Don't repeat past wrongs

The recent earthequake that hit Kashmir(both Indian and Pakistani parts) has caused enought devastation on the Pakistani side to make the Pakistani President complain about the rate at which international monies are pouring for rebuilding and reconstruction. His estimates of $5 billion will not draw any challenge from me. What I'd like to say however , is that India must avoid the temptation of rushing in with any commitment for the reconstruction effort. I'd take an educated guess that any money we give Pakistan will be used to buy weapons to be used against us and to fund their unholy war(How any war can be holy escapes me). Humanitarian supplies is one thing , money is a whole different thing. A nuclear power state should have the wherewital to generate resources for its own reconstruction. One thing is for sure, that money is'nt coming frm the US, already stretched by Iraq,Afganistan and Katrina. Lets see wether they can maintain their aggresive postures while their countrymen live out in the open this bitter winter.

A typical Indian Riot

I was reading reports about rioting in the North Indian town of Mau. One thing that struck me , was the description. "Violence erupted between two communities". talk about stating the obvious. In their effort to be politically correct the reports end up looking ridiculous. When there is a riot in India, everybody with half a brain knows its between hindus and muslims. What we don't know is who started it. I concede such information can be deemed inflammatory, and can be suppressed . But for heaven's sake don't insult our intelligence by giving us the "two communities" spiel. My solution, look up the same report in a foreign paper, they are not burdened by any such considerations and usually call a spade a spade.

Katrina and the Quake

A friend pointed out lately, a large number of natural disasters have hit various parts of the world. From the Tsunami to hurricane Katrina and now the Earthquake in South Asia, it would seem that nature has unleashed its full fury on us. How do we deal with the level of destruction and loss ? We try and rationalise in our own inane ways.
If there is one thing that stands out, nature's fury spares none. Niether religion nor color niether caste nor creed assuress any protecton from the elements at their worst. If anything we must realise the larger challenges we face as mankind do not leave us the luxury of our "civilisational struggles".
Unfortunately common sense is not as common. When i first heard about the devastation casued by the earthquake mostly in Pakistan occupied Kashmir(or as the pakistani's call it Azad Kashmir) my first reaction(I am not proud of it) was hmm how come I don't hear any Al Quaeda spokespersons attributing the earthquake to divine retribution as they had Hurricane Katrina?
How wrong was I. Ofcourse the Jihadi's are saying that the Earthquake is punishment for pulling back from the brink in confronting India. Such justifcations however twisted will find supporters in a populace that has been radicalised for years. The Jihadi organizations have been at the forefront of providing relief to the victims of the earthquake. If they have such regard for human life , why do they then show such ruthlessness and singlemindedness in erasing it when they cross the border into India? Sadly it because they view non-muslims as unworthy of considerations they would extend to fellow muslims. I know moderate and forward looking muslims will condemn such radicals. But thats not enough. You don't treat cancer by condemning it.
Its time for all of us to stop pussyfooting about a problem we all know exists.

I find that odd..

Most would have read about the earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale that struck the northern reaches of the Indian state of Jammu and Kasmir and The Pakistani portion of Kashmir. The quake had its epicenter at Muzaffarabadd the capital of the Pakistani part. But considering the proximity of the area to the India part I find it rather odd , that the toll reported from the Pakistanis side is rising on a daily basis now said to be 30,000+ dead, whereas the Indian side has kept the figure under a 1,000. Surely one of the sides is being economical with the truth. So who is it? The Indians? But then what to they have to gain? The pakistani's ? More relief materials maybe? Something does'nt add up.
POK (Pak occupied kashmir known to Pakistani's as Azad Kashmir(a misnormer if there waws any, since Azad means free. Kinda reminds u of Operation Iraqi freedom don't it)) is known to house a lot of the terrorist training camps. Wonder what impact that fact has on the way things pan out in the next few weeks or months.

Not a bad neighborhood

 
 

This happens only in India

Most people are hypocrites, its only natural. Howvever its certainly a question of degrees. There is nothing that gets my goat worse then hypocrisy. Just as the Government of Maharashtra was busy shutting down dance bars when they should have been unclogging the gutters in Bombay, now we have the TN government clamping down on a Hotel where some idiot journalist snapped a couple kissing. For a second consider the newsworthiness of a lip lock between 2 random people. Now ask yourself wether there are'nt other important matters that the government has to attend to. Whatever your opinion on diplays of affection in public, surely you see the futility of such reprehensible moral policing. What kind of society do we want to live in. One where the police determines what show of affection is appropriate? One where girls are made to feel sinful just to be seen with a guy. If the moralists have a way to live let them preach it, let them convince people. But let them not coerce. Coercion should have no place in a democracy. And oh yeah we know what sex is how do u think we got to a billion, singing songs , or letting the birds and bees do the job for us?