Sohrabuddin - Common Wealth Games - Kashmir a nice political use-case !

Warning: a longer post

1> Sohrabuddin-CBI-Amit Shah
2> Increase in petrol prices & inflation
3> Commonwealth Games
4> Tension in Kashmir vally

All the above are related events & everybody in Delhi, both ruling & opposition, are making use of it for their personal gains. Lets take it 1-by-1:

Sohrabuddin was not a saint, not a normal (or common) man either, rather a criminal, extortanist & at times anti-Indian. CBI has many similar cases in its pocket where it is keeping quiet rather being asked to. But this 1 is nicely being used to put BJP on back-foot on the price-rise agenda.

On its part BJP & rest of the opposition knows that the recent price hike in Petrol is justified & long pending & the UPA-2 has no choice. But they are in opposition & they have to .

UPA-2 is also sounding arrogant after being voted 2nd time with bigger margin then UPA-1. Central ministers shouting at each other: Mr. Iyer at CWG, Digvijai at Chidambaram & so on. Both Iyer & Digvijai definately have backing of their bosses. So how many boss are there in Delhi ?

There is BIG time "void" in delhi of a "leadership" to take India to the next level. None of the parties, ruling or opposition has an answer to this.
-- Dr. Manmohan Singh is a respectable economist & that is it. He is not a mass leader. It is not his mistake, this is what he is.
-- Madam is the head of UPA & again just the head, with very limited access (or interest) to the aam-admi.
-- Rahul loosk promising, but needs time, we should not make 1 more Rajeev out of him. But we need him & his team of 2nd generation.
-- BJP, Advani looked desperate to be a PM. 2nd level is fighting among themselves & arrogance is seen here. Sushma S, Anant K, Arun J, etc .. none have pan-India appeal & they will not allow anybody to take lead.
-- Atalji has done his job & should not be brought into all this at all now.
-- UP, Bihar, TN, etc .. the smaller UPA partners are just regional & not intereasted to spread out of their state at all. Rather they are not expected to do so. They better try & run their states effectively 1st.
-- Communists & Mamata .. are becominjg more & more narrow-minded for Kolkotta. They eat-drink-sleep Kolkotta. It cannot get worst than this. They have reached a point that they take it granted to "kill" each other :-(
-- RSS, last in the list, is also experimenting with its caders. They spend last 60+ yrs doing ground work & succeeded the Ram Temple movement. But luck was not with them & thay missed ruling India with "absolute" majority.

Now coming back to the relation among the above events, the UPA-2 is busy fighting Modi as if that is the only thing left for a "majority" central govt. How could they not sense, of feel, or judge what is in store ? I'm not sure if PM or UPA chief are capable of this & has the required foresight :-(. Is UPA running a company with Madam as CEO & PM as COO ? Then this is the worst times we are going through. Running a capitalist company & running a nation is definately not the same. We can not comittes to run nation. We need leaders who can sence the pulse of our own people & of our neighbors. We need visionaries.

We need to & should handle the Kashmir issue ASAP. We need to get-into-Kashmir & into Kashmiri "janata's" mind & harts. Kashmir is INDIA & will remain an integral part of INDIA. All INDIANs are proud for this & will always support this cause. Both CRPF & BSF has jawans & officers from all over the country serving in Kashmir & sacrificing their lives for the cause of protecting this land & its citizens from the Pakistan induced & sponsored terrorists.

It is un-imaginable to think of what will happen to Kashmir if it becomes part of Pakistan. The Kashmiri janata should take a realistic view of what is the conditions of "Mujahirs" in today's Pakistan. The so called seperatist leaders, should think of the situation like a managemnt case-study of what will be the future of Kashmir in Pakistan. As of now Pakistan is heavily struggling to keep its folks together & Kashmir is the "ultimate" issue to keep the aam Pakistani janata diverted from the military-mis-managed Pakistan.

1> Central govt should pull its socks & stand behind the Kashmir state govt & the CM.
2> Same for CWG, we need to punish the guilty & make them pay for their mis-deeds, but we need to make the games a success in the 1st place. We have to continue with Kalmadi & make sure this the CWD is a success.

Everybody else, including the opposition "has to" support these efforts. Of-course the amm admi wishes the above 2 things to be "success" & is wishing a "good luck" for the administrators to handle this early & effectively.

Shashi Tharoor minus IPL ??

Tharoor sans twitter, OSD & IPL -- a successful MoS (Rediff)

I guess all of us will agree that Tharoor is a good "new age" leader. Even Twitter that he used is a new age communication mechanism.

See what TED has to say about him & his talk in favour of "soft power" & its influence. Actually 1 of my Finnish friend passed this TED link to me :-). Listen to him carefully, choice of words & emphasis of important points & delivery of the speect, simply great !

My reaction during DEC 2009 was:
-- He is good. He is “new kind” of politician in India who has seen the world & has lots of experience.
-- But probably more out-ward focusing person & he has to learn to see in-ward to the nuances this country has at grass-root level.
-- But we need him & many more like him who bring out-ward looking perspective to the Govt. Otherwise our “default” politicians always go to a line “they do what their voters need” & do not bother about rest of the world.

Now fast-forward to IPL 2010:

-- I guess it was ok that he used his influence to move the new IPL team to Kerala. The episode showed that he is ready to jump to extra-curricular activities. I mean other then being a white-color minister.

-- But it also shows that he was not abel to handle (or I would say "hide") the other connections, to be specific his friend.

Again this looks to be a new age politics, bold & clear!!!

We know for sure that there are 100s of MLAs & MPs in INDIA who have "connections" & they use influence to get thinsg done in their favour, even kill innocent for their gain. But then they do it the traditionla way that we Indians are used to, by hiding things.

I guess Tharoor need to learn this. The mass in India is ok (or I would say "used-to) if the leaders are doing "ghapla" only that it should be under wraps.

We of-course need leaders like Shashi Tharoor to be around. I would say, Rahul Gandhi, Jindal, Sachin Pilot, Nitin Gadkari, Mohan Bhagwat, etc. We need "new age" leaders in all the camps, ruling & opposition. With new ideas & new ways of working.

RSS in social sector !

Diggy meets PC over RSS in social sector (TOI, 8-May-2010)

This is good ! I would say best !! Thanks Mr. Digvijay Singh for making it official that RSS is doing a very good work.

As you updated to Mr Home Minister, some of the RSS related NGOs are getting funding from Govt. This is an indication that RSS is working for a real cause & does not have any proxy agenda.

Mr. Digvijay Singh, your own state of MadhyaPradesh is a very good example where RSS is working for last 10+ yrs in the trible areas & have successifully stopped conversion by Christians by paying money.

Now do not hunt these NGOs just because they are related to RSS. I'm sure you or Mr. PC or the Congress or the Christian money, nobody can stop RSS from doing good work at the grass root level. The "pracharak" concept created by RSS has no match & they are the foot solders who are burning their blood to bring this transformation.

Kudos to RSS & its sister organisations for this !!!

Calrton Tower, Bangalore fire & 1 more bad coverage by TV media :-(

Very very serious issue :-(

Something has to be done for the TV channel folks, they are running any dam footage with no brains approach.

-- imagine the kids at home, seeing all this through-out the day, 1 guy or a girl jumping off a 6th or 7th floor to save his or her life & dying instantly :-(

-- do we remember, the images of a cop bleeding to death in TN, about 2 months back ? he was attached by underworld as mistaken identity. The TV channel had all the time to shoot the video & also comment how the ministers & collector did not help the police constable & left him dying. What was the dam TV guy doing ? Why did he not pickup a dying human being & rushed him to hospital ?

I would say the old Doordarshan days were better. Now we have the other extreme where the Mumbai firing images were live broadcasted to the controllers in Pakistan.

This should stop some where -- TV NEWS channels are compromising national security & by showing such BLOODY footage again & again, making our next generation less & less sensitive :-((

Food street (Thindhi Street), V V Puram, Bangalore

"Food-Street" or "Khau Galli" or "Thindhi Street" or "Old Market Road, Visvesvarapuram", call it anything. This is the best location to enjoy street-food. A fest for vegetarians. A place to hang-out with family & friends & enjoy the food. Delight for veg food lovers ! Butter-gulkand-with-ice-cream-and-fruits, I just canot resiste that test !! Many more items that pull me back to this street very often, with family.

We go there almost once-a-month. Uaually, Fri or Sat evenings & the place is always crowded. It is a one-way & no-parking street, mostly for pedestrians. But ocassionally, you can see cars parked & people eating from the cars & then of-course the traffic cops trying to shoo the parked vehicles off.

As with every street-food, the prices here are very reasonable & easy-on-the-wallet. The place looks traditional & old and looks like an evening-market kind of street. The shops & their specialities that I have tested so far:

* V V Bakery -- just at the entrance, on right-side -- a BIG bakery, looks old & traditional types -- sells lots of diff biscuit + bread + buns + cakes + pastries -- I would say a little expansive but I like the items.

* Ghee dosa / Butter dosa -- costs Rs. 20/- per piece, price same for plane & masala -- the guy literally pours Nandini Gheen to his dosas, directly fromt he 1 liter pack :-) -- simply delicious -- 1 very strong looking leady runs this place and her cash box is always overflowing -- I have seen it always crowded, 10 - 15 min waiting time.

* Paddu & Ginna -- this is just opp the ghee dosa shop -- they sell many more items like: idly, vada, dase. I have tried Paddu ("appe" in marathi) & Ginna (sweet made of the 1st few days milk after a cow or buffallo delivers her baby). Both items test very good.

* Gobi-Manchurian (live) stall -- better you do not see when the guy is deep frying the gobi (curly flower) -- but the final dish is good :-) -- on the adjacent stall I have seen "rumali-roti" as well.

* Pav-Bhaji & Vada-Pav -- I have not tested a better vada-pav then this in Bangalore, of-course, next to what Kalyani makes at home :-) -- there are 2 stalls side-by-side & both serve good pav-bhaji & vada-pav and at times kacchi-dabheli as well -- you should see, when the guy puts Amul butter to the pav, he literally dips the pav in butter. This makes it more tasty.

* Ragi-Roti & Rise-Roti -- this is next to the vada-pav stall, this guy sells ragi-roti with brinjal curry. Both roti & curry are good. You can try this different item. Behind this stall, there is a shade where they sell Idly & Dose. Very resonable price.

* Obbattu (Puran-Poli) -- costs Rs. 10/- per piece & is worth it. Simple thin obbattu made with "chana dal" filling.

* Gulkand with ice-cream & furits -- costs Rs. 40/- & more -- this is a shop on the left end of the street. he sells literally everythig: cigrates, coconut-burphy, masala-soda, masala-thumpsup, every kind of soda with masala, spicy bhel puri, sev puri, and masala puri , chips, small time chocolets. Simply amazing shop. But do not miss the Gulkand. It is stuffing but again worth.

* Sweet corn -- cost starts from Rs. 25/- onwards -- I donot know why it is called as American ? -- at the end of the street, you will find 2 or 3 push-carts, with impressive setup on it, battery operated radio & a small fan to stroke the fire in his charcoal pot, for frying the Sweet corn. They have 6 - 7 varieties: simple salt-lemon, butter, with raw-mango, with a green chutney, with pinapple, etc. Worther the money !

* Sweets -- gulab jamuns , rosogollas, jelebis, soft milky khoya, thick creamy basundi, various falvoured milk (kaser, badam, etc) & ice-creams.

* You also get -- potato, chilli, capsicum and banana bondas (bhajis) -- they sut the bonda & stuff it with a mix of grated carrot + onion + something :-). I could not dare to try this so far looking at the grated carrot in it but I'm sure it is feast. Lots of people (young & old) queue for it.

** Avarekai Mela (Festival) & check -- at "Sri Vasavi Condiments" -- just at the entrance on your left-side -- you can buy everythig avareki here: Dosa, Vada, Obbatu, Sambar, Rassam, etc. The shop sells

Location on various maps .. Wikimapia, Googlemaps, Yahoomaps, Ovimaps.

Note: I'll try to get some photos & also get the exact shop names & will update this post after my next visit to "khau-galli".

Varun ? BJP's new "youth" icon ??

Does the RSS see Varun Gandhi as a “saffron Rahul''?

With due respect to Mr. Varun Gandhi & both RSS & BJP bosses, I would like to believe this is just a sensational NEWS.

Varun may have the capabilities to be the "youth" icon for BJP but I guess, BJP will do a mistake by promoting him this way, at least at this time. This might create a confusion as the what way BJP want to go & I'm not sure if this is what RSS is asking BJP to do, go the hindu "goonda" way.

I would want to believe that 1 day (may be a few yrs. later) he really takes over Rahul Gandhi 1:1 for BJP. But then this needs to be managed (or I would engineered) very methodically keeping next 5 - 10 yrs. in mind.

ShashiTharoor twitting avout VISA !

http://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor .. "Hey there! ShashiTharoor is using Twitter !" .. I admire & respect this new age politician. He is the real Gen 'X' or 'Y' representative.

But I do not agree with his latest feed about the VISA regulations. Can he go & ask the USA Govt. to redice the BODY fresking or the latest (1 day old) additional regulations ? I guess he will find those justifying.

Same lines, I find the new VISA rules for India justifying. After all we have to take care of our problems & it is to be done our way.

Does UK or USA care if we ask them to reduce the sever checks that they do for granting VISA + the stringent regulations that they have ? I guess no, they would not bother.

Same way, if a person has to come to India for abusiness purpose & has to do multiple entries, he / she should obtain the correct VISA & not mis-use the "tourist" VISA. I guess that is all, no more discussions.

If this makes us "un-welcoming", yes, so be it & if tourists fell that they get a better experience in India, they will take the pain & gett he VISA. Same for business flyers, they do not come to India for charity, they come for business & for making money, then they should ask for correct Business VISA.

Google Maps showing Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir outside INDIA ?

This is totally unacceptable & bizzare. Google should not do politics. Arunachal Pradesh is very much part of independent INDIA. There is no dispute.

- English version in my browser is showing it as "not" in INDIA or "desputed" area
- Same for Jammu & Kashmir
- In Chinese version Arunachal Pradesh is shown as part of China

This is sad & not acceptabel at all.

MLAs in Karnataka should be ashamed !

It is really shameful that during the tough times of flood, the MLAs are giving more importance to "money" & "power" then to help their own voters by co-ordinating the relief work.

For last 2 weeks now, there is a BAD drama being played between Bangalore - Delhi - Bellari.

1. Couldn't the Reddy brothers wait till atleast the relief work is done & the affected voters are settled ?
2. Should one be always opportunistic ?
3. It is known that all the miners are just minting money by illegal enchroments on forest land. When they are earning lakhs with every over-loaded iron ore lorry, what is the issue of paying Rs. 1000/- that will go in re-building houses for the flood affected voters ?
4. Have our MLAs not evolved not to tolerate a women colleague in the ministry ?

Concept of mid-term-elections at this point is too -much to think of. This is clear case of an "insult" of the mandate that Karnatak population has given to BJP & a back-door possibility for the JD (S) to come to power & start making hawak :-(

It is just frustrating to see all what is happening.

Easy Cabe (43434343) are really easy !

This is my recent experience.

We (family: 2 Male + 2 Female + 1 kid) wanted to reach Yashantpur railway station from NGEF, Old Madras Road. Of-course with 6 - 7 luggage items. Take an auto & reach your destination. Sounds simple !

Not in Bangalore & definately not with the "auto" at all.

There are two auto stands near our complex, JalVayu Towers. Every auto was ready to come to Yashantpur but at his own cost which was Rs. 190/-. The distance is 17 KM max & by meter it costs Rs. 120/-. So a demand of Rs. 20/- extra is justified but not Rs. 70/-. At-least I do not understand for what reason they demand more. We wanted to 2 autos & tried a bargain of Rs. 350/- for 2 but no, they saw a chance to make money & were not bugging at all :-(. We had no choice, we hired them & did the journey from home to railway station in all noise & pollution & paid Rs. 380/-.

Now, the return journey, & the scene changes all-together:

• We are on our way back to Bangalore & train will terminate at Yahsvantpur.
• But we have learned our lession 7 days back. So 1 hr before approaching Yashvantpur, I call Easy Cabs (080-43434343).
• They take my request & tell me that they will confirm in 5 min if the arrangement is possible by SMS.
• In 5 min I get an SMS with cab no. & driver cell no.
• After reaching Yashvantpur railway station, I call the cab driver & patchup with him. Go out of the railway station & board the cab with 4 of us & our luggage.
• We have a comfortable & smooth journey from Yashvantpur Railway Station back to NGEF, Old Madras Road, in an AC cab, no noise, no pollution.
• Upon reaching the destination, the cab meter shows Rs. 250/- & the driver is happy to take his money & leave.
• No unpleasent talk of "saaar, give Rs. 20/- more then meter, you make lots of money".

So one way we paid Rs. 380/- & were exposed to noise & pollution + the unpleasent bargain. On way back, it was nice & smooth at the cost of Rs. 250/-.

I'm sure this should be the experience of every IT guy in Bangalore, some or other time. Why do auto drivers in Bangalore see "bakra" in every customer ? Are we IT guys making money without any work ? Are we making money at their cost ?

Imagine this happens to a guy / girl who is starting for a good work like interview or to see his girlfriend or to see his prospective bride or to go to a temple ? His / her event gets spoiled :-(.

I'm now a happy customer of Easy Cabs !

Sripuram, modern day temple ? New age Business ?

Sripuram (Golden Temple South, Vellore) appears to be a money making machine. A modern day business of faith. This is how it came across to me:

- Had herd about this form my friends & though of making a 1 day trip with family there. I was told to be there in the evening.
- Started at 8 AM, via old-madras-road, pass K R Puram. The road is good (managable) & small compared to the Hosur-Krishnagiri stretch. And reached Vellore by 1 PM. Had our lunch & headed towards Sripuram. On the way we spent about 1 hr at the Vellore fort.
- As we reached Sripuram, it appeared to be a fortress. Parked my car & this is where the encounter with the business machine started:

1. No mobile phones allowed inside.
2. Foot-ware stand is just a big hall & visitors (I' not sure if all were devotees) have to buy a plastic bag for Rs. 2/- to keep foot-ware of all the family together.
3. When I tried to reason this with the Public Relation (PR) officer, he appeared very very arrogent.
4. He told me that the temple is some 1 & 1/2 yrs. old & a foot-ware stand may take another 1 & 1/2 yr.
5. He was quick to identify that the plastic bag that I purchased is biodegradable.
6. Upon persisting more, he asked me to get lost if I'm not intereasted to get in & I'm free not to visit.
7. At 2 PM the crowd was not so huge but still the temple volunteers were discouraging visitors to buy Rs. 100/- entry ticket sighting the reason that free darshan will take 2 hrs waiting.
8. We bought into the idea & got tickets for 5 of us. Even though it is a clear entrance ticket, it says "seva" & "entry is free". Whom do they want to fool here ?
9. On our way in, visitors from free queue also got mixed with us & they told the waiting was about 30 min. So I paid my Rs. 500/- for no reason :-(
10. As expected the -in (& later way-out) passes through their shopping mall seling silk saree, agarbatti, small momentos, & many more articles.

Once you get into the actual temple premises, you feel better & surroundings resemble to any resort. Then you are made to walk the START shaped path, about 1+ KM.

1. Along this path also, you see more counters selling water then taps with free water.
2. Many boards boasting about the place. 1 was very intereasting, justifying that spending money for a tourist spot is more important then spending it for building school :-(
3. The central temple is nice & attractive with gold plating all over. I herd some 300 KG (or tons) of gold is used. I felt sad, that such a huge money can be used for so many more causes :-( Even if it is somebody's BLACK money, can be used for a better cause.
4. This golden temple is surrounded by water & the pond has 1,000s of Indian currency coins & notes dropped by devotees (?). Again a waste of money & the basic cost of printing these notes. RBI shoudl take a note of this.
5. I think it is easy to have a small net covering the pond to catch the offerings, but again like the foot-ware stand, I think, they do not have money. Or they want it to be like this for more devotees (?) to see & drop more money there.
6. A BIG difference that I observed is: depending upon the money shelling capacity of the visitors, they are divided into 3 groups: free, Rs. 100/- & Rs. 250/-. The more you spend the closer you get to the god.

Unlike Tirupati where everybody gets to see the god from same place, & money helps you to spend less or more time in the queue. Here the free queue is all the time kept at a distance from god :-(

Obama equates India with Pakistan & N Korea

Article in esakal -- http://beta.esakal.com/Article/ArticlePage.aspx?Id=B2615F61-FE5C-4CCB-B3EF-020C1E5E7E0F

And Obama's speech does not refer to Isrial :-(

This shows the double standards that USA has for Isrial & rest of the world. It is a clear indication that Obama is also not a different person & he is also working under Isrial lobby in the USA.

Should L K Advani be more careful ?

Meet the leady of the house (DNA, Bangalore, 04-Jun-09, page - 9)

This article carrys reactions from: Meira Kumar, LK Advani & Manmohan Singh. Advani's comments are really striking & look out of place "I read that your voters are disappointed with your election as speaker but I feel you will be able to serve people better in this position then as a minister". What does this mean ? Does this mean she is better to be a speaker then a minister ?

Celebrating 31st DEc vs Chaitra Shukla Pratipada !

http://www.sanghparivar.org/welcome-the-new-year-by-celebrating-samvatsararambh-chaitra-shukla-pratipada

I believe in trying to protect Hindu culture, we are bashing events like 25th Dec (x'mas Day), 31st Dec (new yr eve) & 14th Jan (Valentine Day) too much. This will back fire. We should understand that now a days all the days & events & festivals are governed by a strong market force & electronic media. They want to sell things & they sell it on each & every ocassion. They hardly distinguish if its a Hindu, Muslim or Christian event.

Moreover everybody is having a party, drinks, etc on 31st Dec & this shows that at least the Hindus have not started treating it as any Brahma muhurta. Where as many observe Brahma Muhurta on the ocassions of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Diwali & many other regional events.

Does the author thinks that if I party on 31st Dec, I have dis-respect for Chaitra Shukla Pratipada ? This way of thinking & writing is not going to be accepted by normal janata, this will surely back fire. if you have observed, these kind of tactics have back0fired during recent Delhi elections.

BJP, ShivSena, VHP, BajrangDal & to a large extent Sangh Parivhar should start thinking a on the improved lines now. We cannot create fear psychosis anymore.

One thought -- instead of bashing others we should try & propagate our culture the way Christians are doing. Get market & media to support Hindu culture, festivals, events, etc the same way they support 25th Dec, 1st JAN, 14th JAN, etc. This will not happen easily. We have to give market & media what 25th Dec, 1st JAN, 14th JAN, etc gives, that is spending. When Hindus spend during Diwali, the markets & media push it. They will do the same for each & every Hindu festival if we give them what they need.

Rebuild Hotel Taj Mahal in Mumbai !

Dear Mr. Ratan Tata,

I'm very shocked with the recent attack that started on 26-NOV-08 at many places in South Mumbai. Loss of 200+ innocent citizens is the saddest part :-(

I feel deeply hurt for my fellow citizens who lost their near & dear ones. Equally frustrated towards our political system who ignored the hints from the intelligence agencies for a proactive action.

Hoisting the TRI-COLOUR at Hotel Taj Mahal is a very solid statement to the terrorists out there. I strongly wish we should creat a trust that will work for re-building 100+ yrs. old Indian heritage. I feel strongly obliged to participate in re-constructing of Hotel Taj Mahal. We as Indian citizens should re-build this Indian identity that TATA's have given to India.

Not a doubt that Hotel Taj Mahal & Tata Group has enough money to re-build the structure to its full glory. But we should show it to the whole world & to the terrorists & their bosses that we stand united in re-building the national ICON.

I would not want to go to media immediately with this as they will see this as a chance to increase theit TRP.

Please guide me in understanding as to how this should be taken forward ?

BIG roads being mis-used by transport lobby :-(

All the major roads in WhiteField are big enough to handle normal traffic. For example road leading to ITPL or the road opposite SaiBaba Hospital. These roads are really huge. BUT, as seen in the below images all the time 1/2 the roads are occupied by so called CABS. And looks like there is no solution to this :-(

There is a HUGE vacant plot adjacent to the BMTC Depo in Whitefield. In 1 corner it has a BIG water tank, so it should be a BWSSB plot, I assume. Why can't this plot be used to park all the stray CABS / BUSES & keep the road empty for normal use + BWSSB (or who ever is the owner) will also make some money. The authorities (BBMP I guess) should make it compulsary for all the CAB owners to park in this designated space & charge a min of say Rs. 2/- per day.

What measures should the BBMP take to attend to bad roads?

I travel on Old Madras road every day to ITPL area. I have noticed many small bottle-neck along the way. If BBMP works on these small things, the same road can be de-conjusted very easily & used effectively. My small suggestions:

1 - intersection of the fly-over coming from Hebbal direction & other flyover starting for Hoskote. There is a bus stop on either side of the road here. It will help if the road divider is blocked completely, say by a concrete wall, so nobody can sneak in + build a road over bridge for pedestrians to cross.

2 - Tin Factory bus stop near HP petrol bunk is s BIG BIG mess. BBMP should ask BMTC to make it compulsory for the city bus drivers to use the designated bus stop only, that actually have good space on left side of the road. If we enforce this, all city bus users will get habituated sooner or later & the area just opp to the HP petrol bunk can be used more effectively.

3 - KR Puran Rly station, we need an underpass here. There is no other alternative. I guess some corporates will be happy to finance this project under PPP use the space for advertisement.

4 - recently there is a new HUMP that has come up just after K R Puram Rly station, opposite Lowry Memorial High School. This is working as 1 more extra obstacle to the traffic. I understand that it is needed for the school's children to cross at school time but the solid speed-breaker is there creating traffic problem during all non-school timings as well. I have also noticed that the school vans stop on the other side & kids cross the entire road. The school vans should be asked compulsorily to get inside the school's compound to alight the kids. This will release some more pressure.

Many more such small adjustments can be done along the road till ITP to ease the traffic pressure.

Ultimate solution will be either Metro / Mono rail along this route or a Road-over-Bridge on the lines of Hosur Road.

Women power on full display in J&K

Amarnath row: Women power on full display in J&K

So strange ! If Kashmiris get pleasure by stamping land below their feet considering they are stamping India as their enemy then why are they in Kashmir ? They should be in Pakistan.

These Kashmiris are a real confused lot. Its pity :-(

Their leadership like the Abdullas & Huriyet are making money from both sides & enjoying & keeping the things hanging. If the issue is resolved they have no stand.

• Kashmiris should try & visualise the stability that they have experienced for last few yrs. as they had an elected state govt.
• Kashmiris should realise India has Millions of potential tourists for Kashmir against a few thousands from Pakistan.
• Kashmiris should realise that just because of Article 370, they are protected & rest of Indians are feeding them with their Tax money.
• Kashmiris should realise that there is no scope of big time farming of big time mining or big time industries in Kashmir like UP, Bihar, Jaharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, etc

Kashmiris should realise that they have no prosperity, no future if they merge with Pakistan just on emotional basis.

I strongly believe that this is a known thing for Kashmiri leadership & that is why they are keeping the issue burning & hanging to keep on making money using their own dead brothers & sisters.

Amarnath land row: pathetic reaction sitting in USA

09-AUG-08, TOI has a NEWS -- Amarnath land row: Talks fail, stir to continue. 3 replies / comments / reader openion to this & of-course approved by TOI's editor from: Bangalore, Delhi & USA.

The response from USA has an Indian sounding name to it (VKBurman) & this reader is asking "Irrespective of merits of the issue the Sangharsh samiti must suspend the agitation immediately so that talks can be held in peaceful atmosphere" & more.

It is so easy to sit miles away & comment asking to stop the agitation ? Why nobody asks the Kashmiri Muslims to stop their's. Actually that is the place where all this drama started. While all over India, acers of land is being donated / given / transfreerd for many Muslim cause / reasons, why should the Muslim brothers (so called) from Kashmir vally bother so much for a small land being handed over for a Hindu cause.

How can somebody fail to see the across-border agenda behind this ? Is this gentalman one of the CPI / CMP caders ? Burman sound like that ! Again & again asking Hindus to keep quiet :-((

J&K leaders have proved that they have no brains

It is real sad story about the Amarnath. All over India the govt has donated / transferred acers of land for all kind of Muslim causes / reasone. When it comes to allocating land to a Hindu temple, everybody is worried about forest & environment. Center Govt. so far followed wait-and-watch policy. It was expected that the Kashmiri Muslims who have driven out Karhmiri pandits should utilise this chance to show their support to the cause & create a friendly atmosphere for patching up the differences with the Hindu community. But the Muslim leaders from the vally have lost a big chance & are following the setarist agenda from their masters across the border. Time & again the Muslim leadership from Kashmir vally proves that they have no brains of their own & are puppets of ISI. A very sad affair.