Infructuous, says Supreme Court!

Closes proceedings related to Gujarat riots. 

The top court closed all proceedings related to the 2002 Gujarat riots to which it had appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for conducting investigation and prosecution in nine major cases. Noting that the trial in eight out of nine cases was over and final arguments were going on in trial court in Naroda Gaon, the bench of CJI UU Lalit, SR Bhat and JB Pardiwala disposed the cases as infructuous.

The Supreme Court also ordered closure of all the contempt proceedings initiated by Mohammad Aslam Bhure (now passed away) against the UP government officials and leaders like Uma Bharti, Murali Manohar Joshi, Sadhvi Rithambara, Vinay Katiyar and others.

Since the top court has felt that the cases were infructuous, I have a few queries :-

* Why did a host of cases come up post-Godhra?

* And that, too, only regarding the Gujarat riots?

* Were the lives of the Hindu kar sevaks - lost in the fire in the train at Godhra - of no value?

* Why hasn't it been ascertained, to this date, as to who caused the fire and the motive behind the carnage?

* Doesn't it seem to be biased towards the Muslim community? And we call ourselves secular!

* Can't help but go by the argument that it was a conspiracy to ensure that Narendra Modi's political career should go no further. And the exactly opposite thing happened thanks to this country's lucky stars.

* Why are certain people wary of legal proceedings against Teesta Setalvad? She, definitely, needs to answer for her devious actions.

My take

On the one hand we complain about pendency of cases in courts, that the judiciary is overloaded and therefore, a case made out for appointing more judges. I'm sure if we were to sift through this huge number of pending cases, there would be quite a lot of infructuous ones!

Tailpiece.

Got up around 6, the chores and Pat's message around a quarter to 8, that they'd landed at Kochi. Lekha and I were ready and we went to the temple. Carried out the Wednesday aarathi of the house.

Got the clearance for the special darshan from Vimal Raj, the PRO of Devaswom. He warmed up to me as he was my grandfather's follower in the Literacy Movement. The drama, created by some of these guys is unnecessary and unwanted! After the clearance from the PRO, the manager wanted to give me a special darshan, along with my friends and I'd to tell him that I never approach anyone for a special darshan as I liked being in queue and wait for my rightful turn.   

Paritosh Nath and Joyce could have a nice 'darshan' of the good Lord. We were glad that they were happy. They took us out to lunch at Devaraagam. By the time we wound up, it was a half past 3 and the rain had begun. The drive to Kochi was abandoned. The Naths proceeded to Kochi to attend the commissioning ceremony of INS Vikrant, by the Prime Minister, the day after. 

It was a quiet evening, thereafter.

 

How the Supertech Twin Towers Ended In Demolition.

Till recently Emerald Court at Noida's Sector 93A was testimony to corruption in the state's building sector. Today, a mountain of rubbles and dust stand at the site. And buried under this huge pile is a story surrounding the controversy, the residents' legal battle and how the authorities brought the Supertech twin towers down.

Why Were The Twin Towers Demolished

* New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) gave Supertech permission in 2005 to construct 14 towers with 9 storeys each, a shopping centre and a garden area. However, Supertech surreptitiously added two extra floors to the structure.

* In 2009, changes were made to the proposal by including the Apex & Ceyane twin structures. A case filed by the Emerald Court Owners Residents Welfare Association in the Allahabad High Court in 2012 claimed NOIDA officials approved a new plan to illegally construct the twin towers.

* Four residents first raised the alarm on violation of building laws by Supertech. They raised donations to fund their legal battle.

* In 2014, HC ordered razing the towers. HC castigated NOIDA for collaborating with the builder which was directed to reimburse flat buyers. The same year, Supertech moved Supreme Court.

* 31 Aug 2021 Two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah pointed to "co-operation" between NOIDA officials and Supertech management. It also said that the approval plan for the twin towers violated the UP Apartments Act 2010 and the NBRs of 1975, 2005. 2006 and 2010.

* It held that Supertech hadmade misleading arguments and attempted to deceive bench while NOIDA officials had not carried out their responsibilities honourably.

* NOIDA officials informed SC in February 2022 that demolition work had started and will probably be finished by May 2022. The SC extended this to 28 Aug 2022.  

Demolition Cost

* Rs.20 cr or Rs.267 per sq ft.

* Edifice Engineering obtained a Rs.100-cr insurance policy to cover potential losses.

* Supertech paid about Rs.5 cr as demolition costs

* The rest (Rs.15 cr) would be covered by selling the 80,000 tons of debris.

My take

For the builder mafia, this is the second setback after the demolition of the two multi-storeyed towers at Maradu in Kochi, Kerala about two years back!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle after a half past 5. Had to be ready by a quarter to 7, as Anto came to pick me up to take me to the Perunthatta Shiva kshetram to offer 'bali tharpanam' for my Mom, on the occasion of her 6th Remembrance Day, by the Malayalam calendar.

Today was also Atham; another ten days to go for Onam.

Latha, the maid, comes for work.

Paritosh Nath and Joyce are reaching tomorrow for the darshan at Guruvayur temple. 

US Warships Sail Through Taiwan Strait.

The US Seventh Fleet has announced that a pair of Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers, the USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville conducted a 'routine' transit yesterday ''through waters where high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law". 

The United States demonstrated its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The ships transited through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state. 

The Chinese PLA said the US had 'openly hyped up' the ships' passage through the strait.

The US and Western allies have increased 'freedom of navigation' crossings by naval vessels of both the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea to reinforce the concept that those seas are international waterways, sparking anger from Beijing.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

Triggering an escalation? 

   *        *        *

A Fiasco Concerning Celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi

* A housing society in Coimbatore wanted to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi.

* They had to go to the police to get permission to bring in idol and carry out a procession.

* The police didn't give permission because the area has a majority of Muslims, so they daid that the celebration of a Hindu festival will cause law and order problem.

* The local Muslims went to the police and said that they don't have any problem and want to participate in the celebrations.

* The police still didn't give permission.

* The Hindus went to the High Court and put forth their case.

* HC didn't give permission saying it will hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims.

* The Hindu side said that the local Muslims were ready to celebrate.

* The court directed the Hindu side to get a written affidavit from the local Jamaat.

* The Hindus got that too..

* The court, finally, gave permission to celebrate with the following caveats :-

   > The idol should only be placed inside the housing society.

   > No music allowed.

   > Only puja and celebrations.

   > No processions should be taken out.

   > The police would be watching over the celebrations to ensure that no rule is broken.

* The justice was N Satish Kumar.

* I guess the police officers were overwhelmingly from the Hindu community. 

Courtesy. What'sApp

My take

Why was everyone scared in carrying out their duty?

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10.

Went to Thampuraanpadi junction to buy fish for Kittu and his children.

Sheena comes with her colleague, requesting for investment.

Over The Top (OTT) Platforms.

Over-the-top platforms, or OTTs, may lead to a repeat of the sudden death of VCR/VCP/DVD industry which had boomed in the '80s.

OTT platforms set to be a Rs.12,000 crore industry in India by 2023, a SBI Research report says.

Vital Statistics

* 18.4 crore subscriber count seen by free (ad-supported) OTT offerings as of 2017, which may rise to :- 

* 35.2 crore in 2022

* 46.6 crore in 2027

OTT Platforms May Expand Into

* Education

* Health

* Fitness

Subscriber Count of Major OTT Players

* Disney + Hot star        14 cr

* Amazon Prime Video    6 cr

* Netflix                           4 cr

* Zee5                              3.7 cr

* Sonyliv                          2.5 cr

7 - 9 % 

Share of entertainment industry share and revenue already chipped away by OTT, which is constantly growing with over 40-odd players and offering original media content in all languages

45 cr

OTT subscribers today in the country, as per various industry reports, which is expected to reach 50 cr by end-2023.

Strong Growth In Indian OTT Subscribers Is Led By

* Affordable high-speed mobile internet

* Doubling of Internet users

* Increased adoption of digital payments

* Discounted price offered by global players, 70 - 90% cheaper than the US

My take

We need to keep pace with the galloping technology!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a 10' past 10.

The maid had come in for work and so we didn't feel that it was a Sunday. Old clothes handed over to the maid.

The maha-episodes of Malayalam serials, "Ammayariyaathe" and "Kudumbavilakku" kept us occupied post-sunset.

Amalgamation.

Beauty in diversity! Gita, Sanskrit in Islamic institute's syllabus.

CP Rinshad, a native of Pattambi in Palakkad, is pursuing a course on Islamic Sharia. He is also taking classes on the Upanishads, Advaita philosophy and Bhagvad Gita, besides learning Sanskrit.

It is not simply out of personal interest that Rinshad is studying Indian philosophy and Hindu scriptures. This is how the Islamic sharia course, offered by the Thrissur-based Academy of Sharia and Advanced Studies (ASAS) is designed.

In a world where people are quick to ridicule beliefs that differ from theirs, ASAS shows how learning about such views widens a person's knowledge. This also makes the institution stand apart from other Islamic institutes. Run by Malik bin Dinar Islamic Complex, ASAS is under the management of Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyyathul Ulema, a Sunni organisation.

Samastha Ernakulam district secretary, a Sanskrit scholar himself, is the brain behind ASAS. "Here, we try to make our students aware of the rich diversity of Indian culture and inculcate a positive vibe in them at a time when they are bombarded with information that leaves them bitter", says Faizy, who did graduation and post graduation in Advaita from Sree Sankara College, Kaladi.

ASAS holds workshops on Sanskrit regularly and encourages students to learn how to speak the language. 

Students are admitted to ASAS after they clear the SSLC examination. Upon completing the eight-year course, they get a university degree besides a religious degree titled, 'Maliki'. The graduation is done under the distance education stream of the Calicut University.

Courtesy. MP Prashant in the NIE

My take

The amalgamation of different cultures and its assimilation widens the horizon of the human mind.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Washing machinex of bed linen and soiled clothes.

To the town to fetch grocery, fruit basket and vegetables just before lunch time.

Participated in the 583rd episode of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Laws for Protecting Women from Domestic Violence" by Adv Bhuvanendran, Mediator and Mediation trainer from 1600 - 1730 hrs. An interesting talk and interaction.

Watched the Malayalam serials on maha episodes and the Dulqar Salman starrer, "Kurup". 

'One Nation One Fertiliser' - Bharat.

In a single brand, name will help in the reduction of freight charges due to stopping of crisscross movement of fertilisers, reducing the transit time, ensuring the availability of fertilisers throughout the year irrespective of brand preferences - Government.

The concept  of 'One Nation One Fertiliser' (ONOF) will be implemented from 02 Oct. As part of the initiative, crop nutrients - urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) or muriate of potash (MOP), Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK) - will be sold under a single brand name - Bharat - irrespective of the manufacturing companies under the Centre's fertiliser subsidy scheme.

The ministry of chemicals and fertilisers have issued directives to all companies to use the new brand name and the logo of the subsidy scheme. Accordingly, they would be known as Bharat Urea, Bharat DAP, Bharat MOP and Bharat NPK.

It will also stop the diversion of urea for industrial purposes. 

"Farmers prefer to purchase urea of his choice. If a certain brand is not available, he doesn't buy it even though urea is the same. And there is a hue and cry that urea of a specific brand is not in the market".

The government gives a huge subsidy on these products which is more than the maximum retail price. therefore, the subsidy scheme will also be mentioned on the bag.

Courtesy. Parvez Sultan in the NIE.

My take

Yet another initiative for the well being of the farmers!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

Kittu kept us occupied with his delightful capers. 

Real-life hero or reel-life hero?

The infamous ISRO Spy case, which had hit the headlines in 1994, pertained to allegations of transfer of certain confidential documents on Indian space program to foreign countries by two scientists and four others, including two Maldivian women. The following were the repercussions, that had far reaching ramifications.

1) Scientist Nambi Narayanan was termed guilty - by the Kerala Police and IB - and was incarcerated in jail. Not only did he undergo the humiliation of having sold out national secrets, he lost his wife who was pained at the ignominy that her husband and the family were facing and passed into the mist of time..

2) There was almost a 20 year-setback to the Indian Cryogenic Engine project.

3) The then chief minister, K Karunakaran had to step down - though he was absorbed into the central  government immediately - and AK Antony had taken his place. There was a buzz then that, the Antony-faction within the Congress, had engineered this entire drama.

4) The case was re-opened in 2018 and the Supreme Court had found loopholes in the entire                  investigation and gave a clean chit to Nambi Narayanan, directing the state government to pay a 

compensation of Rs.1.3 crores which it did!

5) Nambi Narayanan, became a hero overnight and the general public felt bad that a good man had to

undergo ignominy for no fault of his.

6) The movie, "Rocketry : The Nambi Effect" which was released recently, spoke about the life and times of the scientist who had become a hero overnight.

Yesterday, a group of former senior scientists from the ISRO - Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) founding director, AE Muthunayakam, former VSSC associate director, Adimurthy, former cryogenic engine project director, EVS Namboodiri, former PSLV project director, George Koshy and D Sasikumaran, who had been falsely implicated along with Nambi in the spy case - said that they were forced to convene a news conference as:

1) Nambi Narayanan was embarked on a lie campaign, belittling the work of thousands of space scientists through the cinema and television channel debates.

2) Nambi Narayanan never had any responsibility in the development of liquid propulsion system development activities. {the film portrays Nambi as the brain behind the liquid propulsion stages). 

3) Nambi Narayanan claims to have worked closely with Vikram Sarabhai, Dhawan and Brahm Prakash, the stalwarts of ISRO in evolving the space program. This is totally against the facts on the ground because he had never worked closely with any of them.

4) The development of the cryogenic propulsion system happened after a report by experts - under the leadership of EVS Namboodiri - recommended that particular system for the launch vehicle of ISRO and Nambi was not even a member of this team and had made no contribution.

My take

Nambi Narayanan sir, the ball is now in your court! Or is it a wicked act by your jealous contemporaries? Awaiting your response.

Courtesy. The NIE

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready by 10. I'd gone through my exercises, both in the morning and in the evening, after a break.

It was a quiet day with both of us going through our normal, daily chores.  

   

Interesting statistics!

As per a 2011 census, there were 4,451,753 people, belonging to the Jain community, which comprised around 0.4% of the total Indian population. A majority of the community lives in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

The fifth National Family Health Survey 2019-'21 has pointed out that over 97.6% households of the Jain community have access to toilets. This is the highest overall national percentage in terms of having access to toilets. Madhya Pradesh has a Jain population of over 5.67 lakhs, Maharashtra has over 14 lakhs, Rajasthan over 6.22 lakhs and Gujarat over 5.79 lakhs.

Sharing details on religion-wise households having access to toilets, the survey points out that the people of the Sikh community hold the second position with 97.5% of total households having access to toilets in the country.

After the people of the Jain and the Sikh communities, the people of the Christian community hold the third position, with 91.2% of total households having access to toilets.

The breakdown of religion-wise households that have access to toilet facilities is given below :-

* Hindu                               80.7%

* Muslim                             90.3%

* Christian                           91.2%

* Sikh                                   97.5%

* Buddhist/neo-Buddhist.    87.8%

* Jain                                    97.6%

* Other                                 72.5%

This situation has come about after the country has promoted the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

The survey has also detailed that only 68.5% of people belonging to the Scheduled Tribes have access to toilets while 76.9% of people belonging to the Scheduled Castes have access to the facility.

My take

It's my fond hope that the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a step in the right direction and every household in the country will have access to toilet facilities in the near future!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores. Carried out the customary Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house.

The pressman, Selvam and the maid, Latha had come by.

The rain was on a low despite the fact that the district was under orange alert!

What's the Kerala government up to?

The relationship between the Governor and the Kerala government has been going from bad to worse and the possibility of an open confrontation has opened up. About a fortnight back, the Governor had refused to re-promulgate eleven ordinances which had lapsed, consequently. 

The Vice Chancellor of the Kannur University has been on a running tussle with the Chancellor - the Governor, of course - on many counts, the latest being the appointment of Ms Priya Varghese, w/o KK Ragesh, the private secretary to the chief minister, as an Associate Professor. Lacking qualification, she has been put first on the merit list, through questionable means.

A special Assembly session has been called from yesterday to enact the bills in place of the lapsed ordinances. The Government will endeavour to pass the bills during this session. However, two of the bills are raising a lot of heat.

1. The Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill

This piece of legislation aims to curtail the powers of the anti-corruption ombudsman with a major change. The Assembly will now be competent to take a call on accepting or rejecting the Lok Ayukta's verdict against the chief minister.

This is basically to allow the Assembly the power to review Lok Ayukta's verdicts related to the chief minister. Following on that, the chief minister will, in turn, take a call to review verdicts involving ministers. Further, the speaker will be empowered to take a call on verdicts concerning the MLAs!

My take

A classic case of setting a thief to catch a thief! Why, then, have a sham of a Lok Ayukta?  

# 25 Aug. And here's the latest. Yesterday, after tabling the bill, it was sent to a select committee that met in the evening. As per its recommendations, the Lok Ayukta would not have the power to probe into allegations against political leaders. 

My take, yet again

So, all our political leaders are clean.....can you beat that? 

2. Varsity Laws Amendment Bill

The University Laws Amendment Bill-2022 is part of the state government's move to cut the powers of the governor in his duties as 'Chancellor of the Universities'.

The dynamics of the bill which the LDF government wants to push through are:-

* Restrict the Governor's role in the appointment of the VC, by increasing the number of members in  the search committee, to choose the VCs in various universities, from three to five. The earlier search committees comprised nominees of the Governor, the UGC and the university senate's representative but now the enhanced committee will also see nominees of the state government and State Higher Education Council. (A quid pro quo for the government nominee to be cleared by the Governor - at all costs - with no discretion on his part).

* The retirement age of the VCs enhanced from 60 to 65.

Not to forget the fact that the contentious issue of the Kannur University VC Gopinath Ravindran's reappointment will get regularised once the bill is passed in the Assembly!

My take

What a tasteless way of carrying out business in the Assembly! And what happens to the bills passed by the special session of the Assembly if the Governor does not give his assent?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Another of those quiet days.

Al-Shabaab.

Somalia's notorious terrorist group!

Al Qaeda Links

Al-Shabaab emerged from Somalia's Islamic Courts Union that controlled central and southern Somalia for six months in 2006 before being ousted by Ethiopian troops.

The group which advocates a strict version of sharia or Islamic law, declared its allegiance to Al-Qaeda and was officially integrated in 2012. It was designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the US State Department in 2008.

Al-Shabaab fighters were chased out of their last bastions in Mogadishu in 2011 by a 22,000-strong African Union mission which has been in Somalia since 2007.

Spreading Peril Beyond its Borders

Al-Shabaab has carried out a spate of bloody attacks in neighbouring Kenya since its troops intervened in Somalia in 2011 as part of the AU force then known as AMISOM.

The deadliest was in Apr 2015 when 148 people, mainly students, were killed at Garissa University in northeastern Kenya.

In Sep 2013, Al-Shabaab claimed a bloody siege on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi that killed 67 people over four days.

In Jan 2019, an hour-long attack on an upscale Nairobi hotel complex left at least 21 dead.

Its first major operation outside Somalia was in Jul 2010 in Uganda, the main contributor to the AU force. It carried out suicide bombings in two restaurants in the capital, Kampala, that killed 76 people.

Foreign Forces

The UN voted in March to replace AMISOM with ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) which has a more offensive remit than its predecessor.

Its goal is to gradually reduce troop numbers to zero by the end of 2024 with security to be assumed by Somalia's army and police, although analysts doubt they will be made by then.

The force is drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, with troops deployed in Somalia.

In May, US President Joe Biden ordered the reestablishment of a US troop presence in Somalia.

My take

Many places in Africa are in a volatile state, where people seem to be hell-bent on annihilating each other for no rhyme or reason. The countries need to organise themselves into a confederation which safeguards security, healthy living emphasising quality education to one and all. Illiteracy and poverty need to be eradicated on priority! 

The United Nations needs to urge its members to help in policing the volatile regions and bring about a peaceful condition out there. The African people need that assistance, pronto.

Tailpiece.

It was a wet day to begin with. Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Sreejith brought back the Chevy after the fault was identified, isolated and rectified. The replacement of the bumper will be carried out in a fortnight from now once the spare arrives from Pune.

Had gone across to the bank to make a transfer to the caretaker for sprucing up Raj Nivas during Onam time. Bought grocery from the Harisree Supermarket on return.

It's pouring as I punch in this narrative.

Krishna Janmashtami.

We'd just celebrated Janmashtami, the 5,249th birthday of Lord Krishna, the other day. Let's have an insight into the 9th avatar of Lord Mahavishnu who oversaw good triumph over evil, during the 18 day war of Kurukshetra.

This Krishna Janmashtami was the 5,249th birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. As per Drik Panchang calculations by astrology scholars, Sri Krishna was born on 19 Jul 3228 BCE.

Living 126 years in mortal form and immortal in the hearts of the generations to follow for over 5,250 (3228 + 2022) years now, Krishna the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudeva was born on 19 Jul 3228 BCE into the Vrishni clan of Yadavas from Mathura (in present day Mathura district, UP), the capital of the Yadavas and lived until 3102 BCE. Ordained to be brought up as a foster child of Nanda and Yashoda of Gokul, Krishna's acts of balancing Dharma and cleansing Karma started with Putana and ended with his own clan.

Naughty as a child, lover as a lad, revered as God, benevolent as a friend, dutiful as a husband, strategist as a king, mediator as a relative, tactician as a warrior, guide as a charioteer, trusted as a counsel.....

Protector of Dharma;

Liberator of the Soul! 

Mortal as an Avatar,

Immortal as 'Collective

Consciousness'.......

Krishna, the inherence of creation

Krishna, the Dark Matter that fills

the universe,

that which is omnipresent but not

seen;

that which contains everything

that which is contained in

everything.......

Eternal and with a purpose, as 

every atom of this creation.

Krishna Janmashtami also known as Krishnashtami, Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Sri Krishna Jayanti or sometimes simply as Janmashtami; the annual celebration of the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, the Sustainer among the Holy Trinity.

The festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Shraavana (August - September).

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

The maid had come for work and therefore, we did not feel that it was a Sunday at all.

A quiet Sunday.

The chaos at the in-contruction Vizhinjam Sea Port.

Background

The construction of the Vizhinjam International Deep Sea Port was awarded to the Adani Ports and SEZ on 10 Jun 2015. The 1st phase will be completed by Onam-2023. Initial date of completion was slated, after 1,000 days from the start, between Dec '19 and Aug '20. However, Covid-19 provided the first reason for delay.  

The Imbroglio

Hundreds of fisher folk have been protesting in front of the Vizhinjam port entrance for the past three days demanding the state government open its eyes to their various livelihood issues. Led by the priests of the Latin Archdiocese, the coastal community members, including women from nearby coastal hamlets flocked to the entrance of the multi-purpose seaport, located at nearby Mulloor, in large groups since Monday morning.

A Fear Factor Added

The swallowing up of large swathes of the famous Shanghumukham Beach of Thiruvananthapuram and the nearby coastline of Kollam by the sea, in recent times, have been attributed to the strong northward tides caused, thanks to the protruding breakwaters of the Vizhinjam Port!

The Demands of the Agitators

They have put across 7 points which are :-

 (1) Halt the Adani Port project and carry out a proper study on its negative impact on coastal erosion. The team should comprise of experts and locals nominated by the protestors.

 (2) Implement the rehabilitation package, announced by the state government and extend it to all affected families. The government should provide temporary, rent free accommodation to those who lost their houses.

 (3) Take effective steps to mitigate coastal erosion and rehabilitate those affected by it.

 (4) Pay speedy compensation to the fishermen involved in sea accidents.

 (5) Address their livelihood issues including subsidised kerosene.

 (6) Address the dredging near harbour at Muthalapuzha.

 (7) Pay minimum wages on days forced to stay off work (adverse weather warnings).

Result

* The port building activities have come to a grinding halt.

* The agitators have begun talks with the government.

My take

It's my fond hope that the problems are solved at the earliest and the building-activities continue.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

Lekha goes to the ration stand to buy our monthly dues. Suraj was her sa'arthi.

Participated in the 582nd episode of Aazhchakkoottam : "Development and Local Agitations" by Dr NN Panicker, Development Scientist, from 1600 - 1730 hrs. A very interesting talk and subsequent interaction. 

The good doctor had invited me to an online meeting of his group called "Nattukuttam" that focuses on the problems of Kuttanad from 1930 - 2100 hrs. Must confess that it was a good experience.

 

   

Vostok 2022 and SCO drill.

Later this month, India is gonna attend the Vostok 2022 military exercises in Russia where the People's Liberation Army of China is also taking part.

China has confirmed that their troops will take part in the Vostok 2022 military exercises. India's 75-member contingent is ready and once the dates are confirmed they, too, head for Vladivostok. 

The Vostok exercises are due to start at the end of the month (tentatively between 30 Aug and 05 Sep) and will include Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan. 

India took part in the Zapad drills in Russia, which included 17 countries, including China and Pakistan. In Russian, Zapad means "West". It was a military exercise conducted on Russia's western borders to showcase their strategic capabilities and practice operational maneuvers. The Vostok 2022 exercise will be held under the command of the chief of Russia's general staff, Valery Gerasimov, at 13 training grounds of the Eastern Military District.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has confirmed that it will attend the international counter-terrorism exercises in India, around October, under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Those exercises are likely to be held in Manesar, Haryana. These exercises are under the ambit of SCO RATS (Regional Anti Terrorism Structure). India is chairman SCO RATS, this year.

My take

While there are tremendous opportunities while operating with the militaries of other nations, we must never lower our guard against China and Pakistan.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

To the town to fix up a few pending things. The Chevy's air conditioner's problem has, now, been experienced by the driver who was supposedly driving to The Quarterdeck from the service station. The return of the Chevy is gonna be delayed till the problem is licked.

Roy comes and checks distilled water levels in the inverter and the battery of the external solar light. He also did up a tap in the kitchen that had worked out loose.

Indian Football Mess A Red Card Offence.

Reproducing the NIE's editorial of today on a current, distressing topic!

Absolute chaos would be an understatement to describe Indian Football's mess. Perhaps the appropriate analogy is - like most natural disasters of the modern day, this too is man-made. What's worse there were enough clues to indicate that the international football federation (FIFA) would ban the All India Football Federation (AIFF) at any time. It was imminent the day the Supreme Court agreed with the Committee of Administrators (CoA) constitution that allowed 50% eminent players - 36 in number - to be included in the electoral college along with 36 state units to vote during the elections. FIFA had been against this particular point ever since because it was against their 'statutes' and they had told stakeholders to remove it or reduce it to 25%. What transpired between CoA, the sports ministry, FIFA and other stakeholders is shrouded in mystery but the way things panned out, there seems to be a communication gap between them.

After the ban, the ministry wanted the provision of 36 players removed and had discussions with the CoA on this. In the end, as expected, FIFA banned AIFF and said the U-17 Women's World Cup cannot be held without recognition. FIFA also said it has to repeal the CoA as it is tantamount to 'third party interference'. On Tuesday, there were indications that AIFF elections would be held with 36 state units.

There was an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court on Wednesday where the ministry sought time till Monday. If viewed from a distance, there was a  mess brewing since 2017 when the court tasked former bureaucrat, SY Quraishi and former India Football captain, Bhaskar Ganguly, as administrator and ombudsman, respectively, to draft the AIFF constitution. The draft constitution was submitted in a sealed envelope in Jan 2020. The then AIFF chief, Praful Patel, whose 12-year term ended in Dec 2020 continued in office citing pending case in court. What seems baffling is that the stakeholders are ready to tweak the contentious clause now, something that could have been earlier. In the end, players, coaches and referees are most affected because, according to FIFA, they are ineligible to play.

My take

It's the best example to show as to how individual interests had overtaken national interests!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

A quiet day.

The evening chores and was able to do up quite a lot of pending jobs, on line.

News today.

I would like to share with you the news of today that interested me.

1. Mental cruelty defined by Kerala High Court

A husband's repeated taunts that his wife does not meet his expectations and his act of comparing her with other women would certainly amount to mental cruelty. A woman could not be expected to put up with such behaviour; the court said while dissolving the marriage of a couple, who had filed for divorce 13 years ago, on grounds of cruelty. The husband had filed an appeal against the family court that had granted divorce to the couple.

In her petition, the woman alleged that her husband did not find her physically attractive and that she was an object of aversion to him right from the time they got married in 2009. She was 'not as cute as some other women he had met'. They stayed together for hardly a month after marriage.

The court observed it was difficult to provide a comprehensive definition of cruelty, as it changes as per the advancement of social concepts and standards of living. Continuous ill-treatment, cessation of marital intercourse, a husband's indifference and his assertion that the wife is unchaste, are all factors that would lead to mental or legal cruelty. "In fact, mental cruelty leads to constant disturbance of the other person's peace", the court said.

2. Talaq-e-Hasan not akin to triple talaq says Supreme Court

The court was hearing a plea seeking to declare 'Talaq-e-Hasan' and all other forms of 'unilateral extra judicial talaq' as unconstitutional claiming they were arbitrary, irrational and violated fundamental rights.

It said the case challenging the practice should not be used to further any agenda.

Talaq-e-Hasan is the practice by which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by saying the word 'talaq' once a month for three months. A woman can part ways with her husband through 'khula'. And if the husband and wife could not live together, it can also grant divorce on the grounds of breakdown under Article 142 of the Constitution.

The apex court will now hear the matter on 29 Aug. The petition filed by Ghaziabad resident, Heena, who claimed to be a victim of Talaq-e-Hasan, also sought a direction to the Centre to frame guidelines for neutral and uniform grounds of divorce and procedure for all citizens.

3. The Governor's correct decision

Priya Varghese had clinched the post of Associate Professor in Kannur University through backdoor methods of nepotism, corruption and the use of her husband's - KK Ragesh - position as private secretary to the chief minister.

This evening the Governor, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the Universities, has frozen the appointment.  

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10. Earlier, the monthly aarathi and the Wednesday aarathi were carried out.

Went to town to buy grocery and the fruit basket.

Our Chevy was taken by Sreejith to the service station for routine checks and corrections. 

Remembering Sri Aurobindo Ghosh.

India is celebrating its 75th year of independence. It would be appropriate for every Indian to know the following lesser known things.

Reasons for India's downfall over the years

While every year we celebrate Indian independence remembering the great freedom fighters whose sacrifices made us live in a 'free India', should we also not know the reasons for her downfall - 'a once great nation'?

The reasons broadly as mentioned by Swami Vivekananda are :-

 * A great national sin - the neglect of the masses.

 * Another great sin - neglect and oppression of women

 * Infighting among various kingdoms for power for centuries together.

 * Mass oppression in the name of religion/caste (Untouchability).

 * Monopoly of education.

 * Exclusiveness - not sharing the knowledge with other nations (All foreigners were called 'Mlechhas').

 * Lack of organisation.

 * Forgetting the essence of the great treasure of Vedanta.

The price of these mistakes has been huge. Are we making efforts to avoid these mistakes?

Rest is known history, how India suffered for centuries (due to the above) and the costly sacrifices it had to make to come out of the shackles of slavery.

Two threats to independent India

On the eve of Independence of the country, on 15 Aug 1947, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, a freedom fighter had remarked that 'India, today, is free but she has not achieved unity', subtly expressing his displeasure on partition of the country on religious lines consequent to those horrible communal moments preceding the independence. This is relevant even today.

He predicted two threats to independent India. Communalism and Communism (China); the more the country falls prey to the former, more and more the latter is imminent. Haven't we seen these predictions coming true with Pakistan (important to note that Pakistan once was a part of this country) which has been reeling under extreme bigotry and falling prey to China, thus, putting both the nations (India and Pakistan) in danger. Isn't there a lesson to be learnt on this aspect?

Invisible Personalities behind India's Independence

We often debate/even fight about whose efforts made Indian independence possible, is it Mahatma or Subhash etc. The answer lies here, as stated by Pandit Shriram Acharya, another god-realised sage and founder of the All World Gayatri Pawar at Haridwar.

"It is an undisputed fact that Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo and Maharishi Ramana did immense sadhana to uplift India and free her from the slavery of the British Rule".

Gandhi united the whole country in fighting against the British in the early 1900s, it was Swami Vivekananda, in the late 1800s, who through his soul-stirring speeches and immaculate character awakened the whole nation and made them mentally and spiritually fit to fight the then mighty British. Many of the prominent freedom fighters of India were thoroughly inspired by Swami Vivekananda - Don't we owe our lives to them?

Akhand Bharat

Today marks the 150th birthday of Sri Aurobindo who predicted the formation of Akhand Bharat (in the form of an Indian Union like that of the European Union) from the viewpoint of leading the world spiritually to peace (Vshwa Guru), not from a mean view point of having power. 

Be it history or mythology, the purpose is, current and future generations should learn from the good and bad deeds of the past. History should be a torch beare to the future generations. If we do not learn from history, these celebrations have no value.

Should we not do our bit in restoring India back to the position of Viswa Guru?

Courtesy. What'sApp

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

Washing machinex of bed linen.

A quiet day!

The Ashok Chakra.

Today being the 75th Independence day, it would be appropriate to know something about our national flag. So, I shall talk about the principles, the 24 spokes of the Ashok Chakra represent. 

So, without much ado, here I go.  

* Love

* Courage

* Patience

* Peacefulness

* Kindness

* Goodness

* Faithfulness

* Gentleness

* Self-Control

* Selflessness

* Self-Sacrifice

* Truthfulness

* Righteousness

* Justice

* Mercy

* Graciousness

* Humility

* Empathy

* Sympathy

* Spiritual Knowledge

* Supreme Wisdom

* Supreme Morality

* Altruism

* Hope

The principles are all encompassing! And the value of our national flag is priceless!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10. Watched the PM's Independence Speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort which was awe inspiring as usual.

Today, ten teams had participated in the National Anthem Singing competition at the courtyard of the PN Panicker Foundation. The Carmel Girls' High School team were the winners.

Lekha had prepared Coconut rice and butter paneer curry for lunch which was really nice.

Saw the serials.  

Sri Lanka permits Chinese 'spy ship' to dock.

After days of dithering, Sri Lanka has permitted the docking of the chinese 'spy ship' Yuan Wang 5 at its port of Hambantota from 16 - 22 Aug.

Days after asking Beijing to defer the ship's visit, Sri Lanka took a U-turn to allow the Chinese ship to dock in the island's port. The vessel was about 900 km away from Hambantota when the clearance was given and is now moving slowly to the port.

Colombo has said that the India-China stand off always poses challenges to it because while India is its neighbour, China is its biggest lender. It is a difficult situation, indeed for the island nation!

Incidentally, Sri Lanka and Nepal had recently reaffirmed the One China policy. And in return for Nepal's support, Beijing has pledged $15 billion as grants in assistance for projects selected by the Nepal government in 2022.

However, on 15 Aug, a day before the Chinese ship reaches the Lankan port, an Indian Navy Dornier 228 surveillance aircraft will be inducted into the Sri Lankan Air Force. It's a gift from India and Indians will supervise the operation of the aircraft. The second aircraft will be bought and its cost is yet to be negotiated.

As the Indian Ocean region gains prominence, many countries will get active and try to expand their influence. There will be crises, we need to take care of our national interests but can't claim exclusivity in the region, so said our foreign minister.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by10. The maid had come to work and therefore, the day didn't feel like that it was a Sunday. 

It was a quiet day. My moccasins, from Bata, reached me by evening.

Was really impressed with the extra fervour in celebrating the Independence Day, this time. Great! 

News at random.

1. KT Jaleel at it again. 

He has courted controversy, yet again. To quote an expert on similar issues, Jaleel has used the terminologies that Pakistan uses. He has termed Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as 'Azad Kashmir' and the areas comprising Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh as 'India controlled Kashmir'.  

In a Facebook post, while talking about his visit to Kashmir, he has criticised the Modi government for the 'miserable' life of the people out there, consequent to the scrapping of Art 370.

This evening, he has deleted the controversial post.

My take

Being an MLA, he must be aware of the ramifications of making such statements. My queries for him are given below :-

   * Are you limbering up for another major controversy that's gonna overtake you imminently?

   * This could, then, be a diversionary move. Isn't it?

   * Why is your sudden love for the people of Kashmir? 

   * Why haven't you touched up on the activities of the terrorists that Pakistan smuggles into this

      country? 

   * Why did you delete the post?

   * Surprised by the reactions from your own party?

You are a confused guy and need to hand yourself over to the process of the law. And the sooner, the better.

2. Salman Rushdie stabbed at Talk Show

He was stabbed multiple times just before he was to speak at a talk show in New York. The assailant had got on to the stage at the Chautauqua Institution's event and punched/stabbed the celebrated author 10 - 15 times, as he was being introduced to the audience. His interviewer also suffered minor head injuries.

The audience tackled the suspect and handed over to police custody.

My take

His fourth book, in 1988, The Satanic Verses, forced him into hiding for nine years after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa demanding his execution for the book's blasphemous content. Iran's bounty of $3 million to anyone who killed him also holds even to this day.

He continues to be in a critical condition!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10. Washing machinex of the soiled clothes.

It was a quiet Saturday.

Participated in the 581st episode of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Women power in Mountaineering" by Pricilla Marain from 1600 - 1725 hrs. 33 year-old and asthmatic, she had conquered Kilimanjaro 5,895 mts - the highest free standing mountain in Africa (It's not a technical mountain as it is not part of a mountain range) - last year, through sheer hard work and determination. The interaction, post talk, was interesting. 

   

A short story.

I'm just back from Walmart and I have to tell you this, I was behind a grandfather and his badly-behaved grandson. He had his hands full with the child screaming for candies, toys and all sorts of other kiddo things.

The granddad is saying in a controlled voice....."Easy William, we won't be long.....easy boy".

Another outburst and I heard the granddad calmly say : "It's okay William. Just a couple more minutes and we'll be out of here. Hang in there, boy".

At the check out the little horror is throwing items out of the trolley.. Granddad says again in a controlled

voice : "William, William, relax buddy, don't get upset. We'll be home in five minutes, stay cool, stay cool, We'll be home in five minutes, stay cool William."

Well, I was really impressed, so I went outside where the grandfather is loading his groceries and the boy into the car. I said to the granddad, "It's none of my business but you were amazing in there. I don't know how you did it.  That whole time you kept your composure and no matter how loud and disruptive he got, you just calmly kept saying  things would be okay. William is very lucky to have you as his granddad".

"Thanks", said the granddad. "But I am William. The little bastard's name is Kevin".

My take.

I think the day of confrontation just got over!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and I was ready by a quarter past 9. Before that, the three of us had breakfast and by 10, we'd gone to my cousin's office. After being there for a while, Lekha and I had gone to finish off our remaining serials. 

Set off to Guruvayur and reached the Chevrolet service station to show Shibu, the Chevy's problems. The a/c wasn't working because I'd shut it down. Period. Reached home by a half past 8. 

Opened up The Quarterdeck! Kittu was waiting for us and he went away only after having his food.    

US Navy ship arrives in India for repairs.

In a first, a US Navy Ship Charles Drew, arrived in India for carrying out repairs and allied services at Larsen & Toubro's (L&T) shipyard at Kattupalli, Madras on Sunday adding a new dimension to the fast expanding Indo-US strategic partnership.

The event signifies the capabilities of India shipyards in the global ship repairing market. The USNS Charles Drew will be at the Kattupalli shipyard for a period of 11 days and undergo repairs from 07 to 17 Aug.

At the India-US 2+2 in April, both sides agreed to explore the possibilities of utilising Indian shipyards for the repair and maintenance of ships of the US Maritime Sealift Command to support mid-voyage repair of US Naval ships. 

The country has seen significant progress in the Indo-US Defence relationship in the last couple of years.

My take

A great boost for the shipyards!

Tailpiece.

Our day had begun at a half past 3, the chores and we'd finally cast for Kochi by a half past 6, the delay being primarily caused by me.

Had breakfast of idlis at the Saravana Bhavan at Paliyekkara around a quarter to 8.

There were traffic stoppages enroute and I could drop Lekha at Floria around 10. I'd then gone across to the Santa Monica Travels to hand over a few documents.

Lunch at Aaryas at Panampilli Nagar and we then, went across to the INCS to renew our cards and for buying grocery and wines to stock up my cabinet.

Handed over Lekha's watch at the Titan's and we'd a short session at Bhima's too. 

Settled down at my cousin's place at 8.

It was a fairly long day!  

 

Trump phobia?

Is a section of the American population sure that Donald Trump would be elected president, again,  in 2024? I've heard that such a possibility is being discussed in many forums. The FBI raids of Trump's estate, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida just substantiates that fear and by trying to get its hand on anything, is it trying to fix the former President for good! Just my hunch, you know.

The FBI searched Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, a move that represents a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of the former president.

Trump did not elaborate on the basis for the search but the Justice Department has been investigating the potential mishandling of classified information after the National Archives and Records Administration said it had received from Mar-a-Lago 15 boxes of White House records, including documents containing classified information, earlier this year. The National Archives said Trump should have turned over that material upon leaving office and it asked the Justice Department to investigate.

Asked how the documents ended up at the estate, Eric - son of Trump - said the boxes were among items that got moved out of the White House during six hours on Inauguration Day, as the Bidens prepared to move into the building.

My take

What a messy affair! Just shows that the American politicos play real dirty; it would be interesting to note as to who wins in the end of this ugly tug of war. I think the more the Democrats try to throw mud at Trump, the Republicans and Trump will have the last laugh!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and carried out the usual Wednesday arathi. 

Offered the 'bali tharpanam' for my grandmother, Mrs PN Panicker on the occasion of her 31st Remembrance Day by the Malayalam calendar. Saw the crows swoop in on the offering after quite a wait.

Off to Thrissur for urgent purchases and pending work.

The dynamics of the new Electricity Amendment Bill.

The new Electricity Bill will radically change how we consume electricity and will end the 'Revadi

Culture'. After tabling it in Parliament, it has been sent to the select committee which will deliberate on it.

Freebies have become a menace in India. The culture has put a bad reputation on the concept of welfare state altogether. The electricity sector is also one of them where this infamous 'Revadi Culture' has reached. A radical change was required to course correct and the Modi government may have hit the nail right on the head.

Electricity Amendment Bill in Standing Committee

The Electricity Amendment Bill-2022 was tabled in Parliament. The bill seeks to transform the way in which companies provide us electricity and how we consume it. As expected, it was subjected to fierce opposition from almost every political party on the other end of the spectrum. These parties include Congress, Left parties, TMC and DMK among others. The bill has been referred to the parliamentary standing committee on energy, for wider consultations.

The Electricity Amendment Bill-2022 is being termed contentious for many reasons. On the face of it, naysayers are talking about it being anti-federal, anti-Constitution and many other names but the real reason behind its opposition is somewhat different. This bill seeks to end the socialist era of Babus and their patron, Netajis. In other words, the amendment is aimed at ensuring that consumers have a wider pool to choose their distributors from.

Will Increase Competition

The bill has provisions to amend Section 14 of the Electricity Act to bring more parity in distribution networks. If this bill in its current form takes the shape of law then all licensees will be able to use distribution networks, even in other distribution licensee's networks.

The amendment is designed to increase competition, ultimately leading to improved service accessibility to consumers. Similar goals will be achieved through amending Section 42 of the act.

Cross Subsidisation Sorted

By inserting Section 60A in the Act, the Modi government is attempting to streamline power purchasing and subsidisation in the sector. Currently, various populist governments have created a problem called cross-subsidy in the sector.

Cross subsidisation is the practice of charging higher prices to one type of consumer to artificially lower prices for another group. To provide freebies, a particular group of consumers is charged higher than normal. This problem will be solved if the bill were to be passed.

Balance Between Free Market and Legislation

Though the bill provides for easier introduction of the private sector, it also has provisions to strike a balancing line between free market and legislative orders. By amending Section 62 of the act, the government has made it compulsory for graded revision of tariffs over the years. However, at the same time, appropriate commissions have been mandated to fix a maximum ceiling and a minimum tariff.

The very fact that the private sector will be competing for providing electricity is not digestible to anyone even closely benefitting from the freebie culture in the sector. Throughout the last 7 and a half decades, politicians have gained votes by promising free electricity to various groups. While some of them like farmers, key industries needed it, the revadi culture ended up hurting state coffers more than it increased its productivity.

Debts Owed to Companies

According to report by the Power Ministry, states have to pay about Rs.1 lakh crores to power generation companies. Maharashtra with Rs.21,656 crores, Tamil Nadu with Rs.20,990 crores, Andhra Pradesh with Rs.10,109 crores, Telangana and Rajasthan with Rs.7,388 crores each are some of the major debtors of these companies.

All these problems have been caused because governments did not risk their voters to use free electricity efficiently. Rather than taking course corrective measures, governments are enabling more and more free electricity, sometimes to the tune of free electricity over months. The new bill will change that.

If you've any doubt over the efficacy of the bill, then just bear in mind that Arvind Kejriwal is opposing it tooth and nail.

Courtesy. Abhishek Kumar Singh in TFIPOST.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

It was a quiet Tuesday.

Fixed up things for tomorrow and for our impending trip to Kochi.

Transition in Kenya.

Spiralling prices, corruption and a mammoth debt mountain :  whoever takes the helm after Kenya's presidential election will face a raft of challenges.

Cost of Living Crisis

Demonstrators took to the streets in July, vowing to shun the ballot box in the face of ever-higher fuel and food costs. Inflation soared, hitting a five-year high of 8.3% in July.

The government, in May, had raised the minimum wage by 12% and last month pledged to halve the price of maize flour used to prepare ugali, Kenya's staple food.

From 7.5% in 2021, growth should average 5.2% in 2023 - 2024, according to the World Bank, which also forecasts deterioration in Kenya's trade balance this year.

Youth Time Bomb

With three quarters of the population under the age of 34, young people are one of Kenya's key assets but many struggle to find jobs.

About 500,000 students obtain a higher education diploma every year. But corruption, nepotism or the demand for experience are all obstacles to their entry into working life.

According to census figures published in 2020, five million young people were without jobs.

Corruption

Kenya's fight against graft has stagnated, says Transparency International, which ranked it 128th out of 180 in its 2021 corruption perceptions index.

Last year, outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta said at least $16.8 million was stolen each day from the government.

Last month, a candidate for deputy president was ordered to forfeit the equivalent of $1.7 million after he could not explain the source of the money.

Debt Mountain

By 2050, half of Kenya's population will live in cities, which will lead to a myriad of challenges such as education and healthcare.

To promote development, successive governments have pursued an ambitious program dubbed Kenya Vision 2030.

As a result, the debt has more than quadrupled to about $70 billion during Uhuru Kenyatta's near decade in office.

China is now second largest creditor, notably lending $5 billion for a railway linking Nairobi to the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa.

Courtesy. The NIE.

My take

I find the same culprits - China's investments on its own terms and conditions without caring a damn about the host country's economic health and an ambitious ruling elite, who do not care a damn about the welfare and well being of their own people but are busy in lining up their own pockets - in action. Hope the new President is able to steer the country to safety by the combined use of tough measures coupled with imaginative methods to revive the economy.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

Went to town to clear a lot of pending work. Meanwhile the new maid, Latha, was in action.

Naveen Malik wins gold

Naveen wins a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the 52 kg wrestling event when he beat Pakistan's Mohammad Sharif Tahir in the final. His victory, on his first outing itself, speaks about the saga of his parents' sacrifices.

Naveen's father, Dharampal Malik, who owns a small piece of land in Pugthala village in Haryana, has been doing the same chores for the last 10 years, so that his sons shine on the mat. His elder brother, Parveen who was pursuing Greco-Roman wrestling is employed with the Indian Navy, as a Petty Officer and is currently at the Raipur Akhada in Sonepat, where the Navy's wrestlers train.

The father used to travel 35 - 40 km every day, from his village to Sonepat to deliver milk, butter, ghee and home cooked food to his son. He used to leave his home at a half past 5 in the morning, board a bus to reach Sonepat, about two hours later. The mother, Gunwanti used to wake up at a half past 3, to cook food. 

The proud parents saw their son win the gold medal, yesterday at Birmingham!

Apart from studies, Naveen used to cook food, clean rooms and do other work while staying with his brother, Parveen. He also started practising wrestling and it was then that coach, Kuldeep Singh saw him and started training him along with other civilian wrestlers.

My take

Just as the individual players put in hard work to excel in their sport, their parents supported them whole heartedly, often sacrificing their own interests! Take a bow, all of you!! India salutes your selfless actions in contributing to the country's name and fame.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

It was a quiet Sunday.

Prabhu Anna's musings.

Going by the sequence of a few events over the last eight years, I think the gentleman is talking sense! Let's see as to what he says on Facebook. 

When Modi came to Delhi in 2014, he thought he'll create a Gujarat model.

Kept talking about it.

He realised that :-

* the judiciary was still with Congress.

* the media was with Congress.

* Bureaucracy was with Congress.

He just had Lok Sabha with him not even the entire Rajya Sabha.

BJP tried to nail Vadra, Raja, Kanimozhi and P Chidambaram.

It also tried to touch the others.

But couldn't.

Modi wasn't expected to last beyond one term.

But they didn't know the crafty Modi mind.

He pulled out a few magic public pulling events and became a huge crowd pullerin India and with the NRI crowd.

He promised change.

He promised to break the Congress 'loot maar' ideology which kept India a poor country but made its leaders rich.

Thus he got through 2019. He got another 5 years.

* Within the first year, he put his hand on Chidambaram though that man was not touchable yet finally, he was charged. FIR filed. Put in judicial custody for interrogation for 106 days. That's not a joke! PC's "strong legal team" would not let that happen. A team that knew how to manipulate the system and get the best out of it. Yet, despite everything they tried - they couldn't get their man out. The same Chidambaram who went in on day one, saying he'll be back for breakfast, took 106 days to return.

Unless the government had something to get him into Tihar Jail, it couldn't have put him there simply because the BJP wanted it. A matter worth keeping in mind.

* Corrupt Gandhi family being questioned by ED?

This wasn't possible before 2019.

All the anti-India forces living within the country, the NGOs, journalists, awardees who acted as "urban naxals" etc are being exposed and put behind bars.

This is all about the birth of a new India.

A self reliant India with modern armed forces and well guarded territories.

Lastly, every single anti-Modi entity is using whatever means they can to besmirch the Modi government.

They are all anti-India - Rajdeep Sardesai, Barkha Dutt, Ranna Ayub, the entire Congress High Command and the legal team that works for them, Kanhaiya Kumar and his ilk from JNU, Javed Akhtar, AAP, TMC, Shiv Sena, NCP.

You can add whoever else you think is anti-India.

You can make out from their posture viz. anything that is pro India is bad for them, anything that is done by Modi is wrong for them.

If India must become a global power, we must become a highly efficient nation.

We need a strong leadership.

A brainy leadership that we did not have had before.

This is the leadership that can lead us to global respect.

India must change

India must be re-born.

After 75 years.

We are seeing a PM who can create a truly great Bharat.

Yes, he's tough.

If you have a sportsman as a friend, ask him how difficult it is to train to be #1.

We need Modi more than Modi needs us.

India's time has come.

India has always been a great country with its rich ancient culture, heritage and values.

My take

Why don't all of us unite - irrespective of caste, creed, religion or political ideology - and strive to make India a great superpower? I'm sure we can do it because we have it in us!

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle after 6, the chores and was ready by a 10' past 10.

To Harisree Supermarket to buy grocery.

Participated in the 580th episode of Aazhchakkoottam : "Sex Education and Equality of the Sexes" by Dr Little Helen, Asst Director-in-Charge, Kerala Language Institute from 1600 - 1715 hrs. She'd delivered a prepared speech that touched upon all the right points but it was during the Q & A session that she showed as to how close to her heart the subject was, became emotional and touched upon her sustained efforts on that score. It was consequent to a few, among the audience, who had doubted the efficacy of the suggestions she'd put forth. 

I'd wound up the session - as Maman was away on work - and touched upon this aspect of Helen ma'am and had told her that her services would be needed for the Foundation.