Anurag Dangi

My Conversations with Arham

2020-08-21T17:29:00.006+05:30

Its been long. Arham is almost 7 now. It was a tough journey..

I had a small conversation with him a few days back and thought of writing it.

Me: Arham, let me ask you a question.

Arham : Ok

Me: How can you keep a horse in a fridge in 3 steps?

Arham tries but has no clue so he asks me.

Me: Open the door, keep the elephant in, close the door.

Arham grins. 😬

Me: Ok. 1 more.

How will you keep elephant in a fridge in 4 steps.

This time, Arham tries adding one step nsuccessfully and finally asks me.

Me : open the door, take out the horse, keep the elephant in, close the door.

Arham smiles, grins...

Me : ok. One more.

It is monkey's marriage party. Everyone goes there except one. Who is that?

Arham simply smiles and asks me to answer.

Me: elephant, because he is in the fridge.

Arham smiles and says that now he wants to ask a question.

I said ok.

Arham : Now that elephant is in the fridge, how can you keep the fox in just in 3 steps.

Me : Ok. You answer.

Arham : Open the door, keep the fox in second tray, close the door..

Me: 😀😀😀

Arham : It is Goat's marriage. Everyone came except three animals.

Me : Elephant, fox and who??

Arham : Monkey, because he is busy celebrating his own marriage. 😀😀😀

I was left flabbergasted with his instant thinking.

God bless him.

The Crocodile, the Tiger and the Jungle : Arham's Story

2017-12-11T11:30:00.002+05:30

Pls Note - This post is almost in continuation of the previous post which I wrote more than 2 years ago.

So, writing here after a long gap. Meanwhile, lot of stories have been told to Arham.

He has grown up and is 4+ now.

Yesterday, I tried telling him a story and he sprung a surprise and that’s what prompted me to write this post. Yesterday he said –

“Papa wait – I will tell you the story”

And then he went on as follows –

"Once a time, there was crocodile.

He was veeeeerrrrrrry thirsty.(With an expression of being thirsty by touching his throat)

He had water on terrace.(With hands pointing upwards towards the terrace)

He said Thank you.

And he went to the Jungle.

There was tiger in the Jungle.

Tiger ate the crocodile.

Dinosaur in the jungle.

Biiiiiiiiiiiig Dinosaur. (Lot of stress on Big)"

And then a few lines which I could not understand.

Then …

"Tiger slept.

Crocodile slept.

And Dinosaur slept.

Thank you."

From his perspective, the story was complete and he was satisfied.

And I was happy to hear the bed time story from my 4 year old.

And here is he...

A Kagla on Arham's Dagla

2015-11-23T00:19:00.000+05:30

First bed time short story that i narrated today to my 2 yr old son Arham and he listened very patiently. Not sure how much he understood.

Please note that, Kagla = Crow &

Dagla = Terrace

Once upon a time there was a kagla on Arham's dagla.

The kagla was feeling very thirsty.

So he said to Arham - Dear Arham, I am feeling very thirsty. Please give me some water.

Arham said - Dear kagla, wait a minute. I will come on the dagla with some water.

Arham took a glass of water and went to his dagla.

The kagla drank the water and quenched his thirst.

The kagla then said to Arham - Dear Arham - Thanks a lot.

Arham said to kagla - You're welcome.

The kagla then flew away.

And Arham came back from his dagla.

Yes! We are a “Banana Republic”.

2014-04-19T21:56:00.000+05:30

So, a company can be started by putting in a share capital of Rs 100,000. DLF will be happy to give loans/advances of Rs 50 crore to this company.

Go and buy land with this money. Then sell the land to DLF at Rs 300 cr.

Book a clean profit of more than Rs 200 cr after repaying the DLF loan with interest.

And all this in a few months. From Rs 1 lakh to Rs 200 cr.

Wow!! What a business model?

Yes! We are a “Banana Republic”.

Because we allowed this to happen.

Note: Numbers used are indicative and for the sake of illustration.

Sacrifice for the Nation. Really ????

2014-04-16T11:35:00.003+05:30

This family should understand the meaning of sacrifice for the nation.

A soldier who knows that there is a high risk of him getting killed but still goes to the front for the sake of nation and gets killed has sacrificed his life for the nation.

Somebody becomes a Prime Minister knowing that there are lot of powers and benefits and then gets killed in a bomb blast or is shot dead cannot be treated as a sacrifice for the nation.

Unlike soldier, they never knew they are going to get killed this way but they still need to do it for the nation.

Further, the family of soldier doesn’t keep running around nation talking about sacrifice and expecting/enjoying further benefits, power and preferential treatment.

A soldier’s family doesn’t demand memorials, free land or any other discount.

They haven't sacrificed their life for the nation. It was an accident.

The power of Innovation

2014-03-03T01:27:00.000+05:30

Just now, I read two news items -

1. Mukesh Ambani's personal wealth is $18 bn.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/india-home-to-70-billionaires-mukesh-ambani-richest-man-with-fortune-of-18-bn/articleshow/31265967.cms

2. Zuckerberg's fortune grows by $15 bn as Facebook shares soar.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/international/zuckerberg-s-fortune-grows-by-usd-15-bn-as-facebook-shares-soar-114030200115_1.html

That's the difference between doing business on innovation and doing business on government policies or natural resources.

Most of the billionaires in India have played on government policies or natural resources. Be it Reliance, Airtel, Adani or Jindal.

Our system doesn't promote innovation. Hence, we don't have Microsoft, Apple or Facebook or even a Whatsapp which was recently sold off for $19bn - slightly higher than Mukesh Ambani's personal wealth.

Enjoy the coming months of this year

2014-03-01T00:51:00.002+05:30

It’s Holi time now. And it’s time to save water. Get ready for series of forwarded messages asking you to save water. After Holi, messages will go away.

Then, we are going to have general elections. Modi wave, Rahul wave or Kejriwal wave but for sure north Indians are going to have heat wave.

Then as usual the country will get ready for monsoons and don’t worry – Trains will be late, traffic will be jam but Mumbai will survive this year too. And then we will say - Hats off to Mumbai spirit.

Bihar will have floods and Laloo will criticise Nitish the same way Nitish used to criticise him. And Bihar will look like this.

After monsoons, it will be time for –

Then,we will say no to crackers because Diwali will be approaching.

Nobody says no to killing the poor animal on Eid but crackers are a big No. L

Diwali as usual will also witness only Shahrukh khan movie of the year.

On 26/11, we will criticise Pakistan. Its customary.

And post all this it will be time to celebrate new year.

In between, there will be a few gaps and people like Diggy, Salman Khurshid will keep entertaining you.

A few gaps will also be filled by praising Ratan Tata and a few others.

Cartoons on Rahul Gandhi will keep coming in but we must understand that it’s tough to be Rahul Gandhi.

We will also see some secularism and communalism debate in between.

And last but not the least, Kejriwal will be at Jantar Mantar most of the time.

Enjoy the coming months of this year.

Don't look for soft targets

2014-01-26T23:54:00.003+05:30

To all those critics of AAP - who have used terms like Aaptards, who have criticised AK even for his cough, who have criticised AAP for not fulfilling its agenda even after 30 days of forming government, who have criticised AK if he travels in his own WagonR and who have criticised his ministers if they use government provided Innova and especially who have stormed their offices at various places -

We truly appreciate your energy levels. We as a nation need your energy for better things.

We need you at border to fight with China or Pakistan. Please don't keep quiet when China intrudes or Pakistan misbehaves by sending beheaded bodies.

Go and vandalise Pakistan or China. Criticise them for everything they do. Make their life tough with whatever they do.

AAP is just a small party and even if it is hand in gloves with congress, voters can throw them out easily. A bigger threat is from unruly neighbours. Please channelise your energy there.

Don't look for soft targets.

Happy Republic Day.

Even bad jokes deserve a break

2014-01-23T13:34:00.000+05:30

Political correctness shouldn't overwhelm our sense of humour

A couple of years ago, when Kumar Vishwas was making jokes about Kerala nurses, he certainly would not have imagined it would come to haunt his future political career. After maintaining silence over the last two days while Youth Congress members in Kerala ransacked the offices of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Vishwas has finally apologised from the “depths of his heart”.

The two-year-old video emerged on YouTube this week. In it, Vishwas, who is seeking to fight against Rahul Gandhi in the forthcoming election, is seen berating Kerala nurses for their dark complexion. “One would naturally feel like calling them ‘sister’” he says, before going on to add that nurses these days who come from other parts of the country are much more glamorous. Kerala’s chief minister, Oommen Chandy, immediately wrote to Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, seeking an apology.

While the essential sexism of Vishwas’ remarks cannot be denied, it is imperative that these be viewed within the context in where they were made. Vishwas was speaking at a hasya kavi sammelan — a humorous poetic round-table, as it were. These events are, by their nature, comical, and a talented poet is expected to be quickwitted. Some amount of teasing and inappropriate chatter is built into the very definition of the event. Attendees at such meets, as well as their modern cousins, the stand up comedy nights, expect to hear politically incorrect statements and offensively acerbic observations.

To pull up Vishwas for his comments at a kavi sammelan, then, essentially demonstrates an intolerance towards art. In fact, it is only different in degree from the actions of, say, religious fundamentalists who deface paintings and sculptures because gods or goddesses are “wrongly” depicted in them.

Since the horrific gang rape in Delhi in December 2012, the conversation about gender rights and sensitisation towards women have, rightfully, come to the forefront. It is, however, worrying if the ground gained in the dialogue about gender rights in India devolves to a certain kind of gender vigilantism. If every comment or slight is analysed clinically and without context, it will quickly erase all the gains made in the last year. Certainly, we should be able to talk about gender. And sometimes, we should be able to laugh about it too.

VEENA VENUGOPAL

(Senior Assistant Editor and Editor, BLink)

So, Are RaGa, MMS, NaMo or Nitin Gadkari’s of the world ready to leave their large bungalows?

2014-01-04T13:13:00.000+05:30

Do we know the number of rooms in 10, Janpath ?

7, Race course??

Do we know about cars which are being used by congress ministers ?

Even Lal Bahadur Shastri (known as icon of simplicity) lived in a proper Prime ministerial bungalow.

Lok sabha speaker Meira kumar recently acquired her father’s official bungalow shamelessly for 25 years.

Pratibha Patil was again shameless while asking for expansion of 6000 sq ft bungalow to 9000 sq ft.

Three other chief ministers have been sworn-ed in recently. Is anybody talking about there manifestos, bungalows or cars?

Then, why go after AK.

A common man took a challenge and has become a CM.

Something which the established political class and there chamchas can’t digest.

A mentally bankrupt and “available for sale” media can’t digest this and doesn't know how to react.

Anyways, AK has decided not to shift in a 5 bedroom flat.

So, Are RaGa, MMS, NaMo or Nitin Gadkari’s of the world ready to leave their large bungalows?

RaGa ready with new bills….

2013-12-26T17:07:00.000+05:30

As the Loksabha elections are approaching in 2014, RaGa is busy passing new bills daily to solve all the problems of this country.

After massive success(claimed by him and duly supported by Diggy) achieved by food security bill, right to water bill and Jan lokpal(Jokepal) bill, RaGa is ready with a list of new bills to be passed in parliament. This includes Right to air, Right to Dhoop(Sun), Right to beer and blanket(required during elections), Anti crying bill, Right to potty and whole lot of other bills.

We have tried analysing these proposed bills and this is our analysis –

Right to air – After ensuring food for everybody via popular food security bill, RaGa wants to provide good air to all dalits and minorities, hence the bill. Other upward classes are already enjoying good air, says Diggy.

Right to Dhoop – Having ensured food and air, RaGa wants to ensure good dhoop for everybody especially Dalits. Dalits will get 27% reservation in Dhoop. There is some reservation for other minorities as well. MMS is worried about foggy and cloudy days and hence has offered to leave if RaGa wants to become PM.

This bill should solve the issues of BJP and congress workers who are staying in shelters meant for muzaffarnagar riot victims but we will not support it in parliament says MSY.

Right to beer and blanket – Since the country is prospering and food is available to everybody, the next round of facilities comes in the form of right to beer and blanket. Though, Finance Minister Chidambaram has a different view that if people start having food, beer and blanket, it will increase inflation but RaGa is determined to pass this bill. Sibbal says that passing this bill won’t increase inflation but implementing it might.

Right to Potty – My Grandma taught me that eating food leads to potty – Says RaGa. Since, people will now have food and beer too, potty is inevitable. Hence, the right to potty bill. Dalits and minorities will be issued special potty cards like the Aadhar cards. Other communities are already doing potty since independence, says Diggy.

Nandan Nilekani is concerned about potty cards.

Anti crying bill – This bill is going to be a landmark. Through this bill, RaGa will ensure that kids won’t cry whether it is at their home or anywhere else.

No kid should be allowed to cry. Parents have a right to peaceful sleep. Rahulji never cried – Says Diggy praising RaGa that only he can think of such innovative ways of serving nation.

Anti flood bill – This country can’t afford floods, says RaGa. The damage caused in Uttarakhand was tremendous. Hence, we should pass anti flood bill to prevent floods from coming.

There are a few more bills under demand across the nation. For eg – After lalu being free, animals in Bihar are demanding fodder security bill.

A few politicians are demanding bill for Prevention from Jan lokpal and corruption security bill.

A small farmer from Haryana wants land security bill for 260 hectares of land purchased by him in Rajasthan.

Then, there is onion bill, potato bill, tomato bill, bread and butter bill, salt price bill, diaper and diaper rash bill, khujli bill, and so on..

We will come soon with a fresh post on upcoming bills.

Bihar floods

2013-07-11T15:26:00.002+05:30

Almost 5 yrs back in 2008, i wrote on the same blog about bihar floods -

http://www.anuragdangi.blogspot.in/2008/09/bihar-floods.html

And nothing has changed even now.

http://www.firstpost.com/india/over-hundred-villages-flooded-in-bihar-as-rivers-rise-948551.html

"Flood waters entered over 100 villages in Bihar in the past 24 hours, forcing people to abandon their homes, as many rivers in the state rose and posed a threat to other villages too, officials said on Thursday.All the inundated villages are in the flood-prone districts of Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj, Muzaffarpur and Katihar.

Representational image. PTI

“Flood waters entered more than 100 villages of Amaur block in Purnea, Forbesganj and Sikti in Araria and Kochadham in Kishanganj. In Muzaffarpur, dozens of villages were inundated in Aurai and Katra blocks,” an official of the state disaster management department said.

The department officials toldIANS that fear of floods is gripping villages again in Bihar, with water levels rising in several rivers following heavy rain in the state and in the catchment areas in neighbouring Nepal.

“Water levels in the Mahananda, Bagmati, Kamla Balan, Gandak, Bodhi Gandak and Kosi rivers are showing rising trend over the past two days, threatening hundreds of villages in over half a dozen districts,” the official said.

An unconfirmed report said that at least eight people, including three schoolgirls, have drowned in the flood water.

The Bihar government has alerted engineers and asked them to keep a 24-hour vigil in the area.

“All engineers have been directed to be ready with necessary equipment and boulders to face any situation and to protect the embankments,” Rajeshwar Dayal, engineer-in-chief (north)at the water resources department, said.

However, Bihar Water Resources Development Minister Vijay Kumar said all embankments were safe, and there was no need to panic.

He said the eastern Kosi embankment, which had breached in 2008 flooding five districts of northern Bihar, was totally safe.

“The embankment was strengthened and breach repair work was completed,” he said.

In 2008, more than three million people were rendered homeless in Bihar when the Kosi river breached its bank upstream in Nepal and changed course.

It was said to be the worst flood in Bihar in the last 50 years."

Whatever the politicians claim but at the ground level - its equally sad as it was 60 years back.

People have lost homes and lives in Assam too. And nobody wants to talk about that.

2013-05-21T15:33:00.000+05:30

Today's Newspaper (TOI) has a big news about Rs 20 lakh being recovered from a cricketer's residence who was part of spot fixing.

And a small news of 2 ministers involved in Rs 1410 cr scam wherein UP lokayukta has asked them to return Rs 423 cr.

Is it like corruption from politicians is acceptable and it doesn’t matter??

Or even if it matters, it doesn’t matter so much..

In the former case, tax payer’s money is not involved whereas in latter, tax payer’s money is involved.

So what should be probed first??

Betting is done willing fully by people and it is even legal in so many countries. We haven’t heard of people being forced to bet.

But tax payer has no option but to pay up and see his money being siphoned off by these crooks. Siphoning off tax payer's money like this is not legal in any country in the world.

So where should the police be investigating hard??

तुम ख़रीदो और वो बिक जाए तो सही है

2013-05-17T16:43:00.000+05:30

तुम ख़रीदो और वो बिक जाए तो सही है
और वो खुद बिक जाए किसी गैर को
तो जुर्म है

आख़िर खरीद फ़रोख़्त की शुरुआत आप ही ने तो करी थी ना

वैसे भी भ्रष्टाचार करना क्या केवल नेताओ का हक़ है

क्या सांसद और विधायक खुले आम नही बिकते
इन्होने कौन सा जुर्म कर दिया?

40 हज़ार करोड़ के कारोबार को रोकने के लिए क्या 40 लाख लेने वाले को पकड़ा जाता है

असली मुजरिम का तो आप सिर्फ़ अपनी मौत मरने का इंतज़ार कर रहे है
क्योंकि उसे पकड़ना आपके वश का नहीं

और इन बच्चो को पकड़ कर वाहवाही लूटना चाहते हैं.

Sreesanth should participate in Big Boss 7

2013-05-17T12:39:00.000+05:30

Sreesanth is now the most eligible participant for Big Boss 7.

The slapgate controversy with Harbhajan followed by slapgate denial and slapgate reassurance controversy, the latest spot fixing controversy has ensured that he has enough of controversies around him to make him most eligible for Big Boss 7.

In between there was this Appam chutiya controversy too associated with him during his Kings XI Punjab days.

Apart from all this, he is said to be a good dancer and can shake legs with some bollywood (so called) celebrities.

He will get a good opportunity to explain why he had hung his towel before bowling that over and how he tried hard not to give 25 runs in one over.

Not sure but Colors can also consider Harbhajan and Yuvraj as they will be free post IPL and this will ensure good TRPs along with Sreesanth.

My Frustration...

2013-04-03T00:08:00.000+05:30

The more I read these newspapers, more I feel frustrated and unhappy about myself and surroundings. I read 7-10 newspapers daily. Thanks to e-papers and iPad apps. Newspapers cause frustration.

For instance -

1.Why do we need to allocate Rs 17,500 cr @ 3% to telecom industry through telecom funds? We, the taxpayers are already enjoying the best of the call rates in the world.

This looks like a plan wherein this money will be siphoned off to earn at least 9-10% risk free interest for 5 years and then may be paid back. I mean why 3%.

2.Why should Sanjay Dutt be pardoned when crime has been proved and Supreme Court has given a verdict? Why Markandey katju should be allowed to speak whatever he wants and why is media covering it?
On one hand Sanjay Dutt says, he won’t ask for a pardon. On the other hand, his friends Amar singh and Jayaprada are submitting a proper application for pardon to the Governor.Why should a Digvijay singh be allowed to say that he (Sanjay Dutt) was a kid(he was 34 in 1993) and hence should be pardoned?

According to Diggy – Sanjay Dutt was a kid at 34 but Rahul Gandhi was ready to become PM at 39 (3 yrs back approx).

3.Why is the entire congress shouting for Rahul Gandhi to become PM since long when we the voters haven’t even voted in 2014?

4.What gives Vijay Mallya the courage to go to Bombay high court questioning the decision of banks to sell shares when he has not been paying up since last 2 years? And this in a country where if a common man doesn’t pay 2 EMIs, his car is taken away.

5.Why should some official sitting in US say that not granting patent to Novartis will hamper investments in India? Novartis is already selling that drug for Rs 15000 which otherwise is being sold by others for 7/8k. And by patenting they want to sell it at upwards of Rs 100,000.

6.Jayalalitha is worried about Tamils in Srilanka. Are all Tamils in Tamilnadu happy and fine?

7. And then we have a poor guy called Kapil Sibal who says that the development in Gujarat happened with central funds. So, what’s wrong in that? Central or state – They anyway are public funds (Tax payer’s money) meant for development.

8.Why should PM not appear before JPC in 2G scam investigation? His minister A Raja has named him and it’s very logical for the PM to be called. And then congress appoints Rashid Alvi to say that PM has nothing to do with 2G. It’s ridiculous. He was PM when it all happened.

9.Why do we elect a MP whose party has not even contested 272 seats (required to form government at centre)?

That’s the reason we have hung parliament. Actually, the voters are hung.

10. A real estate regulator takes more than five years to come. Because there are vested interests.

11. After being a chief minister for more than 10 years, Nitish Kumar wants a special status or backward status for his state. What was he doing all these years?

12.Talking Hinduism is communal and talking Islam is secular. And in a country which has 70% Hindu population. How long will this go on?

13.Why should we have a Hindu law or a Muslim law? Law is law – same for all. Try breaching it and face it.

14.Why do you want to make set top boxes compulsory? If they are better, people will buy them on their own.

Yes, it’s easy to question everything around and I can probably write a few more pages but the point is that why do we accept so much of mediocrity in the system.

Mediocre are weak, they play safe and get the most conservative results. They keep crying and never act.

Mediocrity creates frustration. Mediocrity needs to be thrown out.

The Recapitalization Saga

2012-10-31T11:01:00.002+05:30

“We will pay the salaries once the airline is recapitalized.”

With this statement appearing in dailies on a daily basis, most of us understand what we are talking about.

What is recapitalization?

Investopedia (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/recapitalization.asp#axzz2AqipkfWJ) says Recapitalization is ” Restructuring a company's debt and equity mixture, most often with the aim of making a company's capital structure more stable. Essentially, the process involves the exchange of one form of financing for another, such as removing preferred shares from the company's capital structure and replacing them with bonds.“

What I understand is that it’s a glorified way of saying – “I have siphoned off the money and now I need somebody else to pay off my dues whether it is loans, salaries or taxes.”

Why will somebody else do that is completely out of understanding?

And then I have the guts to blame my country for not having Libel laws like UK.

If only this country had laws like UK, you wouldn’t have got the opportunity to play around with creditors, tax authorities and employees. The license would have got cancelled a year back and your wealth would have got forfeited to pay off your dues with you behind bars.

If India is so bad, what stops you from closing down businesses in India and go to hell or UK or anywhere else for that matter? It’s bad and that’s where you make money without competence.

This is the place where you can save yourself using political clout. There is no cover for you outside India.

This is the place where government policies (Read FDI) can be aligned as per your comfort, where fuel can be directly imported so that you save on sales tax, where you can collect but not deposit Service tax, where you can deduct but not deposit TDS and Employee PF money.

First you break the law and then you blame the law.

Why don’t you try this in UK or US?

You rejected me. Thanks..

2012-06-08T22:46:00.000+05:30

You rejected me, you disappointed me,

You made me angry enough,

You created a fire in the belly.

Thanks to all those who rejected me.

Rejected me during those written tests,

Rejected me at interviews,

Rejected my views and even sacked me.

You gave me failures and taught me to handle them.

I owe a long list of failures to you and now I know what to take care of.

It’s because of you; I am a better human being.

Thanks ..

As if it's the last day...

2011-12-08T22:46:00.001+05:30

Most of us have heard "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

But what if it was the last day of your life.

Give this a thought and think about what you will do if it was the last day of your life.

Try and feel the difference. Isn't it interesting to think ?

You won't run after worldly pleasures, money, investments, jobs, promotions. You would probably think about your family members, friends and would like to meet them. You would like to visit places which you love.

You would like to do something good for others. You would like to do something so that people remember you as a good human being.

Won't you stop being rude with people ?

Will you not like to hug all those you fought with and ask for forgiveness ?

So, " Live your life as if it's the last day of your life."

Lokpal : The points of difference

2011-08-13T15:48:00.000+05:30

Following is a summary of points of differences between Anna hazare team and government -

Team Anna: PM should be under the ambit of the Lokpal
Government: PM his office will not be under the purview of the Lokpal

Comment: Congress looks forward to Sonia/Rahul/Priyanka becoming PM in near future. They obviously would want them to be out of purview of Lokpal. Current PM, Manmohan Singh is ok with being under Lokpal's purview.

Team Anna: Lokpal need not summon accused before FIR
Government: Lokpal bench to hear before filing of FIR

Comment: Lokpal should have absolute powers. FIR or no FIR, Lokpal should be able to act on complaints of citizens.

Team Anna: Judiciary should be under Lokpal
Government: SC judges should not fall under Lokpal

Comment: Why should a supreme court judge not be covered ? Are they not prone to corruption. And we need to move out of the old theory that "Supreme court is supreme". Citizens/tax payers are supreme.

Team Anna: Lokpal to cover sitting MPs
Government: MPs should be probed only after they relinquish seat

Comment : So that if MPs have to avoid probe, they can simply keep sticking to seats. How foolish ? Lokpal is required to curb corruption among those in power. There is sufficient legal system already present to control a common man.

Team Anna: Any citizen can appeal SC for removal of Lokpal
Government: Only government can complain to SC for the removal of Lokpal

Comment: Why not a citizen ? Why is government trying to avoid empowering citizens ?

Team Anna: Predominantly Govt panel shouldn't select Lokpal
Government: 10-member panel will select Lokpal

Comment: The way to constitute the panel should be clearly defined. Who will be these ten members- should be transparent, clearly defined.

My overall view is that government/Congress is not in favour of an efficient Lokpal bill and at the same time can't avoid it due to tremendous public pressure. Hence, the entire government machinery from P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibbal, Digvijay singh and many more are busy delaying the lokpal bill or presenting it in a useless, toothless form.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

2011-07-18T22:47:00.001+05:30

I am almost through with this book by Robert T Kiyosaki and don't feel like completing it(as usual J). The money management techniques are wonderful. The ideas, approach and guidelines are good. The way rich dad ("so called") looks at the world is very unusual and may be impressive for lot of people. The asset and liability concept, its application and the simplicity with which it has been explained is great.

This kind of a book has the potential of improving lives of lot of people who are not financially educated. Yeah - the concept of financial education has been addressed nicely.

But at the same time Mr. Kiyosaki - It's not all about money. Most of the great people who have been fondly remembered even after centuries of their heavenly abode have always thought beyond money and beyond worldly pleasures. These were those great people who hardly gave any importance to money, finance or the associated luxuries.

Jesus Christ, Lord Mahaveer, Gautam Buddh, Mahatma Gandhi, Lenin - All these people selflessly worked for the masses and sacrificed everything for the betterment of others.

People like Bill gates, Zuckerberg, Tatas, Ambanis and Mr. Kiyosaki himself will be forgotten in a few years. But the previous list has names which are being remembered since centuries and across generations.

Lot of individuals may not have any motivation to earn money. Money is too small a thing for them. Their vision is much bigger and motivation very different.

I am ok with Kiyosaki praising the "Rich dad" but disagree with the other dad being mentioned as "Poor dad".

Money can only buy material things. Most of the things which really matter and make a difference in life are those which money can't buy - Youth, happiness, pleasure, love.

Isn't it ?

Post Mumbai on 13th July 2011

2011-07-16T23:16:00.000+05:30

एक और बम फूटा ..

एक और स्वप्न टूटा ..

कुछ लाशें बिछी ..

कुछ और चूड़ियाँ टूटी ..

कुछ नाम और कई सिन्दूर मिट गए सदा के लिए ...

इंसान ने जता दिया फिर से कि जानवर कोई नहीं बड़ा उससे !!

में ये सोचकर.....

2011-05-03T15:47:00.001+05:30

मैं ये सोचकर उसके दर से उठा था
कि वो रोक लेगी मना लेगी मुझ को
हवाओं में लहराता आता था दामन
कि दामन पकड़ कर बिठा लेगी मुझको
कदम ऐसे अंदाज़ से उठ रहे थे
कि आवाज़ देकर बुला लेगी मुझ को
मगर उसने रोका,
न उसने मनाया
न दामन ही पकड़ा
न मुझको बिठाया
न आवाज़ ही दी
न वापस बुलाया
मैं अहिस्ता अहिस्ता बढता ही आया
यहाँ तक कि उस से जुदा हो गया मैं
जुदा हो गया मैं , जुदा हो गया मैं

Talk to the "Shareef Aadmi" before....

2011-04-30T15:22:00.001+05:30

When a common man wants to live peacefully, this society, the government machinery and various other civic agencies won't allow him to do so.
For eg - A law abiding citizen has some problem and he wants to complain, the police won't listen. The cops will try and threaten him. The city municipal corporation won't provide him proper roads and other basic amenities. If he has to deal with some government agency, he has to pay bribes otherwise he will keep waiting and suffering. Local netas (actually they are local goons in most of the cases) wont listen and act.

In nut shell, nobody wants to listen to a "Shareef aadmi'.

This same common man will get frustrated some day, will pick up AK 47 and start firing. His first aim will be to finish off all those who never wanted to listen to him - The cops, the govt officers and the netas.

Now, the entire government machinery will tell him that he should come across the table and talk. Violence won't help. (Chidambaram wanted to talk to Naxals)

When he wanted to talk to you and was standing in your office, you hardly had time. Now, that he has gone the violent way, you will talk. Does that mean that if a common man wants government to listen to him, he should pick up arms and start firing ?

Our society has a few million people who are millionaires or billionaires and enjoy power too. There are another 25/30 Cr people who belong to the so called middle class, there are 40/45 Cr poor people and another 40 Cr who are below poverty line(Numbers may not be accurate). These 70/80 Cr people who are struggling for basics are most susceptible to picking up arms and going the violent way.

Can we even imagine what will happen if even half of them choose to do so? No army, no police can control them.

Why do we not respect the fact that these people are willing to work for low wages and live peacefully so that the society runs smoothly.
Why do the authorities not talk to them and sort out their basic problems - Water, electricity, roads, sewer ?

Talk to the "Shareef Aadmi" before he becomes a terrorist.

Do You Know Sonia Gandhi? By Dr. Subramanian Swamy (Dates back to 2005)

2011-04-05T16:08:00.001+05:30

Ms. Sonia Gandhi's background as is publicized by her and her Congress Party today, is based on three lies to hide the ugly reality of her life.

First, her real name is Antonia not Sonia. The Italian Ambassador in New Delhi revealed this in a letter dated April 27, 1983 to the Union Home Ministry which letter has not been made public. Antonia is Sonia's real name in her birth certificate. Sonia is the name given to her subsequently by her father, Stefano Maino [now deceased] following his return from Russia where he had been a prisoner of war. Stefano had joined the Nazi army as a volunteer. Sonia is a Russian not Italian name. While spending two years in a Russian jail, Sonia's father had become quite pro-Soviet; especially after the liberating US army in Italy had confiscated all fascists' properties including his.

Second, she was not born in Orbassano as she claims in her bio data submitted to Parliament on becoming MP, but in Luciana as stated in her birth certificate. She perhaps would like to hide the place of her birth because of her father's connection with the Nazis and Mussolini's Fascists, and her family's continuing connections with the Nazi-Fascists underground that is still surviving since 1945 in Italy. Luciana is where Nazi-Fascist network is headquartered, and is on the Italian-Swiss border. There can be no other explanation for this otherwise meaningless lie.

Third, Sonia Gandhi has not studied beyond High School. She has falsely claimed in her affidavit filed as a contesting candidate before the Rae Bareli Returning Officer in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, that she qualified and got a diploma inEnglish from the prestigious University of Cambridge, UK.

The truth is that Ms. Gandhi has never studied in any college anywhere. She did go to a Catholic nun run seminary-school called Maria Ausiliatrice in Giaveno [15 kms from adopted home town of Orbassabo]. Poverty those days forced young Italian girls to go to such missionaries and then in their teens go to UK to get jobs as cleaning maids, waitresses and au pair. The Mainos were poor those days. Her father was a mason and mother a share cropper.

Sonia thus went to the town of Cambridge and first learnt some English in a teaching shop called Lennox School [which has since 1970 been wound up]. That is all her "education" is—learnt enough English language to get domestic help jobs. But in Indian society education is highly valued. Thus, to fool the Indian public, Sonia Gandhi willfully fibbed about her qualifications in Parliamentary records [which is a Breach of Ethics Rules] and in a sworn affidavit [which is criminal offence under IPC, severe enough to disqualify her from being MP]. In popular parlance, this is called 420 or 10 "numberi" [not to be confused with 10 Janpath].

These three lies indicate that Ms. Sonia Gandhi has something to hide, or has a hidden agenda for India. We need to find out more about her.

III

Ms. Sonia Gandhi upon learning enough English became a waitress in Varsity Restaurant in Cambridge town. She first met Rajiv when he came to the restaurant in 1965. Rajiv was a student in the University, but could not cope with the academic rigour for long. So he had to depart in 1966 for London where he was briefly in Imperial College of Engineering as a student. Sonia too moved to London, and according my information, got a job with an outfit run by Salman Thassir, a debonair Pakistani based in Lahore, and who has a export-import company headquartered in Dubai but who spends most of his time in London. Thisfits the profile of an ISI functionary.

Obviously, Sonia made enough money in this job to loan Rajiv funds in London, who was obviously living beyond his allowances [Indira herself expressed anguish to me on this score in late 1965 when she invited me to a private tea at the Guest House in Brandeis University]. Rajiv's letters to Sanjay, who was also in London then, clearly indicate that he was in financial debt to Sonia because he requested Sanjay who obviously had more access to money, to pay off the debt.

However, Rajiv was not the only friend Sonia was seeing those days. Madhavrao Scindia and a German by name Stiegler are worth mentioning as other good friends of Sonia. Madhavrao's friendship continued even after Sonia's marriage to Rajiv. Scindia in 1982 was involved in a traffic accident near IIT, Delhi main gate while driving a car at 2 AM. Sonia was the only other passenger. Both were badly injured. A student of IIT who was burning midnight oil was out for a cup of coffee. He picked them up from the car, hailed an auto rickshaw and sent an injured Sonia to Mrs Indira Gandhi's house since she insisted in not going to a hospital. Madhavrao had broken a leg and in too much pain to make any demand. He was taken to hospital by the Delhi Police who had arrived a little after Sonia had left the scene. In later years, Madhavrao had become privately critical of Sonia, and told some close friends about his apprehensions about Sonia. It is a pity that
he died in mysterious circumstances in an aircrash.

The circumstance under which Rajiv hastily married Sonia in a Church in Orbassano is controversial but that was his personal matter that has no public significance. But what is of public significance is that Indira Gandhi who was initially dead set against the marriage for reasons known to her, relented to hold a registry marriage with Hindu ceremonial trappings in New Delhi only after the pro-Soviet T.N. Kaul prevailed upon her to accept the marriage in "the larger interest of cementing Indo-Soviet Friendship". Kaul would not have intervened unless the Soviet Union had asked him to.

IV

Such has been the extensive patronage from the beginning extended to Sonia Gandhi from the Soviets. When a Prime Minister of India's son dates a girl in London, the KGB which valued Indo-Soviet relations, obviously would investigate her and find out that she was the daughter of Stefano, their old reliable Italian contact. Thus, Sonia with Rajiv meant deeper access to the household of the Indian Prime Minister. Hence cementing the Rajiv-Sonia relations was in the Soviet national interest and they went to work on it. And they did through their then existing moles in the Indira Gandhi camp.

After her marriage to Rajiv, the Soviet connection with the Mainos was fortified and nurtured by generous financial help through commissions and kickbacks on every Indo,Soviet trade deal and defence purchases. According to the respected Swiss magazine, Schweitzer Illustrate [November 1991 issue], Rajiv Gandhi had about $ 2 billion in numbered Swiss bank accounts,which Sonia inherited upon his assassination. Dr. Yevgenia Albats, Ph.D [Harvard], is a noted Russian scholar and journalist, and was a member of the KGB Commission set up by President Yeltsin in August 1991. She was privy to the Soviet intelligence files that documented these deals and KGB facilitation of the same. In her book,The State Within a State. The KGB in Soviet Union, she even gives the file numbers of such intelligence files, which can now be accessed by any Indian government through a formal request to the Kremlin.

The Russsian Government in 1992 was confronted by the Albats' disclosure; they confirmed it through their official spokesperson to the press [which was published in Hindu in 1992], defending such financial payments as necessary in "Soviet ideological interest".

When the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, things changed for Ms. Sonia Gandhi. Her patrons evaporated. The rump that became Russia was in a financial mess and disorder. So Ms. Sonia Gandhi became a supporter of another communist country to the annoyance of the Russians.

The national security ramification of this 'annoyance' is now significant: The President of Russia today is Putin, a former dyed-in-the-wool KGB officer. Upon Dr. Manmohan Singh's government taking office, Russia called back it's career diplomat Ambassador in New Delhi and immediately posted as the new Ambassador a person who was the KGB station chief in New Delhi during the 1970s. In view of Dr. Albats confirmed revelation, it stands to reason that the new Ambassador would have known first hand about Sonia's connections with the KGB. He may have in fact been her "controller". The new Indian government which is defacto Sonia's, cannot afford to annoy him or even disregard Russian demands coming from him? They will obviously placate him so as not to risk exposure. Is this not a major national security risk and a delicate matter for the nation?

Of course, all Indians would like good normal and healthy relations with Russia. Who can forget their assistance to us in times of need? Today's Russia is the residual legatee of that Soviet Union which helped India. But just because of that, should we tolerate those in our government set up having clandestine links with a foreign spy agency? In the United States, the government did not tolerate an American spying for Israel even though the two countries are as close as any two countries can be. National security and friendship are asdifferent as chalk and cheese.

In December 2001, I had filed a Writ Petition in the Delhi High Court with the photocopies of the KGB documents, and sought a CBI investigation, which the Vajpayee Government was refusing. Earlier, Minister of State for CBI, Vasundara Raje [now Rajasthan CM], on my letter dated March 3, 2001, had ordered the CBI to investigate. But after Sonia Gandhi and her party stalled the proceedings of Parliament on this issue, the then Prime Minister Vajpayee cancelled Vasundara's direction to the CBI.

The Delhi High Court issued a direction to the CBI to ascertain from Russia the truth of my charges. The CBI procrastinated for three years, and finally told the Court without an FIR registered the Russians will not entertain any such query. But who stopped the CBI from registering an FIR? The next hearing of the case is on September 8th.

————–

V

After Sonia married Rajiv, she went about minting money with scant regard for Indian laws and treasures. Within a few years the Mainos went from utter poverty to billionaires. There was no area that was left out for the rip-off. On November 19, 1974, as fresh entrant to Parliament, I asked the then Prime Minister Ms. Indira Gandhi on the floor of the House if her daughter-in-law, Sonia Gandhi was acting as an insurance agent of a public sector insurance company [Oriental Fire & Insurance], giving the Prime Minister's official residence as her business address, and using undue influence to insure all the officers of the PMO while remaining an Italian citizen [thus violating FERA]? There was uproar in Parliament, but Mrs. Indira Gandhi had no alternative but to cut her losses. She made a rare admission that it was so, and that it was by mistake, but that Sonia had resigned from her insurance agent status [after my question]. But Sonia was incorrigible. Her contempt for Indian law continued to manifest.

The Justice A.C. Gupta Commission set up by the Janata Party government in 1977 came out with a voluminous report on the Maruti Company then owned by the Gandhi family, and has listed eight violations of FERA, Companies Act, and Foreigners Registration Act by Sonia Gandhi. She was never prosecuted, but can be still prosecuted because under Indian law, economic crimes not subject to the statute of limitation.

In January 1980, Indira Gandhi returned as Prime Minister. The first thing Sonia did was to enroll herself as a voter. This was a gross violation of the law, enough to cause cancellation of her visa [since she was admittedly an Italian citizen then]. There was some hullabaloo in the press about it, so the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer got her name deleted in 1982. But in January 1983, she again enrolled herself as a voter! Such is her revealed disdain for Indian laws and that is her mindset even today.

VI

The bottom line observed in Sonia's mindset is that she can always run back to Italy if she becomes vulnerable at anytime. In Peru, President Fujimori who all along claimed to be "born Peruvian", faced with a corruption charge fled to Japan with his loot and reclaimed his Japanese citizenship.

In 1977, when the Janata Party defeated the Congress at the polls, and formed the government, Sonia with her two children, abandoned Indira Gandhi and ran to the Italian Embassy in New Delhi and hid there. Rajiv Gandhi was a government servant then [as an Indian Airlines pilot], but he too tagged along and hid in that foreign embassy ! Such was her baneful influence on him. Rajiv did snap out Sonia's influence after 1989, but alas he was assassinated before he could rectify it. Those close to Rajiv knew that he was planning set things right about Sonia after the 1991 elections. She did too know of it because he had told her. Ever wonder why Sonia's closest advisers are those whom Rajiv literally hated? Ambika Soni is one such name. Ever wonder why she asked the President of India to set aside, on a mercy petition, the Supreme Court judgment directing that Rajiv Gandhi's LTTE killers be hanged to death, when she was not similarly moved for Satwant Singh who killed Indira Gandhi or recently for Dhanajoy Chattopadhyaya? The explanation for this special consideration for the LTTE lies in what Rajiv had told her in 1990.

Those who have no love for India will not hesitate to plunder her treasures. Mohammed Ghori, Nadir Shah, and the British scum in the East India Company made no secret of it. But Sonia Gandhi has been more discreet, but as greedy, in her looting of Indian treasures. When Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were PrimeMinisters, not a day passed when the PM's security did not go to the New Delhi, or Chennai international airport to send crates and crates unchecked by customs to Rome. Air India and Alitalia were the carriers. Mr. Arjun Singh first as CM, later as Union Minister in charge of Culture was her hatchet man. Indian temple sculpture of gods and goddesses, antiques, pichwai paintings, shatoosh shawls, coins, and you name it, were transported to Italy to be first displayed in two shops owned by her sister [ i.e., Anuskha alias Alessandra]. These shops located in blue-collar areas of Rivolta [shop name: Etnica] and Orbassano [shop name:Ganpati] did little business because which blue collar Italian wants Indian antiques? The shops were to make false bills, and thereafter these treasures were taken to London for auction by Sotheby's and Christies. Some of this ill-gotten money from auction went into Rahul Gandhi's National way into the Gandhi family account in the Bank of America in Cayman Islands.

Rahul's expenses and tuition fees for the one-year he was at Harvard, was paid from the Cayman Island account. What kind of people are these Gandhi-Mainos that bite the very hand of Bharat Mata that fed them and gave them a good life? How can the nation trust such greedy thieves?

Since I failed to persuade the Vajpayee government to defend India's treasures from plunder by the Mainos, I approached the Delhi High Court in a PIL. The first Bench of the court issued notice to the Government, but since the Indian government dragged it's feet, the Court directed the CBI to seek Interpol's and Italian government's help. The Italian government justifiably asked for a Letter Rogatory for which a FIR is a pre-requisite. But the Interpol did oblige and submitted two voluminous reports, which the Court directed the CBI to hand over to me. But CBI has refused, and has claimed privilege! The CBI has also been caught lying in court by telling the judges that Alessandra Maino is a name of a man, and Via Bellini 14, Orbassano is a name of a village [not the street address of the Maino's residence]. Although the CBI counsel had to apologise to the court stating he made a mistake, he has been promoted to Additional Solicitor General by the new government! The Vajpayee-Sonia mutual assistance pact is in full view. The case now comes up on September 8th.

But the most sinister aspect of Sonia Gandhi's character is her connection with terrorists. I am still working on it, but she has had long connection with the Habash group of Palestinian, and has funded Palestinian families that lost their kith and kin in a suicide bombing or hijacking episode. This, Rajiv Gandhi himself told me and was confirmed to me [the funding] by Yassir Arafat when I met him in Tunis on October 17, 1990 at the request of Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi and I were good friends from 1978, but became very close buddies after V.P. Singh had betrayed him in 1987. We met practically every day, mostly in the early hours from 1AM to 4AM. It was at my suggestion that he made Chandrashekhar the PM. And contrary to public impression, he was not mainly responsible for the fall of Chandrashekar government in which I was a Minister.

Besides the Palestinian extremists, the Maino family have had extensive business dealings with Saddam Hussein, and surprisingly with the LTTE ["the Tamil Tigers"] since 1984. Sonia's mother Paola Predebon Maino, and businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi were the main contacts with the Tigers. The mother used the LTTE for money laundering and Quattrocchi for selling weapons to earn commissions.

Sonia's conduit to the LTTE has been and is through Arjun Singh who uses Bangalore as the nodal point for contact. There is a string of circumstantial evidence pointing to the prima facie possibility that the Maino family may have contracted the LTTE to kill Rajiv Gandhi. The family may have assured the LTTE that nothing would happen to them because they would ensure it is blamed on the Sikhs or the evidence so much fudged that no court would convict them. But D.R. Karthikeyan of the CBI who led the SIT
investigation got the support of Narasimha Rao and cracked the case, and got the LTTE convicted in the trial court, and which conviction was upheld in the Supreme Court.

Although on the involvement of Congress Party in the assassination, DRK soft peddled on a number of leads perhaps because he did not want political controversy to put roadblocks on his investigation as a whole. The Justice J. S. Verma Commission, which was set up as the last official act of the Chandrashekhar government before demitting office on June 21, 1991, did find that the Congress leaders had disrupted the security arrangements for the Sriperumbudur meeting. The Commission wanted further probe into it but the Rao government rejected that demand. In the meantime under Sonia's pressure, the Jain Commission was set up by the Rao government, which tried to muddy the waters and thus exonerate the LTTE. But the trial court judgment convicting the LTTE came earlier, and that sinister effort too failed.

Nowadays, Sonia is quite unabashed in having political alliance with those who praise Rajiv Gandhi's killers. No Indian widow would ever do that. My investigations into Sonia's involvement in Rajiv's assassination is therefore still on. I am also author of a best seller titled Assassination Of Rajiv Gandhi,Unasked Questions and Unanswered Queries [published by Konark in 2000] in which I have given some indications.

Is it not significant that the political career of Sonia Gandhi advances concomitantly with a series of assassinations and apparently accidental deaths? How did Sanjay's plane nosedive to a crash and yet the fuselage not explode? There was no fuel! Why was there no inquiry conducted? Is it not a fact that Indira Gandhi died because of loss of blood from the wounds and not directly due to a bullet impacting her head or heart? Then is it not strange that Sonia had insisted that the bleeding Indira be driven to Lohia Hospital — in the opposite direction to AIIMS, which had a contingency protocol set up for precisely suchan event? And after reaching Lohia Hospital, did not Sonia change her mind and demand that they all drive to AIIMS thus losing 24 valuable minutes.

The same kind of mystery surrounds the sudden deaths of Sonia's other political roadblocks such as Rajesh Pilot, Jitendra Prasad, and Madhavrao Scindia. Such things happened in the dark ages in Italy. Should we allow it India like dumb cattle?

What Can We Do?

We have to ensure that the Maino clan does not stay in power. Dr. Manmohan Singh may be PM, which is a small relief, but he is not a fighter. The real power in government today is wielded by the Maino mafia gang. Can they be dethroned?

In Indian democracy, only a shocking scandal can unseat a government other than by losing majority. Today's priority is not for toppling the Congress government as such since Manmohan Singh is a decent and scholarly person, but in driving the Maino clan out of India. It will however not be long before Sonia will give Manmohan Singh marching orders, and he will march out meekly. We should not expect him to resist.

With Sonia's defacto government in place, it is also unrealistic to expect that I can get an early victory in the courts on the KGB and antique smuggling cases.

The most potent weapon therefore to dislodge the Maino clan [including Rahul and Priyanka] is by exposing their Italian citizenship. In 1992, Sonia revived her citizenship of Italy under Article 17 of the Italian Citizenship Law [Act 91 of 1992]. Rahul and Priyanka were born Italian citizens because Sonia was Italian when she gave birth to them [Italian law based on jure sanguinis]. Hence, they continue be Italians since they never renounced it. Both have been traveling abroad on Italian passports. They may now acquire Venezuela passports since Rahul's girl friend Veronica is a Venezuelan. That means one more foreign bahu for us tolerant Indians. The Maino-Gandhis are certainly getting globalized. So what can patriotic Indians do?

There is an urgent need to document these facts on notarized paper, for which we need a network in London, Milan, Hongkong and Venezuela. Those persuaded by my above stated facts and arguments may join in and help set up this network.

Westminister Bank and Hongkong & Shanghai Bank, London accounts, but most of it found it's

Patriotic Indians should thank the President of India for having the courage by citing a legal hitch to dissuade Ms. Sonia Gandhi from staking her claim to form the government in May this year. She therefore did not as expected on May 17th become the Prime Minister of 1 billion plus people of India. It can now be said that the nation has been saved from a monumental, devastating, and permanent injury to India's national interest and patriotic psyche of Indians. And therefore every effort that can be made in a democracy should be made to ensure that Ms. Sonia Gandhi is permanently out of reckoning for any public office. For those who instinctively understand that, this Note is to explain the factual basis for this conclusion, and suggest what patriotic Indians can do now .

My opposition to Ms. Sonia Gandhi is not merely because she is Italian—born. In other democratic countries, including in Italy, such an issue [of foreign-born aspiring to be head of government] would not even arise at all because the issue has already been settled by law, that a person cannot hold the highest public office unless he or she is native born.

In India there is no such law, but the President according to my knowledge, correctly acted on a proviso to Section 5 of the Indian Citizenship Act[1955] which empowers the Union Home Ministry to lay down conditions that apply to Indian citizenship acquired by foreigners by registration, which conditions would be based on the principle of reciprocity, viz., in Ms Gandhi's case such of those conditions that apply to Indians on becoming citizens of Italy would apply to her.

The President reportedly told her that if she insisted on being invited to form the government, he would want first to clarify, on a reference to the Supreme Court, whether in view of this proviso her appointment as PM could be successfully challenged in the court. It is fair to assume that this report of the President's decision, is correct since the President had before him my petition dated May 15, 2004 making just that point— that Ms. Gandhi's citizenship is conditional, and in particular she cannot be the PM legally. The President had also given me an appointment at 12.45 PM on May 17, 2004 to explain my submissions in person, which I did. I also told him that I would challenge such a constitutional appointment in the Supreme Court just as I had in 2001 when the Tamil Nadu Governor illegally swore in Ms Jayalalitha as Chief Minister.

In that case, the Supreme Court had after hearing me and many other institutional luminaries, upheld my contention that mere majority in the House is insufficient for being sworn in to a constitutional office. There must be no disqualification as well. Ms. Jayalalitha had therefore to step down because she was disqualified by a conviction handed by a trial court in the TANSI corruption case filed by me as private complaint [she subsequently was acquitted by the Madras High Court, and hence became eligible the next year]. I also cited to the President a 1962 Allahabad High Court case, which held that this proviso in the Citizenship Act was binding and lawful.

The nation in the Sonia matter has thus got an unexpected but temporary reprieve, a reprieve received not only because her citizenship of India by registration is not equal to one by birth even by Indian law, but also a reprieve more because of what national security risk was averted. To comprehend that risk, we must first understand who Sonia Gandhi really is and what danger she, her family and her friends in Italy hold for India's national security.

Even for an Indian born citizen, we find it difficult to know a person's true background, but for an Italian born it is extremely hard because of the remote access for most people to Italy in language and familiarity. This note is about that danger that Sonia represents to the nation, which the people need to know.