Sunday, May 23, 2010

That's all, your honour!: May 16-22

1. An Air India Express plane overshot the Mangalore airport runway and crashed. 158 people were killed in this ghastly accident. 7 people survived. The details of why the crash happened are still not clear, but that has not stopped our news channels to speculate and zero in on "pilot error" as the cause for this accident. How conveinient to place the blame on a person who is no more available to defend himself. Many reporters also said that Mangalore runway was always scary (for the length and also since it is on a hill). Alas, all these facts come into light only after a tragedy happens. Apparently, the Civil Aviation minister, Praful Patel took moral responsibility and submitted his resignation. And as expected the Prime Minister rejected his resignation. Whatever.

2. Maoists
blew up a bus in Dantewada. Again. 35 people were killed, 24 of them civilians. Special Police Officers, who were tired walking, took a bus and Naxals blew up the bus. Apparently, some crook from the Maoists "regretted" the loss of civilians, but justified the blast saying that the SPO's were targetted. Home Minister P.Chidambaram was all over TV complaining that he has very "limited" mandate to deal with this problem. It was really disappointing to see the Home Minister sound so helpless because of lack of support within his government and party. An excellent case of bi-partisanship was witnessed this week when the Chief Minister of Chattisgarh said that he has no differences with P Chidambaram, but the media choose to not concentrate on this. Ohh, by the way, if you think this is the only incident of Maoist violence this week, you are grossly mistaken. They blew up another vehicle in Bengal in which 4 CRPF jawans were killed (these jawans made the same mistake again - travelled in the same route twice), and they also blasted a railway track in Bihar. And yet, we debate how to deal with Maoists - What a sham!

3. Remember Afzal Guru? He has been held guilty in the attack on Indian Parliament by the Supreme Court. For waging war against the country, he was awarded the death sentence in 2002. He then appealed, and finally the President sent the petition to the Home Ministry for a recommendation. Looks like a open and shut case right? Well, when UPA is in power, why will it be so? The UPA is worried that it might lose it's vote bank if it hangs Afzal Guru. It is a direct insult to the patriotism of that "vote bank". All these years, we were told that Afzal Guru is number 26 in the list, and it will take time before a decision is taken. Suddenly, last week, Home Minister says that the file is with the Delhi government and so far 16 reminders have been sent to the government to recommend!! Delhi CM flatly denies this, and the next day says that the file has been sent to the Lt. Governor of Delhi!!!! Wait - the story is not yet over. Now, the Lt. Governor of Delhi sends back the file to the govt. of Delhi, asking for proper recommendations!!!! And now news is that the government will not decide on the file till the Commonwealth Games are over. And remember folks - this guy was convicted for waging a war against the country.

4. The External Affairs Minister, Mr. S.M.Krishna realised that there is a dearth of comedy in what he speaks. So in all seriousness, he gave a gem of a statement - "I am willing to trust Pakistan on terror.". That's right people - he said he is ready to trust Pakistan on terror. And the interviewer just let him off with this answer, no follow up questions. Not just the interviewer, the entire media is hugely reluctant to pose any difficult questions on this "talks". And please read
this excellent piece on how (and why) Pakistan is reluctant to act on 26/11. Decide for yourself, your honour, if we can "trust Pakistan on terror."!

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