Misplaced Victimhood, Javedbhai

Kapil Sibal made a private visit to Mumbai to talk to a gathering of around 200 Muslims. It was an honest attempt to understand why Muslims are feeling so insecure, ignored and alienated. In the gathering were two maulanas. When it was their turn to speak, both broke down, cried like children and could not continue. On September 18, the Mumbai edition of only one national daily published a picture showing minister for minorities affairs A R Antulay crying, with Sibal and another Union minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, trying to console him. The caption did not say why the minister, a Muslim, was crying. Why do you think he was crying, liberal Indian? (Hey, you liberal-Subverse-Opinion-The Times of India).

Javedbhai …

While you are busy accusing the media of selective amnesia, there are 4 aspects of Indian system which you are either ignorant of or possibly you suffer from amnesia yourself! Either be specific as this article is, which shows cases where the system has failed – or if you are being general, some balance is essential.

1. India has the lowest prison population in the world – bar none. At 250,000-350,00o for a population of 110 crores, it is remarkable achievement in crime management. Why not talk about this?
2. India has also the lowest police-to-population ratio in the world. So, India does not qualify for being a ‘police state’ either. No go!
3. Just like Muslims are being detained ‘illegally’ by the police, so are ‘Hindu’ naxalites and Christian ‘extremists’ in North East. So this does not wash either.
4. India has the largest Muslim minority in the world – and in fact the 3rd largest Muslim population in the world. Unlike many other countries of the world, the Muslim population in India is increasing. So, no Muslim pogroms! Bad luck, Brother Javed!

Causes and Effects

Now MJ Akbar (reportedly) pointed out the ‘probable’ problem – the ‘loss of Muslim leadership’, from emigration to Pakistan and the West. From being the ‘rulers of Hindustan’, if Muslims are asking for reservations, it is misplaced sense of victimhood being fanned by a ‘motivated’ and ineffective leadership.

The Indian Dalits are an excellent role model – for all minorities. From being at the bottom of the ladder (possibly due to colonial perversions in Indian society), I am looking forward to the Mayawati becoming the Prime Minister of India. In another few years, we will see no need for any reservations – unless, some minorities decide to stake a claim for benefits that were earlier meant for the Dalits. In the new Bombay Parsi Panchayat elections, some candidates have promised that they will ‘fight with the Government’ for reservations for the Parsi community.

Another set of role models are the Bollywood Khans. Gone are the days, when Yusufbhai had to become Dilip Kumar to succeed. Now (possibly) the Kapoors and Kumars are wanting to become Khans.

Salman Khan in a recent interview said that due to his prosecution in the poaching case, possibly, the Chinkara (Black Buck) has made a come back in the wilds of Rajasthan. Salman did not lay down and die – or start crying like the ‘sobbing maulanas’ and you are! He did not allege that the ‘Hindu’ state was out to get him!

Some faith and more हरकत (‘harkat’) can do wonders, Javedbhai. There is nothing wrong with India – at least on this score.

Find something real or someone else to blame, Javedbhai!

The Source Of Terror funds

It was later revealed that these drafts were issued by an ISI-controlled business firm in the Middle East and were meant for some wholesalers in Delhi and Mumbai. These wholesalers used to supply goods worth the amount received through draft to retailers in the Valley. Once the goods were sold by the retailers, the sales proceeds were passed on to terror groups.(Terror funds: Another Azamgarh connection?-India-The Times of India).

Oil Dollar Tango

The US has created ‘despotic’ regimes across the Arabic peninsula, whose main source of income is oil – prices of which are propped up at a high level to benefit each other. The West gets petro dollars – and The OPEC gets good prices.

Of course, there is the inconvenient reality of the poor of the world, who pay this price of Western and OPEC prosperity.

The high prices are finally paid for the poor of the world – and the fallout of the despotic regimes is spread over the entire Islamic world.

PM faces EU ire over ‘massacre’ of Christians

The European Union on Monday ticked off Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his government’s failure to prevent what it called a “massacre” of Christians in Orissa and Karnataka. This strongly-worded description of the violence in Kandhamal and the Bajrang Dal’s destruction of churches in Karnataka came during the India-EU summit here.

The issue was taken up strongly with Singh by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is also the head of the European Council, and Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission.(PM faces EU ire over ‘massacre’ of Christians-Europe-World-The Times of India).

Europe And Minorities

Mr.Sarkozy, recently, in the EU, Roma Gypsies, who are EU citizens, were profiled and expelled from Italy because of 1 incident (yes, one) where a White was murdered – allegedly by a Roma Gypsy. I speak for them, because, as you know, they are of Indian descent.

When you speak only for “Indian-Christians’ you reveal your own prejudices, Mr.Sarkozy. After all, by the same logic, you could have spoken for Indian Muslims too!

It is an (unfounded) fear and allegation that the Indian-Christians that you speak for, are unduly influenced by Western Christian missionaries – which you are strengthening.

This is actually a reaction to Indian law, as the majority Hindu population is disallowed from running their own religious affairs – ostensibly, to create a level playing field. Probably, Mr.Sarkozy, we will listen to you once, you allow a ‘minority’ of 2.5 crores to follow religions controlled from foreign shores – and don’t discriminate against them!

For a start, will you start with some Muslim North Africans, Mr.Sarkozy!

Indian Intellectual Vacuity – anchoring Bretton Woods III –

Let us pause here to reflect. The problems that the US and the rest of the world face today with credit destruction and crisis were caused by the “Bretton Woods II” exchange rate regime. In that regime, many countries kept their exchange rates in a quasi-peg to the dollar and lent to US households, which borrowed heavily. That has to be played out all over again for the bailout plan to work. In other words, the US is expecting to repeat Bretton Woods II to solve the problems created by Bretton Woods II. That does not sound like much of a solution but more like the creation of a new, bigger problem.

How will emerging nations respond? One must watch China. It anchored the Bretton Woods II regime.(anchoring Bretton Woods III – Views – livemint.com).

White Man’s Prize

The writer of this post, V. Anantha Nageswaran, (earlier mentioned as – Ramesh Ramanathan, who is actually the publisher), went to town recently because he had won some obscure prize given by the White Man. This award, he (and some others feel) qualifies them to write tripe like this.

Not once does he talk of an alternate currency system. Not once does he talk how India and China could partner a new currency bloc. Not once does he talk about the massive gold reserves which the Anglo Saxon Bloc had at the time of Bretton Woods in 1944 – which they do not have now.

He does not talk of oil – even once, which actually anchored Bretton Woods II.

Sad? Wrong!

It is pathetic!!

Announcement

The 2ndlook model for a Third currency Bloc is ready. Join in to review, participate, critique and develop the First Cut. While the need for a new global reserve currency has been evident, there is very little in the public sphere. The speed of events has clearly caught the BRICS and Third World napping – and unprepared. But, not 2ndlook – who, from the very beginning, proposed that the world should stop clinging to the Dollar-Euro skirts.

Financial Troubles Humble US

China, Saudi Arabia and other big foreign holders are unlikely to take antidollar measures precisely because they own so much U.S. debt. To the extent the dollar declines, so does the value of those nations’ holdings. Mr. Summers calls this situation “the financial balance of terror.” (Financial Troubles Humble US).

One Thing You Cannot Accuse The US Of …

Fraud …They have been open.

Ben Bernake was clear and upfront. He said he was going to print money …

He was also clear that he is not going to reveal how much money he was going to print …

And now Lawrence Summers has clearly defined the US strategy also.

You still want to be invested in the US dollar?

Tackling terror: India takes lessons from US-India-The Times of India

“While many of the things they do are too draconian for us to implement, there are other things that are interesting that we may have to look at, considering that there has been no attack on the US after 2001,” said an official familiar with the interaction between India’s NSA and Charles Allen, undersecretary, office of national intelligence and analysis under the Department of Homeland Security.(Tackling terror: India takes lessons from US-India-The Times of India).

Offshore Terror

There has been no terror incidents within the USA, my dear Mr.Narayanan, because they off-shored it. To Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan – and of course, India.

It is not a coincidence that all nation which are significant sources of terror were or are significant allies of the USA.

A dangerous bubble of derivatives trading

According to its quarterly report, the total amount outstanding in the derivatives market was $677 trillion at the end of 2007. This is a notional figure based on the face value of traded derivatives, giving an idea of the cash flow involved. And the total turnover (sum of buying and selling) of the derivatives trade in organized exchanges was $2,289 trillion in that year.

These are unimaginable numbers, normally found in cosmology or particle physics. In the real world, for the sake of reference, consider the gross world product for 2007, which is the sum of the value of all products and services created in that year – it is a mere $65 trillion, about one-tenth of the derivative market. (A dangerous bubble of derivatives trading-India Business-Business-The Times of India).

Paulson Thinks US$700 bn?

Not enough, Henry! This will take much more. Much, much more. How much more, I dont know! Nouriel Roubini says, 2.5 trillion. Kenichii Ohmae says US$5 billion.

The CDOs, CDS, swaps, options, swaptions – the whole market now resembles a betting ring. It is no longer about finance specialists.

Announcement

The 2ndlook model for a Third currency Bloc is ready. Join in to review, participate, critique and develop the First Cut. While the need for a new global reserve currency has been evident, there is very little in the public sphere. The speed of events has clearly caught the BRICS and Third World napping – and unprepared. But, not 2ndlook – who, from the very beginning, proposed that the world should stop clinging to the Dollar-Euro skirts.

The hunt begins to punish the culprits

“The scale of this problem has been unprecedented and I expect the response will be, too,” said Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor and now a partner at the law firm McCarter and English. Someone is going to have to pay for sending the financial world into a panic and wiping out the savings of millions. (The hunt begins to punish the culprits – Times Online).

The Earlier Collapses

During the tech meltdown, it was Bernie Ebers (Worldcom) and the Enron guys who were made the fall guys. In the 1989, it was Mike Millken.

But how about indicting Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernake?

Is there a police mindset?

Portrait of a suicide bomber

When Delhi police paraded three suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists – Mohammed Shakeel, Saquib Nisar and Zia-ur-Rehman – before the media last week in Arab-style kifayah scarves, little did it realize it would stir a hornet’s nest.

There seems to be a conscious effort to re-assert the identity of these youth – that of being Muslims.

A section of the Muslim community said that the scarves used were similar to those worn by Muslims, especially clerics. Some said they were part of a costume called the abaaya. Numerous e-mails and blogs said that parading those accused of the recent Delhi blasts in these scarves showed the typical mindset of the police. (Is there a police mindset?-India-The Times of India).

The Lowest Prison Population In The World

India has the lowest prison population in the world – ranging between 2.5 lakhs to 3.5 lakhs (250,000-350,000) for a population of 110 crores (1100 million). If one were to compare the Muslim prison population against the general Muslim population, there are an ‘extra’ 15,000-20,000 Muslim prisoners.

And what is the total Muslim population in India – more than 16 crores. This is the world’s largest minority Muslim population in the world – and also the 2nd /3rd largest Muslim population in the world.

India – Most Under-Policed Country In The World

It is also the most ‘under-policed’ country in the world. The Indian police is commendable job – with severe funding, equipment, manpower constraints.

They deserve better than this villification.

India – Most Affected By Terrorism

Apart from war torn countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, India is one of the most affected by terrorism in the world. In such a situation, for the administration, the police and the population to maintain a semblance of sanity, balance is creditable.

As MJ Akbar, observed,

“The Union and state governments have not been tested by a post-terror conflagaration because the overwhelming majority of Hindus have shown an exemplary commitment to peace, but this can hardly be taken for granted.”

Ultra-Orthodox vigilantes spread fear in Jerusalem

Some residents say the self-styled “modesty squads” are spreading terror among those seen as straying from the strict moral code demanded of the ultra-Orthodox in the more conservative neighbourhoods of the Holy City.

There life revolves largely around the study of holy texts and a strict dress code that has men sporting black coats and wide-brimmed hats and women covering their heads, arms and legs.

Two weeks ago police arrested two alleged members of a modesty patrol (Ultra-Orthodox vigilantes spread fear in Jerusalem – Middle East Times).

The Israeli Nation Model

Many in India believe that India should ‘learn from Israel’ on how to manage terror. What many forget is that

1. Israel is a nation of 7 million – which is the size of mid sized Indian city
2. Israel is practically funded completely by the USA
3. What future does Israel have once American funding dries up?
4. Its hostility with all its neighbours.