give me some sunshine...........

Heard about a tragic incident last week.One of our relatives had a neighboring family consisting of a newly married couple and the husband's widowed mother.Since the wife,a young girl,came from a lower middle class family she could not meet the exorbitant demands for dowry made by her mother-in-law.Hence she was regularly tortured,both physically and mentally by her mother-in-law when her husband was away.At last she was killed by her mother in law who has been imprisoned since by the police.The husband married again and a girl has been born to him recently.She has been named Titli after the dead first wife.
It is amazing how such heinous crimes are still being perpetrated against the girl child in this so called 'civilized' country.Every hour that ticks by in India inflicts more brutality on women, with two rapes, two kidnappings, four molestations and seven incidents of cruelty from husbands and relatives, reveal the latest national crime statistics.The numbers are swiftly increasing.Even today,widowed women are burnt at their husband's pyres in rural Rajasthan-and we boast Sati has been abolished from India!!Girls as young as 6-7 years are being forcibly married off by their families for money.They are sold or are trafficked to distant countries like Saudi Arab or they become prostitutes.Is this the future of the girl child?Killed while still in their mother's wombs,unwanted,neglected,sacrificed and tortured in every steps..
We often forget it is they who,as our mother gave us our lives,as our sister protected us and became our ally in everything,as our wives shared our burdens,as our best friend gave us a shoulder to lean on and cry when life had no meaning for us-she is behind every man's success,she is the reason for our smiles,she is our companion,friend,philosopher and guide-where would we be without her?
So let us unite to stop the crimes against women and give her the respect and love which she deserves.Let us pledge ourselves to give little Titli a better world to grow up in-a new beginning,a new sunrise.....

MEDIA:What should I believe?

Last Wednesday as I was returning home from a friends place, I was witness to a heated argument between two of my fellow passengers regarding a particular political issue..It was fascinating to see a public bus getting transformed to a debate arena and then gradually almost getting transformed into a boxing ring..both the passengers provided with facts so varied regarding the same issue that it was indeed quite hard to pick a side and decide on who is right among the two..both of them were adamant that the information he had was absolutely correct and authentic, refering to the respective newspapers they read, and news channels they follow...but how is this possible, I thought...how can there be conflicting facts regarding the same incident reported by newspapers??

The truth is that in todays world the Media shapes our lifes in every aspect..from how we should think to what we should believe, from what we should wear to what we should eat, from what is 'in' to what is 'out'...just about everything..
Media has its different forms-from newspapers to television, from the internet to the advertising hoardings...everywhere these guys are telling us what to do and how to do..it has become like this that we should behave and react in the particular way they want us to..
But the question I'm asking is should we go on beliving just about everything that is given to us.. without even judging the matter with our conscience..should we behave and react to a particular incident as someone else wants us to without analysing the entire incident, before knowing the different aspects of that particular incident..??

We, the educated people feel whatever opinion we have on a particular issue is well thought out,is logical and reasonable but we often fail to realise that those very opinions that we have are prejudiced, influenced by the kind of newspapers we read, the kind of television channels we follow..if this is the situation of the educated..then spare a thought for those who are not educated and lucky like us...

The truth is, running of the entire media, be it of any form, is similar to the running of a business..every media enterprise is a business conglomerate on their own and needless to say for the sake of their business they cater to the interest of themselves and to the interest of people who look after them,their 'well-wishers'...
If I take the example of newspapers, regarding national or international politics there are only two ways for them...you are either for a certain camp where you absolutely agree to the policies and decisions made by your camp,even if the policies are faulty and some times preposterous, or you are against a certain camp when, no matter even if their policies and decisions are good you have to oppose them...

I guess my co-passengers from the bus are victims of this for and against policy of the media..

It is indeed confusing that if none of them are telling the truth..then whom to beleive in and how to know the truth...but regarding this I feel that to make an idea about the truth one must not have a prejudiced opinion regarding an issue...one must keep an open mind such that your thought is not single-tracked..best way is to know about both sides of the story...the one you like as well as the one you don't...only then i guess you can have a clearer picture..and you will be much nearer the truth...

EDUCATION-A POLITICAL FUSS.

KOLKATA has always played a leading and pioneering role in the developement of modern education system in India.We all know that our kolkata used to be one of the biggest education hub in our country..but unfortunately the mindset of the political leaders have successfully transformed our glory to our shame..campus politics in west bengal has become a daily episode..assualting teachers in college campus has become a common thing now a days..gone are the days when student politics were made on solid ideological content and was directed to a greater cause,when campus politics was a stimulating exercise,meant to uphold the upliftment of the youth..Toady when every intellectual people think that campus politics should be banned,though its too late every college administration has requested the political party to take this issue very seriously,our political leaders dont seem to to take any steps.why should they?? after all doing something good for the state is not in their agenda..it is really shameful to watch that a college union election can go so far ..is it possible for students to be so audacious unless they enjoy political patronage???
This is just one part that is hampering our education system..but our education department doesn't think that they have done enough to destroy the education system..so they just have to take some ridiculous decisions..they stopped teaching english in school at primary stage which cause poor performance of bengali students in competitive exams..one day they felt that it was an blunder and they change their decision..but what about whose who suffer for this???
Our higher education deparment takes the onus to compromise on quality education..they think that more no of students should pass every year so that they can show higher literacy rate..last week our education minister declared that no marks and grade will be given till 8th standerd,only pass or fail ..that will encourage more number of students to come to school.what will you say???? i am shocked.
Thats not enough .now today they have another thing to offer..to encourage the students in higher education our education department has a very good plan to implement.a student can complete their graduation degree in 8 yrs..so dont worry..if you fail in one year remember "asche bochor abar hobe".dont you think it is too much? too unfair with the meritirious students??
If our education department really want to encourage students to come to schools and colleges they should first provide good faculty,infrastructure so that to get pass mark they dont have to try year after year,they can easily make it with the little help from their teachers..and those who still dont manage it they should be free to leave..no one can educate those who dont want to learn.
Giving weightage on academic improvement,recruiting teachers without considering political background and strong administration are the needs of today..
and some may argue that student union is an art of collective bargaining,without union student will become submissive.well, in that case submission or aggression clearly lies in trading the line between the two..

STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT

Chilhood is the most beautiful phase of every human's life.It is all about our beautiful merories,our carefree natures,funloving and playing time that we all spend with our parents,our grand parents..but this not the case for many of those who simply hate their chilhood..
yes,their chilhood is tormented..who are they???child labours..they are forced to work,to earn for their families..one may think that child labour is an issue of poor countries like India,but unfortunately this not the case..it is indeed a global issue..thousands of children are illegaly employed in the toy manufacturing industry in china..the toys which we buy from the shops for the children who are blessed or are luckier, are made by the child labours who spend their chilhood in a miserable condition..dont they have the right to play with toys???we just cant blame their destiny and take our hands off.Every time when we enter our canteens or dhabas, mostly our dishes are served by the innocent children who probably do not get a proper meal,sometimes not even a dry roti at dinner..this is winter season..all of us are enjoying with our friends,families,going to the fairs..this is also the peak time for child labours because they are employed more in numbers in the food stalls to serve our dishes..child labour is the new form of slavery..not only in shpos but also in our homes we often prefer to have a small gril to work for us..we watch them working in our homes but dont feel to do anything.we think that someone else will do.and thats the reason we fail to act..
only compassion is not enough..only goverment policy,unicef funding will not ever be able to erradicate child labours ..it will only be possible when we will raise our voice and put a step forward for our sake..because these are the children whose skills and need will build tomorrows and will become the ecconomical and social backbone of our world..
read articles,spread awareness,help individual child as much as you can..so that one day every child will learn not earn..

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

Unity in diversity is a phrase celebrating co-operation between different groups of people in a single society.It is widely used to describe India, which is home to a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious society. The subcontinent's long and diverse history has given it a unique culture. India's diversity has always been recognized as a source of its strength. When the British ruled India, women and men from different cultural, religious and regional backgrounds came together to oppose them. India's freedom movement had thousands of people of different backgrounds in it. They worked together to decide joint actions, they went to jail together, and they found different ways to oppose the British. Interestingly the British thought they could divide Indians because they were so different, and then continue to rule them. But the people showed how they could be different and yet be united in their battle against the British.

Today, after 62 years of independence the same Indians fight to divide their own states, whether it is forTelengana or Gorkhaland. Quite an irony! The agitation has even baffled the Government of India. Not to forget that the year 2000 was significant in Indian History. It is the year when the states like Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand were formed taking the number of states in India to 28. Quite a big number, huh! But just one question. Is it really helping us in any way? There can be a debate regarding this and whichever side you take, you can have some strong points to defend. For instance, there’s no doubt that maintaining the law and order in Darjeeling from Kolkata is not so easy.(It is not at all easy for the government to look after North Bengal when they themselves are fighting for existence in South Bengal at present.) So, the people of Darjeeling do have their point to lead their life in their own way. But not to forget that these same Indians fought against the British to get rid of them. They fought as Indians only, not as a Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil or a Marathi. And it is only because of them that today we are independent.

Can we forget the 26/11 episode in India? And unfortunately we don’t talk much of the NSG Black Cats who saved so our country from a crisis. Rather we engage ourselves talking more on some comedians like Shiv Senas, MNS etc. They want only Marathis in Mumbai, right? Then, where were they when their own Aamchi Mumbai was in smoke of fire (or fear?). The NSG was established under the National Security Guard Act of 1986.It is a Special Response Unit in India that has primarily been utilized for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986. And needless to say that no specific culture or race is leading NSG. It is headed by those Indians who removed the foreign elements from our country and not those Indians who want their states to be fragmented to tiny pieces. But isn’t it too suicidal? Doesn’t it make our very own India quite weak to other countries? India is a vast land which is bound together by the inter-cultural forces. That’s where we can use the phrase UNITY IN DIVERSITY. But making Telenganas or Gorkhalands won’t really solve the problem. Tomorrow, there may be agitations regarding the formations of Telengana-I or Telengana-II. Then, what’s going to happen? Isn’t it a threat for our existence( or, rather the existence of the phrase “Unity In Diversity”) ?

Reservation

Reservation thaka uchit.not on the basis of cast, but economic condition (in some cases may also be on basis of religion in specific regions). people who belong to backward cast but have become economically and socially fwd, should not b allowed to use the opportunities of cast.system should be properly monitored and properly implemented. quota system is not a way to uplift a whole class.education and opportunities at the grassroot level is still unavilable, this reservation debate should not be a mask on these larger and related problems.
It's also worth thinking, when the dropout rate is so much among the students who r availing the quota system, the grooming of these students is to b blamed,the unavailability of the opportunities is to b blamed.eradicating the quota system is not a solution. our thoughtful govt believes in upliftment of the backward class by increasing the quota and then not caring about how many of them are able to pass through the system.
The increase of opportunity for backward class is a necessity, but it should not come at the cost of other students.Thus the govt. is increasing the seats by 50% in one year!! if the funds were there, infrastructure improvement is possible, isn't increasing the no. of seats for higher education alwas a aim? Then why increase it just at the time of this huge controversy???

Well friends,isn't this govt. amazingly thoughtful?

The Controversy over Bt Brinjal

Over the last few weeks now there is one particular story that is doing the rounds in the media that has unsettled me quite a bit..this particular issue concerning Bt Brinjals..

Like a lot of issues..this particular decision of introducing genetically modified crops(GM) is far from transperent..whether the crops will help us or whether it will help only the interest of a particular seed manufacturing company is a question that will make the authorities regarding this matter quite uncomfortable to say the least..

The issue came to the fore last Ocotober when Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) gave a go ahead to the commercial planting of the Bt brinjal.The main player in the Indian market is Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Limited(MAHYCO).They carried out the two year field trials based on which GEAC made there recommendations..It is interesting to note that MAHYCO obtained license from global US-based seed major Monsanto..who stand to benefit directly if Bt Brinjals are indeed introduced for commercial production.
GEAC, which was set up by the ministry of environment and forest as a regulator for the purpose of research and testing of GM crops is guilty of being partisan to the interests of multinationals..
Complete data regarding the 2 year trial run was not made available initially and it was only after a Delhi high Court ruling that the actual data was made available under RTI..so it is already evident that the entire process was not very transperent and the trial results were not very favourable..

After analysing the data experts have found that Bt-brinjal may still have adverse effects to the environment and whether human consumption is possible without any side effects can only be said after further testing of the Bt brinjals.But inspite of the warnings from experts it beats common sense how the GEAC gave a go ahead for commercial production..

According to the pro Bt brinjal lobby the toxins present in the GM crop fights fruit and shoot borer pests which leads to loss of crops for the farmers..but the effects of the toxin to human health is not known and yet to be tested..

Science is continually progressing and no doubt we have to adapt ourselves to the changes..but at the same time we also have to decide if the changes will have any adverse effect on us and on our environment and who will be benifiting from these changes, whether the changes will reach the people who they are meant for..or they will only serve the interest of a few multinationals..

The way the entire issue has been handled, it seems like it is catering to the interest of the a third party instead of the consumers and the farmers..before introduction of GM crops for commercial production a complete and a transperent research and testing must be carried out..
The members of the GEAC should be more responsible and must comprise of specialists in this field..and ofcourse before introduction of GM crops..it should be seen whether the exsisting methods and proposals can be made better..

Now what the Government does next and what is the future of GM crops in our country remains to be seen..