We

Vol-01. Issue-30. Bhopal. Monday Page-12. Price-`5/www.wethestate.com

he State

APRIL 22 TO APRIL 28, 2013

Rahul Gandhi's itinerary indicates serious electoral mission

Pooja Bhatt Hesitates to Talk about Rape Victims

Vijay Shah gets the boot for taunting CMs wife

T
BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ribal affairs minister Vijay Shah's relentShivraj Singh Chauhan could not save the BJP president Narendra Singh Tomar, but by then al secretary (organisation) Arvind Menon. As per of sacking Shah from the cabinet as he didn't find anything objectionable in the video recording of to Chauhan's wishes. Shah reached Bhopal on the instructions of state he hails from a royal family and wields much influence in Harsud and adjoining areas. Shah said, less efforts at trying to pacify an angry the decision to sack him had been taken in a meeting attended by Chauhan, Tomar and party generparty insiders, Tomar was not actually in favour Shah's speech in Jhabua. He, however, had to bow and as instructed by the latter gave his resignation The minister drove straight to Tomar's residence "I am in politics for the past 30 years and I have closely worked with the chief minister when he was not the chief minister and I was neither a minbhabhiji. I cannot in the wildest of my dreams mean any disrespect to them." ister nor a MLA. I have utmost regard for him and Blaming the media for the controversy, he said, "I statement in favour of Uma Bharti. day for him. In the early hours of Wednesday he can do nothing if selective parts of my speech are tually said and in what context. There was nothing wrong in it." against him ahead of the elections. shown. One would have to watch the entire CD for letter and also a letter of apology addressed to for "distorting his statements as part of a conspiracy against him". House. Shah reportedly told Chauhan that he had chief minister was not in a mood to give a second thought. more than one hour to understand what I had acAs per party sources, the fact that Shah wields Chauhan. He tried to put the blame of the media Thereafter, Tomar and Menon took Shah to CM enormous influence in his constituency Harsud and also some adjoining assembly constituencies is working in his favour and keeping him insulated against disciplinary action. Secondly, the BJP leadership is of the view that if it takes any action government's attitude towards women. against Shah at the moment, it would be giving legitimacy to the Congress' protest against the state strength of Shivraj Singh Chauhan cabinet has reduced to 32. They include 23 cabinet ministers and of Anoop Mishra. nine ministers of state. In September 2012, the strength of the cabinet rose to 33 with re-induction dropped from the cabinet in the past eight years on ers include Ajay Vishnoi, Anoop Mishra, Kamal Patel, Jugal Kishore Bagri and Omprakash did not face any direct charges and later made a comeback. Vijay Shah happens to be the sixth minister to be With Shah's removal from the state cabinet, the opponents within the party would grow stronger. not made any indecent statement, but an upset However, Chauhan sent his principal secretary

dropped the then minister Sunil Nayak for his ter Shivraj Singh Chauhan's decision to sack minister Vijay Shah from his cabinet over his reported sexist remarks, a section of party leaders feel this has served as a right message to those party leadNotably, in the recent constitution of team Rajers who might have thought of raising their voice nath at the central BJP level, many of Chauhan's detractors found prestigious positions whereas he board. This sent out a message to the party's rank himself could not make it to the parliamentary and file that Chauhan is gradually losing his command over the party, and in the time to come, his Whatever is the political fallout of chief minis-

How WE look it !

Manoj Shrivastava to Raj Bhavan to hand over the accepted it immediately. had to tender his resignation to the chief minister, ing acceptance.

resignation to governor Ram Naresh Yadav, who line electric multiple unit) train at Bhopal railway porters: "Vijay Shah came to see me. He tendered governor with my recommendation to accept it." his resignation. I have forwarded the same to the "victory" of their "Sadhna ke samman mein Congress maidan mein" campaign. Party leaders like Meanwhile, the state Congress termed this as a At the inauguration function of a MEMU (main-

who promptly sent it to the governor recommendister and the state party leadership for his demeaning words on women in general, what did him in was a loose comment on Chauhan's wife lo. Maine bhabhi ki taraf dekha kya bolti? Sadhna Singh. "Bhabhi ji chalo. Bhai-sahab ke saath to roz jaate ho, kabhi dewaron ke saath cha(Bhabhiji, why don't we go out sometime? You go public function in Jhabua recently. Though Shah earned the wrath of the chief min-

station recently, Chauhan told assembled re-

the charges of omission and commission. The othDhruve. Vishnoi and Anoop Mishra. However, they Also, Shah happens to be the second minister in

district Congress president PC Sharma, state ConHills police station and lodged a complaint against Shah for his remarks against women.

gress media-in-charge Manak Agarwal, Shantilal Padiyar and Abha Singh also reached Shyamala

out with bhai-sahab everyday, once in a while accompany the brother-in-law too)," he had said at a

assembly elections right from 1990. A tribal leader,

Shah is a five-time MLA who has been winning

the BJP government after 2003 who had to step Earlier, the then chief minister Babulal Gaur had

down because of his controversial statements.

. . . C a r to on by K G O J H A

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Capital

WE THE STATE

Air taxi service from Bhopal to Ujjain takes off

he air taxi service started between Bhopal and prominent pilgrimage centre Ujjain, received encouraging response on the inaugural day on Friday. The MP State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) has launched this service in coordination with Ventura Airconnect. The response was more than satisfactory for the inaugural flight, as the first flight which left Bhopal at noon found occupants for all the nine seats, while the return flight had eight passengers. The aircraft in service is a nine-

BHOPAL

seater Cessna Grand Caravan Aircraft. The flight would ferry passengers between Bhopal and Ujjain thrice a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The flight leaves Bhopal at 12.10 pm and reaches Ujjain at 12.50 pm. During return journey, the aircraft would leave Ujjain at 1.10pm and would reach Bhopal at 1.50 pm. MPSTDC regional manager MN Jamali told DNA that this is second such air-service in the region, while Indore-Bhopal service being the first one. He claimed that pil-

grims visit Ujjain in large numbers seeking blessing at Mahakal, so this service would offer an easier connectivity between Ujaain and other destinations. Recently, the special flight service offered by MPSTDC for the Allahabad Mahakumbh 2013 had received good response as the flights were running full during entire Mahakumbh. The special service was started on February 5. Significantly, India's first intra-state air taxi service connecting the

cities of Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur had taken off from in September 2011. The joint venture, promoted by Venutra Airconnect and MPSTDC was aimed at offering charter services and connecting new tourist destinations. The journey from Bhopal to Ujjain and viceversa will be conducted through a 9- seater Cessna Caravan in association with Ventura Air Connect. Service will be provided on first come first serve basis. Fair has been decided between Rs 1,500 and Rs 3,200. Air service will be available between Bhopal and Ujjain on three days of week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Does Chouhan fears trouble from Firebrand BJP leader Uma Bharti ?
Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, was badly defeated in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. The BJP campaign then was led by Uma Bharati, who was seen as one of the leaders who would shape the partys future while holding true to its core of militant Hindutva. She was an impressive public speaker with popular appeal. But as the party soon realised, the difference between a campaigner and an administrator is immense, and soon after, she had to be replaced. Babulal Gaur took over, but he didnt last long either, and when Chouhan took over, not many took him seriously . Chouhan is not an administrative genius ,This was proved when there was much talk of the power wielded by his wife, Sadhana Chouhan .He is neither as mercurial in public, nor is he likely to offer a birthday cake to Hanuman in public like Uma Bharti. He has a complex about not knowing English. He is intimidated by assertive professional women. Uma Bharti who stayed long with Rajmata Scindia has toured worldwide and her her fluency attracts media . Uma Bharati thought she was the best chief minister the state has ever had. But Chouhan has not allowed Bharati to return to the state ever since she left the BJP. Now when she returned it would be a trouble to maintain emotional equilibrium that has stood him in good stead However, Congress is of the view that ten years of BJP rule has set-in a strong anti-incumbency wave in the state which even the re-entry of Bharti will not be able to contain. BJP MLA and spokesman Vishwas Sarang said that the party was certainly going to benefit in the coming Assembly polls with the re-entry of Bharti in the party fold as she had her own dedicated vote in the state that resulted in the victory of her candidates in five seats in the 2008 Assembly polls. In 2008, BJP minus Uma Bharti had won 143 seats and later it wrested five more seats from Congress in the by-polls, taking its tally to a total of 148.Her party won five seats in 2008 managing to corner over 12 lakh votes totalling nearly 5.5% of the total votes polled in the 215 seats her party contested. She herself lost the polls from her home turf Tikamgarh. Besides, her party candidates got more than 5,000 votes in 75 seats, they were at

JP leaders in Madhya Pradesh feel Uma Bhartis re-entry in the party fold will help it in the state assembly elections slated around the year end. Uma Bharti's re-entry into the party fold in Madhya Pradesh is being seen as a positive factor by BJP leaders as far as the state assembly elections slated around the year end are concerned. In 2003, the Congress, under two-time

the third place at 27 places, secured second position on 11 seats and ensured the defeat of the ruling BJP candidates on at least 1718 seats, senior BJP leader and former MLA Narendra Birthare said Though politics may not be a simple arithmetic, but if these numbers are added to the BJPs 2008 performance, then it will strengthen the party in the upcoming Assembly polls, party sources said. BJP vice president Uma Bharti had recently said, I am sure (Chief Minister) Chouhan, on his own, would easily win 150 seats in Madhya Pradesh and it is now our responsibility to add to it. The BJP would definitely win more seats this time. However, discounting the claims of Bharti, state Congress media department chairman Manak Agrawal said, Strong anti-incumbency wave has set in Madhya Pradesh and the Congress will encash on it to form its government in the state by winning over 150 seats this time. Both Bharti and another BJP vice president Prabhat Jha, who was suddenly removed from the post of state BJP president, will ensure the defeat of Shivraj Singh Chouhans corrupt, anti-women and inefficient government, Agrawal said.

MP cadre IAS officer in race IFS officers promoted for Union Home Secretary post
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh cadre 1977 batch IAS officer Dileep Raj Singh Choudhary, hailing from Bhopal, has emerged as the frontrunner for the post of home secretary with the Union government. Present home secretary RK Singh's term ends on June 30 this year. DRS Choudhry is presently posted as secretary, ministry of steel with the Union government. The MP cadre officer has served for almost three years as additional secretary and then special secretary in-charge of Naxal management in the Union home ministry . In October 2011 he was appointed secretary , public enterprises, and later shifted in the same capacity to the ministry of steel. While in Madhya Pradesh, DRS Choudhary has served as collector, Betul and later as collector, Raipur, in undivided Madhya Pradesh. He has also served as housing board commissioner, registrar of cooperative societies, secretary and principal secretary , finance department. If Choudhary is appointed Union home secretary , he would be the third officer from the state to hold the post. The other two officers who have served as home secretary in the past are RN Banerjee, ICS and TCA Sriniwasa Varadan, IAS. Choudhary hails from a family of civil servants. His father and father-in-law, late MS Choudhary and late Brahmswaroop, have served as chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh.

BHOPAL: The state government has promoted 8 IFS officers of the 1983 batch to the additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF) rank and 7 officers of the 1989 batch to the chief conservator of forests (CCF) rank. BMS Rathore posted at the MoEF in Delhi has been given proforma promotion. AK Bhattacharya has been posted as APCCF, MP state forest development corporation (MPSFDC), Mangesh Tyagi has been posted in planning commission, TC Lohani has been posted as APCCF in MPSFDC, MK Sinha has been posted as APCCF to MP state minor forest produce federation, LK Chaudhry has been posted as APCCF co-ordination and MC Sharma has been posted as APCCF, regional, working plan, Jabalpur. Vishram Sagar Sharma on promotion to CCF rank has been posted as director, Kuno Palpur sanctuary . MS Dhakad who is currently serving at GoI has been given proforma promotion. Alok Das, who is posted in commercial taxes department, Indore, has been promoted to CCF. HU Khan has been posted as CCF, vigilance and complaints, OP Chaudhry has been posted as CCF, research and extension, Gwalior. Shamsher Singh posted at the WII, Dehradun has been given proforma promotion. Besides this, the state government also issued orders transferring 3 IFS officers. Consequently, APCCF(wildlife) Dharmendra Shukla has been posted as APCCF (IT), CP Rai has been posted as APCCF land management and PK Chaudhry has been posted as APCCF vigilance and complaints.

THE TEAM
EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR

DILIP OJHA BIPIN SASI

CARTOONIST

M.M. BAIG

EDITOR

STATE CORRESPONDENT

DR. K.G. OJHA RAJIV TIWARI

LAYOUT DESIGNER

SHAILENDRA PARIHAR
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR

ARVIND PAWAR
NEWS COORDINATOR

AKSHAY OJHA

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Editorial
not allowed the Congress from taking advantage of the situation. In a meeting held with the tribal affairs department officers after becoming the tribal affairs minister, Shah reportedly turned to a woman IAS officer and asked her to join him on tours of the state. There were some male IAS officers too but Shah's offer went to the woman IAS officer only. Taken aback by the minister's proposal, the woman officer got herself shifted to some other department after seeking help of the then governor Balram Jakhar. A few years ago, a woman from Khandwa, whose husband worked at Vijay Shah's gas agency, lodged a complaint with police that Shah harassed her husband as she did not fulfill his 'desire'. In reference to his utterances at Jhabua, Shah blamed the media. However, it is not the first time that he has done so. When his son's name surfaced in re-

WE THE STATE

ASTROLOGY
24-4-2013- Wednesday - Chettr Mah Shuklapaksh-Trayodashi (Chaturdashi Tithi Kshay) Positive direction- West and South Bad time - 12:35 pm to 2:12 pm Good time - 6:10 am to 9:22 am and 3:48 pm to7:02 pm 25-4-2013-Thursday - Chettr Mah Shuklapaksh-Poornima Positive direction- South and West Bad time - 2:12 pm to 3:48 pm Good time - 6:10 am to 7:46 am and 10:59 am to 2:11 pm and 5:25 pm to 7:02 pm 26-4-2013- Friday - Vaishakh Mah Krishnapaksh-Ekam Positive direction - South and West Bad time - 10:59 am to 12:35 pm Good time - 6:10 am to 10:58 am and 12:36 pm to 2:12 pm and 5:25 pm to 7:02 pm 27-4-2013- Saturday -Vaishakh Mah Krishnapaksh-Dwitiya Positive direction - North and West Bad time - 9:22 am to 10:59 am Good time -7:46 am to 9:20 am and 12:35 pm to 5:25 pm 28-4-2013- Sunday -Vaishakh Mah Krishnapaksh-Tritiya (Chaturthi Vratt) Positive direction- North and West Bad time - 5:25 pm to 7:02 pm Good time - 7:46 am to 12:35 pm and 2:12 pm to 3:48 pm 29-4-2013- Monday -Vaishakh Mah Krishnapaksh-Chaturthi Positive direction- East and North Bad time - 7:46 am to 9:22 am Good time - 6:10 am to 7:45 am and 9:23 am to 10:59 am and 2:12 pm to 7:05 pm 30-4-2013- Tuesday -Vaishakh Mah Krishnapaksh-Panchmi Positive direction- South and East Bad time - 3:48 pm to 5:25 pm Good time - 9:22 am to 2:12 pm -By AACHARYA SARVESH E-Mail: acharya.sarvesh@yahoo.com Mobile: 9826609192

nown more for the controversies he courted with his words and actions than his work as a minister, Vijay Shah (50) has been inviting troubles for quite some time. It was just a matter of time as to when he would be taken to task. The party leaders believe if Shah would not have made remarks against chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's wife, he would have again got away as he did in past. The Jhabua incident came to limelight only because of media. According to sources, who once were close to Shah, the minister was always known for his no-holds-barred attitude. There was no control on what he said. However, the party always ignored his eccentricities. Had action been taken against him in the past, or a warning given to him, perhaps the CM, or for that matter the BJP, would not have suffered such a humiliation. Also, it would have

Shah had to fall; it was just a matter of time

K

lation to a liquor baron's daughter's attempt to commit suicide at Indore a few years ago, Shah even then blamed the media. However, the tainted minister was not only inaccessible to media but he dumped even some of his close friends in the past few years, particularly, when his stature grew in the government. According to the party leaders, the corridors of power have several tales relating to Shah's 'colorful' life style but the party, or for that matter chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, never paid attention to same. It was the state BJP president Tomar himself who once saved Shah from an embarrassing situation when a traveling ticket examiner (TTE) of a train intended to lodge a report against him. In fact, of late, the CM rewarded Shah by making him the district-in-charge minister of Sehore, CM's home district.

Who would be BJPs new tribal face? Minors rape in

Tribal affairs minister Vijay Shah being sacked from the state cabinet, the question doing the rounds in the BJP circles is: who would be the new tribal face in the government? The question assumes significance as 2013 happens to be the assembly election year and the ruling party would put everything at stake to win the elections and retain the power for a third consecutive term. According to BJP leaders, Vijay Shah could not be termed as a true tribal face of the government, but still, of all the tribal leaders in the party, Shah's stature was only growing. He also had an enormous influence in his assembly constituency Harsud and adjoining constituencies. Shah came from a Gond royal family and hence received respect from the masses. The party leaders say the timing of sacking of Shah from the cabinet was not good, for the party needed him to counter Congress' tribal face in Kantilal Bhuria. Earlier, the BJP tried to promote Jagannath Singh, the minister for labor and leader from Vindhya region, as its tribal face, but he could not show much promise. Ranjna Baghel was another option for the party but she was found short of vision and leadership skills to mobilize the tribals. The woman and child development minister is known for corruption and malpractices. The choice is difficult and the timing significant. Hence, the party cannot afford to dump Vijay Shah forever. If he is not to get the ticket for 2013 assembly elections, the party would have to choose among his wife, a mayor, or his younger brother, an independent MLA or his elder brother, a bank manager. If Shah was overlooked entirely, he might prove to be a spoilsport for the party for around eight seats, which the party cannot afford, especially, when it is facing a major challenge to negate anti-incumbency . The party has to think of strategy as to how to counter the damage caused by sacking of Shah and find out a good tribal leader. It also remains to be seen if Chauhan inducts any tribal MLA in the cabinet to look after tribal welfare department. Apart from this, in the ministry of Shivraj Singh Chauhan and in the party leadership of state, there are few more faces that are publically exposed about their unhealthy behavior and vulgar statements. Some of them are even famous as don of their area and are also giving shelter to unsocial elements. In view of forthcoming elections, will CM formulate any strategy to cleanup such dirty spots?

Vastu Tips
A Basil plant can have a very
positive influence within the limits of a house. Bilva, Madhuka and Peepal are very favorable on the West of the house. Udumbara (Goolar) and Panas are favorable towards the South direction of the house. Coconut and Banana plants within house limits are very favorable, with respect to mental peace and health. Thorny succulent plants must not be grown within the house limits.

-EDITOR Email: editor@wethestate.com

s a second wave of protests hits the Capital triggered this time by the brutal rape of a five-year-old, made more shocking by the Delhi Polices callousness in investigating it, the massive outpouring of students onto the streets witnessed in the aftermath of 16 December seems to be missing. The gangrape of a 23-year-old student and attack on her friend on 16 December had seen an unprecedented scale of protests led by students in the Capital. While the weekend witnessed protests led by left-wing student groups at India Gate and near the police headquarters, the second wave of anti-rape movement seems to have been dominated by the political parties, most visibly the Aam Aadmi Party . That it is exam season in universities seems to have had a definite impact on the numbers turning out for protests. But that is not the only reason, students say, why the scale of 16 December protest is missing this time around. The decisive direction that the 16 December protest had is missing this time. The chemistry of a protest cannot be predicted or controlled. A moment cant repeat itself. And every moment is new. There is a lot of anger and disenchantment. In the days to come, in another context, another protest might erupt. One can only prepare and create a platform for protest.

Delhi: Why student protesters are missing

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Politics

WE THE STATE

Rahul Gandhi's itinerary indicates serious electoral mission

ahul Gandhi's itinerary during his two-day visit to the state gives a clear indication that the Congress vice-president will be in Madhya Pradesh on a serious electoral mission and wishes to get a first-hand feedback from the grassroots on the party's prospects for both the 2013 assembly election and the subsequent Lok Sabha election. During his stay in Mohankheda and later in Bhopal, Rahul Gandhi will have five rounds of meetings with the Congress workers. Two of these meetings will take place in Mohankheda and three in Bhopal. The list of invitees for the meeting with Rahul Gandhi indicates that he wishes to interact with leaders of all hues from all the 29 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state, which obviously covers all the 230 assembly seats as well. According to state Congress media incharge Manak Agrawal, those invited for dialogue with the Congress vice-president are district Congress presidents, vice- presidents, treasurer and block Congress presidents, incumbent MPs and MLAs, all the party candidates fielded in the previous assembly and Lok Sabha election and presidents of frontal organisations. In Mohankheda, delegates from BHOPAL

14 Lok Sabha constituencies have been invited. They are from Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Guna, Rajgarh, Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsair, Ratlam, Dhar, Indore, Khargone, Khandwa and Betul. In the second meeting organised in Mohankheda, Rahul will interact with elected represenatives of panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies. Invitees at this meeting are presidents, vice-presidents and members of district and janpad panchayats and mayor, presidents, vicepresidents and corporators of municipal bodies. In the meetings in Bhopal, Rahul Gandhi will address district Congress president, vice-president, treasurer and block Congress presidents, incumbent MPs and MLAs, party candidates in the previous Lok Sabha and assembly election and presidents of frontal organisations at Manas Bhavan. Party leaders from 15 Lok Sabha costiuencies have been invited for the meeting. They are from Sagar, Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Hoshangabad, Vidisha and Bhopal. In the second meeting being organised at Ravindra Bhavan, Rahul Gandhi will be face-to-face with elected respresentatives of the panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies from areas under these constituencies. In the third meeting, which will take place at state Congress headquarters, Rahul Gandhi will have interaction with the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates. Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of party affairs for MP BK Hariprasad will arrive here on Monday to take stock of the preparations being made for Rahul Gandhi's programmes in Mohankheda and Bhopal. He will also go to Mohankheda for the purpose.

Wheat at Re 1 and rice at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families

BHOPAL Wheat will be provided at Re 1/kg and rice at Rs 2 per kg to below poverty line (BPL) families from June 2013. At present, wheat is being provided at the rate of Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3/kg to Antyodaya families while BPL families are getting wheat at Rs 3 per kg and rice at Rs 4.50 per kg. Half of MP's population, around 3.50 crore people, will benefit from further subsidy being provided under the scheme. These include 8 lakh Antyodaya and 56 lakh BPL families. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced the new scheme during a public meeting at Gandhwani in Dhar district. This decision will put a burden of Rs 360 crore additional subsidy on the state exchequer. At present, 35 kg of food grain is being provided to Antyodaya and 20 kg to BPL families per month under Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana. The state government is already bearing a burden of Rs. 440 crore subsidy against the scheme. The decision by the state government to provide food grains at special concessional rates to BPL and Antyodaya families came ahead of the proposed Food Security Bill of the Union government. The Bill proposes to provide wheat at the rate of Rs 2/kg and

rice at Rs 3 per kg. An official communique said Madhya Pradesh was receiving food grains from the Union government for BPL families including wheat at the rate of Rs 5/kg and rice at Rs 6.50 per kg. The state government was already

bearing transportation and commission cost. In another important decision, the state government has also decided to provide iodised salt to BPL and Antyodaya families at the rate of Re 1 in all the 313 development blocks of the state with effect from June 2013. At

present, this facility is being provided in only 89 tribal-dominated development blocks in the state. The decision aims to promote health and nutrition. This decision would put an additional burden of Rs 40 crore per annum on the state government.

ecently I have read a small book titled We Indians. It is a 100 page small book written by famous leader Minoo Masani. Perhaps young people do not remember him. He was a great leader and founder member of the Swtantra Party along with RaJaji after our independence. He was also a member of the constituent assembly which prepared our constitution along with such stalwarts as Dr Ambedkar and K.M. Munshi. The Swtantra party was like the Republican party of the USA. It believed in small government, free enterprise and free markets, and little interference in the life of the people by government. In the sixties, those were the days of socialism and commanding heights of the government interference in business. The government was in almost every business from cycles, scooters to airlines. The once the Swatantra Party won 67 seats of Loksabha in an election of the sixties. After that it started declining and ultimately disappeared. But Mr. Minoo Masani went on becoming M.P. He was a strong critic of policies of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The book is a short history of India right from the earliest period to the modern age. The book was published by the Oxford University Press in 1989. It is obvious that a hundred page booklet cannot do justice to such as vast period. There are only glimpses of events. The idea of writing this article is that the contents of the book will be shocking to most Indians. I shall highlight these points. It starts with question what are Indians made of ? It declares that we are not a single race. The India is a melting pot of various tribes. For the last 5000 years the mixing is going on. Our DNA is a mix of Caucasian (Ancestors of white people), Scythian (what we call Shak), Mongoloid (ancestors of the people of East Asia) and larger portion of Dravidian (who came before Aryans). In Punjabi, Rajasthani and north Indians people the Cau-

DINESH BAHUVA Email: dbahuva@gmail.com

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Feature

WE THE STATE
The book tells us an interesting story about how Dravidians came to India. In the distant past South India and Africa were connected by land. Therefore Dravidians were migrated from Africa and they may be first descendants of primitive man. I have seen cave paintings at Bhimbetka near Bhopal (M.P.) which are around 11000 years old. Generally it thought that in India the Caucasians (Aryans) brought civilization into India. It is another myth. There people were nomads. You know from todays nomadic people that they are very backward. They go from place to place in search of food for them and cattle. Such people cannot develop civilization. We know from the examples of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa that civilization develops where people learn farming and there is plenty of water for farming (usually near river). The farming produces surplus crops which develops commerce. We know that both Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa were city states with well developed plans. The question now is that how Aryans spread all over north India. The book gives very curious answers. Aryans had horses which ware very suitable for war, while Dravidians had elephants which were slow (you the war between Alexander the Great and Purus). The Aryans accepted may customs from Dravidians. Before Aryans, Dravidians were spread all over in up to Afghanistan. There is a tribe in Baluchistan today which speaks the Dravidian language known as Brahui The Early religion of Aryans is nature worship. They used to worship the Sun, Wind, Moon, fire, the Sky, Lightening rain and dawn. The method was a prayer for bountiful crops, prosperity of family and community, which continues even today in villages. The oldest religious book of Aryans is a Rigved which is around 4000 years old. It contains prayers to gods (main is Indra) and system of sacrifice (part of crop and grass to put into fire). The development of Vedic religion is a long topic which prevents further discussion here.

We the Indians
casian portion is more? Therefore they are more white and tall. The people of the northeast, Bengal and Odisha have more Mongoloid blood. You can make out that from their faces. The people of four southern states have more Dravidian blood. They are dark skinned and short. There is no pure race in the any part of the world. Because throughout the history the all tribes have been not only migrating from one part to another part but, intermarrying. According to famous biologist Julian Huxley the only pure races in existence now are more primitive and backward people like the aborigines of Australia and the bushmen of Africa!. Or our aadivasis. There is a difference between race and language. A race has a common ancestor (or origin). Therefore people of the same race can speak different languages depending upon the place of their residence, culture, history of migration. The reverse is also true. People of different races speak same language. There lots of confusion because of mixing one with another. You will be shocked to know that there is no such thing as Aryan race! Aryan is a family of languages. The honour of creating such confusion goes to famous German Indologist Dr. Max Muller. Later on he understood his mistake and tried to rectified same, but it was too little and too late. In those days the word of Dr. Max Muller was word of The God for most prominent Indians, so the same misconception continues to this day. Every Indian student learns in school that Aryans were white race who came from central Asia and settled into the land of Sapt Sindhu (of seven rivers). Also Famous UNESCO conducted a study and declared that there is no such thing as Aryan Race. I am sure our holy man and persons from some organization will shout from rooftop that it is conspiracy of western powers to weaken the Aryan Race, as if we Indian Aryans are greatest power on the earth. Further UNESCO study concluded that Aryan were people inhabiting the steppes of Turkestan and central Russia using a common Indo-European language. That language is the ancestor of Sanskrit, Latin, Ancient Greek and languages today spoken in Europe. It also confirmed that population of the world is a mixture of various racial types (tribes). Lokmanya Tilak places original place of Aryan in Arctic region based on astronomical data. Surprisingly the most interesting works of our ethnic origin is not written by any Indian but by an Englishman named Sir Herbert Risely titled The People of India. (It is not true that every bit of knowledge of history has come from foreigners. We are busy with mythologies of The Ramayan and Mahabharata and refuse to believe any evidence to the contrary.) The Risely divides Indian people in seven groups. They are: Turko-Iranians(mostly found in Pakistan) Indo-Caucasians(People of Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir) Scytho-Dravidians(they are medium statured) Caucasian-Dravidians(People of U.P., Rajasthan & Bihar) Mongolo-Dravidians(From Bengal, Odissa & Assam) Mongoloid(From north east and lower Himalaya region) Dravidians(From south India & some portions of M.P. & Chota Nagpur) The book tells if somebody tells that say Aryans or Dravidians are original residents of Indian Please do not believe him. Historians really do not about it.

We are a country of bystanders who will stand back and watch

hen the anti-rape Bill was discussed in parliament , We have witnessed Member of Parliament arguing that condom commercials on TV vitiate the minds of the young and provoke them to immoral acts. It can be a topic of national debate but we can never understand why people rape, kill or torture. That is what sets most of us apart from those who commit such crimes. But we must realize that the danger is right here, waiting round the corner for the next turn. The rape incident of three minor girls has shocked and aggravated the Delhi once again. Why politicians and police administration are not able to guarantee the safety, that their own daughters and family members posses. When females are not safe in the capital of the country and a women lead state, we can assess the ground reality of other states. Sheila Dixit who is probably busy studying Modis modus of Operandi would not get time to listen to the voice of Delhi .No political party has come up with an assurance of safety and justice yet . No individual leader is ready to assure justice and security, The protesters believe that kicking any political party out of power would make us all safer. Lets believe that these protesters of Aam Aadmi Party have chosen the right path. But if you dare to Join them and protest for a cause, the police will beat you and humiliate you to that extent , that you will never think of raising a voice again . And if you are a female protester the police will detain you in custody and make you sweep and mop the floor .Later in near future Govt. will put the same policemen without moral values in buses for your safety . Will women passengers feel safe with such policemen? The police tried to suppress the matter of the Five year old rape victim and even offered Rs.2,000 to the family to keep quiet. Apart from the five year old rape ,a lot many incidents are reported which sparked outrage against police and politicians who are arrogant and without moral values. Goverment should spent money on the treatment of these arrogant police officers and erred politicians like Tribal Minister Vijay Shah(MP) , and minister Rajaram Pande(UP) for their mental illness The girl who was protesting for the five year old was beaten by an ACP. A country who prouds to call the nation of mahatma follows every other thing than his own teachings. Any Indian will prefer to confess to his/her neighbor than to the police. Police is only for the bureaucrats and politicians. They will charge money from the complainant and also slam some accusation on the complainant.The only cultured politician is West Bengal lawmaker Abhijit Mukherjee, the son of President Pranab Mukherjee, who makes cynical remarks on the women . These people who make derisive remarks on the women are not from a particular political party , they are everywhere around you , waiting for their turn . It is not TV , short skirts and or a political party. It is the knowledge that we are a country of bystanders who will stand back and watch. And perhaps later, well show some remorse. Knowing this fact that you cannot help yourself by seeking help from police or politician . You need to be more stronger for you and your loved ones .

BIPIN SASI

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

View Point

WE THE STATE

The necessity of Truth Commission in Kashmir Valley

POOJA TARTE Email: hirdelawassociates@gmail.com Abdul Majid Zargar with context to an establishment of truth and commission in Kashmir quoted that The state first killed people, and then it killed the truth. It now wants the linen soaked with the blood and honor of helpless population washed through an arrangement called as truth and reconciliation commission. The issue of Truth Commission in Kashmir cropped up again and again by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah after the discovery of so many unmarked graves. Scholars and jurists often argue that Truth Commission is formed after countries who vacilitate themselves from authoritarian state to democratic state. The reconciliation, rehabilitation, reparation and compensation is often done when countries go through transition and a new government is being elected. For instance when apartheid ended SATRC came into force and when East Timor got freedom from Indonesia, then emerged the Timor Lest Commission of Truth and Friendship. Kashmir has a different story . The conflict has not resolved there yet. The writer asserts that the truth and reconciliation commission differ in there authority for instance few recommend amnesty, few seizure or search and few prosecution. It is feared in Kashmir that the truth commissions will be used in Kashmir as tool to grant amnesty to al the army personnel, militant groups and all the heinous perpetrators of crime. The perpetrator holding such political powers will then confess the crime and amnesty will be granted to them and then will again walk freely without any fear. This will not curb down the problem but will lead to increase in number of rapes, molestations and abuses because there shall be then no fear of punishment. Regarding this issue New Delhi based advocate Ms. Warisha Farasat said that There is still no acknowledgement from the state about the serious human rights violations that have happened .There are still human rights violations going on. It is very important for TRC that there is a transition to a situation where human rights violations have almost completely stopped. I do not think that is the situation at the moment. Furthermore she argued that who are these people who will head a TRC for Kashmir, who will have legitimacy among all different stakeholders. In this context CM Omar Abdullah quoted, tragically we have locked ourselves into cycles of violence where protests leads to death leading to further protests leading to further causalities.

MY PERSPECTIVE

efore starting up of any new body of governance the Indian government should first put a ban on Draconian laws like ASFP through which these military people get easily released out of all charges. These are the laws due to which all the perpetrators enjoy impunity. These forces constantly get engaged in commission of crimes. The government should now become very serious in providing justice to women in Kashmir. There has been a continuous grave breaches of human right violations being observed in Kashmir. The situation of convalescence still persists in the valley . The nepotism by politicians, armed militant groups,

and high ranking officials has become conventional now. The officials who try to show honesty are killed or smothered down. As discussed earlier the women in Kashmir get exposed to attacks from everywhere. India should not ratify itself to the Rome statute. International Criminal Court is more of governed by its permanent members and is also subordinate to the United Nation Security Council. If India ratifies the statute then there will be too much of political interference into the internal affairs of the state. The fear of India to be a part of Rome statute is justified but yes women in Kashmir valley are crying for justice. As per the aforesaid discussion International Criminal Court has the provision in chapter VII, wherein non-members of International Criminal Court can be brought into jurisdiction, if there are very heinous crimes committed in such a non member state. Furthermore, scholars often argue that truth and reconciliation commission comes up after a war ends and a new government is elected. According to few Indian jurists Kashmir has a different story where the war is still going on and so its difficult to create a Truth Commission therein. I deny the above fact and favor the establishment of a Truth and reconciliation Commission in Kashmir termed to be as the Kashmir's truth and reconciliation commission. The members of such Truth Commission should be the leaders from India as well as Pakistan who will be voted by the democratic people of India and by the people of Pakistan. The leaders need to be efficient people working for NGO's, professors from legal arena and attorneys from courts. There has to be more and more active participation of women in such Truth Commission. Such Truth Commission should be formed to have in rehabilitation, reparation, reconciliation and compensation programmes. The option of granting of amnesty should not be a part of such Truth Commission so that the offenders are punished through trials and justice is delivered to the victims. In conclusion a Truth Commission is ultimately a better option and the setting of such impartial body of governance will be a indubitable step to provide justice to women in

Kashmir Valley. In this context the journalists of India are of a view that The people of Kashmir valley are wounded physically, socially, culturally and psychologically due to the long turmoil. The afflictions are deeply engraved in the hearts and minds of people. Kashmiris are left with the only question. The step towards establishment of a Truth Commission will be a step towards peace in the valley .

RECOMMENDATIONS

martya Sen once said, The most important argument for focusing on women agency may be precisely the role that such an agency can play in removing the gender based inequities that depress the well being of women. It becomes very important that women should be socially as well as economically independent. Women should be encouraged by families as well as the society to come in power and participate in the bureaucratic operations of the state. The women victims should be provided with monetary funds in order to equip them to start their own business. In context with Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan should join their hand for helping out the women victims and curbing down poverty and violence. This is a century of globalization and so are the global citizens who should chime in together to heal up the widespread torment. The UN donors need to assist the needy with financial help. There is an urgent need to adopt the practice of vetting and to suspend all corrupt officials from the bureaucracy . It is very important to have in fair and just channelization of the compensation that has to be provided to women victims. An active participation of NGO's from the international arena is a need of an hour. There should even be an increase in the role of media activities covering the suffering of the needy and in creating awareness amongst the stronger section of the society. Truth should be revealed through sting operation programmes, rally and interviews of victims by journalists, etc. In the context of Kashmir issue, the writer asserts that it is very important to have workshops on awareness and teaching them to defend themselves in situa-

tions of conflict. There has to be more of a gender sensitive reparation policies and a special unit to investigate war crimes from the gender perspective. There is an urgent need to set up a womens task force with more participation of women. The running up of such task force needs to be done by women. Such participation should be done from various sectors like that of media and communication, health sector, legal sector, security and defense, education sector, personality development sector and psychological sector, hence encouraging women from each and every sphere of the society. If we are serious to bring a change in the condition of women and girls and help them to lead a normal life, then we should empower women and girls with education, so as to bring a positive change in the society . This can be done by setting up grass root level organizations to articulate and press for the need of education and awareness. The past situations can only be dealt by creation of powerful multiple mechanisms. It focuses on the need to create governance which could focus on the political, social and economic rights of all the citizens irrespective of gender race or status. It is very important to have a truth and reconciliation commission in Kashmir as the life there in is becoming miserable. The fear of India to ratify to Rome statute is also justified but at the same time justice has to be delivered to the victims. I favor Omar Abdullah but at the same time strongly oppose the fact of granting impunity to the wrongdoers, if in case a truth and reconciliation commission gets established in Kashmir. I have grown up in a country where, even today a large part of the female population is unprivileged, uneducated and struggles for a respectable living. With this work, the writer tried to throw some light on the complicated situations of the silent playing women population in Jammu and Kashmir. Our long term goals should be focused on to make a contribution, however small, to the health and happiness of her fellow citizens, by narrowing the circle of unequal and unsustainable life. A little step can make a difference for our fellow beings.

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Glamour

WE THE STATE

ooja Bhatt, one of the heralders of adult films in mainstream Bollywood, is cautious of expressing solidarity for the rape victim, reported agencies The 41-year-old actor-turned-director producer of films like "Jism, "Rog", "Paap", "Jism 2" said that she doesn't chance voicing her opinions on rape victims since she has promoted obscenity . Bhatt deeply upset with the ongoing social crisis tweeted, "This is not a world to bring more

Pooja Bhatt Hesitates to Talk about Rape Victims

children into. This is certainly not a nation to bring more daughters into. Violence is their destiny ." But then she added that many feel she doesn't stand the right to support the rape victim. She later posted on twitter, "Each time I speak up about rape or sexual abuse, some 'saint' tells me that I have no right to since I introduced a 'adult film star' to Bollywood." "I humanised an 'adult film star' and got her accepted into the mainstream. The rest of Bollywood is now free to objectify her like they do most women." Bhatt had introduced Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone in Bollywood with her film "Jism 2". Leone features in Sanjay Gupta's "Shootout at Waadla" for which she shot a raunchy item song "Laila". Bhatt had also introduced Bipasha Basu in the role of a seductive vamp with her erotic thriller "Jism" (2003).

Dangerous trend: Celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan encouraging mob justice ?

Jaipur: This incident has the potential to trigger off a dangerous trend as many people, including Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan seem to be favouring mob justice in barbaric rape-cases similar to five-year-old girl rape in Delhi. We are entering a dangerous territory as a 25-yearold rape accused was beaten to death by the father and brother of the allegedly raped girl in Bhilware district of Rajasthan. The incident occured at Ahinsa circle under Subhash Nagar yesterday where Prem Shankar and his son Shyam beat up Shankar Lal Jat, police said on Saturday . Jat was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. The daughter of Prem Shankar was allegedly raped by Shankar a few days ago and an FIR in this connection was lodged on Thursday, the police said, adding that the father and the son duo were absconding. After the brutal rape of a five-year-old in Delhi, people are protesting on the streets. They are increasingly getting frustrated at the apathy shown by the Delhi police, politicians and administration in taking concrete measures to curb the menace. Such is the level of anger that civil society runs the risk of being barbaric. But if everyone tries to settle score like this then very soon there will be anarchy and bloodshed on the road. Sadly, our icons seem to be getting swayed away with the enormity of the crime and happen to instigate people to take law in their own hands. Reacting to five-year-old girl's rape, Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog: Even animals have certain codes of conduct! Jails are not the solutions...keeping them bound and confined shall not change them or their thinking...They need to be made examples of. They need to be shamed first publicly and then left to the public to deal them justice in whichever way they see fit." Perhaps, time is running out for the government as people are getting impatient. But, this should not be an excuse for us to tread the path of criminals. (Agencies)

he cupid couple Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are celebrating their 6th Wedding Anniversary today. So on this occasion We The State wish them a very happy anniversary! After six years of their married life, the couple is now proud parents of 15-monthold baby girl named Aaradhya. The smallest member of Bachchan family, Aaradhya, became a child celebrity with shutterbugs trying to capture her photo. This year, the anniversary is very special for the couple because their little angle Aaradhya will be with them. According to reports, the couple will be celebrating their anniversary in New York. They were in Vancouver, Canada recently for the TOIFA awards, where

Aishwarya And Abhishek Bachchan, Happy Wedding Anniversary

Abhishek said while receiving an award: "I really owe this to Aishwarya and the love and support she has given me. She makes me the person that I am."

After the award ceremony, the trio left for New York, where they first visited Shweta Bachchan's motherin-law Ritu Nanda, who has been hospitalised.

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Commerce

WE THE STATE

espite Chief Minister Nitish Kumar persistently pressing for a special assistance package from the Centre for Bihar to give boost to states miserable economy , still the backward state spends a whopping sum of

NEW DELHI/PATNA

Bihar among most spenders on VIP security

Rs. 141.95 crore annually to provide security cover to its 3591 VIPs, much higher than other richer states. Considering Bihars per capita income of just over $430, the colossal expenditure on VIP security raises questions over governments fiscal management.

Bhopal jewellers fear shortage of gold

f you are thinking of buying gold, you might as well hurry . While the retail gold market in city has been riding high - having recorded almost 50% hike in sales during the past few days due to the dip in the prices of the yellow metal -- a crisis might be looming in the coming days. The bullion and coin wholesalers have almost stopped the supply due to the price slump, and the impact of the restricted flow of the metal to retail market might start showing soon in form of shortage of raw material. Thus, jewellery and other retail gold items might get hard to come by in the near future even as the marriage season has commenced. Bhopal's New Market Sarafa Association vice-president Manoj Agrawal said that the market for gold is uncertain and the prices might go down further. The combined effect of sharp rise in sales by about 50% and the decision of the bullion traders to hold back their stock in hope of a surge in prices, could create a serious shortage of gold in the coming days,

BHOPAL

he said. Amrapali Jewelers manager Subodh Soni said, "We suffered huge losses due to sudden decrease in gold rate, but increase in selling of gold by up to 50%-70% has compensated our losses. The market is on boom due to Pushya Nakshatra (on Thursday) and the wedding season." Gold sold at Rs 26,400 per 10 grams and silver at Rs 45,000 per kg on Thursday . Small jewellery shop owners have already started feeling the impact of short-supply. Tirupati Jewelers owner Chintu Agrawal said, "I think in the coming days there will be a major problem for both buyers and retailers." He, however, added that during the last three days, the sale of gold doubled and Pushya Nakshtra made a big difference. Wholesale supplier Jai Mohan Agrawal, however, disagreed that hoarding of bullion was a trend. "Some suppliers might have possibly blocked the bullions, but it doesn't apply on all the wholesalers. I have not stopped supply of coins to the retailers. And I am happy with the decline in the price of gold, because it has got the market going again."

Rajasthan doubles alcohol revenue in five years

emand for engineering graduates in the IT industry is reducing due to slowdown in revenue growth, change in business mix and preference for science graduates to lower costs, says a new report. "We attribute slowdown in absorption of engineering talent to slowdown in revenue growth rates of Indian IT, change in nature of demand (BPO and infrastructure management services) and effort by companies to lower cost of delivery by recruiting science graduates for delivery of services," a Kotak Institutional Equities report said. The report said business mix of Indian IT is changing with incremental growth accruing from analytics, consulting, BPO etc., which requires employees with different skill profiles. "Protectionism and expansion of delivery network to other low-cost locations such as Mexico, China and Eastern Europe are leading to accelerated hiring by companies outside India," it said. The report said TCS recruited over 5,000 non-Indians in the past four quarters while Infosys has significantly stepped up hiring in local geographies. "In addition, many new deals involve re-

Demand for engineering talent declining in IT industry: Report

Jaipur: Despite tall claims to curb alcohol consumption in the state, the revenue of excise department has almost doubled ever since the Congress government came to power in 2008. In 2007-08 the revenue of the excise was Rs. 1,805.12 crore which rose to almost 100 percent in 2011-12 to Rs. 3,287 crore. Till Decem-ber 2012 the department has already earned Rs. 2,803.72 crore which is likely to break all previous records by the end of financial year in March 2013. Of total revenue received in 2011-12, Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is the highest contributes with Rs. 1,298.63 cr. followed by country liquor Rs. 913.64 cr., beer Rs. 666.01 crore and others Rs. 408.72 cr. Meanwhile, with an eye on assembly elections this year, the state government is planning to impose a ban on liquor across the state and has formed a five-member committee to submit its report within six months to the government.

NRI deposits in Kerala stands at Rs. 62,708 crore

badging of client employees. This reduces demand for Indian engineering talent," it added. The report said supply of engineers has also increased aggressively over the past few years. "India now trains more engineers annually

(1.5 mn) than China (1.1 mn) and the US (0.1 mn) combined. This may lead to meaningful underemployment or stagnating wages," the report said. Excess supply will give companies flexibility to recruit in line with requirements, it added.

Thiruvananthapuram: The bank deposits by Non-Resident Indians (NRI) in Kerala stood at Rs. 62,708 crore till December 2012, bankers said on March 26. There are now around three million Keralites who work in foreign countries, close to 90 percent of them in the Middle East countries. Maximum deposits were done in the State Bank group, which attracted 40.58 percent or Rs. 25,445 crore of the total deposits. The private sector banks aggregated a total NRI deposit of Rs. 23.395 crore. The semi-urban areas of Kerala accounted for 62.85 percent of the deposits followed by 31.34 percent in the urban areas with the rural diaspora accounting for a mere 5.81 percent of share in the deposits. Within the State Bank group, Keralas own State Bank of Travancore led with Rs.17,258 crore of NRI deposits.

BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Heritage & Tourism

WE THE STATE

Kerala beyond the backwaters

The largest fort in Kerala, Bekal Fort was built from the sea up. There is plenty to explore in this fort; stairways and tunnels, a water tank, temples and mosques nearby and plenty of views of neighbouring towns from the observation tower. There is also a beach adjacent to the fort.

erala is famous for its backwaters, luscious green terrain and laidback environment, but Kerala has much more to offer outside of its usual tourist hotspots. Sean Sequeira lists out the best of the lesser known destinations in Kerala.

BEKAL FORT

Getting there
Known as 'The Niagara of India', Athirappally Falls is best seen during or after the monsoon. Apart from the views of the waterfall, there is plenty of other sightseeing for wildlife enthusiasts including fauna like the Lion Tailed Macaque, Great Indian Hornbill and Cochin Forest Cane Turtle.

ATHIRAPPALLY WATERFALL

Getting there

A fairly unknown destination, Vagamon is a hill station located 1,100 meters above sea level which is nicknamed Scotland of Asia. The most enchanting highlights of Vagamon are the beautiful valleys and meadows which are covered green by the thick flora. The meadows make for an excellent picnic destination.

VAGAMON MEADOWS

Closest airport: Mangalore Domestic Terminal Closest railhead: Kasargod K-Tees Residency (Rs 1,800 per night) Chandralayam Homestay (Rs. 1,500 per night) Edakkal Caves are located 1,200 metres above sea level in the Ambukuthi Mala mountain. The caves have pictorial writings with human and animal figurines. which date back upto 7,000 years and are rumoured to have been made by the Neolithic man. These are the only known carvings in south India which date back to the Stone Age. Closest airport: Kozhikode International Airport Closest railhead: Kozikhode The Edakkal Hermitage (Rs 2,750 per night) Green Mountain Cottages (Rs 1,046 per night)

Place to stay

Closest airport: Cochin International Airport Closest railhead: Chalakudy Riverok Villas(Rs 1,226 per night) KTDC Tamarind Kalady(Rs 1,097 per night)

Getting there

Places to stay

Closest airport: Cochin International Airport Closest railhead: Kottayam Green Meadows (Rs. 3,000 per night) Chamundi Hill Palace (Rs. 1,600 per night)

Getting there

Place to stay

Place to stay

Unique Palapur Kuno sanctuary set to give tourism boost

BHOPAL Madhya Pradesh can expect a big jump in wildlife tourism, as Palpur Kuno, set to get lions from Gir, would be the only habitat in the world to have three big cats, the lion, the tiger and the panther in one habitat. Lion tourism attracts a sizeable number of visitors in Gujarat. This was the principal reason for Gujarat refusing to let the lions go to MP, a move which would make Gujarat lose its unique position of being the only state in the country to have Asiatic lions. Also, Palpur Kuno is geographically located very close to the renowned Ranthambhor tiger reserve in Rajasthan that attracts sizable foreign and domestic tourists. Kuno Palpur is about 100 km from Ranthambhor and tourists that visit Ranthambhor could also add Palpur Kuno in their itinerary . The habitat comprises of dry deciduous shrub vegetation. The most common trees are kardhai and saalai. Being dry in nature, the area offers very good visibility of wildlife. A total of 24 villages have been relocated from the reserve and the former agricultural fields of the village have developed in grasslands that are ideal habitat for game. The sanctuary has registered the presence of tigers that have returned to the area in the last few years. Panthers are also found in the reserve. Restrictions imposed on number of tourists at the prominent tiger reserves of the state like Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench could also be an advantage for Palpur Kuno. Presently, Palpur Kuno has very basic tourist amenities and hardly any tourist traffic. The sanctuary has a forest rest house located on the banks of the river Kuno and the closes hotels are at Shivpuri and Sheopur. "We will examine all future prospects and plan to strengthen our presence in the area," said managing director, MP state tourism development corporation, Raghwendra Kumar Singh. "I am aware of a few hotel and lodge owners who were looking to set up shop in Palpur Kuno. However, no one was sure whether the lion project would eventually be executed. Now that it has happened, I anticipate a big rush for Palpur Kuno," said former MLA and treasurer of the eco-tourism society of

India (ESOI). From the management and protection point of view, the Palpur Kuno sanctuary would present a fresh set of challenges to the forest department. One of the key reasons cited by Gujarat in the

SC in not wanting to part with the lions is the poor protection record in Madhya Pradesh. "All arrangements required to accommodate the lions once they are here are in place," said CCF, lion project, Sudhir Kumar.

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BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Must Read

WE THE STATE

he Red Brigade ( a self defence group ) was formed in November 2011 to fight back against a growing number of sexual attacks on women in the Madiyav area in the city of Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh The male tormentor of the young women of the Madiyav slum did not spot the danger until it was too late. One moment he was taunting them with sexual suggestions and provocations; the next they had hold of his arms and legs and had hoisted him into the air. Then the beating began. Some of the young women lightly used their fists, others took off their shoes and hit him with those. When it was over, they let him limp away to nurse his wounds, certain that he had learned an important lesson: don't push your luck with the Red Brigade. Named for their bright red outfits, the Red Brigade was formed in November 2011 as a self-defence group for young women suffering sexual abuse in the northern Indian city of Lucknow, 300 miles south-east of Delhi. Galvanised by the gang rape and murder of a 23year-old medical student in Delhi last December and the nationwide protests that followed against a rising tide of rapes, they are now gaining in confidence. From a core membership of 15, ranging in age from 11 to 25, they now have more than 100 members, intelligent and sassy and with a simple message for the men who have made their lives a misery: they will no longer tolerate being groped, gawped at and worse. Their activities are a lesson in empowerment. Men who fall foul of the Red Brigade can first expect a visit and a warning. Sometimes the Red Brigade will ask the police to get involved, but if all else fails they take matters into their own hands. Their leader, 25-year-old teacher Usha Vishwakarma, has her own experience of the daily danger faced by many young women in the country . She was just 18 when a fellow teacher tried to rape her. "He grabbed me and put his hands round me and tried to open my belt and trousers," says Usha, sitting in the bare-brick front room of her small house. "But I was saved by my jeans because they were too tight for him to open, and that gave me a chance to fight, so I kicked him in the sensitive place and pushed him down and ran out of the door." No one at the school took her accusations seriously, telling her to forget it and stop causing trouble. The experience left her traumatised and for two years she did nothing. But little by little her confidence came back. In 2009 she set up her own small school for local girls in an outbuilding next to her family home. Yet all around her, she says, she saw more and more young women suffering the same abuse she had faced. And it was threatening to wreck the chances of her young female students. "Parents were telling girls to stay in their homes so there would be no incidents. They said, 'if you go to school, boys will be troubling you, so stay home and there will be no sexual violence',"

Women hit back at India's rape culture

T

Pooja Vishwakarma, 18, left, a captain in the Red Brigade, during martial arts training. The brigade takes direct action against their tormentors and now when a local man steps out of line, he can expect a visit from the group
says Vishwakarma. "But we said no, and we decided to form a group to fight for ourselves. We decided we would not just complain; we would take a lead and fight for ourselves." They bought red kameez (shirts) and black salwar (trousers) and began to plan the fightback. "We chose red because it means danger and black for protest," says Vishwakarma. There is much to fight back against. "It is in the minds of men that girls are objects and it has been like that always," says Vishwakarma. "Religion shows women as very powerless and that whoever is strong can do anything." Other members of the group drift in and join her, sitting on the bed along one wall of the front room. At the other end of the room is a table laden with the placards they carry with them when they go out to protest on the 29th day of every month. The demonstrations mark the date of the Delhi bus rape and murder on 29 December. Their slogans read: "Stop rape now" and "We want safety". "In the electronic era there are pictures everywhere of women and girls being treated like objects. It is now very simple to see pornography and it is feeding the hunger for sex. The men think that if you are looking sexy, then you want sex," says Vishwakarma. They have started martial arts training so that the men do not have a physical advantage over them. Pooja, Vishwakarma's 18-year-old sister, laughs as she recalls the reaction of the boy they grabbed in the street when his taunts became too much. "We all stopped and turned round and we surrounded him and grabbed his arms and legs and he thought it was a joke, but we were not kidding and four of us lifted him in the air and the others started to hit him with their shoes and fists," she says. The rough justice the Red Brigade metes out might seem extreme to western sensibilities, but many Indian women are making it clear that they are no longer prepared to put up with endemic abuse. That much is clear from the crime figures: reports of molestation in Delhi are up 590% year on year and rape reports by 147%. The rape cases have hit tourist numbers, which were down 25% in the first three months of the year 35% fewer women are travelling to India. The Red Brigade say sexual abuse is a part of daily life for young women like them. They all have stories of abuse, attempted rapes and daily harassment. "This is what happens in India," says 16-year-old Laxmi, one of Vishwakarma's lieutenants. "These things happen all the time. All of us know this, so don't let anyone say otherwise. This is why we have formed the Red Brigade." Seventeen-year-old Preeti Verma nods in agreement. Her family are too poor to have a toilet in the house, so she has to go out into the fields, she says. Every time she went out, the man in the neighbouring house threw stones at her to try to scare her into jumping up. "He wanted to see my body," she says. "I told him: 'What are you doing? You are shameless, don't you have a mother and sister in your house?' But he replied that his mother is for his father, his sister is for her husband and that I was for him." She told Vishwakarma, and the man received a visit from the Red Brigade and another from the police. She has had no trouble from him since. "We've caught a lot of men recently," says 17-year-old Sufia Hashmi. "I joined up because men always used to pass comments on me and touch my body, but now we beat them the men cannot do anything and they run away . You feel powerful and you feel good." The next day , they gather on the roof of a gym across the city to run through their moves, a mixture of kicks, punches and throws. An instructor shows Pooja how to use a wooden stick to keep a boy at bay . She holds it against his assistant's throat and the boy looks terrified. The others gasp and giggle. Yet it is not just the young men of the neighbourhood that the Red Brigade must overcome. Many of the members are very young and, although some of their parents are supportive, others are convinced they are wasting their lives. "The attitude of my parents is very demoralising," says 16-year-old Simpi Diwari, a tiny young woman who a few moments ago was kicking away the legs of one of her colleagues. "I want to be like Usha, fighting against the cruel things, I want to be a teacher and a motivator too, but I am fighting with my parents just to be allowed out of the house." On the way back to the slum, the rickshaws pass a public park and for a moment these tough young women show themselves for what they really are children forced to grow up fast. They beg and plead to stop. "Please, please," they say , their eyes gleaming in excitement. Shrieking gleefully , they race off towards the swings, slides and roundabouts. Later they stroll back through the market, eating ice-creams, heading for their homes. The sun is low in the sky , the shadows long. The men watch sullenly as they pass, like wolves who have just discovered the sheep are armed. No one risks a word.

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BHOPAL April 22 to April 28, 2013

Region

WE THE STATE

Now Tomar does a

BHOPAL ended up with his foot firmly in his mouth. In Shajapur, when journalists drew his attention to Congress allegations of a possible involvement of the BJP in the Bengaluru blasts that took place near the saffron party office, Tomar said Congress was in habit of seeing the BJP's hands in everything. "Congress ko har cheej me BJP ka haath dikhai deta hai. Hum log majaak me kahte the ki agar kisi Congressi ke ghar me bachcha hota hai to usme bhi BJP ka haath dikhai dega (we often joke that even when a baby is delivered at a Congress party member's home, he sees the BJP's hands behind it)," Tomar said. The sexist innuendo in Tomar's remark elicited sharp reaction from the state Congress. Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Ajay Singh said the same Narendra Singh Tomar who

Shah, Cong up in arms

The very same day he gave marching orders to tribal affairs minister Vijay Shah for making sexist remarks, state BJP president Narendra Singh Tomar

taught a lesson to Vijay Shah on the latter's indecent remarks against women, has now himself made an indecent statement. "I used to think that Tomar was a serious leader, but his remark has broken the image I had about him. He lacks depth," said Singh, talking to the journalists. He advised that dirty, mean politics is not going to help anyone and so every politician should avoid making such remarks. On Vijay Shah, Ajay Singh said the former minister's habit of bragging was well known to all, but this time his comments were too "private and sensitive". Despite several attempts, Tomar could not be contacted.

Social media to influence elections in 17 of MP's 29 Lok Sabha seats

BHOPAL Madhya Pradesh's not so tech-savvy chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan joined the micro-blogging site twitter last month, becoming third BJP chief minister to do so after Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh. The move might have surprised some. But analysts say it is a wise decision, given the findings of a new study . Social media is likely to inthe medium impact constituencies in the state. The rest of the 12 constituencies would be no-impact constituencies, and surprisingly these include the constituencies of Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (Guna), Kamal Nath (Chhindwara), Sushma Swaraj (Vidisha) and Narindra Singh Tomar (Morena). May be Shivraj Singh Chauhan himself realized the potential of the social media, or his advisors ensured it, last month Chauhan finally joined Twitter. Chauhan started tweeting from March 8 and this will help him to hone his social media strategy ahead of the polls. According to experts, social media is quite influential when it comes to directing public perceptions and influencing their decisions to some extent. In India at present, the number of Facebook users equals almost to the population of Madhya Pradesh (over 7 crore), the second populous state in India In this 'simplistic' study, social-media-impacted constituencies are those where Facebook users are more than the victory margin of the winner in the last Lok Sabha election, or where such users account for over 10% of the voting population. While as the medium impact constituencies are those where it has been assumed that a Facebook user can influence one other voter who may not be on Facebook. Given this background, social media is likely to influence the elections to some extent. According to the data available, nearly 10 crore Indians use the Internet each day , with 4 crore of them having an assured broadband connection.

India now gets a first 24-hour matrimonial channel

New Delhi: Shagun TV , said to be the countrys first 24-hour matrimonial channel, will be launched on April 26. To be carried nationally across north and west India, it will be distributed through direct-to-home and digital networks. It is being launched by Vertent Media. The channel, conceptualised, conceived and promoted by media man Anuranjan Jha, is said to be full of entertainment, fun and amusement related to matrimonial content.

fluence politics and elections in over half of Madhya Pradesh's 29 Lok sabha constituencies in the forthcoming 2014 general elections, the new study suggests. According to the study by IRIS Knowledge Foundation and supported by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), elections in 17 parliamentary constituencies of MP would be influenced to varied degrees by the social media. Of these 17 constituencies, 9 are high impact, 5 are medium impact and 3 are low impact. In MP, the high impact constituencies include Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Rewa, Satna, Dewas and Dhar. Sagar, Hoshangabad, Khandwa, Balaghat and Khargone are low impact constituencies, while as Ratlam, Shahdol and Mandsour are

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BHOPALApril 22 to April 28, 2013

Nation

WE THE STATE

Palpar Kuno is waiting for lions: Chauhan

BHOPAL Dubbed as the 'Pride of Gujarat', Asiatic lions hitherto found only at the Gir reserve in Gujarat would get a second home at Palpur Kuno sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan welcomed the Supreme Court order allowing the transfer of Asiatic lions from Gir in Gujarat to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district. The matter had been lingering for the past 20 years and the judicial pronouncement on Monday would put an end to the years of resistance by Gujarat in 'sharing' lions with MP. However, in a setback, the Cheetah reintroduction also proposed at Palpur Kuno will not take place as the apex court has ruled it out. The chief minister said that adequate arrangements have been made at Palpur Kuno sanctuary to accommodate the lions when they arrive there. He said wildlife is safe in the state and hoped that the lions would flourish once they are here. The Supreme Court allowed the transfer on the grounds that Gir presently is the only habitat in the country for Asiatic lions, and that they face the risk of extinction. A second home for the lions is necessary, the court said. Gir has about 400 lions presently. A total of 92 lions have died at Gir, including 83 of natural causes, in the last two years. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Dharmendra Shukla said that he would be in a position to comment on the court order once he sees it. "The habitat at Palpur Kuno is ready to accommodate the lions and we will wait for the modalities of the transfer to be worked out. Many aspects of the transfer are still to be worked out by the government of India," said Shukla. "While the necessary arrangements for the lions are in place, some minor preparations at the field level that need to be made will be done once the details of the transfer are worked out," said Sudhir Kumar, chief conservator, Lion Project, Gwalior. The state, however, received a setback on

the cheetah reintroduction case. The reintroduction of the cheetah from Namibia to the Palpur Kuno sanctuary that had been stayed by the Supreme Court was cancelled on Monday. The court felt that projects dedicated to saving Indian species should get precedence.

An expert committee headed by retired IAS officer MK Ranjitsinh identified Kuno as an ideal habitat for re-introduction of Cheetahs, which had got extinct from India in 1952. Kuno had a cheetah population, till they were hunted down in the early 1900s.

NEW DELHI ndias Supreme Court took up a new and highly contentious topic last week whether pornography leads to sexual assault and should, therefore, be completely banned in India. The Supreme Courts interest in the issue comes in response to a petition that asks the government to enact a law that would make even viewing pornographic materials a nonbailable offense. Distributing pornographic materials is already illegal in India, but the related laws are vague and rarely enforced. I believe that watching porn corrupts people, and many of the crimes that happen to women, girls and children, such as sex-trafficking, are mostly related to pornography, said Kamlesh Vaswani, the author of the petition and an intellectual property rights lawyer who said he became interested in the issue after seeing the impact of pornography in his hometown of Indore. India has been reeling from reports of rape and sexual violence directed at women and girls. The fatal gang rape of a young woman in Delhi on Dec. 16 prompted the government to pass strict new laws about sexual crimes, but reported rapes have risen sharply this year and many say the police response remains inadequate. Last weekend, Delhi again erupted in protests after the parents of a five-year old girl said that the police refused to register a complaint that their daughter was raped and a police officer was filmed slapping a female

protestor. The Supreme Court has asked the Ministry of Information and Technology, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Home Affairs to respond by April 29 to the petitions allegations that existing laws are not protecting women from the negative fallout of pornography. As Internet penetration grows in India with the availability of high-speed data services and the spread of smartphones, pornography is spreading rapidly here, even though publishing or distributing it, in print or on the Web, is illegal under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act of 2000. There is some evidence that Indians are more actively seeking pornography on the Internet than citizens of many other countries: Google searches for the word porn, as a proportion of total Google searches, have increased five times between 2004 and 2013 in India, according to Google Trends. Over that period, India ranked fourth worldwide, after Papua New Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, and Pakistan. New Delhi, population 16 million, was the city with the highest-worldwide percentage of searches for porn in 2012. Dallas was the second highest. One of every five mobile users in India wants adult content on his 3G-enabled phone, one 2011 study by IMRB concludes, and pornography Web sites rank among the most popular in India. Sunny Leone, an Indian-origin Canadian porn star, became a popular in

India after appearing on the Bigg Boss house here in 2011. Its a far cry from just a decade or so ago, when the sight of a naked woman on a movie screen, much less at home on the television, was rare here, outside of a few seedy cinemas and the occasional, much-circulated video. Pornography corrupts the mind and causes sexual excitement to grow, said Vijay Panjwani, the lawyer who argued the petition on behalf on Mr. Vaswani in front of the Supreme Court last week. When a release is not found it leads to acts of sexual violence against women. Whether viewing pornography can be directly tied to sexual violence or rape is highly debatable. A common criticism of pornography is that it has a lasting effect on the minds of regular viewers by shaping the way they think about sex and encouraging aggressive behavior. What happens when a culture is saturated with sexually explicit images eroticizing male domination and female subordination? asked Gail Dines, a sociology professor, and Robert Jensen, a journalism professor. They argue that most pornography contains images of physical and verbal abuse of female performers and skews the viewers attitudes towards sex. Some sociologists say that in India, the negative effects of viewing pornography are exacerbated because of a social environment that discourages regular interaction between young men and women. India is a society in a phase of transition that is based on a high segregation of men and women, said Ranjana Kumari, the director of the Center for Social Research in New Del-

Will India Ban Pornography as Reported Sexual Assault Rises ?

hi. In this environment viewing pornography creates heightened sexual desire and aggression in young men who have no normal interaction with women and that can often lead to violent behavior. The porn industry also has many defenders. The incidence of rape in the United States has declined 85 percent over a period of 25 years while access to pornography has increased, according to research by Anthony DAmato and Glenn Reynolds, both law professors. David Loftus, an actor and author of Watching Sex: How Men Really Respond to Pornography, argues that the effect of watching pornography depends on the viewer and not on the content. The men who have difficulties with pornography, much like many who cannot relate well to others and turn to crime, tend to come from dysfunctional backgrounds, where stringent rules, hypocrisy, unhappiness and even violence abounded, he wrote. As a growing number of Indians watch pornography, the government has tried heavyhanded attempts to suppress popular Web sites. In June of 2009, for example, the government asked all Internet service providers to block a cartoon Web site called Savita Bhabhi, about a bored housewife on the grounds that it was obscene. But some government ministers are among the growing audience: In February 2012, three ministers resigned because they were caught on camera watching porn on a mobile phone during a session of the Karnataka state assembly. Do you think making it illegal to watch pornography could curb sexual assault in India, or make the problem worse? Please send your thoughts at editor@wethestate.com

Owned Printed and Published by M.M.Baig. Printed at lucky, 267, Pragati Nagar, Shahanshah Garden, Bhopal (MP) and published from H.No.101, A-SECTOR INDRAPURI BHEL, WARD NO.63 DIST BHOPAL-462021, M.P. Tele/FAX 0755-4292545,Mob.09425029901 email-editor@wethestate.com RNI No. MPENG\2012\46415 Editor: M.M. BAIG -Responsible for selection of News & Articles under PRB Act, Subject to Bhopal jurisdiction