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Chill, Shahrukh, Cricket Etc...

2012-01-31T21:52:00.001+05:30

Mumbai continues to chill this season. Two days back it was at 10 degree Celsius, lowest of the decade. Met office predicts Mumbai winter to continue throughout February. Great times for Mumbaikars--getting used to their woolens and warm suits. Plus having the luxury of bonfires. But, as we have said earlier here, some monumental challengers still refuse to admit the chill and go on defying it with their usual casual wear and the ceiling fan syndrome.

And some hot news from Bollywood. Shahrukh Khan or King Khan reportedly slapped the husband of his best friend for nearly twenty years, Farah Khan. Farah had been a choreographer of Bollywood guiding Shahrukh to dance since the early nineties. Their bond became more closer when Farah was given a break as a director of the King Khan movie 'Main Hu Na' in 2004 and then one more movie in 2007. Both of the movies did quite well in the box office and so Farah wanted to launch her own production house and start a movie naturally with Sharrukh. Accordingly a script was handed over to Shahrukh which he returned for some changes. But Farah went on to make the movie without her best friend. The first hurt for King Khan. Then Farah's husband reportedly criticized Shahrukh's dream movie 'Ra-One' via micro-blogging. Then in the party thrown by Sanjay Dutt to celebrate the success of his latest movie late Sunday night Farah's husband reportedly followed King Khan around putting some whispers in his ears. The third hurt and maybe Shahrukh was pained in drawing a blank in this year's Filmfare film awards that happened in the same night. So the not-so-cinematic slap followed. At the moment everybody is in denial mode except Farah who has been defending her husband stoutly.

Meantime the shortest T20 cricket is starting between India and Australia tomorrow to be followed by the one-dayers involving Sri Lanka as the third team. The new specialists have come back into the team. The Test debacle is thus relegated to the back burner with the cricket Board maintaining its silence. The heated debate on 'Who should be the Captain' is still doing the rounds as if changing the captain will automatically solve and close the issue. For the cricket crazy millions of India the focus is again on Team India.

The Horrid Truth About A Baby Girl!

2012-01-28T11:27:00.000+05:30

A two-year old baby girl was admitted in a Delhi hospital on January 18, 2012. She was bruised and battered. She had serious head injuries and whole of her tiny body bore marks of torture and abuse. She had been fighting for life since then and as per the latest reports there were a few signs of recovery. The poor child had already suffered two cardiac arrests. Her name is Falak.

Her supposed mother, a minor of 14 years, brought the baby to the hospital herself and was detained by the police for interrogation. Later, she was handed over to the welfare department. Her name is Mahi.

The teenager ‘mother’ had also a horrid tale to tell. She reportedly confessed to the authorities that she herself abused the baby out of sheer frustration, but the head injury was caused by an accidental fall either from her bed or in the bathroom. Why she was so frustrated that made her abuse her ‘own’ baby?

Mahi’s tale went on. She was living with her father who physically tortured her on almost a daily basis. Sick of her miserable life she fled from her home, lived with her aunt for some time and was on the run again. Finally a twenty-something man spotted her and took her to his home. Again a saga of physical abuse followed.

To make matters worse, the man one day brought Falak out of nowhere and asked Mahi to take care of her. The minor girl already under tremendous stress could not come to terms with the added responsibility and her frustration started taking toll on the baby.

Mahi’s story seems to be only a part of the larger and murkier episode. Doctors say about Falak’s head injury that either a heavy object has been used to or her head has been smashed against a wall. There are also multiple fractures and wounds all over her body. Such brutalization cannot be caused by minor who claimed to be the ‘mother’ first.

Police investigations got some leads revealing that the man belonged to Mumbai and had a family there. But he was missing so far. Charges of kidnapping have been registered by the police against him and some other unknown people whose involvement seem pretty clear considering the enormity of the brutal act.

The story is in a confused state, but its sordid details are real. In a country that celebrates the international year of the girl child and celebrated the birth of the seven-billionth baby only recently abuse and exploitation of the girl child continue unabated. Feudalistic pockets of the society still hate the birth of a girl child trying to prevent it by any means and the male-female ratio goes on decreasing further and further. Poverty makes millions of other homeless urchins. It’s only the dangerous streets and alleys of the country that strive to take care of the totally uncared lot.

Every Indian baby girl just cannot afford to get born to a celebrity family. But Falak now commands the nation’s attention as twenty doctors and thirty nurses are looking after her continuously. Shamed and concerned the nation prays for her recovery.

India-Australia Test Cricket Series: So Kind of You Sir Clarke!

2012-01-26T18:52:00.000+05:30

India did just everything humanely possible to help Australia rout them 4-0 in the current Test cricket series played in Australia. In the fourth and last Test in Adelaide too the India top order failed consistently and as usual. The top names in world cricket could not progress to even half centuries.

Only young Virat Kohli was allowed to achieve the first ever ton in this current series for India. Maybe as a return favor, for all the tons, double tons and triple tons blessed on Australia by India. This point has tremendous relevance for the title of this article. Through Kohli’s efforts India advanced from a traditional (in this series) 111 for 5 to 225 for 5 and at that stage they had a great opportunity to try mastering some respectability. But the new ball did it once again and India lost all five wickets for just 47 runs.

Australia made 604/7 in the first innings and India replied with 272 conceding a lead of 332 runs. The scene was perfect for another follow-on, because anything above 200 runs lead the follow-on becomes due. But, Aussie skipper Michael Clarke did not enforce it and decided to bat again. Why?

Maybe he was sick and tired of the monotony of having innings victories, again and again. Maybe he wanted to have some batting practice as Australia hardly had the luxury of playing its second innings in the earlier matches. Maybe he wanted to test his team for setting an exciting target for India, because to get back to the No.1 position the team had to be expert in every kind of situation. Or maybe and most plausibly he wanted to make a return gesture for all the generosity showered on them by India. Anyway, we thank him with all our hearts for saving India from another ignominious innings defeat.

Batting second Australia lost three wickets for 50 runs enjoying an overall lead of 382 runs at the end of the third day’s play. Ponting and Clarke are again there after their double tons in the first innings. In the case of India if a top batman hits a century in the first innings he is just spared from doing anything commendable in the second. This has been the unwritten rule of Indian cricket. But when opposition is batting this rule gets easily and effortlessly broken. Let us see how the Clarke-Ponting pair builds on the lead tomorrow.

Meanwhile India is celebrating the 63^rd Republic Day all over today and in tune with the patriotic fervor demonstrated on such days many expected a patriotic gesture form Sachin Tendulkar in achieving his hundredth ton. Time is running out for Tendulkar and in this perspective his decision to play in the ensuing triangular one-day cricket series seems to be just right where he has only 48 tons against 51 in tests. No Test match is scheduled for India till July this year and it seems extremely uncertain for Indian ageing superstars to retain their places in the Test squad. More significantly by that time the IPL extravaganza will be over and the cricket Board can be in a position to dictate terms.

Happy Republic Day to one and all of you, and to Michael Clarke in particular.

Pune Mayhem—The Killer Bus!

2012-01-25T20:21:00.000+05:30

People die in natural disasters, bomb blasts, madmen firings, accidents of all kinds including the weirdest ones, road rages and so on. They keep on dying almost on a daily routine. Yet, there is no end to the puzzle of ‘how they are going to die next’. What happened in Pune, a cultured, peaceful and lively city of Maharashtra, today is another example in continuing with that ominous puzzle.

One normal driver reported for duty in the morning at the state transport corporation terminus in Pune and was scheduled for a trip. Everything progressing normally, apparently with no hidden surprises. And suddenly…mayhem!

The driver took hold of the empty bus and went berserk. He drove the bus into the street…on the wrong side. He went on hitting, crushing and maiming whatever came on the way…cars and other vehicles, auto-rickshaws, helpless pedestrians and so on. He seemed to be in spell or stupor and was absolutely unmindful of what was happening as a result of his mad act.

In the process he killed 9 people, injured about 30 some of them grievously and damaged about 40 vehicles. The police chased him for one hour through the city and finally arrested him. He was believed to be suffering from an attack of schizophrenia, but his mental imbalance was still not confirmed. Then, why he did what he did?

One overpowering reason could be modern-day stress from which some desperately seek releases. And, at time they opt for the wildest outlets. Two most stressed communities in our bursting country could easily be the police constables and the public bus drivers. These people never get enough rest and always get the worst pay packets with big families to support and wretched environs to live in. During festivals when they are supposed to enjoy togetherness with their families they get overburdened with duty 24 into 7. This modern-day stress factor could be a dormant volcano ready to erupt anytime.

And so, we never know what is going to happen and when and where. Even getting ready for any surprise we get surprised at the novelty of the surprise. Unfortunately in all such horrid situations people die and die and die… What solution and what help?

Stop The Sick Killers--Another Eve Teasing Tragedy!

2012-01-22T17:11:00.001+05:30

One more horrible eve teasing incident had been reported from Jind, a town in the northern state of Haryana, leading to deaths of two innocent girls. The sick mentality of the two-legged cannibals who prowl the streets of

India

anytime any day strikes one more time. Who will stop these cowards always preying on the weaker ones?

Two school girls around 16 years of age, Ankita and Shikha, were returning from their tuition classes in the evening on Thursday on a scooter. Two cannibals looking for easy flesh followed them on a motorcycle hailing the girls with lewd remarks and abuses. The busy public street promised not even an iota of safety for the girls and knowing this fully well the cowards rode even closer trying to molest them on the move.

In a desperate attempt to get clear Ankita, who was driving, lost balance and their scooter veered off towards the wrong side of the street. A racing truck coming close behind crushed them.

The incident took place right in front of a major police station and the policemen preferred to watch it rather than taking immediate action. The two cowards sensing trouble now fled the spot and thanks to few bystanders the truck driver was caught and the girls taken to hospital. But they were announced brought dead. The devastated families of both the girls first took it as a case of accident, but were dismayed beyond consolation when they came to know the horrid details from a lone eyewitness.

Two more victims of eve teasing. Only about three months back two brave youths lost their lives trying to save their female companions from teasing. In the Jind case it was becoming almost clear that the two cannibals belonged to influential families and so, police action seemed to be an non-starter.

Policemen cannot protect victims from eve teasing. It’s the society that must wake up to prevent it and take tough action. Men and women must be united in this fight against the cannibals. The men must kill the cowards within them and the women must learn self-defense tactics good enough to carry the fight to the ultimate triumph over the evil.

Salman Rushdie: A Test of Indian Tolerance?

2012-01-20T12:08:00.000+05:30

Article first published as The Indian Rash Over Rushdie! on Technorati.

The celebrated author of Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie’s proposed visit to India as a keynote speaker in the famous Jaipur Literature Festival (JLT) supposed to start from today did not make the country happy. This was despite him being a Person of Indian Origin (PIO). What should have been a matter of pride for the largest democracy of the world turned into the old Indian rash surfacing again in all its sore features.

India being a pluralistic society with various linguistic, religious, cultural and ethnic communities the chances are very high for any particular section to get offended by creative works or plain statements made by a particular author or journalist or filmmaker or even politician. In majority of such cases none of the supposedly offended community happened to be even aware of the content of the cause of offense. The only result of this rash is that of a growing wave of intolerance which has been palpable in recent years.

Somebody writes a book parts of which are not liked by a particular section and so demands get raised for banning the book. Some journalist writes a column that allegedly offends some and again protests happen which may even lead to attacks on the journalist or his/her properties. One filmmaker makes a movie not liked again by a section and it may lead to protest marches or even vandalizing the cinema houses showing it. Sometimes the concerned creator is even hounded out of the country. This ugly trend asserts itself in all cases of creative works including by painters or poets.

Since India has a post-independence history of linguistic and religious riots in many regions such cases of dissent are taken as security threats or law and order problems making the authorities bow down to demands almost always. Apart from this the possible impact on voters are also viewed by ruling political parties. So, the motto of ‘playing it safe’ emerges as the overpowering mentality.

When Darul Uloom Deoband, the oldest and biggest Islamic seminary of India, appealed to the authorities to decline permission to Salman Rushdie’s visit it was viewed as a security concern and ‘playing it safe’ prevailed to put the visit in great uncertainty. The organizers of JLT were also influenced to fall in line. Accordingly the organizers announced a change in Rushdie’s travel schedule on January 20 while maintaining that it stood by its invitation which meant Rushdie could in fact visit later as the Festival would continue for four days. On the other hand a PIO cannot be prevented from visiting his/her own country and s/he does not need a visa for that.

Salman Rushdie published his controversial novel The Satanic Verses in 1988 which hurt sentiments of Muslims all over the globe for its allegedly blasphemous content against Islam and the Prophet. Ayatollah Khomeini, the then supreme leader of Iran, issued a fatwa (death warrant) against Rushdie in 1989. But that was more than two decades ago and the Deoband has no history of ever protesting against Rushdie during these years. Another surprising fact is that though the JLT attract authors from all over the world hardly anyone decided to protest against or comment on the Rushdie issue.

It happened with M F Hussain, the legendary painter of India, too. Some sections did not like his movie and particularity a few of his paintings that were supposedly derogatory to the Indian deities. The great artiste was hounded continuously immersing him with litigations and threats to life and finally forcing him to leave the country. He lived in exile for five years and accepted citizenship from Qatar fearing that he would never be allowed to come back to India. The great artiste died in exile in 2011.

If a creative work is not liked or hated there should only be creative criticisms or reviews. One can get an apology in an educated, cultural and constructively creative way too.

But intolerant India thrives on its internal intricacies. And, who is bothered about it?

By the way, is Salman Rushdie coming to India tomorrow or day after or ever?

Death Of A Housemaid!

2012-01-18T23:31:00.001+05:30

Almost all of the housemaids who come to your homes for work from the nearby slums of Mumbai have a similar tale to tell. They work very hard throughout the day in different homes to make some monthly pay package. But at the end of the month they get nothing for their comfort. They have to hand it over to their mom-in-laws or husbands. And, their husbands unfailingly spend their hard-earned money on drinks. Most of the husbands do not work at all, so they need the money all the more for their indulgence. The housemaids go on suffering silently and very soon it impacts their health.

A deathly pale and skinny maid worked in our place now and then for the last two years. She always looked tired and took a long time to finish her work. From others we knew that she was always sick and visited the government hospital daily to take some booster injections. We also came to know that her in-laws and her husband were very cruel people and not only took her money away but also deprived her of minimum needs like two meals a day. Her father-in-law and husband indulged in drinking sessions with her money and mother-in-law robbed the rest away.

We really cared for her and my wife Ragini often helped her with essentials like clothes and gave her tea and snacks everyday. But the problem was that she was horribly irregular apart from taking eternity to finish her work. It just did not match our schedule and so she was on and off with her work. Though we felt bad there was no other way to go about it. A month back she came again for work and we kept her. But the same problems followed. Ragini even offered her work and pay on a daily basis. She did not agree to this, maybe because she had to give a monthly lump sum to her family. So we let her go one more time.

Today she died. We were shocked to hear the news from her neighborhood maid in the evening. She came back home from the hospital around noon and collapsed dying instantly. We offered to help with some money, but her friend said that the money would again be spent on drinks. ‘Don’t help her family people, they are very bad. They tortured her everyday.’ She said.

We had no option but to feel very sad and dejected. Maybe we could have helped her in some way. But even today we did not know how. What to do? This is reality and reality is very stark most of the time.

We just prayed for the eternal bliss of her soul. At least she got released from her miserable existence. How many more and how to help them?

The Mystery of The Black Ink!

2012-01-17T21:23:00.000+05:30

Article first published as The Mystery Of The Black Ink! on Technorati.

Someone threw black ink on the face of the Indian Yoga Guru Ramdev Baba at a press conference held in the national capital Delhi recently. The famous up-market guru was speaking about his future moves on corruption and black money when the black incident happened.

The thrower was immediately caught and given a strong beating by the Baba supporters. Then the police came and arrested the offender thereby rescuing him from further beating of the third degree.

Ramdev Baba was magnanimous in dismissing the incident as mere nothing, but later on he alleged the involvement of the ruling Congress party in the incident. No surprise in that. Because, he could hardly forget his unceremonious midnight ousting from the fasting ground in Delhi by the government of India in June, 2011.

Ramdev Baba saw the showering of media and mass attention on Anna Hazare during the peak of the movement against corruption. Therefore he too decided to join the anti-corruption bandwagon to have a share and launched a fast against the menace of black money. But due to a conglomeration of right-wing elements in his audience the government came down heavily and ended the fast hard and quick.

Political parties condemned the black incident as it had to be, but there was an underlay of charges and counter charges for possible involvement of rivals. As a natural corollary to this a group of Ramdev supporters threw black ink on an election poster of the Congress President at the Congress headquarters in the national capital just a day after. And this time the throwers were given a sound beating by the party workers.

And the mystery only deepens further...

Read more:

Cricket: The Worst Phase For Team India?

2012-01-16T17:41:00.001+05:30

The Perth massacre of the Indian cricket team by

Australia

marked the third consecutive loss in the present India-Australia Test Cricket Series and the seventh consecutive overseas Test loss in the past seven months for

India

. Such defeats that make a mockery of a cricket test match. No fights, no resistance, no determination—only abject surrender mindless and lacking any application.

Just imagine! A team that only recently occupied the No.1 position in Test rankings suffers an innings defeat when the opposite team scored only 369 in the first innings—not exactly a mammoth total by test standards. But India is immensely capable of doing the impossible! They make 161 and 171 respectively to offer a series-clinching win to Australia on a platter. No surprise then that Aussie skipper Michael Clarke want many more astounding victories to make a meaningful assault for the No.1 position.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, rated as the most positive and winning captain India have ever produced, now holds the overpoweringly generous record of conceding six innings defeats—more than any other Indian captain. Meantime he earns a ban for the fourth test starting in Adelaide on January 24 due to slow over rate. The divine hand? This frees him from playing test matches for at least seven months.

For a change everyone is taking the blame for the debacle. Dhoni says he is responsible, the Indian cricket Board Chief Selector says the Board takes the responsibility! The only thing that is always above ‘blame’ is the magnificent IPL (Indian Premiere League T20)—extravagant cricket tournament in the shortest format of the game. This is the reason why nobody can pass on the buck to anybody as everybody needs everybody for the big bucks to roll in from the IPL. So better get consolation with ‘You see! This can be called the worst phase of Indian cricket. But it happens to every team sometime or the other. So, don’t blame IPL. Corrective measures will be taken.’

More questions come out of such assurances. Is this the worst phase only so far? What corrective measures? If you finally decide to drop the seniors—you cannot do that till IPL is over—how do you go about replacing them? Do you have cricketers who can fit the real cricket format—test cricket? Do you call all top batsmen in top gear suddenly falling and continuing falling in heaps a natural phenomenon that affects every team? How do you define a team as ‘good, competitive and aggressive’? If you can have flat and lifeless pitches a home in the interests of the big bucks why don’t you then apply your money power to have the same specially made for India overseas instead of the juicy, green and bouncy pitches?

Ad Rating points for Indian cricket show a declining trend at the moment. The ratings should crash so that cricket is brought to the level of any other game played in India. Till then, nobody will be able to take the correct decisions or measures for the game of cricket in its truest form.

Happy Bhogali Bihu!

2012-01-14T20:46:00.000+05:30

Bhogali or Magh Bihu—the harvest festival of Assam is celebrated in mid January that is the month of Magh about to begin. Bhogali means ‘aplenty’. And it’s winter when people are more energetic. Bhogali Bihu belongs to the farmers who harvest the ripe golden paddy crops after long and hard work and have a well deserved community feast of new rice, fish, meat and other delicacies. Plus celebrations. In some villages of Assam buffalo fights are still a rage.

Magh Bihu falls normally on 13th-14th January as per the timing of Makar Sankranti. Sankranti means changing of direction. The time when the sun changes direction from one constellation (of the zodiac) to another is known as Sankranti. Transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere (Uttarayana) is known as Makar sankranti. Only this year, a leap year, Bhogali Bihu is being celebrated on 14th and 15th of January, 2012.

Days prior to the Bihu get really hectic in a typical Assamese village. Stacks of harvested golden paddy crops collected in the backyard are taken to the inner courtyard, opened and spread in a circular shape. More and more stacks are added and it becomes a rustling circular bed. Then two bullocks are brought in and made to do a merry-go-round thrashing out the grains from the paddy branches by continuously treading on it. The separated grains are then packed in long bags and deposited in the barn or bharal-ghar. Bagfuls of paddy are then taken to the rice mills as per requirements of daily meals and making of a rich variety of rice cakes.

The first day of the two day festival is Uruka when people get together in specially made bamboo-frame pavilion called bhela-ghar--thatch-roofed and walled by dry banana leaves for a feast with the new rice and fish, meat and other delicacies. This pavilion is lit and burnt up at dawn next day and people worship the fire god with various offerings. Apart from the community feast folks also make a haystack with bamboo and firewood added called meji and burn it up in the morning. During the uruka night people get warm with endless bonfires and hardly sleep.

The second day it’s a bonanza of rice cakes, laddoos of various types and other eatables at all homes with relatives visiting throughout the day. As it’s an auspicious day of Sankranti people do not take cooked rice and non-vegetarian items during daytime.

For Magh Bihu 2012 there is just one major problem in Assam--very high prices of fish and other items. On the other hand a very severe winter going on and people have really been enjoying the warmth of bonfires.

Assamese people all over the globe cannot help but observe this joyful festival though they may not get the right kind environment and climatic boosters.

The rounded balls made from fried coconut paste and sugar are as tasty as they are attractive! People living outside Assam or even abroad never forget to make such traditional delicacies and take pains to get those ready for the morning of the second day.

Happy Bhogali or Magh Bihu to All of You! Enjoy!

Cricket:Australia Massacre India in Perth!

2012-01-13T18:51:00.001+05:30

Australia

massacred

India

on the very first day of the third test in Perth today. The famed Indian batting strength is no more. Not even on paper! The celebrated cricket stars of Team

India

have failed again and again, and yet again! Not even one scored even a half century. The likes of Sehwag, Dravid and Dhoni were utter flops again. Very Very Special Laxman did nothing but ordinary once more. Only the finger-pointing Virat Kohli struggled to reach an individual score of 44.

India were bowled out for just 161, in similar manner as in Sydney or even in Melbourne. The demolition squad of Australia—Siddle and Hilfenhaus—was amongst the wickets today too. If Pattinson was there in action maybe the Indian innings could have folded up for less than hundred runs! His replacement, Harris, was also helped by magnanimous Indian batsmen to get into top form.

Worse followed. In the Australian innings a lackluster Indian skipper Dhoni did not even think of giving the ball to Ishant Sharma who featured prominently in the historic Indian win at the same venue in 2007-08. Australia scored freely and merrily at the incredible run-rate of nearly 6.5 an over reaching 149 for no loss in 23 overs at the end of the day’s play. While Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s witch-hunt for the hundredth hundred continued pitifully David Warner scored a quickfire century for Australia. India lost the third test too in the very first day.

Now what? The seniors must leave immediately. But how to fill in the blanks? All the newcomers or most of them are selected only on the basis of their IPL (Indian Premiere League T20) performance where they sparkle for few minutes and make it to the one-day format. If they play one solid innings in one-day matches they get selected for the national Test team. But in what way they can be termed as ‘test players’?

Forget pointing fingers. Just try to follow the example set by Aussie skipper Michael Clarke who wants to be remembered as only a good test player and who has shielded himself from the possible damage of T20 format of the game. Is there any Indian cricketer who can do that—can he say ‘I’ll not play IPL anymore and be a good test player who can make the country proud’? Hello, any takers?

Else, there are just two options for the commerce driven Indian cricket board—scrap IPL or ban Test Cricket in India and for India.

India-Australia Cricket Test Series: The Case of Pointing Fingers!

2012-01-12T21:42:00.000+05:30

Article first published as India vs Australia: The Case of Pointing Fingers on Technorati.

Indian batsman Virat Kohli showed a finger at the crowds during the second cricket test between India and Australia in Sydney recently. Since he showed his middle finger it was taken as obscene and accordingly he was penalized.

Indian pacer Ishant Sharma followed the gesture and also showed a finger. But there was a huge controversy regarding which finger he showed. Officially it was not the middle finger and so he was not penalized.

Both players alleged that the abuses thrown at them by the crowds were gross and at times indescribable. They seemed to have only retaliated in ways they thought to be tit for tat. The incidents led to a big debate in Australia on good manners and particularly the Indian traditional ones. But the peculiar case of pointing fingers has a deeper significance and typical ramifications.

The team that prided in having the best batting side of the world failed miserably so far in the Australian tour and fell in heaps in the first two cricket tests in Melbourne and Sydney that they lost by huge margins. So, basically they invited wrath from Indian fans and naughtily gleeful satisfaction from the Australian media.
Apart from the mind-games that Australia played so often the Australian media consciously focused its attention on the hapless team and attacked it from all sides. Essentially, therefore, they were the first to point fingers at Team India. India’s session of go-carting instead of doing practice was covered lavishly and since some of them including batsman Sehwag did not follow captain Dhoni for the session preferring net practice a rift within the team was suspected. Allegations and denials were still continuing till the reports last came in.

The point finally is that when you play badly and horribly you are bound to have all the fingers pointed at you. It’s up to you to decide which fingers they were—the middle or index and definitely not the thumb! Skipper Dhoni further accentuated the finger-pointing episode by indicating that he might retire from Test Cricket in 2013 if he is to play the World Cup-2015.

With the Perth test starting tomorrow where the pitch will be the bounciest Team India would need to concentrate all their fingers combined round the cricket bat handle or the seams of the cricket ball. If they lose it again they will be out of the series with 3-0 deficit and more fingers will be pointing at them. When they come back to India the finger-game will continue with more gravity.

For Indian traditional greeting of ‘Namaskar’ all fingers of both hands fold up and combine. Not any particular finger! One should understand essentially.

Political Comics!

2012-01-11T20:34:00.002+05:30

Article first published as India's Comical Political Antics on Technorati.

The struggle for votes becomes acute at the time of elections. Pursuing this severe urge for amassing maximum possible votes political parties are pushed to the extremes of antics. The common onlooker gets maximum entertainment in the bargain.

India’s Election Commission recently ordered covering up of the statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in light of the forthcoming assembly elections in this most politically strategic state of India. There were around ten statues of Mayawati and more than hundred statues of her party symbol—the elephant--in the state capital of Lucknow apart from numerous ones in other parts of the state. The logic for this order was fully justified since the statues might indeed impact the voters who could either be motivated or irritated to vote or not to vote for her. With a set deadline the work began in great haste and the statues began to be draped in tarpaulin sheets of the pink color. Pink was said to be Mayawati’s favorite, but it was okay since it did not represent any other political party. One regional party from the state reportedly demanded the cost of covering up be borne by the ruling party only. It was tantamount to saying;’ If you are spendthrift megalomaniacs you must bear the cost of undoing your aspirations too!’ To give a more jocular twist to the episode someone filed a public interest litigation contesting the Election Commission’s decision since the elephant represented one Indian deity Lord Ganesha!

The main national opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that had been reeling under tremendous pressure from both within and outside due to its recent decision to induct a tainted and expelled ex-minister of the Uttar Pradesh government finally decided to put the decision on hold. Why and how? Because in the first place, it never wanted to reverse its decision maybe due to the unavoidable interplay of big egos or maybe fearing a possible loss of votes. The tainted member himself turned magnanimous! He wrote a letter to the party high command requesting to put his membership on hold till he was cleared of all charges and allegations. In a classic case of clutching for a straw in time of emergency the BJP accepted his request!

And, at the time of too much preoccupied politicking the time could have been just right to push in some economics. So, the government of India, on January 10, 2012, notified rules to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Indian single-brand retail sector paving the way for big international brands like IKEA to enter Asia’s third largest market and also allowing tie-up players like Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Gucci to have full ownership. To give a boost to Indian industry a condition was kept for the players to source 30% of the goods from Indian small and village industry.

This FDI move was said to be less controversial and maybe due to this the preoccupied opposition parties were yet to give their reactions. This was interesting in light of the tremendous political opposition to the Government’s earlier decision to allow 51% FDI in Indian multi-brand or supermarket sector. The opposition forced the Government to put the put the decision on hold. Though there were genuine concerns regarding the roles of supermarket giants like Wal-Mart farmers’ communities from different parts of India had in fact welcomed the policy.

Political comics are set to entertain you more till the counting takes place on March 6, 2012. Meanwhile the cover-up was completed by 5pm today--the deadline set by the Election Commission. The public interest litigation was also dismissed as 'withdrawn' due to technical faults.

Mumbai Winter—Chilly Monday!

2012-01-10T12:40:00.002+05:30

Mumbai shivered on Monday yesterday and its genuine winter after 2008 is continuing. The mercury had reached 11 degree Celsius yesterday—at least 4-5 degrees below normal—and the met office forecasts further decline in temperatures. In the coldest city of Maharashtra, Nashik, the mercury went down below five degrees. With the sun coming out strong cold breeze at daytime gets neutralized and you feel comfortable with your normal attire. But if you go out late in the night you feel the biting cold and you wake up to chilly mornings. For a change Mumbai nights are being decorated with bonfires with the most vulnerable people like watchmen, guards and night-duty staff enjoying the warmth.

Mumbai gets such an occasional winter thanks to severe cold wave conditions in North India. From mid-December, 2011 till now acute cold wave conditions have been gripping and sweeping across the region. For the past five days it has been snowing in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh—the northernmost states. There is no respite expected al least for the next few days.

Most Mumbaikars (inhabitants of Mumbai) are not used to winters and woollens. So they are in a sort of a dilemma the moment a rare winter hits them. They feel the pinch while going out in the mornings or returning at night, but as the day progresses things get back to near normal. So, if you decide to wear warm cloths you start sweating at noon and if you don’t then you shiver in the odd hours. You face the dilemma at home too. Going to bed with the thick blanket is fraught with grave dangers though you crave for its warmth, because very soon you feel like throwing it off. Wise people keep the ceiling fans on and balance it out cozily under the blanket. In this uncertain process of adjusting to winter many catch a sore throat or a fever or an infection keeping the doctors busy.

But some others are excitedly digging out their sweaters, jackets, overcoats, mufflers and so on from their closets and are having a great time. There is no reason why you should not enjoy. You get it only once in a while. It’s set to dip below 10! You are set to have the most biting winter in decades! Enjoy!

Husband And Wife—The Law of Equality!

2012-01-08T14:15:00.000+05:30

At the start of the New Year a good friend of mine sent me a joke on the husband-wife syndrome. While talking about a certain ‘Law of Equality’ it says,” The time taken by a wife when she says to her waiting husband ‘I’ll get ready in five minutes’ is exactly equal to the time taken by a husband when he tells his wife from office ‘I’ll call you back in five minutes!’”

This reminds me of an old joke about couples where the law of equality seems to be maintained in some measure. “A couple quarreled bitterly and they were not on talking terms. It was night and the logjam continued. Now, the hubby had to go for an urgent appointment early in the morning and he did not believe in the alarm clock because he used to shut it up on the very first ring. He needed his wife’s help, but how? So he left a note by her pillow-side that said ‘Please wake me up at 7am’. He overslept and finally waking up found the clock striking 8. He jumped up and as he began cursing the institution of marriage he saw the note by his pillow-side. His wife’s note said ‘It’s 7! Please wake up!’

In another very crucial segment of marital existence namely ‘the division of labor’, this particular law gets a little weaker. Normally the wife is very concerned about the burden of work she is being subjected to and the burden her husband takes on or pretends to take on. If she fully manages the kitchen the husband has to take care of setting the dinner table, filling the water jars and doing the beds. But the law ultimately gets very biased and partisan. Hubby returns home after a hard day’s work looking for a warm cup of tea from his darling wife, but he faces the music instantly. His ‘over-burdened’ partner exclaims, ‘What do you do in office? Just relax in air-conditioned comfort and gossip with your friends and pretty secretaries the whole goddamned day! You make the tea for you and me too now! Else you are not going to get your supper!’

Corruption Remix!

2012-01-06T21:03:00.000+05:30

Article first published as Your Liability, Our Asset! on Technorati.

Recently the main opposition party of India, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), inducted into its party fold an expelled minister of the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh—the largest northern state of India. The former minister, Babu Singh Kushwaha, was expelled by the Chief Minister of the state Mayawati due to his involvement in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

Under the NRHM scheme the Government of India had released around 100,000 million Indian rupees to the state to be utilized for rural health expenditures. Following murders of two Chief Medical Officers and one death under suspicious circumstances the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took up the case about two months back. Mayawati suspected Kushwaha’s involvement in the murders too apart from the gross misuse of the funds.

The BJP’s inspiration for this act was obvious. It wanted to garner more votes since assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh were round the corner. The expelled minister belonged to a particular caste and in this feudalistic state caste-politics had been the accepted norm. If the ruling party dismissed him for corruption another party would still expect to get the votes for him from the community he belonged to.

The problem was that the BJP had been capitalizing on the anti-corruption movement all the while and had been making maximum gains by giving support to Team Anna. So now the party found itself under tremendous pressure from within the party and from all other political parties including the ruling coalition of India. To make matters worse the CBI as part of their investigations of the NRHM scam raided many places including the residence of Kushwaha just the day after his induction and an FIR was lodged against him. Rumors were doing the rounds about his impending arrest.

In an effort of damage control the BJP cried of conspiracy on the immaculate timing of the raids, but there were not many listeners. The party spokespersons hurriedly announced that the tainted inductee would not be given a ticket for fighting elections and that he would also not be used as a star campaigner. The party still did not reverse its decision despite a palpable rift within the party. Instead, it preferred to send a huge delegation to the President of India requesting for a special session of Parliament to pass the deadlocked Lokpal Bill trying to emphasize its continued commitment to the fight against corruption. Even though it was still not clear who really sabotaged the passing of the Bill in the upper house on that night of December 29, 2011. The BJP embarrassment made Team Anna clueless about what to do in the forthcoming assembly elections. They finally announced that they would not any campaigning for the assembly elections.

For Indian politicians getting votes is such a tremendous urge that it makes them compromise on issues so often. They try to make amends the moment they feel the compromise is going to erode another vote bank.

Fight against corruption is finally subject to politics of vote. Meanwhile CBI has made more arrests under the NRHM scam.

Notification!

2012-01-05T17:45:00.001+05:30

We have purchased the domain name 'ours-funarena' from Blogger and so the site name has changed from 'http://ours-funarena.blogspot.com' to 'http://ours-funarena.com'. Our Respected Readers are also hereby notified, though anyone clicking the old URL will be redirected to the new one.

For Technorati: FN6CBD4RZSKC

Thanks all!

Cricket: Sidney Blockbuster Turns Into India-Crusher!

2012-01-04T22:40:00.000+05:30

Team India lost a great opportunity with history behind and history-to-be-made ahead. They won the toss and elected to bat first—a tremendous advantage in a match they wanted to do well. The so-called best batting line-up of the world flopped miserably. If 13 wickets fell in the first day of the second cricket test between India and Australia in Sidney it was due to Indian batting failure and if only one wicket fell on the second day today it was Australian supremacy.

Doubtful starter for the series Ricky Ponting went from strength to strength—scoring two half centuries in the two innings of the first test in Melbourne and scoring his 40^th ton here in Sidney. He scored this ton after two years. Well, there is a saying about Team India’s proverbial generosity—if someone or a team is hopelessly out of form, play with India because India would restore the confidence lost in overflowing measure! Australia looked to be a team in disarray prior to the start of the series and now, they look set to dominate world cricket once again.

It’s really inexplicable how seasoned batsmen like Gambhir, Laxman and Kohli could go on doing absolutely nothing for the team. Sachin Tendulkar looked good and set for a historical performance, but finally it was a far cry from what the whole of cricket world wanted of him. And, for an ominous change, Indian bowlers lacked penetration with at least three strike bowlers in action. Australia scored 366 runs today—at the rate of over four runs per over like in one day affairs. They finished the second day at a mammoth 482 for 4.

There is already a lead of 291 runs and Australia look poised to take it beyond 500 with 6 wicket in still intact. Now, only calculations that are possible would be the margin of defeat for India. Get ready to read the headline, ‘Australia crush India by an innings and __ runs!’ You need just to fill in the blank assuming of course India stick to its time tested policy of generosity. It could very well be over on the third day tomorrow itself or the agony may prolong to the fourth day too.

A miracle? Certainly not plausible at the present state of things. India skipper Dhoni has no answers or excuses to offer though he got an unbeaten fifty. Australian captain Michael Clarke is oozing confidence leading from the front and achieving his first double ton, still unbeaten at 250 plus. A repeat of the England drubbing seems to be the final result.

The tigers on flat and slow pitches at home are just running away from the prey while out of home environs. Again and again. Very disappointing indeed. Not that we are obsessed with Indian win only. But, at least give a brave fight and make the matches interesting.

Remembering Kamalananda Bhattacharyya--the Poet-Composer-Freedom Fighter of Assam!

2012-01-04T11:36:00.000+05:30

Today is the 62^nd Death Anniversary of Poet-Composer-Singer-Playwright-Actor-Freedom Fighter Bauli Kavi Kamalananda Bhattacharyya.

On behalf of Shrutinaad, music lovers and our most respected readers we offer glowing tributes to the legendary Poet-Artiste of Assam.

Read More...

Cricket: Sidney’s 100th Test! Sachin’s Hundredth 100 Too?

2012-01-02T22:16:00.000+05:30

The second cricket Test between India and Australia will be played from tomorrow at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). All eyes are obsessively focused at the moment on this much awaited duel between the two giants of test cricket.

Apart from the classic cricket rivalries the Test is of great interest for two reasons. First the celebrated Australian cricket ground in Sydney is going to hold its hundredth test match. Second Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has not yet achieved his hundredth feat—a century of international centuries. The batting maestro has a great record in Sydney with two tons and one double ton during his four series outings in Australia. In 1992 he became the youngest ever test cricketer to score a ton in Australia.

Australians fans are happy for the hundredth test at their favorite venue. They will be elated if Australia defeats India to take an invincible lead in the four-match series. Indian fans will be crazy with joy and pride if Team India win and level the series. And, all cricket lovers of the world will definitely relish the historic moment if Sachin Tendulkar achieves the epic milestone.

Indian skipper Dhoni has been down, but not out. He has to make a point or two while leading his team. The famed batting line-up must deliver for any chance of winning. Apart from Sachin SCG has been a favorite hunting ground for VVS Laxman too. The pitch here too is friendlier than Melbourne or Perth and historically it favors spin bowlers. The curator of SCG promises that the pitch would favor both the teams equally.

Meantime, Australia had been back at its usual mind games. Considering Indian batsmen’s eternal weakness to rising balls outside the off stump, witnessed in the Melbourne test too, the Kangaroos had been floating reports about taking an all pace attack or at least four pacers—one more than at Melbourne. True to their aggressive competitiveness skipper Michael Clarke’s comment on Sachin’s expected hundredth hundred is interesting, ‘We will be very happy if he accomplishes the feat, but we will not allow it here. Let him achieve that in some other series?’

A big match indeed it’s going to be—a blockbuster so to say! Considering the fact that the two teams have come to Sydney after the most controversial test played in 2007-08 series here. That was also the second test starting 2-6 January with India being drubbed as usual in the first test. This test witnessed 11 huge umpiring errors—10 going against India. Steve Bucknor who delivered most of the blunders never umpired again. Then, there was the racist bout between Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh. One Australian newspaper reportedly wrote that it would not support for Sachin’s feat, because Sachin favored Harbhajan in that black abusive duel! That test would never be forgotten thanks also to the twist in the last day when India crumbled in just two sessions turning a to-be-drawn match on its head. One more interesting fact--Australia won that test by 122 runs! Remember Melbourne?

Dare miss the Blockbuster? The Test starts at 5am Indian time. Go to sleep early tonight and get ready!

New Year Day Musings!

2012-01-01T20:07:00.001+05:30

New Year 2012 has been ushered in with a lot of funfair and celebrations across the globe. From the early birds of New Zealand to the die hard revelers of Goa inspired and charged up scenes were witnessed everywhere. In Mumbai too people of all age groups stayed awake late into the night to welcome 2012. Deafening fireworks erupted just when the clock struck 12. Waiting for 12 to welcome 12! Good vibes around!

The celebrating spirit was nearly crushed with the news of a 7 point magnitude earthquake thathit Japan just hours after 2012 arrived. But fortunately, there have been no reports of loss of lives and danger of tsunami was also dismissed. With the March 2011disaster still fresh in mind Japan definitely did not want another tragedy particularly on a New Year Day. In India spurious liquor killed 18 persons in the state of Andhra Pradesh today. People celebrate subject to what they can afford. Poor ones celebrate with cheap country liquor poisoned by the death merchants. This is India’s truth, New Year or not. Our solace is that major tragedies did not mar this great day.

Anna Hazare, the crusader against corruption in India, could not spend this great day in his hometown Ralegan Siddhi. He was taken ill last night and had to be rushed to the nearby major city Pune. He was hospitalized immediately and doctors attending on him said he was stable, but needed at least 4/5 days rest and could not fast for one month. The core committed meeting of Team Anna had to be deferred too. Righteous citizens are saying that God does not help you when you no longer have strength of conviction and morale. After the historic achievements in April and August of last year Anna turned political and had been uncharacteristically inconsistent. When fast was not the right decision he sat on fast and had to call if off midway, now he cannot fast at all for one month at least. And, for the first time Anna had been avoiding the media on his illness and hospitalization.

This does not mean that fight against corruption is losing its conviction. In Shillong, a beautiful city in North East India, a group of people took a dip in the icy-cold water of a lake at the midnight hour to reaffirm their continued fight against the evil.

Let 2012 bring joy to all and offer solutions for betterment of the global citizens.

Who Was The Choreographer!

2011-12-31T14:01:00.000+05:30

There has been a huge controversy going on in India now regarding the midnight drama enacted in the upper house of the Indian Parliament on December 29, 2011. People belonging to different professional groups have been alleging that the drama was ‘choreographed’ by someone. There is no agreement though on who that someone could be. The main opposition party accuses the government of being the ‘choreographer’ while the government throws the same charge back at them. Besides, one Indian news channel reportedly predicted the ‘choreography’ right in the afternoon of that eventful day.

Now, choreography literally means ‘dance-writing’ and it has everything to do with motion and beauty. This cannot directly relate to what happened in Parliament, because there is no predetermined element here and ‘beauty’ cries to be treated with respect. In Wikipedia we come across one more description of Planned Choreography, ‘in which a choreographer dictates motion and form in detail, leaving little or no opportunity for the dancer to exercise personal interpretation’. This could fit the bill (the anti-corruption Bill?) if we describe the members as ‘dancers’ who ‘went on dancing’ totally controlled and maneuvered by someone.

But aesthetically, we find it most difficult to associate this with the midnight drama since ‘beauty’ and ‘dancing’ refer basically to artistes and definitely not to howlers. Even if we agree in principle it does not at all become clear who was dancing to whose tune! Considering the horrific nature of the spectacle some fertile brains have suggested other suitable terms like ‘Orchestration’ or ‘Match fixing’. Much better!

Problems persist though. We have replaced ‘choreographer’ with other more appropriate terms okay, but we still have no clue about that ‘someone’ who choreographed or orchestrated or match-fixed. Maybe like in cricket we will have to wait for days or months or years for that piece of ‘breaking news’. Another confounding issue, if that news channel could predict hours in advance about the ‘fixing’ how come it still was looking for the elusive ‘fixer’! The celebrated anchor of that channel had been putting ‘My simple question tonight’ to almost everybody available and yet the answers were far from being simple.

Maybe the hired ‘someone’ was ruthlessly professional. With this we can conclude too. Professional choreographers would always give you the best and most experienced service. Why to bother about identities and names? Make it a New Year resolve!

Happy New Year 2012!

The Other Side of Midnight!

2011-12-30T21:30:00.001+05:30

Article first published as The Other Side of Midnight on Technorati.

War cries suddenly pierced the still and freezing midnight hour of December 29, 2011 in New Delhi—capital of India. The elected representatives of the upper house of Indian Parliament came out of the house shouting ‘Murder of democracy’ or ‘A black day’ or ‘The biggest fraud of the government’. Why? Not because the anti-corruption Bill could not get passed even after nearly 13 hours of debate, but because the Bill was not allowed to be defeated.

Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament, passed the Lokpal Bill (anti-corruption Ombudsmen Bill) just before 11 in the night of December 27 after nearly 12 hours of debate. The coalition government had a working majority in the house and with a few gives and takes in terms of amendments suggested by opposition parties the Bill could be passed finally. But it had to be passed in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament, too to become law.

The scenario was very clear. Everybody knew the coalition government was a minority in terms of numbers in the upper house. Relishing this fact the opposition political parties who supported the same Bill in the lower house decided to tear into it just to gear up for the most excite prospect of a number game. The parties were also gifted a day in-between, because the formalities could not be completed and so the Bill could not be presented on December 28 as planned. One or two allies of the coalition government too could not fend off the temptation of indulging themselves in the number game.

As the debate progressed as many as 187 amendments were submitted by the opposition parties. There was so much enthusiasm that they cited one clause and suggested amendment to another in a few illustrative cases. They also announced their willingness to sit out the full night to finish off with the Bill. The winter session was extended by three days for this debate and so technically the session was valid till 12 midnight of December 29 and not beyond that.

To its consternation, the coalition government realized that with its minority status it could hardly prevent the 187 amendments from getting passed and in that eventuality the final shape of the Bill would not be the one already passed in the lower house. So the government finally took resort to the technicality factor of the session not being possible to be extended beyond the zero hour and the house was adjourned sine die. Crying murder the disappointed opposition parties condemned the government that ‘ran away from the debate’ and demanded its resignation.

Team Anna had been demanding a strong Bill all the while and it was not at all clear at midnight that the 187 amendments would indeed ensure that. In a country where corruption has taken deep roots the ‘strong’ or ‘weak’ forms of the Bill will entirely depend on how ‘strong’ or ‘weak’ the vested interest groups are. It is no secret that every political party in India serves and protects at least one vested interest group.

The government had reiterated that the debate was not over and it would be taken up again in the budget session in about two months paving way for the passing of an effective and strong Lokpal Bill. At the moment this particular result seemed to have benefited all except, of course, the eagerly waiting right-minded citizens of India. The government has got more time to think about it; the opposition has got more time to ponder and to take the issue for forthcoming assembly elections campaign and Team Anna has got another boost to start the movement anew.

As far as India is concerned it’s the numbers that always count and matter.

Cricket: Australia Crush India at Melbourne! Away Losses Continue!

2011-12-29T21:10:00.000+05:30

Article first published as Cricket-Team India Mauled By Australia! on Technorati.

Australia defeated India by 122 runs in the Boxing Day First Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) today in India’s tour of Australia, 2011-12. The victory margin for Australia on the fourth day did not quite reflect the dramatic ups and downs of the match though.

This was India’s fifth consecutive test loss abroad after the 4-0 drubbing by England earlier. At MCG too India’s dismal record did not go any better with just two wins in all time cricket history. But prior to the start of the cricket series factors were predominantly in India’s favor.

India came to Australia after their thumping win over West Indies in both test and one-day formats and they had regrouped well with all the batting and bowling stalwarts coming back into the team except Yuvraj Singh who was getting fit to join the team perhaps for the one-day series. In contrast, Australia had been a little nervous with quite a few new faces particularly in the bowling department. Their recent record of losses against South Africa and New Zealand did not help much either. There was also a question mark over the inclusion of the old war horses—Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey. Besides, India won the last two test series against Australia played in India and Australia no longer enjoyed its monopoly status in world cricket. The circumstances and the built-up momentum gave India a great opportunity to register the first ever test series win against Australia in Australia.

India had their chances too. Australia batted first winning the toss and was reduced to 214 for 6 at one stage. Thanks to India’s persistent problems in removing tail-enders the hosts finally achieved a fighting total of 333 with Ponting silencing his critics by scoring a masterful 62. India replied well and was sitting pretty at 214 for 2 when at the closing minutes of the second day Sachin Tendulkar got out at 73 putting paid to hopes for his 100th hundred and also creating the beginnings of a looming disaster.

On the third day India lost 7 wickets for just 68 runs—getting all out for 282 and conceding a crucial lead of 51 runs to Australia. Indian bowlers brought the team back into contention reducing the hosts to a scary 26 for 4 at one stage. Then again, the old hand Ponting crafted a brilliant partnership with Hussey and took their team to relative safety. At the end of the third day the game was still evenly poised with the hosts at 179 for 8 and an overall lead of 230 runs.

India’s problem with tail-enders surfaced again on the fourth morning conceding 61 runs making the final target of 292 runs for win an imposing one considering the last innings chases at MCG. The famed Indian batting order collapsed in a most dismal manner and was bowled out for 169 runs giving Australia the victory margin of 122 runs. One writer pointed out that the victory margin exactly equaled the runs scored by Ponting in the test.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni took shelter in the Indian jinx of never doing well in the starter of any series though he attributed the defeat to total batting failure. In fact, except for three half centuries by Sehwag, Dravid and Tendulkar there was absolutely nothing to mention of the Indian batting effort. Aussie skipper Michael Clark talked jubilantly of the positives gained from the match particular for his new bowlers.

An opportunity lost. And lots of worries for Dhoni. Apart from class batsmen failing Dhoni's string of failures with the bat continue too and his captaincy decisions are often found half cooked.

Team India must prepare well now to deliver in the remaining tests of the series.

Lokpal Bill Passed in Lok Sabha! No History, Only Confusion!

2011-12-28T14:42:00.000+05:30

After nearly twelve hour debate the lower house of the Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha, passed the Lokpal (anti-corruption Ombudsmen) Bill by a voice vote just before 11 pm yesterday. In the process ten amendments had been conceded by the ruling coalition owing to demands by opposition political parties.

Yet nobody rejoiced over this historic beginning. Only dirty politics lingered on and an ill Anna Hazare continued his fast making the common man the most bewildered one. Team Anna’s flop show in Mumbai with just 10000 supporters around was put in sharp contrast by heavy politicking on the floor throughout the day.

While Team Anna kept on blaming and thundering on the government, specifically the Congress party, for cheating the Indian people it was very clear in the lower house that no political party wanted a strong Bill. The main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who has been the mainstay support group for Team Anna, had in fact tried by all means to delay the Bill further and differed on the basic issue of establishing Lokpal counterpart in the states (Lokayukta) on the excuse of a threat to the federal system of governance in India. Its lobbying made it amply clear that in the states ruled by the party corruption was only a ‘state’ issue. At the end of it the Party had its victory cry defeating the Constitutional Amendment Bill for granting a constitutional status to Lokpal. Since this practical proposal was originally suggested by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi it was anathema for all.

Thanks to the series of scams in the last two years the BJP’s only focus had been to go on embarrassing the government for short-term and even long-term election gains. Yesterday, on a real people’s issue and on a movement for removing rampant corruption from the country the party still chose the same strategy finally proving its hollow support for Anna and its absolute lack of any meaningful policy.

Team Anna refuses still to realize the facts. In fact, Anna again declared his intention of opposing Congress in the forthcoming elections if five states and even in the general elections in 2014. So, he know at least the fact that nothing is going to happen till then which is always ensured by the BJP. Is Team Anna or has it always been a mouthpiece of this party? Facts are overpoweringly in favor of such a premise. To make the confusion confounded, Anna Hazare had reportedly invited the controversial yoga guru Baba Ramdev to join his fast. Why? For attracting more crowds or some other sinister political design? Team Anna seems to be learning the art of opportunism very fast thanks maybe to its mainstay political party or parties.

Finally, the citizens of India must decide how and in what method the evil of corruption is to be eliminated from their country.