tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post608353855657308789..comments2024-03-27T15:36:44.737-07:00Comments on Haq's Musings: Case For Resuming India-Pakistan TalksRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-84494947795565972512011-04-02T07:34:51.853-07:002011-04-02T07:34:51.853-07:00A new Wikileak revelation by The Hindu quotes BJP ...A new Wikileak revelation by <a href="http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/26/stories/2011032657430100.htm" rel="nofollow">The Hindu</a> quotes BJP leader Arun Jaitly calling Hindutva as an Opportunistic issue for the party that exploits anti-Muslim sentiments and India-Pak tensions:<br /><br /><i>CHENNAI: Is Hindu nationalism the raison d'être of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), or just another vote-catching device? In a private conversation with American diplomats in May 2005, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley articulated the view that Hindu nationalism was an opportunistic issue for the party.<br /><br />Mr. Jaitley, who is now the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, met with Robert Blake, the Charge at the U.S. Embassy, on May 6, 2005, and provided him and the Political Counsel an insightful exposition on the politics of Hindutva. “Pressed on the question of Hindutva, Jaitley argued that Hindu nationalism ‘will always be a talking point' for the BJP. However, he characterized this as an opportunistic issue,” the Charge wrote in a cable dated May 10, 2005 ( 32279: confidential).<br /><br />“In India's northeast, for instance, Hindutva plays well because of public anxiety about illegal migration of Muslims from Bangladesh. With the recent improvement of Indo-Pak relations, he added, Hindu nationalism is now less resonant in New Delhi, but that could change with another cross-border terrorist attack, for instance on the Indian Parliament,” Mr. Blake reported on the interaction with Mr. Jaitley.<br /><br />On the basis of these remarks on Hindutva made by Mr. Jaitley, the diplomat concluded that his “credentials with the Sangh Parivar are weak, and he may not have what it takes to mobilize the BJP base.”<br />--------<br />On the issue of revocation of the visa of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Jaitley complained that he could not understand how the United States could take such an action against the party that began the transformation of U.S.-India relations.<br /><br />When Mr. Blake explained the “rationale and legal basis” for the U.S. decision, “Jaitley agreed with the Charge's point that Modi was a polarizing personality, but argued that it would have been better for the US to let the Chief Minister visit the US, where he would have attracted a few demonstrators and then nothing more would be said.”<br /><br />The Modi issue aside, the BJP leader was upbeat on U.S.-India relations, “emphasizing that ties with the U.S. were no longer a point of controversy in Indian politics.” Citing his own situation as typical, “Jaitley noted that he has several nieces and sisters living in the U.S., and ‘five homes to visit between DC and New York.'”<br /><br />In private, Mr. Jaitley appeared more willing to give credit to his political rivals where due. “Putting on his hat as a former Commerce Minister, Jaitley confessed that the BJP's opposition to a Value Added Tax (VAT) at the state level was based on a narrow political calculus, and predicted that the BJP states would adopt the VAT soon in order to protect their revenue streams. He gave the Congress government generally positive marks for its handling of economic policy issues, but focused on the contradictions inherent in the UPA coalition.”<br /><br />In response to the “Charge's pitch for opening of the Indian services sector,” Mr. Jaitley, a Senior Advocate, agreed that legal services should be opened to foreign competition, “noting that the performance of the Indian bar has begun to improve, even though the quality of judges suffers from a ‘Gandhian' mindset that leads to unreasonably low salaries.” On the retail sector, Mr. Jaitley “argued that foreign competition should not seriously hurt the mom and pop stores that form a BJP constituency.”</i>Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-68593841066538263102011-03-31T17:46:07.165-07:002011-03-31T17:46:07.165-07:00The causes of failure of India-Pakistan diplomacy,...The causes of failure of India-Pakistan diplomacy, cricket or otherwise, include the hijacking of Indian policy-making by special interest groups who benefit greatly by sustaining the conflict.<br /><br />A new and significant factor that stands in the way of peace and security in South Asia is the emergence and growth of Indian think tanks, making India second only to the United States in numbers of such think tanks.<br /><br />Out of 422 recognized Indian think tanks, around 63 are engaged in security research and foreign policy matters. These are heavily funded by the global arms merchants. India’s retired spies, police and military officers, diplomats and journalists are hired and handsomely compensated by such national security & foreign policy research institutes.<br /><br />They exaggerate terror threats with the help of the media and intelligence folks to promote greater defense and security spending. As a result, India has already become the world's largest importer of weapons last year, according to SIPRI. These weapons imports are done at the expense of other far more pressing needs of the world's largest population of poor, hungry and illiterate people who call India home.Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-20607836348845657052011-03-15T22:12:45.697-07:002011-03-15T22:12:45.697-07:00Indian newspaper The Hindu is publishing some wiki...Indian newspaper The Hindu is publishing some wikileaks cable on India. Here are a few interesting ones:<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1538380.ece" rel="nofollow">The Hindu</a> reveals that PM Singh isolated on wanting talks with Pakistan:<br /><br />During the interaction, Mr. Narayanan, who had been described by the Embassy in a January 12, 2005 cable (25259: confidential) as a long-time Gandhi family loyalist “who is seen as part of the traditional ‘coterie' around Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi,” came through as a hardliner on Pakistan, never afraid to voice his differences with Prime Minister Singh.<br /><br />In an August 11, 2009 cable (220281: confnoforn), sent a day after the meeting, Mr. Roemer noted that Mr. Narayanan, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau who is now Governor of West Bengal, readily conceded that he had differences with Prime Minister Singh on Pakistan. The Prime Minister was a “great believer” in talks and negotiations with Islamabad, but Mr. Narayanan himself was “not a great believer in Pakistan.” <br /><br />2. India was locked in a tussle with the United States over sharing information from the 2008 Mumbai attacks investigation with Pakistan, according to a chain of U.S. Embassy cables accessed by <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1538390.ece" rel="nofollow">The Hindu</a> through WikiLeaks.<br /><br />During the India-Pakistan standoff in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks, the Federal Bureau of Investigation helped the two sides share information of each other's investigations.<br /><br />But India, suspicious of Pakistan's intentions, tried as long as it could to fend off U.S. pressure on information-sharing — before relenting, but with some conditions.<br /><br />Unhappy about those conditions, the U.S. then sought to work around them through a “broad” reading of the assent.<br /><br />On January 3, 2009 Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice instructed the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi to deliver a demarche (cable 185593: secret) that the U.S. was making available to it material on the Mumbai attacks provided by the Government of Pakistan.<br /><br />Dr. Rice asked Ambassador David Mulford to tell New Delhi that “this information originated from top Pakistani officials in very sensitive positions and is passed to you with their permission. It represents a genuine willingness on their part to share sensitive and significant information with India.”Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-27559451851886679802010-10-10T17:28:30.417-07:002010-10-10T17:28:30.417-07:00You often hear rhetoric about India-Pakistan frien...You often hear rhetoric about India-Pakistan friendship. But friendship is a two-way street.<br /><br />Musharraf was very serious about making friends with India on his watch from 2000 to 2007. He offered significant concessions and tried very hard to reach an agreement with Delhi on Kashmir, but to no avail.<br /><br />Instead of of responding positively, India stepped its hostility by opening a new front in starting a covert war in Pakistan via Afghanistan.<br /><br />Here is how South Asia expert Stephen Cohen described India's ambivalent attitude toward Pakistan recently:<br /><br />Indians do not know whether they want to play cricket and trade with Pakistan, or whether they want to destroy it. There is still no consensus on talking with Pakistan: sometimes the government and its spokesman claim that they do not want to deal with the generals, but when the generals are out of the limelight, they complain that the civilians are too weak to conclude a deal.<br /><br />In addition to Kashmir, the other key and potentially more explosive issue between India and Pakistan is that Indus water.<br /><br />A South African water expert and Harvard professor John Briscoe recently argued that Pakistan was woefully vulnerable to Indian manipulation of the timing of water flows of the Jhelum and Chenab; that the Indian press—unlike the Pakistani media—never noted the other country’s views on the issue, and was instructed on what to say by the Ministry of External Affairs; and that India lacked the leadership of a regional power, as Brazil had been magnanimous in similar disputes with Bolivia and Paraguay.<br /><br />Here is the exact quote from Briscoe's <a href="http://www.countercurrents.org/briscoe050410.htm" rel="nofollow">piece</a> published in April 2010:<br /><br /><i>Living in Delhi and working in both India and Pakistan, I was struck by a paradox. One country was a vigorous democracy, the other a military regime. But whereas an important part of the Pakistani press regularly reported India's views on the water issue in an objective way, the Indian press never did the same. I never saw a report which gave Indian readers a factual description of the enormous vulnerability of Pakistan, of the way in which India had socked it to Pakistan when filling Baglihar. How could this be, I asked? Because, a journalist colleague in Delhi told me, "when it comes to Kashmir – and the Indus Treaty is considered an integral part of Kashmir -- the ministry of external affairs instructs newspapers on what they can and cannot say, and often tells them explicitly what it is they are to say."</i><br /><br />http://www.countercurrents.org/briscoe050410.htmRiaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-73258963245356107532010-09-16T16:56:02.534-07:002010-09-16T16:56:02.534-07:00To get a peek into the Indian psyche, read the fol...To get a peek into the Indian psyche, read the following advice offered by Financial Times to David Cameron prior to his recent India trip: <br /><br /><i>The first is 'Kashmir', he says. Recalling controversial utterances by previous British foreign secretaries like Robin Cook and David Miliband, Barker tells Cameron: "The quickest way to turn a charm offensive into a diplomatic fiasco. The basic rule: British ministers should say nothing. Don't dare criticise, offer to help, or link bringing peace to tackling terrorism. Stray words have consequences."<br /><br />The second is 'Poverty'. "More poor people than anywhere on earth. But not worth mentioning too loudly. Talk about the New India instead. Mention the aid review. A patronising tone is fatal."<br /><br />The third, 'Coming over too fresh'. Barker says: "The young, dynamic, no-nonsense version of Cameron should probably be left behind. It's time to learn some manners. Indian politicians are, as a rule, double his age and four times as grand. If the meetings are stuffy, formal, overbearingly polite, that's a good thing."<br /><br />The fourth is the 'Immigration cap'. The columnist writes: "A big issue for the Indian elite. Anand Sharma, the commerce minister, raised his 'concerns' earlier this month with Cameron himself. A heavily bureaucratic and stingy visa regime will not encourage Indians to work or study in Britain."</i><br /><br /><br />Read more: Don't mention Kashmir, poverty in India, UK PM advised - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Dont-mention-Kashmir-poverty-in-India-UK-PM-advised/articleshow/6226174.cms#ixzz0zjt5WfSgRiaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-24240676281341391162010-09-14T21:49:50.026-07:002010-09-14T21:49:50.026-07:00Here's an excerpt from a post by Soutik Biswas...Here's an excerpt from a post by Soutik Biswas of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2010/09/kashmir_on_the_brink.html" rel="nofollow">BBC</a> on rising Kashmir protests against Indian rule:<br /><br /><i>This is clearly beginning to look like the biggest challenge to Indian rule in Kashmir in more than a decade. The protests have also begun to spread outside the valley - some recent ones have taken place in Muslim-dominated pockets of Jammu, the bit of Kashmir where Hindus are in the majority and which has been peaceful so far.<br /><br />Most believe that the government has itself to blame for the current mess in Kashmir. The common perception is that it didn't fix the leaking roofs when the sun was shining in the valley - the months of relative peace, booming tourist traffic. Now the authorities are groping around for administrative solutions to fix the festering wounds - they are under pressure to water down or even scrap the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act or to move security forces out of the bigger towns.<br /><br />But most believe that this kind of tinkering, however important, would not be enough. The time has come for the government to think big - and be imaginative - and launch the beginnings of a political solution to bring peace to the valley. Bringing the hardline separatists on board will be key to any solution - the octogenarian separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, by default, is the only leader with credibility among people in the valley because of his consistently obdurate pro-Pakistan, pro-secessionist stand. Some believe that India's cussedness in refusing to talk to Mr Geelani is costing Kashmir dear - the leader appeared to have mellowed, leaving Pakistan out of the equation in his recent roadmap to restore peace in the valley. Pakistan could perhaps be worked into the matrix of a political solution at some later stage. But for the moment, India needs to show initiative and come up with some guarantees and time-bound plans to foster political reconciliation and sow the seeds of a political solution. Without this, the stone-throwing protesters may give way to Kalashnikov-wielding rebels from within the valley and across the border, in a return to full-blown bloody militancy.</i><br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2010/09/kashmir_on_the_brink.htmlRiaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-45861851690883137822010-04-14T08:49:08.234-07:002010-04-14T08:49:08.234-07:00Here's a recent news report on Asian nukes fro...Here's a recent news <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistan-has-more-nuclear-weapons-than-India-claim-US-experts/articleshow/5242757.cms" rel="nofollow">report</a> on Asian nukes from Times of India:<br /><br /><i>Pakistan is estimated to have more nuclear warheads than India and the two Asian neighbours along with China are increasing their arsenals and deploying weapons at more sites, two eminent American atomic experts have claimed.<br /><br />While Pakistan is estimated to possess 70-90 nuclear weapons, India is believed to have 60-80, claims Robert S Norris and Hans M Kristensen in their latest article 'Nuclear Notebook: Worldwide deployments of nuclear weapons, 2009'.<br /><br />The article published in the latest issue of 'Bulletin of the Atomic Science' claimed that Beijing, Islamabad and New Delhi are quantitatively and qualitatively increasing their arsenals and deploying weapons at more sites, yet the locations are difficult to pinpoint.<br /><br />For example, no reliable public information exists on where Pakistan or India produces its nuclear weapons, it said.<br /><br />"Whereas many of the Chinese bases are known, this is not the case in Pakistan and India, where we have found no credible information that identifies permanent nuclear weapons storage locations," they said.<br /><br />"Pakistan's nuclear weapons are not believed to be fully operational under normal circumstances, India is thought to store its nuclear warheads and bombs in central storage locations rather than on bases with operational forces. But, since all three countries are expanding their arsenals, new bases and storage sites probably are under construction," the two nuclear experts said. </i>Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-70225982460012610592010-03-14T11:20:12.523-07:002010-03-14T11:20:12.523-07:00Mr. Haq. i agree to many of your statistics. You a...Mr. Haq. i agree to many of your statistics. You are right that poverty,malnutrition are prevalent in high numbers in India. But I don't follow your conclusion, that because of these factors India should start talking to pak. India is capable of solving these problems. The only problem is that we need to improve our delivery systems. And that can be done without even engaging with your country. What you fail to see is that India today doesn't need aid from countries or IMF as Pak does. Governance is the only problem, as evident from the Bihar turnaround. So please stop making wrong conclusions that we have to depend on you for our development...Rahulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04027723629773413781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-52417471760949242002010-03-06T22:34:28.275-08:002010-03-06T22:34:28.275-08:00Indian artist MF Husain has reportedly sought asyl...Indian artist MF Husain has reportedly sought asylum in Qatar after he was hounded out of India by right-wing Hindu extremists. Here's a take on this matter by Soutik Biwas of the BBC:<br /><br /><i>The story of Husain is one of the saddest of post-Independence India. It is a story of how the country's most famous painter has been hounded out while the state looked on.<br /><br />Thirteen years ago, hardline Hindus attacked Husain for his paintings of nude Hindu goddesses. In 2006, he apologised for a painting in which he represented India as a nude goddess. Hindu nationalists accused him of defiling their region.<br /><br />They didn't stop at that. They vandalised his exhibitions and filed law suits all over the country. Husain reckons that there are 900 cases against him in Indian courts. His lawyer in Delhi tells me he is personally aware of seven such cases. Four have been dismissed, in three others judgement is still pending.<br /><br />For the past three years, the 95-year-old maverick painter has been living in Dubai and London. When news washed up earlier this month that he was contemplating taking up Qatari nationality, there was predictable outrage from the arts world in India.<br /><br />"This is not the first time we have thrown away our geniuses," said fellow painter Anjolie Ela Menon. "In India, we recognise our national treasures only when they are gone." Film actor Sharmila Tagore urged the need for a "movement" to bring back the painter to India since "isolated voices" will not help.<br /><br />To many, this sounded like a case of too little, too late. Most galleries have been scared to exhibit Husain's work for some years now. A big art summit hosted by India two years ago did not exhibit a single Husain painting. Unbelievable, but true.<br /><br />Many say the Indian government could easily promise Husain security and coax him to return to India. But that wouldn't necessarily allow the painter to live in peace. As his lawyer, Akhil Sibal, tells me, there's nothing to stop more cases being filed against the painter in remote courts or even getting a judge somewhere to order his arrest. The misuse of judiciary to settle scores is rampant in India. "So Husain is not enthused by the prospect of returning to India which he easily can," says Mr Sibal.</i>Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-61340151274705232912010-02-09T22:39:42.457-08:002010-02-09T22:39:42.457-08:00The Times of India has reported today that it'...The <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/No-financial-crisis-impact-Indias-poor-grew-by-34-mn/articleshow/5553859.cms" rel="nofollow">Times of India</a> has reported today that it's a myth that the global financial crisis left India virtually unscathed. In fact, India is the biggest victim of financial crisis-induced poverty, according to data obtained by TOI from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs' (UNDESA). Check out these figures.<br /><br />The UNDESA data estimates that the number of India's poor was 33.6 million higher in 2009 than would have been the case if the growth rates of the years from 2004 to 2007 had been maintained. In 2009 alone, an estimated 13.6 million more people in India became poor or remained in poverty than would have been the case at 2008 growth rates.<br /><br />In other words, while a dip from the 8.8% growth in GDP averaged from 2004-05 to 2006-07 to the 6.7% estimated for 2008-09 may be nothing like the recession faced by the West, its human consequences for India were probably worse. The 2.1% decline in India's GDP growth rate has effectively translated into a 2.8% increase in the incidence of poverty.<br /><br />According to the UNDESA's World Economic Situation and Prospects 2010, 47 million more people globally became poor or remained in poverty in 2009 than would have been the case at 2008 growth rates, and 84 million more than would have poor at 2004-7 growth rates. Of these, 19 and 40 million respectively are in south Asia.Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-35538942221972511682010-02-07T09:05:20.622-08:002010-02-07T09:05:20.622-08:00riaz
Hunger problem of india are due to the corru...riaz<br /><br />Hunger problem of india are due to the corrupt politicians and uneducated mass. Politicians would love to keep them in the same level for their glory. <br /><br />Same is the case of pakistan where it wants to keep the people in the loop of religious fundamentalism and poverty. <br /><br />If you have a look at the trend, the education brings economic development and reduction in the family size. <br /><br />From the earth perspectivce, i think the population has to be brought into control for the sake of future.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-10551223548429040922010-02-04T22:44:38.831-08:002010-02-04T22:44:38.831-08:00Reader From India: "There is a huge rising mi...Reader From India: "There is a huge rising middle class, that is good and should be celebrated, but not at the cost of ignoring bigger problems which we cannot wish away as a nation."<br /><br />I agree. The rapid economic growth will not solve the problems of poverty and hunger and illiteracy by itself. It will require sharp focus, progressive policies and public funds to make it happen.Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-10548855236866504682010-02-04T12:26:17.812-08:002010-02-04T12:26:17.812-08:00"A Year After Mumbai, India Offers to Talk Wi..."A Year After Mumbai, India Offers to Talk With Pakistan"<br /><br />From nytimes:<br />http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world/asia/05india.html?ref=global-homeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-52497174859401287752010-02-04T12:15:16.644-08:002010-02-04T12:15:16.644-08:00Riaz,
It is good that you keep bringing up issues...Riaz,<br /><br />It is good that you keep bringing up issues of nutrition, poverty and education in India. These three together with population explosion and healthcare are probably the biggest roadblocks to progress in my country.<br /><br />While there seem to be some work done by the government and private organizations and people, but in general the effort on our part seems to be sadly missing. A few NGOs, journalists and others are doing great work, but it is only a drop in the ocean. Some existing religious, linguistic and cultural biases also make the progress slower.<br /><br />There is a huge rising middle class, that is good and should be celebrated, but not at the cost of ignoring bigger problems which we cannot wish away as a nation.<br /><br />And then there are others who oppose the writing and work of others who are at least making an effort - for them closing their eyes and letting the country bleed is fine as long as their own families are covered at least in the short term.<br /><br />On the other hand, we can hope that one day the youngsters of our countries will rise above the current status quo and make the progress we haven't been able to achieve. The foundation stone of democracy and a secular constitution are a great gift from our founding fathers - which by and large most Indians tend to agree with.<br /><br />I am sure this is the case with Pakistan too - hope and progress lie a few decades away.<br /><br />After all we have been independent nations only for a few decades, and we have made so much progress. The future is bright, it is our duty to do what we can towards eradicating poverty, illiteracy, hunger, disease and over-population.<br /><br />Keep the thought provoking articles coming.<br /><br />Reader from IndiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-83907983527570784002010-02-04T09:06:30.557-08:002010-02-04T09:06:30.557-08:00Indian NGO Sathi's Findings as reported by Tim...Indian NGO Sathi's Findings as reported by <a href="http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxMC8wMi8wNCNBcjAxMTAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom" rel="nofollow">Times of India</a>: <br /><br />The urban population of the coastal region, which includes the country’s commercial capital Mumbai, has the highest prevalence of calorie deficiency (43%) in Maharashtra.<br /><br />Analysis also shows that undernutrition is prevalent across all religions.<br /><br />only 30.7% of the people in Maharashtra are classified as Below Poverty Line (BPL). The official BPL designation excludes over 16 million people who are too poor to afford adequate food.<br /><br />Calculations made using a per consumer unit calorie norm of 2400 in rural and 2100 in urban areas, reveals that the incidence of calorie-based poverty is 54.1% in rural areas and 39.5% in urban areas.<br /><br />Going by the NSS norm of 2700 calories per consumer unit, then 68% of households in rural Maharashtra are not receiving adequate calories and should be considered ‘poor’.<br /><br />According to Ram, Mohanty and Ram’s 2008 analysis, 65.4% of abject deprived households25 in Maharashtra do not have BPL cards.<br /><br />In contrast to the millions of households in abject poverty that cannot access BPL cards, 12.7% of non-poor households posses BPL cards. Specifically, BPL cards are owned by 15% of families owning more than five acres of agricultural land, 5% who own a television and refrigerator and 7% with a motorized vehicle.<br /><br />Undernourished children are more susceptible to illnesses such as diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections and are less likely to survive them. In cases where they do survive, they are further weakened and susceptible to future illness.<br /><br />Only 12% of schools investigated were providing cooked midday meals. Among the schools distributing food, most only provided cooked rice without any other supplements such as cooked dal and vegetables. This study also found that not a single school was providing the stipulated 300 calories and 8 to 12 grams protein.<br /><br />ICDS feeding centres (i.e. Anganwadi centres) often do not weigh the children regularly or properly. Other research (both government and independent) suggests that a much larger portion of children are malnourished than that reported by ICDS.<br /><br />Grade III and IV malnourishment is grossly underreported by the ICDS. Workers often lack the skills and equipment necessarily to accurate weigh and classify children. ICDS employees tend to underreport severe malnutrition in order to mask program failures.Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-83561512279154317002010-02-04T05:47:25.648-08:002010-02-04T05:47:25.648-08:00All is not lost:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/04/s...All is not lost:<br />http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/04/stories/2010020457620100.htm<br /><br />It is basically a fight between sane voices who want to deal with real problems and pursue peace, progress, literacy and science on the one side and those on the other who value hatred, religious bigotry, illiteracy and a constant state of war. Those who have chosen rationality and co-existence should do all we can to support our cause.<br /><br />Reader from IndiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-57250921866147266432010-02-03T21:19:12.026-08:002010-02-03T21:19:12.026-08:00Here's a heart-warming story of Indian and Pak...Here's a <a href="http://www.defence.pk/forums/current-events-social-issues/46174-indian-pakistani-students-excited-about-winning-space-competition.html" rel="nofollow">heart-warming story</a> of Indian and Pakistani children joining together for space competition:<br /><br />Notwithstanding the chill in Indo-Pak ties, students from both the countries have come together in designing an innovative crew ship to travel from Earth to Mars and jointly compete with students from other countries at NASA.<br /><br />Under the Sixteenth Annual International Space Settlement Design Competition, sponsored by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Boeing, school students from Lahore and Delhi have prepared a novel project on future of human civilization in Mars.<br /><br />It was like a dream come true for Sara Afzal, a student of class 11 from Lahore, when her team won the Asia Space Settlement Design Competition defeating 15 other teams with their innovative design to settle over 10,000 people in a city in space in 2055.<br /><br />Sara is part of a group of 36 children from India and Pakistan who will join 12 other finalist teams from around the world in July this year to compete at the 16th Annual International Space Settlement Design Competition at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.<br /><br />“I can’t tell you how excited I am that our team has been adjudged winner in Asia. It’s recognition of our hard work that we have put in the last six months. We worked for 18 to 22 hours in a day while preparing for the initial project,” said Sara, a student of Lahore Grammar School.<br /><br />US ambassador Timothy J.Roemer Tuesday met the students and lauded their efforts.<br /><br />“This group of Indian and Pakistani students are together designing the future of our civilization - one with few limitations of geographical boundaries,” said Roemer.<br /><br />The competition was organised by US Space agency NASA and Boeing.<br /><br />The students were asked to present their ideas based on which three teams - Amity International School in Saket, Lahore Grammar School and Little Flowers School in Hyderabad - were selected for the next round.<br /><br />“All the three teams were invited to Gurgaon and were randomly given proposals on space settlement. The students were given 21 hours to come out with their proposals and Amity School and Lahore Grammar School won the competition,” said B.P Pandey, guide of Amity School.<br /><br />An excited Palash Gupta, a class 11 student of Amity school, said: “We were given a project to make a mobile space settlement between Earth and Mars. We were divided into five groups - structure planning, operations, human engineering, automation and marketing. It was a tough task but real fun and we worked as a team to provide a winning solution.”<br /><br />The students have already started preparing for the final test and are hopeful to win the competition.<br /><br />“We have started our research for the final competition although the topic will be given randomly but we should know the properties of various planets and how we can construct our city with all modern facilities anywhere in space,” said Sanjana Mohan, another student.Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-4643375382110047932010-02-03T09:30:34.195-08:002010-02-03T09:30:34.195-08:00Riaz
India has to fight its poverty and i think i...Riaz<br /><br />India has to fight its poverty and i think it is doing it in a small manner due to its diversity and the democracy.<br /><br />But where is pakistan going. In case if you are convinced it is doing great so be it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-37507870139400137732010-02-03T02:02:47.972-08:002010-02-03T02:02:47.972-08:00Dear riaz sir, why is it that i feel that ur blog ...Dear riaz sir, why is it that i feel that ur blog post have become repetitive and redundant by the day..instead of getting new topics on the post you seem to have been getting fond of posting the same things over and over again.i was and am really a regular reader of your blog.but these days you seem to be possessed by this india bashing spree of yours.we all know there are countless problems india faces but even so does pakistan..heck they have a common legacy.but that does not keep from pakistan multiplying its problems for itself..atleast india is trying to fight it.With due regards you seem to have taken this india bashing too seriously..look at this post for instance..am too of the opinion that dialogue is necessary..but what was the need for citing previous posts..wouldn't a fair analysis of pros and cons be enough in an unbiased and simple way..Gourishnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-37118866541919652552010-02-03T00:10:50.883-08:002010-02-03T00:10:50.883-08:00anon: "Pakistan on the other hand will be for...anon: "Pakistan on the other hand will be forced to integrate with us economically or else stall economically,then we dictate terms ala US-Mexico.10 more years!"<br /><br />The reality is that, in spite of a decade of rapid economic growth, most Indians are hungry and malnourished which affects their ability to be function normally.<br /><br />Vast majority of Indians are dirt poor and live in worse conditions than their Haitian or sub-Saharan African counterparts. As a recent British report put it, India is condemning almost half its children to "permanent brain damage".<br /><br />It is hard for a nation of ill-fed illiterates to aspire to becoming a great power in this day and age, without first taking care of its people's very basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and literacy.Riaz Haqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-37563553931674830932010-02-02T21:00:40.583-08:002010-02-02T21:00:40.583-08:00I think India's best option is to outrun the c...I think India's best option is to outrun the clock even at 7-8% GDP growth we will be the world's third largest economy in 2020.Pakistan on the other hand will be forced to integrate with us economically or else stall economically,then we dictate terms ala US-Mexico.10 more years! <br /><br />In the mean time keep the singing and dancing routine vis a vis talks.<br />i.e talk for the sake of talking nothing concrete.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-76209286766639923062010-02-02T09:22:34.867-08:002010-02-02T09:22:34.867-08:00India must talk but donot take pakistan words seri...India must talk but donot take pakistan words serious. Plan as though there will be a war proxy or direct.<br /><br />Please read the amount of infilitration of support for taliban in the military. Few were court marshalled. There are more prohit under the coverAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com